sign in sign up
<<
Home , 2021 Stanley Cup Finals, Aaron Ward (ice hockey), Andreas Engqvist, By Crooked Steps, Clarkson Cup, Craig Smith (ice hockey)

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 5/20/2021 1188471 Arizona Coyotes MVP Jakob Chychrun building 1188498 Nathan MacKinnon hat trick powers 6-3 win as Avalanche reputation, future NHL trophy consideration drops Blues to take 2-0 series lead 1188499 Blues-Avalanche Game 2 Quick Hits: Nazem Kadri could have implications 1188472 Craig Smith winning a sprint helped the Bruins win a 1188500 Avalanche shutdown defenseman Patrik Nemeth off to marathon Game 3 excellent postseason start 1188473 Bruins gladly accept gift from Capitals rookie Ilya 1188501 Blues GM Doug Armstrong questions NHL COVID-19 Samsonov testing; league confirms false positives 1188474 Craig Smith, Bruins wrap up huge double- victory 1188502 Avalanche vs. St. Louis Blues: Three keys for Game 2 in Game 3 1188503 The Avalanche eke out a win with more Nathan 1188475 Plenty of buzz around first playoff game at MacKinnon heroics, but a potential Nazem Kadri TD Garden in nearly two years suspension looms 1188476 Craig Smith lifts Bruins in double OT to win Game 3 1188504 ‘A different freaking beast’: Playoff Nathan MacKinnon is 1188477 Bruins notebook: Charlie Coyle proud of Clancy here to lead the Avalanche nomination 1188505 Deen’s List: Avalanche continue to overwhelm old friend 1188478 Craig Smith scores in 2OT, gives Bruins 2-1 series lead Ryan O’Reilly 1188479 Watch Bruins star Taylor Hall score best goal of 2021 1188506 Good teams have great stories…I think? so far 1188507 Blues vs. Avalanche Game 2 Odds, Prediction, Pick (May 1188480 WATCH: Craig Smith scores in 2OT to give Bruins Game 19, 2021) 3 win 1188508 MacKinnon records hat trick, Avs beat Blues 6-3 in Game 1188481 Projected lines, pairings for Bruins vs. Capitals Game 3 2 1188482 Ovechkin Snaps on Teammates after Gaffe Gives Bruins 1188509 Nathan MacKinnon leads the way in tricky Game 2 Game 3 1188510 GRADESAvs Game Grades: Hats off to the top in 1188483 Talking Points: Bruins Hop On Caps Game 3 Gaffe Game 2 1188484 Taylor Hall Adds Another Beauty To Boston Bruins 1188511 AVALANCHE PLAYOFFSRegardless of further Blues Resume Covid drama, Game 2 is on tonight 1188485 Boston Bruins DeBrusk Playing ‘Wild Card’ Role In Playoffs 1188486 Game 3: Boston Bruins Vs Lines, 1188512 Sources: Blue Jackets will re-hire John Davidson as Preview president of hockey operations 1188487 Boston Bruins Following Their Veteran Core Once Again | 1188513 John Davidson is returning to the Blue Jackets as BHN+ president of hockey operations 1188488 In a tight series, goalie Tuukka Rask is a huge difference for Bruins against Capitals 1188489 The curious cluster of elite American right- 1188514 A pair of monster AHL seasons has two Stars prospects defensemen on the radar for 2021-22 1188490 NHL announces June 2 as date for draft lottery; Sabres 1188515 Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin feels 'pretty lucky' after have top odds at 16.6% injury forced him into neck brace 1188516 Why thinks Jeff Blashill can get Detroit Flames Red Wings 'to a better tomorrow' 1188491 SNAPSHOTS: Flames linemates Gaudreau, Tkachuk 1188517 In keeping Jeff Blashill, Steve Yzerman is asking for your finish lost on offensive tears trust. He has earned it 1188492 Phillips shines in Flames debut 1188518 Marc Staal plans to keep options open in free agency, not 'ruling out' return to Wings 1188519 Red Wings' Dylan Larkin feels 'pretty lucky' after late- 1188493 With tired legs and stout hearts, Canes defensemen pull season neck injury yeoman duty in Game 2 win 1188520 Red Wings’ Dylan Larkin recovers from neck injury, 1188494 Here’s what the Hurricanes can improve upon ahead of focuses on two-way game Game 2 against the Predators 1188495 How the Hurricanes fought their way to another playoff win Oilers over the Predators 1188521 Stubborn Jets get jump on with Game 1 1188496 Apparently, Brett Pesce missed the playoffs. Hurricanes victory defenseman shines in return 1188522 Time for reset for Oilers' Kassian after injury-riddled regular season 1188523 PLAYOFF SNAPSHOTS: Few secrets between Oilers and 1188497 Blackhawks' lottery odds for 2021 NHL Draft determined Jets in first round 1188524 JONES: Oilers owner says the time is now to allow fans back in stands Oilers Continued 1188525 PLAYOFF GAME NIGHT: Oilers and Jets meet in first 1188558 NJ Devils hire former Olympian as round manager of player development 1188526 Oilers need more contributors with or without Connor 1188559 Devils hire USA hockey star Meghan Duggan for player McDavid and Leon Draisaitl scoring development role 1188527 Oilers observations: Jesse Puljujarvi scores, Leon Draisaitl thrives and Edmonton falls in Game 1 vs. Jets 1188528 Darnell Nurse is on ‘another level’: How the Oilers 1188560 Islanders looking to Nassau Coliseum boost picked up speed and turned into a true No. 1 against Penguins 1188529 Lowetide: Jesse Puljujarvi has arrived for the Oilers — 1188561 Islanders need so much more from Mathew Barzal, top again line 1188530 What the Oilers need to do to beat the Jets: Does regular- 1188562 Nassau Coliseum concessions to be open for fans season success provide a template for the playoffs? attending Islanders' playoff games 1188563 Islanders will return to a loud and larger Nassau Coliseum Panthers crowd for Game 3 vs. the Penguins 1188531 Odds stacked against the as they hit the 1188564 Insight into the work ethic of the Islanders' Semyon road against Tampa for Game 3 Varlamov from someone who knows 1188532 Panthers Could Lose a Solid Defenceman to the Kraken 1188565 Mathew Barzal went pointless in Pittsburgh, yet Isles still 1188533 NHL Stanley Cup playoff results: Penguins, Golden got the split Knights battle back, Lightning double series lead 1188566 Five things the Islanders need to do to regain control vs. the Penguins 1188567 Should Barry Trotz have Started in 1188534 Column: and the Kings need to take major Game 2? steps forward next season 1188535 Exit Interviews – Head Coach Todd McLellan 1188568 Rangers hire Mike Grier as hockey operations adviser 1188569 The Rangers’ cap situation heading into the offseason: 1188536 Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has been hard to beat for How signings or trades now add to long-term uncertainty Wild 1188537 Matt Dumba promises Wild will be 'different beast' at home NHL 1188538 An ode to Kirill Kaprizov, from his Russian countrymen 1188570 and ’s Rivalry Makes a Muted Return to 1188539 For Wild, former top prospect Alex Tuch is the one that got the Playoffs away 1188540 Wild’s Matt Dumba hosts block party as team’s resident Senators hype man 1188571 GARRIOCH: Melnyk says he's confident the Senators will 1188541 Top Wild prospect Matt Boldy highlights Black Aces sign Brady Tkachuk plus club needs a and defence coming to St. Paul 1188572 Senators' owner Eugene Melnyk says priority is to stay in 1188542 Russo: Kevin Fiala, Kirill Kaprizov need help as Wild take Kanata, but he's looked at sites in Gatineau control of last change in Minnesota 1188573 Scott Gordon is thankful for his years in the Flyers 1188543 Leafs learned from last season's playoff failure, Jason organization; Ian Laperriere could replace him with the P Spezza says 1188574 After 6 seasons together and interim duty, Flyers and 1188544 Canadiens' is '100-per-cent ready' for Game Gordon part ways 1 vs. Leafs 1188575 Flyers offseason Kraken protection list, version 1.0: Jakub 1188545 Spotlight on Canadiens' veterans as trio of youngsters sits Voracek and James van Riemsdyk exposed? for Game 1 1188546 Canadiens Notebook: Offence could be a big problem (again) for Habs 1188576 Islanders creating more chances than Penguins on the 1188547 Stu Cowan: Young Canadiens won't gain experience if power play they don't play 1188577 Blueger, Aston-Reese, Tanev have been better than a 1188548 What the Puck: Underdog Canadiens need to lay body to mere ‘4th line’ for Penguins oust Maple Leafs 1188578 to travel with Penguins to New York; Casey 1188549 Montreal Mayor Plante makes friendly bet with Toronto's DeSmith will not Tory over Habs-Leafs series 1188579 Mark Madden: Penguins are ill-equipped for heavy hockey 1188550 Canadiens building blocks: 5 examples of how Joël 1188580 Former Penguins forward Jussi Jokinen retires Bouchard has constructed the hockey 1188581 Empty Thoughts: Penguins 2, Islanders 1 program 1188582 Penguins successfully creating forecheck havoc 1188551 Canadiens playoff lineup breakdown: a thought exercise to 1188583 How a 34-year-old Kris Letang maintains an elite fitness understand Dominique Ducharme’s questionable decisio level to play big minutes in key games 1188584 Ron Cook: Tristan Jarry’s bounce-back performance saved Penguins in Game 2 1188552 Golden opportunity wasted by Nashville Predators in 1188585 Sullivan Throws Sharp Elbow At Concern For Physical Toll Game 2, and that'll be tough to take 1188586 Penguins 4th Line Winning the Battle; Shuts Down Barzal, 1188553 Matt Benning's skirmish headlines physical start to Islanders Predators-Hurricanes series 1188587 The Best Penguins Playoff Betting Promos and Bonuses 1188554 Carolina Hurricanes shut out Nashville Predators, take 2-0 1188588 Game 2 Takeaways: Fans Rocked PPG, the Jarry series lead Rebound, & Battles Won 1188555 What's the record of NHL playoff teams down 0-2 in a series? Not good. 1188556 Rexrode: Predators get vintage Juuse Saros, give him nothing in return 1188557 The Predators need their stars to step up, starting with Roman Josi and Canucks 1188589 NHL Draft Lottery: San Jose Sharks now know their 1188653 Canucks: Thatcher Demko ‘desperately hopes’ club will chances of winning re-sign goalie coach Ian Clark 1188590 San Jose Sharks final grades: Too many key players fell 1188654 Flames 6, Canucks 2: Vancouver’s season finally finished short of expectations with a loss 1188591 Who stays and who goes? Predicting which Sharks might 1188655 Flames conclude NHL regular season with 6-2 win over be on the way out Canucks 1188592 Barracuda Advance to Playoffs, Robins Talks Rivalry with 1188656 The Armies: The Canucks finally finish the season Wiesblatt 1188593 30 Sharks: Wade Flaherty Remembers Upsetting the Flames 1188627 Marc-Andre Fleury has been ‘The Dude’ for Golden 1188594 Sheng’s Daily: Gabriel Is Sharks’ Nominee Knights 1188628 Golden Knights hosting watch parties for Games 3 and 4 St Louis Blues 1188629 Key to Golden Knights’ chances: Keep limiting Kirill 1188595 Blues show life late, but drop 6-3 contest to Avs. Kaprizov 1188596 Hochman: -on-captain crunch set tone in Blues' 1188630 Pete DeBoer says Golden Knights up to challenge in Game 2. Can St. Louis even win one game at home? Minnesota 1188597 False alarm on Blues COVID test results 1188631 Jonathan Marchessault’s clutch goal sparks Golden 1188598 Does Armstrong's formula still work for the Blues? Jim Knights Thomas weighs in 1188632 NHL Statement on Vegas Golden Knights Positive 1188599 MacKinnon records hat trick, Avs beat Blues 6-3 in Game COVID-19 Tests 2 1188633 Eighteen Seconds That Changed the Series for the Vegas 1188600 NHL clears Blues, Golden Knights after virus testing errors Golden Knights 1188601 From inaccurate lab results to more injuries, Game 2 is a 1188634 Vegas Golden Knights Must Squash Wild Hopes in Game total loss for the Blues Three 1188602 ‘That’s not just one breakdown’: Ex-NHL defenseman illustrates how Avalanche beat Blues with speed in Game Washington Capitals 1 1188635 Bruins seize upon Capitals’ gaffe behind the net, win Game 3 in double overtime 1188636 Critical mishap leads to Bruins' win over Capitals in two 1188603 Lightning to offer vaccinations to fans ticketed for Games overtimes 3 and 4 1188637 Capitals have 'lineup decisions' to make ahead of Game 3 1188604 Lightning increasing capacity at to 9,000 against Bruins 1188605 Lightning’s Ryan McDonagh proving himself invaluable 1188638 Capitals lose steam in overtime periods and fall 3-2 to during playoffs Bruins 1188606 Lightning look to carry momentum as series shifts to 1188639 Did Samsonov do enough in Game 3 to earn Caps starting Tampa job? 1188607 Anyone surprised the Lightning are coming home with two 1188640 Caps slip in double overtime to drop Game 3 to Bruins wins? 1188641 Unhappy Alex Ovechkin snaps stick after 2OT loss to 1188608 Game 2 report card: Panthers can learn a lot from Bruins Lightning 1188642 Samsonov to start Game 3 with Anderson out for maintenance 1188643 The story behind surprise playoff hero Craig Anderson 1188609 With Auston Matthews on board, Leafs can dream of 1188644 Capitals lose on miscommunication, leaving Bruins a gift playoff glory behind net in 2nd OT 1188610 Toronto and Montreal mayors place bet on outcome of 1188645 With Capitals injuries adding up, who are the Black Aces Maple Leafs-Canadiens playoff and who’s most likely to play? 1188611 ‘Do not run out of chocolate.’ Maple Leafs fans offer their playoff survival guide, from superstitions to comf Websites 1188612 Jack Campbell goes into the soup, and four other Maple 1188657 The Athletic / ‘Letterkenny,’ late nights and flag wars: An Leafs storylines ode to the one-year wonder that was the NHL’s all- 1188613 The Maple Leafs will need their big four to step up if 1188658 The Athletic / The curious cluster of elite American right- ancient history is to be repeated shot defensemen 1188614 The Leafs’ past playoff failures are a motivation again, 1188659 .ca / Unsung heroes shine as Jets flip script vs. defenceman Morgan Rielly admits Oilers in Game 1 1188615 ‘It’s been a really long time’: Leafs and Habs ready to 1188660 Sportsnet.ca / Oilers learn familiar lesson as Jets grind out finally renew playoff rivalry Game 1 win 1188616 How do the Leafs and Canadiens match up head-to-head? 1188661 Sportsnet.ca / takeaways: A look at who has the edge, position by position MacKinnon puts on spectacular show vs. Blues 1188618 Maple Leafs' Campbell on the eve of his first NHL playoff 1188662 Sportsnet.ca / Toronto Mayor Tory: Drive-in Maple Leaf game: 'It's pure excitement' Square an option if team goes on run 1188619 SIMMONS: It's time for Leafs' Matthews and Marner to 1188663 Sportsnet.ca / Bogosian ready to add 'a whole lot of nasty' build a playoff resume to Leafs' Game 1 lineup 1188620 HORNBY: Full house or not, Maple Leafs must win 1188664 Sportsnet.ca / Jets embrace underdog role vs. Oilers: 'We 1188621 TRAIKOS: Maple Leafs versus Habs is going to be 'a war know we are good enough to win' out there' 1188665 TSN.CA / Big decisions lie ahead as Flames, Canucks 1188622 Bogosian back as Maple Leafs prep for physical series conclude disappointing seasons 1188623 Maple Leafs sign Swedish goalie to two-way deal 1188666 TSN.CA / Bogosian's return will inject 'whole lot of nasty' 1188624 The 9 most intriguing Maple Leafs in the playoffs: William into Leafs lineup Nylander, Rasmus Sandin and more 1188667 TSN.CA / Jack Campbell ready for long-awaited 1188625 How and Danielle Goyette plan to postseason opportunity revamp the Maple Leafs’ player development 1188668 USA TODAY / Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri 1188626 2021 NHL playoff preview: Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens ejected for hit to head of St. Louis Blues' Justin Faulk 1188669 USA TODAY / NHL draft lottery will be held June 2; here are the odds 1188670 USA TODAY / NHL playoffs: Bryan Rust's late penalty almost cost Penguins; Golden Knights finally score Jets 1188646 Jets shut down Oilers' dynamic duo in 4-1 win 1188647 , Manitoba not following 's plan to let thousands attend NHL playoffs 1188648 Jets defy the odds, stun Oilers in Game 1 of playoff series 1188649 The view from the COVID couch on Jets-Oilers 1188650 JETS SNAPSHOTS: Jets start playoffs with two top-six forwards missing … again 1188651 Winnipeg’s Game 1 win builds confidence the Jets didn’t have in 2019 1188652 Analyzing the ’ projected Game 1 lineup against Edmonton SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 1188471 Arizona Coyotes consistently all the time at that high level, and that's something he has to prove in the NHL."

Arizona Coyotes MVP Jakob Chychrun building reputation, future NHL trophy consideration Arizona Republic LOADED: 05.20.2021

José M. Romero

Arizona Republic

Jakob Chychrun probably won't get enough votes to win this year's Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman. But he'll take the honor of being voted the Arizona Coyotes' into the offseason with him after a career year for the 23-year-old.

Chychrun set career highs in goals (18), assists (23) and points (41). One of five Coyotes to play in all 56 games, Chychrun led the team in power play points (14), his shot from distance becoming a lethal weapon and his connection with front-of-the-net specialist Michael Bunting resulting in several goals.

A nagging wrist injury is reason enough for Chychrun to get the rest he's earned and will take in the offseason. The injury, which Chychrun played through since March, is something he said he needed to address.

Chychrun's offensive game shined in his fifth season in the NHL, and he seeks to become a player who can be effective all over the ice. He also found something more which he hopes to develop — leadership ability.

"I feel like I've matured and grown, and gotten myself into a more vocal kind of leadership role for this group. So that's something I take a lot of pride in," Chychrun said shortly after the season ended.

That statement might be music to the ears of Coyotes fans calling for some changes in team leadership. Chychrun, while still young, has the experience, the statistical production and now, it seems, the voice to be part of the incoming head coach's captain/alternate captain group.

There's more to it than that, however. Respect from teammates and even officials on the ice, as Chychrun pointed out, has to be earned and is part of the process of becoming more of a leader.

The Coyotes still have captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson under contract for several more years, though his name coming up in talk this offseason cannot be ruled out. This season's alternate captains, Niklas Hjalmarsson and Derick Brassard, can become unrestricted free agents and might not be re-signed. Defenseman Alex Goligoski has been an alternate captain but is also eligible to become a free agent, though he seems more likely to be retained.

Chychrun advocated keeping the team's core together and said despite coming up short this past season, after another year of experience he still believes the team can be a playoff contender.

"The future's bright here," Chychrun said. "We're growing together and maturing together and it's time for us to really take that next step and have that breakout year that we're looking to have."

Voting members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association are to submit their votes for NHL award winners and All-Stars this week. As difficult as it is for any Coyotes player to draw attention for his play from a national perspective, Chychrun found his way into the discussion as a Norris Trophy candidate in no small part because he led the NHL in goals for a defensemen.

Among defensemen, he ranked 10th in points, tied for first in game- winning goals with three, tied for third with five power play goals and finished second in shots, 176. Chychrun was voted the Coyotes' MVP by those who regularly cover the team and broadcasters.

Among a group of writers who cover West Division teams that played the Coyotes and Chychrun eight times this regular season, Chychrun drew praise for his play and the general consensus among those surveyed is that he's a rising star.

"When you talk about Jakob Chychrun, maybe one day if he keeps developing and works on the (defensive) side of his game and trimming up some of his game, he could push to be a Norris Trophy candidate or a winner. He's got that inside of him," Coyotes Bill Armstrong said. "Obviously he's got to still improve and take some big steps. You can do it for one year, can you do it for two and can you do it 1188472 Boston Bruins off his head and paying that back with a few blows of his own, using his blocker like a boxing glove in the scrum clogging his crease.

There was the penalty call on Zdeno Chara that was cheered lustily by Craig Smith winning a sprint helped the Bruins win a marathon Game 3 the TD Garden crowd, one more potent reminder the former captain is the enemy now. And the rising chants of enmity at the real Capitals Enemy No. 1, Tom Wilson, the primary target for all the pent-up energy By Tara Sullivan Globe Columnist of those locals lucky enough to be inside the building waving their yellow towels. Updated May 20, 2021, 12:15 a.m. There’s the continually growing legend of McAvoy, whose motor, energy,

physicality, and relentlessness powered the Bruins’ engine all night and For a game that felt like a marathon and a sprint all at once, it was a the ongoing artistry of Ovechkin, whose fiery competitiveness could be sprint that made all the difference, an all-out dash to the puck that casts seen as he smashed his stick at game’s end as well as when he jawed at Craig Smith as a playoff hockey hero. his own young teammate, Samsonov, whose mistake led to the winning goal. There was Smith in the second overtime of the Bruins-Capitals Game 3 Wednesday night, streaking toward the idling puck with the energy of a And let’s not forget the exponentially emerging confidence of Taylor Hall, first-period shift, as if bursting out of the starting blocks to a finish line the man so singularly responsible for keeping that initial Capitals lead so located behind the Capitals goal. It was there that Washington short-lived, his ability to take a pass from Smith and then spin, flick, and had left the puck, thinking his defenseman, Justin lift the puck past Samsonov all the reminder you need this guy was once Schultz, would be by to pick it up. But it was Smith who would get there the No. 1 overall pick in the draft. first, ahead of Schultz and before Samsonov would get back in his net. And then there was Smith, whose sprint to finish a marathon night One wraparound goal later and the Bruins were exploding off their bench, provided the most dramatic moment of all. the jubilation of a 3-2 win and a 2-1 series lead temporarily reviving their “My first priority is to get a stick on a puck, the defenseman was just far exhausted bodies, even while it left the rest of us puddles of our own enough away to give me time to get in there and get it,” he said. “It just nervous sweat. worked out.” That’s three straight playoff games and three straight overtimes now for There were stretches it felt like that might not happen Wednesday, like these oh-so-familiar foes (and 12 straight postseason games decided by when the Bruins had a 17-5 shot advantage in the first overtime with one goal, extending an NHL record, for those keeping count). When the nothing to show for it, or when they opened the second OT with similar Bruins and Capitals arrange a playoff date, a long night of hockey awaits. dominance that was going nowhere. One fluke the wrong way and all But here’s the thing: As nerve-racking as that might be, we are all better their work would have been for naught. It had been 707 days since the for it. Bruins hosted a home playoff game, from the heartbreak of a Game 7 Drained and wrung out, but better, too. Better for the experience of Stanley Cup Final loss through the heartache of a pandemic that moved watching sports at its most intense, for the chance to enjoy hockey at its the tournament into a bubble. playoff finest, for the privilege of seeing in real time how these games are They finally got to come home, and with in the span of one night, won won and lost on the biggest of hits and the smallest of details. both the marathon and the sprint. Forget a best-of-seven. These games make you wish this one was a best-of-nine. Boston Globe LOADED: 05.20.2021 We kid, we kid. Our hearts couldn’t take it.

When one of the postgame questions to Bruce Cassidy described the series as “razor thin,” the Bruins coach couldn’t help but agree.

“You’re watching it,” he said. “There’s not a lot to pick from. Special teams have been fairly even. The five-on-five play, pockets go their way, pockets go our way, the momentum swings. That’s playoff hockey. Who can get out of it, get back to their game, that’s the key. Who can build on their game and get better. I think we’re starting to see that out of our group. I think we’ve gotten progressively better.

“I think we’d say that Game 1 was our least effective. We stayed in it. They’d probably say Game 2 or 3 was their least effective, but they’ve stayed in it. I don’t think it’s going to change. It’s going to be close games and you’ve got to be comfortable playing in them. Players have to know, the little things matter, the details, and we’ve got to make sure we stick to ours.”

Details such as avoiding bad penalties so they don’t lead to power-play goals, a mistake that bit both sides of the equation Wednesday, but managed to do so in a fashion commensurate with the drama of the night. was the first offender, his ridiculous decision to put his stick blade near the head of another player, this time Brenden Dillon, costing him two minutes in the box. Alex Ovechkin made him pay, his second-period power-play goal finally cracking a scoreless night and giving the Capitals a 1-0 lead.

The lead would last all of 56 seconds (more on that in a minute), but even after the Capitals pushed their advantage to 2-1, karma gave Marchand a second chance. The hero of Game 2 would come up big once again, tying this game at 2-all with a third-period power-play goal, an opportunity earned when the Capitals’ Nic Dowd decided to high-stick Charlie McAvoy long after a play and well away from the action.

The action in between was wild and brutal and dramatic and intense — everything that makes hockey the perfect postseason sport.

McAvoy getting sent over the boards and Nick Ritchie returning the favor on his behalf a few shifts later. Tuukka Rask getting his helmet knocked 1188473 Boston Bruins ▪ A significantly better start for the Bruins, limiting the Capitals to four shots in the first period. In both games in D.C., the Capitals came out with gas pedal nailed to the floor. Monday, in Game 2, they held an 8-1 Bruins gladly accept gift goal from Capitals rookie Ilya Samsonov shot lead in the opening three minutes.

▪ Zdeno Chara’s night got off to a rough start when he was felled in the pregame warm-up, knocked to the ice, helmet flying, in a collision with By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff Schultz. Friendly fire. Big Z then heard jeers from the Garden crowd when he was whistled off for a slash on Charlie Coyle at 13:18. Updated May 19, 2021, 10:50 p.m. ▪ Taylor Hall had the lone Bruins strike in the first two periods, set up with

a nifty backhanded feed by Smith. Hall went forehand-backhand- It looks likes Ilya Samsonov has a bright future in the NHL, but he’ll have forehand and finished off at the left post with a quick lift over Samsonov. to hope his gaffe Wednesday night, when he gifted the Bruins their 3-2 A rare bit of space. The big Capitals defensemen rarely leave such room double-overtime win over the Capitals, proves to be growth ring rather available. than a crushing shot to his ego. “They’ve done a good job defending,” said Hall. “You’ve got to give them Samsonov, after stopping the puck on the rear wall, mistakenly left it credit. Any time you have time and space against a team like that, you there unprotected, and gift-wrapped in black and gold, with his want to do it.” defenseman, Justin Schultz, in a footrace with Bruins forward Craig The Capitals, noted Hall, play man-on-man in the defensive zone, unlike Smith. The 6-foot-3-inch goaltender figured Schultz would take control, every team in the league that protects with layers. allowing him return to his net, and play would transition out of the zone. “A little different,” noted Hall. “If you can isolate your guy, and beat your Whoops. guys one-on-one, you’ll have some time. But that is easier said than Rookie goalie. Rookie mistake. Trouble for the Capitals, now in a 2-1 done.” deficit in the best-of-seven series. ▪ The Bruins again went with Charlie McAvoy as their choice for It all served as a prime reminder of the risks of putting a freshman in net man on the No. 1 power-play unit. That has been Matt Grzelcyk’s job for the playoffs. Samsonov has pedigree. He was the first goalie taken in much of the season, but coach Bruce Cassidy opted for McAvoy in that the 2015 draft. He has size and quickness. But he came into Wednesday role in Game 2. David Krejci also worked the back on of the No. 1 unity, night without a second of postseason experience. with Brad Marchand, , and Pastrnak up front. McAvoy is a tantalizing, obvious choice back there, and all the better if he He could return Friday, in Game 4, and pitch a shutout. He is that good. surrenders his penchant for passing instead of shooting. He has a good But under the most intense pressure of his budding NHL career, he shot. But he has to use it. blinked.. ▪ For the first time in decades, the Bruins were in the playoffs and The “I think, personally, when you get it, the sooner get rid of it the better it Fours, the popular watering hole on Canal Street, was not open to is,” said Bruins veteran goalie Tuukka Rask. “Communication plays part welcome thirsty fans. The world’s greatest sports bar closed its doors for in that. And when you play overtime, double overtime, fatigues plays part good last summer, amid the pandemic, and weeks later auctioned off its of it, too. A lot goes into it, but yeah, tough bounce.” goods.

Capitals coach said it was a “tough ending” and noted the miscommunication between Samsonov and Schultz. Boston Globe LOADED: 05.20.2021 “Looked like one went [with the decision to] leave it, and one went for [counting] on an outlet pass,” said the sullen coach. “A tough break, the way the game ended — I thought Sammy played a hell of a game for us.”

Other observations from the game:

▪ It looks as if this will be a series with little breathing room for the Bruins. For the second time in three games, they did not squeeze out a lead in regulation.

Through three games, the Capitals have totaled 39:02 in lead time, compared with only 7:47 for the Bruins.

▪ Garnet Hathaway is turning into the of this series. The ex- Brown standout (yes, they play hockey at Brown) is greatly overshadowed by his club’s more high-profile forwards (as Tikkanen was in the Oilers’ lineup), but he keeps popping up in significant moments.

One of those moments led to the Capitals’ 2-1 lead late in the second period. The Bruins had control of the puck in their end until a pass intended for David Pastrnak at the blue line got picked off by … wait for it … Hathaway.

Brandon Carlo also had a crack at collecting the pass at the blue line, but Hathaway came away with the puck. He’s a pest, but one with enough skill to contribute offensively.

Moments later, after Hathaway made a stride or two toward the left circle, his wrist shot ended up in the net off a tip from Nic Dowd (who tipped in the overtime winner Game 1).

Earlier in the period, Hathaway cannonballed into Rask, knocking off Rask’s mask as he attempted to muscle into scoring position near the right post. Rask, his mask off, used his blocker (right) hand to give the fallen Hathaway a couple of pops in the head.

Originally signed by Calgary out of Brown (Class of 2014), Hathaway signed with the Capitals as a free agent in July 2019, a four-year deal for a total of $6 million. He is 6-2 and 212 pounds, a fourth-liner with moxie, and at a bargain price. 1188474 Boston Bruins “That was on my mind as the day went on,” Hall said. “There’s times in games you want to get it on net quickly, surprise the goalie, but there’s also times to make a play around him. I’ve started to get some Craig Smith, Bruins wrap up huge double-overtime victory in Game 3 confidence, goal-scoring wise, since I’ve gotten here.”

Clearly.

By Matt Porter Globe Staff Fifty-four seconds after Alex Ovechkin made it 1-0 in the second, Hall tied it with a gorgeous finish. Skating right to left across the crease, he Updated May 19, 2021, 10:39 p.m. took a backhand feed from Smith, spun around while putting a deft touch on it, then tucked it over Samsonov’s shoulder at 9:17 of the period.

And then: a turnover, a tip, a 2-1 Caps lead late in the second. Charlie The Bruins went from stifled, to steamrolling, to Superman celebration. Coyle and Pastrnak missed connections on a breakout, and Nic Dowd, After winning Game 3 at 5:48 of double overtime, Craig Smith pretended who had one goal in 15 playoff games entering this series, scored his to rip open his Spoked-B and reveal a big Black and Gold ‘S’ underneath. second against the Bruins by tipping a pass from Garnet Hathaway at Faster than a speeding bullet, Smith stole the puck behind the Capitals 18:15. net, slipped home a wraparound, and changed the course of this series. It was the sixth of eight Washington goals this series that went in off a The 3-2 victory Wednesday at TD Garden gave Boston a 2-1 series lead, deflection of some kind. and a chance to push Washington to the brink in Friday’s Game 4. The Bruins’ only power play goal couldn’t have come at a better time. Outshooting Washington 19-8 in the extra period-and-change, Boston With nine minutes left in the third, Charlie McAvoy drew a high stick in didn’t break through until Justin Schultz and netminder Ilya Samsonov the neutral zone. On their previous four tries, the Bruins’ power play had botched a dump-in behind the Capitals net. Samsonov left it for Schultz, seven shot attempts, three scoring chances, and no goals. who apparently didn’t expect it. The puck laying there, Schultz had to cut back. He was a moment too late. Samsonov couldn’t recover. The next one: count it.

Smith was no longer Clark Kent. Marchand whiffed on the first pitch, a doorstep chance that went right through his skates. On the second pitch, he tied the game. Marchand “I don’t know if there was a miscommunication between the two,” said swung and connected with a chest-high puck, knocking it past Samsonov Smith, who left the Predators to sign here for three years and $9.3 million at 11:32. last offseason. “It looked like it. I just tried to jump on it and see if I could create a little bit of a turnover there. They gave me just enough time to On both those plays, Patrice Bergeron redirected the pass to his get in there and get it. linemate, perfectly playing the bumper position with his skates, stick and smarts. “It was a great feeling. It was a great feeling,” added Smith, who previously ended Game 2 of a 2019 playoff series against the Stars with The Capitals nearly ended it in regulation, the Bruins struggling in the an OT winner. “Any time you can end one like that . . . I love winning, but third. Nicklas Backstrom hit the post with 4:39 left in the third. Tom I hate waiting.” Wilson rattled the crossbar with 1:14 to go.

The Bruins likely deserved this one, given their dominance in the extra No team has held more than a one-goal lead in this series. And now session. Outshot 8-0 at even strength in the third period, they turned that Boston leads by a game, 2-1, heading into Friday’s Game 4 at TD into a 17-5 edge in the first OT. Smith scored on their second shot in the Garden. second overtime, and 43rd of the night. As Cassidy likes to say, it’s a second-effort league. After Smith’s second “We played really good in OT. We were probably the better team,” said effort in the second OT, his club has its second win of the series. Tuukka Rask, who made 35 saves, and like counterpart Samsonov, faced five power plays. Both teams went 1 for 5, one of the reasons the score was deadlocked, 2-2, after 60 minutes. Boston Globe LOADED: 05.20.2021 In extras for the third consecutive game, the Bruins nearly ended it on multiple chances in the first OT, the 4,565 fans in attendance wondering when the end would come.

Among the best bids: Brad Marchand, who scored the tying goal in the third period, had two rebound tries on a bouncing puck in the crease. Zdeno Chara foiled his open-net bid in the opening minutes of the second overtime. Marchand also set up David Pastrnak on a rush chance, Pastrnak just missing the far post. Hauled down by T.J. Oshie, No. 88 spilled into the boards, hitting his upper half hard, and was slow to get up. No penalty call came.

“Absolutely,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy, when asked if he expected one. “Those are the calls you have to make, if a guy’s in all alone, a goal-scoring chance. An obvious one.”

Pastrnak collected himself, and returned for his next shift. The right wing who replaced him on the ice, Smith, ended it.

“The sooner you get rid of it, the better it is,” Rask said of Samsonov’s puck touch. “Tough bounce.”

Smith’s linemate Taylor Hall, who scored in the second period, called it “a classic example of him putting pressure on a guy with his speed and his physicality.

“One of the most well-liked guys I’ve ever played with. I’m really happy for him,” Hall said.

Smith returned the favor for Hall, the ex-Sabre who has fit in just as well.

At Wednesday’s morning skate, Bruins assistant coach “Goalie Bob” Essensa mentioned to Hall one instance in which he could have pulled the puck around a defender instead of shooting five-hole. 1188475 Boston Bruins None of that mattered to Bruce Cassidy. Laviolette, the native son of Franklin, can be tight-lipped. Cassidy will remain an open book.

In his talks with the media, Cassidy regularly reveals lineup tweaks, Plenty of buzz around first Stanley Cup playoff game at TD Garden in strategies, philosophies and answers questions near and far. Asked why nearly two years he didn’t consider sharing of information a competitive disadvantage — in stark contrast to his coaching opponent — Cassidy sort of shrugged.

By Matt Porter Globe Staff “We know each other well,” he said. “Yes, when guys change lines or certain things, you go, OK, this is where I feel we can be better. I just Updated May 19, 2021, 8:15 p.m. think we’ve coached our team like, ‘Hey, stuff is going to happen through the course of a game, through the course of a year.’ You’ve got to be

prepared against everybody on every night, so right away that’s a system A playoff crowd, shouting and waving yellow towels, greeted the Bruins structure thing that every player has to get down.” at TD Garden for the first time in what seemed like forever. Cassidy prefers to roll his lines, rather than chase a matchup by yanking The last time, to be exact, was June 12, 2019. players on and off the ice.

Hoping for a better night than that one, a 25 percent capacity crowd “They’ve got to be prepared that their matchup may change,” he said. “I (4,565) started chanting “Let’s Go Bruins” before puck drop, as the don’t feel the rhythm of your team is good if guys are constantly coming players expected. on and off the ice. Of course we look at matchups, we want to get certain things going into a game. But I’ve said, I don’t love to chase them for that “It’s going to be great. There’s a lot of excitement,” defenseman Connor reason. I think it takes guys out of their game. You have some high-end Clifton said before the Bruins’ 3-2 double overtime victory in Game 3. “I’m players that could end up sitting in that regard. You want them on the ice. sure the guys are going to be buzzing, especially the first five [minutes]. They’re the difference-makers. It’s going to be good to hear those fans again.” “Why I’m open a little more is, I don’t know, it’s just the way I’m wired, I The banner captain, the fan selected to wave a Black and Gold flag for guess. Here’s our lineup, may the best team win.” an inspirational reason, was “The Mighty Quinn” Waters, the 5-year-old cancer fighter from Charlie Coyle’s hometown of Weymouth. Waters, to Kuznetsov, who opened the night with Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie, last great applause, gave a thumbs up as he waved. suited up May 1. He came off the COVID protocol list Sunday. A major factor in the Capitals’ 2018 Stanley Cup win, he had a quiet 2021 regular According to his family’s Instagram account, Friends of the Mighty Quinn, season (9-20—29 in 41 games). he faces a second relapse of a brain tumor. But Wednesday, an MRI showed one of his tumors is “completely gone,” and the second one is His elevation to the top line had Laviolette opening the night with Nicklas “95% gone.” Backstrom between two big wingers, Anthony Mantha and Tom Wilson.

“He’s still got a road ahead of him,” the post said, “but he tackled Eller, the third-line center who left Game 2 with a lower-body injury, was Heartbreak Hill without breaking a sweat!” replaced by Michael Raffl. Journeyman Daniel Carr joined the Washington forward group, as the right winger for Raffl and Conor In part because of his friendship with the youngster, Coyle was named Sheary. the Bruins’ King Clancy Memorial Trophy nominee Tuesday. Speaking about the honor before puck drop, Coyle tipped his cap to Bruins past Not a warm welcome for Wilson and present. Fans got on Tom Wilson early, with expletive-fueled chants from the “They set the standard here,” he said. “You try to follow suit and do the upper level. They booed the Capitals bad guy every time he touched the best you can and try to be a good person.” puck, and cheered when Charlie McAvoy flattened him on a reverse hit in the first. Wilson got in a laugh, chirping McAvoy a few feet away after He also thanked his parents, Theresa and Chuck, noting that he fully Hathaway spilled McAvoy between the benches. McAvoy finished with appreciates them now as an adult. his usual monster effort: 33:52 TOI, assist, three shots, three hits, two takeaways . . . Zdeno Chara’s slashing penalty drew a cheer from a “You don’t realize it when you’re younger, but as you get older, you see Boston crowd for the first time since the spring of 2006, when he was the kind of people they are and what they did for you,” he said. “Not with Ottawa. Craig Smith and Chris Wagner went after him with everyone has that.” bodychecks, but the Bruins remain mostly respectful of their ex-captain . . Clearly, the off-ice accolade meant something to them. Coyle said that in . Best chance that didn’t happen: in the first, David Pastrnak was all a call to reveal the news to his mother, she was “pretty teary-eyed right alone at mid-ice, and would have been 1 on 1 with Chara as the Capitals from the start.” were changing. Patrice Bergeron noticed, sending a hard rim from behind the goal. But Pastrnak (game-high nine shots) didn’t see the pass, which Don’t say Tuukka Rask is lacking fire in his belly. went for icing . . . The Bruins did not make any lineup changes. Jeremy Lauzon (right hand) remains out . . . Laviolette said prospect Connor It was Rask, looking like Tim Thomas, who took matters into his own McMichael, the 2019 first-rounder (25th overall), would be an option as a hands when Garnet Hathaway knocked the netminder’s helmet off his Black Ace. McMichael, who put up 47-55—102 in 52 games with OHL head in the first period. The chippy Capital, downed after his drive to the London last year, played one game during his NHL rookie season . . . net, absorbed four blocker jabs, as Clifton and Kevan Miller came to Daniel Sprong was a healthy scratch for Washington. Rask’s defense.

“Just protecting myself,” said Rask of the play, which drew no penalties. “I’m not surprised it wasn’t a penalty. It’s going to take a lot for them to Boston Globe LOADED: 05.20.2021 call anything. So I figured I’d let him know that if he comes close, I’ll give him a couple too many. That’s what the ref thought.”

Surprise starter in goal

Once again, Capitals coach Peter Laviolette didn’t reveal anything strategic in his pregame chat with reporters. The public didn’t know his netminder for Game 3 was Ilya Samsonov — the third starter in three games — until he skated onto the ice for warmup and began preparing his crease.

Significant players joined the Washington lineup (top-line center Evgeny Kuznetsov) and missed the game with injuries (Lars Eller), and all was revealed minutes before puck drop. 1188476 Boston Bruins Samsonov as the B’s penalty killers did a tremendous job, allowing just four shots on net in the whole period. The B’s hit Samsonov with 10, but the teams went into the second stanza knotted at 0-0.

Craig Smith lifts Bruins in double OT to win Game 3 The Caps started to get their game going and they took the first lead of the game on the power play at 8:21. Marchand continued his impish ways. But this time, Marchand was the only one to go to the box for By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald unsportsmanlike conduct and the Caps made him pay.

PUBLISHED: May 19, 2021 at 10:51 p.m. | UPDATED: May 19, 2021 at The B’s looked like they were going to kill it off when Charlie McAvoy 11:37 p.m. wheeled behind the net ready for another clear. But he fell down on his pivot, the puck went to Anthony Mantha behind the net. He fed Alex

Ovechkin coming down the left side and Ovechkin buried it high to the The ever-hustling Craig Smith took advantage of a brain belch by the farside over Rask’s glove. Washington Capitals behind their own net to lift the Bruins to a 3-2 victory But the B’s answered right back at 9:17. Smith made a backhand pass in the second overtime of Game 3 at the Garden on Wednesday night. from the left circle that just got under a Washington defender and made it Rookie goalie Ilya Samsonov left the puck behind the net for defenseman to Taylor Hall, who made a spin move and then roofed it over Samsonov. Justin Schultz, seemingly surprising Schultz and the D-man was slow to The temperature went up after that. Hathaway came out from the side of react. Smith swooped in, grabbed the puck and wrapped it in behind the net and tried to stuff the puck by Rask and crashed straight into the Samsonov at 5:48 of the fifth period. goalie, knocking his mask off. The B’s pounced on Hathaway in the “I circled back into the zone. I don’t know if there was a crease and Rask took three straight punches at Hathaway under the pile. miscommunication between them. It kind of looked like that. I just jumped “Just protecting myself,” said Rask. on it to see if I could create a little bit of a turnover there. And they gave me just enough time to do that,” said Smith. “It was a great feeling any That charged the crowd up, but it was the Caps who took a 2-1 lead into time you can end one like that.” the third, thanks to an unforced error. The B’s looked like they were going to break the puck out easily but Pastrnak could not handle Charlie Said coach Bruce Cassidy: “Good for him to get in on a puck.” Coyle’s pass at the blue line. Brandon Carlo was moving forward The B’s, who dominated both the first and second OTs, now hold a 2-1 supporting the play and Hathaway got in behind him to get the puck. He series lead after the third overtime game of the series. David Pastrnak fired it at the net and Dowd tipped it past Rask for a 2-1 lead at 18:15. had a breakway in the second OT, hectored from behind by T.J. Oshie on a play that Cassidy thought “absolutely” should have been a penalty. Brad Marchand also had great chances in both overtime periods. Boston Herald LOADED: 05.20.2021 This series has been a grind, and there appears to be no let-up in sight.

“That’s playoff hockey,” said Cassidy. “And I don’t think it’s going to change. I think it’s going to be close games and you’ve got to be comfortable playing in them. Players have to know that little things matter, the details, and we have to make sure we stick with them”

The Bruins trailed 2-1 going into the third period but tied it up at 11:37, finally cashing in on their fifth power play of the game. Nic Dowd took a bad high-sticking penalty behind the play on Charlie McAvoy to put the B’s on the advantage before Marchand, who cost his team with a bad penalty of his own in the second period, evened it.

Patrice Bergeron tried to snap a shot from the bumper but it was partially blocked, the fluttering puck was in the air before Marchand batted it home.

Toward the end of regulation, the Caps surged, hemming the B’s in their own end. Tom Wilson hit the crossbar late, but could not get the winner. But it felt like they were coming. Slow to get started, the Caps outshot the B’s 25-14 in the second and third.

In the first OT, the B’s turned the tide, dominating for much of the period, outshooting the Caps 17-5 with numerous chances to end. The best chance came when Marchand was trying to get a hold of a rolling puck in the crease for a tap-in but Garnet Hathaway knocked it away.

While the Bruins went with the same lineup as Game 2, the Capitals made some significant changes. Lars Eller (lower body) and Daniel Sprong came out while forwards Evgeny Kuznetsov and Daniel Carr came in.

But the most impactful change was Samsonov coming in for veteran Craig Anderson in net. Like the gifted Kuznetsov, Samsonov had spent nearly two weeks on the COVID list and had not played since May 1.

Samsonov looked more rested than rusty, coming up with several key saves in the first while also getting some help from his friends.

The B’s were given a tremendous opportunity to get on the board when Zdeno Chara was first called for slashing and then fellow blueliner John Carlson got nabbed for delay, giving the B’s a 55-second 5-on-3. Samsonov made a point blank save on a Bergeron shot from the low slot and then defenseman Brenden Dillon flailed to blocked a Brad Marchand shot that was headed for an empty net.

The Capitals had their chances on the man-advantage in the first, too, three in fact. But Tuukka Rask did not have to be nearly as sharp as 1188477 Boston Bruins In the B’s Game 2 win in Washington, Coyle was moved back to center after his time on the right wing seemed to have run its course when his line center Sean Kuraly and left wing Nick Ritchie failed to click in Game Bruins notebook: Charlie Coyle proud of Clancy nomination 1. On Monday, Coyle centered Jake DeBrusk on his right and Ritchie to his left, and it paid off immediately with Coyle setting up DeBrusk for the first goal of the game.

By STEVE CONROY | [email protected] | Boston Herald The playoffs can provide an opportunity for both Coyle and DeBrusk to put disappointing regular seasons behind them. But Coyle didn’t want to PUBLISHED: May 19, 2021 at 4:17 p.m. | UPDATED: May 19, 2021 at get too far ahead of himself. 4:17 p.m. “It’s one game, so it’s about putting it behind you and going to tonight and

doing the best for your team, and striving for more. There are things that I The votes for the NHL’s postseason awards are due on Thursday, and can do better, there’s things the team can do better. Did we play well? Of the Bruins should have some representation among the finalists. Brad course. But there’s always stuff that you want to do better,” said Coyle Marchand should get some votes for the Hart Trophy. The same is true Wednesday morning. for Charlie McAvoy and the Norris Trophy. And, as usual, Patrice “That’s how you win in these games, the depth. And it can’t just be your Bergeron will get heavy consideration for the Selke. first- and second-line guys doing it. And they’ve done it for a while for us. But there’s another award given out annually, the King Clancy Memorial We know what they’re capable of. But it’s up to the third and fourth line Trophy, that is just as, if not more, meaningful to the 31 players and those depth guys to pull the rope a little bit, contribute when you can nominated for it. It is given to the player “who best exemplifies leadership but be responsible and make it tough on their guys. Whoever you’re qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian playing across from, outwork and outcompete them and you usually get a contribution in his community.” The Bruins’ nominee for the award this good result when you do that.” year is Charlie Coyle, who in typical fashion deflected the credit.

“There’s a lot of people that help us out, help me out, that set the way, Boston Herald LOADED: 05.20.2021 whether it’s past players in the organization, the organization as a whole, my teammates, every guy sets the standard here. So you just follow suit on the example to be a good person,” said Coyle. “And it also goes back to my family and my parents and my upbringing. You don’t realize it at the time, but when you’re older and you see what your parents did for you and the kind of people they are, not everybody has that. I feel so lucky to have people like that, that give you the opportunities and do things the right way so that you know how to do them as well. It means a lot. It does. But there’s a lot of people who’ve paved the way for me. Everyone does a great job around here.”

Since arriving here ahead of the trade deadline two years ago, Coyle has kept a high profile in the community he calls home. He has developed a friendship with 5-year-old Quinn Waters from Coyle’s hometown of Weymouth who is battling medulloblastoma and who dropped the puck with Coyle on Hockey Fights Cancer Night in 2019.

Coyle also supports the United Heroes League, which provides the opportunity for children of military service members to play sports.

“I got a call from my mom (Tuesday) and she was pretty teary-eyed from the start. It really sunk in,” said Coyle. “I’m not saying it all goes back to her, but she’s the main reason I am who I am, along with my father and my sisters, too. It’s nice to hear that, but those are the people who’ve given me this opportunity and they’ve done so much for me.”

Playoffs return to Causeway

The Bruins’ Game 3 against the Capitals on Wednesday was the first time the B’s had played a home playoff game since the Game 7 loss in the nearly two years ago. There was still only 25% of capacity of the Garden allowed (if the B’s should advance, they could have full capacity for the second round) but the 5,000-plus have made their presence felt.

“It’s nice to be back, there’s no doubt about that. I think everyone would say that after the bubble experience,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. “We had to do what we had to do, but it’s nice to be back in your familiar surroundings. I see a lot of Bruins merchandise I see around town. It’s that time of year. A little later than normal. We always want to be playing at this time of year, but the playoffs are pushed back a bit, but still great weather for it and a great atmosphere being back here.”

As a native son, Coyle certainly appreciated this time of year.

“People are into it around and that’s what makes it so great,” said Coyle. “Yeah, it’s my home and I love playing here in front of my friends. But just putting that aside and playing for the city of Boston with how passionate people are, it’s unbelievable. It’s great to have that around town, to have people that are into it and passionate and that’s why playing at the Garden is awesome. To see the excitement on the fans’ faces and hear their cheers and roars, that’s what we look forward to the most. We want to keep working hard for them.”

Coyle back in the middle 1188478 Boston Bruins

Craig Smith scores in 2OT, gives Bruins 2-1 series lead

BY NICK GOSS

The Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals give fans plenty of drama when they meet in the playoffs.

For the third consecutive game in this first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series, overtime was needed to determine a winner. And for the second time the Bruins emerged victorious, earning a 3-2 win in double overtime Wednesday night at TD Garden.

Craig Smith scored at 5:48 of second overtime period to send the B's fans in attendance home happy.

Just like Monday night's Game 2, a third-period equalizer set the stage for a Bruins overtime victory.

After scoring the overtime winner in the previous matchup, Brad Marchand tied the score Wednesday night with a power-play tally in the third period. The Bruins were the better team in both overtime periods and their hard work paid off with Smith's impressive tally.

Boston now has a great opportunity to take a 3-1 series lead in Friday night's Game 4 in Boston.

Here's a recap of Game 3.

FINAL SCORE: Bruins 3, Capitals 2

SERIES:

HIGHLIGHTS

The first period didn't feature any goals but there were plenty of huge hits, including this one of Charlie McAvoy going over the boards.

The Capitals struck first with a power-play goal from .

The Bruins equalized thanks to an unreal goal from Taylor Hall.

Nic Dowd, who scored the overtime winner in Game 1, regained the lead for the Capitals late in the second period.

The Bruins cashed in on their fifth power-play opportunity when Brad Marchand scored his second goal in as many games.

Craig Smith's first goal of the series was the game-winner in double overtime.

Game 4 of the series will be played Friday night at TD Garden. Puck drop is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188479 Boston Bruins

Watch Bruins star Taylor Hall score best goal of 2021 playoffs so far

BY NICK GOSS

Taylor Hall gave Boston Bruins fans something to cheer about Wednesday night in the first Stanley Cup Playoff game at TD Garden since 2019.

One of the reasons why the Bruins acquired Hall at the NHL trade deadline was for his high-end offensive skill. And he showed off that impressive ability in the second period of Game 3 against the Washington Capitals.

Hall took a pass on his backhand, shifted to his forehand and lifted the puck over Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov through a tight window and into the back of the net.

The goal was Hall's second of the series. He also scored the tying goal late in the third period of Game 2 in Washington on Monday night. The Bruins went on to win that matchup 4-3 in overtime to even their first- round series.

Hall played quite well for the B's in the regular season, too, tallying 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 16 games after the trade.

The Bruins should do everything possible to re-sign him in the offseason.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188480 Boston Bruins

WATCH: Craig Smith scores in 2OT to give Bruins Game 3 win

BY NICK GOSS

Another night, another overtime thriller for the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals.

The B's and Capitals needed more than 85 minutes to settle Game 3 of their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series Wednesday night at TD Garden, and it was Boston that emerged victorious.

Bruins forward Craig Smith took advantage of a sloppy play by Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov and buried the winning goal at 5:48 of double overtime to give Boston a 3-2 win and a 2-1 series lead.

All three matchups in this series have gone to overtime, with the Capitals winning the series opener and the Bruins taking the last two games.

In fact, the last five playoff games between these teams have needed bonus hockey, dating back to Game 6 of their first-round series in 2012. Furthermore, the last 12 Bruins vs. Capitals playoff games have each been decided by a single goal.

There's no reason to think Game 4 on Friday night will be any different. Boston and Washington are two very evenly matched teams.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188481 Boston Bruins

Projected lines, pairings for Bruins vs. Capitals Game 3

BY NICK GOSS

The Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals split the first two games of their first-round Stanley Cup Playoff series, which sets up a pivotal Game 3 at TD Garden on Wednesday night.

The Bruins evened the series Monday night with a 4-3 overtime win in Game 2. Brad Marchand played the role of hero by scoring the fastest OT goal in Bruins playoff history.

Overall, it was a much better performance from the B's compared to the series opener. Boston was much more aggressive in getting pucks on Capitals goalie Craig Anderson, while also defending Alexander Ovechkin's line much more effectively.

Game 2 observations: Taylor Hall makes huge impact in B's win

We shouldn't expect any major changes to Boston's lineup entering Game 3. Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy already confirmed Tuesday that defenseman Jeremy Lauzon will miss his second straight game. Connor Clifton, who did a nice job defending the Ovechkin line in Game 2, will remain in the lineup.

The Capitals might not have second-line center Lars Eller, who has fared well in his defensive matchups versus the Bruins' top line over the two games. Eller suffered a lower body injury in Game 2. We could see top- six center Evgeny Kuznetsov make his series debut for Washington. He was recently taken off the COVID-19 protocols list. He's more offensively gifted than Eller but not the same defensive player.

Brad Marchand overcomes poor performance to play Game 2 hero

Capitals head coach Peter Laviolette has not given up much information on injuries and lineups during this series, and his comments Wednesday morning didn't deviate from that.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188482 Boston Bruins

Ovechkin Snaps on Teammates after Gaffe Gives Bruins Game 3

Published 5 hours ago on May 19, 2021

By Dan Kingerski

Leadership comes in many forms. East Division captains like Boston Bruins Patrice Bergeron and Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins are some of the most revered captains in hockey because they lead by example, often quietly and effectively. Fellow Stanley Cup-winning captain Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals has a different reputation.

Ovechkin let his teammates have it after a bad play led to Boston Bruins winger Craig Smith scoring an overtime goal to give the Boston Bruins a 3-2 OT win in Game 3 at TD Garden.

For the third straight game, Washington took the Bruins to overtime, and for the second time, the Bruins won.

However, this time it was not a great goal. It wasn’t even a good goal. Washington goalie Ilya Samsonov didn’t play in the first two games because of disciplinary reasons and being placed in COVID protocol.

Samsonov stopped 40 of the first 42 shots, but the 43rd was a whoops, which drew the ire of Ovechkin.

Boston won the game 3-2 and leads the Round One series against the Washington Capitals, 2-1.

Whether Ovechkin was barking at Samsonov or former Pittsburgh Penguins defender turned Capitals defenseman Justin Schultz is unknown. Schultz could be seen coasting back to the puck, which allowed Smith to win the battle and get a good wraparound attempt cleanly.

Schultz should never have let it happen.

Pittsburgh Penguins radio color commentator also jumped on the incident.

Makes me laugh and shake my head in disgust the way people just except Ovechkin screaming at his teammate after a miss play leads to the overtime winner.

Alex Ovechkin scored his first goal of the series in the first period. It was a power-play tally. Washington led 2-1 until midway through the third period. Bruins winger Brad Marchand scored a power-play goal after Nic Dowd took a high-sticking penalty.

Five minutes into overtime, Smith picked Schultz’s pocket and ended the game.

“It looked like one of them went for ‘leave it,’ and one went for an outlet pass,” Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said. “There was just a little bit of a miscommunication. It was a tough break the way the game ended. I thought Sammy played a hell of a game for us.”

Quote per Washington Post report Samantha Pell Twitter. Ovechkin was not one of the Zoom interviews after the game.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188483 Boston Bruins

Talking Points: Bruins Hop On Caps Game 3 Gaffe

Published 5 hours ago on May 19, 2021

By Joe Haggerty

Here are the Talking Points from the Boston Bruins 3-2 double-overtime win over the Washington Capitals in Game 3 at TD Garden on Wednesday night.

GOLD STAR: Craig Smith has been consistently good for a couple of months now for the Bruins and it was his turn to shine on Wednesday night with the double-overtime game-winner. The goal was typical Smith as he doggedly hustled in to disrupt a play and forced a big gaffe in the puck handoff between Ilya Samsonov and Justin Schultz. Smith sped right in to steal the puck and then beat a lackadaisical Samsonov back to the net for a quick wraparound chance that made for an easy playoff game-winner. It was Smith’s first goal of the playoffs while doing work for the second line but was also paired with a nifty no-look drop pass to Taylor Hall for Boston’s first goal in the first period. Smith finished with two points, a plus-2, six shot attempts, three hits and three blocked shots in 22:17 of ice time and put in a full night’s work to earn the OT winner.

BLACK EYE: Ilya Samsonov made 40 saves and generally played very well in a surprise start for the Capitals coming off the COVID-19 list. He didn’t give up many rebounds as Craig Anderson had in the previous couple of games and he made some stellar saves on the Bruins while playing very big in the Washington net. But it was a youngster’s mistake in double overtime when Samsonov wasn’t on the same page with Justin Schultz for a puck handoff behind the net. Instead, Smith stole the puck and Samsonov slowly ambled his way back to the net without enough time to set up and try to stop the wraparound attempt from the B’s right winger. All it took was the one mistake and the game was over with the Bruins taking a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-seven playoff series.

TURNING POINT: The Bruins seemed to really take the game over once it got to overtime and the Capitals seemed to be wearing down after a hard, physical 60 minutes. The Bruins outshot the Capitals 17-5 in the first overtime and 19-8 overall in both extra sessions prior to the Craig Smith game-winner, and it seemed like they were doing a much better job of handling Washington’s pressure as the game went along. That turned into many chances for the B’s in the extra session and at least one golden scoring chance for David Pastrnak on a breakaway where it seemed very clear that TJ Oshie was guilty of a stick infraction before he went crashing into the end boards. There was no penalty call despite a clear foul that wiped out a scoring attempt, so the Bruins took it in their own hands to win in double overtime after that.

HONORABLE MENTION: Tuukka Rask was outstanding while making 35 saves in the win and he didn’t give up a single soft or goofy goal in this one. Instead, the Boston Bruins netminder seemed locked in and even delivered three straight jabs to Garnet Hathaway after the Capitals forward knocked him helmet off and then tried to throw a headlock on him before falling into the crease. Amazingly, Rask now has the second- most playoff wins among active NHL with 53 postseason victories that has him three ahead of former Washington nemesis Braden Holtby. Rask was at his best in the second period when he stopped 12 shots as the Capitals really surged forward with the attack, but he was solid throughout the double-overtime win.

BY THE NUMBERS: 12 – the of consecutive one-goal playoff games between the Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals dating back to 1988, which is a franchise record for both hockey clubs at this point.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188484 Boston Bruins

Taylor Hall Adds Another Beauty To Boston Bruins Resume

Published 8 hours ago on May 19, 2021

By Jimmy Murphy

Boston Bruins winger Taylor Hall followed up his Game 2 overtime winner with a -Esque spinorama goal to tie Game 3 at one 9:17 into the second period.

Since arriving in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres just prior to the 2021 NHL Trade Deadline, Hall has scored and part of some beautiful goals. In the second period of Game 3 against the Washington Capitals Wednesday, and just 56 seconds after Capitals captain Alexander Ovechkin gave the Caps a 1-0 lead, Hall added another beauty to his Boston Bruins resume by beating Capitals goalie Ilya Samsonov with a beauty for the game-tying goal.

If you watch closely you can see in Hall’s face that he’s almost planning ahead of time that he will need to spin as he takes the pass and then shoot the puck past Samsonov. What was also amazing was his split- second ability to control it to his forehand before tapping it into the net. Not to be left out here as well were Craig Smith’s backhand pass and prior to that seeing Hall ready to pounce.

Of course, not to be forgotten was when Hall was on the receiving end of an amazing play and pass by Boston Bruins alternate captain David Krejci last month against the Buffalo Sabres.

After finishing the regular season with eight goals and six assists in the 16 games since being traded to the Boston Bruins, Hall now has two goals in three games during this first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series with the Capitals. He had just two goals and 17 assists in 37 games with the Buffalo Sabres prior to the trade. The 2010 No. 1 pick overall and 2018 Hart Trophy winner has been revitalized with the Bruins and is once again having fun playing the game of hockey.

“Sometimes you just can’t worry about the score, you just keep playing,” Hall explained after scoring the overtime winner in Game 3. “I think it’s an overall mentality and just (an) aura about our team. There’s lots of laughs. People are enjoying spending time with each other. The coaches are able to make the guys laugh during video (sessions). Some of those things go a long way in your overall preparation and mindset when you come into a game. When situations do arise, I think it’s easier to be composed. We’ve got some Hall of Famers in the room that are doing that as well so I think it probably makes it a little bit easier to enjoy that and be yourself.”

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188485 Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins DeBrusk Playing ‘Wild Card’ Role In Playoffs

Published 13 hours ago on May 19, 2021

By Joe Haggerty

It’s no secret that NHL players always hope to be playing their best brand hockey at playoff time, and Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk has managed to do that thus far.

The B’s left winger has scored goals in each of the first two playoff games against the Washington Capitals in their first round series, and he’s finishing checks, hunting the puck and playing solid two-way hockey while generally doing the things he wasn’t always doing during the regular season. The six shots on net and plus-1 rating in two games are strong indicators his involvement level has elevated all around, and that’s exactly the kind of thing the Bruins have been seeking out of DeBrusk all season.

“I think there’s always a couple of times during the year when there is reset opportunities,” said Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy. “For Jake, he very well could have said to himself it doesn’t matter now (how the regular season went), it’s whatever happens in the playoffs. That was the message to some of the guys who maybe weren’t happy with their regular seasons. I know Jake falls into that category: ‘Help the team win.’

“That might be a number of different ways. For him, [DeBrusk] has the ability to be a wild card in terms of scoring goals for us. He has done it in the playoffs, he has done it in the regular season and he’s doing it now.”

As Cassidy mentioned, the 24-year-old DeBrusk has the unique ability to be an X-factor for the Bruins in the postseason. He now has 16 goals in 51 career playoff games and he’s only a couple of postseasons removed from dominating a first round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs when he scored five goals over the course of the seven-game series.

Perhaps the best news: His goals against the Washington haven’t been the byproduct of anything but hard work around the net. Those are the kinds of scoring chances that are often rewarded during the postseason and that’s been the case for DeBrusk over the course of the first couple of playoff games.

“Good for Jake. And they’re not lucky, he’s gone to the front of the net, he shot the puck, so they weren’t just fluky goals, they were well-earned,” said Cassidy. “He’s invested, that’s what we need, good for Jake.”

It’s probably no surprise that DeBrusk is answering the bell now given the urgency of his situation with the Black and Gold. The Bruins are happy with the play of hulking left wing Nick Ritchie and have both Taylor Hall and Brad Marchand installed at the top two left wing spots, with the intention of re-signing Hall at the right time this offseason.

That doesn’t leave a lot of room at the inn for DeBrusk unless he can become an impact player at right wing, or change their minds about somebody else.

It was to the point just a couple of weeks ago where DeBrusk was point blank calling out his own struggles after posting just five goals and 14 points in 51 games this season.

“I’ve been struggling. It’s not fun when you’re struggling,” said DeBrusk, toward the end of the regular season. “You try to find little positives and things like that and move on from there. It’s not the end of the world. Obviously, I’d like to do a lot more with what I can do, but at the same time, it obviously hasn’t been meant for me. I understand that my time will come.”

So, it feels like DeBrusk could become the odd-man out unless something drastic happens, like a massive playoff performance that pushes the Boston Bruins to a deep, successful postseason run over the next few months. He’s at the start of something like that a couple of games in, so it’s going to be fascinating to see how it all turns out for DeBrusk with so much, both individually and team-wise, riding on this current postseason.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188486 Boston Bruins Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021

Game 3: Boston Bruins Vs Washington Capitals Lines, Preview

Published 15 hours ago on May 19, 2021

By Jimmy Murphy

Thanks to the Boston Bruins veteran leadership core and some heroics from newcomer Taylor Hall, the Bruins will hit the ice for Game 3 (6:30 PM ET, NESN, NBCSN, TVAS, SN360, SNE, SNO) against the Washington Capitals tonight at TD Garden in Boston with their series tied at one game apiece.

“That’s something about our team,” Boston Bruins alternate captain Brad Marchand said after scoring the overtime winner 39 seconds into the extra frame of Game 2 Monday. “We don’t panic throughout games. We have so much character in our room and you can sense it all the way through the bench, and during the timeouts, and in 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 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 found our game, especially against a tough team.”

The Boston Bruins will once again turn to Rask in Game 3 after the 2020 Vezina Trophy finalist made 36 saves to help his team get to overtime in Game 2 and is 1-1 with a 2.87 GAA and a .915 save percentage so far.

Bruins Notes

-Through two playoff games, Boston Bruins winger Jake DeBrusk has thankfully reverted to the playoff Jake DeBrusk and not the regular season DeBrusk of the last two seasons. DeBrusk has scored in each of the first two games of the series and now has 16 goals and nine assists in 51 playoff games. After being a healthy scratch more than once down the final stretch of the regular season, DeBrusk has found his game when his team needs him most.

“I think there’s always a couple of times during the year when there is reset opportunities,” Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said Tuesday over Zoom. “For Jake, he very well could have said to himself it doesn’t matter now (how the regular season went), it’s whatever happens in the playoffs. That was the message to some of the guys who maybe weren’t happy with their regular seasons, I know Jake falls into that category: Help the team win. That might be a number of different ways. For him, he has the ability to be a wild card in terms of scoring goals for us.

He has done it in the playoffs, he has done it in the regular season, he’s doing it now. So, good for Jake. And they’re not lucky, he’s gone to the front of the net, he shot the puck, so they weren’t just fluky goals, they were well-earned. He’s invested, that’s what we need, good for Jake.”

–Defenseman Jeremy Lauzon (right hand) will miss another game after blocking a shot in Game 1. John Moore is out for the season after undergoing hip surgery.

–The Bruins’ powerplay went 0-for-1 in Game 2 and is now 1-for-6 in the series with a 16.7% success rate.

-After finishing second overall with an 86 % success rate, killing off 153 of 178 powerplay attempts against them, and also posting a league-best nine shorthanded goals this season, the Bruins’ penalty kill is off to a solid start in the playoffs. The Bruins PK held the Caps to one goal on four powerplay attempts in Game 2 and has killed off four of the five powerplay attempts they’ve faced.

Washington Capitals Notes

-The Capitals enter Game 3 with some big health question marks. Forwards T.J. Oshie, Lars Eller, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Connor McMichael, as well as goalie Ilya Samsonov are all game-time decisions for the Caps. Goalie Vitek Vanecek has been ruled out.

Sorry guys: Lars Eller, Ilya Samsonov, Evgeny Kuznetsov are all on the ice for Capitals morning skate ahead of Boston. Connor McMichael as well.

1188487 Boston Bruins

Boston Bruins Following Their Veteran Core Once Again | BHN+

Published 15 hours ago on May 19, 2021

By Jimmy Murphy

In what likely is their last postseason as teammates, the Boston Bruins core of captain Patrice Bergeron, alternate captains Brad Marchand and David Krejci, and goalie Tuukka Rask, is once again showing how and why they’ve helped the Bruins become one of the most successful and stable NHL teams in the last decade. After winning the Stanley Cup in 2011 and playing in two more Stanley Cup Finals in 2013 and 2019, this core’s ‘aura’ is still strong as ever and already on full display as they enter Game 3 of their first-round series with the Washington Capitals.

The Boston Bruins had blown two one-goal leads and were down 3-2 to the Capitals late in Game 2 on Monday night in Washington DC. After losing Game 1 3-2 in overtime, it was starting to look as if the Boston Bruins were about to head home for Games 3 and 4 at TD Garden down 2-0 in their first-round Stanley Cup Playoffs series. The Boston Bruins’ longtime leadership core wasn’t phased though and their teammates fed off their calm determination as one of the newest Bruins, Taylor Hall continued his own resurgence and tied the game at three with 2:49 left in regulation. Brad Marchand scored 39 seconds into the extra frame to give the Bruins a 4-3 win and send the series headed back to Boston knotted at one. After arguably the biggest goal of his career, Hall credited the core for keeping the bench calm and collected throughout the game.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188488 Boston Bruins Six of the eight goals Rask has allowed have hit something en route to his net, the latest being a Nic Dowd deflection of a Garnet Hathaway fling. The other was an Alex Ovechkin power-play goal Wednesday. He In a tight series, goalie Tuukka Rask is a huge difference for Bruins now has 26 of those in his career. against Capitals “That’s a huge part of it — just picking up sticks and not letting them get those tip-ins,” defenseman Connor Clifton said before Game 3. “It is a challenge. They get pucks to the net. With Tuukka in net, it’s our job to let By Fluto Shinzawa him see it, and he’s going to make that save. I think we’ve got to do a little bit better job of that.” May 20, 2021 The Bruins were excellent in front of Rask in the first period and first

overtime. They weren’t as clean in pockets of the second and third As the winning goal scorer in double overtime, Craig Smith naturally drew periods. The Mike Reilly-Brandon Carlo duo was especially slack in the attention of most of his teammates. Smith, whose wraparound strike coverage and off target with their breakout passes. It may be one reason gave the Bruins a 3-2 double-overtime win over the Capitals in Game 3 the No. 2 line, which usually plays with Reilly and Carlo, didn’t have Wednesday, delivering a 2-1 series lead to his team, felt body after much offensive rhythm other than its quick-strike results. celebratory body thud into his own. Rask shrugged off any of his team’s deficiencies with his usual coolness. Up the ice, a smaller crowd huddled around Tuukka Rask. They had to In the second period, Hathaway drove to the net and dislodged Rask’s acknowledge their goalie. They knew he would probably not commit a mask with his elbow. A maskless Rask gave Hathaway several shots of goof like the one his counterpart executed before Smith’s goal. his blocker to show his disapproval.

Ilya Samsonov, once expected to be Washington’s No. 1 goalie, made “Just protecting myself,” Rask said. “Not surprised there was not a his series debut in Game 3. The 24-year-old took the place of Craig penalty. It’s got to take a lot for them to call anything. So I figured I’ll let Anderson, who took the place of Vitek Vanecek, who took the place of him know that if he comes close, maybe I’ll give him a couple too many.” Samsonov in January when the presumed ace contracted COVID-19. The identity of Washington’s Game 4 goalie can be answered with a The prodigal goalie was very good in Game 3, especially in the first shrug of the shoulders. There is no such indecision with the Bruins. The overtime, when he stopped all 17 shots he saw. But rust, fatigue and net is Rask’s. They are happy for that. inexperience may have caught up to Samsonov in the second overtime when he retreated behind the net to play Kevan Miller’s dumped-in puck. The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 Rask knows this maneuver well. He’s executed it thousands of times. Rask, as one of the sharper stickhandlers at his position, does not want the puck anywhere near his net in such situations.

“Personally, when you get it, the sooner you get rid of it, the better it is,” Rask said. “Obviously, communication plays a part of that. You play overtime or double overtime, the fatigue starts playing a part in it, too. A lot goes into it.”

Samsonov had options once he stopped Miller’s dump-in. Had he followed Rask’s counsel, Samsonov would have snapped it around the boards, out the other side. He could have reversed the puck for a backtracking Justin Schultz. He could have told Schultz he was leaving it for him behind the net for a full-sprint wheel.

Samsonov did none of those things.

By leaving the puck and then floating away, Samsonov put Schultz in no man’s land: unaware of what to do. Smith saw an open door and hunted it down.

Before Samsonov’s hiccup, Smith’s priority was to hustle in on the forecheck and disrupt Washington’s breakout. The No. 2 right wing quickly realized he could do much more.

He beat Schultz to the puck. As Samsonov dog paddled his way back to the net, Smith had the advantage of momentum. Before Samsonov knew what was happening, the puck was in the net.

“Good for him to get in on a puck,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “We have a plan in place to try to play behind their D. When we get away with it, we’ve (created) a little bit of trouble. We keep sending that message. You don’t expect to get those. But if you keep playing their D and force them to break pucks out, you will get some breaks like that.”

The Washington net has been anything but stable all season. Henrik Lundqvist, Samsonov’s expected backup, never appeared in a game following heart surgery. Vanecek hasn’t been seen since injuring himself on a Jake DeBrusk goal in Game 1. Anderson, tall in relief of Vanecek in Game 1, was declared off-limits for Game 3 because of maintenance. Whether that is a euphemism for being a 39-year-old No. 4 goalie is unknown.

This left the Capitals with their third starting goalie in three games. It cannot give Washington coach Peter Laviolette anything resembling peace of mind when the most important position is in flux from game to game.

Cassidy, on the other hand, hasn’t lost a wink of sleep over Rask. His ace is now at a .926 save percentage over three starts. 1188489 Boston Bruins “I find the automatic offside very frustrating for, I’ll say, the 9-, 10-, 11- year-old group. I’m not sure when it switches exactly,” said Cassidy, an Ottawa native. “It just slows down the play so much.”

The curious cluster of elite American right-shot defensemen In the United States, for players 12 and younger — Shannon and Cole belong to this segment — there is no delayed offside. If the puck enters the offensive zone while it remains occupied by attacking players, offside By Fluto Shinzawa is automatic and the whistle blows. Only when players progress to the U- 14 level can they tag up at the offensive blue line to keep the clock May 19, 2021 ticking.

USA Hockey has amended the rulebook several times. Prior to 1987, Connor Clifton is designed for the playoffs. The 26-year-old plays bigger offside was always automatic. From 1987 to 1997, Rule 630 changed to than his 5-foot-11, 195-pound physique would suggest. He closes on tag-up offside. From 1997 to 2003, it changed to automatic offside with opponents rapidly and drops bodies with a smile. Clifton is clean with the possible delay. From 2003 to 2007, it went back to automatic offside. In puck when he’s more rowdy than reckless. Entering Round 1, he had 26 2007, high school-aged players were allowed to tag up. Since 2011, postseason appearances, 20 more than Jeremy Lauzon. bantams (U-14) and older have incorporated tag-up offside.

Yet it was Lauzon, not Clifton, who was in the Game 1 lineup on the No. In comparison, Hockey allows for tag-up offside at all levels. 3 pairing. There was one reason Clifton was in suit and tie: He is a right- “We’ve really pushed hard, particularly in the hockey department at USA shot defenseman. Three of the five defensemen the Bruins are carrying Hockey, to maintain automatic offside,” said Grillo. “Part of that is to are ahead of Clifton on the depth chart, and rightfully so. Bruce Cassidy, really push the narrative in youth hockey of puck possession and forcing like most coaches, prefers three lefty-righty combinations. our defensemen, once the puck does come back out, to control and So for Game 1, Clifton (Long Branch, N.J.) joined Steve Kampfer (Ann maintain the puck in the neutral zone instead of just being able to Arbor, Mich.) out of uniform. The Bruins rolled Charlie McAvoy (Long hammer it back in and tag up like they can at the older levels.” Beach, N.Y.), Brandon Carlo (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Kevan Miller Just about every peewee defenseman knows how to dump in the puck. It (Los Angeles) on the right side. requires a greater degree of awareness and problem-solving for a It just so happens that all of the Bruins’ right-shot defensemen are defenseman 12 and younger to process what to do with the puck when Americans. teammates are still in the offensive zone.

Right-side alignment They have to possess the puck while the other players scramble to get out. Their partner has to think about spacing to be available for a pass. In 2020-21, 316 defensemen made at least one appearance in the NHL. Canada (139), the United States (94), (36), Finland (18) and Grillo acknowledges the gripe, from parents and coaches, that a chorus Russia (13) were the top five countries in blue-line representation. of whistles impedes flow and extends game length. But the improvement defensemen can make by executing neutral-zone plays reinforces USA Among Americans, 43 of the 94 defensemen were right shots (45.7 Hockey’s belief in U-12 automatic offside. percent). It was the highest percentage of the five leading countries. The rest were as follows: Canada at 43.9 percent, Sweden at 25.0 percent, It also encourages more emphasis on possession. As easy as it is to Russia at 23.1 percent and Finland 22.2 percent. dump the puck back in under tag-up conditions, this usually results in ceding possession to the opponent for a breakout. In the United States, the top tier is especially crowded. The Bruins, for example, would not complain if McAvoy earned votes for the Norris “If you’re really going to be an impactful player at the next level, those Trophy. The same goes for the Rangers and Adam Fox, the Canadiens reads and decisions you make with and without the puck are so, so, so and , the Capitals and John Carlson, the Blue Jackets and Seth critical,” Grillo said. “Part of the reason some of our young American Jones. defensemen, we think, are so good is not just their technical skill package. It’s their reads. It’s their head. It’s their hockey IQ. It’s their In fact, perhaps the toughest call will make as general vision. It’s their spatial awareness. Which is such a critical part of the manager of Team USA is declaring which right-shot defensemen will not game, especially if you’re going to separate yourself from being good to be in the American lineup for the 2022 Winter Games. being great.”

America’s peculiar lean toward right-shot sticks is well known. USA Grillo uses the example of a defenseman gaining puck possession in the Hockey’s belief is that, especially in nontraditional markets, parents neutral zone with forwards on the other side of the blue line. The purchase sticks for their children that they can swing the same way as defenseman’s partner has to identify the optimal route to provide support. their baseball bats and golf clubs: as righties. When tag-up is allowed, the partner simply stands at the far side and waits for the puck-carrying defenseman to send it back in. The former This flies in the face of the sport’s rule of thumb. A hockey player should promotes far more development than the latter. hold their stick with the dominant hand on top. The percentage of right- hand dominant hockey players aligns with that of the general population. “The game has developed in a way that rewards thinkers and players As such, most players should be left shots. that are really good about movement off the puck,” Grillo said. “There’s a lot of focus on the player with the puck. And that’s obviously about the McAvoy, for example, writes and eats with his right hand. He plays golf technical skill level to stickhandle, pass and skate. That’s critical. But to and baseball as a righty. But he cannot fathom why, by hockey’s rule, he players away from the puck, which is literally 98 percent of the game they should be a left shot. play — the best players in the world only have the puck for two percent of “We have these talks all the time,” McAvoy said with a smile while the game — that ability to think about how I support is really a game- shaking his head. “I can never wrap my head around guys who play lefty changer.” hockey, but then swing a golf club righty. It just seems so foreign to me. Grillo brings the conversation back to some of the sharpest American My dad’s a righty. So maybe he just cut down a right-handed stick for me right-shot defensemen. McAvoy and Fox can skate and pass and check and took the choice out of my hands.” with anyone. Perhaps the high percentage of American right-shot defensemen is But their superpower is how they read the game quicker and clearer than random. As for the concentration of high-end U.S. skill at the position, most of their opponents. This allows them to optimize where they position Roger Grillo, the Rhode Island-based regional manager of the American themselves and where they transport the puck. They may have initiated Development Model, believes there is an explanation. this method of thinking when they were squirts, forced to devise Grillo’s theory: Rule 630. alternatives to ramming the puck into the offensive zone.

The benefits of automatic offside Now, they are precious commodities.

Cassidy is not just the Bruins coach. He is a hockey dad to daughter, Big-game players Shannon, and, son Cole. Like most parents, Cassidy gets annoyed with one aspect of his kids’ games. Defensemen who develop within the restrictions of automatic offside learn not to panic. They come up with puck-possession solutions under pressure while their teammates hustle back to center ice.

Poise is critical in the most stressful moments. There are none more nerve-wracking than the playoffs.

It’s nothing new for McAvoy. He’s been a big-game player since he strutted into the varsity lineup in 2016-17, just weeks removed from his sophomore season at Boston University. For McAvoy, stress is like oxygen.

In Game 2, McAvoy led all players with 26:49 of ice time. He put five pucks on goal and dished out five smacks. During five-on-five play, the Bruins outscored the Capitals with McAvoy on the ice, 4-0. McAvoy recorded a 66.04 Corsi For rating, according to Natural Stat Trick, highest among all defensemen. McAvoy was everywhere.

“Charlie, out of all the guys, has the ability to elevate,” Cassidy said. “That’s the difference too. There’s guys out there, trust me, that go, ‘Geez, I’d love to be able to make a difference.’ That’s why these guys are elite. Because they can. Because they can recover. Because they have the ability to separate. They’re strong to win the pucks. They see the ice. All those things that separate the great ones from good, solid players. That’s just Charlie enjoying the moment.”

Cassidy didn’t need Clifton to be elite. But after being a healthy scratch in Game 1, Cassidy asked Clifton to play his weak side in place of Lauzon. Cassidy’s guidance was narrow: play physical, don’t be reckless, manage pucks in congested quadrants.

Clifton only played 14:37. He made the most of it.

At five-on-five, Clifton played 6:01 against Alex Ovechkin, most of any defenseman. Ovechkin had just two five-on-five shots.

“He answered that bell well,” Cassidy said. “You’ve got to be ready to play against whoever comes over the boards. It’s hard to shelter guys in this league. You can do it. You can certainly do it for a while. But eventually, there’s nowhere to hide. So you’ve got to get out and play. So the message is usually, ‘You’re in the lineup for a reason. You’ve been there. You’ve done it. You’ve been on your off side. Just stay within yourself.’ He did a nice job.”

Clifton will get another chance in Game 3. Lauzon will be unavailable because of a hand injury. Even if Lauzon were healthy, Clifton may be the better option against Washington because of his foot speed and experience.

“I love Cliffy,” Brad Marchand said. “He competes so hard every day. In practice, every shift in the game, he’s so hard to play against. He’s always ready. He’s such a true professional. He’s ready regardless of how long he’s sitting or when he’s in and out of the lineup. He brings the same intensity every night. He competes hard. That’s what you love to see. He can skate like the wind. He’s so physical, I think he catches guys off guard a little bit. He’s a great player for us.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188490 Buffalo Sabres

NHL announces June 2 as date for draft lottery; Sabres have top odds at 16.6%

Mike Harrington

May 19, 2021 Updated 9 hrs ago

You can now mark your calendars. The NHL Draft Lottery is going to be held on June 2 at NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, N.J.

The coaching search is only one piece of a pivotal offseason for the struggling franchise.

By virtue of their 31st-place finish in the overall standings, the Sabres will have the best odds to get the No. 1 pick at 16.6%, although that number is down from previous years because of the addition of the expansion to the 15 non-playoff teams entered in the lottery.

The Kraken enter the lottery as the No. 3 seed and owning the exact same lottery odds as No. 4 New Jersey at 10.3%. Anaheim is second behind the Sabres at 12.1%.

The Sabres last won the lottery in 2018 when they selected Rasmus Dahlin with the No. 1 overall pick in Dallas. They lost the lottery when they had the league's worst record in both 2014 and 2015, taking Sam Reinhart and Jack Eichel, respectively, with the No. 2 choices in those drafts.

The complete odds are as follows:

Buffalo 16.6%, Anaheim 12.1%, Seattle 10.3%, New Jersey 10.3%, Columbus 8.5%, Detroit 7.6%, San Jose 6.7%, Los Angeles 5.8%, Vancouver 5.4%, Ottawa 4.5%, Arizona 3.1%, Chicago 2.7%, Calgary 2.2%, Philadelphia 1.8%, Dallas 1.4%, New York Rangers 1.0%.

The Rangers won last year's lottery and the right to take winger Alexis Lafreniere with the No. 1 pick.

Arizona's No. 1 pick was forfeited in August by the league in sanctions involving unauthorized physical testing of draft-eligible players. If the Coyotes win either lottery draw, that draw will be done over.

The 14 clubs not selected in the lottery will be assigned draft selections 3-16 in inverse order of regular-season points.

The NHL draft will be held virtually over two days with Round 1 on July 23, followed by Rounds 2-7 on July 24.

Buffalo News LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188491 “I wasn’t even looking for one,” Mackey insisted post-game. “I was just trying to play solid defensively and be reliable out there. I just kind of joined the rush and was like, ‘I’m just going to go right to the net with my SNAPSHOTS: Flames linemates Gaudreau, Tkachuk finish lost season stick on the ice.’ And it was right on my tape. The rebound was right on offensive tears there. It was a great feeling, for sure.”

Mackey, signed last spring as a college free-agent, logged six NHL appearances in his first pro campaign. His stat-sheet featured two Wes Gilbertson assists, a pair of scraps and Wednesday’s close-range memory-maker after Braden Holtby kicked out Brett Ritchie’s shot from the flank. Publishing date: May 19, 2021 “You envision a full house and scoring a nice goal and the crowd is going

crazy, but I’ll take what I can get,” said Mackey, who will represent Team In a season of what-ifs for the Calgary Flames, here’s another to add to USA at the upcoming world championship. “It was a great confidence the list … booster going into the summer.”

And in this case, Darryl Sutter is doing the wondering. OFF THE GLASS

What if the fiery head coach had shuffled his forward combos a little The Flames wrap the 2021 season with a 26-27-3 record. They have slim sooner? odds — just 2.2% — of scoring the first-overall pick in the NHL Draft lottery, which is set for June 2 … Dillon Dube is supposed to fly overseas What if Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk — three Thursday for worlds, but his status is suddenly uncertain. The 22-year- guys who capped this frustrating campaign on offensive heaters — had a old speedster headed to the locker room after a collision with former few more weeks to click? teammate Travis Hamonic and did not return, with Sutter revealing that he was pulled for concussion protocols. “Obviously, we were excited to Tkachuk tallied twice to lead the Flames to Wednesday’s 6-2 rout of the go over there together, play together and to represent the Calgary in a mostly meaningless matinee at the Flames and Team Canada together,” said Dube’s pal Andrew Saddledome. While the sandpapery forward was on Calgary’s way-too- Mangiapane, who is also headed to Latvia for the international long list of underachievers this winter, he heads into the off-season on a tournament. “So hopefully he’ll be OK and still be joining me” … five-game goal-scoring spree. Mangiapane scored again Wednesday, completing the condensed Gaudreau picked up the primary assists on both of Tkachuk’s cash-ins campaign with a career-high 18 goals and 32 points … Derek Ryan during the afternoon affair, piling up 10 points over the final five outings. racked up three assists in what may be his final appearance in Calgary’s Because Lindholm was blanked in the closer against the Canucks, the colours. The 34-year-old is set to become an unrestricted free agent and wee left-winger also claimed the team scoring title. while he’d be a handy guy to keep around, the Flames might prefer a younger and cheaper option as their fourth-line centre … This current In a 16-game stretch after being united in early April, about a month into cast will report to the rink Thursday for a team meeting and one-on-one Sutter’s second stint as the bench boss in Cowtown, the Gaudreau- exit interviews with the brass … The NHL applauded a front-liner in each Lindholm-Tkachuk trio combined for 22 goals and 29 assists. of its 31 markets Wednesday in a special salute to the healthcare heroes. The list included Dr. Simon Demers-Marcil, a respirologist at Peter That’s the sort of pop you need from a first line. Loughheed Centre and Rockyview General Hospital. Thank you, Dr. “Obviously, we’re a team that didn’t score enough goals,” Sutter said Demers-Marcil and all of your colleagues. after Wednesday’s finale. “And if you look at it, Montreal got in because of eight overtime points, right? Loser points. That means that they scored that goal to get them in (to overtime), so that’s what separated us and Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.20.2021 them was those eight goals.

“If Lindy and Johnny and Matthew had been together sooner, then we might have had a better shot.”

While the archives will ultimately show the Flames finished just four points out of a playoff berth in the NHL’s North Division, it never felt that close.

At 4:04 p.m. MT on Wednesday, as the buzzer sounded on a fan-less Fan Appreciation Day at the Saddledome, they officially entered what could be the most intriguing off-season in franchise history.

Change is coming, and that was clear before they spiffed up their record by winning four of their last five games.

While it wouldn’t be a surprise if the Flames trade away a top gun in a core shakeup, the budding chemistry between Gaudreau and Tkachuk especially is something that the higher-ups will consider as they try to figure out how to build a contender for 2021-22 or beyond.

Calgary Flames’ bench during their last game of the season against the Vancouver Canucks in NHL action at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Wednesday, May 19, 2021.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

An otherwise forgettable afternoon was anything but for Flames call-ups Matthew Phillips and Connor Mackey.

The 23-year-old Phillips, born and raised in Calgary and later a sixth- round selection of his hometown team, logged his NHL debut against the Canucks, sporting a smile twice the size of his face as he hit the ice for the customary solo lap during pre-game warm-ups.

Mackey, meanwhile, buried his first big-league goal. The 24-year-old defenceman jumped into the attack in the third and deposited a rebound from gimme range — and that’s true even if you’re a stickler on those short putts. 1188492 Calgary Flames That’s something hockey fans around Calgary had been practically begging for on social media, especially after he wasn’t included for Tuesday’s game.

Phillips shines in Flames debut Maybe that added to the magic of the occasion on Wednesday, though. Playing his first game would have been a memorable experience wherever it happened, but playing it at home at the Saddledome was a Daniel Austin little extra special.

Publishing date: May 19, 2021 “I was happy today was an afternoon game because I wouldn’t have been able to nap at all, so just wake up and get to the rink and get it

going,” Phillips said. “It was an awesome game.” Decades from now, when Matthew Phillips is telling his friends or even It was also an important one for Phillips. While there may have been his kids about his NHL debut, he’ll have a lot to talk about. nothing to play for in the standings and both the Flames and Canucks There will be one topic that the Calgary Flames forward hopes will be may have lacked some of the usual physicality you’d expect, it was still long-forgotten by then, though. an NHL game and was played at a speed that takes some getting used to for any player. “I hope I won’t remember missing a half-empty net,” Phillips said with a big laugh. “I’m going to try to wipe that one from my brain pretty quick.” Getting a taste of that can only help as Phillips heads into the summer and starts preparing himself for next season when he hopes to push for The play-in-question was oh-so-close to being a memory Phillips would even more games with the Flames. cherish for the rest of his life, although there were a few of those for the young Calgarian on Wednesday afternoon at the Scotiabank “It’s really nice to get this game in to head into the off-season, just to Saddledome. know straight-up how the NHL is and how my game can work at this level,” Phillips said. “To have that one game in my pocket going into the There was the traditional pre-game solo-lap around his hometown arena. off-season is really big and I think I got more comfortable as the game That’s something every hockey-playing Calgary kid grows up dreaming went on. of. “I hadn’t played a game in like three weeks (since the Heat season There was his first shift and his first shot. The phone call with his ended) so I knew I wasn’t going to be perfect, but definitely a confidence- grandfather in Newfoundland earlier in the day was something he’ll never boost to get that game and get that experience.” forget, either.

Phillips almost added his first goal, too, when Mikael Backlund slid a nice pass his way in the third period, only for a bit of bad puck-luck — and a Calgary Sun: LOADED: 05.20.2021 great save by Vancouver Canucks goaltender Braden Holtby — preventing him from lighting the lamp.

That’s the one he hopes to forget.

“I mean, great pass by Backs and I knew it was coming and it just kind of handcuffed me a little bit and bounced off my stick. That’s the way it goes sometimes,” Phillips said. “Just gotta keep working for the first one, I guess.”

To be clear, the Holtby save doesn’t take anything away from Phillips’ big day.

Any time a player makes their NHL debut, it’s a big deal. But there’s something extra-special about a local Calgary kid who is a product of the city’s minor hockey system getting to put on a Flames jersey and actually play a game for the team he grew up loving.

Even the most cynical among us can recognize the magic in that.

When the puck dropped and Phillips actually got the chance to skate around against NHL competition for the first time, he certainly didn’t look out of place, either.

At 5-foot-7 and weighing in at 155 lbs., it’s true that Phillips was smaller than just about everyone else on the ice. In spite of that, he showed no fear going into corners and fighting for pucks and he has real speed in the open-ice.

Matthew Phillips battles Vancouver Canucks defenceman Travis Hamonic in the first period at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Wednesday, May 19, 2021.

Those are traits that have been on display throughout his three-season tenure with the , where he was an all-star last year and tied for the team-lead in points during this COVID-19-shortened season — Phillips had eight goals and 13 assist for the Flames’ farm team.

“The way he played tonight is the way he played in Stockton,” said Flames head coach Darry Sutter. “He’s got a big heart and he tries hard.”

Phillips didn’t deny that there were some nerves before the game. He’d travelled with the Flames to Vancouver for the team’s two games against the Canucks earlier this week and found out Tuesday night on the flight home that he’d be inserted into the lineup for the season finale on Wednesday afternoon. 1188493 Carolina Hurricanes The Hurricanes have come to expect similar things from Slavin on the blue line, and their long-term prospects are considerably dimmer without him available. Skjei and Pesce ably filled the void Wednesday, but the With tired legs and stout hearts, Canes defensemen pull yeoman duty in Hurricanes were noticeably slower in the third period and struggled to get Game 2 win out of their own zone — whether because of fatigue on the part of Skjei and Pesce or rust on the part of other defensemen thrown into a tense situation without their legs fully under them.

BY LUKE DECOCK This worked Wednesday, but it’s probably not sustainable, not that giving the opposition seven chances with the man advantage ever is. Skjei and MAY 20, 2021 12:03 AM Pesce will sleep well after this. Brind’Amour may not.

These are the demands playoff hockey makes on everyone. So far, the RALEIGH Hurricanes have had the answers.

When the word came down that Jaccob Slavin would not be available for the second game of the playoffs, Brady Skjei figured his ice time would News Observer LOADED: 05.20.2021 go up a little as the Carolina Hurricanes adjusted for the absence of their workhorse defenseman.

Then the penalties started coming, one after another. At least two were certainly embellished by the Nashville Predators, but the others weren’t, and Skjei kept going back over the boards on the penalty-kill — over and over again.

It was going to be a long night for those two anyway with Slavin out. It didn’t help that the Hurricanes had to kill seven Nashville power plays.

“It seemed like more than seven,” goalie Alex Nedeljkovic said afterward.

And it did.

By the time the Hurricanes finally closed out the 3-0 win Wednesday night to take a 2-0 series lead, Skjei and Brett Pesce were on either side of the 28-minute mark, seeing almost half of the minutes available to the Carolina defense.

That’s not how it was drawn up on paper Wednesday afternoon, but that’s what it took to win a playoff game. These are the sacrifices that must be made, the extremes that must be surmounted. That duo was put to the test, and merely a passing grade isn’t good enough at this time of year.

“I figured with (Slavin) being out, I might go up a little bit in ice time,” Skjei said. “Obviously, the PK was a big part of that reason. It was a solid game. Once you get in the flow of the game, you’re not even thinking about ice time. You’re just kind of playing. That was kind of my thought process going through it. I thought we did a really good job.”

In some ways, their yeoman effort epitomized the Hurricanes’ Game 2 performance: Not always elegant, but in the right place at the right time, again and again.

It’s easy to look at the scoreline and think, OK. Simple enough. A three- goal win and a Nedeljkovic shutout. But it was a one-goal game until the final minute, when Sebastian Aho sealed the win with an empty-netter and Warren Foegele added a freebie off a defenseman’s skate.

It was never easy. It was a slog.

“It wasn’t pretty, right? First two periods, no flow, not a good game, I felt,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “We couldn’t get any traction. We had some guys we couldn’t get on the ice because they didn’t kill penalties. Very strange flow to a game.”

And for Pesce and Skjei, it was a marathon. It took everything they had. They were the last line of defense, and when that line faltered, Nedeljkovic was up to the task. Whether it was staying big in his crease early or making a glove save on Luke Kunin from the splits with the Hurricanes clinging to a one-goal lead, the rookie showed no signs of the early jitters from Monday’s playoff debut.

He was especially good in the third, when the Predators finally gathered some momentum at even strength and applied consistent pressure, only to give it back to the Hurricanes when the Predators went on the power play. The Hurricanes actually outchanced the Predators while down a man, with an Aho breakaway as the best opportunity.

That might have been good for another Aho playoff hat trick. As it was, Aho potted a pass from Andrei Svechnikov on a first-period power play to start the scoring and thought he finished it in the third. Coming on the heels of the rare playoff game when Aho was kept off the scoresheet, it was the kind of two-way performance the Hurricanes have come to expect from Aho. 1188494 Carolina Hurricanes

Here’s what the Hurricanes can improve upon ahead of Game 2 against the Predators

BY LUKE DECOCK

MAY 19, 2021 01:43 PM, UPDATED MAY 19, 2021 02:06 PM

If there was one thing missing from the Carolina Hurricanes’ Game 1 performance, other than a power-play goal, it was the usual production from the top line of Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and Andrei Svechnikov after that group was reunited to start the second period.

That’s nitpicking, really, since not only did two members of that line score separately but the Hurricanes weren’t exactly hurting for offense in the 5- 2 win over the Nashville Predators. But it’s a sign of how high expectations are for the TSA line when it’s together.

For good reason: Aho was held scoreless Monday for only the third time in his past 14 playoff games. Aho had a great chance in the third, but was stopped on a breakaway by Nashville goalie Juuse Saros.

“We had a bunch of chances as a line,” Aho said Wednesday. “Obviously we’d like to score one of those but as long as we’re winning it doesn’t matter.”

Teravainen’s goal came during a first-period line change that saw him on the ice with Jordan Martinook and Steven Lorentz, while the Hurricanes hope Svechnikov’s empty-netter will get his scoring jump-started. Svechnikov scored only twice in the final 11 games of the regular season, both in the same game.

As for the power play, Aho said the Hurricanes talked about their 0-for-4 night, which did include several scoring chances but no goals.

“We had some looks,” Aho said. “The last couple days we’ve been working on it. We talked about it. It all comes down to executing those passes and those shots.”

The message to stick with the game plan and go back to what brought the Hurricanes success in Game 1 started at the top Wednesday, with Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour trying to ensure his team doesn’t rest on its performance.

“You just don’t want to have any letdown,” Brind’Amour said. “Our only chance to win is to play the way we played. Any letdown, and it goes out the window.”

NO CHANGES EXPECTED

Brind’Amour said Wednesday morning while Jaccob Slavin will continue to be a game-time decision, he doesn’t expect any changes to the lineup for Game 2. That includes Alex Nedeljkovic back in net after stopping 22 shots in his playoff debut.

As for Slavin, Brind’Amour said it’s his decision: “If he doesn’t feel right, he’ll let us know.”

Slavin ended up playing a team-high 21:25 on Monday.

News Observer LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188495 Carolina Hurricanes “It’s playoff hockey,” Skjei said. “Whenever you play a team four to seven times in a row, it’s going to get chippy, and I thought we did a good job answering the bell to the chippiness and physical play and we just have How the Hurricanes fought their way to another playoff win over the to keep that going.” Predators FIRST PERIOD: AHO SCORES

The Canes were not very threatening on their first power play of the BY CHIP ALEXANDER game. But on the second, Andrei Svechnikov found Aho open on the back side for a one-timer and his ninth career playoff goal. Aho didn’t get MAY 19, 2021 07:40 PM, UPDATED 4 HOURS 41 MINUTES AGO all of the puck on the shot but he got enough at 8:03 of the first.

The Canes nearly made it 2-0 with a little more than six minutes left in the period. Vincent Trocheck was stopped on a shorthanded one-timer There are pretty wins and wins in hockey. In the Stanley Cup by Saros, who made the save with a quick left-to-right lateral move, then playoffs, gritty usually wins. denied Trocheck on the rebound. The Carolina Hurricanes won that way Wednesday, beating the Nashville The Canes were called for four penalties, the last with 56.6 seconds left Predators 3-0 in Game 2 to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round series. in a chippy first period. Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour had some words Sebastian Aho scored twice, Warren Foegele added a third and rookie with the refs on two of the calls — Dougie Hamilton for interference and goalie Alex Nedeljkovic had 32 saves in his first career playoff shutout. then Aho for roughing the Preds’ Erik Haula in front of the Nashville net. Nedeljkovic, sensational much of the night, was named the game’s first Haula was called for roughing the Canes’ Martin Necas earlier in the star and had fans chanting, “Ned! Ned!” after the game. period, taking a run at Necas and hitting him after the whistle. The former “You can tell he has confidence between the pipes,” Aho said of Canes forward was booed throughout the first period, just as he was in Nedeljkovic. Game 1.

Aho’s power-play score in the first period was the game’s first goal and SLAVIN A SCRATCH the only goal for much of the game. Aho, open in the right circle, took a Slavin was at Wednesday’s morning skate but did not go through the pass from Andrei Svechnikov and beat Juuse Saros with a one-timer at pregame warmup and misses Game 2 as Jake Gardiner draws back into 8:03 of the first. the lineup. Aho would score an empty-net goal in the final minute of regulation, and Slavin has been slowed by a lower-body injury but played in Game 1 and Foegele then added another after Saros returned to the net. was at Wednesday’s morning skate at PNC Arena. Brind’Amour was not The Canes spent a lot of time skating to the penalty box as Predators sure of his availability for Game 2, saying “It’s his decision. If he doesn’t had seven power plays. They also spent a lot of time successfully killing feel right, he’ll let us know.” off those penalties even with defenseman Jaccob Slavin, one of their Slavin played 21:25 in Game 1, including 2:45 shorthanded. most effective penalty killers, missing the game. “He was a warrior,” Brind’Amour said after the game. “He’s such a big “The first two period were no flow, not a very good game, I felt,” Canes part of our team. We need him.” coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Couldn’t get any traction.” The defensive pairs with Slavin out have Brady Skjei playing with Dougie While they had to play shorthanded, the Canes at times were better 4-on- Hamilton, Jake Bean with Brett Pesce and Gardiner with Jani Hakanpaa. 5 than 5-on-5 — or what little 5-on-5 time there was. Carolina had multiple shorthanded offensive chances as Sebastian Aho and Vincent Sometimes, staying patient is the hardest thing to do in a hockey game. Trocheck both tested Saros. And especially in the playoffs, with the stakes higher.

“All the guys on the PK did a great job,” defenseman Brady Skjei said. Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour continually preaches it: stay patient, “The No. 1 star was probably Ned. He was a stud tonight To have a good stick with the process, with the game plan. The players talk about it, PK you have to have your goaltender playing well, and he did believe in it. phenomenal tonight.” But there are times when you’re the favorite, playing at home. The This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and opponent seems unshakable, the opposing goalie unflappable as the Terms of Service apply. game wears on and the score remains tight.

Nedeljkovic had to make his share of big saves. He gloved a heavy shot That’s the way it was in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup first-round series by Luke Kunin in the third period and later denied Mattias Ekholm to keep between the Canes and Predators. That’s the way it might be again in it 1-0. Game 2 at PNC Arena.

With Slavin out with a lower-body injury that has slowed him the past few “It’s a little tug of war,” Brind’Amour said Wednesday after the morning weeks, Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour relied heavily on Brady Skjei, skate. “You’ve got to dig in and stay patient.” Brett Pesce and Dougie Hamilton, who piled up the minutes. The Canes prevailed Monday in Game 1. It was 1-1 after the first period “I figured with (Slavin) being out, I’d go up a bit in ice time,” Skjei said. and 2-2 after two, but the Canes won 5-2 with a big third period. “The PKs were a big part of that reason. It was a solid game. Once you get into the flow of the game, you’re not really thinking about ice time.” “That’s how it is all the time, regular season, playoffs,” Brind’Amour said Wednesday. “The playoff games get a little bit tighter. But, really, I think The playoff series now shifts to Nashville, with Game 3 set Friday and every game seems the same. We talk about the same things and that Game 4 on Sunday. doesn’t change. It’s magnified.

A 20-MINUTE SLUGFEST “So you do have to stay patient, you have to stick with your game. The other team’s trying to do the same things you’re trying to do.” The second period, meanwhile, turned into a slugfest as the Canes maintained their 1-0 lead from Aho’s first-period goal. The Canes will look to repeat their effort from Game 1 in Game 2, hoping for the same outcome. The Canes were called four penalties and the Preds three in a long second. But the pushes and punches and high sticks and elbowing were “We need to just do our job, play the game the right way and our way,” innumerable and continued through a chippy second period. center Sebastian Aho said Wednesday. “Part of it is being patient and not being frustrated. It was a good job in Game 1, but obviously Game 1 is At one point, defenseman Matt Benning fell on the Canes’ Jordan behind us and we have to look to tonight’s game.” Martinook beside the Nashville net and would not let Martinook up. When Martinook finally got to his feet the gloves came off. Martinook again fell THE LINEUP and Benning kept throwing punches — an ugly scene as many were in the period. Rookie Alex Nedeljkovic will again be the starting goalie as Brind’Amour said he did not anticipate any lineup changes from Game. 1. The line rushes at the morning skate had Aho centering Andrei Svechnikov and Teuvo Teravainen. Vincent Trocheck centering and Martin Necas, Jordan Staal at center with Jesper Fast and Warren Foegele, and Steven Lorentz centering Brock McGinn and Jordan Martinook.

News Observer LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188496 Carolina Hurricanes

Apparently, Brett Pesce missed the playoffs. Hurricanes defenseman shines in return

BY LUKE DECOCK

MAY 19, 2021 06:30 AM, UPDATED MAY 19, 2021 11:20 AM

RALEIGH

What might have been the most impressive play Brett Pesce made all night was lost entirely in the shuffle. It wasn’t either of his assists, although it did figure in the stunning analytics the Carolina Hurricanes defenseman posted.

It was one play that summed up Pesce’s value to the team, if that wasn’t clear enough last August.

In one motion, Pesce neatly disarmed a Nashville attack as it entered the Hurricanes’ zone, wheeled to his left and winged a perfect pass to Sebastian Aho going the other direction to spring the center loose on a one-on-one that quickly turned into a one-on-none as Aho blew past Nashville Predators defenseman Ben Harpur, skating in a completely different gear.

Juuse Saros made the save on Aho, but moments later Jordan Staal would turn the Hurricanes’ one-goal lead into a two-goal lead on their way to a 5-2 win, the second of two Staal goals on the night.

The first came off a pinpoint Pesce pass.

It was that kind of game for Pesce, who missed all of last year’s playoffs after suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery. And it was not only something the Hurricanes desperately needed, with Jaccob Slavin less than 100 percent Monday night, but a reminder of just how sorely the Hurricanes missed Pesce in the first-round series against the Boston Bruins last August.

“I’m definitely not going to take it for granted this time,” Pesce said.

The Hurricanes controlled 71 percent of possession with Pesce on the ice Monday night, in isolation dramatically better than any of his teammates. No one on the team spent more time killing penalties as the Hurricanes went 3-for-3 against Nashville’s power play.

It was a stunning all-around performance in a critical moment, which is exactly what the Hurricanes expect from Pesce.

As the third leg of the Hurricanes’ big three on defense, Pesce sometimes gets lost in the shuffle. He doesn’t have the Pappy Van Winkle smoothness of Slavin, or the explosive offensive unpredictability of Dougie Hamilton. Pesce just does a little of everything and does it all very well without attracting a ton of attention. His puck-moving skills and mobility are underrated, by his defensive instincts and willingness to sacrifice his body.

Monday, he did it all.

“We know how good he is,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “You’re talking about an elite defender. Playoff hockey is all about limiting chances and he does that as well as anyone. Slavin is in the same category. Those two guys are as good as they come. They’re huge, huge parts of what we’re doing. If either one of those guys can’t go, you can’t replace that.”

The Hurricanes saw that all too clearly in the five-game loss to the Bruins, when Pesce’s physical edge in particular would have been welcome, but far more than that he was missed as the Hurricanes struggled to contain Boston’s powerful top line of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak.

That’s the kind of heavy duty Pesce handles regularly, as he did Monday against the Predators. Slavin and Hamilton saw slightly more ice time against Nashville’s top line ... but Pesce and Brady Skjei had better results against it.

News Observer LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188497 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks' lottery odds for 2021 NHL Draft determined

BY CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS

HAWKS INSIDER fter the Calgary Flames defeated the Vancouver Canucks 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.A

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: 05.20.2021 1188498 Colorado Avalanche Game 1, actually, and they got a little life out of it. So they owned the second part of the second period, for sure. I didn’t mind our third, though. Obviously, we’re playing back-and-forth hockey at the start and the five- Nathan MacKinnon hat trick powers 6-3 win as Avalanche drops Blues to minute major puts us on our heels. But penalty kill steps up. (The Blues) take 2-0 series lead get one off the rush but (the PK) did a nice job to keep us with the lead.”

Avs goalie Philipp Grubauer made 32 saves and he did not have to defend a St. Louis power play through two periods because his By MIKE CHAMBERS | [email protected] | The Denver Post teammates didn’t commit a penalty. However, the Avs got into trouble 6:30 into the third period when Kadri was issued a five-minute major and PUBLISHED: May 19, 2021 at 11:27 p.m. | UPDATED: May 20, 2021 at match penalty for a hit on Blues defenseman Justin Faulk. 12:19 a.m. St. Louis scored one power-play goal during the major, with Brayden

Schenn cashing in on a rebound off a shot from Tyler Bozak. The Avalanche didn’t need an early fight from team captain and Game 1 The Blues first solved Grubauer late in the second period when fourth- hero Gabe Landeskog to get going Wednesday night in Game 2. line winger Sammy Blais threw the puck on Grubauer from behind the Landeskog’s massive check on his first shift did the job. goal line and it caromed in off his pads. St. Louis controlled much of the The Avs again followed their leader at Ball Arena — scoring 35 seconds play in the middle frame, outshooting the Avs 14-9, and gained into the game right after Landeskog crushed St. Louis captain Ryan momentum during Kadri’s costly penalty. O’Reilly behind the Blues’ net — and built a three-goal lead before The Blues have the only three players currently on the NHL’s COVID holding on to win 6-3 and take a 2-0 series lead in the first-round, best-of- protocol absence list, including regular-season leading scorer David seven series. Perron, and that number stayed at three after some anxious hours for the Avs star center Nathan MacKinnon was the late-game hero, scoring team and the league Wednesday afternoon. twice in the final five minutes to stave off St. Louis’ giant comeback Hours after general manager Doug Armstrong said in a statement he attempt, and he finished with a hat trick and four points. Second-line believed the league’s testing could be flawed after multiple Blues players forward Joonas Donskoi had two goals and an assist and Landeskog had were held out of the morning skate, he was proven correct when the NHL two assists along with linemate Mikko Rantanen. cleared those players to play in Game 2. MacKinnon, the No. 1 star, pointed to Landeskog’s first shift as the early In a statement, the league acknowledged “certain test results” involving spark. the Blues and Vegas Golden Knights came back positive, but it was “Just a beast,” MacKinnon said of his left winger. “I could hear the hit. I ultimately deemed those were false positive tests. could hear the crowd reaction. Without that forecheck, without that extra Among the players who missed the morning skate were goalie Jordan work ethic that he always brings, we don’t score that goal.” Binnington and wingers and Jaden Schwartz. The Blues outplayed the Avs for much of the second and third periods Footnotes. The victory extending Colorado’s home unbeaten streak to 18 and got within 3-2 with a power-play goal during Nazem Kadri’s check-to- games (17-0-1). The Avs haven’t lost in regulation at Ball Arena since the-head major at 10:02 of the final frame. But MacKinnon answered with March 8. … Both teams put out the same lineups from Game 1. St. his second goal of the game with 4:35 to play to make it 4-2. Louis, however, tweaked its top two lines, sending Jaden Schwartz to the St. Louis’ Mike Hoffman scored on the next shift to turn it back into a nail- second line and moving Jordan Kyrou up to the first. The Blues’ top line, biter, but the Avs’ Brandon Saad got the hosts back up by two goals with led by O’Reilly, was minus-8 in the series opener. an empty-netter with 2:09 remaining. Then MacKinnon completed his hat trick with an empty-net goal with 11.9 seconds left. Denver Post: LOADED: 05.20.2021 “That wasn’t a great game by us by any means. We got the result we wanted and that’s all that matters in the playoffs, but if we’re going to win Game 3 (Friday) in their rink, especially, we’re going to need to be a lot better,” MacKinnon said. “We had a great start tonight, a great 30 minutes but they took it to us in the second half of that game. We’re going to need a much better effort (Friday).”

Landeskog, who had a fight, a goal and two assists in the 4-1 Game 1 victory, didn’t have a point in the first period Wednesday, but he played a role in two goals and had a team-high four shots as Colorado led 2-0 after 20 minutes. The goals came from Donskoi and MacKinnon, and Donskoi scored his second 3:14 into the second period as Colorado built a 3-0 lead.

Donskoi’s goals came off redirections, the second off his torso from MacKinnon’s long wrist shot. MacKinnon’s shot on the Avs’ first power- play goal went through the legs of Blues defenseman Robert Bortuzzo as well as Landeskog’s.

Donskoi’s first goal came before some of the 7,739 spectators got comfortable in their seats. Right after Landeskog gained his feet from the big hit on O’Reilly, Avs defenseman Ryan Graves fired a slap shot from the point and Donskoi redirected it past goalie Jordan Binnington with his stick.

“Gets in on the forecheck, legs it out all the way down the ice, gets a hit, creates a turnover (and) we end up scoring,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said of Landeskog’s first shift. “That kind of set the tone for our first period because if you look at our forecheck in the first period it was really good. Came up with a lot of pucks.”

As for the second and third periods, the Blues outshot Colorado 29-16 and the Avs’ final two shots were at an empty net.

“It was 3-0 and we had multiple opportunities to extend our lead from that. Didn’t capitalize and then we stopped working and stopped checking and started turning the puck over,” Bednar said. “Very similar to 1188499 Colorado Avalanche

Blues-Avalanche Game 2 Quick Hits: Nazem Kadri penalty could have implications

By RYAN O’HALLORAN | [email protected] | The Denver Post

May 19, 2021 at 11:17 p.m.

Quick hitters from the Avalanche’s 6-3 Game 2 win against St. Louis on Wednesday night:

Record-setting start

The Avalanche needed only 35 seconds to strike and put St. Louis in chase-the-game mode. Captain Gabe Landeskog picked up where he left off in Game 1. While linemates Nathan MacKinnon and Mikko Rantanen changed, Landeskog put the Blues’ Ryan O’Reilly into the boards behind the St. Louis goal. That derailed the Blues’ breakout and they were forced to ring it around the boards and right to Nazem Kadri, who flipped it back to Ryan Graves for the point shot. Joonas Donskoi scored the goal. It was the fastest Avs goal to start a postseason game since moving to Colorado, easily eclipsing 59 seconds by Peter Forsberg in 1996 and Rob Blake in 2002.

Potent power play

Entering the series, we figured the Avalanche could seize control with its eighth-ranked power play against St. Louis’ No. 25 penalty kill. That’s exactly how it played out in Game 2. First power play: MacKinnon from Cale Makar and Donskoi (2-0 lead). Second power play: Donskoi from MacKinnon and Rantanen (3-0 lead). On the first goal, Makar fed MacKinnon at the point and he stick-handled to wait for traffic to get in front of Jordan Binnington before his wrist shot deflected off Donskoi for his second goal. On the second, MacKinnon waltzed into the right circle and fired a shot that through defenseman Robert Bortuzzo’s legs and past Binnington to the stick side. Landeskog had the screen of Binnington. If the Avs’ power play is fully operational, look out rest of the NHL.

Kadri’s reckless penalty

The Avalanche were rolling four lines to start the third period and up 3-1, but that ended with Kadri’s illegal hit to the head of the Blues’ Justin Faulk. Kadri was ejected and given a match penalty, which in the rule book states as a “deliberate” attempt to injure. The Blues had five shots and one goal during the power play. As for Kadri, don’t be surprised if he’s suspended for Friday’s Game 3. His history won’t help his case — he was banned three playoff games in 2018 and four playoff games in ’19 while with Toronto. Tyson Jost would be the most likely candidate to move into Kadri’s second-line role.

Denver Post: LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188500 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche shutdown defenseman Patrik Nemeth off to excellent postseason start

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

PUBLISHED: May 19, 2021 at 7:06 p.m. | UPDATED: May 19, 2021 at 7:14 p.m.

Patrik Nemeth was flawless in his obscure role Monday in the Avalanche’s Game 1 victory over the St. Louis Blues.

As a third-pairing defenseman and primary penalty killer, the big Swede proved he was worth the fourth-round draft pick Colorado gave the Detroit Red Wings in February to re-acquire the pending unrestricted free agent.

Nemeth, who split the last two regular seasons with the Avs and Red Wings, logged 18:43, had three shots and was plus-1 in the 4-1 victory. Most importantly, he led a perfect penalty kill (2-for-2) and was a warrior in front of goalie Philipp Grubauer.

In the third period, he had two significant physical confrontations with Ryan O’Reilly and in front of Grubauer’s crease.

“Toughness is the first thing,” Nemeth, 6-foot-3 and 228 pounds, said after Wednesday’s morning skate ahead of Game 2. “There’s going to be battles out there. If you’re looking at the other series, they’re battling for 60 minutes. It’s not going to be anything different with this series with the Blues. They’re going to play a physical game and we’re going to respond to that.

“Game 1, I thought we did a pretty good job. I think it’s going to heat up the further this series goes.”

Before the Avs acquired Nemeth ahead of the Feb. 12 trade deadline, they lacked some toughness and a lot of size on the back end — partly because Erik Johnson has been out since January was a long-term upper-body injury. The club also traded Nikita Zadorov in the offseason and Ian Cole three games into the season.

An experienced shutdown guy like Nemeth was needed, and he played his role extraordinarily well in the postseason opener.

“On the PK, we’ve done a pretty good job, putting pressure up ice and being tighter in the own zone (but) we’re going to have to keep getting better as this series moves on,” Nemeth said. “If we’re making an adjustment they see it right away and if they make an adjustment we see it. It’s just a matter of adjusting to each other for this whole series.”

Nemeth, 29, partners with rookie Conor Timmins at even strength and Ryan Graves, Devon Toews or Cale Makar on the penalty kill. Nemeth, who led the Avs with a plus-27 rating in 2017-18, was plus-6 in 13 games to finish the regular season.

Wednesday’s Game 2 was Nemeth’s 20th in the postseason. He played five playoff games for the Dallas Stars as a rookie in 2013-14 and the previous 14 with the Avs, including a combined 13 in 2018 and 2019.

Denver Post: LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188501 Colorado Avalanche

Blues GM Doug Armstrong questions NHL COVID-19 testing; league confirms false positives

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

PUBLISHED: May 19, 2021 at 12:21 p.m. | UPDATED: May 19, 2021 at 3:49 p.m.

The St. Louis Blues have the only three players currently on the NHL’s COVID protocol absence list, including regular-season leading scorer , and that number remains three after some anxious hours for the team and the league Wednesday afternoon.

Hours after general manager Doug Armstrong said in a statement he believed the league’s testing could be flawed after multiple Blues players were held out of the morning skate, he was proven correct when the NHL cleared those players to play in Game 2.

In a statement, the league acknowledged “certain test results” involving the Blues and Vegas Golden Knights came back positive, but it was ultimately deemed those were false positive tests.

“Because those reported results emanated from the same laboratory, and due to other peculiarities and similarities as among the test results themselves, an investigation was initiated into the possibility that the initial test results reported may have been in error,” the league said.

Blues players who were flagged missed Wednesday’s practice because they were isolated and additional testing samples were collected.

“Those tests have returned uniformly negative results,” the league said.

Among the players who did not skate for the Blues this morning were goalie Jordan Binnington and wingers Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz.

Late this morning, Armstrong released the following statement:

“We have discovered discrepancies in Covid test results relating to multiple players. We have been in touch with and are working with the League to address these discrepancies with additional testing and expect to have further information later this afternoon. The League will provide a further update when we have more information. Head Coach and our players will not be available to the media until after tonight’s game.”

Perron did not travel to Denver with the team, along with depth players Nathan Walker and Jake Walman. They are the only players on the COVID protocol list among the 18 teams currently still in action — the 16 playoff teams plus Calgary and Vancouver, who are concluding the regular season in the North Division.

Perron led St. Louis with 58 points in 56 regular-season games and is the club’s only point-per-game player.

Denver Post: LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188502 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche vs. St. Louis Blues: Three keys for Game 2

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

May 19, 2021 at 5:45 a.m.

The Avalanche and St. Louis Blues meet for Game 2 of their first-round playoff series Wednesday night at Ball Arena (8:30 p.m., CNBC, ALT).

Here are three keys for the Avs going up 2-0 in the series:

Get Kadri going. Avalanche second-line center Nazem Kadri was fabulous in last year’s playoffs, producing nine goals and 18 points in 15 games. But he’s struggled this year (11 goals) and has just one goal in his last 28 games. He was pointless and minus-1 in Monday’s Game 1. The Avs, who dropped Kadri to the No. 2 power play in favor of Joonas Donskoi, need more from their second-line center. Kadri has 35 NHL playoff games under his belt, and he needs to step up and erase whatever mental issues have resonated from his scoring slump. Otherwise, he’ll be banished to the third line or perhaps drop to a $4.5 million fourth-line winger who focuses on playing tough and mixing it up.

MacKinnon vs. O’Reilly. The Avs won the battle of the top lines in Game 1, and between whistles, Colorado coach Jared Bednar didn’t attempt to avoid sending out the Nathan MacKinnon line after St. Louis sent out Ryan O’Reilly’s line. MacKinnon and wingers Gabe Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen were a combined plus-8. O’Reilly’s line with Brayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz was minus-8. The Blues expect O’Reilly’s line to contain MacKinnon and company, and if that doesn’t unfold again Wednesday night, St. Louis will probably return home in a 2-0 series hole.

Win special teams, again. The Avs’ success in Game 1 included a successful power play (1-for-3) and a perfect penalty kill (2-for-2). Defenseman Ryan Graves committed Colorado’s two minor penalties that led to Blues power plays. Graves inadvertently threw the puck out of play from the defensive zone for a delay-of-game infraction in the second period and tripped fourth-line winger Sammy Blais in the third. Otherwise, the Avs checked well (16 hits) without reaching to defend with their sticks. The penalty kill was fantastic and forward Tyson Jost and defensemen Devon Toews and Patrik Nemeth seemed to spearhead that effort.

Denver Post: LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188503 Colorado Avalanche “Great start,” said Bednar, praising Landeskog’s forechecking. “That kind of set the tone for our first period.”

After outshooting the Blues 50-23 in Game 1, they suppressed St. Louis The Avalanche eke out a win with more Nathan MacKinnon heroics, but shots in the first period and spent most of their time in the offensive zone. a potential Nazem Kadri suspension looms Late in the period, a hardworking third-line shift ended with the Blues’ Robert Thomas flipping the puck over the glass, resulting in a delay of game penalty and an Avalanche power play. By Peter Baugh From there, “Playoff Nate” went to work. Cale Makar got him the puck, May 20, 2021 and MacKinnon managed to whip a wrist shot through the legs of St. Louis’ Robert Bortuzzo as well as Landeskog, and past Binnington.

MacKinnon wasn’t done. He might have gotten away with a pick on Ivan Wednesday night should’ve been about Nathan MacKinnon’s heroics, or Barbashev, but the officials didn’t call it. Moments later, Barbashev got maybe Joonas Donskoi’s strong play in front of the Blues net. But with called for hooking MacKinnon. That sent the Avalanche to the power play one high hit, what started as a dominant Avalanche performance became again and, like they frequently have against the Blues this season, they a night when Nazem Kadri might have reinforced what the Toronto Maple delivered. MacKinnon ripped a shot on net and Donskoi tipped it in for his Leafs believed when they traded him two years ago — he can’t be second tally of the game. counted on in the playoffs. “I don’t know if I’m at another level,” MacKinnon said. “Without those Midway through the third period, as Blues defenseman Justin Faulk guys battling and mucking it up up front while I’m up high, those pucks skated toward the Avalanche net, Kadri thrust his right shoulder high, don’t go in.” hitting his opponent square in the head. Faulk fell to the ice, where he remained frozen as his teammates charged Kadri. He did not return. But, much like Game 1, the Avalanche allowed the Blues to find their Officials first sent Kadri to the penalty box then, after deliberating, gave game in the latter half of the second period. Down 3-0, St. Louis got its him a five-minute major penalty and ejected him for the game. forecheck engaged and with just under four minutes left in the period, Colorado defenseman Patrik Nemeth missed Landeskog with a pass, Kadri will almost certainly hear from the league Thursday. And his leading to a Torey Krug shot. Goalie Philipp Grubauer allowed a rebound discipline could be severe. and Blues forward Sammy Blais seized the puck. He threw it at the net, “I’m guessing the league is going to look at that,” Avalanche coach Jared and it bounced off Grubauer’s leg and in. Bednar said after his team’s 6-3 win, which put them up 2-0 in the series. “We stopped working and stopped checking and started turning the puck “I haven’t really seen all the angles of it and whatnot. They’ll look at it, over,” Bednar said. “They got a little life out of it, so they owned the and who knows? It’s hard to sometimes figure out what the league second part of the second period.” suspends guys for and what they don’t. We’ll see what they come back with.” The Kadri hit in the third period set up a five-minute Blues power play, and Schenn capitalized to make the score 3-2. MacKinnon responded by This isn’t the first time a Kadri hit has put him in a bad position. Kadri was flinging a shot in from the blue line but, before the Avalanche’s public suspended for the final five games of the Maple Leafs’ 2019 first-round address announcer started announcing the goal, the Blues’ Mike series for a high cross-check on Boston’s Jake DeBrusk. That marked Hoffman made it a one-goal game once again, scoring on a two-on-two Kadri’s fifth career suspension, and his postseason punishment led rush. Samuel Girard and Tyson Jost focused on Blues defenseman Niko directly to Toronto trading him that offseason, according to The Athletic’s Mikkola as he skated with the puck up ice and he found Hoffman, who James Mirtle, who writes about the Maple Leafs. wristed in a shot from the circle. “That guy can’t control himself,” St. Louis forward Brayden Schenn “I don’t like the rush coverage on that goal, but it is what it is,” Bednar added. “He’s got (Faulk) in a vulnerable position and picks nothing but said. “The guys found a way to dig in and get the job done after going the head.” through the (Kadri) five-minute major (penalty). Nate got the guys “That’s a very dangerous hit,” Blues captain Ryan O’Reilly said. “It’s got together on the bench, had a little chat. So did Landy. And off we went to to be a suspension. It’s dangerous. He’s a repeat offender. That’s answer the bell.” completely uncalled for.” Colorado’s Brandon Saad scored an empty-net goal, and MacKinnon Technically, though, the league won’t define him as a repeat offender. also scored with Binnington out of the net. Hats rained onto the ice as he Kadri has not been suspended since the play with the Leafs in 2019, and and his teammates celebrated his three-goal game. the Department of Player Safety said players are considered repeat “If we can keep elevating our level of intensity — like he’s doing, and he’s offenders “for 18 months following his most recent incident that resulted leading the way — then I think we’ll have a long run,” forward Alex in a suspension,” per the NHL website. But the site adds, “even if a Newhook said earlier this week. (player) is not defined as a repeat offender, his past history may come into consideration when determining future Supplemental Discipline.” As the series shifts to St. Louis, the ramifications of Game 2 won’t be felt until Thursday when the Department of Player Safety announces any The penalty also allowed the Blues to get back in the game. They scored discipline for Kadri. Jost could also hear from the league after an elbow during the five-minute major, cutting the Avalanche’s advantage to 3-2. that took Bortuzzo out of the game. But MacKinnon made sure the Blues got no closer. He continued to MacKinnon left the ice happy with the victory but displeased with how his establish himself as one of the league’s most prolific postseason players, team finished. scoring the Avalanche’s first playoff hat trick since in 1997 and helping Colorado to a 2-0 series lead against St. Louis. “We got outplayed the last 30 minutes of the game, so we need a Through two games in these playoffs, MacKinnon has five goals and response in Game 3, if anything,” MacKinnon said. “We’ve got to look seven points and he has 21 points in 10 regular and postseason games ourselves in the mirror for Game 3 in St. Louis and bring a better effort.” against the Blues this season.

“I know that about him: that he gets big in the playoffs,” Donskoi said. “That’s exactly what he’s done these first two games.” The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021

To start, though, captain Gabriel Landeskog set the tone. Less than 30 seconds into the game, he slammed O’Reilly into the boards during an Avalanche forecheck. That led to a loose puck, which Kadri seized and passed to Ryan Graves, who flung it on net. Going into the game, Bednar said he wanted his team to have more bodies in front of the net, and Donskoi found perfect positioning as he tipped Graves’ shot past Blues goalie Jordan Binnington.

Just 35 seconds into the game, the Avalanche had a lead. 1188504 Colorado Avalanche “It goes without saying every time he steps on the ice, (he) makes the defensemen back off,” Landeskog added. “They have to respect that speed.”

‘A different freaking beast’: Playoff Nathan MacKinnon is here to lead the Through 41 career playoff games, MacKinnon has 1.39 points per game Avalanche and is at a 44-goal and 70-assist pace for 82 games. Among players who have played at least 40 games, only (1.84) and Mario Lemieux (1.61) have averaged more points per game. Quality company. By Peter Baugh “He just does it all,” Avalanche defenseman Conor Timmins said. “He’s May 19, 2021 not one dimensional. He scores, plays a fast-paced game but is also physical and can be gritty in the corners. Just the fact that he does it all

out there, he leads our team.” After missing four of the last five regular-season games with undisclosed MacKinnon has been clear that he sees the Avalanche’s roster as one injuries, Nathan MacKinnon quickly eliminated the lingering questions that’s good enough to win the Stanley Cup, and he knows those about his health Monday, dominating the Blues in Game 1 of the first opportunities don’t come every year. His words and play reflect the same round. His strong showing shouldn’t come as a shock — he’s a proven thing: He’s desperate not to let the chance slip away. postseason performer and told reporters he was feeling good entering the series — but it’s nevertheless a big boost for the Avalanche and bad “It’s just an elevated level of competitiveness that comes out of him in the news for their opponents. playoffs,” Bednar said. “We’ve seen it for years now, and (Monday) night was no different.” “He’s one of our stars and a guy that really looks forward to this time of year,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said. “We saw what he can do in the playoffs last year: He took his game to a whole new level and to have him out there leading us with (Gabriel Landeskog) and Mikko (Rantanen) The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 will be ideal and something that we need.”

MacKinnon scored two goals and added an assist in the Avalanche’s 4-1 victory in Game 1, picking up where he left off in last year’s postseason, when he scored 25 points in 15 games. In his last 10 playoff contests (two against the Coyotes, seven against the Stanley Cup Final-bound Stars and one against the Blues) he’s tallied nine goals, a plus-14 rating and is averaging 2.1 points per game.

Playoff Nate, it appears, has been activated.

“It’s a different freaking beast right there,” fourth-line forward Pierre- Edouard Bellemare said. “To me, he’s the best player out there. Somehow, you watch him every day, and you’re like ‘he’s pretty amazing,’ and then when it comes to playoffs, there’s another gear there. It’s not fair for all the guys like me, but it’s pretty fun to watch when you’re on his side.”

Bednar called MacKinnon, who’s 25 but has played eight years in the NHL, an experienced player, and the coach believes he ramps up his 200-foot game during the postseason. He works hard in the defensive and neutral zones, making sure the Avalanche usually have control of the puck when he’s on the ice.

“He’s hungry to win,” forward Alex Newhook said. “As competitive as he is, that competitiveness just amps up another level in the playoffs.”

The Blues tried to slow MacKinnon and his linemates by frequently pitting them against standout center Ryan O’Reilly, the 2019 Selke and Trophy winner, and top defenseman Colton Parayko. But midway through the first period, MacKinnon got the best of the matchup, drawing a tripping penalty on O’Reilly, who is one of the Blues’ best penalty killers. The Avalanche took advantage of their opportunity with O’Reilly in the box: Cale Makar ripped a power-play goal past St. Louis goalie Jordan Binnington.

“Playoffs are a different season. Brand new,” MacKinnon said. “It just kind of gives you a breath of fresh air. It was a bit of a grind of a year with all these COVID stops. I think every team had to go through something. It’s exciting to get going.”

Though MacKinnon didn’t score until the third period — Bednar said it took the center a bit to get his legs under him — his performance shone analytically. He ranked first for the Avalanche in individual expected goals created, per Natural Stat Trick, and wasn’t fazed by the Blues’ physical play. He led Colorado with five hits without taking one. Early in the third, with the score deadlocked at one, Rantanen found him in the slot for a one-timer, and he whipped it past Binnington to break the tie. “Let’s go,” he said to Rantanen and Ryan Graves as they skated toward him for a post-goal hug.

Eight minutes later, he unleashed a scorching slapshot on the Blues net, and Landeskog was able to tip the puck past the St. Louis netminder. Then, when the Blues pulled Binnington, MacKinnon scored once again on an empty-netter. 1188505 Colorado Avalanche When you have MacKinnon, Landeskog, Mikko Rantanen and stud defenseman Cale Makar running your top unit, you’re likely going to score a lot on the man advantage. Colorado has three goals on five Deen’s List: Avalanche continue to overwhelm old friend Ryan O’Reilly opportunities in two games. They’re heavily winning the special teams battle and it’s a large part of the reason why the Blues seem overmatched.

By Aarif Deen Faceoff wins

May 20, 2021 The Avs used to be really bad at faceoffs. They have changed their ways in that department.

O’Reilly is one of the best faceoff specialists in the NHL. But on St. Louis captain Ryan O’Reilly confidently gave his take on how the Wednesday, he struggled, winning just 6-of-20 for a lowly 30 percent. Blues would fare in this series before Game 1 and those words may MacKinnon, Landeskog and third line center Tyson Jost each went 8-for- come back to bite him. At least that’s how it feels after two games. 11 at the dot. The team won 36-of-56 draws. “We’re going to have some fun, and we’re going to beat them,” O’Reilly The Avs are already a strong puck possession team and winning faceoffs said. is only going to give them more time with the puck. St. Louis has done everything but have fun. And “beating them” hasn’t That’s a problem for the Blues. happened. Rather, it was O’Reilly that was on the receiving end of a game-changing hit at the hands of Avs captain Gabe Landeskog about 28 seconds into Game 2 on Wednesday. He was beaten by his former teammate. Physically. milehighsports.com LOADED: 05.20.2021

Just like Landeskog did in Game 1 when he dropped the gloves with Brayden Schenn to set the tone, Landeskog flattened O’Reilly behind the net and the Avs scored seven seconds later. They scored five more times, twice on an empty net, on their way to a 6-3 victory, grabbing a 2-0 series lead over the Blues.

O’Reilly went on to have another less-than-stellar night, finishing with a minus-3 in 20:14. He is minus-6 in the series. If things don’t change at , where the next two games will be played, O’Reilly may have to eat those words while enduring a long offseason.

The Deen’s List:

Kadri gets ejected

This seems all too familiar.

Nazem Kadri, Colorado’s underwhelming second-line center, was ejected after laying out Blues defenseman Justin Faulk with an illegal check to the head. The NHL is likely going to suspend him. Just as it did in the 2018 and 2019 playoffs when he was with Toronto — and why the Maple Leafs ultimately traded him to the Avs.

It’s the last thing Kadri needed. Especially this year. But everybody loves a good comeback story and if (keyword: If) Kadri is only suspended for the rest of this round and not longer, then a comeback in the next round and actually chipping in offensively would be a great revelation for him.

Kadri has just one goal in his last 29 games.

Hat-trick hero

The Avalanche haven’t had a player record a hat trick in the Stanley Cup playoffs in 24 years. So it’s only fitting that it comes from superstar center Nathan MacKinnon, who is off to an exceptional start in the postseason.

MacKinnon capped off his hat trick with an empty netter and celebrated as the ice was covered in hats from the 7,739 strong at Ball Arena. He has five goals and seven points in two games. Not bad after scoring just 20 goals in the regular season.

Playoff Nate doesn’t mess around.

35 seconds

The goal from Joonas Donskoi, which came on the heels of Landeskog’s hit on O’Reilly, was the fastest goal to start a playoff game in club history. Donskoi later added another goal and an assist to finish with his second career three-point playoff performance.

Donskoi redirected a blast from defenseman Ryan Graves with his stick. He got his second goal by taking a point shot from MacKinnon off the torso.

For a relatively small guy, 6-foot, 190 pounds, Donskoi is not afraid to go to the net.

Power play perfection

Two chances. Two goals. 1188506 Colorado Avalanche We when the pandemic began to ravage the world, and I understand and endorse the reasoning behind protecting the players and staff (and sure us, too) from getting sick with something we Good teams have great stories…I think? had little way of stopping at the time. However, if rules are being relaxed By Crooked Steps, particularly when it comes to fully vaccinated players and teams—and even individuals out in larger society—then it is time to bring back access to more players than those chosen few. By Ryan Boulding If fan capacity is being increased, why isn’t access being restored? May 19, 2021 Maybe we don’t all need to be commingling in giant scrums in the

dressing room, like a Moth drawn to a light source, but having the There are four Seasons in hockey, and the one we’re in currently is the opportunity to Be Yourself and seek out your own story and subject best of the bunch. Offseason is the worst, least enjoyable stage— would help usher in hockey life after COVID-19 and make the followed closely by preseason. The regular season is enjoyable, but the postseason more interesting. postseason and the that comes with it is like Christmas in The day I could have a chat with a player about anything without a Zoom whatever crazy month it even is anymore. audience would be again in this new world. If we The games are intense, the pace unmatched, and the potential for any have to resort to some sort of vaccine press passport situation for that to outcome often has me Wide Awake, even despite the just awful 8 p.m. happen, I’m your huckleberry. I Am The Highway. I’ll happily lead people (or later!) starts here in Colorado. And don’t Call Me a Dog east coast down that road if it means better stories and therefore a better fan and European fans, I’m old enough to complain about it despite you experience. having it worse. I’ll admit that I’m worried things will never go back to the way they were The Avs are on a Mission, reminiscent of the old 16W of yesteryear, when it comes to the relationship between media members and the ready to Blow Up the Outside World in their bid for that greatest trophy in teams they cover. This situation makes it easy for clubs to control the all of earthly sport. They’re up 1-0 on St. Louis despite Jordan Binnington narrative, and it Doesn’t Remind Me of a viable situation from a coverage being the one who nearly Outshined them in their playoff opener in front standpoint. of a respectably packed house at Ball Arena on Monday. Let’s hope it doesn’t stay that way, or the excitement of a Cup-favorite Here at Mile High Sports, you’ve got columns from Terry Frei, coverage powering through the postseason could disappear faster than an illegal from Aarif Deen, and even on a radio show with JJ Jerez and internet stream of Altitude at the conclusion of a contest. myself. That’s not including the various other local outlets that are producing content faster than a . milehighsports.com LOADED: 05.20.2021 I Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart with all the hype surrounding this greatest time of year, but there’s just one issue I can’t get over.

We’re all One and the Same when it comes to who we can talk to and the stories we can tell. Postseason tales are some of the best content to create and consume when it comes to the NHL. There are individual yarns to untangle, accounts that reveal potential epics of triumph or travesty, line combinations, and more, and they all feed a narrative that exists as teams battle until the bitter end.

The trouble is, we all only have access to who is provided to us.

Want to know about Cale Makar’s goal last night? He was one of two postgame player-offerings, so we all got the details on how he broke out of that and drained a bullet of a shot.

Looking for more on the travails of Ryan Graves, who fought the puck nearly all night but also prevented a Mike Hoffman marker? You’ll be Climbing Up the Walls while you wait for his next appearance.

Avs captain Gabriel Landeskog admitting he likes fighting but really prefers sticking up for his teammates? We could all Scream it to the mountain tops the second he said it.

Mikko Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon discussing how they came together to score a tally when nobody on the Blues decided to cover them? I might as well be Searching With My Good Eye Closed for the details there.

Sure, some main storylines from Game 1 were addressed by those players gracing us lowly media members with their presence, but we’ve from the locker room. We didn’t get a peep from Philipp Grubauer, Patrik Nemeth, Tyson Jost, MacKinnon, Rantanen, or any other member of the victorious squad.

We’re totally reliant on head coach and media Jared Bednar for any other thoughts or inquiries pertaining to on-ice happenings.

Zoom once was a verb that was used to describe the haste with which a player exited the dressing room so as not to have to talk to those of us tasked with informing the interested public. Now the word is a noun, a place, a that forces more homogenization outside the organization while also limiting accountability by withholding a conversation at all.

Forget asking for a one-on-one exclusive. Pouring Gasoline in North Carolina would get you better results. 1188507 Colorado Avalanche FanDuel Sportsbook

States: CO, PA, NJ, IA, IN, IL, TN, VA, MI and WV

Blues vs. Avalanche Game 2 Odds, Prediction, Pick (May 19, 2021) GET THE APPSIGNUP BONUS$1,000 FREE

RISK FREE BETBET NOW

By Bob Wankel Bets We Like With a Blues Win

May 19, 2021 Blues + 1.5 goals AND UNDER 6.5 total goals (+190, DraftKings)

OK, this is a little bit of a hedge because we don’t really believe the Blues will win this game. But we do believe they’ll keep it close, and if they blues avalanche game 2 odds pick keep it close, they need to find a way to slow down the Avalanche The final score in the series opener between the Avalanche and Blues offense. Take them to cover the spread and bump the over/under up an may seem a little lopsided. Add in the fact that Colorado outshot St. Louis entire puck and you get +190 with a lower scoring game that the Blues 50-23 for the game and it seems even more tilted in favor of Colorado. win — or perhaps lose by a goal. If you want to guard against that empty- netter killing you on the spread, you can make the spread +2 at Let’s take a look at this Game 2 matchup between St. Louis and DraftKings and still get paid out at +140. If you make the spread 2.5, Colorado from a betting perspective in our Blues vs. Avalanche betting which is super conservative, the payout at DraftKings is still +116. preview with odds, picks and predictions. DraftKings Sportsbook BETMGM States: CO, PA, NJ, IN, IL, IA, MI, MI, VA, TN, and WV STATES: CO, IN, IA, MI, NV, NJ, PA, TN, WV, VA GET THE APPSIGNUP BONUSBET $5, WIN $200 IN MAY! But here’s what you need to know — St. Louis was just as good as the Avs into the third period. The game was tied 1-1 until Nathan MacKinnon NBA 40-1 ODDSBET NOW warded off two defenders to snap a shot high over Jordan Binnington’s Bets We Like Independent of Outcome glove. Gabriel Landeskog added a deft tip in of a MacKinnon point shot and MacKinnon then added an empty-netter to provide the spread, but Nathan MacKinnon OVER 3.5 shots on goal (-225, DraftKings) make no mistake about it – it was a closer than you might think. Pick an Avalanche player. Any Avalanche player. Your chance of hitting Nevertheless, you have to play almost a perfect game to beat the the OVER on almost any of them is worth it when they play on home ice. Avalanche at Ball Arena, and the Blues were nowhere near perfect. They’ll need to ramp things up offensively and get more shots through to Think about it, they were credited with 50 shots in Game 1. Fifty! In 60 Colorado goalie Philipp Grubauer in Game 2 if they’re going to make hay minutes! So, MacKinnon over 3.5? Yep. Gabrel Landeskog over 2.5 (- in this series. 139, DraftKings)? Yep. Mikko Rantanen over 2.5 (-200, DraftKings)? Yep. Cale Makar over 1.5 (-250, DraftKings)? Yep. Any of these. All of Blues vs. Avalanche Betting Pick (May 19, 2021) these. Your chances of winning are better in this building than any other in the NHL. Nathan MacKinnon was on fire for a long stretch of the season before a nagging injury caught up to him, causing him to miss some time toward Blues vs. Avalanche Game 2 Prediction the end of the regular season campaign. Lost in the outcome of the first game was that Blues goalie Jordan But his offense re-emerged in a big way with two goals, an assist, and six Binnington made 46 saves. He may not need to be that good for the shots on goal in Game 1. Blues to win tonight, but if he his, they could pull the upset. However, Philipp Grubauer has been rock solid all season long in net for the The Avalanche are an offensive wagon for sure, but when MacKinnon is Avalanche, which should cancel out Binnington’s effectiveness. Then it at his best, he can take over a game, which is really impressive comes down to talent. considering the talent around him on the roster. It’s better in Colorado, which is why we see them winning a tight one. Meanwhile, the Blues need to find some offense. Their lone goal came from Jordan Kyrou joining a rush, but his line with Robert Thomas and Pick: Avalanche 3, Blues 2 Ivan Barbashev aren’t the guys the Blues are looking to for offense.

It was a tough loss for St. Louis to be without leading scorer David Perron in Game 1 as he was listed in the Covid-19 Protocol and the team milehighsports.com LOADED: 05.20.2021 offered nothing further about his potential availability — or even his whereabouts.

But their next three best scorers – Ryan O’Reilly, he of the series win guarantee, Brayden Schenn and Mike Hoffman as well as veteran scorers and playoff stalwarts Vladimir Tarsenko and Jayden Schwartz were a combined minus-11 with only 10 shots on goal.

Blues vs. Avalanche Game 2 Odds

Here are the lines for Blues vs. Avalanche at DraftKings Sportsbook:

Team Spread Moneyline Total

Blues +1.5 (-112) +245 O 5.5 (+115)

Avalanche -1.5 (-106) -295 U 5.5 (-108)

Bets We Like With an Avalanche Win

Avalanche to win AND UNDER 5.5 goals (+155, DraftKings)

No need to tease any lines here. Just bet on the Avalanche to win, which they should because they rarely lose at home, and save your investment on them by parlaying the bet with the UNDER. St. Louis struggled to get shots, let alone score on Grubauer in Game 1, and will look to tighten things defensively in Game 2 if they want to earn the split, so a low- scoring game is on the docket. 1188508 Colorado Avalanche The Blues remained without leading scorer David Perron, who’s been on the COVID-19 protocol list since the weekend.

The speedy Avalanche kept constant pressure on Binnington, who made MacKinnon records hat trick, Avs beat Blues 6-3 in Game 2 29 saves.

Faulk was shaken up when he was leveled by Kadri in the middle of By PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writer Colorado's defensive zone during the third. Faulk stayed down for a moment as officials reviewed the play. The major penalty was upheld and May 20, 2021 Updated 1 hr ago Kadri was removed from the game.

“That’s a very dangerous hit. It’s got to be a suspension," O'Reilly said. “It’s dangerous. He’s a repeat offender. It’s completely uncalled for. It’s DENVER (AP) — Nathan MacKinnon had two special guests in the awful to see.” stands — his mom and dad. Colorado coach Jared Bednar thinks the league may have a look as well. He treated them — along with a boisterous crowd chanting “M-V-P” — to quite a show. “It’s hard sometimes to figure out what the league suspends guys for and what they don’t,” Bednar said. “We’ll see what they come back with.” MacKinnon capped his first career playoff hat trick with an empty-net goal to help the Colorado Avalanche pull away late for a 6-3 win over St. Louis INJURY UPDATE in Game 2 on Wednesday night after the Blues avoided a pregame virus scare that nearly sidelined several players. Berube had no updates on injured defensemen Faulk and Robert Bortuzzo, who left the game after what appeared to be an elbow near the “They’ve been with me every step of the way,” MacKinnon said of his head from Tyson Jost. parents. “I’m so glad they got to get up here.” “Greasy elbow by Josty,” Schenn said. “I understand he’s going into the The speedy forward always seems to raise his game this time of year. battle but you’ve got to know how to control your elbow and not get it up The difficult-to-defend MacKinnon now has five goals and two assists in a in a D-man’s face.” series the Avalanche lead 2-0. MORE MACKINNON Game 3 will be Friday in St. Louis. According to the league, MacKinnon was the seventh different MacKinnon also has a 1.45 points-per-game average in the postseason, Avalanche/Nordiques player with a postseason hat trick. He also was the which is among the highest in NHL history. first since Valeri Kamensky in Game 5 of the 1997 conference quarterfinals. But in typical MacKinnon fashion, he deflected credit to his linemates — Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen, who each had two assists. THIS & THAT

“Without those guys battling and mucking it up in front when I’m up high, Blues D Torey Krug had two assists. ... Since moving to Denver, those pucks don’t go in,” MacKinnon explained. "Everyone’s helping out Colorado is 13-1 in best-of-seven postseason series when winning the for sure.” first two games.

Joonas Donskoi scored twice and Brandon Saad added an empty-netter.

Trailing 3-0, Sammy Blais scored for St. Louis in the second and Brayden LOADED: 05.20.2021 Schenn added another with 9:53 remaining to make it a one-goal game. Schenn's power-play goal followed Nazem Kadri being assessed a five- minute penalty for an illegal check to the head of Justin Faulk.

MacKinnon gave Colorado a 4-2 lead with 4:35 remaining, only to see Mike Hoffman score 15 seconds later. Saad scored an empty-netter with 2:09 left and MacKinnon added another with 11.9 seconds remaining, with fans tossing hats onto the ice in celebration.

“We kept our cool pretty good,” Donskoi said. “We’re a confident team right now.”

The Blues took some confidence from their late spurt, too.

“When we do things the right way and dictate it we make it difficult on them,” St. Louis captain Ryan O'Reilly said. “It’s something we have to build on.”

MacKinnon's hat trick was the first in the postseason by an Avalanche player in 24 years. MacKinnon also had an assist.

Philipp Grubauer finished with 32 saves.

Donskoi scored 35 seconds into the game, the second-fastest goal to start a playoff game in Colorado/Quebec history, according to NHL research. The fastest was 29 seconds by Quebec's Wilf Paiement in Game 2 of the 1982 division finals.

The anxiety level for St. Louis increased well before puck even dropped when several Blues players returned positive COVID-19 tests. Later, they were cleared after the results from a lab were investigated with follow-up tests coming back negative.

Among those missing from the morning skate were forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz, along with goaltender Jordan Binnington.

“I’m not going to say if that had an effect on the game. We’ve got to come out of the gate a little bit better than we did here in Colorado,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “We can’t give up the shots we gave up in he first periods.” 1188509 Colorado Avalanche Pretty rich coming from Schenn, right?

The Blues shouldn’t get too self-righteous about anything. One of their guys, Sammy Blais, was suspended a couple games this year for a dirty Nathan MacKinnon leads the way in tricky Game 2 hit to the head of Devon Toews. Robert Bortuzzo got four games for a dirty hit two years ago. Yeah, Kadri will get suspended and deserves it, but settle down with the sanctimoniousness, Blues. Published 3 hours ago on May 20, 2021 I thought MacKinnon got away with one when he appeared to interfere By Adrian Dater with Ivan Barbashev in the first period – then Barbashev was called for hooking MacKinnon right after.

The Blues also lost Bortuzzo in the game to an apparent head injury. How’s everybody’s heart rate? A little elevated? Yeah, playoff hockey can do that. So can the play of Nathan MacKinnon.

MacKinnon had the hat trick in leading the Avalanche to a 6-3 win, a Colorado hockey now LOADED: 05.20.2021 game that was a lot closer than that score would indicate. It was 4-3 with 4:20 left and the Blues were not going away, despite starting out in a 3-0 hole. Brandon Saad and MacKinnon scored empty-netters, though, to prevent everyone from grabbing their heart medicine.

“We got the result we wanted and that’s all that matters in the playoffs,” said MacKinnon, who has five goals in the first two games. “But in Game 3, we’re going to have to be better than that.”

This one truly looked over at the 3:14 mark of the second period, when Joonas Donskoi scored his second goal of the game, a tip of MacKinnon’s shot from the point on the power play. It was 3-0 and the Avs were just dominating every aspect of the hockey game.

“And then we stopped working, stopped checking,” coach Jared Bednar said. “We gave them some life again.”

The game started to take an ominous turn midway through the third, when Nazem Kadri was whistled for a 5-minute major for a big hit on Blues veteran D-man Justin Faulk, a hit that appeared to be to the head from the blind side. Do I think it will be a suspension for Kadri? Yeah. I’m going to bet it’s a couple games at least, but the situation is exacerbated by Kadri’s repeat offender status; he’s been suspended twice before in the playoffs, both times with Toronto.

Stanley Cup Bet

“I just saw it on the replay on the teleprompter on the ice. They called it a 5-minute major and I’m sure the league will take a look at that,” Bednar said. “But who knows.”

Let’s let to some THOUGHTS AND OBSERVATIONS

Gabe Landeskog laid a big hit on Ryan O’Reilly on the first shift of the game, which led to a turnover and a Donskoi putback goal after Ryan Graves blasted a shot from the point. “That kind of set the tone,” Bednar said.

The Blues showed a lot of character coming back like they did. They were outshot big in the first period, but the shots finished 35 apiece.

If Faulk misses some time, that’s going to thin out a Blues defense that already looks thin.

Said Donskoi: “I felt confident we would hold the lead.” But, he added, “Not our best hockey second half of the game. We have to get better.”

MacKinnon becomes the first Avs player with a hat trick in the postseason since Valeri Kamensky on April 24, 1997 vs Chicago (Game 5 of WCQF) … 10th hat trick in franchise playoff history and 4th since relocating to Denver.

O’Reilly was on the ice for all six Avs goals.

Said Blues coach Craig Berube on the Kadri hit: “The league will look at those hits and they’ll do what they have to do.”

O’Reilly was more outspoken about the hit, telling St. Louis reporters on Zoom: “That’s a very dangerous hit. It’s got to be a suspension. It’s dangerous. He’s a repeat offender. That’s completely uncalled for. That’s awful to see.”

Who do I think would step in for Kadri as a centerman? Probably Carl Soderberg. I mean, Alex Newhook could move to that spot, but I doubt it.

Brayden Schenn also took a verbal shot at Kadri: “The guy can’t control himself. In the playoffs he’s a repeat offender, bad hits. He’s got a guy in a vulnerable position and picks nothing but the head. We need to focus on Games 3-4 and the league will take care of those guys’ hits.” 1188510 Colorado Avalanche

GRADESAvs Game Grades: Hats off to the top line in Game 2

Published 3 hours ago on May 20, 2021

By Scott MacDonald

Gabe Landeskog (A+) – The captain got the team started yet again, mirroring what he brought to Game 1. This time, instead of a fight, Landeskog made a different kind of physical play—in the form of a big check on former teammate Ryan O’Reilly. The Avs subsequently kept the puck in the zone, Kadri feed to Ryan Graves, point shot, tip by Joonas Donskoi, 1-0 half a minute in. Landeskog made the key screen on Binnington that made it happen. He did it again on team’s second goal, too. And the fourth goal. Landeskog continues to be the emotional leader through the Avs first two postseason games.

Nathan MacKinnon (A+) – There aren’t many players in the NHL better than Playoff Nate MacKinnon…or just Nate MacKinnon in general. A hat trick and yet another multi-point night for the future Conn Smythe winner.

Mikko Rantanen (A) – Mikko just can’t solve St. Louis…or rather, can’t solve himself. In Game 1, he shot a puck through the crease of a wide open net. Then, he was robbed on a 2-on-0 by Binnington. Those frustrations carried into Game 2 tonight, it seemed. He was also on the ice for two of the three St. Louis goals tonight. But he did get two assists, so we’ll call it a wash.

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188511 Colorado Avalanche

AVALANCHE PLAYOFFSRegardless of further Blues Covid drama, Game 2 is on tonight

Published 12 hours ago on May 19, 2021

By Adrian Dater

There is a lot of drama surrounding the St. Louis Blues as I type this. Several Blues players – including goalie Jordan Binnington, Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz – were not on the ice for the Blues at the morning skate at Ball Arena. Did they test positive for Covid-19 or be exposed via contact tracing and are now, therefore, on “The List?”

We’re still awaiting word on that. What Colorado Hockey Now can say definitively, however: the game is going to be played as scheduled, a trusted industry source tells us. Puck drop is slated for about 8:45, so get your naps in.

Blues GM Doug Armstrong indicated there may be some false-positives regarding the latest tests for his players. He put out this statement: “We have discovered discrepancies in Covid test results relating to multiple players. We have been in touch with and are working with the League to address these discrepancies with additional testing and expect to have further information later (today).”

Blues top scorer David Perron, believed to be back in St. Louis, is already on the list and won’t play tonight. Reports out of St. Louis earlier have said vaccines were offered to all Blues players near the end of the regular season, but that eight players declined to take them.

Is that related? I’m not a doctor, so I have no freakin’ clue. All I know is the Blues have some Covid issues with their team right now.

Stanley Cup Bet

Frankly, I hope Binnington and Tarasenko, et. al, play. I said this earlier about the Perron situation: I don’t like playing teams missing a top guy or two, because can you imagine the lift the Blues will get if they played without their top goalie and couple top forwards and steal Game 2? Now, the Blues have a built-in excuse if they lose, and a rallying cry if they win. I’d rather beat a team with their main guys.

But that’s just me. We’ll see what happens here this afternoon.

UPDATE: Yep, Armstrong was right. False-positives. Like I said, good. I don’t want to play a team that can get a huge boost from a win like they could have gotten tonight. Let’s let the best team win, period.

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188512 Columbus Blue Jackets

Sources: Blue Jackets will re-hire John Davidson as president of hockey operations

Brian Hedger and Michael Arace Columbus Dispatch

Blue Jackets President of Hockey Operations John Davidson speaks to the press on Sept. 13, 2017.

Blue Jackets fans hoping to see John Davidson return as president of hockey operations will soon get their wish.

Multiple sources indicated to the Dispatch on Wednesday that Davidson, the Jackets’ former president of hockey operations for seven years, will be re-hired to his former position in the near future, perhaps as soon as Thursday.

Davidson did not immediately respond to a call and text message seeking confirmation of the hire, and multiple team officials either declined to comment or did not reply.

Davidson left Columbus on May 17, 2019, to take the same position with the New York Rangers, a team he played for as a goalie and then worked for as a television broadcaster prior to starting his executive career in 2006 as president of the St. Louis Blues.

The Rangers made a stunning decision earlier this month by firing both Davidson and their former general manager, Jeff Gorton, after a bid to make the playoffs came up short. Almost immediately, Blue Jackets fans on social media made their voices heard, calling for Davidson’s return to Columbus, where he’d been hired Oct. 24, 2012, to help a listless organization find its way.

Davidson spearheaded an effort that eventually brought the hiring of current general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and then veteran head coach , who “mutually” parted ways with the club after this past season concluded.

The Blue Jackets qualified for the playoffs in four straight seasons — including one without Davidson in 2019-20 — and completed a historic first-round sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019. This season, they missed the playoffs for the first time in five years and finished last in the Central Division.

Columbus is also heading into what’s sure to be a busy offseason that will include hiring a new coaching staff, agreeing to a new contract with star forward Patrik Laine and opening negotiations on contract extensions with star defensemen Seth Jones and Zach Werenski.

The Jackets are also expected to trade one of their goalies, will have another expansion draft to get through and are likely to seek a top center via the trade market. As he did prior to leaving, Davidson will preside over those moves and give Kekalainen another voice for how to improve the team.

Davidson’s contract terms with the Blue Jackets are unknown. He has three years left on his deal with the Rangers, who could either buy him out with a lump sum payment or continue to pay a portion of his salary.

The Rangers’ decision to part ways with him and Gorton was made a day after the Rangers roiled the NHL with a scathing statement about the lack of a suspension from the NHL’s Department of Player Safety after an incident involving Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson, who injured star left wing Artemi Panarin in a wild post-whistle scrum and punched Pavel Buchnevich in the head while pinning him to the ice.

The Rangers’ statement called for George Parros, the head of the league’s department of player safety, to be fired.

It angered NHL commissioner Gary Bettman to the point the league issued its own statement plus a $250,000 fine, but Rangers owner James Dolan said there was no connection between the incident and his decision to fire Davidson and Gorton.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188513 Columbus Blue Jackets None of these issues are too weighty for Davidson, who has overseen rebuilding operations in St. Louis and Columbus. When he left the Blue Jackets in 2019, he did so, he said, only because the Rangers were near John Davidson is returning to the Blue Jackets as president of hockey and dear to his heart after he played for the club from 1975-82 and later operations enjoyed a Hall of Fame career with them as a broadcaster.

Davidson was two years into another rebuilding process with the Rangers when he was unceremoniously fired by Rangers owner James By Aaron Portzline Dolan on May 7, along with general manager Jeff Gorton.

May 20, 2021 As soon as Davidson was a free agent, the Blue Jackets were interested. He could have pursued a career in broadcasting again, especially with

ESPN reclaiming the NHL’s broadcast rights in North America, but those COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Blue Jackets are turning to a familiar face to close to him believed Davidson wanted nothing more than to work with a help them navigate a momentous offseason and restore the club’s club again. direction. And the Blue Jackets wanted nothing more than for him to return. John Davidson, who served as the club’s president of hockey operations for seven seasons before leaving to join the New York Rangers in 2019, is returning to the Blue Jackets in his old capacity, The Athletic confirmed The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 late Wednesday.

The news was first reported by The Columbus Dispatch.

Davidson could not be reached for comment, and neither the Blue Jackets nor general manager Jarmo Kekalainen were confirming the report. But two sources told The Athletic that Davidson would soon be introduced by the club.

The move puts Davidson back in charge of Kekalainen, who took over the Blue Jackets’ hockey operations when Davidson left for the Rangers. The Blue Jackets finished 27th in the NHL overall standings this season, their worst since the 2011-12 season.

Coincidentally, Davidson was hired the first time just after that 2011-12 season, when the Blue Jackets, through their chronic losing, had reached a tipping point with their fan base, several of whom protested the direction of the club outside Nationwide Arena.

Back then, Davidson allowed the Blue Jackets to breathe, and he provided an authoritative voice that fans felt they could trust. Some of the best years of the franchise soon followed, including four straight playoff berths beginning in 2016-17.

The situation is not nearly as dire today, but there is great trepidation among many as the Blue Jackets head into an offseason that’s full of major decisions. It is nothing personal toward Kekalainen to say it could be too much for one person to handle.

The Blue Jackets need to hire a coach after deciding earlier this month to part ways with John Tortorella. The process is already underway, and Kekalainen has referred to it recently as the No. 1 priority this summer.

But there’s plenty beyond that.

Defenseman Seth Jones is heading into the final year of his contract, with unrestricted free agency looming after next season. The Blue Jackets, who have lost an enormous amount of talent in recent seasons, will desperately try to get Jones signed to a long-term contract.

The Blue Jackets also are planning to trade one of their goaltenders, either Joonas Korpisalo or Elvis Merzlikins, to avoid losing one of them to unrestricted free agency following next season.

If they don’t decide to trade left wing Patrik Laine, they’ll need to sign Laine to a contract extension, too. He’s a restricted free agent this summer, with two years to go before he achieves unrestricted free agent status.

And then there’s defenseman Zach Werenski, who can sign a contract extension in July — just like Jones — but is a restricted free agent after next season.

Those are just the moves involving the existing roster.

The Blue Jackets, armed with three first-round picks in the upcoming NHL Draft, may use those picks, if possible, for immediate roster help. They’ve also explored the idea of being creative with their expansion list as a way to acquire roster help.

Their biggest need, a highly-skilled center or two, is one of the most difficult players to acquire, and they may need to rely on their own first- round draft pick to acquire such a player. They’ll likely pick in the top six in July’s draft. 1188514 Dallas Stars course with that. That’ll help his consistency moving forward as you look at the next level and Dallas camp coming up.”

With impressive training camps, Damiani and Mascherin could help the A pair of monster AHL seasons has two Stars prospects on the radar for Stars become a better finishing team and might help the organization 2021-22 construct three scoring lines.

“I think I’ve put myself in a conversation, I would like to think with the year By Matthew DeFranks I had,” Mascherin said. “For me, nothing changes. I show up every year ready to play hockey. That’s my job. I would love to get the opportunity to 3:56 PM on May 19, 2021 CDT show what I can do up there and play, for sure.”

While much of the chatter about Stars prospects has centered on their Dallas Morning News LOADED: 05.20.2021 recent first-round picks, it’s a pair of 2018 late-rounders who could contribute when training camp rolls around in the fall.

Riley Damiani (a fifth-round pick) and Adam Mascherin (a fourth-round pick) each had monster seasons with AHL affiliate Texas, setting them up to be potential options on a team that frequently needs more help offensively.

“They’ve done what they’ve needed to do, which is have good years, productive years,” Texas GM and Stars assistant general manager Scott White said. “It’s really up to the player to make us make decisions. Do they make things a little murkier? Yeah, but that’s what they need to do. Credit them for doing that, now it’s important that they continue in the offseason.”

Damiani was tied for second in the AHL with 36 points and fourth with 25 assists, and led rookies in scoring. Mascherin, meanwhile, was third in the league with 18 goals and tied for eighth with 34 points.

For Damiani, 21, it was his first foray into professional hockey after playing four seasons with OHL Kitchener. The right-handed, play-making center burst on to the scene immediately with a three-point night in his AHL debut and finished the season on an eight-game point streak. His season made him a name to watch in training camp after the Stars did not recall him to the NHL this season.

“With them right on the bubble like they were almost the whole year, fighting for a playoff spot, it was a tougher lineup to get into,” Damiani said. “I did everything I could to get the nod. I had a lot of conversations with my agent, talked to Jim [Nill] a lot and talked to Scott White a lot. They just said ‘keep working hard, keep moving forward’ and eventually I’m going to get there and get the opportunity.”

Damiani is listed at 5-10 and 173 pounds, and he said he would try to add more weight to his frame in the offseason. The Stars have talked to Damiani about adding weight previously, and he said he would like to end up around 175-180 pounds.

“Obviously, I’m not going to be dirty bulking and eating a bunch of junk food and fast food,” Damiani said. “I have to do it the healthy way, the right way. I’m going to be talking to nutritionists and keeping in touch with Pevs [director of player personnel Rich Peverley] and JJ [player development coordinator JJ McQueen] and everyone in the organization to make sure we’re doing this the right way.”

Damiani’s size has clearly not stopped him at any level he’s played at, whether it’s the OHL or the AHL, and undersized play-making centers can still thrive in the NHL. Remember Tampa Bay’s ?

Much like Jason Robertson compensates for his below-average skating with outstanding vision, Damiani counters his lack of size with hockey IQ.

“There’s a lot of things we have to teach in terms of position and structure,” Texas coach Neil Graham said. “He understands that stuff so well that he has very good special awareness, both offensively and defensively. Where do I go to create time and space offensively? Where should I be to limit time and space from the other team? As a center iceman, those are characteristics that can take you a long way.”

Mascherin turns 23 in June and rebounded from a down year last season by becoming a major contributor. He slimmed down, he got faster and he changed the way he played with the puck.

For the 2016 second-round pick of Florida, the result was a career season.

“He has to make plays moving his feet, and I think it’s important he embraces all the positive changes he made: getting lighter, getting faster,” Graham said. “Those things are all great, now he has to stay the 1188515 Detroit Red Wings “If your best players are those great two-way winning players, it starts to build towards being a winning hockey team. Dylan knows that. He’s worked extremely hard at it over the six years we’ve been together. His work ethic and compete level is second to none.” Detroit Red Wings' Dylan Larkin feels 'pretty lucky' after injury forced him into neck brace Larkin’s season began with two goals in the second game, but by the third game two teammates had to enter COVID-19 quarantine and, less than a week in, that number grew to five. At the end of January, linemate Tyler Bertuzzi was lost to a back injury. Larkin didn’t score a goal from Helene St. James Feb. 3-25. Detroit Free Press “For myself, it was a little bit disappointing of a year,” he said. “I played through a lot of things. I lost Tyler early in the season, someone I kind of count on. When things aren’t going well and you don’t have confidence, Dylan Larkin still can’t swing a golf club, but at least he’s been able to having him in there, he always plays a simple game, it’s huge. I missed shed the neck brace and drive his car. him.”

His season ended with a literal pain in the neck, suffered when Dallas The focus now is on healing, and being ready to lead the Wings to better Stars forward pushed his stick into Larkin’s spine after a things as soon as autumn. faceoff late in the April 20th game. Larkin said he spent a couple of days in the hospital, could barely walk when he was released and needed a chauffeur for several weeks. It was a lousy end to a frustrating season for Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.20.2021 the Detroit Red Wings' first-year captain.

“I was upset when it happened, I was pretty hurt,” Larkin said Wednesday. “I don’t really ever see a time in a game when I want to crosscheck somebody when they’re down. I just have to be careful and use it as a learning experience that you have to protect yourself even on faceoffs.

“Right now the most important thing is resting and letting it heal. I believe I got pretty lucky and I don’t have to have surgery.”

Benn escaped unscathed, disciplined neither by the NHL nor on the ice by the Wings, who played the Stars again April 22 and 24. Larkin expects to be ready for the start of next season and hopes to begin training in mid-June. For now, he still’s in the stage where he has to take it easy.

“It’s part of what we do, what we sign up for,” he said. “I'm feeling a lot better, moving around. I’m able to drive, but not golf. I can’t swing a club.”

Larkin, 24, had nine goals and 14 assists in 44 games, his 23 points three behind team points leader Filip Hronek. His 0.52 points-per-game average was the lowest of his career since his second year in the league, but the guy who named him captain liked aspects of what he saw.

“Overall I thought Dylan had a good year,” general manager Steve Yzerman said. “I don’t think there’s anyone that would ever question his work ethic, his competitiveness in any game that he plays. I would never come home from a game thinking Dylan didn’t bring it. He’s a really good person, he really cares about the Red Wings, he’s driven. Overall, his numbers, his goals, statistics, aren’t great, but I think he played well.

“His leadership, his work ethic, his determination are very, very important, even when the numbers aren’t. Ultimately I see Dylan Larkin as an outstanding two-way player. I don’t ever expect or think we need him to lead the league in scoring. I want him to be a good player at both ends of the rink and focus on that. My goal for him, and we’ve talked about it, is to strive to be one of the best two-way players in the game. He’s got the skill, the strength and the skating ability and the work ethic to do that.”

Yzerman famously evolved from an offensive juggernaut early in his career in a Selke Trophy-winning forward. Since Yzerman became GM in April 2019, he and Larkin have had numerous conversations about playing the right way.

“His words carry a lot of weight,” Larkin said. “I’m someone that you don’t have to tell me things twice. I listen and try to bring it into my game and do it in my own way. It’s something I’m still working on.”

Larkin’s growth as a two-way forward has been ongoing since coach Jeff Blashill put Larkin on the team in 2015, a year after Larkin was drafted. Henrik Zetterberg was an early mentor. The Wings know Larkin can produce, and that his numbers till improve as the Wings add more skilled players.

“Some years the production is up and you can play the same and some years the production is down,” Blashill said. “That’s why the biggest key for Dylan is to be as great a two-way player as humanly possible, to be as great a winning hockey player as possible. Because then when the years when production is down, he’s still making a huge impact on the team. 1188516 Detroit Red Wings But ultimately Blashill’s extension came down to Yzerman being pleased with the progress he has seen in the Wings' 26-and-under contingent, key to driving the rebuild forward — it's a group that includes Dylan Larkin, Tyler Bertuzzi, Robby Fabbri, Filip Hronek, Filip Zadina, Michael Why Steve Yzerman thinks Jeff Blashill can get Detroit Red Wings 'to a Rasmussen, and, since April's the trade deadline, Jakub Vrana. better tomorrow' “We have a clear expectation of what things are,” Yzerman said. “Jeff understands what I’m trying to do and is willing to work with me on that.

HELENE ST. JAMES “I’m very comfortable and I think it’s the right thing to do to keep Jeff on as coach. We need to have a better team. We need our current players

to play better and it’s up to management to provide players that make us Through two seasons of dissecting games, discussing personnel, dealing a better team. You need good players to win in the league. I can change with drudgery and frustration and the knowledge that there’s no quick coaches year after year after year — if we don’t have good players, it’s end to a rebuild, Jeff Blashill kept making the same impression on Steve not going to change.” Yzerman. Next season will bring defenseman Moritz Seider, who has shown His levelheaded approach and his determination to focus on long-term significant growth since Yzerman drafted him at No. 6 overall in 2019. success played a key role in why Yzerman extended Blashill’s tenure into Maybe forward Lucas Raymond, the fourth overall pick in 2020, is ready a seventh season as head coach of the Detroit Red Wings. The Wings to make the jump to the NHL. Yzerman will either sign some of his own haven’t made the playoffs since Blashill’s first season, in 2016, but unrestricted free agents — a group that includes forwards Bobby Ryan Yzerman isn’t one to institute change for the sake of change. and Sam Gagner, defenseman Marc Staal and goaltender Jonathan Bernier — or mine the free agent market to patch the lineup. He’ll make a “As an organization we’ve been rebuilding and it’s hard to coach a trade for a marquee player if such a scenario develops, but the Wings rebuilding team,” Yzerman said Tuesday. “I think it’s important to have a aren’t really in a position to give up assets, which such blockbusters coach that has a calmness and patience and the willingness to allow usually require. these younger players to go through some of the growing pains of playing in the NHL. YOUTH MOVEMENT: How a super confident Joe Veleno can impact the Wings in 2021-22 “Jeff Blashill is himself. He’s not trying to be somebody else. I like the fact he’s not trying to impress me or you, he just does his job. Our players That will be worked out in the months ahead. And it will involve many appreciate the fact he has a tremendous work ethic, that he genuinely more discussions with Blashill, who over the past two years has cares about the players. And I know he cares about the players because impressed upon Yzerman how he’s the right guy to continue coaching he and I talk virtually after every game, if not after the game, the next the rebuild. day. Depending on the results of the game, our feelings can vary. He “He’s willing to listen, willing to learn,” Yzerman said. “He doesn’t have a takes great care in the players and in helping them.” big enough ego that he’s not going to listen to his staff, to his players — Yzerman would not reveal the length of the contract, but something along gosh, to me, for that matter. He’s learning. He’s getting more the lines of a one-year deal with a team option for a second year would fit experienced and better. He’s got some patience, not just with our kids with Yzerman’s history, two years into his tenure, of largely short-term but with our veterans. As we’re rebuilding, you have to have some commitments. patience, you have to be levelheaded, because I know, you all get frustrated, we all get frustrated. We can drive ourselves crazy if we get It speaks to Yzerman’s own patience — and the knowledge of how tough overly emotional, drive our team and our players, everyone, crazy. I like rebuilds are that he gained as a player, waiting 14 years to win his first the level-headedness, his methodical approach to things.” Stanley Cup — that he is extending a coach coming off five consecutive losing seasons.

“We’ve got a long way to go and we recognize that,” Yzerman said. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.20.2021 “We’ve got a lot of work to do in all areas. But I watch our team play and I like the competitive fire that our team shows. They work hard, they compete hard. I see progress being made. Specifically I’m watching some of our younger players, and our veterans — they play hard, they compete hard.”

The two met shortly after the Wings finished the 2020-21 season 19-27- 10 on May 8, and continued their conversation regarding Blashill’s future over several days.

"There’s very little time I feel I’m in the dark about what Steve is thinking," Blashill said. "That’s why I enjoy working with him and for him. I know on a regular basis what he is thinking and vice versa, he knows what I’m thinking."

Blashill, 47, is 172-221-62 since being promoted in 2015. He was hired into the organization in 2011 as an assistant coach to Mike Babcock.

“To have had the opportunity to coach this team for six years and now in my seventh year, I take that very seriously and I’m very grateful for that,” Blashill said. “I understand what comes with coaching, that the finger gets pointed at the coach a lot. That’s fine. One thing you learn in coaching is to have very, very thick skin and to stay off social media. It took me a while to learn the second part, and I’ve grown through trials and tribulations to have thick skin.

“I’ve been a Red Wing for a long time and in this seat for a long time. I love being a Red Wing. I love being part of this organization, and I want to continue to see this team get to a better tomorrow. We’ve been through tough times and to get a chance to continue to lead this team, I’ve very grateful for it and I’m very excited.”

Blashill’s roughly $1.6 million salary is less than what it would cost to bring in a more experienced NHL coach, and that’s not an insignificant factor given the impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on revenue. 1188517 Detroit Red Wings the benefit of the doubt, even as he wouldn’t share details of Blashill’s contract.

Such discretion is no doubt designed to hold off extra external pressure. In keeping Jeff Blashill, Steve Yzerman is asking for your trust. He has Not that Blashill felt it. earned it He got off social media a while ago. Besides, he said, he has “very, very thick skin.”

SHAWN WINDSOR So does Yzerman. It’s necessary for the job, especially for this job, especially when you bring back a coach that hasn't had a winning record in half a decade.

Steve Yzerman is keeping his coach. He has his reasons. They probably It’s not often that coaches keep their job after so much losing. And aren’t yours. Yzerman understands his choice won't be popular with part of the fan base. But, again, what he sees is different than what you see. His Mostly because it’s harder for you to see them. Which means, for some measurement of success is different, too. of you, your thoughts about Jeff Blashill sticking around another year … or five — Yzerman declined to say how long he was extending his Yzerman returned to rebuild an iconic franchise. In two years, he has contract — may pit your desire to see Blashill fired against your faith in overseen improved defensive play and goaltending and has refashioned Yzerman. a roster that was beset by thorny contracts. With each move, he gives himself more room. It’s a tough spot. Though it wasn’t for Yzerman, especially when you consider what the former Detroit Red Wings star values in a coach: It may not have felt that way in keeping Blashill. But that’s exactly what he’s done. The team is a long way from competing for the Stanley Cup. “We can drive ourselves crazy if we get overly emotional,” Yzerman said Which means asking whether Blashill is the coach to lead them there is Tuesday afternoon. “I like (Blashill’s) methodical approach to this.” moot. He said plenty more, for sure; he answered questions for almost an hour. Maybe he is. Maybe he is not. And we’ll parse a little more in a moment. What we do know is that he is a coach who can inspire an out-manned For now, though, focus on the central reason Yzerman is keeping team, and that his teams are beginning to show mental toughness. Yes, Blashill: His demeanor. This is also to say his patience, his calm, his the offense needs to get better. Lots better. And, yes, the power play was open-mindedness, his lack of ego, his connection with the players. the worst in the NHL. And in a sport defined by random bounces, where so many “favored” Like any good coach, Blashill will spend the offseason looking for ways to teams go down in the playoffs, where the margin for error is thinner than improve it. That starts with hiring Bylsma’s replacement. As Yzerman any other team sport —save, maybe, for soccer — the vibe can be noted, Blashill’s willingness to learn and experiment is one of the reasons crucial. he kept him. This isn’t to say that figuring out lines and line changes and the strategic “You make your decisions and sometimes they’re good and sometimes attack of a power play don’t matter. Of course, they do, and when Blashill they’re not good and you learn from it, and you move on,” Blashill said and Yzerman look for a coach to replace Dan Bylsma — who was in Tuesday. charge of forwards and the power play but won't be returning next season — that’s the first thing they’ll discuss. Yzerman has learned a lot, too. That sometimes change is necessary. That sometimes not changing is more so. Still, Yzerman focused on Blashill’s personality and demeanor because he thinks the coach’s qualities are directly related to the team’s effort on the ice, and that they are critical to a young, developing roster. Detroit Free Press LOADED: 05.20.2021 “Jeff is a level-headed guy,” Yzerman said. “Some coaches are really, really fiery. Jeff Blashill is himself. I like the fact that he’s not trying to impress me or impress you. He just does his job.”

At the moment, that job is to guide and teach and keep the competitive spirit aflame. That spirit was obvious to anyone who watched the Wings play the final six weeks of the season. Or at least it should’ve been.

Eventually, Blashill will be judged by wins. But not until the talent improves. Yzerman made that clear when he said he could change the coach year after year, but it doesn’t matter unless he finds more players that can put the goal in the net.

“You need good players,” he said.

By extending Blashill, he acknowledged the franchise doesn’t have enough of them. Obviously, it’s his job to find them. And, as he does — and he should, judging by his track record — the pressure on Blashill to win will increase.

Here's betting that ramps up a bit next season, barring injury or pandemic-related issues. For while Yzerman is right to bet on a coach who inspired the kind of effort — and defensive improvement — we saw this season, at some point the proof has to show up in the standings.

How long Blashill gets is hard to say. Though Yzerman gave us a clue when he said “we’ve got a long way to go. And we recognize that.”

In other words, he is asking for patience, and for trust. He has earned both. Not because he won Stanley Cups here as a player, but because of how he built a winner in Tampa, and because this is only Year 2 of his time in Detroit.

If this were Bob Quinn extending Matt Patricia after five losing seasons, then by all means, toss your jerseys in the trash. Yzerman, though, gets 1188518 Detroit Red Wings "He's a good coach. I felt pretty comfortable as far as systems and what we were trying to accomplish pretty early in the season," Staal said. "There wasn't a lot of gray area, and for me coming to a new team, that was needed. I really enjoyed working with him." Marc Staal plans to keep options open in free agency, not 'ruling out' return to Wings Erne led the Wings with a career-high 11 goals, after only scoring twice last year, in what was a major turnaround season.

"I just tried to stick with it and earn more opportunities, and tried to do Ted Kulfan something with those opportunities when they came," Erne said.

The Detroit News Playing on a line with Luke Glendening and Darren Helm, the trio was arguably the Wings' most consistent and effective line, mainly with their

defense and checking but also supplying a spot of offense. Detroit — It was a bit of a shock to defenseman Marc Staal's system "Those are two really hard-working guys, and all three of us pride when the New York Rangers traded him to the Red Wings in September. ourselves on that, just keep it simple," Erne said. "A lot of nights we Staal spent 13 seasons with the Rangers and was part of the leadership played against the other team's top lines and we prided ourselves on not group, but the only reason New York made the trade was to rid giving them much. themselves of Staal's salary to get breathing room under the . "When you can shut down the other team's top lines, it definitely gives But as it turns out, joining the Wings invigorated the 34-year-old Staal. you a better chance to win. We tried to keep it simple and put pucks behind their defense, grind and frustrate them and make them play in "It did," Staal said during Wednesday's media Zoom chat. "The last their zone." couple of years in New York, the last few years, we had a successful run for a bunch of years and (then) we were going through a rebuild. It's hard for everyone. Detroit News LOADED: 05.20.2021 "I don't think I realized how much it was dragging on me until I started on a new team and I just got to go out and play and have fun.

"It helped my game, for sure. I know it did. It benefited me, and hopefully the Wings were happy with what they got."

The Wings were very satisfied with Staal, who proved to be a sturdy, defensive defensemen as well as a stabilizing influence on and off the ice.

Staal is an unrestricted free agent, with his six-year, $34.2 million contract ($5.7 million cap hit) coming to an end, and he will have some options. He wouldn't mind getting a chance to play with either of his brothers, Eric or Jordan, but he also leaves little doubt he'd like to return to the Wings.

"For sure, definitely not ruling that out by any means," Staal said. "We'll see what happens when we get closer to free agency. But we'll see. Eric is a free agent this summer, so there's certain opportunities. If something comes around, maybe it works and maybe it doesn't. I'm just going to keep my options open.

"(But) it was a good to have a fresh start. I enjoyed going to the rink every day and it was nothing but positives with the whole experience (in Detroit) from start to finish."

Eric Staal is also an unrestricted free agent this summer, while Jordan is entrenched in Carolina. Marc would like a chance to play on the same team with a brother, but only if it all comes together.

"We (Eric and Marc) had 20 games in New York when he got traded there and that was fun," Marc said. "When you have two brothers playing in the league, you try to play with one of them because it's a pretty unique opportunity.

"(But) there's some interest on both sides (Staal met with general manager Steve Yzerman last week). With the expansion draft and everything like that, I don't think he's ready to make a decision until the end of July, and for me there's no rush to do anything right now."

Players are pleased about the return of coach Jeff Blashill, who was brought back Tuesday by Yzerman for a seventh season with the Wings.

"It's good to have him back, for sure," forward Adam Erne said. "We're just excited to move forward and keep progressing on what we did this past season."

Erne feels Blashill's interaction with players is one of the coach's key strengths.

"He really cares about the guys, he's a good person," Erne said. "I have no problem going into his office and asking a question if I'm not sure about something. He's very approachable and you can just see he cares about the guys, which the guys really respect."

Staal appreciated the preparedness and professionalism Blashill exhibits. 1188519 Detroit Red Wings "Generating scoring chances, creating scoring chances for his linemates, he did an excellent job,” Yzerman said. "He missed a lot of chances. This year, playing so many games in a row, if you get on a roll, things are great. But if you don’t get on a roll, you’re trying to catch up. He never Red Wings' Dylan Larkin feels 'pretty lucky' after late-season neck injury had that pause to get a few days of practice to regroup and kind of find it a little bit.

“Overall, Dylan had a good year. I don’t think there’s anyone who would Ted Kulfan ever question his work ethic, his competitiveness in any game. I would The Detroit News never come home from a game thinking, ‘Dylan didn’t bring it tonight.'

“Ultimately, I see Dylan Larkin as an outstanding two-way player. I don’t think we need him to lead the league in scoring. Whatever the goal totals Detroit — Dylan Larkin is recovering, getting better and is optimistic he’ll turn out to be, they’ll be good enough for me. My goal for him — and him be ready for September’s start of training camp. and I have talked about it — is to strive to be one of the best two-way players in the game." But Larkin also feels a little lucky. Two other items Larkin touched on Wednesday: The neck injury he suffered after being crosschecked in the back of the neck by Dallas forward Jamie Benn on April 20 could have been much ► He was pleased to see Blashill return as the Wings’ head coach. worse than it was. “Blash has earned that,” Larkin said. “He’s prepared and he’s held guys “Any time you’re dealing with the neck, it’s a little scary,” Larkin said accountable. He cares about us and cares about steering our franchise in Wednesday during an end-of-season Zoom call. “I always believed I was the right direction. going to be OK. It’s something minor that needs time to heal and that’s all you can ask for. I’m just resting and trying to do the right things so I can “We talked a lot about that, we’ve had a lot of conversations about be ready to train here soon. whether it’s our team or my game, and he’s helped me a lot.”

“I really do believe I got pretty lucky.” ► Larkin believes the Wings took another step forward this season and are closer to becoming a playoff team. Larkin doesn’t need surgery but did spend “a couple” nights in a hospital early on, and he has been mainly resting at home since the injury “I do,” said Larkin, who hasn't competed in the playoffs since his 2015-16 occurred. rookie season. “It’s so hard to tell, there’s so much parity in the league. I’ve been on one playoff team in my first season and I really believe the “That wasn’t fun. Came back home and I was on the couch,” Larkin said. difference in that season was we found ways to win in those close “It was part of the game, part of what we do and what we sign up for. I’m games, whether it was luck or us outplaying (the other team). We had a just taking it day by day and I feel a lot better after the first couple of lot of veteran guys that have been there and know how to play in those weeks. Moving around and feeling a lot better. games.

“I don’t have to have surgery. I just have to rest and let it heal and I’ll be “The last couple of years, we just haven’t had enough in those close ready to go for next season." games and at some point here, it’s going to turn. We’ve all been through it and we’ve learned.” Larkin should begin training by mid-June and is expecting to use his golf clubs by the end of the summer.

“I believe in what the doctors are telling me and I believe in the plan,” he Detroit News LOADED: 05.20.2021 said. “Right now the most important things are resting and letting it heal.

“I will be ready for the start of the (next) season.”

Larkin called the incident where he was injured “an unfortunate play," but doesn’t hold any hard feelings toward Benn.

“It’s in the past now,” Larkin said. “I was upset when it happened. Obviously I was pretty hurt. You could call it a hockey play, but I don’t really ever see a time in a game when I wanted to crosscheck someone when they’re down.

“I’m not disappointed or anything. I just have to be careful and use it as a learning experience. You have to protect yourself, even on faceoffs and different parts of the game.”

Larkin was pleased with the progress of the Wings' lineup this season and believes the organization is headed in the right direction toward the future.

But, personally, Larkin wasn't entirely satisfied.

Playing in 44 games, Larkin had nine goals and 14 assists. Larkin led all Wings' forwards in scoring but he was headed toward his lowest point total since his second NHL season in 2016-17, when he finished with 32 points.

Larkin said Wednesday he played through "a lot of injuries," but also pointed to the loss of linemate and friend Tyler Bertuzzi (back surgery), who didn't play after Feb. 1.

"Losing Tyler earlier in the season, someone I count on when things aren’t going well personally, and you don’t have confidence, he plays a simple game and it’s huge to have him as a linemate," Larkin said.

General manager Steve Yzerman said Tuesday during his end-of-season media conference — while also announcing the return of coach Jeff Blashill — that Larkin created many offensive chances but simply missed on those opportunities. 1188520 Detroit Red Wings Larkin doesn’t believe he needs to sacrifice offense to be better defensively.

“When I play great defense, I have the puck more,” Larkin said. “If you’re Red Wings’ Dylan Larkin recovers from neck injury, focuses on two-way defending for a long time and then you get the puck, you have to manage game it better. You get tired, your mind starts to go and you try to force it. That’s something I talked to Steve a lot, forcing plays and not taking what’s given. That’s where I want to be better, quicker on defense so I can be fresher on offense. Guys like (Patrice) Bergeron and (Ryan) Updated May 19, 2021; Posted May 19, 2021 O’Reilly always do the right things. They battle hard on the puck and get By Ansar Khan | [email protected] it so they can play offense while they’re fresh.”

Yzerman said Larkin cares about the Red Wings and is driven.

Detroit Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin got off his couch, ditched his “Overall, his numbers aren’t great, but I think he played well,” Yzerman neck brace and spoke publicly for the first time since his season ended said. “He played hard. His leadership, his work ethic, his determination is April 20 due to a neck injury that caused a lot of pain and led to very important, even when the numbers aren’t there. As the talent level of discussion of potential surgery. our team improves, I’m not really too worried about the production.”

“I spent a couple nights in the hospital, that wasn’t fun, came back home, was on the couch,” Larkin said Wednesday in his postseason media Michigan Live LOADED: 05.20.2021 address. “It’s part of the game, part of what we do, what we sign up for. Just take it day by day. I’m feeling a lot better. After the first couple of weeks moving around. Good news is I don’t have to have surgery, just have to rest and let it heal and I’ll be ready to go next year.”

Larkin said he was cross-checked in the back of the neck by Jamie Benn off a face-off with two minutes remaining in a 5-2 loss to the Dallas Stars. There was no penalty and Benn was not disciplined by the NHL.

“It’s past by now. I was upset when it happened, obviously was pretty hurt,” Larkin said. “You could call it a hockey play; I don’t ever see a time in a game where I want to cross-check someone while they’re down. You have certain guys that do that off face-offs. … The league talked about focusing on face-offs because guys are vulnerable. I just have to be careful and use it as a learning experience that you got to protect yourself, even on face-offs.”

He added, “Anytime you’re dealing with a neck it’s a little scary. I always believed I was going to be OK; it needs time to heal. Just resting and trying to do the right things.”

He can drive again and hopes to be able to play golf later this summer. In the meantime, he is watching playoff hockey, soccer, spending time with his dog and reflecting on the season and the team moving forward.

Larkin was pleased with the team’s progress but called his own season a little disappointing. He had nine goals and 23 points in 44 games. It was his lowest goals and points per game output since his second NHL season in 2016-17.

“I played through a lot of things, a lot of injuries,” Larkin said. “Lost Tyler (Bertuzzi) earlier in the season, someone I count on when things aren’t going well personally, and you don’t have confidence. He plays a simple game; it’s huge to have him as a linemate.”

General manager Steve Yzerman was one of the league’s premier offensive players in the late 1980s and early ’90s before becoming a well-rounded player in the mid-90s under coach . Yzerman believes Larkin can do likewise.

“Ultimately, I see Dylan Larkin as an outstanding two-way player,” Yzerman said. “I don’t think we need him to lead the league in scoring. Whatever the goal totals turn out to be, they’ll be good enough for me. My goal for him, and him and I have talked about it, is to strive to be one of the best two-way players in the game. He’s got the skill, the strength, the skating ability and the work ethic.”

Coach Jeff Blashill calls two-way players winning players.

“In the years when the production’s down, you’re still making a huge impact on the team,” Blashill said. “If your best players are those great two-way winners, it starts to build toward being a winning hockey team.

“The work ethic, his compete, are second to none. I’ve seen him go against the very best players in this league and beat them on a game-to- game basis. To do that and score is not easy. My focus with Dylan’s never been on a particular amount of points, it’s always been on becoming the best two-way player he can become.”

Larkin said Yzerman’s words carry a lot of weight.

“We’ve had some conversations where he’s told me I have to be better, and I know that,” Larkin said. 1188521 Edmonton Oilers “When it doesn’t go in, you have to stay with it. That’s how I expected all the games to be, they’re going to be tight. That’s playoff hockey at its best.”

Stubborn Jets get jump on Edmonton Oilers with Game 1 victory The Jets limped into the playoffs, winning just three of their last 12 games, but they showed up strong in Game 1, dishing out 18 of the game’s first 26 hits.

Robert Tychkowski It was also a tentative start for the Oilers, who didn’t register their first shot of the game until 8:25 and had to count on goalie Mike Smith to Publishing date: May 19, 2021 make a couple of good saves under some early Winnipeg pressure.

“Everyone was really eager to get going. I think you saw a little first-game Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid (97) battles the Winnipeg Jets’ jitters,” said Oilers winger “Then we settled in and had a Josh Morrissey (44) during their North Division playoff series opener at good second period. Rogers Place in Edmonton on Wednesday, May 19, 2021. Edmonton found its footing and made it 1-0 on Jesse Puljujarvi’s goal at Article content 8:24 of the second period. They were in the process of taking over (shots were 8-1 in the second when Puljujarvi scored), but the Jets tied it 2:37 Thirty-seven years to the day after winning their first Stanley Cup later on a Tucker Poolman rebound goal. championship, the Edmonton Oilers set out in search of their next one Wednesday at Rogers Place. “We talked about staying even keel,” said Jets centre Adam Lowry. “We know there are going to be momentum swings in this series, it’s a matter Opening their first playoff series since the two-round run in 2017, and of answering the bell and we were able to do that.” eager to show the hockey world just how they’ve evolved as a team, the Oilers saw firsthand what they already knew going in — this isn’t going to That made it 1-1 with 20 minutes to play, a situation the Oilers have been be easy. comfortable in all season.

Not even against an injured team they were 7-2 against in the regular But Toninato’s deflection off a Logan Stanley bomb from the point put season. them on the ropes. It’s a place they don’t plan on being for very long.

The Winnipeg Jets turned out to be exactly what they said they’d be in “We tilted the ice for a little bit there in the second period but, in the end, their 4-1 victory in Game 1, a solid, hungry team determined to prove the you don’t get the win,” said Neal. “We have to forget things quickly in the playoffs are an entirely different battleground than the one Edmonton playoffs, reset and have a big Game 2. dominated in the regular season. “You can’t get too excited after one game, you can’t get too low after one And they did. Jets forward Dominic Toninato broke a 1-1 tie at 9:16 of the game. We’ll regroup, we’ll be fine.” third period and Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler sealed it with empty netters to give the Jets first blood in their North Division semifinal. Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.20.2021 “It’s playoff hockey, it’s tight,” said Oilers coach , who wasn’t unhappy with how his club played in a game that was a coin toss until the final minutes.

“They got a break on the winning goal and the first empty netter hits the referee. The way games are, they’re going to be tight. You have to capitalize on your chances.

“There are some things we can do better, but that’s how it’s going to be — it’s going to be tight hockey. We like what we’ve done all year. We have a confident group. We’ll re-rack and be ready for Game 2.”

In an empty building, but with about a million Oilers fans cheering from their couches, Edmonton had a solid night on the defensive side of the puck, but couldn’t find the offensive magic that served them so well all year.

“I actually didn’t mind our game,” said Oilers captain Connor McDavid, who had 22 points in nine regular-season games against the Jets, but none on Wednesday night.

“I thought we did a lot of good things. I thought we had the puck a lot of the night and played in their zone. We put a lot of pucks through (shots were 33-22 Edmonton). We just didn’t find a way to get one. That’s the way it goes. They get a tip. We don’t. That’s playoff hockey.”

This was the tight-checking, hard-hitting and low-scoring affair one would come to expect from two teams who played each other nine times during the regular season, locking things down for the post-season.

And the Oilers, for the most part, showed they were right at home in this kind of atmosphere. They just couldn’t find the offence when they needed it.

This isn’t going to be a free-wheeling series where offence comes easily for anyone, even those players who’ve made careers out of making it look that way. And not if Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck has anything more to say about it.

“We were trying to do the right thing, we just didn’t get it done,” said Tippett. “You have to make your breaks, find ways to get the puck in the back of the net. 1188522 Edmonton Oilers Tippett figured playing Kassian on the wing with McLeod was a comforting fit for the rookie. Same with Neal on the left side.

“Ryan transports the puck very well and he’s got big guys on the wing. Time for reset for Oilers' Kassian after injury-riddled regular season It’s got the makings of a good line,” said Tippett.

Kassian agrees. McLeod will be nervous, but who isn’t?

Jim Matheson • Edmonton Journal “He’s fit right in with this group. Looking forward to playing with him. He skates so well, makes plays,” said Kassian, who knows nerves are Publishing date: May 19, 2021 everybody’s bag at playoff time.

“I think all of our group’s going to have butterflies going in. We’ve been sitting around for a bit.” Zack Kassian was back at his usual stand on right wing Wednesday. SECOND BANANA Same No. 44, same banging style, but a little tweak. After a series of Connor McDavid questions in the lead-up to the series, No more mutton chops. Instead, a goatee as his playoff beard. Jets’ coach ran out of things to say and offered up another “Change is good, right?” said Kassian, who trotted out the side-whisker line of media attack. look in the 2017 Edmonton Oilers playoff run, a carryover “fun joke” from “You guys know that (Leon) Draisaitl guy’s not bad, eh? I think that’s how his days in junior with the , when he tried it and they you pronounce his last name, I haven’t really heard it, ‘cause he’s not won the . bad,” said Maurice. Nobody is as stylin’ as Kassian with his playoff facial look, it’s received This ‘n’ that: Draisaitl and Winnipeg defenceman Josh Morrissey played plenty of play. But right now, he just wants to play, period. While Kassian junior together in Prince Albert and Kelowna. They’re buddies, but that’s willed himself to play in the opener against Winnipeg a month after he in the summer. “There’s no friends right now. We know each other very was hurt checking Montreal’s Shea Weber into the end boards, his well. I’m going to try and take it to him and he’ll do the same to me. It’ll be season’s been a series of stops and starts. He broke his left hand in a fun but like I said, there’s no friends out there,” said Draisaitl … The fight with Ottawa’s Erik Gudbranson in February, too. Oilers have 18 forwards, 11 defencemen and three goalies on their He was out more than he played. He only suited up for 27 of the Oilers’ playoff roster. The extra forwards are Devin Shore, Tyler Ennis, Gaetan 56 games. And when he was in the lineup, he had just five points and 15 Haas, Kyle Turris, Joakim Nygard and Patrick Russell … Jets forwards penalty minutes (the major for the Gudbranson fight and five minors), Nikolaj Ehlers and Pierre-Luc Dubois didn’t play. “That’s all the clarity playing 11:51 a night, on average. you’ll get,” said Maurice. Ehlers has a suspected shoulder problem. Dubois may have suffered a concussion when hit by a puck in Toronto, The playoffs are Kassian’s chance at a reset. Like winger Jake DeBrusk the same thing that happened to Oilers defenceman Ethan Bear earlier in in Boston, who suffered through a five-goal regular-season but opened the season. with goals in each of the first two playoff games against Washington.

In 2017, Kassian was a raging bull against San Jose and Anaheim in the Oilers’ first two playoff rounds, impactful physically and he also scored Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.20.2021 three goals.

“I missed a lot of time this year and for me to get healthy heading into the playoffs, I’m very excited,” said Kassian, who started on the right side with rookie centre Ryan McLeod and James Neal on left wing.

The hand injury for Kassian on Feb. 8 is an occupational hazard for guys who play robustly. Stuff happens when fistic fury breaks out; he’s had 46 NHL fights. The check on Canadiens’ captain Weber was innocuous.

“It happened the way it happened, if you look at the replay. And I’m sure you have,” said Kassian.

“Went for a hit, something went and that was that. Nothing else to say about it.”

There’s never been a medical affirmation of the body part Kassian hurt. But it might have been his hip. Whatever it was, it was one more time on the shelf. He missed five weeks with the bad hand and the month with the suspected hip issue.

“I would love to sit here and say I never went through an injury but sometimes they throw curveballs,” said Kassian. “Season’s done and this is a new one.”

The Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets shove and wrestle after the first period of their opening NHL North Division playoff series at Rogers Place in Edmonton on Wednesday, May 19, 2021.

Oilers coach Dave Tippett wasn’t counting on Kassian being ready for the opener, but he worked hard to return after missing the last 11 league games.

“Kass really came a long way in the last week to 10 days. He’s a big, hard player, plays playoff-style,” said Tippett. “Speed, skill, he’s got that. You watch these (playoff) games on TV and he can be a real asset for us.”

In some ways, he’s a bigger version of Washington’s Garnet Hathaway, the Capitals’ in-your-face winger who had two goals in the first two games of their series against Boston and was around the net shift after shift. That’s what the Oilers are counting on from Kassian. 1188523 Edmonton Oilers “It looks like playoff hockey; it’s not any different than has been for however many years this league has been around,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “I think guys are excited, especially in the U.S., where they have fans coming back in the building in large amounts. Those guys PLAYOFF SNAPSHOTS: Few secrets between Oilers and Jets in first are flying out there and I think having fans back in the building has given round them a big boost. It’s been fun to watch, there is no question. Seeing fans back in the building has been fun to watch.”

LESSONS LEARNED Derek Van Diest There are a handful of players on the Oilers roster who were part of the Publishing date: May 19, 2021 run to the second round in 2017, which ended with a Game 7 loss to the .

There were few secrets between the Edmonton Oilers and Winnipeg Jets It was the first playoff appearance for the Oilers since 2006 and one that when they took the ice at Rogers Place for Game 1 of their first-round generated plenty of excitement in Edmonton after more than a decade of Stanley Cup playoff series Wednesday. failure and disappointment.

Having played each other nine times this season, there wasn’t a lot of While things will be different this year without any fans in the stands, at study time required heading into their first post-season encounter since least to start, the Oilers are hoping to create a similar buzz during these 1990. playoffs.

“It is a different experience playing these guys nine times and then going “It was a good run for our group, you learn a lot from going a few rounds into a playoffs series against them,” said Oilers forward Ryan Nugent- in the playoffs, but at the same time, we’ve had a lot of new players, a lot Hopkins. “We know what we’re going to see and they know our game of fresh blood come in here and it’s a new year, it’s a different team, a too. We prepared the right way, it’s going to come down to the little different mentality and a different mindset,” said Oilers forward Zack things. Kassian. “I don’t think 2017 has any indication of how these playoffs are going to be. The core guys are here, they’ve matured, they’ve grown over “Every play is going to matter. We’ve prepared ourselves the right way the years and we’re looking to bounce back from a rough play-in series and it’ll be about who wants it the most and we’re definitely hungry for it.” last year. We have something to prove and we’re looking forward to it, we’re looking forward to what we can do.” The Oilers dominated the regular-season series, winning seven of the nine encounters, which included the final six games between the teams.

None of that really mattered coming into the playoff series, but it does Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.20.2021 make the Oilers overwhelming favourites to advance to the second round of the playoffs against the winner of the series between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens, which gets underway Thursday.

“We’ve played each other a lot, we know their group, I’m sure they know us by now,” said Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl. “It’s going to be an interesting series and I think both teams are going to be well prepared and it’s going to come down to the little things as to who wins, and hopefully at the end, it’s going to be us.”

Throughout the regular season, the Jets struggled to contain the Oilers offence. Edmonton scored 23 goals in their six consecutive wins against the Jets to conclude the season series. Connor McDavid had seven goals and 22 points in the season series, while Draisaitl had seven goals and 12 points.

“I assume with the success we’ve had against them this year, they’ll be looking at things and watching what other teams did against us to try to make some changes,” said Oilers defenceman Tyson . “We’ll be prepared for whatever they throw at us. It’s a good mindset knowing that we’ve had that success against them. They’ll want to limit some chances for our big guys, but that’s easier said than done.”

LATE START

Due to the Vancouver Canucks having COVID-19 run roughshod through their dressing room, forcing the league to reschedule three weeks’ worth of games, the North Division playoffs got off to a later start than the rest of the league.

The Oilers and Jets dropped the puck on the playoffs after the series in the other division were already well underway. The Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins played Game 3 of their series Wednesday.

The U.S. teams have also started to allow fans back in the building as vaccination rates continue to rise.

“I think watching (other series) gives you a good feeling of the intensity of the playoffs,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “Having fans down there adds a little bit, but just the way the intensity has been, you watch all the games, it’s high-paced, it’s physical, there are a lot of shots.

“We expected that, but I think it’s kind of a good thing that we got to see a few games before we play and kind of know what we’re going in for here.”

Games have been tight in the early going, perhaps due to the familiarity between teams. Four playoff games had gone into overtime heading into Wednesday’s playoff schedule. 1188524 Edmonton Oilers “This is critical and it is particularly critical in small markets with a team, of which we are one. It’s not only for our businesses and the NHL but I think it’s critical for the population base of Canada that lives and dies by hockey. JONES: Oilers owner says the time is now to allow fans back in stands “Our fans deserve the opportunity to attend the Stanley Cup playoff games if they are vaccinated and have protection,” he said of face masks and social distancing. “I understand what’s going on in society and how difficult it is. Wouldn’t it be great to have that outlet of attending a playoff Publishing date: May 19, 2021 game of your home team?

“All you have to do is look at the fans attending these first few playoff games in the U.S. I think 8,000 people made more noise for the games The Montreal Canadiens have taken the lead. Will the Oilers in I’ve watched than 16,000 in any other year. That tells you an awful lot, Edmonton follow? Daryl Katz says it’s time. doesn’t it?

It has been announced in Quebec that if the Habs can win a couple of “I’ve said forever that there is no fan like an Edmonton Oilers fan. games, they will be be the first Canadian team to have fans in the stands. They’ve shown it in playoffs in the past. Should they be able to go to a game under the appropriate protocol, which means health first? Yes. The plan is to have 2,500 spectators for Game 6 of their first-round Absolutely.” Stanley Cup playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the in Montreal next week. If the Edmonton football team lost $7.1 million last year, you can imagine how much money an owner with one player who makes double that, on a Edmonton Oilers owner Katz doesn’t know what the thinking is in team playing to an $80 million-plus salary cap has lost. Quebec, but believes it’s time for the provincial premiers and health authorities in Canada to go forward with a change of perspective and It’s hurt everybody — some more than others. But ultimately the sport is objectives and to incorporate incentive into the game plan. about the fans and bringing our sport to the fans, especially at a time like this with a global pandemic, where it’s very tough on our community and “At this point, I don’t think it’s just the Oilers or just hockey. I think it’s on our fans. every professional sports team,” said the normally reclusive owner in a rare exclusive one-on-one interview leading into Game 1 of the “Isn’t it great to now turn on the TV and see three playoff games? The Edmonton-Winnipeg series Wednesday. quality of the hockey has been outstanding. The NHL has done a great job of bringing out games to our fans and I hope it has been appreciated. “With half the eligible Albertans vaccinated and having proof of their Would it be easier to do nothing and easier financially? Yes. Especially vaccination, you may not need a better opportunity to convince more for some teams more than others, like smaller market. people to get vaccinated than to say, ‘Hey, you can go to an Oilers Stanley Cup playoff game!’ ” “I think we have an obligation to our game and to sports in general because of our fans and because of these difficult times.” Bingo!

“That’s the problem they’re having in the United States and with international travel. It’s a reluctance of probably one-third of the Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.20.2021 population to get vaccinated.

“It’s a heck of an incentive if you can go to a sporting event or a concert or travel internationally if you’re vaccinated. Government should use that incentive and ensure that more of the population wants to be vaccinated because it opens up their lives, which it should.”

Daryl Katz, owner of the Edmonton Oilers, speaks about the hiring of as general manager of the team during a press conference at Rogers Place in Edmonton on May 7, 2019.

Katz has lost an enormous amount of money having his hockey club playing in an empty building and has, to this point, been gung ho about playing his part.

The way the schedule worked, he lost more home dates when the pause came last year than anybody else in the league. But despite additional expenses, Katz championed the holding of the NHL’s Hub City bubble version of the Stanley Cup playoffs and volunteered Edmonton as a no- fans-in-the-stands host for the International Federation world junior championships, both of which were ballistic successes.

But he sees the vaccination numbers and the dropping daily coronavirus positive test numbers and the success of the first few days of playoff action in the U.S. with crowds of 5,000 to 12,000, and says it’s time, Canada, time. It can be done now, he believes. And it can be done safely.

“This has been a very trying situation. It’s probably been tougher for smaller markets than the larger markets that have an enormous TV deal,” he said.

“If you ask me if we need fans, yes. We’re in dire need of fans. I would say that about every team in every professional sport.

“And do I think there is a protocol that is workable with stakeholders getting together? Yes. I absolutely do. And I think you see that in the various States in the U.S. with different protocols depending on the state for the attendance of fans.

“I think we need to do the same in Canada, particularly when a significant percentage of the population has now been inoculated with the first dose of vaccines. 1188525 Edmonton Oilers games against Edmonton, well below the 2.58 GAA and .916 percentage he posted the rest of the season. Smith meanwhile, just has to maintain the form he’s shown all year for the Oilers to succeed. He also needs to keep from giving goals away playing the puck, which he had been prone PLAYOFF GAME NIGHT: Oilers and Jets meet in first round to do before this season.

Containing McDavid and Draisaitl

Derek Van Diest As Jets coach Paul Maurice pointed out in his media availability on Tuesday, everyone asks him about trying to contain McDavid, but Publishing date: May 19, 2021 Draisaitl is a pretty good player as well. McDavid lit up the Jets for seven goals and 22 points in nine games, while Draisaitl had seven goals and 12 points. If the two Oilers stars go unchecked, then it could be a very Winnipeg Jets at Edmonton Oilers short series for the Jets. Maurice has nine games of film to go over to figure out how his team can slow down the tandem. Game 1, Wednesday, Jets @ Oilers, 7 p.m. MT Defence first for Jets Game 2, Friday, Jets @ Oilers, 7 p.m. MT The Jets blue line struggled to keep up to the Oilers high flyers, Game 3, Sunday, Oilers @ Jets, 5:30 p.m. MT particularly on the rush. Jets defencemen Neal Pionk, Derek Forbort, Game 4, Monday, Oilers @ Jets, 7:45 p.m. MT Josh Morrissey, Tucker Poolman and Dylan DeMelo were a combined minus-22 against the Oilers this season. Struggling to keep up possess Game 5, May 26, Jets @ Oilers, if necessary, TBD problems at both ends of the ice for the Jets. Due to the concern of the Game 6, May 28, Oilers @ Jets, if necessary, TBD Oilers coming out of the zone with speed, the Jets defencemen are not as aggressive in holding the blue line in the offensive zone. The Jets are Game 7, May 30, Jets @ Oilers, if necessary, TBD most effective offensively against the Oilers cycling the puck in the corner and having their defencemen hold the line. Season series Chipping in from back end Jets 2-7-0, 22 GF Tyson Barrie was the highest-scoring defencemen in the NHL this Oilers 7-2-0, 34 GF season with eight goals and 40 points. Darnell Nurse had the second- Previous scores highest goal-total by a defenceman with 16. Both have had outstanding seasons for the Oilers, with Nurse garnering some attention for the Norris (Home team in CAPS) Trophy. While the Oilers are dynamic up front, they are getting bigger contributions from their back end offensively than they’ve had in the past. Jan. 24: Oilers 4, JETS 3 Even tied a career high with four goals this season Jan. 26: JETS 6, Oilers 4 playing on the second pair.

Feb. 15: Jets 6, OILERS 5 History on Oilers’ side

Feb. 17: OILERS 3, Jets 2 It’s been well-documented the Oilers dispatched the Jets on their way to each of their five Stanley Cup titles, but this is the first time the two teams Mar. 18: OILERS 2, Jets 1 will meet in the modern era. The closest Winnipeg came to knocking off the Oilers was back in 1990, when they took a 3-1 series lead and lost Mar. 20: OILERS 4, Jets 2 the next three games. Recently, the Jets have had most of the playoff Apr. 17: Oilers 3, JETS 0 success, making it to the Western Conference Final in 2018. They’ve since lost in the first round to the Blues and were upset by the Calgary Apr. 26: JETS 1, Oilers 6 Flames in the qualifying round last season. This is only the Oilers’ third proper playoff appearance since 2006. They too were upset in the Apr. 28: JETS 1, Oilers 3 qualifying round last season, eliminated in four games by the Chicago TEAM SCORING LEADERS VS. OPPONENT Blackhawks.

JETS VS. OILERS

Nikolaj Ehlers 3 5 8 +5 Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 05.20.2021

Andrew Copp 3 4 7 +1

Mark Scheifele 3 4 7 -12

Blake Wheeler 3 2 5 -14

Adam Lowry 2 3 5 -2

OILERS VS. JETS

Conner McDavid 7 15 22 +14

Leon Draisaitl 7 5 12 +8

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 5 5 10 +8

Darnell Nurse 2 8 10 +11

Tyson Barrie 2 7 9 +7

FIVE KEYS TO SERIES:

Connor Hellebuyck vs. Mike Smith

The two goaltenders will play a major factor in the outcome of the series. Connor Hellebuyck, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner will have to be outstanding for the Jets to upset the Oilers in the opening round. Hellebuyck has been good this season, except against the Oilers. He has a 3.96 goals-against average with a .877 save percentage in seven 1188526 Edmonton Oilers Their opponent stumbled badly down the stretch with a 3-9 finish, highlighted by a seven-game losing streak.

And their opponent was missing two of its top-six forwards in Pierre-Luc Oilers need more contributors with or without Connor McDavid and Leon Dubois and Nik Ehlers, the latter arguably its best. Draisaitl scoring The Oilers, meanwhile, cruised to the second seed with McDavid’s torrid offensive stretch — 36 points over his last 14 games — to gain whatever edges remain from home-ice advantage without fans in the stands. By Daniel Nugent-Bowman “We did a lot of good things,” McDavid said. “We just didn’t find a way to get one.”

It’s not impossible for the Oilers to win games without standout offensive If this series continues to be played almost entirely at five-on-five, it’s performances from superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, even seemingly a huge detriment to the Oilers. though that wasn’t the case Wednesday. The Oilers were 18th in Corsi for percentage in the NHL and were minus- But it’s a near certainty they won’t get through this series against the 1 in terms of goal differential at five-on-five. Those stats are marked Winnipeg Jets without significant production from their two superstars — improvements from last season — they ranked 27th in CF percentage unless there’s a sudden change in output from their role players. and minus-16 — but they’re average at best.

“We have to step up; the bottom six has to step up and get secondary However, they had the top-ranked power play for the second consecutive scoring,” veteran winger James Neal said. “That’s the way teams win. season. Their penalty killing, second in 2019-20, was ninth this season. You’re gonna have to have guys chipping in all through the lineup. There was just one penalty called in the game, a high-sticking call to the “We know that.” Jets’ on Kailer Yamamoto. The Oilers did little on their only man advantage. Until that happens, the burden continues to fall on McDavid and Draisaitl. And they couldn’t carry the Oilers in Game 1. “That’s for sure going to be the case, and that’s playoff hockey,” McDavid said. “You look around the league and there’s some series being called The league’s top two scorers, so dominant in the nine-game season differently than others — that’s the way it goes. series with 22 and 12 points, respectively, were both shockingly held off the scoresheet. The result was to be expected: a loss — 4-1 with two “When we get that opportunity, we need to bear down.” empty-netters. The Oilers mostly carried play, outshooting the Jets 33-22; the attempts “You can look back at the regular season all you want. This is playoff were 62-35 in their favour, too, as they pushed the pace over the final hockey,” Oilers coach Dave Tippett said. “It’s gonna be tight. Space is at two periods. a premium out there.” High-danger chances were 13-8 for the Oilers, but they struggled to get Perhaps this game can be chalked up to bad luck for McDavid and second-chance opportunities around Connor Hellebuyck. The Jets Draisaitl. That’s the optimistic view, at least. goaltender had his challenges against the Oilers during the season with an .877 save percentage but looked much more like the reigning Vezina They both had their chances, albeit not as many as they were Trophy winner in Game 1. accustomed to getting against the Jets on most nights over the past few months. “We expected that,” Neal said. “We know he’s a good goaltender, and he wanted to bounce back.” McDavid had two shots on goal; Draisaitl had four. Their respective lines were excellent in terms of carrying play, too. The Oilers will have to make his life more difficult in Game 2 and beyond.

Shot attempts favoured the Oilers 26-14 at five-on-five in McDavid’s 21 “We can do a better job of being hard on him, getting bodies there,” minutes, 17 seconds of ice time. The ice was even more tilted for the McDavid said. “We had that in spurts, but other times he was able to 22:54 that Draisaitl was skating. The Oilers had 31 attempts at goal; the catch it and the play was done. As forwards, we have to do a better job of Jets had 12. getting there.”

The Jets mostly used Mark Scheifele’s line against McDavid. The Oilers The Oilers weren’t bad defensively. Mike Smith couldn’t hang on to a captain feasted on that matchup during the regular season. His team Blake Wheeler shot and Tucker Poolman beat Adam Larsson to the net outscored the Jets 10-2 when both players shared the ice at five-on-five. and deposited the rebound on Winnipeg’s first goal.

McDavid again got the better of Scheifele, although it was less The winning goal was scored on a tip-in from a point shot, an area that pronounced. Shot attempts were 18-11 for Edmonton in 14 minutes. was so troublesome to the Oilers’ downfall against the Blackhawks in the Goals were 1-1, McDavid had just stepped on the ice after a line change play-in round in August. This time it was Dominic Toninato who scored by rookie Ryan McLeod. with the initial shot coming from Logan Stanley. The goal required play to be halted after it was deemed the shot hit the crossbar. Draisaitl got a mixture of Jets centres Scheifele, Adam Lowry, and Paul Stastny (and their linemates). Draisaitl and the Oilers came out ahead in Really, though, there was a lot to like. all situations — particularly crushing Scheifele, Stastny and their wingers. The issue was more at the other end of the ice. Maybe the dam will break the way it did during the nine matchups. It’s might even be probable than not that it does. Among bottom-six forwards, power-play specialist Alex Chiasson led the way with nine goals this season and occasional top-line fill-in Josh “They’re going to be checked really hard,” Neal said. “You saw what they Archibald had seven. After them, Neal (another PP guy) scored five times did against them in the regular season. in 29 games, the same total as Game 1 scratch Devin Shore, who made 38 regular-season appearances. “You get into the playoffs and everything is ramped up a little more. I thought they did a good job fighting through the stuff.” They couldn’t muster any offence Wednesday. McDavid’s winger Jesse Puljujarvi had the only goal. If it doesn’t lead to goals, the Oilers are in big, big trouble. Of course, the Oilers will need more from McDavid and Draisaitl. But they The Oilers played fine — at times even reasonably well — so the Game sure could use a little help. 1 loss wasn’t backbreaking by any means. It was more the circumstances by which they lost. “We’ve liked what we’ve done all year,” Tippett said. “We’ve got a confident group. We’ll re-rack and get ready for Game 2.” If there was ever a chance for them to start a series strong, this was it.

Their opponent was one they dominated in the regular season, posting a 7-2 record against and winning the last six matchups. The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188527 Edmonton Oilers the lead in shots (four) and takeaways (three) and that only scratches the surface of how effective he was on a line with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Kailer Yamamoto.

Oilers observations: Jesse Puljujarvi scores, Leon Draisaitl thrives and With Scheifele taking on the McDavid minutes, Draisaitl got a mix of Edmonton falls in Game 1 vs. Jets opponents, including Scheifele, Paul Stastny and Adam Lowry. None of them were able to keep the line from generating chances. At the end of the game, Draisaitl was on the ice for a whopping 72 percent of shot attempts, and the picture was even brighter after accounting for shot By Jonathan Willis quality, with an exceptional 82 percent share of expected goals.

Aren’t you glad they didn’t trade him for Julien Gauthier? Puljujarvi “Deserve’s got nothing to do with it.” – Clint Eastwood, “Unforgiven” scored a goal in his playoff debut, something which isn’t a common occurrence. In fact, it’s been 15 years since the last time it happened for In a nutshell: The Oilers had the puck most of the game, took a pile of the Oilers: shots from dangerous areas and kept the front of their own net clear. It didn’t matter. A clever deflection on a blast from nowhere, a brilliant Puljujarvi was, of course, buzzing both before and after the puck made it performance by Connor Hellebuyck and a couple of empty-net goals into the net. He had four shots, four hits and seven shot attempts. gave the Jets a 4-1 victory Wednesday in the first-round series opener, a There’s a decent case that he was Edmonton’s best forward on the game in which they were mostly on their heels. opening night of the series.

How it went down: Oilers fans might not have been able to physically I swear, jersey No. 44 isn’t cursed: It’s been a full month since Kassian enter Rogers Place, but they were able to make their presence felt prior last finished an NHL game, so stepping into the pressure cooker of to Game 1 all the same (and in a much more real way than the fake playoff opening night was something less than ideal. In theory, a heavily crowd noise that, at times, deafened the broadcast). physical game should have brought out the best in him; in practice, he struggled to contribute. It took the Oilers themselves longer to show up. Winnipeg had lots of early energy: hits and shots from everywhere, but not many dangerous It’s always dangerous when a physical player isn’t delivering in a physical attempts. Still, that was more than Edmonton managed: it took 8 minutes, game because they tend to go looking for hits, just like Kassian did in the 25 seconds and three Winnipeg icings before Tyson Barrie finally immediate lead-up to Winnipeg’s first goal. With Neal already committed managed the Oilers’ first shot. and Ryan McLeod in support, he vacated the left side of the ice and allowed the Jets to attack three-on-two. A tentative start finally gave way to an action-packed conclusion to the first period, with the excitement kicked into high gear by Josh Archibald, Kassian finished with two giveaways, no shots and his line was the only who threw four hits in the first period: Edmonton forward unit to finish below 50 percent by expected goals.

That impact immediately spawned a hundred GIFs, but it wasn’t just Beware an old man in a young man’s profession: Smith wasn’t asked to another pretty hit. Archibald caused a change in possession, then fired a do too much and had a decent, if unremarkable, game. The rebound he clever shot timed for a Jujhar Khaira tip, forcing a nice save by allowed on the first goal was less than optimal, but it’s almost impossible Hellebuyck. Of the 12 shots in the first period, six came in the last six to blame him for the tip on the game winner. He wasn’t better than minutes, starting with that one. Hellebuyck, but it would be unreasonable to expect him to outduel last year’s Vezina winner every game. It also marked – it would be too much to say caused – a shift in the game. Winnipeg’s game plan of clogging the middle, hitting everything The bottom line is that he was good enough to win if the Oilers had been that moved and volume shooting was successful in a modest way early, able to solve Hellebuyck more than once. but of necessity, it’s a conservative approach and not one that generates She blinded me with science: It doesn’t actually matter given the final a lot of high-quality opportunities. result, but it’s interesting to look at the shot and expected goal shares for The Oilers needed to assert themselves, and they did, taking 11 of the Winnipeg’s three primary lines at five-on-five. next 14 shots and generating a multitude of good looks. Finally, Jesse Teams don’t generally win when their top three lines post numbers like Puljujarvi solved Hellebuyck, with a little help from all four of his skaters that, but hockey’s a funny game. on the ice: Wheel of justice: Just a single penalty was called in Game 1, and it was Edmonton continued to hold an edge in play but with isolated mistakes one of those calls that even the most laissez-faire couldn’t avoid and more Winnipeg pushback. A lost battle by James Neal, a bad read making, with the blade of Stastny’s stick opening up a cut under by Zack Kassian, a little miscommunication between Adam Larsson and Yamamoto’s left eye. The more special teams time in this series, the Dmitri Kulikov along with an uncontrolled rebound by Mike Smith better for the Oilers, but they’re going to have to content themselves with combined to bring the Jets back into the game: only the odd power play. Still, Edmonton was dominating possession and Winnipeg’s shoot-from- An interesting side effect of all this five-on-five hockey was evident early everywhere approach sure didn’t look likely to pay off … in Game 1: McDavid got double-shifted a lot. That’s something we can Until it did. The Jets had to wait a long time for 2016 first-rounder Logan continue to expect as long as the referees keep their whistles holstered. Stanley, but that point shot surely won him a few fans in Winnipeg. Stray observations: The Oilers responded admirably by pouring on the pressure. They had Kulikov had one of my favourite little plays seven minutes in when under lots of looks, but no finish, and Smith had no sooner left the net for the pressure from Appleton. Rather than make a quick pass, he slowed extra attacker than Winnipeg scored its first of two empty-net markers. down, let Appleton reach the puck at the same time, and then made a hit The final result: a strong game from the Oilers, but a loss nonetheless. rather than taking one.

You can only hope to contain him: Regular season results be damned, Anyone else catch Dominic Toninato with a sorry-buddy-didn’t-see-you coach Paul Maurice decided to throw Mark Scheifele and Josh Morrissey shoulder on Yamamoto in the first as Yamamoto made his way to the back into the head-to-head matchup against Connor McDavid. It worked bench? pretty well; McDavid’s line had the edge in possession but the Jets With five right wings dressed, Archibald was chosen to move to the left clogged up the middle of the ice and managed to saw off the shots. side and delivered beautifully. He led the Oilers with seven hits, fired two McDavid went most of the game without a shot, managing his first four shots and consistently helped his line tilt the ice in the Oilers’ favour. minutes into the third period. He had some good looks that didn’t make it When, at some later date, you inevitably hear the grumbling about so- on net and played a role in setting up Edmonton’s first marker, but all and-so’s plus/minus and how it means he’s an awful defensive player, things considered, the Jets will take this kind of outcome every game. keep in mind that both Draisaitl and McDavid went minus-2 on a pair of Edmonton’s other NHL MVP: It’s going to get lost in the outcome here, empty-net goals after holding their own all game. but Leon Draisaitl and company had a monster game. Draisaitl tied for As always, thanks to Natural Stat Trick for most of the numbers here. Game 2 goes Friday at 7 PM (MT).

The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188528 Edmonton Oilers “His game’s matured,” coach Dave Tippett adds. “He reads situations so much better. He’s taken the responsibility of the extra minutes and the leadership role within our team. He’s taken his game to another level.”

Darnell Nurse is on ‘another level’: How the Oilers defenceman picked up Nurse is generally calm, cool and collected off the ice. speed and turned into a true No. 1 He’s a self-proclaimed “big music junkie,” loves to try different recipes as a home chef and has been known to dabble in DJing.

By Daniel Nugent-Bowman He and partner Mikayla Marrelli are expecting their first child, a boy, on June 6, and Nurse jokes that he can’t wait to start changing diapers. May 19, 2021 Ignorance might be bliss there. Either that or Nurse really is easygoing.

He says he gets his low-key disposition from his mother, Cathy. Nurse’s father, Richard, was a former CFL receiver, and his sisters, Tamika and The progression of his game could have just happened naturally, the Kia, are high-level basketball players. (Kia currently plays for the WNBA’s result of being a very good defenceman moving into the prime of his Phoenix Mercury.) They’re the fiery ones away from the field and the career. court. Darnell Nurse, though, isn’t the type of guy who leaves things to chance. Cathy was an athlete, too. She played basketball at McMaster University The veteran Oilers defenceman is meticulous in his preparation. He in Hamilton, Ont., and graduated when Tamika, who’s nine years older watches every shift he plays during the season, and then he views them than Darnell, was a baby. again in the months between campaigns. It was Cathy who drove her son from Hamilton to Toronto for practices And, so, during the NHL hiatus a year ago, he sat down to self-critique and games as he moved on to AAA hockey in the GTA for five years his highlights. When he did, he noticed something he wasn’t thrilled with before reaching the OHL. He became a “mama’s boy.” — an area many perceive to be a strength. “My mom probably rubbed off on me the most. She’s one of the hardest- “I just thought I could get back to work on some of the fundamentals of working women I know,” Nurse says. “Any time I question the amount of skating and make my life a little easier out there on the ice,” he says. work that goes into something, I look at my mom.”

That discovery led to a trip to his old stomping grounds, the Pond in He puts that drive into his professional craft, which brings us to a year Burlington, Ont., a facility he trained at from the age of 6 until he reached ago. the pros. After viewing his game tape and meeting with Moore, he went to her with There, he bumped into co-owner Michele Moore, a former synchronized his request. Nurse wanted her to get him to where he needed to be on figure skater who was working with Oilers prospects Evan Bouchard and the ice much faster. He didn’t want to be chasing the game. Ryan McLeod. Both parties believe there’s more work to be done, but the early strides Nurse liked the approach he saw from Moore, the daughter of his former have been immense. skating coach there, , and asked for her tutelage. “When you can skate, you have more confidence to make plays on the “It meant a lot,” he says. “You get to the NHL and you try to work on so puck and get there and shut things down,” Nurse says. “You’re not too many different facets of your game, but you kind of shy away from the worried if a puck gets by you because you know you can recover.” stuff that got you there in the first place. Power skating and working on There were three main areas Moore drilled down on. my edges was one of those things.” The first was edge work, which involved edge manipulation — learning Nurse continued his work with Moore after the Oilers’ play-in-round loss how to control them rather than fight against them. Some of the lessons to the Blackhawks, returning to the Pond with, as Moore says, a “let’s go” here were keeping his upper body quiet, engaging his core and getting attitude. They worked two or three days a week during the back half of his hips, knees and ankles to play a more important role. the summer and into the fall. Another area Moore helped Nurse with was getting quicker, so he could The results have been remarkable. jump into the rush more effectively and more often. They worked on “He just looks awesome right now on the ice,” Moore says. “This explosive bursts, which involved keeping a minimal amount of the front of attention that he’s getting is really cool to see because he put in a lot of the skate blade on the ice when starting up. work.” The final focal point was his directional changes, so he could better keep Armed with a few skating adjustments, Nurse has had easily his best up with — or blow past — opposing forwards. They zeroed in on NHL season and will garner Norris Trophy votes for this first time in his distributing his weight so he could gain speed through the turn. career. This is where Nurse believes he’s made the biggest gains. The impact was evident at both ends of the rink as Nurse emerged as a “I felt like I could get stuck out there on the ice sometimes when I was clear No. 1 defenceman. trying to change directions,” he says. “It’s not like it was a crazy “He’s following the same transition or transformation that Alex correction. It was just putting in a lot of reps. Pietrangelo did for me,” says Ken Hitchcock, Nurse’s coach for most of “That extra split second that you can gain from changing directions by the 2018-19 season and Pietrangelo’s from 2011 to 2017. “He’s a similar fixing some things can really pay dividends in corner battles or beating player to the way Petro plays right now for Vegas.” guys up the ice.” The Oilers are set to open their first-round playoff series against the Jets Adds Moore: “He’s made a huge improvement on that. There’s lots more on Wednesday. They’re the favourites thanks in part to Nurse, one of a to do, but I’m definitely noticing him closing the gap more or just being small handful of Oilers stars who’ll have to shine if they are to advance. able to get from A to B way quicker.” While Connor McDavid’s and Leon Draisaitl’s importance can’t be The improvements have been noticeable all over the ice during the overstated up front, Nurse isn’t far behind when it comes to his role on season. the blue line. It’s not hard to understand why. No defenceman had more even-strength goals than Nurse’s 15 as he His commitment to bettering his skating is just the tip of the iceberg. joined the Oilers attack deftly and mostly at appropriate times. He also “He’s more dedicated to becoming a top player than any defenceman I’ve ranked second among blueliners with 16 all-situation goals and 29 even- ever coached in my career,” associate coach Jim Playfair says. “His work strength points. ethic and attention to details to be successful is superior to a lot of In the defensive zone, Nurse appeared to be more composed as players.” coverage errors decreased. “He’s very aware of his ice management,” Playfair says. “A big part of Playfair also sees the template to which the team’s defence prospects playing defence is recognizing positioning on the ice and how you put should aspire. “How do we get more young players to grow and play a lot yourself in a good position to be able to defend. He’s done an excellent more like Darnell?” he says. job at that.” It’s no coincidence to him that Ethan Bear had a solid rookie season last Many of the numbers support Playfair’s assertion. year and Barrie rebounded from a down season in Toronto to lead all blueliners in scoring in 2021. Who was their partner again? Nurse boasted a 51.1 Corsi for percentage in 1,157 minutes at five-on- five this season, and the Oilers outscored the opposition 71-56 in that “The common denominator in the deal is Darnell’s a good defender that game situation with him on the ice, per Natural Stat Trick. Last season, allows players around him to be better,” Playfair says. he had a 48.7 percent Corsi for, and the Oilers were outscored 71-64. Yes, Nurse is older, wiser, more serene in some ways. Mistakes are “Darnell is starting to put up some points, but the strength of his game is easier to let slide. his ability to defend and be a hard player to play against,” Playfair says. “When you play the game a lot and play against top players, the only way “That was our main focus. All these goals are icing on the cake,” Moore you learn is by messing up,” he says. “It sucks for it to happen. But if says. “He’s in the right place and the right time more often.” you’re able to learn from them and grow from them, that’s how players evolve. The Oilers have been without top left-side defenceman Oscar Klefbom because of a shoulder injury and needed Nurse to step up in his “You can’t sit there, dwelling on it and beating up on yourself. You can absence. Nurse played 37.5 percent of his ice time against elite use it as a learning experience.” competition, according to PuckIQ, up from 35.6 percent in 2019-20. He had a 49.7 percent Corsi for under that scenario after just a 44.4 percent Perhaps Nurse is bothered less by mistakes because he’s now making against top opponents last season. fewer of them. His boots, he feels, are a huge reason for that.

“He’s gotta be right near the top for the Norris this year,” regular partner “The whole skating aspect, you get more confidence in defending and Tyson Barrie says. “He’s been outstanding all year. being able to cover more ice,” he says. “The more ice you can cover and the quicker you can cover it, the more effective defender you’re going to “I can’t say enough about Nursey and how much he’s helped my game be.” and how much he’s helped our team with what he brings every night. I’m not sure there’s anybody who’s really doing more for their team on the Nurse has already committed to renewing his twice-weekly sessions at back end than Nursey is this year.” the Pond with Moore during the offseason. She’s proud of the level Nurse has attained but knows there are techniques still to master. Nurse has played a ton with offensive stars Barrie and McDavid, which he says forces him to think defence first. That’s why Nurse might not have hit his ceiling yet.

“I put myself in that position where if anything breaks down, I can do what “He’s not gonna take a step backwards in his career,” Playfair says. “This I can to help clean it up,” Nurse says. “Usually when we’re out there, we is where he is now. He’ll continually be a really important player and a can generate enough offensively that we don’t need to force it.” really dominant player.”

Now, if there’s a knock against Nurse, it’s that time spent with McDavid.

Nurse played almost 667 of his minutes at five-on-five (almost 58 The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 percent) with McDavid on the ice, and the dip in his Corsi for percentage without the captain (44.7) versus with him (55.3) is noteworthy.

Playfair said any criticisms of Nurse playing too much with McDavid are “stupid.” He cites examples like Kris Letang sharing the ice with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in Pittsburgh and Nicklas Lidstrom skating with Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov of yesteryear.

“I don’t know who people think should play with Connor,” Playfair says. “The ability to get your best players on the ice in key situations is what allows you to create an identity for your organization and create good, winning habits.”

That’s clearly what Nurse has become — one of the Oilers’ best players.

That’s putting it conservatively. Hitchcock goes a step or two further.

Hitchcock marvels at how much more refined Nurse’s game has become and the way the game seems to have slowed down for him.

And there’s more.

“The thing that’s impressed me is the fact that he has such a strong motor and never gets tired on the ice,” Hitchcock says. “He looks like he can play 50 minutes, to be honest with you, because there’s no drop-off in his shifts. There’s no drop-off of energy.

“That’s the same as Petro. Petro in the last 10 seconds of his shift still had a strong dynamic just like Darnell does.”

Though Hitchcock always considered Nurse’s skating to be “great,” it doesn’t hurt that he’s making it better.

That’s Nurse’s M.O.

“I’ve always liked to think of myself as a hard worker and always trying to find new ways each year to put in more and more work,” he says.

When Playfair looks at Nurse, he sees a player with a clear vision of how he wants to play — someone who trusts himself on the ice and is always looking to improve. 1188529 Edmonton Oilers It’s a problem Oilers coaches and management have dealt with since the captain arrived in 2015.

That’s not to say there are no positives, in fact, Puljujarvi’s goals per 60 Lowetide: Jesse Puljujarvi has arrived for the Oilers — again at five-on-five with McDavid in 2020-21 is a solid number compared to his primary wingers of past seasons (500-plus minutes) and it was at a much lower cap hit:

By Allan Mitchell I sorted by age, it’s interesting to see Puljujarvi in the middle of several Draisaitl seasons and to see the gap between the two men at the same May 19, 2021 age. It isn’t reasonable to expect the same growth for the big Finnish winger at 23, but as a scorer, Puljujarvi finishes mid-table in this group and should increase his totals next season if he remains on the top line. In the final 14 games of the season, Oilers winger Jesse Puljujarvi scored six goals and 10 points. Nine of those came at five-on-five, and his points What does it all mean? per 60 (2.72) was second-best on the team in that span. From a management point of view, Puljujarvi has been an inexpensive Playing on the top line has its benefits, but increasingly the big winger is solution for the organization, and he’ll likely be the same value player in showing opponents that the Connor McDavid line has one more 2021-22. After that, things could get expensive, especially if the big man dangerous weapon in its arsenal. begins to take on power-play minutes in the coming year.

Typical of Puljujarvi’s usefulness on the big line during this stretch was a For Dave Tippett, the big issue has to be finding more forwards who can play against the Montreal Canadiens on April 19. Although Puljujarvi score successfully with McDavid, in the postseason and over the didn’t get a point on the play, he did deliver an effective check to summer. One of the most incredible (and unrecognized) stories of this separate Montreal winger Tomas Tatar from the puck. The beauty of 2020-21 NHL season are the ghastly goal-scoring rates by Edmonton’s playing with McDavid is a puck turned over can result in a goal for the wingers while the captain was posting a season for the ages. Oilers within five seconds, as happened on this play. It’s textbook Draisaitl is the ideal partner for McDavid, and Kailer Yamamoto is an defending, with Ethan Bear standing up at the blue line, Puljujarvi excellent option as well. Puljujarvi won the job this year and he’ll be tracking back and using his body to separate, and then the captain does inexpensive in 2021-22. Ken Holland would be wise to get a contract in the rest. front of Puljujarvi (he can sign him starting July 28 to an extension) Puljujarvi’s progress this season can be traced back to joining the because the organization can’t afford another “McDavid bump” contract McDavid line in the early days of the year. His production five-on-five has similar to Kassian. been uneven (as expected) but he was able to stay on the No. 1 line for Puljujarvi’s scoring numbers this season were similar to 2017-18, much of the season and closed with a flourish (via Natural Stat Trick). meaning he can do it again with McDavid as his centre. The new version His first quarter shows some scoring ability (he scored all three at the of Puljujarvi was better at turning over pucks and helping his line spend end of the quarter, moving up to the McDavid line for a look) but his goal more time in the offensive end, and his scoring rates suggest keeping the differential was a concern. Time with Edmonton’s bottom-six forwards big man on the top line is the wise choice based on the current talent tends to result in a drag on five-on-five goal differential. pool.

In the second quarter he’s still scoring at the same levels, but the bump Jesse Puljujarvi has arrived. Again. up the depth chart helped his goal differential. In the third segment, scoring fell off (young players lack consistency) and then Puljujarvi blossomed in the final 14 games. The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 Puljujarvi’s rookie scoring numbers (at 18) have a distinct deja vu quality to them when compared to the current season. As well, his shot differential at five-on-five at 18 (51.47 percent) is similar to 2020-21 (53.14 percent) and his goal differential is also strong in both seasons.

How could that be? If you’re watching the games, it’s easy to see a confident Puljujarvi this season, storming the gates, turning pucks over, impacting results.

If we all agree Puljujarvi is more dynamic now than he was in his entry- level deal, why are the numbers so similar?

It’s the oercentage of overall ice time five-on-five with McDavid. In 2016- 17, Puljujarvi played 29 percent of his five-on-five time on the top line. In 2020-21, he spent 74 percent of the time at five-on-five with the world’s best player. He is clearly bigger, stronger and faster, but the splits are undeniable.

With or without you

The biggest individual difference between 2016-17 Puljujarvi and the big man this season is he scored goals regularly. His five-on-five goals per 60 total in 2020-21 (0.89) was strong, No. 2 on the Oilers (McDavid: 1.22), just ahead of Leon Draisitl (0.88).

Puljujarvi’s goals per 60 at five-on-five ranks him No. 82 across the NHL, meaning that he is a first-line scoring forward (31 teams times three equals 93) in the 2020-21 NHL.

Is there any deja vu in his NHL goal-scoring totals from the past? Well, the big Finn also scored well five-on-five with McDavid in his second season with Edmonton:

In both seasons Puljujarvi worked exceptionally well with McDavid and was far less successful without 97. Puljujarvi’s playing time in 2020-21 without McDavid is a small sample, but one point in 192 minutes is a trend. 1188530 Edmonton Oilers playoffs; his line won the expected goals match in two games against Winnipeg. Gaetan Haas and Jujhar Khaira were less impressive but between them were only on the ice for a grand total of two goals against.

What the Oilers need to do to beat the Jets: Does regular-season The Oilers would probably win a strictly five-on-five series if McDavid and success provide a template for the playoffs? Draisaitl were to duplicate their regular-season performances in the playoffs. The more the series hinges on special teams, the greater the odds swing in Edmonton’s direction.

By Jonathan Willis Edmonton was the only team in the NHL to average more than 10 goals per hour in five-on-four situations this season, a feat they managed for a May 19, 2021 second consecutive year. They were better than that against the Jets. Winnipeg’s penalty kill improved from being one of the worst in the league in 2019-20 to the middle of the pack in 2020-21, but like most For the second consecutive year, the Oilers enter the postseason as penalty kills it simply wasn’t a match for Edmonton’s overpowered top favourites to win their opening series. For Edmonton fans who remember unit. 2020’s play-in round against Chicago, that isn’t terribly reassuring. The reverse isn’t true. Edmonton’s penalty kill dipped a bit this year, but Unpleasantly for anyone hoping to calm unsettled nerves, The Athletic’s the 6.32 goals against per hour it allowed while down a man is still top 10 official playoff preview also calls this upcoming matchup “the closest leaguewide and the best mark in the NHL’s Canadian division. It slipped series of the first round” and “the only series in the opening round where a touch against a solid Jets power play (Winnipeg’s 7.2 goals per hour at the favourite’s chances are below 55 percent.” Yet it’s also a series to five-on-four is the second-best total in the North), but that’s one place which the Oilers can carry over a regular-season template for success. where the season series probably underrates the Oilers’ true abilities.

“Can” doesn’t mean “will.” Edmonton’s 7-2-0 regular-season record Referees are famous for pocketing their whistles in the postseason, but against Winnipeg buys not a single playoff victory. It merely establishes special teams still matter. Tampa Bay generated nearly one-quarter of its the things the Oilers must do to win their opening-round matchup. scoring on special teams during its path to a Stanley Cup win last season. Dallas, meanwhile, scored 28 percent of its playoff goals on Looking beyond the record, Edmonton outplayed Winnipeg in every facet either the power play or penalty kill en route to its appearance in the final. of the game during the teams’ nine head-to-head contests. At five-on- five, the shot share was relatively even, but the Oilers had a 54 percent Goaltending is the biggest factor in favour of the Jets. Mike Smith has expected goal share and a 62 percent actual goal ratio. The power play had an outstanding season while Connor Hellebuyck has struggled in his averaged 120 shot attempts and 12 goals per hour at five-on-four while games against Edmonton, but Hellebuyck was the league’s best goalie a the penalty kill limited the Jets to 104 shot attempts and nine goals per year ago and the runner-up for that title in 2018. Smith, now 39, has hour. never finished higher than fourth in Vezina voting over a distinguished 642-game career. Naturally, it all starts with Connor McDavid. None of Winnipeg’s forward lines could do anything to slow him down. Hellebuyck has saved nine goals more than we’d expect the average NHL goalie to manage this season at five-on-five, based on shot location. Mark Scheifele got the primary matchup as Paul Maurice opted for a Smith is a single goal above the average. Even in a season in which their power-versus-power approach, and McDavid’s line torched Scheifele’s save percentages are nearly identical at even strength, there are trio by a combined score of 10-2. That probably exaggerates the flow of significant indications that Hellebuyck is the superior goaltender. play a little, but the 61 percent expected goal share clocked by McDavid’s line suggests that the Jets’ best unit isn’t a match for the Nevertheless, Smith is 4-0 against Winnipeg this season. Partially that’s NHL’s best player. because Hellebuyck hasn’t been able to plug the holes left by a porous Jets defence; McDavid and Draisaitl beat him seven times each in the Nobody else was either. Adam Lowry got half an hour against McDavid’s season series (with 12 of those goals at even strength) while Ryan line and was lit up just as badly. Ditto for Paul Stastny. Pierre-Luc Dubois Nugent-Hopkins did it five times. Partially it’s because Smith has stopped played just 13 minutes head-to-head and was outshot 11-3 and almost everything he’s seen (131 saves on 140 shots, a .936 save outscored 2-0. The Josh Morrissey and Neal Pionk pairings split duty percentage) and by extension, Edmonton’s defence has done a fine job against McDavid, and both were steamrolled. of keeping Winnipeg’s shooters to the outside. (My friend Murat Ates, The Athletic’s Jets writer, stared down the same It’s probably a stretch to expect Smith to repeat that 4-0 mark in the data and offered a possible solution for Winnipeg: toss a checking line playoffs, but that regular-season series makes the ingredients of an against McDavid and unleash Scheifele on Edmonton’s bottom six. It’s a Oilers victory clear. reasonable approach and for my money the best one available to the Jets. It also tacitly acknowledges that McDavid’s going to own his When the referees call penalties, Edmonton can beat the Jets on special minutes and that the deficit will have to be made up elsewhere.) teams. When they don’t, that McDavid-Draisaitl one-two punch remains devastatingly capable of carving out an insurmountable lead. The Oilers Leon Draisaitl’s position is a more interesting question to ponder: Is he will need both players to duplicate their regular season performances, anchoring Edmonton’s other scoring line or does he ride shotgun with they’ll need capable goaltending and they’ll need a bottom six that gums McDavid? up the works enough to secure a positive outcome. Draisaitl did a little of both against the Jets this year. The numbers for It’s a tall order, but a manageable one. It’s a template the Oilers can turn McDavid and Draisaitl together are freakishly good against Winnipeg. into a series win. McDavid without Draisaitl is also excellent while Draisaitl sans McDavid had some ups and some downs.

The problem for the Jets is that a Draisaitl-led line isn’t getting blown out The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 by anyone. Scheifele had favourable expected goal numbers against Draisaitl, but his line scored a single goal in a half-hour of head-to-head play. Stastny’s unit also had favourable expected goal shares but couldn’t score at all in 44 minutes of head-to-head action. Meanwhile, the third and fourth lines lost their head-to-head matchups against Draisaitl.

The McDavid and Draisaitl matchups are going to go most of the way to determining the outcome of the series, and in the regular season, McDavid casually demolished all obstacles while Draisaitl fought his way to a draw against the stars and outscored the depth guys. If Edmonton can do that again, there just won’t be enough minutes left for Winnipeg to win the even-strength battle.

That will be especially true if the Oilers’ depth lines can continue to limit the bleeding. Ryan McLeod is a bit of an X-factor for Edmonton in the 1188531 Florida Panthers Tampa Bay has also struck first in both games. On Tuesday, Tampa Bay outshot the Panthers 15-9 and led 2-0 after the first period. And while those goals were unlucky for the Panthers, they cannot be absolved of blame. Odds stacked against the Florida Panthers as they hit the road against Tampa for Game 3 On the first goal, the entire Panthers unit on the ice at the time — Stralman, Markus Nutivaara, Owen Tippett, Alex Wennberg and Jonathan Huberdeau — gave Stamkos way too much time and space right in front of the goal. BY WALTER VILLA MIAMI HERALD WRITER On the second goal, Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point badly beat Panthers MAY 19, 2021 10:58 AM defenseman MacKenzie Weegar, using his speed to skate around him and set up the play.

The Florida Panthers needed to hold on to a one-goal lead for the final Weegar has had a sensational, breakthrough season, but it’s a reminder 15:51 in Sunday’s playoff opener against the visiting Tampa Bay that the Panthers have played the last half of this season without the Lightning. injured Aaron Ekblad, considered their best defenseman.

They couldn’t. The Lightning have now proven they can beat the Panthers in both high- scoring and low-scoring games. Now the Lightning return home to their The Lightning needed to hold on to a one-goal lead over the host fans. Panthers for the final 25:39 in Tuesday’s Game 2 of this first-round best- of-7 series. Tampa Bay is 7-0 in its playoff history when taking a 2-0 lead, meaning the odds are stacked high against the Panthers. They could. “This series is not over,” Stamkos cautioned. “[The Panthers] are not That, in essence, is why the Lightning are taking a 2-0 lead back home to quitting. We’re expecting their best in Game 3.” Tampa Bay, where they will host Game 3 on Thursday.

“Our guys did a great job of shutting it down,” Lightning coach said following Tuesday’s 3-1 win. Miami Herald LOADED: 05.20.2021

But just how did the Lightning keep the Panthers off the scoreboard for the final 25-plus minutes?

For starters, the Lightning went 3 for 3 on their penalty kill, including 2 for 2 in the third period.

Secondly, the Lightning started taking shorter shifts, keeping players fresher, and they were physical. Center had a game-high seven hits. Defenseman Ryan McDonagh had a game-high four blocks.

“[McDonagh] is a stud — a selfless player who sacrifices his body,” Cooper said. “On that last penalty kill, he was a monster. He’s a Stanley Cup champion for a reason.”

Third, Lightning goalie made 32 saves, playing a solid game.

“He’s our rock back there,” Lightning forward said of Vasilevskiy. “He was outstanding.”

The Lightning got goals from Stamkos and Ondrej Palat in the first period and ’s empty-netter.

Florida managed only one goal — the first ever in the playoffs by 25- year-old rookie winger Mason Marchment.

One of the biggest moments of the game happened before the puck was even dropped as Panthers coach Joel Quenneville benched starting goalie in place of Chris Driedger, who turned 27 on Tuesday and got his first-ever playoff start.

Driedger made 26 saves, but the Panthers — who lost 5-4 on Sunday — couldn’t generate much offense this time.

Quenneville seemed pleased with Driedger, although he didn’t go as far as naming his Game 3 goalie.

“He kept us in the game,” Quenneville said of Driedger. “He gave us a chance.

“Now we need to turn the momentum around as quickly as possible.”

To be fair, it’s hard to blame Driedger totally for the two goals that got past him. The first went in off a teammate (Anton Stralman), and the second caromed off the right post and went directly to a Lightning player’s stick for the rebound goal.

Driedger acknowledged as much in his postgame comments.

“We would have liked to get some bounces,” he said. “We’re due for some.”

The Panthers also need to be better on the power play, where they are just 1 for 6 with one shorthanded goal allowed in the two games of this series. Tampa Bay is 3-for-7 on its power play. 1188532 Florida Panthers the Panthers were creating scoring chances with him on the ice at even strength. His defensive play and willingness to stand up for his teammates, along with his ability to create scoring chances, make him a good choice for the Kraken to select in the Expansion Draft. Panthers Could Lose a Solid Defenceman to the Kraken One part of Gudas’s game that is really impressive is his penalty kill work. During his NHL career, Gudas has played 1142 minutes on the penalty kill during the regular season. He has only been on the ice for May 19, 2021 137 goals during that time. That means you can put him out there for 8 by Adam Kierszenblat minutes of penalty kill time before a goal is conceded. This season, he has only been on the ice for 11 goals against shorthanded in 106 minutes of shorthanded time. Having a good penalty kill is key to a team’s success, so being able to acquire a stay-at-home defenceman you can The Florida Panthers will lose a key piece of their blue line in this year’s rely upon while shorthanded is a must. Gudas’s ability to bring that Expansion Draft. The Seattle Kraken could select a forward like Mason intensity and kill penalties is a major reason why Seattle should select Marchment or Patric Hörnqvist, but the real value will come from picking him in the Expansion Draft. a defenceman. Although the player the Kraken pick may not be a top- pairing defenceman, adding either Markus Nutivaara, Gustav Forsling, or Who to Select? Radko Gudas provides the Kraken with a depth defenceman that will be crucial for the team’s success in the future. This is a tough decision and will come down to how Seattle wants to construct their roster. If you already have three solid defensive Markus Nutivaara defencemen, Nutivaara is the better selection. If Seattle wants to go more offensive from the blueline, a player like Gudas can slide in and be Nutivaara really stepped up this season for the Panthers in the absence that anchor on the back end. There is also Forsling, who is having a of Aaron Ekblad. Before Ekblad’s injury, he averaged 14:41 TOI and was breakthrough season, but it is not clear if it has to do with his a minus-4. Since the injury on March 28, he has been averaging 16:55 surroundings or development. Whoever Seattle selects, one of the three TOI and is a plus-5. Before Ekblad’s injury, he averaged 14:41 TOI and options will provide them with value. This will be another Expansion Draft was a minus-4. He has earned the coach’s trust to the point where he where Florida loses a player that will become a key contributor to an played the most minutes out of any player on the Florida roster in game expansion team’s success. one of the playoffs. Although not the most physical player, Nutivaara is strong on the puck and can provide some offense. He is just coming it his prime at 27 and would be a safe selection for the Kraken to make. Florida Hockey NowLOADED: 05.20.2021 In the offensive end, he is creating chances despite not getting opportunities on the powerplay. Nutivaara finished the season with a 53.6% shot-through percentage and has never finished below 49% in that category throughout his five-year career. This means he is not just throwing the puck blindly at the net. He is taking his time and ensuring there is a shooting lane available. In Florida, he will not get opportunities on the powerplay due to the logjam of offensive defenceman on the roster. Depending on how the Kraken build their roster, he could be a good second powerplay option as a player who can get shots through to the net for tip-in chances and rebounds.

Gustav Forsling

Forsling (25 next season), an RFA at the end of the season, has had a breakthrough season. With his production rate this season, he may even go down as the greatest waiver claim in Panthers history. He had a career-high 17 points in 43 games and has a Corsi percentage of 52.9% at even strength. Ever since Ekblad went down, Forsling has been playing top pairing minutes. He went from 18:56 TOI average to 20:00 TOI. His plus/minus rocketed from plus-1 to plus-16 and he added 12 points to his season total. Given the right partner and situation, Forsling is turning into a stud defenceman who the coach trust, as evident by his 24:08 TOI in Game 2 of the Panthers playoff series against Tampa.

Forsling has improved his overall game this season. It is the perfect example of a player making the most of the opportunity he is given. However, one area that has been really impressive this season is his work in the offensive zone. Forsling’s ability to get pucks on net has improved significantly. Last year, he had a 51.8% shot-through percentage on 110 shot attempts. This season, his percentage is at 57.0% on 165 shot attempts. This means Forsling is making the most of his opportunities in the offensive zone and creating chances.

Like Nutivaara, however, he is not given powerplay time. When he has been given time, the Panthers have produced. In 20 minutes of powerplay this season, Forsling has been on the ice for five goals scored. This is the perfect opportunity for Seattle to acquire a young, up- and-coming defenceman who can produce on the powerplay. Taking Forsling is a gamble because his numbers could be correlated to his surroundings, but it may be worth it for the Kraken.

Radko Gudas

Gudas is a physical player that led the Panthers in hits with 250 and was second in blocks with 72. He is currently playing as the anchor on the third line with Keith Yandle and is tasked with shutting down the opposition’s top players on a regular basis. Although Gudas will only get you between 15-20 points a season, he helps control play in the offensive zone while on the ice. He finished third on the Panthers in chances for a while at even strength this season with 782, which means 1188533 Florida Panthers empty-netter…You could tell they had no qualms about anything, not nervous. It wasn’t sketchy or barely hanging on, they played Cup-winning Lightning hockey.”—Joe Smith

NHL Stanley Cup playoff results: Penguins, Golden Knights battle back, • Game 2 was ‘vintage Lightning Cup-winning hockey’ for Tampa Bay Lightning double series lead Game 2: Golden Knights 3, Wild 1 (Series tied 1-1)

The Golden Knights broke their goalie rotation to stick with Marc-Andre By The Athletic NHL Staff Fleury on Tuesday night, and it may have saved their season. The Jennings Trophy winner was brilliant, especially early when he robbed May 19, 2021 Minnesota of at least two or three goals in the first period alone. The Golden Knights took 95:45 to score their first goal of the postseason, but

it was a big one. Jonathan Marchessault answered Matt Dumba’s goal Every morning throughout the NHL postseason, we will make it simple for with a tying mark only 18 seconds later. It rejuvenated a stagnant you to find the results and the biggest moments from the previous night’s offense, and sparked Vegas’ 3-1 win. The second and third goals came games all in one place. courtesy of Alex Tuch, who used his speed and size to break through Minnesota’s tough defensive shell and slot two one-timers past Cam This is what you need to know from Tuesday’s games: Talbot on the doorstep. The offense, as difficult as it was to generate, was a welcome sign for the Golden Knights, and the win was obviously Game 2: Penguins 2, Islanders 1 (Series tied 1-1) crucial. Heading to Minnesota (where they’ve never won in regulation in Tristan Jarry faced an immense degree of heat entering only his third franchise history) down 2-0 would’ve been a steep mountain to climb, so NHL postseason start. That’ll happen when a goalie gives up four spotty evening the series was crucial. There are still plenty of concerns heading goals in a series-opening loss, as Jarry did for the Penguins. Game 2 of on the road. Goaltending has been stellar, but Vegas will need to tighten this East Division semifinal series was a script-flipped affair, with Jarry up defensively and find production from Mark Stone and others in what stopping 37 shots — including 16 in the third period — as the Penguins could be a long, tight series. —Jesse Granger edged the Islanders, 2-1, at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night. This • Golden Knights stick with Marc-Andre Fleury, might have solved goalie tight best-of-seven series is tied, 1-1, as it shifts to what figures to be a rotation in critical win frenzied atmosphere at Nassau Coliseum. But the largest crowd to witness a hockey game this season in Pittsburgh was credited by several In what could be the beginning of a long series, the Wild had all sorts of Penguins for providing an edge in what felt like a must-win game. Still, trouble solving another masterful goaltending expedition by Marc-Andre Jarry was the biggest factor in the Penguins’ favor. “Just work hard,” he Fleury, who was just brilliant during a 34-save performance in the Vegas said of his approach to the off-day between Games 1 and 2. “I was trying Golden Knights defeating the Wild, 3-1, Tuesday night. The Wild did so to keep things simple. I wanted to be better than I was last game.” The many good things throughout Tuesday’s affair, but finding ways to score Penguins won in the postseason when scoring two or fewer goals for the against Fleury wasn’t one of them. And it wasn’t like the Wild didn’t get first time since Game 6 of the 2017 Stanley Cup Final, snapping a nine- traffic or challenge him with high-danger chances or one-on-one threats game losing streak in such situations. Star center Evgeni Malkin has yet or get him moving side to side. The Wild generated a ton of Grade A to play because of a right knee injury. —Rob Rossi chances and were frustratingly denied time and time again. The biggest example was Kevin Fiala, who took eight shots and was dangerous • Penguins report cards: Tristan Jarry bounces back big in Game 2 throughout. Matt Dumba had a great game with a goal and eight blocked victory shots, but the Wild surrendered the tying goal 18 seconds later and old • Yohe’s 10 observations on the Penguins’ perfect third period pal Alex Tuch would score the eventual winning goal and power-play sealer off Wild breakdowns. The Wild are confident now returning home, The Game 2 difference for the Islanders came just 3:22 in on a shot that where they’re 19-2-2 since Jan. 31 and have never lost to Vegas in wasn’t even a serious attempt. “He missed the puck,” Barry Trotz said of regulation. Semyon Varlamov, who made his return to the Isles net after missing Game 1 with a lower-body injury. And that was it. The Islanders dropped it 2-1 and the margin was a 35-foot muffin from Bryan Rust that Varlamov The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 simply whiffed on. The rest of Game 2 was tight, perhaps with an advantage in chances and zone time to the Penguins and Varlamov finished the night with 43 saves, some of them superb — his performance for 57 minutes and change showed why Trotz went to Varlamov over Game 1 winner Ilya Sorokin. But for that one miss. His teammates could have generated more and been tougher on pucks, especially during a game-closing six-on-four power play, but this was a game of mistakes. Only one, really. And now this series is tied heading to Long Island. —Arthur Staple

• Five things the Islanders need to do to regain control

Game 2: Lightning 3, Panthers 1 (Lightning lead series 2-0)

Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said after Game 1 that it showed Tampa Bay was a team that “knows how to win” and “we’re trying to get educated.” Well, Game 2 was another lesson. This wasn’t a perfect game for the Lightning, which won 3-1 at BB&T Center. But it was a smart one, where their mental and physical toughness showed. They didn’t get sucked up into taking retaliatory penalties. They didn’t make costly turnovers at the blue line as they did in Game 1. They stuck with their structure, took the lead and protected it. Goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy had his best performance in several games — having allowed four or more in three straight against Panthers. And the top line was dynamic, setting up the game-winning goal. They’re now 28-0 when entering the third period with a lead, including both the regular season and postseason. “This was vintage Lightning of last year for sure,” Engblom said. “The 2-1 lead, and Florida really had trouble creating some stuff. They really shut it down. There’s a difference between hanging on by your fingernails and shutting it down and executing. When guys are fighting for loose pucks, dumping it in when they have to. Even with the empty net, you saw Kucherov at center ice dump it in and went for a quick line change. Then, Yanni Gourde forces a turnover and scores 1188534 Los Angeles Kings The Kings' Dustin Brown, Mikey Anderson and goalie Cal Petersen celebrate a win.

The Kings’ Dustin Brown, Mikey Anderson and goalie Cal Petersen Column: Rob Blake and the Kings need to take major steps forward next celebrate a win over the Vegas Golden Knights on March 21. season Blake said Petersen is “taking those steps to becoming the next leadership group of this team.” Blake added, “He had a good first half this season. We would like to see a little more near the end. The team also By HELENE ELLIOTT SPORTS COLUMNIST didn’t play well in front so there were some games that he might have played well without the win result. But I think every game he started was MAY 19, 2021 5 AM PT a step more into finding his position on our team.”

Blake kept Todd McLellan as coach and the coaching staff will return, Rob Blake is on the clock. though more accountability should be required. The power play was strong early in the season but faded badly and went seven for 78 over Not to announce his selection in the NHL draft, though the Kings’ general the last 31 games of the 56-game schedule. That must be better. But manager will get another lottery pick in July as the result of his team’s McLellan and his staff did well to assemble a penalty-killing unit that third straight failure to make the playoffs and fifth in the last seven ranked among the NHL’s top 10 and to nurture Mikey Anderson and seasons. Tobias Bjornfot into top-four defensemen.

After a season characterized by modest growth mixed with inconsistency The Avalanche clinched the West Division and the top overall seed in the and by tentative steps forward that were offset by a dispiriting late- NHL playoffs with a 5-1 win over the Kings on Thursday. season fade, time is ticking for Blake to complete the Kings’ transformation into a playoff team. More than that: He’s under pressure “Everybody from the coaches through the players are going to have to to build a Stanley Cup contender, to take the young talent he has improve their games individually. If we’re staying neutral we’re falling accumulated and the $20 million in salary cap space he has carved out behind, and I include our staff in that,” McLellan said. “If you’re wearing a and ignite a rebuilding process that didn’t advance as much as it should Kings jersey next year, you’ve got to move forward. You have to get have in the just-concluded season. better. And if not, then we’ve got to replace the players that aren’t getting better. Then I think that we’ve got to look at the structure part and make “I think there’s no secret that this summer’s going to be very important for sure that we’re playing the right way for the pieces that we have, and us, from all standpoint of views, really,” center Anze Kopitar said last that’s on us.” week. “Whether that’s developing younger guys, maybe bringing some guys in. It should be very exciting for everybody.” Blake doesn’t intend to rush the kids to the NHL next season. “But we’re in a position now where we can surplus that and we can add to that Kopitar isn’t alone in hoping Blake will add impact players. “We’ve got to,” group. And that’s where I said we want to get better,” Blake said. “Drew’s said defenseman Drew Doughty, noting that he, Kopitar, and fellow two- comments are 100%. It’s the same feeling up here. It’s not like we don’t time Cup winners Dustin Brown and Jonathan Quick are running out of want to get any better. We’re all on the same page where now we can time to lead the Kings to another title. “With all this cap room we’ve got to take the necessary steps and we can filter in young players.” bring guys in. That’s it, for sure. There’s no point in just waiting for these prospects to develop when you’ve got guys in their prime. Guys are Those steps must include a giant leap forward next season. Making the hungry to win and guys that are sick of losing. Yeah, we’ve got to bring playoffs is a must. “Yes. 100%,” Blake said. He’s on the clock, starting guys in.” now.

This summer will be a big test for Blake, whose tenure gets mixed grades. He has several possible avenues to take the leaps the Kings LA Times: LOADED: 05.20.2021 need, mainly by leveraging assets in trades, diving into free agency, or swooping in to acquire skilled players who deserve big raises but are squeezed off their current team’s payroll because of the flat salary cap. Whatever route he chooses, he has little room for error.

He can salvage a few pieces from the wreckage of this season. The brief promotion of Quinton Byfield, the No. 2 overall draft pick in 2020, gave the 18-year-old center a taste of the NHL and a chance to watch Kopitar up close. There’s no better role model.

The Toronto Maple Leafs' Auston Matthews skates during a game against the Vancouver Canucks on March 6, 2021.

Hall of Fame hockey writer Helene Elliott analyzes the Stanley Cup playoffs and predicts defending champion Tampa Bay will lose in the first round.

Gabriel Vilardi, held back by injuries after he was chosen 11th in 2017, stayed healthy and scored 10 goals and 23 points in 54 games. Jarret Anderson-Dolan had some good moments. Forwards Alex Iafallo (13 goals, 30 points), Adrian Kempe (14 goals, 29 points) and Trevor Moore (10 goals, 23 points), and defensemen Matt Roy and Sean Walker appear to be forming a mid-level group between the kids and the veterans.

Young forwards Arthur Kaliyev and Akil Thomas got useful experience in the .

“We’re further ahead this year in understanding where some of the certain holes may be and we’re a year farther on the progression of some of the players, so we understand that better,” Blake said.

Also of note, goaltender Cal Petersen (2.89 goals-against average, .911 save percentage) established himself as the heir to Quick. Incidentally, Quick — who was idled by a rib injury late in the season — is scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery Wednesday to repair the effects of wear and tear. 1188535 Los Angeles Kings It didn’t necessarily matter though, as the Kings regressed to just six total power-play goals in the second half of the season. That, obviously, would have ranked last over the course of a full 56-game schedule.

Exit Interviews – Head Coach Todd McLellan Regardless, though, the PP was a step forward – Off the heels of that early dominance, the Kings rose nearly two percentage points in total, moving from 17.1% in 2019-20 to 18.9% this past season.

By Zach Dooley “Power play was, in my opinion, the tale of two seasons. Were we a top 4-5 power play, could we consistently stay there, realistically probably

not, but I do believe we were a top-10 power play. The fact that we gave Yesterday morning, Head Coach Todd McLellan spoke with the media for a lot of it back in the last third of the season was really disappointing.” the final time this season. McLellan confirmed in his interview that he and Negatives his coaching staff will be back in full next season, which would be Year 3 for McLellan with the organization. His returning was never in doubt, and Final Third it is good to get early confirmation regarding the staff. “The disappointing part was the final third of the season, I thought we McLellan had a lot to say throughout his 30-minute availability, found began to give things back there.” below – The Kings were obviously not the same team in the second half of the Positives season in many ways, specifically in the final third……56 games doesn’t breakdown equally into thirds, but the team went 6-11-1 in their final 18 Penalty Kill games, five games below .500, which is in stark contrast to the opening Special teams, overall, were a net gain for the Kings. In the positives only third, played two games above .500. column, however, we will focus on the penalty kill. 5-on-5 Scoring The penalty kill saw a vast improvement, rising by more than six The Kings scored just 95 5-on-5 goals this season, the third-fewest in the percentage points. NHL. They were one of just four teams not to reach triple digits. In the The Kings ranked seventh in the NHL this season on the PK, at 83.6%, first half of the season, when the power play was firing on all cylinders, and ranked even higher until a leaky end to the season. The 26 power- the lack of even-strength goals flew under the radar, masked by the play goals allowed by the Kings were tied for the fourth fewest across the successful man advantage. Had that continued, we might be writing a league. different article today. But when the power play dried up a brighter spotlight was shined on the team’s 5-on-5 offense, which was something Overall, a very strong season down a man. McLellan touched on after the season.

“I think the penalty kill was a significant improvement from last year. We “I think some of the youthful players coming in have to accept were more defined in what our roles were, we understood personnel and responsibility coming in with how to check, understand the importance of how we wanted to use them. Mikey Anderson, Toby Bjornfot took on that. Overall, as a team, we’re going to have to find a way to generate huge roles in that situation, Olli Maatta came in and helped there, so the more offense, 5-on-5, than we’re getting.” penalty kill was a significant improvement from last year.” So What Changed? Integrating Younger Players – At the one-third mark, the Kings sat two games above .500. At the The integration of younger players into the lineup, and in prominent roles, halfway point, the Kings sat two games above .500. is much more positive than negative. The Kings saw four rookies carve out regular roles in the lineup for themselves, while other younger For one thing, the schedule. The Kings had more than one day in players, though not technically rookies, played significant games as well. between games four times during the months of March, April and May, and two of those breaks came because of COVID-related or travel- On the backend, McLellan singled out Mikey Anderson and Tobias related issues, meaning that practice time was impacted. Regular team Bjornfot several times throughout his availability as positives from the practices were much more normal in the first half of the season, giving a season. Anderson stepped onto the team’s first pairing and didn’t look young team, with players that need to work through mistakes, more time out of place, while Bjornfot was successful on the second pairing, to work on it in a practice setting. alongside Matt Roy. McLellan clarified that this was obviously not unique to the Kings, but it “I think the introduction of younger players into prominent roles, it wasn’t was something that came into play down the stretch. forced on them, they were somewhat ready for most of it, especially on the blueline. Both Toby and Mikey Anderson took on significant minutes “In talking to coaches around the league, that’s the first thing that often and we’re happy with that.” came out of their mouths, is that we just don’t get any time to practice. Certainly, in the second half of the season, as we were affected by not Up front, the Kings iced a very young group of centers behind Anze necessarily our COVID issues but other teams, and had reschedulings, Kopitar. the games just kept coming and kept coming. We had players that had a few more miles on them that we had to be concerned about, but we also With a combination of Gabriel Vilardi, Blake Lizotte, Jaret Anderson- had a large group that needed some practice time. A lot of time, our team Dolan, Quinton Byfield and Rasmus Kupari making up the numbers 2, 3 was divided down the stretch. We tried to get in as much as we could and 4 center positions on most nights, there was a lot of youth down the while conserving energy, but I think our group improved via practice more middle once you worked past #11 on the depth chart. A good experience than video, more than verbal instruction. Once they got to take reps, feel as those players cut their teeth in new roles. it and go through it, I think they understood it better. Is that the way “On a regular basis, we had a very young center-ice core and they got to young players are learning? I don’t know, but I certainly thought we could experience a lot of really good things throughout the year, and also some clean things up quicker at the beginning of the year than the end of the down times. At least they gained that experience. We have a lot of year when practice time was significantly different.” prospects now that have a year under their belt, whether it’s in the – After Game 56, McLellan talked about a belief system eroding at times American League or the .” down the stretch. He clarified what he meant there in yesterday’s exit Ups & Downs interview.

Power Play “I think we can get that back rather quickly. We didn’t stay with it long enough. Earlier in the year, we’d get down one or two goals and we’d The power play was a tale of two seasons. stay in it. I think [in the final third of the season] when we got down one or Over the first half of the season, the Kings scored 26 power-play goals two goals, we didn’t believe enough that we could push and stand and from 28 games played. That pace, over the course of the full season, create problems for other teams.” would have ranked tied for fourth in the NHL, despite the Kings ranking seventh to last in power-play opportunities. Kings games in the first half of the season always felt like they had reassurance that we’re doing the right things and I think that teams, comeback potential, regardless of which team was ahead. Multiple leads especially in the first half, two thirds, they had to bring their “A-Game” to were overturned, both by and against the Kings. beat us. We’re a difficult team to play against when we’re playing well, we can check our way to wins, we get good goaltending and our special In the second half, that was less so. McLellan pointed to the quality of teams should be good. Is our identity as clear as what Colorado’s would opponent, in playing a lot of games against Colorado and Vegas, as well be, as far as speed and attack? We’re not there yet, we’re still evolving, as the confidence in the power play eroding over time, as possible but we’re working towards all of that. reasons for that. Something that he says he and the staff are looking into, and believe that it should return next season. That concludes Exit Interviews for 2021.

– One theory proposed by defenseman Drew Doughty last week was that In the comings days and weeks, we’ll have plenty more to come on LAKI, things changed for the Kings when Jeff Carter was traded to Pittsburgh. including player seasons in review, coverage of the World Championships, Reign, a look ahead at the NHL draft and more. Rob Blake refuted that notion, to an extent, pointing out that the team’s As always, Insiders, thank you for reading and commenting. record on either side of the Carter deal was nearly identical, with McLellan expressing similar notions.

“Our win-loss record prior to Carts going was not significantly different LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 05.20.2021 than our win-loss record after Carts went. That’s a simple statistic that you can just layout there. Carts was an important guy in the locker room, a lot of guys looked up to him, but it doesn’t excuse the approach that our group took down the last third. I think that we could have overcome that better than we did and we didn’t do a good enough job.”

That’s not to say that the trade didn’t impact the team’s mentality in some ways, it’s not to say that it didn’t play a role. Doughty is a straight shooter, and his words carry weight. Perhaps the impact was more in terms of mentality and approach, something that, as he said, McLellan believes the team could have done more with.

Odds & Ends

– McLellan said that while he was unsure if the group, as assembled, could have ultimately gotten that fourth playoff spot, he felt that they should have stayed in the fight a bit longer than they did. For all intents and purposes, the Kings were eliminated before the calendar flipped into May.

“That will certainly be one of our goals, is to push as deep as we possibly can next year, to challenge. We were there for a while and then we fell out. That’s not acceptable. I think we had a team that could have stayed in the fight a little bit longer, I’m not sure that we would have gotten it eventually, but next year we’ll have to push further.”

– When asked about the comments of Kopitar and Doughty, regarding the summer ahead, McLellan took a different approach.

He believes that while there has been a lot of NHL players who have left the organization, he actually believes that the talent coming in has been greater than what left, it just hasn’t come into fruition yet at the NHL level.

“I’ve seen a lot of talent come in the door here, we just haven’t seen the fruits of the labor yet. The easy part is the talent going out the door, but the organization dictates the pace of that when they want to do it, and the decision made to do it was a part of a plan and it was the right thing to do. Timelines, timeframes in deals, deadlines, that’s the easy part. Yes, very good players left, championship players left. The players that were acquired, the picks, the talent that was acquired should inevitably be greater than the pieces that went out. It’s the in-between time, the waiting and where we’re at right now is we’re waiting for players to evolve and develop and we can’t rush that. As much as we would like to wave a magic wand and make a Gabe, JAD, Byfield into a Nathan MacKinnon or an Anze Kopitar, it doesn’t happen that way. It takes time. Their evolution into becoming dominant players will be dictated by how much we can help them and their growth as an individual…I think that the talent that has come into the organization is greater than the talent that has gone, we just don’t know that yet, but that is my belief.”

– McLellan was also asked about the team’s identity. The answer was, to summarize, a work in progress.

“I think we’re still evolving there. We’re trying to take young prospects and hone their game for an NHL game. There’s a young group that’s coming in, based off of their offensive talents, which is great because we need it. We should evolve into a better offensive team over time, but we can’t give up the defensive side. I think, especially early in the year, I talked to coaches around the league, we were a frustrating team to play against because we checked well, we didn’t give up much through the neutral zone and offensively, we were challenged to press, our power play was very dangerous, our penalty kill was good, so they wanted to win the special teams area of the game, I know that for sure. We were getting some really good goaltending early and they felt our goalies could steal us games. A lot of those comments give us a good sense of 1188536 Minnesota Wild "Our opportunities are there," Evason said. "We just have to stay the course and keep believing that if we continually get those opportunities and we continually get to the net, maybe we'll get some bounces, get some breaks and some goals will go in." Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury has been hard to beat for Wild Star Tribune LOADED: 05.20.2021 The three-time Stanley Cup champion has stopped 63 of 65 shots in two playoff games.

By Sarah McLellan Star Tribune MAY 19, 2021 — 11:42PM

Neither the Wild nor the Golden Knights has been left in the dust two games into the playoffs, and that's just fine with the Wild.

"This type of hockey suits us well," defenseman Ryan Suter said. "We're comfortable playing in those tight games, getting pucks deep and playing that low, grind-it-out style."

But after scoring just twice in Vegas to split the start of the series, the Wild returns home for Game 3 Thursday at Xcel Energy Center looking to uncork enough goals to conquer the gridlock.

"It's the playoffs," veteran Nick Bonino said. "I'm not surprised it's low- scoring. That being said, we're going to need to score more than one a night to beat this team in a seven-game series."

Standing in the way of the Wild's offense is Vegas goaltender Marc- Andre Fleury.

A three-time Stanley Cup champion and future Hall of Famer, Fleury has been the best player on the ice in the series, stopping 63 of 65 shots for an exceptional 0.98 goals-against average and .969 save percentage. A carom off a teammate's skate and point shot that he was screened on are the only two pucks to get behind Fleury, who has been especially locked-in on the more challenging attempts by the Wild.

During his team's 3-1 win in Game 2, Fleury faced 12 high-danger shots and snuffed out all 12.

"I can give you some cliches about making it harder for him to see and getting the rebounds up, but we're having some pretty good Grade A's here," said Bonino, who's familiar with Fleury's effectiveness since both won back-to-back Cups with Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017. "We're making him move side to side. We've had a lot of 1-on-1 chances with him, and he's made some big saves.

"So, as the series goes on, hopefully those go in for us."

No one's gone head-to-head vs. Fleury more than Kevin Fiala, with the winger boasting a series-high 10 shots, including eight from the hash marks in. But Fiala, like many on the Wild, is still searching for his first goal of the playoffs.

"Frustrated, for sure, that nothing went in," Fiala said after Game 2. "But it's one game, and I'm comfortable that my shots are going to go in eventually. Just keep pushing, keep pushing, and I feel comfortable for the whole team that we are going to score goals. So I don't think we have to change anything."

Since the quality and number of chances aren't the issue, the disconnect comes down to execution, and that's where the Wild's leading goal scorer, Kirill Kaprizov, can help.

Although the Golden Knights have kept the high-flying rookie in check, perhaps a change of scenery kick-starts Kaprizov. Not only does he now have two games of playoff experience to draw on, but the Wild will have last change at Xcel Energy Center, an opportunity to have more input in the matchups and potentially put Kaprizov and his line with Mats Zuccarello and Ryan Hartman in more favorable positions.

"They're paying special attention to him, whoever's up against him," coach Dean Evason said. "But clearly people around him are getting opportunities, and we're happy with the chances we're getting. Cleary, we have to bury some of them. The way that 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."

Whether it's Kaprizov, Fiala, another line or the defense, the Wild needs someone to ignite the offense.

No matter how stingy the team is in its own zone, the Wild won't be able to outlast Vegas if it doesn't capitalize at the other end. 1188537 Minnesota Wild "All of them will be prepared, Boldy included, if needed," Evason said. Knights battle injuries

Vegas coach Peter DeBoer said forward Max Pacioretty, whose 24 goals Matt Dumba promises Wild will be 'different beast' at home led the Golden Knights in the regular season, remains a game-time The defenseman bristles at being labeled underdogs to the Golden decision because of an undisclosed injury. Pacioretty missed Games 1 Knights. and 2.

Vegas left winger Tomas Nosek played only 1:13 in the first period before leaving because of injury. DeBoer had no update for Nosek. By Randy Johnson Star Tribune MAY 19, 2021 — 11:44PM Star Tribune LOADED: 05.20.2021

On Tuesday night, the Wild lost 3-1 to the Vegas Golden Knights but still left T-Mobile Arena with a split of the first two games of the West Division first-round playoff series.

Afterward, Matt Dumba was asked if the Wild had proved it can compete with the Golden Knights, a team that has five playoff series triumphs and a Stanley Cup Final appearance to its credit since its inaugural season in 2017-18.

The defenseman quickly had a counter. "We're not proving anything to ourselves," Dumba said. "We know the level that we can play at. It's more you guys, the media, putting us as underdogs. You're going to see a totally different team at home. We're a different beast."

Game 3 shifts the series to Xcel Energy Center on Thursday night, and it was Dumba who did seemingly everything possible in an attempt to swing Tuesday's game the Wild's way. A spirited first period by Minnesota saw Dumba collect four of his game-high eight blocked shots. In the second period, he fired a shot from the point past Marc-Andre Fleury, giving Minnesota a 1-0 lead against the stingy goalie. And in the third, his slapshot with 1:51 to play was the last, best chance for the Wild to tie the score.

The all-around effort from Dumba, which followed a Game 1 in which he twice was whistled for penalties, drew praise from his coach.

"Just his will," Dean Evason said when asked what impressed him. "When Matt simplifies his game, he's got such tremendous ability — skating, shooting, offensive instincts. When he's really playing north — going forward, moving the puck, moving his legs, getting up the ice — that's when he's effective."

Dumba also was effective using his body to knock down the Golden Knights' shots. In two games, he has nine of the Wild's 49 blocked shots.

"It just so happened that the plays were breaking like that and I was getting in front of shots," Dumba said. "Any of my teammates would have done the same."

Seeing Dumba sacrifice his body to stop pucks is something that can boost a team's morale, Evason said: "When shots are blocked, it's a lift for your bench, no question. When guys are paying the price, it's team- first mentality. It shows you're doing everything it takes to keep the puck out of the net. Matt's been no different."

Examining the lineup

Evason wouldn't say if he had any plans to change the team's lineup for Game 3.

"We chatted last night with [General Manager] Billy [Guerin] and the staff, and we went over the tape this morning," Evason said. "We'll get a chance to chat on the plane going back. We'll evaluate. It's no different than any other game throughout the season."

Winger Zach Parise, the team's all-time leading playoff scorer, was a healthy scratch for the two games in Las Vegas.

Black Aces selected

With the season over for Iowa of the AHL, the Wild recalled six players — including 2019 first-round draft pick Matt Boldy — as "Black Aces" to join the team for the playoffs. They will practice with the taxi squad and could be called on to play, if needed.

Boldy, 20, was effective in 14 games played for Iowa, collecting six goals and 12 assists after signing when Boston College's season ended in the NCAA tournament. The others called up from Iowa are forwards Connor Dewar and Brandon Duhaime, defensemen Calen Addison and Louie Belpedio and goalie Hunter Jones. Iowa coach Tim Army will be with the Wild, too. 1188538 Minnesota Wild The Facebook group started with the hope that Kaprizov would gain insight into the Russian community in the Twin Cities. In 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that 15,000 Minnesotans speak Russian, though Madan and Berdichevski believe the number is considerably An ode to Kirill Kaprizov, from his Russian countrymen higher, possibly as many as 50,000. They say the metro offers authentic Russian grocery markets and restaurants and concerts.

Not long after Kaprizov registered his first career hat trick on March 12, Chip Scoggins about 40 members of the Kirill Crew celebrated at an outdoor rink. They brought signs congratulating him, tossed their hats into the air and took pictures. They arrived at the bar decked out in their No. 97 retro jerseys. One fan got his as a birthday present a few weeks ago, and what better way to Member Max Vinogradov, a professional graphic designer, made a break it in than at a meetup for Game 2 of the Wild's playoff series poster of the festivities, which was delivered to the Wild. Team against Vegas. employees gave the gift to Kaprizov so that he is aware of the group.

The 9 p.m. puck drop on a work night was less than ideal, but the group The cool part is that their children have become hockey fans after of friends waited patiently through pandemic restrictions for this moment. showing no interest before Kaprizov's arrival. Madan took his kids to a A chance to get together, have some beers, enjoy one another's game recently and found a spot along the glass for warmups. They made company and cheer on their favorite Wild player, rookie sensation Kirill signs in Russian that they held up. Kaprizov spotted them, smiled and Kaprizov. waved.

Technically, they are a Wild fan group. They love the team. But they Imagine their reaction. LOVE their fellow countryman. "Ecstatic," Dad said. "I told my buddies, until this guy comes over here, we have no shot at Tuesday's Game 2 outing was adults-only. A dozen members met at Stanley Cup," said Iliya Berdichevski, one of the group's organizers. Cowboy Jack's in Plymouth to watch on a big screen. "Once he comes here and you give us a couple of years, we will be legitimate contenders. Now I look like a genius. I say, 'See, I told you.'" They cheered whenever Kaprizov got the puck, roared when Matt Dumba scored in the second period, then groaned when Vegas scored 18 They have a special rooting interest in Kaprizov's success. Their seconds later. Facebook page is called "Russian Speaking MN Wild Fans." They have about 160 members and are looking to grow. The night ended on a downer. The Wild lost and Kaprizov watched the ending from the penalty box after a tripping call in the final minute. Berdichevski and friend Andrey Madan founded the group to connect Russians but also to show Kaprizov that Minnesota is home to a large It was near midnight when the group headed to their cars. They Russian community. They hope to make him feel comfortable and exchanged hugs outside. They already were talking about Game 3 back welcomed as a 24-year-old who speaks little English living in a new home. place. Star Tribune LOADED: 05.20.2021 "We really wanted to help him," Madan said. "We want him to stay in Minnesota. When I came to the United States, I wish I had a Russian community to kind of help me out. It's helpful to know somebody."

Both Madan and Berdichevski grew up in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk, a sister city to Minneapolis, though they didn't meet until about eight years ago. Neither was a hockey fan before arriving in the United States for college.

Madan, 42, earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science at Purdue. Berdichevski, 44, earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in business at St. Thomas. Each decided to make the Twin Cities their home.

A friend gave Berdichevski a ticket to the Wild's 2005 season opener. He was mesmerized watching Marian Gaborik and became a season-ticket holder.

"It was my No. 1 sport ever since," he said. "I fell in love."

Same reaction from Madan after attending his first Wild game five years ago.

"It was eye-opening for me," he said. "I was hooked."

Kirill's much-anticipated arrival has given them a stronger connection to the team. He is their guy, and they feel pride in seeing the Russian phenom perform magic tricks on the ice. They love the way Minnesotans have embraced the new star.

Madan stopped at a restaurant on his way home to watch the first period of a recent game. Two guys seated at opposite ends of the bar were wearing Kaprizov jerseys. Madan beamed.

Wearing his Wild clothing often leads to conversations in public places with strangers about the team or Kaprizov, which gives him a chance to talk about his native country.

"It sheds a lot of light into Russian American relationships," Madan said. "Russians are not evil people. They're actually kind of cool. I like that."

Berdichevski knows a few Wild officials through business dealings. He made sure they knew how to pronounce Kaprizov's name properly. He even offered to serve as Kaprizov's host family and open his basement to the rookie, but he had already settled in an apartment in Minneapolis. 1188539 Minnesota Wild

For Wild, former top prospect Alex Tuch is the one that got away

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: May 19, 2021 at 5:06 p.m. | UPDATED: May 19, 2021 at 5:26 p.m.

Alex Tuch is a foundational piece of the Vegas Golden Knights, a 25- year-old skating savant on the precipice of his prime. He proved as much Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena, taking over Game 2 of this first-round playoff series down the stretch and leading the Golden Knights to a 3-1 victory over the Wild.

It’s sweet redemption for Tuch against his former team.

Remember, the Wild selected Tuch with the No. 18 overall pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, and many viewed him as building block for the Minnesota franchise. Instead, a long-distance relationship that spanned Tuch’s college days at Boston College ended with an abrupt breakup on June 21, 2017.

That’s when former Wild general manager decided to trade Tuch to the expansion Golden Knights as part of an agreement designed to preserve depth on the Wild blue line. Essentially, the Wild gifted the Golden Knights a top prospect in Tuch under the guise that they would select Erik Haula in the expansion draft, rather than someone like, say, Matt Dumba or .

Though it seemed like a good idea in theory, it turned out to be a severe misstep in reality. Not only has Tuch turned out to be the legitimate power forward everyone thought he could be, the 6-foot-4, 220-pound winger consistently has risen to the occasion against the Wild.

“He’s got speed, size, grit, and he gets to the net,” Wild coach Dean Evason said. “He’s a real good player. He’s certainly somebody that we have to pay attention to when he’s on the ice.”

That’s something the Wild struggled to do Tuesday.

After being promoted in the lineup midway through Game 1 of this series, Tuch started Game 2 on the top line alongside Chandler Stephenson and opposite Mark Stone. He used his massive frame and unmatched speed to dominate for prolonged stretches — and he finally got rewarded midway through the game with the go-ahead goal.

A few minutes after Jonathan Marchessault scored the first goal of the series for the Golden Knights, Tuch followed it up with a greasy goal on the doorstep that proved to be the game-winner. He crashed the net and Mattias Janmark found him with a pass in close.

“I had a feeling that he was maybe going to make that quick play,” Tuch said. “He took a quick peek over his shoulder, and as soon as he did that, I just tried to get my stick into position. He was able to put in right on my stick. Just a phenomenal play. I really had half the net to shoot at, so as long as I didn’t put it back short side, it was going in.”

As if that wasn’t already a big enough blow to his former team, Tuch rubbed salt in the wound down the stretch when he added an insurance goal from a similar spot near the crease.

“He’s such a dynamic skater, and when he’s using that size and that speed and getting to those tough areas of the rink, he’s a really hard guy to handle,” Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer said. “He’s consistently been doing that, and when he does, he gets rewarded.”

In a parallel universe, Tuch is doing those things for the Wild. In this universe, however, Tuch is the one that got away.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188540 Minnesota Wild “It’s a seven-game series,” he said. “You’ve got to build in every category. Everything piles up. Just going to keep with that. If we’re going to play like we did at the start of the game, we’re going to be fine.”

Wild’s Matt Dumba hosts block party as team’s resident hype man Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.20.2021

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: May 19, 2021 at 1:42 p.m. | UPDATED: May 19, 2021 at 3:51 p.m.

Matt Dumba is without a doubt the biggest hype man on the Wild roster.

If the team needs a spark before a game, Dumba is usually the guy running around trying to get everyone pumped up. If a teammate scores a big goal, Dumba is usually right in the middle of the celebration. If that’s not enough, Dumba is also the architect of the pregame playlist of music that blares over the loudspeakers at Xcel Energy Center, as well as the postgame playlist that echos throughout locker room after each win.

Even better, the 26-year-old defenseman is also capable of getting his team going with his play on the ice. He boasts the hardest shot on the team, and on Tuesday night at T-Mobile Arena, he proved he is more than willing to sacrifice his body to help the team.

Though the Wild lost 3-1 to the Golden Knights in Las Vegas in Game 2 of their first-round series, it wasn’t for a lack of effort on Dumba’s part. He scored the only goal of the game for the Wild and set a franchise playoff record with eight blocked shots.

“We were joking about it on the bench that he was going to have a record night,” fellow defenseman Ryan Suter said. “He played great. Our guys are sacrificing. That’s what it takes.”

Dumba downplayed his record-breaking performance. “Just so happened the plays are breaking down like that and I’m getting in front of those shots,” he said. “Any one of my teammates would have done the same.”

That’s true. After recording 23 blocked shots in Game 1, the Wild increased that output to 26 in Game 2. Coach Dean Evason constantly preached the importance of blocked shots throughout the regular season, but his players have taken it to another level with the arrival of the playoffs.

“To ask the guys to be diving and sticking their noses in front of a puck in Game 35, some guys do, some guys don’t,” Evason said. “Everyone does at this time of the year. I don’t think any coach has to harp on it. It’s the desperation and commitment that they have in the games and to each other.”

No player exemplified that more than Dumba in Game 2. He singlehandedly saved a couple of goals Tuesday by diving in front of goaltender Cam Talbot, with his most gutsy effort coming when he put his face in harm’s way to absorb a shot from Golden Knights winger Mattias Janmark.

“He’s as gritty as any player that plays,” Evason said. “He’s going to do all the right things, whether it’s sticking his nose in there, being physical or blocking shots. He’s done it all year. We don’t expect anything different here.”

Because he’s so talented on the offensive end, Dumba’s commitment on defense sometimes goes unnoticed by outsiders. But it’s definitely there. He’s got the bruises to prove it.

Maybe the most impressive thing about Dumba’s blocked shots was the consistency with which he managed to get into shooting lanes. There’s no handbook on how to properly block a shot. It’s not something teams practice.

It raises the question: How does someone get better at blocking shots?

“To be honest, I think doing it repetitively in a game is the best way to do it,” said veteran defenseman Ian Cole, who ranked third on the Wild with 92 blocked shots in the regular season. “It’s an instance of desperation. It’s a desperate play. You don’t try to rely on blocked shots. It’s just something we have to do in certain situations. We just try to get it done as best we can.”

Though the Wild did not get the win Tuesday, Dumba thinks the effort blocking shots could carry over to Game 3 on Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center. 1188541 Minnesota Wild

Top Wild prospect Matt Boldy highlights Black Aces coming to St. Paul

By DANE MIZUTANI | PUBLISHED: May 19, 2021 at 1:07 p.m. | UPDATED: May 19, 2021 at 1:07 p.m.

Top Wild prospect Matt Boldy has been called up for the playoff run.

Will he actually get into a game? That remains to be seen.

The 20-year-old Boldy was the biggest name among the Black Aces called up by the Wild on Wednesday morning. That group recently wrapped up its season with Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League. Others called up are defensemen Calen Addison and Louie Belpedio; wingers Connor Dewar and Brandon Duhaime, and goaltender Hunter Jones.

Logistically, the Black Aces will join the existing members of the taxi squad, giving the Wild a long list of extra players who can fill in at a moment’s notice. They will practice independent of the lineup regulars.

Asked if Boldy could potentially make his NHL debut at some point in the first round, Wild coach Dean Evason replied, “We need everybody to be ready. He’s no different.”

Though that doesn’t offer much clarity, Boldy looks like a player who could provide a spark if necessary. After officially signing his entry-level contract on March 30, the 6-foot-2, 195-pound winger had 18 points (6 goals, 12 assists) in 14 games in the minors.

“We aren’t afraid to make decisions and put people in if they warrant to play,” Evason said. “We’ll communicate and hopefully make the right decisions.”

WHAT IS A BLACK ACE?

This term Black Aces gets casually thrown around during the NHL playoffs and refers to a group of extra players — usually top prospects — who get added to a team’s roster during the playoff run.

A team is allowed to add as many Black Aces as it wants since there are no salary cap limitations in the playoffs. Typically, the Black Aces are players who get called up after a team’s minor-league affiliate gets eliminated from the playoffs.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188542 Minnesota Wild shooting, but Johansson wasn’t doing much to turn play around with the lowest rate of takeaways for any of the regular forwards.

His underlying numbers at five-on-five were some of the weakest on the Russo: Kevin Fiala, Kirill Kaprizov need help as Wild take control of last team. The Wild generated just 46 percent of shots with him deployed, change in Minnesota and he was down at a 43 percent expected goals rate, according to Evolving-Hockey.com. Relative to his teammates, he had one of the worst impacts on quality chances on both ends of the ice, too.

By Michael Russo May 19, 2021 Just check out this heat map from HockeyViz. The red shows where offense is created, the blue shows where they aren’t generating shots.

The Wild were a below-average team at generating offense during the If we’ve learned anything about Minnesota coach Dean Evason by now, regular season, but they were a lot worse with Johansson on the ice – don’t expect him to react to one loss by blowing up his forward lines. And their offensive creation in terms of expected goals was 25 percent certainly don’t expect him to do what many Wild fans and some so-called weaker than league average when he was deployed. The Wild get a lot experts think should happen and scratch Marcus Johansson in Game 3 of their goals from the net-front, but that was simply missing when for Zach Parise or Matt Boldy. Johansson was on the ice.

The chance of Boldy making his NHL debut Thursday night is minuscule What’s more, Fiala had some of the best impacts on the team’s ability to after being recalled for the first time Wednesday with five other Black generate offense, but there was a vast difference when he was playing Aces, and if Parise – the Wild’s all-time leading playoff scorer – does with Johansson. The below heat maps show that difference; there’s a ton draw in, you just know it’d be for fourth-liners Nick Bjugstad or Nico of shots (red) in the scoring areas when Fiala isn’t with Johansson at Sturm. five-on-five, but when they were together, the team generated fewer scoring chances. The Wild have generated more than enough bona fide scoring chances to have more than two goals in the series, and the Wild coach wants the In Tuesday’s game, it almost felt like Fiala was a single-man show as he team to “stay the course” in order to finally get past the so-far dynamite worked and worked to create offense. Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury. Fiala needs help, as does Kaprizov. Playing at home, where the Wild were 19-2-2 in their past 23 and scored “They’re paying special attention to him, whoever’s up against him,” the second-most goals in the NHL (101), should help. Evason said of Kaprizov. “But clearly people around him are getting After all, Kirill Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala have been held to no points in opportunities, and we’re happy with the chances we’re getting. Cleary, two games despite some high-danger chances. we have to bury some of them. The way that he’s playing the game and how he’s playing the game in all three zones is real good. He just has to Kaprizov, enveloped by the Golden Knights, has gotten five shots off. He stay the course like we do and believe that we’ll all break through.” was robbed by Fleury blocker-side in Game 1, plus Kaprizov teed up some teammates that have yet to finish. And as far as Fiala, he was In Games 1 and 2 with Vegas having last change at home, Kaprizov and motoring in Game 2 trying to be the difference-maker every shift. He had linemates Ryan Hartman and Mats Zuccarello saw a healthy dose of eight shots on goal but watched astonishingly and frustratingly as Fleury defense pair Shea Theodore and Brayden McNabb. Coach Peter DeBoer kept committing larceny on all his Grade A’s. Fiala also hit Victor Rask didn’t go with a hard match with forwards against Kaprizov, but it was with a pass on a 2-on-1 in the third period, but Rask hit the crossbar on mostly Chandler Stephenson and William Karlsson’s lines. what could have been the tying goal. Being at home will better allow Evason to at least dictate the matchups Rask played a good game and worked his butt off, but the same can’t be he wants Kaprizov to face since the Wild will have last change. said for Johansson. The Theodore-McNabb pair played about 200 five-on-five minutes The good ole fashioned eye test and loads of analytics have proven that together during the regular season. With them deployed, the Golden for a while. Knights took about 61 percent of the expected goals share. What really stands out about the pair is how they suppress their opponents from It’s baffling that, despite what Johansson’s showing, Evason continues to generating much. They limited teams to creating just 1.65 expected goals give the forward the benefit of the doubt when the coach so often with them on the ice. That led Vegas’ defense pairs and was near the top preaches accountability and has shown no issue making examples out of of the league. players like Fiala and Parise when they give away pucks. “We obviously have our game plan, what we want to do as far as who we Johansson has no goals, one assist and 15 shots in the past 12 games like with different lines and different players and different pairs to play despite averaging 15 ½ minutes of ice time and largely playing alongside against the opposition, and playing against Vegas is definitely no the line driver that is Fiala. different,” Evason said. “We’ve played them (10) times, so we know what they’re trying to do. We know what we’re going to try to do. I’m sure they In Tuesday night’s 3-1 loss, Johansson continued his multiple-week trend have a book on us as well. of being soft on pucks, not moving his feet and carelessly turning pucks over. After a terrific play by Joel Eriksson Ek to get the puck deep to kill “We’ll see. It’s nice obviously to have that last change, there’s no off the rest of Ian Cole’s minor to preserve a 1-1 tie, it was Johansson question about that. We’ll try to get our matchups.” who turned right into Mattias Janmark’s forecheck for a turnover en route to Alex Tuch’s eventual second-period game-winning goal. The Wild have fallen below even at five-on-five with Kaprizov on the ice. They have only taken about 49 percent of both the shots and expected Eleven seconds after the giveaway, the puck was in Minnesota’s net after goals share while he’s been deployed. But Kaprizov, the Wild’s leading Johansson also lollygagged up the ice as Janmark sped all the way from scorer during the regular season and Calder Trophy frontrunner, has his own goal line to beyond the Wild’s goal line to reach the puck first and performed exceptionally at home all year, so we’ll likely see a pretty set up Tuch in the slot. Johansson wasn’t defending a soul when the motivated player as the series moves to St. Paul. puck entered the net. Same with Fiala, who’s doing his best not to get frustrated. Yet after the game, Evason said Johansson’s mistake was a rarity. “I’m comfortable that my shots are going to go in eventually,” said Fiala, Evason is given analytics reports often, so he must know this: When who wasn’t happy with his Game 1 and vowed to Evason that he’d be weighing Johansson’s ice time during the regular season, in all better in Game 2. situations, Johansson scored at a rate of 1.46 points per 60, which was the lowest of the Wild’s mainstay forwards. Parise, who had a tough year, So, could we see lineup changes Thursday? was just ahead with 1.72 points per 60. “We chatted (Tuesday) night with (GM) Billy (Guerin) and the staff, and Johansson didn’t shoot the puck at a high rate (8.89 attempts per 60) and we obviously went over the tape (Wednesday morning),” Evason said. didn’t create quality shots at a high rate either (0.48 individual expected “We’ll get a chance to chat on the plane on the way back. We’ll evaluate. goal for per 60; only Rask’s 0.4 per 60 ranked worse). Not only wasn’t he No different than any other game throughout the season, and after Game 1, we sit down, we evaluate the players positionally and our line combinations and our D pairs and all that stuff and hopefully make an intelligent decision going forward.”

And, as far as Boldy and the rest of the Black Aces, Evason said the recalled players – Boldy, Connor Dewar, Brandon Duhaime, Calden Addison, Louie Belpedio and Hunter Jones, will begin skating separately from the main group with taxi squad players Luke Johnson, Kyle Rau, Joseph Cramarossa, Dakota Mermis and Andrew Hammond. Iowa Wild coach Tim Army will run those sessions.

“I was fortunate to know that world in Nashville when I was up with Milwaukee’s group,” Evason said. “So, they’ll be prepared. All of them will be prepared, Boldy included, if needed. The year that Nashville went to the Cup, we used 18, 19 forwards, used every single forward that we had skating with us.

“We need everybody to be ready. He’s no different. We’re not afraid to make decisions obviously or put people in if they warrant to play. But again, we’ll make decisions, communicate and hopefully make the right ones.”

The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188543 Montreal Canadiens time of the year; the time you want to thrive. Those guys are excited to have that opportunity.”

Centre Matthews led the NHL in goals, with 41 in 52 games, while right- Leafs learned from last season's playoff failure, Jason Spezza says winger Marner, the line’s playmaker, added 20 goals and 67 points in 55 games. They were two of the top five producers in the league this "It motivated us throughout the summer and got us ready for this season. season, and provide Toronto with an offensive edge over the Canadiens. You learn from those experiences," veteran centre says. “Obviously we want to be a line that drives this team, goes out there and produces bot also plays a good two-way game,” Marner said. “I think we’ve done a great job of that all year. It’s going to be harder in the Herb Zurkowsky• Montreal Gazette playoffs.”

Meanwhile, defenceman Zach Bogosian is expected to return after It was early last August when Toronto did the improbable, rallying from a missing the last month with a shoulder injury. Bogosian won the Cup last three-goal deficit against Columbus, late in the third period, before season with Tampa Bay. winning in overtime to force a deciding game in the best-of-five qualifying Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.20.2021 round.

All the momentum appeared to be with the Maple Leafs, playing on home ice at — albeit with no spectators due to COVID-19 — before the team imploded two nights later, as it has on so many other post-season occasions, suffering a 3-0 shutout loss to the Blue Jackets.

Players change. Teams evolve and move on. But for those who returned to the Leafs, the questions remain and the sour taste lingers, even nine months later, as the club prepares for the start of its best-of-seven North Division semifinal series against the Canadiens, beginning Thursday night (7:30 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN Radio-690, 98.5 FM).

“For the guys who were a part of it, it should sting,” admitted veteran centre Jason Spezza. “It motivated us throughout the summer and got us ready for this season. You learn from those experiences and it helped motivate us to a certain point. Then, at one point, you kind of shake that and you become the team you are now.

“We’ve become our own team, a new team,” added Spezza, 37. “For the guys who were part of the bubble, that hurt and we expected bigger things from ourselves. And we learned from it.”

It remains to be determined what impact, if any, Spezza will have on this series. He scored 10 goals and 30 points in 54 games this season, so undoubtedly can still contribute. The veteran of nearly 1,200 career games, and with 351 goals on his resumé, has never won a Stanley Cup, although he reached the final in 2007 with Ottawa, which lost in five games to Anaheim.

But he, along with Joe Thornton, were brought to Toronto for a reason, their veteran leadership and experience so important at a time like this; their words of wisdom perhaps used as a barometer when adversity strikes, as it undoubtedly will. It’s why the Canadiens reached out for and , as well.

“As veterans, you can control the emotions of the series and impart that wisdom on your teammates,” Spezza said. “What you learn through experience is the intensity that needs to go into games early on. And the focus. And (to be able to) leave games behind and move forward.”

This also marks the second playoff series for Leafs coach . He might have galvanized Toronto when he replaced Mike Babcock behind the bench in November 2019. But, like Babcock, he was unable to erase the team’s infamous opening-round post-season failures.

Keefe, 40, might not be a grizzled NHL coaching veteran, but he’s certainly more experienced than Canadiens interim coach Dominique Ducharme.

“I’ve coached a lot of playoff series at different levels,” Keefe said. “The preparation, execution and things you do on the bench are the same, no matter the level. Dom would feel the same.

“The area I’ve grown the most is growing with the players; my relationship with them,” he added. “Having gone through that (Columbus) series and losing it makes you better. You make adjustments. You know how to push what you feel are the right buttons to have the team push through those situations.”

While both teams are expecting the series to be physical, Keefe also realizes his best players will need to excel for the Leafs to advance. This is the time of year when players make their reputations, and Toronto has two of the finest, in Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.

“That’s the next step we’re looking to take as a team,” Keefe said. “To get there, our best players have to be our best players. This is the hardest 1188544 Montreal Canadiens The other Canadiens defence pairings will have with Petry and Chiarot with .

“Any time you play with somebody new it takes a little adjustment,” Canadiens' Shea Weber is '100-per-cent ready' for Game 1 vs. Leafs Weber said. “But I think (Merrill) is a simple guy to play with. He keeps the game simple, he talks a lot and I don’t think there’s going to be any "Weby’s a beast," teammate says about Habs captain. "He’s issues.” a warrior and he’s going to do whatever it takes to win." Weber is now excited and anxious for the puck to drop Thursday night for Game 1.

Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette “There’s always nerves, especially going into the playoffs,” he said. “It’s the excitement and the enthusiasm. It’s no different than any year. It

seems like forever … I know even talking to the guys that haven’t played Captain Shea Weber says he is “100-per-cent ready to go” for Game 1 of in only a week it seems like forever for them. But it’s been a couple of the Canadiens’ first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple more weeks for me, so it’s definitely an itch and ready to go and get back Leafs. out there.”

Weber missed the last eight games of the regular season with an upper- Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.20.2021 body injury. Tony Marinaro of TSN 690 Radio, who has a history of being correct when it comes to reporting on Canadiens injuries, reported last Friday that Weber has ligament damage in his left thumb that will require surgery during the off-season.

Weber looked comfortable shooting the puck at practice Wednesday in Brossard and also took part in battle drills before the Canadiens headed to Toronto for Game 1 against the Maple Leafs Thursday night (7:30 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM).

“Weby’s a beast,” teammate Tyler Toffoli said about Weber after practice. “He’s a warrior and he’s going to do whatever it takes to win. I know he was like a little kid being able to start shooting and playing physical and we had a couple of battle drills for him today and he looked awesome.”

Weber said he’s thrilled to be back practising with his teammates.

“I think that skating by yourself for two weeks is not the greatest feeling out there,” the captain said. “So just being back out there with the guys, it is like a little kid. You love this game so much and you love being out there with your teammates and with the guys that you fought with all year. And now that we’re going into battle in the playoff series it’s even more exciting. I’m fortunate to be back in this situation and looking forward to it tomorrow.”

#Habs Weber’s first battle drill of the day. He looks a lot more like his normal self today. ⁦@TSN_Edge⁩ pic.twitter.com/x5MYR5xXpP

— John Lu (@JohnLuTSNMtl) May 19, 2021

Weber’s last game was on April 28, when the Canadiens lost 4-1 to the Maple Leafs at the Bell Centre. After Weber was shut down, head coach Dominique Ducharme said the captain had suffered the injury at the start of a Western Canada road trip that began with a 4-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on April 19. If the injury was suffered during that game it would mean Weber played five more games before being shut down. Weber had no points and was minus-5 in those five games.

“I think a lot of guys play through pain,” Weber said after practice Wednesday. “It is what it is. It’s part of our job. You ask guys — especially in this schedule this year — I don’t think there’s a lot of guys that were ever 100-per-cent healthy. Definitely bumps and bruises throughout the year. … I don’t think it’s anything special.”

Weber finished the season with 6-13-19 totals in 48 games and was minus-4 while averaging 22:42 of ice time. Jeff Petry was the only Canadiens player to average more ice time with 22:44.

Weber said the long break between games for him could end up being a positive now.

#Habs Weber: “Hey, folks, wanna’ see me hit some dingers?” @TSN_Edge pic.twitter.com/keNM43VQR9

— John Lu (@JohnLuTSNMtl) May 19, 2021

“Now that we’re in the playoffs and ready to go, for sure,” the 35-year-old said. “It wasn’t easy to have to sit out games, especially in a part of the season where we weren’t clinched in a playoff spot and there was still opportunity to climb in the standings. So it was definitely a tough situation, not something that I wanted to do. But it was definitely best for the situation and now going forward hopefully it helps my personal situation and ultimately the team’s going forward.”

After playing most of this season with as his defence partner, Weber will be with to start Game 1 against the Leafs. 1188545 Montreal Canadiens

Spotlight on Canadiens' veterans as trio of youngsters sits for Game 1

Eric Staal will be the centre on the fourth line between Corey Perry and Josh Anderson, while Jon Merrill will be paired with Shea Weber.

Pat Hickey Montreal Gazette

There’s something in the Canadiens’ organizational DNA about not trusting young players.

How else can you explain that the Canadiens will open their best-of- seven playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs Thursday (7:30 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM) with , and Alexander Romanov sitting in the Scotiabank Arena press gallery?

The Canadiens have decided to go the conservative route in putting together the lineup for Game 1. Head coach Dominique Ducharme said all four members of the coaching staff and general manager had input into the decision and they came up with the same 12 forwards and six defencemen.

“It was unanimous,” Ducharme said Wednesday after the Canadiens practised in Brossard prior to boarding a charter flight to Toronto.

Ducharme talked about the team’s depth and said he expected the youngsters to see action at some point in this series. There is an argument to be made that Romanov and Caufield can benefit from watching the first game from the sidelines. However, perhaps the focus shouldn’t be on the youngsters, but on the veterans who will be in the lineup.

Eric Staal will be the centre on the fourth line between Corey Perry and Josh Anderson, while Jon Merrill will be paired with Shea Weber as part of an attempt to balance the defensive pairs. Ben Chiarot, who has had success with Weber, will be alongside Brett Kulak, while Jeff Petry plays with Joel Edmundson.

Bergevin added Staal and Merrill to the roster in the latter stages of the season and, when a GM brings in a player, the expectation is that he will play and coaches react accordingly. Staal and Merrill have been given opportunities, but neither has provided a wow factor.

Staal has won more than 50 per cent of his faceoffs and that has been his major contribution. On a team crying for offence, he has produced two goals and one assist in 21 games and he has a minus-10 differential. He has yet to capitalize on his spot on the second power-play unit.

Kotkaniemi and Caufield offer more offensive firepower and some creativity on the power play. There was a lot of angst over Kotkaniemi’s “disappointing” season and, while he didn’t meet expectations after a strong performance in the playoff bubble last summer, it wasn’t that bad. His faceoff percentage is approaching 48 per cent, he finished on the right side of the plus/minus figures and he’s not afraid to play a physical game. At 20, he needs ice time in the playoffs to take the next step in his career.

Merrill arrived from Detroit with a reputation as a classic stay-at-home defenceman, but his play in Montreal has been underwhelming. He has no points in 13 games, which is not a major concern, but there should be concern that he has a minus-11 differential. Romanov, the highly touted young defenceman, was having a decent rookie season with a goal and five assists and he was a plus-1 on the season. It should be noted that he was a plus-8 until he was paired with Merrill.

Pairing Merrill and Weber doesn’t make a lot of sense unless the Canadiens are worried about Weber’s health after he missed the last two weeks of the regular season with a hand injury. Weber averages close to 23 minutes a game, while Merrill has played a shade over 14 minutes.

Weber didn’t seem to be hampered as he unleashed several slap shots at practice Wednesday and declared himself 100 per cent healthy, which means he should be with Chiarot in short order.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188546 Montreal Canadiens The fact the Canadiens struggle to score goals makes it surprising that Cole Caufield will be a healthy scratch for Game 1 against the Leafs.

Caufield is a natural goal-scorer and had four goals in 10 games with the Canadiens Notebook: Offence could be a big problem (again) for Habs Canadiens after getting called up from the AHL’s Laval Rocket. But Ducharme said it was a unanimous decision with himself, GM Marc The biggest question heading into first-round playoff series is how are the Bergevin, assistant coaches Luke Richardson and and Canadiens going to score enough goals to beat the Maple Leafs? director of goaltending Sean Burke all agreeing to leave Caufield out of the lineup, along with Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Alexander Romanov.

“Making those decisions, we’re four coaches, one GM and there’s one Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette thing that’s for sure — even before we started talking, we had all the same 12 forwards and the same six Ds before even talking about it,” Ducharme said. “I asked the guys what they thought and we all had the Publishing date:May 19, 2021 • 10 hours ago • 8 minute read • 8 same thing. It was unanimous that that was the way we’re going to start. Comments But, at the same time, we know that our depth as a team is a strength of ours and the guys that are not playing, we like them, especially the young Article content guys. We know that they’re going to come and be chipping in this year, Scoring goals has been a problem with the Canadiens for a long time. but also having really solid and great careers. We’re comfortable to put them in any time.” The last time the Canadiens had a player finish in the top 10 in NHL scoring was the 1985-86 season when Mats Naslund finished eighth with wasn't happy after letting in this goal during practice today. 43-67-110 totals. The Canadiens won the Stanley Cup that year. pic.twitter.com/ZK0ubxUX5V

The Toronto Maple Leafs had two players finish in the top 10 in NHL — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 19, 2021 scoring this season. Mitch Marner finished fourth with 20-47-67 totals and Price is fired up Auston Matthews was fifth with 41-25-66 totals. Tyler Toffoli led the Canadiens in scoring with 28-16-44 totals, ranking 48th in the NHL. Price got upset at practice Wednesday after allowing a soft goal, breaking his stick against the goalpost afterward with a baseball-type The Maple Leafs ranked sixth in the NHL in offence this season, scoring swing. an average of 3.32 goals per game, and ranked seventh in defence, allowing an average of 2.64. The Canadiens ranked 17th in offence, This was an inconsistent year for Price, who missed the last 13 games of scoring an average of 2.82 goals, and ranked 14th in defence, allowing the regular season with a concussion. He finished the season with a 12- an average of 2.95. 7-5 record, a 2.64 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage. Price is hoping to regain the form he had in the postseason last year The biggest question heading into the Canadiens’ first-round playoff when he had a 5-5 record with a 1.78 goals-against average and a .936 series against Toronto is how are they going to score enough goals to save percentage, including a four-game upset victory over the Pittsburgh beat the Maple Leafs? Game 1 is Thursday night in Toronto (7:30 p.m., Penguins in the qualifying round. CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, 98.5 FM). “I don’t think there’s any goalie in the league who’s played more STORY CONTINUES BELOW important games,” Toffoli said about Price. “I think there’s two, three This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. goalies in the playoffs right now who’ve played more games and bigger moments and I think Carey’s one of them. Everybody knows what he can Article content bring. He’s already bringing the intensity and everything, so I’m really The last two times the Canadiens were in the playoffs goalie Carey Price excited to see it and see our whole team in general and just get this thing was outstanding, but his teammates couldn’t score enough goals. Last going.” season, the Canadiens scored 13 goals in six games when they were Habs counting on Suzuki eliminated by the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round. The Canadiens scored five goals in each of their two victories against the Flyers, but One of the players the Canadiens will be counting on for offence is Nick were shut out in Games 3 and 4. In 2017, the Canadiens were eliminated Suzuki, who had 15-26-41 totals in 56 games during the regular season. by the New York Rangers in six games in the first round after scoring The 21-year-old centre finished the season strong with 7-7-14 totals in only 11 goals and getting shut out once. the last 11 games.

“If we look back at last year (in the playoffs), I think we had games that Suzuki will be on a line with Toffoli and for Game 1 against we were scoring five goals and other games that we were going dry,” the Leafs. Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme said after practice “Obviously, he’s young, but he has the potential to be elite and I’ve said it Wednesday in Brossard when asked how his team could score enough multiple times,” Toffoli said about Suzuki. “Everybody’s just really excited goals to beat the Leafs. “So I think our depth this year … our depth you to see him keep growing. So being able to play against Toronto in the can have offence coming from all four lines, our Ds can be chipping in. first round of the NHL playoffs, there’s no better chance to get your name So we’re confident that we’re going to be able to score enough goals to out there even more and prove yourself. So I’m excited for him, for win some games. So depending every night how many it has to be, but myself, for everybody in our locker room and we got to be ready to go we want to be good on both sides, and on the offensive side I think we tomorrow.” have the depth and talent to be scoring enough goals.” In a first-person story published last week on The Players’ Tribune The Canadiens (24-21-11) finished 18 points behind Toronto (35-14-7) in website, Toffoli talked about how much Suzuki impressed him with his the North Division standings and had a 3-6-1 record in 10 games against postseason performance last year, posting 4-3-7 totals in 10 games. the Maple Leafs. As a result, the Canadiens are big underdogs heading into this playoff series. “I didn’t get to see a whole lot of him while I was playing on the West Coast,” Toffoli said about Suzuki in the article. “But watching him against “Plenty of teams have won series being underdogs,” Toffoli said. “So if the Pens (in the qualifying round) … I was just like, Man, I want to play that’s what is being said, then who cares?” on this guy’s line one day.” Toffoli won the Stanley Cup with Los Angeles in 2014 after the Kings had Toffoli was asked Wednesday how The Players’ Tribune article came finished sixth in the Western Conference during the regular season with a about. 46-28-8 record. “The (PR) guys here just asked … they asked me if I wanted to do it,” he J-1. said. “Obviously, we were talking with them and it’s kind of a privilege Playoff eve.#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/S9ZwuYKsLv and one of those things … it’s a great article. They do a lot of good stuff. So I was really excited for it and it was fun kind of going back and telling — Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 19, 2021 some stories. Obviously, as you guys know, it’s kind of done well (online) What about Cole? and hopefully we can just back it and do what I said and win a Stanley — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) May 19, 2021 Cup here.” Leafs lines Had a great time putting this together @PlayersTribune https://t.co/hGOBLfeaB7 Here’s how the Maple Leafs’ forward lines and defence pairings looked at their practice Wednesday in Toronto: — Tyler Toffoli (@tytoff16) May 13, 2021 Hyman – Matthews – Marner The rookie coach Foligno – Tavares – Nylander While Ducharme is opting for experience over youth in his lineup, he is a rookie head coach entering his first playoff series. Mikheyev – Nash – Kerfoot

Ducharme took over as interim head coach when Claude Julien was fired Thornton – Spezza – Simmonds after the Canadiens got off to a 9-5-4 start. The Canadiens went 15-16-7 Rielly – Brodie with Ducharme in charge. Muzzin – Holl “I feel good,” Ducharme said on the eve of his first playoff game as an NHL head coach. “We’re ready. We did our homework and we’re ready Sandin – Bogosian for the exam. We studied, we prepared and we’re ready for the series to "We’re excited about the challenge ahead.” start. When you aren’t ready, you get nervous and you don’t know what to expect. We’re confident in our preparation. We’re ready for the games Practice Media Mashup | #LeafsForever to begin. pic.twitter.com/nVMT4VVNuY

“I liked the way our players responded,” Ducharme added about the — Toronto Maple Leafs (@MapleLeafs) May 19, 2021 week off the Canadiens had after the regular season ended to combine practice and rest. “We made the most of our four days on the ice. I liked The schedule our execution, the level of focus and the engagement. Our rhythm just Here’s the complete schedule for the Canadiens-Leafs first-round playoff kept on rising. We’re in a good spot. We’ll be ready for Game 1.” series: Toronto’s Sheldon Keefe, who took over from Mike Babcock midway Thursday, May 20, 7:30 p.m., at Toronto through last season, has only five games of postseason experience as an NHL head coach after the Maple Leafs were upset by the Columbus Saturday, May 22, 7 p.m., at Toronto Blue Jackets in the qualifying round last season. Monday, May 24, 7 p.m., at Montreal Old rivals Tuesday, May 25, time TBD, at Montreal The Canadiens’ Corey Perry and the Leafs’ Joe Thornton are longtime rivals, going back to their days in Anaheim and San Jose, respectively. Thursday, May 27, time TBD, at Toronto, if necessary

Perry played 14 seasons with the Ducks, starting in 2005-06. Thornton Saturday, May 29, time TBD, at Montreal, if necessary played 15 seasons with the Sharks, also starting in 2005-06 after being Monday, May 31, time TBD, at Toronto, if necessary traded from the Boston Bruins. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.20.2021 Perry, 36, and Thornton, 41, will meet again in this Canadiens-Leafs playoff series.

“He’s a competitor,” Perry said about Thornton. “He always raises his level in the playoffs and he plays hard and that’s how I know Joe. We’ve had some battles over the years …. 13, 14 years, whatever it was. They were fun, so it’s going to be fun.”

Perry posted 9-12-21 totals in 49 games with the Canadiens this season, while Thornton had 5-15-20 totals in 44 games with the Leafs.

Perry said he expects the series against the Leafs to be a hard-hitting affair. The Canadiens led the NHL in hits this season with 1,585 (an average of 28 per game), while the Leafs ranked 27th with 1,003 hits (an average of 18 per game).

Josh Anderson led the Canadiens with 139 hits, followed by Romanov with 138 and with 116. Jake Muzzin led the Leafs with 101 hits, followed by Justin Holl with 82 and Zach Hyman with 69.

Habs lines

Here’s how the Canadiens’ forward lines and defence pairings looked at practice Wednesday:

Tatar – Danault – Gallagher

Toffoli – Suzuki – Armia

Perry – Staal – Anderson

Byron – Evans – Lehkonen

Frolik – Kotkaniemi – Caufield

Edmundson – Petry

Merrill – Weber

Kulak – Chiarot

Romanov – Gustafsson/Ouellet

One more sleep #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/iAaSislO3P 1188547 Montreal Canadiens to learn. I almost exhausted myself caring about a lot of things that were out of my control and the emotions can drain you, and you have to be able to control your emotions in these tough situations and these tight games.” Stu Cowan: Young Canadiens won't gain experience if they don't play STORY CONTINUES BELOW Corey Perry, Eric Staal and all got a chance to play in the playoffs at a young age and learned valuable lessons. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.

Article content

Stu Cowan Montreal Gazette Gallagher said the teammate he learned that from was Daniel Brière.

“He seemed to be so calm in these situations and, when the game was on the line, he always seemed to score a big goal no matter how he was Tyler Toffoli believes Cole Caufield is a “special” player. playing that game,” Gallagher said. “He just seemed to control his emotions better than any other player on the ice. That was something “He’s got that it factor,” Toffoli said about his Canadiens teammate in a that I definitely had to learn. Year after year, you try to learn from those first-person story that was published last week on The Players’ Tribune experiences, for sure. But that’s probably the biggest lesson. I got a website. “I’ve only seen it in a few guys in the league. He’s got it.” pretty good taste of it that first year because it was obviously a very What Caufield doesn’t have is NHL playoff experience and he’s going to emotional series against Ottawa.” have to wait to get it. Caufield won’t be in the lineup when the Canadiens The next season, Gallagher had 4-7-11 totals in 17 games as the play the Maple Leafs in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Canadiens advanced to the Eastern Conference final before losing to the Thursday in Toronto (7:30 p.m., CBC, SN, TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio, New York Rangers. 98.5 FM). NHL playoff experience is important — but you can’t get it if you don’t Canadiens head coach Dominique Ducharme and GM Marc Bergevin are play. putting the emphasis on experience over youth, which is why Caufield, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Alexander Romanov will be spectators for Game Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.20.2021 1.

Of course, the only way to get NHL playoff experience is to actually play in a game.

The Canadiens’ Corey Perry still remembers his first NHL playoff experience as a 21-year-old with Anaheim in 2006 when the Ducks advanced to the Western Conference final before losing to the Edmonton Oilers. In 11 playoff games that year, Perry had 0-3-3 totals.

“It gets ramped up,” Perry said about the playoffs. “I believe we played Calgary my first year in Anaheim (in the first round) and I still remember François Beauchemin and Jarome Iginla dropping the gloves and it just went on from there. And if you watch the games now, everybody’s coming out, everybody’s skating, everybody’s hitting, everybody’s finishing their checks, they’re blocking shots. So the game just gets that much more competitive and a little bit quicker. It’s intense and you’ve got to battle for that space on the ice.

“I had some pretty good players to look up to in Scott Niedermayer, (Chris) Pronger, Jean-Sébastien Giguère, Rob Niedermayer, (Teemu) Selanne,” Perry added about his Ducks teammates. “Those are some pretty good names to take in and be a part of for the playoffs. So I got lucky that way and I’m just trying to share that experience here.”

In Perry’s second season in the NHL, he helped the Ducks win the Stanley Cup, posting 6-9-15 totals in 21 games.

The Canadiens’ Eric Staal still remembers his first NHL playoff experience as a 21-year-old with Carolina. Staal posted 9-19-28 totals in 25 games and helped the Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup.

“I think the No. 1 thing is stay with it,” Staal said about the biggest lesson he learned that year. “My first playoff run we lost both home games to Montreal (in the first round) and we came into Montreal in Game 3 down 0-2. So you have to stick with it and you have to believe in yourselves and believe in what you can accomplish as a group no matter what the circumstances are.

“There’s ups and downs, there’s going to be moments where you can’t believe that’s what happened and there’s going to be moments that you’re sure of everything,” Staal added. “It’s the ability to stay level, stay focused. I think for me as a young guy, it was watching those older players — those guys that have been around long enough and just seeing them go about their business every day meticulously and over and over and over.”

Brendan Gallagher remembers his first NHL playoff experience as a 21- year-old with the Canadiens in 2013 when he had 2-0-2 totals during a five-game, first-round loss to the .

“That was the playoff series when Lars (Eller) got hit,” Gallagher recalled. “There was blood everywhere. He was thankfully OK, but it was incredibly emotional. … I’m an emotional player, I have to use those things. But that was one of the things I went home that summer and had 1188548 Montreal Canadiens They also need defenceman Alexander Romanov to lay the body on the whiny skill-only Leafs forwards. To start Merrill and not Romanov defies all logic. That, too, will change.

What the Puck: Underdog Canadiens need to lay body to oust Maple The one guy who might not see any action is Jesperi Kotkaniemi. That Leafs decision is terrible for his development and I’m beginning to think his career with the Habs might be a lot shorter than any of us expected. But The Habs can beat the Toronto Maple Leafs but it won't be easy. They you make playoff lineup decisions to win, not to help develop young need to hammer them and work as a team. players.

Kotkaniemi looked lost this season and if I were him, I’d be thinking maybe this town isn’t the best place to kick-start a decent career. I Brendan Kelly Montreal Gazette recently suggested he was a disappointment and was nearly burned at the stake for the column, but it turns out Habs management agrees with me for once. It’s tough on the young centreman, but no one said the NHL The Canadiens can beat the Toronto Maple Leafs. was an easy place to work.

I’m not saying they will, but they can. That’s why this is an exciting So Habs in seven. Just so those 23 Sportsnet journalists who all moment for our team. What’s less clear is if this Leafs team can ever win predicted a Leafs victory can eat some crow. a playoff series. Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.20.2021 One of the problems with Habs fans is they’re always expecting a playoff miracle. They talk about 1971, 1986, 1993, 2010 and, inevitably, in the Habs’ lore the saviour is a goalie, usually a rookie. In ’71, it was a nerdy law-school kid named . In ’86, it was a funny looking young dude named , who also miraculously delivered 10 overtime victories in ’93. The most recent miracle man was a little older, but also an unexpected hero. That, of course, was the man of a thousand Stop signs in ’10, Jaroslav Halak.

My prediction is there will be no superhero between the pipes this year for the CH. Carey Price, coming off another bad season, has generally been good in the playoffs, but my read on Saint Carey is that he’s a shadow of his former self. My hunch is that we’ll probably see that masked man who used to live in N.D.G., , at some point in this series and he’ll do just fine.

The bigger goaltending story is at the other end of the ice. The other problem with Habs fans is they’re notorious navel-gazers, so most haven’t noticed that the heralded Leafs don’t actually have a goalie. What they have is journeyman netminder Jack Campbell, who has no NHL playoff experience — advantage Habs.

That is the only place where Montreal has the upper hand. You can say the Leafs’ D isn’t great but, on most nights in the past several weeks, the Canadiens’ blue-line corps has looked like one of the worst in the league. All you need to know is that one of the pairings going into game is Shea Weber and Jon Merrill. Merrill looks like he’s just discovered the game of hockey and my sources tell me Man Mountain is still far from 100 per cent recovered from his injury, which is reportedly torn ligaments in his left thumb.

Up front it isn’t even a contest. The Leaves have a few of the hottest hands in the NHL in Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander. They also added some much-needed experience and sandpaper in Wayne Simmonds, Jason Spezza and Joe Thornton.

The CH? They have . I know, that was playing to the cheap seats. But you get the idea. Tyler Toffoli was on a scoring tear all season, Josh Anderson is a dangerous power forward and that’s about it. “First liners” and Tomas Tatar had terrible seasons on the offensive front and Brendan Gallagher wasn’t quite his usual sparkplug self.

At this point, you might well be wondering why I said Montreal can beat Toronto. They can. On paper, the Habs are out in five, but paper is only a record of how they got where they are. There’s a reason they play the games on the ice.

Hockey is the ultimate team sport and the Habs can win this thing if they play as a team and every last man steps up in a big way. They need to hammer Matthews, Marner & Co. every time they touch the puck and Corey Perry has to do exactly what he did through the entire playoffs with the Dallas Stars last year — drive every Leaf nuts.

But they also need to score more goals than the Leafs and to do that they have to have Cole Caufield in the lineup. He’ll be there by Game 3 at the latest, but I can’t understand why he won’t dress in Game 1 on Thursday (7:30 p.m., SN, CBC, TVA Sports, TSN 690 radio, 98.5 FM). That’s the game Montreal needs to win, to instill doubt in the the Leafs, to make them start thinking — “Oh no, here we go again, losing in the first round.” 1188549 Montreal Canadiens

Montreal Mayor Plante makes friendly bet with Toronto's Tory over Habs- Leafs series

"I wouldn't get into a bet if I wasn't confident," she said.

Montreal Gazette Publishing date:May 19, 2021

When the puck drops at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday evening, the fate of the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs’ seasons won’t be the only thing at stake — there’ll also be a friendly mayor wager involving bragging rights (obviously) and also … sandwiches?

According to terms posted on Twitter by Toronto Mayor John Tory, one of the things the losing city’s mayor will have to fork over to their counterpart is some of their best food.

In Montreal’s case, Mayor Valérie Plante would be on the hook for some smoked meat sandwiches, which is a debatable choice but such are the perils of living in a city with a vibrant culinary scene; Toronto’s culinary contribution would be peameal bacon sandwiches.

Habs fans can only hope the best Toronto has to offer on the ice is as unimpressive as Tory’s submission for best food.

The losing mayor would also have to send over some of their city’s finest beer and fly the winning team’s flag at city hall.

Both mayors have also agreed to donate $500 to their respective teams’ charities, with the loser chipping in an extra $500 to the winning team’s charity.

This is not the first time Tory and a Montreal mayor have engaged in such a bet; pursuant to a wager with then-mayor Denis Coderre, he had to fly the Montreal flag in 2015 after the Impact eliminated Toronto FC from the MLS Cup playoffs.

Honouring bet with @DenisCoderre over @impactmontreal win over @torontofc. Sorry, not a very windy day in Toronto! pic.twitter.com/SvCm47OOKh

— John Tory (@JohnTory) November 4, 2015

There’s no such recent precedent for hockey wagers because the Habs and Leafs last met in the playoffs in 1979.

Asked about the wager at a press conference on Wednesday, Plante said “I wouldn’t get into a bet if I wasn’t confident.

“We’ve got to beat the Leafs,” she added. “That’s what we’ve got to do.”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188550 Montreal Canadiens “The goal is to develop the program to create NHL players,” Bouchard said. “I haven’t lost any sight of it, what’s the primary job of the Montreal Canadiens? Win the Stanley Cup. That’s the No. 1 job. That’s the only job. So it starts with our program helping out. You see these guys going Canadiens building blocks: 5 examples of how Joël Bouchard has up and helping the Habs. We still have to win, we still have to play in a constructed the Laval Rocket hockey program winning environment. So for me, it’s to coach the player to have the tools to have success when they go to the NHL.”

In an attempt to gauge the success of the Laval Rocket this season, we By Arpon Basu and Marc Antoine Godin May 19, 2021 decided to take a look at five players to serve as an example of how the program is succeeding.

The Laval Rocket just finished the most successful AHL season a Ryan Poehling Canadiens affiliate has had in years, since Guy Boucher’s Hamilton We will hold off on calling Poehling a flop, thank you very much. In fact, Bulldogs had a .719 points percentage in 2009-10. the organization is going about his development in a way that he will be In a sense, it is difficult to gauge just how successful it was because the able to establish himself with the Canadiens fully understanding his tools Rocket only played against four teams. But wins are wins, and wins are a and potential, and not have it clouded by his performance in his NHL bonus when it comes to the Rocket. What is most important is to see debut. Ryan Poehling lead the team in scoring and what that represents. Poehling began the Rocket season slowly with two goals and two assists Poehling was one of 15 Canadiens draft picks to play at least a game for in 10 games before catching fire in the middle of March. He had nine the Rocket this season (not including Carey Price and Brendan goals and 12 assists in his next 18 games and was held off the Gallagher) and one of 10 who was taken in the first three rounds of the scoresheet in only four of them. draft. More such players are coming, and their individual success in Laval will be vital to the Canadiens’ chances of building sustainable success in Wrist surgery led to a premature end to his season, one that should be Montreal. looked upon as a turning point in his development.

At the root of it all is coach Joël Bouchard and the way he manages the “He understood what was bringing him success,” Bouchard said when Rocket. Poehling’s surgery was announced. “I’m very happy for him, it’s something he will be able to draw upon for the rest of his career, because He wants to win every game, like any coach, but he always has a bigger this is his foundation.” picture in mind, which is why he doesn’t refer to the Laval Rocket as a hockey team. He refers to it as a hockey program. Poehling has improved the pace to his game and began playing in a more direct way, more engaged. Bouchard says he is more confident in That word — program — is something that is most often used as a his actions and that self-doubt no longer creeps in when he makes a reference to college sports in the NCAA, and the reason for it is that mistake. The 22-year-old centre feels the long months of inactivity last players in college come and go, it is the nature of the system. But year allowed him to add speed and power, and that he was able to apply coaches and administrators need to establish permanent values that those things to every area of his game, but especially his one-on-one those players will adhere to during their time in college, and that is what battles. can allow the program to consistently succeed despite the never-ending churn of players leaving and being replaced. Fans might be growing impatient that he has not established himself in the NHL, but listening to Poehling, you hear a player who has become The Rocket, in that sense, is the same thing. more mature and does not want to fall into the trap of wanting too much, “Why is it a program? Because it’s not a team. The (Canadiens) are a too soon. He knows that if he continues to improve, his opportunity will team. We have too much movement in personnel, too much stuff we come. don’t control that you have to call it a program,” Bouchard said. “Because “It’s definitely been a roller coaster of events for me, but I think I wouldn’t you can be playing really well, and you can lose seven or eight guys just want it any other way,” Poehling said. “I think if you just go straight to the like that. You’re hit from everywhere with your own injuries, the NHL top, for some guys it works out, but I think everyone has their own path. club’s, and you don’t make all the decisions. As a coach, I’m not making And for me, I think if I had just continued playing (with the Canadiens), I all the decisions, I get handcuffed by the reality of the AHL.” think I would have missed a lot on the little details and learning not just to This is true, which is what makes what the Rocket accomplished this play in the NHL for a few years, but have a career in it. I think that season all the more remarkable. There were 41 players who played at through the process, you have to learn that the biggest part of it is least one game for the Rocket this season, so enough to dress two full learning and figuring out things and figuring out yourself.” lineups. The emergence of the taxi squad in the NHL added another Lukas Vejdemo wrinkle to the equation in Laval for Bouchard to manage. But all the way through, the Rocket continued to win consistently. The Canadiens organization has not had much luck developing European prospects over the years. Since the days of “I just think that we don’t get complacent,” Poehling said during a winning and the Kostitsyn brothers, the NHL success stories have been pretty streak in April. “I mean, it’s easy when things are going your way to get rare, as you can see in this list of European players who passed through complacent and kind of, not laid back, but just keep comfortable with either Hamilton, St. John’s or Laval over a decade. where you are. Europeans in the AHL from 2007-17 “And I think it starts at the top and our coaching staff does a great job with always staying on us and playing the right way.” FREE AGENTS DRAFT PICKS TRADES

And it also starts with the program. Bouchard likes calling it a partnership Janne Lahti with his players, where their individual success and ultimately reaching the NHL is always part of the equation. Rafaël Harvey-Pinard was a Pavel Valentenko seventh-round pick, but his path to the NHL has been made clear to him, Petteri Nokelainen and it starts with the way he plays in the AHL. Mikael Johansson “When he talks about a partnership, he’s really talking about the communication he has with us,” he said. “What he expects from us, he Yannick Weber will tell us very clearly before the game. So before the game even starts, we know he wants this, this and this to happen tonight. Max Friberg

“The partnership comes from the fact he is very clear with us and we Andreas Engqvist know what to expect.” Alexander Avtsin

Jake Evans is with the Canadiens today as a result of the partnership, Rinat Valiev the program. Bouchard has a clear definition of what he wants the program to produce, and Evans is just the first example of it. Robert Mayer Joonas Nattinen Bouchard is extremely pleased with how Jan Mysak has grown under his watch this season. Magnus Nygren It is far from easy for an 18-year-old to play in the AHL, and it is Erik Nystrom something we don’t have much precedent for because normally it simply Markus Eisenschmid doesn’t happen; junior-age players either have to play in the NHL or be returned to their junior clubs. So this season Tim Bozon represented a unique opportunity for Mysak and other OHL players who got an opportunity to develop in the pro ranks even if they are not quite Philip Samuelsson good enough to reach the NHL yet (Quinton Byfield, Jack Quinn and Sven Andrighetto Cole Perfetti are among the others).

Jakub Jerabek Though Mysak had only two goals in 22 games this season, that is not a good reflection of how well he’s played and how much he’s learned Jacob de la Rose because of the unique circumstances under which he is playing.

Martin Reway “The kid is not wasting his time with us,” Bouchard said. “Sometimes we see kids arrive and it’s too much for them. It’s overwhelming, the Nikita Scherbak demands are too great, the workload is too heavy, they don’t have the On a particular Sunday evening this season, the Rocket was facing the physical capacity or the maturity to assimilate everything. Sometimes I and had no less than six Europeans in the lineup: Lukas see guys coming out of junior who are of professional age who go Vejdemo, Jesse Ylönen, Otto Leskinen, Jan Mysak, Arsen through it. In Mysak’s case, he’s a sponge. He has the right attitude, his Khisamutdinov and Vasily Demchenko. That did not include Gustav approach to hockey is always that he wants to grow.” Olofsson, who was injured that night. The feeling, at least according to Mysak, was mutual. Europeans in the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate are numerous, and generally “It was kind of unbelievable because I’ve never had coaches like this. I speaking, are of a higher calibre as well. mean, we work on every single detail I’ve never heard about before, so it Bouchard did not want to talk about what was done before he arrived, but was incredible for me. I didn’t even know before that you can do hockey he made a point of mentioning that comparing development models from like this.” one era to another is a dangerous game because the number of high Bouchard said Mysak’s personality makes it so that even if he was facing European draft picks can vary wildly. men in a professional league, he didn’t collapse as soon as he made a “You draft European players because you see potential in them, but mistake. He viewed it as an opportunity to learn and grow. When he’s there’s an adaptation that’s required, and not everyone will be able to do asked a question in a video session, he often has the right answer. He is that,” Bouchard said, noting how much quicker players need to execute able to process information and apply it on the ice. in tight spaces, the increased physicality and heavier schedules in North It has left Bouchard very impressed with the second-round pick from last America. year, and it is something the coaching staff couldn’t have known about “As soon as you change the size of the ice surface, you change the Mysak beforehand, but something they learned very quickly about him. schedule, you change the style of play, you will start to expose the So getting this opportunity to learn this aspect of a prospect’s personality weaknesses of certain players … They just need to adapt to a different has been valuable, one of the few benefits of this pandemic season for a style of play.” young player.

Lukas Vejdemo represents a good example of the time it can take for a “Let’s say we tell a player that we’ve got to do this and this on the PK, European to adapt. we’re going to flush from the boards and you’re going to come out, then he goes on the ice and he’s all over the ice. So we’re like, ‘whoa, we just Vejdemo, a third-round pick in 2015, has been playing under Bouchard told him 10 seconds ago,’” Bouchard said. “Then you have a guy like for three years and he’s had to learn over time to come out of his shell. Mysak where you tell him we’re going to do this and this … then he goes on the ice and he does it. So me and Alex Burrows are looking at each “He was doing a lot of watching instead of taking charge,” Bouchard other like, ‘hey, he’s figuring it out.’ It’s all about finding solutions and recalled when asked about Vejdemo earlier this season. “I was very hard figuring it out.” on him at the beginning. Now, I don’t even talk to him, he has it inside of him.” Decision-making, the ability to process information quickly and apply the options given to you by the coaching staff are traits in players the In a way, Vejdemo has followed a similar development path to Poehling Canadiens have put an emphasis on in recent years, and it seems to this season because Bouchard talks about his two young centres using apply to someone like Mysak. The key words here are “play quick.” similar terms like “physically engaged” or “convincing in his actions.” “Our job is to fill that toolbox with solutions, but when it comes down to In terms of production, Vejdemo’s season was the opposite of Poehling, the puck drop, I’m not there on the ice to tell him this is the solution you a strong start and a weak finish, with a month lost to injury in the middle. should take for that problem,” Bouchard said. “He has to connect; I Vejdemo might never become more than a fourth-liner in the NHL, but his always say guys that can connect from offence to defence quicker and identity as a player is now very well defined. figure it out, they have a better chance, they play quick in their head. He did that.” “He’s a penalty killer who is an exceptional skater,” Bouchard said. “He’s a defensive player primarily, but his defensive play can lead to offence Because Mysak will be 19 next year, he would have to either make the because of his skating. He needs to continue to be extremely physical to Canadiens or be returned to the Hamilton Bulldogs of the OHL based on maintain the edge in his game. He’s a big body, but he’s now more the agreement between the CHL and NHL. However, that agreement comfortable along the boards than he was when he first arrived, with only applies if the junior team insists on retaining a player’s rights. In the European hockey being what it is. case of the Bulldogs, they are owned by Michael Andlauer, who is also a minority owner of the Canadiens. So the possibility exists that the “Having a spot as a penalty killer, being an effective forechecker, being Bulldogs would release Mysak, which would allow him to play for the able to create mistakes from the opposition in the third period because Rocket again next year. he has lots of gas in the tank, a physical ability to skate, and avoiding getting too fancy … He has to remain who he is.” And thanks to everything he’s already picked up in this bonus season, having that happen would bring him that much closer to an eventual At age 25, Vejdemo is approaching the time where he could make the graduation to Montreal. jump to the NHL, but the Canadiens will need to make a decision: sign him to a new contract and hope he can earn a spot in Montreal next season or let him walk as a Group VI free agent. We could divvy up a typical AHL lineup into three somewhat fluid groups. Jan Mysak There are the young prospects adding tools to their toolbox on their way to the NHL, the young and less young veterans who are effective AHL players clinging to their NHL dreams, and those on the margins of the lineup who risk being sent to the ECHL as victims of a numbers game.

Alex Belzile was once a part of that third category. He spent more than four seasons in the ECHL before firmly establishing himself in the AHL in 2017, and he has since become one of Bouchard’s most reliable veterans.

“The way he acts on the ice and in the room serves as an example, not only for me, but all the players,” rookie Rafaël Harvey-Pinard said as a guest on The Athletic Support podcast. “Every day he comes to the rink and brings a different dimension. At the beginning of the season he was injured, and from the moment he entered the lineup, you instantly saw the energy he brought. He’s someone who pays attention to details and he wants everyone to do the same. It’s not negotiable for him. I really think he’s an important leader and how he carries himself really impressed me when I got here.”

The fact Belzile played some games with the Canadiens in the bubble last summer and that he made his regular-season NHL debut a couple of weeks ago only inspires him more, and reinforces the notion that it is his commitment to the game that continues to carry him.

“He’s got such a love for the game and a great energy and such positivity,” said , who played with Belzile for two years in Laval and spent a lot of time with him. “I don’t think he would have made it to the NHL if he didn’t have those characteristics because he’s had a long road here.”

It is critical for an organization to have quality veterans in the AHL to serve as an example, to teach the first category of players mentioned earlier. In that sense, Belzile is somewhat reminiscent of Mathieu Darche, another Quebec native who played for the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate before eventually earning a spot on the big club.

Darche was 31 when he played his first full NHL season with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

“It’s a good comparison, they were both competitors who never gave up,” Bouchard said. “We could look at him like a late bloomer who is making a name for himself. What impresses me is that he’s adapted the details in his game. He’s a hard worker, always passionate, and you can see he’s a bright guy. He raised his game to another level since he arrived in the organization and you can’t forget he missed nearly the whole year.

“It’s a great lesson for all the players in the organization.”

Corey Schueneman

Corey Schueneman signed his first NHL contract on April 2, a two-way deal that will pay him $175,000 in the AHL next season and $750,000 in the NHL. Bouchard has commended the Canadiens’ scouting staff for finding and identifying him as a target after he put up 21 points in 44 games from the blue line with the Stockton Heat last season.

The fact Schueneman signed an NHL contract means the Canadiens feel he has NHL potential, even if he is already 25.

“Coming in as a bit of a wild card, it was obviously a weird offseason for everyone, with a shortened season I put a lot of emphasis on making an impact as soon as I could,” Schueneman said. “I give a lot of thanks to the coaching staff for putting that trust in me.”

Schueneman is not listed here necessarily as an example of what made the Rocket program successful, but he is representative of an important component of that program, which is having a winning environment. Otto Leskinen, Gustav Olofsson, and Schueneman are all excellent AHL defencemen who could, in a pinch, help the NHL club down the line, which represents important organizational depth.

“I think the simpler game we played, the better we were,” Schueneman said of the Rocket defence. “I think we have a lot of offensive skill on our D corps, and I think that showed because we were all kind of hungry to play offence.”

But perhaps even more important than the organizational depth they provide, players like Schueneman help the younger players, the more prominent NHL prospects, develop in a winning environment. It is an important aspect of the development program.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188551 Montreal Canadiens rookie, Cam Ward, who would go on to win the in 2006.

The tweet came from Aaron Ward, who was on that Carolina team as Canadiens playoff lineup breakdown: a thought exercise to understand well. Dominique Ducharme’s questionable decisions PAGE OUT OF @COACHWSB BOOK TO NOT PLAY ROOKIES IN FIRST PLAYOFF GAME TO WATCH AND UNDERSTAND. IN ‘96-‘97 HOLMSTROM 47, PUSHOR 75, WARD 49 REGULAR SEASON By Arpon Basu May 19, 2021 GAMES. HE SAT US ALL FOR FIRST @STLOUISBLUES PLAYOFF GAME IN ORDER TO GRASP THE CHANGE IN PLAYOFF TEMPO,

STYLE, GRIT, ETC. I’ve been trying to understand the logic for days. — AARON WARD (@NHL_AARONWARD) MAY 16, 2021 Ever since Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Cole Caufield skated Saturday I decided to reach out to Aaron Ward for some insight on being a rookie morning in grey jerseys, it isn’t clear why the Canadiens would not be who was asked to sit at the start of the playoffs, and also what it was like banking on both of these young talents as they attempt the formidable to be a teammate of a rookie goalie who was placed in the most task of eliminating the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the pressure-packed situation you could possibly ask of someone. Aaron Stanley Cup playoffs. Ward follows the Canadiens closely since he appears on Melnick in the I was clearly not alone. Afternoon on TSN 690 three times a week, and he was quick to note that the Canadiens have nothing in common with the Detroit Red Wings of his It is all anyone in Montreal and beyond is talking about. Why? Why would rookie season or those Hurricanes that won the Cup. Each of them were you not use these kids when the biggest question mark the Canadiens favourites, the Canadiens of today are not. The dynamics are different. are facing in the series is how they will score enough goals? Why would you play Eric Staal over Kotkaniemi when he has shown practically But then he said something that struck a chord. nothing in a Canadiens uniform? Then on Tuesday, Alexander Romanov “Every coach, in my experience, wants to have one thing where you can was added to the list of players, like Kotkaniemi and Caufield, who will be reach back and have something that invigorates your lineup,” he said. watching Game 1 in Toronto on Thursday. His spot will be taken by Jon “To have Caufield is another asset for the mental game of motivating Merrill who, like Staal, has not been great since arriving with the your team.” Canadiens. None of it seems to make a whole lot of sense. That got me thinking about something Brendan Gallagher said Saturday It is impossible not to get the feeling that coach Dominique Ducharme when it appeared clear Kotkaniemi and Caufield would not play in Game feels obligated to play the guys his general manager, Marc Bergevin, 1. went out and acquired. But I don’t feel that holds a whole bunch of water. First off, it’s not as though Bergevin did not acquire Kotkaniemi, “You know if you’re not doing the job that night, there’s guys that can Romanov and Caufield. He drafted all three of them, and if you think replace you,” Gallagher said. “When you create that accountability, with Bergevin has more invested in Staal succeeding than he does those guys specifically, we’re very confident they can come in and do the Kotkaniemi succeeding, I don’t know what to tell you. Does Bergevin job.” have considerable input in these decisions? Of course he does. Are these decisions being made to justify Bergevin’s work ahead of the trade Then Ducharme essentially confirmed Kotkaniemi and Caufield will play deadline? I really don’t think so. at some point in the series, as will Romanov. But at the same time, he confirmed that he plans on using a lot of his guys against the Maple Both Bergevin and Ducharme must know how much is riding on the Leafs. Canadiens’ ability to put up a fight in this series, if not win it outright. Neither of them would be making lineup decisions at this time of year “It’s one game out of seven, maybe six, we’ll see,” Ducharme said. “But simply to save face. That’s ridiculous. we’ll need 14 or 15 forwards and seven or eight defencemen. That’s how we see the series.” So then, what? Ducharme provided more context for his decisions — and let’s be clear, it The answer became a bit clearer Tuesday when, just prior to practice, 10 is a disservice to both Ducharme and Bergevin to suggest the latter is Canadiens players went to the second ice sheet at the Bell Sports imposing these decisions on the former because that is not how that Complex in Brossard along with assistant coach Alexandre Burrows to relationship is supposed to work, and I don’t feel that’s what’s happening work on the power play. Included in that group of 10 players were Shea here — when he mentioned how each of Kotkaniemi, Caufield and Weber, who was practicing with the team for the first time in weeks, but Romanov could learn something simply watching Game 1. But it was for also Kotkaniemi and Caufield. Yet they were still wearing the grey jerseys different reasons. reserved for extras. Neither Kotkaniemi nor Caufield had done any work on the power play in the first two days of practice over the weekend, and Ducharme made an analogy about Kotkaniemi that he said applied to if they weren’t expected to play in Game 1, that made perfect sense. So Romanov as well, on how if you hammer a nail and it becomes crooked, how did this make sense on Tuesday? Why are players who will not play if you keep hammering it, the nail will become more and more crooked. in Game 1 getting some reps on the power play? He suggested the schedule the Canadiens played never allowed time to straighten the nail for both Kotkaniemi and Romanov. This week, this Because it was the first hint of what Ducharme would confirm after step back is allowing them to do that. In Caufield’s case, it was a bit practice. It was the first sign that Kotkaniemi and Caufield will play in the different, with Ducharme going through every winger in his Game 1 series at some point, and they needed to begin preparing for that lineup and justifying his reason for being there. He took extra care to eventuality. describe Joel Armia’s value playing next to Tyler Toffoli and , seemingly knowing that most observers see that as a natural spot for “It’s about right now, at the moment, for Game 1. For one game,” Caufield. Ducharme said after he confirmed that neither Kotkaniemi, nor Caufield, nor Romanov would play in Game 1. “Like I said, I’m 100 percent “When you look at Toffoli and Armia, we can see Toffoli’s qualities, but confident in everyone and putting them in situations where they can one thing that’s consistent about Armia is that no matter who you put with succeed and have an impact on the team when the time is right.” him, it seems like the two others always have good chemistry, but the constant there that seems to fly under the radar is the presence of This begs the question: if Kotkaniemi and Caufield are going to play at Armia,” Ducharme said. “He’s a good stabilizer on a line, someone who some point, why not play them in Game 1? If they are good enough to controls the puck well, protects it well and that keeps plays alive and play, then they are good enough to play, right? allows his linemates to spend more time in the offensive zone. I find his That got me thinking about a tweet, and also something Staal said on work flies under the radar too often.” Saturday, talking about his first playoffs at age 20 — the same age But Ducharme also added this on Caufield, and it is not to be discounted Kotkaniemi and Caufield are now — when his Carolina Hurricanes went here. down 0-2 in the first round against the Canadiens and stormed back to win the series and eventually the Stanley Cup when coach Peter “You shouldn’t be surprised to see him enter our lineup,” he said, “and Laviolette benched veteran goalie and replaced him with a when he does, I think he’ll be better prepared.” Then there is Jon Merrill, and Ducharme came to his defence as well.

“I think overall it was an adjustment for Jon, for sure, like any new player coming in,” he said. “All those guys coming in came in at a pretty tough time where we were in that schedule, with guys missing, with no practice. To get adjusted to a new team is double the challenge for those kinds of guys.”

But again, there was little doubt Ducharme intended on using Romanov at some point.

So, with that being the case, with it being clear that Ducharme intends on using each of Kotkaniemi, Caufield and Romanov at some point in the series, which is the better scenario? Would it be to have those three start the series and potentially be replaced if they played poorly? Or would it be to have them come in as someone being looked upon to, as Ward said, invigorate the lineup?

Personally, I would play Kotkaniemi, Caufield and Romanov in Game 1. But if Ducharme’s plan is already to use 14 or 15 forwards and seven or eight defencemen, then it would be far easier to replace a veteran with a young player than the opposite. If a young player gets replaced in a playoff series, that player’s confidence might become impossible to recuperate. A veteran is far less fragile, so if someone like Staal or Perry or Armia or Merrill or even Brett Kulak is replaced, there is a better chance of them bouncing back from that kind of disappointment than a younger player.

Let’s go back to what Gallagher said Saturday, how people know if they don’t do the job on a given night there are guys waiting to replace you. He called it accountability, but you could also call it pressure. And who is better equipped to handle that kind of pressure, that sense where a single mistake will mean you are out of the lineup? By the same token, who is it easier to sell that they have to give up their spot in the lineup for Game 1, a young player being replaced by a veteran with a proven track record in the NHL, or vice versa?

I’m still not convinced this is the right course of action. I would have Kotkaniemi and Caufield and Romanov in the lineup for Game 1, tell them how much confidence you have in them and let them go out and prove that confidence right. I feel Game 1 is of the utmost importance for the Canadiens, the opportunity to plant a seed of doubt in the Maple Leafs early, that the same thing is happening to them again in the first round, is something they need to seize. In order to do that, playing their optimal lineup would seem logical, and my optimal lineup would include Kotkaniemi, Caufield and Romanov.

That’s what I would do. But I also don’t think what Ducharme is doing is completely without merit. There is a thought process behind it. It took me a while, but I think I have finally managed to understand it.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188552 Nashville Predators Might be easier to take for the Preds if the Canes had just blown them off the ice like so many were expecting. That hasn’t been the case. The Preds entered the third period of both games in Raleigh with a legit chance to win. Prior to this series, they’d surely have taken that. Golden opportunity wasted by Nashville Predators in Game 2, and that'll be tough to take But they couldn’t score a goal in either of those third periods. That's all that counts.

Through two playoff games, the Preds have shown they can be GENTRY ESTES | Nashville Tennessean competitive with a Stanley Cup contender. But without the killer instinct, none of the other stuff matters. No moral victories at this point.

All that'll get you is a 2-0 deficit heading back home and a pressure- RALEIGH, N.C. – Alex Nedeljkovic had stopped everything, but how bout packed Game 3 on Friday night in Smashville. without his stick? Tennessean LOADED: 05.20.2021 With about 90 seconds remaining in Game 2, the Nashville Predators’ net was empty and, suddenly, so was the Carolina Hurricanes goalie’s hand. He'd lost his stick. But the Predators – with an extra attacker once again – were sloppy and lost the puck near the blue line, allowing Nedeljkovic time to retrieve it.

So it was all night, it seemed, at PNC Arena, a noisy place that had long since grown very tense.

Then, seconds later, Carolina’s one-goal lead became two and then three.

Sound the sirens.

The Predators’ playoff hopes are S.O.S., and worst of all, it's by their own doing. Wednesday’s 3-0 defeat wasn’t defined by what the Hurricanes did as much as what the Preds didn't do. Riddled by penalties, a talented foe was vulnerable at home, and the visitors were unable to capitalize. They couldn’t turn seven power plays into a single goal.

In doing so, the Preds wasted a priceless opportunity – one they might not get again – to make this a series.

HIGHER STAKES: The Preds need more than grit against Canes

GENTRY ESTES: Preds' struggles vs. Canes highlight a 2-year problem

Sure, it’s not over. These Preds, if nothing else, have shown a flair for the dramatic rally when least expected. But the idea of winning four of the next five — even with three of them in Nashville — seems far-fetched after being shut out on a night in which your opponent had a player in the penalty box for nearly one-third of the game.

“It’s frustrating because we had so many chances on the power play,” captain Roman Josi said. “I thought we played really well 5-on-5. Our power play is not getting the job done right now. If you don’t score, at least you’ve got to create some momentum. They probably had more (scoring) chances on our power play than we did.”

Problems on the power play go back years with this franchise, which is part of the reason why this type of defeat — shoulda, woulda, coulda all over it — has the potential to haunt the Preds for a while.

They let one get away, and they had to know it.

Frustration was palpable. Sticks slammed on the ice during the third period. Afterward, the typically unflappable John Hynes briefly grew flustered over a couple of fair questions about the defeat in the postgame press conference.

“The last two questions, like, did we watch the same game?” Hynes said. "I think when you look at the hockey game, we played a pretty good game. I thought their goaltender made some really good saves. We had good looks. … We’re a better team than we were the first night. We obviously know the power play has got to be better, but I think there’s a lot of positives going out of this game.”

Hynes might disagree, I suppose, but this was no masterpiece. It was an ugly, disjointed game. It was dominated by whistles and overly reliant on special units, not allowing either side to develop much of a rhythm.

The Preds were better, yes, and the Canes were worse. Though to be fair, it’s hard to be at your best when you have one less player on the ice than your opponent does, a disadvantage it seemed the Canes were having to overcome constantly.

And you know what? They overcame it. They won a game in which they weren’t at their best and often had a hand tied behind their back. That's all that counts. 1188553 Nashville Predators

Matt Benning's skirmish headlines physical start to Predators-Hurricanes series

NICK GRAY | Nashville Tennessean

The term "playoff whistle" has not been used yet for the Nashville Predators' series against the Carolina Hurricanes.

In Games 1 and 2, the two teams have combined for 27 penalties and 70 penalty minutes. And many of the penalties have included players on each team getting their money's worth.

Game 2 saw Preds forward Erik Haula get called for roughing in the opening minutes for scrapping after one of the first whistles of the game. Canes captain Jordan Staal eventually got popped for a takedown later in the period, one of four Carolina penalties in the opening 20 minutes on Wednesday.

PHYSICAL PLAY NOT ENOUGH: Nashville Predators need more than 'grit' to get it done against Carolina Hurricanes

GENTRY ESTES: Nashville Predators' struggles vs. Carolina Hurricanes highlights a 2-year-old problem

But the main event was in the second period, when Predators defenseman Matt Benning showed the world his UFC skills with a takedown and a ground-and-pound of Carolina forward Jordan Martinook.

Matt Benning just feeding Jordan Martinook giant helpings of his knuckles. #Preds pic.twitter.com/1iJ8DcB1Qk

— Alex Daugherty (@AlexDaugherty1) May 20, 2021

All that was missing was a Herb Dean stoppage.

Both players went to the penalty box for two-minute roughing minors, and were together again soon thereafter. Martinook cross-checked Benning into the boards during each player's first shift out of the box. Despite the worn-down track to the sin bin, Martinook did not get penalized.

The CNBC broadcast mentioned late in Game 2 that it was the first time this season that the Hurricanes had to kill off at least seven penalties in a game, and the first time this season that the Predators had seven power plays. All seven, for what it's worth, were killed off by Carolina.

It's not been just penalties, either. The Predators and Hurricanes combined for 115 hits in Game 1 and 72 hits through two periods in Game 2.

The Predators wanted the physical play. John Hynes mentioned "relentless checking" before Game 1 and was happy with the physicality after Monday's game, a 5-2 Nashville loss. That physicality continued on Wednesday.

Between the hits, after-whistle jousting and the general disdain between two clubs who played eight times in the regular season, fans do not need a playoff whistle to know that this is playoff hockey.

Tennessean LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188554 Nashville Predators

Carolina Hurricanes shut out Nashville Predators, take 2-0 series lead

PAUL SKRBINA | Nashville Tennessean

Some faces changed for the Nashville Predators on Wednesday night in Raleigh, N.C.

The result for the visitors, though, stayed the same in a 3-0 loss to the Hurricanes in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series. The Predators trailed 1-0 until pulling goalie Juuse Saros in the final minutes.

Eeli Tolvenen and Brad Richardson replaced Calle Jarnkrok, who was sick, and Mathieu Olivier.

Coach John Hynes also split up Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis on defense after saying both could have played better in a 5-2 Game 1 loss. And Matt Benning replaced Ben Harpur on defense.

Still, the Predators couldn't score and couldn't convert on any of their power plays.

Sebastian Aho scored a power-play goal with 11 minutes, 57 seconds left in the first to make it 1-0 and end an 0-for-5 start in such situations for the Hurricanes, who had the second-best power play in the league.

Vincent Trocheck almost made it 2-0 later in the period, but Saros’ spectacular save prevented what would have been a shorthanded score.

The Canes scored twice in the final minute, including Aho's second, an empty-netter.

The Predators' power-play struggles continued with a 0-for-7 effort, following Monday's 0-for-3 showing.

The teams combined for 14 penalties. The Hurricanes managed six shorthanded shots on goal, while allowing 10 on seven Nashville power plays.

Carolina rookie goalie Alexander Nedeljkovic continued his strong play with 32 saves.

Teams that have lost the first two games of NHL playoff series are are 51-330 overall in those series.

Game 3 is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Bridgestone Arena.

Tennessean LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188555 Nashville Predators

What's the record of NHL playoff teams down 0-2 in a series? Not good.

NICK GRAY | Nashville Tennessean

Win on Wednesday, and the Nashville Predators can feel that they have a leg up on the Carolina Hurricanes heading to a pair of games at Bridgestone Arena.

But a loss? The optimism would be lower.

Historically, NHL teams down 0-2 in a series are 51-330 overall in those series. That's not promising for Nashville, should it lose on Wednesday after dropping Game 1, 5-2.

The last time the Predators were down 0-2 was in the Stanley Cup Final in 2017 against Pittsburgh, and Preds fans don't need a reminder about that series.

Nashville has never come from 0-2 down in a series to win a series in franchise history, either. Incidentally, the Hurricanes are the last team to win a series down 0-2, when they took down the Washington Capitals in seven games in the 2019 first round after dropping the first two. One might remember the Alex Ovechkin KO of Andrei Svechnikov in Game 3 of that series.

IMPROVEMENT ON GAME 1: Nashville Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm: 'We have another level'

GENTRY ESTES: If this wasn't enough for Nashville Predators, what will be against Carolina Hurricanes?

STEPPING UP: Nashville Predators need more than 'grit' to get it done against Carolina Hurricanes

But that's getting ahead of the current series, with Game 2 set for Wednesday (7 p.m., Bally Sports South and CNBC) in Raleigh. The momentum can swing one way, with Nashville in the series with potentially three of four games at home, or the other, with the Hurricanes up 2-0 heading to Bridgestone Arena.

Either way, Game 2 is very important for the Predators. The numbers bear that out.

Tennessean LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188556 Nashville Predators “I thought our team played well,” Hynes said, and it did, except for the whole power-play-that-is-so-bad-it-actually-gives-the-opponent-an- advantage thing.

Rexrode: Predators get vintage Juuse Saros, give him nothing in return The Hurricanes deserve a ton of credit for the crafty aggressiveness of their penalty kill, of course, and it’s probably worth mentioning Alex Nedeljkovic — the young Carolina goalie who saved all 32 shots he faced — at some point. But a professional hockey team with five players By Joe Rexrode May 20, 2021 on the ice, going against four players, should not have that kind of trouble entering the offensive zone. And it sure shouldn’t serve up that many chances going the other way. This was comical at times. Eeli Tolvanen was back in the lineup for Nashville in Game 2 because of what he can do on the power play, but this was not part of the job “I don’t know,” Josi said of the state of the power play, which improved description. tremendously with the emergence of Tolvanen this season but has regressed and didn’t reap rewards from the rookie’s return Wednesday Tolvanen had Carolina’s Brett Pesce to his left and Vincent Trocheck to night. “It hasn’t been good the last couple years.” his right with Preds goalie Juuse Saros behind him, counting on some help against the charging Hurricanes. Trocheck sent the puck to Pesce, It doesn’t look like this matchup will help the Preds get that thing right. It and this is where Tolvanen erred. Saros was moving left and into perfect still doesn’t look like this series has lasting power, either. But Bridgestone position to take on a Pesce shot. But Tolvanen let Pesce send it back can energize the Preds just as PNC Arena seemed to fuel the over to Trocheck. Saros was in trouble. Hurricanes. And Saros is proving that he’s up to the pressure of this moment and excellence of this opponent. Just imagine how those fans That is, until he managed to get the right half of his body moving toward and that goalie might feel Friday night if the home team can actually the right post, despite what the left half of his body was doing. Saros score a goal. kicked his right leg as far as it would go and made the save of the night. He gobbled up the Trocheck putback attempt, too. He did things, in that The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 moment and others Wednesday at Carolina’s PNC Arena, that we’ve seen other goalies do in this tournament — sometimes for months, lifting teams beyond what should be possible.

Juuse Saros stole Game 2 in Carolina. And his teammates crashed the getaway car.

“He’s been doing it for such a long time now,” Preds defenseman Roman Josi said of Saros — the primary reason Nashville got to the Stanley Cup playoffs — after a 3-0 loss to the Hurricanes to fall behind 2-0 in the series. “And it’s frustrating we can’t get our jobs done for him.”

Actually, Saros did something for the first time Wednesday, something he didn’t have to do in more than two months as the best goaltender in the NHL — something a goaltender should never have to do. He was the best player on the Predators’ power play.

If that sounds like an exaggeration, consider that the Preds had the man advantage a whopping seven times. They managed 10 shots on those seven power plays, not many of them especially threatening. The Hurricanes had seven shots on those power plays, a few of them as threatening as it gets, including the aforementioned sequence in the first period and a point-blank chance from Sebastian Aho in the second.

That was the story of the game — which went from 1-0 to 3-0 in the final 53 seconds, one of the goals into an empty net — and this is the story of the series: The Predators have to figure a way to beat the Hurricanes, the clearly superior Hurricanes, in four of the next five games. That, or the “Way to fight into the playoffs, guys” stuff ends and the “How do you plan to win a Stanley Cup with these guys?” stuff resumes. And that again becomes the story of the franchise.

Saros is becoming an affirmative answer to that last question, at least. He has followed up a scorching regular-season run with two games that have done nothing to diminish the hope that he can be the long-term successor to mentor Pekka Rinne. And if you’re still into the hope thing, the Preds actually played a much better five-on-five game than in the 5-2 loss in Game 1. That’s part of why they got so many power plays to flub. They had 16 scoring chances to Carolina’s 14 in five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick, compared with a 24-14 Carolina edge in Game 1. They had an 8-5 edge in high-danger chances in five-on-five in Game 2, compared with an 11-5 edge for the Canes in Game 1.

And those numbers back up a desperate kind of fury the Preds played with after a dicey start, Aho burying a perfect Andrei Svechnikov pass on the power play — the Carolina power play, the one that was supposed to yield opportunities for Carolina — to make it 1-0 eight minutes into the game. And that effort, that unwillingness to back down, illustrated among other ways in Matt Benning’s pummeling of Jordan Martinook, perhaps helps explains coach John Hynes’ chippiness after the game. Maybe he was trying to keep that fire lit as the Preds head home and prepare for Friday’s Game 3 at Bridgestone Arena.

Or maybe he genuinely wondered if media members who asked him about squandering Saros’ performance (that one was mine) and needing to play better moving forward had watched a different game than the one he had observed from the bench. 1188557 Nashville Predators 46.36 2017-18

225:19 The Predators need their stars to step up, starting with Roman Josi and Ryan Ellis 47.37 (9-10)

47.96

By Adam Vingan May 19, 2021 2018-19

102:49

Roman Josi is a Norris Trophy winner. Ryan Ellis is well respected 40 (4-6) around the NHL. Together, they have been a highly effective defensive pair for the Nashville Predators … during the regular season. 47.9

It has been hard to ignore Josi and Ellis’ inconsistent play in the 2019-20 Predators’ past several postseasons. Their lackluster performance 70:27 Monday in the team’s Game 1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes brought back unpleasant memories. 42.86 (3-4)

Josi was on the ice for three even-strength goals against, excluding the 72.34 Hurricanes’ empty-netter. Ellis was on for two. Neither player is known for his physicality, a part of the game that ramps “I think both guys, they didn’t have their best night for different reasons,” up during the playoffs. Larger opponents, such as the Winnipeg Jets in Predators coach John Hynes said. “We expect both those guys to have a 2018 and Dallas Stars in 2019, have pushed them around. The image of strong response going into (Wednesday’s) game. … I think individually, Stars captain Jamie Benn swatting away Ellis, four inches shorter and 30 there is better there. I think we all know that they can play better. They’re pounds lighter, in the first round two years ago is burned into the prideful guys. They’re real important guys on our team, and I think a memories of Ellis’ critics. response from them is going to be important.” A similar situation played out in the third period Monday, when Since Josi and Ellis became a pair in 2016-17, the Predators have Hurricanes captain Jordan Staal, listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, benefited from their presence on the ice at five-on-five during the regular hounded the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Ellis behind the Predators’ net. Josi season, both in terms of actual and expected goals: was unable to collect the puck and got caught flat-footed as Staal scored for the second time. Staal also victimized Josi on his four-on-four goal in Roman Josi-Ryan Ellis regular season at five-on-five the second period, splitting him and Mattias Ekholm on a rush.

SEASON TOI GF% (GF-GA) XGF% “I think we have a pretty good plan for it,” Ekholm said, referring to the 2016-17 Hurricanes’ aggressive forecheck. “We’ve just got to execute it maybe a little bit better than we did (Monday). We know they’re a fast team. 904:36 They’re not overly (physical). Obviously they were hitting a little bit last night, but I feel like they’re not maybe that heavy. You play Dallas, you 54.55 (42-35) know you’re going to get hit every time. Here, it’s more of a mindset of 50.37 going back, being first back to pucks and making sure they’re not first on them when we come back when they dump them in. … That would set us 2017-18 up better to do what we want to do.”

574:34 Opposing coaches center their defensive game plans on Josi, who rose to stardom as a result of his elite puck-carrying ability. The skating lanes 62.96 (34-20) that Josi typically zips through are less open. 55.22 “In my role, I want to do my part,” said Josi, who has two goals in 24 2018-19 playoff games since 2018. “Obviously the offense is a part of my game. I’m out there on the power play. I’m out there a lot on (offensive-zone) 1,240:43 faceoffs and stuff like that. … If our team wins and I don’t score goals, I’m fine with that. It’s all about winning, but I think every guy has to do their 54.64 (53-44) part, for sure.” 51.44 Hynes said Tuesday that he would consider splitting up Josi and Ellis in 2019-20 Game 2. Josi’s second-most frequent defensive partner this season was Dante Fabbro, who was scratched Monday and could play Wednesday. 760:54 Matt Benning, who also sat out, has experience playing with Josi as well. 64.1 (50-28) That would free Ellis to skate with Ekholm, his longtime partner.

57.99 Hynes’ lineup choices were the main topic of conversation after the game Monday. On Tuesday, he emphasized the importance of the Predators’ 2020-21 core players rising to the challenge, Josi and Ellis included.

393:52 “The players that play big minutes, the players that play tough matchups, the players that you’re never really considering taking out of the lineup, 42.86 (12-16) there needs to be an elevation in their game,” Hynes said. “That’s how 56.14 you win. That’s how you win in the playoffs. Those guys have to be able to produce. … The main group here needs to be better.” In the playoffs, however, the opposite has been true: The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 Roman Josi-Ryan Ellis in playoffs at five-on-five

SEASON TOI GF% (GF-GA) XGF%

2016-17

363:46

48.48 (16-17) 1188558 New Jersey Devils

NJ Devils hire former Olympian Meghan Duggan as manager of player development

JOE JACQUEZ | NorthJersey.com

The New Jersey Devils have hired former Olympic Gold medalist Meghan Duggan as the organization's first manager of player development, Executive Vice President and General Manager Tom Fitzgerald announced Wednesday.

Duggan will work with Senior Vice President and Assistant General Manager Dan MacKinnon, focusing on on-ice and off-ice information for all levels of development within the organization.

“We are incredibly excited to announce that Meghan has joined our Player Development Department," Fitzgerald said. “As our group has evolved over the past few years to include as much about off-ice as on- ice for development, we believe Meghan will be perfect for this position.

"Her successful track record as a teammate, leader, captain and driver of initiatives will be resources to all players in our organization. We look forward to her utilizing her perspective of the game, attention to detail and creative thinking to help our players reach their potential."

Duggan, 33, retired from professional hockey last October, leaving a legacy as one of the most successful players in international hockey history.

The native of Danvers, Massachussetts, won 11 medals, including eight gold medals for Team USA in international play, and two silver medals at the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. Duggan captained the team in 2014 and returned as captain for the 2018 Games, where she led Team USA to the gold medal over Canada.

The Olympics are not the only international event Duggan has left an imprint on. She was a part of seven World Championships in eight IIHF Women's World Championship events.

Duggan capped off a stellar collegiate hockey career at Wisconsin by winning the Patty Kazmaier Award, which is given annually to the top women's NCAA ice hockey player, in her senior season. Nobody has scored more goals in Badgers' history than Duggan.

Five takeaways: NJ Devils players discuss plans for the offseason

The Boston Blades of the Canadian Women's Hockey League drafted her in 2011, and Duggan went on to play four seasons in Boston, highlighted by two Clarkson Cup wins in 2013 and 2015. She also played for the Buffalo Beauts (2015-16) and the (2016-17) in the National Women's Hockey League.

But Duggan told ESPN that the proudest moment of her career was fighting for equality in hockey, including leading the fight for better wages.

Bergen Record LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188559 New Jersey Devils

Devils hire USA hockey star Meghan Duggan for player development role

By Mollie Walker May 19, 2021 | 2:05pm | Updated

Meghan Duggan, an eight-time gold medalist and captain with Team USA’s women’s hockey team, has been hired by the Devils in a newly created role as manager of player development within the club’s hockey operations department, the team announced Wednesday.

“It really is giving me a unique opportunity to have touch-points in a variety of different areas,” Duggan told The Post in a phone interview. “I’m going to work closely with [vice president and assistant general manager] Dan MacKinnon across all of their development operations and focusing on both on-ice and off-ice information. I’m going to be able to connect and coordinate with a variety of different people that work on how to develop the athletes.

“Really just doing whatever they need me to do in that area. Raise my hand and take on opportunities and look for ways to add value, grow and develop.”

After retiring in October following a 14-year career with the national team — in addition to four seasons in the Canadian Women’s Hockey League and two in the National Women’s Hockey League — Duggan plans to dedicate most of her time to her work with the Devils.

But the 33-year-old expects to keep tabs on the other important positions she holds, such as her roles with the NHL’s Player Inclusion Committee, the USA Hockey Board of Directors and women’s hockey advisory committee.

The Devils have hired Meghan Duggan, an eight-time gold medalist with USA Hockey, as manager of player development.

Duggan’s hiring comes after the Maple Leafs promoted Hayley Wickenheiser to senior director of player development this week. Wickenheiser now holds the highest role ever for a woman in hockey operations on an NHL team.

“It’s an honor and a privilege to be a part of that movement,” Duggan said. “I love seeing the sport of hockey growing in its capacity to diversify and be more inclusive. The greatest thing in my life is hockey, and I don’t know who I would be or where I would be without it.

“I want everyone to have access to playing, coaching, being in management, being on the business side. To be a part of hopefully more opportunities to come for women and members of other underrepresented groups in hockey, it’s a privilege.”

New York Post LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188560 New York Islanders

Islanders looking forward to Nassau Coliseum boost against Penguins

By Mollie Walker May 19, 2021 | 4:23pm | Updated

The Islanders are ready to reap the benefits of home-ice advantage again.

Emerging from Pittsburgh with their first-round series against the Penguins tied at one, the Isles were reminded of the influence fans can have on the atmosphere after PPG Paints Arena doubled its capacity from Game 1 to Game 2.

Coronavirus-related restrictions kept the Pittsburgh arena at 25 percent capacity in the Islanders’ series-opening win on Sunday. Pennsylvania’s regulations changed on May 17, enabling the building to host the largest crowd for a sporting event in the city in 14 months on Tuesday with 9,344 fans.

The Penguins fed off the increased attendance and played with a spark that propelled them to victory.

“It just gets me excited to get back to the (Nassau Coliseum),” defenseman Scott Mayfield said after the Game 2 loss.

The Islanders are expected to play in front of 6,250 fans in Game 3 against the Penguins.

Yes, now it’s Nassau Coliseum’s turn to host the next two games of the tight series, beginning Thursday at 7 p.m. It’ll be up to Fort Neverlose to create an ambience that inspires like it frequently has in the past.

But that’s expected, considering the building’s days as the Isles’ home are numbered with the billion-dollar UBS Arena set to open for the 2021- 22 season. Just in time for the last hurrah, the Coliseum will also be permitted to increase to 50 percent capacity — much more than the 1,400 cap the arena has had since March. Half of the arena will be used as a fully vaccinated section, with social distancing throughout. Concession stands will open for the first time this season as well.

“It raises the emotional level, especially for the home team,” head coach Barry Trotz said of fans returning. “It seems strange. It’s been quiet for the last little while. Now, I’ve got people yelling at me, at the team and each other and you can’t hear on the bench. It’s a good feeling to be back to that. It brings juice to the game. It brings emotion. It brings all that. We’re in the business of emotion, that’s what sports is.

“That’s what we’re looking forward to when we get back to the Island. Our fans will hopefully give us that boost that we need to get over the top.”

Games 3 and 4 at the Coliseum are both sold out, with 6,250 fans expected to attend each contest. Prices ranged from $95 to $315, but season-ticket holders were given priority and will make up all of those in attendance. The arena will be divided into a fully-vaccinated section and a socially-distanced area.

“Due to high demand, the only way to get access to purchase playoff seats was to become a Season Ticket Member or Premium Member to UBS Arena,” senior vice president of ticketing, Mike Cosentino, told The Post in an email. “We are over 90% sold through of season tickets, over 80% sold through of premium inventory, and the response to this year’s playoff tickets has been tremendous.”

During the playoffs last season, the Islanders competed in empty arenas inside isolated bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton. The Coliseum will surely make up for lost time, while also topping off its legacy as one of the most difficult arenas to play in for opponents.

Oh, and if applicable, tickets for Game 6 at the Coliseum will go on sale to season-ticket holders early next week.

New York Post LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188561 New York Islanders

Islanders need so much more from Mathew Barzal, top line

By Mollie Walker May 19, 2021 | 3:24pm | Updated

The Islanders are at their best when the workload is evenly distributed among all four lines.

Through the first two games of the first-round series against the Penguins, that hasn’t been the case. The Islanders need much more from their top line of Leo Komarov, Mathew Barzal and .

According to Natural Stat Trick, that first line has generated just six scoring chances, two of which were high-danger opportunities. It’s safe to say that most of those have come from Eberle, who started to get more of a feel for the puck in Game 2 and had arguably the Islanders’ best chance at tying the score in the third period of Tuesday’s loss.

Without captain Anders Lee, who was ruled out for the rest of the season in March with an ACL injury, Komarov has filled in on the top line’s left wing. He’s certainly not the most skilled player, but he brings a gritty element to the trio.

Islanders center Mathew Barzal during the Game 2 loss to the Penguins on May 18, 2021.

Then there is Barzal. Head coach Barry Trotz said he feels the 23-year- old center has another gear he can get to, which the Islanders desperately need in order to combat an offensively gifted Penguins squad as the teams head to Long Island with the series tied 1-1.

“He had some shifts [in Game 2] where he almost broke loose,” Trotz said.

“The number one thing with him, is when he’s skating, you can forget about the hands and all that. If he’s skating in straight lines, and getting to pucks, and playing that give-and-go game, he is extremely dynamic. When he tries to use his hands too much, or play a slowdown game, I don’t think he’s quite as effective. So, we’ve just got to get him play in straight lines.”

The fourth line, which is widely regarded as one of the best in the NHL, has contributed in its own way. Matt Martin, Casey Cizikas and , while bringing their usual physicality, have generated six high-danger chances together, according to Natural Stat Trick.

But only the Islanders’ middle six have been able to get on the score sheet. The third line of , Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Oliver Wahlstrom have led the way, combining for three goals, including two from Palmieri in Game 1.

The second line of Anthony Beauvillier, Brock Nelson and Josh Bailey, however, has been equally effective despite having just one goal, from Nelson in the series opener. They’ve been aggressive on the forecheck and have consistently challenged the Penguins.

“I know our opponents, they really respect Nelson’s line,” Trotz said. “I don’t think they’re underrated it at all.’’

Said Nelson: “I’m not too sure how people view us. We believe in each other, that we have a good mix of skill, and want to go out there and try to contribute offensively and be responsible. I think we did a good job of that and built our game a little bit last year, then [we’re] trying to grow on that even more so this year.”

New York Post LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188562 New York Islanders

Nassau Coliseum concessions to be open for fans attending Islanders' playoff games

By Colin Stephenson

Fans attending Islanders playoff games at Nassau Coliseum will be able to buy food and drink at the games, the team announced on Wednesday.

"Good news,’’ the announcement on the team’s website read. "Concessions will be open inside Nassau Coliseum for the playoffs. Fans will be able to purchase food, non-alcoholic beverages, beer and wine.

"All transactions will be cashless, and reverse ATMs will not be available.’’

The Islanders host the Pittsburgh Penguins in Games 3 and 4 of the teams’ first-round playoff series at the Coliseum on Thursday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 3 p.m. In accordance with New York state regulations, the arena will be open to increased capacity, and about 6,200 are expected. Season-ticket members have priority access to purchase playoff tickets.

The first two games of the best-of-seven series were played in Pittsburgh, and the series is tied, 1-1.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188563 New York Islanders Still, coming back to the Coliseum with a road split is a fair result. Through Tuesday, three of the six NHL playoff series underway were tied 1-1.

Islanders will return to a loud and larger Nassau Coliseum crowd for "That’s the NHL," Trotz said. "It’s going to be a dogfight. I go in expecting Game 3 vs. the Penguins to win every game. But, to get a split was pretty important."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.20.2021

By Andrew Gross

It will be loud.

Now, it’s up to the Islanders to feed off of — and sustain the energy — from what surely will be a raucous crowd at Nassau Coliseum for Thursday night’s Game 3 of their first-round series against the Penguins.

The series is tied 1-1 after the Penguins won Tuesday night’s Game 2, 2- 1, at PPG Paints Arena. If that game proved anything, it’s what an immeasurable difference a building filled to 50% capacity — 9,344 in Pittsburgh — can make compared with crowds that were either more limited or non-existent during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 13,913-seat Coliseum, in its final postseason go-round as an NHL facility, will have approximately 6,200 people for Game 3, with 50% of the building devoted to vaccinated people socially distanced at three feet and the other half of the building devoted to non-vaccinated people six feet apart.

Island Ice Ep. 87: Isles-Pens Game 2 analysis

Newsday's Andrew Gross, Colin Stephenson and Neil Best discuss Game 2 of the Islanders-Penguins playoff series and look ahead to Game 3.

Capacity had been capped at 1,400 since March 18.

"It’s nice," defenseman Scott Mayfield said of the larger Pittsburgh crowd after the Islanders’ 4-3 overtime win in Sunday’s Game 1 was played in front of 25% capacity at 4,672. "For me, it just gets me excited to get to the Coli. It’ll be fun. It’ll be loud in there and hopefully we can have the start like they did tonight."

Arena experience aside, getting off to a stronger start will be a huge key for the Islanders in Game 3. The Penguins took a 2-0 lead in the first period of Game 2 and, in Game 1, they quickly tied the score after Kyle Palmieri’s first-period goal gave the Islanders an early lead.

The Islanders finished well enough in Game 1, with Palmieri notching his second goal in overtime. But in Game 2, the Penguins held a 16-10 shot advantage in the third period despite the Islanders trying to rally from a one-goal deficit.

The Islanders did not practice on Wednesday after returning early in the morning from Pittsburgh. But they have other areas to improve as the series shifts to the Coliseum.

The penalty kill was airtight in the first two games, killing off all five of the Penguins’ chances. But the Islanders’ power play is 0-for-3 to start the series and managed just one shot over the final 88 seconds of Game 2 despite skating six-on-four with goalie Semyon Varlamov pulled for an extra skater.

At even strength, the Islanders need Mathew Barzal and his top line to be more dangerous.

Plus, the Islanders need to correct some puck management issues in their defensive zone.

Coach Barry Trotz said that was a result of both the Penguins pressuring hard and the Islanders’ decision-making being "brain dead a little bit. A simple play that we’d have to make and we didn’t execute it. We threw, sometimes, ill-advised pucks to areas we didn’t need to and that was disappointing.

"At the end of the day, they had more desperation in their game," Trotz added. "I thought we were a little bit light in some areas and we didn’t make it hard enough on them. We’ve got to raise our level. We have that. I was just disappointed we didn’t get our level to the level that we needed it. They were desperate in the battle and we needed more desperation in our battles." 1188564 New York Islanders "Goalies that succeed in the playoffs allow the fewest low-danger goals, and that’s where Varlamov’s strength has been all season," Valiquette said. "That’s his mental toughness."

Insight into the work ethic of the Islanders' Semyon Varlamov from Last season, Trotz benched a tiring Varlamov for Game 7 of a series someone who knows against the Flyers. After Thomas Greiss won that one but started badly in Game 1 against the Lightning, Trotz went right back to Varlamov.

"He doesn’t care," Valiquette said. "He’s got that professional switch, By Neil Best next-puck mentality, and if it’s not for 24 hours, ‘I’m good.’ Not everybody’s got that, man."

During a recent Rangers telecast, Valiquette said he had vacationed with had bounced around the NHL for several years, Varlamov. Asked for details, he said it was an accidental encounter when including time with the Islanders and Rangers, by the time he found both were on a plane to Grand Cayman during the All-Star break last himself a 28-year-old goaltender toiling for of the year. Russian Superleague. "I turn around and Varly is there," Valiquette said. "I say, ‘Varly!’ He looks This was in 2005-06, when he regularly shared practice ice with a 17- at me, like, ‘Vali?’ I’m like, ‘What’s up, man?’ I got up and gave him a big year-old prospect then playing for the club’s second team. His name was hug." Semyon Varlamov. They ended up hanging out with one another during the trip, now a long "He was somebody I noticed right away as a talent," Valiquette said of way from Yaroslavl. Varlamov. "When you’re a goalie, you’re always evaluating everybody above you and below you. Is he good? Is he not good?" Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.20.2021 A decade-and-a-half later, Valiquette now evaluates goaltenders as an analyst for MSG Networks, a TV outlet on which Varlamov appears as the Islanders’ No. 1 goalie.

Island Ice Ep. 87: Isles-Pens Game 2 analysis

Newsday's Andrew Gross, Colin Stephenson and Neil Best discuss Game 2 of the Islanders-Penguins playoff series and look ahead to Game 3.

Nothing that has happened between then and now surprises Valiquette, given what he saw in Russia.

Varlamov arguably was the Islanders’ MVP this season, with seven shutouts and a 2.04 goals-against average.

Those numbers, and his vast experience, led Barry Trotz to surprise many by starting Varlamov in Game 2 of a first-round playoff series against the Penguins on Tuesday, after Ilya Sorokin had won Game 1, 4- 3, in overtime.

Varlamov gave up a bad early goal but was sharp down the stretch, making 43 saves in a 2-1 loss. Trotz did not say afterward who would start Game 3, but it would be a shock if it is not Varlamov.

"What I noticed about Varly was his work ethic was phenomenal," Valiquette said in an interview with Newsday before the series began. "I’m seeing this kid just crushing it — out on the ice late, taking breakaways forever, and I’m like, ‘Oh my God, this kid’s a worker.’ . . . I’d say, ‘Man, this guy is legit.’ "

NHL New York Islanders | Semyon Varlamov - Save from Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders

(New York Islanders) with a Goalie Save from Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Islanders, 05/18/2021

That earned Valiquette’s respect, and it was in keeping with what he often observed in young, hungry Russians looking for a shot in North America.

Valiquette was so taken with Varlamov that, when Valiquette left Russia, he gave Varlamov his set of nice, new red gloves to replace the old, subpar ones the teenager had been using.

"Another thing I remember about Varly was the off-ice," Valiquette said. "He would have 200 pounds on his back doing split squats on the dirt at the outside gym in Yaroslavl. The conditions were like that of a ‘Mad Max’ set — broken-down vehicles and trailers and stuff.

"These guys were just pressing heavy weight; they would go for long runs. I think these [goalies] coming over from Russia, they’ve really taken over the league. They’re hardened; they’re very hardened. Varly’s tough, man. As tough physically as he is, he’s tough mentally."

Given all that, a tough start in Game 2 was not going to break the guy’s spirit. Despite that bad goal he gave up to Bryan Rust, Varlamov is one of the best in the NHL at not allowing such softies. 1188565 New York Islanders

Mathew Barzal went pointless in Pittsburgh, yet Isles still got the split

By Colin Stephenson

The Islanders got a split of the first two games of their first-round playoff series against the Penguins without any contribution from their best and highest-paid player, Mathew Barzal.

But as the series shifts to Nassau Coliseum for Games 3 and 4, Islanders coach Barry Trotz promised that Barzal has another gear he’ll be able to get to as his team looks to take control of the best-of-seven series.

"Absolutely. Absolutely, he does,’’ Trotz said after a 2-1 loss in Game 2 on Tuesday night. "We're going to need for him to do something. And it's hard, sometimes, because Mathew cares. He tries to do it by himself sometimes, and the Penguins are doing a good job.’’

That the Islanders managed to win one of the first two games in Pittsburgh – with Barzal getting no points in the games – was huge, Trotz said.

"If you don't get the split in the best-of-seven, you've got to win four of five games. That's really tough,’’ he said. "So getting a split was crucial. And I don't think anybody would come in here and say, 'Hey, we're gonna win both.' I think you go with the plan to win both, but it doesn't happen a lot ... it's gonna be a dogfight. It's gonna be a team that stays with it. And the first team to get that fourth victory is going to move on.’’

Barzal, a restricted free agent last offseason, signed a three-year, $21 million contract following a brief training camp holdout, then led the Islanders in scoring in the regular season with 17 goals and 28 assists in 55 games. But in Game 1 on Sunday, Barzal managed just one shot on goal in 20 minutes and 22 seconds of ice time in the Islanders' 4-3 overtime victory.

He was much more visible in his 18:16 of ice time in Game 2, when he seemed to find more room to skate in the second half of the game, and had three shots on goal. Trotz believes his showing in Game 2 was an indicator that the 23-year-old center is going to break out eventually.

"He had some shifts [in Game 2] where he almost broke loose,’’ Trotz said.

The Islanders, who fell behind 2-0 in the first period, had seemed to get some momentum from a couple of solid penalty kills in the second period and had finally gotten on the board with Josh Bailey’s goal at 14:44. Slowly, they began to generate some sustained pressure in the offensive zone and some dangerous chances in the latter part of that period.

Island Ice Ep. 87: Isles-Pens Game 2 analysis

Newsday's Andrew Gross, Colin Stephenson and Neil Best discuss Game 2 of the Islanders-Penguins playoff series and look ahead to Game 3.

Barzal came close to scoring on a wraparound shot with 1:29 left in the period that was stopped by Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry, and then he had a near-breakaway at 7:50 of the third period, when linemate Leo Komarov appeared to spring Barzal with a pass up the middle behind Pittsburgh’s Kasperi Kapanen. Kapanen recovered, though, and did just enough to prevent Barzal from getting more than a weak backhander off against Jarry, who made 37 saves.

"The number one thing with him, is when he's skating, you can forget about the hands and all that,’’ Trotz said of Barzal. "If he's skating in straight lines, and getting to pucks, and playing that give-and-go game, he is extremely dynamic. When he tries to use his hands too much, or play a slow-down game, I don't think he's quite as effective. So, we’ve just got to get him play in straight lines. He did that more often, I thought, today. So he was a little more dangerous.’’

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188566 New York Islanders scoring chance, hounding the Penguins puck-carriers into turnovers, but otherwise there was very little to notice about his game.

That was even more true for Jordan Eberle, who had zero high-danger Five things the Islanders need to do to regain control vs. the Penguins scoring chances across the two games. It was only a couple of years ago that Eberle was driving the Isles’ offense in their sweep of the Penguins. These last two games, with the Leo Komarov-Barzal-Eberle line seeing a major dose of Brian Dumoulin and Kris Letang, there’s been zilch. By Arthur Staple May 19, 2021 “We’re going to need for him to do something,” Trotz said of Barzal. “It’s

hard sometimes. Mathew cares, he tries to do it by himself sometimes, There’s a thing called a Pittsburgh Salad. In addition to various salad- and the Penguins are doing a good job.” related items you’re used to seeing in a bowl (lettuce, tomatoes, etc.), the Going home will allow Trotz to get Barzal’s line away from Dumoulin and Pittsburgh Salad also includes chicken or steak (still normal), cheese Letang. Putting a more skilled wing on the left side could help, too, but and, most crucially, fries. Komarov doesn’t appear to be coming out of the lineup, and there are no It’s very much a mixed bag. If you’re one of those folks who prefers your other obvious candidates among the 12 forwards for a sub. Barzal has fries crispy and not soggily buried in a pile of veggies — not a serial killer had success with this line in the last month, so he and Eberle need to is what I mean — then this is not the salad for you, enticing though it make it work. sounds. Fix the %$##*&&&!! power play The Isles’ first two games in Pittsburgh had a slight Pittsburgh Salad feel: The Islanders power play is mediocre at best — the three seasons’ worth Some good items but overall a slightly unsatisfied feeling after splitting of evidence is overwhelming in that regard. It’s where Anders Lee is with a split. The series resumes at the Coliseum on Thursday, where the missed most, because the Islanders can still play effective five-on-five Islanders have a few areas of concern and a few areas of and four-on-five hockey without their captain. encouragement as they try to regain control of a 1-1 series. But the first two games showed that the difference between these two Put aside gaffes from the most reliable guys teams game to game will come down to just a mistake or two. One You’re not likely to see this again from Semyon Varlamov. missed assignment, one weak goal and that could be it. So the Isles’ miserable six-on-four power play in the final 1 minute, 24 seconds of BRYAN RUST Game 2 stands out even more because it was the only power play they had, and it was a chance to send the game to overtime. 1-0 #LETSGOPENS Oliver Wahlstrom, guilty of being a bit too eager in Game 2, just wanted @NHLONNBCSPORTS PIC.TWITTER.COM/PSM6ZLD0MI to grip it and rip it. The Penguins know that and have heavily shaded — HERE'S YOUR REPLAY (@HERESYOURREPLAY) MAY 18, their penalty kill toward Wahlstrom when he’s on the ice, which has 2021 seemed to paralyze the rest of that unit. There’s just too much deliberateness to the power play — you watch it and know exactly where “He just missed it,” Barry Trotz helpfully explained after the game. Trotz the next pass is going and where they want the shot to come from, and if had been coy about which goalie he’d start in Game 2. Ilya Sorokin you can see it, the opposing team sees it, too. stepped up in the opener and played a very strong game, but Varlamov is the guy who carried the load in goal this season to a .929 save More chaos, less deliberation. That’s the only path to success. percentage and seven shutouts. For Trotz, it was an easy call with More from Game 2 Mayfield, less from Game 1 Mayfield Varlamov fully healthy. When Pelech and Pulock have an off night, it’s going to be tough for the “We wouldn’t maybe be in the playoffs if it wasn’t for Varly,” Trotz said. Islanders to have success. They almost pulled it off in Game 2 with really Varlamov did steady his game Tuesday, finishing with 43 saves. He was just one of their defensemen having a strong night. Scott Mayfield was a a big reason why it stayed a one-goal game through the third period. So beast on Tuesday, leading all skaters with eight shot attempts (seven on you’d expect him to get the Game 3 start and be Trotz’s choice to go the net), and it was his aggressive play in the Penguins’ zone that led to Josh rest of the way in this series barring a collapse. One brain cramp won’t Bailey’s goal. change that. Mayfield has taken a ton of heat for some of his defensive-zone The same is true for the Adam Pelech–Ryan Pulock pair, which had one decisions this season as his pairing with Nick Leddy has been wildly of its worst games all year on Tuesday. Pulock’s whiff turned the puck inconsistent in their own end. But Mayfield can still be a force. In a game over on Bryan Rust’s goal, though he and Pelech were in good position. like Game 2, where the referees were extremely lenient with contact The same can’t be said for the Penguins’ second goal, when Pulock — a around the net, Mayfield was thriving. That helped to counteract a difficult Norris Trophy candidate if he’d managed to shoot better than 2.6 percent Game 1 for him and Leddy, and the Islanders can gain an edge if their this season — got caught puck watching after a Penguins dump-in, top four are all pulling on the rope in the same game. leaving Jeff Carter alone for long enough to collect a pass, deke and beat Bring the noise Varlamov. Mayfield was asked after Tuesday’s game about the 9,000 or so fans in JEFF CARTER PPG Paints Arena and what he thought of having a loud crowd for a 2-0 #LETSGOPENS game.

@NHLONNBCSPORTS PIC.TWITTER.COM/MBKINBWERT “It just makes me excited to get back to the Coli,” he said.

— HERE'S YOUR REPLAY (@HERESYOURREPLAY) MAY 19, The plan is for 6,800 fans on Thursday at Nassau Coliseum. Maybe that 2021 will increase for Saturday’s Game 4, as every building seems to be on a sliding scale of how many fans are allowed in from day to day. But for a Pelech and Pulock were among the top defensive pairs in the league this building that holds 14,000, the Coliseum will be loud even at slightly less season at preventing scoring chances, with high-danger chance shares than half capacity. These next two games may not be an ideal start to the well over 60 percent. They’ve been on for 10 high-danger Penguins last Coliseum postseason, but they will be a vast improvement over the chances in these two games, according to Natural Stat Trick, more than last year of Islanders hockey. And there’s no doubt Isles fans will make any other Islander. Going home, where they’ll have the last change for themselves known. the next two games, will help, but putting these past two games behind them will help more. The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021

Paging Barzal and Eberle

Mathew Barzal had a forgettable two games as well. There were a couple of instances in Game 2 when he forced his way into a good 1188567 New York Islanders

Should Barry Trotz have Started Semyon Varlamov in Game 2?

By Christian Arnold

There was plenty of second-guessing on social media over New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz’s decision to start Semyon Varlamov in Game 2 over Ilya Sorokin.

The Islanders dropped the second game of their First Round series with the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday, but Varlamov’s rough first 10 minutes were not the reason the Islanders fell 2-1. Sure, the Islanders starter was appearing in his first game since May 10, but it wasn’t as though the Islanders gave him much time to get his sea legs under him.

And when he finally did, Varlamov played exactly the way the Islanders needed him to so that they had a fighting chance.

“Varly played great,” Adam Pelech said Tuesday night after the game. “He’s been great for us all year and we have tons of confidence in him. He played a great game tonight and unfortunately we couldn’t get it done for him.”

The goal Semyon Varlamov surrendered to Bryan Rust 3:22 into the second period and the one that Jeff Carter snuck by him roughly 10 minutes later was not his finest moments. Yet, the veteran netminder looked as though he was under siege in the opening period without any backup.

Once he zoned in, Varlamov shut the door on Pittsburgh.

Varlamov made 26 saves down in the final 40 minutes, which included turning away 16 shots alone in the third. And that’s what anyone watching should take away from the play of Varlamov in Game 2.

There certainly was an element of gamesmanship on Trotz’s part about his starter. Ilya Sorokin was given his own net during the morning skate and Trotz was intentionally vague before anyone could even ask about his starting goaltender.

Welcome to the playoffs.

NYHN Reader Poll: How Confident Are Islanders Fans as Series Shifts to Long Island?

But make no mistake, if Semyon Varlamov was healthy, as Trotz had indeed said he was, then he was going to get the nod. Regardless of how well Sorokin played the game prior.

“Varlamov has been our number one goalie for all year,” Trotz said. “He’s got seven shutouts. He was outstanding, he set team record and he’s fully healthy. We wouldn’t be maybe in the playoffs if it wasn’t for Varly’s performance this year. That’s, to me, very simple. He was very close to being 100 percent, but we thought let’s make sure he was ready.

“Felt very confident in Sorokin’s ability to come in here and give us a good game, he did. Varly back it up with a really strong game as well.”

AGAIN https://t.co/lUmWe5qTvR pic.twitter.com/exAEO5tX7y

— x – Isles on MSG+ Tonight (@IslesMSGN) May 19, 2021

Trotz acknowledged that Varlamov would have wanted that first goal back, but the Islanders bench boss seemed very pleased with the rest of the body of work he had. His comments should also present a pretty clear picture of who will be in the net for Game 3 on Thursday on Long Island.

Trotz has been consistent in his view of who his number one goaltender is. It has always been Varlamov, even as Sorokin’s game has grown leaps and bounds over the course of the regular season.

So it was only right that when he was ready Varlamov was back in the net for the postseason series with Pittsburgh. You can bet there’s a good chance Trotz puts his trust back into Varlamov at Nassau Coliseum on Thursday.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188568 New York Rangers

Rangers hire Mike Grier as hockey operations adviser

By Colin Stephenson

Rangers president and general manager has made his first hire.

The team announced Wednesday that Mike Grier, a college teammate of Drury’s at Boston University and an NHL player for 14 seasons, has been hired as a hockey operations adviser. Grier takes the place of Brian Leetch, who resigned as an adviser last week.

Drury, who is currently serving as GM of the U.S. team for the World Championships, also is in the process of interviewing candidates for the vacant head coaching position for the Rangers. He reportedly has been granted permission to interview former Vegas Golden Knights coach Gerard Gallant and has an interview set up with former Arizona Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet.

Grier, who scored 162 goals and 383 points playing for the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres and San Jose Sharks, served as an assistant coach for the New Jersey Devils from 2018 to 2020. Before that, he was a scout for the Chicago Blackhawks. He will work with prospects in the Rangers organization, including players at AHL Hartford.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188569 New York Rangers Given that this will be Buchnevich’s third contract and that he’s already played through a bridge deal, he’s more likely to sign a long-term contract. At 26, he’s in a better position to maximize his earnings with term now. The Rangers’ cap situation heading into the offseason: How signings or trades now add to long-term uncertainty Most teams aren’t signing players long-term in this current environment. Four-year contracts aren’t unusual; 17 have been signed since the season paused last year. But there have only been four five-year deals and eight with term longer than that. By Shayna Goldman May 19, 2021 The remaining Rangers skaters who are restricted free agent skaters this

offseason are Filip Chytil, Julien Gauthier, Brett Howden and Libor Hájek. A flat salary cap is going to be a challenge for most NHL teams in the None of these players really stand out as candidates for long-term deals, seasons to come, and even with an apparent abundance of cap space especially given the current cap situation. this coming offseason, the New York Rangers and their new general Goalie Igor Shesterkin is also set to be an RFA. Goaltenders are the manager Chris Drury are going to be among the teams with hard bigger mysteries in hockey, and how they’re evaluated really can vary. A decisions to make. short-term deal is possible. But if the team is confident in its rookie On the surface, millions in cap space will be opening up. Drury should goaltender, and he has given them reason to be, more term (and salary) have sufficient room to sign the team’s pending free agents with plenty of aren’t out of the question. room remaining. So if one of the more significant extensions has already been taken care Except this year’s free agents aren’t the only players that Drury and the of and most of the remaining RFAs will be extended to bridge deals, that front office have to consider. puts the focus back on Buchnevich with cap space to spare.

With every move the team makes, there has to be an eye deeper into the Along with expiring contracts for unrestricted free agents and a player future — on next year’s restricted and unrestricted free agents and the leaving for Seattle, the combined buyout cap hits for the Rangers ones who will come up in the years beyond. That means that if the team decrease from about $13 million in dead space to $4 million this summer. wants to make a splash with a big move this offseason, it will take some If (when) Tony DeAngelo is bought out, it brings that up to $4.4 million, creative cap management. but the team also gains $4.4 million back of his $4.8 million cap hit in space. What would that look like? Can the Rangers take care of their own free agents and leave room for additions? Let’s take a look. To get an idea of what the Rangers’ cap could look like after all of that, the chart below shows the outlook with the most probable projections The Rangers got off to a very early start this offseason, extending from Evolving-Hockey for all RFAs, plus one UFA in Brendan Smith who restricted free agent defenseman Ryan Lindgren with a three-year could return on a reasonable depth contract. contract that carries a $3 million cap hit. Lindgren has grown into a key player in New York: a top-pair defender, a complement to Adam Fox and The collective costs for 2021-22 appear to be around $68 million, plus the team’s leader in blood spilled on the ice per 60 minutes. He’s whatever Shesterkin signs for (there currently aren’t any projections unexpectedly filled the role of a left-handed leading back the Rangers available for free-agent goaltenders) — set against a cap of $81.5 million. had been missing since they traded Ryan McDonagh. If Morgan Barron or Nils Lundkvist make the team, that will add to the cap too, as will any other signings this summer — but you can also And Lindgren’s deal, according to The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn’s subtract for whoever comes off the 23-man roster in their place. One model, was well below his market value of $5.6 million: contract will also be subtracted after the expansion draft, as well.

Evolving-Hockey’s model for salary projections has the contract closer to So, again, in theory, Drury is kicking off his tenure as GM with cap space what’s expected. That site has a three-year deal to be worth $2.9 in cap and flexibility. In reality, it’s never as simple as that. space per season, though it put the highest probability for Lindgren being a longer deal: five years at $3.94 million on average. At least three significant members of the team are poised for big raises after next season: Mika Zibanejad, Ryan Strome and Adam Fox. The Rangers have a number of restricted free agents to work with, but Depending on his growth next year, Kaapo Kakko could be, too, but the Lindgren was one of the more pressing players and could have pushed team has the option for a short-term deal first. The year after that, Alexis for a bigger contract. While it benefits some teams to pursue these Lafrenière is among the players up for extensions. shorter-term contracts that carry lower costs to keep their cap in balance, it also can also be preferred by players, given the circumstances. Signing Fox is going to get paid, and rightfully so. He’s an elite two-way defender a long-term extension right now limits what a player can make because and one of the most important pieces to the Rangers rebuild right now of the flat cap. A short-term deal, on the other hand, allows players to and window of contention in the future. Luszczyszyn’s model sets his prove their worth in the near future and sign their next contract when the market value at about $13.7 million on average over the next seven cap increases. years. That market value isn’t always comparable to what a player will actually sign for — as an RFA, he won’t be hitting the open market — but With Lindgren, there were options and precedent to go either way. the number represents the high end for a player whose value continues Numerous defenders take bridge deals after their entry-level contracts. to rise and who the Rangers need to contend. Others jump right to a long-term deal, especially if management projects their costs to steeply incline over the life of that short-term contract. This Zibanejad’s market value projects to be about $9.1 million on average. cost-effective contract helps the Rangers manage costs moving forward, Unlike Fox, though, this contract will likely end up paying for past given the current circumstances, without overcommitting. performance in the later years; he grades out as a top-line center through the next four years before shifting to top-six caliber. Apart from Lindgren, the other pending Rangers restricted free agent in for a payday is Pavel Buchnevich. The key difference between Strome has faced questions about sustainability throughout his time in Buchnevich’s case and Lindgren’s is that the Rangers lack left-handed New York — whether because of his underlying numbers, inflated defensive depth whereas they have an abundance of impact or potential shooting percentage or the boost from playing alongside Artemi Panarin. impact wingers. But Buchnevich’s development into a two-way winger He took his game to another level this season, answering most of those and top penalty killer increases his value on the ice as well as financially. lingering questions. But now the Rangers are faced with yet another question about sustainability and what his value will be in the years Luszczyszyn puts Buchnevich’s market value at $6.3 million on average ahead. Did he peak this season? Would an extension make financial over seven years, but market value refers to a player hitting the open sense down the line? market, which he can’t as a restricted free agent. This is where the flat cap begins to really catch up with the Rangers. Evolving-Hockey’s projection isn’t far off that number; its model gives a five-year contract with a $6.34 million cap hit a 34 percent probability. Ideally, a team entering its playoff window isn’t facing a cap crunch. The next highest probability (24 percent) is a four-year deal at $6.31 Contenders need financial mobility to stay at that level. But between million on average. potential extensions for Fox, Zibanejad and Strome, that flexibility disappears. The Rangers could easily be left with an unsustainably expensive core if they can’t reach more team-friendly deals or move on from one of these skaters or another player on an existing contract.

The chart below shows that using Evolving-Hockey projections for this year’s RFAs and market values for next year’s UFAs:

Looking forward two seasons, with only 15 players under contract — if all are re-signed — and with no goalies accounted for, the Rangers would be at $77 million. Right up against the flat cap with an incomplete roster.

All of these projections focus on the players currently on the roster, but there will likely be additions this offseason, too. Management may try to seek players that fit in their new coaching hire’s system. Defensive depth could be addressed, as well as strength down the middle and some level of grit.

There’s also a chance that the Rangers make waves with a major change.

Offer sheets are few and far between, but the Rangers may be able to leverage their current cap space against teams with little to extend their own RFAs. Elias Pettersson, Anthony Beauvillier, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett and Vince Dunn are all among this year’s RFA class.

And there are UFAs as well. And trade options. Jack Eichel is, of course, going to be the center of speculation. The Sabres captain is cost- controlled with a $10 million cap hit until 2026, so there aren’t any unknowns about his impact on the cap in the near future.

But to add Eichel or an impact RFA or UFA, salary will have to be shed. Anything major like Eichel would all but guarantee that either Zibanejad or Strome won’t both be on the team long term — maybe neither. If either center did stay, it’d probably have to be at a cap hit lower than his market value.

Cap management is essential, even when a team appears to have cap space. There’s a domino effect for each and every move, and it’s even trickier to balance when a team’s striving for the playoffs.

So while Drury may have room to extend his restricted free agents this summer, every penny counts in the big picture, whether it’s dedicated to a trade acquisition or what’s shaping up to be an expensive offseason in 2022.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188570 NHL Leafs upset the Canadiens, taking the shine off Montreal’s growing global status.

“Montreal had the World’s Fair, Expo 67, that year and they were going Montreal and Toronto’s Rivalry Makes a Muted Return to the Playoffs to have the Stanley Cup parade there,” Stellick said. “They had the Montreal Expos. They had the Olympics in 1976. That was the place to The teams and their fan bases clash annually, but the be.” franchises will play their first postseason series since 1979 this week. The Canadiens-Leafs rivalry cooled after 1967 when the league expanded, adding six teams, and in the early 1970s, Boston supplanted Toronto as Montreal’s biggest rival. By Curtis Rush May 20, 2021, 12:01 a.m. ET “Toronto was a big draw, but for us the big rivalry was Boston,” Serge

Savard, the Hall of Fame former Canadiens defenseman, said in an TORONTO — Canada’s two most populous cities, Montreal and Toronto, interview. “There were a lot of Boston fans in Montreal.” are separated by 335 miles and by language, culture and politics. But Still, Toronto and Montreal had their battles in the 1970s, particularly in hockey has always pulled them together, except at playoff time. that last playoff meeting in 1979. The Canadiens and the Maple Leafs have met in 15 N.H.L. postseason The Leafs were good, but diminished by the meddling of team owner series going back to 1918 and five times in the Stanley Cup finals, but , who fired and rehired head coach in a not since 1979. three-day soap opera leading up the postseason. “It was a pretty bizarre They’ll meet again Thursday in the opening round of the playoffs in time,” Sittler said in an interview. “My job was to play hockey and you Toronto, their first postseason series against each other in 42 years. didn’t need those distractions.”

It’s a classic rivalry, but one that has been dormant, at least in the In contrast, the Canadiens had won three consecutive titles, their last postseason, only to be remembered by those of a certain vintage. great dynasty, having dispatched the Philadelphia Flyers in 1976 and the Bruins twice. Of course, geographic rivalries are special because they are rare in the playoffs. The Rangers and Islanders, for example, haven’t met in the They had lost only 29 regular-season games in those three years, as the playoffs since 1994. team was at what Scotty Bowman, the coach at the time, called its “peak.” “I’d say this rivalry reminds me more of the Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers,” said , who was an executive assistant with the “It was such an exciting time,” Bowman said in a telephone interview. Leafs in 1979 and later became the club’s general manager. “The pressure was there, but it spurred the players to play at their best.”

The Canadiens have won eight of the 15 series and hold a commanding A Montreal team featuring future Hall of Famers like Dryden, Savard, 24-13 lead in Stanley Cup championships. But this year, they’ll be an Guy Lafleur, Jacques Lemaire, , Steve Shutt and Larry underdog No. 4 seed against Toronto, the champion of the all-Canadian Robinson dispatched the Leafs in four games for the second year in a North Division. row on the way to a fourth straight title.

Pandemic travel restrictions in Canada forced the N.H.L. to realign its 31 But Toronto didn’t go down without a fight, taking the final two games to teams and form a division with all seven Canadian teams. Toronto went overtime. 7-2-1 against Montreal during the regular season, seemingly built in the “The sad part was we thought we were close to the Canadiens,” image of the Flying Frenchmen of Montreal — with speed and skill led by McDonald said. “We had beaten the Islanders the year before. And even Auston Matthews, the league’s top goal scorer. though the Habs had beaten us in four straight the year before in 1978, Although American cities are ahead in easing restrictions and allowing you think you’re only a player or two away.” fans inside hockey arenas — less than 5 percent of are fully He added: “It reminded me of the Rangers-Islanders rivalry or Calgary- vaccinated — the buildings in Canada will largely remain dark. The Edmonton years later,” said McDonald, who later played for Calgary. “At Canadiens announced Tuesday that they’ll be allowed to admit 2,500 that time it was probably the best rivalry in hockey, especially because fans, about 12 percent of the Bell Centre’s capacity, for any games after Montreal had won so many Cups, and Toronto was second.” May 28 (Game 6 would be May 29, if necessary). It would be the first game in Canada with fans in attendance this season. Since that series, Montreal won two more Cups, in 1986 and 1993, while Toronto has the longest active drought in the N.H.L. at 53 years, just one Nevertheless, the atmosphere will be muted for the two rabid fan bases, short of the gap the Rangers endured before winning it all in 1994. who were accustomed to flooding the streets adorned with face paint, flags and jerseys before the Leafs-Canadiens playoff games. In Montreal, expectations have fallen precipitously for Les Habitants, who squeezed into the postseason. “You walked into or the Forum in Montreal hours before the game and fans were out on the street and ready to go,” Lanny “Back in 1979, people in Montreal would have been disappointed if we McDonald, a Hall of Famer who started his career with Toronto in 1973, didn’t win,” Savard recalled. “In those days, they didn’t ask before the said in an interview. “That’s the magic of a rivalry, especially when it’s season if we were going to make the playoffs. They were asking if we playoff hockey.” were going to win the Cup this year. A very different time.”

Darryl Sittler, one of the most popular players in Leafs history, added: The history of the Leafs and Canadiens still resonates with today’s “It’s a shame that in a series like this, fans in both cities can’t watch it players. live.” Montreal goaltender Jake Allen, who played junior hockey in Quebec, The Hall of Fame goaltender Ken Dryden, who grew up in the Toronto said it’s “a special feeling” to play Toronto in the postseason. “We have to area and won six Stanley Cups with Montreal in the 1970s, sees the cherish it. We have to embrace it. It’s going to be fun. It’s going to be rivalry as one of cities and of cultures. hard.”

Montreal is still known for its fashion and cuisine, flair and intimate Maple Leafs defenseman Travis Dermott told reporters he’s looking quaintness, while diverse Toronto is known for its brashness, flashy forward to the modern renewal of an old rivalry. skyline and economic clout. Both fan bases claim they live in hockey’s mecca. “It’s the Leafs versus the Habs, so it’s everything you want in a playoff series,” Dermott said. “Even if you didn’t watch a game this season, the “Same fans, same degree of commitment, same kind of history, same Leaf-Habs rivalry is always in the back of your mind. It’s going to be love, same needs,” Dryden once said in a television interview. “If you huge.” liked one place you would like the other. There’s nothing like winning in one of these environments.” New York Times LOADED: 05.20.2021

But a championship has long eluded both franchises, since 1993 for Montreal. Toronto last won the Stanley Cup in 1967, when the underdog 1188571 Ottawa Senators group that is a coach’s dream because they push each other. They’re young, they all have the same dream and they all pull for each other. They’re friends and they’re all after the same thing. There’s no prima donna stuff … I think we’ve got a good shot at making the playoffs next GARRIOCH: Melnyk says he's confident the Senators will sign Brady year and it only gets better from there.” Tkachuk plus club needs a centre and defenceman Melnyk said the biggest disappointment last season was the play of goaltender Matt Murray. He’s hopeful that he will improve next season and if he doesn’t ,then there’s depth behind him to help the team be Bruce Garrioch successful. Publishing date:May 19, 2021 He said, though, that if Murray can bounce back, then young players such as Tim Stuetzle, Josh Norris, Drake Batherson and Erik Brannstrom along with Chabot and Tkachuk can help lead the way. Eugene Melnyk is confident that patience is about to pay off for the fans of the Ottawa Senators. The Senators owner, speaking on The Bob “The only place we failed this year, and we could have done better, and McCown Podcast on Wednesday, indicated that the club is close to we made changes to improve, was in goal,” Melnyk added. “We got killed turning the corner on this rebuild. He is also confident that the in goal. You bring in a top guy, and he’s now improved himself a lot, and organization will sign alternate captain Brady Tkachuk this summer, we’re hoping that Murray steps up next year. We need him to. however, the Sens still need a front-line centre and defenceman before “But, if Murray can step up and then one of the young guys steps up as a being a force to be reckoned with.’ good No. 2, then we’ve got the makings of a true contender and I really While there’s a lot of focus on 21-year-old winger Tkachuk being a believe that. After that, I’ve got a bunch of 22-year-olds that aren’t even restricted free agent this summer, Melnyk noted that both sides decided close to their prime. And, this is where every franchise wants to be and to step back after their season ended last week. He expects negotiations we took it the hard way.” between GM and Toronto-based agent Craig Oster will pick up and will have a positive outcome. Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.20.2021 “It’s not hard if you both agree,” Melnyk said told McCown and co-host John Shannon in a wide-ranging interview. “I think we’re on the same planet with Brady’s agents and him. We think, and we really believe, that he’s a leader of the team, and is a pivotal part for us. But, these things come down to sometimes things that you can’t even understand.

“And, it’s not money, it’s something in their heads that somehow they want to do something else. But, it’s not the case with Brady. With us, the season is now over, everybody is thinking about it and we’ll come back. I don’t foresee a problem with signing Brady.”

As this newspaper reported last week, the expectation is that the Senators will offer Tkachuk a long-term deal and a significant amount of money to keep him in the fold as opposed to a bridge deal.

Meanwhile, there’s been no shortage of speculation about who will be the club’s next captain, but it will either be Tkachuk or defenceman Thomas Chabot, who has seven years left on his deal.

“That’s going to be what we’re thinking about all summer and whether he’s the person for that,” said Melnyk when asked about Tkachuk wearing the ‘C’. “It would have to be someone who’s got to be around for the long-term. That’s the key for us. You can’t have a captain there on a bridge contract. It’s not going to happen.

“But, (Tkachuk) along with Thomas Chabot, they’re both leaders in the dressing room which is what you’re looking for. I’ve been there, deep in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and that’s when these guys really shine. It’s not the game in January that matters, it’s when you get in the playoffs and that’s where the leadership shows up. And, if they’re not there, you’re done and you’re going to get wiped out so quickly it will make your head spin.”

Melnyk said when he sat down with Dorion in February of 2018 to talk about this rebuild, they made a step-by-step plan on how this would go. He said he met with coach D.J. Smith last week to discuss what the club needs to get to the next level. The coach outlined that the club needs a top centre and defenceman.

He added that he expects the No. 5 pick in the 2020 draft, defenceman Jake Sanderson, to leave the University of North Dakota and suit up for Belleville next spring so at least one of those needs could come from within.

“(Smith) gave me one of the best assessments I’ve ever heard from any coach at any time since I’ve owned a hockey team and that includes junior,” Melnyk said. “We went through player-by-player what we need to do to get there. He said we’re set for the next 10 years except there’s a couple of young (players) that need to grow up fairly quickly. We’ve got some gaps.

“There are two things we need: A good defensive defenceman and we almost need a veteran-type first-line centre and those aren’t easy to come by. The defenceman, we have one coming, in Sanderson. Next year, we should get better. This is a great collection of players. This is a 1188572 Ottawa Senators “He’s not going to sponsor me anymore but I just don’t think I’m treated fairly and we’re going to have to talk about it.”

Melnyk said he has ruled out going to LeBreton Flats but noted there’s a Senators' owner Eugene Melnyk says priority is to stay in Kanata, but “federal site that’s attractive has well.” There has been speculation that he's looked at sites in Gatineau may be located near the baseball stadium on Coventry Rd. where the old RCMP headquarters is located, but it’s not known if that’s what he’s talking about.

Bruce Garrioch “They haven’t gotten approval yet, and that’s kind of why I’m waiting, that they’re going to have the LRT go all the way to Kanata and we would be Publishing date: May 19, 2021 a stop,” said Melnyk. “If that happens, that’s a big plus because then you take away the drive and we can use some of the parking, so there’s a lot of moving parts right now. Eugene Melnyk hasn’t given up on the hope of a building a new home for the Ottawa Senators. “Just give us some team, we’ve got our rebuild almost complete and now we can start focusing on on our arena and everything that can go around Speaking on the Bob McCown podcast with the legendary broadcaster arena. I’m 75-to-80% on staying in Kanata, I’m just saying there’s and well-respected co-host John Shannon, the Senators’ owner indicated another option to move to another part of Ottawa or even across the he’s putting plans in place for a new rink on 70 acres of land he owns river. These are just options. I’m just giving it all out.” located close to where the Canadian Tire Centre currently stands and if that doesn’t work out he’d look at building a rink in Gatineau. Melnyk said he met with a developer on the weekend who has a plan for redevelopment in Kanata which would include hotels and condominiums. While he confirmed any chance of moving to LeBreton Flats is dead, He said the rink should be in the 15,000-seat range. Melnyk would prefer to stay in Kanata but he made it clear he’s had just about enough of trying to deal with Mayor Jim Watson and he doesn’t “People are starting to cluster out to Kanata. There’s massive believe he’s being treated fairly by the people at city hall. development going on out there,” said Melnyk.

“As far as LeBreton Flats is concerned, we’re nowhere, we’re not involved anymore,” said Melnyk, who was celebrating the 6th anniversary Ottawa Sun LOADED: 05.20.2021 of his liver transplant. “That was a bad dream that ended up in court. We had a horrible partner. I didn’t know this person and out of the blue the previous management signed him up.

“I have 70 acres of land around the arena, and the 16 years I’ve owned the team, Ottawa has grown west towards Kanata. That 26-minute drive that felt like forever is no longer a big deal. I’ve spent enough time in Toronto to know what traffic is. I like it out in Kanata, but if I can’t get anything done there I’ve also had proposals of still staying in the Ottawa area but going across the river into Gatineau.

“There’s some beautiful land with beautiful backdrops and it’s closer to downtown but I’m still committed to Kanata and I’m looking at sometime in the next three-to-five years committing to one (area) or the other. I’m going to have to build a new arena. I have to have a new arena in about seven years from now.”

Melnyk said with the age of the Canadian Tire Centre it doesn’t make sense to stay in the building and it has lifespan of about 40 years. He said the club just spent more than $10 million upgrading the HVAC system.

“Either we build another stadium out in Kanata, on our own property that we own, or there’s a great deal that comes from the other side of the river,” said Melnyk.

McCown pointed out though that people in Ottawa don’t always like to cross into Gatineau to attend events but he doesn’t believe there’s any point trying to deal with Watson or city hall anymore.

“I’ve not had the easiest time in the city of Ottawa. Not with the fans, believe it or not, there’s a hierarchy in that city and it’s political yes,” Melnyk said. “I just read literally an hour ago, here I am paying through the nose in taxes out there and they just gave the Porsche dealership $2.6 million tax free.

“I’m going, well wait, and they’re saying it’s because of all the economic benefits. What economic benefits? He’s selling god damn Porsches. Give me a break, give me the tax break. I’m dying out here. I’ve got no fans and I’m still trying to put on a show for everybody. My point is, it’s about fairness, and it’s not even the money, it’s the fairness. If I feel I’m being unfairly treated, I don’t want to come to this part.”

Melnyk restated he’d rather stay in Kanata but doesn’t see Gatineau as the hurdle that McCown does.

“I’m going to do everything I possibly can. I don’t see see that border (being an issue),” said Melnyk. “Many people live in Gatineau and commute into Ottawa. By far, my No. 1 preference is I want to stay in Kanata, but when you’re reading stuff like I did an hour ago about a Porsche dealership. Really? You just gave a Porsche dealer his new dealership and he’s got two. 1188573 Philadelphia Flyers As for his future, Gordon sounded as if he was open to a job as an NHL assistant or as an AHL head coach. “I don’t know what will be out there in the AHL; it’s kind of a timing thing,” he said. “It’s not like you send your resume out and yours stacks up better than others. The reality is that Scott Gordon is thankful for his years in the Flyers organization; Ian different teams look for different things and it’s not only about your Laperriere could replace him with the Phantoms. resume, so we’ll have to see how that goes. It comes with the territory.”

Six years ago, Gordon chose to work for Flyers over two other offers “because of who I was working for.” by Sam Carchidi Gordon is close with Hextall, who is now the Penguins’ general manager Published May 19, 2021 and whose team is in a playoff battle with the Islanders.

Asked if Hextall had contacted him, Gordon chuckled. “I think he’s got Ian Laperriere has emerged as one of the leading candidates to replace bigger fish to fry right now,” he said. the highly successful Scott Gordon as coach of the Flyers’ top farm team, Gordon said he took pride seeing many of his Phantoms become NHL the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, according to an NHL source. players over the years. Fourteen players on the Flyers’ end-of-season A former Flyers player, Laperriere, 47, has been an assistant with the roster played for him with the Phantoms. team for the last eight seasons. “The best thing was turning on a Flyers game and seeing all the players Gordon confirmed late Tuesday that he and general manager Chuck you coached,” he said. “And that’s not just the guys on the Flyers. Like Fletcher mutually agreed that it was time to move on after a six-year stint having had the opportunity to coach guys like Nick Cousins and Anthony in which he compiled a 186-121-40-1 record with the Phantoms. Stolarz and guys who are gone from the organization and got their start with us. That’s one of things that endears me to coaching in the AHL — His contract expires after next season, and Fletcher was not prepared to the opportunity to see guys achieve their dreams, and this year was great give Gordon an extension now. As he drove back to his home in Atlanta for that and seeing guys like [Egor] Zamula and [Tanner] Laczynski and on Tuesday, Gordon said he had no bitterness toward the Flyers [Wade] Allison go up.”

“I loved being there and had a great six years,” he said. “I don’t think I Gordon said he only had defenseman Cam York for a short time and was could have envisioned how great it was. You coach in the minors for as impressed by “how quickly he adapted. Some guys take a half season to many years as I’ve coached, and you get to Lehigh Valley and see the assimilate what he did, and to be able to see him go up [to the Flyers] facilities and the owners and how passionate they are, and the sold-out and not miss a beat was pretty cool. building. Everything far exceeded my expectations.” “And it’s not just seeing guys get to the NHL,” he added. “We had two Gordon thanked , the former Flyers general manager who players this year — Max Willman, who was in the East Coast League last hired him, and executives Fletcher, , Bob Clarke, and year, and he earned an NHL contract, and Brennan Saulnier, who signed Barry Hanrahan for their support over the years. an AHL contract and he didn’t play major junior. ... That to me is just as impactful as seeing a guy go up and play his first NHL game. Sometimes, “Everybody treated me excellently,” he said. that has more of an impact on you because they’re not a high-round draft Gordon, 58, was asked if he was disappointed that the organization didn’t pick that is expected to make the NHL.” want to give him a contract extension.

Looking at the ‘other side’ Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 05.20.2021 “I think sometimes you have to look at things objectively, or at least see the other side of it,” he said. “This is Chuck’s third year and he inherited a lot of people. At the end of the day, I’ve been here for six years and, coming in, we didn’t know each other, and he gave me the opportunity to go up coach the Flyers [on an interim basis in 2018-19] and he extended my contract after I coached the Flyers. So we worked well together.”

Flyers assistant Ian Laperriere is one of the leading candidates to land the job as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms' head coach.

With Phantoms assistant Kerry Huffman stepping down, Fletcher said he didn’t want to hire his replacement and have Gordon going through the 2021-22 season as a lame-duck coach.

“We had a good conversation and I think it all made sense when it was all said and done,” Gordon said of his talk with Fletcher.

Terry Murray, 70, a former head coach of the Flyers, Washington, Florida, and Los Angeles, is expected to replace Huffman, according to InsideAHLHockey.com. Murray was the Phantoms’ head coach in their first season in Lehigh Valley in 2014-15.

Gordon, the New York Islanders’ head coach from 2008-09 to early in 2010-11, wants to remain in coaching. After he was beaten out by Alain Vigneault for the job as the Flyers’ head coach two years ago, Gordon had opportunities to be an NHL assistant. He turned them down because of his love for developing young players.

“I wanted to go back to the American League and be a head coach,” he said. “It was the best thing for me to get back to being behind the bench and being my own boss. It was something I needed. I didn’t expect to get back to the NHL the way I did, and that was a bonus I didn’t expect.”

Gordon replaced the fired Dave Hakstol in 2018-19 and directed the Flyers to a 25-22-4 record. Under Gordon, the Flyers got back into the playoff hunt with an 18-4-2 run before fading at the end of the season.

Future outlook 1188574 Philadelphia Flyers

After 6 seasons together and interim duty, Flyers and Gordon part ways

BY JORDAN HALL

Scott Gordon's six-year run in the Flyers' organization has come to an end.

On Tuesday, the Flyers and their AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley head coach mutually agreed to part ways. In a related move, Phantoms assistant coach Kerry Huffman decided to step down from his role.

"I would like to thank Scott and Kerry for their service to the organization," Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher said in a statement released by the team. "Both Scott and Kerry have dedicated their time and effort in developing Flyers prospects and bringing success to Lehigh Valley over the last several years. In speaking with each of them, we felt this was best for the future direction of the organization."

Throughout his time in Lehigh Valley, Gordon had blended the development of the Flyers' prospects with a winning environment. The 58-year-old head coach put up a 186-121-40-1 record in parts of six seasons behind the Phantoms' bench. He took Lehigh Valley to the playoffs in 2016-17 and 2017-18. This season, there were no AHL playoffs because of COVID-19; Gordon's Phantoms finished second in the North Division at 18-7-6.

During 2018-19, Gordon did an admirable job serving as the Flyers' interim head coach after the club fired Dave Hakstol in December 2018. The Flyers went 25-22-4 under Gordon. With an 18-4-2 stretch from Jan. 14 to March 11, the club crept to within three points of a playoff spot before it ran out of gas with a 3-10-0 finish.

Gordon was considered a candidate for the full-time gig before the Flyers hired Alain Vigneault as head coach in April 2019. Gordon then returned to his post in Lehigh Valley.

"I kind of went into it with the expectation of that's where I was going to end up," Gordon said in June 2019.

Gordon reported daily to Vigneault, Fletcher and Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr about the performance of the club's prospects. He had seen a lot of movement with player personnel over the last two seasons. Here are some of the younger names that Gordon watched get called up to the Flyers since the start of 2019-20: Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Philippe Myers, Joel Farabee, Morgan Frost, Samuel Morin, Connor Bunnaman, Carsen Twarynski, David Kase, German Rubtsov, Mikhail Vorobyev, Mark Friedman, Maksim Sushko, Tanner Laczynski, Wade Allison, Egor Zamula and Cam York.

Huffman, 53, had been with the Phantoms for five seasons. He filled in as head coach when Gordon was summoned by the Flyers. Lehigh Valley went 24-21-5 with Huffman as its bench boss.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188575 Philadelphia Flyers circumstances change, I fully believe it’s Philadelphia’s current intent to keep Laughton from Seattle. They view him as a good player and a key part of the culture they’re trying to construct.

Flyers offseason Kraken protection list, version 1.0: Jakub Voracek and Nolan Patrick: To be clear: This isn’t a guarantee that Patrick remains on James van Riemsdyk exposed? the Flyers through the offseason. But if the two sides part ways, I have my doubts it would happen via a poach in expansion; my guess is that the Flyers would ship out Patrick in a separate deal. Disastrous year aside, Patrick does still have “bounce-back candidate” value given his By Charlie O'Connor pedigree and the fact that missing 21 months of game action provides a May 19, 2021 pretty solid excuse for his struggles in 2020-21. Maybe a shift in protection strategy opens the door for Seattle to snatch Patrick, but assuming the status quo, my guess is that the 22-year-old is protected.

The 2021 NHL Expansion Draft is scheduled to be held on July 21, which Defensemen (3) means there’s only a little over two more months left for speculation to run rampant within the Philadelphia Flyers fan base as to which player Ivan Provorov: Coming off a down season, he likely needs a strong, the team might lose. established partner to truly flourish, at least at this stage of his career. But Provorov is nevertheless an obvious protect because no one on the The Flyers’ approach to the expansion draft could easily change in the team is trusted to take on the minutes and role that he is, and his coming weeks and months, especially if the Chuck Fletcher-run front plausible upside is still the highest of the group. Oh, and he’s only 24. office looks to get a jump on the offseason, as it did in 2019, when the team acquired Kevin Hayes, Matt Niskanen and Justin Braun before draft Travis Sanheim: There’s a contingent of fans that are seemingly finished day. That’s why this projection is simply version 1.0 — as the status quo with Sanheim, but I assure you the organization does not share those changes, so will our guesses of which players might be protected and sentiments. There’s a reason Sanheim wasn’t scratched even a single which might be exposed. time this season. He might too mistake-prone to be a true top-pair guy, but I suspect he might be able to serve as a solid No. 2 given the right In the here and now, the Flyers appear most likely to go with a 7-3-1 partner (read: not Provorov), and he’s viewed as a heck of a long-term protection structure (seven forwards, three defensemen and one goalie) second-pair option. Frankly, I’m not even viewing him as a serious over the 8-1 allowance (eight skaters, one goalie). Who might those candidate to be traded this offseason, let alone be exposed in expansion. protected players be? Which players are exempt from the draft entirely? And who does that leave as the likely top options for the Kraken? Philippe Myers: Assuming the Flyers make no additions (or subtractions) on defense before the expansion draft, this final protection slot really Forwards (7) comes down to two options: Myers or Shayne Gostisbehere. And the hard truth is this — Gostisbehere passed through waivers in March and Claude Giroux: He has a no-movement clause and was arguably the no team put in a claim. If that’s his value around the league, why waste a Flyers’ best player in 2020-21. The only way Giroux would possibly end spot on him, even if you’ve decided to stick it out with Ghost (and that’s up on the Kraken is if Fletcher decided to embark on a full-scale rebuild far from a guarantee) for another season? Myers, on the other hand, still from the ground up, but even in that scenario, he’d be asking Giroux to brings relative youth and the simple fact that he’s a big right-handed waive his NMC to facilitate a trade — not to expose him to Seattle and defenseman with plus skating ability. He has a lot of value around the lose a still-high-end player for nothing. It’s difficult to imagine Giroux league even in the wake of his mess of a season, and he could end up going anywhere through the length of his current contract, and certainly providing a lot of value to the Flyers if they choose to stick with him. I not to Seattle. think they make sure he’s protected. Kevin Hayes: Another player with an NMC, and presumably his camp Goaltender (1) negotiated it back in the summer of 2019 at least in part to ensure that the Flyers wouldn’t be tempted to expose him in the expansion draft. Carter Hart: Hart is the Flyers’ only viable option to protect at this Can’t see him waiving it now. position, but even if he wasn’t, he’d still be the choice. They still believe in their 22-year-old goalie. Sean Couturier: His looming contract negotiation complicates the situation slightly but only in the same sense as Giroux. The Flyers aren’t Exempt from selection giving away their best true-talent hockey player for nothing. Even if concerns emerge that a deal can’t be struck by the summer of 2022, Joel Farabee: He has completed only two full professional seasons, and Couturier is still being protected, because it would be managerial he’d need to be finished with three to be a candidate to be selected by malpractice to do anything but trade him for a haul in that case. Seattle. Don’t worry about Farabee, Flyers fans — he’s safe.

Travis Konecny: It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Konecny could Egor Zamula: This was his first pro season. Also safe. be traded this offseason in a blockbuster deal, even if I’m not exactly Wade Allison and Tanner Laczynski: Yes, they’re older than the average expecting it. Still, he’s one of the Flyers’ best quality, young, proven prospect (both 23). But their clocks didn’t begin until they signed their first assets, and he’s on a fair contract. That is exactly why he’s a no-brainer pro deals, which was last summer. That means they’ve accumulated only protect option. Even accounting for his disappointing 2020-21 season, one pro season each. Konecny has produced at a pace of 67.2 points per 82 games over the past two seasons. You don’t risk losing that for nothing, especially when Jackson Cates: He just signed, so his older age (23 going on 24) doesn’t the player is still just 24 years old. matter.

Oskar Lindblom: Did Lindblom have a great season in 2020-21? Nah. But Linus Sandin: He’s an RFA, and given the fact that he failed to make the there’s a justifiable belief that — given a full offseason and something Flyers or even earn a call-up this season, his NHL future is in question. close to a normal schedule — he can return to his pre-cancer form. In But assuming he does recommit to chasing the NHL dream, he’d be addition, he’s beloved in the organization, from the coaches down to his ineligible to be selected by Seattle. teammates, and he’s still just 24 and is on a reasonable contract. I just cannot imagine the Flyers moving him this summer. He’s exactly the kind Linus Högberg: He’s worth highlighting because lots of players from his of high-character player they want. Even if a pre-expansion draft move — 2016 draft year — Hart, German Rubtsov, Carsen Twarynski, Connor say, for a top-pair defenseman — forced Fletcher to pivot to an eight- Bunnaman, Pascal Laberge — do need to be protected. But because skater protection strategy, my hunch is that they’d find a way to ensure Högberg signed his first NHL contract last summer, he’s just finishing up that the Kraken didn’t nab Lindblom. Year 1 for expansion draft purposes. That means he’s safe.

Scott Laughton: Speaking of high-character players, Laughton certainly Any Flyers prospect taken in 2017 aside from Patrick: Morgan Frost is qualifies — that was one of the big “intangible” reasons the Flyers safe. Isaac Ratcliffe can’t be poached. Even players like Matthew prioritized re-signing him just before the trade deadline. Add in his Strome, Maksim Sushko, Olle Lycksell, Noah Cates (who hasn’t even versatility and his underrated scoring ability, and it’s clear that the Flyers signed yet) — don’t worry about them. They’re exempt. value him highly. In addition, Fletcher all but guaranteed in his post- Any Flyers prospect taken in 2018 or later, period: Yes, Cam York, Tyson deadline presser that Laughton would be protected in expansion, and Foerster, Zayde Wisdom, Bobby Brink, Emil Andrae, Samuel Ersson are while it’s not impossible to envision a scenario in which those exempt. If in doubt, check the player’s draft year. If it’s 2018 or later, he’s fine.

Top projected-to-be-exposed players

James van Riemsdyk: It wouldn’t be totally off the wall to consider protecting JvR — he had a very strong year and remains a good player for the Flyers. But considering their existing depth at wing (particularly on the left side) and obvious need for cap space to make additions and reshape their roster, van Riemsdyk is a logical choice to expose and tempt Seattle to poach. Maybe the Kraken don’t bite, or maybe they demand a tax for selecting JvR and granting Philadelphia cap flexibility, but I’m expecting van Riemsdyk to be available, regardless.

Jakub Voracek: He’s a team leader and still a top producer for the big club. But considering the three years at $8.25 million remaining on his contract, he’s unlikely to be selected anyway, especially if a player like JvR — who grades out better by the numbers and comes with a cheaper cap hit and less term remaining — is made available to Seattle, as well. And if the Kraken did select him — well, all those Flyers fans who desperately want a shakeup of the team’s core would certainly get their wish.

Gostisbehere: The fact that Gostisbehere was not claimed on waivers implies that a Seattle selection is unlikely, but it’s not impossible. After all, Seattle wasn’t yet a team back in March, so it could not claim Ghost even if it had wanted to. But there’s also the fact that Gostisbehere ended up delivering a pretty solid 2020-21 campaign, and two seasons left of a $4.5 million cap hit really isn’t terrible value. Gostisbehere is another logical offseason candidate to be moved to clear up cap space (especially with York and Zamula close to breaking into the NHL full time) and this wouldn’t be the worst way for it to happen, given the fact that the Flyers were unable last fall and winter to move Ghost without adding some type of sweetener to the package.

Nicolas Aubé-Kubel: He’s coming off a very poor season, but NAK was great in 2019-20 and is young with a cheap contract. There will be a lot of quality fourth-liners available in expansion, but perhaps the Kraken coaching staff likes Aubé-Kubel’s tape and believes he’s a perfect fit for their planned system, the way that Vegas felt Pierre-Edouard Bellemare was.

Justin Braun: Maybe the safest possible choice for Seattle, Braun is experienced and coming off a decent season in which he played far too high in the lineup given his skill set but held his own. He also has just one year remaining on a contract with a team-friendly $1.8 million cap hit, so selecting him requires no long-term commitment and very little cap space wasted. Braun doesn’t come with a lot of upside at age 34, but he’d fit on the third pair of Seattle’s lineup quite comfortably and would be a fairly low-risk selection.

Robert Hägg: Basically Braun but younger, a bit cheaper, and with far worse underlying five-on-five metrics (though they were decent this season!). It’s hard to see Seattle preferring Hägg to Braun if given the chance to nab either, but stranger things have happened.

Samuel Morin, Brian Elliott, Alex Lyon, Andy Andreoff (basically, all the pending UFAs): In theory, the Kraken could select one of the Flyers’ pending unrestricted free agents and sign him to a contract within the allotted window before Seattle’s final roster is announced, and then said player would count as their selection from Philadelphia. It’s tough to see them doing so, given this crop. There will be far better goalies available than Elliott and Lyon. Andreoff is basically a quadruple-A forward. Morin is the only one who might be mildly intriguing, but it’s hard to imagine they’d prioritize him.

The older “prospects”: These are the guys who still technically qualify as prospects but have been around for quite a while: Bunnaman, Twarynski, Rubtsov, David Kaše, Laberge, Felix Sandström. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that Seattle is intrigued by one or more of them — Bunnaman has shown flashes of being a decent NHL 4C, Rubtsov is a former first-round pick, Kaše has underrated skill — but for the most part, these are the guys that the Kraken would look to take only if they’ve decided that they’re essentially “punting” on picking a clearly NHL-caliber asset from Philadelphia.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188576 Pittsburgh Penguins

Islanders creating more chances than Penguins on the power play

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 3:28 p.m.

It’s a laughably small sample size, to be sure. But through the first four days of the Stanley Cup playoffs, no team has had a worse power play than the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins are 0 for 5 with an extra man through two games of their first-round series against the New York Islanders. And while five consecutive power-play chances without a goal is rarely cause for alarm, a deeper dive into the numbers confirms what the proverbial “eye test” suggests: The Penguins power play has been arguably worse than their raw numbers.

Through the 10 minutes of ice time at 5 on 4 in this series (according to naturalstattrick.com), the Penguins have allowed almost as many shots on goal (three) as they have generated (four). The ratio of attempted shots (10-4, or 71.4%) while on the power play in this series would have finished — by far — last in the league over the regular season.

The Penguins and Islanders have just as many “high-danger scoring chances” while the Penguins are on the power play this series (one apiece).

More concerning, the Penguins progressively have gotten worse on the power play during this series. Their first chance, early in Game 1, was their best. They sustained zone time virtually the entire 2 minutes, attempting five shots with two shots on goal.

Over their next four chances in this series, New York actually has the edge in shots on goal during 8 minutes of Penguins power plays (3-2).

“I think it comes down to execution,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said of his team’s power-play woes. “We’ve got to support the puck. We’ve got to make the puck work. We’ve got to recognize where our release points are.

“They are a very good penalty kill. We knew it was going to be a big challenge going onto this. But anytime you are playing against a kill that’s as aggressive as the Islanders’ is both down ice but also in zone, we’ve got to do our best to support the puck and make the puck work. And I think if we can do that we should be able to generate some chances.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188577 Pittsburgh Penguins “We talk about that a lot with our players, what their expected contributions are and how to we are going to utilize them night in and night out to help us have success,” Sullivan said.

Blueger, Aston-Reese, Tanev have been better than a mere ‘4th line’ for Penguins Tribune Review LOADED: 05.20.2021

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 2:25 p.m.

To open his video conference call with media Wednesday, Pittsburgh Penguins coach Mike Sullivan was asked about the effectiveness of his “fourth line” during the team’s first-round playoff series.

“You’re talking about Teddy Blueger’s line?” Sullivan asked.

Purportedly, Sullivan politely was asking for clarification. But it’s also possible Sullivan was delivering a pair of subtle messages: He loathes pecking order-style labels for his forward lines, and the quality of play the unit of Blueger, Zach Aston-Reese and Brandon Tanev has been anything but fourth line-esque in the first two games of the series against the New York Islanders.

“Teddy’s line has had a real good series to this point,” Sullivan said. “They’re an important line for us. They help us with momentum. They’re hard to play against. They can play against anyone. They bring a physical element to our overall team game. They’ve had some offensive zone time. A number of scoring chances. They’re a big part of the penalty kill as well. So I think they’ve had, their first couple of games here, they’ve had strong efforts. I would anticipate they would continue to do that moving forward.”

As measured by ice time at even strength, not only has the Blueger/Tanev/Aston-Reese line played more than the Frederick Gaudreau/Jason Zucker/Evan Rodriguez (so-called third line) unit, they actually even approach the ice time the second line of Jeff Carter/Kasperi Kapanen/Jared McCann has played through two games of this series. The Carter line averaged just 15 seconds of ice time per player per game more at 5 on 5 than the Blueger line has played.

Perhaps the greatest compliment the Blueger line received from Sullivan was in the form of three shifts over the final 5 minutes of what was a one- goal game Tuesday. That’s more than even the line of Sidney Crosby, Bryan Rust and Jake Guentzel got in those critical moments.

The numbers — courtesy naturalstattrick.com — are showing it was earned, too.

Tanev, Aston-Reese and Blueger rank 1-2-3 on the Penguins in this series in 5-on-5 expected goals for percentage, a fancy way of saying they are generating far more — and better — scoring chances than their opponents are when they are on the ice.

The three members of the Blueger line are the only three players on the Penguins against whom the Islanders have not generated a “high-danger scoring chance“ at 5 on 5.

Tanev, Aston-Reese and Blueger all rank among the top seven on the team (the only full threesome of linemates that high) in the possession metric of percentage of attempts shots generated. All three also rank among the top seven Penguins forwards in scoring-chance percentage (ratio of chances by the Penguins as opposed to the Islanders during this series while they are on the ice at 5 on 5).

Perhaps the Blueger line’s most shining moment was after a ho-hum Penguins’ power play early during the second period of Game 2. The most highly skilled Penguins, playing with an extra man for 2 minutes, attempted just one shot (it was blocked) and were outshot 1-0 by the Islanders’ penalty killers.

The shift that immediately followed was Blueger/Aston-Reese/Tanev at 5 on 5, and they were part of generating four shots on goal and five attempted shots (to none for New York) over the ensuing 33 seconds.

It was a jolt of energy the Blueger line regularly provides for the Penguins. It served as an example why, even if they have not scored during this series, the trio of Blueger/Aston-Reese/Tanev is proving valuable. 1188578 Pittsburgh Penguins

Evgeni Malkin to travel with Penguins to New York; Casey DeSmith will not

CHRIS ADAMSKI

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 1:19 p.m.

It’s the NHL. It’s the playoffs, and it’s Mike Sullivan. So any injury update provided Wednesday between Games 2 and 3 of the Pittsburgh Penguins’ first-round series against the New York Islanders figured to be less than expansive.

And while that was true, there was a morsel of good news for the Penguins.

Evgeni Malkin was to travel with the team to Long Island on Wednesday, Sullivan said during a video conference call with media early in the day. But backup goalie Casey DeSmith was to remain back in Pittsburgh while his teammates played Games 3 and 4 of the series at Nassau Coliseum.

Malkin missed the first two games of the postseason with what is suspected to be an aggravation of a right knee injury that caused him to miss 23 of the Penguins’ final 27 regular-season games. The Penguins’ No. 2 center took part in the optional morning skate Tuesday, but his extensive work before and after recent practices with skills and development coach Ty Hennes has suggested he was not going to play.

The Penguins called off practice Wednesday, and their team facility was not open to media.

DeSmith has been out since May 3 because of an undisclosed injury. In his stead, Maxime Lagace has served as the backup to starter Tristan Jarry.

In addition, defenseman Brian Dumoulin briefly was knocked out of Tuesday’s game after crashing awkwardly into the boards, but he finished the contest and there are no outward indications his status for Thursday’s Game 3 is in jeopardy.

Faceoff is set for 7 p.m. in Uniondale, N.Y.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188579 Pittsburgh Penguins Crosby and Kris Letang are too often the players involved in scrums. I can’t imagine what the other Penguins on the ice must be thinking.

But it’s easy to guess what Hextall and Burke are thinking. Mark Madden: Penguins are ill-equipped for heavy hockey Meantime, the Penguins must play the cards they got. They did that very well Tuesday, preserving their 2-1 lead after two periods via an impressive display of skating and forechecking in the final 20 minutes. MARK MADDEN There’s more than one way to exhaust a foe.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 11:24 a.m.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.20.2021 The Pittsburgh Penguins won Game 2 over the New York Islanders. That’s most important.

But Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech slammed Jake Guentzel to the ice with a check that was a bit late. Who rushed to Guentzel’s aid? The last person who should have to: Sidney Crosby.

Brian Dumoulin got pushed awkwardly into the boards by the Islanders’ J-G Pageau. Big impact. But retaliation by the Penguins was minimal.

Brandon Tanev collided with Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov. That nearly touched off the Spanish Inquisition. The Islanders erupted. A prone Tanev absorbed a stiff cross-check.

The Penguins don’t back down. They’re not bullied. They “just play,” which is what coach Mike Sullivan wants. Perhaps that’s best, because the Penguins are ill-equipped to do otherwise.

But if you’re watching the other playoff series, it’s clear the NHL trend toward big and heavy has veered into something uglier.

Washington and Boston appear to be using prison rules. Even fun-sized Capitals winger Conor Sheary (ex of the Penguins) got into a fight Monday. (OK, roughing. But it’s still Sheary. He’s 5-foot-nothing.)

A big scrum punctuated the end of Monday’s Colorado-St. Louis game. The goalies nearly fought.

The referees aren’t calling a lot. There were just three power plays in Tuesday’s Penguins-Islanders game. One was for Bryan Rust inexplicably catching and throwing the puck.

When Washington’s Tom Wilson got away with his felonious shenanigans against the New York Rangers earlier this month, the rest of the league clearly noticed.

Old-school fools who revel in meathead hockey are ecstatic. That doubtless includes several of the NHL’s administration. “That’s real hockey!”

But liking it or not isn’t relevant. Teams need to be prepared for it.

The Penguins aren’t. The Penguins “just play.”

For a while, the Penguins dictated what was important in the NHL. When they won Stanley Cups in 2016 and ’17, the Penguins were fast. So the league turned to speed.

But Washington and St. Louis won the next two Cups: Two so-called “heavy” teams. That started the NHL shifting in that direction, and that trend shows no sign of slowing.

Brian Burke, the president of Penguins hockey ops, embraces that sort of hockey. (Witness his Anaheim team, the ’07 winners.) GM Ron Hextall certainly isn’t opposed to it.

Sullivan is. He used big, rugged winger Ryan Reaves sparingly when the Penguins got him in 2017. So little, in fact, that Reaves didn’t even last one full season in Pittsburgh. Reaves would certainly look good wearing a flightless bird right now.

Hextall and Burke will make the Penguins heavier and tougher. There’s no doubt.

What will Sullivan do? Will he adapt?

If not, will there be conflict. Sullivan won two Stanley Cups for the Penguins, but none for Hextall and Burke. They owe him nothing.

Short of winning this year’s championship, the Penguins must adjust. Sullivan, too. The coach and his core players prefer a certain style, but they don’t get to dictate. Not anymore. 1188580 Pittsburgh Penguins

Former Penguins forward Jussi Jokinen retires

SETH RORABAUGH

Wednesday, May 19, 2021 8:35 a.m.

Former Penguins forward Jussi Jokinen has retired from professional hockey.

The 38-year-old announced his retirement through his most recent team, Karpat of the , the top league in his native Finland.

A veteran of 13 NHL seasons, Jokinen spent part of the 2012-13 campaign and the entire 2013-14 season with the Penguins.

At the 2013 trade deadline, the Penguins acquired Jokinen in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes in part to serve as a temporary replacement for forward Sidney Crosby, who was sidelined with a jaw injury. In 10 games with the Penguins that season, Jokinen had 11 points (seven goals, four assists).

In 2013-14, Jokinen primarily played on the left wing of the team’s second line with Evgeni Malkin at center and James Neal on the right wing. As a result, Jokinen enjoyed a productive campaign with 57 points (21 goals, 36 assists) in 82 games.

In a video produced by Karpat, Jokinen lauded the Penguins and Malkin, in particular.

“In 2013, I got traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins,” Jokinen said. “In 2013 and 2014, we had a team to win the (Stanley) Cup, but we just couldn’t get it done. The Penguins are a special organization. They are all about winning, and they treat the players and their families with respect. I knew they were going to win the (Stanley) Cup soon, and even though I wasn’t part of the organization anymore, I was happy to see them win back-to- back (championships) in 2016 and 2017.

“I enjoyed getting to know, learning from and playing with two of the best players of my generation in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. With Malkin, I had probably the best chemistry on the ice of all the players that I played with.”

In addition to producing offense, Jokinen served as a mentor of sorts to 18-year-old rookie defenseman Olli Maatta, a fellow Finn.

Following the season, Jokinen joined the Florida Panthers as an unrestricted free agent.

In addition to the Penguins, Hurricanes and Panthers, Jokinen also played for the Dallas Stars, Tampa Bay Lightning, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Columbus Blue Jackets and Vancouver Canucks.

Appearing in 951 career NHL games, Jokinen had 563 points (191 goals, 372 assists).

Over his career, Jokinen was one of the NHL’s top shootout specialists, collecting 37 shootout goals, the 12th-best total in NHL history.

He spent parts or all of the past three seasons with Karpat.

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188581 Pittsburgh Penguins McCann flicked a backhand pass to the left circle for Jeff Carter. Circumnavigating around Pulock, Carter fired a wrister from the slot through Varlamov’s five hole for his first playoff goal as a member of the Penguins and first since 2016. McCann and Kapanen collected assists. Empty Thoughts: Penguins 2, Islanders 1 After snuffing out two power-play chances for the Penguins during the second period, the Islanders got on the scoreboard at 14:44 of the middle frame. Taking a pass on the left half wall of the offensive zone, Islanders SETH RORABAUGH forward Josh Bailey deked around a lethargic pokecheck from Carter in Wednesday, May 19, 2021 6:16 a.m. the left circle and shoveled a backhander past goaltender Tristan Jarry’s glove on the far side for his first goal. Forward Brock Nelson and defenseman Scott Mayfield tallied assists.

Observations from the Penguins’ 2-1 win against the Islanders: Statistically speaking

It wasn’t Bryan Rust’s most elegant moment during his prolific • The Penguins led in shots, 45-38. postseason career. • Penguins forward Jake Guentzel and Islanders defenseman Scott As the Penguins were protecting a one-goal lead against a desperate Mayfield each led the game with seven shots. Islanders team, Rust tried to get the puck out of his own zone. • Penguins defenseman Kris Letang led the game with 26:42 of ice time And sure enough, he did that. on 28 shifts.

It just happened to be in an illegal fashion. • Defenseman Nick Leddy led the Islanders with 22:34 of ice time on 29 shifts. Grabbing the puck out of mid-air, he lobbed it with his left arm toward the other side of the defensive blue line almost like a wobbly pass by would- • The Penguins had a 26-24 edge in faceoffs (52%). be NFL quarterback Tim Tebow. • Carter was 10 for 15 (67%). Officials blew play dead and — given that the Islanders had yet to have a power-play to that point of the contest — called Rust for closing his hand • Islanders forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau was 10 for 19 (53%). on the puck at the 18:32 mark of the third period. • Mayfield led the game with four blocked shots. After a timeout by the Islanders to get organized, the Penguins had 88 • Letang led the Penguins with three blocked shots. seconds to shut things down and secure a vital win. • Jarry made 37 saves on 38 shots. They allowed a single shot over that span and bailed Rust out. • Varlamov made 43 saves on 45 shots. “I was just so worried about getting the puck over the blue line, getting it out of the zone that I made kind of a mental error there,” Rust said via Randomly speaking video conference. “Closed my hand on the puck for too long and threw it out of the zone. It’s a penalty but our guys did an unbelievable job. They • Jarry was under the spotlight this game and he came through. After his were great. They were working hard for me and the team. You saw how subpar performance in Game 1, he looked light-years better in this much the crowd got into it. Our guys just fed off that emotion. They did an contest. He wasn’t perfect by any means. There were a few rebounds off unbelievable job tonight. of shots from the perimeter that provided some anxious moments. But he was largely in control of this game. “I’ve got to thank those guys.” Jarry earned this win as well as the adulation of the 9,000 or so souls His teammates could probably thank Rust as well. cheering his name throughout the night.

His goal just over three minutes into regulation gave the Penguins the • There have probably been car wrecks on the Parkway East that were first lead, a valuable commodity under any circumstances but even more less physical than this game. These teams went at each other at a far so against the stagnant defense of the Islanders. fiercer pace than in Game 1. There were two notable instances of this.

Beyond the team-wide ramifications, the goal was key for Rust as it was First, at 15:03 of the second period, Penguins forward Brandon Tanev only his second postseason goal since 2018. dove headfirst after a puck sliding in on the Islanders’ net to jab a shot on net. After Varlamov made the save, Tanev crashed into him then struck Rust was largely “introduced” to Pittsburgh during the Stanley Cup runs his head and right shoulder off the right post of the cage, dislodging it. of 2016 and 2017 by scoring big goals in big moments. Goals that clinched playoff series. Things like that. In 46 games over those two Islanders forward Matt Martin took issue and cross-checked Tanev who postseasons, Rust had 13 goals. was in discomfort on the ice. A large scrum ensued. Athletic trainer Chris Stewart attended to Tanev. As officials seemed to cool things down, In contrast, Rust has played in 22 games and has only five goals over the Tanev (6-foot, 180 pounds) checked out OK with Stewart then started past four postseasons (including Game 2 on Tuesday). jawing with the much larger Mayfield (6-foot-5, 220 pounds) and tempers “Big Game” Bryan Rust made a much-needed return Tuesday. sparked up again.

“(Rust’s) game is invaluable to this team,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He Then, only 46 seconds into the third period, the Penguins made a furious does a lot more than just score goals but certainly, we rely on him to help offensive rush at the Islanders’ net but had the sequence broken up on a us offensively. … He’s just a complete player. He brings a ton of speed to strong backcheck by Pageau. In the process, Pageau just planted our game. He’s got a good solid two-way game, he’s good defensively Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin into the boards awkwardly and and his offensive game has just evolved to another level. He’s an violently. important player for us.“ A small scrum broke out as Stewart came out again to check on What happened Dumoulin who eventually recovered to his skates and made his way to the dressing room to get an examination. Rust’s score 3:22 into regulation supplied the Penguins an early lead. After a neutral zone turnover by Islanders defenseman Ryan Pulock, Dumoulin eventually returned to the bench and completed the game. Rust claimed the puck, gained the offensive zone and veered to the left The Penguins canceled their practice Wednesday, presumably to give wing. As Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech applied minimal resistance, their players a chance to ice up. Rust chucked a fairly pedestrian wrister past the glove hand of goaltender Semyon Varlamov on the near side. It was Rust’s first goal of • The officials — referees T.J. Luxmore and Gord Dwyer as well as the playoffs. There were no assists. linesmen Matt MacPherson and Brandon Gawryletz — did not call this thing tight at all. They let a lot go for both teams. In that respect, it was a They went up by two at 13:07 of the first. After Penguins forward Kasperi fairly even fray. Kapanen kept a puck free on the Islanders’ end boards, linemate Jared • Even if they allowed 38 shots overall, the Penguins’ commitment to defense was very evident. They limited the Islanders to one shot in the final 5:45 of regulation, including the last 88 seconds with a power play and an extra attacker with Varlamov pulled.

• The power play looked awful for the Penguins, going 0 for 2. They had some shots and chances on their first power-play opportunity of Game 1 but since then, it’s almost gotten progressively worse. The Islanders’ penalty killers almost looked tired from clearing the puck so much.

• The Islanders could use a bigger contribution from their top line, particularly Mathew Barzal and Jordan Eberle.

A Penguin killer, Eberle has had a few chances here and there but Barzal has been missing in action through six-plus periods. He needs to offer his team more.

• Islanders coach Barry Trotz went back to Varlamov in net after he sat out Game 1 as a precaution due to an undisclosed injury. He was certainly shaky on Rust’s goal but he leveled things off and looked like the goaltender who led the NHL in shutouts this season.

Historically speaking

• Jarry earned his first career postseason win.

• The Penguins won a postseason game in PPG Paints Arena for the first time since they defeated the Washington Capitals, 3-1, in Game 4 of a second-round series, May 3, 2018.

• Carter scored his first postseason goal since April 22, 2016. As a member of the Los Angeles Kings, he had a goal in a 6-3 home loss to the San Jose Sharks.

• Kapanen has points in consecutive postseason games for the first time in his career.

Publicly speaking

• Penguins defenseman Matheson on Jarry:

“He was so solid for us. All game long. Not just down the stretch. He was making big save after big save. That’s the Tristan Jarry we all know and love. It was great to see that.”

• Rust on the rough tactics implemented by the Islanders:

“We’re kind of pushing through it. We’re a team that’s built on resilience. That shows its face in many forms. Our guys do a really good job of playing really hard hockey and just trying to do the right things.”

• Trotz on the game:

“They had more desperation on their game. We were a little bit light in some areas. We didn’t make it hard enough on them. We have that. … They were desperate in the battles. We needed more desperation in our battles.”

• Trotz on starting Varlamov over Ilya Sorokin, the fellow Russian who won Game 1:

“Varlamov has been our No. 1 goalie all year. He’s got seven shutouts. He’s been outstanding, he has set team records and he’s fully healthy. We wouldn’t be maybe in the playoffs if it wasn’t for (Varlamov’s) performance this year. That’s, to me, very, very simple. He was very close to being 100% (for Game 1) but we thought let’s make sure that he’s ready. Felt very confident in Sorokin’s ability to come in here and give us a good game (in Game 1) and he did. (Varlamov) backed it up with a really strong game as well (in Game 2). … I can’t make a bad decision based on our goaltenders. And I will tell you this, there will be a Russian goaltender in the net for the Islanders the next game.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188582 Pittsburgh Penguins Tuesday’s 2-1 win on the sequence described at the top, with Kasperi Kapanen doing the dirty work on the forecheck.

Sullivan wants that to continue to be an important part of their identity. Penguins successfully creating forecheck havoc “It takes five guys to have an effective forecheck and everybody’s got to their job,” Sullivan said. “When we execute, we usually create opportunities. One way we can utilize our team speed is in our puck MATT VENSEL pursuit game and putting teams under pressure, trying to force them to make plays quicker than they want.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Setting the tone MAY 19, 2021 12:51 PM One line that has been a load for the Islanders on the forecheck has

been the trio of Zach Aston-Reese, Teddy Blueger and Brandon Tanev. The attacking team steered the puck into the left corner then went to In fact, they have been tough to handle all over the ice. They’ve arguably work on the forecheck. The first forward slammed bodies with a blue-liner been Pittsburgh’s best line. and poked the puck behind the net to a teammate. Suddenly, the Often matched up against All-Star center Mathew Barzal, the Blueger line defense was scrambling. has an exceptional expected goals percentage of 71.5%, per Natural Stat Three seconds later, the red light flickered on and the goal horn blared. Trick.

If that quick sequence had been described to you before the start of the And they set the tone on their first shift in Game 2, with Tanev throwing a first-round playoff series between the Penguins and the New York booming hit on Brock Nelson and Aston-Reese nearly scoring a moment Islanders, you likely would have pictured the guys in white, orange and later. blue doing the celebrating. “They brought energy,” Matheson said. “They’re three players that are The Islanders in their three years under coach Barry Trotz have been really tough to play against, especially as a defenseman [facing their] one of the NHL’s most effective forechecking teams, using a five-man forecheck. They all have great speed and play a physical, hard game. structure to muck up their opponent’s breakout and often turn miscues They cycle the puck well, support each other well and just work like into instant offense. crazy. And that’s really hard to play against.”

Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry makes a save during Game 2 against Hits piling up the New York Islanders on Tuesday, May 18, 2021, at PPG Paints The Islanders have been credited with 118 hits through the first two Arena. games of the series. Some of them have looked especially painful. Jake But in the first two games of this series, which heads to Long Island on Guentzel, Brian Dumoulin and Marcus Pettersson all got dropped by Thursday tied at one win apiece, the Penguins were the ones creating punishing hits in Game 2. that havoc. “We’re just kind of pushing through it. We’re a team that’s built on The Penguins have tracked down 41.2% of their dump-ins, per resilience and I think that shows its face in many forms,” said Bryan Rust, Sportlogiq. And the Islanders were unable to escape their zone on 27.0% who has been hit five times so far, per Natural Stat Trick. “And I think our of their breakouts. Compared to regular season figures, those are elite guys do a really good job of focusing on playing hard hockey and just numbers in both categories. trying to do the right things.”

Conversely, the Penguins have navigated the layers of the Islanders So far so good, but all those hits may take a toll if the series goes the forecheck and made it to the neutral zone 78.2% of the time — another distance. top-five rate. Injury updates Pittsburgh’s mobile defensemen have been the main reason that the Evgeni Malkin did not skate on Wednesday, which was a travel day for New York forecheck has been neutralized. Kris Letang, Mike Matheson the Penguins. Malkin, who missed Games 1 and 2 with a knee injury, is and the rest have been getting to pucks quickly in the corners or on the trip. whenever Tristan Jarry swoops behind his cage to corral a rim-around. That extra half-second is significant. Casey DeSmith, who has not been on the ice since re-aggravating his lower-body injury at Saturday’s practice, did not travel with the team to “It takes six players and I say six because the goaltender is a big part of Long Island, Sullivan said. Maxime Lagace is expected to back up Jarry it, as well,” coach Mike Sullivan said Wednesday. “Tristan is obviously a with DeSmith still out. good puck-handler. He has the ability to help us get out, as well, by making a first pass. If we can beat that first forechecker, it increases your chances of your exits.” Post Gazette LOADED: 05.20.2021 The forwards, meanwhile, have done well at giving them multiple options for an outlet pass. The first forward provides support in the middle while the other two, typically wingers, can chip the puck past charging Islanders defensemen.

“The wall play is so critically important because a lot of times when you’re under pressure the puck has to go on the wall. … Sometimes you can’t come out with possession. Sometimes you’ve just got to gain a zone,” Sullivan said. “The guys are working together collectively to try to beat the heavy forecheck.”

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby celebrates goal by right wing Bryan Rust against the Islanders in the first period Tuesday May 18, 2021, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

Penguins push back in Game 2, hold on late to defeat Islanders, 2-1

Then, at the other end, the Penguins are beating them at their own game.

Sidney Crosby scored on that one-handed deflection during the Game 1 loss after the Islanders botched a breakout, in part because of a bad bounce off of a ref. Jeff Carter got the eventual game-winner in 1188583 Pittsburgh Penguins system first, when it’s fresh. Training sessions begin with explosive exercises, such as plyometrics, medicine ball work or Olympic lifts. Strength comes second, with all the upper-body and lower-body lifts.

How a 34-year-old Kris Letang maintains an elite fitness level to play big That’s followed by what Chaimberg calls “pre-hab.” These are like rehab minutes in key games exercises, but instead of being done in a reactive manner after injury, they’re done in a preventative manner. That component has become especially critical as Letang ages.

MIKE DEFABO “We were doing more pre-hab exercises [this year] to keep him healthy,” Chaimberg said. “The amount of punishment he takes, at his age, you’d Pittsburgh Post-Gazette think that he’d be diminishing. He’s played a violent game for the last 15 MAY 19, 2021 12:19 PM years in the league. It’s pretty impressive that he’s getting up there in age and his play is not diminishing at all.”

Finally, they close out the workouts with conditioning. Each part of the Kris Letang hopped over the boards for the final seconds of Tuesday’s training is geared specifically toward Letang's playing style and sport. But Game 2 with the game in flux and the Islanders' net empty. the conditioning, especially, takes into consideration the unique demands of a hockey game. He already racked up more than 26 minutes of playoff-intensity ice time, when he picked off an Islanders pass behind Tristan Jarry’s net. The “When training any athlete, the most-important thing you have to take right-handed defenseman calmly flicked the puck out of harm’s way to into consideration is their work-to-rest ratio,” Chaimberg said. seal the 2-1 win and send PPG Paints Arena into a towel-twirling frenzy. A soccer player who jogs 45 minutes or an hour should be trained Throughout his decade-and-a-half NHL career, Letang has often found differently than a football player who is extremely explosive for a six- himself right in the middle of so many of these late-game situations. He’s second play and then has 40 seconds to rest. hoisted the Stanley Cup three times, appeared in six All-Star games and placed in the top-10 in Norris Trophy voting six times. For Letang, a common work-to-rest ratio in the gym might be a 15- second sprint on a sled followed by 45 seconds of rest. Then, they repeat But of all the stats and accolades, it’s all the minutes Letang plays that the drill over and over to replicate a hard shift, followed by a short period make these moments possible. of recovery on the bench.

Penguins push back in Game 2, hold on late to defeat Islanders, 2-1 Sometimes, they will also incorporate active recovery, like a footwork drill, during those rest periods. This is to simulate something like an all- “It’s invaluable when you have a guy that can log the type of minutes that out sprint to break up a 2-on-1, followed by a somewhat-less-intense Kris can log night-in and night-out, game-in and game-out,” Penguins stretch where he's skating in the defensive zone. coach Mike Sullivan said. “He does it all year long for us.” “The most important thing is recovery, so that they’re able to explode for Tuesday was no exception. Letang logged 26:42 of time on ice, most of a certain period of time and then they’re able to recover and keep that any player on either team. His 1,355 minutes this season ranked ninth- same power,” Chaimberg said. “Kris is on the ice for the power play, most in the NHL. And don’t be surprised when the Penguins go into a penalty kill, he’s always on the ice. So for Kris, he needs to stay wild overtime game and it’s Letang who records an inordinate amount of explosive later on in shifts and later on in the game.” playing time. The sled drill in particular is one of Letang’s favorites. No matter the “I do think it’s a testament to his fitness level and his talent level,” athlete — NHL, NFL, up-and-coming youth player, MMA fighter — Sullivan said. “I know Kris works extremely hard off the ice. He takes Letang wants to challenge them to sled work. So far, he hasn’t found care of himself. He’s one of the more fit players I’ve coached in my anyone who can beat him. experience at the NHL level.” “Kris is the type of guy who won’t accept losing a battle,” Chaimberg said. Even at 34, when the average man is well on the way to a dad bod and “If [Matheson] loses something to Kris, he’ll let it go. Kris won’t let it go. the average NHL player is beginning to show the wear and tear of a He’ll come back the next day and want to do it again until he beats Mike.” violent sport, Letang remains one of the most fit players in the league and a 45-point producing defenseman who will appear on a number of More than exercises or the fine-tuned training, it’s this hyper-competitive Norris Trophy ballots. mentality that Chaimberg says helps make Letang the player he is today, even at 34 years old. How has he remained in elite physical condition to rack up all these minutes? “For him, it’s not only about winning Cups, which is very important, it’s about being the best version of himself,” Chaimberg said. “He’s too proud The answer begins in Quebec at the Adrenaline Performance Center with and has too much of an ego — in a good way — that he doesn’t want to one of North America’s most well-respected trainers. compete if he’s less than who he is. He’s not in it to just play hockey. Jonathan Chaimberg, a former national wrestler in Canada turned trainer He’s in it to be the best.” and strength coach, has worked with numerous professional athletes, including UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre, Philadelphia Flyer Jakub Voracek, new Penguins defenseman Mike Matheson and many others. Post Gazette LOADED: 05.20.2021 Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby throws a left to the face of Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech coming to the rescue of Jake Guentzel Tuesday May 18, 2021, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

Chaimberg’s relationship with Letang goes back more than a decade.

“He’s one of the best pure athletes I’ve ever trained in my life,” Chaimberg said. “What sets him apart is, Number 1 his work ethic is unparalleled. Kris really relishes training, pushing himself and competing with other guys. He’ll compete with everybody in the gym no matter what the drill is.”

This offseason, after the Penguins got bounced out of the NHL’s postseason bubble in Toronto, Letang returned to his native Quebec to begin to set the stage for this season. From the end of last year until the start of this one, they were together.

Typically, the workouts are structured in the following manner: Chaimberg explained that he wants to tax the athlete’s central nervous 1188584 Pittsburgh Penguins front of Jarry, limiting the Islanders to just that Wahlstrom shot in the final 1:28.

Still, the Penguins were glad to have Jarry in their net at that point. Ron Cook: Tristan Jarry’s bounce-back performance saved Penguins in “He’s been a big part of the success this team has enjoyed to this point,” Game 2 Mike Sullivan said. “Our players, our coaching staff, our management team, we have the ultimate faith in Tristan. He’s a terrific goaltender. There was no doubt in my mind he was going to come back and have a RON COOK solid effort.”

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette It turned out to be a great night for hockey in Pittsburgh.

MAY 19, 2021 6:31 AM If you listen closely, you still can hear the crowd’s serenade.

“Jar-ry! Jar-ry! Jar-ry!”

On this night, they sang his name.

“Jar-ry! Jar-ry! Jar-ry!” Post Gazette LOADED: 05.20.2021 Unlike the other afternoon, there was no expletive in front of it.

Such is life for an NHL goaltender at playoff time. When his team loses, it’s all his fault. But when it wins? He’s the biggest sports hero in town.

Penguins successfully creating forecheck havoc

That is the life Tristan Jarry has chosen.

He was on the right side of the deal Tuesday night.

As bad as Jarry was Sunday afternoon in the Penguins’ 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Islanders, he was that good in their 2-1 win against the Islanders on Tuesday night. It’s fair to say he is most responsible for the first-round playoff series being tied at a game apiece.

There was no better player on the PPG Paints Arena ice in a game the Penguins desperately needed.

I have to admit, I didn’t see this bounce-back performance coming from Jarry. His teammates did, though.

“That’s the Tristan Jarry we all know and love,” Mike Matheson said. “He was making big save after big save. That’s his game. That’s what we expect from him. I don’t think it was anything out of the ordinary for him, as crazy as that sounds. He plays at such a high level. For us to call that his norm, it’s pretty impressive.”

It helped that the Penguins came out ready to play. Brandon Tanev sent that message to the Islanders just 81 seconds in when he put forward Brock Nelson on the seat of his hockey pants with a big hit. Bryan Rust and Jeff Carter further emphasized the point with early goals, two of the 19 shots the Penguins fired at goaltender Semyon Varlamov in the first period. Jarry was thankful for the 2-0 lead.

Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby throws a left to the face of Islanders defenseman Adam Pelech coming to the rescue of Jake Guentzel Tuesday May 18, 2021, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh.

But, just as they did Sunday, the Penguins failed to add on to a lead. Most annoying, they had consecutive power plays in the second period but managed just one shot on Varlamov. Suddenly, the building’s biggest crowd of the season was on edge. That dread intensified later in the period when Islanders forward Josh Bailey faked out Carter with a terrific move and beat Jarry with a backhander. Just like that, it was a one-goal game.

The Islanders had to be feeling pretty good at that point. They had beaten the Penguins in five consecutive playoff games going back to the sweep in 2019.

The Penguins, on the other hand, had to be feeling pressure. They didn’t just blow a third-period lead Sunday after going 25-1-1 when they led after two periods during the regular season. They had lost 10 of their previous 11 postseason games.

But Jarry saved the Penguins.

He was at his best right after Bailey’s goal, stopping the five good shots he faced in the final 5-plus minutes of the second period. He had 10 more saves in the third, including one on winger Oliver Wahlstrom with 1:12 left when the Islanders had a 6-on-4 advantage. They had already pulled Varlamov when Rust was penalized for closing his hand on the puck, “a mental error,” as he called it. Penguins penalty-killers Carter, Zach Aston-Reese, Brian Dumoulin and Cody Ceci did a fabulous job in 1188585 Pittsburgh Penguins “Our series is no different than any other one. That’s what makes playoff hockey exciting. I think our guys are responding extremely well.”

Sullivan Throws Sharp Elbow At Concern For Physical Toll Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021

Published 11 hours ago on May 19, 2021

By Shelly Anderson

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ East Division playoff series against the New York Islanders has been physical. Perhaps you’ve noticed.

The Islanders have been credited with 118 hits through two games, compared with 84 by the Penguins.

PHN on Wednesday asked Penguins coach Mike Sullivan about the implications of that before the team boarded a flight to Long Island, site of Games 3 and 4 Thursday and Saturday. (Injured center Evgeni Malkin traveled, but injured backup goalie Casey DeSmith did not.)

In a nutshell, Sullivan’s reply was, And…?

In longer form, it was this:

“I think this physical play is the nature of playoff hockey. … I haven’t seen a game in any other series that hasn’t brought a physical dimension on both sides,” Sullivan said. “Our series is no different than any other series that’s going on in the league right now.”

The Islanders rank fourth with an average of 51.81 hits per game in the playoffs, with Vegas topping out at 58.38. The Penguins are ninth among the 12 playoff teams that have played at 36.92. St. Louis and Colorado, which have played one game against each other, bring up the rear with 21 and 16 hits, respectively. New York’s Leo Komarov is tied with Vegas’ Ryan Reaves for the postseason lead with 20 each.

The response by the Penguins has varied from hitting back – that is, also playing a physical game at times – to putting up with the Islanders’ hits and related shenanigans in favor of making skilled plays.

The Islanders’ hit total includes 72 in Game 1 – perhaps because they were chasing the game a little more that day and threw their bodies around more to try to gain an edge. Komarov led the way that game with 14.

It was closer in Game 2, with the Islanders outhitting the Penguins 46-37, perhaps because the Penguins were more in control the full game in a 2- 1 win that game the teams a split in the series.

However, there was some ugliness Tuesday in the second period. There were five roughing penalties, four of them coincidental – scrums between the Penguins’ Zach Aston-Reese and Matt Martin, and between the Penguins’ Kris Letang and Oliver Wahlstrom, as well as Wahlstrom’s standalone roughing penalty for some stickwork on the Penguins’ Jake Guentzel.

Guentzel is a top-line offensive force. At 5 feet 11, 180 pounds he’s not exactly one of the larger players in the NHL. Yet he has become a poster boy for taking physical punishment to make plays, something Sullivan admires that a great deal.

“He plays the game with a lot of courage,” Sullivan said. “I think he’s as tough as they come. He’s willing to go to the hard areas to score goals and generate scoring chances, and he’s willing to take hits to do so – or crosschecks or face washes or whatever it takes. I think that’s the value that Jake brings. I think that’s why he scores as many goals as he does.”

Sullivan also noted that the Pittsburgh Penguins’ fourth line of Teddy Blueger centering Aston-Reese and Brandon Tanev brings a physical element.

As pertains to Tanev, that’s an understatement. He often is one of the biggest hit producers in the league, although he missed a considerable amount of time this season because of injuries. Tanev has been credited with 15 hits through the first two games of the Islanders series.

“The reason is because these teams want to win,” Sullivan said of the heightened physical aspect in the postseason. “The players that are involved are emotionally, physically – they’re totally invested in trying to win games. The physical part of the game is, I think, a byproduct of that. 1188586 Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins fourth line has similarly good numbers. The Penguins fourth-liners earned 68% of the shot attempts (13-6), 65% of the shots on goal (9-5), had an expected goals-for advantage (.38-.16), 66% of scoring chances (6-3), and did not allow a high-danger chance Penguins 4th Line Winning the Battle; Shuts Down Barzal, Islanders against (2-0).

Now, consider the Penguins fourth line didn’t guard Frederick Gaudreau but Barzal and Jordan Eberle, and J-G Pageau and Kyle Palmieri. Published 16 hours ago on May 19, 2021 Add the factor that Jeff Carter scored the game-winning goal against the By Dan Kingerski fourth-line New York crew, we can say the Penguins clearly won this battle in Game 2.

As Wednesday is an unplanned travel day for the Pittsburgh Penguins, “That’s exactly what they did–bring with energy. They’re three players we’re a little short on player zoom meetings to offer effusive praise for the that are really tough to play against, especially as a defenseman on the job the Penguins fourth line centered by Teddy Blueger did in Game 2. forecheck,” Penguins defenseman Mike Matheson said. “They all have The numbers are spectacular and the results even more important. great speed. They play a physical hard game, cycle the puck well, support each other well and just really work like crazy. And that’s really Did you see that wicked goal by Mathew Barzal on Tuesday night? hard to play against.”

Did you see that extended offensive zone pressure by the New York However, New York won the battle in Game 1 when Bleuger’s line was Islanders’ top line? on the ice for the first New York goal and was on the wrong side of the puck for more of the game. No? That’s because Teddy Blueger, Brandon Tanev, and Zach Aston- Reese convincingly won the battle. The Penguins’ top line with Sidney Playoff hockey. The team that with the better fourth line may also be the Crosby didn’t do so bad, either. But that’s to be expected; Sidney Crosby team with the better first line. Home-ice advantage will be Barry Trotz’s. should win most battles. Will he matchup his thundering fourth line with Crosby, or try to crush the Penguins’ second line? When asked about the “fourth line,” Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan first gave a little deke. Will Sullivan be able to get Blueger against Barzal’s and Pageau’s lines?

“I assume you mean Teddy Blueger’s line?” And will Brandon Tanev hit everything including the pace car?

Former Penguins coach Mike Johnston used to catch PHN in that little Now that goaltending seems to have stabilized, and teams are settled in verbal trap when asking about the “second line,” as he liked to say he for a fight, the fourth line battle could determine the series. had two first lines. Perhaps that’s Sullivan’s way of giving a little love to his bottom-six bangers Who has the best fourth line in hockey?

“They help us with momentum. They’re hard to play against. They can play against anyone and bring a physical element to our overall team Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 game,” Sullivan said. “They’ve had some offensive zone time…they’re a big part of the penalty kill, as well. I think their first couple of games here, they’ve had strong efforts…”

The New York Islanders fourth line has long been heralded as “the best fourth line in hockey.” Matt Martin, Casey Czikas, and Cal Clutterbuck provide a high level of physicality, forecheck pressure, offensive contributions, and generally have an ability to disrupt opponents.

PHN has long admired the Islanders’ “asset.”

The Crosby line has been dominant in the offensive zone. New York can’t count on their fourth line to cover Crosby the way the Penguins can point to theirs smothering Barzal.

That’s not a homer take, that’s a fact. So who has the best fourth line in hockey?

Instead of using his fourth line against the Penguins’ top dogs, New York head coach Barry Trotz tried to get his fourth line against the Penguins’ second line centered by Jeff Carter, with Kasperi Kapanen and Jared McCann.

Head coach Mike Sullivan was able to get Carter away from them often (home-ice advantage), and Freddy Gaudreau’s line played against the Islanders’ brick-built trio.

The Islanders won those battles. The Czikas line had 2/3 of all shot attempts (12-6), 75% of shots on goal (9-3), a much better expected goals-for score (.54-.16), 71% of scoring chances (5-2), and 80% of the high-danger chances (4-1).

All stats above and below courtesy of NaturalStatTrick.com.

Matt Martin surely stirred things up in the second period, too. On one of the rare head-to-head shifts between the grind lines, Martin and Aston- Reese squared off after Brandon Tanev slid face-first into the Islanders net post and contacted Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov.

That’s against the unwritten rules, don’t you know?

So, the Islanders’ fourth line clearly won their battles, though they did not score.

Pittsburgh Penguins Fourth Line: 1188587 Pittsburgh Penguins

The Best Penguins Playoff Betting Promos and Bonuses

Published 17 hours ago on May 19, 2021

By Kyle Laskowski

The NHL postseason is underway, including what has thus far been a highly entertaining Round One series between two of the best teams in the East Division, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the New York Islanders. According to multiple reports, there is heavy Penguins betting action and NHL bets are soaring, so we’ll help out.

Because this series is already one of the best Round One clashes, we’ve compiled the seven best online sports betting promos for the Penguins betting crowd.

BetMGM PA has a two-part offer worth checking out. First, sign up and place a minimum deposit of at least $20 before betting $20 on any Penguins/Islanders market. Regardless of the bet’s outcome, BetMGM will issue a $100 bonus. It’s the only way to ensure a winner on what has been a back-and-forth start to the series.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for a promotion that can pay massive dividends throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs, look no further than BetMGM’s risk-free token offer.

Getting in on this promo is easy. Simply choose a team in the NHL Playoffs, place a futures wager on the team to win the Stanley Cup, and cheer them on as they look to advance. Every time your selected team wins a playoff round, you’ll receive a risk-free token with a maximum value of $25 per token.

The betting experience at FanDuel begins with an aggressive $1,000 risk-free bet, but there are plenty of additional ways to win and wager on the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

FanDuel Sportsbook is offering a low-risk promotion for the Stanley Cup Playoffs that can provide bettors a reimbursement of sorts in site credit with a reasonable criterion. FanDuel Sportsbook’s “Correct Score Insurance” promotion goes hand in hand with a “60 minute correct score” wager on any NHL postseason game.

With this promo, if your correct score bet loses, but your selected team wins the game, FanDuel Sportsbook will refund you in site credit up to $25.

Keep in mind that this promo applies to games that go to overtime, so if you choose the Penguins to beat the Islanders 3-2, but they win 4-3 in overtime, you’ll be eligible for up to $25 via a site credit refund.

FOX Bet offers some of the most intriguing bet boosts and custom bet markets in the business. If you’ve considered signing up, but haven’t made the move yet, perhaps their offer for new users will intrigue you.

New users to FOX Bet can get a free bet of up to $500 when signing up. Simply register and verify a new account, place your first real-money bet with minimum odds of -200, and if your bet loses, FOX Bet will give you a free bet bonus of the same amount up to $500.

Keep in mind this free bet bonus only applies to a loss on your first wager with a new account.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188588 Pittsburgh Penguins “He was so solid for us. I mean, all game long, not just down the stretch. He was making big save after big save. And that’s the Tristan Jarry that we all know and love.”

Game 2 Takeaways: Fans Rocked PPG, the Jarry Rebound, & Battles Aston-Reese–Blueger–Tanev Won Things were going so well for the Pittsburgh Penguins fourth line with Teddy Blueger in the middle that you may have noticed Blueger’s spin-o- rama attempt in the second period. Published 20 hours ago on May 19, 2021 Brandon Tanev hit anything and everything that moved. By Dan Kingerski Zach Aston-Reese was Dirt Devil on the wall and went to the net.

“They bring energy. They’re three players that are really tough to play The 60 minutes of hockey at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night had against, especially as a defenseman on the forecheck,” Matheson said. every chance to begin the swan song of the Pittsburgh Penguins core. “They all have great speed, play a physical hard game, cycle the puck Instead, it was a symphony of forechecking, offensive pressure, and well. They support each other well and just really work like crazy…” goaltending. Islanders coach Barry Trotz was measuring for drapes to live rent-free within the Penguins’ heads but was instead reminded of the Those are the good things in the offensive zone. But the work the trio did Penguins teams that sent his teams packing in the first two series he defensively changed the game. You may not have noticed top New York coached against them. center Mathew Barzal as much. Or Kyle Palmieri. That’s because the Penguins’ “fourth line” blanketed them like Linus. And the fans at PPG absolutely rocked the house. The 50% capacity should have been about 9,000 but it surely sounded like there were The shift chart shows the Blueger line alternated matchups against plenty more. Barzal and Pageau. The Sidney Crosby line also matched up against Barzal and handily won the battle. I checked with my friends in low places around the arena. They know every goings-on, and not even they knew the attendance number. Against Barzal and Pageau, the Penguins line smothered each. Barzal’s line had just one scoring chance in the game. That’s a stick tap to both In case you missed the pre-game video of the crowd, listen to this place. Crosby and Blueger. Palmieri didn’t have many big moments and was It was so loud that my cell phone metered the sound just a bit. held without a shot after scoring a pair of goals in Game 1.

Chants of “Let’s Go Pens” were frequent, just as there were several That’s not a bad ace to have up your sleeve. “Jarry” chants, too. Every save brought a cheer. Every shift with offensive pressure brought an ovation. It was a master class on attending games. Odds & Ends:

I’m sure the fans in attendance appreciated being there. If I’m not Sidney Crosby is a throwback star; a superstar who jumps to the defense mistaken, the fans were also trying to pump Jarry’s tires, too. That’s of his teammates. Knows how to dish a little pain behind the play, and is classic Pittsburgh Penguins fandom. I’ve seen that sort of behavior from solid as a horse. Penguins fans before–try to boost a guy before you kick him. Jeff Carter’s line has to tighten up in the defensive zone. Look for Barry “It was that was pretty cool to be a part of, you know? The building was Trotz to come at them in New York. But it sure helps when you can score going crazy. Any time you look up and see those towels spinning with a goal, as Carter did in Game 2. that many people in the building, especially with everything going on in Jared McCann is still without his first playoff goal. His assist in Game 2 the world,” defenseman Mike Matheson said. “The fact that we haven’t brought his point total to three assists in eight games. When he pops that been able to have everybody in the building through this season– to see first one, look out. that gives you chills and really puts a spark and in our team. And so it was amazing to have all the fans being such a big part of the game.” John Marino is playing more physically than I’ve seen before. I like it.

Jarry got stronger as the game went on, too. Give yourselves a round of applause. Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 Head coach Mike Sullivan noted the crow, too:

“It was electric. It’s so exciting that it seems like it’s been so long that we’ve had that amount of fans in the building. And that’s the most we’ve had to this point. And I know our players–they feed off it,” Sullivan said. They love the energy the fan base brings. I think it helped us with the start that we had tonight. It’s just such a great environment. It’s not the same when they’re not there. And certainly, I know I know our players in our whole organization, for that matter, are appreciative of the support.”

Tristan Jarry

There isn’t a question that Jarry was shaky in the first period. He made the saves, and the Pittsburgh Penguins shielded him in the first 15 minutes. He faced only four shots. But he kicked rebounds into the circle, shots bounced off him into the slot, and he looked unsteady.

A few big saves provided a confidence boost and the Jarry chants probably registered, too. Jarry stopped 37 of 38 shots, and by the third period, he looked like the Tristan Jarry who earned the Penguins starting job.

“I thought Tristan had a great game. He’s done that for us for most of this year, and he’s been a big part of the success that this team has enjoyed to this point,” Sullivan said. “Our players, our coaching staff, our management team, we have the ultimate faith in Tristan. He’s a terrific goaltender, and he’s shown it time and time again. There was no doubt in my mind that he was going to come back and have a solid effort. And that’s what he did for us tonight.”

Mike Matheson said it more succinctly. 1188589 San Jose Sharks

NHL Draft Lottery: San Jose Sharks now know their chances of winning

By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: May 19, 2021 at 4:44 p.m. | UPDATED: May 19, 2021 at 4:59 p.m.

The San Jose Sharks now know what their odds are of winning the NHL’s draft lottery next month. The NHL on Wednesday announced the draft lottery odds for all non- playoff teams and the Sharks have a 6.7 percent chance of being awarded the first overall pick. The Sharks finished the season with the sixth-worst record in the league at 21-28-7 with 49 points, the same as the Los Angeles Kings. But per the league’s tie-breaking rules, the Sharks fell to sixth by having 15 regulation time wins, four fewer than the Kings. The lottery will be held on June 2. The NHL Draft will be held virtually for the second consecutive year with the first round July 23 and rounds 2-7 on July 24. The Sharks were guaranteed to have the seventh-best odds to win the lottery after the Vancouver Canucks beat the Calgary Flames on Tuesday to improve to 50 points and move up the standings. The expansion Seattle Kraken will draft no worse than fifth overall. The NHL will hold two drawings – one for the first overall pick and another for the second overall selection. In recent years, the NHL held three drawings, one for each of the first three selections. But that number was reduced to two so that the worst team in the NHL would draft no lower than third. The Sharks will draft first or second, or seventh, eighth, or ninth overall. The Sharks will have a roughly 7 percent chance of drafting second overall. The Sharks will drop back in the draft if they are not awarded one of the first two selections and one or two of the eight non-playoff teams that finished ahead of them in the overall standings are awarded the first or second overall pick. The best odds belong to the Buffalo Sabres (16.6 percent) and Anaheim Ducks (12.1 percent). The Kraken has the third-best chance to win the lottery at 10.3 percent, the same percentage as the New Jersey Devils. The next-best odds belong to the Columbus Blue Jackets (8.5 percent) and the Detroit Red Wings (7.6 percent). Other teams percentages to win the lottery are: Los Angeles (5.8), Vancouver (5.4), Ottawa Senators (4.5), Arizona Coyotes (3.1), Chicago Blackhawks (2.7), Calgary (2.2), Philadelphia Flyers (1.8), Dallas Stars (1.4), New York Rangers (1.0). The Coyotes will forfeit their first-round pick as part of sanctions the league announced in August of last year for violating the NHL Combine Testing Policy during the 2019-20 season. If Arizona wins either lottery draw, a redraw will be conducted. This is the first time the Sharks will have a first-round lottery draft pick since 2015 when they were awarded the ninth overall selection, which they used to draft forward Timo Meier. The Sharks finished with the third-worst record in the NHL last season but sent that pick to the Senators as part of the blockbuster 2018 trade that saw two-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson come to San Jose. Ottawa finished third in the lottery and drafted forward Tim Stützle. The last time the Sharks drafted earlier than ninth overall was in 2005 when they used the No. 8 pick on forward . The 2021 NHL Draft Lottery will be held at the NHL Network studio in Secaucus, N.J. The top players available in this year’s NHL Draft include defensemen Owen Power, Simon Edvinsson, Luke Hughes and Brandt Clarke and forwards Matthew Beniers, Dylan Guenther, and William Eklund.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.20.2021 San Jose Sharks Matt Nieto – Was a reliable two-way forward and penalty killer before an 1188590 injury wiped out his season after 28 games. Would not be surprising to see Nieto, a pending UFA, return to San Jose in the fall. (C). San Jose Sharks final grades: Too many key players fell short of John Leonard – Might have been better off spending the year in the AHL expectations but had a decent season — all things considered — with 13 points in 44 games as a first-year pro. Impressed the Sharks with his hockey sense and two-way game. (C). By CURTIS PASHELKA | [email protected] | Bay Noah Gregor – Started the season as the Sharks’ third-line center, which Area News Group was too big of a role for him at this stage of his career. Showed potential as a winger but consistency was the biggest issue. (C-). PUBLISHED: May 19, 2021 at 4:01 a.m. | UPDATED: May 19, 2021 at 9:56 a.m. Kevin Labanc – Made some improvements, particularly on the defensive side, but was another player who needed to make a bigger impact as a top-six forward. Spent time in the bottom six near the end of the season Most members of the San Jose Sharks organization — players, coaches, and might be best suited as a third-liner on a deep team. (C-). and staff members — might not experience a more challenging season in Timo Meier – Was not consistent enough. One game he would be great, their professional careers than the one they just endured. and the next he’d be invisible. Although his production was down, with From being away from home for the first few weeks of the season to just 31 points in 54 games, Meier too often did not play a detailed enough living with strict protocols on a day-to-day basis, the Sharks hope they’ll game or use his size to his advantage. (C-). never have an ordeal like this again. Ryan Donato – Had 20 points in 50 games as he gradually saw his ice That’s especially true of the on-ice product, as the Sharks (21-28-7) were time reduced over the course of the season. Was scratched for the final seventh in their eight-team division and 26th in the overall NHL four games. Is a pending restricted free agent and could be with another standings. team next season. (D+). That said, the Sharks did have some individual bright spots in an Jeffrey Viel – Had 23 penalty minutes in 11 games but became less otherwise dreary season that saw them miss the playoffs for the second impactful the more games he played. (D). straight year. The Sharks had an effective top line by th end of the Kurtis Gabriel – Injected some needed energy and toughness for a season and saw a rookie defenseman take ownership of a spot inside stretch midway through the season but never played again after an ugly the team’s top four and never let it go. game vs. Arizona on March 27. Was replaced in the lineup by Viel. (D). Here are our letter grades for Sharks players, the coaching staff, and the Marcus Sorensen – Had a good year in Sweden before the NHL season front office for the 2020-2021 season. began but was mainly used on the Sharks’ fourth line. Battled injuries. A CENTERS pending UFA, his time in teal is likely over. (D). Tomas Hertl – Was arguably the Sharks’ best forward when he was Incomplete grades: Sasha Chmelevski, Joachim Blichfeld, Ivan healthy. Had 32 points in his final 33 games following his comeback after Chekhovich, Lean Bergmann. a positive COVID-19 test. Was the Sharks’ faceoff leader at 55.2 percent DEFENSEMEN and became the Sharks’ No. 1 center this year. (A-). Mario Ferraro – Moved into a top-four role in his second pro season as Logan Couture – Was the Sharks’ best player through the first two his average time on ice jumped more than six minutes to 22:26. Helped months of the season before his production dried up. Finished with 31 form the Sharks’ top shutdown pair and also had 16 assists, second-most points in 53 games, as his 0.58 points per game average was his lowest among all defensemen. The Sharks couldn’t have asked for much more. since his rookie year in 2009-10. Injuries and fatigue played a role. (A-). Worked to help to improve the team’s culture. (B-). Nikolai Knyzhov – Made the team out of camp and never let go of his Dylan Gambrell – Proved to be a responsible two-way third line spot. Made mistakes but impressed with his skating ability and work centerman but finished with just five goals and 12 points. Could return as ethic. If nothing else this year, the Sharks found a defenseman who will a fourth-line center in the fall, although he is a restricted free agent and fit nicely into their top four next season and can play with Erik Karlsson. might be exposed in the expansion draft. (C-). (B). Patrick Marleau – The Sharks’ icon provided stability at the fourth-line Brent Burns – Had 29 points in 56 games this season but that was partly center position and his versatility came in handy at times for coach Bob because his offensive zone starts were down as well, from close to 3.4 Boughner. Still, he had just nine points in 56 games, and although his per game just two years ago to 1.9 this season. Led the Sharks in time reduced role played a part in his statistics, one must wonder if this is the on ice at over 26 minutes a game, but there were moments when fatigue end. (D+). caught up to him. (B-). Joel Kellman – Took a step back on the Sharks’ organizational depth Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Improved as the season went on as he started to chart. Had two points in seven NHL games. Is under contract for another average close to 17 minutes per game, which might be his sweet spot season. (D). going forward, for the final month. Was the third leading penalty killer Alexander True – Showed flashes but never seized the fourth-line center among Sharks defensemen. Had just six points in 51 games. (C-). role during the season. A pending RFA who could be re-signed for Erik Karlsson – Got off to a slow start and never found a rhythm, finishing organizational depth purposes. (D). with 22 points in 52 games – not close to enough for the league’s Fredrik Handemark – Handemark, a pending unrestricted free agent, had highest-paid defenseman. Like Burns, offensive zone starts were down. one goal in eight NHL games. Perhaps not the return the Sharks were Will surrounding him with better players next season translate into expecting when they signed him out of Sweden last year. (D-). greater production? The Sharks better hope so. Certainly, the power play has almost nowhere to go but up. (D). WINGERS Radim Simek – Played well at times but will benefit from a four-month Evander Kane – Had the best season of his NHL career despite a very offseason to get his health and his game back in order after another public bankruptcy filing. Led the Sharks in goals (22), assists (27), and trying year. (D). points (49). Had 40 points and just 14 penalty minutes over his final 43 games. (A). Christian Jaros – Was better in his last three games than he was in the first four. Is an RFA and it wouldn’t be a total surprise to see the Sharks Rudolfs Balcers – Proved to be a solid addition to the Sharks’ top-nine bring him back for depth purposes. (Incomplete). forward group and finished with 17 points in 41 games. With a $735,000 cap hit this season, Balcers gave the Sharks more bang for their buck Other incomplete grades: Brinson Pasichnuk, Nicolas Meloche, Greg than most other players. (B). Pateryn, Jake Middleton. Alexander Barabanov – Has seven points in nine games for the Sharks GOALIES and fit well on the top line with Hertl and Kane. Smart, skilled player. Martin Jones – Too inconsistent. Had a slow start, then was solid for Should be, at the very least, a top-nine winger next season. (B). most of March but mediocre for most of April. Had a save percentage of .896 for the third straight season. Sharks say they’ll explore all avenues to improve the position. Days in San Jose appear to be numbered. (D-). Josef Korenar – Overcame a shaky start to his NHL career in April but calmed down as he gained more experience. Will be a factor in the competition for the backup job at training camp in the fall. (C). Incomplete grade: Alexei Melnichuk. COACHES Boughner and his staff were tasked with fixing the Sharks’ culture and getting the team to play to an identity. The Sharks made strides in both areas, although they went 3-11-3 to finish the season. Boughner and his staff deserve credit for keeping everyone on the same page through a trying season, starting with the challenge of holding a training camp in Scottdale, Arizona. On the ice, the Sharks scored more goals at even strength on a per-game basis than last season but were still among the NHL’s worst at keeping the puck out of their own net. Their penalty kill took a step back from last season but was still OK. The power play, though, got worse as the year went on. Ultimately, did the Sharks underperform given their roster flaws? Probably a little. But with an improved foundation, the Sharks should be in a better spot for the start of next season than they were at the start of 2020-2021. (C). MANAGEMENT General manager used the 2020-2021 season as a time to “reset” the team with the hope of brighter days ahead. Wilson told reporters last week that he believes the Sharks are not that far off from becoming a playoff team once again. While the Sharks could get back into the postseason next year in what figures to be a weaker Pacific Division from top to bottom, they will likely remain a ways away from returning to true Stanley Cup contender status for some time. Balcers and Barabanov were solid additions, but there remain questions about other young forwards and how ready they are to be impactful NHL players – the price the team pays for trading away first-round picks in 2016, 2019 and 2020, plus their 2017 first-round selection in Josh Norris. Contracts handed out to Labanc and Meier now appear to be rather risky investments, and it’s tough to envision the Sharks ever getting full value out of the deals handed to Karlsson and Vlasic. If this is a reset and not a rebuild, then Wilson and the Sharks’ front office have their work cut out for them this summer. (C-).

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 05.20.2021 San Jose Sharks final 30 games without a goal — there’s little doubt that the organization 1188591 has high hopes for the young winger.

Alexei Melnichuk — Pencil in the young goalie on the Barracuda, either Who stays and who goes? Predicting which Sharks might be on the way as the No. 1 or in a platoon role again with Josef Korenar. out Jeffrey Viel — His impact waned over the final few weeks, but Viel seems to be a guy who the Sharks like having around for his physicality and willingness to fight when necessary. He’ll surely be qualified as a By Kevin Kurz restricted free agent, and perhaps he can have a greater impact as a fourth-line regular next season. May 19, 2021 Marc-Edouard Vlasic — Vlasic made it clear in his exit interview that he has no intentions of waiving his full no-movement clause, even if he’s Everyone who pays attention knows at this point that the Sharks need to asked. But, as with Karlsson, no general manager in his right mind would make some changes. Everyone who pays attention also knows that the ever want to take on that contract at this point. Vlasic makes $7 million team’s contract situation will make major changes difficult. There is annually for the next five seasons. probably no way that the front office can blow this thing up, even if it Probably returning, but don’t bet your house on it either wanted to (and assuming they are all still in charge this time next month). Brent Burns — Here’s what I believe about Burns, based on some Still, general manager Doug Wilson should have some options to alter a rumblings I’ve heard: He’s likely to be protected in the expansion draft, roster that missed the playoffs for a second straight season. He’s already and he’d be open to playing somewhere else next season. The Sharks stated that he will be pursuing a new goaltender and a third-line center, don’t have a logical replacement for Burns at this point, as Ryan Merkley and he won’t be able to add those players without removing some others. isn’t ready for the NHL yet. They’d be much better off trying to move So who might be considered expendable, and who is likely here for the Burns for something in return, even if it means having to eat a little bit of foreseeable future? Let’s examine, player by player. his $8 million annual salary for a portion of the four years left on his deal. Burns has a three-team limited no-trade clause, so I don’t expect he’d Locks … er, lock to be back sign off on playing somewhere like Winnipeg or Buffalo, but I still have to think there would be enough interest that the team could find a logical Mario Ferraro — I’ve previously said that Ferraro should be the only partner that would satisfy all sides. untouchable player on the current underperforming roster. Not only did he take huge strides in his game in his sophomore season, but Ferraro Kevin Labanc — The 25-year-old was one of the players bumped down has future leader or even captain written all over him. There isn’t anyone the lineup when it became clear that Boughner trusted guys like in the organization who doesn’t love this kid. Barabanov and Balcers a little more. Still, Labanc was tied for third on the Sharks with 25 five-on-five points. While his salary is a little inflated Almost certainly returning and includes three more seasons at $4.725 million, I could see Labanc Rudolfs Balcers — A restricted free agent, Balcers will have to be re- getting moved as part of a package for a third-line center or a goalie. signed. I can’t imagine it will be all that complicated to finalize what I Timo Meier — Other teams have surely taken notice of Meier’s penchant would guess will be a two or three-year extension for the 24-year-old, for giving a full effort about once a week, so there’s probably not much of who made the most of his second stint with the organization, even if he a market for a winger who has been trending downward ever since he did go cold late in the season. got his big payday. Still, could Meier be part of a bigger trade if the Alexander Barabanov — The Sharks re-signed the surprisingly effective Sharks are looking to shake things up a bit? It’s possible, because winger last week to a one-year, $1 million extension. He’ll be back after building a team around the 24-year-old isn’t a realistic or logical option anymore. Like Labanc, perhaps Meier gets dangled as the Sharks look to pushing some other wingers down the depth chart. bolster their lineup elsewhere. Logan Couture — The captain is signed for six more seasons at $8 Potential throw-ins in a bigger trade million per year, and there’s no reason to believe he wants to play anywhere else at this point. Even if he did, Couture’s drop off in Joachim Blichfeld — Blichfeld, a pending restricted free agent, seems to production over the second half probably would concern any potential be the latest in a long line of Sharks prospects that the organization likes suitor. but the NHL coaching staff really doesn’t. He doesn’t look big or quick Noah Gregor — The young winger finally took some strides at the end of enough to play regularly. I imagine he’ll be qualified, but Blichfeld was the season, and could still turn into a valuable depth guy at the NHL supposed to have more of an impact this season, in my mind. level. There’s no question the Sharks will qualify him as a restricted free Joel Kellman — He’s on a one-way contract next season, so Kellman agent if they don’t re-sign him first. wouldn’t be easy to move. That said, he never seemed to endear himself Tomas Hertl — Considering that the Sharks are seeking a third-line to the coaching staff and only ended up playing seven games. Kellman is center in the offseason, it wouldn’t make any sense to part ways with most likely to start next season with the Barracuda. their best center. The more interesting storyline regarding Hertl will be Josef Korenar — Assuming the Sharks land another goalie, and if they whether the team tries to sign him to a long-term extension this summer. move on from Martin Jones permanently, Korenar could be in line to be Does that make sense, or does it make more sense to wait and the backup on opening night. He did get better throughout the course of potentially use Hertl as the first chip in a rebuild if the team is out of the the 10 games he played this season, in an encouraging sign for him and playoff race again next February? the organization. Still, Melnichuk is viewed internally as having the higher upside. Evander Kane — Assuming the Sharks are truly aiming to make the playoffs next season, they’ll want to keep their best player from the past Alex True — A pending restricted free agent who will likely be re-signed, season. The only thing that would prevent Kane from returning is if his True could get a chance to be the opening night fourth-line center if ongoing bankruptcy situation results in him voiding his contract. I’m no Dylan Gambrell gets plucked by Seattle. Like with many other young lawyer, but that seems unlikely. players in San Jose, though, the Sharks are still waiting for him to prove Erik Karlsson — The Sharks have no choice but to hope that Karlsson he belongs in the NHL. can still be an elite-level NHL defenseman, as unlikely as that now Seattle or San Jose seems after another disappointing season. Karlsson’s full no-movement clause prevents him from being exposed to Seattle, but even if he were, Dylan Gambrell — Gambrell is a pending restricted free agent who could neither the Kraken nor any other NHL team would want to take on that potentially center the fourth line next season. The Bonney Lake, Wash., $11.5 million annual salary-cap hit for the next six seasons. native could be targeted by the Kraken, though, who probably won’t have many good options from the Sharks. Nikolai Knyzhov — mentioned at the end of the season that he liked the chemistry between Knyzhov and Karlsson after they Matt Nieto — A pending unrestricted free agent, I expect the Sharks will were paired together for most of the season. Knyzhov has another year find a way to re-sign Nieto. That’s not just because they like him, but he left on his entry-level contract and will have a chance to build off of his would help fulfill the requirement to expose two experienced forwards in rookie campaign. the expansion draft. John Leonard — While I think it was misguided for the Sharks to keep Radim Simek — Assuming the Sharks protect Burns, Simek could be the Leonard on the NHL roster for virtually the entire season — he went his defenseman available to the Kraken. But he wasn’t very good this season and has proven to be injury-prone to boot. He’s more likely to remain in teal. Seattle or somewhere else Ryan Donato — Donato worked his way down and eventually out of the lineup, although that was at least partially injury-related. Either way, it seemed pretty clear in Boughner’s post-season availability that Donato is not in the team’s future plans. If he’s not chosen in the expansion draft, my guess is the Sharks will not qualify the restricted free agent. Toss-ups Martin Jones — We know that it’s a near certainty that Jones will not be the Sharks’ opening night starter next season. Does it make sense to keep him around as the backup, though? I would argue it doesn’t, and that a buyout here makes the most sense. But I’m not the one writing those checks, and we don’t have a very good sense as to whether ownership wants to go that route since, ya know, we never talk to the owner. Christian Jaros — Jaros just wasn’t very effective in the seven games he played for the Sharks, but as a pending restricted free agent, he could be kept him around for depth purposes for another season. Kurtis Gabriel — The agitating winger provided some memorable moments this season, but then he somewhat strangely disappeared. The Sharks’ coaching staff clearly had a preference for Viel, a similar player, over the final few weeks. I’d say it’s more likely Gabriel is elsewhere next season. Likely moving on Fredrik Handemark — The one-year experiment didn’t work out for the Swedish league veteran, who surely was adversely affected by the short training camp and lack of preseason games, but just didn’t play at an NHL pace. Patrick Marleau — Marleau’s breaking of the NHL’s all-time games played record was a wonderful moment in a rough season for both the team and the 41-year-old. But now, all signs point to the season finale as Marleau’s final game in a teal sweater. Greg Pateryn — The Sharks didn’t see much of the veteran blueliner last season after he was acquired as part of the Devan Dubnyk trade. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent, so it’s likely he’ll go to market and land somewhere else. Say goodbye Marcus Sorensen — Sorensen might get another shot at an NHL job after stealing $3 million of Hasso Plattner’s money over the last two seasons, but it won’t be here.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 San Jose Sharks With the delayed start to the WHL season, Robins got the unique 1188592 opportunity to join the Barracuda at the beginning of the AHL season. Due to COVID-19 restrictions in Santa Clara County, the Barracuda started their season in Chandler, Ariz. The 19-year-old called it “an Barracuda Advance to Playoffs, Robins Talks Rivalry with Wiesblatt amazing experience.” Robins played his first two pro games Feb. 7 and Feb. 8 before returning to Feb. 21. The Clear Lake, Manitoba native said his biggest Published 3 hours ago on May 19, 2021 takeaway from the experience was the need to be “extremely sound By Brian Truong defensively.” “If you’re trusted in both ends of the ice, you’ll for sure get a lot more opportunity,” Robins said. IRVINE, Calif. — Well, at least one San Jose hockey team is making the playoffs this year. Robins said some system differences, specifically in neutral zone forechecking, between the Barracuda and the Blades caught him by The overpowered the in the Pacific surprise. Division play-in finale 5-1, booking their trip to Henderson. The San Jose Sharks’ AHL affiliate will take on the Vegas Golden Knights’ beginning “I’ve caught myself a few times like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s not it,'” Robins said. this Friday night. “And then the defensive zone coverage as well. I’m used to more of a man-on-man coverage. The Barracuda do more of a zone type of San Jose got off to an early lead, as Maxim Letunov kicked off a defense, in a way.” gorgeous give-and-go with Evan Weinger. Robins was with the Barracuda when they traveled to Texas during the However, it wasn’t until the second period that the Barracuda really took state’s worst winter weather in decades. Robins described the control of the game. experience as “something out of a storybook.” Both Brinson and Steenn Pasichnuk earned assists on the long Zach “Still, to this day, I can’t believe it,” Robins said. “That was one of the Gallant goal, the first time at the pro level that the Pasichnuk brothers most unique and memorable experiences I’ll ever have in my life.” have both got points on the same goal. A scout, by the way, told San Jose Hockey Now that he was impressed with Gallant’s game during this Robins said he was surprised at how quick the conditions changed. tournament, saying, “He’s got a little f-you to his game.” There might be a When he went to sleep after a game Feb. 13, it was still sunny. fourth-line NHL future for the once-Detroit Red Wings’ third-round pick “There was this nice palm tree out at my window,” Robins said. “I woke yet. up in the morning … and the game got canceled due to weather About three minutes later, Krystof Hrabik, in just his second AHL conditions. I’m like, ‘Oh, it must be pretty bad.’ Then I opened my blinds, appearance, fired home his first-ever AHL goal, giving San Jose a 3-0 and the palm tree leaves were inverted and covered in ice. It was crazy.” cushion. Returning to the WHL Feb. 21 meant Robins and fellow San Jose It was top San Jose Sharks prospect Ryan Merkley walking down from Sharks’ 2020 draft pick Ozzy Wiesblatt went from Barracuda teammates the point who made mincemeat of AHL veteran Mike Vecchione, back to being opponents. Their teams, the Blades and the Prince Albert exposing Colorado netminder Justus Annunen to Hrabik. Raiders, have a long-standing rivalry. Speaking of the goaltending, Josef Korenar grabbed both Barracuda “I’m not really one to make friends on the ice,” Wiesblatt told the Locked victories this week, turning away 32 of 33 Eagles shots to lead San Jose on Sharks podcast May 10. “So I probably gave him the cold shoulder a to the playoffs. In total, the Czech keeper stopped 51 of 53 shots couple of times out there.” yesterday and today. “I don’t know what Ozzy’s saying,” Robins said. “But I’m not out there to Colorado managed a late second period goal from Sampo Ranta to keep make friends on the ice either, I’m out there to win games and battle things close, but Korenar shut the door the rest of the way, and Nicolas hard. That’s probably what he means as well. But I really enjoy battling Meloche and Hrabik added empty netters to seal the Cuda victory. against him for sure.” San Jose will travel to Las Vegas tomorrow. They’ll take on the top- Robins lit up the scoreboard while playing against the Raiders, recording seeded Silver Knights at 7 PM on Friday night. It will be a three-game nine points across three games, including a season-high four points Apr. semifinal, all at Orleans Arena. 8. His MCL sprain kept Robins out of their final meeting, the only game in which the Raiders beat the Blades all season. Tristen Robins will be traveling to Henderson, but he will be questionable to play. “I really enjoy it, [Wiesblatt] and I play very hard against each other,” Robins said. “We’re good friends off the ice, but we love to battle on the Robins hasn’t played since arriving in San Jose May 6, slowed by a ice. It was fun getting to know him in Arizona and it was even more fun lingering MCL sprain. Regardless… getting that rivalry going again.” “It was really nice to get the boys back,” Robins told San Jose Hockey Now Friday. San Jose Hockey NowLOADED: 05.20.2021 It’s a more-than-full house for the Barracuda. With the San Jose Sharks season over and players coming in from junior hockey, the ECHL, and the Finnish Elite League, the Barracuda have 27 skaters and five goalies on the roster. “It’s just a great atmosphere … a totally different atmosphere than junior,” Robins said. “Everything about it is different and so professional. It’s exciting to come to the rink every day.” The San Jose Sharks 2020 second round pick made most of the shortened WHL season, scoring 10 goals and 13 assists in 23 games for the . However, he suffered a season-ending MCL sprain Apr. 11. “I went to finish a body check along the boards and just twisted my knee a little funny,” Robins said. “It was a super innocent accident that just gave me a little bit of grief.” The injury kept him out of Saskatoon’s final eight games. Robins graded his status as “day-to-day,” and said he’s appreciative of the assistance from the trainers in San Jose. “It’s just one of those things that slowly gets better, Robins said. “If you push too hard, it’ll just keep pushing back your recovery time. So you just have to treat it properly.” San Jose Sharks Despite a less-than-stellar 19-25-4 record, the Sharks just eked into the 1188593 playoffs, finishing a single point ahead of the Los Angeles Kings to make it in. 30 Sharks: Wade Flaherty Remembers Upsetting the Flames In the playoffs, the Sharks opened against the Calgary Flames, but down 3-2 in their series, Constantine made a gutsy move, calling on the backup Flaherty to replace Irbe in Games 6 and 7. Published 12 hours ago on May 19, 2021 Flaherty led the Sharks to back-to-back wins to take the series, including a thrilling finish in Game 7 on May 19, 1995. By Ryan Cowley “The double-overtime Game 7 is probably my most favorite memory of my professional career,” Flaherty fondly reflected. “Any time you get to Drafted in the ninth round of the 1988 Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, Wade go to double-overtime in Game 7, I mean you play that in street hockey Flaherty had his work cut out for him if he wanted to play in the NHL. growing up.” Following the conclusion of his major-junior career, the native of Terrace, While rested, some would worry that any goalie in a backup role would B.C., made a couple of stops on the semi-pro circuit before joining the be rusty. Especially given the elevated magnitude of a playoff game, of the International Hockey League in 1990 and particularly when facing elimination, a new netminder thrown into the fire, ultimately, the San Jose Sharks. so to speak, is nothing short of an unenviable task. This was exactly the In 1990-91, the Blades were an independent team coached by former case for Flaherty in 1995. But, of all the emotions running through the NHL netminder Doug Soetaert. The following year, the team became the netminder, being nervous was not one of them. minor league affiliate of the expansion San Jose Sharks with a new “Not so much nervous I would say I was excited,” Flaherty said of how he bench boss: Future Sharks head coach . felt starting Game 6. “But that is a way I would calm myself, by saying I By the end of San Jose’s inaugural 1991-92 campaign, Flaherty would was extremely excited to play rather than, ‘Oh boy, I’m nervous.’” have three NHL games under his belt, but wouldn’t join the Sharks again As for Game 7 — in enemy territory in Calgary, no less — Flaherty’s until the 1994-95 season. That was when Flaherty established himself as memories were fresh. an NHL goaltender. “I do remember Game 7, how things were going well until late in the In this edition of my “30 Sharks” series for San Jose Hockey Now, I game when [the Flames] scored two [to tie the game],” the former speak with former Sharks goaltender Wade Flaherty, who shares his netminder recollected. “I remember thinking, ‘I can’t give up another! No favorite moments with the franchise, as well as his relationships with way! This is our game,’ and we made it to overtime.” Constantine and his then-goaltending partner, Arturs Irbe. As the deciding game entered overtime, the goalie-turned-coach When the Blades became affiliated with the expansion Sharks in 1991, admitted that his memory is a bit more fuzzy, but recalls the most there were changes made in Kansas City. Among the changes were in important points nonetheless. goal. While Wade Flaherty remained with the team, the club made some changes in goal, which included the addition of an undersized, but hard- “From there it was a bit of a blur,” Flaherty said. “I remember our D were working, netminder from Dynamo Riga by the name of Arturs Irbe. getting fatigued, so I was just trying to control and freeze everything I could. Also, the crowd noise was crazy loud, so communication with the Flaherty and Irbe hit it off right away. In 1992, though, the San Jose D was tough.” Sharks called Irbe up for good and then Flaherty a couple years later. Even in the NHL, while the competition between the two was palpable, Flaherty and company, though, to their tremendous credit, hung in there the duo always pushed each other to be their best. and eventually, things went their way. “We had a great relationship and a competitive relationship,” Flaherty “We made it through the first OT and I think we as a team settled down remembered. “We wanted each other to play well but we also pushed and regrouped in the intermission, came out, got a couple of chances, each other to play well.” and scored on a shot I don’t think anyone saw coming,” Flaherty said of Ray Whitney’s series-winning goal. The goaltending tandem’s respect for one another, however, was not limited to what happened during games. It was a quick, surreal moment. Then, Flaherty and the Sharks realized what had just happened. “We were actually roommates, and as roommates, we’d have a lot of conversations about the game that we played or the game that we were “I was in disbelief for about a second then it hit me,” Flaherty recalled. about to play and we would talk about different players and such — “Game 7…we just won!” normal goaltending talk like that,” Flaherty elaborated. “What was interesting is that we were roommates, so we did have that strong bond.” The Sharks advanced to the second round with the thrilling victory, setting up a 1994 playoff rematch with the Detroit Red Wings. Before he became the San Jose Sharks’ head coach in 1993, Kevin Unfortunately for Flaherty and company, they couldn’t replicate their Constantine was getting his feet wet in Kansas City. Flaherty and his success against Detroit from the previous year as the Red Wings swept teammates immediately benefitted from Constantine’s systematic, San Jose in four straight games. organized coaching style. In particular for Flaherty, Constantine helped the netminder establish a career-changing confidence. While he would go on to make stops in Long Island, Tampa Bay, Florida, and Nashville, Wade Flaherty holds a special place in his heart for San “I liked Kevin,” the former netminder beamed. “The one thing about Kevin Jose, a city and a team that gave him his first crack at the NHL. was that he played a very [systematic] game for us, and I remember a time in Kansas City, I was struggling a bit as a goaltender, it was early in The current Winnipeg Jets’ assistant coach remembered his first days the season and I just couldn’t get anything going, and he just stuck with with the San Jose Sharks: me and kept going, kept playing me, and eventually, I turned it on which “I’ve got to go back to my first game and that would have been back was a big turning point in my career, actually. It was in ‘92, I think, give or during the inaugural season of the Sharks. take, but my point is that he helped with my career in that sense because he showed the confidence as a head coach.” “And if we go back and remember, I think there was a threat of a lockout and the players ended up doing a small strike or something. For Constantine, it wasn’t just a case of sticking with his netminder. The future Sharks bench boss would do little things along the way that aided “But, long story short, the league started back up and San Jose had three his goaltender’s confidence significantly. games left in the season and the majority of the season I spent in Kansas City. So, they called me up for the final three games of the year with my “As a young goaltender, things weren’t going well, obviously, but he start being in Edmonton, and then, we went to Calgary — I’m essentially would put notes in my stall, ‘Be the first star tonight,’ and stuff like that,” going through my first three starts now — and then we came back to the Flaherty reflected. “So, he was a huge part of me as a young goaltender Cow Palace. That was my only home game of the three, and ironically, learning to navigate the early-goings of a professional career.” we played the Winnipeg Jets.” After playing the entire 1993-94 season in Kansas City, Flaherty would After retiring as a player in 2009, Flaherty took a few years before begin the 1994-95 season with the San Jose Sharks. Yet, while the entering the coaching ranks. Then, in 2011, upon the franchise’s re- season was abbreviated to 48 games due to the NHL lockout, Flaherty location from Atlanta, the former netminder joined the Winnipeg Jets’ was nonetheless thrilled to be with the big club, sharing the duties in goal coaching staff, serving as the club’s goaltending coach until 2018 before with Irbe. becoming the team’s assistant coach. While players becoming coaches may not be uncommon, it is nonetheless fascinating to learn why each individual takes the coaching route once their playing careers are finished. Flaherty’s route was no exception: “You know, I think you grow a lot and I always look back and remember different coaches — Kevin Constantine, Jim Wiley, your Doug Soetaerts, management — because you kind of change over to the coaching side of things and you look [as a coach] and say, ‘Okay, that’s what they were trying to do; this is the message that they were trying to send through,’ and you just go back and try to remember situations that you’ve had and you try to implement them into your coaching style, whether it’s through conversation or coaching style. “So, that’s a part of it. I was young, obviously, when I was with the Sharks, but I’ve definitely gone back and thought of different ways to essentially tackle problems. So, ‘If my goalies were struggling with this, what would a coach have done with me back then?’, so I think what you’d do is you’d go back and pull past experiences — and some of those are with the Sharks and the Kansas City Blades — and you try and utilize every piece that you can use, that you can pull out from your career, to help further your young goalies or players that you’re coaching now.” When looking at Wade Flaherty’s professional career, few can be unimpressed with the former netminder. His 19-year pro career has seen him make multiple stops in North America at different levels but for Wade Flaherty, few stops were more memorable than his time in the San Jose Sharks organization. A successful player and now a successful coach, the former netminder has garnered a plethora of experience, and just as many memories, from his career in hockey. He was a part of one of the Sharks’ greatest moments and for that, both the franchise and Flaherty himself are extremely grateful.

San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188594 San Jose Sharks

Sheng’s Daily: Gabriel Is Sharks’ King Clancy Nominee

Published 17 hours ago on May 19, 2021 By Sheng Peng

The AHL Pacific Division play-in tournament has begun, and the San Jose Barracuda are off to a good start with a 2-1 victory over Tucson…but do the Barracuda actually want to be play? Agent, on Pacific Division Playoffs: “Why are you basically playing for free?” The Locked On Sharks guys discuss the San Jose Sharks’ state of the franchise: A Vancouver victory yesterday means that the San Jose Sharks have the seventh-best chance to win the Draft lottery. That’s the good news. The bad news is, the Sharks were the 26th-worst team in the NHL this season.

San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 St Louis Blues For much of the game, particularly the first 1 ½ periods, Colorado was its 1188595 usual dazzling self with its skating and speed, and rushes up the ice. But it was the Blues’ inability to keep the net front clean for Binnington, and the inability to “hammer the edge” as Berube put it on those distance Blues show life late, but drop 6-3 contest to Avs. shooters, that was the difference in this game. It was a frustrating night on several levels for the Blues. Jim Thomas After Ivan Barbashev was sent off for hooking MacKinnon early in the second period, Berube was seen screaming at the officiating crew headed by referees Jon McIsaac and Francis Charron. And it wasn’t DENVER – The Blues dodged a COVID scare Wednesday. They couldn’t about the penalty; he was upset at an obvious pick play by MacKinnon dodge the Colorado Avalanche. seconds earlier in which Barbashev was leveled that went uncalled. On a day when the status of several Blues was in question due to “Definitely,” he said. “There were other ones, too.” erroneous testing, there was no questioning the Avs. After cutting into Colorado’s 3-0 lead with goals by Sammy Blais and The Presidents’ Trophy winners jumped to a 3-0 lead, then held off a late Schenn, the Blues had the momentum when Torey Krug went back to Blues surge for a 6-3 victory at Ball Arena. The last two Colorado goals retrieve a puck in his own end. Krug seemed to have the angle to get the were empty-netters, the second of which gave Nathan MacKinnon a hat puck but Mikko Rantanen won the puck battle behind the net and in a trick. matter of seconds the puck was out to MacKinnon for a goal and a 4-2 lead. That’s five goals in two games for MacKinnon in this first-round playoff series; perhaps the Blues should keep an eye on him from here on out. Just 15 seconds later, Mike Hoffman sent a laser past Philipp Grubauer off the rush to make it 4-3. But with the score still 4-3, and Binnington The Blues finished the game with only four defensemen, losing Robert pulled for an extra attacker, Hoffman didn’t contest Brandon Saad along Bortuzzo in the second period after taking an elbow to the face from the boards and the result was an empty-net goal by Saad from 105 feet Tyson Jost. And then losing Justin Faulk in the third period to a cheap away with 2:09 left to play. shot to the head from Nazem Kadri, who was given a match penalty. “We gotta do a better job with the goalie out in that situation,” Berube Coach Craig Berube offered no update on what could be concussions for said. “We made it way too easy for them to get an empty net goal. Way Bortuzzo and Faulk, but the Blues could be down two defensemen when to easy. the series resumes Friday at Enterprise Center. They’re already down two games in this best-of-seven competition. “That play needs to be challenged hard, and killed. And that would give ourselves a chance to tie the game up.” After another terrible start, the Blues seemed to find their game and establish momentum over the second half of Wednesday’s contest. Perhaps most frustrating of all were the hits that knocked Bortuzzo and Perhaps they can bring some of that back to St. Louis for Games 3 and Faulk out of the game. 4. “Yeah, greasy elbow by (Jost) there,” Schenn said, referring to the elbow But Brayden Schenn, who scored the second Blues goal – during the on Bortuzzo. “I understand he's going into the battle but you got to know five-minute power play that resulted from the Kadri penalty – went how to control your elbows and not get it up into the man's face. One straight to the bottom line. guy's six-foot-four (Bortuzzo) and one guy’s six feet (Jost). It's a pretty gross elbow and it’s tough to lose a guy like Bob-o. “At the end of day, we lost a hockey game, so the momentum is on their side,” Schenn said. “That's not breaking news by any means, but I think “And then a guy like Kadri, the guy can’t control himself. In the playoffs, we did some good things.” he’s a repeat offender, bad hits, greasy hits, and he's got a guy in a vulnerable position and he picks nothing but the head. . . .Hopefully the One thing they did not do well was protect their net front. The first four league takes care of it. We need to now focus on Games 3 and 4 and the Avalanche goals all came on shots from distance – three from not much league will care of those guys’ hits.” inside the blueline, with all kinds of traffic in front of goalie Jordan Binnington. It was as if he was part of a solar eclipse. The part you don’t see. St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.20.2021 Score, rinse, repeat. It happened twice in the first period, once in the second, and once in the third. It looked like Binnington had absolutely no chance on any of them. “They did a good job of moving screens,” Schenn said. “We’ve gotta do a better job of grabbing our man and boxing out. Binner’s making a lot of saves, and they’re shooting lots from the top and we gotta try and make it a little bit easier on him front.” Berube pointed out that two of the four goals came with Colorado on the power play. Obviously, with one less defender on the ice, it’s a tougher to keep the net-front clean. But when the final story is written on this season, one of the issues will be a defense that wasn’t nearly as stout in front of the net as its recent predecessors. “I get there’s traffic,” Berube said. “There’s gonna be traffic. We gotta fight through it and we gotta block shots. Or box people out of there. But it’s hard. You’re not gonna box people out if they have position on it, so we need to step in front of it and block the shot.” And that was just as much of an issue for Berube, the Blues’ inability to get in front of shots on those scoring plays. “The one power play, MacKinnon’s, we gotta get him quicker,” Berube said. “We gotta hammer the edge there, not let him get that shot so quickly.” Captain Ryan O’Reilly didn’t argue that point. “Being at the front, we gotta find a way to get ‘em to the outside more or block it,” O’Reilly said. “It’s tough. We have to make it a little easier on Binner. Even myself, gotta find a way to defend better. It was just kind of too easy for ‘em.” St Louis Blues But they lost the game. For stretches, they looked lost. And now, there’s 1188596 the possible loss of Faulk and Bortuzzo for Game 3 (we’ll likely get medical updates Friday morning). Hochman: Captain-on-captain crunch set tone in Blues' Game 2. Can St. Clearly the Blues are missing David Perron (who’s out due to COVID Louis even win one game at home? protocol). He’s a leader, he’s tough with the puck, he’s a creator, he’s powerful on the power play. Oh, and he has more points than all of the other Blues. He’s feisty, too. He would’ve provided pep. This isn’t to say that one player would’ve made an 0-2 series into a 2-0 series, but surely Benjamin Hochman he would’ve provided some more offense that the Blues got here in Denver. DENVER — One-hundred-and-twenty minutes of hockey can be And it’s hard to know just how much, but the Blues must’ve been affected summed up in one second. by the infuriating unfairness of inaccurate COVID test results. Blues captain Ryan O’Reilly skated behind his net to retrieve the puck. For the second postseason in a row, COVID, and all that comes with it, affected the St. Louis Blues. After last season’s bubble debacle, general Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog trailed and perfectly crunched manager Doug Armstrong said that some players weren’t at their best O’Reilly into the boards. because they were still recovering from COVID-19. This postseason, of course, the Blues have been without top point man Perron. And then Oh, and Colorado got the puck back. Oh, and Colorado then scored. came Wednesday’s unnecessary stress. On Wednesday, the Avalanche brutalized and demoralized the Blues. The goalie Binnington and forward Tarasenko missed morning skate and Again. The Blues just can’t keep up. The Avs won Game 2, 6-3, and lead were kept in isolation because of inaccurate COVID test results. What a the first-round series, 2-0. From Nathan MacKinnon to Cale Makar, mess. The league later said the “initial reported test results were in error.” COVID sidelining to COVID scares, Colorado’s abusive offense to Colorado’s abusive cheap shots, this whole week in Denver has been But that wasn’t announced until after lunch. Coach Craig Berube and his like one giant body check into the boards. staff had to deal with something their opponents didn’t — having to put together revised lines and special teams matchups, while also preparing It’ll takes a lot of grasping for straws to come up with reasons the Blues to have a rookie backup (Ville Husso) start Game 2 in net. could win this series. Heck, win a game. But it’s only fair to point out these five facts: It was particularly unfair for Binnington, Goalies, similar to baseball pitchers, are creatures of habit. They thrive off the routine. And the • In the second half of Game 2, the Blues got into their game more — morning skate is a way for the goalie to get in some work in the crease, play-making foresight, forechecking and forwards actually attacking the to get a feel for it all. There are conversations and breakdowns of the net front. As O’Reilly said after the game, the Blues finally “saw what it opponent. It’s important prep work. And on the day of the biggest game looks like.” of the season, Binnington didn’t get his morning skate. • For all the Colorado dominance, the Avs did only score two even- Though here’s the thing — the fact that the Blues routinely let the Avs strength goals all night. screen Binnington wouldn’t have been remedied by any morning skate. • The Blues only had four defensemen down the stretch — and one of The fact that the Blues allowed the Avs to get on the power play multiple the guys knocked out was their minutes-gobbler Justin Faulk. times wouldn’t have changed with Binnington there in the morning. • Down 4-3, the Blues blew it with the empty net — with a chance to tie The Avs beat the Blues because the Avs are better than the Blues. the game, the Blues were soft on the puck … which ended up in said net. Now the Blues will head home for two games, hoping to restart a series • The Blues had to deal with the stress of the COVID scares to Jordan that already seems won. Binnington and Vladimir Tarasenko. OK, with those out of the way, the reality is that Colorado plays sublime St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.20.2021 hockey. They’re playing like it’s their year, their turn. And Colorado doesn’t look at the Blues like we do. See, we look at the Blues as the 2019 Stanley Cup champs, who also led the conference in 2020 when the pandemic hit and, in 2021, still won a good share of games even with a ton of man games lost. Colorado looks at the Blues as a dispensable, beatable bunch. The Avalanche will need extra travel bags to pack all the confidence they’re bringing to St. Louis. In Game 2, the Avalanche beat the Blues with speed, with hustle, with strategy and, also, with illegal hits to the head. It’s hard to imagine the Blues getting back in this series. Yes, sure, they say a series doesn’t start until the home team loses. But there was something about these two losses in Denver that felt overwhelming. Credit the Blues for playing gutsy hockey after being down 1-0 in the series and 3-0 on the road in the third period. The Blues were down two defensemen — Robert Bortuzzo and Faulk — both hit to the head by Tyson Jost and Nazem Kadri, respectfully (though with no respect). But in the end, Colorado proved to be the better team, yet again. It all started with the captain-on-captain crunch. The Avs started the game with a furious forecheck and the symbolic Landeskog crunching of captain counterpart O’Reilly. Shortly after, with the puck still in the Avs’ offensive zone, Joonas Donskoi redirected a Ryan Graves shot for a goal — just 35 seconds in. The first period was an abomination of infuriation. Where was the fire? Where was the anger? Where was the pride? The Blues were just off — and offensive efforts seemed futile. Sloppy play in the neutral zone. Shots from the outside with no one near the crease for rebounds. Little forecheck pressure. The Avalanche just controlled every aspect of the game. It was hard to watch — it was also amazing to watch, because it was brilliance on ice from the home team. At the end of the first period, Colorado had two goals on 19 shots and the Blues had none on just six shots on goal. The Blues showed more life in the second half of the second period. That was something. They went to the dressing room down 3-1, and they battled back in the third for a while there, too. 1188597 St Louis Blues Bozak was moved up to the first unit to replace Tarasenko in practice. Blues general manager Doug Armstrong did not return a text message

seeking comment. False alarm on Blues COVID test results As it turned out, the Blues weren’t the only NHL playoff team dealing with questionable test results. Jim Thomas “This morning, we became aware of certain test results involving multiple players on two clubs (the St. Louis Blues and the Vegas Golden Knights) that had indicated positive results for the COVID-19 virus,” the NHL said in its statement. DENVER — Sheer chaos late Wednesday morning turned out to be a false alarm by the late afternoon for the Blues. An NHL investigation “Because those reported results emanated from the same laboratory, showed that several COVID tests that initially indicated positive results and due to other peculiarities and similarities as among the test results for members of the team were in error. themselves, an investigation was initiated into the possibility that the initial test results reported may have been in error. “ That meant several Blues who were not on the ice for the team’s morning skate were in the lineup against the Colorado Avalanche in Game 2 of Against the Avalanche, Schwartz and Tarasenko were on a line centered the first-round playoff series, a 6-3 loss. by Bozak. Scandella returned to his usual spot on the team’s second defensive pairing with Colton Parayko. Jordan Binnington, Vladimir Tarasenko, Jaden Schwartz and Marco Scandella were not seen on the ice during the team's morning skate. Vince Dunn (upper-body injury) missed his 13th consecutive game and could play Friday. Berube said after Wednesday's game that Walman After Wednesday's game, Brayden Schenn indicated that Binnington and would not be available Friday. Tarasenko were temporarily sidetracked by the erroneous test results. Prospect Klim Kostin was on the ice for pregame warmups (as was Asked if the mixup in test results affected the team's rhythm Wednesday, defenseman Steven Santini), but both were healthy scratches. Schenn said:

"Maybe at the beginning, but once you get the results back - we got ‘em after the morning skate - it’s probably messing up things moreso for the St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.20.2021 guys that didn't skate, with Binnington and Tarasenko. "One of them's vaccinated, and you just hope that it's not going to go into a positive. And thankfully, it was a mixup on testing and it seemed to happen around the league lots." So Binnington played Wednesday without the benefit of the preparation and work he normally does in the morning skate. He had only the brief 15 minutes of pregame warmup to get ready for the league's highest-scoring team. Asked about the effect of the test mixups, coach Craig Berube said: "It affects people. It affects everybody. It affects the uncertainty of what’s gonna happen. Who’s playing, who’s not playing." But he made no excuses. "I’m not gonna sit here and say that had an affect on the game or not," he said. Ryan O'Reilly said the team learned that the tests were erroneous, and that the affected players would be eligible to play, around lunch time. "It was kind of a scare in the morning," O'Reilly said. "This whole season, there have been so many unexpected things. That’s what happens. Stuff like this has happened before and we just have to keep not being affected by it and keep moving." But it certainly led to a massive exhale for Blues fans, coaches and the front office after the NHL looked into what it called discrepancies in earlier test results. “All affected players were immediately isolated and further testing was done involving collected samples,” the NHL said in a statement. “Those tests have returned uniformly negative results, therefore confirming that the initial reported test results were in error. “As a result, all affected players will be eligible to play in their team’s next game.” In today’s 10 a.m. video from Colorado, columnist Ben Hochman looks at Craig Berube’s strong quotes about Vladimir Tarasenko and what No. 91 needs to do in Game 2. Also, a happy birthday shoutout to a former St. Louis football great. And, as always, Hochman chooses a random St. Louis Cards card from the hat. Ten Hochman is presented Monday- Friday by The Milliken Hand Rehabilitation Center. David Perron, Jake Walman and Nathan Walker weren’t as lucky. They remained on the NHL’s COVID list released Wednesday — they all have been on the list for days — and thus were not eligible to play Wednesday. Among the four Blues, it’s possible that Scandella was taking a “maintenance” day Wednesday morning to rest a minor ailment. He did so at Monday’s morning skate but then played 20 minutes 5 seconds that night against the Avalanche in the Blues’ 4-1 loss. As for Schwartz, his absence in the morning was noteworthy during power play work, when Ivan Barbashev and Zach Sanford were on the second unit instead of Schwartz and Tyler Bozak. St Louis Blues Q: Given the uninspired play of the Blues this season, which players 1188598 would you protect in the expansion draft, in addition to Jordan Binnington and Ryan O'Reilly? Does Armstrong's formula still work for the Blues? Jim Thomas weighs in A: I'd go with the 7 forwards, 3 defensemen, 1 goalie formula on the protected list.

Forwards: Brayden Schenn, Ryan O'Reilly, David Perron, Robert Jim Thomas Thomas, Jordan Kyrou, Jaden Schwartz, Vladimir Tarasenko. Defensemen: Colton Parayko, Justin Faulk, Torey Krug. From Colorado, we answer questions about Perron's absence, Goalie: Jordan Binnington Tarasenko's future and the need for some heavy play. (I'm wavering a bit on Tarasenko, though) Q: What is the Blues’ team identity? They're not a speed team. They're not a heavy team anymore. They're not a defensive team. They're not a Q: I would expose Vladimir Tarasenko to the expansion draft. He is power-play team. They don't have a sniper. They don't have an elite damaged goods, even though he has a team-friendly contract. He's anything. How does Doug Armstrong not re-tool after this year? nowhere close to being the player he was touted to be. He's one good check into the boards from going on the IL again. Is it time for a change A: Actually, the Blues finished sixth in the league on the power play, so of scenery for Vladi? they were pretty good -- better than the Avalanche, in fact -- despite all those early struggles. Your other points are well-taken. Was the Blues Avalanche Hockey defensive falloff this year an aberration or a sign of things to come? Can A: I think you've summarized something that is on a lot of people's minds, the Blues get back to playing their heavy, cycle, forecheck game, or is and is kind of coming more to the forefront as the season progresses. All the roster less suited to that now? I don't necessarily mind that they don't along, I thought this would be a transition season for Tarasenko. And that have that one elite player. The Blues' success in recent years has been if we were going to see his return to form, it probably wouldn't happen because they have a lot of really good players. Armstrong must decide if this season. that's still the case. Tarasenko simply has missed too much time -- 4 games played, I Q: Why are the Blues the only team in the playoffs with guys on the believe, over the past 1 1/2 years. The risk, of course, is that you expose COVID list? a perennial 30-goal scorer, Seattle plucks him, he returns to form, and A: I guess it's a case of really bad luck. Earlier in the season, there were you get nothing in return. Doug Armstrong seems to have a good sense 40, 50 names on the list daily, league-wide. But as the vaccine became on when to cut ties with players (see David Backes). But this isn't an available, especially in the U.S., NHL players were vaccinated, so the easy decision. number of players on the list steadily dropped. The Blues made it all the Q: Do the Blues have enough players who remember how to play a way to Game 54 of a 56-game regular season without a single player on heavy game in the postseason? the list. A: Good question. Playing a heavy game isn't only about physical Follow-up: Any insight on the David Perron COVID issue? I know contact. It's hounding pucks, winning puck battles, puck possession, vaccinations are a personal choice, but in a team sport surely he would crashing the net. I'm not sure the Blues have quite enough of those types not have passed, right? on the current roster (one without David Perron and Oskar Sundqvist) to A: For sure, the decision to get vaccinated is a personal one. But in a consistently play that way over the course of a game. team setting, with so much at stake, I don't know why you wouldn't get vaccinated. A couple things to keep in mind: We don't know for sure that Perron is indeed a positive test (although all evidence points in that St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 05.20.2021 direction). His presence on the list could be a result of high-risk contact tracing. Although if that were the case, I think the Blues would have told us by now. And he's passed the threshold for a false positive. With the procedure for determining a false positive, you usually know by the third day. This is the fifth day. Players who are vaccinated can still test positive. The vaccines are highly effective, but not 100 percent foolproof, especially when it comes to variant strains. Jake Walman, for example, was vaccinated, and he's still on the COVID list. Q: How long will it take for the players just returning to the lineup from injury to be 100% effective? Who of that group can/will make the biggest impact? A: Colton Parayko has been back for a while now, and he looks pretty close to 100 percent. The only other player that just returned was Vladimir Tarasenko (lower body). In terms of how he looks moving around on the ice, skating, he looks pretty good to me. He wasn't out all that long with this latest injury; usually, the longer you're out, the more rusty you're apt to be once you return. And really that's about it. Other than Vince Dunn and the COVID list players (David Perron, Jake Walman, Nathan Walker) the Blues are pretty much injury-free. Q: What do the Blues need next year to compete for the Cup? If you were general manager, what moves would you consider? A: You're locked in with your goalie after the six-year deal. Jaden Schwartz, Mike Hoffman, Tyler Bozak, Carl Gunnarsson are the unrestricted free agents of note. And the Blues will lose someone in the expansion draft. So the bulk of the roster should be back. I wonder about the defense. The Blues gave up 3 goals a game this season (2.98), their highest figure in years. Do they need to search for another top-tier defenseman? Will they have enough scoring if Schwartz and Hoffman are gone? It's time to see what Klim Kostin can do. He needs to be on the opening- day roster, even if it's a fourth-line role. A part of me is leery of over-reacting personnel-wise due to all the injuries and the strange twists and turns of a COVID season. St Louis Blues The speedy Avalanche kept constant pressure on Binnington, who made 1188599 29 saves.

Faulk was shaken up when he was leveled by Kadri in the middle of MacKinnon records hat trick, Avs beat Blues 6-3 in Game 2 Colorado's defensive zone during the third. Faulk stayed down for a moment as officials reviewed the play. The major penalty was upheld and Kadri was removed from the game. By PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writer “That’s a very dangerous hit. It’s got to be a suspension," O'Reilly said. “It’s dangerous. He’s a repeat offender. It’s completely uncalled for. It’s May 20, 2021 02:19 AM awful to see.” Colorado coach Jared Bednar thinks the league may have a look as well. DENVER “It’s hard sometimes to figure out what the league suspends guys for and Nathan MacKinnon had two special guests in the stands — his mom and what they don’t,” Bednar said. “We’ll see what they come back with.” dad. INJURY UPDATE He treated them — along with a boisterous crowd chanting “M-V-P” — to Berube had no updates on injured defensemen Faulk and Robert quite a show. Bortuzzo, who left the game after what appeared to be an elbow near the MacKinnon capped his first career playoff hat trick with an empty-net goal head from Tyson Jost. to help the Colorado Avalanche pull away late for a 6-3 win over St. Louis “Greasy elbow by Josty,” Schenn said. “I understand he’s going into the in Game 2 on Wednesday night after the Blues avoided a pregame virus battle but you’ve got to know how to control your elbow and not get it up scare that nearly sidelined several players. in a D-man’s face.” “They’ve been with me every step of the way,” MacKinnon said of his parents. “I’m so glad they got to get up here.” Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 05.20.2021 The speedy forward always seems to raise his game this time of year. The difficult-to-defend MacKinnon now has five goals and two assists in a series the Avalanche lead 2-0. Game 3 will be Friday in St. Louis. MacKinnon also has a 1.45 points-per-game average in the postseason, which is among the highest in NHL history. But in typical MacKinnon fashion, he deflected credit to his linemates — Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko Rantanen, who each had two assists. “Without those guys battling and mucking it up in front when I’m up high, those pucks don’t go in,” MacKinnon explained. "Everyone’s helping out for sure.” Joonas Donskoi scored twice and Brandon Saad added an empty-netter. Trailing 3-0, Sammy Blais scored for St. Louis in the second and Brayden Schenn added another with 9:53 remaining to make it a one-goal game. Schenn's power-play goal followed Nazem Kadri being assessed a five- minute penalty for an illegal check to the head of Justin Faulk. MacKinnon gave Colorado a 4-2 lead with 4:35 remaining, only to see Mike Hoffman score 15 seconds later. Saad scored an empty-netter with 2:09 left and MacKinnon added another with 11.9 seconds remaining, with fans tossing hats onto the ice in celebration. “We kept our cool pretty good,” Donskoi said. “We’re a confident team right now.” The Blues took some confidence from their late spurt, too. “When we do things the right way and dictate it we make it difficult on them,” St. Louis captain Ryan O'Reilly said. “It’s something we have to build on.” MacKinnon's hat trick was the first in the postseason by an Avalanche player in 24 years. MacKinnon also had an assist. Philipp Grubauer finished with 32 saves. Donskoi scored 35 seconds into the game, the second-fastest goal to start a playoff game in Colorado/Quebec history, according to NHL research. The fastest was 29 seconds by Quebec's Wilf Paiement in Game 2 of the 1982 division finals. The anxiety level for St. Louis increased well before puck even dropped when several Blues players returned positive COVID-19 tests. Later, they were cleared after the results from a lab were investigated with follow-up tests coming back negative. Among those missing from the morning skate were forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz, along with goaltender Jordan Binnington. “I’m not going to say if that had an effect on the game. We’ve got to come out of the gate a little bit better than we did here in Colorado,” Blues coach Craig Berube said. “We can’t give up the shots we gave up in he first periods.” The Blues remained without leading scorer David Perron, who’s been on the COVID-19 protocol list since the weekend. 1188600 St Louis Blues

NHL clears Blues, Golden Knights after virus testing errors

By STEPHEN WHYNO and PAT GRAHAM AP Sports Writers May 20, 2021 02:08 AM

DENVER Game on for the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche after a coronavirus testing scare. The NHL said it had investigated multiple positive COVID-19 test results from the Blues and Vegas Golden Knights from the same laboratory. The league said the results had “peculiarities and similarities” and found them to be testing errors. The league said further testing came back “uniformly negative" and all affected players who were initially isolated out of caution and retested were eligible to play. The announcement came only hours before Game 2 between St. Louis and Colorado in Denver on Wednesday night. Vegas plays Game 3 at Minnesota on Thursday night with that first-round series knotted at 1-1. St. Louis had raised alarm bells about what general manager Doug Armstrong called “discrepancies in COVID test results relating to multiple players.” Goaltender Jordan Binnington and forwards Vladimir Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz weren't on the ice for the Blues' pregame skate, and the team canceled media sessions for coach Craig Berube and players. St. Louis is the only one of the 16 playoff teams with any players on the NHL's COVID-19 protocol list. Leading scorer David Perron, defenseman Jake Walman and forward Nathan Walker have been on the list since last week. All three remain on the list and were out for Game 2; Perron did not travel with the team for the first two games of the best-of-seven series against the Avalanche. The Blues recently confirmed that Walman, who’s fully vaccinated, had tested positive for the virus after undergoing additional tests and was put in quarantine. Blues forward Zach Sanford was on the protocol list March 20-21 before further testing revealed a false positive. The NHL began relaxing virus protocols last week for any team that had 85% or more of its traveling party fully vaccinated. The defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning was the only team to confirm it has reached that threshold. Washington center Evgeny Kuznetsov and goaltender Ilya Samsonov returned for Game 3 against Boston on Wednesday night after being unavailable from May 4-15 because of virus protocols. Despite coach Peter Laviolette saying “both these guys (are) just coming out of a long layoff,” Samsonov made his first start since May 1 because Game 2 goalie Craig Anderson was ruled out. A total of 51 regular-season NHL games were postponed for virus-related reasons. Those postponements pushed back the original May 8 end date for the regular season, which didn't wrap up until Wednesday afternoon as Calgary and Vancouver played out the string of their delayed schedules against each other. The Blues, who won the Cup for the first time in franchise history in 2019, went into the playoff bubble last summer as a top contender and lost in the first round. Armstrong said roughly 20% of players had COVID-19 before the 2019-20 season resumed.

Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 05.20.2021 St Louis Blues “We heard the news that it’ll be fine,” captain Ryan O’Reilly said. “Those 1188601 guys were both negative, so it was definitely good news. It was a scary morning, but we’re glad they weren’t in protocol. From inaccurate lab results to more injuries, Game 2 is a total loss for the “This whole season, there are so many unexpected things, that’s what Blues happens. Stuff like this has happened before and we just have to not be affected by it and keep moving. It’s unfortunate but, yeah, it is what it is.”

The Blues picked up the pace in the second period, getting a goal from By Jeremy Rutherford Sammy Blais for a 3-1 deficit. May 20, 2021 Then six minutes into the third period, they went on a five-minute power play, but at the cost of losing defenseman Justin Faulk, who was leveled by Colorado’s Nazem Kadri. The veteran center, who has been The Blues passed one test in Colorado and even that took an suspended five times in his career, including in the 2019 NHL playoffs, investigation. received a match penalty for an illegal check to the head. They woke up for Game 2 on Wednesday and couldn’t put a full lineup Faulk did not return to the game, and the league’s Department of Player on the ice for the morning skate because Jordan Binnington and Vladimir Safety will likely be reviewing the hit. Tarasenko had tested positive for COVID-19. “That’s a very dangerous hit,” O’Reilly said. “It’s got to be a suspension. At 12:16 p.m. CT, the Blues put out a statement that they were It’s dangerous. He’s a repeat offender. That’s completely uncalled for. questioning the lab results. That’s awful to see.” “We have discovered discrepancies in COVID test results relating to The Blues were incensed about the Kadri hit, as well as an earlier one by multiple players,” Blues general manager Doug Armstrong said. “We the Avs’ Tyson Jost that forced Robert Bortuzzo to leave the game. have been in touch with and are working with the League to address “It’s a greasy elbow by Josty there,” Schenn said. “I understand he’s these discrepancies with additional testing and expect to have further going into the battle, but you’ve got to know how to control your elbows information later this afternoon.” and not get it up into the D-man’s face. One guy (Bortuzzo) is 6-foot-4 A short time later, the Blues found out that the results were inaccurate and one guy is 6-feet. That’s a pretty gross elbow and it’s tough to lose a due to a lab error, and they would be in the lineup. But even with them, guy like (Bortuzzo). the club couldn’t pass its second test of the day — one that needed no “And a guy like Kadri, the guy can’t control himself. In the playoffs, he’s a investigation. repeat offender, bad hits. He’s got a guy in a vulnerable position and The Blues fell behind the Avalanche 3-0 and left Ball Arena with a 6-3 picks nothing but the head. We need to focus on Games 3-4 and the loss, and now find themselves down two games to none in the best-of- league will take care of those guys’ hits.” seven West Division first-round series. Even with a late surge Berube had no updates on either Bortuzzo or Faulk after the game. Wednesday night to make it 4-3 at one point, Craig Berube’s team looks like it could be on its way to being swept by the Avs. “The league will look at those hits, and they’ll do what they have to do,” he said. “We’ve got to home and win a game,” Berube said. “That’s the way we’re looking at it.” But the Blues could be without them for Game 3 on Friday. If so, Berube said Vince Dunn (upper-body injury) could be available, but Jake The Blues will be welcomed by a crowd of 9,000 at Enterprise Center for Walman (COVID protocol) won’t be. Game 3 on Friday, the team’s first home playoff game since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2019. But it’s going to take a lot more than It may not matter. seeing the inside of their home rink to win a game in this series, let alone think about taking four of the last five. The Blues were better during the second half of Wednesday’s game, but they’re still getting outplayed by the Avs, especially MacKinnon, who had They’ve got to look inside themselves. a four-point night and has seven points in the series. Once again, the Blues were badly outshot in the first period. In Monday’s But even MacKinnon admitted Wednesday, “That wasn’t a great game by 4-1 loss, it was 18-5 in favor of the Avalanche in the opening 20 minutes, us by any means.” He said the Blues took it to the Avs the second half of and Wednesday it was 19-6 for a combined total of 37-11 in the two the game. games. “When we do things the right way and dictate, you can see, we generate “We’ve just got to be more ready,” Blues forward Brayden Schenn said. and we make it difficult on them,” O’Reilly said. “It’s definitely something “We need to go out there and score the first goal and not get behind. that we have to build off. We’re going home and we’re going to get back Obviously, they’re a good team; they play hard, they skate hard, and they in the series. don’t give up much.”

Once again, they gave up the first goal of the game, and for the second consecutive period, it was within the first minute of the period. The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 With the score tied in Monday’s game, Nathan MacKinnon scored just 30 seconds into the third period for a 2-1 lead. On Wednesday, Joonas Donskoi scored 35 seconds into the first period for a 1-0 lead, then the Avs tacked on two power-play goals for a 3-0 lead — the first by MacKinnon and the second by Donskoi. “MacKinnon’s (goal), we’ve got to get on him quicker,” Berube said. “We’ve got to hammer the edge and not let him get that shot so quickly. I get there’s traffic, there’s going to be traffic, (but) we’ve got to fight through it, and we’ve got to block shots.” The power-play goal by Donskoi, which made the Avs 16-for-43 (37 percent) against the Blues on the man-advantage this season, came with Ivan Barbashev in the penalty box for hooking. Berube was irate about that because seconds earlier, Barbashev had been picked by MacKinnon and there was no call. “Definitely,” Berube said. “There was other ones, too.” The Blues said their slow start had nothing to do with the bizarre morning they had. They said they found out that Binnington and Tarasenko, who were forced to isolate after the initial results came back, were cleared to play around lunchtime. St Louis Blues circled Colton Parayko to show how the Blues are trying to pressure the 1188602 zone, even without the puck at the time.

Foster: I think that’s a play by Colorado where they’re trying to hit that ‘That’s not just one breakdown’: Ex-NHL defenseman illustrates how net-front D-man (Toews). Every team in the league now, they’re playing Avalanche beat Blues with speed in Game 1 with four guys in the play and they’re trying to hit that net-front D. But instead of Schwartz going straight at Rantanen and getting in a stop-and- start, he swings and stays above the puck, and now Schwartz is ready to attack again. And when that happens, you see (Ryan) O’Reilly and By Jeremy Rutherford (Brayden) Schenn, they’re not in the picture because they’re above the May 19, 2021 puck. There’s nobody getting caught. They’re making Colorado come through four guys. And as you go, Parayko steps up against the wall, and he’s playing tight on the winger, and he’s got the ability to do that because he knows he’s got his forwards playing above the puck. O’Reilly You know it’s coming and the Colorado Avalanche still burn you, like they does it again. He goes toward the puck, and Colorado makes a pass. He did in Game 1 of the West Division playoffs on Monday. swings toward his own net, and (Marco) Scandella is right on Rantanen, The Avs’ top line of Nathan MacKinnon, Gabriel Landeskog and Mikko and he turns over the puck and St. Louis is going the other way three-on- Rantanen sliced the Blues with their speed and skill in the third period two. and pulled away for a 4-1 victory. Eventually, the Avs get frustrated enough that MacKinnon blindly sends a A day later, Blues coach Craig Berube lamented the fact that his team’s centering pass toward Landeskog, and it sails onto Parayko’s stick. But forecheck wasn’t tight enough and that it wasn’t hard enough on look at Parayko’s skates and you’ll see that he’s on his toes, ready to Colorado’s defense. jump into the play. “We’ve got to take away their rush game,” Berube said. “They hit the Foster: They’ve been on for a while and they’re just looking to get it out. That’s when you can pounce. That’s when you can turn over a puck and middle of the ice way too much. They’re coming at us with speed, they’re you can catch a team tired and with no speed. But what I like in this clip coming at our D with speed and they’ve got numbers. That starts in the is that St. Louis, they’re attacking the puck, but they’re angling and offensive zone on the forecheck. It’s about reloading harder, better they’re always swinging to get back. So there’s no “Go for the big hit, positioning, better sticks, banging walls — all those little things.” miss, and all of a sudden it turns into a four-on-three.” Everything is Blues defenseman Justin Faulk logged 21:51 of ice time Monday, about staying above the puck and letting their D play tight. including 3:01 at five-on-five against the MacKinnon line, and was on the Speed thrills ice for the Avalanche’s third goal by Landeskog. “Anytime you allow them to gain the offensive zone with possession over Well, let’s just say that things didn’t go as well the rest of the game. In the blueline, it opens up a lot more options,” Faulk said. “If we don’t have this clip from late in the first period, with Colorado leading 1-0, the Avs numbers on the way back, it really gives them a lot of options. They play break out of their zone at lightning speed. Toews feeds the puck to very well off the rush and they get a lot of chances that way, so if we can MacKinnon in stride, and they’re off to the races on a three-on-two. have better gaps and kind of be in their face a little more to create those Foster: The biggest thing here is that the St. Louis guys both swing turnovers, it’ll help us tremendously.” toward the puck. You’ve got (Tyler) Bozak, who was on (Cale) Makar, Easier said than done, though, and if the Blues had the answers, we and then you’ve got (Ivan) Barbashev, he could have probably stayed wouldn’t be talking about it. And if they had any adjustments they thought above MacKinnon, but he attacks the puck and now Bozak is behind and might work, they wouldn’t tell them to the media anyway. you’re never going to win that race — ever! You hate not being aggressive in the playoffs, but you’re almost better making sure you get So on Tuesday, I reached out to former NHL defenseman Kurtis Foster somebody above MacKinnon, and having that guy re-attack back. and asked him to look at some video clips of Monday’s game — to find It all starts with Makar, but when Toews gets it, (Vladimir) Tarasenko is out what he saw. Here was his response to my text message: coming down the wall in a straight line. So what we talked about in the Foster was a second-round pick of the Calgary Flames (40th overall) in first clip, he’s not angling from the inside out. If you watch Colorado in 2000. He played 408 games in the NHL with Atlanta, Minnesota, Tampa these clips, they want to get to the middle of the ice. When they get to the Bay, Edmonton, Anaheim, New Jersey and Philadelphia, netting 42 goals middle of the ice with a ton of speed, that’s when stuff happens. So if and 162 points before wrapping up his career in 2013. Tarasenko had taken a more inside-outside route and pushed Toews up the wall, he probably would’ve put himself in a better position. But he He spent four seasons coaching in the , including makes it where that’s a simple, easy pass to MacKinnon at full speed, two as the head coach of the Kingston Frontenacs before he was let go and now you’ve got a three-on-two. in 2020. Here’s the odd-man rush that’s created, with MacKinnon flanked by “Honestly, my job now is being a dad,” Foster, 39, said. “Through COVID, Landeskog and Rantanen and flying down on Scandella and Parayko. I’m trying to find a job in hockey and I haven’t been able to find anything MacKinnon passes the puck to Landeskog, who cuts to the middle of the yet. So I’ve just been home, watching as much hockey as I can.” ice and puts a shot on net that’s stopped by goalie Jordan Binnington, but not until after a dangerous scoring chance. So we put Foster, who did watch the Blues-Avs game on Monday, to work, and his analysis was enlightening. Foster: Both D, you can see, there’s a winger posted between the red and the blue (lines) on both sides. So the D, you can’t step up, you’ve got Early success to back off because you’re basically standing still, and now you’ve got the The Blues came out strong in the first period, not allowing Colorado a fastest guy in the league in the middle of the ice with tons of speed. You shot on goal in the opening six minutes of the game. This is a sequence know, Parayko and Scandella do as good of a job as you probably can in which the team continued forcing turnovers and pinned the Avalanche do, but when MacKinnon kicked it out to Landeskog and then takes in their own zone. Parayko, it’s just a great play, and it all started from being in their own end. Foster: The biggest thing I notice is, every time Colorado makes a play, St. Louis is swinging with good angles. They’re always swinging toward You can’t get two guys (Bozak and Barbashev) caught and Tarasenko their own net. They’re trying to stay above the puck. You see (Jaden) can’t forecheck with no angle. He can’t go straight at a guy. If there’s Schwartz, he comes at the puck at (Devon) Toews on the wall, and you anybody in the NHL that’s going to make you pay, it’s (MacKinnon). At want to finish a check in the playoffs, but he’s swinging toward his own that point, Tarasenko has almost got to see, “OK, I’ve got two guys net, so his momentum is going toward his own net. You can tell that buried on the forecheck, I’ve got to swing and get back and play, like, they’ve probably been talking about that, like, “Colorado has a ton of we’ll give up a four-on-three.” But because he attacks in a straight line, speed, and you’ve got to make sure that you’re playing above the puck it’s a scary three-on-two for Colorado. If you look at it, if MacKinnon all the time.” Every single time in this clip, it’s really tight. Their D are right opens up at the last second and Landeskog passes to him, it’s an open up on Colorado’s D, giving them no time and space. There’s one guy net. going toward the puck, but the other guys are all swinging toward their The biggest thing here is: When you have a team with a ton of speed, own net and not taking chances, and then kind of letting the turnover and you’re attacking through the dots, it is hard for D to have a good gap happen. That’s what I notice more than anything. and play tight. The picture below shows Schwartz on the far wall, pressuring the Avs’ MacKinnon’s goal Mikko Rantanen. As Foster pointed out, Schwartz swings his stick and forces a cross-ice pass that eventually leads to a turnover. I’ve also The score was tied 1-1 entering the third period, but just 30 seconds after Foster: That should have been Tarasenko’s block. MacKinnon is playing the puck dropped, MacKinnon scored the go-ahead goal. Once again, D, Tarasenko is a winger, that should be his block. He should have the play started in the Avs’ defensive zone, and in the clip below, you can turned toward the net or stopped and came back to the middle of the ice. see the play is created when Scandella tries to stand up Rantanen in the So O’Reilly is not sure. And if you press pause right as the puck goes in neutral zone and then Landeskog wins a footrace with Parayko to the the net, if any rebound comes to the left dot, Toews has got a wide-open puck. net and nobody on him because you have three forwards playing high. That’s not just one breakdown. Foster: Scandella tries but misses. That’s not good, but if you stop the clip, you think Parayko is going to get that puck all day. You’ve got It starts at the other end with O’Reilly. Was he swinging with MacKinnon Schenn, who is covering Toews, and you’ve got O’Reilly back, so it looks or was he caught in between? Then Tarasenko takes a bad angle, and like a good picture. You’ve got four Blues, you’ve got three Colorado Colorado is in business. They’re in the middle of the ice, between the Avalanche, with a race that you think St. Louis is going to win. At the end dots, with the puck, with speed. Then Tarasenko swings away, not facing of the day, Landeskog just gets good body position and wins that battle. the puck, and O’Reilly coming high because he sees MacKinnon winding up. And at the end of the day, Landeskog gets a free tip and doesn’t take After Landeskog takes control of the puck in the corner, he moves it to any skin. Like, it’s playoffs, the refs let a lot go. Rantanen behind the net. With 40 seconds left in this playoff game, MacKinnon added an empty- Foster: Now, for me personally, when the puck is in the corner and netter for the final score. The Avs did a lot of good things, but the Blues Parayko is battling with Landeskog, Schenn was on Toews and he appeared to compound their issues. vacates the front of the net. To me, he duplicates on the puck and you have one guy cycling low (Landeskog) and he now beats two players Foster: It looks like Colorado wants to come with a lot of speed. It looks (Parayko and Schenn), so that’s your problem. And then from there, like they want to push St. Louis’ D out with high wingers and then they you’ve got O’Reilly in front of the net. Schwartz stops at the top of the have speed coming late, and they’re trying to gain the middle of the ice. circle where he should be. MacKinnon goes to that soft area, but when So, St. Louis has to find a way to either not get in that “set breakout Rantanen gets it behind the net, the biggest problem is you have game,” where they can set up and swing the way they want. A lot of that Parayko running around and Scandella running around. One of the is you either have extended shifts in your own zone, you’ve got to get a biggest things they always talk about as D is, you always keep one guy in change, you dump it in, or you’ve got to keep your dumps away from the front of the net. The NHL is a little different; teams are a little aggressive goalie. I don’t know which one it is, but a lot of that comes back to in the corners, and I get that. But you have two guys who kind of go to Berube saying they weren’t forechecking well. A lot of forechecking is Rantanen, and then he’s got an easy play to one of the best players in putting pucks into position for you to get them back. the world in the slot. That’s a lot to consume, but it should give everyone more to watch when With O’Reilly and Schwartz watching, MacKinnon buries his first goal of the puck drops for Game 2 Wednesday night at Ball Arena. the playoffs for a 2-1 lead.

Foster: The two forwards have to sense danger and should be right on him. But when Schenn went to the corner, he made it a two-on-one. To The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 me, he runs to the corner to make a hit, and all of a sudden Parayko and Scandella don’t talk and say, “Who’s going to the corner? Who’s protecting the front of the net?” Neither of them protect the front of the net, and now you’ve got MacKinnon wide open in the slot. Landeskog’s goal The Avalanche went ahead 3-1 midway through the third period on a goal that gave Landeskog the “Gordie Howe hat trick” (goal, assist and fight). Foster: What’s interesting here to me is O’Reilly swings to take MacKinnon away. I don’t know if that’s something they talked about, or if it’s him — he’s a smart guy. But what happens is, instead of turning and skating toward his own net, he gets caught in like a pivot, and then he’s kind of in no man’s land. If you look, when Toews gets it, Schenn had swung over in front of MacKinnon, so to me, MacKinnon is covered. Makar’s pass comes from behind the net is sent to Toews, who cuts inside and blows past Tarasenko. Foster: This, again, is Tarasenko taking an angle from inside out, but not really doing anything. He doesn’t have to go under a stick. He doesn’t have to make a great play. It’s a bad angle. Then, again, where is Colorado? Toews is in the middle of the ice, with speed, and again, that is really hard for D to stay up on. Toews covers all three zones before chipping the puck off the end boards and back to himself. Foster: What you see next, he takes a shot, they win another 50-50 race and he takes it behind the net. Right now, there are two things that are itching to me. The coach in me, the picky guy, sees that Tarasenko is looking away from the puck. He has no idea where the puck is going. The puck then gets rimmed around to Rantanen, who moves it to Samuel Girard, who tees up MacKinnon for a blast from the point, which O’Reilly attempts to block. Foster: When we fast-forward it to where the shot comes from, MacKinnon is playing D for Toews, who’s in the corner. But because Tarasenko swings away from the puck and doesn’t know where it goes, he’s late and now you’ve got O’Reilly, who’s supposed to go “low guy” blocking for Tarasenko, who’s got nobody. And then you’ve got Faulk, who is not even touching Landeskog. He gave him a little push early, but when a guy is taking a shot, like he gets out of the way. Faulk actually turns and backs up. If you’re not blocking the shot, you’ve got to get a stick, or at least hit him hard enough that you’re making it tougher on him. It almost looks too easy, for me, for a net-front. MacKinnon’s shot is beautifully deflected by Landeskog for a 3-1 lead. 1188603 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning to offer vaccinations to fans ticketed for Games 3 and 4

By Eduardo A. Encina Published Yesterday Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — Lightning fans attending Games 3 or 4 of the first-round playoff series at Amalie Arena will have the opportunity to get vaccinated at the game. The Lightning is holding an on-site vaccination event — provided by Advent Health — at each game, offering free coronavirus vaccinations to anyone with a ticket for the games inside Amalie Arena, or the watch parties at Thunder Alley, the Pepsi Porch or the Cigar City tap room. The team sent emails Wednesday to all ticketed fans for Games 3 and 4 informing them they can receive vaccinations at the Amalie Arena plaza. Vaccinations will be available two hours prior to puck drop and at the end of the first intermission. Fans are encouraged to register in advance using a link in the email they received. Ticketed walkups will be welcomed while supplies last, but they could experience a longer wait time.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188604 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning increasing capacity at Amalie Arena to 9,000

By Eduardo A. Encina Published Yesterday Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — On the eve of the Lightning’s first home playoff game in more than two years, the team announced it is increasing capacity at Amalie Arena to 9,000 fans. Beginning with Game 3 of their first-round playoff series against the Florida Panthers Thursday night, capacity will be at about 47 percent of the 19,000-seat arena. The Lightning received approval from local government and health officials and the NHL to make the change. The arena’s current approved protocols and upgrades, which include HVAC upgrades to improve airflow in and out of the facility, allow the potential of increasing to 11,000 fans. The Lightning initially decided to increase capacity to 7,000 fans for the first round of the playoffs, a significant jump from the 4,200 allowed to attend games at the end of the regular season. Before arriving at 7,000, the team surveyed season ticket members on their desire to attend playoff games and their comfort with adjusting social-distancing between seating pods from 6 feet to 4-1/2 to 5. The atmosphere for the first two games of the series at BB&T Center in Sunrise — both ending in Lightning wins — was one the team hadn’t experienced since the pandemic shut down the game last season and forced the postseason to be played in Canadian bubbles, with the Lightning winning the Stanley Cup in Edmonton. “No question we’re looking forward to it,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “You like playing in the playoffs, you like it more when you’re playing at home. I don’t know how many people will be in the building, but whether it’s one or 19,000, it’s great to play in front of people. It’s clear, if you watch the first two games we played in Florida, I don’t know if you get quite that intensity if the fans weren’t in the building, so it definitely matters.” The Panthers announced crowds of 9,646 for Games 1 and 2, which is 50 percent of the arena’s capacity. After first being offered to season ticket holders and members of the Lightning Insider email list, remaining tickets for Games 3 and 4 have now been made available to the general public via Ticketmaster. With coronavirus cases and positivity rates rising locally, the Lightning opened the season in January with no fans in the arena. They eventually allowed a few hundred family and friends before increasing capacity to 3,800 and then 4,200 for the final two regular-season home games.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188605 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning’s Ryan McDonagh proving himself invaluable during playoffs

By Mari Faiello Published Yesterday Updated Yesterday

TAMPA — Ryan McDonagh is no stranger to the intensity of a Stanley Cup playoff series. During his 11-year NHL career, the Lightning defenseman has seen postseason action every year since his debut in 2010-11. His experience is invaluable. But so is his way around the puck. In two games against the Panthers, McDonagh has handed out two pivotal assists and made some key blocks (especially on the penalty kill). His physical play has been an asset to the Lightning as they took a 2-0 series lead after Tuesday’s 3-1 win. “He’s been a stud,” coach Jon Cooper said. “There’s no way around it. It all starts in the defensive zone. He’s a selfless player, sacrifices his body all the time and ... (Tuesday night) on the penalty kill, he was a monster back there. He’s a warrior and a phenomenal teammate, and he has shown that these past two games.” McDonagh sat out the final two regular-season games with a lower-body injury, and his presence on the ice — along with the other starters who missed action — was sorely missed. Tampa Bay dropped both games to the Panthers to lose home-ice advantage for the opening-round series. But since returning to play, McDonagh hasn’t missed a beat. In Sunday’s series opener, he assisted on Blake Coleman’s game- opening, shorthanded goal in the first period and Brayden Point’s game- winner late in the third. As time dwindled down, McDonagh stepped in front of a MacKenzie Weegar shot and collected the puck in the slot. He took two strides and passed clear down the ice to a racing Point, who beat Sergei Bobrovsky for the winning goal with 1:14 left. It was arguably McDonagh’s best assist of the year. The defenseman would be the first to say it takes sacrifice to get to where teams ultimately want to be — winning games and hoisting championship hardware. After blocking two shots on Sunday, McDonagh got his body in front of another four (a game-high for both teams) on Tuesday. It was business as usual for the veteran blueliner, whose 96 blocks (23 more than second-place ) during the regular season led the Lightning. “You’ve got to make some crucial plays defensively when the team’s going to push and trying to get back in the game,” McDonagh said. “You need your goalie to step up, and you just need guys willing to sacrifice their bodies in the line and make some blocks, take hits to make plays and every one of those guys in the locker room is willing to do that.”

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.20.2021 Tampa Bay Lightning start to finish, knowing that we’ve got to get better as we’re going along in 1188606 these games.

“Let’s find a way to win a period and go from there. They got the start Lightning look to carry momentum as series shifts to Tampa they’re looking for, whether it’s breaks or not, but we’re a good team with the lead, too.”

By Eduardo A. Encina Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.20.2021 Published Yesterday Updated Yesterday

SUNRISE — The Lightning have put themselves in the best situation possible as they return home to Tampa leading their first-round playoff series with the Florida Panthers two games to none. Though Tampa Bay controls the series as it moves to Amalie Arena for Games 3-4, the first two games were remarkably close. Game 1′s frenetic back-and-forth pace saw four lead changes and lots of physicality. In Game 2, the Lightning took a two-goal lead in the first period on a Steven Stamkos pass that went off a Florida defenseman into the net and a rebound off the post that gifted an empty-net goal for Ondrej Palat. The Lightning have never lost a playoff series when leading 2-0, regardless of where those wins came. They won in each of the seven previous instances. Those include two times in which they won Game 3 after taking the first two games on the road — they swept the Capitals in the 2010-11 Eastern Conference semifinals and won a six-game series against the Canadiens in the 2014-15 conference semis. Still, the Lightning aren’t looking too far ahead. “The series is definitely not over,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos said. “We’ve been in these positions before, we’ve been on both ends of these positions before, so we certainly know that team over there is not quitting, not going anywhere. “They’re a really good team ,and it took a huge effort for us to be up 2-0. We definitely can’t take the foot off the gas pedal, because we know how hard it is to win this time of the year, so we’ll be expecting their best in Game 3.” Despite starting the series on the road, the Lightning experienced the energy of a crowd, feeding off the atmosphere in front of a limited- capacity but loud 9,646 at BB&T Center in Sunrise. Now, they have to make that carry over to their own ice for the first playoff games at Amalie since the end of the 2018-19 season. “I thought the building in Florida was awesome those last two nights,” Lightning forward Pat Maroon said. ‘It was really loud, the fans were into it, it was great. I can’t wait to see our arena. I’m sure our fans are gonna be the same. “They’re true passionate fans, so I can’t wait to get in there and see them in the warmups and get jacked up, because it’s gonna be awesome because I know they’ve been waiting for this for two years now to watch playoff hockey.” The two teams’ play was remarkably equal at even strength over the first two games. The Lightning netted three power-play goals and a shorthanded score in Game 1, and Game 2′s win was sealed by the Lightning’s penalty-kill unit, which preserved a one-goal lead through two Panthers third-period power plays. The Lightning’s 3-1 win Tuesday was dictated by defense, particularly in the third period. Panthers coach Joel Quenneville said once his team fell behind, the Panthers tried to run with Tampa Bay too much instead of focusing on a puck-possession game at which the Lightning excelled. “Staying composed,” Panthers defenseman MacKenzie Weegar said when asked what Florida needs to do in Game 3. “By all means, we’re not even close out of this series yet. We played great all year on the road. We’ve just got to stick with it here. “No one’s hanging their heads here and we’re gonna move on to this next game and we’re gonna bring it, bring it to them in their own rink. We’ve got nothing to lose, the pressure’s on them. We’re gonna bring it to them.” The Panthers owned the best road record in the Central Division during the regular season, going 17-9-2 and splitting four games with the Lightning at Amalie Arena. “We’ve got our work cut out,” Quenneville said. “We’re going to Tampa, we’ve had some success there, but we need to play the right way from Tampa Bay Lightning “We try to stick to the same plan whether (we’re) up or down,” said 1188607 McDonagh. “You know you have to make some crucial plays defensively when the team is going to push, trying to get back in the game. Anyone surprised the Lightning are coming home with two wins? “You need your goalie to step up, you need guys who are going to sacrifice their bodies to make some blocks and take hits to make plays. Every one of those guys in the locker room is willing to do that. So when you know that you’ve got each other’s back out there and everybody is By John Romano pulling the same direction, that’s a good feeling.” Published Yesterday There’s still plenty of work to do. The Lightning are only halfway through Updated Yesterday the first round, and Florida has enough offense to change the direction of a series in a hurry.

But after two games, we have been reminded of what we already knew: SUNRISE — No offense to the Florida Panthers, but this ain’t about you. Until further notice, the Lightning are still the team to beat. No matter how much Tampa Bay’s neighbors to the south might think this is a rivalry and seem desperate to draw blood, this series was always going to be about the journey of a championship team returning to the Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.20.2021 postseason after a season of hardships. The Lightning? They’re still the NHL’s star attraction. The Panthers? Until proving otherwise, they’re just the extras. Yes, great teams really can flip a switch in the postseason. It didn’t matter that Florida passed the Lightning in the division standings, and it didn’t matter that the Panthers blew out Tampa Bay in the final two games of the regular season. It didn’t matter that Florida stormed into the playoffs with 10 wins in its last 12 games, or that the Lightning were a .500 team for much of April. For a lot of these Tampa Bay players, the season’s first six months are just a prelude. They’ve reached the conference finals in four of the last six seasons and know exactly what it’s going to take to still be playing in mid-summer. You want fast-paced and furious? The Lightning can do that, and beat Florida 5-4 in Game 1. You want pushing and shoving and acting like tough guys? The Panthers tried that in Game 2 on Tuesday night and the Lightning won 3-1. If the Panthers thought it was just the misfortune of special teams that cost them in the playoff opener, the Lightning dissuaded them of that notion in Game 2. Forty-eight hours into the postseason, Florida’s home-ice has been wasted. “We’ve been here before,” Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “If you want to have a long run and give yourself a chance, there are going to be times you have to win the 5-4 game and times when you have to win the 2-1 game.” This is the maturation of a team. This is understanding the difference between pounding your chest and raising the Stanley Cup. As entertaining as Sunday night’s game was, the Lightning were far more impressive in Game 2. They made a pretty good team look beaten and bewildered. While both teams spent plenty of time in the penalty box in the opener, the tone was much different on Tuesday night even though the Panthers seemed more intent on antagonizing than scoring. Bit players like Ryan Lomberg spent much of his ice time trying to pick fights with and Erik Cernak. MacKenzie Weegar drew a roughing penalty for a silly hit on Blake Coleman in the final seconds of the second period with every official standing a few feet away. “Game 1, there is a lot of emotion, teams are trying to set the tone. You can expect it to be a little more feisty,” Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos said. “Game 2, guys are trying to play a little more tactical. That was certainly a game plan for us, to stay out of that stuff.” The stars have been center stage. Stamkos, , Brayden Point and Ondrej Palat have all scored goals. But there have been so many little moments that have mattered. Ryan McDonagh with a block and pass that set up Point’s game-winner on Sunday. fighting for the puck near the blue line and sending the pass to that led to the first goal on Tuesday. Blake Coleman getting in front of Carter Verhaeghe’s stick to disrupt a dangerous chance in front of the net when the score was 2-1 late in Game 2. That’s the beauty of this team. For all the flash and dash of earlier Lightning rosters, this group has just enough grit in its game to not give an inch when an opponent goes into bully mode. Tampa Bay Lightning three cases, Tampa Bay did a nice job of sticking to its structure, 1188608 anticipating passes and blocking shooting lanes.

Protecting a two-goal lead with just over eight minutes left in the second Game 2 report card: Panthers can learn a lot from Lightning period and Point serving a holding penalty, Ryan McDonagh blocked an Aleksander Barkov shot, and Erik Cernak did the same on a Jonathan By keeping its composure and buckling down defensively, Tampa Bay Huberdeau chance. illustrated the difference between winning and losing in the postseason. Andrei Vasilevskiy made a big save on a slap shot by Barkov. Yanni Gourde won a faceoff, allowing Tampa Bay to clear the puck out of the zone, and a Barkov shot wide of the net caromed out of the zone, By Frank Pastor effectively killing the penalty. Published Yesterday Up a goal midway through the third, Lightning forward Pat Maroon took a Updated Yesterday tripping penalty. But Vasilevskiy made a blocker save on a Frank Vatrano blast, Keith Yandle shot wide and Killorn won a footrace to a puck as Tampa Bay twice cleared the zone to relieve the pressure. As a three-time Stanley Cup champion, Joel Quenneville knows a thing Grade: A or two about winning. So when the Florida Panthers coach complimented the Lightning after Game 1 as a team that “knows how to win” while Net gain saying his own team was “looking to get educated,” he wasn’t wrong. After allowing four or more goals in each of his previous three starts and The proof was right there in Game 2. four of his past six, Andrei Vasilevskiy was outstanding in stopping 32 of 33 shots. As a result, a Panthers squad that had beaten the Lightning three straight times entering the postseason and won six in a row has now dropped The Lightning goaltender limited second-chance opportunities and didn’t consecutive games for the first time in a month — and finds itself two allow anything down low while picking up his 35th career playoff win in losses from elimination. his 60th postseason appearance. While Tampa Bay kept its composure and locked things down Vasilevskiy was at his best when it mattered most, stopping 23 shots defensively, Florida continued to take too many liberties with Lightning over the final two periods, including 13 in the third, to limit a team that players and played fast and loose with the puck, resulting in numerous was among the league’s highest-scoring during the regular season to a odd-man opportunities for Tampa Bay during a first period that ended single goal. with it leading by two goals. Grade: A-plus Already down a game despite outplaying the Lightning at even strength Just desserts on Sunday, the Panthers should have known the importance of staying out of the penalty box against a team that converted three of its four Gourde was his usual pesky self, winning faceoffs, blocking shots, power-play chances in Game 1. knocking down Patric Hornqvist and bringing energy all over the ice. But something was off offensively, as he failed to convert on some of the Yet, after a strong second-period push that trimmed their deficit to a goal, Lightning’s best scoring chances. there was MacKenzie Weegar hitting Tampa Bay forward Blake Coleman from behind as time expired in the period to give the Lightning a power Gourde had the Lightning’s first real opportunity when he broke in on play to start the third. Driedger during a three-on-one with Kucherov and McDonagh, but he lost control of the puck and didn’t get a shot off. He later had an open Tampa Bay didn’t convert, but the penalty clearly killed any momentum shot from the right side after a nice setup from , but Driedger Florida might have had. Roughing penalties against Ryan Lomberg and managed to get a stick on it. Mason Marchment resulting from a scrum in front of the Lightning net in the final minute ended any chance the Panthers might have had of tying Then, with the Lightning shorthanded in the third period, Gourde stole the the game. puck from Yandle in the Florida zone but was unable to find the net with his shot. Here is how we graded the Lightning’s performance in their 3-1 win in Game 2: So it was only fitting that Gourde was rewarded with an empty-net goal after picking off an errant pass in the neutral zone in the closing minutes After allowing five goals in Game 1, the Panthers added a seventh to seal the win. defenseman to their lineup to try to bolster their defense. It took Anton Stralman fewer than five minutes to make an impact ... for his former Grade: B team.

With the Lightning on a 2-on-1, Steven Stamkos tried to send a pass across the ice to linemate Alex Killorn. But the puck never got there, Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 05.20.2021 deflecting instead off Stralman’s knee pad into the Panthers net as Tampa Bay opened the scoring for the second straight game. The gift goal, Stamkos’ first of the postseason, was the last thing goalie Chris Driedger wanted for his 27th birthday while making his first career playoff start. Grade: F, for fortuitous Speed demon When Brayden Point is allowed to skate with speed through the neutral zone, the Lightning are hard to beat, and Game 2 was no exception. With Point gaining a head of steam near center ice with just under five minutes remaining in the first period, Nikita Kucherov gloved a pass from the Tampa Bay zone and backhanded a pass to Point. The Lightning forward beat Weegar to the net and rang a shot off the right post that deflected to Ondrej Palat out in front. With Driedger slow to find the puck, Palat put a shot up over his shoulder into the net. The goal went to Palat, but the work was all Point’s. Grade: A Power dampeners In a tightly contested game with few penalties called, the Lightning’s three penalty kills were crucial, especially the two in the third period. In all Toronto Maple Leafs in the room. He has this aura around him. You can tell he expects 1188609 greatness out of himself.

“Even as an older player, you appreciate guys who are good at their With Auston Matthews on board, Leafs can dream of playoff glory craft. Auston takes it very seriously. That’s something I have always been impressed with.”

Like McDavid, with whom he trained in the offseason, Matthews does not MARTY KLINKENBERG dwell on his achievements. When he reached 40 goals this year in 49 games, he barely raised an eyebrow. PUBLISHED MAY 19, 2021 “It means a lot,” Matthews said. “It’s a team sport, so there’s a lot that UPDATED MAY 19, 2021 goes into it.” At the time, the next-closest player to him, McDavid, had 31 goals. There is no doubt that the Maple Leafs would not be where they are “We’re not going to shy away from recognizing how special Auston is,” today if not for Auston Matthews. Goals by him secured 12 of their said goaltender Jack Campbell, who admires him mostly from the other victories during the regular season, and he defied history as the first end of the ice. “I can’t imagine the pressure he has on his shoulders, but Toronto player in 75 years to net more than anyone else in the National he never complains. Once the puck drops, he is going to bring it. That’s Hockey League. what he does every night.” The last to do it, in case you engage in sports trivia with friends, was Gaye Stewart, who had 37 in 50 games in the first NHL campaign after the end of the Second World War. Though why it has taken so long is Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.20.2021 open to debate – bad luck, a loss to a Zamboni driver, Harold Ballard – one cannot argue that the 23-year-old centre is anything but immensely gifted and the guy whom the team cannot do without. In any other year, Matthews would win the league’s most-valuable-player award in a slam dunk. A case can still be made on his behalf, but while amazing, his 41 goals in 52 contests were eclipsed by Edmonton captain Connor McDavid and his 105 points in a season that COVID-19 reduced by one-third. But while McDavid clinched the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL’s leading points scorer, Matthews officially won the Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy as the league’s leading goal-scorer on Wednesday, the first Toronto player to win it. The Maple Leafs begin the playoffs at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday with their best chance to make a stir in a long while. In the Canadiens, they face a rugged opponent with a top defensive unit and Carey Price in the net, but this Montreal contingent is not of the same pedigree as the Bruins and Capitals teams that eliminated Toronto in the first round in three of the previous four postseasons. Matthews had seven goals and seven assists in 10 meetings with the Habs this season, which is to say that he treated them like a pinata at a birthday party. Toronto went 7-2-1 against them, and with Matthews on its side, clearly looks to have the upper hand in the best-of-seven series. This is the postseason though, and the Maple Leafs’ tortured past cannot be totally discounted. They haven’t reached the second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs since 2004. To do so, they need Matthews and his trusty sidekick Mitch Marner in top form. “That’s the next step that we are looking to take as a team,” Sheldon Keefe, the Toronto head coach, said Wednesday. “In order for us to do it, our best players have to be exactly that. It’s vital.” Matthews not only scored often, but in bunches. He had two stretches of five games where he failed to score; otherwise he had 41 goals in 42 outings. He had nine multigoal games, led the league in game-winners and led in goals at even-strength with 31. This he accomplished despite a wrist so sore that he had to sit out four nights. “He has had a tremendous season, yet not a smooth one,” Keefe said this week. “We all know he has been dealing at different times with injury situations that directly impacted his ability to shoot and handle the puck. It makes you wonder what could have happened if he had been healthy all the way through.” Matthews had 47 goals in 2019-20 when the season was suspended after 70 games. He is one shy of 200 in five regular seasons in the NHL. “He was scoring at a high rate as a young player even before this season, but he has taken it to another level,” Keefe said. “He is just doing it now with even greater frequency. He has always been a guy that scores in multiple ways. That is the reason you see him separating himself from others in the league.” He was the first player chosen in the 2016 draft and has proven that he is among the elite. He is blessed with natural ability, but works hard as well. “The elite players in this league work at their craft constantly,” said Nick Foligno, the 33-year-old forward acquired at the trade deadline from the Columbus Blue Jackets. “I watch how Auston prepares for games, how he prepares for practice, the skill work that he does, the type of guy he is 1188610 Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto and Montreal mayors place bet on outcome of Maple Leafs- Canadiens playoff

Staff Report THE CANADIAN PRESS PUBLISHED MAY 19, 2021 UPDATED MAY 19, 2021

The mayors of Toronto and Montreal have placed a bet on the outcome of the NHL playoff series between the Maple Leafs and Canadiens. Toronto Mayor John Tory and Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante say bragging rights at the next Big City Mayors’ Caucus Meeting won’t be the only thing at stake. The mayor of the losing city will have to raise the winning team’s flag at their City Hall. Each mayor will be donating $500 to their local team’s charity – MLSE Foundation for Toronto, and the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation – and the mayor of the losing city will donate an additional $500 to the winning team’s charity. The losing city’s mayor will also have to send some local food and beer to the winning mayor’s office. Tory says he’s looking forward to enjoying some smoked meat sandwiches when the Leafs win, while Plante says she’s looking forward to a peameal bacon sandwich when the Habs win. Game 1 of the first-round series begins on Thursday night in Toronto. The Canadiens and Maple Leafs, one of the oldest rivalries in the NHL, have not met in the post-season since 1979.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188611 Toronto Maple Leafs Ron Kakar — Markham Toronto Maple Leafs fan Ron Kakar of Markham with his family. Pictured

from left: Ron Kakar, family dog Biggie Kakar, Risha Kakar, Rita Kakar, ‘Do not run out of chocolate.’ Maple Leafs fans offer their playoff survival Sasha Kakar, baby Savanna Kakar and Rick Kakar. guide, from superstitions to comfort food Just as the boys in blue have their routines for game night, so do a lot of us fans at home. Ours starts with the family getting their Leafs gear on, game faces ready, the beers chilled and the snacks plated. Fifteen By Braydon Holmyard Toronto Star minutes before puck drop, we all take our designated seats. Rick (my brother) wears one sock and I roll up one sleeve (we’ve been doing this Thu., May 20, 2021 since we were six and four years old). Then we rise for our national anthem, followed by a prayer to the hockey gods. A cheers with the family to the synchronized chanting of “GO LEAFS GO” and we’re game- James Hynes is the proud owner of an Auston Matthews jersey, but you time ready! won’t catch him wearing it when his Toronto Maple Leafs take the ice Thursday against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of the NHL With playoffs upon Leafs Nation, there’s a lot of excitement in the air. But playoffs. history has not been so kind. So if times get tough, deep breaths and a cold beer to keep your calm — and most importantly, BeLeaf! It’s nothing personal against the superstar centre and NHL leading goal- scorer. After the Leafs lost an early game this season while Hynes was Chris Forde — Barrie, Ont. donning the No. 34 sweater, it was instantly banned for the year. Hynes Toronto Maple Leafs fan Chris Forde of Barrie, Ont. takes his Leafs superstitions seriously, and this was one of many that the 58-year-old has committed to, for the good of the team. Always be hopeful while watching the game, but always be prepared for the worst. History shows it probably won’t go well. I have fond memories Superstitions and rituals are a defence mechanism for sports fans to of the great ’93 playoff run, only to be dashed by the high stick no-call create a sense of control. For Hynes, a long-time Leafs fan from and the greatness of Wayne Gretzky. It’s been almost 30 years and that Burlington, Ont., they are all-encompassing. They are the reason why he one still stings. can no longer wear any Leafs gear during games and why he stands up for the national anthem, even in the comfort of his living room. Shazmin S — Thornhill They are also to blame for why he usually misses replays after a Leafs Make cherry pepto your pre-game drink, place an emotional hedge bet, goal. Hynes has a specific set of text messages he needs to send out and do not run out of chocolate. every time the Leafs score. First he sends his girlfriend a GIF of a kid cheering. Then he texts a photo of a beer to a friend. Finally, he heads to Holly McNeill — Toronto a group chat with a couple of friends, where the routine gets a bit more Learn to laugh. The rest of hockey fans are laughing, so joining it makes complicated. surviving a Maple Leafs playoff run much easier. Let’s be honest, they’ve If Matthews scores? “AM34,” the message reads. Jake Muzzin? “Buzzin been a bit of a laughing matter for years, so join in and let go. It helps, I with Muzzin.” William Nylander? He sends an image of Nylander’s face promise. on Bill Nye the Science Guy’s body. Each player has their own Stay off Twitter! That’s where the doomsday Leaf fans live and where corresponding message. everyone who hates your team lives. If you’re looking to feel bad about Toronto Maple Leafs fan James Hynes of Burlington, Ont. with his son, the Leafs or build that playoff anxiety, look no further than social media. Shae. Make sure to have your all-time favourite snacks nearby for every game. They are extreme measures, but such is life for a diehard Leafs fan, It’s a lovely feeling to drown your sorrows or keep your Leaf anxiety at where decades of playoff failure — 17 years without a series win, 54 bay until it’s time to relax, or let’s be real, cry. without a Stanley Cup — have left even the most confident fans feeling Keep those expectations nice and low. It’s the Leafs, it’ll never ever be anxious, stressed and desperate when the playoffs roll around. Hynes is easy. Even if they do succeed, it’ll be the most confusing and anxiety- hopeful he can hit the reset button on his superstitions if the Leafs can inducing route humanly possible. Prepare yourself. If you plan for the win the Cup this year. worst you won’t be as disappointed if it goes the wrong way. Because “Trust me, I feel (exhausted) sometimes,” Hynes said. “Once they win the again, we all know if it doesn’t go well, it will be really bad. Cup this year, all will go back to normal, and I’ll just be able to relax and Farhaan Javed — Oakville watch the games in peace.” My main method of coping is honestly keeping my expectations low. With a playoff matchup between the Leafs and their Original Six rivals Essentially, keep your expectations low and you’ll be pleasantly from Montreal set to go for the first time in 42 years, the stakes are even surprised, but if you have (unreasonably) high expectations, you’re likely higher. The anxiety for Leafs fans is real. To help with that, the Star to get disappointed when the Leafs inevitably go out in the first round. asked Leafs fans to come up with advice on how to handle it. And honestly, when they get knocked out, I can’t get too mad because In their words, this is your Toronto Maple Leafs playoff survival guide. it’s undeniable that this is an extremely talented group. In my opinion, Nick Lukowski, Corner Brook, N.L. there’s no way this core doesn’t win a Stanley Cup at some point. So if today is looking bleak, just learn from the mistakes and try again Having the Leafs in the post-season really makes you understand the tomorrow. We’ve got great management, great coaching and great definition of “comfort food.” When watching the blue and white battle it players. It’ll come eventually. out in the most important games of the year, it’s always helpful calming the nerves with your favourite slice of pizza or that comforting flavour of Jeff Justiz — North York potato chip! Hockey games are also a great time to get other things done on my Twitter . . . Facebook . . . no thanks! Stay off social media during game laptop. Some announcers are great at letting you know when to look up action and even after if our Leafs are on the wrong side of the result. — though this hasn’t been the best year for it. If not tapping away on my There’s no sense in getting involved in the extreme highs and lows of the laptop, I have to fidget with something. But also, before a game, I like to social media hurricane that is Leafs Nation. So take the games to think: What is the craziest way to lose a game? What is the most disconnect and be fully engaged in what is taking place on the ice. ridiculous thing that could possibly happen? Because with the Leafs, if you really use your imagination, when that awful thing that always seems You’re a fan of who? Temporarily “unfriend” those pesky fans of whoever to happen, happens, it’s not as bad as you imagined. our Leafs are doing battle with in the post-season. I know I don’t look at my friends who are Bruins supporters the same way anymore after all our Oh, and one other thing: this is the absolute worst year for being recent playoff heartbreak. pessimistic because I grew up in a family of Habs fans, and currently can’t leave the country. We cheer for the same team! Find comfort from fellow Leafs fans who might not be as tightly wound up or unrealistic as you are. It’s not all Lukas Bernasiewicz — Oakville doom and gloom — there are definitely different levels of fandom and My advice to getting through the playoffs is to keep with the game at different personalities. So maybe Leafs fans who are a bit more hand and do not jump to conclusions. Too many times, especially in the pessimistic by nature can find comfort from a fellow “BeLeafer” who playoffs, Leaf fans give up when the game gets tough (I have definitely might be an eternal optimist! done that in past years). What Leaf fans need to do is not give up until the final buzzer because this team has no quit in them at all. I try to take it one commercial break at a time. When the game starts, the anxiety-level rises. Once the game gets going I start to ease my way into it, then when a commercial happens I drink water, try to eat some food and try to stay as calm as I can. I do often find myself yelling at the players through a TV screen even though I know they can’t hear me. But that I think that is the same for every Leaf fan ever. Adamo Rimoli — Vaughan My advice for dealing with stress is to prepare for the worst, and hope for the best. This team never seems to fail at breaking Leafs Nation’s hearts and there’s a very real chance it will happen again. So be prepared for them to lose; it helps minimize disappointment. That being said, make sure to cheer your hardest for them to win! In terms of coping, I personally have a backup team to cheer for, just in case plan A doesn’t work. In the past few years, it’s been fun to cheer for the Carolina Hurricanes once the Leafs are out and it’s helped me cope with the Leafs struggles. Also, just have fun with it! It’s just a game and the playoffs are supposed to be fun. Julie-Anne Isip (and daughter Willow) — Newmarket Always keep the hope alive. True fans never give up on their team. For MANY years my friends would always make sly comments about the Leafs and I would always defend them and remind them they must hate the Leafs because they’re so good. Arushana Sunderaeson — Scarborough I know this year things are a little bit different because of the current situation, and it can sometimes cause anxiety for individuals. We all wish we can be at or at a bar watching a game with our friends and family, but you can enjoy from the comfort of your home and be safe during this time. During the playoffs, I plan on scheduling a virtual viewing party with friends, texting friends and connecting with fellow Leafs fans on Twitter. It’s also important to remember we can’t control the game or the outcome. We keep supporting the team that we love, even if they frustrate us at times. Just remember that the Leafs are still in the rebuilding phase, and they are still learning and growing, and eventually, we will get to where we want to be, which is winning the Stanley Cup. Steve Van Eyk — Sudbury, Ont. Put $100 on the Habs.

Toronto Star LOADED: 05.20.2021 Toronto Maple Leafs adjustments, you get to know what you feel are the right buttons to push 1188612 for the team to push through those situations again.”

Jack Campbell goes into the soup, and four other Maple Leafs storylines Toronto Star LOADED: 05.20.2021

By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter Wed., May 19, 2021

The Maple Leafs wrapped up five days of preparation for their playoff series with the Montreal Canadiens confident that they are ready for the moment. They believe they can overcome four years of playoff frustration, where good Toronto teams exited in the first round of the post-season. Still, there are questions that will need to be answered for the Leafs to get past the Canadiens: Can goaltender Jack Campbell succeed in his first post-season? Campbell, at 29 years old, will be making his first playoff start in Game 1 after going 17-3-2 in the regular season. Campbell has envisioned himself in this moment, but he might be facing more pressure than anyone on either team. “Obviously, the excitement stays with you this time of the year,” Campbell said Wednesday, revealing how he relaxes. “For me, I love to cook, I’ve don’t that all season, so nothing changes. I’m just gonna go home (Wednesday night), have a nice meal, and get ready to have some fun (Thursday).” Is defenceman Rasmus Sandin ready for the playoff prime time? The 21- year-old has shown poise beyond his years and, if the defensive pairings remain from Wednesday’s practice, he will be starting ahead of the more experienced Travis Dermott. Montreal coach Dominique Ducharme decided to young defenceman Alex Romanov and forwards Cole Caufield and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The Leafs, by contrast, are completely confident in starting a playoff rookie in Sandin. “In terms of how I think he’ll adjust, the one thing I really appreciate about Rasmus, right from the time I had him as an 18-year-old with the Marlies, is that he’s a competitor,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He doesn’t shy away from physicality, he doesn’t shy away from difficult situations and tough moments on the ice. I have no doubt he will be just fine adjusting to playoff hockey in the NHL.” Can the Leafs handle the rough going? The playoffs are not yet a week old and there have been more than 1,000 hits. Montreal led the league in hits, which only further underlines that they will come after the Leafs, who have been bolstered physically by the likes of Wayne Simmonds, Zach Bogosian, T.J. Brodie, Joe Thornton and Nick Foligno. “That’s fine, we’re going to play physical ourselves, we don’t expect anything less,” Simmonds said. “It’s playoff time, everyone’s playing for a chance to win the Cup. I think, first and foremost, that starts with physicality.” Simmonds is happy to see the return of Bogosian, who has missed almost a month with a shoulder injury. “A whole lotta nasty,’ Simmonds said when asked what Bogosian brings to the team. “Bogo is a big guy, he plays physical, he eats the puck when the other team’s shooting it. He plays with a mean attitude and he can make plays too. It makes our team that much more tougher.” Can Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews improve offensively from last post-season? The two will be the focal point of the entire series. Marner admitted Wednesday that he and Matthews must create more scoring chances than they did a year ago in losing the qualifying-round series in five games to Columbus. Toronto entered that series with 238 goals in the regular season, third in the NHL. Columbus was last with 180 goals, yet outscored Toronto 12-10 in the five games, and blanked them in Games 1 and 5. Matthews and Marner managed just two goals, though they combined for 42 shots on net. “We just have to make sure we’re around (Carey Price’s) net (in this year’s first round). We know its going to be hard, and there’s a pretty high-end goalie over there, so we have to make sure we’re making it hard to see pucks coming in and getting second opportunities.” Is there an edge for Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe over Montreal counterpart Dominique Ducharme? Keefe says he has grown as a coach, which potentially gives him an advantage over Ducharme, who took over the Canadiens’ reigns in February. “I think I’ve coached a lot of playoff series at a lot of different levels,” said Keefe, who has won championships at the junior level and in the AHL. “The NHL is a greater stage with greater players but, to me, the preparations and executions and things you do on the bench (are) the same no matter what level you’re in ... The area I think I’ve grown the most is growing with the players — my relationship with them, going through that series last year and losing it, that type of experience just makes you better. You make Toronto Maple Leafs Therein lies the challenge ahead for the big names on the Leafs roster. 1188613 It’d be wrong to say the likes of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander — the four forwards who famously command about 50 per cent of Toronto’s salary cap — have uniformly The Maple Leafs will need their big four to step up if ancient history is to underperformed in the playoffs in Toronto. It’d only be truthful to say they be repeated haven’t won. They’ve all had their moments, sure. In the past couple of seasons, Matthews has been a point-a-game performer in 12 playoff outings (and By Dave Feschuk Sports Columnist for the purposes of this article, we’re referring to last summer’s bubble Wed., May 19, 2021 series with the Columbus Blue Jackets as a playoff series, since the stats categorizes the numbers derived therein as playoff stats). And Marner, even if he acknowledged he wasn’t “engaged” in last summer’s Game 1, was excellent in his first two post-seasons as a Leaf, when he was a You’ve probably heard the head-shaking factoid by now. The Toronto point-a-game guy, too. But seen over their short playoff careers — and Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens will meet in the playoffs for the Marner and Matthews have both played a grand total of 25 games — 16th time when they begin their first-round best-of-seven series in an there’s a fall-off in their post-season production. empty Scotiabank Arena on Thursday. And in each of the previous 15 meetings, the winner has won the Stanley Cup. While both Matthews and Marner hold career scoring averages above a point a game in the regular season, both hold playoff scoring averages It’s a tidbit that says as much about the dustiness of the so-called rivalry, below that mark in the playoffs — 0.76 for Matthews, 0.84 for Marner. which was last contested in the post-season back in 1979, as it does Ditto Tavares, who has been a point-a-game player in his regular-season about the long-lost dominance of the NHL’s two oldest franchises. But in career, but who’s scored at a rate of 0.67 points per game in 12 playoff Toronto — in a star-crossed city that last won the mug by beating the outings in Toronto. Nylander, he of the 0.74 points per game average in Canadiens in 1967 — there are blue-and-white loyalists who are the regular season, has been a 0.60 guy in the post-season. tantalized by the 15-for-15 streak that’s suddenly on the line. In recent times, the notion of history repeating itself in Leafland has become a Granted, the sample size is small. But so far they’ve yet to come up big. snide shorthand for stacking another in a line of springtime Now would be a good time to change that. Now would be the moment to disappointments on the smouldering pile. Wouldn’t it be something, in ensure recent history stops repeating itself, so that the ancient history of this one-off of a pandemic season, if the notion of history repeating a 15-for-15 Stanley Cup streak might get a fan base reasonably actually brought long-lost glory to a long-languishing fan base? dreaming of a sweet 16th. Because, let’s face it: This edition of the Canadiens, massive underdogs to the first-place Maple Leafs, isn’t a Stanley Cup contender. Even if the Canadiens somehow pulled off the upset, barring the arrival of the circa- Toronto Star LOADED: 05.20.2021 2015 Carey Price, nobody’s picking them to go deep. But as for the Maple Leafs: They’ve arrived at the start line with umpteen good reasons for unbridled optimism, not the least of which was Toronto’s domination of the Canadian division in the 56-game regular season. There’s no reason to believe they won’t dispatch the Canadiens long before Game 6, when the unnerving prospect of 2,500 fans in the Bell Centre could loom. There’s every reason to believe they’ll win the North. Which would put them as close to their first Stanley Cup final in more than half a century as they’ve been in most of a couple of decades. The roster, once a skill-on-skill collection of consummate finesse, is more diverse than it’s ever been, rounded out with the “grit and work ethic” team president vowed to add after last summer’s post-season disappointment against Columbus. The roster is deeper than it’s ever been, too. One injury to a defenceman won’t necessitate a call to Martin Marincin, last year’s lamentable answer to Jake Muzzin’s post-season sidelining. There’s a stash of forwards with decent pedigrees who won’t be in the lineup for Game 1 but could be comfortably called into service. And as much as it’s worrisome in some minds that Thursday starter Jack Campbell arrives at such an important moment with a playoff resumé that amounts to a blank page — as much as goaltending is the roulette spin that can make or break even the best team’s playoff fortunes — Frederik Andersen awaits as a highly experienced option, albeit a rusty one who has played just one NHL game in the past two months. Still, if the opening few days of the NHL playoffs have taught us anything, it’s this: The best players have come to play. Nathan MacKinnon, he of the betting favourites to win the Cup from Colorado, came into Wednesday’s Game 2 of the Avalanche’s series with St. Louis with a three-point performance in a Game 1 win already in the bank. Which is what you expect from MacKinnon, who had a remarkable 1.39 points per game in his 41-game playoff career, fourth-best on the all-time list behind Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Barry Pederson. Two wins into Tampa’s Stanley Cup defence, meanwhile, Nikita Kucherov has miraculously risen from a season-long residence on long- term injury reserve to put up four points. That puts Kucherov at 1.08 points per game for his playoff career, 19th-best. Which pales in comparison to teammate Brayden Point, who has three points in two games so far this spring, and who ranks ninth on the all-time post-season points-per-game list at 1.15. Now, the NHL isn’t the NBA, where the best player can single-handedly carry the day. But let’s not kid ourselves: This is the time of year when hockey’s best players separate themselves from their peers by elevating their games. Three-time Cup winner Sidney Crosby sets the standard here. In a remarkable 169 career playoff games, he has compiled 190 points — 1.12 points per game. Over the past 30 years, among players who’ve played at least 100 playoff games, only Peter Forsberg has a better average, according to NHL.com. Toronto Maple Leafs Simmonds up front. Which might not mean anything; Keefe has said he 1188614 might opt for more balance, spreading around multiple threats.

It is, though, a significant change if Rielly is deployed on the second unit. The Leafs’ past playoff failures are a motivation again, defenceman Thus far in the post-season, special teams have made a substantial Morgan Rielly admits impact. (Toronto gave up seven short-handed goals in the regular season, tied for second most.)

Rielly professes no disappointment, even as Sandin has been promoted By Rosie DiManno Star Columnist in many quarters as the Rielly of the future. Wed., May 19, 2021 “No, not at all. You have to do what you need to do in order to get the power play going. I think that we all take responsibility for it. If you watch the games, it’s not just one thing that we’re trying to do that’s not None of us knows what happens behind closed doors, most especially working. We’ve tried to change things, we’ve tried to move parts around. when the sliding steel portal shuts on the Maple Leafs’ dressing room And we just haven’t been able to key it up the way that we want to. sanctum. And so we fall into easy tropes. “So, changes are made. As a player you do what you have to do in the No huge reveal that Joe Thornton is the jokester, with a very loud and role you’re put to help the team. That’s really it. We have confidence in playful presence. “You can hear him coming from a mile away,” laughs both units and both are going to have to be very, very good in the Morgan Rielly. “But when the game starts, he gets pretty honed in, not as playoffs if we want to win. That Tampa Bay game the other night, they talkative as other guys.” scored a bunch of power-play goals.” Who might be the most respected within the group? Man advantage deficiency notwithstanding, there’s no reason on Earth for these Leafs to doubt themselves, nor evidence that they do. But make “Interesting question,” muses Rielly. “Automatically you think of Joe and no mistake: History sits heavily on their shoulders, definitely for Rielly, (Jason) Spezza, because of what they’ve been able to accomplish in once upon a time a teen Leaf and now 27, wizened by playoff failures. their careers and how they approach every day at this point. They’re here early, they’re here late. At the same time the guys have a lot of respect “It weighs a lot,” he concedes. “Moving forward, that might play more into for Auston and Mitch because of what they bring to the table as players. it, with myself being here and having not won a playoff series. That’s Their world-class skill is quite special. certainly something that I think about. There are plenty of reasons adding to motivation and that’s one of them.” “That being said, there’s more to it. All players are treated equally. Guys have an equal opportunity to feel comfortable, to be themselves and do The view out of Montreal is that all the pressure is on Toronto. The what comes naturally. We have a good mix of that as well.” Canadiens dig the underdog role. The Leafs are expected to prevail. Where Matthews and Marner take this team will doubtless command how “I think there’s equal pressure,” Rielly counters. “They’re a deep group, deep into the playoffs the Leafs burrow once the puck drops on Game 1 they bring a lot of challenges, so we’ve got our hands full. We can’t look at Scotiabank Arena on Thursday evening. And, because their bounty of at ourselves as favourites. We haven’t won a playoff round in a while. talent is so markedly evident — just as it was last summer for the play-in There’s always pressure when you go in and want to change that. round with Columbus where Toronto nevertheless came a-cropper, “We wanted to change it last year … and the year before that … and the stopped cold for the fourth post-season in a row — other nuances, year before that … and the year before that …” qualities of character, of intensity, transposed from the locker room to the ice, might have a determinative impact. Rielly is being a bit disingenuous. As the longest-tenured Leaf, a kind of Toronto Star LOADED: 05.20.2021 repository of memory, the good, the bad and the ugly, he is a key component of the Leaf zeitgeist. While it’s difficult to talk about oneself — hockey players are distinctly bad at it — Rielly admits there have been moments when he’s exercised that authority, even to the point of calling out a teammate who has it coming, get in his face. Maybe not grabbing a teammate by the throat, a la . But it’s not all kumbaya. “I think so, yeah. Over time, guys who are experienced, comfortable in their own skin, in that position on the team, it’s easier to do. Doesn’t happen a whole lot with our group but there’s a time and place.” Should the Leafs stumble again, against Montreal, there will have to be a reckoning. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, as nervous Nelly Leafs Nation is wont to do, and wring hands over an imagining of the worst outcome. Here’s the thing about Rielly, as he squares up to his 26th career playoff game. There have been grumbles, certainly floating along on the current of social media’s river of vomit, that something’s off in his game. The second half of this truncated season has seen him make some poor decisions, his positioning on opposition entries into the zone has been questioned, his hesitation on the power-play point noted — specifically, penalty killers have been able to box him out, intercept passes, stop shots. Whether Rielly’s self-confidence has taken a battering, well, he’s not about to cop to that. “I feel fine,” he insists. “It’s not easy to be perfect. So you do what you have to do, to prepare. That’s all I’m really thinking about, trying to prepare for the playoffs, to play my best.” To focus on that mystifyingly misfiring power play, however — the Leafs finishing the regular season on a 6-for-71 run — considerable blame has been laid on Rielly. While the disconnect is cumulative — that damn drop pass, turning over the puck a ton on either side of the offensive blue line, and advancing through the neutral zone with too little of their signature speed — Rielly is usually the puck-carrier, dictating the thrust and how the first power-play unit sets up. At practice Wednesday, however, that role devolved to Rasmus Sandin, the rookie so fulsomely praised by coach Sheldon Keefe, with Rielly on the No. 2 unit, with William Nylander, Thornton, Spezza and Wayne Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto was disappointed by its showing during the qualifying stage 1188615 inside last summer’s NHL bubble, which came on the heels of three consecutive first-round defeats. ‘It’s been a really long time’: Leafs and Habs ready to finally renew The Leafs went out and secured grit and experience in Joe Thornton — playoff rivalry the only player alive on either team the last time these franchises tangled in the playoffs — and Wayne Simmonds up front, as well as defenceman Zach Bogosian in free agency before doubling down with the acquisitions of forwards Nick Foligno and Riley Nash via trade close to the deadline. By Joshua Clipperton The Canadian Press “There should be plenty to be motivated by,” said Matthews, who had Wed., May 19, 2021 eight more goals than runaway points leader Connor McDavid in the race for the Maurice (Rocket) Richard Trophy. “We’d obviously like to play a long time here in the spring and the summer. TORONTO - The wait is almost over. “Everybody in this room is extremely motivated and really excited to get It’s been more than 42 years since Canadiens great Larry Robinson going.” scored in overtime to eliminate the Maple Leafs from the second round of the 1979 playoffs. Another key for Toronto is in the crease, where Jack Campbell will start Game 1 after setting records with a 17-3-2 mark and a .921 save Now, this country’s Original Six franchises are primed — finally, in the percentage. NHL’s pandemic-truncated campaign — to meet again in the post- season. The Leafs needed the 29-year-old to step up with Frederik Andersen out injured, and the netminder with well-documented struggles early in his “It’s very symbolic in terms of the history,” said Leafs head coach career delivered — especially following a couple of sub-par April outings. Sheldon Keefe, who was born 17 months after that Toronto-Montreal series ended. “But it’s been a really long time.” “His ability to respond to that was the thing that we found out and we really liked,” Keefe said. “That’s where things really turned the corner for Canadiens counterpart Dominique Ducharme was six years old when the him because it wasn’t just him getting hot and putting together a good teams last suited up with this much on the line. string. Now things were starting to go the other way, and can you bring him back? “I don’t quite remember that series,” said the interim rookie bench boss. “Really never lived a Montreal and Toronto playoff.” “Our confidence as a team has really grown since then.” The face of the Leafs since being drafted first overall in 2016, star centre Montreal, meanwhile, also remade its roster during the off-season and Arizona product Auston Matthews said he’d probably try a baseball following a surprising bubble performance last summer in which the analogy to explain the rivalry accented by language, culture, history and Canadiens upset Pittsburgh in the qualifying round. politics to an uninitiated friend or family member. The Canadiens, who dealt with a number of key injuries down the stretch But he knows that doesn’t do it justice. in 2021, added Anderson and Tyler Toffoli in attack along with blue-liner Joel Edmundson and backup goalie Jake Allen to reinforce a roster led “Like Yankees-Red Sox, I guess, in a way,” said Matthews, who led the by starting netminder Carey Price, captain Shea Weber and heart-and- NHL with 41 goals in 52 games. “A lot of rich history in this league over soul winger Brendan Gallagher. the last 100-plus years. “A lot of history,” Price said looking ahead to the series. “I’m sure both “It’s pretty incredible.” teams are very excited about the opportunity. The Leafs and Canadiens — the last of 16 teams to hit the ice in these “They’re a solid hockey club ... it’s going to be a big challenge for us.” playoffs — open the best-of-seven matchup Thursday inside a fan-less Scotiabank Arena because of COVID-19 rules. Stopping, or at least slowing down, Matthews will be crucial for Montreal. He had seven goals and seven assists in the 10 games between the Toronto and Montreal have played 15 previous times in the playoffs, but teams in 2021, and has scored 19 times and put up a total of 31 points in just twice since the NHL expanded in 1967. Situated in separate 24 career contests against the Canadiens. conferences for much of the 1980s and 1990s, the teams nearly went head-to-head in the 1993 Stanley Cup final, but Wayne Gretzky’s Los Montreal’s path to victory also includes upping the temperature after Angeles Kings had other ideas, eliminating the Leafs in Game 7 before leading the NHL in hits during the regular season. losing out to the Canadiens. “The challenge for them is us being physical,” Anderson said. “We’re And while a few thousand spectators will be allowed inside the Bell going to be bringing that presence from when the puck drops.” Centre for a potential Game 6 following a Quebec government announcement relaxing restrictions, the coronavirus played a key role in It’s something the Leafs know is coming. ending the Montreal-Toronto playoff drought after the league was forced “We’ve got to be ready for a physical series no matter what, and I think to create a one-and-done North Division consisting of all seven Canadian we need to be more physical,” said defenceman Jake Muzzin, a Cup clubs due to border rules related to non-essential travel. winner with the Los Angeles Kings in 2014. “But we’ve got to stay “You looked at the potential,” Keefe said. “It’s not quite the same when composed and play our game. We can’t get off track and try to run the buildings are empty, but we know there’s going to be a lot of people around and do all this crazy stuff.” in front of their TVs. The players are ready. The teams are ready. And the fans of these “We’re looking forward to a very physical, competitive and hard-fought storied organizations are certainly primed as well. series.” “It’s been a regular-season battle,” Keefe said. “Provincial battles and all The Leafs (35-14-7) finished the shortened schedule first in their division, those things in sports are real. 18 points up on the fourth-place Canadiens (24-21-1), and held a 7-2-1 “But this is as real as it gets.” edge in the teams’ 10-game season series. Only 42 years in the making. But Montreal winger Josh Anderson, who grew up just west of Toronto, said the underdog role is fine by him. “Absolutely love it,” he said. “I don’t think there’s really anyone I’d rather Toronto Star LOADED: 05.20.2021 play more.” The Leafs, who last beat the Canadiens in the playoffs in the 1967 final to win their last Cup, and haven’t triumphed in a post-season series since 2004, are led by the dynamic duo of Matthews and linemate Mitch Marner. The pair brought their on-ice connection to new heights in 2021. Marner finished fourth in league scoring with 67 points, while Matthews sat one back in a tie for fifth. Toronto Maple Leafs Maple Leafs: Morgan Rielly has sputtered lately on the defensive side of 1188616 the puck, though T.J. Brodie remains as solid as ever. Rookie Rasmus Sandin has taken Rielly’s spot on the first power play. Jake Muzzin and Justin Holl should get a healthy dose of Suzuki and Toffoli. Zach How do the Leafs and Canadiens match up head-to-head? A look at who Bogosian’s return will be welcome from a physical and penalty-killing has the edge, position by position perspective. Considering the Leafs could have Travis Dermott and Ben Hutton available as Black Aces, their defensive depth is far better than it once was. By Kevin McGran Staff Reporter Canadiens: The Montreal blueliners (Shea Weber, Ben Chiarot, Joel Wed., May 19, 2021 Edmundson and trade-deadline pickup Jon Merrill) are big (six-foot-three or six-foot-four) and will be able to block out the Leaf forwards from the high-danger scoring areas. Weber’s slapshot is a shot-blocker’s nightmare, and a power-play weapon few teams have. Jeff Petry had a This may be overstating things a little bit, but not by much: Canada is Norris-type season, and Brett Kulak is getting the nod over Alexander about to come to a standstill. Romanov, a rookie with defensive flaws, though quite the agile The Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens — this country’s two playmaking puck mover. oldest and most storied hockey franchises — are about to play each Edge: Canadiens, though not by a lot. The Canadiens’ six defencemen other in the playoffs for the first time since 1979. Both boast significant are probably more fearsome as a unit than Toronto’s, but the Leafs have followings in each other’s backyard, as well as across the country, a bigger commitment to team defence, with forwards helping. The around North America and abroad. Canadiens had a harder time generating offence, with the Leafs blocking The stakes are the same for both: Win or face humiliation. shots and intercepting passes at greater rates. The teams are similar, built around dynamic youth with speed and skill, Goaltending supported by veteran players who may not come this close to a Stanley Maple Leafs: It will be Jack Campbell to start, with 17 wins in 22 starts Cup opportunity again. (mostly in the second half of the season). He deserves it. He’s never played an NHL playoff game, so there’s not a lot of history to draw on. The Maple Leafs have had a slow build to this point, frustrating too, in an Frederik Andersen, who has started every Leafs playoff game since inability to win a playoff round since the arrival of stars Auston Matthews, 2017, will back up, but will likely get in some action when the series had Mitch Marner and William Nylander. It will weigh on them. back-to-back games in Montreal for Games 3 and 4. Andersen missed The Canadiens may have sped up their development around Nick most of the second half of the season with a knee injury, and carries the Suzuki, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Cole Caufield after a surprising result in weight of playoff failures of the recent past. If the Leafs get that deep, last summer’s playoffs, with their GM Marc Bergevin’s assessment that trade-deadline pickup Dave Rittich and Michael Hutchinson are waiting in the pandemic-necessitated realigned North Division provided an the wings. opportunity he couldn’t pass up. They have so many veterans now, young players like Kotkaniemi and Caufield will have trouble getting into Canadiens: A distinct advantage here in that Price typically raises his the lineup. game in the playoffs. He seems healthy, past his concussion problems. But even if Price falters, Jake Allen has a wealth of experience in the The Leafs are the favourites, having won the North Division’s regular- NHL and could be a starting goalie on many other NHL teams. Rookie season crown and beaten Montreal handily over 10 games (7-2-1). But is a bit of an untested commodity, though generally when these two teams meet, you can usually throw out expectations considered Price’s heir apparent. And let’s not forget this franchise has a based on paper and get ready for a wild ride. history of using rookie goalies to great success in the playoffs. Sure, both teams have had more of a recent playoff history with both Edge: Canadiens. Hey, Price is Canada’s goalie. Throw out his regular Boston and Ottawa. But it won’t take much for Toronto and Montreal’s season. He does. His playoff numbers are terrific. He had a .936 save rivalry to move from the theoretical realm to the real world for the under- percentage last year in two playoff rounds, after a .909 season. He rises 50 crowd. to the occasion. Just ask Sidney Crosby how easily Price can get into shooters’ heads. They don’t like each other much and it’s going to be a physical series. Matthews’ back is going to take a beating from Shea Weber’s stick. Special teams Carey Price is going to get to know Zach Hyman. If they don’t already, Leafs fans will learn to hate Brendan Gallagher. Joe Thornton and Corey Maple Leafs: The power play was terrific early in the season, terrible Perry will renew acquaintances. lately. Is it in their heads? Is it the way teams play them? Can they start with a clean slate? The penalty kill has been fairly good all year, and will Players know what each of the fan bases are like. They know as many get a calming boost when Zach Bogosian returns. The Leafs are one of people will be rooting for them across the country as against. the best 5-on-5 teams in the NHL, so playing a clean, penalty-free game is in their interests. Let’s get going already. Canadiens: Montreal’s power play was 17th overall (19.2-per-cent Here’s how the two teams shape up. success rate) to the Leafs’ 16th (20.0). The teams were 23rd and 24th on the penalty kill, tied at 78.5-per-cent efficiency. Forwards Edge: Leafs, but only by the slimmest of margins and because they have Maple Leafs: While Matthews led the NHL in scoring, Marner led the a bit more firepower. team in points and Nylander did Nylander-type things all year, none have ever had a particularly memorable playoff. Matthews has piled up some Coaching numbers, 12 goals in 25 post-season games. These three in particular need to take the next step collectively for the team to take the next step, Maple Leafs: Sheldon Keefe has been a winner at just about every level, as in win a round. Captain John Tavares has to pose an offensive threat. with titles in junior A and the AHL. He’s a tactician unafraid to take Hyman needs to be at his buzzing best. The core has never had a better chances while using every tool he has. That means a reliance on support group, with Thornton, Nick Foligno, Jason Spezza and Wayne statistical analysis for matchups, like faceoffs, at key times. He uses his Simmonds. gut, too. He loads up lines when he feels it is necessary. He’s a demanding coach, and a bit of a button-pusher who has the confidence Canadiens: Selke candidate Phillip Danault has done a terrific job all year of the fan base. on Matthews. Gallagher is the team’s unstoppable heartbeat, Tyler Toffoli their go-to scorer. Josh Anderson, Eric Staal and Corey Perry offer size Canadiens: Dominique Ducharme has the “interim” title, with a Memorial and experience. Suzuki is as dynamic as any Leaf forward. So is Cup and world junior gold to his credit. He was brought in to work with Caufield, who may be used sparingly. is not expected young players, he will start the playoffs relying on veterans. He’s a back from a personal leave. thinker who sometimes might out-think himself. His every action, like any decision on Caufield, is met with an equal and opposite reaction by a Edge: Leafs. They outscored Montreal 34-25 and in a key analytic — confused fan base. expected goals, which is a measure of the quality of shots and scoring chances — bested Montreal 2.98 to 2.31 per game over 10 games. Edge: Leafs. Keefe just seems a bit more adept at dealing with controversy, and only has to do it in one language. Defence X-factor Maple Leafs: Joe Thornton. It’s a symbolic choice that could easily be Jason Spezza or Nick Foligno or Wayne Simmonds. The veterans are Leafs because they’re chasing the Stanley Cup. But they each add a valuable element, be it scoring, forechecking or physicality. In Thornton’s case it’s an intangible. His job will be to help ease the pressure, keep things light and help keep his teammates focused. And, yes, he can still make a few plays. Canadiens: Cole Caufield. Hate to put pressure on a rookie, but he’s special. The Canadiens have a rich tradition of finding and developing talented players and creating myths about them. If Caufield gets into the lineup and scores a few big goals — those are the only kind he seems to score — the mythmaking around this young player will begin. Edge: Leafs. Everybody loves Thornton. Prediction Leafs in five. Because if it gets to six, and Montreal has fans in the Bell Centre, oh my.

Toronto Star LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188617 Toronto Maple Leafs

Toronto and Montreal mayors place bet on outcome of Maple Leafs- Canadiens playoff

Staff Report By The Canadian Press Wed., May 19, 2021

The mayors of Toronto and Montreal have placed a bet on the outcome of the NHL playoff series between the Maple Leafs and Canadiens. Toronto Mayor John Tory and Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante say bragging rights at the next Big City Mayors’ Caucus Meeting won’t be the only thing at stake. The mayor of the losing city will have to raise the winning team’s flag at their City Hall. Each mayor will be donating $500 to their local team’s charity --MLSE Foundation for Toronto, and the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation -- and the mayor of the losing city will donate an additional $500 to the winning team’s charity. The losing city’s mayor will also have to send some local food and beer to the winning mayor’s office. Tory says he’s looking forward to enjoying some smoked meat sandwiches when the Leafs win, while Plante says she’s looking forward to a peameal bacon sandwich when the Habs win. Game 1 of the first-round series begins on Thursday night in Toronto. The Canadiens and Maple Leafs, one of the oldest rivalries in the NHL, have not met in the post-season since 1979.

Toronto Star LOADED: 05.20.2021 Toronto Maple Leafs “I thought I proved that throughout my career here and there, and I think 1188618 it was just a good step in the right direction as far as getting in the net and rolling and playing more games.” Maple Leafs' Campbell on the eve of his first NHL playoff game: 'It's pure How did Campbell anticipate the next 24 hours would unfold once he excitement' finished his final home-cooked meal before the biggest game of his NHL career?

“It’s pure excitement,” Campbell said. “This is the best time of the year. Terry Koshan “I’ve been on the bench in the playoffs and you still feel that. To be able Publishing date: May 19, 2021 to have a chance to be in there and help the team that way, it’s definitely awesome.

“I’m just looking forward to enjoying the whole experience.”’ If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen, the saying goes.

Before Jack Campbell steps into the fire on Thursday night, the Maple Leafs goaltender had plans to plant himself in front of his hot stove. LOADED: 05.20.2021 Having earned the right to start in net for the Leafs in Game 1 of the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the Montreal Canadiens, Campbell was asked on Wednesday how he relaxes to get his mind off his high-pressure job. “I love to cook and I’ve done that all season, so nothing really changes,” Campbell said. “I’m going to go home tonight and have a nice meal and get ready to have some fun.” It was a calm and cool Campbell who spoke to media after the Leafs practised at the . Nothing about Campbell’s demeanour indicated he was approaching the game as anything other than just another day at work. This isn’t to suggest that the significance had to be stressed to the 29- year-old. When he skates into his crease for the opening faceoff at Scotiabank Arena, it will mark the first time Campbell has played in an NHL playoff game. Throw in a couple of other not-small factors — it’s the first playoff meeting between the Original Six rivals since 1979, and the Leafs, with a partially re-built roster and more experience than it has had in recent memory, are expected by many to eventually work their way out of the North Division. “It’s just kind of where I expected myself to be,” Campbell said of his Game 1 assignment. “That being said, I’m grateful for the opportunity and the team I have in front of me. “Having the belief in each other is what allows us to stay calm in such an exciting time. “It definitely means a lot. A lot of hard work went into it and the team has been playing great all year. The success I’ve had is from from them. I’m feeling good personally, but the team is feeling really good and we’re all excited to get it started.” Playing within his emotions was a hallmark of Campbell through the 2020-21 regular season, which started with an 11-win run to set an NHL record and ended as the Leafs nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. During the past four months, whether he was reeling off victories or having the odd rough spell, Campbell’s belief never wavered. By the time the season was done, Campbell had put a record of 17-3-2 with a .921 save percentage into the books. Campbell was a fine example of the Leafs’ approach as a whole as Toronto charged its way to its first division title in 21 year. “Jack has been phenomenal for us,” veteran centre Jason Spezza said. “He’s the reason why we’re in the position to start with home ice. “We have full confidence in him. He’s a guy that nothing has fazed him all year and he has been thrown in tough situations.” Said Mitch Marner about his goalie: “His confidence this year has been skyrocketing.” We can’t say for sure what kind of leash Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe will put on Campbell once the puck drops on Thursday night. As much as the Leafs figure Frederik Andersen can step in and perform well — and Andersen might get a chance when Games 3 and 4 are back to back on Monday and Tuesday — there has been little in Campbell’s play to suggest Andersen has to be ready at a moment’s notice. “I believed I could do some good things at this level,” Campbell said when he was asked what he has learned about himself this season. Toronto Maple Leafs It’s the same with being a playoff great. Until you do it, it’s the next 1188619 challenge.

Marner was a spectacular junior when he played for the London Knights. SIMMONS: It's time for Leafs' Matthews and Marner to build a playoff In his final two playoff seasons, he ended up with 60 points in 25 games. resume So far, in the NHL, he has 21 points in 25 games. Not terrible, but not series-changing. Matthews has 19 points —12 of them goals — through his first four playoff seasons. Not terrible, but not what Matthews knows he is capable of. Steve Simmons In his past three playoff seasons, the spectacular Nathan MacKinnon of Publishing date: May 19, 2021 Colorado has scored 41 points in 28 playoff games. He’s two years older than Matthews and Marner. He’s found his playoff legs. This is the time of year when reputations are made. The Leafs have had pairs in the past who have come together at the right time, although not often. Doug Gilmour with either or Dave Auston Matthews may be the greatest, most gifted, most original goal- Andreychuk was great in 1993. with Lanny McDonald, scorer in Maple Leafs history and soon he will have a have a trophy spectacular in 1977. The past 25 years, not much to bank on. named for the legendary Rocket Richard, the greatest goal-scorer in the history of the Montreal Canadiens. Now, it’s Auston Matthews’ and Mitch Marner’s turn. Time to step up and be spectacular. Time to make a reputation that matters. And what does any of that mean today as the Leafs and Canadiens prepare for Game 1 of their opening-round playoff series? It could mean everything for the Leafs and, in truth, it could mean nothing. Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.20.2021 This is Matthews’ fifth National Hockey League season. It’s time for him to take the next step, to grow into a playoff difference-maker. It’s time for the magic we have seen so much of the past five months — goals that belie explanation, goals so quick they stun play-by-play men — to become part of the daily playoff show and part of our collective playoff memories. This is what the greats do and this is when the greats do it. Matthews has played 99 regular-season games for coach Sheldon Keefe. He’s scored a remarkable 74 goals in that time. No one in the NHL has been close to that number. His linemate, the quarterback Mitch Marner, has 84 assists in the 96 games he’s played for Keefe. Marner ended up fourth in league scoring this season, Matthews was one point and one spot behind him. Now, in the words of Keefe, “it’s vital” that Matthews and Marner take the next step in their careers. “Our best players have to be our best players,” Keefe said, pulling out the oldest line in playoff coaching history. “We have to do a great job, Player 1 through Player 20. But your best players have to be exactly that … and I know our guys are excited to have that opportunity.” It hasn’t happened yet through four seasons of playoff challenges for the Leafs’ young guns. Matthews has been great at times, but hardly dominant. Marner has been great at times, but hardly dominant. The Canadiens are going to do everything they can to silence the Leafs’ first line and that’s just the way the playoffs go. Teams used to shadow Wayne Gretzky and, before that, . It didn’t matter. Opponents tried in every way to stop Mario Lemieux and, later ,Sidney Crosby in Pittsburgh. It didn’t matter. In three Chicago Stanley Cup seasons, scored 70 points in 68 games, the first Cup coming when he was 21 years old. Teams tried to stop him. They couldn’t. Gretzky won a Stanley Cup in his fifth pro season, Crosby in his fourth year, Kane in his third. Sometimes it happens fast. Sometimes you have to wait: Alexander Ovechkin won in his 13th season. Steve Yzerman won in his 14th season. Lemieux needed seven years before carrying the Cup. There is no one way to arrive. Last season, Tampa Bay’s Nikita Kucherov led all playoff scorers in points, followed by teammate Brayden Point. Heading into Wednesday night’s games, Kucherov was again leading the playoffs in scoring, with Point right behind him. Great players being great when it matters most. Matthews won the trophy named for The Rocket this season. But he’s yet to arrive at playoff time the way Richard did at the age of 21. The Rocket led the Stanley Cup playoffs in scoring in 1944, the first of five times he would do so, leading the Canadiens to their first championship season in 11 years. And in a six-team league, that seemed like forever between parades. Now the Leafs, with Matthews and Marner, have to start with one round at a time. When you’ve never won before, with this group, these people, the first round is omnipresent. The pressure is probably greater than it should be. It will be until they start playing. Then there is be no reason why the Leafs shouldn’t beat Montreal. But saying it and doing it, there’s always a difference in that. Toronto Maple Leafs In 2021-22 they will provide a full-time one-year contract within the 1188620 hockey office, one each in coaching and management, to Black/Indigenous/marginalized/racialized candidates who are looking to gain exposure in a pro sports organization. HORNBY: Full house or not, Maple Leafs must win LOOSE LEAFS

Leafs defenceman Zach Bogosian is ahead of schedule in his recovery Lance Hornby from an upper body injury and should start Game 1. “He brings a whole lot of nasty,” Simmonds said. “He’s a big guy, plays physical, eats the Publishing date: May 19, 2021 puck when the other team shoots it and can make plays. It makes us that much tougher” … Carey Price smashed his stick in anger at one point in practice on Wednesday. To many, that’s not a sign of frustration at If amplifier dials at Scotiabank Arena could go up to 11 for the full Spinal missing weeks with a concussion, but that he’s playoff-primed. “There Tap experience, the pounding music and canned crowd noise still are (few) goalies in the playoffs who’ve played more important games,” wouldn’t replace the human element of a Maple Leafs-Canadiens playoff reminded Toffoli … Montreal defender Shea Weber said he felt like a little crowd. kid to be back at full practice after an undisclosed injury … If superstitious was around today, he would be on the phone Even after a year of empty rinks, players might instinctively look around about changing Thursday’s start. In 1967, Imlach grew wary of playing on Thursday night for a sea of blue, with small patches of red CH; for the Thursdays when Toronto lost all four games it played against Chicago in grey-haired season ticket man in a fading Sittler sweater or the wide- the first round and to Montreal in the final. Had the Leafs not won the eyed kids wearing Matthews and Marner, massed at the glass waving Cup in Game 6 at the Gardens that year, Game 7 was to be on a signs in warmup. Any lulls would be broken by popping beer tabs, Thursday at the Forum … Speaking of Imlach, he and Montreal’s Toe scoreboard visuals or spontaneous duelling chants of ‘Go Leafs Go’ and Blake met seven times in playoff series from 1959-67, the NHL record for ‘Ole, Ole’. If the last notes of a bilingual O Canada didn’t raise the roof, bench bosses. Blake held a 4-3 edge and like every series between the an early goal surely would. clubs since 1918, the victor immediately or eventually became that year’s Cup champs. “Nothing can compare to playing in front of 19,000 screaming fans, at home and even on the road,” said Toronto winger Wayne Simmonds. “(Game operations) do their best job to try and emulate it, but it’s not the same.” Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.20.2021 There are 42 years of pent-up playoff passion with these two teams, which the Scarborough-born Simmonds understands would pump up the volume. “But I don’t think any one of us needs extra incentive. We’re playing for the Stanley Cup. If that doesn’t get you going, I don’t honestly know what will.” THE WINNING HAB-IT Tyler Toffoli of the Habs agreed that lack of live audience might blunt the Leafs’ home advantage and that Montreal was well-adjusted in this same empty rink in last year’s bubble to upset Pittsburgh in the play-in round. “But we’ve played each other 10 times,” he added. “Energy won’t be an issue.” The fourth-seeded Canadiens could be playing in front of a limited crowd of 2,500 at the Bell Centre if they get the series to a sixth game, which most pundits don’t expect. “Plenty of teams have won being underdogs,” Toffoli countered. “If that’s what’s being said abut us, who cares?” READING THE RULES The series supervisor of officials for Toronto-Montreal will be former referee and Hockey Hall Of Famer Bill McCreary, who worked more than 2,000 regular season and playoff games up to 2011. Either via Zoom or phone, he’ll be checking with both teams before Game 1 to review any questions or remind them what skullduggery the on-ice crew will be on alert for. “I think it will be (rough), but that’s playoff hockey,” Leaf coach Sheldon Keefe predicted. “I think the officials will do their part to keep it under control. But there’s a lot at stake for the players.” ‘HELLO HOCKEY FANS … ‘ called the 1967 Leafs-Canadiens final on radio, son Bill on TV, while and Dick Irvin would have been at the top of their broadcast game in 1978 and 1979, the last time these clubs met in the playoffs. So, Sportsnet’s is thrilled to follow them to the microphone after a four-decade respite in the rivalry. “I’m actually old enough to remember watching the ‘67 Cup on a black and white TV and the 1979 series with Sittler, McDonald and Salming against that legendary Canadiens team,” said Cuthbert, who will be joined by and Kyle Bukauskas. “So with that historical backdrop, perhaps it means a little more to someone my age than a younger broadcaster. It will definitely be a career highlight and a privilege to call a series we know will have the attention of fans across the country.” NEW PROGRAM ANNOUNCED Late Wednesday, the Maple Leafs announced a new ‘Management and Coaching Development Program’ aimed at inclusivity. Toronto Maple Leafs The challenge for Toronto will be to match Montreal’s physicality without 1188621 having it take over the game. It’s a delicate balance. The Leafs don’t want to change the way they play or get away from their strengths and what has made them successful. TRAIKOS: Maple Leafs versus Habs is going to be 'a war out there' They don’t want a repeat of what happened when Toronto tried to play physical against Boston, when Nazem Kadri was suspended in consecutive years for illegal hits. The fact that the Leafs’ most physical Michael Traikos players also happen to be their oldest and most experienced should Publishing date: May 19, 2021 prevent that from happening. “We’re going to be physical ourselves. I don’t think we expect anything less,” said Simmons, who fought Montreal’s Ben Chiarot in the first game There will be bleu, blanc and lots of blood. of the season. “It’s playoff time. Everyone’s playing for a chance to win the Stanley Cup and I think first and foremost that starts with physicality. That was the gist of the scouting report that Montreal’s Josh Anderson It’s nothing too new.” offered when asked how the Canadiens hoped to beat the Toronto Maple Leafs in their first-round playoff series. Forget about Carey Price standing Well, it is for the Leafs. on his head or the youngsters stealing the spotlight or trying to match skill with skill. If the Habs are going to upset the top dogs in the North, they will have to Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.20.2021 put on the foil and strike first against a team that loves to score. “The challenge for them is us being physical, and we’re going to be bringing that presence from when the puck drops. We’re going to continue that throughout the series,” said Anderson, who ranked amongst the top-20 in hits this season. “If that’s being mean, being physical against those top players, we’re going to do it for a full 60 minutes. “It’s going to be a war out there.” For once, it’s a war that Toronto seems just as eager to wage. While the Leafs are still built around the Big 4 of Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares and William Nylander, the additions of Wayne Simmonds, Zach Bogosian and Nick Foligno give them an edge that was previously missing against past playoff defeats to Columbus and Boston. When asked if he expected the series to be more of a physical grind than it was in the 10 games against the Habs in the regular season, Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe smiled. “I would say so,” he said. “I mean, that’s playoff hockey. That’s part of it. I think the officials are going to do their part to keep it under control and all those types of things. But the players, of course, there’s a lot at stake. This is what they play for. I certainly would expect a lot more physicality than we see in the regular season.” Based on what we’ve seen so far in this year’s playoffs, there’s no reason to doubt it. The first 10 games of the post-season have featured only a couple of fights. But just because players are keeping their gloves on does not mean they aren’t punching one another. A total of 27 “roughing” penalties have been called so far — with 14 coming in the two brutally physical games between Tampa Bay and Florida. Post-whistle scrums are now mandatory. The same goes for finishing checks. Teams have been averaging 91 hits per game, which is more than double what we saw in the regular season. That is the kind of stat that should favour Montreal more than Toronto. While the Leafs are built tougher than they have been in the past, they are still a team that would rather play a skilled and speed game than a physical one, having ranked in the bottom-five in hits and fights. The Canadiens, meanwhile, led the league with 27.9 hits per game — 10 more per game than the Leafs. With Montreal deciding to sit the diminutive Cole Caufield and the rail-thin Jesperi Kotkaniemi for Game 1, don’t expect the gap to shrink. The book on beating Toronto in the playoffs, which was written by Boston and revised by Columbus, involves using your size to slow down the game and smother the Leafs’ skilled players. It is a book that has clearly been dog-eared by the Habs. Then again, now that the Leafs have Simmonds, Bogosian and Foligno, it might be a bit out of date. “You left out Joe Thornton,” said Keefe. “Joe’s a big, strong guy and is an absolute competitor and has been his entire career. We’re equipped to handle whatever way the games are going to go and to play through difficult situations. “We’re a much bigger team, we’re a much more experienced team, we’re a much more confident team in those types of situations.” 1188622 Toronto Maple Leafs

Bogosian back as Maple Leafs prep for physical series

Lance Hornby Publishing date: May 19, 2021

‘You Can’t Roller Skate In A Buffalo Herd’ went the old Roger Miller tune. That will indeed be a challenge for the skill players on the Maple Leafs and Canadiens in Game 1 Thursday, if projections from both clubs are correct that dump-and-chase becomes bump-and-erase, at least early in the series as the clubs work a anxious week-long wait out of their systems. Montreal is already the NHL leader in hits and after 10 regular season games against them, Toronto players don’t expect the Habs to suddenly back off and morph into the Flying Frenchmen. “That’s fine, we’re going to play physical ourselves,” promised Wayne Simmonds, part of an entire line with Joe Thornton and Jason Spezza that’s meant to shake, rattle and roll. “I don’t think we expect anything less at playoff time. Everyone’s playing for a chance to win the Cup. First and foremost that starts with physicality. There’s a whole lot of nervous energy and everyone’s going to have it. Everyone has to be hard to play against.” Simmonds and Co. will be clashing with another veteran trio, Eric Staal, Corey Perry and Josh Anderson. “There’s a lot of games between the six of us,” Simmonds agreed. “Our line want to play pucks down low, get to the net and bang.” Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, William Nylander and Rasmus Sandin will be the targets in Toronto’s lineup, as Montreal coach Dominique Ducharme chose not augment his roster with scorer Cole Caufield, or Jesperi Kotkaniemi and defenceman Alexander Romanov, keeping more grinders in the picture. Tyler Toffoli and Tomas Tatar will have to play through some trench warfare, too. Sheldon Keefe of the Leafs had good news in that department, as defenceman Zach Bogosian looks ahead of schedule from an upper body injury and to start Game 1. The 2020 Stanley Cup winner with Tampa Bay will partner Sandin. “He brings a whole lot of nasty,” Simmonds said. “He’s a big guy, plays physical, eats the puck when the other team shoots it and he can make plays. It makes us that much tougher.” While American-based teams are letting fans back in with small numbers and the Canadiens will have 12% capacity after May 28 if there’ a Game 6, there will be no supporters at SBA or the Bell Centre for now. Just more canned crowd noise and music for what would’ve been a true party atmosphere, especially with Leafs fans in Montreal. The teams have not met in playoffs for 42 years. “Nothing can compare to playing in front of 19,000 screaming fans, at home and even on the road,” Simmonds added. “(Game operations) do their best job to try and emulate it, but it’s not the same. But I don’t think any one of us needs extra incentive to get up We’re playing for the Stanley Cup. If that doesn’t get you going, I don’t honestly know what else will.” Hall Of Fame referee Bill McCreary will be working the series and meeting with representatives of both teams sometime before Game 1. “I think it will be (rough), but that’s playoff hockey,” Keefe said. “I think the officials will do their part to keep it under control. But there’s a lot a stake for the players. This is what you play for. Montreal is as physical a team as there is in the league, so it’s nothing new to us. We’re a bigger team (than last year’s group that was beaten by Columbus), much more confident. “We’re well-equipped to handle whatever way the games are going to go and playthrough difficult situations.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188623 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs sign Swedish goalie to two-way deal

Lance Hornby Publishing date: May 19, 2021

The Maple Leafs have added another goalie to the mix for next season, one coming off a league championship. The club announced Wednesday the signing of Erik Kallgren to a two- year, two-way contract, the NHL portion of which carries an average annual value of $750,000 US. The former seventh round pick of the Arizona Coyotes in 2015, was waived by the team while at the ECHL level, due in part to the lack of opportunity in a strong Coyotes depth chart a couple of years ago. He elected to return to play at home. The 6-foot-2 Kallgren is 24 and played 21 regular season games for Vaxjo in Sweden, with a record if 12-9-0, a2.37 goals-against average and a .911 save percentage. He garnered more attention in Sweden and elsewhere in playoffs with a record of 7-3 and .937 save percentage as Vaxjo won the title.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 05.20.2021 Toronto Maple Leafs on Nash to lead the Leafs out of there, to use his smarts and size (he’s 6- 1188624 foot-2 and nearly 200 pounds) to win the puck back and avoid danger.

It’s a job the Leafs coach never could trust Kerfoot (too small) and Pierre The 9 most intriguing Maple Leafs in the playoffs: William Nylander, Engvall (too inconsistent) to do. Rasmus Sandin and more Last season, Frederik Gauthier was essentially the guy manning this position in Game 1, only Keefe couldn’t trust him either and quickly replaced him with Engvall. Nash is a clear upgrade on both guys — By Jonas Siegel smarter, more experienced, savvier, etc. (Gauthier played only two NHL games this season with Arizona.) May 19, 2021 Count on him to play important minutes on the penalty kill too, and help defend late leads. It all comes down to this for the Maple Leafs. One curiosity: Can Nash win enough draws to make those escapes from A Canadian division crown is nice. It will mean little without long-awaited the D-zone easier? success of some kind in the playoffs. Over the last three seasons, he’s emerged on just 45 percent of his Just about every player (and coach) on the Leafs merits intrigue on some defensive zone draws, and just under 48 percent overall. level. Mitch Marner has never been better. John Tavares is trying to 7. Nick Foligno prove his worth at playoff time. Wayne Simmonds is expected to jolt the Leafs with competitive thunder. Morgan Rielly has been around since Foligno averaged 23 minutes a game in the playoffs last year for 2013 and is still waiting on his first playoff series win. Columbus — a number that was inflated by the five-overtime special against Tampa in round two. These nine figures promise to stand out especially though in the coming weeks, and maybe, months. He played 50 (!) minutes alone that night. 9. Rasmus Sandin Keefe figures to lean on him heavily as well (though not that heavily!). Sandin will suit up in his first-ever NHL playoff game on Thursday night On the five-on-five side of things, the Leafs coach will be counting on — his 38th game, period, in the NHL. Foligno to play a Hyman-like role somewhere in the top six, beginning with Tavares and Nylander against the Habs. Every signal we’re getting from Sheldon Keefe is that the 21-year-old will get a serious opportunity for the Leafs, primarily on the point of the Leafs The Leafs wanted a heavy forward like him for playoff hockey. Someone revamped first power-play unit (which stands to include Auston who would charge in on the forecheck, smash bodies down low, and free Matthews, Marner, Zach Hyman, and Joe Thornton). Will Sandin’s up loose pucks. creativity along the blue line unlock opportunities that weren’t there with Rielly manning the point? They could have had the more slick Taylor Hall. Sandin has amassed a mere 37 minutes or so of power-play time in the They chose Foligno, believing not only in the grimy dimension he would NHL. He has two assists, no goals, and six shots on eight attempts. His add on the ice, but the character dimension off it. skills and I.Q. suggest he can make a difference with more runway. Foligno will play a prominent role on the Leafs’ penalty kill, including as In some ways, it’s bold of Keefe to hand him the keys to the top group of the primary faceoff option in the left circle. And you can be sure that a Stanley Cup contender in place of the organization’s longest-tenured when the Leafs are protecting a late lead, with the opponent’s net empty, player (Rielly was drafted in 2012). In other ways, it makes total sense the 33-year-old will be among those on the ice. given the dismal record of the power play over the last few months. There’s the story aspect of his presence to consider too, with Foligno Rielly had one power-play point over the final 28 games of the regular joining the Leafs for a playoff run 28 years after his father, Mike, in 1993. season. He scored once on 22 shots. Does Nick Foligno have his own magic in store at some point? More than that, Keefe signaled at practice earlier this week that Sandin 6. Frederik Andersen might also get a look if the Leafs need a goal late in regulation. Sandin was out there for 6-on-5 work alongside Matthews, Marner, Hyman, Andersen should get an opportunity at some point in these playoffs, likely Tavares, and William Nylander. beginning with the back-to-back in Games 3 and 4 against Montreal. Rielly hung with the second group of Jason Spezza, Thornton, Nick What does he have in store? Foligno, Simmonds, and Alex Kerfoot. More of the same fragility he’s showed in past playoffs? The inopportune Will the Leafs coach really rely on Sandin, essentially a rookie, in such a goal against at the inopportune time? spot over Rielly? Or, a steadier, well, Freddy. It may all depend on how Sandin handles his first playoff experience. He’s shown no hints of fear so far. Quite the opposite actually, with his Andersen was the Leafs’ unquestioned starter in each of the last four poise drawing rave reviews from Leafs like Matthews and Tavares. playoffs. Now, he’s the clear backup. He’s been in a position somewhat like this before though. His ability to make a play under pressure, and acquit himself physically, is a big reason he’ll be in the lineup straight away and not, as he was last When the 2016 postseason got underway, Andersen backed up John August, waiting on the sidelines. Gibson in Games 1 and 2. The Ducks lost both times. Bruce Boudreau turned to Andersen, who had similar numbers to Gibson during the The Leafs, remember, called on Martin Marincin to play against the Blue regular season. Jackets when Jake Muzzin got hurt — not Sandin. They appeared not to trust his physical wherewithal for playoff hockey. What did Andersen do? Only nine months later, that’s changed in a big way. He stopped 84-of-87 shots in leading the Ducks to three straight wins. They lost the next two to drop the series though. Sandin will still have to prove himself though. Andersen will be hoping to reclaim his battered reputation with the Leafs 8. Riley Nash if he gets the chance, and of course, boost his value heading into free agency. The Leafs haven’t really had a guy like Nash, picked up from Columbus for basically nothing (a seventh-round pick), since Jay McClement, who’s It could be his last opportunity in Toronto. now a scout for the Pittsburgh Penguins. 5. William Nylander It’s been a while. Nylander can shake off what remains of the haters with an energetic, Like McClement back in the day, Nash will play the most defensive of engaged postseason. roles for the Leafs. Don’t expect to see him out there for many offensive zone draws, or to stack up many points. Keefe will stick him in the Outside of the 2017 first round against Washington, he’s not brought it defensive zone as much as he can to spell the Matthews line. He’ll count like that in the playoffs for the Leafs. He has five goals in 25 career playoff games. Price has the resume. Campbell has had the better season — by far. Experience only matters until it doesn’t though. (See: Jordan Binnington, Everything gets harder in the playoffs. They require another gear. The Matt Murray, etc.) Leafs need Nylander to recognize that, to raise his intensity level and meet the moment. To compete. To win pucks back. To attack the net. To It’s in the playoffs where legends are born in goal for the Leafs. make plays. Felix Potvin, Ed Belfour, Curtis Joseph stand as almost mythical figures This Leafs team becomes (borderline) unstoppable if Nylander does his in Leafs history for their playoff portfolios. (Look at Andersen, on the David Pastrnak impersonation while Matthews and Marner continue to do other hand, who’s amassed more regular-season wins than both Belfour Matthews and Marner things. and Joseph — 11 shy of matching Potvin — but has little to no hold on the fan base.) It just hasn’t happened much at playoff time. Consider this: Nylander had one — one! — high-danger shot attempt five-on-five in five games Campbell has a chance to make his storybook season quite a bit sweeter against the Blue Jackets last summer. He had one high-danger shot here in the playoffs. To etch his name into Leafs lore. attempt five-on-five in seven games against Boston a year earlier. How will he respond — with the weight of the Leafs season, at least That’s indicative of what’s been missing, and what the Leafs need from partially, on his shoulders, and with Andersen desperately waiting for a him now. Nylander is at his best when he’s attacking the blue paint. He chance to steal back the net? finished just outside the top 20 league-wide in individual expected goals five-on-five. 2. Sheldon Keefe Something tells me he might be the source of renewal on the Leafs’ A rookie NHL coach in last year’s playoffs, Keefe was ultimately power play, with his own unit now to dominate. outmatched by John Tortorella. There was some unluckiness (the 2 percent shooting five-on-five), and the roster was uneven, certainly, but Nylander is 25 now. He feels more in control these days, more sure of little that Keefe tried (loading up one line in Game 5 especially) worked to himself on the ice, more determined and consistent in his effort. And for get the Leafs a long-awaited playoff win. (An extra stop or two from what it’s worth, Nylander has collected 10 goals and 18 points in 21 Andersen would have helped though.) career games against the Habs. He’s done everything he possibly could to set his team up for success in A dominant player is in there. The Leafs saw it for most of the second year two. half. When the will (consistently) matches the skill, look out. Just as he said he would, Keefe has steered the Leafs to defensive 4. Joe Thornton respectability and five-on-five dominance. He’s gotten the most out of veterans like Spezza. He’s prepared for injuries — flipping his top two He’s checked just about every box for a superstar in hockey. pairs around at one point in the regular season just in case it was Hart Trophy? Check. Art Ross Trophy? Check. Olympic gold medal? required at playoff time. He’s experimented with just about every line Check. All-Star games? Check. Thornton has posted the 14th most combination. points in NHL history, and the fourth-most points of any active player in He knows Foligno can fit with Matthews and Marner, and that Hyman can the playoffs — even with Alex Ovechkin, but trailing Sidney Crosby, slide, well, anywhere if he needs him. Evgeni Malkin, and Marian Hossa (who is still technically active). The other four all have Cups. He’s found utility for various lines — an O-zone role for Thornton and the old guys, a defensive zone habitat, soon, for Nash’s crew. What Thornton doesn’t have, obviously, is that icing on his Hall of Fame career. The defence is solid from top to bottom in a way it wasn’t in 2020. He got close in 2016, falling to Crosby, Malkin and company in the How will he react if things don’t go as planned though? If Campbell Stanley Cup Final. He got all the way to the Western Conference finals struggles, or the Leafs offence is flummoxed, or the power play continues with the Sharks in 2019. to misfire. At 41, he’s only got so many more runs left in him. He came to Toronto to That’s always the question for a head coach at playoff time: How does he cross this box off once and all. (Is he a sure thing to play next year? navigate choppy waters? Probably. Will it be in Toronto? Less certain.) The Leafs are supposed to do great things in 2021. They may never It took about half a season for the Leafs, and Thornton, to figure out the have a chance quite like this to end their decades-long championship right role for him in year No. 23. Space-clearing, puck-controlling fourth- drought. line winger, with power-play duty on the side, seems to suit him right at this point. It’ll be up to Keefe to steer them in the right direction. Keefe will be stuffing his line, which for now includes fellow Cup chasers 1. Auston Matthews Simmonds and Spezza, into the offensive zone and hoping the trio can Matthews has 12 goals and 19 points in 25 career playoff games, chip in the odd goal, if not then control the play. including seven goals and 12 points in 12 games over the past two It won’t be the starring role he played in the past. But on the margins, postseasons. He’s been the Leafs best player in just about every one of Thornton can still help to fulfill his legacy-topping goal. those four series (save for 2018, when Marner owned the Bruins in defeat). We’ll be watching. Yet, this is — by far — the best version of Matthews yet. Quicker. 3. Jack Campbell Stronger. A walking (skating?) scoring chance. More dominant stealing pucks back in his own zone and turning things around the other way. He What seems to have impressed Keefe most about Campbell this season and Marner didn’t have quite the same synchronicity last season (starting wasn’t his 11-0-0 start. It was how Campbell responded when he hit a on opposite lines in Game 1 against Columbus). No team has been able rough patch. After three straight losses in mid-April, in which he blamed to stop Matthews in 2021, including Montreal; he’s scored seven goals himself in almost ludicrous fashion, Campbell dusted himself off and and added seven assists in 10 games. turned things around. Can Phillip Danault get in his way, with help from Shea Weber? They’ve Over his final eight starts of the regular season, he went 6-1-1 with a .925 had relative success in the past. But again, this Matthews 2.0 (3.0?). save percentage. Price sure hasn’t been able to stop him, ever really: Matthews has 12 The question now is, how will he respond to similar bumps in the career goals against the Habs No. 1. playoffs, when the stakes and pressure increase, and the spotlight brightens? The Leafs are close to unbeatable when he’s humming. They went 22-3- 6 on nights he scored this season, and 10-10-1 when he came up empty If Campbell gives up a wobbly goal in Game 1, say, will he able to steady (on nights when he was in the lineup that is). himself? Or slip further? If the Leafs reach their goal this summer, and bring home a We all know he hasn’t started an NHL playoff game before. His first championship, it will be because Matthews leads them there. opponent, meanwhile, is one of the bigger-game goalies of recent memory: Carey Price, who’s started 67 NHL playoff games, not to No one is worthy of more attention. mention huge game after huge game with Team Canada on the Olympic and World Cup stage. The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 Toronto Maple Leafs With Dubas at the helm, personal attention for players has been 1188625 prioritized. Keefe and Marlies head coach Greg Moore often prioritize one-on-one post-practice conversations on the ice. Players have access to Dr. Meg Popovic, the team’s director of athlete wellbeing and How Hayley Wickenheiser and Danielle Goyette plan to revamp the performance, who provides a trusted sounding board. Maple Leafs’ player development Wickenheiser and Goyette both spoke about the need to maintain those personal connections with young players and provide them with specific feedback for their game, but with perhaps more of a different tone. By Joshua Kloke “That’s what I think we need to work with right now with the players is: May 18, 2021 you have to be tough,” said Goyette. “This is a tough league to play in. Any player in the world wants to have your spot on the team. You have to be able to be mentally strong and forget about what’s going on around Hayley Wickenheiser knows about success. and focus on what you have to bring to the team and sometimes even to change position.” Widely regarded as the best women’s hockey player of all time, she has won four gold medals with the Canadian national team. After a decorated “I’m straight to the point,” Goyette added. playing career, she completed medical school while holding down a role as assistant director of player development with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Adding a sense of resiliency to young players could help better prepare them for the eventual rigours of playing in Toronto. One example to On the ice, she’s not afraid to call it like she sees it. consider is forward Adam Brooks. Throughout the early season, Brooks cut a sometimes lackadaisical figure in Marlies practices and games. “I don’t sugarcoat things. If something needs to be said to a player, I’m not afraid to say it, which I think benefits the player down the road,” said Then, in March, after going pointless in four games, Brooks called Wickenheiser. himself out on his poor play. Her voice within the Leafs organization is about to become even louder. “You have to look yourself in the mirror and come to that realization,” said She was promoted to senior director of player development on Monday Brooks. “For me, I know there’s more to give. I need to be more engaged after Scott Pellerin’s contract was not renewed. The department she’ll in battles. This is a league where everyone’s fighting to get to the next oversee has arguably never been more important. The Leafs’ core is set level. If you’re not engaged every game, you’re going to stand out like a until 2024, but developing young players to complement that core will be sore thumb.” crucial — especially if the salary cap remains flat as predicted in a post- pandemic world. When Brooks eventually returned to the Leafs, he impressed by playing a composed and even physical game in limited minutes. He is starting to The team hopes Wickenheiser’s attitude, keen eye for detail and look like a safe bet to get more NHL minutes next season. championship pedigree will help turn those in the team’s s prospect pool into NHL-ready talent sooner rather than later. That pool includes elite Now, this isn’t to say that every young player needs to treat every day talents, but those who have also been accused of wilting at times on the with a hyper-intense approach. But “clear communication” was a term ice, such as 2020 first-round pick Rodion Amirov. referenced multiple times in Wickenheiser and Goyette’s introductory press conference. They believe that if the Leafs development staff do not In her new role, Wickenheiser will be tasked with overseeing each shy away from more difficult conversations with players about necessary prospect’s development plan to ensure their readiness for the Leafs’ style improvements, the result will be more well-rounded players. of play. She’ll also work with those on the NHL squad when necessary. The mission is to continue the department’s recent success, having Goyette referenced how AHL players might be loaded with skill, but “to graduated more than 20 players from the AHL and junior ranks to the play NHL sometimes, skill is not going to be good enough to get you Leafs, including late-round picks such as Pierre Engvall. there or to keep you there.” “(Wickenheiser) played the game at a high, high level, obviously, and Goyette believes it’s important for young players to make adjustments talent that has that unique combination of elite intelligence and elite work from the player they were in junior hockey to eventually fitting a different ethic, and all those things shine through in her role any time she’s been type of role in the NHL. A continued focus on this belief could help the around myself and our coaching staff or our players,” said Leafs head Leafs when drafting to better project where a possible draft pick could fit coach Sheldon Keefe. “So to have her take a significant step into a in the Leafs’ system. leadership position here now within the player development program is a To do that, Goyette believes young players will have to master the huge win for our organization.” “mental aspect of the game.” Wickenheiser’s first order of business was adding Danielle Goyette as “Trust me, you have learn that the hard way sometimes,” said Goyette. “I director of player development. Goyette is a member of the Hockey Hall know the Maple Leafs are going to have sports psychologists. They’re of Fame who previously worked as the head coach of the University of going to have so many people around them but sometimes it’s at that Calgary women’s hockey team since 2007. She has been an assistant moment, at the right time on the ice, during a practice or during a coach of the Canadian national women’s hockey team and is a two-time situation, after a play they did, how to help them to overcome and win Olympic gold medalist as a player. their way back back to that situation. That’s going to make them better.” In addition, Will Sibley was promoted to director of development Ben Matchett, the University of Calgary’s interim athletic director, has operations and analysis. Player development consultant Darryl Belfry will seen Goyette go the extra mile when developing relationships with oversee the technical development of the team. players. Having a player development department headed by two women is an “Danielle really showed a knack for looking at the player as a whole, not NHL first. Wickenheiser was asked about the importance of women just for what they were doing on the ice,” said Matchett. “She’s the taking on prominent management roles in one of the NHL’s biggest hardest worker I’ve ever seen.” organizations. She views her promotion to Maple Leafs (which she called an “incredibly progressive organization”) and her subsequent hire of In March, Dubas highlighted how in a season that has seen in-person Goyette as simply finding the best people to do the jobs. prospect viewing dramatically decrease, the Leafs developed better relationships with teams that control their prospects including access to “(Hockey is) probably the last pro sport that’s really making these players and video of players. changes and progressions, but you’re seeing another pro sport, the NBA, that this is kind of becoming old news and it’s just about going after the “It has given us a chance to be able to adapt and not be too complacent best-qualified person for the job,” said Wickenheiser. in what we do with development,” said Dubas. For her, the opportunity to be open-minded and consider different Under Wickenheiser and Goyette, and with the newly-promoted Sibley, perspectives in player development is an important one. the next step in that adaptation could see the Leafs taking even more control of prospect development. “We have to change as the world changes,” she said. “We’re developing a much more robust system of tracking and video But what will some of the changes that Wickenheiser and Goyette could work for each player with quite in-depth detail for their development make to the Leafs player development department look like? The Athletic plan,” said Wickenheiser. breaks down the potential future of the department. Consider that three of the team’s top prospects, Amirov, Roni Hirvonen Personal attention and psychological development and Topi Niemelä, will all spend the 2021-22 season in Europe. All three have the upside to make them NHL players one day. The Leafs will want to ensure that while they’re developing in their own right in the KHL and Liiga, they’re also adding tools to their game to help them assimilate to the Leafs’ possession-driven style of play far quicker. It’s a delicate balance to strike. While the frequency in which prospects communicated with Pellerin varied this season, the average was once a month. Wickenheiser noted the importance of “constantly” keeping in touch with prospects, and so it seems possible that frequency will increase. Being able to provide players with more detailed video breakdowns could also see the Leafs development staff rely less on informal conversations, and instead showcase specific situations in games that they will need to improve upon. Comprehensive video breakdowns could also allow prospects to study their games on their own time as well. “From where player development started in the NHL 10 years ago to where it’s going, I’m pretty proud to be a part of a group like this that’s hopefully going to continue to evolve the well-set plans and blueprints that were put into place by Scott Pellerin and Stéphane Robidas,” said Wickenheiser. While Wickenheiser and Goyette will oversee the department, Belfry’s influence within the department looks likely to grow. Amidst the changes and promotions announced on Monday, Belfry remained a constant. “Player development is more than two people,” said Goyette, referencing the many resources Leafs prospects have at their disposal. “Our job is to work well together to make sure we help the players as much as we can.” Dubas and the Leafs clearly feel a sense of trust in Belfry, having hired him as a consultant in 2015. He’s helped some of the more notable Leafs add dimensions to their game, including Auston Matthews, as James Mirtle detailed in his recent look at the Leafs’ prolific goal scorer. Under Pellerin, Robidas, who accepted a position as head coach of the Magog Cannonniers of QMAAA but will stay with Toronto through June, worked primarily with the team’s defence prospects while Pellerin often focused on the team’s forward prospects. With Belfry overseeing all aspects of technical development, forwards and defenceman could possibly master skills and on-ice approaches they might not have otherwise in their position. One of Belfry’s focuses remains developing players in the offseason. The Leafs did not hold a development camp in 2020, but a 2021 camp seems more likely. This will be a critical point for the organization’s top prospects to learn Belfry’s methods and begin the process of working with him in earnest.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 Toronto Maple Leafs its puck possession prowess. Part of that was obviously due to injuries, 1188626 but it was still a worrying trend at the worst possible time. The Leafs only got better as the season went on with a 57 percent expected goals rate and 62 percent actual goals rate that was second to only Colorado on 2021 NHL playoff preview: Maple Leafs vs. Canadiens both accounts. Montreal should be more formidable at five-on-five when fully healthy, but the team is still several steps below Toronto and that showed up when By Dom Luszczyszyn the two teams went head-to-head. Toronto earned 54 percent of the May 18, 2021 expected goals and 59 percent of the actual goals, mirroring the team’s full-season totals.

The Leafs also won the special teams battle, an area that is of slight It’s been far too long since the NHL’s two most storied franchises have concern going into the playoffs. Toronto’s power play has been down bad met in the postseason. Finally, as a result of an all-Canada division, for a lengthy stretch of time now and is 27th in the league over the last Canada’s two biggest cities with the two most passionate hockey fan six weeks. The chances are there, but the team seems to have the yips bases in the world will face off. Toronto vs. Montreal. Feel the when it comes to converting. Montreal’s penalty kill is relatively weak, so excitement. a series could be just what the doctor ordered for the team’s power play to finally wake up. When it’s on it’s scary good and it’s a testament to It’s been 42 years so beggars can’t be choosers and it’s nice that this how strong the team is elsewhere that Toronto is this good despite not series is finally happening, but it is a shame that this series isn’t … having a functioning power play for over two months now. closer. There was a massive divide in the standings between Toronto and Montreal this season and the season series wasn’t much different. Given the talent at its disposal, Toronto should be a lot better there. Combine that with each team’s recent trajectory and all signs point to a Depth wise, there isn’t much separating these two clubs, but the top end lopsided series in Toronto’s favour. is definitely stacked in Toronto’s favour. By a considerable margin. Series odds Roster breakdown Matchup adjustment takes into account each player’s Game Score Matchup adjustment takes into account each player’s Game Score against this specific opponent as well as his Game Score over the last six against this specific opponent as well as his Game Score over the last six weeks. weeks. The numbers may be slightly skewed as a result of ice-time allocation. This is the second most uneven series of the first round, behind only the Colorado-St. Louis series. A probability that high feels uncomfortable I did the math with Colorado and St. Louis and though it’s not as stark enough, but this feels much worse. It’s over 80 percent and it’s the Leafs. here, it’s pretty close. Montreal’s 18 skaters are worth 16.8 combined That math simply does not compute for a team that is cursed. wins. Toronto almost gets there with Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, Morgan Rielly and Jake Muzzin alone — a quintet worth But it’s hard to spin it any other way given the information at hand. Based 16.6 wins combined. The rest, which is still a lot of talent, is the cherry on on the talent on each roster, this series is closer to 75/25 which is already top. pretty high. The Leafs are obviously more talented, possess more depth, and yes, have better goaltending too (especially with the news that Carey High-end talent is what Montreal has been missing for a long time and Price will likely be ready for the start of the series, news that downgraded Toronto has loads of it. It’s been the exact difference in the season series Montreal’s chances). The roster itself is enough to feel comfortable with to date as Toronto has been carried by the top of its lineup. Matthews Toronto winning this one. has seven goals and 14 points in 10 games, Marner has 11 in 10 games, and even Zach Hyman had seven points in six games. Tavares went But it’s the extra layers of added context that give the team a further eight point-per-game, William Nylander had seven points in eight games. Even percentage point boost. The matchup adjustment here is the second the two top defencemen cooked as Muzzin and Rielly had eight and largest of the opening round and it stems from Toronto being excellent seven points over the 10 games. Every single player won the five-on-five down the stretch, Montreal struggling in comparison, and the head-to- scoring chance battle too. head dominance the Leafs had during the season series. Toronto won seven of 10 and though the model expects something a little less than It’s simply far too much firepower that Montreal not only had no answer that going forward (67 percent at home, 60 percent on the road), it shows for, but no response back either. Jeff Petry had 10 points in 10 games (all how likely a series win is when a team is expected to win six-or-seven assists, seven secondary), but the forward scoring was led by Nick times out of 10. Suzuki (eight points in 10 games), Tyler Toffoli (seven points in 10 games) and then three players with five points. Jonathan Drouin, who did It’s no guarantee, but the Leafs are heavy favourites for a reason. that in just six games, won’t be suiting up either. Season stats It’s an uphill battle that starts with stopping Matthews, the second-best You’ve seen enough of these season stats charts to know by now the player in the league this past season who has had a knack for torching Leafs look very strong relative to the field. The league’s best teams — Montreal specifically. Good luck with that. Matthews was a goal-scoring Colorado, Tampa Bay — have very few flaws if any. It’s a lot of different machine this year, putting up 41 in 52 games, a full-season pace of 65 blue shades, some deeper than others, and maybe one or two light pink goals. He scored 2.19 goals-per-60, the highest ever in the analytics era which was aided by his elite finishing ability, but also his penchant for splotches. No red. Toronto has an elite offence at five-on-five buoyed by creating quality looks. His 1.47 individual expected goals-per-60 ranked both quality and quantity. The Leafs have a stingy defence and strong second in the league this season and 28th since 2007-08. That’s a rare goaltending. Their chance creation and suppression on special teams is and potent combination. good, and though they’ve slumped for a long while, their power play is still 10th in goal rate. Of the 15 categories here, Toronto is top 10 in 14 of What makes Matthews so valuable is not just that he scores goals — he them. Only Colorado can say the same thing and it explains why the can play at both ends of the ice. Matthews led the Leafs with a 60.7 Leafs are second to only the Avalanche in expected and actual goals percent expected goals rate for the season and also had a 65 percent percentage at five-on-five. actual goals rate to go with that. His two most frequent linemates, Marner Montreal’s full-season stats are far less rosy. The Canadiens sure started and Hyman, weren’t far behind and together the trio were one of the strong, looking like a five-on-five juggernaut, but they didn’t finish there. league’s best lines this season. The line had a 65 percent expected goals The team ended the year 10th in expected goals percentage and only rate together in 291 minutes, comparable to other super-lines in Colorado average in terms of actual goals, with a clear focus on quantity over and Boston. quality. That the team has a 54 percent Corsi that goes down with It helps to have another superstar on the line and Marner certainly expected goals and down further with actual goals is a troubling sign. elevated his game to another level this season playing full-time with The Leafs are the exact opposite and that comes down to talent. Matthews. Marner finished fourth in league scoring with 67 points in 55 Montreal was unsurprisingly not a strong finishing team this season and games, a 100-point pace that was the product of his elite play-making didn’t have the strongest goaltending either. ability. Marner’s 34 primary assists this year were second to only Connor McDavid and by GSVA he’s now projected to be a borderline top 10 Both those things only became worse as the season came to a close player in hockey. where Montreal was 29th in shooting percentage and 31st in save percentage at five-on-five. There’s a lot of bad luck there that the That leaves Tavares as the third fiddle now, but he’s still a massive Canadiens didn’t deserve, but even their expected goals numbers fell off luxury for Toronto to have. Only Edmonton has a better second-line down the stretch too. Over the final six weeks, Montreal earned just a 49 center among playoff teams and that should give opposing teams percent expected goals rate, an unusually low mark for a team known for matchup nightmares. Matthews is hard enough, but when he’s off the ice the next group has to deal with Tavares too. That was the vision when In terms of total value, Toronto’s forward group is just over 50 percent the team signed him and this season was the best embodiment of it. stronger than Montreal’s. The gap on defence is even larger where the Tavares started the year slowly from a production standpoint, but he Leafs’ top six is double Montreal’s. really picked it up to close the season with 50 points in 55 games. His play-driving ability was a steady force all season though and for the year On the back-end it’s about the Leafs, for the first time in a long time, he had a 56 percent expected goals rate. It pays to have two top lines having a completely functional top four. All the pieces are top four quality, controlling play to that degree and it’s something that will be tough for the fit well together and are completely balanced in filling specific niches. Canadiens to stop. They can all move the puck really well which is a key part of Toronto’s success. According to data tracked by Corey Sznajder, the Leafs are one It helps that Tavares gets to play with Nylander, whose impacts are of the best teams in the entire league at exiting the zone with control and sometimes forgotten on this team. Nylander remains the team’s most that’s on a mobile defence group. gifted player with the puck, leading the team in zone entry and exit rate, while also being the team’s most effective paster, leading in shot assists Morgan Rielly is the strongest on the breakout and has no issues rushing and high danger shot assists. His expected goals percentage was 57 it up the ice either. He may struggle on defence, but his offensive ability percent for the year. The team is really hoping Nick Foligno can do to is nearly unmatched league-wide. He’s a crucial part of Toronto’s attack. that line what Hyman does for the top line. Through seven games, he has Rielly had a much improved season where he had a 55.5 percent a 54 percent expected goals percentage. expected goals rate playing tough minutes. TJ Brodie was a big part of that and was an excellent off-season addition. He’s been exactly what Montreal’s top six just doesn’t stack up, but there’s some undervalued the team has needed in the top four and he ended up leading the Leafs pieces to it despite the lower projected values. defence with a 57 percent expected goals rate. Jake Muzzin and Justin Holl were also in that range giving the Leafs two strong pairs that can For starters, it should be mentioned that while Matthews was tops in control play. goals-per-60, Tyler Toffoli was second at 1.85. I’m not sure anyone expected that when he signed, but he’s been a revelation for Montreal The team’s biggest X-factor on the back end is the youngest, Rasmus this season scoring 28 goals in 52 games, three shy of a career-high in Sandin, who may just have played his way onto the roster full-time after a 30 fewer games. It was a 44-goal pace over a full season. Toffoli created nine-game stint. He may have been playing sheltered minutes, but a 59.5 more chances for himself than ever before, but his sky-high shooting percent expected goals rate and four points is nothing to scoff at. Alex percentage means the model is skeptical he can be a full-time 40-goal Romanov is Sandin’s counterpart on the other side and he too has scorer, pegging him closer to 32 goals as a true talent level. If he truly is played sheltered minutes all season himself. In that time he’s managed a 40-goal scorer that’s an extra 0.4 wins in his favour which nudges just six points in 56 games, has a solid 54 percent expected goals rate, Montreal a little closer to Toronto. But obviously not far enough. but has been out-scored. He’s a defender that Toronto really victimized this year as he had just a 39 percent expected goals rate against the The bigger piece to Montreal solving Toronto is its top line which remains Leafs. Brett Kulak, also on the third pair, also got crushed. one of the league’s best at five-on-five. While much has been made regarding Toronto’s dominance over Montreal, it’s worth noting that Montreal’s top four looks a lot less impressive in comparison to Brendan Gallagher, Montreal’s best player, was absent for six of those Toronto’s. Jeff Petry had a marvelous year that was comparable to contests. When he did play, he had a 58 percent expected goals rate and Rielly’s offensively, but the five-on-five numbers weren’t nearly as strong. all signs point to him being back in the lineup. The top line, with He led the team with a 54 percent expected goals rate that would grade Gallagher on it, is a buzzsaw, earning a 69 percent expected goals out lower than five of Toronto’s six defenders. The further degradation of percentage in 250 minutes together, outscoring opponents 18-to-3. At Shea Weber is an issue too as he no longer looks like a capable number five-on-five they are a real problem and have the capability to shut down one defenceman. He and partner Ben Chiarot are last on the team in one of Toronto’s top two lines. When Gallagher was in the lineup the top expected goals percentage and Weber was only even for the year in line did a damn good job against Matthews and that’s potentially a terms of actual goals. Weber’s 19 points in 48 games is also his lowest troubling thought for Leafs fans. scoring pace in a while, suggesting his offensive ability has likely left him. With his play-driving also in decline, it’s fair to ask how much of a Montreal will need to find an answer for Toronto’s other top line though difference he can make in this series, especially considering his current and that’s where things get a bit tricky. Can Suzuki rise to the occasion health being questionable. Weber earned the better of the scoring there? He’s had flashes all season, scored at a 60-point pace and earned chance battle when facing the Leafs head-to-head this year, but was also a 55 percent expected goals percentage, blossoming into a real top six out-scored 6-to-3 in seven games. center. But that may not be good enough in this series where he’ll have to face off against one of Matthews or Tavares. Toffoli should help, but it In net is where some people believe Montreal has the advantage and doesn’t seem like the team has another bonafide top six quality winger to that would perhaps be true if the year was still 2016. I’m not sure why assist the duo. Josh Anderson started strong, but he’s one of the team’s we’re still jumping through hoops about this, but Price had a .901 save worst play-drivers. percentage this year and allowed seven goals above expected in just 25 games. After an admittedly stellar run in the bubble many expected that There are big differences in the top-end talent, but at forward the to be the real Price, but as I argued in Montreal’s season preview, it was differences end there with both teams having similar levels of bottom-six more than likely just a hot 10-game run. depth. My model isn’t very fond of Riley Nash as Toronto’s third-line center, especially at the expense of Alex Galchenyuk who has played The idea of Price is much scarier than the actual goalie in between the well with Toronto, but it could work as a strong checking line if the team pipes and while Price has the potential to steal the series, so does wants to alleviate some of the defensive load off the top two lines. The literally any goalie (recall the backup on this very team doing just that in grizzled veteran line is almost enough to make the Leafs likeable outside 2017 against Minnesota). That’s just variance, baby. of Toronto. What the goaltending values suggest is the likelihood of such an event It is worth noting that Jason Spezza had a quietly strong offensive happening, and with Price it’s likely lower than most people think. I mean, season that seems to have flown way under the radar this year amidst all we just saw Jack Campbell have a hot stretch of his own more recently the stars in Toronto. Spezza had 30 points in 53 games, a 46-point pace and he’s been very strong as a Leaf. There’s a reason he’s rated higher despite playing only 11 minutes per night. That would’ve tied Tomas and that’s simply because he’s played better than Price. Campbell has Tatar for fourth on Montreal this season and on a per minute basis was earned his place in the starter’s crease this season and the difference good for 26th in the league, narrowly edging out Kirill Kaprizov and between him and Frederik Andersen has been noticeable. Campbell William Nylander. Not bad for a fourth-line center. finished the season with a .921 in 22 games while saving six goals above expected. Eric Staal has been on the opposite trajectory this season and hasn’t shaken off the Buffalo stink since coming to Montreal. Three points in 21 Price had a stretch that good to end the 2019-20 season, so maybe it’s games, a team-worst 39 percent expected goals rate and he’s been just a small sample. The difference is that it’s all we really have to go on outscored 11-2 at five-on-five. He started the season projected to be a for Campbell. For Price, there’s so many more 22-game stretch where he capable second-line center, but an awful season where he was worth isn’t even close to a .921 goaltender. In 110 distinct stretches over the minus-0.9 wins (the 12th least valuable in the league) has catapulted his last four seasons he has been at that level 38 percent of the time, with value all the way down to nothing. Montreal might be better off with him two-thirds of those coming in 2018-19 — his last actually good season. in the press box. That spot instead goes to Jesperi Kotkaniemi who simply hasn’t lived up to his draft-day billing as a third overall pick. He Maybe that Price is still in there and getting him to full health might be the was excellent in the bubble last playoffs, but has seen his game regress key to unlocking it, but his past two seasons leave a lot to be desired. this season. He doesn’t move the needle much, but given Staal’s There’s a big gap in net just as there is at forward and defence. There’s performance this year I’d much rather gamble on Kotkaniemi. nowhere on the roster where Montreal has an advantage and it’s why the series is as lopsided as it is. The bottom line The Leafs have a stronger roster in every facet and have the results to show for it this year. From every possible angle you can look, this series looks like it’s Toronto’s to lose. Montreal started strong, but the talent just isn’t there and the usual territorial dominance slipped throughout the season. In this series, against this team, it wouldn’t even be an edge anyways. Here’s the thing about Montreal though: The team lives for these kinds of scenarios — the us against the world underdog story. Twice over the past decade, the team has had no business winning a series — in 2010 against Washington and in 2014 against Boston — and the team pulled it off anyway. You can arguably count last year’s play-in against the Penguins too. The Canadiens live for playoff chaos, and Toronto lives for playoff disappointment. It’s a match made in narrative heaven. But maybe the most chaotic thing of all for a series 42 years in the making is everything just going as expected. With the way these two teams have played all season, of late, and against each other, that would mean Toronto’s first playoff series win since 2004. The Leafs haven’t had many chances since, but this is their best one to finally break the ugly streak.

The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 Vegas Golden Knights “We’re taking this day to day,” DeBoer said. “He’s done it before, and 1188627 he’s playing at a really high level. But who knows? This is day to day for us.” Marc-Andre Fleury has been ‘The Dude’ for Golden Knights LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.20.2021

By David Schoen Las Vegas Review-Journal May 19, 2021 - 7:07 PM

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Marc-Andre Fleury is, and forever will be, known as “Flower,” a play on the French translation of his last name. This season, the Golden Knights goaltender was given a new nickname from teammates, one that really tied the locker room together. “The Dude.” That or “His Dudeness,” or “Duder,” or “El Duderino,” if you’re not into the whole brevity thing. Fleury has been the Knights’ best player through two games of the first round of the West Division playoffs and made sure of a split in the series heading to Minnesota. Game 3 of the best-of-seven is Thursday at Xcel Energy Center, where approximately 4,500 fans are expected to attend. “He’s been excellent all year,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “For me, it’s not like he’s doing anything differently than he’s done all year for us. He’s played at a really high level all year, and guys are playing hard for him.” The origin of “The Dude” nickname hasn’t been officially revealed, but it seems to stem from a comment made by Max Pacioretty after the Knights’ victory over San Jose on March 15. Fleury made a sliding poke check on Sharks forward Evander Kane with about eight minutes to play to help preserve a 2-1 lead. When asked about the play after the game, Pacioretty responded, “That was sick. I mean, the dude is just the man. What else can you say?” Since then, the Knights have repeatedly, albeit subtly, referred to Fleury as “The Dude” in interviews. Jonathan Marchessault slipped in the nickname after the victory at Arizona on May 1 when Fleury tied Roberto Luongo for third place on the NHL’s all-time wins list. “It’s amazing, and, hopefully, the dude can keep on going,” Marchessault said. Hearing “The Dude” conjures up thoughts of Jeff Bridges’ character in the 1998 cult classic “The Big Lebowski,” and it seems to fit Fleury’s personality, even if he doesn’t sip White Russians or go bowling. He’s not “The Man,” or “The Guy” but someone more laid back and comfortable in his own skin. That vibe helped keep the Knights loose heading into Game 2 after being shut out in the opener. “I got so many texts (Tuesday) night of how great he was,” Wild coach Dean Evason said. “And he was.” Fleury has stopped 63 of 65 shots in the two games (.969 save percentage) against Minnesota and posted a 0.98 goals-against average. He came up with a handful of flashy glove saves in Game 1 before the winning goal in overtime deflected off Alec Martinez’ skate. With the Wild carrying play in the first period Tuesday, Fleury made 17 of his 34 stops and kept the Knights within touching distance until the offense broke through. The Wild have produced 5.26 expected goals in the series, according to NaturalStatTrick.com, but have two goals to show for it in 123:20 of action. “He’s done it for a long time, and he’s been the best in the game at different points and still is clearly,” Evason said. “We just have to stay the course and keep believing that if we continually get those opportunities, if we continually get to the net, maybe we’ll get some bounces, get some breaks and some goals will go in.” DeBoer went with Fleury for both games against the Wild rather than rotating Robin Lehner, as he did in the final 24 games of the regular season. All indications are Fleury will remain in net for Game 3, and there’s no reason to go away from the three-time Stanley Cup winner until he gets into trouble in the series. “The Dude” certainly abides. 1188628 Vegas Golden Knights

Golden Knights hosting watch parties for Games 3 and 4

By Mark Anderson Las Vegas Review-Journal May 19, 2021 - 6:12 PM

Those interested in joining other fans to cheer on the Golden Knights in the first round of the divisional playoffs this week have two options. A watch party for Thursday’s Game 3 between the Knights and Wild in Minnesota will be at Circa and Saturday’s Game 4 get-together is at Water Street Plaza in downtown Henderson. Both parties open an hour before game time. Thursday’s game is at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday’s at 5 p.m. The watch party at Circa is for fans 21 and older, who can view the game at the Stadium Swim. Fans of all ages can attend the Water Street location, which is next to Lifeguard Arena. The series is even at a game apiece. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.20.2021 Vegas Golden Knights “We’ve talked about it before,” Wild coach Dean Evason said. “(Kaprizov) 1188629 is a mature guy that has been through a bit of it. But he’s very calm regardless. He’s not a fiery person. He’s fiery obviously when he gets engaged in the physicality end of it. But he’s pretty calm in all other Key to Golden Knights’ chances: Keep limiting Kirill Kaprizov areas.” Except, of course, when texting. By Ed Graney Las Vegas Review-Journal May 19, 2021 - 5:48 PM LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.20.2021 Updated May 19, 2021 - 6:21 PM

ST. PAUL, Minn. — This is like the greatest story ever. Or at least one of them. Marcus Foligno is a forward for the Minnesota Wild. He was speaking on the “Spittin’ Chiclets” podcast from Barstool Sports and told how during training camp that COVID-19 protocols demanded players work in small clusters. Each night before the next day’s practice, a team official would, in a group text, identify which guys should show and at what time. Veterans were first and eventually followed by players from either the taxi squad or simply those fighting for any available roster spot. Strictly for numbers sake, the latter group included Russian rookie sensation Kirill Kaprizov. Who, four days into camp, returned the daily text. “What the (bleep)! I want to be with best players. Not (bleep) players.” Kaprizov thought he was responding only to the team official and not every Wild player. Including those (bleep) ones of whose talent he wasn’t overly impressed. “The guy had never texted anyone and doesn’t even speak English,” Foligno told the podcast hosts. “We’re like, ‘What’s this guy texting the group for?’ … I read his text like in a Russian (accent). It was hilarious. The next day at the rink, he’s just looking at the floor and nobody in the eye. “But it doesn’t come off like he’s an (bleep). I wish I had that mentality my whole life, especially when I was 24 years old.” A competitive edge The Golden Knights know well Kaprizov’s competitive edge — just ask defenseman Zach Whitecloud and his bloody nose from a game this season. Which makes how they have limited Kaprizov in a playoff series all the more impressive. The teams meet in Game 3 of the best-of-seven Thursday night at Xcel Energy Center, where the Knights have never won in regulation. If they have any chance at changing such a narrative and taking a 2-1 lead in the series, it would be smart to continue limiting Kaprizov’s chances. Nobody is going to describe Minnesota’s offense with a straight face as dynamic. But it’s better than past seasons. You have to be more aware of things on that end now. Kaprizov is the central reason, a player the Wild selected in the fifth round of the 2015 draft because elite Russian players often remain home to continue playing in the Kontinental Hockey League and you never know when they might arrive in the U.S. He finally did this season. Kaprizov, by the way, also learned of being drafted via text. I’m guessing any returned (bleeps) were of a more positive nature. “Don’t jinx it,” Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault said of how his team has held Kaprizov to five shots and no points in the first two games. “I mean, he’s their best player. He’s everywhere. Honestly, he’s the real deal.” Calder favorite Kaprizov finished the regular season ranked eighth in the NHL with 27 goals while totaling 51 points. He continues to be a favorite for the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year despite the fact that some are ridiculously questioning if a player who’s 24 with his level of international experience should win the award. Of course he should. The rule states that a player “must not have attained his 26th birthday by Sept. 15 of the season in which he is eligible.” Kaprizov easily makes that deadline. If folks don’t like it, change the rule. 1188630 Vegas Golden Knights

Pete DeBoer says Golden Knights up to challenge in Minnesota

By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal

Golden Knights coach Pete DeBoer didn’t sound like a guy ready to hire an exorcist Wednesday. But there’s no doubt the Knights have demons to banish as their NHL first-round playoff series shifts to Minnesota for Game 3 on Thursday. The Knights are 2-6-0 all time at Xcel Energy Center and never have won in regulation. They have a shootout win in their second season and an overtime win in the final regular-season meeting with the Wild on May 5. They finished 1-3-0 in Minnesota this season. But DeBoer is undaunted by the challenge. He pointed to the Knights’ past two games in Minnesota — their overtime win and a 6-5 loss in which they gave up two goals in the final 1:32 — as proof they can hang in that building. “We went in there and played two real good games,” DeBoer said. “The way we played the last two times in there, I don’t think there’s any aura to going in there. We’re going to have to play well.” The Knights weren’t overmatched in Minnesota despite their poor record. They lost twice by one goal, and their other loss was a one-goal game until the Wild scored on an empty net with six seconds remaining. They were hardly the only team to struggle at Xcel Energy Center. Minnesota finished 21-5-2 at home, tied with the Knights for the third-best home record in the league. The Knights, who lost Game 1 at T-Mobile Arena before tying the series Tuesday, must win at least one game in Minnesota to advance to the division finals. They will have to do so in front of a crowd that’s expected to be about 4,500, according to the Star Tribune. “You never know why it happens, obviously, but we’ve played very well at home,” Minnesota coach Dean Evason said. “Certainly with our fans, who are absolutely tremendous. … (They) gave us life, gave us jump, excitement.” Injury updates DeBoer said left wing Max Pacioretty, the Knights’ leading goal scorer, is making progress and considered day to day with an undisclosed injury. Pacioretty has missed the past eight games. The 32-year-old had 24 goals and finished second on the team with 51 points. DeBoer didn’t have an update on forward Tomas Nosek, who played three shifts totaling 1:12 Tuesday before leaving with an injury. He scored a career-high 18 points in 38 games. LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.20.2021 Vegas Golden Knights Fleury made 34 saves for his 82nd career playoff victory, the sixth-most 1188631 all time. He has allowed one goal or fewer in four straight games.

Fleury is feeling so confident after his recent stretch of play that he tried Jonathan Marchessault’s clutch goal sparks Golden Knights to fire a puck all the way down the ice and into Minnesota’s empty net at the end of the game. He was thwarted when his shot was knocked out of the air by a Wild player. By Ben Gotz Las Vegas Review-Journal May 19, 2021 - 7:00 am “I like the angle,” Fleury said. “I think the guy got a high stick on it. I wish I could’ve seen where it was going. I don’t think I’ve taken too many of those this season. It’s nice to have a chance at it.” The announced crowd of 8,683 at T-Mobile Arena was stunned silent by 3. Defending Kaprizov Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba’s second period goal Tuesday. The Knights have done a good job shutting down Minnesota’s top After hanging on for so long in Game 2 of their first-round playoff series, forward. the Golden Knights finally cracked. And with the way the game had played out, the Wild’s 1-0 lead seemed as if it had a chance to hold up. Rookie Kirill Kaprizov, who led the team with 27 goals and 51 points, has no points. He has five shots on goal. It didn’t. It didn’t even last a shift. “He’s their best player,” Marchessault said. “He’s everywhere. … He’s Knights left wing Jonathan Marchessault answered Dumba’s tally in 18 been great all year. We’ve got to make his life harder.” seconds to give the Knights their first goal of the series. His top-shelf shot brought the fans back to life and sparked the team to a 3-1 win to LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 05.20.2021 even the series. The play by Marchessault by massive. Maybe even season-saving.

@matt_dumba at 12:07 Jonathan Marchessault (@JMarchessault18) at 12:25#StanleyCup Playoff hockey is just wonderful!

��: https://t.co/Uz9XirzRt9 @NHLonNBCSports ��: https://t.co/zONTdWoh0b @Sportsnet pic.twitter.com/fmojC8MohJ — NHL (@NHL) May 19, 2021 “I just sensed we were a different group after that goal,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “It was great timing by (Marchessault) to get that one right away obviously and put us back in the game. The importance of actually getting a goal can’t be minimized because I thought we were much better after that.” The Knights hadn’t scored a goal in the first 95:45 of the series before Marchessault’s tally. Minnesota goaltender Cam Talbot’s shutout streak was the second-longest in team history. The team was tight, and it showed. At least until Marchessault gave it a lift. The play started when right wing Reilly Smith was given enough room by the Wild to carry the puck over the offensive blue line. He sent a backhand pass to Marchessault, who came in streaking through the neutral zone. Marchessault skated until he almost reached the right faceoff dot before firing a hard, high shot over Talbot’s left shoulder. It was the kind of play the Knights needed to get back on track. It’s no surprise it came from Marchessault, who has been a key cog in the franchise since the beginning. He ranks second in team history with 15 playoff goals. “Those momentum swings are what changes playoff games,” Smith said. “If you can score a goal after the other team does or at the start of a period or the end of a period, it goes a long way. These series, they all just come down to momentum swings, and we did a better job tonight being able to control them.” Here are three more takeaways from the win: 1. Tuch’s two goals Alex Tuch took another opportunity to haunt his former team. The former Wild first-round pick scored two goals, including the decisive one with 2:41 remaining in the second period. Tuch started on the first line with center Chandler Stephenson and right wing Mark Stone and took full advantage. The 25-year-old has the most playoff goals in Knights history with 16. “He’s such a dynamic skater, and when he’s using that size and that speed and getting to those tough areas of the rink, he’s a really hard guy to handle,” DeBoer said. “He’s consistently been doing that, and when he does, he gets rewarded.” 2. Fleury’s performance Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury bounced back from his first loss in nine starts quickly. 1188632 Vegas Golden Knights

NHL Statement on Vegas Golden Knights Positive COVID-19 Tests

By Tom Callahan

NEW YORK (May 19, 2021) – The National Hockey League today released the following statement: “This morning, we became aware of certain test results involving multiple Players on two Clubs (the St. Louis Blues and the Vegas Golden Knights) that had indicated positive results for the COVID-19 virus. Because those reported results emanated from the same laboratory, and due to other peculiarities and similarities as among the test results themselves, an investigation was initiated into the possibility that the initial test results reported may have been in error. All affected Players were immediately isolated and further testing was done involving collected samples. Those tests have returned uniformly negative results, therefore confirming that the initial reported test results were in error. As a result, all affected Players will be eligible to play in their team’s next game.” Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188633 Vegas Golden Knights

Eighteen Seconds That Changed the Series for the Vegas Golden Knights

By Tom Callahan

It took over four periods of hockey to see the first regulation goal between the Minnesota Wild and the Vegas Golden Knights. It only took Jonathan Marchessault 18 seconds for the next one. In the interim, that 18 seconds could seem like a lifetime as it ticked off the scoreboard. Matt Dumba had just scored for the Wild to put his team ahead 1-0 with a shot that seemed to have eyes, eluding the excellence of Marc-Andre Fleury and finding room in the top corner. For a Wild team that had just won Game One in overtime on the road, getting the first regulation goal could be seen as yet another sign of why this iteration is the one to make a deep run for the State of Hockey. It came after a typical workmanlike shift for the Wild, who won board battles and set up the chance for Dumba through a screen. As the Wild goal celebration line skated past the Golden Knights bench, head coach Pete DeBoer looked down at his notes, stonefaced. The crowd was anxious. Fleury upset that he somehow didn’t magically know where a puck he never saw was to keep it out of his net – but also understanding the weight of that first goal. The whole city of Las Vegas was now holding its collective breath. This could have been the time where Vegas got in its own head. It’s human nature to wonder if maybe things really aren’t going your way today, or in the series. When you feel like you’ve done all you can and yet still have no goals to show for it, plus you carry the weight of prior offensive lapses and playoff expectations… things get heavy pretty quickly. Off the next faceoff, Minnesota controlled the puck at center and appeared ready to move back in and set up shop. Except the puck didn’t make it into the Golden Knights zone. It was cut off at the blue line and then Vegas manage to clog things up and force a turnover. Reilly Smith brought the puck in on the right side, chipping it ahead with one hand on the stick to give himself room to collect it and look up. At that moment, Jonathan Marchessault was attacking the zone with speed, moving to his right as Smith found him with a pass. Instead of driving the net, Marchessault let a shot fly at speed, finding the tiniest opening over the left shoulder of Cam Talbot as the Wild goaltender was shuffling to his left to adjust the angle. It was an absolutely perfect shot. Eighteen seconds. As Marchessault celebrated his goal skating behind the net, he only briefly held his arms out. Almost immediately he began shaking his head “yes” emphatically to the crowd. When he turned back to face the cameras in the arms of his teammates, his face was one of confidence. He shouted “let’s go!” as he entered the celebration. Vegas collectively exhaled. This could be the moment where the whole series changed for the #VGK. We will explain.#VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/j4tHR30FfP — Vegas Hockey Now (@VegasHockeyNow) May 20, 2021 Whatever it was hanging over the heads of the Vegas Golden Knights like their own personal Sword of Damocles suddenly evaporated. Jonathan Marchessault had broken the fog. The Golden Knights would go on to win the game without allowing another goal. Alex Tuch would score twice, once on the power play. Now the Golden Knights are even in the series and have a chance to take control tomorrow night. Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 Vegas Golden Knights There’s one major key to Game Three, and that’s weathering the storm 1188634 coming in the first period. Heck, the first five minutes of the first period. Minnesota won’t say it’s desperation time. This is still a good hockey team. But if you lose a second straight game to a Vegas team that you Vegas Golden Knights Must Squash Wild Hopes in Game Three had shaken after Game One, that’s not good at all. The VGK will need a total team defense commitment and Fleury to be his typical brilliant self, but getting to the ten-minute mark tied or even in the lead would be soul- By Tom Callahan crushing for the Wild. Vegas can put the series away in Game Three. Now they just have to execute in the most important first period of the season. Only two games into the best of seven series between the Vegas Golden Knights and Minnesota Wild it’s Vegas holding the hammer. Game Three Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 05.20.2021 is the critical moment for the VGK to use it and squash any Wild hopes in the series. Here’s why. Game One saw Minnesota weather the first-period storm from the VGK and then establish their game, holding the Golden Knights off the board and to the outside with perimeter chances and shot blocks. Once the game entered overtime, it was hand-in-hand with Lady Luck and she turned out to be Wild. 1-0 Minnesota. In Game Two that narrative changed as Vegas opened up more attacking lanes, cutting through the Minnesota defense and generating more high-danger chances. It also helped that Jonathan Marchessault was able to open the scoring off the rush as well, providing a goal for an emotional player who can charge up his team. More importantly, it was an immediate rejoinder after falling behind 1-0 in the game. Scoring just 18 seconds after going down a goal didn’t allow any negative thoughts to enter the VGK heads, and could not have been more perfect. Mentally it might be the most important point of the series. Now the scene shifts to St. Paul and despite leaving home with a split, the Golden Knights are actually in control of their destiny once again. By asserting themselves the way they did in Game Two and not only scoring at five-on-five but piling on with a late power-play goal when Minnesota was most desperate, the Golden Knights have effectively said this is our ice, our net, our puck, and you can come and get it. Don’t discount the importance of that late goal and what led up to it. Minnesota was pushing for the tie. It was desperation time, goaltender pulled. And then, rookie phenom Kirill Kaprizov takes a penalty that really derails the Wild comeback attempt. At that point, Vegas could have gone into a shell and killed the clock. They didn’t. Instead, they showed more of a killer instinct and went after the Wild. Scoring that goal was an emphatic statement. Vegas did not quit when they were ahead. Minnesota will recognize that mindset and know they have to break it in Game Three. If they don’t, the snowball effect could likely roll the series right out the Zamboni doors in favor of the Golden Knights. Here’s another major point in favor of the Golden Knights: two of its streakiest scorers each found the sheet on Tuesday night. Alex Tuch led the Golden Knights in goal-scoring last playoffs and ran hot and cold during the run. If he’s going to have a few games of being “on” it could very well catapult the VGK into the next round. When it comes to Jonathan Marchessault, this is a player who has an incredible amount of offensive talent and was on pace for a 27-goal total if Vegas played a full season. Essentially he contributes a goal every third game but can go on a tear just as easily as we saw when he tallied five goals in five games between April 21 and May 3 of this year. Getting his confidence up is also important because he can take over a series as well. Also, consider that we really haven’t seen Mark Stone break out yet. Last playoffs he was almost a point-per-game player (7-10-17 in 20 GP) but has one assist in the first two games. Missing Max Pacioretty aside, if Stone is able to make more things happen offensively for the Golden Knights then the team will really have it good. Defensively, there was also a sea-change for the Golden Knights. Whether you chalk it up to first-game jitters, or just mental mistakes, Vegas’ defense chased hits, overplayed pucks and made uncharacteristic mistakes. Tuesday the VGK seemed much more settled and adjusted. Even though Kevin Fiala was generating chances Kirill Kaprizov was almost absent except for his momentum-killing penalty late in the game. It looks like the adjustments made between games made a tremendous impact. And then there’s the Marc-Andre Fleury factor. Fleury looks like a kid again. He’s making acrobatic saves, tracking pucks with energy and intuition, and sharing that famous grin with teammates through the bars of his mask. That attitude is contagious. I challenge you to find me a guy who gets as much joy from playing the game and playing it well as he does. This is his team again. You can bet he won’t let it slip from his gloves. Washington Capitals Anderson earned the start in Game 2 with Vanecek still hurt and made 1188635 44 saves in Monday’s 4-3 overtime loss. Anderson was a late scratch for Game 3 because of what the team termed “body maintenance.” Vanecek was still unavailable, opening the door for Samsonov with Pheonix Bruins seize upon Capitals’ gaffe behind the net, win Game 3 in double Copley listed as his backup. Laviolette said he believes Anderson will be overtime available moving forward. “We felt it was in his best interest with where he’s at coming off a couple of games with a lot of work to take a maintenance day,” Laviolette said. Samantha Pell “It was also, Sammy’s been a guy that we have counted on the entire year.” BOSTON — Ilya Samsonov, making his first start since May 1, was the The last time a team started three different goalies in a playoff series and Washington Capitals’ unlikely hero for 85 minutes in Game 3 of their first- won it was a Laviolette-coached Philadelphia team in 2011. round playoff series against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on The Capitals also saw the return of Evgeny Kuznetsov to the lineup after Wednesday night. The 86th minute foiled the young goaltender. he had been placed on the covid-19 list at the same time as Samsonov. A miscommunication with defenseman Justin Schultz behind the Kuznetsov skated on the top line with Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie. Oshie Capitals’ net allowed Boston’s Craig Smith to pick up a loose pick and missed the team’s morning skate Wednesday for undisclosed reasons, beat Samsonov to the post with a wraparound shot, giving Boston a 3-2 but he slotted in with no apparent minute restrictions. win in double overtime and a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. Eller’s absence created ripple effects throughout the lineup. Michael Raffl Game 4 is scheduled for Friday in Boston. was shifted to third-line center, and Daniel Carr was inserted into the lineup over Daniel Sprong. Carr, who played in six games during the “It looked like one of them went for ‘leave it’ and one went for an outlet regular season, got 10:33 of ice time in his NHL postseason debut. pass,” Capitals Coach Peter Laviolette said. “There was just a little bit of a miscommunication. It was a tough break the way the game ended. I “I’m not going to sit here and say that we’re happy,” Capitals forward thought Sammy played a hell of a game for us. It was just tough the way Tom Wilson said. “It’s a playoff game, and we didn’t get the result we it ended.” wanted.” The miscue came at 5:48 of the second extra period, and it was not the Washington Post LOADED: 05.20.2021 first time Samsonov had made such a mistake this season. Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin snapped his stick on the bench after the goal and appeared to give Samsonov an earful as the teams exited the ice. Samsonov finished with 40 saves, including 17 in the first extra period, when Boston peppered him to no avail. “He was huge tonight for us,” Capitals defenseman John Carlson said. “I wouldn’t say anything other than: ‘Keep your head up. There’s a lot more hockey to be played.’ He did a great job for us tonight. If he didn’t stand on his head, we probably wouldn’t have gotten to that point. I think he should know that, but that’s definitely something we’ll talk about.” The Capitals held a 2-1 lead entering the third period, but Brad Marchand knotted the score with a power-play goal with 8:28 left in regulation. It stayed that way for nearly 35 minutes of hockey before 4,565 at TD Garden found a reason to celebrate in the second overtime. All three games of the series have gone to overtime, and neither team has held a two-goal lead at any point. Samsonov was thrust into action for the first time in nearly three weeks after he landed on the NHL’s covid-19 protocol list May 4. He missed the team’s May 3 game against the New York Rangers because of disciplinary reasons. “We’ve been working to get Sammy back and watching him closely to see how he’s been doing,” Laviolette said. “Why did I put him back? Because he’s been our goaltender all year. Him and Vitek [Vanecek] were the two guys that got us here.” Ovechkin opened the scoring with a power-play goal 8:21 into the second period. His first tally of the postseason came off a nice feed by Anthony Mantha from behind the net. Less than a minute later, though, Taylor Hall roofed a nifty shot over Samsonov to tie the score at 1. Nic Dowd gave the Capitals a 2-1 lead at 18:15 with his redirection of Garnet Hathaway’s shot. Dowd left the game for a few minutes earlier in the period after he blocked David Pastrnak’s blast with his right knee. The fourth-liner, who played a bigger role Wednesday with the absence of Lars Eller because of a lower-body injury, has two goals in the series. In the third period, Dowd took a crucial high-sticking penalty with nine minutes remaining. Boston, scoreless on its four previous power plays, made this one count when Marchand knocked the puck out of the air during a scrum in front for a crucial equalizer. Samsonov was the Capitals’ third starting goaltender in their first three games of the series. Washington is only the second team in NHL history to start three different goalies in its first three playoff games, joining the 1986 Winnipeg Jets. Vanecek started Game 1, but he suffered a lower-body injury and exited in the first period. Veteran Craig Anderson, a 39-year-old who made only four appearances in the regular season, came on in relief of Vanecek and made 21 saves in the series-opening win. Washington Capitals Taylor Hall beat Samsonov just 56 seconds after that opener, though, 1188636 flicking the puck over Samsonov from close range. But Washington took back a one-goal lead with another strong contribution from the fourth line. Critical mishap leads to Bruins' win over Capitals in two overtimes Garnet Hathaway picked up a loose-puck turnover in the Bruins’ defensive zone and fired a pass across to Nic Dowd, who tipped the puck past Rask. By Andy Kostka The Washington Times - Wednesday, May 19, 2021 The Capitals have received a boost from unlikely scorers early in the first round. Hathaway and Dowd had combined for 17 goals in the 56 regular- season games they played, but they’ve scored four of Washington’s first For so much of Ilya Samsonov’s night, the 24-year-old goaltender had eight goals in the playoffs. been stellar. Midway through the third period, though, an ill-advised high-sticking But a critical miscommunication with defenseman Justin Schultz in the penalty from Dowd proved costly. Brad Marchand leveled the game at second overtime period Wednesday proved fatal for the Washington two, batting the puck out of the air and into the net, finally breaking Capitals, nullifying all the preceding good. Samsonov gathered a loose through on Boston’s fifth power-play attempt. puck behind his net, and he waited for Schultz to retrieve it. But Boston And while the Capitals dominated the share of chances after Marchand’s Bruins center Craig Smith crashed hard and beat Schultz to the puck. equalizer — including a shot each from Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Then Smith whirled around the net, even as Samsonov rushed back into Wilson deflecting off the pipe — the third period ended all square for the position. Samsonov had made 40 saves to that point, but he couldn’t third straight game of the series. make No. 41. Smith flung the puck into the net to send his Boston “I think in the third period we had the momentum. I mean, we were taking teammates off the bench into an overtime celebration for the second it to them,” Wilson said. “We liked our style of hockey. Into the overtime, game. it wasn’t our best, but there’s ebbs and flows in the game. You’ve got to Smith’s goal, taking advantage of the misplay between Samsonov and try to control the moments as best you can.” Schultz, secured the Bruins a 3-2 double-overtime victory and gave Then miscommunication struck, leaving Samsonov and his teammates to Boston a 2-1 series advantage. skate off the ice at TD Garden with another bitter pill to swallow. Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said he hadn’t had a chance to discuss Shortly after the Capitals’ overtime loss in Game 2, Laviolette said his the miscommunication with either of the players yet. But to him, there’s a team would be in Boston “with a response.” He didn’t specify what that dialogue that flows between both players — a dialogue that didn’t appear response would look like at the time, but Wednesday’s performance from to happen. Washington checked most of the boxes for Laviolette. “It looked like one of them went for ‘leave it’ and one went for an outlet The Capitals improved at the faceoff dot, winning 52.3% of draws after pass,” Laviolette said. “There was just a little bit of a miscommunication. losing 61% of them in the first two games. They cut down on the number It was a tough break the way the game ended. I thought Sammy played a of shots the Bruins had in regulation, and the physicality that defined the hell of a game for us. It was just tough the way it ended.” first two games continued in Game 3. Samsonov hadn’t seen a shot in a game since May 1. And he had never But even with those improvements from Game 2, the Capitals were seen a shot in a playoff game — with all the added tension those doomed by one moment. That’s sometimes all it takes in a series this matchups bring. But Samsonov returned to the ice for the first time in tight. nearly three weeks and gave the Capitals a chance. Washington Times LOADED: 05.20.2021 He recorded 17 saves in the first overtime, part of his 40 overall with a .930 save percentage. Throughout the game, Samsonov was there with big-time stop after big-time stop, including two in quick succession on a 5-on-3 power play in the first period. But one mistake downed the Capitals in overtime after they had surrendered another third-period lead, changing the complexion of the series mightily. Boston and Washington meet again Friday in Game 4. “Composure and will are the biggest things after wins and losses,” Capitals defenseman John Carlson said. “I think we’ve got to be hungrier and we all know that. It’s going to be our best effort next game.” Washington became the second team to start three different goaltenders in its first three playoff games, but the rotation hasn’t been by design. The Capitals have weathered a slew of absences to end the regular season and to begin the playoffs. Samsonov landed on the coronavirus protocol list at the beginning of the month, and Vitek Vanecek suffered a lower-body injury early in Game 1 of the series. That propelled Craig Anderson into the net to close out the first game and start Game 2, in which he recorded 44 saves in the 4-3 overtime defeat. But Samsonov returned Wednesday, making his playoff debut after being off the ice for two weeks. “Why did I put him back? Because he’s been our goaltender all year,” Laviolette said. “He and Vitek were the two guys who got us here.” Samsonov didn’t show any of the rust that might’ve been expected until late. Evgeny Kuznetsov also returned after a stint on the coronavirus protocol list, helping to alleviate some of Washington’s depth issues at center. The Capitals finished the second game of the series with two true centers on the ice because Lars Eller left injured. Eller missed Wednesday’s game with that lower-body injury, but Michael Raffl filled in at center, allowing T.J. Oshie to move back to the wing. After a scoreless first period, the Capitals got on the board first through Alex Ovechkin, who fired a one-timer past Tuukka Rask in the Bruins’ goal on a power play to tie Steve Yzerman for 17th all-time in career playoff goals with 70. 1188637 Washington Capitals

Capitals have 'lineup decisions' to make ahead of Game 3 against Bruins

By Andy Kostka - The Washington Times - Wednesday, May 19, 2021

Ahead of Game 3 on Wednesday night, the only constant for the Washington Capitals has been how inconstant the lineup has become. Coach Peter Laviolette didn’t have answers after Wednesday’s morning skate for how his team would look that night against the Boston Bruins — or, at least, he chose not to share them if he did. Instead, he said the team has “lineup decisions to work through.” Those lineup decisions will carry weight at goaltender and center — the two thinnest positional groups entering the postseason, and two positional groups that have taken further knocks over the course of two playoff games. Laviolette said center Evgeny Kuznetsov and goalie Ilya Samsonov are both clear of the NHL’s coronavirus protocols and participated in Wednesday’s morning skate. They were removed from the protocol list this weekend, but they haven’t played a game since May 1. Laviolette said the main consideration for Samsonov and Kuznetsov are their fitness after being away from the ice for two weeks. Elsewhere, center Lars Eller — who left Game 2 with a lower-body injury — participated in morning skate. But T.J. Oshie, who has temporarily moved from winger to center, wasn’t on the ice. Laviolette remained mum on both their statuses, as well, although he confirmed that Oshie traveled with the team to Boston. Craig Anderson finished Game 1 for the Capitals after goaltender Vitek Vanecek departed with a lower-body injury in the first period, and he produced 44 saves Monday night in the 4-3 overtime loss. He could be in net once more, particularly as Vanecek didn’t participate in morning skate and Samsonov will likely need time to get back in the swing of things. Seeing Eller, Kunzetsov and Samsonov on the ice, though, was a promising sign for a team that has dealt with numerous injuries over the season. “It’s always good to see when everyone is skating,” center Nicklas Backstrom said. “That’s definitely a positive, for sure. So I mean, playoff times, you do everything together. It’s about sticking together. So obviously something positive.” Washington navigated lengthy stretches this year without several key players, such as Alex Ovechkin, Tom Wilson and Kuznetsov. They still finished second in the East Division behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, booking the first-round matchup with the Bruins. Laviolette credits the veteran presences on the team and their versatility as the reasons the Capitals have overcome key absences. But it’s “probably a two-sided coin,” Laviolette admitted. “I would rather not have to do that and find some stability and just more continuity with our lineup day-to-day, but that hasn’t been the life that we’ve lived, that hasn’t been a luxury that we’ve had. Our guys have moved around, played different positions, played different wings, played center. Moved lines, asked to do different things inside of different roles. And they’ve responded.” With more uncertainty ahead of Washington in Game 3, it remains to be seen if the Capitals can respond again, particularly after an overtime loss. The center depth remains thin, although Connor McMichael — the team’s top prospect who was called up Tuesday — could provide some much- needed assistance in that role. Laviolette, of course, referenced the “lineup decisions” that must be made ahead of the game, leaving McMichael’s involvement unclear. Washington Times LOADED: 05.20.2021 Washington Capitals “I think we did some good things tonight,” Wilson said. “Obviously it was 1188638 a battle. It's never easy to lose one in overtime when you're out there battling, but review it, turn the page — next game's huge.” Capitals lose steam in overtime periods and fall 3-2 to Bruins Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.20.2021

BY ANDREW GILLIS

With the Capitals pushing the pace late in the third period, they heard the cruelest sound they could have — twice. Ping. In a third period dominated by the Capitals, they came just inches away from taking a one-goal lead as both Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson rang the iron with the score tied. Should either one of them have scored, the Capitals would almost certainly be prepping for Game 4 with a 2-1 series lead and the wind at their backs. Instead, they’ll be fighting against a massive hole with tired legs. The Bruins controlled the pace for nearly the entirety of the first overtime period and capitalized on a miscommunication between goalie Ilya Samsonov and defenseman Justin Schultz in the second overtime, as the Capitals lost 3-2 in a game they were mere inches away from winning in regulation. “I thought the second and third periods were really strong periods for us, especially the third period, the entire period,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “There were a lot of opportunities there; I think we hit the post two or three times in the period and had lots of looks and couldn't get it to drop. In the overtime I thought we got away from that skating game a little bit. You got to skate, you got to move out there.” After a first period loaded with penalties (and just 8:43 of five-on-five play), the Capitals settled down and controlled the game on both ends of the ice for the final 40 minutes. They allowed just nine shots (all in the second period) at five-on-five as they put continuous pressure on the Bruins at even strength. An Alex Ovechkin powerplay goal and Nic Dowd deflection late in the second period gave the Capitals a lead entering the third period, one that they’d end up controlling. But a crucial penalty call on Nic Dowd gave the Bruins the equalizer in a period where they were certainly out-done by the Capitals. And despite Washington’s best effort, it wasn’t good enough to regain the lead before regulation expired. “I think in the third period we had the momentum,” Wilson said. “I mean, we were taking it to them. We liked our style of hockey. Into the overtime, it wasn't our best, but there's ebbs and flows in the game. You've got to try to control the moments as best you can. It wasn't a bad game, but we're not going to sit here and say that we're happy after an overtime loss.” In a sense, that’s perhaps the toughest loss imaginable to rebound from in the playoffs. The Capitals certainly weren’t hanging on for dear life in regulation when they had ample opportunity to put the game away. There aren’t many glaring issues to fix from regulation and the end of game sequence was a mistake between goalie and defenseman. If there were areas of improvement to focus on, it's that once the game hit extra time, the Bruins turned on the jets and the Capitals were on their heels. In 25:48 of overtime, the Capitals were out-attempted 30-17 and outshot 19-8 as they lost the high-danger chances battle 6-1 in the extra frames. If it weren’t for Samsonov, the Capitals certainly wouldn’t have reached double overtime and Samsonov and Schultz's ultimate mistake. “He was huge tonight for us,” defenseman John Carlson said of the team's netminder. “I wouldn't say anything other than keep your head up, there's a lot more hockey to be played. He did a great job for us tonight. If he didn't stand on his head, we probably wouldn't have gotten to that point. I think he should know that, but that's definitely something we'll talk about.” The Capitals are now staring down the barrel of a 3-1 series hole should they drop another road game Friday, which would put the Capitals in a position not many teams in NHL history have been able to climb out of. It’s difficult in that regard, as even though they played a strong 60 minute game, they needed to play that way a bit longer than that. Because once overtime began, the wheels just came off the wagon. Washington Capitals "He was huge tonight for us," Carlson said. "I wouldn't say anything other 1188639 than keep your head up, there's a lot more hockey to be played."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.20.2021 Did Samsonov do enough in Game 3 to earn Caps starting job?

BY J.J. REGAN

For about 85 minutes on Wednesday, it looked as if the Capitals finally had some much-needed clarity in net. The team's goalie carousel took another turn prior to Game 3 as it was learned that Ilya Samsonov would be starting and not Craig Anderson. Samsonov was fantastic in his playoff debut up until the final play where a costly mistake cost the Caps the game. The question now is what to expect from Samsonov going forward? The news that Samsonov would get the start was fairly shocking considering he had not played a game since May 1 and Craig Anderson had played well against the Boston Bruins in relief of Vitek Vanecek. It is even more of a surprise considering the team labeled Anderson out for "maintenance" rather than an injury. "It was a maintenance day because we felt it was in his best interest with where he's at coming off a couple of games with a lot of work to take a maintenance day," head coach Peter Laviolette said. But despite Samsonov playing for the first time in 18 days, despite just coming off the COVID list a few days prior, despite him never having played in the Stanley Cup playoffs before, Laviolette came into Game 3 with a lot of confidence in his young netminder. "Why did I put him back? Because he's been our goaltender all year," Laviolette said. "Him and Vitek were the two guys that got us here." For most of the game, that confidence was well placed. Samsonov was brilliant in his postseason debut with 40 saves on 43 shots. He stopped 10 in the first period when he was tested early, he stood tall on a 55-second two-man advantage and, when the Caps lost their legs in overtime, Samsonov stood on his head to keep them in the game. Washington was outshot 19-8 in the two overtime periods as Boston clearly tilted the ice in their favor. Without a sterling performance by Samsonov, this game could have ended much earlier. "He did a great job for us tonight," John Carlson said. "If he didn't stand on his head, we probably wouldn't have gotten to that point." "Sammy played an amazing game, stepping into a tough situation," Tom Wilson said. "He was one of our best players tonight. We were happy with that and it sucks that we didn't get the win." In double overtime, Boston dumped the puck into the Caps' defensive zone. Samsonov went behind the net to retrieve it and left it there for Justin Schultz. As Samsonov skated back to his crease, Schultz seemed to turn slightly to his right, seemingly anticipating Samsonov to send the puck along the boards. That allowed Bruins forward Craig Smith to get inside of him. He beat Schultz to the puck, grabbed it and wrapped it around for the game-winning goal before either Schultz or Samsonov could recover. "It looked like one of them went for 'leave it' and one went for an outlet pass," Laviolette said. "There was just a little bit of a miscommunication." However it happened, the end was an unfortunate blight on an otherwise fantastic playoff debut for Samsonov leaving us all to wonder what exactly the takeaway should be. Was this just one gaffe in an otherwise dominant game by a netminder the team can now rely on as its starter going forward or does the miscommunication at the end taint the entire performance? The answer to that question is an important one because it will likely determine the route the Caps go in net for Game 4 in terms of giving Samsonov another start or going back to Anderson, who Laviolette said would be available. “It’s a tough ending, but I thought Sammy coming in off the 14 or 15 days that he had off, I thought he came in and had a heck of a game," Laviolette said. Considering that Samsonov has been one of the team's top two goalies this season and just how well he played for the majority of the game, that should be enough to warrant another start assuming, however, that the loss does not go to his head. 1188640 Washington Capitals

Caps slip in double overtime to drop Game 3 to Bruins

BY J.J. REGAN

Brad Marchand scored the game-tying third-period goal and Craig Smith won it in the second overtime period as the Boston Bruins downed the Capitals 3-2 in overtime to take a 2-1 series lead. Now three games in, all three games of the series have gone to overtime. Game 4 will take place on Friday in Boston. Here is how the loss happened. Taylor Hall's slick hands Despite playing in his first game since May 1 and making his Stanley Cup playoff debut, Ilya Samsonov was fantastic in net for Washington. He stopped all 10 shots he faced in the first period and was not beaten until the second...and it took an incredible play just to do it. A defensive zone turnover left the Caps scrambling in their own end and Boston took advantage. Taylor Hall found himself alone in front of the net and Craig Smith pulled off a nice backhand pass to set him up. From there, Hall showed off the skills as he spun himself to go from backhand to forehand, then somehow managed to tuck the puck into the top shelf over a sprawling Samsonov. A late power play Washington held a 2-1 lead in the third period, but handed Boston an opportunity to tie it with a high-sticking penalty with just nine minutes remaining in regulation. Nic Dowd was called for the infraction but, to that point, the penalty kill had stood tall going a perfect 4-for-4 on the night. That ended as Brad Marchand, standing on the back door, was able to whack a puck out of the air and into the back of the net to tie the game at 2 and force overtime. A miscommunication Samsonov was so good in this game, it stinks that it had to end the way that it did, but a miscommunication between him and Justin Schultz cost Washington the game. In double overtime, Samsonov went behind the net to slow the puck and he left it there for Schultz. Instead of Schultz, however, Smith zipped in, picked up the puck and stuffed it before either Schultz or Samsonov could recover. Samsonov made 18 saves in the overtimes as the Caps were reeling, but it's a sour end to a great playoff debut for the young netminder. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188641 Washington Capitals

Unhappy Alex Ovechkin snaps stick after 2OT loss to Bruins

BY RYAN HOMLER

As Craig Smith took advantage of a miscommunication by the Capitals to find the back of the net and give the Bruins a double-overtime win over Washington, a wave of anger most likely jolted through anyone who had a rooting interest in the Capitals. However, no one may have been angrier than Alex Ovechkin. Shortly after the goal was scored the broadcast panned to Ovi, and his reaction essentially embodied how non-Boston supporters were feeling. Angry Ovechkin after Caps lose Game 3 in OT pic.twitter.com/S8yD92kTZm— Brady Trettenero (@BradyTrett) May 20, 2021 A slam of his stick followed by some words that probably can't be repeated pretty much sums up how the ending of Game 3 went for the Capitals, who now trail 2-1 in the series. Though Ovechkin scored a goal earlier in the contest, all that matters in the playoffs is a win. Come Friday he'll hope that the night doesn't end with him slamming his stick -- unless of course, it comes in celebration. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188642 Washington Capitals

Samsonov to start Game 3 with Anderson out for maintenance

BY J.J. REGAN

Ilya Samsonov will start for the Capitals in Game 3 on Wednesday against the Boston Bruins. It will be his first-ever appearance in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Craig Anderson will miss the game due to body maintenance and Pheonix Copley will serve as the backup. Samsonov has not played since May 1. He was suspended one game for being late for a team function and was then added to the NHL's COVID- 19 list. This is the second time this season Samsonov has been on the COVID list. When he returned last time, he managed a .905 save and .973 save percentage in his first two starts back. When Vanecek was injured in Game 1, Anderson stepped in and made 21 saves in the win. He followed that up with 44 saves in a Game 2 overtime loss. With Samsonov in, he will now be the third starting goalie for the Caps in three playoff games. Samsonov entered the season expected to be the No. 1. He struggled to find consistency and lock down the starting job. Just who the starter would be heading into the playoffs was still up for grabs when Samsonov was placed on the COVID list. For the season, Samsonov has a .902 save percentage and 2.69 GAA with a 13-4-1 record. Evgeny Kuznetsov will also return to the lineup on Wednesday. Lars Eller is out with a lower-body injury. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.20.2021 Washington Capitals Anderson's success didn't come easy, however, and he was tested very 1188643 early in his career.

"The one thing about Andy that people don't know a lot of is, early on in The story behind surprise playoff hero Craig Anderson his career, if you go back and look at his statistics, I think he lost or didn't get a win in his first 13 NHL starts, he was placed on waivers I think twice, he knew he had to change," Wallace said. "There had to be some kind of reckoning with him. His attitude was off, he needed an attitude BY J.J. REGAN change. He got the adjustment and then he had to figure out if he was still ready or able to play in the NHL." As the playoffs approached, the question of who would start in net Anderson bounced around from Chicago to Florida to Colorado, but his loomed over the Capitals more than any other. The discussion centered career did not take off until he reached Ottawa, where he landed after a around young goalies Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek. trade from Colorado in Feb. 2011. Rarely was Craig Anderson's name ever mentioned. "In Ottawa they didn't know what they were going to get with Craig Anderson," Wallace said. "When he came in, he became the greatest Anderson, who turns 40 on Friday, came to Washington on a goaltender that Ottawa's ever had and in 10 years, he solidified that professional tryout agreement only after the news that Henrik Lundqvist's position." heart condition would force him to miss the season. He served most of the season on the Caps' taxi squad. Now a player who looked like he Anderson's successful tenure with the Senators culminated with a deep may go through the offseason unsigned and who spent most of the playoff run in 2017 that saw Ottawa force the eventual Cup champion season in the shadows behind the team's two young netminders has Pittsburgh Penguins to overtime in Game 7, falling just one single goal suddenly been thrust into the forefront as he looks to become a playoff short of the final. savior for Washington. In that postseason, Anderson registered a .922 save percentage and Vanecek was injured less than 14 minutes into Game 1 and, with 2.34 GAA. Samsonov unavailable, it was Anderson who had to answer the bell. He "When he was in Ottawa, he was the guy," Wallace said. "You never did just that, stepping into a playoff game after playing in just four games doubted how the playoff performance was going to go. Did he have bad all season and made 21 saves in the win. In Game 2, he made 44 saves games? Absolutely, but not that many. He's got great numbers in the in an overtime loss and now looks poised to start Game 3. playoffs and he's proven it time and time again that he can win." “Well, you could say I’m well rested from not playing so much," Anderson Anderson proved he could win in the toughest moments and that was said after Game 1. "I think it’s one of those things coming into the year, I especially true in 2016 when he faced the toughest challenge of his knew the situation, I knew the role that I was asked to do. I think career and one that came off the ice. opportunity knocks, you make the most of your opportunity. I’ve been here before, so I can share my experiences with Vitek and Sammy and to In October 2016, Anderson's wife, Nicholle, was diagnosed with now get the opportunity to live what I’ve been telling them, it’s a great nasopharyngeal carcinoma, a rare form of throat cancer. He left the team feeling to kind of be involved and be a part of it." on Oct. 27 to be with his wife, but returned soon after at her urging. For those who know Anderson, however, the way he has played when "Nicole gets diagnosed, she's in Philadelphia, the game before the called upon is no surprise at all. backup goalie gets hurt and Nicholle goes you go, you've got to play this game, they need you," Wallace said. "He's the ultimate competitor so not surprised to see him in goal," Brent Wallace told NBC Sports Washington in an interview that will air on Caps Playing in Edmonton on Oct. 30 against Connor McDavid and Leon Pregame Live on Wednesday (coverage starts at 5:30 on NBC Sports Draisaitl, Anderson made 37 saves in a shutout performance. Washington). Wallace covered the Ottawa Senators as a broadcaster for TSN and is now the co-host of The Wally and Methot Show podcast. "He came into the room after and we were already in the room and Andy comes trailing in afterward and he broke down and was crying a little bit, "One thing I noticed right away when he came in, you see a lot of jitters very emotional," Methot said. "I still remember that feeling in the room, sometimes when goalies get replaced and all of a sudden the backup is that satisfaction for him that he was able to have a successful game and now in net. I could see Washington actually calmed a little bit because play as well as he did despite all the news that was going down on his they knew here's a guy that's played in 45 playoff games at the time, he's personal side. That was special. I can only imagine what that would have got great numbers, he's an old veteran, he's been there before, he been like for him to play under those circumstances with all the stress doesn't get rattled. You could see the team just kind of rally behind him with Nicole and cancer. It had to have been incredibly overwhelming for and around him and you knew that there was going to be an easing, if him, but, speaking to Andy's true nature, he got through it, he played you will, of him being in goal." incredible for us." That easing feeling, however, does not come because Anderson's Nicholle announced in May 2017 that she is cancer-free. teammates know his Hockey Reference page. That comes from the player himself and his personality. After a career of always being able to step up when the pressure is at its greatest, whether it be in the playoffs or because of family matters off the Anderson, it would seem, is a bit of a character. ice, that has made it easy for the Caps to now place their trust in him. "He loves to drive racecars," Wallace said. "He's a huge racecar "Andy's answered the bell really his whole career, but he's answered it officiando. All of his masks always have Corvettes painted onto the side for us when we needed him," Laviolette said. "He truly epitomizes the of his mask." concept of working hard every day so that when you get your opportunity you're ready and that's exactly what he did. He's had a great work ethic He also, according to former teammate Marc Methot, builds computers. and a great demeanor the entire year in the role that we had him in and "He's a very, very smart guy," Methot said. "He builds his own simulator, when called upon he's played really well for us." he's got this insane simulator in his basement and it's like a VR racetrack Hockey does not always provide the fairytale ending that every story or thing that he has with like three or four monitors and he's all about it. It's person deserves and there is no telling just how long this story will last. crazy." At nearly 40 years old, we don't know how long Anderson will be To break up the monotony of practicing on the taxi squad, Anderson expected to man the crease for Washington and the odds are against would pretend he was a different goalie and trying to play using that him lasting as the starter for a deep run. He may be just one bad game goalie's style through an entire practice. away from being relegated back down the depth chart. "We play a little cat and mouse where you maybe [use] a little different But, regardless of how long he remains the starter, he has already made styles just to mix it up that day," Anderson said. "Some days, I like to play a memorable mark on Washington. It is better for having his leadership full butterfly and pretend that I’m another guy in the league and other on the taxi squad, better for having a mentor for its younger netminders days I’ll play stand-up like it’s Grant Fuhr back in the day. So you just try and better for having a third goalie who can still be relied upon to step in to make light of it and keep it fun.” at a critical moment and lead the Caps to a playoff victory. While his methods may draw questions, Anderson has the resume to "This is a guy that played four games in 14 months or whatever it is," back it up. Wallace said. "He'll get fine, he'll get better, he'll get back in the net and I think he should be good for the rest of the series. I think he may end up Anderson ranks sixth all-time among American-born goalies in wins with being the catalyst if Washington gets by Boston." 291. His NHL career has spanned 18 years and 652 games. Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 05.20.2021 Washington Capitals “He was huge tonight for us,” defenseman John Carlson said. “I wouldn’t 1188644 say anything other than, keep your head up. There’s a lot more hockey to be played. He did a great job for us tonight. If he didn’t stand on his head, we probably wouldn’t have gotten to that point.” Capitals lose on miscommunication, leaving Bruins a gift behind net in 2nd OT 2. As for the decision to give Samsonov the nod, Laviolette indicated that the training and coaching staffs had been monitoring him since he returned over the weekend from a nearly two-week stay on the COVID- 19 absences list and felt he was ready to make his first start since May 1. By Tarik El-Bashir May 20, 2021 The start was also Samsonov’s first in the postseason. “We’ve been working to get Sammy back and watching him closely to Ilya Samsonov was the Capitals’ best player all night. see how he’s been doing,” Laviolette explained. “Why did I put him back? Because he’s been our goaltender all year. Him and Vitek (Vanecek) It was also a miscommunication that he had with Justin Schultz in double were the two guys that got us here.” overtime that cost his team the game. 3. Samsonov was backed up by Pheonix Copley while Craig Anderson Samsonov left the puck behind the net for Schultz. The veteran took a “maintenance day.” Anderson, who turns 40 on Friday, faced a defenseman thought the young goalie was going to pass it. As it turned whopping 48 shots in Monday’s Game 2 loss in overtime. out, Boston’s Craig Smith was the only one of the three that made a play on the puck. “It was a maintenance day because we felt it was in his best interest with where he’s at coming off a couple of games with a lot of work,” Laviolette “It looked like one of them went for ‘leave it’ and one went for an outlet said. “It was also (that) Sammy’s been a guy we have counted on the pass,” Washington coach Peter Laviolette said. “There was just a little bit entire year.” of a miscommunication. It was a tough break the way the game ended. I thought Sammy played a hell of a game for us.” Laviolette said Anderson will be available for Game 4. In fact, every goalie on the roster is available to suit up, except for Vanecek, who left Asked if it’s on the goalie or the defenseman to make that call, Laviolette Game 1 with a lower-body injury and has not been on the ice since. said: “It’s a communication that goes on between both of them. There’s commands out there.” 4. Speaking of injury and illness, with Samsonov and Evgeny Kuznetsov back in the lineup Wednesday, the only regular not playing was Lars Whatever was supposed to happen obviously didn’t, and the Bruins Eller, who is sidelined with a lower-body injury he suffered Monday. The earned a 3-2 win and now own a two-games-to-one lead in the first-round third-line center did, however, participate in the morning skate, which series, which has seen each of the first three games decided in extra would seem to be a positive sign. time. Game 4 is Friday at TD Garden. 5. One of the more inexplicable momentum shifts in the series occurred Ten notes, quotes and observations from a wild Game 3 between the third period and the first overtime session. The Caps won the territorial battle in the third, outshooting the Bruins 9-3, twice firing the 1. Prior to the costly miscue, Samsonov was arguably the best player on puck off the iron (Nicklas Backstrom and Tom Wilson took the shots). the ice for either team. Check out the numbers below, the slot shots on net in particular. In the first overtime, though, Boston finished with a 17-5 edge in shots on goal. Samsonov’s scintillating play was the primary reason the game got Capitals-Bruins statistics to a second overtime. Goals “I thought the second and third periods were really strong periods for us, 2 especially the third period — the entire period,” Laviolette said. “There were a lot of opportunities there; I think we hit the post two or three times 3 in the period and had lots of looks and couldn’t get it to drop. In the overtime, I thought we got away from that skating game a little bit. You Shots got to skate, you got to move out there.” 37 6. Kuznetsov did not record a point in his return from a nearly two-week stint on the COVID-19 absences list but he logged 26 minutes, 41 43 seconds of ice time — the second-highest total among forwards behind OZ Possession Time Alex Ovechkin’s 27:54, signaling he’s at or very close to 100 percent. 8:32 Kuznetsov finished with a shot, a hit and two giveaways, and he won nine of his 20 faceoffs. 9:29 7. Ovechkin scored his 70th career playoff goal on the power play to put Slot Shots On Net the Caps ahead 1-0 in the second period. Add that total to his 730 regular season tallies, and he’s the sixth player in NHL history to reach a 10 combined 800 goals, per the league. Wayne Gretzky (1,016), Gordie 26 Howe (869), (844), Jaromir Jagr (844) and Mark Messier (803) are the others. Scoring Chances Off-the-Rush After a dominant Game 1 and a quieter Game 2, Ovechkin was around 3 the action all night in Game 3, leading the Caps in shot attempts with nine (four were on net, two got blocked and three went wide). 9 Offensive zone possession time Controlled Entries 8:32 50 9:29 73 1. Anthony Mantha :53 Controlled Exits 1. Brad Marchand 1:19 92 2. Nicklas Backstrom :46 113 2. David Pastrnak 1:04 Completed Stretch Passes For 3. Alex Ovechkin :39 9 David Krejci :54 14 8. Game 1 hero Nic Dowd also had a high-event night. Samsonov’s role in keeping the Caps close, especially in the opening minutes, was not lost on his teammates. The checking line center put the Caps ahead 2-1 late in the second period, notching his second goal in three games. He entered the postseason with one playoff goal in 15 previous contests. Dowd, however, was also in the box for high-sticking Charlie McAvoy on the backcheck when Brad Marchand scored in the third period to knot the score. Dowd is one of the Caps’ most important penalty killers so when he’s in the box, it’s a double-whammy for Washington. 9. With Kuznetsov back in the lineup and T.J. Oshie back on the wing, the Caps won more faceoffs than they lost for the first time in the series, taking 52 percent of the draws. Dowd led the way for Washington, winning 14 of his 23 draws. 10. With each of the first three games of this series going to overtime, the Caps and Bruins have now gone past regulation eight times in their past 12 postseason meetings. The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 Washington Capitals Goalie Vitek Vanecek and center Lars Eller are sidelined with lower-body 1188645 injuries, while center Evgeny Kuznetsov and goalie Ilya Samsonov are not yet cleared to return from the COVID-19 list. If both Eller and Kuznetsov are unable to suit up for Game 3, Laviolette will have a With Capitals injuries adding up, who are the Black Aces and who’s most decision to make. Philippe Maillet? Garrett Pilon? Connor McMichael? likely to play? The Caps intend to travel with 25 or 26 players for away games, which means not all of the Black Aces will be available for all road games. But Laviolette indicated that he’s comfortable turning to any of them in a By Tarik El-Bashir May 19, 2021 pinch. After all, that’s why they were chosen. “They’re players that have played well and we feel can help us if we need Top prospect Connor McMichael was recalled Tuesday along with Brett depth,” Laviolette said. “Through conversations with the Hershey Leason, Alex Alexeyev and Paul LaDue. coaches and the management side of things in Washington, these are the players that we want up here and we feel, if needed, if pushed, we Those four promptly made the 130-mile drive from Hershey, Pa., to might have to insert into the lineup.” Arlington, Va., where they joined six other extras who already were in town to complete this spring’s edition of the Black Aces — a handpicked Here’s a closer look at the Black Aces, where they’d fit and their chances mix of prospects and minor leaguers who’ll practice with the Caps for as of getting the call: long as the team remains in the playoffs, just in case they’re needed due Alex Alexeyev, D to injury or illness. (The NHL’s 23-man roster limit ends at the trade deadline and there’s no salary cap in the postseason.) The 2018 first-round pick spent most of this season playing for of the KHL before being recalled by the Caps in April to join Here’s the list: the Bears. Washington’s No. 3 prospect in colleague Scott Wheeler’s Washington's 2021 black aces most recent organizational ranking, Alexeyev enjoyed a breakout season in Russia’s pro league. Upon returning to Hershey, the 6-foot-4, 210- LD pounder got into 12 games and finished with two goals and nine points. Alex Alexeyev As well as he’s played this season, however, Alexeyev is probably in Washington more for the experience than an actual chance of making his 0 NHL debut in a playoff game. The left side of the Caps’ blue line boasts durable veterans Dmitri Orlov, Brenden Dillon and Zdeno Chara. Even if LW the need did arise, Martin Fehervary, who has six games of NHL Daniel Carr experience, would figure to get the nod first. 117 Daniel Carr, LW G The 29-year-old has spent the season as a spare or on Washington’s taxi squad. He did, however, appear in six games, racking up an assist. It’s Pheonix Copley exactly the role Washington envisioned for Carr when he was signed last summer. A veteran of 117 games with the Canadiens, Golden Knights, 29 Predators and Caps, he knows how to keep himself ready to jump into LD the lineup at a moment’s notice. Martin Fehervary When everyone is healthy, he’s probably the 14th forward on the depth chart. Depending on what position/role is needed, there’s definitely a 6 chance Carr will get an opportunity, especially if the Caps’ run is a long one. He’s an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. G Pheonix Copley, G Zach Fucale Copley has, in fact, already received his first callup to the NHL roster this 0 postseason. With Vanecek sidelined by a lower-body injury and RD Samsonov not quite ready to return after a second lengthy stay on the COVID-19 protocol list, the 29-year-old served as Craig Anderson’s Paul LaDue backup in Game 2. 69 When all of the organization’s goalies are healthy, Copley, who backed Braden Holtby full-time in 2018-19, is No. 4 on the depth chart behind RW Vanecek, Samsonov and Anderson, despite earning more than all of Brett Leason them ($1.1 million). Until Vanecek is healthy and/or Samsonov is ready to return, though, Copley is just one injury away from getting the net. 0 Martin Fehervary, D C Although he was drafted 15 spots behind Alexeyev three years ago, Philippe Maillet Fehervary is a little further along in his development as a pro and would probably get the call first. Lately, he has been skating in practice 2 alongside veteran Trevor van Riemsdyk on the fourth defensive pair, which likely means he would be next man up on the left side if something C were to prevent Orlov, Dillon or Chara from suiting up. Connor McMichael Fehervary split the season between Washington’s taxi squad and 1 Hershey, where he amassed three goals and 14 assists while seeing top- pair minutes for the AHL’s North Division champions. Internally the Caps C have high hopes for the 21-year-old, who is expected to push for a full- time role in D.C. as soon as next season. Garrett Pilon Zach Fucale, G 1 Fucale, 25, has gone from touted prospect to afterthought back to It could be a while before any of the above players are pressed into duty. prospect over the past few years. In 2013, he was the first goaltender It could also happen as soon as Wednesday’s Game 3 in Boston. drafted, picked 36th overall by the Canadiens, but he struggled to find his The Caps, who are tied with the Bruins 1-1 in their first-round playoff footing as a pro and ended up bouncing around the minors before series, boast a veteran- and star-laden roster. That roster, however, has establishing himself in Hershey this season. In 11 games with the Bears, been besieged by injuries and players placed on the COVID-19 protocol the 6-foot-2, 187-pound Quebec native posted a 9-2-0 record to go along list. with a .932 save percentage and 1.80 goals-against average. He also spent a lot of time in D.C., on the taxi squad. Fucale was so impressive, GM Brian MacLellan inked him to a two-year, two-way contract extension in March. It seems doubtful that he’d be needed this postseason but the Caps hope they uncovered a late-bloomer who could maybe play a prominent role in the coming years. Fucale is just one of three goalies under contract beyond this season. Paul LaDue, D The Caps signed LaDue last October to a one-year, one-way contract worth $700,000 with the expectation that he’d at least get a shot as a spare in Washington. It hasn’t worked out that way. The team found a couple more free agent bargains in van Riemsdyk and Chara, which pushed LaDue further down the depth chart. As a result, the 28-year-old ended up splitting the season between the taxi squad and Hershey, where he appeared in 18 games, racking up three goals and five assists. LaDue is ninth on the depth chart overall and fifth on the right side behind John Carlson, Justin Schultz, Nick Jensen and van Riemsdyk. It seems unlikely that LaDue would be needed, save for a long run and a bunch of injuries. He’s an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. Brett Leason, RW The 2019 second-round pick notched nine goals in 33 games for Hershey this season, tripling his output from his first pro season in 17 fewer contests. Listed at 6-foot-5, 225-pounds, the Caps are hopeful that Leason, a big-bodied, north-south winger with a heavy shot, will develop into an Eric Fehr type and potentially put himself in position to earn a call- up to D.C. next season. So, like most of the other youngsters on this list, the 22-year-old is here more for the experience than a shot at drawing into the Caps’ postseason lineup. Philippe Maillet, C Maillet led the Bears in points in 2019-20, but ended up spitting this season between Hershey and Washington’s taxi squad. The 28-year-old made his NHL debut in February and also suited up for the regular-season finale, both times as an injury replacement. He did not record a point in limited ice time. Maillet is behind Nicklas Backstrom, Kuznetsov, Lars Eller, Nic Dowd and Michael Raff on the depth chart at center but could find himself skating in a playoff game if the injury situation doesn’t improve. Connor McMichael, C The 2019 first-rounder and undisputed No. 1 prospect in the organization led Hershey in goals (14) and points (27) in 33 games, and capped his first pro season by earning AHL player of the week honors on Monday. McMichael, 20, made his NHL debut against Buffalo in January but was sent to the Bears soon thereafter so he could grow his game quicker by playing meaningful minutes. The AHL waived its age requirements this season due to the pandemic, allowing top prospects like McMichael to play there a year earlier than usual. The Caps have been careful not to rush their high-end prospects to the NHL in the past and that appears to be the plan with McMichael, as well. But with Eller ailing and Kuznetsov’s status unknown at the time of this writing, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that he’ll get into a game, particularly if the run is long and the injuries pile up. If that doesn’t happen, expect McMichael to push for a full-time role in Washington next season. Garrett Pilon, C The 2016 third-rounder made his NHL debut earlier this month, drawing in against the Flyers. The 23-year-old did not record a point, but he impressed coaches with his poise. Earlier this season, Pilon led Hershey in points before being elevated to the taxi squad. He can play center or wing and figures to challenge for more time in D.C. next season. Last summer, Pilon was among the final cuts before the Caps headed to the bubble in Toronto. This year, he’ll be around for the run and, if the injuries continue to pile up, who knows? Maybe he’ll get into a game. The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 Winnipeg Jets The turning point came at 9:14 of the third period when Stanley fired a 1188646 hard shot from the point that appeared to hit the crossbar and stay out. Play continued until the buzzer sounded inside Rogers Place, signalling the NHL had reviewed the play and deemed the puck actually went in the Jets shut down Oilers' dynamic duo in 4-1 win net. "I couldn't really see the initial shot. The sound it made sounded like a post. I kinda was in the corner. The buzzer went, and I thought there was Mike McIntyre a scrum by our bench. As I got closer the guys were celebrating so I threw my arms in the air and gave Dom a big hug," said Stanley. They were down and out before the puck had even dropped, at least in Replays showed Toninato got his stick on it, deflecting it by Mike Smith. the eyes of plenty of hockey pundits and fans who figured this first-round Toninato, the 27-year-old from Duluth who has five regular-season goals playoff series would be short and not very sweet for the Winnipeg side. in 87 career games and only made his Jets debut last week, now has one memorable playoff marker in this truly unforgettable season. And the Jets, it appears, took that personally. How else to explain a remarkable, some would say improbable, 4-1 victory on Wednesday "I had COVID back in November, and you have to pass a test to be able night over the heavily favoured Edmonton Oilers that gives the Jets a 1-0 to get back on the ice. We did some tests when I got up here, and they lead in their best-of-seven playoff series. thought they found something that wasn't good. So I had to sit out a bit. It turns out it wasn't what we initially thought it was, so I was able to get Not only did Paul Maurice's crew keep the NHL's two leading scorers, back a lot sooner," said Toninato. Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, off the scoresheet, they got production from some of the most unlikely sources, the kind that always He joked all those extra reps on the taxi squad this year without playing seem to emerge this time of year when Lord Stanley is on the line. — save for a three-game conditioning assignment to the Manitoba Moose where he scored three goals — clearly paid off. Taxi squad staple Dominic Toninato, who failed his training camp medical due to lingering effects of COVID-19 and was only in the lineup "I don't think doubt was getting in there. A couple other emotions, but because of injuries to Nikolaj Ehlers and Pierre-Luc Dubois, notched the you've got to make the most out of every situation. Just enjoying coming game-winner midway through the final frame off a nifty deflection on a to the rink every day, being with the guys and working on my game. shot by Logan Stanley, a rookie blue-liner who had been written off as a Happy to get the opportunity now," said Toninato. first-round bust by many critics. "I gotta say it was all the practising on the taxi squad. Worked on all Third-pairing defenceman Tucker Poolman, who also tested positive those little skills, the tips, just the things you can't really work on in a following opening night and just returned from injury, scored his first normal season. So I'll attribute it to that." Stanley Cup playoff goal earlier in the game to tie it. Fourth-line veteran McDavid and Draisaitl started the night on separate lines, but Oilers Nate Thompson, who has spoke openly in the past about his struggles coach Dave Tippett paired them together on numerous occasions, with drug and alcohol addiction, assisted on both tallies from Toninato looking to find a spark in the latter stages of the game. It didn't work, as and Poolman. Scheifele's line frustrated the dynamic duo all night. Sports truly is the best reality show going. Connor, at 18:13, and Wheeler, at 18:45, iced it with Smith on the bench "That’s playoffs, man. If you’re going to have success in the playoffs, for an extra attacker. Scheifele assisted on both goals. you’re going to have guys step up," said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. "That’s what you expect come playoffs. It’s not going to be easy for Throw in 32 saves from reigning Vezina Trophy winner Connor them," Hellebuyck said of keeping McDavid and Draisaitl in check. "Can’t Hellebuyck, who turned 28 on Wednesday, and empty-net goals from make it easy for them. We know they are going to come with some fire Kyle Connor and Wheeler and you have all the ingredients for success. next game, need to come prepared for that." And then some. Game 2 goes Friday night in Edmonton before the series shifts back to "Today has been an exciting day for me. Everyone around the rink has Winnipeg for Games 3 and 4 on Sunday and Monday. been making me feel real happy about my birthday. This is the perfect Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 05.20.2021 way to celebrate it. And I just thought it was a good team game. Our details were right and I thought our offensive game came when it needed to. So, it was a great team win," said Hellebuyck. The Jets limped into the playoffs, going just 3-9-0 in their final dozen regular-season games while also going just 2-7-0 against the Oilers this year, including six straight regulation losses in which they scored just seven combined goals. Without top-six forwards in Ehlers and Dubois, who skated Wednesday in non-contact jerseys, they aren't being given much of a chance outside their own room. Winnipeg and Edmonton had to sit around for the first four nights of the playoffs, watching the dozen U.S.-based clubs get to have all the fun. With the North Division finally getting the green light — the NHL wanted to have Calgary and Vancouver finish their meaningless regular-season tilts first — they didn't waste any time trying to get momentum going right away. The glass was rattling and the bodies flying in the opening frame, with Winnipeg dishing out a whopping 31 hits to Edmonton's 19. To put that in perspective, the Jets season-high for an entire game was 43, which they surpassed around the midway mark of this one. They finished with 68. Stanley (team-high eight), Adam Lowry and Neal Pionk were especially noticeable. Pionk quickly got under the skin of McDavid, catching him with a check later in the first period which led to a big scrum after the buzzer, the pair throwing a few gloved punches at each other. If the Jets are to stand a chance in the series, getting physical with the best player on the planet is a must. After a scoreless first period, Edmonton came out much stronger in the middle frame, firing eight of the first nine shots and getting the game's first goal at 8:24. After a turnover by Dylan DeMelo, Tyson Barrie took a point shot that hit a maze of traffic in front and bounced right to Jesse Puljujarvi, who buried it past a surprised Hellebuyck. The lead was short-lived, as Poolman went hard to the net and cashed in a rebound off a Blake Wheeler shot at 11:01. Winnipeg Jets Derpich felt a tinge of envy that Canadiens fans have more hope of 1188647 getting into the Bell Centre this season before Oilers fans currently do for Rogers. Alberta, Manitoba not following Quebec's plan to let thousands attend "Envious for sure, but to be completely honest, I love the Oilers, but I'm NHL playoffs not in the bracket where I can afford to go," Derpich said. "I'm a fan by buying the merchandise and watching the games, but still it would be nice to see fans in there cheering their team on right? By: The Canadian Press "You feel like you're in the game when the fans are in there. You're cheering with those fans. You don't feel like you're home watching the game. You feel like you're with them. So, a little envious for sure." Manitoba is not ready to follow Quebec's lead in allowing hockey fans to attend NHL playoff games, while Alberta is opening the doors for 12 Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 05.20.2021 front-line health workers to watch the Canadian post-season opener on Wednesday in Edmonton. While Alberta Premier Jason Kenney said Tuesday the province currently has much higher COVID-19 numbers than Quebec in answering a Facebook live question about the potential for fans in Edmonton, Alberta Health issued an exemption Wednesday for 12 front-line workers to attend Game 1 between the Oilers and Winnipeg Jets. "This is just a small token of Alberta’s appreciation for the tireless work protecting Albertans over these very difficult 15 months from all of our health-care workers," Kenney said Wednesday. "And while we certainly would love to be able to welcome more fans into Rogers Place to watch the Oilers make their run for the Stanley Cup, I think it’s fitting to start with those who have faced down this pandemic on the front lines and helped us all to make it through." Meanwhile, the Manitoba Health Department said in a statement "there are not plans at this time to have fans in the arena." In his Facebook session Tuesday night, Kenney was told of Quebec's decision to allow fans to return to indoor stadiums in limited numbers. If the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs play a Game 6 of their North Division first-round series May 29 at the Bell Centre, about 2,500 spectators will be allowed in the building. "If they can do that, bully to them, but they paid a very high price in getting those numbers down with by far the most draconian restrictions in Canada," Kenney said Tuesday. Ontario, the only other province with a team in the playoffs, has not commented on Quebec's announcement. All American playoff games so far have had fans. Kenney says Alberta's per capita hospitalization rate from COVID-19 is three times higher than Quebec, its per capita ICU rate is four times higher and the number of cases in the last seven days is also four times higher. "They did much worse through much of the pandemic, but for months now, they've been in a super-hard lockdown, stay-at-home orders, curfews," he said. "As it is right now, you can not leave your home after 8 p.m. in Montreal without being fined. "It's because of those incredibly tough measures, measures that we would never introduce in Alberta, that they got those numbers down." Oilers players are crossing their fingers the team can use something similar to the Montreal model in Edmonton before the end of the playoffs. "We hope that can happen here. I think it's a step in the right direction," centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said. "I don't think it's a bad thing that they're going to allow some fans. I think it gives us a little bit of hope." "I agree. Fans would be really nice, but it is what it is," teammate Leon Draisaitl said. "Like Nuggy said, it's a step in the right direction and hopefully we can follow it." Jets captain Blake Wheeler said he has enjoyed seeing fans back at games south of the border. "Watching Florida and Carolina gives me envy and hope," Wheeler said, "Especially this time of year, to see people back in the buildings down there is a sight for sore eyes." Boris Derpich was among Oilers fans organizing a car convoy from Edmonton's south side to Rogers Place before Wednesday's game. Fans were encouraged to wear their Oilers jerseys and fly car flags. Winnipeg Jets As soon as the second period began it was evident that the Oilers were 1188648 turning things up a notch and the Jets were still looking offensively tentative. Jets defy the odds, stun Oilers in Game 1 of playoff series Edmonton outshot the Jets 8-1 in the first half of the period and opened the scoring when winger Jesse Puljujarvi corralled a loose puck and beat Hellebucyk at 8:24. Ted Wyman The Jets got the equalizer a few minutes later from an unlikely source. Defenceman Poolman, who didn’t score during the regular season, jumped into the rush, dropped a pass for Wheeler, went to the net and History, both recent and distant, was not on their side, they were facing banged in a rebound at 11:01. an Edmonton Oilers team that includes two of the most dynamic players “That was huge,” Hellebuyck said. “Momentum swings happen so fast, in the world and they were missing two key players of their own. especially with no fans in the building to mimic that. When he put that in it Surely, that was a recipe for disaster for a Winnipeg Jets team that has just gave the whole team a boost of confidence that we’re still in this and been pegged as a significant underdog in the North Division semifinal? we can do this. You know, just relaxing in our zone and controlling the rebound and controlling the shot, keeping everything to the outside is Not so fast. exactly what we need to do and that’s what we did.” Proving that a 2-7 record against Edmonton in the regular season, and Maurice said unsung heroes are just really consistent with playoff an 0-6 history in the Stanley Cup playoffs all-time, mean nothing now, the hockey. Jets played a stellar game in their post-season opener, beating the Oilers 4-1 at Rogers Place. “We’ve just seen that so many times,” he said. “The skill in some ways cancels itself out and it’s the grit and grind guys who go to the net, put a “We were good,” Jets coach Paul Maurice said. “We did a lot of good puck to the net, stand in front of the net, it’s their game all year long and things tonight. There’s a bunch of places where we’re gonna have to get playoff hockey gets to become like their game and they’re good at it.” better as this goes on but it was a good start.” The Oilers had a chance to regain the lead when Jets centre Paul The Jets pulled off the unlikely win without speedy winger Nikolaj Ehlers, Stastny was called for high sticking late in the second period but out with a shoulder injury, and centre Pierre-Luc Dubois, who was injured Winnipeg did a good job of keeping shots to the outside and killed the in a meaningless regular season finale against Toronto last Friday. penalty against the NHL’s No. 1 power play. It was the only power play of the night for either team. They did it despite going 3-9 down the stretch of the regular season and despite facing a team that finished nine points ahead in the North By the time the second period ended, the Jets had already been credited Division standings. with 52 hits, and the Oilers had 37. The Jets regular-season high for hits was 43 over 60 minutes. They did it by getting first goals of the entire season from defenceman Tucker Poolman and fourth-line winger Dominic Toninato. Two more unlikely heroes gave Jets their first lead with just over 10 minutes left in the third period. And they did it by holding Connor McDavid, the NHL’s leading scorer with 105 points in 56 games, and Leon Draisaitl, the 2020 Hart Trophy winner, Stanley, a rookie playing his first NHL playoff game, blasted a puck from without even a single point. the blue-line and it was beautifully tipped by fourth-liner Toninato. The goal was not immediately recognized by the refs, but shortly after, the Can’t imagine who had that script in their pre-game predictions. tell-tale horn sounded in Rogers Place to stop play, indicating that the “That’s playoffs, man,” Jets captain Blake Wheeler said. “If you’re gonna video review officials in Toronto had seen the puck cross the goal-line. have success in the playoffs you’re gonna need some guys to step up. Toninato played only the last two games of the season for the Jets after “As a team, we just wanted to get off to a good start, have a good first battling injuries and COVID-19 for much of the year. game.” “That’s probably one of the biggest goals I’ve scored, for sure,” Toninato said. “It was my first goal in the Stanley Cup playoffs and luckily enough Winnipeg will look to make it 2-0 in the best-of-seven on Friday night it was the game-winner. It’s right up there at the top.” when the teams meet again in the Alberta capital. Toninato’s inclusion in the lineup was a bit of a surprise, as it meant Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck, playing on his 28th birthday, had a strong speedy second-year NHLer Jansen Harkins was coming out, but clearly game, making 32 saves. Jets coach Paul Maurice had a feeling. Or his assistants did, at least. “Today’s been an exciting day for me,” Hellebuyck said. “Everyone around the rink was making me feel real good about my birthday and this “You get to know a guy over the time that we spent and part of it is that in is the perfect way to celebrate it. It was a great team win tonight. the games that he played, his decisions were always really, really good,” Maurice said. “Real good IQ. The other coaches were very strong that “We showed it’s not gonna be easy for (McDavid and the Oilers) and we Dominic’s work here meant he was most ready to play in the game we can’t make it easy for them. They’re gonna come with some fire for the anticipated tonight would be like. They pushed hard for it and they were next game and we’ve got to be ready for that.” right. He scored the game-winning goal, but his game was right. His game was right, and that line (with Nate Thompson and Trevor Lewis) Winnipeg has not beaten Edmonton in a playoff series of any kind since was very good.” 1979, when the original Jets won the championship. Leading goal-scorer Kyle Connor and Wheeler both scored into the empty net to round out the scoring for the jets. The Oilers won six NHL playoff series against the Jets between 1983-90 — winning 22-4 in terms of games — and went on to capture the Stanley Hellebuyck finished the night with 32 saves, putting in a rock solid Cup five of those times. performance that allowed the Jets to find their game as it went along. Oilers goalie Mike Smith made 18 saves. While those series mean nothing to the current Jets team, they still sting with fans, who fear a similar fate for Winnipeg now that Edmonton has The Jets finished with 68 hits and, given the final result, they clearly are McDavid and Draisaitl instead of the likes of Wayne Gretzky, Mark on to something. Of course, hits are always an inconsistent stat, Messier and Grant Fuhr back in the day. recorded differently in each NHL building. Wednesday’s game could work to allay some of those fears. “I don’t know, there were probably 12 in the game,” Maurice said. That stat wouldn’t be one that I thought was particularly indicative of what I Defenceman Logan Stanley, fourth-line centre Nate Thompson and third- saw from the bench.” line centre Adam Lowry set the tone for the game by throwing big hits in the first period that left Oilers players on their backsides. “There were some good hits and some hard hits. Adam Lowry was in on a bunch, Logan Stanley was in on a bunch.” The biggest hit, however, came from Oilers forward Josh Archibald, who cleanly blew up Jets blue-liner Dylan DeMelo. The Jets defenceman was “There was definitely a lot of intensity out there,” added Stanley. “For me slow to get up but stayed in the game. to be at my best and help this team win, I’ve got to be physical and play hard and good defensively. That was a solid game and we’ve got to stay The teams combined for 50 hits in the first period alone. physical in Game 2.” Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.20.2021 Winnipeg Jets I type that, they do, defenceman Tucker Poolman, of all people, going to 1188649 the net to swat Wheeler’s rebound past Smith. If you say you had Poolman in the first-goal Jets pool, you’re lying. He didn’t score once in 39 regular-season games … Uh-oh, Paul Stastny takes the game’s first The view from the COVID couch on Jets-Oilers penalty, a high stick the refs had to call. Cue the NHL’s No. 1 power play. The Jets survive, and we head to the third tied at a goal apiece.

UPSET COMPLETE! Paul Friesen Official stats have the Jets at 52 hits through 40 minutes, already a season high. Good to see them following my game plan… Chances at Oilers forward Dominik Kahun looks for a rebound in front of Jets goalie both ends early. Feels like next goal wins already. Jets defenceman Connor Hellebuyck during the first period of Game 1 Logan Stanley nearly gets it midway through. Wait a minute, they stop the play because his blast from the point DID go in, and not off the bar. of their opening-round series in Edmonton last night. It was Hellebuyck’s Turns out Dominic Toninato got piece of it. Off to the Jets website we go, 28th birthday yesterday. to find a photo of Toninato in a Florida Panthers jersey. Unlikely hero? The 27-year-old, an unheralded free-agent signing in October, played Article content just two NHL games all season, overcoming a bout with COVID and It’s the beginning of whatever playoff “run” the Winnipeg Jets go on and some complications along the way. This was just his fourth career playoff instead of being there for it, we’re stuck watching from home like game and first post-season goal. Maybe we should have seen it coming: everybody else. in just three American Hockey League games with the Manitoba Moose, Toninato scored three goals … Stastny almost adds another on a wrap- Call it The View from the COVID Couch, beginning to end, with apologies around, and the Jets smell blood. After surviving that second period, to all past and present scribes who did a version of this first and probably they’re poised to steal Game 1. Their odds improve when Hellebuyck did it better. robs Leon Draisaitl. The Oilers put Draisaitl on with McDavid and pour it on for a shift, but the Jets survive. Three minutes to go … Connor and MUST-SEE TV? Wheeler score into the empty net and the upset is complete. On the anniversary of the Oilers’ first Stanley Cup win, no less. Whatever belief Turned on Channel 47 on my dad’s old Sony tube TV at 7:30 sharp, this team had just got a booster shot. Wednesday, and what’s the first thing on the airwaves? A montage of highlights from Winnipeg-Edmonton series of old, fittingly enough. Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.20.2021 There’s Gretzky scoring, Dave Ellett’s overtime winner, Gretzky setting up Messier — you know the drill. The Sportsnet crew was kind enough to remind Manitoba viewers the Jets went oh-fer in six tries against the Alberta dynasty between 1983 and 1990 … Corniest part of the pre- game was Gene Principe’s movie reference: Kramer vs. Kramer from 1979, compared to Connor vs. Connor, today. The former starred Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep and won an Oscar, the latter starring the Connors, McDavid and Hellebuyck. Principe pointed out how the child- custody battle went in the flick, then finished with this: “We’re not sure which Connor will get custody of the series.” Cue the groans… The Oilers have some healthcare workers in attendance, a nice nod to the people feeling the brunt of what we’re all dealing with. All season the NHL’s pandemic PR campaign tied front-line workers with the player-of- the-week awards… OK, it’s game time. McDavid and Mark Scheifele square off for the opening faceoff, and we’re off. LET’S GET PHYSICAL The Jets came out taking the body, as expected. It says here they have to be the instigators to win this thing. Getting the Oilers thinking about being hit is better than letting them wheel around the ice at will. Those jolts add up … Best scoring chance of the first eight minutes comes from Jets rookie Kristian Vesalainen. Oilers goalie Mike Smith’s mitt is up to the task. To this point, Edmonton hasn’t generated much at all, as the Jets are playing smart and responsible defensively… Some good zone time for the Jets now, and it’s Scheifele with the Grade-A chance, albeit on the backhand. Minutes later Kyle Connor passes up a rush chance to try to feed Scheifele, but he’s checked by the Nurse, as in Darnell, and there’s no shot. The Jets are winning this period, even if it’s scoreless. The Oilers have just two shots and there’s six minutes to go. Hellebuyck hasn’t been tested even once … Ouch! Hit of the period goes to Josh Archibald, who crushes Jets defenceman Dylan DeMelo into the boards. Let’s see if that wakes up the home side — and if DeMelo comes back… That Brent Burns Kit Kat Chunky commercial is still hilarious… There’s DeMelo, and this time he’s “hit” by the speed of McDavid on a rush. Frying pan, fire … The Oilers get a couple of late chances from Jesse Puljujarvi. Remember back when there was some debate about whether Puljujarvi or Patrik Laine should be rated higher for the NHL draft? Puljujarvi is starting to justify those lofty expectations … Final minute of the first, and Scheifele and McDavid exchange glorious chances. Neither cash in, but a scrum after the final whistle suggests these teams have quickly got on each other’s nerves. At the centre of it was McDavid, who apparently wasn’t thrilled with the way Neal Pionk abused him on his last shift. That’s a good sign for the Jets. BIRTHDAY BOY To start the second period, we’re reminded it’s Hellebuyck’s 28th birthday. He quickly robs a wide-open Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. The Jets got away with a breakdown there … Neither Hellebuyck nor Smith are overly busy, but both look sharp, the latter just getting a piece of a dangerous dart from Scheifele. The Oilers are starting to make more things happen and they’re doing it down low, not off the rush … There it is, the icebreaker by Puljujarvi, on a loose puck that Hellebuyck lost track of after it hit DeMelo. The play began with DeMelo being pick-pocketed by Dominik Kahun. We’ll see if the Jets have an answer… Seconds after 1188650 Winnipeg Jets NO FRIENDS IN PLAYOFFS Oilers star forward Draisaitl and Jets defenceman Josh Morrissey played

together for three seasons, with two different teams, when they were in JETS SNAPSHOTS: Jets start playoffs with two top-six forwards missing junior hockey. … again They are good friends off the ice, after being teammates in both Prince Albert and Kelowna of the . Ted Wyman That doesn’t mean there will be warm and fuzzy feelings floating around on the ice as the Jets and Oilers do battle in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Jets rookie winger Kristian Vesalainen was in the lineup for Game 1 “There are no friends right now,” Draisaitl said after the Oilers’ morning against the Edmonton Oilers. skate Wednesday. Much like in the 2020 play-in round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, the “Good answer,” Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said from the Winnipeg Jets were missing two of their top-six forwards Wednesday background. night as they opened the 2021 post-season against the Edmonton Oilers. Morrissey and Draisaitl won a WHL championship together in 2015 with Nikolaj Ehlers, a point-a-game winger who has been out since late April the . They’ve both gone on to become strong NHL with a shoulder injury, was not in the lineup for Game 1 of the North players, although Draisaitl has been more dominant, winning a Hart Division best-of-seven at Rogers Place and neither was centre Pierre- Trophy in 2020. Luc Dubois, who was injured in the Jets’ meaningless season finale against the Toronto Maple Leafs. “We know each other very well,” Draisaitl said. “Obviously I’m going to try to take it to him and he’s gonna try to do the same to me. It’s gonna be Dubois skated with the team, for the first time since the injury, on fun, but there are no friends out there.” Wednesday during the morning skate at Rogers Place in Edmonton. Like Ehlers, he was in a yellow non-contact jersey. BRING ON THE FANS There’s a good chance both players will play in the series, but clearly An announcement by the Montreal Canadiens that they plan to allow they are not ready yet. 2,500 fans into Bell Centre if their series against the Toronto Maple Leafs gets to at least Game 6, was met with approval by players in the other Last year in the NHL bubble in Edmonton, the Jets fell 3-1 to the Calgary North Division playoff series. Flames in the play-in round after losing both top centre Mark Scheifele and scoring winger Patrik Laine to injuries in Game 1. “We hope that can happen here,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “We don’t know because obviously, it’s different in each province, but it’s a step in the Jets coach Paul Maurice seemed hopeful all week that he’d have all his right direction. We’d love to play in front of fans, have them cheering us players available by Wednesday night. In fact, after Dubois was injured on right now. I think this gives us a little bit of hope.” last Friday, Maurice said he expected him to be fine and ready for the series. Montreal is the only Canadian city so far to allow any fans whatsoever into arenas as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. “That was my spiel after, with where we thought he’d be the next day,” Maurice said. “He wasn’t as good the next day as I hoped he would be. All 12 of the American teams in the Stanley Cup playoffs currently allow That’s all.” fans, ranging from 4,000 or so to over 12,000 in some locations. The speed and skill Ehlers brings every night will be impossible to “Watching Florida and Carolina play gives me envy and hope,” Jets replace and the Jets will miss having a second-line centre of Dubois’ size captain Blake Wheeler said. “Especially this time of year, to see people and stature in the lineup against the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon back in the buildings down there is a sight for sore eyes.” Draisaitl of the Oilers. THE APPLETON FACTOR They were replaced in the lineup by rookie winger Kristian Vesalainen Another player who was knocked out of the 2020 playoffs early was Jets and veteran Dominic Toninato, who skated on the fourth line with Nate winger Mason Appleton. Thompson and Trevor Lewis. Like Scheifele and Laine, he went down in Game 1 and had to watch as Vesalainen was on right-wing — not his natural position — with centre the Flames pushed the Jets around for four games. Paul Stastny and left-winger Andrew Copp. His response to that was to come out this year and have his best NHL “Ves is a dynamic guy and hopefully (we) can get him some scoring season, scoring 12 goals and 25 points, more than doubling his previous opportunities because he’s got a heavy shot,” Jets captain Blake highs in both categories. Wheeler said. The scoring depth he has provided along with Adam Lowry (10-14—24) “And it would be nice to see him get some looks at the net.” and Mathieu Perreault (9-10—19) on the third line has been a big part of Vesalainen, a first-round draft pick in 2017, has played 17 NHL games the Jets success this year. and has two assists. It could be even more crucial in the playoffs. ANOTHER PLAYOFF DEBUT “You look at Stanley Cup success and I think third lines can drive a lot of Like Vesalainen, defenceman Logan Stanley was set to play his first NHL that,” Appleton said. “And I think what our third line can bring tonight and playoff game. throughout the series can be a difference-maker in this series. So, we’re just kind of building our game and me, Perreault and Lowry, we’ve been The towering rookie blue-liner played 37 games for the Jets this year and a line for a good chunk of the season and scored some goals, we’ve showed himself to be a capable puck mover, with a good shot and a defended hard and we got a job to do throughout the series, and we’re physical streak. going to do exactly that.” That last attribute is likely what earned Stanley a spot in the lineup for Winnipeg Sun LOADED 05.20.2021 such a crucial game. “I haven’t played in anything like this before, being the Stanley Cup playoffs,” Stanley said before the game. “I’ve played in some high-end pressure games when I was in junior, so I can draw on that. But this is completely different. I’m just going out there, trying to have some fun and play my best.” It would not be shocking to see Stanley battling with rugged Oilers winger Zack Kassian throughout this series. Kassian is 6-foot-3, 211 pounds and has a penchant for penalty minutes. Stanley might be just the guy to try to reduce Kassian’s ability to throw people off their games. “We really liked what he brought to the table, the size and a toughness to his game,” Wheeler said of Stanley. Winnipeg Jets Giveaways from Scheifele and Derek Forbort led to extended swaths of 1188651 Oilers zone time. Edmonton finished the game with more than two-thirds of shot attempts, shots and expected goals. They also got the game’s only power play — a point of particular concern, given that Edmonton’s Winnipeg’s Game 1 win builds confidence the Jets didn’t have in 2019 power play has ranked first in the league in two consecutive seasons. But Hellebuyck, who celebrated his 28th birthday on Wednesday night, gets paid to play hockey too. By Murat Ates May 20, 2021 “Our confidence is directly tied to him,” Wheeler said of Hellebuyck’s performance. “I mean, the ways he carries himself gives us confidence After all of the fuss about the season series, the Winnipeg Jets showed every single night, and we know that goaltending means a lot this time of us what playoff hockey is all about. year. We have, we believe, the best goaltender in the league.” It’s about chaos — pure, unexpected, bewildering chaos. Thus two opportunistic goals — Poolman’s crease crash, taking advantage of a terrible Mike Smith rebound to tie the game 1-1, plus Sure, Paul Maurice promised that the hockey would be tightly played, Toninato’s deft deflection — gave Winnipeg a massive edge. Hellebuyck that rush chances would decrease, and that the team that did the best consolidated it, while McDavid and Draisaitl were powerless, for once, to job of grinding it out would win Game 1. It’s also easy to accept that even the score. Maurice’s coaching staff liked what they saw from Dominic Toninato, whose experience with COVID-19 limited him to three AHL games and While those two superstars will undoubtedly have more to say before this two games with the Jets this season. series is over, Wheeler’s point about confidence is invaluable to the Jets. There’s just no way Winnipeg’s plan for stopping Connor McDavid was We’ve seen second-half regular season collapses in Winnipeg before. built with Toninato and Tucker Poolman scoring their first goals of the In 2019, Winnipeg played well against the St. Louis Blues but made year in mind. mental mistakes at key moments. Whether it was coughing up a 1-0 lead And yet, there was Toninato outmuscling Ethan Bear in the corner. late in Game 1 or Jacob Trouba’s giveaway at the end of Game 5, it seemed that Winnipeg didn’t have the discipline or the mental fortitude to There he was kicking the puck to Nate Thompson and driving to the front handle St. Louis’ waves of pressure. of the net. When the Jets lost that series in six games, there was no sense of And there Toninato was, deflecting Logan Stanley’s point shot behind disbelief — Winnipeg’s confidence had been torn to shreds by a dismal Mike Smith for a series-opening game-winning goal — a goal that no one end to the regular season. When the Jets needed positive results to point but him seemed to know he had scored. He put his hands up as if to to so as to stay in the proverbial fight, those examples couldn’t be found. celebrate but then, as the game was allowed to continue, his jubilation turned into confusion. That’s why it was so important for Winnipeg to stun Edmonton and take Game 1. “I thought it was initially in,” Toninato said after the game. “I actually rose my stick right away but then the play kept going. I was like, ‘Oh no, now The win reinforces the Jets’ belief. Winnipeg’s awful April and May record I’m going to look kind of dumb.'” is ancient history now. They’ve taken a series lead, holding the NHL’s top two scorers off the scoresheet, and they’ve done it on the road. When Moments later, the buzzer sounded — the off-ice officials had spotted a this series gets truly difficult — and it will — the Jets will finally have goal. these real, earned results to lean on for their next important push. It may not be the way the 27-year-old from Duluth, Minn., dreamed of All it took was a 27-year-old from Minnesota making the best series of scoring his first playoff goal, but it’s exactly what Winnipeg needed to plays of his life and a 28-year-old from Michigan doing what he does push ahead against a difficult opponent. Toninato’s goal put the Jets much more often than not. ahead 2-1 with 11:46 remaining in the third period, the Jets parked the bus in front of Connor Hellebuyck and even a McDavid-Leon Draisaitl The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 reunion couldn’t bring the Oilers back into the game. “Just happy to help the team out,” Toninato said, brimming with Minnesota nice. “It was a good team win tonight, but that’s only one of four. We’ve got to be ready to go for the next game.” The Jets, who got empty-net goals from Kyle Connor and Blake Wheeler, have now gone from hapless underdogs who went 2-7-0 against Edmonton in the season series, to slight favourites here in Round 1. According to Hockey Reference, 57 percent of teams who win Game 1 on the road have gone on to win their playoff series. How quickly a single game can change a seasonlong story. “That’s playoffs, man,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler after Winnipeg’s 4-1 win over Edmonton in Game 1. “If you’re going to have success in the playoffs, you’re going to have guys step up.” If Winnipeg is going to win Round 1 of the playoffs, it’s also going to have to play better than it did on Wednesday night. “I thought they did a better job of getting to our crease and scrumming pucks,” said Maurice. “Where Connor (Hellebuyck) was really good was in heavy traffic within 2 feet of the blue paint. That’s an area where we have to improve on.” Unblocked shots at five-on-five, via Natural Stat Trick. Winnipeg’s shots shown in the zone with their logo; like Maurice said, the Oilers got more chances from in tight. Edmonton started to control the flow of the play in the 2nd period, opening the scoring when Dominik Kahun pickpocketed Dylan DeMelo, and an ensuing shot from the point found its way to Jesse Puljujarvi. The goal itself was one thing — DeMelo’s giveaway was not ideal, nor was his and Mark Scheifele’s inability to stop Puljujarvi from getting his shot off — but it was consistent with the flow of play: Edmonton outshot the Jets 16-8 in the second period, turning forced and unforced giveaways into extended zone time. Winnipeg Jets And without Ehlers or Dubois in the lineup, Connor, Scheifele and 1188652 Wheeler will be expected to play top competition while driving the offence more than ever. Analyzing the Winnipeg Jets’ projected Game 1 lineup against Edmonton Can they do it? Yes, but don’t zoom out at the full season — where they were outscored 13-10 while struggling to sustain offensive-zone time — and definitely By Murat Ates May 19, 2021 ignore the aggregate from 2018-19 to now, as they’ve been outscored 48-41.

The most recent, smallest-sample-available history we have is awfully Nik Ehlers and Pierre-Luc Dubois will not play in Game 1 of Winnipeg’s impressive: Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler, reunited at last, outscored its first-round series against the Edmonton Oilers. This leaves a giant, opposition 5-2 in six games to end the season while dominating the flow speedy hole in the Jets lineu of play. It may be that Maurice’s long-stated theory — that keeping these Ehlers was Winnipeg’s best player at five-on-five this season, scored the guys apart keeps their game from getting stale — has paid off perfectly. most points per minute on the team and was Winnipeg’s most valuable Health could also be a factor, as Wheeler in particular has 10 points in skater as measured by all-in metrics like Evolving-Hockey’s WAR and his past six games, skating more like the player he was at his peak than Dom Luszczyszyn’s GSVA. a man struggling through cracked ribs. What a satisfying conclusion to an Dubois shook off an awkward quarantine- and injury-interrupted transition injury-plagued season it would be for Wheeler if he were able to from Columbus to Winnipeg just in time to be clipped by Wayne dominate a playoff series (or two) at even strength. Simmonds against Toronto on Friday. He stumbled, looked woozy for a Again, in the smallest sample size available, there are signs that he can few seconds and then left the ice for what would be his last shift of the do it. game. He has yet to practice with the team since leaving the ice on that shift, and no official timeline for his return has been announced. In Friday’s meaningless (yet injury-filled) game against Toronto, Wheeler drove the net with aplomb, walking John Tavares out of the corner on The Jets will have both Paul Stastny and Andrew Copp in the lineup, so one push into the crease and finishing the night with two assists. Connor not all is lost. scored two goals in that game and four in his final three games, bringing They’ve spent the week preparing for Edmonton by tinkering with power- an emphatic end to what had been a streak so cold that even he looked play set-ups and a combination of brand new and tried and true lines. to be squeezing his stick and burning high-quality chances. What can we expect to see when the Jets take the ice? Meanwhile, Scheifele must be seething mad about being outscored 10-2 when matched up against Connor McDavid during the regular season. Let’s dive into every combination of forwards, defence and both special- teams units. There’s no way around it: This line needs to produce for Winnipeg to win, and it will need to do so while not getting torched by the best hockey Forwards player in the world. 1 That or Maurice needs to match Stastny’s and Lowry’s lines to McDavid and Leon Draisaitl just often enough to let Scheifele feast on Edmonton’s Kyle Connor depth. Mark Scheifele Line No. 2: Andrew Copp — Paul Stastny — Kristian Vesalainen Blake Wheeler If even one of Ehlers or Dubois were healthy, this second line would look 2 a whole lot more playoff-ready. Andrew Copp As it stands, the 21-year-old Vesalainen steps into the spotlight with just two assists in 17 games in his NHL career. Paul Stastny The good news, of course, is that we have a lot more information on Kristian Vesalainen Stastny and Copp. They are two of Winnipeg’s most defensively responsible forwards and combined for a great deal of offence early in 3 the year. Copp’s career season — 39 points in 55 games, good for fifth in team scoring — has a great deal to do with his willingness to crash the Mathieu Perreault net early and often, cleaning up rebounds that Stastny and Ehlers Adam Lowry created for him. Mason Appleton While Copp-Stastny-Vesalainen has zero minutes to its name, Jets fans can have confidence in Copp and Stastny’s ability to read the game and 4 commit to solid play in all three zones. Admitting that Ehlers played a big role, the Copp-Stastny duo was one of Winnipeg’s most dangerous Dominic Toninato pairings this season, outscoring opposition 7-1 while creating plenty of Nate Thompson high-quality chances. Trevor Lewis And given that two-thirds of the line is so responsible defensively, one wonders if they’ll get plenty of Draisaitl as a reward for their commitment. Extras Andrew Copp defends the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl. (Perry Nelson / USA Injuries Today) Jansen Harkins Line No. 3: Mathieu Perreault — Adam Lowry — Mason Appleton Nik Ehlers If Lowry’s line gets tough matchups — even if it’s just at home, where Winnipeg has last change — it could be the Jets’ most important line of David Gustafsson the series. Lowry and Perreault have both played at a level closer to their Pierre-Luc Dubois primes than their injury-riddled 2019-20 seasons, while most of Appleton’s 25 points in 56 games came from the kinds of crease crashes Marko Dano and net drives that just scream “reproducible in the playoffs.” Line No. 1: Kyle Connor — Mark Scheifele — Blake Wheeler Perreault’s version of this line performed brilliantly by shot attempts (55 percent), expected goals (59 percent) and real goals scored (7-1 in There was never any doubt that Paul Maurice would return to Connor, favour of Winnipeg). Scheifele and Wheeler as his number one line. They even managed to control the flow of play in the small sample size They were the top trio on the best Winnipeg Jets team in NHL history. that is their 46 minutes against the Oilers. They’re the men who carried the Jets past Nashville and into the 2018 Western Conference Final. Does this guarantee success against McDavid and Draisaitl? Obviously it does not. But there are only two ways to play against Edmonton: power versus Forbort and Pionk sawed off tough competition this season, which is a power, meaning it’s incumbent on the Jets’ depth to outperform tremendous result and is likely what led to their incredibly consistent Edmonton’s third and fourth lines, or by using Lowry’s group as a usage. dedicated checking line. Their track record suggests they can handle* either task. They were united early and seldom separated, even as Forbort’s late- season struggles led to victimization — particularly against Edmonton, (* And by handle the task of McDavid, I clearly mean reducing the where Forbort’s lack of foot speed made him look particularly exposed. amount of harm, not eliminating it entirely.) The pairing was outscored 6-1 each by McDavid’s line and Ryan Nugent Hopkins’ line at five-on-five and will need to improve on those results for Line No. 4: Dominic Toninato — Nate Thompson — Trevor Lewis the Jets to have a chance. Winnipeg’s fourth line got beaten badly in terms of flow of play but got all Pair No. 3: Logan Stanley — Tucker Poolman of the right bounces in the offensive zone, outscoring its opposition 7-2 when both Thompson and Lewis were on the ice. If they have even a Stanley and Poolman have each had success playing on Winnipeg’s third little bit of that magic left in them, it would go a long way toward helping pairing over the years. Stanley’s size is obviously an asset, as is the Jets upset their Canadian rivals. Dominic Toninato did look good in Poolman’s skating, and they each have enough offensive instincts with two games to end the season, drawing an assist on Appleton’s goal the puck to jump into plays and create shooting opportunities. (It’s worth against Toronto while playing pesky, defensively sound hockey. noting that neither is so dynamic in this regard that it creates a lot of real offence. Stanley’s four points and Poolman’s single attest to that.) Extras The fact is they can be reasonably expected to win the matchups they’re Jansen Harkins has been in and out of the lineup this season, a given. If the Jets use them as a third pair, I expect good results combined disappointing outcome considering the big goal he scored against with questions about why they’re not playing higher up the lineup. The Calgary in last summer’s qualification round and the ensuing praise he answer: Stanley hasn’t played big minutes against elite competition yet, received from Maurice. David Gustafsson is a prospect with plenty of all- while Poolman has looked exposed against the NHL’s greats. This around upside and scored 19 points in 22 games for the Manitoba pairing is their perfect home. Moose. Marko Dano is a longtime pro who has played NHL games for Winnipeg before. There is quality here but the big story is still about the Extras injuries to Ehlers and Dubois. Ville Heinola and Jordie Benn are the next men up should injuries arise Defence or Stanley falter. Heinola has the brightest future of the three but, given his size how little they’ve used him, one imagines the Jets are hesitant to 1 play him unless they need to. Keep in mind as well that Heinola currently Josh Morrissey sits at five games played, meaning that two playoff games would “burn” a year of his entry-level contract, making him a restricted free agent one Dylan DeMelo year earlier than currently scheduled. 2 Sami Niku is unlikely to play, while Dylan Samberg earns inclusion after a strong rookie season for the Manitoba Moose. Derek Forbort Goaltending Neal Pionk Starter 3 Connor Hellebuyck Logan Stanley Backup Tucker Poolman Laurent Brossoit Extras Extras Injuries Eric Comrie Ville Heinola Mikhail Berdin Nathan Beaulieu He’ll need to keep the puckhandling gaffes to a minimum, but Hellebuyck Jordie Benn is the best goaltender in this series and is in the conversation for best goaltender on the planet. If Winnipeg wins, he’ll have played a massive Sami Niku role. Beyond that, there are no goaltending controversies to speak of — Dylan Samberg just a clear team MVP who gives the Jets a chance to win on the overwhelming majority of nights. Pair No. 1: Josh Morrissey — Dylan DeMelo Power play Let’s face it: No matter who does the heavy lifting for Winnipeg’s defence against the Oilers’ top two lines, the Jets are in tough. Scheifele Still, it’s reassuring to see Winnipeg use DeMelo alongside Morrissey on Copp a number of levels. Wheeler Morrissey has not dominated a top-four assignment since he was Perreault partnered with Jacob Trouba. That’s a fact and a concerning one for a player earning $6.25 million per season. Connor Now, he finally has a veteran partner with a track record of making NHL Appleton players better. Stastny DeMelo makes his reads more quickly, stays in better position, and makes faster, more effective short passes inside the defensive zone than Morrissey Tucker Poolman. It leads to good numbers for himself and everyone he plays with, as evidenced by the fact that Morrissey-DeMelo is the only Pionk version of Winnipeg’s top pair to post better than 50 percent of shots or * expected goals. Winnipeg’s power play finished seventh in the NHL at 23.0 percent this They’re not big and won’t clear the crease as much as you’d like, but this season, leaning heavily on its first unit even when both groups were is the top pair that gives Winnipeg the best chance to win. Time will tell if scoring big goals. that’s good enough against the two best offensive players in the series. PP1 will be as we have mostly known it of late: Scheifele, Stastny, Dylan DeMelo blocks out the Oilers’ Jesse Puljujarvi. (Perry Nelson / Wheeler, Connor and Pionk. Connor was this unit’s biggest shooter, USA Today) taking advantage of Patrik Laine’s departure and leading the Jets power Pair No. 2: Derek Forbort — Neal Pionk play with 54 shots and 10 goals. Scheifele and Wheeler are the primary distributors while Pionk has a knack for finding deflections from the point. The mystery will be on Winnipeg’s second unit, where Ehlers will be sorely missed. Without Dubois to fill in for him, the Jets may look to double-shift a top-unit player, as they did with Scheifele early in the season, pair Morrissey with his five-on-five partner DeMelo, or simply roll their first power-play unit so hard that the last 10 to 15 seconds don’t particularly matter. They have also experimented with using Lowry to win faceoffs and create a net-front presence, while Vesalainen’s shot should be a weapon despite his lack of NHL experience. If Heinola draws into the lineup at any point, a second-unit job may be his for the taking. Penalty kill 1 Copp Lowry Forbort DeMelo 2 Thompson Lewis Morrissey Poolman Extras Appleton Pionk Goaltending and special teams can win just about any playoff series. They’ll need to combine perfectly on the Jets’ penalty kill as it tries its best to fend off Edmonton’s power play — tops in the NHL for two seasons in a row. Copp and Lowry are the Jets’ go-to forward pair, followed by Lewis and Thompson. Appleton will rotate in should one of those players be in the box. On defence, Forbort and DeMelo will take the lead, followed by Morrissey and Poolman. Given the Jets’ penalty kill finished the season ranked 13th, it might just be in Winnipeg’s best interest for the referees to put their whistles away. The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 Vancouver Canucks season ends, but the overall picture remains in flux though it’s been 1188653 reported that will remain as general manager.

Final media meetings Canucks: Thatcher Demko ‘desperately hopes’ club will re-sign goalie The Canucks’ players will do their final sessions with the media on coach Ian Clark Thursday morning, once again over Zoom. Notebook: Thatcher Demko spoke out about Ian Clark’s contract status, Brock Boeser, J.T. Miller and Quinn Hughes were all made available while head coach Travis Green didn’t want to talk about his own after Wednesday’s game, a sign they were likely flying straight home from Calgary after Wednesday’s game. Patrick Johnston The players will be doing final exit interviews over the coming days. Asked whether he would be involved with those, Green wouldn’t say yay or nay. Canucks netminder Thatcher Demko wants to keep working with his He also said he talks to Benning at least twice a day, every day. long-time goalie coach. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.20.2021 Thatcher Demko is usually pretty spare in his comments. But when the Vancouver Canucks’ No. 1 netminder was asked about goalie coach Ian Clark’s status after Tuesday’s game at Rogers Arena, he spoke as forcefully as he ever has about the coach he’s had for three years. “Clarkie is unbelievable. I owe probably just about everything to him. I don’t speak too much about him in the media,” he said. “Obviously, I’m putting in the work, but the way he’s guided me and mentored me, it’s been amazing. I desperately hope that they can figure something out and have him return.” Desperately. That’s powerful. Demko said there’s still so much more work he needs to do. “I think the momentum that he and I have right now is exciting,” he added. “The work that Ian and I have put in over the last two years, just the habits and routines and the way that we’re able to think the game and be on the same page, is something that I’d love to continue to do down the stretch here in the next few years.” Like head coach Travis Green and the rest of the Canucks’ coaching staff, Clark’s current deal expires next month. He was hired in 2018, a return to the team he had left over a decade ago. During his years away coaching in Columbus, Clark helped Sergei Bobrovsky become one of the league’s best goalies. Back in Vancouver he then helped Jacob Markstrom raise his game to new heights. Last week, goalie prospect Mike DiPietro went to bat in similar terms for his coach, who spent so much time with him this season while DiPietro mostly practised; there were more than 400 days between games for DiPietro, who finally played five games to close the season for the AHL’s Utica Comets. There are other good goalie coaches in this league, but in this case, why change a good thing? Travis Green conceded this past season has been very hard ‘for a lot of people’ on the club. Green wants to stay Green was asked before and after Wednesday’s game about his own status, nodding towards the possibility that this is his last game, but he demurred every time. Except once. In his standard pre-game appearance on Sportsnet 650, Green was asked about how hard the season has been for the coaches as well as what could happen in the coming days. His contract expires next month and while there have been occasional discussions between him, management and ownership over the past year, there hasn’t been a contract offer in quite some time. “I’m not going to lie, it (has been) a little bit trying and the year has been hard for a lot of people,” he told radio play-by-play man Brendan Batchelor. “I’m not going to start commenting on what the future holds but I will stand by what I said, I want to continue to coach the team and I hope we can get something done.” Green has plenty of loyalty in the dressing room. Players know change happens in professional sport, but they’d certainly be much happier to see their head coach retained. Sedin roles still ‘TBD’ What exact roles the Sedin twins take on in Canucks management still isn’t clear. They are expected to speak with the media sometime after the 1188654 Vancouver Canucks The winger was a bright light in a season of mostly darkness. He set up Horvat’s goal. And it was his shot that was tipped by Miller.

Boeser is one of four Canucks to have suited up for every game this Flames 6, Canucks 2: Vancouver’s season finally finished with a loss season (Bo Horvat, Quinn Hughes and Nils Höglander are the others). With the Stanley Cup playoffs well underway, the Vancouver Canucks His production never waned. Only five times this season did he not have and Calgary Flames finally wrapped up their respective 2020-21 regular a shot on goal. seasons on Wednesday. Green praised the young star’s efforts this season, acknowledging how

much more complete the winger’s game has become. Patrick Johnston “He just seems to get better in certain areas all the time,” Green said. “You know, there were times where he was very tired, but played a lot of minutes on nights because of injuries and COVID and the schedule. He The Vancouver Canucks’ season of misery is over. still had to battle through that and it’s a good stepping stone for him.” After an off-season of neglect, a brutal early-season schedule and a Canucks winger Nils Hoglander and Flames forward Dillon Dube vie for COVID-19 outbreak, the Canucks never really had a chance. the puck during their National Hockey League game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Wednesday. Sure, they did find some spark in March and reeled off some wins, putting them in the playoff picture for a brief time, but that was as much Day off about Thatcher Demko putting in a series of otherworldly performances as anything. Whether Alex Edler is back next season isn’t clear. His current contract expires this summer and unless he’s willing to play for a league-minimum On Wednesday in Calgary, the Canucks dropped a 6-2 contest to the deal — or there’s another move, like Loui Eriksson retiring after he host Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome, a sadly fitting end to this difficult collects his bonus this summer, that would allow for a little more season. contractual breathing room for the Canucks — it will be difficult for him to return to the only team he’s ever known in the NHL. On most nights the Canucks still put in a hard effort. Pride drives these athletes, after all. But in seeing how off the pace they were in the season He’s one of the team’s best-ever defencemen and that must be forever finale, played five days after the Stanley Cup playoffs started, you could noted, whether he returns next season or not. understand if they were less than enthusiastic in boarding their chartered airplane one final time on Tuesday evening. Jalen Chatfield drew back into the lineup in Edler’s stead. Through it all, they still showed plenty of heart and hustle, a reflection of Tanner Pearson was also a scratch as he flew home early, reportedly for their head coach’s efforts to motivate and prepare them each and every family reasons (he and his wife announced in November she was night. Travis Green is without a contract for next season and unless pregnant with their second child). Kole Lind dressed in Pearson’s place, there’s a last-minute offer — and it reflects his status as a coach with four his seventh NHL game. years of NHL experience — Wednesday was his last game as Canucks’ Fan protest head coach. Some fans, frustrated with ownership’s apparent decision to merely fiddle “He’s given me more opportunities than I can ask for, you know? I know with management’s structure despite another season of disappointment that every coach that we have has a lot of respect from our players and rather than go for more dramatic change, say they are planning to protest we all wish they could be back, but other than that, like I said, they gave outside Rogers Arena on Saturday at 3 p.m. me every opportunity in the world, so I’m super thankful for that,” J.T. Miller said post-game. Vancouver Province: LOADED: 05.20.2021 The Flames got two goals from Matthew Tkachuk and singles from Dillon Dube, Andrew Mangiapane, Brett Ritchie and Connor Mackey, while the Canucks’ final two goals of the season were scored by Bo Horvat and J.T. Miller. Here’s what we learned … Vancouver Canucks defenceman Tyler Myers (left) battles for the puck with Calgary Flames forward Joakim Nordstrom during their National Hockey League game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Wednesday. Hard times in net It’s been a rough season for Braden Holtby. Most nights have been a struggle for the former Vezina Trophy winner. There was some thought that the Seattle Kraken might scoop him up in the expansion draft this summer, but it seems unlikely at this point. For one thing, they’ve had pro scout at every Canucks home game and his struggles will surely have been noticed. He didn’t have much help in front of him on Wednesday, as the Flames generated nearly 20 high-danger scoring chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. The Canucks averaged about 11.5 per game, below Wednesday’s total but still the fourth most on average in the league. Along with hoping for an improved performance from Holtby next season, the Canucks must figure out how to be better defensively if they’re going to be serious about returning to the playoffs. Calgary Flames forward Brett Ritchie and Vancouver Canucks defenceman Jack Rathbone collide along the boards during their National Hockey League game at the Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary on Wednesday. The real MVP The fans voted Bo Horvat as the team’s MVP, which is fair, but it’s hard to see why they passed over Brock Boeser. 1188655 Vancouver Canucks

Flames conclude NHL regular season with 6-2 win over Canucks

THE CANADIAN PRESS

It wasn’t exactly the way he imagined it, but for Connor Mackey, scoring his first NHL goal was still a great feeling. “It’s pretty special,” said the 24-year-old Calgary Flames defenceman. “You obviously envision a full house and scoring a nice goal and the crowd’s going crazy, but I’ll take what I can get. It’s a great confidence booster going into the summer.” Mackey rounded out the scoring 3:29 into the third period of Calgary’s last game of the season Wednesday, a 6-2 drubbing of the Vancouver Canucks. He joined a rush and put his stick on the ice just in time to get a tap-in past Canucks goalie Braden Holtby. “I wasn’t even looking for one. I was just trying to play some good [defence], play solid defensively and be reliable out there,” Mackey said. “It was just right on my tape, rebound, right there.” Matthew Tkachuk had two goals for the Flames (26-27-3), while Brett Ritchie scored and collected a pair of assists. Dillon Dube and Andrew Mangiapane also scored. Bo Horvat and J.T. Miller had goals for the Canucks (23-29-4), and Brock Boeser notched a pair of assists. Holtby stopped 22-of-28 shots for Vancouver and Calgary’s Jacob Markstrom had 19 saves. The Flames won seven of 10 games against the Canucks this season. Mangiapane finished the year on a five-game scoring streak and tied a career-high 32 points (18 goals, 14 assists) over the pandemic- condensed 56-game season. The left-winger said it’s disappointing to finish the year out of the playoffs, but he’s hoping the Flames can build on the success they saw through the stretch. “I’m glad that our team came out these last couple games and played well, just kind of building on for next year,” Mangiapane said. “Just start playing the right way now so we’re not behind the 8-ball next year.” It wasn’t the season end Flames coach Darryl Sutter envisioned when he was hired in March to replace Geoff Ward. “I’m just disappointed,” Sutter said. “I’m disappointed for the players. I say this all the time when it’s the last game, doesn’t matter if it’s a playoff game or last game of the season, I’m always disappointed for the players that they don’t get to keep playing.” For Canucks coach Travis Green, the end of the season came with mixed emotions. His team finished the year with 19 games in 32 nights after a COVID-19 outbreak swept through the club, forcing the NHL to postpone a number of games. “It’s been a grind of a year. Our team’s gone through a lot,” Green said. “Proud of the group, the way they’ve handled themselves and stuck together and stuck with it.” Wednesday’s game was the NHL’s regular-season finale, played four days after the playoffs started in the U.S. It was also the fourth matchup in a row between Calgary and Vancouver, who were both eliminated from playoff contention in the all-Canadian North Division earlier this month. The Flames ended up four points behind the Montreal Canadiens in the race for the final playoff spot. The Canucks finished last in the seven- team North, one point behind the Ottawa Senators. The game finished hours before Wednesday night’s North Division playoff opener between the Edmonton Oilers and visiting Winnipeg Jets. Globe And Mail LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188656 Vancouver Canucks Most what are thou going to try? GADJOVICH AND JUOLEVI LEFT OUT OF THIS FINAL GAME

WHAT A WASTE OF TIME FOR GADJOVICH, WHO DIDN'T LOOK The Armies: The Canucks finally finish the season THAT BAD OUTSIDE OF THAT *ONE* GIVEAWAY ON THE GOAL- AGAINST. By Wyatt Arndt May 20, 2021 A GOAL-AGAINST IN A GAME THAT LITERALLY DOES NOT MATTER, BY THE WAY. #CANUCKS

— CODY SEVERTSON (@CODYSEVERTSON) MAY 19, 2021 It may have been one of the shortest Canucks seasons ever, but it sure felt like the longest. The NHL’s hatred of youth in mean-nothing games is a proud tradition that won’t be stopped anytime soon. The Canucks crawled past the finish line Wednesday afternoon, with the cheers and celebrations of the playoffs continuing over their shoulder; if Only veterans know how to lose a 6-2 game properly, everyone knows ever there was a perfect way to encapsulate the season that was, one this. merely has to look at the box scores of the day showing playoff matchups Except Keith Ballard. as well as Canucks vs. Flames. He beheads goalies. On the outside looking in, going through the facade of playing hockey in the postseason. Most wondrous starteth to thine game The next step for Vancouver fans is to wait and see what the offseason I FEEL NOTHING AFTER THAT TKACHUK GOAL holds for them, and to see what changes, if any, might occur. — NICK BONDI (@NICKBONDI) MAY 19, 2021 If you’re having trouble wondering which offseason this refers to, I don’t blame you, as this has been par for the course around here lately. The MATTHEW TKACHUK SCORING IN A GAME WHERE OLLI JUOLEVI “Groundhog Day” nature of this franchise is clear for all to see, except GETS SCRATCHED IN FAVOUR OF JALEN CHATFIELD SEEMS LIKE fans never get to punch out Ned Ryerson. Instead, they’re told Ned might A FITTING END TO THE #CANUCKS SEASON, FRANKLY. be brought in to manage the salary cap. — LACHLAN IRVINE (@LACHINTHECREASE) MAY 19, 2021 With reports and rumours swirling that Jim Benning will be back next Much like the Battle of Soissons, Calgary is fighting in order to one day season, and that the Sedins might be involved in some way, there is no become a major regional power. And Clovis and the Flames struck first shortage of drama waiting to unfold. What there might be a shortage of, when Matthew Tkachuk had the gall to score on Braden Holtby: though, is patience. In the last game of the season in which the Canucks just wanted it all to Ambition patience is a virtue, but it does feel like many fans may have be over it’s hard to get too detailed on the breakdowns of the goals had enough or simply run out of time as it were with this team. Sure, it against, but for those keeping score at home, Quinn Hughes does the can be written off as a small minority of angry fans, but as we’ve seen all proper shoulder check before changing lanes, but fails to secure the stick year, something about this season feels different. This feels like of Matty K-Rockz, which I assume is Tkachuk’s DJ name. something more than just the usual gloom surrounding a failed season. Nonetheless, Matty drops the bass like medieval Latin drops the “o” in Maybe I’m wrong, maybe Benning and Francesco Aquilini pull off another “phenix” and the Flames were off to the races. “Now You See Me” moment and trot out the Sedins and use them as shields like Trevor Linden once did. Riding the optimism and goodwill of Who knew we could learn so much in a blowout loss? the Sedins to get through yet another season with Jim and Frank the Tank running the show. Most wondrous at least those gents hath tried Maybe next season the team bounces back a bit and the pitchfork and DAMN THAT RED DISPLAY BEHIND THE FLAMES NET. I THOUGHT torches are put away and Benning’s seven + two year plan starts taking THE GOAL LIGHT WAS LIT. GRR #CANUCKS off like a Perry Como chorus line. — DON ELLIOTT (@REALDONELLIOTT) MAY 19, 2021 Or maybe the team finally runs into a fan base that has seen enough of the smoke and mirrors, a fan base that demands better from the club Bo Horvat, J.T. Miller, Nils Höglander and Brock Boeser have been the they support. best Canucks forwards this season, so it should be no surprise that trend continued in this game. Chaos may be a ladder, but toying with the legacy of the Sedins, that’s just downright dangerous. Horvat, who has Tyler Motte-lite ability to generate breakaways, got a chance early on but was denied by Markstrom like Alfred the Great We said it at the time when Aquilini tweeted out his support of his turning away the Vikings from England, a metaphor I am sure the Scrum management team that he’s put himself directly in the spotlight now. Lord would find delightful: There are no longer mistakes made by Benning and Benning alone. The mistakes and missteps are now in the team owner’s lap, though as are Most wondrous turning up the heateth the victories, if you’re an optimistic soul. COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT THE EARLY START AND WE'RE The point is, by making no major changes, Aquilini is now firmly in the LOSING 2-0……GO CANUCKS! #FLAMES #CANUCKS #NHL driver’s seat of this Canucks bus, and he better prepare himself for — UK CANUCKS FANS (@UKVANFAN) MAY 19, 2021 everything that comes with that. The Flames, perhaps inspired by Charlemagne’s bloodlust, battled the And so we end yet another game, asking but a simple question to those entire game in a seemingly unending conquest to score as many goals in charge. as possible. Seriously, what is the damn plan here? Their second goal was another instance of Hughes getting caught Meetest soundtrack for the humour of the game moving the wrong way, and he doesn’t have enough speed to turn around and track down Dillon Dube, as the alliteration overwhelmed him: THANKFULLY AFTER TODAY VANCOUVER AND CALGARY ONLY PLAY EACH OTHER 17 MORE TIMES. If you’re starting to wonder if Holtby had a poor game, you might be on to something. — NOAH LOVE (@NOAHLOVE) MAY 19, 2021 If you’re starting to wonder if the team didn’t help Holtby out that much IT'S NO GAME 56 CANUCKS VS FLAMES BUT THIS COPPA ITALIA either, you also might be on to something. FINAL IS TASTY If you’re starting to wonder if the Canucks relying on above-average — MIKE MARTIGNAGO (@MIKEMARTIGNAGO) MAY 19, 2021 goaltending to cover up their flaws the last three seasons is a short- sighted plan, welcome to the sad party, drinks are on the left, Brough will I have become so used to writing about blowout losses that a 6-2 loss to be by soon to do a 15 minute stand up set. the Flames doesn’t even faze me anymore, but as usual we shall have some fun with it. I suggest the VIPs listen to this medieval cover of rap Most wondrous aim f’r the bushes songs to help put them in the mood for this Armies. The Nateure Boy Nate Schmidt got a chance to draw the Canucks to LOL THIS GAME #CANUCKS within one goal, but then shot the puck so high above the net it felt like he was searching for the fifth element of quintessence. — SASHA GOUNDAR (@SASHAGOUNDAR) MAY 19, 2021 He then returned to the bench and laughed, but you knew it wasn’t a NOT THE LASTING MEMORY THE #CANUCKS WERE HOPING FOR happy laugh. It was one of those sad laughs you make when you pretend FROM HOLTBY HEADING INTO THE OFF SEASON. everything is all right but in reality you’re thinking of the one that got away — FARHAN LALJI (@FARHANLALJITSN) MAY 19, 2021 in high school. Like a trebuchet pounding against your castle walls, there are only so Most wondrous the beatings shall continueth until the m’ral improves many boulders you can withstand before things begin to crumble for PUT IN SILOVS good. — SOMEBODY (@STEVE_MAY) MAY 19, 2021 The final nail in the coffin of any potential comeback was delivered by Matty K-Rockz on a pleasant looking shot that wasn’t here for a long THIS IS FUN. I AM ENJOYING THIS. THIS IS WHAT I LIKE. time, but for a good time: — DANIEL WAGNER (@PASSITTOBULIS) MAY 19, 2021 Holtby would finish the game with a .786 save percentage, which goalie expert Greg Balloch tells me is pretty good and close to his beer league Andrew Mangiapane continues to be one of the most exciting Flames stats, but Kevin Woodley would later inform me “is like what happens players to watch, and he continued his strong season notching his 18th when Ryan Biech scores on you with a muffin of a shot, but like six goal of the season on a poor rebound from Holtby: times.” Again, we could probably break down what went wrong on this goal, and Most wondrous those gents couldn’t sc’re those folk all in another universe, maybe we would, but you’re probably hitting the “Gangsta’s Paradise” cover on that playlist right about now so I’ll let that I CAN’T BELIEVE THEY’RE GOING FOR 10. #CANUCKS carry you through to the next goal. — DAVID CEE (@CANUCKSIN4) MAY 19, 2021 Most wondrous this game wouldst not stand ho sc’ring The Flames almost made it 6-2 after that goal, but the jokes on them, 4 TO 0 #NICE they were offside and would have to wait a few more minutes to make it 6-2: — NOBODY (@PETBUGS13) MAY 19, 2021 I don’t have a clip of the offside itself because I was using that time to THE 4 GOAL LEAD, RIGHT WHERE THE #CANUCKS WANT 'EM research the profession of farting, which I feel, all things considered, was — CAM BARRA (@CAMJBARRA) MAY 19, 2021 the right play to make here. With more broken promises than the Magna Carta, the Canucks Most wondrous thee at each moment rememb’r thy first continued their agonizing descent into the end of the 2020-21 season CONNOR MACKEY SCORES HIS FIRST NHL GOAL. when a turnover in their own zone led to an uncontested shot from the slot from Brett Ritchie: — HAILEY SALVIAN (@HAILEY_SALVIAN) MAY 19, 2021 I have to say, of all the playoff games played on Wednesday, this series LAST GAME OF THE SEASON SO WITH 15 MINS TO GO THE felt emotionless. CANUCKS MIGHT AS WELL PULL THEIR GOALIE FOR THE EXTRA ATTACKER #CANUCKS Most wondrous captain can’t stand ho, wonneth’t stand ho — I'M THE (@MANCALLEDIAM) MAY 19, 2021 DOES ANYBODY STILL WANT TO YELL AT ME FOR MY RATHBONE > JUOLEVI TAKE? Fun fact, a butt of wine was an actual measurement used in medieval times! So when we say the Canucks gave up a butt load of goals, it’s not — DAVID QUADRELLI (@QUADREILI) MAY 19, 2021 being cheeky, it’s simply using a forgotten measurement! CAPTIAN BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! MOST MEANINGLESS GOAL OF Oh, the things we learned today. ALL TIME!!! #CANUCKS As for the goal, that’s about as easy of a goal as you can get, as by this — YOUNGJUDD (@YOUNGJUDD_1) MAY 19, 2021 point of the game it was the third period and the Canucks were in With pride on the line, and a man who loves the bumper slot more than vacation mode: Roland the Farter loves, well, farting, Horvat finally broke the shutout: Most wondrous mem’ries You may think The Armies took a lowbrow turn with the fart joke, but I IN A WAY I'LL MISS THIS HTTPS://T.CO/WKYQHFPSUJ assure you, it is merely a piece of history. Flatulists were a common sight amongst court jesters, and even later in the 19th century. — JUSTIN MCELROY (@J_MCELROY) MAY 19, 2021 Fun fact, a flatulist named Joseph Pujol (yep) had a stage name of Le Most wondrous trading chances Pétomane, which translates to “fartomaniac,” which is a name well earned when you can blow a candle out several yards away like he The teams then traded chances, and I only put this in here because this could. is my last game of the season to get paid by the gif, and daddy needs a new deck umbrella: The point is that Horvat can also score goals from several yards away on a Flame, which makes him an honorary flatulist if you ask me. I will say that during this last stretch, Matthew Highmore has done well for himself. Yes, it’s garbage time and it’s hard to know how much stock Most wondrous so thou art declaring th’re’s a chance? to put into these games, but as we talked about when the Canucks acquired him, the Motte game plan to success tells you that you need to HERE WE GO AGAIN!! #CANUCKS showcase yourself whenever possible in any scenario. — MICHAEL PAWESKA (@MRPAWESKA) MAY 19, 2021 Most wondrous going hard to the meshes HORVAT AND BOESER WITH DESERVING GOALS. THEY’VE HAD HOPE MILLER IS OK AFTER THAT.#CANUCKS #VANVSCAL SOLID YEARS. #CANUCKS — KEN HENDERSON (@KRUSTY027) MAY 19, 2021 — E-PETE EDWARDS (@PETE_GAS) MAY 19, 2021 Miller has had himself an interesting season, what with the f-bombs, the Boeser took a harmless looking shot which beat former friend Jacob defensive issues, but also still producing offence, leaving a fan base Markstrom, but upon closer inspection was a sneaky little tip from confused as to what to expect from him next season. Jimothy Timothy Miller, who earned his name for the last game of the season: The one thing I will say is that his effort levels in the offensive zone can never be questioned as he drove HARD to the net in a meaningless After the Canucks almost came back from a four-goal deficit against the game and almost folded himself in half: Flames last week, it honestly felt like history might be repeating itself, however, it was short-lived as the Flames kept scoring. Again, interesting season, but Miller is a player that I still without question think is part of any solution for this team. Most wondrous flames on the side of mine own visage Most wondrous didst jimmy vesey sc’re? As Botchford so aptly wrote at the end of the 2019 season: Nope. “I kept asking him why our world seemed to be collapsing and everything seemed so shitty. Most wondrous högging the puck “And he’d say, ‘That’s the way it goes, but don’t forget, it goes the other As this season draws to a close, the Hög has without a doubt been a ray way too.’ of sunshine on many dark days. “That’s the way hockey in Vancouver is. Even in a mean nothing game, Nils is all over that puck and causing turnovers: “Usually, this is the way it goes. Most wondrous going all out “But every once in a while, it goes the other way, too. For me, the two guys who have “momentum” heading into next season, “I can’t wait for it to go the other way.” whatever that’s worth, would be Travis Hamonic and Tyler Graovac. Both guys upped their game and played hard to end the season, which again, The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 might not be worth much, but was nice to see. Here we have Hamonic blocking a shot for a goaltender who dearly needed the help: And here we have the Gravy Train playing some mind games to get into the heads of the Flames: And here we have the Gravy Train picking up speed and drawing a penalty late in the second period: Now I know what you’re thinking, which knight of the round table best represents Tyler Graovac, and it’s clearly Sir Gawain, mostly because I assume they both share a love of horses named Gringolet and because their names both start with “G.” Most wondrous highlight of the game THIS MONTAGE OF CLIPS OF RYAN LESLIE EATING LUNCH HAS BEEN THE MOST ENTERTAINING AND ENJOYABLE PART OF THE GAME. #CANUCKS — GABRIELLE (@I_LOVE_CANUCKS) MAY 19, 2021 John Garrett would have had an answer for this. Most wondrous endeth result SO IT’S FINALLY OFFICIAL: THE OTTAWA SENATORS WILL NOT BE THE WORST CANADIAN TEAM THIS SEASON. THAT HONOR BELONGS TO THE VANCOUVER #CANUCKS! WHO WOULD’VE THOUGHT?!? #GOSENSGO #NHL — AJB (@ARJUN_AJB15) MAY 19, 2021 Most wondrous polling station DO YOU WANT JIM BENNING BACK AS #CANUCKS GM? — HARMAN DAYAL (@HARMANDAYAL2) MAY 19, 2021 Most wondrous clos’r In what has been a long and at times very tedious season, we turn back to our old friend Jason Botchford, who saw many years play out like this. Someone who knew the ups and downs of this franchise like no other. Botch wasn’t a fan of the Canucks, he was a fan of the fans, and he was waiting for a day when they could be excited and optimistic again. So with another season in the books, we will let him have the last word on the kind of season that has become all too familiar around these parts, as the fan base sits back once again, and hopes for a better future. HOWEVER I AM REMINDED OF THE BIGGEST, MOST PASSIONATE ARGUMENT I EVER HAD WITH HIM OVER A HOCKEY ISSUE (AS AN FYI WE HAD SEVERAL MUCH WORSE ONES OVER SOME ACTUAL WORK MATTERS, LOL). 2/ — PAUL CHAPMAN (@PAULCHAPMAN_) MAY 19, 2021 HE RAILS AT ME SAYING THEY DON’T WANT A WINNER. THEY SUPPORT MEDIOCRITY AND MISMANAGEMENT AND REWARD FAILURE. WE HAD A GOOD CROSSOVER SESSION, THEN I LEAVE AND GO TO THE NEWSROOM. THREE HOURS LATER, JASON COMES INTO WORK AND STORMS INTO MY OFFICE AND GOES AT ME HARD AGAIN. 4/ — PAUL CHAPMAN (@PAULCHAPMAN_) MAY 19, 2021 THIS WAS THE WAY HE FELT ABOUT THE EAGLES. HE LOVED THEM BUT WOULD NOT SUPPORT INEPITUDE AND THOUGHT THE 'DIE HARD' ARGUMENT WAS DUMB. EITHER WAY, I WISH HE WAS STILL AROUND SO I COULD GET HIS VIEWS ON THIS TRAIN WRECK OF A SEASON. — PAUL CHAPMAN (@PAULCHAPMAN_) MAY 19, 2021 Websites It got so bad in 2016 that, for the first time in nearly a half-century, no 1188657 Canadian team qualified for the NHL’s postseason. That is not generally seen as a recipe for ratings success. The Athletic / ‘Letterkenny,’ late nights and flag wars: An ode to the one- An all-Canadian division has changed those fortunes. On Monday, year wonder that was the NHL’s all-Canadian North Division Sportsnet reported an 8 per cent jump in year-over-year ratings for its early game on Saturday. The late game — the domain of Connor McDavid — saw a 23 per cent jump over the same period. Sean Fitz-Gerald May 19, 2021 The all-Canadian division will feature two all-Canadian playoff rounds. Toronto and Montreal meet in one series, with Winnipeg and Edmonton in the other. That could lead to a second-round meeting with McDavid It was sometime near the start of winter and the Edmonton Oilers were in and Auston Matthews. Marina del Rey, Calif., preparing for a game against the Los Angeles “I think if they could have asked Gary Bettman to set it up like this, they Kings. — then an Oilers forward — said the heavy work would have,” Seaborn said with a chuckle. “Leafs and Habs, and then was being done poolside, at The Ritz-Carlton: “The guys are shirts off, McDavid and Matthews? It’s just pretty perfect.” wearing their bathing suits; guns are out.” This season’s setup might yield a second-round matchup between It might have been 15 C outside. Auston Matthews’ Leafs and Connor McDavid’s Oilers, something that “People are walking around with their tuques on, leather jackets,” Carter would normally only be possible in the Stanley Cup Final. (Dan Hamilton said. “All bundled up.” / USA Today) Eventually one of the locals asked: “What the hell are you guys doing?” Anson Carter, retired NHL forward They were a hockey team visiting from Northern Alberta, they explained. Friends have given Carter grief for saying this on the air, but it has not been enough to change his mind: “I felt the North Division was by far the “Oh,” came the response. “Now we get it.” weakest division.” Carter, who now lives in Atlanta and works as an analyst with both NBC Really? and Sportsnet, chuckled as he pointed out players on Canadian NHL teams “lived for those moments” during the regular season. The trips to “When I compare it to the other divisions in the National Hockey League, California and Florida usually offer respite from the cold at home — just it’s not even close,” he said. “The lack of defence that I’ve been seeing in not for this season. the North Division, I think that’s a big reason why you saw Matthews (a league-best 41 goals) and Connor McDavid (a league-best 105 points) In an effort to reduce the risk of a COVID-19 outbreak across the league, put up such gaudy numbers.” the NHL temporarily realigned into four self-contained divisions whose teams played only against each other during the regular season. Both players would still be near the top of the league in a normal season, Beaches and sunny poolside retreats were scarce for the seven he said, but they have loaded up on games against weaker teams this Canadian teams, who were all sequestered for a pandemic-shortened year. Carter, who grew up in Toronto, said that does not mean a team regular season in the new North Division. It was a trivial adjustment to from Canada cannot win the Stanley Cup this year — a Canadian team is make against the broader context of COVID-19, but it was another guaranteed a spot in the semifinal round. reminder of how life was different in 2020-21. “Whoever comes out of there could be on a roll,” he said. “And once you The Canucks — who had five games postponed in late March and early get to that third round, anything’s possible.” April due to a COVID-19 outbreak — and Flames wrap up the all- , retired NHL forward Canadian division’s regular season on Wednesday, marking the end of a unique season for Canadian teams and fans. In an email to The Athletic, There was a novelty in having Canadian teams play each other, said deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the NHL does “not currently Kypreos, the former forward who became a broadcaster in retirement. anticipate having to continue the North Division into next year.” But he felt the novelty had an expiry date. If it is destined to become a one-off, how should the Canadian division be “Any time we had an all-Canadian match-up, at least working at remembered? What impact did it have on Canadians, and Canadian Sportsnet, it felt special,” he said. “But I think the last month, it felt business? Will anyone miss it when it is gone? anything but special.” Here are perspectives from nine Canadians — with backgrounds in Canadian fans never got to see Alexander Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby or entertainment, media and business — on what the season meant, and Nathan MacKinnon match up against their team this year. Kypreos, who what the two rounds of all-Canadian playoffs could mean in the coming is now host of “Real Kyper at Noon,” thinks the familiarity did more to dull weeks. old rivalries than sharpen them. Tyler Johnston, actor, ‘Letterkenny’ “It’s variety that I think everybody needs,” he said. “There’s something to be said for Chicago coming in with (Patrick) Kane and (Jonathan) Toews. Hockey is a co-star on “Letterkenny,” the Canadian-made comedy Every team’s got their superstars.” recently listed among its top 100 sitcoms of all-time. Johnston, who grew up in Coquitlam, B.C., is a diehard Canucks fan. Reid Wilkins, radio host, ‘Inside Sports’ “I will remember the hot and the cold of this season,” he said. “It was one Whenever the NHL returns to normal, Wilkins, who hosts “Inside Sports” of those seasons where your team could go three or four wins in a row on 630 CHED in Edmonton, would like to see at least one more game against the same team and then switch to — on paper — a less per season between Canada’s eastern and western teams. successful team, and they get wiped out four games in a row.” “Those are some of the most boisterous games of the year,” he said. “It’s Jared Keeso, the show’s creator, played junior hockey and is an avowed a really fun environment. The chanting is going back and forth between Flames fan, along with co-star Nathan Dales. Cast member Dylan the fans during warm-up. The Leafs fans or the Canadiens fans gather Playfair is a son of Jim Playfair, who is an associate coach with the around the runway just to cheer the team out — even for the warm-up.” Oilers. The show is filmed in Sudbury, Ont., with crew members who cheer for the Maple Leafs. Calgary is still the most hated team in Edmonton, Wilkins said, but after a season of the all-Canadian division, he suspects Toronto might be sitting “Jared Keeso and I, we text each other every day — if not multiple times in second place in that contest. a day — about hockey and certain plays,” said Johnston. The unique all- Canadian playoff format for the first two rounds, he said, would lead to “It’s amazing how irritated some Albertans are — still — by the coverage “an interesting couple of weeks here on the text messages” among the the Toronto Maple Leafs get,” he said. “That does still exist, where it’s cast and crew. like, ‘Why do I turn on the national sports networks, and it’s always a Toronto thing first?” Adam Seaborn, media buyer, Kingstar Media It was not that long ago, he said, before “” made In 2013, re-shaped the landscape of Canadian a routine of its Saturday night double-header, where Edmonton would be sports television when it snared exclusive rights to the NHL for 12 years stuck watching the Leafs even though the Oilers also had a home game in a deal worth $5.232 billion. The problem nobody at Rogers could that night. foresee: Many of the Canadian teams they won the right to broadcast would not be very good at hockey. “People remember that,” he said. “I do think it all gets bundled into the Patterson is host of “The Debaters” on CBC Radio and is author of “Dad rivalry.” Up! Long-time Comedian. First-Time Father,” which is set for release June 1. He is also a Canadiens fan who is married to another Canadiens , host, ‘Hockey Night in Canada’ fan and hopes the series this spring — a match-up gifted by the all- How do you keep an eye on the U.S. teams when your job revolves Canadian division — is what convinces their young daughter to join the around an all-Canadian division? family team. “I’ll be perfectly honest with you: What’s helped me a little bit in trying to “This is not the Stanley Cup Final, but for many, it’s the most intriguing keep my eye and focus on the entire league is, I’ve been betting,” Amber series in 40 years,” he said. “I mean, they just finally get to play again.” said with a laugh. “I’ve been wagering on games. And having that And the flag? personal vested interest in what’s going on in Anaheim versus San Jose has kept me fluid with what’s going on there.” “I have a power-washer for the eggs,” he said with a laugh. “The plan is to keep it up for as long as they’re in.” Amber, who anchors the desk for Sportsnet’s coverage, also spends time in the field, at least when that field is not locked down because of a The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 pandemic. In a normal season, he would be able to wander down to Scotiabank Arena in Toronto on a game day and chat with members of the visiting team. That could be a quiet moment with a star forward, or a few questions alone with the visiting coach. And that could make the Canadian games more difficult, too, especially when teams were meeting for the eighth or ninth time in the same season. “What are the fresh storylines at that point?” Amber said. “You’ve told all the stories. Everything’s been exhausted. To keep things sort of fresh and exciting and new, there were some times in March and April that were challenging.” Alex Ovechkin hasn’t appeared in front of fans in Canada since February 2020, one of many stars not seen north of the border this season. “It’s variety that I think everybody needs,” says Nick Kypreos. (Terrence Lee / USA Today) Troy Westwood, retired CFL kicker There is a reward for having to sit through games against the same teams over and over and over, said Westwood. The reward is the chance to play one of them yet again — but this time, in a playoff series imbued with narrative threads that stretch back for decades. Winnipeg and Edmonton have met six times in the NHL playoffs. Not one of those series worked out well for the Jets, who were 0-6 against the Oilers before they relocated to Arizona. (This is the first time the updated Jets have met the Oilers in the postseason, and it is as a byproduct of the all-Canadian division.) “In ‘X’ number of years, we’re going to look back on this and say, ‘Remember that horrible COVID situation and the way the NHL did the North?’” said Westwood, the long-time kicker and local radio host. “There’s something almost romantic to that for a lot of people.” Laura Saba, podcaster, ‘Locked On Canadiens’ “For me,” said Saba, “I think the biggest thing is just: I don’t want to see this ever again in my lifetime.” A long-time Canadiens fan who co-hosts a podcast centred around the team, she said it almost felt like the Canadiens were playing in a different league from the U.S. teams, rather than a different division. “It felt like we were looking from the outside in,” she said. “As much as I like rivalries, you want to see other teams once in a while. You want to see your team play a different style once in a while. And you’re only going to do that if they’re playing different teams.” And then there were the long stretches with games in Western time zones. “One thing I will not miss is the late-game starts,” she said. “The number of times the Canadiens went out to Vancouver or Edmonton. There was a game that started at 11 p.m., and you know how many Canadiens fans there are in The Maritimes, right? That was a nightmare. I won’t miss that.” Steve Patterson, comedian, ‘The Debaters’ In the days leading up to the first playoff meeting between Toronto and Montreal since 1979, Patterson hoisted a Canadiens flag at his home. It should be noted: He lives in Toronto, and not in Montreal. Not long after it went up, an elderly woman walked by the property when Patterson was outside. Out of nowhere, she yelled: “BOOOOO!” “I didn’t even know why,” Patterson said. “I thought she was just booing my hair, because I haven’t had a haircut in a while.” She yelled again: “The flag! Go Leafs!” Websites In the United States, for players 12 and younger — Shannon and Cole 1188658 belong to this segment — there is no delayed offside. If the puck enters the offensive zone while it remains occupied by attacking players, offside is automatic and the whistle blows. Only when players progress to the U- The Athletic / The curious cluster of elite American right-shot 14 level can they tag up at the offensive blue line to keep the clock defensemen ticking. USA Hockey has amended the rulebook several times. Prior to 1987, offside was always automatic. From 1987 to 1997, Rule 630 changed to By Fluto Shinzawa May 19, 2021 tag-up offside. From 1997 to 2003, it changed to automatic offside with possible delay. From 2003 to 2007, it went back to automatic offside. In 2007, high school-aged players were allowed to tag up. Since 2011, Connor Clifton is designed for the playoffs. The 26-year-old plays bigger bantams (U-14) and older have incorporated tag-up offside. than his 5-foot-11, 195-pound physique would suggest. He closes on opponents rapidly and drops bodies with a smile. Clifton is clean with the In comparison, allows for tag-up offside at all levels. puck when he’s more rowdy than reckless. Entering Round 1, he had 26 “We’ve really pushed hard, particularly in the hockey department at USA postseason appearances, 20 more than Jeremy Lauzon. Hockey, to maintain automatic offside,” said Grillo. “Part of that is to Yet it was Lauzon, not Clifton, who was in the Game 1 lineup on the No. really push the narrative in youth hockey of puck possession and forcing 3 pairing. There was one reason Clifton was in suit and tie: He is a right- our defensemen, once the puck does come back out, to control and shot defenseman. Three of the five defensemen the Bruins are carrying maintain the puck in the neutral zone instead of just being able to are ahead of Clifton on the depth chart, and rightfully so. Bruce Cassidy, hammer it back in and tag up like they can at the older levels.” like most coaches, prefers three lefty-righty combinations. Just about every peewee defenseman knows how to dump in the puck. It So for Game 1, Clifton (Long Branch, N.J.) joined Steve Kampfer (Ann requires a greater degree of awareness and problem-solving for a Arbor, Mich.) out of uniform. The Bruins rolled Charlie McAvoy (Long defenseman 12 and younger to process what to do with the puck when Beach, N.Y.), Brandon Carlo (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Kevan Miller teammates are still in the offensive zone. (Los Angeles) on the right side. They have to possess the puck while the other players scramble to get It just so happens that all of the Bruins’ right-shot defensemen are out. Their partner has to think about spacing to be available for a pass. Americans. Grillo acknowledges the gripe, from parents and coaches, that a chorus Right-side alignment of whistles impedes flow and extends game length. But the improvement defensemen can make by executing neutral-zone plays reinforces USA In 2020-21, 316 defensemen made at least one appearance in the NHL. Hockey’s belief in U-12 automatic offside. Canada (139), the United States (94), Sweden (36), Finland (18) and Russia (13) were the top five countries in blue-line representation. It also encourages more emphasis on possession. As easy as it is to dump the puck back in under tag-up conditions, this usually results in Among Americans, 43 of the 94 defensemen were right shots (45.7 ceding possession to the opponent for a breakout. percent). It was the highest percentage of the five leading countries. The rest were as follows: Canada at 43.9 percent, Sweden at 25.0 percent, “If you’re really going to be an impactful player at the next level, those Russia at 23.1 percent and Finland 22.2 percent. reads and decisions you make with and without the puck are so, so, so critical,” Grillo said. “Part of the reason some of our young American In the United States, the top tier is especially crowded. The Bruins, for defensemen, we think, are so good is not just their technical skill example, would not complain if McAvoy earned votes for the Norris package. It’s their reads. It’s their head. It’s their hockey IQ. It’s their Trophy. The same goes for the Rangers and Adam Fox, the Canadiens vision. It’s their spatial awareness. Which is such a critical part of the and Jeff Petry, the Capitals and John Carlson, the Blue Jackets and Seth game, especially if you’re going to separate yourself from being good to Jones. being great.” In fact, perhaps the toughest call Stan Bowman will make as general Grillo uses the example of a defenseman gaining puck possession in the manager of Team USA is declaring which right-shot defensemen will not neutral zone with forwards on the other side of the blue line. The be in the American lineup for the 2022 Winter Games. defenseman’s partner has to identify the optimal route to provide support. When tag-up is allowed, the partner simply stands at the far side and America’s peculiar lean toward right-shot sticks is well known. USA waits for the puck-carrying defenseman to send it back in. The former Hockey’s belief is that, especially in nontraditional markets, parents promotes far more development than the latter. purchase sticks for their children that they can swing the same way as their baseball bats and golf clubs: as righties. “The game has developed in a way that rewards thinkers and players that are really good about movement off the puck,” Grillo said. “There’s a This flies in the face of the sport’s rule of thumb. A hockey player should lot of focus on the player with the puck. And that’s obviously about the hold their stick with the dominant hand on top. The percentage of right- technical skill level to stickhandle, pass and skate. That’s critical. But to hand dominant hockey players aligns with that of the general population. players away from the puck, which is literally 98 percent of the game they As such, most players should be left shots. play — the best players in the world only have the puck for two percent of McAvoy, for example, writes and eats with his right hand. He plays golf the game — that ability to think about how I support is really a game- and baseball as a righty. But he cannot fathom why, by hockey’s rule, he changer.” should be a left shot. Grillo brings the conversation back to some of the sharpest American right-shot defensemen. McAvoy and Fox can skate and pass and check “We have these talks all the time,” McAvoy said with a smile while with anyone. shaking his head. “I can never wrap my head around guys who play lefty hockey, but then swing a golf club righty. It just seems so foreign to me. But their superpower is how they read the game quicker and clearer than My dad’s a righty. So maybe he just cut down a right-handed stick for me most of their opponents. This allows them to optimize where they position and took the choice out of my hands.” themselves and where they transport the puck. They may have initiated Perhaps the high percentage of American right-shot defensemen is this method of thinking when they were squirts, forced to devise random. As for the concentration of high-end U.S. skill at the position, alternatives to ramming the puck into the offensive zone. Roger Grillo, the Rhode Island-based regional manager of the American Now, they are precious commodities. Development Model, believes there is an explanation. Big-game players Grillo’s theory: Rule 630. Defensemen who develop within the restrictions of automatic offside The benefits of automatic offside learn not to panic. They come up with puck-possession solutions under Cassidy is not just the Bruins coach. He is a hockey dad to daughter, pressure while their teammates hustle back to center ice. Shannon, and, son Cole. Like most parents, Cassidy gets annoyed with Poise is critical in the most stressful moments. There are none more one aspect of his kids’ games. nerve-wracking than the playoffs. “I find the automatic offside very frustrating for, I’ll say, the 9-, 10-, 11- It’s nothing new for McAvoy. He’s been a big-game player since he year-old group. I’m not sure when it switches exactly,” said Cassidy, an strutted into the varsity lineup in 2016-17, just weeks removed from his Ottawa native. “It just slows down the play so much.” sophomore season at Boston University. For McAvoy, stress is like oxygen. In Game 2, McAvoy led all players with 26:49 of ice time. He put five pucks on goal and dished out five smacks. During five-on-five play, the Bruins outscored the Capitals with McAvoy on the ice, 4-0. McAvoy recorded a 66.04 Corsi For rating, according to Natural Stat Trick, highest among all defensemen. McAvoy was everywhere. “Charlie, out of all the guys, has the ability to elevate,” Cassidy said. “That’s the difference too. There’s guys out there, trust me, that go, ‘Geez, I’d love to be able to make a difference.’ That’s why these guys are elite. Because they can. Because they can recover. Because they have the ability to separate. They’re strong to win the pucks. They see the ice. All those things that separate the great ones from good, solid players. That’s just Charlie enjoying the moment.” Cassidy didn’t need Clifton to be elite. But after being a healthy scratch in Game 1, Cassidy asked Clifton to play his weak side in place of Lauzon. Cassidy’s guidance was narrow: play physical, don’t be reckless, manage pucks in congested quadrants. Clifton only played 14:37. He made the most of it. At five-on-five, Clifton played 6:01 against Alex Ovechkin, most of any defenseman. Ovechkin had just two five-on-five shots. “He answered that bell well,” Cassidy said. “You’ve got to be ready to play against whoever comes over the boards. It’s hard to shelter guys in this league. You can do it. You can certainly do it for a while. But eventually, there’s nowhere to hide. So you’ve got to get out and play. So the message is usually, ‘You’re in the lineup for a reason. You’ve been there. You’ve done it. You’ve been on your off side. Just stay within yourself.’ He did a nice job.” Clifton will get another chance in Game 3. Lauzon will be unavailable because of a hand injury. Even if Lauzon were healthy, Clifton may be the better option against Washington because of his foot speed and experience. “I love Cliffy,” Brad Marchand said. “He competes so hard every day. In practice, every shift in the game, he’s so hard to play against. He’s always ready. He’s such a true professional. He’s ready regardless of how long he’s sitting or when he’s in and out of the lineup. He brings the same intensity every night. He competes hard. That’s what you love to see. He can skate like the wind. He’s so physical, I think he catches guys off guard a little bit. He’s a great player for us.” The Athletic LOADED: 05.20.2021 Websites When Toninato was inserted into the lineup late in the regular season, 1188659 Maurice was quick to dismiss the notion it was simply a carrot supplied for working hard all season on the taxi squad. Sportsnet.ca / Unsung heroes shine as Jets flip script vs. Oilers in Game Maurice felt Toninato had the skill set and hockey intelligence that would 1 translate to the playoffs and in Game 1, that hunch proved correct. Remaining Time -5:11 Ken Wiebe Discipline gives Jets edge in shutting down Oilers offence The Jets played the series opener with forwards Nikolaj Ehlers (suspected shoulder) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (undisclosed after taking a WINNIPEG -- Paul Maurice stayed consistent in his messaging, telling puck in the helmet), which meant their depth was immediately tested. anyone who would listen that the regular season series would mean absolutely nothing when the Stanley Cup playoffs began. But in the spirit of the season, it was defenceman Tucker Poolman who got the Jets on the board after Jesse Puljujaravi opened the scoring for The head coach of the Winnipeg Jets wasn’t discounting the meaning of the Oilers. dropping six consecutive games to the Edmonton Oilers or losing the season series by a decisive 7-2 margin. Poolman, who missed the final two games of the regular season with an injury, joined the rush after taking the puck in the neutral zone, supplying He wasn’t ignoring the fact that the Jets had lost six consecutive games a clean zone entry and a textbook net drive before burying a rebound in to the Oilers and been outscored 21-7 in the process either. tight. The point Maurice was trying to make was that the Jets knew exactly Poolman, who dealt with his own bout of COVID-19 back in January, had how they needed to play in order to have success against Connor not scored since March 9, 2020, a span of 40 regular season games and McDavid and company -- even if they didn’t reach the necessary level four more in the bubble last August. nearly often enough in the nine prior meetings. So how exactly do two Jets players that hadn’t scored a single NHL goal The one thing he was certain of was that the style of game was about to this season rise to the occasion in the series opener? change when the puck dropped in the Stanley Cup Playoffs. “It’s really, really consistent with playoff hockey. We’ve just seen that so Remaining Time -5:11 many times,” said Maurice. “The skill in some ways cancels itself out and it’s the grit and grind guys who go to the net, put a puck to the net, stand Discipline gives Jets edge in shutting down Oilers offence in front of the net, it’s their game all year long and playoff hockey gets to In the North Division opener, the theory proved to be true, with a become like their game and they’re good at it.” multitude of unlikely heroes -- plus a massive performance from goalie The contributions from the unsung heroes didn’t end there, as fourth-line Connor Hellebuyck -- playing a big role in giving the Jets a 1-0 series centre Nate Thompson chipped in a pair of assists before Kyle Connor lead after a 4-1 victory on Wednesday night in Edmonton. and Jets captain Blake Wheeler added empty-net goals to put the game Dominic Toninanto, who was limited to two NHL games and another on ice. three in the American Hockey League with the Manitoba Moose this Remaining Time -1:15 season, was inserted onto the fourth line and managed to score the game-winning goal on a nifty redirection after a point shot from Logan Hellebuyck credits Jets' attention to detail in Game 1 win over Oilers Stanley went in and out of the net quickly that it required a video review in Toronto to count. This win wouldn’t have been possible for the Jets without Hellebuyck, who finished with 32 saves, including 15 in the second period when the “Uh, yeah. I thought it was initially in. I actually rose my stick right away Oilers held a decisive edge in terms of the flow of play but ended up in a but then the play kept going,” said Toninato, who was appearing in his 1-1 tie. fourth career Stanley Cup playoff game after suiting up in three with the Florida Panthers last August. “I was like, ‘Oh no, now I'm going to look Having Hellebuyck outplay Oilers Mike Smith (and for the Jets to beat kind of dumb.’ And then, luckily I got back to the bench and the guys said him for the first time in six appearances this season) was exactly what it was in so it was a good feeling.” the Jets needed, especially given the players missing up front. Although the play went on, the buzzer sounded shortly thereafter and the “Our confidence is directly tied to him,” Wheeler said of the reigning puzzled looks turned to celebration and eventually elation. Vezina Trophy winner. “I mean, the way he carries himself gives us confidence every single night and we know that goaltending means a lot “I couldn't really see the initial shot. I knew Dom got his stick on it. The this time of year and we have, we believe is the best goaltender in the sound that it made sounded like the post,” said Stanley, who survived a league so that gives us a ton of confidence. It’s his birthday, he’s getting three-player platoon with Jordie Benn and Ville Heinola to earn his spot a little bit older, so you guys are going to have to start bugging him about in the Game 1 lineup. “I kind of was in the corner and the buzzer went. I his age. But great game for Connor and from our standpoint we’re just thought there was a scrum by our bench and as I got closer the guys trying to give him vision of the puck and let him see the puck and he’s a were celebrating so I threw my arms up in the air and gave Dom a big pretty good goalie when he can see it.” hug.” Although the Jets are not considered to be an overly rugged team, they Remaining Time -1:44 knew they would need to play a physical brand of hockey to try and help deter the Oilers from getting to their speed game and using that in Jets awarded goal mid-play after puck goes in & out of net transition -- where they are incredibly dangerous. Toninato dealt with a serious bout of COVID-19 in November and was “I think we have a fairly physical team. There are guys where that’s a big eventually placed on long-term injury reserve. part of what they do. Certainly the (Adam) Lowry line and (Thompson’s) Although he never got to the point of wondering if his opportunity might line, those guys are two heavy lines and they did a great job getting on ever come, Toninato did deal with some uncertainty as he waited to have the body and just trying to finish everything,” said Wheeler. “There’s a big his number called. difference between being physical and going out of your way and running around because then, especially against a team like Edmonton with so "Obviously getting in on the last two games was huge. I was just hoping much talent over there, if you’re running around trying to hit everything to get another opportunity in the playoffs,” said Toninato. “I had COVID that moves they’ll make two passes and all of a sudden it’s in the back of back in November. You have to pass tests to be able to get back on the your net and I think sometimes we got caught up doing that in the regular ice. Did some tests when I got back up here. They thought they found season and they were able to just dice us apart. We hit at the right times something that wasn't good, so I had to sit out a bit. Turns out it wasn't and it’s an important part of our game.” what we initially thought it was so I was able to get back a lot sooner. The other major storyline going into the contest surrounded McDavid, "I don't think doubt was getting in there. A couple other emotions, but who delivered nine consecutive multi-point games and recorded 22 you've got to make the most of every situation. I was just enjoying points in nine meetings. coming to the rink every day and being with the guys and just working on my game. Happy to get the opportunity now.” As annoying as the subject might be for the Jets to discuss ad nauseam, the only way to quiet the narrative was to find a way to contain McDavid, who produced 105 points in 56 games. For the first time in 10 meetings, the Jets were able to do just that. Although McDavid had a couple of dangerous bursts of speed, he was held without a shot through 40 minutes of play, finished with two in the contest and did not record a point. “That’s what you expect come playoffs. Can’t make it easy for them,” said Hellebuyck. “We know they are going to come with some fire next game, we need to come prepared for that.” Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.20.2021 Websites “We could do a better job being hard on (Hellebuyck),” McDavid 1188660 admitted. “As forwards we have to do a better job of bringing traffic to him.” Sportsnet.ca / Oilers learn familiar lesson as Jets grind out Game 1 win “You’ve got to get more traffic to the front of the net, be harder on him,” added James Neal. “You saw Jess (Puljujarvi) — you find a rebound and you find a goal. Mark Spector “We’ll regroup. We’ll be fine.” Remaining Time -0:51 EDMONTON -- Fourth line centre Nate Thompson had two points, while Puljujarvi bangs it home to open scoring for Oilers against Jets the NHL’s leading scorers Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl had none. This is the next step for this Oilers team now. It is clear as day. If that doesn’t scream playoff hockey at you, then perhaps you’ve forgotten that the man who scored what is considered to be the biggest Defensively, Edmonton was excellent. They allowed 22 shots on goal, goal in Edmonton Oilers playoff history is not named Wayne Gretzky, and out-chanced the Jets. Led by McDavid and Draisaitl, they have Mark Messier, Jari Kurri or Glenn Anderson. altered their defensive conscience. Good on them. He is Kevin McClelland, the third-line winger who won Game 1 of the Now, they must alter the offence. 1984 Stanley Cup Final 1-0 with a quick wrist shot under Billy Smith’s More support scoring, more ugly, net-crashing, second opportunity goals. glove. On a pass from, wait for it, Pat Hughes. Less highlight, more low brow. So, as the Winnipeg Jets steal Game 1 of this series on a deft deflection “Playoff hockey is tight hockey,” said Tippett. “You collapse around the by a fourth-line, late addition named Dominic Toninato, a goal by third- net, you’re hard on the walls, you’re doing little things right. Finding ways pairing defenceman Tucker Poolman, and two assists by a guy who had to capitalize on an opportunity here and there… just three apples all season, we should remember something: “You can look back at all the regular season you want, it’s going to be The Winnipeg Jets have been to the playoffs four years in a row now. tight. Space is at a premium out there.” They know all about playoff hockey, how it gets played and how the games get won. It’s early, but already this is a moment for these Oilers. And the Oilers? Their only trip to the post-season in that time frame was Let’s see how they respond. that four-game debacle inside the bubble, when they played anything but playoff hockey, out-battled and out-guiled by the playoff savvy Chicago Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.20.2021 Blackhawks. Remaining Time -2:31 It was a different script between Oilers and Jets than regular season This was a 4-1 loss in which the book reads nothing like the way the cover looks. Edmonton dominated much of the game, outshooting the Jets 33-22. The score says 4-1, but it was really a 2-1 game with two empty-netters. Connor Hellebuyck stopped everything they threw at him, because he could see everything the Oilers threw at him. This isn’t the regular season anymore, when he had a .877 saves percentage against the Oilers. He was fantastic, which drives home the point: Edmonton needs to work harder and get dirtier. “We didn’t think we’d just show up, and they’d hand us wins night after night,” said Darnell Nurse. “It was a good, hard game tonight. And it will just get harder and harder from here.” Let’s face it: Led by McDavid and Draisaitl, these Oilers have the art of the pretty goal mastered. They own the late-night sports shows, and all the Top 10 lists. But now we’ve reached the time of year when those goals grow scarce, and the hard-working, ugly goal takes over. “I thought we had the puck a lot of the night, played in their zone… Just didn’t find a way to get one,” said McDavid. “They get a tip. We didn’t. That’s playoff hockey.” That is exactly how the Blackhawks beat Edmonton last summer. They got the greasy tips that Edmonton could not find. This isn’t the first time this lesson has been taught. Professor Toews has already taken the Oilers through this course. “They got a break on the winning goal and the first empty netter hit the referee’s (skate),” said head coach Dave Tippett. “That’s how I expect all the games to be right there. They’re going to be tight, you’ve got to capitalize on a chance, and you can’t give much away. The team that gets a break here or there ends up on the winning end.” So Winnipeg walks in and takes home-ice advantage away just like that. That’s not really a big deal. The big deal is, will Edmonton learn the lesson this time around? Can they score the types of goals that the Jets and Blackhawks scored against them? Do they have the makeup to collect a dirty win the same way they stocked up on the pretty ones all season long? Websites It wasn't the prettiest of goals we've seen this series -- that belongs to his 1188661 linemate, Taylor Hall. By now, you’ve probably seen this absolutely ridiculous goal scored by Hall in the second period of Wednesday's Game 3. Watch it again — only, this time, keep a close eye on Smith: Sportsnet.ca / Stanley Cup Playoffs takeaways: MacKinnon puts on spectacular show vs. Blues Remaining Time -1:11 Gotta See It: Hall executes perfect spin move in tight to score on Samsonov Emily Sadler Smith’s creative little backhand pass to set up Hall is a perfect example of what he’s brought to the Bruins this season after signing with the club in free agency. Boston’s search for secondary scoring landed them the forward is always a must-watch, but get him in the post-season and he's do-it-all centreman last fall, and his impressive regular-season numbers simply unstoppable. — 13 goals, 32 assists in 54 games of 2020-21 — were proof of the Wednesday night was proof of that. MacKinnon tallied three goals and an strong fit forged between team and player. Put him on a line with the assist in Game 2 of Colorado's first-round series against the St. Louis newest Bruins star in Hall and one of the oldest in David Krejci, and Blues, propelling the club to a dominant 6-3 win and a 2-0 series lead. Boston’s finally got a suitable second punch of the one-two combo it’s This, after registering two goals and an assist in the series opener been looking for in the post-season. In three playoff games on that line, Monday night. Smith now has a goal and two assists -- and a ton of respect from his teammates. That's FIVE goals -- SEVEN points! -- in just two playoff games so far. And he truly is just getting started. Samsonov's playoff debut starts strong, but ends on an error Joonas Donskoi almost had himself a hat trick, too -- he opened the Fresh off his second stint on the Capitals' COVID reserve, goaltender Ilya scoring just 35 seconds into the game, then opened the second frame Samsonov got the start for Game 3 -- Washington's third starting goalie with another. He also assisted on MacKinnon’s first goal of the night, a in as many games after Vitek Vanecek went down with a lower body power-play marker in the first period. injury in Game 1 and Craig Anderson, who came in in relief in Game 1 and started Game 2, was given the night off (body maintenance). MacKinnon's feat, completed with an empty-netter late in regulation, is his first career playoff hat trick, and it doesn't feel like a stretch to suggest Despite not having played since May 1, Samsonov had a really strong it's most definitely not his last. game. Tested early and often by the Bruins, any concerns about conditioning and preparation were quickly put to rest. Kadri crosses the line The end of the game, however, was a bit of a netminding nightmare, with Colorado forward Nazem Kadri has landed himself in hot water with the Samsonov looking a little too casual after playing the puck behind the net league once again. Midway through the third period of Wednesday's in what should've been an innocent play. Game 2 against the St. Louis Blues, Kadri caught Blues defenceman Justin Faulk with an illegal check to the head mid-ice. Remaining Time -1:13 Remaining Time -2:21 Smith scores OT winner after miscommunication behind Capitals net Kadri ejected after knocking Faulk out cold with blindside hit Cameras caught Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin in the immediate aftermath, visibly frustrated and yelling in the direction of Samsonov. The infraction brought a scary sight, with Faulk remaining down on the ice after the blindside hit. He was able to skate off under his own power. Earlier in the night, The Great Eight (hundred) made history with his Blues head coach Craig Berube didn't have an update on Faulk's second-period goal to open the scoring: condition post-game. Surprisingly, one of the few feats he hasn't accomplished is scoring an Kadri was initially sent to the penalty box, but that was upgraded to a overtime winner in the playoffs. At the rate this series is going with all game misconduct after it was confirmed that the main point of contact three games so far needing OT, that could soon change. was Faulk's head. It's very likely he'll be getting a call from the league as Hurricanes’ killer penalty kill comes up big well, especially considering his standing as a multiple repeat offender. After stalling in Game 1, Carolina’s lethal power play pulled off perfection "The guy can't control himself. In the playoffs he's a repeat offender, bad with a gorgeous tic-tac-Aho goal midway through the first period hits,” Blues forward Brayden Schenn said of Kadri after the game. “He's Wednesday night… got a guy in a vulnerable position and picks nothing but the head. We need to focus on Games 3-4 and the league will take care of those guys' Remaining Time -0:38 hits." Aho finishes textbook 2-on-0 for shorthanded Hurricanes goal Kadri has earned a reputation for these kinds of plays -- particularly in the post-season. Two years ago, he delivered a dangerous cross-check to …but the big story of Game 2 was their penalty kill. Ranked third league- the head of Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk in Game 2 of the Toronto wide this regular season thanks to their 85.2 kill percentage, Carolina's Maple Leafs’ first-round matchup and was suspended for the remainder now 100 per cent in the playoffs when Nashville plays with the man of that series, which the Leafs went on to lose. The dangerous nature of advantage — and it’s not for lack of opportunity on the Predators' part, Wednesday's hit on Faulk, combined with a lengthy track record -- he's especially given the officials' busy whistles in this one. In totals, the now been suspended five times since 2013 -- could make for a similar Hurricanes had to kill off seven penalties Wednesday night. suspension this spring. Carolina's elite P.K. has been especially strong against Nashville all Remaining Time -0:36 season, whose 24th-ranked power play isn't exactly known for being dangerous. In eight regular-season meetings between the two clubs this O’Reilly & Schenn call out Kadri: ‘He can’t control himself’ year, Nashville scored just three PP goals against Carolina. Smith's impatience pays off for Bruins Nashville can't beat Ned Just like Games 1 and 2 of the first-round series between the The other big story to come out of Game 2 in Carolina? Alex Nedeljkovic. Washington Capitals and Boston Bruins, Wednesday’s Game 3 required The Predators simply couldn't solve the rookie netminder, whose red-hot more than 60 minutes of hockey to deliver a winner. numbers seemingly out of nowhere this season earned him the role of playoff starter despite veteran Petr Mrazek being healthy enough to Unlike Monday, which needed just 39 seconds of extra time before Brad resume his position. Now up 2-0 in the series thanks to Nedeljkovic's 32- Marchand buried the game-winner, Wednesday night required a little save performance, he's really owning the crease. In the series' two more patience — something that isn’t necessarily Craig Smith’s strong games so far, Nashville has scored on him just once. suit, apparently. The rookie's excellent play was even more clutch considering the club "I love winning, but I hate waiting," he told reporters after the game, a 3-2 was without top-pair defender Jaccob Slavin. Slavin played in Game 1 double-overtime victory to take a 2-1 series lead. Monday night but was ruled out ahead of Game 2, with Jake Gardiner His impatience (eventually) paid off -- five minutes into the second being slotted into the lineup and Jake Bean stepping up with a big blue overtime period Wednesday night, it was Smith who stole the show after line performance in Slavin's absence as well. pouncing on a misplay by Capitals netminder Ilya Samsonov. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188662 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Toronto Mayor Tory: Drive-in Maple Leaf Square an option if team goes on run

Kellen Forrest May 19, 2021, 11:22 AM

Just a day before an all-Canadian Stanley Cup Playoff showdown between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Mayor John Tory is urging fans in his city to continue watching the games from home. With the province under a stay-at-home order until June 2, the mayor says the way to responsibly celebrate the Maple Leafs' playoff run should be done with the lockdown in mind. At least for the first round. "Right now, we still want people to stay at home," Tory said Wednesday morning on the SN590 The Fan's Lead Off. "Until the province changes those rules, we will be standing down in terms of other activities to organize, but we are talking about it." Tory said the hope is something like the Raptors' drive-in version of Jurassic Park could be explored in the future, especially if the No. 1- seeded Maple Leafs make a long playoff run like many predict. "On the hopes that the Leafs are going to go into the playoffs deep, that means the reopening will have begun hopefully by then, there’s a possibility we could do some of that sort of thing," Tory explained. "You know, if you start making arrangements to have people come here or come there, whether they are in their cars or not, you're going against (the stay-at-home order)." The mayor's comments come a day after the Canadiens were given the go-ahead to host 2,500 fans after May 28 when Quebec’s 9:30 p.m. ET curfew is officially lifted. Montreal would have to make it to Game 6 on May 29 for fans to be officially welcomed back to the Bell Centre. On a lighter note, Tory confirmed he's made a first-round bet with Montreal Mayor Valerie Plante. The terms include a case of craft beer, a sandwich, bragging rights, a donation to charity and, most importantly, the losing mayor will have to raise the winning team's flag outside the loser's city hall. The Canadiens and Maple Leafs open their series – the first playoff meeting between the rivals in more than 40 years – Thursday on Sportsnet and CBC. Coverage begins at 7:30 p.m. ET/ 4:30 p.m. PT. Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188663 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Bogosian ready to add 'a whole lot of nasty' to Leafs' Game 1 lineup

Luke Fox

TORONTO – The Toronto Maple Leafs are ready to add “a whole lot of nasty” into their lineup for Game 1 vs. the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday. That, in a nutshell, is how Wayne Simmonds describes the benefit of inserting a healthy Zach Bogosian on the club’s blue line for what promises to be a physical playoff series. “Bogo’s a big guy. He plays physical. He eats the puck when other team’s shooting it. He plays with a mean attitude, and he can make plays when need be too,” Simmonds said Wednesday. “So, we're excited to have Bogo back… It just makes our team that much more tougher." As a testament to the 30-year-old’s toughness, Bogosian needed only the minimum of the four-week recovery timeline he was given after losing his footing and sliding awkwardly into the boards in Vancouver last month. He suffered a shoulder injury, but was medically cleared to play this week. A full participant in practice Wednesday, Bogosian took reps to the right of rookie Rasmus Sandin on the Leafs’ third pairing. Bogosian's return now brings Toronto's roster to full health ahead of the playoffs. “It's a nice addition for us,” said coach Sheldon Keefe, who appears poised to scratch Travis Dermott in Game 1. “Frankly, we were unsure if he was going to be available for this series, but credit to him for the work that he's put in to get himself ready.” Remaining Time -1:22 Keefe expects physicality between Maple Leafs and Canadiens to hit a new level Bogosian, who hoisted the Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay in 2020, has four points in 44 contests for Toronto this season while averaging 14:40 of ice time. But the six-foot-two, 200-pound veteran is integral to the PK, boxes out well around the crease and throws more hits (6.14 per 60 minutes) than any other Toronto defenceman. By replacing Dermott, Bogosian, a right shot, will also give the third pairing an ideal righty-lefty balance. Mitch Marner describes Bogosian’s impact on the group as huge. “He’s a big body that throws his weight around and makes sure he plays a hard game. And at the same time, he plays very smart with his positioning and puck movement and finding exits through our D-zone,” Marner said. “On the bench, he's always speaking. He’s a loud guy, and he makes sure everyone knows and hears him. “He's communicating with the whole team and just keeping us going and keeping us upright like so many guys on this team. It's great to have him back out there and back buzzing with fellas.” Maple Leafs projected Game 1 lineup Hyman-Matthews-Marner Foligno-Tavares-Nylander Kerfoot-Nash-Mikheyev Thornton-Spezza-Simmonds Rielly-Brodie Muzzin-Holl Sandin-Bogosian Campbell Andersen Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.20.2021 Websites stopping pucks and minimizing the effectiveness of the Jets’ forecheck to 1188664 this point.

Hellebuyck welcomes the responsibility of being his team’s most Sportsnet.ca / Jets embrace underdog role vs. Oilers: 'We know we are important player going into this series, but he can’t do it alone. good enough to win' When asked if Hellebuyck might end up being the great equalizer in this series, Copp expressed his faith in the goalie, but also took umbrage with the line of questioning to a certain degree. Ken Wiebe “I think we got a lot of belief in him, for sure. I don't know if it's a great equalizer because I don't know if we feel like we're lacking other areas,” said Copp. “I think we got a lot of trust in him, we got a lot of trust in our WINNIPEG -- Andrew Copp couldn’t help but chuckle when the question defence, we got a lot of trust in our special teams, we got a lot of trust in was posed to him during the final Zoom availability before jumping on a our scoring ability. I don't know if he's necessarily an equalizer but could plane bound for Edmonton. be a difference-maker.” The Winnipeg Jets forward was asked what he might say to the growing For the Jets to earn an upset, this will take a collective effort, with certain chorus of observers suggesting his team might be a bit overmatched in players needing to elevate their respective games -- especially with the North Division playoff series against the Edmonton Oilers. forwards Nikolaj Ehlers (suspected shoulder) and Pierre-Luc Dubois “I mean, I think you look at our team the way it's built, the kind of players (who hasn’t skated with the team after taking a puck to the head in that we have on our team, from the guys on the first line to the guys on Friday’s regular-season finale) ruled out for Game 1. the fourth line to the guys that are not even playing, I think we've got The playoffs are a time when unsung heroes come out of the blue and talent and heart and character and guys that play the right way up and deliver magical moments. down our lineup,” said Copp. “Just counting us out of the series is a little insulting to me.” “It's what you dream about when you're a kid. There's that extra fire in everyone during the playoffs, and you're seeing it now with the playoffs Copp wasn’t the only one sharing that sentiment. starting with guys that don't score much are scoring big goals,” said “We know we are good enough to win. We know that if we play our best Lewis. “It's what you need to win. You need not just your star players to game we can beat anyone on any given night,” said Jets defenceman score every night. You need the guys that don't usually score to step up Neal Pionk. “Now that's a lot easier said than done, but there's a lot of and score those big goals, and I think that gives a team big boosts. It inner belief that we can do it.” takes everyone to win.” Remaining Time -0:43 Remaining Time -5:32 Why Copp is insulted by people giving Jets no chance against Oilers Jets, Oilers have chance to ignite new Stanley Cup playoff rivalry Having that inner belief is an important step in the process, but ultimately For every chance that gets cashed in, there is often a list of others that it’s up to the Jets to show they can flip the script and produce some went unfulfilled. results. Qualifying for the playoffs can be difficult enough, but finding a way to The talk about the Oilers' downright dominance in the season series is win 16 games is a monumental task. warranted since they won seven of the nine games, including the final six That’s part of what makes the chase so special. (outscoring the Jets 21-7 during that span). “We’ve learned some valuable lessons over the past three years in the It comes to the surprise of no one that the Jets are embracing the role of playoffs. First and foremost, how delicate these opportunities are. underdog in this series. If the results of the head-to-head meetings They’re fleeting,” said Jets captain Blake Wheeler. “You’re not weren't enough of a rallying cry, the late-season swoon that included guaranteed to have a crack at it every year. seven consecutive losses (and nine in regulation during a 10-game span) merely cemented it. “Now that you’ve found yourself in the top half of the league with a chance, you want to make the most of those opportunities. That doesn’t Where the Jets were a relatively unknown contender in 2018 as they necessarily mean gripping your stick twice as hard, sometimes it means reached the Western Conference Final, they were considered to be a full- that you’ve got to really enjoy these moments and take them all in.” on Stanley Cup contender (if not favourite) in the 2019 playoffs. There were plenty of examples of the Jets gripping their sticks too tight Though much of that hype had cooled with the Jets limping toward the down the stretch, but on countless occasions, head coach Paul Maurice finish line, a first-round exit against the St. Louis Blues was still reiterated his belief that enduring that hardship might eventually provide considered a major disappointment following the great expectations for a payoff for his group. the organization going into the season. The moment of truth is about to arrive. The Jets were a bubble team last season and lost in the qualifying round to the Calgary Flames, then struggled late in the campaign this season Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 05.20.2021 after battling for top spot in the North Division as late as mid-April. Remaining Time -2:01 Why Jets don't think regular season plays a factor in series vs. Oilers Is the current edition of the Jets a contender, a pretender or something in between? Playoff history has taught us that things don’t always unfold as one might expect and Jets winger Trevor Lewis has some personal experience he’ll try to lean on once the series begins Wednesday. “(In) 2012 we were the eight-seed taking on the Presidents' Trophy (winning) Canucks, and it's all about that belief in playoffs, and I think we've got a strong belief in here,” said Lewis, who won two Stanley Cups with the Los Angeles Kings. “We've got a group that we know can do it.” One of the Jets' biggest reasons for optimism in this series is goalie Connor Hellebuyck, who has the ability to steal multiple games when he’s playing at his peak. Hellebuyck was the busiest goalie in the NHL this season and he once again showed what high-end netminding can mean to a team. Average goaltending isn’t going to be enough for the Jets, who will be looking for ways to solve Mike Smith -- who has done a good job of both Websites well this year. We didn't have a good start to the season. I can say I 1188665 probably would have changed a few things, but it is what it is, and you learn as you go.” TSN.CA / Big decisions lie ahead as Flames, Canucks conclude Both the Flames and Canucks face major decisions about their roster disappointing seasons and franchise direction. With players, coaches and management meeting with reporters in the coming days, fans in both Calgary and Vancouver Both the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks face potential could soon have some answers. personnel moves and franchise direction changes in the coming days, weeks and months after both teams wrapped up their 2020-21 regular TSN.CA LOADED: 05.20.2021 seasons Wednesday afternoon at the Saddledome. Salim Valji has more.

By Salim Valji

A couple of noteworthy ‘firsts’ as well as a major ‘last’ were on full display Wednesday in Calgary as the Flames and Vancouver Canucks concluded their disappointing 2020-21 seasons. The game itself, which Calgary won 6-2 thanks to three-point afternoons recorded by Derek Ryan and Brett Ritchie, served little on-ice purpose beyond sentimentality – it was also fan appreciation day so the Flames and a major brewery offered fans watching at home the chance to win a supply of beer for a year. Both teams had already been eliminated from playoff contention. Wednesday’s regular-season finale at the Saddledome offered up a ‘first’ for two Flames players. There was the first National Hockey League game for Calgary native Matthew Phillips, who started on a line with fellow rookie Adam Ruzicka and veteran . Rookie blueliner Connor Mackey, pinching into the offensive zone, notched his first career goal in the third period. Phillips spoke about the thrill of playing his first NHL game in the rink he frequented as a fan. “It was just so cool,” he said. “It’s hard to put into words and especially at the Saddledome, that just makes it that much better.” Phillips had family across the country tuning in, including his grandfather in Newfoundland. “I gave him a call this morning,” Phillips said. “He’s got to be the happiest guy in the world today. I guarantee you he was watching and that he had everyone he could contact watching too.” Flames head coach Darryl Sutter was impressed with the 23-year-old’s debut. “He’s got a big heart and he tries hard,” he said after the game. There was also a major ‘last’ for both organizations on Wednesday – the finale was the last game of a season they’re all-to-eager to put in the rearview mirror. “I give the players credit for the last three or four weeks,” Sutter said. “We had some pretty significant injuries…it certainly wasn’t the way they envisioned their season, but the way they played the last six weeks, if they’d played like that the whole year then they would have been a playoff team.” The Flames (26-27-3) finished four points back of the Montreal Canadiens for the fourth and playoff spot in the North Division. "The last 19 games have been extremely grinding,” Canucks head coach Travis Green said after the game. A COVID-19 outbreak in early April forced Vancouver (23-29-4) to delay playing its remaining games. “But I am extremely proud of this group.” Then there were also ‘potential lasts’ on Wednesday. Could this have been the last game behind the Canucks bench for Green? His contract expires this summer. With major roster changes anticipated, have we seen the last of Mark Giordano, Johnny Gaudreau, Milan Lucic and others in Flames jerseys? While those Flames players will meet virtually with media on Thursday, Green was hesitant to talk about his own future on Wednesday evening. “I don't want to go there right now,” he said. “I think it's well known how I feel about our group and the team and the city. I don't think there's anything else I want to say at this point, to be honest. We'll see what happens. I still look at our group like we are a team on the rise. I don't have any doubt about that. Yes, things didn't go Websites from difficult situations and tough moments on the ice. I have no doubt he 1188666 is going to be just fine adjusting to playoff hockey in the NHL."

Sandin was only on the ice for two goals against in 111 minutes of five- TSN.CA / Bogosian's return will inject 'whole lot of nasty' into Leafs lineup on-five play this season so he's proven he can be trusted defensively. And his poise with the puck is so good that he's been practising with the Out since April 20 with a shoulder injury, big-hitting defenceman Zach top power play unit this week. Bogosian, who was a steady and physical force on Toronto's back end during the season, is poised to return to the Maple Leafs lineup Thursday With Bogosian returning and Sandin sticking in the lineup, Travis Dermott night against the Montreal Canadiens in Game 1 of their first-round projects to be a healthy scratch on Thursday despite playing in all 19 of playoff series, Mark Masters writes. Toronto's postseason games over the last three seasons. Leafs Ice Chips: Sandin brings 'mean streak'; Dermott odd man out By Mark Masters The big news coming out of Leafs practice on Wednesday was the return of Zach Bogosian to the lineup, but also 21-year old Rasmus Sandin's playoff debut. TSN's Mark Masters has more on how Bogosian's return will affect the lineup and what to expect from Sandin. TSN Toronto Reporter Mark Masters reports on the Maple Leafs, who practised at Ford Performance Centre on Wednesday. Game 1 of --- Toronto's first-round playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens goes Thursday night at Scotiabank Arena. The Canadiens will try and gain an upper hand in the series by being ultra physical. Out since April 20 with a shoulder injury, Zach Bogosian is poised to return to the Leafs lineup on Thursday night. "We're going to be bringing that presence from when the puck drops," said winger Josh Anderson. "We got to get on their D as much as we can "The outlook looks good. He got through another hard and competitive and make them turn pucks over." practice today," said head coach Sheldon Keefe. "It is a nice addition for us. Frankly, we were unsure if he was going to be available for this Anderson, who led the Habs in hits this season, is vowing to do series, but credit him for the work that he has put in to get himself ready." everything he can to frustrate and agitate Toronto's top-end talent. Bogosian skated alongside Rasmus Sandin on the third defence pair at "It's going to be a war out there," he promised. practice and also took reps with the penalty kill. Bogosian only produced "It's fine," said Simmonds. "We're going to play physical ourselves. I don't four assists in 45 regular season games, but he was a steady and think we expect anything less. It's playoff time. Everyone's playing for a physical force on Toronto's back end leading the team in hits per 60 chance to win the Stanley Cup and, first and foremost, that starts with minutes. physicality so that's nothing too new." What will the 6-foot-2, 200 pounder bring to the Leafs lineup in Game 1 Toronto added Simmonds and Bogosian in order to increase their against the Canadiens? comfort level when games get a little edgy. "A whole lot of nasty," said winger Wayne Simmonds with a smile. "We are a much bigger team, a much more experienced team and a "Bogo's a big guy. He plays physical. He eats the puck when the other much more confident team in those type of situations," noted Keefe. "You team's shooting it. He plays with a mean attitude and he can make plays left out Joe Thornton, but Joe is a big, strong guy and an absolute when he needs to. We're excited to have Bogo back. It just makes our competitor. He has been his entire career. We are well equipped to team that much more tougher." handle whatever way the games are going to go and to play through Bogosian is one of two Stanley Cup champions on the Leafs roster difficult situations." having gone all the way in the bubble with Tampa Bay last year. Leafs ready for Habs to bring on physical play: 'This is what the playoffs "He brings it every night and expects so much out of himself," said goalie are like' Jack Campbell. "And he's not afraid to hold others accountable too, The Canadiens led the NHL in hits and it's safe to assume that they will which is something that has a huge positive impact in our room." try and make it a physical series against the Maple Leafs. So how is Bogosian's return injects 'a whole lot of nasty' into Leafs lineup Toronto planning to combat that style of play? WIlliam Nylander says it's important to stick to your game and stand up for yourself if needed but Zach Bogosian is expected to return for the Leafs in Game 1 of their knows it's all apart of playoff hockey. series against Montreal and his teammates couldn't be happier to have him back in the lineup. ------Mitch Marner produced just two even-strength assists during last summer's five-game defeat at the hands of the Jackets. Sandin missed the final three games of the regular season due to Toronto's tight salary cap situation, but was very impressive during an "We did have our great looks," Marner recalled, "just seems like it eight-game audition down the stretch. couldn't go in. There's really no excuses." "What I have liked most is the way that he moves the puck," said Keefe. The Leafs finished the series with only three goals in five-on-five play "I think it gives us a really strong element lower on our defence pairings while shooting a paltry two per cent. — a guy that helps us get out of our zone, helps put the puck in the "We just got to make sure we're around the net," Marner said. "They forwards' hands in really good spots and finds his way out of trouble very have a pretty high-end goalie over there so we got to make sure we're well." around the net making it hard for him to see pucks and try and get The 21-year-old Swede is the only Leafs skater who will be making his second opportunities." Stanley Cup playoff debut in Game 1. Montreal will do everything they can to slow down the dynamic dup of "You're seeing a guy that's had an opportunity and seized a job and Marner and Auston Matthews, who won the Rocket Richard Trophy with played with a lot of confidence," said forward Jason Spezza. "The 41 goals this season. strongest part of his game is his hockey sense. I feel like he knows "Those are competitive guys," said Spezza. "They know how to play. where everybody is on the ice at all times. He's a guy that moves pucks They know how to play this time of year in terms of upping their game really well. For a forward group, he's a guy that's really easy to play with. and getting around the net. We're pretty confident they're going to He finds you when you get open, breaks the puck out very well and he navigate their way around the defensive checking." has a competitive mean streak, too." "We know it's going to be harder in the playoffs," acknowledged Marner. Sandin was with the Leafs in the playoff bubble last year, but didn't get a "We got to make sure we're moving around, talking to one another, chance to play even after Jake Muzzin got hurt in Game 2 against the communicating where we are and making sure when we are rolling Columbus Blue Jackets. This season, Sandin is feeling much stronger around [in the offensive zone] that we're keeping someone high and not and is holding his own in corner battles against bigger players. giving into their transition [game]." "The one thing I really appreciate about Rasmus — right from the time I Let's go! pic.twitter.com/NRh60cZyp6 had him as an 18-year-old with the Marlies — is that he is a competitor," said Keefe. "He doesn't shy away from physicality. He doesn't shy away — Mitchell Marner (@Marner93) May 19, 2021 Marner is riding a wave of confidence entering his fifth playoff series in Foligno-Nash the NHL. He finished fourth in league scoring this season with 67 points in 55 games. And Marner is quick to point out that the Leafs, as a group, Muzzin-Holl have earned a significant swagger having led the North Division for more Kerfoot-Mikheyev than 100 days. Brodie-Bogosian "We kept the pedal down all year," the 24-year-old noted. "In recent years, near the end of the year, we kind of faded off and didn't play a Note: Hyman, Marner practised with the PP, but are expected to be on well-rounded game and this year we really did a great job of staying with the PK in games it, sticking with our systems and playing through all those games." 5-on-3 power play Toronto started and finished last year's series looking tentative. The high- octane Leafs were shut out by Columbus in Game 1 and Game 5. Matthews-Nylander "There's guys in the room that feel we have a lot to prove come playoff Marner-Hyman-Tavares time after last year," said Spezza. "We've been a hungry team since Rielly-Sandin losing to Columbus and now it's our time to kind of show that we've matured as a group." Spezza-Simmonds-Thornton Marner, Leafs determined not to repeat mistakes from bubble Five-on-six units at Wednesday's Leafs practice: After the disappointment the Leafs experienced in the bubble last year Hyman-Matthews-Marner against Columbus, the team is determined to not allow the same mistakes to be made again this year. Muzzin-Holl --- Foligno-Tavares-Nash How does Campbell relax? Rielly-Brodie ... Bogosian rotated in "I love to cook and I've done that all season," the 29-year-old said. "I'll go TSN.CA LOADED: 05.20.2021 home tonight, have a good meal and get ready to have some fun tomorrow." Eleven years after being the 11th overall pick in the NHL draft, Campbell is finally making his Stanley Cup playoff debut. "It definitely means a lot," Campbell said. "A lot of hard work went into it ... I mean, it's just kind of where I expect myself to be and, that being said, I'm grateful for the opportunity and the team I have in front of me too." Campbell learned a lot from backing up Jonathan Quick and Frederik Andersen in playoff games. "I picked up a lot of things watching their demeanour and really it doesn't change," he said. "If anything you're just naturally a little more dialled in ... I just think it's pure excitement and this is the best time of the year. I've been on the bench in the playoffs and you still feel that excitement." https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/pure-excitement-playoff-rookie-campbell-is- right-where-he-expected-to-be%7E2205094 --- Lines at Wednesday's Leafs practice: Hyman-Matthews-Marner Foligno-Tavares-Nylander Mikheyev-Nash-Kerfoot Thornton-Spezza-Simmonds Galchenyuk-Brooks-Engvall Rielly-Brodie Muzzin-Holl Sandin-Bogosian Dermott-Marincin Campbell Andersen Special teams units at Wednesday’s Leafs practice: 5-on-4 power play Sandin Marner-Thornton-Matthews Hyman Rielly Nylander-Tavares-Spezza Simmonds 4-on-5 penalty kill Websites That bumped Travis Dermott out of the Leafs’ top six and onto the fourth 1188667 pairing with Martin Marincin. Dermott is projected to be a healthy scratch on Thursday. TSN.CA / Jack Campbell ready for long-awaited postseason opportunity Bogosian won a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning last season, and is one of two players on the Leafs roster (along with Jake Muzzin) Jack Campbell has seen enough of playoff hockey from the bench. Now who knows what it takes to scale hockey’s highest peak. He was he’s ready to be playing in it. The Maple Leafs’ netminder will finally get determined not to miss the start of the Leafs’ run this year. that chance when he starts for Toronto in Game 1 of its first-round playoff series against Montreal on Thursday. “It's a credit to him for the work that he's put in to get himself ready,” said Keefe of Bogosian. “He's got great experience coming off of last season's playoff and the elements that he brings to our defence helps us both at five on five and on the penalty kill, so it's a nice addition for us.” By Kristen Shilton Wayne Simmonds put it a bit more bluntly when he characterized the return of Bogosian as supplying “a whole lot of nasty.” Having Bogosian TORONTO — Jack Campbell has seen enough of playoff hockey from in the mix would mean all of Toronto’s regulars are healthy and will be the bench. Now he’s ready to be playing in it. involved from the outset of what the team hopes is a fruitful spring ahead. The Maple Leafs’ netminder will finally get that chance when he starts for “I think as a group, we can count on each other,” said Campbell. “Since Toronto in Game 1 of its first-round playoff series against Montreal on I've been here, the leadership group, the new guys coming in, the young Thursday. For the 29-year-old Campbell, it will be a postseason debut guys, we [all] just gel together. We expect a lot out of each other, but years in the making, and he’s savouring the long-awaited opportunity. that's a good thing. I believe so much in our team and our group and I just want to go in there and do my job for them.” “It definitely means a lot [to be starting]. A lot of hard work went into it,” Campbell said after the Leafs’ final pre-playoffs practice on Wednesday. TSN.CA LOADED: 05.20.2021 “[The feeling is] pure excitement. This is the best time of the year. I've been on the bench in the playoffs, and you still feel that excitement, but to be able to have a chance to be in there now, it's definitely awesome. I'm just looking forward to enjoying the whole experience.” Coach Sheldon Keefe has tapped Campbell as the Leafs’ playoff starter over the more seasoned Frederik Andersen, saying on Sunday it “wasn’t a tough decision” given how Campbell has played this year. Even while persevering through an early-season leg injury, Campbell has been Toronto’s backbone between the pipes. His 11-0-0 run to open this year set a new NHL record. And when Andersen went down with a knee injury in mid-March, Campbell helped keep the Leafs on track to eventually win the North Division. Campbell finished the regular season with a 17-3-2 mark, and his .921 save percentage and 2.15 goals-against average are top 10 among NHL goaltenders with at least 20 starts. “Jack's been phenomenal for us,” said Jason Spezza. “He's the reason why we're in the position we are to start with home ice here and we have full confidence in him. He's a guy where nothing has fazed him all year. He's been thrown into tough situations and we have full belief in him.” It’s been quite a journey for Campbell to become a team’s go-to goalie. He’s been a career backup until now, sitting behind Jonathan Quick in Los Angeles for three and a half seasons and then becoming a No. 2 for Andersen after the Kings traded Campbell to Toronto in February 2020. Campbell produced decent numbers in the role, entering this season with a 23-26-6 all-time record and .917 save percentage. But Campbell didn’t want to remain forever in Andersen’s shadow, and is now firmly in the postseason spotlight. “I believed I could do some good things at this level, and I thought I proved that throughout my career,” he said. “It's where I expect myself to be and I'm grateful for the opportunity. It was a good step in the right direction getting in the net and rolling and playing more games [this season] and as a team we had a lot of success, so it gives us the confidence to do it in the playoffs.” An avid amateur chef, Campbell said he’ll quell any nerves ahead of Thursday’s debut by cooking himself a nice meal Wednesday night and “I'll get ready to have some fun.” It’s the type of light-hearted attitude Campbell’s teammates have come to expect from him. Earlier in the year, Campbell was hard on himself after every game, but has heeded advice from those around him to take the highs and lows in stride. That’s made all the difference for Campbell and the players prepared to go into this next chapter with him. “Just his confidence [has really improved],” said Mitch Marner. “It’s been skyrocketing and it's great to see. And he has that confidence in net, where he’s playing everything so well and just getting out to the shots. He’s always communicating out there as well, just talking to us, letting us know where guys are behind us.” One skater Campbell could see a lot of around his net starting Thursday is Zach Bogosian. The veteran defenceman wasn’t expected to be available for their opening-round series after suffering a shoulder injury in mid-April, but he’s gotten the required medical clearance and was on Toronto’s third pairing with Rasmus Sandin at Wednesday’s practice. 1188668 Websites

USA TODAY / Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri ejected for hit to head of St. Louis Blues' Justin Faulk

Mike Brehm

Colorado Avalanche forward Nazem Kadri, who has a lengthy suspension history, is looking at another after he received a match penalty for an illegal check to the head Wednesday night. A match penalty requires an automatic review by the league. The penalty was confirmed on replay. St. Louis Blues defenseman Justin Faulk received the high hit from Kadri during the third period and went to the dressing room. The Blues scored on the ensuing five-minute power play to pull within 3-2. Kadri, who arrived to the Avalanche in a 2019 trade, twice was suspended for questionable hits during the first round while he was with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The suspensions were considered the reason that the Maple Leafs dealt him. He got three playoff games during the 2018 playoffs for a hit from behind on the Boston Bruins' Tommy Wingels. The following year, he was suspended for the remainder of the first round for a Game 2 cross-check on the Bruins' Jake DeBrusk. Kadri has five suspensions in his career, though none with Colorado. Faulk's injury left the Blues two defensemen short in the game. Robert Bortuzzo left earlier after being elbowed by the Avalanche's Tyson Jost. The Avalanche won 6-3 on a Nathan MacKinnon hat trick to take a 2-0 lead in the first-round series. USA TODAY LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188669 Websites

USA TODAY / NHL draft lottery will be held June 2; here are the odds

USA TODAY Sports

With the NHL regular season officially ending Wednesday, the league announced that the draft lottery would be held on June 2. Draft lottery odds were also announced, with the Buffalo Sabres having the best chance at 16.6%. The Anaheim Ducks (12.1%), the expansion Seattle Kraken and the New Jersey Devils (10.3% each) and the Columbus Blue Jackets (8.5%) make up the rest of the top five. The New York Rangers, who won last year's lottery despite participating in the playoff qualifying round, have the worst odds this year at 1.0%, The draft will be held remotely on July 23 and 24. Under a new rule, the Sabres can draft no worse than third. That was changed after the last-place Detroit Red Wings picked fourth last year. The Arizona Coyotes have forfeited their first-round pick this year because of league sanctions for violating the NHL’s combine testing policy. If they win either of the top two picks in the lottery, the drawing will be conducted again. USA TODAY LOADED: 05.20.2021 1188670 Websites

USA TODAY / NHL playoffs: Bryan Rust's late penalty almost cost Penguins; Golden Knights finally score

Mike Brehm

Forward Bryan Rust did plenty to help the Pittsburgh Penguins even their series against the New York Islanders on Tuesday night. He scored the opening goal in the first period after a New York turnover, took four shots, drew a penalty, delivered two hits and played more than 19 minutes. But with the Penguins hanging onto a one-goal lead late in the third period, he wrapped his glove around an airborne puck and threw it out of the defensive zone. That led to a two-minute penalty for closing his hand on the puck with 1:28 left in the game. "I was just so worried about getting the puck over the blue line, getting it out of the zone, that I made kind of a mental error there," Rust said. The Penguins killed off the penalty, limiting the Islanders to one shot for a 2-1 victory that tied the series 1-1. "They were working hard for me and for the team," Rust said. "You saw how much the crowd got into it. I think our guys fed off that emotion and they did an unbelievable job. I've got to thank those guys." Golden Knights find back of net The Golden Knights scored for the first time in the series during the second period of Game 2, and the timing was perfect because Jonathan Marchessault's goal occurred 18 seconds after Matt Dumba had put the Wild ahead 1-0. "The response was key," coach Peter DeBoer said. "Getting a goal was critical. We were going on, at that point, four-plus periods without one. I just sensed we were a different group after that goal." Alex Tuch added two goals for a series-tying 3-1 win. Games 3 and 4 are in St. Paul, Minnesota, where the Wild have a 6-0-2 all-time record against Vegas. “You’re going to see a totally different team at home,” Dumba said. “We’re a different beast.” Goalie changes The Islanders and Florida Panthers changed their goaltending from Game 1 and both teams lost. The Islanders went to Semyon Varlamov, their No. 1 goalie who was unavailable in Game 1 after getting hurt in the season finale. The Panthers gave Chris Driedger his first career professional playoff start after Sergei Bobrovsky had lost Game 1. "A little bit nerves for sure," said Driedger, who was playing on his 27th birthday. "Felt it a bit in the first, but after that, I settled in and tried to enjoy it." Both gave up two first-period goals — with Varlamov fooled by Rust's shot — but that was it. Varlamov made 43 saves and Driedger made 26 in the 3-1 Tampa Bay win that gave the Lightning a 2-0 series lead. "It would have been nice to come up with a win, but we’ll have to go and do that in Tampa," Driedger said. Tonight’s playoff games Washington at Boston, 6:30, NBCSN. Series tied 1-1 Nashville at Carolina, 8, CNBC. Hurricanes lead 1-0 Winnipeg at Edmonton, 9, NBCSN. Game 1 of series St. Louis at Colorado, 10:30, CNBC. Avalanche lead 1-0 USA TODAY LOADED: 05.20.2021