SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEFkings.nhl.com/v2/ext/Media Relations Page/Sports Scan... · 2015-11-11 ·...

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 11/11/15

Anaheim Ducks

981854 Next up for the Ducks: Wednesday vs. Edmonton

981855 What we learned from the Ducks' overtime loss to the Coyotes, 4-3

981856 Miller: Ducks' Cam Fowler a grizzled veteran at 23

981857 Ducks' Horcoff gets a rare glimpse of 'home' 981858 Anaheim Ducks host Connor McDavid-less Edmonton Oilers

Arizona Coyotes

981859 Coyotes complete California sweep with win over Kings

981860 Plenty of positives in Coyotes' latest win over Ducks

981861 Game Day: Coyotes at Kings

Boston Bruins

981862 No answers yet on David Pastrnak’s foot injury

981863 Bruins still looking for consistency

981864 Bruins, mindful of slow start at home, prep for 5-game homestand

981865 Vatrano impressing Bruins in all areas of his game

981866 Julien: Bruins 'coming along', but still not consistent 981867 Krug, Pastrnak missing from Bruins practice

981868 NHL notes: Local boy Condon took road less traveled to Montreal

Buffalo Sabres

981869 Sabres quick hits: Johnson finally gets win over Tampa Bay Lightning

981870 Sabres notebook: McCabe earning his ice time, Sabres’ trust 981871 Eichel, Sabres finally get quality victory

Calgary Flames

981872 Panthers swat away Flames in Florida

981873 Flames Insider: Wrecking-ball Ferland returns vs. Panthers

981874 Florida Panthers end Calgary Flames' winning streak

981875 David Jones is the Calgary Flames’ unlikely scoring leader

Carolina Hurricanes

981876 McDonagh’s point shot seals Canes’ loss

Chicago Blackhawks

981877 Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith could return from injury this weekend

981878 Reviewing the new Blackhawks movie 'Hat Trick' 981879 Road worriers: Blackhawks a different team away from UC

981880 Blackhawks have exact same record they did at this time last year 981881 Blackhawks championship film trailer released

981882 Blackhawks have chance to even score with Devils, Blues

981883 Blackhawks' Toews surprises Wheaton eighth-grader 981884 Artem Anisimov has been Blackhawks' much-needed second-line center 981885 Blackhawks 'Hat Trick' movie premieres, set to go on sale

981886 Duncan Keith could return to Blackhawks this weekend

Colorado Avalanche

981887 Avalanche starts season-long road trip with win over Flyers

981888 Avalanche's Nine Line has pressure to perform in Philadelphia

981889 Duchene scores 2 goals to help Avalanche shut out Flyers

Columbus Blue Jackets

981890 Michael Arace commentary | Blue Jackets' struggles defy explanation

981891 Canucks 5, Blue Jackets 3 | Still winless at home

981892 Blue Jackets notebook | Sedin twins made impression on Tortorella

Dallas Stars

981893 Ales Hemsky trying to play through hip pain; Travis Moen, Patrick Eaves both skating again

981894 He said it: Players and coaches comment after Stars' 3-2 loss to Toronto Tuesday

981895 Heika: Bounces don't go Stars' way in loss to lowly Maple Leafs, but players say losing lead is unacceptable

981898 Stars' new two-goalie system has one particular benefit for Kari Lehtonen

981899 Cold facts: Stars' four losses this year are to Colorado, Florida and Toronto (twice) 981900 Maple Leafs rally to slip past Stars late

Detroit Red Wings

981901 Red Wings honor Fedorov: 'A most exciting moment' 981902 Ovechkin comes up empty in trying to pass Fedorov at JLA

981903 Datsyuk's season debut? Maybe Friday, Red Wings say

981904 Niyo: Fedorov makes the Hall, but not the rafters

981905 Athanasiou scores 1st goal, Mrazek shuts out Caps

981906 Fedorov on No. 91 retirement: 'Great honor if it happens' 981907 Wings' Green knows it's 'time to make an impression' 981908 Marchenko learned from Fedorov on CSKA Moscow team

981909 'Which Friday?' Datsyuk less optimistic than Blashill about return

981910 Athanasiou scores 1st goal, helps Red Wings top Capitals 1-0

981911 Wings honor Hall of Famer Fedorov prior to game

Edmonton Oilers

981912 Game Day: Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks both looking to overcome lapses

981913 Jordan Eberle finding his game legs since returning to Oilers' injury-riddled lineup

Florida Panthers

981914 Jaromir Jagr scores winner as Florida Panthers end 5-game skid

981915 Jagr scores in 3rd period to lift Panthers over Flames, 4-3

981916 CLOSED DOOR WIN: Panthers snap slide with 4-3 win over Flames, team meets to discuss how it happened afterward

981917 Jaromir Jagr's goal lifts Panthers to 4-3 win over Flames and ends 5-game slide

981918 Panthers' Kulikov says too much finger-pointing, not enough leadership last two games

Los Angeles Kings

981919 Mistakes cost Kings in 3-2 loss to Coyotes

981920 Game report: Arizona Coyotes 3, LA Kings 2

981921 LA Kings center Jeff Carter enhancing his leadership role

981922 NOVEMBER 10 POSTGAME NOTES

981923 KINGS TO WEAR GOLD FOR LEGENDS NIGHTS, ROAD GAME

981924 NUMBERS SUGGEST POWER PLAY IS GOOD, CAPABLE OF IMPROVING

Minnesota Wild

981925 Thomas Vanek continues strong start to season in border battle win over Jets

981926 Souhan: Rejuvenation of Koivu is holding things together 981927 Wild-Winnipeg game recap

981928 With pair of goals by Thomas Vanek during 2nd period, Wild top Jets 5-3

981929 Vanek leads Wild's goal-scoring binge to dump Jets

981930 Wild winger Gabriel focuses on diet 981931 Wild-Jets border battle continues tonight at the X

981932 Minnesota Wild: Thomas Vanek's spectacular goal spurs rout of Jets

981933 Wild's Mike Yeo: Enforcers can't stop questionable hits

Montreal Canadiens

981934 Montreal’s Carey Price to miss another week with lower body injury

981935 Dave Stubbs: Goalie Price still out but Canadiens offer cautiously optimistic news on his rehab

981936 Canadiens at Penguins: Condon vs. Fleury in clash of hot netminders

981937 Price responding to treatment, but won't play this week

981938 Carey Price out for at least another week with mysterious lower-body injury

Nashville Predators

981939 5 takeaways from Predators' win vs. Senators

981940 Predators pile up goals to top Senators

981941 Shea Weber scores 150th career goal, 400th point 981942 Predators seek rewards strong offense brings

981943 NHL checks on progress of Nashville's All-Star plan

New Jersey Devils

981944 Can the Devils just write this loss off? Not a chance

981945 Two familiar faces returned to burn the Devils

981946 Devils shut out by Jake Allen and St. Louis Blues, 2-0 | Rapid reaction

981947 Greetings from the press box: How does Eric Gelinas get back in Devils' lineup?

981948 Will Patrik Elias accompany Devils on western Canada road trip?

981949 Martin Brodeur reflects on his return to Prudential Center as St. Louis Blues' assistant GM

981950 Scott Gomez: I moved past new Devils management's snub pretty quickly

981951 Devils' Adam Larsson on no suspension: 'I thought from the start it was a good, clean hit' 981952 Devils' Jordin Tootoo spoke to GM Ray Shero about slurs (Alexandre Burrows video response) 981953 NHL TV schedule: Devils vs. St. Louis Blues live stream: Time, TV, channel, how to watch online

981954 St. Louis Blues vs. Devils: LIVE updates, analysis and fan chat 981955 Devils' Farnham not bothered by criticism from Canucks' Prust from "3,000 miles away" 981956 Devils unable to raise their game and match Blues; Halvat, Gomez team on winning goal 981957 Devils coach John Hynes: "As game wore on, we just got outplayed" in 2-0 loss to Blues

981958 Patrik Elias "hoping" to accompany Devils on Western Canada trip

981959 Brodeur: "It would been weirder" playing vs. Devils at the Rock; Gomez holds no grudges

981960 Tootoo trying to move on from exchange with Burrows; Canuck forwards says he didn't cross the line

981961 Devils defenseman Adam Larsson glad he wasn't suspended, thought "it was a pretty clean hit" 981962 Devils sticking with winning lineup, so Gelinas and Matteau will have to wait 981963 Devils preparing to face Blues tonight; Martin Brodeur "back" to pay a visit 981964 Devils notes: Martin Brodeur returns

981965 Devils fall to the Blues, 2-0, at The Rock

981966 Fair Lawn teen drops the puck for Devils Hockey Fights Cancer night 981967 Martin Brodeur 'back' as Blues visit Devils tonight 981968 Devils get cooled off by Blues

New York Islanders

981969 Islanders beat Sharks as John Tavares scores two goals

981970 John Tavares scores two goals to lead Islanders past Sharks

New York Rangers

981971 Rick Nash returns from injury, feels ‘relief’ after scoring goal in Rangers win

981972 Rick Nash, Henrik Lundqvist lead Rangers in 3-0 shutout victory over Hurricanes

981973 Dominic Moore a healthy scratch for Rangers vs. Hurricanes as Emerson Etem earns more playing time

981974 Rick Nash glad he broke drought but is looking at bigger picture

981975 Keith Yandle’s long-term future with the Rangers no sure thing

981976 Rick Nash scores in return as Rangers capture 6th straight win

981977 Rangers 3, Hurricanes 0: The final word(s) 981978 Live Blog: Nash scores in return, Rangers beat ‘Canes, 3-0 as Hank gets 1st SO of season

981979 Etem stays in for Moore; Staal reunion (again) 981980 Rangers notes: Henrik Lundqvist adds to records

981981 Rangers top Hurricanes, 3-0, as Rick Nash scores in return

981982 Rangers-Hurricanes in review

981983 Rangers 3, Hurricanes 0 … post-game notes & quotes

981984 Hurricanes at Rangers … It’s Go Time! 981985 Rangers’ Moore sits as Vigneault continues to tinker with his lineup

981986 Hurricanes at Rangers tonight (7 p.m.) … pre-game notes

Ottawa Senators

981987 Sloppy Senators cough up game to Predators in third period

981988 Wideman takes a seat, again

981989 Smith and Ceci back for Senators against Nashville as Cameron searches for consistency

981990 Just call Ottawa Senators' Curtis Lazar Mr. Versatility

981991 Senators coach mum on sitting rookie D Chris Wideman

Philadelphia Flyers

981992 Observations from the Flyers' latest loss

981993 Flyers 'embarrassed' by shutout loss to Avalanche

981994 Flyers' Bellemare eager to return from injury

981995 Flyers blanked by the Avs, 4-0

981996 Bellemare skates, may return soon

981997 Bellemare close to returning; Neuvirth starting for Flyers

981998 Flyers buried by Avalanche in one-sided loss

981999 FLYERS: Here's one streak Voracek wants to keep going

982000 Flyers return home with 'unacceptable' effort in shutout to Avalanche

982001 Instant Replay: Avalanche 4, Flyers 0

982002 Flyers Skate Update: Avalanche's top line poses 'good challenge' 982003 Flyers-Avalanche 5 things: Keep up power-play production

982004 Flyers ‘embarrassed,’ call another meeting after loss

982005 Local servicemen honored by Flyers for Veterans Day

982006 5 things to watch in Game 15: Flyers vs. Avalanche

982007 Matt Duchene scores 2 goals to help Colorado Avalanche shut out Flyers

Pittsburgh Penguins

982008 Penguins, Fleury get 'good measuring stick' against Canadiens

982009 Winning record trumps ugly stats for Penguins

982010 Penguins notebook: Canadiens hardly miss a beat with backup goalie

San Jose Sharks

982011 Patrick Marleau trade rumors escalate as Sharks lose again

982012 Islanders knock off Sharks behind former San Jose goalie Greiss

982013 You can give up a bad goal in this league and recover, you can’t give up two bad goals and expect to win. I th

982014 Instant Replay: Sharks fall behind early, lose to Islanders

982015 Source: Sharks' Marleau would accept trade to one of three teams

982016 Notes: Sharks seek quick start; Karlsson to debut 982017 Morning Skate: Sharks conclude homestand with Isles

St Louis Blues

982018 Hitchcock calls Havlat a 'good add' for the Blues

982019 Allen keeps the Blues rolling

982020 Blues want to limit opponents' looks at Allen

Tampa Bay Lightning

982021 Frustration continues for Bolts in loss to Buffalo

982022 Bolts notes: Stamkos’ agent ‘engaged’ with Yzerman

982023 Lightning falls under .500 with loss to Sabres

982024 Agent cites 'due diligence' in Steven Stamkos contract talks

982025 Lightning in uncharted territory after 4-1 loss to Sabres

982026 Lightning's Steven Stamkos doing 'due diligence' on contract 982027 Vasilevskiy gets start, Paquette game-time decision

Toronto Maple Leafs

982028 Maple Leafs take down Stars in Dallas

982029 Seguin and Benn lead Stars to a strong start 982030 Dallas Stars in trouble against weak teams like Maple Leafs

982031 Maple Leafs’ Matt Hunwick among five (early) bargain NHL free-agent signings

982032 Player of week award is 'validation' for Marlies' Sparks

982033 Leafs look to sweep Stars

982034 Nazem Kadri's No. 1 ... point 7

982035 Leafs come from behind to beat best-in-West Stars

982036 Leafs' Holland excited to get another chance

982037 Toronto Maple Leafs score twice in third to earn win against Western Conference-leading Dallas Stars

Vancouver Canucks

982051 Canucks’ Burrows ‘just moving on,’ says 'chirping' didn’t cross the line with Devils’ Tootoo

982052 Canucks Game Day: Jacob Markstrom to get his first start of NHL season vs. Blue Jackets

982053 Markstrom marvelous as Canucks beat Blue Jackets 5-3

982054 'I don’t really think I crossed the line': Alex Burrows on Tootoo chatter 982055 Canucks 5 Jackets 3: Markstrom bends, but doesn't break, in impressive season debut 982056 Canucks Game Day: Markstrom no cannon fodder, Cracknell gets a crack, Torts salutes Sedins, Jackets finding id

Washington Capitals

982038 Brooks Orpik leaves game early with lower-body injury

982039 Capitals vs. Red Wings: Game 14 discussion thread

982040 Capitals brace for a reunion with Mike Green

982041 Jay Beagle a game-time decision

982042 Andreas Athanasiou scores first goal as Red Wings defeat Capitals

982043 Despite Ovechkin shooting gallery, Caps blanked

982044 AAA Keys to the game: Caps at Red Wings

982045 Green, Caps ready for 'strange' night in Detroit

Websites

982057 ESPN / GMs meetings: Coach's challenge, compensation are hot topics in Toronto

982058 NBCSports.com / GMs discuss ways to increase scoring, bigger nets not ruled out 982059 NBCSports.com / To coach Sutter, Ehrhoff and Forbort are ‘the same guy’ 982060 NBCSports.com / Keith cleared for contact, could play for ‘Hawks this weekend

982061 NBCSports.com / Canucks send scouts to watch Swedish league’s leading scorer 982062 NBCSports.com / Why can’t the Hurricanes score?

982063 Sportsnet.ca / 7 things we learned in the NHL: Reimer outstanding in win

982064 Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs beat Stars for 2nd time in 8 days

982065 Sportsnet.ca / John Tortorella: ‘We’re a team that finds ways to lose’ 982066 Sportsnet.ca / Granberg, Leivo likely call-up candidates for Maple leafs

982067 Sportsnet.ca / Report: Marleau would accept trade to Kings, Ducks or Rangers

982068 Sportsnet.ca / Sedins combine for 7 points; Canucks dump Blue Jackets

982069 Sportsnet.ca / Five ideas to increase scoring in the NHL

982070 Sportsnet.ca / NHL not ruling out bigger nets in the future

982071 Sportsnet.ca / Ducks’ Boudreau on scoring woes, Getzlaf’s gaffe, 3-on-3 OT

982072 TSN.CA / Reimer rolling as Leafs' stand-in

982073 TSN.CA / Forwards dominate top of 2016 NHL prospect race

982074 TSN.CA / Voracek one of many high-priced forwards in the Zero Goal Club

982075 TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: Measuring D by quality of shots against 982076 TSN.CA / Senators' odd start to the season

Winnipeg Jets

982046 An out-hustled, out-muscled Jets lose 5-3 to Wild

982047 Trouba blames odd-man rushes and breakaways for Jets defeat 982049 Terrible second period too much for Winnipeg Jets to overcome

982050 Jets look to tame Wild

SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129

981854 Anaheim Ducks

Next up for the Ducks: Wednesday vs. Edmonton

Curtis Zupke

UP NEXT

DUCKS VS. EDMONTON OILERS

When: Wednesday, 7 p.m. PST.

On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 830.

Update: Rickard Rakell practiced Tuesday and is questionable in his recovery from an upper-body injury that has kept him out for three games. Despite a step-back overtime loss to Arizona on Monday, the Ducks are on a five-game point streak (4-0-1) and have not lost in regulation since a 1-7-2 start. Their leading scorer among forwards is Chris Stewart, with three goals. Jakob Silfverberg seeks his first goal, and linemate Carl Hagelin has one goal. The Southern California debut of Edmonton rookie Connor McDavid is on hold because McDavid, the No. 1 pick in this year's draft, is out with a broken collarbone. The Oilers are 0-2 without him. The Ducks have won six straight at home against Edmonton.

LA Times: LOADED: 11.11.2015


What we learned from the Ducks' overtime loss to the Coyotes, 4-3

Curtis Zupke

A blown lead. A comeback. The reemergence of one marquee center and a rare miscue by another. The amoeba that is the Ducks once again proved they are perhaps the most interesting team in the NHL with a 4-3 overtime loss to Arizona on Monday.

Here’s what we learned:

The top line cooled off in a hurry. Two games after they authoritatively led the Ducks to a win against Columbus, the line of center Ryan Getzlaf, Corey Perry and Patrick Maroon combined for one shot and a minus-5 rating. Getzlaf ended up as the goat for his game-ending turnover -- a drop pass to open ice that Arizona’s Mikkel Boedker grabbed and scored on a breakaway.

“We played three good games together,” Getzlaf said of his line. “I don’t know what happened tonight but as a line, we didn’t carry our weight.”

Ryan Kesler is rounding into form. Kesler had an unsightly minus-10 rating going into Monday but it’s not really indicative of his recent play, particularly with linemates Jakob Silfverberg and Carl Hagelin.

See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >>

They were the best line for Anaheim on Monday, and Kesler finally got his first goal and first multipoint game this season.

The one knock on Kesler in his first season in Anaheim was that his scoring was down from seasons past. If he and his line pick that up, it will go a long way toward success.

“I thought the Kesler line started to go the last couple of games and it’s a matter of time before all of them score,” Coach Bruce Boudreau said. “But I thought his line was pretty good tonight.”

Silfverberg is due up next for his first goal. He went 16 games without scoring last season. Hagelin has one goal in 15 games.

Arizona is no pushover. Some credit should be given to the Coyotes and 20-year-old rookies Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, who have a combined seven goals in two games against the Ducks. They erased a 2-0 deficit with three goals in the second period.

That kind of offense behind the methodical system of Coyotes Coach Dave Tippett can give opponents fits. Anaheim doesn’t need to be told.

The teams play again Nov. 25.



Miller: Ducks' Cam Fowler a grizzled veteran at 23

Nov. 10, 2015

Updated 8:47 p.m.

By JEFF MILLER / STAFF COLUMNIST

[email protected]

ANAHIEM – He finally has another birthday coming, next month, but Cam Fowler still will be younger than Mike Trout.

Somehow, now in his sixth season, Fowler is only 23. For the record, USC quarterback Cody Kessler is 22.

Just two players have been with the Ducks longer than Fowler, and those two – Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry – have roots that reach back to the franchise’s lone Stanley Cup title.

I’m not sure how this happened, but Fowler suddenly has become the youngest old guy or oldest young guy around, a kid codger, someone simply too fresh to already be a fixture.

“I guess, technically,” he said Tuesday, “I’m still a young, youngish, younger player in the league.”

He’s right on all three accounts, despite only one Ducks defenseman – 34-year-old Kevin Bieksa – having played more than Fowler’s 360 career NHL games.

Apparently, this is what can happen when you arrive as a teenager, Fowler’s Ducks debut coming when he was 18, an age that used to be a lot younger than it is today.

I don’t really know if children have much childhood anymore; the world is spinning at the same speed it always has, yet it is moving faster than ever before. Just spend five minutes in certain places on the Internet and you can feel instantly ancient.

I remember when I was young. Then, one day, I woke up and noticed I had unknowingly cultivated an amount of ear hair that was alarming.

In the fall of 2010, Fowler was wearing jersey No. 54 and saying things such as, “I’m just trying to prove myself and show the Ducks that I belong here.”

Today, his skills have matured and his game is playoff-tested, even if his face remains so adolescent that his springtime beard is routinely playoff-bested.

“It feels like ages ago,” Fowler said of his first NHL game. “This season, it’s really hit me how fast everything’s gone by. I feel like, ‘Where did the time go?’ I’ve always heard guys say, ‘Enjoy it because it goes by fast.’ I’m starting to experience that now.”

Honestly, I look at Fowler, and I still see a player too young to know any better, a player who can’t possibly be in a position where his team is depending on him for genuine leadership. Of course, that says more about me than him.

The Ducks definitely are doing just that, Fowler’s role expanding during the team’s playoff run last season and then more so this year, after management urged him to assume greater presence, on and off the ice.

“I’ve noticed a complete growth in him from the, I guess, fresh-faced kid when I got here to now, standing up in the locker room and talking,” Coach Bruce Boudreau said. “He wants to be a leader, and I think he’s going about it the right way.”

These Ducks will need leadership and presence – on and off the ice – after their horrific start. Through the first 10 games, they were so bad that their entire season will be viewed from the perspective of what happened back in October.

If they make it back and become playoff participants, they’ll be praised for exhuming something that was once dead. If they fail to make the postseason, they’ll be ripped without hesitation or mercy for burying themselves in the first place.

Trust me on this; I’ll be among the people doing the praising or ripping.

As early as it remains, it’s later for the Ducks than it is for any other NHL team, that one maddening standings point they lost Monday after tossing away a 2-0 lead to Arizona the sort of thing that could haunt them.

“It’s a process and we need to continue to work at it,” Fowler said. “We’re not going to make that ground up in one game. For us, it’s making sure we’re trending in the right direction so that we can start climbing back up in the standings.”

If not, certain bad things could happen, some of which already have surfaced. The Ducks’ early problems led to Fowler’s name coming up again in trade rumors. He heard similar chatter at times last season and struggled to ignore the noise.

There’s a reason why Fowler deserted Twitter years ago, his account going dormant in May of 2013.

Even the parody account someone set up under Fowler’s name hasn’t issued a single peep since July.

“I tried to get some of that clutter out of my head,” Fowler explained. “It seemed to help me quite a bit, actually. I watch the NHL Network and stuff like that. But I’m not in a trenches seeing what people are talking about.”

That’s a decidedly old-school approach for a player who still should be considered young-school.

Fowler is 23 and going on grizzled veteran, growing up almost as quickly as this season is now moving forward on the Ducks.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 11.11.2015


Ducks' Horcoff gets a rare glimpse of 'home'

Nov. 10, 2015

Updated 8:43 p.m.

By JANIS CARR / STAFF WRITER

ANAHEIM – Ducks center Shawn Horcoff hasn’t played in Edmonton for two-plus seasons. He hasn’t lived in the Canadian city since being shipped to Dallas after the 2012-13 season, uprooting his family and leaving the community that supported him for 13 seasons.

But Horcoff hasn’t forgotten the birthplace of his career, not even now that he is a member of the Ducks. The 15-year NHL veteran signed a one-year contract in July and bought a home in Orange County, but his house remains divided.

“Listen, I always consider that home,” Horcoff said after Tuesday’s practice. “It’s got a special place in my heart. Obviously, we had success there. We’ve been through a lot there. It was the worst of times, the best of times, but when you go through things like that and you go through those experiences, it’s memorable.

“My children grew up there. It’s where I started my career. I owe a lot to that organization.”

While the Oilers hold special memories for Horcoff, namely the 2006 Stanley Cup title run, his allegiance now rests with the Ducks, who take on Edmonton on Wednesday at Honda Center.

The Ducks (5-7-3) are looking to get back to winning after dropping an overtime game to Arizona on Monday and Edmonton (5-10-0) could provide them that chance.

“I want to see Edmonton do well every time, except when they play us,” Horcoff, 37, said. “You play 13 years in an organization, was captain there, and it’s always going to be home to me.

“You don’t play that long in an organization and just erase the slate.”

Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau feels fortunate to have someone of Horcoff’s talent and experience on his young team.

“He’s a great leader,” Boudreau said. “He brings energy and effort all the time. I use him as a sounding board a lot of times, and I can see why he was captain of a Stanley Cup championship team.

“There are reasons you get to that position and with him, he’s an elder statesman on our team but you would never know it by the work ethic that he puts in.”

YOUNG BLOOD

Oilers rookie sensation Connor McDavid will not play against the Ducks after suffering a broken left clavicle. The No. 1 draft pick is expected to be out for two to three months.

“He brings so much excitement not only to the city but to the league,” Horcoff said. “He’s a generational talent, and they’re lucky to get him there.”

Horcoff said it’s unfortunate the Ducks will not face McDavid because “you want to test yourself against the best, see what all the hype is about.”

Boudreau, meanwhile, didn’t seem altogether upset the Ducks won’t see McDavid, who led all rookies with 12 points (five goals, seven assists) before getting hurt.

“For the game of hockey, I’m sad he’s out,” Boudreau said. “He’s a great young talent like that doesn’t come around every day. I think the game of hockey misses him.”

RAKELL CLOSE TO RETURNING

Rickard Rakell came off the ice Tuesday and declared it a good day. The center participated in drills, including some contact, and didn’t feel any residual discomfort from the upper body injury that kept him out of the past three games.

Rakell said he hopes to feel good enough to play against Edmonton, his first game since being slammed by Alex Petrovic near the blue line in the first period of the Ducks’ victory against the Panthers.

“If I feel good tomorrow and the coaches want me to play, then I will play,” Rakell said.

Boudreau

was encouraged by what he saw in practice.

“He participated in all of practice except for one or two drills,” Boudreau said. “We skated him hard. We’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”

Jakob Silfverberg took a maintenance day and did not practice Tuesday. Boudreau said he is expected to play against the Oilers.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 11.11.2015


Anaheim Ducks host Connor McDavid-less Edmonton Oilers

— Elliott Teaford

Posted: 11/10/15, 5:43 PM PST | Updated: 6 hrs ago

TODAY’S NHL GAME

OILERS AT DUCKS

Faceoff: 7 p.m.

TV/Radio: FSW / 830-AM

Update: The game lost most of its luster when Edmonton Oilers rookie Connor McDavid suffered a broken collarbone last week against the Philadelphia Flyers and was sidelined indefinitely. The Ducks have gained a point in five consecutive games and are 5-7-3 overall after a 1-7-2 start to the season. Their four-game winning streak ended with a 4-3 overtime loss Monday to the Arizona Coyotes, however. Center Ryan Kesler scored his first goal of the season and added an assist. Kesler, Carl Hagelin and Jakob Silfverberg were the Ducks’ most dangerous line in the game against Arizona. Ryan Getzlaf and linemates Corey Perry and Patrick Maroon didn’t have a good game, and Getzlaf said he believed they let down their teammates. Getzlaf has five assists, but hasn’t scored a goal. The Oilers (5-10-0) haven’t played since a 4-2 loss Sunday to the Chicago Blackhawks.

LA Daily News: LOADED: 11.11.2015

981859 Arizona Coyotes

Coyotes complete California sweep with win over Kings

Sarah McLellan, azcentral sports 12:16 a.m. MST November 11, 2015

LOS ANGELES – A setup man who ranked among the best to start this season, Coyotes center Martin Hanzal appears to have changed his job title to goal scorer.

After tallying 13 assists – the second-highest total in the NHL – Hanzal decided to finish the plays instead of initiate them. His two goals helped galvanize the Coyotes to a 3-2 win over the Kings Tuesday in front of 18,230 at Staples Center to complete a sweep over Los Angeles and Anaheim in back-to-back nights on the road for the first time in franchise history.

The Coyotes earned an impressive 4-3 overtime victory over the Ducks Monday.

“It’s going to help our confidence, for sure,” Hanzal said. “Every win is going to help our confidence because we have a young group and that’s how you grow confidence – winning. We grabbed four points in two nights, which is huge for our group.”

Former Kings center Brad Richardson delivered the game-winner, only his second goal of the season, at 11:47 of the third.

And in his 400th career game, goalie Mike Smith punched his 100th win with the Coyotes – the fourth netminder to reach that plateau with the team – after a 33-save performance.

“It means I’m getting old,” Smith said. “No, it’s a privilege to play in this league. To have been here as long as I have up to this point, I think it’s very humbling and met a lot of good people along the way. Obviously, this franchise has been tremendous for me. … I’d like to play a lot more.”

Tied at 2, Richardson put the Coyotes ahead when he redirected a pass to the front of the net by winger Jordan Martinook past Kings goalie Jonathan Quick, who finished with 22 saves.

“I’ve been kind of snake-bitten of late, especially our line,” Richardson said. “It seems like we’ve had a lot of chances but nothing was going. It was definitely nice to get this one.”

But like they did the night before in Anaheim, the Coyotes had to crawl out of an early hole.

The Kings capitalized first after center Anze Kopitar won an offensive-zone draw back to the point. Defenseman Drew Doughty redirected a shot to the front of the net, and captain Dustin Brown swiped the rebound past Smith at 5:54 of the first period.

Arizona was able to keep pace, tying it at 11:37 with Hanzal’s first. Kings defenseman Brayden McNabb’s clearing attempt from behind Los Angeles’ net landed directly on Hanzal’s stick in the slot, and Hanzal used a wrist shot to beat Quick for his first of the season.

The goal was his first since Jan. 29.

“I’m glad I scored the first one, and hopefully it’s going to this way now,” Hanzal said.

The team’s leading point-getter, Hanzal has been an offensive starter – using his size, strength and smarts to open up shooting opportunities for his linemates. His 13 assists rank among the likes of Chicago’s Patrick Kane, Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson and Montreal’s P.K. Subban, and he trails only Dallas’ Tyler Seguin (14).

“He’s been so good for us all year,” coach Dave Tippett said. “I think that was weighing on him a little bit. To get two … he’s off and rolling now.”

A special-teams battle ensued in the second.

The Kings used two early power-play chances – their only looks with the man advantage – to snatch up the momentum and the lead. With defenseman Connor Murphy in the box for hooking, they went up 2-1 on a nice passing sequence that fed center Tyler Toffoli, who put a rising shot over Smith’s right shoulder five minutes into the period.

Los Angeles continued to pour on the pressure, testing Smith regularly, and the Coyotes scrambled to maintain their composure in their own end.

But the mood changed with Hanzal’s second goal – only the team’s seventh shot.

He picked the puck off defenseman Alec Martinez in the slot and used a stealthy backhanded shot to elude Quick at 9:59 and even it at 2.

“We believe in here that we can compete with good teams in this league,” Smith said. “We’ve proven that.”

After 13 games played, Hanzal now has at least a point in 10 of his games this season. And with an assist on the play, defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson moved into a tie with Ed Jovanovski for eighth place on the franchise’s all-time points list for defensemen with 164.

The goal seemed to reenergize the Coyotes as they used two ensuring power plays to pressure the Kings despite blanking on all three of their total opportunities. Arizona ended the period with 15 shots.

“Our power play gave us a big boost there,” Smith said. “We didn’t score, but I think it definitely changed the momentum of the game and helped us kind of through the game. So it’s good to see.”

This was the team’s second win of the season against the Kings as the Coyotes also edged their division rival in their season-opener 4-1.

Eight of the Coyotes’ 17 points have come from victories over the Kings and Ducks.

“You go into every game to win,” Tippett said. “We’ve done some good things this year, and then we’ve had some games where we’ve stepped back. As long as we continue to grow, continue to build, we’ll continue to get better.”

Arizona Republic LOADED: 11.11.2015


Plenty of positives in Coyotes' latest win over Ducks

Sarah McLellan, azcentral sports 10:21 p.m. MST November 10, 2015

LOS ANGELES – The pecking order in the Pacific Division isn’t taken as seriously in November as it is in, say, March, when playoff positioning is on the brink of being finalized.

But with two wins so far against the reigning division champs, the Coyotes have certainly made an early statement with their play against their rivals.

“We have to keep winning, keep getting points, especially these in our division,” goalie Anders Lindback said. “It’s really important games and even if it’s early in the season, every point matters so it’s a big win.”

The Coyotes improved to 2-0 against the Ducks after a 4-3 overtime victory Monday in Anaheim – the first time they’ve won consecutive games in Anaheim since March 13 and Oct. 23, 2011. Arizona was also victorious 4-0 on Oct. 14.

Not only did the Coyotes rally from a two-goal deficit to hold a lead in the third period, but they also persevered once the Ducks tied it at 3 for their first win under the new 3-on-3 overtime format.

And amid such a feel-good performance by the team, there were plenty of individual accolades worth mentioning.

Anders Lindback

Lindback was solid and made a handful of critical saves when the Ducks were pushing for the go-ahead goal late in the third.

The Coyotes backup became the first netminder to win his first two starts with the team since Al Montoya accomplished the feat April 1-2, 2009.

Arizona called on No. 1 Mike Smith to complete the back-to-back set Tuesday against the Kings.

“I’ll sit down and watch the video and analyze things,” Lindback said. “But overall when you go in and help the team win, it’s always a good feeling and I’ll try to build on that.”

Lindback was also boosted by a steady penalty kill in front of him.

Although the Coyotes were tagged for one power-play goal in four tries for the Ducks, they were efficient when it mattered – like a late 5-on-3 advantage for the Ducks that the Coyotes survived to help push the game to overtime.

With those kills factored in, the unit improved to 10th in the NHL at 83.3 percent.

“It takes everybody to have a good penalty kill,” coach Dave Tippett said. “Goaltending has to be strong. Your defense has to take care of the low part of the coverage, and your forwards take care of the high coverage. Our guys have done a real good job.”

Anthony Duclair

Winger Anthony Duclair snapped a seven-game pointless skid when he kickstarted the Coyotes’ comeback with a power-play goal early in the second period.

Despite the lull, Duclair ranked second in goals among rookies with six after the game.

“I kept a positive attitude no matter what,” he said. “When you’re playing well, working hard, getting offensive opportunities, it’s going to go in some time. Obviously when you’re playing with two great players – Marty (center Martin Hanzal) and Rieds (winger Tobias Rieder) – it’s just a matter of time.”

Max Domi, Mikkel Boedker, Dustin Jeffrey

The line of wingers Max Domi and Mikkel Boedker and center Dustin Jeffrey made a strong debut with Domi scoring twice, Boedker chipping in the overtime winner on a breakaway and Jeffrey assisting on one of Domi’s goals.

Jeffrey did not play against the Kings, taking a seat so center Antoine Vermette could return after missing the previous three games and six of the past seven overall with a lower-body injury. The Coyotes had one other lineup change from Monday's game, inserting winger John Scott while making winger Steve Downie a healthy scratch.

But Jeffrey still made a sound first impression in his first game with the Coyotes.

“Exactly what I expected from him,” Tippett said of Jeffrey. “He’s a thoughtful player that plays good position. Won’t wow you with anything but plays real solid.”

For Domi, the two-goal game was the first of his career and continued his impressive play away from home. After the game, Domi paced the Coyotes and all rookies with 10 points on the road while also ranking fourth overall in the NHL.

“He’s going to be a guy in this league he’s a good enough player to put up points,” Tippett said. “When he does that, he gets the recognition he deserves.”



Game Day: Coyotes at Kings

Sarah McLellan, azcentral sports 1:10 p.m. MST November 10, 2015

Coyotes (7-6-1) vs. Kings (9-5)

Puck drop: 8:30 p.m.

TV/Radio: Fox Sports Arizona /KMVP-FM (98.7).

The Coyotes will start goalie Mike Smith tonight against the Kings.

“He’s anxious to get in there and do his job,” coach Dave Tippett said. “I think he’s excited for this challenge. He knows he played well here last time. He basically won us the game last time, so he should feel good about what he’s done.”

Arizona completes a back-to-back set tonight after winning 4-3 in overtime in Anaheim Monday.

“We gotta make sure our confidence carries over tonight, and we play the same way,” winger Anthony Duclair said.

Winger Mikkel Boedker has 11 points in his past nine games.

“He wants to have a great year,” Tippett said. “First and foremost, he wants to be a leader and a top player on our team.”

Fast facts for Tuesday’s game

Goalie Mike Smith is 12-6-1 with a 2.13 goals-against average and .931 save percentage in 20 career games against the Kings.

Tonight will be Smith’s 400th game of his career, and he’s one win shy of 100 with the Coyotes.

Winger Max Domi is tied for seventh in the league with a .50 goals-per-game average.

Domi leads the Coyotes in road points (10).

Kings center Jeff Carter is in the midst of a three-game goal streak with five points in that span.

Defenseman Drew Doughty ranks fourth in the NHL in time-on-ice per game at 26:36.

Los Angeles ranks fourth in the NHL in goals-against per game (2.07).

Center Anze Kopitar’s 20:58 average ice time ranks fourth in the NHL among forwards.

Possible Coyotes lines:

Rieder-Hanzal-Duclair

Domi-Jeffrey-Boedker

Martinook-Richardson-Doan

Chipchura-Gordon-Downie

Ekman-Larsson-Stone

Dahlbeck-Michalek

Elliott-Murphy

Smith

Potential scratches: Vermette, Scott and Samuelsson.

Injury update: Center Antoine Vermette (lower-body) is a game-time decision. Defenseman Nicklas Grossmann (lower-body) is on injured reserve. Forward Joe Vitale (fractured orbital bone) is on injured reserve.

Possible Kings lines:

Pearson-Kopitar-Brown

Lucic-Carter-Toffoli

Gaborik-Andreoff-Lewis

Clifford-Shore-Nolan

McNabb-Doughty

Muzzin-Martinez

Forbort-McBain

Quick

Potential scratches: Weal and Ehrhoff.

Injury update: Defenseman Matt Greene (upper-body) and forward Dwight Kings (lower-body).


981862 Boston Bruins

No answers yet on David Pastrnak’s foot injury

By Amalie Benjamin Globe Staff November 10, 2015

WILMINGTON — With Max Talbot having been sent down to Providence Monday, it would have made sense to assume that David Pastrnak was on his way back to action. The Bruins have just 13 forwards — including Pastrnak — currently healthy and on the roster.

But that wasn’t the case Tuesday, with Pastrnak again being held out of practice.

Pastrnak, who was hit in the foot by a shot against Arizona Oct. 27 at TD Garden, has missed four games with the injury. He played the next two games, but has been out since.

“He’s still not ready to go, obviously,” coach Claude Julien said after practice at Ristuccia Arena Tuesday. “I don’t know. Again, I haven’t heard much from our training staff, but they told me he’s not available.

“I was expecting him to maybe be back today. We’ll see what comes out of that.”

One week ago, general manager Don Sweeney said, “David has a bone contusion on his foot. The X-rays were negative, but given the significant swelling, we want to give David’s foot some time to rest.”

Pastrnak did not go with the team on its three-game road trip to Washington, Montreal, and Brooklyn.

Asked about the possibility, in general, of a small break going along with a foot injury of that nature, Julien said, “Yeah, that’s happened before. That’s happened before and we always fear those things when guys get hit in the foot, and we had a couple of guys last game get hit in the foot as well, so there’s always that fear.

“And sometimes there’s some damage in there that is not dangerous, you’ve just got to put up with the pain and some other ones you have to be careful with. So those are the things that you deal with when you have foot injuries.”

Julien did not know whether a small break had been ruled out on Pastrnak. Sweeney did not respond to a message asking for an explanation on the right wing’s situation.

“I don’t know, really, to be honest with you,” Julien said. “I think they’re still assessing that thing. They gave him the weekend to get through it.

“I think today was probably one of those days where they’re going to reevaluate it again, but I haven’t heard at this moment whether the evaluation’s been done or what’s come out of the evaluation.”

Torey Krug also missed Tuesday’s practice, but Julien said it was simply a maintenance day for the defenseman.

A leading man

While it’s usually a given that Brad Marchand’s name goes next to Patrice Bergeron’s on a line, Julien opted to split them up on the road trip. That continued in Tuesday’s practice, with Matt Beleskey on Bergeron’s left side and Marchand on the third line with Ryan Spooner and Jimmy Hayes.

The Bruins beat the Islanders Sunday with the changes, so they were kept in place Tuesday.

And while part of it was about trying to get the team going after three consecutive losses, it was also about Marchand himself.

“No matter what is being said out there about Marsh, my main reasoning behind that was he wants to be a leader, and when you put him with a guy like Spooner who’s a young centerman and Hayesy, who’s in his first year, it gives him that opportunity,” Julien said.

“It’s easy not to have to do it too much when you’re right next to Bergy, so I thought he responded well and I thought he played a real good game and helped that line be a real good line. So right now that’s what we had in practice today.”

Of course, it might not stick. But, for now, especially in the wake of a bad-decision penalty that Marchand took last Wednesday against the Capitals — directly leading to a loss — Julien apparently wants to make the left wing take on a role that includes more leadership and more responsibility.

“I think you want to play the right way and kind of lead by example in that kind of way,” Marchand said. “I’ve got to make sure that I play within the system and get Spoons and Hayser to kind of do the same thing.

“They’re both great players and have been playing great so far, so hopefully I can just fit in.”

Boston Globe LOADED: 11.11.2015


Bruins still looking for consistency

Stephen Harris Wednesday, November 11, 2015

During training camp, a very basic question about the Bruins was addressed:

Will they make the playoffs?

Our prediction: Maybe, but barely.

Fourteen games into the season, that forecast remains very much in effect. The Bruins are an average team, one that can match up well against lesser opponents but also can look overmatched against all-round strong teams like Dallas, Montreal and Washington, the opponents that comprised a three-game losing streak before Sunday’s win in New York against the Islanders.

The Bruins have had a small number of excellent performances, some pretty poor ones, and overall they look like a fairly good but certainly not great club.

Peek five months into the future, and this team should either make or miss the playoffs by a narrow margin, and assuming it does get in, will need to get lucky to make it past the first round.

“I’d say coming along is probably the right (way to describe the team),” B’s coach Claude Julien said yesterday. “We’ve shown some progress since the first few games. We’re a lot more in sync. Now probably the biggest thing we struggle (with) is the consistency, holding our game together from start to finish. When we do that, we have success.

“So I think this is a work in progress now, (trying to have) consistency throughout the 60-minute period.”

So the stretch of five home games that begins tomorrow night at the Garden against the Colorado Avalanche is terribly important for a B’s team that sits outside of the top eight in the Eastern Conference.

The opponents are not exactly the iron of the NHL — Colorado, Detroit, San Jose, Minnesota, Toronto — and the B’s certainly could help themselves by playing well and cashing in all, or most, of the 10 points.

“I think we’ve seen our team play well at home but only in spurts,” said Julien, his club 1-4-1 on Garden ice. “I think that’s been the biggest problem is that you’ve seen us have good starts. I think for the most part, our team has been really, really good in starting off games, but the fact is we’ve let our game slip at times. It hasn’t taken much for other teams to get themselves back into (games) and make us pay for it. So I think the home situation we’re in now with this stretch is going to be about extending those good stretches (of play) and making them last as long as we can. That’s all about consistency.”

Despite all the offseason talk about playing a more up-tempo style, it turns out that this team is little different than any other of recent vintage: The B’s are at their best when they play a sound, smothering, hard-working, checking game. That’s long been this team’s ideal identity, and it still is, if they can establish it.

“We’ve had our ups and downs,” defenseman Adam McQuaid said. “It’s just trying to find that consistency. If we play the way we’re capable of playing, we’ve shown that we’re a good team. If we can continue to build on that, then things look good moving forward.

“But when we don’t bring our best effort, at times we’re shooting ourselves in the foot. We’ve made mistakes that cost us. We’ve got to cut down on those. If we can find that consistency, I think we’ll have a positive outlook here.”

There are still a lot of ifs about this team. Check back after the next five games — all of which the B’s should win — and we might know more.

Bruins notes

Second-year winger David Pastrnak stayed home from the three-game road trip to rehab his bruised foot. It didn’t help.

“He’s still not ready to go, obviously,” Julien said. “I haven’t heard much from our training staff, but they told me he’s not available. It doesn’t look good, I guess, as we speak. I was expecting him to maybe be back (yesterday). We’ll see what comes out of that.”

Sometimes small foot fractures are not immediately revealed but show up on later X-rays.

“That’s happened before. We always fear those things when guys get hit in the foot,” said Julien, adding that the staff was re-evaluating Pastrnak

yesterday. . . .

On defense, Torey Krug did not practice, which, after a day off Monday, suggests he is dealing with some ailment. And Dennis Seidenberg again was a full participant.

As he rebuilds strength in his legs following back surgery, it seems likely Seidenberg will return to the lineup soon.

Boston Herald LOADED: 11.11.2015


Bruins, mindful of slow start at home, prep for 5-game homestand

Stephen Harris Tuesday, November 10, 2015

WILMINGTON -- Most of the strong performances by the Bruins this season have come on the road, where the team has won six-of-eight games. At home, the B's are 1-4-1 -- the kind of winning percentage that dooms a team to miss the playoffs.

So the stretch of five successive home games that begins Thursday at the Garden vs. the Colorado Avalanche is terribly important for a B's team that is currently on the outside of the top-eight in the Eastern Conference, in the No. 9 spot.

"I think we've seen our team play well at home, but only in spurts," said B's coach Claude Julien. "I think that's been the biggest problem, is that you've seen us have good starts -- I think for the most part our team has been really, really good in starting off games -- but the fact is we've let our game slip at times. It hasn't taken much for other teams to get themselves back into (games) and make us pay for it. So I think the home situation we're in now with this stretch is going to be about extending those good stretches (of play) and making them last as long as we can. That's all about consistency."

Julien said the team is concerned that the foot injury of young winger David Pastrnak is not healing more quickly. He was left home from the recent three-game trip in the hope rest and treatment might take care of his ailment, but the pain remains.

D-man Torey Krug skipped practice for what Julien termed, "a maintenance day."

Boston Herald LOADED: 11.11.2015


Vatrano impressing Bruins in all areas of his game

Joe Haggerty serves as Comcast SportsNet's NHL Insider.

November 10, 2015, 11:45 pm

WILMINGTON, Mass. – The Bruins returned to Ristuccia Arena for a team practice on Tuesday afternoon, and it was another good day for 21-year-old Frank Vatrano sticking around with the Black and Gold. The Bruins rookie passed his initial test in his first two NHL games on the road where he scored a goal against the hated Habs, and racked up an impressive eight shots on net in those two appearances against Montreal and Brooklyn.

Patrice Bergeron said he pulled Vatrano aside prior to that first game against the Habs at the Bell Centre, and made sure that Vatrano knew not to hold back in any part of his game if he wants to stick in Boston.

“It’s something I told him before the game in Montreal … just don’t even change your game at all,” said Bergeron. “That’s why he’s here. He had 10 goals in 10 games down in the American League, and that is amazing. So anytime you’ve got the chance then take the shot.

“I remembered from training camp that [Vatrano] had a lethal wrister. Who else better to be with him than David [Krejci] to get him the puck? I thought it was a great start for him.”

Clearly Vatrano is confident in the shot that’s scored him 11 goals already this season between Boston and Providence, but the Bruins coaching staff was just as impressed with his skating, his work along the boards and his willingness to work hard without the puck on his stick. It’s all part of the reason Bruins management opted to send Max Talbot back down to the AHL on Monday while getting an extended look at Vatrano as a top-6 winger.

“We like the fact that he’s a good shooter. We have him on one of our top lines because we think he can produce for us,” said Claude Julien. “But you have to like that he’s taking the other parts of the game seriously for us. He’s gone a great job in our end, and he’s done a great job in the neutral zone. They are areas that aren’t necessarily always fun to do, but they’re important…and I think he’s caught on that.

“A lot of it is about personality and confidence. He’s just one of those guys that understands the game, and learned a lot in that month [in the AHL following training camp] about being a pro. He’s come in here with a lot of confidence, and not only that but a lot of determination to force us to want to keep him here. [It’s good] when you have that approach and you say ‘I’m going to leave it all out there, and I’m not going to be afraid’…I think that’s the approach that he’s taken.”

It’s understandably been a bit of a whirlwind for Vatrano, who is readying to make his TD Garden regular season debut as a 21-year-old after growing up a diehard Bruins fan in East Longmeadow, Mass. The hard work and commitment to becoming a true professional hockey player have given him a golden chance with the Bruins, and now Vatrano simply wants to follow through with everything he’s got.

“It’s awesome. [Krejci and Eriksson] make the game so much easier for me. I’m a shooter, and I like to create offense off my shot. It just makes it easier on me that they’ve been in the league for a long time,” said Vatrano, who scored 18 goals and 28 points in 36 games for the UMass hockey program last season. “When you’re up here things happen so much faster, and my shot is such a big part of creating my offense.

“It’s just paying attention to those little details, and getting the shot off a half-second faster, or recognizing the play just a half-second faster. It’s really huge when you’re out there.”

Given that Vatrano is already gaining the confidence of the B’s coaching staff and is slated to be on a line with David Krejci and Loui Eriksson on Thursday night against the Colorado Avalanche, the top B’s prospect has been put in a position to highly succeed in Boston. Now it’s up to Vatrano to see if he can simply keep shooting the puck and playing like a player destined for a promising career in the NHL.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 11.11.2015


Julien: Bruins 'coming along', but still not consistent


November 10, 2015, 5:45 pm

WILMINGTON, Mass. – The Bruins are just a couple of weeks away from the Thanksgiving holiday, and they currently sit outside a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with a 7-6-1 record through the first 14 games of the season. The Bruins 15 points only has them a single point outside the East’s top eight teams, and they have a couple of games in hand on the Tampa Bay Lightning team standing immediately in front of them.

But there’s also nearly 20 percent of the NHL regular season schedule in the books, and the Bruins haven’t shown much definitely beyond a team that’s having a hard time getting results against the NHL’s elite (Montreal, Dallas, Washington) this season. The Bruins are scoring goals in bunches, and dominating teams with a power play unit that leads the NHL with 16 PP goals and a 33.3 percent success rate.

But the Black and Gold are also 28th in overall defense allowing 3.2 goals per game, and have allowed power play goals in 12 of their 14 games en route to the worst PK in the NHL this season. So it’s a work in progress for Claude Julien and the rest of the Bruins with only seven games remaining until the traditional Thanksgiving holiday reassessment of their playoff pole position.

“I’d say that ‘coming along’ is probably the right words," said Claude Julien. "I think we’ve shown a lot of progress from those first three games. We’re a lot more in synch than we have been, but where we struggle is in the consistency in keeping our game together from start to finish. When we do that have success, and that’s the work in progress having some consistency within the 60 minutes of the game.”

The Bruins are 5-6 against teams currently in a playoff spot this season, and they’ve allowed 37 goals in those 11 games. It should be noted, however, that four of those five wins have come against the Islanders and Coyotes, who the Bruins seemed to match up well against in the season’s first month. Against non-playoff teams they’ve gone 2-0-1 while outscoring opponents by a 13-8 margin, and appearing much more comfortable handling their business on the ice.

Perhaps that will change as the Bruins keep “coming along”, but for now it seems clear there is much more work to do before they are truly throwing a scare into anybody rating highly in the NHL this season.



Krug, Pastrnak missing from Bruins practice


November 10, 2015, 1:15 pm

WILMINGTON, Mass. – After a day off on Monday and a rare noontime start to practice on Tuesday at Ristuccia Arena, the Bruins were still missing a pair of bodies from the ice as they convened a couple of days of practice prior to Thursday night’s tilt vs. the Colorado Avalanche. David Pastrnak still isn’t on the ice after missing the last four games with a bruised bone in his foot, and Torey Krug was also missing from the Tuesday afternoon practice session.

Claude Julien said post-practice Krug was missing with a "maintenance day" coming off a full off-day on Monday, and didn't sound all that optimistic on Pastrnak.

"He's still not ready to go, obviously. I haven't heard much from our training staff," said Julien, who thought Pastrnak's foot originally ruled a bone contusion was being reevaluated on Tuesday. "They told me he's not available, so it doesn't look good, I guess, as we speak. I thought I was expecting him to be back today, so we'll see what comes out of that."

Julien also opted to stick with the line changes he adopted in the Sunday win over the New York Islanders, and that meant keeping Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand separated while maintaining the impressive Frank Vatrano in a top-six spot.

Here are the line combos and D-pairings from Tuesday’s practice with Krug and Pastrnak both missing from the ice:

Beleskey-Bergeron-Connolly

Vatrano-Krejci-Eriksson

Marchand-Spooner-Hayes

Rinaldo-Kemppainen-Randell

Chara-C. Miller

Morrow-K. Miller

McQuaid-Trotman

Seidenberg

Rask

Gustavsson



NHL notes: Local boy Condon took road less traveled to Montreal


November 10, 2015, 11:15 am

Holliston, Mass. native Mike Condon has taken the road less traveled to the NHL, but it seems to be making all the difference in his first season with the Montreal Canadiens.

The 25-year-old wasn’t a big NCAA recruit after a solid career at Belmont Hill, and went undrafted as he worked his way up four years to a good, but not spectacular, senior season (8-11-4 with a 2.48 goals against average and .923 save percentage) as the starting goalie for the Princeton University hockey team.

“It’s always been education first in my family. It’s why I went to prep school and it’s why I went to an Ivy League school. Having that education kind of relaxes a little bit more as far as education and the future,” said Condon. “Plus when you’re going to school and playing hockey, you have to balance both in which is very difficult. Now that I don’t have any school and I can focus 110 percent on hockey . . . that has translated very well.”

The Habs certainly wouldn’t argue after watching him go 6-0-1 to start this season with a 1.57 goals against and a .940 save percentage, and really save Montreal’s butts in the early going while stepping up for the injured Carey Price. Condon was the winning goaltender over his hometown Bruins team when the Habs took a last minute win at the Bell Centre on Saturday night, but it was a hard-fought road to get there.

Everywhere the 6-foot-2, 197-pound son of a Massachusetts State Trooper went he stopped pucks and he worked diligently, but instead Condon watched fellow Massachusetts native Joe Cannata get drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in the sixth round after a career stopping pucks with BC High and the US National Development Team.

Condon hadn’t made any definitive backup plans in case a professional hockey career didn’t work out for him, but he wasn’t sure where it was going to take him when he signed with the ECHL’s Ontario Reign following his college hockey season. In fact, Condon joked, he thought he’d be readying for a Canadian work visa until somebody explained to him that the hockey team he’d be playing for was in Ontario, California, and not Ontario Canada.

“It wasn’t looking good. We lost to Cornell my senior year in March, and there weren’t any phone calls, or offers . . . or anything like that. I was looking at the CHL, and I was looking at (ECHL) injuries on the transaction website,” said Condon, who works out with Cory Schneider and Scott Darling at Merrimack during the summer as one of local goalie coach Brian Daccord’s star pupils. “I got a call from the Ontario Reign, and I thought they were in Canada rather than California. I went there with a hope and a prayer, and just to have some fun.

“Things started speed-balling, and Minnesota’s organization, the Houston Aeros, got a lot of injuries so I went there. I ended up playing in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs, Montreal saw me and the rest is pretty much history. It was Wheeling, Hamilton, and now here.”

The one pattern in Condon’s rise from out-of-work goalie scouring the ECHL transactions wire to NHL backup goaltender: he’s crushed every opportunity he’s had, and pushed his way to the next level with strong performances when actually given the chance. Condon also didn’t get discouraged when he was sent to the ECHL for the bulk of the 2013-14 season with the Wheeling Nailers, and paid his dues before becoming “the guy” for the Hamilton Bulldogs last season.

Young goalies have a good shot of getting NHL chances in situations like in Montreal where the No. 1 goalie is taking a large portion of the team’s salary cap space. Cam Talbot used that exact situation with the New York Rangers over the last few years to push into a starting situation with the Edmonton Oilers, and it’s starting to get easier to envision Condon doing the same thing with the Habs if he maintains anything even approaching his current level of play.

Just don’t expect a smart, well-adjusted kid like Condon to get caught up in the hoopla, or get too carried away with himself.

“I try not to think too much. The older you get the less you think, and the more you just work and play,” said Condon. “You put the work in off the ice, and it tends to translate on the ice and things tend to work out. It’s just kind of surreal . . . you just pinch yourself every once in a while, and remind yourself that you’re here.

“It’s crazy. Everybody drives around with Canadiens flags on their cars, and you could say it’s a religion [up in Montreal]. It’s pretty impressive.”

What’s also impressive is Condon’s rise from a young goalie stopping the tennis ball shots of his older brother in the family’s Holliston driveway, to an undrafted goaltender out of Princeton University and now all the way to a Montreal netminder that has capably, fully filled in for arguably the best goaltender in the world in Carey Price.

*ROOKIE MAKING AN IMPACT IN MOTOWN

The Calder Trophy field opened up considerably when Connor McDavid went down a couple of weeks ago following his tumble into the boards against the Flyers. While Jack Eichel has to be considered the odds-on favorite with McDavid out for a big chunk of time with the broken collarbone, Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin is another name in the running.

The Bruins defensemen actually made special note of Larkin during their preseason dates with Detroit, and specifically mentioned him as somebody that really stood out during the exhibition games. Now Larkin has 4 goals and 10 points in 14 games for the Wings along with a plus-11 rating, and has been playing an impressive 17:02 of ice time per game.

“He’s such a great kid,” said former UMaine and current Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard. “He just uses his speed to his advantage, flying. I don’t think a lot of goaltenders have realized yet how deceptive of a shot he actually has. He can get it off quick, get it off in small areas and he’s pretty accurate with it. He’s fun to watch and he’s fun to go against in practice.”

GROWING UNREST FOR THE EXTRA SESSION WINNIPEG

It sounds like there’s a growing group of critics of the NHL’s current setup for the extra session in Winnipeg, of all places. Dustin Byfuglien made headlines when he voiced his displeasure with the 3-on-3 overtime format a couple of weeks ago, and now Paul Maurice feels like the shootout is an unnecessary cherry on top of the 3-on-3 sundae when OT can’t determine a winner.

“You enjoy it half the time,” said Jets coach Paul Maurice. “We had good control of the puck. So I enjoyed it for more than half the time. I get it, I get the excitement of it. For me, how much cotton candy do you give your kids? At some point you have to say, ‘Enough.’ I think I could have walked out of that game as a fan after the three-on-three and said, ‘Tie it up boys, everybody goes home happy.’ And you’d talk about that game all the way home. Clearly the shootout wasn’t that exciting for us." But I thought there was enough cotton candy there for everybody tonight that we didn’t need that toffee after.”

All of this talk of cotton candy and toffee makes me think that the circus must have also been traveling through Portage and Main over the last couple of weeks as well.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “In my eyes probably the best defenseman that’s ever played. I played with [Nicklas Lidstrom] for 10 years and he was the best player every night. It’s special, and especially when you’ve played with them (inductees). It’s a big honor to get into the Hall of Fame and it’s fun for us who’ve played with those guys and to be a little bit part of it.” –Henrik Zetterberg, on former Red Wings teammate Niklas Lidstrom on the weekend where he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

ONE TIMERS

*Proving you can take the boy out of Charlestown, but you can’t take the Charlestown out of the boy: North Reading native Nolan Vesey is part of Charlestown hockey royalty even if he grew up in the suburbs, and showed a little of his rough-around-the-edges roots last weekend when his University of Maine team played Boston College. Vesey will face a one-game suspension by Hockey East for spearing BC goalie Thatcher Demko from behind as the Eagles gathered to celebrate a victory at the end of the third period.

*The Bruins have had only two games thus far this season where their worst-ranked penalty kill has done their job. That is stunning. The Bruins have allowed power play goals in 11 of their 13 games played this season, and it’s hard to see it really getting better until Dennis Seidenberg is ready for a return. On that subject, a source indicated to CSNNE.com that Seidenberg will be back to NHL work prior to Thanksgiving provided he doesn’t have any setbacks. He could start taking contact as soon as this week at practice.

*The “Roar Bacon” phenomenon in St. Louis with the Blues – which culminated with the Blues players bringing a live pig into the dressing room that pooped in coach Ken Hitchcock’s office -- originated from an autocorrect error on the team’s Instagram account when “roar back” magically turned into “roar bacon.” What a social media world we live in!

*John Tortorella is making his presence felt in Columbus where they’re starting to win some games: he reportedly took Ryan Johansen to task for

his conditioning one period into his new coaching staff, benched Columbus’ highest paid D-man in Fedor Tyutin for a couple of games and pulled captain Nick Foligno from the special teams units. It’s all working for Tortorella with the Blue Jackets where he has the blue collar team that fits his style of coaching, rather than a Canucks group that was a terrible fit from the start.

Remember, keep shooting pucks at the net and good things are bound to happen.


981869 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres quick hits: Johnson finally gets win over Tampa Bay Lightning

By Mike Harrington

Updated 12:09 AM

November 11, 2015

TAMPA – Recent history played into both teams’ goaltending choices Tuesday in Amalie Arena.

Chad Johnson got the nod from coach Dan Bylsma and got the victory as the Buffalo Sabres snapped their seven-game losing streak against Tampa Bay with a 4-1 win over Lightning backup goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy. The Sabres closed the season series against the defending Eastern Conference champions with their first victory after losing three previous meetings this season.

Johnson made 30 saves in his first start in five games, and his presence in the crease was all about what he had done in his previous two meetings against Tampa Bay.

The Sabres suffered a 2-1 loss here on Oct. 17 in a game started by Johnson, and he blanked the Lightning over 39 minutes of play Thursday in Buffalo in relief of Linus Ullmark. Johnson entered Tuesday 0-3 in four career games against Tampa with a 3.06 goals-against average but his recent play convinced Bylsma to give him a chance.

“For us really, it’s looking more at the past history this season,” Bylsma said. “Chad’s last game in here against this team, and obviously at home with Linus playing that game, the first period not going as well and Johnson doing well in his two periods.

“For a big portion of the first 10 games, he gave us a chance to win. Linus has started the last few games and he hasn’t had that chance. I’m looking forward to him getting back in.”

Johnson affirmed Bylsma’s faith with his performance, which included a miraculous diving save on Nikita Kucherov early in the second period that is destined for every highlight reel on goaltenders you’ll see this season. Johnson was down and far out of his crease but dove headlong to his left to scoop the puck out with his glove as Kucherov shot it back into Johnson’s body rather than in the half net that was open.

The save was clearly reminiscent of the one Johnson made on Philadelphia’s Scott Laughton in overtime of Buffalo’s win in Philly on Oct. 27. Johnson went to his right on that one and took the puck off his blocker.

Johnson even got an assist on Rasmus Ristolainen’s empty net goal with 36 seconds left.

In the other crease: Vasilevskiy, a 21-year-old Russian, was the winner on Thursday in First Niagara Center and blanked the Sabres here in March for his first NHL shutout. He entered Tuesday’s game 3-0 with an 0.67 goals-against average and .971 save percentage against the Sabres in his career.

Vasilevskiy had played just two of Tampa’s first 13 games in relief of Ben Bishop, who has been completely snakebit of late. Bishop has lost five straight starts, even though he’s given up only eight goals, because Tampa Bay has been shut out in three of those games.

For openers: Buffalo got the game’s first goal on Jack Eichel’s one-timer off a Cody Franson feed on a power play at 5:57 of the first period. That goal stood up through the first 20 minutes, giving Buffalo a lead after the first period for just the fourth time this season. Incredibly, Tampa Bay has only led after the first once in its 17 games, that coming in Thursday’s 4-1 win in Buffalo.

One time second time: Steven Stamkos tied the game for Tampa on a power play 52 seconds into the second period on a goal just like Eichel’s, a one-timer to the goalie’s right off a neat feed, by Kucherov.

Joining the scoring: The Sabres bounced right back on Franson’s goal at 1:40 of the second period. It was his first with the Sabres and gave the veteran defenseman his second multi-point game of the season. Franson beat Vasilevskiy with a shot from the right circle that clanked in off the post after a neat feed from Eichel. Marcus Foligno then got his first of the year at 5:24 of the third with a long wrist shot that Vasilevskiy completely flubbed, watching it tick off his catching glove and drop into the net.

Still sporting goose eggs: With Franson and Foligno crossed off, the list of Buffalo regulars with no goals includes captain Brian Gionta and fellow forwards Johan Larsson and David Legwand. Defensemen Mark Pysyk, Josh Gorges, Mike Weber and Carlo Colaiacovo also have not scored.

The next stop: The Sabres will practice Wednesday in BB&T Center in Sunrise and then meet the Florida Panthers there Thursday night at 7:30. They host San Jose Saturday in First Niagara Center.

Buffalo News LOADED: 11.11.2015


Sabres notebook: McCabe earning his ice time, Sabres’ trust

By Mike Harrington

Updated 12:23 AM

November 11, 2015

TAMPA – For three straight games, defenseman Jake McCabe has topped the 20-minute mark on the Buffalo Sabres’ time on ice report. In fact, his game log of 23:47 in Saturday’s win over Vancouver was a career high and tops on the team.

It’s heady stuff for the 22-year-old, who started the season in Rochester and might still be in the AHL had top blueliner Zach Bogosian not been injured in training camp.

“It’s one of those things in the NHL and in sports and general that when you get your shot, you have to take advantage of it,” McCabe said before Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning in Amalie Arena. “You have to prove every day you belong and that’s been my mentality since camp started.

“It’s definitely a boost to the confidence but you have to keep going out there and prove you’ve earned that ice time. Game in and game out, you do that and that’s what we’ve kind of been preaching from day one. You go step by step as a team and for me, day by day as an individual.”

McCabe entered Tuesday with an even rating over his last six games, four of which have seen him eclipse 20 minutes. He has played much of his time in Buffalo this season with former Rochester teammate Mark Pysyk but has spent plenty of shifts the last two games alongside veteran Cody Franson.

“He’s a very easy kid to play with, moves well, makes good plays and seems poised,” Franson said. “That’s not something that comes easy to a young guy that’s pretty much starting off. He’s played a solid role.”

Franson said he’s been thoroughly impressed by Buffalo’s young defense corps, featuring Ramsus Ristolainen along with McCabe and Pysyk.

“They’ve got a deep pool here, well-rounded, developed young players,” Franson said. “It’s a testament to the plan this organization has to see them play that important a role and play so well.”

Coach Dan Bylsma has glowingly spoken of McCabe all the way back to summer development camp and his confidence in him has grown during the regular season. Bylsma said it’s an assumption that McCabe wouldn’t be here if Bogosian was healthy, but admitted McCabe’s progress has been a big surprise of the early season.

“He’s come a long way,” Bylsma said. “He’s got his opportunity to be in the lineup and the moment he stepped in our lineup it was a big difference for our team in how he skates, how we can defend and be aggressive. He’s continued to grow with every opportunity.”

McCabe said switching partners has been no issue because the Buffalo blueliners have maintained strong communication on the ice.

“The more you talk out there, the more the game can slow down when you go back and get pucks, you know the partners,” he said. “You know where the partner is and you give each other outs with the puck.”

Like Pysyk, McCabe has been strong in his own end and efficient at helping the Sabres break out of their zone.

“To me, you can play in this league a long time when you make good exits out of the zone and you’re reliable back there with good first passes,” he said. “If it’s not there, you have to find another way, whether it’s taking it up the middle, going off the glass. You have to be good in that aspect and good at managing the puck well.”

One of McCabe’s most effective plays Saturday came late in the first period, when he cut through the faceoff circle in the Buffalo zone and leveled Canucks forward Alex Burrows with a crunching check.

“To me, that’s a skating play,” Bylsma said. “You have to be able to skate to be able to make that physical play and that’s what he’s been able to do for us.”

...

The Sabres defense underwent another small change for Tuesday’s game as Mike Weber sat out with a minor lower-body injury suffered Saturday

against Vancouver. Weber came on the ice for the morning skate but left before the workout ended. Carlo Colaiacovo took his place in the lineup.

...

The Lightning recalled Mike Blunden from Syracuse of the AHL to replace star winger Ondrej Palat, who is out 3-5 weeks with a lower-body injury suffered Saturday in Minnesota. Palat, a 63-point man last season who added 16 points in the playoffs, had combined to miss just seven games over the last two years.

Tuesday was the fifth anniversary of Lindy Ruff’s 1,000th game as an NHL head coach, a 5-4 shootout win at New Jersey that made Ruff the 18th coach in history to reach that milestone.

Ruff’s Dallas Stars entered Tuesday atop the Western Conference with a 12-3 record, the best through 15 games in franchise history. The Sabres host Dallas Tuesday and then meet the Stars again Nov. 21 in American Airlines Center.



Eichel, Sabres finally get quality victory

By Mike Harrington

Updated 12:23 AM

November 11, 2015

TAMPA – It was Game 15 of the long NHL grind, not even halfway through November. But the Buffalo Sabres stood up and made quite a statement Tuesday night in Amalie Arena.

With a national television audience watching them for the first time this season, the Sabres never trailed and held a lead for more than 53 minutes in dismantling the Tampa Bay Lightning, 4-1, before a crowd of 19,092.

The solid victory over the defending Eastern Conference champions allowed Buffalo to salvage one win against Tampa in the four-game season series. It also snapped a seven-game skid against the Lightning that dated to March 6, 2014.

To become a good team, you have to beat top teams. No better win thus far this season than taking out a club that was two wins away from the Stanley Cup in June.

“It’s huge for us. We’ve been right on the cusp of beating them a few times,” said Sabres center Jack Eichel, who had a goal and an assist for his first road points in the NHL.

“We know they’re a good team and I thought it was big for our team to be able to beat them,” added coach Dan Bylsma. “We think we’ve played with them. … I thought it was a big game for our team to step up and win and it’s only the 10th of November.”

Eichel was flying most of the night. The NHL’s No. 2 overall pick had seven shots on goal, one off his season high, and skated strong through the Tampa zone. On one second-period foray, he swooped past Jason Garrison as if the veteran Tampa defenseman wasn’t moving and drew a hooking penalty.

“I thought Jack was outstanding,” Bylsma said with a pronounced smirk.

Eichel pounded home a power-play goal to open the scoring at 5:57 of the first period and set up Cody Franson for the goal that snapped a 1-1 tie and gave the Sabres the lead for keeps at 1:40 of the second period. It came 48 seconds after Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos had tied the game.

Eichel took advantage of a lost stick by Tampa Bay goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who couldn’t get a strong push to his right to stop Eichel’s one-timer off a Franson feed. Vasilevskiy had robbed Johan Larsson a few seconds earlier but couldn’t get over to prevent Eichel’s team-high sixth goal of the season.

“I didn’t even notice he didn’t have the stick,” Eichel said. “He had made a great save on ‘Lars’ on the other side of the ice. The puck came back up high and I don’t think anybody was really set yet so I just wanted to get the puck back on net quick.”

The Franson goal was another example of Eichel’s vision, finding the man coming off the bench leaking into the play. Franson cranked a quick shot from the right faceoff circle off the goalpost for his first goal as a Sabre. “I wanted to get their ‘D’ flat-footed and I tried to back them all off,” Eichel said. “I saw ‘Franny’ going to the net up high and just gave him the puck. That’s an NHL shot right there, great shot by him and great to see him get his first.”

“He thinks the game extremely well,” Franson said. “You watch him and you can see how comfortable he is already. I came off the bench, I saw Jack pull up and tried to get to the far side of the ice. He knows how plays work and I know how he reads the game.”

The Sabres improved to 7-8 with their second straight win, and have won four of five for the first time in 11 months. Tampa Bay, in a clear Cup hangover, fell to 7-8-2 and is just 2-6-1 in its last nine.

The Sabres killed off four of five Tampa Bay power plays and got 30 saves from goaltender Chad Johnson. They controlled the puck for most of the first period, maintained the tempo of the game in the second and got better goaltending. In the third with Tampa pressing, Buffalo got strong work from Johnson and its defense to calmly close the game out.

“Tampa is a great team, one of the teams that sets the bar,” Franson said. “They force you to make very few mistakes and manage the puck well. You have to play as close to a complete game as you can.”

“We were great as a team in the first period, had a lot of chances, got the puck in deep,” Eichel said. “To be able to finish it, going into the third up 2-1 and closing it out is great for our team.”


981872 Calgary Flames

Panthers swat away Flames in Florida

Kristen Odland, Calgary Herald

More from Kristen Odland, Calgary Herald

Published on: November 10, 2015 | Last Updated: November 10, 2015 9:49 PM MST

When the Calgary Flames dropped into the BB&T Center for their only visit of 2014-15, Bob Hartley compared the game to fishing.

“It reminded me of one day when I was a kid … I caught a nice one but I dropped it between two rocks,” the head coach had said after an eventual 6-4 back-and-forth Flames road win. “With frozen fingers, I tried to catch a trout that is dangling between two rocks … (the game) was one of those wild ones.”

Tuesday at Sunrise, Fla., was another wild one.

Except this time, the trout slipped away in a 4-3 loss to the ageless wonder Jaromir Jagr and the Florida Panthers.

And instead of starting off a four-game road trip by continuing momentum they built from their first consecutive victories of the season, they are still treading water at 5-10-1 and sitting below .500.

Truth be told, the Flames made a valiant effort — unlike some of their previous losses this 2015-16 season.

They stuck around and battled back after falling behind 3-1. David Jones scored twice in the second period to tie it 3-3, in fact.

But, with 8:11 gone in the third period, Jagr burnt them with a goal Flames goalie Karri Ramo would probably have liked to have back. And it eventually did them in.

“We came back to tie it 3-3 and we had our chances,” Ramo said. “They scored one and that was it. Simple. But we should have been better.

“(Jagr’s goal) it kind of surprised me that he had the puck. He kind of fanned on the first shot and I lost the edge of my skate. I didn’t get a push and was just out of my reach. An ugly, slow goal.

“A lot of bad luck today on many occasions.”

Yes, definitely bad luck to let the puck find the stick of a man that has scored over 700 NHL goals in over 1,500 NHL games.

“I don’t know,” said Mark Giordano. “You can’t let a guy like that get a puck where he did. He’s got great reach, great size, great patience.

“He made us pay.”

After Jagr’s go-ahead marker, there was piles of time but their attempts were foiled. By the Panthers. And themselves.

Late in the game, Roberto Luongo channelled his childhood idol Grant Fuhr and came up with a nice glove save on Kris Russell. Then, with an extra attacker in the last two minutes, they iced it. Then, Monahan lost a key face-off to Mackenzie and he cleared the zone. Then they iced it again.

Cue the sound of a sad trombone.

“Yeah, I think (it was a step back),” Giordano said. “It felt like way too many chances from the slot again and odd-man opportunities for them. For whatever reason, we have to shut that down again … we gave them way too much.”

The Panthers (6-6-3) were destined to win this one, pulling ahead 3-1 only 3:53 into the second period when Aaron Ekblad finished on Jagr’s smart feed.

To give them their credit, though, the Flames stuck with the program and, after Matt Stajan delivered him a solid stretch pass, David Jones delivered a wrister — his second goal of the night — and brought them within one.

They had contributions elsewhere, too.

Micheal Ferland, playing his first game since missing eight with a knee injury, was a one-man wrecking crew in the second period when he went for the one-two punch, bowling over Dave Bolland and Dmitry Kulikov.

Not only did it add to Ferland’s team-leading hit total, but it created energy that seemed to rub off.

A scuffle happened in front of Ramo’s net and, after Jonathan Huberdeau shoved TJ Brodie after the whistle, Mikeal Backlund got under his skin.

The fire was lit and, later, Huberdeau was caught for tripping which led to another tying goal for Calgary. This time, Sean Monahan tipped in some nifty net work done by Jiri Hudler on the power-play.

The Panthers never trailed and had dominated the pace in the first period.

“It certainly wasn’t our best defensive game,” Jones said. “We turned a lot of pucks over tonight. At some points, it was bad bounces along the boards. But they just did a better job in those areas of creating chances through turnovers.

“I don’t know if it’s a step back but it certainly wasn’t our best effort.”

The action started 2:06 in when Josh Jooris, taking his ninth infraction in 14 games, was tagged for boarding when he rammed Ekblad into the boards.

They escaped thanks to consecutive clearing attempts by TJ Brodie and Mark Giordano. But taking penalties at the BB&T Center was not exactly a habit the Flames wanted to get into on this night. Heading into the game, the Panthers owned the league’s best power-play at home at 36 per cent.

So, you knew what was coming.

After Jooris was hauled off again, this time for fighting — yes, fighting — with Florida’s Derek MacKenzie, Kris Russell took an interference penalty against Garrett Wilson at the 4:54 mark.

Vincent Tocheck scored a power-play goal to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead but the Flames would counter quickly.

Jones made it 1-1 off a backhanded pass from a driving Joe Colborne that went off a skate.

Then, with less than five minutes left in the opening frame, Reilly Smith scored to go ahead 2-1.

“It was a really bouncy game,” said Ramo who faced 29 shots in his fifth straight start. “That team is really fast, probably one of the fastest teams we’ve played this year. They seem to be, all the time, on the puck and on our guys.

“We didn’t really get too many clean breakouts … the puck was bouncing a lot and all the shots were hitting other sticks. It was tough to track the puck.”

The Flames continue their road swing and face the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday and the Washington Capitals on Friday.

They wrap things up on Sunday against the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.

“As tough as it is, sometimes you have to clean the slate again,” Giordano said. “We’ve got two big games against tough teams. We’re going to bring it and better get some points here.”

Calgary Flames 3 at Florida Panthers 4

The Herald’s Three Stars

1. Panthers RW Jaromir Jagr — At 43, the Kladno, Czech native is an ageless wonder. Uses his exceptional vision to draw Flames goalie Karri Ramo to the left while spotting Aaron Ekblad on his right and setting him up for Florida’s third goal. Then, while nearly falling over, scores the go-ahead goal in the third period (snapping a 10-game career scoreless streak against the Flames).

2. Flames RW David Jones — Scored two goals which, if you can believe it, gave him a team-leading five on the season. Played simple and effective.

3. Panthers C Vincent Trocheck —Continues his dominant run by puttings the home team on the board early in the first period. Wins a key face-off on Reilly Smith’s first-period goal.

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 11.11.2015


Flames Insider: Wrecking-ball Ferland returns vs. Panthers

Kristen Odland, Calgary Herald

More from Kristen Odland, Calgary Herald

Published on: November 10, 2015 | Last Updated: November 10, 2015 11:50 AM MST

Micheal Ferland gained some notoriety during the 2015 National Hockey League playoffs with his heavy hitting and wrecking-ball style of play.

Signing a two-year contract extension with the Calgary Flames, the 23-year-old winger rolled that style of play into the 2015-16 regular season and, in just seven games, he amassed 24 hits. (To put things in perspective, Ferland still leads the Flames in that category while, in comparison, Toronto’s James van Riemsdyk also has 24 hits but in 14 games).

So, to have Ferland sit out the past eight games while his right knee healed from an MCL sprain, the Calgary Flames lacked a serious sense of physicality.

“We know Ferls,” said Flames head coach Bob Hartley at the BB& T Center in Sunrise, Fla. “Bang and crash. He has a great shot. But he’s still a young man. Obviously, there’s still lots to learn. He’s a heart and soul guy and works hard every shift.

“On the forecheck and in front of the net, he’s going to be a big presence for us.”

And just in time, it seems, the wrecking ball is back.

Saturday’s emphatic 5-2 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins marked the first consecutive victories for the Flames (5-9-1) this season.

Tonight against the Florida Panthers (5:30 p.m. MT), as the team begins a four-game road trip, Ferland will be skating on a line with Derek Grant and Josh Jooris.

“I’m excited to get back in,” Ferland said. “I just want to get out there and get a few hits in and try to get myself into the game that way.”

History is on Calgary’s side tonight.

In the last 10 games at the BB& T Center, the Flames are 6-1-2-0-1 and have won two straight and four of the last five meetings in Sunrise.

The mood has also been positive around the team since Saturday’s victory and it’s not just the two straight Dub-yas that have them smiling.

According to Hartley, their play has also improved.

“Chances-against are going down; chances-for are going up,” he said. “It seems our forwards and our D-men are back playing together. Instead of having three forwards and two D’s on the ice, we have a unit of five. We look at our forecheck, we look at our backcheck, and it seems there is a rhythm between our forwards and D-men.

“That’s the key. There has to be communication and trust. Right now, that trust is coming back.”

And good news — Calgary’s secondary scoring is finally picking up.

“I like the balance in our lines right now,” Hartley said. “Benny, Backs, Frols, lots of speed. Three guys that can make plays and that can shoot. I really like them. Benny is playing with lots of spark right now, lots of energy. He’s just 19-years-old. Backs at centre brings balance. Frols is a great up and down player.

“They compliment each other very well.”

Tonight is a significant stop on the road trip for Michael Frolik who was drafted by the Panthers 10th overall in 2006 and will play against his childhood idol Jaromir Jagr tonight.

At 43 years old, Jagr, a native of Kladno (where Frolik grew up), is an ageless wonder and shares the Panthers team-lead in points (10) with centre Vincent Trochek.

“Gosh,” Hartley said. “I’m sure lots of veterans would like to know the recipe. I don’t know Jags personally, but you hear about the way he works out and takes care of himself. He’s natural on top of this. Genetics has to play a certain role in his play but his passion and love for the game keeps him at the rink and keeps him young.

“They can certainly learn from him.”

The Flames lineup will look a little like this tonight …

Lines:

Johnny Gaudreau-Sean Monahan-Jiri Hudler

Sam Bennett-Mikael Backlund-Michael Frolik

Jose Colborne-Matt Stajan-David Jones

Micheal Ferland-Derek Grant-Josh Jooris

Defence:

Mark Giordano-TJ Brodie

Kris Russell-Dougie Hamilton

Deryk Engelland-Dennis Wideman

Goalies:

Karri Ramo

Joni Ortio

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 11.11.2015


Florida Panthers end Calgary Flames' winning streak

By WES GILBERTSON, Calgary Sun

First posted: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 11:14 AM MST | Updated: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 10:52 PM MST

SUNRISE, Fla. — Tuesday’s game-winning tally was officially recorded as unassisted.

Which is only partially true.

You can credit the accidental assist to Calgary Flames defenceman TJ Brodie.

Florida Panthers right-winger Jaromir Jagr has been burning out red lights for a quarter-century, and the ageless wonder was up to his old tricks in a 4-3 triumph over the Flames at the half-empty BB&T Centre, taking advantage — and celebrating the 729th goal of his illustrious career — after a third-period gaffe by Brodie.

“It’s a game of mistakes, and it got to the wrong guy,” said Flames head coach Bob Hartley. “This guy (Jagr) can certainly be a difference-maker, and that’s what he was (Tuesday night).”

That momentum the Flames were feeling after back-to-back NHL victories on home ice?

Must have been forgotten back in Calgary.

During Tuesday’s road loss to the Panthers, they looked more like the mistake-prone group that stumbled out of the starting gates than a squad that seemed to have finally sorted themselves out in their own zone.

“It certainly wasn’t our best defensive game,” admitted Flames right-winger David Jones, who had a pair of goals in a losing cause. “We turned a lot of pucks over.”

Sure did.

And not to beat up on Brodie, who has been the Flames’ best blueliner since returning from a hand injury, but his third-period oopsie while the score was deadlocked at 3-3 was the most costly of all.

Pestered on the forecheck by Panthers linemates Nick Bjugstad and Jonathan Huberdeau, Brodie tried to thread a pass to a waiting winger.

Not so fast.

The 43-year-old Jagr intercepted the outlet in the left circle, stepped around two defenders — captain Mark Giordano and centre Matt Stajan, who was spilled on the ice in an attempt to clog the shooting lane — and baffled backstop Karri Ramo with a low, slow shot.

Ramo wondered if Jagr might have fanned on his attempt, accidentally delivering an off-speed pitch.

Giordano figured he was actually trying to slide a pass to Huberdeau at the back-door.

Either way, it found the back of the net and stood up as the deciding strike as the Flames kissed goodbye to their first winning streak of the season and dropped to 5-10-1.

“This is on us — we have to be better,” Giordano said. “Just way too many chances from the slot again and odd-man opportunities for them, for whatever reason.

“We have to shut that down again ... We gave them way too much.”

Jagr also provided a superb setup on Aaron Ekblad’s second-period goal, while Vincent Trochek and Reilly Smith had the other tallies Tuesday for the hosts, who made their fair share of mistakes in a sloppy contest but ultimately did enough to end a five-game winless skid.

Sean Monahan added a powerplay tally late in the second period for the Calgary club’s other marker.

The next item on the itinerary for the Flames’ four-game road-trip is Thursday’s date with the Tampa Bay Lightning at Amalie Arena (5:30 p.m., Sportsnet Flames/Sportsnet 960 The Fan).

Suffice to say, they can’t afford to serve up too many turnovers to Steven Stamkos & Co.

“We have to tighten up. I know we’ve been saying that, but we have to find a way,” Stajan said after Tuesday’s setback. “We’re making some good plays, but sometimes plays aren’t there and you’ve gotta make a simple play. Sometimes, we’re trying to do too much, and because of that, turnovers happen.

“We’re not playing against house-league hockey players — they’re trying to force us to turn the puck over, they’re taking stuff away — so you have to make a simple play when nothing is there because the other team is trying to create turnovers.

“Right now, we’re not making smart decisions at key times.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.11.2015


David Jones is the Calgary Flames’ unlikely scoring leader

By WES GILBERTSON, Calgary Sun

First posted: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 09:11 PM MST | Updated: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 09:15 PM MST

SUNRISE, Fla. — David Jones has bulged the twine in just three of 16 outings so far this fall.

With a two-snipe night Tuesday in the Sunshine State, he snapped out of a 10-game goal-scoring funk.

And?

He suddenly leads the Calgary Flames with five markers.

We’re all for secondary scoring, but when your top marksman skates on a checking unit, you’re probably not getting enough production from your go-to goal-scorers.

“Our line is going pretty good right now, and I think if we can take a bit of the pressure off those other two lines and put a few in ourselves, that’ll be big for us,” Jones said after Tuesday’s 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers at BB&T Center.

“I know Bob is more worried about us playing good defensive hockey, but I think if we can come out on the right side of plus-minus ... We’re going to give ourselves a good chance to win.”

Jones and linemates Matt Stajan and Joe Colborne were on the plus side of the ledger in Sunrise.

Among Flames forwards, they were the only ones.

On the flip-side, the top line of Johnny Gaudreau, Jiri Hudler and Sean Monahan were all saddled with a minus-2 rating, although Monahan did light the lamp on a powerplay.

Behind the 31-year-old Jones, Gaudreau, Hudler, Monahan and captain Mark Giordano are all tied for second among Flames with four goals so far this season.

AROUND THE BOARDS

Flames LW Micheal Ferland checked back in after missing eight contests due to a sprained knee. The 23-year-old rabble-rouser was credited with two hits — both in a four-second span in the middle stanza — on a relatively quiet night, at least by his standards ... After Tuesday’s game-winner, Panthers RW Jaromir Jagr needs just two more tallies to tie Los Angeles Kings legend Marcel Dionne for fourth on the NHL’s all-time goal-scoring charts, with 731 ... Crazy stat: There are five current Flames — Ferland (23), Dougie Hamilton (22), Johnny Gaudreau (22), Sean Monahan (21) and Sam Bennett (19) — who weren’t even born when the 43-year-old Jagr made his NHL debut way back on Oct. 5, 1990. Even crazier: Jagr had already racked up 538 regular-season points and claimed two Stanley Cup rings before Bennett arrived in June of 1996. “His dedication to hockey is tremendous. He lives for it,” said Flames netminder Karri Ramo of Jagr, his teammate for two winters with Avangard Omsk of the KHL. “I think that’s the key for him to play so long.”

OFF THE GLASS

Flames RW Josh Jooris obliged when Panthers C Derek Mackenzie requested a dance during Tuesday’s opening period, dropping the mitts for his first NHL bout ... Bennett and Panthers D Aaron Ekblad, both 19, are former summer-hockey teammates, represented Canada together at the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament — and have gold medals to show for it — and had some memorable meetings during their not-long-ago days in the Ontario Hockey League. “He scored four goals against our team one game and I was minus-6,” Ekblad recalled after the morning skate at BB&T Center. “So I know Sam is a good player.” About an hour later, Bennett reported — or retorted — the reigning Calder Trophy winner was only telling half of the story. “Yeah, I think I also remember him putting in four the game before,” Bennett said. “We’ve had some good battles, for sure, throughout our youth” ... Tuesday’s official crowd count was announced at 11,242. The poor attendance guy must have been seeing double.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 11.11.2015

981876 Carolina Hurricanes

McDonagh’s point shot seals Canes’ loss

By Denis P. Gorman

For Eric Staal, it’s not about the difference in skill and talent. Nor is it about the significant disparity in payroll.

Rather, for the captain of the Carolina Hurricanes, the explanation for the New York Rangers’ dominance of his team came down to other on-ice factors.

“Most of the time when it’s close like that, it’s a bounce or it’s a breakdown or it’s a mistake that can cost you,” Staal said before the 3-0 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night in New York. Dating back to Feb. 22, 2011, the Hurricanes have lost 17 of 18 to the Rangers.

“Or vice versa. It can go the other way when you’re winning those close games and you have that one chance, you get it. A lot of the (games) against them, it’s been a breakdown or a mistake or just a bounce against that has cost us.”

On a night, one in which the Hurricanes mostly played well against a team that fancies itself a Stanley Cup contender, a mere 11-second sequence midway through the first period sent Carolina to its third loss in six games.

Jesper Fast opened the scoring at 9:21 with his third of the season, and Rick Nash added to the lead with his second of the season at 9:32.

Following Nash’s goal, which was precipitated by a turnover at the blue line and culminated with the New York winger deking Cam Ward out of position, Bill Peters called timeout.

Ward made 20 saves. HIs counterpart, Henrik Lundqvist, made 33 saves to record his first shutout of the season, the 56th of his career, and his second in 21 games against Carolina

Neither team scored in the second period despite trading chances throughout.

But Ryan McDonagh’s point shot 13 seconds into the third sealed the Hurricanes’ ninth loss in 15 games this season.

The first of four games between the teams also marked Brett Pesce’s first NHL game at Madison Square Garden. Pesce, 20, grew up in suburban Tarrytown, N.Y., which is about a hour’s drive from New York City.

When he met with reporters after the morning skate, Peters was adamant in his belief he did not have to talk with Pesce about over-emphasizing the significance of the game.

“He’s a mature guy; he knows what’s going on,” Peters said of Pesce. The Hurricanes pranked the defenseman by allowing to take to the ice for warmups while they waited in the tunnel. “We’ve had talks with all of our young ‘D’ at different times. A lot of things are going to happen this year for these guys (that) are going to be firsts: First time playing at MSG, first time playing out in Western Canada, first NHL game, first NHL goal, first NHL point.”

Joakim Nordstrom also dressed for the Hurricanes, while Noah Hanifin, Andrej Nestrasil and Brad Malone were scratched.

News Observer LOADED: 11.11.2015

981877 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith could return from injury this weekend

Chris HineContact ReporterChicago Tribune

When Duncan Keith returns, will he be the same player for the Blackhawks?

Duncan Keith has been skating for the last few days with the Blackhawks as he works his way back from surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee.

It's natural to wonder if Keith will be the same player when he returns. Will he be able to skate as fast and for as many minutes? Will he have the same mobility, the same ability to twist and turn on the ice as he once had?

Keith dismissed those questions Tuesday, allaying any fears that he will not be the same top-tier defenseman he was before the injury.

"It's just a meniscus. It's not getting my leg amputated here," Keith, 32, said.

Keith is "close" to playing again, according to coach Joel Quenneville. In fact, Keith could return to game action either Saturday against the Blues or Sunday against the Flames.

Keith's confidence in his ability to come back from the injury at 100 percent is backed by sports physical therapist Matt Gauthier, who has worked with patients rehabilitating from meniscus tears for Athletico Physical Therapy.

"He should be good to go," Gauthier said. "There's always a risk of injury no matter who you are, but again, treat it correctly and as long as your rehab includes the proper control, strength and balance exercises, he should be as good as ever."

Gauthier said meniscus tears vary, and while he doesn't treat Keith and couldn't speak to Keith's injury specifically, it shouldn't affect Keith's range of motion in the knee or his speed. Once Keith gets his conditioning back, he should be as good as the Keith of old.

"(With the surgery) he's just removing the irritating limiting factor, and then after that it's … getting swelling down and getting back to normal," Gauthier said. "It's not like he has anything that's going to cause any instability or decreased strength."

Gauthier also said meniscus patients typically don't have as much of a mental hurdle to clear compared with someone returning from a torn ACL.

"It really depends on the person and if they are more inclined to be hesitant or if they have activity-based fear, but in my experience it's not nearly as significant as an ACL tear," said Gauthier, who has been a physical therapist for more than three years.

Keith, who had the surgery Oct. 20, has hesitated to put a timetable on his return except to say he feels good on the ice. When he comes back, he said to expect the same player who twice has won the Norris Trophy in addition to the Conn Smythe Trophy.

"It's just a matter of getting my skating legs back and getting going again. That's it," he said.

That would seem to be the case.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2015


Reviewing the new Blackhawks movie 'Hat Trick'

Chris HineContact ReporterChicago Tribune

How did @ChristopherHine rate the new Blackhawks movie "Hat Trick"?

With a beer in his hand, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville addressed his team just after they won the Stanley Cup for the third time in six seasons. He told his players about the "rollercoaster" that was the regular season and the playoffs and to emphasize his metaphor, Quenneville, a man inebriated ... with happiness, made some exaggerated roller coaster movements.

Then as the coach tried to continue his celebratory speech, his team drowned him in a shower of champagne and beer.

It's behind-the-scene moments like that that make "Hat Trick" entertaining. The movie, produced by Blackhawks TV and Banner Collective, is not a highlight package of each playoff round. Instead, it begins with Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final and follows the celebration in the immediate aftermath of winning the Cup, the parade, rally at Soldier Field and it features several players during their days with the Cup.

The filmmakers edited down more than 180 hours of footage in a crisp 65 minutes. Because the movie was produced by Blackhawks TV, cameras were allowed to go where other outlets can't go, and the filmmakers made the most of it. They take you to a remote farming village in Sweden where Niklas Hjalmarsson grew up and watch as the children of the village sing a special song especially for Hjalmarsson. And they take you to Slovakian castle where Marian Hossa and his family had their day with the Cup.

Among other highlights: Jonathan Toews' hot-and-cold relationship with his girlfriend's small dog, whom Toews carried around like a purse during his day with the Cup; Brent Seabrook taking his family and the Cup to the top of the mountain via helicopter; fellow Fins Teuvo Teravainen and Kimmo Timonen talking about their friendship; Andrew Shaw taking the Cup to the Center for Independence, which helps children with physical disabilities achieve physical independence (the children's reaction to seeing the Cup will tug at your heart strings).

All the Blackhawks' playoff goals

All the goals scored by the Blackhawks in the 2015 playoffs.

If you're looking to watch a lot of hockey and re-live the drama of the playoffs, you'd be better served with a highlight video. But to get a glimpse into the lives of the Hawks players, "Hat Trick" does the job.

"Hat Trick" goes on sale (DVD and Blu-Ray) Nov. 17.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2015


Road worriers: Blackhawks a different team away from UC

Written By Mark Lazerus Posted: 11/10/2015, 02:50pm

There’s just something about the moments leading up to a hockey game at the United Center — the 22,000 screaming fans, the cacophonous national anthem, the excitement in the building. Perhaps no rink in the league this side of the Canadian border can match Chicago’s for pure energy when the puck drops.

Even visiting players routinely say they feed off it early in a game.

“It’s a great building to play here, a great atmosphere,” Artem Anisimov said. “I think we’re always pumped, ready to play the game.”

And it shows. The Blackhawks have a gaudy 7-1-1 record at home this season, second only to the league-leading Montreal Canadiens.

Away from the United Center? Well, that’s been a different story. A troubling one, at that. The Hawks are 1-5-0 on the road, and have been outscored 21-11 in those six games. They barely showed up in Philadelphia and Washington, were sloppy and disjointed in Winnipeg and Minnesota, then got nearly run out of the building in New Jersey. They’ve scored just three first-period goals in their last five road games, all regulation losses.

And, don’t look now, but seven of their next games are on the road, including the six-game circus trip which begins next week. Given the fact that they’re currently in sixth place in the Central Division, it’s an issue that has to be addressed quickly.

“We’ve never had an issue winning away from here [before],” Joel Quenneville said. “That’s where we’ve got to bring our consistency. That’s where we’ve got to be better. That’s the balance we’re talking about — we’re starting from behind in a lot of the games, we’re not setting the tempo of the game, and we’re getting behind early. And it’s tough to come back on the road.”

It’s an unusual issue for the Hawks, who have been one of the league’s top road teams under Quenneville. In the last seven seasons, they’re 144-93-33 on the road, a perennial top-10 road team. During their three Stanley Cup seasons, they finished ninth (2015), first (2013) and fourth (2010) in road victories.

“That might be the biggest concern right now, how we’re playing on the road,” Patrick Kane said. “I guess we’ll get a good test of that coming up with the two-week trip. I don’t know if we have some newer guys on our team that get really excited to play here at home [but not on the road]. Obviously, it’s never easy to play on the road, but I feel ever since I’ve been here, the Hawks have been a pretty good road team.”

Duncan Keith said he especially likes playing on the road, in hostile environments when the whole crowd is against him. There are plenty of reasons why a team might struggle on the road, including the home team getting the last change, and a general familiarity with an arena’s unique quirks. But Keith thinks the Hawks’ road woes are simpler than that. They’re simply not ready when the puck drops.

After all, it’s a long season, and not every game can feel like a big game, especially away from the raucous pregame environment at the United Center.

But for the other 29 teams, every game against the Hawks is a big game.

“Teams are excited to play the defending Cup champs, and when they get us in their own building, they’re going to come out playing hard,” Keith said. “That’s something we’ve got to realize going forward, that teams are always ready for us. And it’s that much more amplified when they’re at home against us, and they want to make a statement.”

NOTE: Quenneville was optimistic that Keith could return either Saturday at St. Louis or Sunday against Calgary. Keith skated for more than an hour on Tuesday, and expects no injury-related limitations when he returns. “It’s just a meniscus,” he said. “It’s not like getting my leg amputated.” Michal Rozsival also is expected to return to the lineup sometime over the next few games.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 11.11.2015


Blackhawks have exact same record they did at this time last year

Written By Rob Ogden Posted: 11/10/2015, 11:31am

Blackhawks fans began to panic as the team dropped four games in a five-game span from Oct. 29 through Nov. 6.

But fear not, Chicago. At 8-6-1 overall, the Blackhawks have the exact same record they had after 15 games a year ago.

As you might recall, that season ended like this:

There is one notable difference, however. Last season, Chicago surrendered 28 goals through 15 games. This year, the Blackhawks have allowed 38.

They’ve given up nearly four goals per game during their past six.

The return of Duncan Keith will certainly give the defense an added boost. Keith has missed Chicago’s past nine games after undergoing knee surgery on Oct. 20.

He’ll miss at least one more when the Blackhawks take on the Devils on Thursday, but coach Joel Quenneville said he’s hopeful Keith can return for Saturday’s game at St. Louis.

Duncan Keith skates for first time since injury

At 17/2, Chicago has the fourth-best odds to win the 2016 Stanley Cup, according to VegasInsider.com.

The Dallas Stars, Montreal Canadiens and New York Rangers are each at 8/1.



Blackhawks championship film trailer released

Written By Rob Ogden Posted: 11/10/2015, 10:58am

“Hat Trick”, the story of the Blackhawks’ 2015 Stanley Cup championship run is set to be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday, Nov. 17.

Check out the trailer:

Here's your first look at #HatTrick, the championship movie! https://t.co/CDaKeWPOEi

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) October 26, 2015

In addition to the film, the team also released a 240-page hardcover book titled “One Goal III: The Inside Story of the 2015 Stanley Cup Champion Chicago Blackhawks” that went on sale today.

#ONEGOAL3 is now available in all #Blackhawks Store locations! https://t.co/RdsQqggJiK

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 10, 2015

What's inside #OneGoal3? Glad you asked! Team Historian Bob Verdi wrote about Coach Q for the book. https://t.co/wzVHcZAFOb

— Chicago Blackhawks (@NHLBlackhawks) November 10, 2015

Via the Blackhawks:

“Hat Trick” takes viewers onto the ice and inside the locker room following the historic Game 6 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning at the United Center, which delivered the Blackhawks and their fans the club’s first Stanley Cup-clinching victory at home since 1938. The 65-minute feature allows viewers to relive the championship parade and rally at Soldier Field, before following the Cup on its journey across the world with never-before-seen footage. The Blu-ray version will include bonus footage of the banner raising ceremony, player Cup day bloopers and more.

The book and film will both be on sale at all Blackhawks Store locations, via Shop.NHL.com and at Chicagoland Jewel-Osco locations, according to the team.

Jewel-Osco will donate all profits from sales of the DVD and Blu-ray to Chicago Blackhawks Charities.



Blackhawks have chance to even score with Devils, Blues

John Dietz

Follow @johndietzdh

During the 82-game grind of the regular season, there are times that the NHL schedule-makers do teams a favor.

Even if it's unintentional.

That's certainly the case for the Blackhawks this week, as they have a chance to wash the bad taste out of their mouths from recent losses to New Jersey and St. Louis.

The Devils, who outworked and out-hustled the Hawks last Friday in a 4-2 victory, are in town Thursday.

"I think we were definitely not prepared in New Jersey," said Patrick Kane, who is riding a 10-game points streak. "You look at their roster and you might say, 'OK, there's probably some better teams in the NHL (talent-wise) … but there's not too many teams that work as hard as they do.'

"It would be nice to get em here in our building, hopefully get some revenge on 'em, especially the way we played in Jersey last time."

The Devils have won eight of 10 and are tied for fourth in the Metropolitan Division.

"They're a good team," coach Joel Quenneville said. "They've maybe surprised some teams this year. We weren't ready to play at that level."

Two days later, the Hawks will travel to St. Louis to play the Blues, who overcame a 5-2 deficit at the United Center last Wednesday and won 6-5 in overtime.

Keith update:

The Hawks did not practice Tuesday, but Duncan Keith was on the ice as he prepares to come back from knee surgery. He said it's tough to gauge where he's at "when you're not battling anybody out there."

Coach Joel Quenneville said it's still possible Keith could return in St. Louis on Saturday or when the Hawks play Calgary the next night. The coaches and trainers will have a better indication after Keith practices with more intensity Wednesday.

Keith didn't want to shed too much light on how the knee feels before, during or after skating.

"I don't know if I need to get into all the little details about my injury and what happened and how it feels exactly," he said. "At the end of the day, I think I'm right on where the trainers want me to be and I keep trying to push it every day and I feel better and better. I think that's a good thing."

Quenneville said Michal Rozsival could also return for one of the two weekend games. That will likely mean the Hawks will have to reassign two current defensemen on the roster.

Slap shots:

Coach Joel Quenneville said that Ryan Garbutt, who was sick and missed Sunday's game, is "back to normal." … Artem Anisimov, who has 6 goals on the season, leads the Hawks in shooting percentage. He scores on 28.6 percent of his shots. Patrick Kane is next at 17.9 percent. … Garbutt is the player with the most shots without a goal (31).

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 11.11.2015


Blackhawks' Toews surprises Wheaton eighth-grader

Jessica Cilella

Follow @jcilella

Eighth-grader Jeff Kincaid had a lot of thoughts running through his head when his name was called at an all-school assembly Tuesday.

"This is crazy. I can't believe this. Why?"

The 13-year-old couldn't stop smiling as he walked past his classmates at Monroe Middle School in Wheaton and shook the hand of the man he called his "hero," Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews.

Jeff won a new hockey stick, skates and a $1,000 shopping spree in a statewide, online contest sponsored by Bauer and Total Hockey. In addition, the hockey equipment companies donated about $1,500 worth of new sports equipment to his school.

The sounds of clapping, cheering and preteen girl shrieking filled the gymnasium as Toews walked in, much to the surprise of not only the students, but also the teachers and administration. Friends squeezed each other's arms and hands moved over mouths and hearts as everyone realized what was going on.

"The championships, the Stanley Cups we've won, that takes a lot of teamwork," Toews said. "You guys all know that and I could feel it the minute I walked in this room, the teamwork that goes on here: the teachers, the parents, Principal (Bryan) Buck here, all your students."

Jeff -- who had been out of school for three weeks due to a concussion -- had a chance to sit with Toews and ask him a few questions during the assembly, such as how he would describe his time in school. Towes laughed and admitted he wasn't the best student.

"The important thing was I tried really hard," he said. "I had stronger suits, I think French, English and Spanish ... math and science not so much."

When asked what his best piece of advice was for the students at Monroe, Toews said he recommends fully immersing yourself in things you're passionate about.

"Whatever you do in life, first of all enjoy it," he said. "Enjoy the process. Don't always think about the end result, where you're trying to go with things. Just be in the moment, be in the present of whatever you're doing."

Toews took some time to take pictures with the kids, sign autographs and give a lot of high-fives. Later, he shared how something similar happened to him when he was in second grade and his parents took him out of school to see Wayne Gretzky.

"He was getting ready for his game, leaving the hotel or something, and I was able to get his autograph and get a picture with him," he said. "That was a pretty memorable moment for me."

Toews said it made him feel good that his visit might have been that memorable moment for Jeff and other kids at the school.

"It's one of those things that kind of slows you down a bit," he said. "Sometimes having success, you can kind of get wrapped up in it. When you come here and see the love you get from people who are so thankful and grateful that you're able to share some time with them, it definitely puts that back in perspective."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 11.11.2015


Artem Anisimov has been Blackhawks' much-needed second-line center

Tracey Myers is the Blackhawks Insider for CSNChicago.com.

November 10, 2015, 5:45 pm

Artemi Panarin was coming off his great game the other night when he was asked why things are working so well on that second line, especially with he and Patrick Kane.

“Because (Artem) Anisimov’s really good,” Panarin said through Viktor Tikhonov. “The missing piece.”

Panarin and Kane have gotten the lion’s share of the second-line attention this season, and understandably so. They’ve recorded a lot of points. But Anisimov deserves credit of his own for being that second-line center the Blackhawks needed.

And Anisimov’s done pretty well in the points department, too: His six goals are second best on the team (Kane leads with 10), and his nine points are fourth. Anisimov has helped the Blackhawks fill that void on the second line as well as on special teams.

“He’s very useful: faceoffs, size and he anticipates well both sides of the puck,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “That line, we got away from it a couple of games, and just getting them back together, you can see something connecting between both his wingers. He complements them in a good way.”

[MORE BLACKHAWKS: Duncan Keith could return to Blackhawks this weekend]

The Blackhawks signed Anismov to a five-year, $22.75 million deal one day after acquiring him in the deal that sent Brandon Saad to the Columbus Blue Jackets. They look at him as their second-line center for the next few years to come, and his impact has been instantaneous.

“I think you look at the way he plays,” Kane said. “He’s a big strong center man, a left-handed shot, he’s good on face offs and he’s also good on both ends of the ice and in front of the net. When you combine a lot of those skills together, you’re going to have a pretty good hockey player.”

For Anisimov, playing with Panarin and Kane hasn’t required a lot of adjustments.

“I just pass the puck to them and create space and do the hard work,” said Anisimov, who added why the three clicked so quickly. “I think we play the same hockey, all three of us. We just get connected. We have a chemistry and just play hockey.”

Anisimov’s contributions have also been strong on special teams, where the Blackhawks lost a few key players in offseason moves. Two of Anisimov’s goals are short-handed and he recorded his first power-play goal with the Blackhawks on Sunday night against Edmonton.

“He does a lot of little things well, whether it’s getting in on the fore-check or grinding out pucks along the goal line, below the goal line or along the boards and popping it to those two other guys, Kaner and Panarin. He’s a big body in front of the net, and he’s good at screening the goalie,” Duncan Keith said. “He does a lot of those little smart plays you need, and I think he’s a big reason why that line’s effective.”

Anisimov said earlier this season that he would feel more comfortable with the Blackhawks the more games he played. He’s pretty much looked at home from the start, be it on that line or on special teams. The Blackhawks expected him to make an impact, to be that “missing piece,” that has long been the team’s second-line center spot. He’s done that immediately.

“I don’t know who’s been a bigger surprise between him and Panarin,” Kane said. “They’ve both have been tremendous to start the season and probably better than we all thought both of them were. It’s been fun playing with those guys.”



Blackhawks 'Hat Trick' movie premieres, set to go on sale

Staff

November 10, 2015, 3:30 pm

#HawksTalk

You may know how the movie ended, but now you can relive the Blackhawks' journey during their historic 2015 Stanley Cup championship run in the new film titled, "Hat Trick," which premiered Monday night at the Chicago Theater.

The 65-minute film provides never-before-seen footage on the ice and inside the locker room of the Blackhawks celebrating their third title in six years, and the first on home ice since 1938.

The Blackhawks also released a hardcover book named "One Goal III" on Tuesday — which can be purchased at all Blackhawks Store locations and on the NHL Shop here — that features memorable photos and an extensive look of the run and celebration.

"Hat Trick" will go on sale to the public on DVD and Blu-ray on Nov. 17.



Duncan Keith could return to Blackhawks this weekend

November 10, 2015, 1:00 pm

Duncan Keith could return this weekend, as could Michal Rozsival, as the Blackhawks prepped for their next round of games on Tuesday morning.

Keith skated again on Tuesday — it was otherwise an off-ice workout day for most of the team. It’s been about three weeks since Keith had surgery to replace the torn meniscus in his right knee; if Keith is ready for the weekend, it sounds like he’d be more likely playing vs. Calgary in Chicago on Sunday.

“He’s skating well, moving well, he feels good. We’ll see how he is tomorrow with some guys on the ice,” said coach Joel Quenneville of Keith, who has been cleared for contact. “So we’ll see what happens at the end of the week.”

Keith doesn’t foresee any limitations when he returns but he does want to make sure he’s completely ready to go.

“I’m trying to push it every day and do what I have to do to make sure, when I am ready to go, I’m feeling good and can just focus on what I need to focus on to do my job out there,” Keith said. “It’s just a matter of getting my skating legs back and getting going again. That’s it.”

Rozsival (left ankle), who like Keith is still on long-term injured reserve, is also possible for the weekend. The Blackhawks will have some salary-cap decisions to make once the two defensemen return. What cap allowances they got with both being on LTIR will disappear, so it’s doubtful the Blackhawks will have eight defensemen, as they have sometimes had in the past.

Meanwhile, forward Ryan Garbutt (illness) is feeling better. Garbutt did not play on Sunday vs. Edmonton.


981887 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche starts season-long road trip with win over Flyers

By Mike Chambers

The Denver Post

Posted: 11/10/2015 07:38:18 PM MST

Updated: 11/10/2015 10:58:42 PM MST

PHILADELPHIA — When the Avalanche wins — however rare it has been this season — it usually goes big.

In Colorado's four triumphs entering Tuesday, three ended with a three-goal cushion. They were dominant victories against Dallas (6-3), at Anaheim (3-0) and vs. Calgary (6-3).

A similar result unfolded at the Wells Fargo Center to begin a seven-game road trip. The Avs (5-9-1) pounded the Philadelphia Flyers (5-7-3) 4-0 behind Matt Duchene's two goals and the second-luckiest goal in Jarome Iginla's distinguished career — which features 596 of them.

Goalie Reto Berra — Colorado's new No. 1 guy? — was poised in net, and fourth-line role player Cody McLeod scored on a skilled wrap-around to make it 4-0 early in the third period. The Avs produced their 35th shot with 15 minutes to play and ended with 40 in dominating throughout.

Philly had just 14 shots after two periods Colorado committed just one penalty — by rookie Andreas Martinsen, who was making his NHL debut — in what coach Patrick Roy said was his team's best game of the young season.

"We managed our game well," Roy said. "We kept the length of our shifts short. I thought we possessed the puck. I was very pleased with our performance."

The way the Avs are winning doesn't change the fact that they're losing the tight games. In one-goal games, they are 1-7-1.

Roy said Berra (25 saves) will "probably" start Thursday at Boston. Thus, Semyon Varlamov — the Avs' second highest-paid player at $5.9 million — probably won't play for the third consecutive game.

"I felt really good again. I felt good in the other games too, but I was 1-3," Berra said. "I'm very happy for the win today. It's fun for now, but tomorrow is a new day. We need a lot of games like this to get back in the picture."

Iginla got to within four goals of 600 just 57 seconds into the game by watching the puck roll through the pads of goalie Michal Neuvirth, who entered the game as the NHL's shutout leader and with a sparkling .945 save percentage. Iginla partially fanned on his bad-angle wrist shot from the goal line, but the puck rolled up Neuvirth's leg and between his pad and the goalpost.

Iginla remembered just one other time he was similarly as lucky.

Duchene doubled the lead 25 seconds into the second period and made it 3-0 at 3:44, scoring both times on rebounds. After a slow start, Duchene has five goals in his last four games, including two multigoal performances.

"Like I've been saying the whole time, you have to stick with what you know works," said Duchene, who had just one goal in the first 10 games. "I've been through slumps like that in my career many times. Every time, it's come back around, thankfully."

The Avs were scheduled to make the short flight to Boston after the game and stay at the city's nicest downtown hotel. But they'll continually think of Philadelphia when they talk about playing a nearly perfect game.

Denver Post: LOADED: 11.11.2015


Avalanche's Nine Line has pressure to perform in Philadelphia

By Mike Chambers

The Denver Post

Posted: 11/10/2015 01:03:35 PM MST

Updated: 11/10/2015 01:05:33 PM MST

PHILADELPHIA — Last season, the Avalanche used an advertisement to flaunt the potential of top-three draft picks Matt Duchene, Gabe Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon. Duchene sported three fingers for being the third pick in 2009, Landeskog the peace sign for going second in 2011 and MacKinnon was No. 1 for going first in 2013.

Game on. Beginning Tuesday against the Flyers, the threesome now makes up a line, with MacKinnon playing center between left wing Landeskog and right wing Duchene. Coach Patrick Roy is stacking a line — dubbed the Nine Line based on sweater numbers — to help rejuvenate an offense that has scored just three goals in the last two games.

"There's a lot of responsibility on our shoulders to score as a line and provide offense," Duchene said a morning skate at the Wells Fargo Center. "We're looking forward to getting it started tonight."

Colorado is beginning a seven-game road trip — six against Eastern Conference opponents — that concludes Nov. 23 in Winnipeg. Since the home team has the last change, the MacKinnon line will continually go up against the opposition's top defensive line. But the Avs will give them some level of surprise.

Duchene and MacKinnon are natural centers and will switch positions on the fly. The first one down ice on the backcheck will probably play center — having below the goal-line defensive responsibility — and faceoffs will be taken by the guy with the stick furthest from the linesman dropping the puck.

MacKinnon shoots right and Duchene is a lefty. "We'll share the draws because my strong side is my left side and his strong side is his right side," Duchene said.

If he's asked to play wing, Duchene prefers the right side. He likes to accept passes up ice on his backhand and set up offensively on the right wing. MacKinnon might be the NHL's fastest skater, so he covers more ground.

"Nate and I played together all last game (against the New York Rangers on Friday) and the third period at Arizona (Thursday)," Duchene said. "We would have liked to have scored more — par for the course this year, maybe — but when Gabe got out there at the end of the (Rangers) game we were really buzzing and had some good chances. We saw some clips this morning of some of the stuff we did well. We just want to keep that going."

Noting their youth and skill, Roy said the MacKinnon line will get the most minutes among forwards.

Footnotes

Center John Mitchell is not sufficiently healed from an oblique injury and will not play against the Flyers. Winger Alex Tanguay is out with a knee injury and is not on the trip. Defenseman Nate Guenin is Colorado's only healthy scratch. ... Neither Roy or general manager and fellow Hockey Hall of Famer Joe Sakic attended Monday's 2015 HHOF induction ceremony in Toronto, where two former Detroit Red Wings rivals Sergei Fedorov and Nicklas Lidstrom joined the club.

Denver Post: LOADED: 11.11.2015


Duchene scores 2 goals to help Avalanche shut out Flyers

Staff

Updated: November 10, 2015 at 10:49 pm

PHILADELPHIA — The Colorado Avalanche took advantage of a fortunate break, and then had one of their best efforts of the season.

Matt Duchene scored twice and Reto Berra made 25 saves to help Colorado start a seven-game road trip with a 4-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.

"I thought we dominated from the start to the end," Colorado coach Patrick Roy said. "We managed our game well. Very pleased with our performance."

Roy added that it was the most complete effort of the season, "especially on the road."

Jarome Iginla and Cody McLeod also scored for the Avalanche, who won for just the second time in their last six games. Colorado's road trip is tied for the franchise's longest since relocating to Denver in 1994-95.

Philadelphia has just one victory in its last eight games.

Flyers backup goalie Michal Neuvirth got the start for the fourth straight game as coach Dave Hakstol chose to go with him rather No. 1 goalie Steve Mason. Neuvirth, who finished with 36 saves, entered tied for first in the league with a .945 save percentage to go with three shutouts and a 1.81 goals-against average.

Iginla opened the scoring 57 seconds into the game, beating Neuvirth from a sharp angle to the right of the crease. It was the 596th career tally for the veteran winger, who is four goals away from becoming the 19th player in league history to reach 600 for his career.

This wasn't Iginla's prettiest goal, as he partially fanned on the shot only to see the puck trickle between Neuvirth's left skate and the post for an unlikely score.

"It was like duffing a drive," Iginla said. "That doesn't happy very often. I think it rolled on its end. It was a tough break for (Neuvirth). But after that one break, I thought we played really well."

Said Neuvirth, "Bad goal. Bad angle. Gotta have those. I gotta make sure I cover that short side."

The Flyers were so displeased with their performance that they held a players-only meeting afterward.

"It's unacceptable," defenseman Mark Streit said. "Really poor performance on our part."

Duchene tallied both goals in a dominant second period when Colorado outshot Philadelphia 14-7. He scored on a rebound 25 seconds into the period after Nathan MacKinnon's wraparound attempt bounced off Neuvirth and right to Duchene in front of the crease.

And the Avalanche went up 3-0 just over three minutes later when Nick Holden's slap shot from the point bounced off Neuvirth to a waiting Duchene, who wristed it into the vacated short side of the net from the left circle.

"If you're around the net, good things happen and that's what (Duchene) does," Roy said.

Berra, Colorado's backup goalie, earned his second shutout of the season and third of his career. He got the start after making 31 saves in a 2-1 home loss to the Rangers on Friday and garnered his first victory in his fourth career start against the Flyers.

Roy said Berra likely will get the starting nod again when Colorado continues its trip on Thursday at Boston.

Jakub Voracek's offensive struggles continued as the Flyers' winger made it 15 games without a goal. After tallying a career-high 81 points last season, Voracek has just five points this year.

Philadelphia's offense has just nine goals, one of which was an empty-netter, in its last seven games.

"We need to play better together, support each other, play as a team," Flyers captain Claude Giroux said. "When we support each other, that's when it makes our job easier so we're not playing by ourselves out there."

NOTES: Colorado LW Blake Comeau limped to the locker room five minutes into the second period with an apparent left knee injury after a center-ice hit by Radko Gudas but returned later in the period. ... Colorado also played seven straight games away from home from Oct. 8-21 in 2009. ... The Avalanche snapped a four-game losing streak to Philadelphia. ... Philadelphia captain Claude Giroux went to the bench bent over with 8 1/2 minutes left, clutching his left shoulder, after a hard hit by Francois Beauchemin but didn't miss a shift.

Colorado Springs Gazette: LOADED: 11.11.2015

981890 Columbus Blue Jackets

Michael Arace commentary | Blue Jackets' struggles defy explanation

By Michael Arace The Columbus Dispatch • Wednesday November 11, 2015 5:01 AM

Here is the Blue Jackets’ season, to date, in a span of three seconds:

On Tuesday night, with the score tied at 2 early in the third period, Vancouver Canucks goaltender Jacob Markstrom came out of his net and threw the puck from the bottom of the right circle across to the left dot — directly onto the tape of Jackets captain Nick Foligno.

Cha-ching, right?

Looking at an open net, Foligno got off a quick wrist shot and Markstrom, showing great quickness for a 6-foot-6 albatross, made a desperate dive back to his crease. Maybe Markstrom got the heel of his stick on the puck. In any case, the shot hit the right post and skipped away, harmlessly.

“Ooooooh,” the crowd murmured.

One might wonder what might have happened had Foligno cashed in on the open net.

The Blue Jackets scored two power-play goals in the game. They took a 3-2 lead on a short-handed goal by Cam Atkinson. They forechecked like they have rarely forechecked, ever.

They also lost 5-3.

They dropped to 0-6 at Nationwide Arena. Winless at home — it is the blackest stain on their awful record.

New Jackets coach John Tortorella does not wonder what might have happened had Foligno cashed in. He wonders why Foligno did not pot that sucker.

Asked if Foligno was snakebit, Tortorella said, “That’s great. Snakebit. We need a big play out of him. He had a couple of chances to score. We’re going to say, ‘Nick, his game is coming.’ But to me, he needs to make a big play.

“We’ve got to stop these moral victories and find a way to grind that out. We were not hard enough when we were up 3-2. We were not hard enough mentally and defensively, away from the puck, and that’s what cost us that game.”

And that is the Blue Jackets’ season to date, in 100 words or fewer.

The Jackets are 4-12-0. They are 4-5 under Tortorella, and they have begun to describe their identity — which, in a word, is “tenacious.” Yet there are some lingering problems, which, for some strange reason, are most pronounced at home.

Tortorella called out the team’s captain, but only because Tortorella was asked about Foligno’s fruitless shot. He could have cited any number of players for crimes and misdemeanors.

Scott Hartnell has been playing some terrific hockey of late, but not Tuesday. Ryan Johansen has one goal. One. He had one good period against the Canucks. Foligno also has one goal. One. He, Brandon Saad and Boone Jenner all had minus-3 ratings against the Canucks.

“I thought we were playing very well,” Tortorella said. “We have two power-play goals, we score a short-handed goal to go up 3-2. Working, forechecking, creating chance after chance. But we find a way to lose. Their goals, they were just freebies. We’ve got to work so hard to gain the lead back at 3-2, and we just gave them freebies.”

Markstrom, who made 22 saves in the second period alone, was beyond solid. Daniel and Henrik Sedin and their newest favorite linemate, Jannik Hansen, were terrific. They combined for four goals and seven assists. But to Tortorella’s point:

Hansen was left alone in front of the net when he scored. Daniel Sedin was left alone in front when he scored. Henrik Sedin was left alone on the right post when he scored. And this was the winner: Brandon Sutter blew around defenseman Ryan Murray, swooped across the bottom of the slot, put goalie Sergei Bobrovsky down and tucked the puck inside the right post.

The Canucks added an empty-netter to account for the final margin.

“It’s embarrassing,” Foligno said. “We talk about the type of team we are — and we’re 0-6 at home. That’s so unacceptable, it makes you sick. The fans deserve more, and we need to give them more. Knowing we need a win — and a win at home — to crumble the way we did at the end …”

It was brutal.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 11.11.2015


Canucks 5, Blue Jackets 3 | Still winless at home

By Shawn Mitchell The Columbus Dispatch • Wednesday November 11, 2015 5:07 AM

The Blue Jackets put in a full night’s work against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday at Nationwide Arena. It was an effort rarely, if ever, matched in any of their previous 15 games.

The Jackets took a season-high 45 shots. They forechecked with force and purpose. They moved pucks to and around the Vancouver net. Boone Jenner and Jack Johnson scored power-play goals in the first period. They led early and late.

And yet they lost 5-3 and tied another dubious franchise record.

The Blue Jackets fell to 0-6 at home, matching the longest home losing streak in their 15 seasons.

Afterward, a pained expression never left the face of coach John Tortorella.

“We go up 3-2 and we’re in control and momentum is on our side,” he said. “And the way we reacted, it’s … it’s … I just can’t explain it. I don’t think we have a mindset of trying to lose the game. But … you have to win that game. We found a way to lose. That’s not a good sign.”

The Blue Jackets, in rousing fashion, took a 3-2 lead when Cam Atkinson scored a short-handed breakaway goal with 11:59 remaining in regulation. A crowd of 14,148 was buzzing. Moments later, it went quiet.

Not long after, it turned sour.

Vancouver captain Henrik Sedin, untouched on his way to the doorstep of Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, tied the score at 3 with 9:55 remaining. The winner came with 5:08 to play, when Canucks center Brandon Sutter blew past Jackets Ryan Murray and slipped a forehand shot past Bobrovsky’s left skate.

Sedin iced it with an empty-net goal and finished two goals and one assist. His brother, Daniel, and the third member of their line, Yannik Hansen, each had a goal and three assists. All four of the Canucks’ even-strength goals were preceded by momentary defensive lapses by the Jackets.

“Freebies,” Tortorella said.

Maddening, Blue Jackets forward Brandon Saad said.

“When you score three, that should be enough to win,” Saad said. “We had the lead (late). Giving up quick goals like that, especially at home, is definitely the frustrating part.”

So was facing Canucks goalie Jacob Markstrom, who was making his season debut after suffering a hamstring injury during training camp. Markstrom, a 6-foot-6 space-taker, made 42 saves, two shy of his career high.

The Blue Jackets took 22 shots in the second period, three shy of the franchise record for most in a period. Markstrom saved them all.

“We peppered him,” said Atkinson, who scored the Jackets’ first short-handed goal of the season. “But that’s what goalies do. They keep their team in the game. That said, we had a lot of opportunities. We have to bear down.”

The Blue Jackets had several chances, including multiple breakaways by Saad and a third-period shot by captain Nick Foligno at an open net that hit the far post.

“I’m disappointed, very disappointed,” Foligno said. “I don’t say that too often. But you don’t lose like that. It’s crazy. We’re a better team than that. It’s way below standards.”

The Blue Jackets’ only other six-game home losing streak came during the early days of the franchise, from Oct. 12 to Nov. 9, 2001. The Jackets have lost five consecutive home games four times previously.

They are the only NHL team without a home win.



Blue Jackets notebook | Sedin twins made impression on Tortorella

By Shawn Mitchell The Columbus Dispatch • Wednesday November 11, 2015 5:01 AM

Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella spent only one, ill-fated season coaching Vancouver Canucks twin forwards Henrik and Daniel Sedin, but the impression the duo left on him will last a lifetime.

“I had a chance to talk with Danny and Henrik in the building (Monday), which was just fantastic for me,” Tortorella said. “I have so much respect for them, with how much I leaned on them there.”

Neither Sedin’s production was ideal under Tortorella during the 2013-14 season — each had their second-lowest point totals of the past decade — but that was no surprise considering Tortorella’s grit-first systems.

“I don’t think you stop Danny and Henrik,” Tortorella said. “They don’t get enough credit, as far as them playing the (hard) areas. They’re skilled people, but they’re hard players. I experienced it. It’s not because they’re twins, but they just know where one another is.”

Tortorella said his relationship with the Sedins is one he treasures and one he plans to keep “whether I’m in the game or not.”

Tough crowd

Forward Gregory Campbell said being booed by fans at Nationwide Arena last month during a 3-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets was nothing shocking.

He has been booed at home before, including during the first exhibition game the Bruins played at the TD Garden after winning the Stanley Cup in 2011.

“Our power play was struggling a little bit in Boston that night, and we got booed,” he said. “I think as players we don’t focus too much on the boos. But fans are passionate. I know this fan base is a good fan base. I know they’ve endured a lot, and they expect to show up and see a team that competes and one that ultimately wins, and rightfully so.”

Cracknell thriving

Former Blue Jackets forward Adam Cracknell has been well-traveled and oft-traded the past two seasons, spending time in five organizations (St. Louis twice, Los Angeles, Columbus and Vancouver) since 2013.

But he might have finally found a fit with his hometown team, Vancouver. Cracknell grew up in nearby Victoria, British Columbia.

“It’s perfect for me, really ideal,” Cracknell said. “I’m loving it.”

Cracknell spent four seasons in the Blues organization before being

signed by the Kings on July 1, 2014. He was claimed off waivers by the Jackets before the start of last season and played 17 games for them

before he was traded back to the Blues for future considerations on Feb. 26.

Cracknell signed a free-agent deal with Vancouver in August and made the opening-night roster. He had two goals, one assist, a plus-3 rating and two penalty minutes in nine games for the Canucks heading into Tuesday’s game.

Slap shots

Blue Jackets defenseman Dalton Prout and forward Rene Bourque were healthy scratches. … The Blue Jackets and Tampa Bay Lightning were the only teams to have played fewer than six home games before last night.


981893 Dallas Stars

Ales Hemsky trying to play through hip pain; Travis Moen, Patrick Eaves both skating again

By Mike Heika Follow @MikeHeika [email protected]

Staff Writer

Published: 10 November 2015 09:59 PM

Updated: 11 November 2015 12:23 AM

Ales Hemsky had hip surgery in the summer to deal with pain that slowed him last season, and now he's dealing with a hiccup in his recovery. Hemsky was great for the first six games, but he started to feel pain again and sat out Nov. 3 against Boston.

Now, he's trying to push through.

"It is better than last season, but I got hit a couple of times and it just shut down on me," Hemsky said. "It's something I have to go and deal with. The hamstring or your quad shuts down, and you'd be surprised how much it makes a difference."

Briefly

-- Travis Moen (upper body) has missed 12 games and Patrick Eaves (lower body) 13, but both are skating again and hope to be available to play Thursday. Stars head coach Lindy Ruff said he wanted to see both in a couple of practices.

-- Rookie Devin Shore was a healthy scratch as Antoine Roussel (upper body) returned to the lineup.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 11.11.2015

981894 Dallas Stars

He said it: Players and coaches comment after Stars' 3-2 loss to Toronto Tuesday


Staff Writer


Updated: 10 November 2015 11:50 PM

Stars Head Coach Lindy Ruff

On the Stars' play late in the third period

"I thought we managed the game well. We just had a little breakdown where (Antoine) Roussel was the down-low forward, it's a tough break where it goes off Jordie Benn's skate and another one goes off our stick but I thought we were doing the right things and playing the game the right way."

On tonight's game overall

"We missed too many good opportunities. We had two-on-ones, three-on-ones, our power play had an empty net to put it in. On the rush we probably had four or five point blank ones where we didn't score starting with the Hemsky (chance). I thought that energy-wise, coming off the trip, we had real good energy as a team and skated well. It's a tough one. They got a couple of bounces. All our good chances didn't go in. A couple of them that probably shouldn't went in and that was the game."

On the Stars penalty kill

"We had a failed clear that cost us and it's something where, if we get that down the ice, the power play is over but we didn't and it allowed them that one more shot. We weren't in the shot lane, which is a little bit frustrating. Obviously we've got to get better. We can't give up a goal a game and expect to win."

On the play of Jason Demers

"Overall good. He had the misplay on the power play which cost us a goal, but he got back in on both of our goals on the offensive side. His play has been good and he's been a solid contributor for us. He's a guy we've been counting on pretty heavily."

On the play of Antii Niemi

"He was good. I thought both goaltenders made big saves. (James) Reimer had to make a few more clean point-blank saves but I thought Antii made four really good saves that kept the game where it was at for us."

Stars Goaltender Antti Niemi

On what happened in the third period:

"I'm not sure. We had the lead. I think we had a few chances and they had a few chances, but they were able to score."

On if the goals deflected off Stars players:

"I'm not sure about the second (goal). I'll have to see it again."

Why the Stars have trouble against Toronto:

"I think they play hard and try to shoot the puck. They try to play hard in the defensive zone and on the forecheck too."

On the goalie rotation between him and Kari Lehtonen and what the advantage is:

"I think it's been good. When you get time off, you get a chance to work on your game more than if you play every night."

Stars Defenseman Jason Demers:

On giving up the lead in the third period:

"It's unacceptable. I think we came together as a team and decided that we weren't going to let stuff like that happen this year. You can call it what you like, but that's just us giving away two points when we were in full control going into the third period and it's something we can't do anymore. It's a shame to give away two points. I thought we played the first two periods and to give away those points like that is tough to swallow. We have a game in two days so we have to turn the page quick, look at some video tomorrow and get ready."

On Toronto Goaltender James Riemer:

I don't think we were hungry enough around the net. I think we threw a lot of perimeter shots (at him), but that's on everybody to get more traffic in front of him. He's an NHL caliber goalie so he's going to stop pucks he sees. He made those saves when they needed it and we didn't bury our chances."

On getting ready for two Central Division games:

"They're the two biggest games of the year. They should be considered playoff games for us and that's the way we have to handle it. We have to win our division games because it's so tight in the central, so they're the two biggest games of the year."

Stars Forward Vernon Fiddler

On his impressive goal:

"I was just trying to get it in there. I was trying to get it in the net. That's what we need to do. We need to get pucks on the net."

On the third period:

"I thought we had a good second period. We started to get the pucks in deep. We were kind of getting around their trap. We got the lead and (decided to hold back). That's not what we need to do in our building. We've got to keep going and there's something we need to learn from this game for sure. We can't find ways to lose. You've got to put it in the bank and we didn't find a way to do it."

On importance of patience:

"We had some good chances and some good looks, and he made some big saves. Our goalie made some really big saves, too. At the end of the day, we had the game where we wanted it in the third and we just didn't close it out."

On first game back after road trip:

"You come back off of a trip, you get home and you get back in the time zone and everything. It's not an excuse. We're professional athletes. A lot of guys have things they do when they get back. You've got to be ready. It doesn't matter when the game is or whether we've been on a road trip or not. You've got to be ready to play. We've got to get that out of our heads. It's this mental thing that we talk about way too much and that's something we've got to brainwash out of ourselves."

On luck with penalty kills recently:

"It's been brutal. We need to be more detailed. When we have a chance to execute, we have execute. We aren't looking for offense. We're looking to get the puck out and our penalty kill has to be way better. You look at the beginning of the year when we were successful at penalty kill and power plays were key for us. Those goals were winning us game so it's unacceptable. We have to somehow buckle that down."

Maple Leafs Head Coach Mike Babcock

On tonight's game:

"Well I would say we didn't have a very good second period. We had a good first and I thought we had a good third. They took it to us big time in the second and our goaltending was outstanding. He may like to have that one back from the side, but in saying that he found a way to give us an opportunity. Special teams were good, and we stuck with it and found a way to get a win. Good for us. We needed the point but more important than the points we needed the confidence. Suddenly, I think we have points in four or five games. You start to feel more like a hockey team. Confidence is everything in life. You have to earn it. Coaches can't give it to you, media can't give it to you, parents can't give it you, you have to earn it and this is part of that process."

On the play of goaltender James Reimer:

"He's suddenly soft. The puck doesn't bounce all over the rink. It just hits him and it sticks and he controls the rebound. I think he's doing a real good job. What I like is in life is when someone gives you an opportunity, you do something with it. You grab it and hang on to it as hard as you can. We're all here to maximize our abilities and that's what he's been doing."

On Morgan Reilly's play on the game tying goal:

"I have a rule; when a defenseman is behind the goal line, you're not allowed to pass it out front. So it's a good thing he scored."

On Peter Holland coming back from injury and scoring:

"I thought he did a good job. The interesting thing about life is that if you have mental resolve and you stick with it and you believe in yourself it's amazing what can happen. Good for him and good for us. We're trying to

catch everyone doing it right. The more good players we have the better off we are."

On getting two wins against one of the top teams in the League:

"I think the good thing about it is that obviously we knew that they were going to push. We had beaten them and we could say, "Ok they weren't prepared for us." Well they came prepared today. I thought we started good and we finished good. The second period obviously we got ourselves in trouble, but it's a good feeling for our guys today."

Maple Leafs Defenseman Jake Gardiner

On playing with an edge in tonight's game:

"I've been struggling a little bit. I just decided to step up a little bit, play a little more physical and try to get more into the game. Our whole team played well. (James) Reimer was our best player tonight by far, and he had some huge saves. It was good to get a win."

On getting the game-winning-goal tonight:

"It's been tough. We are not a team that scores a lot of goals, so we have got to play good defensively, including Reims (James Reimer) which he did tonight. When we get those chances, we have got to capitalize."

Maple Leafs Goaltender James Reimer

On his big saves in tonight's game:

"There were a couple of non-technical ones out there; a fish out of water a few times. I just tried to scramble, tried to battle and stick to my technique as much as possible, but sometimes you have to get a little crazy out there. I was lucky enough that pucks were hitting me and we were able to squeak out a win."

On if he would want to play Dallas all the time:

"No; not at all. They're a great team and they create a lot of chances. Tonight was just a night where I was just lucky enough to get in the way and when I couldn't be there my teammates were there for me. They're a great team (Dallas) and we're obviously happy with the win but it's a tough team to play."

On the team not quitting in the third period:

"I think that's been a part of our team and our game so far lately; no quit. No matter what's going on; good bounces, bad bounces, good call, bad call, you name it. We get hemmed in for a while, we just go back out there and work the next shift. Kudos to the boys for keeping it going, we got a few bounces and we got the win."

On Vernon Fiddler's goal:

"I don't remember it. I just remembered it went it. Honestly, I saw he was trying to shoot high, so I just stayed up and it went in. I'm not quite sure, but hey, we won so that's all that matters."

On Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau's game tying goal:

"That was huge. (Morgan Riley) made one heck of a play coming down the wall. 'PA' (Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau)'s goal was huge for our team and kind of boosted us."


981895 Dallas Stars

Heika: Bounces don't go Stars' way in loss to lowly Maple Leafs, but players say losing lead is unacceptable


Staff Writer



Watch highlights of the Stars' game here.

The Stars' charmed life hit a few bumps Tuesday night -- such as Jordie Benn's skate and Colton Sceviour's stick.

The Toronto Maple Leafs pushed two deflected shots past Antti Niemi in the third period en route to a 3-2 win at American Airlines Center that was odd for a few reasons. One, Toronto moved to 3-8-4 (10 points), with two of the wins over Dallas. Two, the Stars lost for just the second time when leading or tied after two periods (10-2-0). And three, Leafs backup goalie James Reimer has stopped 79 of 83 shots taken by Dallas this season.

And yet, it all made perfect sense.

The Maple Leafs worked hard and earned some good fortune. The Stars worked hard but ran out of the breaks that had helped them in rolling up 12 wins.

"I thought we were managing the game well, we just had a little bit of a tough break," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. "One goes off Jordie Benn's skate, and the other one goes off our stick as we're trying to get out. I thought we were doing the right things, playing the game the right way."

Dallas fell to 12-4-0 but still tied the franchise record for best start through 16 games (set in 2006-07). The Stars have been putting different parts of their plan into place throughout the fast start, and they were hoping to learn another lesson Tuesday. When returning from a four-game road trip in October, Dallas was crushed by Florida 6-2, so the goal this time was to play a complete game.

The Stars did that, earning a 38-30 advantage in shots on goal, but they couldn't find the back of the net enough. Dallas had plenty of chances and could connect only on two impressive efforts. Patrick Sharp tallied his seventh goal of the season with quick hands on a hard forecheck late in the second period, and Vernon Fiddler notched his second on a seeing-eye backhand from a hard angle early in the third period.

"We missed too many opportunities," Ruff said. "We had 2-on-1s, 3-on-1s. Our power play had an empty net to put it in. On the rush, we probably had five or six point-blanks where you don't score."

Reimer has been impressive against the Stars, but players said they have to find a way to beat a hot goalie. Jason Demers had two assists in the game and said the Stars have set a high bar this season.

"I don't think we were pushing hard enough," Demers said. "We had a lot of perimeter shots, and we didn't bury our chances when we needed to,"

That left the door open, as the Maple Leafs made a hard push and the Stars couldn't close out a win with a 2-1 lead. The Stars struggled with those problems last season, and they have vowed to be better in 2015-16. So far, they have been better.

"We put ourselves in position to win, and we didn't execute," Fiddler said. "It's unacceptable. We have to be better at buckling down."

Ruff said he believes the team will do that. Dallas has played just one game against the Central Division but gets Winnipeg at home Thursday and Minnesota at home Saturday. Those will be great tests for the Stars.

"I think what's been the biggest strength of our team is the players holding each other accountable," Ruff said. "I think as a coach, when you have that, you've got a team that I think can be real dangerous, because you're not kidding each other.

"So I think if you can be honest with your shift and your game, you can mention it to your teammate or your linemate, and they can accept it and get better. It's one thing that can really be dynamite for a team."


981896 Dallas Stars

Heika: Bounces don't go Stars' way in loss to lowly Maple Leafs, but players say losing lead is unacceptable


Staff Writer



Watch highlights of the Stars' game here.

The Stars' charmed life hit a few bumps Tuesday night -- such as Jordie Benn's skate and Colton Sceviour's stick.

The Toronto Maple Leafs pushed two deflected shots past Antti Niemi in the third period en route to a 3-2 win at American Airlines Center that was odd for a few reasons. One, Toronto moved to 3-8-4 (10 points), with two of the wins over Dallas. Two, the Stars lost for just the second time when leading or tied after two periods (10-2-0). And three, Leafs backup goalie James Reimer has stopped 79 of 83 shots taken by Dallas this season.

And yet, it all made perfect sense.

The Maple Leafs worked hard and earned some good fortune. The Stars worked hard but ran out of the breaks that had helped them in rolling up 12 wins.

"I thought we were managing the game well, we just had a little bit of a tough break," Stars coach Lindy Ruff said. "One goes off Jordie Benn's skate, and the other one goes off our stick as we're trying to get out. I thought we were doing the right things, playing the game the right way."

Dallas fell to 12-4-0 but still tied the franchise record for best start through 16 games (set in 2006-07). The Stars have been putting different parts of their plan into place throughout the fast start, and they were hoping to learn another lesson Tuesday. When returning from a four-game road trip in October, Dallas was crushed by Florida 6-2, so the goal this time was to play a complete game.

The Stars did that, earning a 38-30 advantage in shots on goal, but they couldn't find the back of the net enough. Dallas had plenty of chances and could connect only on two impressive efforts. Patrick Sharp tallied his seventh goal of the season with quick hands on a hard forecheck late in the second period, and Vernon Fiddler notched his second on a seeing-eye backhand from a hard angle early in the third period.

"We missed too many opportunities," Ruff said. "We had 2-on-1s, 3-on-1s. Our power play had an empty net to put it in. On the rush, we probably had five or six point-blanks where you don't score."

Reimer has been impressive against the Stars, but players said they have to find a way to beat a hot goalie. Jason Demers had two assists in the game and said the Stars have set a high bar this season.

"I don't think we were pushing hard enough," Demers said. "We had a lot of perimeter shots, and we didn't bury our chances when we needed to,"

That left the door open, as the Maple Leafs made a hard push and the Stars couldn't close out a win with a 2-1 lead. The Stars struggled with those problems last season, and they have vowed to be better in 2015-16. So far, they have been better.

"We put ourselves in position to win, and we didn't execute," Fiddler said. "It's unacceptable. We have to be better at buckling down."

Ruff said he believes the team will do that. Dallas has played just one game against the Central Division but gets Winnipeg at home Thursday and Minnesota at home Saturday. Those will be great tests for the Stars.

"I think what's been the biggest strength of our team is the players holding each other accountable," Ruff said. "I think as a coach, when you have that, you've got a team that I think can be real dangerous, because you're not kidding each other.

"So I think if you can be honest with your shift and your game, you can mention it to your teammate or your linemate, and they can accept it and get better. It's one thing that can really be dynamite for a team."


981897 Dallas Stars

Ales Hemsky trying to play through hip pain; Travis Moen, Patrick Eaves both skating again


Staff Writer



Ales Hemsky had hip surgery in the summer to deal with pain that slowed him last season, and now he's dealing with a hiccup in his recovery. Hemsky was great for the first six games, but he started to feel pain again and sat out Nov. 3 against Boston.

Now, he's trying to push through.

"It is better than last season, but I got hit a couple of times and it just shut down on me," Hemsky said. "It's something I have to go and deal with. The hamstring or your quad shuts down, and you'd be surprised how much it makes a difference."

Briefly

-- Travis Moen (upper body) has missed 12 games and Patrick Eaves (lower body) 13, but both are skating again and hope to be available to play Thursday. Stars head coach Lindy Ruff said he wanted to see both in a couple of practices.

-- Rookie Devin Shore was a healthy scratch as Antoine Roussel (upper body) returned to the lineup.


981898 Dallas Stars

Stars' new two-goalie system has one particular benefit for Kari Lehtonen


Staff Writer



The goalie share experiment for the Stars has several wrinkles, and Kari Lehtonen is going through a new one.

The veteran netminder's last extended break came after he was pulled from a 6-2 loss Oct. 24 to Florida, so it was somewhat expected. This time, Lehtonen is in the midst of his hottest streak of the season and received a night off Tuesday. He is 3-0-0 since sitting four games and has a 1.67 GAA and .946 save percentage in that span.

"It's better this way than last time," Lehtonen said of sitting after a win rather than a loss. "I feel good, and I can build on things in a positive way."

The Stars signed Antti Niemi in the offseason to a three-year free-agent contract that averages $4.5 million. Lehtonen has three years remaining at an average of $5.9 million. Each has averaged more than 60 appearances over the last five seasons, so they are having to adapt.

Part of the plan with new goalie coach Jeff Reese is to use practice days to work on your game. The goalie who is not expected to play typically stays out 30 to 40 minutes extra on practice days, and Lehtonen said the additional work helps.

"Me and Antti have talked about it, and getting this kind of practice in the middle of the year is really something new and good," Lehtonen said. "In the past, you do your work in the summer, and then you just try to survive the regular season. I haven't been able to do this for years, and I think it's been good for me."

Lehtonen could jump right back into net Thursday against Winnipeg as Stars coach Lindy Ruff said they're still trying to figure out the right formula for the goalies. Niemi has played better at home and Lehtonen better on the road, so that enters into the decision.

"It's been altered and adjusted," Ruff said when asked about the goalie plan. "I think both goaltenders have played a good amount. They've both had runs they've been on.

"We definitely have a plan, and we'll try to stick to it. There's no reason why if one guy gets really rolling to stay with him as long as the schedule allows. We feel if the schedule gets too heavy, we can give them rest and the other guy can step in and win us a game."


981899 Dallas Stars

Cold facts: Stars' four losses this year are to Colorado, Florida and Toronto (twice)


Staff Writer



Toronto 3, Stars 2

Three Stars

1. Jake Gardiner, Maple Leafs -- Goal and assist

2. Jason Demers, Stars -- Two assists

3. James Reimer, Maple Leafs -- 36 saves

Save of the Game

With the Stars trailing 1-0, Toronto skated in on an odd-man rush early in the second period, James van Riemsdyk made a perfect drop pass to Nazem Kadri, whomade a quick shot on goal that Antti Niemi stopped with his glove.

Discuss

Patrik Nemeth and Jamie Oleksiak have been scratched for 14 of 16 games this season. Is it time to send one on a 14-day conditioning assignment to the AHL? Both require waivers so they have to stay on the NHL roster, but one could go get some playing time in the minors.

What does it mean?

The Stars are still off to a franchise-best 12-4-0 start after 16 games, but their four losses are to Colorado, Florida and Toronto twice. You almost think they could have an even better record.

THE GOALS

Maple Leafs: With Toronto on the power play, Jake Gardiner whipped a shot on net that Peter Holland deflected in at 18:38 of the first period. Maple Leafs 1, Stars 0.

Stars: With time running down in the second period, Patrick Sharp and Jason Demers chased a puck down behind the Toronto net on the forecheck. Demers chipped the puck at the net, and Sharp collected it and knocked it in at 19:26 of the second period. Stars 1, Maple Leafs 1.

Stars: Vernon Fiddler took a pass from Demers and skated deep into the right circle. Fiddler flipped a hard-angle backhand on goal and it slipped just over James Reimer at 5:39 of the third period. Stars 2, Maple Leafs 1.

Maple Leafs: Morgan Rielly skated down from the point and fed P.A. Parenteau for a shot on goal. His shot deflected off Stars defenseman Jordie Benn and into the net at 12:38. Stars 2, Maple Leafs 2.

Maple Leafs: Jake Gardiner blasted a hard shot from the right point that tipped off the stick of Stars forward Colton Sceviour and past Antti Niemi at 16:32 of the third period. Maple Leafs 3, Stars 2.


981900 Dallas Stars

Maple Leafs rally to slip past Stars late

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jake Gardiner scored the tie-breaking goal late in the third period as the Toronto Maple Leafs rallied for a 3-2 win over the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night.

P.A. Parenteau tied it with just under 7 1/2 minutes left in the third, and Peter Holland scored late in the first period for Toronto. James Reimer finished with 36 saves.

Patrick Sharp had the tying goal for Dallas in the final minute of the second period, and Vernon Fiddler gave the Stars the lead at 5:37 of the third. Antti Niemi had 27 saves and Jason Demers had two assists.

On the winning goal, Gardiner sent a slap shot from the right point over Niemi with 3:28 to go.

Gardiner also assisted on the game’s first goal, by Holland on the power play with 1:22 left in the first.

Toronto improved to 3-8-4 with its second win in nine days against Central Division-leading Dallas (12-4-0). The Maple Leafs have won four in a row against Dallas dating to last year, by a combined margin of 16-6.

The Maple Leafs scored on the game’s first power play. Dallas’ Johnny Oduya was off for holding when Holland tipped in Gardiner’s shot from the blue line late in the first. With his stick, Holland directed the puck downward off Niemi’s left pad and between his legs.

Dallas tied the game with 34 seconds left in the second period. Sharp hustled to beat the Leafs’ Matt Hunwick in a race for the puck. It went to Demers behind the net and the Stars defenseman passed to Sharp at the left goalpost, and he wristed the puck into the net.

Sharp’s goal was his seventh, all in the last eight games. He did not score in his first eight games.

Fiddler skated to a loose puck in the right corner and sent a backhand shot from a severe angle over Reimer’s left shoulder and into the short side of the net to put Dallas up 2-1.

Star-Telegram LOADED: 11.11.2015

981901 Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings honor Fedorov: 'A most exciting moment'

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 8:31 p.m. EST November 10, 2015

Sergei Fedorov got the standing ovation he so richly deserved.

When he stepped onto a red carpet Tuesday evening to drop a ceremonial puck before the game between the Detroit Red Wings and Washington Capitals, fans at Joe Louis Arena rose to welcome him with the joy - and forgiveness - befitting a man who brought so much glory to the city. His reception came one night after his induction alongside fellow Wings great Nicklas Lidstrom into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Fedorov got another round of warm applause when he was showed on the Jumbotron during a timeout.

"I am so happy to be here," he said.

Speaking an hour before the game, Fedorov anticipated, "a most exciting moment, one of those moments when you really have chills and goosebumps.

"It is good, exciting feeling, just to see and feel this atmosphere again at Joe Louis Arena and be part of the game that I love, and see familiar faces on the ice."

Where Lidstrom already has been honored at the Joe with the retirement of his no. 5, it is different with Fedorov. He left the Wings by his own choice, something he now seems to accept was not a good decision.

"I had best years of my life here," he said.

Fedorov recalled that when he first came to Detroit in the fall of 1990, after defecting from the-then Soviet Union, "the weather was beautiful." He spoke of how everywhere he went, he was greeted warmly. Asked if he is still greeted warmly - he has kept his house in the metro area, and returns every summer - Fedorov smiled.

"That is still the case," he said, "even though we had some misunderstandings before."

Hockey Hall of Fame ceremony one big Red Wings reunion

Ah yes. That "misunderstanding" when Fedorov left is why this night was so meaningful, why the weekend was so special. After the induction ceremony, Fedorov spoke briefly with team owner Mike Ilitch. Fedorov made a point of thanking Ilitch for the opportunity to play in Detroit, and said, "I am a Red Wing at heart."

Fedorov's ascension to the Hall has been a gateway to restoring his relationship with Ilitch and others within the organization who were deeply hurt when Fedorov left for Anaheim in 2003. Finally, discussions can be had about retiring his no. 91.

"It is going to be great honor if it happens," Fedorov said. "If it is not, still to be a part of it for 13 seasons here, and three Cups, what else can you wish for."

Fedorov downplayed that there has been tension, saying that what happened in the past - in 1998 when he signed an offer sheet with Carolina, and then five years later when he left for good - was "business decisions, right or wrong." He iterated that he never felt any animosity from his side. "We were maybe not on good terms, for some reason, even though I didn't feel that way, at all, not one moment. I always welcome any occasion to meet up with them or say hello, to this day."

Ilitch offered Fedorov $50 million over five years to stay in summer of 2003. Fedorov blamed his decision to leave on representatives, saying, "I would like to be a Red Wing for the rest of my career. I am going to blame the agents and what they advised."

Monday's ceremony was something of a Wings reunion, with Scotty Bowman there, and Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shahanan and Igor Larionov, and Luc Robitaille.

For Fedorov to go into the Hall with Lidstrom, a former roommate, turned into another relationship renewed.

"After my speech when I sat down," Fedorov said, "he turned to me and said, 'Sergei, you didn't look nervous at all.'. That was pretty good. We finally exchanged numbers, so we are going to stay in contact.

"It is just amazing feeling that we grew up together in hockey."

Fedorov said that one future day, he will make time to reflect on his playing career. Right now, he is busy - managing his CSKA Moscow team, preparing to become a first-time father in early March.

"You want to sit down and have quiet year," he said. "That is probably going to be lot of fun."

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 11.11.2015


Ovechkin comes up empty in trying to pass Fedorov at JLA

George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 11:19 p.m. EST November 10, 2015

Alex Ovechkin tried and tried and tried, but he failed to score a goal Tuesday night against the Red Wings.

Ovechkin entered the game tied with Detroit Red Wings Hall of Famer Sergei Fedorov for the most goals scored by a Russian-born player in NHL history.

And on a night the Wings honored Fedorov, Ovechkin seemed determined to score the goal he needed to pass his former teammate and idol.

Ovechkin finished with 15 shots on goal, tying his career-high. He had six shots in the first period, none in the second and nine in the third period.

"Obviously I think five-on-five we don't have good success till the third period," Ovechkin said. "I think on the power play we had pretty good chances to score, but we didn't."

Ovechkin's 10th shot was from point blank range, but he couldn't get it past Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek.

With 5:08 left, Danny DeKeyser took a delay of game penalty. Ovechkin got a couple more chances on the power play, but Mrazek kept the shutout intact.

Asked if there was anything he would have done differently, Ovechkin said: "Just put a puck in, obviously."

"Obviously sometimes you have those kind of nights when you have lots of shots but don't go in."

Andreas Athanasiou scored his first career goal to give the Wings a 1-0 lead at 4:06 of the third period and that was the difference.

Ovechkin entered the game tied with his idol at 483 goals. Ovechkin scored his 483rd goal in 476 fewer games than it took Fedorov, who had previously broken Alexander Mogilny's record for goals by a Russian-born player.

"In the Washington days we share a lot of moments together," Fedorov told reporters tonight before he was honored before the game. "To me, it's a matter of time. He's a great player, especially a great goal scorer.

"I will be very happy for him because I'm out of the game anyway."

Fedorov said it would be different if he had to go against Ovechkin on the ice.

"That's not the case, so I wish him best of luck, but hopefully the Wings will prevail," Fedorov said.

Ovechkin has been asked about the record a lot recently and tried to downplay it when he spoke to reporters after the morning skate.

"You never know when it's going to happen and how it's going to happen," Ovechkin said.

Ovechkin was happy to be in Detroit to see Fedorov honored by the Wings and fans following his induction Monday in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

"Obviously for him, it's a huge moment right now," Ovechkin said of Fedorov. "He's just going to enjoy the game.

"Probably if it happens, he's not going to be happy for one second."

Fedorov played for the Capitals in 2008-09.

"You have a dream just to meet those kind of guys, but I have a chance to play with him on the same line on the same team," Ovechkin said. "It was my teammate … and the best player I played with.

"He was all-around player. It doesn't matter which position and he would be a top guy out there."

Ovechkin said Fedorov's work ethic was very high.

He had a Fedorov shirt growing up.

"It was long time ago," Ovechkin said. "Back then, if you have that kind of T-shirt or something from NHL, it's huge. Obviously I was a fan of all Russian players. He was one of the top guys."

Ovechkin said it will be fun to pass Fedorov but said "right now, too much talk around this.

"Every day I have this kind of question, 'What's it going to mean? What's going to happen?'" he said. "Sometimes you just have to focus on different things."

Capitals coach Barry Trotz said Ovechkin is looking forward to the challenge of breaking that record.

"I don't think there's any pressure," Trotz said. "I don't think Ovie feels a lot of pressure to be quite honest. I think he looks at it as a good challenge. Would he love to do it tonight? Yeah, absolutely. There's no question he's love to do it tonight, but I don't think he feels pressure to do it. I think he's determined to do it is probably a better word or better way to describe it."

Just to be in the building when Fedorov is honored tonight will be special for Ovechkin.

"It's a special night for me, for him obviously," Ovechkin said. "Time has moved so fast. Right now, I remember when I saw him first time in Capitals jersey. Sergei Fedorov in our locker room. It's a very special moment."

Ovechkin listed some of the great Russians — former Red Wing Igor Larionov, Pavel Bure, Mogilny — but said Fedorov "was probably No.1 guy."



Datsyuk's season debut? Maybe Friday, Red Wings say

George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 12:35 p.m. EST November 10, 2015

Coach Jeff Blashill said he hopes that forward Pavel Datsyuk (ankle) can make his season debut Friday, when the Detroit Red Wings host the San Jose Sharks.

"We'll see," Blashill said. "He's just getting off the ice now. I think it's one of those things you take day-to-day and see how he feels."

Told that Blashill said he might play Friday, Datsyuk joked: "Which one Friday?"

"I'm looking forward," Datsyuk said. "Now I skate with team. I need, maybe, more practice, make sure it's 100 -- not 100 (percent) but some percentage up, and I feel more confidence."

Datsyuk is hoping that, when he returns, he can keep up with the pace of his linemates. Blashill previously has said that he plans to play Datsyuk with Henrik Zetterberg. He isn't sure who would be the other forward on that line.

Wings forward Brad Richards (back) and defenseman Brendan Smith (illness) skated this morning, but neither will play against the Washington Capitals tonight (7:30 p.m., FSD).

"He was ill, missed yesterday, and so he's not going to play tonight," Blashill said of Smith. "He's starting to feel better, obviously. He's out there for a skate."

As for Richards, Blashill said: "I don't want to say day-to-day, because it's further than that, probably, right now. But at least it's a step forward that he's able to skate today."

But forward Landon Ferraro (knee) didn't skate today, and Blashill isn't sure when he'll be back on the ice.

"He had a good workout yesterday off the ice," Blashill said. "So that's a positive sign."

Second line progress: Blashill seemed to be encouraged by the line of Tomas Tatar, Riley Sheahan and Gustav Nyquist.

"We've got a clip we'll show tonight where they were in the (offensive) zone for, I don't know, a minute-plus, probably," Blashill said. "All three are real good players at O-zone play. I don't want to call it cycling, but kind of cycling and being strong on the puck and then making plays within that. That's when they were really good in Edmonton together.

"They did the same thing. They did a good job of grinding Edmonton down a lot. Progress, for sure. As a group, we need to, collectively, all continue to take steps forward. Ultimately, we need to defend the way we've defended, limit teams' chances the way we limit teams' chances. But score more."



Niyo: Fedorov makes the Hall, but not the rafters

John Niyo, The Detroit News 5:21 a.m. EST November 11, 2015

Detroit — He said thanks, and expressed his genuine appreciation. But he offered no public apologies.

And whether that will be enough, no one — and certainly not Sergei Fedorov — can say for sure.

But if this was it, well, then it should go without saying that No. 91 deserved more.

Fedorov was back at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday night, honored before the Red Wings game against the Capitals, barely 24 hours after he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

Arguably the most talented and dynamic player in Detroit’s championship run from the mid-1990s through the early 2000s, Fedorov received a standing ovation from the crowd as he dropped the ceremonial first puck.

He got another rousing cheer during a first-period stoppage of play as fellow Hall of Famers Ted Lindsay and Dino Ciccarelli presented him with the framed original of a collectible print handed out to fans Tuesday.

But beyond that, there wasn’t much else. The fans in the arena finally got a video montage of Fedorov’s highlights midway through the third period. But those at home didn’t even see the pregame ceremony live on TV.

And though he was careful not to ask for anything more Tuesday, a weary Fedorov — he’d barely slept since Monday’s festivities capped a memorable weekend in Toronto — admitted there’s still one ovation left he’d love to hear.

There’s that long-awaited, oft-debated jersey retirement ceremony that hasn’t happened yet, and maybe — probably? — never will.

“I don’t want to put any pressure,” Fedorov said. “It’s gonna be a great honor, if it happens. If not, it’s still, to be a part of it for 13 seasons here, three Cups and celebrations, one million (fans at) victory rallies, what else could you wish for?”

Well, you could wish for a full reconciliation, and the ultimate honor, which really shouldn’t be asking too much. Not for a player who’d risked everything to come here, and who’d sacrificed plenty in his 13 remarkable seasons with the Red Wings.

Asked again later if, in his heart of hearts, he thought he’d ever get his wish, though, Fedorov shrugged.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe. Possibly. But like I said — I’ve got to be careful what I’m saying — if it happens, it’s great. When it happens, I don’t know.”

The only one who does, I suppose, was up in the owners’ suite Tuesday.

Mike Ilitch was in attendance, just as he and his wife, Marian, were a night earlier in Toronto, as Fedorov joined Nick Lidstrom as a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee.

“I got so lucky, and I’d like to thank the Ilitch family for giving me the opportunity to be a Red Wing,” Fedorov said in his acceptance speech Monday. “I’m a Red Wing at heart. I spent the best days of my life in this organization.”

Plenty of acrimony

He didn’t spend the last years of his career here, though, as everyone knows. After another protracted contract negotiation — the first one in 1998 ended with Ilitch matching an offer sheet from rival owner Peter Karmanos in Carolina — Fedorov signed a free-agent deal with Anaheim in 2003.

He was offered more money to stay before that, but depending on which side you believed — then and now — a take-it-or-leave-it offer left both sides feeling a bit betrayed.

Fedorov was asked Tuesday if he’d do it differently if given the chance to turn back the clock.

“It’s not that simple an answer,” he replied. “Of course, I said numerous times, I would like to be a Red Wing for the rest of my career.”

But then he smiled, and laughed, “So I’m gonna blame the agents for their advice.”

“I think there were misunderstandings or business moves or business decisions, right or wrong, everybody made,” Fedorov added.

Right or wrong, it shouldn’t be this hard. I mean, Fedorov returned to play and work for the late Viktor Tikhonov, the legendary coach he’d embarrassed with his defection, after all.

The ice here has thawed some over time, and Fedorov’s return for the Winter Classic alumni game a couple years ago was a hopeful sign.

So was the sight of him in the owner’s suite in the third period Tuesday night, following the brief encounter he had with the Ilitches on the red carpet Monday.

“Mrs. Ilitch was as warm as usual,” Fedorov said, smiling.

And Mike Ilitch was full of “energy,” he said, “which was wonderful to see.”

And in case you didn’t hear, Fedorov offered “a small token of appreciation” his speech, as he thanked the Ilitches, who helped orchestrate his defection from the Soviet Union back in 1990, for everything they’d done for him.

“They believed in me, they drafted me, they accepted me and gave me an opportunity to play,” he said, “Like I said, my best years of my life were here.”

Worthy numbers

There were growing pains throughout, of course. And Fedorov’s immaturity manifested itself in many ways. But he was also largely misunderstood — by the fans, the media and even his teammates.

Still, even for those that questioned his intentions, there’s no mistaking his accomplishments.

Fedorov, the last Red Wings player to win the Hart Trophy as league MVP (in 1994), was an integral part of three Stanley Cup-winning teams here. And statistically speaking, his credentials merit a spot in the rafters alongside those other jersey numbers.

Fedorov ranks fifth on Detroit’s all-time scoring list with 954 points — fourth in goals (400) and sixth in assists (554) — while playing in 908 games. (That’s eighth-best in franchise history.)

He’s second in winning goals — only Steve Yzerman had more. He’s also second in career plus-minus rating (plus-276), behind only Lidstrom.

And for all the talk about his motivation, he’s one of only two players in Red Wings history who played more than 50 playoff games and averaged better than a point per game. The other? Gordie Howe.

Fedorov’s not Mr. Hockey. He’s not the Captain, or even the Perfect Human, as Lidstrom — his former roommate — came to be known.

But he’s a Hall of Famer, and No. 91 wouldn’t look out of place up there.

Detroit News LOADED: 11.11.2015


Athanasiou scores 1st goal, Mrazek shuts out Caps

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 4:17 a.m. EST November 11, 2015

Detroit — One of Sergei Fedorov's old teams won Tuesday and it was the one Red Wings fans prefer.

On a night the Red Wings and the team's fans were able to cheer Fedorov's inclusion into the Hall of Fame during the weekend, the Red Wings defeated the Washington Capitals 1-0.

Andreas Athanasiou broke open a scoreless game at 4 minutes, 6 seconds of the third period with his first career NHL goal.

But it was goalie Petr Mrazek who was the star.

Mrazek stopped 38 shots and was key on three Red Wings' penalty kills, including a big third-period Washington power play where he made several stops of Washington's Alex Ovechkin (who had a season-high 15 shots on net).

"It's always nice to have the challenge against the best players in the world," said Mrazek, who earned his first shutout of the season and sixth of his career. "It was nice to get some shots and not let any goals in. It was awesome to get the shutout but the two points are more important than the shutout."

Ovechkin came into the game tied with Fedorov for most goals scored by a Russian player in the NHL — 483.

The Red Wings (8-6-1, 17 points) earned their fourth victory in five games, while Washington (10-4, 20 points) saw a two-game win streak end.

"We ground out two points here," coach Jeff Blashill said. "There was a lot of good stuff through 50 minutes, We played real well in the second period, real good again. We have to get more shots to hit the net, but there was a lot of good stuff."

Coaches always say to get the puck toward the net — and Athanasiou's goal was a prime example.

Using speed that has been apparent and impressive in his short two-game stint with the Red Wings, Athanasiou skated down the left wing and fired a shot along the goal line.

The puck somehow got through goalie Braden Holtby's pad and the goalpost.

"It was a tough angle and it kind of went along the line all the way through," Athanasiou said. "He (Holtby) didn't have a pad on the post and it squirted through. We always talk about it during intermission to overshoot the puck and you never knew what could happen."

It was Athanasiou's speed and play during the exhibition season that convinced the Red Wings to promote him Sunday and the young player has impressed.

"What he did when he came up was say he wanted to stay, and he said that through his play," Blashill said. "He gives us a lot of speed and accountability defensively."

Much of the excitement Tuesday centered around Fedorov, who dropped the ceremonial first puck to a thunderous ovation.

One of the most popular Red Wings ever, Fedorov nevertheless left on uneasy terms with most fans after joining the Anaheim Ducks as an unrestricted free agent.

But fans showed time heals most wounds, as they gave Fedorov a heartfelt ovation after for years booing him when he returned as a visiting player (with Anaheim, Columbus and Washington).

Blashill met Fedorov for the first time — other than a quick handshake years ago — Tuesday before the game.

"What a class act," Blashill said. "I got to spend some time with him. He was a great Red Wing for a long time, a big accelerator in the process of what the modern Red Wings are."

Fedorov and the rest of the sellout crowd in attendance didn't see much offense early.

The Capitals outshot the Red Wings 14-9 in the first period, but it was the Red Wings who had the closest thing to a goal.

It truly did look like a goal scored by Teemu Pulkkinen at 5:56 of the first period, but officials in Toronto determined the puck never got past Holtby, who appeared to scoop the puck just after it had crossed the goal line.

But even after video review officials ruled it was not a goal — and Blashill understood.

"We still haven't seen a picture where you can see the puck over the line," Blashill said. "We were told no goal and we kept playing."



Fedorov on No. 91 retirement: 'Great honor if it happens'

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 4:49 a.m. EST November 11, 2015

Detroit — Sergei Fedorov was back in his hockey home Tuesday night.

And wondering what it would feel like to see his No. 91 in the rafters of Joe Louis Arena.

Fedorov left no doubt it would be a special honor to see his number join such greats as Gordie Howe, Steve Yzerman and Nicklas Lidstrom, among other Red Wings legends.

"I don't want to put any pressure, but it's going to be a great honor if it happens," Fedorov said. "If not, to still be a part of it here for 13 seasons, I'm really fortunate. That stretch is still talked about."

Does Fedorov believe owners Mike and Marian Ilitch will choose to retire No. 91?

"I don't know, maybe, possibly," Fedorov said. "But it's like I said, I have to be careful what I say, but if it happens it would be great. When it happens, I don't know.

"But if it happens, you cherish it for the rest of your life."

Fedorov said he was "nervous" about his ceremony at Joe Louis Arena, celebrating his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame over the weekend in Toronto.

He didn't sleep the evening before, traveled to Detroit Tuesday morning, and was "excited" about being back in Detroit.

"Just an excited feeling to see once again the atmosphere at Joe Louis Arena, and be part of the game I love and see familiar faces on the ice," Fedorov said.

Fedorov reiterated his appreciation of the Ilitch family and the Red Wings organization drafting him and letting him grow as a hockey player in Detroit.

"Appreciation of the team (that) drafted me, and gave me an opportunity to play and like I said before, I had the best years of my life here," Fedorov said.

Fedorov said he still returns to Detroit about three of four times a year and gets positive response from fans — much like he hopes to receive Tuesday night.

"That's still the case, even though we had some misunderstandings," said Fedorov, alluding to his decision to leave as a free agent.



Wings' Green knows it's 'time to make an impression'

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 4:08 p.m. EST November 10, 2015

Detroit -- Normally when the Washington Capitals come to town, there isn't much of a media contingent around any particular Red Wings player.

That changed Tuesday, with defenseman Mike Green now wearing a Red Wings jersey.

Green was a member of the Captials for 10 seasons, one of the organization's most popular players, and established himself as one of the best offensive defensemen in the NHL.

But on July 1, the first day of unrestricted free agency, Green signed a three-year contract with the Red Wings worth $18 million.

Tuesday was to be Green's first game against his former team.

"I've moved forward," said Green, who returned to the lineup Sunday after missing six games with a shoulder injury. "I was there a long time and sometimes change is good. I felt I was becoming a little stagnant over there. I wanted to evolve and I felt coming here would be the best thing for that.

"It was a little difficult; I had a lot of friendships there."

Green counts Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom, a former roommate, as one of his best friends in hockey, along with forwards Michael Latta and Tom Wilson.

The shoulder injury set Green back just as he was becoming comfortable with the Red Wings' scheme and different individuals on the ice.

Green is now paired with Niklas Kronwall, and eager to begin contributing the offense the Red Wings have needed most of the season. Green has no goals and three assists in eight games, with a minus-3 rating.

"It's time to make an impression," Green said. "At the beginning of the season I was still learning the system and character in the room. But now I feel more comfortable and it's about playing my game, and that's all I can do.

"It's been a great playing here so far. The atmosphere, the guys, it's been a real positive. The mentality here is winning hockey."



Marchenko learned from Fedorov on CSKA Moscow team


Detroit – Just about every hockey fan or player has memories of Sergei Fedorov, but Alexey Marchenko has a different perspective.

Fedorov was general manager of the CSKA Moscow team from 2011-13 when Marchenko was on the Kontinental Hockey League team.

Marchenko, 23, remembers Fedorov – who was to be honored later Tuesday in a ceremony at Joe Louis Arena for his weekend induction into the Hall of Fame – as a fine boss.

"Really good, for sure," Marchenko said. "He was a special player. He talked to you all the time (as a GM), he could tell you all about the small things, what to do on the ice, because he saw everything in hockey.

"He would be on the ice about once a week. He helped the forwards, showed them how to win draws."

The Red Wings have always been popular in Europe, primarily because of the large number of players from Russia and Sweden on their roster over the years.

Growing up in Russia, Marchenko was aware of the Red Wings, Fedorov, and Detroit's famed "Russian Five" lineup.

"The Red Wings were really big (in Russia) because of all the Russian guys," Marchenko said. "Most guys were cheering for the Red Wings. It was real big for us."

Marchenko was on the ice Friday when Fedorov – along with fellow Red Wings legend Nicklas Lidstrom – were recognized before the game at Toronto's Air Canada Center.

"It was a great moment," Marchenko said.

Sergei Fedorov

Marchenko was to revisit that moment in a way Tuesday with the ceremony at Joe Louis Arena. But he also will be facing current Russian legend Alex Ovechkin in the game against the Capitals. Fedorov and Ovechkin are tied for the NHL career lead with most goals by a Russian-born player (483).

Marchenko remembers facing Ovechkin twice when both were playing in the KHL, while Ovechkin was there during the NHL lockout.

Ovechkin is one of the NHL's biggest stars in North American, but Marchenko's said he's an even bigger presence in Russia.

"Right now, there's just more media than 15 years ago," said Marchenko, comparing it to when Fedorov, Pavel Bure, Igor Larionov and Slava Fetisov were the biggest Russian names in hockey.

"Now, everyone can see what Ovi is doing. You can wake up and see the highlights. Right now, Ovi is more popular because you see it whenever you want."

Marchenko sees Ovechkin as a player who can dominate a game, just as Fedorov did with the Red Wings.

"Great players are great everywhere," Marchenko said.

Ice chips

Brendan Smith (illness) took part in Tuesday's morning skate but wasn't ready to play, said coach Jeff Blashill.

... Brad Richards (back) skated on his own Tuesday but Blashill said Richards is a bit more than "day-to-day" at this point from returning. Landon Ferraro (knee) hasn't skated since getting hurt Friday, but is working off-ice.



'Which Friday?' Datsyuk less optimistic than Blashill about return


Detroit – Pavel Datsyuk hasn't played this season.

Coach Jeff Blashill thinks there's a chance he could play Friday. Datsyuk isn't so sure.

Datsyuk had June ankle surgery to repair ruptured tendons, but has increased his workload on the ice the past 10-14 days.

Datsyuk was skating on a line with Henrik Zetterberg and Dylan Larkin during Monday's practice. And after Tuesday's morning skate, Blashill said he believes Datsyuk might be ready for Friday's game against San Jose.

"We're hoping for Pav on Friday, but we'll see," Blashill said. "It's still one of those things where you take it day to day."

But Datsyuk, when he came off the ice Tuesday, tapped the brakes a bit.

"Which Friday?" Datsyuk said, smiling.

Datsyuk thinks he needs more skating in practice.

"To keep pace with my teammates," said Datsyuk, who sees himself trailing his teammates in conditioning. "Maybe somebody can pull the piano, I don't know."

Missing games is becoming frustrating for Datsyuk.

"It's always tough to watch when you're injured," Datsyuk said. "You want to play, want to help."

Datsyuk is nearing a milestone that Zetterberg recently achieved. Zetterberg, Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Steve Yzerman and Sergei Fedorov are Red Wings with 300 goals and 500 assists. Datsyuk is two goals short of joining that group.



Athanasiou scores 1st goal, helps Red Wings top Capitals 1-0

By Larry Lage, The Associated Press

DETROIT >> Andreas Athanasiou scored 4:06 into the third period and Petr Mrazek had 38 saves, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 1-0 win over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.

Athanasiou scored his first career goal in his second NHL game from an improbable angle. He shot from the goal line near the left corner, getting the puck between goaltender Braden Holtby and the left post.

Holtby had 26 saves for the Capitals and appeared to get away with scooping a puck out of the net with his glove in the first period. The play was reviewed, but the no-goal call on the ice was upheld.

The Capitals started a power play with 5:08 left in the game, but couldn’t take advantage even with some Alex Ovechkin’s slap shots.

Ovechkin was on the ice for almost the entire 2-minute man advantage and had chances to score a milestone goal, but was denied by Mrazek. Ovechkin has 483 career goals, tying him with Sergei Fedorov for the most goals in the NHL by a Russian-born player.

Fedorov dropped the ceremonial first puck and embraced Red Wings star Henrik Zetterberg and Ovechkin, both of whom are former teammates, as he was honored a day after being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Fedorov was given a rousing, standing ovation before the game and was cheered again in the third period when highlights of his career were shown and he acknowledged the fans by waving from the owner’s suite.

The Capitals pulled Holtby with 1:15 left to add an extra skater and called timeout 12 seconds later, hoping to come up with a plan to tie the game and send it to overtime.

Detroit didn’t let Washington get a puck past Mrazek, who had his first shutout of the season and the sixth of his career.

The Red Wings have won four of their last five games despite scoring two or fewer goals in three of those victories.

Washington had won two straight, scoring a total of seven goals in those games, and was shut out for the first time in nearly a month.

NOTES

Fedorov lamented before the game that he didn’t stay in Detroit for his entire career. He left to sign with Anaheim as a free agent and later played for Columbus and Washington. “I’m going to blame the agents,” he said. ... Red Wings D Mike Green played against his former team for the first time. The Capitals drafted him in 2004 and he had 113 goals, tying for third among defensemen on the franchise’s all-time list with Calle Johansson.

Macomb Daily LOADED: 11.11.2015


Wings honor Hall of Famer Fedorov prior to game

By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily

POSTED: 11/10/15, 7:36 PM EST | UPDATED: 43 SECS AGO # COMMENTS

DETROIT >> This time the Detroit Red Wing fans cheered Sergei Fedorov.

Fedorov was honored prior to the Wings game against the Washington Capitals after being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday, along with teammate Nicklas Lidstrom.

The fans greeted him with a standing ovation when he walked out to center ice and didn’t let up in letting him know how much he meant to the organization.

“Sergei was one my idols,” Henrik Zetterberg said. “To come here and have a chance to play with him was certainly special. He was a two-way player, skated really well, scored some highlight goals and you liked that when you were younger, but then also the kind of leader he was and you didn’t notice that until you played with him.”

Fedorov was also cheered during the 2014 alumni Winter Classic game at Comerica Park.

“He was really good,” Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “He’s part of that whole crew of Red Wings definitely when I was growing up I was a big fan. A special, special player, a guy that could do it at both ends, could skate like that, real fond memories.”

Fedorov won the Hart Trophy as league MVP in 1993-94, after racking up 56 goals and 120 points. He won the Selke Trophy twice, handed out to the league’s top defensive forward (1994 and 1996), and was part of three Stanley Cup-winning clubs in Detroit.

“He was my idol when I was growing up,” said Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin, who played a full season and part of another in Washington with him. “You have a dream just to meet those kinds of guys. To have a chance to play with him on the same line on same team, he was the best teammate I had and the best player I played with.”

Ovechkin entered the game tied with Fedorov for most goals ever, 483, by a player born in Russia.

Fedorov was as versatile as they come, being able to play wing, center and on the blue line.

Steve Yzerman called Fedorov the “best skater” he had ever seen.

Fedorov left Detroit in 2003, signing a mega free agent offer sheet with Anaheim after turning down four- and five-year offers by the Wings worth $10 million a season.

Every time he came back to Detroit on an opposing team, Fedorov was booed every time he had the puck or his name was announced.

“He had the entire package,” Kirk Maltby said. “There’s guys today that can skate 100 miles per hour and there’s other guys who have all the skills but can’t do both of them together. Sergei is one of those guys who could go coast-to-coast at a high level of speed, handle the puck extremely well and finish. He was s special talent too and it was awesome to watch at times. Sergei was one of those guys who might have nothing going on the whole game and could go coast-to-coast and score the game-winning goal with a minute left.”

Fedorov finished with 400 goals and 954 points, which is fourth and fifth respectively. on the franchise list.

“The total package for a player,” Chris Osgood said of Fedorov. “Few guys that could play defense and forward like he did seamlessly. He’s like the Bo Jackson of players in our time. He was an unbelievable athlete, almost a freak of nature really.

“The other thing is I think it’s a shame he left here when he did,” Osgood continued. “It’s too bad he didn’t finish his career as a Red Wings.”

Macomb Daily LOADED: 11.11.2015

981912 Edmonton Oilers

Game Day: Edmonton Oilers, Anaheim Ducks both looking to overcome lapses

JOANNE IRELAND, EDMONTON JOURNAL

More from Joanne Ireland, Edmonton Journal


Anaheim — This could prove interesting. On the one hand, there’s the Edmonton Oilers and all their first period-struggles. They start slow, which often means they find themselves facing a deficit before the first intermission, and then they push back.

That was something the team addressed again on Tuesday before heading out for a late afternoon practice at the Honda Center in preparation for Wednesday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks.

The Ducks have had their issues, too. The team is moving past an uncharacteristically bad start to the season but they are still having some lapses in the second period. The Ducks have been outscored 21-5 in the middle frame, a plight that was prevalent again on Monday against the Arizona Coyotes. The Ducks had a 2-0 first period lead, only to find themselves down 3-2 after 40.

There was plenty of talk from both sides about the need to play for 60 minutes.

“As a group, we have to believe we’re better than the teams we’re playing,” said Oilers centre Mark Letestu. “We have to give ourselves a chance, mentally, going into buildings knowing we can compete with the Penguins, compete with the Blackhawks. We outplayed Chicago for two periods … that should give you the belief going in the next time. We just can’t give away periods in games to learn that.”

“We have to realize we have a good team in this locker room. We need to find a way to go out there with the realization that we can beat those teams.”

“We addressed it this morning,” said Jordan Eberle. “We don’t have good starts. We’ve been behind the eight-ball. and once things start going bad, we really have nothing to lose. We go out there and play and when we do that you get things like (Sunday) when we go out and outshoot the defending Stanley Cup champions 22-6. We have to realize we have a good team in this locker room. We need to find a way to go out there with the realization that we can beat those teams.”

Unfortunately for the Oilers, the Ducks appear to have gotten other aspects of their game on track. After stumbling to a 1-7-2 start, they have gone 4-0-1 in their last five games.

It’s just one more hurdle for the Oilers, who will take on the Coyotes in Arizona on Thursday, then wrap up their road trip against the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.

“Their record is not indicative of their abilities and likely where they’ll end up. They’re starting to play the way they’re capable of,” said Oilers head coach Todd McLellan.

“They will be real big test for us. This team is big, strong. They hold onto pucks real well down low. The penalty kill has been superior.”

Game Day:

Oilers at Ducks, 8 p.m.

The other side: Anaheim is coming off a 4-3 overtime loss to the Arizona Coyotes — a game that ended with Ryan Getzlaf attempting to leave a drop pass for Corey Perry that quickly turned into Mikkel Boedker’s game-winning goal. “We knew what we were supposed to do. We’ve had enough 3-0n-3 overtimes,” coach Bruce Boudreau said after the loss, which snapped the club’s four-game win streak. “You don’t drop-pass to nobody. You don’t do it.”

What man advantage?: The Ducks have the league’s best penalty-kill percentage, allowing just five goals in 53 shorthand situations.

Hendricks still a question mark: Winger Matt Hendricks, who missed the Chicago game after aggravating the injured foot that kept him out of the lineup for seven games, is questionable for this one. He went out for a light skate on Tuesday but did not stay for the full practice. Head coach Todd McLellan wants to get Luke Gazdic back in the lineup — he hasn’t played

since — and given that Anaheim is a big strong team, it’s a good bet he’ll play against the Ducks.

In the past: The Oilers are 2-8 in their last 10 meetings with the Ducks. They last won in Anaheim on April 1, 2012.

As an aside: Of the first 32 coach’s challenges in the NHL, 21 calls have been upheld, 11 have been overturned. Twenty-three of the challenges have been for goaltender interference … Thirty of 43 games that have gone to overtime have been decided without needing a shootout.

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 11.11.2015

981913 Edmonton Oilers

Jordan Eberle finding his game legs since returning to Oilers' injury-riddled lineup

JOANNE IRELAND, EDMONTON JOURNAL

More from Joanne Ireland, Edmonton Journal


Anaheim — There were signs of the old Jordan Eberle the last time he was out on the ice with the Edmonton Oilers. His pace was better. His timing had improved. His hands, too, were sharper.

After missing the first 13 games of the season with a shoulder injury, Eberle was back in the lineup on Friday — and was admittedly a step behind.

Two nights later against the Chicago Blackhawks, he played 17:37, scored on the power play, and even delivered a couple of hits.

“I thought he got going a little bit. He’s getting closer to getting up to speed and feeling good about his game,” said head coach Todd McLellan, who has been piecing together lineups for weeks now. “When you haven’t been able to start at the starting line with everybody else, that affects you a lot. Ebs has poise, he has maturity, he has experience but nothing makes up for that pace.”

Eberle missed the start of the season, and defenceman Justin Schultz and wingers Laurie Korpikoski and Rob Klinkhammer are all back in Edmonton rehabbing.

Matt Hendricks, after missing seven games with a foot injury, is hobbling again and questionable for Wednesday’s game against the Anaheim Ducks. Defenceman Griffin Reinhart has played the last three games after missing six with a shoulder injury; and of course, the Oilers lost Connor McDavid last week when he fractured his clavicle.

“We just don’t want to lose any players right now. We’re so busy trying to find a few extra guys, the last thing we need to do is lose players,” McLellan said.

Eberle said he knew it was going to take a few games to get back up to speed, so he is certain the worst is behind him.

“It’s a quick game and there’s really no other way to simulate it, other than to play,” Eberle said. “I knew the game against Pittsburgh was going to be a tough game for me but I thought in Chicago, as the game went on, I started to play like myself. I created a lot, I scored, which certainly gives you confidence.”

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 11.11.2015

981914 Florida Panthers

Jaromir Jagr scores winner as Florida Panthers end 5-game skid

BY GEORGE RICHARDS

[email protected]

After dropping five straight games, the Panthers were in desperate need of a win Tuesday night.

Florida’s losing streak dated to Jaromir Jagr’s first game out of the lineup due to injury. It’s probably no coincidence the slide came to an end with the reemergence of Jagr on the scoresheet.

Jagr scored what was the go-ahead and game-winning goal midway through the third period, leading the Panthers to a hard-fought 4-3 win at BB&T Center.

Before Jagr fed Aaron Ekblad with a sweet cross-ice pass for Florida’s third goal of the night, Jagr hadn’t registered a point in over two weeks.

“I’m glad we won because sometimes when you’ve lost five straight, things snowball,” said Jagr, who gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead with his first goal since Oct. 24 in Dallas.

“Everyone was looking for the first one; now we have to make sure we get the next one and the next one to get back in the race.”

Florida, which had been winless in five with two points taken away from the losses, wasn’t very happy with just winning a game.

Afterward, the team held a lengthy closed-door meeting to talk about their shortcomings of late.

Winning, goalie Roberto Luongo said, is great, but Florida won’t get many more playing like that.

“We have some tough tests ahead, and we need to play better if we want to win,” said Luongo, who made 25 saves.

“We didn’t play our best hockey, and fortunately, we didn’t pay for it. Different circumstances, and we probably don’t win. We’re happy with the win, no doubt, but we need to be better.“

The Panthers jumped all over Calgary goalie Karri Ramo and took a 3-1 lead early in the second off Ekblad’s easy (thanks to Jagr) goal.

The Flames, a second-round playoff team in a rough Western Conference last year, battled back and scored back-to-back goals to tie the score going into the third.

“We made some mistakes that cost us a 3-1 lead, but overall, we played pretty well,” coach Gerard Gallant said.

Said Jagr: “That was a strange game. Two of the goals, we gave them.“

The Panthers started putting the heat back on the Flames in the third and retook the lead when Jagr pulled the puck in as he slipped through the slot and slid a shot that found its way past Ramo.

“We need that from our guys,” Gallant said. “It wasn’t a perfect game, but one we fought for and really needed.”

The Panthers, who hadn’t beaten the Flames in Sunrise since 2011, kicked off a stretch of eight consecutive games either at home or in Tampa.

Florida needs to pick up quite a few of those 16 available points to stay in the playoff conversation.

“We won, and that’s a good thing, but we don’t feel like we played our best,” Jagr said. “Those seven home games, we need to play our best hockey and put some wins together. We should play a little better.“

▪ To commemorate Veterans Day, the Panthers wore and later auctioned off camouflage jerseys during warmups, as well as honored retired U.S. Army Chief of Staff, General Raymond T. Odierno.

Odierno, who retired in August, spoke to the Panthers in their locker room following morning skate and dropped the ceremonial first puck prior to the game.

The team also made a $50,000 donation to veterans charity Operation Lift Hope during the game.

▪ Connor Brickley was sent to Florida’s AHL affiliate in Portland, Maine, after being a healthy scratch in three straight games.

Miami Herald LOADED: 11.11.2015


Jagr scores in 3rd period to lift Panthers over Flames, 4-3

BY PAUL GEREFFI

Associated Press

Jaromir Jagr and the Florida Panthers were glad to snap their five-game losing streak. They weren't all that satisfied with how they did it, though.

Jagr scored the tiebreaking goal in the third period and the Panthers beat the Calgary Flames 4-3 on Tuesday night.

The 43-year-old Jagr gave Florida a 4-3 lead when his shot from in front slipped past Karri Ramo's glove and into the corner of the net at 8:11 of the third. The goal was Jagr's first in five games, and he leads the Panthers with seven goals. Jagr also had an assist, but the team held a players-only meeting after the game.

"We won, that's a good thing. We feel like we didn't play our best," Jagr said. "Everybody felt like we should play a little better."

Aaron Ekblad, Reilly Smith and Vincent Trocheck also scored for the Panthers. Roberto Luongo made 25 saves.

Luongo fell to the ice at 15:06 of the third when a slap shot from Dennis Wideman hit him in the shoulder or neck. Luongo stayed in the game after a visit by the trainer.

"It was a bit of a sloppy game in general, but we found a way to win," Luongo said.

The Panthers played their first in a stretch that includes seven of eight games at home. They want to make the most of it, especially after losing all three games on a West Coast swing.

"It's a huge homestand," Luongo said. "We've got some tough tests ahead of us and we're going to need to be playing some better hockey if we want to win."

Panthers coach Gerard Gallant didn't share his players' disappointment with their performance.

"I don't know why they wouldn't be happy," Gallant said. "I thought they played pretty well, for the most part. They made a couple of bad mistakes that cost them a 3-1 lead, but overall we played pretty well."

David Jones scored twice for Calgary, which lost for the first time in three games. Sean Monahan had a goal, and Ramo stopped 25 shots.

Ramo was disappointed he couldn't prevent Jagr's go-ahead goal.

"He kind of surprised me that he got the puck," Ramo. "He fanned on the first shot and I lost the edge of my skate. I got a push and started to reach. It was a slow goal. There was a lot of bad luck today."

Calgary tied it at 3 on a power-play goal by Monahan. He grabbed a rebound in front and put the puck past Luongo with 28 seconds left in the second.

Monahan has nine points in 11 games.

"We had chances in the third that we just couldn't finish off," Flames coach Bob Hartley said. "We had some great looks. They had a chance and got the winning goal out of it."

Ekblad stretched the Panthers' lead to 3-1 when he one-timed a pass from Jagr to the left circle past Ramo at 3:53 of the second.

Calgary closed the gap to 3-2 on Jones' second goal. Jones' shot from in front hit Luongo's glove, then trickled past him into the net at 6:35.

Smith's goal gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead. Alex Petrovic's shot from near the blue line was blocked, but Smith got the rebound and poked it into the net at 15:43 of the first.

The Panthers took a 1-0 lead on a power-play goal by Trocheck. Jussi Jokinen took a shot from the left circle and Trocheck grabbed the rebound and put it past Ramo at 5:16.

The Flames tied the score less than 2 minutes later on their first shot on goal. Two Panthers players collided at mid-ice, opening up a lane for Joe Colborne. His drop pass went off the skate of a Florida player, and Jones grabbed the loose puck and beat Luongo on the stick side at 7:13.

NOTES: Panthers C Dave Bolland returned after missing two games with a hand injury. ... Panthers players wore camouflage warmup jerseys with patches representing all five branches of the military during pregame activities. ... Flames forward Michael Ferland returned to the lineup for the first time since Oct. 23 due to a lower-body injury.



CLOSED DOOR WIN: Panthers snap slide with 4-3 win over Flames, team meets to discuss how it happened afterward ... Jagr gets goal, assist

Posted by George Richards 11/10/2015 at 10:47 PM | Permalink TWITTER: @GeorgeRichards

After dropping five straight games, the Panthers were in desperate need of a win Tuesday night.

Florida's losing streak dated to Jaromir Jagr's first game out of the lineup due to injury. It's probably no coincidence the slide came to an end with the reemergence of Jagr on the scoresheet.

Jagr scored what was the go-ahead and game-winning goal midway through the third leading the Panthers to a hard-fought 4-3 win at BB&T Center.

Before Jagr fed Aaron Ekblad with a sweet cross-ice pass for Florida's third goal of the night, Jagr hadn't registered a point in over two weeks.

"I'm glad we won because sometimes when you've lost five straight, things snowball,'' said Jagr, who gave the Panthers a 4-3 lead with his first goal since Oct. 24 in Dallas.

"Everyone was looking for the first one; now we have to make sure we get the next one and the next one to get back in the race.''

Florida, which had been winless in five with two points taken away from the losses, weren't very happy with just winning a game.

Afterward, the team held a lengthy closed-door meeting to talk about their shortcomings of late.

Winning, goalie Roberto Luongo stated, is great but Florida won't get many more playing like that.

"We have some tough tests ahead and we need to play better if we want to win,'' said Luongo, who made 25 saves.

"We didn't play our best hockey and fortunately, we didn't pay for it. Different circumstances and we probably don't win. We're happy with the win, no doubt, but we need to be better."

The Panthers jumped all over Calgary goalie Karri Ramo and took a 3-1 lead early in the second off Ekblad's easy (thanks to Jagr) goal.

The Flames, a second-round playoff team in a rough Western Conference last year, battled back and scored back-to-back goals to tie the score going into the third.

"We made some mistakes that cost us a 3-1 lead but overall we played pretty well,'' coach Gerard Gallant said.

Said Jagr: "That was a strange game. Two of the goals, we gave them."

The Panthers started putting the heat back on the Flames in the third and retook the lead when Jagr pulled the puck in as he slipped through the slot and slid a shot that found its way past Ramo.

"We need that from our guys,'' Gallant said. "It wasn't a perfect game, but one we fought for and really needed.''

The Panthers, who hadn't beaten the Flames in Sunrise since 2011, kicked off a stretch of eight consecutive games either at home or in Tampa.

Florida needs to pick up quite a few of those 16 available points to stay in the playoff conversation.

"We won, and that's a good thing, but we don't feel like we played our best,'' Jagr said. "Those seven home games, we need to play our best hockey and put some wins together. We should play a little better."

-- To commemorate Veterans Day, the Panthers wore (and later auctioned off) camouflage jerseys during warmups as well as honored retired U.S. Army Chief of Staff, General Raymond T. Odierno.

Odierno, who retired in August, spoke to the Panthers in their locker room following morning skate and dropped the ceremonial first puck prior to the game.

The team also made a $50,000 donation to veterans' charity Operation Lift Hope during the game.

-- Connor Brickley was sent to Florida's AHL affiliate in Portland, Maine, after being a healthy scratch in three straight games.



Jaromir Jagr's goal lifts Panthers to 4-3 win over Flames and ends 5-game slide

Harvey Fialkov Harvey FialkovContact Reporter

Sun Sentinel

After morning skate Tuesday, Panthers defenseman Dmitry Kulikov questioned the team's leadership during the last two blowout losses of their five-game losing streak.

Kulikov, 25, who played in his 401st game with the Panthers, said that instead of pulling together and leading by example, fingers of blame were being pointed.

"It kind of slid off our path right now and [we're whining] at one another," Kulikov told the Sun Sentinel. "It seems like everybody started playing individually the last couple of games when we allowed two or more goals. It's just not who we are.

"Everyone should realize that the forwards are trying, the defensemen are trying. You can't really point fingers at whoever's not doing their job. You just have to help your teammates and help out the players whoever are in a tough situation. It's not going good for them so you can't [whine]. You have to encourage or do more yourself. So lead by example."

That's exactly what 43-year-old future hall of famer Jaromir Jagr did. He notched an assist and his NHL-record 130th game-winning goal in the third period to lift the Panthers to a desperately needed 4-3 victory over the Calgary Flames in a sparsely attended BB&T Center.

The Florida Panthers ended a five-game losing streak on Tuesday night against the Calgary Flames at the BB&T Center.

"It's always the toughest coming from a big road out west and playing the first game, the time difference, jet lag,'' Jagr said. "Usually you don't have legs. … I'm glad we won it, we needed it.''

Not happy with blowing a two-goal lead in the second period, the Panthers held a players-only, closed-door meeting after the game.

"It was a bit of a sloppy game in general but we found a way to win,'' said Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, who had 25 saves to snap a personal three-game losing streak. "We needed it big time. We still have to work some things out as a team. I have to be better.''

Tied at 3-3 after two periods, an errant clearing pass from behind the Flames' net ended up on Jagr's stick in the low slot. He held the puck and with his long stick got the shot off and into the far corner past Karri Ramo with 11:49 left. That was Jagr's team-leading seventh goal and Florida's first tally in the third period in six games.

"It was a pass,'' joked Jagr. "We didn't feel we played our best. We have these seven home games of eight so we have to make sure we play our best hockey and get some wins together. … It's tough when you lose five straight, it's like a snowball.''

Another leader stepped up early when assistant captain Derek MacKenzie dropped the gloves with Josh Jooris after the Flames center took a run at 19-year-old defenseman Aaron Ekblad early in the first period.

Just 45 seconds after MacKenzie's rare fight, Vincent Trocheck knocked in a rebound of Jussi Jokinen's shot on a power play at 5:16 to kick-start a four-goal outburst after the Panthers had scored just seven goals in their previous five games.

The Flames countered when Joe Colborne took advantage of a collision between Jonathan Huberdeau and Brian Campbell at center ice before feeding David Jones for his first of two goals at 7:13.

The Panthers weren't done as Reilly Smith pounced on a rebound of Alex Petrovic's shot for a backhander at 15:43 for a 2-1 lead after one. Jokinen, also an assistant captain, said earlier that, "we need more from everybody. He received his second assist of the period.

The Panthers (6-6-3) took a 3-1 lead at 3:53 of the second when Huberdeau slipped a pass to Jagr, who fed a streaking Ekblad for a one-timer.

The Flames (5-10-1) cut it to 3-2 at 6:35 when Luongo couldn't glove Jones' point-blank snap-shot for his fifth goal. With Huberdeau in the penalty box, the Flames tied it on a power-play rebound goal by Sean Monahan at 18:32.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 11.11.2015


Panthers' Kulikov says too much finger-pointing, not enough leadership last two games

Harvey Fialkov Harvey FialkovContact Reporter

Sun Sentinel

The Panthers have a dressing roomful of leaders, veteran players such as captain Willie Mitchell, Shawn Thornton, Brian Campbell, Dave Bolland and Jaromir Jagr who have sipped from the Stanley Cup and often serve as mentors to their younger teammates.

However, on Tuesday after morning skate, defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, the longest tenured Panthers player albeit at the tender age of 25, questioned the team leaders during this current five-game slide, particularly in the last two lopsided losses. He said instead of pulling together, fingers of blame have been pointed.

"It kind of slid off our path right now and [we're] [whining] at one another," Kulikov told the Sun Sentinel. "It seems like everybody started playing individually the last couple of games when we allowed two or more goals. It's just not who we are.

"Everyone should realize that the forwards are trying, the defensemen are trying. You can't really point fingers at whoever's not doing their job. You just have to help your teammates and help out the players whoever are in a tough situation. It's not going good for them so you can't [whine]. You have to encourage or do more yourself. So lead by example. I think we didn't have that."

Kulikov, who played his 400th game Saturday, included himself in his blunt assessment.

"We didn't have leaders that are leading by example," Kulikov continued. "We didn't have guys that are showing the way and how it's done. I think we can do those things. The last couple of games it just wasn't any of that. It's just my observation.

Panthers desperate to get back on track during homestand

"The first [12] games everyone's been on the same page and we can read one another what's going on, on the ice. It just kind of comes naturally to you. You don't think about the game, you just react.

"We weren't doing that. Now we have to get back to it. … We haven't had a talk about it. I think everyone knows. We need more, especially from guys like myself, too. I consider myself a leader and I haven't been able to show to lead by example and I'm planning on turning it around and doing it [Tuesday night]."

After last week's 5-2 loss to the Sharks, Mitchell said, "we looked like a very young hockey club, not a mature hockey club. … Turn over pucks, stuff that you can get away with in junior hockey, the American league, but not in the National; that's what we're going to have to do a better job of."

After dropping fifth straight, reeling Panthers realize time to grow up is now

Panthers veteran forward Jussi Jokinen, an assistant captain, didn't necessarily share Kulikov's opinion.

"I just think overall we need to be better," Jokinen said. "I don't think we want to point any fingers. We need more from everybody; we need more from our leaders; we need more from our young guys; we need more from everybody."

Panthers coach Gerard Gallant vehemently denied that there was any finger-pointing going on.

"There are a lot of good leaders on our team and I don't see anybody pointing fingers," Gallant said.

"It's just a two-game losing streak; we lost some games before that but it's the two games I got a problem with. I'm not worried about that yet. It's too early for that stuff. We got a bunch of good character guys so I don't think there's any finger-pointing, definitely not by me or any of the players, that's for sure."

General delivers pep talk

Tuesday night the Panthers celebrated Military Appreciation Night at the BB&T Center by honoring retired U.S. Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, who spoke to the slumping team in the dressing room after morning skate.

"No matter what you do in life where you define yourself is when things aren't going well," Odierno told the team. "Everybody is great when things are going the way you want them to be. It's how you react to adversity and how you stick together and you stay determined and continue to work hard in order to improve."

The players will wear camouflage jerseys during warmups and even their nameplates were decorated with a camouflage design.

Injury update

Panthers center Dave Bolland returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games with a sore hand. Fellow center Aleksander Barkov (broken hand) has picked up his skating and doing just a little stickwork or "pushing the puck," as Gallant said.

Barkov will receive a progress report after he is re-evaluated by team doctors. He's not expected back for at least another 7 to 10 days.

Jagr on Frolik

Jagr has been impressed with Flames forward and fellow Czech, Michael Frolik, since playing with him on the national team.

"Not everyone can play for Czech World Championship team when he was 17," Jagr said.

"He was big talent since he was young. When he came [to the Panthers] everybody thought he was going to score a lot of goals, a lot of points. I think in Chicago they turned him into a defensive player. He responded very well and was a big part of their Stanley Cup. He lived up to that role and does it very well."

Frolik, 27, who has worn No. 67, one less than Jagr's 68, in honor of his hero, was on the Blackhawks' title team in 2012-13. Drafted 10th overall by the Panthers in 2006, Frolik scored 21 goals in each of his first two seasons (2008-10), still career highs, before being traded to Chicago in 2011 for basically Jack Skille.

"Obviously, [Jagr] is like a god back home," Frolik said. "He was my idol when I was little. … [The Panthers] put me into the big hockey, so it's always good memories there."

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 11.11.2015

981919 Los Angeles Kings

Mistakes cost Kings in 3-2 loss to Coyotes

Lisa Dillman Lisa DillmanContact Reporter

For the Kings, this was not even close to being as smooth as they were during their seven-game winning streak last month. But it was not nearly as bumbling as their performance in a one-sided loss to the Arizona Coyotes in the second game of the regular season.

Tuesday's progress report landed somewhere in the middle ground — closer to the latter than the former — as the Kings were undone by errors in their 3-2 loss to the Coyotes at Staples Center. It was a night in which they also honored their longtime radio voice Nick Nickson, who on Monday received the Foster Hewitt award for excellence in hockey broadcasting

The winning goal came with 8:13 remaining in regulation by Coyotes forward Brad Richardson, a former King, as Arizona took advantage of coverage issues by the Kings down low. Among those issues was Kings defenseman Brayden McNabb losing his stick and scrambling to recover in the sequence leading up to the goal.

Jordan Martinook of the Coyotes beat Kings center Anze Kopitar to the puck coming out of the right corner and flicked a backhand pass, which Richardson, a member of the Kings' Stanley Cup winning team in 2012, redirected past Jonathan Quick. Richardson

That gave the Coyotes a 3-2 lead, their first of the game, as the Kings had leads of 1-0 and 2-1. Scoring for the Kings were captain Dustin Brown, at 5:54 of the first period, to make it 1-0 and Tyler Toffoli's power-play goal at 5:00 of the second period, giving the Kings a 2-1 lead.

See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >>

“We've just got to have that killer instinct,” Brown said. “We had some chances at 1-0 and 2-1 to go up and that changes the dynamics of the game.”

The goals were notable in that it was Brown's first goal in 15 games and Toffoli's team-leading 10th of the season. They've scored on the power play in their last four games and five of six.

The win by Arizona capped off victories on back-to-back nights over the Ducks and the Kings. Martin Hanzal scored the other two goals for the Coyotes and his first was a gift from McNabb, whose outlet landed right on the stick of Hanzal. Hanzal, who has 13 assists, this season, scored his first goal since January of last season.

What we learned from the Kings' 4-1 victory over Florida on Saturday

What we learned from the Kings' 4-1 victory over Florida on Saturday

“We struggled on our D-zone tonight, for whatever reason,” Brown said. “That's something we are normally pretty solid on and that's what you've got to focus on.

“When we're winning and we're playing well, we're not giving up chances. We're much cleaner in our own zone.”

There was an underlying subplot unfolding with the San Jose Sharks' Patrick Marleau, a player with a long back story with Kings GM Dean Lombardi and Kings Coach Darryl Sutter. Marleau was drafted by Lombardi when Lombardi was the GM in San Jose and played for Sutter when Sutter coached the Sharks.

Marleau apparently would agree to lifting his no-trade clause trade to one of three teams: the Ducks, the Kings or the New York Rangers, according to a report by CSN Bay Area.

The list, in fact, should be more like two teams. Marleau's cap hit is $6.66 million this season and the next and the Ducks long have had a public stance of not spending to the cap. Those familiar with their thinking said Tuesday that in-season philosophy had not changed. The Kings, at this point, don't have the room and would have to make some if they were inclined to pursue the acquisition.



Game report: Arizona Coyotes 3, LA Kings 2

By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze

POSTED: 11/10/15, 10:19 PM PST | UPDATED: 1 HR AGO # COMMENTS

Key play: Brad Richardson tapped a centering pass from Jordan Martinook into the net for the tie-breaking goal in the third period to lead the Arizona Coyotes to a 3-2 victory Tuesday over the Kings at Staples Center.

Pivotal performer: Kings winger Tyler Toffoli scored his team-leading 10th goal of the season, a power-play strike early in the second period. After only 15 games, Toffoli is nearly halfway to his career high of 23 goals, set last season in 76 contests.

Hall of Fame honor: The Kings honored broadcaster Nick Nickson before the game, one day after he was enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto. Nickson has worked for the Kings since 1981, a 35-season run that included calling two Stanley Cup victories.

Milestone moment: Kings defenseman Drew Doughty earned his career 210th assist on Dustin Brown’s first-period goal, moving past Lubomir Visnovsky for fourth place on the franchise’s all-time list. Steve Duchesne is third with 216 assists.

Lineup changes: Kings coach Darryl Sutter scratched defenseman Christian Ehrhoff for the second consecutive game. Ehrhoff has a minus-7 defensive rating to go with four assists in 13 games. Derek Forbort played in his place, as he did in Saturday’s victory over the Florida Panthers.



LA Kings center Jeff Carter enhancing his leadership role

By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze

POSTED: 11/10/15, 8:44 PM PST | UPDATED: 3 HRS AGO # COMMENTS

Is this Jeff Carter’s team now? If the Kings played in the NBA, it might be a no-brainer, because one player can make an enormous impact on a basketball court. Individuals are celebrated in basketball. Carter plays hockey, and that’s a team game, and a club is only as strong as its weakest link.

Carter didn’t lead the Kings onto the ice for their pregame warmup Tuesday at Staples Center, when they prepared to face the Arizona Coyotes. That honor went to starting goaltender Jonathan Quick, which is as much a hockey tradition as playoff beards.

As leaders go, it’s been impossible to ignore Carter’s many contributions to the Kings, however. He has been their most dynamic offensive player this season, scoring highlight-reel-caliber goals and setting up his linemates again and again.

Carter had a team-leading 15 points (7 goals, 8 assists) and was 10th in the NHL in scoring at the start of business around the league. Carter and wingers Milan Lucic and Tyler Toffoli combined to score 19 of the Kings’ 35 goals before facing the Coyotes.

Toffoli had a team-leading nine goals, tied for second in the NHL. Carter and Toffoli were team co-leaders with plus-9 defensive ratings.

Carter doesn’t receive anywhere near the attention heaped upon some of the other high-caliber centers in the Western Conference, including Kopitar, Ryan Getzlaf of the Ducks, Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks.

Carter’s value to the Kings cannot be underestimated, however.

“I remember watching the 2014 run the guys had here and he was easily a guy who could have won the Conn Smythe,” Lucic said, referring to the Kings’ charge to their second Stanley Cup championship in three seasons, when Justin Williams was named the MVP of the playoffs.

“I think in hockey, certain coaches and management, I think everybody knows who ‘Carts’ is,” Kings coach Darryl Sutter said. “He’s a pretty high-profile player. This team did not go three years in a row to the conference finals and twice to the Final without the centermen that we had, clearly. He was a big part of that.”

The Kings traded defenseman Jack Johnson and a first-round draft pick to the Blue Jackets to get Carter on Feb. 23, 2012, jump-starting a team that was caught in a midseason malaise that led to the firing of Terry Murray and the hiring of Sutter as coach.

“Look at the game now, not taking anything away from the other guys, you can’t win with one quality center anymore,” Lucic said. “You need more than one. I think to have Kopitar and Carter as a one-two punch is definitely one of the best in the league.”

The Kings lost their first three games to being 2015-16, and things began to click when Sutter teamed Carter with Toffoli and Lucic. Kopitar’s linemates have rotated in recent games, what with Dustin Brown and Tanner Pearson on his wings Tuesday.

“To see him stepping up and playing the way he has and kind of leading the charge, I guess, as far as turning things around after the start we had … he’s a guy who wants to step up in big moments,” Lucic said. “You know he’s coming to play every night.”



NOVEMBER 10 POSTGAME NOTES

Posted by JonRosen on November 10, 2015

-With the loss, Los Angeles fell to 83-98-33 all-time against the Arizona franchise, a record that includes a home mark of 47-44-16. The Kings are now 0-2-0 against the Coyotes in 2015-16 and will continue the rivalry with three games at Gila River Arena on December 26, January 23 and February 2.

-Los Angeles fell to 7-5-0 against the Western Conference and 2-4-0 against the Pacific Division.

-Darryl Sutter (275 games coached) moved past Terry Murray for sole possession of fourth place on the Kings’ all-time regular season games coached list.

-By assisting on Dustin Brown’s goal, Drew Doughty registered his 210th career assist, surpassing Lubomir Visnovsky for fourth place on the Kings’ all-time list of assists by a defenseman. He is now six assists behind Steve Duchesne (216) for third place.

-Dustin Brown scored his first goal of the season and first goal since April 2, 2015. He has points in three straight games (1-2=3).

-Tyler Toffoli scored his 10th goal of the season, which ties him with Patrick Kane and Jamie Benn for the NHL lead.

-Tanner Pearson registered his fifth assist of the year, setting a new career-high. He has four points (1-3=4) in the last four games.

-The Kings attempted 68 shots (35 on goal, 17 blocked, 16 missed). The Coyotes attempted 48 shots (25 on goal, 13 blocked, 10 missed). Jeff Carter and Mikkel Boedker tied with a game-high six shots on goal, while Dustin Brown (3 on goal, 2 blocked, 3 missed) and Boedker (6 on goal, 1 blocked, 1 missed) tied with a game-high eight shot attempts.

-Los Angeles won 30-of-59 faceoffs (51%). Among regular performers, Anze Kopitar won 16-of-23, Andy Andreoff won 1-of-5, Nick Shore won 5-of-7, Trevor Lewis won 0-of-1, and Jeff Carter won 8-of-23.

The Kings are scheduled to practice on Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. at Toyota Sports Center.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 11.11.2015


KINGS TO WEAR GOLD FOR LEGENDS NIGHTS, ROAD GAME


To correct one note in today’s Morning Skate Notes, the Kings will, in fact, wear their vintage gold jerseys at home for upcoming Legends Night games honoring Mike Donnelly (February 23 / Calgary) and Jimmy Carson (March 7 / Vancouver) in addition to tonight’s game against Arizona, which honors Foster Hewitt Memorial Award recipient Nick Nickson.

The previous error, which had read “tonight will be the only home game in which Los Angeles will sport Forum Blue and Gold” had stemmed from a misread statement in the release announcing tonight’s Legends Night, which stated, “On Tuesday night, the Kings will also wear their Vintage Jerseys as part of these special evenings, marking the only time the Kings will wear these sweaters at STAPLES Center during the 2015-16 season.”

In addition to the Legends Nights, Los Angeles will also wear their vintage gold jerseys as the road team in Boston on February 9 to mark the 50th anniversary of the founding of the franchise. As of this time, no other 1967-68 expansion teams are expected to wear commemorative vintage jerseys that honor the founding of their franchises, according to a team spokesman. The Kings received permission from the league to wear their gold jerseys on the road.

“I think they’re cool. I think it’s cool to do something like that every once in a while,” defenseman Alec Martinez said of the gold jerseys at today’s skate, though he did note that “I just wear the jersey that’s in my stall.”



NUMBERS SUGGEST POWER PLAY IS GOOD, CAPABLE OF IMPROVING


From a very basic assessment, the Kings’ power play has been successful thus far this season. They’re operating at 20%, which is very good. After ranking 10th with a 19.0% rate last year, they’re currently ranked 11th in the league entering tonight’s game against the Arizona Coyotes, courtesy of an 8-for-24 stretch in which they’ve scored power play goals in seven of their last nine games.

“I think the D have been doing a good job to get shots through, getting movement up top, and what we’re doing better is getting screens and tips in front, and that’s what makes a successful power play,” said Drew Doughty, who notched his first goal of the season during a power play in Saturday’s win over Florida.

“It’s not about moving it around all nice and pretty, it’s about getting shots and pucks to the net and bodies in front.”

He’s right about the shots and pucks part, and the Kings have done an exceptional job of that this season. Los Angeles has taken 69.6 shots on goal per 60 minutes while on the man advantage. Not only is that the best PPSOG/60 rate in the league, no other difference is as great as the divide between the Kings at #1, and the Blue Jackets at #2 (60.8 PPSOG/60).

Of course, shots on goal don’t equate to goals. Los Angeles’ power play shooting percentage ranks 20th at 8.0%, a full five percentage points below last year’s 13.0% rate. But because the Kings also have a minus-seven penalty differential that ranks 24th in the league, an argument could be made that they’re capable of rising up from the respectable success they’ve already generated should they begin to draw more penalties, generating even more shots on goal.

“Being top-five in the league would be our ultimate goal,” Doughty said. “Obviously the ultimate goal would be one, but we want to keep getting better at it, because power plays nowadays, they’re so important to winning hockey games. If you can get some momentum off the power play or a goal, it’s a big change in the game. We know that as guys on the power play, and we know that we need to be successful when we’re out there.”

Alec Martinez, on the power play’s success:

I think we’ve had a lot more movement than we did maybe the first few games when we weren’t that successful. Sometimes when our power play isn’t producing we get a little bit too stagnant, so I think when we’re constantly moving and interchanging as D pairings, but then also with Kopi moving up and down the wall, Carts looking for shots – I could keep going on and on – I think that’s been part of our reason for success as of late, and then just getting shots through. Often time those shots shot lanes are created by movement. You look at Dewey’s goal the other night, there was a lot of movement on that right side, and then Muzz gets that play and is able to slide it over to Dewey, and Dewey’s got a wide open lane to the net. Between getting shots to the net and just moving is probably the biggest difference.


981925 Minnesota Wild

Thomas Vanek continues strong start to season in border battle win over Jets

By Michael Russo

November 10, 2015 — 11:41pm

Funny scene in the locker room after Tuesday’s 5-3 win over Winnipeg when Thomas Vanek stood up to position himself in front of the cameras and captain Mikko Koivu cracked, “They want to talk to you about your move, Tommy.”

OK, maybe you had to be there. But you had to see Koivu’s face (playful grin) and hear his voice.

It was pretty funny.

Vanek, 31, looked 21 tonight with a couple “beauty” goals to lead the Wild to its sixth win in nine games and a 2-0 record without injured Zach Parise. The Wild now heads out on a four-game trip to Raleigh, Dallas, Pittsburgh and Boston (the team actually comes back for a day between Dallas and Pittsburgh; I do not).

Not sure what was more impressive: Vanek’s move on the eventual winning goal or his selflessness in attempting to end pal Jason Pominville’s goal drought, which is now the second-longest of his career at 14 games, by passing to him with an empty-net in front.

Vanek could have tried for his 10th career hat trick and his first with the Wild. Instead, he settled for his third multi-goal game with the Wild, 51st of his career and 49th game-winning goal.

“I’ve struggled before, and it’s not an easy thing,” Vanek said. “I would much rather have him take one than me get the hat trick. I’ve been fortunate to have one of those before (Russo note: actually, nine of those before), so it’s not that big of a deal for me.”

As offhand and been-here-done-that as that quote reads, that’s how Vanek was in describing his two goals – a slap shot off a breakaway and a dipsy-doodle move in which he dizzied Paul Postma. You can read the quotes and get descriptions of the goals in the game story at startribune.com/wild.

He did have one funny line. I just wanted to refresh my memory that he has scored previously on slappers in shootouts in Buffalo. He hasn’t played in many shootouts since Buffalo, so Vanek’s response to my question was, “Yes, a couple times when coaches let me go out there.”

But Vanek is feeling good about his game right now, and justifiably so. He has six goals (second behind Parise) and is tied for second with Ryan Suter with 12 points (Koivu is the points leader).

Coach Mike Yeo, who deserves a lot of credit for some of his in-game adjustments all season, made a couple more tonight that proved big. After the game, Yeo noted that last year Vanek actually got off to a decent start but didn’t get the results.

And he said no matter how old a player is, once that happens, it’s amazing what that does to a player’s psyche. Vanek has gotten off to a good start this season, the production is there, and “that has allowed him to just play and not have that burden to carry around with him.”

Reading between the lines, that can also be said about Pominville this season. There’s no doubt this goalless start is embedded in his brain now and he’s feeling the pressure. He just needs one to deflect in off of him at this point, and that almost happened a few times tonight.

Back to Vanek, Yeo said he’s been valuable this season because he can move up and down the lineup and proves “really dangerous” when he can get out there against other team’s third D pairings and third and fourth lines.

Since Koivu’s line is taking all the big matchups against the other team’s top offensive guys and best defensemen, this could prove big in Parise’s absence.

Tonight, in the first period, the Jason Zucker-Koivu-Nino Niederreiter line was she wrote for the Wild. It was the only line with sustained pressure and it seemed like a gigantic problem going forward.

But Yeo swapped Vanek and Charlie Coyle to start the second, and after a Kurtis Gabriel scrap, the Wild responded with four goals in the period, include three in a 5:24 span – two by Vanek and one off an enormous shorthanded breakaway goal by fellow ex-Gopher Erik Haula.

Yeo said the moves had nothing to do with Coyle and Haula. He liked the way Vanek was going, but he just said the game didn’t have the feel of one the Wild would win because the Wild’s other lines couldn’t generate pressure and the depth of the Jets forwards were proving troublesome.

Yeo made the move to start the second and it worked out. Yeo said with Parise out, the night to night adjustments may have to continue based on the opponent and what’s going on in each game.

The Wild went 0 for 6 on the power play but actually had good looks and puck movement. The Jets made it a game with third-period goals by Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little, but the Wild held on for only its third non-one-goal game in 13 all-time meetings with the Jets and third non-one-goal game out of 14 this season.

Vanek said the difference in the game was Devan Dubnyk’s great play early “when we needed our legs to get under us, and once we started skating, we played well, we created chances, we created penalties and we slowly took the game over.”

Yeo raved about how well Koivu is playing (Jim Souhan wrote about him in Wednesday’s paper) and how well that line with Zucker and Niederreiter is playing. Niederreiter scored his fifth goal and Zucker picked up his ninth point in nine games and had 11 shots on/blocked shots/missed shots, five takeaways and two blocked shots. Koivu has at least a point in 11 of the past 14 games.

“That line just continues to do what they’ve done all year,” Yeo said.

Gabriel only played one shift after his fight, but Yeo said the way the momentum was going in the game, he was just shortening the bench.

There was a weird moment in the game. After the Wild took a 2-1 lead, Zucker was hauled down by Wheeler on what would have been a breakway. Yeo and the crowd wanted a call. There was none. Moments later, Jonas Brodin was called for tripping Nikolaj Ehlers.

The crowd and Yeo was livid, but then Haula comes through in the clutch and makes it 3-1 with his second career shorty.

“That was weird to be honest with ya,” Yeo said. “It was just swings in the game both directions. That’s what you got to do….keep your focus, can’t get too rattled about those things. Calls are going to go your way, calls go other way.”

Said Haula, “It was interesting, but that is hockey. I feel like we got the calls after that anyways. It is always nice when you get goals back-to-back. It really creates momentum. It gets everyone fired up. It gets the crowd fired up. The game is a lot easier when everyone gets into it. We just kept it going to there, which was awesome.”

Haula on Gabriel’s fight: “We kind of saw it coming the whole game. It was just a matter of time when it would happen. But I think that was awesome, him coming up and stepping up like that and playing a good game in general. I feel like he enjoyed his first game and I am happy for him.”

We’ll find out Wednesday if Gabriel sticks around or if the Wild recalls a different forward like Christoph Bertschy again for the start of the road trip.

Christian Folin had a great game with Nate Prosser. Yeo called them “very, very good.” He said of Folin, “Execution all night,” and Prosser, “Steady, poised play” all night.

Folin was humorous on his pass to Vanek for the breakaway slapper goal. He said, “I saw him right when they shot the puck. When it was bouncing a little bit, I saw him in the corner of my eye taking off. I kind of spun around, took a look and ripped it at him. I was so tired, I was actually skating to the bench. I heard the crowd noise, and I turned. It was a good goal. It was a nice snipe by him. I didn’t see the shot. But he does that every day in practice. It is not a big surprise for us when it happens.”

With Parise out, the Wild will need to get goals from different guys as it heads out on the road, where it will be easier to check. Tonight was a good start, getting two from Vanek, one from Haula and Niederreiter and Chris Porter's first with the Wild, where he looked like his shot-tipping pal, Parise.

Star Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2015


Souhan: Rejuvenation of Koivu is holding things together

JIM SOUHAN Jim Souhan @Souhanstrib

Before Thomas Vanek started doing magic tricks with the puck, and the Wild turned the latest edition of its rivalry with Winnipeg into two hours requiring a laugh track, there was Mikko Koivu doing the things he used to do routinely and is now doing again.

There’s a new way to look at the chattering-classes debate over whether Koivu should remain the Wild’s captain.

With Zach Parise injured and Koivu performing like the Wild’s best player, maybe Koivu shouldn’t be wearing just one “C.”

Maybe he should be wearing more of them than did goalie Vladislav Tretiak, back when every Soviet Union jersey bore the CCCP.

Koivu is performing like a younger version of himself, and with Parise out, the Wild desperately need Koivu to revert to being the spry, end-to-end, quasi-franchise player they required him to be before Parise and Ryan Suter remade the roster.

“Really strong,” Wild coach Mike Yeo said of Koivu, as well as linemates Nino Nieder-reiter and Jason Zucker. “That line just continues to do what they’ve done all year and that’s just play the game. What goes unnoticed the whole time is that Mikko’s out there against their best players, their best offensive players, shift after shift.

“The easy things to talk about are the points they are getting and how he’s helped Nino and Zuck, just the puck possession that that line has. He’s just playing great hockey.”

Koivu set up the first goal of the game with a dominant shift that culminated with him making a spin move behind the Winnipeg net and feeding Niederreiter for a tap-in.

Koivu leads the team in points, is easily the Wild’s best faceoff man and remains an excellent defensive forward. In 14 games, he is producing at a pace that recalls his best seasons, from 2008 to 2011.

He has benefitted from and contributed to the growth of Niederreiter and Zucker.

“I think you’re always trying to help them, but at the same time you need them to help you out as well,” Koivu said. “That’s been working. They’ve been supporting me, big time. That’s not always easy to do when you’re young like they are. Their speed and work ethic has been paying off.”

To keep up with them, Koivu altered his offseason workout, although he wouldn’t elaborate. He said he didn’t lose weight but was able to increase his quickness.

“I feel good, physically and mentally,” Koivu said, and for him that’s the equivalent of a cartwheel. “At the same time, I don’t think I’ve changed as a player. I think it’s easy to say you have improved if you’re scoring goals, but I think the other parts have been good.

“Sometimes you go through that if you’re in the league for a lot of years. Like any player you go through that slump or whatever you want to call that. That’s frustrating. You always want to produce and be good offensively, but I’m just going to stick with it. I did something in the offseason. I think you have to when you get older and you want to get better. It’s been working so far.”

Goalie Devan Dubnyk looked shaky in October. The defensive pairings have been in flux. Parise, Justin Fontaine and Tyler Graovac have been injured. Jason Pominville has zero goals in 14 games and might currently be capable of swinging at a piñata and not making contact.

With Parise out and a four-game road trip looming, this could have been the week that the Wild embarked on their annual coach-threatening, season-jeopardizing slump.

Instead, the Wild is 2-0 without Parise and is one of seven NHL teams with 20 points, and Koivu seemed to have discovered the Finnish fountain of revitalization.

There is no way the Wild is a better team with Parise out, not even briefly, but sport is sometimes illogical. Parise is a tremendous two-way player, but with him out the Wild seemed to have regained its defensive mindset.

Add a little Vanek magic and Koivu production, and the Wild looks capable of surviving Parise’s convalescence.



Wild-Winnipeg game recap

MICHAEL RUSSO

November 11, 2015 — 12:19am

GAME RECAP

STAR TRIBUNE’S THREE STARS

1. Thomas Vanek, Wild: Scored two goals, including his most beautiful with the Wild, in the second period and had six shots.

2. Christian Folin, Wild: Recently scratched four games, he had an assist and was stellar defensively.

3. Bryan Little, Jets: Had two goals and an assist.

By the numbers

33 Points by Wild defensemen this season.

12-12-1 The Wild’s record without Zach Parise (2-0 this season).

14 Games without a goal by Jason Pominville.



With pair of goals by Thomas Vanek during 2nd period, Wild top Jets 5-3

By DAVE CAMPBELL Associated Press

November 10, 2015 — 10:00pm

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Thomas Vanek scored twice during a four-goal frenzy in the second period by the Minnesota Wild on their way to a 5-3 victory over the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday night.

Nino Niederreiter scored first for Minnesota, and Erik Haula and Chris Porter supplemented Vanek's outburst with goals in the second period as Winnipeg pulled goalie Ondrej Pavelec after falling behind by three. Pavelec stopped only eight of the 12 shots on net against him.

Bryan Little scored twice and Blake Wheeler added a power-play goal to stop a special-teams skid, but the Jets started a four-game road trip through the rugged Central Division in rough fashion.

Devan Dubnyk made 25 saves for his NHL-leading ninth victory for the Wild, who improved to 7-1 at home.



Vanek leads Wild's goal-scoring binge to dump Jets

By Michael Russo Star Tribune

November 10, 2015 — 11:49pm

If the Wild is going to stay above water these upcoming weeks without the injured Zach Parise, Jason Zucker, Mikko Koivu and Nino Niederreiter can’t do it alone.

In the first period Tuesday night, the prolific line did.

Seeing no support from the other lines, coach Mike Yeo made a couple of second-period line adjustments, and that triggered a goal-scoring eruption as the Wild turned a 1-1 deadlock into a 5-3 victory over the rival Winnipeg Jets in front of a season-high 19,153 fans at Xcel Energy Center.

In the latest edition of the tense border battle, Thomas Vanek had his finest evening in a Wild sweater.

On Vanek’s second and third shifts after Yeo swapped him and Charlie Coyle on the second and third lines, Vanek scored a couple of highlight-reel goals that made the 31-year-old look 10 years younger.

The first was a slapshot on a breakaway after defenseman Christian Folin, who had his best game in the NHL, made a heads-up, headman pass to find him. The slapper is one that Vanek has used before in shootouts and was a flashback to Brian Rolston’s old shootout weapon in a Wild sweater.

Wild 5, Winnipeg 3

Thursday: 6 p.m. at Carolina (FSN)

Vanek’s second goal was more breathtaking. At the end of a 69-second shift, Vanek brushed off a line change, took Mikael Granlund’s pass, slipped the puck behind defenseman Paul Postma, turned him inside-out and roofed a beauty over Ondrej Pavelec’s glove in the right corner of the net for a 4-1 lead — the eventual winner.

In between, Erik Haula scored a shorthanded breakaway goal, the second shorty of his career. That came moments after Wild fans and Yeo gave an earful to both referees for not calling a penalty on Blake Wheeler for hauling down Zucker on what could have been a breakaway and then calling Jonas Brodin for tripping Nikolaj Ehlers.

Chris Porter also scored his first goal in a Wild sweater, Niederreiter added a first-period goal and Devan Dubnyk made 25 saves as the Wild, about to embark on four consecutive road games, improved to 2-0 without Parise.

The Jets made it a game with third-period goals by Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little, but the Wild held on for only its third non-one-goal game in 13 all-time meetings with the Jets and third non-one-goal game out of 14 this season.

Kurtis Gabriel made his NHL debut, and 2:04 into the second period with the score tied 1-1, Gabriel had his first NHL fight, against Chris Thorburn. Coincidence or not, the Wild responded by scoring three goals in a 5:24 span to end Pavelec night with eight saves on 12 shots.

The outbreak came after Yeo moved Vanek to the Mikael Granlund-Jason Pominville line.

Vanek continued his strong play to this season as he’s finally healthy. He played through a sports hernia during the second half of last season.

Vanek, who didn’t score his second goal until after Thanksgiving, is second on the Wild with six goals and is tied for second with 12 points.

It took only 3:44 for the Wild to get on the board, and unsurprisingly it was the Zucker-Koivu-Niederreiter line that got it done.

After Koivu won a faceoff cleanly, the line went to work with an asphyxiating cycle down low. Koivu spun away from checker Adam Lowry so many times that it’s amazing the young center didn’t keel over. One final spin leaving Lowry in his dust, and Koivu backhanded a pass into the crease for Niederreiter’s fifth goal of the season.

Koivu picked up at least a point for the 11th time in 14 games, and Zucker picked up his ninth point in the past nine games.

But eight minutes later, the Jets tied the score at 1-1 when Little chopped down on Dustin Byfuglien’s one-timer. The puck bounced perfectly, and Dubnyk had no shot, with the puck bouncing between his legs.

The Jets controlled much of the play in the first period, but the Wild even things late. Still, it was a concern that the Zucker-Koivu-Niederreiter was the only one of the four lines that generated consistent offensive-zone pressure.

That was no longer a concern after the game.



Wild winger Gabriel focuses on diet

By Michael Russo Star Tribune

November 11, 2015 — 12:21am

Kurtis Gabriel might be a gym rat and might have done everything this past summer in an attempt to improve his skating and not be so straight-legged, but part of the rookie’s determination to become a full-time NHLer is nutritional awareness.

He counts every calorie and cooks food to bring on the road with him during minor league trips.

“Not up here. There’s food everywhere,” Gabriel, 22, said. “[My diet is] constantly changing because I’m constantly learning more about my body. I’m not really an explosive guy. Kind of a longer, leaner body type. I’m a good runner, not really super strong or anything. So you kind of tailor your diet to your body type, so I’ve played around with it and get help from nutritionists.

“It’s just another thing to help me. You’ve got to be on top of every aspect. I need all the help I can get to get up here. … As you get older, your metabolism starts to slow down a bit. You can’t eat pizzas after the game. It’s just carbs before and after workouts and then it’s really just protein, veggies and good fats.”

Gabriel, who got into his first NHL fight with Chris Thorburn during his NHL debut Tuesday night against Winnipeg, has gotten into 16 minor league fights after 31 junior fights. He never thought he would be a so-called tough guy who’s also willing to scrap.

“I didn’t get drafted to the [Ontario Hockey League], and they told me if I wanted to play at the next level, I had to be physical,” Gabriel said. “I always hit, but I never realized I could do it more. So I started hitting and realized I like it. It fed my game and it got me going and it took off from there.

Gabriel

Gabriel

“I’m an aggressive guy naturally.”

Still, coach Mike Yeo wanted Gabriel to play smart hockey Tuesday. The Wild entered with one fight all season (Ryan Carter) and had the second-fewest penalty minutes in the NHL (6.1 per game) because of two or fewer minor penalties in eight of the past nine games.

“We’re obviously not a team that likes to run around and take stupid penalties, so this will be a good test [for Gabriel],” Yeo said before Tuesday’s game.

Zucker, Coyle move up

With Zach Parise hurt and his No. 1 power-play unit replacement Marco Scandella away from the team due to a family matter, Jason Zucker assumed Parise’s spot on the No. 1 unit. Zucker, who got limited power-play time last season, played up top to the right of Ryan Suter.

“He’s there to be a shooter, that’s for sure,” Yeo said.

Zucker had been playing with the No. 2 unit off the flank on his forehand, so he was going to have to make an adjustment.

But Zucker can let the puck rip and played this role at University of Denver, although in a different power-play setup.

“All those guys on that unit are great players, so this is a great opportunity for me,” Zucker said.

Charlie Coyle took Zucker’s spot on the second unit.

Yeo said this is an “earned opportunity” for Coyle, adding: “I keep trying to find a way to increase his ice time. He’s been earning more and more penalty kill time.”

Etc.

• Nate Prosser, who missed Saturday’s game vs. Tampa Bay because of a sore back, took Scandella’s spot on the left side of Christian Folin. Prosser, a right-shot defenseman, played the left side much of last season. He said the only big adjustment is in the neutral zone.

• Yeo said defenseman Matt Dumba recently had a CT scan on his left foot and is fine. Word of Dumba’s injury circulated Monday night when Dumba was photographed wearing a walking boot by a clothier. The photo was then posted on Instagram.



Wild-Jets border battle continues tonight at the X

By Michael Russo

November 10, 2015 — 12:40pm

The latest border battle between the Wild and Winnipeg Jets occurs tonight at Xcel Energy Center.

Devan Dubnyk vs. Ondrej Pavelec.

Good morning from Xcel Energy Center, where Kurtis Gabriel will be the second Wild rookie in as many games to make his NHL debut tonight against the Jets, who beat the Wild in Winnipeg on Oct. 25, 5-4.

If you didn’t read my profile on Gabriel in today’s newspaper, here is the link.

The Jets are a big, physical, fast team, but they actually haven’t gotten into a ton of fights. They’ve only gotten into two, the Wild only one, so the Wild says it didn’t call Gabriel up just to drop the gloves but more bring some size and toughness and physicality.

Of course, both Anthony Peluso and Chris Thorburn look like they’re playing for Winnipeg, so the chances are fairly good that Gabriel gets his first NHL fight.

Anthony Peluso was originally in line rushes and Nic Petan wasn't, but now Peluso's working with the scratches.

But coach Mike Yeo said his message to Gabriel will be the same he gave to Christoph Bertschy the other night: “You only get one opportunity to have your first game in the NHL,” so while you have to be mindful of the system and try not to make mistakes, show what you can do.

But Yeo said Gabriel has to try to play his game effectively within the Wild’s concepts and gameplan.

After a very sloppy first four games of the season from a penalty point of view, the Wild has taken two or fewer minors in eight of the past nine games and are the second-most disciplined team in the NHL (6.1 penalty minutes per game).

“We’re obviously not a team that likes to run around and take stupid penalties, so this will be a good test [for Gabriel],” Yeo said.

Remember, the Wild may do some shuffling of Iowa and Minnesota players for a bit, so if the Wild's not planning on Gabriel to be in Thursday's lineup at Carolina, don't be surprised if he's sent down after the game and maybe a guy like Bertschy is brought back up again.

Marco Scandella will be away from the team at least tonight due to a family matter, so Nate Prosser will play the left side of Christian Folin. It’ll be interesting to see if this is one of those games Ryan Suter gets close to 30 minutes a night.

With Zach Parise out and now Scandella out, Jason Zucker will assume that left-shot role to the right of Suter on the power play.

“He’s there to be a shooter, that’s for sure,” Yeo said.

A lot of Zucker’s play on the No. 2 unit this year has been Zucker playing off the flank on his forehand side. Now he’s on the right up top, so Yeo said it’ll be a little different for him and an adjustment in terms of the looks he’s getting, how he faces the net and where the puck’s coming from. But Zucker can obviously let it rip and told me he played this role in college, although the power-play setup was different at DU.

Charlie Coyle not only takes Parise’s spot on the Mikael Granlund-Jason Pominville line, he gets Zucker’s spot on the No. 2 unit with Nino Niederreiter, Thomas Vanek, Jared Spurgeon and Matt Dumba, whom Yeo says is fine. CT scan on his injured you-know-what if you’ve followed social media the past 18 hours was negative, Yeo said.

Players are often banged up and it's never reported. Dumba's just happened to be photographed ... and posted by a store.

Yeo said this is an “earned opportunity” for Coyle. “I keep trying to find a way to increase his ice time. He’s been earning more and more penalty kill time.”

Yeo said Coyle is a luxury to have because since he can play center and wing, there are lots of times in a course of games where Yeo shortens the bench and Coyle’s versatility helps him through those times.

Wild-Jets games are usually fun, always tight, always intense. It helps especially here that Jets fans come down and create for a lively atmosphere, which Yeo joked usually makes for an “ornery” Wild crowd, so it makes for a fun game. We have to make sure we’re ready at the drop of the puck because we know they will be.”

I think that’s it. Last night, Wild owner Craig Leipold came to Tom Reid’s and taped a real fun, informative podcast with Jim Souhan and I. That podcast will be posted tomorrow morning on iTunes (you can subscribe to malepatternpodcasts.com on your podcast app on your iPhone) or just go to malepatternpodcasts.com.

Talk tonight.



Minnesota Wild: Thomas Vanek's spectacular goal spurs rout of Jets

By Chad Graff

[email protected]

Posted: 11/11/2015 12:01:00 AM CST

Updated: 11/11/2015 12:23:11 AM CST

Thomas Vanek scored the prettiest goal of his 104 games with the Wild, a beauty set up by a between-the-legs move, and laughed to himself, seemingly at the absurdity of what he had just pulled off.

The second period wasn't halfway over, and Vanek's dangle of Paul Postma turned the Winnipeg defenseman into a stationary cone, giving Minnesota a 4-1 lead and chasing Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec from the net.

Vanek skated past the Wild bench, bumping gloves with teammates, celebrating on a night in which little went wrong for the home squad.

Skating without their best player and against their physical Canadian rival, the Wild posted a confidence-building 5-3 victory over the Jets on Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center.

With leading scorer Zach Parise sidelined because of a sprained MCL, the Wild spent recent days emphasizing the importance of defense. They cited a 1-0 win over Tampa Bay on Saturday as evidence of the type of game they'll have to play while without Parise for the next few weeks.

Yet Tuesday, in the finale of a three-game homestand that netted two wins, the Wild offense bulldozed for four goals in a span of 8 minutes, 14 seconds of the second period, setting up their third five-goal game this season.

Minnesota improved to 7-1-0 this season at home.

"Obviously it's going to hurt having Zach out, but we're good," Vanek said. "We're deep. There are going to be times we're going to need him, but we played well and guys stepped up as a team."

A team that figured it'd have to win low-scoring games without Parise instead got a short-handed goal from Erik Haula, a deflection goal from Chris Porter, his first tally as a member of the Wild, an early strike from Nino Niederreiter, and two eyebrow-raising goals from Vanek, both of which came after he was slotted up on the depth chart to a line with Mikael Granlund and Jason Pominville.

Vanek's first goal began the Wild's second-period frenzy.

In alone on a breakaway aided by defenseman Christian Folin, who played one of the best games of his career, Vanek surprised the season-high crowd of 19,153 by pulling up on a breakaway and opting for a slap shot from the top of the circles that beat Pavelec.

Then, sandwiching Haula's breakaway goal, Vanek recorded the highlight of the night by embarrassing Postma with a strike that put the Wild up 4-1.

"I liked it a lot," coach Mike Yeo said of Vanek's impressive play. "It was outstanding. It's a big goal for us, but what you like is (he was) doing things the right way (before the goal)."

The Wild carried a four-goal lead into the third period, which made two late goals by the Jets mostly irrelevant.

In previous meetings with the Jets, the Wild had struggled when they allowed play to turn into a slow battle of brute force. But against their bigger opponents Tuesday, the Wild's second-period burst was a product of skating around the Jets, using their speed as a deterrent to Winnipeg's hits.

"We felt if we could get the puck behind their 'D' we could take advantage," Yeo said.

They did.

The Wild tied their season high for goals in a game even without their leading scorer, a boost of self-assurance as they venture on a four-game road trip without Parise.

"Obviously it's not great missing a guy like Zach," Haula said. "But you can't dwell on it, and you have to have guys step up. I feel like we're having some of that."

Pioneer Press LOADED: 11.11.2015


Wild's Mike Yeo: Enforcers can't stop questionable hits

By Chad Graff

[email protected]

Posted: 11/11/2015 12:01:00 AM CST

Updated: 11/11/2015 12:19:34 AM CST

On Oct. 30, Wild forward Justin Fontaine suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament as a result of a knee-to-knee hit that will keep him out several weeks. Six days later, the same thing happened to teammate Zach Parise.

Those hits, and their repercussions, have reignited the question of whether enforcers actually serve as a deterrent for questionable hits on a team's skill players.

Kurtis Gabriel, a player known for his fighting ability, made his NHL debut Tuesday for the Wild. Coach Mike Yeo downplayed the idea that a player like Gabriel would have prevented the injuries to Fontaine and Parise.

"You look at Zach's (injury), and it's not like that's a tough guy (that caused it)," Yeo said.

"That's the type of game that (James) Neal plays every night; it doesn't matter what opponent he's playing. So I don't think that's the case.

"Those days of the deterrents and those days of the enforcers tapping a guy on the shoulder (are over). The league has changed. That's the reality. Players are quite often smart enough to know that they can say no to a fight.

"Whenever you can have a physical player in the game who can play the game, that's when it's important, because if they're going to run around, if they're going to hit, then you want players that are capable of going around doing the same things."

Yeo, who set the Houston Aeros franchise record for fighting majors as a player, appreciates a skater who can drop the gloves.

But these days, he said, NHL teams can't hide a fourth line, so players who can fight need to be able to play defense.

A player whose job is to patrol the ice, Yeo said, "is always a luxury."

"Those guys have to prove that they can play, and that's the game today," Yeo said. "By all accounts, (Gabriel) has been playing the game well. He knows the things that he needs to work on, he knows the type of game that he has to bring. But you can't just run around and have 15 hits in the game and be minus-3; you have to be able to play the game, you have to be able to execute and along the way try to find a way to bring a physical presence in the game."

SPECIALTY PROMOTIONS

With Parise out of the lineup, defenseman Marco Scandella had received the first promotion to the Wild's top power-play unit. But with Scandella away from the team for personal reasons, Jason Zucker got the call for Tuesday's game against Winnipeg at the Xcel Energy Center,

Charlie Coyle was put on the second power-play unit. Coyle also is filling in for Parise on the team's top line with Mikael Granlund and Jason Pominville.

"A pretty good opportunity for him and an earned opportunity, too," Yeo said of Coyle, who entered Tuesday's game with six points. "We keep trying to find a way to increase his ice time. He has been earning more and more penalty killing time, and (he adds) the luxury of being able to play center and wing."

Zucker took the shoot-first spot on the power play that Parise held before he sprained his MCL. From that position at the top of the circle, Parise scored three power plays goals in the Wild's first three games. When Scandella took that spot Thursday, he scored, as well.

"He's there to be a shooter, that's for sure," Yeo said of Zucker.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 11.11.2015

981934 Montreal Canadiens

Montreal’s Carey Price to miss another week with lower body injury

Bill Beacon

BROSSARD, Que. — The Canadian Press

Published Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015 12:58PM EST

Last updated Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015 5:28PM EST

It will be up to backup Mike Condon to hold the fort in the Montreal Canadiens’ net for at least another week.

Coach Michel Therrien announced Tuesday that star goalie Carey Price will not play this week, although his lower-body injury is not expected to keep him out for the long term.

Condon will make a sixth consecutive start when the Canadiens, with dads in tow for their annual fathers and sons trip, visit the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night. Since Price last played in a 4-3 loss in Edmonton on Oct. 29, Condon has gone 4-0-1 and allowed only eight goals.

“I don’t think about it too much,” said the 25-year-old rookie from the Boston area. “Obviously, Carey is the best goalie in the world and it’s tough that he’s out right now, but it’s the backup’s job to be ready when the opportunity comes.”

Condon has actually posted slightly better numbers than Price this season. Price is 7-2-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average and .936 save percentage while Condon is 6-0-1 with a 1.57 GAA and .940 save percentage.

And the 13-2-1 Canadiens haven’t skipped a beat without last season’s Vezina Trophy winner and Hart Trophy recipient.

“(Condon is) taking his first steps in the NHL and he got an opportunity to play more than he probably expected with the injury to Price,” said Therrien. “He responded the right way. He’s taking the good approach of playing one game at a time.”

Therrien said Price sought a second opinion on his injury from a doctor in New York on Monday and got the same diagnosis team doctors had given him.

“He was worried a bit,” said Therrien. “The good news is it’s the same thing as our doctor (diagnosed) in Montreal.

“It’s good for him, mentally. There’s no worry. He’s not going to play this week. We hope he’ll be able to get on the ice pretty soon, so this is good news.”

Meanwhile, Condon’s impressive performance has put the lie to the notion that the Canadiens would be a mediocre team without Price.

“We know that people felt that Carey was the reason for all of our success,” said captain Max Pacioretty. “He is a big reason for a lot of our success.

“This is an opportunity for Condon to show what he’s made of and he’s done that so far. And it’s a bit of motivation for us to open up some eyes.”

The six-foot-two Condon seemed to come out of nowhere.

He played four years at Princeton University and spent a season with Wheeling in the ECHL before Montreal signed him. He did well in 48 games with the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate last season, going 23-19-6 with a 2.44 GAA, but little to hint at the start he’s had in the NHL.

Then he beat out Dustin Tokarski for the backup job in camp and kept it going into the regular season.

“No one knew about Condo before and everyone knows about him now,” said Pacioretty.

He still has a long way to go to catch Patrick Lalime’s record 16 games without a loss (14-0-2) to start his NHL career with the Penguins in 1996-’97. But Condon only thinks of the next game he has to play.

And he said he isn’t getting tired yet.

“In Wheeling, we played four games in five nights, so this is almost like a rest.”

Even though he can’t play, Price made the flight to Pittsburgh with his father. Condon’s dad will see him play an NHL game for the first time.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 11.11.2015


Dave Stubbs: Goalie Price still out but Canadiens offer cautiously optimistic news on his rehab

Dave Stubbs, Montreal Gazette

More from Dave Stubbs, Montreal Gazette

Published on: November 10, 2015 | Last Updated: November 10, 2015 5:52 PM EST

So there was Jerry Price in the stands at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard on Tuesday morning, among a large group of fellow fathers of Canadiens players, and what a blown opportunity that was.

A goaltender who was selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the eighth round of the NHL’s 1978 amateur draft, 126th overall, Jerry could have strapped on his son’s pads and skated into a net.

With that small gesture, the Earth would have tilted back on its proper axis with the hockey universe declaring, “Price is in the Canadiens net!”

Jerry Price and his much more famous netminding son, Carey, were on the Canadiens’ charter flight a few hours later bound for Pittsburgh and Wednesday’s game against the Penguins (7:30 p.m., SNE, RDS, TSN Radio 690).

And before wheels-up for the overnight, one-game father-and-son road trip, the news from the Price family camp was cautiously optimistic.

Carey Price will miss both Canadiens games this week – in Pittsburgh and back home Saturday vs. Colorado – as he continues to rehab a lower-body injury suffered during his team’s 4-3 loss in Edmonton on Oct. 29.

Head coach Michel Therrien said that his superstar goalie “was not responding all that well to treatment, so he was a bit worried.”

“Fairly” was another word Therrien used.

But the coach added that Price’s mind was put at ease when a second medical opinion on Monday in New York agreed with that which he’d received nine days earlier from the Habs’ medical staff.

The trip to New York came at Price’s request, not the team’s, which Therrien said is entirely normal.

“Every time there’s a second opinion, it’s always (a request) coming from the players,” he said. “It happens a lot more than you (media) guys probably know.

“Athletes respond to treatment differently. That’s good for him mentally. There’s no worry. He’s not going to play this week, obviously, (but) we hope he’s going to be able to get on the ice pretty soon. This is good news.”

Surgery, Therrien added, has never been considered.

Back into the Canadiens net on Wednesday goes Mike Condon, who’s played wonderfully before and since Price was shelved.

It was announced on Nov. 1 that Price was sidelined for a week with the lower-body injury; that’s grown to two weeks.

(In time-honoured smokescreen fashion that is hardly unique to the Canadiens, Therrien wasn’t elaborating on the exact nature of Price’s injury, saying that would simply be giving an advantage to the opposition.)

But the Price-less armageddon predicted by many Canadiens fans failed to materialize last week when Condon shone in his backup role, the Habs going 3-0-1 during a homestand played over seven nights. The 25-year-old was named the NHL’s third star of the week on Monday for having gone 2-0-1 with a 1.66 goals-against average and .934 save percentage.

Condon, who has played all of seven career big-league games, has yet to lose in regulation time. He boasts a record of 6-0-1 with an NHL-leading GAA of 1.57 and a glittering save percentage of .940.

“Good for him, it’s good for his confidence, making his first step in the NHL,” Therrien said of Monday’s third-star selection. “(Condon) has an opportunity of playing more than he expected with Price’s injury, but he’s responded the right way. He’s got maturity, he’s taking the good approach … and working really hard. We’re all glad he’s able to compete that way.”

The Canadiens have heard – and continue to hear – the critics charging that they’re a one-man team, that without Price, they’re in a heap of trouble.

Last week’s homestand suggests otherwise.

“We know we’re not a one-man hockey club,” defenceman Nathan Beaulieu said. “Pricey is the best player in the world for obvious reasons, but the guys stepping up in his absence is pretty impressive.

“We’ve got a tight-knit group in here. We’re pretty good at putting the earmuffs on and going to work and knowing what we have to do. (Negative) comments don’t bring us down and it’s nice to see guys stepping up in the absence of our best player.

“I’m not going to lie, it sucks when you hear the news that Pricey wasn’t available to play,” Beaulieu added. “You’ve got to have trust in guys around the room to step up.

“We have full trust in Condon, he’s been great this far. One of the worst things you can do is try to tense up and worry … that one of your players isn’t available to play. We don’t change our game at all and that’s what made us successful.”

While the Canadiens (13-2-1) will change very little vs. the Penguins (9-5-0), one thing might slip a little on the trip. And that’s a small bit of decorum.

Last season, it was the mothers who joined their sons for back-to-back games in Boston, a 2-0 win, and New York, a 5-0 loss to the Rangers.

“Everyone was pretty disciplined,” Beaulieu said with a grin, speaking of quiet flights and everyone being on their best behaviour. “We’ll see. Last time there was a dads trip, they lost both games (4-3 in Minnesota and 4-1 in Colorado in 2013), so we hope to get a win.”

Therrien grinned at the behaviour factor, saying with a laugh that the dynamic of a father-and-son trip is different “for sure” than mother-and-son.

“Two years ago, the dads didn’t have a good record. They’d better do a better job,” he joked, leaving it unclear whether he meant the fathers or their sons had to sharpen up.

But it was Brendan Gallagher who nailed it:

“It’s a little different having the dads along than the moms,” he said, headed for a post-practice shower. “Moms are just there to see you smile and have fun. But dads want to see you win hockey games.”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 11.11.2015


Canadiens at Penguins: Condon vs. Fleury in clash of hot netminders

Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette

More from Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette


CANADIENS AT PENGUINS

Consol Energy Centre, Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., SNE, RDS, TSN Radio 690

The matchup: This rivalry has come down to a goaltending duel between Carey Price and Marc-André Fleury in recent years but Price — who stopped 31 shots in a 3-2 win over the Penguins on Oct. 13 — is out for another week with a lower-body injury. He travelled to New York Monday to get a second opinion and a doctor there confirmed the original diagnosis in Montreal. Coach Michel Therrien said Price would continue with his rehab and the Canadiens hoped to have him back in the lineup soon.

Condon rolls on: With Price on the shelf, Mike Condon gets his sixth consecutive start. The 25-year-old rookie has a 6-0-1 record and leads the NHL with a 1.57 goals-against average. He hasn’t allowed more than two goals in any of his seven starts and has a .940 save percentage. Fleury is no slouch, either. He has won seven of his last nine starts behind a weak offensive team. He has a 1.93 GAA and a .933 save percentage.

Penguins firing blanks: It seems strange to hear the Penguins described as a weak offensive team, but Pittsburgh is averaging 2.21 goals a game to rank 25th in the NHL. Only two players have hit double figures in scoring — Evgeni Malkin (four goals, seven assists) and Phil Kessel with a team-high six goals and 10 points. Sidney Crosby may be the best player in the world, but he’s not playing like it. He has two goals from 39 shots, a 5.9-per-cent success rate.

Canadiens flex muscle: It’s also strange to hear the Canadiens described as an offensive juggernaut, but Montreal leads the NHL with an average of 3.89 goals a game. Balance is the key to the Canadiens’ success. Tomas Plekanec leads the team with 15 point, while Andrei Markov, P.K. Subban, Max Pacioretty, Brendan Gallagher and David Desharnais each have 14.

Lineup update: With Price out until at least next week, the Montreal lineup remains the same, which means Alexander Semin will be a healthy scratch for the seventh consecutive game and defencemen Jarred Tinordi and Greg Pateryn are still looking for their first starts this season. The Penguins received some good news when Pascal Dupuis was cleared to play after missing two games in Western Canada. Dupuis had problems with a blood clot last season and took himself out of the lineup as a precaution. He returns to the top line with Crosby and they’ll be joined by Beau Bennett, who has been promoted to give the line an added threat. Penguins winger Bryan Rust is on the injured reserve list with an arm injury.

Looking ahead: This is a light workweek for the Canadiens who return home to face the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. It’s the first of three home games for the Habs who are home to Vancouver on Monday and Arizona on Thursday before travelling to Brooklyn on Friday to face the N. Y. Islanders.



Price responding to treatment, but won't play this week

Dave Stubbs, Montreal Gazette

More from Dave Stubbs, Montreal Gazette


Canadiens goaltender Carey Price is responding well to treatment for his lower-body injury, head coach Michel Therrien said Tuesday at noon, but he will not play this week.

Therrien admitted that Price was a little worried but the team is hopeful that he’ll be on the ice “pretty soon.”

Price was making the afternoon trip on his team’s charter to Pittsburgh with his father, Jerry, and many other dads as part of the Habs’ fathers-and-sons trip.

Mike Condon will get the start in goal against the Penguins, his sixth consecutive start.

Price had suffered a lower-body injury in the Canadiens’ 4-3 Oct. 29 loss in Edmonton, though he was healthy enough to serve as Mike Condon’s backup in Calgary the following night.

Friday treatment was followed by team medical staff’s recommendation, upon the club’s return home Saturday, that Price take a little time off.

On Monday, Price flew to New York for a second opinion from a doctor there. He was not on the ice in Brossard for Tuesday’s practice, though his father was in the stands at the Bell Sports Complex, watching the 11 a.m. session.

Therrien said that Price was relieved to hear the same diagnosis in New York as he’d received from team medical staff. Surgery has never been considered.

With Price sidelined for a week, the doomsday feared by many Canadiens fans failed to materialize last week when Condon shone in his backup role, the Habs going 3-0-1 during a four-game homestand played over seven nights. The 25-year-old was named the NHL’s third star of the week on Monday.

Condon has yet to lose a game in regulation time this season, now showing a record of 6-0-1 with a league-leading goals-against average of 1.57 and a save percentage of .940.

From the league’s Monday release about his being named the week’s third star:

“Condon posted a 2-0-1 record (Monday through Sunday, not including the Nov. 1 win vs. Winnipeg) with a 1.66 goals-against average and .934 save percentage to lead the Canadiens (13-2-1, 27 points) to their best 16-game start to a season in the franchise’s 98-year NHL history. He made 25 saves in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Ottawa Senators Nov. 3 before bouncing back with 17 saves in a 4-1 victory over the New York Islanders Nov. 5 and 29 stops in a 4-2 win over the Boston Bruins Nov. 7. The Needham, Mass., native, who made his League debut Oct. 11, has compiled a 6-0-1 record with a 1.57 goals-against average and .940 save percentage in his first seven NHL appearances.”



Carey Price out for at least another week with mysterious lower-body injury

Posted by Stu Cowan

STU COWAN

MONTREAL GAZETTE

The Canadiens are getting serious when it comes to keeping exactly what Carey Price’s lower-body injury is a secret.

How serious?

“If I tell you, I’d have to kill you,” coach Michel Therrien said in French after being asked for specifics about Price’s injury by a reporter following Tuesday’s practice in Brossard.

When asked later to repeat it in English, Therrien said: “Do I have to kill you, too?” with a big laugh. “Two guys?”

Therrien said he would give out as much information as he could, adding the Canadiens didn’t want to give any advantage to the opposition by saying exactly what the injury was to the star goalie.

Price went to New York on Monday to get a second opinion on his injury which has already sidelined him for a week and will keep him out for at least another week.

“Carey was responding fairly to treatment and he was worried a little bit,” Therrien told reporters in Brossard after Tuesday’s practice. “He wanted to make sure the diagnosis from our doctors was the same and he went to New York yesterday.”

Doctors in New York had the same diagnosis as the ones in Montreal — whatever that might be. Therrien said it wasn’t uncommon for players to want to get a second medical opinion.

“Those things happen,” the coach said. “Athletes respond to treatment differently. That’s good for him mentally. There’s no worry. He’s not going to play this week, obviously, and we hope that he’s going to be able to get on the ice pretty soon. But this is good news.”

Therrien added that the possibility of surgery for Price has never come up.

Price and his father, Jerry, will both travel with the Canadiens to Pittburgh for Wednesday’s game against the Penguins (7:30 p.m., SN, RDS, TSN Radio 690) as part of the team’s father/son road trip.

• Condon stays in spotlight, by Dave Stubbs

• Condon vs. Fleury in clash of hot goalies, by Pat Hickey

• Family first, canadiens.com

• Brandon Prust’s fiancée demolished by trade from Habs, by Brendan Kelly

• Canada’s Miracle on Ice a great Remembrance Day story, by Stu Cowan

Condon stays in the spotlight

The Canadiens don’t need to panic about Price’s situation because of the stellar play of rookie backup goalie Mike Condon.

The 25-year-old Princeton University graduate has a 6-0-1 record and led the league with a 1.57 goals-against average and ranked fifth in save percentage at .940 heading into Tuesday’s schedule. He was also named the NHL’s third star of the week on Monday.

“He was a third star last week and good for him,” Therrien said. “First of all, it’s good for his confidence making his first step in the NHL. And he’s got an opportunity to play more than probably he expected with the injury to Carey Price. But he responded the right way, he’s kept maturity, he’s taking the good approach about playing one game at a time. He’s working really hard, really mature, and we’re all glad that he’s capable to compete that way.”

Condon will get a chance to compete again Wednesday night against the Penguins with his father, Ted, watching.

Practice lines

Here’s how the lines and defence pairings looked at Tuesday’s practice:

Pacioretty – Plekanec – Gallagher

Weise – Desharnais – Fleischmann

Eller – Galchenyuk – Smith-Pelly

Flynn – Mitchell – Byron

Semin

Petry – Emelin

Beaulieu – Gilbert

Subban – Markov

Tinordi – Pateryn

This Date in Habs History

Nov. 10, 1934: The Canadiens’ Armand Mondou became the first player in NHL history to take a penalty shot. He missed in his attempt against George Hainsworth of Toronto. Three days later, Ralph Bowman of St. Louis scored the first penalty-shot goal in NHL history.

Nov. 10, 1938: Toronto goalie Turk Broda recorded his 10th career shutout as the Maple Leafs beat the Canadiens 2-0 in a penalty-free game in Montreal.

Nov. 10, 1949: Maurice Richard scored twice to lead the Canadiens to a 4-2 win over the Maple Leafs at the Forum.

Nov. 10, 1951: Floyd Curry scored a goal and added two assists to lead the Canadiens to a 4-2 win over the Chicago Black Hawks at the Forum.

Nov. 10, 1960: Dickie Moore scored twice and defenceman Albert Langlois had three assists to lead the Canadiens to a 9-7 win over the New York Rangers at the Forum.

Nov. 10, 1974: Henri Richard scored two goals and added three assists to lead the Canadiens to an 11-1 win over the Capitals in Washington.


981939 Nashville Predators

5 takeaways from Predators' win vs. Senators

Adam Vingan, [email protected] 11:47 p.m. CST November 10, 2015

Here are five takeaways from the Predators' 7-5 win against the Senators on Tuesday at Bridgestone Arena:

Fourth-line production: With center Paul Gaustad out because of a lower-body injury and forward Eric Nystrom already missing because of an upper-body injury, the Predators' fourth line had a different look Tuesday, but one that was incredibly productive. Gabriel Bourque, Austin Watson and Tuesday call-up Colton Sissons combined for six points — three goals and three assists. Watson had three of his own, setting a personal best for his young career. Bourque's goal was his first of the season, and Sissons, who had seven points in 10 games in the American Hockey League, added his second career NHL goal.

Penalty-kill troubles: The Predators' penalty kill was an early season bright spot but has struggled in recent games. The Senators put two power-play goals past goaltender Pekka Rinne, the third consecutive game that the Predators have allowed that many power-play goals. Nashville's penalty kill has plummeted to 22nd in the NHL at 76.7 percent.

Rinne average: Nashville's seven-goal outburst allowed it to overcome an average night from Rinne, who allowed five goals on 26 shots. He's allowed four or more goals in three of his past four starts and has a 3.68 goals-against average and .866 save percentage over that span.

Seventh heaven: Tuesday marked the 18th time in team history that the Predators have scored at least seven goals in a game. It was the first time since April 12, 2014, against the Blackhawks that they did so at Bridgestone Arena. The previous three instances all occurred on the road.

Offense from defense: The Predators' six defensemen combined for nine points Tuesday, with two each from Seth Jones, Ryan Ellis and Mattias Ekholm. Nashville has five defensemen with at least five points this season.

Tennessean LOADED: 11.11.2015


Predators pile up goals to top Senators


Stay the course and the goals will come.

That was the message delivered by the Predators as they prepared for the Senators on Tuesday. Second in the NHL in shots per game but 18th in scoring entering Tuesday's action, Nashville knew that discrepancy eventually would balance itself out.

It did Tuesday as Nashville erupted for a season-high seven goals in a 7-5 comeback win against Ottawa.

"We played some good hockey, and we didn't get our bounces," said Predators captain Shea Weber, who scored his 150th career goal. "We didn't get any goals. We ran into some good goaltending. Tonight, we got some bounces fortunately and put up a lot of goals."

After 45 shots resulted in zero goals against the Blues on Saturday, the Predators were rewarded for their offensive aptitude Tuesday. They finished with 38 shots, many of which created high-quality scoring chances. But Nashville required a three-goal outburst within a 2:28 span in the second period — provided by Weber, defensive partner Roman Josi and forward Austin Watson —to become offensively involved.

"I think we were just trying to push the pace," Watson said. "When we're getting pucks deep and putting it behind their 'D' and forechecking them, our team's at our best. We did that in the second, and we were able to start a little bit of a comeback there (and) finish it off in the third."

As a result of the second-period surge, the Predators took a 4-3 lead after an uninspired start that had them staring down a 2-0 hole six minutes into the game and a 3-1 deficit at the first intermission.

"It questions you right away, though, when you go down by a couple goals right away and then you're down 3-1 looking at an uphill grind," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "After that happened, our guys really stuck to it and continued to push. We were able to find the net, the offensive zone and the attack."

Ottawa was more than willing to reciprocate, though, taking a 5-4 lead into the second intermission before Predators defenseman Mattias Ekholm tied the score at 5 less than three minutes into the third period. Nashville's offensive deluge continued as defenseman Barret Jackman and forward Gabriel Bourque scored 94 seconds apart midway through the final period to ultimately overwhelm the Senators.

"We were definitely due," said Jackman, whose goal was his first as a member of the Predators. "I think we had a lot more dirtier, grittier second chances tonight and were able to get some bounces our way. The floodgates opened tonight."



Shea Weber scores 150th career goal, 400th point


Unfailingly team-oriented, it came as no surprise when Predators captain Shea Weber shrugged off a question about reaching a career milestone with his 150th career goal and 400th point.

"Hopefully, I can get more," Weber said after the Predators' 7-5 win against Ottawa on Tuesday night. "I don't know. Not done playing yet, so obviously (I'm) very fortunate to be able to play in this league. It's a great league and the Predators have given me a great opportunity to be here. We've just got to keep winning games and get on a roll here."

Weber scored the milestone marker during a second-period power play, creeping toward the goal from the left circle and beating Senators goaltender Craig Anderson. Weber is now one of three active defensemen with 150 goals, joining the Rangers' Dan Boyle and Bruins' Zdeno Chara. Weber, who is already the highest-scoring defenseman in franchise history, is the eighth active defensemen with 400 points.

"It was awesome," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "The defense had a great night. Shea, it was great for him and well-deserved. The way he plays the game, both ends of the ice, he gets recognized for what he does offensively, but he's as valuable defensively to us. Certainly, a nice milestone for him."

All-Star Game update: NHL executive vice president of events Don Renzulli was in Nashville on Tuesday to provide an update on All-Star Game proceedings. A recent TSN report said that the league was considering adopting a three-on-three format for the game on Jan. 31, with “a series of three-on-three games in a mini-tournament format” being a likely scenario.

“I know our guys are talking to the (NHL)PA now,” Renzulli said when asked if the NHL was considering those changes. "Nothing’s been finalized. I don’t think we’ll rule it out. We’re going to listen to them and talk to them, and if it makes sense and the players are on our side to do this, then I think something can get done.”

Gaustad injured: Predators forward Paul Gaustad missed Tuesday's game with a lower-body injury.

In his absence, forward Colton Sissons, the captain of the Predators' American Hockey League affiliate in Milwaukee, centered the fourth line and scored the team's first goal of the game.

Fellow fourth-liner Eric Nystrom is already on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, having missed four consecutive games. Nystrom is eligible to return as soon as he's healthy.

Hutton to IR: The Predators placed goaltender Carter Hutton on injured reserve Tuesday with an upper-body injury. He will have to miss Nashville's next two games Thursday against Toronto and Saturday against Winnipeg, but is eligible to return Tuesday against Anaheim.

Nashville recalled Marek Mazanec from the AHL under emergency conditions to replace Hutton.



Predators seek rewards strong offense brings


Entering Tuesday's game against the Senators at Bridgestone Arena, the Predators are second in the NHL in shots per game with 31.8, but 18th in scoring at 2.54 goals per game.

Despite the noticeable statistical discrepancy, the Predators believe it's a positive reflection of their process that just hasn't been rewarded.

"We're doing the right things, and eventually that's going to balance itself out," Predators forward Cody Hodgson said. "It's still pretty early — we're 13 games into the season — but I think we do a good job of getting quality chances, too. Not just chances from the outside; anyone can shoot from outside the blue line and get 40 shots."

The Predators (8-3-2) have lost three games this season in which they recorded 40 or more shots, accounting for all of the team's regulation defeats. The rest of the NHL is 14-12-5 in that same scenario.

Nashville's most recent shot-filled setback came Saturday in its 4-0 loss to St. Louis, the second time in franchise history that the Predators were shut out when taking at least 45 shots on goal. In another peculiar twist, the Predators are 5-0-0 this season when they are outshot.

On Saturday the Predators certainly looked like the better team despite the lopsided final score, generating 10 high-danger scoring chances at even strength, according to war-on-ice.com, and hitting the post three times.

"I've got a lot of confidence in our guys that we can score goals," Predators coach Peter Laviolette said. "We scored goals last year, so I think if you stay with what you know works, I think eventually the results will come, both from an offensive production and from a win production. The one thing that you want to be doing right is being in the offensive zone and generating chances, and right now we're doing that."

Nashville needs those spirited performances to be reflected in the standings, though.

"It's difficult because you've got to be careful, too," Laviolette said. "We've lost three out of four. We've played pretty good hockey, but we've lost three out of four here."

Hutton to IR: The Predators placed goaltender Carter Hutton on injured reserve Tuesday with an upper-body injury. He will have to miss Nashville's next three games, but is eligible to return next Tuesday against the Ducks.

Milestone WATCH: Captain Shea Weber enters Tuesday’s game against the Senators with 149 career goals and 399 points. When he reaches those milestones, he’ll be the third active NHL defenseman with at least 150 goals and eighth with at least 400 points. Weber is already the highest-scoring defenseman in franchise history.

Housley's speech: Predators assistant coach Phil Housley was formally inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday in Toronto. You can watch his entire speech below. Housley is expected to be back for Tuesday's game.

Phil Housley is officially a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. #HHOF2015 https://t.co/yDWB9z8l54

— NHL (@NHL) November 10, 2015



NHL checks on progress of Nashville's All-Star plan

David Ammenheuser, [email protected] 7:29 p.m. CST November 10, 2015

Call it an 80-day checkup.

NHL executives were in Nashville on Tuesday to get an update on how the local organizing committee's plans are progressing for All-Star Weekend, Jan. 29-31.

"Overall, we are in great shape," said Don Renzulli, the NHL's executive vice president for events.

He recalled the bidding process from the winter of 2013-14 when Nashville won the rights to host the event.

"Early on, they really pushed us to say they could do it the biggest and the best," Renzulli said. "I think they've shown that. Just with the talent side."

Renzulli was one of three NHL officials to attend the organizing committee's board meeting at Bridgestone Arena. Also present were Bill Miller, Vice President of Events, and Nirva Milord, Director of Corporate Communication.

The trio came away impressed with the board, which is a mix of a Predators officials, the Nashville Sports Council and community business leaders.

"They really pulled together something special," Renzulli said. "When people come in, it's not going to be, 'They are going to see music at the game.' They are going to see music everywhere.

At past NHL All-Star Weekends "we've never seen the integration of talent like we have here," Miller said.

Among the updates from board members:

* The Bridgestone Winter Park outdoor rink is on target to open the morning of Dec. 12. On that day, Bridgestone Arena will host a college basketball game (MTSU vs. Auburn) at noon and a hockey game (Predators vs. Colorado) at 7 p.m.

* Information on balloting for the All-Star Game will be released in the next three weeks. Balloting will be done on NHL.com.

* NHL commissioner Gary Bettman will be on hand to open Bridgestone Winter Park on Jan. 28. Besides the outdoor ice rink, the Walk of Fame Park will be converted to include a music stage and hockey-related activities. The opening ceremonies and concert will be held at 5:30 p.m.

* The NHL Fan Fair, the interactive hockey festival, will be held at Music City Center, Jan. 28-31. It will open on Jan. 28 at 2 p.m. for Predators season ticket holders and at 4 p.m. for the public. Tickets are available at Bridgestone and also at ticketmaster.com. Daily ticket holders will be allowed to attend the free concert at the park, then re-enter the Fan Fair as often as they wish.

* The organizing committee expects to start releasing the names of the entertainment acts soon. There will be music venues on stages at Fan Fair and at the Winter Park.


981944 New Jersey Devils

Can the Devils just write this loss off? Not a chance

Rich Chere

Email the author | on November 10, 2015 at 10:52 PM, updated November 10, 2015 at 10:53 PM

NEWARK — For a Devils team that been better than expectations so far this season, perhaps Tuesday night's 2-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues was a game they could simply write off.

You can't win them all.

"I don't think we can do that. I think it was an important game," center Travis Zajac said. "Obviously we weren't good enough for 60 minutes, so you can't just sweep it under the rug. We have to look towards Chicago now."

Were the odds simply against the Devils?

"Not necessarily. If you look at how the schedule is set up, we had plenty of rest and we didn't have a lot of travel," coach John Hynes said. "This was just a game where, as the game wore on we just got outplayed. We have to do a better job. Even though it was a tight game, we didn't play to the level we needed to in the last 40 minutes of the game. Therefore we didn't get a chance to win."

The outcome was no surprise to Hynes.

"The team that won the game played better for longer," he said.

Perhaps lineup changes are in the cards.

"The beauty is we don't play for a day. We'll be able to go back and look at it and see," Hynes said. "If we think we can sub guys in and out, we'll decide that over the next 24 hours."

Star Ledger LOADED: 11.11.2015


Two familiar faces returned to burn the Devils

Rich Chere


NEWARK — The Devils weren't really interested in the fact that Scott Gomez and Martin Havlat, two players they discarded after last season, were the biggest factors in leading the St. Louis Blues to a 2-0 victory Tuesday night at Prudential Center.

Havlat scored the first goal, set up by a typical Gomez pass.

"They're good players," goalie Cory Schneider noted. "Marty can shoot the puck and he got some time and space there. And we saw last season Gomer still had a lot in him and can make plays. He's a dangerous player when he's got the puck on his stick. We have to do a better job checking them."

Travis Zajac agreed.

"Gomer is a good player. We always knew he could make plays. That's what he's best at," Zajac said. "You give him time and space and he'll find open guys 90 percent of the time."

So did it sting that Havlat and Gomez returned to burn the Devils?

"That's just part of the game, part of the business in the game," coach John Hynes said. "We got beat by another team regardless of who's on it. To us, it's not that. It's more we weren't able to bring our best and we got beat. That's the focus."



Devils shut out by Jake Allen and St. Louis Blues, 2-0 | Rapid reaction

Rich Chere

Email the author | on November 10, 2015 at 9:25 PM, updated November 11, 2015 at 12:24 AM

NEWARK — Martin Havlat and Scott Gomez came back to haunt the

Devils, who were shut out for the first time this season by goalie Jake Allen and the St. Louis Blues, 2-0, Tuesday night at Prudential Center.

It was the first time the Devils were shut out since Jaroslav Halak of the New York Islanders defeated them, 3-0, on March 21 last season.

Havlat scored the game's first goal as the Devils saw their home record fall to 4-4-1.

Allen has three shutouts this season.

HIGHLIGHTS

The standing ovation for Blues assistant GM and former Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur when his image was shown on the video screen during the first period. Chants of "Mar-ty... Mar-ty."

Marty gets a standing ovation from the @PruCenter crowd! Just wait for Feb. 9. It's going to be legendary. #MB30 pic.twitter.com/nUri9f1SfW

— New Jersey Devils (@NHLDevils) November 11, 2015

Travis Zajac was outstanding on face-offs.

A nice sliding block by defenseman Jon Merrill to break up a Dmitrij Jaskin pass and Blues scoring chance in the second.

LOWLIGHTS

Havlat and Gomez, two discarded Devils who were not re-signed as unrestricted free agents after last season, combined for the Blues' second-period goal. Havlat scored the goal in his Blues debut, having earned a job and a contract via a tryout.

Goalie Cory Schneider has lost two of his last three games.

The Blues took control early in the third period on Magnus Paajarvi's goal.

Paajarvi goal, 2-0 Blues pic.twitter.com/6SkMsmHtAg

— Stephanie (@myregularface) November 11, 2015

FIGHTS

None.

HEALTHY SCRATCHES

Devils: LW Stefan Matteau, D Eric Gelinas.

Blues: D Robert Bortuzzi, RW Ryan Reaves.

NOTABLE

Last season the Devils were were 3-3-3 after nine home games.

Lee Stempniak was listed as one of five early-season free agent bargains by USA Today.

The Devils wore camouflage jerseys for the pregame warmup on Military Appreciation Night.

The squad takes the ice for warmups in their Military Appreciation Night camouflage! #WeSaluteYou pic.twitter.com/zRwXOZCqMI


The #NJDevils camo warmup jersey auction is LIVE! All proceeds will benefit @DefTheBlueLine! https://t.co/PpuvcwTJ7p pic.twitter.com/98g7BE4F9s


THE WEEK AHEAD

Thursday: Devils vs. Chicago Blackhawks at United Center, Chicago, MSG Plus, WFAN-AM 660, WFAN-FM 101.9, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday: Devils vs. Pittsburgh Penguins at Prudential Center, MSG Plus, WFAN-AM 660, WFAN-FM 101.9, 7 p.m.

Tuesday: Devils vs. Calgary Flames at Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, MSG Plus, WFAN-AM 660, WFAN-FM 101.9, 9 p.m.

Havlat goal, 1-0 Blues pic.twitter.com/cb0AbW7NA1




Greetings from the press box: How does Eric Gelinas get back in Devils' lineup?

Rich Chere


NEWARK — Eric Gelinas is anxious to get back into the Devils' lineup, but the hard-shooting defenseman knows he might have to wait a while.

That's because the Devils are winning.

"The last talk I had with the coaches they seemed to see some progress and they were happy about that. They want me to keep working hard," Gelinas said. "I sat out the last two games and they won both games, so it's pretty hard to change the lineup.

"It's normal, but it still is a frustrating situation. If the team is doing good and winning, you don't want to change that. The guys that are in are playing well. Basically what I have to do is practice hard and work hard and just wait for an opportunity to get back in. Then play as good as I can."

It won't necessarily take a loss to get Gelinas and Stefan Matteau a healthy scratch for six straight games) back in.

"It's not so much the fact that we've won. It's how well we've played," coach John Hynes explained. "I don't want to lose sight of the fact that the end results have been good but we have to continue to worry about, win or lose, how we're playing. And are we getting production from all four lines, if we're playing four lines.

"Even if we lose a game we may not change the lineup if the performance of the players continues to be impactful That's how we make our decisions. If you're impacting the game in a positive way, you get to stay. If you don't, then there's two pretty good players waiting."

Both Gelinas and Matteau will sit out Tuesday night's game against the St. Louis Blues.

Goalie matchup

Cory Schneider (7-3-1, 2.15 goals-against average, .923 save percentage) vs. Jake Allen (6-3-0, 1.71 GAA, .945 save percentage.

Schneider was given some rest on Sunday as Keith Kinkaid played against the Vancouver Canucks. This will be Schneider's 11th start in the last 12 games.

Schneider is 3-3-1 lifetime against the Blues, but his goals-against average is an impressive 1.91.

Allen has allowed two or fewer goals in six straight games (5-1-0, 1.03 GAA), .968 save percentage). He has never lost to the Devils, winning both games last season.

He is 2-0-0 with a 1.50 GAA average against the Devils.

Dealing with Vladimir Tarasenko

Blues right winger Vladimir Tarasenko has quickly become one of the NHL's top forwards and ranks among the superstars of the game. He has 13 points (seven goals) in 13 games.

"We definitely have to be aware when he's on the ice," Hynes said of Tarasenko. "He's very difficult to defend because he's a goal-scorer and a high-end offensive player, but his compete level on the puck is real high.

"You want to be able to take away time and space, but it's also our compete on the puck and second effort is going to be important against a guy like him because he's tough to deny even on the initial defensive play."

Tarasenko shares the Blues' scoring lead with Alexander Steen.

"He's a very good player but he's not their whole team," Hynes pointed out.

Injuries

Devils: LW Tuomo Ruutu (fractured right foot), LW Patrik Elias (right knee).

Blues: Paul Stastny (broken right foot), LW Jaden Schwartz (fractured right ankle), C Steve Ott (upper body), C Patrick Berglund (right shoulder surgery).

Projected lineups:

Devils' lines:

13 Mike Cammalleri- 14 Adam Henrique- 20 Lee Stempniak

51 Sergey Kalinin- 19 Travis Zajac- 21 Kyle Palmieri

9 Jiri Tlusty- 16 Jacob Josefson- 22 Jordin Tootoo

23 Bobby Farnham- 11 Stephen Gionta- 18 Brian O'Neil

Devils' defense:

6 Andy Greene- 5 Adam Larsson

2 John Moore- 28 Damon Severson

7 Jon Merrill- 8 David Schlemko

Blues' lines:

20 Alexander Steen- 12 Jori Lehtera- 91 Vladimir Tarasenko

29 Martin Havlat- 42 David Backes- 15 Robby Fabri

56 Magnus Paajarvi- 93 Scott Gomez- 36 Troy Brouwer

23 Dmitrij Jaskin- 28 Kyle Brodziak- 75 Ryan Reaves

Blues' defense:

19 Jay Bouwmeester- 55 Colton Parayko

4 Carl Gunnarsson- 22 Kevin Shattenkirk

6 Joel Edmundson- 27 Alex Pietrangelo



Will Patrik Elias accompany Devils on western Canada road trip?

Rich Chere


NEWARK — Patrik Elias, who has yet to play a game or even practice with the Devils this season, said Tuesday he is "hoping" to accompany the team on its road trip to western Canada next week.

That doesn't mean Elias will play in any games, but it would indicate that he is moving closer. It would give him an opportunity to practice.

"It feels better," Elias said of his knee, an issue to had when he reported to training camp.

Elias did accompany the Devils to Vermont back in October for a weekend getaway, but he hasn't been on the ice for practices. He has been skating on his own.

The Devils' all-time scoring leader said he did not require surgery to repair the knee injury.

"No," Elias said.



Martin Brodeur reflects on his return to Prudential Center as St. Louis Blues' assistant GM

Rich Chere


NEWARK — He returned to Prudential Center back in October for the announcement that No. 30 will be retired in a ceremony on Feb. 9, so this was not Martin Brodeur's first time back to his old Devils stomping grounds.

But this time he was back in Newark as an assistant general manager for the St. Louis Blues.

"It's not too bad actually. I think it would have been a lot weirder to play instead of just hanging out," Brodeur said as he hung out outside the visitors' dressing room and greeted some passing Devils such as Adam Henrique and Mike Cammalleri.

"It's not like it's normal. It's definitely a little different, but as a player I think it would've been a lot harder to go through the day than today. That's for sure."

Brodeur just returned from a scouting mission in Finland, where he saw another former teammate — Ilya Kovalchuk.

"I was in Finland. I saw Kovy. Still a pretty good player," Brodeur reported. "He represented Russia. It was Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech."

That's Brodeur's job these days.

"A lot of scouting. Both professional players and amateur players," Brodeur explained. "I went to the U-20 in Finland at the same time. Whatever you see Tom Fitzgerald doing, that's basically what I'm doing.

"I go to Chicago about once a week for the AHL team. It's easy for me. They have Sunday afternoon games and Im able to fly in and out. I still have somewhat of a young family with my little one, so I take time for them also."

Brodeur figures he made the right career choice.

"It's been great," the future Hall of Fame goalie said. "I've been learning a lot, traveling a lot, doing a lot of different things that I never thought I was going to do. It's been a lot of fun. I've been around the team somewhat. Probably less than last year but still a lot. No regrets. It's been a really good experience."

Asked if he's seen what his statue, which will be outside Pru Center, looks like, he said: "Yeah."

When I asked him if he's begun chiseling the statue, Brodeur responded: "It's been tough. It looks easy, but it's not that easy to chisel out."

Look who's back! @MartinBrodeur returns home to @PruCenter and meets with the media prior to #STLVsNJD. #MB30 pic.twitter.com/vJ3vvNcHou




Scott Gomez: I moved past new Devils management's snub pretty quickly

Rich Chere


NEWARK — There weren't many who saw what Scott Gomez did last season with the Devils and didn't think he deserved to come back.

But general manager Ray Shero was one of those who didn't see it that way.

"I found out during the draft. My agent called me and said they were going in a different direction. That's it," Gomez said Tuesday after the St. Louis Blues' morning skate at Prudential Center.

"It's a business. I moved past it pretty quick. I'm not going to sit around."

Gomez said he never talked to Shero.

"Nope. I didn't have his number," the center said. "I was dealing with Lou (Lamoriello) to the end. I never talked to Ray Shero."

The Blues, with GM Doug Armstrong, assistant GM Martin Brodeur and assistant coach Kirk Muller, signed Gomez to a PTO.

"That made it a little harder. It was: 'Okay, Plan A is gone. Well, here we go.' The most frustrating thing was not knowing and that it wasn't set in stone," Gomez said.

His decision to accept a Blues tryout was helped by former Devils coach Adam Oates, whom Gomez has hired as a paid consultant.

"I spent a lot of time going over teams with Oatsie. I was actually golfing with Oatsie and we went over teams," Gomez recalled. "Marty and Armstrong kind of laid out the opportunity. At this age it was a tryout. My mindset was once I got in there I was going to stay.

"I can still play. I proved that. It wasn't like taking a wild card."

He talks to Oates regularly.

"I hired him as a consultant. Nothing free in this life," Gomez said. "Probably every other day he goes over my offense and makes sure my angles are right and my passing. We don't go over systems. Lots of guys are working with him.

"That guy brought me back from the dead. You bet I was going to take advantage. Zach (Parise) works with him, (Alex) Ovechkin, (Steven) Stamkos. There is a list of guys working with him."

He said Oates doesn't interfere with anything, just makes suggestions.

As for not being offered a contract from the Devils, Giomez said: "I don't make that decision. If I did, I would've signed me for five years. I enjoyed coming back. It was great. It was almost too good to be true. I learned a lot last year from Oatsie and Scotty (Stevens). It was fun coming to the rink every day."

No Gomez and no Lamoriello in New Jersey.

"I think everyone in hockey was (surprised at Lamoriello's departure). I'm sure we all were shocked," Gomez said. "When you're associated with the Devils that long and everything went through him, it's weird not see him with the Devils.

"I guess everything comes to an end. When you think of the New Jersey Devils you think of Lou. The end is going to come for all of us."



Devils' Adam Larsson on no suspension: 'I thought from the start it was a good, clean hit'

Rich Chere


NEWARK — Devils defenseman Adam Larsson said he never worried about being fined or suspended for his hit on Vancouver Canucks center Jared McCann Sunday night.

Larsson received a 5:00 interference major and a game misconduct penalty for the hit, but the league decided it wasn't necessary to take the matter further.

"I didn't aim for the head or anything like that. I just tried to stop him," Larsson told NJ Advance Media. "He went down, but I felt like it was shoulder to chest. I wasn't really worried."

In fact, Larsson said he never spoke to NHL officials.

"Not all all. I thought from the start it was a pretty good hit. I was surprised when I got kicked out of the game," he said. "But I guess it was a pretty rough game overall and I guess the refs kind of felt that, too. And he went down.

"I thought it was a good, clean hit but I didn't think it was time to argue with the ref when I already had a five (minute major penalty)."

Devils coach John Hynes argued the severity of the penalties. Larsson wasn't sure what the reasoning was from the referee.

"Obviously it was an interference call, so that says he thought it was a little too late," Larsson suggested. "I never heard of a guy getting five minutes for interference, but I'm glad it was not a suspension or anything like that."

So is Hynes.

"For sure. I think it was a situation were we felt in our review even during the game that (it wasn't a hit worthy of a suspension)," Hynes said. "And it's nice to see at least our perception of what went on was backed up by the league."



Devils' Jordin Tootoo spoke to GM Ray Shero about slurs (Alexandre Burrows video response)

Rich Chere

Email the author | on November 10, 2015 at 11:55 AM, updated November 10, 2015 at 2:15 PM

NEWARK — Jordin Tootoo said he spoke to Devils general manager Ray Shero about the slurs Vancouver Canucks forward Alexandre Burrows made during Sunday night's game at Prudential Center.

Tootoo also indicated he doe not plan to address the matter face-to-face with Burrows when the Devils and Canucks meet again Nov. 22 in Vancouver.

"It's not like I'm going to carry it over. I have more important things to worry about," Tootoo said after the Devils' morning skate Tuesday.

That doesn't mean he has forgotten what was said.

"I had a conversation with Ray about it. From my end I know I'm a better person to move on from the situation," Tootoo said. "I can go to bed at night at ease. Can he? At the end of the day you know what you said.

Tootoo said the personal comments from Burrows went beyond trash talking.

"I get trash talking. There's a line not to be crossed. Trash talking has always been part of the game. You just don't dive into stuff like that," Tootoo said.

"I don't think I crossed the line." Alex Burrows discusses the Jordin Tootoo incident from the game in New Jersey. https://t.co/k3s6axcPE5

— Vancouver Canucks (@VanCanucks) November 10, 2015

He would not, however, get into the specifics of what Burrows said.

"I'm not going to get into it. He knows exactly what he said," Tootoo said. "He's the one who has to go to bed at night knowing what he said. Unless he's okay with that."

Burrows said Tuesday "I don't think I crossed the line."

Tootoo said: "I know the type of player he is, so I figured he wasn't going to back up what he said and be a man about it."



NHL TV schedule: Devils vs. St. Louis Blues live stream: Time, TV, channel, how to watch online

Rich Chere

Email the author | on November 10, 2015 at 7:45 AM, updated November 10, 2015 at 2:16 PM

NEWARK — Devils coach John Hynes and captain Andy Greene both felt there was no reason for the NHL to fine or suspend Adam Larsson for the defenseman's hit on Vancouver Canucks center Jared McCann Sunday night.

Their views were confirmed when the NHL's department of player safety viewed the hit and decided no further action was necessary.

So Larsson will be in the lineup Tuesday night when the Devils host Scott Gomez and the St. Louis Blues at Prudential Center.

The Blues won both meetings with the Devils last season, including a 1-0 shutout by goalie Jake Allen on Nov. 4 at the Rock.

Matchup: Devils vs. St. Louis Blues

When: Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where: Prudential Center, Newark

Devils TV: MSG Plus (Steve Cangialosi, Ken Daneyko)

Blues TV: FOX Sports Midwest

Live Stream: NHL.com

Devils Radio: WFAN-AM 660, WFAN-FM 101.9 (Matt Loughlin, Sherry Ross)

Here are three stories you need to read before the opening faceoff:

1. Last meeting with Blues

2. Devils have won eight of last 10

3. Blues signed Martin Havlat



St. Louis Blues vs. Devils: LIVE updates, analysis and fan chat

Rich Chere


• Analysis and fan talk flow in the comments section below. Join in!

• For the latest news and updates, REFRESH this page frequently.

• App users: For the best mobile experience, use the mobile web version.

THIRD PERIOD

Magnus Paajarvi scored on a shot from the right circle to give the Blues a 2-0 lead at 3:28.

Paajarvi goal, 2-0 Blues pic.twitter.com/6SkMsmHtAg


SECOND PERIOD

Former Devils winger Martin Havlat gave the Blues a 1-0 lead at 4:57 when he took a Scott Gomez pass and beat Schneider high on his glove side from the slot. It came in Havlat's season debut for the Blues.

Havlat made the team on a tryout and signed a contract with St. Louis last week.

Martin Havlat doesn't waste any time -- a goal in his first scoring chance as a Blue. #stlblues #OurBlues pic.twitter.com/yO36nDi1k1

— FOX Sports Midwest (@FSMidwest) November 11, 2015

Havlat goal, 1-0 Blues pic.twitter.com/cb0AbW7NA1


End of period: Blues 1, Devils 0

Shots were 20-15 Blues

FIRST PERIOD

It was Cory Schneider vs. Jake Allen on Military Appreciation Night at Prudential Center.

The #NJDevils camo warmup jersey auction is LIVE! All proceeds will benefit @DefTheBlueLine! https://t.co/PpuvcwTJ7p pic.twitter.com/98g7BE4F9s


Martin Brodeur was shown on the video board and received a standing ovation from the crowd. He smiled and waved as they chanted "Mar-ty...Mar-ty."

Marty gets a standing ovation from the @PruCenter crowd! Just wait for Feb. 9. It's going to be legendary. #MB30 pic.twitter.com/nUri9f1SfW


Schneider made a calm save on Vladimir Tarasenko with 3:20 left.

End of period: Devils 0, Blues 0

Shots were 11-6 Devils

This is your place to do it, fans. Chime in with your thoughts in the comments section below. I'll be posting analysis, observations and general missives throughout the game.



Devils' Farnham not bothered by criticism from Canucks' Prust from "3,000 miles away"

Posted by Tom Gulitti on 11/11 at 12:14 AM

Although Devils right wing Jordin Tootoo said he doesn't expect any carryover from his exchange of words with Vancouver's Alexandre Burrows Sunday night, left wing Bobby Farnham said he wouldn't be surprised if the Canucks come after him for his second period fight with Jake Virtanen when the teams meet again on Nov. 22 at Rogers Arena.

“I'm always expecting someone to come after me the way I play,” Farnham said before tonight's 2-0 loss to St. Louis. “That's kind of just the role you play there. You toe that line all the time and it's always something in the back of my mind whether there's commentary from social media or not. It's just something you go into a game prepared for whatever comes to you.”

Injured Canucks forward Brandon Prust took to social media to criticize Farnham for his emotional reaction after the fight with Virtanen, a 19-year-old rookie who took part in his first NHL fight. Farnham, who was playing just his 18th NHL game himself after working his way up through the minors (with 666 penalty minutes the past three seasons in the AHL), threw up his arms to pump up the Prudential Center crowd as he headed toward the locker room before being corralled to the penalty box by the linesman.

Prust posted on on Twitter: “Wow Bobby Farnham ur so tough acting like that after fighting a 19 year old. Go back to the A.”

Farnham, who was claimed off waivers from Pittsburgh on Oct. 27, saw what Prust tweeted and said, “I don't really have much to say about it.”

“He wasn't involved in the game and it would be wrong of me to respond to it in any way,” Farnham said. “The way I look at it is, the kid Jake is a tough kid. He's lined up across from me in the National Hockey League, we're both National Hockey League players and he did a great job for his team and I was trying to gain momentum for my team and that's pretty much all it was.”

Former Canuck John Garrett, now a color commentator on Sportsnet Pacific, also called out Farnham, 26, in an article on the team's website.

“If you missed it, after the fight Bobby Farnham did half a lap and was waving at the crowd and pounding his chest,” Garrett wrote, exaggerating a little. “It was all about him. He wanted to be the show and the center of attention. The league has a rule about inciting an opponent, but it only calls for a 10-minute misconduct and is never called. Farnham is old enough to know better. He showed no respect for the player he was fighting or for their team.

“What goes around comes around and justice will prevail.”

Farnham said he did not intend to disrespect anyone.

“It was just heat of the moment,” he said. “I've done it before and it's nothing against anybody. I know the role I play and the way I play I kind of play on emotion and passion and that's how I responded to that moment.”

If any Canuck is going to come after Farnham on Nov. 22, it probably won't be Prust, who is currently sidelined with an ankle injury he sustained on Oct. 27 against Montreal and is expected to miss four to six weeks.

That Prust chose to criticize him on Twitter, didn't seem to bother Farnham.

“It doesn't bother me at all,” he said. “I play that role to get under the other team's skin and do it that way. There was a lot going on in that game and to be 3,000 miles away and say something doesn't seem right and it doesn't seem respond to something like that either.”

***

I was so busy today with so many other stories to write, I didn't have the chance to post this earlier.

Bergen Record LOADED: 11.11.2015


Devils unable to raise their game and match Blues; Halvat, Gomez team on winning goal

Posted by Tom Gulitti on 11/10 at 11:37 PM

Watching the Devils outshoot the St. Louis Blues 11-6 and outplay them for much of the first period tonight, it appeared that maybe they could do to them what they did in beating Vancouver on Sunday and Chicago on Friday.

When the Blues elevated their play in the second period, however, the Devils could not match it and went on to a 2-0 loss at Prudential Center.

The final score was closer than the level of play over the final 40 minutes. Goaltender Cory Schneider (26 saves) had a big hand in that and the Devils did put some late pressure on goaltender Jake Allen (24 saves), but it wasn't enough to stop him from posting his second consecutive shutout.

A Damon Severson shot went in just after time expired would have prevented the shutout, but not the loss – just the third in the last 11 games for the Devils (8-3-0) following an 0-3-1 start.

“I think it went in just a quarter of a second late,” Severson said.

The Blues outshot the Devils 22-13 over the last two periods, including 14-4 in the second. The shot attempts were 37-20 for the Blues over the final two periods.

“I think you have to give a lot of credit to St. Louis,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “I thought St. Louis turned up the temperature in that second period and played real strong. We never got back to the level we were at in the first period, so I think it was a combination of credit to them and we didn't have enough pushback to raise our level to really make a strong impact in the game after the first.”

“It just wasn't good enough from us,” center Adam Henrique said. “They came out with a push and we've got to find a way to raise our game and match them. We came out good in the first period and then they raised their game and we didn't in the second.”

The Devils sounded a bit envious afterward of the Blues' size, structure and ability to play well with the lead. They Devils don't match up to the Blues physically, so they can't afford to slack off in other areas if they are going compete against teams like them.

“They're structured and they're hard to play against,” Schneider said. “They don't make too many mistakes. They defend well. They have some big bodies that are hard to play against down low and I think that when we're having success those are the things we're doing and that's what we did in the first period. We got the puck up ice and made them turn and play in their end for stretches at a time. They made the adjustments and they got the first one, which is big with that team because they're hard to come back against.”

“They play with a lot of structure and they're big boys and, for us, it was a matter of moving our feet to get positioning on them,” right wing Kyle Palmieri said. “In the first, I think we did that and we had a couple good shifts in their zone. In the second, we stopped moving our feet. Looking back at it, I think as soon as we stopped moving our feet, it's tough to battle a guy who's a foot taller than you. When you're standing still, it's something you're not going to win that battle 90 percent of the time, but we got away from our game plan. We were lucky enough to come into the third period down only 1-0. Schneids made some big saves, but it was just too little too late in the third, so that was that.”

The Devils did show they can compete with the Blues in the first period, but the last two periods were evidence of the room they still have to improve.

“I think we got away from what brought us success in the first and credit to them. They play a very strong system,” defenseman John Moore said. “We know what our identity is and that's competing on every puck, battling every shift after shift, line after line and they came with a push in the second and we were unable to get the one shot to reverse the momentum.”

“I think it was an important game and we weren't good enough for 60 minutes,” center Travis Zajac said. “So, you can't just sweep it under the rug, but we've got to look toward Chicago (Thursday night) now.”

***

Having former Devils Scott Gomez and Martin Havlat team on what turned out to be the winning goal added another layer to the story.

Gomez passed from the left circle into the slot for Havlat, who snapped a shot in over goaltender Schneider's right shoulder 4:57 into the second period. It was the first goal of the season for Havlat, who was making his Blues' debut after just signing with them last week after a brief tryout.

“They're good players,” Schneider said. “Marty can shoot the puck and (Gomez) made a good look. We saw last season he still had a lot in him and can make plays and is a dangerous player when he's got the puck on his stick. It's just part of the game and we've got to do a better job checking them.”

“Gomer's a good player,” Zajac said. “We always knew he can make plays and that's what he's best at. You give him time and space and he'll find open guys 90 percent of the time.”

***

Schneider ended up having to stack the pads to stop Kevin Shattenkirk's right point shot in the second period. That would not be his usual approach to that shot but he said he had been accidentally tripped down by Severson.

“Marty (Brodeur) was here,” Schneider noted. “Maybe that was my ode to him.”

***

Henrique hobbled off the ice after taking a Kevin Shattenkirk shot off his leg while on the penalty kill in the third period, but did not miss a shift.

Although Henrique said it hurt “a little bit” at the time, he felt fine after the game.

***

Zajac was 12-4 (75 percent) on draws for the night, but Henrique was just 5-12 (29 percent). The Devils were 26-22 (54 percent) as a team.

Jacob Josefson led the Devils with four shots on goal.



Devils coach John Hynes: "As game wore on, we just got outplayed" in 2-0 loss to Blues


The Devils came back to earth a little tonight with a 2-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues at Prudential Center.

Former Devil Martin Havlat (set up by former Devil Scott Gomez) and Magnus Paajarvi scored the goals and Jake Allen made 24 saves to post his second consecutive shutout and third of the season.

A Damon Severson shot went in just after time expired as the Devils were shut out for the first time this season and lost for just the third time in their last 11 games (8-3-0). The Blues, one of the Western Conference powers, have won three in a row and six of their last seven.

The Devils outplayed the Blues for much of the first period, outshooting them 11-6, but couldn't break through against Allen. The Blues took over after that, outshooting the Devils 22-13 the rest of the way, including 14-4 in the second period. The shot attempts were 37-20 for the Blues over the final two periods.

Here is the text of head coach John Hynes' postgame new conference:

What went wrong after the first period?

“I think you have to give a lot of credit to St. Louis. I thought St. Louis turned up the temperature in that second period and played real strong. We never got back to the level we were at in the first period, so I think it was a combination of credit to them and we didn't have enough pushback to raise our level to really make a strong impact in the game after the first.”

Are they the type of team you'd like to play a similar style to?

“Yeah, I think there's a lot of good things that they do. I think they're well organized. They're a big, strong team that they play well. They don't beat themselves. They did a nice job tonight and certainly deserved the win.”

From a coaching viewpoint, do you look at this game as one of these games that's going to happen and with the letdown you can't come back?

“No. Not necessarily. If you look at how the schedule is set up, we had plenty of rest, we didn't have a lot of travel. This was just a game that as the game wore on, we just got outplayed and we've got to do a better job of that. Even though it was a tight game, we just didn't play to the level we needed to play to in the last 40 minutes of the game and, therefore, we didn't get a chance to win.”

Were there some missed opportunities to score in first period when you controlled play?

“That's always a factor, but it's a 60-minute game and even if we had one or two (goals) in the first, that would have been great, but I don't think we can sit here and say we lost the game because we didn't capitalize in the first period. If we had a 2-0 lead and came out like we did in the second and how the game went, the team that won the game played better for longer.”

How much does it sting former Devils such as Scott Gomez and Martin Havlat come in and combine on the winning goal?

“That's just part of the game. That's part of the business of the game. We got beat by another team regardless of who's on it. To us, it's more not that. It's about the fact we weren't able to bring our best and we got beat. That's the focus.”

Do you anticipate making any lineup changes for your next game Thursday in Chicago?

“The beauty of this is we don't play for another day, so we'll be able to go back and look at it for sure and see if we think we should sub guys in and out and we'll decide that over the next 24 hours.”

***

Severson on his near goal:

“I think it went in just a quarter of a second late.”



Patrik Elias "hoping" to accompany Devils on Western Canada trip


Devils left wing Patrik Elias said his injured right knee continues to feel “better” and he is “hoping” to accompany the team on its trip to Western Canada that begins next Tuesday in Calgary.

Elias said “the next five days” would help determine if he goes on the trip as he continues to ramp up his skating. If Elias, 39, does go on the trip, which also includes stops on Edmonton (Nov. 20) and Vancouver (Nov. 22), it seems unlikely he would play in a game because he has yet to practice with the team.

It would be a chance, however, for him to start practicing and get up to speed on the ice with his teammates.

Elias, the Devils' all-time-leading scorer, said again that his injury is not anything that would be helped by surgery. Devils GM Ray Shero said previously that it was something caused by wear and tear over the course of time.



Brodeur: "It would been weirder" playing vs. Devils at the Rock; Gomez holds no grudges


Martin Brodeur spent a little time catching up with with some of his former Devil teammates as they arrived at Prudential Center for tonight's game against the St. Louis Blues.

The longtime Devils goaltender is technically the enemy now working as an assistant GM for the Blues. Today is his first day back at Prudential Center representing an organization other than the Devils.

He was it was “not too bad, actually.”

“I think it would have been a lot weirder to play instead of just hanging out,” he said. “It's not like it's normal. It's definitely a little different, but if it would have been as a player, I think it would have been a lot harder to go through the day than today, that's for sure.”

Brodeur, who was at Pru Center on Oct. 6 for the news conference to announce his No. 30 will be retired by the Devils on Feb. 9, is enjoying his first full year working for the Blues.

“Definitely,” he said. “It's been great. I've been learning a lot. I'm traveling a lot, seeing a lot of different things that I never thought I was going to do. It's been a lot of fun. I've been around the team somewhat, probably less than last year, but still a lot. It's good. I have no regrets. It's been a good experience.”

Brodeur just returned from scouting a trip to Finland. While there, he saw former Devils teammate Ilya Kovalchuk play for Russia in the Karjala Cup tournament and was able to “say hi” to him.

“He's still a pretty good player,” he said.

Brodeur said his job involves “a lot of scouting”, both at the professional and amateur levels.

“I went to see the (under-20 tournament) in Finland at the same time,” he said.. “Whatever you see (Devils assistant GM) Tom Fitzgerald doing, that's basically what I'm doing. Chicago's not bad for me. I go there about once a week (to see the Blues AHL team). They have Sunday afternoon games, so I'm able to fly in and out. I still have somewhat of a young family with my little one (son, Max), so I kind of take some time for them, too. It's been good."

***

Also back at Prudential Center tonight as a Blue is now two-time former Devil Scott Gomez , who said he doesn't hold any grudges about Devils GM Ray Shero opting not to re-sign him this summer.

“That's business. I don't make that decision,” Gomez said. “If I did, I would have signed me for five years. I don't have any hard feelings. I don't. This is business. This is just the way it is. I enjoyed it coming back. It was great. It was almost too good to true, just being back in the area. The team, we were on the upside, but it was good to see the young guys doing well. We learned a lot last year. Learning from Scotty (Stevens) and Oatsie (Adam Oates), it was fun coming to the rink every day even though the record (wasn't good). We learned a lot from those two and, at the end of the day, it was fun getting better as a hockey player.”

Gomez said he never spoke with Shero after he took over as the Devils general manager from Lou Lamoriello on May 4. Shero called his agent, Ian Pulver, to give him the news.

“I was dealing with Lou until the end, but I never talked to Ray Shero,” Gomez said.

Gomez admitted he was surprised when Lamoriello left the organization and joined the Maple Leafs to become their GM.

“I guess everything come to an end. I'm sure we all were shocked,” he said. “When you think of the New Jersey Devils, you think of Lou. That's just the way it was. It's all going to come to the end for all of us some time.”

Gomez found out during the draft that the Devils would not be re-signing him.

“My agent called me and said they're going in a different direction,” Gomez said. “It's business. I moved past it pretty quick. I'm not going to sit around and (be upset). I got the call the day of the draft. They informed my agent and that was it. What's the next move?”

At the time, Shero said he wanted to leave room on the roster for center Jacob Josefson to get more of an opportunity and for 2015 first-round pick Pavel Zacha possibly to make the team.

The Devils ended up returning Zacha to his junior team in Sarnia (OHL) before the regular season, but Josefson has been playing regularly on the third line and the power play.

Gomez waited nearly the entire summer for another opportunity before a connection with Brodeur led to an invitation to training camp as a tryout.

“Marty and (Blues GM Doug) Armstrong laid out the opportunity,” Gomez said. “At this age or whatever you want to call it, the travel is whatever, but I told them, 'Once I get in there, I'm going to stay.' That's kind of the mindset. Marty talked to me. (Assistant coach) Kirk Muller was here. I can still play. I proved that. It wasn't like they were taking a wild card. I took tremendous steps with Scotty and Oatsie last year.”

Gomez, who won the Stanley Cup in 2000 and 2003 with the Devils, revived his NHL career last season by returning to the team that drafted him 27th overall in 1998. Following a training camp tryout, Gomez waited nearly two months for the team to find roster room for him before being signed to a one-year contract on Nov. 30. He turned out to be one of the team's best forwards, putting up 34 points (seven goals, 27 assists) in 58 games.

He still credits Oates, who also was not brought back by the Devils' new regime, with helping him prove he can still play in the league and employs him as a paid consultant.

“He goes over my (game) just offensively and making sure my angles are right to pass,” Gomez said. “A lot of guys are working with him.”

Gomez named former Devil Zach Parise, Washington's Alex Ovechkin and Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos as other NHL players that utilize Oates' services.

“There's a list of guys that work with him,” Gomez said.

Gomez said he talks to Oates “every other day” to go over video of his game.

“It's just my game,” he said. “He would never step in (and interfere with what the Blues' coaches are telling him). That guy brought me back from the dead and you bet I'm taking advantage of it. It's just be being a smarter hockey player and being in more control of the game.”

***

Former Devil Martin Havlat will make his debut with the Blues tonight after signing a one-year contract with the team on Friday. It will be Havlat's first game since March 21 of last season with the Devils against the Islanders.

Havlat, 34, was a healthy scratch for the final 10 games of the season after that and played in only four of the final 28 games. He finished the season with just five goals and nine assists in 40 games and the Devils made no attempt to re-sign him when he became an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He ended up in training camp with Florida as a tryout, but was not signed.



Tootoo trying to move on from exchange with Burrows; Canuck forwards says he didn't cross the line


Devils right wing Jordin Tootoo said he spoke with general manager Ray Shero about the exchange of words in the penalty boxes with Vancouver's Alexandre Burrows in the first period of Sunday's game and he's moving on from the incident now and focusing on tonight's game against St. Louis.

Tootoo was angered by what he called “some personal remarks regarding my family and it's just unacceptable.”

“I had a conversation with Ray about it and, from my end, I know I'm a better person,” Tootoo said after today's morning skate. “I'm going to move on from the situation and let the people up top deal with what they've got to do. Be a man of your words. At the end of the day, you know what you said, so step to the plate and figure it out. At least I can go to bed at night at ease.”

Devils coach John Hynes said Shero spoke to the NHL about the incident, but didn't know if anything further would come from it.

Talking to reporters in Columbus today, Burrows said, “Personally, I don't really think I crossed the line.”

“What I said I've been told the same in the past and I've heard it plenty of times throughout my career, so I kind of wish it would have stayed on the ice where it belongs and, for me, I'm just moving on and getting ready for tonight's game,” Burrows said in a video posted on the Canucks' website.

Burrow would not reveal what he said to Tootoo, but insisted it did not involve Tootoo's Inuit heritage or his personal history. (Tootoo's battle with alcoholism has been well chronicled and he's spoken openly about it.)

“Absolutely not,” Burrows said. “I wouldn't go there. It was a pretty normal comment. I didn't think I crossed the line.”

The NHL usually only disciplines players for language involved race or homophobia. When I asked Tootoo if Burrows' remarks involved either of those areas, he replied, “I'm not going to get into that. I talked to Ray about it and I'll let him deal with it from that end. People around us heard what he said and he knows exactly what he said. So, if he's asked what he said, do your thing. He's the one that has to not go to bed at night with ease, unless that's the kind of person he is and he's OK with that. But, I don't know.”

As far as a league investigation, Burrows said, he “didn't talk to the league directly personally.”

“But, my understanding is there's so many cameras right now on us, there's (mircophones) on the bench, (microphones) in the penalty box, I'm sure they looked at it and nothing came out of it,” Burrows said. “But, you've got to make sure you watch out what you say, because for sure if you cross the line, it wouldn't be good, especially in this day and age.”

Tootoo said trash talking is a part of the game and he's used to that, but what Burrows said went beyond that.

“I get trash talking,” Tootoo said. “There's a line not to be crossed. Trash talking has always been a part of the game and you just don't dive into stuff like that. If you're going to trash talk somebody, like I said, if you're going to talk the talk, you've go to walk the walk. I'm very happy and content in my own skin and I'm proud of where I am today. Like I said, I can go to bed at night with ease and comfortability and, unfortunately, some people have personal issues that they have to deal with, we all do on a daily basis. It's just unfortunate that he's got to go that far.”

Burrows believes he didn't say anything out of line with the usual trash talk in games.

“There is a lot of chirping,” Burrows said. “I haven't chirped as much as I used to in the past, but I always like to keep it legit and fair and I think that's what it was and I think we were just battling out there.”

Tootoo tried to get Burrows to fight and he declined. Later in the second period, Tootoo went to try to get Burrows to fight again, but was intercepted by Derek Dorsett and those two fought instead.

Tootoo seemed bothered nearly as much by Burrows not backing up his words as he was by what he said.

Burrows thought it was better for this team if he didn't fight when Tootoo challenged him.

“If we can get on the power play and if we can get the win, I think that's the most important thing for us,” he said.

“I know the type of player he is, so I figured he wasn't going to back up what he said.” Tootoo said. “It's unfortunate that people think that way, but I can't control what other people say or do, so it's out of my control. I dealt with it, I had a conversation and, for me, tonight we're playing St. Louis, so that's our main focus.”

Burrows thought his comments should have remained between the players and not been shared with the media. When asked if he was surprised that Tootoo chose to go public with it, Burrows replied, “I don't know. Maybe you should ask him. For me, what I think its' irrelevant really. I always think what's (said) on the ice should stay there but that's pretty much it.”

The Devils and Canucks meet again on Nov. 22 in Vancouver. Tootoo said, as far as he is concerned, he won't pursuing what happened with Burrows Sunday in that rematch.

“I'm comfortable in my skin, so it's not like I'm going to carry it over,” Tootoo said. “I've got more important things to worry about than people like that.”



Devils defenseman Adam Larsson glad he wasn't suspended, thought "it was a pretty clean hit"


Devils defenseman Adam Larsson said he didn't spend a lot of time thinking about whether the NHL would suspend or fine him for his hit of Vancouver's center Jared McCann in the third period of Sunday's 4-3 overtime victory over the Canucks.

Larsson received a five-minute major for interference and game misconduct, but he didn't think it was worthy of a penalty. Still, it was nice to hear the NHL's Department of Player Safety would not be giving him any supplemental discipline.

“I was never really worried about it,” Larsson said today. “I thought it was a pretty clean hit right away and, obviously, they looked at it yesterday and they thought the same thing.”

Devils coach John Hynes also thought from the beginning it was a clean hit.

“I think it was a situation where we felt in our review even during the game that that was the case and it's nice to see that at least our perception of what went on was backed up by the league,” he said this morning.

In fact, the Devils planned to ask the NHL's Department of Officiating to rescind the major. That would be significant because it would also erase the game misconduct. Three game misconducts in one season result in an automatic one-game suspension.

(With general manager Ray Schero at the GMs meetings in Toronto, Hynes was unsure if that process had begun, yet.)

Larsson understood that it was a tough call for the officials watching it live, but doesn't know what he could have done differently.

“I was just trying to get him stopped there,” Larsson said. “I didn't aim for the head or anything like that. I thought I hit him clean in the chest. Obviously, it was interference or the ref thought I was a little late, but in my opinion I can't really just make a dead stop there either. I guess it was hard for the refs, but five minutes was kind of hard in my opinion.

“I put my teammates in a bad spot, but they did a fantastic job there on the penalty kill.”

Although he thought his hit was clean, it was still difficult for Larsson knowing his team would need to kill off his penalty in a tied game. They killed it off by limiting the Blues to only three shots on goal during the five minutes.

“After that, I though we looked very, very good,” he said. “Obviously, you don't want to put your team on a five-minute penalty kill, but they did a fantastic job.”



Devils sticking with winning lineup, so Gelinas and Matteau will have to wait


Other than in net, with Cory Schneider back in after Keith Kinkaid played in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over Vancouver. the Devils will go with the same lineup tonight against St. Louis with defenseman Eric Gelinas and left wing Stefan Matteau as the healthy scratches again.

It will be the third consecutive game sitting out for Gelinas and seventh in a row for Matteau.

While wanting to play, Gelinas and Matteau understood why there would be no lineup changes.

“We're winning, so there's really nothing to say.” Matteau said.

“The team has been winning, so why would they change?” Gelinas said.

The Devils have won their last two games and four of their last live. Devils coach John Hynes said it's more the way the team has played the last two games than the results of those games

“It's not so much the fact that we've won. It's how we've played,” Hynes said. “I don't want to lose sight of the fact that the end results have been good, but we have to continue to worry about, win or lose, how are we playing. If we're playing four lines, are all four lines productive? We feel the last two games all four lines have been productive and they've made an impact, so that's going to stay. And same thing on the blue line.

“Until that changes, even if we lose a game, we may not change the lineup if the performance of the players continues to be impactful. That's how we're trying to make our decisions. If you're impacting in a positive way, you get to stay. If you don't, then there's two pretty good players waiting.”

And until then, Gelinas and Mattteau just have to be patient?

“Correct,” Hynes said

Gelinas said there's been nothing new to him said since his on-ice talk with Hynes on Friday about needing to play consistently well and force his way into being a regular in the lineup.

“They just told me to keep working hard in practices and stuff,” Gelinas said.

***

So, here is the breakdown of the Devils' complete lineup with the line combinations and defense pairs from the morning skate:

Forwards: Mike Cammalleri-Adam Henrique-Lee Stempniak; Sergey Kalinin-Travis Zajac-Kyle Palmieri; Jiri Tlusty-Jacob Josefson-Jordin Tootoo; Bobby Farnham-Stephen Gionta-Brian O'Neill.

Defensemen: Andy Greene-Adam Larsson, John Moore-Damon Severson; Jon Merrill-David Schlemko.

Goaltenders: Cory Schneider, Keith Kinkaid.

Injured: RW Tuomo Ruutu (right foot fracture), LW Patrik Elias (right knee).

Healthy scratches: LW Stefan Matteau, D Eric Gelinas.

TV: MSG Plus.

Radio: WFAN-AM 660, FM 101.9.



Devils preparing to face Blues tonight; Martin Brodeur "back" to pay a visit


After having Monday off, the Devils are on the ice for their morning skate at Prudential Center preparing for their game tonight against the St. Louis Blues.

Cory Schneider is in the starter's net, as expected, after Keith Kinkaid played in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over Vancouver.

Everyone on the Devils' active roster is on the ice for the morning skate. The line combinations appear the same as at the end of Sunday's game with Sergey Kalinin on the second line with Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri and Jiri Tlusty on the third line with Jacob Josefson and Jordin Tootoo. Defenseman Eric Gelinas and left wing Stefan Matteau appear to be the extras again.

Former Devil Martin Brodeur, now an assistant GM with the Blues, is here for the morning skate. A Blue spokesperson said Saturday that Brodeur, who will have his No. 30 retired by the Devils on Feb. 9, was on a scouting trip to Finland and would not be here today.

When I asked Brodeur about that, he said, “I'm back.”

Former Devil Martin Havlat will make his Blues' debut tonight after signing a one-year contract with the team last week. Jake Allen will start in net for St. Louis.

The Devils will wear special camouflage jerseys during warm-ups tonight part of their annual Military Appreciation Night. For details on that, including how to bid on jerseys, read here: http://fireandice.northjersey.com/fire-ice-1.174987/devils-to-hold-annual-military-appreciation-night-tuesday-1.1451078

Here is the breakdown of the players skating for the Devils this morning:

Forwards: Mike Cammalleri-Adam Henrique-Lee Stempniak; Sergey Kalinin-Travis Zajac-Kyle Palmieri; Jiri Tlusty-Jacob Josefson-Jordin Tootoo; Bobby Farnham-Stephen Gionta-Brian O'Neill; Stefan Matteau.

Defensemen: Andy Greene-Adam Larsson, John Moore-Damon Severson; Jon Merrill-David Schlemko/Eric Gelinas.

Goaltenders: Cory Schneider, Keith Kinkaid



Devils notes: Martin Brodeur returns

— Tom Gulitti

November 11, 2015 Last updated: Wednesday, November 11, 2015, 1:21 AM

The Record

Brodeur’s return

Longtime Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur said it was "not too bad" being back at Prudential Center on Tuesday for the first time in his capacity as an assistant general manager for the Blues.

"I think it would have been a lot weirder to play instead of just hanging out," he said. "It’s not like it’s normal. It’s definitely a little different, but if it would have been as a player, I think it would have been a lot harder to go through the day than today. That’s for sure."

Brodeur, who will have his No. 30 retired by the Devils on Feb. 9, is enjoying his first full year working for the Blues.

"Definitely," he said. "It’s been great. I’ve been learning a lot. I’m traveling a lot, seeing a lot of different things that I never thought I was going to do.

"It’s been a lot of fun. I’ve been around the team somewhat, probably less than last year, but still a lot. It’s good. I have no regrets. It’s been a good experience."

Brodeur just returned from a scouting trip to Finland, where saw former Devils teammate Ilya Kovalchuk play for Russia in the Karjala Cup tournament.

Elias doing ‘better’

Devils left wing Patrik Elias said his injured right knee continues to feel "better" and he is "hoping" to accompany the team on a trip to Western Canada that begins Tuesday in Calgary.

As he continues to ramp up his skating, Elias said "the next five days" will help determine if he goes on the trip.

If Elias, 39, does go on the trip, which includes stops on Edmonton (Nov. 20) and Vancouver (Nov. 22), it seems unlikely that he would play in a game because he has yet to practice with the team. It would be a chance, however, for him to start practicing and get up to speed on the ice with his teammates.



Devils fall to the Blues, 2-0, at The Rock

November 10, 2015, 9:38 PM Last updated: Wednesday, November 11, 2015, 12:26 AM

By TOM GULITTI

STAFF WRITER |

The Record

NEWARK – With Martin Brodeur at Prudential Center for the first time in his role as the St. Louis Blues’ assistant general manager, it turned out to be a pretty good night for former Devils and a not so good one for the current crew.

Former Devils Martin Havlat and Scott Gomez teamed up on the winning goal and goaltender Jake Allen made 24 saves to post his second consecutive shutout as the Blues blanked the Devils, 2-0, Tuesday night.

Magnus Paajarvi also scored for St. Louis, which dominated play over the final two periods to win for the sixth time in seven games. A Damon Severson shot went in just after time expired, as the Devils were shut out for the first time this season and lost for just the third time in their last 11 games (8-3-0).

“As the game wore on, we just got outplayed and we’ve got to do a better job of that,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “Even though it was a tight game, we just didn’t play to the level we needed to play to in the last 40 minutes of the game and, therefore, we didn’t get a chance to win.”

The Devils had raised their play to earn impressive wins over Chicago (4-2) on Friday and Vancouver on Sunday (4-3 in overtime), but looked overmatched over the final 40 minutes against the Blues. They started strong, outshooting the Blues, 11-6, and pressuring them into several turnovers in the first period.

Being unable to convert against Allen in the first turned out to be a missed opportunity. The Blues elevated their play after that, outshooting the Devils, 22-13, the rest of the way, including 14-4 in the second period.

“It just wasn’t good enough from us,” center Adam Henrique said. “They came out with a push, and we’ve got to find a way to raise our game and match them. We came out good in the first period, and then they raised their game and we didn’t.”

Brodeur, the longtime Devils goaltender whose No. 30 will be retired by the team Feb. 9, was welcomed back during a stoppage of play in the first period. While sitting in the press box, the future Hall of Famer was shown on center ice video screen and smiled and waved as the crowd chanted “Mar-tee! Mar-tee!”.

Gomez and Havlat, both of whom were not re-signed after last season, got their chance to shine in the second period and combined to give the Blues a 1-0 lead at 4:57. Gomez passed from the left circle into the slot for Havlat, who snapped a shot in over goaltender Cory Schneider’s right shoulder for his first goal of the season. Havlat, 34, was making his Blues’ debut after signing with them last week after a brief tryout.

“They’re good players,” Schneider said. “Marty can shoot the puck and [Gomez] made a good look. We saw last season he still had a lot in him and can make plays, and is a dangerous player when he’s got the puck on his stick. It’s just part of the game and we’ve got to do a better job checking them.”

Thanks to Schneider, the Devils were able to escape the second period trailing only 1-0. The Blues made another push to begin the third, though, taking the first six shots and upping their lead to 2-0 at 3:28 on Paajarvi’s first goal of the season. Dmitrij Jaskin found Paajarvi alone in the bottom of the right circle for a shot into to the top left corner.

“We just stopped competing, stopped moving our feet,” right wing Kyle Palmieri said. “They were beating us to pucks and winning their battles. We put a little push on at the end, but too little too late.”



Fair Lawn teen drops the puck for Devils Hockey Fights Cancer night

November 10, 2015 Last updated: Tuesday, November 10, 2015, 2:30 PM

By Rich Mardekian

A local teen is leading the fight at his school to raise cancer awareness and his journey took him all the way to center ice at a professional hockey game.

Alex Walsh, 17, from Fair Lawn, who lost his mother to colon cancer last October, had the opportunity to drop the ceremonial puck at the Oct. 27 New Jersey Devils vs. Columbus Blue Jackets game at the Prudential Center in Newark as part of the National Hockey League and NHL Players' Association's annual Cancer Awareness Month initiative, Hockey Fights Cancer.

Walsh lost his mother, who was a teacher at St. Anne's in Fair Lawn, on Oct. 14, 2014. Since then he has started the Cancer Awareness Club at St. Joe's High School where he is a senior.

According to Walsh, it is the school's fastest growing club with 20 members.

Walsh is a big Devils fan and when he heard of the Hockey Fights Cancer campaign he sent an email to the club telling them his story and asking if he could be involved in the event.

He heard back from the Devils and was invited to the Oct. 27 game.

When he got there he was told he would be dropping the puck before the faceoff of the game.

"I was shocked," he said. "It was such a surreal moment."

Walking on to the ice, he got to high-five the players and also had the chance to meet his favorite Devil, left wing Adam Henrique. After dropping the puck, he watched the game with his family.

Walsh wants to raise cancer awareness at his school and in the community.

His sister, Kristen, a junior at Paramus Catholic, is also involved with the Cancer Awareness Club and Relay for Life effort at her school.

"I want to present the facts on cancer and help people have a fighting chance against cancer," he said. "I want to make cancer something that's in the past."

According to the Devils, the Oct. 27 game raised more than $60,000. The money raised, which is the highest amount the franchise has collected since the initiative started in 1998 and nearly double last season's total, will be distributed to four New Jersey hospitals - Saint Barnabas Medical Center, Atlantic Health, Holy Name Medical Center and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital - for use in cancer research and cancer care programming.

"We have an obligation to use the power of sports and entertainment to make a difference in our communities and Hockey Fights Cancer is a perfect example of the impact that can be made," said Hugh Weber, president of Prudential Center and the New Jersey Devils. "Each year it's a privilege to honor and share the incredible stories of our New Jersey neighbors who have personal connections to the disease and help raise significant money for the organizations on the front line of this ongoing battle."

Fans contributed to the Devils Hockey Fights Cancer campaign throughout the game, starting with purchasing player-signed mystery pucks and Hockey Fights Cancer T-shirts on the concourse. Proceeds from the team's 50/50 raffle were also contributed to the cause.

Fans were also able to bid on lavender warm-up jerseys and sticks used by the players before the game.

To donate to the cause, visit HockeyFightsCancer.com.



Martin Brodeur 'back' as Blues visit Devils tonight

November 10, 2015, 12:52 PM Last updated: Tuesday, November 10, 2015, 12:52 PM

By TOM GULITTI

STAFF WRITER |

The Record

NEWARK - After having Monday off, the Devils were on the ice for their morning skate today at Prudential Center, preparing for their game tonight against the St. Louis Blues.

Cory Schneider is in the starter's net, as expected, after Keith Kinkaid played in Sunday's 4-3 overtime win over Vancouver.

Former Devil Martin Brodeur, now an assistant GM with the Blues, was at the morning skate. A Blues spokesperson said Saturday that Brodeur, who will have his No. 30 retired by the Devils on Feb. 9, was on a scouting trip to Finland and would not be here today.

When asked about that, Brodeur said, “I'm back.”

Everyone on the Devils' active roster was on the ice for the morning skate. The line combinations appeared the same as at the end of Sunday's game with Sergey Kalinin on the second line with Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri, and Jiri Tlusty on the third line with Jacob Josefson and Jordin Tootoo. Defenseman Eric Gelinas and left wing Stefan Matteau appeared to be the extras again.

Former Devil Martin Havlat will make his Blues' debut tonight after signing a one-year contract with the team last week. Jake Allen will start in net for St. Louis.

The Devils will wear special camouflage jerseys during warmups tonight part of their annual Military Appreciation Night.



Devils get cooled off by Blues

By Associated Press

November 10, 2015 | 10:11pm

Jake Allen made 24 saves for his second straight shutout, Martin Havlat scored against his former team and the Blues beat the Devils 2-0 on Tuesday night at the Prudential Center.

The loss ended a three-game home win streak for the Devils.

“You have to give a lot of credit to St. Louis,” Devils coach John Hynes said. “They turned up the temperature in that second period. They played real strong. We never got back to the level we were at in the first period.”

Allen, coming off a career-high 45 saves in a 4-0 win Saturday over Nashville, had an easier time against New Jersey. It was his third shutout this season and the eighth of his career.

Havlat, who signed with St. Louis last week after spending last season with the Devils, opened the scoring in his season debut. The goal was set up by Scott Gomez, who also played for the Devils last season.

Both landed with the Blues as free agents.

Magnus Paajarvi added a goal in the third period as the Blues won for the sixth time in seven games while improving to 7-1 in their last eight against the Devils.

Cory Schneider stopped 26 shots for the Devils, who were 8-2 in its previous 10 games.

Paajarvi upped it to 2-0 in the third, netting the rebound of Alex Pietrangelo’s shot at 3:28.

The remaining drama centered on Allen’s shutout bid. He made a sharp stop on Mike Cammalleri’s rebound bid midway through the period.

Damon Severson did fire a shot past Allen as time expired. A video review determined the puck entered the net too late to count.

“They’re a tough team with a lead,” Devils center Travis Zajac said. “They have a good goalie, good structure. We were just never able to tie it up.”

New York Post LOADED: 11.11.2015

981969 New York Islanders

Islanders beat Sharks as John Tavares scores two goals

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Wednesday, November 11, 2015, 1:50 AM

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — John Tavares scored twice, including 36 seconds into the game, and the New York Islanders hung on to beat the San Jose Sharks 4-2 Tuesday night. Mikhail Grabovski and Johnny Boychuk also scored as the Islanders won in regulation for the second time since starting 6-2-1 this season.

Thomas Greiss, facing the team that drafted him for the first time, made 34 saves and New York swept the season series by winning in regulation at San Jose for the first time since February 2003.

Joel Ward and Brent Burns scored for the Sharks, who fell to 3-8 after opening the season with four straight wins. Martin Jones, who set a franchise record for the longest shutout streak (234:33) earlier this season, gave up two goals on the Islanders’ first three shots and was pulled after 3:30.

Alex Stalock came on and made 20 saves on 21 shots. The Sharks remain without a power-play goal at home (0 for 21) after failing to convert on two chances. Tavares scored an easy goal in the first minute. Brock Nelson’s shot bounced hard off Jones’ pads and straight to Tavares, who had a clear shot. Tavares added an empty-net goal in the final seconds.

It was his third game back after missing three with flu-like symptoms. Grabovski scored less than 3 minutes later, all but ignoring a Sharks defender and firing the puck into the net. Jones exited after that.

Ward scored his eighth goal midway through the second period, beating a pair of defenders and Greiss. Ward has not gone more than one game without a point this season. Boychuk fired a shot from outside the blue line that appeared to take Stalock by surprise, making it 3-1. Burns scored after taking a pass from Tomas Hertl from behind the net with just more than 5 minutes remaining.

New York Daily News LOADED: 11.11.2015

981970 New York Islanders

John Tavares scores two goals to lead Islanders past Sharks

By Associated Press

November 11, 2015 | 1:47am

John Tavares was looking for a strong start. Not only did he accomplish that, he finished just as well.

Tavares scored twice, including 36 seconds into the game, and the Islanders hung on to beat the Sharks 4-2 Tuesday night.

“We’ve been having a tough time scoring lately, especially 5-on-5,” Tavares said. “You could sense that we were ready for a good start.”

Mikhail Grabovski and Johnny Boychuk also scored as the Islanders (8-5-3) won in regulation for the second time since starting 6-2-1 this season.

“We deserved it,” coach Jack Capuano said. “We worked hard and did a lot of good things against a real good hockey team.”

Thomas Greiss, facing the club that drafted him for the first time, made 34 saves and the Islanders swept the season series by winning in regulation at San Jose for the first time since February 2003.

Joel Ward and Brent Burns scored for the Sharks, who fell to 3-8 after opening the season with four straight wins.

Martin Jones, who set a franchise record for the longest shutout streak (234:33) earlier this season, gave up two goals on the Islanders’ first three shots and was pulled after 3:30.

“We needed a momentum change,” Jones said. “It’s not fun getting pulled but I don’t know that I was surprised. I want to be better and contribute more.”

Alex Stalock came on and made 20 saves on 21 shots.

The Sharks remain without a power-play goal at home (0 for 21) after failing to convert on two chances.

Tavares scored an easy goal in the first minute. Brock Nelson’s drive bounced hard off Jones’ pads and straight to Tavares, who had a clear shot.

“It came off a rebound,” Ward said. “We should have been there.”

Grabovski scored less than 3 minutes later, all but ignoring a Sharks defender and firing the puck into the net. Jones exited after that.

“When you get two goals early, especially on the road, it gives you a lot of confidence,” Tavares said. “It’s a big win.”

Tavares added an empty-net goal in the final seconds. It was his third game back after missing three with flu-like symptoms.

Ward scored his eighth goal midway through the second period, beating a pair of defenders and Greiss. Ward has not gone more than one game without a point this season.

Boychuk fired a shot from outside the blue line that appeared to take Stalock by surprise, making it 3-1.

“Good things happen when you shoot the puck,” Boychuk said. “It was going down and then it took flight. It was weird. I’ve never scored like that before.”

Burns scored after taking a pass from Tomas Hertl from behind the net with just more than five minutes remaining.

Islanders forward Steve Bernier, a former Sharks first-round draft pick, got his first point since April 9. … Grabovski scored his first goal since consecutive game-winners Oct. 24-26. … Sharks C Joe Thornton played his 1,300th game.


981971 New York Rangers

Rick Nash returns from injury, feels ‘relief’ after scoring goal in Rangers win

BY Justin Tasch

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, November 10, 2015, 10:56 PM

Rick Nash says he cares more about trying to win a Stanley Cup than personal statistics at this point of his career, but he knows he’s paid to score goals and feels irritated when he doesn’t do so.

That’s why Nash felt “relief” when he found the back of the net on Tuesday in the Rangers’ 3-0 win over the Hurricanes at the Garden.

After missing the previous two games because of a tweaked back, Nash returned and scored his second goal of the season, 11 seconds after Jesper Fast gave the Rangers a 1-0 lead in the first period, taking a feed from Mats Zuccarello and evading a poke-check by Cam Ward to bury a backhanded shot. He also assisted on Ryan McDonagh’s third-period goal.

“Definitely relief,” Nash said. “It’s frustrating when you’re supposed to score goals on a great team and you can’t achieve that. But I think Zucc and Brass have been looking for me for a while and finally one went in.”

Nash’s only other goal came against Arizona on Oct. 22, when he was awarded a goal after he was hooked while skating toward the Coyotes’ empty net in the last minute.

Rick Nash gets some love from his Rangers teammates after scoring in Tuesday's win.

“It was good to see Nasher get one that he put in himself,” Alain Vigneault said with a grin.

The top-line left wing, who scored a career-high 42 goals last season, hurt his back Thursday practicing in Denver but practiced on Monday and says his back feels good.

Nash was happy with where his game was before his injury, feeling strong and believing he was getting quality scoring chances. He hasn’t scored much, but the Rangers’ hot start (11-2-2) has relieved pressure.

Nash gives the Blueshirts a lift in his return from a back injury.

“It helps, for sure,” Nash said. “It’s no lie. If we had a losing record I’m sure it’d be a lot different. But I’m at the point in my career where, obviously I want to score and help the team win, but 11-2 means a lot more than if I had 10 goals right now and we were 2-11.”

With his return, Emerson Etem dropped to the fourth line and Dom Moore was a healthy scratch.

“We got the two wins without (Nash,) but that’s how deep our team is,” said Etem, who had several turnovers but assisted on Fast’s goal. “With his presence it’s an even greater team. He brings so much to the table.”



Rick Nash, Henrik Lundqvist lead Rangers in 3-0 shutout victory over Hurricanes

BY Pat Leonard

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Updated: Wednesday, November 11, 2015, 1:20 AM

Henrik Lundqvist traditionally gives away two bottles of wine on the Rangers’ next flight after he records a shutout, but this time he should just pour himself a glass.

Rick Nash, captain Ryan McDonagh and Jesper Fast all scored for the Rangers in Tuesday night’s 3-0 win over the Carolina Hurricanes at the Garden, and the penalty kill went a perfect 6-for-6 despite its top forward, Dominic Moore, being a healthy scratch.

But Lundqvist’s 33 saves were the story, on a night when the Blueshirts (11-2-2, 24 points) were severely out-chanced and surrendered tons of quality chances.

“I wanted it,” said Lundqvist, who preserved his first clean sheet of the season with a post-to-post stop on Canes center Viktor Rask 11:57 into the third. “It’s been what, 15 16 games now? And you want to push yourself to get one. I was close a couple games ago, so going into the third that was my challenge; that was the goal: To try to get the zero.”

Lundqvist praised the penalty kill, which allowed only eight shots in 11:57 minutes of shorthanded time. The Rangers have won six straight and have not lost in regulation since Oct. 15 in Montreal, with an 8-0-2 record in their 10 games since.

Henrik Lundqvist stops all 33 shots on goal in a 3-0 shutout victory.

But Lundqvist said the Rangers were aware they were “lucky” to be up, 2-0, after a first period in which they were out-shot, 8-3. The truth is, the combination of Lundqvist (8-2-2, 1.65 goals against average, .949 save %) and backup Antti Raanta (3-0-0, 0.67 GAA, .976 save %) simply has been lights out: Their combined 1.46 goals against average and .954 save percentage both lead the NHL.

Just ask the Hurricanes (6-9-0, 12 points) how well Lundqvist played, or ask the Rangers fans who fought for the King’s stick when he threw it into the Garden stands after being named the game’s first star. A minor skirmish broke out in the crowd when no one would let go, prompting ushers to break it up and take the stick away. No one would get the biggest souvenir on this night.

Lundqvist’s 56th shutout of his career was special also because it came against the Hurricanes, the same team he faced in that Jan. 31, 2015, 4-1 win at the Garden in which Canes forward Brad Malone’s wrist shot hit Lundqvist in the throat, knocking him out for most of the spring.

His 743rd career start (regular season and playoffs combined) passed Mike Richter, whom Lundqvist called “a legend,” for most appearances by a goalie in franchise history. His 19,430 career saves passed Richter, as well.

Earlier this fall, Lundqvist revealed that he is wearing a new type of Bauer skates that are allowing him to push off and close the five-hole better, so perhaps that accounts for his recent jump from excellent to superb.

“Well if it was just the skates I think I wish that I got them a little earlier,” Lundqvist laughed. “But no, I had a good feeling going into camp this year. I’ve been building on that feeling, and technically, mentally, I feel really good.”

The Rangers, frankly, are a team that just knows how to win, no matter how they are playing. And Tuesday was a solid reminder that, as Nash said, “the confidence rolls right down from the goalie.”

“I think the key for us is we’re not really making a big deal about winning a lot of games right now,” Lundqvist said. “We know we have to come back here and do it again and we have a lot of hockey ahead of us to get where we want to go. So we just try to stay humble here and realize there are a lot of good teams out there … It doesn’t matter if you feel you’re the better team. It comes down to will and how badly you want to win the game.”

Rick Nash wastes no time building on the Rangers' lead, scoring a goal nine seconds after Fast.

RUMORS CIRCLE SHARKS' MARLEAU

San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau would accept a trade to one of three teams, including the Rangers, according to a Tuesday night report by CSNCalifornia.com.

The Rangers have had scouts at the last two Sharks games, according to the website, while Marleau, 36 – the Sharks’ all-time leading scorer – would be willing to waive his no-movement clause for the Rangers, Anaheim Ducks or Los Angeles Kings.

Marleau, however, has two years remaining at about $6.33 million per season, which the high-spending Rangers only could accommodate by parting with significant salary.



Dominic Moore a healthy scratch for Rangers vs. Hurricanes as Emerson Etem earns more playing time

BY Pat Leonard, Justin Tasch

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Tuesday, November 10, 2015, 4:40 PM

Alain Vigneault wanted more of Emerson Etem on Tuesday night and less of Moore, as in veteran forward Dominic Moore, who was a surprising healthy scratch as Rick Nash returned from a back injury to face the visiting Carolina Hurricanes.

Etem, 23, played so well in Nash’s stead in two games last week on the left wing of Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello that he convinced the Rangers’ head coach to keep him in the rotation ahead of one of the Blueshirts’ most reliable forwards in Moore.

“I thought his overall game was good,” Vigneault said Tuesday morning at the Garden of Etem who was acquired in last summer’s trade of Carl Hagelin to Anaheim. “With Brass and Zucc, … they got some good looks offensively. Defensively, other than (one) shift … I thought they were dependable. He skated well, skated well with the puck, played the body when the opportunity was there.”

Vigneault hasn’t been blown away by either true veteran center, Jarret Stoll or Moore, playing the wing of his fourth line. But now that Etem has demonstrated reliability and offensive ability, the coach felt comfortable enough Tuesday to experiment with another lineup combination.

“Just trying to piece all our lines (together),” said Vigneault, whose Rangers (10-2-2) entered having not lost in regulation since Oct. 15 in Montreal (7-0-2 since). “Oscar (Lindberg) seemed to have been able to make the transition from center to wing a little bit easier than either Dom or Jarret. So that, as far as having one of those players who are all natural centermen play the wing, seems to be a work in progress.

“I tried one game, the game in Montreal, I sat out Jarret and tried Dom with two wingers,” the coach added. “I haven’t tried Jarret with two wingers, so I want to look at that option.”

Moore’s scratch is surprising, though, because he has been much better than Stoll. On the one hand, it’s a positive that the Rangers have a surplus of capable forwards. On the other hand, Stoll often has been a step behind and unimpressive, outside of his third-period goal last week on an inexplicably unprepared Washington goalie Braden Holtby.

Both Moore, 35, and Stoll, 33, have had some struggles on face-offs, but Moore is the leader of the Rangers’ fifth-ranked penalty kill and for years has been one of the Rangers’ MVPs of each playoffs. His absence from the penalty kill hopefully wouldn’t be costly against the Hurricanes (6-8-0), who boast the NHL’s leader in power play goals (five) in defenseman Justin Faulk.

Plus, if Rangers GM Jeff Gorton is responsible for making the rich richer by signing Stoll in the summer, Gorton is also responsible for the logjam of forcing one of two true centers into a position he does not play. Lindberg’s transition is easier because he is a rookie who hasn’t played that position in the NHL for as long as have Moore (since 2003-04) and Stoll (2002-03).

“Anytime you’re faced with decisions like that, it’s not easy,” Vigneault said, “especially (with) a guy like Dom and what he’s done for our team, but I’m looking at the big picture and trying to see if we can come up with a combination.”

Vigneault, though, also has the right and the room to continue experimenting to find his best lineup: The Rangers’ 22 points coming in equaled their franchise’s best-ever 14-game start to a season in terms of points (1971-72 and 1990-91).

Nash, who has just one goal awarded on a defender’s penalty as he charged toward an empty-net on Oct. 22 against Arizona, is still seeking his first goal in which he actually puts the puck in the net. With the Rangers having played only three games in the last 14 games, Nash said he was hopeful that getting in a more regular flow of game action in November will help his body and his luck.

“I think it’ll be kind of nice to get back into that flow,” Nash said. “It seems like the last few weeks we’ve kind of just had a lot of practices. It’ll be nice to get back in the game flow again.”



Rick Nash glad he broke drought but is looking at bigger picture

By Brett Cyrgalis

November 11, 2015 | 12:48am

Maybe what Rick Nash needed to break his run of bad luck was a little respite — even if it came in a rather unfortunate way.

Nash returned to the Rangers lineup for Tuesday night’s 3-0 win over the Hurricanes at the Garden after a two-game absence because of a back ailment. Midway through the second period, he scored his first goal of the season into a net, now giving him two on the year to go with his one that was awarded on Oct. 22 when he was hooked on a breakaway while heading towards an empty net and was awarded the goal.

“It’s not secret it’s been a frustrating start,” said Nash, who led the Rangers with 42 goals last season. “I’m lucky I’m at a point in my career where I’m interested in wins and winning games and being on a winning team. But you always try to help out. It was finally nice to get one.”

The win moved the Rangers to 11-2-2, tied for the best 15-game start in franchise history, with the only other team to have won 11 of its first 15 being the 1990-91 squad. The only team to have recorded 24 points in the first 15 games came in 1971-72.

“Obviously I want to score and I want to help my team win,” said Nash, “but 11-2 means a lot more than if I had 10 goals right now and we were 2-11.”

In a surprising move, coach Alain Vigneault made stalwart fourth-line center Dominic Moore a healthy scratch for the first time this season to make room for Nash’s return.

“Any time you’re faced with decisions like that, it’s not easy — especially a guy like Dom and what he’s done for our team,” Vigneault said before the game. “But I’m looking at the big picture and I’m trying to see if I can’t come up with a combination.”

Vigneault instead made first-year Ranger Jarret Stoll the center of that line, and he was given two natural wings this time in Emerson Etem and Jesper Fast.

“I thought they were good,” Vigneault said of the line that set up Fast’s game-opening goal at 9:21 of the first. “They scored us the first goal. Stoll and Fast had a lot of time on the penalty kill, and did a pretty good job for us. And 5-on-5, I thought that line spent a decent amount of time in the other team’s end.”

Vigneault had briefly used Moore on left wing this season — just as he had tried Stoll out of position at right wing — but the results for both were not as good as the transition made by another natural center being moved to wing, rookie Oscar Lindberg.

“Oscar has seemed to been able to make the transition from center to wing a little bit easier than either Dom or Jarret,” Vigneault said. “So that, as far as having one of those players, all natural centermen, play the wing, seems to be a work in progress.”

Dan Boyle stayed in on defense for the second straight game, keeping rookie Dylan McIlrath as a healthy scratch. Boyle was assertive in 16:50, mostly paired with Marc Staal.



Keith Yandle’s long-term future with the Rangers no sure thing

By Larry Brooks

November 11, 2015 | 12:15am

A glimpse of The Duke in the Desert Saturday night was all that is required to understand the Rangers are likely to rue trading Anthony Duclair to the Coyotes the day before last year’s trade deadline, and for a long time to come.

But it does not necessarily follow that acquiring Keith Yandle for a Stanley Cup run was misguided, because the fact is that Yandle will be part of a pair of Stanley Cup runs, and when your team hasn’t won it all in two decades, you take your shot when you have it.

At the same time, though, it does not mean the cost of the transaction — that included a first-rounder going west — should be a factor, let alone determinative, in deciding what to do about Yandle, who is eligible to become an unrestricted free agent this July.

It is not so simple.

Yandle has not been the offensive force the Rangers anticipated, but he has shown flashes, most recently in Tuesday’s 3-0 Garden victory over the Candy Canes that followed a fine performance on Saturday against his former team.

Still, it will be about April, May and June for Yandle just as it will be for fundamentally every member of this squad. If there is no May, if there is no June; well, then and only then can judgement be rendered on the trade.

Remember this: the Rangers traded young all-time American Doug Weight to the Oilers for veteran Esa Tikkanen just ahead of the 1993 deadline and then missed the playoffs entirely. But a year later, Tikkanen was an essential part of the Blueshirts’ only Cup-winning team in the last 74 years.

Weight recorded 963 points after leaving the Rangers. Is there anyone who would want a do-over on that deal, or on the one at the 1994 deadline that sent another young all-time American, Tony Amonte (715 points after leaving New York), to Chicago for Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan?

Asked and answered.

Two years ago when Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi were entering the final season of their respective contracts, negotiations on extensions began over the summer and continued throughout the season. The same held true last year regarding Marc Staal and Mats Zuccarello.

Three of the four signed during their walk years. Callahan, the one who did not sign, was traded at the 2014 deadline.

But there have been no talks thus far between Rangers’ general manager Jeff Gorton and Yandle. Neither does there appear to be urgency on either side. There is no indication the Blueshirts will move Yandle if he does not sign an extension.

“We haven’t had any discussions with the Rangers,” Yandle’s agent, Jerry Buckley, told The Post on Tuesday. “There is no timetable as far as we are concerned.

“I know Keith likes it in New York and likes the team, but his entire focus is on having a good year and winning. I don’t anticipate there being a deadline for Keith to sign during the season.

“Both sides will have a clearer idea of how they want to proceed at the end of the year.”

If Yandle plays poorly, then the future will be pretty clear and it will be elsewhere for the 29-year-old. If he kicks it into gear and plays a significant role in a healthy playoff charge, well, then the future will be murky, as contradictory as that proposition may seem.

“I’m just focused on playing. I’m the kind of guy who leaves the business end to my agent,” Yandle said after the Blueshirts’ sixth straight victory. “Nothing has been brought to my attention [regarding talks on a new deal], and I’m fine with that.

“I’m having fun here. I just want to win.”

Yandle is operating under the final season of a five-year, $26.5 million deal with a $5.25 million cap hit that is divided equally between the Rangers and Coyotes under terms of the trade. It can be safely assumed that Yandle will not be taking a pay cut on his next contract.

The Rangers theoretically would have space to sign No. 93, but it defies logic that they would invest up to $5.5 million per long-term on him with lefty Ryan McDonagh in at $4.7 million per through 2018-19 and lefty Marc Staal in at $5.7 million per through 2020-21, the latter with a full no-move for another two seasons. Righty Dan Girardi is in for $5.5 million with a no-move through next season.

“There would be a lot to figure out,” Buckley said. “We understand. So let’s just let this year play out.”

Yes. Let’s.



Rick Nash scores in return as Rangers capture 6th straight win

By Brett Cyrgalis

November 10, 2015 | 9:48pm

There has been very little continuity during this winning streak for the Rangers, the one that extended to six games with Tuesday night’s 3-0 win over the Hurricanes at the Garden. And it’s just as there has been very little continuity to their 11-2-2 start of this season, which is tied for best in franchise history.

Well, there has been one constant, and the man between the pipes was finally rewarded with his first shutout of the season.

“I think the key for us is that we’re not making a big deal about winning a lot of games right now,” said goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who, after all of his spectacular play through his first 12 starts, finally got to hang a doughnut on the board with a 33-save gem. “We know we have to come back here and do it again. There’s a lot of hockey ahead of us. We also know that we have to improve to get where we want to go.”

See, now there is the honesty that is permeating this run of victories. The currently first-place Rangers consist of so many of the same players that have won the Presidents’ Trophy last season, been to three of the past four conference finals, and even made it to Game 5 of the Stanley Cup final just two seasons ago before falling to the Kings.

“We just try to stay humble and realize there are a lot of good teams out there that are going to come in here desperate and try to win games, so you just have to match that,” said Lundqvist. “It doesn’t matter if you feel like you’re the better team. It comes down to will and how badly you want to win every night.”

One thing Lundqvist did make clear is that he wanted this shutout, extending his franchise record to 56. (Imagine, Marty Brodeur, who will likely be in town on Thursday when his Blues visit the Garden, had 125.) This was also the 743rd game Lundqvist played with the Rangers, regular season and playoffs, passing Mike Richter for the sixth-most games by a goalie with one team.

“The fun part about playing with this group is you know we will get to where we need to be sooner or later,” Lundqvist said. “As a goalie, you just need to be ready, do your job, and try to make the saves that we need to get going.”

It took a while for the Rangers to get going, as the Hurricanes (6-9-0) are quite a bit more formidable than their record, and the Blueshirts generated only three shots on goal in the first 20 minutes — and scored twice, just 11 seconds apart, to take a 2-0 lead.

“Confidence is high,” said Rick Nash, who got off the schneid when he scored the second of those goals at 9:32, just his second of the season and the first he actually put in the net. “I think a lot of the confidence rolls down right from your goalie. I think Hank’s one of the best goalies in the world and it kind of flows that way.”

The Rangers limited their defensive-zone time and turnovers in the second, although the whistle-happy officiating duo of Frederick L’Ecuyer and Justin St. Pierre kept them a man down with two of their six penalties on the night, all killed with easy efficiency — as much as testament to the Blueshirts’ penalty kill as it was to the Hurricanes’ ineptitude on the power play.

“I think the last couple weeks, it’s the best I’ve seen it in a long time — just the timing, the reads they’re making,” Lundqvist said of the penalty-kill unit.

A lot of that has to do with Lundqvist, as well, as the goaltender can cover up the blemishes on a team that is far from infallible, even if that’s pretty much the way the Rangers have looked in the standings to start this season.

“Our record is pretty good,” said coach Alain Vigneault, whose team got the first goal of the year from captain Ryan McDonagh just 13 seconds into the third to seal the win. “We still have areas that we are working on a need to improve. We are very aware of that.”



Rangers 3, Hurricanes 0: The final word(s)

Staff

WHAT IT MEANS: The Rangers defeated the Hurricanes, 3-0, on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden to improve their record to 11-2-2. Their 11 wins and 24 points have tied a franchise record for the season’s first 15 games (the Rangers went 11-4-0 in 1990-91 and accumulated 24 points in 1971-72 in going 10-1-4). The Rangers extended their season-high winning streak to six games, their point streak to 10 games (8-0-2) and their mastery over the Hurricanes to 17 wins in their last 18, seven straight and 10 straight at the Garden.

WHY IT HAPPENED: Start with Henrik Lundqvist, because he was, once again, spectacular. The Rangers had trouble generating much over sustained periods - they scored twice within 11 seconds in a first period in which they were outshot 8-3 - and a big reason was the Hurricanes dominance in the faceoff circle as the Hurricanes won 37 of 58 (64 percent). The Rangers also had trouble establishing momentum as the Hurricanes had six power-plays over 11:57 - two in each period. Yet the Rangers were never in danger, again thanks to Lundqvist’s work. Rick Nash’s goal and an assist in his return from a two-game absence due to a bad back were a welcome sight as the Rangers do need their top-line left wing to start producing offensively. It was just Nash’s second goal this season - and the first he’s actually put into the net after being awarded one as he was hooked on an empty-net breakaway in a 4-1 win over the Coyotes on Oct. 22. The penalty killing units were led by McDonagh and Dan Girardi, Kevin Klein and Marc Staal, Jesper Fast and Derek Stepan, and Jarret Stoll and Rick Nash. The Hurricanes were limited to eight power-play shots as the Rangers wound up blocking 19 shots. As a group, the Rangers defensemen had a strong game in limiting whatever rebound chances Lundqvist gave up (not many). The Rangers could have been more efficient with their physicality. Two of their biggest hits - both on Joakim Nordstrom - were penalized. Girardi for a high hit that was called roughing and Klein for kneeing.

LINK TO RECORD GAME STORY:

OF NOTE:

- C/LW Dominic Moore is still one game shy of 700 for his career after being a healthy scratch

- It was a record setting night for Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist as he passed Mike Richter in three categories. Lundqvist appeared in his 743rd career game with the Rangers, combining the regular season and the playoffs, moving him past Richter as the all-time franchise leader. Lundqvist also set an NHL record for most combined games for a goalie who has only played for one team. Lundqvist came into the game needing eight stops to break Richter’s franchise record of 19,404 saves in the regular season and the playoffs. “To get that opportunity, of course I’m proud to be up there with those guys,” Lundqvist said.

- RW Mats Zuccarello assisted on Rick Nash’s goal to make it 2-0 at 9:32 of the first period. It extended Zuccarello’s assist streak against the Hurricanes to 10 games. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, that marks the Rangers’ longest point streak for a player against one team since Mark Messier had an 11-game streak against the Flyers from Nov. 2, 1991-Jan. 9, 1993. It’s the Rangers’ longest assist streak against one opponent since Brian Leetch had a 12-game streak against the Penguins from Dec. 3, 1990-April 16, 1992.

- Both LW Oscar Lindberg and C Kevin Hayes had three-game point streaks snapped.

- Hurricanes rookie defenseman Brett Pesce grew up a Rangers’ fan in Tarrytown, N.Y., minutes from the team’s practice facility. His teammates stopped short coming on the ice for pre-game warmups, forcing Pesce, who had a large contingent of friends and family in attendance, to take a lap on his own.

- C Derick Brassard was 7 of 19 (37 percent) on faceoffs. C Derek Stepan was 3 of 11 (27 percent).

- The Rangers have now allowed two goals or fewer in nine of their last 10 games. Also, they have allowed one goal or fewer in seven of the last nine contests and in each of the last three games. The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in each of the last 10 games and in 12 of their 15 games overall so far. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rangers have allowed 24 goals or fewer in the first 15 games of a season for the first time since 1939-40 and for the sixth time in franchise history (also

1926-27, 1928-29, 1933-34, 1937-38, 1939-40, and 2015-16). The Rangers are 11-0-1 this season when allowing two goals or fewer.

- In addition to a six-game winning streak overall, the Rangers have won six straight home games, outscoring their opponents, 23-5. Overall, they are now 7-1-1 at the Garden this season.

- The Rangers are 4-0-2 against Metropolitan Division opponents

QUOTABLE:

- Coach Alain Vigneault: “It was tough to get any rhythm because of all the penalties that were called on us tonight. Obviously, you need good goaltending to kill off the number of penalties we had, and we got that tonight. It took us a while to find our legs in the first period and once we got that, we capitalized quickly with two quick goals. From there, they played hard. They spent a lot of time in our end. We didn’t give up that much and we were able to capitalize on a lucky bounce in the third that gave us a three-goal lead.”

- G Henrik Lundqvist: “I think the key for us is that we are not making a big deal about winning a lot of games right now. We know we have to come back here and do it again. There’s a lot of hockey ahead of us. We also know that we have to improve to get where we want to go, so we just try to stay humble and realize there are a lot of good teams out there that are going to come in here desperate and try to win games, so you just have to match that. It doesn’t matter if you feel like you’re the better team; it comes down to will and how badly you want to win every night.”

- Lundqvist on the Rangers’ penalty kill: “I think the last couple weeks, it’s the best I’ve seen it in a long time - just the timing, the reads they’re making. It gives a lot of confidence to the group, knowing that if you take a penalty, it’s not going to cost you every time. Obviously you have to be careful and try to play a disciplined game but when we do take penalties, that group has been outstanding for us. It brings a lot of confidence that you can play on the edge and know the guys will take care of it.”

- D Ryan McDonagh on his first goal of the season, to make it 3-0 13 seconds into the third period: “They’re only down 2-0 going into the third. That’s somewhat of a good spot for a road team. We wanted to try to take away the energy or any kind of momentum right off the hop of the period for them. We obviously talked about trying to get that next goal and working off that. I just put a puck towards the net and got a lucky bounce. I thought guys continued to make plays still and didn’t spend a lot of time in our zone which is good.”

- LW Rick Nash: “Confidence is high. A lot of us have been together for three-plus years, four-plus years, some guys longer. I think the confidence rolls down right from your goalie. I think Hank’s one of the best goalies in the world and it kind of flows that way. We have the best defense corps in the league, in my opinion, and from there it just rolls on to our forwards.”

- D Dan Girardi on the six-game winning streak: “The play has been up and down and there have been some breaks in between the games, some longer stretches with some days off and practices. I think maybe it’s good that it doesn’t feel like a six game win streak so you don’t get complacent. You want to just keep getting better every game and we are still trying to get that 60 minute, real good game. Obviously it’s hard to have a 60 minute perfect game in this league. You are going to have teams get opportunities, have some momentum changes, but it’s all how you handle it and we’ve been doing a good job of that. When something goes wrong, we get a big save or a big play, get the play going back the other way and have some momentum in our favor.”

MY THREE RANGERS’ STARS:

1. Henrik Lundqvist: Lundqvist made 33 saves for his first shutout of the season and the 56th of his career, extending his franchise record. Lundqvist has now allowed two or fewer goals in 11 of his 12 starts as he improved to 8-2-2 with a 1.65 goals-against average and a .949 save percentage.

2. Rick Nash: What bad back? Nash returned after a two-game absence and had a goal, an assist and four shots in 16:46, including 3:51 on the Rangers penalty kill.

3. Ryan McDonagh: The captain scored his first goal of the season - a very encouraging sign for the Rangers who need his back-end production - and had four blocked shots in 20:24, including a team-high 5:59

on the penalty kill.

WHAT’S NEXT: The Rangers are off on Wednesday before hosting the Blues on Thursday night, part of a busy schedule that also includes a Saturday afternoon road game at Ottawa and a Sunday night home game against the Maple Leafs.



Live Blog: Nash scores in return, Rangers beat ‘Canes, 3-0 as Hank gets 1st SO of season

Staff

Rick Nash returns to the lineup and Dominic Moore will be a healthy scratch for the first time this season as the Rangers host the Hurricanes tonight at Madison Square Garden.

And here was coach Alain Vigneault’s explanation of that decision, which also includes keeping Emerson Etem in the lineup after he played well on the two-game road trip to Colorado and Arizona with Nash out with a back issue.

Etem and Jesper Fast, two natural wings, will be Stoll’s linemates.

“I’m just trying to piece all our lines,” Vigneault said. “Oscar (Lindberg) has seemed to been able to make the transition from center to wing a little bit easier than either Dom or Jarret so that, as far as having one of those players who are all natural centermen playing the wing, seems to be a work in process. I tried one game, in Montreal (a 3-0 loss on Oct. 15), I sat out Jarret and I tried Dom with two wingers. I haven’t tried Jarret with two wingers so I want to look at that option tonight. Any time you’re faced with decisions like that, it’s not easy, especially a guy like Dom and what he’s done for our team. But I’m looking at the big picture and I’m trying to see if I can’t come up with a combination tonight.”

Etem, 23, has one assist in five games - the others he’s been a healthy scratch. But he didn’t look out of place on the road trip on the top line with Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello.

“I thought his ovverall game was good with Brass and Zucc,” Vigneault said. “He’s playing with two pretty good players there. They got some good looks offensively. Defensively, other than the shift where they lost the faceoff in our end and (Martin) Hanzal’s line had three great scoring chances, I thought they were dependable. He skated well, skated well with the puck. He played the body when the opportunity was there. So, hopefully, tonight with Jarret and Jesper he can do the same thing.”

Lindberg, a rookie, comes into the game on a three-game point streak -as does Kevin Hayes - and his seven goals and 11 points are tied with Zuccarello for the team lead.

“I don’t think he’s going to continue to score on the pace that he has, but I do expect his game to continue to improve,” Vigneault said of Lindberg. “It’s like any player who gets more experience, you make better reads defensively, you make better reads offensively. He might not be able to finish at the same pace he has but that is a good line as far as zone time, as far as wearing the opposition down. I think they’re all starting to read off one another. In the two games played at Colorado and Arizona, that line was very effective for us.”

Henrik Lundqvist will make his 12th start of the season, giving him 743 combined appearances in the regular season and the playoffs for the Rangers.

That not only sets a franchise record, but also an NHL record for goalies who have played with just one team in their career. Former Ranger Mike Richter is now second on both lists with 742 combined games.

The Rangers enter the game on a five-game winning streak and on a nine-game point streak (7-0-2). They are now the first defending Presidents Trophy winner to accumulate 22 points through their first 14 games since the Red Wings in 2005-06.

The Rangers are 16-1-0 against the Hurricanes dating to Feb. 22, 2011, including a six-game winning streak, and have won nine straight home games in the series since Jan. 5, 2011.

Lastly, Hurricanes rookie defenseman Brett Pesce grew up a Rangers’ fan in Tarrytown, N.Y., minutes from the team’s practice facility. Not surprisingly, he’ll have a large contingent of friends and family in the Garden stands, now all wearing Hurricanes’ jerseys.

Rangers (10-2-2)

Rick Nash-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello

Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-J.T. Miller

Oscar Lindberg-Kevin Hayes-Viktor Stalberg

Emerson Etem-Jarret Stoll-Jesper Fast

Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi

Marc Staal-Dan Boyle

Keith Yandle-Kevin Klein

Henrik Lundqvist (7-2-2, 1.80 goals-against, .945 save percentage)

Hurricanes (6-8-0)

Eric Staal–Victor Rask–Elias Lindholm

Nathan Gerbe–Jordan Staal–Chris Terry

Jeff Skinner–Riley Nash–Kris Versteeg

Brock McGinn–Jay McClement–Joakim Nordstrom

Ron Hainsey–Justin Faulk

John-Michael Liles–Brett Pesce

Michal Jordan–Ryan Murphy

Cam Ward (5-5-0, 2.40, .907)



Etem stays in for Moore; Staal reunion (again)

Staff

Only the Rangers’ extras, plus a few other players, were on the ice for this morning’s skate at Madison Square Garden and the one bit of lineup news for tonight’s game against the Hurricanes - other than Rick Nash returning after missing the last two games with a back issue and defenseman Dan Boyle remaining in the lineup with Dylan McIlrath a healthy scratch - is that Dominic Moore will be a healthy scratch tonight.

Jarret Stoll will center a fourth line with Emerson Etem and Jesper Fast on the wings. Etem acquitted himself well playing on the top line the last two games with Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello and coach Alain Vigneault found a way to keep him in the lineup. Etem and Fast - who has spent time on the second line this season - are not typical fourth-liners and the same could be said of Stoll, who might be a third-liner on other teams.

Vigneault told the media at the Garden that he wants to see Stoll on a line with two natural wings.

The right-shooting Stoll and left-shooting Moore have alternated being in the middle based on the other wing. For instance, with Fast, a natural right wing, on the line, Stoll is in the middle and Moore plays left wing. When left wing Tanner Glass played on the line before being sent to Hartford (AHL), Moore would be in the middle and Stoll played right wing.

Moore has one goal in 14 games this season, meaning tonight will be the first game he’s missed this season.

Meanwhile, playing against his brothers is nothing new for defenseman Marc Staal, now in his ninth NHL season.

But that doesn’t mean it’s gotten any easier.

“It’s hard, it’s fun,” Staal said after Monday’s practice. “It’s kind of both. It’s so much different playing against two guys you grew up with. It’s just a different feeling competing against them. It’s a distraction I’ve learned to play with.”

The Hurricanes, of course, feature captain Eric Staal and fellow forward Jordan Staal. Eric, 31, Marc, 28, and Jordan, 27, are the only trio of brothers in NHL, NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball history to all be drafted 12th overall or higher.

The 6-foot-4, 220-pound Jordan Staal, selected second overall by the Penguins in 2006 and now in his fourth season with the Hurricanes, comes into tonight’s game with three goals in his last three games.

The 6-4, 205-pound Eric Staal, picked No. 2 overall by the Hurricanes in 2003 and an impending unrestricted free agent as he completes a seven-year, $57.75 million deal, has a three-game point streak.

Chances are the 6-4, 207-pound Marc Staal will be on the ice against one or the other. Or both if they are used on the same line.

“It’s harder,” Marc Staal said of the task of facing his brothers since Jordan joined the Hurricanes,” because you’ve got two behemoths protecting their body down low.”

And, no, Henry and Linda Staal won’t be at the Garden tonight to see their boys compete against each other, though they are frequent visitors to their sons’ games.

“It’s not fun for my parents,” Marc Staal said.

The worst instance, of course, came when Marc Staal suffered a concussion on Eric Staal’s check on Feb. 22, 2011 at Carolina and eventually missed the first 36 games of the following season because of persistent symptoms.



Rangers notes: Henrik Lundqvist adds to records

November 11, 2015 Last updated: Wednesday, November 11, 2015, 1:21 AM

Andrew Gross

The Record

Hank’s records

It was a record-setting night for Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist as he passed Mike Richter in three categories.

Lundqvist appeared in his 743rd career game with the Rangers, combining the regular season and the playoffs, moving him past Richter as the all-time franchise leader. Lundqvist also set an NHL record for most combined games for a goalie who has played for just one team.

Lundqvist, who made 33 saves in his first shutout of the season, came into the game needing eight stops to break Richter’s franchise record of 19,404 saves in the regular season and the playoffs.

"To get that opportunity, of course I’m proud to be up there with those guys," Lundqvist said.

Streaking

Right wing Mats Zuccarello assisted on Rick Nash’s goal to make it 2-0 at 9:32 of the first period. It extended Zuccarello’s assist streak against the Hurricanes to 10 games.

Per the Elias Sports Bureau, that marks the Rangers’ longest point streak for a player against one team since Mark Messier had an 11-game streak against the Flyers from Nov. 2, 1991-Jan. 9, 1993. It’s the Rangers’ longest assist streak against one opponent since Brian Leetch had a 12-game streak against the Penguins from Dec. 3, 1990-April 16, 1992.

Briefs

Veteran fourth-liner Dominic Moore was a healthy scratch for the first time this season, preventing him from playing in his 700th career game. Defenseman Dylan McIlrath was the Rangers’ other healthy scratch. … Hurricanes rookie defenseman Brett Pesce grew up a Rangers’ fan in Tarrytown, N.Y. His teammates stopped short coming on the ice for pregame warmups, forcing Pesce, who had a large contingent in attendance, to take a lap on his own



Rangers top Hurricanes, 3-0, as Rick Nash scores in return

November 10, 2015, 9:42 PM Last updated: Wednesday, November 11, 2015, 12:10 AM

By ANDREW GROSS

STAFF WRITER |

The Record

NEW YORK – Rick Nash took satisfaction through the frequent goal-less games and, most recently, a two-game absence because of a bad back, in the Rangers methodically collecting wins.

He made no secret the lack of goals were frustrating. Or that it was a relief to score a goal and add an assist in the Rangers’ 3-0 win over the Hurricanes on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden built on Henrik Lundqvist’s 33-save shutout, a 6-for-6 penalty kill and first-period goals 11 seconds apart.

“It was frustrating, but I’m happy,” said Nash, who had a career-high 42 goals last season and has two in 13 games this season. “I’m not a selfish guy. I’m not going to be moping around. At this point of my career, I want to win games, win championships.”

Still, it wasn’t as much Nash’s scoring as it was Lundqvist’s goaltending – a common theme through this strong start, including a current six-game winning streak and 10-game point streak (8-0-2) – that was key as the goalie notched his first shutout of the season and extended his franchise record with the 56th of his career.

The Rangers (11-2-2) were outshot, 33-23, and outchanced, 67-37, including blocked shots and missed attempts. But they have beaten the Hurricanes (6-9-0) in 17 of the teams’ last 18 meetings, including seven straight, dating to Feb. 22, 2011. The Rangers have also won 10 straight home games over the Hurricanes.

“Hank made some saves for us but I wouldn’t say we gave up a whole lot,” center Derek Stepan said.

“We take some penalties and they gain some momentum and our penalty kill found a way to get it done. It was just a goofy game tonight, both teams doing a lot of chasing and it wasn’t very crisp.”

“There was a lot of whack-a-mole,” said defenseman Dan Girardi as he and captain Ryan McDonagh each blocked four shots, with the Rangers finishing with 19. “The pucks were in the corner, guys were trying to chip it and it was going in the air. It was kind of a weird game.”

The Rangers held the Hurricanes to eight power-play shots despite 11:57 of man-advantage time.

The Rangers were outshot, 8-3, in the first period yet still took a 2-0 lead on the rapid-succession goals by Jesper Fast and Nash against Cam Ward.

Nash’s goal at 9:32 came as he got to the crease off the faceoff at center ice (with Mats Zuccarello assisting), marking the first puck he’d put in the net this season and, also, the last shot the Rangers had in the period.

“Definitely relief,” said Nash, who missed the previous two games after injuring his back during Thursday’s practice. “It’s frustrating when you’re supposed to score goals on a great team and you can’t achieve that.”

Nash’s first goal of the season came when he was credited for an empty-netter in a 4-1 win over the visiting Coyotes on Oct. 22. He was hooked on a breakaway.

McDonagh also scored his first of the season to make it 3-0 just 13 seconds into the third period.

Lundqvist made 11 third-period saves, lunging to get his glove on Victor Rask’s shot at the crease at 11:57.

“I wanted [the shutout],” said Lundqvist, who has allowed two goals or fewer in all but one of his 12 starts. “You want to push yourself to get one. Going into the third, that was my challenge. I put that as a goal to keep it at zero.”



Rangers-Hurricanes in review

By Rick Carpiniello on November 11, 2015 Game review, Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Rangers Report

Thoughts:

1) God I hate these interconference games. Oh, wait …

Carolina Hurricanes v New York Rangers2) I think what we saw, especially these last two games, is what might be somewhat taken for granted. How good-to-great goaltending can save a team when it plays not-so-great, and how mediocre-to-bad goaltending can doom a team no matter how it plays. We saw Mike Smith in Arizona and Cam Ward of Carolina just blow up their teams by allowing bad goals. And we saw Antti Raanta and Henrik Lundqvist save their teams in consecutive games by erasing mistakes.

3) And more so, we are reminded of how consistently great King Henrik is, year after year, game after game. That’s the taken-for-granted part. “When we haven’t had our game, he has, and he’s had it all year long,” said Derek Stepan. “Maybe a guy makes a mistake and instead of it ending up in the back of your net, Hank makes a big save and you build confidence off of that.”

4) So Lundqvist set those two franchise longevity records – most career games and saves, passing Mike Richter in both, and becoming the NHL record holder in games among goalies who spent their entire career with one team (Martin Brodeur had the record, then lost it by playing a handful of games for St. Louis, so it’s dubious). “You know, every time you get compared to players, legends like that, it’s a good feeling,” said Lundqvist, who pretty much owns the franchise record book. “You realize you’ve been here a while, you’ve been lucky to be part of a lot of good teams and they’ve been giving me a chance to play a lot of games. …“I’m proud to be up there with those guys.”

nash goal25) And when he made that lateral explosion save on Victor Rask on that late 2-on-1, his nightly five-bell save, there wasn’t much at stake but the shutout. “I wanted it,” Lundqvist said. “It’s been what, 15-16 games in, and you want to push yourself to get one. I was close a couple games ago. Going into the third, that was my challenge. I put that as a goal to try to keep it at zero.” He did. Our friend Andrew Gross asked Lundqvist if he was superstitious, and if he might keep the mustache-only look even after Movember. Lundqvist laughed. “We’ll see, we’ll see. I’ll keep it a couple more weeks then we’re gonna have to sit down and talk about it.” Asked if his wife might have something to say about it, Lundqvist quickly said, “Yeah, probably.” He might want to reconsider that stick toss into the crowd after games, though.

6) This wasn’t the greatest shutout of all-time, certainly not. But it was important in this way: The Rangers still haven’t come close to finding the top of their game. I think they’ve taken steps in that direction these last bunch of games. I think individuals are finding theirs, and Alain Vigneault is still looking for his 18 skaters and how to configure them. But what they’re doing is putting the clamps down, whether it be defensively, or on the PK, or with their goalies. It’s one goal or fewer now in six of the last nine games.

7) The rest of the numbers are really crazy considering the quality of the Rangers’ play overall. Six wins in a row. Undefeated (in regulation) in 10 (8-0-2). Two regulation losses all season (consecutively, by the way, with a 3-0 on one side, and 8-0-2 on the other). Then this one: 17 wins in 18 games against Carolina (10 in a row at home).

8) Not all is safe and sound. But as I said, it’s getting better. Even Dan Boyle, who made a ridiculous drop pass inside the offensive blue line early, got better as the game went on. He looks like a guy whose confidence is shot. The Rangers are still trying to find out if that’s all that’s shot.

fast goal9) I thought it was another game where the pass-pass-pass-pass mentality kept the Rangers from blowing it open after the two goals in :11. Even Kevin Klein had a chance to shoot low left circle with all sorts of room and held on too long. Maybe the puck rolled on him.

10) So the fourth line, which has four or five or six members (Jarret Stoll, Dominic Moore, Emerson Etem, Jesper Fast, Viktor Stalberg, J.T. Miller) and has a chance to be a strength as it was in 2013-14 and was not in 2014-15, did some work again on the 1-0 goal. Fast threw a changeup, which is becoming popular. … Then he blocked a shot with his back. Oh, God.

11) Then 11 seconds later, Girardi makes the steal and Rick Nash goes to what worked so well for him last season, the give-and-go. Get the puck to a teammate, skate to an opening, get it back. Mats Zuccarello faked the shot, threaded a pass through Justin Faulk to Nash and Nash, who also had an assist, moved across the crease for the back-handed goal.

12) Cam Ward should have flipped his helmet at that moment, as he did last year when he stole a goal from Nash and the referees let him get away with it.

13) The Rangers shot 2-for-3 from the field in the first period. It was the second time in last four periods at MSG that the Rangers shot 2-for-3 (Washinton’s Braden Holtby). If they can sustain that shooting percentage they will win the Cup. I doubt it’s ever been done. Other than the Oilers in the 1980s.

Carolina Hurricanes v New York Rangers14) The Dan Girardi penalty? Pansification. If he had hit him in the head like Rinaldo and Gudas, it wouldn’t have been a penalty. Two minutes for pushing.

15) How about the defensive play by Chris Kreider, using his speed to break up a 2-on-1 pass middle second.

16) I thought Ryan McDonagh was outstanding, and not because he banked in a shot off a Hurricane’s skate. Just his decision making and his skating. Both are coming on lately. Ditto for Dan Girardi, who had some tough moments in Arizona, but was much more solid in Denver, and again at the Garden last night. Marc Staal’s been a rock. Ditto Klein.

17) The Rangers power play didn’t score – it has scored fairly regularly lately – but did fire seven shots on one power play. Though it also gave up a short-handed chance.

18) Military appreciation, or Salute or whatever they called it, was pretty awesome. Some of the presentations during stoppages gave you goosebumps and brought tears. I also like that some of the non-American players are joining the U.S.-born guys who have, for years now, remained at attention until the colors leave the ice following the anthem. I first noticed it with Brian Boyle and Ryan Callahan and McDonagh and Stepan, and it’s continued now with Chris Kreider, Keith Yandle, Kevin Hayes, J.T. Miller (am I forgetting anybody?).

19) Not even going to complain that the U.S. teams and league actually sold the camo stuff and only gave a portion of the proceeds to Wounded Warriors. Not going to.

20) Guess you saw the Patrick Marleau rumors. He supposedly said he’d accept a trade to three teams – the Rangers, Kings and Ducks. Not sure it would be possible, even if the Rangers coveted Marleau, with his $6.7M cap hit this year and next, and not sure they would covet him. Not sure San Jose would eat any of that. Or what kind of ransom it would take to A) get Marleau and B) get the Sharks to eat salary. The Rangers would certainly have to shed some hefty contracts. Not even sure what the problem is with Marleau. I only know that Alain Vigneault knows him well from coaching out West all those years, and that Marleau’s wheels would fit the AV prototype. Other than that? You tell me. I’d be very surprised, if not floored.

Carolina Hurricanes v New York Rangers21) AV doesn’t usually like to make changes after a win – he had to on Tuesday because Nash returned, so somebody (Moore) needed to come out. Which means on Thursday I’m doubting we’re going to see the Dylan McIlrath vs. Vladimir Tarasenko mismatch (both were on the board when the Rangers drafted McIlrath) that led to the goal of the year last season

22) So there are now rumblings, at least, that the NHL is considering reduction in the size of goalie equipment as a way to increase scoring. Duh. How long have people (me included) been saying that? Saying “look at the photos of what goalies used to wear.” It’s absurd. I mean, not to single out anybody, but I’ve had sandwiches bigger than Lundqvist, yet he looks like Refrigerator Perry in his equipment. So you get guys who are four feet wide, hips to shoulders, on their knees, with gloves the size of a snow tire, with arm pads that make forearms look like thighs. Duh? Scoring is down? I say this: Make them all wear the same size shirt. Tell them they can wear whatever fits underneath. And back to first-baseman-sized mitts. Leave the damn nets 6×4. On Twitter yesterday, @DarrenWHaynes noted that “Patrick Roy had the NHL’s best SV% in 1987-88. It was .900. Last year, 41 of 45 goalies (that met minimum for games played) were above .900.” And @Mirtle added that “Save percentages at record high of .916 so far this season.” That’s with Mike Smith and Cam Ward (and Cam Talbot).

23) I heard that Mr. Snider’s team was violently booed off the ice down 3-0 after two to the Avs at home. That’s a shame.

*************************************Carolina Hurricanes v New York Rangers

My Three Rangers Stars:

1. Henrik Lundqvist.

2. Rick Nash.

3. Ryan McDonagh.

*************************************

Your poll vote for Three Rangers Stars:

1. Rick Nash.

2. Henrik Lundqvist.

3. Mats Zuccarello.

Rockland Journal News: LOADED: 11.11.2015


Rangers 3, Hurricanes 0 … post-game notes & quotes

By Rick Carpiniello on November 10, 2015 Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Post-game notes, Rangers Report

Post-game notes & quotes courtesy of the NYR:

BANNER Post-game notes

Rangers 3, Hurricanes 0.

BANNER Team notes

– START ME UP – The Rangers have registered 11 wins and 24 points in the first 15 games of the 2015-16 season. The Blueshirts’ 11 wins and 24 points are both tied for the most they have recorded in the first 15 games of a season in franchise history. The Rangers also recorded 11 wins in their first 15 games of a season in 1990-91 (11-4-0). In addition, New York also registered 24 points in its first 15 games of a season in 1971-72 (10-1-4).

– WINNING WAYS – The Blueshirts extended their point streak to a season-high 10 games (8-0-2), and they extended their winning streak to a season-high six games. The Rangers have posted a point streak of 10 games or longer for the 16th time in franchise history and for the second time in the last two seasons (Feb. 8-26, 2015; 8-0-2). In addition, the Rangers have posted an 8-0-1 record in their last nine games. New York has earned at least one point in 13 of 15 contests thus far in 2015-16 (11-2-2).

– SHUTTING THE DOOR – The Blueshirts have allowed two goals or fewer in nine of their last 10 games (12 goals allowed over the span; 11 goals allowed in regulation and the five-minute overtime period). In addition, the Rangers have allowed one goal or fewer in seven of the last nine contests and in each of the last three games. The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in each of the last 10 games. The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in 12 of 15 games in 2015-16 and lead the NHL in goals against per game (1.60) this season (24 goals allowed in 15 games). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rangers have allowed 24 goals or fewer in the first 15 games of a season for the first time since 1939-40 and for the sixth time in franchise history (1926-27, 1928-29, 1933-34, 1937-38, 1939-40, and 2015-16. The Blueshirts have allowed two or fewer goals in all 11 of their wins this season and have posted an 11-0-1 record in games which they have allowed two goals or fewer in 2015-16.

– HOME COOKING – The Blueshirts extended their winning streak at home to six games, and they have outscored their opponent, 23-5, in the six contests. In addition, the Rangers have earned at least one point in each of their last seven home games (6-0-1) and in eight of nine home games in 2015-16 (7-1-1). Dating back to last season, the Blueshirts have earned at least one point in 38 of their last 48 home contests (32-10-6), including 21 of their last 26 home games (18-5-3).

– SAVING THE DAY – Over the last 11 games (dating back to Oct. 15 at Montreal), Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta have combined to post a .962 SV% (332 saves on 345 shots). In 2015-16, Lundqvist and Raanta have combined to post a league-best 1.46 GAA (22 goals allowed in 905:57 of ice time) and a league-best .954 SV% (457 saves on 479 shots). The Blueshirts’ .954 SV% is the best the team has posted in the first 15 games of a season since the NHL began tracking the statistic in 1975-76.

– HIGH FIVE – The Rangers have posted a plus-23 goal differential during 5-on-5 play thus far in 2015-16 (36 goals for; 13 goals against).

– FIRST IN SCORE – The Rangers have tallied the first goal of the game in 10 of 15 contests in 2015-16. The Rangers have posted an 8-1-1 record when registering the first goal of the game in 2015-16. In addition, New York has posted a 49-7-4 record in games which they have tallied the first goal since the start of last season.

– FINISHING THE JOB – The Rangers have posted a 159-1-9 record in their last 169 regular season games when leading after two periods, dating back to Feb. 6, 2010 vs. New Jersey. New York has also posted a 64-0-3 record in its last 67 regular season games when leading after two periods, dating back to Nov. 30, 2013 vs. Vancouver. In addition, the Blueshirts have posted a 45-0-1 record in 46 regular season contests in which they have held a lead after two periods since the start of the 2014-15 season.

– TAKING THE METRO – The Blueshirts have earned at least one point in all six games they have played against teams in the Metropolitan Division this season (4-0-2). The Rangers have earned at least one point in 30 of their last 34 games against Metropolitan Division opponents (27-4-3), and they have won 24 of their last 30 intra-division games (24-4-2).

– EYE OF THE STORM – The Rangers have won 17 of their last 18 games against the Hurricanes (17-1-0), dating back to Feb. 22, 2011. In addition, New York has posted a seven-game winning streak against Carolina, dating back to Apr. 8, 2014. The Rangers have outscored the Hurricanes, 61-29, in the last 18 games between the two teams (56-29 in regulation/overtime). The Blueshirts have also won each of their last 10 home games against Carolina, dating back to Jan. 5, 2011. New York has allowed two or fewer goals in all 10 games, including one goal or fewer in nine of the 10 contests (nine goals against in the 10 games).

– KILL ZONE – New York was 6-for-6 (11:57) on the penalty kill in the game. The Rangers have not allowed a power play goal in nine of their last 11 games, killing off 32 of 34 power play opportunities for their opponent over the stretch (94.1%).

BANNER Three Stars on Broadway

– Henrik Lundqvist stopped all 33 shots he faced to earn his fourth consecutive win and his eighth win of the season, as well as his first shutout of the season. Lundqvist appeared in his 743rd career game with the Rangers/in his NHL career (regular season + playoffs) in tonight’s contest, passing Mike Richter for the most overall appearances by a goaltender in franchise history. Lundqvist is also the all-time leader in combined regular season and playoff appearances by an NHL goaltender who only played with one team in his career. With 33 saves in the contest, Lundqvist passed Richter to become the franchise’s all-time leader in regular season and playoff saves combined (19,430). In his first 12 appearances this season, the Rangers’ all-time wins and shutouts leader has posted an 8-2-2 record, along with a 1.65 GAA, a .949 SV% (374 saves on 394 shots), and 1 SO. Lundqvist’s 1.65 GAA and .949 SV% are the best totals he has posted in each category over the first 12 games of any season in his career, and his eight wins are tied for the most he has recorded to start one season in his career. In addition, Lundqvist’s .949 SV% is the best any Rangers goaltender has posted in his first 12 games of a season since the NHL began tracking the statistic in 1975-76. Lundqvist has been named one of the game’s Three Stars in 10 of the 12 contests he has played in 2015-16, including 10 of his last 11 appearances and each of his last eight appearances. He has been named the game’s First Star six times and the game’s Third Star four times. In addition, he has been named the game’s First Star in six of the eight games he has won this season. He has allowed two goals or fewer in 11 of 12 appearances this season, including each of his last eight appearances, and he has made at least 30 saves in seven of his 12 appearances. In games which he has made at least 30 saves, Lundqvist has posted a 6-0-1 record, along with a 1.56 GAA, a .957 SV%, and 1 SO. In his last eight home games against the Hurricanes, Lundqvist has posted an 8-0-0 record, along with a 0.85 GAA, a .972 SV%, and 1 SO, and he has allowed one goal or fewer in all eight games.

– Rick Nash registered two points (one goal, one assist), led all Rangers with four shots on goal, and posted a plus-two rating in 16:46 of ice time. He has posted a multi-point game in two of his last three contests, recording five points (one goal, four assists) over the span. In addition, Nash has notched seven points (two goals, five assists) in his last seven games.

– Mats Zuccarello tallied an assist, tied for the game-high with two takeaways, and posted a plus-two rating in 17:17 of ice time. He extended his assist/point streak against Carolina to 10 games (12 assists over the span). According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Zuccarello is the first Ranger to record a 10-game point streak against one opponent since Mark Messier tallied a point in 11 straight games against Philadelphia from Nov. 2, 1991 to Jan. 9, 1993. In addition, he is the first Ranger who has posted a 10-game assist streak against one opponent since Brian Leetch recorded an assist in 12 consecutive games against Pittsburgh from Dec. 3, 1990 to Apr. 16, 1992. Zuccarello has registered 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in the last 14 games, including nine points (four goals, five assists) in the last nine games and six points (three goals, three assists) in the last five games. He leads the team in points (12) this season.

BANNER BLUESHIRT BREAKDOWN

– Jesper Fast tallied his first career NHL game-winning goal and recorded the first goal of the game for the second consecutive contest, was credited with two blocked shots, and posted a plus-one rating in 13:37 of ice time. In addition, Fast logged 5:17 of ice time while shorthanded in the contest. Fast has registered a goal in two consecutive games for the third time in his career (Nov. 29 – Dec. 1, 2015; Mar. 21-22, 2015). He has tallied five points (three goals, two assists) in his last nine games.

– Ryan McDonagh recorded a goal, tied for the game-high with four blocked shots, registered two shots on goal, recorded two hits, and posted a plus-two rating in 20:24 of ice time. The Rangers captain has tallied three points (one goal, two assists) in the last three games, and he has registered four points (one goal, three assists) in the last six games.

– Emerson Etem notched an assist on the game-winning goal, recorded two hits, and posted a plus-one rating. Both of Etem’s assists in 2015-16 have been primary assists on the game-winning goal. He has tallied two assists in his last five games.

– Keith Yandle recorded an assist, registered two shots on goal, and posted a plus-one rating in 17:41 of ice time. He has tallied an assist/point in each of the last two games (two assists) and in three of the last four games (three assists). Yandle has registered six points (one goal, five assists) in the last nine games, and he leads the Rangers in assists (eight) in 2015-16.

– Dan Girardi tallied an assist tied for the game-high with four blocked shots, and posted a plus-two rating in 19:33 of ice time. The Rangers alternate captain has recorded an assist/point in each of the last two games (two assists). In addition, he has notched an assist/point in three of the last four contests (three assists), and he has registered four points (one goal, three assists) in the last six games. Girardi skated in his 666th career game with the Rangers in tonight’s contest, tying Dean Prentice for 14th on the franchise’s all-time games played list.

BANNER QUOTE BOOK

· Alain Vigneault, New York Rangers head coach

On tonight’s game…

“It was tough to get any rhythm because of all the penalties that were called on us tonight. Obviously, you need good goaltending to kill off the number of penalties we had, and we got that tonight. It took us a while to find our legs in the first period and once we got that, we capitalized quickly with two quick goals. From there, they played hard. They spent a lot of time in our end. We didn’t give up that much and we were able to capitalize on a lucky bounce in the third that gave us a three-goal lead.”

On the team’s hot start…

“Our record is pretty good. We still have areas that we are working on and need to improve. We are very aware of that. We’re like any team in the NHL, you have to get better as the season moves forward and that’s what we’re going to continue to strive for.”

On goals from McDonagh and Nash…

“You expect that from the leaders of your team. You’re talking about a captain and an impact player on our team. It was good to see [Nash] get one that he put in himself. Ryan has had some good looks this year, and he finally got one tonight. I expect those guys to continue to play well for us.”

· Bill Peters, Carolina Hurricanes head coach


“There is a little bit of a microcosm there for sure. I thought we had a lot of good things that we gave up on in 5-on-5. Their specialty teams gave them momentum.”

On the first two goals of the game…

“You look at it as the game-winning goal, and then the insurance marker right there. Obviously that was the ball game, when you look back at it in hindsight. I didn’t mind our start. You know there was a little bit of a breakdown on the first (goal), and then there was a straightforward 2-on-2 on the bump up.”

On the team’s reaction to the first two goals…

“I didn’t think it was frazzled, but I knew right then the game is on the line from that point on. We needed the next goal and we never found a way to get that next goal. I thought if we could have scored at some point there probably halfway through the third before the next one to make it a one-goal game, then you’ve got a chance. But we never did that.”

· Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers goaltender


“I think they came out really hard. They were definitely on their toes. It took us a few minutes to get going. It was nice to get rewarded when we got a couple chances there. The fun part about playing with this group is you know we will get to where we need to be sooner or later. As a goalie, you just need to be ready, do your job, and try to make the saves that we need to get going. Then, they just take over and it’s fun. I feel like we

are there for each other. Sometimes Antti (Raanta) and I need to step up and sometimes the team needs to step up to save us. We are just finding ways right now to win games and we talked about it last week – it’s not going to be perfect all the time, but after the first I think we all felt a little lucky to be up 2-0, but we improved as a group and played a lot better after that.”

On the team’s confidence…

“I think the key for us is that we are not making a big deal about winning a lot of games right now. We know we have to come back here and do it again. There’s a lot of hockey ahead of us. We also know that we have to improve to get where we want to go, so we just try to stay humble and realize there are a lot of good teams out there that are going to come in here desperate and try to win games, so you just have to match that. It doesn’t matter if you feel like you’re the better team; it comes down to will and how badly you want to win every night.”

On the penalty kill…

“I think the last couple weeks, it’s the best I’ve seen it in a long time – just the timing, the reads they’re making. It gives a lot of confidence to the group, knowing that if you take a penalty, it’s not going to cost you every time. Obviously you have to be careful and try to play a disciplined game but when we do take penalties, that group has been outstanding for us. It brings a lot of confidence that you can play on the edge and know the guys will take care of it.”

· Ryan McDonagh, New York Rangers defenseman


“They had a couple of good chances right off the hop there, spent some time in our zone. We weathered it, some big saves. I think we had three shots in the first period and two goals. We spent some quality time in the second half of the first period and wanted to try and create something more off of it. I think as the game progressed, we put a lot more pucks to the net. Obviously it was a challenge to sustain some momentum because of the penalties that we had to kill off, but special teams had to be huge tonight and they were.”

On the penalty kill…

“You get a handful of games, you know now we are in the thick of the season. You get the same pairings. The forwards and defensemen kind of get their feeling of when everyone is attacking or aggressive, or holding their position. So it’s just good chemistry there, good communication and everyone being on the same page.”

On his goal…

“They’re only down 2-0 going into the third. That’s somewhat of a good spot for a road team. We wanted to try to take away the energy or any kind of momentum right off the hop of the period for them. We obviously talked about trying to get that next goal and working off that. I just put a puck towards the net and got a lucky bounce. I thought guys continued to make plays still and didn’t spend a lot of time in our zone which is good.”

· Rick Nash, New York Rangers forward

On scoring tonight…

“It’s no secret it’s been a frustrating start. I’m lucky I’m at a point in my career where I’m interested in wins and winning games and being on a winning team, but you always try to help out. It was finally nice to get one; it was a great pass by Zuke [Mats Zuccarello].”

On his feelings after scoring tonight…

“Definitely relief. It’s frustrating when you’re supposed to score goals on a great team and you can’t achieve that. I think Zuke and Brass [Derick Brassard] have been looking for me for a while and finally one went in.”

On the team’s confidence…

“Confidence is high. A lot of us have been together for three-plus years, four-plus years, some guys longer. I think the confidence rolls down right from your goalie. I think Hank’s one of the best goalies in the world and it kind of flows that way. We have the best defense corps in the league, in my opinion, and from there it just rolls on to our forwards.”

On the team’s penalty kill…

“I think the main thing is Ulf [Samuelsson] is giving us a great game plan and as long as we follow it we have success. I enjoy playing out there on the penalty kill. It’s fun playing out there with a man down and it’s fun that your team puts trust in you to be out there.”

On whether it’s been easier on him not scoring goals because of the team’s hot start…

“It helps for sure, it’s no lie. If we had a losing record I think it’d be a lot different but I’m at the point in my career – obviously I want to score and I want to help my team win – but 11-2 means a lot more than if I had 10 goals right now and we were 2-11.”

· Dan Girardi, New York Rangers defenseman

On the team’s depth…

“I definitely agree that this team is very deep. We have four lines, roll six D (defensemen), and have two great goalies. We can mix a couple guys in and out of the lineup and that’s a luxury that we have. If it’s a back-to-back game, we can roll four lines, six D, and we are lucky to have that right now. Everyone is playing well and helping us out to get the wins.”

On the six-game win streak…

“The play has been up and down and there have been some breaks in between the games, some longer stretches with some days off and practices. I think maybe it’s good that it doesn’t feel like a six game win streak so you don’t get complacent. You want to just keep getting better every game and we are still trying to get that 60 minute, real good game. Obviously it’s hard to have a 60 minute perfect game in this league. You are going to have teams get opportunities, have some momentum changes, but it’s all how you handle it and we’ve been doing a good job of that. When something goes wrong, we get a big save or a big play, get the play going back the other way and have some momentum in our favor.”

· Eric Staal, Carolina Hurricanes forward

On Henrik Lundqvist’s performance tonight…

“He was good early on. We had some good looks, a good start. They started to find their legs a bit better and obviously capitalized. They’ve been like that all year. They’ve been opportunistic, they can score. They have a good defensive team and a good goalie.”

On the team losing a competitive game…

“It’s definitely frustrating but it is what it is. It’s kind of been like that all year. They’ve found ways to score goals at opportune times and they did tonight again. Like I said, our start was real good but they found their legs as the game went on and they got up by two.”

On playing his brother Marc…

“It’s fun every time. It’s competitive and he’s a good player. He has played real well this year. They’re off to a good start and are a good team. It’s fun every time.”



Hurricanes at Rangers … It’s Go Time!

By Rick Carpiniello on November 10, 2015 Hockey, It's Go Time!, Live Game Blog, New York Rangers, NHL, Rangers Report

Hurricanes at Rangers.

Though it may be difficult to believe, ya boys are on a five-game winning streak and 7-0-2 in their last nine. They have won 16 of the last 17 against the Hurricanes, including nine in a row at MSG.

Carolina has won four of its last six, and brings two Staal Brothers to the Garden. I’ll check after the game to see if they know Marc. Or maybe MSG Network will mention it. Did you know that Jeff Skinner was a figure skater?

FYI, I’m doing pre-game radio, 1050-AM, around 6:40 p.m. tonight.

It’s Military Appreciation night at the Garden, so our service men and women will be involved in pre-game and during-game ceremonies, and honored throughout the night. Players will wear camouflage uniforms and sticks during warmups.

Rick Nash returns after missing two games with a back injury. Dan Boyle remains in the lineup, as does Emerson Etem, who played well in Nash’s absence. So Dominic Moore and Dylan McIlrath are prucha’d. Moore has played 699 career games.

Henrik Lundqvist will break two records tonight. He passes Mike Richter on the franchise’s all-time games played list (regular season plus playoffs, 742). That would also make Lundqvist the NHL record-holder for games by a goalie who played only for one team. Of course, Martin Brodeur would easily hold that record, and in fact did hold it, before he played a handful of games for St. Louis. Lundqvist’s eighth save will break Richter’s regular-season and playoffs record (19,404).

Over/under on Cam Ward’s helmet coming off when the Hurricanes need a stoppage: 1.5.

Tonight’s probable lineup:

Nash-Brassard-Zuccarello.

Kreider-Stepan-Miller.

Lindberg-Hayes-Stalberg.

Etem-Stoll-Fast.

McDonagh-Girardi.

Staal-Klein.

Yandle-Boyle.

Lundqvist/Raanta.



Rangers’ Moore sits as Vigneault continues to tinker with his lineup

By Rick Carpiniello on November 10, 2015 Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Preview, Rangers Report

NEW YORK — The Rangers, in Alain Vigneault’s first two seasons, got off to slow starts while he fiddled with his lineups.

Well, the Rangers this season are off to a torrid – at least record-wise, if not in terms of play – start. And Vigneault continued to fiddle.

Better to figure things out before Thanksgiving, right?

When the Rangers played Carolina Tuesday night at the Garden, Rick Nash returned from a back injury that cost him two games. Vigneault, who historically has rarely tinkered with a lineup after a win, thus had to make a change following the team’s fifth straight win.

So Dominic Moore, one of their seven natural centers who has seen time on the wing, was a healthy scratch for the first time since March 1, 2014.

“Just trying to piece all of our lines,” Vigneault said. “Oscar (Lindberg) has seemed to have been able to make the transition from center to wing a little bit that either Dom or Jarret (Stoll). So as far as having one of those players who are all natural centermen play the wing, seems to be a work in progress. I tried one game, the game in Montreal, I sat out Jarret and tried Dom with two wingers. I haven’t tried Jarret with two wingers, so I want to look at that option.

“Any time you’re faced with a decision like that, it’s not easy, especially with a guy like Dom and what he’s done for our team. But I’m looking at the big picture and trying to see if we can’t come up with a combination.”

Emerson Etem, who stepped in for Nash and played well in his two games on the first line, remained in the lineup on a fourth line with Stoll and Jesper Fast, who has played on the second, third and fourth lines and been scratched already this season.

“I thought his overall game was good,” Vigneault said about Etem. “With (Derick Brassard and Mats Zuccarello) he was playing with two pretty good players there. They got some good looks offensively. Defensively … I thought they were dependable. He skated well, skated well with the puck, played the body when the opportunity was there.”

Henrik Lundqvist was back in goal for his 743rd career appearance (regular season and playoffs), breaking Mike Richter’s franchise record. He was also eight saves short of breaking Richter’s record of 19,404.

The Hurricanes – with Marc Staal’s brothers Eric and Jordan – have been fodder for the Rangers over the years. The Rangers had won 16 of the previous 17 meetings, including nine in a row at the Garden.

On Monday, Marc had said, “It’s not fun for my parents.”

“It’s not like any other game during the regular season,” he added Tuesday. “It’s different for me to be able to compete against both of them. It’s something that doesn’t get old and it’s always exciting.

“It’s always nice beating them. To be able to talk to them after a win is always better than after a loss.”



Hurricanes at Rangers tonight (7 p.m.) … pre-game notes

By Rick Carpiniello on November 10, 2015 Hockey, New York Rangers, NHL, Pre-game notes, Preview, Rangers Report

Pre-game notes courtesy of the NYR:

hurricanesNEW YORK RANGERS vs. CAROLINA HURRICANES

Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015, 7:00 p.m. ET

Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

Rangers: 10-2-2 (22 pts)

Hurricanes: 6-8-0 (12 pts)

TONIGHT’S GAME

The Rangers play their 15th game of the 2015-16 season against the Carolina Hurricanes in a Metropolitan Division matchup at Madison Square Garden (7:00 p.m. ET – TV: MSG 2; Radio: ESPN 1050 AM). New York enters the contest with a nine-game point streak (7-0-2) and a five-game winning streak. In addition, the Rangers have won seven of their last eight games (7-0-1). The Blueshirts enter the contest with a 10-2-2 record, following a 4-1 win against the Arizona Coyotes on Nov. 7 at Arizona.

SALUTE TO OUR TROOPS

Throughout tonight’s game, the Rangers will pay tribute to the military with a “Salute to Our Troops” Night. As part of this special evening, Rangers players will wear camouflage jerseys and use camouflage tape on their sticks during warm-ups. The jerseys and sticks, along with other select items, will be included as part of an online auction and raffle to benefit Wounded Warrior Project, which is a partner of the Garden of Dreams Foundation.

FAST START

The following are notes regarding the Rangers’ start to the 2015-16 season:

The Rangers’ 22 points thus far are tied for the most recorded through the first 14 games of a season in franchise history. In addition, New York’s 10 wins are tied for the second-most recorded through the first 14 games of a season in franchise history.

Rangers goaltenders Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta have combined to post a .951 SV% thus far this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the Rangers’ .951 SV% is the highest the team has posted through 14 games of a season since the NHL began tracking the statistic in 1975-76.

Lundqvist has posted a .945 SV% in his first 11 appearances this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Lundqvist’s save percentage is the highest any Rangers goaltender has posted in his first 11 appearances of a season since the NHL began tracking the statistic.

The Rangers have allowed 24 goals thus far this season (Note: not including team goals awarded for a shootout win). It is the first time New York has allowed 24 goals or fewer in the first 14 games of a season since 2007-08 (22).

The Blueshirts are the first team that has recorded at least 22 points in the first 14 games of a season in the season after winning the Presidents’ Trophy since Detroit in 2005-06 (Red Wings won the Presidents’ Trophy in 2003-04 and 2005-06).

RANGERS VS. HURRICANES

All-Time*: 70-49-7-2 (42-17-4-2 at home; 28-32-3-0 on the road) *Note: record includes games against the Hartford Whalers from 1979-80 – 1996-97

2015-16: Tonight’s game is the first of four meetings between the Rangers and Hurricanes, and the first of two meetings between the two teams at MSG. The Rangers and Hurricanes will play against each other Nov. 30 (at MSG), Jan. 22 (at Carolina), Mar. 31 (at Carolina).

2014-15: The Rangers posted a 5-0-0 record (3-0-0 at home; 2-0-0 on the road) against Carolina. The Rangers allowed two goals or fewer in all five meetings, giving up a total of six goals in the season series. Mats Zuccarello led all skaters with five assists and five points, while J.T. Miller

tied for first among all skaters with two goals. Ryan McDonagh registered three points (one goal, two assists). Henrik Lundqvist posted a 3-0-0 record, along with a 1.26 GAA and a .951 SV% (78 saves on 82 shots) in the season series.

The Rangers have won 16 of their last 17 games against the Hurricanes (16-1-0), dating back to Feb. 22, 2011. In addition, New York enters the contest with a six-game winning streak against Carolina, dating back to Apr. 8, 2014. The Rangers have outscored the Hurricanes, 58-29, in the last 17 games between the two teams (53-29 in regulation/overtime).

The Blueshirts have won each of their last nine home games against Carolina. The streak dates back to Jan. 5, 2011, when Mats Zuccarello tallied his first career NHL goal, which was the game-winning goal in overtime, in a 2-1 win for the Blueshirts. New York has allowed two or fewer goals in all nine games, including one goal or fewer in eight of the nine contests (nine goals against in the nine games).

RANGERS-HURRICANES CONNECTIONS

Marc Staal, Eric Staal, and Jordan Staal are brothers. Marc, Eric, and Jordan are the only trio of brothers in the history of the NHL, NFL, MLB, or NBA who were all selected 12th overall or higher in the Draft.

Rangers Assistant Coach Ulf Samuelsson began his NHL career with the Hartford Whalers and skated in parts of seven seasons with the team (1984-85 – 1990-91).

The Rangers selected Jesper Fast in the sixth round (157th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The Rangers acquired the 157th overall pick in a trade with the Hurricanes.

Rick Nash and Ron Hainsey were teammates with the Blue Jackets for three seasons (2005-06 – 2007-08).

Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce is a native of Tarrytown, NY.

INDIVIDUAL CAREER STATISTICS VS. HURRICANES

Henrik Lundqvist – 30 GP, 20-9-1, 2.09 GAA, .926 SV%, 1 SO – Lundqvist has posted a 12-2-0 record, along with a 1.73 GAA and a .943 SV% in his last 14 appearances against Carolina. In addition, he has posted a 7-0-0 record, along with a 0.97 GAA and a .967 SV% in his last seven home games against the Hurricanes, and he has allowed one goal in each of the seven contests.

Mats Zuccarello – 15 GP, 1-14-15 – Zuccarello enters the contest with a nine-game assist/point streak against the Hurricanes (11 assists over the span).

Derek Stepan – 19 GP, 8-9-17 – Stepan has notched a point in eight of his last 11 games against the Hurricanes, tallying 14 points (eight goals, six assists) over the span.

POINT TAKEN

Entering tonight’s contest, the Rangers rank third in the NHL – and rank second in the Eastern Conference – in points percentage (.786) this season. The Blueshirts lead the NHL in points percentage (.703) since the start of last season.

MAKING THE DIFFERENCE

New York enters the contest ranked second in the NHL in goal differential in 2015-16 (plus-18; 42-24). Note: doesn’t include team goals awarded for shootout wins

SHUTTING THE DOOR

The Blueshirts have allowed two goals or fewer in eight of their last nine games (12 goals allowed over the span; 11 goals allowed in regulation and the five-minute overtime period) and in 11 of 14 games this season. In addition, the Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in regulation in each of the last nine games. The Blueshirts have allowed one goal or fewer in six of the last eight contests and have allowed one goal or fewer in regulation in seven of the last nine games. The Rangers lead the NHL in goals against per game (1.71) in 2015-16. In addition, the Blueshirts have allowed two or fewer goals in all 10 of their wins this season and have posted a 10-0-1 record in games which they have allowed two goals or fewer.

SAVING THE DAY

Over the last 10 games (dating back to Oct. 15 at Montreal), Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta have combined to post a .958 SV% (299 saves on 312 shots). In 2015-16, Lundqvist and Raanta have posted a combined 1.56 GAA (22 goals allowed in 846:06 of ice time) and a .951 SV% (424 saves on 446 shots).

TAKING THE METRO

The Rangers have earned at least one point in all five games they have played against teams in the Metropolitan Division this season (3-0-2). The Rangers have earned at least one point in 29 of their last 33 games against Metropolitan Division opponents (26-4-3), and they have won 23 of their last 29 intra-division games (23-4-2).

KING HENRIK

Henrik Lundqvist enters the contest tied with Mike Richter for the most overall appearances (regular season and playoffs combined) by a Rangers goaltender in franchise history. In addition, Lundqvist is currently tied with Richter for the most combined regular season and playoff appearances by an NHL goaltender who only played with one team in his career.

Lundqvist is eight saves away from passing Richter for the most career saves (regular season and playoffs combined) in franchise history.

Lundqvist’s 1.80 GAA and .945 SV% are the best numbers he has posted in each category through his first 11 appearances of a season in his career.

Lundqvist is tied for the NHL lead in SV% (.945), ranks second in saves (341), ranks third in GAA (1.80) and shots against (361), and is tied for third in wins (seven) this season. He has allowed two goals or fewer in 10 of 11 appearances this season, including each of his last seven appearances, and he has made at least 30 saves in six of his 11 appearances. Lundqvist has been named one of the game’s Three Stars in nine of the 11 contests he has played in 2015-16, including nine of his last 10 appearances and each of his last seven appearances. He has been named the game’s First Star five times and the game’s Third Star four times. In addition, he has been named the game’s First Star in five of the seven games he has won this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Lundqvist has been named one of the game’s Three Stars in seven consecutive games in which he has played for the first time since Dec. 20, 2011 – Jan. 10, 2012 (seven straight).

OSCAR-WORTHY PERFORMANCE

Oscar Lindberg is tied for second in the NHL in even strength goals (seven), is tied for seventh in plus/minus rating (plus-nine), and is tied for 11th in goals (seven) in 2015-16. In addition, Lindberg leads NHL rookies in goals and even strength goals, ranks second in even strength points (10) and plus/minus rating, and is tied for third in points (11) this season. Lindberg is the only NHL player who has recorded at least seven even strength goals, 10 even strength points, and a plus-nine rating in 2015-16. He has recorded a point in nine of the Rangers’ 14 games in 2015-16, and the Rangers have posted a 7-0-2 record in those games. In addition, Lindberg is the only Ranger who has posted a plus/minus rating of even or better in each of the team’s first 14 games this season.

HEY HEY HAYES

Kevin Hayes enters the contest with a three-game point streak (two goals, two assists over the span). Hayes has posted three separate three-game point streaks over the first 14 games of the season. He has tallied a point in nine contests in 2015-16, and the Blueshirts have posted an 8-0-1 record in games which he has notched a point. Hayes has registered a point in six of the last seven games, recording seven points (three goals, four assists) over the span.

Since the end of last season’s All-Star break (Jan. 27, 2015), Hayes leads the Rangers in points (39), is tied for the team lead in goals (15), assists (24), and game-winning goals (three), and is tied for third in plus/minus rating (plus-17). Among Rangers who have played in at least 20 games since the start of last season, Hayes ranks second on the team in goals per 60 minutes of ice time (1.03) and points per 60 minutes of ice time (2.69), and he ranks third in assists per 60 minutes of ice time (1.66). Hayes is the only Ranger who ranks third or higher on the team in each category since the start of the 2014-15 season. In his NHL career, 30 of Hayes’ 34 assists have been primary assists, and he leads the Rangers in primary assists since he joined the team prior to the start of last season.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Power Play:

The Rangers were 1-for-4 (6:19) on Nov. 7 at Arizona.

New York has tallied a power play goal in each of the last two games (2-for-6; 33.3%) and in five of the last eight games (5-for-19; 26.3%).

Penalty Kill:

The Rangers were 3-for-4 (7:01) on Nov. 7 at Arizona.

New York ranks fifth in the NHL on the penalty kill in 2015-16 (86.4%; 38-for-44).

The Blueshirts are 26-for-28 (92.9%) on the penalty kill over the last 10 games.

UPCOMING MILESTONES

Dominic Moore – 1 game away from 700 in his NHL career

Derick Brassard – 3 games away from 500 in his NHL career; 5 points away from 300 in his NHL career

INJURIES (4 Man-Games Lost to Injury)

None

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

None

THIS DAY IN RANGERS HISTORY

Nov. 9, 2009 – Brian Leetch was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Nov. 10, 1998 – The Rangers registered 10 goals in a game for the 17th time in franchise history, as they defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning, 10-2. The Blueshirts have not recorded 10 or more goals in a contest since this game. Current Rangers Assistant Coach Ulf Samuelsson notched two goals in the contest.


981987 Ottawa Senators

Sloppy Senators cough up game to Predators in third period

KEN WARREN, OTTAWA CITIZEN

NASHVILLE – The Nashville Predators spread an ugly mustard-coloured stain all over the Ottawa Senators Tuesday.

Yet again, the Senators were a defensive disaster, suffering yet another third-period meltdown in the 7-5 loss.

Mattias Ekholm, Colin Wilson and Gabriel Bourque beat Craig Anderson in the third period to erase a 5-4 Senators second-period lead.

The late Predators comeback came on the heels of terrible third period efforts from the Senators in an overtime loss to Carolina Saturday and a shootout win over Winnipeg Thursday.

Defence be damned.

It was a coach’s nightmare full of ghastly giveaways and quick momentum changes and Senators coach Dave Cameron will have dozens upon dozens of mistakes to replay for his players. Cameron says his players have a bad habit of playing “around the puck” instead of “through the puck” at key moments.

“In the third period, we didn’t execute,” said Cameron. “We seem to get to that point where the game is on the line and we try to do too much, rather than just trust and do the simple stuff.

“It’s almost like we want the three-run homer or the 400-yard drive. Teams take advantage of that and then we tighten up.”

The Senators left Nashville immediately following Tuesday’s game and will kick off a five-game homestand Thursday against Vancouver. But if the Senators don’t quickly find some answers inside their own blue line, it figures to be a long couple of weeks at home.

To be sure, if you like goals, the Bridgestone Arena was the place to be. In a game full of momentum changes, the game ultimately turned early in the third. Seconds after Pekka Rinne stopped a Mike Hoffman breakaway which would have given the Senators a 6-4 lead, Ekholm tied the game 5-5. Wilson’s game winner bounced off Mark Borowiecki’s skate.

The Nashville Predators hosted the Ottawa Senators at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee on Tuesday, November 10, 2015.

“It’s a game of mistakes, there are going to be chances,” said Anderson. “Tonight just wasn’t my night in terms of making the save that we needed. That’s more frustrating on myself than anything else.”

As ugly as it finished for the Senators, they actually held the lead after both the first and second periods.

Thanks to special teams and a rare shaky performance from Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne, the Senators carried a 5-4 lead into the third.

Curtis Lazar scored on the power play with 51 seconds remaining in the second. It was the third shot of the period against Rinne. On the Senators first shot of the period, Erik Karlsson tied the game 4-4 – his first goal of the season.

As was the case in the third period, the Predators dominated the start of the second, outscoring the Senators 3-0 and outshot the Senators 8-0 en route to taking a 4-3 edge.

It was the kind of night where anything – and everything – was bound to go in.

The Predators came into the game feeling good about themselves, despite losing 4-0 to St. Louis Saturday. That’s what happens when you put 45 shots on goal and hit six posts and outchance an opponent 30-8.

The Senators, meanwhile, arrived in Nashville having picked up five of six points in their past three games, but Cameron was not pleased with the recent efforts.

If they were playing with fire before – bailed out by their goaltenders – they finally got burned badly by the Predators.

The Senators actually jumped on the Predators during a wild start.

Zack Smith led the way. Smith, who was a healthy scratch Saturday, responded with a pair of first-period goals, giving the Senators a 3-1 first-period lead.

After Milan Michalek opened the scoring, Smith got credit after a Jared Cowen shot bounced off his back and into the net.

Colton Sissons, called up from the AHL Tuesday morning, cut into the lead 61 seconds later.

The three goals came in a span of 2:22.

Smith then scored on a shorthanded breakaway with 37 seconds left in the period.

“Great first period as a team, we were all over them,” said Smith. “In the second, they had a little momentum, a few goals and (we had) some missed assignments. Too many guys in front of the net, I think. That made it hard for (Anderson). Our goalies have played unreal and they’ve probably had to stop too many shots. We definitely have to help them out more.”

The crowd was back into it again after the Predators struck for three goals in 2:28 – from Shea Weber, Roman Josi and Austin Watson.

But, that 4-3 lead was short-lived, too.

Karlsson scored on the Senators’ first shot of the period and Lazar scored on the third shot of the period, giving the Senators a 5-4 edge to start the third.

The five goals by the Senators came on only 13 shots.

Game File

WHY THEY LOST: The Senators yielded three third-period goals.

CHEERS: To the fans who like goals. The teams combined for three goals in a 2:22 span in the first period and for four goals in a 3:17 stretch in the second period.

JEERS: Where to start?

BAND-AID FOR FANS: You know you’re in Nashville when a band takes up a section of the lower bowl stands.

SHORTHANDED STRIKES: Zack Smith’s shorthanded goal in the first period was the Senators’ fourth of the season, most in the NHL.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 11.11.2015


Wideman takes a seat, again


NASHVILLE He shoots, he scores, he sits.

What more does Chris Wideman have to do to stay in the Ottawa Senators lineup?

Senators coach Dave Cameron isn’t offering up much of an answer to that question.

“Coach’s decision,” Cameron said when pressed several times on the topic Tuesday morning.

The absence of Wideman against the Nashville Predators was somewhat of an eyebrow-raising move, considering that Wideman scored his first NHL goal in Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss to Carolina.

While Cody Ceci returned against Nashville after missing Saturday’s game, there were other healthy scratch options for the Senators coach.

While Wideman has played in only four games – all because of injury – the other six blueliners haven’t exactly been consistent pillars of strength.

Before facing Nashville, the Senators had allowed 124 shots in their previous three games. Jared Cowen, Mark Borowiecki and Patrick Wiercioch have all their share of shaky moments in the first month of the season.

Later, while discussing Zack Smith’s return Tuesday after being a healthy scratch Saturday, Cameron allowed that he’s giving his veteran defencemen plenty of rope.

“Wideman is a different,” he said. “He’s finding his way and we’re playing some veteran guys and sorting some things out there.”

Perhaps if the Senators record was weaker, Cameron wouldn’t be so willing to allow his veteran defencemen to play themselves out of trouble.

In the warm-up Cameron made a move, putting Cowen with Ceci and Wiercioch with Borowiecki in a bid to solve the defensive problems that have been very visible of late.

DOUBLE CHECK THE GAME SHEET: If it’s Wednesday, Curtis Lazar must be a fourth-line centre. Or a first-line right winger. Or second line left winger. Or third line right winger.

The way Lazar has been moved around — he lined up left wing beside Smith and Chris Neil against Nashville — maybe Cameron should also consider using him to help solve the club’s defensive issues.

“I have about a year and a half experience as a defenceman and in a spring league (as a 13 and 14-year-old) in Vancouver,” Lazar said Tuesday. “One year when the season was over, I had put up a lot of points. I was bored and so I asked the coach if I could play defence. I won the scoring race as a defenceman.”

Move over, Erik Karlsson.

“I love it back there, it’s so different. Who knows? At one point in my career, I would like to give it a shot. I’ve got pretty good mobility back there. I think I read the play well.”

For now, the Senators are trying to find the perfect fit for Lazar. In his ideal world, he would be a full-time centre, but he has no complaints about being moved so much.

“I’m the utility guy, I guess,” he said. “I have literally played every position on every line, so I guess that speaks volumes for my ability to adapt and make a difference in every situation.”

At least Craig Anderson and Andrew Hammond need not worry.

“That’s probably out of the question,” Lazar said. “I hop on the ice (with goalie pads) once or twice at the end of the year. I’ve got so much respect for those guys and how their hips can handle it.”

HOUSLEY IN THE BIG HALL: Phil Housley, now a Predators assistant coach, was officially inducted into the Hall of Fame Monday. Housley, who fashioned an offensive game similar to Erik Karlsson during his 20-year-career with eight teams, scored 338 goals and 894 assists in 1,495 games.

“He’s a legend around the NHL,” said Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne. “He had an unbelievable career. I’m really happy for him and his family. I’m sure it’s an amazing feeling for him, just getting there. It’s the ultimate acknowledgement for his career.”



Smith and Ceci back for Senators against Nashville as Cameron searches for consistency


NASHVILLE The Ottawa Senators have five of a possible six points from their past three games but coach Dave Cameron is not happy.

The Nashville Predators have lost three of their past four games, but coach Peter Laviolette is excited about what he’s seeing.

Sometimes, the long NHL season can make for surprising moods and attitudes and the two coaches were of different minds leading up to Tuesday’s tilt.

In the case of the Senators, it’s the recent “non-compete” — blowing a late 2-1 lead en route to 3-2 loss to Carolina Saturday – that is cause for deep concern.

“Our whole team is finding its stride, that has been the most frustrating part of the first 14 games,” Cameron said following Tuesday’s morning skate. “It’s the Clint Eastwood movie, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. We want to see a lot more good. That’s just where we are as a team. Our team, it’s the consistency factor, game in, game out.”

Craig Anderson will start in goal for the Senators. Zack Smith, a healthy scratch Saturday against Carolina, will return, with rookie Matt Puempel sitting out. On defence, Cody Ceci is back from a lower-body injury. Chris Wideman, despite scoring his first NHL goal Saturday, will sit again.

The Predators are fresh from a 4-0 loss to the St. Louis Blues Saturday. Look deeper, though, and they had 45 shots and out-chanced the Blues 30-8.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence that the guys can score goals,” said Laviolette. “If you stay with what you know works, eventually the results will come.”

Pekka Rinne, the all-time winningest goaltender in Predators history, will start for Nashville.

“Nothing changes,” Rinne said. “You take all the positives from that St. Louis game and move on.”



Just call Ottawa Senators' Curtis Lazar Mr. Versatility

BY DON BRENNAN, OTTAWA SUN

FIRST POSTED: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015 10:30 PM EST | UPDATED: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015 10:38 PM EST

NASHVILLE - Just 14 games into the season, Curtis Lazar had played every forward position and on every line for the Senators.

Over his shoulder he can see another challenge he'd like to take on, if ever needed.

"I have about a year and a half experience on 'D'," the second-year Senator said after a morning skate at Bridgestone Arena on Tuesday. "There was a spring hockey tournament down in Vancouver, and the season was over. I put up quite a few points and I was bored, so I asked the coach if I could play 'D'.

"Well, I won the scoring race as a 'D'-man. I love it back there. It's so different. Who knows, at one point in my (NHL) career I'd like to give it a shot. Hopefully we don't get in that situation where I have to be back there."

Lazar figures he was 13 or 14 when he played defence, which is about the same age Daniel Alfredsson was when he made the transition to a forward.

"I've got pretty good mobility back there, I think," said Lazar. "I can read the play well. You see the game completely differently."

Lazar, we've come to realize, is better than those people who see every glass half full. Most of his are overflowing with optimism and positiveness.

Despite the fact he had only one goal and one assist in 11 games this season, Lazar wasn't far off with his assessment that he's off to a good start.

"I'm very happy with my play this season," he said. "I feel I have taken a huge step. The only thing missing is the points. A couple of good saves here and there, stuff like that. If I'm putting the points up, I have a feeling I'm having a phenomenal season so far. That's the one part I have to work on."

While constantly moving from one line and one role to another, apparently. Against the Predators, he was on a fourth line with Zack Smith and Chris Neil. The combination was very effective in the first period.

"I'm the utility guy, I guess," said Lazar. "I've gone through the rotation, right wing, centre, left wing "¦ who knows what's going to be next.

"It is tough to get some traction and settle into a role. I mean, I show up at the rink not knowing what (line colour) jersey I'll have on or who I'm playing with. That's a challenge I'm going to welcome with open arms.

"I guess that speaks volumes about my ability to adapt and make a difference in every situation," added Lazar. "Wherever they need me, I'm going to go out there and give it my all."

Except between the pipes, right?

"Goalie is probably still out of the question," said Lazar. "I've hopped on the ice (as a goalie) once or twice before at the end of the season. I've got so much respect for those guys, and how their hips can handle it. It's crazy."

Ultimately, Lazar envisions himself a full-time centre.

"That's where I'm most useful," he said. "You're always around the puck and supporting it. Then again, who knows.

"I want to be put in a spot where I can make a difference."

BETWEEN THE PERIODS

Sometimes, the reply "coach's decision" is suffice, I suppose, but Tuesday morning Dave Cameron used his favourite catch phrase inappropriately and his answer didn't make sense. He said "coach's decision" to something like, what did Chris Wideman do to elevate his game in Carolina? Personally, I'd rather he just says what he means with his "coach's decisions," which, obviously, is "none of your business." It somehow seems more honest ... Overheard Mark Stone saying how much he'd love to represent Canada in the World Cup if he was asked. And why wouldn't he be? Stone was one of the best forwards in the NHL the second half of last season, he can play both wings and he's had success in

international play -- specifically when he was named one of Canada's best three players by coaches at the 2012 world junior championship after leading the team with seven goals and 10 points... Along with his two goals, Zack Smith also won 67% of his first period faceoffs "¦ Fans at Bridgestone Arena have a unique way of greeting opposing players who happen to be in the starting lineup. For instance, Tuesday night when Marc Methot's name was announced, they replied with a loud "Sucks!" And down the starting six it went, with the same response each time, until the P.A. announcer said: "And behind the bench for the Ottawa Senators is head coach Dave Cameron." To which the crowd replied: "He sucks, too!" I think he's actually a good coach, but it's the "fans' decision" to holler what they want.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 11.11.2015


Senators coach mum on sitting rookie D Chris Wideman

BY DON BRENNAN, OTTAWA SUN


NASHVILLE - Veteran centre Zack Smith returned to the Senators lineup Tuesday after serving a one-game stint in the press box, and part of the reason for his reinstatement was to provide much needed help in the face-off circles.

While that much was pried out of Dave Cameron Tuesday morning, the Senators coach would give little in the way of explanation for scratching Chris Wideman to make room for Cody Ceci's return from injury.

Wideman, one of the few bright spots in Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss in Carolina, has one goal and is a plus-3 in four games for Ottawa this season.

"Toughest job I have is sitting guys out," Cameron said Tuesday morning.

What more can Wideman do?

"Keep doing the work every day," said Cameron, who fell back into his go-to "coach's decision" response when pushed for more.

Cameron, who scratched Matt Puempel to make room for Smith, did not make the forward move out of concern for his veteran's mental state.

"We want them owning their own confidence and to be accountable how they play," said Cameron. "They shouldn't even be in the conversation (about) being in (or out) of the lineup. Wideman is different. He's finding his way, and we're playing some veteran guys, and throwing some things out there. But if you're a veteran guy and sat out, then you shouldn't even be in the conversation. You should own your own confidence and play accordingly. Own your own play. That's what we want all our players to do. That's why I keep talking to you guys, as I talk to them, that the onus has to be for them to own their own confidence."

Cameron didn't dispute Ceci seemed to be hitting his stride with his game when he was knocked through a bench door Thursday night.

"Our whole team is finding it's stride," said Cameron. "That's been the most frustrating part of the first 14 games. It's the Clint Eastwood movie, 'The Good, The Bad And The Ugly.' We want to see a lot more good. That's just where we are now as a team. That's where the league is. Our team, it's that consistency factor, game in and game out, that's missing.

"We're not playing well enough through 60 minutes to think that we're going to have long term success. That's what we look at as coaches. You come out of that game in Carolina with a point, are you glad for the point? Yes, but not at all happy about how we played. That's your challenge."

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 11.11.2015

981992 Philadelphia Flyers

Observations from the Flyers' latest loss

Sam Carchidi

POSTED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015, 2:20 AM

Observations from the Flyers' listless 4-0 loss to Colorado on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center:

1. The Flyers have had as many team meetings after embarrassing losses (2) as games in which they have outscored their opponents in the special-teams battle (2). Not good.

2. Rookie coach Dave Hakstol should put all the names of the forwards in a hat and pick them out to form the four lines. Seriously. The lines couldn't be less productive, and maybe, just maybe, it would loosen things up.

3. The Flyers need to separate the slow Luke Schenn-Nick Schultz defensive duo.

4. Give goalie Michal Neuvirth credit for a great run, but Steve Mason should get the start Thursday against Washington. The goalies aren't the reason for the Flyers' struggles. It's their anemic offense and the fact they allow more shots than any NHL team.

5. It's stunning how the Flyers fall apart when the fall behind. They have allowed the game's first goal in nine games _ and have lost all nine of them. Conversely, they are 5-1 when they score the first goal.

Neuvirth allowed a bad goal 57 seconds into Thursday's game, and the Flyers had little push-back and seemed to lose their equilibrium.

"It kind of stunned us a little bit," defenseman Mark Streit said of the early goal. "As a team, we have to do a better job of turning the page and accepting that it happened and just move forward. Stick with the system and just play our game."

6. Colorado's Reto "Yogi" Berra will not have an easier shutout this season than the one he had Tuesday. The Flyers had just 25 shots (most from the perimeter) and only one power-play opportunity

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 11.11.2015


Flyers 'embarrassed' by shutout loss to Avalanche

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer

POSTED: Wednesday, November 11, 2015, 3:01 AM

As the final buzzer sounded Tuesday, what was left of the Wells Fargo Center crowd serenaded the Flyers with loud boos as they skated to the locker room.

It was well-deserved.

Colorado 4, Flyers 0.

The Flyers had talked about bringing momentum home from a nice win Saturday in Winnipeg that ended a 1-3-1 road trip, but apparently, they left it in customs.

"We're embarrassed. They're probably embarrassed," Flyers winger Ryan White said when asked about the boos.

The Avalanche, who began the night as the Western Conference's worst team, finished with a 40-25 shots advantage and skated circles around the Flyers.

"It wasn't a pretty game to watch," captain Claude Giroux said.". . . We need to play better together, support each other and play as a team. It's definitely not that the guys don't care. We have guys that work hard. They come to the rink every day and they're proud to be a Flyer. One day we're going to come together and, day in and day out, play as a team."

One day.

"We were working, but we weren't working smart," winger Wayne Simmonds said.

After the loss, the Flyers held their second players meeting in 15 games this season. The message of the meeting, according to center Sean Couturier: Stick together. It's one bad game and just forget about it.

The Flyers should change their slogan from "Play boldly" to "Score first." For the ninth time this season, they allowed the first goal.

They have lost all nine.

Matt Duchene scored a pair of goals and Reto "Yogi" Berra (25 saves) recorded a rather easy shutout against the offensive-challenged Flyers, who suffered their seventh loss in the last eight games.

The Flyers have continued a maddening, two-year habit of losing to bad teams (Colorado, Buffalo, Florida, Edmonton, etc.) and beating the good ones (Chicago, New York Rangers, Winnipeg).

The Flyers (5-7-3) have been in such an offensive funk - they entered the night next to last in the NHL, averaging 1.93 goals per game - that when they fall behind and are chasing the game, they find it to be a gargantuan task.

Conversely, they are 5-1 when they score first.

On military appreciation night, the Flyers were in retreat mode during a sluggish first period in which they were outshot, 15-7, and allowed the session's only goal - a flubbed shot by Jarome Iginla that somehow squirted into the short side 57 seconds into the game.

Iginla retrieved a shot off the back boards and basically whiffed on a right-circle shot. The puck came off his stick like a knuckleball and went off Michal Neuvirth's left skate and into the net, just inside the left post. If the puck was sideways, it wouldn't have fit in the open space, but it was vertical and it trickled past the goal line.

"A bad goal. Bad angle. No excuses," said Neuvirth, who figures to back up Steve Mason on Thursday against Washington.

Rookie Flyers coach Dave Hakstol called it a "strange" goal. "At that point we have 59 minutes to go. That goal doesn't decide the hockey game," he said.

Neuvirth, who received little defensive support, had his first subpar performance with the Flyers. He entered the night fourth in the NHL in goals-against average (1.81) and tied for first in save percentage (.945).

Colorado (5-9-1) made it 3-0 with a pair of second-period goals. Neuvirth stopped Nathan MacKinnon's wraparound, but Duchene put in the rebound 25 seconds into the period.

A little over three minutes later, Duchene's second goal of the night, on a rebound from the far left side, gave the Avs a three-goal cushion.

With 17:56 left in the mismatch, Cody McLeod scored on a wraparound while the Avs were on a power play, prompting many fans to head for the exits.

Colorado, which had lost four of its previous five games, was on the power play because Radko Gudas body-slammed Carl Soderberg to the ice in a move that would have made Bruno Sammartino proud.



Flyers' Bellemare eager to return from injury

JEFF NEIBURG, Daily News Staff Writer [email protected]


ALL PIERRE-Edouard Bellemare could do was sit at home and watch the carnage. What started at home with back-to-back losses to Buffalo and New Jersey carried four games into the Flyers' five-game road trip.

Bellemare, 30, the Flyers' fourth-line center, hasn't played since suffering a lower-body injury in that Oct. 27 game against Buffalo.

He skated for the first time in 13 days on Monday, working out on the ice before the Flyers practiced in Voorhees, N.J., their first practice back after their 1-4 road swing from Buffalo through Western Canada.

Bellemare, a native of France, watched from Philadelphia as the Flyers' penalty kill - a unit Bellemare thrives with - and defensive zone play crumbled. He watched as the Flyers couldn't sustain a forecheck - something he and his linemates have been able to do - and keep themselves out of their own defensive zone.

There was nothing he could do.

"Normally, I'm a part of the team so you feel like you can help do something," Bellemare said. "When you see that it doesn't go that well, you want just to be there with the guys and be a part of it, try to do something to help, and you can't do it. You're miles away and you can only just watch and send texts at the end of the game to try and keep the mood up. It's not easy."

Nothing was easy on that trip, especially not for the guys on it. They lost their first four games - to get to six in a row - before finally escaping Winnipeg with a 3-0 win Saturday. Now back on U.S. soil, the Flyers play five of seven games at Wells Fargo Center, where they are 3-3-1 after Tuesday's 4-0 loss to Colorado.

"It's a roller coaster, the season," Bellemare said. "That trip was maybe a part of that roller coaster. Now it feels like the guys are back, the mood is up, it's exciting."

And it'll get more exciting once Bellemare returns to the lineup. Sure, he's only a fourth-line center, but Bellemare and his linemates, Ryan White and Chris VandeVelde, provide the Flyers with useful minutes. They've been strong in all three zones this year and Bellemare's biggest asset is perhaps his ability to kill penalties.

"He's a guy that doesn't garner a lot of attention," coach Dave Hakstol said. "But he's an important player to us. He brings reliable play in so many different areas and he brings energy. In his own way, he's a good leader in that way."

With Bellemare out, Hakstol has been mixing and matching lines. First, he put R.J. Umberger back with White and VandeVelde, with White playing center, before inserting Scott Laughton in that fourth-line center role in Calgary and Winnipeg.

"Everybody brings an element. Injuries are a part of it," Hakstol said. "Scotty Laughton has done a good job. We found a combination there that works pretty good and those guys have played a very similar role to that same group when 'Belle' is there."

Bellemare's return will help balance the Flyers' lines. Hakstol, who has said all season how much he likes the fourth-line personnel, will then decide who becomes a healthy scratch, a choice likely to come from the pair of Sam Gagner and Vincent Lecavalier. The first-year coach has made that decision on a matchup-by-matchup basis, it seems.

Neuvirth back in net

As expected, Michal Neuvirth made his fourth straight start in the net Tuesday night against the Avalanche.

The Flyers' backup goalie, who entered the game tied for the NHL's lead in save percentage (.945), was stellar between the pipes on the team's road trip.

The 27-year-old has been opportunistic filling in for Steve Mason, who has missed time for both personal and medical (illness) reasons.

"You take your time and evaluate everything," Dave Hakstol said after Tuesday's morning skate. "But Michal earned this start. He's done a great job for his teammates."

Slap shots

Though the Flyers called it a maintenance day when R.J. Umberger missed practice on Monday, the winger wasn't on the ice when the Flyers took their morning skate at Wells Fargo Center. In his absence, Vincent Lecavalier, a healthy scratch Saturday in Winnipeg, returned to the lineup and played on the third line with Sam Gagner on the other wing and Brayden Schenn at center . . . Defenseman Evgeny Medvedev (upper body) remains day-to-day. He took a light skate shortly after the Flyers left the ice . . . Tuesday marked the 30th anniversary of the car accident that killed former Flyers goalie Pelle Lindbergh.



Flyers blanked by the Avs, 4-0

JEFF NEIBURG, Daily News Staff Writer [email protected]


ALL AROUND the locker room after Monday's practice and on Tuesday after morning skate, the Flyers talked about the importance of Saturday's win.

After a miserable four-game stretch from Buffalo through parts of western Canada, the Flyers escaped with a win in Winnipeg and found a little positive at the end of a sour trip away from Wells Fargo Center, where they returned Tuesday to play five of their next seven at home.

The hope was that the momentum created by a shutout win would carry back home.

"We can take a lot of positives out of it," defenseman Mark Streit said Tuesday morning. "It gives you a lot of confidence."

Apparently all the momentum, the positives and the confidence deplaned somewhere over Lake Superior.

The Flyers welcomed the Western Conference's worst team, according to record, and played much like the worst team the East had to offer, losing, 4-0, to Colorado. After a six-game skid was snapped, the Flyers look poised to start another one. The loss prompted a second team meeting in only 15 games.

"Everybody realized in the room what kind of performance we brought tonight," Streit said afterward. "I think it's unacceptable. Everybody's got to be better and everybody's got to be accountable. It was just a really poor performance on our part."

"I think we should be ready to come back to our building and play a good game," captain Claude Giroux said. "Our goalie played a good game. He gave us a chance to come back, and we didn't respond."

The home crowd, albeit one that lacked size and energy to begin with, was taken out of the game 57 seconds after the puck dropped. A nonchalant attempt toward the net by future Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla somehow snuck through Michal Neuvirth and the post. Neuvirth looked behind him in confusion and then surprise when he saw the puck just over the goal line.

"Bad goal, bad angle, got to have those," Neuvirth said. "No excuses. The first goal I gave up was a big factor, and it took the momentum."

Neuvirth was starting in his fourth straight game after a strong showing last week. The Flyers (5-7-3) didn't provide much help in front of him.

The Flyers' most sustained pressure in the offensive zone came late in the second period, but that was well after Colorado had already put two more goals on the board for a 3-0 lead. Plus, Avalanche goalie Reto Berra was up for the challenge.

But even during positive play from the Flyers, there was still moments of sloppiness. Giroux got into a decent shooting area and decided to throw a no-look drop pass to no one in particular at the blue line.

The Avalanche (5-9-1), who outshot the Flyers, 40-25, struck again in the first minute of the second period. Matt Duchene snuck in behind the Flyers' defense and received a pass from Nathan MacKinnon from behind the net to beat Neuvirth in close.

Duchene tallied again, his sixth of the season, three minutes later. A juicy rebound off a Nick Holden shot from the point deflected off Neuvirth's pad and right onto Duchene's stick.

"When a strange goal goes in early in a game, at that point, we've got 59 minutes to go," coach Dave Hakstol said. "That doesn't decide the hockey game. That goal doesn't decide the hockey game."

The two in the second period certainly did.

"Those are tough plays to come back from," Hakstol said.

The embarrassment continued in the third period.

With the Flyers shorthanded after Radko Gudas body-slammed Carl Soderberg to the ice, Ryan White tried to goad Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog into a fight in the corner of the Colorado defensive zone. Landeskog wouldn't bite, and, with the Flyers out of sorts down the other end, Cody McLeod took advantage of a Streit turnover and scored a

wraparound goal to put the Avalanche up 4-0 and dash any hopes of a third-period comeback.

"We're frustrated," White said. "We lost, what, seven out of eight. Everyone in here cares. It's just we're not playing well enough. That's the bottom line, and I think, as frustrated as you can get, obviously, we're not happy, but we got to take a look in the mirror and come back out here Thursday and be ready to go."

Hakstol chose to ride the hot goalie Tuesday night. All signs point to Steve Mason returning to the net Thursday against the Capitals. The Flyers' "No. 1," as Hakstol reaffirmed Monday, will see his first action since last Monday in Vancouver. Mason hasn't yet been able to get into a rhythm this season. He's dealt with personal issues and was sick last week.

Perhaps he'll be able to find some confidence and create some positives and momentum of his own. The Flyers could surely use it.



Bellemare skates, may return soon

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer


Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, the Flyers' fourth-line center and a key member of their penalty kill, took part in the morning skate Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center and may be able to return to the lineup later this week.

"It all depends on how many full practices I get. I hadn't practiced on the ice for 10 days, and then I got a 30-minute skate [Monday]," Bellemare said Tuesday.

"Today was the first game-like practice, but it was a pregame skate - no contact, nothing. I need to get some of those. As we know, there's so many games during the week that there's so little full practice. Things are going to come around once I can [hit]."

Bellemare, 30, missed his seventh straight game Tuesday, when the Flyers hosted Colorado. Early in the Flyers' 4-3 overtime loss to Buffalo on Oct. 27, Bellemare fell behind the Sabres' net after being cross-checked by Rasmus Ristolainen, and he appeared to be favoring his right leg or foot.

"He doesn't garner a lot of attention, but he's an important player to us," coach Dave Hakstol said. "He brings reliable play in so many different areas. And he brings energy. In his own way, he's a good leader in that way."

A native of France, Bellemare doesn't feel limited in anything he can do on the ice.

"This was the first team practice I had, with starting and stopping, and I felt unbelievable," he said. "I'm excited."

Bellemare said it was difficult watching the Flyers struggle through a 1-3-1 road trip.

"When you see it doesn't go that well, you just want to be there and be a part of it and try to do something to help - and you can't do it. You're miles away and you can only just watch. . . . It's not easy, for sure," he said.

The penalty kill has struggled this season, but it was 7 for 7 in the last two games of the trip.

"The season goes like a roller-coaster, and that trip was maybe a part of that roller-coaster time," Bellemare said. "Now it feels like the guys are back on the move to go up, so it's exciting."

Bellemare has played in eight games, and he has one goal and a minus-1 rating.

"He kills off a lot of penalties, blocks a lot of shots," center Sean Couturier said. "He's a guy who will do whatever he can to help the team."

Breakaways. Vinny Lecavalier replaced the injured R. J. Umberger on the third line....Injured defenseman Evgeny Medvedev missed his fifth straight game.



Bellemare close to returning; Neuvirth starting for Flyers

Sam Carchidi

POSTED: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015, 1:40 PM

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, the Flyers’ fourth-line center and a key member of their penalty kill, took part in the morning skate Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Center and may be able to return to the lineup later this week.

“It all depends on how many full practices I get. I hadn’t practiced on the ice for 10 days, and then I got a 30-minute skate yesterday,” Bellemare said after Tuesday’s morning skate at the Wells Fargo Center. “Today was the first game-like practice, but it was a pregame skate; no contact, nothing. I need to get some of those. As we know, there’s so many games during the week that there’s so little full practice. Things are going to come around once I can (hit).”

Bellemare, 30, will miss his seventh straight game Tuesday, when the Flyers host Colorado. Early in the Flyers’ 4-3 overtime loss to Buffalo on Oct. 27, Bellemare fell behind the Sabres’ net after being crosschecked by Rasmus Ristolainen, and he appeared to be favoring his right leg or foot.

“He doesn’t garner a lot of attention, but he’s an important player to us,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “He brings reliable play in so many different areas. And he brings energy. In his own way, he’s a good leader in that way.”

A native of France, Bellemare expects to be cleared for full contact later Tuesday. He said doesn’t feel limited in anything he can do on the ice.

“This was the first team practice I had, with starting and stopping, and I felt unbelievable,” he said. “I’m excited.”

Bellemare said it was difficult watching the Flyers struggle through a 1-3-1 road trip.

“When you see it doesn’t go that well, you just want to be there and be a part of it and try to do something to help - and you can’t do it. You’re miles away and you can only just watch….It’s not easy, for sure,” he said.

The penalty kill has struggled this season, but it was 7 for 7 in the last two games of the trip.

“The season goes like a rollercoaster, and that trip was maybe a part of that rollercoaster time,” Bellemare said.

“Now it feels like the guys are back on the move to go up, so it’s exciting.”

Bellemare has played in eight games, and he has one goal and a minus-1 rating.

“He kills off a lot of penalties, blocks a lot of shots,” center Sean Couturier said. “He’s a guy who will do whatever he can to help the team.”

Neuvirth starting. To no one’s surprise, the sizzling Michal Neuvirth will make his fourth straight start Tuesday. Neuvirth is tied for the league lead in save percentage (.945) and fourth in goals-against average (1.81).

“Michal earned this start,” Hakstol said. “He’s done a great job for his teammates _ in particular, his last two starts in Calgary and Winnipeg.”

Breakaways. Vinny Lecavalier will replace the injured R.J. Umberger on the third line…Hakstol on the goal-less Jake Voracek: “For the most part, I’ve been happy with his play. I think there’s only been , through the stretch, maybe a couple of games where Jake had a bit of frustration to his game….He continues to put a lot of pucks on net. One’s got to go in for him, and (when it does), I think you’ll see a drastic change in the outcome of a lot of these plays.”…Colorado (4-9-1), which is 2-4 on the road, has been led by Nathan MacKinnon (six goals, 15 points) and Jarome Iginla (six goals, 11 points)…Brayden Schenn has five goals to lead the Flyers, who do not have any players in double-digits in points. Claude Giroux has a team-high nine points.



Flyers buried by Avalanche in one-sided loss

Posted: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 10:00 pm

By Wayne Fish Staff writer

PHILADELPHIA -- The booing began early and for good reason.

Fans attending Tuesday night’s Flyers-Colorado Avalanche game had some idea the home team isn’t good when an opponent scores first.

That trend continued when the Flyers -- now 0-6-3 when surrendering the first goal of the game -- couldn’t keep the puck out of their net in the first minute, no less, and went on to suffer an embarrassing 4-0 loss at the Wells Fargo Center.

After another one of several “players-only’’ postgame meetings this season, the Flyers had to face the music.

With just one win since Oct. 24, the Flyers have spiraled down to near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

After salvaging a point in Calgary and gaining two more in Winnipeg, the Flyers looked to rely on goaltender Michal Neuvirth again. This time he was human, allowing a bad bounce goal to Jarome Iginla just 57 seconds into the contest and then it went all downhill from there.

Captain Claude Giroux said the effort was there but maybe an intelligent style of hockey wasn’t.

“It wasn’t a pretty game to watch,’’ Giroux said. “I think we just need to play a little smarter here. Guys want to win, want to play hard, but we just have to help each other out there. We need to play better together, support each other. Play as a team.’’

Is there any lack of will?

“It’s definitely not that the guys don’t care here,’’ Giroux said. “We have guys who work hard, come to the rink every day. They’re proud to be a Flyer. The day we come together and play as a team, we’ll get our chemistry and start winning games.’’

Mark Streit has been through all the ups and downs of an NHL season. He knows what improvements have to be made.

“We knew how important the first goal would be and it was a tough bounce,’’ Streit said. “We have to do a better job of turning the page there and accept what happened. I don’t think we did a good job of that.

“Everyone knows what kind of performance we brought tonight and I think it’s unacceptable. Everybody’s got to be accountable. It was really a poor performance on our part.’’

Wayne Simmonds echoed Giroux’s thoughts on the lack of brainy hockey.

“We were working but not working smart,’’ he said. “We’re not putting the puck in the proper spots and that’s what happens. It wasn’t a smart game for us.’’

The Flyers were hoping that a return to the friendly confines of their home building (where they had been 3-2-1) would remove the bad taste of the just-completed 1-3-1 road trip.

Instead, the 5-9-1 Avalanche stormed the Flyers' zone early and often (finishing with 40 shots), grabbing a three-goal edge less than four minutes into the second period.

The first goal typified the Flyers’ woes. Iginla actually almost fanned on a shot from the lower right circle but the puck knuckled toward Neuvirth, who thought he had the post sealed off. The puck, however, was on edge and managed to squeeze in between Neuvirth’s skate and the pipe.

“Bad goal, bad angle,’’ Neuvirth said. “Got to have those. I have to make sure I cover the short side. I think the first goal I gave up was a big momentum factor.’’

Matt Duchene netted a pair early in the second period to put the Flyers in a 3-0 hole.

Duchene had little trouble on either goal, dunking a pass from Gabriel Landeskog (who escaped a Streit check) at the 25-second mark, then jamming in a rebound at the doorstep at 3:34.

Flyers coach Dave Hakstol thought the first goal wasn’t the back-breaker so much as what followed.

“I felt our start was pretty ready, it was pretty prepared,’’ he said. “We did not sustain it through the second part of the first period and the first couple minutes of the second. That’s where the difference in the hockey game was.’’

Colorado backup goalie Reto Berra had a rather easy night of it as the Flyers fumbled the puck away time after time in the neutral zone.

It was only the third shutout of Berra’s career in 56 games.

Short shots

The 4-0 final was the first time the Colorado/Quebec franchise has ever shut out the Flyers in the regular season. ... It was just the franchise’s 10th win in 40 games in Philadelphia. ... R.J. Umberger was scratched, but the Flyers did not provide any information on a possible injury. Umberger was off from practice Monday with what was described as a “maintenance’’ day. General manager Ron Hextall was unavailable for comment because he is attending league meetings in Toronto. ... It was Military Appreciation Night in honor of Veterans Day and a number of military personnel were recognized and saluted by an appreciative audience.

Burlington County Times LOADED: 11.11.2015


FLYERS: Here's one streak Voracek wants to keep going

Posted: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 7:30 pm

By Wayne Fish Staff writer

PHILADELPHIA -- Tuesday, Jake Voracek was looking to break one bad streak while continuing a very good one.

The Flyers' forward went into the game against the Colorado Avalanche striving to end a season-opening goal drought of 14 games. On the positive side, Voracek was scheduled to play in his 241st straight game, an ironman streak which places him seventh on the franchise’s alltime list.

Voracek has earned a reputation for showing up every night with the right attitude, even if things aren’t going his way. Some might call it luck, some a player’s style of play, others preparation and conditioning. Possibly it’s a mix of all three. And maybe a high threshold for pain.

This much we do know: Voracek has played through slashed fingers, a couple of dizziness-causing head hits and bruised shoulders but still plows ahead. He’s well aware of the streak and acknowledges it with a certain sense of pride.

“As a pro athlete, you try to play every single game,’’ Voracek said at Tuesday morning’s skate at the Wells Fargo Center. “Obviously, I feel much better if I’m playing in the game than in the press box. It’s always a great feeling to play the game than to sit. I’m happy with that streak and hopefully it’s going to continue for a very, very long time.’’

Voracek hasn’t missed a game since March 13, 2012. In fact, he’s sat out only four games (of a possible 304) since joining the Flyers at the start of the 2011-12 season.

On top of that, he missed only five of a possible 246 games in his three seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

When he did start thinking about the current streak?

“I saw some article about it in the past,’’ he said. “I just know in the last three seasons I haven’t missed a game. I don’t look at how many games it is, I just try to go out there every single night and play the game. Even if you’re hurt, even if you don’t feel good, you should really try to find a way to help the team. Sometimes if you’re hurt, it’s impossible to do that.’’

The top seven Flyers’ Ironman streaks (according to Elias Sports Bureau) are:

484: Rod Brind’Amour -- Feb. 24, 1993 to April 18, 1999.

317: John LeClair -- April 22, 1995 to March 9, 1999.

296: Jeff Carter -- Dec. 19, 2006 to March 21, 2010.

276: Bob Clarke -- Jan. 1, 1971 to April 4, 1974.

250: Brian Propp -- Jan. 31, 1981 to Feb. 23, 1984.

248: Kimmo Timonen -- March 3, 2009 to March 1, 2012.

240: Jake Voracek -- March 3, 2012 to present.

If he stays healthy, Voracek would go to 308 straight by season’s end, leaving him behind only Brind’Amour and LeClair.

For Voracek, there have been some close calls.

“Hockey is a tough game,’’ he said. “A lot of guys play with injuries. But that’s why I like it.’’

Voracek has made it a point to really up his conditioning level the past two seasons and no doubt it’s played a role in keeping the streak going. Some injuries can be avoided through proper fitness.

Just look at Brind’Amour’s all-time mark. Rod “The Bod’’ was in the gym more than he was on the ice.

“I think it’s how you prepare yourself in the summer,’’ Voracek said. “It’s how you play the game as well. And you have to have luck, too. I’ve been lucky so far.’’

Voracek, 25, has a long way to go to catch Brind’Amour but this is 2015 and the players are bigger, faster, stronger. Just getting to 241 is quite an accomplishment.

“It’s toughness,’’ said Sean Couturier, who had his own streak of 204 consecutive games ended when he suffered a concussion in a game against the Rangers on Oct. 24. “He’s a tough player, especially the way he plays. He drives to the net hard, wins a lot of battles and he’s strong on the puck.’’

Bellemare makes progress

Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who suffered a lower-body injury in the Oct. 30 game at Buffalo, practiced for the first time at Tuesday’s morning skate and said his recovery is progressing.

Bellemare left the door open for possibly playing later in the week, either home vs. Washington on Thursday or at Carolina on Saturday.

During the just-completed road trip, the Flyers’ penalty kill struggled, dropping from about 82 percent efficiency to 77. Some of that had to do with Bellemare and Couturier, two of the team’s better penalty killers, being sidelined.

At least the Flyers finished the trip with a string of seven straight stops.

“There’s been a lot of talk about it (the penalty kill),’’ Bellemare said. “The season goes like a rollercoaster, and that trip was maybe a part of that rollercoaster time. Now it feels like the guys are back on the move to go up, so it’s exciting.”

Burlington County Times LOADED: 11.11.2015


Flyers return home with 'unacceptable' effort in shutout to Avalanche

November 10, 2015, 11:00 pm

This is all you need to understand how utterly discombobulated things have gotten for Dave Hakstol’s Flyers.

With 1:57 seconds left in the second period and Colorado leading by three goals, the Flyers controlled the puck with two Avs’ players missing sticks.

Instead of perhaps taking a little poke at goalie Reto Berra, the Flyers instead chose to pass the puck, round and round before Jakub Voracek got one off that was wide and hit the netting.

The crowd at Wells Fargo Center booed loudly. With good reason, too.

“We have to be better, especially in our rink,” Ryan White said. “We’re embarrassed.”

The Flyers weren’t merely listless in a 4-0 beating (see Instant Replay), they were mindless, as well. Who knows what Hakstol’s troops are thinking these days, but it's not hockey.

“We didn’t play a smart game,” Wayne Simmonds said. “That’s what happens. You don’t play smart; the other team is offensively talented. We didn’t work smart.

“We send two guys in on the forecheck when the goalie is playing the puck. We’re not putting pucks in the proper spots and that’s what happens.”

Coming off a five-game road trip that saw them eek out three measly points, this was the first of what will be six home appearances among 10 total games the rest of the month.

“I felt our start was ready and pretty well prepared, but we did not sustain through the second half of the first period and the first couple minutes of the second were the difference in the hockey game,” Hakstol said.

“We didn’t sustain it … I use the word in the road efforts in terms of going out there and playing complete games and being determined in every phase. We weren’t complete in that way.”

If ever the time was ripe for something positive to develop, this was it. And the Flyers came up lame against the last-ranked team in the Western Conference.

They also held a brief team meeting to make sure all hands remain on deck and no one fell overboard.

“Everybody realized the performance we brought tonight,” Mark Streit said of the meeting. “It’s unacceptable. Everybody has to be better and accountable. A really poor performance.”

Meanwhile, goalie Michal Neuvirth’s run extraordinarily good fortune evaporated quickly as he gave up two shocking goals: one just 57 seconds into play, the other 25 seconds into the second period.

The first one saw Jarome Iginla fan, then flick a shot toward the right post where the puck squeezed sideways off Neuvirth’s skate inside.

“That first goal stung us,” Streit admitted.

The second saw Nathan MacKinnon line a pass behind the net to Matt Duchene in front for a gimme.

Duchene scored again a few minutes later to make it 3-0. The Avs may be awful, but that top line of Gabriel Landeskog-MacKinnon-Duchene collected five points in a hurry.

Through 15 games, the Flyers have yielded 10 goals in the opening 90 seconds of a period, too.

“Bad angle, you gotta have those, no excuses,” Neuvirth said of the first goal. “I got to make sure to cover that short side. The first goal was a big factor and took [away] all the momentum.”

Hakstol said that’s not way his club lost.

“We didn’t create enough, we didn’t get to many pucks in the offensive zone,” Hakstol said. “That’s why the shot totals (outshot 40-25) went the other way. We had one guy on the puck and were slow getting the second guy around it.”

Given the Flyers’ efforts in Calgary and Winnipeg, this was surprising even though historically, east coast teams coming off a western trip are often lifeless in their first game back on short rest.

“No, we are not going to do excuses,” team captain Claude Giroux offered. “I mean, we should be ready to come back to our building and play a good game. Our goalie played a good game. He gave us a chance to come back and we didn’t respond.”

Tim Panaccio



Instant Replay: Avalanche 4, Flyers 0

November 10, 2015, 9:30 pm

Michal Neuvirth’s bubble burst big time on Tuesday night, as the Flyers got plastered by the worst team in the Western Conference.

The Colorado Avalanche buried Dave Hakstol’s club, 4-0, at Wells Fargo Center.

Neuvirth, who was coming off a shutout and some outstanding play over a recent five-game road trip, was terrible, giving up a goal 57 seconds into the game and another 25 seconds into the second period.

Colorado’s Matt Duchene scored twice in the second period. His last goal that made it 3-0 would not have been possible were it not for defenseman Nick Holden saving a bouncing puck at the blue line and somehow putting it on net for Duchene’s rebound.

Notable goals

Working off his shutout in Winnipeg, Neuvirth allowed a very weird goal just 57 ticks into play. Jarome Iginla played a puck off the right boards and shot at a perfect 90-degree angle. Neuvirth had his glove down to protect the left post but the puck hit his left skate, went on its side and squeezed in somehow.

First goal

The Flyers are now 0-6-3 when allowing the game’s first goal.

Goalie report

Neuvirth had post troubles all throughout the first period. Colorado almost had a second goal inside the right post and one inside the left post on bouncing shots. Needless to say, his .945 save percentage came down in this one.

Power play

It wasn’t until the third period that the Flyers actually got a power play. By then it was 4-0 and lights out.

Penalty kill

The Flyers' penalty kill, which sank early in the road trip and then catapulted to the middle of the pack, came into play having killed off seven straight going back two games. That streak ended at eight when the Avs scored in the third period.

Body slam

That would be the best way to describe how Radko Gudas went off for roughing in the third period after throwing Carl Soderberg to the ice. Colorado scored on its ensuing power play, too.

Fights

Plenty of Flyers tried to lure the Avs into dropping the gloves, but it didn’t work.

Closing in

Iginla’s first-period goal was No. 596 as he closes in on 600 for his career. He will become the 19th player in NHL history to achieve that mark.

Strange but true

The Flyers are 0-5-1 with Vinny Lecavalier in the lineup. Not that his absence would make any difference. It is what it is.

Scratches

Evgeny Medvedev (upper body), Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (IR/right knee or ankle), Davis Drewiske (healthy) and R.J. Umberger (right eye/left foot).

Up next

The Flyers practice Wednesday. On Thursday, they host the Washington Capitals, who are jockeying back and forth with the Rangers for the Metropolitan Division lead.

Tim Panaccio



Flyers Skate Update: Avalanche's top line poses 'good challenge'

You might say that the Colorado Avalanche, who will be the Flyers' guest on Tuesday night at the Wells Fargo Center, represent a mirror image of Dave Hakstol’s club.

The Flyers have lost six of seven after snapping a six-game skid in Winnipeg over the weekend.

Patrick Roy’s Avs have lost four of their last five games.

The Flyers are sixth in the Metropolitan Division and Colorado is seventh in the Central.

“In today’s game, it doesn’t matter if you face a hot or cold team,” said veteran defenseman Mark Streit at the morning skate.

“They are all tough to play against. We had this experience the past 10 days. We played a lot of different teams who play different hockey.”

This is a fast Avs squad that will force the Flyers to skate hard the entire night. Especially Nathan MacKinnon’s line with Gabriel Landeskog and Matt Duchene.

MacKinnon leads the Avs in assists (nine) and points (15), while Landeskog is tied for second in points (11) with Jarome Iginla.

“We’re both in the same situations,” said shutdown centerman Sean Couturier, who is expected to go against the MacKinnon unit. “This is going to be a battle. They are two great players.

“MacKinnon is probably one of the most explosive guys in the league, real fast, one of the best skaters in the league. Landeskog is a work horse. Always works hard, he wins battles. It’s going to be a good challenge.”

It’s likely that Hakstol, since he has the final line change, will also use the defensive pair of Michael Del Zotto and Mark Streit against the MacKinnon line.

“They’re young, dynamic players and very flashy and they have a lot of speed,” Streit said. “It’s not only the defensemen, but the whole five-man unit on the ice to [has to] play solid in the neutral zone.

“Don’t give them a whole lot of room to build up their speed and come with speed into our zone. That makes it difficult to defend.”

The goalie

Michael Neuvirth will make his fourth consecutive start in goal for the Flyers — a season first for him.

Neuvirth is deserving of it. Had the Flyers given him some offense during their Western Canada road swing, Neuvirth would have come home with wins in Edmonton and Calgary, instead of losses.

Right now, he has the hot glove. Steve Mason has been ill and is in need of extra practice time.

“You take time to evaluate everything, but Michal earned this start,” Hakstol said. “He has done a great job for his teammates. In particular, his last two starts both in Calgary and Winnipeg, he did a great job.”

All three of Neuvirth’s victories this season are shutouts.

He is fourth in the NHL in goals-against average (1.81), third in save percentage (.945) and first in shutouts. He’s played just eight games.

Loose pucks

Vinny Lecavalier represents the only lineup change from the victory in Winnipeg on Saturday. He will go in for the injured R.J. Umberger, who had stitches under his right eye from a fight against Jets captain Andrew Ladd and was limping badly following the game after blocking a shot off his left foot. ... Centerman Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (lower body) took a full morning skate and is hoping to play Thursday against the Caps.

Tim Panaccio



Flyers-Avalanche 5 things: Keep up power-play production

November 10, 2015, 10:15 am

Flyers vs. Avalanche

7 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet

Back home after a horrid five-game road trip, the Flyers (5-6-3) will look to build off a promising 3-0 win in Winnipeg when they host the Colorado Avalanche (4-9-1) at the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday night.

Here’s a look at what’s on tap:

1. Got the power?

You’d think the Flyers would be satisfied after snapping an 0-for-16 slump on the power play.

Well, Wayne Simmonds isn’t.

“You can’t just stick with those two goals and say, ‘OK, finally our job is done,’ because it’s not,” Simmonds said after practice on Monday. “It’s Game 14. We’ve got a lot of games to go this year and our focus is on the next game.”

Simmonds, of course, is referring to the Flyers’ performance on the PP in Saturday’s win over the Jets. The top unit connected on two of five attempts on the man advantage and appears to be on the verge of a major breakout.

Typically a strength of the team, the Flyers’ power-play production has been sporadic this season. It was impressive in Winnipeg, however. Every pass was quick and on the tape, which led to several quality scoring chances, and shots finally seemed to be getting through traffic.

“I don’t think we tried to do a whole lot different,” Flyers coach Dave Hakstol said. “There was a time period there where nothing was coming easy. We’d get a shot past the top penalty killer and their defenseman would block it. We’d get it past the top killer, past their defenseman and it would hit our guy in front. There was a lot of things going on and we were a little bit tight for a couple of games.

“Against Winnipeg, we won the specialty teams battle, we checked really well and we won a hockey game. Good formula.”

2. Not finding twine

The Flyers have just eight goals — nine if you count an empty-netter — over their last six games. That’s the sole reason why they have only one win during that stretch.

Sure, the goaltending has been great. Even the defense has looked somewhat better. But the offense? It’s just not there.

“If you don’t score, you feel the pressure to try different things,” said Jakub Voracek, who has yet to collect his first goal of the 2015-16 season. “Sometimes that’s not a good thing. We know we haven’t scored as much as we would have liked to but when you play good defense you have a good chance to win a game.”

The Flyers are averaging a meager 1.93 goals per game through 14 contests. Only the Anaheim Ducks have a worse offense right now. With the PP clicking against Winnipeg though, the Flyers are hoping that success spills over into even-strength play, an area in which the team has struggled.

“Sometimes you don’t always get goals, but if you get good puck movement, you’re getting a lot of chances, you carry momentum as well into the five-on-five,” Simmonds said. “That was a good start for us last game. We’ve got to play better with the puck five-on-five.”

3. Rocky Mountain low

It’s gut-check time for Patrick Roy and the Avalanche.

Colorado, which will play 14 of its next 18 games away from Denver, is set to embark on a seven-game road trip, beginning in Philadelphia on Tuesday. The next week and a half could make or break the Avs’ season.

Despite boasting an impressive forward group which includes Matt Duchene, Nathan MacKinnon and Gabriel Landeskog, the Avalanche have lost four of their last five games, are 2-7-1 in their last 10 and have not yet recorded back-to-back victories in 2015-16.

Roy has really had trouble making the pieces fit together. Colorado is already buried at the bottom of a stacked Central Division and is one of three NHL clubs with single-digit points.

The team desperately needs a spark. The solution may be in net, too. Roy is going with backup netminder Reto Berra over slumping starter Semyon Varlamov against the Flyers.

4. Keep an eye on …

Flyers: How about the captain? Claude Giroux earned a pair power-play assists in Saturday's win over Winnipeg and has four points in his last four games overall. He enters Tuesday second on the Flyers in goals (four) and leads the team in assists (five) and points (nine). When Giroux goes, the Flyers go.

Avalanche: MacKinnon is flat-out fun to watch. The 20-year-old pivot has all the makings of a natural goal-scorer but is also a quality playmaker. He's tied for the team lead in goals (six) and is first on Colorado in assists (nine) and points (15). MacKinnon is rolling, too. He has three markers and five helpers in his last six outings.

5. This and that

• The Flyers beat the Avalanche, 4-3, in the only meeting between the two clubs in Philadelphia last season. Colorado claimed the rematch at home, 4-3, in overtime on Dec. 31.

• Giroux (three goals, one assist) and Voracek (one goal, three assists) each had four points in two games against the Avs in the 2014-15 season series.

• Jarome Iginla has 10 goals, 11 assists and 27 penalty minutes in 22 career games against the Flyers.

• Michal Neuvirth is 0-3-0 with an .878 save percentage and 3.38 goals-against average in three career starts versus Colorado.

• Berra is 0-3-0 with an .871 save percentage and 3.11 goals-against average in three career starts against the Flyers.

Tim Riday



Flyers ‘embarrassed,’ call another meeting after loss

Dave Isaac, @davegisaac 10:53 p.m. EST November 10, 2015

PHILADELPHIA — Here’s how poorly things have gone so far this season for the Flyers: they have more postgame team meetings than they do goals from last year’s leading point scorer.

Tuesday marked their second closed-door meeting of the season, albeit short, following a 4-0 loss to the Colorado Avalanche, which was the Western Conference’s worst team to start the night.

“It’s not something we need to discuss here,” alternate captain Mark Streit said. “Everybody realizes what kind of performance we brought tonight. It’s unacceptable. Everybody’s got to be better and everybody’s got to be accountable. It was a really poor performance on our part.”

Things got off to a bad start from the first shot of the game. Avalanche defenseman Nick Holden dumped the puck in off the back boards and Jarome Iginla flubbed the shot. Somehow, the puck was a perfect fit as it slipped vertically between Michal Neuvirth’s pad and the goal post like a quarter in a coin slot of an arcade game.

“Yeah, bad goal. Bad angle,” said Neuvirth, who had the league’s best save percentage entering the night and made 36 saves Tuesday. “I’ve got to have those. No excuses.”

Most of the Flyers said the game shouldn’t have ended 57 seconds into the first period, but the body language suggested otherwise. After whistles the Flyers slammed their sticks in frustration, or in the case of Claude Giroux, snapped his stick in half over the boards when he got back to the bench.

The Flyers could get nothing going offensively, somehow sending 25 pucks the way of Reto Berra for his second shutout of the season.

“It’s definitely not that the guys don’t care here,” Giroux said. “Guys work hard and they come to the rink every day and they’re proud to be a Flyer. The day we’re going to come together and go game in and game out and play as a team, I think we’ll get our chemistry. We’ll start winning games.”

That hasn’t happened yet. The Flyers have lost seven of their last eight games and as much as coach Dave Hakstol wants to spin the positive that the team got three of a possible four points in the last two games of their five-game road trip, the effort didn’t come back with them from Winnipeg on Saturday.

“We should be ready to come back to our building and play a good game,” the captain said. “Our goalie played a good game. He gave us a chance to come back and we didn’t respond.”

There wasn’t much offensive pressure by the Flyers. They dumped the puck into the Colorado ice and tried to chase it, but often turned it over for an odd-man rush the other way. When they did have the puck, they missed the net 13 times on the night.

That’s not a system miscue or, as the Flyers have proven recently, the instance of one bad night. The answer is not in the game film.

“It has nothing to do with the tape. You can throw the tape out the window,” Ryan White said. “We’re not executing. We’re not playing well enough as a team. We’re not helping each other out there. Until we start getting back to basics and start helping each other out and getting simple and making those five-foot passes that are supposed to be standard every night, we’re going to be in trouble.”

As the team left the ice for the final time Tuesday night, they did so to a chorus of boos.

“I played in Montreal. I heard that a lot,” said White, a former Canadien. “You don’t perform, you get booed. All the right to them. We’ve got to be better, especially in our own rink. We’re embarrassed. They’re probably embarrassed.”

Bellemare improving

Tuesday’s morning skate had a player the Flyers haven’t seen in a while. Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who has been nursing a lower-body injury suffered Oct. 27, was with the team for the first time. He had a hard time watching the Flyers go 1-3-1 on their recent roadtrip.

“You feel you can help and do something,” Bellemare said. “When you see it doesn’t go that well, you just want to be there and be a part of it and try to

do something to help and you can’t do it. You’re miles away and you can only just watch….It’s not easy, for sure.”

Bellemare may return to action this weekend after he’s had a couple practices with contact. The Flyers have missed him.

“He’s a guy who doesn’t garner a lot of attention, but he’s an important player to us,” coach Dave Hakstol said. “He brings reliable play in so many different areas and he brings energy in his own way. He’s a good leader in that way.”

Loose pucks

R.J. Umberger, who was deemed to have a “maintenance day” Monday and missed practice, didn’t play in the game either. He was replaced by Vinny Lecavalier. … Defenseman Evgeny Medvedev (upper-body injury) skated after the morning practice and said “I feel better,” but did not play.

Courier-Post LOADED: 11.11.2015


Local servicemen honored by Flyers for Veterans Day

Dave Isaac, @davegisaac 1:28 a.m. EST November 11, 2015

PHILADELPHIA - Ralph Herman basically lived through World War II twice.

The Camden-born infantryman sailed across the Atlantic Ocean on the Queen Mary in February 1945. He crossed the Rhine River at Remagen, Germany, where the Nazis had captured the Ludendorff Bridge.

In one of the battles he fought — the Purple Heart and Bronze Star winner was in a few — he was injured. A nearby explosive sent shrapnel into his right leg, landing him in a hospital in Paris, France for a month.

By the time he was healthy enough to leave, the war in Europe was over but he didn’t have enough service to return home.

He had to find others instead, who were buried in enemy territory, and see for himself all that he missed while he was in the hospital.

“I would go to the cemetery caretaker, the head of the church, the mayor of the town and ask them if they knew if there were any Americans buried anywhere in their area,” Herman said. “If they said yes, we would go out and find these sites. Usually there would be some type of a little cross where perhaps a fighter plane had crashed and the pilot was buried near the crash. Other times it would be a bomber and the men would be buried in various areas around the bomber. Sometimes they would be buried in German cemeteries, very nicely taken care of.”

Herman, 90, calls his time working for the Graves Registration “interesting,” when most people would use “terrifying” or “haunting” or “chilling” as a more apt description.

Perhaps that’s why the Flyers chose to honor him for his service Tuesday night during a stoppage in play against the Colorado Avalanche. Typically Herman will go to a restaurant on Veterans Day and partake in a free meal provided to those who have served.

Waving to a crowd in a building that holds nearly 20,000 people is a greater thrill.

“I just can’t imagine,” Herman said a few hours before the game. “I’m sitting here on pins and needles.”

Herman now lives in Sewell, but before he went into the service he lived in Camden. He was the captain of the 1943 Camden High School football team and captained the 1944 baseball team. He enjoyed being an athlete, but now has trouble watching sporting events due to macular degeneration.

He was touched that his nephew told the Flyers about his story. Some people, especially those who have seen combat, prefer to keep their memories of war private. Herman is an open book and doesn’t mind sharing his story, but doesn’t think back on it too often.

“I was a combat infantryman, although I was also the assistant bazooka man, so I carried the bazooka shells," he said. "No, I don’t remember it very much. It’s been a long time. I remember a few things, but I do not dwell on it, no.”

Neither does U.S.Marine company commander captain Stephen Maro, who dropped the puck for a ceremonial face-off before Tuesday’s game, the first serviceman to hold the honor at a Flyers game.

The harrier pilot by trade just came home at the beginning of October. He had been working in a aviation ground support service on the Isa Air Base in Bahrain. Maro, who played four years of hockey for Bishop Eustace High School, had spent the last six months supporting an F/A-18C squadron that was dropping bombs on ISIS.

“All the trucks, all the fuel, all the firefighters, all the ground support stuff, I was in charge of,” the Cherry Hill native said.

“It was very safe there in Bahrain. We never went off the base, but the base never even came close to feeling like we were under attack or anything. It was a friendly place. You were just away from home.”

Maro’s girlfriend, Caitlin Stopper, of Cherry Hill, reached out to the Flyers as the team saluted the armed forces with Military Appreciation Night.

“What’s unique about today is it’s the Marine Corps’ birthday,” Maro said. “It was founded on the 10th of November 1775 in Tun Tavern in Philadelphia. We were founded in a bar in this great city, so to come out in

uniform right before Veterans Day and drop the puck, it’s a huge honor for me.”

The lifelong Flyers fan got a reprieve from his typical 12-hour workday on the tarmac at the air base.

“It was very safe there in Bahrain,” Maro said. “We never went off the base, but the base never even came close to feeling like we were under attack or anything. It was a friendly place. You were just away from home.”

When he learned he was part of a night that was honoring Herman and what the Purple Heart and Bronze Star winners credentials were, he was touched.

“It’s a lot easier these days to be a veteran than it was back then,” Maro said. “The world is just a different place.”

Both felt lucky to be home safe, with smiles on their faces and welcoming cheers from a crowd for their service.

“It’s very exciting. It sure is,” Herman said. “It’s been a long time and once in a great while somebody recognizes that there’s only a few of us (World War II veterans) left.”



5 things to watch in Game 15: Flyers vs. Avalanche

Dave Isaac, @davegisaac 8:30 a.m. EST November 10, 2015

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

1. No, there is no goalie controversy in Flyerland. Michal Neuvirth, coming off his NHL-leading third shutout of the season, is likely to get the start because he's the hot hand between the pipes. In coach Dave Hakstol's mind, Steve Mason is still the No. 1 goaltender. Mason was dealing with an illness over the weekend, but feels better now. He's fine with Neuvirth's increased workload.

"Not in a negative way, I don’t see it as competition," Mason said. "I see it as a good, healthy tandem that we have. In no way, what Michal’s doing does it affect how I prepare day in and day out. I think what he’s done so far has been great for the team."

2. Colorado is beginning a seven-game roadtrip in Philadelphia. After dropping two straight games, coach Patrick Roy switched up his lines and has backup Reto Berra playing because Semyon Varlamov hasn't exactly been lighting it up.

"Reto will play in Philly, and that's all I can say," Roy told the Denver Post. "I haven't made the decision for the next game. I think our mindset should be one game at a time. The position we are, we can't look too far ahead and I think we need to focus on the Flyers, and that's what we're going to do. We're going to do the same in our decisions. Reto will play and we'll see how he plays and if he plays well, we'll put him back in Boston."

3. After two power-play goals Saturday, the Flyers are hoping to get things going at even strength. They say that the goals are great, but the fact that they were getting shots on net is what's making them feel better.

“You can’t just stick with those two goals and say, ‘OK, finally our job is done,’ because it’s not,” Wayne Simmonds said. “It’s Game 14. We’ve got a lot of games to go this year and our focus is on the next game.”

4. Just like the Flyers (until Saturday), the Avalanche have struggled on the power play. Colorado was ranked 13th Monday afternoon at 18.6 percent and had 11 power-play goals on the seasons.

"When our power play gets all those chances, we need to finish and take control of that game — and we didn't," Nathan MacKinnon told the Denver Post after a recent game.

5. Expect Neuvirth to get the start for the Flyers. He has a 0-3-0 record in three games against the Avalanche, one of four teams he doesn't have a win against, with a 3.38 goals-against average and .878 save percentage. Berra will be between the pipes for Colorado. He also owns an 0-3-0 record against his opponent with a 3.11 goals-against average and .871 save percentage.



Matt Duchene scores 2 goals to help Colorado Avalanche shut out Flyers

The Associated Press By The Associated Press

on November 10, 2015 at 10:53 PM, updated November 11, 2015 at 12:26 AM

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Matt Duchene scored twice and Reto Berra made 25 saves to help the Colorado Avalanche start a seven-game road trip with a 4-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday night.

Jarome Iginla and Cody McLeod also scored for the Avalanche, who won for just the second time in their last six games. Colorado's road trip is tied for the franchise's longest since relocating to Denver in 1994-95.

Philadelphia has just one victory in its last eight games.

Flyers backup goalie Michal Neuvirth got the start for the fourth straight game as coach Dave Hakstol chose to go with him rather No. 1 goalie Steve Mason. Neuvirth, who finished with 36 saves, entered tied for first in the league with a .945 save percentage to go with three shutouts and a 1.81 goals-against average.

Iginla opened the scoring 57 seconds into the game, beating Neuvirth from a sharp angle to the right of the crease. It was the 596th career tally for the veteran winger, who is four goals away from becoming the 19th player in league history to reach 600 for his career.

This wasn't Iginla's prettiest goal, as he partially fanned on the shot only to see the puck trickle between Neuvirth's left skate and the post for an unlikely score.

Duchene tallied both goals in a dominant second period when Colorado outshot Philadelphia 14-7. He scored on a rebound 25 seconds into the period after Nathan MacKinnon's wraparound attempt bounced off Neuvirth and right to Duchene in front of the crease.

And the Avalanche went up 3-0 just over three minutes later when Nick Holden's slap shot from the point bounced off Neuvirth to a waiting Duchene, who wristed it into the vacated short side of the net from the left circle.

Berra, Colorado's backup goalie, earned his second shutout of the season and third of his career. He got the start after making 31 saves in a 2-1 home loss to the Rangers on Friday and garnered his first victory in his fourth career start against the Flyers.

Jakub Voracek's offensive struggles continued as the Flyers' winger made it 15 games without a goal. After tallying a career-high 81 points last season, Voracek has just five points this year.

Philadelphia's offense has just nine goals, one of which was an empty-netter, in its last seven games.

NOTES: Colorado LW Blake Comeau limped to the locker room five minutes into the second period with an apparent left knee injury after a center-ice hit by Radko Gudas but returned later in the period. ... Colorado also played seven straight games away from home from Oct. 8-21 in 2009. ... The Avalanche snapped a four-game losing streak to Philadelphia. ... Philadelphia captain Claude Giroux went to the bench bent over with 8 1/2 minutes left, clutching his left shoulder, after a hard hit by Francois Beauchemin but didn't miss a shift.


982008 Pittsburgh Penguins

Penguins, Fleury get 'good measuring stick' against Canadiens

By Jonathan Bombulie

Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015, 10:06 p.m.

Marc-Andre Fleury knows what the critics are thinking: He's off to a great start to the season, but he can't keep it up.

His goals-against average is 1.93. The best he's had for a full season is 2.32. His save percentage is .933. The best he's had for a whole season is .921. Regression to the mean is inevitable.

Here's the funny part, though. Fleury more or less agrees.

Not every game can be a masterpiece, and he knows it.

“Last game wasn't, so I guess not,” he said with a laugh, referring to his 26-save performance in a 5-2 loss at Calgary on Saturday. “Hopefully we can keep it up there, though. The guys have been playing some defense in front, so that always helps. We'll see. One game at a time.”

The next game on Fleury's one-game-a-time agenda is a big one. The Montreal Canadiens come to town Wednesday night.

The Canadiens are the runaway leader in the Eastern Conference standings, roaring to a 13-2-1 start by outscoring opponents 59-29.

They not only have the highest-scoring line in the conference (Tomas Fleischmann, David Desharnais and Dale Weise with 13 goals) but also the second highest-scoring line as well (Max Pacioretty, Tomas Plekanec and Brendan Gallagher with 11). The Penguins, by comparison, don't have a line combination with more than three goals this season.

The Canadiens, therefore, obviously present a formidable challenge, but it's one the Penguins welcome.

After weeks of talking about their 0-3 start or their paltry 2.21 goals per game, they can talk about one particular game against one particular opponent. It's refreshing, in a way.

“It's a good measuring stick for us,” captain Sidney Crosby said. “These are the kind of games you need to realize, throughout the year, that you've got to be at your best and you've got to look at it as a challenge for our team.

“I think that awareness needs to start, especially as you start playing more division games and things like that. These are the ones you should be really excited for.”

For Fleury, who grew up in the Montreal area, Canadiens games always have been exciting.

Now that he's 30, he isn't struck by the same wonderment he used to feel when facing the fabled bleu, blanc et rouge, but he still tends to perform well against the Canadiens. In his past six games against them, he has a 1.99 GAA and .930 save percentage.

“It's still a little funny, a little weird, because I know family and friends are watching,” Fleury said.

What Penguins team will Fleury's family and friends see? One that can vie with Montreal for the top spot in the conference or one with significant flaws that is being propped up by its goaltender?

It's a question that will be answered, in part, on Wednesday night.

“There was a lot of talk when we first started the season, but we know we can win games. We can hold a one-goal lead,” Fleury said. “We just have to go in, have a good, 60-minute game, and we'll be in good shape.”

Tribune Review LOADED: 11.11.2015


Winning record trumps ugly stats for Penguins

By Dave Molinari / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The first month of the Penguins season is behind them, and a few numbers suggest this would be the perfect time for them to go into a full-fledged, hair-on-fire panic.

After all, if some high-profile players continue on the pace they have maintained over the first 14 games:

• Sidney Crosby will finish with 41 points, roughly a good fortnight’s output in most years.

• Kris Letang is destined to finish with a plus-minus rating of minus-59 (or minus-58, for those who prefer to round down).

• Evgeni Malkin will get through 2015-16 with 64 points, which is impressive only in that no teammate will have as many.

• Patric Hornqvist and Chris Kunitz are headed for 12-goal seasons. Which is to say, each projects to score twice as many as David Perron.

• Eye-catching as those stats are, however, the most significant one associated with the Penguins at this point is their 9-5 record, which had them within four points of first place in the Metropolitan Division entering play Tuesday.

“We’ve won nine of [the past] 11,” center Nick Bonino said. “We’re trying to get wins. That’s what this game is about, and we’ve done a good job of it so far.”

Not all of the big-name Penguins have sputtered through the first four-plus weeks, of course.

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has been exceptional, putting up personal stats — a 1.93 goals-against average and .933 save percentage — that rank among the best in the league.

Right winger Phil Kessel has six goals, which puts him on pace to get 35. Predictions that he would score as many as 50 are looking a bit unrealistic, but he has made his goals count; half have been winners.

Coach Mike Johnston is expected to reconfigure a couple of his forward lines when the Penguins face Montreal tonight at Consol Energy Center. Beau Bennett figures to move up to the No. 1 unit, with Crosby and Pascal Dupuis, while Hornqvist drops to the third line, alongside Bonino and Kunitz.

Whether those moves will have the desired impact is impossible to predict, but players seem confident that prominent teammates eventually will begin producing to expectations, enhancing both their personal stats and the team’s record.

“We’re 9-5, and no one’s at a point-per-game yet,” Bennett said. “And you know the guys are going to catch up to that pace.”

Fleury has been the cornerstone of their success so far, but bottom-six forwards such as Matt Cullen, the penalty-killers and a team-wide commitment to sound defense have contributed mightily, too.

The Penguins had given up as many as four goals only once before a 5-2 loss Saturday at Calgary and are allowing an average of two goals per game, third lowest in the league before Tuesday.

“If we can win like this, it’s always good,” Bonino said. “Then, when we start scoring, it will be even better.”

And make no mistake, their teammates are convinced that guys such as Crosby and Malkin and Letang and Hornqvist will start to put up the kind of numbers expected of them, whether it’s tonight or next week or next month.

“We know they’re going to go off at some point,” defenseman Brian Dumoulin.

Although there are no guarantees, precedent suggests that is correct. Crosby, for example, averaged 1.36 points per game in his first 10 NHL seasons, while Hornqvist never has scored fewer than 21 goals in a full NHL season.

The real question, then, might not be whether so many of the Penguins’ go-to players will begin producing as expected, but precisely when it will happen.

“Once we get everybody going again,” Fleury said, “we could be a scary team out there.”

■ Scouting report

Who: Penguins vs. Montreal Canadiens.

When, where: 7:38 p.m. today, Consol Energy Center.

Look, listen: NBC Sports Network, WXDX-FM (105.9), PittsburghPenguins.com.

Noteworthy: Penguins are 9-3-2 in past 14 games against Montreal. … Canadiens are 6-2 on road, including 3-2 victory Oct. 13 at Consol Energy Center. … LW Chris Kunitz leads Penguins with average of 3.5 hits per game. … Montreal’s P.K. Subban ranks among league’s highest-scoring defensemen, with one goal and 13 assists in 16 games. … Penguins D Olli Maatta’s plus-minus rating of plus-9 is among NHL’s best. … Canadiens are 11-1 when scoring first.

Did you know? Montreal has won 13 of its first 16 games for first time in the franchise’s 98-year history.

Post Gazette LOADED: 11.11.2015


Penguins notebook: Canadiens hardly miss a beat with backup goalie

By Dave Molinari and Jenn Menendez / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Montreal’s Carey Price was awarded the Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top goalie for the 2014-15 season, and many regard him as the game’s finest at his position.

The Penguins won’t have to worry about him when they face the Canadiens tonight at Consol Energy Center, though.

Price sustained an unspecified injury in a 4-3 loss Oct. 29 at Edmonton, and Montreal coach Michel Therrien told reporters Tuesday that Price, who had sought a second opinion about his injury in New York the previous day, will be out for at least the rest of this week.

That means Mike Condon, 25, a rookie who began his pro career with Wheeling in the ECHL in 2012-13, will make his sixth consecutive start.

Just how much of a break that is for the Penguins remains to be seen, however, because Condon is 6-0-1 and has a league-best 1.57 goals-against average.

“They’ve found another Price,” Penguins winger David Perron said. “It looks like the other guy is playing well.”

Penguins winger Beau Bennett, who faced Condon while attending the University of Denver, described him as “a very poised goalie, just like Price” and said the Canadiens “defend well in front of him.”

The Penguins say their strategy for attacking Condon won’t be much different from the way they would go about trying to beat Price.

“I don’t think it [changes anything],” center Nick Bonino said. “We’re going to approach the Canadiens the same way we would with Price. … We’re going to have to get pucks at the net, no matter who’s in net.”

In addition to pucks, they’ll try to get bodies to the net as much as possible, obscuring Condon’s view in the process.

“Hopefully, take away his eyes,” Bennett said.

Although Condon turned pro an hour or so away in Wheeling, where he got a tryout after going undrafted at Princeton, he never crossed paths with Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury during his time with the Nailers.

Fleury, though, is aware of him and impressed by what Condon has accomplished as Price’s backup.

“Good for him,” Fleury said. “I didn’t meet him — didn’t have a chance to — but good for him.

“Good story. A guy who worked his butt off, right? It paid off in the end. Happy for him.”

Letang quiet so far

Count defenseman Kris Letang among those still looking to discover the identity of the 2015-16 Penguins.

He believes the team will continue to grow and evolve before its true makeup becomes evident.

“I don’t think it’s settling down,” he said. “I mean, we’ve changed a lot of faces in the offseason, so we’ll keep improving. There a lot of changes in the lineup night-in, night-out.”

Tip-ins

The game tonight will start at 7:38, half-hour later than most home games. The same will be true of the Penguins’ game against Minnesota next Tuesday at Consol Energy Center. … The Penguins had a scheduled day off Tuesday.

Post Gazette LOADED: 11.11.2015

982011 San Jose Sharks

Patrick Marleau trade rumors escalate as Sharks lose again

By Curtis Pashelka

SAN JOSE -- The Sharks' 4-2 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday followed a familiar pattern. Perhaps it also prompts some drastic change to the San Jose lineup.

Citing a source, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area reported Tuesday night that forward Patrick Marleau would waive his no-trade clause and accept a move from the Sharks to one of three teams -- the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Anaheim Ducks.

Saturday, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet in Canada said that Marleau's name was "out there" as one NHL team was pushing hard to acquire the 36-year-old winger.

Scouts from three NHL teams were credentialed for Tuesday's game, including the Rangers' Doug Risebrough, a former Minnesota Wild and Calgary Flames general manager. A Rangers scout was also present Saturday night for the Sharks' 1-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks.

San Jose Sharks’ Micheal Haley (38) and Alex Stalock (32) fight for the puck with the help of Matt Tennyson (80) against the New York

San Jose Sharks' Micheal Haley (38) and Alex Stalock (32) fight for the puck with the help of Matt Tennyson (80) against the New York Islanders' Anders Lee (27) in the second period of their NHL game at SAP Center in San Jose on Nov. 10, 2015. (Josie Lepe/Bay Area News Group)

Marleau, the Sharks' franchise leader in points (997) and games played (1,344), said Saturday the team had not approached him about waiving the no-trade clause he received when he signed a three-year contract extension in January 2014. He didn't want to speculate when asked then if he would ever waive his no-trade clause.

Marleau's contract, in its second year, carries an average annual value of $6.66 million. His salary this season and next is $6.5 million.

Few players, if any, are as synonymous with the Sharks franchise as Marleau, who was drafted second overall by the Sharks in 1997, one spot behind Joe Thornton. He's been a fixture in the San Jose lineup ever since, as he's amassed 460 goals and 537 assists in the regular season with the team. He has four goals and five assists this season. Thornton played his 1,300th NHL game Tuesday.

The Sharks, though, are 7-8 after Tuesday's loss that dropped them below .500 for the first time this season.

Another slow start sent the Sharks to their fourth loss in five games on home ice.

Martin Jones had the shortest outing of his NHL career as he allowed two goals on three shots.

Jones was pulled in favor of Alex Stalock after Mikhail Grabovski scored on a wrist shot from outside the blue line just 3:30 into the first period for a 2-0 New York lead. Islanders forward John Tavares scored just 36 seconds into the game.

"We've got to get a better start, and it's just not happening," Sharks captain Joe Pavelski said. "Bad bounces and bad changes happen. We've got to fight through it."

The Sharks also fell behind early in the first period in recent losses to Anaheim and Columbus.

"It's been frustrating," Jones said. "There hasn't been any kind of pattern with a lot of the goals. I just have to make sure that I stay with it. Continue with my practice habits and we'll get it turned around."

Joel Ward scored his eighth goal of the season during a second period that saw the Sharks press and control the tempo. The Sharks outshot the Islanders 14-6 in the second period and had 25 shots on goal through 40 minutes.

All that work went for naught just 45 seconds into the third period, though, as a shot from Johnny Boychuk from outside the blue line got past Stalock for a 3-1 Islanders lead.

"I thought it was going to hit my pad," Stalock said. "It's a bad feeling when you have no sensation of the puck."

"You can give up a bad goal in this league and recover. You can't give up two bad goals and expect to win," Sharks coach Pete DeBoer said.

The Sharks' power play entered the day as the worst in the NHL at 11.9 percent. The Sharks were 0 for 2 with the man advantage Tuesday and have not scored in their past 14 power-play attempts going back to their 5-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on Oct. 31.

The Sharks have scored power-play goals in just three of 14 games and are now 0 for 19 with the man advantage at home.

DeBoer was named an assistant coach for the 23-and-under North American team at the 2106 World Cup, Mark Spector of Sportsnet in Canada reported Tuesday.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 11.11.2015


Islanders knock off Sharks behind former San Jose goalie Greiss

By Ross McKeon Updated 11:34 pm, Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Exactly where do the Sharks go from here?

Specifically, they head on a six-game road trip following Tuesday night’s 4-2 loss to the Islanders that dropped San Jose under .500 (7-8), even after a 4-0 start. The most recent loss, punctuated with yet another poor start, left San Jose with a 1-3 homestand and a 3-5 record at SAP Center.

So much for making the Shark Tank an intimidating place to play.

On top of that, the Sharks went 0-for-2 on the power play to extend a season-opening run to 21 failures at home. San Jose is last on the power play and 26th on the penalty kill. It’s hard to imagine this group — minus injured Logan Couture — being this bad on special teams this far into the season.

Key offseason acquisition Martin Jones was pulled from the goal after surrendering two goals on just three shots during the first 3:30. That’s twice he has been yanked in his past three starts.

And, if things aren’t daunting enough, the Sharks now embark on a stretch where 14 of their next 19 games are on the road.

“We’ve got to come out harder to break it,” said Alex Stalock, who provided relief for Jones but also let in a backbreaking soft goal. “Whether that’s ... scoring right away or taking the play to them. That’s something we stress; everybody knows that.”

Ex-Sharks goalie Thomas Greiss was the latest backup to take two points from San Jose. He stopped 34 of 36 shots while Islanders captain John Tavares scored the first and last goals of the game to give New York its first win in San Jose since February 2003.

Defenseman Brent Burns cut San Jose’s deficit to one goal with his fifth of the season at 14:49 of the third period. And San Jose pressed hard with an extra attacker that joined the rush at the 18:30 mark, but Tavares iced it with his second goal of the game into an empty net inside the final five seconds.

The Islanders scored a backbreaking goal 45 seconds into the final period to squelch momentum the Sharks had following a strong middle period. New York defenseman Johnny Boychuk scored his third goal of the season with a rising drive two strides outside the blue line that beat Stalock.

“I thought it was going to hit my pad,” Stalock said. “It’s a bad feeling when you have no sensation of the puck.”

Ward’s eighth goal of the season midway through the second period to snap a 91:20 scoreless streak lit a fire, but the Sharks couldn’t earn the equalizer after dominating the remainder of the period.

The Sharks trailed 2-0 3:30 after the opening faceoff. The Isles took advantage of a bad line change to break in 4-on-3 on the opening shift of the game. Tavares was alone for a tap-in at :36 after Jones left a rebound of Brock Nielson’s shot.

Then Mikhail Grabovski used Burns as a screen during a 1-on-2 rush, and the New York center’s 50-foot shot caromed off the bottom of Jones’ left catching glove and into the net to signal a call to Stalock.

“We needed a momentum change,” Jones admitted.

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 11.11.2015


You can give up a bad goal in this league and recover, you can’t give up two bad goals and expect to win. I think that was the case.

November 10, 2015, 11:45 pm

SAN JOSE – Through the first week of the NHL’s regular season, Martin Jones was the chief reason the Sharks busted of out of the gates with four consecutive wins and again looked like a Pacific Division contender.

On Tuesday at SAP Center, Jones played a key role in the team dipping below the .500 mark for the first time. The 25-year-old starting goalie was pulled just three-and-a-half minutes into the game after allowing two goals on three shots, including a very stoppable wrister by Mikhail Grabovski that put San Jose in a 2-0 hole that it could not dig out of.

New York went on to a 4-2 win.

“Second one was a bit of a knuckler. Kind of sunk on me a little bit,” Jones said of Grabovski’s goal.

Alex Stalock entered the game, and although he was solid for long stretches in what was perhaps his best game so far, let in the worst goal of the season. Johnny Boychuk’s slap shot from behind the blue line just 45 seconds into the third period – after the Sharks had climbed back to within one and were pressing hard late in the middle frame – skipped on the ice and whizzed past Stalock to put the Isles ahead 3-1.

“I thought it was going to hit my pad, and it’s a bad feeling when you have no sensation of the puck,” Stalock said.

Pete DeBoer said: “You can give up a bad goal in this league and recover, you can’t give up two bad goals and expect to win. I think that was the case.”

Boychuk's was the key goal of the night. The Sharks were noticeably on their heels over the next several minutes of the third period, and although Brent Burns pulled them to within one again with five minutes to go, the Islanders held on.

Again, a power play goal would have helped. The Sharks finished 0-for-2 with a man advantage, and inexplicably are still looking for their first goal at home in eight games (0-for-21).

San Jose has the league’s worst power play overall (11.4 percent).

“We’ve got to get it fixed,” DeBoer said. “A power play goal in any of these games obviously would be a difference. … Not happy where it’s at.”

The Sharks found themselves in a hole for the sixth time in the last seven games. The first goal, courtesy of John Tavares on a rebound play in which Jones had no chance, actually came after what DeBoer and Joel Ward considered a good first shift.

It was the aftermath of that opening shift that was sloppy.

“I liked our start. Came out, we stuck the puck in their end, had a good first shift,” DeBoer said. “That’s the way things are going now. They kind of came down and threw one at the net and it bounced right on Tavares’ stick. A little bit of a missed assignment, but I thought we were in a good place.”

Ward said: “It was a good first shift. … Just off of a rebound, and we should have been there.”

If there was one positive for the Sharks, it was the play of Melker Karlsson, who made his season debut. The 25-year-old finished with three shots and five hits in nearly 16 minutes of ice time.

“You can see he’s an NHL player. He can help us," DeBoer said.

They need all the help they can get. A difficult six-game road trip, featuring a pair of back-to-back games, begins on Friday in Detroit. Jones and Stalock will have to be better, but so will everyone else if the Sharks are to recreate that early success.

“We’re going to keep fighting,” Joe Pavelski said. “These games, they come right down to the wire. We’re usually down a goal right now. Guys are fighting, we’re working.”

Ward said: “We’ve got a good group in here. It’s just one or two little lapses that’s been hurting.”



Instant Replay: Sharks fall behind early, lose to Islanders

November 10, 2015, 9:45 pm

SAN JOSE – Add goaltending to the growing list of issues currently plaguing the sinking San Jose Sharks.

Martin Jones was pulled just three-and-a-half minutes into Tuesday’s game with the Islanders, while backup Alex Stalock allowed a horrific goal early in the third period as the Sharks lost 4-2 to the Islanders at SAP Center.

The Sharks (7-8-0) have lost eight of their last 11 games, including three of four on their homestand, and are about to embark on their longest road trip of the regular season (six games).

After a slow start cost them on Saturday in a 1-0 loss to the Ducks, the Sharks again fell behind early. It took just 36 seconds for John Tavares to easily direct in the rebound of a Brock Nelson shot, and less than three minutes later, Mikhail Grabovski’s wrist shot beat Jones to the glove side at 3:30.

Alex Stalock relieved Jones at that point, and played admirably until the start of the third period.

At that point, with the Sharks back in the game on a Joel Ward second period marker, Stalock allowed a slap shot by Johnny Boychuk from behind the blue line to beat him at the 45-second mark for a backbreaking score.

Brent Burns beat Thomas Greiss to the short side on a setup from Tomas Hertl at 14:49 of the third period to pull the Sharks to within one, but that was all that they would push past Greiss, who was making his first start against the organization he played for from 2008-13. He improved to 4-1-2 on the season with 34 saves.

The Sharks had the momentum going into the final frame, registering eight of the final nine shot of the frame. That includes a great one-man effort from Ward, who stripped Travis Hamonic of the puck and slipped it through Greiss’ pads for his eighth goal at 10:14.

Boychuk’s goal took the wind out of their sails, though. Tavares’ empty-netter late capped the scoring.

The Sharks welcomed Melker Karlsson back into the lineup for his season debut, after the club’s 2014-15 rookie of the year dealt with a nagging lower body injury since training camp. Karlsson started the night on the third line with Chris Tierney and Tommy Wingels, but later skated on the Joe Thornton line, switching places with Joonas Donskoi.

New York won the first and only other meeting between the teams on Oct. 17 at Barclays Center, 6-3.

San Jose had not lost in regulation to the Islanders at home since Feb. 19, 2003.

Special teams:

The Sharks entered the night with the league’s worst power play, and finished 0-for-2. They have not scored a single goal with a man advantage in eight home games (0-for-21), extending a franchise record, according to the Associated Press.

New York also finished 0-for-2.

In goal:

Stalock ended up with 20 saves on 21 shots in more than 56 minutes, but was on the hook for the loss since he surrendered the game-winner to Boychuk (1-3-0).

Jones has now been pulled in two of his last three starts.

Greiss played 44 games with the Sharks over six years, posting a 17-16-3 record, 2.52 goals-against average and .912 save percentage. He was allowed to walk in favor of Stalock after the lockout-shortened 2013 season.

Lineup:

Thornton skated in his 1300th career game, becoming the 58th player in NHL history to reach that mark.

Nikolay Goldobin and Mirco Mueller were recalled on Tuesday morning, but did not dress.

Up next:

The Sharks’ season-long road trip kicks off on Friday in Detroit. It includes stops in Buffalo, Boston, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Columbus. They are currently 4-3-0 away from SAP Center.



Source: Sharks' Marleau would accept trade to one of three teams

November 10, 2015, 7:30 pm

Sharks forward Patrick Marleau would accept a trade to one of three teams, an NHL source has informed CSNCalifornia.com.

The New York Rangers, Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings would all be locations that the Sharks’ all-time leading scorer would deem acceptable.

The Rangers have had scouts at the last two Sharks games, including Doug Risebrough on Tuesday night against the Islanders.

It’s unclear at this time whether Marleau is pushing for the move, or whether the team initiated it, although TSN's Bob McKenzie reported that it's "more likely that Marleau asked [San Jose] to explore trade possibilities to select teams."

Marleau also retained agent Pat Brisson during training camp, according to TSN's Darren Dreger. The 36-year-old forward is in the second of a three-year, $20 million contract that has a no-movement clause, and did not have an agent when negotiating that deal.

Further, general manager Doug Wilson has said in the past that he would not ask a player with a no-movement clause to waive it.

“Players would have to come to me,” Wilson said on March 2, appearing on Comcast SportsNet. “The integrity of building that type of contract with those types of players, they would have to come to me."

On Saturday, Elliotte Friedman of Hockey Night in Canada reported that Marleau could get moved from the only team he’s ever played for.

According to Friedman: “One of the names we’re hearing out there is Patrick Marleau. He’s got a no-movement clause. There’s zero evidence the Sharks have asked him to waive it so I can’t say who is pushing for it, but his name is definitely out there.”

In 14 games this season, Marleau, 36, has 9 points (4g, 5a) and a -2 rating. Originally drafted by the Sharks with the second overall pick in 1997, he is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer with 997 points in 1343 games.



Notes: Sharks seek quick start; Karlsson to debut

November 10, 2015, 12:00 pm

Programming note: Sharks-Islanders coverage starts tonight at 7pm with Sharks Pregame Live on CSN California.

SAN JOSE – A difficult six-game road swing, including a pair of back-to-backs, kicks off for the Sharks on Friday in Detroit. When it’s all said and done, San Jose will have played six games in just 10 days.

It would certainly be nice to go into the trip with a win on Tuesday over the Islanders. The Sharks are wrapping up a four-game homestand having lost two of the first three, including a 1-0 shutout on Saturday against Anaheim. They are 3-4-0 at SAP Center on the season.

“Home ice is something we’ve talked about needing to get back to winning, and certainly tonight’s a chance to do that,” Tommy Wingels said. “We can’t look ahead to that road trip yet. It’s a long one. You want to feel good going into road trips and if we can come out with a win tonight, that’s the position we want to put ourselves in.”

On Saturday against the Ducks, the Sharks were unable to recover from a lethargic and sloppy first 10 minutes, capped by a Corey Perry breakaway score. They were the more dominant team after the midway point of the first period, but a better start is on the agenda against the Islanders, who flew across the country on Monday.

“Obviously we can clean some things up, including our start,” Pete DeBoer said. “I think it’s important we get rewarded if we work hard. We’ve got to bring the same game we did for the last 50 minutes the other night.”

Wingels said: “Teams are good in this league and if you don’t play 60 minutes you’re probably not going to win the game, so from minute one we need to be ready to go.”

* * *

As expected, Melker Karlsson will make his season debut, likely on a line with Chris Tierney and Tommy Wingels.

DeBoer will keep a watchful eye on the Sharks’ 2014-15 rookie of the year, and may have to manage his minutes.

“We’ll see how that goes. I’m going to monitor it and see,” said the coach. “If he feels good and has good jump – a lot of times in these situations the guys come in and the adrenaline is pumping. They can give you 60 minutes and the fall out is maybe the next game. We’ll manage that as the game goes on.”

What does Karlsson want to bring?

“I think I bring a lot of energy,” he said. “I’m just going to do what I did before. Try to crash the net and put pucks in. We’ll see how it goes.”

* * *

The Islanders are having some trouble scoring goals, with two or fewer in six straight. Captain John Tavares missed three of those with an illness, but he’ll be playing in his third straight on Tuesday.

DeBoer was highly complimentary of the Islanders’ best forward.

“I just watched a bunch of tape on them, and for me he’s one of the best players in the world. He’s just magical,” DeBoer said. “Every time he’s on the ice something is happening offensively. He’s a guy we’re really going to have to watch.”

* * *

The Sharks somewhat strangely recalled forward Nikolay Goldobin on Tuesday morning, along with defenseman Mirco Mueller. Neither is expected to play.

Goldobin was reassigned to the Barracuda on Sunday, and was benched in the third period of a 6-2 loss. Head coach Roy Sommer called his play “not acceptable.”

“You’re not going to play here, and you’re not going to play up there if you play like that,” Sommer told GackleReport.com.

Considering the organization has said a number of times that it would recall players from its minor league team based on merit, it seems like a contradictory message to bring up Goldobin to have him sit in the press box and earn NHL pay for at least one day.



Morning Skate: Sharks conclude homestand with Isles

November 10, 2015, 11:00 am

Sharks: Corey Perry’s first period breakaway goal was the only scoring in a 1-0 Ducks win over the Sharks on Saturday at SAP Center. San Jose is wrapping up a four-game homestand tonight after losing two of the first three, while a six-game road trip starting in Detroit on Friday.

Islanders: New York dropped a 2-1 decision at home to Boston on Sunday, its fifth loss in the last six games (1-3-2). The Islanders, who have two or fewer goals in their last six games, visit Los Angeles and Anaheim later this week.

Keep an eye on…

Sharks: Melker Karlsson. The Sharks’ 2014-15 rookie of the year will make his season debut tonight, finally getting over a nagging lower body injury. The Sharks are still in desperate need of more quality minutes from their depth players, and Karlsson could provide that after 13 goals and 24 points in 53 games last season.

Islanders: Johnny Boychuk. The defenseman scored New York’s only goal on Sunday on the power play, and is second on the team in ice time at 21:58 per game. The former Bruin is in his second season with the Islanders, and with former Blackhawk Nick Leddy, forms a solid top pairing.

Probable lines

Sharks

Joonas Donskoi – Joe Thornton – Joe Pavelski

Patrick Marleau – Tomas Hertl – Joel Ward

Melker Karlsson – Chris Tierney – Tommy Wingels

Matt Nieto – Micheal Haley – Mike Brown

Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun

Paul Martin – Brent Burns

Brenden Dillon – Matt Tennyson

Martin Jones (confirmed starter)

Alex Stalock

Islanders

Brock Nelson – John Tavares – Kyle Okposo

Anders Lee – Frans Nielsen – Josh Bailey

Nikolay Kulemin – Mikhail Grabovski – Steve Bernier

Matt Martin – Casey Cizikas – Cal Clutterbuck

Nick Leddy – Johnny Boychuk

Calvin de Haan – Travis Hamonic

Brian Strait – Marek Zidlicky

Jaroslav Halak

Thomas Greiss

Vitals

Sharks

Goals per game: 2.64 (13th)

Goals-against per game: 2.57 (15th)

Power play: 11.9 percent (30th)

Penalty kill: 76.1 percent (26th)

Islanders

Goals per game: 2.67 (12th)

Goals-against per game: 2.40 (9th)

Power play: 23.1 percent (4th)

Penalty kill: 87.8 percent (4th)

Injuries/Scratches

Sharks: Ben Smith (head) and Logan Couture (fractured right fibula) are out.

Islanders: Eric Boulton (lower body) and Thomas Hickey (lower body) are out.

Season series

New York won the first meeting on Oct. 17 at Barclays Center, 6-3, in what was the Sharks’ first loss of the season. Kyle Okposo led the way with three points (1g, 2a), while the Sharks’ Nikolay Goldobin scored his first career NHL goal.

Odds and ends

*Joe Thornton will skate in his 1300th career game tonight, the 58th player in league history to reach that mark.

*Joe Pavelski leads the Sharks in goals (8), points (13), and plus-minus (+8).

*Mirco Mueller and Nikolay Goldobin were called up on Tuesday morning, but neither is expected to play.


982018 St Louis Blues

Hitchcock calls Havlat a 'good add' for the Blues

By Jeremy P. Rutherford

NEWARK, N.J. • Blues coach Ken Hitchcock was asked what he expected from veteran Marty Havlat in his debut with the club Tuesday night in New Jersey.

“I don’t know,” Hitchcock admitted. “This is a tough go for anybody. He came to us in great shape from a cardio standpoint, which for a guy not playing was really impressive, and he’s done fine in the practices. Now we’ve got to take the next step and see if he can help us in the games.”

Havlat passed the test, netting what turned out to be the game-winning goal in the Blues’ 2-0 win over New Jersey. He played perhaps more than expected, logging 14 minutes, 14 seconds of ice time.

But Havlat, who signed a one-year contract last week after a 10-day tryout with the team, wasn’t as happy with his performance as one might expect.

“Not really,” Havlat admitted. “It doesn’t matter what you do in the practice. The next step is the games. The timing and the pressure ... it’s going to be better. But I’m just glad the game ended.”

Hitchcock sounded as if Havlat was too hard on himself.

“Marty is a good, smart player, and the way we’re built, he helps us,” Hitchcock said. “He’s got patience with the puck and that’s what we need. It’s a good add for us right now.”

With Havlat in the lineup, forward Ryan Reaves was a healthy scratch, as was defenseman Robert Bortuzzo.

BRODEUR IS BACK

The date Nov. 26 will be the one-year anniversary of when future Hall of Fame goaltender Martin Brodeur joined the Blues’ organization.“Time flies by quickly,” Brodeur said.

Brodeur signed with the Blues in December and, after announcing his retirement in late January, became a special adviser to general manager Doug Armstrong. In May, he was promoted to assistant GM.

On Tuesday night, Brodeur returned to his old stomping ground in New Jersey. It wasn’t the first time he had been back to the Prudential Center since leaving the Devils’ organization; that was in October when the club announced plans to retire his No. 30. But being back with the Blues, he admitted it felt like the first time.

“I was back earlier for a press conference, but now coming in with a different team, it’s a little different feeling,” Brodeur said before the game. “It’s nice, it’s home to me, I spent a lot of years here. I never thought I was going to root against the Devils. Ever. But I will be tonight.”

Brodeur will travel with the Blues to the final game of their four-game road trip Thursday. It won’t be nearly as hard for him to root against the opposition in that one, considering the game is against his former rival, the New York Rangers.

“I hated the Rangers all my life,” Brodeur said. “It’ll be easier.”

ON THE RADAR

Blues rookie defenseman Colton Parayko is garnering more attention around the NHL, and it could lead to his selection to a spot on a World Cup roster next September.Edmonton general manager Peter Chiarelli is one of two in charge of selecting Team North America, comprising players from the U.S. and Canada who are age 23 and under as of Oct. 1, 2016.

In Toronto for NHL GM meetings Tuesday, Chiarelli was asked about Parayko, the rookie defenseman who before facing New Jersey was tied for ninth among all defensemen with 10 points through 14 games.

“Parayko was not on our list,” Chiarelli said. “I saw him early against us, Edmonton, and he really stood out. So he’s in the discussion.”

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 11.11.2015


Allen keeps the Blues rolling

By Jeremy P. Rutherford

NEWARK, N.J. • Blues goalie Jake Allen may not give up the net again and general manager Doug Armstrong may not stop inviting players for tryouts.

Allen delivered his second consecutive shutout Tuesday night — even if he had to wait on a review of the final second of regulation — leading the Blues to a 2-0 win over the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.

The first of two goals scored by the Blues belonged to Martin Havlat, who was making his debut with the club following a 10-day tryout that resulted in signing a one-year contract last Friday.

The combination helped the Blues extend their winning streak to three games, and with their third straight road victory, they improved to 7-2 away from home this season. The club will conclude its four-game trip Thursday against the New York Rangers.

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock has yet to name a starter for the team’s meeting with the Rangers, but it would be nearly impossible to turn away from Allen, whose shutout was his third of the season and eighth of his career.

“I need a day to think about it,” Hitchcock said seriously, but chuckling. “He’s playing good. He’s been like this for a little while, so it’s not surprising. He’s just playing solid.”

Allen has now stopped 96 straight shots and gone 165 minutes, 59 seconds since the last one that was scored against him.

Allen, who improved to 6-1 in his last seven decisions and 7-3 overall, had to keep the Blues in the game early Tuesday.

The Blues have been wading into the first period lately, and despite winning games over Nashville and Chicago in which they allowed 40-plus shots, they knew they were relying too much on Allen.

Going into a meeting with Minnesota on Oct. 31, the Blues were allowing 25.7 shots a game. But in four games before facing New Jersey on Tuesday, the club had surrendered an average of 38.3.

The Blues knew there had to be a change Tuesday, but despite facing a New Jersey offense that ranked No. 29 in shots per game at 25.8, they gave up 11 in the first period.

But as the case has been with Allen in the crease, the Blues kept the opposition off the scoreboard, and the game remained scoreless at the first intermission.

“We were two steps behind — not even one step behind — in the first,” Hitchcock said. “But then we played a great second and a great third.”

Havlat put the Blues ahead 1-0 just 4 minutes, 57 seconds into the second period.

Troy Brouwer set up behind Devils netminder Cory Schneider before feeding a pass to Scott Gomez on the right side. Gomez centered to Havlat, who was cutting through the slot, and he beat Schneider with a quick shot over the blocker.

“That was a great play from Brouwer and an even better play by ‘Gomer,’” Havlat said. “He’s always been an amazing passer.”

The Blues outshot New Jersey 14-4 in the second period, as the Devils went more than 14 minutes with just one shot on goal.

“We just simplified our game,” Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo said. “We kept a lot of pucks to the strong side and tried to use our speed through the neutral zone. They were really skating hard on us in our zone in the first period. Once we started simplifying our breakouts, it seemed to work for us.”

In the third period, Magnus Paajarvi gave the Blues a 2-0 lead with his first goal of the season. He beat Schneider with a quick release after a pass from Dmitrij Jaskin.

“We got good pressure ... we were there for maybe 30 seconds,” Paajarvi said. “Great pass by Jaskin, I tried to go high and it went in.”

While Havlat couldn’t find a contract this offseason, Paajarvi was a training camp casualty, assigned to the minor leagues at the start of the season.

In his third game since being recalled from the Chicago Wolves, he netted his first goal in 27 games with the Blues.

“I think the biggest thing with Magnus is, when things don’t go right, he has a tendency to withdraw,” Hitchcock said. “He’s overwhelmed with what he isn’t doing. We’re kind of working with him daily. He gets a lot of feedback the next day, and I think it’s helping him. He’s learning that what he thinks is bad isn’t that bad and he can step up and some things that help him.”

A New Jersey would-be goal at the end of regulation was waved off because time had expired.

It appeared that the streak may have ended when New Jersey’s Damon Severson put a puck across the goal line as time expired. The Blues celebrated during a brief review, which showed that it came too late.

“There were a few guys in front of me and honestly I didn’t even see the guy take the wind-up,” Allen said. “I sort of just went down and praying. The ref said, ‘I don’t think that’s a goal.’ It was lucky on my part, but I think everyone sort of thought the play was over.”

It preserved the shutout, but Allen said that mattered little.

“A shutout is just an added bonus,” he said. “I’m just worried about wins right now. If I had one shutout a year, I’m fine with it. But if I had 40 wins, that’s even better. It’s just an added bonus.”



Blues want to limit opponents' looks at Allen

19 hours ago • By Jeremy P. RutherfordLoading…

NEWARK, N.J. • Blues goalie Jake Allen has had to make a few highlight-reel saves lately.

He had LA's Anze Kopitar saying 'Wow' after one last Tuesday. He left Nashville's Mike Ribiero speechless after another on Saturday.

"Desperation," Allen said after both stops. "I don't what else you'd call it. You're out of position, you get caught out of the play and you've got to do whatever it takes to get back in. There's no technical aspect to it. That's all it is, but I think you have to have that in certain situations."

As entertaining as it has been for everyone watch Allen come up with those saves, the Blues would like to stop putting themselves in those situations, beginning with tonight's game at New Jersey.

Going into a meeting with Minnesota Oct. 31, the Blues were allowing 25.7 shots per game. In its past four games, the club has surrendered an average of 38.25, including a season-high 45 to Nashville Saturday and 43 to Chicago Wednesday. Granted, the Blues won both of those games, but without the aid of Allen, those outcomes would have likely been different.

"We can't have a goalie stand on his head for 82 games," Blues forward Magnus Paajarvi said. "That's not going to do it. The last game against Nashville, (Allen) was unbelievable. You need those during the season, but you don't want a whole lot of them. So definitely we need to work on getting fewer shots against."

As he did after Saturday's game, Blues coach Ken Hitchcock following today's morning skate said the disappearance of the team's checking game has led to the increased shot totals against.

"It controls the hockey game," Hitchcock said. "When you're checking, you negate chances against, you put the team in uncomfortable positions, you create your own turnovers. When you seem to be a step late, or two steps late checking, teams come at you with speed.

"Until the third period against Nashville, we looked a step or two behind and then we caught up in the third period and play a great third period. It was the same in Chicago, it took us 1 1/2 to get our game going against Chicago also."

Paajarvi said it would be the Blues' goal to take the number of shots allowed Saturday (45) and cut it in half tonight against New Jersey.

***

TONIGHT'S PROJECTED LINEUP

Forwards

Alexander Steen-Jori Lehtera-Vladimir Tarasenko

Scottie Upshall-David Backes-Robby Fabbri

Martin Havlat-Scott Gomez-Troy Brouwer

Magnus Paajarvi-Kyle Brodziak-Dmitrij Jaskin

Defenseman

Jay Bouwmeester-Alex Pietrangelo

Joel Edmundson-Kevin Shattenkirk

Carl Gunnarsson-Colton Parayko

Goalie

Jake Allen

***

DEVILS' PROJECTED LINEUP

Forwards

Mike Cammalleri-Adam Henrique-Lee Stempniak

Sergey Kalinin-Travis Zajac-Kyle Palmieri

Jiri Tlusty-Jacob Josefson-Jordin Tootoo

Bobby Farnham-Brian Gionta-Brian O'Neill

Defensemen

Andy Greene-Adam Larsson

John Moore-Damon Severson

Jon Merrill-David Schlemko

Goalie

Cory Schneider

***

HAVLAT DEBUT

New Blue Martin Havlat will make debut with the club tonight, and it will come against one of his former teams, the Devils.

Havlat came to the Blues in late October on a tryout basis. He practiced with the club for 10 days before signing a one-year, two-way contract last Friday.

What can the Blues expect from the 34-year-old in his first appearance of the 2015-16 season?

"I don't know," Hitchcock said. "This is a tough go for anybody. He's a smart player, he's going to manage his game properly. I think we've just got to help him along, just managing the game. We've put in a backup plan depending on what his energy is. He came to us in great shape from a cardio standpoint, which for a guy not playing was really impressive, and he's done fine in the practices. Now we've got to take the next step and see if he can help us in the games."

With Havlat in the lineup tonight, forward Ryan Reaves will be a healthy scratch.

***

MONKEY OFF HIS BACK

Defensemen Alex Pietrangelo, who wears No. 27 for the Blues, had taken 27 shots on goal this season without lighting the lamp.

In Game No. 14 Saturday, Pietrangelo finally picked up his first goal of the season. It came on the power play just 2 minutes, 30 seconds into the third period, giving the Blues a 2-0 lead.

"It was about time," Pietrangelo said. "I had a couple of good looks in the last couple of games. I thought it was going to come, and finally it did. Hopefully there's more."

***

BRODEUR IS BACK

Blues assistant general manager Martin Brodeur is with the club on its current road trip, and thus was back in his old stomping grounds this morning.

It's not the first time the legendary New Jersey netminder has been back at the Prudential Center since signing with the Blues last season and later joining the front office. He was here Oct. 6 when the Devils announced they would retire his No. 30 on Feb. 9

"I was back earlier for a press conference, but now coming in with a different team, it's a little different feeling," Brodeur said. "It's nice, it's home to me, I spent a lot years here. It's always nice to come back. I can't wait to watch the game and see it on the other side. I never thought I was going to root against the Devils. Ever. But I will be tonight. I'm not playing so it's not as bad."

***

ODDS & ENDS

• The Blues are 6-1 in their last seven road games and 6-2 this season. Only the Dallas Stars, at 7-2, have more road victories than the Blues.

• Former Blue Lee Stempniak didn't have a contract until Oct. 3, when he signed a one-year, $850,000 deal with the Devils. It's been a good bargain, as Stempniak ranks second on the team with 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists). The Devils, by the way, are Stempniak's eighth NHL team.

• The Blues have fared OK in games that have gone past regulation this season, going 2-1. The Devils, meanwhile, have been near-perfect. They are just 3-5 in regulation, but are 5-0-1 in games going to OT or shootouts.


982021 Tampa Bay Lightning

Frustration continues for Bolts in loss to Buffalo

By Erik Erlendsson | Tribune Staff Erik Erlendsson on Google+

Published: November 10, 2015 | Updated: November 10, 2015 at 11:10 PM

TAMPA - Well, the Lightning truly are in unknown - and unexpected - territory.

With 17 games under their belt, the defending Eastern Conference champions sit outside the playoff picture in the conference. For the first time since opening night to the 2013-14 season, the Lightning have more regulation losses (8) than victories (7). And after losing a total of eight games in regulation at home all of last season, Tampa Bay fell to 2-4 at Amalie Arena this season.

The latest coming in the same manner as many that have come before this season, fall behind, struggle to score and scramble to play catchup the whole game.

On Tuesday it was a 4-1 loss to Buffalo that sent the Lightning back to the locker room once again with their heads hanging, searching for answers to snap them out of whatever doldrums they have fallen in to as the Sabres ended a seven-game losing streak to Tampa Bay.

Through all the early season struggles, however, all the questions about what is wrong with the team, head coach Jon Cooper has tried to maintain a positive outlook with a belief that despite all that, the turnaround will come.

“When there is a problem, are you going to kick the can and keep your head down and whine about it or are you going to look for a solution,’’ Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “I’m somebody that looks for a solution. There is one out there, we just need to find it. It’s just a little evasive right now, but we are going to find it.’’

Goals are the biggest issue slipping through the Lightning’s grasp right now.

Through a nine game stretch with just two wins, Tampa Bay has scored a total of four goals in the other seven games.

Whether it’s been crossbars or posts, too much fine tuning on shots or a goaltender coming up with a miraculous save, the team that scored the most goals in the league last season is losing games because they can’t score.

“We are just not getting rewarded right now and it’s tough when you are not seeing wins,’’ said captain Steven Stamkos, who scored his eighth goal of the season on an early second-period power play. “Frustration, pouting, feeling sorry for yourself and (asking) why is it not going in . . . it’s going in for other guys on other teams. That’s where things snowball, so we have a group that can go through something like this, learn from this and hopefully get better.’’

On Tuesday the tipping point might have come in the second period. After falling behind 2-1 on Cody Franson’s goal 48 seconds after Stamkos tied the game, Nikita Kucherov was staring at an open net after Alex Killorn circled the net. With Chad Johnson outside the crease, Killorn found Kucherov at the bottom of the right circle, but Johnson seemingly teleported his way back in to the crease to rob Kucherov of the tying goal.

Same story, different game, same result.

“There are a couple where you are mystified on why they don’t go in,’’ Cooper said. “It just keeps snowballing from there. But you can’t hang your head, there is lots of season left, we just have to keep plugging away.

“And you can be aggravated that you are not scoring, but let’s be really (ticked) off that we are not winning, that’s what it comes down to for me.’’

For a team that should have come into the game looking to play angry with the 2-5-1 stretch, that didn’t translate well enough on to the ice.

“It makes things tougher knowing that we needed to come home and we needed a response after the road trip, but it wasn’t there,’’ alternate captain Ryan Callahan said. “But how this game works, we have another game (Thursday), so (Wednesday) we have to put our work in and be ready for the next game.’’

Tampa Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2015


Bolts notes: Stamkos’ agent ‘engaged’ with Yzerman

By Erik Erlendsson | Tribune Staff Erik Erlendsson on Google+

Published: November 10, 2015 | Updated: November 10, 2015 at 11:06 PM

TAMPA — Radio silence has been the rule of thumb when it comes to discussions surrounding a contract extension for Lightning captain Steven Stamkos.

Any time Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman is asked where things stand, the standard answer generally sums up as — when there is something to announce, it will be announced.

Stamkos has not publicly said much of anything regarding his status since the start of the season — and he hasn’t been asked about it much, even while the team was in Winnipeg last month.

Representatives of Newport Sports, the agency that represents Stamkos with Mark Guy and Don Meehan the lead negotiators, were in Buffalo to visit Stamkos last month and said everything remains status quo even as dialogue remains open throughout the process.

Meehan didn’t have much to report when he spoke to Toronto’s 1050-AM radio station ahead of Monday’s Hall of Fame induction.

“We have a great rapport and an excellent professional relationship with Steve Yzerman and these are some issues that Steven and I dealt with at the end of the year. That we’ve talked about,’’ Meehan said. “All that we’re really doing at this point in time is taking a little bit more time.

“But we’re engaged with Steve Yzerman. And as I say, we have a great relationship with him. And when you get to a point in a career where you have professional decisions to make like this – as you know, the Collective Bargaining Agreement doesn’t really afford you this kind of opportunity that often. And the Collective Bargaining Agreement is a give and take process, and it’s something that you – for this kind of a decision and this kind of player, I really think that you have to practice due diligence to the nth degree.’’

Meehan and Newport Sports had a similar situation with Anaheim’s Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf, both of whom signed extensions with the Ducks while playing out the final year of their then-current deals in 2013. Both signed eight-year deals, Perry worth $69 million and Getzlaf for $66 million when they were both considered high-profile unsigned potential free agents in the prime of their careers.

“I think although it may not be the norm it’s not unprecedented,’’ Meehan said of Stamkos remaining unsigned.

International accord

Lightning head coach Jon Cooper is set to be named as an assistant coach with Team North America for next summer’s World Cup of Hockey that will take place in Toronto. Edmonton coach Todd McLellan was named head coach of the 23-and-under team that will be made up of players from Canada and the United States.

ESPN.com originally reported Cooper’s appointment while Sportsnet out of Edmonton reported the entire staff that will assist McLellan that also includes San Jose head coach Pete DeBoer, Arizona head coach Dave Tippett Oilers’ assistant Jay Woodcraft.

The official announcement from North American general manager Peter Chiarelli is expected to be made soon.

Blunden up

With LW Ondrej Palat out 3-5 weeks with an ankle injury and the status of C Cedric Paquette a fluid situation as he continues to deal with an issue on his ankle, RW Mike Blunden was called up from Syracuse of the American Hockey League. Blunden was among the first call ups last season, but Jonathan Marchessault and Tye McGinn were previously called up this season.

The decision on who to bring up is often based on need as much as anything else.

“We don’t sit there and say here’s prospect one and here’s prospect two and here’s prospect three, let’s just go in order. It’s who is going to give us the best chance to win and who has been down there gaming it out for Syracuse and who deserves to come up,’’ Cooper said. “Blundy is one of those guys right now.’’

Blunden, who played two games with Tampa Bay last season, has three goals and five points in 10 games with Syracuse this season. He was he was on his way home to Ottawa to pick up some winter clothes when he received the call from Lightning assistant general manager Julien BriseBois on Monday.

“I’m really excited for the opportunity,’’ said Blunden, who saw his season end last year after undergoing surgery to repair his ACL and MCL. “I’ve been battling and working my way back, and it just feels good to get that call. But there is still a lot of work do to be done.’’

Nuts and Bolts

D Nikita Nesterov and Blunden were scratched.

Tampa Tribune LOADED: 11.11.2015


Lightning falls under .500 with loss to Sabres

Joe SmithJoe Smith, Times Staff Writer

Tuesday, November 10, 2015 10:40pm

TAMPA — There aren't many easy solutions when it comes to the Lightning's stunning funk.

But coach Jon Cooper made one thing abundantly clear after Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Sabres at Amalie Arena, its seventh loss in the past nine games.

"First of all, this season isn't last season," Cooper said. "There's a big difference between the two."

"There's no comparison," captain Steven Stamkos said.

The Lightning looked like a shell of the team that reached the Stanley Cup final just five months ago. Cooper said they'll have a different journey this time, and it's certainly going to be more difficult after Tampa Bay fell under .500.

The Lightning (7-8-2), the highest-scoring team in the league last season, was held to one goal or fewer for the eighth time, and now finds itself in uncharted territory. It is under .500 this late in a season for first time since ending the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season at 18-25-4 and out of the playoffs.

"We're not a fragile team, but when things aren't going well, you're a human being, you start to doubt yourself," Stamkos said. "You start to doubt things. We can't let that creep in. You're not going to feel that way when things are going well and the team is scoring and we're winning (like) last year. We've got to have that sense of urgency."

The Lightning didn't show nearly enough desperation in a lethargic first period Tuesday. This had the feeling of a response game, a slumping team back at home against the Sabres, which Tampa Bay beat three times this season. But the Lightning faltered, putting itself ninth in the Eastern Conference one-fifth of the way through its season.

"Teams go through funks like this, you have to stop it before it gets too big and before you dig yourself too big of a hole," Stamkos said. "We've had a lot of success and expectations were to pick up right where we left off. Sometimes you need a reality check. There's no more margin for error. That's why it's got to be fixed now. You look at (Los Angeles), Boston last year, got off to slow starts and (were) chasing. Are they both playoff teams? Yeah. Did they get in? No."

Throughout the Lightning's scoring struggles, it could at least depend on strong goaltending. But on Tuesday even that didn't help as Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed a bad, back-breaking goal five minutes into the third, a weak wrist shot from Marcus Foligno that flubbed in off Vasilevskiy's glove.

"That's for sure my bad," Vasievskiy said. "Who knows? If not for (that) goal, maybe we can tie the game, and maybe win for sure."

The Lightning got better as the game went on, veteran wing Ryan Callahan a catalyst. But it has had to play from behind too many times, the result of leading just once after the first period. Tampa Bay continued to get robbed by an opposing goaltender, including Chad Johnson's stellar stop on Nikita Kucherov in the second. "Probably the save of the last maybe five, 10 years," Stamkos said.

Cooper believes the team can still get back to the final again, though he has "no idea how."

There's a solution out there. "It's a little evasive right now. But we're going to find it," he said.

Sabres 1 1 2 4

Lightning 0 1 0 1

First—1, Buffalo, Eichel 6 (Franson), 5:57 (pp). Penalties—Paquette, TB (hooking), 4:05; Foligno, Buf (hooking), 8:38; Legwand, Buf (tripping), 14:35.

Second—2, Tampa Bay, Stamkos 8 (Kucherov), :52 (pp). 3, Buffalo, Franson 1 (Eichel, Ennis), 1:40. Penalties—R.O'Reilly, Buf (high-sticking), :26; Franson, Buf (hooking), 2:56; Stamkos, TB (slashing), 4:00; Gionta, Buf (hooking), 9:38; Garrison, TB (hooking), 12:42.

Third—4, Buffalo, Foligno 1 (Legwand, Deslauriers), 5:24. 5, Buffalo, Ristolainen 4 (C.Johnson), 19:24 (en). Penalties—None. Shots—Buffalo 11-8-8—27. Tampa Bay 5-13-13—31. Power plays—Buffalo 1 of 3; Tampa Bay 1 of 5. Goalies—Buffalo, C.Johnson 4-6-0 (31 shots-30 saves). Tampa Bay, Vasilevskiy 2-1-0 (26-23). A—19,092 (19,204). T—2:25. Referees—Steve Kozari, Kyle Rehman. Linesmen—Pierre Racicot, Jonny Murray.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 11.11.2015


Agent cites 'due diligence' in Steven Stamkos contract talks



Both sides have refrained from speaking publicly on the subject, with GM Steve Yzerman always saying, "when there's announcement to make, we'll announce it."

But Stamkos' agent, Don Meehan from Newport Sports, shed some light on the negotiations Monday night in an interview with Toronto's TSN 1050. Meehan said while there were "some issues" he and Stamkos dealt with at the end of the year, they are just practicing "due diligence to the nth degree."

"All that we're really doing …is taking a little bit more time," Meehan said. "But we're engaged with Steve Yzerman. And as I say, we have a great relationship with him. And when you get to a point in a career where you have professional decisions to make like this — as you know, the Collective Bargaining Agreement doesn't really afford you this kind of opportunity that often. And the Collective Bargaining Agreement is a give and take process, and it's something that you — for this kind of a decision and this kind of player, I really think that you have to practice due diligence to the nth degree."

Stamkos could warrant a deal similar to the eight-year, $84 million contracts Blackhawks stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews signed in 2014. Meehan said while it's not the norm for a star player to be unsigned in his contract year, he points out it's not unprecedented. One of Meehan's clients, the Ducks' Corey Perry, signed a eight-year, $69 million deal in March 2013.

HIGH HONORS: Cooper will be named an assistant on the Team North America coaching staff for the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, Sportsnet reported. It's not a surprise, as Cooper is a perfect fit for the team made of under-24 stars from the United States and Canada. The tournament begins Sept. 17 in Toronto.

VASY IN: G Andrei Vasilevskiy started his third game since Nov. 1, as he and Ben Bishop continue to alternate games.

While Vasilevskiy entered with sparkling success against the Sabres — two goals in three wins before Tuesday's 4-1 loss to Buffalo — Cooper said this was more to keep both goalies fresh.

"It's all schedule based and we believe both goalies can win," Cooper said. "It doesn't matter who we put in."

Vasilevskiy, who missed the first month of the season after vascular surgery, looked sharp in winning his first two starts. Bishop, who started 12 of the first 14 games, has been good too, with a 2.23 goals against average. But he has lost his past five starts despite allowing just eight goals, the Lightning scoring three.

"Bish is our guy, we know that," Cooper said. " He's done a (heck) of a job for us."

ON CALL: RW Mike Blunden was just leaving Syracuse on Monday, heading home to Ottawa to get some winter clothes, when he got a phone call from assistant GM Julien BriseBois he was coming to the NHL. With LW Ondrej Palat out 3-5 weeks, and C Cedric Paquette's status questionable, Blunden was brought up as insurance, but didn't play. D Nikita Nesterov was also scratched.



Lightning in uncharted territory after 4-1 loss to Sabres

By JOE SMITH

Times Staff Writer

TAMPA - There aren't many easy solutions when it comes to the Lightning's stunning funk.

But coach Jon Cooper made one thing abundantly clear after Tuesday's 4-1 loss to the Sabres at Amalie Arena, its seventh loss in the last nine games.

"First of all, this season isn't last season," Cooper said. "There's a big difference between the two."

"There's no comparison," captain Steven Stamkos said.

The Lightning look like a shell of the team that reached the Stanley Cup Final just five months ago. Cooper said they'll have a different journey this time, and it's certainly going to be more difficult after Tampa Bay fell under .500. The Lightning (7-8-2), the highest scoring team in the league last season, was held to one goal or less for the eighth time, and now finds itself in uncharted territory, below .500 this late in the season for the first time since missing the playoffs in 2012-13.

"We're not a fragile team, but when things aren't going well, you're a human being, you start to doubt yourself," Stamkos said. "You start to doubt things. We can't let that creep in. You're not going to feel that way when things are going well and the team is scoring and we're winning last year. We've got to have that sense of urgency."

The Lightning didn't show nearly enough desperation in a lethargic first period Tuesday. This had the feeling of a response game, a slumping team back at home against the Sabres, which Tampa Bay beat three times this season. But the Lightning continued to dig a hole, putting itself at ninth in the Eastern Conference one-fifth of the way through its season.

"Teams go through funks like this, you have to stop it before it gets too big and before you dig yourself too big of a hole," Stamkos said. "We've had a lot of success and expectations were to pick up right where we left off. Sometimes you need a reality check. There's no more margin for error.

"That's why it's got to be fixed now. You look at (Los Angeles), Boston last year, got off to slow starts and chasing. Are they both playoff teams? Yeah. Did they get in? No. We believe we're a playoff team, we've just got to find a way to get back in the mix."

Throughout the Lightning's scoring struggles, it could at least depend on strong goaltending. But on Tuesday, even that didn't help as Andrei Vasilevskiy allowed a bad, back-breaking goal five minutes into the third, a weak wrist shot from Marcus Foligno that flubbed in off Vasilevskiy's glove.

"That's for sure my bad," Vasilevskiy said. "Who knows? If not for goal, maybe we can tie the game, and maybe win for sure."

The Lightning did get better as the game went on, veteran wing Ryan Callahan a catalyst. But it's had to play from behind too many times, the result of leading just once after the first period. Stamkos scored a power play goal to tie it early in the second, but Tampa Bay gave up the go-ahead goal 48 seconds later.

Tampa Bay continued to get robbed by an opposing goaltender, including Chad Johnson's stellar stop on Nikita Kucherov in the second. "Probably the save of the last maybe five, 10 years," Stamkos said.

Callahan said there's no turning back, players have to find a way. They believe they can. Cooper said last season was a "pretty unique" one, but isn't giving up on the thought of returning to the final. "How are we going to do it?" he said. "I have no idea." Cooper will continue to look for solutions, though this stretch will definitely test the patience of GM Steve Yzerman.

"When there's a problem, are you going to si there and kick the can and put your head down and whine about it?" Cooper said. "Or are you going to look through the solutions. I'm someone that looks for the solutions. There's one out there, just got to go find it. It's a little evasive right now, but we're going to find it."

They better - and fast.



Lightning's Steven Stamkos doing 'due diligence' on contract



When it comes to the contract saga of Lightning captain Steven Stamkos, things have remained pretty quiet.

Both sides have refrained from speaking publicly on the subject, with general manager Steve Yzerman always saying, "when there's announcement to make, we'll announce it." Stamkos, in the final year of his current contract, told the Times before the season that they'll continue to work on an extension "when the time is right."

But Stamkos' agent, Don Meehan from Newport Sports, did shed some light on the subject Monday night in an interview with Toronto's TSN 1050. Meehan said while there were "some issues" he and Stamkos dealt with at the end of the year, they are "engaged" with Yzerman and are just practicing "due diligence to the nth degree."

"All that we're really doing at this point in time is taking a little bit more time," Meehan said. "But we're engaged with Steve Yzerman. And as I say, we have a great relationship with him. And when you get to a point in a career where you have professional decisions to make like this - as you know, the Collective Bargaining Agreement doesn't really afford you this kind of opportunity that often. And the Collective Bargaining Agreement is a give and take process, and it's something that you - for this kind of a decision and this kind of player, I really think that you have to practice due diligence to the nth degree."

Meehan was at the Lightning game in Buffalo Thursday, but Yzerman indicated that was more due to the fact it was a short drive from the Newport Sports offices around Toronto, and he has other Tampa Bay clients (Vladislav Nametnikov, Ondrej Palat). Stamkos could warrant a deal similar to the eight-year, $84 million contracts Blackhawks stars Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews signed in the summer of 2014. Any time there's that big of a deal, it tends to take time. Meehan said while it's not the "norm" for a star player to be unsigned in his contract year, he points out it's not "unprecedented." One of Meehan's clients, the Ducks' Corey Perry, signed a eight-year $69 million deal in March 2013, months away from free agency.

Perry offered his perspective on the situation in a recent Times story.

"You can sign at any point in time," Perry said.



Vasilevskiy gets start, Paquette game-time decision


Tuesday, November 10, 2015 11:52am

Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy will start tonight against the Sabres, his third game in nine days since getting called up from AHL Syracuse.

Vasilevskiy, 21, has had his share of success against Buffalo - allowing two goals in three starts (all wins) - but coach Jon Cooper said he's starting more due to scheduling.

"I don't think Vasilevskiy's sample size is enough to sit here and say, 'Oh my God, he owns Buffalo,'" Cooper said. "It's all schedule based and we believe both goalies can win. It doesn't matter who we put in."

Vasilevskiy, who missed the first month of the season due to vascular surgery, has looked sharp in winning his first two starts. He was the best player on the ice for Tampa Bay in its 3-2 win over Buffalo Thursday.

Bishop, who started 12 of the first 14 games, has been good, too, with a 2.23 goals against average. He's deserved a better record, losing his last five starts despite allowing eight goals, while the Lightning has scored three combined goals for him. Only two goalies played more games the previous two seasons than Bishop's 150.

"Bish is our guy, we know that," Cooper said. "But I've said this many times before, that kid has played a lot of hockey. He's done a hell of a job for us, look at how well he's playing right now. It's phenomenal that he hasn't won in his last (five) starts, and he's got as sparkling statistics as he's ever had in his NHL career. Feeling for the kid."

More from morning skate: C Cedric Paquette was in morning skate, but is still questionable for tonight's game, will be a game-time decision, Cooper said. Anton Stralman skated and is expected to play. The Lightning could go with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, but if a defenseman is scratched, it will be Nikita Nesterov, Cooper said. Forward Mike Blunden was just leaving Syracuse Monday, heading home to Ottawa to get some winter clothes, when he got a phone call from assistant GM Julien BriseBois that he was getting brought up to the NHL. Blunden is here due to a precuation, and may not play tonight, but it still is gratifying to get back after undergoing season-ending MCL/ACL surgery in February. He didn't get cleared until training campp. "Just battling to work my way back and it feels good to get the call and be back up," Blunden said. Blunden said he signed with the Lightning this summer because of how much he liked the organization. He remembers sitting on his couch in February after surgery getting ready to watch the Lightning play in Dallas when he got a call from Cooper, who wished him well. "Class act," Blunden said. The Lightning is 3-0 against Buffalo this season, but knows it'lll be tough to beat the Sabres for the fourth time. "We're sittting here 3-0 against Buffalo and probably don't deserve to be," Cooper said. "We can't say we've beaten these guys three times, we can throw our sticks in the middle of the ice, it isn't going to be easy. A few of these periods they've dominated us more than any otherh team has dominated us this year."


982028 Toronto Maple Leafs

Maple Leafs take down Stars in Dallas

By: Kevin McGran Sports Reporter, Published on Tue Nov 10 2015

DALLAS—There have been subtle changes to Morgan Rielly’s game this season as the promising defenceman continues to grow under the stewardship of coach Mike Babcock.

Rielly’s ability to control the pace of the game and to carry the puck have been his strength. But this year, Babcock is making sure he learns to play defence by putting Rielly and Matt Hunwick on the ice against opponents’ top lines.

So games like Tuesday night against the Dallas Stars — a speedy team with plenty of skill and ability to score — are solid measuring sticks to see the progress Rielly is making.

The young defenceman got an assist as the Leafs beat the Dallas Stars 3-2. It was the Leafs’ fourth straight win over the Stars, one of the best teams in the NHL.

While it was just the Leafs’ third win of the season, it was their second in five games. They have gone 2-1-2, picking up six of a possible 10 points, their best stretch to date.

Defenceman Jake Gardiner was the hero, scoring the game-winning goal on a slapshot as part of a two-point night.

And James Reimer put on a show in net, facing 39 shots.

Vernon Fiddler’s short-side goal put Dallas up 2-2 early in the third period. P.A. Parenteau tied it with a shot that just went over the line before Antti Niemi’s pad kicked it out. Rielly picked up an assist on the play, and now leads the team with 11 points.

The Leafs didn’t get the matchups they wanted. Dallas, as the home team, had the last line change and tried to get the Tyler Seguin-Jamie Benn-Patrick Sharp combo out against Dion Phaneuf and Gardiner, a testament to what they think of the growth of Rielly’s game along with that of Hunwick.

“(Rielly) is a good player, he skates well,” said Benn. “He’s an up-and-coming superstar.”

The Stars’ line-matching worked in the second, when Sharp scored in close with 34 seconds remaining on the clock. Dallas dominated the second period, using their speed to wear down the Leafs.

The Leafs got the only goal of the first period, a power play marker by Peter Holland. It was the second goal of the year by the frequent healthy scratch. And it was the team’s fifth power play goal in its last 16 chances, as the moribund special teams unit shows signs of life.

It’s a work in progress as Rielly learns to add a bit of a physical game to his toolbox.

‘The longer you play the more you realize how to use your body,” said Rielly. “It’s not about being huge and strong — it’s about putting your body in the way, making guys go around you.

“If you’re big or small, you’re able to do that. You just have to commit yourself to doing it. Block the path is a term we use sometimes.”

Rielly also spends more time killing penalties than on the power play. Power-play time — which would be his strength — will come. Others can do that now. Rielly must first be strong defensively in order to be considered an elite defenceman.

“Rielly is getting better every game,” said Babcock. “He makes more plays without the puck than he did for sure in the early going. He’s breaking up more plays. He’s been on for more chances for than against, and that’s critical for us.

‘We want to continue with that focus.”

No one was happier than Holland, who pumped his fists after that first period power-play goal. It was a nice tip on a Gardiner shot.

Holland has been in Babcock’s doghouse, a healthy scratch five times this year and the last four games.

“Being in the press box and watching, I just tried to absorb the game. It looks so easy up there,” said Holland. “But I just have to play my game and do things they talked to me about.”

He only got in the lineup because of a lower body injury to Daniel Winnik. Holland tried to stay positive during his time in hockey’s purgatory.

“It’s tough, but it’s about being professional every day,” said Holland. “When you get out on the ice, you have to do your best. If you’re not in the lineup, you work hard at practice, showing them you want to be in the lineup and you want to help this team succeed.”

The Twitter feeds of both teams had a bit of fun. Dallas’ showed a picture of a crying baby, reminding Toronto fans not to throw beer. It was a dig at that Blue Jay playoff game against the Texas Rangers, when one unruly fan threw a beer can that hit a baby at Rogers Centre. The Leafs’ Twitter feed responded with a picture of Jose Bautista’s bat flip.

NOTES: Jonathan Bernier is on the trip but remains on the injured list. Antoine Bibeau backed up Reimer . . . The Leafs wrap up their three-game road trip on Thursday in Nashville . . . The Maple Leafs have been outshot 15-7 in first periods, 15-11 in seconds … Toronto has allowed three short-handed goals, most in the NHL.

Toronto Star LOADED: 11.11.2015


Seguin and Benn lead Stars to a strong start


DALLAS—If things aren’t going the Dallas Stars’ way, if Tyler Seguin is taking a shift or a game off, teammate Jamie Benn gets on him.

“You learn to push each other, learn to get on each others’ nerves,” said Benn. “That’s what we definitely do. I tell him he’s got bad clothes, or he’s having a bad hair day . . . have to make fun of him.”

Seguin, of course, reciprocates.

“We hold each other accountable,” said Seguin. “We are hard on each other, we push each other. We’re both competitive guys. We want our team to win every night and be successful. We want to lead the way. It’s a pretty good combo.”

There are many reasons the Dallas Stars, who played the Maple Leafs Tuesday night, are one of the top teams in the NHL. But at the top of that list is the chemistry between playmaker Seguin and the finisher Benn.

Both are among the league leaders in points. Going into Tuesday’s game, Seguin had nine goals and 14 assists points for 23 points. Benn had 10 goals and 11 assists. It’s not lost on their teammates that they drive each other to be better.

“It’s natural when you play with one guy all the time,” says veteran centre Jason Spezza. “They’re competitive guys. It speaks throughout our room, guys pushing each other and getting on each other. When you start to have success, you can build that trust and comfort level with your teammates.

“Not too many guys are worried about hurt feelings around here. We’re pretty honest with each other in our assessment. I think that makes us a better team. Those two guys are the same way. They push each other and that’s what’s given them the consistency they’ve had, being able to push each other and not let each other have a bad night.”

The Stars have been terrific in a place where hockey takes a back seat in the sporting world.

“We get to play in front of great fans,” said Benn. “Hockey is definitely growing down here in the state of Texas. You get some good weather as well, so that counts, too.”

The anonymity of the pro hockey player in Dallas has some advantages, said Spezza, but not as many as you might think.

“The crowds are great. The fans are exciting. But when you leave the rink, you get away from the game,” said Spezza, a former captain of the Ottawa Senators. “It’s totally different. You don’t have to deal with the media every day. That’s good for the team in general. The room is yours more than it is in Canada, when you share it with the media. I’ve enjoyed that aspect of it. There’s been a lot more days when I sit around in my gear and just talk more than I ever did in Ottawa.

“Internally, there’s still a lot of pressure,” Spezza added. “That doesn’t change. If we lose two games in a row, the coaches are squeezing us. You feel it. It’s not different than in Canada. That is a bit of a myth, that you hear it’s more intense in Canada. Internally, there’s a lot of pressure. It’s hockey. You’re playing in the NHL and it’s a winning business. I can’t say it feels too different that way.”

The Stars have been winning, 12-3-0 in their first 15 games, led by Benn and Seguin. But there’s more to their game these days than offence. Coach Lindy Ruff trusts the duo in key defensive situations.

“That’s the next step really,” said Ruff. “Not only do they have to be good offensively, they have to be counted on in those key defensive situations. I’m trying to use that top line against key lines and in 5- on-6 situations.

“They have to be up to the challenge and go head-to-head with the other teams’ top lines. So far, they’ve been better at it and have been rewarded by scoring some big goals.”

And the ability to keep each other honest, in terms of effort each shift, is a big reason for their success.

“It’s been the biggest strength of our team, the players holding each other accountable,” said Ruff. “As a coach, when you have that as a team, you can be real dangerous. You’re not kidding each other. If you can be honest each shift with your game, you can mention it to your linemate or your teammate.

“If you can accept it and get better, it’s one thing that can be dynamite for your team.”



Dallas Stars in trouble against weak teams like Maple Leafs


DALLAS—Don’t tell Tyler Seguin that the Maple Leafs are a struggling team.

“They’ve had our number a little bit,” Seguin said of the Leafs. “I’m not going to say we want pay back or revenge but we know we can play a better game than we did last time.”

The Leafs beat the Dallas Stars 4-1 just over a week ago, on the strength of an outstanding night in net for James Reimer, who faced 44 shots. Last year, the Leafs beat Dallas both times the two teams faced each other.

“We haven’t had too much luck against these guys,” said Dallas sniper Jamie Benn. “It’s all business today. We have to be ready.”

Reimer is expected to start Tuesday night against Dallas’s Antti Niemi.

The Stars have won three in a row since that loss to the Leafs. They are one of the top teams in the league with a record of 12-3-0. But those losses have come to Florida, Colorado and Toronto.

“We’ve been losing to teams below .500,” said Seguin. “And we have to be ready every night. We can’t take nights off. We’ve done that in the past this year in all the games we lost. We have to be extra focussed.”

Leafs coach Mike Babcock isn’t taking the team’s recent success against Dallas for granted.

“They out-chanced us 7-1 in the third period (last week) when we got on our heels,” said Babcock. “In the last four games, Dallas has generated chances on offensive-zone faceoffs. They have talented people.

“It’s important we do well in the faceoff circle, we execute in the defensive zone and spend some time in the offensive zone.”

NOTES: Peter Holland returns to the Leafs lineup after four games as a healthy scratch due to a lower body injury to Daniel Winnik . . . Jonathan Bernier is on the trip, but remains on the injured list. Antoine Bibeau will back up Reimer.



Maple Leafs’ Matt Hunwick among five (early) bargain NHL free-agent signings

By: Jimmy Hascup USA Today, Published on Tue Nov 10 2015

The off-season is dominated by the biggest free-agent signings, but the lesser deals can also have an significant impact once the season begins.

This season is not even one-fifth of the way complete, but it’s never too early to look at some of the best free-agent bargains.

Matt Hunwick, Toronto Maple Leafs (two years, $2.4 million): Hunwick went from a seventh defenceman on the Rangers to the one garnering the most even-strength ice time on the Maple Leafs. His real value probably lies in the middle. He’s also been coach Mike Babcock’s most-used defenceman on the penalty kill. Hunwick typically has a positive influence on possession, though that hasn’t been the case this season. He hasn’t been a total disaster either, which his noteworthy because of the Leafs’ lack of talent. Will it last? He might thrive if eased off the gas pedal a little bit.

Lee Stempniak, New Jersey Devils (one year, $850,000): That Stempniak has bounced around from team to team in recent seasons casts him as a tweener. In reality, he has been a valuable contributor whose attributes have been under-appreciated. He was due for a long look in an expanded role, and with the Devils, he will get that. Stempniak has three goals and 12 points, the second-most on the Devils. The Devils are also driving possession four per cent better with him on the ice. Will it last? A 20-goal, 50-point season is the ceiling.

Joel Ward, San Jose Sharks (three years, $9.825 million): The Sharks signed him to be a hard-nosed role player who can chip in on occasion offensively. He has a knack for scoring big goals and is among the most congenial guys in the game. Ward has performed at an incredible rate — seven goals, 12 points in 14 games, in addition to 56 per cent Corsi. He is the team’s second-leading scorer and is receiving the fourth-most ice time among forwards. Will it last? The offence won’t, but Ward will fill the complementary role well like he always has.

Tomas Fleischmann, Florida Panthers (one year, $750,000): You’re not supposed to get this type of production (four goals, 11 points) from a player who entered training camp on a professional tryout. The big question for the Canadiens was whether they’d receive enough secondary scoring so they wouldn’t have to be so reliant on the first line and Carey Price. The third line of Fleischmann, David Desharnais, and Dale Weise has combined for 36 points. Will it last? His best days in Washington weren’t even this productive at five-on-five (3.2 points per 60 minutes).

Viktor Stalberg, New York Rangers (one year, $1.1 million): Stalberg is trying to prove he is still a valuable bottom-six forward after failing to live up to expectations with the Nashville Predators and having his contract bought out this past offseason. The Rangers will take a seven-goal, 27-point pace if he continues to gel on the third line with Kevin Hayes and Oscar Lindberg. It has become the team’s shutdown trio, though it’s worth noting the Rangers’ most productive players at five-on-five have also been those three. Will it last? It’s not as if this is coming out of nowhere.



Player of week award is 'validation' for Marlies' Sparks

BY LANCE HORNBY, TORONTO SUN

FIRST POSTED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015 12:22 AM EST | UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015 12:27 AM EST

TORONTO - The spotlight is once more on a Toronto goaltender.

But for a change it's not aimed at the injured Jonathan Bernier, the inconsistent James Reimer, or the intriguing Antoine Bibeau.

The hottest hand on the depth chart belongs to Garret Sparks, American Hockey League player of the week. With Bibeau on the Maple Leafs' roster backing Reimer, but not playing yet, Sparks was the beneficiary of the farm team hitting full stride during their current road trip.

After games in Hartford, Utica and Binghamton, Sparks had a record of 3-0, stopping 96 of 101 shots. A late draft choice from Guelph in 2011, Sparks was eclipsed by Bibeau and former Marlie Chris Gibson last season. While those two handled much of the work, Sparks was given lots of playing time, but little publicity down south with the ECHL Orlando Solar Bears.

The 6-foot-3 Sparks ended up leading that league with a .936 save percentage.

"This award gives you some validation that everything you're working on is starting to pay off," Sparks said Tuesday as the Marlies re-energized before their next travel phase to St. John's, Nfld., this weekend. "I know my opportunity began when Antoine was called up. I couldn't be more proud for him (5-1-0 in the AHL, a .908 save percentage). It's an advantage for either of us to spend time up there (playing or not).

"I knew I'd get a couple of starts, but I was leaned on a lot in Orlando. It's not new to me to play a lot here, I've been in this position before, (21 AHL games) two years ago."

While the Leafs since hired Steve Briere to work with all net prospects, Elmhurst, Ill., native Sparks strengthened his relationship with Marlies goalie coach Piero Greco.

"Steve's been great, shown us all a lot of things and all the coaches are passionate about their jobs. But Piero, I've been with three years now. He's been the biggest difference-maker for me. I'd be out there two hours a day alone with him if I could.

"Since day one, he's helped me with angles and positioning. Now it's like clockwork for me. I'm dead on with that stuff and I can work on things such as calmness, rebounds, puck tracking and overall awareness. The team can rely on you to clean things up.

"I'm a big goalie and some guys my size don't know how to utilize that. I get the most out of my frame. When you have that calmness and can show flashes of athleticism, you can be really effective."

Sparks, a restricted free agent next year, is just part of what's looking like a well-oiled machine under new coach Sheldon Keefe. After last weekend, the Marlies' record is a division-best 10-3, with a plus-22 goal differential.

"This is the best team I've played with in my three years here," declared Sparks. "We have some world-class players, we're getting help from the defence, the other team is being kept to the outside and the forwards are coming back. Everyone is playing to the system.

"It's nice to get a little crystal engraving (the league's weekly award) and a pat on the rear end, but it's November. Those awards don't mean as much as those in June."

MARLIE BITS

Winger Kasperi Kapanen likely will miss the road trip to St. John's with an undisclosed injury ... Centre William Nylander is riding a five-game points streak for a total of eight in that span. He's in a tie for third in AHL scoring with 14 points ... Forward Mark Arcobello has not sulked after his Leaf demotion, with six points in four games ... Winger Josh Leivo has six points the past five games, while defenceman T.J. Brennan is also hot with five in his past three starts. His 12 points overall leads all AHL blueliners ... In their win in Binghamton on Saturday, the Marlies tied their season high of 42 shots ... Last Marlie to win player of the week before Sparks was Brendan Leipsic in April ... Brady Vail, an AHL contracted forward with his home state Solar Bears, is top 10 in ECHL scoring with 11 points in eight games.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 11.11.2015


Leafs look to sweep Stars

BY ROB LONGLEY, TORONTO SUN


DALLAS - For the Dallas Stars, it's a game that stands out like an unsightly pimple on one of the famed Cowboys cheerleaders.

For the Maple Leafs, it's a rare bright result in a season that hasn't had much shine through their first 14 games.

But it was just eight days ago that the Stars – owners of the best record in the Western Conference and off to the hottest start in franchise history – fell 4-1 to the Leafs back at the Air Canada Centre.

Back in Texas after a four-game road trip, the Stars are anxious to put that effort behind them and renew the form that has had them file up an 8-2 record against Eastern Conference opponents already this season.

“We've got to be better defensively,” Stars coach Lindy Ruff said following his team's morning skate on Tuesday. “We had some missed assignments that hurt us. We've got to be better defensively and we can't be chasing the game.”

They haven't missed much otherwise, however taking a bulky 12-3-0 record into the American Airlines Arena Tuesday night. The Stars have owned the Leafs here in the Lone Star state, piling up a 53-37-12 record and a 3-1-1 mark since the 2005-06 season.

Leafs coach Mike Babcock certainly values the two points his team gained against the Stars for half of Toronto's win total so far this season. But he knows the danger the Stars present, in particular from the talented forward duo of Tyler Seguin, who has a share of the league scoring lead and reigning NHL scoring champ Jamie Benn.

“We out-chanced them through two but they out-chanced us 7-1 in the third when we were back on our heels,” Babcock said of the first meeting. “In watching all the pre scouts in the last four games, Dallas has really generated a ton off of o-zone faceoffs. They have talented, talented people.”

The Leafs will go to James Reimer in net for a fifth consecutive start while Jonathan Bernier recovers from an injury.

“I think he's playing more confident,” Babcock said of Reimer's recent play, which included that win against the Stars. “Reims has played well for us. He's given up a few squeakers he'd like to have back. In saying that, though, he's battled and as he's battled and got on this run, he's looked more comfortable. Pucks sticking to him better and that's a comfort thing.

“And good for him. I think when you get an opportunity to start and start every night, your job as a goalie is to keep the other guy on the bench. As long as you play well, that's what you do.”

With Daniel Winnik out with a lower-body injury, Peter Holland draws into the Leafs lineup after being a healthy scratch for the last four games.



Nazem Kadri's No. 1 ... point 7

BY TERRY KOSHAN, TORONTO SUN

FIRST POSTED: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2015 11:22 PM EST | UPDATED: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 09, 2015 11:26 PM EST

TORONTO - Nazem Kadri would to love to experience some repeat history this week.

Kadri's shooting percentage of 1.7% is the lowest for any player who has scored a goal in the National Hockey League in 2015-16.

The Maple Leafs' No. 1 centre has one goal on 60 shots on goal. However, he was happy to recall that in six career games against the Dallas Stars, he has four goals, and in five career games against the Nashville Predators, he has three goals.

The Leafs are in Dallas on Tuesday and visit Nashville on Thursday.

"It definitely gives me a little morale boost," Kadri said. "I think I play well against both teams. When you are getting bounces against certain teams, you like to be more offensive and hopefully it can start (Tuesday) night."

Through games on Sunday, only four NHL players (Tyler Seguin, Alex Ovechkin, Radim Vrbata and Taylor Hall) had put more shots on goal than Kadri this season.

"I'll take one (a goal) off my teeth right now," Kadri said.

"I know I can't let the frustration get to me. It's insane. I know I'm playing the right way and I know the coaching staff and my teammates have faith in me when I am out there."

Kadri said he has been having "daily conversations" with coach Mike Babcock about his lack of finish.

WINNIK UNCERTAIN

Babcock said he had no update on forward Daniel Winnik, who fell awkwardly to the ice in the first period on Saturday night against the Washington Capitals and did not return to the game.

Winnik skated before practice on Monday, and looked fine in some drills, but departed the ice at the MasterCard Centre once the full practice started.

With Winnik out, Peter Holland, who has been scratched the past four games, skated on the wing on the fourth line with Byron Froese and Brad Boyes.

Michael Grabner was with Nick Spaling and Joffrey Lupul.

DRAW THE ADVANTAGE

Kadri is helping the Leafs in another area, picking up where he left off last season.

In 2014-15, Kadri led the NHL with 31 penalties drawn; this season, he is second in the NHL with eight.

"I think he has just been competitive, he can skate, he has had the puck a lot," Babcock said. "So that is good for him. For the amount he has had the puck and the amount of offence he has created, he would like to score more, we would like him to score more too.

"To me, the competitive part of his game, his play without the puck, the way he is playing, has been a vast improvement, almost game in and game out. We have to keep him going."

Teammate Morgan Rielly offered another reason why Kadri is able to draw opposing players into taking penalties.

"He's a rat so other guys don't like him," Rielly said.

LOOSE LEAFS

Rielly on leading the Leafs in scoring through 14 games: "I would much rather be in the playoffs (at the end of the season) than be leading the team in scoring." ... Marlies goaltender Garret Sparks was named the AHL player of the week after he won all three of his starts and stopped 96 of 101 shots. Sparks, the 190th pick overall by the Leafs in 2011, is 5-2-0 with a .932 save percentage ... Stars centre Tyler Seguin was named the NHL's second star of the week. He had seven points in four games ... Another way the two-win Leafs wouldn't mind seeing reliving some history in Dallas

and Nashville, at least in terms of the score: Their most recent win in Dallas was last Dec. 23, when Jonathan Bernier made 43 saves in a 4-0 win; their most recent win in Nashville was on Oct. 10, 2013, when Bernier made 36 saves in a 4-0 win.



Leafs come from behind to beat best-in-West Stars


FIRST POSTED: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015 11:11 PM EST | UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015 12:04 AM EST

DALLAS - The contest wasn’t even five minutes old and the Dallas Stars game ops team was hard at work selling the Leafs as the laughing stock of the NHL.

On the big screen above centre ice at the American Airlines Arena, the mocking was relentless. A dude with a leaf blower. Another implored Toronto fans not to throw beer on babies, though there was no mention of the Texas Rangers collapse against the Blue Jays that prompted the attempted yuk.

Down on the ice, it was a different story, however. And who was laughing at the end?

The Stars may have the best record in the Western Conference, but the Leafs have been anything but a pushover for them recently. A pair of goals in the final eight minutes of regulation gave the Leafs a big 3-2 victory, their third win of the season and second against the powerhouse Stars.

Suddenly, the goal-starved Leafs have recorded points in four of their past five games and can start to feel a little better about themselves.

“Good for us,” an obviously pleased Leafs coach Mike Babcock said afterwards. “We needed the points, but more important than the points, we needed the confidence. We start to feel more like a hockey team.

“Confidence is everything in life, but you’ve got to earn it. The coach can’t give it to you. Your parents can’t give it to you, you’ve got to earn it. This is part of that process.”

The confidence was certainly helped on Tuesday by an outstanding 36-save effort from goaltender James Reimer, who was making his fifth consecutive start in the Toronto net while Jonathan Bernier recovers from an injury.

Sure, a Vernon Fiddler backhander from the corner never should have beat him — and even worse gave the Stars it’s only lead of the game (2-1) 5:38 into the third period. But Reimer was huge in a second period, when Dallas controlled the play and kept his team in the game.

Reimer has been the man in net for all three Leafs wins and is clearly building in confidence, despite the Fiddler blooper that got by him.

“When you have a chance to play and the team plays the way it has in the last couple of games and they way they competed, it’s contagious,” said Reimer, who is now 2-1-2 in those five starts with a .941 save percentage and 1.96 goals against average.

“It gets you in a groove when you see the boys working that hard.

“It’s nice and hopefully we keep going.”

While the middle period was one the Leafs would rather forget, the damage was minimal — a Patrick Sharp goal with 34 seconds remaining. But the Leafs played their best when they were behind, a big indicator that the Babcock mindset is taking root.

Goals are still at a premium and Antti Niemi was certainly solid in the Dallas net. But a big win against a tough opponent will give the team a boost as it heads to Nashville for a Music City date with the Predators on Thursday.

“We knew they were going to push,” said Babcock, who heard the Stars lament that they weren’t ready for the Leafs in that 4-1 loss back in Toronto last week. “They were prepared here today. It’s a good feeling for our guys. Let’s enjoy it.”

Another Leaf who enjoyed it on Tuesday was forward Peter Holland who returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for four consecutive games.

Sent out on a first-period power play, Holland’s slick deflection got past Niemi to give the Leafs the lead they would hold for most of the first two periods.

P.A. Parenteau tied it for the Leafs at 12:38 of the third, setting the stage for Jake Gardiner’s game-winner at 16:32, a blast from the top of the circle that got past Niemi.

“I’ve been struggling a little bit and I just decided to step up and play more physical,” said Gardiner, who had a feisty edge to him all night and had the second game-winning goal of his career. “It’s been tough. We’re not a team who scores a lot of goals so we’ve got to play good defensively. When we get those chances, we’ve got to capitalize.”

That they did — and provided the real punchline of the night: The team with the second-worst record in the league knocking off the team with the second-best mark for the second time this season.



Leafs' Holland excited to get another chance


FIRST POSTED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015 12:13 AM EST | UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2015 12:23 AM EST

Nazem Kadri's No. 1 ... point 7

Watching the previous four games from the press box/Mike Babcock doghouse, Leafs centre Peter Holland was hoping his return to the lineup Tuesday would bring some permanence to it.

While acknowledging he may have taken things for granted earlier in the season, Holland was hopeful he could get back to the success he had last season.

"I've just tried to be a sponge and absorb everything," Holland said of watching the games from the top of NHL buildings rather than at ice level. "I'm excited to get back out there and just play my game.

"It's tough, obviously. It's just about being professional, coming to the rink every day and when you get out on the ice you have to be at your best. When you are not in the lineup, you have to work extra hard and show you want to help the team.

"I just have to earn my spot and stay in. I just have to get back to what made me successful to earn a spot at this level last year."

Babcock has made his demands of players clear and suggested it's simple enough for Holland to earn his keep.

"To me, it's straight forward," Babcock said on Tuesday. "If you compete hard enough, you get to be in the lineup. If you do the right things, you get to be in the lineup. Sometimes as players you think: 'Gee, this guy doesn't like me.' It has nothing to do with liking anybody. If you play good, you get to play. If you don't play good you don't get to play."

REIM TIME

With Jonathan Bernier still out with an injury -- though he accompanied the team on the two-game road trip -- James Reimer got a fifth consecutive start in Dallas. Babcock said the goaltender is clearly benefiting from the work load.

"I think he's playing more confident," Babcock said of Reimer's recent play. "Reims has played well for us. He's given up a few squeakers he'd like to have back. In saying that, though, he's battled and as he's battled and got on this run, he's looked more comfortable. Pucks sticking to him better and that's a comfort thing."

Reimer had a solid .939 save percentage and 1.95 goals against average in those four starts, compiling a 1-1-2 record in those four starts.

"Good for him," Babcock said. "I think when you get an opportunity to start and start every night, your job as a goalie is to keep the other guy on the bench. As long as you play well, that's what you do."

BRIBE TIME

The Leafs have been decent in the faceoff circle at times this season, with a 51% success rate - though Babcock thinks that number should improve.

"I say to the guys: 'Buy your wingers a few steaks and bribe them to win some of those 50-50 (battles) and your percentage goes up," Babcock said.

"To me, it's the easiest one-on-one battle in the game if you're mentally focussed, you have a chance to win it."

QUICK HITS

The Leafs planned to remain in Dallas following the game Tuesday before flying to Nashville Wednesday morning and practising in the Music City later in the day. The team faces the Predators on Thursday ... The Leafs entered their game Tuesday with a three-game winning streak over the Stars.



Toronto Maple Leafs score twice in third to earn win against Western Conference-leading Dallas Stars

The Associated Press | November 11, 2015 1:28 AM ET

DALLAS — Toronto’s Jake Gardiner capitalized on his chances. The Dallas Stars squandered theirs.

Gardner’s tiebreaking goal late in the third period completed the Maple Leafs’ rally for an improbable 3-2 win over Dallas on Tuesday night.

Toronto (3-8-4) entered the game tied with Columbus with a league-low 8 points, but beat the Central Division-leading Stars (12-4-0) for the second time in nine days.

“We knew they were going to push,” Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. “We’d beat them and they could say OK, they weren’t prepared for us (Nov. 2 at Toronto). It’s a good feeling for our guys.”

Stars coach Lindy Ruff had said beforehand that it could be a “trap” game.

“They got a couple bounces, all our good chances didn’t go in. That was the game,” Ruff said afterward.

Gardiner’s slap shot from the right point went off the stick of Dallas’ Colton Sceviour and past goalie Antti Niemi at 16:32.

“We’re not a team that scores a lot of goals, so we got to play good defensively,” Gardiner said. “When we get those chances, we got to capitalize.”

Toronto goalie James Reimer made 36 saves, giving him 79 on 82 shots in the season-series sweep of Dallas.

“They’re a great team and they create a lot of chances,” Reimer said. “Tonight was just a night where I was just lucky enough to get in the way, and when I couldn’t be there, my teammates were there for me.”

Gardiner also had an assist on Peter Holland’s tip-in goal late in the first period.

Dallas took a 2-1 lead on Patrick Sharp’s goal in the final minuteof the second period and Vernon Fiddler’s shot from a severe angle out of the right corner at 5:39 of the third. Jason Demers assisted on both goals.

The Leafs’ P.A. Parenteau tied it with just under 7 1/2 minutes left in the third, wristing defenceman Morgan Rielly’s pass from behind the goal into the net. The puck struck Stars defenceman Jordie Benn’s skate and slid across the goal line.

“I have a rule that when the D’s below the goal line, they’re not allowed to pass it out front,” Babcock said. “So it’s a good thing that it went in.”

The Maple Leafs scored on the game’s first power play. Dallas’ Johnny Oduya was off for holding. With his stick, Holland directed the puck downward off Niemi’s left pad and between his legs.

Reimer’s toughest saves came early in the period, when he stopped Antoine Roussel and Mattias Janmark. Ales Hemsky shot high on another chance from in front of the net.

Dallas tied the game with 34 seconds left in the second period. Sharp hustled to beat the Leafs’ Matt Hunwick in a race for the puck. It went to Demers behind the net and the Stars’ defenceman passed to Sharp at the left goalpost, and he wristed the puck into the net.

NOTES: The Maple Leafs have won four in a row against Dallas, by a combined margin of 16-6. … Sharp’s goal was his seventh, all in the last eight games. He did not score in his first eight games. … LW Antoine Roussel returned to Dallas’ lineup after missing two games because of an upper-body injury. … Toronto’s No. 1 goalie, Jonathan Bernier (lower body), made the trip to Dallas and Nashville. He hasn’t played since being injured Oct. 31, but could be close to a return.

National Post LOADED: 11.11.2015

982038 Washington Capitals

Brooks Orpik leaves game early with lower-body injury

By Isabelle Khurshudyan November 10 at 11:18 PM Follow @ikhurshudyan

DETROIT—Washington Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik took just one shift in the second period before leaving Tuesday’s loss to the Red Wings with what the team announced as a lower-body injury. Capitals Coach Barry Trotz said Orpik would be evaluated on Wednesday, but he didn’t have an update beyond that.

The Capitals play the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday night. Orpik missed all of the preseason after offseason wrist surger, but he hasn’t missed a game yet this season, playing alongside John Carlson on the top defensive pairing. The 35-year-old scored his first goal with Washington in the Capitals’ season-opening win against the New Jersey Devils.

Orpik was given a maintenance day last week, and at the time, Trotz described Orpik as hurting, but not injured. Should he have to miss game time, the most likely scenario is that Nate Schmidt would skate on the left with Carlson, which would keep the second defensive pair of Karl Alzner and Matt Niskanen together. The third pair would then be Taylor Chorney, who has been scratched for six straight games and Dmitry Orlov. Schmidt took Orpik’s place on the penalty kill on Tuesday night.

Third-line center Jay Beagle was a game-time decision before the game after Trotz said he tweaked an old injury in morning skate, but he played the entire game.

Washington Post LOADED: 11.11.2015


Capitals vs. Red Wings: Game 14 discussion thread


The story lines for this early-season meeting between the Washington Capitals and the Detroit Red Wings are seemingly endless. It’ll be the reunion of the Capitals and defenseman Mike Green, who spent 10 seasons in Washington before signing with Detroit in free agency.

It could also be a special night for Alex Ovechkin. He’s currently tied with Sergei Fedorov for most goals scored by a Russian player with 483. Fedorov is also at Joe Louis Arena, being honored for his Hall of Fame induction on Monday night, so breaking the record with Fedorov in attendance would be “pretty cool,” Ovechkin said.

Center Jay Beagle was a “game-time” decision after he tweaked an old injury during morning skate, Capitals Coach Barry Trotz said. He left the skate early and didn’t go through rushes. But based on warmups, Beagle will be in the lineup against the Red Wings.

The Capitals’ lineup is below, and the discussion thread is now open.

Forwards

Alex Ovechkin-Evgeny Kuznetsov-T.J. Oshie

Marcus Johansson-Nicklas Backstrom-Andre Burakovsky

Jason Chimera-Jay Beagle-Justin Williams

Brooks Laich-Chandler Stephenson-Tom Wilson

Defensemen

Brooks Orpik-John Carlson

Karl Alzner-Matt Niskanen

Dmitry Orlov-Nate Schmidt

Goaltenders

Braden Holtby

Philipp Grubauer

Scratches

Michael Latta

Taylor Chorney



Capitals brace for a reunion with Mike Green


DETROIT—A handful of Capitals peeked out of their visiting locker room in Joe Louis Arena to catch a glimpse of Mike Green. He wasn’t in the navy blue practice jersey he wore during morning skates at Kettler. Instead, he wore a black Red Wings practice jersey and No. 25 instead of his usual 52.

Professional hockey is still a business, and players are accustomed to former teammates. But this reunion feels a little different because of how long Green had played in Washington — 10 seasons, part of a core trio with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom.

Less than four hours into free agency, Green signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Red Wings, ending his tenure in Washington.

“He was a good friend of mine,” Backstrom said. “We were hanging out for almost eight years. It’s going to be a little weird to see him on the other side, but at the same time, I think it’s exciting, too. I’m happy he got a good deal with Detroit.”

Said Capitals Coach Barry Trotz: “I think if he had his head down or something like that, they’re probably going to let up a little bit on him. I would think, if they’re friends. Other than that, they’ll just play him the way they always play.”

To Michael Latta and Tom Wilson, Green was “Uncle Greenie,” who once called them and told them he’d be by soon because was taking them to their first Redskins game.

“He loved the boys,” Latta said. “He would always say he was just like us when he was young. It’s going to be really good to see him. He was just really good to us.”

To Nate Schmidt, Green was a player he looked up to, an offensively gifted defenseman. Just last season, Green scored 10 goals and added 35 assists, the highest point-total he’s finished with since the 2009-10 season, when he scored 76 points.

“He was one of the guys that pretty much kind of took me under his wing a little bit,” Schmidt said. “I got to spend a lot of time with him, especially as D partners when I was here. He’s a phenomenal guy off the ice as he is on the ice. … I’ve seen him a couple times in the highlights with that jersey on. It’s still a little different.”

Green suffered an upper-body injury against Calgary on Oct. 23 and then missed the next six games. He returned in Detroit’s last game against Dallas and played more than 25 minutes, tallying an assist. He said he and his wife are “finally sort of settled now” in their new home, living in an area of Detroit near other players on the team.

“Yeah, I definitely didn’t want to miss this one, that’s for sure,” Green said. “Obviously, playing against the guys, it’s exciting and a good challenge. We know that they’re playing well and we want to make sure we play well tonight.”

Just as a few Capitals players watched Green during morning skate, Green walked out to the Red Wings bench during Washington’s skate to see his former team. Marcus Johansson came over and shook his hand.

Of course, it’s not all lovey dovey, as Ovechkin joked on Monday that he would slash one of Green’s beloved Easton Stealth CNT sticks, which have been discontinued.

“I don’t know, I’ve got a few,” Green said with a laugh. “If he can catch me.”



Jay Beagle a game-time decision


Center Jay Beagle tweaked an old injury and is a “game-time” decision for Washington’s game at Detroit on Tuesday night, Capitals Coach Barry Trotz said.

Beagle was on the ice for the morning Tuesday at Joe Louis Arena, but when the team took rushes, Beagle was standing by the bench, appearing to be examined by the training staff. He then left the morning skate early and went back to the locker room.

Michael Latta skated in Beagle’s place as the third-line center, though Trotz said he would likely change the lines should Beagle sit out.

Beagle has been the third-line center all season, and he has two goals and two assists. Beagle is also second to Brooks Laich in most shorthanded time on ice among forwards, and he is the Capitals’ best player on faceoffs, winning 58.8 percent of his draws, which is ranked sixth in the league.

What the lineup looked like in morning skate is below, though if Beagle plays, Latta is expected to be the scratch. If Beagle doesn’t play, the bottom-six forwards likely won’t be this either:

Forwards

Alex Ovechkin-Evgeny Kuznetsov-T.J. Oshie

Marcus Johansson-Nicklas Backstrom-Andre Burakovsky

Jason Chimera-Michael Latta-Justin Williams

Brooks Laich-Chandler Stephenson-Tom Wilson

Defensemen

Brooks Orpik-John Carlson

Karl Alzner-Matt Niskanen

Dmitry Orlov-Nate Schmidt

Goaltenders

Braden Holtby

Philipp Grubauer

Scratches

Taylor Chorney

Game-time decision

Jay Beagle



Andreas Athanasiou scores first goal as Red Wings defeat Capitals

By Larry Lage - Associated Press - Tuesday, November 10, 2015

DETROIT — Andreas Athanasiou scored 4:06 into the third period and Petr Mrazek had 38 saves, lifting the Detroit Red Wings to a 1-0 win over the Washington Capitals on Tuesday night.

Athanasiou scored his first goal in his second game from an improbable angle. He shot from the goal line near the left corner, getting the puck between goaltender Braden Holtby and the left post.

Holtby had 26 saves for the Capitals and appeared to get away with scooping a puck out of the net with his glove in the first period. The play was reviewed, but the no-goal call on the ice was upheld.

The Capitals started a power play with 5:08 left in the game, but couldn't take advantage even with some Alex Ovechkin's slap shots.

Before the game, the Red Wings honored longtime center Sergei Fedorov, who played most of his 18-year NHL career in Detroit. He finished that career by spending parts of two seasons with the Capitals, serving as a mentor for Ovechkin.

Washington Times LOADED: 11.11.2015


Despite Ovechkin shooting gallery, Caps blanked

November 10, 2015, 10:15 pm

Post-game analysis of the Capitals’ 1-0 loss to the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday night at Joe Louis Arena:

How it happened: An otherwise spectacular night by Caps goaltender Braden Holtby was ruined 4:06 into the third period when rookie forward Andreas Athanasiou beat him with a poor angle shot from the left side of the goal line with a shot that banked off the side of Holtby’s right pad and trickled behind him. The goal was Athanasiou’s first in the NHL and it came in his second NHL game.

What didn’t happen: Despite all of the hype surrounding Alex Ovechkin and his attempt to pass Sergei Fedorov and become the leading Russian-born goal scorer in NHL history, the Great 8 failed to score despite a game-high 15 shots on goal, which matched Ovechkin’s career high. Red Wings goaltender Petr Mrazek was incredible in recording the shutout, stopping Ovechkin six times on a third-period Capitals power play that looked more like a shooting gallery.

Orpik injured: Caps defenseman Brooks Orpik left the game 1:23 into the second period with a lower body injury and did not return. The club reported that he will be re-evaluated in Philadelphia on Wednesday. Orpik has been nursing “multiple hurts,” according to coach Barry Trotz, and sat out Friday’s practice.

In the absence of Orpik, defenseman Nate Schmidt was moved onto a top unit with John Carlson, with Karl Alzner also seeing time with Carlson.

Meanwhile, center Jay Beagle played in Detroit despite leaving the morning skate early without taking line rushes. Brooks Laich, who sat out practice on Monday for “maintenance.”

Lineup shuffle: As expected, center Chandler Stephenson centered a fourth line with Laich and Tom Wilson.

What’s next: The Caps are expected to practice in Philadelphia on Wednesday, then face the Flyers on Thursday night. The Flyers have lost seven of their lastr eight and are coming off a 4-0 home loss to Colorado.

Chuck Gormley



AAA Keys to the game: Caps at Red Wings

November 10, 2015, 4:15 pm

The Capitals (10-3-0, 20 points) will look to extend their win streak to three games when they visit the Detroit Red Wings (7-6-1, 15 points), who have won three of their last four tonight at Joe Louis Arena (7:30 p.m.,, CSN+). Here are our AAA Keys to the Game:

Russian knight: While the Red Wings honor Sergei Fedorov’s induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Alex Ovechkin is one goal away from eclipsing Fedorov’s record for goals by a Russian-born player. Fedorov scored 483 goals in 1,248 NHL games. Ovechkin reached 483 goals in his 772nd game.

Capitals right wing Justin Williams said Fedorov and Wayne Gretzky were his two favorite players growing up and now he’s learning first-hand what Ovechkin brings to the table. Ovechkin has earned a point in 11 of his 12 games this season (8 goals, 8 assists).

“There are very, very few game-breakers, if any, other than Ovi, in the game today,” Williams said, “and I think the elation he shows for his teammates when they score tells you what kind of guy he is. It tells me he’s a team guy.”

Capitals coach Barry Trotz agrees.

“I look at his whole body of work and when the game is on the line there’s a certain thing where he wants to take over the game,” Trotz said. “Very few people in this league can do it and he has it. I’m fortunate he’s on our team.”

Beagle in question: Center Jay Beagle tweaked an earlier injury and is expected to be a game-time decision. If he can’t play, look for center Michael Latta to take his place on the third line.

Fun in Motown: The Capitals are 6-1-1 in their last eight visits to Detroit, outscoring the Red Wings 31-21. They have won each of their last two visits by 2-1 scores. Moreover, the Caps have earned a point in 20 straight games against Atlantic Division foes (17-0-3) and have outscored opponents 62-32 during that span.

Caps goaltender Braden Holtby is 3-0-0 in his career at Detroit, with a 2.28 goals against average and a .934 save percentage. Alex Ovechkin has 17 points (9 goals, 8 assists) in 17 career games against the Red Wings. Defenseman John Carlson has nine points (3 goals, 6 assists) in nine career games against Detroit.

The Caps and Wings face off again on Nov. 18 in the Motor City, then at Verizon Center on Dec. 8.

Fast starters: The Caps’ 10-3-0 start matches their best in franchise history. They also went 10-3-0 to start the 1991-92 season. The Caps lead the NHL in shots against per game (25.2) this season and rank fourth in goals per game (3.23).

Big finishers: Nicklas Backstrom’s game-tying goal with 0.8 seconds remaining in regulation was the latest game-tying goal in the NHL since Canadiens forward David Desharnais also scored at 19:59 on March 15, 2014 vs. Ottawa. Backstrom is the first

Capitals player to score a game-tying goal with one second left in regulation since Ovechkin did it on Nov. 15, 2008 at New Jersey, a game the Caps lost 6-5 in a shootout.

Since Backstrom entered the NHL in 2007-08, he has earned an assist on 174 of Ovechkin’s 385 goals (45.2 percent). Since he entered the NHL in 2007-08, Backstrom ranks third in the league in assists (432), trailing Henrik Sedin (480) and Joe Thornton (460).

Chasing Martin: While Ovechkin looks to become the NHL’s top goal-scoring Russian in NHL history, Trotz is just one win away from tying Jacques Martin for 12th on the NHL’s all-time coaching wins list. Martin has 613 NHL coaching victories. Trotz has 612. Speaking of milestones, John Carlson is one point away from tying Rod Langway (202) for eighth place on the Capitals’ list of points by a defenseman.

On the road again: The Caps are playing their sixth road game of the season tonight. They are 4-1-0 on the road, outscoring opponents 20-14. Evgeny Kuznetsov has 10 points (4 goals, 6 assists) in five games on the road this season, including his first career hat trick at Edmonton on Oct. 23. Alex Ovechkin has 3 goals and 5 assists in five games. The Caps’ mini road trip continues in Philadelphia on Thursday night.

TKO Line: The Caps’ top line of Alex Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and T.J. Oshie has combined for 39 points this season (17 goals, 22 assists). The line ranks tied for fourth in the NHL in points, trailing Dallas’ Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Jason Spezza (56), Chicago’s Patrick Kane, Artemi Panarin and Artem Anisimov (47) and Montreal’s Tomas Plekanec, Max Pacioretty and Brendan Gallagher (43).

Chuck Gormley



Green, Caps ready for 'strange' night in Detroit

November 10, 2015, 10:30 am

From the time they were pre-teens, the hockey careers of Mike Green and Jay Beagle have been linked. As peewees, they played together in their hometown of Calgary, where their fathers became friends.

When they became teammates with the Capitals, they would spend their summer training together in Calgary.

“Even this summer, when we were skating together, I said, ‘Alright, I’ll see you at training camp.’” Beagle said. “And then all of a sudden I realized we’re going to be enemies this year. It’s weird seeing him in Detroit gear.”

Tonight at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, CSN+), the main spotlight will be on Alex Ovechkin’s quest to pass Hall of Fame inductee Sergei Fedorov as Russia’s all-time leading NHL goal scorer. But before the game there will be plenty of banter going on between the Caps and Green, who spent his first 10 NHL seasons in Washington before signing a three-year, $18 million contract with the Red Wings last summer.

“For all the players who played with Greenie they’ll all be yuck-yucks at the morning skate and telling stories and all that,” Caps coach Barry Trotz said. “But once you drop the puck he’s a Red Wing, not a Cap.”

Trotz said he expects his players to treat Green like any other opponent, but since the 30-year-old defenseman will be playing in just his second game after being sidelined by a shoulder injury, he wouldn’t be surprised if the Caps shied away from heavy body contact on their former teammate.

“I think if he has his head down,” Trotz said, “they’re probably going to let up a little bit on him, if they’re friends.”

Ovechkin says he’ll be targeting something other than Green’s body – saying he’s aiming for his beloved stick, which has been discontinued for years.

“I’m probably gonna slash his Easton stick,” Ovechkin joked.

But that’s his favorite, Ovechkin was reminded.

“Yeah, I’m gonna slash it,” he replied with a laugh.

In eight games with the Red Wings, Green has no goals on nine shots, three assists and is a minus-3 while averaging 20:23 of ice time on a top pairing with Danny DeKeyser. Last year, as the Caps’ fifth defenseman, Green averaged 19:06 in ice time, his lowest since his first full NHL season.

Green told reporters in Detroit that “it’ll be strange” facing his former teammates tonight, but noted he had become “stagnant” in Washington and wanted a change.

In his 10 seasons with the Caps Green totaled 113 goals and 247 assists for 360 points in 575 games. He also netted nine goals and 26 assists in 71 playoff games.

Caps defenseman Nate Schmidt, who played alongside Green in his first two NHL seasons, says Green meant a lot to him as a rookie.

“He kind of took me under his wing and spent a lot of time with me,” Schmidt said. “He’s a phenomenal guy off the ice, like he is on the ice. I learned a lot from him and I’m sure there will be some Green magic out there. Hopefully, not too much.”

Schmidt said the trait that stood out the most to him was Green’s ability to snap a pass from a relaxed position, catching opponents by surprise.

“When you least expect Mike Green to do something is when Mike Green does something,” Schmidt said. “He’s got ice in his veins. He doesn’t panic ever and he stands there to make plays longer than anybody who stands and make plays. If I stand there that long I get blown up.”

Beagle agreed, saying even at the age of 10 everyone knew Green was a “specimen from the start.” But it was Green’s thunderous slapshot that Beagle remembers most.

“We actually had a play where we’d just give it to him and he had a clapper,” Beagle recalled of his days in peewee hockey. “He’d go top shelf and goalies couldn’t stop it. Kind of like Fulton Reed from The Mighty Ducks.”

Several Capitals said they hoped to catch up with Green before tonight’s game, but when he met with reporters on Monday Green already was talking like a crafty opponent.

“I might send them to the wrong restaurant,” he said with a sly smile, “and not show up.”

Chuck Gormley


982046 Winnipeg Jets

An out-hustled, out-muscled Jets lose 5-3 to Wild

By: Paul Wiecek

Posted: 11/10/2015 1:11 PM | Last Modified: 11/10/2015 10:12 PM | Updates | Comments:

ST. PAUL -- So, if this week’s four-game Winnipeg Jets road-trip through the Central Division really is the "measuring stick" it’s been touted to be, the first calculation that was taken here at Xcel Energy Center Tuesday night suggests the Jets are using centimetres in an elite division that is being measured in inches.

The Jets were out-hustled, out-muscled and, for a long stretch in the second period, simply out-classed by a Minnesota Wild team that made a mockery of all that team defence the Jets talk about all the time, erupting for four second period goals en route to a 5-3 Minnesota victory.

And as bad as that sounds, the final score actually flattered the Jets on a night the Wild led 5-1 at one point, rang three goal posts and preyed all night long on an undisciplined Jets team that gave up two breakaway goals in under a two minute span in the second period, the latter one coming while the Wild were shorthanded.

Things unravelled so badly for the Jets that at one point late in the second period they had a three-man disadvantage of sorts, with two men already in the penalty box and a delayed penalty on a third.

Wild winger Thomas Vanek had a big night, with a pair of goals, while the Wild also got single markers from Chris Porter, Erik Haula (shorthanded) and Nino Niederreiter, who opened the scoring less than four minutes into the game.

Bryan Little had the first and last goals for the Jets. The first was a beauty -- a one-handed deflection of a Dustin Byfuglien point-shot that came midway through the first period, while the second one came on a breakaway with under eight minutes to play in the third period to narrow the Wild lead to 5-3.

Blake Wheeler added the other Jets goal, notching his seventh of the season to narrow the Wild lead to 5-2 midway through the third period.

Playing from behind?

That Niederreiter goal at 3:44 of the first period marked the 12th time in 16 games this season that the Jets have given up the first goal of the game. With last night’s loss, the Jets are now 5-5-2 in games in which their opponent scores first, but 3-1-0 when they score first.

About that hot start

After flying out of the gate with a 7-3-1 run in October, the Jets are now just 1-3-1 in November and have collected just three of a possible 10 points in their last five games.

Paul Postma swings and misses

Vanek’s second goal of the night came on a play in which he undressed Jets defenceman Paul Postma so badly that Postma could have been cited for public indecency.

Vanek slid the puck between his skates and simply waltzed around Postma to go in all alone on the Jets net and beat goalie Ondrej Pavelec at 9:54 of the second period.

It was Vanek’s second goal in a five minute span and it put the Wild up 4-1. Jets head coach Paul Maurice pulled Pavelec at that point and replaced him with Michael Hutchinson, although no one was blaming Pavelec for a Jets defence that on this night looked more like the Bombers secondary.

Next?

Things don’t get any easier for the Jets from here. On the contrary, things are about to get a lot more difficult as the Jets travel from here to Dallas, where they will take on the high-flying Dallas Stars Thursday night.

Dallas is the class right now of the Central Division, which is to say they are the class of the class. The Stars were 12-3-0 this season heading into Tuesday night and had won eight of their last 10 games.

The Jets travel from Dallas to Nashville, where they will face the Predators on Saturday and then wrap up this road trip Monday night in St. Louis against the Blues.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 11.11.2015


Trouba blames odd-man rushes and breakaways for Jets defeat

By: Paul Wiecek

Posted: 11/10/2015 10:37 PM

But the message in the Winnipeg Jets dressing room here at Xcel Energy Center Tuesday night was that a 5-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild, which was a lot more lopsided than the final score suggested, had more to do with the Jets beating themselves than anything the Wild did.

"What they got was a function of what we gave them -- it was the odd-man rushes and the breakaways. And that’s on us. That’s for us to clean up," Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba said after the game.

The Jets gave up two breakaway goals in a span of under two minutes during a four-goal second period by the Wild that saw the Jets scrambling to keep up with a Minnesota onslaught that came fast and furious.

Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, who was making a rare second consecutive start, was lifted after the fourth Wild goal and replaced by Michael Hutchinson, but nobody in the Jets dressing room was even remotely pinning this one on Winnipeg’s goaltending.

"We can’t rely on our goalies to make those kind of saves for us. There was just a let up by us," said Jets centre Bryan Little, who had a pair of goals and now leads the Jets with eight this season.

Trailing 5-1, the Jets mustered a minor comeback in the third period but it was much too little and much too late.

"I don’t know why it took us being down 5-1 to turn it on like that," said Little. "But that’s the way we have to play is like we did at the end, with some desperation. It’s early in the season but these are big points against teams in our division. We’ve got to find a way to come out like we did in the end."

Trouba said the blame for all those odd-man rushes falls on the Jets blueliners. "You can’t really expect our goalie to handle those. That’s on the defencemen. We just have to be better on our pinches...

"We want to be aggressive and we want to be along the walls, but you have to pick your times and make the right reads to make the plays when they’re supposed to be made. But that’s kind of been a theme the last couple games, giving up odd-man rushes. It’s something we need to clean up."

The Jets have now lost three in a row and are just 1-3-1 in their last five games.

Jets head coach Paul Maurice, whose post-game availability Tuesday night clocked in at a season-low 1:12, was asked if his team could build on their third period heading into the rest of a four-game Central Division swing with dates in Dallas on Thursday, Nashville on Saturday and St. Louis on Monday.

"No, we’ll build on our first two periods. That’s where we need to get better," said Maurice.

The loss to the Wild dropped Winnipeg’s road record this season to 5-3-1, while the Wild improved at home to a sparkling 7-1-0.



An out-hustled, out-muscled Jets lose 5-3 to Wild

By: Paul Wiecek

Posted: 11/10/2015 1:11 PM | Last Modified: 11/10/2015 10:12 PM

ST. PAUL -- So, if this week’s four-game Winnipeg Jets road-trip through the Central Division really is the "measuring stick" it’s been touted to be, the first calculation that was taken here at Xcel Energy Center Tuesday night suggests the Jets are using centimetres in an elite division that is being measured in inches.

The Jets were out-hustled, out-muscled and, for a long stretch in the second period, simply out-classed by a Minnesota Wild team that made a mockery of all that team defence the Jets talk about all the time, erupting for four second period goals en route to a 5-3 Minnesota victory.

And as bad as that sounds, the final score actually flattered the Jets on a night the Wild led 5-1 at one point, rang three goal posts and preyed all night long on an undisciplined Jets team that gave up two breakaway goals in under a two minute span in the second period, the latter one coming while the Wild were shorthanded.

Things unravelled so badly for the Jets that at one point late in the second period they had a three-man disadvantage of sorts, with two men already in the penalty box and a delayed penalty on a third.

Wild winger Thomas Vanek had a big night, with a pair of goals, while the Wild also got single markers from Chris Porter, Erik Haula (shorthanded) and Nino Niederreiter, who opened the scoring less than four minutes into the game.

Bryan Little had the first and last goals for the Jets. The first was a beauty -- a one-handed deflection of a Dustin Byfuglien point-shot that came midway through the first period, while the second one came on a breakaway with under eight minutes to play in the third period to narrow the Wild lead to 5-3.

Blake Wheeler added the other Jets goal, notching his seventh of the season to narrow the Wild lead to 5-2 midway through the third period.

Playing from behind?

That Niederreiter goal at 3:44 of the first period marked the 12th time in 16 games this season that the Jets have given up the first goal of the game. With last night’s loss, the Jets are now 5-5-2 in games in which their opponent scores first, but 3-1-0 when they score first.

About that hot start

After flying out of the gate with a 7-3-1 run in October, the Jets are now just 1-3-1 in November and have collected just three of a possible 10 points in their last five games.

Paul Postma swings and misses

Vanek’s second goal of the night came on a play in which he undressed Jets defenceman Paul Postma so badly that Postma could have been cited for public indecency.

Vanek slid the puck between his skates and simply waltzed around Postma to go in all alone on the Jets net and beat goalie Ondrej Pavelec at 9:54 of the second period.

It was Vanek’s second goal in a five minute span and it put the Wild up 4-1. Jets head coach Paul Maurice pulled Pavelec at that point and replaced him with Michael Hutchinson, although no one was blaming Pavelec for a Jets defence that on this night looked more like the Bombers secondary.

Next?

Things don’t get any easier for the Jets from here. On the contrary, things are about to get a lot more difficult as the Jets travel from here to Dallas, where they will take on the high-flying Dallas Stars Thursday night.

Dallas is the class right now of the Central Division, which is to say they are the class of the class. The Stars were 12-3-0 this season heading into Tuesday night and had won eight of their last 10 games.

The Jets travel from Dallas to Nashville, where they will face the Predators on Saturday and then wrap up this road trip Monday night in St. Louis against the Blues.



Terrible second period too much for Winnipeg Jets to overcome

By Ken Wiebe, Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 09:42 PM CST | Updated: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 10:50 PM CST

ST. PAUL – It was an ominous start to what has the potential to be a defining road trip for the Winnipeg Jets.

Defensive breakdowns were far too plentiful as the Jets fell 5-3 to the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night before a crowd of 19,153 at Xcel Energy Center.

Don't let the score fool you, the Jets were outclassed during the second period as the Wild exploded for four goals to distance themselves from their geographical rivals.

No, the Jets didn't roll over, scoring twice in the third period to make things interesting.

But not quitting when you're down is something that has to be the standard and the Jets would prefer to not find themselves in that situation very often anyway.

“I don't know why it took us to (be down) 5-1 to turn it on like that,” said Jets centre Bryan Little, who had two goals and an assist. “But that's the way we've got to play, the way we did at the end. With some desperation. It's early in the season, but these are big points against teams in our division and we've got to find a way to come out like we ended it.”

It wasn't just the four-goal outburst that had the Jets feeling generally annoyed after this loss to a Central Division opponent, it was how they fell behind after the two teams traded goals in the first period.

Two breakaways – included one shorthanded by the speedy Erik Haula – and an outstanding individual effort by Thomas Vanek, who undressed Paul Postma by slipping the puck between his own skates before waltzing around the Jets' defenceman, gave the Wild three goals on four shots on four shots in the first half of the second period.

“The amount of odd-man rushes and breakaways that we gave up stand out to us,” said Jets defenceman Jacob Trouba. “You can't really expect your goalie to take those and handle them. That's on the defencemen. We need to be better with our pinches and watching guys fly the zone.

“We want to be aggressive and we want to be down the walls, but you've got to pick the right times and make the right reads to make the plays when they're supposed to be made. That's kind of been a theme the last few games, giving odd-man rushes and that's something we need to clean up.”

Needless to say, Vanek walking around Postma doesn't bode well in the “audition” to stay in the lineup.

Leaks in the defensive structure are going to happen, especially in the first quarter of the season, but something seems to be off with how the Jets have been defending of late.

It's obvious that's an area the Jets need to lock down if they want to have success this season, as it was a big part of the foundation that led them to the playoffs last spring.

“I think we've had some games where we've been really good and then other games where we've had those breakdowns,” said Jets captain Andrew Ladd. “It's something that we need to take care of. You don't want to give up those Grade-A chances.”

The second goal from Vanek prompted Jets head coach Paul Maurice to get out the hook for Ondrej Pavelec, who gave up four goals on 12 shots and gave way to Michael Hutchinson.

Make no mistake, this was a mercy pull for Pavelec.

“He had seen enough,” said Maurice.

Hutchinson made 15 saves in relief and gave his team a chance to stay in the contest, as Blake Wheeler (on the power play) and Bryan Little (on his own rebound to give him two in the contest and a team-leading eight on the season) scored for the Jets, who also snapped a zero-for-16 drought with the man advantage.

But much of that was window dressing.

“They stopped playing, we got a little quicker,” said an unimpressed and somewhat agitated Maurice, when asked what his club did better in the third.

Things don't get any easier on this four-game swing against Central Division foes as they Jets face the Dallas Stars on Thursday at American Airlines Center.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 11.11.2015


Jets look to tame Wild

Copp, Petan return to lineup as four-game road trip opens

By Ken Wiebe, Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Tuesday, November 10, 2015 01:22 PM CST

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Andrew Copp is trying to show that he hasn't missed a beat.

The Winnipeg Jets rookie centre returns to the lineup on Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild after missing four games with an upper-body injury.

“To start, you keep it simple and not try to do anything too crazy out there,” said Copp, who has one goal and two points in 11 games this season. “Just come in and try to make a difference and try to make an impact.”

Copp suffered the injury in a game against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Oct. 31 on a night he scored his first NHL goal.

“It made a dent in the big night, but it's one of those things that's going to happen and you have to work through it,” said Copp, who didn't go into detail on the exact nature of the upper-body injury. “ It was kind of a weird injury. In talking to the doctors, it was kind of a fluke type of thing. But no, it wasn't from the fist pump from scoring, no.”

The Jets are opening a critical four-game road trip against Central Division opponents that also includes games against the Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators and St. Louis Blues.

“Everybody knows what the schedule is,” said Jets head coach Paul Maurice. “But to play well and have success in any of these games, you've really got to be on your game, which means you focus on this one and this one only. In terms of how you run the bench as a coach, you're not saving anything for the next night.”

When the Jets and Wild get together, you can usually count on a close contest, as 11 of the past 13 games have been decided by one goal.

The Jets took the first and only head-to-head meeting of the season so far back on Oct. 25, chasing backup goalie Darcy Kuemper less than a minute into the second period in what turned out to be a 5-4 victory at MTS Centre.

“(The Wild) are quick, they play fast in this building and the crowd is pretty vocal and they feed off the energy in the building,” said Jets right-winger Blake Wheeler, when asked what makes the Wild so go at Xcel Energy Center. “Our goal is to make it as boring as possible for them.”

In addition to Copp's return, Nic Petan will be back in the Jets lineup after missing Saturday's 3-0 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers with an illness, while defenceman Paul Postma remains on the third pairing with Mark Stuart.

“I just need to restart where I was on the last road trip,” said Petan, who has one goal in 11 games as an NHL rookie. “Everyone kind of remembers the last time we were here (an 8-1 loss in the pre-season). I know it was pre-season, but you want to get back and have a strong game here.”

Ondrej Pavelec starts in goal for the Jets, while the Wild counter with Devan Dubnyk, who made 31 saves and posted his second shutout of the season on Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The Wild be be without forwards Zach Parise (knee) and Justin Fontaine (knee) and defenceman Marco Scandella, who will miss the game to tend to a family matter.

Parise leads the Wild with seven goals this season, but is currently listed as week-to-week after suffering a sprained right MCL.

“Everyone has to pull the rope a little more and give a little extra,” said Wild forward Charlie Coyle. “Zach is a tough guy to replace, but we have guys that can step up and fill those roles and do the best that we can. That's what's good about our team. We have the depth to do that.”

Wild left-winger Kurtis Gabriel was recalled from Iowa of the American Hockey League and will bring some additional toughness to the lineup as he makes his NHL debut.

“You only get one opportunity to play your first game in the NHL. While I want you to be mindful of our systems and you've got to try not to make mistakes, you've got to show what you can do. I want to see him go out there and show and how his game can be effective within our team concept. We're not a team that likes to run around and take stupid

penalties, so that will be a good test for him,” said Wild head coach Mike Yeo, who was also asked about the match-up with the Jets. “Obviously, we've talked about this before. Points in your division are important, so we should get excited for a good rivalry game tonight. They're always tight games, intense games. Their fans are always here and always loud and it makes our fans a little ornery, which makes for a fun game. We just have to find a way to be at our best and make sure that we're ready to go from the drop of the puck, because we know they will be.”

Here's how both teams are expected to start tonight's game:

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 11.11.2015

982051 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks’ Burrows ‘just moving on,’ says 'chirping' didn’t cross the line with Devils’ Tootoo

‘I kind of wished it had stayed on the ice where I think it belongs’

By Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun November 10, 2015

COLUMBUS — Alex Burrows offered no apology to Jordin Tootoo, saying comments he made to the New Jersey Devils winger did not cross the line and definitely did not target Tootoo's heritage or personal history.

"Personally, I don't really think I crossed the line," Burrows said after the Vancouver Canucks' morning skate on Tuesday. "What I said I have been told the same in the past and have heard it plenty of times throughout my career.

"So I kind of wished it had stayed on the ice where I think it belongs. For me, I am just moving on and getting ready for tonight's game."

Tootoo complained after Sunday's game that Burrows had used personal slurs against him when the two were in the penalty box together. He said he wanted the league to investigate.

Tootoo's complaint had some assuming Burrows had made comments about Tootoo's heritage or struggles with alcohol.

"That is absolutely false." Burrows said. "I wouldn't go there. It was a pretty normal comment, I don't think I crossed the line and I am leaving it at that."

Burrows has always been known as one of the NHL's biggest trash-talkers, although he says he has toned things down in recent years.

"There is a lot of chirping," he said. "I haven't chirped as much as I used to in the past. But I always try to keep it legit and fair and I think that is what it was. I think we were just battling out there."

Burrows said he did not hear from the league directly, but believes it investigated the matter.

"I didn't talk to the league directly, personally, but my understanding is there are so many cameras on us, there's microphones on the bench, microphones in the penalty box. I am sure they looked at it and nothing came out of it. You have to watch what you say because if you cross the line it wouldn't be good, especially in this day and age."

Burrows said he discussed the matter with head coach Willie Desjardins, who told him to be cautious.

Tootoo, meanwhile, met Tuesday with Devils GM Ray Shero to discuss the Burrows incident and said he does not plan to address the matter face-to-face with Burrows when the Devils and Canucks meet again Nov. 22 in Vancouver.

"It's not like I'm going to carry it over. I have more important things to worry about," Tootoo told the The Star-Ledger newspaper in New Jersey after the Devils' morning skate Tuesday.

"I had a conversation with Ray about it. From my end I know I'm a better person to move on from the situation," Tootoo said. "I can go to bed at night at ease. Can he? At the end of the day you know what you said."

Tootoo said the personal comments from Burrows went beyond trash-talking.

"I get trash-talking," Tootoo said. "There's a line not to be crossed. Trash-talking has always been part of the game. You just don't dive into stuff like that."

Neither Burrows nor Tootoo would get into the specifics of what was said on Sunday.

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 11.11.2015


Canucks Game Day: Jacob Markstrom to get his first start of NHL season vs. Blue Jackets


COLUMBUS — They fire off a cannon whenever the Columbus Blue Jackets score at Nationwide Arena.

Jacob Markstrom is hoping he doesn't hear it much tonight.

Markstrom will get his first start in goal this season for the Vancouver Canucks when they meet the Blue Jackets in a 4 p.m. Pacific time start (Sportsnet Pacific, TSN 1040). Markstrom suffered a hamstring injury in the final practice of the pre-season and just rejoined the Canucks after a two-game conditioning stint with the AHL's Utica Comets.

He'll be facing a Blue Jackets team that seems to have been revitalized under new head coach John Tortorella.

"They have a good team," Markstrom said. "It's going to be challenge. We'll need to be really sharp to leave with two points."

Coach Willie Desjardins said it was important to give starter Ryan Miller some rest. Miller has started all but one of Vancouver's 15 games this season.

"He is a guy we want to get going," Desjardins said of Markstrom. "It's tough to have that injury, he was playing well in the pre-season. We wanted to get him up and running as soon as we could.

"We have played Miller an awful lot, maybe over-used him a little bit. We want to get someone else going and give Miller a breather."

Defenceman Chris Tanev, who missed Sunday's game in New Jersey with an upper-body injury, skated this morning but will be a game-time decision.

Desjardins has juggled his forward lines. He had Jannik Hansen skating with the Sedins at the morning skate, while Radim Vrbata was with Bo Horvat and Chris Higgins. Vancouver's other two forward lines are expected to have Brandon Sutter between Sven Baertschi and Alex Burrows and Jared McCann with Adam Cracknell and Derek Dorsett.

With Cracknell drawing into the lineup, it looks like rookie Jake Virtanen will be a healthy scratch tonight.

The Canucks hope to bump a three-game slump against a Columbus team that has yet to win at home.

The Blue Jackets are 0-5-0 at Nationwide Arena this season, but are 4-4-0 under Tortorella, who replaced the fired Todd Richards.

"It has been a wake-up call definitely since Torts came here, just the way he demands things done," veteran Columbus winger Scott Hartnell said today. "I think our young group needed that.

"We have probably played our worst games of the year at home. You can tell by the boos we have been getting at home and it's embarrassing … This is a big night for us."

The Canucks started this seven-game road trip with a pair of one-goal weekend losses in Buffalo and New Jersey. The Canucks have lost nine games this season, all of them by one goal.

Cracknell returns to the lineup after sitting out the last two games as a healthy scratch. He played 17 games with the Blue Jackets last season.

"Last year I wanted to hear the cannon as much as possible, but this year you don't want to hear it," Cracknell said. "It's going to be exciting. I know what kind of character is over in that (Columbus) room and you know that it is going to be a hard-fought game."

The Blue Jackets are expected to line up this way:

• Boone Jenner-Ryan Johansen-Nick Foligno

• Scott Hartnell-Brandon Dubinsky-Brandon Saad

• Matt Calvert-William Karlsson-Cam Atkinson

• Gregory Campbell-Alexander Wennberg-Jared Boll

On defence:

• Jack Johnson-David Savard

• Fedor Tyutin-Ryan Murray

• Kevin Connauton-Cody Goloubef

•Sergei Bobrovsky will start in goal.

• INJURIES:

The Canucks are without LW Brandon Prust (ankle) and D Luca Sbisa (lower body). D Chris Tanev (upper body) will be a game-tie decision.

The Blue Jackets are missing RW David Clarkson (back).

ICE CHIPS: Wes McCauley and Evgeny Romasko are tonight's referees … The Canucks head to Ottawa after the game. They meet the Senators on Thursday. The seven-game trip concludes with games Saturday in Toronto, Monday in Montreal and next Wednesday in Winnipeg.



Markstrom marvelous as Canucks beat Blue Jackets 5-3


COLUMBUS -- Jacob Markstrom finally got a chance to play Tuesday night. He made the wait worth it.

Markstrom was spectacular in his season debut, making 42 saves in leading the Vancouver Canucks to a 5-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.

Twenty-two of those saves came in a scoreless second period, when Markstrom did everything but stand on his head.

“He was big tonight,” said winger Jannik Hansen, who also had a big night. Hansen got to play with the Sedin twins and had a goal and three assists and finished plus-five on the night.

“He made some some huge saves for us in the first and the second and obviously came up big in the third as well,” Hansen said of Markstrom. “He was the one reason we were in that game after 40 (minutes).”

Markstrom has just returned from a hamstring injury suffered late in the pre-season.

“Personally, it feels great for me to just be in the net,” Markstrom said. “It had been a long summer and then the injury coming the day before the opener was real tough. I’m just happy I am back in net and obviously I just enjoyed every second of it tonight. It was a huge game for us, a huge two points.”

Markstrom made a number of amazing saves. The best of them came after he made his only real mistake of the game. He came out of the net early in the third period to play the puck and passed it directly to Columbus captain Nick Foligno.

Foligno flipped the puck at the empty net and Markstrom somehow dove back to the crease to get his stick on the shot.

“Bad turnover by me, I didn’t really see the guy,” Markstrom said. “Then I got lucky, it hit my stick.”

The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Canucks, who for a change won a game in the third period.

They fell behind 3-2 at 8:01 of the third when Cam Atkinson scored on a short-handed breakaway.

But Henrik Sedin tied it a minute later on a brilliant feed from Hansen.

Henrik, Daniel and Hansen combined for 11 points. You could almost hear Columbus coach John Tortorella muttering, “see, that is why I played them 22 minutes a night.”

Centre Brandon Sutter scored the winner at 14:52 of the third period when he wheeled past Columbus defenceman Ryan Murray and beat goalie Sergei Bobrovsky. Hansen set that one up, too.

“Janny made a pretty good play there,” Sutter said. “He had a guy on him and he fought him off, kept his feet going and I just tried to kind of get some speed and bust loose. Once he made the pass, I had feeling I could probably get by the guy just the way I was moving at the time. I just took it to the net and luckily it went in.”

Henrik Sedin added an empty-net goal at 18:21 of the third.

Markstrom’s play masked some defensive and special teams deficiencies by the Canucks.

The Blue Jackets needed only 16 seconds to score two power-play goals in the first period and Vancouver’s power play went 0-for-3 and surrendered that short-handed goal.

“By no means did we have our best game tonight,” Sutter said. “We just needed a win to get our confidence back.”

Coach Willie Desjardins acknowledged he is concerned about his sputtering power play. The Canucks went with a four-forward first unit Tuesday night, adding Alex Burrows and removing defenceman Yannick Webber. But it generated nothing.

“Our PK has been so good all year,” Desjardins said. “I am not as worried about our PK, but our power play wasn’t good. We were out of synch. You will hardly ever win when you give up two on the power play and a shorthanded one like that.”

Winger Derek Dorsett left the game midway through the first when he was cut above the eye by the skate of Columbus forward Brandon Saad. Dorsett returned late in the first wearing a visor.

Defenceman Chris Tanev, who missed Sunday’s game in New Jersey with an upper-body injury, returned to the lineup. And Adam Cracknell, who had missed the last two games as a healthy scratch, drew back in.

Alex Biega and Jake Virtanen were healthy scratches for Vancouver.

The Canucks improved to 7-4-5 and are now 5-1-2 on the road. The Blue Jackets fell to 4-12-0 and are 0-6-0 at home.

ICE CHIPS: The Canucks chartered to Ottawa after the game. They meet the Senators on Thursday night. The team will attend Remembrance Day ceremonies on Parliament Hill on Wednesday. . .Tuesday was the 14th anniversary of the trade that brought Trevor Linden back to the Canucks. He and a second-round pick were acquired from the Washington Capitals in exchange for first- and third-round picks.



'I don’t really think I crossed the line': Alex Burrows on Tootoo chatter

By Ben Kuzma, The Province November 10, 2015

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gamesmanship has always been part of the NHL game. Anything to get opposing players off their game is almost like a rite of passage.

The problem becomes when someone crosses the line of what’s acceptable, and Jordin Tootoo alleges Alex Burrows did that Sunday in New Jersey by making disparaging comments about his “personal life and family” while they were serving penalties.

"I have no respect for that guy — nor should the NHL," he said. "They shouldn't tolerate stuff like that."

Tootoo said "I get trash talking." Says it was beyond trash talking.

— Rich Chere (@Ledger_NJDevils) November 10, 2015

Burrows begs to differ about the allegations, but the Vancouver Canucks winger wouldn't say what he said.

“I don’t really think I crossed the line,” Burrows said Tuesday after the morning skate. “What I said, I’ve been told the same in the past and I’ve heard it plenty of times throughout my career, so I kind of wish it would have stayed on the ice where it belongs.”

Tootoo, 32, entered the league’s substance abuse and behavioural health program in December 2010 because of an alcohol problem. His brother, Terrence, committed suicide in 2002 following an arrest for drunk driving. Burrows said he didn’t go there in his comments.

“That’s absolutely false,” he stressed. “I wouldn’t go there. It was a pretty normal comment and we’ll leave it at that. There’s a lot of chirping that goes on — and I don’t do as much as I used to in the past — and I try to keep it legit and fair. That’s what it was.”

Tootoo wanted to engage Burrows after they exited the penalty box and wound up fighting Derek Dorsett. Burrows didn’t talk to the NHL directly about the incident and his understanding is the NHL is wary about what gets said on the ice.

“There are so many microphones and cameras on the bench and the penalty box and I’m sure they (NHL) looked at it, but nothing came out of it,” added Burrows.

“You have to watch what you say. When I first came up, that (trash talking) was a part of my game and I tried to bring energy playing five minutes a game. If I could get somebody off their game and take a penalty on me, that was part of the game. Now, as I’ve mellowed or matured, I’m pretty much trying got help us win.

“Willie (Desjardins) said to be cautious, but he’s been around the league a long time and he keeps bringing up the Stan Mikita analogy, and that’s the best way to look at it.”

Mikita, the former Chicago Blackhawks star, escaped Communist-controlled Czechoslovakia and was adopted by his aunt and uncle. He heard plenty as one of the league’s most-penalized players before deciding to play cleaner and won two Lady Byng trophies.

Said Desjardins: “As a team, we look at things and we always try to keep things on the ice. Sometimes, individuals take it someplace else.”

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 11.11.2015


Canucks 5 Jackets 3: Markstrom bends, but doesn't break, in impressive season debut

By Ben Kuzma, The Province November 10, 2015

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ka-boom. That’s the sound Jacob Markstrom didn’t want to hear often Tuesday.

A cannon signals every Columbus Blue Jackets goal and the Vancouver Canucks backup goaltender had to only endure three piercing eardrum-aching blasts.

In his first regular-season start after suffering a hamstring injury in the final preseason practice, Markstrom carried over the momentum of two AHL games on a weekend conditioning stint with the Utica Comets and was the difference with a 42-save performance in a 5-3 victory.

He had to stop breakaways. He had to fight to control rebounds and fight to keep his feet as the Blue Jackets stormed his crease.

He bent. He didn’t break. It was impressive.

Markstrom even made an ill-advised pass across the slot early in the the third period — right to Nick Foligno — and dove across the open net to just get his stick on the shot headed inside the post.

He then sprawled but was beat by Cam Atkinson on a shorthanded breakaway to give the Jackets a 3-2 lead.

It was the 41st shot he faced.

Henrik Sedin restored the hope to even the count and then Brandon Sutter scored off a breakaway to seal the deal before the captain added an empty-net goal.

It made for a most memorable night for Markstrom.

“It was a great win for us and we showed great character in the third period,” said Markstrom. “It’s great to get a lot of shots, but it depends on what kind of shots they are. I gave up a lot of rebounds the guys cleaned them up for me and it was a team effort.”

Markstrom’s effort to dive back into his crease to thwart Foligno was something special.

“It was a bad pass and a bad turnover by me and then I got lucky and it hit my stick,” said Markstrom. “Personally, it just feels great to be in the net. It was a long summer and I trained for this and then the injury came before the opener. It was tough. I just enjoyed every second of it tonight.

“There are a lot of different challenges at this level. Just stopping the puck first of all and then rebounds, too. The more you play and the more used to the pace, the better you’re going to get.”

Markstrom had a strong preseason and you knew he wanted to erase the bad memory of his first start last March when he allowed three shots on four goals and got yanked against San Jose. On the third stop of this seven-game road trip, there was no danger of that.

He was good. Real good.

“You’re a little worried about last year and you don’t want him to have one of those starts,” said Canucks coach Willie Desjardins. “We kind of gave him the perfect game to gain his confidence.”

Having Sutter put the game away for his first goal in eight games was gratifying for everybody. He showed speed, skill, patience and finish on the play and the Canucks need to see that on a regular basis.

“We just made a good play coming out of our zone — Janny (Hansen) fought his guy off and kept his feet going — and I just tried to get some speed and bust loose,” said Sutter. “Once he made the pass, I felt I could get by the guy (Ryan Murray) and just took it to the net. We just needed a win to get our confidence back, but it wasn’t our best game tonight.”

The only other goals that beat Markstrom were a crease rebound conversion and perfect cross-ice, power-play feed.

The Canucks were outshot 22-7 in the second period and if not for five stellar stops — including Foligno on a partial break, Jack Johnson with a heavy power-point blast and David Savard with a rocket at the buzzer — the game could have gone south in a hurry.

“He was big tonight,” said winger Jannik Hansen, who had a big night on the top line with a goal and three assists and a plus-5 rating. “He’s the only reason we were in the game after 40.”

The result kept the Blue Jackets winless on home ice and kept John Tortorella wondering what his new club has to do to make that happen.

He was right about one thing: after trumpeting the play of Henrik and Daniel Sedin after the morning skate, he got to watch them spin some magic with Hansen and combine for 11 points. In the second period, Daniel sent a sweet feed from behind the net to Hansen in the slot to erase a 1-0 deficit and Hansen then returned the favour when a cheeky back pass from behind the net that Daniel quickly converted.

Derek Dorsett was stuck by a skate above his right eye in the first period, required stitches, and then returned on an effective fourth line with Jared McCann and Adam Cracknell.

It was a much-need win and it left us with these observations and concerns:

IS HANSEN THE NEW TRIPLET?

He is, at least for now. Not sure how you break up a line where Daniel and Hansen have four points and Henrik has three.

“You shake up the lines a little bit and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t,” reasoned Hansen. “I’m sure we’ll change it again at some point, but I’m glad today that we were able to score a couple of goals. But not too many more back passes by me, that’s a sure way to get off that."

Said Willie Desjardins: “With that line, it seems like we’re going to have to rotate guys. Guys have a big game and then the line seems to tail off.”

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE POWER PLAY?

The Canucks couldn’t convert on the power play for the fifth-straight game after going back to the four-forward alignment.

There was puck movement but no finish — and at least no dreaded drop passes.

The second unit wasn’t much better.

“We’re not even getting momentum off the power play, not shots or anything,” said Sutter. “We’ve been working on it but we have to get back to some basics and get some pucks on net.”

“Our power play wasn’t good,” added Desjardins of going 0-for-3. “We’re out of sync and you’ll hardly ever win if you give up two power-play goals and a shorthanded. It’s hard to win those games.”

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PENALTY KILL?

The Canucks have now surrendered a power-play goal in the last four games. The Blue Jackets needed seven seconds to convert their first chance. Markstrom made the original save and Boone Jenner scored on the rebound. Burrows and Bo Horvat did have shorthanded chances in the second period. Then Atkinson scored a shorty on a breakaway.

Something is wrong here.

“We got picked apart,” said Hansen. “Even the one we killed, they had quite a few opportunities and it definitely needs some work. Any time you give up over 35 shots (actually 45) it’s too many. You can’t rely on your goalie like that.”

Added Sutter: “We gave them two on the back door on the power play that were the same goal.”

HEY, TAKE THAT, TORTS?

Hansen got more than an earful in a memorable Nov. 28, 2013 game in Ottawa.

When Clarke MacArthur scored in the first period and Hansen wasn’t quick on the back check, Tortorella lost it. He started chirping at the Canucks winger when he returned to the bench and repeatedly pointed to places on the ice where Hansen should have been.

And when the Dane sat down, the cameras zoomed in to catch the coach in full lather and poking his player in the shoulder to drive home points. Hansen would play just 3:11 in a 5-2 win.

On Tuesday, Hansen played 14:48, had four point and was a plus-5. Take that, Torts, right?

“I think that’s more for you (media) guys,” said Hansen. “Players have put it behind us a long time ago."



Canucks Game Day: Markstrom no cannon fodder, Cracknell gets a crack, Torts salutes Sedins, Jackets finding identity

Posted by:

Ben Kuzma

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Points to ponder as the Canucks face their former fiery coach John Tortorella and the rejuvenated Blue Jackets (4 p.m. PST, Sportsnet, TSN 1040), who have yet to win on home ice:

They fire a very loud cannon every time the Blue Jackets score here, and Jacob Markstrom doesn’t want to hear it go off tonight. He gets the start after a two-game conditioning stint with the Utica Comets. He backstopped a 5-1 win over Providence on Saturday with 20 saves and made 30 on Friday in a 5-4 shootout loss to Toronto. Markstrom suffered a hamstring injury late in the final preseason practice. It also gives Ryan Miller a needed break from all those breakdowns in his own zone that have led to three straight losses.

“I got to see a lot of different situations with Utica, including a shootout, and the longer the games went the better I felt,” said the 25-year-old Markstrom, who appeared in three NHL games last season and had a win and a loss. “With the injury, it was taking small steps rather than a big one. You think you’re feeling pretty good, but you can’t push it too much and you’ve got to build up the muscles around the area.”

Management’s faith in Markstrom was cemented with his strong run to the Calder Cup final and it led to the trading of Eddie Lack at the 2015 draft. Markstrom went 22-7-2 for the Comets in the regular season and had a 1.88 goals-against average and .934 saves percentage. In the playoffs, he was 12-11 with a 2.11 GAA and .924 percentage.

Markstrom allowed three goals on four shots on March 3 against San Jose and got the mercy hook. He bounced back in a 3-1 win at Arizona on March 27.

“He’s a guy we want to get going,” said Canucks coach Willie Desjardins. “We’ve played Miller an awful lot, maybe overused him a bit. We want to give him a breather and you don’t want him to get worn down and have an injury. We want to make sure he’s healthy.”

CRACKNELL GETS ANOTHER CRACK:

Jake Virtanen sits and Adam Cracknell plays. Desjardins wouldn’t say if Virtanen was injured — he did take the morning skate — and it may have more to do with getting the former Blue Jacket grinding back in after sitting out the last two games. He’ll play on the fourth line with Jared McCann and Derek Dorsett. The well-travelled Cracknell has two goals in nine games this NHL season and is one off a career high.

“It’s exciting to be back and I’ve seen lot of familiar faces,” said Cracknell, who had an assist in 17 games with the Blue Jackets last season before cracking the Canucks roster. “Last year, I wanted to hear the (goal) cannon as much as possible. This year, you don’t want to hear it. I know they have a lot of character in that room and I’ll just play an energy game, create chances, be good defensively and play physical.”

Said Desjardins: “I like Cracknell — he’s strong and gives you a right-handed face-off man. We took him out and it wasn’t that he was playing bad, we just wanted to give other guys a look.”

Desjardins also said the injured Chris Tanev, who didn’t play Sunday but took the morning skate today, is a game-time decision.

TORTS STILL SALUTING SEDINS:

Henrik Sedin has 13 goals and 30 assists in 50 career games against the Blue Jackets. Daniel Sedin has 14 goals and 31 assists in 51 games, so you can understand John Tortorella’s admiration for his former players and his concerns tonight.

“I don’t think you stop Danny and Henrik — you just try to control them and contain them the best you can,” said Tortorella. “They don’t get enough credit for them playing in the areas. They’re skilled people, but they’re hard players and play in those hard areas. I experienced it. They just know where each other is and they’re tough to defend.

“They’ll be a big part of this game and they’re a big part of our game plan. I don’t think you stop them — they’re too good. But you try to contain them.”

JUMPING JACKETS FLASH:

Tortorella prefers bite and stiffness as he believes his club can wear teams down. It’s working. Columbus has 17 third-period goals and ranks fourth behind Montreal (23), Dallas (20) and Washington (18). And veterans have clearly bought into the plan because Scott Hartnell has five goals and two assists in the last six games and shares the team lead with seven goals and four assists.

“I’m playing more minutes and we’re right in games, and what I like is that we’re forming an identity — we’re much harder working than we were,” said Hartnell. “You hear in the media that we’re going to be in the (Stanley Cup) final and I don’t know if it got to our heads by losing the first seven. You get a dose of reality really quick and there have been boos at home. That’s embarrassing.

“There’s a better atmosphere around here and it’s been a wake-up call since Torts has been here. The way he demands things, and our young players need that.”

It’s also working at the other end. After allowing 34 goals in the 0-7 start that cost Todd Richards his job, the Blue Jackets have given up just 14 goals in their last six games.

PROJECTED LINES

CANUCKS

D.Sedin-H.Sedin-Hansen

Baertschi-Sutter-Burrows

Higgins-Horvat-Vrbata

Dorsett-McCann-Cracknell

BLUE JACKETS

Hartnell-Dubinsky-Saad

Calvert-Karlsson-Atkinson

Campbell-Wennberg-Boll

Jenner-Johansen-Foligno


982057 Websites

ESPN / GMs meetings: Coach's challenge, compensation are hot topics in Toronto

Pierre LeBrun, NHL Writer

TORONTO -- The coach's challenge was reviewed as expected, specifically the goalie interference aspect.

"We have had some issues with coach's challenge," NHL executive vice president Colin Campbell said. "The issues, I guess, is that we don't want to go back to 'toe in the crease.'"

Which is to say the general managers and league don't want to go back to the late 1990s, when a toe in the blue paint would negate a goal. That was disaster. Brett Hull in Buffalo, anybody?

And so the feeling in the room Tuesday was to overturn goals where the goalie is clearly interfered with, but don't get too ticky-tacky with it. The league will be in touch with refs to tweak their goalie interference reviews to reflect this.

"We've had some issues where we might want to see the other decision," Campbell said. "But the referees are adapting fairly well; it's the first time they're doing something like this."

The bottom line, though, is that most GMs are happy so far with how it's working.

"The coach's challenge is working. We're getting more right calls, but for anyone who thinks we're going to get 100 percent perfection, I mean, it's the hardest call to make in the game," veteran Nashville GM David Poile said. "We've thrown more resources at it to the refs on the ice [with video review]. We're trying the best we can to get it right."

Executive Compensation Reviewed

As Craig Custance wrote Tuesday morning, team personnel compensation issue is a tense issue and was indeed discussed in the general managers meeting.

There are many GMs who don't agree that fired personnel should warrant draft-pick compensation in the new rule -- for example, the Vancouver Canucks netting a second-round pick in return for John Tortorella's hiring by the Columbus Blue Jackets earlier this season.

Commissioner Gary Bettman has said that the new rule needs to take a full one-year cycle to Jan. 1 before there's a decision made on the future of it.

"They've asked us to think about it, and when we meet again, we'll talk about it," Canucks GM Jim Benning said. "My own personal opinion on it is that I think it will get modified for sure if they decide to keep it."

The key there is, if the league decides to keep it. Bettman was never a fan of this rule to begin with.

"There are a lot of sticking issues. This was not a clean policy from start to finish," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said after Tuesday's meeting.

The issue will be further dissected/debated at the Board of Governors meeting in Pebble Beach (Dec. 7-9), and that makes sense since it's as much an owners issue as it is for GMs.

Stay tuned, but if I had to bet, I think Bettman wants to simply scrap this whole thing.

Other nuggets from Tuesday's six-hour GMs meeting:

Daly shed light to GMs on the Mike Richards settlement with the Los Angeles Kings, which left some GMs unhappy because they saw it as a potential circumvention of the collective bargaining agreement. The league says it's not at all a circumvention and falls well within the rules of the CBA.

"They wanted to know a little bit of background about it, and I explained it to them," Daly said.

There were questions from GMs to Bettman on potential expansion rules as far as roster protection and the expansion draft. What Bettman told them, according to one source, is that it's too premature to talk about those things, that the league was still taking its time on the expansion front.

Kay Whitmore, from the NHL's hockey ops department -- or, as I like to call him, the NHL's goalie police -- also addressed the GMs. He plans to continue to work with the NHLPA through the direction of the Competition

Committee in regards to further reducing the size of goalie equipment, particularly in the chest and pant area. This is always a contentious area for goalies, and the NHLPA is very protective of its members in net. However, goal scoring is once again a difficult chore in the NHL, and there's a common direction from GMs and the league's head office to find ways to increase scoring.

Bigger nets aren't attractive to most GMs, so further decreasing goalie equipment is seen as an avenue to pursue.

ESPN LOADED: 11.11.2015

982058 Websites

NBCSports.com / GMs discuss ways to increase scoring, bigger nets not ruled out

By Jason BroughNov 10, 2015, 4:07 PM EST

They say the first step is admitting you have a problem.

Today in Toronto, NHL general managers met and discussed ways to increase scoring.

Bigger nets have not been ruled out as a future solution, according to league executive Colin Campbell.

NHL teams are currently averaging 2.48 goals per game. That’s only slightly above the 2.46 level of 2003-04, the lowest-scoring season of the modern era.

Though Campbell didn’t rule out making the nets bigger in the future, it’s unlikely that such a move would be made anytime soon. Cutting down the goaltenders’ equipment is generally seen as a more realistic first step.

NBCSports.com / LOADED: 11.11.2015

982059 Websites

NBCSports.com / To coach Sutter, Ehrhoff and Forbort are ‘the same guy’


Tonight at Staples Center, for the second game in a row, young Derek Forbort will take veteran Christian Ehrhoff‘s spot on the Kings’ third defense pairing.

Forbort, 23, played 14:06 Saturday and had an assist in the 4-1 win over Florida.

Ehrhoff was a healthy scratch. The 33-year-old is a team-worst minus-7, if you’re looking for reasons why.

Kings coach Darryl Sutter sees similarities between the two defensemen, even if their ages are quite different.

“Christian’s older, so you’ve got to manage his games and make sure he gets his pace and keeps his execution and his compete up, and same with Derek,” Sutter told L.A. Kings Insider. “He has to learn about pace, execution and compete. So maintaining that with Christian and getting Derek to be there certainly gives us the same guy.”

Which player emerges as Sutter’s preferred choice will be worth watching as the season progresses. Certainly, the Kings would love to see Forbort reach the potential they saw when they drafted him 15th overall in 2010. Ehrhoff, in contrast, is a pending unrestricted free agent that the club signed in August for a bargain $1.5 million cap hit.

The Kings host the Coyotes tonight.


982060 Websites

NBCSports.com / Keith cleared for contact, could play for ‘Hawks this weekend


Duncan Keith has been cleared for contact and could make his return to the Blackhawks lineup this weekend.

Keith has not played since Oct. 17, soon after which he had knee surgery and was expected to miss 4-6 weeks.

The 32-year-old defenseman will take some contact tomorrow at practice, according to CSN Chicago’s Tracey Myers.

The ‘Hawks are in St. Louis Saturday and host Calgary Sunday.

I would think Keith more likely for game vs. CGY out of the two weekend contests. Just returning, avoid back to back. #Blackhawks

— Tracey Myers (@TramyersCSN) November 10, 2015

Michal Rozsival also is close to returning.

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) November 10, 2015

Asked Q if he might use an 8-man D rotation like he has in the past, but he said, "The cap's going to be making some decisions for us."

— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) November 10, 2015


982061 Websites

NBCSports.com / Canucks send scouts to watch Swedish league’s leading scorer


Anton Rodin still wants to play in the NHL.

Anton who?

Oh, right, most of you have no idea who that is. Rodin was drafted 53rd overall by the Canucks in 2009. He spent a few seasons in the AHL before returning to Sweden in 2013.

And why is this relevant today?

Well, because Rodin’s currently ripping up the Swedish Hockey League with Brynäs IF. The 24-year-old winger has 10 goals and 14 assists in 16 games, and the Canucks have taken notice.

“We have scouts over there this week watching him,” GM Jim Benning told the Vancouver Sun. “I might try to get over there in early February. We still own his rights so we could sign him and bring him back if that’s what we decide.”

But?

“He is not going to want to sign a contract at this stage to come and play in the American league. We have to make the determination first if he makes this team and where we think he is going to fit on our team.”

Rodin told News 1130 in Vancouver that his “goal is to play for the Canucks,” so the NHL dream remains alive and well. If Vancouver doesn’t see a fit, his rights could always be traded to a team that does.

Rodin on great year, "I'm much stronger now, some players take longer to figure it out, I'm more complete player." #Canucks

— NEWS 1130 Sports (@NEWS1130Sports) November 10, 2015


982062 Websites

NBCSports.com / Why can’t the Hurricanes score?


The Carolina Hurricanes have no problem getting shots on goal. They’re averaging 30.9 of them, just one fewer than the NHL-leading Sabres (31.9).

The problem the ‘Canes have is actually scoring on those shots. Which is a pretty big problem, when you think about it. Carolina has the 27th-ranked offense, thanks to a shooting percentage of just 6.9.

It’s been a problem for a while now.

“That’s been our history the past few years,” assistant coach Rod Brind’Amour told the News & Observer. “We have a tendency to get a lot of shots but we’re not a real, real gifted team to put the puck in the net that much. We need to create more and find more ways to get more Grade A chances.”

One theory is that the ‘Canes lack the size and grit to dominate the tough scoring areas. For instance, little Nathan Gerbe has a career shooting percentage of just 6.2. Why is that?

Brind’Amour, meanwhile, would like to see his defensemen contributing more at even strength. Justin Faulk has five goals, but all five were on the power play. Ron Hainsey is the only blue-liner who’s scored without the help of a man advantage.

As we know, GM Ron Francis has some big decisions to make about his roster. Pending unrestricted free agents include Eric Staal, Kris Versteeg, Gerbe, John-Michael Liles, and Cam Ward.

Getting a guy who can put the puck in the net — not just on the net — should be right at the top of his shopping list.


982063 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / 7 things we learned in the NHL: Reimer outstanding in win

Scott Lewis November 11, 2015, 12:53 AM

The Toronto Maple Leafs bested the Dallas Stars for the second time in just over a week with a 3-2 win Tuesday.

James Reimer has certainly made a case to be the Maple Leafs’ man between the pipes, even when Jonathan Bernier is ready to step back into game action.

Reimer raised his season save percentage to .918 with a 36-save performance versus the Stars. It was the third straight start in which Reimer has allowed two goals or less.

Mike Babcock has said he wants one of his goaltenders to step up and run with the No. 1 job, and thus far Reimer has simply been better than Bernier.

So the NHL may want to increase net size sooner than later

On a day when talk of increasing net size and reducing the size of goaltenders equipment dominated the headlines, NHL netminders responded by combining for four shutouts.

New York Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist, Detroit Red Wings' Petr Mrazek, St. Louis Blues' Jake Allen and the Colorado Avalanche's Reto Berra all held opponents scoreless Tuesday night. That's not going to do much for the goaltending brotherhood's cause to keep their equipment nice and bulky.

Allen is red-hot, having registered his second straight shutout and making a case to remain the Blues' No. 1 choice in goal once Brian Elliott is healthy.

#stlblues Jake Allen has now made 96 consecutive saves without allowing a goal

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) November 11, 2015

The 25-year-old is now 7-3 on the season with a .950 save percentage and a 1.53 goals-against average.

Mrazek's goose egg was impressive on a couple of levels, the first being that it landed him a spot in the history books.

Petr Mrazek's 38 saves are the most by a #RedWings goalie in a home shutout since Roger Crozier made 39 stops on Jan 16, 1966 vs TOR.

— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) November 11, 2015

Perhaps even more impressive, Mrazek kept the puck out of the net despite Alex Ovechkin tying his single-game career high in shots on goal with 15.

Predators, Senators offer counterpoint to increasing net size

While several of their brothers-in-pads were out stonewalling the competition on Tuesday night, Pekka Rinne and Craig Anderson did their part to raise the league's average goals per game number.

The Nashville Predators topped the Ottawa Senators 7-5 in a game that might as well have been played in 1982.

Vanek is having a bounce-back season

Minnesota Wild forward Thomas Vanek appears to have found his offensive touch.

Vanek's 21 goals in 2014-15 represent the lowest total of his career in a full 82-game season. The 31-year-old scored two goals in a 5-3 win over the Winnipeg Jets Tuesday, raising his season total to six through 14 games.

His first goal of the game came on a rocket to the top corner on a breakaway. His second goal was just a filthy display of skill.

Marleau loves California

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman noted on the weekend that San Jose Sharks forward Patrick Marleau's name was making the rounds on the trade rumour circuit.

According to CSNBayArea.com Sharks insider Kevin Kurz, Marleau is reportedly willing to accept a trade to three teams.

The 36-year-old sniper clearly has an affinity for California sunshine, as both the Anaheim Ducks and Los Angeles Kings made his list. The third

team is the New York Rangers, because who wouldn't welcome an opportunity to play for the Blueshirts in New York City?

That trade list ties San Jose's hands mightily. 2 of 3 clubs acceptable to Marleau are in Division. NYR won't have to offer much.

— Mark Spector (@SportsnetSpec) November 11, 2015

Sedins flash some of that twin magic

Henrik Sedin scored two goals and added an assist and Daniel Sedin had a goal and three assists as the Vancouver Canucks dumped the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-3.

Jannik Hansen may have found a home on the Canucks' top line after totaling a career high four points in the game.

A pair of former Devils stick it to their old team

Martin Havlat didn't waste any time making an impact with his new team. The 34-year-old winger took a feed from Scott Gomez and fired it past Cory Schneider to score a goal in his first game with St. Louis Blues.

Both Havlat and Gomez played with the Devils in 2014-15. Not bad for a couple of old fellas. Having former Devils great Martin Brodeur watching from the press box as a Blues executive was a nice touch, too.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 11.11.2015

982064 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs beat Stars for 2nd time in 8 days

Associated Press November 10, 2015, 11:50 PM

DALLAS — Toronto’s Jake Gardiner capitalized on his chances. The Dallas Stars squandered theirs.

Gardner’s tiebreaking goal late in the third period completed the Maple Leafs’ rally for an improbable 3-2 win over Dallas on Tuesday night.

Toronto (3-8-4) entered the game tied with Columbus with a league-low 8 points, but beat the Central Division-leading Stars (12-4-0) for the second time in nine days.

"We knew they were going to push," Toronto coach Mike Babcock said. "We’d beat them and they could say OK, they weren’t prepared for us (Nov. 2 at Toronto). It’s a good feeling for our guys."

Stars coach Lindy Ruff had said beforehand that it could be a "trap" game.

"They got a couple bounces, all our good chances didn’t go in. That was the game," Ruff said afterward.

Gardiner’s slap shot from the right point went off the stick of Dallas’ Colton Sceviour and past goalie Antti Niemi at 16:32.

"We’re not a team that scores a lot of goals, so we got to play good defensively," Gardiner said. "When we get those chances, we got to capitalize."

Toronto goalie James Reimer made 36 saves, giving him 79 on 82 shots in the season-series sweep of Dallas.

"They’re a great team and they create a lot of chances," Reimer said. "Tonight was just a night where I was just lucky enough to get in the way, and when I couldn’t be there, my teammates were there for me."

Gardiner also had an assist on Peter Holland’s tip-in goal late in the first period.

Dallas took a 2-1 lead on Patrick Sharp’s goal in the final minuteof the second period and Vernon Fiddler’s shot from a severe angle out of the right corner at 5:39 of the third. Jason Demers assisted on both goals.

The Leafs’ P.A. Parenteau tied it with just under 7 1/2 minutes left in the third, wristing defenceman Morgan Rielly’s pass from behind the goal into the net. The puck struck Stars defenceman Jordie Benn’s skate and slid across the goal line.

"I have a rule that when the D’s below the goal line, they’re not allowed to pass it out front," Babcock said. "So it’s a good thing that it went in."

The Maple Leafs scored on the game’s first power play. Dallas’ Johnny Oduya was off for holding. With his stick, Holland directed the puck downward off Niemi’s left pad and between his legs.

Reimer’s toughest saves came early in the period, when he stopped Antoine Roussel and Mattias Janmark. Ales Hemsky shot high on another chance from in front of the net.

Dallas tied the game with 34 seconds left in the second period. Sharp hustled to beat the Leafs’ Matt Hunwick in a race for the puck. It went to Demers behind the net and the Stars’ defenceman passed to Sharp at the left goalpost, and he wristed the puck into the net.

NOTES: The Maple Leafs have won four in a row against Dallas, by a combined margin of 16-6. … Sharp’s goal was his seventh, all in the last eight games. He did not score in his first eight games. … LW Antoine Roussel returned to Dallas’ lineup after missing two games because of an upper-body injury. … Toronto’s No. 1 goalie, Jonathan Bernier (lower body), made the trip to Dallas and Nashville. He hasn’t played since being injured Oct. 31, but could be close to a return.


982065 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / John Tortorella: ‘We’re a team that finds ways to lose’

Rory Boylen November 10, 2015, 11:28 PM

“I’m trying to stay half-positive because there was some good things that went on. But it’s a 60-minute hockey game and right now we’re a team that finds ways to lose.”

It wasn’t “storm to the other team’s room” John Tortorella, but you could hear the tension building in the voice of the Columbus Blue Jackets head coach after his team dropped a 5-3 decision to the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday.

Columbus held leads of 1-0 and 3-2 in the game, but the Canucks closed it out with three unanswered goals in the third period. It was Columbus’ second-straight loss and fourth in its past six games. Tortorella, who’s been known to blow his top from time to time, picked his words carefully after the frustrating loss.

“I thought we were playing very well,” he said after the game. “We have two power play goals, we score a shorthanded goal to go up 3-2. Working, forechecking, creating chance after chance. But we just find a way to lose. Their goals were, I mean, they were just freebies. We had to work so hard just to gain the lead back at 3-2 and we just gave them freebies.

"That space of time where we go up 3-2 and in control and momentum's on our side and the way we reacted it's, it's...I just can’t explain it. It's playing to lose. And I don’t think we have a mindset of trying to lose the game. But that is a game that we have to learn from. You have to win that game. And right now we found a way to lose that game. That's not a good sign."

Tortorella replaced Todd Richards behind the Columbus bench on Oct. 21 after the Blue Jackets dropped their first seven games of the season. Since his arrival, Columbus has won four of nine games, but are still last place in the Metropolitan Division and four points behind the Carolina Hurricanes, who also have a game in hand.

"It was so easy for them to score," Tortorella continued. "The breakdowns that we had, they could have been stopped by just playing decent defence. We’ve gotta stop these moral victories and find a way to grind that out. And we were not hard enough when we were up 3-2. We were not hard enough mentally and defensively away from the puck and that's what cost us that game."


982066 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Granberg, Leivo likely call-up candidates for Maple leafs

Scott Lewis November 10, 2015, 11:36 PM

Toronto Maple Leafs assistant general manager Kyle Dubas has said that the organization would like its top prospects to “master” the American Hockey League and minor league levels before arriving in the NHL.

While that effectively rules out the club expediting the arrival of Toronto Marlies’ William Nylander, Connor Brown, Kasperi Kapanen, or Nikita Soshnikov, it opens the door for a couple of players with a little more AHL experience under their belts.

During Tuesday night’s “Headlines” segment on Sportsnet, Damien Cox noted defenceman Petter Granberg and forward Joshua Leivo as likely call-up candidates for the Maple Leafs in the near future.

Granberg returned to practice with the Marlies this week after rehabbing a torn achilles he suffered in June. He was the recipient of a Nylander stick to the shin Tuesday, Cox noted, all in the name of friendly competition, of course.

The 23-year-old has played 126 games in the AHL, and has appeared in eight games with the Maple Leafs over the past two seasons.

Maple Leafs fans salivating at the prospect of forwards Nylander, Kapanen, or Soshnikov coming up to help the big club may have to hit the gym and exercise restraint. In the time being, left winger Leivo could be on the way sooner than later.

Leivo has three goals and 10 points with the Marlies this season. He's skated in 16 games with the Maple Leafs over the past two years, totaling two goals and three points.


982067 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Report: Marleau would accept trade to Kings, Ducks or Rangers

Rory Boylen November 10, 2015, 10:55 PM

On Hockey Night in Canada’s “Headlines” segment this past weekend, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported Patrick Marleau‘s name was “out there” on the trade market.

“It is a complex one. It’s difficult to pin down because none of the particulars are talking,” Friedman said. “So I can’t say who is pushing for it, but his name is out there.”

Making the situation murky is that Marleau has a no-movement clause and would control his destiny if the Sharks wanted to make a trade. On Tuesday night, Kevin Kurz, a San Jose Sharks Insider for CSNBayArea.com, reported Marleau would accept a trade to three teams: the Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, or New York Rangers.

As both Kurz and Friedman stated, it’s still no clear whether Marleau or the Sharks are the ones pushing for a move.

Marleau is making $6.66 million against the salary cap both this season and next before becoming a UFA.

In 14 games this season, the 36-year-old Marleau has four goals and nine points.


982068 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Sedins combine for 7 points; Canucks dump Blue Jackets

Associated Press November 10, 2015, 10:26 PM

Putting Jannik Hansen on the top line with Daniel and Henrik Sedin worked out well for the Vancouver Canucks.

Brandon Sutter scored the tiebreaking goal with 5:08 remaining, and Hansen had a career high four points with a goal and three assists, to lift the Canucks to a 5-3 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.

“He skates well, Jannik fit in,” Vancouver coach Willie Desjardins said of slotting him on the right side. “He’s played well though this whole year.”

That line picked the Columbus defence apart, getting behind them and finding open seams in high-chance scoring areas all night.

Henrik Sedin had two goals and an assist and Daniel Sedin added a goal and three assists to help the Canucks snap a three-game losing streak. The weary Canucks were playing their third game in four days in the midst of a season-high, seven-game road trip.

``We just stuck with our game and just found a way,'' said Sutter, who has two game-winning goals in his first season with Vancouver. `Òn the road you need to do that and our goalie played well.''

Jacob Markstrom, out since Oct. 9 with a hamstring injury, stopped 42 shots in his season debut. His best stop came in the third period when he dove across the goal mouth keeping the puck out with the shaft of his stick.

``He was great,'' Sutter said. ``The goals we gave them, not much he could do there. Not goals or chances you want to give up. He played really well and made some big saves for us.''

Boone Jenner had a goal and an assist, and Jack Johnson and Cam Atkinson also scored for the Blue Jackets, who remain the only NHL team without a home win this season (0-6-0). Ryan Johansen had two assists and Sergei Bobrovsky had 25 saves in coach John Tortorella's first game against his former team.

Columbus took the lead in the third period but it all fell apart on home ice, again, for the Blue Jackets.

Tied at 2 in the third period, a buzzing Atkinson scored on a breakaway to give Columubs the lead at 8:01. But just over two minutes later, Henrik Sedin and Sutter scored in a span of 4:47 to put the Canucks ahead for good.

``We score two power play goals, we scored short-handed to go up 3-2,'' said Tortorella. ``We were working, forechecking, creating chance after chance but we just find a way to lose. Their goals were just freebies.''

Again breaking free of coverage, Hansen slid a pass from the left side to Sedin for the tap in to tie the score. Sutter then motored down the left wing around Ryan Murray and curled the puck past Bobrovsky for his fourth.

``That was a big goal for us,'' Sutter said. ``We just needed a win.''

Henrik Sedin added an empty-netter for his fifth with 1:39 remaining to close the scoring.

Columbus cashed in quick on its first power play. After a Blue Jackets face-off win and a series of nice passes, Jenner stuffed home a loose puck in the crease for his eighth at 6:35 of the first period.

Near the midpoint of the period, the Blue Jackets' Brandon Saad skated the puck deep into his own zone, then had it stripped by Daniel Sedin. Sedin found Hansen in front for the easy goal at 10:19.

`Ìt's nice, you get a lot of opportunities,'' Hansen said of playing with the Sedins. `Ìt's a matter of getting open for them and finding them and getting them the puck.''

Seven minutes later, Daniel Sedin found an open seam and calmly converted a pass from Hansen for his fifth.

Johnson, a defenceman, pinched in to tie it 2-2, also just after a Columbus power play began, with 16 seconds left on a feed from Jenner.

Columbus sent 22 shots on Markstrom in a scoreless second period and he didn't flinch.

Midway through the period, Scott Hartnell threw a spin-around-backhander at the goalie and Nick Foligno was stopped on a breakway. Then it was Vancouver applying pressure, but Jared McCann couldn't beat Bobrovsky on a 2-on-1 .

``Great win for us,'' Markstrom said. ``We really showed character in the third period period being down with half the third left.''

NOTES: Vancouver received a second-round draft pick from Columbus as compensation for the Blue Jackets hiring Tortorella, who spent a tumultuous season with the Canucks in 2013-14. ... Ryan Johansen and Nick Foligno, Columbus' top scorers and All Stars last season, each have one goal. ... Vancouver goalie Ryan Miller had started 14 of his team's first 15 games, ranking as the league leader in starts and saves. ... After playing seven of eight on the road, the game was the first of five of seven at home for the Blue Jackets.


982069 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Five ideas to increase scoring in the NHL


While the NHL isn’t about to take any drastic steps yet, it appears that the league is carefully considering its options when it comes to making changes to the game in an effort to boost scoring.

Following Tuesday’s NHL general manager meetings, NHL senior vice-president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell acknowledged that the league may have to look at altering the size of nets as an option.

“Maybe we have to go there, but before we do that I think you have to make every attempt you can to do what you can with the large goalie equipment,” Campbell said Monday.

With an eye on increasing scoring across the NHL, here are five ways to facilitate more pucks finding the back of the net.

Alter the shape of nets

It's not just about making nets bigger than their current four-by-six configuration. Perhaps an adjustment to the shape of nets is in order.

The Buffalo Sabres experimented with augmented nets several years ago, auditioning a model with a curved crossbar and posts that made the goal's opening 13 per cent larger than your standard NHL model.

Campbell noted that the league has looked at several proposed alternate net shapes when speaking with the media following Tuesday's meeting.

"I've got about four different sized nets in my barn (from the past)," said Campbell. "They're still there. I looked at them the other day. There's weird shapes, there's all kinds of shapes. We've used them in different games, in a Marlies game once."

Curved posts or a lacrosse style net are certainly a possibility...but first...

Decrease the size of goaltender equipment

The NHL has moved to reduce the size of goalie equipment in recent years. Goaltenders started using shorter pads at the beginning of the 2013-14 season, but it's hardly been any kind of panacea for the league's scoring woes.

If changing the size of nets is off the board until the league can figure out what to do with goaltender equipment, then perhaps some more radical changes could be in order.

Decreasing pad width, blocker and trapper size, and upper-body protection are all areas that could be subject to change. Obviously the most important thing here is ensuring goaltenders are adequately protected, which could prove challenging when looking for a way to open more space between the pipes for shooters.

On Hockey Night in Canada's Headlines segment last weekend, Elliotte Friedman also discussed the option of smaller goalie sweaters, which netminders would have to fit their equipment under.

Goal-line technology

When in doubt, defer to the robots.

Instant replay is not an exact science. A human element remains. Whether it's a lack of a definitive angle, a logjam of bodies limiting the NHL War Room's view of the crease, or the parallax view, NHL officials can't get them all right.

Goal-line technology could help eliminate some of the doubt when attempting to determine whether or not a goal should count. You run the risk of as many potential goals getting called back but still...MORE robots.

Call more penalties

Remember when the NHL emerged from the lost 2004-05 season and scoring was up, like way up, for the 2005-06 campaign?

A major reason for an uptick in scoring that saw individual teams go from averaging 2.57 goals per game in 2003-04 to 3.08 in 2005-06 was a heavy crackdown on obstruction. Teams averaged 5.85 power play opportunities per game in the post-lockout season, but a steady decline began the following year and individual teams averaged just 3.06 man advantages in 2014-15.

Hooking, holding, clutching, grabbing, ain't called like they used to be.

Change power play rules

Sticking with the theme of power plays, how about forcing teams to play a man down for the entirety of a two-minute minor penalty?

Giving teams more 5-on-4 minutes per game could help generate more scoring chances. Then again, we could really open the ice up for offensive creativity by just making teams play even strength at 4-on-4.

Players and purists alike would surely would support this change...

...Maybe not.


982070 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / NHL not ruling out bigger nets in the future

Chris Johnston November 10, 2015, 6:57 PM

TORONTO — We are not yet at the edge of the cliff, but it’s clear some influential people at the NHL are tip-toeing closer. A few are even peering over the side.

It was certainly noteworthy when Colin Campbell emerged from a routine meeting of NHL general managers on Tuesday and mused about a scenario where the league might consider changing the four-by-six configuration of nets that has been used, well, forever.

“Maybe we have to look at bigger nets,” said Campbell.

Maybe. Nothing definitive, no screaming headline, but an acknowledgement that the idea can’t be ruled out entirely.

There continues to be a push to scale back the size of goaltending equipment and if that doesn't produce more scoring, Campbell thinks an examination of the net is the next logical step.

The NHL has been down this road before and resisted the urge. Everyone is mindful that a fundamental change to the sport can't be made on impulse, or without great consideration.

"I've got about four different sized nets in my barn (from the past)," said Campbell, the NHL's senior vice-president and director of hockey operations. "They're still there. I looked at them the other day. There's weird shapes, there's all kinds of shapes. We've used them in different games, in a Marlies game once.

"Maybe we have to go there, but before we do that I think you have to make every attempt you can to do what you can with the large goalie equipment."

Campbell believes that he has the support of the NHL Players' Association to legislate changes. One idea floating around is requiring goalies to wear smaller sweaters, which would force them to keep their protective equipment small enough to fit under it.

That could be in place for next season.

The fundamental question being asked during Tuesday's discussion on scoring was whether GMs even have an issue with where things are at.

There are currently an average of 5.32 goals per game, which is down slightly from the 5.5 scored through this date a year ago. The lowest mark in the NHL's expansion era was 5.14 in 2003-04 -- a season that sparked sweeping changes to the way the game is played during the lockout that followed it.

In recent days, Toronto Maple Leafs coach Mike Babcock advocated for larger nets while legendary coach Scotty Bowman proposed shrinking the offensive zone. Bowman believes that would force teams to cover the points more aggressively and reduce the number of players simply trying to block shots.

That is an issue the GMs are sensitive to.

"We used to check the points more vigorously, now it's a collapse in the middle and blocking shots and getting shots through," said Florida Panthers GM Dale Tallon. "That's the new way of playing hockey."

However, Tallon believes the game is still "entertaining." His Nashville Predators colleague, David Poile, would prefer to see more goals.

"When you talk about scoring, where do you want to start?" said Poile. "Do you want to start with the goaltending equipment, do you want to start with all the congestion in front of the net, all the shot-blocking? How about taking out the trapezoid?

"We can go on and on and on."

They're going to have to.

This is a discussion that will be revisited during the three-day GMs meeting in March -- a gathering that often results in rule change recommendations.

It also comes at a time when the league has implemented a coach's challenge which takes away goals scored on a play where goaltender interference has taken place or a player went offside. The GMs reviewed that process Tuesday and seem generally satisfied with how it is working.

Eventually, they'll likely have to grapple with the question of whether to respond to the increasing size of goaltenders by making the nets they protect bigger.

"It's getting pretty tough to put the puck in the net these days with the size of the goaltenders," said Campbell. "Look, it's one thing to have large equipment. It's another to be 6-foot-6. We can't legislate against that.

"Goaltenders will be big, it doesn't mean you have to make nets bigger."

Yes, but they might.

He acknowledged as much himself.

"It's easy to do -- you can't tell (it's bigger with the eye)," said Campbell. "But it's not easy to do because you've got to make the decision that this is going to work and satisfy your goal-scoring or your lead change problem. ...

"What if you do that and it doesn't work?"

One of many questions still to ponder before taking a giant leap into the unknown.


982071 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Ducks’ Boudreau on scoring woes, Getzlaf’s gaffe, 3-on-3 OT


Fresh off a 4-3 loss to the Arizona Coyotes in overtime Monday, Anaheim Ducks head coach Bruce Boudreau joined Prime Time Sports on Sportsnet Fan 590 as a guest Tuesday.

Boudreau talked his team’s offensive struggles through the first month of the season, captain Ryan Getzlaf’s brutal giveaway in overtime that ostensibly cost the Ducks the game, and his approach to 3-on-3 overtime.

Asked about the Ducks’ seeming inability to find the back of the net early in the 2015-16 season, Boudreau didn’t have an easy answer.

“I wish I could put my finger on it,” Boudreau said. “There’s a lot of great goal scorers on our team that haven’t scored at all…Ryan [Getzlaf] being one, Corey [Perry] got two, Kesler got his first last night, Silfverberg, who averaged over a point a game in the playoffs last year, hasn’t got a goal yet.

"I can see the tension when they're holding the stick and when they get opportunities to score and it's not happening...I'm sure at night it eats at them."

The Ducks have managed a 5-7-3 record through 15 games despite scoring an NHL-low 25 goals. Great defence and goaltending have been critical to the Ducks' effort to keep from falling too far behind in the Pacific Division.

"With us right now we have to play a pretty stingy defensive game to be successful when you're only averaging a goal and half a game offensively," said Boudreau.

Getzlaf gave Coyotes forward Mikkel Boedker a gift Monday in the form of a drop pass to no one in particular, which resulted in a breakaway and subsequent overtime winner for Arizona. It was a terrible play, but not something Getzlaf's teammates bothered to get worked up over or even use as a gentle source for ribbing when it came to Tuesday's practice.

"Everybody knew that Ryan felt really bad about it. I didn't hear anything in practice today regarding the drop pass at all. He knows he made a blunder...you just let it go. I guarantee tomorrow night he'll be really good. He's got a lot of pride in his game."

The Ducks appeared poised to pick up their fifth consecutive win Monday before Anthony Duclair and Max Domi spearheaded a Coyotes' comeback, setting the stage for the drama in overtime. Boudreau noted that he has a plan for his team heading into 3-on-3 overtime, but it's a work in progress.

"Well, we definitely haven't been successful at it [3-on-3 OT]. We're 0-2 in it," Boudreau said.

"We definitely have a plan when we go out there in overtime, we talk to the guys that are going out there. They know what they're supposed to do...we've watched it on TV a lot and we see where it's successful and it's not successful. Obviously it would be silly for me to say, but managing the puck is one of the most important things."

While it's easy to point to the offensive struggles of usually reliable producers like Getzlaf and Perry as an easy explanation for a team's scoring troubles, Boudreau recognizes that it's hardly a wide-open offensive game anymore, noting that scoring is down across the league.

"Coaches are good at defending. Goaltending is better than it's ever been than any point in history of the NHL.

"The other thing I think, in the past you never even thought about the playoffs until January or February. Now, every game from Day One is contested as a 'gotta win' because you need the points for the playoffs. All those things add up usually a low scoring game and very tight checking game."


982072 Websites

TSN.CA / Reimer rolling as Leafs' stand-in

By Jonas Siegel

DALLAS – James Reimer, sporting a faint moustache for the month of November, had to stop and consider the question for a moment.

When was the last time he remembered playing this well?

“I don’t know,” said Reimer after his second win over the Western Conference-leading Dallas Stars this season. “That’s a good question. I don’t know. I’m going to try not to break it down too much.”

Standing in for the injured Jonathan Bernier, Reimer is playing about as well as he has in recent memory for the Maple Leafs. In five consecutive starts between the Toronto pipes, he owns a sizzling .941 save percentage, which included 36 stops on 38 shots deep in the heart of Texas on Tuesday night.

“He’s been our best player lately for sure – there’s no question about it,” Morgan Rielly said after the Leafs 3-2 victory, their fourth time capturing points in the past five outings. “He was outstanding again tonight, just like he was in Washington and just like he was against Detroit. He really deserved this win. We wanted to win it for him. He’s in the zone.”

Reimer last started five straight games when he was last the Leafs' starter – during the lockout-shortened 2013 season, just before the club traded for Bernier, who remains out with a lower-body injury. He's taken advantage of a rare chance to play and play a lot.

“What I like is in life, when someone gives you an opportunity, you do something with it and you grab it and you hang onto it as hard as you can,” Leafs coach Mike Babcock said of Reimer. “We’re all put here to maximize our abilities and that’s what he’s been doing.”

He was especially good in a second period owned by the Stars. Reimer was out and challenging shooters, battling constantly in a bid to see and potentially stop every puck.

Earlier in the day, Babcock referenced Reimer’s tendency to give up a squeaker here and there and he indeed yielded another one in an otherwise sterling outing. Vernon Fiddler’s shot from the goal line, to the far left of the cage, found its way under the bar and past a lunging Reimer.

That gave Dallas a one-goal advantage in the third, a deficit the Leafs managed to overcome on goals from P.A. Parenteau and Jake Gardiner.

“He’s suddenly soft,” Babcock said of Reimer. “The puck doesn’t bounce all over the rink. It just hits him and it sticks and he controls the rebound. I think he’s doing a real good job.”

The Leafs coach also took stock of Reimer’s well-established tendency to battle and, again on Tuesday, that was evident. On one Dallas power-play in the middle frame, Reimer stopped a point shot deflected by Jamie Benn, only to have the rebound tiptoe out to Tyler Seguin in the slot. On his back, Reimer flung his glove in the air, only to have the puck ring off the post.

“There’s no question about James that he competes,” Rielly said. “He’s a warrior. He’s never out of the play. He’s always trying to get back in it. When he’s playing like that and he’s competing the way he is, it gives our bench energy and we want to play harder for him when he’s playing like that. I think this is his win for sure, just because he’s been playing outstanding lately.”

Reimer should be in line for his sixth consecutive appearance Thursday in Nashville.

Bernier practiced briefly on Monday and joined the Leafs for their morning skate in Dallas on Tuesday. He hasn’t had a full practice just yet, though – that could come Wednesday – and hasn’t played since the final day of October.

“We’re going day by day,” Bernier said Monday.

While preferring to establish Bernier as the no. 1, Babcock won’t shy away from Reimer if his play warrants continued consideration and it certainly does right now.

“I think when you get an opportunity to start and you get to start every night, your job as the goalie is to keep the other guy on the bench and, as long as you play well, that’s what you do,” Babcock said.

For the moment, Toronto's net belongs to Reimer.

--

Five Points

1. Reimer

Reimer is up to a .918 save percentage this season following Tuesday’s outing and a .933 mark at even strength. He had a .907 save percentage last year and a .911 mark the year before that. He’s not played this well for this long in all likelihood since 2013, when he rung up a .924 save percentage as the Leafs' no.1.

In typically humble fashion, Reimer pointed to changes within the team for his recent success.

“I think there’s a couple stints,” he said of when he was last in such a zone, “but I think just the structure we’re playing with allows everybody to play well. I think you could ask a couple guys and they would say maybe is the best they’ve played in a while. I just think that’s a byproduct of our system.”

2. Established or not

Peter Holland admits he may have assumed too much.

Coming off his first full season in the league - one that saw him play 62 games - Holland believed he’d carved out some security, that he’d finally firmed up a spot after years of bouncing between the minors and NHL. He was wrong and found himself quickly out of Babcock’s lineup.

Holland was scratched for the fifth time over the weekend in Washington, returning to Toronto’s lineup Tuesday night with Daniel Winnik sidelined by a left knee injury. The 15th-overall pick in the 2009 draft, he’d been replaced previously by Byron Froese, the 119th-overall selection that same year.

“…I made the mistake of thinking that I had established myself,” Holland said before playing the Stars, “and I think that I needed to take the mindset that I needed to fight for a job at the beginning of the season. Maybe I was a little bit complacent, so I need to get back to making sure that I solidify myself in this lineup again.”

Holland hadn’t generated much offensively – just two points through the first nine games – but he also hadn’t been on for many goals against (just one) and owned a solid possession mark of 54 per cent. There was something missing for Babcock, though: a lack of nightly urgency.

“To me, it’s straightforward,” Babcock said of points of emphasis for Holland in returning to the lineup. “If you compete hard enough, you get to be in the lineup. If you do the right things, you get to be in the lineup. Sometimes as players you think ‘Oh gee, this guy doesn’t like me.’ It has nothing to do with liking anybody. If you play good, you get to play. If you don’t play good, you don’t get to play.”

3. Holland II

Holland said his focus would start with winning more puck battles.

“Babcock’s said multiple times to our group that his favourite player on the ice isn’t always the guy who scores the goal, it’s the guy who competes the hardest that way,” said the 24-year-old Holland.

“There’s always a guy coming to take your job, so you’ve got to make sure you’re on top of your game,” he added.

Holland scored his second power-play goal of the year in about 11 minutes in Dallas. He redirected a Gardiner point shot for the first marker of the game.

“Interesting thing about life,” Babcock said, “is if you just have mental resolve and you stick with it and you believe in yourself, it’s amazing what can happen. So good for him and good for us. He has a chance to be a good player if he’s competitive and he’s dialed every night and, if he’s not, he has no chance.”

4. Rule-breaker

For his team-leading 11th point of the year, Morgan Rielly captured the puck along the right wall of the Dallas zone and stepped past Stars' first-round pick, Radek Faksa. He dipped deep and around the back of the goal and, with four sets of Stars' eyes watching, found P.A. Parenteau, who stepped out for the pass.

“I like going down the wall like that, especially when I’m on my backhand, because it gives you a chance to make a play,” Rielly said afterward. “That’s usually the time that I like to go. I like to attack the puck and then the winger, he curls up because he wants to try to block the shot and then I just take the lane down the boards. P.A. made a great play popping out like that. I was hoping he was going to do that the whole time he did. It worked out.”

“I have a rule that when the D’s below the goal line, you’re not allowed to pass it out front, so it’s a good thing he scored,” Babcock said before flashing a grin.

5. First goal

Not once in a career that dates back to 2009 has Michael Grabner waited so long to score his first goal of the season. He’d never gone longer than four games before getting that first one on the board. His search continues after game no. 13.

“Usually I get one early and then have a slump like this in the middle of the season,” Grabner said with a laugh, “but no, I don’t think I’ve ever started a season like this.”

He’s had opportunities with most of the best ones coming shorthanded. And he has indeed been an effective penalty killer, thus far – on for just three power-play goals against in more than 40 minutes of shorthanded ice-time.

“No, I don’t think you can change anything,” he continued. “I think you’ve just got to stick with it. I think if I wasn’t getting any chances that would be a different story, but you’ve got to keep doing what made you successful. It’s tough to score in this league. I’m just hoping to get the first one out of the way and go from there.”

--

Up Next

The Leafs visit Nashville on Thursday night.

TSN.CA LOADED: 11.11.2015

982073 Websites

TSN.CA / Forwards dominate top of 2016 NHL prospect race

By Craig Button

Get used to seeing Auston Matthews’ name at the top of this list all season long. An elite, complete centre, the young American will have his name called first at the 2016 NHL Draft.

Three dynamic forwards find themselves in the second to fourth spots this month. The two Finnish wingers, Jesse Puljujarvi and Patrik Laine are high-end offensive players who generate a significant amount of scoring chances and have the skill to complete them.

London Knights forward Matthew Tkachuk has all the elements of a top-end winger. The son of former NHLer Keith is able to play in all situations and is comfortable playing any style of game. Exceptional hockey sense and competitiveness, plus a high skill level, make him a player all NHL teams would like in their lineup.

Jakob Chychrun of the OHL’s Sarnia Sting rounds out the top five. A well-rounded defenceman, the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Chychrun might not have elite offensive ability, but he does have all the elements teams look for in a steady number two defenceman.

What would a draft ranking be without a smaller, skilled forward? Clayton Keller of USA Hockey's under-18 team is a very gifted player with excellent hockey sense, great hands, terrific quickness and an agility and elusiveness that makes it extremely difficult for opponents to check him.

He’s only 5-foot-9 and 168 pounds, but Keller’s on-ice vision allows him to see all his options and create scoring chances. He had seven goals and 12 points in four games to help the United States win the recent Five Nations Tournament in Switzerland.

As a centre - and I have a bias towards centres over wingers when it’s close - he may be the second-best player in the draft. I will allow some more time for evaluation, but he’s certainly right in the discussion.


982074 Websites

TSN.CA / Voracek one of many high-priced forwards in the Zero Goal Club

By Frank Seravalli

PHILADELPHIA - When Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek caught up with countryman Ondrej Pavelec in Winnipeg last Friday night, Voracek joked he tried to bribe Pavelec into allowing him to score when they faced each other on Saturday.

“Even that didn’t work,” Voracek said.

Kidding aside, the frustration is real for Voracek.

Three months after signing the richest contract of the summer, Voracek is without a goal through 14 games this season. No player has taken more shots (54) than Voracek without finding the back of the net. Even Toronto’s Nazem Kadri, who has six more shots, has scored once.

Voracek, 26, has just five assists after finishing fifth in the NHL scoring race last season with 81 points.

Voracek’s $66-million contract extension kicks in next season, which will tentatively make him the 10th highest-paid player in the league.

Among high-priced forwards, Voracek is not alone this season in lack of production. Ryan Getzlaf, Dustin Brown, Jason Pominville, Brian Gionta, Jonathan Huberdeau and Martin Hanzal have all been blanked so far; all seven players have registered at least 25 shots on net and earn more than $3 million this season.

On the blueline, Erik Karlsson (33 shots), Tyler Myers (26) and Christian Ehrhoff (25) are still searching for their first goals.

Getzlaf, who missed four games after an appendectomy, has not looked like himself this season for the Ducks. He committed an egregious neutral-zone turnover against Arizona on Monday night, which sent which sent Mikkel Boedker in alone on a breakaway for the game-winner.

twitter embed

Like Getzlaf, Voracek looks different this year. His possession metrics are still elite and his individual high-danger scoring chances are actually on a better clip than last season, according to war-on-ice.com. But his skating, dominating the pace of play, doesn’t seem to be quite as noticeable. He doesn’t look as comfortable.

Voracek hinted Tuesday that his contract has crept into his mind as the scoreless games have piled up.

“To be honest, even on my current contract, I’m getting paid a lot of money to produce points,” Voracek said. “It’s frustrating. It wasn’t so much in the beginning of the season, we were winning and we were playing well. I’ve felt it more as we’ve been losing games. We were 0-4-2 during part of the last road trip and I’m being paid to contribute and help the team win.”

Voracek said he hasn't done anything differently, training or otherwise, in an effort to get back to last year’s level. His off-season routine was the same. He has mostly played with the same linemates - Claude Giroux and Michael Raffl - this season. Coach Dave Hakstol briefly tried separating Giroux and Voracek to create a spark, but quickly put them back together.

In Anaheim, Bruce Boudreau started Getzlaf and Corey Perry on separate lines, but found a similar outcome.

A lot of Voracek’s trouble can be contributed to the Flyers’ sluggish power play: more than 40 per cent of his points last year came on the man advantage. This year, Voracek has just two points with the man advantage and Philadelphia’s 26th-ranked unit has produced just six goals.

Voracek said he’s been through a stretch worse than this before, which provides him hope to pull out of it. He went the final 16 games of the 2010-11 season in Columbus without a goal, ultimately leading to an off-season trade. The Flyers are banking this slump isn’t as long, with a significant part of their playoff hopes resting on Voracek’s shoulders.

“I think there have only been maybe a couple games through this stretch where Jake’s had a bit of frustration to his game,” Hakstol said. “I think he’s handled it well. One’s got to go in for him. I think you’ll [then] see a drastic change in the outcome to a lot of these plays.”


982075 Websites

TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: Measuring D by quality of shots against

By Scott Cullen

One of the perpetual challenges facing the hockey analytics community relates to shot quality. The standard argument against using Corsi, or shot attempts, is that all shot attempts are not equal. This is obviously true, but we also know that using score-adjusted shot attempts still provides the best predictive value on a team level because it provides a viable sample size sooner.

Using high-danger scoring chances from War on Ice, though, it’s possible to see which players and teams have a higher percentage of their shot attempts qualifying as high-danger scoring chances. This can help provide some balance between the eye test and shot attempt measures.

On the team level, it’s difficult to have a wide range in shot quality, but it does appear to exist. Since the start of the 2013-2014 season, here are NHL teams sorted by lowest-to-highest percentage of shot attempts qualifying as high-danger chances.


982076 Websites

TSN.CA / Senators' odd start to the season

By Travis Yost

In the standings, Dave Cameron’s Ottawa Senators appear to have picked up right where they left off last season. They’ve amassed 17 points in 14 games, good enough for second place in the Atlantic Division.

But while things might appear calm on the surface, there are some discouraging signs underneath that are reminiscent of the Paul MacLean era.

No game captured the spirit of Ottawa’s odd start to the season like Saturday night’s overtime loss to Carolina. At first pass, it seemed like Ottawa was done in by the hockey gods. They led for most of the night, conceding the game-tying goal with mere seconds left on the clock. Minutes later, they were burned by a picturesque shot in overtime by Jordan Staal.

In reality, the 3-2 overtime loss flattered Ottawa. A scrappy Carolina team speed-bagged the Senators all night long, particularly so in the offensive zone. Carolina fired 85 shots at the direction of Andrew Hammond, with a whopping 40 of those coming from dangerous or semi-dangerous scoring areas.

A quick look at the game’s shot chart gives you an idea of how one-sided this affair was (via HockeyStats.ca):

It was a byproduct of many things. Cameron pointed to the team’s poor faceoff performance (36 per cent) as the culprit. While that certainly grades out as a poor showing in the circle, I think it is fairly low on the list of reasons for Ottawa’s struggles - both Saturday night and this season so far - in the defensive zone.

For one, the faceoff is really just the start of a series of many puck battles. Isolating on the outcome of a given set play versus the hundreds and hundreds of other events over the course of a game seems specious.

It’s also hard to ignore what research tells us about faceoffs – specifically, that the outcome of a faceoff is almost entirely mitigated after about 10 seconds. (ALSO: Ottawa’s above 50 per cent on the draw so far this season. Even if it did explain their poor showing on Thursday, it doesn’t seem like it would explain what’s occurred in many of the other games.)

A significantly bigger problem (one Cameron might also agree with, to be totally fair) is that this team is bleeding shots and scoring chances. The Carolina game, it should again be noted, wasn’t an aberration. It was a continuation of what’s become an increasingly disturbing trend.

Let’s flashback to the 2014-15 season for just a moment, when the scrutiny on MacLean’s coaching future in Ottawa seemed to get more intense with each passing game. There were two reasons for this. One, he seemed to have lost an ability to connect with at least a portion of his players – exit interviews in the season prior were unkind, and generally referred to his coaching methodology as some variation of “stubborn.” Two, his team was miserable in the defensive zone. They couldn’t prevent entries. They couldn’t exit the zone with control. Time and time again, their blueline was victimized by pressure and turned the puck over in prime scoring areas.

It manifested in the shot differentials. At the time of his termination, only the trying-to-lose Sabres were conceding more shots against on a game-by-game basis. Making matters worse, the team was no longer able to offset horrific defence with up-tempo offence. Their differentials took a nosedive in emphatic fashion, and general manager Bryan Murray eventually made the switch to Cameron.

The switch paid dividends last year – the team improvement was palpable, even if you ignored the goaltending surge. But this year’s team under Cameron doesn’t look anything like last year’s team under Cameron. In fact, they look quite a bit like MacLean’s team.

Look at the shot differentials for MacLean’s first 14 games of last season versus Cameron’s first 14 games of this season. Notice where the endpoints are:

MacLean was fired, at least in part, because of that avalanche of poor possession. So it’s definitely worth noting that Cameron’s team has been out-attempted at the exact same rate through the first 14 games of the season. It’s alarming.

Are scoring chances any different?

Well, that looks faintly better. Still, you are talking about a team that is, on average, six shots and two scoring chances in the red every single night. Barring fantastic goaltending and/or elite individual and team-level shooting talent, that’s pretty difficult to overcome. It’s also a far cry from where this club was just six months ago.

So, we know that there is an end-effect – this team is struggling more than the standings would suggest. And we know that the issue seems to be on the blueline, where the team can’t alleviate pressure from dangerous areas.

But can we identify any potential drivers, particularly as it relates on the backend? Perhaps there is a troublesome pairing that’s really dragging this team in the muck. (I say this half-knowing the answer, but it is worth showing.)

Here’s Ottawa’s three regular pairings this year. Notice anything particularly troublesome?

Say what you will about Karlsson/Methot not being elite (they’ve been just good to start the year) or the underwhelming performance of Ceci/Wiercioch to meet expectations from last year (also a fair point), but the Cowen/Borowiecki duo is just killing this team. The pairing is either dead last or near dead last in basically every major statistical category, and it’s crippling team performance.

This is exactly the kind of data point you want if you’re Cameron. It’s an easy fix. Simply breaking up this duo for any of a number of combinations should rectify some of what’s killing this team at 5-on-5, if only because the numbers they are posting are (a) almost impossibly bad; and (b) either near-last or dead-last in every major statistical category.

The Takeaway

The mark of a great coach is to intervene before things start to get ugly. With Ottawa, there are plenty of warning signs that their decent start in the standings isn’t very indicative of their true performance. Troubleshooting potential drivers (like an appalling third pairing) is essential at this point because the status quo likely won’t cut it by the time December and January roll around.


Date post:	26-Jul-2020
Category:	Documents
Upload:	others
View:	0 times
Download:	0 times

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEFkings.nhl.com/v2/ext/Media Relations Page/Sports Scan... · 2015-11-11 ·...

Documents