SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 4/27/2022

Anaheim Ducks 1242803 Ducks break out to early lead, beat Sharks 5-2 - Los Angeles Times 1242804 Ducks build early lead en route to victory over Sharks 1242805 Ducks sign Sam Carrick to 2-year, $1.7-million contract extension

Boston Bruins 1242806 With win over league-leading Panthers, Bruins know they can defend against any team come the playoffs 1242807 Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk focused on the playoffs, not his future 1242808 With mighty Panthers in town and playoffs near, it was time for Bruins to ramp up the intensity 1242809 Bruins smother Panthers for 4-2 win 1242810 Bruins notebook: Jake DeBrusk responding to challenge and opportunity 1242811 How Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen's injury could impact Bruins in playoffs 1242812 Talking Points: Boston Bruins With Impressive Win Vs. Florida 1242813 Pastrnak Racks Up The Hardware As Bruins Announce Season Awards 1242814 Game 80: Boston Bruins Vs Florida Panthers Lines, Betting Preview 1242815 Pastrnak, Lindholm Return For Boston Bruins Vs. Panthers 1242816 Playoff Focus Comes Into Play For Boston Bruins Best 1242817 You know Jarome Iginla. Now meet the next generation of Iginlas making their mark

Buffalo Sabres 1242818 Sabres notebook: Casey Mittelstadt having success at tail end of 'long year' 1242819 Erik Brady: Rick Jeanneret has been with us for decades, and yet still will be gone too soon 1242820 Tage Thompson's breakthrough season for Sabres on the verge of franchise history

Calgary Flames 1242821 SNAPSHOTS: Flames edge Preds in OT thriller 1242822 'Everyone's Game' urges Calgarians to embrace all the benefits of youth hockey 1242823 Dube could be playoff X-Factor for Flames 1242824 Game Night: Flames at Predators

Carolina Hurricanes 1242825 Hurricanes beat Rangers, clinch Metro Division crown behind rookie Pyotr Kochetkov 1242826 Raanta to serve as Canes’ backup goalie in Rangers game as Kochetkov starts

Chicago Blackhawks 1242827 Patrick Kane thinks the Chicago Blackhawks can succeed sooner than expected: ‘You can win and still be in a re 1242828 Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane proud of his performance this season in light of still-nagging injury 1242829 DeBrincat is here for Hawks rebuild, hopes to accelerate it

Colorado Avalanche 1242830 Avalanche snaps four-game losing streak with home victory over St. Louis Blues 1242831 Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews returns to lineup against St. Louis Blues 1242832 Avalanche continue to await first-round opponent following 5-3 victory over St. Louis – 1242833 Avs Grades in Win Over Blues - Colorado Hockey Now

Columbus Blue Jackets 1242834 Blue Jackets overwhelmed by Tampa Bay Lightning's top players in 4-1 loss 1242835 'Sink or swim': Young Columbus Blue Jackets lineup faces tough stretch to end season 1242836 Boone Jenner, Sean Kuraly to miss final three games for Blue Jackets 1242837 Five observations: Tough night for depleted Blue Jackets, who are limping to finish line

Dallas Stars 1242838 Jake Oettinger’s ‘stellar’ shootout performance saves Stars 1242839 How Stars can pass Predators for the West’s first Wild Card spot 1242840 Jason Robertson’s two goals help propel Stars past Golden Knights 1242841 Stars’ biggest game of season lives up to hype, moves them to brink of playoffs

Detroit Red Wings 1242842 Detroit Red Wings lose, 3-0, to Leafs, can't contain Auston Matthews, who reaches 60 goals 1242843 Fake 1936 Red Wings Stanley Cup rings seized at US border 1242844 Road to Stanleytown: 1997 Detroit Red Wings prepare for pivotal Game 6 at Joe Louis Arena 1242845 Detroit Red Wings lose to Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-0: Game thread replay 1242846 Red Wings blanked in Toronto, Auston Matthews reaches 60-goal milestone 1242847 Wings' Moritz Seider looking forward to challenges, not concentrating on Calder vote 1242848 Auston Matthews scores 60th goal as Red Wings fall to Leafs 3-0 1242849 Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs - NHL (4/26/22) | Faceoff, How to Watch, Preview 1242850 Russia will not host 2023 world championship, International Ice Hockey Federation says 1242851 The Red Wings like acquiring proven winners. Which free agents could be next?

Edmonton Oilers 1242852 Oilers clinch second with McDavid in virtuoso performance against Crosby 1242853 OILERS NOTES: McDavid looks back at when he was a Crosby fan 1242854 JONES: With playoffs around the corner, don't ask the Oilers about next year 1242855 GAME NIGHT: Edmonton Oilers at Pittsburgh Penguins 1242856 ‘It’s incredible’: How Connor McDavid’s season is so stellar and why it’s not getting enough attention

Florida Panthers 1242857 Flat offense and pair of defensive lapses lead to Florida Panthers’ loss to Bruins 1242858 Sergei Bobrovsky makes 34 saves but Panthers fall to Bruins, drop second game in a row 1242859 Garden Party: Boston Bruins 4, Florida Panthers 2 1242860 Florida Panthers Pregame: Regular Season Winds Down in Boston 1242861 The Florida Panthers get new deal, cash infusion with Bally Sports deal 1242862 GameDay 80: Lineups, Betting Odds for Panthers at Bruins 1242863 Bill Lindsay’s big goal still lives in Florida Panthers lore 26 years later

Los Angeles Kings 1242864 Kings clinch first postseason appearance since 2018 - Los Angeles Times 1242865 Kings clinch playoff berth, will face Edmonton in first round 1242866 Kings look to lock up postseason bid on Pacific Northwest trip 1242867 LA Kings clinch postseason berth, will return to Stanley Cup Playoffs for first time since 2017-18 season - LA 1242868 Practice 4/26 - Kings Off To Seattle + Defensive Group, Fourth Line's Play, Luc on Rome - LA Kings Insider 1242869 A "humbled" Blake Lizotte embodies the qualities of the Masterton Trophy - LA Kings Insider 1242870 10 Biggest Questions: Final Answers (2021-22 LA Kings) - LA Kings Insider

Minnesota Wild 1242871 Wild's long points streaks end with loss to lowly Arizona 1242872 GREEF line — Greenway, Eriksson Ek and Foligno — back together again 1242873 Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury starts again; Marcus Foligno, Jordan Greenway return vs. Coyotes 1242874 Wild get exactly what they deserve in 5-3 loss to Coyotes 1242875 Marcus Foligno returns to Wild lineup after another bout with COVID 1242876 Wild blow golden opportunity to get playoff advantage with loss to lowly Coyotes: ‘One we might wish we had ba

Montreal Canadiens 1242877 Stu Cowan: Uncertain futures for Canadiens, Price remain intertwined 1242878 Canadiens by the numbers: Gallagher shows his worth in surprising ways 1242879 Canadiens' Carey Price heads to N.Y. for appointment with knee doctor 1242880 Lise Ravary: What Guy Lafleur taught all of us, off the ice 1242881 Basu and Godin: Concern for Carey Price, a perfect tank storm, the Mike Hoffman dilemma 1242882 André Pratte: With Guy Lafleur’s death, Quebecers have lost one of the family

Nashville Predators 1242883 Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros suffers possible injury against Calgary 1242884 Juuse Saros hurt, but Predators clinch playoff spot, thanks to Stars' victory 1242885 How good has Roman Josi been for the Nashville Predators? We asked a Hockey Hall of Famer 1242886 Here’s how the Predators can clinch a playoff berth

New Jersey Devils 1242887 Devils' comeback falls short in overtime loss to Senators

New York Islanders 1242888 Islanders rally to beat Alex Ovechkin-less Capitals 1242889 Islanders coach Barry Trotz: 'It's really strange' to not be in playoffs 1242890 Jean-Gabriel Pageau returns, but Brock Nelson and Zdeno Chara miss Islanders' win with illness 1242891 Worn-out Islanders begin to dissect what went wrong, while Barry Trotz readies for a rare ‘mental break from t 1242892 Rapid Reaction: Islanders Snap 5-Game Skid, Defeat Caps 4-1 - New York Islanders Hockey Now 1242893 Nelson & Chara Miss Game Thursday, Non-COVID Illness - New York Islanders Hockey Now 1242894 Defense Not Enough in Full Season, The Rise & Need For Offense - New York Islanders Hockey Now 1242895 Three To Go, Gm 80: Lines, Previews & How to Watch vs. Capitals - New York Islanders Hockey Now 1242896 Islanders Daily: Masterton Nominees, Lehner to Have Surgery & More - New York Islanders Hockey Now

New York Rangers 1242897 Rangers lose to Metropolitan Division winner Hurricanes 1242898 Rangers fans vote Chris Kreider Extra Effort award winner 1242899 Rangers get injury scares as Hurricanes clinch Metro division 1242900 Rangers impressed by Gerard Gallant even if Jack Adams Award doesn't come 1242901 Frank Vatrano has been ultimate complement to Rangers first line 1242902 Rangers vs. Hurricanes odds, prediction: Trust Carolina's explosive offense 1242903 Rangers must prioritize health with first-place lost, NHL playoffs looming 1242904 Rangers' coach Gerard Gallant getting secretive about injuries 1242905 Artemi Panarin, Andrew Copp injured in Rangers' loss to Hurricanes 1242906 New York can become Rangers Town again with a deep playoff run 1242907 Frank Vatrano making the most of likely short stay with Rangers 1242908 Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin for Hart? How his season stacks up historically: ‘He’s definitely in the conver

Ottawa Senators 1242909 GARRIOCH: Batherson nets OT winner against Devils, giving Senators four straight wins 1242910 SNAPSHOTS: Plenty of questions surround Matt Murray's future with the Senators 1242911 GAME NIGHT: New Jersey Devils at Ottawa Senators

Philadelphia Flyers 1242912 Examining the Flyers’ odds of landing the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft lottery 1242913 DeBrincat, Lankinen help Blackhawks top Flyers 3-1 1242914 More lottery chatter as Flyers lose to Blackhawks, fail to win 3 straight again

Pittsburgh Penguins 1242915 Sputtering Penguins suffer rare home loss to Oilers, lose Jason Zucker to injury 1242916 Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen returns to lineup 1242917 Penguins to start goaltender Casey DeSmith against Oilers 1242918 Tim Benz: NHL playoff expansion ideas are unnecessary, reward mediocrity 1242919 Connor McDavid leads Oilers in rout of struggling Penguins 1242920 Penguins significantly shake up lines with just two games left in the regular season 1242921 Ron Cook: Penguins vs. Oilers is well worth the price of admission 1242922 Yohe’s 10 observations: Slow, stale Penguins look like a dead team walking 1242923 PHN Penguins Postgame: The Pens are Lost, Outlook Bleak After 5-1 Loss 1242924 Problems Mount as Playoffs Near; Penguins Crash in 5-1 Loss to McDavid, Oilers 1242925 Penguins Game 81 Preview: Sullivan Puts Lines in a Blender, Crosby v. McDavid 1242926 Dan’s Daily: Penguins Questions, Biden Goof Cracks up Lightning

San Jose Sharks 1242927 After emotional win vs. Golden Knights, Sharks falter in final home game 1242928 Sharks’ Karlsson not expected back this season, ending another frustrating year 1242929 Bordeleau developing quickly but has plenty to learn 1242930 Meet the Sharks’ unofficial team barber: ‘He’s honestly like one of the boys’ 1242931 Sharks Will Finish Below .500 This Year, Lose 5-2 | San Jose Hockey Now 1242932 Slow the Bordeleau Hype, What Might Barabanov's Contract Ask Be? | San Jose Hockey Now 1242933 Preview/Lines #80: Burns Named Sharks’ Masterton Nominee | San Jose Hockey Now

Seattle Kraken 1242934 Kraken finish first season series winless against Vancouver 1242935 The top moments of the Kraken’s inaugural season 1242936 Canucks beat Seattle Kraken, will miss playoffs 2nd straight year

St Louis Blues 1242937 Blues rally falls short, point streak ends in Colorado 1242938 Blues notebook: This time, Walker intent on sticking around 1242939 Blues Game Day: Krug in, but Schenn, Bortuzzo out 1242940 Gordo on the NHL: Underachieving Golden Knights reach brink of elimination

Tampa Bay Lightning 1242941 Lightning’s White House visit ‘a long time in the making’

Toronto Maple Leafs 1242942 Auston Matthews hits another milestone, going from hero to 60 1242943 Muzzin back for Leafs as Toronto takes on Detroit Red Wings tonight 1242944 Matthews scores his 60th, Maple Leafs clinch home ice with shutout win against Red Wings 1242945 Maple Leafs captain Tavares: Matthews' ability to regain possession of the puck 'uncanny' 1242946 TRAIKOS: The reason why Moritz Seider is the overwhelming favourite to win the Calder Trophy 1242947 Maple Leafs' Matthews wants to hit 60 goals, but 'not the end of the world' if it doesn't happen 1242948 Maple Leafs report cards: Auston Matthews hits 60 goals as Toronto secures home-ice advantage 1242949 Here are TSN and Sportsnet’s playoff plans for Leafs radio voices Joe Bowen and Jim Ralph 1242950 Maple Leafs end-of-season prospect report: Topi Niemela’s possible Marlies future and more

Vancouver Canucks 1242973 Canucks 5, Kraken 2: Victory overshadowed by emotional loss of playoff pursuit 1242974 Vancouver Canucks officially eliminated from playoff contention 1242975 Canucks: Thatcher Demko sidelined by injury, Spencer Martin gets crease call 1242976 The Armies: Canucks skate into the Spencer Martin era

Vegas Golden Knights 1242951 3 takeaways from Knights’ loss: Playoff hopes on life support 1242952 Golden Knights report: Russian prospect signs 2-year contract 1242953 Window narrows with Vegas’ 3-2 shootout loss to Stars 1242954 Here’s what the Golden Knights need to make playoffs 1242955 Golden Knights’ second straight shootout loss pushes Vegas to brink of elimination 1242956 Explaining a bizarre week in Vegas that ended with Robin Lehner’s season-ending surgery 1242957 Vegas Golden Knights Season Ticket Prices For 2022-23: Email Us Your Thoughts On Prices And Value 1242958 Improbable But Not Impossible: Updated Golden Knights Playoff Odds 1242959 It’s Over: Golden Knights Lose To Stars in Shootout, Playoff Hopes Gone 1242960 Golden Knights Gameday 80: THIS IS IT! Lines, Notes vs Stars

Washington Capitals 1242961 Ilya Samsonov’s misadventures continue as the Caps miss a golden opportunity 1242962 Alex Ovechkin is hurt, but you just know he’ll be back for the playoffs 1242963 Bruins legend Johnny Bucyk on Alex Ovechkin breaking his age-old record 1242964 Disastrous 3rd period dooms Ovechkin-less Caps 1242965 Caps playoff opponents narrowed down to Panthers or Rangers 1242966 Caps lose precious chance to move up East standings 1242967 Matthews scores 60th goal, joins Ovechkin on prestigious list 1242968 Alex Ovechkin’s injury brings the Capitals a feeling of déjà vu

Websites 1242977 Igor Shesterkin? Juuse Saros? Ilya Sorokin? Who is actually most deserving of this year’s Vezina Trophy? 1242978 NHL playoff WATCH: Ranking the most likely matchups, from 1-8 1242979 You know Jarome Iginla. Now meet the next generation of Iginlas making their mark 1242980 ESPN / NHL playoff watch standings update - X factors, predictions for Dallas Stars-Vegas Golden Knights 1242981 Sportsnet.ca / With historic 60th goal, Matthews takes throne as top sniper in today's NHL 1242982 Sportsnet.ca / In Crosby's barn, Oilers' McDavid sends loud message to Hart voters 1242983 Sportsnet.ca / Thrilling Flames-Predators tilt whets appetite for playoff series 1242984 Sportsnet.ca / As playoff hopes vanish, Canucks' Hughes shatters long-standing record 1242985 Sportsnet.ca / After spirited playoff chase, the value of belief is part of the Canucks' culture 1242986 TSN.CA / Matthews aims for milestone, momentum ahead of playoffs

Winnipeg Jets 1242969 Perfetti’s missed opportunity 1242970 ‘It was kind of embarrassing’ 1242971 Jets' Perfetti gearing up for... summer? 1242972 Pionk hits nail on head, calls Winnipeg Jets’ season ‘embarrassing’

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1242803 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks break out to early lead, beat Sharks 5-2 - Los Angeles Times

Josh Dubow

SAN JOSE — Max Comtois and Sonny Milano scored in a span of less

than a minute in the second period and the Ducks beat the San Jose

Sharks 5-2 on Tuesday night.

Trevor Zegras and Josh Mahura also scored and Zach Aston-Reese had

an empty-netter for the Ducks, who had lost six of their past seven

games. Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves to beat San Jose for the third

time this season.

Brent Burns and Scott Reedy scored for the Sharks in their final home

game of the season. Kaapo Kahkonen made 25 saves.

The Sharks started slow the game after posting their biggest win of the

season, when they rallied late to force overtime and beat Vegas in a

shootout on Sunday night to harm the Golden Knights’ playoff chances.

San Jose has little else to play for outside of the spoiler role as the

Sharks will miss the playoffs for a third straight season for the first time in

franchise history.

The Ducks are in a similar situation, missing the playoffs for the fourth

straight season and coming off an emotional game Sunday night when

Ryan Getzlaf played the final game of his career.

Anaheim converted on an early power play in the first when Zegras beat

Kahkonen up high from in close. The puck got stuck in the netting and no

one reacted immediately to the goal before Zegras raised his hands in

celebration when he finally realized he scored his 23rd goal of the

season.

Anaheim then seized control with two goals in a stretch of 56 seconds

early in the second period that came right after the Ducks killed a

penalty.

Comtois got the first when he finished off a give-and-go with Kevin

Shattenkirk and then Sonny Milano made it 3-0 with a backhand from the

slot.

The Sharks got back into it with a power-play goal from Burns and a

deflection by Reedy late in the second period.

Mahura scored midway through the third to give the Ducks an insurance

goal.

LA Times: LOADED: 04.27.2022


Ducks build early lead en route to victory over Sharks

Elliott Teaford

SAN JOSE — The Battle for Sixth? Or was it the Battle for Seventh?

Bragging rights? Or the better odds at a higher draft pick?

The Ducks and the San Jose Sharks took to the ice Tuesday night at

SAP Center looking to settle matters in the fourth and final meeting of a

season that will end for each team on Friday. Neither advanced to the

Stanley Cup playoffs and for the Ducks, it will mark a fourth straight early

vacation.

In the end, the Ducks delayed the standings skirmish by building a three-

goal lead and taking a hard-earned 5-2 victory from the Sharks. The

Ducks play the Stars on Friday in Dallas in their season finale. The

Sharks have games Thursday in Edmonton and Friday in Seattle.

Josh Mahura’s goal at 10;47 of the third period gave the Ducks a 4-2

lead after the Sharks had narrowed their 3-0 advantage to 3-2 in the

closing minutes of the second. Trevor Zegras, Max Comtois and Sonny

Milano also scored for the Ducks, and Anthony Stolarz made 31 saves.

Stolarz also assisted on Zach Aston-Reese’s late empty-net goal.

“Absolutely,” Stolarz said when asked if he had tried to shoot the puck

into the empty net. “My cross-hairs were a little off and it went a little left.

I’ll take the assist. I kind of double-clutched it. The ice wasn’t so great

and (the puck) rolled up on me. I actually got good wood on it.”

Stolarz’s attempt from below the goal line, after the Sharks shot the puck

behind his net, veered left and didn’t have enough distance to travel the

200-foot length of the ice. Aston-Reese latched onto it in the neutral zone

and fired it from near the left wing boards into the vacant net.

The Ducks’ victory wasn’t sufficient to enable them to vault over the

Sharks into sixth place. The Ducks (31-36-14) and Sharks (32-26-12)

each have 76 points, but San Jose has one game in hand and

maintained its edge in the Pacific Division standings over its rivals.

“Obviously, the (overall) results aren’t what we want,” Stolarz said. “But

at the end of the day, you look at the majority of the games and we’re

playing hard, battling hard against good teams. L.A. and San Jose, we

know that these are our rivals. No matter what, we’re competitive guys.

“Even though we’re out of it, we want to try to stick it to them.”

Zegras scored only 4:05 into the game on a perfectly placed shot from a

sharp angle that got caught in the netting at the very top of the goal,

giving the Ducks a 1-0 lead. Zegras’ goal was his 23rd of the season,

and his 60th point, extending his franchise rookie scoring record.

Troy Terry appeared to have given the Ducks a 2-0 lead at 13:13 of the

first period by smacking home a rebound from close range. The play was

reviewed and it was determined that Terry directed the puck into the net

with a distinct kicking motion and the goal was washed out.

The Ducks would get their 2-0 lead and a 3-0 advantage, too, but they

had to wait until the second period to get it done. Comtois scored at 5:26

of the second, moments after the Ducks killed a penalty. Milano then

made it 3-0 with a backhanded shot from the high slot at 6:22.

San Jose scored twice late in the second on goals from Brent Burns

(power play) and Scott Reedy, generating some momentum at long last

and making a game of it. The Ducks played their best overall period in

the third, controlling the run of play and outshooting the Sharks by 14-6.

“We scored at opportune times,” Ducks coach Dallas Eakins said. “We

didn’t start out great but got better as the game went on. We haven’t

faulted our team at all with the way we’ve worked since the trade

deadline especially. I think our guys have worked hard and stuck

together the best they can.”

Orange County Register: LOADED: 04.27.2022


Ducks sign Sam Carrick to 2-year, $1.7-million contract extension

Elliott Teaford

SAN JOSE — Sam Carrick earned his first regular shift in the NHL this

season at the age of 29, after toiling primarily in the AHL since 2012-13,

and the Ducks rewarded him with a two-season, $1.7-million contract

extension Tuesday. He had been in the Ducks’ organization since 2016-

17.

Carrick, now 30, set career highs with 11 goals and eight assists in 64

games before suffering a hip injury that sidelined him for Tuesday’s game

against the Sharks and, most likely, Friday’s season finale against the

Dallas Stars. He had two goals and four assists in 13 games last season.

“I fought and clawed my way to get here,” Carrick said. “I’ve heard the

expression that it’s a lot easier to get to the NHL and it’s a lot harder to

stay. I think there’s a lot of truth to that. I think everyone in this league

has earned it. Nothing comes easy. If it was easy, everyone would do it.”

With the Ducks rebuilding and looking to fill significant roles with a mix of

young players and veterans alike, Carrick made his mark after an early-

season recall from their AHL team in San Diego. Only his late-season

injury kept him out of the lineup the past three games.

“He’s played every shift like it might be his last one,” Ducks coach Dallas

Eakins said. “He arrives at puck battles in a foul mood. He goes to the

net. That’s where he scores his goals. He sticks up for his teammates.

He’s everything you want in a team player.”


1242806 Boston Bruins

With win over league-leading Panthers, Bruins know they can defend

against any team come the playoffs

By Matt Porter Globe Staff, Updated April 26, 2022, 9:42 p.m.

The Bruins know their first-round opponent will be the Hurricanes or

Maple Leafs. They know they would start either series on the road.

They also know, based on how they stifle some of the highest-powered

offenses in the game, that they can defend well enough to make a playoff

run that stretches into late spring.

Boston, rising to the challenge of facing arguably the best offense in

hockey, stopped Florida, 4-2, on Tuesday night by playing one of their

more complete games of the season. Forcing the rush-happy Panthers to

turn to the ol’ dump-and-chase, the Bruins controlled shots, 38-21. They

entered the third with a one-goal lead, then allowed three shots in the

final 20 minutes — only one of those coming in the final 3:27, when the

visitors pulled netminder Sergei Bobrovsky for an extra attacker.

The Panthers (57-17-6) have scored 334 goals this season, more than

any team since 1996. In the final week of the regular season, Bruins

coach Bruce Cassidy said before puck drop he was using this game as a

measuring stick to see how well his team could check.

Checkmate.

“[The Panthers] didn’t look like, to me, they had their usual jump,”

Cassidy said after his team (50-25-5) reached the 50-win mark for the

first time since 2017-18. “We’ve got to take our share of credit for getting

in their way. Maybe it was just one of those nights. But I certainly liked

the way our team played. Offensively, we generated a lot.”

Two goals in six seconds in the first period — from Erik Haula and Taylor

Hall, both set up by David Pastrnak — and a Jake DeBrusk strike early in

the second were the difference.

The power play didn’t score — now on a franchise-record 0-for-36 skid —

but Brad Marchand quenched his thirst. Marchand fired home an empty-

netter from the blue line seconds after the Panthers pulled Bobrovsky, his

first goal after an 11-game drought.

Brad Marchand -- and Bruins' fans -- celebrate after his third-period goal

Tuesday night at TD Garden.MADDIE MEYER/GETTY

“Empty net or not, he hit the post on one of those the other night,”

Cassidy said. “He probably went home thinking, ‘It’s never going to

happen.’ But I thought his game was good tonight. Their line was

excellent.”

Starting the play was the reborn DeBrusk, who made a host of smart

moves on the forecheck. He bothered Panthers captain Aleksander

Barkov in the neutral zone before Patrice Bergeron scooped up the

turnover, then fed Marchand for the ENG.

The Panthers rushed the puck up the ice often Tuesday, but things

petered out once they neared the Bruins’ zone. The pair of Hampus

Lindholm (25:28) and Charlie McAvoy (26:17) killed rushes and kick-

started the attack.

The Bruins put on display some of their sharpest puck-moving in weeks.

In the opening minutes, several backdoor looks nearly went in. Marchand

walked in and nearly scored on a three on two, taking a no-look

backhand feed from McAvoy.

Still, it was 1-0, Panthers, at the 8:00 mark of the first. Some 19 seconds

after a Haula minor expired, defenseman Gustav Forsling sneaked a shot

through a Sam Reinhart screen. Linus Ullmark (19 saves) turned around

a second after the puck went in the net, seemingly stunned to see it

there. But Ullmark made some big stops, none larger than a glove-

flashing denial of Reinhart’s wrister from in tight, with less than five

minutes left in the first.

Sparked by that save, the Bruins solved Bobrovsky on their eighth shot.

On a quick-strike two on one thanks to Hall’s soft-touch entry feed,

Pastrnak pulled defenseman Robert Hagg toward him with some fancy

stickhandling, then zipped it across the slot to Haula (18th goal).

Make it two goals in six seconds. Off the ensuing faceoff, Florida’s

Mackenzie Weegar passed to no one, and Pastrnak shuttled a feed to a

streaking Hall. The left winger, who shows a blistering shot when he

chooses to deploy it, beat a frozen Bobrovsky over the glove. That left

Hall at 19-40–59 for the season, his highest point total since his MVP

season in 2018 (39-54–93) and fourth highest of his 12-year career.

“I wasn’t the most confident shooter for a while there,” Hall said. “The last

couple games I’ve scored some goal-scorer goals. It’s good to get that

feel. It really is a feel … If I can start to get that feel as we’re heading into

the playoffs, it’s a good thing.”

With Tuesday’s win, the Bruins will finish no worse than the first wild-card

spot, which would put them into a series with the Hurricanes. They could

also catch the Lightning for third place in the Atlantic, which would pit

them against the Maple Leafs.

The Panthers (57-17-6) may well capture the Presidents’ Trophy this

week. They just won’t do it by beating the Bruins.

The Bruins continued to add to their franchise record (since 1977) for

power-play ineptitude. They went 0 for 3 and stand 0 for 36 over the last

12 games, stretching over 60:04. They couldn’t crack a weary group of

Panthers penalty killers when they had back-to-back minors midway

though the third. It is becoming comical, this run. Maybe a few good days

of practice before the playoffs will turn things.

“Our power play, we want to get that fixed,” Hall said. “It’s a struggle point

for us right now. But when we’re healthy and we have everyone in our

lineup, you can see how powerful we can be as a team. Our identity’s

always going to be a solid defensive team that can make you pay once

we have the puck. I think our game’s pretty good right now.”

Boston Globe LOADED: 04.27.2022


Bruins forward Jake DeBrusk focused on the playoffs, not his future

By Matt Porter Globe Staff,Updated April 26, 2022, 7:36 p.m.

Jake DeBrusk has been cooking in the second half. He won’t say if he

believes his future is with the Bruins.

“Again, I can’t comment on that as of now,” said DeBrusk, who spoke to

reporters before scoring in Tuesday night’s 4-2 win over the Panthers.

“It’s one of those things that I focused on winning the Stanley Cup with

this team. Whether I’m playing — it’s one of those things where there’s

only three games left, and the playoffs are approaching. That’s my main

focus right now. I’m not thinking about anything else.”

DeBrusk, who cratered last season — a career-low five goals and 14

points in 41 games — has 24 goals and 40 points, three shy of his bests

in each category. He has responded to the challenge of moving to the

No. 1 line, playing his off (right) wing with Patrice Bergeron and Brad

Marchand.

Along the way, DeBrusk requested a trade around the time he was

scratched for a Nov. 28 game against the Canucks. He had COVID (for

the second time) in early January. He remained with the team through

the March 21 trade deadline. Hoping to find a taker for the unhappy

winger, the Bruins re-signed him to a budget-friendly two-year, $8 million

deal. Had he not signed that deal, he would have been owed a $4.41

million qualifying offer.

DeBrusk’s bounce-back season earned him the Bruins’ Masterton Trophy

nomination, as selected by the local chapter of the Professional Hockey

Writers Association. The award is for sportsmanship, perseverance, and

dedication to hockey. DeBrusk was surprised by the nod, word of which

came Monday in a text from his mother, Cindy.

What does DeBrusk consider his greatest challenge this season?

“At this point, I don’t actually know,” he said. “I haven’t really thought of

that. There’s obviously a lot. I’d probably say just my goal was to hit 20

goals. My goal was to bounce back.”

DeBrusk has remained mum about what made his game go south, and

why he wanted — or wants — out of Boston. For him, all that matters

right now is that he’s all-in.

“Obviously, it was a tough year for everybody, myself included. This year

with everything else, it was a lot,” he said. “I give lots of credit to my

teammates and everybody here that kind of kept it pretty tight-knit, and

made it feel pretty normal. I give a lot of credit to the guys in the room for

helping me steer the ship back in the right way.”

Jumbo sighting

Unless he returns for a 25th season at age 43 — or gets the call for a

potential Bruins-Panthers playoff series — Tuesday was likely Joe

Thornton’s final game on Causeway Street.

Thornton, chasing the Stanley Cup in Florida after coming up short in

Toronto last season, has a 5-5–10 line in 32 games. The man with the

jumbo-length beard was playing his third game in April, with “DNP” next

to his name for 10 other games.

He drew in at No. 4 left wing for the Panthers after Ryan Lomberg was

suspended one game (an automatic ruling) for taking an instigator

penalty in the final five minutes of Sunday’s 8-4 loss to the Lightning.

Thornton and Tomas Nosek exchanged angry shoves during a scrum at

18:22 of the first period, leaving both penalized for roughing. That may

have been carryover from the first round of the 2019 playoffs, when

Thornton (San Jose) drew a one-game suspension for a head shot on

Nosek (Vegas). Thornton, chippier in his old age than he was as a young

Bruin, was called for tripping at 11:49 of the second when he clipped

Charlie McAvoy while heading off for a change.

Thornton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 1997 draft, spent eight years in

Boston (169-285–454 in 532 games) before a November 2005 trade to

San Jose.

And the winner is …

The Bruins handed out player awards before the game. McAvoy won the

Eddie Shore Award (hustle and determination), David Pastrnak won the

Elizabeth Dufresne Trophy (performance in home games), Nick Foligno

took home the John P. Bucyk Award (charitable endeavors). This

season’s three stars: 3. Bergeron; 2. Marchand; and 1. Pastrnak The

Seventh Player Award will be presented before Thursday night’s game

against Buffalo ... Hampus Lindholm, believed to be dealing with a left

knee issue, and Pastrnak (core) returned after one-game rests … Trivia:

The the most recent scorer of a power-play goal for the Bruins? Erik

Haula. He connected April 2 vs. Columbus. It was part of his second-half

surge, which saw him put up 16-22–38 in 53 games since the Jan. 1

switch to put him and Pastrnak on the second line … Mike Reilly and

Marc McLaughlin were healthy scratches … Florida’s 13-game winning

streak, which fizzled with that home loss to Tampa Bay, was a franchise

record and the longest in the NHL this season. The Panthers outscored

opponents, 64-33, during that run … The Panthers finished 34-7-0 at

home … Old pal Noel Acciari, who has battled an upper-body ailment all

season (2-5–7 in 18 games), skated the No. 3 left wing for Florida … The

Panthers rested middle-sixer Mason Marchment, who had been 2-3–5 in

his previous three games … Aaron Ekblad, out since March 18 with an

apparent right leg injury, took part in the Panthers’ pregame skate at TD

Garden. His availability for the playoffs is unknown … Coach Bruce

Cassidy said he expected to play his full lineup Thursday against Buffalo,

then potentially rest some mainstays Friday in Toronto. His goalies will

split the starts.



With mighty Panthers in town and playoffs near, it was time for Bruins to

ramp up the intensity

By Kevin Paul Dupont Globe Staff, Updated April 26, 2022, 5:06 p.m.

The Florida Panthers, the best team in the NHL at the moment, and the

league powerhouse for most of the last six-plus months, were on

Causeway Street Tuesday night, offering the Bruins a glimpse of the type

of hockey they’ll face next week.

Prior to Tuesday night, that glimpse could have turned into a high-

definition, nose-to-the-glass challenge against Florida in Round 1. But

the 4-2 win over the Panthers removed any chance the Bruins will face

the Panthers to open the Stanley Cup playoffs.

“They are pretty good with their game,” said Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy,

asked if he felt he could get a true read on the Panthers, given that

they’re assured the No. 1 seed in the East. “Tonight’s game, I’m going to

guess they’ll say wasn’t their best, because they didn’t seem to have the

same jump they typically have, for whatever reason. But again, that’s

outside of our control. I thought we did what we needed to do to be the

better team.”

The Bruins, with two games to play, will finish with the first wild-card

berth in the East, or perhaps shimmy their way by Tampa Bay and into

the No. 3 spot in the Atlantic. Their most likely Round 1 opponent is

Carolina, with an outside chance, if they do pocket the No. 3 spot, it will

be Toronto. All the Bruins know for sure is that they’ll open on the road.

The Panthers, a bit dull at times in their 80th dry run of the season, have

clinched the regular-season conference title. They’ve earned the right to

open the postseason against the perceived weakling that lands in the No.

8 spot. When the smoke cleared Tuesday night, that meant Florida would

be facing the Capitals or Penguins.

But that’s just the math, raw analytics. The reality is, there are no tomato

cans in the top eight, be it East or West, but especially in the East where

all eight qualifiers have amassed at least 100 points.

With 100 points comes a certain amount of confidence, the right to dream

of a Cup title, at least until the puck goes down for Game 1.

“When you’re healthy, the way the team’s played the second half,

different guys in and out,” mused Cassidy earlier in the day, “yeah, I feel

good about our team. We play the right style for us to be successful.”

The Panthers feel the same, of course, and rightly so. They have more

wins (57) and points (120), and the best point percentage (.750), than

anyone else in the wild and wonderful Original 32.

To make a rosy picture all the rosier, Panthers general manager Bill Zito

added elite Flyers center Claude Giroux at the trade deadline, and also

picked up veteran defensemen Ben Chiarot (6 feet 3 inches, 235 pounds)

from Montreal and Robert Hagg (6-2, 210) from the Sabres. Giroux

provided insurance to an already stacked offense, while Hagg and

Chiarot brought weight and depth to a defensive corps that was a just

shade short in both categories — what often can portend trouble in the

playoffs.

The Panthers arrived with a dazzling 14-2-0 mark since the trade

deadline, with a plus-23 goal differential in those 16 games. Hagg and

Chiarot bolstered a backline much harder to play against these days.

All of which is to say, much like the Bruins, the Panthers will have no

obvious holes in roster composition when they begin the chase for 16

wins next week.

“All hands on deck right now,” said Cassidy, happy to have David

Pastrnak and Hampus Lindholm, injured of late, back on the job to face

the Panthers. “That’s all I can ask for.”

One huge difference between the teams, particularly in recent weeks,

has been the power play. The Panthers arrived ranked No. 7 in the

league, clicking at 24.2 percent. The Bruins once clicked like that, until

their league-worst 0-for-36 nightmare spanning 12 games and a

stupefying 60:04.

The lack of a power play would hurt the Bruins against any team in the

East. Their power play would struggle against St John’s Prep.

“We’re trying to get to the bottom of it, trust me,” Cassidy said. “I don’t

think we’re practicing it that well when we do practice it, you know, there

should be a little more urgency because of the lack of production lately.

“So we’ll keep harping on that, even though we haven’t practiced it a lot.

We should be a little crisper on it, because we aren’t getting that many

reps.”

The Bruins were awarded only 10 power–play opportunities across five

games prior to facing Florida. More chances won’t guarantee better

production, but more reps at least would allow the man-up units the

chance to gain some traction. All they’ve done is spin their wheels since

April 2, the night Erik Haula scored the club’s most recent PPG.

“We’re not trying to reinvent the wheel on it,” noted Cassidy. “But, yes,

it’s been a while. It’s dragged on too long.”

Only two more test cases of 60 minutes or more to get it right. The DNQ

Sabres are in town Thursday night. The 82-game run-up ends Friday in

Toronto, where the 52-win Maple Leafs as of Tuesday morning owned

the game’s No. 1 power play (27.0 percent).

As Cassidy’s morning media session drew to a close in Brighton, he

pondered what looks and matchups are to come next week, be it against

the Hurricanes, Rangers, Panthers, or whomever.

“At the end of the day,” he said, “I don’t think most teams change their

stripes going into the playoffs, especially if they’ve had a successful year.

“If you look at the teams in the East, all with 100 points, every team feels

they’re a pretty good hockey club. You know, might be a little bit behind

this team in this area, or that team in this area. I wouldn’t anticipate any

team changing the way the play.”

The biggest change, the one that separates the Stanley Cup playoffs

from all the rest, is the intensity of play, the urgency wired into the clock.

It all begins next week. And the one thing in common for all 16 teams:

None of them truly can know if they’re ready.



Bruins smother Panthers for 4-2 win

Steve Conroy

The Bruins nabbed their 50th victory of the season and secured the first

wild card spot with a solid 4-2 victory over the NHL-leading Florida

Panthers at the Garden on Tuesday.

The only thing left to determine is their first-round opponent, which will be

the Carolina Panthers if the B’s don’t catch Tampa in the last two games

of the season. If they somehow catch the Lightning — three points ahead

of the B’s with two games left — the B’s would meet Toronto.

How much Tuesday’s game mattered to the Panthers, still looking to nail

down the Presidents’ Trophy but in the Eastern Conference driver’s seat,

is anyone’s guess. But they were coming off a spanking at the hands of

the Lightning, so you would have thought they’d want to get that taste out

of their mouths.

But the B’s had their checking game going, especially in the third period,

playing on their toes while protecting a 3-2 lead. Florida came into the

game with a plus-38 goal differential in third periods. But not only did they

not score, the B’s outshot them 16-3 in the final 20 minutes to salt away

the victory.

“Tonight’s game, I’m going to guess they’re going to say it wasn’t their

best, because they didn’t seem to have the same jump they typically

have for whatever reason,” said coach Bruce Cassidy. “But that’s outside

of our control. We control our game, and I think we did what we were

supposed to do to be the better team and win the game.”

The win means that the B’s don’t have to play the potent Panthers in the

first round. But either Carolina or Toronto — against whom the B’s have

amassed an 0-5 record — would be a tough challenge. While it’s

expected he’ll rest some regulars in the season finale in Toronto on

Friday, Cassidy said that he’ll play his full lineup on Thursday when they

host the Sabres.

It would certainly be nice for the B’s to snap their brutal string of futility on

the power-play before the playoffs arrive. They were 0-for-3 on Tuesday,

including two failed PPs in the third period when it could have made their

life a little easier. They are now on an 0-for-36 skid.

“That first power-play of the game, you want to be sharp and I just don’t

think we have the confidence right now to be that way,” said Taylor Hall,

who had a goal and an assist. “We need maybe a couple of practice days

to get that in order. It’s all five of us on that unit that need to help each

other out. You’re going to go through that in spurts throughout the

season. That’s a real focal point that I’m sure we’ll work on before

playoffs start. But if we can get pucks back, retrieve pucks after shots,

then our power play’s great. But if we’re one-and-done and they’re

clearing it after every shot on goal, it’s really hard to get momentum that

way. I think we’ll figure it out. There are too many good players on that

unit.”

The B’s did shed one 800-pound gorilla on Tuesday. With the Panthers

down a goal and getting nothing going 5-on-5, coach Andrew Brunette

got aggressive and pulled goalie Sergei Bobrovsky with almost three and

half minutes left. But the B’s easily broke out of the zone and Patrice

Bergeron set up Brad Marchand for an empty-netter, snapping an 11-

game streak without a goal. He’s still the B’s leading scorer, but it had to

be somewhat of a relief.

“Empty net or not. He hit the post on one the other night (against the

Rangers) and he probably went home thinking it’s never going to

happen,” said Cassidy. “But I thought his game was good tonight and his

line was excellent.”

The two teams played an entertaining first period that featured two

Bruins’ goals in six seconds and their customary last-minute buzzkill that

led to a 2-2 score after 20 minutes.

The Panthers took the first lead of the game at 8:00 when Gustav

Forsling beat Linus Ullmark on what appeared to be a screen shot.

But the B’s were playing a pretty good opening period against the

league-leading Panthers and they blitzed them with a pair late in the

period. First, David Pastrnak fed Haula with a nifty backhand pass off the

rush for Haula’s 18th at 16:18.

Then the same line scored off the faceoff. Haula lost the draw, but Hall

flicked it away from MacKenzie Weegar and it went right to Pastrnak,

who gave it right back to Hall for a breakaway. Hall fired an absolute

laser that was in and out of the net before Bobrovsky even flinched. It

was Hall’s 19th, and his second breakaway goal in three games.

“It’s nice to score,” said Hall. “I wasn’t the most confident shooter for a

while there. But the last couple of games I’ve scored some goalscorer’s

goals and it’s good to get that feel. It really is a feel. Some people chalk it

up to luck or whatever. But the best goalscorers in the league seem to

score a lot. If I can get that feel as we’re getting into the playoffs, that’s a

good thing.”

But as is their way, the B’s made a costly last-minute mistake. On a 2-on-

2, Brandon Carlo let Anthony Duclair get behind him and had to take a

slashing penalty with 10 seconds left in the period. And don’t you know it,

that was plenty of time for the Panthers to score. In fact, they left half a

second on the clock after Sam Reinhart scored on a rebound off the post

to tie the game going into the first intermission.

But the one good thing about giving up so many late period goals – if you

can call it that – is the fact that the B’s equilibrium seems to no longer get

negatively altered by what were once considered back-breaking goals.

They regained the lead at 4:59 of the second on Jake DeBrusk’s 24th

goal of the year. Bergeron and Marchand won a puck in a scrum out high

along the right boards and Marchand fired a shot right on net that

seemed to stun Bobrovsky. He left a fat rebound for DeBrusk, who buried

it for the 3-2 lead.

They still had 35 minutes of hockey to play, but this time they held on to

the lead with a grip-like vise and take the season series 2-1 from the

Panthers with a feel-good win.

Boston Herald LOADED: 04.27.2022


Bruins notebook: Jake DeBrusk responding to challenge and opportunity

Steve Conroy

Jake DeBrusk has run the gamut this season. He’s gone from being a

healthy scratch in November to a highly functioning member of the

team’s top line for the last two months.

And while his future with the club remains a bit murky, he’s in a much

better place than at this point last season, easily his worst as a pro. Last

year, he had lost his place in the top six, was affected by the isolation

created by the COVID restrictions, had a bout with the virus and finished

with meager 5-9-14 totals in 41 games. Now, he’s back where he

belongs up over 20 goals (23 going into Tuesday’s game against Florida)

and four points behind his career high, which was 43 in his rookie

season.

Not a bad turnaround.

“A complete change from everything, pretty much, with how frustrating it

was at the end of last year. Obviously I wasn’t happy with anything that

was going on on the ice. And it’s definitely a different moment right now,”

said DeBrusk on Tuesday morning. “It’s kind of interesting to play 82

games again. … It’s a matter of life being normal again. There’s fans in

the stands and in our last game against Montreal, the crowd was pretty

intense. It was pretty cool, obviously. There are just different types of

things that make you remember what it was like to play in the National

Hockey League, and that’s what we all love.”

DeBrusk was named the Boston nominee for the Masterton Trophy –

given to player that best exemplified perseverance, sportsmanship and

dedication to the sport – by the local chapter of the Professional Hockey

Writers Association. Each team nominates a player and the winner will

be announced during the finals.

It was an unconventional choice. DeBrusk had requested a trade last

summer, it was made public by his agent in November, then reiterated

before the trade deadline. And if his most recent success has changed

his mind, he’s not saying.

“I can’t comment on that now,” said DeBrusk, who wound up signing a

two-year extension worth $4 million annually. “It’s one of those things

where I’m focused on winning the Stanley Cup with this team wherever

I’m playing. There’s only three games left and the playoffs are

approaching. That’s my main focus right now. I’m not thinking of anything

else.”

But to his credit, he has not let that desire to leave affect his play

negatively. In fact, he’s seemingly used the situation to refocus his game.

He played well in both third and fourth line roles before he was told prior

to the B’s game in Seattle on Feb. 24 that he would be bumping up to

play with Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand. The move also entailed

him moving over to his right side, something that had not gone well for

him in previous assignments. Coach Bruce Cassidy had a long chat with

him about it, as did his new linemates.

“It was more so if I was comfortable with being in that position and

whether I was willing to give it a try. Obviously, I said yes. I think

everybody would agree to that role,” said DeBrusk. “At the same time,

you don’t want to lose, so you’ve got to bring it every single night,

whether you’re not feeling it or things aren’t going in the net. I think we’ve

generated a lot. It just hasn’t gone in the way we’ve wanted it to. It’s a

good sign when you’re generating.”

Cassidy has not been hesitant to move DeBrusk in the lineup or even sit

him. But he’s had no cause to take him off that line.

“Jake has done his part,” said Cassidy. “That was certainly a turning

point.”

While it was a great opportunity for DeBrusk, it was also a challenge

because of the elite matchups. He’s responded well.

“There’s not necessarily a bad No. 1 line in the league, so you know

they’re going to have their best some nights and it’s about limiting those

and trying to equal it if not make them pay on the other side of the ice,”

said DeBrusk. “That’s the biggest thing, knowing that our matchup’s

going to see the best line, the best D pairing every single shift, whether

it’s home or away. And obviously, that has a lot lot do with the respect for

how Bergy and Marchy play.”

But more and more, it has something to do with DeBrusk as well.

Third pairing coming into focus

Barring injury, it sounds like Cassidy will go with Derek Forbort and

Connor Clifton as the third defensive pairing, which had been one of the

bigger questions since the trade deadline acquisitions of Hampus

Lindholm and Josh Brown. That would mean Brown and Mike Reilly

would be in the press box to start the series.

“I think (Forbort and Clifton’s) game has been solid of late,” said Cassidy.

“Now they’re going to have a bump along the way, like everybody. But

they’ve played a lot together and they’re getting a good understanding of

the expectations of what we need from them. … They’ve managed the

puck a lot better.”…

The Bruins handed out some end-of-season hardware on Tuesday.

Charlie McAvoy received the Eddie Shore Award given out by the Gallery

Gods for the player he exudes the most hustle.

David Pastrnak received the Elizabeth Dufresne Award for the player

who performed the best in home games.

Nick Foligno earned the John P. Bucyk Award for his charitable work.

Pastrnak, Marchand and Bergeron are the No. 1, 2 and 3 stars for the

season.

The 7th Player Award will be given out prior to Thursday’s game against

the Sabres.

Boston Herald LOADED: 04.27.2022


How Carolina goalie Frederik Andersen's injury could impact Bruins in

playoffs

by Nick Goss

The most likely opponent for the Boston Bruins in the first round of the

2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs is the Carolina Hurricanes, and an injury to

'Canes starting goalie Frederik Andersen could significantly impact a

potential series.

ESPN's Greg Wyshynski reported Tuesday that Andersen might miss the

"first few games" of Round 1.

As I just reported THE POINT: The current expectation is that @Canes

goalie Freddie Andersen may miss the first few games of the 1st round

with his injury. Team will reevaluate when it returns from road trip. If

status quo, could we see rookie Pyotr Kochetkov in Game 1? #CamWard

— Greg Wyshynski (@wyshynski) April 26, 2022

Andersen suffered a left leg injury earlier this month. He's in the midst of

a fantastic season with a 35-14-3 record, a .922 save percentage and a

2.17 GAA. He has a very strong case to be one of the three finalists for

the Vezina Trophy.

Ranking Bruins' potential first-round opponents in 2022 playoffs

His absence would be a huge one for Carolina. The Hurricanes are a

well-rounded team that defends quite well as a team, and Andersen is

the backbone of that success.

The situation worsened for the Hurricanes on Sunday when backup

netminder Antti Raanta left the team's win over the New York Islanders. If

neither Andersen nor Raanta are ready for Game 1 of the playoffs, we

could see rookie Pyotr Kochetkov in net. He has an .889 save

percentage in 44:18 minutes played this season.

The Hurricanes being forced to play Raanta or Kochetkov in net, even for

just a couple games, would be a major break for the Bruins. Andersen

went 3-0-0 with a .990 save percentage in three games against the B's

this season. Carolina swept the season series by a combined score of

16-1.

We don't know for sure if Andersen will in fact miss the start of the

playoffs, but it's a storyline Bruins fans should continue to monitor given

the likelihood of these two teams meeting in the first round.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.27.2022


Talking Points: Boston Bruins With Impressive Win Vs. Florida

By Joe Haggerty

BOSTON – Here are the Talking Points from the Boston Bruins 4-2 win

over the Florida Panthers at TD Garden on Tuesday night.

GOLD STAR: Taylor Hall seemed like he had an extra gear throughout

the game, so it’s no coincidence that he ended up as one of the offensive

stars for the Boston Bruins. Hall finished with a secondary assist on

Boston’s first goal when he found an open David Pastrnak just as he was

slicing down the heart of the Florida defense before backhanding a dish

off to Erik Haula for a one-timer. Then six seconds later Haula won the

faceoff to Pastrnak, who hit Hall in stride heading down the slot for a

buried wrist shot for his 19th goal of the season. In all Hall finished with a

goal, two points, a plus-2 in 17:47 of ice time to go along with five shots

on net, a hit and a takeaway in a solid night’s work.

BLACK EYE: Jonathan Huberdeau was a potential Hart Trophy

candidate for most of this season, but he was dreadful against the

Boston Bruins. He finished a minus-2 with one shot on net, three

giveaways and was a non-factor in 19:44 of ice time for the Panthers. He

wasn’t along, obviously, as Patric Hornqvist was a no-show for the

Panthers, and Aleksander Barkov was a minus-2 while losing more than

he won in the face-off circle. Even Joe Thornton couldn’t muster up

much, in what’s likely his final game at TD Garden, aside from a half-

hearted shoving match with Tomas Nosek early in the game. As Bruce

Cassidy said postgame, it didn’t look like the Panthers had their usual

jump on this night.

TURNING POINT: The Bruins could have been rattled when they allowed

another last-minute goal with literally less than a second to go on the

clock at the end of the first period. The late goal made it a 2-2 game

going into the first intermission and things certainly could have taken a

turn for the Black and Gold. Instead, they got back to work and struck for

another goal in the first five minutes of the second period when Brad

Marchand fired a rocket at the Florida net that Sergei Bobrovsky was

able to stop, but Jake DeBrusk crashed the net and snapped home the

rebound. The play gave the Bruins a 3-2 lead in the game and gave them

back the momentum in a game they truly dominated from a 5-on-5

perspective.

HONORABLE MENTION: Brad Marchand has shown signs he was

coming out of his recent struggles in the last few games, and really

snapped out of it on Tuesday by scoring an empty netter than snapped

an 11-game goal-scoring drought. He also assisted on Boston’s game-

winning goal when he fired a long-distance rocket that handcuffed Sergei

Bobrovsky into a big rebound with Jake DeBrusk bearing down on the

net. Marchand finished with 20 minutes of ice time, a goal, two points,

five shots on net and three big hits in a game where he brought energy

and offense to the table. It’s reassuring to the Bruins to see Marchand

and Patrice Bergeron playing with this kind of energy this late into the

season. This hit on Patric Hornqvist was a beauty.

Brad Marchand with a heavy hit on Patric Hornqvist.

pic.twitter.com/RwY1Z0AA03

— Conor Ryan (@ConorRyan_93) April 27, 2022

BY THE NUMBERS: 11 – the number of the goal-scoring drought that

Brad Marchand finally snapped when he scored on an empty netter in the

closing seconds of Tuesday night’s win.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “Special teams, power play…that’s definitely an area

we want to get fixed. It’s been a struggle point for us. The confidence just

isn’t there. We need a couple of practices to get things in order.” –Taylor

Hall on a Boston Bruins power play that’s now 0-for-36 and hasn’t scored

since the opening days of April.

Boston Hockey Now LOADED: 04.27.2022


Pastrnak Racks Up The Hardware As Bruins Announce Season Awards

By Jimmy Murphy

Boston Bruins star winger David Pastrnak added two more awards to his

growing list of accolades with the Bruins and in the NHL.

In the annual end of the season awards just prior to the Boston Bruins

hosting the Florida Panthers Tuesday, Pastrnak was awarded the

Elizabeth Dufresne Trophy awarded to the player exemplifying

outstanding performance on home ice as determined by the Boston

Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Heading into

Tuesday’s game, Pastrnak had 26 goals and 18 assists in 36 games on

TD Garden ice this season. This is the second time Pastrnak has taken

home the Dufresne Trophy after winning it in 2019-20.

David Pastrnak has 39 goals and 34 assists overall in 70 games and just

returned from a nine-game hiatus due to an undisclosed injury.

Pastrnak was also the No. 1 Star for the Bruins Three Stars, as selected

by 98.5 The Sports Hub, for being top performers at home games over

the course of the season. Brad Marchand was the second star and

Boston Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron was the third star.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy won the Eddie Shore Award,

given to the player who shows exceptional hustle and determination,

chosen by the “Gallery Gods”. McAvoy is tied with Marchand for the team

lead in assists with 45 helpers and leads all Bruins defensemen in goals

with ten lamplighters.

Nick Foligno took home the John P. Bucyk Award for providing

exceptional off-ice charitable contributions, chosen by John Bucyk. Per

the Boston Bruins:

Foligno has been involved in every virtual visit this season with local

Boston area hospitals as well as the Bruins annual Toy Shopping event.

In 2020, Nick and his wife Janelle started The Heart’s Playbook

Foundation in honor of their daughter Milana who has been battling heart

disease since birth. The goal of their foundation is to help patients and

families work with the best physicians, receive the best care and engage

with the best technology in heart health, and be introduced to some of

the most positive communities so that they may have positive outcomes.

The Foligno family participated in Heart Health Night at TD Garden on

April 12, providing gift bags to heart health patients and heart healthy

recipes to share throughout the Bruins game.

With 20 years of experience (SiriusXM NHL Network Radio,

ESPNBoston, NESN, NHL.com, etc.) covering the Bruins, the NHL,

NCAA and junior hockey and more, Jimmy Murphy’s hockey black book

is full of Hall of Famers, current players, coaches, management, scouts

and a wide array of hockey media personalities that have lived in and

around this great game. For 17 of his 20 years as a hockey and sports

reporter, Murph covered the Bruins on essentially a daily basis covering

their victorious 2011 Stanley Cup run and their 2013 run to the Final as

well. Murphy has hosted national and local radio shows and podcasts

and also has experience in TV as well.



Game 80: Boston Bruins Vs Florida Panthers Lines, Betting Preview

By Jimmy Murphy

Here’s your Boston Hockey Now Boston Bruins Game Day Preview:

Boston Bruins (49-25-5, 103 pts) vs Florida Panthers (57-16-6-120 pts)

TIME: 7:00 PM ET

TV: NESN+, BSFL

The Boston Bruins will host the Florida Panthers at TD Garden Tuesday.

The Bruins will try to prevent a postgame Presidential ball as the

Panthers can clinch President’s Trophy if they defeat the Bruins in any

fashion and the St. Louis Blues defeat the Colorado Avalanche in any

fashion or If they get one point vs. Boston AND St. Louis defeats

Colorado in regulation.

The Boston Bruins come in trying to extend their win streak to three

games and stay at least three points ahead of the Washington Capitals

for the top wild card slot in the Eastern Conference and within three

points of the Tampa Bay Lightning for third place in the Atlantic Division.

The Caps will host the New York Islanders Tuesday night and the

Lightning host the Columbus Blue Jackets.

If the Boston Bruins lose and the Capitals win, the Caps pull within a

point of the Bruins, and if the Bruins lose and the Lightning win, then the

Lightning clinch third place in the Atlantic. The Bruins can only gain four

more points after tonight with just two games left.

The Bruins will go back to goalie Linus Ullmark between the pipes

Tuesday night. In his first start since leaving with an upper-body injury

after the first period of a 3-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators on April 14,

Ullmark was brilliant, making 30 saves in a 3-1 win over the New York

Rangers Saturday at TD Garden. Ullmark is now 24-10-2 with a 2.52

GAA and .914 save percentage.

The Florida Panthers will look to Sergei Bobrovsky in their first attempt to

clinch their first-ever President’s Trophy. Bobrovsky comes into this tilt

with the Boston Bruins at 39-6-3 with a 2.66 GAA and .912 save

percentage.

Betting: As my colleague for Florida Hockey Now pointed out in his game

preview for tonight, the Florida Panthers just had a franchise-record 24-

game win streak snapped in their 8-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on

Sunday. Usually, when a team has a long win streak like that snapped,

they tend to lose a few in a row after, but there is still a lot on the line for

the Panthers here. With tonight likely the last game before a back-to-

back Thursday (at Ottawa Senators) and Friday (at Montreal Canadiens),

that head coach Andrew Brunette ices a playoff-like lineup, the Panthers

will want to lock the top seed in the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs down

ASAP.

So expect a playoff-like performance from the Cats in this one and a low-

scoring affair as the Panthers will buckle down after allowing eight goals

on Sunday. Panthers in Regulation (+115) and the UNDER 6.5 (+110)

are the plays here.

Prediction: Panthers 3 Bruins 2

Boston Bruins Notes

-David Pastrnak and Hampus Lindholm will be back in the lineup after not

traveling to Montreal for the 5-3 win over the Canadiens. In his first game

back after a nine-game absence with an undisclosed injury, Pastrnak had

a goal and an assist Saturday. Lindholm skated 24:41 and had three

shots on net and one hit.

-Brad Marchand is mired in one of the worst goal-scoring slumps in

recent memory with no goals in his last eleven games and five assists

during that stretch. Marchand did look much better and involved in the

win over the Habs Sunday and had two helpers to show for it so maybe

he breaks through tonight?

-Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron finally awoke from a slump of his own

Sunday, scoring two goal at the Bell Centre with his family on hand and

on a night when fellow Quebec native Guy Lafleur was honored after

passing away on Friday.

Florida Panthers Notes

-With Ryan Lomberg suspended for a game and Mason Marchment

taking a maintenance day, Carter Verhaeghe and former Boston Bruins

captain Joe Thornton will draw in.

-This will be the Panthers first visit to Boston since Oct. 30. The Bruins

handed Florida its first loss of the season that night, winning 3-2 in a

shootout.

Boston Bruins Lineup:

Forwards

Brad Marchand – Patrice Bergeron– Jake DeBrusk

Taylor Hall – Erik Haula – Tomáš Nosek/Marc McLaughlin

Trent Frederic – Charlie Coyle – Craig Smith

Nick Foligno – Tomáš Nosek/Marc McLaughlin – Curtis Lazar

Defense:

Matt Grzelcyk – Charlie McAvoy

Mike Reilly – Brandon Carlo

Derek Forbort – Connor Clifton

Goalies:

Jeremy Swayman

Linus Ullmark

Florida Panthers Lineup:

Forwards:

Carter Verhaeghe – Sasha Barkov – Anthony Duclair

Jonathan Huberdeau – Sam Bennett – Anthony Duclair

Noel Accari – Anton Lundell – Sam Reinhart

Joe Thornton – Eetu Luostarinen – Patric Hornqvist

Defensemen:

Ben Chiarot – MacKenzie Weegar

Gus Forsling – Brandon Montour

Robert Hagg – Radko Gudas

Goalies

Sergei Bobrovsky

Spencer Knight

With 20 years of experience (SiriusXM NHL Network Radio,

ESPNBoston, NESN, NHL.com, etc.) covering the Bruins, the NHL,

NCAA and junior hockey and more, Jimmy Murphy’s hockey black book

is full of Hall of Famers, current players, coaches, management, scouts

and a wide array of hockey media personalities that have lived in and

around this great game. For 17 of his 20 years as a hockey and sports

reporter, Murph covered the Bruins on essentially a daily basis covering

their victorious 2011 Stanley Cup run and their 2013 run to the Final as

well. Murphy has hosted national and local radio shows and podcasts

and also has experience in TV as well.



Pastrnak, Lindholm Return For Boston Bruins Vs. Panthers

By Joe Haggerty

BRIGHTON, MA – The Boston Bruins got back to work on Monday

morning at Warrior Ice Arena and they had a full complement of players.

David Pastrnak and Hampus Lindholm rejoined the practice group at

Warrior after sitting out Sunday’s practice following their return to the

lineup in Saturday afternoon’s matinee win over the New York Rangers.

That meant the line combinations and defense pairings at practice were

the same as they were against the Blueshirts over the weekend and that

defenseman Mike Reilly and Marc McLaughlin were going to be the

healthy scratches on Tuesday night against the Florida Panthers.

With three games remaining in the regular season, it’s fair to wonder

whether this would be the opening night lineup for the Stanley Cup

playoffs if everybody remains healthy for the next week. Either way, the

Boston Bruins were looking at Monday’s showdown with the high-

powered Panthers as an excellent test for their defense ahead of the

postseason.

“This is the most explosive offensive team arguably in the NHL that we’re

facing,” said Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said of the match

with a Panthers team that ranks 1st in the NHL while averaging a

ridiculous 4.16 goals per game. “So the measure will be in our checking

game to see how we’re looking in that department. We’ve done a really

good job with that in the second half of the year.”

The Panthers just had a 13-game winning streak snapped with an 8-4

loss to the Lightning and have won 16 of their last 18 games dating back

to around the time they picked up Claude Giroux and Ben Chiarot at the

NHL trade deadline.

There will be playoff implications on the line as the Panthers can clinch

the President’s Trophy with a win over the Bruins and guarantee

themselves home ice throughout the postseason. The Carolina

Hurricanes could also clinch the Metro Division and essentially lock in the

Boston Bruins as their first-round opponent in the playoffs as well.

Boston Bruins netminder Linus Ullmark will get the start for Boston and

look to build on his strong return to the B’s lineup on Saturday when he

made 30 saves in the victory over the Rangers. Here’s the projected

Boston Bruins lineup against the Rangers based on morning skate:

Marchand-Bergeron-DeBrusk

Hall-Haula-Pastrnak

Frederic-Coyle-Smith

Foligno-Nosek-Lazar

Lindholm-McAvoy

Grzelcyk-Carlo

Forbort-Clifton

Ullmark



Playoff Focus Comes Into Play For Boston Bruins Best

By Joe Haggerty

You had to know that Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand were going

to give a little Boston Bruins reminder of exactly what they can do prior to

the Stanley Cup playoffs.

After a mostly quiet couple of weeks with David Pastrnak and Hampus

Lindholm missing time due to injuries and their playoff fate having been

ostensibly clinched months ago in a predictable Eastern Conference,

Patrice Bergeron and Marchand finally exploded over the weekend in the

5-3 win against the Montreal Canadiens.

Amidst an emotional Bell Centre backdrop where Quebecois legend Guy

Lafleur was being honored at the time of his sad passing, Bergeron

scored a pair of goals to take sole possession of fourth place on the

Boston Bruins all-time goals scored list (397) ahead of Ray Bourque.

Bergeron sits just five behind Rick Middleton for third place on the all-

time Boston Bruins list and is just three goals away from 400 career

goals with the Boston Bruins that would have him join Middleton, Phil

Esposito and Johnny Bucyk in an incredibly exclusive Black and Gold

club.

But rather than being about history, it was about the 36-year-old

Bergeron declining a night off in Montreal and instead getting his game

back on track while absolutely wanting to be a part of the Lafleur

memorial.

“[Bergeron] is a legend in Boston, obviously, like a [Jean] Beliveau was

here or a [Jacques] Lemaire, Lafleur’s center and a really professional

player and very good two-way player,” said Boston Bruins head coach

Bruce Cassidy. “Nice to do it here in his home province. Good for Bergie.

“It’s a long year when you get to be that age and you’ve played that many

games. It’s game 79 for him and it was back-to-back. We even talked to

him about ‘would you like the night off?’ We’ve got five games in seven

days to close out the season. It’s kind of crazy finish. But he wanted to

play in front of his parents, and good for him. I’m glad he decided to.”

It was also about Bergeron continuing to put his best foot forward (23

goals and 59 points in 74 games) in his home province of Quebec

against a Canadiens team he did not root for as a kid and doing it in front

of his adoring parents in the stands.

Bergeron finished with two goals, three points and a plus-3 in an

economical 15:36 of ice time and had three shots on net, three hits and

won 11-of-15 in a typically excellent all-around game. Marchand still sits

with only one goal in the month of April at this point and barely missed on

an empty netter a couple of games ago.

Brad Marchand is far from pleased after hitting the post on an empty net.

His last goal came on April 2: pic.twitter.com/rvhUnNrGRb

— Evan Marinofsky (@EvanMarinofsky) April 23, 2022

But his all-around game and commitment to making winning plays was

100 percent there in Montreal as well, just as it was on Saturday against

the Rangers. People talked about the missed empty net, but they didn’t

talk about Marchand hustling to beat out an icing call that kept the puck

in the Rangers end for 30 seconds. Those are the kinds of unheralded

plays that win games in the playoffs.

Marchand finished with two assists, had a plus-2 rating in 16:51 and

reflexively tackled Jeff Petry when the Montreal defenseman lowered the

boom with a beautiful hip check on Bergeron in the neutral zone during

the first period.

You don’t touch 37 on Brad Marchand’s watch

pic.twitter.com/jeDWqZEBAV

— Joe Haggerty (@HackswithHaggs) April 25, 2022

“It’s a matter of one going in [for Marchand]. A lot of great looks,

especially the last few games. He’s right there. Lots of unlikely bounces. I

think we saw that [against the Rangers]. He’s been through it in the past,”

said Bergeron, prior to Sunday’s game talking about Marchand when he

might have been talking about himself as well. “You just need to rely on

that past experience. It’s one good bounce and then it’s back on track,

and you gain a lot of confidence from it.”

Trent Frederic also paid Petry a visit at the end of the first period to let

him know that No. 37 wasn’t going to be targeted, especially this close to


But all Bergeron did was keep playing after scoring the first goal of the

game in the first period.

He wound up with the empty netter in the closing seconds for his 22nd

goal of the season and scored as many goals on Sunday night as he had

in the previous 11 games during the month of April.

It was a sharp reminder to Boston’s upcoming playoff opponents that

Boston’s best players are finding the range again as the Bruins regain full

health, and as the postseason quickly approaches for players like

Bergeron and Marchand that live for this time of year.

“It’s keep working on our game and feel good headed into the playoffs. I

think that’s the biggest thing. You don’t want to cruise through the last

few games and expect to flip a switch when you walk into the playoffs,”

said Bergeron, who should be looking at some kind of rest this week with

just three more games remaining on the regular season schedule and a

first-round date vs. Carolina looking like the most likely possibility. “You

need to stay sharp and stay focused and keep carrying on with the things

that you’re doing well.”

If looking sharp and focused for next weeks’ Stanley Cup playoffs was

the name of the game in Montreal, Bergeron and Marchand are where

they need to be with just three tune-ups left until the postseason.



You know Jarome Iginla. Now meet the next generation of Iginlas making

their mark

Ryan S. Clark

After spending months away from her family playing hockey at a

boarding school, Jade Iginla returned for winter break only to decide she

wanted to play even more hockey.

This is how seriously she takes everything in life. Especially hockey.

Jade was home with her family in Boston when she found out there was

a chance to play in a game and stay sharp over break. The only

problem? There was a snowstorm bad enough for her dad to consider

whether it was worth braving the elements to get there. Or that’s how it

was until Kara Iginla told her husband, “We’re from Canada!”

“I was late. We always find a way to leave late,” Jade recalled. “We had

to stop and he did not have any gas.”

Her dad stopped at a gas station, and then this happened:

Jarome was pumping gas when a reporter approached him and asked if

she could interview him about the snowstorm. He agreed because he did

not want to be rude to a reporter who was also out in the storm doing her

job. Of course, the clip of Iginla as an “area man” appearing on a local

Boston television station went viral. Jarome admitted that he never

thought it would receive that much attention. He’d initially hoped to find

the clip somewhere and send it to a few friends.

“(The reporter) tried and she asked me my name,” Jarome recalled. “She

asked, ‘Can you say your name?’ I said, ‘Jarome Iginla,’ and she was

like, ‘Yeah, OK.’ She did not even want to try it and attempt it! I turned

into the area man or whatever it was. I would never expect her or anyone

else to recognize me by any means.”

These days, Jarome is more likely to be recognized by parents than

players. But he isn’t bothered about that. He and Kara have long been at

the stage of parenthood in which they want the attention to be on their

kids.

Now, their children are starting to find their place in the world. Jade, 17,

will play college hockey next season for the Brown University women’s

hockey program. Tij, 15, will play next season for the Seattle

Thunderbirds after being the franchise’s first-round pick in the WHL

Bantam Draft. And the youngest, Joe, 13, looks to follow the same

course as his older brother.

They are deeply aware of their famous last name and the expectations

that come with being the children of a Hockey Hall of Fame inductee. But

the thing to understand about Jade, Tij and Joe is that they are their own

people — which is exactly how Jarome and Kara raised them.

And furthermore? They wouldn’t want it any other way.

“I think I approach it like I am my own person,” Tij said. “I want to be like

him, obviously. I take pride in that. But, (at) the same time, I am obviously

not the same person and I want to be as good as I can be.”

Jarome and Kara Iginla’s life together began in St. Albert, Alberta. They

were Grade 7 students who met in French class and dated for two weeks

before dating for longer in Grade 8. Jarome joked that they would have

the odd argument that caused them to “break up but not for long.” They

still remained close and never went too long without talking to one

another.

“Some people meet the right one later, and I met the right one early,”

Jarome said.

They always wanted to have children, and they knew early on that they

wanted their children to be active in sports. But they were also open to

the possibility that their kids could be interested in anything but. Either

way, they wanted to ensure their kids could feel passionate about

whatever they chose to pursue while also feeling supported.

All three Iginla kids turned out to love sports. Hockey became their

collective passion because the game has remained a constant in their

lives.

“Jarome built an ice rink in our backyard when they were 1, 3 and 5,”

Kara said. “Our youngest was on rollerblades in our house at 1. The

oldest two were in skating lessons before they turned three. I think I

visited every single park in Calgary. They were very active. The Iginla

family is engaged and athletic. Our kids were like little muscle people.”

The eldest Iginla child was given the name Jade because there was just

something about it Jarome and Kara really liked. It could also be because

Jarome enjoyed knowing there would be another “J. Iginla” in their family.

Jade played ringette growing up and was later a figure skater before

choosing hockey. She has fond memories of figure skating and always

believed she was “great” at it only to recently learn the opposite was true.

Her transition to hockey started by watching Tij play. Her love for the

game became evident after her freshman year of high school. She was

playing softball when she sustained an elbow injury that kept her

sidelined for 14 months. At first, she was only supposed to be out for six

months. But there was a problem with her recovery, which led to a

second surgery that put Jade on the shelf.

While sidelined from softball, Jade did 14 months of skating and non-

contact drills. She then left Boston, where the Iginlas were living at the

time, to play at the famed Shattuck-St. Mary’s Boarding School in

Faribault, Minn. Shattuck played a role in the development of future NHL

All-Stars such as Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Zach Parise and

Jonathan Toews, among others. It has also played a crucial role in

developing a number of elite women’s hockey players such as Brianna

Decker and Amanda Kessel, along with twins Jocelyne Lamoureux-

Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando.

Jade scored 15 goals and had 30 points in 39 games in her lone season

at Shattuck. Initially, the Iginlas were living in Boston while Jade attended

Shattuck. But they moved to Kelowna, B.C., where the family now lives.

Jade made the move north, too, playing her senior year at RINK Hockey

Academy, where she scored 18 goals and 28 points in 22 games. She

also had four goals and 11 points in five playoff games before

graduating.

“I think I always wanted to play college hockey and being in

Massachusetts, there were so many universities around,” Jade said,

referencing when the family lived in Boston during and after her dad’s

time with the Bruins. “I thought, ‘It does seem accessible.’ There are

scouts in high school rinks at almost every game. … It was about looking

for a school that has a strong hockey program. In Brown’s case, it is

building. I wanted strong academics and I feel like I like my Brown

coaches a lot.”

Brown coach Melanie Ruzzi took over the program last June, and

immediately started building her recruiting class after signing her

contract. Ruzzi was an assistant coach at her alma mater, Providence

College, when she first saw Jade play.

“She’s a young woman who works very hard, ” Ruzzi said. “She has been

through different injuries and setbacks. She started to stand out. She has

a powerful stride, and my goodness can she shoot the puck and be an

elite goal scorer at the Division I level. She is not a huge person but plays

with swagger in her game. She has a high hockey IQ and can do things

other kids cannot do.”

Please Melanie, share with the class.

“The way the puck comes off her stick when she shoots it,” Ruzzi

continued. “She has an incredible release. She can feel it. I was on the

ice with her last week in Kelowna for a camp because you never stop

looking for players. It’s that power piece, that technical piece and that

part of the game she is building. She can partner that skill set with her

hockey IQ and get it in the right spots on the ice. There are other young

players who can shoot the puck, but they don’t do it in a game because

they cannot find themselves in the right spots.”

Ruzzi also noted that Jade could be part of Hockey Canada’s roster for

the IIHF U-18 Women’s World Championships in June. She was named

to the U-18 World Junior Championship roster, but the tournament was

eventually cancelled.

“I worry she is going to be Jarome’s daughter in the eyes of other

people,” Ruzzi said. “But she is her own person. She is comfortable in

her own skin. Hopefully, she is named to the next world championship

team and people see she is someone coming from a great hockey family.

That she is a great hockey player and someone who is going to make a

name for herself.”

Naming their second-born child Tij was not the original plan. Jarome

wanted to name him Tracy. He liked the name because of two-time Grey

Cup champion quarterback and Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee

Tracy Ham. Jarome grew up going to Edmonton games with his

grandfather where they watched Ham. He lost that battle, so they named

their son Tij after Jarome’s paternal grandfather in Nigeria.

Tij said it was easy to gravitate toward hockey because he has always

wanted to be like his dad. Clearly, he knew his dad played in the NHL.

He just did not realize his father’s place in the sport until after his career

ended. It made Tij wish he were a little bit older so he could have

appreciated it more. But what he did watch allowed him to understand

that he can be like his father but still be his own person.

Back in December, the Thunderbirds drafted Tij with the ninth pick in the

bantam draft. He had an assist in four games before returning to

Kelowna. He also plays for RINK Academy on the U18 team. Tij, a

forward, finished the regular season with 26 goals and 48 points in 32

games; he had three points in as many postseason games.

“I feel like the only pressure is really the pressure you put on yourself,” he

said. “You cannot let external pressure have a big impact on you. You

can have the right mindset and let the internal pressures be what pushes

you. I think my upbringing and being around people and my dad having a

lot of experience with that, he has shared things with me that worked for

him. It allowed him to be as good as he was. It’s the people around me

who have helped.”

Thunderbirds assistant general manager Jared Crooks said Tij first

appeared on the franchise’s radar when he was playing in Boston.

Normally, a player on the East Coast like Tij would have been eligible to

play in the QMJHL. But Crooks said there is a clause in place that made

Tij eligible to play in the WHL because his father also played in the WHL

with the Kamloops Blazers. When the Iginlas moved to Kelowna, the

Thunderbirds got a chance to see Tij on a more frequent basis against

players his age they had scouted for more than a year.

“One of the things that jumped off the page for me when I saw him play

was the puck skills and the ability to play in tight spaces, get shots off

and make plays,” Crooks said. “I saw a skill set that I see at our level and

thought it would translate incredibly well.”

Crooks said maturity will play a crucial role in Tij’s development. The

Thunderbirds like having 16-year-old players on their roster. It gives them

a chance to learn from older players who have been in their situation

while playing against more physically mature talent. Crooks said part of

the Thunderbirds’ development strategy with high picks like Tij is to see

how they handle a challenge.

“Not all of them are going to be what they want with their physical

maturity,” Crooks said. “But you can tell that if he wants to be here, he

will want to make it work. To fit in with our team and our organization, we

want guys who are banging down the door to be in Seattle and force their

way into our line. Even at 16, we know Tij is as driven as the rest of our

guys.”

Another item that made Tij going to the Thunderbirds interesting was his

dad’s relationship with the Blazers. It’s not enough that Jarome was one

of the best players in Blazers history. He’s part of the Blazers’ ownership

group, which also features Shane Doan, Mark Recchi, Darryl Sydor and

Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi. So it is possible that Jarome could

have wanted Tij to become a Blazer too. Crooks said Thunderbirds

director of player personnel Cal Filson had conversations with the Iginlas

and wanted to make sure they were OK with Tij coming to Seattle. The

Iginlas gave their blessing.

“He’s like a lot of the young kids that come in that they are pretty quiet

and want to get their legs under them,” Crooks said. “But there is a quiet

confidence and we love that. We don’t want young guys to hide and

survive. He fits right in. We did not get too long with him and we would

have loved to have him train with us during the playoffs but he is a little

injured right now, so that is unfortunate. I know our guys have said good

things about him. Our players are excited to have him.”

“You go to rinks now and it’s not as many people that recognize you,”

Jarome Iginla said.

The third Iginla child got the name Joe because that was his father’s

childhood nickname. Jarome said they chose to give their children

“simpler first names” because he could remember the times when

“saying Iginla seemed like a mouthful for others.” But while they kept

Joe’s first name simple, Jarome and Kara gave him the same middle

names as his father: Elvis Adekunle Junior.

Kara described their youngest as an extremely smart kid with a big brain

and someone who is always happy. In terms of hockey, Joe ended the

regular season with 19 goals and 35 points in 30 games. He played this

past season for RINK Academy’s U-15 team, where the head coach was,

well, his dad.

“I love watching when Joe scores because I have never seen such pure

joy,” Kara said. “Our other kids are more serious. But they love hockey.

It’s just that Joe has this joy and it cracks me up to see how happy it

makes him when he scores.”

Experiences like watching Joe score mean even more for Jarome and

Kara these days. Their household dynamic is about to change with Jade

and Tij leaving later this year, and Joe being the last child left at home.

Jade going to Shattuck was a slight prelude of the future. But they admit

this will be different now with Joe being the only kid still with mom and

dad before he too eventually sets off on his own path.

Kara said she isn’t worried. Jade’s time away came during the early

stages of the pandemic so they know she will be OK. Kara sees this as a

chance for their children to go chase their dream.

“They are supposed to grow up and leave. But it is harder on Jarome,”

she said. “Our kids call me cold! But I know it will be harder for him. But

you do what is good for them.”

Jarome’s career meant the Iginla family has lived in Calgary, Pittsburgh,

Boston, Denver and Los Angeles. The plan had always been to make

sure all three children played hockey no matter where they were living.

The Iginlas were living in Denver in 2017 but decided to return to Boston.

Jarome said they loved living in Denver. But they knew they had to move

because of hockey.

Living and playing in Denver meant their family would spend more time

apart than together because they would always be on flights. So they

decided to move and sought a bit of input from their children. They

moved back to Boston before Jarome and Kara thought about where

they wanted to make their forever home. Moving back to Canada was

something they wanted. But the goal was to also be in a place that

allowed their children to advance their aspirations.

“It is a little bit quieter for us having been just retired,” said Jarome, who

retired after the 2016-17 season. “You go to rinks now and it’s not as

many people that recognize you for sure. They want to talk hockey —

and being in Canada, a lot of people want to talk hockey. It’s quieter and

the focus is on them. We are hockey parents and sports parents and that

was part of our decision.”

Both Jade and Tij have the stories that one would expect given their

father. Jade has had moments when people recognize her last name, do

a double take and inevitably ask if she is related to you-know-who. But

the moments that matter most are the ones they have spent together

away from the NHL.

“He’s just my dad,” Jade said. “That’s what I see first.”

Talking about their children makes Jarome and Kara reminisce. It starts

with building them an outdoor rink. They would split into teams. Usually,

Jarome would play with Joe as his teammate because he was the

youngest. Those games were fun because it was a battle to see who

would win. Jarome admits he would manipulate the games when Joe

was due for a win against his siblings.

Kara would sometimes play as well. But that changed as they got older.

All three Iginla kids reached a level that forced Kara to tap out and turn it

over to the former NHL superstar in their household. Still, it amounted to

a family experience that’s been documented with countless photos and

videos collected on their phones over the years.

But there is a bittersweet chapter to those family games: The moment

when Jade and Tij started beating their dad for real.

“It has happened. Tij has passed me,” Jarome said. “Jade and I have not

played as much one-on-one this year. That would be a good battle. She

is in better shape than me now. It was probably last year, I think, when it

happened. We were on the outdoor rink in the backyard. I am battling as

hard as I can. Joe got so mad at me and said, ‘Are you going to let them

beat us?!’ I told him, ‘I’m trying!’ The whole last year was a crapshoot for

who would win. Joe would get so mad. I am trying my butt off and Joe

would go in and say I’m terrible, but I was trying my hardest.”

Tij said learning about hockey from his dad has been important. But the

lessons that have meant the most are the ones about how to be a better

person. Jarome has told his children to treat others how they want to be

treated, to put themselves in another person’s shoes and to try to help

people as much as they can.

Perhaps this is why Jarome was humbled when he was told what Tij had

said about the life lessons he’d learned. Hearing that made Jarome

proud that the lessons he and Kara continue to teach their children are

making an impact. All they have wanted is to be the guides to help their

children find what makes them happy. Jarome said the biggest lesson he

has wanted to teach is what it means to be a good teammate.

His point: A hockey team has more than 20 people. Not players —

people. Individuals with different personalities who come from different

backgrounds. The way to make that all work is by being a good

teammate who wants to make life better for those around them. But it is

also about how they make others within the team, such as the athletic

training staff and coaches, feel the same way.

“That is what makes the game great and what makes life great,” Jarome

said. “It’s not all the same views and upbringings. It is being able to see

the best in each other and treat each other how you want to be treated. I

am thrilled our kids are really enjoying it. It’s a great lesson to learn along

the way.”

The Athletic LOADED: 04.27.2022

1242818 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres notebook: Casey Mittelstadt having success at tail end of 'long

year'

Lance Lysowski News Sports Reporter

This wasn’t the season Casey Mittelstadt envisioned when the Sabres

center’s first shift began with a faceoff against the Canadiens’ Nick

Suzuki in KeyBank Center on Oct. 14.

Mittelstadt, 23, missed 42 of the Sabres’ first 49 games because of an

upper-body injury that required surgery and an arduous recovery. He’s

been back in the club’s lineup for the past 31 games, but his return to

form has been a slow build.

“We’re not seeing the true Casey Mittelstadt; we’re seeing him push

through the ripple effect of a long injury, and I think he’s doing a

spectacular job in that,” said coach Don Granato.

Over the past month, we’ve seen the subtleties in Mittelstadt’s game that

were apparent when he was unquestionably the Sabres’ top player

during training camp in the fall. He’s holding onto the puck longer to allow

plays to develop, breaking pressure on the power play with a well-placed

pass, extending possessions by winning battles on the forecheck and

aggressively attacking in the offensive zone.

People are also reading…

Most recently, Mittelstadt used his left-handed shot to score his fifth goal

in 38 games this season. Skating down the right wing on a 2-on-1,

Mittelstadt waited for Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho to take away

the cross-slot pass. Mittelstadt then beat goalie Ilya Sorokin with a low

shot to the far post for the Sabres’ opening goal of a 5-3 win Saturday.

“I mean, I think it’s taught me some patience,” said Mittelstadt. “I think

that’s probably one of the things I struggled with most. … I think the

biggest positive for me is it’s going to give me some motivation going into

this summer to get right and get ready for next year.”

It was only one year ago that Mittelstadt was one of the Sabres’ brightest

success stories following the firing of former coach Ralph Krueger.

Mittelstadt, who was drafted eighth overall by Buffalo in 2017, had nine

goals and 17 points in the final 22 games of the season.

The breakout, albeit in a short stretch of games, was a significant

development for the Sabres because their depth at center was uncertain.

The position is now a strength for the organization with Mittelstadt, Tage

Thompson, Dylan Cozens and Peyton Krebs.

Over the past 18 games, Mittelstadt has three goals and 12 points while

shifting between center and left wing. For the season, he has averaged a

career-high 16:04 of ice time. He’s back on the top power-play unit – the

Sabres rank first in the NHL on the man advantage since March 27 – and

receiving top-six minutes.

“As far as his level of where he feels he’s at, I don’t want to speak for

him, but I do know that he’s going to be a special player for us and he’s

doing the right things, right now to get to that level sooner than later,”

Granato said.

The long offseason will provide Mittelstadt with time to recover and

strengthen his game. He has all the on- and off-ice intangibles to be a

consistent difference-maker for the Sabres entering the next phase of

their rebuild.

But first, Mittelstadt will help the Sabres try to win their final two games of

the season, beginning Thursday night in Boston. A road game against

the Bruins will bring difficult matchups for Buffalo’s young players,

Mittelstadt included, and an opportunity to build on the club’s impressive

run.

The Sabres’ .635 points percentage since March 1, a span of 26 games,

ranked 11th in the NHL entering Tuesday. And even through a difficult

injury, Mittelstadt has played a prominent role in that success.

“Obviously, it’s been a long year and a lot of time without skating and

hockey,” he said. “But, yeah, it feels great, go out, have the puck, have

some team success, I think caps it off. I think it’s been a fun last month.”

Goalie watch

The Sabres’ attendance at practice Wednesday could reveal their

goaltending plan for the final two games. Craig Anderson has been

unavailable since Saturday with an undisclosed minor injury and was

examined by doctors Tuesday.

Another practice absence could make it difficult for Anderson to get ready

for game action. The Sabres’ final two games are a back-to-back, capped

by the home matchup against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night.

Buffalo will only have a morning skate Thursday in Boston.

Getting ready

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen will be needed for Rochester’s final game of the

season Friday night against Utica. The Amerks will need help to qualify

for the American Hockey League’s Calder Cup Playoffs.

If Rochester loses in regulation, it will need Toronto to earn a maximum

one of a possible six points over its final three games this week. If the

Amerks lose to Utica in overtime, Toronto can’t get more than two points.

And if the Amerks defeat Utica, Toronto cannot get more than three of its

final six points.

Final celebration

The Sabres will wear their white jerseys to finish the season Friday night

against Chicago. There will be a pregame happy hour, alumni

appearances and giveaways at KeyBank Center as part of the club’s final

sendoff. It will be Patrick Kane’s first game back in Buffalo since Feb. 1,

2019.

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.27.2022


Erik Brady: Rick Jeanneret has been with us for decades, and yet still will

be gone too soon

Erik Brady Special to The News

This is a column about Rick Jeanneret.

It is also about Harold Arlen. And Harold Arlin.

Jeanneret you know.

Harold Arlen you should know. He is the Buffalo-born composer of “Over

the Rainbow,” the greatest song of the 20th century. (Don’t take my word

for it; the National Endowment for the Arts says so.)

Harold Arlin you probably don’t know — he was the world’s first sports

broadcaster, 101 years ago, which makes him Jeanneret’s spiritual

forebear.

When Arlin called the first baseball game on radio, on Pittsburgh’s KDKA,

he didn’t even tell listeners his name. As the National Baseball Hall of

Fame’s website puts it: “Stations preferred their announcers to be

anonymous voices in those days in the fear that the on-air talent would

become too popular.”

They were right to see such popularity coming, but oh so wrong to fear it.

Just look at Jeanneret: He is more popular these days than wings and

weck and game-winning goals.


This week, RJ will broadcast his last game for the Buffalo Sabres. As it

happens, his first Sabres broadcast came in 1971 — 50 years after Arlin

used a converted telephone as a microphone to call a game from the box

seats behind home plate at Forbes Field. (The Pittsburgh Pirates beat

the Philadelphia Phillies, 8-5, on August 5, 1921.)

Jeanneret is a living embodiment of the reality that listeners fall for the

voice of their favorite team. For proof, measured in decibels, one need go

back only a few weeks, to RJ Night at KeyBank Center.

That night, he got to say goodbye to us. But how do we say goodbye to

him? He’s like a member of the family. Jeanneret has been with us since

the Sabres’ second season. He has seen them all, from Perreault to

Power.

We love Sabres players, but they are at a remove from us: They play on

ice, behind glass. It is different for longtime broadcasters. Rick is one of

us. That’s how it feels. And, more important, how it sounds: His voice is

as familiar as your father’s.

That voice surround-sounds our family rooms while we gather, and our

cars while we drive. And it will stay with us long after his last call.

Van Miller died in 2015. He broadcast his first Buffalo Bills game in 1960,

his last in 2003. Even now, when we hear him on old clips, Van’s voice

offers a small thrill. The timbre brings us back to a time and place — from

before the AFL title teams of the 1960s to beyond the AFC title teams of

the 1990s.

It will be the same for RJ. He has been with us since before the Fog

Game in 1975 through No Goal in 1999 all the way to Friday, when the

Sabres host the Chicago Blackhawks in the last game of another lost

season.

The Sabres offer real hope for next season, but we have run out of next

years for RJ. This will take some getting used to. The kind of love we feel

for him is of the kind that Nashvillians feel for Pete Weber, and that Los

Angelenos felt for Vin Scully.

The intimacy of home markets allows that kind of bond. National

broadcasters rarely reach that level of love. Joe Buck’s voice means Big

National Game. Jack Buck’s voice, in St. Louis, meant root, root, root for

the home team.

That’s what RJ’s voice means here. He understands the powers of

observation and of memory. He tells us what he sees on the ice in the

moment while reminding us of all those magic moments gone by.

Harold Arlin, 101 years ago, was not a sports broadcaster until the

moment he became history’s first one. He was a 25-year-old electrical

engineer who worked for Westinghouse, which owned KDKA, the

nation’s first commercial radio station. Arlin’s bosses picked him to do

that first game because he had a pleasing voice.

Harold Arlen was born in Buffalo in 1905 as Hyman Arluck. He composed

songs for the 1939 film “The Wizard of Oz” with the lyricist Yip Harburg.

Their masterpiece, of course, is “Over the Rainbow.”

Which, as it happens, is one way Rick Jeanneret commutes to Sabres

games from his home in Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Over the Rainbow … Bridge.

Cue the music.

Somewhere over the Rainbow

Here comes Rick.

He’s got a voice that we heard tell

Tales of a hockey stick.

Somewhere over the Rainbow

There goes Rick.

And the games that he called are gone

From us much too quick.

The Buffalo News: Good Morning, Buffalo

The smart way to start your day. We sift through all the news to give you

a concise, informative look at the top headlines and must-read stories

every weekday.



Tage Thompson's breakthrough season for Sabres on the verge of

franchise history

Mike Harrington News Sports Reporter

Tage Thompson's first year at center has been the breakthrough his NHL

career needed. With two games left in the season, he might even be able

to make a major entry into the Buffalo Sabres' record book.

The 24-year-old has 37 goals – more than double the total he had over

his first 145 career games. He's aiming to become the team's first 40-

goal scorer since Jeff Skinner scored 40 three years ago. And if

Thompson gets there, he can join an elite group of centers in Blue and

Gold to hit the mark.

That list? Gilbert Perreault, Pat LaFontaine and Pierre Turgeon. That's it.

"Obviously, it'd be really cool, an incredible achievement I think

personally," Thompson said after practice Monday in KeyBank Center.

"It's hard not to think about it, but you try just to kind of block it out and

focus on the team stuff first. I think when you start focusing on the

number, that's kind of when you'll probably get snakebit and chances will

start not going in for you. Keep that team-first focus and I think the goals

will follow."


Coach Don Granato made sure Thompson was on the ice with the

opposing net empty late in Saturday's 5-3 win over the New York

Islanders when Ilya Sorokin was pulled for an extra attacker.

"I was cheating down the ice there at the end," a smiling Thompson

admitted.

"It would be great. I think the whole team would be happy, I'd be happy

for him, no question," Granato said of the 40-goal quest. "And there's no

question if we have a situation where there's an empty net at the other

end, why wouldn't I get him out there? He's earned it, he's worked for it.

It'd be nice to give him that. And he's defensively responsible."

Thompson's previous career high in the NHL was last year's eight-goal

season. So Granato was thrilled when he got to 20. And to 30. And that's

the key: Keep pushing higher.

"There's more, you can do more," Granato said was his basic message.

"Even when Tage hit 30, he and I had a talk, 'I know you're going to

score more, you know you're going to score more, so we can celebrate

this, but onward and upward, let's go. There's still more for us.' "

Granato is particularly impressed by how unselfish his team has become.

Thompson has 30 assists and is as happy setting up a goal as scoring

one. The coaching staff and fans watching on TV were quick to notice

how fast Skinner grabbed the puck Thursday in New Jersey after Owen

Power scored his first NHL goal. And Thompson and Power were

immediately in the thick of the action Saturday when Islanders tough guy

Matt Martin jumped Skinner during a third-period scrum.

"There's no selfishness and I think people get selfish when they fear

there's not enough for them," Granato said. "And we want to create a

culture where they don't fear whether there's not enough for you. There is

enough for you and there's more for you if we get this whole thing going

right."

Thompson and Skinner combined for 15 goals last season. To be at 70

this year is a testament to their offseason training, the honing of their

individual games and the pushes they've received from the coaching

staff.

"I would hope we helped him gain a calm and a confidence and he's

playing with that," Granato said of Thompson. "It looks like he's gained

that calm and confidence, I would like to think we were part of that as a

coaching staff in the organization, more than just the coaches, and just

saying, 'Hey, we have this confidence in you, just go play.'"

"He's very competitive. And I think I'm pretty competitive, too," Thompson

said of Skinner. "We both want to be the guy that scores and can lead a

team in goals. It's a good thing. It's good friendly competition. I think it

makes our team better when you have guys that are hungry to outplay

each other."

Thompson's shot has become a true howitzer from the faceoff circles, a

major weapon both at 5-on-5 and the power play. But he's improved

dramatically as a playmaker as well.

"I feel like it's been there but I feel like you get more puck touches in the

middle. ... As the game moves along, you just have that confidence that

you know you're gonna make a play," he said. "I feel more comfortable

coming up the middle of the ice, too. You see a lot more of the ice and

instead of being locked onto a wall, and I think that's kind of why maybe

some of the passing and playmaking showed up a little more this

season."

For a young player, Thompson has learned to have patience with the

puck. It's easy to get too frenetic with it and that causes mistakes.

"As a young guy or guy without much experience, you're almost trying to

prove your skill set and so you force a play," Granato said. "It's 'I want to

make a play here.' Tage is at a point now where he's like, 'I don't have to

make a play here. If there's a play to be made, I am going to make it. And

I'm going to extend the possession long enough to see if that might open

up or that might open up.' He's actually seeing layers of options."


1242821 Calgary Flames

SNAPSHOTS: Flames edge Preds in OT thriller

Wes Gilbertson

NASHVILLE — A first-round showdown between these two teams, if

that’s how it pans out, doesn’t start until early next week.

The rivalry may have started in Tuesday’s thriller at Bridgestone Arena.

If the Calgary Flames and Nashville Predators do, indeed, hook up for a

best-of-seven set to open the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs, this final

regular-season meeting is going to be tough to top. A feisty, physical

affair was punctuated by Matthew Tkachuk’s buzzer-beater with 0.1

seconds remaining in regulation and then capped by Elias Lindholm’s

sudden-death snipe as the Flames rallied for a 5-4 overtime victory.

“I think everyone that was here and watching on TV got their money’s

worth,” grinned Flames forward Milan Lucic. “I’ve gotta say, I’ve played

over 1,000 games now and that’s probably in the top five games that I’ve

been a part of with the hits, the fights, the emotion, the crowd. It was a

great game to be a part of.”

It would be great to see six or seven more in May, wouldn’t it?

If the Flames do draw the Predators in Round 1, Tuesday’s tone-setting

certainly wasn’t limited to that crazy comeback. This entire evening was

jam-packed with intensity and animosity, including a two-minute stretch

of mayhem in the opening period that featured a pair of fights — both

heavyweight tilts — and an attempted spear where the sun don’t shine.

It was enough to suggest a series between these two might have as

much spice as Nashville’s famous hot chicken, as many dance requests

as a busy night at Tootsie’s or one of the other famed honkytonks on

Broadway.

During the post-game presser, a reporter mentioned to Tkachuk that

these potential playoffs foes were credited with a combined 74 collisions

in Tuesday’s battle at Bridgestone Arena, a lot more than you see in a

standard regular-season spin.

“What, in the first period?” he quipped.

While the hits and hostility lasted from start to finish, the temperature

really cranked when Flames defenceman Erik Gudbranson — ex of the

Predators — hammered Tanner Jeannot late in the first. The former car-

pool pals dropped their mitts at the end of that same shift for a spirited

scrap.

As everybody lined up for the next faceoff, Tkachuk shoved Matt

Duchene and clipped the Predators leading goal-scorer with a little errant

lumber. Duchene did not appreciate that one bit and responded with a

jab of his stick. Within a blink, all five skaters on both sides were

skirmishing and Tkachuk was following his newest friend into the neutral

zone, asking for a tussle that never did happen.

It wasn’t long before Lucic and Mark Borowiecki were throwing

haymakers in the neutral zone. The Flames’ sheriff won the bout, and

Tkachuk — mouthguard hanging from his lips, per usual — couldn’t wipe

the grin off his face as he watched from the penalty-box.

Fans in both Smashville and the Stampede City must have been thinking,

‘Jeez, this could be fun.’

And it was just getting started.

Filip Forsberg ripped his second power-play goal of the night midway

through the third frame. Just three minutes later, Nashville’s go-to

goaltender, Juuse Saros, pulled up lame after a routine push-off and

headed for the locker-room. He was replaced by familiar face David

Rittich.

These squads have squared off three times this season and this one, like

the previous two, would require overtime. The Predators were 0.1

seconds from completing the sweep when Tkachuk stuffed a puck under

Rittich’s pad.

“I couldn’t hear so I didn’t know if it was actually in or not and then when I

came to the bench, they said it was in,” Tkachuk said of his 41st of the

season. “It was just like, ‘What else? What else could possibly happen in

this game?’ ”

Lucic chimed in: “How much more can we get entertained?”

Lindholm squeaked one past Rittich in overtime to end three-plus hours

of fun. (It wasn’t all bad for the Predators, who officially punched a post-

season ticket when the Dallas Stars defeated the Vegas Golden Knights

in a marathon shootout.)

“That’s what playoffs are — up one, down one,” said Flames coach

Darryl Sutter after Tuesday’s humdinger in Nashville. “You have to play

every shift like it’s the one that will be the difference. That’s the way it

works.”

The Flames (50-20-10) are locked in as the top seed in the Pacific

Division. The Predators are now tied for the first wild-card spot, but they

have the head-to-head tiebreaker with the Stars.

“Ultimately, we hadn’t beat these guys yet this year,” Tkachuk reminded.

“If we do run into them, it’s nice to have the confidence that we can beat

them.

“Just what that game did for us, bringing us together and at this time of

the year … That game did so much more for us than people would

probably expect. We’re definitely feeling good. That game prepared us

for what this next little bit is going to be like.”

“I just think we showed a lot of character in sticking up for each other and

for ourselves,” Lucic echoed. “Darryl has been on us about being in

playoff mode for the past 10 or 15 games and I think that’s what makes

him a really good coach and why we’ve had success as a team is he

prepares us and gets us ready and fired up for every game, no matter

what. If we play them, if we don’t play them, whoever we play, it was

definitely a playoff type of game.”

Dillon Dube scored twice more Tuesday, continuing his recent roll, while

blue-liner Noah Hanifin had the other notch for the Flames. Dan Vladar

delivered 19 saves in the visiting crease.

OFF THE GLASS

This marks the third time in franchise history the Flames have piled up 50

wins in a season — the others in 1988-89 and 2018-19. That includes a

club-record 25 triumphs in road rinks. “Still got two left,” Sutter said. “Hey,

I’m proud of our team. I mean, to have that kind of record and do what

they’ve done, it’s a pretty good group” … Sutter’s squad was dinged for

seven minors, something that the skipper stressed can’t happen in the

Stanley Cup tournament. “I don’t think you want to be taking all those

penalties, that’s for sure. I mean, there was two or three that were

retaliation penalties. In playoffs, if you take those … ” He trailed off, but

he’d already made his point … The Predators and Stars are even at 95

points apiece. Nashville holds the tiebreaker. They’ll conclude their

regular-season slate on the road against the Colorado Avalanche and

Arizona Coyotes, while the boys from the Big D host the Coyotes and

Anaheim Ducks … There was no immediate update on Saros’ health.

This would be a significant loss, especially since Rittich — a former fan

fave at the Saddledome — has a dreadful .883 save percentage this

season … The Flames continue this three-game getaway with

Thursday’s matchup against the Minnesota Wild (6 p.m. MT, Sportsnet

West/Sportsnet 960 The Fan) … Jacob Markstrom should be back

between the pipes in Minnesota. With Vladar tapped for back-to-back

starts, the workhorse goalie should be well-rested for a playoff push …

Netminding call-up Dustin Wolf, who dressed Saturday as Vladar’s

backup, was reassigned to Stockton.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 04.27.2022


'Everyone's Game' urges Calgarians to embrace all the benefits of youth

hockey

POSTMEDIA NEWS SERVICES

Everyone’s Game.

That’s the new awareness campaign being launched by Hockey Calgary,

which is rooted in encouraging all Calgarians to get involved in the sport.

Advocating the benefits of hockey is at the core of the program, as it

invites kids and parents alike to look beyond the ice and the bench to

experience the benefits of participating in the game. ‘Everyone’s Game’

highlights myriad benefits, including inclusion, program availability,

safety, time, sense of community, volunteer opportunities and

affordability.

Getting involved in the sport can encourage growth opportunities that go

well beyond the ice. Kids all over Calgary can have the opportunity to

play ‘Canada’s game’ while meeting new friends, learning leadership

skills and understanding the importance of teamwork.

“The game of hockey teaches kids so much more than how to skate and

the skills needed for the game,” said Hockey Calgary executive director

Kevin Kobelka. “Hockey teaches our youth about teamwork, inclusion,

community and leadership. These are important skills at any age or stage

in life, and we want all Calgarians to be able to participate in the game.”

Hockey Calgary offers several unique programs to fit the needs of every

family. Cost, time commitments, travel, skill level, development and fun

are factors to consider when deciding which stream is the right fit.

The different streams include:

First Shift: an initiative for kids to try hockey programs

Flames Community House League

Community hockey

Recreational Hockey Calgary

Female hockey

Elite hockey

“There are various ways to get involved in the sport, well beyond playing

the game,” Kobelka said.

“The campaign isn’t solely focused on kids either,” Kobelka said. “It will

also speak to the many ways families can also get involved in the sport.

Through Hockey Calgary, Calgarians can get involved off the ice at a

grassroots level. This includes volunteer opportunities open to everyone,

regardless of having children in the game or not. These opportunities

enable everyone to get involved and help grow the sport in Calgary.

“We are always encouraging involvement in the sport and providing

volunteer opportunities throughout the season.”

Early registration for the 2022-23 season runs from June 15-July 1,

depending on a player’s community association. To find out more about

the initiative, visit www.hockeycalgary.ca.



Dube could be playoff X-Factor for Flames

Wes Gilbertson

NASHVILLE — Playoff poolies are taking note.

Trouble is, Dillon Dube might be jeopardizing his own sleeper status.

With the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs just around the corner, the Calgary

Flames’ third-line forward is on a heater.

Perhaps this shouldn’t come as any sort of surprise. As Flames coach

Darryl Sutter has mentioned on a couple of occasions: “If you look at his

track record, wherever he’s played, Dillon shows up at important times.”

Over the past couple of weeks, the 23-year-old speedster has been

regularly showing up on the scoresheet.

Dube tallied twice more in Tuesday’s 5-4 overtime triumph over the

Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena and has now splurged for eight

goals in a seven-game span.

He has totalled nine tallies in April, half of his season total. Across the

league, only seven guys have more markers this month — a list that

includes Nikita Kucherov, Nathan MacKinnon and Auston Matthews.

“I think I just needed to be a lot better for this team going into the final

stretch, to elevate my game to get ready for playoffs and try to get into

that spot,” Dube said after tucking two in Saturday’s home victory over

the Vancouver Canucks. “I think I needed to be a lot better, so it’s been

going better of late.”

Johnny Gaudreau, Elias Lindholm and Matthew Tkachuk are the

undisputed offensive catalysts for the Flames, but everybody knows that

secondary scoring is an essential ingredient for any extended playoff

push and Dube has the makings of a could-be X-Factor for the Pacific

Division pennant-winners.

He has the speed and sandpaper to create havoc on the forecheck.

He has the skill to finish on his opportunities.

He’s currently brimming with confidence and clicking with linemates Calle

Jarnkrok and Blake Coleman, two dudes who play with a similar

determination. Collectively, they could be more than a mild annoyance

for the opponents in a best-of-seven series.

It’s a bonus that Dube can grow a full playoff beard in roughly the same

amount of time required to cook a pot roast. Remember, too, that he was

among the standouts in the Flames’ most recent post-season

appearance, notching four goals during a 10-game stay in the bubble in

2020.

Only Sam Bennett tickled more twine for the Calgarians during those

summer showdowns. (Dube was tied for second on the team charts with

Gaudreau and Mikael Backlund.)

“I think that was big for me, taking that step,” acknowledged Dube, who

accumulated a good chunk of big-game experience thanks to two world-

junior tournaments — including a golden moment as Captain Canada —

and three consecutive trips to the conference final or beyond with the

Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets. “But it was obviously a lot

different in the way it happened — having however many months off and

coming back and playing in the bubble. It was a lot different, and it’s in

the past too. You can’t just expect to be a good playoff player because I

had a couple good games. And at the same time, we didn’t get to where

we wanted to, so obviously I didn’t feel like I performed well enough.

“In the playoffs, you have to get out of your comfort zone. You could say I

played well because I was scoring goals. But if I’m not scoring, I need to

play well without the puck and just play how I’ve built through these 82

games.”

Sutter certainly seems pleased with the way that No. 29 is trending. He

has offered plenty of praise of late, including this nugget from Saturday’s

post-game presser: “He’s his own worst critic and he listens. I’m good

with that.”

The youngest regular on the Flames’ roster, Dube has clearly been

paying attention to the recent moaning and groaning from the boss that

there is too much focus on individual performance.

Despite his April outburst, he’s been expertly stickhandling around

questions about his personal play, about whether he’s popping at the

perfect time.

“It’s about getting to our best hockey and the best team we can possibly

be heading into playoffs,” Dube stressed. “Because yeah, it was a huge

goal to get into playoffs. But if you’re not playing good hockey at that

point, it’s a waste of lot of hockey before if you’re not ready. So I think it’s

really important for our group to be at our best.”



Game Night: Flames at Predators

Daniel Austin

CALGARY FLAMES (49-20-10) at NASHVILLE PREDATORS (44-29-6)

Tuesday, 6 p.m. MT, Bridgestone Arena

TV: Sportsnet West

RADIO: Sportsnet 960 The Fan

WHY WATCH?

POTENTIAL PLAYOFF PREVIEW

If the regular season were to end right now, the Flames would be facing

the Predators in the first round of the NHL playoffs, so Tuesday’s

matchup could offer a preview of what’s to come. There is – of course –

still lots to be decided with the Western Conference’s wild-card spots, so

there are no guarantees that these teams are going to get super familiar

with each other in the post-season, but there should be an added edge to

Tuesday’s encounter.

POINTS LEADERS

FLAMES

Johnny Gaudreau 79 39 72 111 +61

Matthew Tkachuk 79 40 61 101 +55

Elias Lindholm 79 40 40 80 +58

PREDATORS

Roman Josi 77 21 70 91 +13

Matt Duchene 75 41 40 81 +3

Filip Forsberg 66 40 40 80 +9

SPECIAL TEAMS

FLAMES: PP — 23.6% (8th): PK — 84.0% (5th)

PREDATORS: PP — 24.5% (6th): PK — 78.9 (19th)

THREE THINGS ABOUT THE OPPOSITION

1. The Flames might know where they’re ending up in the standings

when the regular season ends later this week, but the Predators still have

everything to play for. Sure, they’re in the Western Conference’s first

wild-card spot now with 94 points, but the Dallas Stars are one point

behind them and the Vegas Golden Knights are desperately trying to

catch them, too. The Predators be playing desperate on Tuesday.

2. When these two teams lock horns, there’s rarely much that separates

them. Dating back to 2019, four of the last five meetings between the

Flames and Preds have gone to overtime. The Predators have won four

of those games, including both meetings this season – and last week’s 3-

2 shootout thriller in Nashville.

3. Roman Josi is one of those defencemen who you’ve gotta sit back and

admire. The 31-year-old has been consistently excellent for years, but

he’s gone to a whole new level this season and is leading all NHL d-men

with 91 points. He’s the first defenceman since 1994 to record 90 points

in a season. Phenomenal.


1242825 Carolina Hurricanes

Hurricanes beat Rangers, clinch Metro Division crown behind rookie

Pyotr Kochetkov

BY CHIP ALEXANDER

The Canes are the best in the Metropolitan Division, the toughest in

hockey. They clinched the Metro title with a 4-3 victory Tuesday over the

New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

They also did it with a rookie goalie, Pyotr Kochetkov, whose story added

another intriguing, if unexpected chapter.

Had goalie Frederik Andersen not been injured 10 days ago, Kochetkov

would not have been called up from the American Hockey League. Had

Antti Raanta not been injured Sunday, Kochetkov would not have been

playing in a third straight game Tuesday or winning for a third straight

time.

But it has been as astounding confluence of events, a move made of

necessity, and Kochetkov has made the most of it. Making 31 saves

Tuesday in his matchup against the Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin, he joined

in the post-game celebration and was among the last to leave the ice

before Vincent Trocheck jumped into Jaccob Slavin’s arms, as Trocheck

does after victories.

“It’s unreal,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “It’s a great story and

hopefully it continues. The way he looks, nothing fazes him. He looks like

he belongs.”

The Hurricanes (53-20-8) broke a couple of franchise records that have

stood since 2006, then the Canes were Stanley Cup champions and

Brind’Amour its team captain. They have 53 wins and 114 points, topping

the 52 and 112 of the ‘06 team that put the big banner up in PNC Arena.

“You probably need to take a minute and realize it’s been a pretty good

darn year and we’ve done what we wanted to do,” Brind’Amour said.

“What’s great is guys aren’t really excited about it. We know that there

are bigger things we want to accomplish.

“But when we set out we wanted to be the best in 82 games and we’re at

the top of our division, which is great. That’s an accomplishment and we

can enjoy it for a little while and we’ll get right back at it.”

The Hurricanes have one game left in the regular season, at home

Thursday against New Jersey. Who knows, Kochetkov might play in a

fourth consecutive game.

Raanta, to everyone’s relief with the Canes, was not seriously injured

Sunday -- he left the game with 7:03 left in the second period -- and was

able to be the backup goalie. Andersen did not make the three-game

road trip as he continues to recover from a lower-body injury suffered

April 16 at Colorado, and Brind’Amour had no update Tuesday on his

status.

The importance of winning the division was gaining the home-ice

advantage in both the first two rounds, if Carolina advances. The Florida

Panthers, the Atlantic Division champs, lead the Eastern Conference with

120 points.

The game Tuesday had Kochetkov matching saves against Shesterkin, a

Vezina Trophy candidate and possibly the favorite to win. The game had

high-skill plays and had some playoff-quality physicality and scuffles.

Trocheck, after sitting out a game, returned to have a goal and assist and

gave the Canes the game’s first score in the second period off a Brady

Skjei feed. That came after the Canes’ top-ranked penalty kill had been

tested by three straight penalties that gave the Rangers the chance to

take the first lead, late in the first and early in the second.

The Canes made it 2-0 in the second when a Derek Stepan shot glanced

off Jordan Martinook in front of Shesterkin -- “It hit my big bicep,”

Martinook later quipped. Teuvo Teravainen scored late in the second --

his 100th career goal with the Canes -- and Sebastian Aho made it 4-1 in

the third with his 37th of the season.

Chris Kreider scored his 52nd for the Rangers (51-23-6), who despite

having Artemi Panarin and Andrew Copp leave the game with injuries

made it interesting late. Jacob Trouba scored in the third and Alexis

Lafreniere after Shesterkin was pulled for a sixth attacker, but there

would be no tying goal against Kochetkov.

“He’s got confidence, he’s got a little swagger to him,” Skjei said.

News Observer LOADED: 04.27.2022

1242826 Carolina Hurricanes

Raanta to serve as Canes’ backup goalie in Rangers game as Kochetkov

starts

BY CHIP ALEXANDER

Goaltender Antti Raanta was at the team’s morning skate Tuesday at

New York’s Madison Square Garden, and Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour

said he would be the backup to starting goalie Pyotr Kochetkov against

the Rangers on Tuesday night.

Raanta left Sunday’s road game against the New York Islanders with an

undisclosed lower-body injury. With goalie Frederik Andersen sidelined

since April 16, also with a lower-body injury, the Canes were in the

position of potentially being without both veterans near the start of the

Stanley Cup playoffs.

But Raanta was on the ice Tuesday, which Brind’Amour said was “good

to see.”

“There’s obviously nothing serious there, which is obviously huge,”

Brind’Amour said. “I don’t know that’s he’s 100 percent. I think he’s still a

little nicked up. He can play if we needed him to.”

The Canes (52-20-8) can clinch the Metropolitan Division title over the

Rangers with a victory. Andersen was the winning goalie two weeks ago

when the Canes beat the Rangers 4-2 at the Garden.

Brind’Amour had no further update on Andersen, who he said remained

in Raleigh to recover while the team was on its three-game road trip. He

said he should know more Wednesday.

Kochetkov, recalled from the Chicago Wolves of the AHL on an

emergency basis, made his NHL debut Saturday as the Canes edged the

New Jersey Devils in overtime, and won again Sunday after relieving

Raanta. He faced 27 shots in the two games as the Canes were effective

in limiting the Devils’ and Islanders’ offensive chances.

“He’s going to be a great goalie, you can already tell,” Canes

defenseman Brendan Smith said Tuesday.

Kochetkov speaks very little English, but Smith said he “picks it up quick”

and that the language barrier is not a detriment on the ice in the

communication between goalie and D-men.

“He understands way more than he talks,” Smith said. “He’ll understand

what we say.”

News Observer LOADED: 04.27.2022

1242827 Chicago Blackhawks

Patrick Kane thinks the Chicago Blackhawks can succeed sooner than

expected: ‘You can win and still be in a rebuild’

Phil Thompson

Clearly Chicago Blackhawks forward Patrick Kane doesn’t like the word

“rebuild.”

“I mean, I guess it’s all noise, right?” he said. “You could talk about

‘rebuild’ — it seems like that word is brought up a lot — but as a player

it’s more about just trying to be the best you can be and to help the team

win.”

“Rebuild” comes up a lot because the Hawks made it the centerpiece of

their public introduction of new general manager Kyle Davidson.

“We’re going to look at more of a rebuild here,” Davidson said in March.

“There are some things that we really need to fix that are going to take

time. No matter if it takes three years, five years to get to the level of

success that we’re looking to achieve, when we get there, it’s our mission

to stay there.”

[ [Don't miss] Kyle Davidson is fully aware of the task ahead as the new

Blackhawks GM: ‘It’s clear we need to be better. The standings tell us

that every day.’ ]

Still, players such as Alex DeBrincat have expressed a desire to

“accelerate” the rebuild by winning sooner than expected, so it begs the

question: Do the players’ and the organization’s perceptions of the

rebuild align?

“Yeah, you can win and still be in a rebuild,” Kane said Tuesday at the

United Center in what amounted to an exit interview for the season. “I

think there are teams that have accelerated that, too, right?”

Kane held up the Los Angeles Kings and New York Rangers as prime

examples.

The Kings have leaped from a .438 points percentage during the

abbreviated 2020-21 season to a .600 percentage that puts them in

playoff position.

The Rangers finished fifth in the reconfigured eight-team East Division

last season but rank second in the Metropolitan this season.

However, a naysayer could point out that — if one discounts the

expanded postseason format in 2019-20 — each team has had a three-

season gap since its previous playoff appearance.

“You can win and still be in rebuild. …You obviously need those young

guys to take next steps but I think it can be done quicker than maybe

some people think.”

—Patrick Kane pointing to the LA Kings and NY Rangers as teams that

accelerated their rebuilds pic.twitter.com/77xRKUN020

— Phillip Thompson (@_phil_thompson) April 26, 2022

Nevertheless, Kane said, “You look at L.A., they had some young guys

that ... maybe exceeded some of their front-office expectations, and all of

a sudden they’re in a spot where they can sign guys like (Phillip) Danault

and trade for (Viktor) Arvidsson and they’re a better team.

“Same thing with the Rangers, right?. It was like they put out that memo

a couple of years ago that they’re rebuilding, and all of a sudden they’re

one of the best teams in the league a couple of years later. Obviously

you bring a guy in like (Artemi) Panarin, that helps. Or a guy like

(goaltender Igor) Shesterkin, he comes to the forefront.”

Kane referenced those teams but also took stock of the youth on the

Hawks roster.

“You need those young guys obviously to take next steps, but I think it

could be done quicker than maybe some people think,” he said. “So as a

player, like I said, you’re not worried about how long it takes or what’s

going on as far as when we’re going to win again, but you’re always

trying to help that process move along as quickly as possible.”

[ [Don't miss] Dominik Kubalík looks to ‘refresh my mind’ rather than

worry about whether the Blackhawks want to re-sign him ]

Defenseman Connor Murphy, making his first media appearance since

suffering a concussion against the Ottawa Senators on March 12, agreed

with Kane’s line of thinking.

“I think every player, no matter what stage is spoken about the

organization that you’re in, is going to be equally as eager to make the

playoffs and work as hard to get there,” Murphy said. “And it doesn’t

mean that you’re not going to (make the playoffs) each year just because

you’re in a rebuild.

“I don’t look at it with any negativity. ... I’m happy to be here as long as

I’m wanted and fortunate, even though we’ve had some struggling

seasons, to be a part of this group.”

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 04.27.2022


Blackhawks’ Patrick Kane proud of his performance this season in light of

still-nagging injury

Ben Pope

Patrick Kane has looked so much like his usual self this season — and

has produced so much like it, too — that his still-undisclosed nagging

injury, once a topic of major concern, has been practically forgotten.

That is, it has been practically forgotten by everyone else. Kane himself,

while racking up 92 points through 76 games in the third-highest scoring

season of his career, has been reminded of it by pain and discomfort

every night.

“I’m proud of myself in some ways, for sure, [about] the way this season

went and the way I was able to perform,” Kane said Tuesday. “But I still

think I need to be at another level coming into next year. That starts with

just having a good summer and getting 100% healthy. . . . I really want to

make sure my body’s feeling good and that I’m able to do the stuff that I

want to [do].”

Kane has been quietly inhibited healthwise all year.

“I was able to get myself ready pretty much for every game, and I

definitely give the training staff a lot of credit for that, but it probably

wasn’t where I needed it to be,” he said. “There are certain things on the

ice that maybe you feel limited with.”

Kane has been alluding to his injury for more than a year now — it

seemed to be more visibly affecting him last spring, during the latter half

of the 2021 season — without disclosing many details. He admitted

Tuesday there are some procedures available for his issue, but he’s not

considering any at the moment.

While rehabbing the injury this summer, Kane also expects to meet

“more than one” time with general manager Kyle Davidson to “talk about

certain things.” He’ll certainly want to get a clearer sense of Davidson’s

rebuilding plans and how he may or may not fit in.

For now, though, Kane is still talking — as he has all season —as if he

expects to stay in Chicago. He said he “really, truly believes” that there

are “parts of our team that can come back next year, surprise some

people and win a lot of hockey games.”

Davidson might inject in him a dose of reality this summer about what the

Hawks’ rebuild will entail, but Kane is looking toward the Kings’ and

Rangers’ examples to stay optimistic.

“You can win and still be in a rebuild,” he said. “There are teams that

have accelerated that. You look at L.A. — they had some young guys

that came in and maybe exceeded some of maybe their front-office

expectations, and all of a sudden, they’re in a spot where they can sign

guys like [Phillip] Danault and trade for [Viktor] Arvidsson and they’re a

better team.

“[It’s the] same thing with the Rangers, right? They put out that memo a

couple of years ago that they’re rebuilding, and all of a sudden, they’re

one of the best teams in the league a couple of years later. Obviously,

[when] you bring a guy in like [Artemi] Panarin, that helps. Or [when] a

guy like [Igor] Shesterkin . . . comes to the forefront. You need those

young guys obviously to take next steps, but it could be done quicker

than maybe some people think.”

Kane, always a believer in himself, thinks he could boost that youth-

development process.

Alex DeBrincat’s continued presence could, too. Kane went out of his

way Tuesday to make it clear DeBrincat’s fate will significantly affect his

fate.

“If [Alex is] here and if he’s a big piece, then that makes it easier for me,

too,” he said. “Because I’m playing with him every day and he’s such a

good player and it makes it fun to be out there with him. We’ll see how it

all shakes out.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 04.27.2022


DeBrincat is here for Hawks rebuild, hopes to accelerate it

BY CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS

When the Blackhawks traded away Brandon Hagel at the March 21

deadline, it signaled just how serious GM Kyle Davidson was about a

rebuild. But reality probably didn't start sinking in until a little after that.

Despite picking up five out of six points in the three games that followed

the trade deadline, the Blackhawks have since won only two of their last

13 games, and in those two wins, they needed overtime or a shootout to

close the deal. If we're being brutally honest, this might be a glimpse of

what next year will be like for the Blackhawks.

Alex DeBrincat was recently asked whether he's wrapped his head

around the rebuild yet, and here was his response:

"This stretch has been pretty tough, but I think we have a lot we can work

on and build off of," DeBrincat said on April 15. "Obviously next year, with

the rebuild, we might lose more games than we win but that’s obviously

never the goal. If we come out hot or doing well, there’s no point to

rebuild after that, right?

"I think if we can still just instill a good identity and compete every night,

it’s our job to win games whether we have a good team or a bad team.

We’ve got to do our best to compete and really come to work every day

and work hard, and just be there to try to win."

When Davidson declared a rebuild on March 1, the topic quickly shifted

to the futures of Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. They're both 33

years old — Toews turns 34 on Friday — with one year left on their

contracts after this season. Do they want to be around for it? That's the

big question.

And then there's DeBrincat, who's 24 years old and just entering the

prime of his career. He's about to wrap up a career statistical season in

Year 5 at the NHL level, but he hasn't tasted postseason success yet,

aside from the 2020 bubble in Edmonton. It might be a while before he

does, too.

I asked DeBrincat after Monday's morning skate whether he's talked to or

plans to talk to Kane and Toews about what they might be feeling, and

he seemed committed to being a part of the Blackhawks' rebuild

regardless of what happens with them.

"We'll talk maybe a little in the future, but that's kind of their decision,"

DeBrincat said. "It doesn't really affect me. I'm still young. I want to help

bring this team to the playoffs and win. I'm here to do whatever I can and

obviously try to help win games. If that's the rebuild next year, hopefully

help some of the young guys come in and feel comfortable and excel that

rebuild."

The question now shifts to, will DeBrincat be around for it? It sounds

stupid to suggest, but the Blackhawks don't have many tradable assets to

kickstart a long-term rebuild other than DeBrincat and Kane, who has a

full no-movement clause, and you have to wonder how much attention

DeBrincat's name could get from other teams this summer and whether

the Blackhawks would be tempted to consider moving him if the potential

return swept them off their feet like the Hagel package did.

DeBrincat will be a pending restricted free agent at the end of the 2022-

23 season, the same year as Kane and Toews, and he's expected to

earn a fairly substantial raise. His negotiating window opens on July 13,

and the last time his window opened, he ironed out a three-year, $19.2

million deal ($6.4 million cap hit) pretty quickly.

DeBrincat said he's "open to anything" this time around, but understands

the Blackhawks have bigger things to sort out first.

"We'll see what they're thinking," DeBrincat said. "I think they have a lot

of things to do probably before me. But I'm open to talking whenever they

are, so we'll see where it goes."


1242830 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche snaps four-game losing streak with home victory over St.

Louis Blues

Kyle Fredrickson

The Avalanche held a team meeting on Tuesday morning to reestablish

championship expectations after four consecutive losses.

Head coach Jared Bednar joined veteran players in speaking out. The

message to the team?

“We’ve taken a dip,” Bednar said after morning skate. “Now, it’s time to

get it back.”

The Avs took that advice to heart in a 5-3 victory over the visiting St.

Louis Blues at Ball Arena. Colorado exploded for three goals in the

second period from Val Nichushkin, Erik Johnson and Josh Manson.

Meanwhile, Avs goaltender Darcy Kuemper was solid making 29 of 32

saves.

The Avalanche (56-18-6) has only two games left in the regular season

— home on Thursday against the Nashville Predators and at the

Minnesota Wild on Friday — before opening the playoffs as the top seed

in the Western Conference. Colorado’s 118 points on the year tie a club

record set by the 2001 Stanley Cup championship team.

A six-minute stretch in the second period on Tuesday made all the

difference in an Avalanche victory.

It began with a Nathan MacKinnon faceoff win that found its way to

Nichushkin. The Russian-born forward circled the high slot and beat St.

Louis goalie Jordan Binnington with a slick wrister. Johnson followed it up

moments later by rebounding a J.T. Compher attempt at the net. A

Manson shot past Binnington gave Colorado a 3-0 lead. Blues forward

Brandon Saad closed the second with a power-play goal.

“We didn’t get rewarded in the first period but then it came in the

second,” Manson said. “We controlled a majority of that game.”

Colorado extended its advantage just nine seconds into the third when

Artturi Lehkonen went five-hole through Binnington. But the Blues weren’t

done yet. St. Louis forward Ryan O’Reilly scored twice (once with

Binnington pulled) to get within a single goal. Kuemper staved off the

comeback attempt with several clutch saves over the final two minutes.

Nazem Kadri scored on an open net to seal the Colorado win.

“Right from the get-go, I thought we were playing well,” Bednar said. “We

did a nice job in our checking with the second period being our best

period. They have a four or five-minute push there late in the (third)

period. Then we kind of bounced back for the last three minutes. On our

toes and being assertive. There was a physicality to our game. Guys

were moving the puck and execution was good. I liked our game from

start to finish.”

A scoreless first period nearly broke open in an unconventional way. The

Blues pulled Binnington on a delayed Avs penalty call when a loose puck

careened off the boards and headed toward the open St. Louis net.

Colorado would have scored had it not been for the diving effort of Blues

defenseman Marco Scandella.

Before the game, Avalanche forward Alex Newhook expressed gratitude

for the team’s leadership group. Their words of encouragement in that

Tuesday morning meeting clearly stuck.

“We’ve got so many veteran guys in the room that can steer us in the

right direction here,” Newhook said. “It’s great when our coaching staff’s

message is the same that the players are carrying out. … It’s comforting

to have that as a piece of our team here. It’s going to be important going

down the stretch.”

Denver Post: LOADED: 04.27.2022


Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews returns to lineup against St. Louis

Blues

Kyle Fredrickson

Devon Toews felt like most Avalanche fans watching from a distance

during the team’s four-game losing streak.

“Frustrating,” Toews said.

Now, he’ll try to do something about it.

The Avs defenseman returned to the lineup Tuesday night against St.

Louis at Ball Arena. Toews missed the past four games to rest minor

undisclosed injuries before the playoffs, a stretch during which the Avs

went winless.

Colorado’s record this season with Toews in the lineup: 50-9-5. In games

without Toews: 5-9-1.

“It’s tough watching it on a screen instead of being live and being

present. It’s a little different,” Toews said. “I didn’t go back and watch the

film like our coaching staff does and all that. So, I can’t really nitpick on it.

It just looked like a little bit of lack of urgency from our team and a lack of

details that we’re trying to get better at now.”

Toews has been among Colorado’s most consistent players this season.

His plus/minus rating (+52) is the highest on the team. Avs coach Jared

Bednar described Toews as “a calming influence” on the ice.

“He’s a special player,” Avs forward Alex Newhook said. “I know that he

brings the same game every night. He’s super consistent and great on

both ends of the puck….He’s got that sense where he’s a calming guy

and is always doing the right things. It’s great to have him back in the

lineup. We definitely miss him when he’s out.”

A glaring problem with the Colorado blueline over its April losing skid has

been full-period breakdowns. The Kraken scored three times in the third.

Edmonton notched four goals in the second. The Jets rolled to four goals

in the third.

Toews is confident the Avalanche will clean up their defensive miscues

with just three regular-season games left before the playoffs.

“It sucks losing and it definitely puts you down a little bit,” Toews said.

“But I think we’re trying to find joy in the game and enjoy playing with

each other. We don’t know who is going to be in the lineup these last

three games.”

Footnotes. Gabe Landeskog (knee surgery) and Mikko Rantanen (non-

COVID illness) skated early Tuesday morning but will not be in the lineup

against St. Louis. Rantanen is “gearing up” to play on Thursday against

the Predators and Landeskog is “unlikely” to be back until the playoffs

begin, Bednar said. … Forward Nazem Kadri struggled over his first

three games back from an upper-body injury with only one assist. Bednar

said: “Nowhere good enough. That line is getting eaten alive. He’s got to

get engaged. … Work ethic, competitiveness, details, all of it. That whole

line has to go.”

Denver Post: LOADED: 04.27.2022


Avalanche continue to await first-round opponent following 5-3 victory

over St. Louis –

Aarif Deen

It wasn’t a must-win for the Avalanche but it certainly was a much-

needed bounce back following a bad week.

Colorado defeated the red hot St. Louis Blues 5-3 on Tuesday to end a

season-long four-game losing streak. The Blues’ 14-0-2 run came to an

end despite a late push to tie the game.

“It’s important because You don’t want to let it linger,” Avs coach Jared

Bednar said of getting back in the win column.

Listen to “Losing Streak” on Spreaker.

The Avs pulled within two points of the Florida Panthers in the

Presidents’ Trophy race with two games remaining. Colorado holds the

regulation wins tiebreaker (45-41) on the Panthers, who lost their second

consecutive game.

“We were just thinking about tonight honestly,” defenseman Josh

Manson said. We wanted to get back on track and we’ll take a look at the

standings when we get done with this.”

While the Blues are locked into a first-round series against the Minnesota

Wild, the Avs still aren’t sure who their opponent will be — albeit they

have a much clearer idea. The Dallas Stars defeated the Vegas Golden

Knights in the shootout and Nashville earned a point in their overtime

loss.

The Predators and Stars, who currently occupy the wildcard spots in the

Western Conference, both jumped to 95 points while Vegas trails by four

points. Each of the three teams has two games remaining. The Preds

and L.A. Kings both clinched a playoff berth on Tuesday.

Colorado could still see either of the three opponents in the first round

but Vegas’ chances of survival suffered immensely following its defeat.

The Golden Knights need to go 2-0 in their last two games and Dallas

has to lose twice in regulation for Vegas to clinch the final spot.

Valeri Nichushkin, Manson, Erik Johnson and Artturi Lehkonen scored for

the Avalanche, who welcomed back defenseman Devon Toews to the

lineup following a five-game absence. Colorado was 1-4 without their top-

pair defenseman.

Toews recorded three shots and was a plus-2 in 24:07.

Tazer brings us stability. I think still he’s probably a little

underappreciated around the league,” Johnson said. “He’s a top-10

defenseman in the league and he brings all the pairings kind of where

they’re supposed to be. He’s one of our MVPs for sure this year.”

Nichushkin’s goal was his 25th of the season and eight in 13 games. The

26-year-old has 15 points in that stretch after also assisting on

Lehkonen’s tally nine seconds into the third period.

“I thought he was a beast tonight. He was on pucks all over the ice,”

Bednar said of Nichushkin. “That’s the sort of tenaciousness that we

need and he’s been bringing it even through the slump.

__

Aarif Deen is our Colorado Avalanche beat reporter. He covers Avs

games live from Ball Arena and attends practices, media availabilities

and other events pertaining to the Avs on the daily beat. He is also a co-

host of Hockey Mountain High: Your go-to Avalanche Podcast. Deen

joined Mile High Sports upon completion of his bachelor’s degree in

journalism and master’s in business administration from the University of

Michigan – Dearborn. Before Mile High Sports, Deen worked for the

Michigan Wolverines Athletics Department as the assistant sports

information director.

milehighsports.com LOADED: 04.27.2022


Avs Grades in Win Over Blues - Colorado Hockey Now

By Kelsey Hammond

You don’t get out without singin’ the blues

Bowen Byram : B – He seemed to get better as the game went along like

he was feeding off the energy.

Erik Johnson : A – I liked his play offensively and defensively. This was a

really good bounce-back game for everyone as it ended the losing

streak.

Devon Toews : A – Not saying he’s the missing link but…..he’s the

missing link. I hope he feels rested because it’s go time.

Cale Makar : B- – A quiet night compared to normal. 20 plus minutes

played, plus two and three hits. Hope he can turn it around…kidding.

Andrew Cogliano : B- – Really impressive on the penalty kill again. He

kept the pressure on and cleared the puck when needed.

Valeri Nichushkin : A+ – Best season of his career. Hopefully, it carries

over into the postseason because he will be a difference-maker.

Nicolas Aube-Kubel : C+ – He was tied for the team lead in hits (4) and

played over 13 minutes. I’ll take it.

Alex Newhook : A – 20 apples for the season. He’s played well through

the losing streak and it’s nice to see him rewarded. He also was 5-0 in

the faceoff dot.

Logan O’Connor : C+ – Avs snap their streak and looked like their

dominant selves. Everyone gets a good grade!

Nathan MacKinnon : B+ – A plus three and an assist. He now has 88

points on the season, behind only Rantanen who has 91.

$20 Dollar Bonus Voucher!

J.T. Compher : B+ – He has himself a nice four-game point streak

going right now. He was also a plus three tonight.

Josh Manson : A – He NEEDED this type of game. I loved his shot from

the point and hopefully we see more of those shot selections come

playoffs.

Darren Helm : C – Nothing crazy or impactful but hey! You win as a team

and you lose as a team.

Sam Girard : B – Another defensemen who needed a strong

performance. He had an assist and over 18 minutes played. Keep. It.

Going.

Attruri Lehkonen : B+ – He is a prime example of hard work paying off.

He hustles to the net and keeps the pressure on with every shift.

Nico Sturm : C – Struggled in the faceoff dot tonight going 2-4. He played

a little under 10 minutes.

Nazem Kadri : B – It would be nice to see him catch fire again before the

regular season ends. He’s not playing horrible but we are missing that

energy. An empty-net goal is a good start.

Andre Burakovsky : C – He missed the net a few times tonight but also

blocked three shots.

Darcy Kuemper: B- – It’s just been an odd couple of games. There has

been a fluke/random/incredible play that has happened in almost all of

them. Tonight, O’Reilly’s 2nd goal of the game had me fooled! What a

play. At the end of the night he faced 31 shots and let three in. More

importantly, he got the W in a third period that could have been a

meltdown.

Colorado hockey now LOADED: 04.27.2022

1242834 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets overwhelmed by Tampa Bay Lightning's top players in 4-1

loss

Bailey Johnson, The Columbus Dispatch

TAMPA, Fla. — The Blue Jackets did everything they could.

Unanimously, Zach Werenski, Oliver Bjorkstrand and coach Brad Larsen

agreed that they were pleased with the way their team played against

Tampa Bay. They thought the Jackets hung with the Lightning throughout

the majority of Tuesday's game and turned in a solid performance.

But there's a clear gap in skill between the two teams, and in a 4-1 loss

at Amalie Arena, the Lightning's top players took full advantage of it.

Nikita Kucherov scored the game's first goal and had the primary assist

on the other three goals, and Steven Stamkos had two goals and two

assists while reaching 100 points for the first time in his career.

"I actually thought we played pretty good tonight, to be honest," Werenski

said. "It’s a team that if you give them time and space and give them

room to make plays, they’re gonna make plays and find the back of the

net.

"But I thought for the majority of that game, we were right there. I thought

we played pretty good tonight. It’s tough that it was 4-1, but I thought it

was a good game, pretty much for the most part, from our group."

Kucherov scored the game's first goal just 1:37 into the first period, as he

found himself with plenty of time and space in the high slot to convert a

feed from Stamkos in the corner.

The Jackets (36-37-7) struck back less than 90 seconds later with a

power-play goal from Bjorkstrand, his second goal in two games, and

played a relatively even period for the majority of the frame. But the skill

of Tampa's top players was the difference-maker, and Kucherov teed up

Stamkos for a one-timer on the power play late in the first period that

gave the Lightning (50-22-8) the lead.

The first-period goal and assist gave Stamkos 99 points on the season,

and it felt inevitable that he'd reach 100 at some point in the evening.

Midway through the second period, it was Kucherov again who set up the

tally. Immediately after leaving the penalty box, Kucherov hassled

defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov into a turnover and put the puck right on

Stamkos' stick. The Lighting captain did the rest, scoring his 39th goal of

the season and reaching 100 points in the process.

"Second period, it’s 2-1, we get two real good looks on our power play

there," Larsen said. "(Kucherov) gets out of the box, pops our stick, it’s 3-

1 instead of 2-2. But that’s what good teams do. We don’t have to talk

about how good they are, because we know. They’ve won

championships."

Though the Jackets had a strong offensive push for much of the third

period, they were unable to solve Andrei Vasilevskiy. Kucherov picked up

his fourth point of the night on pass from behind the net to Ondrej Palat

right in front, pushing the game firmly out of the Jackets' reach.

Columbus was credited with just six shots on goal in the third period but

had five shots blocked by the Lightning and missed eight attempts,

including one that hit the post.

"We had a lot of good looks," Larsen said. "They had 25 blocked shots.

The shot discrepancy looks like it was — but that’s a big group back

there. They do a real good job of being in front. And if you get by them,

you’ve gotta get by the other guy, 88 (Vasilevskiy). He’s pretty good."

Playing Lighting provides learning opportunity for Blue Jackets' young

players

Rookie forward Cole Sillinger didn't start out the game matched against

the Stamkos line, but after Stamkos and his linemates scored three even-

strength goals against Justin Danforth's line, Larsen made a switch —

and praised Sillinger's ability to handle the matchup down the stretch.

"Silly drew a tough assignment," Larsen said. "He was flipping that match

there on the Stamkos line. It’s great. It’s great experience for him to play

against those guys. You see that line’s rolling. They were in on all four

goals. They did all the damage. But how he handled himself tonight was

real important, I thought. He played. He wasn’t on his heels. He was

attacking the game."

Sillinger played a total of 14:50, sixth among the Jackets' forwards, and

had three shots on goal, three hits and three shots that were blocked. He

won six of the 11 faceoffs he took.

Larsen has spoken multiple times recently about the opportunity for his

young players in the final few games, and with center Sean Kuraly out for

the final three games with a broken toe, Sillinger is a player Larsen

expects to step up even further. It's a one-game sample size, and he

didn't play against Stamkos the whole night, but the control Sillinger

seemed to have over the game bodes well for the future.

And it wasn't just Sillinger who Larsen was pleased with. Yegor

Chinakhov and Kent Johnson also earned praise for their performances,

particularly Johnson as he continues to settle into his young NHL career.

Tuesday was just his seventh game, and he played 12:21 while recording

one shot on goal.

"(Johnson's) game’s coming," Larsen said. "Especially in the second half

of that game, I thought it really started to come. He’s getting more

confident with the puck. These are encouraging signs.

"We know we’re not a playoff team, but you want to see these guys take

some steps, and it was really good to see them play against a really good

hockey team. I thought those guys played a really good game."

OK not the best photo on my part but here’s a look at the repairs on Zach

Werenski’s nose. Said he feels fine. Just bad luck to take one to the face.

#CBJ pic.twitter.com/YgBBUR4Lf1

— Jeff Svoboda (@JacketsInsider) April 27, 2022

Zach Werenski returns for Blue Jackets, suffers another injury, sets

career high

Werenski missed the Jackets' last three games with a jaw injury and was

excited Tuesday morning to return to the lineup. But barely halfway

through the first period, a puck deflected off a Lightning player's backside

and hit Werenski on the bridge of his nose, sending him down the tunnel

for repairs.

After the game, neither he nor Larsen could believe he'd been hit in the

head again. Werenski previously missed time with two concussions this

year, prior to the jaw injury he suffered April 17 in Anaheim.

"You see how he got hit? He’s in the far corner in the offensive zone and

it goes off a hip," Larsen said. "Right in the middle of the face. It’s

incredible. I said, ‘You’ve got a target on your head right now.’ "

Despite missing almost half of the first period while having his injury

tended to, Werenski returned for the second period and still led the

Jackets in ice time with 23:01. He had one shot on goal, three shot

attempts blocked and three that missed the net.

Werenski also picked up the secondary assist on Bjorkstrand's goal,

giving him a career-high 48 points on the season.

Blue Jackets' defensemen rotation forced to adjust

It wasn't a straightforward night for assistant coach Steve McCarthy, who

runs the defensemen. The Jackets had to shuffle their defensive pairs

throughout the game, as Werenski wasn't the only player to be hit in the

face.

Andrew Peeke also fell victim to an errant puck as he slid to block a

centering pass, though he returned to the game only a few minutes later.

Nick Blankenburg also appeared to be banged up as he headed down

the tunnel late in the first period, but he returned for the second and

played the rest of the game.

At one point in the first period, with both Werenski and Blankenburg

being looked at, Gavrikov took a penalty, leaving the Jackets with just

three defensemen — Peeke, Jake Bean and Dean Kukan — to attempt

to kill the penalty. The Lightning scored 61 seconds into the two-minute

power play.

"It is what it is," Larsen said. "It’s hockey. These guys, they all came

back. All played their tails off."

Nick Blankenburg continues to move up Blue Jackets' lineup

In Sunday's win over the Oilers, Blankenburg played top-four minutes

alongside Gavrikov and moved up to run the first power-play unit in the

third period. Tuesday, in his seventh NHL game, he continued his charge

up the lineup.

Though he missed part of the first period with an apparent injury, when

he returned to the ice, Blankenburg flashed his offensive skill — and his

commitment to physicality, as he finished with a game-high eight hits. No

other player recorded more than four.

In the third period, Blankenburg played his final five shifts on the top pair

with Werenski, signifying a further promotion. According to Natural Stat

Trick, the duo — both of whom played college hockey at Michigan —

played 9:07 together at even strength.

They appeared comfortable together almost immediately, and Werenski

didn't hesitate to express his approval of the new defensive pairing.

"I enjoyed it," Werenski said. "(He's a) really smart hockey player. I think

he knows his game really well, doesn’t try too much. Jumps up in the

play and creates some offense. I think he’s very solid defensively. Just

an easy guy to play with. I enjoyed it. Obviously only a couple games left,

not sure what’s gonna happen, but I enjoyed playing with him."

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 04.27.2022


'Sink or swim': Young Columbus Blue Jackets lineup faces tough stretch

to end season


TAMPA, Fla. — The Blue Jackets entered this season as one of the

youngest teams in the NHL, and with several veteran players out of the

lineup the roster has gotten even younger. The Jackets are also set to

face two of the best teams in the NHL, Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh, for

their final three games of the season.

For coach Brad Larsen, the approach is simple. It's sink-or-swim time for

the young players, who have to step up as Boone Jenner, Patrik Laine

and Sean Kuraly are out of the lineup. Kuraly is a new addition to the list

after suffering a broken toe on Sunday and will miss the rest of the

season.

"We’ve talked about all the guys out of our lineup, so someone has to

take the minutes," Larsen said Sunday after a 5-2 win against Edmonton.

"See how they do. Sink or swim, really, for a lot of these guys. ... I’m sure

a lot of them, they’re probably looking for an autograph after the game

with some of these guys. That’s how special those guys are."

Blue Jackets: Larsen getting consistency from Gustav Nyquist, which

isn't a surprise

NHL: Blue Jackets 'excited' to face Colorado Avalanche in Finland next

season

Blue Jackets: Nationwide Arena gets millions for upgrades, but official

suggests 'major facelift' needed

The Jackets passed the first test of the final stretch with that win over the

Oilers, with rookie forward Carson Meyer and rookie defenseman Nick

Blankenburg both playing the majority of their minutes against Connor

McDavid's line. With a home-and-home against the Lightning and a road

game in Pittsburgh on the docket, the matchups aren't going to get

easier.

Blankenburg grinned after practice on Saturday as he reeled off the list of

elite players he's about to face, less than 10 games into his NHL career.

"Tampa, you’ve got (Nikita) Kucherov and all those guys," he said.

"Pittsburgh is Sidney Crosby."

Kucherov missed time with an injury this year but leads the Lightning with

1.41 points per game and is third overall with 62 points in 44 games.

Crosby has never produced below a point per game in his 17-year NHL

career and he's not slowing down at age 34, with 84 points in 67 games.

The list of players beyond Kucherov and Crosby who make the Lighting

and the Penguins formidable opponents could go on and on. The

combination of elite skill and depth throughout the lineup is what has

made them two of the league's best teams this year, and, in Tampa Bay's

case, the back-to-back Stanley Cup champion.

Larsen has spoken throughout the season of his desire to put his players

in a position to succeed, and that intention doesn't change down the final

stretch. But he has no qualms about giving the young players — rookies

Cole Sillinger, Yegor Chinakhov and Kent Johnson among them — a

tough matchup that they may struggle with.

With the Jackets out of the playoffs, this is a learning opportunity for the

young players, and there are few better teams to learn against than the

class of the NHL.

"It’s going to be a trial by fire here, and you’re gonna have to jump in with

both feet," Larsen said. "The pace of the game’s gonna be faster, the

execution. You’re gonna see some higher level of competition here. I’m

very curious to watch it. ... If it’s too much, then you pull back. But I have

no problem seeing them struggle, either. Maybe they’ll thrive, who

knows?"

Justin Danforth nominated for Masterton Trophy

The Columbus chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association

selected forward Justin Danforth as their nominee for the Masterton

Trophy, which is given annually to a player who “best exemplifies the

qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game.”

The award is named for Bill Masterton, who played for the Minnesota

North Stars and died of a head injury suffered in a game in 1968. He is

the only NHL player to die as a direct result of an on-ice injury.

Danforth made his NHL debut this season at the age of 28, after playing

four years at Sacred Heart University and spending time in the minors

before going to Europe. He played two years in Liiga, the top league in

Finland, then spent one season in the KHL before signing his first NHL

contract with the Jackets last summer.

He didn't make the roster out of camp and spent eight games with AHL

Cleveland before being called up for his NHL debut on Nov. 15 and

scoring his first goal one game later. In 42 games, Danforth has nine

goals and four assists.

"He went down in the minors, he went on the wing, he fought his way

back and came into our lineup," Larsen said earlier this month. "I notice

him every single night. His energy. His physicality. These are all things

he wasn’t doing consistently in his last however-many years pro. It’s

hard. It’s really hard when you get to that age.

"But if you have the will or the determination to do it, you’ll do it. He

wanted to make it so bad. He’s done it."

Zach Werenski returns for Blue Jackets

After missing the last three games with a jaw injury he suffered in the first

period against Anaheim on April 17, defenseman Zach Werenski returns

to Jackets' lineup against Tampa Bay.

"He wants to play, and I love that," Larsen said. "He's adamant that he

wants to get back in the lineup. He's not trying to coast into the finish. He

definitely could've just shut it down, but he's feeling great. He probably

would've played the game before, but we've kind of had to put the reins

on him."



Boone Jenner, Sean Kuraly to miss final three games for Blue Jackets


TAMPA, Fla. — It was starting to look like a foregone conclusion, but the

Blue Jackets made it official Tuesday morning that center Boone Jenner

will miss the remainder of the season.

Jenner hasn't played since March 11 after a back injury he'd been trying

to play through proved too severe to keep playing. Jackets coach Brad

Larsen described Jenner at the time as a "crushed soul" when they made

the decision to shut Jenner down on a week-to-week basis. At the time of

the injury, Jenner led the Jackets in both goals and points with 23 and

44, respectively.

The Jackets also announced Tuesday that center Sean Kuraly will miss

the final three games after suffering a broken toe in Sunday's 5-2 win

over the Edmonton Oilers. Kuraly played 20:23 in that game with three

shots on goal and a game-high five hits.

In his first year with the Jackets after signing in Columbus as a free

agent, Kuraly set a new career-high of 14 goals and 30 total points in 77

games. He is second to Jenner in faceoff percentage at 49.4%, trailing

Jenner's mark of 53.6%.

"We lose two very key guys that play a lot of real key situations," Larsen

said. "But this is the time of year for us, in the position we're in, it forces

us to look at some guys in different situations against some real good

teams."



Five observations: Tough night for depleted Blue Jackets, who are

limping to finish line

Aaron Portzline

Five observations from the Blue Jackets’ 4-1 loss to the Tampa Bay

Lightning on Tuesday at Amalie Arena:

1. Hits keep coming

The Blue Jackets have played the past seven weeks without their captain

and heart-and-soul leader, Boone Jenner, who is out with a back injury.

They’ve played the past 10 days without top-scoring threat Patrik Laine.

On Tuesday, before the Blue Jackets began a home-and-home with the

defending two-time Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, it was

announced that center Sean Kuraly was done for the season with a

broken toe.

Yes, the Jackets welcomed defenseman Zach Werenski back into the

lineup (more on that in a bit), but those staggering losses explain how the

Jackets could be pleased with how they played Tuesday despite losing to

the Lightning.

“Better than decent; that was a heck of a game,” Blue Jackets coach

Brad Larsen said. “I had no issue with how we played tonight. There

were zero passengers. We had guys takin’ pucks off the face, bleeding.

At one point, we had three defensemen on the bench.

“They’re just that good. They’ve won two Cups for a reason. But how we

played them, I thought it was a really solid game from everybody.”

The Lightning scored a late first-period power-play goal for a 2-1 lead

and tacked on one goal each in the second and third to pull away.

The loss of Kuraly is big, almost on par with Jenner’s absence. He had a

career season in Columbus after signing a four-year, $10 million contract

with his hometown club as an unrestricted free agent last summer.

He’s set personal scoring marks (14-16-30), took a majority of the club’s

important defensive-zone faceoffs and was a regular on the top penalty-

killing unit. Kuraly led the club in hits and has been consistently

competitive all season.

2. Werenski drilled again

In an interview with The Athletic late last week, Werenski indicated that

he’s had two concussions this season, the first two of his career. The

injury he suffered earlier this month in Anaheim was to the jaw, not a

concussion.

Still, it’s been a rough season for Werenski’s head and face, and the hits

kept coming Tuesday in Werenski’s first game back after the jaw injury.

Midway through the first period, Werenski was standing well outside the

line of fire when a puck deflected off a Lightning player and shot directly

to — where else? — his face, striking him on the bridge of his nose.

“Did you see how he got hit?” Larsen said. “He’s in the far corner of the

offensive zone. It goes off a hip and gets him right in the middle of the

face. It’s incredible.

“I told him, ‘You’ve got a target on your head right now.'”

Werenski quickly skated off the ice with his hand held up to his face and

blood dripping from his nose. It’s been an all-too-familiar site this season,

but this time, Werenski was able to return for the start of the second

period.

Remarkably, Werenski led the Blue Jackets in ice time (23:01) despite

missing half of the first period. His secondary assist on the Jackets’ only

goal allowed him to set career records with 37 assists and 48 points.

3. Strong finish

There was a long lull this season when the Blue Jackets’ power play

settled into a funk and slid to a familiar spot … near the bottom of the

NHL rankings.

The only goal the Jackets scored Tuesday came early in the game with a

man advantage. Jack Roslovic made a no-look pass from the right circle

to Oliver Bjorkstrand across the high slot, and Bjorkstrand one-timed it

past Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy.

Ollie makes it a tie game! pic.twitter.com/r98Iyoj55n

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) April 26, 2022

That gave the Blue Jackets a power-play goal in four straight games,

matching a season high. They’re 4 of 9 (44 percent) in the stretch, with

Roslovic scoring two of the goals and registering the primary assist on

Bjorkstrand’s tally.

The recent surge has moved them from 27th to 24th in the league’s

rankings at 18 percent.

4. Block-aid

A stat you don’t see every day: The Blue Jackets had more shots

blocked by Tampa Bay (25) than shots that actually required Vasilevskiy

(21) to make a save.

That says something about a two-time Cup champion … perhaps that the

Lightning are invested in becoming a three-time champion.

“That’s something you do when you’re a Stanley Cup champ,” Werenski

said. “That’s just part of their game now. It’s a skilled team, but that back

end is big and they don’t give you much.

“We did a lot of good things, but they shut us down offensively.”

Werenski and rookie Yegor Chinakhov each had three shots blocked by

Tampa Bay, but only two skaters didn’t. Tampa Bay’s Brayden Point

blocked five shots, and Ryan McDonagh had four.

“The shot discrepancy (32-21) makes it look a certain way,” Larsen said.

“We had a lot of good looks. They had 25 blocked shots.”

Congratulations to #CBJ Assistant Equipment Manager Jason Stypinski,

who is working his 1,500th professional game tonight.

Here's to many more, Ski! pic.twitter.com/avM9tkqilJ

— Columbus Blue Jackets (@BlueJacketsNHL) April 26, 2022

5. Snacks

Larsen made official Tuesday what has seemed likely for weeks, that

Jenner — out since March 11 with a back injury — will not play again this

season. … Despite not having Jenner or Kuraly, the Blue Jackets

managed to go 22 of 44 on faceoffs Tuesday. … Rookie Cole Sillinger

was tasked with checking Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos frequently in the

second and third periods. He was not on the ice for any of the Lightning

goals, led Blue Jackets forwards with three shots on goal, had three hits

and won 6 of 11 faceoffs. “How he handled himself tonight, I thought was

really important,” Larsen said. “He wasn’t on his heels, he was attacking

the game.” … Fellow rookie Kent Johnson played mostly on the fourth

line with Brendan Gaunce and Carson Meyer. … Jackets defenseman

Andrew Peeke was struck in the face by a puck at close range off the

stick of Tampa’s Zach Bogosian, but returned a short time later. …

Stamkos (2-2-4) and Nikita Kucherov (1-3-4) had big nights. Stamkos’

four-point night put him at a career-high 101 points this season. …

Defenseman Nick Blankenburg, who took several shifts on the No. 1 pair

next to Werenski, led the Blue Jackets with eight hits. … With Kuraly out,

Brendan Gaunce returned to the lineup, and Justin Danforth was moved

from left wing to center. … Blue Jackets assistant equipment manager

Jason Stypinski was honored Tuesday for working his 1,500th

professional game. Stypinski has been a part of hockey in Columbus

dating back to the ECHL Columbus Chill in the 1990s. … The Blue

Jackets host Tampa Bay on Thursday in Nationwide, the final home

game of the season.


1242838 Dallas Stars

Jake Oettinger’s ‘stellar’ shootout performance saves Stars

Matthew DeFranks

For Jake Oettinger, what a difference a year makes.

Oettinger stopped all seven shots he faced in Tuesday’s shootout, lifting

the Stars to a 3-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights that inched them

closer to a playoff spot and trimmed the club’s magic number to one.

Oettinger also made 33 saves in regulation and overtime to keep the

Stars in the game.

“Those are the moments you dream about: To win a shootout, to get one

point away from clinching a playoff spot is what you want and what we

worked for all season long,” Oettinger said.

In the shootout, Oettinger made saves on Jack Eichel, Shea Theodore,

Nicholas Roy, Chandler Stephenson, Evgenii Dadonov and William

Karlsson. Jonathan Marchessault hit the post, so Oettinger thanked his

post with a little tap.

“I told one of the guys ‘I had everything inside the net covered,’”

Oettinger said. “Thankfully, that hit the post.”

This season, Oettinger has emerged as the Stars’ No. 1 goaltender after

starting the season in the AHL. He will likely start Game 1 of the Stars’

playoff series, and maintain that title that fits his selection as a first-round

pick in 2017.

At the start of the season, he was fourth on the Stars’ depth chart, but

injuries to Ben Bishop, Anton Khudobin and Braden Holtby elevated

Oettinger into the role. He’s relished taking on big challenges, something

that Khudobin handled down the stretch a season ago.

Jake Oettinger last season in shootouts: Stopped 5 of 10, 1-3

record.

Jake Oettinger this season in shootouts: Stopped 15 of 17, 2-1

record.

— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) April 27, 2022

“It felt like last year down the stretch, when we were fighting for a playoff

spot, I feel like I didn’t get the net in those big games,” Oettinger said. “To

get the net tonight in this type of game is a great feeling, knowing what I

needed to do to step up.”

He’s also drastically improved in shootouts from just one year ago.

Last season, Oettinger stopped just five of 10 shootout attempts as the

Stars went 1-3 in his four shootout appearances. This season, he has

stopped 15 of 17 attempts, and the Stars are 2-1 in his three games.

“He had a lot of confidence,” Stars forward Jason Robertson said. “He

tries really hard to get better at shootouts. He told me that at the

beginning of the year that it’s something he wants to work on. At this

pivotal moment, it’s great to see that paid off for him. He’s the backbone

for this one.”

Oettinger: “I can actually stop them this year. I feel like last year, I didn’t

have a ton of confidence in shootouts. Obviously, I played college, so I

didn’t get much experience with that in the game. You can do it a million

times in practice, but you just got to do it in games. Now, I think I’m a lot

more confident.”

Four of Oettinger’s saves kept the Stars alive. One of them sealed the

victory.

“Stellar,” Stars forward Tyler Seguin said. “Taught him a lot by practicing

on him, teaching him everything he knows by making him look good in

practice. I think he’s worked hard in shootouts, and how good he’s gotten

at them. That’s all from his determination and his practice and he was

huge for us.”

In the third period, Oettinger made a snazzy glove save on Shea

Theodore, doing the splits to see around Michael Raffl (who tried to block

the shot) and keep the game tied with 2:37 left in the third period.

“I just tried to stay back a little bit so I could give myself more time to

react to it,” Oettinger said. “I was a little bit deeper, so I had to stretch

more. Thankfully, it went in my glove.”

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 04.27.2022


How Stars can pass Predators for the West’s first Wild Card spot

Matthew DeFranks

In the last three days of the regular season, the Dallas Stars would need

to accumulate more points than Nashville in order to claim the first Wild

Card spot in the Western Conference and draw Calgary in the first round.

The second Wild Card team will play Colorado.

The easiest way for the Stars to finish ahead of Nashville is a win over

Arizona on Wednesday, followed by a regulation loss by Nashville in

Colorado, and at least one point from Dallas on Friday against Anaheim.

There are other ways to finish with more points, but they all require

Nashville to lose at least one of their remaining two games. The

Predators clinched a playoff spot Tuesday.

No Robo? When Roope Hintz and Jack Eichel took matching roughing

minors in the third period of the Stars’ Tuesday night victory over Vegas,

it set up two minutes of 4 on 4. These were the Stars forwards who

played during that time: Tyler Seguin, Vladislav Namestnikov, Luke

Glendening, Michael Raffl, Jamie Benn, Joe Pavelski and Radek Faksa.

So, that’s seven Dallas forwards, and not one of them was the team’s 40-

goal scorer. Why didn’t Bowness use Jason Robertson during 4 on 4?

“He was up, but I like him with Roope,” Bowness said. “Roope was in the

box.”

If the Stars wanted to avoid defensive zone draws with Robertson, there

were two chances to get Robertson out there at the other end of the ice.

Given two offensive faceoffs at 4 on 4, Bowness used Seguin and

Namestnikov, and Glendening with Raffl.

Shootout decisions: This was the Stars’ order of shooters in the shootout:

Robertson, Seguin, Pavelski, Hintz, Faksa, Namestnikov and Miro

Heiskanen. Heiskanen was the only one that scored.

Faksa was the surprise of the group, with only five goals this season.

Jamie Benn (18 goals, 30% in shootouts) and Denis Gurianov (11 goals,

67% in shootouts) did not go in the shootout.

“Try it,” Bowness said of the Faksa choice. “We told him what to expect.

Sometimes you got to throw a surprise at them. It didn’t work.”

Faksa entered Tuesday with one career shootout attempt. It was on Oct.

19 in Pittsburgh, and Faksa was the first shootout shooter for the Stars

this season. He missed.

Heiskanen, meanwhile, went to his old bag of tricks to win the game,

pulling the same backhand move he used against Tampa Bay last

season.

Thinking about it: During overtime, goalie Jake Oettinger thought about

negating a Vegas icing, which would have allowed the Stars to keep

possession of the puck instead of setting up an offensive zone faceoff.

“Possession is huge and we have a lot of really good centers that can

win draws, so I thought leave the tired guys out there and give us a

chance to win a draw,” Oettinger said.

Same lineup: The Stars used the same lineup as during their win over

Seattle on Saturday. That meant forwards Alexander Radulov, Marian

Studenic and Jacob Peterson, and defensemen Joel Hanley and Andrej

Sekera remained healthy scratches.

With Oettinger’s start on Tuesday night, Scott Wedgewood could be in

line to start Wednesday night against Arizona.

Might changes be on the way for Wednesday against the Coyotes?

“Listen, we won the game tonight, but we’ve got some guys who still

have to play a whole lot better for this team,” Bowness said.

One clincher: AHL affiliate Texas clinched a spot in the AHL playoffs on

Tuesday night with a 4-2 win over Manitoba in Texas’ final game of the

regular season. Texas only needed to get a point to secure fifth place in

the Central Division, which is good enough to qualify in the AHL.



Jason Robertson’s two goals help propel Stars past Golden Knights

Matthew DeFranks

The Dallas Stars will have to wait a little while longer to clinch a playoff

spot.

In beating the Golden Knights 3-2 in a shootout on Tuesday night, the

Stars picked up a huge win but kept Vegas alive in the chase for a playoff

spot in the Western Conference. Dallas dropped its magic number to

clinch a playoff spot to one.

Any combination of one point gained by the Stars or lost by the Golden

Knights would send Dallas through to the postseason. The Stars can

secure their spot as soon as Wednesday with a point against Arizona, or

a Vegas loss in Chicago.

“The buzz is there, but we don’t want to get too high,” Stars forward

Jason Robertson said. “The job’s not finished right now. We just got to

come with the same approach we did today, and play hard tomorrow.”

The Stars (95 points) are also tied with Nashville (95 points) for the first

Wild Card spot in the West as each team has two games left. The

Predators hold the tiebreakers with a 35-30 edge in regulation wins.

Nashville lost in overtime to Calgary on Tuesday and plays at Colorado

on Thursday.

Miro Heiskanen won the game in the seventh round of the shootout for

Dallas. Jake Oettinger followed with a save on William Karlsson, and

Oettinger was perfect in the shootout.

The formula for the Stars looked familiar: Get timely saves from Oettinger

and goals from Robertson.

Robertson scored twice, becoming just the fourth player in Dallas Stars

history to score 40 goals in a season. Oettinger made 33 saves. William

Carrier and Chandler Stephenson scored for the Golden Knights.

Players with 40 goals in a season as a Dallas Star:

Mike Modano

Jamie Benn

Tyler Seguin

Jason Robertson

— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) April 27, 2022

Robertson twice rescued the Stars, who trailed 1-0 and 2-1 before his

goals. In the second period, Robertson side-stepped Brayden McNabb

(crumpling him to the ice) before beating Logan Thompson on the far

side with a perfectly placed shot. In the third period, he slid through the

slot and redirected a pass from John Klingberg.

With his second goal, Robertson joined Mike Modano, Jamie Benn and

Tyler Seguin as the only Dallas Stars to score 40 goals in a season.

“I’m just trying to make it [in the NHL],” Robertson said. “I’m just trying to

play hockey. Definitely couldn’t have got there without guys setting me

up, even Klinger great find. It’s just playing hockey. Like I said, I have the

luxury of being on one of the top lines this year.”

Oettinger called Robertson a “rink rat.”

“I love having him as one of the guys that comes out early and shoots

because he tests you 24/7,” Oettinger said. “He’s never trying to warm

you up, he’s always trying to score, which sometimes can be annoying,

but it pushes you to be better. He loves hockey, he loves scoring. I have

a really good feeling that that’s going to be the first of many of those type

of seasons for him.”

Vegas scored in the final minute of both the first and second periods.

With 49 seconds left in the first period, Carrier centered a pass on the

rush that banked off of Luke Glendening and into the Stars’ net. With 3.3

seconds left in the second period, Vegas crashed the net on the power

play, resulting in Stephenson’s goal.

On Tuesday night, the Stars had the weight of the hockey world behind

them.

A regulation win by Dallas would clinch a playoff spot not only for the

Stars, but also for the Predators and the Kings. But, more importantly for

teams around the league, it would eliminate the Golden Knights, the fifth-

year team that hasn’t missed the playoffs since it entered the league in

2017-18.

The Golden Knights have become one of the most disliked teams in the

league given their success (or lack of suffering), to go along with their

continued pursuit of every big name on the trade or free agent market,

and their usage of the long-term injured reserve to ice a team that is cap

compliant.

As a result, dozens of other fanbases joined social media cries for a

Stars win.

“We’re down to the last three games,” Stars coach Rick Bowness said

before the game. “We still don’t have an X beside our name. We’re

playing a team that has to win tonight. They have to win. This is an

exciting day. This is a great day to be part of the National Hockey

League.”

The Stars have had big games with the Golden Knights in recent years.

Dallas hosted the first game in Vegas franchise history in 2017. The two

sides tangled in the Western Conference Finals in 2020, highlighted by

Anton Khudobin’s performance and Denis Gurianov’s series-winning

one-timer.

A clincher with most of the league wearing Victory Green?

Not Tuesday night.

Wednesday night will present another chance.

“Try to get some sleep quick and get ready to go again,” Seguin said.

“We need that win more than they do tomorrow,” Robertson said.

“It gets you that much closer,” Bowness said. “It’s right there. We want

more. We need more. And we haven’t ruled out seventh place. We’ve got

to get in. We need that one point to get in. We have two games to try to

get in, and then hopefully take a run at seventh.”



Stars’ biggest game of season lives up to hype, moves them to brink of

playoffs

Saad Yousuf

Living up to the hype heaped on the shoulders of the Stars as they

hosted the Golden Knights on Tuesday night at the American Airlines

Center was going to take a lot. The game had a chance to rock the

Western Conference playoff picture into near finality.

Although the result didn’t apply all of the potential effects, the game itself

delivered. The coronation of a 40-goal scorer and the continued

maturation of a young goaltender headlined the night as Dallas beat

Vegas 3-2 in a seven-round shootout. Let’s peel back the layers of this

one.

The 2017 draft class, with a special appearance by Joe Pavelski

Jason Robertson

Robertson came into the game with 38 goals this season and left the

arena as the Stars’ first 40-goal scorer since Tyler Seguin in 2017-18.

Robertson became the fourth player in franchise history to hit the 40-goal

mark, joining Seguin, Jamie Benn and Mike Modano. Robertson is just

22 years old.

“Honestly, I think I could do a little bit more,” Robertson said. “I still have

that little bit of tentativeness, but it’s still playing at the NHL level.

Everyone is good, everyone is great around you if you’re playing against

top guys. I think eventually I’ll get that full confidence, but I have my

linemates to help me out there and I keep looking for them.”

On the night he scored his 40th goal, Robertson deflected much of the

credit to his teammates.

“For me, it’s just playing my game, playing the game they all preach me

to do,” Robertson said. “I have the luxury of having elite players around

me that allow me to do that. It’s just playing hockey, right? I have guys on

my team who are very supportive of everyone and very encouraging. We

have a lot of leaders in this locker room. I’m grateful for them.”

Was 40 goals in an NHL season ever a personal goal for Robertson?

“I have no idea, I just try to make it,” Robertson said, laughing. “I’m just

trying to play hockey. I definitely couldn’t have gotten there without guys

setting me up. Even (John) Klingberg (tonight), great find. It’s just playing

hockey. Like I said, I have the luxury of being on one of the top lines of

this year. You look at my other linemates, they’re putting up that amount

of goals, too, so it’s a team effort.”

Both of Robertson’s goals Tuesday lend credence to his point. The first

was born of a great pass by Miro Heiskanen to Joe Pavelski, who

managed to dish the puck in slick fashion to a flying Roope Hintz.

Of course, the finish was filthy, too.

Pavelski’s game can sometimes still be underrated because it doesn’t

have the same flashy appeal as those of Robertson and Hintz, but his

skill and hockey IQ are so critical to the operation. There was a good

example of that in the first period as well, when Pavelski let a Hintz pass

go by him and took out his man, knowing Robertson was trailing and

would have a good scoring opportunity.

Plays like that don’t register on the stat sheet but have a big impact on

the team, and on players like Robertson and Hintz.

On Robertson’s second goal, Pavelski was credited with an assist, but he

assisted in more ways than one. The secondary assist shows up on the

stat sheet, but Robertson camping in front of the net to provide a target

for Klingberg is something Robertson has seen Pavelski do plenty of in

practice and in games. Soaking that in helped get Robertson to 40 goals.

John Klingberg shot the puck. Jason Robertson finished the job.

pic.twitter.com/ZrKPR0d9bg

— Saad Yousuf (@SaadYousuf126) April 27, 2022

Jake Oettinger

Jake Oettinger was fantastic for the Stars once again. He made the

saves he needed to throughout the game, but coach Rick Bowness

preaches about the “timely save.” Oettinger came through with that late

in the third period.

That kept the score tied at 2-2, which is how regulation ended. After a

scoreless overtime, Oettinger came through with seven more timely

saves in the shootout.

“He had a lot of confidence,” Robertson said. “He tried really hard to get

better at shootouts. He told me that at the beginning of the year, that that

is something he wanted to work on. At this pivotal moment, it’s great to

see that pay off for him, and he’s a backbone for this one.”

Last season, Oettinger stopped five of 10 shots in shootouts, going 1-3.

This season, he has stopped 15 of 17 shots, going 2-1.

Miro Heiskanen

Miro Heiskanen was his usual self throughout the game, making plays at

both ends of the ice. He played 28 minutes, almost three more than any

other Stars player. In the seventh round of the shootout, the Stars called

on him to end the game. He delivered.

Miro, our hero. pic.twitter.com/SI2C2j0poI

— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) April 27, 2022

Coaching explanations

The Stars’ shootout order went like this: Robertson, Seguin, Pavelski,

Hintz, Radek Faksa, Vlad Namestnikov and Heiskanen. Why did

Bowness elect to go with Faksa after the expected top four instead of

guys such as Heiskanen, Jamie Benn or Denis Gurianov?

“You try it,” Bowness said. “We told him what to expect, sometimes

you’ve got to throw a surprise at them. It didn’t work. … You like to throw

some guys out there, but they hadn’t played much in the last 10 minutes.

Sometimes, man, you just — you throw Miro out there and he scores.

You’re going to predict that? There’s no steadfast guy, he’s going to

score or he’s the guy. You take some gambles sometimes. Anybody see

(Jacob Peterson) score in that shootout goal when he did in Chicago?

Takes some gambles.”

Peterson went sixth in the shootout order in Chicago, after Robertson,

Pavelski, Seguin, Alexander Radulov and Hintz. Peterson, though, is an

offensive specialist, unlike Faksa, who is a checking line centerman

whose calling card is defense. Faksa is now 0-2 in the shootout in his

career.

The other decision in question was playing Luke Glendening and Michael

Raffl over Robertson at four-on-four with two minutes left in regulation.

“Yeah, he was up, we just — I like him with Roope,” Bowness said.

“Roope was in the box.”

Hintz had gone to the box for roughing along with Vegas’ Jack Eichel to

create the four-on-four, a situation favoring skilled players because of the

additional open ice. The Stars had multiple offensive-zone draws during

the four-on-four but opted not to use Robertson in those situations.

Playoffs? We’re talking about playoffs

Vegas’ slim playoff hopes remained alive, and the Stars’ ticket to the

postseason will wait. Completing the victory and getting the two points

put the Stars truly on the brink of the playoffs. The magic number is down

to one. The Stars beating the Coyotes or Ducks would finish the job, as

would merely going to overtime in either game. Vegas needs Dallas to

falter and needs regulation wins in its final two games, in Chicago on

Wednesday and in St. Louis on Friday. The Golden Knights haven’t won

two consecutive games in regulation in which at least one of the teams

was in playoff position since before the NHL trade deadline.

A trip to the postseason seems like a pretty good bet for the Stars. That’s

not what the Stars are limiting their hopes to in the final three days of the

season.

“It’s right there now,” Bowness said. “We want more. We need more. We

haven’t ruled out seventh place. We’ve got to get in, we need that one

point to get in, and then we have two games to try to get in and then take

a shot at seventh.”

The Stars’ path to seventh place is a bit tougher, but the Flames did

Dallas a solid Tuesday night to keep the Stars within striking distance.

The Predators held a 4-3 lead at home in the final minute of regulation.

Calgary scored with a tenth of a second left to send the game to

overtime, where the Flames eventually won it and robbed Nashville of the

second point. The Predators and Stars have 95 points through 80

games. Nashville holds the tiebreaker, meaning the Stars have to finish

with more points than the Predators to jump them in the standings. The

Predators finish the season in Colorado on Wednesday night and in

Arizona on Friday night.

Quick hitters

• The Stars continue to make the final minute of periods more exciting

than necessary. Both of the Golden Knights’ goals came in the final 60

seconds, the first with 48 seconds left in the first period and the second

with three seconds left in the second period.

• The Texas Stars clinched a playoff berth in their final regular-season

game Tuesday in Manitoba.

• The Stars used the same lineup as they did in Seattle. Peterson,

Radulov and Marian Studenic were healthy scratches up front, and Joel

Hanley and Andrej Sekera were scratches on the blue line.


1242842 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings lose, 3-0, to Leafs, can't contain Auston Matthews,

who reaches 60 goals

Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press

4-5 minutes 27/04/2022

The Detroit Red Wings patched their lineup and played their best goalie,

but the Toronto Maple Leafs proved why they're headed to the Stanley

Cup playoffs.

Led by Alex Nedeljkovic in net, the Wings held Tuesday's game at

Scotiabank Arena scoreless past the halfway point, but Auston Matthews

cemented his place in Leafs history when he became the first player in

franchise history to record 60 goals in a season, sending the Wings onto

their next stop with a 3-0 loss.

"We’re missing pieces, and some really big pieces." Wings forward Sam

Gagner said. "I thought the group that was playing did a really good job

early on. We were trying to press and create some chances and had a

few looks. Ultimately they broke through.

"There were some things to like, but when you fall short, it never feels

good."

Matthews netted his 60th during a power play when he fired from the slot,

sending the puck over Nedeljkovic's glove. Matthews broke Nedeljkovic's

shutout bid late in the second period, and John Tavares took advantage

of a defensive breakdown to double the lead early in the third.

"You’re playing a team that’s a real good hockey team so you want to

check great," coach Jeff Blashill said. "You want to stay in the game. You

want to make the game kind of boring in a situation like this. We were

able to keep the game 0-0 for a long time. We had some chances to be

able to go up. So I thought in a lot of ways we put ourselves in position

going into the third to win a hockey game. We just weren’t able to make

the play to score the next goal and unfortunately they got it."

Jack Campbell (Port Huron) made 20 saves for the Leafs, whose 3.80

goals-per-game average ranks second in the NHL. Nedeljkovic made 33

saves.

The Wings (31-40-10) play their season finale Friday at the New Jersey

Devils.

Roll call

The Wings brought in minor-league call-ups Turner Elson and Kyle

Criscuolo to flesh out a roster that was missing Dylan Larkin, Robby

Fabbri, Tyler Bertuzzi, Filip Zadina and Adam Erne. Jonatan Berggren,

the No. 33 pick in 2018, was not on the call-up list, even as the Grand

Rapids Griffins have been eliminated from playoff contention. Berggren

just became the new leader on the Griffins rookie single-season scoring

list when he earned his 60th point over the weekend.

"He's had a good year," coach Jeff Blashill said. "The decision on

Jonatan Berggren is a decision made on what's best for his individual

development. That's a decision Steve Yzerman makes."

In addition to missing multiple guys up front, defenseman Marc Staal was

placed in COVID protocol earlier in the day, prompting the Wings to go

with seven defensemen.

Circumstantial evidence

Given the Wings were missing significant players and the Leafs were

trying to lock up second place in the Atlantic Division, the Wings

acquitted themselves well in the first period. Nedeljkovic deserved a

share of the credit, but Lucas Raymond had a nice chance around the

net early on, and Michael Rasmussen attempted a wraparound in the

waning minutes. Pius Suter was called for tripping with 2:04 to play, but

Nedeljkovic stopped one attempt by Matthews and Danny DeKeyser

blocked another.

A case for the offense

Joe Veleno had a shot from the slot during a Wings power play in the

second period, but the Leafs continued to generate the majority of quality

chances. It took them 23 shots and more than 35 minutes to beat

Nedeljkovic. The puck was loose behind Detroit's net, and recovered by

Colin Blackwell. He got it to Jason Spezza at the net, who tapped it out

front for a waiting Matthews to guide into the net for his 59th goal.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 04.27.2022


Fake 1936 Red Wings Stanley Cup rings seized at US border

Emma Stein, Detroit Free Press

2-2 minutes 26/04/2022

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers recently seized counterfeit

1936 Detroit Red Wings Stanley Cup Championship rings.

They found the shipment, containing 10 counterfeit rings, at the

Champlain port of entry in New York, according to a news release.

Officers determined the rings had a total Manufacturers Suggested Retail

Price (MSRP) value of approximately $15,000.

The Detroit Red Wings won their first Stanley Cup in 1936, so the rings

likely hold sentimental value for fans. And that's not all — the 1935-36

season was a big one for Detroit. An unfamiliar feeling for current

Detroiters, it was a city of champions. In 1935, the Tigers won the World

Series and the Lions won their first National Football League

championship.

The rings violated the Intellectual Property Rights of the Detroit Red

Wings trademark, and the release said IPR violations can "threaten the

health and safety of American consumers, the economy and national

security."

“Our CBP officers take pride in the work they do which includes

protecting our economy and consumers from counterfeit goods,” said

Champlain Area Port Director Steven Bronson. “Their role is crucial in

protecting both the consumer and businesses from imported fraudulent

items.”



Road to Stanleytown: 1997 Detroit Red Wings prepare for pivotal Game

6 at Joe Louis Arena

Gene Myers, Detroit Free Press

5-6 minutes 26/04/2022

In the spring of 1997 — a quarter-century ago — the Detroit Red Wings

embarked on their quest to end a 42-year Stanley Cup drought.

The Free Press has commemorated that historic quest with a new book:

“Stanleytown: The Inside Story of How the Stanley Cup Returned to the

Motor City After 41 Frustrating Seasons.”

Day 11: April 26, 1997

The backstory: In Game 5, with a 5-2 victory at Joe Louis Arena, the Red

Wings equaled their offensive output from the first four games of their

opening series with St. Louis. Then they acted as if a giant weight had

been lifted from their shoulders. After the final buzzer, the Wings had less

than 38 hours to practice at Joe Louis Arena, make it to St. Louis, lace

’em up again for Game 6 and prove they had turned a corner in pursuit of

the Stanley Cup.

“So far it seems no game carries over to the next,” Brendan Shanahan

said. “We can’t just go out there, throw our sticks on the ice and expect to

win.” Fox was slated to televise the Sunday matinee. No Wing wanted a

Game 7, especially after the agony (but ultimate ecstasy) from the

previous season, when Detroit won a Game 7 against the Blues on a

Steve Yzerman goal in double overtime.

Worth noting: “We have to play like it’s a Game 7,” Shanahan told the

Detroit News. “Sure, anything could happen in a seventh game,”

Yzerman said. “But we’re in position to win a series, and it’s important to

win it. That’s it. There’s no fear involved. We just want to win the next

game.”

“We have a lot of desire to win,” Martin Lapointe said. “And I think our

focus should only be on Game 6, not Game 7.” … The new Shanahan-

Yzerman-Lapointe line contributed to the Wings’ first, fourth and fifth

goals in Game 5. … Blues coach Joel Quenneville, who took over for

Mike Keenan in January, contended that he felt no pressure as a first-

year coach in his first playoff series, even against a Hall of Famer such

as Scotty Bowman.

“It’s exciting,” Quenneville told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. “Sure, you

have pressure to win because winning is what it’s all about. That’s our

job. But you control what you can control. You prepare everyone to play

their best game possible.”

Off the ice: After Game 5, Darren McCarty forced Kirk Maltby to show off

a new T-shirt. If featured caricatures of Maltby, Kris Draper and Joe

Kocur with the slogan “The Grind Line.” Later, Maltby described the tee

as “one of those where our heads are big and whatnot; you can kind of

see us. I got my visor on, so you can see that’s me.” In Game 5, though,

Bowman used McCarty on the team’s checking line most of the game

instead of Kocur.

Famous last words: The Blues expected a huge boost from the

boisterous fans at the Kiel Center, some of whom threw beer and spare

change at the Wings bench during a Game 4 melee. Sniper Brett Hull

told the Post-Dispatch: “The crowds have been great. They’ve put up

with a lot of garbage for a couple of years, and we’re going to bring them

back and show them that we’re the team that they used to love to watch.”

Relive the glory: The Free Press has crafted a 208-page, full-color,

hardcover collector’s book with fresh insights and dynamic storytelling

about the 1996-97 Wings. It’s called “Stanleytown 25 Years Later: The

Inside Story on How the Stanley Cup Returned to the Motor City after 41

Frustrating Seasons.” It’s only $29.95 and it’s available at

RedWings.PictorialBook.com. (It’ll make a great Mother’s Day or Father’s

Day gift for the Wings fanatic in your life!) Personalized copies available

via [email protected].

More to read: Another new Wings book arrived in April from Keith Gave,

a longtime hockey writer for the Free Press in the 1980s and 1990s:

“Vlad The Impaler: More Epic Tales from Detroit’s ’97 Stanley Cup

Conquest.” It is available through Amazon and other booksellers and a

portion of the proceeds is earmarked for the Vladimir Konstantinov

Special Needs Trust. (Plenty of Gave’s prose also appears in

“Stanleytown 25 Years Later.”)

Even more to read: Red Wings beat reporter Helene St. James, who

helped cover the 1997 Stanley Cup run, recently wrote “The Big 50: The

Men and Moments That Made the Detroit Red Wings.” Featuring

numerous tales about the key figures from 1997, “The Big 50” is available

from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. (Plenty of St. James’

prose also appears in “Stanleytown 25 Years Later.”)

Access our most exclusive sports content, like the Wings stories linked

above, by becoming a Free Press subscriber for $1.



Detroit Red Wings lose to Toronto Maple Leafs, 3-0: Game thread replay

Tyler J. Davis, Detroit Free Press

2-3 minutes 26/04/2022

Detroit Red Wings (31-39-10) vs. Toronto Maple Leafs (52-21-7)

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Where: Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

TV: Bally Sports Detroit Extra.

Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1) (Red Wings radio affiliates).

• Box score

ANALYSIS: Why Tyler Bertuzzi's performance lends hope to next season

for Wings

2022 NHL draft lottery: Where Red Wings rank with 2 games left

Game notes: The lottery-bound Wings will try to beat playoff-bound Leafs

for the first time in three tries this season. Toronto has dominated the

Original Six rivalry on offense, scoring at least five times in each game

and winning a 10-7 barnburner on Feb. 26. Michael Bunting has five

goals in those games, including a hat trick Jan. 29. Mitchell Marner had

four goals in that February matchup alone and is nearing 10 points vs.

the Wings this season.

Last time out the Wings beat the New Jersey Devils, 3-0, behind a goal

apiece from Tyler Bertuzzi, Oskar Sundqvist and Michael Rasmussen.

The Wings end the season Friday at the Devils and the Leafs stay home

for their finale vs. the Boston Bruins.



Red Wings blanked in Toronto, Auston Matthews reaches 60-goal

milestone

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News

4-5 minutes 27/04/2022

The Red Wings got an up close and personal look Tuesday at Auston

Matthews' personal rampage through the NHL.

Matthews, the NHL's goal-scoring leader, scored two goals to reach the

60-goal milestone as Toronto defeated the Red Wings, 3-0.

Matthews scored No. 60 with a third-period, power-play goal, a wrist shot

from the high slot that beat goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, giving the Leafs

a 3-0 lead. Matthews became the first 60-goal scorer in the NHL since

Tampa's Steven Stamkos in 2011-12.

"If you score 60 goals, you are finding ways to get it done no matter who

you match up against," forward Sam Gagner said. "He's a special talent,

one of the top players in the league, certainly the top goal scorer. He's

going to get his looks. You just try to limit him and try to keep him to the

outside as much as you can.

"It's a really hard league to score in. I know this year there's been kind of

a little bit of a scoring renaissance but he's kind of separated himself.

Everyone talks about his shot but he scores in a bunch of different ways."

John Tavares added the other Toronto goal, his 27th, and Port Huron

native goaltender Jack Campbell stopped 20 shots for his fifth shutout.

The victory clinched the second-seed for Toronto (53-21-7) in the Atlantic

Division, and home-ice advantage in the first round against either Tampa

Bay or Boston.

For the Red Wings (31-40-10), it was a fine effort against a playoff-

contending team with so much offensive firepower. But the attrition in the

Wings' lineup took its toll against the Leafs.

The Wings were already missing forwards Dylan Larkin (core surgery),

Robby Fabbri (knee) and Filip Zadina (appendix), and didn't have Tyler

Bertuzzi in Toronto because of Bertuzzi's unvaccinated status (can't

travel to Canada).

Defenseman Marc Staal was placed on the COVID-19 list Tuesday,

forcing Staal out of the lineup, and the Wings were also missing forward

Adam Erne (undisclosed injury).

"You're playing a team that's a real good hockey team, so you want to

stay in the game and on the road, make it boring, and in a situation like

this, find a way to capitalize on your chances," coach Jeff Blashill said.

"We were able to keep it 0-0 for a long time, we had some chances to go

up, and if you score, potentially it's a different game.

"In a lot of ways, we put ourselves in position to win a hockey game."

Nedeljkovic stopped 33 shots in a busy night in net and kept the Wings

close early on.

But Matthews broke a 0-0 tie at 15 minutes, 48 seconds of the second

period, scoring his 59th goal.

Leafs forward Jason Spezza outmuscled Jake Walman for the puck near

the post, and fed Matthews driving through the slot. Matthews slipped the

puck through Nedeljkovic with a backhand flip.

"He's been excellent his whole career," said Blashill, who compared the

difficulty of what Matthews has accomplished as a center to a young

defenseman.

"Those are hard positions to be great. He's done a real good job over

time of getting better and better on the defensive side of the puck. He's

better at making sure he's checking well, and with that, they've won a

bunch of games.

"There are moments, whether he's added strength or confidence, but

he's just been really taking games over when you feel he gets to a whole

another level.

"There's been nights he's been an absolute beast, and with the package

he has with the size and skill and skating and shooting, when he's in that

mode, he's really hard to contain, even for the best players in the world

on the other team. That's what a guy like he can do. He's just an elite

NHL package."

The Wings had a patched together lineup, but Blashill liked the way the

Wings competed against a playoff-bound team.

"We did a pretty good job of defending and checking and being above

them and the opportunities, for the most part, were contested, not big

time chances," Blashill said. "We kept ourselves in position to win the

hockey game. We're obviously a bit undermanned, so keeping yourself

on the road in position to win the game, at some point you have to

capitalize and turn the momentum (your way)."

Detroit News LOADED: 04.27.2022


Wings' Moritz Seider looking forward to challenges, not concentrating on

Calder vote

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News

6-7 minutes 26/04/2022

Moritz Seider has had a lot of challenges, a lot of games during this

rookie season with the Red Wings where he's facing the best players in

the world.

Tuesday was another one, playing in Toronto against a Maple Leafs

team getting ready for the playoffs with some of the elite offensive

players in the world in Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares

and William Nylander.

Like the previous 80 games, Seider was looking forward to the

opportunity, this time with the task of stopping the 58-goal scoring

Matthews.

"It's exciting," Seider said. "It's exhausting, but you always like to play

against the best guys in the league and that's what I'm looking forward

to."

With the regular season ending Friday, and ballots for individual awards

now safely stored in voters' laptops across North America, speculation

will center on Seider's chances of winning the Calder Trophy for rookie of

the year.

At this point, it would be shocking if Seider doesn't win. The way his

game has progressed over the long season and how impressive he's

been at both ends of the rink has appeared to have an impact with NHL

media eligible to vote.

But Seider isn't paying any attention.

"It's more about finishing the season strong," Seider said. "It's definitely

an honor (to be considered) but I don't even think about that at all. Not a

lot of defensemen (have won it) but I have to be honest, I don't pay

attention to that just because it's a distraction, an unnecessary distraction

from your game, and not what I need now.

"I want to enjoy the moment and come to the rink with a big smile and not

think about what people are thinking on social media. That's something I

learned pretty early. I just want to come to the rink and work hard every

day."

The NHL has been a constant learning experience for Seider, but there's

been one adjustment that has stood out.

"Just (being) mentally prepared for 82 games," Seider said. "I've never

played that many games. But I'm still enjoying every single one, and

that's a good adjustment."

With the Wings not competing in the playoffs, some players will be asked

to represent their countries at the upcoming world championships (May

13-29 in Finland).

Coach Jeff Blashill will be an assistant coach on Team USA and Lucas

Raymond will play for Sweden. Seider said Tuesday he will definitely play

for Germany.

"I'm looking forward to that," Seider said. "It's a great honor, always nice

to put the (national) jersey over your shoulder pads and sing that national

anthem after you win. It's always a big honor, and we (Germany) have

been taking very big strides the last couple of years and it's definitely

progress for us."

Blashill has been impressed by Seider's steady professionalism

throughout the season.

"He's handled it very well, up against the other team's best all season

long," Blashill said. "It's pretty remarkable the season he has had, given

he's gone up against the other team's best on a nightly basis. You're

seeing the stars of the league every night. It's just the reality of it and he's

done a real good job.

"He's an all-situations defenseman who will continue to get better

because he cares."

Earned opportunity

Tuesday's game was quite the thrill for forward Turner Elson, who was

promoted from the Grand Rapids Griffins to play the final two games for

the Wings.

Elson, 29, had played in one NHL game in his career, for Calgary during

the 2015-16 season.

Elson has spent the last five seasons with the Griffins, posting pro career

highs of 21 goals, 24 assists and 45 points this year.

"Turner is a heart and soul player. He's done an excellent job in Grand

Rapids over the last number of years, and he's really earned this

opportunity with his play," Blashill said. "That's something that's really

important within our organization, that guys understand you can earn

these types of opportunities. He's done that, so it's great he's getting a

chance here.

"He has a chance to help us. You need guys who can win pucks, guys

that are reliable and are hard at the net. He's a jack of all trades. I'm

excited to have him in our lineup."

The decision to bring up Elson, Riley Barber and Kyle Criscuolo and

keep top prospect Jonatan Berggren in Grand Rapids was a call made

for Berggren's development.

Berggren has 20 goals and 40 assists with two games left for the Griffins

this weekend.

"He's had a really good year, but at the end of the day, the decision on

Jonatan Berggren is a decision made on what's best for his individual

development and that's a decision (general manager) Steve Yzerman

makes," Blashill said. "We had a similar decision a number of years ago

on Moritz Seider. He could have come up at this time of year (two

seasons ago) and we made the decision to leave him back in the

American League and to have him continue to finish the year out.

Ultimately, it looks like that was a good decision.

"This would be a similar case with Berggren. Those are decisions solely

made on what's best for his long-term development."

Staal out

Defenseman Marc Staal was placed on the league's COVID-19 protocol

list and will miss the final two games.

Staal, 35, has three goals and 13 assists in 71 games this season.

Staal was named Monday the Wings' nominee for the Masterton Trophy

(perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game) by the Detroit

chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. He appeared in

his 1,000th NHL game on March 12.

Detroit News LOADED: 04.27.2022


Auston Matthews scores 60th goal as Red Wings fall to Leafs 3-0

Published: Apr. 26, 2022, 9:31 p.m.

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

Auston Matthews scored a pair of goals Tuesday, giving him 60 for the

season, and the Toronto Maple Leafs defeated the Detroit Red Wings 3-

0 at Scotiabank Arena.

Jack Campbell made 20 saves for his fifth shutout of the season and

ninth of his career.

The Red Wings (31-40-10) finish the season Friday at New Jersey (7

p.m., Bally Sports Detroit). The Leafs (53-21-7) clinched second place in

the Atlantic Division and will play either Tampa Bay or Boston in the first

round of the playoffs.

When Matthews wired a wrist shot from the slot over Alex Nedeljkovic’s

glove at 5:49 of the third period on the power play, he became the first

Leaf to score 60 in a season. He is the first NHL player to notch 60 since

Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos in 2011-12.

The Leafs swept the four-game season series from the Red Wings,

outscoring them 25-15, and have won seven in a row overall against

Detroit.

The depleted Red Wings were missing forwards Dylan Larkin, Tyler

Bertuzzi, Robby Fabbri, Filip Zadina and Adam Erne and defenseman

Marc Staal (COVID protocol). Detroit finished 2-7-0 this season in

Canada without Bertuzzi, who can’t cross the border because he is not

vaccinated for COVID-19.

Matthews opened the scoring at 15:48 of the second period. He skated

hard to the net, took a pass from behind the goal line from Jason Spezza

and deposited a backhand shot past Nedeljkovic.

John Taveras capitalized on a defensive breakdown to make it 2-0 at

4:03 of the third period. He was all alone in front of the net when he one-

timed a pass from William Nylander past Nedeljkovic.

Michigan Live LOADED: 04.27.2022


Detroit Red Wings vs. Toronto Maple Leafs - NHL (4/26/22) | Faceoff,

How to Watch, Preview

Published: Apr. 26, 2022, 3:47 p.m.

By Tyler Kuehl | [email protected]

Detroit is feeling good coming off a win on Sunday over the New Jersey

Devils, this coming after a blowout loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins the

day before. The Red Wings are now 5-7-1 in the month of April, having

won two of their last four games. The victory keeps Detroit in the sixth

spot in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the Buffalo Sabres and

three ahead of the Ottawa Seantors.

In their 3-0 win on Sunday in Newark, Detroit controlled the play against

the battered Devisl. Oskar Sundqvist, Tyler Bertuzzi and Michael

Rasmussen each found the back of the net, while Alex Nedeljkovic had

to stop just 17 shots to earn his fourth shutout of the season.

Now the Red Wings get to face one of their most storied rivals one last

time this season. The Maple Leafs come into Tuesday hoping to clinch

the second seed in the Atlantic Division. They return home after a brief

road trip, winning five of their last seven games, including a 4-3 shootout

win over the Washington Capitals on Sunday. Toronto has gone 9-2-2 so

far in the month of April.

While the Leafs have won the first three games of the season series, and

six-straight against the Wings dating back to the 2019-20 season, each

game has been one worth watching. Especially after Detroit almost came

back from a 7-2 deficit back on February 26, before Toronto pulled away,

10-7. The Wings are 2-6 while playing in Canada this season.



Russia will not host 2023 world championship, International Ice Hockey

Federation says

Updated: Apr. 26, 2022, 12:01 p.m. | Published: Apr. 26, 2022, 11:48

a.m.

By Brandon Champion | [email protected]

The International Ice Hockey Federation is the latest sporting body to

sanction Russia amid the war in Ukraine.

The IIHF council announced Tuesday that Russia will no longer host the

2023 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship. The decision to withdraw the

event was made in Zurich, Switzerland on Tuesday “out of concern for

the safety and well-being of all participating players, officials, media, and

fans.”

The tournament was scheduled to take place in St. Petersburg, Russia

from May 5 to May 21, 2023.

The IIHF is the latest governing sports body to make a ruling against

Russia. The All England Club announced last week that Russian and

Belarusian tennis players would not be allowed to play at Wimbledon.

FIFA has also banned Russia from international competition, including

the World Cup.

An alternative host for the World Championship will be confirmed during

the 2022 IIHF Annual Congress in Tampere, Finland, which will take

place during the final week of the 2022 IIHF Ice Hockey World

Championship. Russia and Belarus have also been banned from that

competition.

“The decision to relocate the event was taken primarily out of concern for

the safety and well-being of all participating players, officials, media, and

fans,” the statement reads.

“As was the case with council’s earlier decision to withdraw the 2023 IIHF

World Junior Championship that was to be held in Omsk and

Novosibirsk, Russia, the council expressed significant concerns over the

safe freedom of movement of players and officials to, from, and within

Russia.”

The decision was made well in advance of the event in order to ensure

an alternative hosting option and give the new host enough time to make

preparations, the IIHF said.

The Ice Hockey World Championship is one of the biggest international

events on the hockey calendar. Unlike the Olympics, which are held

every four years, the championship is held annually. It features NHL

players and some of the best young talent in the world.


mailto:[email protected]


The Red Wings like acquiring proven winners. Which free agents could

be next?

Max Bultman

12-16 minutes 26/04/2022

Late in the third period of what was already looking like a lopsided loss

Saturday afternoon, Oskar Sundqvist stood in the defensive zone slot

and absorbed an Evgeni Malkin one-timer off his foot or ankle. He

dropped to the ice instantly, in obvious pain. But then he stood up, and —

in a game where his team trailed 6-2 with just over seven minutes

remaining — put himself back in position to block another one. When he

came off the ice, he went straight down the tunnel.

Sundqvist has only been a Red Wing for a month, after being acquired at

the March 21 trade deadline in a deal that caught him by surprise. He

went from a winning team with dark horse Stanley Cup aspirations, to

one with no chance at the postseason. If his night had ended right then,

no one would have blinked. Blocking that shot, in that situation, was

impressive enough.

But when play resumed after a media timeout Saturday, Sundqvist was

back on the ice for the ensuing faceoff. Some adrenaline probably helped

in the moment, but even the next day, when Detroit flew in for the second

half of its back-to-back in New Jersey, Sundqvist was back in the lineup

and scored the Red Wings’ first goal in a 3-0 win.

“He’s won Cups,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said afterward. “And he didn’t

feel great today. He was still in pain today. And he puts his gear on and

makes sure he goes out and plays really hard, good hockey. And that’s

the type of example that I think a number of our young guys need, of

what it takes to be a good pro. Ultimately, what we’d like to do here is go

on playoff runs — and if you’re going to do that, you’re going to have to

learn how to play when you don’t feel your best.”

When the Red Wings dealt defenseman Nick Leddy to the Blues, the

immediate attention focused on the more future-focused pieces of the

rebuilding Red Wings’ return. That meant a lot of emphasis on the 2023

second-round pick St. Louis was sending over, and a young

defenseman, Jake Walman, whom GM Steve Yzerman had been

following for years.

But while Sundqvist was soon-to-be 28 and had only a year and change

remaining on his contract, he also filled several needs for Detroit. He is

considered a shutdown defensive forward — an aspect of the game in

which the Red Wings have been exposed for much of the second half.

He shoots right, unlike most of Detroit’s forward corps. And he also

brings size at 6-foot-3, helping the Red Wings get to the net and not get

so pushed around by much heavier teams.

On top of it all, though, Sundqvist fit another mold the Red Wings have

seemed to gravitate toward in their acquisitions under Yzerman. He’s a

proven winner, with two Stanley Cup rings already to his name from his

time in Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

Think back on some of the players Detroit’s new GM has brought in

during his three seasons helming the team. Robby Fabbri was on

Sundqvist’s Cup team in St. Louis in 2019. Marc Staal never won the

Cup, but he’s played in more than 100 playoff games, including a trip to

the Stanley Cup Final and three conference finals with the mid-2010s

Rangers. Jakub Vrana won one with the Capitals in 2018. Mitchell

Stephens may have only played seven playoff games for the Lightning in

their 2020 Cup run, but his name is on hockey’s holy grail, and he

certainly saw up close what it took to win it. That’s true of many of these

players, who weren’t the driving forces of these championship-winning

teams, but soaked in the lessons of what that kind of hockey looks like.

Throw in acquisitions who have since been traded away or retired —

including Leddy, Vladislav Namestnikov, Jon Merrill, Bobby Ryan, Valtteri

Filppula — and the general manager’s acquisition track record with the

Red Wings is littered with players who have at least been to the

conference finals at some point in their careers.

It’s not universal, but it’s certainly a trend. And as another offseason

without playoffs looms in Detroit, the importance of those players is only

rising.

The Red Wings’ young players are the ones who will eventually lead the

team out of this now-six-year postseason drought, and that process is

now well underway. But it’s clear that as it continues — with few

remaining homegrown players with any NHL playoff track record to speak

of — players like Sundqvist will be some of the biggest influences in

showing them what it looks like.

“A guy like that, that can lead by example, that can show young guys: ‘I

don’t care if you feel your best or you don’t feel your best, you’ve gotta

find ways to be successful,'” Blashill said. “Because if you ever want to

win in the end, that’s what you’ve gotta do. I think it’s imperative to have

and he’s been great at it.”

Many of these players, over the last three years, have been acquired by

trade. Some have even seemed like secondary pieces in those

exchanges at the time of the deals. And certainly, there could be more of

that to come.

But the simplest acquisitions tend to come through free agency. And with

the offseason now just around the corner, it’s worth looking ahead to see

which upcoming free agents could fit the bill for the Red Wings —

including some higher-profile ones.

Ondrej Palat, LW

After the departures of Yanni Gourde, Tyler Johnson, Barclay Goodrow

and Blake Coleman last summer, the Lightning “cap crunch” talking point

can take a relative vacation this summer — at least until Anthony Cirelli,

Mikhail Sergachev, Alex Killorn and Erik Cernak all need new contracts in

2023.

The two-time (and soon, maybe three-time) defending champs will still be

entering the offseason pretty close to the ceiling, thanks to Brayden

Point’s extension due to kick in, but only three current Lightning players

are in need of new contracts: Palat, forward Nick Paul and defenseman

Jan Rutta. So the Lightning could probably find a way to keep their

seventh-round success story in Palat without needing too much short-

term creativity.

But Palat is the highest earning of that trio of pending UFAs, and with

some major contracts looming for the Lightning in 2023, there’s a solid

chance he makes it to market. And if he does, he certainly could bring

plenty of winning pedigree to the Red Wings’ top six.

At age 31, Palat’s not young, but that could also make him a reasonable

medium-term candidate who could boost Detroit’s lineup without

requiring a major term commitment. Whether he’ll be eager to leave the

league’s premier winner for a rebuild is an open question, but his history

with the GM should help, and the Red Wings are in position to spend

competitively on AAV thanks to their cap space.

Andrew Copp, C/W

Copp tests the boundaries of this particular article a bit — he has only

one conference final appearance, with Winnipeg, in which the Jets won

just one game — but he does play that classic two-way brand of hockey,

and his offense has popped this season. He’s been a bit of a Red Wing

killer, too, with three goals against his hometown team in three games

this season.

Oh, that’s right — Copp is a local kid, which could certainly help a pitch to

him this offseason. If, that is, the Rangers let him out of New York. He’s

up to 18 points in 15 games in New York, including eight goals, and with

both him and Ryan Strome up for new deals, it may be an either/or

situation for the Rangers.

If he gets to market, though, he’d be a potential second-line center for the

Red Wings, with size, goal scoring and the versatility to flex to the wing

as needed. And he may pick up a little more of that winning pedigree this

postseason, as the Rangers have closed the regular season on a tear.

Andre Burakovsky, LW

Burakovsky won his Cup with Vrana back in 2018, playing a similarly

limited role. But now, he’s holding down a top-six spot on perhaps the

league’s best team in Colorado. He produced in the playoffs for the

Avalanche in 2020, scoring more than a point per game in just 13

minutes a night. And now he’s having a career year with 60 points that, if

you take his per-game averages from the last three seasons, actually just

looks like his true level.

For those reasons, Colorado may well find a way to keep Burakovsky —

though they go into this summer one year away from Nathan

MacKinnon’s next contract, with Nazem Kadri and Valeri Nichushkin also

pending UFAs (both of whom could also be of some interest to Detroit if

they make it to market). But if he’s there, he figures to be one of the more

interesting offensive wingers available, with the main question being

whether he’s amenable to the medium-term range that has thus far been

Detroit’s cap under Yzerman.

Bryan Rust, RW

Rust is another hometown product, so get ready to hear his name this

summer if he and the Penguins can’t reach an extension. He’s won two

Cups in Pittsburgh, and is currently working on his second point-per-

game season in the last three years. All of that is certainly appealing,

even with the caveat Detroit doesn’t have Sidney Crosby or Evgeni

Malkin — Rust’s most common centermen the past three years — to play

him with.

The bottom line, as always, is likely to come down to what Rust’s looking

for on the open market. He’s been making $3.5 million per year for the

past three seasons, and considering his production, is due for a

substantial raise without question. After being a bargain on his last deal,

though, is he going to be looking to max out the term (a la Zach Hyman

in Edmonton) as well at age 30? If so, the fit may be tricky for a GM who

hasn’t been willing to do that so far.

Calle Jarnkrok, C/W

A bit less offensive pop than some of the above names, but Jarnkrok’s

played in the Stanley Cup Final in the past for the Predators and may be

lining up for another deep run this summer in Calgary. The Red Wings’

main needs aren’t so much filling out their bottom half — their best-case

scenario would be to bring in upper-lineup players to help better slot the

rest of their talent — but Jarnkrok looks more like the Yzerman

acquisitions to this point in Detroit: a good two-way player who can help

set a standard for the Red Wings’ young players.

And, of course, there’s the fact the Red Wings drafted Jarnkrok way back

in 2010. It’d be a great story to see him finally suit up for the franchise 12

years later.

Olli Maatta, LHD

The Red Wings have holes to fill on the left side of the blue line. They

also have played some of the worst team defense in the league, ranking

second in goals against per game and giving up the fourth-most

expected goals per 60 minutes. Maatta would help that, as a veteran

blueliner who specializes on the defensive end. He’s won a pair of Cups

in Pittsburgh — playing 20 minutes a night on the second run — and will

be 28 this summer.

Bringing him in as a steadying player for the Red Wings’ young right side

— possibly including Moritz Seider on the top pair — could make a lot of

sense for the Red Wings. But he also makes plenty of the sense for the

Kings to bring back, as they look to take the next step, too.

Ian Cole, LHD

Maatta’s teammate on those Penguins Cup teams, Cole — another local

product, out of Ann Arbor — could have a similar steadying influence on

the Red Wings’ young defenders. His role has been a little lower the past

two years, playing more third-pair minutes, and at 33, he’s getting up

there in age. But the flip side could potentially be more amenability to a

shorter-term contract, which would be a bonus for the Red Wings as their

young defense prospects continue to percolate.

Josh Manson, RHD

Recently acquired by the Avalanche, Manson may be in for a long playoff

run — and potentially a ring — in the coming months. For now, he just

meets the criteria here by virtue of making the Western Conference finals

with Anaheim in 2017. But either way, the reasons the Red Wings could

have interest are likely the same ones that landed him in Colorado. He

could help Detroit’s back end get bigger and tougher, and would bring a

long track record of strong defensive impacts to the table.

The fact he’s a right-hand shot doesn’t line up with Detroit’s expiring

deals on the left side, but after Seider, Detroit’s ‘D’ just flat out wasn’t

good enough for anyone to have their same role guaranteed for next

season. Of course, Manson would have to make it to free agency first,

and Colorado may not let him get there after giving up a good prospect to

acquire him.

Alex Edler, LHD

Edler just turned 36, so a long-term answer he is not. But he is a 6-foot-3

left-shot defender with a great track record who has played in the Stanley

Cup Final from his time in Vancouver and was a leader for the Canucks.

He checks a lot of boxes, and saw his production tick back up this

season in Los Angeles. His age means any deal would have to be short,

but again, that isn’t a bad thing for the Red Wings.

It’s hard to imagine many better players to mentor the Red Wings’ young

Swedish defensemen — including Simon Edvinsson — than Edler, who

was nearly a Red Wings draft pick back in 2004.


1242852 Edmonton Oilers

Oilers clinch second with McDavid in virtuoso performance against

Crosby

Jim Matheson • Edmonton Journal

Publishing date:Apr 26, 2022

The Edmonton Oilers exercised their will and exorcized their demons on

the Penguins in Pittsburgh Tuesday, registering their first regulation win

here in 16 years, back when the teams were playing at the Igloo, a pile of

rubble today.

The only player still around from that Jan. 10, 2006, game where Shawn

Horcoff got his one and only NHL hat-trick, with all three Oiler goals in a

3-1 win, is Sidney Crosby who was a teenager on that night when his

coach Michel Therrien offered up his famous post-game rant calling his

team soft, with very little pulse.

In this one, Crosby, now 34, was going head-to-head with Connor

McDavid. Two stars colliding, along with Mike Smith vs Casey DeSmith

in net, so another wordy parlay as the Oilers were faster and way more

dangerous (especially No. 97) throughout in a 5-1 win to clinch home-ice

in the first round of the playoffs against most-likely Los Angeles.

McDavid had an instant replay of his Dec. 1 game in Edmonton, when he

had a goal and three helpers in their 5-2 victory. In this one he set up

three by Evan Bouchard, Evander Kane and a power play score by Zach

Hyman before lifting one of his own on the PP over DeSmith — two

power play goals against the best PK in the league that had only given

up 29 PP goals in 80 previous games. He wasn’t in on Zack Kassian’s

into the empty net to finish it off a little after Smith’s 195-footer curled

nine inches wide of the cage — good draw weight but needed some

sweeping to keep it on line.

McDavid’s four points sewed up his fourth Art Ross trophy, so he’s one of

only seven guys to win that many scoring titles and he’s only 25. He’s got

122 points — figuring in nine of the last 13 Oiler goals over three games

— seven clear of Jonathan Huberdeau in Florida with two games left

against San Jose and Vancouver at Rogers Place.

In nine career meetings, McDavid has now outscored Crosby 18-5,

although Sid’s beaten Connor much more often in terms of team play. An

exclamation point with his eight in the head-to-head match-up this year

while Crosby had just one assist. He did have five shots against Smith

Tuesday and also won 66 per cent (19-10) of his face-offs, but this was

McDavid at the very top of his game against his hero growing up.

And he’s dusted Jonathan Huberdeau, too, in the scoring race.

“That’s what the best players in the world do, they rise to those

occasions,” said Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft. “What he’s doing in

Edmonton this season … I don’t think he gets appreciated by everybody.

It’s like there’s almost a consensus that’s just McDavid being McDavid.

That’s what he does. But he’s got 122 points, he’s driving our team,

playing the right way, driven to win.”

McDavid didn’t come out to talk post-game, but Hyman seconded

Woodcroft’s emotion. So how would he describe the four points?

“A quiet four? A loud four? I mean, it’s just normal,” said Hyman, of his

45th multiple-point night this season. “He makes so many plays on the

ice that don’t result in goals and when they do go in … hey, he probably

could have a few more points.”

“He’s such a dynamic player, best player in the world. I’m glad he’s with

us, and I’m glad I’m here (after being in Toronto),” he guffawed.

But, doing it against Crosby, arguably one of the five top players all time?

There’s some theatre for a Crosby-McDavid battle.

“He knows Sid obviously. For everybody of our generation Sid was the

guy most of us looked up to. I’m sure this (match-up) adds another layer

for Connor. I’m sure he’s not making it a personal battle. He focussed on

winning but Connor played great tonight,” said Hyman.

Smith won his 10th straight start — longest in terms of starts in the NHL

this season — which ties him with Grant Fuhr for the all-time Oiler best,

in ’85-86. Andy Moog and Tommy Salo had nine. Smith’s last loss as a

starter was trade deadline night March 21 in Denver, so more than a

month ago.

In a wide-open first, Bouchard celebrated his 100th NHL game with his

12th goal of the season, beating DeSmith off the post and in off a

McDavid feed. Jeff Carter got the lone goal past Smith (34 shots) to tie it

but Kane got his 22nd in his 41st Oiler game 25 seconds after the Carter

goal to make it 2-1. Hyman, McDavid and Kassian made it a blowout.

And so the Oilers will start the playoffs at home, either Monday or

Tuesday next week. They’ve taken care of that business. “Great start (9-

1), lull in the middle (two wins in a 15-game stretch), strong finish,” said

Hyman.

The only drama in the dying minutes Tuesday was whether Smith would

score his second NHL goal (the other was with Arizona). He came close

with Pens down 4-1.

“I was on my toes on the bench to see if it was going in. I’ve seen goalie

goals on video but I’ve never seen one live,” said Woodcroft.

This ‘n that: Bouchard had a second goal wiped out on an offside by his

buddy Ryan McLeod, long before he scored. Does McLeod have to pay

him back with, say, a steak dinner. “He owes me something. I’ll be talking

to him about that,” he laughed…Derick Brassard was also offside late in

the game to erase his goal on a 2-on-1 with Devin Shore with DeSmith

pulled…Duncan Keith, who went into the game with 1,998 blocked shots

had four in the first 20 minutes and passed 2,000, becoming only the

second in history with teammate Kris Russell the other one..

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 04.27.2022


OILERS NOTES: McDavid looks back at when he was a Crosby fan



PITTSBURGH — Connor McDavid played junior hockey in Erie, Pa.,

about two hours away from here, and remembers getting an audience

with Sidney Crosby in the Penguins’ dressing room after a game back

when McDavid was a wide-eyed teenager.

“Great experience, something I’ll never forget,” he said.

So, it wasn’t one hockey player to another?

“Uh, no. I was more a fan at that point. I was, like, 16 years old, “

admitted McDavid, who got to about five games in Pittsburgh when he

played three seasons for Kris Knoblauch in Erie.

There’s only one Crosby and one McDavid with the torch passed, but

McDavid certainly admires No. 87’s game and the way he carries

himself. Like Mario Lemieux learning from Wayne Gretzky.

“Sid’s so strong down low at both ends of the rink. Offensively, he can

play with guys on his back and make plays behind the net or in the high-

traffic areas. He makes it hard on guys,” said McDavid.

McDavid would have been on Team Canada in Beijing at the Olympics if

the NHL hadn’t decided to pull the plug on going because of COVID-19.

It was a lost opportunity for him, and for everybody in the country.

Gretzky and Lemieux got that chance in the 1987 Canada Cup, on the

ice for the game-winner against Russia as Gretzky fed Mario on a three-

on-one break with Larry Murphy.

Maybe Crosby, who turns 35 in August, will still be playing at the World

Cup in 2024.

“Unfortunate that it hasn’t worked out thus far. I was definitely looking

forward to it in February but now the focus shifts to getting something

done in the near future here,” said McDavid, who misses the head-to-

head battles because the twain seldom meet, with McDavid in Edmonton

and Crosby in Pittsburgh.

In the first 485 NHL games for both players, McDavid had 692 points,

Crosby 688.

“Always fun for these matchups, always good to test yourself against

somebody like Sid. Fun to play against the whole Pittsburgh group with a

core of guys who’ve had so much success. That’s something we want to

do,” McDavid said of the group’s three Stanley Cup rings.

Said Oilers coach Jay Woodcroft: “I had the good pleasure of being on

the Canadian coaching staff at the 2015 world championship that went

undefeated where Sidney was our captain. Like our leadership group,

Sidney has his value system in the right place in terms of being driven to

win.”

“For both fan bases, it’s an exciting thing to see them playing each

other.”

Fun stuff for coaches too, like the Penguins’ Mike Sullivan.

“I enjoy watching McDavid and (Leon) Draisaitl going against Crosby and

(Evgeni) Malkin,” said Sullivan. “As a hockey enthusiast, it doesn’t get

any better. These players are generational talents. The things they can

do with the puck at the speed with which they do it is so impressive. To

be able to witness that up close, it’s exciting. Now, we’re also trying to

stop Connor and Leon to win the game.”

NOT WHAT DOCTOR ORDERED

The chances of Oilers defenceman Darnell Nurse (leg) playing before the

Oilers’ regular season ends Friday at Rogers Place against Vancouver

are slim, but McDavid has talked to his best buddy often since he was

hurt against Colorado last Friday, and says that Nurse will be ready for

the playoffs.

“I definitely expect that. I don’t want to put a timeline on him but I know

Nursey,” said McDavid.

“Knowing injuries come in all shapes and sizes and in all different ways.

Weird play,” said McDavid, who didn’t think Nurse jostling with J.T.

Compher was that big of a deal at the time. “I’m sure he’ll be all right.”

Said Woodcroft: “We’ll see how Darnell is when we get back to

Edmonton. We’re not rushing anybody, just like we won’t overplay

anybody down the stretch. We’ll take it one day at a time.”

Winger Jesse Puljujarvi, who has missed three straight games because

of an illness, is skating at home.

“We’ll see how he is when we see his eyeballs tomorrow. I would think he

would play at home,” Woodcroft said of games Thursday against San

Jose and Friday against the Canucks to close out the schedule.

ALL-TIME RANT

Heading into Tuesday’s game, the Oilers hadn’t won in regulation in

Pittburgh since Jan. 10, 2006, a period of more than 16 years. That was

the night Penguins coach Michel Therrien offered up his classic post-

game diatribe after the Oilers victory. Nothing ever like it.

“I believe their goal is to be the worst defensive squad in the league,”

began the thoroughly disappointed Therrien. “They turn the puck over,

they have no vision, they’re soft. I’ve never seen a bunch of defencemen

soft like this. A lot of guys don’t care. I know they don’t care. Do I think as

a coach that the team cares for each other? Wow! They’re making my job

as coach miserable … so it’s give and take.”

Colby Cave’s outstanding goal against Pittsburgh on Nov. 2, 2019, will

stay forever in Woodcroft’s visual archive.

“Right before Colby got called up, he had a chance exactly like that in

Bakersfield and didn’t score. We talked about what he had done. I liked

that he brought the puck all the way across the net on the same play

against Pittsburgh and scored,” said Woodcroft, who was coaching the

American Hockey League’s Condors at the time.

“His wife, Emily, and I have talked about that. I was so happy for him.

You could see the joy on his face. Wasn’t that an awesome moment?”



JONES: With playoffs around the corner, don't ask the Oilers about next

year

Terry Jones


Will Ken Holland attempt to sign Evander Kane to a new multi-year

contract with the Edmonton Oilers next year?

Don’t ask.

Does the general manager have major decisions with his goaltending

regardless of how Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen perform in the

playoffs?

Don’t ask.

And hasn’t Holland seen enough to replace the interim tag and offer head

coach Jay Woodcroft a multi-year contract?

Don’t ask.

I had the opportunity to ask those questions of Holland in a far-ranging

end-of-regular-season interview and he was detailed in discussing all

three. But when it came to providing answers to the actual questions,

Holland said he’s adopting a playoff policy.

Don’t ask.

Holland said he is well aware of the big-picture bottom line that will be

here when the season is over.

“The reality is that I’ll have to make some difficult cap decisions.

Certainly, my job is to have an eye to the off-season but I also believe it’s

important to watch our team play in the playoffs.

“I do know that we have difficult, difficult decisions to make but many

teams also do. That’s the nature of the salary cap. Hopefully, we’re going

to play for a long time and some decisions are going to be even more

difficult.

“I’m not worrying about those difficult decisions today. I want to win

today. I don’t want to stir everybody up about those decisions. I like our

team. I like the way we’ve played. It’s the playoffs. Lets go out there and

embrace the playoffs.

“It’s like I told Jay Woodcroft. When I signed Jay, I wanted him to know

that the mandate is to win, that he didn’t have to play someone because I

signed him or play some young player because of where we drafted him.

The mandate is to win. I told Jay that when the season is done, we’ll sit

down and talk about the future.

“The focus for everybody in our organization has to be the opportunity we

have immediately in front of us. Like I said, this is an opportunity of a

lifetime.”

As the Oilers return home for their final two regular-season games

Thursday against San Jose and Friday against Vancouver, the subject of

Kane is front burner with Oilers fans and that’s not where Holland wants

it.

“Certainly, we did a lot of research,” said Holland of making the move to

sign hockey’s serial offender for the bargain rental rate of just over $1

million at mid-season.

“I knew Kane’s agent, Dan Milstein, going way back to Pavel Datsyuk in

Detroit. Dan set up a dinner with Evander when we played in Vancouver

and Dave Tippett and I went to a restaurant back room and spent three

hours with him.

“For me, that was an important dinner. We asked lots of questions. I left

there thinking I wanted to push ahead.

“To me, it wasn’t a tough decision because we did our research. We

talked to lots of people. Meeting him one-on-one, face-to-face for three

hours and asking all the questions we wanted to ask, made me

comfortable.

“What he’s given us is over a half of a season that projects to a 40-goal

year. We have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-

Hopkins. We signed Zach Hyman. We have Jesse Puljujarvi and Kailer

Yamamoto. So, we added another top-line forward.

“Beyond that, he plays with an edge. He goes to the hard areas. You

need some people that play with some sandpaper. He’s given us another

dimension.”

Woodcroft had a 23-9-3 start to his NHL head-coaching career going into

Tuesday’s final road game of the year in Pittsburgh, but he’s 0-0 in the

playoffs.

“I’ve known Jay since 2005-06, when he worked for the Detroit Red

Wings. Mike Babcock hired him as our video coach. So, I had a

relationship going back 15 years.

“I watched his Bakersfield teams over the last two and a half years. They

looked organized. They were five-man units. They attacked in five-man

units and they defended in five-man units. Last year in a pandemic year,

Bakersfield won the Pacific Division championship. The year I got here, I

think Bakersfield had won 18 (games) in a row.

“When I made the decision that I thought we needed to make a head

coaching change, Jay was close enough to know our team but he was far

enough away that he was also somebody from the outside.

“I thought we needed the change and I thought that Jay was going to be

the solution. And it’s been fabulous under Jay’s watch. The team has

really, really responded to him, and played very, very well. He’s been a

big story for us this year.”

And what about the goaltending?

“I think that when both goalies are together and healthy, they feed off of

one another and the each can get hot and go on a run. I’ve always

believed in our goaltending when the team in front of them gives them a

chance. They are both incredibly hard workers, are both very popular in

the locker-room and their teammates are cheering for them. Chemistry is

a big part of our sport.

“The team has paid more attention to detail and when we play the right

way, our guys give us good goaltending.”

But Smith is now 40 and Koskinen …

Sorry. Forgot. Don’t ask.



GAME NIGHT: Edmonton Oilers at Pittsburgh Penguins



Hey, it’s Crosby and McDavid

With Sidney Crosby now 34, we’re running out of chances to watch him

play against Connor McDavid. The Oilers and Penguins only meet twice

a year. There’s five scoring titles between these two and four Hart

trophies. Back on Dec. 1, McDavid had the upper hand with a goal and

three helpers, while Sidney had a rare off-night, going minus-4 in a 5-2

Oilers win.

THREE THINGS ABOUT PENGUINS

1.They’re in a battle with the Washington Capitals for third spot in the

Metro Division, one point up on them. If they get third, they play the

Rangers. If the Caps, who lost Alex Ovechkin to a suspected shoulder

injury Sunday, overtake Pittsburgh, Sid’s Crew will draw Florida in the

first playoff round.

2. Crosby would be challenging 100 points if he hadn’t played just one

game until mid-November because of September surgery on his left

wrist, which had bothered him for years. He first hurt it seven years ago

in a collision with then-teammate Ryan Reaves. Crosby played his first

NHL game in 2005, when McDavid was eight years old.

3. Their No. 1 goalie, Tristan Jarry, the one-time Edmonton Oil Kings

junior, suffered a suspected broken foot two weeks ago against the

Rangers. He won’t be ready for the playoffs so they’re going with backup

Casey deSmith, who has holding the fort. He’s been just fine this season

with a .915 save percentage in 24 games.



‘It’s incredible’: How Connor McDavid’s season is so stellar and why it’s

not getting enough attention

Daniel Nugent-Bowman

6-8 minutes 27/04/2022

PITTSBURGH – Connor McDavid entered Tuesday’s game relishing the

test of the twice-per-season matchup against his childhood idol. He aced

it as if it were an open-book quiz.

As he was in the Dec. 1 head-to-head battle against Sidney Crosby,

McDavid was the best player on the ice against the Penguins. He

recorded a goal and three assists again, helping the Oilers to a lopsided

win, this time 5-1.

“For everybody in that generation, Sid was the guy that most kids looked

up to,” Oilers winger Zach Hyman said. “I’m sure that adds an extra layer

for him.”

McDavid became the leading scorer of any NHL player against the

Penguins this season. He played only two games against them.

Anyone watching the game could tell McDavid had just a little extra jump

in this one.

The Oilers had missed out on clinching home-ice advantage in the first

round of the playoffs by losing in Columbus on Sunday. It was inevitable

they’d secure that prize eventually, but the captain acted as though he

wasn’t interested in any further delays.

What better than to shine against Pittsburgh’s leader and the player

widely regarded as the NHL’s greatest before McDavid at the very least

called that into question.

McDavid now has five goals compared with Crosby’s two in the nine

games when they’ve shared the ice. Points are even more slanted in

McDavid’s favour: 18-5.

What surely matters more to McDavid is the Oilers have won three of the

past four games — including Tuesday, which was their first regulation

victory in Pittsburgh since 2006.

“He’s such a good hockey player, and he rose to the occasion,” Oilers

coach Jay Woodcroft said. “It was an important game for our team. It was

a complete 60 minutes from everybody, but certainly Connor led the

way.”

That’s just what McDavid so often does when it’s expected of him.

Tuesday had all the makings of a big game. Not only was he taking on

Crosby, but also supposed Hart Trophy favourite Auston Matthews was

closing in on 60 goals (which he hit), and Jonathan Huberdeau was three

points behind him in the Art Ross Trophy race.

McDavid made sure the spotlight didn’t shine too brightly on Matthews.

And that margin atop the scoring list is now seven points after Huberdeau

was held off the scoresheet in Boston.

Thanks to Tuesday’s effort, McDavid is closing in on his fourth scoring

title. Only Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Mario Lemieux, Phil Esposito,

Jaromir Jagr and Stan Mikita have four or more. And McDavid is just 25.

“That’s what the best players in the world do,” Woodcroft said. “They rise

to those occasions.

“What he’s doing here with this season, I don’t think he gets appreciated

by everybody because there’s almost a consensus that it is just McDavid

being McDavid. That’s what he does. But he’s at a career high (in points),

he’s driving our team, and he’s playing the game the right way. He’s

driven to win.”

That career-high point total is now at 122. Only two players have reached

125 points since 2000: Nikita Kucherov in 2019 and Joe Thornton in

2006. McDavid has two games to pick up three points and join the club.

“It’s incredible,” rookie defenceman Evan Bouchard said. “You wouldn’t

think that somebody would get that many points — it doesn’t surprise me

at all. Watching him all year, you really see the kind of player he is.”

Though this season might not seem as otherworldly as last season, when

he had 105 points in 56 games, the scuttlebutt around the team is that

McDavid is an even better and more complete player now.

He’s always finding some way to help the Oilers’ cause. Tuesday was a

prime example.

McDavid played 12 minutes at five-on-five. Per Natural Stat Trick, the

Oilers outshot the Penguins 11-5, out-attempted them 17-11 and

outscored them 2-0 when McDavid was over the boards.

“It’s just normal,” Hyman said. “He makes so many plays on the ice that

don’t result in goals. He probably could have had a couple more points.

“He’s such a dynamic player. He’s the best player in the world. That’s

what you expect. That’s what you get. I’m glad he’s with us. I’m glad I’m

here.”

There were lots of things to be pleased about from the Oilers’ side of the

ledger against the Penguins.

Bouchard scored once and would have had a second one had it not been

successfully challenged by Pittsburgh for an offside. Zack Kassian ended

a 28-game goal drought, albeit with a shot into an empty net.

Mike Smith was excellent again in winning his 10th consecutive start, the

longest such streak of any NHL goalie this season. Smith also won his

ninth consecutive decision, one behind Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr’s mark

from the 1985-86 campaign. He made 33 saves on 34 shots.

But there’s no question who stole the show.

McDavid now has 12 points in his past four games.

“Of late, he’s been unbelievable — just generating chances for himself or

his linemates,” Hyman said. “Any time he gets the puck, he beats a guy

or draws another guy there, and then there’s space. It seems like he’s at

the top of his game, and that’s great for us.”

Ho-hum. Par for the course. Even if we shouldn’t think that way.

It wasn’t so long ago that the Oilers’ season was coming off the rails. The

team underwent a dreadful 2-11-2 stretch that began after that Dec. 1

victory against the Penguins and passed the midway mark of January.

Dave Tippett was fired as coach eight games later.

The Oilers are 24-9-3 under Woodcroft, with a .708 points percentage,

the fourth highest in the league during that span. McDavid has 61 points

in those 36 games. No one else has more.

That’s why Tuesday was hardly a shock. The performance gave the

perception of “McDavid being McDavid,” as Woodcroft said.

He might be overlooked by some, but not by those wearing blue and

orange.

“Towards the end of the season, things get harder, and it’s harder to

score. He’s obviously making it easier,” Hyman said. “He’s stepping up

and being a huge difference-maker for us.

“We needed it. We had a stretch there where things weren’t going well.

We needed to turn it around quick. He’s a big reason why we were able

to.”


1242857 Florida Panthers

Flat offense and pair of defensive lapses lead to Florida Panthers’ loss to

Bruins

Jordan McPherson

Sergei Bobrovsky stood tall on Brad Marchand’s wrist shot from the right

circle early in the second period with the puck bouncing off his chest.

The Florida Panthers’ goaltender couldn’t get back in position quick

enough for the second effort that came directly in front of him by Jake

DeBrusk.

DeBrusk’s rebound goal put the Boston Bruins in front for good as they

beat the Panthers 4-2 at TD Garden on Tuesday.

The Panthers (57-17-6), after winning 13 consecutive games, have now

lost back-to-back games for the first time since losing three consecutive

games in late February.

Bobrovsky did what he could to keep the team in the game. He finished

with 34 saves on 37 shots against, but the first two goals he allowed —

which came in a six-second span in the first period — were in large part

due to defensive lapses in front of him.

It started with Erik Haula beating Bobrovsky from the right side on an

odd-man rush with 3:42 left in the period. Radko Gudas tried to lay a hit

on Taylor Hall at the blue line at the start of the Bruins’ rush attempt. Hall

spun past him as he sent the puck to David Pastrnak, who fed the puck

across the crease to Haula for the wrist shot.

On the ensuing faceoff, Hall broke past the Panthers’ defense and fired a

wrist shot from the slot to give the Bruins a lead with 3:36 left in the

period.

Brad Marchand added an empty-net goal for Boston (50-25-5) with 3:05

left in regulation for the final two-goal margin.

“I thought he was dialed in right from the start,” Panthers interim coach

Andrew Brunette said. “We weren’t very good in front of him, especially in

the first. He kept us in the game.”

Florida’s normally high-octane offense was held to just 21 shots and two

goals on Tuesday, both of which came in the first period. Gustav Forsling

opened scoring eight minutes into regulation with an unassisted wrist

shot from near the blue line. Sam Reinhart closed scoring in the frame

when he poked the puck past Linus Ullmark with 0.6 seconds left in the

period after the Panthers nine seconds into a Florida power play to the

the game at 2-2 after 20 minutes.

They wouldn’t score the rest of the game.

Playoff tracking

The Panthers’ loss on Tuesday does nothing in terms of their playoff

standing. Florida already has the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference

clinched and still has a chance to win the Presidents’ Trophy, given to the

club that finishes the regular season with the best overall record, and get

home-ice advance throughout the entirety of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

However, the result — coupled with two other final scores Tuesday — did

give the Panthers some clarity as to who they might face in the first

round.

With Boston winning and both the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington

Capitals losing in regulation, Florida will host either Pittsburgh or

Washington based on how both teams finish their regular-season

schedules.

Pittsburgh has 101 points with one game left on its schedule — Friday at

home against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Washington has 100 points

with two games remaining — road contests against the New York

Islanders on Thursday and New York Rangers on Friday. Whichever

team finishes with the fewest points will be the Eastern Conference’s

second wild card and face Florida in the first round.

Verhaeghe returns

Carter Verhaeghe returned to the Panthers’ lineup on Tuesday after

missing the past three games. He took his usual spot as the left wing on

Florida’s top line with Aleksander Barkov and Clauder Giroux.

Joe Thornton also slotted into the lineup against the Bruins, serving as

the left wing on Florida’s fourth line with center Eetu Luostarinen and

right wing Patric Hornqvist. Maxim Mamin (maintenance) and Ryan

Lomberg (suspension) were out.

Lundell, Gudas exit

Center Anton Lundell left Tuesday’s game early in the second period with

an upper-body injury. Defenseman Radko Gudas also missed the third

period with a lower-body injury.

Brunette described both injuries as “little tweaks” and their removal from

the game precautionary.

“We’re obviously trying to be smart and ahead of the curve a little bit

here,” Brunette said.

Miami Herald LOADED: 04.27.2022


Sergei Bobrovsky makes 34 saves but Panthers fall to Bruins, drop

second game in a row

Mark Altman

3-3 minutes 27/04/2022

BOSTON — Jake DeBrusk snapped a 2-2 tie in the second period, Linus

Ullmark made 19 saves and the Boston Bruins beat the Florida Panthers

4-2 on Tuesday night to clinch the first wild card in the Eastern

Conference.

DeBrusk scored the eventual game-winner when he slammed home the

rebound of a Brad Marchand shot at 4:59. Ullmark is 5-1 in his last eight

appearances and has only allowed 10 goals in that span.

Erik Haula and Taylor Hall scored six seconds apart in the first period

and Marchand notched his 32nd goal late in the third for Boston, which

will travel to Carolina in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs. The

Bruins were swept in three games in the regular season by the

Hurricanes by a 16-1 margin.

Patrice Bergeron and David Pastrnak each had two assists for Boston.

“I thought it was a good test for us,” Haula said. “Florida is a high-

powered offensive team and keeping them to two goals is good.”

Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky had 34 saves as Florida lost for the

second straight game after rattling off 13 wins.

Sam Reinhart scored a power-play goal to tie the game at 2-2 for Florida

with less than a second left in the first.

Goals by Haula and Hall had given Boston a 2-1 lead with just under four

minutes to play in the first.

Gustav Forsling scored his 10th in the first period for the Panthers, who

mustered only three shots in the third period.

“They didn’t look to me like they had their usual jump tonight for whatever

reason,” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy said. “I liked the way our team

performed and the amount of chances we generated.”

PRESIDENTS’ TROPHY

Florida failed to clinch the trophy for the best record in hockey and needs

to win one of its final two games.

MISSING THE POINT

The Bruins held Jonathan Huberdeau off the score sheet for only the

second time in the last 20 games. Huberdeau entered the night second in

the NHL in points.

POWER OUTAGE

Boston went 0-3 with the man advantage and has now gone 12 games

without a power-play goal, going 0-for-36 in that span.

“We want to get the power play fixed heading into the playoffs,” Hall said.

“Don’t think we have the confidence right now, but we have too many

good players not to figure it out.”

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 04.27.2022


Garden Party: Boston Bruins 4, Florida Panthers 2

Staff Report

Published 7 hours ago on April 26, 2022 By George Richards3-4 minutes

27/04/2022

The Boston Bruins took a lead on the Florida Panthers early in the

second period Tuesday and put the clamps on, holding the Panthers to

10 shots on goal for the final 35 minutes.

None of them went in.

The Bruins, still trying to chase down Tampa Bay for third in the Atlantic,

pulled out a 4-2 victory over the Panthers at the Garden.

It was the second consecutive regulation loss for the Panthers who were

trying to lock down the NHL Presidents’ Trophy with a win.

Florida fell behind 3-2 in the second period and the score stayed that way

until Brad Marchand scored into an empty net with 3:05 left on the clock.

For daily coverage of the Florida Panthers, subscribe to Florida Hockey

Now today!

The Panthers took the first lead of the night as Gus Forsling scored his

seventh goal of the month at 8:02.

Forsling created his own chance, intercepting a clearing pass from Matt

Grzelcyk and threw it up at the net.

Florida’s lead did not last, with the Bruins scoring twice within a span of

six seconds.

With 3:42 left in the period, David Pastrnak fed it to Erik Haula on a 2-on-

1 who beat Sergei Bobrovsky to it.

Literally, moments later, the Bruins won the ensuing faceoff and Taylor

Hall broke through the defense after a MacKenzie Weegar turnover,

walked in on Bobrovsky and scored.

Down 2-1, the Panthers got a late power play chance with Anthony

Duclair getting slashed; Florida made a push with Sam Reinhart following

up his own rebound off the post and beat the clock to tie the score.

Reinhart’s goal came with just .06 left.

One of the highlights of the first period came near the end when Joe

Thornton — who was in the starting lineup in what could be his final

game in Boston — got into it with Tomas Nosek in the corner.

Boston, which outshot the Panthers from the start of the game, made it 3-

2 at 4:59 of the season on a rebound goal from Jake DeBrusk.

— The Panthers announced that rookie Anton Lundell (upper-body

injury) and defenseman Radko Gudas (lower) would not return to the

game.

Lundell left the game after sustaining a hit with 9:11 left in the second;

Gudas left with 1:52 remaining in that period.

After the game, coach Andrew Brunette said the injuries were nothing

more than “little tweaks” and the team was resting them out of precaution

what with the playoffs starting next week.

Florida Hockey Now LOADED: 04.27.2022


Florida Panthers Pregame: Regular Season Winds Down in Boston

Staff Report

Published 14 hours ago on April 26, 20225-6 minutes 26/04/2022

The Florida Panthers have one final game remaining in this regular

season against a team which will be in the upcoming playoffs and it looks

like they are going to bring their best to Boston tonight.

The Panthers will ice most of their regulars tonight, perhaps for the final

time before the postseason starts for them Monday or Tuesday in

Sunrise.

According to coach Andrew Brunette, Florida will be without Mason

Marchment due to maintenance but will have former Boston star Joe

Thornton and Carter Verhaeghe in the lineup.

Thornton spent parts of his first eight NHL seasons with the Bruins before

being traded to San Jose; this could be his final game at the Garden.

Ryan Lomberg will be in the press box watching after being suspended

on Monday.

Sergei Bobrovsky will be in net.


Now today!

“I don’t think we’re looking too far into it,” Brunette said from TD Garden

on Tuesday morning while his team took an optional morning skate.

“We’re just trying to play a good, solid road game here tonight. As for

looking too far ahead, we’re still in this day-to-day grind. Who knows

what is going to happen? We have to make sure we tighten our game

up.”

Both teams have something to play for as they jockey for positioning

within the Eastern Conference.

Boston, which has three games remaining, is currently three points back

of the Lightning for the third spot in the Atlantic Division.

The Bruins look like they will end up the first wild-card — which would put

them in the Metropolitan side of the playoffs — with a first-round series

against either Carolina or the New York Rangers.

”This is a big game for them and will be a really good test for us,”

Brunette said. “They are as good as any team in the league. We expect

them to play at their best.”

Florida can clinch the Presidents’ Trophy which is given to the top team

in the NHL at the end of the regular season. That comes with home ice

advantage throughout the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Panthers can lay claim to the top spot tonight with a win in Boston

and a Colorado loss to the Blues.

Florida can also clinch with a overtime/shootout loss tonight and a

regulation loss from the Avs.

Bobrovsky can win his 40th game tonight against the Bruins.

“He has been huge, just having him in the room,” Sam Reinhart said. “To

see someone work that hard on a daily basis and earn the trust of the

group is really important. That’s obviously another milestone for him and

another reason to show up tonight, try and come out on top.”

PANTHERLAND

Tomorrow is the 26th anniversary of the biggest single goal in Panthers’

history and it is fitting that Florida is in Boston tonight.

Bill Lindsay scored after being tripped up by Ray Bourque while coming

around the right side and was able to score to give the Panthers a 4-3

win over the Bruins and a series victory in Game 5 of the 1996 opening

round.

Lindsay had a lot of things to say about that goal — and how we would

love to see the Panthers make some more memories in these playoffs.

And bring the Stanley Cup to Fort Lauderdale.

— The Panthers are finally going to see some television money again

after agreeing to a new carriage deal with Bally Sports. Read all the

details HERE

— We’re hosing a watch party for tonight’s game on the second floor of

the Panthers IceDen in Coral Springs. Specials throughout the game.

Come and join us!

Florida panthers

— Are players coming up from Charlotte to join the lineup Thursday or

Friday night? We think so.

— Miss why Lomberg was suspended and Brunette fined for Sunday

night’s fight in Sunrise? You can watch it all right HERE

— Anthony Duclair is the Panthers’ nominee for the Bill Masterton

Memorial Trophy for his play on the ice — and his work off of it.

— The Boston Bruins are turning their focus to the upcoming

postseason.

You had to know that Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand were going

to give a little Boston Bruins reminder of exactly what they can do prior to




The Florida Panthers get new deal, cash infusion with Bally Sports deal

Staff Report


With the team bringing in the highest ratings ever, the Florida Panthers

came into negotiations for a new television deal with Bally Sports in a

good spot.

The Panthers picked a good time to have their best two seasons in their

history.

On Tuesday, the team announced it agreed to a new contract with Bally

Sports to continue carrying the team’s non-nationally televised games.

Steve Goldstein and Randy Moller are expected to continue in their roles

as television voices of the Panthers.

Florida signed a 10-year deal with the then-Fox Sports group which

reportedly paid a lot of the money up front. When the Panthers were sold

to Vinnie Viola in 2013, the money stayed behind.

The Panthers, according to Sports Business Journal, are now finally

going to see some local television money with the deal reportedly over

$10 million per season and described as in the “high teens.”

The former contract averaged $6 million per year, but again, a lot of it

was paid out before the team was sold. Per SBJ, it was one of the lowest

carriage deals in professional sports.

South Florida only has the Sinclair-owned Bally Sports to negotiate with,

so both the Panthers and Miami Marlins getting more money in their

recent dealings with the company is a win.

If the Panthers did not reach an agreement with Sinclair — which

renamed its network to Ballys in a name-rights deal — it is not known

where their broadcasts could have gone.

Due to numerous cable and streaming services dropping Sinclair

channels over the years, the company is planning a direct-to-consumer

streaming service of its own.

The Panthers said in a statement they would be part of it.

There has been no word whether the new deal will include road pregame

shows as other teams have but the Panthers have not.

The Panthers are the only South Florida pro team on Bally Sports — the

Marlins and Heat are the others — without a road pregame show.



GameDay 80: Lineups, Betting Odds for Panthers at Bruins

Staff Report


If you were thinking the Florida Panthers were down in the dumps after

losing their final home game of the regular season on Sunday night, well,

they were not.

Although the Panthers certainly would have liked to extend their

franchise-record winning streak to 14 games, they were in good spirits

following the cantankerous loss to their in-state rival.

Florida’s 13-game winning streak was the longest in the NHL this season

and longest since Columbus won 16 straight during the 2016-17 season.

“I don’t think this gets to us at all,’’ said coach Andrew Brunette, who was

tossed from the game late in the third after Ryan Lomberg was given an

instigator penalty.

“I thought 5-on-5 was fine. A little disappointed in our power plays; we

gave up goals. You can’t give a team like them goals late. We got in a

little penalty trouble, and they score on the power play. they’re a great

power play team.

“We showed our resilience, we showed our grit, we didn’t back down. We

fought through adversity, outside influences and played our game.”


Now today!

Florida ended its home run at 34-7-0 which gives them the most home

wins in franchise history and will be the most in the NHL this season.

“We will take a couple things away from it, but I think for the most part

we’ve just got to move on,’’ Mason Marchment said.

“We have been really good the last 12, 13 games. I‘m happy the way our

team stuck together there. No one’s going to push us around now or

ever. I think that was one thing we’re going to take out of this.”

Colorado, the team chasing the Panthers for the top spot in the NHL, can

only finish with 33 home wins.

The Avalanche — which had GM Joe Sakic in the press box for Sunday’s

game — comes into Tuesday four points behind the Panthers with three

games left in the regular season.

Florida’s final three games before the playoffs will be on the road and it

kicks off tonight in Boston.

With the playoffs coming as early as Monday, tonight’s game may be the

last one before the postseason in which the Panthers ice their normal

team.

On Tuesday morning, Brunette announced that Carter Verhaeghe and

Joe Thornton would return to the lineup with Marchment taking the night

off for maintenance.

The Panthers have not announced any call-ups from AHL Charlotte, but

with the Checkers having completed their regular season, some are

expected to join the team for the Canadian back-to-back which starts

Thursday in Ottawa.

Get FHN+ today!

Charlotte clinched the Atlantic Division title last week and wrapped up its

regular season — while other AHL teams are playing make-up games

this week.

The Checkers also earned a first-round bye in the playoffs so a few

players could join the Panthers not only to play, but to get some NHL

money as a reward for a nice job this season in Charlotte.

“We will reassess after tonight and see where we’re at and go from

there,’’ Brunette said Sunday. “This is a weird time with a long stretch of

games. …

“Obviously we have limited recalls, but they did an unbelievable job.

Geordie (Kinnear) does a great job and that’s a team in transition with

Seattle not having a lot of players and we have moved some guys. For

them to do what they did was exceptional.

“And when those guys come up from Charlotte, they are ready to go right

into our system. That’s a real benefit as a coach.”

Florida will be without Lomberg Tuesday after he was suspended by the

NHL for instigating a fight with Tampa Bay’s Erik Cernak.

Brunette was fined $10,000 for getting a game misconduct during the

aftermath of the Lomberg scuffle.

Both the fine and suspension were automatic as they came in the final

five minutes of the game.

— This will be the Panthers first visit to Boston since Oct. 30. The Bruins

handed Florida its first loss of the season that night, winning 3-2 in a

shootout to drop the Panthers to 8-0-1.

The game was on a second half of a back-to-back with Florida winning

the first in Detroit.

These were the first two games with Brunette as the Panthers’ interim

head coach.

Florida has gone 49-16-5 since.

— The Panthers ended up having three separate home winning streaks

of at least nine games with two streaks of 11 straight home wins.

Florida set a franchise-record with 191 goals at home (4.66 per game)

which was the most in a season since Pittsburgh got 215 in 1995-96.



Bill Lindsay’s big goal still lives in Florida Panthers lore 26 years later

Staff Report


With the Florida Panthers in Boston preparing to take on the Bruins

tonight and the team enjoying their best season in franchise history, you

can expect to see one of the biggest goals in franchise history shown on

the broadcast.

On the eve of that goal’s 26th birthday to boot.

Billy Lindsay, forever known around these parts as the ‘Blonde Bomber,’

is often asked about his flying goal in Game 5 of the 1996 playoffs, one

that helped the Panthers win their first-ever playoff series.

Lindsay’s goal was the difference in a 4-3 victory over the Bruins on April

27, 1996, at Miami Arena in Game 5 of that opening-round series.

It was a really big deal then — the expansion Panthers beating an

Original 6 team in their first trip to the playoffs — and it has stood the test

of time.

To some, anyway.

“I’m getting old,’’ Lindsay said with a laugh. “That was a long time ago.

But there are still people come up to me to talk about it and they

remember it so vividly. It is fun, the season ticket holders who have been

around it since the beginning and have stuck with the franchise, the

diehards, they mention it a lot.”

That may be an indictment of Florida’s performance in the decades to

follow as it does the heroics of Lindsay.

Considering 1996 was the first and only time Florida has moved beyond

the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs helps the goal live on.

There’s also the fact that goal helped really get South Florida rallying

around their new hockey team.

Those who were around back then remember how the Panthers had this

region wrapped around their little finger.

Lindsay, who is part of the team’s radio broadcasts as well as an analyst

for NHL Network, hopes this year’s version of the Panthers have even

more highlights to be remembered.

“It’s a good thing that goal happened, a good thing that playoff series

happened,” Lindsay told Florida Hockey Now. “But with this team and

what is happening with them, it is time for that narrative to change. It’s a

nice memory for me and it has lived on for a long time, but for me

personally, it’s not going anywhere so I want a Stanley Cup for this

fanbase and everything they have incurred down here.

”I love the goal, love that team, love everything we did at the start and

were able to build. But, in my heart, I am a Panthers guy through-and-

through. Those years of futility kind of hurts especially since I came back

as a broadcaster.

“To see this success, I can understand the emotions the fans go through

because I have been there with them. We saw some losing and now

we’re seeing the winning. It’s an incredible feeling. I have to stop myself

from imagining what a Stanley Cup parade will be like down here.

“I think about it every day. It just runs through my brain and I cannot push

it away. How incredible would a boat parade or whatever be like down

here? I’m ready for some new chapters, some new history. I’m proud of

my goal, but I am ready for another great moment and a Stanley Cup

championship would be the ultimate. I couldn’t win it as a player, so you

want to be part of the organization that does it.

”It would be a dream come true for me if they were to win the Cup. I

honestly believe I would tear up.”

Looking back at the goal, it really is a beauty and was compared to

Bobby Orr’s famous ‘Flying Goal’ which was scored 25 years prior.

They built a statue depicting that Stanley Cup-winning goal in Boston.

Lindsay will not get one here, but this team could.

“The first four games I felt unbelievable. I had so much energy, it felt like I

was floating on the ice,” Lindsay said. “It was playoff hockey and it was

unreal. Game 5 was a Saturday afternoon and I couldn’t find my legs. I

had no jump. I had much better games than that one, by far. I had to dip

down to find some energy and then that moment happened.

“I got a chance and just took off down the wing. The proudest part for me

was, it was the first time my parents were down here and in the building.

They were in the stands and they meant so much to me.”

In the game that Saturday in Miami, Lindsay took on one of the top

players in the NHL — and won.

As he raced up the wing, Lindsay was tripped by Ray Bourque.

But Lindsay kept his focus on the puck, and put it past goalie Bill

Ranford.

“It was a chip shot that got over my glove,’’ Ranford said afterward. “Had

I known he was falling down, I might have played it differently.”

Florida had the lead with 4:57 remaining in the game and held on for the

victory.

It was not the only goal Lindsay ever scored in a playoff game, but it was

his biggest.

“I really didn’t expect to score on that play,’’ Lindsay said. “When I took

the shot, I was looking back to the referee to see if a penalty was going

to be called. Not in my wildest dreams, honestly, did I think the puck was

going in the net.

“That building was so loud and there was so much juice. That was my

first experience in the playoffs and there was nothing like it. Listen, I

scored one playoff goal and people still remember it and talk about it. If I

had three 50-goal seasons, it might not be as important as that one goal.

You create your legacy in the playoffs. It still hurts to have never won the

Stanley Cup as a player. I still have some regrets in that aspect. To look

back and have that special run with that team in that building, though, it is

hard to explain.”

The Panthers would move on to the Eastern Conference semifinals

where they beat Philadelphia in 6 games.

Florida panthers

Florida then beat Pittsburgh in 7 to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals

where it was swept by the Colorado Avalanche.

Not bad for a team in just its third year of existence.

And, for you nostalgia fans, the 2022 postseason could see some familiar

faces.

Aside from the Flyers, Florida could see Boston, Pittsburgh and Colorado

in these playoffs.

Lindsay sees plenty of similarities between his team from 1996 and this

one — although he admits the current Florida Panthers possess a lot

more talent.

But the 1996 Panthers beat teams with more talent. This version of the

Panthers is going to have to find their way when the playoffs start next

week in Sunrise.

“They have to go through this. They have talent, but there is a lot of hard

work to come,” Lindsay said. “What this group has is that same chemistry

vibe that we had back in 1996. A lot of what you see on the ice happened

was a product of what happened off the ice.

“A lot of our success was because of how close we were and you have to

develop that. This group has fun, they play for each other. Good teams

become great when you decide you cannot let the guy beside you down.

When the guy next to you is working so hard you don’t want to let them

down. That’s when good teams become great.

“Our stuff, the things we did in 1996 will never be erased. They will

always be there. It is part of what we created and people of that

generation will never forget it. I am just hoping a Stanley Cup happens

for this organization. It will never take away from what we did, but you

sure can add to it. And the more you add to it, the better.”


1242864 Los Angeles Kings

Kings clinch first postseason appearance since 2018 - Los Angeles

Times

Hans Tesselaar

2-2 minutes 27/04/2022

For the first time since the 2017-18 season, the Kings will have a chance

to compete for the Stanley Cup.

They clinched a playoff spot Tuesday without even playing. When the

Vegas Golden Knights lost on the road to the Dallas Stars 3-2 in a

shootout, it guaranteed a third-place finish in the Pacific Division for the

Kings (43-27-10). They will play the Edmonton Oilers in the first round,

the best-of-seven series beginning next week.

The Kings, with 96 points, will open the series in Edmonton. The Oilers’

5-1 victory Tuesday night in Pittsburgh gave them 100 points and locked

up second place in the Pacific. The Kings went 1-2-1 this season against

Edmonton.

Since winning the Stanley Cup for the second time in three seasons in

2014, the Kings have just one playoff win. They lost to the Sharks in five

games in 2016 and to the Golden Knights in four games in 2018.

Hans Tesselaar is an assistant sports editor for the Los Angeles Times,

in charge of coverage of college sports and hockey.

LA Times: LOADED: 04.27.2022


Kings clinch playoff berth, will face Edmonton in first round

Andrew Knoll

6-7 minutes 27/04/2022

The Kings are in the playoffs.

After scouring scoreboards, ogling odds and working to win each and

every shift, the Kings are finally headed back to the postseason for the

first time in four years after the Vegas Golden Knights’ loss to the Dallas

Stars on Tuesday night cemented a playoff berth for captain Anze

Kopitar’s club.

The Kings will now travel to the Pacific Northwest for back-to-back

games against the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday and Vancouver

Canucks on Thursday to conclude the regular season.

But their sights will soon shift about 750 miles northeast of Vancouver to

Edmonton, where they will face Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the

Oilers in a best-of-seven first-round series that will begin next week.

Games 1 and 2 will be in Edmonton, as well as Games 5 and 7, if

necessary.

For the Kings, it seemed as though the playoffs began weeks ago, with

so many precarious moments, near-misses and arduous battles on their

path to clinching, now 80 games into an 82-game regular season. They

clinched in Game 81 in 2012, and then went on to win the franchise’s first

Stanley Cup.

“We’ve kind of felt that way for a few weeks now. Every game has been a

huge game for us, it’s just kind of felt like that, one game, let’s just get

that one game,” defenseman Matt Roy said after Saturday’s victory over

the Ducks. “We’ve been chipping away and it’s nice to be in that spot.”

In a battle of generationally talented duos, Edmonton’s McDavid and

Draisaitl blew past Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin on

Tuesday, 5-1, to secure a second-place finish in the Pacific Division and

home ice in Round 1. McDavid had four points and Draisaitl added an

assist.

“(McDavid) does it one way and Leon does it the other, that’s what

makes it tough for the Kings and every other team in the league. You’ve

got a guy that’s going 100 miles an hour and another guy that slows the

game down,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said earlier this season. He

coached Edmonton from 2015 to 2018, including a formidable playoff run

in 2017.

For many Kings, such as Roy and center Blake Lizotte, this will be their

first playoff experience.

The undersized but temeritous pivot has become emblematic of a Kings

team that went from bare cupboards and the basement of the league’s

weakest division to a potential Stanley Cup contender. His perseverance,

sportsmanship and dedication as well as his performance as part of the

Kings’ bottom six and penalty kill earned him a nomination for the Bill

Masterton Trophy this season.

“You don’t do the type of things that good people would do to get noticed,

but, at the end of the day, everyone likes to be appreciated for the things

that they do,” Lizotte said. “It’s super humbling for sure.”

Lizotte has moved up to the third line, bringing his trademark tenacity to a

trio with former first-liners Dustin Brown and Alex Iafallo. McLellan said

that regardless of who he lined up with, Lizotte’s presence was felt

throughout the lineup.

“Blake has the ability to pull people into the game and he does that on a

nightly basis,” McLellan said. “He drags teammates in and they follow

him. When he’s out, we miss it. And when he’s in, it’s there.”

Another once-unheralded prospect, goalie and former third-round pick

Jonathan Quick, has been an even longer-standing symbol of the Kings’

selflessly competitive culture. He has gone on to become the most

accomplished netminder in franchise history and arguably the top

American-born goaltender of all-time as well. Heading into the season,

the younger Cal Petersen was anointed not-so-subtly with a fresh

contract extension and the nod in net on opening night.

But down the stretch, Quick has seized the reins in goal, winning four

consecutive appearances and five out of six to get the Kings off the

bubble and onto the promised land. For his most recent efforts – he went

3-0-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average and .937 save percentage in

three games last week – Quick was named the NHL’s third star of the

week on Monday.

Quick and the Kings’ final challenges of the regular season will be a pair

of divisional foes without playoff aspirations. Seattle (26-46-6) has had an

inaugural season to forget, having finished last in the division and been

forced to sell off pieces at the trade deadline. Going into Tuesday’s

games, forward Jared McCann’s 47 points represent the most meager

figure in the NHL for a player leading his team in scoring, with

Philadelphia’s Travis Konecy’s 52 the next lowest total.

The Kraken went 4-4-0 over the past eight games, a stretch that included

the franchise’s first-ever three-game win streak. Seattle has lost two of

three meetings with the Kings to date.

Vancouver (38-30-11) has fizzled of late with three consecutive losses

before Tuesday, but to that point, they had been challenging the Kings,

Vegas, Dallas and Nashville for the final available playoff spots in the

Western Conference. Coach Bruce Boudreau has compiled a 30-15-9

record since taking the helm Dec. 7, a better record than all but the Kings

and Calgary Flames among Pacific Division teams during that span.

Vancouver battered the Kings 4-0 in Boudreau’s debut, but the Kings set

up a Game-82 rubber match with a 2-1 shootout victory at home on Dec.

30. Forward J.T. Miller’s 96-point campaign is the most prolific for a

Canuck since Daniel Sedin’s 104-point, Art Ross Trophy-winning season

in 2010-11. On Saturday, Quinn Hughes set the record for assists in a

season by a Vancouver defenseman (56) and tied the best single-season

mark by a Canucks blueliner with 63 points.



Kings look to lock up postseason bid on Pacific Northwest trip

Andrew Knoll

5-6 minutes 26/04/2022

With the postseason around the bend, the Kings could enter their final

two games of the season with a berth in hand and an opportunity to

secure home-ice advantage in the first round to boot.

They traveled to the Pacific Northwest for back-to-back matches against

the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday and Vancouver Canucks on Thursday.

The Kings could clinch a playoff spot as early as Tuesday night with a

Vegas loss of any kind to the Dallas Stars. Even if Vegas were to win out,

the Kings could secure no worse than the third seed in the Pacific

Division by earning a solitary point from their final two games via an

overtime or shootout loss. The Kings also own the tiebreaker against

Vegas, for now, with 34 regulation victories to the Golden Knights’ 33.

“We’ve got to do some things that we can control to get to where we want

to go,” Kings coach Todd McLellan said. “Now, that can obviously

change before we play again, but no one is thinking any differently

around here: worry about your own work.”

To leapfrog second-place Edmonton and gain home ice in a first-round

matchup with the Oilers, the Kings would need to win out and for the

Oilers to earn one point or none across their remaining three games.

Edmonton was up two points on the Kings on Tuesday morning and had

cemented its tie-break advantage already.

While the fate of their campaign may still be malleable, the Kings are on

the verge of their first playoff appearance since 2018. The following

season, center Blake Lizotte made his NHL debut after signing as an

undrafted free agent.

The undersized but temeritous pivot has become emblematic of a Kings

team that went from bare cupboards and the basement of the league’s

weakest division to a potential Stanley Cup contender. His perseverance,

sportsmanship and dedication as well as his performance as part of the

Kings’ bottom six and penalty kill earned him a nomination for the Bill

Masterton Trophy this season.


but, at the end of the day, everyone likes to be appreciated for the things

that they do,” Lizotte said. “It’s super humbling for sure.”

Lizotte has moved up to the third line, bringing his trademark tenacity to a

trio with former first-liners Dustin Brown and Alex Iafallo. McLellan said

that regardless of who he lined up with, Lizotte’s presence was felt

throughout the lineup.

“Blake has the ability to pull people into the game and he does that on a

nightly basis,” McLellan said. “He drags teammates in and they follow

him. When he’s out, we miss it. And when he’s in, it’s there.”

Another once-unheralded prospect, goalie and former third-round pick

Jonathan Quick, has been an even longer-standing symbol of the Kings’

selflessly competitive culture. He has gone on to become the most

accomplished netminder in Kings history and arguably the top American-

born goaltender of all-time as well. Heading into the season, the younger

Cal Petersen was anointed not-so-subtly with a fresh contract extension

and the nod in net on opening night.

But down the stretch, Quick has seized the reins in goal, winning four

consecutive appearances and five out of six to get the Kings off the

bubble and onto the promised land. For his most recent efforts – he went

3-0-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average and .937 save percentage in

three games last week – Quick was named the NHL’s third star of the

week Monday.

Quick and the Kings’ final challenges of the season will be a pair of

divisional foes without playoff aspirations. Seattle (26-46-6) has had an

inaugural season to forget, having finished last in the division and been

forced to sell off pieces at the trade deadline. Forward Jared McCann’s

47 points represent the most meager figure in the NHL for a player

leading his team in scoring, with Philadelphia’s Travis Konecy’s 52 points

being the next lowest total.

The Kraken went 4-4-0 over the past eight games, a stretch that included

the franchise’s first-ever three-game win streak. Seattle has lost two of

three meetings with the Kings to date.

Vancouver (38-30-11) has fizzled of late with three consecutive losses,

but to that point they had been challenging the Kings, Vegas, Dallas and

Nashville for the final available playoff spots in the Western Conference.

Coach Bruce Boudreau has compiled a 30-15-9 record since taking the

helm Dec. 7, a better record than all but the Kings and Calgary Flames

among Pacific Division teams during that span.

Vancouver battered the Kings 4-0 in Boudreau’s debut, but the Kings set

up a Game-82 rubber match with a 2-1 shootout victory at home on Dec.

30. Forward J.T. Miller’s 96-point campaign is the most prolific for a

Canuck since Daniel Sedin’s 104-point, Art Ross Trophy-winning season

in 2010-11. On Saturday, Quinn Hughes set the record for assists in a

season by a Vancouver defenseman (56) and tied the best single-season

mark by a Canucks blueliner with 63 points.



LA Kings clinch postseason berth, will return to Stanley Cup Playoffs for

first time since 2017-18 season - LA Kings Insider

By Zach Dooley

4-5 minutes 27/04/2022

Playoff Bound, Insiders!

With a Dallas win over the Vegas Golden Knights, the LA Kings have

officially clinched a postseason berth, returning to the Stanley Cup

Playoffs for the first time since the 2017-18 season. We now know the

Kings are in, with two regular-season games still to play. Here’s

everything we’ve got to date on what could still happen and what’s to

come regarding the 2022 Playoffs.

Seeding & Opponent

The Round 1 Matchup is set.

2. Edmonton Oilers vs. 3. Los Angeles Kings

The Kings clinched a playoff spot this evening, courtesy of the Dallas win

over Vegas and Edmonton clinched home-ice advantage in the first-

round matchup, courtesy of their own victory over the Pittsburgh

Penguins, despite the best efforts of Jeff Carter, who scored in defeat.

Up until this evening, the door was left open for the Kings to finish either

second or third in the Pacific, with the potential of earning home-ice

advantage in the first round. Though the teams could still tie on points,

should the Kings win tonight and tomorrow and the Oilers lose on

Thursday and Friday, Edmonton already owns the first tiebreaker, with

the Kings unable to catch them in regulation wins.

Schedule

To Be Determined.

The 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs are scheduled to begin, leaguewide, on

Monday, May 2. The expectation is that teams would have two weeks,

per series, which brings us to the league-mandated final date for the

postseason, June 30.

Game 1 of the best-of-seven series will take place in Edmonton, as will

Games 5 and 7, if necessary. The Kings are set to host Games 3 and 4

and, if necessary, Game 6, all at Crypto.com Arena. The series could

begin as soon as the second, with reports on social media today

suggesting the possibility of Games 1 and 2on May 2 and May 4. That

would place the first game on home ice somewhere around May 6th, 7th

or 8th, depending on scheduling conflicts, events, movement, etc. A full

schedule is expected to be released at a later date, once seeding is

confirmed between the Kings and Oilers.

Also to be determined is a broadcast schedule between national

coverage and Bally Sports West. The first round of the postseason offers

both local and national coverage of the series, with that schedule to

come through the Kings once available. National coverage of the

postseason is split between ESPN and Turner Sports, while Bally Sports

West will broadcast the first round locally.

Round 1 Tickets

Per The Kings –

Tickets for First Round home games at Crypto.com Arena will go on sale

Thursday, April 28 at 10 AM. VIP Pre-Sales are live now and can be

accessed by using your American Express Card, following LA Kings

Social channels for an access passcode, or subscribing to the LA Kings

VIP eNews. Season Ticket Memberships for 2022-23 are on sale now

and include access to the best seats at the lowest prices, including

access to all playoff games. Visit www.lakings.com/playoffs for more info

and to secure tickets.

For those looking to get a jump start and some inside access, visit

axs.com/lakings and use the promo code FOLLOW in the “VIP

PRESALE” section of the webpage. That will give you access to Round 1

tickets.

That’s all for tonight, Insiders! We’ll get reactions from players and

coaches tomorrow on finally clinching a playoff berth, with the team set to

take to the ice tomorrow morning at 11:30 AM for morning skate in

Seattle. Until then….the Kings are in! Enjoy it, Insiders!

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 04.27.2022


Practice 4/26 - Kings Off To Seattle + Defensive Group, Fourth Line's

Play, Luc on Rome - LA Kings Insider

By Zach Dooley

8-10 minutes 27/04/2022

The Kings hit the ice this morning in El Segundo in advance of today’s

trip to Seattle. The Kings depart Los Angeles one point shy of a

postseason berth, with the possibility of clinching the playoffs without

playing tonight, which could come via a Dallas win in any fashion over

Vegas.

Today’s practice was relatively brief, following a longer skate yesterday

morning. Today’s alignment mirrored what we saw yesterday, with no

changes indicated from Saturday’s win over Anaheim.

With that in mind, here’s how the Kings lined up this morning in El

Segundo –

Athanasiou – Kopitar – Kempe

Moore – Danault – Arvidsson

Iafallo – Lizotte – Brown

Grundstrom – Byfield – Kaliyev – Lemieux

Andersson – Vilardi – Kupari

Edler – Roy

Moverare – Durzi

Maatta – Spence

Bjornfot – Stecher

Anderson – Strand

Quick / Petersen

Todd McLellan has said that he knows what tomorrow’s lineup looks like

at this time. Should tomorrow’s result impact the meaning of that game

for the Kings, they could adjust accordingly, but nothing until that point.

Notes –

Defensemen – By Committee

“Trust our systems, trust each other and do the job.”

A good way of putting it simply, courtesy of Sean Durzi, who was asked

about the group of defensemen this season without Drew Doughty and

how they’ve banded together as one at this time of the year.

Todd McLellan said yesterday that he hasn’t really experienced a

situation like this, as he’s usually had a defined and clear-cut number one

defenseman, number two defenseman, etc. He noted that Alex Edler

certainly was that player in his prime and obviously should the Kings

have had Drew Doughty available, we wouldn’t be having this

conversation or writing this bulletpoint in an article. But here we are.

“Obviously Dewy is huge part of the team,” Durzi said. “Early on in the

season, every single night, being able to watch him and learn from him

was huge. I try to do things in my game now that I’ve seen him do, so it’s

pretty cool to notice that. He’s still a huge part of our team now, just

talking to him, having that experience, it makes it a lot easier for us.”

McLellan spoke about Edler, Matt Roy and Olli Maatta separately from

the group as a whole, with the experience of those players compared to

the other three in the lineup in Durzi, Jordan Spence and Jacob

Moverare. The duo of Roy and Edler have combined to log a lot of the

tougher minutes for the Kings as of late, with others slotting in behind.

Speaking with Durzi today, he pointed to Roy’s mentality as being

something he can try to learn from and grow from. Considering himself to

be a passionate player and individual, it’s easier than he would like to get

too high or low on himself. He pointed to Roy as someone who does a

great job of not doing that, something he’d like to pull into his own game

when applicable.

“His mentality,” Durzi said. “He does amazing things on the ice and you

can’t give him enough credit for the things that he does out there, but just

the way he goes about his game, how even-keeled he is. He’s never too

high, never too low. For a passionate player like myself, it’s pretty easy to

get too high or too low on yourself, so that’s something you know you’re

seeing every day in him and that’s what he’s so reliable.”

With Roy coming back into the lineup, it’s relieved a bit of the burden that

was being placed on Durzi and Spence on the right side.

Edler and Roy both have experience playing against, and attempting to

shut down, the top players on an opposing team. Durzi and Spence were

being asked to do a lot of that with Roy injured and Edler recovering and

handled it as well as you could have possibly expected. Now, the Kings

are deeper on the backend, with three pairs capable of sharing the load a

bit more than they did. And that’s a rallying cry for the group.

“The group all year, we’ve been resilient, whether anyone is missing or

not, we’ve been resilient enough to say next man up,” Durzi noted. “I

think that’s the mentality moving forward. What we have in the room, we

have to believe we have everything we have to win and that’s something

I think we have and the belief is going to be even stronger. That’s

something we’re going to rally behind.”

Fourth Line & Impact

We’ve talked about the other three lines here over the last week, so

might as well make our way to the fourth line today.

“I’ve liked their last six periods, they’ve been a factor in the games,” Todd

McLellan said of the line. “They have physicality, there’s pace, there’s

some size, puck movement and goals. All while being fairly responsible,

their checking skills were pretty good, it’s a good look right now.”

A great display from that trio on Saturday specifically, with Arthur Kaliyev

involved in all three goals, Quinton Byfield collecting two assists and Carl

Grundstrom collecting one. All three had strong games, all three were

noticeable, and it was noticeable how the meshed and played together

as well.

CG – I think we played together, helped each other out and we played

direct, which was key. All three of us are strong down low and strong with

the puck, so I think that helps us because we all want to play the same

way.

QB – I think Carl has a lot of skill and he works super hard, he’s always

finishing hits, he’s always getting in there. Arty, he has a crazy shot and

he’s always making plays. I’m just trying to read off of those two guys.

Last year in Ontario, me and Arty played a lot together, so there’s

definitely some chemistry there as well.

Over their past 120 minutes (in full game time) together, that line has

controlled shot attempts by a 18-14 margin at even strength, but it was in

the higher-danger metrics that they really stood out. Scoring chances

were 11-4 in favor, while high-danger chances were 6-1. Goals for, as a

three-man unit, were also +2 in the Anaheim game for that trio, with

Kaliyev also impacting a third during a line change, though that play was

started by the full line.

Looking specifically at Grundstrom, who we spoke with this morning, he

believes that consistency has been his biggest area of improvement this

season. He hasn’t been a regular in the lineup but he has impacted

games when he’s played, with nine goals in mostly a fourth-line role.

Grundstrom has career highs in all offensive categories, as well as

incredibly consistent and above-average possession metrics (he’s

between 52.68 and 53.63 in percentage of shot attempts, scoring

chances and high-danger chances controlled). Good signs from #91.

“I think I’m getting more consistent this year, that’s been my biggest

improvement,” Grundstrom added. “I think you learn when you play

games, I’ve been here for a couple of years and I’ve learned that way.

Try to play my game and help the team the way that I can do.”

The Kings prioritize playing four lines, but can only do that when all four

lines are playing consistently at a level that merits the more even split.

We’ve seen a lot of fluctuation over the bottom six over the last month

and a half, with a rash of injuries necessitating changes, but seeing some

consistency at the right time is a huge boost.

Over the last two games at the least, they’ve gotten that contribution

across the board, a good sign heading into tomorrow, and hopefully

some additional important games to come.

Luc on Rome

Lastly, Insiders, hear from Kings President Luc Robitaille on the Jim

Rome Show –

Robitaille joined the program to talk about the push for the postseason

the Kings are undergoing, the larger-scale plan and vision for the

organization and a few other stories along the way. Enjoy!

Stars and Golden Knights tonight, Kings and Kraken tomorrow. The

Kings can watch the former, but regardless of outcome, they control their

own fate tomorrow evening. A win for the Kings, or even a point, would

lock in a playoff position for Los Angeles.

Until then, Insiders!



A "humbled" Blake Lizotte embodies the qualities of the Masterton

Trophy - LA Kings Insider

By Zach Dooley

7-8 minutes 26/04/2022

“In this league, you never stop proving yourself, you’re only as good as

the last shift you played.”

Hard to think of a more perfect sentence to describe Blake Lizotte than

that one.

It was Lizotte himself who said it, demonstrating a great understanding of

his situation, his role and his skillset. For those reasons, amongst several

others, Lizotte was selected yesterday as the LA Kings’ nominee for the

2022 Masterton Trophy, as voted on by the Los Angeles based members

of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National

Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of

perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. The award

is named after former Minnesota North Star Bill Masterton, who was the

only player in NHL history to pass away from injuries sustained during a

game.

Each of the league’s now 32 teams has one honoree recognized by their

local media, with the top three vote-getters designated as finalists for the

award, which will be presented in June, between Games 3 and 4 of the

Stanley Cup Final.

Speaking with Lizotte yesterday, he was honored to be recognized for

things that he tries to do naturally, with no one watching.

“It’s humbling, it’s obviously a super-cool honor,” he said yesterday. “It’s

the kind of award you don’t really look to get per say, it’s not like a

performance award or whatever. I always like to say that what you do

when no one is watching that is most important. Anybody can do the right

thing, or persevere, when the spotlight is on you, but it’s something that’s

a cool honor.”

His comments are spot on.

You don’t necessarily set out during a season to be nominated for the

Masterton Trophy, but rather you try to do the right things each and every

day. In Lizotte’s case, just by doing those things on a day-in, day-out

basis, he was recognized on a larger scale.


but at the end of the day, everyone likes to be appreciated for the things

that they do,” Lizotte added. “It’s super humbling for sure.”

The criteria for selection leaves a lot of the discrepancy up to those

voting. For Lizotte, it was his combination of tenacity, willpower and

character that more than merited his nomination.

The officially submitted bio highlighted things like Lizotte’s undrafted

status, his tenacious style of play and his performance this season that

merited a two-year contract extension, signed on Deadline Day back in

March. It’s for those reasons, and many more, that the choice of Lizotte

was a good one.

“Great choice,” Kings Head Coach Todd McLellan said. “That award is

about commitment, drive, resilience and Lizzo, he lives that every day

here at the rink. He lives like it’s his last day in hockey equipment.

Whether it’s a game day, practice day, workout day, he shows up and to

find a young man like that, who doesn’t have a long career, but already

gets it, is valuable in the room.”

Lizotte has embodied that quote just about every day this season.

Entering training camp, his everyday place in the lineup wasn’t a

guarantee. With highly-touted, young forwards coming up through the

system, several at the center-ice position, Lizotte knew he needed to

earn his place in the lineup each and every day. And earn it he did.

Now, with 80 games in the rearview mirror and Lizotte playing each one

he was healthy for, that almost feels weird to say. Lizotte is one of the

first names on the team sheet every night, playing an important role that

embodies the identity the Kings have created this season.

“Big difference, pretty big difference,” McLellan said, of having Lizotte

versus not having him available. “Blake has the ability to pull people into

the game and he does that on a nightly basis. He drags teammates in

and they follow him. When he’s out, we miss it and when he’s in, it’s

there.”

Lizotte spent the bulk of the season on the fourth line for the Kings, an

effective energy line with Brendan Lemieux and Arthur Kaliyev as his

long-term wingers. Injuries to Lizotte and Lemieux separated that line

back in March, with the trio not playing together after all three members

were finally healthy again.

Lizotte has since been trusted with centering the team’s third line, with

the veteran duo of Dustin Brown and Alex Iafallo on his wings. Since his

promotion to that line, Lizotte has seen his ice time per game surge from

fewer than 12 minutes per game to nearly 13 and a half minutes per

night, averaging 13:27 per night with the Brown/Iafallo combination.

“We have a lot of confidence in that line right now, they’ve been able to

go out against any line of the opposition and hold their own,” McLellan

said. “Sometimes that opens up the other lines for a mismatch, or when

you’re in trouble they give you trusting shifts. Without him there, I don’t

know if we always have that.”

All of the traits that have earned Lizotte the Masterton nomination are the

same traits that have endeared him to older players – such as his current

linemates – and younger players alike.

Lizotte rarely has a day at the rink that veers from his ideals. Whether it’s

a game day or a practice day, a day on the ice or a day in the gym,

Lizotte brings it. That type of reputation earns him respect amongst the

veterans, while also providing a great example for the younger players.

“He’s connected to the older players as well as the younger group,”

McLellan added. “They can eyeball him, take a look at him and realize

this guy knows what to do. When you know what to do, you fit the whole

group. When you’re still learning, guys have their eye on you. If you’re

older and you don’t do it, young kids are watching you, but he’s the

middleman and he does a great job.”

The remainder of Lizotte’s regular season, and the start of the

postseason at least, will come against Western Conference opposition.

McLellan believes that, by this point, those teams know exactly who

Lizotte is. He recalled, however, a conversation with a friend who

coaches in the Eastern Conference, who reached out to him after playing

the Kings earlier this season.

“I have a good friend who coaches on [an Eastern Conference] team and

he texts me and says who the hell is 46,” McLellan said, with a chuckle.

“But they don’t know our team, they haven’t played us. I think the

Western Conference teams know who he is.”

That’s the impression Lizotte has made this season, clearly on media

and hockey operations alike.

Now, with the postseason just a short step away, those same traits will

be valued more than ever. At this time of the year, when every shift

actually could be your last, a player who plays every shift in that way is a

nice piece to have.



10 Biggest Questions: Final Answers (2021-22 LA Kings) - LA Kings

Insider

Staff Report

By LA Kings Insider

1-1 minutes 26/04/2022

TOP 10 QUESTIONS FOR THE 2021-22 LA KINGS

10 – Will Cal Petersen convincingly claim the starters role?

9 – Will Viktor Arvidsson have a bounce back offensive season?

8 – How will Phillip Danault impact the offense and defense of the LA

Kings?

7 – Will the “Core Four” repeat their strong performances from the 2021

season?

6 – Will the Power Play provide consistent offense?

5 – What will the recovery process look like for Quinton Byfield?

4 – Will the defense provide more offense?

3 – How many games will be played by prospects and rookies?

2 – How will the rest of the Pacific Division perform?

1 – Will the Kings be an improved team this season?


1242871 Minnesota Wild

Wild's long points streaks end with loss to lowly Arizona

Sarah McLellan

17-22 minutes 27/04/2022

How can an already miserable loss to one of the NHL's bottom feeders

get worse after the fact?

When the Wild whiffs on the chance to gain ground in the neck-and-neck

race for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs because the

team it's jostling with banks zero points for the first time in almost a

month.

That's right, the Blues finally stumbled after a mind-boggling 14-0-2 surge

with a rare blip to the Avalanche.

But the Wild couldn't take advantage because it had a bigger gaffe earlier

in the evening, a 5-3 eyesore to the lowly Coyotes on Tuesday night in

front of an announced 18,383 at Xcel Energy Center that ended the

team's 10-game point streak.

So, the Wild and St. Louis remain tied at 109 points; the Wild is still

ahead for now, in second place in the Central Division, because it's

played one game fewer than the Blues.

"It's a tough one, obviously," Jordan Greenway said. "One we're going to,

hopefully not — but one we might wished we had back."

This was the Wild's first regulation loss since April 5 and only the second

in 22 games, and it ended the team's home point streak at 13 — one

game shy of breaking the franchise record.

A power-play goal by Arizona's Travis Boyd 10 minutes, 22 seconds into

the third period was the difference.

Not only did it halt the Wild's comeback, which was stoked by two goals

24 seconds apart earlier in the period, but the Wild also lost momentum

from a lengthy unsuccessful challenge to see if the play was offside. The

NHL ruled there wasn't conclusive evidence to show the Coyotes were

offside, so the goal counted and the Wild was dinged with a delay-of-

game penalty.

"I don't know how they do their video, but our video shows that he's

offside," coach Dean Evason said.

Phil Kessel added an empty-net goal with 1:19 to go, but signs of a

letdown by the Wild popped up much earlier.

"We got what we deserved," Evason said. "It's hard to find a good player

here tonight."

Despite scoring first, the Wild didn't have its usual aggressiveness and

wasn't as physically engaged as it normally is; the team finished with

seven hits and 38 shots, this after racking up 22 shots in one period last

game.

Ryan Hartman tallied his 34th goal 11:05 into the first period, and Matt

Boldy's assist extended his career-high point streak to 10 games to

become the first rookie to have a double-digit point streak since Arizona's

Clayton Keller's 10-game run in 2017-18.

But the Wild never ran away from the Coyotes even though it had plenty

of looks on the power play, with Kevin Fiala drawing three penalties in his

first game in 11 without a point. Overall, the Wild went 0-for-6 with just

five shots with a man advantage. Arizona was 1-for-4.

"When the power play is good, we shoot the puck. We get it back," Joel

Eriksson Ek said. "Today, the power play should have won that game for

us."

With 1:45 left in the second, the Coyotes tied the Wild on a shot by Anton

Stralman from inside the right faceoff circle before Jack McBain scored

his first NHL goal on a deflection 20 seconds into the third.

McBain, drafted by the Wild, was traded to Arizona last month after he

informed the Wild he wouldn't be signing with the team.

Before long, Antoine Roussel doubled the Coyotes' lead at 2:56.

That seemed to serve as a wake-up call for the Wild.

A backhander by Eriksson Ek sailed in at 4:51, his 26th goal and fifth

during a career-high three-game goal streak. Kirill Kaprizov picked up his

second assist of the game and his 105th point on his 25th birthday.

Then on the very next shift, Marcus Foligno poked in a loose puck at 5:15

to bring the Wild back to equilibrium. He and Eriksson Ek totaled two

points apiece.

"Usually we win these games," Eriksson Ek said.

But the rally fell short, dropping Marc-Andre Fleury to 8-2 with the Wild

after his 21-save effort. Karel Vejmelka had 35 stops for Arizona, which

won for the first time in 11 games.

"I've got to be better," Fleury said. "I feel like I'm giving up a lot of goals

lately. It's making me mad. But keep working and keep practicing hard

and move on to the next one."

Star Tribune LOADED: 04.27.2022


GREEF line — Greenway, Eriksson Ek and Foligno — back together

again

Sarah McLellan

15-18 minutes 27/04/2022

Wild forwards Jordan Greenway, Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Foligno

were finally reunited Tuesday against the Coyotes at Xcel Energy Center,

but Eriksson Ek certainly didn't look lost on the ice while his "GREEF"

linemates were sidelined.

"He doesn't need us at all," Foligno said. "Past two games he's been on

fire."

Eriksson Ek entered this three-game homestand on a roll, tallying two

goals and three points overall in back-to-back games for the first time in

the NHL as the center continues his career season.

"He's just been so big for us all year and making sure that his best is still

yet to come," said Foligno, who had a goal and an assist in the Wild's 5-3

loss to Arizona on Tuesday as did Eriksson Ek.

The last time Eriksson Ek played with Greenway and Foligno was April

12 vs. the Oilers.

Greenway exited that game early with an upper-body injury that ended

up keeping him out for seven games. Then Foligno was idle all last week

after testing positive for COVID-19.

"It's been tough watching, but the guys have been doing such a great

job," Foligno said. "You see a tough game in Nashville and just the battle

of it all, you miss it. Tough to watch. I think your heart races way more

watching than you do playing.

"Just happy to back now and obviously healthy and ready to finish off the

season with the guys and get ready for the playoffs."

Injury update

Captain Jared Spurgeon did not suit up Tuesday after suffering an upper-

body injury Sunday at Nashville.

Spurgeon left the 5-4 overtime win vs. the Predators after getting hit into

the boards by Filip Forsberg.

"We were more encouraged yesterday and today how he felt," coach

Dean Evason said. "So, that's positive I guess. As far as a timeline, we

don't have one. We'll just see where he's at."

Mats Zuccarello (lower-body injury) and Matt Dumba (upper-body injury)

remained out for the Wild.

Dumba has been unavailable since getting hurt April 5 after delivering a

shoulder check to Nashville's Michael McCarron. Evason mentioned the

Wild "probably" planned on Dumba playing against Arizona but the

defenseman isn't ready. The team hopes Dumba will be able to get a

game in before the regular season ends.

"Things change and guys progress from injuries quicker or slower,"

Evason said.

Jordie Benn drew in on defense with Spurgeon injured, and Nick

Bjugstad remained in Zuccarello's spot next to Kirill Kaprizov and Ryan

Hartman; the Wild scratched forward Connor Dewar.

Although the team would like to roll out its projected Game 1 lineup that'll

face the Blues before the playoffs, Evason said that likely won't happen

because of the team's injuries.

What the coaching staff can do, however, is give certain pairings and

lines reps, like it is with the Wild's fourth line of Nic Deslauriers, Tyson

Jost and Brandon Duhaime.

"We project that that would be a line for us," Evason said. "So, the more

touches and more time they can get together, playing together, and

continue the chemistry built, that's a good thing."

If that trio stays intact the rest of the way, Bjugstad and Dewar could be

the extra forwards when the playoffs begin.

Playoff tickets

A limited number of single-game tickets for the Wild's first-round playoff

series at Xcel Energy Center will go on sale Wednesday at 2 p.m. at

ticketmaster.com.



Wild's Marc-Andre Fleury starts again; Marcus Foligno, Jordan Greenway

return vs. Coyotes

Sarah McLellan

16-20 minutes 26/04/2022

The Wild kicks off the final week of the regular season against the

Coyotes at Xcel Energy Center on Tuesday, the beginning of a three-

game homestand, and Marc-Andre Fleury will once again be in net.

This will be Fleury's third straight start, a season-high with the Wild since

joining the team in a trade last month from the Blackhawks. Fleury is 8-1

with a 2.77 goals-against average and .911 save percentage.

"We've got a plan going forward here with the three games, and Fleury

will get tonight," coach Dean Evason said.

Marcus Foligno will be back in action after missing four games while on

the COVID list, and his linemate Jordan Greenway is also set to return

from an upper-body injury that sidelined him for seven games.

Captain Jared Spurgeon, who left the 5-4 overtime win at Nashville on

Sunday with an upper-body injury, won't play.

"We were more encouraged yesterday and today how he felt," Evason

said. "So, that's positive I guess. As far as a timeline, we don't have one.

We'll just see where he's at, but he won't play tonight."

Aside from Spurgeon, the Wild will also be without Mats Zuccarello

(lower-body injury) and Matt Dumba (upper-body injury).

Not only is the Wild on a 10-game point streak, but the team has a 13-

game point streak at home.

As for Arizona, the Coyotes have been going the opposite direction.

They've dropped 10 in a row.

"We respect our opponent all the time," Evason said. "We've shown that

all year. There's no reason why we would change tonight just because

we've clinched and they're not in the playoffs. We still have to play this

hockey game. They're still in the same league as us."



Wild get exactly what they deserve in 5-3 loss to Coyotes

Dane Mizutani

3-4 minutes 27/04/2022

Not surprisingly, coach Dean Evason didn’t mince words after the Wild

got exactly what they deserved in a 5-3 loss to the lowly Arizona Coyotes

on Tuesday night at Xcel Energy Center.

In the hours leading up to the game, Evason warned the Wild of

overlooking the Coyotes. He didn’t care that the Wild entered the

matchup on a 10-game point streak. He didn’t care that the Coyotes

entered the matchup on a 10-game losing streak.

As far as Evason was concerned, the Wild still had to play their game.

They did not.

“Our whole game sucked tonight,” Evason said. “We got what we

deserved. We were just going through the lineup. You go through

everybody and it’s hard to find a good player here tonight.”

The most surprising part of the loss was that the Wild have been so good

about not overlooking opposing teams this season.

“It’s human nature maybe,” Evason said. “Were we surprised by it? We

were disappointed by it for sure. I would guess that nobody’s more

disappointed than the players putting the skates on. We expect our

character to come through and have this be a one-off.”

It has to be. With games against the Calgary Flames and Colorado

Avalanche left on the schedule, the Wild still control their own destiny as

far as getting home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs. That

would be a big boost in the series against the St. Louis Blues.

“It’ll be a good time to push and see where we’re at,” Marc-Andre Fleury

said of the games against the Flames and Avalanche coming up. “Our

last real test before (the playoffs) start.”

As for the loss to the Coyotes on this particular night, the Wild were very

disappointed with their overall effort.

“It’s frustrating,” Joel Eriksson Ek said. “We know we can be so much

better. We have to learn from this. At the same time, we know it’s

playoffs coming, and we can’t let this get down too much.”

After Ryan Hartman put the Wild in front 1-0 in the first period, they

looked like a team going for style points for most of the night, and it cost

them. They finished 0 for 6 on the power play in the game, failing to net a

separation goal that might’ve opened the floodgates.

Instead, the Coyotes continued to hang around, getting a goal from

Anton Stralman in the second period to tie the game at 1-1, then a goal

from Jack McBain in the third period to go up 2-1. Antoine Roussel added

another goal in the third period to make it 3-1 in favor of the Coyotes.

That served as a wake up call for the Wild, as Eriksson Ek promptly cut

the deficit to 3-2, and less than 30 seconds after that, Marcus Foligno

scored to make it 3-3.

In the end, though, former Gophers star Travis Boyd scored what proved

to be the game-winner for the Coyotes, beating Fleury with a redirection

from the point to make it 4-3.

Thinking the play might have been offside, Evason challenged the play to

no avail. He wasn’t happy with the call.

“We just went back and watched it and it’s offside,” Evason said. “I don’t

know how they do their video. Our video shows that he’s offside.”

With the Wild trying to mount a comeback in the waning minutes, Phil

Kessel tallied an empty-netter to finalize the score at 5-3.

“It’s not the outcome that we wanted,” Jordan Greenway said. “It’s one

we’re going to — hopefully not — but one we might wish we had back.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 04.27.2022


Marcus Foligno returns to Wild lineup after another bout with COVID

Dane Mizutani

3-4 minutes 26/04/2022

Wild winger Marcus Foligno remembers feeling “a little bit off” after the

Wild’s 5-4 victory over the San Jose Sharks on Easter. He woke up the

next morning with a stuffy nose, a dry throat and a pit in his stomach

knowing he had to get tested for COVID ahead of a road game against

the Montreal Canadiens.

Though the NHL eliminated daily testing a couple of months ago, it still

requires teams to get swabbed before cross-border travel between the

U.S. and Canada. That’s how Foligno found out he had COVID once

again.

“You get the test and you get the call back from the docs letting you know

you’re positive, and you’re just like, ‘OK. Here we go,’ ” Foligno said. “It is

what it is. I’m happy that at the end of day I was the only one that got it

and we don’t have anyone else kind of going down that road. You want

everyone healthy going into playoffs here.”

After staying home for his mandatory isolation period, Foligno was set to

return to the Wild lineup Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center for a

game against the Arizona Coyotes. He missed games last week against

Montreal, Vancouver, Seattle and Nashville.

“It’s been tough watching,” Foligno said. “You see a tough game in

Nashville and the battle of it all. You miss it. It’s tough to watch. I think

(my) heart races way more watching than (it does) playing.”

Fortunately for Foligno, he only had minor symptoms last week.

Unfortunately for Foligno, his wife and kids got sick, too.

“You’re dealing with two little ones that don’t know how to blow their

nose,” he said. “It’s a little different and more stressful than actually being

sick myself. Everyone is doing better now.”

Perhaps the silver lining of Foligno testing positive is he got to rest his

body.

It’s no secret Foligno has been dealing with some bumps and bruises

over the past couple of months. He’s just played through the pain

because that’s what he does.

“It was good to kind of just quiet some things down with the schedule that

we’ve had,” Foligno said. “Even days that we get a day off, it’s (one) day

and we’re right back at it to hitting something again, or doing something

like that.”

Not surprisingly, Foligno said his body is feeling much better after a week

off. He added that he was looking forward to getting back on the ice to

work alongside Joel Eriksson Ek and opposite Jordan Greenway, who

also returned to the Wild lineup Tuesday after missing the past couple of

weeks with an upper-body injury.

“I’m really excited,” Foligno said. “Just happy to back now and healthy

and ready to finish off the season with the guys.”

Pioneer Press LOADED: 04.27.2022


Wild blow golden opportunity to get playoff advantage with loss to lowly

Coyotes: ‘One we might wish we had back’

Michael Russo

9-11 minutes 27/04/2022

It didn’t sound like there would be any rest for the weary during the final

two home games, but that especially could be the case now that the Wild

allowed their 13-game home point streak and 10-game overall point

streak to explode Tuesday night at the hands of the worst team in the

Western Conference and one of the worst in the NHL.

“We want home ice,” Wild general manager Bill Guerin said during the

“Worst Seats in the House” podcast. “Anytime you get a chance to earn

something or win something or do something that could help us, we’re

going to do it.”

Guerin’s comments came one night before the Wild blew a golden

opportunity against a Central Division opponent that’s usually a free

space on their bingo card, the Arizona Coyotes, who were winless in 10

consecutive games and hemorrhaging goals against.

But in a disappointing effort, the Wild lost 5-3 on a night when the St.

Louis Blues’ 16-game point streak ended in Colorado. Had the Wild won,

they would have needed just one point in their final two games to secure

home-ice advantage in their first-round matchup with the Blues.

Now we won’t know where the series is starting until Friday — the final

day of their regular seasons. The teams are tied with 109 points with the

Wild hosting Calgary and Colorado on Thursday and Friday. The Blues

host Vegas on Friday night. If the teams tie in points, the series will start

in St. Louis.

“It’s a tough one, obviously, one we’re gonna — hopefully not, but one

we might wish we had back,” said left wing Jordan Greenway, who

returned after missing seven games because of an upper-body injury.

Guerin believes home ice would set the stage for a great series. It would

put an exclamation on a terrific season but also allow the Wild to start in

front of an electric atmosphere and give them a tactical advantage, like

the last change and the ability to dictate matchups.

“If we just started resting guys and not trying to get home ice, what would

our players say, what would our fan base say?” Guerin said. “They’d be

like, ‘What the heck? What are you doing? You’re just giving St. Louis

home ice.’ No, we’re not going to do that. We’re not giving them

anything.”

But the Wild didn’t take care of business Tuesday night against a team

they were 25-5-3 against in the previous 33 meetings and one that

entered with 51 points, tied for the fewest in the NHL. Desperately

missing defensemen Jared Spurgeon and Matt Dumba and playmaker

Mats Zuccarello on the power play, the Wild went 0 for 6 with five shots

on goal. Then, after rallying from 3-1 down in the third period on goals by

Joel Eriksson Ek and Marcus Foligno 24 seconds apart, the Wild

surrendered a power-play goal to former University of Minnesota forward

Travis Boyd midway through the period.

Coach Dean Evason challenged offside, feeling Arizona’s Nick Schmaltz

forced teammate Shayne Gostisbehere over the line. After a long review

by the linesmen and the NHL Situation Room in Toronto, the goal was

upheld because the league said there was no conclusive video evidence

to show Gostisbehere preceded the puck into the zone.

“It’s still frustrating because we just went back and watched it and it’s

offside. It’s offside,” Evason insisted. “We had a call this year where they

couldn’t see the puck in the net and they said that it was common sense

that the puck’s in the net. Well, common sense … and we have two

angles and we did both and we flipped it back. One, the puck’s not over,

and the other his skate’s off. So I don’t know how they do their video, but

our video shows that he’s offside.”

Regardless, Evason wasn’t using the lost challenge on Arizona’s winning

goal as an excuse.

“Power play’s been good (lately). Obviously, it sucked,” Evason said.

“Listen, our whole game sucked tonight. We got what we deserved. …

It’s hard to find a good player here tonight.”

One of those players who fell on the knife was goalie Marc-Andre Fleury,

who got a third consecutive start.

There are two ways to look at the rationale to start Fleury again: The Wild

were either trying to get him into a groove to start Game 1 of the playoffs

Monday or they’re giving fellow veteran Cam Talbot a rest if they’re

planning on his starting the series.

Fleury, the reigning Vezina Trophy winner, came to Minnesota last month

with the playoff pedigree of 90 wins and three Stanley Cups. But Talbot is

12-0-3 in his past 15 starts and hasn’t lost in regulation since March 1.

Fleury is 5-2 in his past seven – yet with a 3.59 goals-against average

and an .881 save percentage.

“Personally, I’ve got to be better,” he said. “I feel like I’m giving up a lot of

goals lately. It’s making me mad. … I feel like there’s always a goal a

night that I can have. It makes a difference for our team. There’s some

good saves in there. Still, it’s too many goals. I can’t be giving up this

much and expecting our team to win every night. Just have to clean that.”

He’ll obviously start one of the last two games, but one wonders if his

recent erratic play will cause the Wild to start the playoffs with Talbot

between the pipes.

“Everything weighs into our decision,” Evason said. “We’ll have to watch

the goals again and talk as a group. We’re going to have a difficult

decision. When I say there wasn’t one good player on our hockey club,

we could talk to every one of the guys and say they didn’t play well. We

could go through the entire lineup from the goalie to every other player

on the team wasn’t good enough.”

The Wild hoped to get a boost from the returns of Greenway and Foligno,

who missed the previous four games after he, his wife and kids caught

COVID-19. But the Wild looked like they were skating in slush the first

two periods and couldn’t build on Ryan Hartman’s 34th goal 11:05 into

the first.

Power play after power play — three drawn by Kevin Fiala — was

wasted as players, especially Fiala, overpassed pucks and coughed

them up left and right. It’s a shame because the power play easily could

have blown the game wide open.

“We started slow, didn’t win enough battles to play with the puck and they

got energy from feeling they were in the game, and we let them dictate

pretty much how they wanted to play the game,” Eriksson Ek said.

“That’s not what we want to do.”

Or, as teammate Jonas Brodin said more bluntly, “This is a game we’ve

got to win.”

After the Coyotes tied the score at 1-1 late in the second period, they

stunned the Wild with two goals in the opening seconds of the third

period, including the first NHL goal from Jack McBain, the 2018 Wild

third-round pick who snubbed the team last month by refusing to sign

with the organization because he felt it was too deep at center. The Wild

at least were able to trade his rights for a second-round pick.

But when Eriksson Ek and Foligno tied the score so quickly, it just felt like

the Wild, who have mastered the art of the comeback all season, were in

prime position to do it again against a fragile opponent.

It wouldn’t happen despite the Wild saying all the right things earlier in

the day, like the lowly Coyotes are still in the same league as them and

they better put on their work boots later in the evening. Instead, the Wild

paid for their lack of jump and intensity early in the game. Fiala’s 10-

game point streak ended, while Kirill Kaprizov celebrated his 25th

birthday with two assists to give him 105 points on the season.

“The easy answer is we got full of ourselves, reading our press clippings

and all of that. Maybe that happened,” Evason said. “It’ll be addressed,

obviously. The positive thing is it’s uncharacteristic for us. We will fully

expect our group to respond the next game.”

We’ll see if the Wild can get Dumba, Zuccarello or Spurgeon back

Thursday or Friday. Spurgeon got hurt Sunday night in Nashville, and

Evason said earlier Tuesday that they were encouraged by how

Spurgeon was feeling and that his injury isn’t as serious as initially

feared.

They better hope so because the Wild will need a full cast of healthy

players to beat the Blues.

“This was maybe a good team for us to get two points here trying to get a

little lead on St. Louis,” Fleury said. “That’s why it’s a little more sour to

lose that one.”


1242877 Montreal Canadiens

Stu Cowan: Uncertain futures for Canadiens, Price remain intertwined

Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette


The mystery surrounding Carey Price’s future with the Canadiens took

another turn on Tuesday.

Price didn’t practise with his teammates in Brossard after not dressing for

Sunday night’s 5-3 loss to the Boston Bruins at the Bell Centre. Monday

was a day off for the team.

Before Sunday’s game, head coach Martin St. Louis announced Price

wouldn’t travel to New York for Wednesday’s game against the Rangers,

but that he might play in the final regular-season game Friday night at the

Bell Centre against the Florida Panthers.

After practice Tuesday, the Canadiens said Price would travel to New

York, but it was for a medical appointment concerning the knee surgery

he had last July for a torn meniscus. That surgery was performed at New

York’s Hospital for Special Surgery by Robert Marx. The Canadiens said

Price remains listed as “day-to-day” but you have to think his season is

over and his future remains uncertain.

St. Louis said it’s hard to comment on Price’s future until hearing what

the doctor says.

Price has only played four games since returning to the lineup on April

15, posting an 0-4 record with a 4.03 goals-against average and an .853

save percentage. In his last start — a 6-3 loss to the Senators last

Saturday in Ottawa — Price allowed six goals on 26 shots for a .769

save percentage.

“I thought it was a big plus for him to fight and get back from a long year

of dealing with his injury,” St. Louis said. “But we knew that it wasn’t just

going to be smooth sailing. There’s possibilities and I think that’s where

we’re at and that’s why he’s getting looked at.”

When asked if he has had any discussions with Jeff Gorton, the

executive vice-president of hockey operations, or general manager Kent

Hughes about the future of the goaltending situation, St. Louis said: “It’s

not my job. I’m coaching the team. I’ll let them do their job. They have to

deal with that.”

Gorton and Hughes are in Germany scouting the IIHF World U18

Championship.

Price and his contract will have a huge impact on the Canadiens’ future.

The goaltender will turn 35 on Aug. 16 and has four seasons remaining

on his eight-year, US$84-million contract with an annual salary-cap hit of

$10.5 million. Price is scheduled to earn $31.25 million during the next

four seasons, including $24.25 million in signing bonuses. Price received

an $11-million signing bonus last September and will receive a $6.75-

million bonus this September. His base salary next season is $1 million,

followed by three seasons with a base salary of $2 million. There is a

$6.5-million signing bonus in 2023 and signing bonuses of $5 million in

2024 and 2025.

It would be shocking if Price decided to retire with that much money left

on the table. Long-term injured reserve might be a possibility depending

on the severity of his knee issue, but a trade at this point seems

impossible with Price’s age, health and salary-cap hit.

Buying out Price’s contract doesn’t make much sense. According to

CapFriendly.com, if the Canadiens did buy out Price his contract would

still have a salary-cap hit of $10.083 million next season, followed by

three seasons with a cap hit of $9.083 million and then four seasons with

a cap hit of $583,338. The contract wouldn’t be fully bought out until the

end of the 2029-30 season.

At this point, it seems like the best-case scenario for the Canadiens is

that Price can regain his health and something close to the form he had

in the playoffs last season, when he carried the team to the Stanley Cup

final, posting a 2.28 GAA and a .924 save percentage in 22 games.

To make the Canadiens’ goaltending future even more uncertain, backup

Jake Allen’s season came to an end on April 9, when he suffered a groin

injury. Allen will turn 32 on Aug. 7 and has one season remaining on his

two-year, US$5.75-million contract with a salary-cap hit of $2.875 million.

The Canadiens said Allen will be ready for training camp next season.

But will Price?

Samuel Montembeault, who has played the most games in goal for the

Canadiens this season, and Cayden Primeau can both become restricted

free agents this summer.

Shea Weber has been on long-term injured reserve all season and

Hughes will try to trade the veteran defenceman and his contract —

which has four more seasons with a salary-cap hit of $7.857 million —

during the off-season. The GM will also try to move defenceman Jeff

Petry, who has three more seasons with a salary-cap hit of $6.25 million.

But there’s no guarantee those two things will happen.

Nick Suzuki’s eight-year, US$63-million contract kicks in next season

with a salary-cap hit of $7.857 million. Brendan Gallagher has a $6.5-

million salary-cap hit next season, while Josh Anderson and Jonathan

Drouin have cap hits of $5.5 million.

So the combined salary-cap hit for Price, Petry, Suzuki, Gallagher,

Anderson and Drouin would be $42.215 million — more than half the

$82.5-million team maximum for next season.

What the Canadiens will look like next season remains a mystery —

starting with Price.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 04.27.2022


Canadiens by the numbers: Gallagher shows his worth in surprising ways

Andrew Berkshire • Special to the Montreal Gazette


There has been a lot of focus recently on Canadiens right-winger

Brendan Gallagher. From his comments about Ottawa centre Tim

Stützle’s embellishing, to leading his teammates in a salute to Guy

Lafleur’s banner on Sunday, to his play on the ice.

Gallagher plays with his heart on his sleeve, which has helped and hurt

him during his career, but one thing that cannot be questioned is the

pride he takes in wearing the Canadiens sweater.

However, after scoring only two goals in 22 playoff games last year while

playing a defensive role and battling a hand injury, and only six goals in

54 games this season, what can we expect from Gallagher and his

US$6.5M annual cap hit for the next five years?

Gallagher, who turns 30 on May 6, is far from old, but he is at the point in

his career when NHL aging curves see a decline in play, especially in

terms of production. Couple that with his physical play and the serious

injuries he’s endured, and there’s a lot of wear and tear on his body.

Gallagher mentioned recently that multiple short off-seasons have made

it hard to recover and he wasn’t able to prepare his body in the way he

would have liked ahead of this season. Those are all factors we need to

take into account, but we also can’t ignore that the sample size of

Gallagher’s scoring struggles is growing.

In last year’s playoffs and this season, Gallagher is scoring on just 4.2

per cent of his shots on goal, which is less than half of his career average

of 9.7 per cent. Gallagher has always been a creator of high danger

scoring opportunities, but has also finished with a lower-than-expected

percentage on those chances. Through his regular-season career,

Evolving-Hockey gives his unblocked shot attempts (shots on goal, plus

missed shots) in all situations an expected finishing rate of 9.03 per cent,

and an actual finishing rate of 7.3 per cent.

From 2019 to 2021, even with Gallagher’s shot being relatively poor

overall, only Toronto sniper Auston Matthews scored even-strength goals

at a higher rate than Gallagher. You read that correctly. That makes his

one goal at 5-vs-5 this season even more shocking.

Outside of scoring, this season has also seen a drop in Gallagher’s

overall play but, to be fair, we need to split up this season to see the truth

of that.

In every season of his career, Gallagher has been an unbelievably

excellent player at 5-vs-5, driving play like very few of his contemporaries

have. And he’s been a positive every season of his career, until the first

half of 2021-22 under Dominique Ducharme.

After Martin St. Louis took over, Gallagher got right back to what we

expect him to do, having an outsized impact on driving possession,

scoring chances, expected goals (xGoals), and actual goals, even if his

personal production is nowhere to be seen.

This is the thing that makes Gallagher such a valuable player, even if

he’s not scoring, his play has led to teammates scoring, and it’s been that

way throughout his decade-long career. Through a variety of roles —

whether he was on a rookie exploitation line with Alex Galchenyuk, or a

hard-minutes line with Phillip Danault — the Canadiens have outscored

the opposition every season when Gallagher was on the ice.

Adjusted for score and venue by Evolving-Hockey, the Canadiens have

been plus-69 goals better at 5-vs-5 with Gallagher on the ice during the

last decade. If that seems small, consider that only 10 players have seen

a larger relative impact on goal differential than Gallagher during that

period, and they include high-end scorers Connor McDavid, Sidney

Crosby, Brad Marchand, Nathan MacKinnon, Mark Stone, Taylor Hall

and Artemi Panarin.

It’s entirely possible that Gallagher’s goal-scoring will never return to the

level he showed from 2017-21 — when he scored 32 goals per 82 games

and was outpaced by only Matthews and Alex Ovechkin in per minute

played — but I also don’t believe he will continue to shoot at a four-per-

cent finishing rate.

With the outsized impact Gallagher has on the scoreline even when he’s

not producing, his US$6.5M cap hit isn’t nearly as bad as some believe.

Looking at last season and the playoffs compared with the rest of his

career, do you believe the signal or the noise?



Canadiens' Carey Price heads to N.Y. for appointment with knee doctor

Stu Cowan • Montreal Gazette


Carey Price wasn’t on the ice Tuesday morning when the Canadiens

practised in Brossard.

Afterward, the Canadiens announced Price would travel with the team to

New York later in the day for a medical appointment concerning the knee

he had an operation on last July to repair a torn meniscus.

The Canadiens say Price remains listed as “day-to-day.”

The Canadiens have two games remaining in the regular season, playing

the Rangers Wednesday night in New York and the Florida Panthers

Friday night at the Bell Centre.

Price has only played four games this season, posting an 0-4-0 record

with a 4.04 goals-against average and a .853 save percentage.

Price’s knee operation was performed in New York at the Hospital for

Special Surgery by Robert Marx, after consultation with his colleague

Bryan Kelly, regarding hip and knee injuries. The hip injury did not

require surgery.

Head coach Martin St. Louis said after practice Tuesday that it’s hard to

comment on Price’s future until hearing what the doctor in New York has

to say.

“I think it’s just an update,” Canadiens forward Josh Anderson said when

asked about Price’s status. “We all go through it. Any time you come

back from a surgery or whatnot you want to get checkups. I’ve been

there before. But I’m sure it’s just a check on how things are going and

go from there.”

When asked if there’s concern about Price’s future, Anderson said: “Of

course. You’re talking about Carey Price at the end of the day. A goalie

that’s been here forever and one of the best in the league. So any time

you hear that news it’s concern, for sure. But I guess we’ll have to see

today or tomorrow — see where he’s at and go from there.”

Samuel Montembeault is expected to start in goal for the Canadiens

Wednesday night against the Rangers.



Lise Ravary: What Guy Lafleur taught all of us, off the ice

Lise Ravary • Special to Montreal Gazette


We’ve all met people who know how to put forward a charming public

persona, but who can be quite nasty or callous in their private lives. We

even suspect that some of our well-known heroes may be among those

who act differently when the microphones and the cameras are turned

off. I could name names, but of course, I won’t.

In a world where there are so many people who are not what they seem,

Guy Lafleur was authentic. His kindness and generosity were real. And

this was part of what makes him a hero, in addition, of course, to his

extraordinary talent on the ice.

Of course, we’ll never forget the slapshots, the speed, the drive to win,

the Stanley Cups, the panache, the list goes on and on. Lafleur is now

ensconced in the Holy Trinity of the Montreal Canadiens with Maurice

Richard and Jean Béliveau. When the Habs were the greatest, he was

the Blond Demon.

Since his death last week, his niceness and his accessibility have been

celebrated as much as his athletic prowess. The same things were also

said about Mike Bossy and Jean Béliveau. Quebecers have a reputation

for being approachable, easygoing people.

The news of his passing brought a real sadness that was palpable, in

Quebec and beyond. Few people expected him to beat his cancer, but

heroes have special powers. Maybe, just maybe, we thought, he would

pull through.

It was not to be. Fans everywhere were in shock when his sister Lise

broke the news. Grown men were crying openly. Radio and television

hosts were choking up on the air. Franco, anglo, it did not matter one

iota.

As much as his exploits on the ice set him apart from the rest of us poor

mortals, we can all aspire to follow the examples he set in his everyday

life.

Everyone has heard stories about Lafleur visiting sick children he heard

about in the media, at their homes, unannounced, bringing an

autographed jersey purchased with his own money to cheer them up.

Such stories are true and plentiful. There was one more in Tuesday’s

Montreal Gazette letters section: a father recounted a small kindness

shown to his son celebrating his 10th birthday in a restaurant, back in

1980, when fellow diner Lafleur invited him to his table. That’s not

something most of us can replicate, but we, too, can be real, kind and

decent in our own lives.

There are also stories of kindness shown to his team mates, even to his

opponents. People in the business say he signed more autographs in his

lifetime than anyone else. He never said no to a photograph with a fan.

Never ignored an extended hand. Or a question by the media. During his

glory days and after. Until the end.

I never met him, but I have it from a multitude of impeccable sources —

the the flood of anecdotes testify — that Guy Lafleur was a good man

even when the mikes were off.

Today, so many people find pleasure in being unpleasant, mistaking

meanness for wit. Some make a career out of it, others become online

monsters. In our world, kindness is often mistaken for weakness.

On the ice, Flower was a dominant player. He took no prisoners. Off the

ice, he was the ultimate gentleman. In his private life, he lived for his

family. As a father, he faced his son Mark’s problems with fortitude and

lucidity but stood by him always, even in the darkest moments.

As the great Guy Lafleur laid on his death bed, Mark held his hand until

the end.

Being great is fantastic. Being good is priceless.

Being great and good is the pinnacle of a life well lived.

Merci Guy.



Basu and Godin: Concern for Carey Price, a perfect tank storm, the Mike

Hoffman dilemma

Arpon Basu

13-17 minutes 26/04/2022

NEW YORK – Carey Price was elected by the Montreal chapter of the

Professional Hockey Writers Association as the team’s candidate for the

Masterton Trophy, awarded to the player who best exemplifies

perseverance and dedication to hockey. Price has done that, diligently

working to get back from another knee injury this season while also

availing himself of the help available from the NHLPA/NHL player

assistance program. His comeback game on April 15 against the New

York Islanders was one of the best stories of the Canadiens’ miserable

season.

But now, Price is gone again. Coach Martin St. Louis said prior to the

game against the Bruins that they were giving Price a break after he

played four games in eight days, not an overly taxing workload. Then on

Tuesday, the Canadiens announced Price would be traveling with the

team to New York to visit with his knee surgeon.

Not good.

“I thought it was a big plus for him to fight and get back from a long year

of dealing with his injury,” St. Louis said Tuesday before the team left for

New York. “But we knew that him playing, we knew that it wasn’t going to

be just smooth sailing, we knew there were possibilities. I think that’s

where we’re at and that’s why he’s getting looked at.”

After playing very well in his first two games back, Price allowed 12 goals

on 60 shots on goal in his next two. Not all of them were his fault, of

course, but enough of them were stoppable shots to be of some concern.

“It’s a long absence,” St. Louis said in Ottawa on Saturday. “It’s hard to

find your form and be the goalie you’re able to be.”

The next day, St. Louis announced Price was getting a break.

This turn of events takes nothing away from Price’s Masterton candidacy,

to be clear. But it raises more questions about his future. And also about

how much perseverance and dedication to hockey he might have left.

Because he’s used up a lot of his reservoir this season, both on the

mental and physical side, both on the personal and professional side.

There are some who would want you to believe Price working as hard as

he has to come back is simply about collecting his paycheque, which is

ludicrous and simply untrue, because Price would be getting paid

regardless.

If Price didn’t want to play, if he didn’t want to recapture a big part of his

identity, as he said back in January, of being the starting goaltender for

the Montreal Canadiens, he could have easily sat at home and done

nothing once it became clear the knee wasn’t holding up to the strain of

building the strength back up to allow him to play at an acceptable level.

That term, acceptable level, is something Price said often when

describing how he would judge his own performance. It is an intentionally

vague term, the definition of which only he knows for sure. But now the

question becomes how much of this is acceptable to Carey Price? How

much uncertainty with his knee can he take? How much treatment and

work in the gym and on the ice to prepare to play can he accept not

knowing if the end result will be him playing in NHL games?

“When Carey wanted to play, we listened to him,” St. Louis said after the

loss to the Bruins. “We did that same thing yesterday, we listened to

Carey, and he couldn’t be on the bench today.”

Neither Price nor the Canadiens will know if the there is a serious issue

with the knee until he visits with his doctor and gets it examined, so it’s

fair that St. Louis didn’t want to say much about it Tuesday, preferring to

wait for that process to provide some information.

But so much of Price’s return to play at the end of a lost season was

about removing some doubt in his mind about his knee, about his ability

to play the game he loves and be part of the solution in Montreal.

This doesn’t accomplish that.

Saturday night in Ottawa, the Canadiens experienced a tanking perfect

storm.

Allowing three goals in just over a minute ensured the Canadiens would

lose to the Senators, which they did despite a strong effort in the third

period to try to make it a game. That same night, the Arizona Coyotes

reached overtime against the St. Louis Blues, giving them a point and

moving them into a tie with the Canadiens for 31st place in the NHL.

But because the Canadiens have fewer regulation wins than the

Coyotes, they were slotted into 32nd place. Otherwise known as last

place. Otherwise known as the spot with the best odds in the upcoming

draft lottery, scheduled to be held May 10.

This is what everyone has wanted. Everyone except the players and the

coach.

Cole Caufield hit the 20-goal mark in that game Saturday, but even

though he was able to admit he was happy to reach that number,

Brendan Gallagher painted a different picture of what Caufield looked like

in the dressing room after the game.

“He’s in the room upset that we lost, which you like as a teammate, but

he’s going to appreciate this,” Gallagher said. “It’s his first real season in

the NHL, it’s not easy to score goals, he reached 20 with obviously the

slow start he went through in the beginning of the year.

“It’s important, I’m actually glad he went through it because I think he

understands the difference between how he felt when he was going

through those slumps and how he feels now, regardless of results. He’s

going to look back and realize he needs to play with a little bit of swagger

in his game, and he has that for us right now and he needs to keep that

always. He’s going to go through little droughts in his career again and

it’s important for him to realize that.”

As that was happening Saturday, the Canadiens’ braintrust of Jeff Gorton

and Kent Hughes were in Germany, taking in the world U18

championships, where U.S. centre Logan Cooley — a projected top-three

pick in the draft — is among the prime attractions. We’re told they were

also planning on going to Finland on this trip, presumably to see Slovak

winger Juraj Slafkovsky, another potential top-three pick.

Gorton and Hughes, as opposed to their players and coaches, are

preparing for the draft lottery and the opportunity to get the No. 1 pick.

Finishing behind the Coyotes in the standings would give the Canadiens

an 18.5 percent chance at the top pick, odds that drop to 13.5 percent if

the Canadiens finish 31st.

We have long maintained that the difficulty of losing games for weeks on

end is not worth the five percent improvement in odds, and we still feel

that way.

“The losing is getting heavy,” Martin St. Louis said Sunday night after the

Canadiens’ ninth straight loss, this time to the Bruins on Guy Lafleur’s

special night at the Bell Centre.

We don’t have any doubt it is indeed getting heavy. But there are only

two games left at this point, against strong opponents in the New York

Rangers on Wednesday and at home to the Florida Panthers on Friday.

The Coyotes, meanwhile, visit the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday, play in

Dallas against a desperate Stars team on Wednesday and finish up

Friday at home against the Nashville Predators, a game that might not

matter much by then.

We would never suggest the Canadiens should intentionally lose their

remaining two games, and they would never do that regardless. But

we’ve also advised against rooting for losses, because a losing culture is

something that is difficult to get rid of. It has a tendency to linger.

But with two games left, is there much difference between a nine-game

losing streak and an 11-game losing streak when your odds to win the

draft lottery improve by 5 percent if you lose 11 games in a row as

opposed to nine?

Far be it for us to suggest the Canadiens lose these games on purpose.

But the way things are going of late, they may not need to do it on

purpose, it might just happen organically.

Mike Hoffman’s game in Ottawa on Saturday was just about as Mike

Hoffman as it gets. He had, overall, an excellent game. He created a ton

of chances, made dynamic plays with and without the puck, there was a

lot of positive to focus on.

But there were also some negatives, and those negatives wound up in

the back of his net on a couple of occasions. Generally, if your positives

don’t result in a bunch of goals and your negatives result in goals

against, that’s not a good balance. But St. Louis didn’t see that game

quite like that.

“Hoffman was very good tonight,” he said.

And honestly, he was good that night. It was just those mistakes, how

glaring they were and how costly they were, overshadowed the good on

that night. His game against Boston was similar, nutshelled by the single

most bizarre play of the night when Hoffman caught Erik Haula from

behind on a breakaway, made a great defensive play to separate him

from the puck but was not only called for a penalty, Haula was actually

awarded a penalty shot, and scored.

What makes the great, misinterpreted defensive play so problematic is

that it was only necessary because of a brutal giveaway … by Hoffman.

This is something St. Louis will need to grapple with next season; though

he has shown Hoffman nothing but public support, the giveaways and

typically Hoffman plays that have gone on this season must be

addressed behind closed doors.

When Marc Bergevin signed Hoffman as a free agent last summer, it was

not in the hopes that he would suddenly become an elite backchecker.

That was never the expectation. It was that Hoffman would score a ton of

goals on the power play, because that is what he has always done.

Between 2015-16 and 2020-21, Hoffman scored 65 power-play goals,

just under 11 per season. This season, he has scored four.

One reason might be that Hoffman was playing in his career-long sweet

spot in the right faceoff circle on the second unit, away from Caufield and

Nick Suzuki. On Saturday, St. Louis put him in that spot on the first unit.

That forced Suzuki to move to the left circle and Caufield to move to the

bumper.

“He’s been in that spot for a while, but he’s been in that spot with a lefty

at the top and a lefty on the other side and tonight we wanted to have

one-timers on the flanks,” St. Louis said. “He’s got a good shot, but he’s

got really good playmaking abilities too.”

The unit created a ton of chances and looked good doing so, but moving

Suzuki from that right circle is problematic because it is where he is most

comfortable.

Much like Hoffman.

Caufield would also need to learn how to play that bumper spot,

something he has not done too often up until now.

“I think I can play pretty much in all those three positions, at the half-wall,

on the bumper,” he said in Ottawa. “It’s something that I can learn from

and get better at and pick things up as we go along.”

This is the dilemma. But it is compounded by the fact the power play has

been dormant, scoring one goal in eight games heading into Sunday

night against the Bruins. But then Josh Anderson got one on a rebound.

And then it was Hoffman’s turn.

The goal he scored off the power play’s opening faceoff is a perfect

example of why Hoffman should be in his most comfortable spot on the

top unit. Because his shot can create a goal out of nothing.

Suzuki can do the same thing at times with his wrist shot from that spot,

but with how poorly the power play has performed, this is definitely worth

a shot.

Last week, we wondered out loud if hockey sense can be taught, and

more specifically, if it can be taught to Josh Anderson.

We noted one play where Anderson needed to make a quick decision,

and he made the wrong one. We did acknowledge how unfair that might

have been, but we thought it exemplified the challenge of the process.

Well, if one play can be used to show that, then another play should be

able to show the opposite can also be true.

Anderson had a couple of plays Thursday night against the Philadelphia

Flyers where he appeared to be using two principles St. Louis has been

trying to drive into his players. The first is using the entire width of the ice

to create and exploit space, something Anderson did quite well at the

very beginning of this clip where Anderson sends it cross ice through his

own zone to Jeff Petry.

The second concept St. Louis wants Anderson to embrace is controlling

his speed. Sometimes, St. Louis believes, you can get more

accomplished by going slower because it allows you to exploit space

better. This is something Nick Suzuki does incredibly well, but it is also

something Anderson has never been asked to do. And yet, at the very

end of the above clip, you saw how Anderson waited with the puck in the

neutral zone and found Suzuki in the middle of the ice with a nice saucer

pass, leading to an easy controlled zone entry.

Normally, Anderson would have dumped that puck in the zone and gone

after it immediately 10 times out of 10. But he didn’t do that.

Then here, watch how fast Anderson is skating through the neutral zone,

as in not fast at all, when the puck pops out onto his stick and he’s sent

in on a partial breakaway.

Again, we don’t know if hockey sense can or cannot be taught. But it

would appear Anderson is at least trying.

Then again, if you watched him play Sunday night, all of this went

completely out the window. Anderson was skating as hard as he could,

hitting everyone he could, playing like his hair was on fire, the way he’s

always played when he’s at his best. And it’s not as though St. Louis is

asking him to stop doing that. He just wants to add elements like the

ones shown above to what Anderson already has.



André Pratte: With Guy Lafleur’s death, Quebecers have lost one of the

family

André Pratte


Guy Lafleur’s death, at age 70, has caused a huge wave of grief in

Québec. Of course, Quebecers are remembering the great hockey player

of the 1970s. But what makes this collective sorrow so special is that

people here feel like if they were losing a close friend. For Guy was not

an ordinary superstar. His scoring talent made him someone special,

evidently. But it is because he had tragic weaknesses, because he was

never afraid to discuss his failings and his doubts, and because he

overcame them all in the end, that the sadness is so profound.

As a journalist, I had the privilege of meeting all three of the greatest

players in the Montreal Canadiens’ dynasty. When I met Maurice

Richard, a man of few words, with a piercing gaze, I felt idolization and

fear; when I met Jean Béliveau, an authentic class act, I felt respect.

When I met Guy Lafleur, I felt idolization, respect, and love all at once.

Quebecers loved “le démon blond,” and he gave back so much! While

watching a TV special replaying the best and the more tragic moments of

his career, I spent Friday evening crying.

I was at the Montreal Forum when Lafleur played his first game in the

Canadiens’ uniform, a pre-season game against the Boston Bruins. The

hall was packed. We expected so much from this young man who had

outrageously dominated the Quebec junior league the previous year,

scoring 130 goals in 62 games. “Ti-Guy” appeared a bit lost on the ice

that evening. It would be the case for much of his first three years with a

team filled with stars the likes of Ken Dryden, Yvan Cournoyer and Henri

Richard.

Then, something clicked. He took his helmet off, and the magic came

back. Lafleur was certainly the most spectacular player of his age, and

he became a superstar all over the league. Yet he remained, all his life,

the kid from Thurso, Québec. Emotional, gentle, extraordinarily generous

with his money and his time.

Of the thousands of comments published in the media or social media

since Lafleur’s passing, a large part tell a personal story: a time when the

writer met the superstar and was given the Lafleur treatment: the sincere,

sympathetic look, the powerful handshake, a friendly exchange like if

Guy had all the time in the world for this one fan.

Lafleur was not necessarily a troubled soul. He simply faced, to the

umpteenth degree because of the high expectations, the kinds of

problems that we all have to tackle at some point in our lives. We loved

him all the more for that.

The last game I attended at the Forum was against the Detroit Red

Wings, on Nov. 24, 1984. Lafleur’s best days were over. For some

unknown reason, he was again lost on the ice. He appeared to be

skating as fast as ever, but he went in every direction with the puck, not

passing, not shooting … until he lost it to an opponent. During the third

period, former line mate and now stern coach Jacques Lemaire benched

the sad superstar. Lafleur felt prisoner of Lemaire’s defensive strategy.

He asked to be traded, but the unrelenting Canadiens organization

refused, knowing full well that such a trade would cause a controversy of

unprecedented proportions. So Ti-Guy, emotional and spontaneous as

always, decided that he had had enough. Two days later, he announced

his retirement from hockey, at the young age of 33.

However, deep inside, Lafleur knew that he still had some hockey left.

Four years later, in August 1988, he announced that he would attempt a

comeback with the New York Rangers, then led by bold general manager

Phil Esposito and Lafleur admirer Michel Bergeron. For the first time in

his life, Lafleur trained seriously in order to be ready for the training

camp. On day one, he was the fastest skater on the ice.

Lafleur went on to play three more seasons. His goal production was

very far from that of his best years. But by then, the “démon blond” had

accepted that he could only play a supporting role. Some nights,

however, the spark came back. On Feb. 4, 1989, Guy Lafleur played in

his first game at the Montreal Forum as a New York Ranger. When he

stepped on the ice, the crowd gave him a standing ovation that seemed

to last forever. They had not forgotten. Neither had he: he went on to

score two goals and one assist that evening. Pure Lafleur!

After having been treated for lung cancer two years ago, Lafleur was

asked to become the ambassador of a major Montreal hospital’s cancer

research. As always, he said yes. He devoted himself to this new cause

with the same determination and humanity that he had shown as a

superstar on and off the ice. The CHUM Foundation collected $1.5

million. Pure Lafleur!

On April 22, 2022, Quebecers lost more than an icon. They lost one of

the family.

National Post LOADED: 04.27.2022

1242883 Nashville Predators

Nashville Predators goalie Juuse Saros suffers possible injury against

Calgary

Paul Skrbina, The Tennessean

1-1 minutes 27/04/2022

Juuse Saros limped down the tunnel and to the Nashville Predators

locker room Tuesday night with 6 minutes, 32 seconds left in the third

period against Calgary.

The Predators goalie didn’t appear to be putting weight on his left leg

when he left the game in favor of backup David Rittich.

Rittich allowed the tying goal to force overtime. The Predators, who lost

5-4, could have clinched their eighth consecutive playoff berth with a win.

Instead, they fell 5-4 in overtime, but still clinched, thanks to the Dallas

Stars' shootout victory against the Vegas Golden Knights.

No immediate update was provided by the Predators concerning Saros.

Predators coach John Hynes said an update probably would be made

available sometime Wednesday.

Tennessean LOADED: 04.27.2022


Juuse Saros hurt, but Predators clinch playoff spot, thanks to Stars'

victory


3-4 minutes 27/04/2022

Postseason greetings?

Postseason greetings. That's what was on the line for the Nashville

Predators on Tuesday against the Calgary Flames.

And they were less than a second away Tuesday.

In their regular-season home finale at Bridgestone Arena, the Predators

had to wait for for another result to see whether they had clinched their

eighth consecutive playoff berth thanks to a 5-4 loss after the Flames tied

the score with 0.1 seconds remaining on Matthew Tkachuk's goal.

Elias Lindholm scored in overtime to give the Flames the victory, but the

Predators clinched a postseason spot because the Dallas Stars defeated

the Vegas Golden Knights in a shootout.

Predators goalie Juuse Saros left the game limping with 6:32 left in the

regulation, favoring his left leg. No immediate update was made

available.

The Flames, the Predators' likely first-round opponent, came in winners

of nine of their previous 11.

But the score was overshadowed in the first by a pair of fights -- one

between Tanner Jeannot and Erik Gudbranson and another between

Mark Borowiecki and Milan Lucic -- in the period.

The Flames' Dillon Dube scored a power-play goal 4 minutes, 2 seconds

into the first to put the visitors ahead.

Predators captain Roman Josi, who recently was praised by Hockey Hall

of Famer Paul Coffey, tied the score 1-1 5:41 into the second to extend

his franchise record to 92 points.

Matt Duchene put the Predators ahead 2-1 with his team-leading 42nd

goal of the season less than three minutes later. Josi and Mikael

Granlund picked up assists on the score, further extending Granlund's

career high to 49. It also was Josi's 400th career assist and 93rd point.

Dube tied the score during a 4-on-4 with 6:46 left in the second.

Forsberg tried to keep pace with Duchene with his 41st goal to give the

Predators a 3-2 lead on a power-play early during the third before

catching him with his 42nd to put the Predators ahead after Noah Hanifin

tied the score 93 seconds after Forsberg's first goal.



How good has Roman Josi been for the Nashville Predators? We asked

a Hockey Hall of Famer


3-3 minutes 26/04/2022

The praise did not have to be pried from Paul Coffey's lips.

The Hockey Hall of Famer and four-time Stanley Cup champion has

never met Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi.

Well, not in the traditional sense.

That doesn't mean Coffey isn't aware of Josi. The two talked virtually in

2020, when he presented Josi with the Norris Trophy, an award Coffey

won three times during his 21-year NHL career.

At the time, Josi said he was humbled to receive the award from "such a

legend of the game."

Josi again is a frontrunner for the award this season, one that has been

stuffed with numbers not seen by a defenseman in a long time.

"You know what I like about him, other than everything?" Coffey recently

told The Tennessean.

Coffey, whose seven 90-point seasons are most in league history for

defensemen, needed no pause on the way to answering his own

question. He's also second in NHL history in goals, assists and points

behind Ray Bourque.

"Just his consistency," he continued. "He's good year after year after

year. This year, offensively, is a real special year for him. That's a lot of

points. Good for him.

"There's not a GM in the league who wouldn't take him. He can play any

way you want.

Josi became the ninth defenseman to reach the 90-point mark in a

season, setting career highs in goals and assists along the way. He's the

first one to reach 90 since Bourque did in 1993-94.

With three games remaining, beginning Tuesday against the Calgary

Flames, Josi isn't likely to become the first defenseman since Brian

Leetch in 1991-92 to hit 100, a feat reached by Coffey five times.

But his 91 points already were a franchise record and led all players at

his position. So, too, did his 70 assists. And his 10 power-play goals. And

his 36 power-play points. His 21 goals were second only to Colorado's

Cale Makar.

Makar, Coffey figures, is the other horse in the Norris race, along with

Tampa Bay's Victor Hedman, who recently said he'd choose Josi for the

award.

"All three of those guys, that's what the final three is going to be," said

Coffey, a skills development coach with the Edmonton Oilers. "They're all

Norris Trophy guys in my mind."



Here’s how the Predators can clinch a playoff berth

Michael Gallagher

3-3 minutes

For the Nashville Predators, it’s as simple as win (in regulation) and in.

A regulation victory Tuesday night at Bridgestone Arena over the Calgary

Flames, who are 8-1-1 in their last 10 and lead the Pacific Division by 10

points over the Edmonton Oilers, will clinch the Predators’ eighth straight

playoff appearance.

More importantly, it will allow the Predators to rest goaltender Juuse

Saros, who has started more games (66) and played more minutes

(3877:55) than any other goalie this year, during the final two regular

season games against the Colorado Avalanche and Arizona Coyotes.

“For us, we haven’t talked about clinching; we haven’t talked about any of

that,” Predators coach John Hynes said. “We’ve talked about getting

ready for Calgary. Let’s make sure our mindset is the right way that we’re

going to be in for a battle. We’re getting ourselves to our competitive

mindset that gives us the best chance to win, and the results will take

care of themselves.”

Nashville is 2-0 against Calgary this season — both 3-2 victories with

one coming in overtime and the other in a shootout. Saros will start and

the Predators also recalled forward Mathieu Olivier Tuesday morning; he

will take Eeli Tolvanen’s spot in the lineup.

“You want to be a player, and you want to be a team, that plays your best

when the stakes are high,” Hynes added. “That’s what we’re here to do is

to be able to play games that matter and play in important situations. If

you’re going to accomplish anything as a team, you have to be mentally

tough, and you have to understand what it’s going to take to win.”

A win over the Vegas Golden Knights also seals a playoff spot for the

Dallas Stars, who currently trail the Predators by a point in the wild card

standings.

The first wild card team will travel to play Calgary in the first round while

the second wild card team will travel to Colorado to play the Avalanche.

Nashville Post LOADED: 04.27.2022

1242887 New Jersey Devils

Devils' comeback falls short in overtime loss to Senators

Staff Report

Associated Press

2-3 minutes 27/04/2022

OTTAWA, Ontario — Drake Batherson scored in overtime to give the

Ottawa Senators a 5-4 win over the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.

Batherson also scored in regulation, Tim Stutzle had a pair of goals and

Thomas Chabot also scored for Ottawa in this matchup of teams near the

bottom of the Eastern Conference. Brady Tkachuk chipped in three

assists, while Anton Forsberg made 37 saves.

Nolan Foote had a pair of goals for the Devils, whose skid extended to

four games. Pavel Zacha and Yegor Sharangovich also scored.

Mackenzie Blackwood, making his first start since Jan. 19, stopped 29

shots for the Devils.

Stutzle had the crowd of 13,101 chanting his name when he beat Reilly

Walsh in a foot race for the first short-handed goal of his career. Less

than a minute later, Zacha beat Forsberg to cut Ottawa’s lead to 4-3 at

the seven-minute mark of the third.

The Devils completed the comeback when Zarangovich was given too

much time and space in close, scoring to force the extra period.

Batherson gave the Senators a 2-0 lead 11 seconds into the second

period with his 16th goal of the season.

The Devils got on the board when Fabian Zetterlund made a nice pass to

Foote for his first of the season.

A few minutes later, the Senators made it 3-1 with their second power-

play goal as Stutzle jumped on a Tkachuk rebound.

Foote scored his second of the game with 5.2 seconds left in the period,

beating Ottawa’s Mark Kastelic to a rebound at the side of the net.

The Senators opened the scoring with 16.9 seconds left in the first period

when Tkachuk made a cross-crease pass to Chabot, who knocked in his

seventh of the season.

New York Post LOADED: 04.27.2022

1242888 New York Islanders

Islanders rally to beat Alex Ovechkin-less Capitals

Staff Report

Associated Press

4-4 minutes 27/04/2022

WASHINGTON — Peter Laviolette couldn’t explain why his Washington

Capitals fell flat in a 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders on Tuesday night

with a chance to move up in the standings and improve their playoff

positioning.

“We were flat,” the veteran NHL coach said. “I don’t know.”

Playing without injured captain Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals blew a lead

and gave up four unanswered goals to an opponent that has long been

out of playoff contention. They allowed power-play goals to Ryan Pulock

and Noah Dobson, goaltender Ilya Samsonov botched a puck-handling

attempt behind the net to help Casey Cizikas score short-handed and

Tom Wilson turned the puck over to Anders Lee for New York’s fourth

goal of the game.

“Guys were out of sync a little bit, couldn’t get much going,” winger Tom

Wilson said. “Kind of an ugly game.”

Washington failed to pass rival Pittsburgh for third place in the

Metropolitan Division after the Penguins lost at home to Edmonton, but

the Caps still have two more chances before the end of the regular

season.

Ryan Pulock #6 of the New York Islanders celebrates a first-period goal

against the Washington Capitals at Capital One Arena on April 26, 2022

in Washington.

The Islanders’ Ryan Pulock celebrates a first-period goal against the

Capitals.

Ilya Sorokin made 32 saves to help the Islanders snap a five-game losing

streak near the end of what has turned into a lost season a year after

reaching the East final. They played a forward short with 17 skaters

instead of the usual 18 after Brock Nelson and Zdeno Chara were ruled

out because of illness.

Nelson was in uniform and expected to play until he told coach Barry

Trotz just before warmups he didn’t feel well enough.

“Our room is hacking and coughing and there’s a lot of guys sick and

right now they’re battling through it,” Trotz said. “Give them a lot of credit.

I thought it was a good character win.”

Ovechkin was deemed a game-time decision and is listed as day to day,

but it was obvious earlier in the day he wasn’t a good bet to play with

what the team is calling an upper-body injury. He slammed left shoulder

first into the boards Sunday, and his status moving forward is uncertain.

The Capitals got some clarification on their first-round opponent:

Carolina’s victory at the New York Rangers clinched the Metropolitan

Division, and that combined with Boston beating Florida takes the

Hurricanes out of the equation for Washington.

Washington is now set to open against the Rangers or Panthers,

depending on how the final games of the season go.

The Capitals could have wrapped up third in the Metro when they play

the Islanders again Thursday — had they won Tuesday. Now, it’ll come

down to Friday to see whether Washington can avoid Eastern

Conference-leading Florida and a more difficult path through the Atlantic

Division side of the bracket.

“We can’t play like we did tonight,” Laviolette said. “This isn’t who we are.

This isn’t our M.O. It’s one night, it was lousy and so that’s that.”

On the way to a second tough loss in a row, the Capitals got a bit of a

scare when winger T.J. Oshie took a puck off his left foot and left the

game briefly. Conor Sheary, who scored their only goal on a deflection in

the first period, also went down late in the second blocking a shot but

stayed in.

“He finished the game,” Laviolette said of Oshie. “He came back and

played, and he seemed to be fine.”



Islanders coach Barry Trotz: 'It's really strange' to not be in playoffs

By Andrew Gross

[email protected]

Updated April 26, 2022 11:21 PM

WASHINGTON — Barry Trotz coached the Capitals to the playoffs in all

four of his seasons with that team, culminating with the Stanley Cup in

2018, and the Islanders qualified in his first three seasons behind their

bench.

So this will mark Trotz’s first playoff miss since 2014, his last season with

the Predators. And he guided that expansion franchise to the postseason

seven times between 2004 and 2014.

“It’s really strange,” Trotz said before the Islanders won their final road

game, 4-1, to open a home-and-home series with the Capitals on

Tuesday night at Capital One Arena. “We’ve been in the second round or

deeper seven years and then the short offseasons. But it’s all worth it.

[Not being in the playoffs] it is feeling really strange, there’s no question.”

The Islanders (36-34-10), who went 2-for-2 on the power play and got a

shorthanded goal to snap an 0-4-1 skid, reached the NHL semifinals in

each of the past two seasons. Ilya Sorokin made 32 saves for the

Islanders while counterpart Ilya Samsonov stopped 22 shots for the

playoff-bound Capitals (44-24-12), who were missing Alex Ovechkin

(upper body).

Defenseman Noah Dobson’s power-play goal gave the Islanders a 2-1

lead at 2:56 of the third period. Casey Cizikas, laying on the ice after

stealing the puck on the forecheck, shoveled in a shorthanded goal to

make it 3-1 at 8:42 and Anders Lee pushed it to 4-1 at 15:17.

Trotz, whose mother passed away on Jan. 1, said he would use the

offseason to handle some family matters.

“I’m going to take a chance to try recharge,” Trotz said. “I’ll use it as a

mental break from the game. We’ve been grinding hard for seven-plus

years. I’ll just have to make the best of a situation that I’m not really used

to and come back with hopefully renewed energy and get us back to

where we feel we can be.”

This might have been Trotz’s hardest season in just trying to navigate the

twists.

There was a 13-game road trip to open the season while construction at

UBS Arena was completed. Trotz and nearly the whole team wound up in

COVID-19 protocol at different times starting in mid-November. Multiple

games were postponed and rescheduled. That resulted in a condensed

schedule from mid-February on that has severely limited the team’s

practice time.

“It wasn’t an easy year for everybody,” Trotz said. “There was no script

for it. It was seat-of-your-pants almost on a nightly basis. And then we

didn’t have the season we envisioned, or anybody envisioned.

“It just didn’t go the way you anticipated. You wipe yourself off and you

learn a little bit from it. You try to get better from it. It’s in the past. You

can’t fix the past but you can maybe fix the future decisions.”

For instance, Trotz said, in retrospect, he probably would change how he

handled the Islanders’ long stretches without games through December

and January.

“We’ve had about five little mini-training camps,” Trotz said. “Some of

those we probably didn’t need because there was still that mental grind

of preparing. We had like a 10-day training camp. Looking back, maybe

we should have taken five days off. Sometimes you try to push too hard

and you get less done. But we couldn’t plan it. It was hard to plan this

year.”

Conor Sheary’s tip gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead at 10:24 of the first

period, less than two minutes after Kyle Palmieri’s apparent 200th career

goal was overturned as the Capitals successfully challenged for goalie

interference against Zach Parise. Defenseman Ryan Pulock tied it on the

power play at 16:18 of the first period.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 04.27.2022


Jean-Gabriel Pageau returns, but Brock Nelson and Zdeno Chara miss

Islanders' win with illness

By Andrew Gross

[email protected]


WASHINGTON — The Islanders were able to dress only 11 forwards —

one fewer than usual — for Tuesday night’s 4-1 win over the Capitals at

Capital One Arena even with center Jean-Gabriel Pageau returning to

the lineup after three games while in COVID-19 protocol.

But top-line center Brock Nelson, already in uniform for warmups, was

the latest to be felled by the non-COVID-19 illness going around the

Islanders’ room.

“He just got sick and he said, ‘I’m not going to be able to help,’” coach

Barry Trotz said. “Our room is hacking and coughing and there’s a lot of

guys sick.”

Center Otto Koivula was returned to the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in

Bridgeport from emergency recall earlier in the day after notching an

assist in three games filling in for Pageau.

Defenseman Zdeno Chara also missed the game because of illness but

the Islanders were able to bring up Robin Salo from Bridgeport on

emergency recall. Salo logged 12:40.

Center Mathew Barzal played a game-high 24:05 but the official

scoresheet had Oliver Wahlstrom on ice for just 6:09 and Kieffer Bellows

logging 8:57.

“Just keep your shifts short at the start, get the legs going,” Casey

Cizikas said. “You’re going to get back out there. Don’t let one shift

bother you. Have the memory of a goldfish.”

Assistant coach Jim Hiller also rejoined the Islanders after testing

positive and missing three games. Associate coach Lane Lambert

remains in COVID-19 protocol.

Palmieri's jinx

Kyle Palmieri had what would have been his 200th career goal

disallowed at 8:57 of the first period when the Capitals successfully

challenged Zach Parise had interfered with Capitals goalie Ilya

Samsonov.

Trotz said, by the Islanders’ counting, that’s the seventh goal this season

Palmieri has had waved off.

“Hockey gods are funny,” Cizikas said. “He’s going to get rewarded one

way or another.”

WASHINGTON — Center Jean-Gabriel Pageau returned to the

Islanders’ lineup after missing the previous three games while in COVID-

19 protocol.

But the Islanders still had to play one skater short Tuesday night against

the Capitals at Capital One Arena with center Brock Nelson and

defenseman Zdeno Chara both very late scratches with a non-COVID-19

illness.

It was another unexpected twist in an odd season that will end on Friday

with the Islanders missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

Defenseman Robin Salo was brought up from the Islanders’ AHL affiliate

on emergency recall and was inserted in Chara’s place, paired with Noah

Dobson.

But, earlier in the day, the Islanders returned center Otto Koivula to

Bridgeport from emergency recall after he had an assist in three games

filling in for Pageau. Anthony Beauvillier (upper body) missed his fourth

straight game.

“I was surprised,” Pageau said of his bout with COVID-19. “I had my

parents in town and I wasn’t feeling great. So I tested at home and came

back positive. I’m glad that it’s over and the whole family is healthy and

safe.”

Assistant coach Jim Hiller also rejoined the Islanders after testing

positive and missing three games. Associate coach Lane Lambert

remains in COVID-19 protocol.

Trotz backs Chara

Coach Barry Trotz believes Chara, named on Monday as the Islanders’

nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance,

dedication and sportsmanship, should win the award. The Professional

Hockey Writers’ Association votes among the nominees from each of the

32 teams.

Chara, 45, is in his 24th NHL season.

“A man that loves the game,” Trotz said. “At 45, he plays it like he’s 25.

He doesn’t take a practice off. He doesn’t take a game off. He’s totally

invested in every aspect of the game. He’s a good teacher to the rest of

the league on the pride a player takes in being a good pro.

“He gets my vote for that, for sure. This is something that would be well

deserved and be smart by the league.”

Isles files

Anthony Beauvillier (upper body) missed his fourth game and remains

day-to-day . . . Defenseman Sebastian Aho, 26, on Chara: “He’s been in

the league longer than I’ve been alive, pretty much.”



Worn-out Islanders begin to dissect what went wrong, while Barry Trotz

readies for a rare ‘mental break from the game’

Kevin Kurz

7-8 minutes 27/04/2022

WASHINGTON — There’s no denying that the Islanders, owners of the

most frantic, jam-packed post-All-Star-break schedule in the NHL, are

worn out. That certainly played a large role in their five-game losing

streak, which was halted Tuesday night with a 4-1 win over the Capitals.

And though the season not going as anticipated has been a weight on

the players involved, it’s also been a burden for coach Barry Trotz.

Speaking after the morning skate Tuesday, Trotz, in his standard,

measured way, expressed a calm exasperation at the way this strange,

disjointed and ultimately dismaying season has developed.

“It is feeling really strange. There’s no question,” he said of the Islanders’

regular-season finale approaching Friday — without a playoff game to

follow.

“It wasn’t an easy year for everybody — players, coaches, management,

fans probably. Everybody,” Trotz said. “But there was no script for it. It

was seat-of-your-pants almost on a nightly basis. That was a little more

difficult. Obviously, we didn’t have the season that we envisioned or

anybody envisioned.”

This will be the first time Trotz can take an early summer respite since

2014, his final season in Nashville. In his first three seasons with the

Islanders, they advanced to at least the second round, including back-to-

back appearances in the semifinals the past two years. In Washington

from 2014-15 through 2018-19, Trotz took the Capitals past the first

round in each of his four seasons, culminating, of course, with a Stanley

Cup championship.

Trotz acknowledged that it will be nice to recharge his proverbial

batteries, but he also indicated that he has a fair amount on his plate in

his personal life, without getting into too much detail. The coach lost his

mother in January.

“Some things I need to take care of — family-wise and also just

personally,” he said. “I’m going to take a chance to try to recharge. It’s

going to be difficult. I’ve got a pretty busy summer in terms of just stuff

that needs to get done. But I’ll use it as a mental break from the game.

“I’ll just have to make the best of a situation that I’m not really used to,

and come back with hopefully renewed energy and get us back to where

we feel we can be.”

The Islanders have already started publicly dissecting what has gone

wrong this season. The circumstances have been rehashed multiple

times — the opening monthlong road trip, adjusting to a new home

arena, the COVID-19 outbreaks, the season starting and restarting

several times, and even the tragic deaths of franchise icons Clark Gillies

and Mike Bossy.

But it can’t all be chalked up to that. After all, many NHL teams had to

deal with multiple cancellations and COVID-19 outbreaks. After Sunday’s

5-2 home loss to Carolina, forward Matt Martin offered up one issue that

he identified.

“In this league, you’re not going to have your best every single night of

the week,” he said. “I don’t think we did enough this season (when) we

didn’t have our best game. We didn’t just keep it simple and find a way.

We kind of got away from what we do best, and that’s (win) the games

that kind of got ugly. You look back earlier in the year and we were going

on a slide, we just never really got off that train.”

When that theory was relayed to Trotz, he didn’t necessarily disagree. He

also pointed to the fact that last season was abbreviated compared with

the full slate this season, and perhaps the Islanders’ style of play is more

difficult to execute over a longer period and with so many games jammed

into the calendar.

In hindsight, Trotz might have handled the Islanders’ long breaks a bit

differently. From Dec. 20 to Jan. 12, for example, they played just two

games.

“The 56-game schedule (last season), we probably played 48 playoff

(like) games, hard. Eighty-two was a little tougher for us to play that hard,

grinding style,” the coach said. “And we didn’t have much of a break. And

if I could review a few things with some of these breaks … we’ve had like

five mini-training camps. Some of those we probably didn’t need because

there was still that mental grind of preparing. We had like a 10-day

training camp (Jan. 3-12). Looking back, maybe we should have (taken)

five days off. Sometimes, you try to push too hard, and you get less

done.”

But doing less is essentially what they’ve been doing for the past three

months. The Islanders have had team days off after every game, and you

can count on one hand how many full practices they’ve had since the All-

Star break.

That, of course, gives them a chance to rest and recover, but it can also

lead to losing the kinds of details necessary to win consistently.

“You can definitely see execution-wise sometimes you’re maybe not as

sharp,” Noah Dobson said. “Especially on the power play, if you don’t get

any touches in the practices and you go a couple games without a power

play, and then you get one, it’s like kind of feels like you’re a little rusty.”

Ryan Pulock said: “Obviously, it’s tough. I don’t know if there’s a right

answer for it. Some guys might like the rest more than others, some guys

might want more practice. You’ve just got to find a way to keep yourself

fresh at this point in the season.”

The Islanders’ lack of detail seemed to show up most of all against the

league’s better teams. Against the 16 teams in playoff position, the

Islanders are 10-25-3. They are 26-9-7 against non-playoff teams.

“Where we failed was against the better teams, where we didn’t

accumulate enough points,” Trotz said. ”That’s where, to me, our biggest

failure was.

“We’ve lost points when some of our plays have been more catastrophic

or uncharacteristic of us. And a lot of it is just individual decisions. It

could be guys trying to do too much, guys not aware or being a little too

loose. It’s a number of things. We just weren’t good enough against the

playoff teams.”

Still, the Islanders notched one of their more rewarding wins of the

season Tuesday night. Despite being down Zdeno Chara and Brock

Nelson due to non-COVID-19 illnesses, forcing them to dress just 17

skaters, they beat a Capitals team that is trying to avoid playing Florida in

the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs next week. Power-play goals

by Dobson and Pulock, and a highlight reel short-handed score from

Casey Cizikas in which he flipped the puck home with his butt planted

firmly on the ice, gave the Islanders some relief from their losing spell.

Though Trotz and the players have endured a season they’d like to

forget, there are still moments that remind them of what they can be. A

satisfying win over the Capitals under difficult circumstances was one of

them.

“We’re all tired,” Trotz said. “Our team is tired. We’re all sick. We’re on

fumes. The schedule has chewed us up, and the guys are battling.”



Rapid Reaction: Islanders Snap 5-Game Skid, Defeat Caps 4-1 - New

York Islanders Hockey Now

Published 7 hours ago on April 26, 2022

By Stefen Rosner

4-5 minutes 27/04/2022

On Tuesday night, the New York Islanders snapped their five-game skid

as they defeated the Washington Capitals 4-1. The Islanders are now 36-

34-10.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Washington Capitals took a 1-0 lead at 10:24 of the first period as

Connor Sheary deflected a Marcus Johansson one-timer from the slot for

his 19th of the season. Johansson and Nick Jensen with the assists.

The New York Islanders tied the contest at one as Ryan Puck blasted his

fifth goal of the season past Ilya Samsonov at 16:18 of the first period.

Kieffer Bellows and Kyle Palmieri were credited with the assists.

Noah Dobson gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead at 2:56 to go in the third

period. His power-play goal beat Samsonov low glove side for his 13th of

the season. Josh Bailey and Mathew Barzal were credited with the

assist.

Casey Cizikas gave the Islanders a 3-1 lead at 8:42 of the third period as

he somehow was able to beat Samsonov from his bum for his 10th of the

season. The goal was unassisted.

The New York Islanders took a 4-1 lead as Anders Lee rifled his 27th of

the season past Samsonov’s glove for his 27th goal of the season at

15:17 of the third period. The goal was unassisted.

Pulock & Bellows Extend Point Streak

One play, the New York Islanders saw defenseman Ryan Pulock and

Kieffer Bellows extend their point streaks to three games.

With under four minutes to play in the first period, Pulock scored on the

power play as he beat Capitals netminder Ilya Samsonov blocker side

through a screen.

With the goal, Pulock now has two straight games with a goal both

coming on the power play, with an assist back on Saturday against the

Buffalo Sabres.

Kieffer Bellows had probably his easiest assist at the NHL level, as he

dished the puck off to Pulock at the point. That assist gave him points in

three straight with two assists and a goal.

Cizikas Scores Ridiculous Goals

The New York Islanders entered the third period tied with the Washington

Capitals but came away with a 3-1 win. The insurance marker came off

the stick of Casey Cizikas, who scored a beauty of a goal at 8:42 of the

third period while shorthanded.

Due to a strong forecheck, Cizikas pressured Washington Capitals

netminder Ilya Samsonov behind his own net, which forced a turnover.

Cizikas stayed on the puck and from his bum dished the puck on the

backend towards the goal, which somehow got passed Samsonov.

It was a gorgeous goal and a key goal by Casey Cizikas, who got

rewarded for a strong play.

Missing Three Skaters

For the fourth straight game, the New York Islanders were without

forward Anthony Beauvillier due to an upper-body injury. But added to

the unable-to-play list was forward Brock Nelson and defenseman Zdeno

Chara, who both missed the contest due to non-COVID illnesses.

Nelson & Chara Miss Game Thursday, Non-COVID Illness

There was no update on their status following the game.

NOTES:

After missing three straight games, forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau was

activated off the NHL’s COVID-19 list. He was back in the lineup.

Forward Otto Koivula was sent back to Bridgeport (AHL).

Forward Anthony Beauvillier (upper-body, day-to-day) missed his fourth

straight contest.

Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin did not play after suffering

an injury on Sunday.

NYI Hockey Now LOADED: 04.27.2022


Nelson & Chara Miss Game Thursday, Non-COVID Illness - New York

Islanders Hockey Now


By Stefen Rosner

2-3 minutes 27/04/2022

On Tuesday night, the New York Islanders welcomed Jean-Gabriel

Pageau back into the lineup as he was activated off the COVID-19 list.

But when there’s a positive, there has always been a negative for the

New York Islanders this season.

Prior to the contest against the Washington Capitals, the New York

Islanders announced that forward Brock Nelson and defenseman Zdeno

Chara would not play due to a non-COVID illness.

The Islanders had been dealing with COVID-19 as mentioned above, so

the fact that this is not a COVID illness means that both players have the

ability to return to the lineup before the season ends.

Over the last week or so, the stomach bug has made its way around the

New York Islanders locker room.

It started with goaltender Semyon Varlamov missing a few games, along

with Grant Hutton. Could this be related?

Regardless, both players were out of the lineup, and although the New

York Islanders are not playing for much, both players have things to play

for.

The Islanders were also without forward Anthony Beauvillier for the

fourth-straight game as he is dealing with an upper-body injury and is

considered day-to-day.

Brock Nelson currently has 36 goals on the season (a career-high), and

reaching the 30-goal mark became a bit tougher. If he is ready to play

Thursday, he will have Tuesday to reach the mark.

For Zdeno Chara, this is likely his last week in the National Hockey

League.

The 45-year-old defenseman broke the record this season for most

games played by a defenseman in NHL history, passing Chris Chelios to

sit alone with 1,652nd NHL games played back on Feb. 24 against the

San Jose Sharks.

Hopefully, for Chara’s sake, he is able to get back in the lineup before the

season ends on Friday against the Tampa Bay Lightning.



Defense Not Enough in Full Season, The Rise & Need For Offense -

New York Islanders Hockey Now


By Stefen Rosner

7-9 minutes 26/04/2022

The New York Islanders enter their last three regular-season games

riding a five-game losing streak. Over those five games, the Islanders

have been outshot 171-136 and outscored 23-12. They have allowed 4.6

goals per game, scoring just 2.4.

The Islanders have played a lot of hockey in very few days, with the five-

game losing streak coming over a span of eight days. Not to mention,

four of the five previous opponents are playoff-bound, with each having

over 100 points.

The battle against teams with 100 points continues on Tuesday night, as

the Washington Capitals, the eighth seed and the Islanders opponent for

the next two contests, sit with an even 100 points. No eighth seed has

ever had 100 points to finish a season, per Islanders statistician Eric

Hornick.

Three To Go, Gm 80: Lines, Previews & How to Watch vs. Capitals

The Islanders sit with 80 points.

If you look at the teams above the New York Islanders in the Eastern

Conference, there’s another thing in common besides reaching the 100-

point plateau.

The Islanders have averaged 2.73 goals per game, ranking 25th out of

32 teams.

Now, it’s no secret that the New York Islanders have succeeded over the

last few seasons due to their defensive system. Even in a year in which

everything has gone south, the Islanders have allowed the eighth-fewest

goals against in the NHL at 2.83.

That does not mean the Islanders defense is eighth-best.

But the problem is that five of the eight teams above have a lower goals-

against per game than the Islanders.

So what does this mean?

It means that reliance on defense alone is not enough to survive an 82-

game regular season.

Over the previous two seasons, the Islanders have allowed the second-

fewest goals (315) and second-fewest goals-against per game (2.54) in

the NHL. The Islanders, over that span, had scored the 10th fewest goals

in the NHL (341) and the 11th fewest goals-for per game (2.75).

And the previous two seasons, the Islanders have found ways to make

the postseason, with external factors also playing a part.

Following the 2019-20 season, the Islanders finished 7th out of 12

postseason teams due to point percentage (.588) and the postseason

expansion due to COVID-19. They had a record of 35-23-10 (68 GP),

with 2.73 goals per game (10th fewest) and 2.79 goals-against per game

(9th fewest).

In 2020-21, which was just the 2021 season, given the season starting in

January, the Islanders finished in the final playoff spot in the Mass Mutual

East Division, with the league reconfiguring their divisions due to COVID,

as each team only played inside their division.

The Islanders were 32-17-7 (56 GP) with a 2.71 goals per game (11th

fewest) and 2.23 goals against per game (2nd fewest).

It’s fair to say the New York Islanders defense has not been as elite as it

previously has been under Barry Trotz. The loss of Nick Leddy and the

inability to bring in someone of his skill set have played a factor. Zdeno

Chara struggled early on, which led to the separation of one of the elite

shutdown defensive pairings in the NHL in Adam Pelech and Ryan

Pulock.

And then Ryan Pulock fell victim to a lower-body injury. Although Noah

Dobson stepped up and evolved as an NHL defenseman with more

minutes and an increase in his role, Pulock’s loss still was a vital reason

this season is ending on Friday.

Andy Greene has shown his age, and when the Islanders started to turn

things around in March, Scott Mayfield fell victim to injury.

While the defense struggled, particularly against the tougher opponents,

the lack of a potent offense made it challenging to win games and win

close games. The Islanders are 8-9-0 in one-goal games.

And the increased reliance on the system, when the system was missing

a rather critical asset, made it impossible to have continued success

unless the offense stepped it up–which they did not.

That’s not to blame Barry Trotz, as his offense is not highly touted. Given

the need for production, the constant shake-up of his lines and especially

his young players like Wahlstrom has been a concern.

There are weapons, as we have seen with the career year by Brock

Nelson and a strong season by Anders Lee, and of course, having

Mathew Barzal on the roster. But with the inconsistencies of many

forwards, Trotz decided to shake up lines, and with the starts and stops

this season provided, a streaky offense––let’s call it as it is––never got

hot until it was too late in the season.

The defensive system works once postseason play begins. Still, given

the regular-season game being an offensive one, general manager Lou

Lamoriello needs to focus on improving that part of the Islanders game.

That’s not a secret.

It was evident throughout the last two playoff runs. Still, general manager

Lou Lamoriello believed that his team would be back in the postseason

with his defense, goaltending, and the pieces he brought in on offense.

The game plan did not work for a majority of reasons, largely due to

lackluster performances by many players this season, particularly on the

offense. Yes, COVID-19, injuries, and the abundance of games in the

short number of days played a part.

Those are not excuses, just merely facts.

The Islanders leading point-getter this season through 79 games played

is Brock Nelson, who has 58 points in 70 games due to injury and

COVID-19. He sits 82nd in the NHL in points. The next highest point-

getter on the Islanders is Mathew Barzal, who has 54 points in 70 games

and ranks 100th in the NHL.

Lamoriello, who made no moves at the trade deadline, stated that he

believed in the core of his team and that the rest of the season would be

used to evaluate the offense.

And while some players, like Kyle Palmieri, like Jean-Gabriel Pageau,

and Zach Parise, have produced more in the second half than they did in

the first, the need for an elite forward is not just a want.

It’s a need if the New York Islanders want to be able to compete with the

offensive teams that prowl the Metropolitan Division. But what also is a

necessity is secondary support, depth support as one player may help

add a few more goals to the total, but it’s a team game where each line

needs to find ways to be successful.

Making a tweak on the back end to provide more stability will be needed

as well, but the focal point needs to be on the offensive side of the puck

to give the New York Islanders a chance to compete in what is an

offensive-based regular season, especially in a powerhouse division like

the Metropolitan.



Three To Go, Gm 80: Lines, Previews & How to Watch vs. Capitals -



By Stefen Rosner

3-4 minutes 26/04/2022

The New York Islanders (35-34-10) take on the Washington Capitals (

44-23-12) Tuesday night, the first of a home-and-home. Puck drop is

slated for 7 PM ET at Capital One Arena.

The Islanders have three games remaining in the regular season and are

currently riding a five-game losing streak (0-4-1).

The New York Islanders held an optional morning skate on Tuesday.

Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who had missed the last three games due to being

in COVID-19 protocol, was back on the ice. Ilya Sorokin was in the

starter’s crease and was the first goaltender off the ice and will make his

51st start of the season.

Anthony Beauvillier (upper-body, day to day) was not on the ice as he is

likely to miss his fourth-straight contest.

Following the skate, the Islanders announced that Otto Koivula, who was

emergency recalled back on Thursday prior to the contest against the

New York Rangers, was sent back to Bridgeport (AHL).

Prior to the game, defenseman Robin Salo was recalled from Bridgeport

(AHL). That likely means that a defenseman is unable to play.

For the Washington Capitals, head coach Peter Laviolette announced

that Alex Ovechkin would be a game-time decision after leaving

Sunday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs after being

tripped by Leafs’ netminder Erik Kallgren and falling awkwardly into the

boards.

It is likely, with the playoffs coming up, that Ovechkin will not play.

Ilya Samsonov was the first netminder off the ice at Washington Capitals

morning skate as he will start against the Islanders.

ISLANDERS GAME NOTES

Tonight, the New York Islanders visit the Washington Capitals in the third

of four matchups between the two clubs this season.

The last time these teams met was March 15, in Washington, when Noah

Dobson and Brock Nelson each recorded multi-point games to help the

Islanders collect a point in the shootout.

This evening’s matchup begins the Islanders’ fourth home-and-home of

the season.

They are 5-1-0 in home-and-home matchups so far this year. Tonight is

their final road game of the 2021-22 regular season.

BETTING CORNER

The New York Islanders are the road underdogs at +165 (-155 reverse

puck line) against the Washington Capitals, who come in at -195 (+135

on puck line).

The over for the contest is set at 6, with the over at +100 and the under

at -120.



Islanders Daily: Masterton Nominees, Lehner to Have Surgery & More -



By Stefen Rosner

6-7 minutes 26/04/2022

It’s the last week of the NHL regular season, with the New York Islanders

playing three games in four days. On Monday, the nominations were

announced for the Masterton trophy, as the Islanders nominated Zdeno

Chara. This past weekend, the New York Islanders hosted their alumni

for a special charity game on Saturday followed by a fun day at UBS

Arena.

These stories and more in today’s daily links!

Perseverance. Sportsmanship. Dedication. The player that best

exemplifies those character traits is awarded the Bill Masterton Trophy at

the end of the NHL season. The nominations for all 32 National Hockey

League teams are in, all well-deserving of votes. For the New York

Islanders, Zdeno Chara has received the nomination, along with two

former Islanders. (NYI Hockey Now)

Under the leadership of majority owners Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin,

the New York Islanders have made more of an effort to bring alumni

around. This past weekend, the New York Islanders held their ‘Alumni

Weekend’, which featured an alumni duel with the New York Rangers,

raising $25,000 for the Northwell Health Foundation on Saturday,

followed by a fun day at UBS Arena on Sunday. (NYI Hockey Now)

It was a miserable hockey Sunday for Pittsburgh Penguins and fans. Not

only did the Penguins no-show against arch-rival Philadelphia Flyers in a

game that could have given them complete control of third place in the

Metro Division, but fans were subjected to another misdirected TNT

broadcast. (Pittsburgh Hockey Now)

Most Philly sports fans were probably watching the 76ers or the Phillies

on Monday night. Only the diehards were viewing the Philadelphia

Flyers, whose season lost its meaning months ago. Here’s what most of

you missed: The Flyers’ attempt at their second three-game winning

streak of the season fell short at the United Center. They allowed two

goals in the first 6:15 and never recovered, falling to the Chicago

Blackhawks, 3-1. (Philadelphia Hockey Now)

It’s been a long, strange few years for the Boston Bruins organization,

and for the NHL as well as the entire league has persevered through

challenges and obstacles simply to bring hockey back to a sense of

normalcy.Nobody could have guessed that Boston Bruins Jake DeBrusk

would still be with the B’s on the cusp of the playoffs after his trade

request surfaced back in December, and certainly, nobody could have

predicted he would be the B’s nominee for the Masterton Trophy given to

a player that “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance,

sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.” (Boston Hockey Now)

With the Florida Panthers in Boston preparing to take on the Bruins

tonight and the team enjoying their best season in franchise history, you

can expect to see one of the biggest goals in franchise history shown on

the broadcast. On the eve of that goal’s 26th birthday to boot. (Florida

Hockey Now)

Montreal Canadiens goalie Carey Price has been named a nominee for

the 2022 Bill Masterton Trophy. The trophy is awarded annually to the

NHL player who “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance,

sportsmanship and dedication.” Price made his way back this season

after offseason hip surgery and after checking himself into the NHL

Player Assistance program for substance use. (Montreal Hockey Now)

After suffering an upper-body injury on Sunday, Washington Capitals

captain Alex Ovechkin was on the ice and front and center for the annual

team photo at MedStar Capitals Iceplex on Monday. He is considered

day-to-day. (Washington Hockey Now)

Jared Bednar usually doesn’t spare the rod, at least when it comes to

criticizing his team’s work ethic. If it’s not there, he says it. And so, he

said it after Sunday’s miserable 4-1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets, the team’s

fourth straight overall. With one week to go in the regular season, this

does not sound like a coach of a Western Conference-leading team.

(Colorado Hockey Now)

The reports were a little premature on this one, but they eventually

proved to be accurate. Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Robin Lehner

will miss the remainder of the regular season and will undergo shoulder

surgery. This news was officially announced Monday by the Golden

Knights themselves after multiple reports came out on Friday. (Vegas

Hockey Now)

Thomas Bordeleau’s capacity for the spectacular is obvious. From the

shootout winner, snapping the San Jose Sharks’ 11-game losing streak

to the Vegas Golden Knight to an innocent-looking neutral zone entry,

Bordeleau is a threat to conjure up magic at any moment. (San Jose

Hockey Now)

It’s a three-step process for the Vancouver Canucks. Beat the Seattle

Kraken and have the Vegas Golden Knights beat the Dallas Stars in

regulation on Tuesday night. Next, beat the Los Angeles Kings on

Thursday night, after having the Vegas Golden Knights lose in regulation

to the Chicago Blackhawks and the Dallas Stars lose in regulation to the

Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday. (Vancouver Hockey Now)

Calgary Flames defenceman Chris Tanev reminds me of one of his

former teammates — former Flames captain Mark Giordano. Their

games may be slightly different. Giordano was more offensively gifted.

Tanev is one of the most stable defensive anchors you could conjure on

the blueline. But both thrive on hard work and determination. And both

seemed to get better with age. Now, both can say they have been

Calgary Flames nominees for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

(Calgary Hockey Now)


1242897 New York Rangers

Rangers lose to Metropolitan Division winner Hurricanes

New York Daily News

4-5 minutes 27/04/2022

Vincent Trochek had a goal and an assist, rookie Pyotr Kochetkov

stopped 31 shots and the Carolina Hurricanes beat the Rangers 4-3

Tuesday night to clinch the Metropolitan Division title.

Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen and Jordan Martinook also scored for

Carolina, and Brady Skjei had two assists. The Hurricanes, who won

their second straight division title after winning the realigned Central

Division in last year’s shortened season, set franchise records with 53

wins and 114 points, topping marks set in 2005-06.

Kochetkov, making his second career start and third straight appearance,

had 11 saves in the first period, 11 in the second and nine in the third to

improve to 3-0-0.

Mika Zibanejadis upended by Nino Niederreiter in Rangers' loss to

Hurricanes on Tuesday night at Garden.

Chris Kreider scored his 52nd goal for the Rangers, who have lost two

straight and three of seven and are assured of finishing second in the

Metropolitan. Jacob Trouba and Alexis Lafrenière also scored, and Igor

Shesterkin finished with 31 saves.

Aho pounced on a loose puck and fired a shot past Shesterkin for his

team-leading 37th of the season 32 seconds into the third to push

Carolina’s lead to 4-1.

Trouba pulled the Rangers back within two as he took a pass from

K’Andre Miller and fired a shot from the right point past Kochetkov for his

career-high 11th with 6:48 left.

New York pulled Shesterkin for an extra skater with about 2 1/2 minutes

remaining, and Lafrenière scored on a one-timer from the right side with

1:02 left to get the Rangers within one. It was his 18th.

After a scoreless first period, the Hurricanes took control with three goals

in the second.

The Rangers had three power plays in a 7:09 stretch from late in the first

period to early in the second. They managed four shots on goal on the

advantages but couldn’t break through against the league’s top penalty-

killing unit.

Trochek then gave the Hurricanes the lead as he beat Shesterkin with a

slap shot from the left circle off a pass fromSkjei — one of six former

Rangers on the Carolina roster — at 7:05 of the middle period. It was his

21st of the season.

Martinook made it 2-0 with 6:12 remaining in the second as he tipped a

shot by Derek Stepan, another former Ranger, from the right circle past

Shesterkin. It was Martinook’s fifth.

Kreider pulled the Rangers back within one as he took a pass from Frank

Vatrano after a steal and put a backhander past Kochetkov with 3:02 left.

It tied Adam Graves (1993-94) for the second-most goals in a single

season in franchise history, just two behind the record set by Jaromir

Jagr in 2005-06.

Teravainen restored Carolina’s two-goal as he skated in the left circle

and beat Shesterkin for is 21st with 1:41 to go in the period.

The Hurricanes outshot the Rangers 14-11 in the first period with both

goalies making several nice stops.

MCDONALD WINNER

Kreider was announced as the Rangers’ winner of the 2022 Steven

McDonald “Extra Effort” Award. The award, named for the former NYPD

detective shot and injured on the job in 1986, is given annually to a

Rangers player selected in fan voting who “goes above and beyond the

call of duty.” McDonald’s widow Patti and son Connor — an NYPD

sergeant— were in attendance to present the award.

MILESTONES

Kreider’s goal was the 229th of his career, breaking a tie with Bill Cook

for 10th place in franchise history. ... Aho’s goal gave him 400 career

points. ... Teravainen got his 100th goal with the Hurricanes. ... Carolina

F Max Domi played in his 500th career game.

SHORT-HANDED

The Rangers were two men down in the third period after announcing

forward Artemi Panarin (upper body injury) and Andrew Copp (lower

body injury) would not return to the game.

New York Daily News LOADED: 04.27.2022


Rangers fans vote Chris Kreider Extra Effort award winner

Mollie Walker

3-4 minutes 27/04/2022

Chris Kreider’s list of accolades this season continues to grow.

Before the Rangers’ 4-3 loss to the Hurricanes on Tuesday night at

Madison Square Garden, Kreider was announced as the Steven

McDonald Extra Effort Award winner for this season.

The fan-voted honor is awarded annually to the Ranger who “goes above

and beyond the call of duty.”

“I think to say that it was an honor is an understatement,” said Kreider,

who scored his 52nd goal of the season and is two away from tying the

franchise record for goals in a single season. set by Jaromir Jagr in

2005-06. “[Winning the] McDonald is probably the greatest honor in my

hockey career. Knowing what the award stands for, what Steven stood

for, what the family represents, how important they are to the team.

Talked to [Conor McDonald] a decent amount, they’re a part of the

Rangers family, always will be.

“The guys understand that. It was surprising, and an enormous,

enormous honor.”

It was surprising only to Kreider, who has strung together the best

season of his career and still manages to be the most selfless Ranger.

True to his nature, Kreider, once again, declined to reflect on his scoring

surge this season.

“I don’t know, it’s a hard thing to reflect on after that game,” he said.

“Sorry, not much for you right now after a loss like that. Kind of a tough

pill to swallow.”

In addition to tying Adam Graves for the second-most goals in a single

season in franchise history, Kreider recorded his career-high 25th assist

on Alexis Lafreniere’s 4-3 score late in the third period. His 52 goals are

the third most in the NHL, behind only the Maple Leafs’ Auston Matthews

(60) and the Oilers’ Leon Draisaitl (55).

The second-period goal also moved Kreider past Bill Cook for sole

possession of 10th place on the Rangers all-time goals list with 229.

Last week, Kreider was named the Rangers’ Masterton Trophy nominee.

As voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association, the

Masterton is given to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of

perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Jacob Trouba established a new career-high with his 11th goal of the

season in the third period. That also tied him with Adam Fox for the most

tallies by a Rangers defenseman this year.

Goalie Igor Shesterkin got the starting nod, meaning backup Alex

Georgiev likely will play against the Canadiens on Wednesday in the

second night of the back-to-back.



Rangers get injury scares as Hurricanes clinch Metro division

Mollie Walker

4-5 minutes 27/04/2022

The Rangers’ hopes for first place in the Metropolitan Division were

crushed by their loss to Carolina on Tuesday night, but that seemed

insignificant in comparison to the concern for players’ health.

Artemi Panarin and Andrew Copp went to the locker room roughly

halfway through the second period and stayed there for the remainder of

the Rangers’ 4-3 loss to the Hurricanes — now division champions —

who came to Madison Square Garden and roughed up the home team,

which has to settle for second place.

The Rangers said Panarin suffered an upper-body injury, while Copp left

with a lower-body injury, but it sounded as if they were only held out over

an abundance of caution.

“They told me between periods, ‘Do you want them back?’ And I said no,

I need them back next week,” said Rangers head coach Gerard Gallant,

who added that the two forwards should be fine. “I hate to see it, but I’d

[rather] be cautious than not have them when the games really matter.”

Copp was skating in his first game back after missing the Rangers’ game

Saturday at Boston due to an undisclosed lower-body injury. It is unclear

if the trade-deadline acquisition aggravated the same injury. But with the

way the game was going, the Rangers kept Copp out as a precaution the

moment his injury flared up.

The same went for Panarin, who has played in every game since Jan. 10

and was due for a breather.

Gallant was adamant after practice Monday that having his team 100

percent healthy for the postseason was more important than winning a

couple of games. If that’s the case, the Rangers should not be dressing

their full lineup in the second night of the back-to-back against the

Canadiens on Wednesday or in the final matchup of the regular season

against the Capitals on Friday.

And it sounded as if that is Gallant’s plan. Now that first place is off the

table, Gallant admitted his mindset has changed.

It’s simply not worth getting the four players who have a shot at it into all

82 games. It’s not worth allowing Panarin to chase 100 points. It’s not

worth it to see whether Chris Kreider can break the franchise record for

goals in a single season or if Mika Zibanejad can reach 30 goals.

None of it would be worth it if the Rangers end up shorthanded in any

capacity come Game 1 of Round 1 of the playoffs, which will be against

either the Penguins or Capitals.

New York Rangers left wing Artemi Panarin (10) skates the puck

Artemi Panarin did not take a shift in the third period due to what the

Rangers called an ‘upper-body injury.’

Despite the defeat and additional injury scares, the Rangers got Filip

Chytil back in the lineup after the Czech center also missed the game

against the Bruins with an upper-body injury.

On the other hand, Kaapo Kakko remained sidelined with an undisclosed

lower-body injury. The Finnish winger did participate in practice on

Monday, but he evidently needed another game to recuperate. Given

how the last three months have shaken out for Kakko, the Rangers will

not rush him back.

“You can’t really worry about [getting hurt] in the middle of the game,”

said Jacob Trouba, who pulled the Rangers within two at 13:12 of the

third period. “I haven’t talked to them yet but we’ll go and check on them,

see how everybody’s doing. You’ve got to worry about playing the game

when the game is going on.”

Carolina broke through with three goals in the second period from

Vincent Trocheck, Jordan Martinook and Teuvo Teravainen. Kreider got

the Rangers on the board at 16:56 to break it up, taking a one-handed

pass from Frank Vatrano and finishing the breakaway for his 52nd goal of

the season.

Hurricanes forward Sebastian Aho scored 32 seconds into the final frame

to put the game out of reach. Trouba and Lafreniere scored 5:46 apart to

pull the Rangers within one with just over a minute left in regulation, but it

was too late.

“It’s tough to make the playoffs in this league,” Trouba said when asked

how much pride the Rangers take in finishing second. “I’ve been around

long enough now [to know] it’s not a given to make the playoffs or play in

those important games. It’s definitely something to be proud of.”



Rangers impressed by Gerard Gallant even if Jack Adams Award doesn't

come

Mollie Walker

3-4 minutes 27/04/2022

The Rangers’ turnaround from a team that had gone four straight

seasons without a playoff berth to handily punching their ticket to the

Stanley Cup tournament in their first season under Gerard Gallant has

thrust the head coach into the conversation for the Jack Adams Award.

A lot of the Rangers’ success this season has been credited to

otherworldly goaltending, however, so the poll from the National Hockey

League Broadcasters Association for the coach of the year may not sway

in Gallant’s favor.

Still, Gallant doesn’t need an award to validate what he has done for the

Rangers in the last 10 months.

“I think he’s just been consistent,” defenseman K’Andre Miller said of

Gallant. “Coming in each day, holding us to a certain standard of trying to

get better each day and tightening up those things that we need to

improve on, to be that team that can win. He’s been really solid for us.

Rangers coach Gerard Gallant speaks with the media before the game

against the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden on April 26,

2022.

“I think everyone in that locker room believes that he’s a coach that holds

us to a certain standard and guys have a lot of respect for that.”

Gallant hasn’t even finished his first season in New York, but he has

already padded his résumé. He became the second head coach in

Rangers history to win 50 games and the 15th to make the playoffs in his

first season with the club.

Aside from the statistics and accomplishments, Gallant has helped foster

the start of a new culture for the Rangers. A culture that encourages a

short-term memory from game-to-game and allows players to compete

without anything hanging over their heads. Gallant’s easygoing and old-

school approach has paved the way for players such as Chris Kreider to

do what makes them successful without thinking too much about it.

“The biggest thing about Turk, I think he just doesn’t restrict your game,”

Frank Vatrano said. “He kind of lets you go out there and play. If you’re

an offensive guy, he wants you to make plays. But within that structure,

he also wants you to play smart. He holds you accountable if you make

some mistakes, but he doesn’t restrict the way you play. He wants the

offensive guys to make the plays and it’s great to have a coach like that.

“If you mess up, you know you messed up, but you’re going to have that

confidence to go out there and still make plays.”

Goalie Igor Shesterkin got the starting nod Tuesday night against the

Hurricanes.



Frank Vatrano has been ultimate complement to Rangers first line

Mollie Walker

4-5 minutes 27/04/2022

No hockey game is complete without the whooshing sounds of skates

carving up ice, the clacking of stick-on-stick contact and the scattered

clusters of fans yelling, “SHOOT!”

That last part is something Rangers fans don’t have to worry about when

it comes to the team’s top line.

There are a lot of reasons why the Rangers’ first unit of Chris Kreider,

Mika Zibanejad and Frank Vatrano has worked since Vatrano was

acquired in the days leading up to the March 21 trade deadline. The most

notable one is that Vatrano is a pure shooter, which is the ultimate

complement to Zibanejad’s playmaking ability and Kreider’s net-front

presence.

“My goal here was just to come here, play hockey and help this team

win,” Vatrano said after practice Monday before the Rangers faced the

Hurricanes on Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden. “That’s what

I’ve been trying to do every single night. Bring my intensity and energy. I

was fortunate enough to play with some great players. This whole team,

there’s great players throughout the lineup.

Rangers

Frank Vatrano

“To be playing with Kreids and Mika, it’s obviously great, but just came

here to help this team win hockey games and that’s what I’ve been trying

to do since I’ve been here.”

Vatrano brings a shoot-first mentality to a duo that has gotten in trouble

at times for making one too many passes. The Rangers have long had

an issue of looking for the pretty pass instead of putting the puck on net,

but that shortcoming has significantly improved since president and

general manager Chris Drury brought in a couple of north-south players:

Vatrano and Andrew Copp.

After lining up next to Artemi Panarin and Ryan Strome in his first four

games as a Ranger, Vatrano has appeared on the right wing of the top

line in the last 16 contests. Entering the game Tuesday, Kreider,

Zibanejad and Vatrano had outscored opponents by a cool 10-5 at 5-on-

5 over 169:45, according to Natural Stat Trick.

Vatrano had seven goals and four assists in his first 19 games with the

Rangers, but the 28-year-old has simply made the top line a more

complete force.

“They play a fast game and a simple game,” Vatrano said of his

linemates. “I think that’s how I play. I think that’s why it’s worked out. You

can’t change the way you play, if you’re playing in the top spot. If you’re

up and down the lineup, you just got to bring that game you bring every

single night — regardless of who you’re playing with.”

Coming from the Panthers, for whom he primarily had a bottom-six role,

Vatrano has had to adjust to skating alongside two top forwards. The

pending unrestricted free agent, however, has focused on staying true to

his game.

NHL

Frank Vatrano

Asked if he thinks any differently when playing with Kreider, who entered

Tuesday with 51 goals, three shy of tying the Rangers’ single-season

goals record, and Zibanejad, Vatrano noted that if he did, it wouldn’t be

beneficial for his game.

“Obviously Kreids is a special player, and so is Mika,” he said. “You can’t

change the way you play. Obviously Kreids has [51] goals, Mika has

almost 30. Whoever is open gets the puck. Obviously, me and Kreids are

shooters, so we’re trying to get open for Mika. Nothing changes, just if

the guy is open make the play and play simple hockey.”



Rangers vs. Hurricanes odds, prediction: Trust Carolina's explosive

offense

Staff Report

Action Network

5-6 minutes 26/04/2022

The New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes will continue their battle

for the Metropolitan Division on Tuesday night. Oddsmakers have made

the Rangers -120 favorites for the encounter, with the Hurricanes coming

back as +100 underdogs. If Carolina defeats the Rangers, the Canes will

clinch the division and ensure themselves home-ice advantage in the first

two rounds of the postseason.

When these two teams met at MSG two weeks ago, it was Carolina that

closed as the slight -120 favorite, but the Hurricanes had Frederik

Andersen starting in goal for that game. Andersen has since been

injured, so it will either be Antti Raanta or rookie Pyotr Kochetkov in net

for the Canes on Tuesday night.

Carolina has gone 7-3 in its last 10 games and is averaging nearly 23

more shot attempts and five more high-danger scoring chances at 5-on-5

compared to its opponents. Only the Bruins boast a better expected

goals rate than the Hurricanes over that span.

New players only, 21+. NY, NJ, MI, AZ, VA only. In order to participate in

this promotion, the player needs to make a first deposit (of at least $10).

Full T&C apply.

New York’s 5-on-5 numbers over its last 10 games are decent, but the

Rangers have played a very defensive style at even strength as the

season’s gone on. Rather than try to outscore teams, the Blueshirts have

opted for a more pragmatic approach, relying on defensive structure to

keep games tight and then betting on their high-skill players to be the

difference in close contests.

New York ranks 26th in the NHL in creating high-danger scoring chances

at 5-on-5 over its last 10 games, but the Rangers are still creating more

than they’re conceding, which is a testament to just how much they’ve

tightened up in their own zone.

That said, the Hurricanes should provide a much stiffer test than what the

Rangers have been seeing over the past month or so. Since the Trade

Deadline, the Rangers have gone 11-4-1, but only five of those contests

have featured playoff-bound opponents. In those games, the Rangers

have skated to a 3-2 record, with all three of the wins coming against the

Penguins, who were playing without Sidney Crosby on one occasion and

without Evgeni Malkin in another.

Additionally, the way the Rangers have been playing puts a lot of

pressure on the goaltender and the power play to prove to be the

difference in these coin flips. And while Igor Shesterkin — should he start

— will easily be the A-side in this goaltending matchup, the Rangers No.

3 ranked power play could find it tough sledding against the league’s best

penalty kill.

With the special teams battle basically a wash, bettors can put more

emphasis on 5-on-5 play and in that regard, Carolina should stand out.

The Canes have skated to the fifth-best expected goals rate on the

season and only Florida has created more high-danger scoring chances

than Carolina at 5-on-5 this season. The Rangers defense may be a

strength, but they’re going up against one of the league’s deepest attacks

on Tuesday night.

Betting against Igor Shesterkin is nobody’s idea of a fun time and he

could very well prove to be the difference in a tight contest, but getting

Carolina as an underdog in a matchup that should suit them is worth the

risk.

The Bet: Carolina Hurricanes -105 or better



Rangers must prioritize health with first-place lost, NHL playoffs looming

Larry Brooks

5-6 minutes 26/04/2022

The Rangers have gone game-to-game all season long. That approach,

fostered by head coach Gerard Gallant and embraced by the team, has

generated one of the most pleasantly surprising seasons in franchise

history.

There are two games to go, a playoff spot was long ago clinched and it

was not until a 4-3 Garden loss to Metropolitan Division-clinching

Carolina on Tuesday night that the Blueshirts were eliminated from the

first-place chase.

So, it is second place for the Rangers and a first-round matchup against

either the Penguins or Capital that will begin with home-ice advantage

early next week. This final week and these final two games should be

about one thing and one thing only: preparing and protecting the

Blueshirts for next week. It must be about minimizing risk and not

maximizing victories.

If that hadn’t been the contingency plan before this defeat, it sure should

be after the franchise’s playoff fate flashed before its very eyes when

both Artemi Panarin and Andrew Copp left the match midway through the

second period and did not return.

Gallant later clarified that both all but certainly would have returned had

this been next week, the coach stating that he was being “cautious.”

When asked if he would take that approach for the final two contests,

against Montreal on Wednesday and Washington on Friday, Gallant

answered in the affirmative. There was no other answer.

The Rangers have had a handful of extra players on the roster since the

trade deadline. They also can recall four players from the AHL Wolf

Pack, who did not make the playoffs and whose season has ended. It is

time for general manager Chris Drury to implement these recalls and fit

as many of them and the spares into the lineup so that the vets who have

grinded through the first 80 games get some R&R.

In other sports, that would not even be a discussion. It would be

automatic. To their detriment, our other major professional sports

leagues have been infected by load-management. The NHL is still too

macho-culture for that. If you ask out, you are probably on your way out

for good. It is a badge of honor to play in all 82 games. In 2013-14, Dan

Girardi was rested for Game 82 in Montreal after having played the first

81. He was seething.

Rangers

Mike Zibanejad

In addition, there is an intriguing scenario in play for the finale Friday

night. It is possible that a Rangers victory would mean a first-round

matchup against the Penguins while a defeat would mean a series

against the Capitals.

I get it. You can call me an alarmist. You can call me obsessed and over-

protective. You can call me anything you want. But if I were running the

Rangers, there is not a chance I’d send my marquee guys into that fray.

I’d dress the equivalent of an exhibition-game roster for this one and I

would not think twice about it.

I recognize that you cannot bubble-wrap players. But I am sorry (no, I’m

not), I simply do not trust that Tom Wilson and his teammates will play

with honorable intentions on Friday night. I do not trust the Washington

operation, which has historically enabled the recidivist headhunter. Legal

restraints prohibit me from accusing the winger of purposefully and

knowingly injuring opponents, but I have sure never seen him play with a

conscience. Almost a full year later, this thing has a chance to come full

circle. The last thing the Rangers need is to get enmeshed in a scene

that produces injuries or suspensions.

Rangers

The Rangers lost to the Hurricanes on Tuesday night.

I suppose there is another side to this, that the Rangers might be

perceived as having turtled, which might become a theme during a

hypothetical playoff matchup against Washington. I imagine that, in the

macho corners of hockey’s collective mind, the Rangers might take that

into consideration even though they should know that while sticks and

headshots can break their bones and brains, words can never harm

them.

Here’s what I would say: Discretion is the better part of valor.

Again, the only consideration from now through Friday should be how

this week will impact next week. The Rangers have played well enough,

consistently enough, deep enough into the season to have long since

established a foundation for the playoffs. It no longer is about game-to-

game.

At this moment, it is about Game 1.



Rangers' coach Gerard Gallant getting secretive about injuries

By Colin Stephenson

[email protected]


Rangers coach Gerard Gallant has begun gearing up for playoff mode

with the media. In his pregame briefing Tuesday before the Blueshirts

played the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden, Gallant

declined to reveal which of his three injured forwards — who all practiced

on Monday — would be returning to the lineup Tuesday.

“They’re all game-time decisions,’’ Gallant teased reporters. “I might as

well get used to telling you nothing.’’

It turned out Andrew Copp and Filip Chytil, who both left Thursday’s win

over the Islanders in the third period and then missed Saturday’s 3-1 loss

to the Bruins in Boston, were back in, but Kaapo Kakko, out since

suffering an apparent knee injury against Detroit on April 16, was not.

Kakko missed his fourth straight game.

All three players had practiced Monday, though Kakko did not participate

in the five-on-five scrimmaging.

Copp ended up leaving Tuesday’s game in the second period with a

lower-body injury, but Gallant wouldn’t say if it was the same injury. He

said it wasn't serious.

Showing some fight

The game got a little chippy in the second period. Barclay Goodrow

fought Carolina’s Ian Cole in the second period, and after ex-Ranger

Brady Skjei drilled his old teammate Mika Zibanejad into the boards

behind the Carolina net in the final seconds of the period, Nino

Niederreiter followed up by grabbing Zibanejad and trying to spin him

down to the ice.

Adam Fox confronted Niederreiter and both players got roughing

penalties with 4.1 seconds left in the period. After the period was over,

Rangers enforcer Ryan Reaves went over to the Hurricanes bench and

said something.

“I mean, the division title was on the line, I guess,’’ Rangers forward

Chris Kreider said. “I don’t think it was overly chippy.”

I think we’re a couple games away from the playoffs. It’s two very

competitive teams. You know, there was a lot was riding on this game.

So I mean, that’s what the playoffs are going to be like.’’

Blue notes

With Chytil and Copp returning, Julien Gauthier and Greg McKegg, who

stepped in for them on Saturday, were scratched, along with forward

Jonny Brodzinski and Ds Libor Hajek and Justin Braun. Braun, who was

acquired at the deadline from Philadelphia, has played in seven of 17

games since joining the team … Before the game, the family of the late

police officer Steven McDonald presented the Steven McDonald “Extra

Effort’’ Award to forward Chris Kreider, the player voted by the fans as

having gone above and beyond.



Artemi Panarin, Andrew Copp injured in Rangers' loss to Hurricanes

By Colin Stephenson

[email protected]


After the Rangers clinched a playoff spot on April 9, coach Gerard

Gallant opted to play the rest of the schedule straight up, rather than start

resting his team’s stars. Gallant wanted to keep everyone sharp, and

playing their best, and get them ready for Game 1 of the playoffs, and

there was a battle for first place in the Metropolitan Division to consider,

as well.

But that’s over now, after the Rangers lost, 4-3, Tuesday, to the Carolina

Hurricanes in Madison Square Garden. With the victory, Carolina

clinched first in the division.

But the Rangers left the game with bigger concerns than the standings,

after they finished the game without their leading scorer, Artemi Panarin,

and his linemate, Andrew Copp, who both left during the second period

with injuries.

Gallant afterward said the injuries were not serious, and that both players

could have re-entered the game. He kept them out because of an

abundance of caution, he said.

“I think if it was next week, one of those [playoff] games, both of them

would have been back,’’ he said. “I'd sooner be cautious than not have

them when the games really matter. [The training staff] told me between

periods, ‘Do you want [Copp] back? Do you need him back? And I said,

‘No, I need him back next week.’’’

Gallant admitted that now that first place is off the table, he will proceed

with caution for the final two games of the regular season. The Rangers

play Wednesday at home against the Montreal Canadiens and finish

Friday at home against Washington. That game against Washington

could be a playoff preview, as the Rangers, who are locked into second

place in the division, will play the third-place finisher, which will be either

Washington or Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh (101 points) currently holds third place, with a one-point lead

over Washington. But the Capitals have two games remaining and the

Penguins have one.

The Rangers needed to win Tuesday to keep alive any chance of winning

the division, but after a scoreless first period they lost Panarin (to an

upper-body injury) and Copp (lower body) early in the second period, and

were two men short the rest of the game.

Copp had just returned to the lineup after leaving the 6-3 win over the

Islanders last Thursday late in the third period and then missing

Saturday’s 3-1 loss in Boston. Gallant would not say if the injury that took

Copp out Tuesday was the same one that took him out last Thursday.

Carolina opened the scoring at 7:05 of the second period, on a goal by

Vincent Trochek that came after Miller had lost his stick when his

teammate, Ryan Lindgren, fell down and accidentally yanked the stick

out of Miller’s hands. Jordan Martinook deflected in Derek Stepan’s shot

at 13:48 of the period to make it 2-0.

Chris Kreider’s 52nd goal of the season, at 16:56, cut it to 2-1, but Teuvo

Teravainen’s goal made it 3-1 at 18:19 and Sebastian Aho scored a four-

on-four goal 32 seconds into the third period to make it 4-1.

The Rangers made a fight of it late, as Jacob Trouba scored at 13:12 of

the third to make it 4-2, and then, with goalie Igor Shesterkin pulled for an

extra attacker, Alexis Lafreniere scored with 1:02 remaining to make it 4-

3.

Kreider, who is three goals away from breaking the franchise record of 54

held by Jaromir Jagr, was asked if he is concerned about the potential for

injury with the playoffs so close. He is one of four Rangers who have a

chance to play in all 82 games this season, and he didn’t sound like a

man who wanted a night off.

“I mean, that's a question for coaches [and] management,’’ Kreider

said. “I'm just a player. I’m a professional hockey player. If they tell me to

play, I play.’’



New York can become Rangers Town again with a deep playoff run

By Neil Best

[email protected]@sportswatch


The Rangers were having a heck of a millennium for a while there —

playoffs almost every year, including a Stanley Cup Final, an iconic star

in Henrik Lundqvist and a party-like-it’s-1994 vibe at the Garden.

Then came “The Letter” in February 2018, in which the Blueshirts

announced a rebuild, and New York sports marched on without them.

There were Jacob deGrom Cy Youngs and Pete Alonso home runs and

big-name Nets additions and two Islanders Cup semifinals and Julius

Randle “M-V-P” chants.

No, really. There used to be Julius Randle “M-V-P” chants. That

happened.

Now here we are in late April 2022, and as dawn broke on Tuesday, this

was a Rangers town again, and could be for the next two months.

Do not bother saying “nobody cares about hockey, Boomer.” Many of us

do, and more of us should, given the state of metropolitan-area sports

and what the Rangers have a chance to do.

(Yes, even Islanders fans should care, if I may be so bold, given what

deep local playoff runs do for hockey’s visibility around here.)

The Rangers are good, they are exciting, they have star power, and they

have as much of a chance as any of the eight Eastern Conference

entries to advance to the Final.

And regardless of the outcome of their pennant race with the Hurricanes

— including their loss to Carolina, 4-3, Tuesday night — it is likely that

come next week they will do something that has not happened in more

than 10 months: a New York-area NHL, NBA, MLB or NFL team winning

a playoff game.

Not a series. A game. Just. One. Game. Ten months, nine teams, no

wins.

The last time it happened was on June 23, 2021, when the Islanders’

Anthony Beauvillier scored in overtime to beat the Lightning in Game 6 of

the NHL semifinals — in an arena that no longer is in the NHL.

That was a great moment at Nassau Coliseum, and it has been followed

by . . . nothing.

The Yankees lost a wild-card game to the Red Sox, which seemed like a

crushing defeat until what happened on Monday night.

After surviving the play-in tournament, the Nets lost to the Celtics, 116-

112, at Barclays Center to complete a first-round Boston sweep and a

Nets season that ranks among the most spectacular flops in the history

of New York sports.

Other disappointing teams over the decades — including this season’s

Islanders, by the way — can get on with their lives now. The Nets were

worse than all of them.

But while co-general managers Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant meet with

their assistants, Joe Tsai and Sean Marks, to assess what went wrong,

the Rangers are here to provide some non-baseball sports

entertainment.

Can they win it all? Sure. Will they? Probably not, given the randomness

of the NHL playoffs.

But it would be a shock if they went down as meekly as the Nets did.

The Rangers are strong in goal, their top six forwards are as dynamic as

they come, and Jericho’s own Adam Fox is the reigning Norris Trophy

winner on defense.

If Artemi Panarin were a basketball player, he’d be . . . Kyrie Irving,

minus the sideshow.

So, Rangers fans, buckle up for what could be a fun ride. As for everyone

else, consider hopping aboard the bandwagon for a spell.

New York’s playoff calendar is clear: Come May, it belongs to the

Rangers.



Frank Vatrano making the most of likely short stay with Rangers

By Colin Stephenson

[email protected]

April 26, 2022 3:05 PM

From the moment Rangers coach Gerard Gallant put Frank Vatrano

together with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad, the newcomer has been

a perfect fit, and looked like the piece that had been missing from the top

line ever since Pavel Buchnevich was traded away last summer.

“Well, he can shoot the puck, I knew that,’’ Gallant said Monday, when

asked what he knew about Vatrano before the Rangers acquired him

from the Florida Panthers on March 16 for a fourth-round draft pick. “He's

fitting in good with those guys, and he's playing good hockey, so there

was no surprise. The guy's played in the league . . . We’ve got pro

scouts, they do their jobs. And what they told us he was, that's what he

is. And that's what we expected from him.’’

Heading into Tuesday’s game against the Carolina Hurricanes at

Madison Square Garden, Vatrano had scored seven goals and 11 points

in 19 games since being acquired by the Rangers, and six goals and four

assists in the 15 games he played with Kreider and Zibanejad.

But as great as Vatrano seems to be working out on the Rangers’ top

line, his time on that line — and on the team — is likely fleeting. The 28-

year-old, East Longmeadow, Massachusetts, native will be an

unrestricted free agent this summer, and it’s highly unlikely the Blueshirts

will be able to fit him in under their salary cap next season.

Vatrano, currently carrying a $2.533 million cap hit, will be one of seven

UFAs the Rangers will have this summer, a group including Ryan

Strome, fellow trade acquisitions Andrew Copp, Tyler Motte and

defenseman Justin Braun, and gritty bottom-six forwards Kevin Rooney

and Greg McKegg. When the contract extensions signed by Zibanejad

and Adam Fox kick in next season, the Rangers will have roughly $67.3

million committed to 16 players, leaving them around $15.2 million in cap

space to re-sign their UFAs, plus restricted free agents Kaapo Kakko,

Sammy Blais, a backup goalie (Alexandar Georgiev is also an RFA) and

a depth defenseman.

Choices are going to have to be made, as there won’t be enough cap

space to bring everyone back. And that makes it all the more important

for Vatrano to make the best of the present, and the upcoming playoff

run.

“My goal here was just don't come here play hockey, help this team win,’’

Vatrano said when asked about his mindset in joining the Rangers. “And

that's what I've been trying to do every single night, just bring my

intensity and energy. I was fortunate enough to play with some great

players — this whole team has great players throughout the lineup —

and now that I play with Kreids and Mika, It's obviously great. But like I

said, [I’ve] just come here to help this team win hockey games.’’

He's done that already. The Rangers were 13-5-1 since Vatrano joined

the team, and 11-3-1 since Gallant put him on the top line. His addition,

along with Copp, who came over from Winnipeg at the March 21 trade

deadline, has solidified the Rangers’ top two lines heading into the

postseason. Copp has served as the right wing on the second line, with

Artemi Panarin and Strome.

For Vatrano, whose last goal, April 16, vs. Detroit, was the 100th of his

career, his fit with Zibanejad and Kreider has been seamless. He said he

hasn’t had to adjust his game in any way to play with his linemates, even

though he fancies himself a shooter, and his linemate Kreider had scored

a career-high 51 goals before Tuesday.

“They play a fast game, and a simple game,’’ Vatrano said of Kreider and

Zibanejad. “I think that's how I play, and I think that's why it's worked out.

And like I said all the time, you can't change the way you play if you're

playing the top spot [or] dropping down the lineup. You’ve got to bring

that game you bring every single night, regardless of where you're

playing.’’



Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin for Hart? How his season stacks up

historically: ‘He’s definitely in the conversation’

Arthur Staple

9-11 minutes 26/04/2022

The chatter was far louder six weeks ago, when Igor Shesterkin was

sporting a .942 save percentage, a number that no one’s posted for a full

season as a No. 1 goalie since Jacques Plante 50-plus years ago.

Shesterkin hit a very minor rut after that, but he has elevated his game

once again of late. He’s running away with the Vezina Trophy, far

outpacing the rest of the league’s goalies in every key category. With one

or two games left in his season and NHL Award ballots already sitting in

voters’ inboxes, it’s time to tackle the bigger question:

Can Igor Shesterkin win the Hart Trophy?

There have been only three goalies to win it in the modern era. A

teammate of one of those prior winners says Shesterkin definitely should

have a shot.

“For what he’s doing at that position, with a team that wasn’t expected to

be where they are, he’s definitely in the conversation,” Matthew Barnaby

says.

Barnaby played seven seasons in Buffalo with Dominik Hasek, who won

the Hart in back-to-back seasons, 1996-97 and 1997-98. The Sabres

back then were not nearly as well-rounded as the Rangers are now,

which heightened Hasek’s candidacy. He was the main reason, maybe

the only reason, the Sabres made the playoffs in those two years.

“All consideration to (Martin) Brodeur and (Patrick) Roy, the teams they

played on were way better than us,” Barnaby says. “The years I played

with Dom, no one comes close to him as the best of all time. It’s crazy

what the Rangers players must feel, knowing the chances they can take

when they’re down. I played on those teams where you’re nervous,

where there’s doubt. It’s completely different.

“We’d come in after the second period, down 2-1, Dom would stand up

and say, ‘Go score a goal, two goals. Take chances. They aren’t scoring

any more.’ The guys would look around and be like, ‘Are you kidding?’

We were getting free rein to do what we wanted.”

That confidence to cover up mistakes or gambles is something the

Rangers have talked about often with Shesterkin this season. “Having

that confidence back there, it gives us the confidence to keep doing what

we’re doing,” K’Andre Miller says.

Beyond that, how does Shesterkin’s 2021-22 season measure up to the

past goalies who won the Hart?

Let’s break down each winner’s season by the numbers.

Igor Shesterkin, 2021-22

Expected goal differential (via Clear Sight Analytics)

Igor Shesterkin 38.32

Juuse Saros 27.02

Goals saved above average (via Hockey-Reference)


Ilya Sorokin 29.46

Goals saved above average (via Evolving-Hockey)


Ilya Sorokin 28.78

Goals saved above expectation (via Evolving-Hockey)


Frederik Andersen 28.47

Save percentage

Igor Shesterkin .936

Ilya Sorokin .926

League average .903

Carey Price, 2014-15

GSAA (Hockey-Reference)

Carey Price 36.70

Devan Dubnyk 23.70

GSAA (Evolving-Hockey)

Carey Price 35.84

Cory Schneider 22.01

GSAx (Evolving-Hockey)

Carey Price 38.88

Ondrej Pavelec 20.01

Save percentage

Carey Price .933

Devan Dubnyk .929

League average .911

Price was the dominant goalie in a season of dominant goalies in 2014-

15. Devan Dubnyk, who was traded from the Coyotes to the Wild in

January of that season, finished fourth in the Hart voting after going on

an incredible run with Minnesota. That was also the season of the

Hamburglar, aka Andrew Hammond, who had an even bigger heater with

the Senators over the final three months of 2014-15 to get Ottawa into

the playoffs.

Thirteen starting goalies had save percentages over .920 that season.

This season, there will be six. Price posted a .942 even-strength save

percentage, seventh-best for a full season since the NHL began tracking

saves by strength in 1997-98.

Price certainly benefited from being in one of the major Canadian hockey

markets in running away with the Hart voting, getting 139 of 157 first-

place votes. Alex Ovechkin and John Tavares finished distant second

and third, with Ovechkin the lone 50-goal scorer that season and Tavares

finishing second in league scoring with just 86 points (Jamie Benn was

first, with 87 for the non-playoff Stars).

The .911 league average save percentage from 2014-15 stands out. This

season, it’s .903, which means Shesterkin is 33 points above the league

average. Price was 22 points up and won in a landslide.

The Canadiens were the second-best team in the NHL that year, just

three points back of the Presidents’ Trophy-winning Rangers. When it

came to team success in the playoffs, Price couldn’t carry the Canadiens

far enough; they were beaten in the conference semifinals by the

Lightning.

Jose Theodore, 2001-02

GSAA (Hockey Reference)

Jose Theodore 45.91

Patrick Roy 28.27

Save percentage

Jose Theodore .931

Patrick Roy .925

League average .905

Now we’re back before the days of Evolving-Hockey and most of the

other public-data sites, so we need to rely on more conventional

viewpoints. Theodore was in his second season as the Canadiens’ No. 1

goalie, and Montreal had missed the playoffs the previous three seasons

when he burst onto the scene, in a manner of speaking, and carried a

very underwhelming team to the final playoff spot.

Theodore did stand out with that 45.91 GSAA — a number even higher

than Shesterkin’s in that category. Even with a pedestrian record (30-24-

10) in 64 starts, he was clearly the best goalie in the league that season,

and he became just the second goalie since 1974 to post a .930 save

percentage as a No. 1. Hasek had done it three times, but no one else

had since Bernie Parent for the Flyers in 1973-74.

This was another goalie-heavy Hart-voting season. Patrick Roy finished

third and Sean Burke fourth after leading the Coyotes to their best record

in franchise history. The Red Wings ran away with the Presidents’ Trophy

and were the eventual champions but barely got anyone a Hart vote.

Theodore finished in a tie with Jarome Iginla, who won the scoring crown,

and Theodore got the Hart by virtue of more first-place votes (26 to 23).

Like Price’s Canadiens, Theodore’s Canadiens were bounced in the

conference semifinals.

Dominik Hasek, 1997-98


Dominik Hasek 54.49

Tom Barrasso 23.89

Save percentage

Dominik Hasek .932

Tom Barrasso .922

League average .904

Dominik Hasek, 1996-97


Dominik Hasek 54.41

Martin Brodeur 35.58

Save percentage

Dominik Hasek .930

Jeff Hackett .927

League average .902

Shesterkin is having a unicorn season. He’ll be just the third goalie in

league history with at least 3,000 minutes played and a .936 save

percentage or better. Tim Thomas posted a .938 in 2010-11, and Hasek

posted a .937 in 1998-99 — a year he didn’t win the Hart.

Hasek was the original unicorn. He impacted games like no other goalie

before him and probably since. His GSAA numbers, even if we can’t

exactly verify them now, are absurd.

“This wasn’t an era when everyone blocked shots or guys threw pucks on

net from everywhere,” Barnaby says. “These were high-danger shots he

was stopping, and he’d still post a .937. We never really talked about (the

Hart); we just knew he was the best goalie that ever lived. You could see

it in guys’ eyes when they were trying to score on him.”

Hasek had been close to a Hart before, finishing second to Sergei

Fedorov in 1993-94 (Hasek’s first of five seasons with a .930 or better)

and then third in the shortened 1994-95 season before a down 1995-96.

Hasek roared back the next two seasons, playing in 139 of the Sabres’

162 games and never slowing down. Even at that, his save percentage

each of his two Hart Trophy-winning seasons was 28 points above the

league average, not that close to Shesterkin’s margin.

Shesterkin will end up with 53 or 54 games played this season, which

could hurt him in voters’ eyes. None of the four prior Hart Trophies were

awarded to goalies who played less than 66 games. The workload isn’t

so much a factor of the player as it is the times, though. Goalie rest is a

much bigger part of the modern goaltending equation.

Hasek was hurt in the opening round of the 1997 playoffs, and the

Sabres were ousted in the second round. With a healthy Hasek, they

made the Eastern Conference final in 1998, losing to the Caps. They

finally made the Cup final in 1999, where they lost to the Stars.

“I’d say that was probably the most disappointing thing: I never felt we

could win a Cup with the team we had,” Barnaby says. “When we lost to

Wash in the conference final, it didn’t matter that much. We were gonna

play Detroit and get spanked anyway. That was the most disappointing

knowing you have the best player in the most important position and

because of financial constraints with our owner, we never added. We

never gave ourselves a chance.

“You see with Shesterkin and what the Rangers did at the deadline, I feel

like they know. When you have that goalie, you have to capitalize. They

are that close. When you have him playing like he is, the time to take

advantage is now. Even if he doesn’t win the Hart, they’ve got a real

chance at a Cup. That’s all we ever wanted back then.”


1242909 Ottawa Senators

GARRIOCH: Batherson nets OT winner against Devils, giving Senators

four straight wins

"Batherson scored the winner in spectacular fashion as he did a toe drag

and then fired it home for his 17th of the season."

Bruce Garrioch

Senators 5, Devils 4 (OT)

The Ottawa Senators let the New Jersey Devils up off the mat Tuesday

night.

Then, the Senators delivered the knockout punch in the nick of time.

Drake Batherson scored his second of the game at 3:16 for his first

career overtime winner to extend the Senators’ winning streak to four

games for the first time this season as the club scored a 5-4 win over the

New Jersey Devils in front of 13,101 at the Canadian Tire Centre.

Batherson scored this one in spectacular fashion as he did a toe drag

and then fired it home for his 17th of the season.

Captain Brady Tkachuk did his part with three assists while Tim Stuetzle

scored twice and had two assists. Thomas Chabot also chipped in while

goaltender Anton Forsberg faced 40-plus shots for the 11th time this

season .

“I had a couple of good scoring chances early and I just felt like the puck

was coming to me,” said Batherson. “I just felt good tonight. I think our

whole line did and our legs were there all night.

“We were creating all night and it was to get the win, especially four in a

row.”

Coach D.J. Smith wasn’t thrilled with the defensive play against the

Habs, but he wasn’t about to complain about the 6-4 win Saturday,

either.

The Senators can’t change what happened in the first 79 games of the

year because that’s in the rearview mirror, but starting this final stretch

against the Devils before closing out the season Friday, they can finish

on a strong note.

Ottawa has its own issues with injuries, but the Devils came into this one

shorthanded and goaltender MacKenzie Blackwood was making his first

start since mid-January. He was sidelined with a heel injury and wanted

to get in a couple of games before the season ends.

“It was a wild one,” said coach D.J. Smith. “Both teams gave up a lot of

chances and I just thought we gave up too many odd-man rushes in the

third period. It was a late-season game and you’ve got teams that are

looking to get to the end and not checking as hard as they usually would.

“That’s what happens, you end up in a 5-4 game.”

The Senators went back to Forsberg in this one. He’ll play two of the

club’s last three games and is coming off a 44-save performance against

the Habs. He came into this game with a team-leading 20 wins in 42

starts with a .917 save percentage and a 2.82 goals-against average.

This was his 19th start in the club’s last 23 games.

Devils forward Yegor Sharangovich erased the Senators’ two-goal, third-

period lead when he beat Forsberg five-hole at 10:15 to tie it up 4-4.

Stuetzle scored on a beautiful a shorthanded effort on a breakaway 6:34

into third to give the club a 4-2 lead. The Devils refused to go away as

Pavel Zacha struck 55 seconds later and Ottawa led 4-3.

The Senators looked like they were in control in this one, but the Devils

struck with 5.2 seconds left on the clock to cut Ottawa’s lead to 3-2 after

40 minutes.

Nolan Foote’s second of the game gave the Devils some life and made

this one interesting heading into the final frame.

Stuetzle’s 21st of the season restored a two-goal lead with 3:19 left in the

second. He scored the club’s second of the night with the man advantage

by picking up a rebound and beating Blackwood stick side.

Foote pulled the Devils to within a goal at 8:52 of the second with his first

of the night. He took a pass and showed a lot of poise as he beat

Forsberg high to cut the Senators’ lead to 2-1.

After striking late in the first, the Senators got the second started off on

the right note. Tkachuk, on his knees behind the net, threw the puck out

front to Batherson, and he moved the puck to his forehand and beat

Blackwood glove side.

That was a nice way for Batherson to celebrate his 24th birthday

Wednesday and came only 11 seconds into the period to give the club a

2-0 lead.

“It was nice to score right off the bat and get some momentum,”

Batherson told TSN after the second period.

This one didn’t have nearly the kind of intensity we saw Saturday. That

was to be expected, but the Senators wanted to be better defensively

and though that wasn’t always the case, they were up 1-0 after the first

period.

A perfect three-way passing play set Chabot up for his seventh of the

season with only 16.9 seconds left in the frame. He was parked on the

doorstep and redirected a pass from Tkachuk by Blackwood stick side.

That was Chabot’s first power-play goal of the season and only the third

of his career, but the timing was perfect.

“We want to finish the season the way we want to play,” Chabot told TSN

after the first period. “The summer’s going to be long, and we went

through a lot of stuff, but we want to finish on a high note.”

The Senators will host the Florida Panthers for the final home game

Thursday and then face the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday to close out the

campaign.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 04.27.2022


SNAPSHOTS: Plenty of questions surround Matt Murray's future with the

Senators

"Murray has struggled when he has played and the injuries have made

him difficult to rely on. He will finish with a 5-12-2 record in 20

appearances."

Bruce Garrioch

Matt Murray has run out of race track.

When the Ottawa Senators gather on the weekend to head their separate

ways for the summer, there will be more questions than answers

surrounding the future of the veteran goaltender in the organization.

Coach D.J. Smith confirmed Tuesday that 27-year-old Murray, who

suffered a head/neck injury March 4 against the Arizona Coyotes, won’t

suit up against the Florida Panthers on Thursday or Philadelphia Flyers

on Friday to end the season.

That means Murray will have missed the final 30 games of the year and

with two years left on his contract you have to wonder what the future

holds for him or if he’ll even be at the club’s training camp in September.

“We thought maybe he could get in at the end and it’s just not going to

happen,” Smith said before facing the New Jersey Devils. “It’s

unfortunate. You want to have a healthy team and to have all the options

available to you as a coach.

“It’s been unfortunate with all the injuries. Let’s just get them all out now

and be heathy when the year starts next year.”

Murray has struggled when he has played and the injuries have made

him difficult to rely on. He will finish with a 5-12-2 record in 20

appearances with a .906 save percentage and a 3.05 goals-against

average.

He spent part of the season with the club’s AHL affiliate in Belleville.

“The big thing for Murray was him getting back up, getting his confidence

back and getting going,” Smith said. “It gets derailed with another injury.

The key was to get him building confidence towards next year and

unfortunately he’s not going to be able to play.

“Training in the summer and exhibition games aren’t the same.”

OFF THE GLASS

Smith didn’t love the way the Senators played defensively in a 6-4 win

over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night, but he was glad the fans

enjoyed it. He told a funny story about running into a happy fan at an ice

cream shop in Carp the day after the win. “I didn’t think we played great,

but we played good enough to win and we scored six goals,” Smith said.

“We just didn’t play enough defence from a coach’s point of view. I was

at the creamery in Carp and a guy came up to me, gave me the knuckles

and said, ‘What a game!’ Fans love to see 10 goals and fights. It’s great

to hear from the fans, but as a coach you know that’s not lasting if you’re

going to give up that many chances.” … Senators president of business

operations Anthony Leblanc and Mark Goudie, president of the Ottawa

Sports and Entertainment Group, are waiting for word from the IIHF and

Hockey Canada to learn if the city will host the 2023 world junior

championship. The city is believed to be among the three finalists and

there’s talk of a final decision next week. With the junior tourney set to

get underway in December, there’s no time to waste to put ticket

packages on sale. It’s believed the Halifax/Moncton bid is the leading

competitor because of the rich history of junior hockey in both places.

Ottawa’s bid is the only one of the five that would be held in one city and

you have to think there’d be zero issue with selling ticket packages.

THIS ‘N’ THAT

Smith made one change Tuesday. Veteran D Nikita Zaitsev, who was out

with a non-COVID related illness against the Habs, suited up with New

Jersey in town. That meant D Michael Del Zotto was a healthy scratch.

… Lindy Ruff had a good chuckle when he was asked by TSN’s Claire

Hanna before the game if the Devils’ coach was aware Andrew (The

Hamburglar) Hammond gets free MacDonald’s in Ottawa. “I wasn’t

aware, but if he does, I’m going with him,” Ruff said with a smile.

Hammond was dressed as the backup to MacKenzie Blackwood for this

one. … Winger Connor Brown missed his second straight game Tuesday

and it sounds doubtful that he’ll suit up for Team Canada at next month’s

IIHF world championship in Helsinki. He had been invited and had

accepted, but it doesn’t appear he’ll be healthy enough to play. You have

to wonder if that means LW Alex Formenton may have a chance to suit

up for Canada. He’s on the radar screen.

THE LAST WORDS

Captain Brady Tkachuk was invited to suit up for Team USA in Finland,

but it doesn’t sound like he’ll attend.

He said he wanted to speak with general manager Pierre Dorion at his

exit meeting before making a final determination. But Smith noted

Tuesday that Tkachuk has been nursing a hand injury and he noted he

did have some injuries that needed to be discussed.

The injury is part of the reason Tkachuk hasn’t dropped the gloves as

much this year, but it’s also because players around the league have

come to the realization that he’s a formidable opponent.

“Earlier (in the season), he put a couple guys away and people realized it

wasn’t a free fight,” Smith said. “Then he hurt his hand and he wasn’t

able to fight. I think you’ve seen more guys pawing on him knowing he

can’t fight.

“His last fight he fought with a glove on. I don’t think when the season

starts next year you’ll see guys pushing and shoving him around when

you know how tough he is. But we’re not looking to him to do a whole lot

of fighting.”



GAME NIGHT: New Jersey Devils at Ottawa Senators

Bruce Garrioch

Files: The Ottawa Senators are looking to collect their four consecutive

win when they play host to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday night.

NEW JERSEY DEVILS 27-44-8 at OTTAWA SENATORS 31-41-7

Tonight: 7 p.m, Canadian Tire Centre

TV: TSN5

Radio: TSN 1200-AM, Unique 94.5-FM

WHY WATCH?

Senators will try to extend winning streak

Coming off a 6-4 win over the Habs on Saturday, the Senators will try to

win four straight for the first time this season. The club has won three in a

row only twice this year so it would be nice for the Senators to keep

rolling in the final home stand of the campaign. The Senators have a 8-4-

1 record this month and would like to finish out the year on a high note.

POINTS LEADERS

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

GP G A PT PLUS/MINUS

Jesper Bratt 73 25 45 70 +1

Nico Hischier 69 21 38 59 -1

Jack Hughes 49 26 30 56 -16

OTTAWA SENATORS

GP G A PT PLUS/MINUS

Brady Tkachuk 76 29 33 62 -5

Josh Norris 64 34 19 53 -8

Tim Stuetzle 76 20 33 53 -25

SPECIAL TEAMS

NJD PP 15.9% (28th); PK 80.4% (15th)

OTT PP 18.9% (22nd); PK 80.5% (13th)

THREE THINGS ABOUT THE DEVILS

Expect to see goaltender Mackenzie Blackwood make the start against

the Senators. He hasn’t suited up since Jan. 19 after a heel injury wasn’t

getting better. He told reporters Monday he’s “at a good place with the

foot and it will continue to get better and better.” Blackwood has a 2-1-1

lifetime record against Ottawa with a .898 save-percentage and a 2.64

goals-against average.

The status of defenceman P.K. Subban and centre Nico Hischier won’t

be determined until Tuesday. Neither was on the ice before the club left

New Jersey on Monday and both have non-COVID related illness.

Hischier has been a point-a-game player vs. Ottawa with five goals and

11 points in 11 games. Subban has seven goals and 26 points in 35

games against the Senators.

The Devils are coming off a 3-0 loss Sunday to Detroit and registered

only 17 shots. The club was forced to play with 11 forwards and seven

defencemen because of a flu that’s going through the team. Former 67’s

blueliner Kevin Bahl is with the Devils from the AHL’s Utica Comets. He

has one goal and four points in 14 games with the Devils.


1242912 Philadelphia Flyers

Examining the Flyers’ odds of landing the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft

lottery

Ginaa Han

Monday's loss to the Blackhawks means the Flyers will likely finish no

better than with the fifth-fewest points in the NHL. The Flyers currently

have a 9.5% chance at landing the No. 1 pick.

While the Flyers’ regulation-loss total increased by one to 44 with

Monday’s defeat to the Chicago Blackhawks, the team’s chances of

landing the No. 1 overall pick in the NHL draft lottery on May 10 — for the

moment at least — increased a percentage point to 9.5% per Tankathon.

As of Tuesday morning, they have a 9.8% chance of getting the No. 2

pick, and a 19.3% chance of landing one of the top two picks in July’s

draft.

The Flyers (25-44-11, 61 points) are last in the Metropolitan Division, one

point behind the New Jersey Devils, and have the fourth fewest points in

the entire league. At present, the Flyers could land either the first or

second pick via the lottery, or they would pick fourth (their current spot),

fifth (if one team below them in the standings won one of the two draws)

or sixth (if a team below them in the standings won both draws) if they

did not.

Now four points behind 27th-place Chicago with just two games

remaining, the Flyers are all but locked into finishing with either the

league’s third-, fourth- or fifth-worst record. The Flyers could still fall

below the Seattle Kraken (58 points with two games in hand) and finish

with the third-fewest points which would give them an 11.5% chance at

the No. 1 overall pick. If they finished sixth, the worst-case scenario, they

would have a 7.5% chance.

Each season, the 16 teams who don’t qualify for playoffs are entered into

the NHL draft lottery for the top few picks. Teams with the worst record

have a better chance of getting the first pick. Beginning this season, the

lottery will be comprised of two draws (one for the No. 1 pick, one for the

No. 2 pick) compared to three in the past. Teams also can now only

move up 10 spots from where they finished in the standings, so if teams

No. 12-16 are picked, they will get the spot 10 places above their original

location and the team with the worst record (Montreal or Arizona) will

keep the No. 1 overall pick.

NHL draft lottery odds entering Tuesday's games. Flyers currently with

the fourth-fewest points in the NHL. pic.twitter.com/qXxT8GPCwr

— Gus Elvin (@gpelvin) April 26, 2022

After the first two picks are drawn, the 14 teams not selected in the

lottery will be assigned the remaining draft selections, in inverse order of

regular-season points. With this year’s system, the Flyers could fall only

as far as No. 8 — if they win their final two games and the Blackhawks

lose their final two games.

Center Shane Wright, who currently plays for the Kingston Frontenacs of

the Ontario Hockey League, is considered to be the consensus No. 1

pick. The Burlington, Ontario native is averaging 1.5 points per game for

the Frontenacs, and captained Team Canada to gold at the 2021 U18

World Championship. According to NHL.com’s scouting database, the

next four best North American skaters are Logan Cooley (center, U.S.

national team development program), Matthew Savoie (center, Winnipeg

Ice, WHL), Conor Geekie (center, Winnipeg Ice, WHL) and Pavel

Mintyukov (defenseman, Saginaw Spirit, OHL). The top-three ranked

European skaters by NHL.com are Joakim Kemell (right wing, JYP

Jyväskylä, Finland’s Liiga), Juraj Slafkovsky (left wing, TPS, Finland’s

Liiga) and Danila Yurov (right wing, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Russia’s

KHL).

The Flyers have a pick in every round of the 2022 draft except the

second round. They traded the second-round pick to the Arizona Coyotes

in the Shayne Gostisbehere trade.

The 2022 NHL Scouting Combine will be held from May 29-June 4 in

Buffalo. The draft will follow, with the first round on July 7 at the Bell

Centre in Montreal and rounds 2-7 on July 8.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 04.27.2022


DeBrincat, Lankinen help Blackhawks top Flyers 3-1

By ASSOCIATED PRESS |PUBLISHED: April 26, 2022 at 4:54 a.m. |

UPDATED: April 26, 2022 at 4:55 a.m.

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago Blackhawks wanted to give their fans

something to cheer about at the end of a long season.

Alex DeBrincat delivered.

DeBrincat scored his 41st goal in the third period and Kevin Lankinen

made 33 saves, helping the Blackhawks beat the Philadelphia Flyers 3-1

on Monday night in a matchup of disappointing teams.

“The guys, they battled, they worked,” interim coach Derek King said.

“Lanks played well. We did some good things.”

Jonathan Toews had a goal and an assist as Chicago (27-42-11) won for

just the fifth time in its last 20 games. Erik Gustafsson also scored

against one of his former teams, and Dominik Kubalik picked up an assist

in his 200th NHL game.

King talked to his team at the morning skate about making the most of its

last three games, including two at home. The Blackhawks improved to

13-21-6 at the United Center this season.

“Finish right at home. Get the fans out of their seats,” King said.

Philadelphia lost for the 12th time in its last 16 games. Kevin Hayes

scored for the Flyers (25-44-11), and Felix Sandstrom made 30 stops in

his fourth NHL start.

“We weren’t good enough with the puck tonight versus a team that

transitions really well,” interim Flyers coach Mike Yeo said. “They came

in off the rush and it gave them a lot of opportunities.”

Chicago was clinging to a 2-1 lead when DeBrincat converted a one-

timer off a cross-ice pass from Patrick Kane at 7:45.

DeBrincat matched his career high for goals, set during the 2018-19

season. It was Kane’s 66th assist, equaling his career best from 2018-19.

Blackhawks defenseman Jake McCabe was sent off for tripping with 1:23

left, and Philadelphia’s Bobby Brink shot the puck off the inside of the

right post. It nearly went off Lankinen and in, but defenseman Riley

Stillman swept it off the line.

The Flyers went 0 for 4 on the power play, continuing their season-long

special teams issues, and the Blackhawks went 0 for 5 with the man

advantage.

“We want to end the season strong here, end on a good note, and I think

we played a really solid game tonight,” Lankinen said. “So that was fun.”

Back at home after a sluggish three-game trip, Chicago put together a

fast start behind Toews.

The veteran center set up a trailing Gustafsson for a wrist shot from the

high slot that made it 1-0 at 1:44. It was Gustafsson’s first goal since Jan.

28 and his third of the season.

Toews was sent off for slashing at 4:08, but he got out of the box, got a

nice stretch pass from Sam Lafferty and beat Sandstrom for his 12th goal

in 69 games this season. The captain missed all of last year with what he

described as chronic immune response syndrome.

The Flyers then got one back when Hayes finished a 2-on-1 with Scott

Laughton for his 10th goal at 8:03. Laughton got loose for a breakaway

with about two minutes left in the first, but he was denied by Lankinen.

“I thought we had a lot of looks,” Hayes said. “Shows we need to respond

better. At any moment we could have tied it up.”

WORTH NOTING

The Flyers had won six in a row against the Blackhawks. It was their first

loss to Chicago since Nov. 1, 2017.

HONORED

Hayes was nominated for the Bill Masterton Trophy by the Philadelphia

chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, and Blackhawks

forward Dylan Strome was nominated by the Chicago chapter. The

Masterton award is presented to the player who best exemplifies the

qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

THAT’S A WRAP

Blackhawks coach Derek King said defenseman Connor Murphy

(concussion protocol) and forwards Kirby Dach (right shoulder sprain)

and MacKenzie Entwistle (right shoulder) aren’t expected to play in the

team’s final two games of the season. Murphy and Dach skated with the

team on Monday morning.

UP NEXT

Flyers: At Winnipeg on Wednesday night, and then home for their season

finale Friday night against Ottawa.

Blackhawks: Host Vegas on Wednesday night, and then visit Buffalo on

Friday night.

Delaware County Times LOADED: 04.27.2022


More lottery chatter as Flyers lose to Blackhawks, fail to win 3 straight

again

BY JORDAN HALL

A rare spurt of consecutive wins came to an end Monday night for the

Flyers as they lost to the Blackhawks, 3-1, at United Center in Chicago.

Both clubs came into the matchup playing out the string on their 2021-22

campaigns.

Kevin Hayes, who in the morning was announced as the Flyers'

Masterton Trophy nominee, scored his team's lone goal.

With a 4-1 victory Sunday over the Penguins, the Flyers (25-44-11) had

just won back-to-back games for the first time since March 5-8. They'll

finish the season with only one winning streak greater than two games.

They pulled off three straight wins from Dec. 10-14.

The Flyers split with the Blackhawks (27-42-11) in their two-game

regular-season series (1-1-0).

• Joel Farabee angered Sam Lafferty in the final minute with a

crosscheck on the Chicago forward as both raced for the puck. After

Lafferty slammed into the boards, he put Farabee in a headlock.

Farabee was penalized for the crosscheck and Lafferty was whistled for

roughing.

The play probably won't warrant any kind of suspension for Farabee, but

you never know. Maybe a fine at the worst.

• With two games left, the Flyers' chances of finishing in the bottom three

of the NHL standings are still pretty decent. That, of course, would only

help the team's 2022 NHL draft lottery odds.

The Flyers, 29th in the league's 32-team standings, are three points

ahead of the expansion Kraken, but Seattle has two games in hand with

four remaining. Three of those four matchups are against non-playoff

clubs.

The Blackhawks' victory pushed them four points up on the Flyers. The

Devils are one point up on the Flyers with three games to go.

More: When the Flyers will learn spot of their 2022 1st-round pick

• The Flyers' kids — Morgan Frost, Noah Cates and Owen Tippett —

were quieted after combining for three goals and three assists in the

Flyers' upset of Pittsburgh.

Scott Laughton and Travis Konecny registered assists on Hayes' first-

period goal. Laughton made a nice no-look pass on a 2-on-1.

On a third-period rush, Hayes couldn't handle a pass and Chicago

quickly countered. As a result, Alex DeBrincat was left open for a one-

timer and his 41st goal to pin the Flyers in the 3-1 hole they couldn't

overcome.

Flyers fail to win 3rd straight in loss to Blackhawks

• The Flyers' power play entered at an NHL-worst 12.3 percent. It

finished 0 for 4 on the night and is 9 for 109 (8.3 percent) since the start

of February.

At the end of a first-period man advantage, a Bobby Brink turnover went

the other way and Jonathan Toews jumped out of the penalty box for a

breakaway goal to extend the Blackhawks' lead to 2-0.

Erik Gustafsson, a one-and-done defenseman with the Flyers last

season, staked Chicago to a 1-0 advantage only 1:44 minutes into the

game.

On the other side of their special teams, the Flyers went 5 for 5 on the

penalty kill and had some decent looks for a potential shorthanded goal

in the third period.

• Making his fourth career start, Felix Sandstrom recorded 30 saves on

33 shots.

In the final six minutes of the first period, Sandstrom made a pair of

superb sprawling saves to keep the Flyers down only 2-1. The first came

on Philipp Kurashev and the second on Dominik Kubalik.

All in all, the 25-year-old Swede has handled himself pretty well. Despite

being without an NHL win, he has put up a .914 save percentage in his

four outings.

Chicago netminder Kevin Lankinen stopped 33 of the Flyers' 34 shots.

• In Game 81 of 82, the Flyers visit the Jets on Wednesday (7:30 p.m.

ET/NBCSP).


1242915 Pittsburgh Penguins

Sputtering Penguins suffer rare home loss to Oilers, lose Jason Zucker to

injury

SETH RORABAUGH | Tuesday, April 26, 2022 9:46 p.m.

The Penguins’ 5-1 loss to the Edmonton Oilers at PPG Paints Arena on

Tuesday was rare.

As in, “Sidney Crosby’s rookie season” rare.

That’s how long it has been since the Oilers claimed a regulation win in

Pittsburgh. On Jan. 10, 2006, they triumphed, 3-1, against an 18-year-old

Crosby and company at the Mellon Arena.

Little of that contest was even remotely as noteworthy as what happened

afterward.

Former coach Michel Therrien launched into an infamous rant in which

he shredded his team as being “soft.”

It would be far too hyperbolic to use that term on the current edition of the

Penguins. At the same time, it’s hard to suggest they are instilling much

confidence as of late as they are 2-3-0 in their past five games.

With one game remaining in the regular season, they could use a win for

reasons far more profound than how it could benefit them in the

standings.

Confidence.

“We’ve got to find it, I think,” Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson

said. “We’re not happy losing. It’s as plain as that. We’ve got to dig in

here the last game and find that confidence. Play towards it and work for

each other. We’re not happy with losing at all.”

One development that no one will be thrilled with was the premature

departure of oft-injured Penguins forward Jason Zucker, who left the

contest at 17:36 of the first period due to an undisclosed ailment.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan did not provide an update on his status

following the game.

Various maladies have limited Zucker to only 41 games this season.

There has been no shortage of maladies within the Penguins’ collective

play as of late.

“Obviously, we’ve got to make something happen because the playoffs

are right around the corner,” forward Kasperi Kapanen said. “We’ve got

to perform then. We can’t be making these kind of mistakes and allowing

ourselves to be trailing the game a lot.

“It’s something that we’ve got to clean up. How to do it? I’m not sure, but

we’ve just got to figure it out.”

Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard opened the scoring 12:47 into

regulation.

After Oilers forward Evander Kane won a puck battle on the Penguins’

right boards against Pettersson and Jeff Carter, forward Connor McDavid

claimed possession on the half wall and fed a pass to Bouchard above

the left circle. With ample time to settle the puck and set up a shot,

Bouchard chucked a wrister off the near post and past goaltender Casey

DeSmith’s glove for his 12th goal of the season. McDavid and Kane

collected assists.

A would-be goal by Bouchard at 1:58 of the second period was nullified

by a coach’s challenge issued by the Penguins who claimed the play was

offside. A brief review confirmed those suspicions of Penguins video

coaches Andy Saucier and Madison Nikkel.

Penguins forward Jeff Carter got his team on the scoreboard at 5:23 of

the second period. Just as a power-play opportunity was set to expire,

defenseman Mike Matheson boomed a one-timer from center point of the

offensive zone. The puck was wide to the left of the cage and clunked off

the end boards. Carter was able to corral the rebound and lifted a

forehand shot from left of the crease over sprawling goaltender Mike

Smith for his 19th goal. Matheson and Kapanen had assists.

Any momentum gained by the Penguins was snuffed out 25 seconds

later when Kane scored his 22th goal.

Gaining the offensive zone on the left wing, McDavid zipped past passive

resistance by Penguins forward Brock McGinn and from the half wall, he

centered a backhand pass to the left circle for linemate Kailer Yamamoto.

Surrounded by three Penguins, Yamamoto offloaded a backhand pass to

the left circle for Kane, who fired a forehand shot on the near side past

the glove of an outstretched DeSmith. Yamamoto and McDavid netted

assists.

The Penguins’ typically sturdy penalty kill was diced up in the third

period. First, Oilers forward Zach Hyman collected his 26th goal on the

man advantage at the 4:08 mark.

After a pass by McDavid from the Penguins’ right corner missed the

mark, Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins corralled it in the high slot

and snapped off a wrister that DeSmith stopped with his left leg. Hyman

established superior position on defensemen Kris Letang and Chad

Ruhwedel then swept the rebound past a sprawling DeSmith. Assists

went to Nugent-Hopkins and McDavid.

McDavid scored his 44th goal on a power-play opportunity at 9:13 of the

third.

Taking a pass above the Penguins’ right circle, McDavid circumnavigated

his way around the offensive zone, avoiding the likes of Penguins

forwards Evan Rodrigues and Carter and working his way to the goal line

on the left wing. From a paper-thin angle, he was able to roof a dazzling

wrist shot over DeSmith’s right shoulder on the near side and into the

cage. Forward Leon Draisaitl and defenseman Tyson Barrie tallied

assists.

A would-be empty net goal by ex-Penguins forward Derrick Brassard was

wiped out by another successful coach’s challenge for offsides from the

Penguins at the 17:43 mark.

But even that brief triumph was erased when Oilers forward Zack

Kassian scored his sixth goal on an empty net at the 18:26 mark.

Defensemen Brett Kulak and Cody Ceci collected assists.

DeSmith made 37 saves on 41 as his record fell to 10-6-5.

The Penguins insist their confidence hasn’t fallen, even in the absence of

satisfactory outcomes.

“It’s hard to feel good about your game unless you get results,” Penguins

coach Mike Sullivan said. “We’ve been sporadic with it lately. I still

believe we have what it takes. We’ve shown an ability to be a really good

hockey team and that’s what we’ve got to capture. We’ll fight every day

to make sure we do that.”

Their last chance to do that will come on the last day of their regular

season schedule, a home contest against the Columbus Blue Jackets on

Friday.

“We know we’re a good team,” Kapanen said. “Good teams have bad

games. Today was one of those. It’s not an excuse. We’ve still got one

more game. We’ve got to play well there and get some confidence there.

We know we’re a good group and hopefully, we can go far this year.”

Notes:

• Before Tuesday, the Penguins were 7-0-2 at home against the Oilers

dating back to that infamous loss in 2006.

• Therrien’s comments after that game:

• Before Tuesday, six players – all in the Eastern Conference – led the

NHL in scoring in games against the Penguins this season with six points

each.

McDavid passed them all with a second-consecutive four-point effort:

• In the Oilers’ 5-2 home win on Dec. 1, McDavid had a goal and three

assists.

• The Penguins issued two coach’s challenges in the same game for the

first time in franchise history.

• The Penguins remain perfect on coach’s challenges this season (7 for

7).

• Penguins forward Bryan Rust’s season-worst scoreless streak was

extended to eight games.

• The Penguins scratched forward Brian Boyle (healthy), defenseman

Mark Friedman (healthy) and goaltender Tristan Jarry (right foot).

• The 40-year-old Smith made 33 saves on 34 shots and became the

second 40-something goaltender to defeat the Penguins this season. The

Sabres’ Craig Anderson, also 40, made 23 saves on 26 shots in

regulation and overtime in a 4-3 home shootout win on March 23.

Before this season, the last goaltender over the age of 40 to play the

Penguins was a 41-year-old Martin Brodeur, who directed the New

Jersey Devils to a 2-1 home win on Dec. 13, 2013. Brodeur made 19

saves on 20 shots in that victory.

• For the Oilers, Tuesday’s victory secured a first-round series - and

home-ice advantage - against the Los Angeles Kings.

• Bouchard has three points (two goals, one assist) in three career

games against the Penguins.

• Bouchard appeared in his 100th career game.

Tribune Review LOADED: 04.27.2022


Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen returns to lineup

SETH RORABAUGH | Tuesday, April 26, 2022 8:49 p.m.

Forward Kasperi Kapanen returned to the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup for

Tuesday’s home game against the Edmonton Oilers at PPG Paints

Arena.

He was a healthy scratch during Sunday’s 4-1 road loss to the rival

Philadelphia Flyers at the Wells Fargo Center.

By any measure, Kapanen’s season has been underwhelming. Before

Tuesday’s game, he had appeared in 77 games and scored only 31

points (11 goals, 20 assists) while averaging 14 minutes, 46 seconds of

ice time.

In contrast, he posted 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) while clocking an

average of 15:32 of ice time over 40 games last season.

Entering Tuesday’s game, Kapanen had gone 12 games without a goal.

Despite that futility, Sullivan professed confidence Kapanen was capable

of a greater contribution.

“I just think sometimes players go through ups and downs through the

course of their career. They go through ups and downs through the

course of their season,” Sullivan said after Tuesday’s morning skate.

“What I will tell you is we believe (Kapanen) is a very capable player and

has the ability to be a difference-maker for us. He’s shown that in some

of his time here. We’re hopeful that’s what we’re going to get moving

forward. (Kapanen) is a real good player. I know he cares a lot. I know

it’s not from a lack of effort, (caring) or (trying) on his part. This guy is a

good teammate, he’s a good player.

“We’re trying to find a way help him capture his best game. He has the

capability of being a difference-maker for us. We’re hopeful that we can

help him capture his best game.”

Kapanen opened Tuesday’s game on the Penguins’ third line with Jeff

Carter at center and Jason Zucker on the left wing.

As for Sunday’s scratch, the indignity of that station was amplified by the

presence of Kapanen’s father, former NHL forward Sami Kapanen, who

trekked from Finland to watch the game.

“Those are the hardest decisions as a coach that you have to make,”

Sullivan said to media in Philadelphia after Sunday’s game. “When we’ve

got a healthy group of players, we have lineup decisions that are very

difficult. These guys all want to play, and (Kapanen) is no different.

Those are not easy decisions. But they’re part of what we sign up for.”

What to look for with the Lindsay Award

Ballots for NHL awards voted on by members of the Professional Hockey

Writers Association (PHWA) were distributed Monday. All votes must be

filed by May 2 to be considered.

Members of the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA)

vote on one award, the Ted Lindsay Award which, as stated, goes to

“most outstanding player.”

On Tuesday, Penguins forward Bryan Rust was asked what he considers

when voting for that honor.

“Obviously, you look at the guys that are at the top of the league

offensively and the top couple of goalies,” Rust said. “For me, I like to

look at guys who play well or are hard to play against all over the ice.

They also put up a bunch of points, but they don’t let in a lot of goals,

either. They’re always playing in the offensive zone, they’re always a

plus, kind of things like that.”

PHWA members vote on the Hart Memorial Trophy, the league’s MVP

award. The criteria for that honor is slightly different as it is stated to

recognize “the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.”



Penguins to start goaltender Casey DeSmith against Oilers

Seth Rorabaugh

The Pittsburgh Penguins are expected to start goaltender Casey

DeSmith in Tuesday’s home game against the Edmonton Oilers.

In 24 games this season, DeSmith has a 10-5-5 record, a 2.72 goals-

against average, a .915 save percentage and three shutouts.

Aside from the Penguins, the Oilers are the only NHL franchise DeSmith

never has faced in his career.

Notes:

• The Penguins’ lines and pairs during Tuesday’s morning skate were:

59 Jake Guentzel – 87 Sidney Crosby – 17 Bryan Rust

23 Brock McGinn – 71 Evgeni Malkin – 67 Rickard Rakell

16 Jason Zucker – 77 Jeff Carter – 42 Kasperi Kapanen

43 Danton Heinen – 53 Teddy Blueger – 9 Evan Rodrigues

8 Brian Dumoulin – 58 Kris Letang

5 Mike Matheson – 2 Chad Ruhwedel

28 Marcus Pettersson – 6 John Marino

• The top power-play unit included Crosby, Guentzel, Letang, Malkin and

Rust. The second power-play unit involved Carter, Kapanen, Matheson,

Rakell and Zucker.

• The Oilers are expected to start goaltender Mike Smith. In 27 games

this season, Smith has a 15-9-2 record, a 2.88 GAA, a .913 save

percentage and two shutouts.

In 20 career games against the Penguins, Smith has a 9-10-0 record, a

2.75 GAA, a .911 save percentage and two shutouts.

• Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard is slated to play in his 100th career

game.

The Oilers have not had a regulation win in Pittsburgh since Penguins

forward Sidney Crosby’s rookie season when they claimed a 3-1 victory

at the Mellon Arena on Jan. 10, 2006.



Tim Benz: NHL playoff expansion ideas are unnecessary, reward

mediocrity

TIM BENZ | Tuesday, April 26, 2022 6:25 a.m.

There has been a lot of talk this year about the NHL expanding its

postseason format so that it becomes akin to what we see in the NBA.

A “play-in” type of model that allows for the ninth and 10th seeds in each

conference to play their way into the traditional quarterfinal bracket, by

pitting the survivor of the two teams against the loser of a No. 7 vs No.8

showdown.

Not identical to what we saw in the coronavirus bubble of 2020. But not

entirely dissimilar. Some want the 7-10 play-in idea to become single

elimination after the regular season ends. Others want the idea to

become a best-of-three series.

I just want the idea to die a quick death, regardless of form.

The NHL doesn’t need expanded playoffs. Yeah, I get it. More revenue.

More tension. More postseason excitement. Sure.

But when does the quality of postseason teams matter? And at what

point does playing a full 82-game schedule become anything more than

pure folly? I mean, isn’t that a long enough swath of time to determine

the top eight seeds for postseason play?

Cutting postseason eligibility at eight teams per conference makes

sense. You need eight teams for a three-round, quarterfinal format in

each conference. Ten teams becomes arbitrary and silly.

I don’t see grinding through 82 games to determine 12 worthy playoff

teams (six from each conference), and eight additional semi-worthy

teams (four from each conference) as a particularly worthwhile endeavor.

This season’s standings are a perfect example of the random nature of

when such an idea would look good and when it wouldn’t.

In the Western Conference, the current wild card qualifiers as the

seventh and eighth teams are the Nashville Predators (94 points) and the

Dallas Stars (93 points). The teams that, as of Tuesday morning, would

be left out in ninth and tenth place are the Vegas Golden Knights (90

points) and the Vancouver Canucks (87 points).

So, from that standpoint, I get it. That makes some semblance of sense.

The bottom four teams are fairly close in point totals.

But in the East, the Penguins (101 points) and the Washington Capitals

(100 points) currently hold the seventh and eighth highest totals. So

they’d have to play their way in against the New York Islanders and

Columbus Blue Jackets. They have a meager 80 and 79 points,

respectively.

That hardly seems fair to me. Nor does it make the regular season

worthy. At all.

All this effort to restructure in the name of creating games to reward

mediocrity? No thanks. Count me out.

Then again, if Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell

all leave via free agency before next year, a ninth or tenth slot in the

2023 play-in round may be the only way into the postseason for the

Penguins anyway.

In this week’s hockey podcast with Brian Metzer of the Penguins Radio

Network, he and I discuss the ideas to tweak the NHL playoff format. We

also talk about the Penguins’ place in this year’s bracket. And we dive

into Tuesday’s game between the Pens and Edmonton Oilers.



Connor McDavid leads Oilers in rout of struggling Penguins

Matt Vensel

Tuesday was supposed to be the latest round of the Crosby-McDavid

rivalry.

But it turned out to be another battle between the Penguins and

themselves.

The Penguins handed Connor McDavid and the high-octane Edmonton

Oilers too many odd-man rushes. They coughed up another goal

seconds after scoring a big one for themselves. They gave up two power-

play tallies. And they looked alarmingly uninspired after falling behind by

a pair of goals at PPG Paints Arena.

And so, in the penultimate game of the regular season, they fell, 5-1, to

the Oilers. The outcome would have looked even worse if not for a pair of

successful coach’s challenges. It was their second straight loss and 11th

in the last 17 games.

The Penguins have one regulation win over a playoff team the last six

weeks.

“Obviously, we’d like to feel better about our game. It’s hard to feel good

about your game unless you’re getting results. And we’ve been sporadic

with them lately,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “But I still believe in this

group. I believe we have what it takes. We’ve shown an ability to be a

really good hockey team.

“That’s what we’ve got to capture. We’ll fight every day to make sure we

do.”

The last time they suffered a regulation loss at home to the Oilers was

way back in 2006, during Crosby’s rookie year. That game was played at

the old Civic Arena. After that loss, then-coach Michel Therrien had one

of his famous blowups.

Sullivan stewed similarly as the mistakes piled up throughout Tuesday’s

loss.

Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard got the only goal in the first period.

Edmonton easily could have had a couple more. The Penguins allowed a

2-on-1 less than 15 seconds into the game and Evander Kane later

barged in on a breakaway.

The Oilers had nine odd-man rushes in the game, including five in the

first, per Sportlogiq. The Penguins, built on speed, didn’t break free for a

single one.

Jeff Carter tied it up, 1-1, just after a second-period power play ended.

Unfortunately, they offered little resistance as Kane scored off the rush

25 seconds later.

Lapses like that after they score a goal have plagued the Penguins for

weeks.

“We’ve got to make something happen because playoffs are right around

the corner,” Kasperi Kapanen said. “We can’t be making these kinds of

mistakes and allowing ourselves to be trailing in the game a lot. It’s

something we’ve just got to clean up. How to do it? I’m not sure. We’ve

just got to figure it out.”

That was just one of a number of ways in which the Penguins couldn’t

get out of their own way. Jake Guentzel watched a would-be breakaway

roll off his blade. Marcus Pettersson somehow checked Rickard Rakell to

end a Penguins odd-man rush. And they couldn’t capitalize on Mike

Smith’s excursions from his crease.

Zach Hyman added to Edmonton’s lead a few minutes into the third when

he buried a rebound on the power play. Casey DeSmith let that leak out

and Hyman beat two Penguins to the loose puck before stashing it under

the goalie’s left pad.

That sucked the life out of the Penguins, who hardly threatened in the

third.

It certainly didn’t help that Jason Zucker had already left yet another

game with a lower-body injury, forcing Sullivan to roll makeshift lines the

last 43 minutes.

Still, it was a stunning lack of urgency with the postseason just a week

away.

“You’ve got to play hard. Play for each other. Play with some

enthusiasm,” Pettersson said. “It’s not going to come by itself. So we’ve

got to find it here.”

The Oilers made it 4-1 with another on the man advantage. McDavid, still

the NHL’s most breathtaking player with the puck on this stick, skated

untouched through the Penguins zone, then beat DeSmith from the

acutest of angles. Tuesday was just the third time this season the

Penguins allowed multiple power-play goals.

DeSmith cooled off Tuesday after stopping 102 of 106 shots in his first

three starts following the injury to Tristan Jarry. He finished the night with

37 saves.

Down at the other end, Smith drew gasps from the crowd late in the

game when took aim at an empty net. But the skittering shot missed by

merely a foot.

Zack Kassian would eventually score an empty-netter to make it a 5-1

final.

McDavid picked up his third assist on that goal, giving him a four-point

night.

Prior to this season, Sidney Crosby and the Penguins had dominated his

Oilers. But McDavid was a force Dec. 1 as the Oilers easily dispatched

them up in Edmonton. He was again the best player on the ice Tuesday

as the Oilers raced away with the game. Crosby, meanwhile, saw his

three-game scoring streak snapped.

The Washington Capitals on Tuesday dropped their game, too, so the

Penguins are still one point ahead of them in the Metropolitan Division

standings. They will face the Florida Panthers or New York Rangers in

the first round of the playoffs.

However, their recent performance suggests either matchup would end

swiftly.

Sullivan acknowledged that the confidence of the Penguins is waning

and said his players have to “develop” resilience to overcome deficits like

the one they fell into Tuesday. That’s the type of comment you often hear

from a head coach in November or December, not when his team is a

week away from the postseason.

But he expressed belief, at least publicly, that the Penguins will turn it

around.

“We’ve got a wealth of experience inside that locker room,” the Cup-

winning coach said. “We’ve got to draw on that experience right now

more than ever.”

The Penguins will host the Columbus Blue Jackets in Friday’s season

finale.

Post Gazette LOADED: 04.27.2022


Penguins significantly shake up lines with just two games left in the

regular season

Mike DeFabo

The Penguins significantly shook up their line combinations ahead of the

penultimate game of the regular season.

All four lines saw at least one change. Here’s the complete look at how

the Penguins started against the Edmonton Oilers:

Guentzel – Crosby – Rust

McGinn – Malkin – Rakell

Zucker – Carter – Kapanen

Heinen – Blueger – Rodrigues

“Unfortunately, we haven't had a full complement of players very often

this year,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “It's been difficult for us to get any

sort of extended looks at a full healthy lineup.

“Ultimately, we hope we fall on some lines that meet the criteria that

we're trying to solve. If that's the case, then you may see a lot of

consistency in lines. If it's not, then we may we may tinker with some of

the lines to try to create the balance and things of that nature that give us

the best chance to win.”

In the top six, Bryan Rust was reunited with Sidney Crosby and Jake

Guentzel. At times this year, that trio has been dominant. One could

argue that the best Crosby line features Rust.

However, in an attempt to create scoring balance throughout the lineup,

the Penguins experimented with deadline addition Rickard Rakell on the

top line and Rust in a second-line role over the last couple games. While

Rakell has shown some chemistry alongside Crosby, Rust’s production

has dipped. Over the last seven games, most of those without Crosby,

Rust has been held off the stat sheet entirely.

“Hockey is a funny game,” said Rust, who enters Tuesday with 24 goals

in 58 games. “There was a stretch when I came back from injuries and

had a gajillion points. It’s kind of gone the other way as of recently.”

“These next two games, for me personally, confidence-wise are going to

be big,” Rust continued. “Not so much trying to get on the scoresheet, but

just playing well.”

The other big move in the top six is the promotion of McGinn. While he

played a handful of games alongside Malkin earlier, McGinn has mostly

been deployed in a checking-line role, typically alongside Teddy Blueger.

Even though the center changes, Sullivan is looking for McGinn to bring

some of those same attributes to the top six.

“He's a very conscientious player defensively,” Sullivan said. “That's what

he brings to whatever line we choose to put him on.”

Kapanen back in, Boyle out

Kasperi Kapanen rejoined the lineup on Tuesday after spending

Sunday’s game in Philadelphia in the press box as a healthy scratch.

This year has been a challenging one for Kapanen. After joining the

Penguins last year, the speedy Finish forward showed real chemistry

alongside Malkin, proving especially dangerous off the rush.

Entering training camp, Sullivan talked about how he hoped Kapanen

could take another step forward to establish himself as an “elite”

offensive weapon. However, the opposite has happened.

Kapanen has regressed, scoring just 11 goals through his first 77 games.

He’s been moved up and down the lineup and twice into press box. Over

his last 16 games, Kapanen has just one goal and two assists.

“Sometimes players go through ups and downs through the course of

their career,” Sullivan said. “They go through ups and downs over the

course of their season. We believe [Kapanen] is a very capable player

and has the ability to be a difference-maker for us.”

The Penguins have been hurting for depth scoring from their middle six.

While Kapanen has underwhelmed this year, he’s still one of the big x-

factors on the club and one of the few players on the back half of the

roster with the offensive upside to make an impact when it matters.

“I know he cares a lot,” Sullivan said. “I know it's not from a lack of effort,

care or try on his part. This guy is a good teammate. He's a good player.

We're trying to find a way to help him capture his best game.”

Based on the morning skate with Kapanen back in, Brian Boyle will be

the odd-man out. This will be the second time in three games that he’s a

healthy scratch.

Rodrigues on Blueger line

The line changes have also cast Evan Rodrigues in a bit of a different

role.

At times this year, Rodrigues has stepped up onto a scoring line, either

as a winger in the top six or even as the center on one of the top lines.

But now, he’ll skate alongside Blueger on a line that will be deployed in

mostly defense-first situations.

“We can utilize him in so many different areas,” Sullivan said. “He can kill

penalties for us. He can take face offs. He can play on the power play.

We can move him up and down the lineup.

“He has the offensive instincts to play in the top six. He has a pretty good

defensive conscience and can play on a checking line. His versatility is

one of his biggest strengths. That was that was one of the reasons why

that we signed him.”



Ron Cook: Penguins vs. Oilers is well worth the price of admission

Ron Cook

You have heard of sporting events that are absolutely worth the price of a

ticket, no matter the cost?

I think Steelers-Ravens. That will happen again next season. Steelers

against Tom Brady. That also will happen one more time at Heinz Field.

Pirates-Yankees at PNC Park in July because, well, the Yankees are the

Yankees. Pirates-Angels because of Shohei Ohtani. That series can’t get

on the schedule soon enough.

One more game comes to mind.

Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and the Edmonton Oilers will be at PPG

Paints Arena on Tuesday night to play the Penguins. It is the first time

they will play here since November 2019.

Make sure you watch it even if you can’t get into the Uptown rink.

You will not be disappointed.

McDavid — the fastest skater of all time, at least with the puck on his

stick -- leads the NHL with 118 points. Draisaitl — an amazing goal-

scorer who has averaged .624 goals per game the past four seasons —

is second in goals with 55.

The two are significant parts of a historic NHL season.

McDavid is closing in on his fourth Art Ross Trophy in six years as the

league’s leading point-scorer. No player has had that kind of enduring

dominance since the Penguins’ Jaromir Jagr won four consecutive

scoring titles from 1997-2001. McDavid should finish with the second-

highest point total since the 2005-06 season.

Draisaitl has hit 50 goals for the second time in the past four seasons.

Only Toronto’s Auston Matthews and Washington’s incomparable Alex

Ovechkin can match him as a pure goal-scorer.

Do you realize this has been the best season for goal-scorers since

1995-96 when Mario Lemieux had 69 goals, Jagr had 62 and six other

players had at least 50?

Matthews has 58 goals with two games left and has a chance to become

the NHL’s first 60-goal man since Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos a

decade ago. He should be the overwhelming choice to win the Hart

Trophy as NHL MVP. He has averaged .633 goals per game in the past

six seasons.

Draisaitl has his 55 goals. The New York Rangers’ Chris Kreider has 51

in a career year. Ovechkin has 50, the ninth 50-goal season of his

spectacular career. Nine other players have at least 40 goals, including

McDavid (43) and the Penguins’ Jake Guentzel (40).

There hasn’t been four 50-goal scorers since the 2005-06 season. This is

just the second time there are four since 1996-97.

Know this:

There will be amazing talent at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night.

It’s always great fun when Sidney Crosby and McDavid get on the same

ice.

You know the anticipated storyline, among the NHL’s best every season:

One of the five best players of all time in Crosby against the best overall

player in the game today in McDavid.

Crosby and the Penguins have dominated the matchup, going 6-1-1 in

the eight games Crosby has played against McDavid. The Oilers won the

earlier game this season between the teams, 5-2, in December.

Crosby has not had his better games against Edmonton, although he did

win the one in October 2018 with an overtime goal, his second goal of

the night. In his other seven games against the Oilers with McDavid in

the lineup, he had three assists. He missed the game against the Oilers

at Rogers Place in Edmonton in December 2019 because of a core-

muscle injury.

McDavid has much better numbers against the Penguins: four goals and

10 assists in nine games. He had a goal and three assists and was a

plus-5 in the Oilers’ win in December on a night when Crosby had just

one assist and was a minus-4.

Draisaitl also has played well against the Penguins. He has six goals in

11 games against them.

The one area where McDavid and Draisaitl can’t come close to matching

Crosby — it’s a big one -- is in postseason success. The two have been

in the NHL together since the 2015-16 season. Edmonton has won just

one playoffs series with them. The Oilers missed the postseason in three

of their first six seasons, although they have qualified this spring.

You might have heard Crosby and his Penguins have won three Stanley

Cups.

Is it just me or does that seem worth pointing out?



Yohe’s 10 observations: Slow, stale Penguins look like a dead team

walking

By Josh Yohe

Once upon a time, it was the Penguins who were young, bursting with

talent, full of energy and putting on a show in road arenas.

The remaining players from the Penguins’ Cup teams must have felt like

they were in a time machine watching themselves play. But Marty McFly

and Doc Brown weren’t at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.

Arguably the best player in the world was, though. And what a show he

put on. Connor McDavid lit up the Penguins for four points in a

commanding 5-1 Oilers victory.

Edmonton, after a shaky patch midway through the season, is entering

the postseason on a roll and looks like a threat in the Western

Conference.

Then, there are the Penguins.

Mike Sullivan’s team looked utterly inept for a second straight game.

Jeff Carter scored the Penguins’ only goal; even though they trailed only

2-1 through two periods, they were never in the game. The Oilers outshot

them 42-34 and outplayed them.

Really, it was never a game. The Penguins faithful at PPG Paints Arena

booed the home team for the first time all season late in the third period.

“Obviously, we’d like to feel better about our game,” Sullivan said. “It’s

hard to do that if you don’t get results. We’ve been sporadic with them

lately.”

There were two primary stories Tuesday: McDavid’s brilliance and what

appeared to be relative indifference from the Penguins. Two days after

being soundly beaten by the lowly Flyers, their biggest rival, the

Penguins put up even less of a fight against the Oilers.

It would have required some kind of a fight to slow down McDavid, the

league’s leading scorer. He finished with a goal and three assists, good

for his second four-point game against the Penguins this season. He now

leads the NHL with 122 points and exceeded 120 points for the first time

in his career while sharing the ice with Sidney Crosby.

Crosby’s career high for points in a season is 120.

Evander Kane, Zach Hyman, Evan Bouchard and Zack Kassian also

scored for the Oilers, who will play the Los Angeles Kings in the first

round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

The Penguins won’t know until Friday night if their first-round opponent

will be the New York Rangers or Florida Panthers.

If they don’t start playing considerably better, it won’t matter.

Ten postgame observations

• McDavid is arguably the best player in the world. Oh, I know how good

Auston Matthews is. I’m aware he scored his 60th goal of the season for

the Maple Leafs on Tuesday, and I’m sure he’s going to win the Hart

Trophy. Good for him. He’s great.

But there’s only one McDavid, and he’s without question the greatest

player in the game. You know it when you see him play in person. He’s

different. In some ways, he’s different from anyone who has played the

game. He was in full flight against the Penguins, who had no answers for

his brilliance.

McDavid isn’t just arguably the fastest player in the history of the sport, of

course. He also possesses Crosby-like vision, and there’s nothing too

shabby about scoring 44 goals.

He punctuated the evening with a brilliant goal, beating Casey DeSmith

to the short side.

There's going bar down & then there's WHATEVER THIS IS?!

#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/XdITZ1YWWb

— x-Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) April 27, 2022

The Penguins essentially were spectators to the McDavid show all

evening. It was a spectacular performance. The Penguins couldn’t keep

up with him — they weren’t even close. McDavid is an astounding player,

and I have no doubt some of the spectators Tuesday — we’ve been

blessed with witnessing Crosby, Mario Lemieux, Jaromir Jagr and Evgeni

Malkin over the years — had some serious appreciation for what they

were watching. McDavid is one of the great talents in the history of the

sport, and it was showtime early and often against the Penguins.

A wonderful new era of superstars has arrived, and it’s a great thing for

the NHL. But he’s the head of the class. He’s the guy.

• The Penguins either don’t care right now or have gotten old before our

eyes.

If you’re a Penguins fan, you had better hope they just don’t care right

now. Because if this is them caring, the playoffs are going to be ugly. And

the visit to the postseason will be brief.

I don’t know this group not to care. Thus, I have to wonder whether the

Penguins have simply hit a wall. They suddenly look old.

They are 14-14-3 in their past 31 games. They look like they’re fading

down the stretch while so many of the mighty Eastern Conference teams

— and the Oilers, for that matter — appear to be gearing up for the

stretch run.

• It’s easy to say the Penguins play with no edge and look lifeless, like

they don’t really care. If you didn’t know any better, then sure, you’d think

that while watching them.

But is it that simple? Does a group that has always cared so much

suddenly stop caring? I don’t think that’s the case. However, it’s easy to

appear that way when you aren’t as good as the opposition. That’s all

Tuesday’s game was. The Oilers played at a considerably higher level all

night.

It looked like teams playing two different games. I’ve not seen the

Penguins outclassed to this extent all season, except for the two losses

to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden.

• The only drama came late in the third period when goaltender Mike

Smith nearly scored a goal with DeSmith pulled. Kris Letang sent a bad

dump directly to Smith, who is one of the game’s great puckhandlers.

MIIIIIIIIIKE.

so. close. 🤏🤏🤏#LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/FeoaYTgbTQ


Smith was so sure he had scored that he started to skate toward the

Oilers’ net to celebrate. Alas, he missed by mere inches. It looked good

the entire way but took an unkind turn to the right.

his reaction. pic.twitter.com/V028GZasMJ


I’ve never seen a goalie score in person, so I was kind of hoping it would

go in. Judging by the crowd’s reaction, so were many of the Penguins

fans who remained.

• It’s hard to judge DeSmith’s performance. On the surface, it wasn’t

great.

But the Penguins were so outclassed that the goaltending performance

wasn’t all that relevant. I’m sure DeSmith will get one more start Friday

against Columbus. He should be feeling good about himself.

At least McDavid doesn’t play for the Panthers or the Rangers.

• The MVP for the Penguins on Tuesday was Andy Saucier, who twice

had Oilers goals overturned because they were offside.

So, it wasn’t a great night for the linesmen. (Calling offside infractions

has to be the hardest thing in sports. I don’t blame them for screwing it

up regularly.)

But give Saucier credit. He’s 6-for-6 this season when it comes to

challenges. The guy is automatic.

• The Penguins have always based their game on speed. Being the

faster team is a big deal to them.

Well, they aren’t one of the fastest teams in the NHL anymore, and they

aren’t close to the Oilers in that department. Kasperi Kapanen bristled at

that notion, saying “one guy is the fastest” and suggesting the Penguins

have seen faster teams even if McDavid is the game’s fastest player.

Whatever the case may be, the Penguins looked disturbingly slow

Tuesday. They aren’t big. They aren’t physical. They aren’t executing

that well. And they aren’t all that fast anymore.

Not a great combination.

• How many players are struggling? Too many to count. But here’s a

quick rundown: Marcus Pettersson had another bad night, and I’m not

sure he should be in the lineup. John Marino was on for multiple goals

against, and his game appears to be regressing. Chad Ruhwedel, of all

people, had a horrible turnover that led to a goal. Brock McGinn had a

bad game and isn’t good right now. Teddy Blueger has been a shadow of

himself since breaking his jaw. Evan Rodrigues has disappeared.

Kapanen continues to be a mess. Jason Zucker got hurt again, leaving

with a lower-body injury.

How can you win a playoff series with this many players struggling?

• The Islanders beat the Capitals, so we won’t know the Penguins’ playoff

opponent until Friday night around 9:45 p.m. It will be the Rangers or the

Panthers. If the Penguins beat the Blue Jackets on Friday, they’ll play the

Rangers in the first round unless Washington wins its final two games

against the Islanders and Rangers. It’s anyone’s guess.

• The Penguins haven’t felt this stale and lifeless since the end of the

2014-15 season. That one ended in a first-round loss to the Rangers.

This team is reeling. I’m not sure it can recover. The stench of decay is

everywhere.



PHN Penguins Postgame: The Pens are Lost, Outlook Bleak After 5-1

Loss

PHN Staff

The Pittsburgh Penguins are lost. The swagger and confidence are past

tense and head coach Mike Sullivan said his team needs to build

preparation and readiness. Kasperi Kapanen, Marcus Pettersson, and

Rickard Rakell couldn’t avoid it when asked after the Penguins 5-1 loss

to the Edmonton Oilers.

In addition to lengthy comments about the team leaning on experience,

finding confidence and resilience, Sullivan also used the kiss of death.

“I still believe in this team,” he said.

The addition of the word “still” made it much worse.

Sidney Crosby had five shots in his head-to-head matchup with Connor

McDavid but McDavid had four points (1-3-4). Jeff Carter scored the

Penguins’ only goal.

“Obviously we’ve got to make something happen because the playoffs

are right around the corner and we’ve got to perform. We can’t be making

these kinds of mistakes and allowing ourselves to kind of be trailing in the

game a lot,” Kapanen said. “So it’s something we just got to clean up.

How to do it, I’m not sure, but we just got to figure it out.”

The Pittsburgh Penguins were in the game but couldn’t beat Edmonton

goalie Mike Smith on a late second-period power play, despite a handful

of rebound chances. Those were the Penguins’ last great chances.

They went quietly in the third period, and a competitive 2-1 deficit

became a 5-1 walk.

“I thought we had a couple of good chances tonight, but as a team, we

probably got a little frustrated when the bounces didn’t go our way. That’s

just something we have to work through, especially with this last game.

We’ve got to keep our heads up no matter what happens in the game

and just keep grinding away because we know we’re good players. You

know, we have a good team. So I think at this point, we’ve just got to fight

through whatever adversity that we have in the games and keep moving

forward.”

Readers can read the full postgame analysis and longer answer from

head coach Mike Sullivan which touched on building readiness and

preparation, as well as finding resilience. The PHN+ postgame with blunt

analysis is available here. New subscribers can save $10 here.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now LOADED: 04.27.2022


Problems Mount as Playoffs Near; Penguins Crash in 5-1 Loss to

McDavid, Oilers

By Dan Kingerski

The Pittsburgh Penguins struggles against good teams and similar

problems giving up goals immediately after scoring were on full display

on Tuesday. Less than 30 seconds after Jeff Carter tied the game in the

second period, the Penguins relinquished the lead and were never again

even. Connor McDavid had four points, including a deal-clinching goal in

the third period, as Edmonton was too much for the Penguins, 4-1 at

PPG Paints Arena.

If they haven’t yet, the warning bells in the Penguins’ room should be

going off. In their last 11 games against playoff teams dating to mid-

March, the Penguins have just three wins. The Penguins have only four

wins in their last five games.

The Penguins only saving grace, the New York Islanders were headed to

victory over the Washington Capitals, which preserved the Penguins one-

point lead for third place, though Washington retains one game in hand.

Wayne Gretzky-Mario Lemieux. Jaromir Jagr-Eric Lindros. Sidney

Crosby-Connor McDavid. Hockey fans don’t often get to watch

generational talents face-off, and the Pittsburgh Penguins have not

hosted the Edmonton Oilers since Nov. 2, 2019. Sidney Crosby is one of

the game’s all-time greats, and Connor McDavid will likely finish his

career in the same pantheon.

OK, maybe Lindros belongs in that sentence, maybe not. For a time, he

certainly did. Don’t get hung up on that.

Before the game on Tuesday, head coach Mike Sullivan also expressed

his appreciation of the event.

“We’re privileged here in Pittsburgh because we’ve been able to watch

Crosby and Malkin and Letang and these guys for a long time and see

what they’ve done and what they’ve accomplished. And McDavid and

Draisaitl are the next generation,” Sullivan said.

The first period wasn’t heavy on the matchup. Crosby didn’t have any

shots. McDavid had only one shot, but did get an assist.

The Penguins third defensive pairing and Jeff Carter’s line did get

hemmed in by McDavid’s line later in the first period. The Penguins could

not gain possession after a couple of wall battles, and defenseman Evan

Bouchard (12) beat goalie Casey DeSmith on the glove side with a 30-

foot wrister from behind the dot.

Bouchard scored again early in the second period, but Penguins replay

savant Andy Saucier noted a skate blade was offside but about an inch,

and the goal was overturned.

The Penguins nearly scored a power-play goal midway through the

period. Instead, the tally was even strength as Jeff Carter (19) pounded

in a rebound off the back wall a moment after a Penguins power play

expired. It was Carter’s 23rd goal in 37 career games against Edmonton.

However…

As it has happened several times in the recent weeks…

The Pittsburgh Penguins gave it back…

Gave it right back.

Just 25 seconds after Jeff Carter celebrated a tie game and before PA

announcer Ryan Mill, who has good taste in sports coats, could

announce the goal, Edmonton reclaimed the lead.

The Edmonton Oilers never relinquished it. Or, the Penguins never tied it.

McDavid went wide on defenseman John Marino. Danton Heinen, Brock

McGinn, and Brian Dumoulin converged on Kailer Yamamoto in the slot,

but no one took away his stick or space. Yamamoto’s quick backhand

pass set up Evander Kane (22) for an easy backside goal.

Penguins defenseman Mike Matheson took a tripping penalty early in the

third that seemed to seal the Penguins fate. Edmonton had significant

momentum and the Penguins didn’t challenge.

Bryan Rust earned a hooking call in the middle of the period. Connor

McDavid (44) snapped a power-play goal, and the PPG crowd began to

filter home.

Zack Kassian scored the empty netter (after Derrick Brassard’s EN goal

was overturned for offside).

Casey DeSmith left a few crumbs on the table but was otherwise solid.

He stopped 37 of 41 before being pulled for the extra attacker. Edmonton

goalie Mike Smith nearly scored an empty-net goal but the puck took a

late bounce just wide. He stopped 31 of 32 shots.

Smith won his 10th in a row, which tied Grant Fuhr for an Oilers record.

Penguins winger Jason Zucker left the game in the first period. Sullivan

did not have an update, other than being evaluated for a lower-body

injury.



Penguins Game 81 Preview: Sullivan Puts Lines in a Blender, Crosby v.

McDavid

By Dan Kingerski

But once a year, hockey fans in Pittsburgh are treated to the Connor

McDavid show. Of course, Penguins fans get 41 homes games a year

with one of the greatest of all time, Sidney Crosby. The second fiddles

aren’t too bad either, as Leon Draisaitl and Evgeni Malkin are involved.

The Pittsburgh Penguins host the Edmonton Oilers Tuesday night at

PPG Paints Arena in a battle of historically talented franchises.

The puck drops just after 7 p.m.

The Penguins are just one point ahead of the Washington Capitals for

third place in the Metro and Washington has one game in hand. The

Penguins trail the Boston Bruins by two points in a possible battle for the

top wild card.

On Saturday, the Penguins crushed the hapless Detroit Red Wings 7-2

but faceplanted against the equally hapless Philadelphia Flyers on

Sunday, 4-1.

“We weren’t good enough to win,” was about all head coach Mike

Sullivan could muster about his team’s disinterested loss.

Tuesday morning, head coach Mike Sullivan put his lines in a blender,

and none of the four lines are intact. A week after Sullivan said Bryan

Rust helped keep Evgeni Malkin on track, Rust will return to the top line

with Sidney Crosby.

Rickard Rakell, who had three points on Saturday, will play with Malkin,

and those are just the start of the changes.

The Edmonton Oilers have dominated the second half of the season.

They’re 24-11-3 (7th, NHL) since Feb. 1 and 8-2-1 (5th, NHL) since April

1. In a display of offense not seen since the early days of Crosby-Malkin,

McDavid and Draisaitl have soared past 100 points. McDavid has 43

goals and 118 points, while Draisaitl has 55 goals and 108 points.

Draisaitl also broke Wayne Gretzky’s record for power-play goals.

Draisaitl has 24, breaking Gretzky’s mark of 20.

It should be a lot of fun.

“The transition game becomes that much more important. Our transition

has to be quick and efficient. We have to make good decisions with puck

not to feed their transition,” Sullivan said.

Casey DeSmith will likely start for the Penguins.

Expected Pittsburgh Penguins Lines:

LW C RW

Jake Guentzel Sidney Crosby Bryan Rust

Brock McGinn Evgeni Malkin Rickard Rakell

Jason Zucker Jeff Carter Kasperi Kapanen

Danton Heinen Teddy Blueger Evan Rodrigues

LD RD

Brian Dumoulin Kris Letang

Marcus Pettersson John Marino

Mike Matheson Chad Ruhwedel

Goalie

Casey DeSmith

Louis Domingue

Expected Oilers Lines per PuckPedia.com:

Kane-McDavid-Yamamoto

McLeod-Draisaitl-Hyman

Foegele–Nugent-Hopkins–Ryan

Brassard-Shore-Kassian

Defence:

Keith-Bouchard

Kulak-Barrie

Russel-Ceci

Goalie:

Mike Smith (expected)

Pittsburgh Penguins Game Notes

*It’s the first meeting between the teams in Pittsburgh since Nov. 2, 2019.

*The Penguins have points in 19 of their last 20 games against the Oilers

(15-1-4) dating back to December 5, 2007, with the lone regulation loss

coming earlier this season.

*Rickard Rakell has 24 points (11-13-24) in 28 games against Edmonton

in his career. Both of his two career hat tricks were against the Oilers

(Feb. 25, 2018, and Mar. 30, 2019.

*Despite only playing in 39 games this season, Evgeni Malkin sits one

goal shy of hitting the 20-goal plateau for the 13th time in his career.

*It’s the ninth head-to-head matchup of Crosby and McDavid. Although

McDavid has the edge in points (14-5), Crosby and the Penguins are 7-1-

0, dating back to their first head-to-head matchup on Nov. 8, 2016.

*In 36 career games versus the Oilers, Carter has recorded 36 points

(22-14-36).

*Edmonton has the fourth-ranked power play (25.7%) but the 18th-

ranked PK (79.2%). The Penguins PK remains second (85.7%), but the

power play has fallen to 18th (20.7%).

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The “Bet Against Dan and Make Money” pick on Sunday was perfect if

you bet against me. The picks today are all about offense. McDavid

against the Penguins defense and Casey DeSmith…I’m going to take a

big flyer on McDavid.

First, Jeff Carter has 22 goals in 36 career games against Edmonton.

We’re taking Big Jeff to knock one home (+240).

We also like the draw after 60 minutes. If the game is close, neither team

will risk a point–that’s the problem with an out-of-conference game at the

end of the season. If the game hits OT, that pays (+350).

But, the Oilers are a big payday to win (+140). So, I’m taking the Oilers in

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Dan’s Daily: Penguins Questions, Biden Goof Cracks up Lightning

By Dan Kingerski

There are two games left in this long, grueling, COVID-challenged, topsy-

turvy NHL season. If the players aren’t worn out, this scribe is tired

enough for both of us. The players will get a few days of rest before the

postseason begins, but there are real questions about the state of the

Pittsburgh Penguins. After multiple false starts and reports, Vegas

Golden Knights goalie Robin Lehner finally had knee surgery and is done

for the year. Eight Eastern teams reached 100 points to make history.

And Joe Biden’s unintentional way with words cracked up the Tampa Bay

Lightning.

You’re free to speak on your own platforms, but let’s avoid a political

debate here. This was a funny moment–it cracked me up and was too

good not to share.

Joe Biden calls NHL Commisioner Gary Bettman “Gary Batman” and one

of the players on the Lightning standing behind him starts cracking up.

pic.twitter.com/KHUZrs8Mux

— Greg Price (@greg_price11) April 25, 2022

I just can’t see Bill Daly in the Robin suit? Maybe Gary will find his Jason

Todd.

Now to hockey and the Penguins’ direct playoff competitors:

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Questions. I have a few questions about the

Penguins, including whether uncertainty over the core players’ future is

part of the problem. Also, some serious criticism of the TNT broadcast.

Pittsburgh Penguins blog.

Washington: Alex Ovechkin is out day-to-day for the Washington

Capitals.

Florida: The NHL suspended Ryan Lomberg and fined Andrew Brunette.

It all stemmed from a fight with Tampa Bay’s Erik Cernak. Video and full

story: Florida Panthers news.

NHL News & National Hockey Now:

NHL.com: Eight Eastern teams crossed the 100-point mark for the first

time. It’s a top-heavy conference.

Vegas Hockey Now: After rebuking multiple reports of serious injury and

being done for the season, Robin Lehner is having surgery. The second

time was the charm for ESPN– Vegas Golden Knights update.

Sportsnet: Pittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations Brian

Burke has a distinguished career, and he doesn’t mind sharing some

stories. The latest “Hey Burkie” talks about the runup to firing Mike

Keenan.

Philly: The Flyers lost, and that’s…the good news? Philadelphia Flyers

draft odds improve.

NYI: It was alumni weekend. You may cringe, but Bryan Trottier was an

Islander with four Stanley Cups before joining the Penguins fraternity.

After losing Mike Bossy and Clark Gillies this season, the alumni group is

more important than ever for the New York Islanders.

Montreal: Some NHL trade rumor analysis. Pierre-Luc Dubois could be

on the market, and Montreal will be an oft-mentioned team. However,

Marco D’Amico writes, stay away, Habs. Montreal Canadiens trade

rumors.

Vancouver: But I’m not dead yet! The Vancouver Canucks have no

margin for error, but here’s how they can still squeeeeeek into the

playoffs. Vancouver Canucks playoff scenario.

The Hockey News: I missed this. And I have a few words that come to

mind that I won’t print. The ticket prices are INSANE for the Arizona

Coyotes.

Seriously, sell the team to Rachel Phelps and be done with it.

Colorado: The Penguins aren’t the only team stumbling down the stretch.

The powerful Colorado Avalanche are struggling to bring their best game

in the final week. Head coach Jared Bednar says they are self-inflicted

wounds by the Colorado Avalanche.


1242927 San Jose Sharks

After emotional win vs. Golden Knights, Sharks falter in final home game

Curtis Pashelka

SAN JOSE – The Sharks enjoyed their most memorable win of the

season over the weekend, rallying in the final minutes in a playoff-type

atmosphere to help hand the rival Vegas Golden Knights a loss that

further dimmed their already slim playoff hopes.

The trick for the Sharks will be to try and replicate that kind of emotion in

their mostly meaningless final two games.

Tuesday, the Sharks created enough chances to win in their final home

game of the season. But as has been the case throughout much of the

year, couldn’t find the extra goal they needed in what became a 5-2 loss

to the Anaheim Ducks before an announced crowd of 13,378 at SAP

Center.

Brent Burns and Scott Reedy both scored and goalie Kaapo Kahkonen

finished with 25 saves as San Jose, which fell behind by three goals

early in the second period, finished the year with a record of 18-18-5 at

home

“We played pretty well,” Sharks coach Bob Boughner said. “We don’t

have anything to show for it and it’s sort of (the) story of our year maybe.”

The Sharks end the season with road games against Edmonton and

Seattle on Thursday and Friday, respectively. The Oilers are locked into

second place in the Pacific Division and the expansion Kraken will finish

eighth and last.

“I know it doesn’t really mean anything, technically, but we have a lot to

play for still and a lot of pride in that room,” Sharks winger Matt Nieto

said.

The Sharks, prior to Tuesday, were 3-2-1 in their last six games,

including a dramatic 5-4 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights on

Sunday.

San Jose erased a 4-2 Vegas lead in the final three minutes of regulation

time, with Timo Meier scoring with 0.9 seconds left in the third period to

send the game into overtime. In the shootout, rookie center Thomas

Bordeleau was the only player for either team to score as the Sharks

snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Golden Knights.

Vegas lost 3-2 in a shootout to Dallas on Tuesday to fall four points

behind the Stars with two games to play. The Golden Knights must win

their final two games and hope Dallas loses its final two in regulation,

“Sunday was awesome,” Sharks winger Rudolfs Balcers said. “It was a

big game for (Vegas) and obviously, we wanted to come out and kind of

mess it up for them. So it was a fun game.

“Today it was a frustrating one. We played pretty well and ended up

losing on a couple of mistakes there. But we’ve got two more games left

to finish off strong. We’ve got to go there and be motivated and just play

hard.”

Kahkonen has split time in the Sharks’ net with James Reimer in recent

weeks as Boughner has mostly gone back and forth this month between

his two goalies.

It’s an arrangement that’s worked out well for Kahkonen, as he’s had

some time to absorb the Sharks’ system and get to know his teammates

as he works with goalie coach Evgeni Nabokov.

“For now, it’s been good,” Kahkonen said Tuesday morning. “We play so

many games in such a short period of time, so it almost feels like you are

the starter even though you play every other night.”

Kahkonen, though, is entering the stage of his pro career where he feels

he’s capable of being a No. 1 NHL goalie.

As a fourth-round draft choice by the Minnesota Wild in 2014, Kahkonen

spent most of the 2018-19 and 2019-2020 seasons with the team’s AHL

affiliate in Iowa. He then backed up Cam Talbot with the big club the past

1½ seasons, going 31-17-4 with a .907 save percentage.

The next step for Kahkonen is to be a No. 1 with the Sharks, or at least a

1A or 1B in conjunction with Reimer or Adin Hill, who are both under

contract for next season. Kahkonen is a pending restricted free agent.

Kahkonen entered Tuesday with a 2-4-1 record and a .920 save

percentage in nine games with the Sharks.

“Yeah, absolutely,” Kahkonen said about being a No. 1. “That’s the goal

and that’s what I want to want to accomplish here in the near future.”

Kahkonen, 25, has a busy summer ahead of him if he wants to be in a

position to play 50-to-55 games next season. The most games he’s

played in any of the last four years since he came to North America was

39 with Iowa in 2018-19.

“It’s the first full, real NHL season for me,” said Kahkonen, adding that

he’ll adjust his offseason training regimen to get ready for a possibly

heavier workload.

“It’s not that I haven’t worked hard, but maybe work on different things

instead of something I’ve worked in the past. Not thinking about it too

much, but, obviously, there are always things that you can get better at.”

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.27.2022


Sharks’ Karlsson not expected back this season, ending another

frustrating year

Curtis Pashelka

SAN JOSE – Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson’s season appears to be

over, bringing to an end another frustrating year for himself and the team.

Karlsson, 31, will miss his seventh straight game Tuesday when the

Sharks play the Anaheim Ducks in their final game of the season at SAP

Center, and coach Bob Boughner isn’t holding out much hope that the

two-time Norris Trophy winner will be able to play in San Jose’s final two

games later this week.

Karlsson has dealt with an unspecified lower-body injury for at least two

weeks and has not played since April 14 when the Sharks lost in a

shootout to the Chicago Blackhawks, a game that officially eliminated

San Jose from playoff contention.

Karlsson returned to San Jose after the Chicago game for further

evaluation, as he missed the final two dates of that five-game road trip.

The Sharks’ 82-game schedule wraps up with road games with the

Edmonton Oilers and Seattle Kraken on Thursday and Friday,

respectively.

“He’s not skating. So, that doesn’t point to a real positive sign that he’s

going to be dressing for the last couple of games,” Boughner said of

Karlsson on Tuesday morning, “He hasn’t been on the ice in a week.”

If Karlsson is done, he’ll have finished with 10 goals and 35 points in 50

games, an improvement over the 22 points he had in 52 games last

season. The Sharks in both years dressed a handful of less-experienced

players, likely affecting Karlsson’s offensive output.

Still, this marks the sixth straight year that Karlsson hasn’t been able to

play a full schedule and the third straight season that the Sharks have

missed the NHL playoffs. Karlsson is finishing the third year of an eight-

year, $92 million deal he was given by the Sharks in June 2019.

Karlsson missed six games from Oct. 30 to Nov. 11 for COVID-19-related

reasons, then missed 15 games from late January 22 to March 6, as he

had surgery to repair a small tear in his left forearm.

Karlsson’s six-plus week absence earlier this year had a devastating

effect on the Sharks’ offense and their playoff aspirations.

In that time, the Sharks went 3-7-5 and averaged an NHL-worst 2.00

goals per game. By the time Karlsson returned for the March 10 game in

Los Angeles, the Sharks in 15 games had fallen from a .524 points

percentage to .491.

The Sharks, prior to Tuesday, were 3-2-1 in their last six games,

including a dramatic 5-4 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights on

Sunday.

San Jose erased a 4-2 Vegas lead in the final three minutes of regulation

time, with Timo Meier scoring with 0.9 seconds left in the third period to

send the game into overtime. In the shootout, rookie center Thomas

Bordeleau was the only player for either team to score as the Sharks

snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Golden Knights.

LEONARD UPDATE: Boughner said forward John Leonard, bothered by

a deep bone bruise in his leg since he blocked a shot in an April 5 game

with Edmonton, is also unlikely to play in either of the Sharks’ final two

games. Boughner said Leonard skated Monday but was still unable to

put much weight on his leg.

MEGNA’S STATUS: Sharks defenseman Jaycob Megna was happy to

hear the vote of confidence that Boughner gave him after the Sharks’

victory over the Golden Knights.

Asked if the Sharks should re-sign Megna, a pending unrestricted free

agent, Boughner gave a full-throated endorsement saying, “he’s come up

and he looks like he’s played in this league for 10 years, and that’s not

just because of tonight’s game. He has just been a rock for us back

there.

“People don’t know how hard he’s fought through injuries, playing hurt,

playing injured almost for the whole second half of the season. For me, a

guy that absolutely 1,000%, he needs to be back here and he needs to

be part of this.”

Prior to Tuesday, Megna had averaged 19:02 of ice time in 41 games

with the Sharks this season. He had played 43 NHL games from 2016 to

2019 with the Ducks.

“I’ve made no secret that I’d like to come back here,” Megna said

Tuesday. “To hear it from a guy that I work with every day and he’s in the

room and on the ice, it means a lot to have the trust of your teammates

and your coaches. It’s definitely nice to hear.”

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.27.2022


Bordeleau developing quickly but has plenty to learn

Sheng Peng

Editor's note: Sheng Peng will be a regular contributor to NBC Sports

California's Sharks coverage for the 2021-22 season. You can read more

of his coverage on San Jose Hockey Now, listen to him on the San Jose

Hockey Now Podcast, and follow him on Twitter at @Sheng_Peng.

Thomas Bordeleau’s capacity for the spectacular is obvious.

From the shootout winner, snapping the San Jose Sharks’ 11-game

losing streak to the Vegas Golden Knights…

…to an innocent-looking neutral zone entry, Bordeleau is a threat to

conjure up magic at any moment.

But let’s be real too: A couple HIGHLIGHT in all caps plays does not a

playoff-caliber center make. That’s the standard, right?

That’s where the San Jose Sharks want to get back to next year?

So let’s focus on one particular play, part of a larger sequence where

Bordeleau and his linemates Noah Gregor and Rudolfs Balcers were

pinned in their zone by the Golden Knights for almost a minute.

I spoke with an NHL scout — a different scout than the one who called

Bordeleau’s second NHL game “average overall” — who pointed out

probably the rookie’s biggest mistake in this sequence:

Bordeleau (23) makes a blind backhand rim, presumably for Balcers (92),

that’s easily picked off by William Karlsson (71).

Read full article on San Jose Hockey Now



Meet the Sharks’ unofficial team barber: ‘He’s honestly like one of the

boys’

Corey Masisak

There were significant restrictions and protocols for NHL players to follow

last season as the league tried to play through a pandemic.

For part of the season, players were not allowed to leave the team hotel

during road trips unless it was to go to practice or the arena. Regular

testing, social distancing when possible, meals in the hotel or delivered to

them. It was far from what everyone considered “normal” before COVID-

19.

There were certain things that players just couldn’t do. One such thing

that was taken for granted before March 2020?

Getting a haircut.

Midway through the 2020-21 season, some of the Sharks noticed they

were starting to look pretty shaggy. Restrictions were loosened a bit and

there was a way for the players, with some protocols to follow, to get a

fresh cut. First, they needed a barber to test negative for COVID-19.

Then, they had to find a place outdoors to get together, with everyone

wearing masks.

Logan Couture offered to host everyone at his place who wanted a cut.

Timo Meier knew just the guy.

Enter Cameron Tooyserkani, who is now known as the unofficial team

barber for the Sharks.

“Timo texted me on my birthday,” Tooyserkani said. “He was like, ‘Happy

Birthday. Quick question — me and the boys all need haircuts. We can’t

get cut by anyone who hasn’t been tested for COVID. Could you get

tested and come cut all the boys’ hair at Couture’s house?’ I was like

man, this is the best birthday gift ever.”

Accounts of that day varied, but the most popular answer was that nine

Sharks players got their cut by Tooyserkani at Couture’s house. He had

cut hair for a few Sharks players before that, but that was a good day for

securing future business.

“I said he could do it at my house, because no one had a haircut in like

four months,” Couture said. “We got him set up, and I think he cut nine

guys’ hair that day. I think from there, even more guys built a relationship

with him. And guys have kept going to him since. The guys enjoy it.”

Tooyserkani grew up in Saratoga, Calif. His family has had Sharks

season tickets his entire life. His dad got them when the team first moved

from the Cow Palace to San Jose.

He was cutting hair in his parents’ basement when a message from a

hairstylist in Sweden changed everything.

“She was like, ‘I’ve been following you for a while. I love your work.

Would it be all right if I sent you one of my clients? He’s moving to San

Jose to play for the Sharks. Would you mind taking him?” Tooyserkani

said. “Being a lifelong Sharks fan, I was obviously super, super excited

about it.

The client was Marcus Sorensen, who became his first regular from the

team before he started to really grow his hair longer. Sorensen and Julius

Bergman of the Barracuda came to his parents’ house in 2016. That was

the year Meier joined the team, and he’s been the longest-running

patron.

Meier and Nikolay Goldobin went together the first time. Then

Tooyserkani received a hard lesson about the business of pro sports

shortly after.

“Goldobin came through with Timo and he was like over-the-top excited

about his cut. Like, he loved it,” Tooyserkani said. “And he was like, ‘I’m

going to come back every few weeks. I love this.’ And of course, I was

excited. Then, the next day I’m in line at Safeway and I get a text from a

buddy that I’m in a group chat with that is like, ‘Dude, I’m so sorry.’ Then

there’s an article in the group chat that says Goldobin had been traded to

Vancouver. It was literally the next day. That was pretty brutal.”

Tooyserkani picked up other Sharks clients over the past few years. He

also cuts hair for some 49ers, most regularly or notably Mike

McGlinchey, players from the Earthquakes and a few local basketball

players and coaches as well. He has had a similar setup with the 49ers

to the day at Couture’s house, where he and a former co-worker at

Paradox Barbers went to the team’s hotel during training camp and

“chopped up a bunch of guys.”

Now he does most of his work from his loft in Santa Clara. It’s become a

place that some Sharks players just enjoy hanging out at, a more private

version of a local barbershop.

“He’s a great guy,” Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro said. “When we go

over there, we’re usually there for quite a while because we like to chit

chat and get a good haircut. Sometimes he’ll throw on a movie. It was

‘Tropic Thunder’ the last time I was there. It’s always pretty fun. He keeps

it entertaining.”

Added Couture: “We talk about tons of shit. Just a normal thing during a

haircut. It’s nice. He does it inside his apartment, so you’re not out in

public. It’s more of a private thing. We talk a lot about the Sharks. He’s

been a Sharks fan for life. He’s a little bit younger than me, so he grew

up basically remembering the same things because I experienced him

and he watched them, so it’s cool to just go and talk about old games.”

A brief and haphazardly conducted poll of players who visit Tooyserkani

these days earned Ferraro the designation of best hair on the team.

“I like when Mario does that,” Noah Gregor said when shown the

Instagram post above. “His hair is getting a little longer now. I liked that

one. He kind of looked like a younger (Patrick) Mahomes there.”

“That looks great. That guy looks mint,” Ferraro said when shown the

same photo. “Great, great job there. Looks unreal. That was the first time

for me. He gave me a nice cut. I had a nice mohawk going. I’m pretty

careless with my hair, so I was thankful for last year during the COVID

season. It was necessary.”

What is the expert’s opinion?

“For hair that cooperates the best with me, I’d say Matt Nieto,”

Tooyserkani said. “For favorite style, it would probably be Mario. The

thing with Mario is sometimes he comes to me like every other cut. He’ll

go to someone else back home or just have one of his family members

do it and he’ll text me and be like, ‘Bro, Cam I got messed up.’ I’m here to

pick up the pieces sometimes. But Mario has great hair.”

Gregor keeps his hair shorter now, but he also let it ride for a while during

the season and had some flow going.

“That was after I had the long hair,” Gregor said. “That was just

something fun after the season was over. I don’t know if I can go back to

that one. That’s probably the best cut he’s ever done but I don’t get it too

often. That was probably a one-time thing.

“I think we all know who takes care of the boys. If you see someone

looking a little … their hair is out of place, you might say, ‘Better send

Cam a text so he can take care of you.’ ”

It’s been a beneficial situation for Tooyserkani’s business, but there’s

more to it than just some new, albeit high-profile, customers. Several

Sharks players said their friendship with their barber extends beyond the

chair in Santa Clara. Some of them have met up with him for drinks after

games or on off days.

“It’s a notorious thing that people think the Canadians are just super nice,

genuine, down to earth people. It’s been like that almost all the way

through with all of the Sharks guys,” Tooyserkani said. “I’ve cut hair for

some of the 49ers, some of the Earthquakes. You’d be surprised at some

of the egos. Some of them have been very, very cool as well. But others

can be standoffish or not very open or don’t want to talk at all while

they’re getting cut. Which is fine. But every single one of the Sharks

players, I mean, I think of them as friends at this point. I hope they do as

well. A lot of them have met my girlfriend and I’ve met their girlfriends

and wives.

“It is pretty cool. You do hear some inside scoops from time to time. A lot

of the guys, I mean, other than their wives or girlfriends or buddies from

back home or guys on the team, they don’t have a lot of people to just

talk about things with here. When one of them is in the chair, we get the

conversation flowing and it can lead to some pretty cool discussions. It’s

pretty sweet.”

Tooyserkani is an avid golfer, and getting to tee it up with some Sharks

players is on his to-do list.

“(Couture) scares me a little bit with some of the scores he says he’s

getting,” he said. “They all have pretty crazy schedules. I saw that, I think

it was (Couture), Noah Gregor and Mike McGlinchey all went for a round

of golf. It’s pretty cool to see your clients from different sports playing golf

together.”

Jake Middleton was the latest client to get traded, and Tooyserkani has

lost a couple others since last season like Martin Jones and Ryan

Donato. But given that Anthony Beauvillier of the Islanders stopped by for

a fresh cut when his team was in town in late February, the word might

be getting out about his work.

“He’s a perfectionist for sure,” Nieto said. “He takes his time. When you

go to see him, you’re mostly just talking and chatting so the time goes by

pretty fast. He’s really good at what he does.

“He’s honestly like one of the boys. I think if you put him in the locker

room, he’d fit right in. He’s a cool guy.”



Sharks Will Finish Below .500 This Year, Lose 5-2 | San Jose Hockey

Now

By Sheng Peng

The San Jose Sharks welcome the Anaheim Ducks into SAP Center for

the last home game of the year. Brent Burns and Scott Reedy scored,

but Anaheim topped San Jose 5-2 in the race for lottery balls. With the

loss and just two games left, the Sharks have no chance to finish at .500

this season.

Period 1

Meloche starts off the game doing a nice job taking out Lundestrom in

the corner. Best of what he can do defensively, rangy. Then Gregor with

soft, perfect lead pass that Balcers smashes off the crossbar.

2 in: Bordeleau does well to get a shot off there, Shattenkirk draped over

him, on partial break.

Zegras goal: What a perfectly-placed shot. Got stuck top of the net, wow.

We couldn’t even tell that he scored, nobody could except for Zegras.

Feels like the Bordeleau line has had a good chance on every shift so far

tonight

— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) April 27, 2022

7 in: Bordeleau forces a center ice turnover, sets up Gregor for the one-

timer.

Terry goal (?): San Jose Sharks get a reprieve with no goal call, they

haven’t play badly, but almost down 2-0. Maybe Bonino tied up Terry’s

stick last second to force a kick.

Sorry watching Vegas-Dallas — what a pass by Mark Stone to William

Karlsson with a minute left in regulation.

Sharks 8-2 Slot Shots at ES per SPORTLOGiQ, 5-2 High-Danger at 5v5

per Natural Stat Trick. One of those periods.

Period 2

2 in: Comotis just overpowers Merkley up high to win the puck.

Comtois goal: Ugliness all around. PP seconds dying, do not like Meier

agitating for offense, stationary stand-up against the wall. Shattenkirk

blows by him, and maybe San Jose Sharks could’ve had numbers, Hertl

might’ve caught trailer Shattenkirk, but Merkley tries to play the pass

high, leaving Comtois low uncovered.

Milano goal: Kahkonen looks surprised by backhand. It’s a good shot, but

he’s gotta have that.

9 in: Great individual play by Chmelevski. Keeps it from Ducks, tight rope

up high, then circling back, hits Balcers open in slot for a dangerous

deflection.

That's first power play point of Bordeleau's career


Also for Burns, double-digit goals. It would’ve been his first time in an 82-

game season since 2009-10 that he hadn’t scored 10-plus.

Jaycob Megna doing his best imitation of Brent Burns there, nice shot-

pass


Also on the Reedy goal: Chmelevski first on forecheck against an, uh,

perhaps checked out Shattenkirk. Sasha got in front of him with complete

ease. But credit where credit is due, first in, deserves an assist. Good

hands by Reedy on the deflection.

Kind of a reversal of the first, Ducks were better at 5-on-5, but it’s the

Sharks who got more on the scoreboard. San Jose still down a goal.

Period 3

Sparse #SJSharks crowd still knows when to cheer for a big #VegasBorn

loss pic.twitter.com/0Q3zA4XNOi


2 in: I like Chmelevski moving puck forward there, as opposed to Meier.

But then Sasha gets knocked down by Drysdale high — maybe just off

balance?

Wish Nieto had some finish: His line — and Nieto has been a big part of

it with his speed and tenacity — has created a lot tonight. But a big goal

eludes them.

Two posts on same shift: Gadjovich then Burns. Then Gadj steps up on

Hunter Drew, who had blasted Gregor. Drew’s first NHL game, good

scrap.

8 in: Nifty Bordeleau one-touch pass to Gregor.

Mahura goal: Mahura beats Bonino up the ice, Couture probably got to

do a better job of watching the center lane too. Maybe wanted a save

from Kahkonen there too.

Welcome to your new home for San Jose Sharks breaking news,

analysis and opinion. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and don't

forget to subscribe to SJHN+ for all of our members-only content from

Sheng Peng and the National Hockey Now network plus an ad-free

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San Jose Hockey Now LOADED: 04.27.2022


Slow the Bordeleau Hype, What Might Barabanov's Contract Ask Be? |

San Jose Hockey Now

By Sheng Peng

Check out my “Sharks Pregame Live” hit!

.@Sheng_Peng breaks down the terms of Barabanov's possible contract

with the Sharks pic.twitter.com/bRZGQtgjLX

— Sharks on NBCS (@NBCSSharks) April 27, 2022

Sheng Peng: With Tomas Hertl re-signed, it looks like Alexander

Barabanov is the San Jose Sharks’ big unrestricted free agent this off-

season.

But that might not last long: I’m told that the Sharks and Barabanov’s

camp will be meeting soon, maybe as soon as this week.

The 27-year-old has been a revelation since the Sharks acquired him last

Trade Deadline, he has 46 points in 76 games as a Shark.

But what complicates his contract negotiations is that he’s played under

100 NHL games. Most of his pro experience has been in the KHL. So

he’s still seen as having something to prove in the NHL.

I’m hearing his contract ask might come in at two years, $2 to $3 million

annual average or maybe three years, about $3.5 million AAV. Maybe

lower.

We’ll have a better idea after the Sharks and Barabanov’s camp talk.

Speaking of another forward that should figure big time in the San Jose

Sharks’ future, let’s talk about Thomas Bordeleau.

Bordeleau has been a highlight machine since his NHL debut last week

But let’s slow the hype train for the 20-year-old. Let’s not expect too

much from him too soon.

The truth is, there are a lot of details to winning hockey. Small plays, not

the highlight ones.

I talked to different NHL scouts, one who watched the Columbus game

where Bordeleau hit Balcers with that incredible pass, another who

watched the Vegas shootout win. Both called Bordeleau performances in

those games, besides the highlights, “average.”

That’s not an attack on Bordeleau: He’s been amazing. He’s a 20-year-

old right out of college who’s hanging, in an elevated role, against the

best hockey players in the world. The San Jose Sharks couldn’t ask for

anything more from their 2020 second-round pick’s NHL debut.

But let’s also not put the cart before the horse. He still has a lot to learn

before he’s a reliable part on a winning team. And that’s OK.

Welcome to your new home for San Jose Sharks breaking news,

analysis and opinion. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and don't

forget to subscribe to SJHN+ for all of our members-only content from

Sheng Peng and the National Hockey Now network plus an ad-free

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Preview/Lines #80: Burns Named Sharks’ Masterton Nominee | San Jose

Hockey Now

By Sheng Peng

The San Jose chapter of the PHWA has selected Brent Burns as our

2022 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominee.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded to the player who, according to the

NHL, “best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and

dedication to ice hockey. It is named after Bill Masterton, the only player

in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game.”

Each PHWA chapter in every NHL city nominates a candidate – here’s all

32. The winner of the Masterton Trophy, as voted on by the PHWA, will

be announced between Games 3 & 4 of the Stanley Cup Final.

This is the unedited text of what I wrote in support of Brent Burns:

In every way, Brent Burns exemplifies the “perseverance, sportsmanship,

and dedication to ice hockey” that represents the Masterton Trophy.

Burns, in his age-36 season, is on pace this season to play over 2,120

minutes, which would put him in the top-five of most-played defensemen

for 36-plus blueliners since the NHL started officially tracking ice time in

1998-99.

The top-five, by the way, consists of Ray Bourque (twice), Nicklas

Lidstrom, Al MacInnis, and Scott Niedermayer. So that’s hallowed

company Burns is set to join.

Burns’s commitment to being in the best possible shape is legendary,

and one of reasons why former Sharks GM Doug Wilson was

comfortable giving the then 31-year-old Burns an eight-year maximum

contract in Nov. 2016.

Since then, Brent Burns has won the 2017 Norris Trophy, was a finalist

for the 2019 Norris, and has led the Sharks in ice time in every season,

including this year, of his maximum deal.

“The one thing I love about Burns is that he comes to the rink every day,

ready to attack the day, and he approaches games like that, practices

like that, workouts like that. It’s a great example for young guys that are

coming into the league. Just a guy that loves the game,” Sharks head

coach and long-time NHL’er Bob Boughner said. “You talk about

dedication. That’s the one word that stands out for me. He dedicates

himself on and off the ice to be a good pro.

“He’s one of the hardest-working guys I’ve ever dealt with.”

San Jose Sharks (32-35-12)

Projected lines for the #SJSharks in their last home game of the season.

Gajovich in for Weatherby

Big Kahk in net. pic.twitter.com/7G58WMbV8y

— The Content Boyz (@LockedOnSharks) April 26, 2022

No surprise, Boughner says Karlsson’s season is likely over, noting he’s

not even skating yet


John Leonard likely done for the season as well. Got to be frustrating for

a young guy who has a lot to prove, and wants to prove it. Boughner

says Leonard tried to take the ice yday in a tracksuit: "It's still not to the

point where he could put a ton of pressure on that leg."


Anaheim Ducks (30-36-14)

The Ducks begin life without Ryan Getzlaf, who played his last NHL

game on Sunday. The long-time San Jose Sharks rival ends his NHL

career, all with the Ducks, with 1,019 points and a 2007 Stanley Cup ring.

Getzlaf did not travel with the team to San Jose.

It's Shark Night in SJ! https://t.co/fyFBt295PE

— Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) April 26, 2022

Where to Watch

Puck drop between the Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks is at

7:30 PM PT at SAP Center. Watch it live on NBC Sports California.

Listen to it on the Sharks Audio Network.


1242934 Seattle Kraken

Kraken finish first season series winless against Vancouver

Staff

VANCOUVER, B.C. — There’s still hope this Pacific Northwest

showdown between the Kraken and Vancouver Canucks will eventually

blossom into one of the league’s bigger rivalries.

But before that can happen, the Kraken will actually need to beat their

cross-border opponent, something that won’t happen this season after a

5-2 loss to the Canucks on Tuesday night at Rogers Arena. This fourth

installment of what’s been a one-sided beatdown thus far saw the

Canucks score twice on their first four shots before the game was four

minutes old, then add a third goal to dig a first intermission hole the

Kraken couldn’t climb out of.

“It was very uncharacteristic of us,” Kraken forward Jared McCann said

of the slow start in which his team was being outshot 12-1 by the time the

third goal went in. “Obviously, they’re a good team and we’ve been plying

pretty well as of late. We’re just going to try to move past this one.”

And move past the start to a rivalry that’s been less Sharks vs. Jets and

more Sharks vs. Baby Seals. In winning all four games between them,

the Canucks outscored the Kraken 19-8.

McCann and his teammates managed to make a game of this one in the

second period, courtesy of a pair of 5-on-3 power-play advantages only

minutes apart. Kraken coach Dave Hakstol went with a five-forward

power play unit and told his team to press for as many scoring chances

as possible.

They certainly did that, finally scoring on the second of the two-man

advantages just as one of the penalties was expiring. McCann started off

a nice three-way passing play that saw Matty Beniers feed the puck to

Jordan Eberle for a one-timer past goalie Spencer Martin to get the

Kraken on the board at 4:49 of the middle frame.

Then, before the period was half done, Morgan Geekie went top shelf on

Martin to narrow the lead to just a goal. The Canucks had learned right at

the period’s outset that they’d been eliminated from playoff contention

courtesy of a Dallas shootout win over Vegas and their focus seemed to

drop off accordingly.

They took a slew of minor penalties — five in a row and seven of eight at

one point — after their third goal and allowed the Kraken to regain

momentum. From the time of the third Vancouver goal to Geekie scoring,

the Kraken outshot the Canucks 19-1 overall and 16-2 in the middle

period.

But they couldn’t get any more past Martin, who stopped 30 of 32 shots

in the game. McCann had a team-high six of those shots, five of them on

the power play.

“Obviously, he made some good saves,” McCann said of Martin, a recent

AHL callup on an emergency basis with regular netminders Jaroslav

Halak and Thatcher Demko both injured. “He’s a good goalie. I just tried

to get the puck through as much as possible. Sometimes it goes in and

sometimes it doesn’t.”

The Canucks restored the multi-goal lead late in the third period when

Kraken goalie Joey Daccord misplayed a Matthew Highmore shot and

had the puck bounce behind him where Luke Schenn slammed it home

with 6:50 to go. Then, Quinn Hughes finished things on a 3-on-1 rush

minutes later to close out the scoring.

The Kraken had started their own AHL netminder in Daccord as a reward

of sorts for his strong season with their Charlotte, North Carolina affiliate

— which has a playoff round bye. The idea was also to give Daccord

some playing time ahead of his upcoming playoffs and he sure got some

work early as the Canucks came at the Kraken in waves.

A Carson Soucy turnover in the neutral zone led to a 3-on-1 break that

Sheldon Dries finished with a short side wrist shot. Less than a minute

later, J.T. Miller took a drop pass in the high slot and buried a slap shot

behind Daccord.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson then rifled home a slap shot through traffic on the

power play to make it a 3-0 game.

But after the rocky start, Daccord held firm from there and gave the

Kraken a chance to get back in it.

“I thought the team in the second period really came out ready to go,”

Daccord said. “We got a lot of power plays but we earned those power

plays, you know what I mean?”

Hakstol was pleased his squad shook off the uncharacteristic “sleepy

start” to their game.

“After the start that we had, sometimes you wonder if we can get going

— get the legs going — but we did,” he said. “And by far, we had enough

chances to get back even.”

Hakstol had been asked before the game about what it will take to get

this rivalry going a bit more intensely.

“Rivalries start in the playoffs,” he said. “That’s really the bottom line. I

mean, they can start over the regular season but we’re so new into it.

Ultimately, over time when you get into some heated battles in the

regular season leading into playoff time. That’s ultimately what decides

rivalries.”

That’s got a lot of truth to it. But to get to the playoffs, the Kraken first

must win more regular season games — especially in their own division.

And some in the Pacific Northwest would be a good place to start.

Seattle Times LOADED: 04.27.2022


The top moments of the Kraken’s inaugural season

Staff

VANCOUVER, B.C. — For better or worse, with much of it being the

latter, the Kraken are about to finish making memories from their debut

NHL season.

Yes, they’ve produced mostly dismal results expected from a typical

expansion squad. No, they were not expected to. It has nothing to do

with unrealistic expectations after the Vegas Golden Knights made the

Stanley Cup Final their expansion season. It has everything to do with

the Kraken themselves expecting closer to a .500 season given the

advantageous rules they had in picking players compared with expansion

teams of yesteryear.

Anyhow, the first season is nearly over, and it should not surprise that

many of the on-ice highlights have come the past six weeks, when they

finally began playing at the .500 pace initially expected.

Beniers lives up to the hype

And within that stretch, rookie forward Matty Beniers notching points in

his first five NHL games rates as the most defining individual

achievement. Beniers is supposed to be a huge part of that future, and

his five points in five games weren’t exactly collected the easy way with

secondary assists.

No, three of the points came off goals scored in very different ways: One

off a rebound, another off an instinctive redirection of a shot from the

point and finally a third off a pinpoint wrist shot that picked the corner

against one of the league’s better netminders in Marc-Andre Fleury.

Beniers technically fell a game shy of the NHL record for points in

consecutive games by a first-year player on an expansion team. In

reality, there was nothing “first year” or “expansion” about the two record

holders in front of him or the team they played for.

Back in 1979-80, the major professional World Hockey Association —

packed with former NHL All-Stars — ceased operation after seven years

of being a thorn in the NHL’s side. It was all about money; the WHA

throwing it around the way the Kraken players sometimes turn the puck

over and the NHL clinging to it in a death grip. There was nothing minor

league about the WHA. It’s just where good players that wanted to be

paid and didn’t mind being blacklisted by the NHL wound up going.

So when the WHA ran out of money, its four best franchises —

Edmonton, Hartford, Quebec and Winnipeg — joined the NHL. There

was an expansion draft held to fortify the four teams’ rosters, but many of

the same players already with those franchises stayed on in making the

NHL jump.

In Edmonton’s case, Wayne Gretzky had played with both the Oilers and

the Indianapolis Racers of the WHA the season before the merger. His

winger, a guy named Brett Callighen, had played three seasons with the

Oilers.

So when they recorded points in their first six games of the 1979-80

season, they set the standard for first-year NHL players on expansion

teams that Beniers just nearly eclipsed.

But Gretzky’s and Callighen’s “first” NHL season was nothing like a 19-

year-old Beniers leaping to the NHL straight out of the University of

Michigan. And his points streak came with the Kraken, a team that,

favorable rules notwithstanding, was indeed built in traditional expansion

team style with zero player holdovers from previous seasons.

McCann exceeds expectations

Next on the individual achievement list would be Jared McCann scoring

26 goals and earning a five-year, $25 million contract extension.

Entering the season, there were all kinds of thoughts about players who

might top the 20-goal mark. McCann was never foremost in those, and

yet here he is leading the team. He had 21 of those goals by Feb. 21, so

the pace has slowed. But it doesn’t take away from what he’s done.

An impressive stretch

As for excellent team stretches, it’s tough to beat what the Kraken did in

defeating the Washington Capitals and Carolina Hurricanes in

consecutive November contests and then beating the Florida Panthers

on the road a few nights later.

Back then, the Kraken were still clinging to hope of getting back into the

playoff discussion. So those games mattered more than anything done

once the postseason was rendered an impossible dream.

Top plays

On individual “plays of the year” a handful come to mind. Who can forget

Brandon Tanev racing the length of the ice with Rasmus Dahlen draped

all over him to score a short-handed goal in Buffalo?

Tanev had also scored a pretty goal in Columbus during the season’s

opening week, blowing past a defender and putting several dekes on the

goalie before scoring. He was shaping up to be a Kraken success story,

going from bottom-six forward to most popular player in a two-month

span before a knee injury ended his campaign.

The next most outstanding play was probably Alex Wennberg faking a

shot, racing around defender Jake McCabe and deking out the goalie in

Chicago three weeks ago for an eventual game-winning goal.

Also up there was Daniel Sprong’s effort in Los Angeles a month back,

picking up a puck in the neutral zone and outracing flat-footed defenders

down the right side to score.

For the defensive play of the season, Adam Larsson has been solid all

the way through and saved a couple of pucks from crossing the goal line.

But a leg save in February off Johnny Gaudreau firing toward what

appeared to be an open net in Calgary rates as his best.

Most memorable victory?

As far as top victories, there was the aforementioned win over Florida in

November and again in Seattle in February when the Panthers had

established themselves as a serious Stanley Cup threat. There was also

the team’s first shutout in a 3-0 victory at the New York Islanders in

February. And last week’s 3-2 win over the Colorado Avalanche, who,

despite missing several top players, are still a perennial threat on any

night.

All told, I’d go with a 6-1 victory over the Kings in Los Angeles a month

ago, which was just an all-around team effort with actual execution in all

aspects of the game — especially goal-scoring.

The ability of the Kraken to beat good teams provides some optimism. So

does the arrival of Beniers as a much-needed offensive reinforcement.

The Kraken just need to get started on their season highlights a whole lot

quicker next October.

Seattle Times LOADED: 04.27.2022


Canucks beat Seattle Kraken, will miss playoffs 2nd straight year

BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) – Quinn Hughes had a goal and

two assists to set a franchise record for points by a Vancouver

defenseman, and the Canucks beat the Seattle Kraken 5-2 on Tuesday

night, but were eliminated from playoff contention.

Canucks 5, Seattle Kraken 2: Box Score

Dallas ensured Vancouver would miss the playoffs for a second year in a

row with a 3-2 shootout win over the Vegas Golden Knights.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson had a goal and an assist for Vancouver, while

Sheldon Dries, J.T. Miller and Luke Schenn all scored and Conor

Garland contributed three assists. The Canucks were playing without all-

star goalie Thatcher Demko, whom coach Bruce Boudreau said had a

“little bit of an ouch.” Spencer Martin stopped 31 shots for his second

NHL win.

Jordan Eberle and Connor Geekie scored for the Kraken in a penalty-

filled second period. Joey Daccord made 22 saves for Seattle, who lost

their third straight.

we're *geeking* out over this goal, tbh pic.twitter.com/7Q7txuJdTU

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) April 27, 2022

Hughes capped his milestone night with a goal with four minutes left in

the third. Garland sliced a pass across the slot to Hughes who tapped it

in for his eighth goal of the season and his 66th point.

Hughes has 64 points, passing a mark set by Doug Lidster in 1986-87.

Hughes on Saturday set a franchise record for assists by a defenseman

with 56.

A lucky bounce helped the Canucks put away their fourth goal of the

night.

Daccord stopped a shot in tight from Matthew Highmore, but saw the

puck bounce off his stick and up over his head, landing in the crease

behind him. Schenn knocked it in over the goal line 13:08 into the third to

make it 4-2.

Vancouver took a 3-0 lead into the first intermission but struggled to

protect the lead. The home side was outshot 26-14 across the second

and third periods.

Penalties dismantled the Canucks’ game in the second. Vancouver was

called for five separate infractions and had to weather three minutes and

42 seconds of five-on-three play.

The Kraken cut the deficit to a single goal 9:12 into the second. Riley

Sheahan dished a puck to Geekie from along the end boards and the

forward sent a shot up and over Martin’s glove to make it 3-2.

Seattle got on the board with a power-play tally 4:59 into the period after

Brad Richardson was called for tripping.

Eberle sent a shot into the top corner from in tight for his 20th goal in a

Kraken jersey.

Vancouver was 1 for 3 with the man advantage Tuesday and Seattle

went 1 for 8.

Ekman-Larsson gave the Canucks a 3-0 advantage with a power-play

goal midway through the first after Carson Soucy was called for cross-

checking.

NOTES

Seattle defenseman Vince Dunn missed the game and is listed as day-

to-day with an upper-body injury. … Kraken right-winger Daniel Sprong

played his 200th NHL regular-season game. … The Canucks, playing

their first game in Vancouver since the death of Guy Lafleur on Friday,

played a video tribute for the hockey legend.

UP NEXT

Kraken: Host Los Angeles Kings on Wednesday night.

Canucks: Host Los Angeles Kings on Thursday night.

MYNORTHWEST.COM LOADED: 04.27.2022

1242937 St Louis Blues

Blues rally falls short, point streak ends in Colorado

Jim Thomas

DENVER – First things first. It was one heck of a late-season run by the

Blues.

A franchise-record 16-game point streak (14-02) that dated all the way

back to the end of March.

Plus a 10-game road point streak (9-0-1) that stretched back nearly a

week earlier into March, one that included seven consecutive road

victories – tied for the longest in the NHL this season.

Colorado, once again the best in the West during the regular season, put

an end to all that with a 5-3 win Tuesday at Ball Arena.

But for the Blues and their fans it was fun while it lasted. A lot of fun.

“It was great,” coach Craig Berube said. “The guys played tremendous

hockey in that span, did a lot of good things. We were solid in all areas of

the game I thought, from the goaltender out. Special teams were good –

power play was producing and the penalty kill was excellent.

“And we scored enough goals to win – most games. We have the ability

to score goals. And it was a great run.”


Until Tuesday, that is. Minus David Perron, Brayden Schenn and Robert

Bortuzzo in the lineup due to injuries, the Blues played the Avalanche

evenly in the first period, unraveled in the second period, and then made

things very interesting in the third thanks to a couple of late goals by

Ryan O’Reilly.

“We were close here tonight,” Berube said. “Didn’t have a very good

second period. We didn’t move our feet (in the second). We just let them

possess the puck and make plays. We were kind of standing around and

watching too much.

“You don’t get in the offensive zone and you’re just kind of on your heels

for the period.”

The middle period looked very reminiscent of the first-round playoff

series with Colorado last season, in which the Blues were swept 4 games

to 0, and outscored 20-7.

Two of the Avalanche’s three second-period goals came from distance

with traffic in front of the net, and two came from members of a D-corps

that leads the NHL with 63 goals by defensemen.

Trailing 3-1 entering the third period after a power play goal by Brandon

Saad late in the second, the worst possible thing happened to begin the

final 20 minutes. Colorado, playing without Gabriel Landeskog (knee)

and Mikko Rantanen (non-COVID illness), scored just nine seconds in to

take a 4-1 lead.

“Yeah, it’s definitely a killer for us,” said defenseman Torey Krug, back in

the lineup after missing three games with an upper-body injury.

It was a disaster on several fronts. The Avs won the faceoff to open the

period, with the puck heading down towards the St. Louis goal. After a

poor clearing attempt by Jordan Binnington, Valeri Nichuskin beat Nick

Leddy for the puck behind the St. Louis goal, and then dished to Artturi

Lehkonen – who got in front of Saad, net front – for the goal.

“It can’t happen,” said Berube with a mixture of exasperation and disgust.

“It was deflating,” said O’Reilly. “But I thought we did a good job of just

kind of keeping going, sticking with it. And we did have a chance to tie it

up there at the end.”

The Blues managed to make a game of it when O’Reilly scored his 18th

and 19th goals of the season in a 64-second span with 4:15 and then

3:11 to play.

“Honestly, one was just lucky,” O’Reilly said, with his typical modesty.

“And the other one, ‘Buch’ (Pavel Buchnevich) made an unbelievable

play to me. . . .I thought I had plenty of shots, didn’t shoot the puck very

well at all. I had the game on my stick there a couple times.”

On a night when Robert Thomas’ point streak ended at 17 games and

Vladimir Tarasenko’s ended at 10, O’Reilly said goodbye to a goal-

scoring drought that had gone 10 games.

But it was a case of too little, too late. Even so, the late rally once again

showed the team’s tenacity, which could come in handy next week when

the postseason begins against Minnesota.

“At some point in the playoffs we’re gonna be down a couple goals late,”

Krug said. “Resiliency and competitiveness by the group is important. It

gives us confidence moving forward that we can score and get ourselves

back in a game.”

The Blues missed out on a chance to take over second place in the

Central Division, because Minnesota was upset by Arizona 5-3 at home,

certainly an unexpected result given how well the Wild have been playing

down the stretch.

“I didn’t know (Minnesota lost),” Krug said. “I was just trying to focus on

ourselves. We’re confident no matter what happens here moving

forward.”

The Blues are 49-21-11 for 109 points with just Friday’s regular-season

finale against the Vegas Golden Knights remaining at Enterprise Center.

Minnesota, 51-22-7 – also for 109 points – has two games left. The Wild

play Thursday against Calgary and Friday against Colorado, with both

games at home.

“We want to get the home ice advantage, obviously, but more importantly

we want to win a hockey game (against Vegas) and win a hockey game

the right way,” O’Reilly said. “That’ll be our focus.”

Of immediate concern to Berube was a mounting injury list. Defenseman

Marco Scandella didn’t play the last 11 minutes-plus of Tuesday’s game

with a lower-body injury.

Because of the absence of Schenn and Perron, the Blues played with

fewer than 12 forwards for the 15th time this season. The Blues have

done well when playing short on forwards, going 8-4-3 under those

circumstances, but it’s something Berube would like to avoid.

When asked if holding players out was precautionary with the playoffs

just around the corner. Or if the injuries were a concern, Berube said:

“Both. Both.”

But Berube expects Perron, Schenn and Bortuzzo to play against Vegas.

He said Scandella probably won’t be available.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 04.27.2022


Blues notebook: This time, Walker intent on sticking around

Jim Thomas

DENVER — Nathan Walker has achieved some elusive, yet hard-earned

staying power with the Blues.

Tuesday’s game with the Colorado Avalanche marked his 20th

consecutive game since his latest callup from the American Hockey

League on March 22. Twenty games in a row may not seem like much

for some.

But for Walker, who turned 28 in February, it’s a bit of a toehold. After all,

he had played in only 25 NHL games prior to this season. What’s been

the difference between this and all those other callups that ended with

him being sent back to the minors?

“I think consistency,” said the Australian. “I think on different occasions

I’d get called up, play a couple good games here and there and then kind

of lose that ‘jam,’ if you will. I think I’ve been able to be a little more

consistent this year and kind of bring it each game. And I think that’s

been helping me a lot this year.”

Entering Tuesday’s game, Walker had eight goals and four assists in 28

total games for the season with the Blues. Remember that hat trick on

Dec. 9 against Detroit?

That was the first game of the first of three callups for him this season

from the Springfield Thunderbirds.

For Walker, that consistency has been a product of a better mindset this

time around.

“Not saying I didn’t care or anything when I got called up last time, but I

think just being a little more experienced in that department,” he said. “I

think it definitely helps.”

As a result, it looks like Walker will see playoff action next week for the

Blues against Minnesota as part of the team’s fourth line. NHL

postseason hockey won’t be a first for Walker — just a second.

He played in one postseason game with the Washington Capitals during

the 2017-18 season, and had an assist.

“It’s gonna be exciting,” Walker said. “You play hockey to win, and you

don’t win by not playing in the playoffs. So it’s gonna be really exciting for

sure.”

Most of the Blues’ fourth-liners are sparse on NHL experience. But coach

Craig Berube doesn’t sound concerned come playoff time.

“Those guys that don’t have a lot of experience — you talk like (Logan)

Brown, Walker, (Alexei) Toropchenko — I get it,” Berube said. “But it’s

just their hard work and relentlessness out there that’s gonna make them

good players for us.”

Besides, come playoff time the oldest player on the Blues’ roster — 36-

year-old Tyler Bozak — could be centering the fourth line. Bozak

centered the third line on Tuesday, with Brayden Schenn out for the third

game in a row with an upper-body injury.

Krug in, Bortuzzo out

After missing three games with an upper-body injury, Torey Krug

returned to action Tuesday against the Avalanche. But the Blues still

didn’t have their top six defensemen back in action, because Robert

Bortuzzo sat out the game with what looks like a minor leg injury.

“He’s OK,” Berube said of Bortuzzo after the morning skate. “We’ll keep

him out tonight though.”

Bortuzzo crashed into the boards Sunday at Anaheim and was limping

after that contest. He participated in Tuesday’s morning skate and took

part in line rushes, paired with Krug.

Perron a late scratch

It’s always something. Forward David Perron was a late scratch, out with

a lower-body injury according to the team. Perron took part in the

morning skate, including duty on the power play and took line rushes with

the Ryan O’Reilly line.

But so close to the playoffs, the Blues are taking no chances, so Perron

was held out against the Avs. In his place, Jordan Kyrou moved up to the

O’Reilly line. The Blues are carrying only one extra forward, so with

Perron and Schenn out — both 20-plus goal scorers — they were down

to only 11 healthy forwards.

As a result, they played with fewer than 12 forwards for the 15th time this

season. They dressed an extra defenseman with both Niko Mikkola and

Calle Rosen seeing action.



Blues Game Day: Krug in, but Schenn, Bortuzzo out

Jim Thomas

DENVER – After missing three games with an upper-body injury, Torey

Krug is back in action Tuesday night against the Colorado Avalanche.

But the Blues still won’t have their top six defensemen back in action,

because Robert Bortuzzo is sitting out tonight’s game with what looks like

a minor leg injury.

“He’s OK,” coach Craig Berube said of Bortuzzo. “We’ll keep him out

tonight though.”

In addition, forward Brayden Schenn will miss his third consecutive game

with an upper-body injury. Schenn took part in the Blues’ morning skate

at Ball Arena but did not take part in line rushes or participate on the

power play.

Tyler Bozak will take Schenn’s spot for the second game in a row,

centering the third line flanked by wingers Ivan Barbashev and Jordan

Kyrou. Berube said Schenn will play in Friday’s regular-season finale

against the Vegas Golden Knights at Enterprise Center.

Bortuzzo crashed into the boards Sunday at Anaheim and was limping

after that contest. He participated in Tuesday’s morning skate and took

part in line rushes, paired with Krug. But Berube said he will go with

either Calle Rosen or Niko Mikkola against the Avalanche instead of

Bortuzzo.


At this point, it’s all about making sure players are playoff ready.

Been a while

In a scheduling quirk caused by the addition of an eighth team to the

Central Division (Arizona), the Blues are playing Colorado only three

times this season. Tonight marks Game 3.

The first two contests were played way back in October. After several

days of practice in Vail, Colo., the Blues opened the regular season Oct.

16 with a 5-3 win at Colorado.

The Blues took leads of 3-0 and 4-1 before the Avs made things

interesting. A disallowed Colorado goal would’ve tied the game 4-4 with

2:49 left before an empty-net goal by Ryan O’Reilly with 20 seconds left

sealed the deal.

David Perron scored twice. Schenn fought Nazem Kadri 40 seconds in –

it was payback for a Kadri shot to the head of Justin Faulk in Game 2 of

the playoffs last season – ending Faulk’s season.

The Avs were minus Nathan MacKinnon (COVID) and Gabriel

Landeskog (suspension).

Twelve days later, the teams met in St. Louis with the Avs winning 4-3,

snapping the Blues’ season-opening five-game winning streak. This time

Faulk fought Kadri just 47 seconds in, also getting a two-minute instigator

penalty and a 10-minute misconduct along with the five minutes for

fighting. So he spent 17 minutes in the box in the first period.

There was also a wild scrum near the end of the second period in that

Oct. 28 game, with Jordan Binnington getting a 10-minute misconduct

(served by Bortuzzo) for swinging his goalie stick at Kadri. All told, the

Avalanche had a 7:06 advantage in power play time in the game.

O’Reilly missed the game on the COVID list.

This time around

The Avalanche will be missing Landeskog (knee) and Mikko Rantanen

(non-COVID illness) for tonight’s game. Colorado has lost four straight,

but when asked how much stock he put in that streak, Berube replied:

“None. Zero.”

“They’re always tough. Especially at home,” Berube said. “They’ve got

some great players over there. We gotta be ready to go.”

Beyond what the Avalanche can do up front, they are the NHL’s most

dangerous offensive squad on the blueline. They have a league-best 61

goals by defensemen, led by Norris Trophy candidate Cale Makar’s 27

goals.

“Where they really expose you a lot of times is coming out of their zone,”

Berube said. “They’re so quick getting off their check and they get up the

ice, leave you behind, create odd-man rushes.

“So it’s important, you gotta be physical on ‘em as much as you can.

They’re not easy to hit, but as much as you can get a piece of ‘em, slow

‘em down a little bit. Stay above ‘em as much as you can. Because

otherwise you just get left behind.”

It’s probably too late in the regular season for this to be any kind of

measuring stick for the Blues. They know better based on last year, when

they beat the Avalanche in successive games late in the season – 5-3

and 4-1. But then three weeks later were swept by the Avalanche in the

first round of the playoffs. The Blues were outscored 20-7 in those four

playoff defeats.

“It’s gonna be a good test obviously for our group,” Colton Parayko said.

“But I think at this point of the season everybody wants to worry about

how they’re playing. They’re own team. You can’t really worry about

other teams at this point. You just want to make sure going into the

playoffs you’re feeling your best and playing your best.”

Binnington in goal

Binnington is scheduled to start Tuesday, in what figures to be his last

chance to impress Berube before the playoffs. He enters the contest

riding a season-long five-game winning streak, but allowed three third-

period goals in his last outing – a 5-4 overtime win Saturday at Arizona.

Over his career, Binnington has played Colorado more than any other

club. He’s 7-7-0, with a 3.20 goals-against average and a .897 save

percentage against them.

Blues’ projected lineup

Forwards

Saad-O’Reilly-Perron

Buchnevich-Thomas-Tarasenko

Barbashev-Bozak-Kyrou

Toropchenko-Brown-Walker

Defensemen

Scandella-Parayko

Leddy-Faulk

Krug-Rosen/Mikkola

Goalie

Binnington

Power play lineup

PP1: Krug-Perron-Kyrou-O’Reilly-Saad

PP2: Faulk-Thomas-Tarasenko-Buchnevich-Barbashev

Blue notes

• By defeating Anaheim 6-3 Sunday, the Blues completed the season 1-

1-1 against the Ducks. They currently have sub-.500 records against only

four teams: Carolina (0-2-0), Pittsburgh (0-1-1), New Jersey (0-1-0) and

Winnipeg (1-2-1). The Blues are 1-1-0 against Colorado, so a regulation

loss could make it five teams.

• A victory Tuesday will make this the fourth team in Blues history to win

50 games in the regular season. The 2013-14 team won 52 games; the

2014-15 team and 1999-2000 squad both won 51 games.

• In Vladimir Tarasenko (34 goals) and Pavel Buchnevich (30), the Blues

have two 30-goal scorers in the same season for the first time since Brad

Boyes (33) and David Backes (31) in 2008-09.

• Tonight will be Faulk’s 200th game with the Blues.



Gordo on the NHL: Underachieving Golden Knights reach brink of

elimination

Jeff Gordon

So this is it for the Vegas Golden Knights.

After losing a point to the also-ran San Jose Sharks in their last game –

by allowing the game-tying goal in the final second, then losing in the

shootout – the Golden Knights have their backs to the wall.

They are three points back of the Dallas Stars and four points behind the

Nashville Predators for the two Western Conference wild card slots.

All three teams have three games to play. Tonight the Golden Knights

visit Dallas, so they could fall five points back of the Stars if they lose in

regulation time.

Vegas can't let that happen.

“It's not going to be easy here these last three games,” Golden Knights

winger Max Pacioretty said. “We've got to play to the very end and give

ourselves a chance.”

This is not what the Golden Knights envisioned while circumventing the

salary cap to build a $100 million roster.

Goaltending is just one of the team’s many issues. The Golden Knights

had to turn to journeyman Logan Thompson with Robin Lehner battling

shoulder and knee injuries. Vegas finally shut down Lehner for the

season so he could undergo shoulder surgery.

Golden Knights coach Peter DeBoer is doing his best to talk up

Thompson.

“He's not a young goalie,” DeBoer said. “He's not a 20-year-old. He's 25.

He's won the best goaltender in the American League. So he's been in

situations like this where you lose and you've got to bounce back the next

night. I'm not worried about him.”

Mind you, this is the team that just gave away destined Hall of Famer

Marc-Andre Fleury, who has helped the Minnesota Wild sustain their

remarkable winning clip heading into the playoffs.

Vegas is back to almost full strength up front with Pacioretty and Mark

Stone back from the injured list. But $10 million center Jack Eichel has

produced well below expectations.

The Golden Knights tried to offload winger Evgenii Dadonov at the NHL

Trade deadline to create salary cap space, but the team discovered he

had no-trade protection.

So winger Reilly Smith must be kept in long-term injured reserve storage.

Former Blues captain Alex Pietrangelo has enjoyed a solid season, but

he hasn’t exactly galvanized the Vegas defense. In other words, he has

been no Justin Faulk since leaving the Blues.

It goes without saying that DeBoer will get fired if he can’t rally his team

into the bracket and make noise in the postseason. Personnel changes

are inevitable too, given the team’s salary cap predicament.

Smith and Mattias Janmark figure to leave as unrestricted free agents

and the Golden Knights will likely try to move Dadonov again.

CANUCKS STAYED ALIVE

The Vancouver Canucks still had mathematical life in the wild card race

entering Game 80. That’s astounding, given how dead that team was (6-

14-2!) before hiring Bruce Boudreau as coach.

“Bruce gave us a new life when he got here, a new jump and fresh start,”

Canucks forward J.T. Miller said. “And ever since then, I think we took

our opportunity and decided to run with it. I'm really proud of our guys in

here. It takes a lot of care and a lot of want. And it's really easy to roll

over when you're 8-15, or whatever we were back then, and just write

this season off as a regroup-type of year. We've really done almost

everything we can to this point to show that we could compete against

the best teams in the league. It's really exciting moving forward no matter

what happens.”

That success inspired the new management team to hold off making

seismic changes. Offseason moves are coming to create more salary

cap flexibility, but Jim Rutherford and Co. must feel good about this

team’s potential to reach the playoffs last season.

The Canucks have been playing at a 105-point clip under Boudreau.

AROUND THE RINKS

The Minnesota Wild have apparently picked Fleury to lead them into the

playoffs. He will get his third consecutive start Tuesday night. Given Cam

Talbot’s play against the Blues this year and Fleury’s Cup pedigree, this

is not a shock.

This is NOT the time to suffer goaltending injuries, but the Carolina

Hurricanes lost both Frederik Andersen and Antti Raanta as the season

wound down. But it appears both players could be ready for the playoffs.

If ever team needed to embark on a dramatic rebuild, it’s the Sharks. But

that team’s ownership doesn’t want to tank multiple seasons to make that

happen, which is why Tomas Hertl got an eight-year, $65 million contract.

So the team’s next general manager will face a daunting challenge. The

defensive trio of Marc-Eduoard Vlasic, Brent Burns and Erik Karlsson will

count $26.5 million against the cap through 2025. Vlasic becomes a free

agent that earn, Burns is done in 2026 and Karlsson’s deal runs through

2027.

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin dodged a serious injury with an

awkward fall. Will he be back for the playoffs? “I want to say I hope so

but again, I don't know,” Capitals coach Peter Laviolette said. “It depends

on how things progress with him. So it's day-to-day right now.”

This is why teams rest their star players once their playoff fate is

determined.


1242941 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning’s White House visit ‘a long time in the making’

Eduardo A. Encina

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Lightning waited a long time to visit the

White House, but maybe the timing for their trip, coming on Monday’s

final off day of the regular season, was perfect.

With the postseason starting May 2, their trip to D.C. — which has long

been a traditional perk for championship-winning sports teams — was a

reminder of what it took to claim back-to-back Stanley Cups.

The pandemic kept the Lightning from the White House after their bubble

victory in 2020, and two trips to to face the Capitals this season yielded

no visit. Monday’s ceremony came together quickly, and the team flew up

following Sunday’s win at the Panthers.

“It was a long time in the making,” Lightning captain Steven Stamkos

said. “We weren’t sure if we were going to get this opportunity. But it was

certainly worth the wait. That was one of the highlights of a lot of our

lives, not just our hockey careers, to get with the president.

“It was a tremendous honor for a lot of us and an unforgettable

experience.”

Lightning forward Pat Maroon, who has been on the past three Stanley

Cup-winning teams, hadn’t been to the White House until Monday, and

said his mission was to coax President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill

Biden, who are Flyers fans, onto the Tampa Bay bandwagon.

Biden, who hosted the Bucs at the White House last July, recognized

Tampa Bay’s recent pro sports success.

“It’s a pretty good time to be a sports fan in Tampa,” Biden said. “I don’t

know what the hell you have in the water down there.”

During the outdoor ceremony on the South Lawn, Biden applauded the

Lightning for their back-to-back titles as well as the organization’s

community involvement. Biden also noted that the Lightning made

Amalie Arena available for COVID vaccinations last season; Jill Biden, in

fact, visited the arena to promote getting vaccinated.

“Thank you all for the great work you’re doing in the community,

congratulations again for all the great work you’ve done on the ice,”

Biden said. “And I want to wish you good luck for the upcoming playoffs.

Who knows, as I said, you may be here next year if you’re willing to come

back.”

Lightning owner Jeff Vinik invited Biden to Tampa to watch a game from

his suite — and to attend the team’s next boat parade.

“We have a ‘no talking’ rule in our suite,” Vinik said. “When the puck’s in

play, nobody’s allowed to talk. I’ll make an exception for you.”

The Lightning's Ryan McDonagh looks back at President Joe Biden as

he speaks during Monday's ceremony.

The team presented Biden with a blue Lightning jersey with a No. 46 on

the back — Biden is the 46th president — and an engraved silver hockey

stick.

Biden also shared a light-hearted moment with Stamkos, 32, about how

long he’s been in the league.

“Steve, 14 seasons?” Biden said. “You’re getting old, man. I don’t know.

I’ve got to get some advice from Steve about this.”

Stamkos deferred to defenseman Ryan McDonagh, one of the five

American-born Lightning players, to speak on behalf of the players. And

and much as his words focused on winning two Cups — and the

challenges and sacrifices involved through daily COVID testing and strict

protocols, and players fighting through injuries — he also looked ahead

to the playoffs.

“In a week from now, we get to start another journey and hopefully chase

down a third Stanley Cup,” McDonagh said. “Although we know the

difficulties ahead of us, we feel we have a great group intact that’s going

to battle hard for each other and leave it all on the ice. The quest for a

third Cup is not out of reach. We’ll do whatever we can, Bolt Nation.”

Inside the White House, the Lightning received treatment befitting

champions, with tours of the West Wing, Red Room and Blue Room.

They met Secret Service members and White House staff from Tampa.

And even through it wasn’t on the team’s itinerary, the Lightning received

a surprise tour of the Oval Office from Biden.

President Joe Biden smiles as Lightning owner Jeff Vinik speaks during

Monday's ceremony.

“Originally we weren’t told we were going to see it,” McDonagh said. “Mr.

President invited us there at the end of the ceremony. There’s much

history and tradition coming from there. To get to see that first-hand is

pretty unique. ... You wish you could spend more than one day to try to

take it all in.”

Not only was coach Jon Cooper, a former lawyer, impressed with Biden’s

sports knowledge, he was fascinated by the president’s law background.

“I know the President must do this all the time, but for us, he was so

generous,” Cooper said. “Being in the position he’s in as the leader of the

free world and all that stuff, he has an amazing ability to wipe that

persona aside and just be a human being, like he was one of our

teammates. I kind of wanted to get greedy and kind of sit down with him

in a bar and listen to the story of his life.”

The Lightning used the event to show off their flashy championship rings,

and Biden was among those impressed by the bling.

Lightning captain Steven Stamkos shows off his two Stanley Cup rings.

“I don’t think I’ve ever worn both of these on one hand together,” Cooper

said. “But these are fascinating, wonderful rings and when you see them

on, including the President, they want to take a look.”

It was still a reunion of sorts. While every current Lightning player on the

past two title teams was present, a few former Cup champions also

attended. Mathieu Joseph flew in from Ottawa, and retired players

Braydon Coburn and Curtis McElhinney were there.

Bucs Hall of Famer Derrick Brooks, now a member of the Lightning front

office, returned to the White House for the first time since he won a

college football national championship with Florida State. The Bucs’ 2002

Super Bowl-winning team didn’t go to the White House because of the

war in Iraq. And a lockout canceled the season following the Lightning’s

first title in 2003-04, meaning no White House trip.

Local dignitaries attending included Tampa mayor Jane Castor, her

predecessor Bob Buckhorn and former St. Petersburg mayor Rick

Kriseman. WWE wrestler turned local philanthropist Titus O’Neil took

selfies with the Stanley Cup before the ceremony. NHL commissioner

Gary Bettman and U.S. Representative Kathy Castor also were in

attendance.

Now for the Lightning, the time for looking back is done.

“These are little, I guess, bread crumbs that come along with winning a

Stanley Cup,” McDonagh said. “The good thing with our group is the

hunger’s still there. We don’t need any kind of extra motivation, but

certainly this does heighten the excitement, for sure, going into the last

week of the regular season and before the start of the playoffs.”

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 04.27.2022

1242942 Toronto Maple Leafs

Auston Matthews hits another milestone, going from hero to 60

Leafs star is the first player to score 60 goals in a season since 2011-12.

By Mark Zwolinski Sports Reporter

Auston Matthews authored a night to remember Tuesday, part of a

season that will be tough to forget.

The Maple Leafs’ super sniper ended his longest goal-scoring drought of

the season by scoring Nos. 59 and 60 in a 3-0 win over the Detroit Red

Wings at Scotiabank Arena. Matthews opened the scoring in the second

period, then closed it on a power play in the third to become the first NHL

player to score 60 in a season since Steven Stamkos in 2011-12.

“It was pretty special, honestly,” Matthews said after a water dousing

from his teammates. That followed a two-minute ovation after he scored

the milestone goal at the 5:49 mark of the third. Fans also chanted “MVP”

and “Aus-ton Matth-hews.”

“The receptions from my teammates, from the fans, it kinda sends chills

down your bones,” Matthews said.

The 60th goal was typically Matthews — a wicked snap shot to the top

corner from the high slot. It came after he curled at the blue line, barely

keeping the puck in the zone, and found a seam in the middle of the ice.

“I was nervous about it a bit,” Matthews said. “I got the puck, I had some

room there, and I just shot it.”

Matthews, who had gone five games and 16 days without a goal,

appears set to win his second consecutive Rocket Richard Trophy as the

NHL’s leading goal scorer, with Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl five goals

back. He is also one of the favourites for the Hart Trophy as league MVP.

“Lots of goal are going in this season and lots of players are having great

seasons,” Leafs captain John Tavares said. “I know I’m being biased, but

(the Hart Trophy race is) not even close. The consistency he has, the

way he does things sometimes, you just shake your head. The fact he

did 50 goals in 50 games, I still can’t get my head around that.”

There was an unmistakable feeling in the arena Tuesday that the Leafs

scoring hero was going to make Tuesday another night to remember. He

became just the third NHL player in the 21st century to reach 60, joining

Alex Ovechkin and Stamkos.

Matthews’ 59th goal was also his 44th goal at even strength, 11 more

than his closest rival. He is just the fourth player to score 43 or more

even-strength goals since 1995-96. Stamkos, Ovechkin, and Pavel Bure

are the others. And his 60 goals have come in 73 games.

“The hardest thing in our game seems to be scoring at even strength,”

Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said, “and (Matthews) seems to be doing it at

a level no one else can.”

While Keefe was praising Matthews, the Siri function on a phone piped in

with “I thought so,” drawing a laugh from the coach and the media.

“I agree,” Keefe said, smiling.

Home ice

With the win, Toronto locked up second place in its division, and will have

home ice in the first round of the playoffs. Their first round opponent

likely will be the two time defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay

Lightning. The series could open Monday — the Scotiabank Arena

availability for the Leafs next week is Monday, Wednesday, Saturday and

Sunday.

Career year

Jack Campbell kicked out all 20 shots he faced, and was called on to

make several terrific stops. Toronto outshot Detroit 36-20, with Campbell

recording his fifth shutout of the season, a career high.

Bunting skates

Michael Bunting hit the ice for the morning skate Tuesday, which was a

good sign after he apparently hurt his right foot Sunday in Washington.

“It’s a very positive step,” Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said about Bunting,

whose prognosis was for a longer layoff after the game Sunday. “He’s

not going to play this week … We’ll re-evaluate him (for the playoffs) but

things are looking positive.”

Alex Kerfoot took Bunting’s spot on the top line with Matthews and Mitch

Marner.

Injury news

Jake Muzzin returned to the roster after missing the last six games with

an undisclosed injury. Muzzin has two quality scoring chances in the first

period, and was solid defensively … Rasmus Sandin, who has been out

since March 19 with a knee injury, also participated in the morning skate.

He might play Friday against Boston in the Leafs’ final game of the

regular season … Ondrej Kaše, out since March 19 with a concussion,

and goalie Petr Mrázek also worked out Tuesday but neither has a

definitive timeline for a return. Kaše was named Toronto’s nominee for

the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded the NHL play who

best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

Toronto Star LOADED: 04.27.2022


Muzzin back for Leafs as Toronto takes on Detroit Red Wings tonight

Auston Matthews goes for 60 goals, Mitch Marner goes for 100 points

and Toronto looks to clinch home-ice advantage for the first round.

By Kevin McGran

Defenceman Jake Muzzin will be back in the lineup tonight against the

Detroit Red Wings as Auston Matthews goes for 60 goals, Mitch Marner

goes for 100 points and the Maple Leafs look to clinch home-ice

advantage for the first round.

The Leafs need a single point against Detroit to clinch second in the

Atlantic Division, likely against Tampa but a possibility exists that it could

be against Boston.

“It’s an 82-game season. This is Game 81,” said Leafs coach Sheldon

Keefe. “We have an opportunity to ensure that we start the playoffs here

in this building. So let’s take care of that.”

Matthews has 58 goals, but has not scored in his last five games he

played. Marner has 97 points.

It was a morning filled with roster intrigue as the Leafs try to get back to

healthy for the playoffs.

With Muzzin in, Justin Holl will be scratched.

Forward Nick Robertson was recalled on an emergency basis from the

Marlies, while defenceman Carl Dahlstrom was returned to the Marlies.

Kyle Clifford and Wayne Simmonds will be scratched as well.

Jack Campbell will get the start against Detroit, and if he wants it, will

also play Friday against Boston.

News from the Maple Leafs medical room is positive.

Rasmus Sandin (knee) seems ready to return to the lineup, but would

require more roster movement to allow him to do so. He’ll probably play

the Leafs final regular-season game against Boston, on Friday.

“He’s got some some appointments today to get through. And if that goes

well, I think we’ll see him join our team for practice and then take it from

there,” said Keefe.

Michael Bunting (lower body) skated on his own prior to the morning

skate, raising hope he’ll be ready for the playoffs.

“Obviously skated today, so it’s a very positive sign,” said Keefe. “He’s

not going to play this week We’ll reevaluate them from there. But things

are looking positive.”

Ondrej Kaše (head) skated in a grey jersey, meaning that he’ll be

scratched, but also that he’s been cleared for contact.

“Kaše continues to be day-to-day,” said Keefe. “Today was an important

step for him, being on the ice with a full team, and players moving

around, the puck flying around. But there’s no timeline on him.”

Petr Mrázek (groin) also was on the ice, trending for a return for the

goalie at some point in the playoffs.

“He’s working his way back,” said Keefe. “I don’t have much of an update

in terms of where he’s at but he’s progressing well.”

Leafs lines from the morning skate

Kerfoot-Matthews-Marner

Mikheyev-Tavares-Robertson

Nylander-Kampf-Engvall

Abruzzese-Blackwell-Spezza

Extra: Simmonds, Clifford, Kaše (injured)

Rielly-Lyubushkin

Muzzin-Brodie

Giordano-Liljegren

Sandin-Holl

Campbell (starter)

Källgren

Toronto Star LOADED: 04.27.2022


Matthews scores his 60th, Maple Leafs clinch home ice with shutout win

against Red Wings

Terry Koshan

Sixty goals. Unbeleafable.

Auston Matthews, you’ve made history.

The Maple Leafs superstar became the first National Hockey League

player in 10 years to score 60 goals in a season, hitting the mark with a

typically terrific shot.

Matthews’ milestone goal came at 5:49 of the third period against the

Detroit Red Wings at Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday night.

After cradling the puck along the blue line, Matthews skated into the slot

and fired a shot over the left shoulder of Detroit goalie Alex Nedeljkovic

on a Toronto power play.

The Leafs beat the Wings 3-0, clinching home-ice advantage for the first

round of the 2022 Stanley Cup playoffs. It was Toronto’s 30th home

victory of the season, setting a franchise record.

The Leafs will finish the regular season at home on Friday against the

Boston Bruins.

“It was pretty special, honestly,” Matthews said of the goal and the

moments that followed.

“The reception from my teammates, the crowd, everything. It just sends

chills down your bones. Kind of hard to put into words, you know?

“It was a really good stepping stone for us, to clinch home ice. We’re

working toward something bigger. The job’s not done, the work’s not

finished.”

Matthews, who earlier broke Rick Vaive’s record for most goals in a

Leafs season, is the first player to score 60 since Steven Stamkos of the

Tampa Bay Lightning in 2011-12.

The only other active player to score 60 is the Washington Capitals’ Alex

Ovechkin, who had 65 in 2007-08.

Matthews also is the first player born in the United States to score 60

goals in a season.

Fans, numbering 18,107, immediately stood as one for a standing

ovation. Chants of “MVP! MVP!” grew louder. And there were some hats

thrown on the ice, though it was Matthews’ second goal of the night.

“It’s unique, it’s rare, I’m just really happy for him,” Leafs coach Sheldon

Keefe said. “You know the abilities he has, but he works extremely hard

at his game, he works extremely hard off the ice.

“He takes his craft very seriously. To see him at the top of his game and

reaching these milestones, it’s outstanding.

“I could tell he was really happy, and I just loved how our fans took care

of him tonight. The fans were outstanding in recognition of his

accomplishments. It was a good night.”

And it was only right that a player of Matthews’ value, one who should be

the favourite for the Hart Trophy, scored the decisive goals on a night the

Leafs clinched home ice.

“That’s the thing — those are important goals,” Keefe said. “It’s fitting that

he is the guy who scores the goal that ends up being the game winner,

allows us to settle in and relax with our game and then puts the game

away in the end.”

Matthews’ teammates had their fingers crossed that Matthews would hit

the milestone.

“Pretty unreal,” captain John Tavares said. “A tremendous amount of

love from the fans and a great way to do it, a beautiful goal, pretty text

book Auston Matthews snapper. We’re extremely proud of him.”

And this from linemate Mitch Marner: “It has been a lot of fun with him.

We always try to push each other. We want to be the best we can be for

each other and for the team.”

Jack Campbell made 20 saves for his fifth shutout of the season.

Tavares gave the Leafs a 2-0 lead at 4:03 of the third when he tapped in

a William Nylander pass.

Matthews broke a Leafs record with the shot on goal that resulted in his

59th goal.

Heading into the game, Matthews needed six shots on goal to break the

team mark held by Darryl Sittler for one season.

Sittler had 346 shots in 1975-76, a record that fell when Matthews went

to his backhand to beat Nedeljkovic at 15:48 of the second period.

That was Matthews’ sixth shot on goal of the game. His first goal came

off a fine feed from Jason Spezza, who passed to Matthews in front of

the net. Matthews made a quick move and slipped the puck past

Nedeljkovic.

Defenceman Jake Muzzin was back in the Leafs lineup after missing the

past six games with an undisclosed injury.

Since returning on April 5 from his second concussion this season,

Muzzin had played in just four games.

The pairs were Morgan Rielly-Ilya Lyubushkin; Muzzin-TJ Brodie and

Mark Giordano-Timothy Liljegren, which could be how Keefe starts the

playoffs.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 04.27.2022


Maple Leafs captain Tavares: Matthews' ability to regain possession of

the puck 'uncanny'

Author of the article: Terry Koshan

The art of the steal is just as impressive.

As much as John Tavares is awed by Auston Matthews’ ability to score

goals, the Maple Leafs captain continues to be impressed by Matthews’

defensive talents and skill at taking the puck from opponents.

“I’ve always marvelled, even in his first couple years in the league — his

ability to strip pucks is uncanny,” Tavares said. “It’s a talent that you can’t

really teach. The instincts to execute that and turn it into offence so

quickly … he’s always reading the play from the right side of it

defensively, then his ability to strip guys and use his body to take pucks

away and transition to offence is pretty remarkable.”

Matthews consistently passes the eye test when it comes to getting the

puck back, and the numbers back it up.

Prior to games on Tuesday, Matthews led National Hockey League

forwards with 89 takeaways. Only one player — defenceman Alex

Pietrangelo of the Vegas Golden Knights with 90 — had more.

Second among forwards was Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers

with 72, two more than teammate Leon Draisaitl and the Leafs’ Mitch

Marner.

“Everyone has seen the continued evolution and the physical nature of

his game,” Tavares said of Matthews. “Just like it is for him in getting his

shot off and using his release and how elite that is, it’s the same sort of

thing with stripping a guy and knowing when the puck is going to be

exposed, when he’s most vulnerable, and how to disguise it because

guys know it’s coming.”

As for Matthews’ knack for putting the puck in the net? The Leafs don’t

take it for granted.

“When we talk amongst ourselves in the group, we know we have a

pretty special player that we’re playing with,” Tavares said. “We shake

our heads sometimes on the bench when you see some of those go in

and how he’s doing it. It’s fun for the group to see him do what he has

been doing and make some history with some of the milestones he has

hit.”

REST VS. WORK

Tavares had an honest answer about not playing in Washington against

the Capitals on Sunday.

Did he appreciate getting a night off for load management purposes?

“Yes and no,” Tavares said. “As a competitor, you want to play. I try to

take a lot of pride in the 82-game grind but waking up (Tuesday), having

a couple of days off the ice, physically you feel a little better.

“It’s a balance, so there’s definitely good things to it. You want to be out

there competing, but you take advantage of the opportunity and it made a

lot of sense when (Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe) approached me about it.”

Naturally, Tavares was stoked to watch his teammates rally in the third

period against the Caps, erasing a two-goal deficit in the final eight

minutes and eventually winning 4-3 in a shootout.

“It was fantastic,” Tavares said. “Whatever happens, whatever the

circumstances are, there is a lot of belief in the group.

“It was a tough trip, so it was a big two points and there was great morale

afterward.”

BUNTING BOUNCE

Michael Bunting skated on Tuesday morning, an indication that the injury

he suffered against Florida on Saturday is not serious.

Bunting didn’t play against the Detroit Red Wings and won’t be in the

lineup against the Boston Bruins on Friday in the regular-season finale,

though Keefe sounded optimistic.

“He’s not going to play this week, and we’ll reevaluate him from there, but

things are looking positive,” Keefe said.

Despite his late-season absence, Bunting seemed to be in a good

position to finish atop NHL rookies in scoring.

Through games on Monday, Bunting’s 63 points had him with a four-point

lead over Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks, who was second with 59.

Detroit’s Lucas Raymond was third with 56.

LOOSE LEAFS

Of the Leafs’ other injured players, defenceman Rasmus Sandin, who

has been out since March 19 with a knee injury, is the closest to being

able to return. The expectation is that Sandin will join the Leafs for

practice this week. Winger Ondrej Kase (concussion) took part in the

morning skate, but there is no timeline for his return. Goalie Petr Mrazek

(groin) has been skating and is progressing well, but there is no target

date for his return either … Keefe on his players’ individual

accomplishments, specifically those who have set personal highs in

points: “The playoffs are going to start, everybody’s going to go back to

zero. You want your players feeling good and feeling confident and to

that end, we’ve had guys having career years offensively and

defensively, whatever it might be. Our guys have lots of reasons to be to

be positive going into the playoffs.” … The Leafs have won the previous

two meetings against the Bruins in 2021-22 and have outscored Boston

11-6 … Just two teams — the Arizona Coyotes and the Vancouver

Canucks — were not beaten by the Leafs this season. Neither club will

be in the playoffs … Defenceman Carl Dahlstrom was returned to the

Toronto Marlies.



TRAIKOS: The reason why Moritz Seider is the overwhelming favourite

to win the Calder Trophy

Michael Traikos

TORONTO — When evaluating the Calder Trophy-worthy season of

Michael Bunting, one of the main criticisms working against the Toronto

Maple Leafs rookie is that he plays on a line with two of the best forwards

in the NHL.

For Detroit Red Wings defenceman Moritz Seider, the opposite is true.

Seider does not play alongside a player of Auston Matthews’ or Mitch

Marner’s calibre. But on most nights, he’s the one matching up against

them. Considering his age — the 21-year-old Seider is six years younger

than Bunting — that might be even more impressive.

“It’s actually pretty remarkable the season he’s had given the fact that

he’s had to go up against the other teams’ best on a nightly basis,” said

Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill. “Two games ago, it was (Sidney)

Crosby. It was (Florida’s Aleksander) Barkov before that. (Tampa Bay’s

Nikita) Kucherov before that. Tonight, it’s (Torontos’ Auston) Matthews.”

Trying to shut down the league’s best might explain why Seider, who

leads rookie defencemen with 49 points in 80 games, is a minus-10 this

season. It also might also explain why he looks like he’s aged six years in

the past six months.

“It’s exciting,” said Seider, before adding, “It’s exhausting. But you always

like playing against the best guys in the league … Making them

uncomfortable gives you a good feeling about your game.”

Drafted sixth overall in 2019, Detroit has been patiently doing everything

possible to make sure Seider’s transition to the NHL was as comfortable

as possible. The German native spent one full season in the Red Wings’

AHL affiliate, with the team avoiding the temptation to call him up, before

loaning him to Rogle BK Angelholm of the Swedish Hockey League last

year, where he was named the top defenceman — albeit in a more

sheltered role than he’s had in his first season in Detroit.

“I was just coming into the league, just trying how to play professional

hockey,” Seider said of his time in Sweden. “It was just seven

defencemen playing some minutes.”

This year, the training wheels finally came off. Seider is logging more

than 23 minutes a night, the most among rookies, while playing on the

top unit of the power play and penalty kill. And though he ranks in the

top-20 among defencemen in scoring, it’s the finer points of his game

that have impressed his peers.

“He’s just really solid, all around,” Matthews said of Seider. “He makes a

really good first pass, which maybe is not appreciated as much, but I find

he just makes really good passes that lead the rushes.”

Seider could probably have even more points if he wanted. But even

though he plays on a team that has been out of the playoff picture for

quite some time, he’s made a conscious of managing the puck to

become a better all-around defenceman.

“I think he’s gotten better at knowing when to try to make a play and

when to live another day,” said Blashill. “Make a play might be jumping

into the rush at the right time. Make a play might be beating a guy when

he’s got him on the ropes. When to live another day is coming out of our

end, just making a tape to tape pass to the winger that’s open rather than

toe-dragging and beat somebody. All those types of things. Knowing

when to jump in the rush, I think he’s gotten better in those areas.”

He’s also gotten better at using his size. The 6-foot-4 and 197-pound

Seider is will never be confused with Chris Pronger or even Niklas

Kronwall. But as many opponents have realized the hard way, he’s also

not afraid to throw his body around.

“I just try to protect myself,” said Seider, who leads the Red Wings with

146 hits. “It’s not like I’m looking to take someone down.”

Tell that to New York’s Chris Kreider, who was famously “Mo’d over”

when trying to catch Seider with a hit, only to end up flat on his back.

“He’s a young player and at times young players can be targets, so

you’re hoping to potentially intimidate him,” said Blashill. “I would guess

that across the league (players have learned) you’re not going to

intimidate Mo Seider.”

Add it up and it’s no wonder that Seider is considered the overwhelming

favourite for the Calder Trophy. Not that Seider cares about individual

achievements.

“It’s definitely an honour, but I don’t even think about that at all,” he said.

“You want to win a Stanley Cup.”

With Lucas Raymond ranking third in rookie scoring, William Wallinder

named the Swedish league’s best U-20 player, and last year’s sixth-

overall pick Simon Edvinsson in the pipeline, it might be long before

Detroit can start to think that way again. They just need to keep drafting

and developing, while also hoping that the championship windows of

Tampa Bay, Toronto and Florida eventually start closing.

“You’ve got to be realistic and honest. We’re far away from that, but we

are adding pieces every single year,” said Seider. “I think we took big

strides. I mean, we were competing for a wild card spot for half of the

season and then after the All-Star break we just couldn’t find a way to

compete. But I think we surprised a lot of people.”



Maple Leafs' Matthews wants to hit 60 goals, but 'not the end of the

world' if it doesn't happen

Terry Koshan

Auston Matthews would love to get a couple of shots to drop in the Maple

Leafs’ last two games of the regular season.

If that happens, the Leafs superstar will be the first National Hockey

League to score 60 goals in 10 years.

“It would mean a lot,” Matthews said after the Leafs’ morning skate at

Scotiabank Arena on Tuesday. “I’ve had some really good opportunities

of late but the puck hasn’t gone in. As long as I’m getting those

opportunities, I know they’ll fall.

“It’s also not the end of the world (if it doesn’t happen). There’s more to

this season than accomplishing that, but there’s nothing in this season

that I care about (more than winning).”

The previous time there was a 60-goal scorer in the NHL was in 2011-12,

when Steven Stamkos finished with 60 for the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In three games this season against the Detroit Red Wings — the Leafs’

opponent on Tuesday night at Scotiabank Arena — Matthews has just

one goal.

Matthews had gone five games without a goal, his longest drought of

2021-22. In two games since returning from an undisclosed minor injury,

Matthews has 11 shots on goal.

Linemate Mitch Marner needs three points to reach 100 for the first time

in his NHL career.

Matthews has 58 goals in 72 games. He has a three-goal lead over Leon

Draisaitl of the Edmonton Oilers for the Rocket Richard Trophy.

The Leafs require one point to clinch second place in the Atlantic Division

and home-ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

They finish the regular season at home on Friday against the Boston

Bruins.

“No doubt we want to see it,” Leafs captain John Tavares said of

Matthews’ hunt for 60 goals. “He’s in that position because of the way he

has approached it and the way he continues to work at his game, his

consistency and the diligence that he puts in.”

Winger Michael Bunting, who departed the game in Florida on Saturday

and then missed the game in Washington, was on the ice before the

morning skate. Bunting fell awkwardly behind the Panthers net and was

favouring his right leg as he left that night.

Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe said the situation was positive for Bunting,

but added that the 26-year-old won’t play in the final two games.

Defenceman Jake Muzzin will be back in the Leafs lineup after missing

the past six games with an undisclosed injury.

Since returning on April 5 from his second concussion this season,

Muzzin has played in just four games.

“Very significant,” Keefe said of Muzzin’s participation against the Wings.

“He needs to get the game reps, both to get himself up to speed and then

gain the confidence that he’s ready to go (for the playoffs).”

Defenceman Rasmus Sandin (knee) and winger Ondrej Kase

(concussion) took part in the morning skate. Sandin is expected to join

the Leafs for full practices later this week, but there remains no timeline

for Kase’s return.

Goalie Petr Mrazek (groin) also has been skating, but is not thought to be

close to returning.

Jack Campbell will start in goal for the Leafs. Whether he starts in the

finale remains to be determined, Keefe said.

Nick Robertson was recalled from the Toronto Marlies on an emergency

basis and will skate on the second line. Robertson has seven goals in his

past nine games with the farm club.

Defenceman Carl Dahlstrom was returned to the Marlies.

The projected Leafs lineup:

FORWARDS

LW-C-RW

Alex Kerfoot-Auston Matthews-Mitch Marner

Ilya Mikheyev-John Tavares-Nick Robertson

William Nylander-David Kampf-Pierre Engvall

Nick Abruzzese-Colin Blackwell-Jason Spezza

DEFENCE

Morgan Rielly-Ilya Lyubushkin

Jake Muzzin-TJ Brodie

Mark Giordano-Timothy Liljegren

GOALIES

Jack Campbell

Erik Kallgren



Maple Leafs report cards: Auston Matthews hits 60 goals as Toronto

secures home-ice advantage

Joshua Kloke

Ahead of this season, there was no doubt Auston Matthews would

eventually become a great Maple Leaf. But with every passing game this

season as Matthews broke record after record, the argument that he is

the single greatest Leaf of all time in just his sixth season gained more

and more weight.

And on Tuesday night in a dominating 3-0 win over the Detroit Red

Wings, that argument became as strong as ever.

Matthews cemented his place in NHL history once again when he scored

his 59th and 60th goals in his 73rd game. He becomes the first player

since Steven Stamkos in 2011-12 to score 60 goals and just the 21st

player in league history to notch 60 in a season.

“It was pretty special,” said Matthews of scoring his 60th goal. “Just the

reception from my teammates, the crowd, everything. It just kind of sends

chills down your bones.”

The win also secured home-ice advantage in the first round of the

playoffs for the Leafs, though their opponent remains to be seen.

Matthews, unsurprisingly, didn’t want to rest on his laurels for too long.

“The job’s not done,” he said postgame.

Sheldon Keefe on Auston Matthews: "The hardest thing to do in our

game is score goals at even strength. It's the hardest thing to do in the

game. And he does that on a level that nobody seems to be able to do it."

— Jonas Siegel (@jonassiegel) April 27, 2022

First star

Auston Matthews

Yeah, I think it’s safe to say hitting 60 mattered to Matthews:

Matthews with 6 shot attempts, 0.37 ixG (per MoneyPuck) in the first.

You think he wants to hit 60 tonight?

— Josh Simpson (@joshsimpson77) April 26, 2022

Matthews did Matthews things from puck drop, buzzing around the goal

with the puck and getting into all the right spots off of it. He consistently

gathered speed with the puck through the neutral zone. He kept hunting

for his 59th goal, and made no mistake from in tight:

AUSTON MATTHEWS

ONE AWAY! 59TH OF THE SEASON! pic.twitter.com/YjHHIuPvEz

— Omar (@TicTacTOmar) April 27, 2022

Matthews told Sportsnet’s Shawn McKenzie that he told his teammates

before the game he was “shooting it tonight” and he did just that, with

seven shots on goal in the game. As the Red Wings stopped putting up

much of a fight, Matthews’ 60th goal felt inevitable. And midway through

the third period, Matthews scored a vintage Matthews goal for his 60th of

the season. “MVP” chants followed afterward.

AUSTON MATTHEWS

60 GOALS!!!! MVP!!!! pic.twitter.com/FU4PnFXxOa


We’ve used a ton of space here in Toronto to laud Matthews’ season,

and with good reason. It’s been completely enthralling watching a player

as dominant and talented as him make his mark on the game night after

night.

My dad used to go on and on about what a difference it made in the

Greater Toronto Area growing up and watching Darryl Sittler. It’s wild for

me to think that my young son could have that same kind of opportunity

with Matthews. Players like him don’t come around very often.

“Special, unique, rare” were the words Sheldon Keefe used postgame to

describe Matthews, which was apt.

Second star

Jack Campbell

Campbell was locked in from the first period with a succession of quick

saves.

His name is Jack Campbell pic.twitter.com/Onm3BlNLdi


Campbell only had to face 20 shots on goal, but he turned each and

every one of them away. He was composed, tracked the puck well and

made smart decisions with the puck when playing it to teammates

afterward.

Matthews will rightly get all the attention after this game, but it’s important

to note how well Campbell played in his fifth shutout of the season. As I

wrote after Saturday’s loss against the Florida Panthers, that Campbell is

coming into form at the right time and shaking off a midseason slumber

could really help the Leafs come playoff time.

Third star

William Nylander

This was an optimal game for Nylander to be effective. Yes, he seemed

to slow up on his checks more often than not, but he was still pesky with

his stick at times. Hey, as I wrote two nights ago, we’re all tired!

But if you’re Nylander, you probably don’t need to always expend a ton of

energy during the 81st game of the season if you can make passes like

this, which probably got him the third star on its own:

Tavares taps it in. 2-0 Leafs #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/SVn4yHBP0E

— Maple Leafs Hotstove (@LeafsNews) April 27, 2022

I liked how well Nylander cut through traffic and got into the middle of the

ice. He logged two assists and was creative more often than not.

Player reports

A

John Tavares

I thought Tavares controlled the puck really well and worked to hold off

defenders. His third-period goal was crucial, even if the play was all the

work of Nylander’s wizardry and Tavares was left alone in front of the

goal for what was essentially a tap-in. He won 62 percent of his faceoffs,

which helped the Leafs throughout the game.

A-

Alex Kerfoot

I thought Kerfoot’s speed made him effective on the penalty kill. But

perhaps not as effective as his shot-blocking ability. This undoubtedly

stung, but it also earned a few pats on the back from his teammates:

Kerfoot blocks a shot with his heel pic.twitter.com/VDEzwiA0mz


B+

Mark Giordano

Giordano’s smart breakout pass from deep in his own zone sprung Ilya

Mikheyev for a short breakaway. Not all of his passes were on point,

including a questionable one through the middle of the ice in his own

zone early in the second period, but those were rare. He continually read

the play well, blocked shots when he needed to and made some smart

pinches to help keep the puck in the offensive zone.

Mitch Marner

Marner made a daring deke with speed around Red Wings defenceman

Jake Walman on his first shift that nearly led to a scoring chance. You

knew he was feeling it after that play. I liked how often he wanted to both

strip pucks and send pucks into the middle of the ice. As much as

Matthews wanted to hit 60 goals, it was increasingly clear Marner

desperately wanted to get closer to 100 points against the Red Wings.

Whether he logs three points in the final game of the season against the

Boston Bruins remains to be seen, but if Marner and Matthews manage

to maintain this synergy in the playoffs …

Matthews and Marner are on the same wavelength at all times

pic.twitter.com/TD2qjUopOV


Colin Blackwell

Blackwell made a few quick passes and important touches from difficult

areas, including ahead of the Leafs’ first goal. He logged the secondary

assist on that goal.

Jason Spezza

I’ve liked Spezza’s game as of late. He can still dictate the tempo of play

well when he needs to, as evidenced by his primary assist on the Leafs’

first goal, a smart pass from close to the Red Wings goal.

David Kämpf

Kampf did well to dig the puck out of the corners repeatedly to try and set

up his teammates. I’m continually impressed by how he can force

opposition defenders to make an unadvisable play just by forcing them to

inopportune areas. Kampf won 53 percent of his faceoffs.

Jake Muzzin

Muzzin seemed to anticipate where the puck was going to be more often

than not. That anticipation helped draw a first-period penalty:

Muzzin draws a tripping call #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/Hgg1tiQq0x

— Maple Leafs Hotstove (@LeafsNews) April 26, 2022

I don’t think he showed much rust after not having played since April 14.

His 84 percent five-on-five expected goals, tops among all Leafs

defencemen, spoke to that.

Timothy Liljegren

Liljegren looked calm as he made smart passes out of his own zone and

blocked shots when need be.

Liljegren with a nice block on Gagner pic.twitter.com/ezO1gw6gTj


He continually made dynamic, heads-up plays from his own zone and the

neutral zone, all but solidifying his place in Keefe’s playoffs lineup.

T.J. Brodie

Brodie was excellent defensively, constantly neutralizing Red Wings.

Brodie logged a team-high 21:32 TOI.

B

Ilya Mikheyev

Mikheyev got his looks early on and made a nifty play to try and score on

a backhand.

Mikheyev took off but lost the handle pic.twitter.com/aryf9vLXwM


He’s taken over his shifts time after time over this last stretch. Perhaps

that’s the next step in his evolution as a player. Against the Red Wings,

he was consistently elusive with the puck.

C+

Ilya Lyubushkin

I didn’t mind Lyubushkin’s defensive game against the Red Wings. He

did well to force turnovers below the goal. And hey, with his assist,

Lyubushkin logged another point! He’s got points in back-to-back games!

Morgan Rielly

Fatigue seemed to have caught up with Rielly a bit. His passes weren’t

as sharp or well-placed early on. Rielly did end up logging a secondary

assist on Matthews’ second goal, but beyond that, he didn’t look to have

all that influential a game.

Nick Robertson

Robertson kept his head on a swivel and constantly tried to press Red

Wings defencemen in their own zone. His energy against a bad Red

Wings team means he didn’t look out of place at the NHL level.

Robertson's release is going to be a weapon on this team

pic.twitter.com/I1adxDL7VJ


Nick Abruzzese

Abruzzese looks to be controlling the puck a little more effectively and

understanding when to get rid of it and when not to. Not necessarily his

best game as a Leaf, but he was more noticeable than he has been.

C

Pierre Engvall

Engvall wasn’t as noticeable against the Red Wings as he has been as of

late. He had a breakaway in the third period but couldn’t convert.

Game Score

Game Score is a metric developed by The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn to

quickly measure a player’s performance in a single game.

Final grade: A

This result never really felt in doubt for the Leafs, who controlled the

game from the start. The Leafs outshot the Red Wings 36 to 20 and had

an astounding 74 percent of the five-on-five expected goals. A rout.

On one hand, this game felt meaningless, with one playoff-bound team

facing another whose season was over long ago. Given how little the

Red Wings could muster against the Leafs, it was the kind of game that

would serve as a strong argument toward shortening the regular season.

On the other hand, eliminating these kinds of games late in the season

would eliminate moments like this:

Group hug for Auston Matthews pic.twitter.com/qrGXp4gUNR


Kyle Dubas was all of us watching Matthews score his 60th

pic.twitter.com/Fe6sv7Meng


huge smile from Keefe pic.twitter.com/2ahpTjbjgX


Where do the Leafs go from here?

The Leafs will have two days off between games for the first time in over

two weeks. They’ll finish the regular season on Friday at home against

the Boston Bruins. I wonder if Rasmus Sandin makes his comeback from

injury and plays in his first game since March 19. Keefe will ultimately

want one last look at a few different lines and pairs ahead of the start of

the playoffs early next week.

One late question that might verge on nitpicking: Now that Matthews has

hit 60 goals, should he be kept out of the lineup on Friday to prevent

injury?

Tweets of the night

Not a tweet from Tuesday night, but a classic of the genre that deserves

an encore:

Auston Matthews is now on pace for 60 goals in 79 games.

I say he does it.

— James Mirtle (@mirtle) January 13, 2022

(Stats via Natural Stat Trick)



Here are TSN and Sportsnet’s playoff plans for Leafs radio voices Joe

Bowen and Jim Ralph

Sean Fitz-Gerald

Hours before the Maple Leafs stepped onto the ice in Sunrise, Fla., to

face the Panthers on Saturday, a Twitter user asked radio play-by-play

voice Joe Bowen a question about the weather. It was still chilly back in

Ontario, they said, and they wondered it was like in the Sunshine State.

Bowen responded: “No idea.”

The veteran announcer was also in Ontario. Bowen and long-time colour

analyst Jim Ralph have been calling Leafs road games from a sound

booth in Toronto for two seasons, staying home while the team is away,

and describing the game to listeners from a television feed.

That will not change when the playoffs begin next week. In separate

statements to The Athletic, both Sportsnet and TSN — which share the

radio broadcast rights — confirmed they will not alter plans for the

postseason.

In an email, a spokesperson from TSN wrote: “Our radio plans for the

playoffs are consistent with our radio broadcasts over the last two years.”

“There is no change to the way we plan to deliver radio broadcasts to

audiences during the playoffs as it will remain consistent with how games

have been called during the regular season and playoffs for the past two

seasons,” wrote a spokesperson for Sportsnet.

A spokesperson for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment said those

decisions rest with the radio stations, and that “we support them in that

process.”

It is not clear if the travel restriction will remain in place if the Leafs win

their first-round series, which is something the franchise has not

accomplished since 2004.

“After 40 years of doing Toronto Maple Leaf hockey games, if they finally

get to the big prize, it’s going to be very disappointing if we’re stuck in a

studio back at home when the trophy is paraded out,” Bowen said on

Monday. “But we will do the best that we can under the circumstances.”

Bowen and Ralph signed five-year deals with TSN and Sportsnet in

2018, and those deals will continue through next season. Under terms of

the agreement, the pair alternates between Sportsnet 590 The FAN and

TSN 1050 through the regular season and playoffs.

When the Leafs head out on the road, the broadcasters head over to

Channel Nine Court or One Mount Pleasant Road, the respective

headquarters of TSN and Sportsnet, to call the games. It is an imperfect

system, as illustrated again when the Leafs were in Florida.

There was a technical problem with the Canadian production truck. For

several minutes during the first period in Florida, viewers of Hockey Night

in Canada were provided the Florida coverage of the game, while the

Canadian feed was being restored.

Bowen and Ralph briefly had access to only one camera angle, and that

camera was positioned too far from the ice to see the action clearly. At

one point, their feed switched to a soccer game, which they relayed to

their listening audience.

A survey of Canadian NHL teams suggests most radio crews still cover

games from the road. Ottawa and Edmonton both reported having radio

crews on the road, while Montreal reported two — one for the French-

speaking audience and another for an English audience.

The Flames said they did not have a radio crew on the road, while the

Canucks said the television and radio coverage on the road was

intermittent. (The Winnipeg Jets were the only team not to respond in

time for publication.)

As sports slowly returned following the outbreak of the pandemic two

years ago, many broadcasters found themselves working from home by

necessity. For weeks, even the hosts of “SportsCentre,” the flagship

news program at TSN, ended up giving viewers an inadvertent tours of

their living spaces.

With border closures and associated travel restrictions, the challenge

was more acute for play-by-play broadcasters. Citing health concerns

around COVID-19, Sportsnet started the 2020 baseball season with its

crew working remotely.

This year, with the border re-opened and restrictions eased, the company

has still opted to keep radio play-by-play voice Ben Wagner at home. He

works in Rogers Centre when the Blue Jays are at home, but he works

from Sportsnet’s downtown Toronto headquarters when they are on the

road.

“I think that you’re really at a disadvantage if you’re not with the ballclub,

so I’m really disappointed that we’re not traveling at the start of the

season,” he said in an interview with The Canadian Press published

earlier this month. “I hope that’s open to further consideration as the

season continues.

“Hopefully with the expectations and the level of excitement around this

team, that is something that is consistently reevaluated.”

In a recent interview, Nelson Millman, a former program director at The

Fan, said working remotely off a television screen makes life more

difficult for a broadcaster. They are dependent on the view provided to

them by the television feed and might not have the clearest perspective

to relay to their audience.

“I think you miss a certain amount of the nuance of the game — and

again, no disrespect intended to the broadcaster,” he said. “I just don’t

think you can fully encompass the scope of the game if you’re not in the

park.”

Bowen and Ralph have been working together for two decades and, for a

long time, they traveled with the Leafs on the team charter. It streamlined

planning and travel, if not entirely reducing costs for TSN 1050 and The

Fan 590, who footed the bill to send them on the road.

That dynamic changed before the 2015-16 season, when Leafs general

manager Lou Lamoriello kicked the radio crew off the charter. Under the

franchise’s new guiding principle, the charter was an extension of the

dressing room, reserved only for players and personnel.

Initially, the removal meant Bowen and Ralph would be calling road

games from Toronto. The decision was changed following a wave of

complaints from longtime listeners.

After two seasons of working from home, many listeners might not be

aware Bowen and Ralph are not on the road with the team, except for

when the television feed fails.



Maple Leafs end-of-season prospect report: Topi Niemela’s possible

Marlies future and more

Joshua Kloke

With many regular seasons across the hockey world having come to a

close recently, it’s time to look at how a variety of Maple Leafs prospects

fared across North America and Europe in 2021-22.

Even though Topi Niemela’s season ended with a first-round playoff loss,

that shouldn’t diminish just how much growth the Leafs’ top prospect

arguably showed in his third Liiga season. The 2020 third-round pick

learned to be calmer with the puck and didn’t make unnecessary plays as

he might have in his first two Liiga seasons. His 32 points in 48 games

was tops among all defencemen aged 20 or younger and was eighth

among all defencemen in the league.

“I was more ready to play against men,” he said.

Niemela missed two months with an upper-body injury, which he

admitted hurt his season.

“I was in a good flow,” he said. “But, it’s part of the game.”

He understands he needs to add more power to his skating and his shot

next season. But even after re-signing with Karpat on a one-year contract

in December, where he ends up playing next season might still be up in

the air.

Niemela said he re-upped with Karpat because he wasn’t sure if he was

ready to move to North American hockey. And while there was concern

over whether Niemela would want to head straight to the NHL and avoid

playing in the AHL, he wants to make it clear that’s not the case.

“Of course I’m open to playing with the Marlies,” said Niemela. “If I come

to North America, I need to go to the Marlies before I’m ready to play with

the Maple Leafs. The rinks are smaller, the hockey is much faster than

Finland. I need to get experience in smaller rinks.”

Niemela said he doesn’t think he’ll be playing at the upcoming world

championships, which will be hosted in Finland. If an invite to Leafs

training camp comes, he said he’d gladly accept it.

Members of the Leafs development staff visited Niemela in Finland

recently. Some of the elements of Niemela’s game the Leafs want him to

focus on are becoming more mobile along the blue line and, when he has

the puck, getting his shot off quicker and becoming a constant threat in

the offensive zone.

On Monday, the Marlies announced they’d signed 2022 Hobey Baker

Award winner Dryden McKay to a two-year AHL contract. The 24-year-

old goalie posted a .931 save percentage in 43 games with Minnesota

State this season as he finished his college career. McKay is currently

serving a six-month suspension after testing positive for a banned

substance. An investigation found that McKay unknowingly ingested the

substance, ostarine (enobosarm), from a contaminated supplement.

McKay will be eligible to voluntarily enter Leafs facilities on August 25

and eventually play for the Marlies on October 11.

When that happens, he’ll join a logjam of goalies that includes Joseph

Woll, Keith Petruzzelli and possibly Erik Källgren.

Yet his coach at Minnesota State University, Mike Hastings, believes

McKay could separate himself from the pack with his technique and

mentality.

Remember this save if Minnesota State retakes the lead over Michigan.

Dryden McKay (NCAA FA) absolutely robs Kent Johnson (#CBJ) to

preserve the tie at 2-2. pic.twitter.com/sEtrc8UPQP

— J.D. Burke (@JDylanBurke) October 16, 2021

“In today’s age of big goaltenders, you see guys that get out and take

angles away,” said Hastings. “Dryden is technically sound and does not

overcomplicate the position. He’s good at rebound control. And he has a

unique demeanour. He looks to the next one and he doesn’t worry about

what just happened. Having that in your locker room, and then in

between periods in games has a calming influence on your team.”

Hastings praised McKay’s accountability both within the season and then

after he was handed the six-month ban. That forward-thinking attitude

could then help him as he looks forward to joining the Marlies.

“He answered that well and now he’s going to have to answer questions

moving forward,” said Hastings. “And I don’t think that will be something

he runs from.”

Now that the Marlies regular season is all but finished, what should we

make of Josh Ho-Sang’s first full season in the Leafs organization?

There were some calls for Ho-Sang to sign an NHL contract and move to

the Leafs earlier in the season, when he was scoring more frequently.

But my sense is the plan was always to give him the full season in the

AHL to focus on rounding out the defensive side of his game. There’s

never been any doubting his ability to create offence as he builds speed

through the neutral zone. And his 15 points in his first 16 AHL games

certainly made you wonder what he might be capable of on the Leafs’

second power-play unit.

But his production cooled in the second half of the season. In the end, it

was consistency that the Leafs wanted from Ho-Sang, and the best

course of action was to leave him on the other side of their practice

facility in Etobicoke.

“Any time you have consistency for a player to be in one place, you find

room for growth,” said Marlies head coach Greg Moore. “He has done a

great job at building a process for himself here and taking advantage of

the resources. He’s a very, very smart person. Probably the person, I

know for myself, I’ve spent the most time with and meetings and

watching film and just talking the game of hockey. I’ve learned a lot from

him. Being here all year and him being willing to work at his game and do

the things we’re asking, he’s definitely found space for improvement

throughout the season. He should feel really proud of the work he’s put

in.”

If the Marlies want to make any noise in the playoffs, they’ll need

constant production from Ho-Sang. I think at the very least he’ll be back

at Leafs training camp come the fall.

Speaking of highly-touted offensive players, Nick Robertson looks to

have shaken off another injury. After suffering a non-displaced fracture of

his right fibula in his second AHL game this season that kept him out of

the lineup for 11 weeks, he’s been on an offensive tear. He returned to

the Marlies after a six-game call-up with the Leafs and has 18 points in

his last 15 games.

On balance, it’s still been a successful season for Robertson. There was

some frustration in his words over his lack of NHL opportunities during a

February interview, but that opportunity came not long afterward. That he

recovered from his injury is perhaps the most important element of his

season.

And that Moore is seeing different parts of his game emerging, including

his efforts as the first player in on the Marlies forecheck, speaks to his

continued growth.

“When he’s the closest player to the puck when the opponent has the

puck, his puck pressure and his relentlessness to get on a guy to take

away that time and space (makes) everybody else’s job behind him

easier,” said Moore. “When you take away more time on a puck carrier,

the brain has less time to process the game, they’re going to make a

more predictable play or a worse play. So then everybody else behind

(Robertson) just has an easier read.

Whether Robertson can maintain that approach in the NHL remains to be

seen. The Leafs development staff wants him to learn that the game can

come to him, and that he doesn’t necessarily need to play every shift like

it’s his last. How he looks in Leafs training camp in the fall will be one of

the most prominent storylines on this team. He may end up challenging

for a lineup spot.

Since signing a three-year entry-level contract in February and arriving in

Toronto in March, 2020 fifth-round draft pick Dmitry Ovchinnikov has

been in and out of the Marlies lineup, logging seven games played. The

winger has scored two goals. He spent the majority of the season in and

out of Novosibirsk Sibir’s lineup in the KHL.

What does he have to do to get into a playoff lineup should the Marlies

indeed qualify for the postseason?

“I don’t think much more than what he’s already doing,” said Moore.

Ovchinnikov’s command of the English language is still a work in

progress, but Moore noted how quickly the native of Chita, Russia has

been able to grasp the team’s systems and structure. That’s helped his

adaptation process.

Further to that is how he hasn’t backed off from his hard-charging

approach when driving to the net on North American rinks for the first

time. The 5-foot-11, 163-pound forward showed a sense of

competitiveness along the walls and is constantly looking to win puck

battles and then transition the puck to dangerous areas of the ice.

“Obviously he’s an undersized player, but there’s no fear in him,” said

Moore.

Dmitry Ovchinnikov scores his first career AHL goal

pic.twitter.com/U5JVpnX7s6

— Kevin Papetti (@KPapetti) March 31, 2022

There’s no shortage of Marlies wingers looking to earn their spot in a

playoff lineup. But if Moore needs scoring punch midway through the

series, I could see the 19-year-old getting a look on the third line.

One of the more entertaining Marlies to watch in the second half of the

season has been forward Bobby McMann, who signed a one-year AHL

contract extension in February. In April 2020, the Marlies signed four free

agents in the span of two days. Three of those players have spent the

majority of this season with the Newfoundland Growlers, but McMann

has emerged above the pack. His 23 goals aren’t just tied for the Marlies

lead, they’re also fifth among all AHL rookies, behind top draft picks like

Alexander Holtz and Jack Quinn.

Yes, McMann is 25 and has more experience than the aforementioned

players, but his energy in difficult areas of the ice still stands out. He’s

been a pleasant surprise, logging time on both the power play and

penalty kill.

“You could argue he might be one of our most valuable players on the

team,” said Moore. “Just his ability and his power and strength to

transport the game from the top of the circles, set up the O-zone, grab

depth, forecheck and hit as F1 and then with his scoring touch around

the net. He’s really starting to round out his game.”

Bobby McMann makes a great play to steal the puck, shield off the

opposing player and send Jack Kopacka in all alone to make it 4-1

#Marlies. pic.twitter.com/8RfJ08dczN

— Nick Richard (@_NickRichard) February 17, 2022

I’d bet he gets a lengthy look at Leafs training camp and should take on a

more meaningful leadership role with the Marlies next season.

Filip Kral remains one of my favourite Leafs prospects. The 21-year-old

coachable defenceman needs to improve his speed and may not be

capable of high-end offence, but he consistently does a lot of the little

things right including puck retrievals at both ends of the ice. He’s clearly

earned the trust of the Marlies coaching staff, having played more games

than any defenceman outside of Joey Duszak.

But trust, of all things, is something Kral has had to focus in on this

season. He adheres to the Marlies’ structure well, but he’s tried to trust

himself more on the ice and make the plays he knows he’s capable of

making instead of just falling back on what the team’s structure demands

of him.

“I always have this in my head, in my mind,” said Kral.

Even though the 2018 fifth-round pick has made serious strides in his

physical play, physicality is what Marlies management would like to see

more of. The Leafs organization eventually wants him to become the type

of player who can outmuscle forwards in front of the net and in the

corners. In his first full professional season in North America, Kral has

tried to model his game after Leafs defenceman Jake Muzzin. But he

also finds himself being drawn more and more to the play of Morgan

Rielly.

“(Rielly) sees everything. When he’s on the ice, he’s in the offensive zone

and within two seconds, he’s back in the defensive zone,” said Kral.

Not far behind Kral in terms of games played by a Marlies defenceman is

Kristians Rubins. It’s easy to forget that Rubins is just 23. He’s already in

his fourth year in the Leafs organization and this season, he made his

NHL debut, logging three games.

The strides he’s made in his game this season might be difficult to spot,

sure. But the improvement he’s made in his penalty killing could help him

in the long run. He looks to have improved his anticipation of the game

as well, and is playing with more aggression in the neutral zone.

“I’m satisfied with my game, but I’m probably my biggest critic. So it’s

never really good enough,” said Rubins. “But I do feel like I’m playing a

lot better than I did last season.”

Rubins feels surer in his game this season.

“The more I play, the more confident I seem to get that I can play at the

NHL level,” said Rubins.

Like Kral, Rubins believes he’s become a lot more of a physical player

this season.

“That sets a standard, if I play heavy for the guys,” said Rubins.

Rubins knows he needs to improve his skating and his puck touches.

He’s never going to be an offensive dynamo. But at 6-foot-5 and 227

pounds, he has NHL-ready size. If both Mark Giordano and Ilya

Lyubushkin don’t return next season, I could see Rubins challenging for

the seventh defenceman spot in the Leafs lineup.

Pontus Holmberg has looked like a very capable AHL player through his

first three Marlies games this season. His speed is a big factor in his

game and he’s constantly on the move, reads plays well and is always

quick to engage the opposition both physically and with his stick in tight

areas. The 2018 sixth-round pick has two goals and three points in those

three games after a very successful season with the Vaxjo Lakers in the

SHL, where he posted 41 points in 46 games. I think he should be a

fixture in the Marlies playoff lineup.

What are the Leafs getting in forward Max Ellis, who signed a two-year

future entry-level deal earlier this month?

The 5-foot-9, 164-pound winger spent the last three seasons at the

University of Notre Dame. This season was his best showing, as he put

up 16 goals and 28 points in 39 games, both tops on the team.

Max Ellis is undersized at 5'9" and 165 pounds but he has some finishing

ability and a willingness to battle around the front of the net where he

does his best work. He broke out for 16 goals in 39 games with Notre

Dame this season. #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/mbSOwLOagJ

— Nick Richard (@_NickRichard) April 8, 2022

His size will be a talking point as he begins his professional career on a

PTO with the Marlies for the remainder of the season, but Notre Dame

assistant coach Paul Pooley said his slight frame wasn’t an issue for the

coaching staff.

“His speed got him in and out of traffic and it helped him make the ice

big,” said Pooley. “He was really good on the penalty kill, because we

made a decision to use guys who were fast up front. And he was one of

our best penalty killers. He had good instincts, a good stick and could

anticipate the puck. So the size factor really wasn’t a thing for us.”

Ellis suffered through a second-half slump this season, where he battled

an ankle injury and wasn’t getting much luck with his chances. But

Pooley still believes he could become a strong professional player

because of his speed and how that helps him at both ends of the ice.

“He’s got NHL feet,” said Pooley.

Defenceman William Villeneuve continued to take steps forward in his

development this season. The 2020 fourth-round pick was drafted as an

offence-first blueliner out of the Saint John Sea Dogs in the QMJHL. But

this season, he continued to round out his game.

“He’s put a lot of emphasis on defending better,” said Sea Dogs assistant

coach Stefan Legein of Villeneuve’s season. “He’s not the biggest or

meanest kid, so he’s learning how to defend with his skill set. He uses his

skating well to shut plays down.”

His point production didn’t come this season the way it did in his draft

year, when he led his team with 58 points in 64 games. And while plus-

minus is hardly an all-encompassing statistic, his plus-55 still speaks to a

player who generally made positive impacts on the ice this season. He

was second among all QMJHL players in plus-minus. Legein estimated

he’s averaged 24 minutes a game this season.

There’s still more evolution needed in his game. He’s not going to be the

same offensive defenceman he is now when he eventually moves to

Marlies. Mastering the ability to make smart, clean breakout passes out

of the defensive zone and shutting down opposition forwards with his

stick will be a continued focus.

#LeafsForever prospect William Villeneuve with his third primary assist of

the game, this one a rocket of a stretch pass to hit a streaking forward,

who makes the highlight reel finish. He's up to 45 points in 50

games.pic.twitter.com/TtCpFlnBG3

— Mr. Knies Guy (@brigstew86) March 31, 2022

While his awareness with the puck has improved, when he exits the

defensive zone he can get caught being too aggressive. When plays

break down, Villeneuve is not always in the best position to defend in

transition. There still needs to be a balance in his play so that he’s not

sacrificing his defensive play for his offensive inclinations.

Regardless of what happens in the QMJHL playoffs for the Sea Dogs,

Villeneuve will still have the opportunity to play in the spotlight when the

team hosts the Memorial Cup in June.

It was a trying, injury-filled season for Braeden Kressler, the 5-foot-9,

175-pound forward who impressed at last summer’s development camp

and signed a three-year entry-level contract as an undrafted free agent.

Kressler is an energetic player who plays the game with an intensity that

the Leafs don’t have much of in their prospect pool.

First, Kressler was wearing skates that weren’t optimal for his foot type.

No custom mold was fitting him and he sustained a foot injury because of

it. He credits Leafs head equipment manager Bobby Hastings for finding

him the right type of skate.

Then came a torn UCL in his left arm sustained in a game. He returned

to the bench during the game and even after scoring a goal, wondered

out loud if his arm was broken. He continued to play in the game.

Throughout these injuries, Kressler learned to prioritize his health.

“I tried to push through things. That’s just the person I am,” said Kressler.

“But I’ve learned, with the amount of support I have in Toronto, that’s just

not the way to go.”

The message he got from the Leafs management multiple times, which

ended up allowing him to take his foot off the gas, was simple: do

whatever was necessary in the short term to get back to health.

“There was no pressure from them (to return to the ice),” said Kressler.

The Leafs director of high performance, Rich Rotenberg, designed plans

for him to rehabilitate his arm injury, including specific exercises for him

to do to maintain his flexibility.

Kressler said his injury is now fully healed and his shot is better than

ever. He ended the season with 16 points in 28 games for the Flint

Firebirds and was named an alternate captain. Kressler has a chance to

make an impact in the Firebirds’ first-round OHL playoff series against

the Owen Sound Attack, before likely returning to the OHL next season.

“You’ve got to see the positives in everything,” said Kressler.

#LeafsForever prospect Braeden Kressler dangles through traffic and is

rewarded with an assist for his efforts: pic.twitter.com/50VzYrEIjb

— Josh Simpson (@joshsimpson77) November 21, 2021

After starting his career at St. Cloud State by winning NCHC Rookie of

the Year with 24 points in 37 games, what did Veeti Miettinen take away

from the slumps he had in his second college season?

“Maybe I had too many expectations for myself,” said Miettinen, a sixth-

round pick in 2020. “From the start of the season, I was probably gripping

my stick too hard when I couldn’t score. But I learned to play for the

team, and that it’s not all about scoring every game.”

There were times early in the season when Miettinen looked too one-

dimensional. He’d only want to drive the net with too many possessions,

and opposition teams quickly learned how to defend against him. Over

the course of the season, Miettinen learned to avoid trying to make the

perfect play with every shift and not, in his estimation, get “cute” with the

puck. He scored 10 goals and 23 points in 37 games.

“You’ve just got to hit the net,” said Miettinen.

#LeafsForever prospect Veeti Miettinen with the snipe on the powerplay.

It's his 8th goal of the year.pic.twitter.com/YxCB8RuECI

— Mr. Knies Guy (@brigstew86) January 30, 2022

The Leafs development staff wanted to see him become more active in

the play and move off the puck to find open ice more and more.

“That’s always been my problem: I’m always thinking too much,” said

Miettinen. “And when I’m thinking like that, I’m not doing.”

Could we be on the verge of seeing Ryan Tverberg becoming a

consistent, high-end penalty killer?

That was the inference from his coaches at his exit meeting after the wiry

5-foot-11 forward’s second year at the University of Connecticut.

“They think I can read the play well and see where the play is going,”

said Tverberg, a seventh-round pick in 2020. “Not that I’m trying to create

offence on the penalty kill, but when there’s chances, I’m pretty good at

jumping up for those plays. I’ve gotten better at being in lanes, blocking

shots, and it’s something that I can progress at.”

In a way, Tverberg’s evolution is similar to the way Mitch Marner, himself

a smallish but determined skater, has become one of the Leafs’ better

penalty killers. Tverberg is capable of scoring: his 14 goals in 36 games

were tops among his team. But there could be different layers to his

game still to come. Tverberg has focused in on the way Marner has killed

penalties this season.

“He’s very calm and in the right spot at all times, and he has good stick

detail. It’s those little things that are important on the penalty kill,” said

Tverberg.

This season, his decision-making improved. Drafted as a speedy,

creative goal scorer, Tverberg struggled to find his footing in his first

college season. But after his second season, Tverberg learned to trust

himself more by making creative plays with the puck instead of getting rid

of the puck under pressure.

“A big part of my game is just driving the net, playing heavy and hard, but

I’m trying to adapt more of my game to slow it down if I can,” said

Tverberg.

Ryan Tverberg adds on another for the Huskies.

I guess this is what they mean when they say "don't give up on the play"

WOW!!! pic.twitter.com/uFTN3SQfLo

— UConn Men's Hockey (@UConnMHOC) February 6, 2022

Finally, let’s take a moment to send continued positivity and hopes for

good health Rodion Amirov‘s way. He’s been active on Instagram as of

late, posting photos and videos of himself as he undergoes

chemotherapy after being diagnosed with a brain tumour. His smile is a

constant.

That sort of optimism from a 20-year-old who has been dealt a terribly

unfortunate health concern is something I know I can learn from. Rooting

for you, Rodion.


1242951 Vegas Golden Knights

3 takeaways from Knights’ loss: Playoff hopes on life support

By Ben Gotz

Las Vegas Review-Journal

April 26, 2022 - 8:31 PM

Updated April 26, 2022 - 10:01 PM

DALLAS — Jack Eichel, Zach Whitecloud and Michael Amadio skated to

the crease to console Logan Thompson. Defenseman Alex Pietrangelo

put an arm around the goaltender as they skated toward the corner exit

of the ice.

The Golden Knights, down to their third-string rookie goaltender, battled

to the end in their quest to fan their flickering playoff hopes Tuesday

against the Dallas Stars. The effort was there. But their dreams, while not

dead, are slipping more and more out of reach.

The Knights are inches away from missing the NHL playoffs after a 3-2

shootout loss to the Stars in front of an announced crowd of 18,532 at

American Airlines Center. The result clinched postseason berths for Los

Angeles and Nashville, leaving one vacancy in the Western Conference.

The Stars have a four-point lead for the final wild-card spot with two

games remaining. The Knights need to go 2-0-0 and hope Dallas goes 0-

2-0 at home against Arizona and Anaheim to avoid missing the playoffs

for the first time.

“Tough pill to swallow,” captain Mark Stone said. “Unfortunately, we’re

going to need a lot of help.”

It was the second straight game the Knights came out with a strong

performance and left one point short.

The Knights led 4-2 in the third period Sunday against San Jose before

giving up two empty-net goals in the final 2:06 of regulation and losing in

a shootout. On Tuesday, they took the lead twice but couldn’t hold on.

Left wing William Carrier gave the Knights a 1-0 lead with 49 seconds left

in the first period for his career-high ninth goal and 20th point. Left wing

Jason Robertson answered in the second for the Stars.

The Knights grabbed the lead again when center Chandler Stephenson

extended his goal streak to four games with a power-play tally four

seconds before the second intermission.

Left wing Max Pacioretty and center Jack Eichel worked to keep the puck

alive in the final seconds of the period. Stone then deflected a feed from

Eichel on net, and Stephenson cleaned up the loose puck. It was Stone’s

first point in seven games after coming off long-term injured reserve April

12 with a back injury.

“Our guys left everything on the ice,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “We’ve

got a lot of guys playing banged up.”

The second lead didn’t hold, either. Robertson scored again 3:13 into the

third period to tie the game again. The teams then played tense,

agonizing hockey for the remainder of regulation, the five minutes of

overtime and six rounds of a shootout.

Thompson and goaltender Jake Oettinger each stopped the first six

shooters they faced. Defenseman Miro Heiskanen, the 13th skater to go,

finally drew first blood with a backhand move.

Center William Karlsson couldn’t answer for the Knights. His attempt

bounced off Oettinger’s right pad and harmlessly away from the crease.

With that, the Knights will be eliminated from the playoff race if they don’t

win either of their final two games in Chicago on Wednesday and St.

Louis on Friday. The Stars need one point from their final two games to

clinch.

“We still have a slim opportunity,”Stone said. “We just got to get ready,

win tomorrow and hope like hell Anaheim and (Arizona) can do us a

favor.”

Here’s three takeaways from the loss:

1. Thompson takes tough-luck loss

Thompson drew a crowd after the game because he gave the Knights

everything he had.

The 25-year-old made 28 saves in his 15th NHL start and ninth on the

road. Several were impressive, like when he stopped center Roope Hintz

twice on a two-on-one in the second period and denied Hintz again on a

breakaway in overtime.

Thompson then made six consecutive stops to begin his second shootout

but didn’t get any support from teammates. He has saved eight of 10

shootout attempts in the past two games and is 0-2. The Knights’

shooters are 0-for-10.

“He did everything he could do for us tonight,” DeBoer said. “Even

outside the shootout, I thought in the game he was excellent.”

2. Robertson shines

Dallas has a special player in Robertson.

The second-year forward’s two goals made him the 14th player in the

NHL to hit 40 this season. Robertson is the fourth player in Stars history

to hit that mark, behind Mike Modano, Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn.

The 22-year-old’s line with Hintz and right wing Joe Pavelski accounts for

104 of Dallas’ 226 goals (46 percent).

“He’s a scorer,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “He finds areas.

That’s what goal scorers do.”

3. Playing short

The Knights weren’t officially a man short for Tuesday’s game, but they

were in practice.

Right wing Keegan Kolesar’s lower-body injury left the team with 18

healthy skaters: 11 forwards and seven defensemen. Defenseman Dylan

Coghlan dressed for the first time since April 6 but did not get a shift.

Carrier and right wing Michael Amadio rotated centers throughout the

game instead. Stephenson was on the ice with them for Carrier’s goal.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 04.27.2022


Golden Knights report: Russian prospect signs 2-year contract

By David Schoen

Las Vegas Review-Journal

April 26, 2022 - 12:44 PM

Updated April 26, 2022 - 9:09 PM

Golden Knights vs. Stars

Stars win 3-2, SO

RJ’s three stars

3. Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger — He stopped 33 of 35 shots and

came up with two key saves in the third period, then turned away all

seven attempts in the shootout to earn his 29th victory.

2. Knights forward Chandler Stephenson — He was a factor on both

goals, including a power-play tally in the final seconds of the second

period that put the Knights ahead. Stephenson has four goals in the past

four games.

1. Stars forward Jason Robertson — The second-year standout scored

two goals in regulation, including No. 40 to tie the score in the third

period. He is the fourth player in Dallas Stars history to hit that milestone.

Key play

Oettinger’s third-period save on William Karlsson.

The Knights pushed hard for the go-ahead goal and had a handful of

chances that the Stars goalie denied. The best might have come with

about eight minutes remaining in regulation.

Karlsson controlled the puck high in the defensive zone after

defenseman Alex Pietrangelo blocked a shot and the Stars were caught

up ice. That led to an odd-man rush with Evgenii Dadonov and only Stars

defenseman Ryan Suter back.

Dadonov saucered a perfect pass over Suter’s stick, but Oettinger was

able to slide across his crease and get a piece of Karlsson’s one-timer to

keep the score tied.

Key stat

0:00 — Dylan Coghlan’s ice time. The Knights were short a forward, but

shortened the bench and never used the defenseman.

Russian prospect signs

Forward Ivan Morozov signed a two-year, entry-level contract beginning

with the 2022-23 season.

He also signed a professional tryout agreement with the Silver Knights

and will join the American Hockey League team for the remainder of the

season.

Morozov, 21, appeared in 105 Kontinental Hockey League games over

five seasons, finishing with 23 goals and 49 points along with 42 penalty

minutes.

Last season, Morozov emerged as a top prospect in the Knights’ system

after he posted 13 goals and 31 points in 55 games with SKA St.

Petersburg and also represented Russia at the 2021 world

championship.

But Morozov did not sign an extension with the KHL club and made it

clear he intended to play next season in North America. As a result, his

playing time suffered, and he was traded to HC Sochi in December. In 22

games combined, Morozov posted 11 points (five goals, six assists).

Morozov was a second-round pick by the Knights in 2018 and is

projected to be a middle-six forward.

Kolesar out

Winger Keegan Kolesar did not travel with the Knights and is week to

week with a lower-body injury, coach Pete DeBoer said.

Kolesar was hurt late in the second period of Sunday’s shootout loss to

San Jose and did not return.

In 77 games, Kolesar posted career highs in goals (seven), assists (17)

and points (24). He ranks seventh in the NHL in hits and leads the

Knights with 68 penalty minutes, but also drew a team-high 22 penalties.

LAS VEGAS REVIEW JOURNAL LOADED: 04.27.2022


Window narrows with Vegas’ 3-2 shootout loss to Stars

By Danny Webster (contact)

Published Tuesday, April 26, 2022 | 8:36 p.m.

Updated Tuesday, April 26, 2022 | 10:30 p.m.

The Golden Knights’ season may have ended because of a skills

competition.

Mathematically, Vegas is still alive despite going 0-for-7 in a shootout

and losing 3-2 to the Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center on

Tuesday with two games remaining.

But the Golden Knights (42-31-7) couldn’t afford anything less than two

points against the Stars, the team they’re chasing for the second wild

card in the West, and now sit four points behind Dallas.

The Nashville Predators and Los Angeles Kings both clinched playoff

spots with Vegas’ loss, meaning the only way the Golden Knights can

make a fifth straight playoff appearance is by winning their final two

games and hoping Dallas loses to Arizona and Anaheim in regulation.

Vegas and Dallas both play at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday night.

“Tough pill to swallow. Unfortunately, we’re going to need a lot of help

here and we’re going to have to take care of business tomorrow and

Friday,” said captain Mark Stone.

The easy thing to do is look back at the Golden Knig

hts’ body of work over the last month and a half and pinpoint the missed

opportunities. Whether it’s losing all five games during an East Coast

road trip in March, or the recent losses to Vancouver in overtime and

New Jersey eight days ago.

But should Vegas be eliminated from playoff contention in less than 24

hours, it's the last two games that should be talked about — earning only

two out of a possible four points and both losses coming in shootouts.

Despite any belief the 5-4 shootout loss to San Jose on Sunday shouldn’t

have happened, the Golden Knights went a combined 0-for-10 during

these last two shootouts, and are 4-for-18 dating back to their last four.

Those conversions all came during one game.

“We’ve got to win. It’s not perfect, back-to-back. We emptied the tank

tonight,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “We don’t have a choice. We’ve got to

find a way to re-energize and get ready and win a game tomorrow.”

This isn’t to imply the Golden Knights will miss the playoffs because they

failed to score one-on-one against the opposing goalie. They still blew a

two-goal lead with two minutes remaining Sunday, and took a 2-1 lead

into the third before faltering Tuesday in a game they needed to win in

regulation.

William Carrier and Chandler Stephenson scored late goals in the first

and second periods, respectively, but second-year Stars forward Jason

Robertson scored his 39th and 40th goals this season to offset the Vegas

leads.

Robertson tied it 2-2 at 3:13 of the third period.

“He’s a scorer. He finds areas,” defenseman Brayden McNabb said. “It’s

what goal-scorers do.”

In his first start since the announcement that Robin Lehner was

undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery, Logan Thompson made 28

saves to give the Golden Knights a chance at the end.

His biggest save, arguably of his career, came in overtime when Dallas

forward Roope Hintz skated down the left side on a breakaway.

Thompson robbed Hintz’s wrist shot with the glove.

After Thompson stopped the first six shootout attempts his way, Dallas

defenseman Miro Heiskanen broke the tie with the only goal in the

shootout. William Karlsson’s attempt to prolong it was stopped by Jake

Oettinger, the Stars’ rookie goalie who made 33 saves.

“He was great. He did everything he could for us tonight,” DeBoer said of

Thompson. “Even outside of the shootout, I thought in the game he was

excellent.”

Despite Thompson’s best efforts — and they will need to be had again

Wednesday night in Chicago — the Golden Knights are on their last legs.

Once the puck drops at United Center, they’ll only be able to focus on

what they can control in front of them.

At the same time, they’ll be rooting for the Coyotes, a chore not taken up

by many outside of Glendale, Ariz., this season.

Then they’ll do it all over again Friday should it get that far.

“Unfortunately, we’ll know if that last game means anything Thursday

night,” Stone said. “We’re professionals. We’ve got to be ready for

tomorrow because we’re still fighting. You just never know in this league.

Crazier things can happen.”

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 04.27.2022


Here’s what the Golden Knights need to make playoffs

By Danny Webster (contact)

Tuesday, April 26, 2022 | 2 a.m.

German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said, “Hope, in reality, is

the worst of all evils because it prolongs the torments of man.”

There may not be a better way to describe the Golden Knights’

diminishing playoff hopes.

Vegas entered the final week of the regular season already needing to

run the table in hopes of clinching a playoff spot. But thanks to their

blown two-goal lead late in the third period Sunday against San Jose, the

Golden Knights are in do-or-die territory and need help along the way.

“You hope that it doesn’t cost us a playoff spot. If it does, that’s a tough

one to sleep on all summer," coach Pete DeBoer said. "I’m going to look

at the glass half-full here. We found a way to get a point, and hopefully

that point we got is the difference of us making it or not.”

The Golden Knights close the season with three road games in four

nights, starting Tuesday in a pivotal matchup against one of the teams

they’re chasing in the wild-card race, the Dallas Stars (5:30 p.m. PST,

ATTSN-RM).

Dallas holds a three-point lead on Vegas for the second wild card spot in

the West. For the Golden Knights to maximize their postseason lifeline,

they must defeat the Stars in regulation.

“There’s no time to sulk,” forward Max Pacioretty said on Sunday. “We

have a game against a team that we’re chasing in two days. If we win

that game, anything can happen.”

Here’s a look at the playoff picture for the last three spots in the Western

Conference.

The Stars losing to Edmonton and Calgary last week kept the door open

for the Golden Knights, and that’s why not getting the second point on

Sunday hurts them.

Had Vegas won Sunday, a regulation win in Dallas would’ve given the

Golden Knights the tiebreaker over the Stars via regulation wins (33-30).

The best the Golden Knights can do Tuesday is win in regulation and

climb within a point, but the Stars finish the season at home against the

Coyotes on Wednesday night and the Ducks on Friday. Arizona is tied for

last in the NHL with 51 points, and Anaheim has lost eight of its last 10.

Vegas plays Chicago and St. Louis at the same time as Dallas’ games.

Talk about drama.

Passing the Predators is still a possibility.

Nashville plays its home finale Tuesday against the Flames, who have

already wrapped up the Pacific Division, and follow that with a back-to-

back in Colorado and Arizona.

Those games against the West’s top two teams aren’t automatic losses

for Nashville. Both have nothing to play for, but the Flames and

Avalanche would ideally want to build momentum heading into the

postseason.

The Colorado game is a question mark with the Avalanche on a four-

game losing streak entering Tuesday’s game against the Blues.

Nashville would clinch with a regulation win in any of these last three

games.

The best path for Vegas is if the Predators lose in regulation to the

Flames and Avalanche, and then lose in any fashion to the Coyotes.

Nashville can win one, but it would need to be in extra time.

It’s a small chance, but the Golden Knights could still pass their I-15

rivals in the division race and get a first-round matchup with the Oilers.

In order for that to happen, the Kings would need to lose both of their

games in regulation — in Seattle, and the next night in Vancouver — with

Vegas needing to win out in any fashion.

If the Kings secure one point, they will fly to Edmonton for Game 1.

Scoreboard aficionados believed Vegas’ best path to the playoffs was

always Los Angeles, despite the Kings’ easy schedule down the stretch,

but they responded with four straight wins entering the final week.

LAS VEGAS SUN LOADED: 04.27.2022


Golden Knights’ second straight shootout loss pushes Vegas to brink of

elimination

By Jesse Granger

For the second straight game, Logan Thompson played his heart out and

stood tall in a shootout, only to end the game hunched over on the ice in

crushing disappointment.

The rookie netminder made six consecutive saves in the shootout before

he was bested by Miro Heiskanen in the seventh round. On the other

end, Golden Knights shooters went 0-for-7.

The Golden Knights weren’t officially eliminated Tuesday night in Dallas,

but Vegas’ playoff hopes are hanging by the slimmest of threads after the

3-2 shootout loss to the Stars.

“It’s tough,” captain Mark Stone said after the game. “You lose two

shootouts in the last two games — games you probably think you should

win. It’s a tough pill to swallow. Unfortunately, we’re going to need a lot of

help here, and we’re going to have to take care of business tomorrow

and on Friday.”

Vegas’ loss clinched playoff berths for Los Angeles and Nashville,

leaving only one wild-card spot remaining in the Western Conference.

For the Golden Knights to sneak in, they’ll need to win their final two

games (Wednesday in Chicago and Friday in St. Louis) and the Stars will

need to lose their final two games (Wednesday versus Arizona and

Friday versus Anaheim) in regulation. Even getting to overtime in either

game would clinch the playoffs for the Stars and end Vegas’ season.

“We’ve still got a pulse,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “We’re not eliminated.

I’m proud of our group; I thought we came and played a hell of a road

game.”

Vegas held leads on two occasions Tuesday night in Dallas but couldn’t

fend off forward Jason Robertson, who scored both of the Stars’ goals.

Finishing scoring chances has been a problem the entire season and

beyond for the Golden Knights, and it once again plagued them Tuesday.

Not only did they fail to capitalize on several grade-A chances, but they

also have gone a combined 0-for-10 in the shootout over their past two

games.

“We had some chances to win the game that we just didn’t finish on,”

DeBoer said. “It wasn’t for a lack of effort. I thought our guys left

everything on the ice tonight.”

Thompson’s play in net was a bright spot. He stopped 27 of the 29 shots

he faced, including a key glove save on a breakaway chance for Roope

Hintz in overtime.

“He was great,” DeBoer said of Thompson. “He did everything he could

for us tonight.”

Thompson was exceptional in the shootout, remaining calm on his edges

and waiting out the Dallas shooters round after round. It was only the

second shootout of his young NHL career, and Thompson has now

stopped eight of the 10 shootout attempts he’s faced but lost both.

“He’s been a warrior for us,” Stone said. “Put into a tough situation: a

first-year goalie with three starts before he was pushed into being our

starting goalie for the toughest stretch of the season. All the props to him.

He gave us a chance to win every night. It looks like he’s got a bright

future ahead of him.”

The Golden Knights must quickly shift their focus, as they fly to Chicago

for a game Wednesday night against the Blackhawks.

“We’ve gotta win,” DeBoer said. “It’s not perfect with a back-to-back, and

we emptied the tank tonight, but we don’t have a choice. We have to find

a way to re-energize here, get ready and win a game tomorrow.”

The Golden Knights are 4-0-0 at United Center in their organization’s

history, but they’ll also need to keep an eye on the Stars’ game against

Arizona, needing a Coyotes win in regulation to extend Vegas’ season

another night.

“We have to be ready for tomorrow because we’re still fighting,” Stone

said. “You just never know in this league; crazy things can happen.

“It’s tough, but it’s still an NHL hockey game, and like I said, we still have

a slim opportunity. If we lose tomorrow, it’s all over.”



Explaining a bizarre week in Vegas that ended with Robin Lehner’s

season-ending surgery

By Jesse Granger

Robin Lehner fought through multiple injuries to help the Golden Knights

this season, right down to Sunday’s home finale. Lehner didn’t play on

Sunday, but just dressing as the backup goalie against San Jose allowed

the Golden Knights to ice their best possible lineup as they battled for

their playoff lives.

His presence at the end of the Vegas bench capped a bizarre week as

speculation swirled about Lehner’s health and the Golden Knights roster.

According to multiple sources, Lehner informed the team last Thursday

that he had decided to have season-ending surgery on his shoulder. As

reports of Lehner’s decision emerged Friday, coach Peter DeBoer and

the Golden Knights said that Lehner was, in fact, expected to be in the

lineup on Sunday. Lehner didn’t skate on Saturday or during Sunday’s

morning skate ahead of the home finale, a crushing 5-4 shootout loss.

On Monday, the team announced that Lehner’s season is over.

Why the four-day delay? The answer appears to be some complicated

cap gymnastics.

Vegas currently has a total salary cap hit of $92 million, more than $10

million over the league’s limit. The Golden Knights are only cap-

compliant because they have a large amount of money on long-term

injured reserve, as they have had for the majority of the season. Entering

Sunday, Vegas had $2 million in cap space and was set to activate

William Carrier from LTIR. His $1.4 million cap hit left the club with only

$600,000 to use.

When Lehner declared his decision to have surgery, the front office faced

a potential problem: After activating Carrier, they wouldn’t have enough

cap space to call up a second goalie from the AHL. The NHL has a roster

emergency exemption recall rule that allows clubs to recall a goalie

without it counting against the cap. Under normal circumstances, that’s

likely what would have happened Sunday.

But because the Golden Knights are so far over the cap and have been

managing their LTIR all season, the timing of this specific transaction

could have drawn red flags at the league office.

Simply put, a team with available cap space is not allowed to activate a

player with that cap space (essentially creating their own emergency)

and then immediately turn around and use an emergency exemption.

There isn’t a ruling on this hyper-specific scenario written in the NHL’s

collective bargaining agreement, but after speaking with several league

sources with salary cap expertise and knowledge of the process, this is

clearly the most likely reason the Golden Knights waited until Monday to

announce Lehner’s season-ending surgery.

The team subsequently used an emergency exemption to recall Jiri

Patera from the AHL Henderson Silver Knights.

“We were hopeful that rest and rehab would allow him to complete the

season,” the Golden Knights said in a statement on Monday. “At times

rest and rehab were effective, but ultimately Robin, in consultation with

team medical staff, determined that this is the best course of action.”

Serving as Thompson’s backup, Lehner would have entered Sunday’s

game if needed. After all, he had played with the injury up until that point.

What added to the peculiarity of the situation was DeBoer referring to

Lehner being healthy on several occasions.

Following Wednesday’s 3-2 win over Washington, in which Lehner was

pulled after allowing one goal on 13 shots in the first period, DeBoer

described Lehner as, “healthy, he’s fresh, he’s got a lot of energy.” That

period was Lehner’s last game action of the season. On Friday, DeBoer

said Lehner missed practice as a maintenance day and that he expected

Lehner to practice on Saturday and to dress for Sunday’s game.

“What I said was, nobody’s 100 percent healthy,” DeBoer said Friday.

“What I said, and I clarified, in my conversations with Robin and

everyone involved, there has been nothing physically that would keep

him from performing and going out there and performing for us. There

have been no red flags that way. Nobody’s healthy 82 games in.

Everybody needs something. That’s why, at the end of the season, you

get the laundry list of things that everyone’s dealing with. But as far as

my knowledge goes, and that’s personal conversations with the player,

there has not been a play issue. I’m not a doctor. You either can play or

you can’t play.”

DeBoer was put in a tough spot answering those questions, and he’s

correct that being injured or healthy isn’t black and white, especially in

the NHL. But that still doesn’t explain why a coach would insist his

starting goalie, who struggled down the stretch, is doing so through no

fault of injury.

Lehner suffered a shoulder injury in Calgary on Feb. 9 that held him out

for 20 days, then a leg injury on March 8 that forced him out of action for

nearly a month. He remained in the lineup after that, posting a 4-4-1

record in his final nine games with a .907 save percentage, looking

visibly hampered at times.

DeBoer laid much of the blame for an April 18 loss to New Jersey, in

which Lehner gave up two soft goals, at Lehner’s feet, saying, “This time

of year, you’re looking for your guy to be better than the guy at the other

end, and that wasn’t the case tonight.” DeBoer went on to say Thompson

has been the one goalie “that has been there and given us what he

could.”

“The announcement speaks for itself,” DeBoer said Tuesday morning in

Dallas when asked about Lehner’s season-ending surgery. “I’m

concerned about the guys that are here, battling with us tonight.”

One of those players is Mark Stone, who has also struggled since

returning from his lengthy absence, with zero points in six games. But

when asked about Stone on Friday, DeBoer said, “There’s not much not

to like. He’s our captain. We’ve seen a lot of guys, with what we’ve gone

through, battle with coming back after long absences and it’s not easy,

particularly this time of year. The league’s moving at 100 miles per hour,

and Mark has missed significant time. I think if you would ask him, he’s

not yet 100 percent. But Mark Stone, even at less than 100 percent, and

not up to game speed because of the time missed, is still a very valuable

guy.”

That’s a stark difference in tone when discussing Stone vs. Lehner.

Heading into Tuesday night’s games, the Golden Knights still had a shot

— albeit slim — at qualifying for the postseason. Whether they make it or

not, this could be an interesting offseason in the desert.



Vegas Golden Knights Season Ticket Prices For 2022-23: Email Us Your

Thoughts On Prices And Value

April 26, 2022

By Alan Snel of LVSportsBiz.com

Here are the Vegas Golden Knights’ full season ticket prices for 2022-23:

According to Team Marketing report, which tracks fans’ costs to attend

major league games, the Golden Knights’ average ticket price is the fifth

highest in the 32-team National Hockey League at $124.09 a ticket.

The VGK season tickets went up 5.2 percent for the 2022-23 season.

These prices are for 41 regular season games and four preseason

games.

Besides these prices for next season, season ticket holders are pay a

“Knight’s Salute Donation” of $200, a $30 service fee per order and a $3

per ticket per game T-Mobile Arena facility improvement fee.

LVSportsBiz.com LOADED: 04.27.2022


Improbable But Not Impossible: Updated Golden Knights Playoff Odds


By Owen Krepps

The Vegas Golden Knights were dealt a brutal blow to their Stanley Cup

Playoff hopes Tuesday night against the Dallas Stars. However, they can

still technically make the playoffs. It would take a miracle but the Golden

Knights would have to win out their remaining schedule and have the

Stars lose both of their final two games in regulation.

The Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, and Nashville Predators all

clinched playoff spots Tuesday.

The only reason the Stars have not clinched like the Predators, who also

have 95 points is because the Golden Knights have the tiebreaker over

the Stars with three more regulation wins. If the Stars lose their

remaining two games in regulation and the Golden Knights win both of

their games, the Golden Knights will take over the Stars’ spot even

though they would be tied at 95 points.

Whoever the first Wild Card team is will play the Calgary Flames. The

Golden Knights can only make the playoffs in the second Wild Card spot

and will play the Colorado Avalanche if they do make it in.

Vegas Hockey Now LOADED: 04.27.2022


It’s Over: Golden Knights Lose To Stars in Shootout, Playoff Hopes Gone


By Owen Krepps

The Dallas Stars (45-30-5, 95 points) have put the Vegas Golden Knights

(42-31-7, 91 points) hopes to bed as they defeated the VGK in the

shootout 3-2. The Golden Knights are now four points back of the Stars

for the second Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

Since the Golden Knights got a point for forcing overtime, technically

speaking they could still make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, this

would require the Golden Knights to win out and the Dallas Stars to lose

both of their two remaining games against the Anaheim Ducks and

Arizona Coyotes in regulation.

Stay tuned for the postgame report where we will take one final look at

the playoff odds for the Golden Knights. The Nashville Predators and

Edmonton Oilers both collected points Tuesday night as well.

Both Robin Lehner and Keegan Kolesar missed the game with injuries.

Lehner is to have season-ending shoulder surgery and Kolesar is out

week-to-week with a lower-body injury. The Golden Knights went with 11

forwards and 7 defensemen Tuesday night as a result. But Dylan

Coghlan did not play shift.

From the start of the game, the Stars and Golden Knights competed in a

tight-checking playoff-style game. There were little whistles, and when

they came, both teams exhaled sighs of relief.

The Golden Knights started the game off on the wrong foot as Nicolas

Roy hooked Joe Pavelski. The Stars were unable to score on their

powerplay but controlled pressure in the early stages of the first period.

Offense from the Golden Knights came from the reunited line of Mark

Stone, Max Pacioretty, and Chandler Stephenson, who lugged a lot of ice

time Tuesday night. The Stars were led by their superstar line of

Pavelski, Roope Hintz, and Jason Robertson.

Both goaltenders in Logan Thompson and Jake Oettinger had to be on

their game Tuesday night.

The Golden Knights got the hugely-important first goal of the game late in

the first period. This snaps their six-game streak of allowing the first goal.

William Carrier scored his second goal in as many games since returning

from injury.

His ninth goal of the season came off an attempting centering pass to

Stephenson that hit Luke Glendening and went in.

The chess match resumed in the second with 20 more minutes of nitty-

gritty hockey. Little space was given to either team but the Golden

Knights got a couple of grade-A chances after John Klingberg blew a tire

and Evgenii Dadonov and Jack Eichel went in on the rush.

The Stars were able to tie the game up with their top line once again

finding the scoresheet. Robertson cut into the slot around Brayden

McNabb with a backhand/forehand move and scored.

The line of Hintz, Robertson, and Pavelski attribute for 45% of the Stars’

goals this season. This goal marked Robertson’s 39th goal of the

season.

The Golden Knights took to the powerplay late in the frame with

Glendening going off for a hook. With just two seconds left in the second

period, Stephenson scored the go-ahead goal for the Golden Knights.

The play was a quick passing play by the Golden Knights powerplay and

resulted in Stephenson’s fourth goal in as many games. Stone also was

credited for an assist and finally scored his first point since coming back

from injury.

The Stars came back and tied things in the third period with Robertson

getting another goal. A battle was won in the corner by Pavelski who

passed the puck over to Klingberg. His shot pass was deflected in by

Robertson for his 40th goal.

Shots were 8-1 Stars through the first half of the third period. Radek

Faksa had a trio of chances on Thompson.

Evgenii Dadonov and William Karlsson missed on a 2-on-1 as Oettinger

made a huge sprawling save. Oettinger also made a huge glove save on

a slap shot one-timer from Shea Theodore.

Tied after sixty minutes, the game went to overtime where little to nothing

happened. Only two shots were fired in the five-minute frame and both

came from the Stars. For the second-straight game, the shootout was

required.

After seven rounds of no scoring, Miro Heiskanen finally scored the first

goal of the shootout. Karlsson had a chance to keep the Golden Knights

alive but Oettinger stopped him. The Golden Knights lost the game in the

shootout 3-2 and dropped another important point in the standings.

The Golden Knights play the Chicago Blackhawks Wednesday night on

the road at 5:30 pm.



Golden Knights Gameday 80: THIS IS IT! Lines, Notes vs Stars


By Owen Krepps

The Vegas Golden Knights (42-31-6, 90 points) will play their most

important game of the season Tuesday night against the Dallas Stars

(44-30-5, 93 points). With just three games remaining on the season, the

Golden Knight’s only hope of making it into the Stanley Cup Playoffs is to

snag one of the two Wild Card spots in the Western Conference. The

Stars currently have the second WC spot.

A huge blow came to the Golden Knight’s playoff chances Sunday when

they lost in the shootout to the San Jose Sharks. With this extra point lost

to the Sharks, the Golden Knights need to not only win out the remainder

of their schedule but get help from other teams in the league. If the

Golden Knights lose this game they will be all-but mathematically

eliminated from the playoffs.

“We obviously know what is at stake here. But in a lot of ways, we have

to approach this just like every other game. If you let that get in your

head too much you start gripping the stick a little too tight and I think it is

necessary to have a good balance,” said Golden Knights defenseman

Alec Martinez.

No relevant games were on Monday night so here is an updated look at

the VGK’s playoff odds.

The Golden Knights will be without both Robin Lehner and Keegan

Kolesar for the remainder of the regular season. Lehner will undergo

shoulder surgery and see his season come to an end. Jiri Patera has

been called up under roster emergency exemption as the Golden Knights

have just $615,000 in cap space and are not

Kolesar is listed as week-to-week with a lower-body injury. Dylan

Coghlan will suit up Tuesday as a seventh defenseman.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Leave Everything On The Ice

It should go without saying at this point but again, this is the most

important game of the season for the Golden Knights. It is do-or-die time

and if they lose this game their season is practically over.

“It’s a big game, it’s a playoff game so everyone is excited and a little bit

nervous, I think we are going to show up and play hard,” said Golden

Knights forward Will Carrier.

60 Minute Game

Yes, the Golden Knights need to play a cliche ‘sixty-minute game’ and

play to the final whistle. But they need to play exactly sixty minutes, no

overtime as it would give the Stars another point in the standings.

“It’s going to be a tight game out there. No one is going to give an inch,

so I think you’re just battling for these little plays, those puck battles, and

once you are out there it is a lot different game,” said Carrier.

Super Stars

The Dallas Stars have an absolute powerhouse line this season of Joe

Pavelski, Jason Robertson, and Roope Hintz who currently attribute for

45% of the Stars’ goals scored. Shutting them down will be huge for the

Golden Knight’s defense. Especially Pavelski, a former Shark who loves

to score big goals.


1242961 Washington Capitals

Ilya Samsonov’s misadventures continue as the Caps miss a golden

opportunity

By Samantha Pell

Today at 10:19 p.m. EDT|Updated today at 11:02 p.m. EDT

Ilya Samsonov’s season has featured plenty of mistakes, including

frustrating errors in crucial moments. The goaltender’s latest mishap was

especially costly in the Washington Capitals’ 4-1 loss to the New York

Islanders on Tuesday night at Capital One Arena.

With Washington down 2-1 midway through the third period, Samsonov

botched a handoff behind the net with defenseman Dmitry Orlov as the

Islanders’ Casey Cizikas loomed. In a flash, the game turned fully in

favor of the visitors. Cizikas took control of the puck, tumbled onto his

backside and beat Samsonov with a backhander for a shorthanded goal.

Samsonov, who spun around while trying to get back into the net,

couldn’t get into position in time to stop him. Anders Lee scored a much

more conventional goal with less than five minutes left to all but secure

the Islanders’ win, and Samsonov finished with 22 saves.

“For me, it probably should’ve just been a clean break — a clean entry

exiting the net — and it wasn’t,” Capitals Coach Peter Laviolette said of

Samsonov’s miscue. “He came around the other side. I think he got hung

up on the net.”

The loss was particularly disappointing for Washington, which was

without captain Alex Ovechkin because of an upper-body injury. The

Capitals (44-24-12, 100 points) remain in the Eastern Conference’s

second wild-card spot with two games left.

A victory would have let the Capitals leapfrog the Pittsburgh Penguins

(45-25-11, 101 points), who lost to Edmonton on Tuesday, for third place

in the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals still have a game in hand on

the Penguins and can guarantee they’ll avoid a wild-card berth — and a

first-round matchup with the Atlantic Division champion Florida Panthers

— by winning their final two games. Moving into third in the Metro would

secure a playoff matchup with the second-place New York Rangers.

“We can’t play like we did tonight going into the playoffs. ... This isn’t who

we are,” Laviolette said. “... It’s one night, it was lousy, and so that’s that.”

Regardless of their playoff opponent, the health of the Capitals’ captain is

the team’s focus moving forward. Ovechkin, 36, suffered an upper-body

injury in Sunday’s 4-3 shootout loss to Toronto and is listed as day-to-

day. He missed a game because of injury for just the 25th time in his 17-

year NHL career.

It’s unclear whether Ovechkin will be available for the final two regular

season games — Thursday at the Islanders and Friday at the Rangers.

Washington is in line to play its first postseason game Monday or

Tuesday, and Ovechkin has never missed a playoff matchup.

“I feel pretty good,” he told NBC Sports Washington before the game.

“We’ll see [if I’ll be ready for the playoffs]. I’m not going to say yes or no,

but right now we just make a decision to not play [Tuesday] and we’ll see

what’s going to happen next game.”

Washington’s other major concern heading into the postseason:

goaltending.

Laviolette has not named a starter for Game 1, with Samsonov and Vitek

Vanecek still vying for that role. Samsonov, whose goals against average

fell to 3.02, did himself no favors Tuesday. His save percentage is .896.

Vanecek checks in at 2.60 and .910. Neither has shown much

consistency, and neither has ever won a playoff game.

The Islanders, who won’t make the postseason, prevailed despite playing

a skater short after defenseman Zdeno Chara and forward Brock Nelson

were late scratches because of a non-covid illness. Ilya Sorokin made 32

saves.

Conor Sheary gave the Capitals a 1-0 lead with a deflection of Marcus

Johansson’s point shot at 10:24 of the first period. It was his 19th goal.

The Islanders tied it at 16:18 on Ryan Pulock’s power-play tally from the

point. A chaotic sequence preceded the goal, with center Evgeny

Kuznetsov and Samsonov losing their sticks in the same minute.

Defenseman Noah Dobson gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead at 2:56 of the

third when his long-range shot on the power play caromed off

defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk’s leg and eluded Samsonov, who had

no chance to make the save.

“Just one of those nights [when the puck] was just kind of bouncing

everywhere,” forward Tom Wilson said. “Guys were out of sync a little bit,

couldn’t get much going. Kind of an ugly game, but sometimes you got to

find a way to turn it around when it isn’t going your way. But we just didn’t

really have that.”

Here’s what else to know about Tuesday’s loss:

Challenge accepted

The Islanders appeared to grab a 1-0 lead when Kyle Palmieri danced

around defenseman Nick Jensen and beat Samsonov, but Washington

successfully challenged for goaltender interference. Zach Parise had

bumped Samsonov in front, preventing him from having a chance to

make the save.

McMichael’s shot

With Ovechkin out, Connor McMichael moved back into the lineup after

sitting out the previous seven games. The rookie’s game looked strong a

few weeks ago, but Washington opted to sit the 21-year-old in favor of its

trade deadline additions, Johansson and Johan Larsson.

McMichael skated on the top line in Ovechkin’s place and ended up with

10:58 of ice time.

The Capitals held a pregame ceremony to honor Ovechkin for passing

Jaromir Jagr for third on the NHL’s all-time goals list last month. Among

those who appeared in video messages congratulating Ovechkin for his

historic season were his parents, wife and two kids. All are currently in

his native Russia.

Ovechkin was presented with a painting featuring himself and the three

players he passed on the list this season: Marcel Dionne (731 goals),

Brett Hull (741) and Jagr (766). Ovechkin stands at 780, behind only

Gordie Howe (801) and Wayne Gretzky (894).

“It’s a pretty cool moment for me, for the organization, for the fans, for my

family,” Ovechkin told NBC Sports Washington before the ceremony.

Washington Post LOADED: 04.27.2022


Alex Ovechkin is hurt, but you just know he’ll be back for the playoffs

By Barry Svrluga

Columnist

Today at 9:37 p.m. EDT|Updated today at 10:25 p.m. EDT

The last time the fans at Capital One Arena saw Alex Ovechkin during

what has been a historic 2021-22 regular season, his No. 8 sweater was

on a rack somewhere, replaced by a sleek gray suit and a blue tie. He

was on the ice in dress shoes rather than skates, his grin wide through

his beard.

He has 780 goals, which are third most in NHL history, and it feels as

though he has as many tribute videos. Tuesday’s included messages not

only from the men he passed this year — Marcel Dionne, Brett Hull,

Jaromir Jagr — but also from his parents and his wife and kids back

home in Russia.

The Ovi ovation was lovely and deserved, but it certainly wasn’t the news

of the day. After Tuesday’s 4-1 loss to the New York Islanders, there are

two games left. The Stanley Cup playoffs — gosh, even the phrase

brings tingles to the spine — begin next week. And the 36-year-old

Ovechkin is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

That’s hockey jargon for “He messed up his shoulder when he crashed

into the boards, but he’ll be back when it’s prudent.”

His availability for the playoffs?

“I want to say I hope so,” Coach Peter Laviolette said Tuesday morning.

Peter, with all due respect, you don’t hope so. You know so.

Here’s the most pertinent point about next week: Since his postseason

debut in 2008, Ovechkin’s Capitals have played 141 playoff games.

Ovechkin has laced up the skates 141 times.

Day-to-day? Sure, yeah, fine. Whether the opponent for Game 1 is the

Florida Panthers or the New York Rangers, when the puck drops to open

the playoffs, Ovechkin will be in uniform, ready to throw his body around,

a heat-seeking missile for the back of the net. There’s no evidence to

suggest otherwise, and that in itself is remarkable.

Step away from hockey for a moment. Think about the mainstay, star

athletes who have come and gone here since Ovechkin first arrived 17

years ago. Ryan Zimmerman was and forever will be Mr. National, but

his career was interrupted and altered by — you name it, pick an injury

— the shoulder that forced him from third base to first or the foot that

kept him out of the lineup or the hip that nagged him eternally. Robert

Griffin III was a lightning bolt — until the turf at FedEx Field grabbed him,

shredding his knee, and he was never the same. Stephen Strasburg is a

World Series MVP who has been lost to Tommy John surgery and then

to the more daunting thoracic outlet syndrome. When he will pitch again,

we have no idea.

Keep going. In John Wall’s final three years in Washington, he played 73

games. The Wizards just finished a season in which Bradley Beal played

just 40 times. Elena Delle Donne won the WNBA’s MVP award and led

the Mystics to the title in 2019 — and played just three games in the

following two seasons.

No Washington star is impervious to calamity — except Ovechkin.

“Honestly, his style of play, you’re going to get injured,” forever running

mate Nicklas Backstrom said.

That is both completely logical and demonstrably false.

There are some old statistics here that bear updating, because as

Ovechkin creeps closer to 40, the numbers cause more jaws to hit more

floors. Since his rookie year of 2005-06, the Capitals have played 1,460

regular season and playoff games. Ovechkin has appeared in 1,415 of

them. That’s a cool 96.9 percent show-up rate. Maybe there aren’t

participation medals. But there should be some kind of award for a

graying father of two who grabs his lunch pail that frequently.

Not only has no player appeared in more games over that span than

Ovechkin, but no one is within 25 games of him. It’s to the point in which

21-year-old Connor McMichael — who took Ovechkin’s spot in the lineup

Tuesday night but was 4 when Ovechkin played his first NHL game —

knows the drill.

“You always hear, ‘Russian machine never breaks,’ ” McMichael said

Tuesday. You know why you always hear it? Because ever since

Ovechkin used that phrase in 2006, it has continued to be true. He

missed 10 games in 2009-10 (several with a shoulder injury) and 11

games in the bumpy 2020-21 season, some because of violating the

NHL’s coronavirus rules and others with nagging injuries. His games

missed in his other years: one, zero, zero, three, three, four, zero, four,

one, three, zero, zero, one, one and now three this year — the first two

because he was in the NHL’s coronavirus protocols.

So for something like the 10th consecutive season, the question: How in

the world does he keep doing this?

“Sometimes there’s got to be a little bit of luck to it,” Laviolette said. “But

he’s a really strong guy. He’s just physically well put-together. I can’t

explain [it].”

It just keeps happening. The attitude around the Capitals, even as

Laviolette tried to add a bit of mystery about the playoffs, is that Ovi is

Ovi, and so when the puck drops, he’ll be there.

“I just think mentally, he’s so strong,” Backstrom said. “He plays through

everything. It’s just the way he is as a guy. He doesn’t miss games. And

it doesn’t matter how hurt he is. He’s one of those guys you can always

count on.”

A marvel, then. But here’s the thing, too: There’s going to be one of these

crashes into the boards, one of these slow-to-get-up-from hits, that

matters. That’s only logical. Even if Ovechkin doesn’t play in the Capitals’

remaining two games — Thursday at the Islanders and Friday at the

Rangers — he just became the oldest player to score 50 goals in a

season. There’s a reason no one has done that at 37: Physical skills

erode, and even staying on the ice becomes hard. That’s true for

Backstrom, who at 34 is nursing his way through this season with a hip

problem that could be an issue for the rest of his career.

But Ovechkin doesn’t much get along with logic. In Game 5 of the 2017

first-round series against Toronto, Ovechkin went down in a heap in the

first period. He put no weight on his left leg as he went to the dressing

room. His game seemed over, the rest of the playoffs in doubt.

But when the gate swung open and the Caps took the ice for the second

period, there he was, charging ahead.

“He’s a replace-the-parts-and-keep-going kind of guy,” former Caps

defenseman Nate Schmidt said that night.

The parts, they’re still producing. He didn’t play Tuesday night. Don’t

worry.

“He’s durable,” Laviolette said. “He hates not playing the game. He hates

being out, so he’s going to want to be back as soon as possible — and

we’re going to make sure that he’s in a good spot to do that.”

You know when would be a good spot? Next week, when the playoffs

begin. That’s no longer a time for tribute videos. It’s a time to enhance

legacies. Alex Ovechkin is aware of all of that. There’s zero chance he

doesn’t show up — full force.



Bruins legend Johnny Bucyk on Alex Ovechkin breaking his age-old

record

By Scott Allen

Today at 10:21 a.m. EDT

Johnny Bucyk retired in 1978 as the Boston Bruins’ all-time leader in

goals, assists, points and games. The Hockey Hall of Fame inductee also

had the distinction of being the oldest NHL player to score at least 50

goals in a season, after notching 51 as a 35-year-old in 1970-71, until 36-

year-old Capitals captain and fellow left winger Alex Ovechkin surpassed

him last week.

“Congratulations to him for doing it, but people didn’t talk about that

record too often,” Bucyk, who will turn 87 in May, said in a telephone

interview. “I was just happy that I was able to do it. He’s done it, so now I

don’t have to worry about it anymore. Records are made to be broken.”

While Ovechkin, who left Sunday’s game with an upper-body injury and

is considered day-to-day, has scored at least 50 goals in a season a

record-tying nine times, the 1970-71 season was the only time Bucyk

eclipsed the mark. The man nicknamed “Chief,” a consistent 20- to 30-

goal scorer for most of his 21 seasons with the Bruins, scored a then-

career-high 31 goals during the 1969-70 season, which culminated in

Boston’s first Stanley Cup since 1941.

Despite arriving at training camp a week late in 1970 with 25 stitches in

his knee as the result of an August boating mishap, Bucyk opened the

season on fire. He scored 10 goals in the Bruins’ first 13 games,

established a career high by early February and finished the season with

51.

“I found myself in front of the net all the time,” Bucyk said when asked to

explain his scoring outburst. “My teammates really helped me a lot. I

wasn’t trying to get 50 goals, I was just in that position. We moved the

puck around so well, and bingo, those things happen. It’s nice for it to

happen once a lifetime.”

Bucyk said it was especially nice to record his 50th goal at Detroit in an

11-4 rout of the Red Wings, the team that traded him in 1957 to the

Bruins for Terry Sawchuk. Bucyk is going on 65 years with the Bruins’

organization, having served as a broadcaster, traveling secretary and

ambassador since retiring as a player, and he considers the trade the

best thing that happened to him in his hockey career.

The last time Bucyk recalls his status as the NHL’s oldest 50-goal scorer

being referenced so often was in 1996, when the New York Rangers’

Mark Messier made a bid to become the second 35-year-old in the club

before finishing the season with 47. Bucyk, who still holds the Bruins’

record for goals, isn’t bothered that Ovechkin has since knocked him

from the top of the list.

“He’s a great player, and he’s a lot of fun to watch,” Bucyk said as he

prepared to watch the Bruins host the Rangers at TD Garden. “He’s got

one heck of a shot, and he’s very strong. … When Washington comes

here, I watch him more than anyone else. I met him once and had him

sign a poster for me.”

Ovechkin is 115 goals shy of breaking Wayne Gretzky’s career record of

894. Bucyk, who scored 193 of his 556 career goals after turning 36,

likes Ovechkin’s chances of catching the Great One, if he can stay

healthy.

“He’s very strong, but injuries could be a factor,” Bucyk said. “Myself, I

never missed too many games. I was also very strong and heavy boned.”



Disastrous 3rd period dooms Ovechkin-less Caps

BY J.J. REGAN

With Alex Ovechkin out, the Capitals gave up three goals in the third

period as a 1-0 lead devolved into a 4-1 loss against the New York

Islanders on Tuesday.

Here are some observations from the game.

No Ovechkin

On the night picked out to celebrate Ovechkin for all his

accomplishments this season, the Great 8 did not play due to the upper-

body injury he suffered Sunday in a game against the Toronto Maple

Leafs. Ovechkin was present for his pregame ceremony, but he was on

the ice in a suit rather than in his jersey and pads.

During the pregame show, Ovechkin was interviewed by NBC Sports

Washington's Al Koken and was asked about whether he would be ready

for the playoffs.

"I feel pretty good," Ovechkin said. "We'll see. I'm not gonna say yes or

no but right now we just make a decision to not play and we'll see what's

gonna happen next game."

An early wakeup call

Washington did not get off to a good start in this game at all and it looked

like that was going to cost them on the scoreboard. Kyle Palmieri pulled a

filthy deke on Nick Jensen that left Jensen sliding on the ice. Palmieri

then took it on net for the goal, but goalie Ilya Samsonov immediately

protested. Zach Parise had parked right next to Samsonov which did not

allow Samsnoov to slide over to his right to defend the net. Head coach

Peter Laviolette challenged the goal for goalie interference and won that

challenge.

The Caps looked like a different team after the goal was overturned and

scored soon after as Conor Sheary deflected in a shot to beat goalie Ilya

Sorokin.

Coming up short

Ovechkin's absence was obviously noticeable and in no aspect of the

game was that more clear than on the power play. Washington went 0-

for-4 on the night and gave up a key shorthanded goal in the third.

Samsonov stopped the puck behind the net for a handoff to Dmitry Orlov,

but Casey Cizikas was there to pressure him and steal away the puck as

Orlov tried to wheel around the net. Cizikas fell over onto the ice, but

manage to chip the puck from his backside into the net before Samsonov

could scramble back into the net.

Samsonov was there, but in his desperation overcommitted on the slide

back into the crease drawing him back out of position and allowing the

puck to get past him.

Samsonov gets the start

After two decent starts for Vitek Vanecek, it was Samsonov's turn to

audition for the team's starting role in the playoffs. He made 22 saves on

26 shots and put together a decent two periods. In the third, things got

away from him.

The first two goals that beat Samsonov were from distance. Ryan Pulock

scored in the first period taking advantage of a screen. Noah Dobson

then put New York up 2-1 in the third period when he fired the puck wide

of the net, but it deflected off of defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk and

into the net. Later in the third, there was the botched handoff with Orlov

to make it 3-1. Anders Lee then made it 4-1 with a quick shot with less

than five minutes remaining.

The last two games of the regular season are a back-to-back against the

Islanders on Thursday and against the New York Rangers on Friday,

both on the road. That likely means Samsonov will get one more start to

impress Laviolette heading into the postseason.

Standings update

The Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Edmonton Oilers keeping Pittsburgh

ahead by Washington by only a single point. The Caps still have a game

in hand so they could still pass Pittsburgh for third place and a first round

matchup with the New York Rangers. For now, Washington remains in

the second wild card which would lock them into a series with the Florida

Panthers.



Caps playoff opponents narrowed down to Panthers or Rangers

BY J.J. REGAN

With their loss to the New York Islanders Tuesday, the Capitals flubbed

an opportunity to move one point ahead of the Pittsburgh Penguins into

third place in the Metropolitan Division. Results around the league also

locked in a few teams and narrowed down the possible first-round

opponents for Washington down to two possible teams.

The Carolina Hurricanes defeated the New York Rangers 4-3 to win the

Metro and lock up the top spot in the division. The Boston Bruins also

won 4-2 over the Florida Panthers securing the top wild-card spot. With

those two results, Washington can now play only the Rangers or

Panthers in the first round of the playoffs with the Hurricanes no longer a

possibility. If the Caps are able to pass Pittsburgh and take third place,

they will play New York. If they remain in the second wild card, they will

play Florida.

The good news for Washington is that the Pittsburgh Penguins lost 5-1 to

the Edmonton Oilers keeping their lead over the Caps down to just one

point. Washington also has a game in hand.

The Penguins will host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday in their final

game of the season. Washington plays on Long Island Thursday in a

rematch against the Islanders and then will play the Rangers at Madison

Square Garden on Friday.

In terms of tie-breakers, Pittsburgh leads in regulation wins 36-35 and in

regulation and overtime wins 42-39 so the Caps need to pass the

Penguins as tying them likely will not be good enough to pass them.

A win for the Caps On Thursday then will go a long way toward

Washington claiming third in the division and a potentially better first-

round matchup. To do that, however, they will have to beat the same

Islanders team that defeated them on Tuesday.



Caps lose precious chance to move up East standings

BY ANDREW GILLIS

Peter Laviolette didn’t mince words. There was no need.

The Capitals lost 4-1 to the Islanders on Tuesday at Capital One Arena,

but the bench boss didn’t elaborate much on the previous 60 minutes of

hockey. From start to finish, it wasn’t a good night for the Capitals.

"From the beginning,” Laviolette said when asked where the night went

wrong. “It wasn't good."

After a late blown lead Sunday against the Leafs in which the Capitals

squandered a point in the final minutes, they blew another opportunity to

move up in the standings Tuesday against the non-playoff Islanders.

Now, the Capitals’ potential playoff opponents are down to the Rangers

and the Panthers. But whoever the opponent is, a performance like

Tuesday won’t cut it.

"We can't play like we did tonight going into the playoffs,” Laviolette said.

“If we play like this in the playoffs…This isn't who we are. This isn't our

M.O. It's one night, it was lousy and so that's that."

The Capitals appeared to shake their sluggish start in the opening

minutes, as a disallowed goal for the Islanders gave the Capitals a bit of

a jump. Conor Sheary scored the opening goal a few minutes later.

But then the Islanders scored four straight, as the Capitals couldn’t get

much of anything to go their way for the final 50 or so minutes.

“Pucks were bouncing a lot,” Tom Wilson said. “Nothing really that clean

out there. Just one of those nights it was just kind of bouncing

everywhere. Guys were out of sync a little bit, couldn’t get much going.

Kind of an ugly game but sometimes you gotta find a way to turn it

around when it isn’t going your way. But we just didn’t really have that

tonight.”

The team was absent Alex Ovechkin, who is day-to-day with an upper-

body injury. But with just two games left in the season, and perhaps two

wins necessary to move out of the second wild card spot and avoid the

top-seeded Panthers and the Atlantic Division altogether, the time for

performances like Tuesday has shrunk to nothing.

“Maybe it’s a good thing,” Conor Sheary said. “Just learn to move past it.

I think come playoff time there are going to be points where you lose

games, tough ones. We just got to move on. We still have an opportunity

to move up in the standings, and we have two games left. Our focus is

the next game against the Islanders.”



Matthews scores 60th goal, joins Ovechkin on prestigious list

BY BIJAN TODD

In a year where Alex Ovechkin seemed to set record after record like

clockwork, another tenacious goal scorer has joined him in the NHL

history books. Toronto’s Auston Matthews scored twice in the Maple

Leafs’ 3-0 win over Detroit on Tuesday, eclipsing the 60-goal plateau in

the process.

Per ESPN Stats and Info, Matthews became just the third player this

century to score 60 goals in a season, joining Ovechkin and Tampa

Bay’s Steven Stamkos. Matthews is the first U.S.-born player to score 60

in a season.

Auston Matthews becomes the 3rd player in the last 25 years to reach 60

goals in a season, joining Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos.

Matthews is the 1st U.S.-born player to reach that milestone.

pic.twitter.com/ImI76plpfp— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April

27, 2022

Ovechkin scored 65 back in the 2007-08 season, which still stands as the

highest goal-scoring campaign since Mario Lemieux scored 69 in the

1995-96 season. Stamkos scored exactly 60 in 2011-12.

Tuesday’s shutout over the Red Wings was Toronto’s penultimate game

of the season, so unless Matthews provides a masterful five-goal

performance on Friday against the Bruins, Ovi’s record will stand.

Matthews joins an elite list, still, becoming just the 21st player ever to

score 60 in a year.

Ovechkin was just 22 years old when he scored 65 during that MVP

season in 2007-08. Stamkos was even younger, eclipsing the mark

during his age-21 season. Matthews turned 24 back in September.

Matthews’ 60 strikes on the year pace the NHL and lead Washington’s

captain by 10, as Ovechkin just tied the all-time record with his ninth 50-

goal season last week in Las Vegas. The Capitals have two games

remaining before on a postseason adventure. Their opponent has yet to

be determined, but it will either be Florida or the New York Rangers.

Toronto has also clinched a playoff spot.



Alex Ovechkin’s injury brings the Capitals a feeling of déjà vu

By Tarik El-Bashir

Apr 26, 2022

The Russian Machine may never break, but it sounds like he might be

out of service for a little bit.

Alex Ovechkin was absent from the morning skate on Tuesday after

suffering an upper-body injury in Sunday’s 4-3 shootout loss to Toronto,

raising questions about the Caps captain’s health — and availability —

going forward.

Washington has not disclosed the nature or severity of the injury, but

Ovechkin rolled his left shoulder as he made his way to the locker room

immediately after going hard into the corner boards vs. the Maple Leafs.

On Monday, Ovechkin joined his teammates for the annual team photo

and was clearly favoring his left arm.

“Alex is day-to-day,” coach Peter Laviolette said. “We’re going to

evaluate it and do the best thing for Alex.”

Asked if he expected Ovechkin to be ready for Game 1 of the playoffs,

which begin early next week, Laviolette, who is typically very measured

with his words, gave an ominous answer.

“I want to say I hope so but I don’t know,” he said. “It depends on how

things progress with him.”

Ovechkin has missed 44 games in his 17-year career but only 24 due to

injury, which is an amazing feat given how hard he’s defended and the

number of punishing hits he’s dished out. The Caps are 12-11-1 all-time

in the games he’s been sidelined due to injury.

“There’s got to be a little bit of luck to it,” Laviolette said, asked about

Ovechkin’s legendary durability. “But he’s a really strong guy. Like he’s

just physically well put together. I can’t explain it.

“He’s durable,” the coach continued. “He hates not playing the game. He

hates being out, so he’s going to want to be back as soon as possible

and we’re going to make sure that he’s in a good spot to do that.”

Added Nicklas Backstrom: “Honestly, with his style of play, you’re going

to get injured. But mentally he’s so strong. He plays through everything.”

The timing of Ovechkin’s injury is eerily reminiscent of the way last

season ended, with Ovechkin sitting out seven of eight games down the

stretch because of a lower-body injury. He returned for the regular-

season finale and suited up for playoffs but was not 100 percent,

finishing with two goals and two assists in a five-game, first-round loss to

Boston.

Are the Caps now facing a similarly sticky situation? Perhaps.

Through 77 games, Ovechkin is having his most productive campaign in

a dozen years, amassing 50 goals and 90 points. (He missed a pair of

contests due to COVID-19 and pandemic-related restrictions.)

His offensive metrics are just as dominant. In fact, the 36-year-old leads

the team in most categories, per Sportlogiq’s data.

Then there’s stuff that can’t be measured, like his leadership and the

bench- and crowd-igniting hits.

“He’s always around,” Backstrom said of Ovechkin’s absence Tuesday.

“He’s always playing. It’s different.

“He’s a big part of our team, so it’s a tough loss if he’s not playing. At the

same time, it gives opportunities to others to step up.”

One of them is rookie Connor McMichael, who is expected to slot into

Ovechkin’s place on the first line against the Islanders on Tuesday.

Laviolette said he opted to reinsert McMichael, who had not played since

April 10, to avoid disputing the other three lines.

“First of all, Connor played really well, (but) I’m not going to take any of

the centermen out of the middle of the ice right now,” Laviolette said.

“Connor’s played a lot of left wing this year. The lines have been really

good for 10 games now and they’ve been fairly consistent now that we’ve

had a healthy lineup. And we’ve been able to generate, produce, win

hockey games and find success.

“It’s a great opportunity for Connor, and it disrupts everything else the

least.”

McMichael, who has nine goals and nine assists in 66 games, said he’s

excited about making his return alongside Kuznetsov and Wilson.

“It’s a huge opportunity for me to prove myself going into the playoffs and

kind of prove to the coaches that when guys do get hurt that I am ready

to fill that void,” he said.

As for Ovechkin’s status, McMichael sounded optimistic.

“You always hear, ‘Russian Machine never breaks,’” McMichael said, “so

you know Ovi will be OK. He’s a warrior. He’s been out before and he

seems to always come back. So we’re looking forward to having him

back, whenever that is.”

If the Caps are going to have a long stay in the postseason, though,

they’d better hope it’s sooner than later.

“There’s always concern,” Laviolette said. “This popped up at the end of

last year; we ended up dinging up some guys right at the end of the

season. You want to go in as healthy as you can and put your best foot

forward with a healthy lineup. It was a little bit tough with some of the

things that happened, but that happens. Hopefully, Alex returns to the

lineup soon and everybody else can stay the course, get through these

(final) games and move on to the playoffs.”


1242969 Winnipeg Jets

Perfetti’s missed opportunity

Mike McIntyre

8-10 minutes 4/26/2022

There’s just one little problem: Perfetti’s recovery is ramping up just in

time for his schedule to go dark.

"Yeah, I’m in a tough spot when it comes to that," he admitted following

the practice at Canada Life Centre, in which he joined the main group for

the first since February while clad in a yellow non-contact sweater.

The Jets have missed the playoffs, their season comes to an end

Sunday. Perfetti won’t be full healed by then. And he’s ineligible for go

down and skate for the Manitoba Moose in the post-season due to a

technicality that prevented him from being assigned to the AHL club last

month in time to make the "clear day" roster because he was on long-

term injured reserve in the NHL and didn’t have enough pro games

accrued (unlike Kristian Reichel, who was in an identical position but was

able to be sent down).

"It would have been amazing to go there and join that team for that run,

but obviously that didn’t work out," said Perfetti. "Anytime you can get

any playoff experience it’s massive. Especially in the AHL on a team

that’s going to go far on a big run. That experience is really important for

players and if I was able to get that at a young age that would have been

beneficial for me. But obviously the rules prevent that. There’s nothing I

can do about that. Just have to ride with the punches and go with it."

So, even as he gets closer to being game-ready, there likely won’t be any

action for quite some time. Barring an invite to the World Championships

next month in Finland, the next potential target becomes the re-

scheduled World Juniors which Perfetti was a part of last December

before COVID-19 shut the whole tournament down.

"We’ll probably make the decision with what’s best for the player. He’s

missed a lot of hockey, and we’d probably like to get him in a competitive

environment sooner rather than later," interim coach Dave Lowry said of

Perfetti, who would have normally "aged out" of eligibility by now, but can

play due to being included on the original 2021 roster.

Perfetti began the year by making the Jets out of training camp, was re-

assigned to the Moose after a handful of games, then got another call-up

after Christmas and really started coming into his own. Prior to taking a

big hit from Seattle’s Jamie Oleksiak during a Feb. 17 game against

Seattle, he was playing on a line with Pierre-Luc Dubois and leading

scorer Kyle Connor. He’d put up six points over a 10-game stretch after

just a single point in his first eight NHL games.

"There’s never a good time to get injured. And I kind of felt like I was

finally getting — it’s going to take a long time to get fully comfortable —

but it’s getting more comfortable every game. Playing with those guys

was a lot of fun," said Perfetti, a natural centre who had shifted to the

right wing.

"We started to put up some numbers and find a groove offensively. We

were playing well, so it was frustrating obviously going out. But I kind of

just proved to myself that I can play with guys of that calibre and can

make plays with them. Obviously there’s lots to work on, tons of room for

improvement, and everyone’s like that, especially me as a young guy

coming up. Playing with those two guys you learn lots. Just kind of

proved to myself that it’s going to be a long road ahead, but I can stay

with those guys and play with them at that calibre of hockey."

While rehabilitating the original shoulder injury, Perfetti suffered a second

ailment that essentially cost him the rest of the season. He began skating

on his own a couple of weeks ago, joined the Jets for their season-

ending four-game road trip through the Eastern Conference before

getting his first team practice in Tuesday.

"Obviously getting back on the ice is huge for not just the progression but

for my mental state. Being eight weeks off the ice or whatever it was, it

was pretty hard. It felt like it was eight months," he said.

Perfetti, the 10th-overall pick from 2020, has 41 (15 goals, 26 assists)

points in 49 AHL games. That’s even more impressive considering he

would normally have been ineligible to play in the AHL due to being too

young if not for COVID-19 shutting down the Ontario Hockey League last

season.

There’s no question he is a major part of Winnipeg’s future.

"I think the biggest thing for progression is that he’s an extremely

intelligent player and he can make plays. He’s not afraid to get inside.

And that’s only going to help him down the road," said Lowry, who isn’t

sure whether a return to centre is in the cards at some point for Perfetti.

"I think there’s going to be flexibility," he said. "Let’s remember one thing.

Centre is a hard position to play in the National Hockey League.

Especially for a lot of young guys. Sometimes it’s better to learn the

game on the wing. The responsibility is not quite the same in the D zone.

And it’s not quite as heavy."

Regardless of where he plays — or when — Perfetti plans to be ready.

"I think my mind right now is to get as healthy as I can as fast as

possible, for the summer. This is going to be a big summer for me," he

said. "Off the ice, on the ice, it’s four months where I can get stronger,

get faster, do what I need to do to make sure that when I come back next

September I’m in the best shape and my health is in the best spot."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 04.27.2022


‘It was kind of embarrassing’

Mike McIntyre

8-10 minutes 4/26/2022

Instead, the 26-year-old defenceman stepped into his answer like a

blistering one-timer from the point.

"Let’s be honest, it was kind of embarrassing what we did this year,"

Pionk said Tuesday following his team’s practice at Canada Life Centre.

"We had a really good roster and totally underachieved."

There may be three games left in the regular season, including a

Wednesday night visit from the Philadelphia Flyers. But the autopsy of

the 2021-22 campaign is already underway. And Pionk stood over the

patient on the gurney, scalpel in hand, and started cutting deep.

“Let’s be honest, it was kind of embarrassing what we did this year.” –

Neal Pionk

"Disappointing, underachieving, I don’t know if it was one specific area. It

was almost every area," Pionk continued. "It starts by looking in the

mirror, too. I look at myself, I look at my game as disappointing and

underachieving like I just said. If everyone goes into the summer with that

mindset, a little self-evaluation, looking in the mirror, and bringing a better

attitude and a better mindset to training camp next year, we’ll start on a

better foot."

Winnipeg (36-32-11) will miss the playoffs for the seventh time in 11

seasons since since the NHL returned to town. Considering the lofty

expectations before the year began, this is certainly the most

disappointing of them all.

Pionk said it’s going to leave a mark.

"When I look in the mirror, I’m embarrassed," said Pionk, whose up-and-

down year included getting suspended two games for kneeing Toronto’s

Rasmus Sandin and then suffering a concussion after being kneed in the

head by Jason Spezza during the same early December game. His play

took a notable dip following his return, with his trademark tenacity and

aggression replaced by a more hesitant, cautious player.

Interim coach Dave Lowry appreciated the honestly and candour from

one of the core members of his club.

"Well I think that is one player taking ownership in our season," Lowry

said. "We’re not going to run and hide from this. We know that we’re

going to have to be better. The biggest thing is it has to start within, and it

has to start with self-reflection and individuals taking ownership of where

we are."

Big decisions will have to be made this summer on where the Jets go

from here. Do they consider blowing it up as part of a major rebuild, or go

with making more minor adjustments with the hopes there is still enough

good pieces here to contend? In some ways, the situation isn’t unlike

what the Calgary Flames went through last year, when they fell far short

of expectations despite a solid roster on paper, fired their coach mid-

season, brought in Darryl Sutter and now, with mostly the same group

intact, are among the NHL’s powerhouses.

"The big thing is you look at their top players and how they came back,"

said Lowry.

"They’ve got two guys on their top line with 100 points. They’ve got

potentially three 40-goal scorers. You look at their play without the puck

and the improvements they’ve made in their game. And that is something

where I’ve played under Darryl, I’ve worked under Darryl, I know that that

is one of his demands.

"Sometimes it takes time to get everything in place. They seem to be

working, they seem to understand there’s a certain way to play. You’re

still going to get your points, you’re still going to score your goals, but

there’s a certain way to play to win hockey games," added Lowry.

The Jets have shown glimpses of that this year, including Sunday’s

impressive 4-1 victory over the Colorado Avalanche that snapped a four-

game losing streak. But inconsistency has been a major issue.

"We have a heck of a roster. We have world-class players," Pionk said.

"Come in with a different mindset, a better attitude, and get started off on

the right foot. You lose the first three games of the year, it puts you in a

hole right away and then you’re kind of chasing the rest of the time. You

lose your confidence right off the start, too. We get off to a good start

next year, I think we can go pretty far."

You lose the first three games of the year, it puts you in a hole right away

and then you’re kind of chasing the rest of the time." – Neal Pionk

Pionk had a bit of his snarl back the other night after taking a heavy hit

from Avalanche forward Nicolas Aube-Kubel which left him bleeding from

a cut on his nose.

"I didn’t know my nose could get any bigger," he joked.

Lowry suggested that was the turning point in the game, with Pionk and

several of his teammates suddenly playing angry.

"There’s times we could have used more of that," Pionk admitted. "It’s

tough during the dog days, when you’re playing 17 games in a month or

18 games in a month but, at the same time, that’s not really an excuse

because other teams are doing the same thing. They’re playing a lot of

games in a few days so, if we can find that competitive edge, I think it will

help us for the next year and years to come."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 04.27.2022


Jets' Perfetti gearing up for... summer?

Paul Friesen


St. Louis Blues center Brayden Schenn (10) pressures Winnipeg Jets

center Cole Perfetti (91) during the first period at Enterprise Center in St.

Louis on Jan. 29, 2022.

If you want a straight-line example of a star prospect making it to the

NHL, don’t trot out 2020 first-round draft pick Cole Perfetti.

The Winnipeg Jets’ 20-year-old, already with an unusual season as a

rookie pro under his belt, is ending his second one in an even stranger

position.

Perfetti returned from the injury list to practice with his teammates on

Tuesday, and will do so again on Wednesday and the day after that.

But his injury won’t allow him to suit up over the last three games, while

the convoluted rules governing NHL-AHL transactions prevented him

from being placed on the Manitoba Moose playoff roster.

So Perfetti, limited to 18 games with the Jets and 17 with the Moose this

season, is ramping back up for, essentially, nothing.

“Yeah, I’m in a tough spot,” Perfetti said. “Obviously, I missed the

deadline to go to the Moose, which is tough. That would have been a

great team to go on a long run (with)… my mind right now is to get as

healthy as I can as fast as possible, for the summer. This is going to be a

big summer for me.”

Perfetti says he hurt his shoulder back in mid-February, then aggravated

what he calls an “older thing” while rehabbing.

Just like that, all the momentum he’d created on a line with Pierre-Luc

Dubois and Kyle Connor vanished.

More than eight weeks later, the time off shows.

“It felt like it was eight months,” Perfetti said. “I’ve been doing as much as

I can in the gym, cardio wise, but there’s nothing like skating. Nothing

emulates it like that. It’s been tough. The last couple of days I’ve been

exhausted. The lungs are hurting a little bit… it’ll take a couple days, a

couple weeks maybe, and then it should be back to normal.”

Just in time for… the golf course?

Perfetti made the most of his pandemic-cancelled, 19-year-old junior

season, taking advantage of the rules allowing him to stay in the AHL,

where he put up 26 points in 32 games.

He added some icing to that pro cake with appearances for Canada at

the World Juniors, collecting a silver medal, and the men’s Worlds, where

he won a gold.

He looked to be adding another sparkling World Junior chapter to his

resume this season when he posted six points in two games, only to see

the event called off and rescheduled for August.

The Jets will have to weigh the risks and benefits of having their top

forward prospect give that another go, coming off two injuries, one that’s

old and recurring.

“I’m not too sure what’s going to happen with that,” Perfetti said.

“Obviously I’m going to have a say, but there’s going to be a lot from the

Jets as an organization, what they think is best for me.

“Like I said in the past, playing for Team Canada is pretty special. So if

that’s the case that’d be awesome. If not, I’ve got my mind set on

September.”

That’ll be a decision for GM Kevin Cheveldayoff, although head coach

Dave Lowry may have provided a clue.

“He’s missed a lot of hockey, and we’d probably like to get him in a

competitive environment sooner rather than later,” Lowry said.

Players who don’t make the playoffs always say it’s a long summer, and

it’ll seem even longer for Perfetti if he doesn’t play in the World Juniors:

his last game was Feb. 17.

But while his career momentum was scuttled, he’ll pack something

valuable to take into the summer.

Confidence.

“Playing with those guys was a lot of fun,” Perfetti said. “We started to put

up some numbers and find a groove offensively. We were playing well,

so it was frustrating, obviously, going out. But I proved to myself that I

can play with guys of that caliber and can make plays with them.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.27.2022


Pionk hits nail on head, calls Winnipeg Jets’ season ‘embarrassing’

Paul Friesen


Winnipeg Jets defenceman Neal Pionk (4) tries to ride Boston Bruins

right wing David Pastrnak (88) off the puck during the first period at TD

Garden in Boston on Jan. 22, 2022.

It’s not yet awards season in the NHL, but Winnipeg Jets defenceman

Neal Pionk has already won one.

Pionk on Tuesday came up with the best word to describe the Jets

season.

Since this once highly-touted bunch had the Stanley Cup Playoff door

officially slammed in its collective faces last week, several players have

tried to describe the carnage.

“Disappointing,” “frustrating” and “wasted” come to mind, but none of

them completely encapsulate this team’s predicament.

Disappointing might well describe the weather, and to say the Jets

season has been frustrating is like saying Winnipeg needs some road

work.

A “wasted year,” as goalie Connor Hellebuyck described it the other day,

is getting closer, but you could say that about any season that doesn’t

end in a championship.

Pionk came along after practice on Tuesday and nailed it cleanly, like a

perfectly-timed, open-ice hit.

“Let’s be honest, it was kind of embarrassing what we did this year,” he

said. “We had a really good roster and totally underachieved.”

“Embarrassing” really says it all, doesn’t it?

You don’t hear athletes use that term a lot. After all, who likes to admit

that’s how they’re feeling?

But it encapsulates this Jets mess to a tee, from the expectations they

rightfully carried into the season to the very public crash-and-burn in

which they all-too-often looked like they just didn’t have enough want-to,

heart, character – take your pick of words, there – to do what it takes to

win.

Embarrassment implies they knew better, and that everyone else knows

they did. It suggests there’s not a reasonable excuse to lean on, no

outside factors to point a finger at.

No, Pionk suggests the only thing to point to is the person you see on the

wall, first thing every morning.

“It starts by looking in the mirror,” he said. “I look at myself, I look at my

game as disappointing and underachieving… we have a heck of a roster.

We have world-class players. Come in with a different mindset, a better

attitude, and get started off on the right foot.”

Starting this season with three straight losses was certainly the wrong

foot. Pionk says the Jets immediately had their confidence carved, and

wound up chasing.

Asked what he meant by needing a “better attitude,” he said the Jets

need to have more of an edge.

“When I say different mindset, what I mean is we have to have a chip on

our shoulder, in a sense. If we come into training camp next year with a

chip on our shoulder, to not go through what we did this year, we’ll be

better off.”

That immediately raises a question: why couldn’t they make that attitude

adjustment halfway through the year?

You know, get a little angry, acquire a chip or two and stop

underachieving.

“There are a lot of things going on during the year that makes it hard to

wipe the slate clean,” Pionk said. “I think you can do that in the summer

and mentally reset with three or four months of not playing games and

then come back next year fully recharged.”

Head coach Dave Lowry seemed almost heartened to hear Pionk’s blunt

evaluation.

“That is one player taking ownership in our season,” he said. “I told you

the other day, we’re not going to run and hide from this. The biggest thing

is it has to start within, and it has to start with self-reflection and

individuals taking ownership of where we are.

“And every guy is going to have different words. I use disappointment…

frustration. There’s going to be different adjectives used to describe what

went on this year.”

Some aren’t fit for print in a family newspaper.

Pionk went on to say the Jets’ underachievement wasn’t limited to one

area or one position.

But he didn’t exclude the guy sitting in his own chair.

Yeah, he’s been hampered by a couple of injuries, including a

concussion.

There was also the two-game suspension for a knee-on-knee hit back in

December that caused him to play tentatively when he returned.

“You have to go out there cautious,” he said. “You got suspended, the

league noticed it and you can’t do it again. You still have to play

competitive and play hard, but you have to learn from it and not cross

that line.”

But none of that prevented Pionk from some harsh self-evaluation.

He actually summed up his own play using the same term he’d used

earlier to describe his team’s season.

“When I look in the mirror, I’m embarrassed,” he said. “That’s where it

starts for me. If everyone goes into the summer and does that self-

evaluation and we all come back, it’ll be a lot better.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.27.2022

1242973 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks 5, Kraken 2: Victory overshadowed by emotional loss of playoff

pursuit

Ben Kuzma


Vancouver Canucks' Oliver Ekman-Larsson (23) and Seattle Kraken's

Yanni Gourde (37) get into a scuffle after the whistle during the second

period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Tuesday, April 26,

2022.

Must win here and must lose in regulation there.

That was the tricky daily-double ticket the Vancouver Canucks hoped to

punch Tuesday to prolong their magical mystery tour and qualify for the

Stanley Cup playoffs.

They had to beat the upset-minded Seattle Kraken at Rogers Arena and

have the Dallas Stars lose in regulation to the visiting Golden Knights.

The Stars needed a single point to get to 94 points — one more than the

Canucks could collect with three-straight wins to close out the regular

season — and at 8:10 p.m. Pacific, that Vancouver ticket was ripped to

shreds.

The Stars rallied to get to overtime and won 3-2 in a shootout. Somebody

must have seen the result on a tablet at the bench. The Canucks went

from a 3-0 domination to being outshot 16-2 in the second period where

they took five penalties, to finally claiming a 5-2 win — knowing they

were mathematically eliminated from playing in May.

It was understandable.

The odds were heavily stacked against Bruce Boudreau’s bunch since he

took over the bench Dec. 6 with the club in an 8-15-2 free-fall. Playing

meaningful games in late April should be saluted. And a 31-15-5 run to

come this close to the playoffs will take some time to sink in.

Right now, there’s too much hurt, but there is promise.

“We pushed to win from Day 1, and if there’s anything I like about it, it’s

to change the culture in that winning is the only thing that matters,”

stressed Boudreau. “That’s something I preached every day since the

day I got here and hopefully it sunk in. There were games where we

weren’t good, but we still won.

“We can fix the problems as long as we keep winning. The guys now,

they hate to lose and you can see it on their faces. They expect to win

and that’s what you want. That’s what you’re here for. I hope that’s what

we’ve established.

“We want to win our last three games and take some solace from that,

but I never want it to happen again. I love working with young guys

because they’re way more responsive than older guys, who are more set

in their ways, and you have to massage them a bit.”

Here’s what we learned as Sheldon Dries, J.T, Miller, Oliver Ekman-

Larsson, Luke Schenn and Quinn Hughes scored for the Canucks while

Jordan Eberle and Morgan Geekie replied for the Kraken:

Seattle Kraken’s Karson Kuhlman (25) takes a shot on goal while being

checked by Vancouver Canucks’ Elias Pettersson (40) during the second

period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Tuesday, April 26,

2022.

GARLAND’S SPIN TO WIN

The prevailing wisdom is small players are in big trouble as the post-

season nears.

Games to determine playoff seeding — and send others to the golf

course — are played at a greater level of physicality. Time and space are

at a premium and the diminutive can be crushed like a beer can.

Not Garland.

The winger has 14 points (4-10) in his last 10 games — including three

assists Tuesday and being foiled on two breakaways — and they came

by doing what he does best to avoid being stapled or dropped by a giant

defender. He has the speed, the spin and the smarts to make something

happen — especially from behind the net — and that bodes well for next

season.

“Spins are unique,” Garland after the morning skate. “It’s a good way to

protect yourself and that’s how small guys survive. There’s nothing

unique about not getting crushed.”

On Tuesday, it was Garland’s ability to dish that helped the Canucks

score three first-period goals. He slipped a sweet backhand feed to Miller

and set up Ekman-Larsson at the point.

Garland, 26, has four more years at a palatable annual salary-cap hit of

US$4.95 million. He has 18 goals and should be capable of at least 25,

but a 19-game goal drought in the second half didn’t help.

That’s where the new hockey operations department has to make a

decision. He has the speed they’re looking for but must decide whether

$6 million in total salary in 2023-24 and 2024-25 are worth the

commitment.

“I’m effective on the forecheck and bring energy and try to play a hard

style — no matter what the game entails — and I like to play behind the

net,” said Garland.

Vancouver Canucks’ Quinn Hughes (43) and Seattle Kraken’s Karson

Kuhlman (25) vie for the puck as linesman Bryan Pancich tries to get out

of the way during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver,

on Tuesday, April 26, 2022.

ALL HAIL HUGHES RECORD

Hughes is wired to win and become a more complete player.

As much as there’s a level of satisfaction in eclipsing two franchise

records for single-season excellence by defencemen — the assist mark

of 55 set by Dennis Kearns in 1976-77 and the points standard of 63

established by Doug Lidster in 1986-87 — his team-first mentality has

reduced his plus-minus from minus-24 last season to a pleasing plus-8.

Hughes passed Lidster’s recored in the first period when he threaded a

pass to Garland to start the scoring sequence on Miller’s career-high 31st

goal. It was fitting. It’s the sublime skating to escape trouble and those

laser-like passes on the tape that have triggered the transition. He added

a second assist on Schenn’s goal and then scored off a Garland feed.

For the record, Hughes wasn’t really thinking about the record at start of

this season.

“When I hit the 50-point mark, I thought I could probably do this, but

honestly, we were so close and pushing so hard for the playoffs, that was

the dominant thing on my mind,” said Hughes. “That was the main thing,

but I knew to get there, I’d have to play good hockey and the two were

connected.

“It (record) hasn’t really sunk in. I’m definitely humbled, but in my crazy

mind, I have more goals I want to do and just keep going. The big thing is

learning and the last 40 games have been the best of my career by a

landslide with my overall game. I’m doing a better job at controlling shifts

and I’m more satisfied with my plus-minus and overall game than the

points.”

As for the disappointment of what transpired in Dallas, it was a challenge

to press on knowing what it meant when it became clear the playoff

chase was over. It had to have an effect.

“It did for me and you try not to think about it, but you’re looking at the

board and the message was to finish strong,” said Hughes. We’ve got to

be proud of ourselves for the way we pushed the last 4 1/2 months and

we can carry this into next year.

“Our culture has improved and guys really want to win. Everyone can see

it.”

Lidster was teaching at a hockey academy in Plymouth, Mich. and was

so impressed by Hughes, that he used videos of his exploits to pass

along to young players.

“There was a play in his first NHL year and he was quarterbacking the

power play,” recalled Lidster. “He made the pass from the left side to the

right flank, and while that guy was shooting, I stopped the clip because

Hughes was turning his head to see what his possible options were if he

gets the puck back.

“He’s thinking a step or two ahead of everybody.”

Vancouver Canucks goalie Spencer Martin, bottom centre, watches the

puck after stopping Seattle Kraken’s Alex Wennberg (21) as Jordan

Eberle (7) corrals the puck while Vancouver’s Tyler Myers (57) and Oliver

Ekman-Larsson (23) defend during the second period of an NHL hockey

game in Vancouver, on Tuesday, April 26, 2022.

MARTIN HAS HIS MOMENTS

Spencer Martin didn’t see a shot in the opening seven minutes, but when

he was finally faced with making significant saves, he came through with

Thatcher Demko on the sidelines with an injury.

Just ask Jared McCann.

The former Canucks forward, who leads Seattle with 26 goals, had six

shots and 12 attempts and Martin got the best of him at even strength

and the power play. It started on the first of two 5-on-3 advantages and

carried over to the second with two more stops.

“I was one of the only guys that didn’t know the out-of-town score

(Dallas) until after the game and that put a little damper on it,” said

Martin, who made 30 saves. “For me, it was just exciting to show I can

play at this level and that was great. I had some tiny cramps, but I was

fine.

“Every time I get a chance to practise or play, I want to show I can help

these guys next year, so I’m not taking anything for granted. These

games are really important for my confidence and for playing in the

playoffs with Abby.”

Added Boudreau: “He was great. His effort on the first 5-on-3 was

outstanding. He wants to prove he’s an every-day NHLer and he hasn’t

disproved it — I can tell you that.”

OVERTIME — Travis Dermott got sick Tuesday morning and Brad Hunt

felt sick before the game but played through it. Will Lockwood has an

upper-body injury.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 04.27.2022


Vancouver Canucks officially eliminated from playoff contention

Mike Raptis


Vancouver Canucks' Quinn Hughes (43) and Seattle Kraken's Karson

Kuhlman (25) vie for the puck as linesman Bryan Pancich tries to get out

of the way during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver,

on Tuesday, April 26, 2022.

Well, it was fun while it lasted.

After making an inspired run to come close to the playoff bar, the

Vancouver Canucks ultimately fell short on Tuesday night after the Dallas

Stars defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 3-2 in a shootout.

The Stars’ win means that the Canucks can only reach 93 points if they

win their two remaining games, while Dallas now has 95 points.

Vancouver defeated the Seattle Kraken 5-2 on Tuesday night at Rogers

Arena. The Stars’ win sent the Nashville Predators and the Los Angeles

Kings to the playoffs as well. The Golden Knights still have a slim

chance.



Canucks: Thatcher Demko sidelined by injury, Spencer Martin gets

crease call

Ben Kuzma


Spencer Martin has had three smart starts this NHL season, including

Jan. 21 at Rogers Arena where he made 32 saves in a 2-1 loss to

Florida.

Bruce Boudreau called it “a little bit of an ouch” on Tuesday morning.

It was a complimentary way for the Vancouver Canucks coach to frame a

day-to-day injury to the heavily taxed Thatcher Demko — who has

obviously been playing through some level of discomfort — because the

bench boss knows how hard his starter practises and plays.

The bigger picture is one of physical and mental strain on the workhorse,

who has logged a career-high 64 appearances this season, to keep his

club in the NHL playoff conversation.

And that can invite stiffness, soreness or a strain on a stopper who has

exhibited quick post-to-post movements and crazy scrambles in crease

scrums to corral loose pucks.

It has led to Demko posting a personal-best 2.72 goals against average

at the NHL level this season and match a career .915 save percentage

established last season. And in eclipsing the 30-win plateau with 33

victories — all while looking somewhat fatigued in his last seven starts in

which he went 4-2-1 — he made a statement of drive and durability.

In Demko’s absence, Spencer Martin got the call to face the Seattle

Kraken on Tuesday at Rogers Arena, while Arturs Silovs was summoned

from the AHL affiliate on an emergency basis.

As for the 26-year-old Demko, let’s put it this way: Luke Schenn is a

deserving nomination for the Masterton Trophy by the manner in which

the veteran defenceman has met the award criteria of perseverance,

sportsmanship and dedication. Demko was second in voting by the local

chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. He could also be

named the club’s most valuable player.

However, his season could be done with just three games left and playoff

hopes hanging by a thread.

“He’s being evaluated,” said Boudreau, who saw in January what Martin

could do with Demko and Jaroslav Halak in COVID-19 protocol.

Martin, 26, signed a two-year, $US1.525 million extension earlier this

month, and went 1-0-2 with a 1.59 GAA and a .985 save percentage. He

could play in the final three regular-season games, depending on the

Canucks’ playoff fate and Demko’s health.

“His three games were amazing and he held us in every game against

good competition (Florida, Edmonton and Winnipeg) and we feel very

confident with him in the net,” said Boudreau. “Hopefully, he feels

comfortable coming back and wanting to show that he’s ready to play in

the NHL next season.

“It (January) was a small sample size, but the more games he gets here,

it all adds up. And if he can keep the same numbers, that’s pretty good.”

Three months ago, Martin was just elated to get another chance with an

organization after logging three games with Colorado in 2016-17. He was

a 2013 third-round pick of the Avalanche and brought into Abbotsford as

the fifth organization stopper, but he was far down the pecking order.

It took a month before he even got an AHL start this season and he has

responded with a 19-4-2 record, 2.43 GAA and .914 save percentage.

“You never know and you don’t take it for granted,” Martin told Postmedia

News. “I got a chance when I was really young to play some games. I’m

just balancing the excitement with the business of playing well.”

Boudreau has made it a mission to get to know both the player and the

person on his roster since taking over the bench on Dec. 6. However,

goalies are cut from a different cloth and they can be quirky and very set

in their practice habits and game preparation.

As for Martin, it’s a different approach for the coach.

“Goalies are real different,” chuckled Boudreau. “I haven’t got to know

him as well as if he was here for a long time, but I’ve talked to him. I

leave most of that up to the goalie coach (Ian Clark) and he takes what I

say and does more communication with him (Martin) than I would.”

OVERTIME: Boudreau said unrestricted free agent Halak (hand) is

“probably not” an option this week because he hasn’t been on the ice for

a week. He added that winger Tanner Pearson (wrist) is “not necessarily”

done for the season and gets another X-ray on Thursday to determine

his playing status if the club is still alive. Boudreau didn’t think Bo Horvat

has progressed far enough from a lower-leg hairline fracture to be a

roster consideration, especially after not skating for two weeks.

Defenceman Tucker Poolman (migraine headaches) has been placed on

long-term injury reserve.



The Armies: Canucks skate into the Spencer Martin era

By Wyatt Arndt

Much like that scene in “Titanic” when the band members wore their best

suits as they played away to their doom, the Canucks donned their nicest

jerseys as their season slipped away.

With their slim chances at the playoffs officially crushed thousands of

miles away by the glove of Jake Oettinger halfway through the second

period, the Canucks had nothing left to play for other than pride.

And maybe some personal bests in an NHL season where it feels like

everyone is setting career highs.

In fact, if you didn’t set a career high this season, I really have to

question how committed you are to your NHL career.

JT Miller’s quest for 100 points inched one point closer, finishing the

game at 97.

Quinn Hughes punted Doug Lidster out of the record book with a three-

point night, smashing it like he had just finished reading The Armies.

Conor Garland threw in three assists just for the hell of it.

Luke Schenn challenged Tyler Myers for the right to become the net-front

presence on PP2.

And Spencer Martin had the kind of game you love your backup to have,

this time at a very affordable price unlike years past.

All in all, it was, as they say, a tidy piece of business, as the Canucks

secured a 5-2 win over the visiting Kraken.

Not a great season, but a fun one, is probably the best way to summarize

the Canucks’ campaign.

Now as usual, we will save the end-of-season talk for the last game of

the season. We’ll have hors d’oeuvres and room-temperature tap water

on hand, and hey, maybe we’ll hand out some awards.

But until then, as always, let’s make some GIF money first.

Best now I know I’m in first class

I feel like the Canucks deciding out of nowhere to use their skate jersey

for their last two home games is either the “dangle some keys to distract

from the lack of playoffs” or a solid indication that the Skate jersey is

coming back into rotation next season.

For what it’s worth, I have heard three distinct rumbles from three distinct

places that have winked and nodded at me that the Skate jersey is

indeed joining the cast and crew of the Canucks next season. One

person even smirked while winking, which is as close as it gets to

confirmation from deep sources.

As for the game itself, it started as so many of them do, with an odd-man

rush for the opposing team:

Luckily, it’s the Kraken, so they biffed it, but Pete Carroll assures me this

was the right play to call.

Elias Pettersson and his BFF Brock Boeser hooked up to get a nice shot

on net:

At this point, their home planet needed them, and Boeser and Pettersson

disappeared from the game, never to be seen again.

Best Dries and gravy

Sheldon Dries, the Abbotsford Canuck goal-scorer supreme, potted the

first goal for the Canucks when he had a kind of two-on-one with Myers:

My favorite part is the swagger of Dries to waltz in and not even think

pass, you know he’s bottom shelf where Jordie Benn keeps the beard

conditioner.

I also like to think that he recognizes it’s Net Front Specialist Myers

skating with him, and if he passes that puck over to him, he’s stepping

right into chaos.

One of three things happens if he passes to CG57 there:

The pass gets blocked, but the puck somehow still gets to Myers, who

then goes bar down. Twice. Like, the puck goes bar, goes ice, then goes

bar, then ice again.

The pass gets through but Myers shoots the puck around the boards,

and it ends up getting past Martin.

Myers pulls off his costume to reveal that he’s been a broom this entire

time.

I’ve watched this goal on loop for about 60 seconds while trying to tap

into the chaos of Myers and you know what, it gets better each time.

Hughes drop kicked Lidster out of the record book like a young Maven

with his assist on Miller’s goal:

Sometimes, you break down goals and go over what led to the puck

going in the net, and sometimes it’s something as simple as “JT Miller

shot the puck towards the net.”

Garland set the goal up with a nice drive to the net where about three

Kraken players decide he’s the imminent threat, leaving Miller all alone in

the slot so that he could put the puck on net in a gentle fashion.

To be fair, this is the most excited he’s looked since he found out his

midterm was cancelled.

Best Drance attack

The Seattle Kraken record their first shot on goal against Spencer Martin

at 8:25 of the first period.

— Thomas Drance (@ThomasDrance) April 27, 2022

Seattle did not look like a very good club through one period. Anytime

people start comparing you to Arizona, it’s not a good look.

“Like Arizona, but not playing out of an improv theater for the next

several seasons.”

After seeing Miller score by simply shooting the puck on net, Oliver

Ekman-Larsson decided to give it a go:

Much like the Miller goal, Garland threw a nice bit of backhand sauce to

the middle of the ice, and then a couple of Kraken players pretended they

were going to block the shot, but we all know they weren’t REALLY trying

to block the shot.

See? The Coyotes comparisons, man. Just brutal.

Best equalizer

Luckily for Seattle, the referees had their sliders ramped all the way up

after the first period, as they began calling everything against Vancouver.

Up first is Schenn getting penalized for being too strong and too good at

his job:

The official penalty was interference, and I feel it was mostly called

because Jordan Eberle did a really good “wtf is going on here” hand

gesture.

The problem got demonstrably worse when OEL got called for the illegal

use of a wooden object:

But you know what? Martin handled his business. He handled it easily.

He handled it so easily that he didn’t even sweat it when his team let him

have the full Thatcher Demko experience by giving up a breakaway:

This was a fantastic game for Martin and remains one of the best stories

of the season for the Canucks, not only in terms of finding a suitable

backup for next season, but for the fact Martin fought his way back into

the NHL.

It’s like a moral victory except it doesn’t feel like pain.

The Canucks, never one to sit back and let their goalie have an easy

night, immediately went down two men again.

First up is what scientists call the Tyler Myers Sequence, in which he

feels slighted by an opponent, so he hunts them down and breaks his

stick on them:

This was then followed up by Brad Richardson getting called for the

illegal activities with the wooden stick:

All of which led to Martin absolutely spitting in the face of Demko by

making multiple saves without his stick:

You can make one save without your stick Demko? Martin can make

three.

Gauntlet, thrown.

Alas, the Kraken finally broke through the Martin wall when the natural

chaos of a five-on-three worked its way to Seattle’s advantage:

Martin saves that without a stick. I’m just saying.

At this point, the referees handed out a penalty to Miller for simply being

Miller, and to be fair, nobody really argued it:

You’d think he got an unsportsmanlike penalty for swearing, but this guy

drops the loudest f-bombs in the league, so it must have been a strongly

worded insult about the officials’ Settlers of Catan strategies.

“You look like you lean heavily on brick and wood. Idiot. Everyone knows

wheat and ore are the true end-game resources.”

Though I like the idea of a saddened Boeser passing an iPad along the

bench with the out-of-town scoreboard, it’s most likely the fact Vancouver

was killing penalties for half of the period that caused the team to lag.

Seattle would indeed take advantage in the shift of momentum when an

innocent-looking dump-in led to a quick strike from Morgan Geekie:

Best about that…

First off, Hughes is lucky that stick didn’t hit a Seattle Kraken player in

the face, otherwise he gets a penalty there:

As it stands, the Canucks finally got a power play.

OK, Miller got called once again for existing, so there goes that power

play.

And there goes Schenn for, again, illegal use of a wooden object:

You might be asking yourself why are there so many highlights of

penalties from this game, and I am right there with you.

I often wonder if J-Pats giggles when he finds the perfect stat bomb to

drop, or merely fist pumps silently.

Martin is taking nothing for granted, he is out here to show he wants that

backup job next season:

Once every 45 games, Schenn busts out a first-round draft-pick goal, and

it’s downright adorable:

Not only does Schenn dangle into the zone, but he then skates hard to

the net to deposit the Matty Two Shoes Highmore shot into the back of

the net.

Then he acts like he scores goals like this every game and simply turns

around and gives a gentle hug to Highmore as if to say sorry about

having to tap in your goal.

That’s just good Rocket League etiquette right there.

Then Brad Richardson spams the chat with “What a save!” and it all falls

apart.

Best finishing touches

OK, before we get to the highlight of the Hughes goal, we need to go on

a Garland journey.

He had three assists Tuesday, and once again had a very good game.

He had a really strong season under the ultimate Hype Man Travis

Green, but it feels like he hasn’t quite found himself under Bruce

Boudreau.

But again, he was very solid Tuesday night, even if his tributes to Tyler

Motte bordered on unreasonable.

In the first period, he attempts to score a breakaway at Pavel Bure

speeds, and it goes pretty much how I would imagine it goes for anyone

other than Bure or Nate MacKinnon:

One second you have dreams of glory, the next you’ve just begun the

first part of your deke and you’re already in the end boards.

Later in the second period, Alex Chiasson sends over the lumpy gritty

backhand sauce that he does a fantastic job of batting down, but you

can’t leg kick in a Skate jersey and score, everyone knows this:

Eventually, he just realizes his best bet is to just shoot:

And that brings us to the Hughes goal.

He has two options:

Be like Dries and use your natural machismo to score the goal?

Or pass the puck over to someone else to do the dirty work:

Full credit to Chiasson for skating hard to join the rush so we could see

what it would have looked like if Wayne Gretzky had passed to Larry

Murphy instead of Mario Lemieux.

Best sad trombone

How about we keep it to a thank you, Jim?

Best shine check

Not sure if this has been pointed out yet, but both goaltenders for the

#Canucks will presumably be wearing very white/blue/green equipment

on black skate jersey night.

Martin has skyrocketed up to the top five backup goalie masks of all time

in Vancouver.

Best Chiasson waterfalls

You can straight-up see Chiasson searching for another option with the

puck before just giving in and going crest, then just sort of walking away

like the sad Hulk.


1242977 Websites

Igor Shesterkin? Juuse Saros? Ilya Sorokin? Who is actually most

deserving of this year’s Vezina Trophy?

Shayna Goldman

12-15 minutes 26/04/2022

The Vezina Trophy is awarded to the goaltender voted by general

managers as “the best at this position.”

How should best be defined?

With a handful of NHL awards, the definition and interpretation varies by

voter. That can be true for the trophy that deals with goaltending, one of

the trickiest positions to analyze.

“Best” can be translated a couple of ways. It can be which goaltender

collects the most wins, despite that being a collective team-driven

number. Whether a team reaches the playoffs can be another

consideration, though one player typically can only drag their team so far.

Save percentage and goals-against average are other common ways.

More innovative thinkers may consider how goalies respond to their

workloads. And some voters might want to see who is the most valuable

to their team, overall.

The problem is, traditional metrics are only so telling about a goalie’s

actual performance and lack context, yet those tend to heavily weigh into

the conversation. Advanced data does help clear up some of those gaps,

but there really is no single way to perfectly assess this area of play at

this time.

That’s why, like with most awards, narratives can fuel the discussion.

Sometimes, it’s just deemed a certain player’s “year” — actual results be

damned. It can be the biggest hurdle working against a player who has

earned the honors.

So, which players have earned legitimate consideration as the best in

goal this season?

Starting at the very surface level, there’s wins. Sergei Bobrovsky leads

with 39 in a bounce-back season behind a Panthers team that’s one of

the best in the Eastern Conference. Juuse Saros, in 13 more games

played, is at 38 wins. Jacob Markstrom and Andrei Vasilevskiy trail with

37, while Igor Shesterkin and Darcy Kuemper are behind that pair at 36.

This helps start to build the field of goalies who will likely be in the mix,

but it doesn’t complete it either because wins shouldn’t be the end-all-be-

all.

Among starters in the league — and that’s a definition we can keep loose

for now, as a goaltender who plays at least 42 games which is a very

narrow margin for “majority” in a full season — Shesterkin’s saved the

highest percentage of shots he’s faced at 93.6.

His neighbor on Long Island, Ilya Sorokin, is next up with a .926 save

percentage. Frederik Andersen, Markstrom, and Kuemper file in behind

at .922. Ville Husso, who is closer to a 1A, follows closely (.921 save

percentage).

Many sticking with this traditional path would then look to goals-against

average, despite its flaws, and see Shesterkin’s leading the way (2.03),

with Andersen (2.17) and Markstrom (2.21) rounding out the top three.

For some, Vezina “analysis” stops here.

That is selling goaltenders short because there are additional ways to

more accurately estimate their impact.

A key consideration should be the workload these goaltenders face and

how they handle it. Starting with shot volume, Saros, Thatcher Demko,

Sorokin, Shesterkin, and Kuemper see a higher rate of unblocked shots

against than some of their peers around the league who rate highly in

save percentage.

Among starters, Markstrom faces the lowest rate of 38 unblocked shot

attempts against per 60. It helps to play behind a Flames team that’s so

defensively sound. Andersen and Bobrovsky are on the lower end, as

well.

Goalies obviously can’t control how the team in front of them plays; they

can only manage the workload they face. But having stronger numbers

behind tougher shot rates against counts for something.

One way to account for that is comparing actual save percentages to

expectations to see how much better or worse a goalie plays compared

to the average goaltender in their situations; that’s how delta save

percentages are derived. So, despite Markstrom not being as busy as

others, he’s still performing above average relative to what he faces.

This measure raises the stock of other starters including Shesterkin,

Andersen, Sorokin, and Husso given how much better than average they

perform.

There’s something to be said about a goaltender who consistently faces

upwards of 30 shots a game, on average, and stops a high percentage of

them. But shots aren’t created equally, and that should be considered as

well. A goalie with the support of their defense to limit puck movement

and stay out of the danger areas doesn’t face the same challenges of

playing behind a team that bleeds chances.

Expected goals help account for that shot quality, including factors shot

as shot type, distance, and angle, along with whether a chance was a

rebound or second effort opportunity.

Shesterkin leads the league with 38.2 goals saved above expected via

Evolving-Hockey, even after a dip in play last month. He’s ahead of the

next best, Andersen, by over nine goals. That doesn’t just stack up well

to this year’s goalies, but to all in the “data era” since 2007-08. It’s the

sixth best in the league behind Henrik Lundqvist in 2009-10 (GSAx of

53), 2011-12 (43.6), and 2008-09 (41.1), along with Bobrovsky in his

Vezina-winning 2016-17 season (45.1) and Carey Price in his 2014-15

(38.9).

There are quite a few goaltenders saving more than expected, and those

towards the top of the charts likely should find their names in the Vezina

conversation. It could be as simple as going 1-2-3 in GSAx for some

voters. But there’s more information to help build the case for the best

savers in the league.

The gap between one and two in the league deepens further with private

data that features pre-shot movement, which helps account for defensive

efforts in front of the blue paint.

According to Sportlogiq, Shesterkin’s stopped 40.8 goals above expected

in all situations. The next best in the league is Sorokin (18.9), followed by

Saros (18.2), and Tristan Jarry (18.1). Andersen slides to fourth, at 16.7

goals saved above expected.

To equal the playing field, seeing as each goalie has played a different

number of games, it helps to account for the differences in minutes

played since GSAx is a counting stat that accumulates through each

game played. Shesterkin, however, has played fewer games than some

of the other contenders. It only helps solidify his place at the top, with a

league-leading in goals saved above expected per 60.

Eight of the top 10 in GSAx (via Evolving-Hockey) keep their standing at

the top of the league. Saros, who has earned his saves in far more

games played, slides out of the top 10. As does Connor Hellebuyck.

With Saros and Hellebuyck and their usage in mind, playing time is a

consideration for another reason.

A case against Shesterkin is the fact that he’s only started 51 games this

season, or under 65 percent of the Rangers’ tilts. It’s not a matter of

splitting the workload like it is for Jonathan Quick in Los Angeles. Rather,

his season is more condensed because of time missed with injury. That

may hurt Andersen, too, and Sorokin (both below 64 percent).

For Sorokin, the fact that the Islanders are out of playoff contention

obviously plays into his standing for the Vezina too — but it certainly isn’t

for a lack of trying on his end. There’s a difference between behind

outstanding on a legitimate bottom-feeder and just playing on a team that

falls short of the playoffs, despite their goalie’s efforts. The latter applies

to him, and shouldn’t hold him out of this race.

There’s a difference between their usage and the likes of Husso’s, with

37 starts in what’s been closer to a shared crease.

But to compare, there’s Vasilevskiy and Markstrom having played over

77 percent of their teams’ starts on the high end, and Saros all the up at

83.5 percent.

The last two years are tricky to compare, so is 2012-13, because they

weren’t complete 82-games seasons. But last year’s winner, Marc-André

Fleury ended with 36 starts, 64 percent of the Golden Knights’ 56 games.

Vasilevskiy in 2018-19, was in the starter’s net for 53 of 82 games, so

was Tim Thomas back in 2008-09. In fact, Thomas won the award twice

while playing below 70 percent of his teams’ games.

In today’s NHL, there’s more of an effort to split the workload instead of

riding a goalie into the ground before the playoffs even start (although

most teams stick with one netminder in the postseason, anyway). But as

Saros shows, the league hasn’t completely done away a bonafide starter

shouldering a tremendous workload.

The rest of the winners in the data era, did see at least 70 percent of their

teams’ starts. Price, Braden Holtby, and Ryan Miller were all over 80

percent. Martin Brodeur in 2007-08 played almost 94 percent —

although, that does make some of his numbers a bit more suspect seeing

as his GSAx (again, a counting stat that accumulates with games played)

was eighth among “starters” that year. Then again, it’s likely particularly

tough to uphold such a high level across that many games.

As the viz shows, goalies who lead starters in save percentage often end

up with a trophy at the end of the year for their play. It hasn’t always been

a slam dunk for the GSAx leader, however. Pekka Rinne was fifth in

2017-18, when the award arguably would have been better represented

by John Gibson.

Goals saved above expected helps quantify value. For traditionalists,

wins are often used to show value. Wins, however, can also be indicative

of team strength, along with goaltending. That’s why it helps to look at

quality starts and stolen wins instead or in addition to, using Alan Wells’

method, which built off the work of Rob Vollman and Nick Mercadante.

Essentially, a quality start measures a game in which a goalie gave their

team a shot by saving more goals than expected. As data compiled by

Prashanth Iyer shows (prior to Sunday’s matchups), Markstrom,

Hellebuyck, and Shesterkin lead the league with 38 quality starts.

Vasilesvkiy ranks next with 36 while Saros is trails by one more.

This hurts a player like Demko, who a month ago, seemed primed for

legitimate consideration. In April, he’s only had three quality starts of out

nine. That’s dragged down his season-long GSAx, too.

A steal is a bit more impactful; these have to be wins, unlike quality

starts. It’s when a goaltender’s GSAx exceeds a team’s final goal

differential in a game, minus goals scored into an empty net late in the

game (so if a team leads 2-1, but scores an empty netter to make it 3-1,

the goal differential stays plus-1).

No one’s stolen more wins for their team than Saros in Nashville with a

league-leading 11; it’s a major reason why they’re in playoff contention.

Shesterkin has 10, while Colorado’s starter has earned nine. These

netminders both play behind teams in the bottom 10 in the league in five-

on-five expected goal generation and bottom-half in their scoring rate;

their goaltenders, at times, have to be perfect to keep the margins slim

when they don’t have that offensive support.

Again, playing time should factor in here. That’s why it helps to look at

quality start and steal percentage. Goaltenders who play more games

obviously have a better chance to rack up steals and quality starts — and

those that do should be commended. As should those who make the

most of the time they are in net.

Viz by Prashanth Iyer

Saros, Andersen, and Kuemper still rate well, but Shesterkin jumps out

once more. Seventy-six percent of his starts have been quality, while 20

percent of his wins were steals. That isn’t just Vezina-caliber, but worthy

of legitimate Hart consideration as well. The next best is Sorokin’s in

quality starts (65 percent) and Kuemper in steals (18 percent).

That makes the ballot even more interesting because Sorokin legitimately

has a case to make the top-five goaltenders despite his team’s play

around him. Andersen, too, and accounting for ice time only solidifies

both of their standings. But Kuemper and Markstrom have earned nods

for putting up such strong results and playing as frequently as they did. A

case could be made for Saros to finish top five if the idea is to emphasize

the most valuable goalies to their teams.

But whether for the best goaltender or the most valuable, there’s one

clear winner in Shesterkin, whose elite play should earn him at least one

trophy at season’s end.

Data collected prior to Monday night’s matchups, via Prashanth Iyer,

Evolving-Hockey, HockeyViz, and Sportlogiq. This story relies on shot-

based metrics; here are primers (part 1, part 2) on these numbers.


1242978 Websites

NHL playoff WATCH: Ranking the most likely matchups, from 1-8

Sean Gentille

12-16 minutes 26/04/2022

Credit the Vegas Golden Knights. They sacrificed themselves for the

greater good.

That’s what the last couple of weeks of the NHL playoff chase have been

about, right? Tracking that mess, and watching the expectations go from

“Yep, they’ll be fully operational any day now,” to “Hmm, wait a minute,”

to “Whoops, they’re done unless something ridiculous happens and also

a quarter-step from full-on dysfunction.”

In any case, bless them. They provided drama where otherwise there

would’ve been none. Alas, it’s time to focus on the teams that have kept

it together long enough to actually qualify for the playoffs.

These are our eight most likely matchups headed into Tuesday’s game,

based on Dom Luszczyszyn’s projections and ranked according to my

(much more scientific) Spice Factor. It’s time to get excited about this

stuff.

1. Minnesota Wild vs. St. Louis Blues

Likelihood: 100 percent

Spice factor: 9 (🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶)

Season series: 3-0 Blues | 16-12 Blues

Pros: Each season, the division-centric playoff format gives us a first-

round matchup (or two, or three) that we don’t deserve. That’s the

optimist’s view, at least. Have the conference’s second- and third-best

point-getters earned the privilege to wait a little bit before running into

each other? Yeah. Yeah, of course they have. It’s patently unfair that

only one of these teams is actually going to, y’know, advance. And

please — please — do not take this as an overall endorsement of the

format. It made sense to try way back when, and it hasn’t been a full-on

negative — those Penguins–Capitals matchups alone might’ve been

worth it — but it’s time to either simplify (standard 1-8 seeding) or get

creative (play-in tournament between the 7-10 seeds). You can’t conjure

rivalries, nor can you devalue the regular season any more than it

already has been. We’ve all been sleepwalking for the last couple of

weeks. Enough is enough.

That being said, there are babies mixed in with this bathwater. It’s OK to

have high expectations for Wild-Blues. Two top-five scoring teams —

with zero regulation losses between them in their last 20 — is a tasty first

course. We’re getting star power on both sides; Kirill Kaprizov vs.

Vladimir Tarasenko is fun for a lot of reasons. We’re getting depth; 14

players in this series will have 20 goals or more, and that’s not including

Matt Boldy (15 in 44 games). We’re getting an interesting set of regular-

season results; the teams’ two April games both went to overtime.

Minnesota’s storylines alone — adding Marc-Andre Fleury at midseason,

making their last, best run before the cap situation gets ugly — are

fascinating enough on their own.

Cons: For all those goals, neither team plays particularly high-event

hockey. Minnesota is 17th in shot attempts per game, and the Blues are

one spot behind. There’s slog potential if the goals don’t come early. Also

— and I’m going to get killed for this because I get killed for it every

Friday morning — it’s fair to worry about the Blues’ offensive production

in a playoff atmosphere. A lot of their success is predicated on a 26.5-

percent power play. That’s fine; score goals however you can. They’re

not a bad five-on-five team, either; a goals-for rate of nearly 55 percent,

over the course of a full season, counts for a whole lot. Some teams

finish better than others. But if they hit a cold shooting streak — their

expected goals rate is more than seven points below their actual rate —

and if officials swallow their whistles, some of those goals are going to

dry up, and the series is going to be shorter than any unaffiliated party

would prefer. It’s not something I necessarily believe will happen — it’s

just a concern.

2. Toronto Maple Leafs vs. Tampa Bay Lightning


Spice factor: 8 (🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶)

Season: Tied 2-2 | 16-12 Lightning

Pros: Either outcome would be seismic in its own way. If the Leafs lose,

that’d mean the Leafs lost. If the Leafs win, that’d mean the Leafs won.

That’s a big enough deal, regardless of the side of the fence you’re sitting

on. Personally, I simultaneously exist in two spheres; I’m repulsed by the

amount of attention that’s paid to that team, and I can’t get enough of it.

Am I a hater? Yes. Am I also a greedy little freak, obsessively tracking

other folks’ obsession? Also yes. The sheer tonnage of attention paid to

the Leafs, and the sheer tonnage of attention paid to the attention, makes

them one of the most compelling stories in the sport. I wish it weren’t

true, but it is.

It’s also true regardless of who they’re playing; a first-round matchup

against a bunch of guys in gray jerseys would carry the weight of the

world. The Lightning are about as far from gray jerseys as you can get.

They’ve got their own stakes — a third straight Stanley Cup would be the

greatest achievement of the cap era, full stop. A couple of weeks ago,

their gas light came on. All of a sudden, they’re back to stomping other

contenders. The deadline moves — Nick Paul has five points in his last

five games — are starting to bear fruit. And they’re going to start their run

at history against the Toronto Maple Leafs. This feels fool-proof. Auston

Matthews vs. Andrei Vasilevskiy? Yep. That’ll be fine.

Cons: The last two games between them — a 6-2 Toronto win on April 4

and an 8-1 Tampa win on April 21 — weren’t any good. The stakes are

high, and the outcome will be important, but the games themselves might

be a bit of a concern.

3. Florida Panthers vs. Pittsburgh Penguins


Spice factor: 7 (🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶)

Season series: 2-1 Panthers | Goals: 11-10 Panthers

Pros: If this goes down, it’ll be fun because of how unexpected it seemed

a few weeks back. Thanks to a few separate mini-skids by Pittsburgh —

hello, regulation loss to the Flyers — we’ve got a real shot at a fun one.

The stakes are probably a little higher for the Penguins than people

realize; those are the breaks when Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan

Rust are a couple of months away from unrestricted free agency. Every

season, we wonder if this will be the last run for that group. This time, it

might be true.

Uneven as the Penguins’ season has been, drawing them still seems

less than ideal for the Panthers; Pittsburgh, at its top end, is still an elite

team. If they come close to hitting that benchmark in this series, it’ll be an

unfair, early, very serious test for the best team in the conference. It’ll

also present an opportunity; great as the Panthers have been — and

offensively, they’re a wagon by any possible metric, outscoring the

second-place team in the league by as much as the second-place team

outscores the seventh-place team — they still haven’t won a playoff

series since 1996. That first-round series against Tampa last year, fun as

it was for the rest of us, was still a six-game loss. Knocking off the

Penguins — even a few years past their peak — would count for

something.

Also, it’d be Claude Giroux vs. Pittsburgh in the postseason. That tends

to work out, in one way or another.

Cons: It’s a boring answer, but the Penguins’ goaltending situation could

make this a dud. Florida is going to get either a rusty Tristan Jarry or

backup Casey DeSmith. That fact carries with it short-series potential.

4. Carolina Hurricanes vs. Boston Bruins


Spice factor: 7 (🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶)

Season series: 3-0 Hurricanes | Goals: 16-1 Hurricanes

Pros: On paper, the potential is clear. Both teams are puck-possession

behemoths — Carolina is second in shot-attempt share, and Boston is

fourth. Only three teams allow fewer goals per game than the Bruins, and

the Hurricanes are one of them. The Bruins are first league-wide in

expected goals share; the Hurricanes are fourth. Something would have

to give, and it’d be fun to see what it is.

Also, the stakes are growing in Carolina. They get a mulligan for last

season; most teams that faced the Lightning should. But the path is as

clear for them as it’ll get. The Lightning are on the other side of the

bracket. They’re the best team in their division. They shouldn’t just beat

the Bruins; they should be able to make the Eastern Conference final.

Anything less — especially if recent optimism about starting goalie

Freddie Andersen’s potential return is warranted — should be a

disappointment.

Cons: That isn’t a typo. Carolina outscored Boston 16-1 in three games

this season.

5. New York Rangers vs. Washington Capitals


Spice factor: 6 (🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶)

Season series: Tied 1-1 | Goals: 6-5 Capitals

Pros: This would be the sixth playoff series between them since the start

of the Alex Ovechkin era and first since 2015; Washington won the first

two (2009 and 2011), and the Rangers won the last three (2012, 2013,

2015). I was around for a couple of those series, and they were generally

fun. There’s something to be said for that.

There’s also the matter of l’affair Tom Wilson et Artemi Panarin, which

occurred way back in May 2021. It seems like old news, yes, but it’s also

the sort of thing that bubbles up down the line. Do the players care? Who

knows — but if this series actually goes down, prepare to hear a whole

bunch about it. Every playoff run for Ovechkin is important. So it goes

when you’re the best goal-scorer of all time. We should enjoy his game

while we can.

The most intriguing thing about this one, though — and that’s true of any

series that’d involve the Rangers — is Igor Shesterkin. March was meh

for the soon-to-be Vezina winner (.916 save percentage), but that

coincided with a series of depth additions at forward that have helped the

Rangers turn into a 5-on-5 team that’s capable of helping Shesterkin out,

from time to time. If that combo holds, they’re going to be scary.

Cons: I can’t shake the “been there, done that” vibe between these

teams … which is stupid because the only Ranger holdover from 2015 is

50-Goal Scorer Chris Kreider™️. I’d blame it on the Caps’ general blah-

ness over the course of the season … but they’re 7-1-2 in their last 10

games, with five wins over playoff teams and an overall goal edge of 45-

31. The big issue is Shesterkin vs. Vitek Vanecek. I am, let’s say, less

than confident in that matchup holding up enough to make this one

particularly fun.

6. Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings


Spice factor: 6 (🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶)

Season series: 3-1 Oilers | Goals: 13-12 Oilers

Pros: We get to watch Connor McDavid and Leon Drasaitl, yet again, try

to drag their team out of the first round. If that doesn’t happen against a

team with heavy “happy to be here” energy, things are going to get

deeply ugly, and deeply strange. The schadenfreude potential on this

one is through the roof, even though the Kings could be a tougher out

than anticipated. Imagine Phillip Danault limiting McDavid and the Oilers’

bottom three lines going dark. It’s not impossible.

Cons: It’s also not likely. The Kings would probably need to go up 2-1 in

the series or thereabouts before things got suitably tense.

7. Colorado Avalanche vs. Nashville Predators


Spice factor: 4 (🌶🌶🌶🌶)

Season series: 2-1 Predators | Goals: Tied 12-12

Pros: The Avs have lost four straight for the first time since the second

round of last season’s playoffs. Is that an ominous fact? Maybe, maybe

not. Is it funny? Of course. It’s tough to worry about Colorado all that

much; they’ve got next to nothing to play for, plus Gabriel Landeskog and

Devon Toews are a) hurt and b) set to return for the playoffs. Still, they’ve

got some outstanding questions and choke jobs on their resumes.

Plus, the Preds are pesky. They’re 11th in the NHL in goals, and Juuse

Saros — provided he doesn’t collapse from overwork in the next week —

is an elite goaltender. That counts for something.

Cons: Let’s turn things over to Darryl Sutter.

"It's going to be a waste of eight days."

8. Calgary Flames vs. Dallas Stars


Spice factor: 3 (🌶🌶🌶)

Season series: 2-1 Flames | Goals: 11-9 Flames

Pros: The Flames are going to be a trendy Stanley Cup pick for good

reason; the biggest issue they have is spotty offensive production from

Mikael Backlund. There aren’t many warts beyond that. As far as the

Stars go, I can’t confidently say that they’re good . They have great

pieces — Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson and Joe Pavelski do most of

Dallas’ offensive work themselves, and Miro Heiskanen is a no-doubt

elite No. 1 defenseman — and not much else, which makes them a

hilarious watch.

Cons: The Stars also have a goals-for percentage that’s just a tick above

the Senators and have lost 30 games in regulation. This series should be

short. It’s No. 8 for a reason.


1242979 Websites

You know Jarome Iginla. Now meet the next generation of Iginlas making

their mark

Ryan S. Clark

18-23 minutes 26/04/2022

After spending months away from her family playing hockey at a

boarding school, Jade Iginla returned for winter break only to decide she

wanted to play even more hockey.

This is how seriously she takes everything in life. Especially hockey.

Jade was home with her family in Boston when she found out there was

a chance to play in a game and stay sharp over break. The only

problem? There was a snowstorm bad enough for her dad to consider

whether it was worth braving the elements to get there. Or that’s how it

was until Kara Iginla told her husband, “We’re from Canada!”

“I was late. We always find a way to leave late,” Jade recalled. “We had

to stop and he did not have any gas.”

Her dad stopped at a gas station, and then this happened:

Jarome was pumping gas when a reporter approached him and asked if

she could interview him about the snowstorm. He agreed because he did

not want to be rude to a reporter who was also out in the storm doing her

job. Of course, the clip of Iginla as an “area man” appearing on a local

Boston television station went viral. Jarome admitted that he never

thought it would receive that much attention. He’d initially hoped to find

the clip somewhere and send it to a few friends.

“(The reporter) tried and she asked me my name,” Jarome recalled. “She

asked, ‘Can you say your name?’ I said, ‘Jarome Iginla,’ and she was

like, ‘Yeah, OK.’ She did not even want to try it and attempt it! I turned

into the area man or whatever it was. I would never expect her or anyone

else to recognize me by any means.”

These days, Jarome is more likely to be recognized by parents than

players. But he isn’t bothered about that. He and Kara have long been at

the stage of parenthood in which they want the attention to be on their

kids.

Now, their children are starting to find their place in the world. Jade, 17,

will play college hockey next season for the Brown University women’s

hockey program. Tij, 15, will play next season for the Seattle

Thunderbirds after being the franchise’s first-round pick in the WHL

Bantam Draft. And the youngest, Joe, 13, looks to follow the same

course as his older brother.

They are deeply aware of their famous last name and the expectations

that come with being the children of a Hockey Hall of Fame inductee. But

the thing to understand about Jade, Tij and Joe is that they are their own

people — which is exactly how Jarome and Kara raised them.

And furthermore? They wouldn’t want it any other way.

“I think I approach it like I am my own person,” Tij said. “I want to be like

him, obviously. I take pride in that. But, (at) the same time, I am obviously

not the same person and I want to be as good as I can be.”

Jarome and Kara Iginla’s life together began in St. Albert, Alberta. They

were Grade 7 students who met in French class and dated for two weeks

before dating for longer in Grade 8. Jarome joked that they would have

the odd argument that caused them to “break up but not for long.” They

still remained close and never went too long without talking to one

another.

“Some people meet the right one later, and I met the right one early,”

Jarome said.

They always wanted to have children, and they knew early on that they

wanted their children to be active in sports. But they were also open to

the possibility that their kids could be interested in anything but. Either

way, they wanted to ensure their kids could feel passionate about

whatever they chose to pursue while also feeling supported.

All three Iginla kids turned out to love sports. Hockey became their

collective passion because the game has remained a constant in their

lives.

“Jarome built an ice rink in our backyard when they were 1, 3 and 5,”

Kara said. “Our youngest was on rollerblades in our house at 1. The

oldest two were in skating lessons before they turned three. I think I

visited every single park in Calgary. They were very active. The Iginla

family is engaged and athletic. Our kids were like little muscle people.”

The eldest Iginla child was given the name Jade because there was just

something about it Jarome and Kara really liked. It could also be because

Jarome enjoyed knowing there would be another “J. Iginla” in their family.

Jade played ringette growing up and was later a figure skater before

choosing hockey. She has fond memories of figure skating and always

believed she was “great” at it only to recently learn the opposite was true.

Her transition to hockey started by watching Tij play. Her love for the

game became evident after her freshman year of high school. She was

playing softball when she sustained an elbow injury that kept her

sidelined for 14 months. At first, she was only supposed to be out for six

months. But there was a problem with her recovery, which led to a

second surgery that put Jade on the shelf.

While sidelined from softball, Jade did 14 months of skating and non-

contact drills. She then left Boston, where the Iginlas were living at the

time, to play at the famed Shattuck-St. Mary’s Boarding School in

Faribault, Minn. Shattuck played a role in the development of future NHL

All-Stars such as Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Zach Parise and

Jonathan Toews, among others. It has also played a crucial role in

developing a number of elite women’s hockey players such as Brianna

Decker and Amanda Kessel, along with twins Jocelyne Lamoureux-

Davidson and Monique Lamoureux-Morando.

Jade scored 15 goals and had 30 points in 39 games in her lone season

at Shattuck. Initially, the Iginlas were living in Boston while Jade attended

Shattuck. But they moved to Kelowna, B.C., where the family now lives.

Jade made the move north, too, playing her senior year at RINK Hockey

Academy, where she scored 18 goals and 28 points in 22 games. She

also had four goals and 11 points in five playoff games before

graduating.

“I think I always wanted to play college hockey and being in

Massachusetts, there were so many universities around,” Jade said,

referencing when the family lived in Boston during and after her dad’s

time with the Bruins. “I thought, ‘It does seem accessible.’ There are

scouts in high school rinks at almost every game. … It was about looking

for a school that has a strong hockey program. In Brown’s case, it is

building. I wanted strong academics and I feel like I like my Brown

coaches a lot.”

Brown coach Melanie Ruzzi took over the program last June, and

immediately started building her recruiting class after signing her

contract. Ruzzi was an assistant coach at her alma mater, Providence

College, when she first saw Jade play.

“She’s a young woman who works very hard, ” Ruzzi said. “She has been

through different injuries and setbacks. She started to stand out. She has

a powerful stride, and my goodness can she shoot the puck and be an

elite goal scorer at the Division I level. She is not a huge person but plays

with swagger in her game. She has a high hockey IQ and can do things

other kids cannot do.”

Please Melanie, share with the class.

“The way the puck comes off her stick when she shoots it,” Ruzzi

continued. “She has an incredible release. She can feel it. I was on the

ice with her last week in Kelowna for a camp because you never stop

looking for players. It’s that power piece, that technical piece and that

part of the game she is building. She can partner that skill set with her

hockey IQ and get it in the right spots on the ice. There are other young

players who can shoot the puck, but they don’t do it in a game because

they cannot find themselves in the right spots.”

Ruzzi also noted that Jade could be part of Hockey Canada’s roster for

the IIHF U-18 Women’s World Championships in June. She was named

to the U-18 World Junior Championship roster, but the tournament was

eventually cancelled.

“I worry she is going to be Jarome’s daughter in the eyes of other

people,” Ruzzi said. “But she is her own person. She is comfortable in

her own skin. Hopefully, she is named to the next world championship

team and people see she is someone coming from a great hockey family.

That she is a great hockey player and someone who is going to make a

name for herself.”

Naming their second-born child Tij was not the original plan. Jarome

wanted to name him Tracy. He liked the name because of two-time Grey

Cup champion quarterback and Canadian Football Hall of Fame inductee

Tracy Ham. Jarome grew up going to Edmonton games with his

grandfather where they watched Ham. He lost that battle, so they named

their son Tij after Jarome’s paternal grandfather in Nigeria.

Tij said it was easy to gravitate toward hockey because he has always

wanted to be like his dad. Clearly, he knew his dad played in the NHL.

He just did not realize his father’s place in the sport until after his career

ended. It made Tij wish he were a little bit older so he could have

appreciated it more. But what he did watch allowed him to understand

that he can be like his father but still be his own person.

Back in December, the Thunderbirds drafted Tij with the ninth pick in the

bantam draft. He had an assist in four games before returning to

Kelowna. He also plays for RINK Academy on the U18 team. Tij, a

forward, finished the regular season with 26 goals and 48 points in 32

games; he had three points in as many postseason games.

“I feel like the only pressure is really the pressure you put on yourself,” he

said. “You cannot let external pressure have a big impact on you. You

can have the right mindset and let the internal pressures be what pushes

you. I think my upbringing and being around people and my dad having a

lot of experience with that, he has shared things with me that worked for

him. It allowed him to be as good as he was. It’s the people around me

who have helped.”

Thunderbirds assistant general manager Jared Crooks said Tij first

appeared on the franchise’s radar when he was playing in Boston.

Normally, a player on the East Coast like Tij would have been eligible to

play in the QMJHL. But Crooks said there is a clause in place that made

Tij eligible to play in the WHL because his father also played in the WHL

with the Kamloops Blazers. When the Iginlas moved to Kelowna, the

Thunderbirds got a chance to see Tij on a more frequent basis against

players his age they had scouted for more than a year.

“One of the things that jumped off the page for me when I saw him play

was the puck skills and the ability to play in tight spaces, get shots off

and make plays,” Crooks said. “I saw a skill set that I see at our level and

thought it would translate incredibly well.”

Crooks said maturity will play a crucial role in Tij’s development. The

Thunderbirds like having 16-year-old players on their roster. It gives them

a chance to learn from older players who have been in their situation

while playing against more physically mature talent. Crooks said part of

the Thunderbirds’ development strategy with high picks like Tij is to see

how they handle a challenge.

“Not all of them are going to be what they want with their physical

maturity,” Crooks said. “But you can tell that if he wants to be here, he

will want to make it work. To fit in with our team and our organization, we

want guys who are banging down the door to be in Seattle and force their

way into our line. Even at 16, we know Tij is as driven as the rest of our

guys.”

Another item that made Tij going to the Thunderbirds interesting was his

dad’s relationship with the Blazers. It’s not enough that Jarome was one

of the best players in Blazers history. He’s part of the Blazers’ ownership

group, which also features Shane Doan, Mark Recchi, Darryl Sydor and

Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi. So it is possible that Jarome could

have wanted Tij to become a Blazer too. Crooks said Thunderbirds

director of player personnel Cal Filson had conversations with the Iginlas

and wanted to make sure they were OK with Tij coming to Seattle. The

Iginlas gave their blessing.

“He’s like a lot of the young kids that come in that they are pretty quiet

and want to get their legs under them,” Crooks said. “But there is a quiet

confidence and we love that. We don’t want young guys to hide and

survive. He fits right in. We did not get too long with him and we would

have loved to have him train with us during the playoffs but he is a little

injured right now, so that is unfortunate. I know our guys have said good

things about him. Our players are excited to have him.”

The third Iginla child got the name Joe because that was his father’s

childhood nickname. Jarome said they chose to give their children

“simpler first names” because he could remember the times when

“saying Iginla seemed like a mouthful for others.” But while they kept

Joe’s first name simple, Jarome and Kara gave him the same middle

names as his father: Elvis Adekunle Junior.

Kara described their youngest as an extremely smart kid with a big brain

and someone who is always happy. In terms of hockey, Joe ended the

regular season with 19 goals and 35 points in 30 games. He played this

past season for RINK Academy’s U-15 team, where the head coach was,

well, his dad.

“I love watching when Joe scores because I have never seen such pure

joy,” Kara said. “Our other kids are more serious. But they love hockey.

It’s just that Joe has this joy and it cracks me up to see how happy it

makes him when he scores.”

Experiences like watching Joe score mean even more for Jarome and

Kara these days. Their household dynamic is about to change with Jade

and Tij leaving later this year, and Joe being the last child left at home.

Jade going to Shattuck was a slight prelude of the future. But they admit

this will be different now with Joe being the only kid still with mom and

dad before he too eventually sets off on his own path.

Kara said she isn’t worried. Jade’s time away came during the early

stages of the pandemic so they know she will be OK. Kara sees this as a

chance for their children to go chase their dream.

“They are supposed to grow up and leave. But it is harder on Jarome,”

she said. “Our kids call me cold! But I know it will be harder for him. But

you do what is good for them.”

Jarome’s career meant the Iginla family has lived in Calgary, Pittsburgh,

Boston, Denver and Los Angeles. The plan had always been to make

sure all three children played hockey no matter where they were living.

The Iginlas were living in Denver in 2017 but decided to return to Boston.

Jarome said they loved living in Denver. But they knew they had to move

because of hockey.

Living and playing in Denver meant their family would spend more time

apart than together because they would always be on flights. So they

decided to move and sought a bit of input from their children. They

moved back to Boston before Jarome and Kara thought about where

they wanted to make their forever home. Moving back to Canada was

something they wanted. But the goal was to also be in a place that

allowed their children to advance their aspirations.

“It is a little bit quieter for us having been just retired,” said Jarome, who

retired after the 2016-17 season. “You go to rinks now and it’s not as

many people that recognize you for sure. They want to talk hockey —

and being in Canada, a lot of people want to talk hockey. It’s quieter and

the focus is on them. We are hockey parents and sports parents and that

was part of our decision.”

Both Jade and Tij have the stories that one would expect given their

father. Jade has had moments when people recognize her last name, do

a double take and inevitably ask if she is related to you-know-who. But

the moments that matter most are the ones they have spent together

away from the NHL.

“He’s just my dad,” Jade said. “That’s what I see first.”

Talking about their children makes Jarome and Kara reminisce. It starts

with building them an outdoor rink. They would split into teams. Usually,

Jarome would play with Joe as his teammate because he was the

youngest. Those games were fun because it was a battle to see who

would win. Jarome admits he would manipulate the games when Joe

was due for a win against his siblings.

But there is a bittersweet chapter to those family games: The moment

when Jade and Tij started beating their dad for real.

“It has happened. Tij has passed me,” Jarome said. “Jade and I have not

played as much one-on-one this year. That would be a good battle. She

is in better shape than me now. It was probably last year, I think, when it

happened. We were on the outdoor rink in the backyard. I am battling as

hard as I can. Joe got so mad at me and said, ‘Are you going to let them

beat us?!’ I told him, ‘I’m trying!’ The whole last year was a crapshoot for

who would win. Joe would get so mad. I am trying my butt off and Joe

would go in and say I’m terrible, but I was trying my hardest.”

Tij said learning about hockey from his dad has been important. But the

lessons that have meant the most are the ones about how to be a better

person. Jarome has told his children to treat others how they want to be

treated, to put themselves in another person’s shoes and to try to help

people as much as they can.

Perhaps this is why Jarome was humbled when he was told what Tij had

said about the life lessons he’d learned. Hearing that made Jarome

proud that the lessons he and Kara continue to teach their children are

making an impact. All they have wanted is to be the guides to help their

children find what makes them happy. Jarome said the biggest lesson he

has wanted to teach is what it means to be a good teammate.

His point: A hockey team has more than 20 people. Not players —

people. Individuals with different personalities who come from different

backgrounds. The way to make that all work is by being a good

teammate who wants to make life better for those around them. But it is

also about how they make others within the team, such as the athletic

training staff and coaches, feel the same way.

“That is what makes the game great and what makes life great,” Jarome

said. “It’s not all the same views and upbringings. It is being able to see

the best in each other and treat each other how you want to be treated. I

am thrilled our kids are really enjoying it. It’s a great lesson to learn along

the way.”


1242980 Websites

ESPN / NHL playoff watch standings update - X factors, predictions for

Dallas Stars-Vegas Golden Knights

Staff Report

ESPN staff

There are 13 games on the NHL schedule Tuesday night, including five

being waged between teams that are currently in playoff position. But

perhaps the most consequential matchup of the bunch features the

Dallas Stars hosting the Vegas Golden Knights (8:30 ET, streaming live

on ESPN+ for out-of-market customers).

The Knights are chasing the Stars and the Nashville Predators in the

Western wild-card race. Heading into Tuesday's action, the Predators

hold the first wild card (94 points, 35 regulation wins), and the Stars hold

the second (93 points, 30 regulation wins). The Knights are at 90 points

and 33 regulation wins, so a loss in regulation tonight would be

devastating to their postseason chances.

To help get you ready for the game, we gathered our panel to break

down X factors for the matchup, along with their predictions on how it will

play out:

Which player will be the biggest X factor in deciding this game?

Victoria Matiash, NHL analyst: If ice-cold Jack Eichel brings his best self

to the American Airlines Center and scores one, if not a pair, Vegas

should fly out a single point behind the second wild-card team in the

West. Especially if the forward pairing of Max Pacioretty and Chandler

Stephenson contribute as has been that duo's recent habit. Otherwise, I

don't adore the Golden Knights' chances.

Arda Ocal, NHL host: Logan Thompson is my pick, because it will take a

great effort from any Vegas goalie to get it done in this crucial game.

Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: Dallas' X factor will be veteran center Joe

Pavelski. The Stars sit in the lower half of the league in scoring,

averaging fewer than three goals per game. When it's a team-wide battle

for goals, your superstars have to be just that when big moments arrive.

In this career year of his, all eyes will be on Pavelski to deliver.

Vegas' X factor is Thompson. With how the Golden Knights' best players

have performed in front of him lately -- looking at you, Alex Pietrangelo,

Jack Eichel and others -- Vegas' fate will hinge on how well Thompson

can perform.

Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: For the Stars, it's Jason Robertson. The

22-year-old winger has earned quiet but steady MVP buzz as an

energizing force in the Dallas lineup. The Stars are 32-11-4 when he

scores at least a point. His line with Pavelski and Roope Hintz is one of

the best in the NHL and arguably the best thing about the Stars this

season. He has 38 goals. What a way to break 40 this would be for

Robertson.

For the Golden Knights, it's Pacioretty. He has points in three straight

games and has devoured the Stars in his time with the Knights: nine

points in six games, with eight coming at even strength. He has five goals

against Dallas with Vegas. There might be more vital players on the ice

for the Knights, but Pacioretty could be a game-breaker.

What's your final-score prediction?

Matiash: 4-2 Vegas. The more desperate team prolongs the fight on this

night.

Ocal: 3-1 Vegas. Agreed that it needs this one more, and will come out

on fire.

Shilton: Knowing Vegas, it'll be a high-scoring night. Knowing Dallas, it'll

be more of a slugfest for offense. Let's meet in the middle: 4-3 Stars.

Wyshynski: Vegas wins this game 3-1. Dallas defeats Arizona and

Anaheim in its last two games, and the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville

Predators both earn enough points to keep the Golden Knights out of the

playoffs.

The Knights' failure to qualify won't be because they couldn't beat Dallas.

It'll be because they took one point out of two home games against the

New Jersey Devils and San Jose Sharks, which was inexcusable --

especially considering what happened with the latter.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how devastating would it be for Vegas to miss the

playoffs?

Matiash: 8.5. The organization can cite injuries as somewhat of an

excuse. Max Pacioretty, Mark Stone (still not right), Alec Martinez, Reilly

Smith (still out), Robin Lehner and others have lost significant time to

different physical issues. But every team has to deal with injuries to

prominent players. And this club was considered a playoff shoo-in ahead

of the season, if not a top Stanley Cup contender -- and that's even

before it traded for Eichel. So yeah, quite devastating.

Ocal: 11. The optics would certainly be rough, given all the moves

they've been making. It was bad enough that people have been citing the

Knights' and Sabres' respective records since Eichel suited up for his

new team. Vegas went all-in this season; a bust would hurt badly.

Shilton: 10. Vegas swung for the fences in trading for Eichel.

Management has stacked this roster with talent. They've finessed every

inch of fine print to circumvent salary-cap constraints. To have all that

effort and excellence add up to ... nothing? Disastrous.

Wyshynski: 7. I'm a little lower on the panic scale for the Knights due to

some mitigating circumstances -- although many of them were of their

own creation. They were slammed by injuries at the wrong time, although

their cap mismanagement only exacerbated their problems when they

had to sit some players to create room for others. They didn't have a full

season of Eichel. Their goaltending went from second in the NHL with

Marc-Andre Fleury and Robin Lehner to 21st in the NHL with Lehner

limited to 44 games, and then missing the final games of the season

because of shoulder surgery and a knee injury.

Meanwhile, Fleury went 8-1-0 following his trade to the Minnesota Wild at

the deadline.

I think anything higher than a 7 means wholesale changes: firing GM

Kelly McCrimmon or trading a chunk of the roster for Carey Price, as was

suggested here. I think a 7 means that they don't do anything more

dramatic than firing coach Pete DeBoer, which would still be dramatic,

but not as seismic a change as others might be expecting. This is still a

championship-caliber team that just needs some recalibrating in the

offseason.

And now, let's check in on all the playoff races -- along with the teams

jockeying for position in the 2022 NHL draft lottery.

Note: Playoff chances are via FiveThirtyEight. Tragic numbers are

courtesy of Damian Echevarrieta of the NHL.

Jump ahead:

Current playoff matchups

Today's games

Last night's scores

Expanded standings

Race for No. 1 pick

Current playoff matchups

Eastern Conference

A1 Florida Panthers vs. WC2 Washington Capitals

A2 Toronto Maple Leafs vs. A3 Tampa Bay Lightning

M1 Carolina Hurricanes vs. WC1 Boston Bruins

M2 New York Rangers vs. M3 Pittsburgh Penguins

Western Conference

C1 Colorado Avalanche vs. WC2 Dallas Stars

C2 Minnesota Wild vs. C3 St. Louis Blues

P1 Calgary Flames vs. WC1 Nashville Predators

P2 Edmonton Oilers vs. P3 Los Angeles Kings

Today's games

Note: All times Eastern. All out-of-market games available to stream live

on ESPN+.

Florida Panthers at Boston Bruins, 7 p.m.

New Jersey Devils at Ottawa Senators, 7 p.m.

Columbus Blue Jackets at Tampa Bay Lightning, 7 p.m.

Carolina Hurricanes at New York Rangers, 7 p.m.

Edmonton Oilers at Pittsburgh Penguins, 7 p.m. (ESPN)

New York Islanders at Washington Capitals, 7 p.m.

Detroit Red Wings at Toronto Maple Leafs, 7 p.m.

Calgary Flames at Nashville Predators, 8 p.m.

Arizona Coyotes at Minnesota Wild, 8 p.m.

Vegas Golden Knights at Dallas Stars, 8:30 p.m.

St. Louis Blues at Colorado Avalanche, 9:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Seattle Kraken at Vancouver Canucks, 10 p.m.

Anaheim Ducks at San Jose Sharks, 10:30 p.m.

Last night's scoreboard

Watch In the Crease on ESPN+ for highlights from every game.

Chicago Blackhawks 3, Philadelphia Flyers 1

Expanded standings

Note: x = clinched playoff spot; y = clinched division title; z = clinched

best conference record; e = eliminated

Atlantic Division

z - Florida Panthers

Points: 120

Regulation wins: 41

Playoff position: A1

Games left: 3

Next game: @ BOS (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 100%

Tragic number: N/A

x - Toronto Maple Leafs

Points: 111

Regulation wins: 43


Games left: 2

Next game: vs. DET (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

x - Tampa Bay Lightning

Points: 106

Regulation wins: 37


Games left: 3

Next game: vs. CBJ (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

x - Boston Bruins

Points: 103

Regulation wins: 38

Playoff position: WC1

Games left: 3

Next game: vs. FLA (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

e - Buffalo Sabres

Points: 73

Regulation wins: 25

Playoff position: N/A

Games left: 2

Next game: @ BOS (Thursday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Detroit Red Wings

Points: 72

Regulation wins: 20


Games left: 2

Next game: @ TOR (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Ottawa Senators

Points: 69

Regulation wins: 25


Games left: 3

Next game: vs. NJ (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Montreal Canadiens

Points: 51

Regulation wins: 14


Games left: 2

Next game: @ NYR (Wednesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Metropolitan Division

x - Carolina Hurricanes

Points: 112

Regulation wins: 45

Playoff position: M1

Games left: 2

Next game: @ NYR (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

x - New York Rangers

Points: 108

Regulation wins: 43


Games left: 3

Next game: vs. CAR (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

x - Pittsburgh Penguins

Points: 101

Regulation wins: 36


Games left: 2

Next game: vs. EDM (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

x - Washington Capitals

Points: 100

Regulation wins: 35


Games left: 3

Next game: vs. NYI (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

e - New York Islanders

Points: 80

Regulation wins: 32


Games left: 3

Next game: @ WSH (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 79

Regulation wins: 25


Games left: 3

Next game: @ TB (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - New Jersey Devils

Points: 62

Regulation wins: 19


Games left: 3

Next game: @ OTT (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 61

Regulation wins: 20


Games left: 2

Next game: @ WPG (Wednesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Central Division

z - Colorado Avalanche

Points: 116

Regulation wins: 45

Playoff position: C1

Games left: 3

Next game: vs. STL (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

x - Minnesota Wild

Points: 109

Regulation wins: 36


Games left: 3

Next game: vs. ARI (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

x - St. Louis Blues

Points: 109

Regulation wins: 43


Games left: 2

Next game: @ COL (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

Nashville Predators

Points: 94

Regulation wins: 35


Games left: 3

Next game: vs. CGY (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

Dallas Stars

Points: 93

Regulation wins: 30


Games left: 3

Next game: vs. VGK (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

e - Winnipeg Jets

Points: 83

Regulation wins: 29


Games left: 3

Next game: vs. PHI (Wednesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 65

Regulation wins: 16


Games left: 2

Next game: vs. VGK (Wednesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Arizona Coyotes

Points: 51

Regulation wins: 16


Games left: 3

Next game: @ MIN (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Pacific Division

y - Calgary Flames

Points: 108

Regulation wins: 44

Playoff position: P1

Games left: 3

Next game: @ NSH (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

x - Edmonton Oilers

Points: 98

Regulation wins: 37


Games left: 3

Next game: @ PIT (Tuesday)


Tragic number: N/A

Los Angeles Kings

Points: 96

Regulation wins: 34


Games left: 2

Next game: @ SEA (Wednesday)

Playoff chances: >99%

Tragic number: N/A

Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 90

Regulation wins: 33


Games left: 3

Next game: @ DAL (Tuesday)


Tragic number: 4

Vancouver Canucks

Points: 87

Regulation wins: 31


Games left: 3

Next game: vs. SEA (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: <1%

Tragic number: 1

e - San Jose Sharks

Points: 76

Regulation wins: 22


Games left: 3

Next game: vs. ANA (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Anaheim Ducks

Points: 74

Regulation wins: 21


Games left: 2

Next game: @ SJ (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

e - Seattle Kraken

Points: 58

Regulation wins: 22


Games left: 4

Next game: @ VAN (Tuesday)

Playoff chances: 0%

Tragic number: E

Race for the No. 1 pick

The NHL uses a draft lottery to determine the order at the top of the first

round, so the team that finishes in last place is not guaranteed the No. 1

selection. As of 2021, a team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it

wins the lottery, so only 11 teams are eligible for the draw for the No. 1

pick. Full details on the process can be found here. The 2022 draft lottery

will be held on May 10.

1. Montreal Canadiens

Points: 51

Regulation wins: 14

2. Arizona Coyotes

Points: 51

Regulation wins: 16

3. Seattle Kraken

Points: 58

Regulation wins: 22

4. Philadelphia Flyers

Points: 61

Regulation wins: 20

5. New Jersey Devils

Points: 62

Regulation wins: 19

6. Chicago Blackhawks

Points: 65

Regulation wins: 16

7. Ottawa Senators

Points: 69

Regulation wins: 25

8. Detroit Red Wings

Points: 72

Regulation wins: 20

9. Buffalo Sabres

Points: 73

Regulation wins: 25

10. Anaheim Ducks

Points: 74

Regulation wins: 21

11. San Jose Sharks

Points: 76

Regulation wins: 22

12. Columbus Blue Jackets

Points: 79

Regulation wins: 25

13. New York Islanders

Points: 80

Regulation wins: 32

14. Winnipeg Jets

Points: 83

Regulation wins: 29

15. Vancouver Canucks

Points: 87

Regulation wins: 31

16. Vegas Golden Knights

Points: 90

Regulation wins: 33

Notes on conditionally traded picks impacting the top 16:

Columbus will receive Chicago's first-round pick if Chicago does not

win either of the two draws in the 2022 draft lottery. Otherwise, the pick

defers to 2023.

Buffalo will receive Vegas' first-round pick if it is outside the top 10

selections. Otherwise, the pick defers to 2023.

ESPN LOADED: 04.27.2022

1242981 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / With historic 60th goal, Matthews takes throne as top

sniper in today's NHL

Sonny Sachdeva@sachdevasonny

April 26, 2022, 9:54 PM

TORONTO — Alex Ovechkin. Steven Stamkos. Auston Matthews.

The list of players who’ve clawed their way to the 60-goal summit over

the past two decades is brief as it is telling. Names that carry weight.

Names that made history. Names signifying talent that promised

greatness from the start.

The Rocket Richard Trophy and the ever-growing reel of gorgeous

snipes did much of the heavy lifting, but Tuesday night at Scotiabank

Arena, Toronto Maple Leafs centreman Auston Matthews earned his

place on that list and sealed his ascent as he tucked in his 60th goal of

the 2021-22 campaign — a milestone no player in the NHL has touched

in 10 years, a peak that’s been reached only twice in the past 20.

It’s the highest sum Matthews has ever collected, sure. The most any

player in the Maple Leafs’ 105-year history has ever put up, incredibly.

But it’s also something more — it’s a torch being passed. It’s a throne

being relinquished. Ovechkin remains perhaps the greatest pure goal-

scorer to ever touch NHL ice. But there should be no question now, if

there was before Tuesday, about where No. 34 ranks among his

generation of goal-scorers, where he ranks among the best in the NHL

right at this moment.

With his 60th, Matthews set the transfer in motion. From The Great Eight,

to Papi: the crown of Top Sniper in today’s NHL.

It took a two-goal night from the Maple Leafs’ star pivot to seal that

ascent, Matthews potting No. 59 late in the second period against the

Detroit Red Wings, corralling a Jason Spezza dish from behind the net

and sweeping it forehand-to-backhand to slip it into the cage. Chants of

‘MVP! MVP!’ erupted from the crowd as he skated back to the bench.

The historic milestone marker came a period later, as the Maple Leafs

circled like sharks on the power play. After the Red Wings did everything

they could to occupy any lane that led to No. 34, Matthews picked up the

puck along the right wall with a determined look about him, deciding to

make the magic happen himself. He took off, curling at the blue line,

setting course for the net as the seas parted, and walked right down main

street before unleashing that wicked wrist shot from the slot.

No. 60, with authority. And with more ‘MVP!’ chants raining down as blue

jerseys swarmed him, for good measure.

Matthews reacts to reaching 60-goal mark: 'Just sends chills down

through your bones'

“It was pretty special, honestly,” Matthews said of the atmosphere that

enveloped him in that moment. “Just the reception from my teammates,

the crowd, everything. It just kind of sends chills down your bones. It’s

kind of hard to put into words.”

There was no containing the Scotiabank Arena crowd from there. A few

minutes passed before the game could be resumed, so boisterous was

the ovation from the Maple Leafs faithful. When it did, every blue and

white dash up the ice brought another roar from the crowd, the clock

eventually ticking down to seal the 3-0 Maple Leafs win.

Off the ice and out of his gear after the final buzzer sounded, that navy

blue Maple Leafs ballcap back on his head, Matthews took a moment to

reflect on the path that brought him here. And, more specifically, the

people who did — dad Brian and mom Ema.

“You know, it’s hard not to think about a little bit of childhood memories,

just all the sacrifices they made for me, and just the constant support and

love from them,” he said. “I haven’t been able to speak to them yet, but I

know I’ll talk to them when I get home. They mean a lot to me, and

obviously I wouldn’t be here without them.”

For his new family, the one he shares a locker room with, the one that

gathered around him on the ice to cherish a bit of history made on

Tuesday night, the moment was no less meaningful.

“It’s special. It’s unique. It’s rare,” head coach Sheldon Keefe said of his

star sniper after the game. “I’m just really happy for him. He works

extremely hard — I know the abilities that he has, but he works extremely

hard at his game, he works extremely hard off the ice. He takes his craft

very seriously. So, to see him at the top of his game, and reaching these

milestones, it’s outstanding.”

The grins that spread across the bench as Matthews dropped to one

knee for his customary fist-pump celly told the story of how the rest of the

squad felt about it.

“The guys were really excited,” continued Keefe. “The guys feel so happy

for him, because he’s our leader. He does so many other things, and you

want to see him get rewarded. And the guys also feel a part of it, as they

should. … He gives so much to his game and to our team. It’s great for

him to have that moment.”

Though the third-year Maple Leafs bench boss seems a fresh face

among the coaching ranks, he logged enough time as a pro in his own

playing days to appreciate the kind of talent Toronto has in Matthews.

And the names Keefe lined up alongside during his own tenure as an

NHLer, the standard he has to compare No. 34 with, were a long way

from nobodies.

“I played with Vinny Lecavalier in Tampa. Marty St. Louis, Brad Richards,

guys like that. Coaching a guy like Auston, he’s pretty special and unique

in the way that he scores goals,” Keefe said. “The hardest thing to do in

our league is to score goals at even-strength. That’s the hardest thing to

do in the game. And he does that on a level that, it seems nobody’s able

to do it anywhere near the same level.

“You know, that’s special.”

Where it goes from here for Matthews is anyone’s guess. Ovechkin took

that 60-goal thread and kept pulling, spinning it into seven more Rocket

Richard campaigns, six more 50-goal masterpieces. Stamkos’s

unspooled more haphazardly, the next decade of his career passing

without either.

But the pair are bound by that bit of hockey history, by their membership

in that extra-exclusive club. And regardless of what happens next,

Matthews is a part of that too.

“It’s humbling,” the young Leaf said of becoming the third piece of that

historic trio. “It’s a big honour just to be in the same breath as those two

guys, and what they’ve been able to accomplish in their careers. You

know, I’m still striving to kind of be on that level. So, there’s a lot of work

to be done.”

Indeed, the true test looms just over the horizon. Because there’s

another thing that connects Ovechkin and Stamkos and their careers

post-60-snipes, something that allowed their personal accomplishments

to be celebrated without caveats — both went on to cement their legacies

with championship rings.

For Matthews and his Leafs, that’s the next summit. Performances like

Tuesday night’s — which clinched home ice for Toronto’s next post-

season test — hint at the potential to perhaps get there, or at least to

make a real go of it. But Leafs Nation has one more week to practise

patience before those questions can truly be answered.

For now, all eyes turn to Friday night’s tilt with the Boston Bruins. One

last chance to hone skills and prepare bodies, one last game to close out

a historic season, to celebrate what 2021-22 brought, before it’s

crumpled up so the real story can be written.

Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 04.27.2022

1242982 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / In Crosby's barn, Oilers' McDavid sends loud message to

Hart voters

Mark Spector@sportsnetspec

April 26, 2022, 11:54 PM

PITTSBURGH — The torch was officially passed from one generational

player to the next, while second place was clinched and the Art Ross

Trophy signed, sealed, and scheduled for a Saturday delivery.

On a fabulous four-point night, Connor McDavid waltzed into Sidney

Crosby’s barn and gave the hockey world a virtuoso performance. It

ended as a 5-1 Edmonton Oilers win at Pittsburgh on Tuesday, a tidy bit

of business that wrapped up the Oilers' season in a nice, tight bow with

two games to play — now meaningless ones.

“A quiet four-point night? A loud four-point night? I don’t know. It’s just

normal, right?” marvelled Zach Hyman, who wasn’t sure that McDavid

authored more scoring chances on this night than any other in recent

weeks, though more lit the lamp than usual.

“He makes so many plays on the ice that don’t result in goals. He

probably could have had a couple more points,” Hyman said. “He’s such

a dynamic player. He’s the best player in the world. That’s what you

expect. That’s what you get. I’m glad he’s with us. I’m glad I’m here.”

On the same night Auston Matthews sewed up the Rocket Richard by

scoring No. 60, McDavid moved seven points ahead of second-place

Jonathan Huberdeau in the points race with 122 points. With Huberdeau

closing in, and McDavid’s childhood hero Crosby on the opposing bench,

the Oilers captain pitched a thriller in Pittsburgh, bringing the home crowd

out of their seats throughout the night.

“That’s what the best players in the world do. They rise to those

occasions,” said head coach Jay Woodcroft. “What he’s doing here with

this season … there’s almost a consensus that it is just McDavid being

McDavid. That’s what he does. But he’s at a career high, he’s driving our

team and he’s playing the game the right way. He’s driven to win.”

There have only been two 125-point seasons since the turn of the

century (Joe Thornton and Nikita Kucherov). If McDavid can get there,

he’s just throw more sand in the gears for the Hart Trophy voters.

As for his ongoing competition with Crosby, well, other than the Stanley

Cup count there isn’t much left to be contested, head to head. In nine

career meetings it’s 5-13-18 for McDavid, and 2-3-5 for Sid, who had to

settle for a front-row seat — but zero points — Tuesday.

“For everybody in that generation, Sid was the guy that most kids looked

up to. I’m sure that adds an extra layer for (McDavid),” said Hyman, who

added an important goal early in the third that broke open a 2-1 game.

But it was McDavid’s game that had this barn buzzing, as Edmonton won

in regulation here for the first time since the doors opened. He has 12

points in Edmonton’s last four games, carrying his club to second place

in the Pacific and home-ice advantage in Round 1 against the Los

Angeles Kings.

“Towards the end of the season, things get harder, and it’s harder to

score. He’s making it easier,” said Hyman. “He’s stepping up and being a

huge difference maker for us. We had a stretch there where things

weren’t going well. We needed to turn it around quick. He’s a big reason

why we were able to.”

Mike Smith won his 10th straight start, the longest such winning skein in

the NHL this season and leaving him tied for the Oilers record with Grant

Fuhr (1985-86). Smith is en fuego at precisely the right time, stopping 33

pucks Tuesday as he stakes his claim to be Woodcroft’s Game 1 starter.

Also, with the score 4-1 and the Pittsburgh net empty, Smith rifled a 190-

foot shot and missed the goal by a foot. It would have been icing on a

well-baked cake here in Pittsburgh, where the Oilers thoroughly

outplayed a Pittsburgh team that dearly needed these points.

“I was on my toes on the bench to see if it was going in. If there’s

anybody that can do it, it would be him,” Woodcroft said.

This young first-time head coach is leading a team into the playoffs that

has the third best winning percentage in the NHL since March 1. That’s

two full months of elite hockey, and a confidence that was on display

here.

“That performance you saw tonight against a really good hockey team,”

began Woodcroft, “was four lines contributing for all 60 (minutes), a

goaltender that was on his game, special teams were firing … It was a

complete 60 for us versus a team that had something to play for.”

It’s home now for a couple of tune-ups against San Jose on Thursday

and the Vancouver Canucks on Friday.

Then a third straight playoff appearance for a team that has never been

more confident.

This could be fun.


1242983 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / Thrilling Flames-Predators tilt whets appetite for playoff

series

Eric Francis@EricFrancis

April 27, 2022, 1:19 AM

NASHVILLE -- What started with a fight between two former carpool pals

ended with an overtime winner that saw the Calgary Flames beat their

former backup goalie.

In between was a three-hour melodrama that included another

heavyweight scrap, more hits than a Nashville concert series, several

lead changes and a game-tying goal with 0.1 seconds left in regulation.

As Matthew Tkachuk walked off the ice for a post-game interview

Tuesday, the first thing out of his mouth was, “what happened?”

Hours after the game Flames and Nashville Predators fans were

wondering the same thing, as one of the most incredible regular-season

scripts was flipped endlessly in a 5-4 win for the Flames that easily could

have passed as a playoff tilt.

“I’ve got to say, I’ve played over 1,000 games now and that’s probably

(one of the) top five games I’ve been a part of, with the goals, the hits,

the fights, the emotion, the crowd,” said Milan Lucic of a game filled with

more drama, twists and violence than anything at Dutton Ranch.

“It was a great game to be a part of. I think everybody who was here, and

watched on TV, got their money’s worth.”

Told there were 74 hits in the game, Tkachuk interjected with a grin, “in

the first period?”

It was indeed that opening frame that set the tone with former Predators

teammates Erik Gudbranson and Tanner Jeannot squaring off for a

heavyweight tilt borne out of an exchange of big hits on one another.

Earlier in the day, when no one could have guessed how raucous things

would get, there was Gudbranson speaking glowingly about the

youngster who “was his ride for two weeks,” after he was traded to

Nashville last season.

Both teams rode the emotion of that battle with a litany of post-whistle

scrums that saw Tkachuk and Matt Duchene exchange some nasty

stickwork while lining up for a draw, followed by a big-boy tilt between

Lucic and Mark Borowiecki.

The tone setting didn’t stop there, nor did the plot twists in a game that

saw the Predators clinging to a 4-3 lead when their starting netminder

and MVP, Juuse Saros, came up lame and needed help onto the bench

and down the tunnel with a left leg ailment of some sort with 6:32 left.

Potentially devastating far beyond Tuesday's drama.

Enter David Rittich, who was a member of the Flames until last season’s

trade deadline.

With just 0.1 seconds remaining, and Flames netminder Dan Vladar

pulled for an extra attacker, the very first shot on Rittich was a stuff-job

by Tkachuk from the side that slid under his pads as the horn sounded.

The Flames, and their fan base, exploded in celebration, not knowing if

indeed it would count.

“I couldn’t hear, so I didn’t know if it was in or not,” said Tkachuk, whose

41st was confirmed by video review.

“It was just, ‘what else? What else can happen?”

Wild sequence sees Flames' Tkachuk send it to overtime with 0.1 on the

clock

Lucic intervened with a grin.

“How much more can we get entertained?”

Plenty more.

Two minutes into overtime, Elias Lindholm silenced a Bridgestone Arena

crowd we should all hope will witness a rematch in the opening round.

A Dallas shootout win over Vegas 15 minutes later confirmed the Preds

had clinched a playoff spot. Nashville is now tied with the Stars at 95

points apiece with two games remaining.

Regardless of who wins that battle to play Calgary, the Flames left

Nashville owning the night.

“I think there were a lot more plays that were bigger than (his goal), and

Looch was just saying that in there, it didn’t mean as much as it does

when it comes to points, but when it comes to the team sticking up for

one another and battling for each other that game did so much for us,”

said Tkachuk, whose club got its second two-goal game from a surging

Dillon Dube.

“Those fights, the goaltending. That game felt like a four-overtime playoff

game. That was as good of an atmosphere as I’ve seen in the NHL by a

mile, including playoffs.”

There was no update on Saros' status after the game.

The result is a testament to just how well this team has bought into the

importance of finishing strong, even though there’s nothing on the line

standings-wise for the Pacific Division champs.

“Darryl (Sutter) has been on us about being in playoff mode for the last

10, 15 games and I think that’s what makes him a really good coach and

why we’ve had so much success as a team,” said Lucic.

“He prepares us and gets us ready and fired up for every game no matter

what.

“I just think we showed a lot of character sticking up for each other and

four ourselves and I said it even after the Saturday night game that this

game wasn’t going to be one where you’re going through the motions

because they’re playing to clinch a playoff spot and it’s a possible first

round matchup. If we play them, or don’t play them, whoever we play, it

was definitely a playoff-type game.”

This, remember, is the same building in which Tkachuk scored his

between-the-legger, one-timer at the buzzer in overtime a few years

back, making this place memorable for more than just Tootsie’s.

Yet, all he wanted to do was talk about the process, as opposed to the

result, singling out Lucic and Gudbranson for handily winning their

respective fights.

“What they did there was huge for our team,” he said.

“What this game did for us to bring us together this time of the year… this

game did so much more for us than people would probably expect.

“It’s definitely feeling good.

“That game prepared us for what this next little bit is going to be like.”

Asked if he could handle a seven-game series with the Preds, Tkachuk

smiled: "Get the ice packs ready."


1242984 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / As playoff hopes vanish, Canucks' Hughes shatters long-

standing record

Iain MacIntyre@imacSportsnet

April 27, 2022, 2:08 AM

VANCOUVER – Quinn Hughes didn’t get what he wanted Tuesday night,

but still got something he deserved.

The 22-year-old defenceman smashed a franchise scoring record that

had stood for 35 years, but his accomplishment in the Vancouver

Canucks’ 5-2 win against the Seattle Kraken was hollowed by the

elimination of his team from the playoff race when the Dallas Stars beat

the Vegas Golden Knights in a Texas shootout hours earlier.

With two games remaining in their National Hockey League season, the

Canucks are six points behind the Stars and won’t be able to catch them

for the final wild-card playoff spot in the Western Conference.

Years from now, Hughes will appreciate eclipsing Doug Lidster’s record

of 63 points in a single season for the Canucks. Then again, maybe he

won’t, because coach Bruce Boudreau said last weekend that Hughes

will break the record another five times before he’s finished playing.

But on Tuesday, mostly what he felt was disappointment, despite a three-

point game that lifted him to 66 points, with games remaining Thursday

against the Los Angeles Kings and Friday against the Edmonton Oilers.

“I'm definitely humbled right now,” Hughes said of the record after the

Canucks failed for the sixth time in seven seasons to qualify for the

Stanley Cup tournament, despite going 31-15-9 since Boudreau took

over the team on Dec. 5 “In my crazy mind, I have more goals that I want

to do and I've just got to keep going. It's unfortunate that we miss the

playoffs with Dallas winning. We pushed hard and I think we can go into

next year and have a similar record and just go from there.

“It's definitely disappointing. But in saying that, I mean, we've got to be a

little proud of ourselves the way we pushed the last four and a half

months. And I think, for myself, I really do think that we can carry this into

next year. I think our culture has really improved and guys really want to

win and I think everyone can see it.”

Hughes moved past Lidster with the second assist on J.T. Miller’s goal

just 3:34 into Tuesday’s game. He later assisted on defence partner Luke

Schenn’s tap-in and ended the night by scoring on a beautiful feed from

Conor Garland, who set up three goals and was the best Canuck.

Since returning April 9 from bronchitis, which forced him to miss two

games and not more only because of the Canucks’ desperate playoff

push, Hughes has three goals and 10 assists in eight games.

“I feel like my last 40 games have been the best in my career by a lot --

by a landslide,” Hughes said. “Just my overall game, not the points.

There's still defencemen in the league that are better than me, and I want

to be right up there with them. That's what I'm pushing for.”

It took the five-foot-10 defenceman from Michigan, via Toronto, just three

seasons to beat a record that had stood since 1987. But really, what took

him so long?

Hughes might have challenged Lidster’s mark had his rookie campaign

two years ago not been halted at 69 games by the debut of COVID-19.

Including the 17 playoff games Hughes logged that summer in the

Edmonton bubble, he amassed 69 points in 85 games as a freshmen

straight out of the University of Michigan.

That’s how good he was. How good he is.

In Saturday’s loss to the Calgary Flames, Hughes surpassed Dennis

Kearns’ 1977 record of 55 assists in a season by a Vancouver blue-liner.

Boudreau said in January that Hughes was the best he has ever coached

at his position, although the Canucks’ boss was a little more measured

earlier this month when he reiterated that the agile defenceman is as

good as any passer he has coached.

But Hughes was minus-24 last year during the pandemic season, and

that old-school statistic scalded the new-age player who vowed to be

better defensively this season. He told Sportsnet in November that he

wouldn’t care if had zero points, as long as he didn’t get scored on.

He is plus-eight this year, and a lot of more advanced statistics validate

the uptick in Hughes’ two-way game. Hughes’ goals-against-per-60-

minutes has shrunk to 2.18 this season at five-on-five -- more than a

puck better than his 3.27 mark last year.

Hughes also has a bigger role, killing penalties and defending leads.

“It sounds crazy, but I think I'm more satisfied about the plus/minus and

my overall game than I am the points, honest to God,” he said. “The

points are nice, but it was just such a hard year last year . . . being dash-

24 -- and I took it personal. So this year, that's what I'm most happy

about, to be honest.”

Hughes said players became aware after the first period that Dallas,

which needed to lose in regulation for the Canucks to stay in the playoff

race, had forced its game against Vegas into overtime.

About the only Canuck who was unaware was goalie Spencer Martin,

called up from the minors to replace injured starter Thatcher Demko.

Boudreau said after the morning skate that Demko has an “ouch” and

that he is out day-to-day.

But the final three days of Vancouver’s season may belong to Martin,

who was the organization’s fifth-string goalie when he joined the Canucks

last summer. The 26-year-old played his way into the starter’s role in the

American Hockey League with Abbotsford, and earlier this month signed

a two-year, one-way contract with the Canucks. He is expected to be

Demko’s backup next season.

“My goal is to be full-time (in the NHL) and obviously I'm not full-time right

now,” Martin said after making 30 saves, a pile of them during Seattle’s

eight power plays. “So just every chance that I get to play or practise with

these guys, I'm trying to show that I can hang around and help them next

year and going forward. I'm not taking anything for granted.”

After this season, none of the Canucks can afford to do that.


1242985 Websites

Sportsnet.ca / After spirited playoff chase, the value of belief is part of the

Canucks' culture

Iain MacIntyre@imacSportsnet

April 25, 2022, 8:49 PM

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks’ playoff chase, already a

minor miracle, was literally down to its final second on Sunday. So to

have another 60 minutes to play for on Tuesday feels like a massive,

unexpected bonus.

Much has gone into the Canucks’ playoff dream overcoming common

sense and surviving until the final week of a National Hockey League

season. Some of it is inexplicable. But in the matter of Canucks versus

Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, and especially San Jose Sharks versus

Vegas Golden Knights on Sunday, the evidence is pretty clear: divine

intervention.

How else to explain the Golden Knights, who would have eliminated the

Canucks from the Western Conference wild-card race by beating San

Jose Sunday at home, blowing the lead in the final second in regulation

time, then losing in a shootout?

“You guys don't know me that well but, listen... I believe in things that

happen,” Vancouver coach Bruce Boudreau said Monday after the

Canucks practised at Rogers Arena for another last chance. “Like, I

believed when I was 38 years old, playing in Fort Wayne (in the IHL), that

I still had a chance at making the NHL. I always found that if you stop

believing, then it never happens. But if you believe in it hard enough,

then maybe some dreams do come true.

“If all the favourites won, boy, the betting world would really take a hit,

right?”

With Vegas leading 4-3 and needing a win to move four points clear of

Vancouver and within two of the Dallas Stars, Knights defenceman

Brayden McNabb tried to clear the puck high up the sideboards in the

final seconds. Standing at the blue line was six-foot-five Sharks

defenceman Brent Burns, who used most of his height to knock the puck

down before launching a desperate, wayward slapshot that bounced

perfectly off the end boards for Timo Meier to score the tying goal with

0.9 seconds remaining.

But not getting nearly as much attention was the far less explicable

winning goal in the shootout, which denied Vegas a victory and means

the Canucks can survive again Tuesday if they beat the Kraken and the

Golden Knights win in regulation in Dallas.

Both Vancouver and Vegas are trying to catch the Stars.

San Jose’s shootout winner was scored by 20-year-old, second-round

pick, Thomas Bordeleau, who was still playing college hockey for

Michigan when April began. Bordeleau is the grandson of former Canuck

Paulin Bordeleau, who began his NHL career with three seasons in

Vancouver in the 1970s after leaving junior hockey in Toronto, where his

Marlboros teammate was Bruce Boudreau.

Boudreau said he remembers Paulin scoring on a last-minute penalty

shot to beat Peterborough in Game 7 of the 1973 Ontario Hockey

League final, which allowed the Marlies to advance and win the Memorial

Cup.

“Crazy things can happen in sport,” Boudreau said. “I've seen it a lot of

times in the last day of the year, where the underdog has beaten a team

that just has to win the game. And they're heavily favored and they don't

win. If you give up hope, then you're done. You always have to believe

that there's a chance. And if we win tomorrow, you never know. You

never quit until it's done.”

The Canucks haven’t quit. But, let’s be clear, they’re done.

Not only do they have to beat the Kraken while the Knights win in

regulation against the Stars, the Canucks would also need to end their

season by sweeping back-to-back games against the playoff-bound Los

Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers, while Dallas and Vegas go a

combined 0-4 the rest of the week. And one of the Stars’ opponents are

the Arizona Coyotes.

But here they are, at least, at Game 80 and still playing for something.

That was unfathomable at Game 22, when the Canucks were 6-14-2, or

after Game 25 when Boudreau was hired to replace Travis Green, and

president Jim Rutherford was hired to replace fired general manager Jim

Benning.

The Canucks are 30-15-9 since then and, even dimmed by going 0-2-1 in

their last three games, have played at a 105-point clip under Boudreau.

“When we first started talking about how we're going to turn things

around back in December, you look at the big picture, it... was

overwhelming,” defenceman Luke Schenn told reporters after he was

nominated Monday for the Bill Masterton Trophy. “Like Bruce said earlier,

you focus on the game at hand, and the one day, and then you win the

week and kind of go from there. The smaller goals are a little bit more

realistic, and then the bigger picture starts to be a little more clear.

“But here we are in the last few days of the season and, like you said,

we're hanging on. That's all you can ask for at this time — is to continue

to play meaningful games.”

Forward J.T. Miller said: “Bruce gave us a new life when he got here, a

new jump and fresh start. And ever since then, I think we took our

opportunity and decided to run with it. I'm really proud of our guys in

here. It takes a lot of care and a lot of want. And it's really easy to roll

over when you're 8-15, or whatever we were back then, and just write

this season off as a regroup-type of year. We've really done almost

everything we can to this point to show that we could compete against

the best teams in the league. It's really exciting moving forward no matter

what happens.”

Miller said players still have something to prove.

“I always think of that Jim Valvano quote: never give in, never give up

type of thing,” Boudreau said. “I think that comes from (me) being in the

minors for so long and never knowing if you're going to get a job the next

year, whether it's playing or coaching. But you just keep striving for it. I

hope they've gotten that message this year, that it's a never-give-up

situation. Winning is a culture that you bring, and I'm hoping if there's

anything that I'm bringing to the team it's that winning is the only

important thing.”

Right next to believing.


1242986 Websites

TSN.CA / Matthews aims for milestone, momentum ahead of playoffs

Mark Masters

What would 60 goals mean to Auston Matthews?

"It'd mean a lot, but it's also not the end of the world either," the Leafs

centre said. "There's more to this season than accomplishing that."

Matthews has been held without a goal in two games since returning

from an undisclosed injury. Overall, he's gone five games without

scoring, which is his longest drought of the season. He's been stuck at 58

goals since potting a pair against the Montreal Canadiens on April 9.

"I imagine he'll be going tonight, and we'll hope that one falls for him,"

said coach Sheldon Keefe. "But as long as his legs are moving and he's

working on both sides of the puck and he's generating chances, I think

that's all he's looking for. He has enough confidence in himself that goals

will come."

Matthews fired 11 shots on net over the weekend and picked up two

assists during Sunday's win in Washington.

"I've had some really good opportunities of late," he said. "As long as I'm

getting those opportunities, I know they'll fall."

The chances didn't fall in last year's playoffs when Matthews scored just

once in seven games against the Montreal Canadiens. The pressure will

be immense when the postseason opens next week, and the Leafs want

Matthews going in feeling as good as possible.

"He's a guy that's used to scoring and it feels good when you're scoring,"

acknowledged Keefe.

Only two players – Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos and Washington's Alex

Ovechkin – have scored 60 goals in a season during the salary-cap era.

When Matthews scored his 50th goal on March 31, he was mobbed by

teammates in the dressing room afterwards. The group is eager to

celebrate another milestone moment.

"We obviously want to see it," said captain John Tavares, "but we want to

keep going with the same approach and let that take care of itself. I

mean, what's his goals per game? Odds are pretty good. So, we just

want to keep playing the same way and have the same focus and I know

he does too."

Matthews, who is averaging 0.81 goals per game this season, almost

always seems to have a healthy swagger. How does he stay in the

moment?

"Just living," he said before pausing for a moment. "I'm not sure I can

really explain it. It's just living ... There's only so much we can control. All

we have is today and all we have right now is a game tonight against the

Red Wings."

The opposition is well aware that Matthews seems to have a sense for

the occasion.

"I don't know if it's through added strength, through added confidence,

but he's just been able to really take over games," said Detroit coach Jeff

Blashill, "you feel like he brings it to a whole other level."

'No doubt we want to see it': Leafs pushing for Matthews to hit 60 goal

plateau

Having yet to score a goal since his return from a three-game absence,

Auston Matthews sits at 58 goals on the season. The Leafs' superstar

says hitting the 60-goal mark would mean a lot, but is also focused on

team goals. Wanting to see the milestone, captain John Tavares says he

hasn't spoken to Matthews much about the chase, but would love to see

him get it.

Top-line winger Michael Bunting, who got hurt in Saturday's game in

Florida and missed Sunday's tilt in Washington, hit the ice ahead of the

main group on Tuesday.

"It's a very positive sign," Keefe said. "He's not going to play his week

and then we'll re-evaluate him from there, but things are looking positive."

Alex Kerfoot slotted in beside Matthews and Mitch Marner at the morning

skate.

What's it like facing Matthews?

"It's exciting," said Wings defenceman Moritz Seider. "It's exhausting, but

you always like playing against the best guys in the league and that's

what I look forward to."

Seider, 21, has been getting the tough matchups basically all season.

Playing a full 82-game schedule for the first time has been an

adjustment, but Seider hasn't shied away from the challenge. Oftentimes,

bigger and older players will look to target rookies, but Seider hasn't

wilted.

"You're not intimidating Moritz Seider," said Blashill.

The coach points out that the sixth-overall pick from the 2019 draft has

already refined the art of the reverse hit.

"Like, you can go try and hit him hard and every once in a while, you

might get the best of him, but most of the time he's getting the best of you

and he's not going to back down either way," Blashill said.

Detroit is winless in three games against the Leafs this season, but

Seider is plus-one with five assists against Toronto.

"He's just really solid," observed Matthews. "Really good poise with the

puck. A really good first pass [which] is maybe not as appreciated as

much, but I find he makes really good passes coming out of the D-zone.

He's always leading the rush and has been really solid on both sides of

the ice for them. He's always a challenge to go against. He's big [6-foot-

4, 197 pounds]. He's strong and he's got a long reach. He's a solid all-

around player."

That's why Seider has emerged as a favourite to win the Calder Trophy.

"Very complete player," said Keefe. "Some players come in and have

one or two things that really carry them, but then they have a lot of things

that need a lot of work and that's why it takes some time, and you have to

protect them. He seems to be a very well-rounded, very mature guy for

his age and that's why he's able to take on so much. There's not a lot

missing from his game."

Seider confirmed that he'll play for Germany at the World Championship

following the NHL season.

'It's exciting, it's exhausting': Calder favourite Seider ready for challenge

of stopping Matthews

Calder favourite Moritz Seider says it is exciting to go up against the

leagues best players, but admits that facing Auston Matthews can be

exhausting trying to prevent the Leafs' sniper from shooting. The Red

Wings defenceman also isn't letting the rookie of the year talk distract

him, as he says he is just happy to be playing in the NHL.

After missing seven of eight games, including six straight, with an

undisclosed injury, Jake Muzzin is ready to return.

"Very significant," said Keefe of the development. "He needs to get the

game reps to get himself up to speed and then just to gain the

confidence that he's ready to go."

Muzzin has only played four games since suffering a concussion, his

second of the season, on Feb. 21. He was paired with T.J. Brodie at the

morning skate.

Justin Holl projects to be a healthy scratch.

Muzzin draws back in; Bunting out for at least a week

After missing the last six games due to an undisclosed injusy, Jake

Muzzin will return to the Leafs lineup tonight against the Red Wings, with

hopes he can get up to speed before the playoffs. Michael Bunting

skated on his own, and will be out for the rest of the week.

Rasmus Sandin, who has been out since March 19 with a knee injury,

took part in Toronto's morning skate. Could he play on Friday?

"I think we'll see Rasmus," Keefe said. "He's got some appointments

today to get through and if that goes well, I think you'll see him with our

team for practice and then we'll take it from there. He hasn't had a full

team practice yet."

Toronto wraps up the regular season on Friday against the Boston

Bruins.

Ondrej Kase, who has been sidelined with a concussion since March 19,

also took part in Tuesday's skate.

"Today is an important step for him just being on the ice with a full team

and that many players moving around and the puck flying around," Keefe

said. "But there's no timeline on him. We're not working towards any

target date or anything like that right now."

The winger has been plagued by concussions throughout his career and

was limited to just three games last season. On Monday, Kase was

named Toronto's nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which

is awarded annually to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities

of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

"When he's played and when he's practised, he gives you nothing but

everything he has and you can't help but appreciate that," said Keefe.

"The fact that he's willing to come back, he's willing to push ... speaks to

the fact that he loves his team and loves his teammates."

'He gives you everything he has': Kase's perseverance inspires Leafs

The Toronto chapter of the Pro Hockey Writers Association voted winger

Ondrej Kase the Leafs nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

The 26-year-old from Czechia was limited to three games last season

due to concussions. This season, he got his career back on track playing

50 games with Toronto and emerging as a reliable contributor. Kase is

currently sidelined by another concussion, but is working hard to get back

in time for the playoffs.

After sitting out Sunday's game for load management, Tavares will be

back in the lineup on Tuesday. Did he appreciate the chance to catch his

breath?

"Yes and no," the 31-year-old centre said. "As a competitor you want to

play. I try to take a lot of pride in the 82-game grind but, you know ...

having a couple days off the ice, physically, you feel a little better and

now trying to get the feel for the game back. It's a balance. There's

definitely good things to it … You take advantage of the opportunity, and

it made a lot of sense when Keefer approached me about it."

Sunday was only the second game Tavares has missed this season.

Nick Robertson was called up from the American Hockey League and will

slot in beside Ilya Mikheyev and Tavares on second line against Detroit.

He also took reps with the second power-play unit at the morning skate.

Since last playing for the Leafs on March 25, Robertson has 12 goals

and seven assists in 17 games with the Toronto Marlies.

Leafs Ice Chips: Robertson slots in beside well-rested Tavares

As Michael Bunting remains out due to injury, Alex Kerfoot will play

alongside Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on the top line, while Nick

Robertson draws into the lineup, and will play on a line with John

Tavares and Ilya Mikheyev. TSN's Mark Masters has more.

TSN.CA LOADED: 04.27.2022

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF

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