bluejackets.nhl.combluejackets.nhl.com/v2/ext/04 23 2013 nhlc.pdfSPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL...

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 4/23/2013

Anaheim Ducks 671682 Ducks clinch Pacific Division title with 3-0 win over Oilers 671683 In time, Ducks are Pacific standard 671684 DUCKS 3, EDMONTON 0: Fasth earns fourth shutout of season for Anaheim

Boston Bruins 671685 Milan Lucic of the Boston Bruins has something to prove 671686 Bruins give law enforcement officers their game jerseys 671687 Game 44: Bruins vs. Panthers 671688 Final: Bruins 3, Panthers 0 671689 Julien juggling in B’s final week 671690 Lots to accomplish for Bruins

Buffalo Sabres 671691 Jets edge Sabres despite Enroth’s 37 saves 671692 Sabres tickets are going once, going twice ... sold? 671693 Enroth in goal as Sabres look to stop repeated groundings by Jets 671694 Winnipeg Jets top Buffalo Sabres 671695 Amerks' forward Corey Tropp will miss first round of playoffs

Calgary Flames 671696 Flames forward Stempniak working hard to shake ‘streaky’ label 671697 Flames notes: Bancks could get first NHL start on Tuesday 671698 Game Day: Calgary Flames at Nashville Predators 671699 Flames' Cundari overwhelmed by support 671700 Life's been all over the place for Flames' Byron 671701 Flames' Max Reinhart making an impression 671702 Jarome Iginla's SW Calgary home up for sale for $3.995M

Carolina Hurricanes 671703 Tlusty scores twice as Hurricanes beat Lightning

Chicago Blackhawks 671704 Blackhawks renew rivalry with Canucks 671705 Rare clunker for Blackhawks 671706 Hawks fall to Canucks 3-1 671707 Bollig, Saad, Shaw learned a lot during playoffs last year 671708 Schneider, Canucks turn back Blackhawks 671709 Konroyd's Keys: Blackhawks vs. Canucks 671710 How have future Blackhawks fared this year? 671711 Sharp out, Presidents' Trophy potentially captured vs. Canucks 671712 Hawks' point streak snapped in loss to Canucks

Colorado Avalanche 671713 Avs-Blues preview: 6 p.m. Tuesday, ALT2; 950 AM

Columbus Blue Jackets 671714 Blue Jackets: Anatomy of remarkable turnaround 671715 Blue Jackets notebook: Prospal is nominated for Masterton trophy 671716 Bob Hunter commentary: Unheralded players make big impact on Jackets 671717 Around the NHL: Red Wings stifle Coyotes, creep closer to Jackets 671718 Tickets going fast

Dallas Stars 671719 Ray Whitney is Stars' nominee for 2013-13 Masterton Trophy 671720 Stars experienced 'Hotel California' firsthand in loss to Kings 671721 Tuesday Preview: Staying out of penalty box imperative for Dallas Stars against San Jose Sharks in hunt for fi 671722 Heika: Masterton trophy nominee Ray Whitney not wasting time looking back on career 671723 GameDay: Dallas Stars at San Jose Sharks

Detroit Red Wings 671724 Confident Danny DeKeyser giving the Red Wings a boost 671725 Red Wings gearing up for crucial game vs. Coyotes tonight 671726 For the Red Wings, the playoffs start a week early 671727 Red Wings 4, Coyotes 0: Notes, quotes from Monday's win 671728 Detroit 4, Phoenix 0: Red Wings earn huge regulation win vs. Coyotes 671729 Saturday Smith showdown could be do-or-die for Wings, Stars 671730 Coyotes visit Wings with equally desperate playoff predicament 671731 Jimmy Howard's goaltending, Wings' grit show postseason begins now 671732 Youthful determination fuels Red Wings playoff drive 671733 Wings stay in playoff hunt with resounding win at home 671734 Red Wings feel they're playing well, but need to score more against similarly desperate Coyotes 671735 Detroit Red Wings Gameday: How do you feel about team's playoff chances with one week to go? 671736 Red Wings dominate on special teams, Jimmy Howard solid in crucial 4-0 win over Phoenix 671737 Red Wings look to close in on playoff berth tonight 671738 Red Wings defeat Phoenix Coyotes, keep playoff hopes alive

Edmonton Oilers 671739 Edmonton Oilers winger Nail Yakupov wants to finish strong, vie for Calder Trophy 671740 Oilers encouraged to accept invitations to play at world championship 671741 Would Anaheim Ducks make a trade play for Edmonton Oilers’ Sam Gagner? 671742 Edmonton Oilers’ centre Eric Belanger back against Anaheim Ducks, first game since March 25 671743 Is Ralph Krueger too nice a guy as Edmonton Oilers’ coach? 671744 Centre Eric Belanger back for the end run to the Edmonton Oilers season 671745 Edmonton Oilers say they want to win — they just don't play that way 671746 Anaheim Ducks giving veteran forward Teemu Selanne days off option 671747 Edmonton Oilers players eye world championship after playoff elimination 671748 Keep the Edmonton Oilers Wayne Gretzky statue where it is: Mayor Stephen Mandel

Florida Panthers 671749 Florida Panthers’ Nick Bjugstad faces rapid learning curve 671750 Preview: Rangers at Panthers, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday 671751 Panthers rookies Howden, Bjugstad seeking first goals

Los Angeles Kings 671752 Kings' Anze Kopitar is accumulating points, if not goals 671753 KINGS NOTEBOOK: L.A. peaking at the right time 671754 Eisbären Berlin adds to AEG’s title haul 671755 On the ground in Minnesota 671756 Waking up with the Kings: April 22 671757 Bernier a Masterton Trophy nominee

Minnesota Wild 671758 Yeo on Wild's situation: 'It's supposed to be hard,' also discusses Dowell, Veilleux decisions 671759 Desperate times call for desperate measures: Veilleux, Dowell up; Granlund, Zucker down 671760 Wild lose 671761 Wild-Los Angeles game preview 671762 Chip Scoggins: Making playoffs is no given for Wild 671763 Struggling Wild rookies Granlund, Zucker sent to AHL 671764 Minnesota Wild shake up roster and call team meeting with 3 games left 671765 Minnesota Wild, NHL gaining ground in world of analytics 671766 First, Minnesota Wild must learn to handle success 671767 Minnesota Wild move AHL affiliate to Des Moines

Montreal Canadiens 671768 Final week about right mindset and home ice for labouring Habs 671769 Canadiens will need to stop slide in order to retain home-ice advantage 671770 Markov nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial trophy 671771 Habs head off on crucial final road trip before playoffs

Nashville Predators 671773 Nashville Predators fans don't bail 671774 Nashville Predators' finish will determine draft order 671775 Preview: Predators vs. Calgary Flames 671776 Rinne personifies hockey's best traits with perseverance, performance

New Jersey Devils 671777 Kings Seek Repeat of Late-Season Magic 671778 Devils' Patrik Elias: Being on outside will hurt even more when playoffs begin 671779 Devils' Pete DeBoer: We don't deserve to be out of playoffs 671780 Devils captain Bryce Salvador will not play again this season 671781 Devils' Lou Lamoriello confirms Stefan Matteau was released by junior club 671782 Devils' prospect Stefan Matteau reportedly leaves junior team

New York Islanders 671783 Lubomir Visnovsky, Thomas Hickey working well together

New York Rangers 671784 Crushed Ice: Derek Stepan’s consistency, Henrik Lundqvist’s start streak, Taylor Pyatt tallies in 4-1 Rangers 671785 No rest in plans for Rangers goalie Lundqvist 671786 Minor detail on way 671787 Gross: Rangers' looking to continue April success into playoffs in May 671788 Henrik Lundqvist has thrived despite grueling schedule 671789 Rangers-Devils in review

Ottawa Senators 671790 No measure of revenge for Sens 671791 Sens get no love from hockey gods 671792 A win over Pens is more important than revenge on Cooke: Sens players 671793 Cowen back to full speed in a hurry 671794 Karlsson’s miraculous recovery just one of many to dot the world of sports 671795 Pittsburgh Penguins handle Ottawa Senators 3-1 at Scotiabank Place 671796 Why is Pittsburgh Penguins' Matt Cooke so interested in Don Brennan's package? 671797 Pens' bad boy faces media wrath

Philadelphia Flyers 671798 Kent Huskins admits he was knocked out cold 671799 Flyers will honor Boston during game with Bruins 671800 Who will break Philly's playoff drought? 671801 Flyers paying tribute to Boston 671802 Jagr returning, but for one night only 671803 Tribute to Boston strikes a chord with Flyers 671804 Boston tribute planned when Bruins visit 671805 Last games could let Flyer's Danny Briere beef up résumé 671806 Flyers GM Paul Holmgren isn’t dwelling on all that went wrong 671807 Kent Huskins could return to Flyers' lineup this week 671808 Flyers to honor Boston at Tuesday's Bruins game 671809 Will Flyers bring back Kent Huskins next season? 671810 Bombingshit homefor Knuble

Phoenix Coyotes 671811 Captain Shane Doan named Coyotes’ nominee for Masterton Trophy 671812 Phoenix Coyotes fall in shutout loss to the Detroit Red Wings 671813 Coyotes' season crashes, burns in Motor City

Pittsburgh Penguins 671814 Senators seemingly still upset with Penguins’ Cooke 671815 Penguins notebook Fleury stays home with pregnant wife; Bennett also out 671816 Dustin Jeffrey steals opening act as Penguins win 7th in row 671817 Ottawa Senators will see a different Penguins team in playoffs 671818 Bylsma records 200th career victory with 3-1 Penguins win over Senators

San Jose Sharks 671819 San Jose Sharks coach wants to see his team play with urgency 671820 Logan Couture emerging as Sharks' leader 671821 Wilson evaluates post-deadline Sharks

St Louis Blues 671822 Blues-Colorado matchup box 671823 Blues reach for reset button against Avalanche 671824 Local pro writers chapter nominates Blues' Elliott for NHL's Masterton Trophy

Tampa Bay Lightning 671825 Lightning's Gudas a big hit on defense 671826 Cooper studies, waits to mold Lightning

Toronto Maple Leafs 671827 Playoff veteran van Riemsdyk ready to show green Leafs the way 671828 Maple Leafs get break near end of gruelling season with playoffs around the corner: Cox 671829 Maple Leafs in the playoffs: Komarov, McClement, toughness key 671830 Maple Leafs in the playoffs: How the team and world have changed since 2004 671831 Maple Leafs in the playoffs: Quinn, Ferguson, Ponikarovsky, Tucker remember 671832 Maple Leafs: Rest or race to the finish? Choices ahead for Carlyle: Cox 671833 Leafs' JVR says playoffs have 'wow' factor 671834 Leafs hiking playoff tickets 75%! 671835 Maple Leafs' playoff drought over, and here's why 671836 Maple Leafs players believed in themselves 671837 The top five most important Maple Leafs players 671838 59% chance Leafs, Canadiens meet in first round 671839 Anselmi throws some Leafs playoff credit to Burke 671840 Five reasons why the Maple Leafs made the playoffs

Vancouver Canucks 671841 Canucks clinch Northwest, downing Blackhawks, 3-1 671842 GAME WITHIN GAME: Henrik Sedin generates some offence 671843 Family tunes in to Frank Corrado's debut with Canucks 671844 Iain MacIntyre: Canucks just making the playoffs no longer good enough 671845 Game Day: Still something at stake for playoff-bound Canucks and 'Hawks 671846 Iain MacIntyre: Can Canucks elevate game for playoffs? 671847 Canucks scrambling to fill a black-and-blue-line 671848 Memo to Frankie Corrado’s dad: Sir, this is indeed bigger than the Subway Super Series 671849 Hawks see game with the Canucks as a playoff tune-up 671850 Kesler to start tonight’s game with Chicago on the wing 671851 Frank Corrado: “You’re going to have the same nerves for your first game, no matter who you play.” 671852 Canucks 3 Blackhawks 1: Rock 'em, sock 'em, bring on the playoffs 671853 Corrado’s family living the dream, Frankie’s dad says 671854 Canucks pair new arrival Frankie Corrado with Alex Edler in game-day skate Monday

Washington Capitals 671855 Caps look to beat up on Jets once more with playoffs in reach 671856 For Washington Capitals, it all comes down to this 671857 Tom Poti nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy 671858 How the Caps can clinch the Southeast Division 671859 Capitals gear up for final week of regular season (updated) 671860 Capitals can clinch playoff spot by beating Jets on Tuesday 671861 For Capitals, it's win and they're in

Websites 671874 ESPN / Need to know: Wild still have work to do 671875 ESPN / It's back to the drawing board for Flyers 671876 USA TODAY / NHL awards vote coming down to wire 671877 USA TODAY / Red Wings rout Coyotes, aid playoff hopes 671878 USA TODAY / NHL preview: Matt Cooke goes to Ottawa 671879 YAHOO SPORTS / Keith Yandle to give 'Martin Richard' jersey to family of 8-year-old bombing victim

Winnipeg Jets 671862 Jets edge Sabres 671863 Jets captain named NHL star of the week 671864 Gamebreakers 671865 Playoff race at a glance 671866 Pleased to Meech-ya! 671867 Unlikely heroes slice Sabres 671868 Jets-Sabres summary 671869 Tonight: Jets-Capitals 671870 How Jets can still make playoffs despite long odds 671871 Jets get razor thin win 671872 Wellwood lost to Jets 671873 Jets vs. Sabres snapshots SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129

671682 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks clinch Pacific Division title with 3-0 win over Oilers

By Helene Elliott

9:31 PM PDT, April 22, 2013

The Ducks' torrid pace had slowed the last few weeks, but they regrouped in time to clinch their second Pacific Division title in franchise history and the No. 2 seeding in the playoffs.

Goaltender Viktor Fasth made 24 saves and Ryan Getzlaf, Radek Dvorak and Sami Vatanen each scored goals Monday to give the Ducks a 3-0 victory over the Oilers at Edmonton and a sweep of the teams' back-to-back games.

The Ducks previously won a division title in 2007 as a springboard to winning the Stanley Cup.

They started this season impressively but had struggled to score lately. They were winless in four games before their two strong performances against the Oilers.

"I think it was certainly important to win the division, but it was more important to get back to playing the way we know we can," defenseman Francois Beauchemin said.

"It was a good two games for us, and that's what's most important."

Getzlaf scored during a first-period power play and Dvorak was set up by Long Beach native Emerson Etem for a 2-0 lead at 11:48.

Vatanen added an insurance goal at 3:55 of the third period, fanning on his first attempt but getting the puck back and rifling it past goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin.

Fasth earned his fourth shutout.

The Ducks will finish their four-game trip at Vancouver on Thursday and will end the season at home against Phoenix on Saturday. They will open the playoffs against the No. 7-seeded team, which hasn't yet been determined.

"This is the second step. The first was making the playoffs. So this is another good step," winger Teemu Selanne said. "Good so far, but a lot of hard work ahead for sure. We have to be ready. The toughest part is coming up."

LA Times: LOADED: 04.23.2013


In time, Ducks are Pacific standard

By ERIC STEPHENS

2013-04-22 22:50:31

EDMONTON, Alberta – Some arenas around the NHL have rafters filled with banners for championships and division titles. Honda Center, which will be turning 20 in two months, pales by comparison.

It took a few more games than expected but the arena's only professional tenant can give its banners from the seminal 2003 and 2007 seasons some company.

The Ducks finally wrapped up their second Pacific Division championship as a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday gave them a 2013 bookend to the division, conference and Stanley Cup titles racked up in the defining '07 run.

"Tonight there's a little bit of finality to it," said Coach Bruce Boudreau, who joined predecessor Randy Carlyle with that achievement. "Last night, you're happy and you're getting close but it's like Dec. 24. You want Christmas to come.

"You're happy everything is here. It's a nice way to finish the first part of the season."

The Ducks (29-11-6) also clinched the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference when the playoffs begin on April 30. Most prognosticators had them finishing outside the postseason after their disappointing 13th place showing a year ago.

But they used their strong finish in 2011-12 as fuel for a hot start. The Ducks nearly went wire-to-wire, going 7-1-1 and then 13-2-1 to pass rival San Jose in the standings.

By mid-March, the Ducks were 22-3-4 and were challenging Chicago for the NHL lead. They tailed off down the stretch but finally got the job done.

"It shows the character in this room," winger Corey Perry said. "We've had our bad spells in this room. But the character in here ... everybody's picked it up and pushed forward. Those are things that are good signs going into the playoffs."

A trip to Edmonton seems to cure whatever ails them. The Ducks have won 11 straight at Rexall Place dating to the 2007-08 season after going many years without being able to buy a victory at the House That Gretzky Built.

Ryan Getzlaf and Radek Dvorak scored in the first period and the Ducks (29-11-6) were on their way. The biggest question following two confidence-preserving wins in Oil Country is who will start in goal in Game 1 of their Western Conference first-round series.

Jonas Hiller turned in a razor-sharp performance in Monday's 3-1 win. Boudreau referred to the 27-save outing as a game without weakness and one "that was a big, big game for him."

Boudreau followed up Monday by saying that Hiller would go Thursday in Vancouver in a rare acknowledgment of his starting goaltender in advance of game day. "And then we'll see where it is after that," he said.

Viktor Fasth made his own case Tuesday by stopping 24 Oilers shots. Fasth wasn't tested as much with the Ducks playing a tighter defensive game in front of him but he did make two strong stops on Corey Potter and Jordan Eberle.

Still, it was Fasth's fourth shutout of his first NHL season after playing for years in his native Sweden.

"I didn't really know what to expect when I came in," Fasth said. "Everything happened so fast. The lockout ended and to be here in a week or something. But it's been a fun season so far. I think we're going to have even more fun in the playoffs."

The feeling is that it could be Hiller's Game 1 nod to lose, and the start against the playoff-bound Canucks would be the opportunity to end the argument.

Despite his experience in big games internationally and in the Swedish Elite League, Fasth has never played in an NHL playoff game. Hiller was out in 2011 because of vertigo but there are long memories of his star turn in their 2009 upset of top-seeded San Jose.

Asked if Hiller's performance made it a tougher decision or an easier one, Boudreau played his card close to the vest. He compared both to horses running neck and neck in the water-shooting game at the county fair.

"It's always easier when you have those two goalies," Boudreau said. "But when he's playing like that, it makes it really easy where I can't make a mistake."

SBISA STILL OUT

The longer Luca Sbisa skated on Monday morning, the more he didn't feel quite right.

Sbisa sat out his fourth Ducks game in a row because of a lingering lower-body injury that is impacting his movement on the ice.

The defenseman was hopeful that he could play against the Oilers after feeling better following a Sunday skate. But more turns around the ice a day later didn't show any improvement.

"It almost felt the same or even a little worse, which was really disappointing. I really wanted to play tonight," said Sbisa, who has a goal and seven assists in 41 games.

The Ducks do not play again until Thursday in Vancouver. Sbisa is hoping the extra days will allow him to heal quicker. His goal is to get in the final two games before the playoffs begin.

"It doesn't make sense to really force it right now," Sbisa said. "I've been playing with it for a while. It's just not allowing me to play the game I want to play."

Sheldon Souray is also nursing a lower-body injury and rested again in Edmonton as more of a precautionary nature. Souray said it is likely that he'll return against the Canucks.

Orange County Register: LOADED: 04.23.2013


DUCKS 3, EDMONTON 0: Fasth earns fourth shutout of season for Anaheim

By The Associated Press

Posted: 04/22/2013 10:10:33 PM PDT

Updated: 04/22/2013 11:49:35 PM PDT

EDMONTON, Alberta - Viktor Fasth made 24 saves for his fourth shutout of the season and the Ducks clinched the Pacific Division title with a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night.

Ryan Getzlaf, Radek Dvorak and Sami Vatanen scored for the Ducks, who won back-to-back games in Edmonton to capture their first division title since 2007 - the year they went on to win the Stanley Cup.

The Oilers have lost eight of their last nine games and seem destined for yet another high draft pick in the offseason.

The Ducks started the scoring six minutes in on the power play when Getzlaf picked the puck out of a scramble out front and calmly slipped his 15th of the season past Oilers goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin.

Emerson Etem put the Ducks up 2-0 at 11:48, sending a beautiful no-look backhand pass to Dvorak for an easy tap-in.

The only good chance in a listless and scoreless second period belonged to the Ducks, as Kyle Palmieri was alone in tight but stoned on a quick glove save by Khabibulin with two minutes remaining.

The shots were 18-16 in the Ducks' favor after 40 minutes.

The Ducks took a three-goal lead four minutes into the third frame as Vatanen sent a long shot through traffic that found the top corner of the net.

Next up for the Oilers is a home date against the league-leading Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday. The Ducks finish off a four-game trip Thursday in Vancouver.

Also

The Ducks officially eliminated the Oilers from playoff contention on Sunday, making them the team with the longest active postseason drought, having missed the playoffs for the last seven seasons dating to their Game 7 loss in the Stanley Cup finals against Carolina in 2006. ... Oilers center Eric Belanger made his return from a groin injury to play his first game since missing the past 13 contests. He took the place of Magnus Paajarvi, who was nursing a foot injury. ... Also out for the Oilers were three players presumably gone for the remainder of the season - Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (shoulder), Ales Hemsky (foot) and Lennart Petrell (leg). ... Significant absences from the Ducks lineup included defensemen Luca Sbisa (lower body) and Sheldon Souray (lower body), who missed his second straight game against his former team. Ducks forward Bobby Ryan was a late scratch with an illness.

LA Daily News: LOADED: 04.23.2013

671685 Boston Bruins

Milan Lucic of the Boston Bruins has something to prove

By Nancy L. Marrapese-Burrell

Globe Staff / April 22, 2013

WILMINGTON — Bruins coach Claude Julien has been trying to help left wing Milan Lucic regain his form.

After a one-game benching, Lucic returned to the lineup Sunday against Florida and was reunited with center David Krejci, with Rich Peverley on the right side.

Although he played just 12 minutes, 54 seconds, he had a team-high five hits and three shots on net, one of which was a terrific scoring chance. The second period was his best.

“It took a little bit,’’ said Lucic. “The first period, we didn’t have much going on, but after that, we did create a little bit. We know we’re going to have to bring a lot more when it comes to crunch time.

“We’ve shown in the past, and we’ve shown at times this year, that we can bring a lot more and that we are a big part of this team and hopefully we’ll bring it when it matters the most.’’

In Saturday’s loss to the Penguins, Lucic was a healthy scratch for the first time since his rookie season, and it was very difficult to sit upstairs and watch.

“It’s also the sense of pride that you want to get things going again,’’ he said. “You’re obviously not happy with how things have gone and not happy sitting out of the lineup. You want to show and prove you still can bring a lot to this team.’’

Lucic isn’t viewing the benching in a negative light. It’s something he will use as a motivator.

“You’re not happy ever sitting out of the lineup,’’ said Lucic. “You want to try to take all of the positives out of it.

“This is an important time of year. I’m not a guy who is going to start causing problems within the team just because I sat out of the lineup.

“It’s a different perspective sitting up there and getting to watch the game. I think it just kind of builds that hunger back in you that you want to make sure it never happens again. I’ll make sure it never happens again.’’

It was helpful to re-team with Krejci against Florida.

“I have a lot of chemistry with [Krejci],’’ said Lucic. “I played with him for a long time. I’m sure he enjoys playing with me as well.

“It was just going back and trying to simplify things and trying to start feeling good again and hopefully trying to get that confidence back. That’s the main thing right now, getting that confidence back and playing with that edge that I know I can play with. That’s what my main focus is right now.’’

The Bruins have four games remaining in the regular season, and Lucic said they want to be playing their best hockey by the time the playoffs begin.

“You want to be a contributor for this hockey club and I’ve shown that I can be a big part of this hockey club,’’ said Lucic. “As of right now, you’re just trying to find something to build off to kind of get you going. Sometimes it’s a bounce and everything kind of just moves in the right direction.

“I remember three years ago in 2010, I wasn’t playing my best hockey either. Game 6 against Buffalo, I made two plays and it ended up two goals and everything kind of turned around for myself. I ended up getting five goals in the next series against Philadelphia even though we lost.

“It kind of moved things in the right direction. When I came back the next season, it was still in my head and I was feeling pretty good about myself. You hope that something, it could be a bounce or even a hit or something like that that kind of sparks it because I know it’s there and you’ve got to do whatever you can to bring it.’’

Because of schedule changes that resulted from the Boston Marathon bombings, the Bruins are playing four games in six days. Julien is taking it day by day with regard to resting those who need it. Lucic said he is feeling healthy and strong.

“I think we’re all anxious for the playoffs to start,’’ said Lucic. “I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t. We still know that there’s a job to do. We still have a lot to play for with that division title on the line here.

“We’re not looking past these four games. We want to build our game before the playoffs start. That’s a good focus to have, not looking too far ahead heading into the playoffs.’’

McQuaid travels

Defenseman Adam McQuaid, who missed Sunday’s game because of an upper-body injury, practiced and made the trip to Philadelphia, where the Bruins play Tuesday night. Nathan Horton, who is listed as day to day with an upper-body injury, remained home. Captain Zdeno Chara, who was involved in a third-period collision against Florida Sunday, didn’t practice but Julien said he suffered no ill effects.

Boston Globe LOADED: 04.23.2013


Bruins give law enforcement officers their game jerseys

Matt Pepin, Boston.com Staff April 21, 2013 08:20 PM

If ever a photo was worth a thousand words, well, here's one.

On a weekend filled with emotional tributes, the Bruins joined right in. On Sunday, they gave their game jerseys to law enforcement officers who were involved in the manhunt for the suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing.

Normally, the Bruins' "Shirts off their backs" promotion is for fans, but the team said season ticket holders requested that the event, scheduled for Sunday, instead be for first responders.



Game 44: Bruins vs. Panthers

Kevin Paul Dupont, Globe Staff April 21, 2013 11:45 AM

Good morning from the TD Bank Garden, where at 12:30 the Bruins will face the Panthers in the final regular-season matinee of the season on Causeway Street.

Milan Lucic and Doug Hamilton, both scratched from Saturday's 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh, will be back in the lineup today for the Bruins.

Nathan Horton and Adam McQuaid, both of whom were dinged up in the loss to Pittsburgh, are on the sidelines today. Coach Claude Julien said both suffered upper-body injuries and their availability will be assessed on a day-to-day basis.

It looks like Waden Redden also makes it back into the lineup today against what is a Florida JV club. He likely pairs with Dennis Seidenberg.

During warmups, all Panthers wear ballcaps, with logo that a Bruins spokesperson says is that of the Boston Police Dept.

Puck drop: 12:30 p.m. EST

Record: Bruins, 26-12-5; Panthers, 13-25-6.

TV/radio info: NESN (Jack Edwards, Andy Brickley, Naoko Funayama), 98.5 The Sports Hub (Dave Goucher, Bob Beers)

Projected lineup:

Milan Lucic -David Krejci-Rich Peverley.

Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Tyler Seguin

Carl Soderberg-Chris Kelly-Jaromir Jagr.

Danny Paille-Greg Campbell-Shawn Thornton

Zdeno Chara-Dougie Hamilton

Wade Redden-Dennis Seidenberg

Andrew Ference-Johnny Boychuk.

Tuukka Rask

Anton Khudobin

Storylines: With only five games to go in regular season, the Bruins desperately need to get back on their game. They are a season-worst 0-3-1 in their last four games....Lucic has scored only twice since Feb. 24. We'll see if a day on the sidelines perks his productivity...Julien would not be more specific about the injuries to Horton and McQauid. Horton had a first-period fight Saturday with Jarome Iginla and did not return after that short scuffle. McQuaid was hindered after an open-ice hit by Matt Cooke...Despite their recent woes, the Bruins have the third best goal differential in the league with a plus-23 (120-97)...The Pens scored twice on the power play Saturday. The Bruins have scored four times on the power play since March 16...Today's guys in stripes: Refs Marc Joannette and Ghislain Hebert; Linesmen Derek Nansen and Steve Barton.



Final: Bruins 3, Panthers 0

Michael Vega, Globe Staff April 21, 2013 12:41 PM

Final: Bruins 3, Panthers 0

The Bruins finally did their part to help Boston heal its wounds from last Monday's Boston Marathon bombings, defeating the Florida Panthers, 3-0, in a Sunday afternoon matinee before a TD Garden crowd of 17,565.

Jaromir Jagr gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 3:03 of the first period and Dougie Hamilton, a healthy scratch in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Penquins, tallied at 13:33 of the second and Brad Marchand added an empty-netter at 18:38 of the third as Tuukka Rask (18-9-4) made 28 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season and 15th of his career.

Third period

Bruins 3, Panthers 0, 18:38: Brad Marchand hustled for a loose puck and fished it off the sideboards for a back-handed empty-netter that gave the Bruins a three-goal lead. Tyler Seguin and Patrice Bergeron were credited with assists.

PENALTY, Bruins, 14:45: Zdeno Chara was sent off for interference. He seemed to get the worst of it, though, when he was slow to get up from the ice, taking inventory of his right ankle and leg before skating off to the box.

Bruins 2, Panthers 0, 1:20: Dmitry Kulikov was helped off the ice, clutching his right arm and shoulder after he appeared to injure both in a mid-ice takedown of Jaromir Jagr. Kulikov went down hard on the ice, dragging down Jagr, who rolled over on Kulikov's shoulder. Kulikov's injury looked to be eeriely reminiscent of the type of shoulder subluxation Jacoby Ellsbury suffered last year in the Sox' home opener against Tampa Bay.

Second intermission: Bruins 2, Panthers 0: The Bruins outshot Florida, 21-11 in the period, getting a huge goal from Dougie Hamilton at 13:33. It gave the Bruins, who entered with a 14-2-2 record in games with at least a two-goal lead (10-1-1 when it's been a 2-0 lead), a much-needed buffer as they took a two-goal lead into the room after two periods.

Second period

PENALTY, Panthers, 16:32: Bruins went on the power play for the second time in the game when Filip Kuba was called for tripping Jaromir Jagr on a breakway rush. Bruins failed to capitalize and wound up going 0-for-2 on the man advantage.

Bruins 2, Panthers 0, 13:33: Dougie Hamilton, a healthy scratch Saturday against the Penguins, let rip of a blue-line blast that threaded its way through heavy traffic in front and beat Markstrom top shelf over the Panther goaltender's right shoulder. It was Hamilton's fifth goal of the season. Shawn Thornton was credited with his fourth assist of the season. Through the first 13:33, the Bruins have outshot the Panthers, 17-8.

PENALTY, Panthers, 5:18 Jonathan Huberdeau put the Bruins on the man advantage when he was sent off for hooking. Panthers killed off penalty, but Bruins peppered Markstrom with several chances. Bruins have outshot Florida, 10-1, through the first 7:35 of period.

First intermission: Bruins 1, Panthers 0 Jaromir Jagr gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 3:03 of the first period, giving him 16 goals on the season. The Panthers outshot the Bruins, 9-7, in the period.

First period

PENALTY: Bruins, 18:47: Rich Peverley was sent off for slashing, giving the Panthers their first power play of the game. It also assured Florida of extending the man advantage to the first 47 seconds of the second period.

Bruins 1, Panthers 0, 14:08: Tuukka Rask, who was not about to take this one sitting down, was back in goal for the Bruins, and it was a good thing, too. Especially after Rask made a brilliant kick save with his left leg, shutting the door on Drew Shore's point-blank bid as the puck hovered perilously in the crease.

Bruins 1, Panthers 0, 3:03: Jaromir Jagr tallied his 16th goal of the season when he snapped off a wrister from the right circle, beating Panthers goaltender Jacob Markstrom top shelf in the right corner to give the Bruins

an early one-goal lead. Chris Kelly was credited with his sixth assist of the season while Carl Soderberg scored his first NHL point since joining the Bruins last week when he was credited with a helper.

Pregame: The Bruins will take another crack at delivering Boston a redemptive victory in light of the Boston Marathon bombings. After taking two whacks at it, the Bruins hope the third time will be the charm, but they'll have to do so without Adam McQuaid (lower body) and Nathan Horton (upper body), both of whom were scratched because of injuries suffered in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Penquins.



Julien juggling in B’s final week

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Stephen Harris

WILMINGTON — Managing the Bruins during this final week of a regular season unlike any we’ve seen before is going to be a tricky juggling act.

During practice at Ristuccia Arena yesterday, coach Claude Julien was not in charge on the ice, but sitting with general manager Peter Chiarelli in a private corner box. The two likely were discussing how to best to proceed in the coming days, with at least three disparate goals to consider:

• First, the B’s, 1-3-1 in their last five games, have to do some winning in order to hang on the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and guaranteed home ice through the first two rounds of the playoffs.

• Second, they have to continue the process of rediscovering their identity and the proper style of play they’ll need to have any success in the playoffs. There have been signs in each of the last three games that the club is playing with more energy, more edge and sharper execution. There is still plenty of room for improvement.

• And third, they hope to be able to give key players rest, as the club is forced to play four games in the final six days.

After practice, and before the club flew to Philadelphia for tonight’s game against the Flyers, Julien was asked about trying to make it all work:

“That’s been the big challenge and it’s going to be the big challenge,” Julien said. “Your goal is to finish as high as you can. But at the same time you want to rest your players. I think (with) a lot of this stuff, we’ll see as the schedule progresses. It’s not just us; there’s other teams playing. Wherever those teams will end up as far as wins and losses, it may help us make some decisions. So I can’t answer that question at this moment, because it depends on a lot of different things.

“It boils down to taking care of your own business. We have to be ready to play well in every game. We have to find our game and then hold on to it. Right now I think our game is coming back. Not only do we have to hold on to it, we have to make it better.”

The Bruins know that the results this week, and the playoff matchup that ensues, are less important than playing games the right way. The team’s record is deceptive: The B’s have not played sound, smart, cohesive and physical hockey this season, at least not with any consistency.

Even when they were winning most nights, they usually had just one line playing at peak efficiency and effort — and too many guys providing little.

“We’re not so worried about the the matchup, about who we’re going to play,” Milan Lucic said. “We’re more worried about our game and getting everthing to where it needs to be in order to have a successful playoff.

“We’re trying to build something here to get ourselves moving in the right direction. We need a strong push to end the season. We’re trying to build to find consistency throughout the lineup — every line bringing it every game, because that’s what we had when we won a championship. We know how important that is, going in and feeling good about ourselves as the playoff starts.”

No Bruin is searching with more desperation than Lucic, who has just two goals in his last 28 games.

Shawn Thornton expressed confidence that the B’s leadership team will find the ideal way to write up the final four lineup cards.

“We have to find the balance there between winning some games and getting ready for the playoffs, and then getting guys rest,” Thornton said. “That’s way above my pay grade. But we’ve done a pretty good job of it the six years I’ve been here. I’m sure Claude has a game plan.”

If only Julien’s job was just getting things right for these four games; he’s been trying like crazy all season to get this team straightened out.

Bruins notes

Nathan Horton, who incurred a suspected hand or wrist injury in Saturday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins, did not practice and will miss tonight’s game against the Flyers.

Seven other key Bruins also skipped the skate, including Zdeno Chara. Julien said Chara, involved in an awkward collision in Sunday’s win over the Florida Panthers, is fine, as is fellow defenseman Adam McQuaid, who was banged up on a Matt Cooke hit Saturday vs. the Penguins.

Boston Herald LOADED: 04.23.2013


Lots to accomplish for Bruins

Monday, April 22, 2013

Stephen Harris

WILMINGTON — As the Bruins end this strangest of regular seasons this week, there's a number of goals they need to address. First, the B's have to keep winning in order to hang on to the No. 2 seed in the East. Secondly, they have to continue the process of re-discovering their identity and proper style of play. And finally, they hope to be able to give key players some rest.

Bruins coach Claude Julien was asked about those disparate goals after the team's practice today at Ristuccia. The B's fly this afternoon to Philadelphia, where they face the Flyers tomorrow night.

"That's been the big challenge and it's going to be the big challenge," said Julien. "Your goal is to finish as high as you can. But at the same time you want to rest your players.

"I think (with) a lot of this stuff, we'll see as the schedule progresses. It's not just us, there's other teams playing. Wherever those teams will end up as far as wins and losses, it may help us make some decisions.

"So I can't answer that question at this moment, because it depends on a lot of different things.

"It boils down to taking care of your own business. We have to be ready to play well in every game. We have to find our game and then hold on to it. Right now I think our game is coming back. Not only do we have to hold on to it, we have to make it better."

Nathan Horton (suspected hand or wrist injury) did not practice and will miss tomorrow's game. Seven other key Bruins also skipped the skate, including Zdeno Chara. Julien said Chara, involved in an awkward collision Sunday vs. Florida, is fine, as is defenseman Adam McQuaid, who was banged up Saturday.

Boston Herald LOADED: 04.23.2013

671691 Buffalo Sabres

Jets edge Sabres despite Enroth’s 37 saves

By John Vogl

on April 22, 2013 - 10:04 PM

updated April 23, 2013 at 2:51 AM

The Buffalo Sabres said all the right things heading into their first meaningless game. They wanted to play spoiler, show pride and fight to keep jobs.

In the back of their minds, though, they knew Monday’s meeting with Winnipeg meant little. It showed early. The Jets, who needed to win to stay in the playoff race, roared past nearly every member of the home team.

Jhonas Enroth did his best to win the game – and his teammates eventually joined in – but the Sabres succumbed to Winnipeg, 2-1, in relatively barren First Niagara Center.

“They were hungry and they’re playing for playoffs, and obviously we’re out,” Sabres forward Marcus Foligno said. “There’s different attitudes there. They played well.”

So did Enroth. He made 37 saves, including 28 in the opening two periods. He needed one more stop for the Sabres to earn an upset in front of an announced crowd of 18,654 that appeared several thousand short of that.

“I know they’re going to put a lot of shots on net, and I expected the game to be like this,” Enroth said.

The Jets broke a 1-1 tie with 7:36 to play. James Wright dropped a pass to Antti Miettinen above the right faceoff circle, and his shot through traffic glanced off Enroth and went under his arm.

“I got a couple guys right in front of me there,” Enroth said, “so I never really saw it until it hit my chest or whatever it hit and bounced in.”

The Sabres took 11 of their 25 shots in the final period, but they couldn’t get the equalizer and fell to 3-4 in the last seven outings.

“There was some pushback,” Foligno said of the Sabres’ effort. “It took awhile. I just think they got tired from shooting so much.”

Winnipeg pulled within one point of the seventh-place New York Rangers and the eighth-place Ottawa Senators by improving to 6-0-1 in the last seven games.

Eager to stay in the race, the Jets took eight of the opening 10 shots and 12 of 15 en route to a 15-4 first period advantage.

Enroth, starting in place of Ryan Miller for the third time in five games, stopped the first 21 shots he faced, including a penalty shot by Evander Kane.

The Jets finally beat him when Aaron Gagnon, alone at the top of the crease, deflected a pass with 7:52 gone in the second.

The Sabres’ power play struck for the fourth straight game four minutes later.

Just 19 seconds after Blake Wheeler trucked to the penalty box, Thomas Vanek scored his 18th goal, including his ninth on the power play.

It was all the Sabres could muster against Ondrej Pavelec.

“They had that mentality of wanting to be a playoff team still, and their hopes were alive,” Sabres left wing Steve Ott said. “For us, in the back of our mind it’s dwelling on us that we’re not a playoff team. That’s probably the difference in mentality-wise. Pride-wise, you still have to go out there and battle your [butt] off.”

Every appearance means something to Enroth, who sat for more than a month this season.

He returned to the ice March 7, and since then he’s gone 4-2-1 with a 1.98 goals-against average and .936 save percentage in nine appearances. In his seven starts, he’s 4-1-1 with a 1.80 and .953.

There was no word on who will be in net tonight when the Sabres play in Pittsburgh.

The game was originally scheduled for last Saturday, but the manhunt for the Boston marathon bombers pushed the meeting back because the Penguins and Bruins also had their schedule altered over the weekend.

“I was just trying to look at the games I’m starting, and recently all the games I’ve been starting I’ve been playing pretty well,” Enroth said.

“I want to play more games and I want to be a bigger part of the team, so I’m trying to be sharp and do good every game I get.”

Buffalo News LOADED: 04.23.2013


Sabres tickets are going once, going twice ... sold?

April 22, 2013 - 12:51 PM

By John Vogl

More and more Sabres fans have been choosing to stay home rather than journey to First Niagara Center. The number of empty seats in the 100 Level has been increasingly noticeable, and that's where plenty of season-ticket holders reside.

There's little reason to expect the trend to end tonight.

There are 1,066 tickets available on StubHub.com as of this writing, and they are going for as little as $11.50. Since the Winnipeg Jets are hardly a traditional rival and the Sabres have been eliminated from postseason contention, demand will be down. It wouldn't be a surprise if the building resembled the bankruptcy era of being half full.

The smartest thing the Sabres have done from a business standpoint in the last decade or so is create their Blue and Gold Club, which is a season-ticket waiting list. The Sabres say they have thousands of names on it.

I've talked with season-ticket holders who'd like to give up their seats because of the subpar product, but they're afraid if they do they'll never get them back because of the waiting list. The Blue and Gold Club has created a fear factor for some -- which is bad for fans who want out but fantastic for the struggling organization.

People will keep buying the seats even though they don't want to use them.



Enroth in goal as Sabres look to stop repeated groundings by Jets

April 22, 2013 - 11:25 AM

By Mike Harrington

Jhonas Enroth gets the call in goal tonight as the Sabres host the desperate-for-points Winnipeg Jets in First Niagara Center. After Friday's meltdown against the Rangers, it seems to make sense that Enroth would play tonight and in the finale here Friday against the Islanders with Ryan Miller getting the start on the road Tuesday in Pittsburgh.

No sense in pushing the frazzled relationship between Miller and Buffalo fans, right?

Interim coach Ron Rolston refused to go down that road when asked today if it was realistic to think Miller could play here anymore.

"Yes, it is realistic," was Rolston's cryptic answer.

So it's not automatic that Enroth plays tonight and Friday and Miller goes tomorrow?

"No."

Deep answers there for sure. For more on the impending divorce between Miller and Buffalo, be sure to catch up with Jerry Sullivan's column in Sunday's paper.

Enroth was a flop in relief of Miller Friday night, allowing four goals on 15 shots. But he's been terrific of late in a starting role, going 4-0-1 in his last five with a 1.37 goals-against average and .958 save percentage.

The Sabres did no line drills during their morning skate so there's no way to tell who Mikhail Grigorenko will play with in his return to the lineup. With the playoffs out of the picture, there would seem to be no reason to limit the 18-year-old to fourth-line minutes anymore.

The Jets have won five straight against the Sabres -- holding Buffalo to one goal in each of those games. They enter tonight three points behind both seventh-place Ottawa and the eighth-place New York Rangers in their bid for their first playoff spot since 2007, when the franchise was in Atlanta.

Winnipeg will be without two key players tonight as defenseman Zach Bogosian suffered a concussion in Saturday's shootout loss against the Islanders and center Olli Jokinen suffered a high ankle sprain in the same game and will be out 6-8 weeks.

Ondrej Pavelec is expected to start in goal. He is 5-0-1 with a 2.26 GAA in his last six games -- and has a 1.00 mark while winning his last five against the Sabres.

The Jets are also three points behind Washington for the Southeast Division lead and a win tonight could set them up nicely for Tuesday's potential division-title showdown against the Caps in Verizon Center.



Winnipeg Jets top Buffalo Sabres

Associated Press

BUFFALO — Antti Miettinen scored with 7:36 left to keep the surging Winnipeg Jets in the playoff race with a 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres on Monday night.

Ondrej Pavelec stopped 24 shots, including a huge glove save on Thomas Vanek with 5:45 left to preserve the victory. Winnipeg (24-19-3) improved 6-0-1 in its past seven and moved within a point of the idle New York Rangers, who hold the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot in the final week of the season.

Just as important, the Jets also crept to within a point of Southeast Division-leading Washington. That sets up a critical showdown on Tuesday, when Winnipeg travels to play the Capitals.

Miettinen’s goal came on what began as an innocent play, with the Jets’ James Wright carrying the puck up the left wing against four Buffalo defenders. Gaining the Sabres’ zone, he dropped a pass to Miettinen, who snapped a shot from the top of the right circle.

With Evander Kane cutting across in front to provide a screen, the puck sneaked in under goalie Jhonas Enroth’s left arm and had enough to dribble in behind him.

Aaron Gagnon also scored for Winnipeg, which swept the three-game season series and improved to 6-0-1 in its last seven meetings against the Sabres.

Vanek scored the lone goal for Buffalo (19-21-6), which was knocked out of playoff contention with an 8-4 loss to the Rangers on Friday.

Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 04.23.2013


Amerks' forward Corey Tropp will miss first round of playoffs

Kevin Oklobzija

Playoff schedule

Best-of-5 first round vs. Toronto Marlies

Game 1 — 3 p.m. Saturday at Toronto.

Game 2 — 3 p.m. Sunday at Toronto.

Game 3 — 7:05 p.m. Wednesday, May 1, in Rochester.

Game 4 (if necessary) — 7:05 p.m. Thursday, May 2, in Rochester.

Game 5 (if necessary) — 3 p.m. Saturday, May 4, in Toronto.

Corey Tropp’s ailing knee will prevent him from playing in the first round of the Calder Cup playoffs, but at least one Rochester Americans teammate will be intent on filling the void.

Luke Adam, who has played center and left wing, finished the American Hockey League regular season with renewed vigor, and he intends to make an impact in the playoffs.

The third-year forward scored one goal and assisted on two in Saturday’s 5-1 victory over the Hamilton Bulldogs and had two assists in a 4-1 win at Hamilton on Sunday.

But in his mind, neither of those games was his best of the weekend.

“I thought Friday was my strongest game,” Adam said. “I wasn’t on the scoresheet (in a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Marlies) but I was finishing hard, finishing checks, winning puck battles.”

Adam was reassigned to the Amerks earlier last week and he displayed no symptoms of the send-down blues. Quite the opposite, actually.

“I was disappointed at being sent back down and it was kind of, enough’s enough,” Adam said. “I’ve said it before, I want to play in the NHL. I want to develop my game to play in the NHL.

“Obviously I want to finish strong. I have no contract after this year and the playoffs are when everyone’s watching.”

The Amerks will need his best against the Marlies in the best-of-five first playoff round. Toronto won nine of 10 regular-season meetings and also swept the Amerks in the first round last spring.

Coach Chadd Cassidy does not expect Tropp to be available, but right winger Brian Flynn and defenseman Mark Pysyk should be back from the Sabres in time for Game 1 Saturday afternoon at Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto. Center Mikhail Grigorenko is eligible to come down as well, but the Sabres still haven’t said if he will be assigned.

Tropp made a surprisingly fast return to the Amerks’ lineup when he played on March 29, just 41/2 months after undergoing reconstructive knee surgery on Nov. 14. He also played on March 30.

But the stress and physical exertion required to play games took a toll on the tendons and muscles in and around his right knee. He lacked the strength and explosive speed to be effective, and those deficiencies became more pronounced as tendinitis set in.

“It’s like tennis elbow — you won’t be able to serve as hard,” Cassidy said. “It’s the same thing with pushing off for Corey.

“His strength level and his ability to explode, and play the game that he needs to be efficient out there ... he isn’t there right now.”

Cassidy has choices on who to use at forward. Winger Dan Catenacci, barely a week removed from junior hockey, showed he can be effective in the AHL. Catenacci scored one goal and assisted on two in the weekend sweep of the Bulldogs.

Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 04.23.2013

671696 Calgary Flames

Flames forward Stempniak working hard to shake ‘streaky’ label

By Scott Cruickshank, Calgary HeraldApril 22, 201313

Nashville, Tenn. — Gone are the mad clumps of points.

Gone, too, are the yawning stretches of offensive silence.

Lee Stempniak knows what it means to be called streaky — potential revealed, but only in bursts. His reputation, however, appears to be fading.

The lone member of the Calgary Flames to have not skipped a date, Stempniak has become even-keeled, collecting points in 24 of 45 games so far. In eight of the past 11, he’s recorded a single point.

“That’s something I’ve really focused on — to try to be more consistent,” says the right-winger. “I’ve tried to be around the puck a little bit more, be around the front of the net a little bit more. It seems like I’ve had the puck more this season, with more opportunities to make plays. It’s nice to be scoring some points and helping the team that way.”

After all, slow and steady wins the race — and, in this case, perhaps even the Flames’ scoring race.

Someone other than Jarome Iginla will become the club’s first chart-topper since Val Bure in 1999-00. Michael Cammalleri currently leads Stempniak by a single point.

Three games, including Tuesday’s at Nashville, remain.

“If that’s the byproduct of it all, that would be nice,” Stempniak says of possibly following Iginla’s 11 consecutive seasons atop the Flames’ points parade. “But I haven’t really thought about it. I didn’t even know until the other day that that was the case. Any time that would happen would be nice. But it’s not the driving force for these last games.

“For me, I’ve just tried to be consistent all year and be a difference-maker — those are two things I’ve been focusing on — and the points have been coming.”

Stempniak, for one, wants that consistency to extend to his workplace.

In other words, he hopes to stay in Calgary.

He had been one of the fellows having lunch with Blake Comeau on trade-deadline day. Comeau got shipped to Columbus, and Stempniak himself was not certain that he’d remain in town, either.

“Any time you’re losing, there’s going to be change,” says the 30-year-old. “I went through it before. In Toronto, that’s how I got traded — we were losing, my contract was up, I got traded to Phoenix. Once you’ve been traded once, nothing really surprises you.

“But I like it here. I like the coaches. I think we have the makings to be a good team next year.”

And, apparently, the notion of having Stempniak around appeals to the Flames.

Whip-smart and low-key, the West Seneca, N.Y., native is a positive role model for up-and-comers.

“For me, it’s nice to be recognized that way,” says Stempniak. “When I was a young guy in St. Louis I had some guys who were really good to me — Keith Tkachuk, Bill Guerin, Doug Weight, Barret Jackman. They really went out of their way to be inclusive, give me a pat on the back when I needed it, give me some instruction when I needed it.”

As a trusted veteran, Stempniak can play a role in fast-tracking the newcomers.

“Just teaching them little things off the ice or nuances of the game,” he says. “If you can teach it to them in their first year instead of them having to figure it out by their fifth year, it’s better for everyone. That’s the biggest thing — helping them adjust to, all of a sudden, hockey being your life. It’s not like college where you have class and friends and practice at 3 in the afternoon.

“Hockey’s front and centre and there’s a lot of pressure. When hockey goes from something you’re really passionate about and it’s fun . . . to your job and your livelihood and your life decisions are based on how you play, it can be overwhelming for young players.”

Overwhelming for everyone has been this season’s spiral.

Stempniak is asked if he’s endured a campaign like this before. Perhaps in Toronto?

“Not quite this bad,” he replies. “I mean, I’ve only been in the playoffs twice, but never quite like this. Especially with the shortened season and . . . it seems like we’ve been out of the playoffs for awhile. It’s been a long time.

“This year was extremely frustrating and disappointing, but I think we’ve sort of turned the page and moved on to next year.”

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 04.23.2013


Flames notes: Bancks could get first NHL start on Tuesday

By Scott Cruickshank, Calgary HeraldApril 22, 2013

Nashville, TENN. — How could Carter Bancks ever forget his first appearance in the Western Hockey League?

Sixteen years old, he’d been called up from the Kimberley (Junior B) Dynamiters in time to join the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the tail-end of the 2005-06 campaign.

And?

“I got hit so hard on my first shift I could hardly see straight,” said Bancks, with a chuckle. “I was only 145, 150 pounds back then. It was against the boards. The end of a shift, I had to get the puck in deep. (Portland’s Mike Funk) was a little bit bigger and skated a little bit faster than the defencemen in Junior B — so he closed that gap pretty quick and caught me pretty good.

“But that kind of settled me right in. After that, it went really well.”

First games do end up being memorable for different reasons.

In his professional debut — only days after finishing his overage year with Lethbridge — Bancks did well enough that he stuck with the Abbotsford Heat for their American Hockey League playoff run in 2010.

“That was a big jump,” he said. “I definitely had to adjust.”

Now there’s another — and very obvious — check mark he’d like to stick on his hockey list.

And he may get it Tuesday when the Flames take on the Nashville Predators. Bancks said he hasn’t been told if he’s in the lineup.

Regardless, he’s ready for that first spin in the NHL.

“I’m going to keep working hard in practice and showing up with a positive attitude,” said the 23-year-old winger, who skated alongside Paul Byron and Akim Aliu during Monday’s session at the Bridgestone Arena. “Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to play. The butterflies are going to be there, there’s no doubt about that.”

All around him in the dressing room are players who have recently put that NHL notch on their belts. Guys such as Max Reinhart, Ben Hanowski, Mark Cundari.

“I’m already pretty nervous just coming to practices,” said Bancks, a five-foot-11, 180-pound pepper pot. “I mean, I’ve worked my whole life for this opportunity. It hasn’t always been the easiest way for me . . . but it’s definitely worth it to come up here for this last week. It’s already been a tonne of fun, a great experience.”

TIRED YET?

Flames rookie defenceman Mark Cundari’s ice time Sunday was no record, but it had been noteworthy.

His toil, 24:54, was the most for an NHL debut since Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman’s 26:27 on Oct. 3, 2009. And Cundari’s first appearance with the Flames had been busier than even that of Dion Phaneuf, who piled up 24:10.

“It felt longer, to be honest, because I was exhausted,” Cundari said of his workload. “The third period came around and I was looking up at the clock and I was like, ‘Oh my, there’s 13 minutes left. I’m dying right now.’ I definitely wasn’t expecting to play that much. Oh man, I slept. I watched a little TV, a little ESPN, then I fell asleep. I was out cold.”

Now, after collecting a goal and an assist in his first game, the bar has been set awfully high.

“I guess you could say that,” said Cundari, chuckling. “But not every game is going to be a two-point performance and 25 minutes of ice time, but I definitely felt comfortable playing here. And I feel that I’ll definitely keep producing . . . and hopefully we get more outcomes like that.”

He did hear from plenty of well-wishers immediately after the 4-1 win in Minnesota.

“Before we got on the (post-game) flight, there had to be 30, 35 (voice mails and texts),” he said. “They kept pouring in. It was cool to hear from everyone.”

NOSE OUT OF JOINT

To be honest, it looked better than expected.

Sure, Cory Sarich had a black eye. But his poor old honker was actually straight — unlike the previous night when Minnesota defender Clayton Stoner, with a punch, had relocated it about an inch to the west. A doctor at the rink had reset it.

“He puts a little tool up there and whacks it into place,” said Sarich. “I thought it would be (painful), but it wasn’t bad at all. Maybe because my nose has been broken so many times before, it was ready for it.

Asked for a career total for busted beaks, the Flames veteran hemmed and hawed.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I’ve cracked it a numerous amount of times right on the bridge. Probably four or five times, I’ve cracked it . . . but I’ve never really had it knocked out of place like that before. So that was a first.”

Sarich, who practised with his mates Monday afternoon, indicated that he’s ready for action.

“I’m fine,” he said. “It’s a little tender. I don’t think I’d want to take one off it again any time soon. Other than that, it’s all right.”



Game Day: Calgary Flames at Nashville Predators

By SCOTT CRUICKSHANK, Calgary HeraldApril 22, 2013

Calgary Flames (19-22-4) at Nashville Predators (15-21-9)

6 p.m., Bridgestone Arena

TV: Sportsnet West

Radio: FAN 960

THE FLAMES

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

RW MICHAEL CAMMALLERI

A greybeard with this bunch, the veteran has picked up his pace. Five points in four games, including a pair Sunday.

DEPTH CHART

S. Baertschi M. Backlund M. Cammalleri

J. Hudler R. Horak M. Reinhart P. Byron B. Street L. Stempniak

T. Jackman M. Stajan B. Hanowski

M. Giordano C. Sarich

T.J. Brodie M. Cundari

C. Butler B. Carson M. Kiprusoff

J. MacDonald

THE INJURIES

D Derek Smith (knee), D Dennis Wideman (finger), LW Alex Tanguay (knee), LW Curtis Glencross (knee), LW Steve Begin (upper body)

THE PREDATORS

KEEP YOUR EYE ON

RW FILIP FORSBERG

A 2012 first-rounder, the highly regarded forward came to Nashville in exchange for Martin Erat. No points, minus-four, three games.

DEPTH CHART

S. Kostitsyn N. Spaling C. Smith

T. Beck D. Legwand F. Forsberg

R. Clune C. Mueller M. Halischuk

D. Bang A. Watson B. Butler

R. Josi S. Weber

V. Bartley H. Gill

M. Ekholm J. Blum

P. Rinne

C. Mason

THE INJURIES

C Colin Wilson (shoulder), C Paul Gaustad (shoulder), C Mike Fisher (hand), LW Gabriel Bourque (knee), RW Patric Hornqvist (upper body), RW Brandon Yip (lower body)

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH

1. T.J. IS A-OK — A rare example of savvy drafting during the Darryl Sutter era, D T.J. Brodie is a product of the 2008 fourth round — thanks to a conditional pick the Flames received in the swap that sent D Andrew Ference/RW Chuck Kobasew to Boston in exchange for D Brad Stuart/C

Wayne Primeau. Now Brodie is looking like the real deal. “He’s really taking some huge steps in becoming a leader on our blue line,” said coach Bob Hartley. “He’s taking advantage of the situation with the departure of (Jay) Bouwmeester. ” It’s worth noting Brodie is two months younger than newbie Mark Cundari, who got into his first NHL game Sunday.

2. RINNE GETS NOD — The Nashville chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association has nominated G Pekka Rinne for the Bill Masterton Memorial Award, which is “awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication.” Rinne was drafted in the eighth round in 2004 — 252 picks after the first goalie taken, Al Montoya, 6th overall, to the N.Y. Rangers. From there, the Finn developed into one of the league’s premier puck-stoppers. “It shows a couple things,” said coach Barry Trotz. “That the draft is the draft ... and that people develop at different rates.”

3. GILL HONOURED — It’s not quite the Norris Trophy, but D Hal Gill has landed the Nashville PHWA’s media recognition award — kind of a good-guy nod. Previous winners were Shane O’Brien (2010-11) and Jerred Smithson (2011-12). The plaque prominently features Terry Crisp’s hockey card from the 1972-73 season. A former Flames coach, Crisp is a hockey analyst in Music City. “Amazing names — O’Brien, Smithson, Crispy,” Gill crowed when the honour was announced. “It was a pleasure talking to you guys.”

4. PREDS STINK — Nashville, believe it or not, is 1-8-3 in its last dozen — with only four of those dates being on the road. Winless in eight, they haven’t tasted success in three weeks. Firings ahoy? Apparently not. “It doesn’t call for, in my view, a wholesale change and we’re going to clean house and start over. We’re not doing that,” Predators chairman Tom Cigarran told The Tennessean. “We have to get our players, who are really good players, healthy and playing again. We need to get some of our young kids to continue to develop.”

5. INS, OUTS, WHAT-HAVE-YOUS — Nashville’s attack is one of the league’s feeblest, 29th overall, with a nightly output of 2.27. Calgary is 11th ... Nashville has been blanked a league-high nine times ... Defensively, however, it’s the Flames who are 29th. In fact, they’re one of only two teams without a shutout this season ... After hanging three power-play goals — in three tries — on Minnesota, Calgary is eighth-best with the man-advantage. Nashville’s penalty-killing is rated 29th.



Flames' Cundari overwhelmed by support

By RANDY SPORTAK ,Calgary Sun

First posted: Monday, April 22, 2013 04:50 PM MDT | Updated: Monday, April 22, 2013 07:13 PM MDT

NASHVILLE — Mark Cundari will celebrate his 23rd birthday Tuesday.

The presents came a couple days early.

And one sleep after scoring once and collecting an assist in his NHL debut during the Calgary Flames 4-1 victory over the Minnesota Wild on Sunday, Cundari was still basking in the joy of it all and receiving congratulatory notes.

“Before we got on the flight, there had to be 30-35 (messages),” Cundari said after his team’s practice Monday in Nashville. “This morning, there was seven or eight. There was around 10 that came after the flight (from Minnesota). They kept just pouring in.

“Friends from back home, other hockey players, guys I played with growing up. It was cool to hear from everyone. When I get home, hopefully I see them all.”

Flames forward Mike Cammalleri joked that Cundari was probably so wound up after the game he wouldn’t be able to sleep. Not a problem for the defenceman who played nearly 25 minutes.

“Oh man. When we got in to the hotel, I watched a little EPSN, a little TV. I think it was one o’clock and I was out cold,” he said.

Cundari’s ice-time (24:54) was the highest by a Flames player in his NHL debut since the league began keeping track. The previous high was Dion Phaneuf (24:10) against the Minnesota Wild on Oct. 5, 2005.

Combined with his offensive production and Cundari has set some high expectations for himself.

“Not every game’s going to be a two-point performance and 25 minutes of ice-time, but I definitely felt comfortable playing here,” he said. “I feel I’ll definitely keep producing and performing to the best of my potential. Hopefully we get more outcomes like that.”

Sarich back to work

Despite a broken nose and nasty black eye suffered in his fight with the Minnesota Wild’s Clayton Stoner in Sunday’s clash, Cory Sarich was back practising Monday.

In fact, Sarich said he’s good to go when the Flames face the Nashville Predators.

“If they want me in there, I’m in there,” Sarich said. “I don’t want to take another punch there soon, but I can play.”

He left the game after the second-period scrap and after his nose was set back in place, wanted to return, which should come as no surprise when you consider Sarich once had a consecutive games streak of 453.

“It wouldn’t stop bleeding, and I didn’t want play with those plugs in my nose,” Sarich said.

Cover boys

The voting to decide who will be on the cover of the next edition of the EA Sports NHL game has kicked off, with Lee Stempniak and Dennis Wideman going head-to-head to be the Flames representative.

Jarome Iginla was on the cover of the NHL ’03 game.

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 04.23.2013


Life's been all over the place for Flames' Byron

By RANDY SPORTAK ,Calgary Sun


NASHVILLE — Imagine the emotional gamut Paul Byron has run the last couple of months.

Way back on Feb. 12, Byron was summoned to the Calgary Flames from the AHL Abbotsford Heat.

That golden opportunity came to a crushing halt in the first period of his first game of the season with the Flames, having suffered a fractured bone in his hand after being slashed.

Then another high, the birth of his daughter, Elianna, on March 11.

His hand needed a second surgery, which kept him out of action until mid-April.

Now, though, the roller-coaster is on an upswing, with Byron having been summoned again to the Flames for the final handful of games to round out the season.

“To some degree, it’s worked out,” said Byron, who obviously wishes the injury part of that journey hadn’t happened. “I was happy for the time I got to be there for my daughter, you can’t replace those moments.

“And right now, they’re letting young guys play, they’re giving us an opportunity and I’m excited about that.”

The opportunity for Byron, who has 32 NHL games under his belt, was supposed to be back in February.

Before he had even seen three minutes of ice-time, it was over, and his best guess was a slash from Derek Roy was the culprit.

“I tried watching the video to find it,” Byron said of the cause of his injury. “It looked kinda innocent. I didn’t even know my hand was broken until I was in the training room and they were looking at my eye because I had to get two stitches near the eyelid.

“When I was getting that done, my hand was clicking, and they looked at it. I think it happened the same play as the high stick. He chopped me down and got me on the way up.

“It was definitely disappointing. I was playing with Jarome (Iginla) and Glennie (Curtis Glencross) on a line — a really good opportunity and I was really excited — but those are the bounces. Fortunately for me, I got to be there for the birth of my daughter, and I embraced that moment as much as I could.

“Now I’m up here trying to get the opportunity back again.”

While the Flames play out the string of a fourth consecutive season without playoffs, which resumes Tuesday when they face the Nashville Predators, they’re integrating a slew of young players.

Byron, a pending restricted free agent who was acquired in the trade that sent Robyn Regehr to the Buffalo Sabres almost two years ago, was part of a crew called up when the Heat season came to a close Saturday night in Oklahoma City.

He and five others made their way to Minnesota to meet the NHL club, only knowing they’d get a chance.

Byron was given a big surprise when he got to the arena in Minny.

“I didn’t even know I was playing (Sunday) until noon,” he said. “As soon as we got to the rink, I was getting ready to go on the ice and they told me I didn’t need to skate and I was playing.

“It was a lot of travel, but you always want to play. It’s exciting to get your name called to play in the NHL.”

He was held without a point in Sunday’s 4-1 victory over the Wild but saw nearly 15 minutes of ice-time.

How many more games Byron plays with three remaining on the docket is anybody’s guess.

What he does know is it’s a golden chance to be in the NHL

“It always helps when a GM trades for you. It means you’re part of his plans, part of the team. They’re making changes and bringing in youth. Right now, they’re trying to win hockey games and see if guys can play at this level, so it’s definitely a good position to be in.

“I think all us young guys are happy.”



Flames' Max Reinhart making an impression

By WES GILBERTSON ,Calgary Sun


Max Reinhart Max Reinhart's been coming up big for the Flames.

Until recently, a lot of folks in the hockey world had him pegged as the other Reinhart brother, too.

That changed when the Calgary Flames summoned centre Max Reinhart from the minor leagues just over two weeks ago, making him the first of a hat-trick of talented siblings — Griffin and Sam are the others — to reach hockey’s highest level.

“A little bit of bragging rights there,” Max Reinhart admitted. “I was worried for a bit that they were going to take it before me, but I think they’re pretty ahead of me from my age. They’re good players that will be in the league pretty soon.

“It’s a little bit of brotherly competition,” he added. “But, at the same time, if you have somebody else to cheer for in the same line of work ... ”

The Reinhart family has certainly had lots to cheer about in recent weeks.

Max Reinhart, 21, has suddenly become one of the faces of the Flames’ youth movement. Calgary’s third-round pick in 2010, the 6-foot-1 pivot appeared in his ninth NHL contest — and notched his third point — in Sunday’s 4-1 road win over the Minnesota Wild.

The middle brother, 19-year-old Griffin, is a big reason the Edmonton Oil Kings are in the WHL’s Eastern Conference final against the Calgary Hitmen, a series that is tied as it shifts to the Saddledome for Tuesday’s Game 3. The New York Islanders selected the bruising defenceman fourth-overall in the 2012 NHL Draft, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Griffin is a fixture on the blueline on Long Island next winter.

Meanwhile, 17-year-old Sam is captain of Team Canada at the IIHF Under-18 World Championship in Sochi, Russia, where the Canucks will try to cap an undefeated run through the round-robin in Tuesday’s showdown with Sweden. Having racked up 85 points in his sophomore season with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice, the crafty centre is considered a candidate to be the first pick in the 2014 NHL Draft.

“I think for Griffin and Sam, whenever I make it to a new league, they get to see what it’s like,” Max Reinhart said. “And that’s kind of cool for me, too, to be able to share it with them.

“Every league I’ve gone into, I know they’re coming in the next couple of years because they’re very good players.”

It must be a boon to both to see their older brother taking faceoffs against the likes of Henrik Sedin, Pavel Datsyuk and Ryan Getzlaf.

Max made his debut in a Hockey Night in Canada clash against the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena, a meeting of the two teams his father, Paul, played for during his 12-year NHL career.

He collected his first big-league point — an assist — against the Canucks four nights later. With his mother, Theresa, and Griffin cheering him on, he celebrated his first NHL goal against the Edmonton Oilers in the April 13 instalment of the Battle of Alberta.

“I still have a lot to learn, but I’ve learned a lot in the last couple of weeks. The big thing is just getting the experience under my belt,” Max Reinhart said.

“Everyone told to me prepare for the speed and the pace, but you can’t prepare for something that is as fast as it is out there. It was definitely a challenge trying to adjust early on, but I think I have a better grasp of it now.

“You just want to do the right things. You don’t want to make any mistakes, especially being a young guy. Coming in, you don’t really know what you can and can’t do. You’re still a little nervous to try some things that you would elsewhere, but I think that’s where the experience comes into play.”



Jarome Iginla's SW Calgary home up for sale for $3.995M


Staff

Want to live like an NHL star?

You can — for a cool $3.995 million.

The home of former Flames captain Jarome Iginla — traded late last month to the Pittsburgh Penguins — has been put up for sale.

According to the listing, the Britannia home is nearly 5,000 sq. ft., with five bedrooms and six bathrooms.

It also features a glass-walled wine room, a four car lower-level garage, chef's kitchen, bar, several dining areas, floor-to-ceiling windows, and a spectacular view of the city.


671703 Carolina Hurricanes

Tlusty scores twice as Hurricanes beat Lightning

Published: April 22, 2013 Updated 41 minutes ago

By Chip Alexander

RALEIGH — Having signed a five-year contract extension with the Carolina Hurricanes, Alexander Semin will become one of the best-known sports figures in the Triangle.

How well sports fans come to know Semin is another story.

The Russian winger rarely gives interviews. Even rarer are appearances on camera. He speaks passable English but appears uncomfortable with the media.

Some say Semin, 29, is wary of the media. Some say he’s a shy, introverted person, although teammates describe him as a friendly, easy going type.

“He’s a fun guy around us,” forward Jiri Tlusty said. “He seemed like a quiet guy at first, but now he’s all over the place. I think he enjoys his time with us. That’s great, and we’re happy to be around him.”

Soon after signing the $35 million extension last month, Semin took the team out to eat, picking up a sizable tab. A good time, apparently, was had by all.

That’s all anecdotal. For now, that’s how the media – and, in turn, hockey fans – get information about a player who has been a point-per-game producer for the Canes in his first season and played on the top line with Eric Staal and Tlusty.

Triangle sports fans are accustomed to having more immediacy with their stars, whether it’s homegrown figures such as Josh Hamilton and Webb Simpson or those who play college sports. Staal is interviewed often. Fans see and hear a lot from, say, the Canes’ Jeff Skinner.

There is no language barrier. They are willing interviewees. It’s different with Semin, but that could change, Staal said.

“Well, he’s going to be here the next five years, so the fans can continue to learn about him,” Staal said. “I’m sure his personality as the time goes on will come out more and more. I think he’ll continue to learn the language more and people will get to know him and his personality.”

‘He’s actually pretty open’

Hurricanes general manager Jim Rutherford signed Semin to the extension but says he does not speak to him often, leaving that to Canes coach Kirk Muller and the staff. But Muller says he has no problem communicating with the forward.

“I probably talk to him maybe more than any player on the team,” Muller said. “It’s not long (but) he has no problem coming to me, direct, whether he feels like he needs a day off or has a question about the power play.

“He’s actually pretty open. He won’t do it in the big group, but he’ll come to me one-on-one. He’s been good that way.”

Staal, the Canes team captain, said he knew nothing of Semin’s personality before the season began in January. In seven years with the Washington Capitals, Semin played many games against the Canes in the Southeast Division and scored a lot of goals, but that was the extent of Staal’s knowledge of him.

“I’ve since gotten to know him on a personal level as well as a competitive level,” Staal said. “He’s a guy who has been a good teammate to everybody. He’s a guy who has been ready to work and ready to compete, in practice and games,

“For me, to be able to play with a guy with the work ethic he has and then the skill level he has, it has been fun. It has made my game better.”

Staal, who centers the line, ranks among the NHL scoring leaders with 49 points (18 goals, 31 assists). Tlusty, who has played the left wing on the line, has a career-high 20 goals.

A smart hockey player

Semin has 12 goals and 31 assists – 43 points in 43 games – and a plus-14 rating. For those wondering how the signing of an extension might affect Semim, he had 30 points in 30 games before the March 25 signing, 13 points in 13 games since it.

Muller said he would like to see Semin be more selfish – in a good way. Don’t pass up good shots. Don’t look to make the perfect pass. Shoot the puck.

“The thing with Alex – he’s not going to do everything 100 percent in alignment with your system because he thinks the game in a special way,” Muller said. “He reads the play one play ahead of a lot of people. He’s a smart hockey player.”

Tlusty sits next to Semin in the PNC Arena locker room, learning a few more Russian words each week. All the better, Tlusty said, to needle the Russian.

Tlusty said there was a power outage in PNC Arena last season, and the players jokingly blamed it on Tuomo Ruutu signing a contract extension.

“We were telling him the power would probably go off again,” Tlusty said.

During games, the Staal line has been consistently good. Against Tampa Bay on Sunday, Tlusty scored twice. Semin had a goal and two assists and Staal two assists.

In the heat of games, with the crowd roaring, it can be difficult for players to talk to each other, even side by side on the bench. And then to have a player who has trouble with English ...

But that is not a problem with Semin, Staal said.

“He grasps everything you’re trying to tell him,” Staal said. “When you play together you can read situations, read plays and understand what each other’s kind of thinking.

“That’s what I love about playing with him. We kind of think on the same level of what we’re doing on the ice.”

While the Canes likely will undergo offseason changes, there should be one constant: The top line will stay together. The chemistry with Semin will continue to grow, Staal said.

“It’s going to be fun for the next while to be able to play together and continue to develop a relationship off the ice and on the ice,” Staal said.

News Observer LOADED: 04.23.2013

671704 Chicago Blackhawks

Blackhawks renew rivalry with Canucks

By Chris Kuc Tribune reporter

3:36 p.m. CDT, April 22, 2013

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- The Chicago Blackhawks and Vancouver Canucks are poised to write another chapter in what has developed into one of the NHL's fiercest rivalries when they take the ice Monday night at Rogers Arena.

"It's going to be an intense game," Canucks starting goaltender Cory Schneider said after the morning skate. "We don't like them very much and they don't like us very much."

Both teams have something to play for as the Hawks can clinch the Presidents' Trophy -- awarded to the team that finishes with the most points in the league -- with a win and a loss in regulation by the Pittsburgh Penguins in their game against the Ottawa Senators. The Canucks can claim the Northwest Division title with one point against the Hawks.

"This is a big game for us," Hawks winger Daniel Carcillo said. "We'll treat it as a playoff game. It's going to be a nice atmosphere here with the rivalry. It's going to be exciting."

Added teammate Patrick Kane: "It's fun to come to Vancouver, always. The crowd is always into it when the Canucks play the Blackhawks, especially in this building. It's a fun rivalry. It's definitely one that has developed the past couple of years and seems to get better and better as time goes on. This could be like a tuneup for playoffs so it will be a good test for us."

Corey Crawford will start in goal for the Hawks and will be backed up by Ray Emery, who missed the previous two games with a lower-body injury. The Hawks will be without winger Patrick Sharp as the veteran will miss his fifth consecutive game with a left shoulder injury. Coach Joel Quenneville said Sharp likely will return when the Hawks face the Oilers in Edmonton on Wednesday night.

The Canucks are thin on defense with three blueliners to miss the game. Kevin Bieksa (lower body), Christopher Tanev (ankle) and Keith Ballard (back) are all sidelined.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 04.23.2013


Rare clunker for Blackhawks

By Chris Kuc,

1:08 a.m. CDT, April 23, 2013

VANCOUVER, British Columbia—Before the Blackhawks took the ice against the Canucks, coach Joel Quenneville spoke about the remarkable consistency his team has displayed, coming to play every night.

“Over the course of a year there are probably three, four or five clunkers where you’re going to say, ‘it’s one of those nights,’ ” Quenneville said. “I don’t even know if we’ve had a game like that this year.”

They have now.

It was one of those clunker nights Monday as the Canucks outskated, out-hit and outscored the Hawks during a 3-1 victory at Rogers Arena. The loss snapped the Hawks’ 11-game points streak and was just their sixth this season in regulation as they dropped to 34-6-5.

“I’ve got that as the worst game of the year,” Quenneville said afterward. “We got outworked. They played hard. They had the playoff intensity and we didn’t respond. That was one game maybe this year that we can say we weren’t at the level that’s needed from start to finish.”

Daniel Sedin had a goal and an assist, Zack Kassian and Jannik Hansen scored and Henrik Sedin added two assists as Vancouver clinched the Northwest Division title. Cory Schneider picked up the win in goal, besting Corey Crawford. Vancouver won the season series 2-0-1 as Schneider allowed a third-period score by Daniel Carcillo in the first of a two-game trip for the Hawks.

“I would chalk it up to getting outworked and outskated,” Hawks defenseman Duncan Keith said. “Right from the first period they outskated us. Crawford made some big saves to keep us in it. Overall, it was a bad game. I’m disappointed. We’re all guilty of it.

“It’s one game that we’re not happy with, but we know what we’re capable of doing in this room and it’s just a matter of sticking with it and staying positive.”

In their 45th contest of the lockout-shortened season, the Hawks tried to battle back after being outplayed through two-and-a-half periods but were dominated for the first time since a 6-2 loss to the Avalanche on March 8, when they were run out of the building to snap their record-breaking 24-game streak to start the season with at least one point.

“I don’t think many guys in their careers — especially these days — are going to see a season like this,” winger Viktor Stalberg said. “We’ve stayed in games and found ways to get on top in the end of them. It’s been pretty remarkable and a fun journey for sure.

“We play solid hockey — that’s the biggest thing. Even if we’re not feeling great we can go back to the game where we’re not too dependent on scoring five goals to win this year. We’ve got more faith in our goalies, our ‘D’ has been better and our forwards have been playing better too. We feel like we have that confidence to keep ourselves in games even if we’re not playing our best.”

Captain Jonathan Toews credited the Hawks’ depth for the focus to compete on a nightly basis.

“We rely on so many different guys,” Toews said. “Even guys who are maybe out of the lineup for a couple of games come in and make a huge difference for us. Everyone knows they have to be ready and they have to chip in and do their part. That shows we have a lot of guys who can lead in their own way in this locker room and guys who care about the success of this team. When you have that consistency and contribution from so many guys with the talent and depth we have you’re going to be in the mix pretty much every night.

“Obviously, you’re going to have your off nights and I think it’s a pretty special thing that we’ve been competitive every single time we’ve gone out on the ice.”

That wasn’t the case for much of Monday as the Canucks raced to a 3-0 lead before Carcillo beat Schneider after a scramble in front of the Vancouver goal.

Health report: Center Dave Bolland left the game during the first period and did not return.

“He’s got a groin … lower body,” Quenneville said. “Somewhere around there. We don’t think it’s serious.”

Winger Patrick Sharp missed his fifth consecutive game with a left shoulder injury but Quenneville said the veteran is “very likely playing in Edmonton” on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Ray Emery served as Crawford’s backup after sitting out two games with a lower-body injury.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 04.23.2013


Hawks fall to Canucks 3-1

BY MARK LAZERUS April 22, 2013 11:19PM

Updated: April 23, 2013 12:25AM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Blackhawks and the Vancouver Canucks don’t bond over much — other than their mutual dislike for each other — but the Canucks know exactly what the Hawks face in the first round of the playoffs.

The Canucks won the Presidents’ Trophy — which the Hawks are on the verge of clinching — the last two seasons. Two years ago, they made it all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals before losing to the Boston Bruins. But last year, they were bounced by the eighth-seeded Los Angeles Kings in five games.

“It’s very difficult,” Canucks goaltender Cory Schneider said. “Sometimes those teams have been battling for their lives just to get into the playoffs, and they’re in that mode and they’re hard to play against.”

But Schneider raved about the Hawks’ talent and leadership and said he doesn’t think they’ll have any trouble turning it back on in the playoffs after a relatively pressure-free final few weeks of the regular season.

“I don’t think they’ve really turned anything off,” Schneider said. “They seem to be going better than any team in the league. The personnel they have in that room I don’t think will allow them to cruise into the playoffs. I’m sure they’re going to go full throttle.”

Canucks forward Chris Higgins agreed.

“They have so many veterans in that room, guys that have won the Stanley Cup,” he said. “The way they’re playing, I don’t think they’re going to have any letdowns.”

No Luongo, no fun

Hawks winger Patrick Kane admitted that some of the juice behind the Canucks-Hawks rivalry is missing with goalie Roberto Luongo banished to a backup role.

“I think Luongo was a big piece of the rivalry, maybe front and center for a lot of fans to get on, especially in Chicago,” Kane said. “Schneider’s a great goaltender, too. He’s proved it this year, and he’s playing very well.”

Of course, Schneider has had his share of battles with the Hawks, too, including in the postseason. So he didn’t think the lack of meaning to this particular game would lessen the intensity.

“We don’t like them very much, and they don’t like us very much,” he said. “Whether it’s the first game of the year or the last game of the year.”

Three bad, 129 good

Perhaps the most remarkable tidbit from a remarkable regular season is that, in their first 44 games, the Hawks were only out of one game — a 6-2 loss at Colorado that snapped their 24-game point streak March 8.

Every other game was either a win, a shootout loss, or a one-goal game (an empty-netter March 20 at Anaheim notwithstanding). In fact, Joel Quenneville could think of only three periods in which the Hawks were badly outplayed.

“Second period in Colorado [March 8], first period against Edmonton [March 10] and third period against Calgary [Feb. 2] are the three periods,” he said. “You put those together, I don’t know what the score would have been [10-2]. But for the most part, guys have been showing up.”

Injury update

Patrick Sharp (shoulder) missed his fifth consecutive game Monday, but Quenneville said it was “highly likely” he’d return Wednesday at Edmonton. Michal Rozsival (upper body) missed his third consecutive game.

Ray Emery (lower body) was back in uniform as Corey Crawford’s backup after missing two consecutive games.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 04.23.2013


Bollig, Saad, Shaw learned a lot during playoffs last year

BY MARK LAZERUS April 22, 2013 11:19PM

Updated: April 23, 2013 12:27AM

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — When his wrist shot from the left circle dented the net behind Phoenix Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith on April 14 last year, Brandon Bollig knew it was a big deal. It was his first goal in the NHL — his first point, even.

But it wasn’t until after the game, which the Blackhawks pulled out in overtime, that he realized just how big of a deal it was.

“It came in the playoffs in a big game — we were down 1-0 in the series, and it tied the game up in Game 2 and we ended up winning in overtime — so it was an unbelievable feeling,” Bollig said before the game Monday against the Vancouver Canucks. “But I didn’t really realize how cool it was until after the game. It sank in when I got to my phone and I had over 100 messages to respond to from family and friends.”

That doesn’t happen when you score a goal in mid-January.

“The playoffs are a whole different ballgame,” Bollig said.

While the first-round loss to the Coyotes last season was a dreadful end to a promising season, it did give Bollig, Brandon Saad and Andrew Shaw postseason experience, which could prove invaluable when the playoffs begin next week. Thanks to that series, every player on the Hawks’ roster knows what the playoffs are like.

“I think being able to experience it, being a part of it, it’s definitely something that’ll make me comfortable this year,” said Saad, who played in two playoff games after being called up when his junior season ended. “It wasn’t a lot of games, but just to get a taste of it helps.”

Saad had played in just two NHL games — the first two of the season — before Marian Hossa’s concussion suddenly thrust him into the lineup for Games 4 and 5. He had four hits in his first game and an assist in his second.

“I was a little nervous, but getting those two games at the start of the year helped out with the playoffs,” Saad said. “It’s the same thing this year. Being able to play a couple playoff games last year is going to help with the playoffs this year.”

While Bollig, who played four games in the playoffs last season, likely will shuttle in and out of the lineup based on coach Joel Quenneville’s need for physical play, Saad and Shaw are key every-day players. Saad is entrenched on the top line, and Shaw is centering the critical third line. Shaw skated on the right wing of that checking line with Bryan Bickell and Dave Bolland last year before his hit on Smith behind the net earned him a three-game suspension. Shaw returned for the decisive Game 6.

His playoff experience — the good and the bad — serves as his motivation as he prepares for his second go-around.

“I felt like I let the team down, and I did kind of lose out on a lot [by getting suspended],” Shaw said. “It’s horrible. It sucked for me. And I’m going to try to make up for it this year.”

While Bollig remembers his first goal, and Saad remembers those butterflies, and Shaw remembers the intensity, one thing above all else sticks in the minds of those players who made their postseason debuts last year — the devastation when it ended early. That feeling could prove as valuable as anything else.

“I just remember going home early,” Shaw said. “That hurt. We don’t want to do that again.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 04.23.2013


Schneider, Canucks turn back Blackhawks

By Tim Sassone

A big part of the Blackhawks-Vancouver rivalry was missing Monday night in Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo, who has lost his starting job to Cory Schneider.

The Canucks tried trading Luongo right up until the April 3 deadline before deciding to keep him for insurance — that, and no team wanted anything to do with his big contract.

"I think Luongo is a big piece of the rivalry, maybe front and center for a lot of fans," Patrick Kane told Blackhawks TV before Monday's game at Rogers Arena. "They get on him, especially in Chicago, but Schneider is a great goaltender, too."

Schneider and the Canucks beat the Hawks 3-1 on goals by Jannick Hansen, Zack Kassian and Daniel Sedin.

Daniel Carcillo broke Schneider's shutout in the third period.

The Hawks were looking to keep the ball rolling toward the playoffs against one of their top rivals. Playing well remained the ultimate goal, even ahead of winning the Presidents' Trophy for best record in the NHL.

The Hawks' lead on Pittsburgh for the President's Trophy is down to 3 points after the Penguins' 3-1 win at Ottawa.

The Hawks have only three games left in the regular season, and Jonathan Toews wants to see the team keep moving forward.

"I think maybe a couple of these games we haven't had the jump that we had before, but most of all we've done a good job of playing with good habits, whether it's 5-on-5 or special teams," Toews told Blackhawks TV. "We've played very smart ion the defensive zone.

"When you hang around in games like that and play patient and smart hockey you'll still find a way to win even though you might not be carrying the play for 60 minutes."

The Hawks are a week away from finally getting the chance to prove how good they are.

"The real teams, the teams that have that ability to take it up a notch are the ones that go far in the playoffs," Toews said. "We'd like to believe we're one of those teams.

"We feel like at moments we've proved it this year and here we go. We've got a few games left to get ready for it. It will be exciting to see who we get matched up against, but all year long we've done a good job of never looking too far ahead and focusing on the next task. That's what we have to do this week."

The Hawks still can play a number of teams in the first round, but Monday it was looking as if it would be either Columbus, Minnesota or Detroit.

It won't be the Canucks.

"I think both teams feel there's always a chance we'll bump into each other in the playoffs," Toews said. "Obviously if that does happen it would be beyond the first round."

The Hawks again played without Patrick Sharp, who coach Joel Quenneville expects to return on Wednesday at Edmonton. They lost center Dave Bolland in the first period with a lower body injury.

Corey Crawford started for the third straight game, but Ray Emery was able to dress as backup.

There might more bodies around by the end of the week when the call-ups from Rockford are announced. Expected to come up now that the IceHogs' season is done are center Brandon Pirri, the AHL scoring champ, wingers Rostislav Olesz, Jeremy Morin, Ben Smith and Jimmy Hayes, and defensemen Steve Montador, Ryan Stanton and Adam Clendening.

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 04.23.2013


Konroyd's Keys: Blackhawks vs. Canucks

April 22, 2013, 3:00 pm

Steve Konroyd

1) Continue the airtight D on the road: The last three road games for the Blackhawks have ended in shutouts for the Hawks. The game before that they allowed a goal to Detroit in the last 33 seconds to spoil yet another shutout. Only 70 shots against in those three consecutive road victories spells great defense. Keep this part of your game up.

2) Take advantage of a Canucks D that’s hurting: Kevin Bieksa hasn’t played for three games. Chris Tanev has been out for seven tilts. Vancouver has given up an average of 34 shots per game in their last six contests. Rookie defenseman Frankie Corrado, who recently played three games for the Chicago Wolves, may be in the lineup for the Canucks tonight. Take advantage of the new faces.

3) Keep the power play sizzling: The Blackhawks' power play went nine games without scoring a goal. There were stretches where the man advantage produced no shots on net. That all changed in a hurry in the last two games. They have scored four goals on seven opportunities in these two games. Shots are the key, and they have managed a lot more of them on the power play in the last two games. They have moved from 21st to 16th in the power play rankings in just two games. Keep it up.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 04.23.2013


How have future Blackhawks fared this year?

April 22, 2013, 9:30 am

Staff

The Blackhawks' top minor league affiliate, Rockford, fell short of making the AHL playoffs when Milwaukee defeated Peoria Sunday night (think of it as the Predators defeating the Blues). The Icehogs were left on the outside looking in despite winning their last four games, and eight of their last nine.

With their season over and no roster limits, a handful of those Hogs may be brought up to the big club for this final week of the season and to experience the playoff ride, no matter how long it lasts as extra bodies for practice.

Along those lines, let's see how some of the Hawks' more high-profile minor league prospects fared this season. And while we're pondering that, consider the makeup of the 2013-14 roster. Viktor Stalberg, Bryan Bickell, Jamal Mayers and Michael Rozsival are unrestricted free agents, along with goalie Ray Emery -- who might very well get a big payday on what he's done in the regular season, while we await what the playoffs bring. Nick Leddy and Marcus Kruger are restricted free agents, but it's hard to see the Hawks letting either escape from an offer sheet.

Let's start with the Hawks' pair of 2011 first-rounders, centers Mark McNeill and Phillip Danault. They still have time, as both turned just 20 two months ago. McNeill, the so-called second-line center of the future, had a slight dip in numbers at Prince Albert of the WHL (25-42/67 in 65 games this season vs. 31-40/71 in 69 games last year), yet there's still an interesting difference in terms of overall growth: His plus/minus a year ago was minus-10, this season, he was plus-4. He went scoreless in five games at Rockford.

That's exactly what Danault did in the same number of contests off I-90 after splitting this past season between Victoriaville and Moncton in the QMJHL. He wound up with 23 goals and 85 points as he continues to add pounds to what was a slight frame when his name was called two years ago. But as anyone who watched closely at last summer's prospects camp, he has special hands and moves.

The Rockford gang includes Brandon Pirri, the former second-rounder who's on the small side and needed to upgrade his game at both ends. Statistically, he did that. Not only did he win the AHL scoring title (22-53/75 in 76 games) but he finished the season plus-11.

Jeremy Morin and Jimmy Hayes both spent time at the highest level this season. Next season might be the time to determine whether both will be NHL players. Morin (the main piece in the post-Cup Dustin Byfuglien trade) collected a team-high 30 goals (12 on the power play, three short-handed) en route to 58 points, and plays with an edge. We know the 6-foot-6 Hayes has the size. Like Morin, he had 67 games with the Hogs, contributing 25 goals and 45 points.

Ben Smith continued battling health problems, but the former Frozen Four MVP (and 2011 playoff cult hero) tossed in 27 goals, 47 points, and 10 power play goals in 54 games.

Kyle Beach was the 11th overall pick in 2008. Five years later, he's taken a step in the right direction. We know about his "edge," which gets everyone all power forward hot-and-bothered, but he was a plus-1 this season to go with 16 goals, 26 points, and 204 penalty minutes in 66 games. Consider that an improvement over playing just 19 games due to an injury a year ago and 16 goals - but a minus-24 - two seasons ago. Consider the 6-foot-3, 23-year-old at a crossroads right now.

On defense, Adam Clendening was a Hawks' second-rounder two years ago. He looks and plays bigger than his 5-foot-11 frame, and tied Smith for the Icehogs' lead with a plus-17 while leading their blue-liners with 47 points (9 goals, 37 assists). Throw in six power play goals, and it makes your mind wander about his upside under Joel Quenneville's tutelage. Then there's Ryan Stanton - signed to an entry-level deal by the Hawks three years ago out of Moose Jaw. He's surpassed Shawn Lalonde on the blue line radar, upping his point total at Rockford to 22, from 17 last year, and his plus-minus - from minus-four, to plus-17 over a year. He's always played with an edge, too, averaging 128 penalty minutes the past two seasons.

Checking on a few others, Orland Park native Alex Broadhurst has helped London into the OHL Western Conference Final with 14 points in 11 games after going 23-40/63 and plus-30 in 65 games in the regular season. In the first round, he eliminated Garrett Ross and Saginaw (Brandon Saad's team, and teammate, last season). Ross seems an Andrew Shaw clone (also fifth round, but 2012) but with more of a touch (44 goals, 90 points, plus-31) and just as much of an edge (114 PIM). He was held to three assists in that opening round OHL series versus Broadhurst and London.

Kevin Hayes (Jimmy's brother and 24th overall 2010) met his first dose of adversity. Boston College coach Jerry York suspended him for three games for an unspecified violation of team rules and, upon his return, suffered a season-ending thigh injury that required surgery after 25 points (six goals) in 29 games.

Right now, the top goalie prospect in the system would appear to be Mac Carruth, who was a seventh-round pick in 2010. He delivered a 30-7-2 mark with seven shutouts for Portland of the WHL, finishing second in the league with a 2.06 goals-against average and third with a .929 save percentage. He has similar size (6-foot-2, 180) to Corey Crawford.

Finally, what about 2012 top pick Teuvo Teravainen, who dazzled onlookers with his Kane-like hands, moves (and size) at the Blackhawks' prospects camp last summer? He missed 16 games for Jokerit due to injury, but in the 44 other games, collected 13 goals and 31 points as he looks to put pounds on his frame without sacrificing speed and agility.

So now, put yourself in Stan Bowman's shoes this off-season. He doesn't have to make calls on this talent until he knows how far the current roster will take him in this post-season of high expectations. It's a task that seems simple from afar, but scrutinized by those who don't have to make a final call on when to roll the dice, when to cut ties and how to sacrifice for the franchise's greater good.



Sharp out, Presidents' Trophy potentially captured vs. Canucks

April 22, 2013, 3:15 pm

Staff

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Patrick Sharp is out tonight, and Ray Emery will back up Corey Crawford when the Chicago Blackhawks face the Vancouver Canucks tonight at Rogers Arena.

Defenseman Michal Rozsival is likely out and Michal Handzus is sounding questionable for tonight. Handzus suffered a “stinger” in his shoulder two games ago after he and Viktor Stalberg collided; it’s unclear if that’s what the problem is today.

Sharp’s return could come Wednesday against the Edmonton Oilers, coach Joel Quenneville said this morning. Daniel Carcillo wasn’t skating among the line rushes this morning, but it looks like he’ll draw in after all.

The Canucks, 6-3-1 in their last 10 games, have all but wrapped up the Northwest Division. Cory Schneider, who stopped 33 of 34 shots in a shootout victory over Detroit on Saturday, will start against the Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks don’t have a ton to play for over these final four regular-season games, although the Presidents’ Trophy is still there to be captured. The Blackhawks could clinch that with a victory tonight and a Pittsburgh regulation loss to Ottawa. The same probably could be said for the Canucks, as mentioned above. Where the animosity level will be between these two tonight is uncertain. Still, as Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault said this morning, “it’s Blackhawks-Canucks. That’s all you’ve got to say.” Jonathan Toews doesn’t see the energy this matchup brings dissipating tonight, either.

“We both always feel there’s a chance we’ll bump into each other in the playoffs, and if it does happen it’ll be beyond the first round (this season). But no matter what position either team’s in, we’re both preparing to play best hockey come playoff time,” he said. “And what better preparation than a matchup with the Canucks. We’ll expect a good one from them tonight.”

Stalberg doesn’t see as much venom coming in this one.

“Obviously it’s a game where there might not be as much on the line as there has been in a couple games in the past,” he said. “We want to keep our good feeling and keep improving, and I’m sure they feel the same way. It’ll be a tough game and have high tempo, but there may not be a lot of extra-curricular activity. We’ll see.”



Hawks' point streak snapped in loss to Canucks

April 22, 2013, 11:30 pm

Staff

Coach Joel Quenneville was asked Monday morning how many bad periods the Chicago Blackhawks have had this season.

“Three,” he said. “Second period in Colorado (on March 8), first period against Edmonton (on March 10) and third period against Calgary on Feb. 2) were the three periods.”

Quenneville can add three more periods to that total.

Daniel Sedin had a goal and an assist, and the Blackhawks had few answers in a 3-1 loss to Vancouver on Monday night. The Blackhawks, who wouldn’t have claimed the Presidents’ Trophy even if they had won – Pittsburgh beat Ottawa earlier in the evening – didn’t really show up at all against the Canucks.

The Blackhawks were already without Patrick Sharp (shoulder) and Michal Handzus entering Monday's contest. Regarding Handzus, coach Joel Quenneville said it was a “coach’s decision.” Then Dave Bolland left in the first period with a groin injury and did not return. Quenneville said it was not serious.

Meanwhile, the Blackhawks chalked up one of their few truly forgettable games this season.

“I got that as the worst game of the year,” Quenneville said. “They had the playoff intensity and we didn’t respond. We got outworked.”

It’s hard to argue that. The Blackhawks have had hiccups here and there, bad periods here and there, that have led to losses. But on Monday, nothing was working from start to finish. Daniel Carcillo tallied the Blackhawks’ lone goal, and that came when a pass deflected off an official and went right to him.

The Canucks, who clinched the Northwest Division with tonight’s victory, were indeed the more determined team. They pushed the Blackhawks around, with little push back from Chicago.

“It wasn’t good. They outplayed us for the most part. Out-battled us,” Viktor Stalberg said. “It’s not easy to play hockey when you’re not going 100 percent in every battle out there.”

Corey Crawford, who was coming off two so-so games, was one of the few bright spots for the Blackhawks, stopping 29 of 32.

“He was great,” Quenneville said. “He made four or five great glove saves early, kept us in the game.”

It was the Blackhawks’ third game in four nights, and included that lengthy trip to the Pacific Northwest on Sunday. Was that a factor?

“Obviously that factors in. But we should be better than that either way,” Stalberg said. “We’re not going to have our best nights every night, but we have to bring a little more, every guy. We were getting outworked, and that’s not what we want to be.”

The Blackhawks will shake this one off. They still have the Presidents’ Trophy in their sights. They haven’t had many bad games this season, but Monday’s outing was definitely one of them.

“We know when we play Vancouver it’s an intense game and we have to be ready,” Quenneville said. “They were much more prepared to play at that level that’s necessary to win. We weren’t at the level that’s needed, from start to finish.”


671713 Colorado Avalanche

Avs-Blues preview: 6 p.m. Tuesday, ALT2; 950 AM

Posted: 04/23/2013 12:01:00 AM MDT

Adrian Dater, The Denver Post

Spotlight on Semyon Varlamov: This game doesn't mean anything in the standings to the Avalanche, but it is an important one for Varlamov. The Russian goalie has been struggling of late, without a win since March 30, and his save percentage has dropped to .901 overall. He needs to show the Avs he still has promise as their goalie of the future.

NOTEBOOK

Avalanche: The Avs did not practice Monday. ... Defensemen Erik Johnson (wrist) and Ryan Wilson (ankle) are out. ... This is the only game of the season in St. Louis for the Avs. ... Colorado has lost three consecutive games in St. Louis, being outscored 10-3. ... The Avs have a 50.9 success rate on faceoffs. ... Colorado's season power-play percentage is 14.4.

Blues: Since the start of last season, the Blues are 42-13-6 at home. ... Defenseman Jay Bouwmeester has the longest active consecutive-game streak in the NHL: 632. ... St. Louis has killed 40 of the past 44 opposing power plays at home. ... St. Louis is 31-1-1 since last season when scoring four or more goals. ... Former Av Chris Stewart needs one more goal for 100 in his career. He also needs one more assist for 100. ... Forward T.J. Oshie (foot) is out.

Denver Post: LOADED: 04.23.2013

671714 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets: Anatomy of remarkable turnaround

By Aaron Portzline

The Columbus Dispatch Tuesday April 23, 2013 5:39 AM

SAN JOSE, Calif. — This is not a fluke. This is really happening.

The Blue Jackets, on a 17-5-5 tear since late February, have launched themselves into the Stanley Cup playoff picture and caught the hockey world by surprise, not with smoke and mirrors or pacts with the devil, but for a rather obvious reason that is hard for some to grasp.

“We’re a (darn) good hockey team,” left winger R.J. Umberger said.

The Blue Jackets’ rise from last in the league in points last season — they were 30th again this season until Feb. 24 — might defy the odds, but it does not defy explanation.

Here are the main reasons for the turnaround:

The Bob show

Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky could justifiably be reasons Nos. 1, 2 and 3. He’s the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy as the league’s top goaltender and should be a contender for the Hart Trophy as league MVP.

It’s easy to forget, but by mid-February, he was barely on par with Steve Mason statistically.

It was only when the Blue Jackets decided to give Bobrovsky the No. 1 job that his game soared.

Bobrovsky needs the routine, he has said. And he craves the responsibility.

“That’s why I was so (excited) to come here (from Philadelphia),” Bobrovsky said earlier this month. “I wanted to be the (starter), I want to be the guy. This is my home now.”

Culture change

It’s hard to define what “culture” means in pro sports, but the Blue Jackets believe they traded bad for good beginning late last season.

Coach Todd Richards deserves credit for the way he steadied a sinking ship after taking over for his overwhelmed predecessor, Scott Arniel.

Defenseman Jack Johnson gets full marks, too, for not just accepting a trade from Los Angeles to Columbus last season but embracing it.

The Blue Jackets have not had a captain since Rick Nash was traded last summer, but so many players have led with invisible “Cs” on their sweaters this season.

None of this “New World” leadership would — or could — have happened if Nash hadn’t been traded to the New York Rangers.

Furious forecheck

The Blue Jackets’ ability to forecheck is the building block of everything they do.

It allows the Jackets to unplug a more highly skilled opponent, by slowing them as they leave their zone, or pinning them around their net as they seek an outlet. San Jose and Detroit never quite could get through it this season.

It also is where most of the Blue Jackets’ offensive chances are created — not by tic-tac-toe plays up the ice, but by creating turnovers.

Matt Calvert, Derek MacKenzie, Jared Boll, Brandon Dubinsky, Nick Foligno and Colton Gillies are fast, disruptive players, and the rest of the team embraced it, too.

Identical lines

After some early season soul searching, Richards has found line combinations that work.

They were put together with checking and forechecking in mind, so any offense is considered a bonus.

The fourth line of Gillies, MacKenzie and Boll has had a bigger role than most fourth lines, and it has set the tone many nights.

Opposing coaches have marveled at how the Blue Jackets play the same way every night — nothing flashy, but no cracks in the armor, either.

“You know what you’re getting and you know it isn’t going to be easy,” said San Jose Sharks coach Todd McLellan, whose team lost 4-3 to the Blue Jackets on Sunday.

The Blue Jackets’ balance has made it difficult for opposing teams to target which line to check, although the trade for Marian Gaborik might have changed that.

The Jackets have four players with double-digit goals: Vinny Prospal and Mark Letestu (12 each), Artem Anisimov (11) and Gaborik, who got three of his 12 with the Jackets, so it’s coming in all directions.

Touch, pass, go

The Blue Jackets have become remarkably proficient at getting the puck out of trouble in tight spaces.

Under Arniel, the Blue Jackets used to get hemmed into their zone for what seemed like an eternity, chucking the puck around in desperation.

But under Richards, and now with assistants Craig Hartsburg and Keith Acton, the Jackets make small, smart plays along the boards and support the puck-handler with short gaps and multiple options.

The defensemen play a huge role in this. Fedor Tyutin is Mr. Consistency. Rookie Dalton Prout (plus-15 rating) is better in the defensive zone than anyone could have imagined.

Life on a razor

The Blue Jackets are 14-7-7 in one-goal games and 11-11-5 when they allow the first goal. That’s impressive.

“We don’t panic,” Johnson said. “One thing I love about (Richards) is, when we’re up one goal or two goals, the objective is to make it two goals or three goals, it’s foot on the pedal.

“So many coaches want to stop playing, shut it down offensively. He has the confidence in us to just keep playing.”

Richards said the tight games — 17 of 46 have gone beyond regulation — and the two-month playoff chase should help the Blue Jackets should they reach the pressure-packed postseason. The Jackets are 5-3 in overtime games and 5-4 in shootouts.

“That experience has to help,” Richards said. “It’s the only way to prepare.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 04.23.2013


Blue Jackets notebook: Prospal is nominated for Masterton trophy

By Aaron Portzline


SAN JOSE, Calif. — Vinny Prospal has brought an unmistakable joie de vivre to each of the eight NHL clubs he has played for during a 16-year, 1,100-game career.

But his persistence and determination have had a transformative effect on the Blue Jackets in his almost two seasons in Columbus.

Prospal, 38, has been nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the Columbus chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. The award is given annually to the NHL player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

The Blue Jackets signed Prospal as an unrestricted free agent in August 2011, but it has not always been an easy ride.

“I’m not going to lie, there have been times — like early last season, or even early this season — when you feel like … well, you feel like maybe retiring,” Prospal said. “You just feel like it’s a team that’s not getting any breaks.

“We had to learn to work and learn to win, learn to trust each other. Now it’s a lot of fun. The attitude, the culture has changed. It’s fun to come to the rink now. It’s fun to put in the work.”

Prospal is largely credited with helping turn around the Blue Jackets, who are on the cusp of making the Stanley Cup playoffs for just the second time in their 12-season existence.

“Vinny has helped us (coaches) out in a lot of ways,” coach Todd Richards said. “It’s his preparedness. It’s his professionalism. It’s his passion. He brings it all to the table, and he has for a long time now.

“He’s a guy who knows how to have fun. He makes the work fun, and the guys feed off that. But he’s also a guy who knows when it’s time to get busy and get to work, and the guys see that, too.”

Prospal can become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but hinted strongly that he would like to be back next season.

“The way this is going, with the attitude and the coaching around this place — and look at the buzz we have created in our city! — it’s something I want to be a part of,” he said. “With the way this season is going, I have no intentions of being finished.”

The Masterton Trophy is named for Bill Masterton, a former Minnesota North Stars player who died on Jan. 15, 1968, two days after his head struck the ice following a hit during a game.

Slap shot

The Blue Jackets returned home after Sunday’s 4-3 victory at San Jose, arriving in the wee hours of yesterday.

They did not hold a practice.



Bob Hunter commentary: Unheralded players make big impact on Jackets

By Bob Hunter


The Blue Jackets are more than the most amazing story in hockey these days. They also are proof that we often don’t know what we think we know.

For years, Columbus hockey executives, fans and media types have believed the Jackets’ success was tied to a series of high draft picks, that the team’s perpetual losing would create a winner when those players turned into NHL stars.

No one around here has to be reminded how that came out. The Jackets have had 11 picks in the top eight spots in the NHL draft in 13 years, and so far have only one star to show for that: 2002 No. 1 overall pick Rick Nash.

Nash’s subsequent trade to the New York Rangers in July was seen as the beginning of a rebuilding process that promised more losing in the short term. Instead, the Blue Jackets have a chance to make the playoffs for only the second time in their existence with an incredible 17-5-5 finish. But what makes that run — and the 4-1 trip that figured to be their demise — even more amazing is that many of the players at the core of this surprising team were draft-day afterthoughts.

In 2003, Mark Letestu was playing a level below major junior with the Bonnyville Pontiacs of the Alberta Junior League when the Blue Jackets grabbed flashy Russian winger Nikolai Zherdev with the No. 4 overall pick in the draft.

The enigmatic Zherdev had a couple of 20-plus-goal seasons for the Blue Jackets before moving on, and today is playing — not starring — for Ak Bars Kazan in Russia’s Continental Hockey League. Letestu, who went undrafted and was signed by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2007 after he played a year at Western Michigan, had two goals and an assist in the Jackets’ critical 4-3 victory over San Jose on Sunday night. He has 12 goals, 14 assists and a plus-8 rating this season.

In 2008, the Blue Jackets drafted another flashy Russian, Nikita Filatov, with the No. 6 overall pick. In that same draft, they took Matt Calvert with the 127th overall pick in the fifth round and Cam Atkinson at No. 157 in the sixth. Today, Filatov is in the KHL (Salavat Yulaev Ufa) and Calvert and Atkinson have been flashing the potential that scouts saw for Filatov. Calvert is out for two weeks because of a broken finger, and the Jackets are treating his absence like the loss of an All-Star.

Gilbert Brule, whom the Jackets took No. 6 overall in 2005, was another one of those flashy forwards projected for stardom. In Brule’s best season with the Jackets, he had nine goals. The club took Jared Boll in the fourth round, 101st ovearll, of that draft, and he is the longest-tenured Jacket player, whose physical presence and leadership are valued here, even while an underachieving Brule apparently has drifted away from hockey. (That draft proved to be good to the Blue Jackets in another unforeseen way; they got defenseman Jack Johnson, No. 3 overall in that draft, in the Jeff Carter trade with Los Angeles.)

This season has hatched one surprise after another. Nash’s trade was regarded as a dark day for the franchise because it was difficult to imagine a small-market team with a history of losing getting another star of Nash’s magnitude — barring another woeful finish that would secure another high draft pick.

Yet, the team’s trade with the Rangers for high-scoring winger Marian Gaborik before the trade deadline again showed that the future isn’t preordained. Gaborik, whom the Jackets coveted at the top of their first draft (2000) but lost in a coin flip with expansion-cousin Minnesota, had to waive his no-trade clause to come to Columbus and seems happy to be here. If the Jackets had acquired Gaborik in the Nash trade, depressing thoughts of “rebuilding” likely would never have occurred.

But the most unpredictable position — past, present and future — is at goaltender; it’s here where we really learn how little we know. The Jackets took their future franchise goaltender, Pascal Leclaire, with the eighth overall pick in 2001. He subsequently was beaten out by third-rounder

(2006) Steve Mason, who was beaten out by Sergei Bobrovsky, the Philadelphia Flyers’ backup who came to the Jackets in an offseason trade.

Bobrovsky, signed by Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent in 2010, probably is the favorite to win the Vezina Trophy as the league’s best goaltender.



Around the NHL: Red Wings stifle Coyotes, creep closer to Jackets

Staff

Jimmy Howard made 34 saves to help the Red Wings move a point behind the Blue Jackets for the final playoff spot in the West.

Red Wings 4, Coyotes 0: Johan Franzen scored twice and Jimmy Howard had 34 saves to help host Detroit defeat Phoenix last night.

The Red Wings now are a point behind the eighth-place Blue Jackets in the Western Conference and have played one fewer game. They are hoping to finish the last three games of the season strong enough to extend the franchise’s postseason streak to 22 years. Detroit had won only one of its previous six games, picking up a point in three shootout losses during the slump.

Damien Brunner scored late in the first period and Valtteri Filppula had a power-play goal late in the second. Franzen had an empty-net goal with 1:22 left.

The Coyotes, five points behind the Blue Jackets, are on the brink of elimination after losing for the fourth time in five games with the potential to earn just six more points in the season.

Penguins 3, Senators 1: Tomas Vokoun made 34 saves and Dustin Jeffrey had a goal and an assist to lead visiting Pittsburgh to its seventh straight victory.

Jets 2, Sabres 1: Antti Miettinen scored with 7:36 left to keep visiting Winnipeg in the playoff race. Winnipeg improved 6-0-1 in its past seven games and moved a point behind the idle New York Rangers, who hold the Eastern Conference’s eighth and final playoff spot. The Jets also are a point behind Southeast Division-leading Washington. That sets up a showdown tonight, when the Jets play at the Capitals.

Ducks 3, Oilers 0: Viktor Fasth made 24 saves for his fourth shutout of the season and visiting Anaheim clinched the Pacific Division title, its first division title since 2006-07, when it won the Stanley Cup. The Oilers have lost eight of nine.

Canucks 3, Blackhawks 1: Jannik Hansen, Zack Kassian and Daniel Sedin scored for host Vancouver.



Tickets going fast

Staff

NEXT GAME

Opponent: at Dallas Stars

When: 8:30 p.m., Thursday

TV: Fox Sports Ohio

Radio: WBNS-FM (97.1)

A limited number of tickets remain for the Blue Jackets’ regular-season home finale on Saturday against Nashville. It could be the third sellout of the season.


671719 Dallas Stars

Ray Whitney is Stars' nominee for 2013-13 Masterton Trophy

MIKE HEIKA

Published: 22 April 2013 02:00 PM

Here is the press release:

The Dallas Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association nominates Ray Whitney for the 2012-13 Masterton Trophy. Whitney embodies all of the characteristics set out in the award _ perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. The 40-year-old winger was hit in the foot by a puck just two games into his first season with the Stars. He tried to play through a fracture for the next six games, but made the injury worse. He then had to sit out 16 games to let the foot heal. Since his return, he has 21 points in 21 games. On the season, Whitney has 27 points (11 goals, 16 assists) and is plus-5 in 29 games played. Whitney has already earned one of the team's four rotating alternate captain's position. Each team will nominate one player, and the PHWA will choose one winner of the award, which is named in honor of former Minnesota North Stars player Bill Masterton, who died in 1968 as a result of injuries he sustained in an NHL game.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 04.23.2013

671720 Dallas Stars

Stars experienced 'Hotel California' firsthand in loss to Kings

MIKE HEIKA

Published: 22 April 2013 03:03 AM

LOS ANGELES _ As it so often does in the NHL, classic rock radio provided the musical backdrop for the Stars' bus ride to Staples Center Sunday afternoon for a big showdown with the Los Angeles Kings.

But when the haunting chords of "Hotel California" started wafting from the speakers, maybe we should have known this was going to be a weird night.

I mean the Eagles' tune about the 1970s excesses of life in LA carries a pretty odd message when you think about it _ a weary traveler out on the road simply looking for the end of his trip and stumbling upon an establishment that promises all of the temptations of his dreams, but only with the caveat that his dreams might turn into nightmares…that's pretty heavy stuff right there.

"They stabbed it with their steely knives, but they just can't kill the beast?" That sort of ended up being the message for Stars fans on the night, right? The Stars tried hard, immersed themselves in the blood battle, and simply couldn't come out with the win. The beast could be the hunger of the fans to return to the playoffs. It could be the defending Stanley Cup champions as a metaphor for this little group of travelers who are seeking themselves to write a similar story. Heck, it could be the refs on this night, who turned the game itself into a beast that wouldn't die.

"It was like war out there,'' said forward Eric Nystrom. "It was just like the playoffs, it was intense. But those are the game we need to play in.''

And maybe that's the lesson for the day. The Stars were pushed in this one, they stared desperation in the face and embraced it, they learned just a little of what's required to make the playoffs.

We've talked about that being needed with this group. Kari Lehtonen has all of two post-season games on his eight-year NHL resume _ and he lost both. Jamie Benn could complete his fourth NHL season without a sniff of the playoffs if Dallas doesn't get it done in the last three games of the regular season. Heck, we're not really sure what "old men" like Stephane Robidas, Trevor Daley and Loui Eriksson might do this time around if they make. They are different players serving different roles than way back in 2008 when the Stars made it to the Western Conference finals.

So maybe Sunday was the kind of adventure the team needed to endure just to understand what kind of intensity is required to have playoff success.

The elements were there to provide a nice little training class. The Stars and Kings both respect each other and hate each other. Dallas was 3-1-0 against the defending champs this season, including winning twice in Staples Center. Kings coach Darryl Sutter pointed out very publicly that the reason for the Stars' recent success in LA was because Dallas' best players clearly outplayed Los Angeles' best players. Jamie Benn was better than Anze Kopitar. Ray Whitney was better than Dustin Brown. Loui Eriksson was better than Mike Richards.

There were some nice little back stories there, some nice little "sidebars" that would fill up the increased newspaper coverage you get when the playoffs start. It allowed you to ponder "what if?''

So when Richards made a smart little play in front of the net to give the Kings a 1-0 lead five minutes into the game, and then Brown followed with a nasty top-shelf laser four minutes into the second stanza, it was clear a message had been sent. The Kings wanted to get back into the playoff stride they experienced at the end of last season, they wanted to establish home ice for the first round of the playoffs, they wanted to quiet the voices coming from the "Master's Chamber." And it appeared they would do just that.

But something happened on the way to the feast. The Stars decided they weren't going to go quietly. Dallas actually had a 10-7 advantage in shots on goal in the second period and then followed that up with 12-11 advantage in the third. The Stars didn't back down, they raised their game.

And there was Eriksson, maybe the weariest of travelers with just one goal in his previous 16 games, finally breaking through on a sweeping rebound.

It was the kind of play where he didn't have time to think, where he just reacted. He needed a reminder of how good he can be, how quick his hands really are _ and maybe that was it. He needed a reminder of how things get done in the playoffs, that you just have to stick your nose down and keep fighting no matter what.

"That whole game was like that," said Robidas. "It was a weird, weird game, all sorts of strange bounces and strange calls. But we can't really worry about that, we just have to keep playing. We always have to just forget about everything and keep playing in the game and never give up."

Ten minutes later, Antoine Roussel went hard to the net and tied the game, and the weirdness of the evening took another step up. Ryan Garbutt deflected an Alex Goligoski shot with a stick that was above the four-foot height of the crossbar. Had the shot gone into the net, it would have been disallowed. But, Jonathan Quick stopped the Garbutt deflection. and Roussel quickly spanked in the rebound. So…was it a goal or wasn't it?

Rule 80.1 of the NHL rulebook says that it could be:

80.1High-sticking the Puck- Batting the puck above the normal height of the shoulders with a stick is prohibited. When a puck is struck with a high stick and subsequently comes into the possession and control of a player from the offending team (including the player who made contact with the puck), either directly or deflected off any player or official,there shall be a whistle.

When a puck has been contacted by a high stick, the play shall be permitted to continue, provided that:

(i) the puck has been batted to an opponent (when a player bats the puck to an opponent, the Referee shall give the "washout" signal immediately. Otherwise, he will stop the play).

(ii) a player of the defending side shall bat the puck into his own goal in which case the goal shall be allowed.

The problem with that rule is that in situations where there is a delayed penalty and possession must be obtained by the offending team to stop play, a rebound off a goalie does not constitute possession. So, is this similar? Officials didn't really stop to explain and simply declared it a good goal.

That didn't sit well with the Kings, who maintained afterword that it was a bad call.

"You know it was a high-stick," said Kings coach Darryl Sutter. "The three guys in the back should call that."

The NHL Situation Room Blog explained the eventual game-winning goal in overtime, but never explained the reasoning for the Roussel goal. Still, the Stars felt justified, and that also is an important part of the post-season. Work hard enough, and sometimes the breaks go your way.

Yet, the controversy was just getting started. Los Angeles scored just 10 seconds into the third period when Lehtonen tried to glove a puck, but was pushed into the net by his own defensemen Aaron Rome. Lehtonen and the puck landed in the net, but officials immediately stopped play and declared that Kings' forward Trevor Lewis pushed Rome into his own goalie.

The Kings also disagreed with that decision.

"We really felt that Lewie's (Trevor Lewis) goal was a goal also, it should've been," Sutter said. "So you know what, you just got to play through it. We thought we deserved a little bit better, and you just find a way to win it and get through it."

The Stars came down thirty seconds later and took a 3-2 lead on a scramble at the net. Cody Eakin tipped a puck to Alex Goligoski, who scored on a wide open slapper from the slot, and the Stars had appeared to complete their rally. It was a gutty answer to a hard challenge. It was the kind of thing you do to win a playoff series..

But the lesson there is that a playoff series isn't over until it's over.

In fact, the Stars found out how an opponent can raise its intensity when the Kings battled back. They got a roughing penalty call on Stars defenseman Brenden Dillon (a call that they disagreed with) and Brown scored his second goal of the game (this time on a simple rebound) to make it 3-3 at the 2:59 mark of the third.

The Kings' captain might be the most hated opponent of Stars' fans because of his reputation for diving and antagonizing, and he added more drama to his reputation when he appeared to hit Roussel in open ice with a

late hit that targeted the head (See the hit and read the concerns of Stars here, as Defending Big D's Erin Bolen breaks down the hit).

Again, you get villains in playoff series, and Brown's antics give the Stars a great lesson in how these things manifest. About the only thing worse would have been if Brown was able to swipe in a loose puck in overtime to win the game _ which almost happened.

The Kings dominated the OT period and almost scored twice before finally getting the game-winner from Jeff Carter in a bang-bang play at the net that seemed perfect for this weird evening.

The Stars did stab at the beast on countless occasions. They were "steely" with their attitude. They failed in their appointed quest.

So, if we want to submerge ourselves into the warm smell of colitas and make this metaphor even deeper, do we need to look at the song's final line and ponder "You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave."

Are the Stars about to check out of the playoffs, and yet Stars fans can never leave the hunting nightmare of a potential five-year absence? Is it too late to learn a lesson and change the ending of this story?

Well, the California trip isn't over yet. They have to head up the coast to San Jose for a Tuesday game against the Sharks. There are some who believe that the "Hotel California" really is in San Francisco and not Los Angeles, but as it is with most of these deep songs from the '70s, everything is open to interpretation.

Which allows us one last interesting twist to the story.

By getting a point in the standings, the Stars (22-19-4, 48 points) still control their own destiny. If they win their last three games and get six points, they will make the playoffs (because they will be taking points away from eighth-place Columbus and ninth-place Detroit in the final two games). Heck, if they get six points and finish with 54, they might pass seventh place Minnesota too.

So…maybe…the Stars are the beast.

Maybe…they were stabbed with the steely knives on Sunday, but not killed just yet.

Maybe…there will be pink champagne on ice for all.

Hmm, warm smell of colitas, indeed.

The real lesson might be that they need to leave California fairly quickly, because it's making us all a little too loopy.


671721 Dallas Stars

Tuesday Preview: Staying out of penalty box imperative for Dallas Stars against San Jose Sharks in hunt for final playoff spot

Kevin Sherrington


Dallas Stars at San Jose Sharks

9 p.m. Tuesday, FSSW+, KTCK-AM (1310)

Key matchup: Jamie Benn vs. Antti Niemi

Niemi has been one of the best goalies in the league for the Sharks, posting a 23-11-6 record (tied for first in wins) and a 2.14 goals-against average (eighth). He also is expected to start his 24th consecutive game. However, he has struggled against the Stars at 0-2-1 with a 2.95 GAA. Benn has been a major reason, as he has four points (one goal, three assists) in three games against San Jose.

Key stat: 164

That's the amount of times the Sharks have been on the power play, ranking third in the NHL. The Stars, meanwhile, hand out the second-most opposition power plays at 169.

Injuries

Dallas: RW Alex Chiasson (shoulder) is out.

San Jose: D Jason Demers (undisclosed) is questionable.

Notable

The Stars lost, 4-3, in overtime Sunday in Los Angeles and are 6-2-1 in their last nine games. … The Sharks lost, 4-3, to Columbus on Sunday and are 4-2-0 in their last six games. … Dallas is 3-0-0 against the Sharks, with one win in a shootout. … Kari Lehtonen is expected to start in goal. He is 5-6-1 in his career against the Sharks with a 3.58 GAA and .904 save percentage. … Stars LW Ray Whitney has three assists in two games against the Sharks and has 33 points (12 goals, 21 assists) in 35 career games against the team that drafted him.


671722 Dallas Stars

Heika: Masterton trophy nominee Ray Whitney not wasting time looking back on career

By MIKE HEIKA


SAN JOSE, Calif. — Ray Whitney’s NHL career started in San Jose more than 20 years ago when Whitney was a rookie trying to break in with the expansion Sharks.

So, with the Stars visiting San Jose on Tuesday, it seems a perfect time to look back and explore the 40-year-old’s circle of life, right?

Well, perfect if you’re a sports writer looking for a story, maybe. Not so perfect if you’re a highly tuned athlete trying to stay on top of your game.

So, Ray, do you ever take the time to look back at the arc of your career?

“Nope.”

That is Ray Whitney. Ask him about what’s wrong with the power play or how to get both strength and flexibility in core training, and he’ll talk for hours. Ask him about himself, and you might be in for a quick conversation.

It’s part of what makes Whitney the Stars’ nominee for the 2012-13 Masterton Memorial Trophy, given to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

He doesn’t talk about how he got here, he simply plays. He doesn’t ponder the past, he looks to the future.

“He’s a very direct person and a very direct player,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “You know what you get with the Wizard, he lays it out there in a very straightforward manner.”

He is “old school,” a term that makes him both smile and cringe. He was a stick boy on the old Edmonton Oilers of the 1980s, and came up in the NHL at a time when men were men. He views team building and leadership the way his forefathers did. He’s not a fan of headphones in the locker room or displays of individuality that eat away at the core of the team.

And yet, he wouldn’t be here today if he didn’t embrace at least a little of the “new school.” He works out and takes cares of himself the way the kids do. He jumps fully into the technology and research of physical fitness, diet and training. In fact, he does it much more at 40 than he ever did at 20.

“You learn to modify how you eat, how you enjoy yourself off the ice and how you train,” Whitney said. “I used to take the whole summer off and get in shape at training camp. Now I take three or four days off in the summer, and I start training again. I have a higher price to pay now.”

The irony of his training is he’s actually a better scorer now than he was at 20. He had a couple of high-flying seasons in the IHL and a couple of solid seasons with the Sharks (41 points in 60 games in 1995-96), but then San Jose let him leave via free agency.

He signed with the hometown Oilers and lasted just nine games there before he was placed on waivers. Florida picked him up, and he reestablished himself as a goal-scorer there, getting seasons of 32, 26 and 29 goals with the Panthers. He bounced around to Columbus and Detroit before finally settling in with Carolina.

There, Whitney became a different level of player. He helped Carolina win the Stanley Cup in 2006. He tallied 83 points in 2006-07. But after a 58-point season at age 37 in 2009-10, the Hurricanes decided not to re-sign him.

Whitney signed with Phoenix for two seasons and gave the Coyotes 77 points in 2011-12, helping them to the Western Conference finals. They too felt that Whitney’s age was too risky, so they passed on him as a free agent.

But Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk decided to roll the dice, giving the 40-year-old a two-year deal.

Whitney has rewarded the Stars with 27 points in 29 games and looks like he has plenty of gas left in the tank.

“Right now, my body is allowing me to play at the level I want to play,” he said. “If that continues to happen, I’ll continue to play.”

And then we can look back on the career?

“Maybe,” Whitney said.

Maybe it is.


671723 Dallas Stars

GameDay: Dallas Stars at San Jose Sharks

Posted Monday, Apr. 22, 2013 0 Comments Print Reprints

Staff

Stars at Sharks

9 p.m. Tuesday, HP Pavilion, San Jose, Calif.

TV: NBC Sports Network, FSSW Plus Radio: KTCK/1310 AM

Records: Stars 22-19-4, 48 points; Sharks 24-14-7, 55 pts.

About the Stars: They are tied for ninth in the Western Conference and fighting for one of the eight playoffs seeds. Despite having only three games remaining, the last two are at home against Columbus and Detroit, the teams immediately ahead of Dallas in the standings. ... The Stars have won all three meetings with the Sharks this season — including two this month — by a total of four goals. ... The Stars are 1-2-1 since April 15.

About the Sharks: They are 11-3-1 over their past 15 games and can lock up a playoff spot with a win over the Stars. ... San Jose has lost only two games in regulation on home ice, though one was Sunday against Columbus. ... Forward Martin Havlat has three goals and an assist in the past two games, Joe Pavelski has goals in back-to-back games and Logan Couture has five points in the past two games.

Star-Telegram LOADED: 04.23.2013

671724 Detroit Red Wings

Confident Danny DeKeyser giving the Red Wings a boost

5:49 PM, April 22, 2013

By Helene St. James

One of the chief attributes that has made Danny DeKeyser an instant hit with the Red Wings is how he skates back, gets the puck and dishes it to a forward.

It’s the kind of steady, smart play that helps the Wings generate offense, something they’re especially in need of as they enter the last week of the regular season chasing a playoff spot. They hosted the Phoenix Coyotes Monday at Joe Louis Arena, in what was DeKeyser’s eighth NHL game.

DeKeyser headed into Monday night having played one of his best games yet two nights earlier in Vancouver, where he demonstrated just how confident he is handling the puck.

“I like him when he gets it into our forwards’ hands,” coach Mike Babcock said, “but he made a few good plays in the offensive zone in Vancouver, which I wasn’t counting on. He really did a good job.”

DeKeyser has delivered beyond what the Wings hoped when they wooed him in the hopes he’d pick them after his career at Western Michigan ended last month. He joined the lineup a week after signing and has stayed in over veteran options.

“He’s made us quicker, he passes the puck good, he really skates,” Babcock said. “He’s an elite skater. Can he keep going? I mean, the hockey is pretty good this time of year, it’s not like he’s starting in exhibition. He’s starting at a good level and he’s playing well and getting better.”

DeKeyser’s poise has impressed given that he’s just turned 23 and hadn’t played a game of pro hockey until April 5, when he made his debut at Colorado.

Fellow defenseman Jonathan Ericsson remembers when he made the jump to the NHL. “You get better help out there from all your teammates,” he said, “but on the other hand, it’s a lot quicker. You don’t have time to make a play. You have to think quicker. Confidence is a big part of it.”

DeKeyser came to the Wings determined to keep playing the way he had at Western, though keeping it simple for the time being would be wise.

“I thought my game would transition well to here,” he said. “There’s certainly a lot of skill here, so that’s a lot of fun for me. I just try to make things happen with my feet. As long as my feet are going, I’m usually OK. So, keep my feet going. and make good first passes.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 04.23.2013


Red Wings gearing up for crucial game vs. Coyotes tonight

12:58 PM, April 22, 2013

By Helene St. James

Two points tonight would help resuscitate the Detroit Red Wings' playoff hopes as their 21-season streak is in danger of crashing.

The Wings host the Phoenix Coyotes at Joe Louis Arena (7:30 p.m., NBCSN, TSN, FSD) after having picked up just one point during a two-game swing to Western Canada.

The Wings enter tonight's game in ninth place in the Western Conference. At 48 points, they are three behind eighth-place Columbus but still retain the tiebreaker with 18 ROWs (regulation or overtime wins) compared to 17 for Columbus. The Blue Jackets have just two games remaining: Thursday at Dallas and Saturday against the Predators.

The Dallas Stars also have 48 points, have 20 ROWs, and play at San Jose Tuesday before coming home for the Columbus game. The Wings and Stars meet in a season finale Saturday at Dallas.

The only change for the Wings tonight is up front, where Patrick Eaves replaces Drew Miller, who is out indefinitely with a broken hand.

"It's going to be a tight-checking game," coach Mike Babcock said. "The face-off circle is going to be important because they've got two guys that are dominant in that area. We're going to have to be mentally tough in that area and strong. There's not going to be much room. It's going to be make or break on a few small plays in the game."

The Wings want to carry over all the good things they did Saturday in Vancouver, plus score more.

"Everyone realizes enough talk has been done," Niklas Kronwall said. "We all know the situation we're in. We just have to bear down. We have to make sure we take care of business.

"We're in the standings where we are. We have to find our way through it."



For the Red Wings, the playoffs start a week early

Jeff Seidel

The playoffs have started for the Detroit Red Wings.

Not the official playoffs.

This is something totally different.

This is a one-week, hold your breath, grow a quick beard, crush somebody into the boards – oh, what the heck, smash them again – hurry up and get those flags on your car windows, single-elimination tournament.

Win four games and the Red Wings get into the real playoffs.

Lose once and they are in a heap of trouble.

It’s simple math.

“We need seven points this week and we are in,” Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said late Monday night. “Every night is huge. I guess we can get in with six points, if some other things happen, but with seven points, we control our own fate.”

The Wings picked up two points on Monday night with a strong, 4-0 win over Phoenix in a game that felt and looked and sounded like a playoff game.

Wham! There was Justin Abdelkader smashing a Coyote into the boards.

What! There was Pavel Datsyuk, getting all physical.

Pavel Datsyuk?

Wow. This really is fun.

“It felt like a playoff type game,” Abdelkader said. “Obviously, we know what’s on the line. They were only two points behind us. It was an intense game out there. Both teams obviously wanted the points.”

The Wings have 50 points, one behind eighth-place Columbus in the Western Conference. But the Wings have three games remaining, and the Blue have just two games.

So it’s simple: If the Wings win, they are in.

The Wings play the Kings on Wednesday. The Predators on Thursday. And the Stars on Saturday.

“We have to take it one game at a time,” Abdelkader said, pulling out one of the most overused clichés in sports.

Only this time, it sounded totally fitting. One game at a time.

“We can’t look too far ahead,” Abdelkader said, pulling out another one, just to be safe.

The Red Wings have advanced into the playoffs for 21 consecutive years, which is an amazing streak. But it has also created a strange situation. Let’s be honest: Wings fans are spoiled. And I mean that in the nicest way. Usually, at this stage, the Wings are faced with two questions: What will the playoff slogan be? And who will the Wings play in the first round?

This year? The Wings are in a strange situation. This year, the Wings are fighting and clawing and working like heck, just to get into the playoffs. But that could have a benefit, if they do get in.

Think about it. If the Wings get into the playoffs, suddenly they will be the underdogs. But they will be peaking, as they say, at just the right time.

They will be the hot, scrappy team trying to steal a series.

“I think in the playoffs, you have to have good goaltending, you have to have good defense,” Henrik Zetterberg said. “You have to have good special teams. You have to score goals. Everything has to click.”

And that’s exactly how they beat Phoenix on Monday night.

In many ways, it all comes down to Jimmy Howard.

“You have to have a good goalie to go deep,” Zetterberg said, of the playoffs. “Howie is a good goalie, he has proven that this year and last year. He gives us a chance to win games every night.”

And if they get into the playoffs, the real playoffs, who knows what might happen?

“Howie has been our MVP this year,” Zeterberg said. “We know he is the goalie who can take us all the way.”

This is why the Wings signed Howard to a long-term contract. They believe they can ride him deep into the playoffs. But first, they need to ride him into the playoffs before they can ride him deep into the playoffs. Does he have to be big on Wednesday?

Ah, duh.

“He has to,” coach Mike Babcock said. “There is no option. We have a big game against LA. They are a big, heavy team. They are going to be hard to play against.”

Three games left.

No room for error.

But if the Wings play like they did on Monday night, they have a great chance to keep that streak alive.



Red Wings 4, Coyotes 0: Notes, quotes from Monday's win

12:16 AM, April 23, 2013

By George Sipple

■ First period: The Wings led 2-0 after 20 minutes despite being outshot, 12-4, by the Coyotes. The Wings won the specialty teams battle in the period, killing off a pair of hooking penalties by defenseman Brendan Smith and scoring both goals with the man advantage. Johan Franzen opened the scoring at 2:37, after Coyotes forward Antoine Vermette was called for holding Valtteri Filppula at 1:53. Franzen redirected a shot from the point by Damien Brunner.

Henrik Zetterberg assisted on both goals. Brunner redirected a pass from Zetterberg for his 12th goal of the season.

Second period: The Wings killed off a pair of early tripping penalties by Daniel Cleary. The first penalty came at 1:56 and the second came 14 seconds after the first penalty expired. Danny DeKeyser made the biggest save of the period for the Wings, using his stick to deflect a backhand try from Shane Doan that looked like it was destined for the open top corner of the net with 121/2 minutes left. The Wings scored their third power play goal of the night with 3:51 left in the period. Filppula scored his eighth goal of the season. Zetterberg earned his third assist of the night, and Niklas Kronwall picked up his second assist

Third period: Justin Abdelkader got in a scuffle with Doan midway through the period, after Doan knocked down Pavel Datsyuk. Abdelkader led the Wings with five hits, and Datsyuk added three. Franzen scored into an empty net with 1:22 left for his second goal of the game and 12th of the season.

How about that? Jimmy Howard made 34 saves for his 129th career win and 15th career shutout. Howard is now tied with Tim Cheveldae for fifth place in wins in club history.

Mule clicking: With two goals, Franzen has 10 points (five goals, five assists) in his last 10 games.

Twice is nice: Brunner had his second multiple-point effort of the season and first since he scored two goals and two assists in an 8-3 win over the Canucks on Feb. 24.

“We talked about (how) important special teams are today, and PK came up big,” Brunner told FSD during the first period intermission. “And the power play, two opportunities, two goals, and I guess that’s good.”

Three for Z: With three assists against the Coyotes, Zetterberg has nine points (one goal, eight assists) over the last nine games.

Three stars: 1. Brunner (goal, assist). 2. Zetterberg . 3. Howard.



Detroit 4, Phoenix 0: Red Wings earn huge regulation win vs. Coyotes

11:31 PM, April 22, 2013

By Helene St. James

The Detroit Red Wings celebrate their second goal in the first period against the Phoenix Coyotes on April 22, 2013. / Julian H. Gonzalez/DFP

The Detroit Red Wings rediscovered their offense and with it, resuscitated their playoff positioning.

Three man advantages did the trick for the Wings as they downed the Coyotes, 4-0, Monday at Joe Louis Arena to earn a pair of points for just the second time in seven games.

"We needed these two points," captain Henrik Zetterberg said, "and it was a nice way to get it."

Johan Franzen, Damien Brunner and Valtteri Filppula also scored on power plays, all set up by Zetterberg. Franzen added an empty-net goal with 1:22 remaining in regulation.

Jimmy Howard made 34 saves to earn his fourth shutout of the season, but to him, "our power play was the star of the game," he said. "For them to go out there and get three power play goals for us, especially when the power play hasn't been all that great, for them to do that, hopefully they gain some confidence."

Niklas Kronwall had two assists. Brunner set up the first goal, giving him three points in the last two games and indicating he's coming out of his second-half dry spell. Filppula, too, had as good a game as he's had all season, taking the puck to the net and for a change, shooting more than passing.

"It was a good win," Filppula said. "I think we played well."

Even with so much at stake, Howard said that, "for me, it's just about going out there and having fun. You don't want to put too much pressure on yourself in these situations. You have to stay loose."

The Wings didn't get out of ninth place in the Western Conference, but they moved within a point of both eighth-place Columbus and seventh-place Minnesota. Importantly, the Wings' ROWs (Regulation or Overtime Wins) improved to 19, two more than Columbus, one less than Minnesota. The Blue Jackets have two games remaining; the Wings have three - at home Wednesday against the Kings and Thursday against the Predators, and then the season finale Saturday at Dallas.

The Wings are trying to extend a 21-season playoff streak.

"Nothing was even said before the game," Daniel Cleary said. "We've got a great mix of leadership, veteran guys who've been in some big games. This was certainly a big one."

For a team battling tired bodies after spending Sunday traveling three time-zones home from Vancouver, the Wings couldn't have pulled off much better opening minutes. Antoine Vermette got called for holding Filppula at 1:53; within a minute, the Wings had a 1-0 lead, when Brunner sent the puck barreling in from the right point. Franzen slid through the slot just in time for the redirection, beating Mike Smith.

"I thought our goalie did a good job in the first, until we got our legs going," coach Mike Babcock said. "We knew it was going to take us a bit to get going. Our goalie was good, and then our power play was outstanding."

Howard made a dozen good saves in the first period, specially on a one-timer from Radim Vrbata late in the period. The Wings grabbed a 2-0 lead on their second power play, scoring again with 35.4 seconds left in the period, when Zetterberg threaded the puck cross-slot to Brunner, who netted for his 12th goal of the season while Franzen screened Smith.

The Wings spent the first handful of minutes of the second period killing off questionable tripping calls on Cleary, and then made it 3-0 when Filppula converted Zetterberg's pass.

The lead helped buoy the Wings as they entered the third period, usually when a team fighting jet lag starts to run on fumes. Justin Abdelkader

helped out when he went after Phoenix captain Shane Doan after he'd taken liberties with Pavel Datsyuk; both Abdelkader and Doan ended up in the penalty box, a trade-off favorable to the Wings. Doan also got an extra two, sending the Wings back on the power play. They didn't convert, but they didn't need to. Their offense already had spoken.



Saturday Smith showdown could be do-or-die for Wings, Stars

By Ted Kulfan

Detroit — No one is looking ahead too far, especially Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith or his brother Reilly, a forward for the Stars.

But the brothers have looked at the schedule, and their game is looming large.

There's a chance Saturday's game in Dallas between the Red Wings and Stars could be a play-in game, in essence, into the playoffs.

"It could be a huge game for us," Brendan Smith said after Monday's morning skate, adding the smack talk has been subdued at this point. "We've done a little chirping. We talk every day, and we've been texting. He might say a little something like we aren't going to make it (the playoffs) for a 22nd (consecutive) time.

"We're so competitive, neither one of us wants to lose."

The Wings and Stars both have 48 points and are tied for ninth in the Western Conference. The top eight teams make the playoffs.

"I'm really thinking about these next few games," Brendan Smith said. "But in the back of your mind, it could come down to that game against my little brother."

It's shaping up as huge Smith family gathering.

Brendan's and Reilly's older brother, Rory, plans to fly into Dallas for Saturday's game.

"We're going to try and have dinner," Brendan said. "It'll be cool to have everyone down there. But after that (dinner), it all gets down to business."

Silver lining

The Red Wings haven't been winning but coach Mike Babcock hasn't been entirely disappointed with the way his team has been playing.

"I've liked a lot of our games of late," said Babcock.

The Wings are 3-4-3 over their last 10 games and 1-3-1 over the last five heading into Monday's game against the Coyotes.

"I don't think we've played poorly," Babcock said. "The last poor game we've had was the (day after the) trade deadline, when we played Phoenix (4-2 loss on April 4). Other than that, we've played well."

Playoff pressure

The playoffs haven't started, but the Wings are facing playoff pressure every game, given their tenuous position in the Western Conference standings.

It's not a spot they're accustomed to; they're usually high in the standings this time of year.

"This is the first time we've been part of it," forward Henrik Zetterberg said. "It's a little bit different.

"All the games you're playing right now are playoff hockey."

Detroit News LOADED: 04.23.2013


Coyotes visit Wings with equally desperate playoff predicament

By Ted Kulfan

Detroit — The Red Wings' opponent Monday night is just as desperate as they are in the Western Conference playoff chase.

The Coyotes have 46 points — just a step behind the Wings and Stars (48). The Wild and Blue Jackets (51) are tied for the eighth and final spot.

Faceoff for Monday's game at Joe Louis Arena is 7:30 p.m. (FSD, 97.1).

"It's a big game for them and it's a big one for us — it should be exciting," coach Mike Babcock said. "Games around the league are pretty competitive right now. I don't expect this to be anything different."

Monday night's game is the start of a three-game home stand (Los Angeles Wednesday, Nashville Thursday) before the Red Wings close out the regular season Saturday in Dallas.

This is a different set of circumstances for the Red Wings, who have made the playoffs 21 consecutive seasons. Making it 22 years in a row will take a little doing.

"There's been pressure all along, every game has been kind of a playoff game," forward Justin Abdelkader said. "We have games on them (Columbus has played two more games than the Red Wings), and it's nice to know, but it doesn't mean anything is a given. We have to get the job done and it's not going to be easy. We need a whole team effort."



Jimmy Howard's goaltending, Wings' grit show postseason begins now

Bob Wojnowski

Detroit -- It matters, and yes, it matters a lot. In case anyone wondered, that was the Red Wings' point — two points, actually — as the last desperate push began.

This wasn't quite single-elimination hockey, but it was close. And with their 21-year postseason streak teetering, the Wings went ahead and started their playoffs a tad early. That meant great goaltending by Jimmy Howard, scoring by Johan Franzen and heavy doses of Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk.

It's nearly May and the Wings want to keep playing, and if Howard shines as he did in a 4-0 blanking of the Coyotes on Monday night, they'll keep the streak alive. With three games left, they're a point behind Columbus and Minnesota for the final spot, and the only way to guarantee it is to win out.

"You don't want to be part of it when the streak is over," Zetterberg said. "It's nice to play games that are playoff-like. It'll be that way for the rest of the year, and it's good for guys that haven't been in it."

The formula has changed, the margins are extra thin and the odds are longer than they've been in two decades, but of course the Wings want their shot. It was evident in bursts, as Datsyuk knocked into Phoenix players, as Detroit's power play started humming. It was evident when Howard finished off the shutout and the Joe Louis Arena crowd stood and roared.

Have fans and players been spoiled by the Wings' postseason birthright? Sure. But the best time to stop taking something for granted is when it's in danger. Howard has played well, but two huge mistakes in a loss at Calgary hurt. Not shaken up, he stirred it up and kept his team in this one. The Coyotes carried the action for stretches and outshot the Wings, 34-22, but Howard sprawled to make terrific saves.

"You don't want to put too much pressure on yourself in this situation because you tend to tense up," Howard said. "But we all know what's at stake. There's no panic, but there's urgency and that's what we showed from the drop of the puck."

Mike Babcock saw it even earlier, during a quick, crisp practice Monday morning. The Wings then came out and scored three times on the power play, with Franzen starting it barely three minutes in, redirecting a shot by Damien Brunner, who was excellent.

Fighting for playoffs

These Wings aren't nearly good enough to revisit the glory years of 1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008, but there's no sense going all the way back to 1990, the last time they failed to make the playoffs. It's the longest streak in professional sports and it's worth fighting for, even literally. In the third period, Justin Abdelkader tangled with big Shane Doan, and while the scuffle was brief, it hit the mark.

Detroit practically eliminated Phoenix from playoff contention, and with two more home games against Los Angeles and Nashville, the Wings control their fate. Who cares if they'd probably face the bullish Blackhawks in the first round. What are the chances they could stun Chicago? Not very good, but I know they're better than 0.5 percent. That's approximately their odds of winning the NHL draft lottery, which includes all 14 non-playoff teams for the first time this year.

Besides, draft-order jockeying is a bit beneath the Wings, who have been humbled plenty. For all the big games here, this was an odd one, but it also should be invigorating for a team in transition. The Wings aren't the elite skilled group of their recent past, and you can see it in their shootout woes and inability to score. They began the week needing a four-game winning streak to ensure a playoff berth, but haven't won more than three in a row all year.

As the old saying goes, what doesn't kill your playoff chances only makes you stronger, right? Uh, yeah. Especially if Howard does what opposing goalies have done to the Wings and steal a few games. Zetterberg called Howard the team MVP, and the Wings backed it up with the recent six-year contract.

Asked if Howard can carry this team, Babcock's answer was short.

"He has to," Babcock said. "It's not about 'can.' He has to."

Fiery speeches aren't necessary as the Wings stare at a fate completely foreign to them. Everyone knows the ballad of the Los Angeles Kings, who were the No. 8 seed last season and rolled all the way to the Stanley Cup championship.

The Wings are a long, long way from that, just trying to get into position to have a shot. In the absence of goal explosions — they'd scored 19 in their previous 11 games — it will require more defense and more goaltending. And it will require contributions from young players making their first foray into playoff-like hockey.

The older Wings figure that by now, the kids know what's up.

"I don't have to say that much," Zetterberg said. "They're playing in playoff games right now."

Looks that way. The playoffs essentially arrived early at Joe Louis Arena — just in time before it got too late.



Youthful determination fuels Red Wings playoff drive

Gregg Krupa

Detroit -- There is a lot going on here.

A big win against a playoff contender for the Red Wings. The mad-dash scramble for the final playoff position. A relatively young, anxious roster playing for a franchise that has not missed the Stanley Cup playoffs since 1990.

Everyone scrutinizing the standings, factoring in the scores.

And the Wings even got three power-play goals in one game for the second time all season.

But amid drama and action that feels almost like the playoffs is something less discernable, which ultimately might be far more important.

Whether by design or necessity — and which might long be debated — the Red Wings went with a ton of youth this season, their first in the post-Nicklas Lidstrom era. And now, the relatively inexperienced are getting lots of ice time in games like they have never played.

New contributors

Mike Babcock says it is the players, not him, who decide by their performance who plays. And so with Dan DeKeyser and Brendan Smith in the lineup and veteran late-season performers like Ian White and Carlo Colaiacovo out, it appears that DeKeyser and Smith's foot speed and quick puck movement trumped the veterans.

Jakub Kindl is a fixture.

Joakim Andersson is out there constantly and responsibly, along with Gustav Nyquist and, of course, Damien Brunner, whose late first-period goal against the Coyotes Monday was critical to the big victory.

Cory Emmerton almost seems like the old guard at this point.

Back in the pre-salary cap days, when Mike and Marian Ilitch were free to spend and Scotty Bowman scoured the Social Security lists for defensemen and spare forwards to add some seasoning, dressing such youth would have seemed seditious.

Now, it might be the best thing the Red Wings accomplish this season.

For the Wings management to get this roster properly restocked, they need to know what their prospects can do. And doing it with intense pressure pumped into the situation, is a different, prime sort of "doing it," and all the more welcome.

It also might engender some long term benefit. If management accomplishes the turnaround, it will be good to know guys like Andersson, DeKeyser, Emmerton, Kindl, Nyquist and Smith have appeared in games like they are playing this week.

Babcock rejuvenated

Perhaps that is why Babcock and general manager Ken Holland seem so genuinely upbeat about their team, even as it labors mightily to finish eighth.

"I think it's fun to be in big games because players get to tell you how hard they compete, how much drive-train they have," Babcock said. "And, to me, those things all come in front of skill, this time of year.

"I'm excited to see how we do here."

The young guys with the most to prove are pretty excited, too. Playing in Frozen Four, as Smith has, is fine.

Playing in the CCHA championship, as DeKeyser has, is OK.

Playing in the Swedish Elitserien playoffs, as Brunner and Andersson have done, helps.

But, by their words and in their eyes, one can tell this is different.

It is big-time hockey on the biggest stage, where careers are forged.

"It's playoff hockey, right now," Smith said. "A lot of pressure.

"We don't want to be that team — especially being a rookie — coming in and not making the playoffs after 21 years of them making it."

Brunner waited to score his second goal in 20 games until it counted for a lot — building a two-goal lead in the last minute of the first period.

With the score 2-0 and the Red Wings winning eight minutes into the second period, DeKeyser, with a flick of his long stick six feet in front of Jimmy Howard, batted away a shot from the Coyotes' David Moss that would have cut the lead in half.

DeKeyser almost looked like ...

Well, that comparison should wait, in fairness, for the kid from Macomb Township.

But this is what rebuilding on the fly feels like in the NHL, especially these days. The Red Wings might be getting it done.

And they just might make the playoffs while they are at it.



Wings stay in playoff hunt with resounding win at home

By Ted Kulfan

Detroit — One down, possibly three more victories needed to go.

It's not going to be easy, but the Red Wings took the first step Monday toward possibly securing a spot in the playoffs with a 4-0 victory over Phoenix.

The Red Wings scored three power-plays goals, by Johan Franzen (who also added an empty-net goal), Damien Brunner and Valtteri Filppula — Henrik Zetterberg assisted on all three power-play goals — and goalie Jimmy Howard stopped 34 shots for his fourth shutout.

"This was a huge game for us, where we are in the standings and coming off the road trip," said Howard, who moved into a tie for fifth place in team history with 128 career victories (tying Tim Cheveldae). "We had our work cut out for us."

With the victory, the Red Wings (21-16-8, 50 points) pulled within one point of Columbus of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. The Red Wings have played one less game.

The Red Wings continue this home stand with games Wednesday (against Los Angeles) and Thursday (Nashville).

The regular season ends Saturday for the Red Wings in Dallas (48 points), which could essentially be a play-in game into the playoffs.

The Red Wings have reached the playoffs the last 21 seasons.

"They're big boys, they understand what is going on," coach Mike Babcock said. "They have a lot of pride wearing the sweater. Our attention to detail has been very good.

"Our goalie did a very good job in the first period until we got our legs back. Coming back from Vancouver we knew it was going to take a bit to get going. Our power play was oustanding."

The special teams all the way around was effective.

The Red Wings were 3-for-5 on the power play and killed all four Coyotes power plays, twice in each of the first and second periods with the game still in the balance.

It was Howard who deserved a lot of credit for that, making key saves with Phoenix (19-18-8, 46 points) pressing early.

"You have to go out there with confidence," Howard said. "Stay as loose as possible. We all know what is at stake. I've been saying for a while there's no panic."

With the Coyotes desperate for a victory — they were essentially eliminated from the playoffs with the loss — the game was as physical as the Red Wings have had lately.

"It felt like a playoff game, the intensity was high ," said forward Justin Abdelkader, who had a team-high six hits and wrestled Phoenix captain Shane Doan in the third period. "We know what is on the line. Both teams obviously wanted the points. This was good for us to come off the road trip and have a game like this."

Brunner, mired in a deep scoring slump, got the Red Wings going offensively in the first period.

Franzen (11th goal) redirected a Brunner shot from the point at 2:37 that put the Red Wings ahead quickly, 1-0.

Brunner then scored his second goal in his last 22 games (12th overall) with a power-play goal at 19:24

Filppula made it 3-0 with his eighth goal late in the second period. Filppula and Zetterberg executed a nice two-man passing play, Filppula capping it with a goal beating Mike Smith short-side at 16:09.

The goal also ended a long drought for Filppula. He hadn't scored in his last seven games and this was only his second goal in the last 17 games.

Filppula had only scored two points (one goal, one assist) in his last 15 games.

"It's important to help the team win," Filppula said. "It's frustrating — it feels like I've had good games but you need to produce when you play as much as I do. I haven't been able to (produce) but hopefully that changes.

"Obviously I haven't been playing as well as I should."



Red Wings feel they're playing well, but need to score more against similarly desperate Coyotes

Ansar Khan

on April 22, 2013 at 12:22 PM, updated April 22, 2013 at 12:34 PM

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings have won just one of their past six games (1-2-3), which is why they are desperately trying to get back into a playoff position this final week of the season.

But, coach Mike Babcock likes the way his team has played during this stretch, which the exception of the first period in Wednesday's 3-2 loss at Calgary. In fact, Babcock said the last poor game his club had was a 4-2 loss at Phoenix on March 4.

The Red Wings face those same Coyotes tonight at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit) in a battle between clubs scrambling for a postseason berth.

Detroit (48 points) is in ninth place in the Western Conference, three points behind Columbus but with two games in hand. Phoenix (46 points) is in 11th place. Both teams have four games remaining.

“I've liked a lot of our games of late. I don't think we've played poorly,'' Babcock said after Monday's morning skate at Joe Louis Arena. “The last poor game we had was on the trade deadline when we played Phoenix. We had poor effort that night.

“Other than that we've played well. And yet we got to find a way to get the second point. We can't get one point, we got to get two.''

The Coyotes are 6-2-4 in their last 12 games to stay in playoff contention.

“They are going to come out of the gate hard and they will play hard and play like it’s a playoff game, too,'' Detroit defenseman Jakub Kindl said.

The Red Wings, who often struggle in the first game back from the West Coast or Western Canada (0-3-1 this season), hope to carry over their effort from Saturday's 2-1 shootout loss at Vancouver, a game Detroit controlled but a game in which it couldn't bury its chances.

“We haven't scored like we'd like,'' Babcock said. “We have to get on the inside more. (Mike) Smith's a real good goaltender, handles the puck well, we got to keep it away from him and be hard on him.''

Said defenseman Jonathan Ericsson: “We were happy with how we played the game. There’s not much more we can do. Of course we’re trying to score goals, but the other night, the puck didn’t really want to go in. It bounced, we got a lot of rebounds but we just weren’t there at the right time to put them in and get those quick second chances.

“But, if we’re going to play like that the remaining four nights, I think we’ll be fine.''

The Red Wings have outshot the opposition 64-21 in their past five periods plus an overtime. But, they've made only three goals during that time against Mikka Kiprusoff and Cory Schneider.

“It's going to be a tight-checking game,'' Babcock said. “The faceoff circle is going to be important because they got two guys that are absolutely dominant in that area (Antoine Vermette and Boyd Gordon, both winning 58 percent of their draws). We're going to have to be mentally tough in that area. There's not going to be much room out there tonight, so it's going to be make or break on a few small plays in the game.''

The only lineup change for the Red Wings has Patrick Eaves replacing Drew Miller (out indefinitely with a broken hand). Here are their anticipated lines and defense pairings:

Johan Franzen-Pavel Datsyuk-Justin Abdelkader

Valtteri Filppula-Henrik Zetterberg-Daniel Cleary

Gustav Nyquist-Joakim Andersson-Damien Brunner

Patrick Eaves-Cory Emmerton-Jordin Tootoo

Niklas Kronwall-Jonathan Ericsson

Kyle Quincey-Brendan Smith

Danny DeKeyser-Jakub Kindl

Ian White, Carlo Colaiacovo, Brian Lashoff (scratched)

Jimmy Howard (starting)

Jonas Gustavsson

Michigan Live LOADED: 04.23.2013


Detroit Red Wings Gameday: How do you feel about team's playoff chances with one week to go?

Brendan Savage on April 22, 2013 at 12:00 PM, updated April 22, 2013 at 7:25 PM

GAME INFORMATION

• Who: Detroit Red Wings (20-16-8) vs. Phoenix Coyotes (19-17-8)

• Faceoff: 7:30 p.m. at Joe Louis Arena

• Live coverage: Join the MLive conversation at 6:30 p.m. ET and follow Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) and Brendan Savage (@BrendanSavage) on Twitter.

• TV: Fox Sports Detroit, NBC Sports Network

• Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1), WXYT-AM (1270) and the Red Wings Radio Network

THE ISSUE

After making the playoffs for 21 straight seasons, the Detroit Red Wings find themselves in an unfamiliar position during the final week of the 2013 campaign. They still don't know if they're going to reach the postseason.

With four games remaining beginning tonight against Phoenix, the Red Wings are tied for ninth in the Western Conference and one spot out of the playoff picture. Who grabs the eighth and final spot in the West is anybody's guess.

The Red Wings (20-16-8) trail Columbus (22-17-7) and Minnesota (24-18-3) by three points but have two games in hand on the Blue Jackets and one game in a hand on the Wild. They're tied with Dallas (22-19-4) and have one game in hand on the Stars, and they're two points in front of Phoenix (19-7-8) while having played the same number of games as the Coyotes.

So obviously, anything can happen and it's entirely possible the Red Wings won't know their fate until after Saturday's season finale in Dallas. With all that in mind and their next three games at home, how do you feel about the Red Wings' chances of keeping their playoff streak alive?

ANSAR KHAN

I was fairly confident the Red Wings would make the playoffs after they won back-to-back games at Anaheim and then beat Phoenix on March 25 for their fifth consecutive road win, as they appeared to have turned the corner.

But, they've gone 3-5-3 since, and are as close to missing the playoffs at any time since 1990. They have squandered far too many points that were there for the taking. When all is said and done, the loss that might sting the most was last Thursday's 3-2 setback in Calgary, when Steve Begin scored on a couple of botched plays in the third period.

And while the Red Wings control their own destiny, it's asking too much of this team to win four games in six nights when it hasn't won more than three in a row all season.

The key is Columbus' game at Dallas Thursday. The Red Wings need the Stars to win, preferably in regulation. That would enable Detroit to finish ahead of the Blue Jackets if the Red Wings earn at least five points, including one regulation/overtime win, which they should.

Couple that with a Stars' regulation loss either Tuesday in San Jose or Saturday at home vs. Detroit, and the Red Wings are in.

I think it's doable.

BRENDAN SAVAGE

It wasn't long ago I said the Red Wings would indeed keep their streak alive. So I hate to be wishy-washy and go back on that prediction but it's not looking good. The Red Wings have squandered too many opportunities and those three shootout losses in the last two weeks could end up being huge.

Tonight's game is an absolute must-win for the Red Wings. If they lose in regulation, Phoenix is tied with them and in the thick of the hunt. The tough part isn't going to be catching Columbus, it's going to be catching Columbus

while also staying ahead of Dallas and Phoenix. The more teams that are in the mix the more difficult it will be.

Every time I start to think I've finally got a handle on the playoff situation, the Red Wings do something to make me retreat and go the other way. That's happened numerous times. While it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Red Wings finish the season with three or four victories, I just can't see it happening.

The streak ends this year.



Red Wings dominate on special teams, Jimmy Howard solid in crucial 4-0 win over Phoenix

Ansar Khan on April 22, 2013 at 9:57 PM, updated April 22, 2013 at 10:57 PM

DETROIT – With time running out on their season, the Detroit Red Wings were under as much pressure to win on Monday as they have been all year.

They responded with a tremendous display of special teams and got excellent goaltending from Jimmy Howard.

Detroit scored three power-play goals and went four-for-four on the penalty kill to beat the Phoenix Coyotes 4-0 at Joe Louis Arena in a game the Red Wings desperately needed to win.

Howard made 34 saves for his fourth shutout of the season and 15th of his career.

The Red Wings (50 points) trail Columbus by one point in the race for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Detroit still has one game in hand on the Blue Jackets.

The Red Wings opened a two-point lead on Dallas (both teams have three games remaining) and a four-point cushion on the Coyotes, who are just about out of it.

Power play 'was star of the game' Detroit Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard says after 4-0 victory over Phoenix Red Wings power play went 3-for-5 and Howard made 34 saves in must-win victory over Coyotes

Johan Franzen, Damien Brunner and Valtteri Filppula scored power-play goals. Henrik Zetterberg assisted on all three. Niklas Kronwall had two assists. Franzen added an empty-net goal with 1:22 to play in regulation.

It is the second time this season Detroit has notched three power-play goals in a game (the other was in an 8-3 win over Vancouver on Feb. 24).

The Red Wings historically have struggled in their first game back from the West Coast or Western Canada (0-3-1 this season), especially with just one day off in between.

That it is why it was vital to score early and play with the lead almost the entire game.

Franzen scored at 2:37 of the first period, driving to the slot and redirecting a pass from Brunner past Mike Smith.

Brunner made it 2-0 with 36 seconds remaining in the period, firing in a pass from Zetterberg. It was Brunner's 12th goal, just his second in his past 22 games, however.

Filppula added to the lead at 16:09 of the second period, taking a pass from Zetterberg and firing in a shot from a sharp angle. It was his eighth goal, his first in eight games.

Franzen has five goals in his past five games and 12 for the season.

The Red Wings have home games against Los Angeles and Nashville Wednesday and Thursday, before wrapping up the regular season Saturday night at Dallas.



Red Wings look to close in on playoff berth tonight

By Chuck Pleiness

Posted: Monday, 04/22/13 01:28 pm

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings know what’s at stake over these last four games of the regular season.

And any hiccup along the way could end their record run of berths in the postseason.

“I think there’s been pressure all along here,” forward Justin Abdelkader said after the morning skate at Joe Louis Arena Monday. “Every game has been important and we know it’s been kind of like playoff type games. We’re just going out and preparing ourselves and know we’re back at home so we just need to take care of our home ice here.”

The Wings, who open a three-game homestand tonight against the Phoenix Coyotes, are currently ninth in the Western Conference, three points behind Columbus and tied with Dallas in points.

“We still have to do the job out there,” defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “Sure we’re somewhat in an OK spot right now, but every point is huge. We have to find a way through it.

“I think enough talk has been done to be honest with you over the last week or so,” Kronwall added. “We all know the situation we’re in. We have to look at the opportunity we have. Right now we’re on the outside looking in, so we just have to make sure we have to take care of business.”

The Wings do control their own destiny and winning out would extend their record of postseason berths to 22.

“We have to do a lot better to get points on a nightly basis,” Kronwall said. “We’re in the standings where we’re at for a reason. We have to live in the now and make sure to find a way through it.”

Columbus has just two games left (at Dallas, Thursday; home against Nashville, Saturday), while the Wings three at home before ending the regular season on the road in Dallas on Saturday.

“It feels like it’s the playoffs right now,” defenseman Jonathan Ericsson said. “That’s the type of urgency it feels like. You have to win every game to stay in. That’s how it is for us right now. If we don’t win, we’re not going to be in.

“Essentially, it’s all up to us,” Ericsson continued. “If we win the rest of our games, we’re going to be in. It’s up to us.”

Dallas, which holds the tiebreaker on both Columbus and Detroit (regulation and overtime wins) has three games left (at San Jose, Tuesday).

“We have games in hand on all of them,” Abdelkader said. “We just have to take care of our business. You are what you are and your record shows how you played this year. Maybe we haven’t had fortunate breaks in overtime or shootouts or whatever, but that’s how it goes sometimes. We have to play well on our home ice and take care of business.”

The Wings, who have lost their last five games that have gone to a shootout, are also just 10-7-4 at home this season.

“Pressure means you’ve got a chance because if you didn’t have a chance, there would be none,” Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “The second thing is I think it’s fun to be in big games. Players tell you how hard they compete, how much drive train they have. To me those things come in front of skill this time of year. I’m excited to see what they do with it.

“We’ve been in a lot of battles,” Babcock continued. “Just finished a stretch with 14 road games, six home games and went back-and-forth five times out west. I think our club did pretty well at that time and yet we didn’t get enough points. We went .500 during that time, 8-8-4. We’ve got four games here, three at home, it’s an important stretch, but tonight is what it’s all about for us.”

Patrick Eaves will be in tonight for the injured Drew Miller (broken hand). Babcock will also go with the same defensemen that dressed Saturday in Vancouver, meaning Ian White, Carlo Colaiacovo and Brian Lashoff will sit.

Jimmy Howard will start in goal.

Macomb Daily LOADED: 04.23.2013


Red Wings defeat Phoenix Coyotes, keep playoff hopes alive

By FRED COSTELLO

Posted: Monday, 04/22/13 11:23 pm

DETROIT – The Red Wings finally looked like a team fighting for its playoff lives.

Johan Franzen scored twice, Henrik Zetterberg had three assists, and Jimmy Howard posted his fourth shutout of the season en route to a 4-0 victory over Phoenix.

Valtteri Filppula and Damien Brunner added goals for the Red Wings (21-16-8), who have 50 points on the year. Phoenix (19-18-8) saw its playoff hopes evaporate with the loss.

Detroit, which scored three times on the power play, did not move out of ninth place in the Western Conference, but it did move to within one point of Minnesota and Columbus, who currently occupy the seventh and eighth seeds, respectively. With a game in hand on the Wild and two in hand on the Blue Jackets, the Red Wings hold the potential trump card.

For Howard, who made 34 saves, the enormity of Monday’s contest was obvious.

“This was a huge game for us tonight, with where we are in the standings,” Howard said. “We have our work cut out for us. One down, and now three to go. If we go out there and win, we control our own destiny.”

Should Detroit win its last three remaining games, it is guaranteed to extend its 21-season postseason streak. The defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings are next up on Thursday.

Detroit’s moribund offensive attack, which had produced three or more goals once in its previous seven games, finally awoke. Coyotes goalie Mike Smith faced just 23 shots, but many were of high quality.

Red Wings fans were treated to a magnificent game from Filppula, who had numerous opportunities to score. Though he buried one, the elusive forward also rang a couple off the post. While frustrated with his bad luck, Filppula kept the overall goal in mind.

“Obviously, we can’t keep losing points,” Filppula said. “It was a good win. Howard played well too. It’s always easier when he doesn’t give up any goals. I should’ve had a couple more today. But we got the win, and that’s what’s important.”

Filppula was the beneficiary of a mesmerizing play by Zetterberg on the third Wings’ goal. The scoring play began in the neutral zone, where Filppula and Zetterberg worked a give-and-go. Zetterberg carried the puck into the Phoenix zone, then slid a pass down to Filppula, who one-timed it in from a very difficult angle near the goal line. Detroit’s third power play goal of the game was Filppula’s eighth of the season, at 16:09.

The rest of the period was a brilliant display of goaltending by both Howard and Smith.

Howard made an initial stop, then was bailed out by rookie defenseman Danny DeKeyser on a sure rebound goal off the stick of Shane Doan eight minutes into the second frame.

Smith was forced to stop breakaways from Brunner and Joakim Andersson. In addition, Smith robbed Filppula on a pair of blasts in close with 1:50 left in the second.

Two power play goals staked Detroit to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes. Despite being out-shot by a 12-4 margin, the Red Wings went ahead on the scoreboard.

With Antoine Vermette off for holding, the Detroit power play set up deep in the Coyotes zone. Franzen drove the left side of the net hard, and tipped in a Brunner shot from the point. Zetterberg also assisted on the eventual game-winning goal, Franzen’s 11th of the year, at 2:37.

The Wings lit the lamp again with 35.6 seconds left in the first.

Again, Zetterberg was the catalyst. He controlled the puck to the right of Smith. With the goalie clearly anticipating a shot, Zetterberg instead rifled a pass toward Brunner, who was streaking down the right side. The puck found Brunner in stride, and he made no mistake in burying his 12th of the season. Brunner and Franzen now trail team leader Pavel Datsyuk by one in the goal scoring department.

Detroit needed its captain to rise to the occasion, and Zetterberg definitely did so on Monday night. He worked hard at both ends of the ice, and seemed to internalize his team’s pride off the ice.

“Of course, taking over the captaincy, it means a lot to me for this team to do well,” Zetterberg said.

Without some stellar play from Howard, the score might’ve been much closer.

Howard stopped point-blank one-timers from Doan and Radim Vrbata, respectively. Howard also was equal to the task when Keith Yandle found Doan with a brilliant stretch pass. Doan tried a backhander, which Howard deflected with a blocker save.

Franzen sealed the game with an empty net goal, with 1:18 left in the third. Known as a streaky goal scorer, Franzen has been hot of late, scoring five goals in his last five games. His torrid pace will likely be one determining factor in the Red Wings’ ability to reach the postseason.

The win was just the first stepping stone on Detroit’s string of must-win’s to close out the regular season. Head coach Mike Babcock has a clear view of what his team faces, with the Kings, Predators and Stars still on the horizon.

“We can enjoy this for a minute, but all it does is give us another opportunity,” Babcock said.

Macomb Daily LOADED: 04.23.2013

671739 Edmonton Oilers

Edmonton Oilers winger Nail Yakupov wants to finish strong, vie for Calder Trophy

By Joanne Ireland, Edmonton Journal April 22, 2013

EDMONTON - The prize is close, exasperatingly so. But Edmonton Oilers winger Nail Yakupov has gleaned enough wherewithal during his rookie season to champion the team-first approach.

So when the conversation turns to the NHL’s rookie scoring race and the Calder Trophy, and all matters related to individual achievements, Yakupov says his focus is fixed on finishing strong.

A strong finish, coincidentally, would get him that much closer to the rookie scoring title.

Yakupov was kept off the scoresheet in Monday night’s 3-0 loss to the Anaheim Ducks at Rexall Place, extending his pointless streak to three games.

The Oilers have three games left to play and Yakupov needs three points to catch forwards Jonathan Huberdeau of the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators’ Cory Conacher for the scoring lead. Huberdeau has 14 goals and 14 assists through 45 games; Conacher has 11 goals and 17 assists.

“Every rookie wants to win the trophy. But, for me, I don’t want to think about it. We’ll see,” Yakupov said.

The 19-year-old from Nizhnekamsk, Russia, followed Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Taylor Hall to the draft podium when the Oilers made their third straight first overall selection at the entry draft last June in Pittsburgh and then made his debut when the lockout-shortened season got underway on Jan. 20.

He admits now it has been an adjustment.

“Maybe in the first part of the season when I started scoring goals, I thought it was an easy league and that this would happen in every game,” he said. “But, no, you have to work every day. It’s a pretty tough league. Guys on every team are pretty strong and they play physical.

“So if you want to score and help your team win, you have to work really hard.”

Nugent-Hopkins finished with 52 points in 62 games in his rookie season and was a finalist for the Calder last spring. Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche, who also had 52 points (22 goals, 30 assists in 82 games) took the rookie-of-the-year prize.

“He’s got an unbelievable shot,” Oilers defenceman Ladislav Smid said of Yakupov. “I don’t know what it is with the Russians, what they feed them. But he’s got a release similar to (Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals and the New Jersey Devils’ Ilya Kovalchuk). So we all know he’s going to be fine offensively. It’s just a learning process for forwards. It’s hard to learn the defensive side of the game, but he’s been fine.

“And his work ethic is unbelievable — on and off the ice. He’s always the last guy out there and he works out all the time. That’s good to see. There are not too many young guys like that ... it took me a few years to learn that.”

Yakupov scored his first NHL goal in his second game, then immediately followed that up with a game-tying goal against the Los Angeles Kings two nights later. His celebratory slide on the ice will not be forgotten any time soon.

Along the way, Oilers head coach Ralph Krueger has monitored the rookie’s minutes and his role, moving him from the top six to the bottom six and back up again. He has watched the winger add a physical component to his game, and is hopeful he will eventually spend more time in the scoring areas, given his quick stick.

The defensive side of his game is evolving, too.

In the first 22 games, Yakupov registered six goals, six assists and was minus-10. In the next 22 games, he had five goals, eight assists and was plus-one.

On Monday against the Ducks, playing with new linemates Anton Lander and Teemu Hartikainen, Yakupov was on the negative side of the ledger again. He turned over the puck in the first period, setting in motion a Ducks power play that Ryan Getzlaf converted into a 1-0 lead. Then he was on the ice when former Oiler Radek Dvorak, left alone at the side of the net, tapped in his fourth of the season to make it 2-0.

He also took a puck in the face, early in the third, shortly before Sami Vatanen beat Oilers goalie Nikolai Khabibulin top shelf to drop the Oilers to 17-21-7. They have now lost eight of their last nine games.

Edmonton will play host to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, then face the Wild in Minnesota on Friday and the Vancouver Canucks back at Rexall Place the following night for the season finale.

Chicago rookie Brandon Saad is right on Yakupov’s heels with 10 goals and 15 assists.

“If you want to be the best player, you have to play everywhere and you have to work and listen to your coaches and your teammates,” said Yakupov, who is pushing the 82-game mark this season. He played 22 games in the Kontinental Hockey League, played in the August series between Canada and Russia as well as the 2013 world junior championship in Russia.

“I feel way better (with my game), way more comfortable with the puck,” he said. “I have changed my game a little bit.”

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 04.23.2013


Oilers encouraged to accept invitations to play at world championship

Hall, Eberle, Gagner, both Schultzes and Dubnyk could all join Team Canada

By Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal April 22, 2013

EDMONTON - By now, it’s become an annual rite of spring: How many Edmonton Oilers are going to the world championship?

Teams that make the NHL playoffs don’t get that question, but the Oilers are at seven years and counting as far as missing the post-season. It’s the longest current streak of futility in the league.

That means there’s questions about Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Sam Gagner, Devan Dubnyk, Justin Schultz and maybe defenceman Nick Schultz, who has played several times internationally, suiting up for Canada at the worlds in Stockholm and Helsinki from May 3-19.

Most assuredly, Hall, who missed last year’s championship because he had shoulder surgery; Eberle, who played last spring; and Dubnyk, who was at the same Helsinki and Stockholm combination last May (with Cam Ward) and also played for Canada’s winning team in the Spengler Cup last Christmas, will be asked.

Unless Eberle is hiding an injury other than the broken finger he played with for several weeks, he’ll go.

Schultz is tired after his rookie NHL season, playing double a normal season at the University of Wisconsin, including his time in the American Hockey League with the Oklahoma City Barons, but what’s another three weeks?

“If I got invited, I wouldn’t think twice about. I’m going,” said Gagner, who played with Dubnyk at the Spengler Cup. “The Spengler was a great experience and I hope I can be in the mix (for a Canadian spot). I think I showed there that I could play different positions and you need guys who can play centre, right or left, penalty kill. I think I’m pretty versatile.”

Dubnyk, who has played better than his statistics (.921 save percentage, 2.57 goals-against average) would indicate, loves the world championship and especially likes the idea of going over right after the season ends instead of having to hang around for three weeks when there’s a normal 82-game regular season that ends about April 12 or so.

“It was always hard before. The season ends and you sit around waiting,” said Dubnyk, who really has no competition for a Canadian goalie spot off the NHL teams missing the playoffs, except for the Phoenix Coyotes’ Mike Smith if they don’t make it.

Ward (Carolina Hurricanes) is out with a bad knee and it’s unlikely that the aging Martin Brodeur in New Jersey would want to go.

Oilers coach Ralph Krueger, who coached Switzerland’s national team in countless world championships, is obvoiusly on board with the Oilers participating. Plus, no young player is going to turn down an invitation this spring because Steve Yzerman, who has returned for a second time as the Canadian Olympic team’s executive director, will be watching closely and putting a list together for the August preliminary training camp at Calgary.

“The turnaround for the world championship is as short as ever. Three days after the season ends, they’re on a plane to Europe. Six days after the season, they’ll be doing their prep (playing exhibition games). And one week after the season, they’ll be playing. The three-week gap before was difficult on players preparation,” said Krueger. “And for our players to mirror what it would be like to be in NHL playoffs is important; also to understand the pressure and the responsibility of playing for your country is large.

“When you go to a national team, your role might change dramatically from your role on our club team, and the ability to adjust is extremely valuable for your growth as a player, too. I’ve never seen an opportunity to play internationally go to waste. I’m all for it, whether we have a player going to play for the Czech Republic (Ales Hemsky, who likely won’t play another game this season and maybe in his Oilers career because of a sore foot, or defenceman Ladislav Smid), to Sweden (Magnus Paajarvi), the U.S. (D-men Jeff Petry and Ryan Whitney), Russia (Nail Yakupov) or Canada, they’re good experiences.”

Justin Schultz has struggled as much mentally as physically the last while in his rookie NHL season, but Krueger says he should go if asked.

“If you’re healthy, go through it. The pain we’re going through now makes you stronger for the future. If it’s hard now, keep playing,” said Krueger. “To add 16 or 17 days on to our season is nothing.”

Here’s a list of possible players for Canada (besides the Oilers):

Colorado Avalanche: Matt Duchene, Ryan O’Reilly, P.A. Parenteau

Tampa Bay Lightning: Steve Stamkos, Teddy Purcell, Eric Brewer

Buffalo Sabres: Cody Hodgson, Tyler Ennis, Steve Ott

Calgary Flames: Mike Cammalleri, Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie. Curtis Glencross and Alex Tanguay are out with knee injuries.

Carolina Hurricanes: Jeff Skinner, Jordan Staal, Eric Staal

Florida Panthers: Jonathan Huberdeau, Brian Campbell

Nashville Predators: Shea Weber, Kevin Klein, Mike Fisher (currently out with a hand injury)

New Jersey Devils: Adam Henrique, David Clarkson, Travis Zajac

Philadelphia Flyers: Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, Luke Schenn, Brayden Schenn

There’s a major shortage of defencemen so far on teams definitely out of the playoffs.



Would Anaheim Ducks make a trade play for Edmonton Oilers’ Sam Gagner?

Posted by: Jim Matheson

If you’re Anaheim Ducks GM Bob Murray are you calling your new lodge-brother Craig MacTavish to see if Edmonton Oilers centre Sam Gagner is available this summer?

Aren’t they looking for a young No. 2 centre to play behind Ryan Getzlaf?

Yes and yes.

The Ducks used Saku Koivu as a second-line centre to their captain Getzlaf when he first came there from Montreal, but he’s 37 in November and at home now as a third-line guy with Andrew Cogliano and Daniel Winnik.

They’ve tried lots of people in the second hole this season with limited results.

They could go other routes certainly, and, say, sign unrestricted free agent Stephen Weiss (Florida) or Derek Roy (Vancouver) or Mike Ribeiro (Washington), but they’re all considerably older than, say, Gagner, who turns 24 in August.

Ribeiro is 33, Weiss is 30, Roy turns 30 in a couple of weeks.

For sure, the Oilers aren’t trying to unload Gagner, who has strong leadership skills even without a letter on his jersey.

He’s also proven to be a 40- to 50-point player every one of his six NHL seasons.

I think he’s a very good pro. The Oilers like him, a lot. He’s a solid, team-first, hate-to-lose player, well-schooled by his former NHL centre dad Dave.

He’s had a strong year with 35 points in 43 games; only Taylor Hall has more (44). He’s already played 409 NHL games with 255 points at his tender age.

As much as the Oilers don’t want to trade him, they will be getting pitches. Lots of them, probably, because of his age and contract situation.

The Oilers haven’t entered into talks of any real substance with Gagner on a new contract, but he’s due a major raise over his current $3.2 million.

He’s also due a long-term deal; he’s never had one past three years, and that was his entry-level contract.

He’s holding the cards as a restricted free-agent because after next season he can be an unrestricted free-agent, able to walk away.

He doesn’t want to; he loves the Oilers, sees some real light at the end of the tunnel, but Oilers management knows he’s probably in the $4.5 million to $5 million range in salary now, the going rate for No. 2 guys like Ribeiro.

Do they want to pay him that much with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ three-year, entry-level deal ending after next season, also knowing they have to resign defenceman Justin Schultz after the 2013-14 season?

Gagner, the sixth player taken in the 2007 draft, will let things play out in terms of a new contract.

“With MacT (new general manager Craig MacTavish) coming in, he’s got a lot of things to handle,” said Gagner, who doesn’t mind that the Oilers haven’t made a move to resign him.

“With a transition of GMs, there has to be time to settle things in. I realize that. Nothing has to happen with me … I’m not sure when, but not in the next little while.”

Gagner has had a three-year contract to start his NHL career at 18, then a two-year, and he’s finishing up a one-year contract.

He would like more long-term security.

“I want to be part of a winning team,” Gagner said.

“I’ve been on a lot of good teams; as a kid all I did was win basically. It’s starting to turn around here. I’ve thought of that, a lot.”

He has heard that MacTavish wants to make some strong player moves but has no idea what that means.

“We’re getting to the point where we should be able to turn things around (as a team),” Gagner said.

“There’s been lots of talk about going after this summer and next as we’re a team that tries to contend … to have gone through all I’ve gone through in my time here and not made the playoffs. I want to be part of doing that. That’s always in the back of my mind when talks (new contract) do start.”

“Everybody has their different opinions on who’s going to be the guys traded when they say there will be bold moves,” but all I can do is try and keep proving myself.

“I think, this year, I’ve done more of that than in the past. I feel I can really be a leader amongst this group. I want to keep gaining that respect and help our team get back to the playoffs.”

Gagner has had some freak injuries in the past — his hand sliced while on the bench by Oilers winger Ryan Jones’ skate — but he’s been healthy this season.

He’s played every game, one of only three forwards — Jordan Eberle and rookie Nail Yakupov — to do that.

“There’s still five games left so knock on wood, but this is the best I’ve felt throughout an entire season,” Gagner said.

“I played over 30 games overseas too (Austria during the lockout) and I’ve been able to stay healthy. I’ve stayed consistent.”

The Ducks have two goalies — Jonas Hiller and first-year man Viktor Fasth. Maybe they decide they only want to keep one of them this summer, although does Oilers starter Devan Dubnyk need a guy to share the duties or just a backup?

Maybe they would trade a defenceman like puck-mover Cam Fowler to get a No. 2 centre, or would that be a reach?

It’s all conjecture, but Anaheim, unless I’m reading the wrong tea leaves, is looking for an established centre to play behind Getzlaf.

Whether that would be Gagner or anybody else on another team, they’re looking.



Edmonton Oilers’ centre Eric Belanger back against Anaheim Ducks, first game since March 25

by Jim Matheson

Edmonton Oilers’ centre Eric Belanger, bothered by a sore groin for the last six weeks, will play his first game in almost a month Monday night against the Anaheim Ducks in the second half of a two-game set at Rexall Place.

Belanger will dress while winger Magnus Paajarvi will sit because of a bruised foot suffered against Colorado last weekend. Paajarvi could play if there were playoff implications but the Oilers were mathematically eliminated Sunday in the 3-1 loss to the Ducks. They’ve lost both games (2-1 and 3-1) to Anaheim this year. The Ducks, who can clinch the Pacific Division and the No. 2 overall seed in the West with a win Monday, will play Viktor Fasth and not Jonas Hiller (11-3 lifetime) in net against the Oilers.

The Oilers will also bring back Ryan Whitney to the blueline corps, sitting Mark Fistric. Whitney had sat out three in a row, and 11 of the club’s 45 games this season. He’s an unrestricted free-agent in July and there have been no real negotiations to bring him back. This could be his last game as an Oiler. If he walks, it means the Oilers received little in the tracing of a past trade of Jarret Stoll and Matt Greene to Los Angeles Kings. They dealt the third-line centre Stoll and the hard-rock D-man Greene to LA for defenceman Lubomir Visnovsky and in turn peddled Visnovsky to Anaheim for Whitney and a sixth-round draft pick which they used on current farmhand blueliner Brandon Davidson.

Belanger’s status past this year is murky. He has another year at $1.75 million, but the Oilers picked up unrestricted free-agent centre Jerred Smithson at the trade deadline with Belanger out. They might want to resign him for a cheaper price and try to deal Belanger. Farmhand Anton Lander is also in the mix for a job as a checking centre next season.

Nikolai Khabibulin, also UFA, will start in goal for the Oilers. It might be his last game, too, in this, his fourth season as an Oiler. While he has a nice .919 save percentage and a fairly good 2.66 goal average in 10 games, he’s 40. They may look to get younger to help No. 1 guy Devan Dubnyk next season.

The Ducks won’t play former Oilers’ defenceman Sheldon Souray for a second straight game. He has lower-body injury, but might play in Vancouver Thursday. Souray has been on the Ducks No. 1 pairing with Francois Beauchemin, and has the best plus/minus (plus 23) on the team. He has seven goals and 17 points in 42 games.



Is Ralph Krueger too nice a guy as Edmonton Oilers’ coach?

by Jim Matheson

Coaches can’t all be in your face like Iron Mike Keenan, or have reputations as hard-a… (rhymes with masses) like Marc Crawford or Randy Carlyle, telling you the way it is, not just behind closed doors, but often in public places.

Through the Edmonton Oilers’ trials and tribulations, coach Ralph Krueger has shown little anger, maybe some exasperation in front of the enquiring media, as the losses mounted and the Oilers look like they could be another bottom five team in the lottery for the fourth straight year. In the dressing room, sources say, the air sometimes gets as blue as the team jerseys, though. He isn’t a happy camper. He’s forceful, blunt, direct.

“He’s a great speaker, he moderates us, but some of the video sessions can get pretty uncomfortable for some guys,” said Ladislav Smid. “He’s trying to teach us. We get paid a lot, we’re professionals. There’s no time for crybabies.”

Publicly, he continues to talk about learning lessons, correcting mistakes, which is fine, as Sportsnet’s Mark Spector said with your dog as you teach him to fetch–stick, paper, slippers–but eventually you might want to throw up your hands, and, as Spector says “visit the pound.” Get a new dog, or in the case of the Oilers, maybe a litter of dogs.

Not that Krueger will say that. He’s got the wrong mix of players, heavy on skill, but not nearly enough truculence to borrow Brian Burke’s favourite word–only 12 fights all year, lowest in the league, little nastiness in scrums after whistles. He knows it, but he’s not singling anybody out, not for public consumption. There’s no funny, sarcastic lines coming out of his mouth like those of former coach Pat Quinn who didn’t like “fly-by players”, his way of saying players who stayed out of harm’s way. He hasn’t verbally swung at anybody as his new GM boss Craig MacTavish did with Dustin Penner one day, referencing his contract. “We thought when he signed it (five years, $22.5 million) it was a starting point. We didn’t know it was the finish line,” said the former Oilers’ coach.

Krueger is a nice guy. He says hello to one and all at the rink–media guy, Zamboni drivers, security people, visiting coaches, visiting writers. He is also the right man for this job, eminently qualified through 20 years of coaching, in Europe and over here. He’s diligent in his preparation, a strong voice. He’s going to be back next season, despite the mutterings of some fans that they need somebody with a harder edge, that Lindy Ruff’s out there, say, and unemployed. New GMs do like their own hires as coaches, but MacTavish is a long-time coach and knows what they go through. He will certainly give Krueger another year to move things along.

If it’s the same story next season (out of the playoffs), then it’s a different story. It is getting to the point where we are tired of hearing about the Oilers needing lessons on how to play. They need better players, not more lessons; they also need some wins to show that they respect the job Krueger is doing; not the same old “we’re working hard.” That’s getting awfully stale. Show the same gumption the Blue Jackets and the Islanders are showing; they both missed the playoffs badly last season, too.

“Ralph is hard on guys but he keeps it pretty positive, especially with a young team” said the heart-and-soul Smid, as good a source as anybody for the pulse of the room. “Ralph does do a good job of holding people accountable. We have meetings and video pretty much every day and he’s not afraid to call guys out. That’s important. This starts with us, performing on the ice. We have to get way better. The way we compete for 60 minutes isn’t there. We do it for 20, then it goes away, like last night (Sunday) against Anaheim.”

Krueger has had every opportunity to blow his stack after another loss in his media scrums, but hasn’t. He figures it’s counter-productive to air dirty laundry in public. Also, his personality won’t call for railing on people for TV cameras. . “We respect that. The right way is to handle it internally. You don’t have to call people out in the media,” said Smid.

Krueger, in his third year with the Oilers (the first two as Tom Renney’s associate coach), after years as coach of the Swiss national team, is loquacious, bright, also a split personality. “I try to keep things in a healthy

perspective but I have an honest room. We’ve shown players on video, in a group, or eye-to-eye what’s not acceptable. For me positive isn’t always smiling or being friendly,” said Krueger, “it’s about initiating processes that are driving us to becoming a better team.”

“Right now, there shouldn’t be a lot of happy people in the room but at the end of the day we’re still doing what we love, and we have to love what we’re doing in difficult times. The lessons we’re learning now are critical in terms of structure.”

Again, lessons to teach. When do we stop hearing about lessons? When do the players take command of the situation?

Again, the players keep saying they’re working, but that becomes hollow as the losses mount. “The habits and principles of winning teams in the National Hockey League is very clear to me as a leader. We do not consistently carry out the principles (of playing the game right–going to the hard areas, not getting thrown for a loop by early goals or bad mistakes, forging on). It’s not a lack of will. It’s staying with a game plan, irrelevant of the score,” said Krueger.

There have been mistakes made on certain players, for sure. Why 25-year-old Theo Peckham has been here almost all season as an eighth defenceman, playing four games, is baffling when there were injury situations at forward, especially centre. If they weren’t going to play him after he wasn’t in shape to start camp but worked hard to get there and played well in his four games, why wasn’t he put on waivers or traded? Clear a contract, give him another place to play.

“We made a clear decision that four defencemen–(Jeff) Petry, Smid, Justin Schultz and Nick Schultz–were going to be our go-to, two pairs,” said Krueger. “We were looking at three D location (Corey Potter, Ryan Whitney and Mark Fistric for the other two game night spots) and bringing a fourth player in in a 48-game season wasn’t realistic.”

“It’s clear the role Petry and Smid have played for us (shutdown) the last few years and Justin Schultz was a process for us this year that we were going to go through thick ‘n thin like with Nail Yakupov irrelevant of games where they were good or bad we were going to school these kids. Nick has been an excellent mentor,” said Krueger.

“Theo’s opportunity was coming if we had injuries but we haven’t. It was early in the season the cards fell for Theo, and they fell against Theo. He’s worked hard behind the scenes but who would have come out to make it possible (that he play?).”

But why not put Peckham on waivers or trade him then?

“Those are questions (for higher-ups). I’m managing the roster I have here every day,” said Krueger.

The Oiler problems go deeper than whether Peckham plays or doesn’t, of course.

This is very much an Oiler team that doesn’t have nearly enough good, consistent pieces. How much of a turnover do they need? Six players, eight players, 10 before they can make the playoffs and cause some damage? Let’s just say, there are more Xs and question marks beside the names of the current roster than check marks.That isn’t Krueger’s fault; that is the fault of management who haven’t given the coaches–Krueger, Steve Smith, Kelly Buchberger–the right tools. It’s on them, not Krueger.

Smid, who has been an Oiler since 2006 when he came here in the Chris Pronger trade, is dismayed again by the club’s overall standing in the league. They are sixth worst team in points, and with Anaheim, Chicago, Minnesota and Vancouver on their plate to finish the season, how many Ws will they realistically get?

“This is embarrassing for us. We don’t want to be bottom five. We’ve been there, what, the last four years,” he said.



Centre Eric Belanger back for the end run to the Edmonton Oilers season

By Derek Van Diest

EDMONTON - For a time, it was thought Eric Belanger was done for the season.

The Edmonton Oilers centre suffered a groin injury in March, which he initially tried to play through, but was ultimately unable to.

However, Belanger was feeling better than expected and when asked if he was ready to go, jumped at the opportunity to get back in the lineup on Monday.

“I haven’t played for a while, but watching the games from above, you’re always anxious to come back and I think I’m ready to go,” Belanger said prior to the contest. “Ralph (Krueger) came up to me this morning and wanted me to play.

“With four or five games left, we talked about it. Do we push it? We just went day by day, but when Ralph asked me to go, as a player, you never want to say no. I’m excited to get back in the lineup.”

Heading into Monday’s contest against the Anaheim Ducks, Belanger had three assists in 23 games.

The injury, which may not be fully healed, cost him 18 games this season. He missed three games earlier in the year after taking a puck off the foot.

“I’m not going to lie, there is a little bit of worry about it, but I’ve been feeling pretty good,” Belanger said. “I’ve been skating for over a week and it’s been feeling pretty good. I cross my fingers, it’ll hold up. I just want to be healthy, play hard and try to bring some energy to our lineup and hopefully finish on a strong note with the team.”

Back in the mix

Ryan Whitney will most likely not be back with the Oilers next season.

The defenceman, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent, and the organization seem ready to go their separate ways once the season comes to an end.

Yet, that doesn’t mean Whitney likes sitting out the games remaining on the schedule.

“I’m excited to play, it’s pretty simple,” Whitney said after drawing back into the lineup. “It’s not fun sitting out so I’m looking forward to it.”

Whitney sat out three consecutive games once the Oilers playoff hopes were dashed. He had been a healthy scratch earlier in the year as well.

“It’s been painful, but it’ll be over soon, and I just want to play well in as many games as I get to play,” Whitney said. “I wish I was playing all the time and I disagree with the fact that I wasn’t. But I’m in (Monday) and hopefully I can play well enough to get in the next game. It’s pretty simple.”

Whitney has four goals and nine assists in 33 games this season for the Oilers. Despite being set to become a free agent, the Oilers decided to keep him at the trade deadline to help in the chase for the playoffs.

“I’m just looking towards the end of the season,” he said. “Hopefully I can get in more games and then next year, hopefully I’ll go somewhere, play real well and contribute.”

Riding the pine

It’s been a wasted season for Theo Peckham.

Even with nothing on the line for the Oilers, it appears the defenceman won’t be getting back into the lineup before the end of the year.

Peckham made his bed by showing up in January out of shape and he’s been laying in it all season.

However, according to Krueger, it has more to do with those playing in front of him as to why Peckham has only played four games all year.

“More than anything we made a clear decision that four defencemen, (Jeff) Petry, (Ladislav) Smid, (Justin) Schultz and (Nick) Schultz were going to be our two go-to pairings,” he said. “We were looking at three-defencemen rotation after that. Theo Peckham’s opportunity was going to be if someone went down with an injury and we’re grateful we haven’t.

“It was early in training camp that the cards fell and they fell early for Theo. He’s worked hard behind the scenes and just to integrate himself again, but when you had to look at who had to come out to make it possible for him to play, it just didn’t happen.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 04.23.2013


Edmonton Oilers say they want to win — they just don't play that way

By Robert Tychkowski | April 22, 2013 09:58 PM

EDMONTON - There are two kinds of teams …

Teams that make the playoffs and teams that make promises.

And, to no one’s surprise, the team of action beat the team of talk Monday when the Anaheim Ducks posted a 3-0 victory over the Edmonton Oilers to sweep a back-to-back series and clinch the Pacific Division title.

“We saw an A game from Anaheim tonight and we just couldn’t match it,” said Oilers head coach Ralph Krueger. “They were hungry to get second place in the Western Conference wrapped up and it showed us what playoff teams are playing like and thinking like right now. We just can’t rise to that level.”

The fans booed the Oilers off the ice again, but Krueger won’t be peeling any paint off the walls anytime soon. What’s the point?

“Right now screaming and yelling and beating up on this team is not going to help them,” he said. “They need to look inside to see what is missing and what are we doing different than these other teams and try and work on that. It is all we have left right now.”

While Anaheim clinched a division with the sweep, Edmonton clinched its usual place, a league-leading seventh straight season out of the playoffs.

And they did it in style. Oilers style.

They scored one minute into the first period of the first game Sunday night, then didn’t score another for the next 119 minutes.

“For whatever reason … it’s unacceptable,” said Ryan Smyth. “We’re fighting for pride, we’re fighting for the organization and the direction this organization is going.”

Right now, with eight losses in their last nine games (five straight losses at home), the direction is straight down.

“We won five games in a row at the trade deadline and we’re nowhere near that team now,” said centre Sam Gagner. “You just have to find ways. I know it’s tough down the stretch when we’ve lost like we have, but it’s no excuse. We have to continue to battle through.”

Instead, Monday’s rematch picked up where the first game left off, with Edmonton playing poorly and giving up goals.

The Oilers took an early penalty, spent a whole bunch of time hemmed in their own end, took another penalty, fell behind 1-0 on a power-play goal from Ryan Getzlaf, found themselves being outshot 9-0 and fell behind 2-0 on a goal by Radek Dvorak.

“Obviously that wasn’t the start we wanted,” said defenceman Ladislav Smid. “There were several positive things, I don’t think we played horrendous. I think the effort was there, we just can’t find the back of the net.”

Edmonton pushed back hard in the second period, with the likes of Smyth and Ryan Jones shifting into a higher gear, but couldn’t crack Viktor Fasth and took a 2-0 deficit into the third period.

“We just have to find a way to score some goals,” said Shawn Horcoff. “I felt the effort was better and we were more physical, we just have to find a way to score goals. As the game wears on, frustration sets in with us and it’s hard to play like that.

“Guys want to finish strong, we want to win games, and to do that you have to score some goals. If you’re not, you’ll get frustrated.”

The Oilers were 25th in the NHL coming into the contest and are in real danger of falling into the bottom five again. It’s a humiliation everyone in the dressing room is desperate to avoid. But they won’t do it like this.

“Of course we don’t want to be on the bottom five, it’s embarrassing for us to be in the bottom five,” said Smid. “We’ve been in the bottom five for the past four years. It’s embarrassing.”



Anaheim Ducks giving veteran forward Teemu Selanne days off option

By Derek Van Diest | April 22, 2013 05:23 PM

EDMONTON - Teemu Selanne is a wise, old veteran, but even he can experience something new.

The Anaheim Ducks’ winger is accustomed to having to play with nagging aches and pains down the stretch. Yet with the Ducks having clinched a playoff spot a while ago, Selanne was given the option of days off.

“The thing is, the last 20 years, they teach you in this league to play when you have a broken hand, a broken leg, and then all of a sudden, (head coach) Bruce (Boudreau) told me four weeks ago that he wants me to start taking games off,” Selanne said before facing the Oilers for a second time in two days Monday.

“That’s strange, it sounded weird to just take a game off. Then last week he said that I have to take some games off and obviously it’s a good thing because we can afford to do that, although it sounded weird.

“But the (Calgary) game, I was a little more sore than normal, so it was easier to do that and take a game off. But it sounded weird, that’s a new situation for me, even for me.”

Heading into Monday’s contest, Selanne, 42, had suited up in all but one game for the Ducks this season.

The future Hall of Famer played both games in a back-to-back against the Oilers, opting to take his off day against the Calgary Flames Friday.

“He’s not 21 anymore, he’s 42 and we did play 25 games in 46 days, which is quite a toll to anyone,” said Boudreau. “In a month and a half, we went six straight weeks playing every second day. I just said any time that he felt he needed or wanted a day off or he wasn’t feeling great to let me know and we’ll give him a day off.

“He came to me the other day and said he was a little sore and a little tired and said to make that the day.”

To this point in his career, Selanne has done an incredible job of defying time.

Heading into the second encounter against the Oilers, he had 11 goals and 23 assists in 44 games for the Ducks this season.

But in a lockout-shortened, compact campaign, the Ducks felt it was necessary to manage his minutes.

“I had to hide his skates at the beginning of the year, but that was for going out on the ice for optionals (practices) and things like that,” Boudreau said. “He’s older. When you get over 35 it gets tougher. He led the team in scoring last year, he has 11 goals this year, which is right consistent with the way our team scores.

“He’s right in the mix and doing what he should do, but his minutes are down, he’s not playing 20-plus minutes a game. He’s anywhere between 13 and 15 usually. The other thing that is probably a little more different, for the most part this year, he’s been on the second-unit power play, which is where he’s gotten a lot of goals in the past.”

The plan is to have a fresh Selanne for the playoffs as the Ducks are counting on an extended run this spring.

A complete professional, Selanne understands the situation and had few objections to his coach’s request.

“I try not to take any days off, I feel better when I don’t,” Selanne said. “I love to play, but I have to be smart, too. Obviously we just played 25 games in 46 days or something like that, and that’s something that’s tough for anybody, especially for older guys.

“The main goal is to be as fresh as you can for the playoffs.”



Edmonton Oilers players eye world championship after playoff elimination

By Terry Jones | April 22, 2013 04:04 PM

EDMONTON - Hockey Canada has a policy.

“They won’t call until you are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs and they won’t call on game day,” said Devan Dubnyk of getting invited to play at the world hockey championship.

The Oilers were officially eliminated from the playoffs Sunday night. They played the Ducks again Monday.

The phones should start ringing today.

Dubnyk, Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Sam Gagner, Justin Schultz, and maybe Nick Schultz are likely to get calls.

Jeff Petry has already said yes to the USA.

Ladislav Smid has already said yes to the Czechs.

Magnus Paajarvi, who was a first team all-star for Sweden at the 2010 Worlds, is hoping for a call.

Nail Yakupov has heard nothing yet from Russia.

Any other year, Hockey Canada would give the players four or five days to get over the mental depression of being out of the playoffs. This year there isn’t an option.

Because of the lockout and the schedule ending this weekend, the NHL season runs almost head on with the start of the second straight world championships shared by Stockholm and Helsinki.

The plane leaves Tuesday for Stockholm. The tournament starts Friday.

Ralph Krueger wants as many Oilers there as get invited.

“Every single international hockey game that a player can play will make him a better player,” said the former Swiss national coach. “I have never seen a player go to a major international competition, where they’ve been successful or not, to go without learning.

“The turn-around to the world championship this year is as short as ever so that is an advantage for players who make that decision. Three days after the season they are on the plane. With the normal three-week gaps, it’s a lot more difficult for the NHL players to make the transition. And for us to have our players mirror what it would be like to continue going into playoffs is important. If players are feeling fatigue right now and they are thinking this was hard, we want to be mentally and physically prepared in one year to enter playoffs at this time. It’s something you want them to experience.

“When you go to a national team, your role might change completely. Your ability to adjust to that role is extremely valuable for your growth as a player.

“I have never seen an opportunity internationally go to waste on a player.”

Even a Justin Schultz, who clearly has been running on empty playing almost double the number the games this year as a pro than he did at Wisconsin in college?

“If he’s healthy, keep going. Just keep going. Go through it. He’s healthy. Just to add 16 or 17 days to the end of this is nothing to me.”

Schultz said he hopes he gets the call.

“It would be a grind but it would be a grind I’d welcome. I think it would be a great experience to play for Team Canada.”

Gagner was taken to the Worlds as the extra forward after his rookie season. Sitting second in Oilers scoring with 35 points, he’s earned another invitation.

“I’d definitely go. They run it first class. Anytime you can play for Canada … in a minute!”

Hall had season-ending injuries which kept him out of the last two world championships. He’s gung-ho to go.

“It sucks being out of the playoffs and hopefully this will be the last season in a long time that we miss them again. If they call me, definitely I’d go,” said the player who played in a world junior in Saskatoon and the Ivan Hlinka U-18 in Slovakia. “It’s a chance to keep playing hockey. I want to have that opportunity.”

Dubnyk, who won a gold medal as the starting goaltender for Canada at this year’s Spengler Cup, was back-up goalie for Canada at the last two world championships.

“Hopefully I’ll get the call again and go over,” he said. “I feel like I’ve had a pretty good year.”

Eberle would be playing in his fourth consecutive Worlds.

“It’s a fun tournament to play in and I think we’ll have pretty good representation from this team. And just once I’d like to get past that quarter-final game which we’ve lost for three straight years and win a medal there.”

As for keeping going after playing 34 games in the AHL and 48 in the NHL, Eberle laughed.

“We’re young. I’m 22 years old. That’s the number of games you usually play in the regular season before you get into the playoffs. And this time you go right into it. You don’t lose game shape. You just go right into it.”



Keep the Edmonton Oilers Wayne Gretzky statue where it is: Mayor Stephen Mandel

By Angelique Rodrigues | April 22, 2013 02:07 PM

Two weeks after city council signed a deal for a proposed downtown arena, the question remains: what will happen to Wayne Gretzky?

The statue that is.

The three-metre (15-foot) monument — erected in August 1989 after The Great One led the Edmonton Oilers to a fourth Stanley Cup — has been presiding over the north doors of Rexall Place for almost 24 years.

Fans clamour for photos with the bronzed version of No. 99, some rub his skates for luck and others simply enjoy gazing at the likeliness of the living legend as he hoists the Stanley Cup over his head.

More than just a hockey player, Wayne Gretzky has become a symbol of greatness for Edmontonians.

And his statue has become a piece of history and a point of pride in the City of Champions.

Which means the city must handle it with care — and at the moment officials are keeping mum over rumours the Katz Group plans to move the bust to the downtown arena location.

In section 25.2 of the arena Master Agreement — approved by city council on Apr.10 — it states that if Molson’s Alberta Brewery grants the Katz Group permission to move the statue, the city will facilitate the relocation.

“If the City is able to obtain the necessary permission from Molson’s Alberta Brewery Ltd. under the Agreement Dated May 9, 1989 between the City and Molson’s Alberta Brewery Ltd., the City will give EAC (Edmonton Arena Corporation\Katz Group) permission to move the statue of Wayne Gretzky currently located beside Rexall Place to a location within the Arena Area Facilities on or before the Lease Commencement Date,” reads the document.

Mayor Stephen Mandel says he has not yet entertained any serious conversations about the city’s plans for the future of the statue.

“I read the master agreement but I didn’t think to look at the clause about moving the statue,” he said. “So, I don’t know.”

But if the mayor has it his way, the monument will stay right where it is.

“I think the statue is at Rexall, it should stay at Rexall as long as there is a Rexall there,” said Mandel on Monday. “If there is no Rexall, then they could move it.”

Coun. Kerry Diotte says he’d be interested to hear what Edmontonians think about a possible relocation.

While he’s certain a move would anger some die hard fans, he mused that others may consider Oilers’ hockey at a new arena sacrilegious without Gretzky’s statue standing by.

“I’d love to heard how they feel about that,” he said. “Gretzky is a part of Edmonton, so it would be good to know if Edmontonians think it should be moved or not.”


671749 Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers’ Nick Bjugstad faces rapid learning curve

By Christina De Nicola

Three weeks after competing in the NCAA Division I tournament with the University of Minnesota, Nick Bjugstad skated in front of hostile crowds gearing up for NHL postseason action.

The 20-year-old center, who signed an entry-level contract with the Panthers on April 3, made his debut three days later at home against the Capitals. During the recent four-game road trip, he played three games in four days for the first time in his career.

“To actually get out there and play in buildings like Boston and New York and New Jersey — those are great challenges for a young player,” Panthers coach Kevin Dineen said. “I think it helps him moving forward in the future.”

Through eight games Bjugstad has yet to record a point — while taking 13 shots — on a line with Jack Skille and Quinton Howden. Yet his playing time has increased. In his first game he spent 14:12 on the ice. In Sunday’s 3-0 loss to the Bruins, he was up to 18:11.

Bjugstad has worked on adjusting from collegiate to professional hockey, primarily the quick recovery needed between games.

“You can’t worry too much about that,” Bjugstad said of his absence from the score sheet. “I’m still young right now. I’ve just got to make sure I’m doing the little things and then comes stuff from the stats. Just got to worry about playing my defensive part. Good things will happen when I’m doing that.”

Florida selected Bjugstad 19th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft out of Minnesota. No Gopher tallied more goals over the past three seasons than Bjugstad, an All-American who scored 54 goals and recorded 98 points in 109 career games.

“It’s good having guys to talk with and are young,” Bjugstad said. “It’s a nice learning curve for all of us. Giving advice to each other and talking about what we learn from the game.”

Surprising to him was how big and strong the other players around him were. Opponents pounce and capitalize on mistakes. Crispness is necessary on all areas of the ice.

To his advantage are the 6-6, 215-pounder’s physical attributes — size, skating ability and strong set of hands — that Dineen said can’t be taught.

“I think he’s understanding the amount of work that goes into it as well,” Dineen said. “It’s still the learning curve of playing center and against top players in the league. It’s an exciting time for him, and I think he’s coming to the rink every day and showing a commitment to getting better every day. I think that’s what you’re looking for.”

More important, Bjugstad’s experience — though limited and late in the season — offers him a taste of what’s to be expected before next season’s training camp.

Bjugstad plans to return to Minnesota following the regular season for summer classes so he can earn his degree. After a couple of weeks off the ice, he will begin lifting and training, focusing on becoming quicker and stronger.

“That’s nice getting my feet wet for these games and the learning process is big for me,” Bjugstad said. “I didn’t want to go into training camp not really knowing what to expect at this level. That’s why this is a big deal.”

Roster updates

Forward Tomas Kopecky, who missed his first game of the season on Sunday, returns on Tuesday night against the Rangers. So will forward Peter Mueller, whose wife had a baby boy on Wednesday.

Defensemen Erik Gudbranson (hand/wrist) and Tyson Strachan (upper body) will not play.

Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov will not suit up the remainder of the season after being injured Sunday against the Bruins.

Miami Herald LOADED: 04.23.2013


Preview: Rangers at Panthers, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday

By Dieter Kurtenbach, Sun Sentinel

4:04 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2013

When/where: 7:30 p.m., BB&T Center, Sunrise

TV: Fox Sports Florida Radio: 560-WQAM

Scouting report: The Panthers are limping to the finish line, having lost their last six games by a combined score of 30-8. The Rangers are desperate for wins, as they hold the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Four points in the Rangers' last three games guarantee a third-straight playoff berth. The Rangers made easy work of the Panthers last Thursday, blowing out the Cats 6-1. The Panthers will likely be without defensemen Erik Gudbranson and Tyson Strachen, and will certainly be without Dmitry Kulikov, who will miss the season's final three games with a upper-body injury. Tomas Kopecky and Peter Mueller are expected to play Tuesday.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 04.23.2013


Panthers rookies Howden, Bjugstad seeking first goals

By Dieter Kurtenbach, Sun Sentinel

3:58 p.m. EDT, April 22, 2013

CORAL SPRINGS — The first goal is always the hardest to score, just ask Panthers rookies Quinton Howden and Nick Bjugstad.

Early in their NHL careers, both promising prospects remain without a goal, and with only three games left to rectify the situation, both are looking to simplify their game with the hope that doing so will bring about some "puck luck."

Howden has the deepest snakebite — he's played in 16 games for the Panthers this season, and despite finding himself in strong scoring chances time and time again, his stat line remains empty.

Two of Howden's best chances came on the Panthers' trip to the northeast. There, he earned a penalty shot against the Devils and had a breakaway against the Rangers, but Martin Brodeur and Henrik Lundqvist denied the 21-year-old with deft pad saves that told Howden that it's not going to be easy to score in the NHL.

The two saves still make Howden shake his head, both in disbelief at the saves made by the elite goaltenders, and at himself.

But Howden is confident that he'll have more chances at getting off the schnide this season — he's already created opportunities in his first 16 NHL games.

"Getting good chances is all that matters to me," Howden said after the Panthers practiced at the Saveology Iceplex. "When it happens, it happens... You just have to keep on working and keep going."

Panthers coach Kevin Dineen agrees with Howden's assessment — in all likelihood, the coach planted the idea in his mind. Dineen played the game with a no-nonsense attitude during his 18-year career, and he encourages his team to play the same way when the game is not coming easy.

There's no doubt that nothing has come easy for the Panthers in 2013. A positive ending would be well received, and validation that the young players can cut it at an NHL-level would certainly be a positive.

Bjugstad has already received some of that validation.

After the former University of Minnesota star signed an entry-level contract with the Panthers at the beginning of the month, the team had five games to decide whether to keep him with the team or shut his season down, as to avoid using up a year of that entry-level contract.

The Panthers opted to keep him for the final six games of the 2013 season. Because of that, the Bjugstad will become a restricted free agent a year earlier — after the 2014-15 season.

Speculation had it that the Panthers and Bjugstad had agreed burn the year of his entry-level contract when he signed, but the 20-year-old said that was not the case.

"I was just waiting it out," Bjugstad said. "I didn't do much talking, but thankfully it worked out the way it did."

With 13 shots in eight games played, Bjugstad is seeing scoring chances as well. And while getting that first NHL goal is weighing on his mind, absorbing the NHL game is his top priority.

"It's nice to get my feet wet for these games," Bjugstad said. "I didn't want to go into the training camp not knowing what to expect at this level, that's why this is a big deal."

Kulikov out

Dineen confirmed Monday that defenseman Dmitry Kulikov is out for the remainder of the season with an upper body injury suffered in Sunday's game against Boston. Colby Robak will join the team to fill Kulikov's roster spot... Dineen said that defenseman Erik Gudbranson and Tyson Strachan are unlikely to play against the Rangers, but the team holds out hope that the big blueliners will return this season... Tomas Kopecky and Peter

Mueller returned to practice Monday and will be available for Tuesday's game... The Panthers signed 2011 third-round pick Logan Shaw to a entry-level contract Monday. He is not expected to join the team this season

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 04.23.2013

671752 Los Angeles Kings

Kings' Anze Kopitar is accumulating points, if not goals

By Helene Elliott

April 23, 2013

Good teammate that he is, center Anze Kopitar was happy about winger Dustin Brown's two-goal performance Sunday in the Kings' 4-3 overtime victory over the Dallas Stars.

"We need everybody going. It was nice to see him get a couple," Kopitar said. "Hopefully, I will get a couple soon too."

Now that you mention it …

Kopitar has gone 13 games without a goal and has one goal in his last 17 games. However, he has nine assists in his last nine games and 11 in his last 13, helping ensure the Kings will have no worse than the No. 6 playoff seeding in the Western Conference. They can still finish as high as fourth.

Despite his goal-scoring struggles, Kopitar is headed for his sixth straight team scoring title. He has 10 goals and 41 points with three games left. Next are Jeff Carter (25 goals, 32 points) and Mike Richards (12 goals, 32 points).

Coach Darryl Sutter said he's not fretting over Kopitar's drought.

"He's playing well — he just can't finish," Sutter said. "He's handling the puck well and I'm really not worried about that part of it. I'm worried about the whole package, always."

Awards time

The Los Angeles chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Assn. nominated goalie Jonathan Bernier for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the NHL player "who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey."

Bernier, 24, didn't play during the Kings' Stanley Cup run last season but has played a key role this season while Jonathan Quick recovered from back surgery. Bernier ranks among the NHL leaders with a 1.86 goals-against average and .922 save percentage in 13 games.

Separately, players nominated Brown for the King Clancy Memorial Trophy, given annually to the NHL player who "best exemplifies leadership qualities on and off the ice and has made a noteworthy humanitarian contribution in his community."

Tonight

at MINNESOTA

When: 5 PDT.

Where: Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul.

On the air: TV: Prime Ticket; Radio: 1150.

Record vs. Wild: 1-0-1.

Etc.: The Kings have scored at least one power-play goal in eight straight games. They've killed 16 straight penalties and 48 of their last 53. The Wild has been outscored, 10-2, in losing its last two games.

LA Times: LOADED: 04.23.2013


KINGS NOTEBOOK: L.A. peaking at the right time

By Elliott Teaford, Staff Writer

Posted: 04/22/2013 11:41:04 PM PDT

Updated: 04/22/2013 11:48:30 PM PDT

The Kings won't finish atop the Western Conference standings this season.

The best they can do is finish fourth in the conference. But with only three regular-season games remaining before they begin their Stanley Cup championship defense, it would be difficult to find a team playing better than they are at the moment.

Their goaltending, starting with Jonathan Quick, looks as sharp as it did during the playoffs last season.

Their defense is sound and hard hitting, having survived and thrived after injuries to veterans Matt Greene (back) and Willie Mitchell (knee). Greene is back in the lineup and although Mitchell is out for the season, the acquisition of Robyn Regehr and the emergence of Jake Muzzin has the blue-line corps primed for the playoffs.

The Kings also are getting timely goal-scoring from a variety of players, a departure from earlier in the season.

"Honestly, I'm not watching anybody else," Kings coach Darryl Sutter said after a gritty 4-3 overtime victory over the scrappy Dallas Stars on Sunday night. "I just want us to take care of our own business and who we play is who we play."

The Kings are in fourth place in the West and would meet the fifth-place San Jose Sharks if the playoffs were to begin today. The Kings have road games left tonight at Minnesota and Wednesday at Detroit before concluding the regular season Saturday with a home date against the Sharks.

"The only team nobody should want

to play, quite honestly, is the team that's only lost five games this year, so do everything we can not to play them," Sutter said referring to the NHL-leading Chicago Blackhawks. "We've talked about (home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs), but that's the end result (of winning the remaining games)."

Facts and figures

Sunday's victory against the Stars improved the Kings' record at Staples Center this season to 18-4-1, with one game on home ice still to play. They have won six consecutive games at home and are 9-2-3 in their past 14 overall.

"We should keep going like that and build on the game," Kings center Anze Kopitar said after recording two assists and pushing his team-leading scoring total to 41 points (10 goals, 31 assists). "There's some good stuff happening on the ice."

Bernier is nominee

for Masterton Trophy

Goaltender Jonathan Bernier was nominated Monday for the 2013 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the Los Angeles chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded by the PHWA annually to the player who exhibits the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to ice hockey. Masterton was a player for the Minnesota North Stars when he died Jan. 15, 1968 as a result of an on-ice injury.

Bernier did not play in the Kings' playoff run last season because of Quick's excellence and durability, but Bernier has been a valuable member of the team this season. With Quick recovering from offseason back surgery and working to regain his old form, Bernier (9-2-1 with a 1.86 goals-against average and a .922 save percentage) compiled numbers that rank him among the NHL leaders.

LA Daily News: LOADED: 04.23.2013


Eisbären Berlin adds to AEG’s title haul

Posted by JonRosen on 22 April 2013, 5:07 pm

In long-term team construction, Los Angeles Kings General Manager Dean Lombardi has discussed building an identity from stability and continuity, and how a final step is establishing a culture.

The Eisbären Berlin of the Deutsche Hockey Liga have clearly established such a culture as evidenced by their seven league titles in nine seasons, the most recent of which secured a three-peat by a virtue of a 4-1 win over the Kölner Haie (Cologne Sharks) on Sunday in Game 4 of a best-of-five championship series.

One of two AEG-owned teams in the DEL along with the Hamburg Freezers, Berlin’s fourth place finish in the 14-team league marked its lowest finish in the standings since the 2006-07 season. The team engineered its best play in the postseason, defeating Hamburg four games to two in a best-of-seven first round series before sweeping a best-of-five series against the Krefeld Pinguine (Krefeld Penguins) to set up the final with Cologne, a team coached by Uwe Krupp and led by former King Marco Sturm.

With the road teams winning the first three games of the final series to set up a two-games-to-one advantage for Berlin, the Eisbären won on home ice Sunday night to secure the title. Much like the Kings’ run to the Stanley Cup a season ago, Berlin’s play away from O2 World helped set a base for postseason success: following a loss in Hamburg in Game 1 of the quarter-finals, the Eisbären won six consecutive road games to put them in position to win the title at home.

25-year-old Constantin Braun, a sixth round pick by Los Angeles in 2006, earned playoff MVP honors with two goals and 12 points. 28-year-old forward Julian Talbot, who accumulated 173 points in 303 American Hockey League games between 2006 and 2011 with Providence, Peoria and Lake Erie, was the playoff’s top scorer with 19 points on eight goals and 11 assists.

O2 World housed the Kings in a 4-2 regular season loss to the Buffalo Sabres on October 8, 2011, the first National Hockey League game ever played in Germany. Los Angeles also defeated Hamburg 5-4 in an exhibition on October 4, 2011, Drew Doughty’s first game with the club after his contract holdout.

Berlin has won DEL Championships in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013. The Eisbären became the third AEG-operated team to win a championship in a 10-month span, following the Kings’ Stanley Cup title in June, 2012 and the Galaxy’s MLS Cup championship in December, 2012.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 04.23.2013


On the ground in Minnesota


The Kings are en route to the team hotel in St. Paul and have been greeted by sleet and freezing rain that is expected to give way to snow showers later in the evening.

Some stories that I’ll address upon check-in:

-Jonathan Bernier was nominated for the 2013 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy by the Los Angeles Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The Masterton Trophy is awarded every year to a player who exhibits qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Bernier also won the Kings’ Community Service Award last season.

-The Eisbären Berlin, a team that has close ties to the Kings, won the DEL for the seventh time in nine years.



Waking up with the Kings: April 22

Posted by JonRosen on 22 April 2013, 9:15 am

-The Los Angeles Kings took a circuitous route to a hard-earned and deserved victory over the Dallas Stars while benefitting from the cross-conference benevolence of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Colorado Avalanche and the Calgary Flames. By virtue of how the chips fell Sunday evening, the Kings assured themselves of no worse than a sixth place finish, while their chances of securing the fourth seed and home ice advantage in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs increased to 82.0%, according to SportsClubStats.com.

-The officiating. The win quieted what would otherwise have been a hot-blooded topic following the game, as Ryan Garbutt set up Antoine Roussel’s game-tying goal in the second period by leaping and playing the puck with a blatant high-stick. Early in the third period, an apparent Kings goal was disallowed before Alex Goligoski scored at the other end of the ice shortly following the reset. You are probably well aware of these plays. On the former, the officials simply missed the high-stick. Because it occurred on the play leading up to the goal and not the goal itself, it was not a reviewable play by video evidence. Regarding the latter, Aaron Rome simply misread his position on the ice while turning towards his net and crashed into Kari Lehtonen without any assistance from Trevor Lewis. As Dustin Brown noted after the game, it was a judgment call by referee Mike Hasenfratz, and it went against LA. On the go-ahead goal by Goligoski 33 seconds after play resumed, Quick wasn’t able to recover after moving outside his crease to challenge Reilly Smith, who had slipped behind Rob Scuderi.

-Brown’s equalizer that came 2:16 after Goligoski’s goal is the exact type of power play goal the team is looking for and an example of the team’s spirited man advantage, which now has goals in eight straight games. Every skater on the Kings was able to touch the puck within five seconds (see below). The goal was a result of crisp puck movement, a quality opportunity from a wide-open Jeff Carter in the high slot, and Brown well-positioned to capitalize on a rebound.

-This isn’t exactly breaking news, but Anze Kopitar’s puck possession skills appear to be as good as those of any player in the NHL. One player who comes to mind when watching Kopitar protect the puck in the offensive zone is Jaromir Jagr, who I was grateful to have been able to watch in the Pacific Division for half a season. Both are aided by their size, width and balance; you rarely see either player weather a heavy hit from the opposition.



Bernier a Masterton Trophy nominee


Los Angeles Kings goaltender Jonathan Bernier was nominated by the Los Angeles chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association for the 2013 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy on Monday.

The Masterton Trophy is awarded annually to a player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” In recent years, players who have battled illness, significant injuries or hardships have accepted the award.

Though increasing the frequency of his starts this season due in part to a 9-2-1 record with a 1.86 goals against average and .922 save percentage, the 24-year-old selected 11th overall in 2006 has been relegated to mostly backup duty in his three full seasons with the club due Jonathan Quick’s emergence as the number one goaltender.

Bernier was the 2012 recipient of the Kings’ Community Service Award, having donated four lower-level tickets to patients from Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and their families to every game last season. He also donated a set of goaltending gear to the winner of an essay contest and invited four applicants of the contest to a goaltending clinic.

In late March, Bernier spent time away from the Kings and missed the team’s visit to the White House due to the passing of his grandmother, Georgette St-Gelais. He has appeared in three games since then, going 2-0-1 with a shutout of the Minnesota Wild at Staples Center on April 4.

Bernier will become a restricted free agent on July 1.

The winner of the Masterton Trophy is selected in a poll of all PWHA chapters at the conclusion of the regular season. Three Los Angeles Kings have won the award: Butch Goring (1978), Bob Bourne (1988) and Dave Taylor (1991). Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens, who returned from a fractured vertebrae and a concussion to post 65 points, was the 2011-12 winner.


671758 Minnesota Wild

Yeo on Wild's situation: 'It's supposed to be hard,' also discusses Dowell, Veilleux decisions

Posted by: Michael Russo Updated: April 22, 2013 - 2:18 PM

The Wild had an 11 o’clock air-everything-out meeting this morning (more on that below). It was supposed to be followed by an optional skate. Afterward, virtually the entire team took the ice.

“They all guilted me into going out,” coach Mike Yeo said, smiling.

Good spirits down at the rink today after last night’s 4-1 loss to the Calgary Flames. With three games left against Los Angeles on Tuesday, Edmonton on Friday and at Colorado on Saturday, the Wild executed a big roster shuffle this morning, reassigning rookies Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker for veteran checkers Jake Dowell and Stephane Veilleux.

“When you look at those guys, it’s a bit of different identity to the players,” Yeo said of Dowell and Veilleux. “A little bit harder, and probably the veteran side of it is important this time of year, too, and that had a lot to do with it.”

It is clear Zucker and Granlund have struggled. Zucker played five games without a point since his recently callup. After his turnover-laden game in Calgary last week, I heard that the Wild met with him and made it very clear that he can’t play like that again or he’d be returned to Houston on the next flight. Yeo actually alluded to that today, saying, “If something’s not working, you give those guys the opportunity to respond, and if it doesn’t change, then you have to look to doing it a different way.”

Granlund just doesn’t look ready to me and his penalty on a power play and wall play yesterday hurt.

This quote below by Yeo pretty much provides the Wild’s decision-making process in a nutshell: “It’s not an easy time of year for young kids, and that’s also a real compliment to Charlie [Coyle] and Brods (Jonas Brodin) that they’re still able to go out and play and not play like young kids. But it’s a tough time right now. And the game is tough and we’ve got to make sure that we’ve got everybody in the lineup going out and helping us to get to our game, playing the game the way that we should see it be played.”

In other words, Granlund and Zucker were not sticking to the system and the Wild can’t afford it right now.

Still, the Wild has scored four goals in an 0-4-1 home stretch. Dowell, 28, and Veilleux, 31, have combined for seven goals and 17 points in 70 games for Houston.

I asked Yeo about weighing the need for goals and bringing up to physical, energy guys, and he said, “I think you look at the fact that we’ve given up [16] goals in the last four games, I think. I think that’s a bigger issue. When you get behind like that, it becomes increasingly more difficult to score goals. We’ve proven if we’re playing our game and we’re getting to it and we’re doing the right things that we can score goals. Also, that being said, I think we’re kidding ourselves if we think that we’re this offensive juggernaut. That’s just not who we are. When we’re winning games and when we’re at our best, certainly we score, but we’re a team that’s very difficult to play against, we’re a team that’s good defensively and plays with the right structure, the right details and plays the game with an edge.”

As for today’s meeting, it was an opportunity, Yeo said, for players to talk as a group, get “the feelings out” and “see where everybody’s heads at.”

The common theme was the Wild has to recognize it’s still in a good spot. I put the math on last night’s blog, but 2-1 should get the Wild in easy.

“We can all talk about how we arrived here and the bottom line is, our group has worked very hard – very hard – and sacrificed an awful lot to get us in this position,” Yeo said. “And we should be proud of that. We’ve got a great opportunity. We should be excited about it. One thing we talked about is ‘why should it not be hard for us?’ This is the first year that we’re trying to get there in five years. It’s supposed to be hard for us. That’s part of the battle. But we’ve still got work to do.”

Yeo said, “One of the great comments from today from one of our players and I don’t need to say who it was, but it was ‘We can’t sit around and hope for anything. We can’t sit here and hope that a team we’re ahead of loses.

We can’t sit around and hope that the outcome is …,’ we just have to take care of what we can take care of. And if we do that, we’ll be fine.”

Last night, the Wild seemed to expend so much energy early that it was depleted late. Yeo said, “It is absolutely normal that guys are going to be nervous, that you’re going to have those butterflies before the game. This is not unique to us. I know that every team that’s fighting for position and every team that’s fighting to get in, they’re all feeling the same things. It’s a matter of dealing with them and still being able to go out and focus and execute the right way.”

It was also very clear last night that Zach Parise, Mikko Koivu and Ryan Suter tried to will this team to victory. The effort level by those three was clear as day to see. It is now up to others to follow suit. Some guys have had very tough years and the Wild needs them now.

“Those guys had, what, 21 shots in the game between those three guys,” Yeo said. “That’s a great thing when your leaders are going out and doing that. The rest of the group definitely has to keep up and recognize how they’re doing it -- they’re doing it the right way. The shifts in the offensive zone and that shooters mentality, but playing the game the right way with the right structure and defending hard and defending the right way as well. They’re just going out and just playing the game and that’s what we need. That’s what leaders do right now and we need everyone to do it.”

Mike Rupp skated at the start of practice today but not late, so he’s obviously out vs. the Kings. Zenon Konopka practiced on his broken foot, but he’ll need more sessions.

Niklas Backstrom will start vs. Los Angeles.

Josh Harding was back from his two-game conditioning stint and looked real good. He got the 33-for-36 victory in Friday’s win at Austin to help the Aeros clinch a playoff spot. He then played a planned two periods last night in a loss.

He’s now back up here, activated off injured reserve and say he is ready to play when needed.

“We think we got [the multiple sclerosis] under control here,” Harding said. “I went and played and I felt good and nothing bothered me. The circumstances [in the AHL] aren’t like the NHL. It’s hot and humid down there, you’re bussing, the travel schedule is difficult, your routines are different. And if I can play there under those circumstances, I know I could play here.

“… I have a responsibility as a teammate and for this team to get myself ready in case I get in there, even in practice to make the guys better by trying as hard as I can. That’s my responsibility right now. I owe it to the team to do that.”

Speaking of the Aeros, their five-game series against Grand Rapids begins Friday in Houston.

In Des Moines today, Wild owner Craig Leipold, COO Matt Majka, GM Chuck Fletcher and assistant to the GM Jim Mill unveiled the Iowa Wild’s new logo and uniforms. They can be seen on www.iowawild.com. By the way, as I’ve written many times, the Wild plans new road whites next year. I am told those Iowa whites are not them.

Star Tribune LOADED: 04.23.2013


Desperate times call for desperate measures: Veilleux, Dowell up; Granlund, Zucker down

Posted by: Michael Russo Updated: April 22, 2013 - 12:09 PM

It was just a matter of time before the Wild would have to make a roster shakeup after losing five in a row at home.

Rookies Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker, coming off a couple poor efforts, especially last night against Calgary, have been reassigned. Energy bugs Stephane Veilleux and Jake Dowell have been recalled to play the big, bad defending Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings on Tuesday.

The Wild has lacked physicality in recent games, focus at proper times, like getting the puck deep and not taking penalties on power plays (see Zucker and Granlund), and also defensive smarts in some key situations.

So Zucker, who was coming off a string of bad games, and Granlund take the hit. Zucker's turnovers have hurt the team since his last recall, and he probably destined himself for this when he bailed out of beating an icing last night. Granlund is just not ready -- plain, simple -- in my opinion.

Veilleux and Dowell are veterans, so they should do their jobs, keep it simple (hit people, get pucks deep and forecheck) and bring some of the elements missing from this team during absences to Mike Rupp and Zenon Konopka.

Desperate move for a desperate team. No matter the way the Wild decides to spin it today, this is a Code Blue move.

Josh Harding and Darcy Kuemper have been flipped, too, as expected, and Harding has been activated off IR.

Here are the numbers on the players involved in the switches.

Dowell, the former Wisconsin Badger who has played in 154 NHL games, had four goals in 37 games with Houston. He's 28. Veilleux, 31, had three goals in 33 games with the Aeros. He has 460 NHL games under his belt.

Harding was 1-1 on his rehab assignment in Houston, stopping 56 of 61 shots. He played in four games for the Wild this season before symptoms related to multiple sclerosis sidelined him.

Kuemper was 1-2 for the Wild this season after posting a 1.88 goals-against average in 21 games with the Aeros.

Zucker has four goals in 19 games for the Wild, and had 24 in 55 games for the Aeros. Granlund had two goals in 27 games with the Wild and 10 in 29 games with the Aeros.

The Wild's in a crisis. This is a reaction to that. We will see if it works now.

Like I said last night, Wild goes 2-1 in its final three games, there should be a postseason.

More after availability at 11.



Wild lose

Posted by: Jim Souhan Updated: April 21, 2013 - 9:00 PM

Wrote about the Wild's 4-1 loss to Calgary for my column in the Monday paper.

My impression: This is a tight team. I didn't sense any lack of effort or passion. I thought the Wild dominated the first period. It hit two posts in the second period. I felt this was a team playing with desperation early, and desperation is hard to sustain.

The Wild played horribly in the third period.

I talked to one of my personal hockey insiders before the game, and that person (affiliated with the Wild, but brutally honest, which is what I look for in my hockey insiders) told me that the Wild's defense just isn't deep enough. Get past Ryan Suter and Jonas Brodin, and who do you trust?

Also, this team lacks big, physical players. I think the Wild really misses Mike Rupp right now - a physical player who doesn't take stupid penalties.

Most of the Wild's players, even the very good ones, are skill players, finesse players. And two of the holdovers from the down years, Cal Clutterbuck and Pierre Marc-Bouchard, aren't producing.

All that being said, this team should still make the playoffs, and if it matches up with anybody other than Chicago, it could be competitive in the first round.

But despite the additions of Parise, Suter and Pominville, this is still a roster with major flaws.

-I'll be on WJON in St. Cloud at 7:15 and 1500ESPN with Judd & Dubay at noon tomorrow.



Wild-Los Angeles game preview

Updated: April 23, 2013 - 1:58 AM

MICHAEL RUSSO

7P.M. VS. LOS ANGELES • XCEL ENERGY CENTER • FSN, 100.3-FM

Preview: The Wild, after winning two of three on the road, blew a great opportunity against a rebuilding Calgary Flames team by losing 4-1 on Sunday. That opened a three-game homestand with a fifth consecutive home defeat (0-4-1, four goals scored). Now the Kings come to town, and they are looking a lot like the team that cruised to a Stanley Cup last spring. They are 4-0-1 in their past five and 9-2-3 in their past 14. The Wild beat them 4-3 in a shootout at home March 30.

Players to watch: Kings C Jeff Carter leads the Western Conference with 25 goals. He has 21 goals in the past 33 games. C Anze Kopitar is tied for 22nd in the NHL with 41 points — 32 points in the past 31 games —but no goals in the past 13. RW Dustin Brown is tied for fifth in the West with 18 goals. Wild checkers Stephane Veilleux and Jake Dowell will make their season debuts (and Dowell’s Wild debut). D Ryan Suter, second among NHL blue-liners with 28 assists, has topped 30 minutes in four of the past eight games. LW Zach Parise is fourth in the NHL with 172 shots. The Wild is 8-3-2 when Parise scores a goal.

Numbers: The Kings’ penalty kill has extinguished 16 consecutive penalties and 48 of the past 53. Their power play has goals in eight consecutive games; the Wild allowed three power-play goals on three chances Sunday. Four of the past five meetings have gone to a shootout (Wild winning three in a row).

Injuries: Wild LW Mike Rupp (lower body), RW Dany Heatley (shoulder surgery) and C Zenon Konopka (broken foot) are out. Kings D Willie Mitchell (knee) is out.



Chip Scoggins: Making playoffs is no given for Wild

Article by: CHIP SCOGGINS , Star Tribune


Tensions are mounting as a late-season slump has exposed role players not filling their roles.

Zach Parise has carried the load for the Wild but believes he can do more. “We have to help show the way and lead and show how to get things done.”

At 10 a.m. Monday, the Wild began selling playoff tickets on its website. Roughly 35 minutes later, the team announced a six-player transaction intended to provide an emotional boost that maybe helps the Wild, you know, actually make the playoffs.

A busy morning continued with a 30-minute team meeting/impromptu motivational session, which was followed by an “optional” practice. Optional in the same way that paying taxes is optional.

Afterward, I half-expected coach Mike Yeo to channel his inner Jim Mora when asked about his team’s precarious position with three games remaining.

Playoffs? Playoffs?! You kidding me? I just hope we can win a game.

Alas, he played the role of Stuart Smalley.

“We’re in a very good spot right now,” Yeo said without a hint of sarcasm. “We can all talk about how we’ve arrived here, but the bottom line is, our group has worked very hard and sacrificed an awful lot to get us in this position. We should be proud of that.”

That’s one way to look at things. The other side sees the sky falling.

The Wild remains in desperation mode, clinging to seventh place in the Western Conference standings. A 3-6-1 record in the past 10 games has put the team’s postseason bid in jeopardy as a cloud of tension hovers over the entire organization.

“It’s stressful, but there’s nothing like it,” Zach Parise said. “Just the reward when you win. There’s nothing like the playoffs. It’s incredible. We’ve got to get there.”

Maybe we miscalculated this team’s potential in the afterglow of a $196 million acquisition of Parise and Ryan Suter last summer, but did anyone really expect to see this team huffing and puffing and wheezing as it stumbles to clinch one of the final playoff spots? Wasn’t a playoff berth sort of the minimum expectation with this crew? Instead, it’s become a source of anxiety.

The most disconcerting aspect is that Parise and Suter have been as good as advertised and yet the Wild still hasn’t punched its postseason ticket. Parise leads the team in goals, scoring, game-winning goals and shots on goal. Suter leads the team in assists and ranks No. 1 in the NHL in ice time.

Those two can’t give much more. They need some help.

“I think everyone has to be better, ourselves included,” Parise said. “Just from the experiences that Ryan and I have had, I think we can still bring it up another level.”

Parise stopped and laughed. Even he knows that sounds absurd.

“They brought us in here for a reason, and we have to help show the way and lead and show how to get things done,” he said.

Here’s another idea: Key role players could start carrying more weight. Cal Clutterbuck has three goals in 39 games. Devin Setoguchi has not scored a goal since March 29. Kyle Brodziak ranks near the bottom of the NHL in plus-minus rating at minus-15.

Other than the top three defensemen — Suter, Jonas Brodin and Jared Spurgeon — the blue line is largely unreliable. Goalie Niklas Backstrom ranks among the league leaders in victories, but he looks tired and probably could use a breather, which is not possible given the urgency of this final week.

The Wild shipped overmatched youngsters Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker to the minors on Monday in exchange for veteran grinders Jake Dowell and Stephane Veilleux. The team also swapped backup goalies, replacing Darcy Kuemper with Josh Harding. Not exactly splashy moves, but the team needs some jolt of energy right now.

“This is the first year that we’re trying to get [to the playoffs] in five years,” Yeo said. “It’s supposed to be hard for us.”

The inconsistency is maddening, though, both as a group and for individual players. The Wild looked like a team capable of a deep playoff run in winning seven in a row in March. That same team now has lost five consecutive at Xcel Energy Center. The team that averaged 3.6 goals in March is averaging 1.7 goals in April.

“I think that’s just some signs of a somewhat inexperienced team that hasn’t been in this situation,” Parise said. “When we won seven in a row, we felt like no one could beat us. But then all of a sudden you lose one and you lose another one and you can get some doubt creeping in your mind. That doesn’t happen as much when you have teams that have won on a regular basis and won at a high level.”

The Wild finds itself in a different place, which prompted a meeting Monday to “get the feelings out and see where everybody’s head is at,” according to Yeo, who also noted, “We can’t get too wrapped up in all the big-picture stuff.”

Yeo found one comment from an unnamed player particularly useful.

“We can’t sit around and hope for anything,” Yeo recalled. “We can’t sit here and hope that a team that we’re ahead of loses.”

That’s true, but frankly, the time for pep talks is over. The Wild needs to play better defense, score more goals and eliminate costly lapses in focus. Do that, and the big picture will look a lot different.



Struggling Wild rookies Granlund, Zucker sent to AHL

Article by: MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune


Veterans Stephane Veilleux and Jake Dowell were recalled from Houston.

Stephane Veilleux has seen plenty of ice time with the Wild in past seasons, but he has yet to appear in the NHL this year.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, so with the Wild’s grasp on a playoff spot slipping by the day, the Wild made a significant roster shakeup Monday.

With three games left in the regular season and the big, strong Los Angeles Kings visiting on Tuesday, the Wild made an identity switch, swapping skilled but high-risk rookies Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker with physical but safer veterans Stephane Veilleux and Jake Dowell.

The hope is that Veilleux and Dowell, who both were playing for the Houston Aeros of the AHL, will bring energy, grit and toughness. Granlund and Zucker had struggled since their most recent call-ups. The final straw came in Monday’s 4-1 loss to Calgary when both players made mistakes and strayed from the system — things the Wild cannot afford with the standings so tight right now.

“It’s not an easy time of year for young kids, and that’s also a real compliment to Charlie [Coyle] and Brods [Jonas Brodin] that they’re still able to go out and play and not play like young kids,” coach Mike Yeo said. “But it’s a tough time right now. And the game is tough and we’ve got to make sure that we’ve got everybody in the lineup going out and helping us to get to our game, playing the game the way that we should see it being played.”

Yeo indicated that the coaches talked to Granlund and Zucker about their play in recent days, but “if it doesn’t change, then you have to look to doing it a different way.”

Veilleux, 31, who has played 382 of his 460 NHL games with the Wild, and Dowell, 28, who has played 154 games for Chicago and Dallas, would be making their season debuts.

The hope is they bring the hard-nosed element lost by recent injuries to Mike Rupp and Zenon Konopka.

But the Wild has scored four goals though during an 0-4-1 home slide. Veilleux and Dowell have combined for seven goals and 17 points in 70 combined games for the Aeros.

Asked how he justifies the need for goals with demoting Granlund and Zucker, Yeo noted that the Wild has given up 16 goals in the past four games overall.

“I think that’s a bigger issue,” Yeo said. “When we’re winning games and when we’re at our best, certainly we score, but we’re a team that’s very difficult to play against, we’re a team that’s good defensively and plays with the right structure, the right details and plays the game with an edge.”

Harding back up

As expected, Josh Harding completed his two-game conditioning stint and was recalled Monday. Darcy Kuemper was reassigned as the Aeros prepare to open the Calder Cup playoffs in a best-of-five series against Grand Rapids on Friday.

Harding gave up five goals in five periods and helped the Aeros clinch a playoff spot with a victory over Texas on Friday.

Niklas Backstrom almost certainly will start against the Kings and Oilers this week, but if the Wild has a playoff spot ironed down by Saturday, there’s a chance Harding starts in Saturday’s finale at Colorado.

“We think we got [the multiple sclerosis] under control here,” Harding said. “I went and played and I felt good and nothing bothered me. The circumstances [in the AHL] aren’t like the NHL. It’s hot and humid down there, you’re bussing, the travel schedule is difficult, your routines are

different. And if I can play there under those circumstances, I know I could play here.

“… I have a responsibility as a teammate and for this team to get myself ready in case I get in there, even in practice to make the guys better by trying as hard as I can. That’s my responsibility right now. I owe it to the team to do that.”

Etc.

• Konopka (broken foot) returned to practice Monday, while Rupp (lower body) skated at the start.

• Jason Pominville was the lone player to miss Monday’s optional practice, but Yeo said he is fine.

• Wild officials unveiled the Iowa Wild’s new jersey and logo at a news conference in Des Moines on Monday. They can be seen on iowawild.com. The Aeros are relocating to Iowa after this season.



Minnesota Wild shake up roster and call team meeting with 3 games left

By Chad Graff

Posted: 04/22/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 04/22/2013 08:22:19 PM CDT

Outscored 12-2 in the last 6-1/2 periods, the Wild shook up their roster with three regular-season games remaining as they pursue their first playoff berth since 2008.

Gone are top prospects Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker, both 21, sent back to Houston of the American Hockey League.

Enter journeymen Stephane Veilleux, 31, and Jake Dowell, 28, recalled from the Aeros.

Also out is goalie Darcy Kuemper, 22, sent back to Houston to make room for goalie Josh Harding, 28, who was activated off injured reserve.

With the forwards, the team swapped youth for experience, skill for energy.

"Well, obviously, when you look at those guys, it's a bit of different identity to the players," Yeo said. "A little bit harder, and probably the veteran side of it is important this time of year, too, and that had a lot to do with it.

"It's not an easy time of year for young kids, and that's also a real compliment to Charlie (Coyle, 21) and (Jonas) Brodin (19) that they're still able to go out and play and not play like young kids."

So what can we expect from Veilleux and Dowell?

"You'll see Stephane flying around," Wild forward Devin Setoguchi said. "He'll be skating so hard, it will look like he's going to go right through the boards."

And Dowell?

"He's a responsible centerman," forward Zach Parise said. "Very good on the draw."

With Harding, the move was expected. He is coming off a conditioning stint with Houston, where he went 1-1-0 with a 3.00 goals-against

average in two starts. He played four games for Minnesota early in the season, then was sidelined because he didn't react well to medication for multiple sclerosis. He was diagnosed with the disease last fall.

"I felt good," Harding said Monday. "I just played two games in Houston that went well. ... The circumstances there aren't like the NHL. It's hot, it's humid down there. The travel schedule is different. If I can play there under those circumstances, I know I can play here."

Yeo said he did not plan on starting Harding on Tuesday when the Wild host the defending Stanley Cup champions Los Angeles Kings.

"(He looked) really good," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. "I think that's a big lift for our team, getting him back and seeing him in the net. "

Monday morning, the team held a meeting with coaches and players to talk about the team's situation. The meeting lasted about 30 minutes.

"What was really important is, a lot of them were the ones talking today," Yeo said. "Just trying to get the group to talk and get the feelings out and see where everybody's head is at. ... Some of the comments (were) about first of all recognizing some of the things that we can do better, but more importantly recognizing that we're in a very good spot right now."

The Wild have two games left at home and two against non-playoff teams. One win more than likely would secure the No. 8 seed and a first-round matchup with the Chicago Blackhawks. Minnesota likely would need three or four points to grab the seventh seed. The Wild haven't won a game at home this month after going 0-5 so far.

"The bottom line is, our group has worked very hard -- very hard -- and sacrificed an awful lot to get us in this position," Yeo said. "And we should be proud of that. We've got a great opportunity. We should be excited about it. One thing we talked about is: why should it not be hard for us? This is the

first year that we're trying to get there (to the playoffs) in five years. It's supposed to be hard for us."

Pioneer Press LOADED: 04.23.2013


Minnesota Wild, NHL gaining ground in world of analytics

By Chad Graff

Posted: 04/22/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 04/22/2013 08:18:20 PM CDT

Sure, the Minnesota Wild use analytics. General manager Chuck Fletcher will admit to that.

Beyond that?

"I don't know how much I want to talk about it because we like to try to keep some of the staff under wraps a little bit," he said, "but we use analytics and we analyze data. It's part of every decision we make."

Some organizations are open about their use of sports analytics. Some are so concerned about disclosing inside information that they speak only in generalities -- if at all.

The Wild are private about their inner workings. All requests for comments and information on analytics were funneled to Fletcher, and he only provided a short interview.

If the Wild have a competitive advantage with their analytics, they don't want anyone to know.

"I think it's developed over the last couple of years in every sport," Fletcher said. "I would assume most teams would use analytics in their decision-making process. We're always looking at stats and numbers and looking for ways to make better decisions, whether it's signing players to contracts or how we draft players or how we sign free agents or how we value players. It's part of everything we do."

As in determining what players are worth?

"Absolutely."

What about how players are used?

"We use it in everything."

Fletcher said he has someone in charge of overseeing the process, but declined to name that person. It's not uncommon for teams to designate someone to oversee analytics. His

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predecessor, Doug Risebrough, had someone, too. He was let go a year after the new regime took control.

The former regime had its own way of operating.

It introduced the Wild to the world of advanced analytics.

ANSWERING 'WHY?'

Risebrough had been in Minnesota for six seasons, as the Wild's first general manager. Two down seasons after the franchise's improbable run to the 2003 Western Conference finals left him looking for an edge that wouldn't cost a lot. The team had just signed Keith Carney and Kim Johnsson to multi-year deals.

Risebrough had been intrigued by advanced statistics. He remembers reading a book by longtime NBA coach Pat Riley, "The Winner Within: A Life Plan for a Team."

In it, Riley wrote about a stat that only he kept. It logged the performance of his shooters on free throws in high-pressure situations. This was the mid-1990s, and the analytics revolution hadn't really hit sports yet. Certainly not like it has today.

And definitely not in hockey.

But it was 2006, and Risebrough saw an opportunity, He wanted to bring in a new mind and a new way of thinking.

Enter Chris Snow.

Snow was a sportswriter who was familiar with the Wild, having covered them for one season in a prior job.

Former Wild president and general manager Doug Risebrough (Pioneer Press file photo: John Doman)

He also was familiar with advanced statistics after covering the analytically driven Theo Epstein and the Boston Red Sox.

"What better person to come by than somebody that's curious and always providing questions," Risebrough said.

At age 24, Snow's task as director of hockey operations was to find a way to incorporate new technology and analytics into the organization.

He teamed with Syndex Sports, the creator of the baseball software BATS, and with input from the Boston Bruins helped create the software PUCKS.

It was a risky play six seasons ago. Now, almost two-thirds of the league uses PUCKS. The other third uses a rival software called Thunder.

They essentially do the same thing.

They are software databases that allow users to pull up a player's stats with matching video. Take faceoffs. Users can look at the overall record of a player on the draw. Each win and loss has a link for video of that faceoff.

Then the user can get even more creative.

Want to know the best centers on the draw in a close game in the third period in the offensive zone taking a right-circle faceoff? You got it.

"There's about nothing it can't do," said Phoenix Coyotes video coach Steve Peters, a Bemidji, Minn. native.

Here's one example of how Snow helped the Wild.

"We tracked the shot location of every shot from every player in every game during the season," he said. "Thousands and thousands of shots. We used that to come up with metrics for who was a good shooter and why."

Snow became used to answering, "Why?" Change is not always embraced easily in the culture of a hockey organization. Snow learned quickly he had to show how he came to his conclusions. It didn't matter if he had the right answer if he couldn't show how he got to that conclusion.

Thanks to coach Jacques Lemaire, video scouting took off quickly with the Wild. He was curious about the impact. The entire front office was spurred by a curiosity with video analysis and advanced statistics.

Snow contends the Wild were the first team to have coaches and players using it.

Now 31 years old and director of video and statistical analysis for the Calgary Flames, Snow said he does not know how extensively the Wild are using analytics today. He declined to address what he saw in Minnesota during the final year of his contract, when he worked under Fletcher.

Snow estimates that, while advanced metrics are used by every front office, less than half of teams' coaches and players use it.

Risebrough, now a scout for the New York Rangers, knows that's the direction he wanted to go when he was with the Wild. Analytics weren't a panacea, he knew, but he figured they were part of the solution. It just didn't pan out in Minnesota for him, and he was fired after the 2008-09 season.

"I felt like I was pushing toward it more when I was GM," Risebrough said. "But I'd be skeptical if someone said they had a statistic that they could make all their decisions with."

'NO SECRETS ANYMORE'

The benefits to video scouting -- of free agents, of draft-eligible players, of opponents, and of a team's own players -- have been apparent since the days of VHS tapes.

Peters started as a video coach 16 years ago. He used to have a stack of VHS tapes piled on his desk.

"And the time it took was incredible," he said. "Just for a small meeting, it took a tremendous amount of time. The amount of time spent hasn't changed -- just the information we get in that same amount of time. In fact, we probably work more now. In the past, you'd read a book on the plane. Now you can work on your laptop."

Peters credits the NHL's tightly grouped standings now, in part, to the advances in video scouting through computer software.

"There are no secrets in the NHL anymore," Peters said. "When we go into Minnesota, we know every faceoff play they have and every breakout they have. Coaches are more prepared, players are more prepared, and I think that's why we have so much more parity now."

The video scouting is, for the most part, a level playing field in the NHL. So many teams use the same software. The separation comes in how effectively they use the software and, increasingly, what they do with it to create new statistics.

"When you compare it to the other five-on-five game, basketball has taken to it much faster and evolved much faster," Snow said. "The statistics and analysis they have is much more advanced than hockey."

That might be slowly changing.

"More teams are going deeper into the stats," Peters said. "We've created some of our own statistics. We have an eight-page report that we create on our own every day. When we put all of the reports together, we get a really good idea of who's doing well. Coaches look at that. And we post the report on the board (in the locker room) so everyone on the team can see it. It gives an opportunity to players to use as a motivational tool and find ways to improve, and it adds some accountability for those players.

"When you watch a player, you tend to remember the great plays and the terrible plays. That's what sticks out in your mind. When you look at all the stats after, though, it may give you a different impression of how the player did."

Philosophically, hockey is dealing with the same issue as other major league sports. Nobody wants to go by advanced metrics alone. Nobody can afford to ignore analytics, either.

"There is a fundamental difference from other sports," said Risebrough. "It's more of a behavioral game. It's not like other sports where there is just one matchup or one aspect you can look at."

Baseball revolves around the one-on-one confrontation between pitcher and hitter and long has been statistically focused. But baseball also has the longest tradition of the four major-league sports, and purists still won't budge on the importance of, say, on-base percentage vs. batting average.

It's all about finding the right mix.

Hockey might not be there yet when it comes to video and advanced analytics.

"Hockey uses it to either confirm a decision they already want to make," Snow said, "or confirm a decision that they already know they don't want to make."

"What you want to do," Risebrough said, "is reinforce statistics with video and video with scouting."

The PUCKS software is only six years old. Advanced statistics that come out of it are even younger. The evolution of PUCKS has led to the recent increase in advanced statistics. Without the software, it would be almost impossible to track the new stats.

Whether or not hockey is lagging, it at least is making strides.

"I think we're just at the beginning of what teams will do," Fletcher said. "This will continue to evolve and advance."

Staff writer Bruce Brothers contributed to this report.



First, Minnesota Wild must learn to handle success

Bob Sansevere

Posted: 04/22/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 04/22/2013 06:17:46 PM CDT

Itemizing a few things ...

Item: The Wild have lost two in a row and have just three games left in the regular season with a playoff berth hanging in the balance.

I think: The Wild are lucky, so very lucky. It could be so much worse for them. They're clinging to a playoff spot, and it's a good thing Detroit and Dallas -- the two teams with a chance of overtaking them -- have had their own late-season issues. The Wild have talent, but the trouble is they still haven't figured out how to handle success. And figuring that out is the most important step in the development of any team.

Item: The Vikings go into the NFL draft on the lookout for a cornerback in the early rounds.

I think: The Vikings wouldn't be so interested in drafting a cornerback if they hadn't botched things with Antoine Winfield. Chances are, Winfield still would be with the Vikings if they had shown him some respect by talking to him about redoing his contract. Instead, they cut him, then tried re-signing him. Winfield joined the Seattle Seahawks. Winfield is a huge loss for the Vikings -- on and off the field. He was one of the best leaders the franchise has ever had.

Item: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers acquire rehabbing cornerback Darrelle Revis from the New York Jets and give him a six-year, $96 million deal.

I think: Although none of that money is guaranteed, Revis owes a thank you to Adrian


Peterson. It's unlikely the Bucs would have been so willing to part with the 13th overall pick in the 2013 draft and the $16 million it will cost them this season if Peterson hadn't come back so strong from a knee injury similar to what Revis suffered in the third game of the 2012 season.



Minnesota Wild move AHL affiliate to Des Moines

Pioneer Press

Posted: 04/22/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 04/22/2013 12:33:45 PM CDT

The Minnesota Wild have officially changed their American Hockey League affiliate from Houston to Des Moines, Iowa, Wild owner Craig Leipold announced Monday, April 22.

The move already had been widely reported, but the Wild made it official at a news conference Monday in Des Moines.

The Iowa Wild will debut in the 2013-14 season and play their home games at 16,000-seat Wells Fargo Arena.


671768 Montreal Canadiens

Final week about right mindset and home ice for labouring Habs

SEAN GORDON

There is a question on the minds of fretful Montreal Canadiens fans, and it’s not a happy one.

It goes, more or less, like this: Is this the week Habs blow their chance at home-ice advantage?

The fear is the team, which has occupied a lofty perch in the Eastern Conference for two months, has started hurtling back to earth, and is in danger of cracking up on re-entry.

Is it time to panic in Montreal?

Perhaps. But if such is the case, the anxious clucking from the nervous nellies in the fan base isn’t being heard in the dressing room.

Well, not too loudly, anyway.

“We’re in a good place right now. We weren’t for a week there. Obviously, as soon as everyone jumps on you, it’s easy to feel sorry for yourself and let down, but we’re at the point where we need to fight back,” said forward Max Pacioretty, who admitted his own game needs to improve vastly. “I think it would be a problem in the playoffs if we never had to deal with some adversity. This is our adversity.”

The Habs have spent the two days since they were outclassed 5-1 by the surging Washington Capitals doing something you don’t much see 45 games into the season: going back to basics.

Practice has been filled with chalk-talks, zone drills and the sort of work on breakouts and board battles that typically characterize training camp.

Lest anyone think the time for teaching was months ago, the players don’t appear to feel that way.

“We need to compete harder, practising helps. You play the way you practice, and we haven’t had a lot of time to practice this year. To have two intense ones like that, back to back, should show in the next game,” centre David Desharnais said.

The Habs close out the season with three road games – against the now-eliminated New Jersey Devils on Tuesday, in Winnipeg on Thursday, and in Toronto on Saturday.

Should the Habs stumble into the Ontario capital on the back of a pair of losses, that game could well be played with home-ice advantage in the first round on the line.

In a perfect world, the Habs won’t let it get that far, but that will require plugging a lot of leaks.

While many have singled out goalie Carey Price during the current 2-5 slide, the problems run far deeper.

Forwards like Pacioretty, Desharnais and Tomas Plekanec have seen their production dip, winger Rene Bourque is plainly not the same player he was before suffering a concussion in February that sidelined him for 21 games.

On the blueline, Andrei Markov’s lack of mobility has become evident to Habs opponents, which is a growing concern given a lack of depth and the heavy load he carries. The Russian is coming off two years on the sidelines because of knee reconstructions, and was named as the team’s nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy on Monday – a worthy honour, and it’s no surprise his skating has been hampered by his balky knees.

When head coach Michel Therrien was asked if he’s noticed any changes recently in Markov’s game, he was diplomatic.

“Other teams have adjusted, it goes both ways. Andrei has been great on the power play … he’s very important to us,” he said.

Beyond the forwards’ lethargy and Markov’s struggles, a knee injury to Alexei Emelin has robbed the defence of depth, the recent return of Raphael Diaz from a concussion should help restore a semblance of

defensive balance, and Therrien said he’ll tinker with his lineup to achieve it.

To that end, Diaz and Josh Gorges (whose customary steadiness has deserted him in the past couple of weeks) will play together in New Jersey, which presumes P.K. Subban and Francis Bouillon will play top-pair minutes while Markov could see somewhat more sheltered time alongside Yannick Weber.

“We’re trying to balance it as much as we can,” Therrien said.

The official objective this week is three wins, which would guarantee Montreal opens the playoffs at the Bell Centre.

If the Maple Leafs were to lose one of their remaining games, a single Habs win would ensure they finish no lower than fourth in the East.

But more than the immediate objective, the Habs are looking to strike the right mind set for the postseason. “We need to find our winning mind-set … we need to have fun again,” Desharnais said.

Toronto Globe And Mail LOADED: 04.23.2013


Canadiens will need to stop slide in order to retain home-ice advantage

By Brenda Branswell, THE GAZETTE April 22, 2013

MONTREAL — The Canadiens haven’t faced the stress of trying to nail down a playoff spot in the final days of the regular season.

But their pivotal final road trip this week comes with its own set of pressures — namely, trying to get their game back on track before the National Hockey League playoffs and keep home-ice advantage.

The slumping Habs, who are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, have lost four of their last five games. They’ve struggled defensively and in goal, allowing their opponents to score an alarming 23 goals during those four losses.

“Honestly, I think the trip comes at a good time for us, where we’ve just had two good practices,” coach Michel Therrien said on Monday before the team left for New Jersey.

The players had a good attitude during Sunday and Monday’s practices, and the coaching staff did a lot of teaching, Therrien said.

“We’ve got to get back to our good habits.”

The Canadiens play the Devils Tuesday (7 p.m. RDS, TSN-HABS, TSN Radio 690), followed by the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday and they end the regular season in Toronto on Saturday against the Maple Leafs.

The Canadiens practised at the Bell Centre Monday, where they also had their team photo taken. Colby Armstrong, who has missed 10 games with a knee injury, practised on the fourth line with Jeff Halpern and Brandon Prust. When asked about Travis Moen’s status for Tuesday’s game, Therrien said he would reveal his lineup on Tuesday.

Therrien switched up defensive pairings at practice. Andrei Markov was paired with Yannick Weber and P.K. Subban with Francis Bouillon.

Josh Gorges played alongside Raphael Diaz, who returned to play on Saturday after missing 25 games with a concussion.

“We thought the chemistry at the beginning of the year was good,” Therrien said of that defensive pairing.

The team has experimented with its forward lines and defensive pairings over the past two few weeks and other experiments might follow this week, Therrien said.

Therrien was also asked about 19-year-old rookie Alex Galchenyuk, whose average total ice time is 12:15.

Galchenyuk is doing really well — and he’s doing well in the position in which they’ve put him, Therrien said.

“Right now everything is going like we planned it,” Therrien said. “He’s had success and we’re really happy about that.”

Armstrong said he felt good in practice and in some “battle drills,” getting knocked around a little bit.

“I’m good to go. Hopefully I’m in,” he said.

Max Pacioretty, who practised on a line with David Desharnais and Brendan Gallagher, said the team has to be confident going into the playoffs.

“Obviously there’s a slip up,” Pacioretty said. “But we’re, I think, third or fourth team in the league to clinch playoffs for a reason.

“We’ve got a good group in here. And being able to overcome this adversity might be able to help us in the long run.”

The Canadiens called up eight players on Monday from their farm club, the Hamilton Bulldogs, whose season ended on the weekend. The players are defencemen Nathan Beaulieu, Greg Pateryn and Jarred Tinordi, forwards Michaël Bournival, Louis Leblanc and Petteri Nokelainen as well as goaltenders Robert Mayer and Dustin Tokarski.

They’ll spend the week practising in Hamilton with the Bulldogs coaching staff and come to Montreal on Sunday.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 04.23.2013


Markov nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial trophy

By Brenda Branswell, The Gazette April 22, 2013

MONTREAL - If there's anyone who knows the long road back from an injury it's Canadiens' defenceman Andrei Markov.

He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee twice and underwent two ACL reconstructions, missing most of the past two seasons.

Markov has been nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy awarded annually to an NHL player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game.

He was selected as the nominee from the Canadiens in a vote by the Montreal chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The Masterton trophy winner will be chosen at the end of the regular season by a vote of PHWA members.

"I'm just happy to play the game," Markov, 34, said about the nomination after the Canadiens' practice on Monday.

"Every time I step on the ice it's a great feeling ... I have a big list of the people who helped me over the past two years and thanks to them, too."

Markov has played in all of the Canadiens' 45 games to date this season and has the highest average ice time — 24:18 — among the team's defencemen. A key fixture on the Habs' power play, Markov got off to a strong start but has struggled defensively of late — his plus/minus differential is -12 — as has the team, which is mired in a late-season slump. His 27 points — nine goals and 18 assists — is the fourth highest on the team. He is also tied for fifth in points among NHL defencemen.

"When you talk about perseverance Andrei is proof of it," said Coach Michel Therrien, who noted the veteran defenceman is an important player on the team who they've used a lot.

While every game hasn't gone as he'd like, Markov said he tries to play his best and enjoy every game. "I'm happy I'm healthy right now and I still have room to improve and I'm going to work on that in the future."

There were bad days and good ones when he was injured but Markov said he tried to stay positive every day, look forward and concentrate on his rehab.

It's "tough to say" Markov said about whether he finds his skating like it was before he was injured. "I don't feel any issue right now on the ice. I feel comfortable when I'm skating. But at the same time you always have room to improve and that's what I'm looking for, to improve my game, to improve who I am and just looking forward."

Masterton played for the Minnesota North Stars. He died two days after being injured in a game in 1968 when his head struck the ice.

Five Canadiens have won the trophy named after him since its inception that year — more winners than from any other NHL team.

Former Canadiens captain Saku Koivu earned the honour in 2002 after his remarkable return to play near the end of the regular season after undergoing chemotherapy treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Max Pacioretty won the trophy last year after an impressive comeback season in which he led the Canadiens in points. In a scary, controversial incident the previous season, Pacioretty was knocked unconscious when his head hit the stanchion near the Boston Bruins' bench as he was checked by defenceman Zdeno Chara.

The other Canadiens to win the Masterton are Serge Savard, Henri Richard and the late Claude Provost.



Habs head off on crucial final road trip before playoffs

by Brenda Branswell

The Canadiens left for New Jersey on Monday after practice, hoping to end their late season slump.

It’s a pivotal week for the Habs, who have struggled defensively and in goal since clinching a playoff spot. They play the Devils Tuesday night (7 p.m., TSN-HABS, RDS, TSN Radio 690), the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday and end the regular season in Toronto on Saturday against the Maple Leafs.

“I think the trip comes at a good time for us …where we’ve just had two good practices,” coach Michel Therrien said.

The players had a good attitude during them and the coaching staff did a lot of teaching, Therrien said, adding it’s important that they play the solid hockey they’re able to play.

“We’ve got to get back to our good habits.”

The Canadiens practised at the Bell Centre, where they also had their team photo taken. Colby Armstrong, who has been out with a knee injury, practised on a line with Jeff Halpern and Brandon Prust. When asked about Travis Moen’s status for Tuesday’s game, Therrien said he would reveal his lineup on Tuesday.

“I’m good to go,” Armstrong said after practice. “Hopefully I’m in. I feel good in practice.

“I think one thing we’ve noticed is offensively and defensively we haven’t been supporting each other as well and opening ourselves (up) to be taken advantage of – you see we’re giving up five, six goals a game every once and awhile here down the stretch. So not what we’re supposed to do by any means. We’re supposed to be a stingy tough team to play against.”

The Canadiens plan to call up some players from the Hamilton Bulldogs, who finished their AHL season on Sunday, Therrien said. The Habs will provide more details later Monday.

The lines at practice were: Bourque-Plekanec-Gionta; Pacioretty-Desharnais-Gallagher; Galchenyuk-Eller-Ryder; Prust-Halpern-Armstrong; Moen-Dumont-Blunden; White.

Defence pairings were: Weber-Markov; Bouillon-Subban; Diaz-Gorges; Drewiske-Kaberle.



Markov nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

by Stu Cowan

Canadiens defenceman Andrei Markov has been nominated for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy awarded annually to an NHL player who best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to the game.

Markov was selected as the nominee from the Canadiens in a vote by the Montreal chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association. The Masterton trophy winner is chosen at the end of the regular season by a vote of PHWA members.

Markov missed most of the past two seasons due to injuries. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee twice and underwent two ACL reconstructions.

He has played in all of the Canadiens’ 45 games to date this season and has the highest average ice time – 24:18 – among the team’s defencemen. A key fixture on the Habs’ power play, Markov got off to a strong start but has struggled defensively of late – his plus/minus differential is -12 – as has the team, which is mired in a late-season slump. Markov’s 27 points – nine goals and 18 assists -is the fourth highest on the team. He is tied for fifth in points among NHL defencemen.

Masterton played for the Minnesota North Stars. He died two days after being injured in a game in 1968 when his head struck the ice.

Five Canadiens have won the trophy named after him since its inception that year – more winners than from any other NHL team.

Former Canadiens captain Saku Koivu earned the honour in 2002 after his remarkable return to play near the end of the regular season after undergoing chemotherapy treatment for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

Max Pacioretty won the trophy last year after an impressive comeback season in which he led the Canadiens in points. In a scary, controversial incident the previous season, Pacioretty was knocked unconscious when his head hit the stanchion near the Boston Bruins’ bench as he was checked by defenceman Zdeno Chara.

The other Canadiens to win the Masterton are Serge Savard, Henri Richard and the late Claude Provost.


671773 Nashville Predators

Nashville Predators fans don't bail

Josh Cooper

The Predators and Canucks were tied 2-2 midway through their April 15 meeting when a timeout was called and a crowd of 16,158 at Bridgestone Arena stood and cheered.

It wasn’t an especially important moment in a big game — the Predators were on the verge of elimination from the playoff race — but fans were letting the injury-decimated home team know that they appreciated the effort.

“They’re going to support us right through the end,” captain Shea Weber said, “and we’re very grateful for that.”

Despite a lockout that cut out almost half their home games and a season that’s among the worst in franchise history, the Predators continued to increase attendance. The 20th sellout of the season is expected tonight when Nashville hosts Calgary in the home finale.

“We had this pot of boiling water, and we threw this big chunk of ice on it. Well eventually the ice dissolved, and the water has started to boil again,” Predators chief executive officer Jeff Cogen said. “It’s not boiling to the same level it was in May of last year, but as time has passed, the pot is starting to boil more and more and more, and I feel as though we’ve gotten back to that boiling point level that we left last year.”

Last season, the franchise set a record for average home attendance with 16,691 fans per game. This season, through 23 of 24 home games, the average is 16,968. The least-attended game was April 9 against St. Louis with a crowd of 15,063, significantly higher than the low mark (10,581) of 2009-10.

The 2010-11 and 2011-12 seasons were two of Nashville’s best on the ice, with back-to-back appearances in the second round of the playoffs. The Predators sold out a team-record 29 consecutive games dating to last season and concluding April 2.

“We always said, when you start playing games into May you build more of a connection with your fans,” Predators chief operating officer Sean Henry said. “A few new people are coming on board, it becomes a little bit hotter of a ticket because you sell out all the playoff games. It’s something people are talking about all spring and into the summer.”

This season provided new and different challenges.

First, there was the lockout, which canceled games through late January. Staff members developed community initiatives to stay in the public consciousness, however, which kept the buzz alive until games resumed.

“We stayed connected to our fans; our fans appreciated it,” Henry said.

The timing of the lockout also provided a broader audience of potential ticket buyers. In a regular 82-game season, the Predators prefer a back-loaded schedule, with most of their home games after January, so as not to compete with the NFL.

The lockout ended Jan. 6 — just a few days after the Titans finished their season.

“Having that large percentage of games, when really you’re the only game … surely it helps a little bit,” Henry said.

A post-lockout scheduling quirk helped as well. The Predators played just two games at Bridgestone Arena in January, then went on the road for 15 days, allowing even more time to sell tickets for the bulk of the home schedule.

The lockout was just one part of the challenge, however. Since Feb. 25, the Predators are 6-15-4 and rank 27th of 30 teams in the league. It will be the second time in nine seasons Nashville won’t make the playoffs, and the second time in 10 seasons it will finish below .500.

Injuries to multiple regulars have made the roster almost unrecognizable compared with the one that stormed into the playoffs last season. Attendance predictably dipped, and the Predators sold out just three of their past seven games as younger, unproven players filled out the roster.

Highly touted prospect Filip Forsberg was brought in from Sweden, and promising draft picks Taylor Beck and Austin Watson were called up from the minors. Next season and beyond became the selling point to fans.

“They have a chance to look at the team’s future,” said Dirk Hoag, who runs the fan blog ontheforecheck.com. “And I think Filip Forsberg has probably given fans good reason to look ahead to what the fall might offer.”

The Predators are behind last season’s season-ticket renewal by about 5 percent, but are confident that difference can be made up, Henry said.

There will be a 2 percent price increase for season tickets next year, he said, but current season-ticket holders who renew their plans face no increase. Prices for single-games tickets have yet to be determined.

“We love what our pricing is right now. We’re one of the cheaper tickets in the entire NHL,” Henry said. “We know what’s important. We have to fill the building up. We have to give people more reason to come.”

Tennessean LOADED: 04.23.2013


Nashville Predators' finish will determine draft order

Josh Cooper

Nashville’s home finale against Calgary could have ramifications for both teams in the NHL draft.

After Monday’s games, the Predators ranked 14th in the Western Conference with 39 points, and the Flames were 12th with 42 points. The Predators were 27th overall in the NHL, the Flames 24th.

Nashville could jump to 26th with a win over Calgary, lowering its chances of a higher pick in the June 30 draft. The worse a team finishes the season, the better its draft pick.

With a win, Nashville won’t pass the Flames, but Calgary presents the Predators’ most beatable opponent the rest of the season. Nashville plays at Detroit on Thursday and at Columbus on Saturday — both teams are fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot.

The Predators have lost their past eight games.

“We try to finish out strong and as a group that will never give up and give it everything we got,” forward Mike Fisher said. “That’s all we can do. The rest just takes care of itself … and you can’t worry about the draft and positioning and all that stuff.”

Since 2003, the Predators have picked inside the top 10 only once, selecting forward Colin Wilson seventh overall in 2008. The Predators have never held the No. 1 pick.

The NHL’s draft lottery for non-playoff teams is April 29.

Rinne for Masterton: The Nashville chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association announced that goaltender Pekka Rinne is the Predators’ nominee for the 2013 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

Voted on by the PHWA, the Masterton is given to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” All 30 chapters nominate a player.

Former Predator Steve Sullivan won the award in 2009.

Forsberg to minors: Rookie Filip Forsberg probably will join the American Hockey League’s Milwaukee Admirals for their playoffs, coach Barry Trotz said.

The Admirals begin the playoffs on Friday.

The 18-year-old Forsberg can play in up to five NHL games before burning a year off his entry-level contract. He’s played in three so far.

Injuries: Fisher (hand) returned to practice Monday and said he hoped to play against the Flames. He hasn’t played since April 6. Forward Patric Hornqvist (upper body) skated with the team for the first time since April 12, but he was ruled out for today. Tennessean LOADED: 04.23.2013


Preview: Predators vs. Calgary Flames

Apr. 22, 2013 11:59 PM

Josh Cooper

• When: 7 p.m. today

• Where: Bridgestone Arena

• TV/radio: Fox TN/102.5-FM

• Hat trick: 1. Flames assistant coach Martin Gelinas is a former Predators player. He was also the team’s director of player development from 2009 through last offseason, when he joined Calgary’s coaching staff. 2. This is Nashville’s final home game of the season. The Predators are 10-9-4 at home and haven’t finished with a losing record at home since 2000-01. 3. Predators defenseman Hal Gill is expected to play in his 1,100th career game, 16th overall amongst active skaters.

• Injuries: Predators F Mike Fisher (hand) is questionable; F Colin Wilson (shoulder), F Paul Gaustad (shoulder), F Gabriel Bourque (knee), F Patric Hornqvist (upper body), F Taylor Beck (upper body) and F Brandon Yip (lower body) are out. Calgary F Steve Begin (hand) and D Derek Smith (lower body) are questionable; D Dennis Wideman (finger) F Curtis Glencross (knee), F Alex Tanguay (knee) and F Paul Byron (hand) are out.

• Next for Predators: 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Detroit.

Tennessean LOADED: 04.23.2013


Rinne personifies hockey's best traits with perseverance, performance

Monday, April 22, 2013 at 10:24pm

By David Boclair

Pekka Rinne did not exactly make it to the NHL through the backdoor.

He was a backup, though, when Nashville Predators scouts discovered him, and never were the doors to stardom thrown open for him. He got there only through persistence and patience.

Now one of the NHL’s best and a franchise cornerstone, the 30-year-old goaltender was named the Predators’ 2013 Masterton Trophy nominee Monday by a vote of local members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The Masteron Trophy recognizes “the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” One player from each team is nominated and the winner is chosen by a vote of the full PHWA membership.

Steve Sullivan won the Masteron Trophy in 2009 after his return from a back injury that sidelined him for nearly two years. Jordin Tootoo was Nashville’s nominee last season.

The award allows for a broad range of qualities to be honored, many of which Rinne exemplifies.

His perseverance is evidenced by the fact that he never was a starter in the top division in his native Finland, yet his pregame and practice habits were enough to convince Nashville to use an eighth-round draft pick on him in 2004. He came to North America a year later and spent three full seasons in the American Hockey League.

He missed roughly the first half of his second season at Milwaukee due to a shoulder injury, which was the result of an unprovoked altercation outside of a restaurant back home. He was a backup when he started his first NHL season but the starter by the time the playoffs arrived.

No matter the obstacles, he always has succeeded to a great degree. He’s a two-time Vezina Trophy finalist who also received serious consideration for the Hart Trophy (NHL MVP) two years ago. Earlier this month he was named the greatest player in Milwaukee Admirals history.

He is the Predators’ all-time leader in shutouts (30), goals-against average (2.36) and save percentage (.920), not to mention playoff wins (13).

Just as important, he is an example to his teammates of unrelenting competitiveness yet unfailing perspective, regardless of the situation. He is a thoughtful and willing spokesman in victory and defeat and a fan favorite because of his personality.

Nashville plays its final home game of the season Tuesday against Calgary, and he enters that one tied for the league led in appearances with 42. That is all but three thus far in this lockout-shortened season.

He also tied for the league lead in games played by a goalie last season with 73.

Rinne’s 43 wins in 2011-12 topped the NHL. Vancouver’s Roberto Luongo and Montreal’s Carey Price, both former first-round picks, shared the league lead in wins the previous season, and in 2009-10 another first-rounder, New Jersey’s Martin Brodeur, was first in that regard.

Those other three were identified as stars long before they made it to the NHL. Rinne had to prove it every step of the way.

Nashville City Paper LOADED: 04.23.2013

671777 New Jersey Devils

Kings Seek Repeat of Late-Season Magic

By ANDREW KNOLL

Published: April 22, 2013

LOS ANGELES — Hours before the Los Angeles Kings clinched a playoff berth Saturday, General Manager Dean Lombardi leaned back against a locker room stall and put his hands behind his head and his feet up to shoot the breeze about baseball.

Moments after an arduous overtime victory over the Dallas Stars on Sunday, Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar, the two longest-tenured Kings, shared a laugh.

“Really, we need you to get it going, Kopi,” Brown said jokingly to Kopitar, who leads the team in scoring this season, as he has the previous six.

“I’m just waiting for a backdoor tap-in,” Kopitar responded, “and then the floodgates will open.”

If the Kings appear relaxed, it is probably because they seem to prosper as the stakes rise. After squeaking into the playoffs as the eighth seed last season, they captured their first Stanley Cup, with a 16-4 postseason.

“We do it every season — our consistency and our whole play has ups and downs throughout the year,” said Brown, the Kings’ captain. “The later in the season, the better we start playing as a group, and that’s the way you want it.”

After a slow start, the Kings are in fourth place in the Western Conference with a 26-14-5 record heading into Tuesday’s game at Minnesota. They have clinched no worse than the sixth seed in the playoffs.

“Playoffs are all about the right timing; last year, everything fell perfectly,” the backup goalie Jonathan Bernier said. “We scored at the right time; we got great saves at the right time, and all those things that came together. We’re hoping it’s going to be the same thing this year.”

The Kings muddled through much of last season offensively, placing heavy pressure on goalie Jonathan Quick and their defense. This season, they are leaning on offensive stars amid a continuing effort to stabilize their defensive play.

Los Angeles has been buoyed by Kopitar, who has 41 points; Jeff Carter, who is fourth in the N.H.L. with 25 goals; and an improved power play. But a re-emphasis on defense and detail and the resurgence of Quick in the net have pushed the Kings from a competitive club to a potential Stanley Cup contender in recent weeks.

“When we’re playing desperate, our best game comes out,” center Jarret Stoll said. “We’re blocking more shots, we’re winning more face-offs, our power play is chipping in big goals, Quick is pretty darn good in there, and all those things are coming together.”

The Kings lost 8 of their first 13 games but find themselves in a position to have the home-ice advantage in a playoff series for the first time since 1992.

“At the start, I think we needed to get smacked around a little bit,” the assistant general manager Ron Hextall said. “We won last year, and I think we were living on that a little.”

Although the Kings returned every member of the Cup-winning roster despite the N.H.L.’s rigid salary cap, they were forced to deal with a series of serious injuries and make major adjustments.

In August, doctors surgically repaired a disc fragment and removed an inflamed cyst from Quick’s back. Only the lockout prevented him from missing significant time.

In December, defenseman Willie Mitchell began having knee problems that eventually required surgery and ended his season. The balance of the Kings’ defense corps was further disrupted by the loss of Matt Greene, who sustained a back injury in the first period of the season opener and did not return until Thursday.

“The loss of Mitchell and the loss of Greene, it changed the complexion of our team, no question,” Hextall said. “When you put them together, it was an enormous loss.”

Compounding the sudden instability on the blue line was Quick’s incremental recovery. He has gained a reputation for fastidious preparation and conditioning, but he spent the off-season unable to face shots, lift weights or train at his customary level.

“I think it was a combination of everything,” the Kings’ goalie coach, Bill Ranford, said. “The biggest thing was going five full months without seeing any pucks, and I think that really hurt him in the first half of the season. He couldn’t really seem to get any flow to his game.”

Ranford said Quick became focused on avoiding fatigue, which led to uncharacteristically poor practice habits and even errors in games. He has struggled to keep his save percentage above .900 while posting a middling 16-12-4 record and only one shutout.

But Quick has reasserted himself of late, going 4-0-1 in his last five starts, allowing nine goals. April has been his best month this season in virtually every statistical category. On Sunday, he made three saves on breakaways, among other challenging stops.

Ranford credited Bernier, the backup, for allowing Quick to get his physique, mind-set and performance on track while the Kings racked up critical wins.

Bernier’s 9-2-1 record included a smattering of midseason appearances. His performance helped catalyze a surge in late February and early March when the Kings won 10 of 12 games.

“He absolutely won some huge games for us,” Hextall said. To replace Mitchell and Greene on the blue line, the Kings shuffled in call-ups and a pair of trade acquisitions, Keaton Ellerby and Robyn Regehr. The rookie defenseman Jake Muzzin also earned a roster spot.

The Kings’ special teams have also coalesced at the right moment. They have killed off 16 straight penalties and 48 of their last 53. They have also scored on the power play in eight consecutive games.

With a newly solidified defense, strong special teams and several proven playoff performers, the Kings may once again be peaking at the right time.

“You can feel the excitement building with every game being bigger and bigger now,” Stoll said. “We’re wired to be competitive. We thrive off that competitiveness, and we get after it.”

New York Times LOADED: 04.23.2013


Devils' Patrik Elias: Being on outside will hurt even more when playoffs begin

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger


It won’t really hit Patrik Elias that the Devils have been eliminated from playoff contention until the postseason begins and he isn’t there.

“Obviously we don’t have a chance anymore, but we’re going to realize it more when we see everybody else playing,” Elias said today. “It’s disappointing. We played pretty good hockey, but yesterday was probably one of our weakest games out of the last 12. That’s the way it goes sometimes.

“One thing we could’ve done better is score more goals and give ourselves a chance.”

The Devils were eliminated, 4-1, by the Rangers.

During the loss, Elias was issued an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in the third period and smashed his stick on the boards before finishing it off on the bench at another point.

That was not tpical for Elias, who said some questionable calls and the frustration of the loss got to him.

“I think the whole situation. We all want to win. We wanted to give ourselves a chance. We knew what was at stake,” Elias said. “I was upset with some plays, some calls and just got rattled, which obviously didn’t help anyone. It didn’t help me and it didn’t help the team.

“With experience you have to keep those emotions in check. But I didn’t.”

Did he say something to deserve the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty?

“Yes I did. Probably the first three rows heard that, unfortunately,” Elias admitted.

Elias said the Devils didn’t play their game.

“Usually we are the more patient team. We keep going about our way and frustrate the other team. I think maybe because we knew how big the game was and what it meant to us we just got rattled and lost our patience,” Elias said.

“We got a little unlucky bounce right from the get-go behind the net. From that moment on we didn’t feel we played our way. We just kind of forced everything and got out of our comfort zone.”

Injuries to Martin Brodeur an Ilya Kovalchuk, along with never having replaced Zach Parise were key factors in the Devils missing the playoffs.

“Yes, but we never look for excuses like that,” Elias maintained. “Since Marty came back, he’ll tell you himself we played very good hockey. We didn’t find a way to score goals. Obviously missing those two guys (Parise and Kovalchuk) they were a big part of our offense. That was part of it, but we went through it in the past seasons and just had different guys replace them.

“As I’ve said, I never experienced simce I’ve been here going through a 10 or 11-game run like that playing good hockey and not being able to find a way to win. Sometimes it’s unexplainable.”

If this were a full 82-game season rather than 48 games, would the Devils be a playoff team?

“We believe we are. I think we proved ourselves that we can play against anyone,” he said. “We played great games against Pittsburgh and great games against Boston. Those are two of the toughest teams in the East, so we feel like we could’ve beaten anyone.”

Star Ledger LOADED: 04.23.2013


Devils' Pete DeBoer: We don't deserve to be out of playoffs



Devils coach Pete DeBoer feels he did not deserve to be ejected by referee Chris Rooney late in Sunday’s loss to the Rangers and he also believes the team should be headed to the playoffs.

The Devils were eliminated from playoff contention with their 4-1 loss to the Rangers at the Garden.

“It’s difficult. This is one of the most difficult things I’ve gone through,” DeBoer said today, “just because I’ve coached teams that didn’t deserve to make the playoffs. Most times life gives you what you deserve. In this case I don’t feel it’s necessarily the case. That’s what makes it more difficult, because then you’re searching for the reasons why and I don’t have the answers yet.”

He is also searching for answers as to why he was given a game misconduct with 35 seconds remaining in Sunday’s game and didn’t expect to be ejected.

“No. I didn’t anticipate getting ejected,” DeBoer claimed. “There was no profanity. It was simply a statement. I’ll tell you what I said. I just said: ‘I find it tough to swallow that in an elimination game two of our players would get unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for comments.’

“I think when you go into those games you know emotions are heightened. You know there is a lot at stake and I think there is an expectation of some thick-skinness. I don’t think that’s a word.”

It just so happens that Rooney was also a referee in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final in Los Angeles. The Devils were eliminated in that game in which three New Jersey players received game misconducts—Steve Bernier, Ryan Carter and David Clarkson.

Coincidence?

“No comment,” DeBoer answered with a laugh.

I asked DeBoer if he felt his coaching staff did everything possible this season to get the Devils into the playoffs.

“No. I don’t think you feel that way when you don’t have success. There is always something else out there,” DeBoer said. “I can tell you we didn’t leave too many stones unturned and we didn’t leave too many topics un-discussed during the year in trying to right the ship. And that’s all you can do.”

The Devils lost assistant coaches Larry Robinson and Adam Oates in the offseason. They were replaced by Scott Stevens and Matt Shaw.

“I thought our coaching staff worked dilligently preparing this team,” DeBoer noted. “That’s been a common theme even when you talk to the players. I thought our coaches emptied the tank, so to speak. Anytime you don’t have a successful year the entire organization gets analyzed, including myself. I’m sure that’s a process Lou will go through.”

He said he isn’t concerned about his own job.

“I don’t concern myself with that. It comes with the job. I don’t lose sleep over those decisions,” DeBoer said. “When you get in this profession I think that’s the only way you can handle it.”

Goalie Martin Brodeur was among those to point out the Devils never replaced Zach Parise, who left as a free agent. They also went througth two rough spells when Brodeur and Ilya Kovalchuk went down with injuries.

“I’m not going to use those as crutches,” DeBoer said. “In my job, you get handed 20-23 players and you have to find a way to have success. That’s for other people to decide or analyze what factors those things played.”

The Devils started this shortened season 8-1-3. They were 3-8-2 when Brodeur suffered a pinched nerve in his upper back and had a 10-game losing streak when Kovalchuk injured his right shoulder crashing into the end boards.

“I think we’re somewhere in between,” DeBoer said. “When we were going through the losing streak I said we’re not as good as the team that started the season and we’re not as bad as the team that went through the losing streak.”

He felt the effort was there.

“I did, almost every night. There are not many guys in there, if any, who’s hearts weren’t in the right place and didn’t buy into the system and the team-first approach we had all year,” DeBoer said. “It wasn’t good enough.”

So now they play out the string.

“The message to the team is the same way we’ve approached all season,” DeBoer said. “We expect nothing but professionalism and the same commitment to work and to win that we’ve had all year,” DeBoer said. “I think that’s what this team is about, this organization is about and we’re not going to expect anything less than that.”

He said backup goalie Johan Hedberg could play one of the last three games.

“I’d like to get him in. I think he deserves to get in a game,” DeBoer said.



Devils captain Bryce Salvador will not play again this season



Devils captain Bryce Salvador was examined by a hand specialist today and he will not play in the final three games this season.

No surgery is necessary, at least at this time.

Salvador was struck on the top of his right thumb where it meets the wrist by a Zdeno Chara slap shot on April 10. X-rays and an MRI have shown there is no break, but the bruising was severe.

"Bryce will not play," Lamoriello said. "After the latest examination, right now they don't think he will need an operation. Just let it settle down.That will all be confirmed over the next couple of weeks."

Lamoriello said Ilya Kovalchuk will play the last three regular season games.

"He's healthy so he will play," the GM said.

Lamoriello spoke of the Devils being eliminated from the playoffs.

"There is no question there is disappointment. This team did deserve, in my opinion, a better fate," Lamoriello said. "Unfortunately it started when we lost those two games in Florida. It appeared we just couldn't get it going after that, but there is nothing we can do about it right now. I'm not from the school of looking for excuses.

"Right now we have three games to prepare for and we have to approach those games the same way we approach any other game. That's our responsibility and I have all confidence the coaching staff will have them prepared as well for the next three games as any other game. The players are professional and we have an obligation to play the best we can."



Devils' Lou Lamoriello confirms Stefan Matteau was released by junior club



Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello confirmed that 19-year-old prospect Stefan Matteau has been released by Blainville-Boisbrand (QMJHL) after leaving the junior team during the playoffs.

Matteau, the Devils' first pick (29th overall) in the 2012 NHL entry draft, was benched during the third period of Saturday's playoff game against Baie-Comeau and reportedly rode on the fans' bus back home after the game.

"I have spoken to his general manager (Joel Bouchard) and there is a situation and he is not with the team," Lamoriello said. "You never like to hear something like this. I support the junior team in doing what they think is right.

"It's my understanding he will not be going back at the choice of the team."

In a statement issued today, the Armada said of Matteau: “We have told him repeatedly that his behavior was unacceptable to our organization.”

Matteau, who had 70 penalty minutes in 35 junior games this season, has been benched for undisciplined play at various points this season. His father, former NHLer Stephane Matteau, is an assistant coach for Blainville-Boisbrand, which trails, 2-0, in the semifinal playoff series.

"I have not had an opportunity to talk to the player yet," Lamoriello said, "but after my conversation with the general manager I support what was done."

The big winger played 17 games for the Devils this season, scoring three points (one goal, two assists). He was minus-1 with six penalty minutes.

"His options for next season are the same as they would have been this season. He could've been assigned to the American League (Albany)," Lamoriello said. "So he still has that option of going to the American League (next season)."



Devils' prospect Stefan Matteau reportedly leaves junior team


on April 22, 2013 at 10:36 AM, updated April 22, 2013 at 2:23 PM

Devils' prospect Stefan Matteau has reportedly left junior team Blainville-Boisbrand (QMJHL) with the team trailing in a semifinal playoff series against Baie-Comeau.

Matteau, 19, was the Devils' first pick (29th overall) in the 2012 NHL entry draft. After spending 17 games this season in the NHL, scoring three points (one goal, two assists) for the Devils, the winger was sent back to juniors Mar. 17.

In 35 regular season games with Blainville-Boisband this season, Matteau had 75 penalty minutes. According to RDS in Canada, he was benched in the third period of Saturday's playoff game and did not travel home with the team. Blainville-Boisbrand trails in the playoff series, 2-0.

Matteau's father, former NHLer Stephane Matteau, is an assistant coach with the team.


671783 New York Islanders

Lubomir Visnovsky, Thomas Hickey working well together

Originally published: April 22, 2013 7:32 PM

Updated: April 22, 2013 8:41 PM

By ARTHUR STAPLE

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Ten years ago, maybe even five years ago, you'd have had a difficult time finding a coach who'd pair two defensemen shorter than 6 feet. It goes against the big, physical blueliner mentality that most in the NHL have.

But Jack Capuano did it with Lubomir Visnovsky and Thomas Hickey, both generously listed at 5-10. The result has been a second-pair combo who lead the Isles in plus-minus as well as the advanced statistic known as "Corsi,'' which measures total shots -- including those blocked and missed -- for and against while a player is on the ice.

"It's about puck possession and about being on the right side of the puck,'' Hickey said. "When you have the puck and you can move it quickly, that's as important as the physical side.''

Neither of them shies from the physical aspects, though Hickey, 23, isn't built quite as solidly as his older counterpart. But Hickey, in his first NHL season, has learned a lot about positioning and skating from the quiet, happy-go-lucky Visnovsky, 36. The pair has worked well together the last two months.

"He's such a positive guy, so it's mostly 'good job' or 'keep doing that,' '' Hickey said. "You see the decisions he makes, when to jump into the play and when we switch sides inside the zone to confuse the coverage. I'm picking up a lot.''

And Visnovsky, the guy who supposedly didn't want to be an Islander, not only has blended in well but might be the veteran leader of a very young defense if Mark Streit does not return.

"When I came here, I saw this was a very good team, and I'm very happy I will be here two more years,'' said Visnovsky, who has 14 points and a team-high plus-12 rating.

The most important aspect of the Visnovsky-Hickey pairing working well is alleviating some of the huge minutes Streit had been playing at even strength. His minus-15 rating is the worst on the team. With the return of Brian Strait, Capuano has a six-man defensive alignment with which he's quite happy.

"Viz and Hickey have gotten more comfortable with one another, and that leads to confidence,'' Capuano said. "They've been good for one another.''

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 04.23.2013

671784 New York Rangers

Crushed Ice: Derek Stepan’s consistency, Henrik Lundqvist’s start streak, Taylor Pyatt tallies in 4-1 Rangers win over Devils

BY Pat Leonard

The Rangers are scoring in bunches, with 18 goals during their three-game winning streak. Seemingly everyone is getting on board. But let’s stop for a second and consider specifically just how consistently center Derek Stepan has not only played but produced.

Stepan, who had a goal and an assist in Sunday’s 4-1 win over the Devils at the Garden, has a four-game point streak (two goals, three assists). He has at least one point in 10 of the Rangers’ last 11 games (six goals, nine assists). He has at least one point in 12 of their last 15 games (eight goals, 12 assists).

As good as Rick Nash is, Stepan arguably is this team’s MVP. He is tied with Nash for the team lead at 40 points, and granted he’s played four more games than Nash due to the big fella’s midseason injury (presumed concussion). But honestly: consider Stepan’s point production, his contributions on the penalty kill and power play, and the fact that he plays in practically every big situation.

Stepan has been on his game since the Rangers’ 12th game, a 4-3 shootout win in Boston on Feb. 12. He played 21:03 in Sunday’s win over New Jersey, leading the Blueshirts’ top line and the only line that really possessed the puck consistently with captain Ryan Callahan (two goals, team-high 23:18 ice time among forwards) and winger Carl Hagelin (assist, 18:18 ice time).

Nash, even in a game when he wasn’t effective, tied Callahan for a team-high four shots on goal.

Brad Richards, the man whose shoes Stepan has filled at center this season, is finally coming back around and had a pivotal takeaway from Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov in the second period. Richards kept the puck in the offensive zone and dropped a pass to Taylor Pyatt in the slot for a wrist shot past Martin Brodeur that gave the Rangers a comfortable 3-0 lead.

“I thought we controlled most of the first period, and they had a little bit of a push there in the second,” Pyatt said. “We sort of held strong. Henrik (Lundqvist) made some big saves and to get that third goal, it’s nice to get a three-goal lead going into the third period.”

Rangers defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who assisted on Stepan’s goal and marked Devils forward Ilya Kovalchuk successfully all afternoon, pointed out how pivotal it was at that juncture for Pyatt to net his fifth goal of the season and his first in 27 games.

“It’s huge. You kind of take their will out of it there,” McDonagh said of the Devils. “They were coming in the second period, putting us in our own zone in the first half. He comes back and puts it in the twine.”

Pyatt, 32, was acquired last offseason not only to provide depth but because of his penchant for producing in pressure situations. Last season with the Phoenix Coyotes, Pyatt turned it on late for five goals and four assists in an 18-game span to end the regular season into the second round of the playoffs.

“Playing your most important games, you always want to play your best hockey,” Pyatt said. “I felt the last couple games my game was starting to improve, and scoring tonight definitely helps.”

It also was a fitting night personally for Pyatt to score such a big goal, considering he was playing in his 800th career NHL game.

“I got a call from my dad this morning to congratulate me,” Pyatt said. “And it’s definitely a nice way to celebrate, to get on a big line and score. It feels good.”

Richards helped us reporters out with a good quote about how it felt good to eliminate the Devils considering what happened in last spring’s Eastern Conference finals (see game story link above), but everyone from the veteran center to Callahan to McDonagh to Lundqvist honestly explained this game was first and foremost about their own playoff push.

“We weren’t thinking about last year,” McDonagh said. “This is a totally different year and we’re trying to fight for our lives and give ourselves the opportunity to get back to that stage again. We just want to continue to keep building off of these wins every night and try to play close to 60-minute games and be strong in all areas. We’ve been able to gain some confidence over this last stretch of games. It’s helping us get closer to that.”

Callahan said such a high-pressure game against a rival in such a loud atmosphere, though, can be a good “dress rehearsal” for the playoff hockey they intend to play in a little more than a week.

CAN’T STOP, WON’T STOP, MUST START

The Rangers were planning to give Henrik Lundqvist 75% of the starts in net as they had last season, but their poor early record and recent desperation to win just to make the playoffs has made for a much more lopsided split between Lundqvist and backup Martin Biron.

Lundqvist has started 40 of the Rangers’ 45 games and likely will start at least two of their three remaining regular-season games, perhaps getting one night off if a result won’t affect the Blueshirts in the seeding. So far, though, the workload hasn’t gotten to Lundqvist, who has made 11 straight starts with an impressive 8-2-1 record during the stretch.

“This is what I’m used to,” Lundqvist said after Sunday’s win, smiling.

The goaltender admitted that around the trade deadline, when the Rangers played five games in eight days, he was a bit fatigued by the jam-packed schedule. That was most noticeable in a 4-3 loss in Toronto on April 8, when Lundqvist was clearly spent after having made 49 saves in a 4-1 win in Raleigh, N.C., two nights prior.

“All I do right now is just prepare and then I recover from games,” Lundqvist said. “My focus is just on games.”

Lundqvist said John Tortorella has asked the goalie multiple times during the season to tell him if the workload gets to be too much, but Lundqvist laughed as he explained that’s not how it works.

“I know he asked me a couple times during the season, and I told him I can’t make that call,” Lundqvist said. “(I said) ‘It’s up to you.’ I’m not gonna say no. But it’s a lot of fun to be out there, and we’re playing well as a group,as well.”

TORTS’ TIME

Tortorella again complimented defenseman John Moore, who saw more power play time and began a couple shifts with top defenseman Dan Girardi when the Rangers had offensive zone faceoffs.

“This kid Moore, who knows where he goes?” Tortorella said, meaning Moore’s potential is high. “He’s one that … we’re putting in offensive positions now. He seems to accept it.”

On the blue line, McDonagh, Anton Stralman and Michael Del Zotto each picked up assists in Sunday’s win. But that is only the second best note on Del Zotto. The first is that in Tortorella’s postgame press conference, the coach referred to Del Zotto as “Mike.”

I’ve heard “Michael,” “DZ” and of course there is Tortorella’s favorite nickname: “Del Z.” But Mike? Maybe this shouldn’t entertain me as much as it does. At least it’s not “Mikesy.”

-You knew it was coming. Someone asked Tortorella about the Marian Gaborik trade, and the coach tried to throw it back in everyone’s faces that “I told you guys. Gabby was close (to snapping out of his slump) … I told you too that it was going to help both teams.” Hey, as long as no one gets in the way of his great relationship with Gaborik, right?

THE “A” IN AHL STANDS FOR “AVAILABLE”

The Rangers’ AHL affiliate, the Connecticut Whale, missed the playoffs this season by finishing a dreadful 0-5-1-0 in the final six games. The only good news is that their failure to qualify makes every player on the Whale’s roster eligible to the Rangers from here on out, regular season and postseason.

The typical procedure is for the Rangers to form what’s known as a ‘taxi squad’ of players from the Whale roster who will continue practicing by themselves to stay in game condition in case the NHL club needs them.

PLAYOFF TRACKER FOR RANGERS AND ISLANDERS

The Rangers, who eliminated the Devils from postseason contention on Sunday, are seeking their third consecutive playoff berth. Meanwhile, the Islanders are close to clinching their first postseason appearance since

2007. Here is how the seeding shook out Monday morning in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference standings:

Maple Leafs – 5th place, 25-15-5, 55 pts, three games left, 25 non-SO wins, @ Lightning Wed.

Islanders – 6th place, 24-16-5, 53 pts, three games left, 20 non-SO wins, @ Hurricanes Tues.

Senators – 7th place, 23-15-6, 52 pts, four games left, 19 non-SO wins, vs. Penguins Mon.

Rangers – 8th place, 24-17-4, 52 pts, three games left, 20 non-SO wins, @ Panthers Tues.

Jets – 9th place, 23-19-3, 49 pts, three games left, 21 non-SO wins, @ Sabres Mon.

New York Daily News LOADED: 04.23.2013


No rest in plans for Rangers goalie Lundqvist

BRETT CYRGALIS

Last Updated: 4:42 AM, April 23, 2013

Posted: 1:35 AM, April 23, 2013

SUNRISE, Fla. — This season has been a sequence of maybes for Henrik Lundqvist.

First, the Rangers’ backbone goaltender had to deal with the NHL season maybe being canceled. Following the four-month lockout, he has had to deal with his team teetering on the brink of maybe not making the playoffs.

Now, with three games remaining — starting tonight against the Panthers — Lundqvist has to deal with the fact maybe there is a chance he won’t get to watch a game from the bench the rest of the season, no matter if it’s over in three games or tumbles on as spring turns to summer.

NHL STANDINGS

“We’re in a situation where we’ve been working good as a group and we don’t want to change too much,” Lundqvist said after yesterday’s practice at BB&T Center, the Rangers having gone 8-2-1 in their past 11 games. “Even with the lineup, with the skaters, not only with them, but we’ll see.

“Maybe I’ll get a break this week, but I know I’m going [tonight].”

The Rangers (24-17-4) hold the seventh spot in the East — by virtue of having one more win than the Senators, though both have 52 points — as the ninth-place Jets closed to one point behind after their 2-1 victory over the Sabres last night. With the Rangers traveling from Florida to Carolina for a game with the Hurricanes on Thursday, then wrapping up the season at home against the Devils on Saturday, they won’t face a playoff-qualifying opponent the rest of the way.

But at this point, that is the last thing on anyone’s mind.

“The way we’ve always talked about it, you look at it as an opportunity,” said coach John Tortorella. “We put ourselves in this situation, we were never far gone. We were always treading water.

“They weren’t down when things were going bad, they weren’t great when things were going great. They just stayed flat-lined and went about their business. That’s what gives us an opportunity to keep on fighting here.”

That inconsistency is also what has made Lundqvist such a workhorse.

It was last season, when Lundqvist won the Vezina Trophy and the Rangers made it to within two wins of the Stanley Cup finals, that a winning formula was seemingly found. The franchise netminder played 62 games in that 82-game season, the least he played since his rookie year of 2005-06. It was his sharpness that carried the Blueshirts through all of the offensive doldrums and the tight-checking postseason contests.

But now, in this shortened season, the 31-year-old Lundqvist is set to start his 41st game tonight, what would equate to a pace of 72 starts in a regular 82-game schedule. He has played 2,393 minutes, just 71 minutes short of league-leader Antti Niemi of the Sharks.

“I thought it would be like last year, play three or four, then sit out,” Lundqvist said. “But I don’t mind it. I want to play.”

In conjunction with his massive amount of playing time, among goalies who have started 30 or more games, he has the third-best goals-against average (2.08) and the third-best save percentage (.927).

“I knew going into this season, it was going to be more intense,” Lundqvist said. “With such a long break, I don’t feel that tired. I think [that] definitely helped you to get ready for this, playing a lot, hopefully a couple more months of playing.

“I think it’s important to set the bar high and not be satisfied with getting in. Let’s get in first and then sit down and talk about our chances. But right now, all the focus is on this week and getting it done.”

New York Post LOADED: 04.23.2013


Minor detail on way

By BRETT CYRGALIS

Last Updated: 4:42 AM, April 23, 2013

Posted: 1:33 AM, April 23, 2013

SUNRISE, Fla. — Just as it was around playoff time last season, the Rangers are readying for the taxi squad to arrive.

The Blueshirts’ AHL affiliate, the Connecticut Whale, lost on Saturday night and were officially eliminated from the minor-league playoffs. That means all of the prospects playing in Hartford are available to join the Rangers for practices now as the postseason approaches.

No specific number of players or roster has been released yet — although assuredly it has been determined who is coming and who isn’t — and the Rangers should be expected to bring up at least five to seven players. Normally, those called up practice separately during their time in the NHL, but are around the team to get a feel for the postseason atmosphere.

NHL STANDINGS

Among the interested parties are a couple familiar faces, including forwards J.T. Miller, Brandon Segal, Brandon Mashinter and Benn Ferriero. The defense corps is a little lighter, with Dylan McIlrath and Mike Vernace being the most likely to be recalled. * Tough forward Derek Dorsett is getting closer to playing as he recovers from his broken right clavicle. He took part in yesterday’s practice at the BB&T Center with a non-contact orange jersey, but performed some battle drills with defenseman Marc Staal.

Staal, wearing a tinted visor which went down past his nose, is still recovering from his horrific right-eye injury.

Coach John Tortorella said he had “no update” on either player as his team readied for tonight’s game against the lowly Panthers.

* Forward Brian Boyle is on the trip with the Rangers, but did not practice and appeared to still have a brace around his right knee. Boyle hurt the knee last Tuesday night in Philadelphia, keeping out of the Rangers’ past three games.

Tortorella again said, “no update.”

* Also on the trip with the Blueshirts is general manager Glen Sather, who seemed in good spirits as he recovers from prostate cancer surgery undergone in late March.

New York Post LOADED: 04.23.2013


Gross: Rangers' looking to continue April success into playoffs in May

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

The Record

It’s an old story line in sports. The struggling team finally finds its game to reach the playoffs, fueling strong optimism it will be better prepared for the postseason because it has already been playing at that intensity.

The Rangers, a popular preseason pick for the Stanley Cup Finals, are that team right now.

They enter tonight’s game at Florida 8-2-1 in April and with strong odds of securing a playoff spot, albeit one of the Eastern Conference’s bottom seeds.

"We’ve been playing playoff-style hockey the last couple of games," captain Ryan Callahan said. "These are must-wins. It gives us a dress rehearsal, I guess you can say, for the playoffs."

Teams like the Rangers want to believe they can be last season’s Los Angeles Kings.

The reigning Stanley Cup champs switched coaches in December, snuck into the playoffs with the final berth in the West before becoming the first No. 8 seed to win the Stanley Cup, beating the same Devils who eliminated the Rangers in a six-game Eastern Conference final.

Too often, though, the playoffs wind up exposing the deficiencies that led to the early-season struggles in the first place.

The Rangers have scored 18 goals in their past three games, including a 6-1 win over the visiting Panthers on Thursday. But, before that game, the Rangers were an offensively challenged team tied for 23rd in the NHL in scoring.

And before this month began, they were a mediocre 16-15-3.

"We just have to take care of business," said goalie Henrik Lundqvist, in reality, the real reason the Rangers can hope for playoff success. "If we do our job, we’re in."

Then it’s anybody’s guess which way the Rangers’ fortunes will swing.

A lot, of course, will depend on matchups. The eighth seed would bring a first-round series against the top-seeded Penguins, who beat the Rangers in four of five regular-season games and could have Sidney Crosby back.

They could meet the surging Bruins and ensure seven games with either a 1-0 or 2-1 result, in which case, refer back to what was just said about Lundqvist. They could face the slumping Canadiens, who never lose to the Rangers in Montreal. Or maybe the Capitals, a team that, like the Rangers, did its best work late in the season.

In any case, April’s "dress rehearsal" is no guarantee of May success.

Bergen Record LOADED: 04.23.2013


Henrik Lundqvist has thrived despite grueling schedule

Originally published: April 22, 2013 8:17 PM

Updated: April 22, 2013 9:21 PM

By STEVE ZIPAY

SUNRISE, Fla. -- When practice drew to a close, Henrik Lundqvist didn't linger for extra work. He skated to the visiting locker room at BB & T Center and began peeling off his equipment.

"This year I've been managing my practices, I don't stay out that long," said Lundqvist, who will start his 12th consecutive game and 41st of the season against the Panthers tonight and has been an absolute workhorse this shortened season.

Lundqvist has played 2,394 minutes, only 66 behind the league leader, San Jose's Antti Niemi, and is third in goals- against average (2.08) and save percentage (.927) among goalies who have played more than 20 games.

"It's been a test, it really has," said Lundqvist, who recalled that last season, when he started 62 games, he would play three or four in a row and Martin Biron, who started 20 games, then would step in.

Not so this time, when Lundqvist has been asked to hold the fort in the playoff push. And, Lundqvist, who turned 31 in March, has responded. He has allowed two or fewer goals in 14 of his last 16 games and the Rangers are 8-2-1 in his last 11 starts. And to put his career in perspective, with 274 wins, he recently passed Ed Giacomin for second place in franchise history and likely will surpass Mike Richter's 301 next season.

But this campaign has been far from easy. "That extra day [last year] between games, sometimes you get two days, it makes a big difference," he said. "When you play every other day and you have a back-to-back in there as well . . . All you do is prepare for the game, you play the game, you recover from the game and start over . . .

"It's mental now; you think about something else, family, friends, then you come back to the rink recharged. I don't mind it, though. I don't think they want to change the lineup. We'll see. Maybe I'll get a break this week, but I know I'm going [Tuesday night].''

The eighth-place Rangers, with 52 points and three games to play, entered Monday night three points ahead of Winnipeg, which faced Buffalo.

Lundqvist, who won the Vezina Trophy last year and did not play in Europe during the lockout, said he knew before the season that the schedule was "going to be intense. But I had such a long break, I don't feel that tired. You try to look at it as positive as possible. As a group, we're in a good flow. The good thing is, we do our job and we're in. If we make it, I'll have the time to get some rest. You set the bar high; we just don't want to get in. I hope we have a couple more months of hockey."

Notes & quotes: With the Connecticut Whale failing to qualify for the AHL playoffs, a group of players is expected to join the team as a sort of non-playing taxi squad, as was the case last season, president and general manager Glen Sather confirmed. The contingent is expected to include J.T. Miller, Kris Newbury and Dylan McIlrath . . . Brian Boyle (right leg) did not skate and will miss his fourth straight game.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 04.23.2013


Rangers-Devils in review

22 April 2013 by Carp

New Jersey Devils v New York Rangers

My math … you know by now to get your own calculators out to learn the truth when I start tossing numbers around.

But this is how I see it. If Winnipeg loses once in regulation in its final three (at Buffalo tonight, at Washington tomorrow, home against Montreal Thursday) then it can max out at 53 points. If the Rangers get two points in their final three games (at Florida tomorrow, at Carolina Thursday, vs. Devils Saturday) that’s 54.

Not going to break down all the possibilities with Bettman Loser’s Points, or the “ROW” tiebreaker, etc., and I’m pretty sure Winnipeg can still finish first in the SouthLeast, but that in that case Washington would finish behind the Rangers.

So the Rangers could clinch a spot as early as Tuesday night. I think.

Anyway, here’s my game story from The Journal News and LoHud.com.

Thoughts:

1) I’m going to come right out and tell you that my favorite part of the game – maybe my favorite moment of the season—was when they played “Sweet Caroline” to honor the sports fans of Boston, and they showed that woman in the Bruins jersey waving the American flag. Chills. Goosebumps. Tears. Just freakin’ awesome. I also hadn’t heard until then that Neil Diamond flew to Boston to sing it in person at the Red Sox or Bruins game (not sure which) on Saturday.

2) Captain Callahan. Sure set a tone with those first few shifts … the goal at :34 on the great play by Hagelin (he’s made quite a few big plays lately), and then the two or three hits that followed. It didn’t seem the Devils were terribly interested in getting smacked around like that. Callahan understands that the voting for the Steven McDonald Extra Effort award is over, right?

3) You would think a team like the Devils, built for so long on discipline, would not get so crazy distracted during a game that they needed to have just to keep their season going. Originally I thought the first conduct minor was to Pete DeBoer, but he said it wasn’t. So I don’t know who it was, but the Rangers’ power play didn’t make the Devils pay at 2-0 there. Could have been devastating. Then Patrik Elias, the most experienced Devil, got one. Then DeBoer got himself a game misconduct – not that it mattered at that point. But, geez.

4) Must say, though, that the officiating was kind of, um, interesting. The call on Darroll Powe for roughing? The call on Hagelin for removing David Clarkson’s hat? The holding-the-stick call on D’Agostini after that thunderous, clean hit by Dan Girardi? The refs also let a few too-many-men incidents slide, at least two on the Rangers and one on the Devils. Several non-calls.

5) By the way, nice job by Chris Kreider jumping into the first pileup of the game. You have to like the way the kid’s been engaged. He sure had some more struggles, though. He’s learning. Slowly. I think next season he gets a full camp, makes the team, and gets a chance to learn on the fly here. And that he will be a very good player very soon, and for a long time.

6) The Taylor Pyatt goal got him the Broadway Hat, and good for him. But it was another night that made you wonder if the real Brad Richards – the one from last year, or at least the one not from this year, is coming around. And makes you wonder how much better this team is if the real Brad Richards is on it. Or is this a product of the opponents? I normally don’t get nuts about stats, but the guy has made a lot of plays the past three games, after that woeful game in Philly that had him so down in the dumps.

7) And if they have the real Richards, and if they have the recent-weeks Lundqvist, and if they can create just enough offense, who knows if they might shock somebody in the playoffs? Might be nice to be a big underdog with no pressure/expectations.

8) Back to the officiating. I like that they’re not calling it too tightly at this stage of the season, but it’s got to be hell for the players never knowing when one will be called, and then they make up a couple (see above).

9) Dan Girardi=Monster.

10) Also another good game for Ryane Clowe, who some of us were burying after the Philly game (along with many others). Still no idea if they re-sign him, but could be a massive cog in a playoff series.

11) Does anybody, including Skid Crosby, whine more than David Clarkson?

12) For an afternoon crowd, loaded with kids, and between Knicks playoff games, the Garden was pretty good Sunday. It wasn’t sustained by any stretch, but it was better than most nights. Of course, it helped that they were up 1-0 by the time John Amirante left the ice.

13) See the post below this one for more photos.

14) Critique it any way you want, but it’s 8-2-1 in the last 11.

15) So, not sure where I heard this, but some hockey scholar once said, “Fire this CLOWN, his players hate him and won’t play for his BS.”

My Three Rangers Stars:

1. Ryan Callahan.

2. Derek Stepan.

3. Dan Girardi.

(the real) Kenny Albert’s Three Rangers Stars:

1. Ryan Callahan.

2. Henrik Lundqvist.

3. Derek Stepan.

RangerJHW’s Three Rangers Stars:

1. The King….nothing more to say.

2. Capt Cally…nothing more to say.

3. Mr. Stepan…nothing more to say

HM-Brad Richards-do I dare to think I see the light? We are all pulling for you! In general-a solid team victory..knocking out the Devs…keep on truckin’ boys

Rockland Journal News: LOADED: 04.23.2013

671790 Ottawa Senators

No measure of revenge for Sens

By Ken Warren, Ottawa Citizen April 23, 2013

OTTAWA — Pittsburgh Light was too much for the Ottawa Senators on Monday night.

And once again, the playoffs are anything but a sure thing for a Senators squad that has lost its ability to score.

The severely undermanned Pittsburgh Penguins — playing without (take a breath) Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Paul Martin, Kris Letang and Marc-André Fleury — dealt the Senators a crushing 3-1 defeat at Scotiabank Place.

Dustin Jeffrey and Jarome Iginla — with his third goal in three games — scored early against Senators goaltender Craig Anderson to give the Penguins their 2-0 lead. The Senators spent the rest of the night, trying, unsuccessfully, to dig themselves out of the hole.

Patrick Wiercioch’s third-period power-play goal brought the Senators within striking distance, but Tyler Kennedy — a Senators killer time and again — put the game out of reach with 2:34 remaining.

Adding insult to the back-breaking goal was the fact it was set up by none other than Matt Cooke, playing his first game against the Senators since slicing the back of Erik Karlsson’s leg in February, resulting in Achilles tendon surgery to Karlsson.

The pressure to earn a playoff spot has mounted considerably for the Senators.

With the loss, the Senators slipped behind the idle New York Rangers into eighth spot in the Eastern Conference. More significantly, the ninth-placed Winnipeg Jets defeated the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 to move within a single point of the Senators.

The Senators and Rangers have three games remaining, the Jets have two to play.

Keep in mind that the Senators will lose all tie-breaking situations if they end up finished tied on points with any of the teams, due to having fewer wins in regulation and overtime.

Monday’s results — the worst possible scenario for the Senators — sets up another night of scoreboard watching for the Senators on Tuesday as Winnipeg takes on the Washington Capitals.

The pre-game hype about the Senators exacting revenge against Cooke and the “Matt Cooke Sucks” chants from the crowd faded as the Senators were forced to play catch-up.

The shot clock read 25-15 in favour of the Senators after two periods, but that was misleading.

Most of the Senators shots against Penguins goaltender Tomas Vokoun were from the outside and there were few rebound opportunities.

The Senators had their chances on the power play, but went 0-for-5 through the first two periods, extending their man advantage slump to 0-for-16 during a five-game stretch.

Wiercioch’s goal, 7:18 into the third period, ended that and gave some life to the Senators as they pressed for the tying goal.

Kennedy’s goal ended the hope of a comeback.

MacLean, frustrated with the Senators’ inability to apply consistent pressure, shuffled his forward lines in the second period, resulting in some intriguing combinations.

Nothing worked.

Before the game, the Senators insisted their focus was in the right place — on picking up two points, not picking on Cooke — but for whatever reason, the Senators were a distracted bunch at the outset.

Even with so much star power missing from the Penguins’ lineup (the Penguins have locked up top spot in the Eastern Conference and are

making sure their top players are in the best possible shape for the postseason), the Senators were prepared for a difficult game.

Jeffrey opened the scoring 6:15 into the game, finishing off a pretty passing play with Brendan Morrow and Pascal Dupuis, capitalizing on weak back-checking by the Senators.

Iginla, who now has four goals in 10 games since joining the Penguins in a trade from the Calgary Flames, padded the lead to 2-0 only 4:13 later. Inexplicably, Iginla was left all alone in front of Anderson as Cowen was making a hit behind the net and Erik Condra skated across the crease.

Condra and linemates Colin Greening and J.G. Pageau paid dearly for their inattention to detail, losing ice time. Condra played only 2:07 in the first period, 53 seconds of that while killing off an early Penguins’ power play.

The Senators outshot the Penguins 14-9 in the first period, but had few great scoring chances.

Vokoun made a trapper save off Milan Michalek on an early power play and Cory Conacher, all alone at the side of the net, fanned on a perfect set-up.

GAME FILE

CHEERS

Tomas Vokoun, Penguins. Another solid performance by the visiting goaltender, allowing just one goal. This time, Vokoun faced 35 shots, only allowing Patrick Wiercioch’s power-play goal.

JEERS

Erik Condra, Senators: It doesn’t all fall on Condra, but he slid away from Jarome Iginla in the crease before the future Hall of Famer buried the puck past Craig Anderson to give the Penguins their early 2-0 lead.

WHY THEY WON/LOST

The Senators’ start. The Senators fell asleep on a pair of plays in the opening 10:28. They were caught watching some tic-tac-toe passing on the opening goal and left Jarome Iginla uncovered at the side of the net for the second one.

COOKE HEARS IT FROM THE FANS: On his first shift, Matt Cooke was greeted with chants of “Matt Cooke Sucks” from the fans, declined a fight invitation from Chris Neil and drew a power play when Eric Gryba received an interference penalty for a relatively tame hit along the boards. It was a weak call by the officials, overly sensitive for fear of the game getting out of hand.. The “Matt Cooke Sucks” chants continued throughout the game.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 04.23.2013


Sens get no love from hockey gods

Revenge proved to be tricky for the Senators on Monday night and victory was equally as elusive.

by Wayne Scanlan

Nemesis, the Greek Goddess of “Revenge and Divine Retribution,” made it her business to “give what was due.”

With Matt Cooke and the Pittsburgh Penguins in town, the Ottawa Senators hoped to invoke the Nemesis principles in more ways than one. Hardly a soul in Scotiabank Place didn’t expect to witness some sort of payback on Cooke, even if he said as recently as Monday that cutting the Achilles tendon of Senators superstar defenceman Erik Karlsson with a skate blade on Feb. 13 was a “freak accident.” The NHL concurred, at least, the NHL outside of Ottawa.

Only recently has Karlsson been able to skate with the team, and he may or may not be able to return to the lineup for the playoffs.

But the notion of getting what is “due,” also applies to the Senators’ determined push toward a playoff position, despite losing the services of Karlsson and top centre Jason Spezza for most of the season. Would this be the night the Senators punched their ticket to the dance, perhaps with an added swat or two at No. 24 in the enemy jersey?

The math was pretty simple. In order to secure a top-eight position on the night, the Senators needed a win over Pittsburgh combined with a loss by the Winnipeg Jets in regulation play. It all began poorly, with the Jets scoring first on Buffalo while the Senators fell behind 2-0 early. Even worse, the home team clearly got distracted by Cooke, which played right into his hands.

Early in the first period, Senators winger Chris Neil challenged Cooke to a fight, and not surprisingly Cooke declined the offer, just as he did on Feb. 13 when Neil came at him late in the game. On Monday, on the same shift in which Neil said hello, Eric Gryba took an interference penalty on Cooke, and while the Senators killed off the power play, Pittsburgh struck twice, on goals by Dustin Jeffrey and Jarome Iginla before the game was 11 minutes old.

What happened to the mantra that winning the game was the main course, and Cooke but an appetizer?

Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said the focus would be on winning the game “and then whatever happens, happens.”

What happened, before the first period was over was that two of Ottawa’s tough guys, Neil and Zack Smith, decided to wake up the building, if not the players bench with fights against players not named Cooke.

When the Penguins thug, Steve McIntyre, stepped in between Neil and Brooks Orpik, the Senators ended up coming out of the mess with a power play, not that having the extra man has been much of an advantage for Ottawa these days. By the time this one was 40 minutes old, the Senators had held five power plays and converted none of them.

Finally, they broke through against Penguins goaltender Tomas Vokoun with a power-play point shot by Patrick Wiercioch with more than 12 minutes left to play in the third period. Heading into the third period down by two had to be disconcerting for a fan base that enjoyed jeering Cooke, but couldn’t fathom losing to a Pittsburgh team missing Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Kris Letang and goaltender Marc-André Fleury from its lineup.

The Wiercioch goal gave the Senators life, but they couldn’t solve Vokoun twice.

Before the game, the Senators talked less about Cooke than they did about defeating Pittsburgh and inching closer to a playoff spot.

Still, we are expected to read between the lines on these matters. And let’s give some of those pre-game lines closer inspection.

“We all know that hockey players are hockey players and they’re going to play the game to win the game,” Senators coach Paul MacLean said. “And

whatever … usually if things happen during the game they get taken care of. We’re no different than any other team in the league when it comes to that.”

Exactly. And when the owner of a franchise talks about investigating the Cooke incident with Karlsson to prove intent, there was pressure on those players to “take care” of Cooke in some manner.

“We’ll play him hard, but we’ll keep it clean,” defenceman Marc Methot said of Cooke. And yet, his presence seemed to make the Senators less focused than they had been against Toronto or Washington in their past two games.

Add it all up and it comes to this — the goal was for the Senators to have their cake and eat it, too. Get the two points, but if they could do that while putting a hurt on Cooke to satisfy the bloodlust of a vengeful crowd, so much the better.

Apparently Nemesis, the goddess of revenge and divine retribution felt otherwise. The last laugh went to Cooke, who won a puck battle in the corner and set up Tyler Kennedy, who finished to put the Penguins up 3-1 with just 2:34 remaining. Added salt in said wound — the Jets won their game.

Revenge is tricky stuff. Best left to the gods, apparently.



A win over Pens is more important than revenge on Cooke: Sens players

by Ken Warren | April 22, 2013

To a man, the Ottawa Senators insist that getting two points Monday is more important than getting even against Pittsburgh Penguins agitator Matt Cooke.

A Senators victory, coupled with a loss by the Winnipeg Jets in regulation against the Buffalo Sabres, would allow Ottawa to qualify for the postseason, letting the Sens breathe a little easier for their remaining three games of the regular season. A Senators victory would also allow them to leapfrog past the New York Islanders and back into sixth spot in the Eastern Conference.

While Cooke is generally considered to be the most hated hockey player in these parts due to the fact he sliced the back of Erik Karlsson’s leg on Feb. 13 — resulting in surgery to repair Karlsson’s severed Achilles tendon — the Senators claim that it’s a backburner issue.

“He’s one player and clearly if we allow him to be a distraction, he has already won,” said defenceman Marc Methot, who was Karlsson’s defence partner at the time of the devastating injury to the defending Norris Trophy winner. “We’ll play him hard, but we’ll keep it clean. Our goal is to get the two points and move on.”

For the circus that Cooke figures to bring — expect a chorus of boos when Cooke first hits the ice and whenever he touches the puck — Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson says the Senators preparation is all about “focusing on what we have to do.”

Cooke is familiar with being the villain and was careful with his words Monday morning.

He insists it was a freak accident, but he said “I’m glad (Karlsson) is close to recovery and coming back and (the Senators) have done a great job of putting themselves in a playoff position.”

It was somewhat hard to believe, however, when Cooke claimed “I haven’t put any thought into it” when asked about how Senators players might react towards him.

The Penguins will be without forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, defenceman Kris Letang and goaltender Marc-André Fleury, as they do attempt to rest up their players in preparation for what they hope will be a long playoff run.

The Senators, however, say there’s no excuse for taking the Penguins lightly.

“Sure, they’re missing some of their best players, but it’s almost an all-star team,” Guillaume Latendresse said.

“They’re still an excellent team,” Methot added. “They’re still a really deep hockey team. It’s going to be a tough game, regardless.”

Craig Anderson will start in goal for the Senators, hoping to rebound from a rare off night in Saturday’s 4-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Senators coach Paul MacLean was also coy with possible changes to his lineup. While there were appearances that heavyweight Matt Kassian would be taken out in favour of Latendresse, MacLean said Monday morning that he had not made any changes yet. A few minutes earlier, however, Latendresse said he would be playing.



Cowen back to full speed in a hurry

by Ken Warren | April 22, 2013

Whenever Erik Karlsson returns to the Ottawa Senators’ lineup, the team can only hope he finds his old form on the blue-line as quickly as Jared Cowen has rediscovered his place following his surprisingly early return from surgery.

Karlsson once again took part in the morning skate Monday and could see action before the end of the regular season. That, however, was background noise to all the attention surrounding Pittsburgh Penguins agitator Matt Cooke, who sliced the back of Karlsson’s leg on Feb. 13, resulting in Achilles tendon surgery.

Now that the rematch against Cooke has come and gone, the biggest questions surrounding Karlsson are when he will return to the lineup and what kind of impact he could have.

If his comeback is as seamless as Cowen’s recovery from hip surgery has been in his four games since returning, the Senators would be ecstatic.

“I think it was easier to come back than I thought it would be,” Cowen said before Monday’s game against the Penguins.

“I was expecting it to be really hard. I had only played the one year (the 2011-12 season was his rookie campaign). I don’t feel like I’m where I should be at this time of the regular season, but I still feel pretty good. I don’t have a lot to complain about, in terms of where I am right now. Maybe (improving) a little bit on the timing.”

In some ways, Cowen is the anti-Karlsson. At 6-5 and 230 pounds, he’s primarily charged with stopping goals, not creating them. In the first three games of his return, he had no points, but had delivered 11 hits, including the bone-jarring open-ice hit against Jeff Skinner of the Carolina Hurricanes in his first game back. In his second game against Washington, he played 21:43.

“Just getting bumped around the entire (first game) felt good,” Cowen said. “I don’t know why it does that, but you get a feel for the game. Everyone said that first game was a good game, but I thought the better game was the second one, and then the third one, just cutting down on the mistakes.”

The 22-year-old Cowen, however, isn’t about to offer any advice to the 22-year-old Karlsson on the adjustment to returning to a lineup in the final stages of the regular season.

“He knows,” Cowen said. “He’s not a rookie, and it is way easier to come back when you’ve already played a lot of games. Even for me, playing last year, that helped quite a bit. I thought it would be a really big chore to fit in, to get a feel for all the systems. I was happy with the progression I went through.”

MORROW DEFENDS COOKE

Penguins left-winger Brendan Morrow was with the Dallas Stars when Cooke cut Karlsson, but he came to Cooke’s defence Monday.

“I don’t know one guy who would go on the ice with the intention of slicing somebody’s leg,” Morrow said. “This is just something that happens. I got some tendons cut in a wrist befroe. Last thing I did was blaming (Radim) Vrbata to try and intentionally skate on my arm. I guess it’s just a fast game.”

PRE-PLAYOFF GAMESMANSHIP

On Monday morning, Senators coach Paul MacLean said he hadn’t yet made any plans to change his roster from Saturday. That was a surprise to the media, considering that Matt Kassian stayed on the ice late at the morning skate along with the healthy scratches and the fact that Guillaume Latendresse said he was taking Kassian’s spot in the lineup. Was MacLean’s ploy a move to force Penguins coach Dan Byslma to dress heavyweight Steve MacIntyre? Sure appears so. While both Kassian and Latendresse took part in the pre-game warm-up, Kassian was a healthy scratch come game time. … The Senators dressed to impress the more than 1,100 Canadian Armed Forces members in attendance Monday by wearing their version of army fatigues for the pre-game warm-up —

camouflage jerseys. The sweaters will be auctioned off, with proceeds going to the Military Families Fund.



Karlsson’s miraculous recovery just one of many to dot the world of sports

By IAN MENDES, Ottawa Citizen April 22, 2013

OTTAWA — When Erik Karlsson suffered his Achilles injury in February, the original prognosis had the star defenceman missing at least four months.

There were some suggestions that if the Senators were able to make the Stanley Cup final, perhaps Karlsson would be available to play in late June. But the scenario seemed so unrealistic that most felt they would only see Karlsson on the ice in September.

However, Karlsson has made such strides with rehabilitation that his return to the lineup at some point in the next few days seems certain. Karlsson’s astonishing recovery from injury certainly puts him on this list of the 10 most remarkable comebacks from injury or illness in sports history:

1. Mario Lemieux — Cancer treatment, 1993

When Mario Lemieux announced that he was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma on January 12, 1993, everyone figured his season — and possibly his NHL career — was over.

But less than two months later, the Penguins superstar was back for a game in Philadelphia on March 2.

Remarkably, that was the same day as his final radiation treatment and he managed to score a goal and an assist against the Flyers.

2. Adrian Peterson — Knee surgery, 2012

Adrian Peterson suffered a torn ACL and MCL in his knee on Christmas Eve in 2011 and it seemed unlikely that he would be ready for the start of the 2012 season.

Not only did Peterson return for the first week, he had a season for the ages, rushing for more than 2,000 yards and falling just nine yards shy of breaking Eric Dickerson’s single-season record.

3. Terrell Owens — Broken fibula, 2004

Terrell Owens has been labelled as one of the most selfish athletes of his generation, but nobody can question his toughness.

The Eagles wide receiver suffered a broken fibula and a severely sprained ankle in late December and was ruled out for the remainder of the 2004 season.

Philadelphia made it to the Super Bowl and Owens stunned reporters by declaring he would play in the game, although doctors suggested he was still a few weeks away.

Owens started the Super Bowl against New England and caught nine passes for 122 yards.

4. Teppo Numminen — Open-heart surgery, 2008

At training camp in 2007, the Buffalo Sabres announced that Teppo Numminen was undergoing open-heart surgery to correct a faulty valve.

The procedure — which was unprecedented for an active NHL player — was going to keep the defenceman out for the entire regular season.

But Numminen showed determination and managed to play in the club’s regular season finale on April 5, 2008.

5. Chris Carpenter — Nerve and shoulder surgery, 2012

On July 3, 2012, Chris Carpenter underwent surgery to repair his thoracic outlet syndrome, which had created nerve and shoulder issues for him. The procedure was expected to sideline him for at least six months and required that one of his ribs was removed.

But the Cardinals starter returned to the mound just two months later and even won a playoff game.

6. Curt Schilling — Ankle tendon, 2004

Curt Schilling required a surgical procedure to stabilize the tendon in his right ankle before the sixth game of the ALCS against the New York Yankees. The stitches tore during the game, leading to the infamous bloody sock that will live in New England sports lore for generations to come. Schilling had the same procedure done before pitching in the second game of the World Series.

7. Brandon Roy — Knee surgery, 2010

The Portland Trail Blazers guard suffered a torn meniscus in his right knee and was forced to undergo surgery that was going to keep him sidelined for an extended period of time. Just eight days after the procedure, Roy shocked everyone in the basketball world by returning and playing a key role in Portland’s Game 4 win over Phoenix.

8. Peyton Manning — Neck surgery, 2011

After undergoing multiple neck surgeries in 2011, Peyton Manning’s career was in such doubt that the Indianapolis Colts did the unthinkable and cut ties with the face of their franchise. The consensus was that if Manning was able to come back, he would just be a shadow of his former self.

But after signing with the Broncos, he threw for more than 4,000 yards and led Denver to a division title.

9. Joe Montana — Back surgery, 1986

Joe Montana suffered such a serious back injury in the first week of the 1986 season that he required immediate surgery and doctors suggested he should consider retiring.

But the 49ers quarterback returned to the club in early November and tossed three touchdown passes in a victory over St. Louis in his first game back.

10. Willis Reed — Torn hamstring, 1970

Willis Reed’s return for the seventh game of the 1970 NBA finals was listed as the most memorable moment in Madison Square Garden history. The Knicks forward missed the sixth game of the series against the Lakers with a severe leg injury, but he sent chills down the spine of MSG fans when he walked onto the court for warm-ups before the seventh game and led his team to victory.



Pittsburgh Penguins handle Ottawa Senators 3-1 at Scotiabank Place

By Bruce Garrioch, April 22, 2013

The Senators have hit the skids on the road to the playoffs.

While they still control their own destiny with three games left in the season, the pressure to clinch a playoff spot is mounting after dropping a 3-1 decision to the Pittsburgh Penguins in an uninspired effort at Scotiabank Place on Monday night.

Not only did the Sens fail to exact revenge on Penguins’ villain Matt Cooke for injuring top defenceman Erik Karlsson, only Patrick Wiercioch was able to beat Pittsburgh goalie Tomas Vokoun, who made 33 stops in his 700th career game.

If that’s not bad enough, the undermanned Penguins — without the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and James Neal — extended their winning streak to seven straight games on goals from Tyler Kennedy, Jarome Iginla and Dustin Jeffrey.

Don’t point the finger at Craig Anderson.

Suddenly, the Senators have the Winnipeg Jets breathing down their necks, and a grip on a playoff spot isn’t so sure. The Jets scored a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Sabres in Buffalo on Monday to move within a point of Ottawa in the standings.

“We saw that (Winnipeg won). What do you do?” asked defenceman Marc Methot. “All we can do is focus on these next few games. They are do-or-die for us. We need to get two wins, I would imagine.

“To get a comfortable seed we’ve got to win the games. These games are so important for us. Right now, playoff hockey has begun for us.”

After going 0-for-16 on the power play in five games, the Senators got one with the man advantge in the third when Wiercioch beat Vokoun from the point at 7:18 to pull Ottawa to within a goal. Kennedy put it away on a setup from Cooke.

Captain Daniel Alfredsson said the Senators have no desire to take the chase into the final weekend.

“You always want to get (the playoff spot) as quick as you can,” said Alfredsson. “It’s the same as being up 3-0 in a playoff series. You want to win it as quick as you can.

“Having said that, we’re going to focus on one game at a time. Hopefully, we win and then we’ll see what happens. It’s like in golf, you have to expect the other guy to make his putt, so we’ve got to expect the other teams to win their games.”

If the Senators don’t get their act together they’ll have plenty of time for golf a week from now.

Trailing 2-0 to the Penguins after 40 minutes, the Senators effort left a lot to be desired. Chris Neil tried to deliver a wakeup call by delivering a big hit on Pittsburgh’s Simon Despres midway through the second. But nothing was working.

“We have to get back to basics,” said Anderson. “We have to look at ourselves in the mirror and figure out what each of us can do better to help the team. Right now, we’ve got to play, tough hard-nosed defence like we’ve done all year.

“We’ve got to figure out how to win games 1-0 and 2-1. Goals, to be honest, have been hard all year. Everybody knows we haven’t scored many goals. We usually give our opportunities to play strategic defensively.”

Neil tried to get the business of Cooke out of the way early. On the first shift, he told Cooke he would have to answer for slicing Karlsson’s Achillies tendon Feb. 13, but nothing doing and there was nothing doing for the Senators either.

“They were better than we were from start to finish,” said coach Paul MacLean.

The Senators face the Capitals Thursday in Washington.

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 04.23.2013


Why is Pittsburgh Penguins' Matt Cooke so interested in Don Brennan's package?

By Don Brennan,Ottawa Sun | April 22, 2013 09:48 PM

Matt Cooke was quite focused at Scotiabank Place on Monday morning.

He was focused on that night's game against the Senators. He was focused on helping the Penguins track down the Blackhawks in the overall standings. He was focused on his job as a penalty killer and pest.

Then, after practice, he was focused on the humongous media scrum around his stall in the dressing room.

And he was focused on my package.

Cooke must have read the Ottawa Sun on his way to the rink because something in it clearly had him rattled. And I'm still not sure which part.

After listening to Cooke answer questions about the Feb. 13 incident in which his skate sliced 70% of the way through Erik Karlsson's Achilles tendon, I went to speak with other players in the room about different matters. Like every other reporter there. On the way out, I found Cooke waiting to have a word in private with me.

He wanted to tell me I have no balls. At first I think he said "small balls." But by the time he had finished, and knew Penguins GM Ray Shero was listening, he had decided I had none. Oh, and I believe he also mumbled something about me having no penis before disappearing into the players-only room, which I found interesting.

I will not take this opportunity to, ahem, brag about my manhood.

Cooke accused me of hiding behind the cameras, which is funny. In scrums that large, none of us scribes can get past the guys shooting video. Besides, what exactly would I be hiding from?

Cooke wanted to know why I didn't ask any questions. It's because I only had one, and somebody beat me to the punch. When Cooke held to his story that the Karlsson injury was a "complete freak accident," I'd heard enough.

Again, I don't think he was aiming for Karlsson's Achilles, but I've watched the replay many times and I'm convinced he was either trying to hurt the Senators best player or he was being careless enough with his boot blade to warrant a suspension.

Anyway, I've stated the opinion many times since the incident, and if that was what angered Cooke, well, he must also be pissed at a number of other people, because on this one, I am not a lone wolf.

My best guess is he was mad I pointed out in Monday's column he has averaged less than two fights per season in his NHL career, which isn't many for a guy that plays on the edge that he does. Maybe Cooke didn't like the way I put it -- that he has only settled scores like a man 20 times in his 14 years -- but again, I don't know.

Other than that, I believe I just reminded everyone this was the first meeting of the two teams since Cooke's Valentine's Day massacre on Karlsson's ankle. I didn't really think any Senators would exact revenge because of the game's importance, and that Cooke wouldn't let them, anyway. I was right.

On Cooke's first shift, with the crowd booing as soon as he hopped over the boards, Chris Neil skated directly to him with an invitation to fight. Naturally, Cooke declined. Before getting back to the bench, he drew an interference penalty on Eric Gryba, probably not so much because it was Cooke, but that the rookie defenceman forgot the rules.

At the whistle, Neil had another long chat with Cooke. And again, Cooke looked like he wanted to be elsewhere.

For much of game's remainder, the only time you remembered he was in the building was when the "Matt Cooke Sucks" chants came from the crowd -- or pretty much every time he was on the ice.

For the record, I kind of like Cooke, even if he isn't as effective as he used to be. He's controversial, which is a good thing. And yeah, he's dirty, but

that just means he'll do anything to win. I only wish he'd answer for his actions the way real men who play his game do.

Maybe he should grow a set of his own before worrying about mine.

STARTS AND STOPS: Cory Conacher spent eight hours during Sunday's off-day in a car. He and his girlfriend drove to Toronto to see Conacher's little brother, Shane, who scored the Game 7 winner (and was named playoff MVP) as the St. Michael's Buzzers defeated the Newmarket Hurricanes 3-1 in the OJHL (Tier II) final. They came back when it was over. Soon to be 19, Shane is about to follow Little Train's footsteps to Canisius Collage. "He's better than I was at that age," said Little Train ... Whatever anger Neil had in him exploded all over Simon Despres in a second-period hit behind the net that shook the building ... Zack Smith is developing into a fine puck carrier, but it was the first-period pounding he gave Robert Bortuzzo, not his up ice rush, that had the crowd on its feet ... Doesn't happen often, but Sergei Gonchar had the hip check of the night on Jussi Jokinen ... Is there a more underrated player than Pascal Dupuis? ... Not sure how much better finishing eighth than ninth would be for the Senators. Four more games maybe?



Pens' bad boy faces media wrath

By Bruce Garrioch, April 22, 2013

Before facing the Senators, Matt Cooke met his harshest critics.

After taking part in an optional skate Monday before facing the Sens at Scotiabank Place, the Pittsburgh Penguins winger — whose skate sliced defenceman Erik Karlsson’s Achilles tendon on Feb. 9. — was surrounded by a throng of media.

Facing the Senators for the first time since the incident, Cooke repeated it was not intentional.

“What happened between me and (Karlsson) is a complete freak accident,” said Cooke. “I’ve said it before, and I’m glad he is close to recovery and coming back.”

Karlsson is moving closer to a return from the injry that was supposed to keep him out of action 4-6 months. He took part in the morning skate again Monday, and when he does return he could be eased back into action.

If he doesn’t suit up Thursday against the Washington Capitals, then a return Saturday at home against the Flyers, or Sunday to close out the season against the Boston Bruins during the makeup game in Beantown, is possible.

There was also good news on the Jason Spezza front. He skated for the first time in over a month by himself before practice Monday morning. There’s no timetable for his return, but it’s a good sign he’s back skating.


671798 Philadelphia Flyers

Kent Huskins admits he was knocked out cold

POSTED: Monday, April 22, 2013, 1:59 PM

A mere minutes into the game and 21,273 fans buzzing in Bell Centre, Kent Huskins remembers curling around the Flyers’ net and finding a teammate along the boards.

He made the pass. And everything went black.

“I remember making the pass,” Huskins said. “Everything got pretty fuzzy from there.”

Huskins said he was knocked out cold by Ryan White’s elbow. White was suspended five games for the dirty hit, the most games allowed by the NHL without the ability for an appeal from the NHL’s Players Association. (Video of the hit is below)

Huskins, 33, skated in his first practice with the Flyers on Monday since that hit one week ago. He was diagnosed with a concussion, which is automatic if a player loses consciousness - even momentarily. He skated by himself for 20 minutes on Sunday to test his head.

“I needed some help getting off the ice,” Huskins said. “I feel pretty good. I have no headaches. I felt a little off the last few days. I’ve been lucky. Right away, in the test room, I started to feel with it again.”

This is Huskins’ third diagnosed concussion of his 318-game NHL career. He said he suffered one 10 years ago and another two and a half years ago.

The timing of it couldn’t be worse for Huskins. He was acquired, essentially for free, from Detroit on March 30. The Flyers would have needed to send Detroit a 7th round pick if they made the playoffs or if he signs in Philadelphia before Oct. 1.

Huskins is due to become an unrestricted free agent in July. Given his cost, Huskins was actually a pretty efficient defender during his eight games with the team. He certainly didn’t hurt the Flyers and brought a certain amount of poise to the blue line.

The Flyers have not had any discussions with his agent on a possible extension, Huskins said. With only three games left before a long summer, Huskins would like one more shot to win another contract.

There is a “definite chance” he plays in one of the remaining three games (Tuesday vs. Boston, Thursday vs. the Islanders or Saturday in Ottawa) - but he also needs to walk that concussion tightrope that so many seem to struggle to find balance on.

“As players, you never like missing games,” Huskins said. “It’s disappointing. With this type of injury, you want to wait and see and make sure you take the precautionary measures. There is an urgency to play because that’s what we do. You don’t want to do anything that might jeopardize your long-term health.”

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 04.23.2013


Flyers will honor Boston during game with Bruins

Marc Narducci, Posted: Tuesday, April 23, 2013,

With just three games to go for the Flyers, Tuesday's matchup at the Wells Fargo Center with the Boston Bruins will provide emotional moments on several fronts.

The Flyers plan several ways to honor those affected by the Boston Marathon bombings.

From a hockey standpoint, it will be the first time Jaromir Jagr will be facing the Flyers since he left the team in July to sign with Dallas as a free agent.

The Flyers will wear "Boston Strong" patches on their uniforms and stickers on their helmets. There will be various tributes during the game, including the recognition of Temple podiatry students who were on site at the Boston Marathon lending their services. There will be a raffle and later every player's jersey will be auctioned to benefit onefundboston.org.

"This really hit home and touched Americans and people across the road," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette, a Franklin, Mass., native said after Monday's practice. "Recognition of what happened and the events that have taken place is certainly a good thing."

Added captain Claude Giroux, "This is something you like to see and support something like that and you want to do it. Boston is a great city and you hate for something like that to happen."

General manager Paul Holmgren said he was glued to his television watching the events unfold. "It is a tragedy, and it is good [Tuesday] we will show support," Holmgren said.

Jagr was acquired by Boston on April 2 from Dallas.

Last season for the Flyers, he had 19 goals and 35 assists in 73 games. Jagr added a goal and seven assists in 11 playoff games. He signed with Dallas as a free agent and had 14 goals and 12 assists in 34 games before being traded. Jagr has two goals and six assists in nine games for the Bruins.

More than his production, Jagr's influence in the Flyers locker room was crucial. He was a popular player, and no one benefited more than Giroux.

Giroux set career highs with 28 goals, 65 assists and 93 points. Fellow linemate Scott Hartnell had career high in goals (37) and points (67) and tied his career high with 30 assists

"Jaromir was a really steady influence for young guys and set a great example with his work ethic," Laviolette said. "He found a lot of chemistry, especially with Claude, and was a real good influence in our room."

Everyone who talked about Jagr's influence mentioned his off-the-charts work ethic.

"He was working all the time, and when you see a guy like that, a Hall of Famer, the way he treats his body and works so hard to get where he has been, it is pretty impressive," Giroux said.

Jagr, who has 681 career goals, was a star who didn't act like one, according to his teammates.

"For us, it was like playing with a legend," Danny Briere said. "I feel fortunate I am able to say I played with Jaromir Jagr for one year in my career."

Notes. The Flyers recalled forwards Jason Akeson, Tye McGinn and Scott Laughton plus defenseman Matt Konan from their AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms. . . . Flyers defenseman Kent Huskins, who has been sidelined with a concussion he suffered April 15 in a 7-3 win at Montreal, could return this season, according to Holmgren. "He passed all his tests and obviously now it's about getting his feet wet, practicing with the team," Holmgren said. "He is probably not an option [Tuesday] but maybe in the next two games." . . . Jagr scored the first goal in Sunday's 3-0 win over Florida that snapped Boston's four-game losing streak. It was his 118th game-winning goal, tying Phil Esposito for most in NHL history.



Who will break Philly's playoff drought?

Sam Donnellon, Posted: Tuesday, April 23, 2013, 1:19 AM

ONCE, IT WAS a question asked with anticipation. Now it is one posed with fear.

Which of our pro teams, we have been quizzed at various intervals over the last 15 years, is closest to a championship.

Anyone, anyone?

The Eagles?

Man, you must loooove Chip Kelly.

The Phillies? With all their ifs, buts and nuts?

And speaking of nuts, are we really sure the Flyers will be better without Ilya Bryzgalov?

Based, exactly, on what?

And speaking of nuts again, maybe the Sixers should sign Andrew Bynum.

That way, we'll be forced to talk about them.

Sorry. Cheap joke at the expense of a franchise that simply can't stop turning the ball over. The Bynum deal hurt them worse than the Shawn Bradley pick once did. It sounds impossible, but the Sixers are actually farther from relevance today than they were 3 years ago.

This time though, they have company. In fact, as Bob Vetrone Jr.'s chart illustrated the other day, the Sixers are the most recent of the Philly teams to have tasted the postseason. And the way things look, they might hold that title for a while.

No longer is it about championships. Playoffs, we're talking playoffs. With the Sixers done and the Flyers already toast, Philadelphia is already assured of going a full calendar year without any of its teams playing a postseason game. Now the question is: Will we be 0-for-2013?

It hasn't happened since 1994. Which means Philly-born kids under 19 have not lived through such a year. They've witnessed a parade and a World Series championship, lived through all four teams reaching their championship round. For Philly sports, a golden era for sure.

Is it over? Are we headed to one of those dark periods? The signs are not good.

A virtual playoff lock for the last 2 decades, the Flyers need a big summer to fix what a couple of bad summers have done. They could start by getting on the same page internally. In the wake of a 2012 season in which they allowed 232 goals, the general manager spoke about becoming better defensively but did little structurally to make that happen. The Flyers actually allowed more goals per game than they did last year. And, as you know, they scored quite a few less.

The Eagles have a new coach and a lot of old needs. In fact, it's the question most often asked about the upcoming draft. What is the Eagles' biggest need? Some say offensive line. Some say defensive line. Some say defensive playmaker, someone like Oregon defensive end Dion Jordan.

They say this because they are resigned to not being able to solve their true greatest need via this draft. There is no franchise quarterback in this deep but starless crop, and the last time the Birds were this forlornly bad, they got themselves one.

Still, in Chip we trust, and if he was able to win in Oregon with the likes of Marcus Mariota, maybe he can at least begin to implement his game-changing schemes with Michael Vick running things this season. On the other hand, maybe the best way to get that franchise quarterback is for it not to work out so well next season. Either way, it's hard to imagine the Eagles drafting too much lower next year at this time.

So which team has the best chance to save us? Probably the Phillies, but that's more out of default. Playing inside a division that includes two of last year's National League playoff teams - Washington and Atlanta, both full of

young talent - their postseason hopes are an imposing house of cards that only begins there.

Ryan Howard must return to form. Roy Halladay must return to form. Chase Utley must stay healthy. Upon his return from a drug suspension, Carlos Ruiz must supply a season not too far from last year's career one. Domonic Brown must prove to be an everyday power hitter.

Delmon Young. Chad Durbin. And on and on. There's an "if" at nearly every clubhouse cubicle this season. I don't want to scare the young'uns too much, but when the team averaged more than 90 losses over five seasons in the late 1990s after winning the 1993 pennant, it started with a bundle of ifs, buts and nuts.

Are we there yet? Other than Brown, every player just mentioned would appear to be on the other side of his career. Add in Michael Young and Mike Adams and even Ruiz, and there is little to suggest that ensuing years will treat them better. Not on the big club. And not in the minors.

But strange things do happen in sports. Monday night, for example, the Phillies got a solid outing from rookie call-up Jonathan Pettibone, who had given up 10 runs in fewer than 10 innings of work at the Triple A level this season. And while guys like Freddy Galvis and Cody Asche are not expected to replace their aging stars, this sport, maybe more than the other three, survives and succeeds via pleasant surprises.

So fear not.

At least until, say . . . May.



Flyers paying tribute to Boston

FRANK SERAVALLI, Posted: Tuesday, April 23, 2013, 12:58 AM

MIKE KNUBLE spent parts of five seasons with the Bruins. Flyers coach Peter Laviolette grew up in Massachusetts and his sister was a spectator at the Boston Marathon last Monday.

The horrifying events of last week hit home with every member of the Flyers - be they Canadian, Czech or Swede.

"I've been up and down [Boylston] street a hundred times," said Knuble, the Flyers' lone American Olympian. "You see the fronts of the restaurants - I know exactly where that's at. I've been to the race before. I've done the walk from Fenway to downtown. I have a very good idea visually where everything was happening."

While the pain is still fresh, the Flyers hope to play a small part in helping provide Bostonians with a sense of normalcy - even if for only 2 1/2 hours - when they host the Bruins on Tuesday night.

The Flyers will pay tribute to the victims, honor the first responders and raise money for both with the use of commemorative patches on their jerseys, a postgame auction and the donation of "50/50" raffle funds.

"Anytime you can support something like that, you do it," Claude Giroux said. "Boston is a great city, and you never want to see something happen like that."

The terror attack also injured one of the Flyers' own, as lifelong fan Jeff Bauman tragically had both of his legs blown off near the finish line. While hospitalized, Bauman helped the FBI identify one of the two suspects, since he caught a glimpse of the suspect dropping a bag near him before the explosions.

Bauman's father was raised in the Philadelphia area.

Only 27, Bauman faces a long road to recovery. Flyers fans are banding together, collecting gear and memorabilia for Bauman at Saturday's Philly Ink autograph signing at the Granite Run Mall. Bauman's co-workers at Costco already raised $360,000 online for his rehabilitation costs.

The senseless violence also has caused the Flyers' players to wonder about their own safety. Aside from the 1996 Olympic bombing in Atlanta, last week marked the first terrorist attack at a major sporting event on American soil.

"You don't sit on the bench and think about it until it happens," Knuble said. "That's scary. As a player, you hope an evacuation plan is in place. At home games, you've got wives and kids in the stands. It would probably be smart as a player to have a backup plan with your wife, just so it's not out of the blue with 20,000 people trying to get out of an arena at once."

Security has been beefed up in stadiums and arenas, including at the Wells Fargo Center. At last week's game in Montreal on the night of the bombing, security examined trunks of cars in the parking lot for suspicious materials.

As long as there are 20,000 or 70,000 people huddled in one location, stadiums and arenas always will be a target for terrorism.

"We don't go into it thinking it could happen," Danny Briere said. "Sporting events are one of the easy ways to have a bunch of people together. It's sad that people have to go to that place and try to hurt people, but that's the world we live in."

There have not been more emotional moments in sports since Sept. 11, 2001, than when Bruins fans banded together at TD Garden last Wednesday to sing the national anthem in unison. The Bruins' first game back was far from normal. But when the lights went up and the puck dropped, a city gripped by grief could at least return to a more simple time - even if only for a few hours.

"Sports play a big role in that," Knuble said. "The teams are a great distraction. It's nice that they have three teams [Celtics, Bruins, Red Sox] going on right now. It gives them something else to look at and think of besides driving around the city with streets barricaded and emergency vehicles."

Slap shots

Defenseman Kent Huskins skated for the first time since suffering a Grade III concussion on April 15 in Montreal. The Canadiens' Ryan White was suspended five games for the hit. Huskins acknowledged he lost consciousness on the play, but does not have headaches, and there is a "definite chance" he could return for one of the final three games this week . . . Jody Shelley, who had hip surgery in February, also skated for the first time with the team . . . The Flyers recalled their maximum of four players from Adirondack: Jason Akeson, Tye McGinn, Matt Konan and Scott Laughton. Of the four, Laughton is unlikely to play, since one more NHL game would burn a year off his entry-level deal, which can slide until next season.



Jagr returning, but for one night only

by Wayne Fish

VOORHEES – Like just about any good thing in life, the Flyers didn’t know what they had in Jaromir Jagr until he was gone.

Not just on the ice, of course, but that all-important area off the ice.

Some say the future Hall of Famer put Claude Giroux’s career over the top while others point out that Jagr helped Scott Hartnell enjoy the best year of his career with a record 37 goals.

But when last season was over, the Flyers allowed Jagr to skate into the Texas sunset and his departure no doubt played a part in the Flyers missing the playoffs this season.

Tuesday night, Jagr returns to Philadelphia for the first time since last year when the Boston Bruins come to town. At 41, Jagr shows no signs of slowing down.

He led the Dallas Stars in scoring when he was sent to Boston near the trade deadline and posted seven points in his first seven games with the Bruins.

Giroux sounds like he misses his former mentor.

“He was important for me last year,’’ noted Giroux, who posted a career-high 93 points. “He helped my development a lot. He’s just a great guy.

“I’ve never seen anybody with a work ethic like that, off the ice and on the ice. It was work all the time. When you see a guy like that, a Hall of Famer, just the way he treats his body and the way he works so hard to get where he is, it’s pretty impressive.’’

Jagr also served as a mentor for Jake Voracek last year. Both hail from the same town (Kladno) in the Czech Republic.

Coach Peter Laviolette says Jagr made a significant contribution.

“Jaromir was a really steady influence for our young guys,’’ Laviolette said. “He set a great example of work ethic. He had a lot of chemistry with Claude, he was a real good influence for our team.

“Our team is still young but I think it was younger last year. He was a nice addition and a good piece for us.’’

Huskins almost ready: Kent Huskins, who suffered a concussion due to a hit from Montreal’s Mike White on April 15 (White was suspended five games), practiced with the team on Monday.

The Flyer defenseman said he’s feeling better, although general manager Paul Holmgren indicated Huskins probably will miss the Boston game in favor of a return on Thursday night against the Islanders.

“I feel good,’’ Huskins said. “No headaches or anything like that.’’

Huskins said this is the third concussion of his NHL career. He suffered one about 10 years ago and one about two years ago.

“All signs are positive (now),’’ he said.

Huskins said he briefly lost consciousness after the White hit but able to make it off the ice.

“I needed some help,’’ Huskins said. “But I’ve been lucky. All the tests, I kind of felt OK right away.’’

Flyers Tuesday

What: Boston Bruins at Flyers.

When: 7:35.

Where: Wells Fargo Center.

TV/Radio: NBCSN/97.5-FM.

What to watch: Flyers are 20-22-3 with three games to play so they pretty much have to run the table to avoid their first losing season since 2007 and

only their second since 1993-94. . .The Bruins still have something to play for, namely the Northeast Division title (one point back of Montreal) and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

Burlington County Times LOADED: 04.23.2013


Tribute to Boston strikes a chord with Flyers

Wayne Fish

VOORHEES – Among the many favorite memories Mike Knuble has of Boston, it’s the place where his daughter was born during his playing days with the Bruins.

Aside from coach Peter Laviolette, a Massachusetts native, Knuble is the only member of the current Flyers with a connection to the hub city of New England.

So there’s bound to be a bit more of an emotional resonance in Knuble on Tuesday night when the Bruins visit Philadelphia for the first time since the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15.

The Flyers have planned several ways to show their support for Boston, including the donation of funds raised from their 50/50 raffle, the wearing of “Boston Strong’’ insignias on their jerseys and helmets and the playing of “God Bless America’’ before the game.

For Knuble, who played with the Bruins from the 1999-2000 to 2003-04 seasons (307 games), acknowledges this won’t be just another game.

“As a player and as a father, having our daughter born in Boston, that place will always be special to us,’’ Knuble said after Monday’s practice at the Skate Zone.

“Playing hockey for a proud organization like that I’ll always remember. Our times there and learning the city – you can’t help but fall in love with the city where you play.’’

Like everyone, Knuble watched the aftermath of the bombings with a degree of sadness and frustration.

“To see the destruction down there and be very familiar with where all that was to me was very shocking to say the least,’’ he said. “You’ve been on that street numerous times, you know where those buildings are. . .you’ve eaten in those buildings.

“You’ve walked and shopped along there. It really hits home.’’

Daniel Briere was asked if the fact that the tragedy struck in the athletic arena brings it a little closer to the home of professional sports figures.

“I think the rest of the season is going to be emotional for Boston,’’ he said. “Wherever they’re going to play. What happened was terrible. I don’t wish anybody would go through that. I’m sure they (the Bruins) all feel when it happens so close to you, it’s different than when you’re looking from outside.

“I guess sporting events are one of the easy ways to have a bunch of people all together in one place if you want to do acts of terrorism. It’s part of life – we don’t go into a game thinking it could happen. But I guess it’s always a possibility. It’s sad that people have to go to that place and try to hurt people.’’

Jake Voracek, who hails from the Czech Republic, sounded as upset as any American you might find walking down the street.

“That was a big tragedy what happened there,’’ he said. “As long as we can show the support, it’s going to be good. There are a lot of screwed up people in this world. It’s just ridiculous the way some people are acting. But I think there are more good people in this world than bad, which is a good thing.’’

Laviolette grew up in the Boston suburb of Franklin, so he’s very aware of how much that area has gone through.

“You watch some of those ceremonies in Boston, the Red Sox one, they really hit home,’’ he said. “They touched Americans across the world.’’

Is there any chance the Flyers could get caught up in the moment and possibly lose focus at the game’s outset? Not that it matters much, because the Flyers have been eliminated from playoff consideration, but still the Bruins are alive for the top seed in the Northeast Division.

“Now that it (the tragedy) is over and behind, I think players have always done a good job regardless of why a game is stopped at the beginning, why a ceremony takes place, they try to draw a line between those two things,’’ Laviolette said.

“Typically, when the puck drops, it’s back to hockey. Certainly, the fact that there’s recognition of what’s happened is certainly a good thing.’’

Added general manager Paul Holmgren: “I think it’s great, I think to show respect for the city of Boston at a time of difficulty.’’

Boston and Philadelphia always have been great sports rivals. That seems a bit irrelevant at a time like this.

“When something like this happens,’’ Holmgren said, “it snaps you back to reality and shows you what the really important things in life are.’’



Boston tribute planned when Bruins visit

Wayne Fish

Everywhere Boston’s professional sports teams travel, the cities they visit have been generous in their show of support to help cope with the recent tragedy.

The Flyers, representing Philadelphia, will be trying their best for the cause when the Boston Bruins visit the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday night.

Last Tuesday, the Flyers held a moment of silence, along with a rendition of “God Bless America,’’ before their game with the New York Rangers.

With the Bruins now headed to town, the Flyers want to do everything they can to assist in the emotional recovery.

On Sunday, the organization announced its plans for this Tuesday’s game, which include:

/n + Donating all money collected through the Flyers’ Charities 50/50 raffle during the game to “onefundboston.org.’’

/n + The Flyers will wear a “Boston Strong’’ patch on their uniforms and a sticker on their helmets.

/n + At the conclusion of the game, every player’s jersey will be available for auction with proceeds also benefitting onefundboston.org at meigray.com.

/n + Prior to the opening faceoff, members of the Philadelphia Police and Fire d epartments will take part in a pre-game ceremony that includes a tribute video and performance of "God Bless America”.

/n + Throughout the game, there will be other tributes, including recognition of Temple Podiatry students who were on site at the Boston Marathon lending their services to those in need of medical assistance.

Comcast-Spectacor president Peter Luukko, a Massachusetts native, says the Flyers are committed to doing what they can.

"We have all seen what Boston has gone through and how they all rallied together,’’ Luukko said. “As someone from New England, I know how much pride that city has. We too have been moved by what we saw last week in Boston and wanted to do our part to help."



Last games could let Flyer's Danny Briere beef up résumé

By ROB PARENT

VOORHEES, N.J. — With three games remaining against Eastern Conference playoff contenders, the Flyers might feel they can play a part in the playoff fate of those respective teams, beginning with the Boston Bruins tonight at Wells Fargo Center.

Of course, the players might have another reason or two why they’d be so motivated for this game and the other two left on the schedule for their forgettable 2013 season.

“There’s two things you look at,” Danny Briere said after a long Monday practice. “That you can spoil it for other teams or help different teams (in the standings). And the other thing is the pride. It’s your job. And it doesn’t matter where we are, we still have to play hard.”

For Briere, 35, there is one other reason to be motivated for these three games, of course. He’s playing for his future.

The Flyers will almost certainly either trade Briere or use a compliance buyout on him to get his $6.5 million cap hit off their books for next season.

Hurt by a wrist injury suffered before the start of the season while he was playing in Germany and by a concussion suffered in mid-March that kept him out nearly a month, Briere has gone without a goal for the past 18 games. He has five goals and 15 points and is a minus-15 in 31 games this season.

While the decision makes perfect sense from a numbers standpoint, it doesn’t come easily considering how Briere is a class act, a leader in the locker room and has a history of consistently coming up big once the playoffs start.

Of course, they don’t have to worry about that this year. But a playoff miss in what likely is his last season in Philadelphia certainly won’t keep Briere from doing his job.

“You have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and say, ‘We didn’t make the playoffs, we didn’t have a great year. But at least I didn’t cut it short.’ I played hard until the end, and you can live with that.”

With Boston in town, it gives the Flyers a chance to play against their former top-line educator Jaromir Jagr, who signed in the offseason with Dallas and accepted a trade to Boston at the deadline.

“For us, I think we were playing with a legend,” Briere said about the impact of Jagr’s 2011-12 season in Philadelphia. “I feel fortunate that I’m able to say I played with Jaromir Jagr for one year in my career. It’s pretty cool to say that when you look at all he accomplished, his name being atop the scoring list almost everywhere. It was an honor to play with him, and to understand why he was one of the top hockey players to ever play the game.”

Late-season addition Kent Huskins, a pending unrestricted free agent who’s not expected to be re-signed, will apparently have a chance to play a little more with the Flyers.

Huskins practiced Monday even though he’s just one week removed from being knocked out cold during a game in Montreal.

“It’s a funny thing with concussions. I feel pretty lucky because I haven’t had the symptoms that other guys have experienced,” Huskins said. “It’s kind of day-to-day ... waiting to see how I feel. You always want to take that precaution and monitor yourself. But yeah, I feel good today. I’ll just see how things go the rest of the week.”

Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said Monday that Huskins passed concussion tests but indicated that he thinks Huskins needs a couple of practice days to see how he responds.

“I don’t think he’s an option (Tuesday against Boston),” Holmgren said, “but maybe in the last two games.”

Huskins, 33, a seldom used Detroit defenseman who came over from the Red Wings for a conditional pick, played well in a half-dozen games for the

Flyers before Montreal’s Ryan White put a shoulder into his jaw last week. White was hit with a five-game suspension as a result.

Asked if he felt an urgency to return so quickly because of his uncertain future beyond this week, Huskins said, “There’s an urgency to play because that’s what players do. They want to play.”

NOTES: The Flyers will hold a special pre-game ceremony tonight before the Bruins game in honor of the bombing and shooting victims in the greater Boston area. Said Briere: “It was terrible. You don’t wish anybody would go through that. We all feel it.” ... Look for Ilya Bryzgalov to be in net as Peter Laviolette continues his alternating goalie routine.

Delaware County Times LOADED: 04.23.2013


Flyers GM Paul Holmgren isn’t dwelling on all that went wrong

By ROB PARENT

Paul Holmgren could sit back and view his team’s nearly completed season with a profound sense of regret. He could rue his ill-fated summer bids for free agents Ryan Suter, Zach Parise and Shea Weber. He might contemplate failed attempts to retain his own free agents, Jaromir Jagr and Matt Carle.

He could wonder how good, bad or indifferent this 2012-13 Flyers team could have been without a labor war wiping out half the season, without a few key injuries serving as setbacks once that shortened season finally got under way. One that for the Flyers has evolved into the second non-playoff finish in 19 years.

“When healthy, I think we are a really good team,” Holmgren said Sunday. “Unfortunately, we were not healthy for much of the year. So you don’t want to do anything drastic. ... We just had a disappointing year.”

In the end, Holmgren’s conclusion could be that while you might shed a quick tear over this shortened season gone awry, you don’t tear up the team as a result.

Adhering to that philosophy may not be an easy task.

Flyers chairman Ed Snider, an owner who always preferred action to ponderous patience, turned 80 this year. He was 42 when his team last won an NHL championship. Snider rarely leaves a stone unturned in an effort to re-live those memories of parades, confetti and Cup kisses. There have been rebuilds and false starts and endless drama over the years. There have also been near-misses, the last coming in a Stanley Cup Finals loss to Chicago in 2010.

Three years and yet another reconstruction later, the Flyers are abutting the Eastern Conference ground floor.

“There were a lot of games where we blew points,” Holmgren said. “When you blow a game in the third period and you end up losing, you can look back and say, ‘What if?’ But we’re not looking back. We’re looking to move on.”

So over these final three games and through whatever organizational meetings lie ahead, Holmgren will ask Snider and chief executive Peter Luukko to remain patient. He could insist that the 2011 trades of franchise building blocks Mike Richards and Jeff Carter might yet yield championship results someplace other than in Los Angeles.

“With Mr. Snider and Peter, I believe we’re on the same page,” Holmgren said. “They’re not happy with the position we’re in, either. But I do believe they recognize that we have some good young players and we’re going to get better.”

After 45 games, however, Holmgren’s long-range view cannot account for the way his team has seemed to take several steps back. For example, while Wayne Simmonds and Jakub Voracek, one-half of the booty gained from the separate Carter and Richards deals, had breakout seasons, the other half of those trades, second-year players Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier, both had disappointing campaigns.

While it’s easy for Holmgren to say injuries impacted his team — and the broken bone Scott Hartnell came up with at the start of the season certainly got things off on the wrong foot — that doesn’t explain away many of the personnel issues on the blue line and down the middle.

New captain Claude Giroux may have struggled, but Holmgren said it had much more to do with Hartnell’s foot injury than Holmgren’s inability to re-sign Jagr, their former top-line Yoda. And though his team seems to lack the presence of a physical center, Holmgren said Schenn and Couturier will both eventually fill that bill.

“They’re going to continue to grow,” Holmgren said. “Did they take a step back? I don’t know. Maybe the expectation level was higher than it should have been. They’re still kids in a men’s league.”

As for the Flyers’ perceived lack of mobility and toughness on the blue line, Holmgren cast injuries to Andrej Meszaros and Braydon Coburn as being

intrinsic in that equation. Yet he said last week that he sees a shift in the league toward a more defensive style of play, one that doesn’t seem to mesh with the system taught by head coach Peter Laviolette.

“I know Lavy likes an attack style of team, and we did try at the start of the year to play a different style,” Holmgren said. “But we were missing a lot of guys who had an impact on the way we were trying to play.

“When I said that about the style of the game changing I wasn’t being critical of our coaching staff. I was just taking an overall look at the league.”

Which may or may not indicate that the head coach, who has two years left on his contract, will be invited back.

“I like Peter. I think he’s a good coach,” Holmgren said. “He’s a passionate guy. He wears his heart on his sleeve. We’re still going to sit down at the end of the year and talk. But I haven’t envisioned going down that road.”

While the scrutiny continues for the coach, where will the offseason path lead the Flyers? They will actively shop Danny Briere, but if they can’t trade him, he’ll become the club’s first compliance buyout victim at the end of June. They’re allowed to use two either this offseason or next.

Holmgren said he expects Mike Knuble to retire, and he didn’t seem hot on re-signing short-term fill-ins Adam Hall and Kent Huskins. Ruslan Fedotenko is also a longshot to re-sign, while Simon Gagne should find a way to stay.

Beyond that intrigue, there will be attempts made to upgrade the blue line. They might start with the top-10 draft pick they are likely to come out of the April 30 lottery draft with, or perhaps by shopping Matt Read, Hartnell and/or Coburn. As for the presumed option of using the second compliance buyout on Ilya Bryzgalov, that really doesn’t appear likely.

“I didn’t talk to Ilya before the trade but since then we have,” Holmgren said. “I said next year, do you have an idea of playing all 82 games? He kind of chuckled at that. I told him we need two goalies. And my belief is right now we have two good goalies.

“We have to stay patient,” Holmgren added. “At times, as an organization, we haven’t been (patient) in the past. I know these young guys are good players. They’ll come back with an attitude of wanting to get better.”

Delaware County Times LOADED: 04.23.2013


Kent Huskins could return to Flyers' lineup this week

Staff

Kent Huskins won’t be in the Flyers' lineup on Tuesday against the Boston Bruins, but he could appear in one or both of the final two game this week, general manager Paul Holmgren said on Monday.

The defenseman, who practiced with the team on Monday for the first time since April 15 when he was concussed in Montreal, said he is feeling good and has no post-concussion effects.

Huskins began skating on his own on Sunday.

“I feel good, the head feels good, no headaches or anything like that –- all signs are positive,” he said.

This was his third concussion of his seven-year career.

He admitted going unconscious after being struck with a blind headshot from Ryan White.

“I remember making the pass and it kinda gets a little fuzzy from there,” he said. “I needed some help leaving the ice. I’ve been lucky. Right away in the training room, all the cognitive tests, I felt right with it. I didn’t have any issues.

“I felt a little off the last few days but [Sunday] felt fine on the ice and today was play it by ear and see how it went.”

Phantoms called up

The Flyers on Monday recalled forwards Scott Laughton, Tye McGinn and Jason Akeson as well as defenseman Matt Konan from their AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms.

This is the first time Akeson has been called up. Konan was with the Flyers last week, but scratched from game action.

Laughton, the Flyers' first-round draft pick from 2012, cannot play another game at the NHL level without an entire year of his entry-level contract getting used up. Thus, it's highly unlikely he'll actually play in any of the Flyers' three remaining games.



Flyers to honor Boston at Tuesday's Bruins game

Staff

If sports truly is a catharsis, then wherever the Boston Bruins travel in the immediate days and weeks ahead, they will relive the anguish of last week’s Boston Marathon tragedy.

NHL clubs will be "Boston Strong," honoring the fallen heroes of that day, the injured, and most of all, the people of Boston, themselves.

On Tuesday, the Flyers will pay homage before, during and after their game against the Bruins.

It’s a scenario expected to be repeated in the playoffs, as well, as a reminder that America stands together off the ice.

“We have all seen what Boston has gone through and how they all rallied together,” club president Peter Luukko said. “As someone from New England, I know how much pride that city has. We too have been moved by what we saw last week in Boston and wanted to do our part.”

In what was already a helter-skelter grind of 48 games, the Bruins, deadlocked with Montreal in points (59) yet holding down the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, finish the season with six games in nine days.

The ceremonies give them something else to focus on.

“You watch those ceremonies … I saw a little bit of the [Bruins] one but I did see the Red Sox one and they really hit home,” said Flyers coach Peter Laviolette, who grew up in Franklin, Mass. "They touch Americans and people across the world from what happened. Now that it is over and behind, players have always done a good job regardless of why a game is stopped at the beginning or a ceremony takes place.

“When the puck drops, it’s back to business, but [this is] recognition of what has happened and the events that have taken place.”

The Flyers will greet the Bruins with “Boston Strong” patches and stickers on their helmets and a variety of events to honor the city and the memories of another terroristic attack on our soil.

“I’ve been up and down that street [Boylston Street] hundreds of times and can picture the whole block, been to the race before, so I know what it means to the city,” said Mike Knuble, himself a former Bruin. “I know exactly what it means. I have a very good visual idea of where it all took place. That city is happy it’s over. Semi-closure, a bit. Try to move on and recover.”

Monies collected from the Flyers’ 50/50 raffle will go to onefundboston.org. That’s the charitable portion from the club – not the portion that goes the fan who wins the split.

At the game’s conclusion, every Flyers player’s jersey will be available for auction with proceeds also benefitting onefundboston.org at meigray.com.

“It’s a big tragedy what happened there,” Jakub Voracek said. “As long as we can show support, it’s good. There’s a lot of stuff in Boston going on.”

Asked whether it ever occurred to him that something like what happened at the marathon cold occur during a hockey game, Voracek admitted he never once considered that.

“There’s a lot of f------up people in this world – it’s true. Why would you go and bomb a marathon? Jesus Christ. It’s ridiculous the way some people are raised and are acting. I still think there are more good people than bad people, which is a good thing.”

There are also pregame ceremonies with members of the Philadelphia Police Department and Fire Department that will include a tribute video and performance of “God Bless America.”

“You don’t have to be from Boston to have it affect you,” Laviolette said. “I haven’t been back to Boston in a long time, I grew up there, my family is there. You could talk to somebody who lives in New Hampshire or lives in Philadelphia and it affects you the same way. It’s just a tragic event.”

Flyers captain Claude Giroux said it was important for the league to honor Boston as a city.

“It’s good to see the NHL get together,” Giroux said. “Any time you can support something like that, you do. Boston is a great city.”

Other tributes include recognition of Temple Podiatry students who were on site at the Boston Marathon lending their services.

Knuble said players probably need to have a plan in mind if something like this every happens at an NHL game where their families are in attendance.

“That was the first time a sporting event has been attacked,” Knuble said. “That’s scary. As a player, I guess there are evacuation plans in place. At a home game, players have their wives and kids in the stands. It probably would be smart as a player to have a backup plan with your wife if something happens.

“A rendezvous or something. I guess that makes guys think about it. Twenty-thousand people trying to get out of an arena, at once. You have to stick together.”

Knuble added these ceremonies could actually become a “rallying point” for the Bruins in the final week to help the city recover, emotionally.

“The other team will look at them for relief and a chance to be distracted,” Knuble said. “The Red Sox, the Celtics … Teams are great distractions. It gives everybody something else to look at and think about instead of driving around the city and see streets barricaded and emergency vehicles. Sports plays a big role in recovery.”



Will Flyers bring back Kent Huskins next season?

Tim Panaccio | April 22, 2013, 9:00 am

The evaluation process for the Flyers has already begun.

Who goes and who stays?

Although the final tally isn’t in, it’s not hard to piece together a pretty good list of who won’t be back next season.

The tough thing is that at least one player, Kent Huskins, got the short end of the stick here during his eight games with the Flyers.

He was concussed after taking a blatant head shot from Montreal’s Ryan White (who suspended for five games) on April 15 and is not expected to return this season.

Huskins, who came to the Flyers in late March following consecutive injuries (first to Andrej Meszaros, then Braydon Coburn) was playing for a new contract -- and playing well, too.

Although he's 33, Huskins is a perfect seventh defenseman for any club. When thrust into a starting role, he quickly showed he was a steady, calming influence on the back end.

There is a debate whether to keep him around as a seventh man next season. Right now, the organization is leaning toward using one of their younger players in that role. Perhaps even Oliver Lauridsen, who was called up from the Adirondack Phantoms for the first time in his career and is starting now because of injuries.

“Kent has played very well,” general manager Paul Holmgren said. “He isn't a flashy, dynamic player, but he is experienced, and he’s been around and played a lot of games. He moves the puck up the boards and for the most part he’s done that. It’s unfortunate he got hurt.”

Huskins was Chris Pronger’s teammate in Anaheim when the Ducks won the Stanley Cup in 2007.

“He’s been around the block a few times and he’s played in a lot of big games and it shows,” Holmgren said. “He played on a Stanley Cup champion. That experience is something that you can’t teach young players. When you have a guy ... and we were missing an older [veteran], that’s what he brought to our team. We pretty much know what Kent did and what he does for a team. He’s not going to rush the puck end to end. He is going to play defense and move the puck up. He’s a quality person.”

Holmgren would not commit to saying whether Huskins comes back, but it doesn’t look good.

“We will certainly consider it, but it’s too early,” Holmgren said. “We will evaluate a couple of guys over the coming month or so.”

Right now, Huskins, Kurtis Foster, Mike Knuble, Ruslan Fedotenko and Jody Shelly likely won’t be back.

If Simon Gagne takes a considerable pay cut –- he said again this weekend that family considerations and his Flyers roots are more important than money -– he could get re-upped.

It might very well come down to Gagne vs. Adam Hall, who joined the Flyers at the trade deadline.



Bombingshit homefor Knuble

Written by Dave Isaac

BRUINS AT FLYERS

• When: 7:30 tonight

• TV/Radio: CSN/97.5 FM

SHOW OF SUPPORT

• Flyers players will wear “Boston Strong” patches on their jerseys and stickers on their helmets

• Players’ jerseys will be available for auction at meigray.com

• Team will donate its portion of 50/50 raffle to onefundboston.org

• Philadelphia police and firefighters will participate in a pre-game ceremony with a tribute video and “God Bless America.”

• Recognition of Temple University podiatry students, who helped at the marathon

VOORHEES — Boston always will have a special place in Flyers winger Mike Knuble’s heart, and not just because he spent parts of five seasons of his career there between 2000 and 2004.

It’s the birthplace of his daughter, Anna.

“It was a great stop for us,” said Knuble, 40, the Flyers’ oldest player. “We lived through ‘the Big Dig’ there. We saw the city change when we were there. It’s a personal place. It means something to us.”

When the Flyers were in Montreal last Monday and news broke of the bombings at the Boston Marathon, Knuble didn’t need TV Images to help paint a picture of the horror on Boylston Street.

“I’ve been up and down that street a hundred times,” said Knuble, whose Flyers will pay tribute to Boston Marathon victims before and during tonight’s game against the Bruins at Wells Fargo Center. “You see the front of the restaurants, I know exactly where that is. I can picture the whole block. I’ve been to the race before, so I know what it means to the city.”

He’s also seen the city go through hell once before. He was a Bruin in 2001 when the 9/11 attacks occurred. Both planes that struck the World Trade Center took off from Boston’s Logan airport.

“It was bonkers,” Knuble recalled.

He knew former Bruin Bob Sweeney, who is the brother-in-law of Amy Sweeney, one of the flight attendants on American Airlines Flight 11, which hit the north tower. The Los Angeles Kings had two scouts, Ace Bailey and Mark Bavis, on United Airlines Flight 175.

“It was our first day of training camp,” Knuble said. “It proceeded, which I thought was weird that we practiced that day, but we didn’t know the extent of it, really.”

His teammates this year still can’t fathom what Boston must be going through.

“There’s a lot of (screwed) up people in this world,” Czech Republic native Jakub Voracek said. “It’s true. Why would you go and bomb the Boston Marathon? ... It’s just ridiculous the way some people are raised or people are acting. I think there’s more good people than bad people, which is the good thing.”

The Flyers haven’t allowed the thought to cross their minds that the chaos of the marathon could happen in the arenas they play in.

“We don’t go into a game thinking it could happen, but I guess it’s always a possibility,” Danny Briere said. “It’s sad that people go to that place and try to hurt people, but it’s the world we live in.”

“I guess there’s evacuation plans in place, but you play a home game people have wives and kids in the stands,” Knuble added. “It would probably be smart as a player to have a backup plan with your wife if

something happens. A rendezvous. Something. I guess it makes guys think about it a little bit more.”

Peter Laviolette grew up in Franklin, Mass., about 40 miles southwest of Boston. He says the marathon bombing is enough to make anyone think about it a little bit more.

“I don’t think you have to be from Boston to have it affect you,” Laviolette said. “I grew up there. My family’s there. You could talk to somebody that lives in New Hampshire or someone that lives in Philadelphia and it probably affects them the same way to see such a tragic event.”

Like in 2001, Knuble figures it’s probably rough once again to be a Boston Bruin, even though the team is holding onto the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with the playoffs about a week away.

“You use it as a real rallying point, too,” he said. “People look at them for a relief and a chance to be distracted along with the (Red) Sox and the Celtics.

“It gives everybody something else to look at and think of besides driving around the city and seeing streets barricaded and emergency vehicles around. Sports plays a big role in recovery.”

Empty netters

Jaromir Jagr will face the Flyers for the first time as a Boston Bruin tonight. “For us, it was like playing with a legend,” Briere said. “I feel fortunate that I’m able to say that I played with Jaromir Jagr for one year in my career.” … Defenseman Kent Huskins, recovering from a concussion, skated with team for second time. GM Paul Holmgren said he’s not an option for tonight’s game, but is possible for the two final games. … Injured Flyers Braydon Coburn, Jody Shelley, Marc-Andre Bourdon and Ben Holmstrom all skated with an assistant coach while the rest of the team practiced. … The Flyers called up four players from the AHL Adirondack Phantoms, whose season ended Sunday: forwards Jason Akeson, Tye McGinn and Scott Laughton, as well as defenseman Matt Konan. It’s unlikely that Laughton plays in the remaining games because one more game would use up the first year of his entry-level contract.

Courier-Post LOADED: 04.23.2013

671811 Phoenix Coyotes

Captain Shane Doan named Coyotes’ nominee for Masterton Trophy

Staff

The Phoenix chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association has named captain Shane Doan the Coyotes’ nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.

The award recognizes the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey, and that’s exactly what Doan demonstrated this past off-season.

Amid the Coyotes’ ongoing ownership saga, Doan reached unrestricted free agency for the first time in his career last summer.

He drew interest from 16 teams, and six presented formal offers.

But on July 6, Doan put his hockey career on hold to cope with a family emergency.

His youngest daughter, 8-year-old Karys, suffered a dog bite to her face. She required three hours of surgery as doctors performed bone and cartilage reconstruction.

After the accident, Doan felt the urge to become a full-time dad to his four children and contemplated leaving the game.

“This changed everything for me, and I wasn’t interested in thinking about making any decisions for the next little while,” Doan said.

Once Karys started to improve, Doan also started to seek normalcy again. He eventually agreed to a four-year deal worth $21.2 million to remain with the Coyotes.

But the off-ice drama didn’t end there. Doan kept busy during the 113-day lockout by participating in labor negotiations with the league.

He didn’t have to take on this responsibility. Doan isn’t the team’s player representative, but he attended the meetings to be able to better communicate the status of talks to his teammates.

And once a deal was tentatively reached, Doan’s role in that final 16-hour bargaining marathon was believed to instigate a resolution.

The league wanted a salary cap of $62.5 million per team for next season while the players wanted $64.3 million.

But Doan delivered a message to league brass that even though a higher cap would put more of the players’ salaries in escrow, it also meant more money would be doled out to players and fewer would likely be impacted by buyouts.

“There was a group of guys that didn’t have contracts and a group of guys that will be coming up for contracts in that year that will need to have the ability to sign,” Doan explained. “As much as it may hurt the guys that do have contracts, they were kind of falling back on the hockey mentality of you do what’s best for the team in that situation.”

Because of his involvement in meetings, Doan wasn’t able to skate and prepare for the season as much as he would have liked. And yet he’s played in every single game this season for the Coyotes and currently leads the team with 13 goals, ranking second in points with 24.

At 36-years-old, Doan is the oldest member of the Coyotes but still plays as if he’s their most vital spark plug.

And, frankly, he is.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 04.23.2013


Phoenix Coyotes fall in shutout loss to the Detroit Red Wings

azcentral sports news sources Mon Apr 22, 2013 9:04 PM

DETROIT — What was long circled on the schedule as a chance for validation will now be remembered as an untimely collapse.

This was the last opportunity the Coyotes had against a neighboring foe in the Western Conference standings and with the Detroit Red Wings only two points ahead, a regulation win would have firmly embedded the Coyotes in the Western Conference playoff race in the final week of the regular season.

The importance of this game wavered in the past few weeks as the Coyotes moved within two points of the eighth seed in the West and then fell as far off the pace as six points last week.

After collecting three out of a possible four points in the previous two stops on this three-game road trip, the significance peaked.

But the Coyotes didn’t.

The Red Wings scored three power-play goals, and the Coyotes blanked on all four of their opportunities with the man advantage to get shut out for the ninth time this season — this one a 4-0 loss Monday at Joe Louis Arena.

That all but extinguishes their playoff hopes as the Coyotes remain in 11th with 46 points — five points shy of eighth-place Columbus with three games remaining.

“After getting to the conference finals last year and having so much success, sitting where we are this year, it’s obviously a tough pill to swallow right now,” goalie Mike Smith said. “But it wasn’t out of a lack of try. We carried the pace for most of the game fiveonfive. It was unfortunate we weren’t able to capitalize on our power plays and they did, and that’s the difference in the game.”

Johan Franzen scored twice and Jimmy Howard had 34 saves to help the Red Wings move within a point of the Blue Jackets. They’re hoping to finish the last three games of the regular season strong enough to extend the franchise’s postseason streak to 22 years.

Detroit had won only one of its previous six games, picking up a precious point in three shootout losses during the slump.

Damien Brunner scored late in the first period and Valtteri Filppula had a power-play goal late in the second to help Detroit match its season high in power-play scoring. Franzen had an empty-net goal with 1:22 left.

The Coyotes lost for the fourth time in five games. Phoenix has been in the playoffs the previous three seasons, losing to Detroit in the first round in 2011 and 2010.

The Red Wings were skating hard and checking a lot — even Pavel Datsyuk had two big hits within the first 10 minutes of the game — in their quest to avoid missing the playoffs for the first time since 1990.

Detroit scored on its first shot when Franzen redirected a puck past Smith into the game on a power play.

The Red Wings didn’t let a shot get to Howard for more than six minutes. Meanwhile, they went 13-plus minutes without a shot of their own and needed Howard to make some key saves to keep the lead. He stopped Shane Doan’s shot on a power play midway through the first period and got his stick and pads on Radim Vrbata’s one-timer with six minutes left in the first period.

Soon after killing a penalty, the Red Wings scored another goal with an extra skater.

Brunner scored from the bottom of the right circle off Henrik Zetterberg’s pass from the top of the right circle. It was his first goal since April 1, his second in 22 games and by setting up Franzen’s goal, he had his first multipoint game since a two-goal, two-assist game on Feb. 24 against Vancouver.

Detroit’s Daniel Cleary was called for tripping twice in the first four-plus minutes of the second period but the Coyotes failed to take advantage of either power play while being held to just two shots.

Doan had an open net midway through the second period only to have rookie defenseman Danny Dekeyser extend his stick far enough to deflect the shot over the net.

Filppula scored from a sharp angle at the bottom of the first circle at 16:09 of the second period to give Detroit a 3-0 lead. He scored for the first time in eight games and had his second goal in 17 games.

Howard faced a flurry of shots and finished with his second shutout in nine days and fourth of the season. He earned his 128th career victory, tying Tim Cheveldae for fifth in franchise history.

The Red Wings close the regular season at home against the defending champion Los Angeles Kings, Nashville and at Dallas, which is also vying for one of the final spots in the West.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 04.23.2013


Coyotes' season crashes, burns in Motor City

Craig Morgan

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Blackhawks remain atop power rankings, but real drama lies on playoff periphery as year winds down.

Dave Tippett has a remarkable talent for distilling complex topics into easily understood sound bites. Monday’s postgame offering wasn’t award-winning oratory from Phoenix’s coach, but it could serve as the working title for this soon-to-be-concluded Coyotes campaign.

“Season of frustration,” said Tippett, who has been as visibly annoyed as anyone by his inability to find solutions.

The Coyotes knew they were up against the wall in Detroit. While unbridled optimists can still count this team among the living in the playoff chase, the Coyotes knew that this game was do or die against a club that is also competing for one of two remaining postseason berths.

The Coyotes played well in the first period, even carrying the play as they outshot the Red Wings 12-4. But an old nemesis, their power play – and a new one, their penalty kill -- came back to bite them as Detroit scored two power plays goals while Phoenix failed on its two chances in a 4-0 Red Wings rout.

“The first period, I thought we played hard and did a lot of things well, 5-on-5, but specials teams were the difference in the period,” Tippett told FOX Sports Arizona's Todd Walsh. “Our power play couldn’t generate much and they capitalized on two chances. It was downhill from there.”

When the Red Wings got a third power-play goal in the second period on a short-side wrist shot from Valtteri Filppula, the Coyotes were all but done. Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard turned aside all 34 shots he faced as Phoenix was shut out for the seventh time in 23 road games this season.

“Their goalie played better than our goalie,” Coyotes netminder Mike Smith told Walsh. “For the biggest game of our year thus far, it was a mediocre performance on my part.”

In Smith’s defense, Detroit’s first two goals -- from Johan Franzen and Damien Brunner -- were brilliant plays by a team with no shortage of skill. But the Mike Smith of 2011-12 made a habit of stopping those chances, and the Mike Smith of 2011-12 rarely surrendered confidence-sucking goals like Filppula’s.

The fallout from Monday’s loss was easy to understand. Phoenix has three games left yet trails Minnesota and Columbus by five points and Detroit by four for one of the final two playoff spots. The Wild need just one point to eliminate any chance the Coyotes have of catching them, while the Blue Jackets and Wings need just two (Detroit would win a tiebreaker with Phoenix based on regulation/overtime wins).

“It’s disappointing,” Smith said. “After getting to the conference finals last year and having so much success, sitting where we are this year, it’s obviously a tough pill to swallow.”

There will be plenty of time to dissect what the Coyotes should do and will do to get things right in the offseason. And there will be plenty of thought devoted to what went wrong this season after Phoenix reached the Western Conference final a year ago.

The lockout, Smith’s play, injuries, free-agent failures, the continuing ownership saga and a seven-game losing streak were all factors in this unexpectedly poor encore.

“That losing streak ... that’s the season,” forward Radim Vrbata told Walsh. “That’s where we got behind, and we were chasing since then. It’s tough to chase in this league.”

All the Coyotes have left now is effort and pride. At least those two commodities are still in ample supply.

“We have to play hard,” Vrbata said, “even if we are too far behind now.”

foxsportsarizona.com LOADED: 04.23.2013

671814 Pittsburgh Penguins

Senators seemingly still upset with Penguins’ Cooke

By Josh Yohe

OTTAWA — The Ottawa Senators spoke at length before Monday about ignoring Penguins left wing Matt Cooke and focusing on claiming two points in their pursuit of a playoff berth.

Less than two minutes into the game, the truth was revealed: Cooke remains in Ottawa players' heads.

The Senators challenged Cooke to a fight during his first shift, and moments later, defenseman Eric Gryba was penalized for interference, clearly going out of his way to belt Cooke.

Gryba's decision to attack Cooke contrasted with his comments from nine hours earlier following the morning skate.

“It hasn't even crossed my mind to worry about him,” Gryba said. “This is a big win for us. We want to go out there and get two points.”

Getting two points clearly was secondary for Ottawa on each of Cooke's first two shifts as a number of Senators went out of their way to make contact.

On Cooke's first shift, Ottawa right wing Chris Neil confronted Cooke at the Penguins' blue line and repeatedly challenged him to a fight. Cooke, in a familiar scene, ignored Neil.

Ottawa's outrage against Cooke stems to February when Cooke's skate blade inadvertently sliced through the back of star defenseman Erik Karlsson's Achilles tendon. Karlsson hasn't played since but is believed to be close to returning.

Neil challenged Cooke to a fight the evening of Karlsson's injury and received the same disinterest from Cooke on that occasion. Cooke rarely fights, though he did in 2010 when playing in Boston for the first time since delivering a controversial hit against now-retired Bruins center Marc Savard.

“What happened between me and Erik is a complete freak accident,” said Cooke, who was swamped by dozens of Canadian media members before the game Monday. “I've said it before. I'm glad he's close to coming back.”

Ottawa captain Daniel Alfredsson said much of Ottawa's supposed animosity toward Cooke is a media creation.

Senators coach Paul MacLean initially made a joke about Cooke.

“I thought he was suspended,” he said, before slightly foreshadowing what could take place. “Hockey players are hockey players. If things happen during the game, they get taken care of.”

The Senators claimed to not feel any additional desire to confront Cooke. Though team owner Eugene Melnyk launched a “forensic investigation” regarding Cooke's actions against Karlsson. Ottawa general manager Bryan Murray also has publicly ripped Cooke on numerous occasions since the incident.

The Penguins were decidedly unmoved.

Left wing Brenden Morrow, who wasn't with the Penguins at the time of the incident, said it was virtually impossible that Cooke had bad intentions.

“That's hockey,” Morrow said. “It's a fast game. Things happen. No one goes out there trying to intentionally slice a guy open. That's not the way it is. One time, I got stepped on, cut nine tendons in my wrist. The last thing I did was blame (Radim) Vrbata.”

Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/penguins/3885291-74/cooke-ottawa-senators?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+tribunereviewpenguins+%28Penguins+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+Reader#ixzz2RFQ8ssKo

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Tribune Review LOADED: 04.23.2013


Penguins notebook Fleury stays home with pregnant wife; Bennett also out

By Josh Yohe

OTTAWA — Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury didn't make the trip to Ottawa because his wife is close to giving birth to their first child.

Fleury was originally scheduled to start against the Senators and still could play Tuesday against Buffalo.

Coach Dan Bylsma said he still would like Fleury to play three more regular-season games. There are only three regular-season games left.

Defenseman Kris Letang has food poisoning and also didn't make the trip to Ottawa.

Rookie Beau Bennett, an offensive force recently, also missed Monday's game. He's dealing with an upper-body injury and is “day-to-day,” according to Bylsma.

The Penguins already are playing without standouts Sidney Crosby (broken jaw), Evgeni Malkin (injured shoulder), James Neal (concussion) and Paul Martin (broken hand), none of whom made the trip.

Optional workout

Although Bylsma made Monday's morning skate an optional workout at Scotiabank Place, almost all of the Penguins participated.

A couple of veterans did bypass the skate, however, including right wing Jarome Iginla, whose appearance in Ottawa was his first in Canada since being traded from the Calgary Flames.

Cover contest

Malkin and Letang are among the players included in the EA Sports Cover Vote Campaign, which allows fans to vote for who will be on the cover of the “NHL 14” video game. Malkin is pitted against Letang in current voting.

Fans can vote on Twitter or at NHL.com.

Annual awards

The Penguins will hand out their annual awards Tuesday before facing the Sabres at Consol Energy Center.

Tribune Review LOADED: 04.23.2013


Dustin Jeffrey steals opening act as Penguins win 7th in row

By Dave Molinari / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

OTTAWA -- Nothing Dustin Jeffrey has done this season has been enough to secure a steady spot in the lineup.

Putting up a couple of points in the first 11 minutes of the Penguins' 3-1 victory against the Ottawa Senators Monday night at Scotiabank Place isn't guaranteed to do it, either.

Scoring the Penguins' first goal and assisting on their second, however, did earn him an upbeat evaluation from coach Dan Bylsma.

"That was a good way to start the game from him," Bylsma said. "He absolutely made some great plays, was good in the faceoff circle [winning 9 of 12]. I thought he played a really good game."

Jeffrey had been a healthy scratch for nine of the previous 10 games, but filled in more than capably at center on the second line.

"That's what I can contribute when I'm given an opportunity to come into the lineup," he said. "I have to make that kind of stuff happen.

"You can only come in and do your best and see what happens. We obviously have a lot of guys out with injuries now.

"Coming into the playoffs, you just want to try to stay in the lineup. We'll see where it goes from here."

Jeffrey probably made it out of street clothes only because the Penguins' already diluted lineup was missing a few more regulars.

In addition to their usual list of injured players -- forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and James Neal and defenseman Paul Martin -- they played without goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, defenseman Kris Letang and forward Beau Bennett.

Fleury's wife was reported close to giving birth to the couple's first child, Letang had food poisoning, and Bennett is listed as day to day with an undisclosed injury.

Fleury's absence created an opening for Tomas Vokoun who, appearing in his 700th NHL game, made 34 saves en route to his 300th victory.

"I'm pretty proud of that," Vokoun said.

The victory also was Bylsma's 200th, as he reached that milestone faster than any coach in NHL history. The Ottawa game was Bylsma's 316th behind the bench; the previous record-holder, Bruce Boudreau, needed 326.

"When you look at career numbers for coaches, I'm not sure where 200 ranks," he said. "It's still a long way to go, when it comes to some of the other good coaches. But certainly, I'm happy to have gotten it. I got the puck."

There are not, it should be noted, a lot of good feelings between the Penguins and Senators these days.

Most of the talk before the game centered on whether Ottawa would seek retribution against Penguins left winger Matt Cooke, who had been accused by some in the Senators organization -- including owner Eugene Melnyk -- of intentionally stepping on the leg of outstanding defenseman Erik Karlsson earlier this season, slicing his Achilles tendon.

Although the crowd was fairly hostile toward Cooke and the Senators took a few runs at him, there were no major incidents.

"We won," Cooke said. "That was the most important thing. That was the goal from the outset."

Penguins defenseman Simon Despres received the most controversial hit of the game.

Senators tough guy Chris Neil laid him out behind the Penguins net midway through the second period. There was no consensus on whether Neil dropped Despres with a forearm to the head; not surprisingly, reaction broke down along strict party lines.

Despres said Neil's initial contact had been with his head -- "My helmet came off, so I guess something hit my head," he said -- but he did not miss any playing time.

He also verified that he had his head down when Neil made contact.

Bylsma, meanwhile, said he thought it was clear that Neil had delivered the blow to Despres' head.

"I don't think you need to see the hit on a replay to see what happened," he said. "I'm sure it will be looked at [by the league office] in both real time and slow time."

Jeffrey put the Penguins in front to stay at 6:15 of the opening period, and Jarome Iginla made it 2-0 at 10:28 by converting a Brenden Morrow set-up.

Patrick Wiercioch pulled Ottawa within one on a power play at 7:18 of the third, but Tyler Kennedy scored on a Cooke feed at 17:26 to give the Penguins (35-10) their seventh victory in a row.

"We knew it wasn't going to be easy," Vokoun said. "Everybody played hard. We played for each other, and it showed on the scoreboard."

Post Gazette LOADED: 04.23.2013


Ottawa Senators will see a different Penguins team in playoffs

By Dave Molinari / April 23, 2013 12:09 am

OTTAWA -- It's entirely possible that the Penguins will face Ottawa in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

If so, the Senators seem to understand that defeating the Penguins four times in seven games wouldn't be easy.

Probably not much tougher, though, than simply recognizing them might be if these teams collide in the postseason. At least if Ottawa uses the Penguins' lineup for their game Monday night at Scotiabank Place as a guide.

Scouting report

Matchup:

Buffalo Sabres vs. Penguins, 7:38 p.m. today, Consol Energy Center.

TV, Radio:

Root Sports, WXDX-FM (105.9).

Probable goaltenders:

Ryan Miller for Sabres; Marc-Andre Fleury for Penguins.

Penguins:

Have killed all 20 opponents. ... power plays in past six games at Consol Energy Center. ... LW Chris Kunitz has team-high 27 penalty minutes on home ice. ... Are 4-2 in second game when playing on consecutive days.

Sabres:

Are only team to defeat Penguins in their past 15 home games, posting a 4-1 victory April 2. ... LW Thomas Vanek has 20 points in 19 games. ... Were outshot in 31 of their first 43 games.

Hidden stat:

Sabres have chance to win season series against Penguins for first time since 2005-06.

What has become the usual list of medical no-shows -- Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal and Paul Martin -- was swollen by the absence of defenseman Kris Letang (food poisoning) and forward Beau Bennett (undisclosed injury)

What's more, goalie Marc-Andre Fleury didn't play because his wife was believed to be close to giving birth to their first child.

"They don't have their big guys here, obviously," Senators right winger Eric Condra said. "So it's going to be a different team when they get into the playoffs."

Precisely what the lineup will look like for Game 1 of a first-round series, which seems likely to be May 1 at Consol Energy Center, still isn't clear.

Coach Dan Bylsma said that Crosby (broken jaw), Malkin (shoulder), Neal (concussion) and Martin (hand surgery) skated Monday in Pittsburgh, but did not mention any target date for them to return.

There's no indication any of them will be in uniform tonight when Buffalo visits Consol Energy Center.

Penguins winger Brenden Morrow, while acknowledging the obvious importance of the players who didn't dress against Ottawa, suggested other players could benefit from opportunities those absences create.

"You never like to see guys not in the lineup," he said. "But ... other guys [are] getting experience or getting put in situations maybe they haven't been in."

First-time backup

Fleury staying home allowed goalie Eric Hartzell, signed as a free agent out of Quinnipiac last week, to crack an NHL lineup for the first time, as he backed up Tomas Vokoun.

Not having Fleury available against the Senators likely scrambled the Penguins' plan for using their goalies in the final week of the regular season, although Bylsma said the basic idea -- to use Fleury in three of the final four games -- has not changed.

"The plan right now is for Marc to play three games, still," he said. "That's not changing right now. Obviously, with the pregnancy they're having, we don't get to dictate that."

Vokoun said the possibility of Fleury not traveling to Ottawa first came up when the Penguins were in Boston, but that the situation didn't become clear right away.

"They thought Marc was going [to Ottawa]," Vokoun said. "Then everything changed again."

The game Monday night was Vokoun's 700th NHL appearance, and all of that experience probably had a lot to do with way he took the unscheduled start in stride.

"Obviously, there are some personal matters Marc had going, so [remaining in Pittsburgh] was probably the best scenario for him," he said. "For me, it doesn't change anything. It's just another game."

Similar situation

The Penguins clearly have had their share -- and probably another team's, as well -- of injuries to significant players, especially this month.

The Senators, though, might have experienced even more significant losses. They've played extended stretches this season without defenseman Erik Karslsson, center Jason Spezza, winger Milan Michalek and goaltender Craig Anderson.

Despite all of that adversity, the Senators were closing in a on playoff berth Monday night and have discovered that some promising young prospects are ready to contribute in the NHL.

"I don't think, when you lose your best players, it really makes you a better team," Senators coach Paul MacLean said. "But what it has done is to give a lot of good, young players an opportunity play in the National Hockey League that maybe wouldn't have had that opportunity if everybody had stayed healthy."

Those players include defensemen Patrick Wiercioch, Andre Benoit and Eric Gryba; center Mika Zibanejad and goalie Ben Bishop, the latter of whom was traded to Tampa Bay a few weeks ago.

"Those opportunities that young players took advantage of is where the growth of our team has been and where the success of our team has been," MacLean said.

Non-playoff matchups

The game Monday was the Penguins' final one against a playoff team until, well, the playoffs.

Their remaining three games -- at home tonight against Buffalo in a rescheduled game, Thursday at New Jersey and the regular-season finale Saturday against Carolina at Consol Energy Center -- will pit them against clubs eliminated from playoff contention.



Bylsma records 200th career victory with 3-1 Penguins win over Senators

By Dave Molinari / April 22, 2013 10:28 pm

OTTAWA -- The Penguins stretched their winning streak to seven games with a 3-1 victory against Ottawa at Scotiabank Place tonight.

Penguins goalie Tomas Vokoun, appearing in his 700th NHL game, recorded his 300th victory.

The victory was coach Dan Bylsma's 200th, as he reached that milestone faster than any coach in NHL history. The Ottawa game was Bylsma's 316th behind the bench; the previous record-holder, Bruce Boudreau, needed 326.

Beating the Senators raised the Penguins' record to 35-10 and guaranteed Chicago would not be able to clinch first place in the overall standings with a victory in Vancouver later tonight.

In addition to their usual list of injured players -- forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and James Neal and defenseman Paul Martin -- the Penguins played without goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, defenseman Kris Letang and forward Beau Bennett.

Fleury's wife was reported close to giving birth to the couple's first child, Letang had food poisoning and Bennett is listed as day-to-day with an undisclosed injury.

None of them accompanied the team here.

Dustin Jeffrey gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 6:15 of the opening period, as he took a cross-ice pass from Brenden Morrow and beat Senators goalie Craig Anderson from above the right hash.

Pascal Dupuis got the second assist on that goal, Jeffrey's third of the season.

Jarome Iginla made it 2-0 at 10:28, when he set up at the right side of the crease and converted a Morrow pass from behind the goal line.

Jeffrey, a healthy scratch for nine of the previous 10 games, received the second assist.

Ottawa finally got a puck past Vokoun during a power play at 7:18 of the third, as Patrick Wiercioch beat him with a slap shot while Brenden Morrow was serving a tripping minor.

Tyler Kennedy restored the Penguins' two-goal advantage at 17:26, however, as he punched in a feed from Matt Cooke.

The Penguins will play Buffalo Tuesday at 7:38 p.m. at Consol Energy Center. That game had been set for last Saturday, but was rescheduled when the Penguins' game in Boston last Friday was postponed until the following day.


671819 San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks coach wants to see his team play with urgency

By Curtis Pashelka

Posted: 04/22/2013 04:07:12 PM PDT

Updated: 04/22/2013 06:40:50 PM PDT

SAN JOSE — The Sharks will be in a familiar situation Tuesday night as another team, this time the Dallas Stars, comes to HP Pavilion fighting for its playoff life.

Sharks coach Todd McLellan would like to see some of that desperation find its way over to his team.

Entering Tuesday, the Sharks again need just one point to clinch a spot in the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. Just as important to the Sharks, though, is reestablishing the principles of their game over the last three regular season contests -- starting with Tuesday's home finale -- to carry some momentum into any potential first round series.

"We worked really hard to get our game to a certain point to where it can be successful," McLellan said. "Now it's up to the group as a whole to maintain that, to continue to play that way. Not letting themselves off the hook, not taking breaks or moments off during the game.

"Dallas will push us, they'll challenge us. But I want tomorrow's game to be about us. Not about Dallas."

Sunday's 4-3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are clinging to the eighth spot in the Western Conference, marked just the second time in this abbreviated regular season that the Sharks lost at home in regulation time.

The danger for the Sharks is letting the things that cost them against Columbus, such as starting off slow and turning the puck over in the defensive zone, carry over into Tuesday's game.

Earlier in the season,

the Sharks were guilty of letting losses pile up as they endured a seven-game winless skid in February and a four-game winless skid in March.

"We've played a better team game because of that," Sharks center Joe Pavelski said of the losing streaks. "One thing led to another earlier in the year, and now when we lose a game or two, we've been able to bounce back. That being said, it takes a lot of work to do it and we need a big effort tomorrow night."

Any type of losing streak would probably cost the Sharks a chance at home ice advantage in the first round. The Sharks play at Phoenix on Wednesday and close the regular season at Los Angeles on Saturday.

"The key for us is to play our game, get that going," Pavelski said. "We have to establish that early and usually when we get into trouble, we're getting away from that. So taking care of ourselves is the biggest thing, because we still have a lot to accomplish."

In their last game against Dallas, a 2-1 loss on April 13 at American Airlines Center, the Sharks fell behind 2-0 in the first period and never totally recovered, even though they wound up outshooting Dallas 32-19.

Considering the Stars are three points out of a playoff spot with three games left, it's fair to assume they'll play like their playoff hopes are riding on the outcome.

The key for the Sharks is to do the same thing.

"They're going to come out the same way Columbus did (Sunday) night," Sharks forward Adam Burish said. "You can't limp into games. Coming down the stretch, going into the playoffs, you have to be ready right way. You can't feel your way around. You have to make some noise early."

McLellan said defenseman Jason Demers, who did not play Sunday with a lower body injury and did not skate Monday, will also not play Tuesday night and is doubtful for Wednesday's game.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 04.23.2013


Logan Couture emerging as Sharks' leader

April 22, 2013, 9:45 am

Staff

SAN JOSE – The Sharks’ top line center leads the team in even-strength scoring, consistently plays against the opposition’s top line, was honored by the league as being one of its three best players this past week, and was recently referred to by his coach as the “head guy” who is currently “driving the bus.”

No, it’s not Joe Thornton. It’s 24-year-old Logan Couture, who is slowly but oh-so-surely becoming the proverbial head of the snake when it comes to the San Jose Sharks.

Todd McLellan gave his praiseworthy comments about his young star after a four-point performance against Minnesota on Thursday, in which Couture had a career-high four points (2g, 2a) in a 6-1 win. On Saturday, Couture said he hadn’t heard or read the quotes, but appeared flattered.

“I didn’t know he said that, but it’s obviously awesome to hear,” Couture said. “We have a lot of leaders on this team, and a lot of guys who play well consistently. I just follow these guys’ lead. I’ve been here for four years and learned a lot from a lot of these guys, but that’s still pretty cool to hear.”

For the first time this season in his four-year career, Couture has been included by McLellan in the team’s leadership group, an obvious sign that the Sharks’ coaching staff and organization thinks very highly of the man who seems to be on the path to becoming their future captain at some point.

Couture leads the team with 19 goals, is second behind Thornton with 35 points, and his 22 points at even-strength is tops on the club.

“It’s evolving more with his play and his dominance on the ice. He’s exerting himself, and guys are following,” McLellan said of Couture’s stake in the team, and presence among its leaders.

“As the years go on, players can’t play forever, and Logan is a very good young player in the league and he’s been around some important people that have taught him a lot of good things about leadership. He’ll have to grow his skills that way as time goes on.”

Couture commands a high level of respect from his peers already. Dan Boyle, who has played with some top NHL talent in his 14-year career and won a Stanley Cup in Tampa Bay in 2004, was virtually gushing over his steadily improving teammate.

“He’s an amazing player. Jumbo [Thornton] and Patty [Marleau] have been here for a while, but Logan is the man,” Boyle said. “He’s an amazing, amazing hockey player.

“He might be young in age, but it’s what you do on the ice and how you carry yourself on the ice. He’s a guy you want whether you’re down a goal or up a goal in the last minute. I can’t say enough good things about him, he’s just been All-World.”

Brad Stuart has a different perspective. Stuart played against Couture for three seasons with the Detroit Red Wings before an offseason trade brought the defenseman back to the Sharks. Another player with a Stanley Cup on his resume, and who has played with a whole host future Hall of Fame players, Stuart became even more impressed with Couture once they put on the same sweater.

“I knew he was a good player playing against him, and a guy you had to be aware of that could skate, shoot, and do a lot of good things. Now, being his teammate, I’m impressed with how had he works during the game at both ends of the rink,” Stuart said.

“I think in a lot of games, he’s been our leader. Game in and game out, he kind of sets the tone for us with his work ethic, and that’s something I’ve noticed and been impressed with. I really think it’s important for us, because he seems to work hard at both ends of the rink. That’s what the really good players are good at. I’ve been impressed with the way he’s done that.”

The Sharks haven’t named an alternate captain since Ryane Clowe was traded to the Rangers, even though Couture is the obvious choice to wear the “A.” McLellan doesn’t believe that should matter when it comes to leadership, though.

He said: “We still obviously have our captains and our assistants, but there are a lot of other guys leading without that little piece of felt on their shoulder right now.”

In Couture’s case, he’s not just leading. He’s the pacesetter. And that’s just fine with everyone else.

“There is nobody jumping in Cooch’s way. He’s allowed to do what he’s been doing, and good for him,” McLellan said.



Wilson evaluates post-deadline Sharks

April 22, 2013, 4:15 pm

Staff

SAN JOSE – The speculation was rampant regarding the San Jose Sharks in the days and weeks leading up to the NHL’s trade deadline on April 3.

Would San Jose, which endured a brutal stretch of hockey for six weeks between early February and mid-March, begin a major rebuild and trade some of its veteran assets for young players and/or draft picks? Or would the Sharks take one more kick at the can with their veteran core, and add pieces for a potential playoff run?

Somehow, general manager Doug Wilson managed to do a bit of both while staying away from anything extreme. Gone are three members of the team’s 30-plus club in Ryane Clowe, Douglas Murray and Michal Handzus. Arriving, along with a handful of draft picks acquired for those players, were 31-year-old Raffi Torres and Scott Hannan, 34. Both are pending unrestricted free agents this summer.

Oh, and the Sharks have managed to go 11-3-1 since the Murray trade on March 25, which was the first domino in the club’s flurry of activity.

How does Wilson view his team now, with a ninth straight postseason appearance all but assured?

“I think we’re playing the right way,” Wilson said on Monday morning, after the players and front office sat for the annual team photo at HP Pavilion. “I think we’re playing the north-south game that we wanted to play, with speed, and I think the coaching staff has done a heck of a job.”

The Sharks look to be a faster team because of their additions and subtractions. They are quicker on the forecheck, the transition game is improved, and their ability to create more goals in and around the crease has helped the club snap out of its terrible offensive funk in which it scored more than two goals in regulation just twice in 20 games from Jan. 29 to March 12.

Torres essentially replaced Clowe, and the speed difference between the two is evident. Torres already has five points (1g, 4a) and a shootout winner in his first eight games with the Sharks, after Clowe managed no goals and 11 assists in 28 games before the trade.

The void left by Murray has been filled by players like Matt Irwin, who has shown an ability to get shots on goal and who typically gets the puck up the ice more quickly and effectively than Murray, while Hannan provides veteran insurance.

Handzus wasn’t playing when he was traded to Chicago, but Scott Gomez has shown to be much more of a playmaker than Handzus was in his stint here. Gomez spends most of his time as the fourth line center, but also sees time on the second power play unit.

“Douglas Murray, Ryane Clowe and Michal Handzus were all really important parts of this team. They were pending unrestricted free agents,” Wilson said. “We made some moves because we had some people underneath that were ready for additional roles. And, we added some players. Raffi is a straight line, speed guy and he plays physical, but plays in a straight line.

“Our job is to put the best team on the ice this year, but keep an eye on the future.”

Suddenly, even Wilson’s most notable move at the deadline last season looks better now, too. TJ Galiardi and Daniel Winnik were acquired from Colorado in exchange for Jamie McGinn on Feb. 27, 2012, and up until about a month ago, the deal looked like a complete disaster for San Jose.

Winnik departed for Anaheim in the offseason after the Sharks meekly bowed out in the first round to St. Louis. Galiardi was retained but was frequently a healthy scratch this season, and hadn’t made any discernable mark on his new team. Meanwhile, McGinn was proving to be a good young goal scorer with the Avalanche.

Now, Galiardi is contributing, and looks nothing like the player that sat in 12 of 21 games from Jan. 31 to March 16. He has three goals and six assists in his last 18 games, after just three points in his first 15.

“TJ is still a young player that can skate,” Wilson said.

Other players have settled in, too.

“Having a top line forward in Brent Burns come into the lineup, [Joe] Pavelski going down to the third line center, adding a little more speed with Raffi; now our team, to me, has everybody in their proper roles. I think their performance as a group just fits.

“I go back to the coaches. The coaches want our players to play a certain way. When we play the way we need them to play, I think we’re a very good team. Where you get in trouble is when sometimes players will play the way they want to play, which just doesn’t fit with how you need to be successful in this league.”

The key in the playoffs, of course, will be to have each of the aspects of their game firing on all cylinders for two straight months.

“That’s what we’re looking to do, and when we do that, we think we can play with anybody,” Wilson said.


671822 St Louis Blues

Blues-Colorado matchup box

11 hours ago • By Dan O'Neill

When • 7 tonight.

Where • Scottrade Center.

TV, radio • FSM Plus, KYKY 98.1 FM

Blues • Although they scored as many as three goals for the first time in nine games, the Blues had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 5-3 loss in Denver on Sunday. Brian Elliott was touched for four goals in less than two periods of action. The Blues, who are 0-1-1 against the Avalanche this season, need one point to clinch a playoff spot.

Avalanche • Colorado will miss the NHL playoffs for the third consecutive season. But the Avalanche have an 11-2-1 record in the 14 most recent matchups with the Blues, and are 3-1-2 in their last six games overall. Former Blue Erik Johnson is questionable because of a hand injury that has caused him to miss the last four games. Jamie McGinn had two goals against the Blues on Sunday night.

Injuries • Blues — RW T.J. Oshie (ankle), G Jaroslav Halak (groin) and C Scott Nichol (lower-body injury), out. Avalanche — D Erik Johnson (wrist), questionable; D Ryan Wilson (ankle) and RW Steve Downie (knee), out.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 04.23.2013


Blues reach for reset button against Avalanche

4 hours ago • By Dan O’Neill

OK, places everyone, quiet on the set. Blues certify playoff berth, take two.

Aaaand … action!

The Blues were all set to secure their playoff seat on Sunday in Denver. But a funny thing happened on the way to the Western Conference postseason party. Needing a point to punch the ticket, they lost 5-3 to the last-place Avalanche.

Surprising? Not really. Denver is to the Blues what Chinatown was to Jack Nicholson’s character in the classic 1974 private eye film. It is a place where bad things happen. The Blues have not won a game in Denver since April 12, 2009.

But the up-and-down Note gets another opportunity to get it right when it plays host to the same Avalanche at 7 o’clock tonight at Scottrade Center. With three home games remaining on the regular-season schedule, the Blues were in sixth place in the West, three points ahead of Minnesota and Columbus, four in front of Detroit and six ahead of Dallas.

But simply qualifying for the playoffs is not the only carrot here. There still is opportunity to secure home ice. The Blues were one point behind fifth-place San Jose, three points behind Los Angeles and three behind Vancouver, before the Canucks hosted Chicago on Monday.

Moreover, there is still need for the Blues to assert themselves as a playoff team, to define themselves as a playoff threat. For a player like Jay Bouwmeester, who has played 761 regular season NHL games without ever appearing in a postseason, this is no time to relax.

“Just to be able to get in the playoffs, it’s been a long time,” said Bouwmeester, 29, who was acquired in a trade-deadline deal. “That was one of the real attractive things about coming here, to be a part of a team that can not only get in the playoffs but once we get there, the kind of team that can go pretty far.

“Anytime the season is winding down and you’re in a position where you’re going to be still playing this time of year, yeah, it’s exciting. That’s the time of year everyone wants to be playing. No different here.”

Nothing has come easy for the Blues, starting with the collective bargaining agreement. Nothing has gone according to plan. Several of the lineup’s top offensive producers have underachieved. The goaltending situation has been good, bad and ugly, sometimes all at once. There has been sabotaging injuries and frustrating inconsistencies throughout the first 45 games.

Notwithstanding, the Blues are on the playoff doorstep. For veterans like David Backes, who has been in town for five seasons that did not include a postseason, that’s nothing to scoff at.

“Being here through some thin years, you start to appreciate and realize that playoffs aren’t a given,” Backes, 28, said. “It’s not like you start the year and you’re already in. We’ve had some years where, with a month or more left in the season, we’re already planning exit physicals and wondering whose going to the World Championships and things like that. That’s not a fun game to play.”

“We have a team in that situation tonight, so we know we better not take anything for granted. We have to play the right way and play our game.”

The Blues stumbled in that regard on Sunday. They performed well in spurts, but generally they gave the speedy Avalanche too much time and too much space. They put their goaltenders in compromising positions, and ultimately their goaltenders compromised.

Infallible all month, Brian Elliott made some terrific saves early in the game. But he eventually succumbed to four goals on 19 shots. Jake Allen relieved Elliott and yielded another goal on a low-quality chance.

Bottom line, the Blues were too loose, too soft and too vulnerable. It’s not the type of game they were employing prior to the trip to Denver, it’s not the type of game they can feature going forward. After losing to the Stanley

Cup bound Los Angeles Kings in the second round last season, these Blues aren’t about making the playoffs, they’re about making them last.

“We can’t squander it or think we’ve accomplished anything,” Backes added. “We’ve got a lot more to do.”

A first step would be to get back to basics against the Avalanche. Colorado is 3-1-2 in its last six games, with victories over St. Louis, Anaheim and Vancouver, and a shootout loss to Los Angeles. They are not to be taken lightly, but they are to be taken if the Blues want to certify their status as a playoff qualifier and playoff threat.

“I think we just, the way they play, they’re a very offensive team, play a very open style and we kind of get trapped into that,” said defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk, who scored his fifth goal on Sunday. “We try to match that, and that’s never been our game from the start.

“We give up scoring chances and you see how it happens, see how we lose games (in Denver). I think we owe it to Ells and we owe it to a lot of guys who are out of the lineup, chomping at the bit to play. We owe to them to put forth our best effort.”

The Blues owe it to themselves individually. This has been a crazy season, but it still has a chance to be crazy fun. It still has a chance to be memorable.

“I think you look at the playoffs the last few years and you just have to get in,” Bouwmeester said. “If you can have any sort of advantage like that (home ice), you absolutely want it.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 04.23.2013


Local pro writers chapter nominates Blues' Elliott for NHL's Masterton Trophy


By NORM SANDERS

St. Louis Blues goaltender Brian Elliott has been nominated for he NHL's Masterton Trophy by the St. Louis chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

The Master Trophy is given to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Released by the Colorado Avalanche after the 2010-11 season, Elliott signed a two-way contract with the Blues. Expected to be a backup to starter Jaroslav Halak, Elliott instead led the NHL in goals-against average (1.46) and save percentage (.940) and shared the Jennings Trophy with Halak.

Elliott struggled this season coming out of the lockout and was 3-5-1 with a 3.57 goals-against average and .850 save percentage in mid-February.

At one point, Elliott lost his job to rookie goalie Jake Allen and Elliott was a healthy lineup scratch 11 times and played only twice fro, Feb. 13 to April 1 1.

Elliott kept working hard and battling to keep this spot, even to the point where he accepted a conditioning assignment to Peoria of the American Hockey League.

Elliott posted a shutout in the second of two starts at Peoria, then was recalled to the Blues when Halak suffered a groin injury. Before Sunday's loss in Colorado, Elliott led the NHL in April with an 8-0-1 record, a 1.01 goal-against average and .960 save percentage.

That run included three consecutive road shutouts, a streak that ended on a goal by Colorado's Jamie McGinn. Before that he had not allowed a goal on the road in more than 200 minutes.

The Blues can clinch a playoff spot tonight if Phoenix beats Detroit in regulation. The game can be seen at 6:30 p.m. on the NBC Sports Network.

Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 04.23.2013

671825 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lightning's Gudas a big hit on defense

By Erik Erlendsson | Tribune Staff


TAMPA - Undeterred, one shift after being whistled for a rare and probably improper clipping call, Lightning defenseman Radko Gudas went right back to making his presence known along the boards.

His eraser move in the first period Sunday caught the attention of the Carolina Hurricanes, several of whom looked to have words with the hard-nosed Tampa Bay blueliner who has a penchant for making big hits.

“That's what makes him a ball player,'' Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “I've seen it for three years. And as an organization we are extremely happy that he's on our team and not somebody else's.''

The 22-year-old defenseman arrived in Tampa on March 12 with the reputation for being a big-time hitter in the American Hockey League. Gudas has continued that in his brief time in the NHL.

In only 20 games since his NHL debut, Gudas has amassed 81 hits, which ranks tied for third among rookie defenseman despite his having played significantly fewer games than Brendan Dillon (123 hits with Dallas), Eric Gryba (84, Ottawa) and Michael Stone (81, Phoenix).

Gudas also ranks tied for third on Tampa Bay, just seven hits behind leader Keith Aulie. Should he play in each of the final three games— not a given since Syracuse begins the AHL playoffs on Saturday — he could overtake the team lead.

“He definitely has brought that all year,'' Lightning captain Vinny Lecavalier said. “He's a solid, solid defenseman and he keeps guys honest in the neutral zone. It's not fun to play against a guy like that.''

Gudas grew up watching his father, Leo, use his body to deliver big-time hits during a 13-year career in Europe. Leo Gudas also was a six-time member of the Czechoslovakian national team, including the 1992 team that won a Bronze medal at the Olympics.

Father and son share almost an identical build – Leo was 6-foot, 190 pounds while Radko is 6-foot, 200-pounds — and a similar style of play. It's not by accident.

“I grew up watching hockey the way it used to be in the late 1990s early 2000s, and my dad, that was his style, too,'' Gudas said. “So, I get it from watching him. And I really liked it and fans obviously love it.''

The perfectly timed hit is a bit of a lost art form, especially the type Gudas delivers when he drops down for a hip check, which is rarely seen in the NHL these days. In his two-plus seasons in the Lightning minor-league system, Gudas made a name for himself with his ability to deliver those board-rattling hits that often send opposing players flying head over heels.

In his 20 games at the NHL level, he has certainly delivered his fair share of hits — he averages four per game — but has yet to find that signature moment when the play develops and he times it perfectly for the hit that will get the fans on their feet, lift his teammates on the bench and probably draw the ire of the opposing team.

It's something he has worked on a good part of his career and perfected at all levels. At some point, he expects to figure out the timing at the NHL level, as well. He will revel in the feeling it will create.

“The whole team is watching where the puck is, and when somebody with the puck gets hit and flies over somebody else, it gives that little spark to your teammates and maybe the fans start to cheer louder, the energy of the building gives the team a little more of a spark,'' Gudas said. “Obviously, if I'm the guy who delivers it, it gets me up a little and it's something I like.''

Tampa Tribune LOADED: 04.23.2013

671826 Tampa Bay Lightning

Cooper studies, waits to mold Lightning

Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer

Monday, April 22, 2013 4:04pm

TAMPA — For Lightning coach Jon Cooper, his first month on the job has been almost exclusively about getting acquainted with the players — their personalities, how they perform in certain situations, what roles suit them best.

"A great education," he called it.

But as far as installing his system — the technical aspect of how he wants the team to play — that will have to wait.

The problem: a lack of practice time caused by a compressed, lockout-shortened schedule.

By the end of its season Saturday, Tampa Bay will have played 15 games, including three sets of back-to-backs, in Cooper's 31 days on the job. With travel days and off days for players to rest and recuperate, it will have practiced only eight days.

"Think about next year," Cooper said. "By the time the first week of training camp is over, we'll have more practice days than we've had the whole month I've been here."

Not quite, but you get the idea.

"You can only look at so much video," Cooper added. "You have to get on the ice and work with the guys. We're not reinventing the wheel or anything like that. But it's getting them to play consistently the right way, the way we want day in and day out. There's a lot that comes into that. There's just not enough time."

To be fair, every team this season has dealt with a lack of practice time. It is more acute, though, for a team integrating a coach with zero NHL experience who held one practice before his March 29 debut.

Cooper has fiddled with line combinations and the personnel on special teams. He moved captain Vinny Lecavalier to the side of the net on the power play to give him more play-making opportunities.

There have been some technical changes, too, such as eliminating the Guy Boucher strategy of sending two defensemen after puck carriers in the defensive zone. Players also have more freedom to improvise in the offensive zone.

"He's made subtle changes without overhauling everything," right wing B.J. Crombeen said. "He's kept it real simple."

That's because Cooper, 3-6-3 since taking over, is more interested right now in assessing his players.

"I want to see what guys can do," Cooper said. "I want to see what their talents are, what they can excel at, what they struggle at, and move on from there. It's all a big evaluation process."

That process ends with three games in four days: Wednesday at the Tampa Bay Times Forum against the Maple Leafs, Thursday in Boston and Saturday in the season finale at home against the Panthers.

The team's last practice — only its sixth this month — is today at the Times Forum.

"It's no secret, how you get better is how you practice," Lecavalier said. "Obviously, we couldn't do that this year."

"Even for next year," Cooper said, "it will be Thanksgiving, Christmas before you get your team going on all cylinders. It just takes time. But it will be nice to have training camp to work with the guys before getting behind the bench."

St. Petersburg Times LOADED: 04.23.2013

671827 Toronto Maple Leafs

Playoff veteran van Riemsdyk ready to show green Leafs the way

JAMES MIRTLE

Published Monday, Apr. 22 2013, 7:02 PM EDT

Last updated Monday, Apr. 22 2013, 7:06 PM EDT

It was quite the sight for a wide-eyed rookie playing in his first NHL postseason.

Ian Laperrière, a 36-year-old heart-and-soul type for the Philadelphia Flyers, dropping to the ice to block a Paul Martin shot in the 2010 playoffs and having his face shattered and his career inexorably changed as a result.

Nine players who helped the Maple Leafs get back to the playoffs

At that point, James van Riemsdyk was just 20 years old, a second overall pick just out of college and in his fifth playoff game. But his teammate’s sacrifice has stayed with him years later and more than any other moment from his time with the Flyers.

Now a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, the big winger known to most as simply JVR plans to use some of what he learned from Laperrière and Co. to help the youngest team in the playoffs succeed.

“That’s pretty much the big difference – that desperation,” van Riemsdyk said, comparing the NHL’s regular season with the playoffs. “You can feel it on every shift. My first playoff, we had Laperrière taking slap shots off the face, and it was kind of a wake-up call as to ‘Wow, this is a bit more serious than the regular season.’”

Still only 23, van Riemsdyk nonetheless is one of Toronto’s grizzled vets when it comes to the postseason.

His three years with the Flyers included a trip to the final in 2010, an eye-opening seven goals in 11 games the following season and an uneventful seven games a year ago when he was recovering from injury.

On the Leafs, no one has played more playoff games and only Joffrey Lupul has scored more playoff goals, making JVR one of the few who can bring much needed experience to what will be a crazy environment in Toronto.

After nine years away, all of the players are expecting bedlam at the Air Canada Centre when the puck is dropped for what will be the first NHL playoff game for 15 of the 25 players on the roster.

“I can only imagine,” said defenceman Carl Gunnarsson, one of the career-long Leafs who will finally get into his first postseason games. “Hopefully it’s going to be crazy and I think it will. I’m really looking forward to that.”

“It’s going to be awesome,” added Ryan O’Byrne, fifth on the team with 19 career playoff games. “The fans have been waiting for this for a long time.”

To hear van Riemsdyk tell it, one of the key lessons experience can bring is just how fleeting and elusive playoff success can be.

While he went deep in the postseason right away, he also picked up on the battle stories from players like Laperrière, who played 15 years before making it to the third round and desperately wanted to make the most of his chance.

Laperrière even returned to the lineup later in the playoffs after blocking that shot, playing days after suffering a concussion and a broken orbital bone above his right eye in a decision that ultimately led to the end of his career when his symptoms returned.

Three years later, he still deals with blurry vision and headaches, issues that forced him to retire early and take on a role as director of player development with the Flyers.

“I got caught in the moment,” Laperrière lamented to reporters a few months later. “I kind of lied to myself to be part of that Stanley Cup run.”

“I’m starting to think about [how hard it is to win a Cup] a little bit more, as you play a few more years and see how lucky I was in my first year,” van

Riemsdyk said. “Not only do you have to be a good player, but you have to be a little bit lucky, too, to be on a team that has success.

“It was a thrill to play in that situation and hopefully we can do some good things like that this year.”

Van Riemsdyk also seems to know the difference between making the playoffs and making a difference in the playoffs, as he called the NHL’s second season a chance for players to elevate their games and redefine their careers by showing just how much they want to win.

As someone who has been there before, he believes he’ll be ready for the challenge.

“I think that’s just when you find out a lot about players, when the chips are down and big games like that,” he said. “Those were always games I liked playing in growing up. Some people might look at it as more pressure, but I look at it as an opportunity.”

Toronto Globe And Mail LOADED: 04.23.2013


Maple Leafs get break near end of gruelling season with playoffs around the corner: Cox

By: Damien Cox Hockey,

Published on Mon Apr 22 2013

TAMPA—Step one, take a day off.

Step two, stay off the ice.

That’s the early formula for the Maple Leafs after clinching a playoff berth Saturday night in Ottawa, one that probably makes a lot of sense.

For starters, the club has played 45 games in 91 days, a grinding pace, one shared by every other NHL club. So with no games until Wednesday when they face the Lightning, some time off skates makes sense.

Second, while the Leafs don’t have any injuries per se, at least none keeping players out of the lineup, it’s a chance to do a little healing.

Finally, this is a team that the closer it got to the playoffs, the tighter it seemed to grip the sticks, and the more it seemed to play a retreat, rope-a-dope style game. Getting away from the rink for a couple of days may ease the tension, although you can bet it will return later this week and certainly next week when the playoffs begin.

So head coach Randy Carlyle has ordered off-ice workouts only today, with media availability later this morning. Carlyle has clearly already begun calibrating his approach for the post-season, and he can do so as Leaf coach without having to consider the extensive travel schedule he had to deal with when he coached the Anaheim Ducks.

Hired by Anaheim in 2005, Carlyle took the club to the playoffs in five of six seasons before being fired partway through last season. Under Carlyle, the club played in 11 playoff series, winning six. The Ducks never played the Kings, with their closest opponent being the Sharks, about 590 kilometres away. Otherwise it was Calgary or Edmonton or Vancouver or Dallas, with rest and hydration key elements of post-season preparation to adjust to travel and multiple time zone changes.

Compared to that, any Leaf playoff trail will be a walk in the park in terms of travel. As it stands, every possible Leaf opponent in the Eastern Conference is within a two-hour flight and within the same time zone.

Toronto Star LOADED: 04.23.2013


Maple Leafs in the playoffs: Komarov, McClement, toughness key

By: Mark Zwolinski Sports reporter,


Leo Komarov figured to be a solid third- or fourth-line winger, with something resembling Darcy Tucker’s ability to get the opposition off its game. No one expected Komarov to lead NHL rookies in hits.

Jay McClement figured to be a depth forward, a veteran presence on one of the league’s youngest teams. No one expected him to lead the NHL in penalty-killing minutes.

The Leafs also lead the league in fighting majors, less of a surprise but a significant element of their identity.

Here’s a closer look at these three key factors as the Leafs head into the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2004:

KOMAROV: The Finn leads all first-year players with 166 hits and sits fourth overall, one up on ex-Leaf Luke Schenn. Komarov doesn’t have Tucker’s ability to score, but he’s an agitator. He has also been, for the most part, a fixture in Randy Carlyle’s lineup. His “hit anything that moves” style could be a valuable asset in the post-season. Teammates Mark Fraser, Dion Phaneuf, Cody Franson and Nikolai Kulemin also cracked the top 30 in hits heading into the weekend.

McCLEMENT: The veteran is beginning to receive widespread credit for his work on the penalty kill. He has consistently ranked No. 1 in man-short ice time, working more than the equivalent of eight full periods. The impact is clear. The Leafs rank third in the NHL in penalty killing this year, after finishing second-last in that category last season.

FIST FACTOR: The Leafs have three legitimate heavyweight brawlers in Colton Orr, Frazer McLaren and Fraser — and traded away a fourth, Mike Brown. So it’s no surprise they lead the league with 46 fighting majors, 12 more than second-place Philadelphia. Orr, with 13, is second to B.J. Crombeen. Whether critics like it or not, fighting and physical play are integral parts of many top teams, including the Blues and Blackhawks.



Maple Leafs in the playoffs: How the team and world have changed since 2004

By: Alex Consiglio GTA,


Facebook was just starting, George W. Bush had been re-elected and Stephen Harper had yet to move into the prime minister’s office.

It’s been a while since the Maple Leafs were in the playoffs.

Since 2004, Facebook has grown into one of the world’s largest companies, Bush was replaced by Barack Obama and Harper has won three elections.

After beating the Ottawa Senators for the fourth time in five years, the Leafs were knocked out of the 2004 playoffs in the second round by the Philadelphia Flyers.

Six players remain active in the NHL from that Flyers team, five of them with more than 10 games played this season.

As for the Leafs, six players who dressed in 2004 also remain in the league, only four of them with more than 10 games played this year.

Former NHLer Jeremy Roenick buried the Leafs in 2004 with an overtime goal in Game 6 at the Air Canada Centre. The Leafs, backstopped by Ed Belfour, lost 3-2. They’ve yet to make it back to the post-season since.

“Take that and rewind it back” may be a fitting way to describe the disbelief felt by many fans about the Leafs’ nearly decade-long playoff absence. It’s also in the lyrics of 2004’s most popular song.

Usher’s “Yeah!” topped the Billboard chart for 12 consecutive weeks — more than any other tune — back in 2004. Usher is still around, but a few spots behind him at No. 6 was Hoobastank with “TheReason.” Hooba-who?

A lot has changed in the NHL as well since the Leafs last contended for the Stanley Cup.

Following the 2005 lockout, games could no longer end in ties. In came the shootout — love it or hate it — to decide winners. The extra point has helped some teams claw into the playoffs, but it has hindered others, like the Leafs.

The Leafs have a 29-45 record in shootout games, 26th in the NHL. New Jersey is first at 56-36. In eight seasons, the Leafs have only once had a .500 record in games decided by shootouts. In 2010, they were 4-4. In 2012, they were 4-5. In 2011, 5-6. Their worst record, 3-7, came in the year it was introduced.

Among active Leafs, Phil Kessel leads the way with 15 shootout goals all-time, but that's in 52 attempts. Chicago’s Jonathan Toews has 27 on 53 shots. Flyer Danny Briere is 20 for 51.

In the nine years since Pat Quinn coached the Leafs into the playoffs, they have had three coaches. Before Randy Carlyle, Ron Wilson (2008-12, 130-135-45) and Paul Maurice (2006-08, 76-66-22) failed to lead them to the post-season.

Carlyle (30-22-8) has brought them back to the playoffs in his first full season with the club, albeit a condensed one following the lockout.

A Stanley Cup triumph would erase a drought dating back to 1967.

Let’s not even start with what has changed since then.



Maple Leafs in the playoffs: Quinn, Ferguson, Ponikarovsky, Tucker remember

By: Mark Zwolinski Sports reporter,


If you were a Toronto Maple Leaf in 2004, you had to make adjustments.

You were a member of the last Leafs team to make the playoffs, and you had to drive through throngs of fans partying on the street and hope no one noticed. You also had to tweak a piece of parental advice traditionally handed down to children.

“It was routine stuff, like walking in a mall with your kids,” then-GM John Ferguson said. “My kids were 3 and 5 then, and I was trying to teach them not to talk to strangers. We were in a mall at the time (during the 2004 playoffs) and everyone in the mall would say, ‘Go Leafs. Go get em’ . . . and my daughter said, ‘Who’s that, daddy?’ And I’d say, ‘I don’t know,’ and she’d say, ‘Why are you talking to them then?’ (laughs). So that was tough because there were so many nice people out there talking to you and it was the like that in the city, across Canada, wherever Canadians travelled. . . . There was this high level of visibility for us.”

Toronto was ousted by the Philadelphia Flyers in that momentous spring of 2004. People from Ferguson and coach Pat Quinn to players, reporters and fans look back at that roster and wonder aloud: how the heck did that happen?

Toronto was absolutely loaded for a Cup run, and it all ended in the second round at the hands of a gritty Flyers team that simply surprised the talented Leafs. But for seven games in the first round, and six more against the Flyers, the playoff hockey in Toronto was as memorable for the players as it was for the fans.

“It was tough,” former Leaf and current New Jersey Devil Alexei Ponikarovsky said, referring to the drive home after home games.

“I was trying to hide in my car, because people were walking and traffic wasn’t moving. They were knocking on the windows, with flags and stuff, screaming. And I was like, ‘Oh my god, if they find out I’m inside, you never know what could happen.’

“I was kind of trying to turn my face somewhere else,” he added. “It’s one of those things you have to go through, I guess, here in Toronto when you play for the Leafs and you’re in the playoffs.”

Quinn was already a legend and part of Leaf Stanley Cup lore by the time the 2004 playoffs rolled around. Like Ponikarovsky and other players, he stood out in a crowd at the worst of times. When the playoffs hit, the adulation only increased.

“I remember having to go to a doctor’s appointment,” Quinn said. “I got into a cab at 6:45 a.m. and (the cabbie) says, ‘What’s the matter with the power play?’ Even people who didn’t normally watch hockey, they got caught up in the excitement. I don’t remember any bad days in Toronto, ever, even when I was playing.”

The playoff atmosphere in Toronto included an electric circus on the streets after each home game. Thousands joined the party once the seats emptied out after the final buzzer. Streets were jammed, traffic was snarled, streetcars were stuck at intersections as hordes of celebrating fans took over.

That level of excitement fuelled what Quinn remembers as “competition in the media” that was equal to the competition on the ice.

For a coach, it was part fun, part amazement, part distraction — and you had to guard against the distraction.

“Who doesn’t want to be recognized for the good things going on?” Quinn said. “But any coach in this business knows you have to be very aware of the distractions. You have to put them on the table every day, be aware of them with your players so that when they get out on the ice, they can perform. And performance is all we can control, and that means not being taken off your game by all the euphoria going on around you.

“We didn’t win (against the Flyers) and maybe we were distracted. Maybe we fell in love with ourselves too much, I don’t know. But you think of those things, for sure.”

The Leafs were expected to make the playoffs in 2004, a stark contrast to the outset of this abbreviated season when the Leafs were generally written off.

There was no salary cap in 2004, so the Leafs could — and did — routinely outspend the competition. Ferguson acquired stars Brian Leetch and Ron Francis at the trade deadline to put the Leafs over the top.

But expectations were high from the first day of training camp.

“I negotiated my deal (with the Leafs) and I did not include a bonus to make the playoffs. It was just expected,” Ferguson said. “We were top 10 in spending in that pre-cap era.”

Darcy Tucker, a big part of playoff successes from 2000 to 2004, said the levels of expectation and excitement were equally high.

“It was a lot of fun. . . . This time of year is a favourite time of year for most Canadians,” Tucker said.

“The things I think back on are those memories you build going into the playoffs. Those hockey clubs that we had here from 2000 to 2004, I have really fond memories . . . strong teams. We had a good hockey club (in 2004). We added pieces and tried to get a veteran presence at the deadline to push us over the top. We had a really good regular season and a good playoffs.

“We were a little bit edgy, maybe to a fault,” Tucker added. “Maybe it ended up costing us, maybe stopped us from moving on in the playoffs from an injury standpoint. But what a blast to have played in the playoffs in Toronto.”

Ponikarovsky and Ferguson recalled being told upon arriving in Toronto that winning with the Leafs would beat success in any other city.

“I was told when I took the job, by everyone at the Air Canada Centre: just wait until the playoffs. That’s when you will see the real excitement,” Ferguson said. “It was just a wonderful time.”

Said Ponikarovsky: “Every home game we’d win, it was a huge party outside. You couldn’t actually get home, because Yonge St. was just piled up, nobody moving. Everybody was just with flags outside, running around screaming, knocking on the windows. I remember those days. . . . It was a pretty good feeling. I was a young player. It was something out of the ordinary.”

Ponikarovsky maintains a home in Toronto even though he’s three years removed from the team. He met his wife, Inna, here in 2000 and they were married in 2002. All three of their children were born at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital and he considers all three Canadians.



Maple Leafs: Rest or race to the finish? Choices ahead for Carlyle: Cox

By: Damien Cox Hockey,


TAMPA—The personal stories of being a Maple Leafs fan over nine years of waiting for a playoff berth are still pouring in like postcards from a hockey city lost in time.

Families who had one child in the spring of 2004 and have four now. Young men who were in high school back then and are now teaching at the school they attended. Rabid hockey fans who weren’t even born when Jeremy Roenick ended Leaf hopes in the last playoff game involving the Toronto franchise.

Those are all fun, as are the historical references to what wasn’t around in 2004 and is now. Like HD television. And the trapezoid. And the Winnipeg Jets.

Leaf fans are happily celebrating this achievement that, while minor to fans of more successful teams, has understandably created a wave of GTA excitement.

Laugh if you will, but it’ll be the same in Kansas City when the Royals make baseball’s post-season again. Actually, it’ll be the same in Toronto when the Blue Jays get there someday, but let’s take this one step at a time.

So sure, Leaf fans should be thrilled to hand the mantle of longest-suffering NHL city over to Edmonton.

That first home playoff game at the Air Canada Centre since ’04 should be a noteworthy event if people remember how such things work.

But before that, what’s next?

With 10 days to go before the playoffs commence, exactly how do the Leafs need, or want, to proceed?

One school of thought suggests they should go hard for the final three games and finish as high as possible. Home-ice advantage is still available, with both struggling Montreal and teetering Boston within mathematical range.

Much has been made of the manner in which the club has played in recent days, as if splitting the last four games — including a win on the road in Ottawa — is suddenly beneath this squad.

Seriously people, some perspective.

Still, there’s probably something to be said for going all out in the final three matches against the Lightning, Panthers and Canadiens to try to go into the playoffs on a roll.

Another approach, of course, would be to relax in the Florida sun over the next four days, get some rest from this compacted schedule and give some players a game or two off to heal some bruises and prepare for playoff combat.

For example, captain Dion Phaneuf has logged 1,143:44 of ice time this season. As of Sunday, only four players — Ryan Suter, Shea Weber, Brian Campbell and Drew Doughty — had played more minutes this season than Phaneuf, who has barely missed a shift, let alone a game.

Perhaps a night in the press box while Mike Kostka gets some game action in might make sense.

Carl Gunnarsson is clearly hobbling on a bad hip. A week or more of rest could make the world of difference.

Up front, Matt Frattin and Joe Colborne are young legs rarin’ to go. Certainly an evening off to gather his thoughts might benefit Mikhail Grabovski.

Then there’s the goalies. One more start for Ben Scrivens after 28 for James Reimer? Two? Three?

These are the choices facing Randy Carlyle, who is the one member of the Leaf organization other than Dave Poulin and George Armstrong who has extensive experience in these matters.

Given that there were few who imagined the Leafs would make the playoffs at all when the lockout ended, there will be no shortage of prognosticators suggesting it’ll be four and out this spring, or even that since this has come in a shortened season, it doesn’t really count or should come with an asterisk.

Like there’s an asterisk on that 1995 Stanley Cup banner hanging from the rafters in New Jersey’s home rink.

That’s all so much white noise. The truth is, a season is a season and the only squad that scares anybody in the Eastern Conference should be the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Beyond that, Carlyle’s rugged group could face pretty much any other first-round opponent — yep, even those Bruins — and no one should be shocked if they advance. They might not be favourites, but they’d have a legitimate shot.

As of today, it’s Montreal. Given the head-to-head record between the two clubs and the fact both were well out of post-season consideration a year ago, this looms as a pick-’em confrontation. Other than falling to eighth, the Leafs can probably live with however the cards land. So some rest for key players, particularly Phaneuf and Gunnarsson, seems to make more sense than laying it all on the line for a remote shot at home-ice advantage.

But we’ll see what Carlyle thinks. That ring he won in Anaheim suggests he might be a good judge of such matters.



Leafs' JVR says playoffs have 'wow' factor

By Terry Koshan

First posted: Monday, April 22, 2013 09:30 PM EDT

Updated: Monday, April 22, 2013 09:37 PM EDT

TAMPA — - As much as James van Riemsdyk doesn’t want to start talking playoffs, the Maple Leafs forward knows there is no way around it.

Not when thousands in Leafs Nation are back home giddy with the excitement that comes with the knowledge that the first Stanley Cup playoff game for their favourite franchise in nine years is just days away.

So it was with that van Riemsdyk, fresh from a dryland training exercise with his Leafs teammates in parking lot adjacent to the Tampa Bay Times Forum, got caught up in a post-season discussion with reporters on Monday morning.

Few Leafs have Stanley Cup playoff experience, and van Riemsdyk is the only one who has participated in the Cup final, something that happened in 2010 when his Philadelphia Flyers lost in six games against the Chicago Blackhawks.

“It’s when you find out a lot about players — when the chips are down and in those big games like that,” van Riemsdyk said of the playoffs in general terms.

“Some people look at it as pressure, but I look at it more as a fun opportunity. We have a lot of guys who step up in the big moments and when the team needs a spark, guys can do things. We have a good mix of guys in the room and we will see what we can do.”

The Leafs, idle until they visit the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday night, stayed off the ice for a second day in a row on Monday. After clinching a playoff spot on Saturday night in Ottawa with a 4-1 victory against the Senators, the Leafs didn’t land in Florida until 3:30 in the morning on Sunday. A complete day off meant that most hit the golf course for the first time in 2013, while others took advantage of the cloudy but warm weather to do a lot of nothing.

Three games remain in the regular season, so there’s work to be done. And it’s not as though the Leafs have been playing great hockey lately, given their defensive misdeeds last week, even allowing 50 shots against Ottawa.

“We talked about it today, the importance of these last three games,” defenceman Ryan O’Byrne said. “We have clinched, but there are points that are valuable to us. We’re playing two teams here in Florida that are not in the race. That first period on Wednesday night is going to be huge for us.

“We are far from done here. We made the playoffs, but we want to make a long run. That is our next goal now. These next few games are a lead-up toward that.”

Van Riemsdyk, of course, has been a crucial player for the Leafs. He represents the final significant trade Brian Burke made as Toronto’s general manager, and has been as good as the Leafs could have hoped he would have been when they shipped defenceman Luke Schenn to Philly last June to get van Riemsdyk.

With 18 goals, van Riemsdyk has a legitimate shot at 20, and would be on pace for 32 in a regular 82-game schedule. On most nights, he has provided the big-body presence in front of the opponents’ net that the Leafs coveted.

The 23-year-old shed some insight on the experience of competing in the playoffs, and how it’s set apart from the usual grind of the regular season.

“You could feel the shift-to-shift intensity and desperation out there,” van Riemsdyk said. “That is the big difference, that desperation you can feel on every shift. My first playoff run we had Ian Laperriere taking slapshots off the face. That is something you kind of get a wakeup call, that wow, this is a little bit more serious than the regular season.”

But when asked about the strong possibility the Leafs will meet the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, van Riemsdyk hesitated.

“When you start looking too far ahead, that is when you fall into that trap of being a little complacent so we don’t want to start looking at that,” van Riemsdyk said. “It does not need to be said — you want to be playing as well as you can going into the playoffs.”

Toronto Sun LOADED: 04.23.2013


Leafs hiking playoff tickets 75%!

staff report



TORONTO - A long absence from the playoffs does not mean the Maple Leafs are still going to charge 2004 ticket prices.

Costs for round one, Toronto’s first trip since May of ’04, are set to rise a whopping 75% against a regular-season ducat, which was already the highest in the National Hockey League.

Tickets at the ACC can range from under $100 to a few more than $400, but in February, U.S.-based Team Marketing Report listed the Leafs with an average of $127.89.

Anticipating the public’s sticker shock, Tom Anselmi, the president and COO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, claimed that it was in line with what major NHL markets charge at this time of year.

The Montreal Canadiens, a possible first-round opponent, have increased their tickets between 55% and 59%, matching their previous playoff increases according to a team representative.

As of Sunday’s regular-season conclusion, NHL clubs no longer pay player salaries, so post-season games are lucrative, especially if a team goes far. Most of the 18,819 Leafs seats are subscriber controlled with a corporate element that will absorb the extra costs. For the rest who can pay for single playoff games, the club operates the Leafs Last Minute Club, to sign up for access to purchase seats. Details for round one for those fans will be on the club’s website by Tuesday, with availability likely by Thursday or Friday.

At least there are few potential building conflicts for the Leafs next month. The ACC calendar shows American indie rockers The Killers play on May 15, followed by the Rolling Stones on May 23.



Maple Leafs' playoff drought over, and here's why

By Mike Zeisberger ,Toronto Sun



Nine years.

How long ago was that?

Consider that in 2004, Twitter was still two years away from being introduced and the Boston Red Sox were still six months away from ending their 86-year championship drought.

As for the Maple Leafs, it's been nine long years since Jeremy Roenick's goal at 7:39 of overtime gave the Philadelphia Flyers a 3-2 second-round elimination victory over the Maple Leafs on May 4, 2004, at the Air Canada Centre. Incredibly, five members of that losing Leafs team -- Mats Sundin, Ed Belfour, Joe Nieuwendyk, Ron Francis and Brian Leetch -- have been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In those nine subsequent years, no Maple Leafs team has stepped on to the ice for a post-season game, a span in which the franchise has gone through two lockouts, three GM and coaching changes each, and plenty of heartache for their loyal legion of fans.

As former Leafs goalie Curtis Joseph put it: "There are nine-year-old kids who have never seen the Leafs in a playoff game."

So, after nine long years, why has this particular Leafs team managed to accomplish what previous editions failed to do in almost a decade?

In response to that question, here are nine key factors that have allowed the Leafs to reach the playoffs for the first time in nine years.

1. Walking the walk instead of talking the talk

There have been too many bold, but empty, words coming from Bay St. the past nine years.

From then-coach Paul Maurice at the opening of 2007 training camp: "We'll make the playoffs and compete for the Stanley Cup ... This is the most talented team I've ever coached."

In they end, the Leafs didn't. And it wasn't.

From former GM Brian Burke: "A championship is the goal -- not to get in the eighth spot and get your ass kicked."

Ironically, Burke's Leafs never finished as high as eighth.

The common thread here: Too much lip service, not enough wins.

That hasn't been the case with GM Dave Nonis and coach Randy Carlyle, who have done a great job of deflecting additional pressure on their young team by refusing to publicly bark out boastful promises that often raised the bar of expectations far too high.

It has been a blueprint that has been quite successful.

2. The puck stops here

Andrew Raycroft. J-S Aubin. Scott Clemmensen. Martin Gerber. J-S Giguere. Jonas Gustavsson. Vesa Toskala. Justin Pogge. Jussi Rynnas. Mikael Tellqvist.

All attempted to follow up the Curtis Joseph-Ed Belfour success during the early 2000s by leading the Leafs to the playoffs. All failed.

Now here comes James Reimer, who stands to join Cujo and The Eagle as the only goalies to play a post-season game this century.

Reimer has been a star down the stretch, including a 49-save performance in Ottawa Saturday. In fact, despite seeing their team outshot in 18 of the past 20 games, Reimer (2.41, .926%) and backup Ben Scrivens (2.71, .914) gave the Leafs a chance to win every night, even stealing games as Reimer did versus the Sens.

When is the last time you could say that about Leafs goaltending?

3. Top gun

When Nonis was elevated to GM back in January, there was plenty of public whining that he was just another Burke, albeit a far less bombastic version.

Not so.

Rather than make outrageous guarantees he couldn't keep, Nonis preached patience. No bringing in big names such as Roberto Luongo, even if there was interest on the Leafs' part, if it meant giving up too much in return.

Instead, the Nonis-Carlyle-Dave Poulin-Claude Loiselle brain trust decided that players would get ice time predicated on their performance, not their contracts. As a result, vets Mike Komisarek and Tim Connolly were sent down to the Marlies despite carrying big salaries.

Many of the players on the 2011 Stanley Cup finalist Vancouver Canucks were brought in by Nonis during his tenure there. He is no Burke parrot. What he is, is a competent NHL GM.

4. Randy's been dandy

The rules in Randy Carlyle's world: Be fit. Be tough. Be in shape. Be ready to work. Or you don't play.

During the lockout, players were given rigorous off-season workout regimes. And, once the season started, you found out that you will sit if you aren't competent defensively, a lesson Jake Gardiner and John-Michael Liles quickly learned.

At the same time, Carlyle tries to make the game enjoyable. Long practices often end with fun drills. He even tells jokes in the intermission like he did against the Devils last week.

The bottom line: Whatever Carlyle is selling, his players are buying.

5. Kadri and Franson: From doghouse to penthouse

Nazem Kadri was tired of hearing Burke and ex-coach Ron Wilson criticize him on TV.

He still gets scolded. Only now, Carlyle does it to his face, not in front of the rest of the team or a television audience.

"It's nice to play for people who communicate with you and have confidence in you," Kadri said of the Carlyle-Nonis regime.

The same holds true for Franson. Carlyle wasn't thrilled with the young defenceman's play late last season, but Franson listened closely to his coach's instructions during the off-season.

The result: Kadri and Franson have gone from afterthoughts to key cogs.

6. The kill's the thing

The Maple Leafs are third in NHL penalty killing.

No, that is not a misprint.

Thanks to the efforts of Carlyle, assistant Scott Gordon, Reimer and newcomer Jay McClement, the Leafs are killing off penalties at an outstanding 87% rate. That is an incredible improvement when you consider that the Leafs' penalty killing had not finished higher than 24th since 2004, including dead last (30th) on two different instances under Wilson.

7. Unsung heroes

Mark Fraser. Mike Kostka. Leo Komarov. Frazer McLaren. Even Jay McClement.

Who could have guessed these five would be, in their own way, significant contributors in ending the nine-year dry spell?

For the first time in many years, the Leafs' cache of role players have exceeded expectations, not the other way around. And no one has done that better than McClement, whose leadership, penalty-killing abilities and some offensive punch in a checking role have made him the team's unsung hero.

8. The thrill & JVR: The red-white-and-blue connection

When the Leafs first announced they had acquired James van Riemsdyk from the Flyers for Luke Schenn last summer, one question immediately came to mind: Could Flyers GM Paul Holmgren not have gotten more for the second overall pick in 2007 who was just 23 years old?

The New Jersey native has been all the Leafs hoped for, shaking off accusations of being fragile by playing in all 45 games while using his big body to cause havoc in front of the opposing net.

More importantly, he and Wisconsin native Phil Kessel have found some outstanding chemistry on the Leafs' first line.

Entering play Monday, Kessel was eighth in points (48) and fifth in assists (32). Kessel has never received the credit he deserves since joining the Leafs, but he certainly has not disappointed when it comes to numbers.

9. Team truculence

Yes, fighting pretty much disappears during the post-season.

At the same time, the fact that the Leafs lead the league in fighting majors (44) cannot be ignored. Indeed, other teams are aware of Toronto's toughness.

"Maybe guys like McLaren and (Colton) Orr won't drop the gloves during the playoffs," an Eastern Conference team exec said Monday. "But teams are still reluctant to meet them in the post-season because they are intimidating and tough to play against."

After nine years, it's about time.

LOOKING BACK AT 2004

Here's a look at Toronto's playoff roster in 2004 -- this should take you down memory lane:

G: Ed Belfour, Trevor Kidd

D: Wade Belak, Aki Berg, Calle Johansson, Tomas Kaberle, Ken Klee, Brian Leetch, Bryan McCabe, Bryan Marchment, Karel Pilar, Drake Berehowsky.

F: Mats Sundin, Gary Roberts, Ron Francis, Owen Nolan, Joe Nieuwendyk, Tom Fitzgerald, Matt Stajan, Chad Kilger, Mikael Renberg, Robert Reichel, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Nathan Perrott, Tie Domi, Nik Antropov, Alex Mogilny

Injured Reserve: Darcy Tucker



Maple Leafs players believed in themselves

By Terry Koshan ,Toronto Sun



Next to no one counted on the Maple Leafs to make the playoffs this season.

Perhaps a straw poll should have been done in the dressing room in January.

“We thought we were going to be a playoff team,” defenceman Carl Gunnarsson said. “I think everyone else thought we were going to be out, but we believed in it and I think that is a big part of us being here right now.”

The Leafs clinched a playoff berth on Saturday night, one that will see them participate in the Stanley Cup tournament for the first time in nine years.

“This year we all pulled in the same direction,” Gunnarsson said. “We had a system that we really believe in, we know that when we play to that system, we win games. When we stick to it, it works for us and that gives us confidence.”

The Leafs have three games remaining, with visits to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday and Florida Panthers on Thursday before a home date on Saturday at the Air Canada Centre with the Montreal Canadiens concludes the regular season.

The Leafs could clinch home-ice advantage in the first round if they win all three.

“It has not been (the best stretch of play recently), and hopefully we can snap out of that,” Gunnarsson said. “We can relax a bit, not think too much about getting points. We don’t need them, but we want them. That is a good thing. We can still climb up and get that home-ice advantage and that is what we are looking for.”

SIGNS ARE CLEAR

Ryan O’Byrne has been a Maple Leaf for just under three weeks, and has not spent all of that time in Toronto, but the defenceman has a good idea of what playoffs will mean for Leafs Nation.

“Absolutely,” O’Byrne said. “You can feel the buzz throughout the city, just the buzz of being back in the playoffs. It has been so long and the fans want it so bad and we want it so bad. I can’t wait to see the ACC in our first playoff game. It is going to be nuts.”

O’Byrne experienced playoff fever when he was a member of the Canadiens, but not with the Colorado Avalanche the past two years.

“For myself playing in Colorado, you don’t have the fan support, and then you come to Toronto and you have that passion,” O’Byrne said. “People driving down the street honking their horns and waving their flags and that is awesome. I went through it in Montreal, and you feel that excitement, it is so much fun to be a part of, you get so jacked up for games and we are looking forward to the opportunity.

“You go out for warmups and I’m sure the arena will be full already. That is the excitement you want as a player. That is what you play the game for, is to be able to play in those series, and have fans behind your back.”

RARE BREAK

There aren’t many three off-days between games in the condensed 2012-13 schedule, but the Leafs are in the midst of one right now.

They will be back on the ice on Tuesday for practice after spending two days away from the rink.

Even better that they have been able to put their feet up in Florida.

“It’s not the worst thing in the world,” forward James van Riemsdyk said with a smile. “It’s fun to be down here and we have been bonding off the ice, so it has been good.

“With the schedule and how it has been this year, you have to find those days away to decompress a little bit, and it is good to have them right before the stretch run.”

LOOSE LEAFS

Gunnarsson, who returned from a recurring hip ailment on Saturday that caused him to miss three games, said he plans to play in all three of the Leafs’ remaining games ... Lightning star Martin St. Louis told the Tampa Bay Times he won’t play for Canada at the world championship in May, saying he wants to stay home and be with his family.



The top five most important Maple Leafs players

By Terry Koshan



TAMPA - Hockey, as we all know, is a team sport, but there are several individuals the Maple Leafs couldn’t have done without in the shortened 2012-13 season. Delete any of these five players from the Leafs’ roster and there’s a good chance that a playoff spot might not have happened. The old hockey adage goes that your best players have to be your best players to have success. With the Leafs, we have seen that this season. And yes, if not for injuries, Joffrey Lupul would be on this list.

James Reimer, G

The true test for the 25-year-old netminder will come in the playoffs, but he has passed every exam the regular season has thrown at him. Reimer acknowledged that trade rumours prior to the April 3 deadline bothered him, yet he never let on as much in the crease. If the Leafs falter in the playoffs too early for the liking of fans, we can expect that there will be whining that Roberto Luongo or Miikka Kiprusoff would have got the job done. Our advice would be to not to listen to that. Reimer has posted numbers befitting a No. 1 goalie, whether it has been his 18 victories, measly six regulation losses, three shutouts, a .926 save percentage or a 2.41 goals-against average. Now, Reimer is about to get the playoff experience that general manager David Nonis hoped to add. There’s a good chance Reimer shines.

Phil Kessel, RW

The often-maligned Kessel won’t bowl over anyone with juicy post-game quotes, or any other time for that matter, but what counts the most is his play, and there is little to dislike. Among the Leafs with the most natural talent, Kessel had little choice but to buy into Randy Carlyle’s defensive ways, and we can’t imagine there have been many times when the coach has had to ask twice. More than a few times we’ve watched from the press box as Kessel has hustled to backcheck and negate an opponent’s scoring opportunity. Does Kessel have as many goals as he would like? No. With 16 goals, Kessel would be on pace for 29 in an 82-game schedule after four consecutive 30-goal seasons. But he has 32 assists, which would equate to 58 in 82 games, and would be on par for 87 points in a full season, which also would be a career high.

Dion Phaneuf, D

It’s not easy to say why, but Phaneuf catches a lot of flak from Leafs fans. Mostly, it’s undeserved. The captain often goes over the boards whenever the opposition’s top forwards do and the last time we checked, the Leafs were 10 games over .500 in matches decided in regulation. That doesn’t happen because your leader barely is just getting by on each shift. Cody Franson has been lauded for his offensive production, but so too should be Phaneuf, who was in fifth in scoring among NHL defencemen with 27 points (nine goals and 18 assists) before Monday. Something else to consider: In the past, there were whispers of fractures in the dressing room. But that talk has dissipated, and perhaps it’s true that winning makes life easier for all. We would think that Phaneuf’s steely guidance has played a role as well.

Jay McClement, C

The signing of McClement as a free agent to a two-year deal last summer didn’t get the kind of headlines that the acquisition of James van Riemsdyk did, but we cringe when we think of what might have transpired had the Leafs passed on the Kingston native. It was clear that McClement was not just another veteran addition when coach Randy Carlyle named him an alternate captain in January. That leadership came into sharper focus when McClement (not singlehandedly, but just about) turned around the Leafs’ penalty killing. McClement leads all NHL players in ice time when his team is shorthanded, and usually is on the ice when the Leafs are protecting a slim lead in the final minute. Carlyle doesn’t always light up when you ask him about players. That changes when the forward in question is McClement.

Nazem Kadri, C

Kadri’s development has come in big strides in 2012-13, whether it was with a patience-tested Dallas Eakins and the Toronto Marlies or Randy Carlyle with the Leafs. Kadri’s skills with the puck mostly are unparalleled in Toronto, no matter the level, and there have been nights when he seems to score because he feels like doing it. No longer as there questions about whether the Leafs blew a first-round pick when they chose him seventh overall in 2009. Kadri has a long way to go — some of his decisions in the defensive zone when he has the puck are bizarre — but he’s on the right course. Where Kadri fits in for the long run has yet to be determined, but it will be in the Leafs’ top six. Few players in Toronto since the days of Mats Sundin and Alex Mogilny have been dynamic as Kadri has been on many nights.



59% chance Leafs, Canadiens meet in first round

By Terry Koshan



TAMPA - A first-round playoff matchup with the Montreal Canadiens?

Bring ’em on.

That’s the feeling of Maple Leafs defenceman Ryan O’Byrne, who spent 128 games with the Canadiens in four seasons from 2007-10.

“You talk about the playoffs and how much excitement there is and how it would be awesome, and you put Toronto and Montreal together in the playoffs, if it does happen, it would be a great series,” O’Byrne told reporters at the Leafs’ hotel on Monday morning.

“There is a lot of hatred between both teams. You can see it in the games — the chippiness, we play against each other so much. One of those games where you just get so heated, you saw it a week and a half ago on the Saturday (when the Leafs won 5-1 in Toronto), the physical play. It just seemed like the play was up a level. I can’t imagine what it would be like in the playoffs if we did play each other.”

Website sportsclubstats.com, which crunches numbers in professional and amateur sports leagues, figures there is a 59% chance the Leafs and Canadiens will meet in the first round, and a 25% chance of a Leafs-Boston Bruins series. The Leafs and Canadiens have not clashed in the post-season since 1979.

The Leafs are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 55 points. The Canadiens are in fourth with 59 points. Both teams have three games remaining.

But Leafs forward James van Riemsdyk wasn’t ready to peer too far into the future.

“When you start looking too far ahead, that is when you fall into that trap of being a little complacent, so we don’t want to start looking at that,” van Riemsdyk said.

The Leafs had a complete day off on Sunday in Florida, arriving at 3:30 in the morning after beating the Senators 4-1 in Ottawa on Saturday, a victory that ensured a Toronto playoff berth for the first time since 2004. Many Leafs hit area golf courses on Sunday.

The players stayed off the ice again on Monday, instead participating in dryland training exercises in a parking lot adjacent to the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

The Leafs will practise on Tuesday prior to their game against the Lightning on Wednesday night, and depart after that game for Sunrise, where they will square off with the Florida Panthers on Thursday.

Both the Lightning and Panthers have been eliminated from the playoff race.

Leafs defenceman Carl Gunnarsson, who played in Ottawa after missing another three games with a hip ailment, said he intends to play in all of the Leafs’ remaining three games.



Anselmi throws some Leafs playoff credit to Burke

By Lance Hornby



TORONTO - “Our owners want to win as much as anyone,” Tom Anselmi has kept repeating, while many fans and media gave him the skeptic stink-eye the past decade.

But as of Saturday night, the president and COO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment finally had some evidence, as he celebrated the company’s crown jewel making it back to the NHL playoffs.

“I’ve had about 8,000 e-mails since Saturday’s game,” Anselmi said Monday. “I had to see that ‘X’ by our name in Sunday’s paper to make sure it was real. Then I saw the first Leaf car flags driving to the grocery store and I’m thinking ‘yessss!’ ”

The long-awaited signs of progress c

omes less than a year after the major corporate shake-up in the sports empire, when communications rivals Bell and Rogers put away their duelling antennae and bought controlling interest of MLSE from the Ontario Teachers Pension Plan. Soon after came Anselmi’s promotion from executive vice-president to replace the retiring Richard Peddie.

“What’s happened this year is good for everyone, from owners to the players to those who follow them,” Anselmi said, repeating his mantra that a Stanley Cup and a profit margin are both worthy pursuits.

Knowing what could be reaped by a long playoff run and the good public relations to be generated if a near 50-year Cup drought ended on their watch, it’s been a stretch to think ownership consistently and deliberately engineered a regular-season tank.

But there was no sympathy for anyone on Bay St. when the Leafs somehow kept messing up the math trying for one of eight playoff spots with a better than 50% chance.

It was Anselmi who carried out orders from one or more of the new MLSE board to replace Brian Burke as Leafs general manager with Dave Nonis.

“Bad for the brand” was the word that trickled down from the ACC tower as the bombastic Burke’s public battles overshadowed his team-building.

With the low-profile Nonis in charge and coach Randy Carlyle on the job a full calendar year, the Leafs are over the hump, even if it was a shortened 48-game season.

Anselmi acknowledged it was a tough call on the eve of the new season.

“I think Burkie deserves some of the credit for what’s happened this year. Burkie brought in two-thirds of the roster. He built the race car, now David and Randy are driving it. It’s a really good group of players that has come together.

“I’m just really happy for the fans, they’ve been so patient. It has been seven seasons and nine years overall.”

Burke, now working for the Anaheim Ducks, marked the Leafs accomplishment with a tweet on Monday: Congratulations to Dave Nonis, Randy Carlyle, Dion Phaneuf and the rest of the Leafs on reaching the playoffs!

Expect those jilted supporters to flood the streets around the ACC after Saturday’s regular-season final against Habs, in particular Maple Leaf Square.

Built next to the rink a few years ago with the intention of hosting many playoff parties, it has never seen one such event. And Leafs TV, which didn’t really get up and running until after the last playoff trip, has had nothing to show in the spring but old highlights of the 1993 run.

“To see the crowds in the square and around the Real Sports bar will be amazing,” Anselmi said. “Now it’s hold on to your hat time. A deep playoff run will make it even better.”



Five reasons why the Maple Leafs made the playoffs

by Michael Traikos

For the first time in nine years, Toronto Maple Leafs fans woke up on Sunday morning to see an “x” next to their team’s name in the standings, signifying a clinched playoff spot. It was a welcome change.

Indeed, the Leafs are no longer the NHL’s punch line. The team, which is fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, has a goaltender (James Reimer) among the top five in save percentage, a forward (Phil Kessel) in the top 10 in scoring, and a defenceman (Dion Phaneuf) in the top five in blue-line scoring.

But the difference between the team that finished with the fifth-worst record in the NHL last year and the one that clinched a playoff spot on Saturday are key. The hiring of a new coach, the trade for a power forward, the signing of a penalty-kill specialist, the promotion of a minor-leaguer and the graduation of a high-end draft pick have all played a key part in turning this team around.

The Hire

Randy Carlyle took over as head coach for the final 18 games of last season, but it was not until after the lockout ended that he was finally able to put his stamp on the team.

Put simply, Carlyle’s Leafs fight (a league-high 44 times), hit (a league-high 1,518 times), and block shots (a league-high 773). They also do not cut corners, which is why the cozy, country-club atmosphere in Toronto has been replaced by a lunch-pail attitude that has allowed the team to surprise many with its climb up to respectability.

The Graduation

There are still those who are skeptical about what Nazem Kadri has managed to produce this season — his 18.2 shooting percentage is higher than Alex Ovechkin’s and John Tavares’ — but whether it is all smoke and mirrors or the beginning of the something special, there is no doubting that Kadri’s offensive contributions have made a huge difference.

The 22-year-old, who has 18 goals and 42 points, has blossomed into a top-six forward who has provided secondary — if not primary — scoring. By doing so, Mikhail Grabovski has been able to slide into a defensive role.

The Trade

Give Burke credit. The man sure knows how to make an exit. One of his last moves as general manager was trading Luke Schenn to Philadelphia for James van Riemsdyk. And while the Flyers seem happy with who they got — Schenn is averaging close to 22 minutes a game — the Leafs finally picked up a power forward who is not afraid to go in front of the net.

Of van Riemsdyk’s team-leading 18 goals, you can probably count on one hand the number that he did not score from within a foot of the crease.

The Signing

From Mike Komisarek and Jeff Finger to Tim Connolly and Colby Armstrong, free agency has been a time when the Leafs typically made their worst financial decisions. Last summer, the team changed that by writing just one cheque. And while Jay McClement was a name most had to look up when he signed on July 1, the US$3-million was money well spent.

The hard-working forward, who is an alternate captain, has the versatility to play anywhere in the lineup and is a major reason why the Leafs’ penalty kill has gone from the third-worst in the league to third-best.

The Promotion

The lockout might have ruined a few careers, but it resurrected more than a few as well. Mark Fraser falls into the latter camp. With the NHL season on hiatus, more eyes were turned to the minor-league defenceman, who impressed Carlyle with his physical play. And when the lockout ended, Fraser was able to earn a spot on the team because he had a step on the idled regulars.

Fraser, who has fought nine times and has a team-best plus-18 rating, is the kind of steady, stay-at-home defenceman the Leafs had hoped Komisarek would be — albeit at a fraction of the price.

National Post LOADED: 04.23.2013

671841 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks clinch Northwest, downing Blackhawks, 3-1

By Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun

April 22, 2013

VANCOUVER - Suddenly, the Vancouver Canucks seem primed for the playoffs. What a difference a game makes.

Criticized for indifferent play of late, the Canucks played their best game in ages Monday night against the NHL-leading Chicago Blackhawks and were full value for a 3-1 win at Rogers Arena.

"I thought our effort level was great, our execution was great, our defensive play was great, physicality, it was the whole package," said goalie Cory Schneider who was once again, well, great. "If we play that way, and we know we can, we can beat a lot of teams in this league."

Almost lost in the win over their hated Western Conference rivals was the fact that it clinched Vancouver's fifth straight Northwest Division title.

"It's always nice to beat the best team in the NHL, but our second goal each year after making the playoffs is to clinch the division title and I think it speaks to the success this team has had the past few years," Schneider said. "We'll enjoy it for about 10 minutes and worry about the Ducks coming to town (on Thursday)."

Daniel Sedin, who scored a goal and added an assist to move into second place on the Canucks' all-time points list, didn't disagree when it was suggested Monday's game might have been the Canucks' most complete effort of the season.

"Yeah, it's up there, I think," he said. "From the first shift we were focused on getting pucks deep and we were on the forecheck and forechecking the right way, which is a key for our team. I thought we did a good job of that."

It was the assist that Daniel drew on Vancouver's second goal by Zack Kassian that moved him past Markus Naslund and into second place on the Canucks' all-time scoring list. He only trails his brother Henrik. It probably should not come as a shock that both players moved past Naslund in their 905th NHL game.

Daniel said he was surprised by the standing ovation he received from the crowd.

"Second place? I don't know how big that is. But it feels nice and it means a lot for both me and Henrik."

The win, the Canucks' eighth straight on home ice, improved their record to 26-13-7 and with 59 points they cannot be caught by the Minnesota Wild.

With just two regular-season games remaining -- Thursday night at home against Anaheim and Saturday night in Edmonton -- the Canucks will enter next week's playoffs as the No. 3 seed.

Ryan Kesler, who played wing on an effective line Monday night with Derek Roy and Chris Higgins, kind of wishes the playoffs could start tomorrow.

"Now that we have the division clinched, it would be nice," Kesler said. "But we have a couple more test-runs I guess you could say before that and we're going to play the same way."

Daniel feathered a pass from behind the net to Kassian to give the Canucks a 2-0 lead midway through the second period. Kassian had gained position in front of the Chicago net and pushed Blackhawks' defenceman Duncan Keith out of the way before taking the pass and sliding the puck past goalie Corey Crawford. It was the type of goal that Kassian needs to score in the NHL.

"If you look at (Alex) Burrows, he gets a lot of goals right in tight there and going to the dirty areas," Kassian said. "It was a great pass and it was nice to finally get one again."

Daniel made it 3-0 at 19:16 of second during four-on-four play. Henrik Sedin banked a pass off the side boards and found his brother all alone behind the Chicago defence. Daniel beat Crawford with a nice deke to his backhand for his 12th goal of the season.

"It was a good bank pass by Hank and I was able to get a breakaway," Daniel said. "It was nice to get that goal."

The two-handed slash he received to the back of the leg from Chicago defenceman Duncan Keith after he scored was not so nice. Keith did not receive a penalty and Daniel did not want to talk about it after the game, "I scored right," Daniel said. "I didn't really notice it. I haven't really seen it. I really don't want to talk about it."

The Canucks led 1-0 after a strong first period and were unlucky not to be up by a wider margin. Crawford made a number of tough saves before the Canucks scored on a power play at the 14:28 mark.

A Jason Garrison shot from just inside the blue line tipped off the stick of Chicago defenceman Johhny Oduya and the skate of Jannik Hansen before getting by Crawford. The goal was Hansen's 10th of the season and his first ever NHL power-play marker.

Daniel Carcillo ended Schneider's shutout bid at 11:50 of the third, when he was the recipient of a fortuitous bounce off the skate of referee Tom Kowal and scored on a backhand from close range.

Schneider stopped 24 of 25 shots for his 17th win of the season.

ICE CHIPS: Winger Dale Weise was a healthy scratch for the Canucks. Tom Sestito took his place in the lineup. . .Vancouver defenceman Dan Hamhuis picked up an assist on Hansen's goal and now has points in eight of his last 10 games. . .

Single-game first-round playoff tickets go on sale Friday. Tickets start at $123.

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 04.23.2013


GAME WITHIN GAME: Henrik Sedin generates some offence

By Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun

April 22, 2013

THREE STARS

ONE – Daniel Sedin, Canucks. One goal, one assist, four shots, plus-2.

TWO – Henrik Sedin, Canucks. Two more assists for Hank, plus-2 and 8-for-13 on the draw.

THREE – Dan Hamhuis, Canucks. One assist, three shots, one blocked shot, plus-1.

PIVOTAL POINT – With the Canucks leading 1-0 in the second period but generating little offence through the 11:00-minute mark, Daniel Sedin made a strong move from behind the net, found Zack Kassian perched on Blackhawk goalie Corey Crawford's doorstep and fed him perfectly for a 2-0 Vancouver lead. It was the eventual game-winning goal.

BY THE NUMBERS – The Canucks scored first for the 30th time in 46 games. They're 20-5-5 when netting the opening goal... Vancouver has won eight straight at home.. The Blackhawks trailed after two periods for just the ninth time during their remarkable season. They're still an impressive 4-4-1when trailing after 40 minutes... Vancouver won the faceoff battle 29-22. The Canucks entered the game 25th on the draw while the 'Hawks were ninth.

HE'S NO. 2! With a second-period assist on Zack Kassian's goal, Daniel Sedin passed Markus Naslund and moved into second-place in all-time Canucks' regular season scoring. Naslund collected 756 points during his time in Vancouver. Daniel now has 758. Brother Henrik is No. 1, of course, with 791. Daniel received a standing ovation from the soldout crowd when his accomplishment was acknowledged in house. “It was nice, really nice,” said Daniel.

HIT PARADE: The Canucks outhit the Blackhawks 37-23 but were ahead by an eye-popping 32-11 margin after two periods. Max Lapierre led with nine while Jannik Hansen had five and Ryan Kesler four. A total of 15 Canucks were credited with at least one hit.

DID YOU NOTICE? Canuck rookie Frank Corrado got two for the price of one on his second shift when he hit Blackhawk forward Marcus Kruger and also took out referee Tom Kowal.

FARM REPORT – Abbotsford mayor Bruce Banman announced Monday that the money-losing Heat, American League affiliate of the Calgary Flames, would be back for another season, putting an end to speculation the Canucks would operate their newly-purchased AHL franchise in Abbotsford. “Well, Abbotsford has an agreement in place with Calgary,” Canuck GM Mike Gillis said Monday night. “We're looking at all of our options for our farm team.” Asked if they might operate their franchise back in Peoria, or perhaps even put the team into dormancy for a season, Gillis replied: “I'm not sure yet. It will take a bit of time.”

QUOTABLE – “We will be bringing up some players, the exact number is still to be decided. You bring in players who you feel, if something happens at some point, might be able to help you. Then sometimes you bring in guys who might not be quite there but might benefit from being in our surroundings and the playoff atmosphere.” – Canuck coach Alain Vigneault on what the organization has planned for its farmhands after the Chicago Wolves, their out-going AHL affiliate, didn't make the playoffs.



Family tunes in to Frank Corrado's debut with Canucks

By Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun columnist

April 22, 2013

VANCOUVER — The party was at grandma's house.

If Frankie Corrado had been there Monday night he could have played his guitar. But he was busy playing his first National Hockey League game for the Vancouver Canucks. He'll remember it. Maybe so will Chicago Blackhawk star Patrick Kane, who was flattened by Corrado on the rookie's second shift.

“At that point I was just trying to make a hit,” the 20-year-old said. “Everyone's a great player, so every hit matters. It was unbelievable. Obviously, this is an opportunity of a lifetime. Shockingly, the nerves weren't what I thought they would be and I was able to keep it simple and play my game.”

Corrado had three hits and finished even in 17:20 of ice time, contributing to a 3-1 win that was one of the Canucks' most impressive performances of the season.

His blueline partner – or “big brother” as coach Alain Vigneault called Alex Edler – was so inspired by Corrado he did comedy.

“Ah, he wasn't very good,” the soft-spoken Swede smiled when asked about Corrado. “Actually, he didn't need any help from me.”

They would have been cheering at Corrado's grandmother's house in Vaughan, just north of Toronto, where Sal and Carmela Corrado gathered family and friends to see their boy play on television. Grandma's got the NHL package.

“The whole family's going to go there,” Sal said Monday afternoon during a break from his marketing job in Toronto. “Not only the Italian family, but all my friends and buddies who have watched Frankie play for the last 15 years. You can imagine it's pretty exciting.”

Imagine how the Canucks feel.

Corrado is one of the franchise's prized babies, an honest-to-goodness prospect who has arrived in the NHL far ahead of schedule. Ten days after playing an Ontario League playoff game for the Kitchener Rangers, Corrado was on a top-four defence pairing, fending off world-class attackers like Johnathan Toews, Marian Hossa and Kane.

Most fifth-round draft picks don't turn into NHL players. Corrado became one Monday, four weeks after his 20th birthday and less than two years after the Canucks selected him 150th in the 2011 entry draft.

“I wasn't really expecting it,” Corrado said of his callup from the American League's Chicago Wolves, for whom he played all of three games after his OHL season ended. “Obviously, it's very exciting and a little bit of a shock, for sure.

“The draft gives you an opportunity. After that, it's just about working hard and applying yourself and trying to get better every day. That's all I've tried to do since I got drafted.”

Corrado has come a long way in a short time. Cut from minor-hockey teams in peewee and bantam, he had never been to a Hockey Canada camp before he was invited last winter to the world junior team's tryouts.

Corrado was the final cut, a controversial one given the strength of his camp and maturity of his game.

He is vitally important to the future of the Canucks, who haven't turned a draft pick into a regular NHL defenceman since Edler was stolen in the third round in 2004.

Quick, name the next best blueline prospect in the organization. No, Kevin Connauton was packaged to acquire Derek Roy from Dallas. No, Yann Sauve, who played five games for the Canucks two seasons ago, spent most of this year in the East Coast League.

After Corrado, the Canucks' next best defence prospect is probably Peter Andersson, the fifth-round pick from 2009.

Now or later, Vancouver is going to need Corrado, which is why the team must handle him carefully and not demand too much too soon.

“It wasn't too soon for Chris Tanev,” associate coach Rick Bowness said of the Canuck whose ankle injury contributed to the fast-tracking of Corrado. “There's a calmness there with Chris and this kid seems to possess that, too.

“We saw (Corrado) two years ago in camp and what I remember is he was like Chris: calm, good hockey sense, skating and moving the puck. The kid is going to play in the league. The sooner we can see him and he gets some experience, the better off we're all going to be.”

Tanev, another right-shot defenceman from Toronto who signed with the Canucks as a free-agent, was 21 when he made his NHL debut in 2011. Poised and simple, Corrado's game is supposed to be similar to Tanev's but with a physical edge to it.

With Tanev and Kevin Bieksa injured, the Canucks need a right-shot defenceman. They also need to see Corrado against NHL competition to know if he can help them when the playoffs start next week. It looked Monday, against the league's best team, like he can.

“Listen, I don't think you get too many opportunities to make a first impression in the NHL,” Corrado said. “A lot of guys dream of this. They work so hard for this. You can't be picky. There's no better way than to just get thrown into the fire, I think.”

Sal Corrado started his son in golf before hockey, and they were on the golf course together two years ago when the Canucks called to tell Frank he had been drafted.

Sal predicts his son will be playing guitar as well as hockey in Vancouver. Frank has been taking lessons for years from a graduate of Boston's prestigious Berklee College of Music.

“At 14, Frankie was already doing Year 1 of Berklee music,” Sal said. “He plays everything. He's probably got about 12 guitars, acoustic and electric. He takes a guitar on the road when he travels (in junior). He plays on the bus and the guys kind of like it.

“He went to a special music school where they put the kids in a band, so he has played live many times. And he doesn't get too nervous. I believe that kind of helps him when he plays hockey. I mean, if you can play music in front of all these people, I think you can play hockey in front of a lot of people.”



Iain MacIntyre: Canucks just making the playoffs no longer good enough

By Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun columnist

April 21, 2013

VANCOUVER — There was a time for the Vancouver Canucks — let’s call it the 1980s or late ’90s — when simply making the National Hockey League playoffs was celebrated even as everyone here knew with certainty the Stanley Cup drive would last only a few games.

It was a furlough from misery, a rollicking week in the sun and then back to the bleak, damp cold for another year.

The team had little chance to do anything but fans were ecstatic for the opportunity.

Saturday, the Canuck team that has more wins than anyone the last four seasons and should have won the Stanley Cup two years ago, qualified again for the playoffs and the achievement was greeted mostly with indifference or resignation.

The Canucks couldn’t even earn a noble qualification, getting outplayed by the desperate Detroit Red Wings and outshot 17-2 in the third period but winning 2-1 in a shootout on Max Lapierre’s go-to move and Cory Schneider’s brilliant goalkeeping.

Still, the Canucks are in the playoffs for the fifth straight year and 10th time in 12 seasons. Only the San Jose Sharks and Red Wings have been in more Stanley Cup tournaments since 2000.

With a home game Monday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Canucks are likely to win their division, too, and again earn a top-three seeding for the start next week of the Western Conference playoffs.

And what do you expect when those playoffs begin? Exactly.

“I’m proud of the guys in here,” Canuck winger Daniel Sedin said Saturday. “It wasn’t about individual stats; everyone plays for the team. We battled through so many things this year — injuries and other things. If fans want us to play a good-looking game with lots of scoring chances at both ends, we can give them that. But we’re not going to win many games playing that way.”

Schneider, who made 33 official saves plus three more in the shootout, said: “Clearly, we haven’t been as dominant as we have in past regular seasons. But we’ve all seen it’s not who plays the best during the year, it’s who’s hot going into the playoffs. I don’t know our record the last 15 or 20 games, but I know it has been good (12-4-1 since March 18). I think we know where we need to get to to be ready for the playoffs.”

What they felt they needed Saturday morning was a players-only meeting. NHL teams stage more meetings than the United Nations, but this one was called by captain Henrik Sedin and the Canucks’ leadership group to discuss the abandonment in recent games of the defence-first game plan.

The group includes brother Danny, Ryan Kesler, Kevin Bieksa, Roberto Luongo and a couple of others. The theme, essentially, was that the Canucks must always play from the goal out and that it is all right to win 2-1.

Then they went out and won 2-1, even if they were outshot 34-14.

No one on the team was apologizing for this.

“In this city, no one is happy if we’re not winning,” Henrik said. “We know that. But there have been very few games this year where you know the fans and the media and the players are all happy. We try not to listen to the fans and media.

“If you look at Detroit and the team they have, they knew they were going to have to fight for a playoff spot. But everyone thinks they’re having a terrible year. It’s the same thing here. (That perception) is something we have to fight in here on a daily basis.”

The Red Wings, minus retired defenceman Nick Lidstrom and others, are ninth in the conference and in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1990.

The Canucks, despite injuries, an AWOL power play most of the year and the questionable deployment of limited resources ($5.33 million for the backup goalie), are 25-13-7, which pro-rates to a 104-point season over 82 games.

The consternation about the team’s playoff chances are not caused by what the Canucks have but what they lack: the get-out-of-jail offence, the abrasive top-nine forwards so obviously lacking a year ago, the Art Ross Trophy versions of the Sedins, good health.

Defenceman Keith Ballard wrenched his back Saturday fighting Red Wing Justin Abdelkader and joins Bieksa (lower body) and Chris Tanev (ankle) on the blue-line injured list.

But the Canucks’ best three defencemen — Dan Hamhuis, Jason Garrison, Alex Edler — were outstanding against the Wings, combining for more than 80 minutes of ice time.

The power play, which scored only twice during a 20-game, mid-season famine, produced Edler’s goal and is now 7-for-28 the last nine games. And Schneider, who has a 2.15 goals-against average and .926 save rate, would be in the Vezina Trophy conversation were it not for a spell of ordinary play in February.

To be sure, there are obvious deficiencies in the Canuck lineup that could be exploited when the playoffs start, especially if Vancouver draws a big, brawny opponent like the St. Louis Blues or Los Angeles Kings. But the team probably has more going for it at the moment than people realize.

“It’s out of their control, the people on the outside,” winger Alex Burrows said. “They can’t change the outcome of the game. It’s us, the 20 guys in the locker-room. If we do the right things and commit to winning and battle out there, that’s how we’re going to have success. There’s another gear, I think. Once the playoffs come there will be another notch.”



Game Day: Still something at stake for playoff-bound Canucks and 'Hawks

By Elliott Pap, Vancouver Sun

April 22, 2013

GAMEDAY

BLACKHAWKS AT CANUCKS

TONIGHT, 7 PM, ROGERS ARENA

TV: SPORTSNET PACIFIC. RADIO: TEAM 1040.

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Canucks and Chicago Blackhawks have both clinched spots in the Stanley Cup tournament but both still have something to play for tonight at Rogers Arena.

The Canucks need only a single point to sew up a fifth straight Northwest Division title while the Blackhawks, already assured of the Western Conference's No. 1 seed, can inch closer to the Presidents Trophy with a victory. Chicago leads the Pittsburgh Penguins by five points in the overall standings. A Chicago win and a Penguin loss tonight in regulation to Ottawa will ensure home-ice advantage for the Blackhawks throughout the playoffs.

The Canucks will throw a different looking lineup at Chicago tonight beginning with junior-age defenceman Frank Corrado, who will make his NHL debut on a pairing with Alex Edler.

Corrado played this past season with the Ontario League's Sudbury Wolves and Kitchener Rangers and then three games with the American League's Chicago Wolves after the Rangers were eliminated from the OHL playoffs. He had two assists with Chicago. Corrado replaces the injured Keith Ballard.

“Obviously it's a great opportunity and I'm very excited about it,” said Corrado, who turned 20 last month. “It caught me by surprise but it's a very exciting time.”

Corrado's biggest asset at this time is the fact he is a natural right-side defenceman. With both Chris Tanev and Kevin Bieksa sidelined by injury, coach Alain Vigneault has been forced to use an all-lefty lineup on his blueline corps.

“We talked a little buit yesterday after Chicago got eliminated and Frannk did all right there,” explained Vigneault. “He's right-handed defenceman, which we don't have very many of at this time. He had a good year in junior hockey, he's developed extremely well and it's time to see what he can do at the NHL level.”

Vigneault also unveiled some new lines at the morning skate, most noticeably Ryan Kesler skating on right wing with Derek Roy at centre and Chris Higgins, back from his knee injury, on the left. Max Lapierre was between Jannik Hansen and Mason Raymond on a new-look third line while Andrew Ebbett was centring the fourth unit with Tom Sestito and Zack Kassian. Dale Weise and Steve Pinizzotto are slated to watch as healthy scratches.

On the injury front, Vigneault said Ballard (back) shouldn't be “that long” while Bieksa (lower body) and Tanev (ankle) both remain day-to-day. Asked whether the latter two are expected to skate this week, Vigneault replied: “Couldn't tell you.”

“Our depth has been really tested this season and it's really amazing, in my opinion anyway, that we were able to accomplish what we've done in such a strong conference,” added the coach. “We're one point away from getting another division title.”

The Blackhawks, who began the season without a regulation loss in 24 games, are on another 9-0-2 run entering tonight's game.

“They've been very dominant lately and I don't expect that to change,” said Canuck netminder Cory Schneider, who will make his fourth straight start in goal.

Blackhawk captain Jonathan Toews, both a Hart and Selke Trophy candidate, always enjoys playing the Canucks.

“I think both teams always feel there is a chance we'll bump into each other in the playoffs, although if it does happen this year it would be beyond the first round,” Toews said following the Blackhawks' morning skate. “I think both teams, no matter what position they're in, are getting ready to play their best come playoff time and what better preparation than a matchup with the Canucks.”

Toews, who has 46 points and is a plus-27, has been skating on a line with Marian Hossa and rookie Brandon Saad while Patrick Kane has been with Dave Bolland and Bryan Bickell. The Blackhawks' third line will most likely see Marcus Kruger between Viktor Stalberg and Andrew Shaw. On defence, the usual pairing of Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook has been split up with Niklas Hjalmarsson joining Keith and Nick Leddy skating along Tsawwassen native Seabrook.

Corey Crawford is scheduled to start in goal for Chicago.

Meanwhile, with the Chicago Wolves out, the Canucks intend to summon a handful of players to form a taxi squad for the playoffs. The Wolves had their exit meetings today.

“We will be bringing up some of their players, the exact number is still to be decided,” Vigneault said. “I've sort of filled in Lorne Henning (assistant GM) on what my expectations are and I think they're going to sort that out. You bring in players who you feel, if something happens at some point, might be able to help you. Then sometimes you bring in guys who might not be quite there but might benefit from being in our surroundings and the playoff atmosphere. They can work with our trainers so there is a whole bunch of considerations that come into play.”

ICE CHIPS: Jonathan Toews's plus-27 is third best in the league behind Penguins Pascal Dupuis (plus-30) and Chris Kunitz (plus-29)... Dave Bolland is the only Chicago regular with a minus rating at minus-7... Referees for tonight's game Eric Furlatt and Tom Kowal... Sophie Tweed-Simmons, daughter of Shannon Tweed and Kiss bassist Gene Simmons, is scheduled to sing the anthems.

INJURIES: The Canucks will be without D Kevin Bieksa (lower body), D Keith Ballard (back), D Chris Tanev (ankle) and LW David Booth (ankle). Out for the Blackhawks are LW Patrick Sharp (shoulder) and D Michal Rozsival (upper body).



Iain MacIntyre: Can Canucks elevate game for playoffs?

By Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun

April 22, 2013

Iain MacIntyre: Can Canucks elevate game for playoffs?

There was a time for the Vancouver Canucks - let's call it the 1980s or late '90s - when simply making the National Hockey League playoffs was celebrated, even as everyone here knew with certainty the Stanley Cup drive would last only a few games.

It was a furlough from misery, a rollicking week in the sun and then back to the bleak, damp cold for another year.

The team had little chance to do anything, but fans were ecstatic for the opportunity.

Saturday, the Canuck team that has more wins than anyone the past four seasons and should have won the Stanley Cup two years ago, qualified again for the playoffs, and the achievement was greeted mostly with indifference or resignation.

The Canucks couldn't even earn a noble qualification, getting outplayed by the desperate Detroit Red Wings and outshot 17-2 in the third period but winning 2-1 in a shootout on Max Lapierre's go-to move and Cory Schneider's brilliant goalkeeping.

Still, the Canucks are in the playoffs for the fifth straight year and 10th time in 12 seasons. Only the San Jose Sharks and the Red Wings have been in more Stanley Cup tournaments since 2000.

With a home game Monday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, the Canucks are likely to win their division, too, and again earn a top-three seeding for the start next week of the Western Conference playoffs.

And what do you expect when those playoffs begin? Exactly.

"I'm proud of the guys in here," Canuck winger Daniel Sedin said Saturday. "It wasn't about individual stats; everyone plays for the team. We battled through so many things this year - injuries and other things. If fans want us to play a good-looking game with lots of scoring chances at both ends, we can give them that. But we're not going to win many games playing that way."

Schneider, who made 33 official saves plus three more in the shootout, said: "Clearly, we haven't been as dominant as we have in past regular seasons. But we've all seen it's not who plays the best during the year, it's who's hot going into the playoffs. I don't know our record the last 15 or 20 games, but I know it has been good (124-1 since March 18). I think we know where we need to get to to be ready for the playoffs."

What they felt they needed Saturday morning was a players-only meeting. NHL teams stage more meetings than the United Nations, but this one was called by captain Henrik Sedin and the Canucks' leadership group to discuss the abandonment in recent games of the defence-first game plan.

The group includes brother Danny, Ryan Kesler, Kevin Bieksa, Roberto Luongo and a couple of others. The theme, essentially, was that the Canucks must always play from the goal out and that it is all right to win 2-1. Then they went out and won 2-1, even if they were outshot 34-14.

No one on the team was apologizing for this.

"In this city, no one is happy if we're not winning," Henrik said. "We know that. But there have been very few games this year where you know the fans and the media and the players are all happy. We try not to listen to the fans and media.

"If you look at Detroit and the team they have, they knew they were going to have to fight for a playoff spot. But everyone thinks they're having a terrible year. It's the same thing here. (That perception) is something we have to fight in here on a daily basis."

The Red Wings, minus retired defenceman Nick Lidstrom and others, are ninth in the conference and in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time since 1990.

The Canucks, despite injuries, an AWOL power play most of the year and the questionable deployment of limited resources ($5.33 million for the backup goalie), are 25-13-7, which pro-rates to a 104-point season over 82 games.

The consternation about the team's playoff chances are not caused by what the Canucks have, but what they lack: the get-out-of-jail offence, the abrasive top-nine forwards so obviously lacking a year ago, the Art Ross Trophy versions of the Sedins, good health.

Defenceman Keith Ballard wrenched his back Saturday fighting Red Wing Justin Abdelkader and joins Bieksa (lower body) and Chris Tanev (ankle) on the blue-line injured list.

But the Canucks' best three defencemen - Dan Hamhuis, Jason Garrison, Alex Edler - were outstanding against the Wings, combining for more than 80 minutes of ice time.

The power play, which scored only twice during a 20-game, midseason famine, produced Edler's goal and is now 7-for-28 the past nine games. And Schneider, who has a 2.15 goals-against average and .926 save rate, would be in the Vezina Trophy conversation were it not for a spell of ordinary play in February.

To be sure, there are obvious deficiencies in the Canuck lineup that could be exploited when the playoffs start, especially if Vancouver draws a big, brawny opponent like the St. Louis Blues or Los Angeles Kings. But the team probably has more going for it at the moment than people realize.

"It's out of their control, the people on the outside," winger Alex Burrows said.

"They can't change the outcome of the game. It's us, the 20 guys in the locker-room. If we do the right things and commit to winning and battle out there, that's how we're going to have success. There's another gear, I think. Once the playoffs come, there will be another notch."

NEXT GAME

Monday

vs. Chicago Blackhawks

7 p.m. at Rogers Arena

SNET/TEAM 1040



Canucks scrambling to fill a black-and-blue-line

By Iain MacIntyre, Vancouver Sun

April 22, 2013

Canucks scrambling to fill a black-and-blue-line

Next up on the Vancouver Canucks' defence: Derek Joslin.

Unless it's Frank Corrado.

The Canucks will confirm Monday that they've called up Corrado, the promising 20-year-old junior, after Vancouver defenceman Keith Ballard injured his back in Saturday's 2-1 shootout win against the visiting Detroit Red Wings. But it is Joslin, a 26-year-old with 114 games of National Hockey League experience, who appears to be next in line to play as the Chicago Blackhawks visit the Canucks on Monday night.

"I know my role," Joslin, recalled last week when Kevin Bieksa was injured during Vancouver's road trip, said after Saturday's game. "I know I'm here to fill in and I just have to be ready when my name is called.

"I've played pro for six years and every year you have to earn a spot. The last two years I was up in the NHL full time, but you still had to earn your spot. I have over 100 games in this league, but I'm sure the jitters will still be there."

Corrado has zero games in the NHL - and only seven in the American Hockey League - but the Canucks may choose to throw him into the lineup to see ahead of the playoffs if their 2011 fifth-round draft pick can help them immediately.

With Bieksa and Chris Tanev (ankle) injured, the Canucks have no right-shot defencemen. Corrado shoots right, Joslin left.

Corrado, a late bloomer who had an excellent world junior camp in December but was not chosen for Team Canada, has more upside than Joslin.

With his NHL experience and maturity, Joslin is probably the safer lineup choice.

But four weeks ago, the Canucks didn't even need him on their Chicago Wolves' roster, loaning Joslin to the Worcester Sharks for defenceman Danny Groulx.

"A lot of people don't realize the loan thing happens one or two times a year with older players," Joslin said. "I knew I was still Vancouver property, and they reiterated that to me when I went to Worcester and told me to stay ready.

"And sure enough, the call came a couple of weeks later. I'm excited to be up."

Joslin, who has played for the San Jose Sharks and Carolina Hurricanes, had six points in 13 games for Worcester.

Corrado, a strong skater who can handle the puck, had two points in three games with the AHL Wolves after finishing his junior season with the Ontario Hockey League in Kitchener.

MAX FACTOR: Given the chance because of injuries to play extra minutes and a bigger role this season, Max Lapierre has had a pretty quiet year for the Canucks. But he screams loudly in shootouts.

His tiebreaker against the Red Wings propelled the Canucks into the playoffs and was Lapi-erre's second shootout winner this season.

"I just tried the same move as last time and got a little lucky," Lapierre said Saturday of his backhand deke that beat goalie Jimmy Howard.

"We're just happy we clinched for a playoff spot. It's a tough thing to do in this league. Sometimes, you think it's simple, but it's never simple to get in the playoffs. Every night it's a battle in this league. We're happy with ourselves tonight."

INJURY UPDATE: Coach Alain Vigneault indicated that Ballard's absence is day-to-day, although the Canucks said the same about Zack Kas-sian, who hurt his back during a fight in March and missed six games.

Vigneault couldn't say after the morning skates whether Bieksa or Tanev would be healthy for the start of the playoffs next week, but winger Chris Higgins is expected to return to the lineup Monday night after missing six games with a sprained knee.

Higgins, who had the chance to play against Detroit but ruled himself out after the morning skate, is expected to rejoin Derek Roy and Jannik Hansen on a third line that showed promise before the injury.



Memo to Frankie Corrado’s dad: Sir, this is indeed bigger than the Subway Super Series

by Jonathan McDonald

The Province’s Steve Ewen chatted Monday afternoon with Sal Corrado, dad of new Canuck Frankie. Here’s the story …

To have some idea what sort of whirlwind this season has been for newest Vancouver Canuck Frankie Corrado, consider his family figured — not too long ago — that an invitation to the Subway Super Series junior game would be the highlight.

“We were so excited,” Sal Corrado said Monday from Woodbridge, Ont., pointing to his son’s inclusion in the Canada-Russia exhibition in November that helps pick the world junior tryout roster in this country.

“We had always thought he could play with those players, but we’re his family.

“But there he was. It was huge for him to play in that. It was, ‘Wow.’”

That game will likely merit a passing mention when it comes time for Corrado, 20, to finally recount his 2012-13 season. Corrado, Vancouver’s fifth-round pick in the 2011 entry draft, was slated to make his NHL regular season debut Monday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

This comes after nearly making the Canadian world junior team, being traded by his Sudbury Wolves to the Kitchener Rangers for an OHL playoff run and then joining the Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, after the Rangers’ season ended.

All told, he’s played 83 games this season between regular season and playoffs, and has eight goals and 41 assists.

Corrado, who has a reputation for smart, heady play, got three games in with the Wolves, including one Saturday in Chicago that Sal and some of Sal’s buddies attended. The Canucks got word to Corrado about a call-up late that night, and son immediately dialled up father afterwards in his Chicago-area hotel room.

It was 1 a.m.

There are much worse phone calls a dad can get from a son at that hour, aren’t there?

“I thought he was calling to say that the game had been moved or something,” said Sal, who was planning on visiting Frankie prior to the Wolves’ regular-season finale Sunday afternoon.

Vancouver brought in Corrado due to injuries, in particular to the only fellow right-handed blueliners on the Canucks. Kevin Bieksa (lower body) and Chris Tanev (ankle) missed their fourth and eighth games, respectively, against the Blackhawks.

With Keith Ballard (back) joining them in the infirmary after Saturday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, the Canucks opted to call on Corrado rather than lefty Derek Joslin, 26, another AHL call-up.

Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault lists Bieksa, Tanev and Ballard all as day-to-day, which is a common practice this time of year.

As for Corrado, Vigneault says that it’s “time to see what he can do at the NHL level.”

His family hopes to get a chance to see him do it live. They were to watch the Chicago game at the home of Sal’s mother, Teresa, in Woodbridge. Sal said that it was “impossible logistically” for he and wife Carmela to get to Vancouver by game time against Chicago.

“We could have been there by the time the second period started, but we didn’t think that made much sense,” said Sal. “We’re hoping that he gets another chance on Thursday [when the Anaheim Ducks visit the Canucks].”

The Canucks are undoubtedly hoping he does enough, too, to give him a chance to stabilize the blueline.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 04.23.2013


Hawks see game with the Canucks as a playoff tune-up

by Jim Jamieson

The Hawks are looking forward to the NHL playoffs – especially considering they’ve been turfed out in the first round the last two years after winning the Stanley Cup in 2010 – so what better way to ramp up the emotion than a match-up with the Canucks.

“I think both teams always feel there’s always a chance we’ll bump into each other during the playoffs and obviously if that does happen it would be past the first round, but both teams are getting ready to play their best hockey come playoff time and what better preparation than a match-up with the Canucks,” said Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews.

“We’ll expect a good one tonight.”

You’d expect from Toews’ answer to how the Hawks have been playing recently that they’d been in a losing streak, but Chicago has won seven of eight and took points in 11 straight. They will win the Presidents’ Trophy in a walk and have been the class of the NHL this season, including an NHL record collecting at least a point in their first 24 games.

“Maybe a couple of these games recently we haven’t had the jump that we had before, but most of all we’ve been doing a good job of playing with good habits and not getting away from our game plan, whether its five on five or special teams,” said Toews. “When you hang around in games like that and play patient, smart hockey you find a way to win. We’re going to improve on that.”

The Canucks and the Hawks played super-heated playoff series three consecutive seasons (2009-11) and every game between the two is usually filled with emotion.

“It’s always fun to come to Vancouver and the crowd is always into it when the Canucks play the Blackhawks,” said Chicago winger Patrick Kane. “It’s a rivalry that developed over the past couple of years and seems to get better over time. Playoffs are coming up so this should be a good tune-up for that.”

Kane said the current team compares favorably to the stacked roster that won the Cup in 2010, though its makup is different.

“I think it’s a little bit different, but we’re still getting the secondary scoring,” said Kane. “But the goaltending isn’t a question mark like it was in 2010. We’re excited about that and every game is a new challenge for us. No one is really satisfied with what we’ve done yet. We know that we’ve got to move forward and get the Presidents’ Trophy and do well in the playoffs.”



Kesler to start tonight’s game with Chicago on the wing

by Jim Jamieson

Ryan Kesler has played some wing this season but tonight it appears he’ll start the game at a position he really hasn’t played since 2009. At least not in the even-strength mode and, assuming that Canucks head coach Alain Vigneault wasn’t joshing the media on Monday morning, Kesler will be starting the game against the Chicago Blackhawks with centre Derek Roy and left winger Chris Higgins. It is an experiment with the playoffs just a week away? Or is the coach loading up his second line to try to keep pace with the explosive Hawks? “Just one of the things I like to do,” said Vigneault. But then added: “I’m happy with our possibilities on our fourth line. I think we can have some good energy players there and guys who might be able to help us killing penalties. I have issues finding nine forwards right now who I can depend on. We’ve tried a number of different scenarios and we’ve got three games here to try and figure it out.” The Canucks will be boosted by the return of left winger Chris Higgins, who’s missed six games with a knee sprain. Higgins showed promising chemistry with trade deadline acquisition Roy, but only last three games with the diminutive centre before the injury. Higgins said it’ll be strange seeing Kesler lining up on the wing. “I never had a chance to play with Kes on the wing before,” said Higgins. “It’ll be an interesting look. It’ll be kind of strange to see him over there. I’ve really enjoyed playing with Derek so far and the same for Ryan in the past so I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.” Roy was also asked to play wing recently on a line with Kesler, so he knows the challenges. “I mean it’s not that hard,” said Roy. “We’re going to have to communicate a lot, talk to each other and make sure Ryan knows where I am on the ice. When pucks are coming around the boards when he’s not used to taking a lot of rims I’m going to have to let him know if he’s got time or if he’s going to have to chip it. So there’s a lot of communication. “It’s a tough transition. I’ve just got to make sure he feels comfortable there.”



Frank Corrado: “You’re going to have the same nerves for your first game, no matter who you play.”

by Steve Ewen

Frank Corrado will play for his fifth different team this season Monday night.

The Vancouver Canucks called up their 2011 fifth-round pick from their AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, and the right-handed defenceman was skating alongside Alexander Edler at Monday’s morning skate, suggesting he’ll see substantial playing time against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night at Rogers Arena.

Corrado, 20, had started the year in the OHL with the Sudbury Wolves and was traded midseason to the Kitchener Rangers. He also tried out for the Canadian world junior squad.

He had been reassigned to the Wolves on April 13. He played three games there. The Wolves ended their AHL season on Sunday night.

With the Canucks, Keith Ballard (back) has joined fellow rearguards Chris Tanev (ankle) and Kevin Bieksa (lower body) in the infirmary. Tanev and Bieksa were the team’s only right-handed rearguards prior to Corrado.

“Your first game is your first game,” Corrado said of facing the powerhouse Blackhawks. “I know they’re going to come hard. You’re going to have the same nerves for your first game, no matter who you play.”



Canucks 3 Blackhawks 1: Rock 'em, sock 'em, bring on the playoffs

By Jason Botchford,

The Province April 22, 2013

Canucks 3 Blackhawks 1: Rock 'em, sock 'em, bring on the playoffs

About the only thing the Canucks can do to improve on an impressive 3-1 win against the Blackhawks is to petition the league to start the playoffs.

Like tomorrow.

For really the first time all season, the Canucks on Monday night looked ready to rumble this postseason. The Sedins were electric and feisty. Ryan Kesler was a tornado. The blueline looked solid and Max Lapierre looked like a third-line centre.

If you closed your eyes you could see 2011. The power play even scored.

But no one can be sure how much of it was the Canucks hunger to make a statement, and how much of it was the Hawks on cruise control.

Who cares? You know it’s a good rivalry when it looked like only one team showed up and it was still riveting theatre.

Maybe weary from a season where they’ve done nothing but win, the Chicago Blackhawks didn’t bring their A-effort to Rogers Arena Monday.

Either that or the Canucks just beat it out of them. At least the Canucks found one Western Conference team they can push around. Too bad, for all of us, they’ll have to wait to the Western Conference finals to play them. Cross your fingers.

From Frank Corrado’s first NHL shift, where the he crunched Marcus Kruger into an official, to Kesler incessantly taunting Jonathan Toews, the Canucks gave a series of gut punches to their old rival.

The Sedins led the way with four points, setting up two goals.

The Canucks were physical up and down their lineup, especially Kesler who was right on the borderline of losing focus. He was chasing hits all night, and in the first period dropped his gloves near ice level, taunting Jonathan Toews, pleading for a fight.

Later, in the third, Kesler was zeroing in on Duncan Keith. In the middle he was after Marian Hossa, Brandon Bollig and anyone else in a white jersey who passed his sightlines.

Yes, the Canucks found the switch. But with a week to go until the playoffs, they may want to get Kesler a dimmer.

The Hawks tried to give some punishment back. Niklas Hjamarsson shot a flying elbow that Daniel Sedin ducked, in an eerie reminder of last year. Then, when Daniel iced the game at the end of the second period with a breakaway goal, his old nemesis Keith gave him a two-handed whack to his back side. It sent the star player tumbling into the boards

The Hawks may not have been on their game, but they were looking to leave their mark.

Last year, it was Keith’s elbow which left Daniel concussed in the teams final meeting of the season. We were about six inches from a possible repeat.



Corrado’s family living the dream, Frankie’s dad says

By Steve Ewen, The Province

April 22, 2013

To have some idea the whirlwind this season has been for newest Vancouver Canuck Frankie Corrado, consider his family figured at one time that an invite to the Subway Super Series junior game was going to be the highlight.

“We were so excited,” Sal Corrado said Monday morning from Woodbridge, Ont., pointing to his son’s inclusion in the Canada-Russia exhibition in November that helps pick the world junior tryout roster in this country.

“We had always thought he could play with those players, but we’re his family.

“But there he was. It was huge for him to play in that. It was ‘wow.’”

It will likely merit a passing mention when it comes time for Corrado, 20, to finally recount his 2012-13 season. Corrado, Vancouver’s fifth-round pick in the 2011 entry draft, made his NHL regular season debut Monday against the Chicago Blackhawks.

This comes after nearly making the Canadian world junior team, being traded by his Sudbury Wolves to the Kitchener Rangers for an OHL playoff run and then joining the Vancouver’s AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, after the Rangers’ season ended.

All told, he’s played 83 games this season between regular season and playoffs, and has eight goals and 49 points.

Corrado, who has a reputation for smart, heady play, got three games in with the Wolves, including one Saturday in Chicago that Sal and some of Sal’s buddies attended. The Canucks got word to him about a call-up late that night, and son immediately dialed up father afterwards in his Chicago-area hotel room.

It was 1 a.m.

There are much worse phone calls a dad can get from a son at that hour, isn’t there?

“I thought he was calling to say that the game had been moved or something,” said Sal, who was planning on visiting Frankie prior to the Wolves’ regular-season finale Sunday afternoon.

Vancouver brought in Corrado due to injuries and in particular to fellow right-handed blueliners. Kevin Bieksa (lower body) and Chris Tanev (ankle) had been the only righties among Vancouver’s defenders, and they will miss their fourth and eighth games, respectively, against the Blackhawks.

With Keith Ballard (back) joining them in the infirmary after Saturday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings, the Canucks opted to call on Corrado rather than lefty Derek Joslin, 26, another AHL call-up.

Vancouver coach Alain Vigneault lists Bieksa, Tanev and Ballard all as day-to-day, which is a common practice this time of year.

As for Corrado, he says that it’s “time to see what he can do at the NHL level.”

He showed a lot in a 3-1 victory over the Blackhawks. He crunched Marcus Kruger with a heavy corner boards check, drew a high-sticking minor and held his own down low when physically challenged.

“It wasn’t too bad, a little bit of nerves,” said Corrado, who had three hits in 17:20 of ice time. “It wasn’t crazy. It’s something you work really hard for so you kind of register that it’s something that you really want. You have to have confidence in yourself to play the game and teammates that help you out and they made my life at lot simpler out there. It’s a day I’ll never forget and it’s a dream come true.”

And not get psyched out or star-struck.

“It’s more in your head,” added Corrado. “You see all the players you see on TV but then it’s just a game. A hit presents itself you have to make it and wake you up a bit. If I do my job playing defence, anything else is a bonus.”

His family hopes to get a chance to see him do it live. They watched the Chicago game at the home of Sal’s mother, Teresa, in Woodbridge. Sal said that it was “impossible logistically,” for he and wife Carmela to get to Vancouver by game time.

“We could have been there by the time the second period started, but we didn’t think that made much sense,” said Sal. “We’re hoping that he gets another chance on Thursday [when the Anaheim Ducks visit the Canucks].”

— with a file from Ben Kuzma



Canucks pair new arrival Frankie Corrado with Alex Edler in game-day skate Monday

By Steve Ewen, The Province

April 22, 2013

Canucks pair new arrival Frankie Corrado with Alex Edler in game-day skate Monday

It doesn’t seem like the Vancouver Canucks are going to break Frank Corrado in slowly.

The 2011 fifth-round draft pick, called up Saturday from the AHL’s Chicago Wolves, was paired with Alex Edler at the Monday morning skate, suggesting he’d see substantial minutes against the high-flying Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night.

Welcome to the NHL, Frankie. May we introduce you to Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa?

“When you look at that stuff, that’s when you’re going to fill your head and get yourself in trouble,” said Corrado, 20, who was playing in the OHL playoffs with the Kitchener Rangers just 10 days ago, prior to joining the Wolves.

“The task isn’t playing against Marian Hossa. The task is, ‘Am I going to get the puck out?’ or ‘Am I going to make a nice pass?’ or ‘Am I going to take the body here?’

“That’s what you have to focus on.”

Corrado got into three games with the Wolves, whose campaign came to an end Sunday with the end of the AHL regular season.

He’s been thrust into a prominent position with the Canucks because of injuries and because of Vancouver’s lack of right-handed defencemen.

Vancouver is missing Kevin Bieksa (lower body) and Chris Tanev (ankle), and they’ve been joined in the infirmary by Keith Ballard (back).

At the morning skate, Dan Hamhuis and Jason Garrison remained a pairing, while Andrew Alberts and Cam Barker were together. Derek Joslin, recently called up from the AHL, was the extra blueliner.

Bieksa and Tanev were the only right-handed shots in that group prior to the arrival of Corrado.

“It’s time to see what he can do at the NHL level,” coach Alain Vigneault said.

Vigneault said pairing Corrado with Edler is much like the Canucks did when Edler was breaking into the circuit and was paired with veteran Sami Salo.

“Sami was his big brother,” said Vigneault. “Tonight, Alex is the big brother. Hopefully he can help him out.”

Corrado’s inclusion in the line-up stole a little of the spotlight from Vigneault’s shuffling of the forward lines. Alex Burrows remained with Daniel and Henrik Sedin, but, going from the morning skate, Ryan Kesler was playing wing, pairing with Chris Higgins to flank Derek Roy.

Max Lapierre was with Mason Raymond and Jannik Hansen, and Andrew Ebbett was between Zack Kassian and Tom Sestito.

Meanwhile, the Blackhawks come to town with points in 11 straight games (9-0-2). They may have Patrick Sharp (upper body) back in the line-up. He’s missed the last four games.


671855 Washington Capitals

Caps look to beat up on Jets once more with playoffs in reach

By Mark Giannotto, Monday, April 22, 5:20 PM

During this lockout-shortened NHL season of 48 games crammed into 99 days, Washington Capitals forward Matt Hendricks can’t recall details from every night on the ice. Most of the campaign has been “a blur,” with one game merging into another, he said.

But Hendricks remembers Washington’s last trip to Winnipeg vividly.

“When you try to look back for a turning point, that might have been it,” he said Monday at the team’s Arlington practice facility. “We’ve been rolling since.”

The Capitals would clinch their fifth Southeast Division title in six years and lock up the No. 3 seed in next week’s NHL playoffs if they beat the second-place Jets in regulation Tuesday night at Verizon Center. The Jets play at Buffalo Monday night.

But arriving at the cusp of this feat has also served as another reminder of the triumphs that helped the Capitals to climb back atop the standings again.

When the Capitals traveled north of the border for back-to-back road games against the Jets on March 21, they were second-to-last in both the Southeast Division and Eastern Conference, and seven points out of a playoff spot. The Jets, meanwhile, were leading the division. Hendricks and goalie Braden Holtby both admitted Monday that many inside Washington’s dressing room were decidedly pessimistic about qualifying for the postseason at that time.

But Washington proceeded to rack up 10 goals and allow only one against in two decisive victories. Combined with a March 2 win, the Capitals outscored the Jets 13-1 at MTS Centre this season. Upon arriving home following another shootout win over the New York Rangers on March 25, Washington suddenly found itself in the thick of the postseason race, just two points out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot.

“If we don’t win those games, we’re probably out of the playoffs a long time ago,” center Mike Ribeiro said before a reporter asked if the Capitals were confident about Tuesday given the lopsided scores against the Jets. “It doesn’t really matter anymore. That’s not how you’re supposed to think, or how you should think. We beat them [by] that much, but it’s a new game tomorrow. . . . We’re not in the same spot we were a month ago.”

Winnipeg’s season has featured its share of ups and downs. Soon after that two-game sweep by the Capitals, the Jets lost five games in a row. But they just had a five-game win streak snapped Saturday night by the New York Islanders, and currently sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference.

Led by speedy wingers Andrew Ladd (team-high 18 goals, 46 points), Blake Wheeler and Evander Kane, Winnipeg’s speed could prove troublesome, which was the case when the Jets defeated the Capitals, 4-2, in Washington’s home opener on Jan. 22. At that juncture, though, the Capitals had yet to find their bearings in Coach Adam Oates’s new system, and would soon find themselves with a 2-8-1 record to begin the year.

It forced Washington to embark on a steady climb out of the Eastern Conference cellar, one Ribeiro noted has made every game over the past month feel like the playoffs. He was also quick to point out that the Capitals still have two games after Tuesday, and that his teammates must keep in mind “it’s not the end of the world” if they fall short against Winnipeg.

But after a condensed season unlike few the NHL has ever seen, the stakes couldn’t be more clear now for Washington.

“Tomorrow it’s going to be in [the playoffs] or in for a huge battle for the last couple games,” forward Troy Brouwer said. “You don’t have to worry about somebody else helping you out or doing something for you. You have your own destiny.”

Washington Post LOADED: 04.23.2013


For Washington Capitals, it all comes down to this

By Tracee Hamilton, Monday, April 22, 5:10 PM

Tuesday night is Hockey Night in Washington. With a regulation or overtime win, the Capitals earn the Southeast Division title and an automatic playoff berth. With a loss, well, then Thursday becomes Hockey Night in Washington.

It’s not often a team so clearly holds its fate in its hands. No scoreboard watching. No hoping for help from a division or conference foe. Win and you’re in. The Caps (52 points) face Winnipeg (51 after Monday night’s win in Buffalo). After Tuesday, the Caps have two games remaining, both at home: Thursday against Ottawa and Saturday against Boston; the Jets have just one, Thursday at home against Montreal. That gives the Caps an advantage.

Another advantage is this: The Jets will be playing the second of back-to-back games, in which they are 3-4 this season. One of those four losses was to the Capitals, who defeated the Jets twice in two days in Winnipeg last month.

“To be honest, a lot of us weren’t too positive going into those two games,” goalie Braden Holtby said Monday. Those two victories put the Caps solidly in the division hunt and knocked the Jets off-balance a bit. They’ve bounced back: On Saturday they completed a six-game homestand in which they earned 11 of a possible 12 points.

But the Caps have been hot as well. They were unbeaten in April before last Thursday’s loss at Ottawa. That was just their third loss in their past 15 games, and they were riding an eight-game winning streak at the time. They’ve won nine of their past 10 entering the Jets game.

It’s hard to believe those Caps are the same ones who started the season 2-8-1, out of sync with each other under a new coach and in a new system.

“We started off as bad as a team can start,” Matt Hendricks said. “To be where we are now, it’s great. We have the team the organization thought we had.”

They also have the goalie the organization thought it had last spring, when Holtby became an overnight sensation in the seven-game series win over Boston and the seven-game loss to the Rangers. Holtby was 7-7 with a goals against average of 1.95 and a save percentage of .935 during the postseason.

Yet during the Caps’ 2-8-1 start, Holtby was a startling 1-4, with a 3.5 goals against average and a save percentage of .857. He has found his game as the shortened season progressed, although he says he feels pretty much the same now as he did at the beginning of the season. He is now 21-12-1 with a 2.59 GAA, a save percentage of .920 and four shutouts (only three goalies have five).

“Braden has gone through a lot,” Hendricks said. “It’s been a long season for him. He had the great playoff run, then the lockout came and he was back down in the American League, even though I’m sure he felt like he was an NHL goalie, then he came back here and the pace is different, the shots are fast, the shots are hard. And he was going through contract negotiations.

“Once that was all done you could see him start to get comfortable back there. He’s got that confident feel. If he makes a mistake, he brushes it off and waits for the next shot.”

He was brushing off a lot of shots Monday at practice. After a Sunday off, the players gathered Monday morning for a team photo and then a workout of about an hour in preparation for the big game against the Jets. Despite the importance of Tuesday’s game, there seemed to be more more milling than drilling at Kettler, and the mood was loose.

Sure, Alex Ovechkin lost his good humor momentarily during a scoring drill when he failed to execute a pass. “Bang!” went his stick against the glass. Troy Brouwer skated over and offered Ovi his in exchange, and No. 8 was all smiles again. And why shouldn’t he be? He’s leading the league in goals with 30.

During shooting drills, players await their turns along the boards, joshing with each other and their coaches. Then they go like the devil at the goalie. So Holtby and Michal Neuvirth weren’t enjoying a lot of light moments Monday.

Afterward, Holtby talked about the importance of those two wins in two days at Winnipeg — “Before we were chasing them, now the tide has turned” — but emphasized that the Caps are not trying merely to get into the playoffs, but to make a run if — or when — they get there.

“We’re playing our game in order to improve going into the postseason,” he said.

First, though, they’ll have to win Hockey Night in Washington — no matter what night that happens to be.



Tom Poti nominated for Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy

Posted by Katie Carrera on April 22, 2013 at 1:43 pm

There were times as he worked to recover from a fractured pelvis and chronic groin problems that Capitals defenseman Tom Poti wondered if he would ever play in the NHL again.

He wasn’t the only one. Back in January 2012, Washington General Manager George McPhee suggested that Poti might never be able to recover from his injuries to the point where he could return to professional hockey. But Poti didn’t want to give up.

“I wanted to play, I still had the passion inside me,” Poti, 36, said. “I wanted to do everything I could to get back. I wanted to have no regrets. That was one of the biggest things. I didn’t want to say maybe if I tried a little bit harder or more – if I didn’t give up at that point. What if? I didn’t want to have any what ifs.”


After more than two years of tedious and trying rehabilitation, Poti made his improbable return to the NHL on Jan. 19 in the Capitals’ season opener.

That is why the Washington chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has nominated Poti for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded to the player “who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.”

This has been far from an easy season for Poti, even after making his unexpected and dramatic return to the Capitals. He’s played in just 16 games this year and dealt with neck and back injuries, but even as he’s been healthy for more than two weeks, Poti still hasn’t cracked the lineup because of Washington’s recent run of success.

“He’s been very professional about the fact that he’s not playing,” Coach Adam Oates said. “He’s had a tough go of it obviously coming off injuries and coming back trying to see where he’s at and he’s been great about it. We’ve won a lot of games and we’re not changing our lineup. He’s just been a true pro every day.”

Poti acknowledged that while it hasn’t been a fairytale return to the NHL, there’s still no better place to be. And he’s well aware that teams often need defensive depth in the postseason.

“A bad day in the NHL is a good day anywhere else. Just keep working hard and maybe I’ll get a chance,” Poti said. “Anything can happen. There’s obviously a lot of injuries and you need a lot of guys come playoff time, so if you’re going to go for a deep run, you’re going to need a lot of guys. I’ve just got to try to stay ready, as ready as I can.”



How the Caps can clinch the Southeast Division

Posted by Mark Giannotto on April 22, 2013 at 11:22 am

The Southeast Division may be the brunt of jokes around the NHL, but it also might be home to the league’s most exciting playoff race down the stretch. Washington leads second-place Winnipeg by three points in the standings ahead of their game against one another Tuesday night at Verizon Center.

As of Monday, the Capitals would still be the No. 7 seed if they weren’t leading the division, based on their overtime and regulation wins (22). That, though, could change because Washington, the New York Islanders, Ottawa Senators and New York Rangers are all within one point or tied in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Jets are No. 9 in the Eastern Conference standings, and because the winner of the Southeast earns the No. 3 seed, we’ll focus on how Tuesday’s game could affect that. Washington’s magic number is currently four, meaning any four points gained by the Capitals or lost by Winnipeg would result in another Southeast Division title banner in Verizon Center.

Washington (25-18-2), 52 points

Games left: Winnipeg (Tues), Ottawa (Thurs), Boston (Sat)

Winnipeg( 23-19-3), 49 points

Games left: at Buffalo (Mon), at Washington (Tues), Montreal (Thurs)

Here how the Capitals can clinch the division Tuesday night:

If Winnipeg beats Buffalo in regulation or overtime Monday, the Capitals would clinch the Southeast Division with a regulation win over the Jets on Tuesday.

If Winnipeg loses in overtime or a shootout at Buffalo Monday, the Capitals would clinch the Southeast Division with a win of any kind Tuesday against Winnipeg.

If Winnipeg loses in regulation at Buffalo Monday, the Capitals would need a win in one of their final three games to clinch the Southeast Division.

There is no scenario in which the Capitals can clinch the Southeast Division Tuesday night with a loss of any kind to the Jets.



Capitals gear up for final week of regular season (updated)

Posted by Katie Carrera on April 22, 2013 at 10:43 am

The Capitals took their 2012-13 team photo Monday morning before kicking off the final week of the regular season with practice in Arlington. Once the players made their way into the dressing room and changed out of game sweaters into practice ones, there were no changes on the ice.

As is to be expected when a team has won nine of its past 10 games, Coach Adam Oates didn’t make any changes to the lines or defensive pairings for Monday’s workout.

Neither Brooks Laich (groin) nor Joel Ward (left knee contusion) took part in the practice, though both were present for the team photo. Laich has missed the past eight games since re-injuring his groin and remains sidelined indefinitely. The forward is working through an off-ice conditioning program and will not skate again until he’s pain free.

Meanwhile, Ward has missed six consecutive games since blocking a shot by Tampa Bay defenseman Sami Salo on April 7 and Oates acknowledged that the Capitals hoped the winger would be back by now.

“Obviously we thought he’d be probably back by now it just hasn’t gone away,” said Oates, who wouldn’t go so far as to say Ward wouldn’t be ready for the start of the playoffs but at this point the 32-year-old forward will need a few days of on-ice workouts before he’s ready to return.

“He’s got to be able to practice a couple of days and get his conditioning [back],” Oates said. “It’s been too long a time. [Ward needs to] feel pain free and be able to skate.”

Here’s what the lineup looks like:

Forwards

Johansson-Backstrom-Ovechkin

Erat-Ribeiro-Brouwer

Chimera-Perreault-Fehr

Volpatti-Hendricks-Beagle

Wolski

Defense

Alzner-Green

Erskine-Carlson

Hillen-Oleksy

Schultz-Poti

Goal: Holtby, Neuvirth



Capitals can clinch playoff spot by beating Jets on Tuesday

By Stephen Whyno

The Washington Times

Monday, April 22, 2013

Forget the scoreboard-watching, forget the math. It’s very simple for the Washington Capitals on Tuesday against the Winnipeg Jets.

Win in regulation or overtime, and they clinch a playoff berth as the Southeast Division champions. Anything less leaves plenty to chance in the season’s final week.

“It’s going to be in, or in a huge battle for the last couple games here,” right wing Troy Brouwer said.

At home against a Winnipeg team that trails them by one point, the Caps can erase any doubt about playoff hockey at Verizon Center next week.

“It’s huge and we understand it,” captain Alex Ovechkin said. “I think everybody right now [is] focusing.”

That kind of sharp focus was there for the Caps when they traveled to Winnipeg for back-to-back games March 21 and 22. Washington was 14th in the Eastern Conference then after a loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Instead of falling apart, the Caps blitzed the Jets 4-0 and 6-1, serving notice that the Southeast race was far from over.

“We came out and we knew the magnitude of that week,” Brouwer said. “I’m sure they did too, but that was our season. At that point, we were quite a ways out of the playoffs and we needed to find a way back in and came up with a great effort.”

Coach Adam Oates called those games at MTS Centre a “good memory for us” because the Caps dictated the pace. But he also acknowledged both teams have changed since then.

Those confidence-building victories kicked off a 13-2-1 stretch for Washington, while Winnipeg fell off before picking up 11 of 12 points on a six-game home stand.

But one advantage in facing the Jets on Tuesday is eliminating the uncertainty of watching the out-of-town scoreboard.

“You don’t have to worry about somebody else helping you out or doing something for you,” Brouwer said. “You have your own destiny.”

Back before the third seed in the Eastern Conference, or any playoff spot for that matter, was within the Caps’ grasp, they saw two games at the Jets as the perfect way to make up ground.

“It was right in front of our face; we didn’t have to wait around, we didn’t have to wish for them to lose against other teams,” defenseman John Carlson said. “We can take care of everything ourselves, and obviously we put ourselves in position to make the playoffs and we just need to do it now.”

Again, the task is right in front of the Caps. But a few players Monday cautioned against putting too much emphasis on one game against the second-place Jets.

“There’s still three games in the season,” center Mike Ribeiro said. “Obviously [this is] a big game for both sides, and for us you beat them, you’re in. But you need to take that like, ‘OK, it’s not the end of the world,’ either.”

The Caps host the Ottawa Senators on Thursday and the Boston Bruins on Saturday to wrap up the regular season. They’re 1-3 against those teams this year.

“Every game is big, but you have to just go there and do what you do,” left wing Martin Erat said. “And if everybody’s going to do it, what we did last 10, 12 games, it’s going to be easy.”

The Caps have made hockey look easy lately, winning 9 of 10 to get to this point. Tuesday crystallizes the season, but there is a danger in making one game against the Jets the end-all, be-all.

“You do want to remind the guys that if we win this, we’re in. But we don’t want to say we have to win this,” defenseman Karl Alzner said. “We just want to continue playing the same way we have and just worrying about playing good hockey.”

Yet it’s Game 46 of the regular season, and a trip to the playoffs is incredibly close. The stakes don’t get much higher in this kind of situation, but the Caps have been playing meaningful games on the edge of contention for a while now.

“It’s been like that for at least a month now that if you don’t win those games, we’re probably out of the playoffs a long time ago,” Ribeiro said. “And we were able to stick together and play the right way, and able to put ourselves in position that we are for tomorrow’s game. You need to embrace those moments.”

“Toward Christmas time last year, when I got on the ice and didn’t feel good at all and I kind of felt the same pains and problems, and at that point I didn’t know if I would be able to play,” Poti said. “Just made a decision that I wanted to keep trying and keep working at it and I’m lucky I did.”

McPhee expressed doubt that Poti would play again, but the Caps supported Poti’s rehab along the way. During the NHL lockout, he was able to remain in contact with trainer Greg Smith and eventually felt good enough to skate consistently without pain.

When training camp opened, the team welcomed him back and gave him the opportunity to continue his career.

“George said if I can make it back and play, then that would be great for the team and for myself,” Poti said. “They just said, ‘Go out and see what happens.’ I did, and it’s worked out.”

Laich, Ward still sidelined

Neither Brooks Laich nor Joel Ward skated Monday, and it stands to reason that the Caps will likely have to go at least the rest of the regular season without either injured forward.

Laich (groin) has not skated since re-injuring himself April 4; Ward (bruised left knee) has skated gingerly only twice since blocking a slap shot from Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Sami Salo on April 7.

Asked for an update, Oates didn’t have much to provide. “They made the team picture,” he said.

Oates said he hoped Ward would be able to skate Tuesday, but that’s not enough to ensure the 32-year-old right wing will be ready for game action.

“He’s got to be able to practice a couple of days and get his conditioning now. Obviously it’s been too long a time,” Oates said. “Feel pain-free and be able to skate.”

Laich has to be pain-free before he returns to the ice, Oates said last week. There is no time frame for the 29-year-old forward to return.

Washington Times LOADED: 04.23.2013


For Capitals, it's win and they're in

April 22, 2013 | 9:00 pm

Brian McNally

The pivotal week of the NHL regular season is upon them, and the Capitals know exactly what they need to do to reach the Stanley Cup playoffs.

That alone is a victory for a team that began the season 2-8-1 and looked in danger of missing the postseason for the first time since 2007. But only one team in the Eastern Conference has been better since then, and Washington will clinch the Southeast Division for the fifth time in six seasons Tuesday night if they beat second-place Winnipeg at Verizon Center.

"You don't have to worry about somebody else helping you out or doing something for you," Caps forward Troy Brouwer said. "You have your own destiny, and we can lock the third spot if we get a win."

Up next

Jets at Capitals

When » Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Where » Verizon Center

TV » CSN

Washington (25-18-2, 52 points) led the Jets by three points pending Winnipeg's game at struggling Buffalo on Monday night. But even with a win in that contest Winnipeg, still needs to beat the Caps to keep alive its own division title hopes. A Washington victory Tuesday would give the Caps 54 points, and even if the Jets beat Montreal in their final game on Thursday at home, their best total in that case would be 53.

"There's still three games in the season," Caps center Mike Ribeiro said. "Obviously, tomorrow's a big game for both sides, and for us, you beat them, you're in. But you need to take that like, 'OK, it's not the end of the world, either.'?"

That's because Washington still has games left against Ottawa (Thursday) and Boston (Saturday). Both are against likely playoff teams, but both also are at Verizon Center. A loss to the Jets could make those must-wins, and that would be far from an ideal scenario. But it also would prove Ribeiro right: That while important, Tuesday's game is not do-or-die.

"I think that's why you don't want to put too much focus, too much emphasis," defenseman Karl Alzner said. "Obviously, you do that on Game 7s and stuff like that in the playoffs. But for us right now the way we've been successful is by just worrying about that game, that period."

But the bottom line is if the Caps beat the Jets, then those final two games won't matter as much. Even their seed in the Eastern Conference will be locked up. There will be an invitation to the postseason party, and that's what counts at this point.

Washington lost 4-2 to Winnipeg at home on Jan. 22. But since then the season series has been all Caps, who won three times at MTS Centre in March by a combined score of 13-1. The latter two were back-to-back contests on March 21 and 22, and Washington won 4-0 and 6-1. Starting with that successful trip to Winnipeg, the Caps have gone 13-3.

"It's a good memory for us," coach Adam Oates said. "But that was also a few weeks ago. Teams change. I don't think they're the same team as they were that weekend."

Washington Examiner LOADED: 04.23.2013

671862 Winnipeg Jets

Jets edge Sabres

By: Tim Campbell

Posted: 12:12 PM | Comments: 127 | Last Modified: 8:47 PM

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Antti Miettinen’s third goal of the season in his first game back after six in the press box powered the Winnipeg Jets to a much-needed 2-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres tonight at First Niagara Center.

Miettinen scored with a one-time shot off a drop pass from James Wright at 12:24 of the third period, snapping the 1-1 tie in which Buffalo goalie Jhonas Enroth nearly stole the show.

The Jets moved to 51 points in the standings with the win, setting up Tuesday’s night’s showdown in Washington against the Southeast Division-leading Capitals. Washington leads the Jets by a point.

After a scoreless first period, Aaron Gagnon tipped in a Derek Meech pass to put the Jets ahead in the second, but Buffalo's Thomas Vanek answered about four minutes later.

The Jets had multiple good chances in the first, the best of which might have been Evander Kane's penalty shot at 14:59. Kane was hauled down on a breakaway by Buffalo's Andrej Sekera, and on his penalty shot, the snap shot went off goalie Jhonas Enroth's glove and then hit the crossbar.

Pre-game report

Derek Meech and Antti Miettinen appear to be the choices of the day for the Winnipeg Jets as they head for tonight’s must-win game against the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center (6 p.m. CT, TSN Jets, TSN 1290).

Based on action at this morning’s game-day skate, Meech will take the place of injured Zach Bogosian, who was felled by an unpenalized head shot during Saturday’s home loss against the Islanders.

Meech said this morning he’ll be paired with Dustin Byfuglien for the game against the Sabres, who have 44 points and will be out of the playoffs for the second straight year.

The Jets have 49 points, three back of the New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators and Washington Capitals.

"Tonight’s the game we’re focused on," Meech said today. "It’s the same old thing, we need the two points tonight and an A game from everybody on the team."

Meech hasn’t played since April 1 in New York but is confident he’ll be ready.

"Moving the puck quickly, being in a good supporting position all the time," he said. "Playing with Buff tonight and he likes to get up in the rush so I’m going to have to focus a little more on the defensive side of things."

Rust will be no factor, he said.

"I don’t think about that," Meech said. "I think about the fact we’ve been working hard after practice and I’ve been here, been in this role for a long time. I know what I’m doing."

Jets coach Claude Noel hedged his comments on the choices this morning

"If Derek goes in as you stated, he’s a good player," Noel said. "He’s been a good player for us. It’s not like he’s been a guy that merited to go out. He’s a guy that’s really proven he’s a good player at this level. He would fit in, I think, without missing a beat, really.

"He doesn’t give us the same game as Zach Bogosian would give us but he can certainly defend and he’s got experience in the league and that would come into it if he’s the guy."

Miettinen, who has not played since April 4 in Montreal, will take the place of centre Olli Jokinen, who suffered a high-ankle sprain on Saturday and is likely out six to eight weeks.

Earlier today, Jets captain Andrew Ladd was named the NHL’s first star of the week. He’s on a seven-game points streak, with 14 points in that time. He had eight points in three games last week, plus a shootout goal.

Ladd spoke this morning about the urgency the team brings tonight and wants the Jets to look only at Buffalo.

"We realize we probably have to win out to give ourselves a chance," he said. "That starts tonight. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves. We have a dangerous team in front of us tonight."

Tuesday, the Jets are in Washington, a game they’re hoping will have major meaning. If Winnipeg could win both tonight and Tuesday, they could be the leaders of the Southeast Division, at least for Wednesday morning. The Caps would have two games to play, and Winnipeg one, that Thursday night at home against Montreal.

Ladd was also asked today about the NHL’s decision on the weekend not to issue any penalty or discipline on Islanders’ Kyle Okposo for the head shot on Bogosian.

"It’s tough," Ladd said, "We lose one of our best players. As a player, I guess you feel a hit to the head is a hit to the head. That’s a tough one to take, especially at this time of the year when we really need him in our lineup. That’s a team we’re battling with for the playoffs and they still have their guy playing.

"I don’t know. I don’t really have much more to say about that. It’s tough to lose Zach."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 04.23.2013


Jets captain named NHL star of the week

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 11:10 AM

Winnipeg Jets captain Andrew Ladd has been named the NHL’s first star of the week.

New York Rangers centre Brad Richards and San Jose Sharks centre Logan Couture were second and third stars of the week ending Sunday.

Ladd led the NHL with eight points and six assists in three games to help the Jets pick up five out of a possible six points in their push for a playoff berth.

The left-winger recorded three points (2-1-3), plus the shootout clincher, in a 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning April 16. Ladd then tied a career high with three assists, including the primary helper on Dustin Byfuglien’s overtime winner, in a 4-3 triumph over the Carolina Hurricanes April 18.

He capped the week by collecting two assists, including the primary helper on Bryan Little’s game-tying goal with 2:01 left in regulation, in a 5-4 shootout loss to the New York Islanders Saturday.

Ladd is currently on a career-high seven-game point streak (4-10—14) that dates to April 4. In 45 games this season, the 27-year-old Maple Ridge, B.C., native leads the Jets in goals (18), assists (28) and points (46).



Gamebreakers

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 3:21 AM

A+ for Aaron

Aaron Gagnon -- Eighth game, third goal of the season; Johnny-on-the-spot for Derek Meech's pass for the re-direct.

Antti-dote

Antti Miettinen -- Six games in the pressbox then the winning goal, also his third of the season, in the latest biggest game of the year.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 23, 2013 D1



Playoff race at a glance

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 1:00 AM

What's left for teams in the Southeast Division:

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Record: 25-18-2, 52 pts; 1st in Southeast; 3rd in Eastern Conference

SportsClubStats.com division win chances: 87 per cent (91.1 in playoffs)

Remaining games: 3

Road (0)

Home (3): Winnipeg, Ottawa, Boston.

WINNIPEG JETS

Record: 24-19-3, 51 pts; 2nd in Southeast; 9th in Eastern Conference

SportsClubStats.com division win chances: 31.7 per cent

Remaining games: 2

Road (1): Washington

Home (1): Montreal.

What's left in the Eastern Conference race for playoff positions:

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Record: 24-16-5, 53 pts; 6th in the Eastern Conference

SportsClubStats.com playoff chances: 84.8 per cent

Remaining games: 3

Road (3): Carolina, Philadelphia, Buffalo.

Home (0).

OTTAWA SENATORS

Record: 23-16-6, 52 pts; T7th in the Eastern Conference


Remaining games: 3

Road (2): Boston, Washington

Home: (1): Philadelphia.

NEW YORK RANGERS

Record: 24-17-4, 52 pts; T7th in the Eastern Conference


Remaining games: 3

Road (2): Florida, Carolina

Home: (1): New Jersey.

WINNIPEG JETS

Record: 24-19-3, 51 pts; 9th in Eastern Conference


Remaining games: 2

Road (1): Washington

Home (1): Montreal.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 23, 2013 D2



Pleased to Meech-ya!

By: Tim Campbell

Posted: 1:00 AM

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- With awfully big skates to fill, Winnipeg native Derek Meech picked a very good time to register his first scoring points for the Jets.

Drawing into the lineup Monday when defenceman Zach Bogosian went down with a suspected concussion on Saturday, Meech partnered with Dustin Byfuglien and contributed to the Jets' 2-1 victory over the Sabres with an assist on Aaron Gagnon's game-opening goal.

"It feels really good, obviously, to be out for a string of games then come back and contribute to a big win at a key time of year," Meech said. "That's a pretty good thing.

Gagnon re-directed Meech's pass after the defenceman has successfully pinched down the left-side wall.

It was Meech's 14th appearance for the Jets this season, his first since April 1, and he played a season-high 19 minutes 53 seconds.

And there was a distinct element of composure to his game, especially when the Jets were being stymied by Buffalo goalie Jhonas Enroth.

"He made some pretty good saves," Meech said. "There were some scrambles there where you thought the puck was going go past him and it just didn't go.

"I think the guys handled it really well. When we came back in the room after the periods, we just said keep it going, keep putting pressure on them and I thought we did that. Obviously they got a few chances here and there but overall, we put some pretty good pressure on them and stuck to the gameplan."

Jets left-winger Evander Kane hasn't missed any games, though he did skip Saturday's warmup, and he all but confirmed he's playing with some kind of injury.

Asked after Monday's win if he's 100 per cent, Kane said: "I don't think anybody is this time of year. You've got to play through some injuries and some pain and this is the time where you've got to step up and play for your teammates."

The Jets recalled defenceman Zach Redmond on Monday after his two AHL games with the St. John's IceCaps over the weekend.

Coach Claude Noel suggested Redmond was not an immediate option for the NHL team because Redmond's leg strength wasn't 100 per cent, but it certainly must be close if he played last weekend.

Redmond, for his part, was thrilled to be back in action after the Feb. 21 skate cut that sliced the femoral artery and nerves and tendons in his right leg. Three hours of surgery repaired the damage.

"I don't know what's going to happen up here but either way it felt great to get a couple of games in," Redmond said. "I think it's important heading into summer. It will take some anticipation off next year."

Now wearing cut-proof hockey pants, Redmond said he felt like himself in the AHL games.

"The first couple of shifts was kind of, 'What's going to happen?'" he said. "Surprisingly, I didn't feel any pain in the leg. I'd taken a couple of months off so there was a little bit of adjustment that had to take place."

Andrew Ladd threw a mild barb at the NHL on Monday, the day the league named him first star of the week but the Jets stayed largely silent on the league's decision not to discipline Islanders forward Kyle Okposo for hitting Zach Bogosian in the head last Saturday.

"As a player, I guess you feel a hit to the head is a hit to the head," Ladd said. "That's a tough one to take, especially at this time of the year when we really need him in our lineup. That's a team we're battling with for the playoffs and they still have their guy playing."

Cheveldayoff said Monday night there's no point objecting to the NHL's decision.

"The player-safety side reviewed the incident and I spoke with them last night and they called and said that they didn't believe it was worthy of a suspension," the GM said. "They do a good job of looking at each and every one. At the end of the day it's their decision and we have to play."



Unlikely heroes slice Sabres

By: Tim Campbell

Posted: 1:00 AM

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Unlikely heroes have put meaning into tonight's Southeast Division showdown with the Washington Capitals.

The Winnipeg Jets' biggest guns were not silent on Monday night at First Niagara Center against the Buffalo Sabres, they just couldn't get anything past Sabres goalie Jhonas Enroth.

So it was left to Aaron Gagnon and Antti Miettinen, and their offence provided the Jets with a 2-1 victory over the Sabres, already eliminated from the playoffs.

Winnipeg, now 6-0-1 in its last seven games, faces the Capitals tonight trailing division-leading Washington and seventh- and eighth-place N.Y. Rangers and Ottawa by just a single point.

"It's just important to get any scoring," Jets coach Claude Noel said about his team's secondary scoring. "I thought we played a really solid game. We could have got scoring from a lot of people, so whether it's secondary or any way, we had a lot of work cut out for us with Enroth."

Winnipeg outshot Buffalo 39-25, a margin reduced by Buffalo's late push while trying -- unsuccessfully against Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec -- to tie the game.

First period

From the start, you could see this game had a danger element for the Jets. From Alexander Burmistrov's great chance early to Evander Kane's penalty shot at 14:59, Winnipeg had a healthy edge in the play.

"We were generating chances," said Jets captain Andrew Ladd. "You don't want to get down on yourself when you're doing that."

Second period

Danger added some nerves in the middle period when Thomas Vanek of the Sabres nullified Gagnon's game-opening goal. The Jets were ahead 29-14 on the shot clock.

"We had to play it intelligently or it could have gotten away from us," Noel said.

Third period

By the start of the third, Gagnon could have had three on the night. Blake Wheeler might have had three in the first 10 minutes of the final period.

Miettinen's one-time shot on a pass from James Wright burned through traffic, then Enroth and just over the goal line.

"I didn't really see how it got in there," Miettinen said. "I was just listening to the crowd. It wasn't the easiest game for us. To be able to win that is great and we've just got to be a little better tomorrow when we go into Washington."

The Jets had seven nervous minutes to finish, going into more of a protection mode.

"We've gotten that from him (Pavelec) all season," said Ladd after his personal seven-game points streak was busted. "We'd like to have played a little better in the last 10 minutes, play in their end a little, but he bailed us out a couple of times. Now we've taken that step and (can) focus on the biggest game of the year for us."

After the buzzer

Miettinen, who started the game with Gagnon and Chris Thorburn but went up to play with Wright and Evander Kane when Kyle Wellwood suffered a serious hand injury in the second, made it sound like no big deal to come in and be the hero after sitting out six games.

"I don't think about that I was the difference," he said. "I feel the same I feel every day. That's one thing about this job -- you just try to find a way to be in the middle lane, not get too sad or too happy about things."

Noel suggested his team has been in a good place in its late push for a post-season spot.

"Our team has showed a lot of things -- character, a lot of resiliency," he said. "Our focus has been really good. Our work ethic and our 60-minute game has been way better."



Jets-Sabres summary

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 1:00 AM

SUMMARY

FIRST PERIOD

No Scoring

Missed penalty shot -- Kane, Wpg, 14:59.

Penalty -- Ott Buf (cross-checking) 11:18.

SECOND PERIOD

1. Winnipeg, Gagnon 3 (Meech, Byfuglien) 7:42

2. Buffalo, Vanek 18 (Ennis, Stafford) 11:57 (pp)

Penalties -- Scott Buf (high-sticking) 3:48, Wheeler Wpg (hooking) 11:38, Ladd Wpg (fighting, major), Ott Buf (roughing, fighting, minor-major) 19:34.

THIRD PERIOD

3. Winnipeg, Miettinen 3 (Wright, Stuart) 12:24

Penalties -- None

Shots on goal by

Winnipeg151410--39

Buffalo41011--25

Goal -- Winnipeg: Pavelec (W,21-18-3); Buffalo: Enroth (L,4-4-1).

Power plays (goals-chances) -- Winnipeg: 0-3; Buffalo: 1-1.

Referees -- Tim Peel, Gord Dwyer. Linesmen -- Mark Shewchyk, Michel Cormier.

Attendance -- 18,654 (19,070).



Tonight: Jets-Capitals

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 1:00 AM

ABOUT THE CAPS

Alex Ovechkin's 30 goals lead the team, and the league, heading into tonight's game. The Great 8 has 51 points on the season.

Lost in Ovechkin's second-half charge is the matter of centre Mike Ribeiro's fine season. He has 47 points, only four fewer than Ovechkin.

The Jets own a victory in their only previous appearance this season in Washington, a 4-1 win on Jan. 22. Washington won all three in Winnipeg this season.

One reason the Caps lead the Southeast Division heading into tonight's game -- they are 14-3-0 in games versus division opponents this season.

The Caps' power play will be of concern to the Jets tonight. Washington is leading the NHL in power-play percentage at 26.1. That will be a tough unit to stop. On the penalty-killing side, the Caps are 28th, at a poor 77.8 per cent.

WINNIPEG JETS

31 Ondrej Pavelec

35 Al Montoya

3 Jacob Trouba

4 Paul Postma

5 Mark Stuart

6 Ron Hainsey

7 Derek Meech

8 Alexander Burmistrov

9 Evander Kane

12 Olli Jokinen

13 Kyle Wellwood

15 Mike Santorelli

16 Andrew Ladd

17 James Wright

18 Bryan Little

20 Antti Miettinen

21 Aaron Gagnon

22 Chris Thorburn

23 Arturs Kulda

24 Grant Clitsome

26 Blake Wheeler

27 Eric Tangradi

33 Dustin Byfuglien

44 Zach Bogosian

80 Nik Antropov

WASHINGTON

CAPITALS

30 Michal Neuvirth

70 Braden Holtby

4 John Erskine

8 Alex Ovechkin

9 Mike Ribeiro

10 Martin Erat

16 Eric Fehr

17 Wojtek Wolski

19 Nicklas Backstrom

20 Troy Brouwer

21 Brooks Laich

24 Aaron Volpatti

25 Jason Chimera

26 Matt Hendricks

27 Karl Alzner

38 Jack Hillen

42 Joel Ward

52 Mike Green

55 Jeff Schultz

61 Steve Oleksy

74 John Carlson

83 Jay Beagle

85 Mathieu Perreault

90 Marcus Johansson

-- Tim Campbell



How Jets can still make playoffs despite long odds

By Kirk Penton ,Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Monday, April 22, 2013 08:38 AM CDT | Updated: Monday, April 22, 2013 08:50 AM CDT

The Winnipeg Jets went 5-0-1 on their recent six-game home stand, which was good, but it needed to be better.

The Jets went 5-0-1 and are no closer to a playoff spot than they were two weeks ago when they began their hot streak. The franchise faces an uphill climb this week to sneak into the post-season for the first time since 2007, but there are still a few paths into the post-season.

The bottom line is this week they can still track down and knock out any one of four teams: the Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators or New York Islanders. Depending on each team’s final number of regulation and overtime victories, the Jets need between three or four points more than one of those teams this week to get into the playoff party.

Since it appears getting the teams above them to lose is nothing more than a dream right now, here are four dream scenarios for the Jets this week. They need only one of them to come true.

OTTAWA SENATORS

52 pts, 19 ROWs

Schedule

Monday, vs. Pittsburgh

Thursday, at Washington

Saturday, vs. Philadelphia

Sunday, at Boston

The dream week

Monday: Jets beat the Sabres, and the Senators fall to the Penguins. Hey, Pittsburgh is good.

Tuesday: Jets beat the Capitals, and the Sens, who have lost two in a row, think back to the five-game losing streak they had two weeks ago and get a little nervous.

Thursday: Jets beat the Habs and the Capitals bounce back from their loss to the Jets to keep the Sens in free fall mode.

Saturday: The Senators down the lowly Flyers to move back to within a point of the Jets with one game to go.

Sunday:The Senators go into Boston, where the Bruins need a victory to win the Northeast Division, and lose. If the Senators get a point, the Jets still finish ahead of them thanks to ROWs.

Chances of this actually happening?

Not as astronomical as you may think — This is the intriguing one, because aside from the Flyers tilt, the Sens have three very tough games. Can you imagine if the Senators need to win in Boston on Sunday night to overtake the Jets?

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

52 pts, 22 ROWs

Schedule

Tuesday, vs. Winnipeg

Thursday, vs. Ottawa

Saturday, vs. Boston

The dream week

Monday: Jets beat Sabres to get to within a point of the Capitals.

Tuesday: Jets beat Capitals and move a point ahead of them. Hey, the Caps are only 15-4-1 in their last 19 games, and the Jets won there back in January. So yes, I’m saying there’s a chance ...

Wednesday: The Capitals spend the day realizing their 5-0 loss to the Jets the night before means they aren’t good enough. Their confidence is shattered.

Thursday: The Jets beat the Habs and the reeling Ottawa Senators go into Washington desperately needing a victory to stave off their own collapse of epic proportions. They pull it off, beating the Capitals for the second time in a week. And that would be enough for the Jets to win the Southeast and lock up third spot in the Eastern Conference.


You never know — It’s tough to see the Capitals being out of playoff contention before they play their final game of the season, but their schedule is no cake walk. The Jets must beat them on Tuesday night.

NEW YORK RANGERS

52 pts, 20 ROWs

Schedule

Tuesday, at Florida

Thursday, at Carolina

Saturday, vs. New Jersey

The dream week

Monday: Jets beat Sabres and hope the Rangers get sunburned on the golf course in Florida, making it painful to put their equipment on against the Panthers the following day.

Tuesday: Jets beat Capitals and the Panthers, who have lost six in a row, end their skid. Hey, they have to win at some point, don’t they?

Thursday: Jets beat the Habs and Rangers fall to the Hurricanes. Carolina has two wins in their last 19 games, and one of them came at home. So be afraid, Rangers. Be very afraid. But let’s be real. The Rangers are going to beat either Florida or Carolina.

Friday: Jets players get as many cell phone numbers of Rangers players as they can and then call them all in the middle of the night.

Saturday: The tired Rangers, who got crank called all night, fall to the Devils in a shootout, giving them a point to tie the Jets, but it’s not enough. The Jets grab the eighth seed thanks to more ROWs.


Unlikely — The Rangers have a ridiculously easy schedule. Then again, they’re probably the worst of the four teams the Jets are chasing.

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

53 pts, 20 ROWs

Schedule

Tuesday, at Carolina

Thursday, at Philadelphia

Friday, at Buffalo

The dream week

Monday: Jets beat the Sabres.

Tuesday: Jets beat the Capitals and the Islanders fall to the Hurricanes. Don’t forget that one of Carolina’s two wins in their last 19 games have come at home. Hey, crazier things have happened.

Thursday: Jets beat the Habs, and the Islanders go into Philly and get smoked by the Flyers. Philadelphia drilled New York 7-0 at home back on Feb. 18. If all of that happens, the Islanders wouldn’t be able to catch the Jets even with a win on Friday in Buffalo.


Basically impossible — The Isles are four points up with three games to go and are facing three teams whose players’ minds will be on the golf course.

SLIM ODDS

15.6% — Jets odds of making playoffs, according to sportsclubstats.com.

UPHILL CLIMB

The Winnipeg Jets went 5-0-1 on their recent six-game home stand, which was good, but it needed to be better.

The Jets went 5-0-1 and are no closer to a playoff spot than they were two weeks ago when they began their hot streak. The franchise faces an uphill climb this week to sneak into the post-season for the first time since 2007, but there are still a few paths into the post-season.

The bottom line is this week they can still track down and knock out any one of four teams: the Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators or New York Islanders. Depending on each team’s final number of regulation and overtime victories, the Jets need between three or four points more than one of those teams this week to get into the playoff party.

Since it appears getting the teams above them to lose is nothing more than a dream right now, here are four dream scenarios for the Jets this week. They need only one of them to come true.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 04.23.2013


Jets get razor thin win


First posted: Monday, April 22, 2013 12:02 PM CDT | Updated: Monday, April 22, 2013 08:59 PM CDT

BUFFALO — One down, two to go and a little more help.

The Winnipeg Jets edged the Buffalo Sabres 2-1 tonight at First Niagara Center to keep their playoff hopes alive and kicking.

Jets right-winger Antti Miettinen, who returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch for the last six games, took a drop pass from James Wright and fired a shot that probably should have been saved but found a way to get through Jhonas Enroth and trickle over the goal-line with 7:36 to go in the third. Miettinen was playing on a line with Wright and Evander Kane in the third period because Kyle Wellwood left with a suspected hand injury after blocking a Thomas Vanek shot in the second.

Two minutes after Miettinen’s tally, Ondrej Pavelec made a game-saving stop on Vanek, who had dangled his way in all alone on the Jets netminder.

The Jets (24-19-3) are one point back of the Washington Capitals, whom they will face tomorrow night at Verizon Center in what will be a make-or-break match. They are also one in arrears of the New York Rangers and Ottawa Senators, who are on their way to losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight.

The Jets basically need to get three or four more points than those three teams this week to steal a playoff spot from one of them. Getting the win tonight in Buffalo means one down, two to go.

A win tomorrow night in Washington won’t get them a spot, but a loss would all but end their hopes.

The Jets came out firing and peppered Enroth with shots. Alex Burmistrov had the best chance early on, but Enroth was there with his glove hand to make the stop.

Evander Kane had a penalty shot later in the first after Andrej Sekera hauled him down, but his attempt went off Enroth’s glove and then off the crossbar.

Sekera had a glorious opportunity to put the hosts up late in the first, but he put his shot through the crease and it remained a 0-0 game after 20 minutes.

The Jets finally cracked the goose eggs 7:42 into the second when Derek Meech, who was in the lineup for the injured Zach Bogosian, sent a pass from the corner to the slot, where Aaron Gagnon was there to redirect it past Enroth and into the net for his third of the season.

The lead didn’t last, however, as Winnipeg’s Blake Wheeler took a lazy hooking penalty and Thomas Vanek scored his 18th of the season just 19 seconds later on the power play to tie the game.

Dustin Byfluglien hit the post later in the middle frame and captain Andrew Ladd was stopped by a backwards-facing Enroth during a mad scramble around the Buffalo net, and it was 1-1 through two periods.

The Jets out-shot the Sabres 39-25.

Buffalo, which was already eliminated from playoff contention, fell to 19-21-6.

BUFFALO — It’s clear there is lingering animosity in the Jets dressing room over Kyle Okposo’s check on Zach Bogosian.

The Jets basically need to win their last three regular-season games if they want to have any hope of making the playoffs, but they’ll have to do it without Bogosian, who appears to have suffered a concussion when Okposo, a New York Islanders forward, delivered a rising check on him during Saturday’s game, which the Jets lost 5-4 in a shootout.

Okposo didn’t receive a penalty on the play, nor did he get any supplemental discipline from the NHL.

“It’s tough. We lose one of our best players,” Jets captain Andrew Ladd said. “As a player, I guess you feel a hit to the head is a hit to the head. That’s a tough one to take, especially this time of year when we really need him in the lineup. And that’s a team we’re battling for the playoffs with, and they still have their guy playing.

“So I don’t know. I don’t really have much more to say about that, but it’s tough to lose Zach.”

Derek Meech will take Bogosian’s spot in the lineup tonight when the Jets take on the Buffalo Sabres at First Niagara Center. The Winnipeg native will be paired with Dustin Byfuglien and will be making his first appearance since April 1.

“He likes to get up on the rush, so I’m going to have to focus on a little more of the defensive side of things and take it from there,” said Meech, who added he isn’t worried about coming in cold. “I’ve been here. I’ve been in this role for a long time, so I know what I’m doing now.”

Evander Kane didn’t take part in today’s morning skate, but head coach Claude Noel said he should be good to go tonight. Zach Redmond rejoined the Jets after his weekend conditioning stint with the St. John’s IceCaps, while Nik Antropov, Anthony Peluso and Jim Slater took part in the morning skate. None of those four is expected to play tonight, and Jets head coach Claude Noel made it sound as if Redmond, whose femoral artery was severed on Feb. 21, still needs some time to be ready to play in an NHL game. “I think he in his own mind feels that he needs probably a little bit more time, and until he got to that point then I would take it from there as the starting point of when that might take place,” Noel said. “Until he feels better about that, we deal with our medical people and go from there.”

Antti Miettinen will take Olli Jokinen’s spot in the lineup tonight after being a healthy scratch for the last six contests. Jokinen suffered a high ankle sprain on Saturday and is out for six to eight weeks.

Jhonas Enroth will start for the Sabres, who have been officially eliminated from playoff contention, while the Jets will counter with Ondrej Pavelec.

The only other game tonight that affects the Jets is the Pittsburgh-Ottawa tilt in the nation’s capital. If the Jets win and Senators lose, Winnipeg will be within one point of the Senators and New York Rangers for seventh in the Eastern Conference and also within a point of the Washington Capitals for the Southeast Division lead.

The Jets play the Capitals on Tuesday night in D.C. to close out their road schedule.

In other news this morning, Ladd was named the NHL’s first star of the week after notching two goals and six assists in three games. He also scored two shootout goals.



Wellwood lost to Jets


First posted: Monday, April 22, 2013 09:55 PM CDT

BUFFALO — Kyle Wellwood has suffered his second straight season-ending injury late in the campaign.

The Jets right-winger blocked a Thomas Vanek shot with his right hand in the second period of Monday night’s 2-1 win over the Buffalo Sabres. He returned to the game and played the rest of the middle frame but didn’t return for the third.

“Kyle Wellwood will be out long-term with an injured hand,” head coach Claude Noel said afterwards.

Wellwood also broke his foot in the fourth-last game of last season.

The Wellwood injury gives Noel some options for Tuesday’s titanic tilt in Washington. He said Nik Antropov, who has been out since April 2 with a lower-body injury, will be available to play, but Jim Slater, who is recovering from a broken hand, will not. Gritty winger Anthony Peluso, who has been ready for a while now after injuring his hand, is another option to replace Wellwood, but you’d think Noel will go with the experience of the Antropov for such a huge game.



Jets vs. Sabres snapshots

By Ted Wyman,Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Monday, April 22, 2013 09:46 PM CDT

Winnipeg Jets vs Buffalo Sabres, April 22, 2013 Kane reacts are hitting the cross on a penalty shot.

Even though they escaped by the skin of their teeth in the end, you have the give the Jets full marks for getting the job done in a huge win over the Buffalo Sabres Monday night.

They came out looking loose and motivated and did exactly what they wanted to do, dominating for the most part against a non-playoff team.

They only won 2-1 and needed some massive saves from Ondrej Pavelec to preserve the victory in the end, but when you outshoot a team 39-25 and generate the kind of chances the Jets created all night long, you deserve to win.

On a night when the Jets needed to win to keep their playoff hopes alive and the big guns couldn’t buy a goal despite getting several glorious chances, role players Aaron Gagnon and Antti Miettinen scored and the visitors overcame a brilliant performance by Sabres goalie Jonas Enroth to earn another thrilling victory in the team’s best stretch since relocating to Winnipeg in 2011.

The playoffs are still not in their grasp and may never be, but it’s hard to imagine fans will be too disappointed with their team after the effort and intensity the Jets have displayed over the last two weeks.

April hockey is supposed to be like this and the Jets have come through.

ONE THAT GOT AWAY

Enroth was the star of the game, making six saves on Jets speedy winger Blake Wheeler alone, but Pavelec was a life preserver for the Jets late in the third. His glove save off Tomas Vanek will make the highlight reels but it was only one of four or five clutch stops he made in the dying minutes ... After all the tremendous saves Enroth made, including stopping Evander Kane on a penalty shot, Enroth gave up a weak knuckler to Miettinen that gave the Jets the win. Lucky break for the Jets ... Anybody who watches the Jets regularly knew Kane would try to go high glove on his penalty shot attempt. It’s his favourite spot. Unfortunately, not only did Enroth probably know that but the Sabres goalie had already made two fine glove saves off Bryan Little and Alex Burmistrov. Not surprisingly, he stopped Kane and kept the score at 0-0 through one period, even though the Jets outshot the Sabres 14-4 ... The Jets could easily have been down a goal or two after one. Andrej Sekera had Pavelec beaten but tipped the puck through the crease and wide and Tyler Ennis had the Jets goalie at his mercy as well, but rang one off the post ... The First Niagara Center sounded like a morgue compared to MTS Centre on Saturday, at least until the Jets fans in attendance started making some noise. Once again, they made their presence felt ... The Jets got their first goal of the game from the AHL connection of Derek Meech and Aaron Gagnon. Meech made a pretty pass and Gagnon a terrific re-direct to beat Enroth. The Jets can’t complain about the contributions they’ve received from their callups this season, particularly Gagnon, who has three goals and has continually looked dangerous on the fourth line.

LADD THE FIRST STAR

Jets captain Andrew Ladd was named the NHL’s first star of the week on Monday after he recorded two goals and six assists in three games last week. Ladd’s spectacular season has likely gone unnoticed around the NHL until now but perhaps this will help him gain a few all-star votes on left-wing from the Professional Hockey Writers Association. Ladd is currently third in scoring among all left-wingers with 46 points, behind only Alex Ovechkin of the Capitals and Chris Kunitz of the Penguins. It’s hard to imagine one of those two players not getting the all-star nod, but Ladd is very worthy of consideration. Among the left-wingers Ladd has outperformed this season are Taylor Hall of the Oilers, Rick Nash of the Rangers and Daniel Sedin of the Canucks ... The NHL justice department has had a tough season and it failed miserably when it chose not to give supplemental discipline to Islanders forward Kyle Okposo for his hit to the head of Jets defenceman

Zach Bogosian on Saturday. Okposo clearly hit Bogosian in the chin with his shoulder and now the Jets have lost their best defenceman to a concussion. Okposo was not suspended by Brendan Shanahan and will play on while Bogosian sits out. Terrible message from a league that is trying to get rid of that kind of play.

SANTORELLI A CATALYST

Mike Santorelli has not scored for the Jets since being picked up on waivers from Florida (shootout goals don’t count) but he has looked excellent. He has good speed and puck sense and has been the catalyst on an effective line with Alex Burmistrov and Eric Tangradi ... Steve Ott came into the game with 23 points and 74 penalty minutes. He got Jets leading scorer and captain Ladd to fight after the Jets forward delivered a clean but punishing body check. The Jets got a power play but it was a terrible tradeoff for the visiting team as Ladd ended up staying in the box for over seven minutes as there was no whistle to let him out after he served his five ... Jets were lucky it was John Scott, he of the zero goals this season and one career goal in 177 games, was the player who got an open net chance midway through third and shot puck right into Pavelec’s pads. Another good break.


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ESPN / Need to know: Wild still have work to do

By Scott Burnside

So, maybe we were a bit hasty in assuming the Minnesota Wild were locks to make the playoffs.

After a lackluster 4-1 loss Sunday night to the lowly Calgary Flames, the Wild woke up Monday to find that they'd sunk into a tie with the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final two playoff berths in the Western Conference, with the Detroit Red Wings just three points back with a game in hand.

Now, credit Joey MacDonald, who was stellar for the Flames, stopping 34 of 35 shots. But, come on, these are the Flames -- a team long banished from playoff contention. The Wild's offense, never the team's strong suit and less so with Dany Heatley out with injury, continues to sputter. Minnesota has only three wins in its past 11 games and has gone from battling the Vancouver Canucks for the top spot in the Northwest Division to fighting for its playoff life, a fall that is mindful of the Wild's great descent from the top of the standings midway through last season to a 12th-place finish in the conference.

During this 11-game span, the Wild have been outscored 33-19. Sorry, that won't cut it.

Even though Zach Parise and linemate Mikko Koivu combined for 15 shots Sunday, the Wild are going to need more finish or this season is going to end quickly, whether they make the playoffs or not.

The Wild still control their destiny in the race against the surging Blue Jackets (who came up with a huge 4-3 road win Sunday against the San Jose Sharks) and with the Red Wings, Dallas Stars and Phoenix Coyotes lurking in the weeds. The fact that the Wild play the Edmonton Oilers and Colorado Avalanche down the stretch (along with the Los Angeles Kings) should help pave the way to their first postseason berth in five years.

Of course, we would have thought that heading into Sunday's game, too.

ESPN LOADED: 04.23.2013

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ESPN / It's back to the drawing board for Flyers

By Pierre LeBrun

With the Flyers about to miss the playoffs for only the second time in 18 seasons, the focus in Philadelphia turns to what has to be done for the team to avoid a similar fate a year from now.

This isn't a town where missing the playoffs is taken lightly. Owner Ed Snider wants to win -- now.

Having said that, there's the danger of overreacting to a lockout-shortened season when a lot of strange and surprising things happened around the league.

"There's a fine line between winning and losing in our league, that's how tight it is," Flyers GM Paul Holmgren told ESPN.com Monday. "You don't have to look very closely at the standings to recognize that. There's a few teams that had runaway years, you look at Pittsburgh and Chicago in particular, but everybody else is fairly close.

"I look at our team, it's amazing that's where we're at with the power play and penalty killing near the top of the league; but 5-on-5 goals, we're way down. That's probably what did us in, more than anything."

Indeed, it's hard to believe a team that Monday morning sat third overall on the power play and sixth on the penalty kill will miss the playoffs. However, when you look at the 5-on-5 goals for/against ratio (one of my favorite stats), the Flyers sit 28th overall at 0.82, just ahead of the Calgary Flames and Florida Panthers.

"We changed the way we played a little bit in our end and I think it affected us offensively," Holmgren said. "We didn't really get the hang of how we were trying to play, I think."

Not re-signing Jaromir Jagr last season has been pointed out by many as a mistake, as the future Hall of Famer meshed very well with Claude Giroux last season. Trading James van Riemsdyk to the Toronto Maple Leafs last summer has also been linked to the Flyers' offensive struggles.

Losing Scott Hartnell for a month early in the season to a broken foot was a huge loss to the top line. It was the beginning of a long list of injuries to the Flyers in general that certainly impacted the team.

"Obviously losing people at different times of the year doesn't help," Holmgren said. "But you have to find ways to fight through that stuff, and we didn't."

Another key factor: The Flyers had hoped that second-year forwards Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier would take their games to another level, and that simply didn't happen.

"We rely a lot on Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier, they both played significant minutes this year," Holmgren said. "They probably had similar years than they had last year in terms of numbers if you pro-rate it, but obviously when you're playing those minutes maybe you expect a little more. Maybe our expectations were a little bit too high for those young guys. I think they're both good young players; they're going to continue to grow and get better. Sometimes you can't speed up that process no matter what you do. You just have to let time take care of it."

Sometimes when young players don't develop as quickly as the team had hoped, the coaching staff feels the heat.

And certainly with the pressure to win in Philadelphia, missing the playoffs is usually a dangerous thing for a coach. But when asked about the future of Peter Laviolette, Holmgren denied the speculation about the coach being in trouble.

"I've never even thought along those lines," Holmgren said. "I think Peter's a good coach, I think our coaches have done a good job under the circumstances. Nobody's happy with the position we're in and not being in the playoffs. We need to sit down at talk at the end of the year and figure out a way to get back in. That's what we do."

There's been just as much if not more speculation about the future of Ilya Bryzgalov, who is wrapping up Year 2 of a nine-year, $51 million deal with

the Flyers. Some believe the proper thing to do with the Russian netminder would be to use one of the two compliance buyouts the NHL offered up in the new CBA which don't count against the cap. All it would cost is money, as in $23 million over the next 14 years according to capgeek.com, if the Flyers were to buy him out.

That talk intensified at the trade deadline after the Flyers acquired goalie Steve Mason. But as Holmgren put it Monday, he was only trying to strengthen the team's depth of the position, not replace Bryzgalov. People should not have read more into it than that, the GM said.

"Steve is a guy that we've liked. When the opportunity came up to make the trade for him, it was the intention of having good goaltending," Holmgren said. "I think right now with Ilya and Steve, we've got good goaltending moving forward. Any talk of anything other than that I think is out of bounds."

The point, Holmgren said, is to protect Bryzgalov next season so he doesn't have to play too many games.

"Ilya played a lot of games this year, but he's not going to play 82 games next season," Holmgren said. "You need a guy that can go in. Steve's a young guy still, he's had some success at an early age in our league. I think working with (goalies coach) Jeff Reese he can get back to a good level. He certainly has the right attitude about it. He's been great since he's been here."

To be clear, I asked Holmgren if there was any basis at all to the speculation of a Bryzgalov buyout.

"No," he said.

But there is offseason work to be done for a Flyers team that is just three years removed from a berth in the Stanley Cup final.

"Now we have to figure out a way to get back in the thick of things," Holmgren said. "I like our group moving forward. We'll look at a number of different things through the draft and through the rest of the summer and come up with something that will help us get back in the mix."

ESPN LOADED: 04.23.2013

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USA TODAY / NHL awards vote coming down to wire

Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports12:39 a.m. EDT April 23, 2013

More than playoff positioning is at stake in the final week of the season.

The latest vote of the 12-member USA TODAY Sports power rankings suggests that postseason awards could also come down to the wire.

Eight people on the panel are voting members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, which will decide the Hart Trophy (MVP), Norris Trophy (defenseman) and Calder Trophy (rookie), among others.

Results of the April 22 vote:

-Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby, who continues to lead the league in scoring three weeks after suffering a broken jaw, maintained his position atop the MVP race. He did receive one fewer first-place vote.

Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin jumped to within eight points of Crosby after a late-season surge in which he has scored 21 goals in 20 games.

-The closest vote is for the Norris Trophy, where the Minnesota Wild's Ryan Suter, Montreal Canadiens' P.K. Subban and Penguins' Kris Letang were tied for first among defensemen.

-Columbus Blue Jackets' Sergei Bobrovsky passed the Boston Bruins' Tuukka Rask for the goaltending lead (general managers vote on the Vezina Trophy) and Florida Panthers forward Jonathan Huberdeau remained top rookie.

USA TODAY LOADED: 04.23.2013

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USA TODAY / Red Wings rout Coyotes, aid playoff hopes

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports11:52 p.m. EDT April 22, 2013

DETROIT — Henrik Zetterberg says he will ponder the Detroit Red Wings' streak of 21 playoff appearances more when he's in a rocking chair than he does now as captain of a team scrapping to keep it alive.

"It's something to (think about) when you are done playing," Zetterberg said.

But Zetterberg added "you don't want to be part of the team when the streak is done," and he and his teammates took steps to avoid that when they downed the Phoenix Coyotes 4-0 Monday to strengthen their playoff hopes.

The Red Wings remain in ninth place, but if they win their final three games against the Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators and Dallas Stars, they would extend the playoff appearance streak to 22 seasons.

"The only thing we really care about is getting into the playoffs," Zetterberg said. "And we would have the same feeling if we hadn't made it last year."

Johan Franzen scored twice, and Zetterberg contributed three assists to support the 34-save shutout posted by Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard.

"I'm impressed with how hard we have played," said Detroit coach Mike Babcock. "Lots of times we've played hard, and haven't gotten the results. Tonight, we played hard and got the results."

The Red Wings' streak is the longest active one among the four major sports. The NBA's San Antonio Spurs are second with a 16-year streak.

The Red Wings have 50 points, but they are one point out of seventh place in the Western Conference. The Minnesota Wild are seventh with 51 points and have three games remaining. The Columbus Blue Jackets are eighth with 51 points and two games remaining.

The loss devastates the Coyotes' playoff aspirations. They are five points out of a playoff spot with three games remaining.

"Five-on-five, we were hanging in there good," said Coyotes coach Dave Tippett, "but special teams dictated the outcome."

Detroit generated three of its goals on the power play. Franzen redirected Brunner's shot from the point at 2:37 of the first period to give Detroit a 1-0 lead.

"Any time you get the first goal, it's a lot easier playing," Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall said.

With less than a minute left in the period. Brunner scored his 12th goal of the season with Zetterberg and Kronwall assisting.

The same pair assisted on Valtteri Filppula's power play goal in the second period. Franzen's second goal was an empty-netter.

It was the first time in a month that the team had scored as many as four goals in a game. The Red Wings have struggled to score of late.

"Let's not jinx anything," said Red Wings forward Dan Cleary. "It was obviously a good sign."


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USA TODAY / NHL preview: Matt Cooke goes to Ottawa

Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports2:54 p.m. EDT April 22, 2013

Five games are on the schedule with seven days left in the regular season.

Things to know about Monday's games:

Pittsburgh Penguins at Ottawa Senators, 7:30: The Senators could clinch a playoff spot with a win and a Winnipeg Jets loss. But the media buildup to the game has been about what happened in February. Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke took Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson into the boards and his skate ended up cutting the Norris Trophy winner's Achilles tendon. Karlsson has been out since, though he's practicing again and getting close. The NHL called the hit a hockey play gone bad, but Senators owner Eugene Melnyk ripped Cooke as a goon soon after. Expect Cooke to be booed every time he's on the ice, and hockey code suggests that he will have to drop the gloves at some point in the game. But with a playoff berth not yet secure, the Senators can't focus on revenge. Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury didn't make the trip because his wife is in labor, and defenseman Kris Letang is out with food poisoning, according to the Penguins' Twitter feed.

MORE: Monday's NHL scoreboard

Phoenix Coyotes at Detroit Red Wings, 7:30: The Columbus Blue Jackets' big win on Sunday night makes this a must-win for both teams. Neither team would officially be eliminated with a loss, but they would no longer control their fates. Detroit's Patrick Eaves will join the lineup for Drew Miller (broken hand), according to the Detroit Free Press.

Chicago Blackhawks at Vancouver Canucks, 10:30: A Chicago win and a Penguins regulation loss would give the Blackhawks the Presidents' Trophy and home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. The Canucks had won the last two. Vancouver will clinch the Northwest Division title by getting to overtime.

LOOK AHEAD: What's at stake this week

Anaheim Ducks at Edmonton Oilers, 9:30: If the Ducks can beat the Oilers for the second night in a row, they will clinch the Pacific Division title.

Winnipeg at Buffalo Sabres, 7: The Jets, trying to make the playoffs for the second time in franchise history, can still finish eighth or win the Southeast Division and finish third. The Jets' big game is Tuesday at Washington, but they need this one, too. With Zach Bogosian (head) out, the Jets recalled defenseman Zach Redmond. Jets captain Andrew Ladd (eight points in three games) was named NHL player of the week.


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YAHOO SPORTS / Keith Yandle to give 'Martin Richard' jersey to family of 8-year-old bombing victim

Nicholas J. Cotsonika

11 hours ago

Keith Yandle will not auction off the Phoenix Coyotes jersey he wore in warm-ups Saturday night to honor Martin Richard, the 8-year-old hockey fan who died in the Boston Marathon bombings last week.

Keith Yandle has had the words "Pray For Boston" on his skates since the bombing.The family has reached out to say it would rather have the jersey itself.

Yandle hopes that one day, when the Coyotes’ season is over and he’s back home in Boston, he will be able to deliver the jersey to the family personally. He hopes to go with his wife’s uncle, Sean O’Brien, a Boston fire lieutenant who was on the scene of the bombings, and O’Brien’s 9-year-old daughter, Ava, a classmate and close friend of Richard’s.

“It’ll be tough,” said Yandle on Monday. “But it’ll be something they wanted, and it will be special giving it to them.”

Yandle wanted to do something, anything. He is the grandson of a Boston firefighter. He has a child himself and another one due soon. He grew up in Milton, maybe 20 minutes from the marathon finish line, and returns every summer. When he speaks of home, his Boston accent comes back strong.

Last Monday, he had a pregame meal and went to his place in the Phoenix area. He noticed something unsettling – group texts and email messages in which friends and family members were asking things like, “Is everybody OK? Where are you?”

“And then I turned on the news,” he said, “and it was a pretty scary thing to see.”

Two bombs had gone off on Boylston Street. Yandle knew so many people in and around the area – spectators, runners, first responders.

Yandle’s brother, Brian, was watching the marathon with his 6-year-old son, Brian Jr. They were about 800 yards away from the finish line. They started walking toward it, but they had been at the Red Sox game earlier and were tired. They turned around and went home.

Many of Yandle’s buddies were there. One of them was running. Brendan Byrne finished about six minutes before the bombs went off. His parents stood right at the row of flags about five minutes before the first blast.

O’Brien was stationed at Boylston and Fairfield, about 300 yards from the finish line. He said he was with Mike Foley, who grew up with Yandle and served in the U.S. Army in Iraq. He said they could hear and feel the first blast, and Foley knew immediately it was a bomb. They hopped a fence and ran toward the smoke, as others ran away.

“And then the second one went off [about a block away],” O’Brien said. “We were in the second pile.”

In an online chat with buddies, Yandle asked if anyone had an idea of something he could do. Ryan Whitney, a Boston native who plays for the Edmonton Oilers, suggested he write “PRAY FOR BOSTON” on his skates.

Yandle had the Coyotes’ equipment man write the message in black marker on the white plastic above his blade, because he didn’t trust his own handwriting. He wore the message that night against the San Jose Sharks and has continued to wear it since.

“It was a hard day for everyone,” Yandle said. “I just wanted everyone back home to know I was praying for them and with them in spirit.”

Martin Richard's family has asked for the jersey that Yandle wore in tribute to the 8-year-old bombing victim.Later came official word that three people had been killed and dozens had been injured. One of the dead was Richard. He was from the Dorchester part of Boston. Yandle’s brother lives there. Yandle’s wife, Kristyn, grew up there.

“It’s a tight-knit community,” Yandle said. “Everybody knows everybody.”

O’Brien’s daughter was in the same Grade 3 class with Richard at Neighborhood House Charter School. O’Brien said they were part of “a very tight crew” of five or six friends.

Yandle texted O’Brien, asking if there was anything he could do.

One of the photos released of Richard showed him smiling at a Boston Bruins game. Before the Coyotes played Saturday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, Yandle warmed up in a jersey with “MARTIN RICHARD” across the back. It was No. 8.

“I just wanted to show the family that I was thinking about them and trying to have their son’s spirit live on, just to get a game in the NHL and have him out there on my jersey,” Yandle said. “It was just something. I just wanted to show my respects to them.”

O’Brien said Yandle’s gesture was “from the heart.” The idea to auction it off was secondary.

“If Keith was a garbage man in Boston, he’d want to go over there and cut their lawn,” O’Brien said. “He’s just that type of kid. He’s a great kid. …

“You can count professional hockey players from this part of the world on one hand. To have someone who excels as much as Keith does is impressive. It makes for a small world. He wants to do something for the family. He doesn’t want to throw money at it. He wants to do something that will last.”

Yandle said a member of Richard’s family reached out to his brother Sunday and asked for the jersey. He said that was “even better.” They can always auction off other stuff to raise money.

He talked to O’Brien on Sunday and told him he wanted to deliver the jersey himself this summer. He asked O’Brien if he’d go with him. O’Brien said he would.

They just want to help any way they can and respect the family’s wishes.

“I think when the season’s over I’ll reach out to [the family], and if it’s OK, Keith and I will walk over, maybe take Ava with us,” O’Brien said. “We’ll probably take the jersey over to the Richards, if it’s OK with them.”

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