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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 10/28/2013

Anaheim Ducks 723618 Corey Perry lifts Ducks over Blue Jackets, 4-3 723619 Perry scores late, leads Ducks over Columbus

Boston Bruins 723620 Bruins’ energy lacking, Devils turned to power play 723621 Bruins pay for lack of killer instinct vs. NJ

Buffalo Sabres 723622 Ruff expects happy return vs. Sabres 723623 Sabres send Vanek to Islanders, get Moulson and two picks in return 723624 Sabres' rebuilding plan takes huge step with trade of Vanek 723625 Sabres trade Vanek to Islanders for Moulson, first- and second-round picks 723626 Ruff returns to Buffalo as coach of Stars 723627 Buffalo Sabres deal Thomas Vanek to New York Islanders

Calgary Flames 723628 Johnson: Flames post morale-building 5-2 victory over Caps 723629 Johnson: Switch back to old stick helps Glencross end untimely scoring slump 723630 Flames notes: NHL squad keeps fans in dark about two key injured players 723631 What do you think of the Flames’ new third jersey? 723632 Injured Calgary Flames pair hobble out to show off new third jerseys 723633 5 Burning Questions for Calgary Flames: Oct 27 723634 Calgary Flames forward Curtis Glencross ends drought with little help from some old friends 723635 Maple Leafs feel right at home in the West

Carolina Hurricanes 723636 Hurricanes, Penguins seek to end losing streaks 723637 Medical reports, practice for the Canes

Chicago Blackhawks 723638 Monday's matchup: Blackhawks at Wild 723639 It’s early, but where are the Blackhawks’ panic areas? 723640 Blackhawks' Bickell no longer pressing 723641 Blackhawks game day 723642 So far, Blackhawks' special teams not so special 723643 Penalty kill continues to give Blackhawks fits 723644 As recent struggles prove, Hawks still a work in progress

Colorado Avalanche 723645 Avalanche vs. Jets pregame notes 723646 The new game-night entertainment at the Pepsi Center – soooo much better 723647 Matt Duchene dials up no. 9 in October 723648 Frei: Avs' Patrick Roy teacher at heart 723649 Avalanche rallies in third period to top Winnipeg Jets in Colorado 723650 Patrick Roy: More on the Avalanche coach as teacher

Columbus Blue Jackets 723651 Blue Jackets fall to Ducks 4-3 723652 Blue Jackets notebook: Leg injury will keep Boone Jenner off ice 723653 NHL: Blue Jackets take alternate route in picking captain 723654 Around the NHL: Derick Brassard goal lifts Rangers to OT win 723655 Game Day Scorecard: Blue Jackets vs. Anaheim Ducks

Dallas Stars 723656 Top AHL scorer Travis Morin called up to Dallas Stars 723657 Stars coach Lindy Ruff has more on his mind than just return trip to Buffalo 723658 Defensman partners shuffled for Alex Goligoski, Sergei Gonchar

Detroit Red Wings 723659 Detroit Red Wings' Stephen Weiss seeking role as team searches for blueprint for success 723660 Allowing too many shots is beginning to to cost Red Wings 723661 News and views: Turnovers allowing Wings' foes way too many shots 723662 Red Wings focus on reducing turnovers, making simple plays with the puck to tighten up defensively 723663 Detroit Red Wings ‘spend too much time' in own end of rink, Babcock says

Edmonton Oilers 723664 Richard Bachman gets call in net for Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings 723665 Last-minute call-up goalie Richard Bachman shines for Edmonton Oilers in shootout loss to L.A. Kings 723666 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins looks like he avoided serious injury 723667 SPONSOR_Harley_Davidson_September_REV2 723668 Edmonton Oilers down to the wire in Los Angeles

Florida Panthers 723669 Brad Boyes helps Florida Panthers gain point in overtime loss 723670 IS IT ON YOU?: Upshall Squirts Gudas, Fun Ensues 723671 BOYES COMES UP BIG: Instead of Benching, Boyes Forces OT in Panthers 4-3 SO Loss to Lightning 723672 Boyes goes from bench to near hero in Panthers' 4-3 shootout loss to the Lightning

Los Angeles Kings 723673 Anze Kopitar makes right decision in Kings' shootout win over Oilers 723674 Game 12 Preview: Edmonton at Los Angeles 723675 October 27 postgame notes, videos 723676 October 27 postgame quotes: Darryl Sutter 723677 October 27 postgame quotes: Anze Kopitar 723678 October 27 Postgame Quotes: Bachman, Eakins 723679 October 27 postgame quotes: Matt Frattin 723680 Game 12: Edmonton at Los Angeles

Minnesota Wild 723681 Wild looks to complete home-and-home sweep against the Blackhawks 723682 Instant thoughts on Vanek's trade to Islanders 723683 Gameday preview: Chicago at Wild 723684 Wild showing it can overcome injuries and win 723685 Minnesota Wild: Charlie Coyle could return Friday 723686 Wild: No. 3 goalie Johan Gustafsson returned to Iowa 723687 Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks ripe for a rivalry 723688 Minnesota Wild: Coyle, Ballard, Brodin won't play Monday

Montreal Canadiens 723689 Goalie guru Waite’s work on display in both nets 723690 Sharks play party poopers for HIO Summit; Habs call up Leblanc

Nashville Predators 723691 Nashville Predators' long road trip will be a grind

New Jersey Devils

723692 Devils must win again to make comeback in Boston meaningful 723693 Devils' comeback win over Bruins sparked by four power play goals 723694 Devils: Some choice words in first intermission sparked turnaround 723695 Devils score two goals in final 1:08 to stun Bruins, 4-3 723696 Devils vs. Bruins: Live game analysis and fan discussion 723697 Devils notes: Goaltender Cory Schneider sits out

New York Islanders 723698 Isles Trade With Sabres For Forward 723699 Islanders acquire Thomas Vanek from Sabres in exchange for Matt Moulson, draft picks 723700 Win-now Islanders trade for high-scoring forward 723701 Islanders shake things up, trade Matt Moulson for Thomas Vanek

New York Rangers 723702 Henrik Lundqvist good to go in goal for Rangers home opener vs. Canadians 723703 Rangers-Canadiens preview: Mats Zuccarello responds to scratch in return, Ryan McDonagh moves to first power p 723704 Rangers coach wonders if Kreider can keep it up 723705 Henrik Lundqvist set to return for Rangers 723706 Rangers notes: Lundqvist hopes to play Monday 723707 Henrik Lundqvist will start in Rangers' home opener Monday against Montreal 723708 Canadiens at Rangers tonight (7:30) … pre-game notes

NHL 723709 Clarkson’s Homecoming for the Maple Leafs Is Delayed but Hard-Hitting 723710 Anze Kopitar makes right decision in Kings' shootout win over Oilers 723711 Hockey World: Cracking down on NHL head hits ‘not an easy job’

Ottawa Senators 723712 Senators searching for answers after another slow start 723713 Scanlan: Senators cooking up a losing recipe 723714 Remparts slice Olympiques’ win streak 723715 Ottawa Senators sit our Clarke MacArthur because of injury 723716 Ottawa Senators Marc Methot doesn't hurt Olympic chances 723717 Only ways Ottawa Senators and San Jose Sharks meet again his year is for the Cup

Philadelphia Flyers 723718 Mason deal one of Holmgren's best 723719 Flyers starting to adapt to Berube's system 723720 Emery just wants to contribute 723721 Sunny skating day for suddenly winning Flyers 723722 Lack of power-play success hampering Flyers 723723 Flyers' offense finally backs Steve Mason 723724 Chip plugs Flyers into world of sports science

Phoenix Coyotes 723725 Coyotes' Martin Hanzal will have a disciplinary hearing 723726 Buffalo Sabres enforcer John Scott awaits his fate

Pittsburgh Penguins 723727 Despite recent struggles, Penguins dominating on faceoffs this season 723728 On the Penguins: Fight on fight 723729 Carolina Hurricanes' woes have been early in games 723730 Penguins scouting report 723731 Penguins' Sutter has only one goal in mind

San Jose Sharks 723732 San Jose Sharks beat Ottawa Senators 5-2 723733 Sharks beat Senators 5-2 723734 Sharks' Burns not expected out long-term 723735 Stalock to start for Sharks; Boyle still out 723736 Sharks rookies trending in different directions 723737 Stalock comes through in first career NHL start

St Louis Blues 723738 Paajarvi will not practice after being injured against Nashville 723739 Steen plays down early scoring success 723740 Red-hot Steen scores twice to help carry Blues past Predators

Tampa Bay Lightning 723741 Bolts notes: Gudas’ ejection overcome 723742 Bolts stay hot with shootout win over Florida 723743 Gudas ejected for smashing stick on Panthers bench 723744 Lightning tops Panthers in shootout 723745 Video: Gudas tossed in Squirtgate 723746 Video: Radko Gudas smashes stick on boards after being squirted with water by Florida's Scottie Upshall

Toronto Maple Leafs 723747 Leafs’ injuries open hole for Kadri to shine 723748 Maple Leafs head west with confidence 723749 Maple Leafs hope Kulemin, Lupul can play out west 723750 Maple Leafs: Captain Dion Phaneuf in crowded penthouse; doghouse vacant 723751 Maple Leafs feel right at home in the West 723752 Toronto Maple Leafs ex-coach John Brophy reunited with former players 723753 Maple Leafs goalie debate back in focus

Vancouver Canucks 723766 Ovechkin back on track as he preps to face Canucks on Monday 723767 Canucks open a homestand after winning for coach John Tortorella

Washington Capitals 723754 Capitals are plagued by slow starts 723755 Five thoughts on the Capitals’ 5-2 loss to the Flames 723756 Capitals dismantled in Calgary as win streak snapped at three

Websites 723768 ESPN / DiPietro gets a shot with Canes' AHL club 723769 NBCSports.com / Report: Rinne says bacterial infection ‘very serious’ 723770 NBCSports.com / Lundqvist will play in Rangers home opener Monday 723771 NBCSports.com / Ducks recall 2009 first-round pick Holland 723772 NBCSports.com / Oilers recall Bachman and Lander from AHL 723773 NBCSports.com / Jagr blames new sticks for lack of goals, says ‘I have to start scoring’ 723774 NBCSports.com / Hanzal to have hearing on Monday about Petry hit 723775 NBCSports.com / Bolland’s play a huge boon to Maple Leafs success 723776 NBCSports.com / Toews after loss to Wild: ‘We know we want to be better than that’ 723777 USA TODAY / Sabres trade Thomas Vanek to Islanders 723778 USA TODAY / Why this may be the best San Jose Sharks team in franchise history 723779 USA TODAY / Brandon Dubinsky ejected for hit that injured Saku Koivu

Winnipeg Jets 723757 Jets, Avalanche tied 1-1 after first period 723758 Power play? What power play? 723759 Blood clot sidelines Postma

723760 Jets' Postma out indefinitely after blood clot discovered in leg 723761 Roy's simple plan has Avs ascending with Jets in town 723762 Winnipeg Jets: Again with the power play problems? 723763 Blood clot shelves Jets' Postma indefinitely 723764 Jets Snapshots: Time to shuffle Scheifele? 723765 Jets fall 3-2 to Avalanche SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 723618 Anaheim Ducks

Corey Perry lifts Ducks over Blue Jackets, 4-3

Associated Press

October 27, 2013, 8:47 p.m.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Anaheim Ducks overcame the loss of Saku Koivu to cool off the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Corey Perry scored with 2:25 remaining in the third period Sunday night and Anaheim edged Columbus, 4-3, ending the Blue Jackets' three-game winning streak.

An intended pass by Columbus' Dalton Prout to his defensive partner caromed hard off the backboards into the slot to Perry, who wristed a shot over a sprawled Sergei Bobrovsky.

"It was just one of those ones where it takes a weird hop and came right to me," Perry said, converting his sixth steal of the season. "If it didn't go in I probably would have had to hear about it from the bench."

The Ducks lost Koivu late in the second period on a hit that resulted in the ejection of Columbus' Brandon Dubinsky.

Koivu, who had just passed the puck crossing into the Columbus zone, took a blow and had to be helped from the ice. He did not return.

Dubinsky said he didn't have any malicious intent and was just trying to read the play.

"I think my shoulder and elbow were tucked," he said. "It's a fast game. I'm not a dirty player. I think I play the game honest. I went out there to try to make a body check, not injure Koivu or make a dirty hit."

Ducks Coach Bruce Boudreau wanted to see the play in slow motion before getting too emotional.

"I'm sure it will be discussed by a lot of people," he said. "It does me no good stating thoughts and things like that. We'll see what happens."

Artem Anisimov scored twice, rebounding from a hard first-period check by Francois Beauchemin, and Blake Comeau scored his first of the season for Columbus, which finished a four-game homestand at 3-1.

Bobrovsky, last season's Vezina Trophy winner, stopped 28 of 32 shots.

Ryan Getzlaf, Peter Holland and Emerson Etem scored for Anaheim.

The Ducks improved to 2-2 on their eight-game trip after starting the season winning seven of their first eight games. Rookie Frederik Anderson made 18 saves to improve to 3-0 on the season.

Tied at 2, the Ducks began the third period on a five-minute major power play with Dubinsky sent off.

Anaheim's struggling power play ranked last in the league took advantage with Etem stuffing home the rebound of a Teemu Selanne shot at 1:51 of the third for his second of the season.

"We did absolutely need it because I thought that was going to be a complete game changer if we didn't score on that power play," Boudreau said.

Columbus kept plugging away and Anisimov made it 3-3 with his fourth of the season at 8:24, redirecting James Wisniewski's point shot.

Losing Dubinsky "definitely hurt us but other guys stepped up," Blue Jackets left wing Nick Foligno said. "They scored on the power play and we found a way to get one. It seemed like the game was headed to overtime."

Comeau opened the scoring at 12:56 of the first period.

Anaheim pulled even 19 seconds into the second period with Getzlaf, on a nifty behind-the-back pass from Perry, zipping a low shot from the right dot for his fifth of the season.

Holland made it 2-1 at 6:59, throwing an off-angle shot from near the left end line that squeezed inside the near post past Bobrovsky.

The Blue Jackets, who didn't register their first shot of the period until midway through, scored a short-handed goal for the second game in a row to get back in it.

Cam Fowler bobbled the puck and Dubinsky stole it and sent Anisimov on a breakaway. He deked Anderson to make 2-2 at 12:12.

"The guys stuck together and battled right to the end," Etem said. "It was a huge win."

LA Times: LOADED: 10.28.2013

723619 Anaheim Ducks

Perry scores late, leads Ducks over Columbus

Posted: 10/27/13, 9:00 PM PDT |

By The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio >> The Ducks overcame the loss of Saku Koivu to cool off the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Corey Perry scored with 2:25 remaining in the third period on Sunday night and Anaheim edged Columbus 4-3, ending the Blue Jackets’ three-game winning streak.

An intended pass by Columbus’ Dalton Prout to his defensive partner caromed hard off the back boards into the slot to Perry, who wristed a shot over a sprawled Sergei Bobrovsky.

“It was just one of those ones where it takes a weird hop and came right to me,” Perry said, converting his sixth season of the season. “If it didn’t go in I probably would have had to hear about it from the bench.”

The Ducks lost Koivu late in the second period on a hit that resulted in the ejection of Columbus’ Brandon Dubinsky.

Koivu, who had just passed the puck crossing into the Columbus zone, took a blow and had to be helped from the ice. He did not return.

Dubinsky said he didn’t have any malicious intent and was just trying to read the play.

“I think my shoulder and elbow were tucked,” he said. “It’s a fast game. I’m not a dirty player. I think I play the game honest. I went out there to try to make a body check, not injure Koivu or make a dirty hit.”

Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau wanted to see the play in slow motion before getting too emotional.

“I’m sure it will be discussed by a lot of people,” he said. “It does me no good stating thoughts and things like that. We’ll see what happens.”

Artem Anisimov scored twice, rebounding from a hard first-period check by Francois Beauchemin, and Blake Comeau scored his first of the season for Columbus, which finished a four-game homestand at 3-1.

Bobrovsky, last season’s Vezina Trophy winner, stopped 28 of 32 shots.

Ryan Getzlaf, Peter Holland and Emerson Etem scored for Anaheim.

Anaheim is playing the fourth of an eight-game road trip. The Ducks improved to 2-2 on the trip after starting the season winning seven of their first eight games. Rookie Frederik Anderson made 18 saves to improve to 3-0 on the season.

Tied at 2, the Ducks began the third period on a five-minute major power play with Dubinsky sent off.

Anaheim’s struggling power play ranked last in the league took advantage with Etem stuffing home the rebound of a Teemu Selanne shot at 1:51 of the third for his second of the season.

“We did absolutely need it because I thought that was going to be a complete game changer if we didn’t score on that power play,” Boudreau said.

Columbus kept plugging away and Anisimov made it 3-3 with his fourth of the season at 8:24, redirecting James Wisniewski’s point shot.

“(Losing Dubie) definitely hurt us but other guys stepped up,” Blue Jackets left wing Nick Foligno said. “They scored on the power play and we found a way to get one. It seemed like the game was headed to overtime.”

Comeau opened the scoring at 12:56 of the first period.

Anaheim pulled even 19 seconds into the second period with Getzlaf, on a nifty behind-the-back pass from Perry, zipping a low shot from the right dot for his fifth of the season.

Holland made it 2-1 at 6:59, throwing an off-angle shot from near the left end line that squeezed inside the near post past Bobrovsky.

The Blue Jackets, who didn’t register their first shot of the period until midway through, scored a short-handed goal for the second game in a row to get back in it.

Cam Fowler bobbled the puck and Dubinsky stole it and sent Anisimov on a breakaway. He deked Anderson to make 2-2 at 12:12.

“The guys stuck together and battled right to the end,” Etem said. “It was a huge win.”

LA Daily News: LOADED: 10.28.2013

723620 Boston Bruins

Bruins’ energy lacking, Devils turned to power play

By Barbara Matson

October 28, 2013

In their 4-3 loss to the Devils on Saturday, the Bruins had a 3-1 lead after the first period and a lot of zip in their game.

In the second period, the energy quickly subsided. When it did, the Devils took over the tempo, scoring one goal in the second and two more in the third, all on the power play and two in the game’s last minute and eight seconds, to score the win.

For the game, the Devils had four power-play goals in seven chances. Entering the game, the Bruins’ penalty-killing unit was 21 for 24, good for 87.5 percent and third in the NHL.

The question players later tried to dissect was whether the Devils picked up their game or the Bruins dropped theirs.

“It definitely stings when we feel like we could’ve had that game and it got away from us,’’ said Jarome Iginla.

“I think they kept pushing on us, but I think we were on our heels way too much,’’ said Patrice Bergeron. “We said before the game they’re a solid team that keeps going on you and going on the forecheck, and they did what we were expecting, we just didn’t match it.’’

From goalie Tuukka Rask’s perspective, when the Devils pushed, the Bruins fell over.

“First period, we were fine,’’ Rask said. “We were making plays and everything seemed to go in. And then they definitely got better in the second and kind of started forechecking better and we couldn’t get the puck out. We couldn’t get to the breakouts and then they found a way to score that goal [to close to 3-2], which gave them life for the third and . . . we lost our game after the first.’’

Rask made 28 saves in the game, and had his goals-against average go from 1.26 to 1.56.

“I mean, it definitely shouldn’t be that way, but it seems to be that way: When we play a good period, we can’t follow up with another one,’’ said Rask. “I mean, it’s obvious that the other team is going to push harder, they’re going to get yelled at, but that’s no reason you should let up and let them back in the game.

“But I don’t think we played bad after the first, but we just couldn’t find our legs like we did in the first.’’

Top of the charts

The Bruins’ top line continues to collect points. Against the Devils, Milan Lucic (6-5—11) scored in the first and is now only one short of the seven goals he scored in the lockout-shortened season. Lucic has points in eight of 10 games.

Iginla (2-6—8), who got his first goal Thursday against the Sharks, got his second against the Devils and added two assists. He is 2-5—7 in the last four games.

David Krejci (2-10—12) picked up a pair of assists against New Jersey and has a seven-game point streak (2-8—10). He has points in nine of the 10 games this season.

Helping himself

Rask picked up his first assist of the season on Iginla’s first-period goal, tapping the puck up ice to Dougie Hamilton, who fed a pass ahead for Iginla. His angled shot from the right side hit Damien Brunner’s skate and skidded past goalie Martin Brodeur . . . The Bruins took the day off and return to the practice ice Monday in preparation for Wednesday’s game in Pittsburgh. The last time the Bruins faced the Penguins was in the Eastern Conference finals, which the Bruins swept. As of Sunday, Penguins star Sidney Crosby was the league points leader (8-10—18). The Bruins then host the Ducks on Halloween night . . . Speaking of Halloween, the Bruins will be at Children’s Hospital on Monday for a special Halloween-themed visit with players dressing up in costumes. The players will also be “reverse trick-or-treating” as they go from room to room to deliver goodie bags to the children.

Boston Globe LOADED: 10.28.2013

723621 Boston Bruins

Bruins pay for lack of killer instinct vs. NJ

Steve Conroy

However good the Bruins may be — and early returns suggest they can be one of the best teams in the league — they are not a team that can ride on cruise control to victory.

Such an animal does not exist in today’s NHL.

The B’s had already gotten a whiff of that fact when they coughed up a two-goal lead to the bad Florida Panthers, but they didn’t have to pay for their misdeeds after Tim Thomas allowed Reilly Smith’s late game-winner.

But Saturday night at the Garden, they received a lesson that should stick longer than the one they got in Sunrise.

After looking like they’d walk over the Devils in the first period, the B’s encountered a much more determined team in the second, and they didn’t seem mentally prepared to ratchet their game up another notch. The Devils were able to hang around and, when the B’s took a few penalties at the end of the game, the visitors were able to capitalize and seize the game, 4-3, scoring all four goals on the power play.

The game wasn’t lost in the second period, but that’s where it became a game, and it didn’t have to become that.

“They came up faster,” said Torey Krug. “I don’t know if we were prepared for that or whatever the case may be. But we didn’t play our style in the second period and they took it to us.”

As well as the Devils played in the second period, they didn’t cut their two-goal deficit until the final minute of the frame. Before that, the B’s had a couple of great opportunities to bump the lead to three goals and take some of the starch out of the Devils’ attack. The line of David Krejci, Milan Lucic and Jarome Iginla couldn’t convert on a couple of excellent chances, but the top line is hardly to blame for the loss.

The trio was on the ice for all three Bruins goals — one of which came on the power play — and it was the only forward line that consistently created pressure. The second line of Patrice Bergeron, Smith and Brad Marchand produced just one shot on net.

The B’s had a chance to sweep their first three-games-in-four-nights swing, but they let it get away.

“We had one line going and we needed more,” lamented coach Claude Julien. “Too many mediocre guys. Whether it’s hitting a wall or whatever the case may be, it just wasn’t good enough. We had the day off (Friday) to give those guys a rest, but three games in four nights isn’t always an easy thing to go through and you wish you could have pulled this one through and had a real good week, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. We have to regroup, and another back-to-back and another three-in-four coming up there next week, so hopefully we learn from that.”

While the B’s should have had enough in their lineup to beat the Devils, it’s clear the loss of Loui Eriksson (out indefinitely with a concussion) is a big one, not only for the Bergeron line but also for the third line, where it appeared that the struggling Marchand was starting to get his game going with Chris Kelly and Carl Soderberg. The two games without Eriksson have produced the 17-shot effort in the rather miraculous win over the Sharks on Thursday and then Saturday’s uneven effort.

But for the time being at least, the B’s have to figure out how to live without Eriksson and deal with the ripple effect his absence has caused in the middle of the lineup.

After three days off this week, the B’s will have an even more challenging three-in-four stint this week — at Pittsburgh on Wednesday, at home against Anaheim on Thursday and in Uniondale, N.Y., against the Islanders two days later.

By the end of that swing, we should know whether the Devils loss was just a blip on the radar or something more troublesome.

Boston Herald LOADED: 10.28.2013

723622 Buffalo Sabres

Ruff expects happy return vs. Sabres

By John Vogl

on October 28, 2013 - 12:27 AM

Lindy Ruff will walk into First Niagara Center tonight, looking dapper in his suit and designer tie, and do something the home team has been unable to accomplish so far.

He’s going to give Sabres fans a reason to cheer.

One of Buffalo’s legendary sports figures is back in town, and the welcome-home party is in full swing.

The man who spent half his life in the Sabres’ organization will shake hands with former players, say hello to arena employees, then walk to the visitor’s bench for the first time and wave to what’s expected to be an appreciative crowd.

Needless to say, this early season game against Dallas should be memorable.

“I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it,” Ruff said in Dallas over the weekend. “It’s going to be great to walk into the building and say hello to old faces. It really is. I’ve got a lot of old friends there, a lot of good memories. We had a lot of great hockey in there.

“It’ll be a good day. I want to see our team play really well, and it’ll be a good day.”

The Sabres are looking forward to the visit, too.

“Everyone really did appreciate Lindy as a person,” goaltender Ryan Miller said. “I hope they just have fun with it. Everyone’s path takes them on all different kinds of journeys, especially in this kind of career, and it’s good to see that he’s on another team so quickly. Obviously, he’s a great coach.”

It will be Ruff’s first public appearance at the foot of Washington Street since his farewell news conference in February, which came two days after he was fired during his 16th year as coach. There’s no doubt it will be emotional for the Western New York resident.

“I’m sure it’ll be more emotional for him than the players with as much time as he spent in Buffalo,” Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers said. “He was a big part of the organization and a big part of the fan base.”

Though the Sabres have conspicuously ignored the returns of other alumni, they’re expected to formally recognize Ruff.

“I’m sure they’ll have a nice little ovation for him – deservedly so,” right wing Drew Stafford said.

Ruff’s return would generate buzz and interest anytime, but …

“Given the current situation here, it’s going to be real interesting,” Miller said.

Ruff is coming back to face a team that is much worse than when he left. The 30th-place Sabres are a dispirited, answer-lacking bunch with a 2-10-1 record under Ruff’s replacement, Ron Rolston.

“We’re focused on trying to turn this thing around, win some games,” said Stafford, who was benched alongside center Cody Hodgson during the latest loss Saturday in Tampa Bay. “Once we get through the initial hello, how’s everything going, it’s back to work. We have to keep our focus on trying to win a game.”

Said Miller: “Looking at the bigger picture, we have a lot that we need to focus on ahead of Lindy, who’s hopefully not going to get too involved other than calling out lines and drawing up plays. You don’t want to see him jump into the in-between space like he’s tried to a few times.”

Then again, maybe folks do want to see some passion and fight. It would certainly enliven the arena, which has been either silent or jeer-filled as the Sabres have opened with a home mark of 0-6-1.

Ruff and Dallas assistant James Patrick, another longtime player and coach in Buffalo, want to make that 0-7-1.

Either way, a party is on tap.

“I’m obviously happy for him that he’s back in the league,” Thomas Vanek said before being traded Sunday night to the New York Islanders. “I think we saw it when he was let go here that he was ready to go back. For him and Jeep, I’m happy that they found a spot. Hopefully, they’ll do well there.”

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.28.2013


Sabres send Vanek to Islanders, get Moulson and two picks in return

By John Vogl

on October 27, 2013 - 8:36 PM

updated October 28, 2013 at 12:50 AM

The rebuilding of the Buffalo Sabres took its biggest step yet Sunday night as the team traded co-captain and perennial scoring leader Thomas Vanek. It’s a deal that added substantial assets to the organization and has the potential to bring even more.

The Sabres shipped Vanek to the New York Islanders for accomplished scorer Matt Moulson, a first-round pick in the 2014 NHL draft and a second-round selection in 2015. It’s a blockbuster swap that would generate headlines at the frantic trade deadline, and it’s even more significant this early in the season.

“It was a deal that has been worked on off and on for a while,” General Manager Darcy Regier said in First Niagara Center. “It was something that we felt we had to do. Our focus is on trying to acquire assets, in this case draft picks, that are going to allow us to continue improving.”

Regier has sold owner Terry Pegula on a plan to reconstruct the faltering organization through the draft. Based on their 2-10-1 record, the 30th-place Sabres are in position to pick near the top next June and will also have the Islanders’ pick. In addition, Buffalo possesses three second-round selections in each of the next two years.

“I don’t love where we are,” Regier said. “I love what we’re doing, and I believe in the direction we’re going.

“With where our hockey club is, the first- and the second-round picks are important. Whether we use the picks to select players at the draft or we use them to continue to acquire and improve the hockey club as we go forward through this season has yet to be determined.”

Moulson, like Vanek, is in the final year of his contract. He is expected to arrive in town for tonight’s game against Lindy Ruff and the Dallas Stars, but it’s very possible he won’t stay long. Pending unrestricted free agents are prime targets to move at the trade deadline, and Moulson is a three-time, 30-goal scorer who should attract interest and bring a substantial return.

“Most of these deals in the past have been deadline deals,” Regier said. “The deadline will come again.”

The heat has been on the Sabres, and specifically Regier, to do something to improve the fortunes and morale of the hapless club. Though the departure of Vanek does nothing to help the immediate outlook, the picks provide hope – if they are used correctly.

“It is exciting when you can get young players and you can see them grow,” Regier said. “The hard part is when you don’t win games while they’re growing. It makes it difficult. It’s short-term pressures and it’s a long-term plan that is going to get it done, and you have to deal with those two.”

Regier has heard fans chant for his firing during games, but he has historically refused to bow to outside pressures. He said that was again the case with this deal.

“You have to believe in what you’re doing,” Regier said. “I don’t want to show any lack of respect to our fans, but internally it’s just doing the work and focusing on what our plan is and trying to execute it as well and as soon as possible. That is on behalf of the fans.”

The departure of the 29-year-old Vanek has been expected since last season. He wasn’t willing to sign a contract extension with the rebuilding organization, and the Sabres couldn’t let him walk away without getting something in return.

The 2003 first-round draft pick leaves as one of the best scorers in Buffalo history. He recorded 254 goals and 497 points in 598 games with the Sabres, with the goal total placing him fifth on the franchise’s all-time list.

“He’s been an outstanding player, outstanding teammate, citizen to the organization,” Regier said. “We wish him only the best going forward.”

Vanek heads to an improving Islanders team that boasts Most Valuable Player candidate John Tavares. The Islanders are also looking to make a splash prior to their 2015 relocation to Brooklyn.

“Even when you know it’s coming there’s the initial surprise,” Stephen Bartlett, Vanek’s agent, said by phone after talking with his client. “Once he started thinking about it, he started to get excited that he may have the chance to play with Tavares and have the tools for a good season.

“He’s enjoyed his time in Buffalo, and it’s tough to leave friends and the team. At the same time it’s a clear rebuild, which is why he put off the process of re-signing. It’s good that he decided to wait.”

Moulson is also a 29-year-old left winger who has impressive scoring ability. He’s eclipsed the 30-goal mark three times for the Islanders, topping out at 36 in 2011-12. He had 15 goals and 44 points in 47 games last season and has recorded six goals and nine points in 11 games this year.

He’s finishing a three-year, $9.4 million deal that includes a salary cap hit of $3.13 million. Vanek’s cap number is $7.14 million.

“On one hand surprised by the trade but another not really,” Moulson’s agent, Wade Arnott, said in an email to The News after talking with the winger. “Matt will now have the opportunity to choose where he wants to play whether that is Buffalo or elsewhere in free agency. He is heading to Buffalo with an open mind. No conversations yet but interested in hearing Sabres plans.”

The transaction focus for the Sabres turns to goaltender Ryan Miller. He’s also in the last year of his contract and hasn’t wanted to negotiate a new deal. Though goalies are harder to trade and historically bring a less-substantial return, the 33-year-old is having a solid season despite getting little help in front of him.

“I’ve really had no discussions of late with regard to any of our other potential free agents,” said Regier, who added he converses weekly with other general managers. “Anytime a player plays better you get more, and when he plays worse you get less. It’s obviously good for our organization. It’s great for Ryan and it means a lot.”

The trade came on the eve of Ruff’s much-anticipated return. Ruff, fired in February during his 16th year as coach, will walk to the visitor’s bench in First Niagara Center for the first time tonight.

“He’s got a fresh new perspective on things, and some of that applies here as well,” Regier said. “Hopefully, I’ll have a chance to talk to him. It’ll be good to see him.”



Sabres' rebuilding plan takes huge step with trade of Vanek

October 27, 2013 - 11:37 PM

By John Vogl

The rebuilding of the Buffalo Sabres took its biggest step yet Sunday night as the team traded co-captain and perennial scoring leader Thomas Vanek. It’s a deal that added substantial assets to the organization and has the potential to bring even more.

The Sabres shipped Vanek to the New York Islanders for accomplished scorer Matt Moulson, a first-round pick in the 2014 NHL draft and a second-round selection in 2015. It’s a blockbuster swap that would generate headlines at the frantic trade deadline, and it’s even more significant this early in the season.

“It was a deal that has been worked on off and on for a while,” General Manager Darcy Regier said in First Niagara Center. “It was something that we felt we had to do. Our focus is on trying to acquire assets, in this case draft picks, that are going to allow us to continue improving.”

Regier has sold owner Terry Pegula on a plan to reconstruct the faltering organization through the draft. Based on their 2-10-1 record, the 30th-place Sabres are in position to pick near the top next June and will also have the Islanders’ pick. In addition, Buffalo possesses three second-round selections in each of the next two years.

“I don’t love where we are,” Regier said. “I love what we’re doing, and I believe in the direction we’re going.

“With where our hockey club is, the first- and the second-round picks are important. Whether we use the picks to select players at the draft or we use them to continue to acquire and improve the hockey club as we go forward through this season has yet to be determined.”

Moulson, like Vanek, is in the final year of his contract. He is expected to arrive in town for tonight’s game against Lindy Ruff and the Dallas Stars, but it’s very possible he won’t stay long. Pending unrestricted free agents are prime targets to move at the trade deadline, and Moulson is a three-time, 30-goal scorer who should attract interest and bring a substantial return.

“Most of these deals in the past have been deadline deals,” Regier said. “The deadline will come again.”

The heat has been on the Sabres, and specifically Regier, to do something to improve the fortunes and morale of the hapless club. Though the departure of Vanek does nothing to help the immediate outlook, the picks provide hope – if they are used correctly.

“It is exciting when you can get young players and you can see them grow,” Regier said. “The hard part is when you don’t win games while they’re growing. It makes it difficult. It’s short-term pressures and it’s a long-term plan that is going to get it done, and you have to deal with those two.”

Regier has heard fans chant for his firing during games, but he has historically refused to bow to outside pressures. He said that was again the case with this deal.

“You have to believe in what you’re doing,” Regier said. “I don’t want to show any lack of respect to our fans, but internally it’s just doing the work and focusing on what our plan is and trying to execute it as well and as soon as possible. That is on behalf of the fans.”

The departure of the 29-year-old Vanek has been expected since last season. He wasn’t willing to sign a contract extension with the rebuilding organization, and the Sabres couldn’t let him walk away without getting something in return.

The 2003 first-round draft pick leaves as one of the best scorers in Buffalo history. He recorded 254 goals and 497 points in 598 games with the Sabres, with the goal total placing him fifth on the franchise’s all-time list.

“He’s been an outstanding player, outstanding teammate, citizen to the organization,” Regier said. “We wish him only the best going forward.”

Vanek heads to an improving Islanders team that boasts Most Valuable Player candidate John Tavares. The Islanders are also looking to make a splash prior to their 2015 relocation to Brooklyn.

“Even when you know it’s coming there’s the initial surprise,” Stephen Bartlett, Vanek’s agent, said by phone after talking with his client. “Once he started thinking about it, he started to get excited that he may have the chance to play with Tavares and have the tools for a good season.

“He’s enjoyed his time in Buffalo, and it’s tough to leave friends and the team. At the same time it’s a clear rebuild, which is why he put off the process of re-signing. It’s good that he decided to wait.”

Moulson is also a 29-year-old left winger who has impressive scoring ability. He's eclipsed the 30-goal mark three times for the Islanders, topping out at 36 in 2011-12. He had 15 goals and 44 points in 47 games last season and has recorded six goals and nine points in 11 games this year.

He’s finishing a three-year, $9.4 million deal that includes a salary cap hit of $3.13 million. Vanek’s cap number is $7.14 million.

"On one hand surprised by the trade but another not really," Moulson's agent, Wade Arnott, said in an email to The News after talking with the winger. "Matt will now have the opportunity to choose where he wants to play whether that is Buffalo or elsewhere in free agency. He is heading to Buffalo with an open mind. No conversations yet but interested in hearing Sabres plans.”

The transaction focus for the Sabres turns to goaltender Ryan Miller. He’s also in the last year of his contract and hasn’t wanted to negotiate a new deal. Though goalies are harder to trade and historically bring a less-substantial return, the 33-year-old is having a solid season despite getting little help in front of him.

“I’ve really had no discussions of late with regard to any of our other potential free agents,” said Regier, who added he converses weekly with other general managers. “Anytime a player plays better you get more, and when he plays worse you get less. It’s obviously good for our organization. It’s great for Ryan and it means a lot.”

The trade came on the eve of Ruff’s much-anticipated return. Ruff, fired in February during his 16th year as coach, will walk to the visitor’s bench in First Niagara Center for the first time tonight.

“He’s got a fresh new perspective on things, and some of that applies here as well,” Regier said. “Hopefully, I’ll have a chance to talk to him. It’ll be good to see him.”



Sabres trade Vanek to Islanders for Moulson, first- and second-round picks

October 27, 2013 - 8:30 PM

By John Vogl

Thomas Vanek is on his way to the New York Islanders.

The Sabres' perennial scoring leader has been dealt to New York in exchange for forward Matt Moulson, a first-round pick in 2014 and a second-round pick in 2015.

Moulson is a 29-year-old left winger who also has impressive scoring ability. He's eclipsed the 30-goal mark three times for the Islanders, topping out at 36 in 2011-12. He had 15 goals and 44 points in 47 games last season.

Moulson, like Vanek, is in the final year of his contract. He signed a three-year, $9.4 million deal with the Islanders prior to the 2011-12 season. His salary cap hit is $3.13 million, and his salary this season is $3.9 million.

"On one hand surprised by the trade but another not really," Moulson's agent, Wade Arnott, said in an email to The News after talking with his client. "Matt

will now have the opportunity to choose were he wants to play whether that is Buffalo or elsewhere in free agency. He is heading to Buffalo with an open mind. No conversations yet but interested in hearing Sabres plans."

Vanek has been on the trade block since last season for the rebuilding Sabres. The 2003 first-round draft pick leaves as one of the best scorers in Buffalo history. The 29-year-old recorded 254 goals and 497 points in 598 games with the Sabres.

Vanek joins fellow playmaking Austrian Michael Grabner on Long Island.

"It was a deal that was off and on here for a while," Sabres General Manager Darcy Regier said in First Niagara Center. "It was something we feel we needed to do."

The Sabres have made it clear they intend to build through the draft. Based on their 2-10-1 record, they'll pick early next June, and they've now added the Islanders' selection.

"It was important to get first- and second-round picks," said Regier, who finalized the deal now rather than wait until the trade deadline because it took away the potential injury factor. "It’s more beneficial to have it now than later."

In addition to the two first-round picks next June, the Sabres have three second-round selections. They also have three second-rounders in 2015.

"You have to believe in what you’re doing," Regier said. “It’s exciting when you can get young players and see them grow. The hard part is when you don’t win games while they’re growing. It’s a long-term plan, and you’ve got to deal with the two."



Ruff returns to Buffalo as coach of Stars

Jonah Bronstein

Associated Press

BUFFALO — After 16 years behind the Sabres’ bench, Lindy Ruff will be back in Buffalo but coaching against them for the first time.

Ruff has more immediate concerns with his new team, the Dallas Stars, but he has allowed himself to think about returning to a city that enshrined him in its Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.

The Stars face the Sabres in Buffalo on Monday night.

“I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about it,” Ruff said Saturday after a shootout loss to Winnipeg that dropped Dallas to 4-5-1 and into last place in the Central Division.

“It’s going to be great walking in the building, say hello to old faces,” Ruff said. “I’ve got a lot of good friends there, good memories. We had a lot of great hockey in there. It’ll be a good day. I want to see our team play really well.”

Ruff’s ties to Buffalo go back to his days as a player. Selected in the second round of the 1979 draft by the Sabres, Ruff made the team later that year. In November 1986, he replaced star Gilbert Perreault as Sabres captain.

With a 571-432-162 record, Ruff is the Sabres’ winningest coach. He is second on the NHL list for wins with one team, behind only the New York Islanders’ Al Arbour (740).

Ruff has kept his home in suburban Buffalo, where his wife and kids are living. He will embrace the visitor role on Monday when the Stars start a stretch in which they will play five of six on the road.

“The No. 1 thing on my mind is our (1-4) road record,” Ruff said. “Really focusing in on that on this road trip. It’s not like I’ve been gone a long time, so it’s not like I’m walking up and I’ve been missing for two or three years.”

Ruff may be off to a slow start with his new team, but it’s even worse in Buffalo, where the former coach is more popular than the current coach and general manager.

The Sabres have been a team in transition since firing Ruff in February. Under Ron Rolston, Buffalo has started this season with the NHL’s worst

record (2-10-1), and has been barely competitive in amassing an 0-6-1 home record.

Before the Sabres’ recent road trip, Rolston said he had no thoughts about Ruff’s return.

“It’s part of the business,” said Rolston, who was hired as Sabres interim coach after Ruff was fired and then received a contract extension over the summer. “Coaches change jobs. It’s part of the business. He did great things for the organization, and I’m sure they’ll have something for that. But we’ve got bigger things to focus on ourselves. Worry about things that we can have control over.”

Chants of “Fire Darcy!” directed at general manager Darcy Regier, have become familiar during home games.

“I think the general population thinks that the wrong person was kicked out,” Sabres fan Michael Bowen said. “And I think (Monday), if we could have him back, I think a lot of people would want him back. I think the place is going to go wild.”

Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 10.28.2013


Buffalo Sabres deal Thomas Vanek to New York Islanders

Oct. 27, 2013

Associated Press

UNIONDALE — The New York Islanders acquired forward Thomas Vanek from the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday night for forward Matt Moulson, a first-round pick in 2014 and a second-round pick in 2015.

The 29-year-old Vanek, a former University of Minnesota star from Austria, had four goals and nine assists in 13 games this season for Buffalo. In nine seasons with Buffalo, he had 254 goals and 243 assists in 598 games. He’s in the last year of his contract.

Moulson, also 29, had six goals and three assists in 11 games this season. He has 124 goals and 109 assists in 333 games in seven seasons with the Los Angeles Kings and Islanders.

Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 10.28.2013

723628 Calgary Flames

Johnson: Flames post morale-building 5-2 victory over Caps

By GEORGE JOHNSON, Calgary HeraldOctober 27, 2013

The early similarities to the Calgary Flames’ seasonal curtain-raiser on Oct. 3rd could not be lightly dismissed. In fact, they were downright eerie.

The ending, however, wound up vastly different.

That night at the Verizon Center, Washington Capitals’ starting goaltender Braden Holtby lasted three goals and 11 shots, to be replaced by Michal Neuwirth. This time, Holtby made it through three goals and 14 shots before Caps’ coach Adam Oates went to his bullpen.

Saturday, as back then, the Flames sniped three times through a dominating first period.

The main difference was that back at the beginning of the month Alexander Ovechkin absolutely took the game under his own auspices for a comeback 5-4 shootout Washington win. Saturday, the Caps kept waiting for the Great 8 to have his say.

On this night, though, we can only assume he’d developed touch of laryngitis.

Playing without captain Mark Giordano for a third consecutive game and the dependable Lee Stempniak due to the customarily unspecific “lower-body” injury, smarting from that dispiriting, just-completed 1-4 road swing, the

young Flames nevertheless gathered themselves to post a morale-building 5-2 victory at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

“It was nice for us to come out with a high energy start,’’ said two-goal Michael Cammalleri. “We’d just come off a long, nine- or 10-day road trip, quite a bit of travel, so I thought it was a testament to the group’s will to win to be able to get going off the start.

“It’s tough when a team does that to you in their home building if you’re an opponent. So I commend the group for that.’’

Calgary raises its record just over the water line, at 5-4-2, with the Toronto Maple Leafs in town Wednesday.

Cammalleri’s second of the night, from parallel to the goal line out of the corner gave the homesteaders some third-period insurance midway through, and then Curtis Glencross hammered home his first goal in seven games to round out the scoring.

“We actually talked about it,’’ said Cammalleri of his second tally. “Colby (Joe Colborne) did a great job on the faceoff and I was trying to get the puck to the net for those guys to bang in. They were both driving net and that makes it dangerous for the goalie. He’s worried about big Colby coming to the net and Gally (T.J. Galiardi)’s speed coming to the net, and the puck winds up behind him.’’

The prospects for a crackerjack third period were sewn when Aaron Volpatti converted from the slot at 7:45 of the middle stanza, shaving Calgary’s advantage to a nervy single goal. But the highly-octane Caps failed to fire.

The Flames received a towering performance from the defence tandem of Dennis Wideman and Kris Russell. Russell played 27:12, scoring his first goal in the colors and added an assist. Wideman logged 29:17 and chipped in with two helpers.

“We knew,’’ said Russell, “that we had to have a bigger night. I thought we weren’t as good as we should’ve been the last few nights. We knew we had to be better as a team. As a D pairing I thought we did a good job (Saturday).

“We knew we weren’t happy with the way we came out to start in the previous games. We were kind of behind the 8-ball and you can’t have that happening, especially against a team like this. When they get ahead, they’re really dangerous. So I thought we did a really good job of making sure we were focused at the start.’’

After snoozing though the opening 20 minutes of their first encounter with the Flames, falling behind 3-0 and 4-1 at different junctures, it seemed highly implausible that the Caps would make the same tardy mistake again.

Well, glory be ...

The locals required only 1:04 and two shots to open their account on the evening, defenceman Russell wiring his first in the colors, a shot beyond Holtby’s catching mitt with the visitors apparently still standing at attention for the national anthems. A little over six minutes later, Calgary was back for more, the uber-hot Jiri Hudler cashing his fifth of the season from the doorstep. Washington briefly awoke on Jason Chimera’s third of the year, a lovely, lovely pass from Mikael Grabovski to send the burly left winger in from out of the corner to roof a backhand, but a Cammalleri tip at 12:50, only 48 seconds later, quickly offset it.

That spelled the end for Holtby, also given the ol’ vaudeville hook by coach Adam Oates after surrendering three goals in the first meeting back at the beginning of the month.

But he could hardly be held accountable for the sorry state of his Caps after being left abandoned like an orphan in a Dickens novel.

THE HERALD’S THREE STARS

1. Michael Cammalleri, Flames: Two goals, including the decisive fourth to provide his side a bit of breathing room.

2. Kris Russell, Flames: D man notches his first for the side, adds and assist and, partnered with Dennis Wideman, racks up 27:12 in ice time.

3. Dennis Wideman, Flames: A pair of helpers, just 43 seconds shy of another 30-minute night in the absence of Mark Giordano.

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.28.2013


Johnson: Switch back to old stick helps Glencross end untimely scoring slump

By GEORGE JOHNSON, Calgary Herald October 27, 2013

Flames forward Curtis Glencross celebrates scoring against the Washington Capitals during the third period on Saturday.

Raising his arms exultantly, with exaggerated slowness, as if somehow willing the moment to continue, Curtis Glencross tilted his head and gazed towards the heavens (or at least the slope-backed ceiling of the Saddledome). He could’ve been a man who’d remembered to order the wife’s wedding anniversary flower arrangement at the very last minute or found out that, yes, insurance would in fact cover the hail damage to his car.

Relief was writ large across his face.

“It was . . . huge,” acknowledged the Calgary Flames’ left winger. “Obviously I’ve had chances the last two games and it just hasn’t gone in, and you start double-thinking things and all that kinda stuff.

“Staje put it on a tee for me.”

Caught in the throes of a six-game goalless outage, Glencross switched back to his old trusty Easton cue on Sunday night against the Washington Capitals, and it proved to be his own Jaws of Life, helped cut him out of his funk.

It was if he’d visited Ollivanders from the Harry Potter books. It’s amazing just how magical a new, or even in this case a trusty old, wand can be.

“I got my old sticks out,” said Glencross, “two new pairs of hockey gloves — the other ones went right it the garbage — and it worked.”

Voila! Nothing to it.

Wiring a shot from the middle of the ice off a setup from Matt Stajan at 14:28 of the third period past Washington netminder Michal Neuwirth, Glencross counted his third goal of the season and first since Oct. 9th versus the Canadiens. Important from a collective results point of view. Vital from a personal momentum point of view.

“I’m harder on myself than anyone is,” said Glencross. “It’s great to see these kids but I’m a veteran guy in here, so I want to produce.”

Watching Sunday’s practice at Flames Fest, before the new third jerseys were trotted out for analysis, assistant to the GM Craig Conroy, a former teammate, pondered the Glencross enigma.

“It’s different, now, for Glennie,” he reasoned. “In the past, Jarome (Iginla) usually got off to a slow start and everyone would be on him, crowding around him, asking ‘What’s wrong?’ and nobody really went after Glennie if things weren’t going well. Jarome gave a lot of guys a free pass early in seasons because of the way he’d start. And he’d stand in there, do the media, all that. I remember Cammy (Michael Cammalleri) his first year. He ended up scoring 39 that season but was going through a tough stretch at the beginning and I remember him saying to me: ‘Geez, I’m surprised they’re not on me more.’ And I said: ‘Well, they’re on Jarome. So count your blessings.’

“Now, Jarome’s gone. Glennie’s one of the top guys. The veterans. The leaders. Wearing an ‘A’. And the scrutiny’s on him.”

When aroused, when cantankerous, when a little bit out in left field, slightly unpredictable, Curtis Glencross is a dangerous man to fall afoul of. The orneriness, edginess, that in-your-face style that epitomizes him at his most effective, though, has been an on-again, off-again thing this last season and a half.

The passing of the years, the comfort level involved with being a fixture in the lineup, the growing stature of having established your name and credentials, all combines in a gradual tapering off of the belligerence level.

Earlier on this season, Glencross couldn’t help but hear the whispers that the Philadelphia Flyers were tracking his every move. The speculation was everywhere. Despite a no-trade clause in his contact, the sobering belief that Flames might actually want to unload him, even if it was fuelled nothing more than speculation, couldn’t help but weigh on his mind.

“You can say ‘It doesn’t bother me’ all you want,” agreed Conroy sympathetically. “That’s the politically correct answer. But if you hear it every

day . . . I talked to Glennie, Jay (Feaster) talked to Glennie. But if you’re still hearing it every day . . .

“Hopefully it didn’t affect him. But it’s probably, even with the no-trade, in the back of your mind. Has to be. If you’re on Glennie, on Glennie, on Glennie, he doesn’t always respond. That’s counter-productive. He needs a little love, a little positive reinforcement. That’s when he gets the most out of himself.

“So it was good to see him score (Saturday). Good to see him feeling good about himself again. You want him to have fun, to build off that.”

For boss Bob Hartley, Saturday’s Glencross goal couldn’t have come soon enough. He’s stubbornly stuck with No. 20 through more than a few ineffectual nights of late, despite the repeated mantra of reward for performance, waiting for his truculent left winger to spark and ignite.

“There’s always situations,” reminded Hartley, “where you need a boost. Last night, a big goal in a big game, and especially in front of our fans . . . the building was electric and the way he celebrated, that was a big goal for Glennie.

“We need him. He’s a big part of our team.”

Even approaching 31, with six full NHL seasons and over 400 regular-season starts on the books, Glencross admits the self-doubt, the nagging frustration of a scoring slump, is a fitful companion.

“It’s still the same. Everyone goes through them. You’re struggling. You’re battling the puck. You aren’t getting the right bounce here, it’s hitting something there. Then all of a sudden you go on a roll, maybe get one off a butt somewhere. It comes and goes.

“It’s mostly up in your head. A mental thing.”

The look on his face, the relief, when Matt Stajan put the puck on a tee for him Saturday night, when he raised his arms exultantly, with exaggerated slowness, gazing towards the heavens, as if wanting the moment to continue, is something to draw on.

It’s a moment he knows. He savours.

A moment he wants to replicate as often as possible.

“Hopefully,” said Curtis Glencross, “now I’ll get back rolling. That one felt like the first one of the season again, the first one of your career. Things weren’t quite going for me. A monkey off my back, for sure.”

And, it’s safe to assume, he’ll be out there with the familiar Easton cue again Wednesday, when the Toronto Maple Leafs come a’ callin’, trying to weave new magic out of the old wand.

“Yes,” he replied evenly. “Yes, I will.”



Flames notes: NHL squad keeps fans in dark about two key injured players

By George Johnson, Calgary Herald October 27, 2013

The rampant paranoia, the John le Carre/CIA coverup secrecy levels surrounding NHL injuries have, alas, reached epidemic, leaguewide proportions.

“Lower-body” injuries could, technically, mean anything from an inflamed ingrown toenail to amputation below the knee.

Well, it can be revealed — and was, in fact, in front of a couple thousand witnesses Sunday — that the “lower” in “lower body” for both Mark Giordano and Lee Stempniak are below the shin. On the right-hand side.

Even given that shocking bit of see-for-yourself information, the exact nature of those injuries, or possible recovery timetables, remain shrouded in the usual tired, confusing covert secrecy.

With the Flames flogging — technically, unveiling — their new third jersey at the first Flames Fest down at the Saddledome, both the highly-influential Giordano and the highly-dependable Stempniak made their way onto the ice for the obligatory photo op with their right feet/ankles encased in protective walking boots. This, no matter how screechingly silent the organization wants

to be on the injury issue, cannot be good. (You’d think maybe a week after the fact the guy shelling out for one of those spiffy new jerseys might appreciate at least an indication of why and possibly how long the captain of his favourite team might be missing from the battle field?).

And despite the rather unmissable footwear being modelled by both players, the team would did not provide an update on the situation.

Well, Giordano has been out a full week now. Three games.

Stempniak, meanwhile, was forced to sit out his first of what could be many in Saturday’s 5-2 dusting of the Washington Capitals.

We know the new jerseys will be on the ice Friday when the Detroit Red Wings pay a visit, because the Flames came clean there.

Giordano and Stempniak? Hmmm, that remains something more of a mystery.

BRODIE EARNS PRAISE

In the aftermath of the spirit-raising bossing of the Caps, coach Bob Hartley singled defenceman T.J. Brodie out for special praise, calling his performance the best he’d yet seen from the young D-man.

“Not only for this season,” Hartley reiterated Sunday, “like the last 48 games (of the lockout-shortened 2012-2013 campaign) also. Defensively he made some unbelievable decisions. He had jump in his play. He was creative with the puck. He put pucks at the net. T.J., what he has to learn is that he’s gonna get better. He doesn’t know how good he is.

“I think that he has to create higher expectations for himself and at the same time believe he can be a real good defenceman in this league. He can be a top defenceman in this league. It’s our job to get this out of him. He’s getting quite a big chunk of ice, and it’s not by gift. He deserves it.”

Brodie, who logged 26:18 in ice time and was even on the night, lagged behind the pairing of Dennis Wideman and Kris Russell on the stat sheet (each +5, over 28 minutes and contributed two points), but Hartley couldn’t stop gushing about his 23-year-old puck-moving point man.

“I’ve coached many players and with maturity they grow into a role and suddenly their career takes off,” he said. “I think with T.J., with our situation over here, with a bunch of young players, I think the quicker he’ll realize this, the quicker he’ll be a star player in this league. This is a player that can make a difference.”



What do you think of the Flames’ new third jersey?

Calgary Herald October 27, 2013

The Calgary Flames unveiled their new third jersey Sunday, to mixed reaction from fans.

The new jersey, which will be worn by the Flames at 12 home games over the course of the 2013-14 season, maintains the Flaming C as its primary logo along with the word “Calgary.” A western-style shoulder yoke and tie-down laces on the front are meant to represent western heritage, while a new shoulder patch has been created to celebrate the unique landscape of southern Alberta.

The jersey also features a new two-colour name and number font but keeps with tradition by including the Atlanta A for the assistant captain letter.

Fans were divided on the new design. On Twitter, some Flames fans posted comments like, “Very classy looking. I like them,” and “Wasn’t sure at first, but on closer inspection they are excellent.”

However, others were unimpressed. “Looks like Walmart pyjamas,” was one comment.

Calgary Flames VP of Business Development Jim Peplinski said many fans have been asking for a third jersey.

“We believe we have delivered a third jersey that will appeal to those who wanted a third jersey while adding to our classic vintage jersey and solid current jersey,” said Peplinski.

“We are looking forward to playing in front of the C of Red in the new jersey which represents the city in a new unique way with the word ‘Calgary’ on the front,” said Flames Captain Mark Giordano.

Beginning in the spring of 2012, representatives from the Calgary Flames, the National Hockey League and Reebok began the process of creating a design for the newest Flames uniform. The final product — which combines the western heritage of Calgary, the vast Alberta landscape, and the legacy of the Calgary Flames — was completed earlier this summer.



Injured Calgary Flames pair hobble out to show off new third jerseys

By WES GILBERTSON,Calgary Sun

First posted: Sunday, October 27, 2013 02:22 PM MDT | Updated: Sunday, October 27, 2013 04:09 PM MDT

A new third jersey isn't the only thing the Calgary Flames revealed Sunday afternoon.

Captain Mark Giordano and right-winger Lee Stempniak were each sporting a protective cast on their right foot as they modelled the new threads at the Saddledome during Flames Fest.

The team did not provide an update on the status of either player, sticking with the original assessment that both are 'day-to-day' with lower-body injuries.

Giordano has been out of the lineup for three consecutive games and is currently on injured reserve, while Stempniak missed his only outing so far in Saturday's 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals on Hockey Night in Canada.

When asked if he had any news on Stempniak, who is still listed on Calgary's active roster, Flames head coach Bob Hartley told reporters GM Jay Feaster “should address you in the near future.”

In other words, don't expect the speedy winger to be back on the ice for Wednesday's meeting with the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Saddledome (6 p.m., TSN, Sportsnet Fan 960).

Meanwhile, Flames left-winger Michael Cammalleri and defenceman Chris Breen were also missing in action during Sunday's practice.

Hartley shrugged off Cammalleri's absence as just “bumps and bruises” and said Breen has a “minor injury.”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.28.2013


5 Burning Questions for Calgary Flames: Oct 27



There are no easy marks on the schedule this week.

Give the Calgary Flames credit, they showed some impressive gusto in Saturday’s 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals after managing just one victory on a forgettable five-game roadie.

They’ll need more of the same to have success this week, when their dance card includes meetings with three of the NHL’s top squads.

Wednesday’s opponent is the Eastern Conference-leading Toronto Maple Leafs, followed by Friday’s meeting with the talented Detroit Red Wings and Sunday’s visit to the United Center in Chicago, always a tough building for opposing teams and home of the defending Stanley Cup-champion Blackhawks.

Here are five Burning Questions that Flames fans might be pondering ...

Can they continue their dominance against the East?

The Flames have been bad news for Eastern Conference opponents so far this season.

They’ve posted a 1-0-1 record against superstar Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals and have also collected victories over the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Montreal Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils. In fact, four of their five triumphs have come against squads from the other side of the NHL landscape.

With Wednesday’s visit from the Maple Leafs and Friday’s date with the Red Wings, the Flames have an opportunity to continue to pile up points against the East.

The Maple Leafs have a conference-leading 16 points and the Red Wings are only two back, so both will be a tough test.

What did these guys do to tick off the hockey gods?

You won’t catch them complaining, but the Flames have had as many injury issues to key contributors as any other NHL outfit so far this season. To date, Michael Cammalleri, Mark Giordano, David Jones, Matt Stajan and Lee Stempniak have all missed chunks of action.

For those keeping track at home, that’s Calgary’s new captain (Giordano), their leading point-producer from last season (Cammalleri), their shutdown centre (Stajan), their most consistent forward so far this campaign (Stempniak) and their key summer acquisition (Jones).

The return of Cammalleri, Jones and Stajan has added some punch to the lineup, but both Giordano and Stempniak were sporting walking casts during Sunday’s Flames Fest, an indication they’ll both be out for a while longer.

Can the defence corps handle the heavy workload?

Flames head coach Bob Hartley has preached the importance of conditioning and with Giordano out, he’s going to test the stamina of his top four defencemen.

In fact, the third pairing of Shane O’Brien and Derek Smith logged just over six minutes apiece against the Capitals, putting a lot of pressure on the tandems of Kris Russell and Dennis Wideman, and TJ Brodie and Chris Butler.

Wideman ranks second in the NHL with an average of 28:08 per night, so he’s accustomed to the heavy workload, while Brodie steadily earned more and more ice last winter.

For Russell and Butler, it’s an opportunity to prove to Hartley they can handle a surplus of shifts.

Can Jiri Hudler maintain his impressive pace?

Perhaps the most pleasant surprise for the Flames this fall has been the consistent offensive contributions from Hudler, who has only been held off the scoresheet once in 11 skates so far.

Heading into Sunday’s action, the 29-year-old was tied for ninth in the NHL’s scoring race with 13 points — five goals and eight assists.

It’s no surprise Hudler is capable of putting points on the board, but the talented right-winger was frustratingly streaky last season.

He seems to have developed some chemistry with youngsters Sven Baertschi and Sean Monahan, and although it’s asking a lot to think Hudler can maintain a point-per-game clip, he gives the Flames a more balanced attack when he is chipping in on a consistent basis.

When will they be wearing their new third jerseys?

Although a video-game leak spoiled some of the anticipation, the Flames unveiled their new silks during Sunday’s fan-friendly event at the Saddledome.

The third jersey features ‘Calgary’ across the front, the Flaming C logo and a brand-new shoulder patch.

So when will the boys be wearing them in game action for the first time? That’ll come in Friday’s matchup with the Red Wings, one of a dozen home dates that the Flames are planning to wear their third sweaters this season.

Giordano recalled Sunday that the Flames enjoyed a run of success after dusting off their retro uniforms a few years back. Their new duds don’t include any fire-breathing horse heads, so that’s already a positive development.



Calgary Flames forward Curtis Glencross ends drought with little help from some old friends



The old adage is to just stick with it.

Calgary Flames assistant captain Curtis Glencross did the exact opposite.

After he couldn’t buy a goal — couldn’t buy a point, even — on Calgary’s five-game road-trip to warmer climes, the 30-year-old left-winger dusted off some old weapons and finally ended his drought with a wicked one-timer in the third period of Saturday’s 5-2 victory over the Washington Capitals.

“I switched back to my old faithful sticks last night. Tried something different and it worked,” Glencross said after Sunday’s practice at the Saddledome.

“I came home off the road-trip and I grabbed my old sticks out and grabbed two new pairs of hockey gloves out. The other ones are going in the garbage.”

The other ones were, apparently, out of magic.

Glencross notched the game-winner in each of Calgary’s first two victories of the season — one-goal decisions over the Columbus Blue Jackets and Montreal Canadiens — but had gone a half-dozen skates without a marker and hadn’t even collected an assist for five consecutive contests.

The points drought was Glencross’ longest dry-spell since Jan. 12-Feb. 25, 2012, a five-game stretch sandwiched around a lengthy absence due to a knee injury. It’s worth noting when the speedy winger snapped out of that funk, he lit the lamp in seven straight outings.

“Everyone goes through them,” Glencross said. “You’ll have a few games where you’re struggling, you’re battling the puck and you’re not getting the right bounce here or hitting something there or whatever.

“Then, all of a sudden, you go on a roll. You’ll get one off a butt or leg or whatever. It comes and goes. Every player goes through it, and I hope mine is out early.”

Glencross was Calgary’s leading marksman with 15 snipes during the lockout-shortened season, but the 6-foot-1 lefty doesn’t necessarily need to fill the net to be a key piece for this hard-working bunch.

During Saturday’s Hockey Night In Canada showdown with the Capitals, Glencross and linemates David Jones and Matt Stajan were assigned the monstrous task of keeping reigning Hart Trophy winner Alex Ovechkin off the scoresheet.

Finishing the night with an even rating would have been an impressive accomplishment. When Stajan teed up Glencross on an odd-man rush with just over five minutes remaining, they did one better.

“For Curtis to score that goal, just the way that he celebrated, I think that was a big goal for him,” said Flames head coach Bob Hartley. “And we need him. He’s a big part of our team, and I talked to Curtis numerous times — ‘Just keep going and good things will happen.’ And (Saturday) night ... the timing couldn’t be better.”

The celebration, indeed, told the story. After zipping a slapper past Capitals netminder Michal Neuvirth, Glencross raised his arms and gazed toward the roof, almost as if he was thanking the hockey gods for answering his pleas.

“Monkey off my back, for sure,” Glencross said. “That one felt like the first one of the season again, or the first one of your career.”

It was No. 112, actually, but it felt like way too long between tallies.

It goes without saying, Glencross will be using his old Easton sticks and those new gloves again for Wednesday’s clash with the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Dome (6 p.m., TSN, Sportsnet Fan 960).

“He’s a leader on this team. We have to all assume our roles and I think he’s doing it quite well,” Hartley said. “The production always brings questions and that’s where the stick is squeezed a little tighter and suddenly, the holes that you were seeing on the goalies aren’t there anymore. They just disappeared.

“I know that he felt really good about (scoring) and hopefully it’s the start of a streak.”



Maple Leafs feel right at home in the West

By Lance Hornby,Toronto Sun


TORONTO - Not since the Pat Quinn heyday have the Maple Leafs been able to win more than once on their three-game swing through Alberta and British Columbia.

But there are signs this roster has the most depth, leadership and goaltending since Quinn lit up his El Cubano victory cigar to foul the mountain air. Which is why these Leafs aren’t dreading this week’s trip west.

While the Eastern Conference leaders (8-4) are far from perfect — just ask demanding coach Randy Carlyle — they have not wallowed after losses.

Either the stoppers step up, such as James Reimer’s 37-save performance against the Penguins in Saturday’s 4-1 win, or maligned players such as Nazem Kadri, Dion Phaneuf and Jake Gardiner redeem themselves.

The injury bug has gone through the room, David Clarkson served his 10-game suspension and Morgan Rielly’s trial is through, at least until the team’s 40-game mark — and the Leafs have not stumbled.

Seventy games remain on Toronto’s slate, six of the next seven on the road, but if they have to leave the confines of home for awhile, then west is the preferred direction. Ten Leafs are from the Prairie provinces and B.C.

“There are a lot of guys on this team looking forward to getting there and having their families come out and see the games,” said Sicamous, B.C.’s Cody Franson.

“It’s fun, with the new alignment, that we get to play in every city again.”

The Leafs leave early Monday and will practice at Rexall Centre in Edmonton the same day, before facing ex-Marlies coach Dallas Eakins and the Oilers on Tuesday. Wednesday, they meet the rejuvenated Calgary Flames, now under Brian Burke’s influence, then it’s two days off before the trip concludes in Vancouver.

For captain Phaneuf, Edmonton-born and NHL-trained with the Flames, the first part of the week holds the most significance.

“Going home to Edmonton and playing there is special to me. I played a lot of hockey out in (Alberta). It’s a special part of the schedule, but we also have to go in there and win some games, too,” Phaneuf said.

Toronto beat the inexperienced Oilers a couple of weeks ago, but needed overtime to do it. The Flames, meanwhile, have ex-Leafs Matt Stajan, Lee Stempniak, Joe Colborne and goalie Joey MacDonald.

There is a little role-reversal in Vancouver with Mason Raymond returning to play the recent Stanley Cup finalist and, of course, local product Rielly’s triumphant homecoming.

“First of all, it’s a nice little trip, where we haven’t really had a chance to all be together on the road,” said Manitoban Troy Bodie. “And we get to look at a lot of the teams out there.

“There are a lot of Western boys on this team for sure, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, all the Western provinces. It’s a big, rough and tumble team, that’s for sure.

“You can definitely tell where guys are from. Walking into this room, you knew from guys talking around you. I knew the Manitoba guys right away, Colton Orr and Reims.”

Not only are there Western roots, but a number of Leafs can trace their NHL lineage to the other conference and are well versed on the Oilers, Flames and Canucks.

Jay McClement started with St. Louis, Joffrey Lupul was with Anaheim and Edmonton, Jonathan Bernier was an L.A. King, Frazer McLaren played for San Jose and Dave Bolland won two Cups in Chicago, where he clashed many times with the Canucks.

“Vancouver is really good, especially in its own building,” Bodie said. “Edmonton is a team that has a lot of skill. You can never take them lightly and Calgary is much improved. It’s going to be a tough trip.”

But the Leafs will hardly feel alone. Despite the scheduling void created by the lockout, there is a good chance that absence made the heart grow fonder for the Western sector of Leafs Nation.

Whether their great-grandparents listened to Foster Hewitt in the days when Canada had one predominant English team or they’re transplanted Torontonians, blue and white sweaters will be visible — with a loud vocal component.

“What surprised me so much was all the people cheering for us in Columbus on Friday,” new Leaf Bodie said. “It was unbelievable. There were more Leafs jerseys than Blue Jackets. But Leafs fans are everywhere and it’s nice to have your fans out West.”

The Leafs made sure the trip started out on the right note with Saturday’s win. Toronto was outshot, but mostly shut down Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

“Any time you go on the road, that (kind of result) builds team chemistry,” Clarkson said. “That’s was a big win and as long as we come out and play that same style, the way the coaching staff wants us to, we’ll be successful.

“We won’t have it every night, but we have to find a way to have it on a majority of these nights.”

This week in particular.


723636 Carolina Hurricanes

Hurricanes, Penguins seek to end losing streaks

Published: October 27, 2013

By Chip Alexander

RALEIGH — There should be two grumpy, antsy, emotionally charged teams in PNC Arena on Monday night.

The Carolina Hurricanes have lost their past two games. The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost the past three.

"We're striving to be one of the top teams in the East," Canes captain Eric Staal said after practice Sunday. "We didn't come in happy today."

But as much as the Canes (4-4-3) want to win, they realize a faster, stronger start to games is imperative. They also have a plan for doing it: harder but smarter play.

Staal said the Canes have been overanxious at times in the opening period, and that's hurt. So have first-period penalties. There's also the matter of maintaining the proper positioning in the offensive zone, keeping a third forward high if a defenseman pinches down in the zone to prevent the other teams from countering.

"They're creating havoc and creating chances that way," Staal said. "So it's about being smarter in our game and not beating ourselves in certain positioning on the ice. We have to be smarter with our play and execute when we need to."

There's a fine line to be tread, forward Tuomo Ruutu said, between being aggressive in the early going but not overly aggressive to the point careless mistakes are made.

"I think you can be both, aggressive and smarter," Ruutu said. "I don't think we have been physical enough, right from the beginning. It's been more like hoping to get a three-on-two or that two-on-one (rushes).

"You want to be aggressive, but in the right way. Finish your checks, win your one-on-one battles, those things, but at the same time be smart. So you need to find a good balance."

The Hurricanes are 2-4-2 this season when opponents have scored the first goal of the game. In the past two games, road losses to Minnesota and Colorado, the Canes trailed 2-0 after the first period.

"It's so tough to score in this league," Ruutu said. "And, you know, some teams they change the way they play after scoring the first one or second one. They play more defensive.

"We don't have to always score on the first shifts. But if we can score the first one, they can't just defend and wait for the mistakes."

The Pens' losing streak began with a 1-0 loss to the Avalanche in Pittsburgh. The New York Islanders rallied late for a 4-3 win, and the Toronto Maple Leafs topped the Pens 4-1 on Saturday.

The Penguins (7-4-0) still lead the NHL's Metropolitan Division with 14 points, three points ahead of the Canes and Islanders after Saturday's games.

"We're looking at it as we've lost two and they're going to be hungry and not very happy. We're not," Canes coach Kirk Muller said Sunday.

While the Canes put in a long, intense practice at PNC Arena, it also was a day of receiving some medical updates and reports.

Goalie Cam Ward (lower-body injury) and forward Jeff Skinner (upper-body) each were scheduled for MRIs. Goalie Anton Khudobin (lower-body injury) skated before the team practice but only briefly, Muller said.

Defenseman Brett Bellemore (lower-body injury) tried to skate but was sore, Muller said. Forward Radek Dvorak (lower-body) did not skate.

On Khudobin, Muller said, "He tried (to skate) this morning. Didn't feel that great. So he's got a little work to do."

Muller said there was no timeframe for Khudobin, who has been out since Oct. 13, returning to practice.

Muller said Dvorak was a "question mark" for the Pens game. Skinner, the Canes' top scorer, may also be questionable.

Muller took a look at different line combinations Sunday, moving Nathan Gerbe to left wing on Eric Staal's line and Elias Lindholm to right wing on Jordan Staal's line. Winger Patrick Dwyer, who missed the past two games with an upper-body injury, was back at practice Sunday and on Riley Nash's line with Ruutu.

“We've got to come out smarter and have a good first period where we play the game the right way and then we keep building as the game goes,” Muller said. “We need to play with the right intensity at the right spots."

News Observer LOADED: 10.28.2013

723637 Carolina Hurricanes

Medical reports, practice for the Canes

Posted by Chip Alexander on October 27, 2013

Sunday was a day of medical updates and practice for the Canes.

On the medical front, goalie Cam Ward (lower-body injury) and forward Jeff Skinner (upper-body) each had MRIs, and the Canes were to get the results later in the day. Goalie Anton Khudobin (lower-body) skated before the practice but only briefly, Canes coach Kirk Muller said.

Defenseman Brett Bellemore (lower-body) tried to skate but was sore, Muller said. Forward Radek Dvorak (lower-body) did not skate.

On Khudobin, Muller said, "He tried this morning, didn't feel that great. So he's got a little work to do. It's nice to see he went out and tried it … but he's got some work ahead of him."

Muller said there still was no time frame for Khudobin, who has been out since Oct. 13, returning to practice.

"We'll see how he fares the next few days getting some skating in," Muller said.

Muller said Dvorak was a "question mark" for the Pittsburgh Penguins game on Monday. Skinner may also be questionable for the game at PNC Arena.

Muller said a question addressed before Sunday's practice was the Canes' slow starts and three first-period goals this season.

"We said, 'Our second and third periods we outscore (teams) and outchance teams (and) it's more like you're going to see how the game's going to develop,’” Muller said. “You can’t win consistently in this league if you're spotting teams two goals, and it's from pressing at the beginning. If you're going to get caught and get scored on, then you're chasing the game.

"It's like, 'Oh, you've got to come out harder.' We've got to come out smarter and have a good first period where we play the game the right way and then we just keep building as the game goes. We need to play with the right intensity at the right spots." Canes captain Eric Staal said there's has been some overanxiousness in first periods. The Canes have taken some penalties, he said, or have lost their "third-man-high" positioning in the offensive zone and allowed teams to counter.

"As a group we've got to be smarter with some of the decisions we're making, especially in the first period," Staal said.

Muller took a look at some different line combinations Sunday, moving Nathan Gerbe to the left side on Eric Staal's line line and Elias Lindholm to right wing on Jordan Staal's line. The lines had Eric Staal centering Gerbe and Alex Semin; Jordan Staal centering Jiri Tlusty and Lindholm; Riley Nash at center with Tuomo Ruutu and Pat Dwyer; and Brett Sutter centering Drayson Bowman and Kevin Westgarth.

On defense, Justin Faulk was paired with Andrej Sekera and Ryan Murphy with Tim Gleason. Ron Hainsey worked with Mike Komisarek and Jay Harrison.

The Pens have lost the past three games, which has both positive and negative overtones for the Canes, who dropped the road games at Minnesota and Colorado in their last two.

"We're looking at it as we've lost two and they're going to be hungry and not very happy. We're not," Muller said. "I told the guys tomorrow is going to be a heck of a hockey game because you have two teams that shouldn't be very happy. I think it will be an interesting game. I think there will be a lot of emotion and should be a good one."

News Observer LOADED: 10.28.2013

723638 Chicago Blackhawks

Monday's matchup: Blackhawks at Wild

4:58 p.m. CDT, October 27, 2013

Staff

TV/radio: 7 p.m. Monday; CSN, WGN-AM 720.

Series: Wild lead 1-0.

Last meeting: Wild won 5-3 on Saturday night at the United Center.

Probable goaltenders, rec, gaa

Hawks, Corey Crawford, 5-2-2, 2.37

Wild, Niklas Backstrom, 1-0-2, 2.99

Team comparison

HAWKS (6-2-3) CATEGORY WILD (6-3-3)

2.91 (13) Goals for 2.42 (21)

2.73 (16) Goals against 2.00 (4)

20.0 (13) Power-play pct. 26.0 (5)

72.2 (20) Penalty-kill pct. 76.5 (26)

Averages per game (NHL rank)

Statistics through Friday

Storyline: The teams are meeting for the second time in three days after the Wild recorded a 5-3 victory Saturday night at the United Center. Winger Bryan Bickell remains red hot for the Hawks with a goal in four consecutive games. The Wild, who are 4-0-2 at home, have limited opponents to a league-low 23 shots per game.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.28.2013


It’s early, but where are the Blackhawks’ panic areas?

BY MARK LAZERUS Staff Reporter October 27, 2013 9:36PM

Updated: October 27, 2013 10:23PM

There are two ways to look at the Blackhawks’ first 11 games. On one hand, they look little like the unstoppable juggernaut they were last season. On the other hand, their clunker Saturday against the Minnesota Wild was only their second regulation loss of the season and snapped a seven-game points streak.

So either the Hawks are suffering from the dreaded Stanley Cup hangover and doomed to a season of scuffling, or they’re due to break out and dominate again any day now. It’s still early, but with the Central Division looking strong so far, it’s a good time to check the Panic Meter (on a scale of 1 to 10).

Offense

The Hawks finally broke through for five goals Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Of course, the Lightning scored one of those goals themselves. Aside from that game and the opener, the Hawks have failed to score more than three goals and have scored only two six times. It’s not for a lack of chances, though. The Hawks are third in the league in shots on goal at 34.7 per game; they’re just not going in.

Patrick Sharp seems

especially snakebitten, with only one goal on 45 shots, including six breakaways. He had seven quality shots against the Wild, but Niklas Backstrom made every stop.

With Bryan Bickell back on the third line and back in his comfort zone (four goals in four games) and Marcus Kruger giving Sharp and Patrick Kane some more speed to work with than

injured Michal Handzus, the pucks are bound to start

going in sooner than later.

Panic Meter: 2.

Defense/goaltending

The Hawks allowed only 18 goals (excluding shootouts) through their first nine games, right on par with their Jennings Trophy-winning pace of last season. But in the last two games, the Hawks have yielded a whopping 11 goals.

Nikolai Khabibulin struggled mightily against the Lightning, and Corey Crawford was largely a victim of his sloppy teammates against the Wild. The hope is Khabibulin will fare better when he plays more regularly (two starts in four weeks).

Third in shots on goal, the Hawks are also third in shots on goal against, allowing only 25.8 per game. The last two games were bad, but they were the exception, not the rule.

Panic Meter: 3.

Special teams

Here’s where things get a little hairy. One of the biggest reasons for the Hawks’ success last season was their penalty kill, which was third-best in the league at 87.2 percent. The kill has been an unmitigated disaster this season, allowing 10 goals on 36 power plays (72.2 percent). Michael Frolik’s absence looms very large, as Joakim Nordstrom, Hand-

zus, Ben Smith and Brad Mills all have been used in his role alongside Kruger. And none has had the combination of fearlessness and speed that Frolik brought.

The power play has been marginally better than it was last season, scoring 20 percent of the time (up from 16.6). But it has been wildly inconsistent — aggressive, structured, skate-moving power plays followed by

lethargic, sloppy, standing-still efforts.

Games are won or lost on special teams. At least one of these units has to find its groove.

Panic Meter: 8.

Depth

Hawks fans had been clamoring for the next generation to come up from Rockford, and they got their wish. But there’s a difference between American Hockey League-dominant and NHL-ready. Frolik, Dave Bolland, Viktor Stalberg, Jamal Mayers and Daniel Carcillo gave the Hawks talent on their bottom two lines and veteran savvy. They were all underrated pieces of the Hawks’ championship puzzle.

Brandon Pirri, Jeremy Morin, Nordstrom, Smith and Jimmy Hayes have loads of talent and potential, but they are just beginning the growing pains nearly every player not named Brandon Saad goes through.

The good news is, it’s a long season. The bad news is, it’s a long process.

Panic Meter: 6.

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 10.28.2013


Blackhawks' Bickell no longer pressing

By Tim Sassone

"It's nice scoring, but most importantly it's nice to score when you win," Bickell said after Saturday's 5-3 loss to Minnesota. "It's nice to score whenever, but it's nice to get the 2 points."

Bickell admits he was pressing to start the season, armed with a new $4 million contract and playing on the top line with Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, and Quenneville was quick to recognize it.

"It probably helps in that he has been playing in that role he is accustomed to," Quenneville said. "Less trying to make plays and more just putting pucks on the net. He's got a heavy shot and can beat goalies with it.

"You're not against the top line, you're not against the best pairing on defense, so there's a little bit of room out there. Hopefully he can continue to take advantage of that."

To the box:

Jonathan Toews already has 12 minutes in penalties after accumulating just 27 last season when it was shortened to 48 games because of the lockout.

"I guess I've got to be careful with my stick," he said. "A couple of these calls I've had lately, some I go straight to the box because I have nothing to argue about and some other ones, obviously, I'm not happy about.

"But that's the way it is. I've got to make sure I'm not taking penalties every game like I have been lately. The best way to kill penalties is not to take one in the first place, and I haven't been doing a good job of that."

Joel Quenneville cringes every time he sees his captain go off to the penalty box.

"I don't like Jonny taking penalties because we need him on the (penalty kill)," Quenneville said. "It seems like a lot of the guys taking penalties are penalty killers. That might be part of why we're having such a hard time."

Toews is part of the Hawks' second forward unit on the penalty kill with Marian Hossa.

Chasing the Hawks:

Everybody wants to beat the Hawks, and the Minnesota Wild is no exception.

"They're a proven team, obviously an elite team," Minnesota's Jason Pominville said. "Defending Stanley Cup champs. I think they're kind of a model for a lot of teams throughout the league."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.28.2013


Blackhawks game day

By Tim Sassone

Blackhawks vs. Minnesota Wild at Excel Energy Center, 7 p.m. Monday

TV: Comcast SportsNet

Radio: WGN-AM 720

The skinny: The Wild will be looking to make it two in a row over the Hawks after Saturday's 5-3 win at the United Center. Minnesota remains banged up with goalie Josh Harding (lower body), defenseman Jonas Brodin (broken cheekbone), defenseman Keith Ballard (upper body), defenseman Charlie Coyle (knee strain) and left wing Mike Rupp (lower body) all still sidelined.

Next: Ottawa Senators at the United Center, 7 p.m. Tuesday.



So far, Blackhawks' special teams not so special

By Tim Sassone

It's only 11 games into the season and the Blackhawks are a respectable 6-2-3.

But there are reasons to be concerned, especially on special teams, where the Hawks rank last in the league in penalty killing and 15th on the power play.

Penalty killing was a strength last season, but trading Michael Frolik to Winnipeg has proved to be a problem already, particularly when it comes to finding the right guy to pair with Marcus Kruger.

So far the Hawks have tried Joakim Nordstrom, Ben Smith, Brandon Saad and Craig Mills with nothing to show for it.

Mills got his chance Saturday against Minnesota and wasn't pleased with how he played.

"Tonight, I don't think I was necessarily on top of my game," Mills said. "I can definitely do better than that. I think going forward that's something I'm going to look to do (replace Frolik)."

Hawks captain Jonathan Toews was asked to evaluate the team at this point.

"There are some small problems that keep coming back in our game," he said. "We've got to find a way to get rid of those. There has been some improvement on our power play and at times with our penalty kill, but we know there's a lot of room for improvement there, even getting back to where we were last year."

Toews said the Hawks still are learning that they have a giant target on their back as defending Stanley Cup champs.

"It's not going to be easy," he said. "We're learning every team is really excited to play us and try to get off to a great start to the year, so we've got to try and find that same level of excitement and sustain it for 60 minutes. When we do that we're a pretty tough team to beat.

"Some of these games where maybe we don't play so well we've found a way to hang in there and get it to overtime, and you never know what can happen from there."

The Hawks have allowed 11 goals in the last two games, another cause for concern.

"We just need to be disciplined, know how much time is on the clock and every shift give what we need to do," Bryan Bickell said. "We haven't been doing that. You can look around the whole locker room and it's the whole team. We're frustrated right now after the last two games, but tomorrow is a new day and we get to play (Minnesota) again.

"For us, we need to turn it on to another level. We're not playing there yet and we've got to reach down and find it."

The Hawks are certainly going to need better goaltending than they've gotten in the last two games from Corey Crawford and Nikolai Khabibulin. Crawford was caught too deep in his net on two of Minnesota's goals in Saturday's 5-3 loss, while Khabibulin was big-time off in Thursday's 6-5 overtime loss at Tampa Bay.

The Wild can move ahead of the Hawks in the Central Division standings with another win Monday at home.

"We feel that we're a good team, and we welcome the opportunity to prove it," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. "Every game is a new challenge. We did a lot of really good things and obviously won a big game (Saturday).

"We get an opportunity to play these guys on Monday, and I think we're going to have to be even better than we were."



Penalty kill continues to give Blackhawks fits

October 27, 2013, 10:00 am

Staff

The Chicago Blackhawks head to the penalty kill, a special-teams situation that was quite the boon for them, and a bane for opponents, last season. Within those two minutes, they give up a goal, sometimes in alarmingly fast fashion. It’s strange. It’s bizarre. It’s very un-Blackhawks-like.

But as we’ve repeated a few times already, this is not last season. And this penalty kill is a prime reminder that it isn’t.

The Blackhawks’ penalty kill continues to sputter, as it began and ended Saturday night ranked 30th (aka last) in the league. While they kept themselves in last night’s game (at the time) by killing off a long Wild 5-on-3, they nevertheless allowed another power-play goal earlier. And they allowed it in rapid fashion, again.

“I don’t know how many goals they’ve scored right off the faceoff. Bingo, bango, in your net, right off the bat,” coach Joel Quenneville said after Saturday night’s 5-3 loss to the Wild.

Indeed, that Wild goal came a mere five seconds after it went on the power play. Five seconds. We reviewed the goals the Blackhawks kill has allowed this season. If we’re counting correctly, the Blackhawks have allowed two within five seconds of their kill’s start. Three others came 23, 31 and 36 seconds into the job.

Faceoffs are certainly an issue. You don’t allow a goal five seconds in if you’re winning them. The Blackhawks have struggled in this category for a while now and it’s costing them, especially shorthanded.

But there are other factors, too. The Blackhawks’ lack of discipline is one of them. Be it from playing catch-up (those hooking, tripping and holding penalties) or frustration (high sticks), the Blackhawks are spending way too much time in the box. And the guys serving those penalties are their best penalty killers. Jonathan Toews has 12 penalty minutes this season. Marian

Hossa took two Saturday night. Marcus Kruger took, in his words, “a really stupid one” to put the Wild on that 5-on-3 for 1:53.

“They called a lot of penalties tonight. Some were lack of discipline,” Quenneville said. “We took some careless ones tonight that led to them being on the power play and getting some momentum back in the game.”

The kill is a group of four players thinking and playing as one solid unit. It’s just not there for the Blackhawks right now. Shots are getting through, rebounds aren’t getting cleared or knocked out of harm’s way, and the goaltending isn’t coming up big enough as the last line of defense.

The Blackhawks will work through the kinks. The talent is there to get this done. They just have to be better.

“We had breakdowns, we had turnovers inside our zone, we had miscommunication and took some penalties we shouldn’t have taken…” Jonathan Toews said. “Our talent and ability is going to take over when the work ethic is there.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.28.2013


As recent struggles prove, Hawks still a work in progress

October 27, 2013, 10:45 am

Staff

The Chicago Blackhawks are licking their wounds a bit after these last two games, where they’ve gotten just one point and given up 11 goals. They enter Monday night’s game against the Minnesota Wild (again) with a 6-2-3 mark, good for 15 points and sixth in the Western Conference.

There are some good things to muse about, some bad. So while you contemplate your brunch order and sip that mimosa, let’s hit our random musings for this Sunday.

1. The Blackhawks, and the rest of us, are finding out something about parting ways with players: it’s not easy to replace them. Obviously the Blackhawks didn’t lose the number of players after this Stanley Cup victory as they did their 2010 one. But it’s not always about quantity; it’s also about quality. And once again, the Blackhawks are trying to find new role players to replace the damn good ones they once had. It’s not as simple as calling up a guy from Rockford and saying, “OK, it’s your turn.” No news flash, but the AHL isn’t the NHL. It’s just a slight difference from performing vs. the best in the minors to playing the best in the world. It takes chemistry, ability and some patience. Welcome to a work in progress.

2. To that end, right now, in my opinion, the Blackhawks are missing Michael Frolik more than any of them (let’s put Ray Emery as a very, very close second). It was an absolute roll of the dice by coach Joel Quenneville to not just put Frolik on the penalty kill, but to see it work. And it did, swimmingly. Frolik’s success on the kill was a surprise to many, probably to Frolik, too. He and Marcus Kruger, who also took to the kill, added great fourth-line chemistry to the Blackhawks. When the team parted ways with Frolik, they looked for the next guy to adapt and thrive in that PK spot. They’re still looking.

3. Patrick Kane has six goals in his first 11 games, leading the Blackhawks in that category. He’s also a minus-9, worst on the team. There are some extremes for you.

4. Meanwhile, Patrick Sharp is as snake-bit as they come right now. It’s not for lack of shooting; Sharp has 45 shots on goal this season, 13th most in the league. But he has just one goal to show for it. As Quenneville said on Saturday, after Sharp came up empty on seven shots, “everybody has stretches. You put pucks in the net and get confidence. If you don’t score, compounds itself.” You have to think Sharp will bust out of his slump soon.

5. One game after getting rebound and tip-in goals against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Blackhawks didn’t do enough of that on Saturday vs. the Wild. Again, they had their shots. Again, they had some solid opportunities to score. But they weren’t in Niklas Backstrom’s discomfort zone enough. “He played great,” Bryan Bickell said. “But we just need to turn it on to a new level. We’re not playing there yet. We have to reach down and find it.”

6. Commenting off Bickell’s comment, we have to remember it’s October. Yes, the Blackhawks would’ve loved to start this season a well-oiled machine but it’s not quite there yet. Unlike last year, which featured the lockout-shortened, 48-game sprint to the playoffs, we’re back to the 82-game marathon format. When there are dips, they’ll be more noticeable. There’s also more time to work them out. Take a deep breath, folks, and get back to that mimosa.


723645 Colorado Avalanche

Avalanche vs. Jets pregame notes

By Mike Chambers

Avalanche, NHL, Winnipeg Jets

Greetings from the Pepsi Center, where the Avalanche hosts the Winnipeg Jets for a 6 p.m. start. The Avs, of course, have an NHL-leading 9-1 record, and their 18 points is second in the league to the San Jose Sharks (9-1-1, 19 points). If the Avs improve to 10-1 tonight, they will own the Quebec/Colorado franchise record, by themselves, for best starts to a season. The 1994-95 Nordiques also began 9-1 in 1994-95, a year before they became the Avs. . . Cody McLeod will serve game No. 4 in his five-game suspension for his boarding major against Detroit’s Niklas Kronwall. . . . Coach Patrick Roy is the fifth NHL coach to win nine of his first 10 games. . . . This is the first of five meetings between Colorado and Winnipeg. The Avs host three. The series is tied 7-7-3 with the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise. . . . Matt Duchene has a team-high eight goals is one goal shy of tying the Avs’ record for most goals in the month of October. Joe Sakic scored nine in October 1997, as did Peter Forsberg in 2000 and Chris Stewart in 2010. Duchene has produced eight goals in a month for the first time of his career. Duchene is also the fourth-youngest Nordiques/Avs player to reach 200 points, at 22 years, 272 days. Sakic, Michel Goulet and Mats Sundin were 21. . . . Colorado owns the NHL’s best PK (91.2 percent) and has killed off their last 13 straight. The Avs are 22.9 percent on the power play (8-of-35). . . . Defenseman Tyson Barrie is skating in warmup. No lineup yet. . . . Former Colorado College defenseman Mark Stuart is in the house. The Jets’ rugged D-man was a man-child as a freshman and sophomore for the Tigers.

Denver Post: LOADED: 10.28.2013


The new game-night entertainment at the Pepsi Center – soooo much better

Posted By Adrian Dater On October 27, 2013 @ 4:35 am

The last couple year, I kind of dreaded covering home games. No, not at all because of the product on the ice. OK, maybe a little. But, seriously, most of the antipathy came from the Avs’ amateur-hour in-game entertainment.

The same exact, tired features at exactly the same times in every game: Dancing Guy, Kissing Game, Price is Right Game, sumo wrestlers on skates game, etc. etc. etc. Then there was the 1999 Non-HD scoreboard above the ice, the one that looked like it had beer stains across it. Then there was the music chosen by the DeeJays. A little Godsmack, a little System of a Down, a little something else from some bad ’90s band that somehow still was judged to be the “it” music to get a crowd pumped up for a game in 2012.

Well, folks, this has ALL changed. The Pepsi Center of right now is a really fun place to come. First off, the new scoreboard is aaaaa-mazing. It’s an entity to itself, a marvel, the Awe over Roy.

The rest of the game-night staff and their entertainment: soooo much better. The pregame intro, before the team takes the ice, is edgy and real good. The old siren sound when the Avs take the ice, the one we hadn’t heard since the early days, is back. The stuff on the screen throughout the game – promos, player talks, stats, highlights – is tremendous.

Thank you, Pepsi Center, for giving me back a sense of anticipation before going to home games again. It was a while coming, but all good things come to those who wait.



Matt Duchene dials up no. 9 in October

By Mike Chambers

Posted: 10/28/2013 12:01:00 AM MDT

Burgeoning Avalanche superstar Matt Duchene nearly scored on his first shift Sunday night, but he got his milestone ninth goal of the season soon thereafter against the Winnipeg Jets.

Duchene struck 9:04 into the game, putting in a juicy rebound from linemate Steve Downie's slap shot to cap a 2-on-1 rush. Goal No. 9 for Duchene tied the franchise record for goals in October. Joe Sakic scored nine in October 1997, as did Peter Forsberg in 2000 and Chris Stewart in 2010.

Duchene has produced nine goals in a month for the first time in his career. He is also the fourth-youngest Nordiques/Avs player to reach 200 points, at 22 years, 272 days. Sakic, Michel Goulet and Mats Sundin were 21.

McGinn out, Barrie in. Left wing Jamie McGinn was scratched with a knee injury that isn't considered serious. The Avs played with seven defensemen and 11 forwards, one fewer than normal, because they had only 11 available.

To complete the 20-player lineup, Tyson Barrie played as the seventh defenseman. Barrie was a healthy scratch in the previous six games, after playing the first four.

Footnotes. Cody McLeod served game No. 4 in his five-game suspension for his boarding major against Detroit's Niklas Kronwall on Oct. 17. ... Coach Patrick Roy is the fifth NHL coach to win nine of his first 10 games. ... This is the first of five meetings between Colorado and Winnipeg. The Avs host three. The series is tied 7-7-3 with the Atlanta/Winnipeg franchise. ... Former Colorado College defenseman Mark Stuart is a regular for the Jets.



Frei: Avs' Patrick Roy teacher at heart

By Terry Frei

Posted: 10/28/2013 12:01:00 AM MDT

In Toronto in November 2006, on the eve of his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Patrick Roy appeared at a fan forum at the Hall's headquarters. Many of the fans in the overflow audience had waited hours in line. I was in one of the limited number of press seats.

After an extensive discussion of Roy's acrimonious departure from Montreal and his assertion that he had made peace with most involved, a fan asked him if he would want to coach the Canadiens someday. At the time, Roy had just started his second season of coaching major junior's Quebec Remparts.

"I know I could change my mind," Roy said, "but I don't see myself at the NHL level. We need people who want to coach at the junior level. You need people who accept that, who will want to be part of the 16- to 20-year-olds and help them fulfill their goals. There are coaches in my league a lot better than me. Their dream is to coach in the NHL, and I wish it will happen for them, more than me."

Since, of course, he changed his mind.

As I've watched Roy's amazing start as an NHL coach — the Avs are 10-1 after beating the Winnipeg Jets 3-2 on Sunday night — I've recalled what he said that day. I also had visited him in Quebec City shortly after his

retirement, when he was serving only as the Remparts' co-owner and general manager.

He's still a teacher. The speculation about his possible volatility in this job, and the attention paid his explosion at the end of the opening-night win over the Anaheim Ducks, have been understandable, yet overshadowed a key point. His most important function is as the nurturer.

Pictures show Avs players eyeing him with rapt attention. It is short of awe, yet beyond the pro forma looks so typical in sports. The cachet of his Hall of Fame plaque, while a starting point, only goes so far. When the inevitable lulls and possible collision with reality come, it's possible that the attention to detail could become grating. But that would surprise me, because Roy's early NHL success seems more about substance than smoke and mirrors.

For eight years, he did his internship in the Quebec League. When he hired QMJHL opposing coach and GM Andre Tourigny, who had been with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies for 11 years, as one of his Avalanche assistant coaches, Roy was bringing along one of the "better" coaches he was talking about at the Hall of Fame.

Now, they don't have to walk down the aisle of the bus and demand that the exceptionally gifted teenage players do their homework, or listen to laments about the girl back home not understanding, or take great care to explain concepts of the game taken for granted at the pro level.

But they're still teachers, and that's why this is working so well, so far.

"It's been a lot of fun," said Avalanche captain Gabe Landeskog, who was 10 when Roy retired in 2003. "He's a great teacher and a fun guy to be around. I like the fact that he can be himself off the ice, but when it's game time, we're all businesslike and we all have to do our work. But the best attribute is that he's such a good teacher, and that's the number one priority."

Roy turned down the Avalanche job in 2009, mainly for family reasons, but he also admitted last summer that he probably wasn't ready to coach in the league four years ago. He is now. Part of it is that he has realized teaching doesn't have to stop at this level, and not only because the Avalanche roster includes eight players 25 or younger.

"There's probably more (teaching) than I thought," Roy said.

He and his staff alternately assess each line's work on video, then go over specifics in practice. "We explain the things, the details we think are extremely important — positioning of the skates and the stick and on and on," he said. "Obviously, there are times you want to go faster because you don't want to be on the ice too long, but I think I've enjoyed the mix."

Teacher and coach.



Avalanche rallies in third period to top Winnipeg Jets in Colorado

By Mike Chambers

Posted: 10/27/2013 08:39:14 PM MDT

Updated: 10/27/2013 11:20:06 PM MDT

Missing from the Avalanche's sizzling 9-1 start was a third-period comeback and an answer to uneven penalties, two areas of adversity that used to doom this team. "Character wins," however, seem to be this part of the Avs' DNA under first-year coach Patrick Roy, and Sunday's come-from-behind, 3-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets was as special as any of the previous nine.

"It means a lot to our team," Roy said of his team's first late comeback. "It makes us believe even more in ourselves."

Defenseman Jan Hejda and center Paul Stastny scored the game's third-period goals, and Winnipeg failed to take advantage of a huge discrepancy in power-play time. The Jets had 10 minutes of man-advantage to the Avs' two.

Yet, Colorado outshot the Jets 36-25 and extended its penalty-killing streak to 18 consecutive kills.

"We're going to have to win all types of games this season, and that's one right there," said Avs center Matt Duchene, who had another strong game with a goal on six shots in more than 20 minutes of ice time.

At 10-1, the Avs are off to the best start in Quebec/Colorado franchise history. The 1994-95 Nordiques began 9-1 in their last season before they moved to Colorado.

Captain Gabe Landeskog assisted on both third-period goals. His back-door pass to Stastny led to the game's easiest tally.

"It's something new this year to handle a one-goal deficit going into the third," Landeskog said. "We haven't dealt with that so far this year, but I think it's just another step for us in the right direction. Trailing after two periods and coming back — we stayed with it, stayed with the game plan and I think we felt all night long we could win this game. We put ourselves in a little bit of penalty trouble, but we stayed with it and got two big goals in the third."

Stastny's second goal of the season helped make Avs goalie Semyon Varlamov 7-1 — the best winning percentage (.875) in October in franchise history. The previous mark was held by Roy, who was 7-1-2 (.800) in October 2000. Duchene gave Varlamov a 1-0 lead but allowed goals by Bryan Little (rebound snap shot) and Blake Wheeler (long slap shot).

"I thought (Montoya) kept us in the game. He made a lot of big saves but still, we went into the third period with the lead and we didn't play like it," Jets forward Devin Setoguchi said. "We were on our heels."

Colorado entered the game with the NHL's best penalty killing (91.2 percent) and now is on a season-high 18 consecutive kills.

Avs Recap

THE POST'S THREE STARS

1. Paul Stastny. Avs center had two points in the third period, including the game-winning goal.

2. Matt Duchene. A goal and another strong performance by the Avs' 22-year-old center.

3. Gabe Landeskog. Assisted on the game-tying and game-winning goals.

WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

The arena sound crew twice hit its goal horn prematurely in the first period when the Duchene-centered line nearly scored.

UP NEXT

At Dallas, Friday night.



Patrick Roy: More on the Avalanche coach as teacher

By Terry Frei

I’ll peel back the curtain a bit here, but mainly because of deadline and Broncos game-day issues, my Monday column on Patrick Roy was written before the Avalanche’s 3-2 victory over Winnipeg Sunday night, then updated only with the score and Colorado’s record.

The assertion of the column is that for all the attention paid to Roy’s expected volatility, the more important point is that his major-junior coaching experience transformed him into a teacher — and it’s showing at this level. Of course, many major junior coaches have made the jump to the NHL and utilized what they had learned coaching teenagers, but Roy’s transformation has been remarkable. Frankly, you can count me among those who expected him to be more like what we saw in the opener against Anaheim on every night.

On Sunday night, the Avalanche trailed the Jets 2-1 after two periods, then came back to win 3-2 after Jan Hejda and Paul Stastny scored in the third.

Stastny told me what happened after the second period.

“He was calm,” he said of Roy. “He showed us a couple of clips between periods to maybe open up our offense a little bit, finding ways to kind of get

open. On our (line’s) goal, we kind of spread the ice a little bit behind our net and something good happened. He did a good job teaching us, used a couple of lines here and there as a motivator, and got us going.”

It worked.


723651 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets fall to Ducks 4-3

By Aaron Portzline

The Columbus Dispatch Monday October 28, 2013 5:10 AM

While the Blue Jackets were left to measure their regret after tonight’s 4-3 loss to the Anaheim Ducks, center Brandon Dubinsky began pleading his case to the NHL against further discipline for the second-period hit that changed the tenor of the evening.

In the closing minutes of regulation, with the score tied at 3, Jackets center Ryan Johansen tried to rim the puck around the end boards, but took too sharp of an angle off his backhand, sending it off goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and into the slot.

There waiting was perhaps the last player on the Ducks the Blue Jackets would pick in that situation — Corey Perry.

Perry, showing the patience of an elite scorer, waited out Bobrovsky and fired home the winning goal with only 2:25 remaining.

“It’s tough to lose on a freaky bounce like that,” forward Nick Foligno said. “It’s a game you look back on and say we let it slip away. We feel like we should have had that one.”

The Blue Jackets, who had won three straight, got two goals from Artem Anisimov and one from Blake Comeau. Bobrovsky had 28 saves.

This game will be remembered, though, for Dubinsky’s hit on Ducks forward Saku Koivu with 34.8 seconds left in the second period.

Koivu carried the puck into the Jackets’ zone and had just passed it when Dubinsky stepped into him at the blue line.

Dubinsky did not leave his skates or appear to target Koivu’s head, but his right shoulder glanced off Koivu’s raised stick before smacking his head.

Koivu was “knocked out,” according to Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau, but “looked like he was OK” after the game.

Dubinsky was given a five-minute major penalty for interference and a game misconduct, ending his evening.

“I didn’t agree with the call,” he said. “But the refs see it at game speed and they have to make a call. Obviously I don’t think I’m a dirty player. I don’t think I was trying to target his head.

“I understand the league is trying to crack down on hits to the head, and I don’t think it was one.”

The interference major was called not by referees Paul Devorski or Brian Pochmara, but by one of the linesmen.

“I was just going to finish my check,” Dubinsky said. “I know (Koivu) moved the puck, but it was less than a second between him moving the puck and when the hit actually happened, so, by definition, I don’t think that’s an interference call.

“My shoulder and my elbow were tucked. It’s a fast game. I’m not a dirty player. I play the game honest. I went out there to try and make a body check, not injure Koivu and make a dirty hit.”

The Ducks scored only one goal during the five-minute major, by Emerson Etem at 1:51 of the third to make it 3-2.

The Jackets tied it when a James Wisniewski shot bounced off Anisimov on its way into the net with 11:36 remaining.

Even after Perry’s goal, the Jackets had a chance to tie it.

Given their only power play of the night with 87 seconds left to play — the Ducks had five power plays, including the major — the Blue Jackets couldn’t net a goal even with Bobrovsky pulled.

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.28.2013


Blue Jackets notebook: Leg injury will keep Boone Jenner off ice

By Shawn Mitchell

The Columbus Dispatch Sunday October 27, 2013 7:21 AM

Blue Jackets rookie Boone Jenner will miss a game tonight against the Anaheim Ducks at Nationwide Arena and likely more because of a leg injury he suffered Friday in a win over Toronto.

“Boone is getting re-evaluated, but it might be an injury that keeps him out a little bit,” coach Todd Richards said. “Just one of those fluke things. He went down with a leg injury. He’s going to miss some time.”

The Blue Jackets were already without forwards Matt Calvert (abdominal tear), Nathan Horton (shoulder surgery) and Cody Bass (broken left hand). They also could be without center Derek MacKenzie, who missed practice because of a lower-body injury and is questionable.

“If he can play, Ryan Craig will go in (for Jenner), and we’ll be fine,” Richards said. “If Derek can’t go, we’ll be bringing somebody up (from minor-league Springfield).”

The Blue Jackets recalled center Michael Chaput from Springfield yesterday afternoon. Chaput, 21, had two goals and two assists and a plus-3 rating in six games for the Falcons. He has yet to play an NHL game.

Jenner, a second-round pick in 2011, scored his first two career goals last week in a 5-3 loss at Montreal. He had been skating on the left wing of the top line with center Brandon Dubinsky and right wing Cam Atkinson.

No distraction

Defenseman Nikita Nikitin, previously a lineup staple when healthy, could be scratched for a fourth consecutive game.

“He came into my office the other day and asked to talk to me,” Richards said. “He just wanted to know what he needed to do to get back in the lineup. He did it the right way. His attitude and work ethic have been very good.”

Nikitin was prone to turnovers in his first six games. In the meantime, David Savard and rookie Ryan Murray have emerged as everyday defensemen.

“There are different ways guys can go in situations like this,” Richards said. “Sometimes players can make it a distraction for their teammates, but I haven’t seen that.”

Duck migration

Anaheim will play the fourth game of an eight-game, 14-day trip through the Eastern Conference. The Ducks lost the first two before beating Ottawa 2-1 on Friday.

Anaheim tied a franchise record with seven consecutive wins from Oct. 5 to 20.

“Their top six forwards, those are very dangerous guys, very dangerous scorers,” Dubinsky said. “We have to stick to being sound defensively. The only time we’ve been in trouble the last couple of games is when we’ve turned the puck over. We’ve got to mind that puck.”

Slap shots

A 3-on-4 goal scored by Dubinsky on Friday in a 5-2 win over Toronto was only the third 3-on-4 goal in franchise history. Adam Foote (Oct. 26, 2005) and Robert Kron (March 9, 2001) had the others. All three were winning goals. … Anaheim will be without forwards Jakob Silfverberg (broken hand) and Mathieu Perreault (sprained wrist) tonight. Both were injured during a win over Ottawa on Friday. Dustin Penner (concussion) joined the team yesterday and might play.



NHL: Blue Jackets take alternate route in picking captain

By Shawn Mitchell

The Columbus Dispatch Sunday October 27, 2013 9:41 AM

The Blue Jackets have been without a captain since Rick Nash was traded in July 2012.

If a replacement is not named before season’s end, it would mark the first time in almost two decades that an NHL team has played without a captain for the entirety of back-to-back seasons.

That is hardly cause for hand-wringing, Blue Jackets president of hockey operations John Davidson said. The Jackets, for now, are perfectly happy to keep the “C” patch in storage. They are content with captain by committee.

“It’s not an issue,” Davidson said. “I appreciate the passion of fans who want to see who might (be captain), but I feel very comfortable with where we are right now.

“There is no handbook that tells you what you’re supposed to have and when you’re supposed to have it. We have a very good group of leaders who enjoy being part of the process. This is a team that seems to be the sum of its parts in a lot of ways. If our team is worrying about that issue, then they’re wasting energy.”

NHL captaincies carry more weight than in any other pro league. The captain, besides setting a tone for the team, is the conduit between his teammates and the coaching staff, front office, on-ice officials and community.

There is a rich lore surrounding the “C” in hockey that other sports — many with teams that have multiple or constantly changing captains — don’t have. The best hockey captains — Mark Messier, Wayne Gretzky, Bobby Clarke, Steve Yzerman — became the embodiment of their teams.

But leaders such as Messier and Gretzky come around “once in a lifetime,” Davidson said, and picking the wrong player can have a demoralizing effect. The Blue Jackets’ past two captains — Nash and Adam Foote — requested in-season trades.

“You can have a lot of candidates, but candidates don’t make a captain,” said former NHL coach Terry Crisp, who coached the Tampa Bay Lightning from its inception in 1992 until 1997. “You’ve got to get it right. The worst thing you can do is have to remove that ‘C.’ ”

Crisp’s Lightning is among only five teams in NHL history to have played the entirety of two or more consecutive seasons without a captain.

The Boston Bruins went without a captain for six straight seasons in the late 1960s and early 1970s, winning two Stanley Cups during that span. The Chicago Blackhawks played without one from 1970 to ’75, winning their division three times and advancing to two Stanley Cup finals.

The Lightning was the last to do it, forgoing a captain for its first three seasons.

“We had players coming and going, and (general manager) Phil (Esposito) and I decided that for a while we’d just go with assistant captains,” Crisp said. “We didn’t feel like we had to have one.”

The Blue Jackets are the only NHL team without a captain. That doesn’t bother coach Todd Richards.

“If this works for your team, then why do we have to change it?” Richards asked. “I don’t look at it like we have to have a captain. I look at it like we have to have leaders.”

It is not unusual for a team to go without a captain for all or part of a single season. That has happened at least 30 times in league history, often after a longtime captain retires or moves on.

Nash still resonates here, and the Jackets are very much a team in transition after a lockout-shortened season. Davidson, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen and almost half the current roster have arrived since Nash departed.

“We had a lot going on last year, and we didn’t have a lot of time to grow as a group early on,” Richards said. “We got some good reads on people, but the season went so fast. There were some things we would have liked to have seen more of.”

NHL rules allow teams to use one captain and two alternates or, in the absence of a captain, three alternates.

The Jackets rotated their alternate patches among a group of veterans last season.

Two players who are regarded as the top candidates to replace Nash — defenseman Jack Johnson and center Brandon Dubinsky — have been designated as alternates for every game this season. Right wing Jared Boll has worn the third “A” in eight games. Left wing Mark Letestu wore it when Boll was injured.

If and when a captain is named, it will be a joint decision made by upper management and Richards. There is no bated breath.

“Dubi does a great job leading. Jack, Jared, Derek (MacKenzie), James (Wisniewski) — there are a lot of guys here that lead,” Letestu said. “It seems to work here. There’s no jealousy. There’s no campaigning. We don’t talk about it. It’s by committee, much like our scoring and the way our game is. Everybody’s got to pull the rope.

“I’m sure they will name somebody someday and it will be the right choice. But for right now, we’re pretty happy with the way it is.”

Davidson said Vezina Trophy-winning goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky has likely replaced Nash as the face of the franchise, but NHL rules prohibit goaltenders from wearing the “C” on the ice. Still, Vancouver goalie Roberto Luongo captained the Canucks for two seasons, ceding on-ice duties to defenseman Willie Mitchell.

There have been several other novel approaches to NHL captaincies. Minnesota coach Jacques Lemaire rotated the “C” among as many as five players per season before Richards replaced him and named Mikko Koivu the permanent captain in 2009.

The Buffalo Sabres traded captain Jason Pominville last season and replaced him with a pair of players. Steve Ott wears the “C” on the road and Thomas Vanek wears it at home. Other teams from many eras have used multiple captains, as well.

Johnson, though, would prefer to have one or none.

“Stuff like that takes away from (the honor),” Johnson said. “What we’re doing just seems normal for us now. None of us thinks about it anymore. I don’t think it’s that (coaches and management) don’t think anyone is worthy. They’ll make their decision when they’re ready.”

There is no deadline.

“We have a good group of leaders, and right now this works for us,” Richards said. “That doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way, but right now this works and I don’t feel that based on history we should have to do something else.”



Around the NHL: Derick Brassard goal lifts Rangers to OT win

Graham Hughes | The Canadian Press

Sunday October 27, 2013 6:07 AM

Rangers 3, Red Wings 2, OT: Derick Brassard’s breakaway goal in the closing seconds of overtime gave visiting New York a win over Detroit last night.

Brassard scored his first goal of the season with only 12.9 seconds left.

Benoit Pouliot had a goal and an assist and Mats Zuccarello also scored for New York, which rallied from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits in the final game of its season-opening, nine-game trip. Cam Talbot stopped 32 shots while filling in for injured regular Henrik Lundqvist.

Drew Miller and Daniel Alfredsson scored for the Red Wings, who lost their fourth straight. Jimmy Howard made 37 saves.

Maple Leafs 4, Penguins 1: Dave Bolland scored two goals and James Reimer had 37 saves to lead host Tor-

onto over Pittsburgh.

Making his first start since Oct. 17, when he left because of a head injury after 32 seconds, Reimer was stellar after giving up a power-play goal to Kris Letang at 6:52 of the first.

Reimer made a highlight-reel, right-pad save on Pascal Dupuis on a 2-on-1 rush and used a quick glove hand to make a series of other saves.

Nazem Kadri and Phil Kessel also scored for Toronto.

Devils 4, Bruins 3: Marek Zidlicky and Andy Greene scored power-play goals

23 seconds apart late in the third period to lift visiting New Jersey over Boston.

Torey Krug, Jarome Iginla and Milan Lucic scored first-period goals for the Bruins.

Adam Henrique and Damien Brunner also had power-play goals for the Devils. Martin Brodeur stopped 25 shots after a rough start.

Flyers 5, Islanders 2: Vinny Lecavalier scored three goals in Philadelphia’s biggest offensive outburst of the season, and Steve Mason made 26 saves against host New York.

Sharks 2, Canadiens 0: Antti Niemi made

22 saves and Logan Couture scored twice for visiting San Jose.

Carey Price made 35 saves for Montreal.

Lightning 3, Sabres 2: Ondrej Palat and Martin St. Louis scored third-period goals to help host Tampa Bay rally past Buffalo.

Coyotes 5, Oilers 4: Oliver Ekman-Larsson scored on a power play in the third period after Keith Yandle made a spectacular play to keep the puck in the zone to lift host Phoenix over Edmonton.

Jets 2, Stars 1, SO: Andrew Ladd scored the only goal in a shootout and Ondrej Pavelec made 35 saves to help visiting Winnipeg beat Dallas.

Wild 5, Blackhawks 3: Niklas Backstrom made 33 saves in his first win of the season to lead visiting Minnesota over Chicago for its third straight win.

Blues 6, Predators 1: Alexander Steen scored two goals to help visiting St. Louis rout Nashville.



Game Day Scorecard: Blue Jackets vs. Anaheim Ducks

Sunday October 27, 2013 6:06 AM

Staff

Blue Jackets at a glance

• Record: 5-5-0

• Power play: 20.5 percent (12th in NHL)

• Penalty kill: 78.1 percent (22nd)

• Injury update: C Derek MacKenzie (lower body) is questionable. RW Nathan Horton (left shoulder), LW Matt Calvert (abdominal surgery), LW Boone Jenner (lower body) and LW Cody Bass (broken thumb) are out.

Ducks at a glance

• Record: 8-3-0

• Power play: 6.8 percent (30th in NHL)

• Penalty kill: 75.6 percent (26th)

• Injury update: LW Dustin Penner (concussion) is questionable. RW Mathieu Perreault (wrist) is doubtful. Jakob Silfverberg (broken hand), LW Matt Beleskey (thumb), G Viktor Fasth (lower body), C Peter Holland (lower body), D Luca Sbisa (ankle) and D Sheldon Souray (wrist) are out.


723656 Dallas Stars

Top AHL scorer Travis Morin called up to Dallas Stars

MIKE HEIKA

Published: 27 October 2013 04:56 PM

Updated: 28 October 2013 12:02 AM

The Stars are battling some flu, but also have no extra forwards, so they called up Travis Morin from the AHL today.

Ryan Garbutt has served two games of a five-game suspension, but still must stay on the 23-man roster. Kevin Connauton is the extra defenseman, so Morin will be a forward who can add depth on a quick two-game road trip with back-to-back games Monday and Tuesday.

Here is the press release:

DALLAS STARS RECALL FORWARD TRAVIS MORIN FROM TEXAS STARS

FRISCO, Texas - The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has recalled forward Travis Morin from the Texas Stars, Dallas' development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL).

Morin, 29, has earned at least one point in each of his first eight contests with Texas this season and leads the entire AHL with 18 points (8-10=18). The 6-foot-1, 190-pound forward was the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Oct. 20 for posting nine points (4-5=9) in four games. The native of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota has appeared in three National Hockey League (NHL) contests, all as a member of the Dallas Stars during the 2010-11 season. Morin was Washington's ninth-round selection (263rd overall) in the 2004 NHL Draft.

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.28.2013

723657 Dallas Stars

Stars coach Lindy Ruff has more on his mind than just return trip to Buffalo

By MIKE HEIKA

Published: 27 October 2013 07:26 PM

Updated: 27 October 2013 07:31 PM

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The fact Lindy Ruff is more concerned about his new team’s road record than he is a return to the place he called home for more than 15 years tells you all you need to know.

The new Stars coach is much more concerned about results than he is reminiscing — which might be the reason he ranks 12th all-time in NHL coaching victories at 574 — and that attitude might be perfect when the Stars visit First Niagara Center on Monday for a family reunion.

When Dallas and Buffalo clash, it will be a battle between two struggling teams with a lot of former ties. Ruff was the head coach and former player with the Sabres, fired last February after 1,165 games behind the bench. New Stars assistant coach James Patrick was Ruff’s assistant in Buffalo for seven season and also is a former Sabres player.

Sabres co-captain Steve Ott played nine years in Dallas and became a fan favorite, and this will be his first game against his former team.

So, a lot of emotion to deal with, right?

Yet, that emotion will become even more intense — in a negative way — if the Stars can’t get a win against the 2-10-1 Sabres, who rank last in several statistical categories. They are 30th in scoring at 1.46 goals per game, 30th in shot differential at minus-10.6 per game, and 30th in shots on goal at 25.1 per game.

They have been outscored 16-1 in the first period and have yet to win a home game (0-6-1). And now they get to see their old coach.

So both sides are probably going to want to win this one.

“I’ve thought about it. I can’t lie and say I haven’t thought about it,” Ruff said after Saturday’s 2-1 shootout loss to Winnipeg. “The No. 1 thing on my mind is our road record [1-4-0]. I’m really focusing in on that with this road trip. It’s not like I’ve been gone a long time, so it’s not like I’m walking in after missing it for two or three years.”

That said, it is his first time on the visiting bench, and he is coming back with the team that much of Buffalo hates — the team that many believe stole the 1999 Stanley Cup with a disputed Brett Hull goal.

“I’m sure he’s going to have mixed emotions going back there,” said Stars captain Jamie Benn. “Obviously, we want to bring out a strong effort for him and we want to get a big two points to start off our road trip.”

Ruff’s start in Dallas has been a bumpy one. He has had to deal with an injury to No. 1 goalie Kari Lehtonen for five games (in which the Stars went 1-4-0), and his team has its own statistical problems. The Stars are 28th in average shots against per game at 35.3. They are 20th in scoring at 2.50 goals per game.

Last game, the Stars stumbled out in the first period and eventually fell to a Winnipeg team that has been struggling with slow starts, so maybe Dallas needs the boost in emotion. Maybe they need to win one for their coach.

“He’s very popular there, and he did a lot of good things for that organization, so I expect it’s going to be an emotional game for him and James,” said defenseman Stephane Robidas. “And as a team, I think we owe them to show up and be ready right from the get-go.”

That would be a pleasant change for the man whose job it is to make sure this team is ready.

“It’s going to be great to walk in the building and see the old faces. I’ve got a lot of good friends there. They love their hockey, and it will be a good day,” Ruff said. “Hopefully, our team will play really well, and it will be a really good day.”

Stars recall Morin from AHL: The Stars on Sunday recalled forward Travis Morin from the Texas Stars (AHL). With Ryan Garbutt serving a five-game suspension but still on the roster, the Stars needed an extra forward as they play back-to-back nights at Buffalo and Montreal.

Morin, 29, leads the AHL in scoring with 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) in eight games.


723658 Dallas Stars

Defensman partners shuffled for Alex Goligoski, Sergei Gonchar

SPORTSDAYDFW SPORTS

Published: 27 October 2013 12:38 AM

Updated: 27 October 2013 06:56 PM

Stars coach Lindy Ruff had to play musical chairs with his defensemen Saturday, and that could be a trend this season.

After scratching veteran Alex Goligoski on Thursday and inserting rookie Kevin Connauton, Ruff put Goligoski back on the ice Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets. However, he said he did not want to pair Goligoski with Sergei Gonchar, and it's clear Ruff didn't want to break up the top pair of Brenden Dillon and Stephane Robidas.

So, he had Goligoski mostly with Jordie Benn and Gonchar mostly with Trevor Daley.

"My initial thought is we played OK," Ruff said of the rearranged defense corps. "We put a couple of pucks in places where we didn't need to put them, and it hurt us."

Ruff has had trouble finding the right fit. While Dillon and Robidas entered the game at plus-7 each, the rest of the defensemen were minus. Goligski was minus-10, among the worst in the league.

"Defense on the whole stayed away from easy plays and looked for tough ones," Ruff said sarcastically. "It spread the ice out at times, and our forwards got too high and then had to turn back. When we hesitate and hang onto pucks, everyone might as well go back and start again."

Goligoski had an early turnover that almost led to a goal and struggled at times. Ruff said that for now, Goligoski needs to focus on his defensive work.

"Alex hasn't been happy with the way he has defended - start in your own end and play well there," Ruff said before the game.

Gonchar also has started slowly and is minus-5 on the season. He said he is being patient with his assimilation to the Stars.

"It has happened to me with other teams, and it's something I have done before," Gonchar said of the slow start. "I don't want it to be that way, but I know I get better as the year goes on. I want to be better now and help the team win now, but I also know I will get better."

If Ruff wants Connauton back in, he will probably have to scratch a veteran. Gonchar said he wasn't worried.

"We all want to do well, and that's really the only thing you focus on," Gonchar said. "I'm not thinking about healthy scratches or anything like that; it never crossed my mind. We all just want to play better and win together as a team."


723659 Detroit Red Wings

Detroit Red Wings' Stephen Weiss seeking role as team searches for blueprint for success

2:27 PM, October 27, 2013

By Helene St. James

As the Detroit Red Wings search for their identity, Stephen Weiss searches for his within the team.

Weiss has two points in a dozen games, and has dropped from the second line to the third during the 0-2-2 stretch with which the Wings head off to western Canada. They play in Vancouver Wednesday, followed by games at Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg.

Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the Rangers left the Wings with just five goals during the last four games. Weiss hasn’t scored since Oct. 14, when he produced his second goal of the season. Those aren’t the kind of numbers the Wings envisioned when they signed Weiss, 30, to five years and $24.5 million in July.

In fairness to Weiss, his story is far from unusual: Guy signs big contract with new team and struggles. And Weiss is under a scrutiny unfamiliar when he was playing with the Florida Panthers, where he spent the first part of his NHL career.

“When you come to a new place and the place you’re playing expects to win,” coach Mike Babcock said, “that has a way to tighten you up. But that’s part of mental toughness, fighting through that, and he’ll do that. And we have to help him become comfortable. But he’s got to do his part, too.”

It doesn’t help that Weiss is basically regaining his footing after playing just 11 games in the 2013 season; essentially, he hadn’t played regularly in 18 months when this season began.

“You expect to step in and continue to play the way you always have,” Weiss said, “but I’m sure it has something to do with it. And then coming to a new team, sure, it’s an adjustment as well. At the end of the day, those things can be excuses, too, so you’ve got to find a way to be productive and help the team out. Still looking forward to when that starts coming and it feels a little bit easier. Right now, it doesn’t feel as easy as it should.”

Henrik Zetterberg sits next to Weiss in the locker room, and said that if Weiss, “has any questions, I’m there. When new guys come into this system, it takes a while to get used to it. He’ll be fine.”

As the Wings attempt to bounce back, Weiss is simply looking for one break.

“It’s going to be a little bounce around the net that goes in and all of a suddenly the game feels easy again,” he said, “and you feel like some weight has been lifted off your shoulders.”

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.28.2013


Allowing too many shots is beginning to to cost Red Wings

Ted Kulfan

Detroit — It used to be rare when a Red Wings opponent would get 40 shots on net.

Usually it was the Red Wings who continually got pucks on net.

But during their 3-2 overtime victory over the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena Saturday, the New York Rangers put 40 shots on goalie Jimmy Howard, thus becoming the second team in five games (Colorado had 40 on Oct. 17) to do so.

It's becoming a trend, one the Red Wings realize isn't helpful to winning games.

"Something has to be done about it," Howard said of the Red Wings’ sudden inability to contain teams. "We're trying to do too much out there."

Specifically, the Red Wings are turning pucks over in the neutral zone and the opposition is roaring in and getting pucks on Howard. All of which makes life difficult on the Red Wings defense.

"We're getting skated and turning pucks over," coach Mike Babcock said. "If you don't get through the neutral zone, if you can't make them turn around and spend time in their zone, you're going to spend time in your own zone.

"If we're stubborn and turn pucks over like that, you put a lot of miles on the defense."

The tide of Saturday's game began to change in the second period, as the Rangers outshot the Red Wings 16-8 (40-34 for the game).

"They kept it really simple," forward Henrik Zetterberg said. "As soon as they got the puck in their end, it was glass out, three guys went and we got caught a few times."

The Rangers finally begin their home schedule Wednesday when they host Montreal.

Saturday's game against the Red Wings was the ninth consecutive road game the Rangers have played to open the regular season while Madison Square Garden was being renovated.

A few Red Wings players couldn't even begin to think about a stretch like that to open the season.

"It is tough," Zetterberg said. "Obviously it's a tough way to start the year. You just have to deal with it and play as good as you possibly can. They've made some big changes, but I'm sure they'll be glad to be in front of the home crowd."

Star one

Choosing the Red Wings’ best player Saturday was an easy decision.

Howard made 37 saves and kept the Red Wings in the game, coming on the heels of being pulled in the first period Wednesday against Ottawa.

But losing as the Red Wings did, in the final 12 seconds on a breakaway goal by Rangers forward Derick Brassard, hurt.

"It's frustrating," Howard said. "We lost with 12 seconds left in overtime. Once again we didn't play 60 minutes and it cost us."

Said Babcock: "Howie was great, he gave us a chance, especially in the second period."

Ice chips

Former Wings Nicklas Lidstorm and Tomas Holmstrom were in attendance at Joe Louis Arena. Lidstrom attended the morning skate.

… Forwards Patrick Eaves and Mikael Samuelsson were healthy scratches.

… The Red Wings caught a bit of a break as the Rangers were without goalie Henrik Lundqvist (undisclosed injury), who missed a second consecutive game.

"He's proven to be one of the best goalies in the world," Zetterberg said. "He hates losing and when people score on him. He's a competitor."

… New York's last win at Joe Louis Arena before this game was Jan. 30, 1999.

Detroit News LOADED: 10.28.2013


News and views: Turnovers allowing Wings' foes way too many shots

Ted Kulfan

Detroit — News and Views on the Red Wings, who embark on a crucial four-game road trip through western Canada, while essentially being a .500 team (6-4-2) through 12 games.

News: Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers was the latest in a four-game winless streak which has highlighted the Red Wings’ deficiencies.

Views: It’s shocking to see the number of shots the Red Wings are allowing this season and their sloppy play through the neutral zone.

The Red Wings practically gifted the Rangers Saturday’s victory. New York had a lineup without scoring forwards Rick Nash, Ryan Callahan and former Michigan Wolverine Carl Hagelin.

And yet, with the type of defensive performance the Red Wings put out, the Rangers had 40 shots on net and numerous scoring opportunities.

“In today’s NHL, when one team’s pressing and the other team’s on its heels, it’s tough to get over that,” said goalie Jimmy Howard, who was the reason the Red Wings even had a chance for a victory.

When you get down to it, the Red Wings are allowing so many shots because of turnovers, spending little time at all in the opposition’s zone while opponents are spending a whole lot of time shooting at Howard.

The Red Wings have been out-shot in eight of these 12 games, so it’s been a common theme from Game 1 this season.

“We had the puck and put ourselves in trouble, we didn’t make the right play,” said defenseman Niklas Kronwall of the Rangers loss. “We didn’t get pucks in deep and didn’t get it out of our zone, and here we go again.

“We gave them way too much space. Right now, we’re not good enough.”

For a group with so many established players, it’s head-scratching as to why this team is performing right now the way it is.

But it’s early. There’s plenty of time to correct things, although the laundry list of things for coach Mike Babcock and his staff is growing longer.

“Turnovers are absolutely killing us,” Babcock said. “Until we decide mentally what the right way for this group is to play, we have no chance.”

News: Through 10 games, former Red Wings forward Valtteri Filppula has four goals and five assists for nine points. In 12 games, Stephen Weiss has two goals, and is looking for his first assist.

Views: It’s nowhere near the Prince Fielder level, or maybe Filppula or Johan Franzen after recent playoff disappointments, or the frustration Detroit sports fans felt with Tigers Brandon Inge or Ryan Raburn.

But we’re approaching the ground floor of those recent fan disillusionments with Detroit athletes.

They’re not booing Weiss yet. But judging from fan forums and social media responses, fans are growing impatient.

Weiss was signed to a five-year contract worth $24.5 million to replace Filppula and provide more offense that Filppula never could quite deliver.

So far, Weiss hasn’t done it. Not close.

News: The Red Wings begin a four-game road trip Wednesday beginning in Vancouver.

Views: Maybe it’s a good time to get on the road and get this thing straigtened out.

The Red Wings will visit Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Winnipeg, and maybe the best thing of all, it’ll be the only time this season they have to make this long trip, thanks to being in the Eastern Conference.

With an opportunity for a couple of good practices, and focusing entirely on hockey for a week, this could be a crucial part of the schedule.

“It’s nice to play all of these teams at once, go out on a good road trip, and play good hockey games,” forward Henrik Zetterberg said. “We don’t go out there (western Canada) that often now.

“I’m kind of looking forward to go to those cities and play those games. It’s fun playing in those cities, in Canada where there’s a lot of attention to hockey, and then you know you don’t have to go back there, either (because of the distance).”

Detroit News LOADED: 10.28.2013


Red Wings focus on reducing turnovers, making simple plays with the puck to tighten up defensively

Ansar Khan

on October 27, 2013 at 6:02 PM

DETROIT – Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock often assesses a player’s defensive performance by asking “Who has the puck after you?’’

Lately, the answer to that question has been “The opponent.’’

The Red Wings were a minus-9 in turnover differential (10-1) in Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers at Joe Louis Arena.

Poor puck management has been an issue this season, particularly during this four-game winless skid (0-2-2). It’s resulted in less possession time and less offensive-zone time, leading to far more shots (averaging 32.4 per game) and scoring chances than this team typically allows.

“We spend too much time in our own zone; we turn over too many pucks and here they come,’’ Babcock said. “If we play in the offensive zone then they’re not getting any shots.

“When we played San Jose (1-0 shootout loss on Monday) we had commitment to detail. Once again (Saturday) we didn’t have any detail, like we wanted to stick-handle by everybody. Turnovers are absolutely killing us. Until we decide mentally what the right way for this group is to play we’ll have no chance.’’

The Red Wings have the third-most giveaways in the NHL (116). It’s a subjective statistic, but still demonstrates their difficulty.

“A lot of times we had the puck first and we put ourselves in trouble, didn't make the right play, didn't get the pucks deep, didn't get it out of our zone and here they go again,’’ defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “We were giving them way too much space."

Kronwall said they need to make the simple play.

“We're a little bit too much all over the place,’’ he said. “Sometimes the best play might be off the glass, and right now we're trying to play ourselves out of each and every situation. It's costing us a few goals."

The Red Wings visit Vancouver Wednesday, the start a four-game trip to Western Canada. Babcock called it perfect timing.

“We have to get way better defensively, way better in our zone and way better taking care of the puck,’’ Babcock said. “If you don’t get through the neutral zone, you don’t make them turn around, you don’t spend time in their zone, and then you’re spending time in your zone.

“I don’t care how we get through it. We have to get through it each and every time. But if we’re stubborn and want to turn pucks over you’re going to put a lot of miles on your defense.’’

And make it much more difficult on your goaltender.

“We got to figure out a way to go out there and compete for each other,’’ Jimmy Howard said. “It’s going to be the guys in here that get the job done. I think it’s just believing in each other and not trying to do too much. Let guys do their jobs.’’

Michigan Live LOADED: 10.28.2013


Detroit Red Wings ‘spend too much time' in own end of rink, Babcock says

By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily

Posted: 10/27/13, 7:01 PM EDT

DETROIT – There’s an ever growing concern in the Wings’ locker room that the theme for the season is not a good one.

The Wings were outshot for an eighth time in 12 games after Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers.

“We spend too much time in our own zone,” Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “We turn over too many pucks and here they come. If we play in the offensive zone then they’re not getting any shots.”

Detroit has given up an average of 32.4 shot per game.

“When you look at our group and you talk to me night after night there’s no consistency in our play,” Babcock said. “It doesn’t look like we’re wearing on the other team and at the end of the night, I look at the shot clock and it says 40. Forty is way too many, 28 is way too many.

“We have a long way to go in that area,” Babcock continued. “We have to sort this out. We’re facing a little bit of adversity and we have to dig in.”

On Saturday it was the second period again that caused the Wings problems where the Rangers outshot the Wings, 16-8.

“The second period obviously disappoints me,” Babcock said. “When it gets to be a theme and this is a theme. The night we won in Colorado we got off to a great start, we gave the game back to them in the second period and we had to steal it back in the third. We can’t give it away in the second period, you’ve got to outplay the other team and we didn’t do that.”

The Wings have also had issues with turnovers registering 116 giveaways through 12 games.

“We’re getting skated and turning pucks over,” Babcock said. “If you don’t get through the neutral zone, you don’t make them turn around, you don’t spend time in their zone then you’re spending time in your zone. It’s just that simple.”

Only Toronto (166) and Winnipeg (126) have more giveaways this season.

“I don’t care how we get through it, we have to get through it each and every time,” Babcock said. “But if we’re stubborn and want to turn pucks over you’re going to put a lot of miles on your defense.”

“A lot of times we (have) the puck first and we put ourselves in trouble, didn’t make the right play, didn’t get the pucks deep, didn’t get it out of our zone and here they go again,” Niklas Kronwall said. “We (give) way too much space out there and that’s something we continually have to keep getting better at because right now we’re not good enough at it.”

Much of this has occurred over the Wings’ last four games where they’ve gone 0-2-2.

“We’ve got to get back on the winning track here, try to stay positive, just get back to the basics,” Kronwall said. “We’re a little bit too much all over the place and not getting the job done right now. So right now it’s just a matter of bearing down and getting back to the basics and start from scratch.

“It’s very disappointing, obviously,” Kronwall continued. “You play hockey to win games. Right now we’re not getting the job done. We have to be a lot more simple out there. Sometimes the best play might be off the glass and right now we’re trying to play ourselves out of each and every situation. It’s costing us a few goals right now.”

Detroit embarks on a four-game Western Canada road trip beginning Wednesday night in Vancouver.

“Something has to be done about it,” Jimmy Howard said. “We’ve got to figure out a way in here to just go out there and compete for each other. It’s going to be the guys in here that get the job done. I think it’s just believing in each other and not trying to do too much out there. Let guys do their jobs.

“In today’s NHL, when one team’s pressing and the other team’s on their heels it’s tough to get over that funk,” Howard ended.

Macomb Daily LOADED: 10.28.2013

723664 Edmonton Oilers

Richard Bachman gets call in net for Edmonton Oilers vs. Los Angeles Kings

October 27, 2013. 3:13 pm • Section: Oil Spills

Jim Matheson

With starting goalie Devan Dubnyk hobbled by a sore ankle, the Edmonton Oilers recalled Richard Bachman from AHL Oklahoma City, but not to wear a ball-cap, sitting on the bench watching Jason LaBarbera play the Los Angeles Kings — Bachman is starting.

Bachman, who had a strong traIning camp but had a two-way NHL/AHL contract so was sent to the farm while they kept LaBarbera as Dubnyk’s No. 2, will get the start. Cue the white horse as Bachman rides in to maybe save the day, or at least win a game against Jonathan Quick in the LA net Sunday.

Coach Dallas Eakins had planned on splitting the Phoenix/LA games this weekend with LaBarbera playing against his old Coyotes’ teammates and Dubnyk — who doesn’t know how or when he got hurt — getting the Kings on the back-to-back.

He knew Dubnyk wasn’t completely healthy going into the Phoenix game, but “when I saw Dubie limp to get on the (team) bus that sent off the bells and we quickly moved to another plan.”

Instead, of LaBarbera, Bachman (14-10-1 lifetime in the NHL as Kari Lehtonen’s backup in Dallas), will play. It’s a pat on the back for the job he’s done in OKC but also a signal that LaBarbera isn’t capable right now (.857 save percentage).

If LaBarbera had beaten the Coyotes 5-2 Saturday and looked good, and Dubnyk was hurt, you would have to think he’d be trotted out for another start in LA. Afternoon game in Phoenix, night game in LA, short flight, not a travel concern. But Bachman is the guy.

Eakins feels LaBarbera has to be better, not a great revelation.

“He’s been OK … I thought he made enough saves to win us the game,” Eakins said, when asked his evaluation of LaBarbera, who was signed this summer for $1 million, one-way deal. “But we like to score in our own net sometimes.”

Bachman was signed to replace Yann Danis, who opted to move to the Philadelphia Flyers’ organization. He got a tidy $325,000 to play in the minors, likely more than the Oilers were offering. Bachman signed a two-way for $225,000 in OKC and $625,000 in the NHL.

He knew the landscape in Edmonton when he signed, with Dubnyk and LaBarbera as Nos. 1 and 2. It was rocky for him.

“You’d like to get a one-way contract, but it was a crazy off-season for a lot of goalies, some still looking for jobs. I thought Edmonton was a good spot for me and I knew they had a good team in Oklahoma City, with good coaches,” he said.

He has a 2.37 average and .925 save percentage in eight games on the farm.

“My goal through camp was to show them I could make some saves and show I could win games. I thought I did that,” said Bachman, whose last game was this past April against Detroit Red Wings, while in the Dallas organization. He’s played against LA before because Dallas was in the Pacific Division before moving into the Central this season.

“I came in in relief of Kari, in Dallas, 10 minutes into a game (Lehtonen was hurt), relatively recently. We had a 4-1 win, I think.”

“He had a good camp but the other two guys were NHL goalies,” said Eakins, “and I thought they’d earned the right to be here. The guys being sent down to the minors always have to be ready for their chance. We’ll see if Mr. Bachman is ready.”

Eakins didn’t mind LaBarbera’s game in Phoenix, even though five goals is five goals, too many to win NHL games.

“They got two unfortunate goals on Barbs (tips by Mark Arcobello and Nail Yakupov) and I pulled him with the full intention of leaving Devan in there (to finish up),” said Eakins, “but as I was trying to inspire our bench, I saw Barbs come off and he had a great attempt at smashing his stick. He was showing emotion and was in the fight,” said Eakins. “I decided then I’d leave Devan in until the first whistle. “

LaBarbera raised his arms in the air after Arcobello’s tip, which appeared to show up his teammates–never a good thing. But, Eakins shrugged it off. “The goals came back-to-back (David Schlemko off Arcobello’s lumber, and Yakupov, who tipped Michael Stone’s 50-footer). I don’t like goalies doing that (showing their displeasure publicly), but I was OK with his frustration.”

Dubnyk would have gutted it out if he’d stayed in but he knew he wasn’t right. “I might send Shane (Doan) a text telling him thanks for hitting me in the crest with his shot (for a stoppage),” kidded Dubnyk, who didn’t hurt the ankle making a save in a previous game. It just got sore, and he knew before Saturday’s game he was in discomfort.

“I was doing my exercises pre-game and couldn’t push off,” he said.

“T.D (trainer Forss) says sometimes inflammation can be delayed (after an initial misstep).”

It doesn’t appear to be anything major.

Anton Lander (centre/LW), who has been a yo-yo, up and down the last couple of years as he tries to earn the trust of the coaching staff to get a regular position, was recalled from OKC to replace Tyler Pitlick (left knee, will be examined after the team returns Monday afternoon). “I’ll start him on the right wing but maybe I’ll move RYan Jones over so Anton is where he’ll be more comfortable on his strong side,” said Eakins. “That’ll be a work in progress.”

Eakins said Nick Schultz, a healthy scratch in Phoenix for the second time in four games, both for Denis Grebeshkov, will be back in against the Kings. Grebeshkov isn’t coming out. It could be Anton Belov. “I haven’t told the other play yet,” said Eakins. He felt Grebeshkov was solid in Phoenix, playing over 16 minutes after struggling in seven against Ottawa a week ago.

Phoenix centre Martin Hanzal will have a hearing Monday for his bone-rattling head hit on Oilers’ defenceman Jeff Petry early in the loss to the Coyotes. Hanzal got a charging minor but it appeared his elbow tried to clean out Petry’s tonsils. “Hit me right here (cheekbone), right under the visor,” said Petry, who was no worse for wear Sunday. “Actually it hurt my neck (more than his head). I don’t feel anything today (no symptoms of a blow).”

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.28.2013


Last-minute call-up goalie Richard Bachman shines for Edmonton Oilers in shootout loss to L.A. Kings

By Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal October 28, 2013 1:10 AM

LOS ANGELES — Edmonton Oilers farmhand goalie Richard Bachman travelled with his mask but laughed when asked if he’d packed his red cape when summoned from the minor leagues Sunday.

“I’m not here to be a super-hero,” said Bachman, recalled from the American Hockey League to play against the Los Angeles Kings with the No. 1 Oilers netminder Devan Dubnyk hobbled with a sore ankle and backup Jason LaBarbera battered and bruised with a save percentage of .857.

Bachman, who was Kari Lehtonen’s understudy with the Dallas Stars last season and signed a two-way contract with the oilers in early July, wasn’t quite Superman at the Staples Center. He didn’t have a perfect night, but he was awfully close as the Oilers were manhandled 48-18 on the shot-clock but stole a point in a 2-1 shootout loss to the kings.

Forward Anze Kopitar got the winner in the shootout with a 15-footer on the Kings’ third attempt.

“Shootout ... it’s usually 50-50. I thought Kopitar was going to go backhand,” said Bachman, who had a scouting report from Oilers goalie coach Fred Chabot on the tendencies of the Kings’ shooters.

Bachman stopped Jeff Carter with his trademark high backhand move, but Mike Richards, who got the only regulation Kings goal on a second-period rebound, whipped one past the goalie’s glove.

Jonathan Quick stopped Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and David Perron, but Jordan Eberle beat him with a deke after his seventh stickhandle.

Bachman has celebrated an NHL shutout before, against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden, but this was his busiest NHL night.

“He really settled our bench down,” Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins said.

“I thought he made it look real routine ... a couple of big saves, but it looked like it was business as usual.

“He was composed, he didn’t get rattled and that helped our whole team.”

While there was no white horse tethered to a pole outside the Oilers’ dressing room, there should have been a steed because Bachman did ride in to save the day.

He made 47 saves, 23 in the third, including two terrific burglaries on Kopitar with his pad with 18 seconds left.

“Shootout ... it’s usually 50-50. I thought Kopitar was going to go backhand,” said Bachman, who had a scouting report from goalie coach Fred Chabot on the tendencies of the LA shooters. He stopped Jeff Carter with his trademark high backhand move but Mike Richards, who got the only LA goal on a second-period rebound whipped one past his glove on their first shooter.

Jonathan Quick stopped RNH and David Perron but Jordan Eberle beat him with a deke after his seventh stickhandle.

Bachman has had an NHL shutout against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden but this was his busiest NHL night.

“He really settled our bench down,” said coach Dallas Eakins.

“I thought he made it look real routine ... a couple of big saves but it looked like it was business as usual.”

“He was composed, he didn’t get rattled and that helped our whole team.”

Bachman also caught a break with six minutes to play when Kings forward Mike Richards popped in a Jeff Carter rebound, but linemate Matt Frattin was called for incidental goalie interference as he crashed the blue paint with Oilers defencemen Nick Schultz and Andrew Ference in pursuit.

Frattin, who lives in Edmonton and who was traded to the Kings by the Toronto Maple Leafs this summer along with Ben Scrivens for goalie Jonathan Bernier, jumped to screen on the Carter shot. When he came down, he hit Bachman’s arm.

Richards scored the only Kings goal late in the second period, pouncing on a rebound while Nail Yakupov finally got his first of the season in his 11th game, ripping an Anton Belov shot over Quick on a power play to give the Oilers the lead.

Yakupov had gone 22 shots without a goal, but he ended an 0-for-23 Oilers power play drought with his hard wrister.

Richards, who spent most of the second trying to set up buddy Carter in the slot, got to a loose puck after Jake Muzzin, who has the hardest shot on the Kings, drilled a 25-footer. Bachman made the save but lost the puck as Justin Schultz tried to box out Carter in the blue-paint but didn’t turn around to see Richards sneak in and send a shot off the post.

In the scoreless first period, the Oilers had an injury scare when Ryan Nugent-Hopkins tried to avoid a Kyle Clifford hit to the right of Bachman, and the L.A. winger caught the Oilers centre with his knee.

RNH was down for 30 seconds and needed help to get off the ice, but after a trip to the dressing room, the centre was back for an Oilers power play with Jarret Stoll off. Later, defenceman Ladislav Smid also crashed into the net, jamming his left arm against the post as he tried to get back on a two-on-one Kings’ breakout. He skated off in pain, but shook it off and didn’t miss a shift.



Ryan Nugent-Hopkins looks like he avoided serious injury

Jim Matheson

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins wasn’t talking Sunday night about Kyle Clifford’s knee that almost KO’d him early in the first period in the 2-1 shootout loss — he was taking treatment — but his coach Dallas Eakins didn’t mince words as he replayed the check which somehow escaped a penalty call by either ref Rob Martell or Mike Leggo.

“He stuck out his knee. We all hold our breaths when that happens,” said Eakins.

Nugent-Hopkins was down on the ice for a good 30 seconds as he tried to step around the advancing Clifford.

He was helped to the bench, favouring his right knee, then went to the dressing room to be examined but was back a few minutes later to take part in an Oilers power play with Jarret Stoll in the penalty box.

Ryan Jones fought Clifford early in the second–Jones is not a fighter, Clifford can be a nasty piece of business–but there wasn’t nearly enough response after the Clifford hit. There was no attempt at getting a pound of flesh by an Oiler, say, running Justin Williams or Anze Kopitar. Admittedly, Clifford hit RNH with Jordan Eberle and Nail Yakupov out there and, I believe, Justin Schultz and Anton Belov on the blueline. No fighters there. But, the Oilers should have seized the moment on the next shift by going after one of the LA star players. That’s how you do it.

RNH wound up playing 20-1/2 minutes and was the game’s last shooter when his shootout attempt was foiled by Jonathan Quick. But this could have been very serious stuff.

“He was able to return, but we’ll have to reassess him. These things sometimes get worse overnight.”

“Right now, we’re hopeful he dodged a bullet on a bad hit.”

The Oilers dodged a loss, too, with a stupendous game in net by call-up Richard Bachman (47 saves). This was the fewest goals the Oilers have allowed in their 13 games, over 60 or 65 minutes, for a team that has given up four goals on average a night.

“I thought we stayed in the fight. We were under seige in the third (23 saves by Bachman). I don’t think we had much left in the tank (after playing in Phoenix Saturday afternoon),” said Eakins.

“I’d have liked both points in Phoenix (5-4 loss). I thought we had a real solid game there then to come in here against a team that hadn’t played in a number of days (since Thursday), was well-rested and licking their chops waiting for us to come in, I thought we battled hard,” said Eakins. “The game the Kings play is a game we aspire to play. A big, heavy fast game. They’re well organized and they mean business every shift.”

“I was happy with our compete level and the way we supported each other.”

True enough, but without Bachman, they lose this game 5-1.

Oilers’ centre Boyd Gordon and Kings’ Anze Kopitar worked overtime in the face-off circle. Gordon took 31 and won 21 of them for a 68 percent success rate and the L.A. pivot took 33 of his club’s 72, winning 20 for 61 percent.



SPONSOR_Harley_Davidson_September_REV2

By Derek Van Diest ,Edmonton Sun


LOS ANGELES — Richard Bachman will make his Edmonton Oilers regular-season debut Sunday, getting the start against the Los Angeles Kings.

The goaltender was called up from Oklahoma City to fill in for Devan Dubnyk, who is out with an ankle injury.

Jason LaBarbera, who lost 5-4 to the Phoenix Coyotes on Friday, will be the back up.

“It’s a great opportunity for the young man,” said Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins. “Dubnyk has a wonky ankle. If we were in total dire straights and in a playoff game, then he could probably suck it up and play. But that’s not something we want to fool around with. We just decided to let him get that healed and give Bachman the chance.”

In Phoenix, LaBarbera was pulled in the second period after giving up three goals in five minutes. He was put back in the contest and gave up a pair of power-play goals in the third period.

Originally, Eakins said he was not going to put LaBarbera back in the game against his former team but changed his mind when the goaltender got back to the bench.

“It’s amazing your thought process, they get two unfortunate goals,” said Eakins. “My full intention was to leave Dubnyk in there. As I was trying to inspire our bench, watching LaBarbera come off the ice, he had a great attempt at smashing his stick. He was showing emotion and he was in the fight and then I flicked to another scenario where I was going to leave Dubnyk in until the first whistle, then I was going to put LaBarbera back in.

“He seemed like he really wanted to fight for it, his emotion coming to the bench changed my mind and I allowed him to continue the fight.”

LaBarbera has a 3.65 goals against average and an .857 save percentage in the five games with the Oilers this season.

Bachman, 26, has a 3-4-1 record with a 2.37 goals against average and a .925 save percentage in eight games with the Barons this season.

“Things are going well down there, it’s been a little bit of a process, just starting out and getting the feel, there are a lot of new faces down there,” Bachman said. “As the weeks have gone by, we keep losing guys and they keep coming up here. But overall it’s been good and the game feels good. It’s nice to get in a rhythm and get a bunch of starts in a row.”

Signed as a free agent this summer, Bachman was originally drafted by the Dallas Stars in the fourth round – 120 overall – of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft.

Bachman has spent the majority of his career in the minors, but the Salt Lake City, Utah, product has played in 32 NHL games with the Stars. He got into 13 games with the Stars last season, posting a 6-5 record with a 3.25 goals against average and .885 save percentage.

“It’s been a little bit since I’ve played an NHL game, but it’s a good chance to get back out there,” Bachman said. “Any time you can get up and get games, it’s a good opportunity. I don’t want to read too much into it. I just want to focus on what I can do and what I can control.”

Bachman had a strong camp with the Oilers, arguably better than LaBarbera, who was also brought in as a free agent to backup Devan Dubnyk. Yet the intention was always to have Bachman be the starter in Oklahoma City.

“I just wanted to show them that I could give them a chance to win, that was the goal through camp and into the regular season,” Bachman said. “If you get a chance, you want to give your team a chance to win and make some key saves.”

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.28.2013


Edmonton Oilers down to the wire in Los Angeles

By Derek Van Diest ,Edmonton Sun


LOS ANGELES — Richard Bachman had a night’s notice he would be starting Sunday against the Los Angeles Kings.

Yet if the Edmonton Oilers knew the goaltender was going to play as well as he did, they probably would have put out the call a little sooner.

Bachman was outstanding in his Oilers debut, turning aside 47 shots and stealing a point in a 2-1 shootout loss.

He was the only reason his club was in the contest as the Kings took the play to the Oilers after the first period, badly out-shooting the visitors 48-18 in the contest.

“We were under seize, especially in the third, I don’t think the guys had much left in the tank,” said Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins. “Bachman was excellent. I thought he made a couple of big saves, but for the most part, he was square to the puck and the puck was sticking to him. It would just hit him and it would fall right into him. He really settled our bench down and our team down with his play.”

Mike Richards and Anze Kopitar scored in the shootout for the Kings to pull out the victory and prevent Bachman from highway robbery.

Jordan Eberle scored for the Oilers in the shootout, while David Perron and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins were turned away by Jonathan Quick.

“He was really good,” said Oilers captain Andrew Ference. “They threw a lot at the net, he made a lot of saves through traffic. They’re a very heavy team going to the net, so that was pretty impressive. He was pretty solid on their net drives and stuff in tight. He found a lot of those pucks through bodies, which was great, it was very, very impressive.”

Originally a draft pick of the Dallas Stars, Bachman was signed by the Oilers as a free agent this summer to stop the puck in Oklahoma City.

The Salt Lake City, Utah, product was called up Saturday night after Devan Dubnyk woke up with a swollen ankle and couldn’t go Sunday.

Bachman got the start over Jason LaBarbera who gave up five goals on 28 shots in a loss to the Phoenix Coyotes the day before.

After a nervous start, Bachman settled in quickly for the Oilers, particularly when the ice started to tilt in the Kings direction.

Bachman turned away 10 shots in the first period and 11 in the second, beaten only by Richards, who got to a rebound in front and scored from a tight angle.

Nail Yakupov had given the Oilers the lead earlier in the second period on the power play. Yakupov was able to get to a rebound and fire a shot past Kings Quick, snapping an 0-for-23 skid for the power-play unit.

“You do get into a groove, but at this level and this league, you can’t relax too much,” Bachman said. “You’re feeling it out there and you feel good, you’re seeing it, but you have to stay alert, because these guys, if you get too comfortable they’ll make you pay quickly.”

The teams went into the dressing room tied 1-1 after 40 minutes, despite the Kings holding a 22-12 shot advantage.

Looking for the go-ahead goal the Kings stormed the Oilers in the third, out-shooting them 23-6 in the period. For most of it, the Oilers were in full hang-on mode, completely dependant on their goaltender to get them through it. Bachman made a trio of saves on Kopitar with under 30 seconds left in the contest to preserve at least a point in the best of his 33-game NHL career.

“I won 1-0 in Madison Square Garden once, which was pretty good,” Bachman said. “But that’s probably the most saves I’ve ever made.

“They shoot the puck a lot. They shoot the puck, come down and look for rebounds. For the most part, the good majority of those I was able to see and the other majority was from the outside. The guys did a good job of keeping it relatively low second opportunities, which is important.”

In the third, the Kings thought they scored the go-ahead goal as Richards buried a rebound. The only reason he was able to beat Bachman, however, was because the goaltender was bowled over by Matt Frattin.

The goal was waived off, but Frattin was not assessed a goaltender interference penalty.

“I thought it was a good call,” Bachman said. “I thought I got hit pretty good there. Obviously I couldn’t tell if I was pushed or not, but from my perspective, he was driving the crease pretty hard and he knocked me down and I was unable to move or control it from there, so I thought it was a good call.”

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THREE STARS

1. Richard Bachman, Oilers

Unbelievable in debut, stole a point for the Oilers with 47 saves.

2. Mike Richards, Kings

Scored from a sharp angle to tie the game then added one in shootout.

3. Justin Williams, Kings

Didn't score, but not for lack of effort, had seven shots on net.

OIL GRADES

Offence D

Defence D

Goaltending A+

Power play B

Penalty kill A

Toughness C

Effort B

WHY THEY LOST

They had no business being in the game, but Richard Bachman stole a point for them with an unbelievable goaltending performance.

BIG PLAY

The Oilers are finally able to gain the zone on a power play. The puck comes to Anton Belov at the point, whose shot is stopped, but Nail Yakupov is on the spot to deposit the rebound.

BIG HIT

Jeff Petry steps into Matt Frattin just inside the Oilers zone, knocking the Kings winger on his backside.

UP NEXT

Oilers host Toronto Maple Leafs, Tuesday (7 p.m.) Rexall Place.

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.28.2013

723669 Florida Panthers

Brad Boyes helps Florida Panthers gain point in overtime loss

By George Richards

Panthers coach Kevin Dineen was going to bench Brad Boyes on Sunday, but when Tomas Fleischmann called in sick, Boyes was back in.

Good thing.

Boyes scored the tying goal to help force overtime in Tampa Bay’s 4-3 shootout win over Florida at BB&T Center. Florida never led as the Lightning twice held two-goal leads. But Boyes’ goal helped the Panthers to get at least one point in the standings.

“That’s a coach’s dream,” Dineen said. “Someone is going to get [benched] and instead gets a little life, gets back in there. ... He’s made for those kind of moments. It was a professional response by him.”

Boyes admitted his emotions were up and down this weekend as he was benched for much of the third period of Friday’s loss to the Sabres and was on a scratch line at Saturday’s practice.

On Saturday, Boyes said he wanted to prove he belonged in the lineup. Sunday he did just that.

Not only did Boyes score his team-leading fifth goal midway through the third, but his shootout goal forced a fourth round. Boyes has 33 goals in 73 shootout attempts, tying him with Detroit’s Pavel Datsyuk as the league’s active leader.

“Obviously I was down when I got the news, then I got on the ice [Sunday],” Boyes said. “I did what I could to get back in. I got an unfortunate break by having one of our best guys out.”

Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov and Dmitry Kulikov failed to score in the shootout.

Tampa Bay got two shootout goals past Jacob Markstrom with Valtteri Filppula and Steven Stamkos scoring to give Tampa Bay its second win over the Panthers this season. The Lightning beat Florida 7-2 in its home opener on Oct. 10.

Sunday looked like it might be a repeat of that rout as the Lightning stormed to a 2-0 lead with Martin St. Louis and Stamkos scoring on two of Tampa’s first three shots.

Shawn Matthias cut the deficit in half by scoring his first goal of the season with 6:12 left in the period.

“It’s nice to get that monkey off my back, but it [stinks] we lost it,” Matthias said. “We played really well this homestand and it’s a shame we didn’t get two points in all of them. We fought back again.”

Tampa Bay got a power play goal in the second when Radko Gudas’ long shot clipped Mike Weaver and got past Markstrom for a 3-1 lead.

Florida charged back in the third, though, with Nick Bjugstad getting his first of the year as he redirected a Scottie Upshall shot past Anders Lindback.

About three minutes later and it was Boyes’ turn. Tampa Bay’s Ondrej Palat left the puck sitting right in front of the net and Boyes hopped on it, backhanding the puck between the goalies’ skates. Florida came close to taking the lead moments later, but Matthias’ point blank shot was stopped.

“It wasn’t the start we wanted,” Boyes said. “We’ve responded but we’re on the backend when we get back into games.”

Kicked out

Gudas was kicked out of the game after he hit the ice in front of the Florida bench and then smashed his stick up against the bench area nearly striking both Bjugstad and Upshall.

Why was Gudas so mad? Because Upshall squirted him with Gatorade — blue, Upshall confirmed — while Gudas was down on the ice.

“He overreacted a bit,” said Upshall, who was hit with a bench penalty for the dousing. “He’s a guy who plays a bit on the edge. He plays hard and he was fired up, took a run at our guy by the bench and fell. I think he was embarrassed he fell. You would think it was the end of the world. He was freaked out.”

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said he felt that not only was Gudas’ punishment too steep, but Upshall’s wasn’t enough. Dineen didn’t agree with that assessment.

“I was concerned for our players. When you chop your stick like that, it can be very dangerous,” Dineen said. “The stick is a very dangerous weapon. ... [Gudas] was understandably upset, but that’s certainly the wrong response by that young man.”

Miami Herald LOADED: 10.28.2013


IS IT ON YOU?: Upshall Squirts Gudas, Fun Ensues

GeorgeRichards

Tampa Bay's Radko Gudas was kicked out of Sunday's game after he hit the ice in front of the Florida bench and then smashed his stick up against the bench area nearly striking both Nick Bjugstad and Scottie Upshall.

Upshall was the obvious target.

Why was Gudas so mad?

Because Upshall squirted him with Gatorade -- blue, Upshall confirmed -- while Gudas was down on the ice.

"He overreacted a bit,'' said Upshall, who was hit with a bench penalty for the dousing. "He's a guy who plays a bit on the edge. He plays hard and he was fired up, took a run at our guy by the bench and fell. I think he was embarrassed he fell. You would think it was the end of the world. He was freaked out."

Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper said he felt that not only was Gudas' punishment too steep, but Upshall's wasn't enough.

Panthers' coach Kevin Dineen didn't agree with that assessment.

"I was concerned for our players. When you chop your stick like that, it can be very dangerous,'' Dineen said. "The stick is a very dangerous weapon. .-.-. [Gudas] was understandably upset, but that's certainly the wrong response by that young man.''



BOYES COMES UP BIG: Instead of Benching, Boyes Forces OT in Panthers 4-3 SO Loss to Lightning

GeorgeRichards

Panthers coach Kevin Dineen was going to bench Brad Boyes on Sunday, but when Tomas Fleischmann called in sick, Boyes was back in.

Good thing.

Boyes scored the game-tying goal to help force overtime in Tampa Bay's 4-3 shootout win over Florida at BB&T Center. Florida never led as the Lightning twice held two-goal leads. Yet Boyes' goal helped force overtime to get at least one point in the standings.

"That's a coaches dream,'' Dineen said. "Someone is going to get [benched] and instead gets a little life, gets back in there. .-.-. He's made for those kind of moments. It was a professional response by him.''

Boyes admitted his emotions were up and down this weekend as he was benched for much of the third period of Friday's loss to the Sabres and was on a scratch line at Saturday's practice.

On Saturday, Boyes said he wanted to prove he belonged in the lineup. Sunday he did just that.

Not only did Boyes score his team-leading fifth goal midway through the third, but his shootout goal forced a fourth-round. Boyes has 33 goals in 73 shootout attempts, tying him with Detroit's Pavel Datsyuk as the league's active leader.

"Obviously I was down when I got the news then I got on the ice [Sunday],'' Boyes said. "I did what I could to get back in. I got an unfortunate break by having one of our best guys out.''

Boyes was Florida's lone shooter to score as Jonathan Huberdeau, Aleksander Barkov and Dmitry Kulikov didn't.

Tampa Bay got two shootout goals past Jacob Markstrom with Val Filppula and Steven Stamkos scoring to give Tampa its second win over the Panthers this season. The Lightning beat Florida 7-2 in its home opener on Oct. 10.

Sunday looked like it may be a repeat of that rout off Channelside Drive as the Lightning stormed to a 2-0 lead with Marty St. Louis and Stamkos scoring on two of Tampa's first three shots.

Shawn Matthias cut the deficit in half by scoring his first goal of the season with 6:12 left in the period.

"It's nice to get that monkey off my back but it sucks we lost it,'' Matthias said. "We played really well this homestand and it's a shame we didn't get two points in all of them. We fought back again.''

Tampa Bay got a power play goal in the second when Radko Gudas' long shot clipped Mike Weaver and past Markstrom for a 3-1 lead.

Florida charged back in the third, though, with Nick Bjugstad getting his first of the year as he redirected a Scottie Upshall shot past Anders Lindback.

About three minutes later and it was Boyes' turn. Tampa Bay's Ondrej Palat left the puck sitting right in front of the net and Boyes hopped on it, backhanding the puck between the goalies' skates. Florida came close to taking the lead moments later, but Matthias' point blank shot was stopped.

"It wasn't the start we wanted,'' Boyes said. "We've responded but we're on the backend when we get back into games.''



Boyes goes from bench to near hero in Panthers' 4-3 shootout loss to the Lightning

By Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel

10:12 p.m. EDT, October 27, 2013

Despite leading the offensively challenged Panthers in goals, coach Kevin Dineen intended to bench Brad Boyes for Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Lightning because of his hesitancy to shoot and defensive shortcomings.

However, when the team' leading scorer, Tomas Fleischmann, came down with a flu bug, Boyes got a reprieve and then scored the tying goal in the third period as well as the Panthers' lone shootout goal.

It still wasn't enough as after battling back from another two-goal deficit in the third period, the Panthers again couldn't close the deal in a 4-3 shootout loss to their cross-state Atlantic Division rivals at BB&T Center.

"If we keep applying pressure good things will follow,'' Dineen said. "Unfortunately, we're ending up on the wrong end of these things now.

"That's a coaching dream. [Boyes] gets a little whack; instead they get new life and get an opportunity to go back in there. … He's made for those kind of moments, a professional response from him.''

The Panthers trailed 2-0 just 4:35 after the opening faceoff, and then 3-1 after two periods before mounting their fourth third-period comeback during this 1-2-2 homestand that concludes Friday against the 9-6-1 St. Louis Blues.

However, the Panthers added to their all-time worst shootout record when after Lightning center Valtteri Filppula wristed one past Panthers goalie Jacob Markstrom (1-5-1), Tampa Bay backup goalie Anders Lindback foiled Jonathan Huberdeau and rookie Aleksander Barkov on his first career try.

Boyes tied it with a falling-down tally to tie Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk for the lead among active skaters with his 33rd (45.2 percent) shootout score. However, Lightning superstar Steven Stamkos, who usually struggles in shootouts (21.4 percent) deked Markstrom to the ice for the game-deciding goal. Dmitry Kulikov shot it wide to seal the loss.

"We played so hard to come back on that team so for that to happen at the end is tough,'' said Panthers forward Shawn Matthias, who snapped a 23-game goal drought with a first-period rebound goal. "We've got to take the positives once again.''

The 8-3 Lightning, who beat the Sabres less than 24 hours earlier, jumped out to a 1-0 lead 41 seconds in when Stamkos led a charging Martin St Louis, who steered it in.

It was the quickest goal scored against the Panthers this season and fastest since Feb. 7, 2012 when Capitals' center Mathieu Perreault lit the lamp just 13 seconds in.

Then a poor shift change by the Panthers led to a long rebound of Ryan Malone's shot right on Stamkos' stick in the circle where he roofed it for his eighth goal. He has 17 points in 11 games.

"Those cookie monsters can eat,'' Dineen said of Stamkos and St Louis. "Those two guys do a good job against us.''

The Panthers had just two shots on four power-play attempts and have scored just one PPG in their last 16 chances over seven games.

After Matthias' goal, the Lightning recaptured their two-goal lead when agitator Radko Gudas' wrister from the blue line caromed off the glove of Panthers defenseman Mike Weaver for a PPG at 9:58 of the second.

Less than three minutes later Gudas received a game misconduct for slashing his stick at the Panther's bench in response to a squirt from Scottie Upshall's water bottle.

Rookie Nick Bjugstad tipped in Upshall's backhand flip for his first goal of the season, and second in 17 career games, at 5:39 of the third.

Then with 11:09 left a Lightning turnover by Ondrej Palat found Boyes in the slot, who then slipped a backhander through the five-hole for a 3-3 tie. It was Boyes' team-leading fifth goal.

"Up and down,'' Boyes said of his emotions about his expected benching. "I want to show [Dineen] and everybody. If I'm not scoring or playing then I'm not helping.'' …

Fleischmann missed his first game since joining the Panthers in the summer of 2011, snapping a streak of 141 games.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 10.28.2013

723673 Los Angeles Kings

Anze Kopitar makes right decision in Kings' shootout win over Oilers

By Lisa Dillman

October 27, 2013, 11:04 p.m.

The shootout intelligence was good, of course.

But you can crunch the numbers, listen to a successful teammate and in the end, it comes down to a split-second decision and maybe even a quick change of heart.

Kings' Drew Doughty shows leadership, fortitude Kings' Drew Doughty shows leadership, fortitude

Kings take back what they gave away in 7-4 win over Coyotes Kings take back what they gave away in 7-4 win over Coyotes

Kings are trying to learn from early lessons Kings are trying to learn from early lessons

That's what happened with center Anze Kopitar on Sunday when he scored the decider in the shootout to give the Kings a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers at Staples Center.

The Kings peppered Oilers' goaltender Richard Bachman, who was recalled from the minors earlier in the day, with a season-high 48 shots on goal, but they only got one past him in regulation.

BOX SCORE: Kings 2, Oilers 1 (SO)

Mike Richards and Kopitar managed to beat him in the shootout, and Kings goalie Jonathan Quick stopped David Perron and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the second and third rounds. Nugent-Hopkins shot wide on his attempt.

The Kings are now 4-0 in shootouts this season. Jordan Eberle scored on Quick in the first round, becoming the first player to get one past Quick in shootouts this season.

Kopitar went third after Richards and Jeff Carter.

"Whoever goes first, kind of throws out the scenery — what's going on there," Kopitar said. "Rick [Richards] said there's a little bit of room, high glove.

"But I came down and I saw a bit more room on the blocker side. So I decided to fire there."

Even as Kopitar has struggled to score this season in non-shootout situations, he has trusted his instincts in these one-on-one showdowns. In fact, he has only missed once in four shootout opportunities and has had three game-deciding goals.

The way Bachman was playing, the Kings could have given way to understandable frustration. Richards, who scored on a rebound at 16:58 in the second period, was the only King to get one past Bachman before the shootout.

It looked as if he had another in the third period, but it was waved off when it was ruled that Kings forward Matt Frattin had contact with Bachman.

"Their goalie had a hell of a game," Kings Coach Darryl Sutter said.

Said Carter: "We knew him from last year [with Dallas]. He played well for them. When a guy starts in the minors and gets his call, you know you're going to get his best effort."

The Kings had 23 shots on goal in the third period and Kopitar himself nearly ended it in the final 20 seconds of regulation. Edmonton's only goal came from Nail Yakupov, on the power play, at 4:12 of the second period. His rebound, from the base of the circle, made it, 1-0.

"You've got to keep on plugging away," said Kopitar. "That's what it is. Last game, we scored four in the first. Tonight we just couldn't do it. But you can't get frustrated, keep on going. Eventually they're going to go in.

"Having 48 shots meant we were doing something right. We were there. I'm sure if we have games where we have 48 shots, most of the time it'll be a good chance to win."

And having the likes of Richards, Carter and Kopitar going in the shootout doesn't hurt.

"It's a tough lineup," Bachman said. "Obviously you want to get that point. It's a huge point. But it's a shootout.

"Obviously you want the win, though. It's a little disappointing there."

LA Times: LOADED: 10.28.2013


Game 12 Preview: Edmonton at Los Angeles

Staff

Los Angeles Kings (7-4-0) vs Edmonton Oilers (3-8-1)

Sunday, October 27, 2013, 6:00 p.m. PT

STAPLES Center

Legends Night

Referees: #3 Mike Leggo, #26 Rob Martell

Linesmen: #66 Darren Gibbs, #73 Vaughan Rody

FOX Sports West, KTLK 1150 AM

Los Angeles Projected Starting Goaltender – Jonathan Quick

2013-14 Season: 10 GP (10 GS) / 6-4-0 record / 2.71 GAA / .904 Sv% / 0 SHO

Career vs Edmonton: 14 (14) / 9-1-4 / 1.54 / .941 / 1

Last Game vs Edmonton: 4/6/13 / 60 MP / 23-24 shots / 4-1 W

2013-14, Home: 5 (5) / 3-2-0 / 3.01 / .889 / 0

Edmonton Projected Starting Goaltender – Richard Bachman

2013-14 Season: First appearance

Career vs Los Angeles: 2 GP (1 GS) / 2-0-0 record / 0.57 GAA / .980 Sv% / 0 SHO

Last Game vs Los Angeles: 4/9/13 / 46 MP / 22-22 shots / 5-1 W

2013-14, Away: First appearance

-With Devan Dubnyk nursing an ankle injury, Richard Bachman was recalled from AHL-Oklahoma City and will draw the start tonight. Bachman was 3-4-1 with a 2.37 GAA and .925 Sv% over eight AHL games. The Salt Lake City native and former Dallas Stars prospect has found success against Los Angeles, though in a small sample size. He stopped 26 of 27 shots in a 2-1 Dallas win at Staples Center on December 10, 2011, Terry Murray’s final game as head coach. He also relieved Kari Lehtonen, who had suffered a groin injury early in a 5-1 Dallas win over Los Angeles on April 9, 2013, and stopped all 22 shots.

2013-14 Los Angeles Leaders

Total Points: Anze Kopitar (1-10=11)

Goals: Jeff Carter (5-3=8)

Assists: Anze Kopitar (1-10=11)

Plus/Minus: Matt Greene (+4; 2-1=3)

Penalty Minutes: Kyle Clifford (18; 1-0=1)

Time On Ice: Drew Doughty (25:28; 3-2=5)

2013-14 Edmonton Leaders

Total Points: Jordan Eberle (3-7=10), Mark Arcobello (0-10=10), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (4-6=10)

Goals: Boyd Gordon (4-1=5), Ryan Nugent Hopkins (4-6=10)

Assists: Mark Arcobello (0-10=10)

Plus/Minus: Mark Arcobello (+3; 0-10=10)

Penalty Minutes: Luke Gadzic (23; 1-1=2)

Time On Ice: Justin Schultz (22:16; 1-6=7)

Rankings and Statistics

Goals/Game: LAK – t-17 / 2.73; EDM – 15 / 2.83

Goals Against/Game: LAK – 13 / 2.64; EDM – 30 / 4.00

Power Play: LAK – t-13 / 20.0%; EDM – 24 / 12.2%

Penalty Kill: LAK – 11 / 83.0%; EDM – 29 / 72.7%

Shots/Game: LAK – 9 / 31.2; EDM – t-23 / 28.5

Shots Against/Game: LAK – 7 / 27.7; EDM – 13 / 30.0

Faceoffs: LAK – 3 / 55.2%; EDM – 8 / 52.3%

Save Percentage: LAK – t-19 / .905; EDM – 30 / .867

Noah Graham / National Hockey League

Los Angeles Projected Roster

Dwight King – Anze Kopitar – Justin Williams

Mike Richards – Jeff Carter – Matt Frattin

Dustin Brown – Jarret Stoll – Trevor Lewis

Daniel Carcillo – Colin Fraser – Kyle Clifford

Robyn Regehr – Drew Doughty

Willie Mitchell – Slava Voynov

Jake Muzzin – Matt Greene

Jonathan Quick

Ben Scrivens

Level of confidence in projected lines: C. Jonathan Quick did not take the ice at the morning skate, and Ben Scrivens stayed on for additional work, so Quick is the projected starter. Jordan Nolan, Alec Martinez and Keaton Ellerby also remained on for extra work, though Nolan left the ice before Martinez and Ellerby. Consider Martinez and Ellerby likely scratches for tonight; if Nolan doesn’t go, it’s difficult to think of Kyle Clifford or Daniel Carcillo serving as a right wing. Expect Nolan to take the warm-up skate as

an option, and a decision on the fourth line to be made shortly before game time.

Notes and milestones: The Kings are 68-79-38 all-time against the Oilers, which includes a record of 35-36-21 in Los Angeles. The Kings are 11-1-4 in the teams’ last 16 meetings. After tonight, the teams will meet on December 17 at STAPLES Center, and on March 9 and April 10 at Rexall Place. Edmonton is the only Pacific Division team the Kings will face four times. They will face all other teams five times. … Anze Kopitar has six points in the last three games (1-5=6). … Drew Doughty has points in three straight games (2-2=4). … Justin Williams has points in three straight games (2-4=6). … With four goals, Dwight King is one goal below his career high of five, set in 2011-12. … Los Angeles is undefeated when a player records a multi-point game. … Dustin Brown’s 183 career goals are three goals behind Jim Fox for ninth place overall in club history. … Drew Doughty’s 52 goals are the sixth most overall by a defenseman in club history and one goal behind Mark Hardy’s 53 goals as a King. Doughty’s 25 power play goals place him one PPG behind Hardy’s fourth-ranked 26 power play goals amongst defensemen. … Anze Kopitar is tied for sixth place in club history with nine shorthanded goals and trails Ziggy Palffy by one SHG for fifth place. … With 155 career wins, Jonathan Quick is 16 wins behind Rogie Vachon for the most wins by a goaltender in Kings history.

Edmonton Projected Lines

Nail Yakupov – Ryan Nugent-Hopkins – Jordan Eberle

David Perron – Mark Arcobello – Ales Hemsky

Ryan Jones – Boyd Gordon – Anton Lander

Luke Gadzic – Will Acton – Ben Eager

Ladislav Smid – Jeff Petry

Andrew Ference – Nick Schultz

Anton Belov – Justin Schultz

Richard Bachman

Jason LaBarbera

Notes and milestones: Lines via the Edmonton Oilers website. … Tonight marks Edmonton’s ninth and final road game in October out of 14 total October games. The Oilers are 2-5-1 on the road thus far. … Goaltender Richard Bachman and forward Anton Lander were recalled from AHL-Oklahoma City; both will make their 2013-14 season debuts tonight. Defenseman Corey Potter has also been recalled from Oklahoma City but will not play tonight. … Edmonton’s last win in Los Angeles was a 3-0 shutout on on November 3, 2011. … The Oilers lead the NHL with 195 blocked shots. … Tonight’s game marks the conclusion of Edmonton’s second back-to-back set this year; the Oilers lost both ends of a back-to-back in Washington and Pittsburgh on October 14 and 15. … Jordan Eberle has five points (1-4=5) in his last five games. … Edmonton has lost 64 man games to injury this season. In 48 games last season, the Oilers lost 114 man games to injury.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.28.2013


October 27 postgame notes, videos

Posted by JonRosen on October 27, 2013

-Los Angeles improved to 69-79-38 all-time against Edmonton, which includes a record of 36-36-21 in at home. The Kings are now 12-1-4 in their last 17 games against the Oilers.

-The Kings are now 5-0 in games going to overtime this season and 4-0 in shootouts. Only Tampa Bay (two), Washington (two), Chicago (two) and Winnipeg (two) have multiple shootout wins as well.

-Jonathan Quick has stopped 10 of 11 shootout attempts this season.

-The Kings took 48 shots. The last time they recorded as many was on April 10, 2010 when they took 55 shots in a 4-3 shootout loss to Edmonton.

-The Kings outshot their opponent for the fourth consecutive game and for the 10th time in 12 games.

-Quick is now 34-18 lifetime in shootouts. His 34 wins places him fifth among active NHL goaltenders.

-Anze Kopitar is 3-for-4 in shootouts this season with three game-deciding goals.

-Kopitar now has 12 career game-deciding goals in shootouts, which is tied for fourth among active NHL skaters.

-The Kings penalty kill allowed a goal for the third consecutive game and is 9-for-14 over that span.

-Jeff Carter has points in three straight games (1-2=3).

-The Kings won 38-of-72 faceoffs (53%). Among regular performers, Mike Richards was 5-of-9, Anze Kopitar was 20-of-33, Trevor Lewis was 1-of-2, Colin Fraser was 0-of-2, Jarret Stoll was 4-of-13, and Jeff Carter was 8-of-12. Boyd Gordon won 21-of-31 faceoffs for Edmonton.

The Kings will practice at Toyota Sports Center at 11:00 a.m. on Monday before flying to Phoenix.



October 27 postgame quotes: Darryl Sutter


On whether two points represented a “just result” for the Kings:

Yeah, their goalie had a hell of a game. Stopped almost 50 shots for them.

On whether the Kings made it “tough enough” on Richard Bachman:

I think so. 50 is a lot of shots.

On whether he would have liked more traffic in front of the net:

I think we had a lot of traffic.

On the dominant puck possession numbers during overtimes this season:

It could be the skill level of our group, the guys that you’re using. We pretty much use Kopi and either Willie or Brownie, and Mike or Jeff, and usually Drew or Slava’s on the ice. So they match up with the other team’s top end guys pretty good.

On the waved off goal:

After looking at it, it’s probably the right call. But you know what? It’s one of those [issues] that he just asked about. It was a traffic goal, right? Matt’s going in there to try and score. He’s not going in there to obviously knock the goalie over. Even on the first one, he does a good job of going to the net and having his stick down, nose for the net. That’s what he’s trying to do. [Reporter: And that’s what you need from Frattin, right?] He was a really good player on that line tonight.

On Jay Wells wanting a “feisty” game, and whether that is possible in the modern era:

There were two fights tonight, so if that’s what he meant… [Reporter: He wasn’t necessarily referring to fighting, specifically.] It’s really not that big a deal to me. I mean, we have lots of guys who play feisty.

On memories of playing against Jay Wells:

Yeah, he put some knots in my head a few times. Quite a few times.

On whether the team will continue to rotate left wings:

You know what? We’ve only got 13 forwards here, and Danny and Kyle play left wing only, so it creates a little bit of a problem for us. Quite honest, it’s got nothing to do with them. They’re both good, solid fourth line players. We’re not getting enough out of our third or fourth line. They’re not being taken out because they’ve played poorly. If you look at the third and fourth line production, what we’re getting in terms of minutes, we’re not getting enough – or production. [Reporter: Might you have a 14th forward soon?] No, because we have a 23-man roster, right? So eight, 13 and two. [Reporter:

Seven?] Eight, 13 two is 23. That’s really not a question for the coaches, right?

On what impresses him about Nail Yakupov:

He’s a skilled guy, gets to play with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle right now. They’re their two best forwards. So if I played with them, or if Yakupov played with them, then he should be a good player.



October 27 postgame quotes: Anze Kopitar


On Richard Bachman having success against Los Angeles:

He has, and maybe it is not enough bodies in front, but we had some good chances…talking about not having bodies, we had our goal disallowed because we had goalie interference. So I don’t know if that’s the case. You’ve got to keep on plugging away. That’s what it is. Last game, we scored four in the first, and tonight we just couldn’t do it. But we can’t get frustrated. You’ve just got to keep on going, keep on going, and eventually they’re going to go in. Having 48 shots, that means we were doing something right. I mean, we were there. I’m sure if we have games where we have 48 shots, most of the time it will be a good chance to win. {Reporter: And each game is not going to follow the same script, anyway.] Exactly, and you can’t expect it to have four goal periods all the time. It’s nice to get it once in a while. You want to do it as much as you can, but it’s just not going to happen.

On what has allowed the Kings to dominate territorially in overtime this season:

I think the most important is really winning the faceoffs, and not throwing the puck away if we don’t need to. There’s a lot of room out there. Five-on-five, you usually dump the puck in. Here, you can almost turn back and recreate breakouts, regroups, whatever you want to call it. I think if you do that, eventually you get a good entry in there, and like I’ve said before, you just don’t throw pucks away for no reason.



October 27 Postgame Quotes: Bachman, Eakins

Posted by James Nicholson on October 27, 2013

Richard Bachman on getting comfortable in the game:

It took a little bit there, just not having the morning skate or anything and just trying to get the feel of it there quickly. The first period was pretty routine, I would say in terms of shots against and stuff, but it was nice. They had a couple long shots and I was able to see almost all of them, which help get in to a rhythm and help me get into a groove out there.

Bachman on facing the Kings shooters in the shootout:

They are good. They are good. It’s a tough lineup. Obviously, you want to get that point. It’s a huge point, but it’s a shootout. It’s 50-50 half the time. Obviously, you want the win though. It’s a little disappointing there.

Bachman on Richard’s disallowed goal:

I thought it as a good call. I felt like I got hit pretty good there. Obviously, I couldn’t tell if he was pushed or anything. From my perspective he was driving the crease pretty hard there and knocked me down and I wasn’t able to then move or control it from there. So I thought it was a good call.

Bachman facing the Kings’ big skaters:

There are some big boys over on that squad. Some big, strong guys, so I try not to get too tied up with them and stuff and work around that so I can just see it a little bit if I can. It’s a battle with [those] guys.

Bachman on finding out he was starting the game:

Last night, we had a game in San Antonio and then I found out afterwards, and then hopped on a plane this morning. [Reporter: what time did you get here?] I got here at like 10:30.

Bachman on playing on short notice:

It’s part of the situation. You want to take advantage of any opportunity you can, but it’s just a little different. I try not to think about it too much. I try to do as many things as I normally would have on any other given game day to get myself prepared. You just go out there and try to help the team win.

Bachman on facing Kopitar in the shootout:

I thought he was going to maybe go to his backhand. My first instinct was deke, but then, for me, it was 50-50. I think my line was just a little bit off when I came out on him so I gave him a couple inches on the blocker side. Obviously, he can shoot the puck and they make pay for it, if you are off even by a couple inches.

After the first one went in the shot, you have to be prepared for other guys to maybe shoot too.

Dallas Eakins on how his team played:

I liked the way we stayed in the fight. We were under siege, especially in the third. I think the guys [didn’t] have much left in the tank. Bachman was excellent. I thought he made a couple of big saves, but for the most part he was square to the puck and the puck was sticking to him. It would just hit him and fall right into him. He really settled our bench down and our team down with his play.

Eakins on Bachman’s performance:

I thought he made it look real routine. There was a couple times, like I said, a big save, but it was just business as usual. He wasn’t rattled in there with the amount of shots he was taking. I thought he kept himself real composed which kept our bench composed and our play composed. Good on that kid. He has opened up some eyes very quickly.

Eakins on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Anytime you get a guy that sticks out his knee and knees a guy, we all hold our breath, but Nuge was able to return and then we will have to reassess him some time because theses things get worse overnight. Right now we are hopeful he dodged a bullet on a bad hit.

Eakins on coming into Staples Center:

I would have liked both points in Phoenix. I thought we had a real solid game there. Today coming in and playing a team that hasn’t played in a number of days that are well rested and they are basically sitting there licking their chops waiting for you to come in. I thought we battled hard. The game that the Los Angeles Kings play, that is a game we aspire to play. That’s a big, heavy, fast game and they are well organized and they mean business every shift. I was happy with our compete level. I thought we hung in there and really supported each other really well.

Eakins on Nail Yakupov’s first goal of the season:

Let’s hope we see more of that.



October 27 postgame quotes: Matt Frattin


On what worked well through regulation in the 2-1 shootout win over Edmonton:

Just skating, using our speed, and getting pucks the net and then trying to get some rebounds. Credit to their goalie – he had a great game.

On whether two points was a fair result:

I mean, any team can win in this league. Whoever gets the right bounces and works for it – I felt like we had a pretty good game throughout the 65 minutes, and we came out on top, which was good.

On whether the team possessed the puck well and worked well in the offensive zone:

Well, with the young, good forwards that they have, we want to have the puck on our sticks instead of with them, because they’ve got a lot of skill. The more we worked in their zone, the less O-zone time they had, so that was kind of our gameplan going in.

On what has worked well for the Kings in overtime this season:

We’ve got a lot of skill on our team. That’s a possession game – the overtime, four-on-four. It was a little three-on-three there. We’ve got a good team for that.

On his own play in Sunday’s win:

I felt pretty good today, and thought our whole team played well, and that’s what we need every game.



Game 12: Edmonton at Los Angeles


Los Angeles Kings 2, Edmonton Oilers 1

Final-Shootout

Radio Feed

The Royal Half Gameday

LA Kings Insider Preview

Box Score

Ice Tracker

SOG: LAK – 48; EDM – 18

PP: LAK – 0/5; EDM – 1/4

Attendance: 18,118

Three Stars:

1) LAK – Jonathan Quick

2) EDM – Richard Bachman

3) LAK – Matt Frattin

First Period

No scoring

Second Period

1) EDM PPG – Nail Yakupov (1) (Anton Belov, Jeff Petry), 4:12

2) LAK – Mike Richards (2) (Jake Muzzin, Jeff Carter), 16:58

Third Period

No scoring

Overtime

No scoring

Shootout

LAK – Richards: GOAL

EDM – Eberle: GOAL

LAK – Carter: No goal

EDM – Perron: No goal

LAK – Kopitar: GOAL

EDM – Nugent-Hopkins: No goal

-LA wins shootout, 2-1

Los Angeles Kings (7-4-0) vs Edmonton Oilers (3-8-1)

Sunday, October 27, 2013, 6:00 p.m. PT

STAPLES Center

FOX Sports West, KTLK 1150 AM

Referees: #3 Mike Leggo, #26 Rob Martell

Linesmen: #66 Darren Gibbs, #73 Vaughan Rody

LAK starters: G Jonathan Quick, D Robyn Regehr, D Drew Doughty, LW Dwight King, C Anze Kopitar, RW Justin Williams

LAK scratches: D Keaton Ellerby, F Daniel Carcillo, D Alec Martinez

EDM starters: G Richard Bachman, D Andrew Ference, D Nick Schultz, LW David Perron, C Mark Arcobello, RW Ales Hemsky

EDM scratches: D Denis Grebeshkov, G Devan Dubnyk, D Corey Potter


723681 Minnesota Wild

Wild looks to complete home-and-home sweep against the Blackhawks

Blog Post by: Michael Russo

October 27, 2013 - 2:54 PM

The Wild held an optional practice here at the X today in preparation for Monday's home game against the Central Division rival Chicago Blackhawks. The Wild will wear its road whites and currently towels resembling those uni's are being draped over every seat.

I will be on Fox Sports North's pregame show and first intermission Monday, so please tune in for some astute insight. I'll also be on Siriusxm NHL Network Radio on Monday at 8:45 a.m. CT.

Johan Gustafsson was reassigned to the Iowa Wild on Sunday because Josh Harding, who sustained a strained left hamstring Thursday, is expected to skate Monday morning and back up Niklas Backstrom later that night.

Charlie Coyle, Keith Ballard and Mike Rupp practiced today, with Coyle and Rupp staying on a long, long time after practice working with the assistants. Jonas Brodin skated before practice. All four won't play against the Blackhawks, but Friday against Montreal may be a possibility for Coyle, Ballard and Brodin to return.

Coach Mike Yeo admitted today that he and his staff spent part of the short plane ride back from Chicago last night discussing potential line combinations and defense pairs once guys like Coyle return.

It'll be interesting because Mikael Granlund has assumed Coyle's No. 2 center role and is playing very well alongside Jason Pominville.

Do you maybe put Coyle at second-line center again and move Granlund to left wing, and then if that happens, where do you put Nino Niederreiter? Or, do you maybe have Coyle return to last year's role to start out and put him back at top-line right wing with Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu, and then if that happens, where do you put Justin Fontaine, who has played well up top?

All good problems to have.

It's impressive this season that the Wild has been able to keep its head above water without Backstrom (thanks to Harding) and without Coyle (thanks to Granlund and others) and the past two games, Brodin (thanks to quality play from the defense, particularly Marco Scandella and Nate Prosser).

Monday will be Matt Dumba's ninth game and then the Wild has to decide whether or not to return him to Red Deer. Again, he can stay and it would burn the first year of his contract. GM Chuck Fletcher has said over and over again that he's not worried about that.

I think he stays, for no other reason than what this last week proved. It is so simple to lose two defensemen, and we just saw that with Brodin and Ballard going down. If Dumba wasn't here, the Wild would have had to turn to Iowa.

Not only do I feel it would help Dumba's development to continue to work with Rick Wilson and Darryl Sydor, he adds much-needed depth. I just think it's risky to return him now, and if it's true Fletcher could care less if Dumba's three-year contract kicks in, why send him back? It's not like his development has been hurt by spending this past month in the NHL. He's learning on and off the ice, and witnessing what it takes to be a pro.

This is just my opinion. We'll find out what the Wild feels soon.

The Blackhawks should be pumped to avenge Saturday's 5-3 loss as the Wild looks to win its fourth in a row overall and fifth in a row at home.

"Games like tonight, we’re not happy with the result or the way things went tonight," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said after Saturday's game. "I think we should all be disappointed with the way things evolved tonight and be excited that we get them on Monday.”

The Hawks didn't practice Sunday.

Yeo said he expects to see different looks from Chicago and they should expect to see different looks from the Wild.

"It should be an entertaining, intense game," Yeo said.

Yeo was happy with the Wild's penalty kill in Chicago. When the Wild needed big kills, it got big kills and he wants the Wild to keep its urgency level high on the PK, which shouldn't be too hard against a team with as many weapons as the Hawks, Yeo said. BUT, Yeo added, "We have to quit taking seven penalties in a game. We just put our penalty killers under so much pressure," not to mention rust up non-penalty killers and give opponents momentum.

Stay out of the box was Yeo's message. The Wild has been on the PK 26 times in the past five games.

That's it for me. Talk to you after Monday's morning skate. I'll be in studio with Paul Allen on KFAN on Tuesday at 9 a.m.

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.28.2013


Instant thoughts on Vanek's trade to Islanders

Blog Post by: Michael Russo

October 27, 2013 - 8:53 PM

The Buffalo Sabres traded Thomas Vanek to "my Islanders" tonight for three-time 30-goal scorer Matt Moulson, a 2014 first-round pick and a 2015 second-round pick.

This was highly predictable because we know Garth Snow loves himself them Gophers!

Like last year's Jason Pominville's trade to the Wild, real nice return by Sabres GM Darcy Regier for a guy who already had one foot out of town as a free agent next summer. Regier will probably try to extend Moulson, but if not, he'll be able to parlay Moulson into more assets by season's end because he too is a pending free agent.

Very bold move by Islanders GM Garth Snow for a potential rental. Vanek's agent Steve Bartlett confirms there have been no talks of a contract extension between Vanek and the Islanders.

But Snow is not happy where the Islanders are in the standings, sees a team that should make some noise in that division and I'm guessing knew that with so few teams having the salary-cap space to pick up Vanek this early in the season, the time was right for the lowest-payroll team in the league to make the move.

I see on Twitter where Snow is getting blindly bashed for the high price he gave up. It's always easy to look at a trade, see the names run across the ticker and make an instant analysis like it's some fantasy trade without context.

You need to walk in that team's shoes to know how they value those pieces and why they make a trade.

We can analyze all we want the many assets Regier got for Pominville. He did a good job getting Johan Larsson, Matt Hackett, a first and a second.

But if you're in Chuck Fletcher's shoes, the Wild was leading the Northwest Division at the time of last year's trade and also needed to make the playoffs after a four-year absence. And you knew when Fletcher made that deal that in his mind he would extend Pominville.

But most of all, in Fletcher's eyes, the price was worth paying because he still has so many young forward prospects in the organization and only so many can end up playing here. There's only 12 forward spots, six defensemen spots and one goalie that plays on a nightly basis. Some of those spots in Minnesota are locked in for years, like Parise, Koivu, Suter and when he made the decision, he knew eventually Pominville. So in Fletcher's mind, the Wild could afford to give up Larsson, to give up Hackett with Darcy Kuemper and Johan Gustafsson developing.

Similarly, the Islanders have a bunch of prospects and young guys in the organization, so Snow clearly feels this is a price the Islanders can afford to make.

So when you're on the outside, before analyzing a trade just blindly by looking at the package, you need to consider that team's situation, their window and most of all their organizational depth chart/reserve list.

Just my opinion.

Don't cancel #Vanekwatch to Minnesota just yet. I'd still be surprised if Vanek doesn't test the market, although obviously a lot can change between now and next summer. Maybe the Islanders go on a run, maybe the Islanders sell their future to him, maybe they throw the Federal Reserve at him.

And remember, as I've written and said a lot lately, while as of now I believe the Wild is interested in pursuing Vanek next summer and while I have zero doubt that if that were to happen Vanek would sign here, the Wild may analyze the situation in the months ahead and decide that money they'll have available next summer could be better spent elsewhere.

If it looks like Charlie Coyle or Nino Niederreiter or Mikael Granlund or its other kids are going to develop into the scorers this team so needs, if it looks like some of these kids (Jonas Brodin, Coyle, el Nino, Granlund) are going to break the bank on their second contracts, maybe the Wild pursues a goalie next summer if that's the need. Maybe it pursues a physical defenseman. Only time will tell. It's a long time between Oct. 27 and July 1, so things change.

Between the kids mentioned above and Erik Haula, Jason Zucker, Raphael Bussieres, Brett Bulmer, Zack Phillips, whoever, one would hope a few of them develop into a top scorer. So maybe the Wild decides its too big a risk to lock another 30-something forward into a long-term, lucrative contract and thus block its promising young forwards.

We will see.

Lastly, if you're a Wild fan frantically tweeting me, Thomas Vanek was always going to be traded somewhere this season, and it was never going to be to the Wild. I feel I've made that clear 50 times. The Wild was never going to trade more assets to Buffalo for somebody it could potentially just sign next summer. The only surprise today is not that Vanek was traded, but how early in the season he did get traded.

Talk to ya Monday. Again, I'll be on Fox Sports North during the first intermission and on XM Radio at 8:45 a.m.



Gameday preview: Chicago at Wild

October 27, 2013 - 10:05 PM

MICHAEL RUSSO

wild gameday

7 P.M. VS. Chicago • XCEL energy Center • FSN, 100.3-FM

Preview: The Wild has won three in a row overall, four in a row at home and is tied with six other teams for most points at home (10, 4-0-2). The defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks dropped a 5-3 decision to Minnesota in the front end of the home-and-home Saturday in Chicago. They’ve been uncharacteristically mediocre defensively, allowing 2.73 goals per game (16th in the NHL). The Wild is tied for fourth-best (2.00 goals allowed per game).

Players to watch: Wild LW Zach Parise has points in three consecutive games, is tied for second in the NHL with four power-play goals and is second with 63 shots. RW Jason Pominville has three goals in the past three games. C Mikael Granlund and D Ryan Suter have three assists each in the past two games. Blackhawks F Patrick Kane is minus-9, tied for third-worst in the NHL, but leads Chicago with six goals. F Bryan Bickell is on a four-game goal streak. Eden Prairie’s Nick Leddy assisted on two goals Saturday but turned the puck over to Granlund for Pominville’s game-winner.

Numbers: The Wild has scored at least one power-play goal in nine of 12 games and given up at least one power-play goal in 10 of 12. The Wild’s power play ranks fifth in the NHL, its penalty kill 26th. … The Blackhawks are last on the penalty kill in the NHL (72.2 percent); the Wild scored five seconds into its first Saturday. … The Wild has allowed 23 shots per game, first in the NHL, and has allowed six 5-on-5 goals, first in the NHL.

Injuries: Wild goaltender Josh Harding (hamstring) is expected to back up G Niklas Backstrom. D Jonas Brodin (broken cheekbone), C Charlie Coyle (knee), D Keith Ballard (concussion, whiplash) and LW Mike Rupp (knee) are out. Blackhawks center Michal Handzus (upper body) is out.



Wild showing it can overcome injuries and win

Article by: Michael Russo

October 28, 2013 - 1:16 AM

The Wild boasted about its improved depth all training camp.

Well, 12 games into the season, the team has managed to keep its head above water despite goalie Niklas Backstrom not starting eight games in a row, center Charlie Coyle about to miss his 11th game, top-pair defenseman Jonas Brodin about to miss his third and veteran defenseman Keith Ballard about to miss his seventh.

“A lot of other teams would have a tough time getting through it when you lose your second-line centerman, when you lose what a lot of people would consider a No. 2 defenseman, when you lose a starting goalie,” coach Mike Yeo said. “Those are significant losses. Through this point, we’ve done a pretty good job handling it.”

The 6-3-3 Wild, winners of three straight overall and four in a row at home, aims to complete a home-and-home sweep over the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night at Xcel Energy Center. Goalie Josh Harding, who missed Saturday’s game in Chicago because of a strained left hamstring, is expected to skate Monday morning and back up Backstrom during the game.

But Backstrom again get the nod again, after making 33 saves Saturday for his first victory of the season. The Wild will then have three days off before the Montreal Canadiens come to town Friday.

There’s a chance at least Coyle and Brodin will be ready to return for that game.

Brodin, who has a broken cheekbone, skated on his own Sunday and is close to trying to play through the injury inside a college-style facial cage.

“I don’t think he’s been off long enough here where we have to worry about conditioning,” Yeo said.

The Wild’s focus is on Monday’s game, but with Coyle getting closer, Yeo said he and his staff began kicking around potential line combinations during Saturday’s flight back from Chicago.

It’s not as simple as Coyle just assuming his second-line center role again. Mikael Granlund, tied for the team lead with seven assists, has played well in that spot since Coyle was hurt in the second game of the season. Granlund has developed a neat chemistry lately with veteran linemate Jason Pominville, and the two connected for two Pominville goals Saturday, including the winner.

“We’ve got some guys that are not going to make it easy on us, whether it’s even a guy like Granny and how well he’s playing at center or a guy like Fonzie [Justin Fontaine] and how well he’s played up there [with Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu],” Yeo said.

Yeo said one option is for Coyle to return initially to last year’s role as top-line right wing with Parise and Koivu. But then where does Fontaine go?

“But at the same time, a big centerman [like Coyle] that can skate and has skill and is smart and can compete like that is not easy to find,” Yeo said.

If Coyle returns to second-line center, does Granlund move to the wing, and if so, does Nino Niederreiter move up or down? Or, if Coyle moves to second-line left wing alongside Granlund, where does Niederreiter go and how does it affect Fontaine?

“We’re considering everything right now,” Yeo said.

Granlund has no preference, saying, “Wherever I play, I just have to keep my game where it’s been at — skating, battling and making plays.”

Similarly, when Brodin comes back on defense, Jared Spurgeon would likely slot back to the second pair with Marco Scandella, meaning the third pair would be Clayton Stoner with either Nate Prosser or rookie Matt Dumba on the right. But when Ballard returns, two defensemen will be odd men out again.

“That’s what you want,” Yeo said “You want that healthy competition and guys proving they’re a valuable part of our team.”

Dumba will play his ninth game Monday. If he plays in 10 without returning to Western Hockey League Red Deer, the first year of his three-year contract kicks in.

GM Chuck Fletcher has said that doesn’t concern him, but after Monday, Fletcher will meet with Yeo and the rest of his staff to decide whether it’s best if Dumba stays or goes.

One driving factor in Dumba perhaps sticking with the Wild is the team just witnessed how easy it is to lose two defensemen at once (Brodin and Ballard). If Dumba wasn’t in Minnesota, the Wild would have had to look for Iowa reinforcements.

“I do remember two years ago we had Brett Bulmer and we sent him back [to Kelowna after nine games] and about a week later we were saying, ‘Geez, we kind of wish we had him right now,’ ” Yeo said. “We’ve seen the last two years, depth is critical and [Dumba’s] proven to be a valuable NHL player.”



Minnesota Wild: Charlie Coyle could return Friday

By Chad Graff

Posted: 10/27/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT | Updated: 91 min. Ago

The hardest part of recovering from a sprained knee, Charlie Coyle said, was being away from the team.

It wasn't skating for the first time, which the Wild forward did a few days ago and said went much better than he expected. And it hasn't been the final stages of recovery. It was being separated.

As the team embarked on a four-game road trip this month, Coyle worked out by himself and watched the Wild games by himself from the Xcel Energy Center because he didn't have cable TV hooked up. Finally, during the team's latest road game in Chicago, Coyle went over to Jonas Brodin's

apartment and watched the game with the Wild defenseman who's recovering from a broken cheekbone.

Now, though, Coyle is nearing a return to the lineup, which could come as soon as Friday.

"We'll see," Coyle said. "That would be nice. Like I said, I want to be out there. If I could play (Monday), I would. But that's obviously not the right thing to do. I want to be 100 percent, and they want me to be 100 percent to contribute to the team. I think that's only fair for everyone."

Coach Mike Yeo said the Wild staff has begun brainstorming about what line combinations could be when Coyle returns.

After playing well on the right wing alongside Zach Parise and Mikko Koivu last season, Coyle won the second-line center job left vacant when Matt Cullen signed with Nashville. But in the second game of the season, Coyle suffered the injury.

Coyle will return to a top-six role; it's just a matter of where. Mikael Granlund has played well in Coyle's place, so Yeo has to decide whether he wants Coyle back at center.

"We've got some guys that aren't going to make it easy on us, too," Yeo said. "Whether it's a guy like Granlund and how well he's played at center or a guy like (Justin) Fontaine and how well he's played up there (on the top line). I'm sure they know that we've got a guy like Charlie getting ready to come back, and they're making a case for themselves."

Coyle has skated with the team the last few days and spent extra time on the ice with assistant coaches Sunday. The schedule works well for him to test his injured knee more in the coming days.

After the Monday night game, the Wild have three straight days without a game before hosting Montreal Friday. If practice goes well, it's possible he could return Friday.

"I don't know for sure, but I know every day I feel better and better, and that's good," Coyle said.

Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.28.2013


Wild: No. 3 goalie Johan Gustafsson returned to Iowa

By Chad Graff

Posted: 10/27/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT | Updated: about 9 hours ago

The Wild sent goalie Johan Gustafsson back to the AHL Iowa Wild on Sunday morning, a sign that Josh Harding is healthy enough to dress in the Wild's Monday night game against Chicago.

Gustafsson was called up Friday after Harding was injured in the team's Thursday night game, and Gustafsson was the backup Saturday night while Harding was out with a lower body injury. Gustafsson didn't appear in the game, a 5-3 Wild win.

The team hasn't announced whether Niklas Backstrom, who picked up the win in net Saturday despite a lingering knee injury, or Harding will start Monday night against Chicago.



Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks ripe for a rivalry

By Chad Graff

Posted: 10/28/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 10/28/2013 12:24:10 AM CDT

By the time Keith Ballard was a teenager growing up in Minnesota, the North Stars were gone.

All that remained were stories -- many of which were tales of toughness and a fierce rivalry with the Chicago Blackhawks that was ignited through division races and playoff matchups.

Getting a rivalry like that back, Ballard said, starts with playoff matchups -- not for the revenge factor but for the familiarity.

That's why, in the new era of realignment, the Blackhawks might be the Wild's biggest rivals, despite the Winnipeg fans who invade the Xcel Energy Center for Wild-Jets games.

Dating back to the playoffs last spring, six of the Wild's past 17 games have been against the Blackhawks.

Tensions picked up Saturday night between the Central Division rivals in Minnesota's 5-3 win at Chicago that set the stage for Monday night's rematch at the Xcel Energy Center.

"Even going back to the (early) '90s with the North Stars and the Blackhawks, there was a rivalry here," Ballard said. "But it faded away a bit. It had a lot to do with not meeting in the playoffs and not meeting in the division games.

"Now the division games are big. You develop a dislike for teams for whatever reason. Whether it's their personnel or the way they play or just seeing them that many times."

Rivalries don't have to involve brawls, Ballard said, such as the 125 first-period penalty minutes called in Game 1 of the 1982 playoff series between the North Stars and Blackhawks. That's especially true in the modern game.

"Because it's a rivalry game doesn't mean everybody is going to be running around chasing each other acting like idiots," Ballard said. "It just means it's an important game, it's a divisional game, it's a team you need to beat, it's a real good hockey team. I mean, you generally don't have rivalries against bad teams, and (when you do) it's not nearly the same."

Wild players are confident their rivalry with the Blackhawks will grow.

"We're going to play Chicago a lot," Nate Prosser said. "With teams like that, you're going to build that dislike for certain guys on the opposing team. Chicago knocked us out of the playoffs last year, so that adds extra fuel to the fire. That's kind of how it builds, and it continues as you play them more and more."

"It's important for everyone to show up in those games and bring the things that they bring," Ballard said. Not "running around trying to cross check each other and taking dumb penalties after the whistle."

Wild coach Mike Yeo said close games have fueled the rivalry.

"They're intense games," he said. "Both teams play hard, both teams play their game well. ... That makes for a great rivalry."



Minnesota Wild: Coyle, Ballard, Brodin won't play Monday

By Chad Graff

Posted: 10/27/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 10/27/2013 07:32:18 PM CDT

Although Charlie Coyle, Keith Ballard and Jonas Brodin all skated Sunday, none of the key Wild trio will play against the Chicago Blackhawks on Monday night, coach Mike Yeo said.

The coaching staff has begun thinking about the lineup implications that will come when those three players are able to return, which could be as soon as Friday for all three.

After early injuries to those three and Niklas Backstrom, the Wild have done a nice job filling in.

"We've talked about our depth since the start of the season," Yeo said. "When you lose your second-line centerman (Coyle), when you lose what a lot of people would consider No. 2 defensemen (Brodin and Ballard), when you lose a starting goalie (Backstrom), those are significant losses and I think that through this point, we've done a pretty good job handling it."

Backstrom will get the start Monday night. Josh Harding, who missed Saturday's game with a hamstring injury, will return to the bench as the backup. Johan Gustafsson was sent back to the AHL Wild after one game as the backup.


723689 Montreal Canadiens

Goalie guru Waite’s work on display in both nets

By DAVE STUBBS, THE GAZETTE October 27, 2013

MONTREAL — The final siren’s echo had barely faded Saturday when Canadiens goaltending coach Stéphane Waite stepped briskly onto a Bell Centre elevator, heading eight floors south from the press gallery to his team’s dressing room.

The product of Waite’s excellent work had been on display below for 60 minutes, the coach having had a tremendous influence on Antti Niemi, the winning goalie for the San Jose Sharks, and now on Montreal’s Carey Price, who was tagged with the 2-0 loss.

“Looks like you did maybe too good a job with Niemi,” I joked to Waite as we headed down, coach and pupil having won the 2010 Stanley Cup with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Not fluent in the dialect of growl, I could only guess at the reply.

Niemi made 22 saves for his second shutout in three games, the 25th of his 224-game NHL career. For much of the night, the puck seemed the size of a beach ball to the 30-year-old Finn.

Price had a fine night, too, turning aside 33 Sharks shots.

He had no chance on Logan Couture’s second-period icebreaker, a delicate tip with a man advantage on a play that began when Couture got away with tripping Habs defenceman Raphael Diaz, seconds later cashing a nice two-way Sharks passing play with a deflection.

And then Price was burned on San Jose’s insurance goal early in the third when a Sharks dump-in deflected off a glass-binding support, a largely uncovered Couture shovelling a backhand into a vacant net with Price having gone behind expecting to play the incoming puck.

Sharks head coach Todd McLellan entertained a question about Lady Luck on the de-facto empty-net goal, but suggested there was a bit of planning that went into it.

“That’s where we needed to put it,” he said of the puck that bounced crazily in front of the Canadiens net after having been drilled in along the glass.

“We talked about that before the game. You could see even in the third period that (Price) likes to come out and play the puck. When it’s up on the glass, it doesn’t matter what rink you’re in, you can’t trust it.

“I thought early in the game we were laying pucks in and he was getting his stick on it. They were coming out a lot easier than they needed to be.

“We did a better job in the third of keeping the puck away from Carey. We got it up on the glass a little bit more because he’s as good as a defenceman in handling it.”

Niemi, who entered Sunday’s match in Ottawa having played all of the Sharks’ 11 games this season, was unbeatable at the other end of the rink.

With nine wins, one loss in regulation and another by shootout, he left Montreal on Saturday with a .933 save percentage, 1.53 goals-against average and a pair of shutouts.

Price stands at 5-5-0-1, with a .937 percentage, 2.12 average and a shutout.

Today, in his fourth season with San Jose, Niemi is coached by Corey Schwab. But it was under Waite in 2009-10, having arrived in Chicago in

2008 as an undrafted free agent, that he blossomed to lead the Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup.

“Technique-wise, I think he’s very a good coach,” Niemi said of Waite post-game Saturday. “He teaches about movement, how to be compact, having patience. I think Carey has all those things already, but (Waite) will improve them.”

Niemi was unable to pinpoint the single most important thing he learned under Waite during their season together.

“It’s hard to say it’s just one thing,” he said. “Lots of different things — some mental but mostly technique.”

Waite would go on to win a second Stanley Cup last season, mentoring Corey Crawford in Chicago before signing with the Canadiens last July. But in 2010, the coach won his first championship with Niemi in a playoffs whose target never stopped moving.

Waite brought Niemi farther out of his net in the first round against Nashville and focused on rebound control. Vancouver then tried top shelf in the Western Conference semis, Waite shifting work to the goalie’s patience and keeping him from dropping to his pads too quickly.

He sharpened Niemi still more against San Jose in the Western final, moving him out of the net on rushes, then brought him back deep into the crease in the Cup final against the net-crowding Philadelphia Flyers.

“I was exhausted at the end and I wasn’t even playing,” Waite told Goalies’ World magazine that summer. “We did so much video. I’m very proud of Antti. He really competed hard and made the adjustments that I asked of him.”

Nearly an hour after Saturday’s final siren, there was something very special happening in the Bell Centre’s seventh-floor media lounge, unrelated to the night’s goaltending duel.

The Canadiens and a number of their corporate partners had hosted 53 cancer-afflicted youngsters and their families in loges on this night in a Hockey Fights Cancer initiative.

Now, many kids were glued to the side of popular Habs forward Brendan Gallagher for souvenir photos in a meet-and-greet, the player wearing a snappy suit and his relentless smile.

None of the star-struck kids knew that Gallagher still felt like his face had been hit with a sledgehammer, having flown mouth-first into the end boards at high speed, chasing a puck midway through the third period.

The 21-year-old took some time getting up, probably with bits of a board advertisement still between his teeth, but skated off and despite being walked to the dressing room didn’t miss a shift.

“I have a very sore face,” Gallagher grimaced to me on the elevator ride down, delighted children in his wake. “But I’m OK.”

By now, downstairs, Waite was deep into his dissection of Price’s work against the Sharks.

You knew that the goalie coach was pleased by his netminder’s work — and you suspected he was unhappily happy for the effort just turned in by Niemi, Waite’s fingerprints on more than a little of it.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.28.2013

723690 Montreal Canadiens

Sharks play party poopers for HIO Summit; Habs call up Leblanc

Posted by Stu Cowan

The annual HIO Summit was a success despite the San Jose Sharks beating the Canadiens 2-0 Saturday night at the Bell Centre.

Close to 200 members of the HIO community were in town for the game and the summit, which is organized by Ian Cobb, a longtime Canadiens fan who grew up in St. Lambert and now lives in Belleville, Ont. The HIO Summit was first held in 2007, but had to be cancelled last year because of the NHL lockout.

The Canadiens didn’t practise on Sunday as the team travelled to New York to face the Rangers Monday night (7:30 p.m., TSN-HABS, RDS, TSN Radio 690). Travis Moen, who suffered a facial injury during Saturday’s game, didn’t make the trip. Patrick Holland, a recent call-up from the Hamilton Bulldogs, will stay with the Canadiens and make the trip to New York.

Rookie defenceman Nathan Beaulieu was assigned to Hamilton after Saturday’s game and forward Louis Leblanc was called up from Hamilton Sunday afternoon and was to join the Canadiens in New York. In seven games with the Bulldogs, Leblanc had four goals and two assists and was plus-2.

On Saturday night, there was a sea of Canadiens jerseys at the Baton Rouge restaurant for an HIO pregame dinner and charity raffle for the Montreal Canadiens Children’s Foundation. After the game, the HIO fans got together at Hurley’s Irish Pub on Crescent St. to discuss the game, catch up with old friends from the site and make new ones.

Cobb reports that more than $3,500 was raised for the children’s foundation through the raffle.

The HIO fans came from across North America and beyond for the summit. Among those attending were Eric Zeigenfuss from Philadelphia (photo above), who brought his sons Luke and Ryan along for the trip, and Rob Hing and his wife, Alayne, who came from Calgary. John Syed travelled from England, while Nicole Syed came from Austria and Jamie Galsim travelled all the way from Australia.

Former Canadien Rejean Houle, now an ambassador for the club, dropped in at the pregame dinner, bringing a stick autographed by the current team for the raffle. Houle had a chance to get reaquainted with former Montreal Junior Canadiens tough-guy Allan Globensky, who was also in attendance.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.28.2013

723691 Nashville Predators

Nashville Predators' long road trip will be a grind

Oct. 27, 2013 11:44 PM

Josh Cooper

NEXT GAME

PREDATORS at COYOTES

• When: 9 p.m. Thursday

• TV/radio: Fox TN/102.5-FM

Seventeen days, three time zones, two countries. That’s where the Predators’ upcoming trip will take them.

It starts Thursday at Phoenix, then works its way toward the East Coast and finishes Nov. 15 at Pittsburgh.

Along the way, there will be quite a few stops that provide some difficulty. The Predators will play one of the best teams in the NHL — the Penguins — and one of the worst — the Winnipeg Jets. Here is a look at the five most-difficult games of the road trip.

1. At Pittsburgh Penguins, Nov. 15

The Penguins have arguably the most talent in the NHL. Led by former Hart Trophy winners Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburgh perennially has one of the league’s top offenses. For the Predators, who have trouble scoring, Pittsburgh will provide quite a challenge. Also, it will be the last game of the road trip, and it’s always tough to not look ahead to being home.

2. At Los Angeles Kings, Nov. 2

The Kings won the Stanley Cup two years ago and are one of the top teams in the NHL. In their first game with Nashville, they battled to a 2-1 shootout victory over the Predators. Both teams play strong defensively, and the Kings play that big, grinding style that the Predators are trying to emulate. The only difference is that Los Angeles has some offensive stars.

3. At Colorado Avalanche, Nov. 6

The surprising Avs are at the top of the Central Division. They have some of the fastest forwards in the NHL, led by Matt Duchene. Nashville needs to win this game mostly for playoff purposes. It seems like the Avalanche will be one of the teams vying for one of the top three spots in the Central. Also, it will be tough for Nashville to go from below sea level at Los Angeles to a mile above in Denver.

4. At Phoenix Coyotes, Oct. 31

Armed with an independent owner for the first time in four years, the Coyotes’ new marketing slogan is “Hungrier than Ever.” They’re playing like it with a 7-3-2 record overall. Mike Ribeiro has added offense to a team that has given Nashville fits in recent years. Phoenix mostly has the same group that ousted the Predators in five games in the 2012 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

5. Vs. Chicago Blackhawks, Nov. 16

This is a home game, but it’s the second part of a back-to-back, and Nashville’s first home game coming off trip. It doesn’t help that the 2013 Stanley Cup champs will be waiting. The Predators probably will be tired, and Chicago is a tough team to beat even when your squad is rested.

Tennessean LOADED: 10.28.2013

723692 New Jersey Devils

Devils must win again to make comeback in Boston meaningful

on October 27, 2013 at 10:42 AM, updated October 27, 2013 at 10:46 AM

Staff

It was the kind of comeback victory that saves coaches’ jobs.

More importantly, it was the kind of victory that has the potential to save a season if it indeed becomes a turning point.

“We can let it be (a season-changer). It’s on us to keep it going,” defenseman Andy Greene said about Saturday night’s 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins in which the Devils scored twice in the final 68 seconds.

“We can’t just come out and lay an egg the next night. We’ve got to come out and build off it, or it doesn’t do us any good. We have to stick with the way we played the last 40 minutes.”

They will host the Tampa Bay Lightning Tuesday night at Prudential Center and there is belief that the Devils may have stopped the bleeding and turned the corner on what has been a disappointing start to the season.

“I think so. It’s all about how you respond to it,” goalie Martin Brodeur said. “We don’t need to get overwhelmed by what happened. Those were some of the comments made in the room after the game. We know that we dodged a bullet. Not dodged a bullet, but it was a big win. We just have to make it count.

“After the Rangers game (a 4-0 shutout win on Oct. 19) we didn’t make it count, for whatever reason. Maybe when we went to Columbus we thought we were better. We have to guard against that again.”

What the comeback in Boston showed was:

1. The Devils will almost certainly stay in the playoff hunt this season, because they are capable of beating some of the conference’s best clubs when they rise to the occasion. It does not appear that many teams will build up much of a cushion in the race.

2. They will not quit on coach Pete DeBoer. It is debatable how much talent this Devils team has, but they remain firmly behind DeBoer.

So where do they go from here?

“Now we have to make sure it’s not the only one,” Jaromir Jagr said. “We have to make sure we play good at home. We’ve played so many games on the road, we have to make sure we play good at home so we somehow get out of this hole. We’re three or four games under .500, so let’s get it back.”

Marek Zidlicky has nine points (one goal, eight assists) to share the team’s scoring lead with Jagr (2-7-9). The only time a defenseman led the Devils in scoring was Scott Stevens in 1993-94 with 78 points… Rookie defenseman Eric Gelinas has a goal and an assist in his two games this season.

Devils have power plays goals in five straight games (8-for-25). “It’s good for us to get it going,” Damien Brunner said. “It gives us confidence.”

GM Lou Lamoriello is hoping goalie Cory Schneider (lower body) will be able to dress as backup Tuesday night. Schneider and Brodeur each have one of the team’s two wins.

“It’s one of those seasons where it’s kind of hard to pinpoint what is going on. It’s kind of moving all over the place,” Brodeur noted. “We have to try and take it day by day. For us it’s just getting some wins regardless of the situation we’re in with personnel. That’s out of our control. When we get on the ice we have to try to play good and try to get wins for the team."

New York Times LOADED: 10.28.2013


Devils' comeback win over Bruins sparked by four power play goals

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger

on October 26, 2013 at 11:30 PM, updated October 26, 2013 at 11:47 PM

BOSTON – As comebacks go, the Devils staged one Saturday night that can easily be classified as improbable and unforgettable.

They scored two goals in the final 68 seconds, including the tying goal in which goalie Martin Brodeur was pulled to create an unusual six-against-three power play advantage.

But was their stunning 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins, their first at TD Garden in four years, the kind of performance that can turn their season around?

“We can talk about it in 20 games maybe whether this was a momentum-changer,” Devils forward Patrik Elias said. “We hope so. It was a big win against a really good team. It’s tough to play against these guys. The power play was great for us, obviously.”

The power play, which has produced at least one goal in five straight games, went 4-for-7 to spearhead the Devils’ first win in Boston since a 2-1 shootout victory on Nov. 27, 2009.

“It’s huge,” Brodeur said after stopping 25 of 28 shots for his 670th career win and first of the season. “We talked about it (Friday) when we came in here that this could be something big for us as far as our confidence and knowing what we are able to achieve in certain situations.

“We didn’t just turtle and go home. We fought through this against a tough team. Records prove we’re not good against them. We don’t play well against Boston, especially in this building. It’s been real tough for us. We can’t get (too full of) ourselves. I thought we did a little bit with the Rangers, getting a little too high after that win. We have to stay grounded.”

That will be a challenge considering the magnitude of the comeback.

It actually started with a power play goal from Damien Brunner with 27.1 seconds remaining in the second operiod. That brought the Devils to within a goal, 3-2, but the Bruins were on a four-game winning streak for good reasons.

The Devils were still trailing when Bruins defenseman Torey Krug received a double minor for high-sticking Brunner with 3:15 left. Brunner lost a tooth and needed six stitches in his lower lip.

When Patrice Bergeron got a delay of game penalty at 18:11 for shooting the puck over the glass, that made it a 5-on-3 power play. But coach Pete DeBoer wanted to increase the odds and Brodeur left the ice with 1:24 to go, making it a six-on-three power play.

Asked if he’s seen that before during his 20-year Devils career, Brodeur said: “I don’t remember it.”

Defenseman Marek Zidlicky tied the game with 1:08 left when he blasted a shot from above the right circle. Brodeur returned to his net.

Time was running out when Jaromir Jagr fed Brunner for a shot from the right circle. Brunner flubbed it, but the puck went to Greene, who scored from the bottom of the left circle with 44.1 seconds remaining.

“I was cheating a little. It popped right to me,” Greene said. “(Bruins goalie Tuukka) Rask read it really great. I didn’t have that much room to put it in there.”

But he did, ending what started as a potential blowout for the Bruins and ending in a dramatic win for the Devils.

“This one feels good,” Brodeur said. “We showed a lot of character. Again we got snake-bitten in the first. Two lucky goals and a big breakdown. But we stayed with it and guys stepped up in the second and just played the game. We didn’t try to win the game right away. We knew time was on our side. A little bit of luck, but that hasn’t been something that’s come around too often so we’ll definitely take it.”

And probably not forget it.

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.28.2013


Devils: Some choice words in first intermission sparked turnaround



BOSTON – There were more pleasant places to be than in the Devils’ dressing room after a first period in which they were at risk of being blown out by the Bruins.

What was the mood?

“It wasn’t positive, I’ll tell you that,” defenseman Andy Greene said.

What was said?

“I can’t tell you,” Patrik Elias added. “That we wasted 20 minutes of hockey.”

Jaromir Jagr said the Devils “were a little bit scared” facing the powerful Bruins, but a spirited dressing room give-and-take between the coaches and players changed everything.

Did coach Pete DeBoer ever come close to losing faith that a comeback was possible?

“No comment,” DeBoer said with a laugh. When asked how big the win was, DeBoer stretched his arms as wide as he could.

DeBoer, who has called Jagr the Devils’ best forward all season, said: “For a guy who’s 41 years old, I thought he was a beast again tonight.”

Jagr was modest about his play.

“I have to start scoring,” he said. “I don’t score as many goals as I would like to or have as many chances. It might have something to do with my sticks. I had to change my sticks this year. The company I (got) my sticks from went into bankruptcy. It’s not easy when you’re 41 to change all of a sudden. The game is so quick, a little difference and you lose the puck.”

Jagr used Combat sticks.



Devils score two goals in final 1:08 to stun Bruins, 4-3



BOSTON – Devils coach Pete DeBoer knew what his team was facing.

Struggling with their worst start in year, the Devils faced one of the Eastern Conference’s powerhouses.

"These are gut-check type games. For me, these are statement-type games, where you have an opportunity to come in here and put our work boots on and try and beat one of the best teams in the NHL," DeBoer said before the match. "If we can do that, I think it could push us on to bigger and better things."

Staging a dramatic comeback, the Devils scored twice in the last 1:08 to pull out a stunning 4-3 victory over the Bruins tonight at TD Garden.

Bruins defenseman Torey Krug receieved a double minor for high-sticking Damien Brunner with 3:15 left. Krug received a double minor for high-sticking Brunner with 3:15 to go.

Patrice Bergeron was called for delay of game at 18:11, making it a 5-on-3 and goalie Martin Brodeur was pulled for an extra attacker. Defenseman Marek Zidlicky tied the game with 1:08 left when he blasted a shot from above the right circle while the Devils had a three-man advantage.

Andy Greene then scored from the bottom of the left circle with 44.1 seconds left to win it.

After a first period in which the Bruins were close to staging a blowout, the Devils regrouped and cut the deficit to one with a late goal in the second.

Bruins captain Zdeno Chara was called for delay of game after Jaromir Jagr argued that he shot the puck out of play. The call was made after the two referees and two linesmen huddled.

With 27.1 seconds left in the period and the Devils with a power play advantage, Damien Brunner backhanded a shot from the left circle. Goalie Tuukka Rask was unable to stop it from going in on his stick side just inside the post. It was Brunner’s fourth goal of the season and was upheld by video review.

Rask, who tried to quickly fish the puck out of the net, slammed his stick on the ice in disgust.

It was a Dainius Zubrus penalty for tripping Chara at 7:41 of the opening period that got Boston rolling.

Just 11 seconds into the power play, the Bruins took a 1-0 lead when Torey Krug wristed a shot from above the left circle that beat Brodeur on his glove side at 7:52. Milan Lucic was originally credited with tipping the shot in, but the goal was later given to Krug.

It was a 2-0 Bruins lead at 9:19. Jarome Iginla skated past Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov and then went wide for a centering pass that deflected off Brunner’s skate and into the net. The two goals, 1:27 apart, came on Boston’s first three shots of the game.

At that point, the Devils called their timeout.

Johnny Boychuk was called for interference at 10:28 of the first, putting the Devils on a power play. That led to a goal from Adam Henrique at 11:24 that cut the deficit in half.

Rookie defenseman Eric Gelinas took a Jagr feed and fired a shot that was stopped by Rask, but Henrique scored on the rebound from the slot for his third goal of the season. The Devils have scored at least one power play goal in five straight games.

Brunner was called for interference at 11:58. Krug just missed from the right circle at 12:12 during the Boston power play.

With 55.8 seconds left in the period, Lucic scored an even-strength toal as the Bruins opened a 3-1 lead. Zidlicky was pulled to the center of the ice by David Krejci, whose pass found Lucic all alone in the left circle.



Devils vs. Bruins: Live game analysis and fan discussion



BOSTON-- Martin Brodeur was back in goal as the Devils faced the Boston Bruins Saturday night at TD Garden.

Tuukka Rask started for the Bruins.

Keith Kinkaid was the Devils' backup and wore No. 1.

Jaromir Jagr, a member of the Bruins squad that went to the 2013 Stanley Cup Finals, faced his former teammates.

Jacob Josefson, Mattias Tedenby and Peter Harrold were scratches. Bryce Salvador (death in his family) remained a non-roster player while Cory Schneider was sidelined with a lower body injury and Ryane Clowe (head) was still on IR.

Devils lines:

Patrik Elias-Andrei Loktionov-Jaromir Jagr

Rostislav Olesz-Adam Henrique-Michael Ryder

Dainius Zubrus-Travis Zajac-Damien Brunner

Ryan Carter-Stephen Gionta-Steve Bernier

Devils defense:

Andy Greene-Mark Fayne

Eric Gelinas-Adam Larsson

Anton Volchenkov-Marek Zidlicky

THIRD PERIOD

Rask stopped a Jagr shot from the left side at 2:39.

Chara's shot was blocked by Jagr, but the Boston defenseman had to grab the veteran winger to prevent a breakaway and was called for interference at 5:27.

It turned out to be a good penalty as the Bruins killed it off.

Krug received a double minor for high-sticking Brunner with 3:15 to go.

Patrice Bergeron was called for delay of game at 18:11, making it a 5-on-3 and Brodeur went to the bench for an extra attacker. Zidlicky tied the game with 1:08 left when he blasted a shot while the Devils had a three-man advantage.

SECOND PERIOD

At 8:10 the Devils were given a power play when Reilly Smith held Zidlicky in the neutral zone.

Zajac had a scoring chance on the rebound of a Greene shot at 10:12, but couldn't get the puck past Rask. Zajac wound up being knocked to the ice during the scramble.

Rask stopped a Gionta shot from the left circle at 10:40.

A spinning slapper from Brunner ewas stopped by Rask with 6:54 left in the period.

Elias went to the dressing room with 5:25 left. He did not appear to be hurt. Ryder skated in his spot. Elias was back on the bench with 3:48 to go.

Larsson had a scoring chance with 3:09 left but Rask made the save.

Chara was called for delay of game after Jagr argued he had shot the puck out of play. The call was made after the two referees and two linesmen huddled.

With 27.1 seconds left in the period and the Devils with a power play advantage, Brunner backhanded a shot from the left circle. Rask was unable to stop it from going in on his stick side just inside the post. It was Brunner's fourth goal and was upheld by video review.

The NHL's official ruling: "At 19:32 of the second period in the Devils/Bruins game, video review supported the referee's call on the ice that Damien Brunner's shot completely crossed the goal line. Good goal New Jersey."

Shots were 21-21.

End of period: Bruins 3, Devils 2

FIRST PERIOD

Dougie Hamilton threw the puck towards the net and it deflected off Larsson at 3:22. Brodeur was alert enough to make the save.

Zubrus was called for tripping Zdeno Chara at 7:41.

Just 11 seconds into the power play, the Bruins took a 1-0 lead when Torey Krug wristed a shot from above the left circle that beat Brodeur on his glove side at 7:52. Lucic was originally credited with tipping the shot in, but the goal was later given to Krug.

It was a 2-0 Bruins lead at 9:19. Jarome Iginla skated past Volchenkov and then went wide for a centering pass that deflected off Brunner's skate and into the net. The two goals, 1:27 apart, came on Boston's first two credited shots of the game, although it was actually three.

At that point, the Devils called their timeout.

Johnny Boychuk was called for interference at 10:28, putting the Devils on a power play. That led to a goal from Henrique at 11:24 that cut the deficit in half.

Gelinas took a Jagr feed and fired a shot that was stopped by Rask, but Henrique scored on the rebound from the slot for his third goal of the season. The Devils have scored a power play goal in five straight games.

Brunner was called for interference at 11:58. Krug just missed from the right circle during the Boston power play at 12:12.

With 55.8 seconds left in the period, Lucic scored as the Bruins opened a 3-1 lead. Zidlicky was pulled to the center of the ice by David Krejci, whose pass found Lucic all alone in the left circle.

His shot beat Brodeur at 19:04.

The Bruins outshot the Devils, 10-6.

End of period: Bruins 3, Devils 1



Devils notes: Goaltender Cory Schneider sits out

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Tom Gulitti

Schneider sore

Devils goaltender Cory Schneider remained in New Jersey and missed Saturday's game with a lower-body injury that he aggravated in Thursday's 3-2 shootout loss to Vancouver.

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello said Schneider was "sore," but the team does not consider his injury to be serious. Devils coach Pete DeBoer said, "I think it's short term, but I don't know."

DeBoer said Schneider "might have been dealing with a little bit of something prior to" Thursday's game.

With Schneider unavailable, the Devils used a goaltender roster exemption to call up Keith Kinkaid from Albany (AHL) to back up Martin Brodeur, who made 25 saves Saturday to earn his first win of the season (1-2-2).

Powering up

The Devils' power play was dismal through their first six games, producing just one goal on 15 chances. Since then, though, they've scored at least one power-play goal in five consecutive games (8-for-25) and came through with four Saturday night.

"Power plays are kind of finicky," said defenseman Andy Greene, who scored the fourth power-play goal Saturday. "They go in spurts, up and down. Right now, we are feeling good about it and it's coming up big for us, keeping us in games and giving us chances."

The last time the Devils scored at least four power-play goals was Jan. 22, 2008, when the scored five in a 7-3 victory in Philadelphia.

Salvador returning

After being away from the team since Wednesday following a death in his family, defenseman Bryce Salvador was scheduled to travel back to New Jersey on Saturday.

Lamoriello said Salvador will be available to play Tuesday night against Tampa Bay.

Bergen Record LOADED: 10.28.2013

723698 New York Islanders

Isles Trade With Sabres For Forward

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


The Islanders acquired forward Thomas Vanek from the Sabres on Sunday night for forward Matt Moulson, a first-round pick in 2014 and a second-round pick in 2015.

The 29-year-old Vanek, a former University of Minnesota star from Austria, had four goals and nine assists in 13 games this season for Buffalo. In nine seasons with the Sabres, he had 254 goals and 243 assists in 598 games. He is in the last year of his contract.

Moulson, also 29, had six goals and three assists in 11 games this season. In seven seasons with the Islanders and the Los Angeles Kings, he has 124 goals and 109 assists in 333 games.

SHARKS 5, SENATORS 2 Alex Stalock stopped 38 shots in his first N.H.L. start to lead San Jose over host Ottawa.

Tomas Hertl, Andrew Desjardins, Tommy Wingels, James Sheppard and Joe Pavelski scored for the Sharks (10-1-1).

The Senators had goals from Erik Karlsson and Marc Methot.

AVALANCHE 3, JETS 2 Paul Stastny had a goal and an assist in the third period, and streaking Colorado beat visiting Winnipeg.

Matt Duchene and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who under the rookie coach Patrick Roy are 10-1 for the first time.

LIGHTNING 4, PANTHERS 3 Steven Stamkos, Radko Gudas and Martin St. Louis scored in regulation, and Stamkos and Valtteri Filppula both scored in the shootout to lead Tampa Bay past host Florida.

Anders Lindback stopped 29 shots and three of four shooters in the tiebreaker for the Lightning, who have won five of six.

DUCKS 4, BLUE JACKETS 3 Corey Perry scored with 2 minutes 25 seconds remaining in the third period, and visiting Anaheim ended the three-game winning streak of Columbus.

The Ducks lost Saku Koivu late in the second period on a hit that resulted in the ejection of the Blue Jackets’ Brandon Dubinsky.



Islanders acquire Thomas Vanek from Sabres in exchange for Matt Moulson, draft picks

By Stephen Lorenzo / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Updated: Sunday, October 27, 2013, 11:17 PM

There's been a blockbuster on the Island.

The Islanders made a huge move on Sunday night, trading left winger Matt Moulson, a first-round pick in 2014 and a second-rounder in 2015 to the struggling Buffalo Sabres for explosive forward Thomas Vanek.

Moulson, 29, was in his fifth season with the Islanders, where he tallied 223 points in 304 games. He ranked fourth on the team in points before the trade, with six goals and three assists on the year.

Vanek, also 29, was the home captain of the Sabres and has 254 goals in his career, four of them this season.

Both players are in the final years of their contracts, making the move a bit puzzling at first glance from the Isles' perspective.

Moulson is a well-liked player in the locker room and with the fan base, and his departure — along with two draft picks — seems to be a lot considering Vanek could be nothing more than a rental at season's end. One must also wonder the effect this move might have on captain John Tavares, who was family friends with Moulson before they became teammates.

What the move does do is assert that the organization is ready to win now. Vanek is a proven offensive weapon while Moulson has flirted with breakout status for the past four seasons.

As it turns out, Moulson and Vanek both recorded goals when the Islanders and Sabres faced off on Oct. 15. The Isles lost that game, 4-3, in a shootout, one where Moulson and Vanek also found the net.

New York Daily News LOADED: 10.28.2013


Win-now Islanders trade for high-scoring forward

By Brett Cyrgalis

October 27, 2013 | 11:33pm

The answer to how serious the Islanders are about winning now came around dinner time on Sunday night, when general manager Garth Snow acquired high-scoring forward Thomas Vanek from the Sabres in exchange for Matt Moulson, a first-round pick in 2014 and a second-round pick in 2015.

If the price seems rather high for most, Snow saw it as opportunity to not let the momentum of his franchise die on the vine after last season’s breakthrough run to the postseason.

“As an organization, we are not satisfied with what our record is and where we are as a team,” Snow told The Post Sunday night, his team sitting at 4-4-3, tied for second in the Metropolitan Division, as the Isles prepare for Tuesday night’s battle with the Rangers at the Coliseum.

“We expected a little bit better,” Snow said. “We had an opportunity to acquire an elite winger, so we did it. Matt Moulson has been a great player for us the last couple years. Sometimes you have to give up something to get something.”

Both Moulson and Vanek are unrestricted free agents at the end of this season, and Snow said negotiations with Vanek on an extension have not started and were not part of making this trade.

“We traded a player who was going to be a free agent for a player who is going to be a free agent,” Snow said. “We’re looking to make our team better, that’s the bottom line.”

Vanek, 29, has played with the Sabres since 2005, and has twice reached the 40-goal mark. He is working on the final season of a seven-year deal that carried an annual salary-cap hit just more than $7.1 million, and will be joining fellow Austrian Michael Grabner — whose role has suddenly changed into part-time salesman for Long Island.

“He’s got a ton of upside,” Snow said of Vanek. “He’s a responsible player. He’s powerful, he skates. He’s a high character hockey player and person. We’re excited to have him it here.”

It wasn’t an easy deal for Snow, as Moulson was one of the best pickups of his tenure in the front office. After being drafted by the Penguins in 2003, then getting his only NHL action in part-time with the Kings for two seasons, Moulson came to the Islanders on a minor-league tryout in 2009, and ended up signing a three-year, $9.4 million deal the following season.

He scored 30-plus goals for the team for three straight years from 2009-2011, then notched 15 goals last season in the lockout-shortened 48-game schedule. He did almost all of it alongside superstar center John Tavares, who was the first-overall pick the year Moulson came to the team.

Moulson will turn 30 on Friday, and he and his wife had their second child on Oct. 11.

Yet this deal was not Moulson for Vanek, but included two draft picks Buffalo general manager Darcy Regier regarded as paramount, his team quickly becoming a laughingstock with a league-worst 2-10-1 record and its bullish ways.

But for Snow, this was a declaration that after six seasons without reaching the playoffs, last season’s first-round loss to the Penguins was not a one-time deal. His franchise hasn’t won a playoff series since 1993, and he has enough confidence in what he has built — from the top of the organization to the bottom — this trade made sense for him now and into the future.

“It makes giving up draft picks of that nature a little less of a burden when you’ve had the drafts that we had and the prospect pool we have,” Snow said. “Yes, it’s a high price to pay, but you have to give something to get something.”

New York Post LOADED: 10.28.2013


Islanders shake things up, trade Matt Moulson for Thomas Vanek

Originally published: October 27, 2013 8:51 PM

Updated: October 28, 2013 12:58 AM

By ARTHUR STAPLE

The Islanders shook up their longtime core and added another NHL star to their ranks Sunday night, trading Matt Moulson, a 2014 first-round draft pick and a 2015 second-round pick to the Sabres for Thomas Vanek, a two-time 40-goal scorer.

Vanek will go right into the lineup on John Tavares' wing for Tuesday night's game against the Rangers at Nassau Coliseum in a bid to shake the Islanders out of their inconsistent start to the season.

"I didn't like the way we'd been playing," general manager Garth Snow told Newsday on Sunday night. "We're better than our record indicates and we need to take the next step. Thomas is an elite player in this league and he'll help us now and in the future."

Vanek, 29, an unrestricted free agent after this season, scored 254 goals in eight-plus seasons with the Sabres. Contract talks have not started between Snow and Steve Bartlett, Vanek's agent, but now the Isles have 71 games to get Vanek -- a native of Vienna, Austria, who is close with Islanders forward Michael Grabner -- acclimated to life on Long Island.

Moulson, who turns 30 on Friday, filled that role as Tavares' right-hand man for four-plus seasons. The two friends were fairly inseparable on the ice, with Moulson scoring 118 goals as an Islander since Snow signed him to a minor-league deal in 2009, the same summer Tavares was drafted first overall.

Moulson's three-year, $9.4- million deal expires after the season. There was some discontent from his camp that no contract extension talks had begun during the summer, when the Isles locked up Travis Hamonic and Josh Bailey to long-term deals.

"Matt has been a great player for us the past few years," Snow said. "Obviously, he's a good person. But I can tell you I'm not happy with where we are record-wise. We're better than this. We need to take the next step, and I wasn't just going to sit by and let games pass."

The Islanders (4-4-3) have a better 11-game record than they had in each of the previous four seasons. But expectations are higher now, and the Isles' inability to win consecutive games has been a glaring weakness, highlighted by Saturday's 5-2 loss to the struggling Flyers.

The Islanders are thin on defense, with Lubomir Visnovsky (concussion) and Brian Strait (upper body) both out, and goaltending has been an issue at times. But Snow chose to shake things up among his top forwards.

"For the most part, I'm happy with our group," Snow said. "We have to be more consistent. The bar was set the second half of last season and in the playoffs, and we need to get there, sooner rather than later.

"We know our players in there can do the job. It's a matter of going out and doing it."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.28.2013

723702 New York Rangers

Henrik Lundqvist good to go in goal for Rangers home opener vs. Canadians

By Pat Leonard / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Sunday, October 27, 2013, 5:30 PM

His physical problems behind him, Henrik Lundqvist says he's ready to start in goal for the Rangers.

The Rangers are finally back, and so is their franchise goalie.

Sunday after practice at the transformed Garden, Henrik Lundqvist declared he is healthy and ready to start Monday night's long-awaited home opener against the Montreal Canadiens (6-5-0) after sitting out the past week with an undisclosed injury.

"I feel good, so it's not something I'll think about, just about the game and stopping the next shot," Lundqvist said after his fourth straight day of practice. "I'm really excited to be back at home and be able to play … Every day when you push yourself harder you want to see how you'll react to it. I've gotten the answers I wanted the last couple days. I like the way I felt today. It's the best I felt physically since I got hurt."

Rookie backup Cam Talbot has proved capable in his first two career starts, including 32 saves for his first NHL win, 3-2 in overtime Saturday in Detroit. But Lundqvist's healing and the team's return from a nine-game, season-opening road trip further enlivened a locker room that is loose following the team's spirited, 40-shot effort against the Red Wings.

"Everybody's very, very, very happy to finally be home," said coach Alain Vigneault, who hardly saw this much uninterrupted travel even while coaching the Canucks. "I've been on stretches, like in 2010, when the Olympics were in Vancouver, we were gone from our home for a little bit more than six weeks, counting the two weeks during the Olympics. This was longer than that."

The Rangers (3-6-0) had several forgettable outings this October, but they are now trying to carry Saturday's momentum into their second back-to-back of the season, Monday night against the Habs at the Garden and Tuesday night against the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. Tuesday will be the Blueshirts' only visit to Long Island this season due to the team's outdoor match Jan. 29 at Yankee Stadium.

Carl Hagelin (left shoulder) is aiming for a return from long-term injury on the Island, even though captain Ryan Callahan (broken left thumb) remains out until at least Nov. 6 and Rick Nash (concussion) still was not seen around the team Sunday.

Vigneault hopes he is getting the real Lundqvist back and not the 3.45 goals against average and .890 save percentage from the goalie's forgettable, seven-game start. Lundqvist got hurt in New York's second game, Oct. 7 in Los Angeles, but as he told it on Sunday, his issues have been more mental and physical, similar to how defenseman Dan Girardi told the Daily News he had second-guessed himself following blowout losses in San Jose and Anaheim.

"I think it's more the way my mindset is going into games, not so much physically," he said. "It's just how you approach the game and how you think when things go against you. Obviously getting a tough start, you tend to focus more on negative things sometimes. That's something I have to turn around, but I'm not focusing on the physical side at all."

The Canadiens are ripe for a beating, having lost three of their last four and injury-plagued with regulars Max Pacioretty, Daniel Briere and former Ranger Brandon Prust, all on injured reserve. But the Rangers for now are most encouraged by the positive vibes around their club - outside, of course, of Nash's extended absence.



Rangers-Canadiens preview: Mats Zuccarello responds to scratch in return, Ryan McDonagh moves to first power play unit

BY Pat Leonard

The normally jovial Mats Zuccarello turned serious Sunday afternoon when asked about his early-season struggles and his bounce back game Saturday night in Detroit.

Zuccarello scored his first goal of the season in the 3-2 overtime win over the Red Wings, but being scratched the previous game in Philadelphia clearly hit home for the Norwegian winger.

“You put pressure on yourself to do well,” Zuccarello said after practice at the Garden. “When it’s not going well, it’s something you think about every night. But it was nice to get one (goal) yesterday and to get the win.”

Zuccarello, 26, is an undersized forward playing on his second consecutive one-year contract, after rejoining the team last spring following a season in the KHL during the lockout. His NHL job security often feels tenuous, but the Rangers brought him back because there is a place for him if he can produce offensively at a regular rate.

He had no points in his first seven games and often got knocked off the puck too easily, leading to a scratch last Thursday in Philadelphia. Upon returning to the lineup Saturday, he committed a bad offensive-zone giveaway in the first period that led to Detroit’s Drew Miller scoring off the rush.

But Zuccarello, playing on the fourth line with Dominic Moore and Jesper Fast, showed character not only in addressing his puck protection issues but in rebounding mid-game from the glaring giveaway. He scored a pivotal game-tying rebound goal in front, 2:18 into the third period, after Marc Staal put a slapper on net from the left point.

RANGERS WING IT IN DETROIT, SURGE TO 3-2 OVERTIME VICTORY

“I focused on trying to hold onto the puck more, be stronger with the puck and be smarter,” Zuccarello said. “I made a bad play yesterday, but I couldn’t focus on that. (In previous games), I had lost too many pucks, and I’m trying to be strong on those.” Zuccarello provided a light moment when he said the Rangers are intent on being a “pain in the (butt)” to play against in the offensive zone. He cracked a smile, happy to be back at the Garden but more intent on continuing to chip in offensively.

“We’ve been having a tough time, everyone knows it,” Zuccarello said of the Blueshirts’ desire to build off Saturday’s victory. “So to get the win, it was kind of a relief, and now to come back home. It’s a lot of different factors.”

MAC POWER

Ryan McDonagh started to grow on the power play at the end of last season under John Tortorella, so he looked forward to a larger role on the man advantage to start this fall. He hadn’t gotten a chance until Thursday, but since Alain Vigneault put him on the second unit in Philadelphia, McDonagh has taken full advantage the past two games.

He started the play that led to J.T. Miller’s disallowed power play goal against the Flyers and earned the secondary assist on Benoit Pouliot’s power play tally Saturday in Detroit. That promising play has earned him a promotion to the top unit, at the point opposite Brad Richards, for Monday’s home opener against the Montreal Canadiens.

“I just go out there and do my job,” McDonagh said Sunday of not starting the season on the power play. “It doesn’t matter what position, or not, I’m in. I’ve gotten good confidence the last few games, hanging onto pucks, puck handling, using my legs and creating some good breakouts and such. Maybe that’s what (Vigneault) is seeing. But those things have to continue.”

Against the Flyers, McDonagh weaved across the blue line carrying the puck on an entry, split defenders and set up what would have been Miller’s game-tying, third-period goal had Toronto officials not reversed the call.

CRUSHED ICE: BRASSARD DESCRIBES HIS DRAMATIC GAME-WINNER

Then on Saturday in Detroit, McDonagh kept possession in the corner and later crashed the net hard to jam a bouncing puck on Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard, which resulted in a Brian Boyle shot at the crease and Pouliot’s power play goal to open New York’s scoring.

“I’m trying to see the ice a bit better and find open guys as opposed to getting rid of the puck fast,” McDonagh said. “The one (Saturday) night, I just kind of held onto it on the boards and waited for help. Boyle and Pouliot and I, we were all battling. We get a good shot (from Miller, blocked by Wings defenseman Nicklas Kronwall) and bring it to the net. Nothing too crazy. I’m just trying to be simple on the power play.”

McDonagh’s assist on Pouliot’s goal was impressive also because, while he was a defenseman assigned to a point, he ended up driving with the puck to the near post, starting a scramble with an instinctive move to the net because that’s what the play had called for. It didn’t matter that he was a defenseman down low at the opposite crease.

Vigneault said he’s also giving McDonagh a chance on the top unit – replacing Michael Del Zotto – because the Rangers’ first group has been losing the puck out of the zone at the points and sending opposing teams the other way shorthanded.

“He’s made some real high percentage plays with the puck, and for whatever reason our first unit has been giving up – on turnovers – good quality chances to the other team,” Vigneault said. “So we wanted to try Ryan there and give him the opportunity to see if he can contribute a little bit more.”

CAN CAM, OR CAN’T CAM?

Vigneault was asked Sunday after practice what he’s been able to glean from watching backup goalie Cam Talbot. Here is the coach’s response, including a comparison to the strong early play of young winger Chris Kreider:

“What I’ve seen from (Talbot) in the two regular season games and training camp, I see a young player with a lot of upside,” Vigneault said. “He’s done it in that short window. Can he do it long term? We’re gonna have the answer to that. You could ask me the same question about Kreider. Kreider comes in, plays those two games, is one of our best forwards. He’s skating, he’s hitting, he’s going to the net, he’s generating chances. He’s done it. Is he gonna continue to do it? Time will tell. We’re hopeful that they will, and performance will let us know.”

ON THE MARC

Forgot to mention this the other night in Crushed Ice: Against the Wings, Marc Staal made a terrific pass from the end line of his own net to the Red Wings’ blue line Saturday night to free Derick Brassard for his first of two breakaways in the game. Brassard’s high wrist shot nicked Jimmy Howard’s shoulder and sailed wide, but he redeemed himself by scoring the game-winner in overtime.

SUNDAY’S PRACTICE PARTICIPANTS AND LINES

Forwards (14): Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Brad Richards, Benoit Pouliot-Derick Brassard-J.T. Miller, Taylor Pyatt-Brian Boyle- Derek Dorsett, Mats Zuccarello-Dominic Moore-Jesper Fast … Extras: Brandon Mashinter, Carl Hagelin (comes off long-term injury Tuesday; left shoulder; expects to return to lineup Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday).

Defensemen (seven): Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi, Marc Staal-Anton Stralman, John Moore-Michael Del Zotto … Extra: Justin Falk.

Goalies (three): Henrik Lundqvist (missed last two games with undisclosed injury), Cam Talbot (started last two games), Jason Missiaen.

Absent: Rick Nash (concussion, injured reserve, out indefinitely), Ryan Callahan (broken left thumb, injured reserve, out until at least Nov. 6).



Rangers coach wonders if Kreider can keep it up

By Larry Brooks

October 27, 2013 | 6:45pm

The question to Alain Vigneault concerned the coach’s level of confidence in Cam Talbot, who yielded a sum of four goals in helping the Rangers to a split of the two games he played in net in place of the injured Henrik Lundqvist.

The answer included a reference to Chris Kreider, who played forcefully in Philadelphia and Detroit in the wake of his recall from the AHL Wolf Pack.

Kreider, averaging 18:50 while playing on the first line with Brad Richards and Derek Stepan, played perhaps the two most assertive games of his embryonic NHL career that’s now 25 regular-season games old.

“What I’ve seen from [Talbot] in two regular-season games and through training camp is, I see a young player with a lot of upside,” Vigneault said. “He’s done it in a short window but can he do it long-term? He’s going to have to answer that.

“That’s the same question with Kreider,” the coach said. “He’s been one of our best forwards; skating, hitting, going to the net.

“He’s done it, but can he continue to do it? Time will tell. Hopefully he will.”

Mats Zuccarello scored his first goal in Detroit on Saturday after having been a healthy scratch in Philadelphia on Thursday. “I had lost too many pucks down low, I tried to be stronger on that,” he said. “I tried to be smarter out there and play my game. “I put pressure on myself to do well. It’s something you think about at nights. Everybody goes through it, but you have to stay positive.”

The Blueshirts were buoyed not only by the 3-2 OT victory over the Red Wings but in the manner by which it was achieved.

“In my estimation, the win was very important but the way we played was more important,” said Vigneault. “We were more involved and more committed at both ends of the rink.

“Our battle level was where it needs to be in this league.”

Derick Brassard’s breakaway winner with 13 seconds remaining in OT off a diving chip-ahead from Benoit Pouliot prompted a celebration worthy of a crucial late-season or playoff victory.

“We’ve had such a tough time, everybody knows it, it felt like we deserved to win that game and when we did, it was a relief,” Zuccarello said. “I think there were a lot of factors that went into the celebration, including knowing we were going to be coming home.”

The Blueshirts need a point against Montreal in Monday night’s home opener to avoid equaling their worst opening 10-game stretch over the last 61 seasons. The 1962-63, 59-60 and 53-54 clubs each recorded six points with getaways of 2-6-2, which is where the 3-6-0 Rangers stand entering the match. The 1952-53 team recorded four points in first 10 by opening 1-7-2.



Henrik Lundqvist set to return for Rangers

By Larry Brooks

October 27, 2013 | 5:22pm

The long and winding road on which the Rangers won three of their first nine games has finally led to Broadway and the remodeled Garden.

And when the puck drops Monday night for the belated home opener against the Canadiens, Henrik Lundqvist will be in nets for the Blueshirts after a week of rehabbing an unidentified injury.

“I feel good, [the injury] is not something I’m thinking about any more,” Lundqvist said on Sunday after the Blueshirts practiced for the first time on MSG ice. “I’m thinking about the game and stopping shots.”

Cam Talbot was in net for each of the club’s last two games, Saturday’s 3-2 overtime victory in Detroit that followed Thursday’s 2-1 defeat in Philadelphia. So Lundqvist’s return isn’t a matter of either the club or the goaltender engaging in risky business by accelerating the timetable.

“It’s fair to say this worked out how we planned it,” Lundqvist said. “Every game you’re more desperate to come back, but you have to be smart and not push the process.”

The Blueshirts have gotten their game in some sort of order since returning from their opening western swing with a 1-4 record and a grotesquely bloated goals-against average. In splitting the last four, the Rangers have only allowed eight goals. True enough, they’ve scored but six, but keeping the puck out of the net is truly hockey’s first commandment.

“We’ve been focusing on making reads faster and doing a better job of coverage,” said Derek Stepan. “There are still some kinks we have to address, but for the most part we’ve been much better with our decision-making when we don’t have the puck.”

There’s been an improvement in decision-making with the puck, as well. The Rangers have stopped trying to make something out of nothing through the neutral zone and at the offensive line, instead chipping the puck deep and getting in on the forecheck.

Hence, fewer turnovers off which the team is forced into fire drills of odd-man rush coverage the way the Rangers were through their misadventures out west.

“When we turn the puck over, we make it tough on ourselves,” said Stepan, who is still seeking his first goal. “That’s something that’s been stressed to the group and that we’re certainly aware of.”

The Rangers played with a collective chip on their shoulder in Detroit. They carried the game, pushed the pace and forced the skilled Red Wings to play shifts at a time in their own end. They were able to build momentum off a series of hard forecheck shifts.

“Every line was creating chances and so everyone felt more confident,” Brad Richards said. “That kind of thing becomes contagious where everybody builds off it.

“Everybody’s battle level and urgency was up,” said the alternate captain. “That’s the way we have , especially with the injuries. We have to keep going.”

Rick Nash, concussed, remains sidelined indefinitely. Ryan Callahan, who skated on his own without a stick before Sunday’s practice, is probably about three weeks away. Carl Hagelin, rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery, is eligible to come off the long-term injury list Tuesday at the Coliseum, but might not return for another game or two after that.

But Lundqvist is good to go immediately for the Blueshirts, who have five of the next six and seven of the next nine at the Garden. The Rangers did not bury themselves with their 3-6 start—five points out of a playoff spot with two games in hand, if it’s not foolish to cite such numbers at this point—but they do have to start winning on a consistent basis.

And in order to do that, they will need Lundqvist not only at full health, but at the top of his game. The mystery injury’s impact on the goaltender’s play is a mystery in itself, but The King needs to be far better than he was before getting repair work on his crown.

“I’m not going to say it was the injury,” said Lundqvist. “It was more my mind-set and approaching it the right way. When you get off to a tough start, you tend to focus more on negative things.

“That’s something I have to turn around.”

If Lundqvist and the Rangers are going to do it, well, there’s no place like home.



Rangers notes: Lundqvist hopes to play Monday


Andrew Gross

Hank’s hoping

Henrik Lundqvist missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury but participated in the Rangers’ morning skate, his first full practice since playing in a 4-0 loss to the Devils on Oct. 19. He said he is improving but not as quickly as he’d like.

The Rangers practice today at Madison Square Garden before Monday’s home opener against the Canadiens.

"I’m not going to hide it, I definitely want to play Monday," Lundqvist said. "That’s my goal but, at the same time, you have to be smart about it. It’s a long season."

The winner

C Derick Brassard wasn’t even sure how he beat Jimmy Howard on a breakaway at 4:47 of overtime, thinking he’d slipped the puck between the goalie’s pads. The puck actually went under Howard’s blocker.

"I couldn’t settle the puck on the ice and I didn’t know how much time I had so I tried to go five-hole but the puck was not flat," Brassard said. "The play started with G [defenseman Dan Girardi] winning his one-on-one in the defensive zone and Benny [Pouliot] had a great second effort."

Tuesday, or later

LW Carl Hagelin (left shoulder) repeated he’s hoping to play on Tuesday against the Islanders, the first day he’s eligible to come off long-term injured reserve following off-season surgery to repair a torn labrum.

But Hagelin broadened his return target to Tuesday, Thursday against the Sabres or Saturday against the Hurricanes.

"It’s no backtrack," Hagelin said.

Briefs

D Justin Falk and LW Brandon Mashinter were healthy scratches. …The Rangers reported no change in the status of RW Rick Nash (concussion).

Bergen Record LOADED: 10.28.2013


Henrik Lundqvist will start in Rangers' home opener Monday against Montreal

October 27, 2013 by STEVE ZIPAY

Goaltender Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers makes save

The King is back.

After missing the last two games with an undisclosed injury, goaltender Henrik Lundqvist will start Monday night's home opener at Madison Square Garden against Montreal.

"I like the way I felt today," Lundqvist said Sunday after the team's first practice at the stylishly revamped arena. "It was the best I've felt since I got hurt [in Los Angeles on Oct. 8]."

During the last three practices, Lundqvist said, "every day I felt a little bit better. I've gotten the answers I wanted in the last couple days. Today it was more about pushing yourself real hard and get the speed and timing. I'm excited to play. It's been a long way for us and it's finally here."

Lundqvist, who hasn't played since Oct. 20, said he would not feel limited in any way, and was driven to be ready for Monday night. "Every game you sit out, it gets tougher and tougher not to try to push the process," he said.

After a preseason and early regular-season schedule that kept his team away from home longer than he'd ever experienced -- including when he coached in Vancouver during the 2010 Olympics -- Alain Vigneault, who spoke with Lundqvist privately on the ice, later confirmed Lundqvist's return.

With a 2-4 record and an .890 save percentage, Lundqvist said he would no longer worry about his ailment, which was believed to be a lower-body injury, and could "just concentrate on stopping shots."

Lundqvist, who hasn't played since a 4-0 loss to the Devils in Newark, during which he allowed two stoppable goals and said the blame for the team's poor run "starts with me,"also did not rule out playing against the Islanders back-to-back Tuesday in Uniondale, but that it would be Vigneault's call. Vigneault could also go with Cam Talbot, who allowed just four goals in the past two games. Jason Missiaen was returned to Hartford.

Every Ranger seemed pleased to be home, where the team will play seven of the next nine games, and be in front of a welcoming crowd. "We'll get some energy off that," said Brad Richards, the club's leading goal scorer with five. "We played in three home openers for other teams. But we've got to realize it's still going to be tough."

Derick Brassard, who scored the overtime winner in Detroit, said the 3-6 start cannot be overlooked: "Expectations are higher. We need to get to .500 and go from there."

Notes & quotes: Ryan Callahan, who broke his thumb against Washington on Oct. 16 and is expected to miss three to four weeks, skated prior to practice for the first time.

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.28.2013


Canadiens at Rangers tonight (7:30) … pre-game notes

28 October 2013, 5:24 am by Carp

Montreal Canadiens v New York Rangers

Henrik Lundqvist is expected to start in the home opener tonight.

Pre-game notes courtesy of the NYR:

NEW YORK RANGERS vs. MONTREAL CANADIENS

Monday, Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. ET

Madison Square Garden – New York, NY

Rangers: 3-6-0 (6 pts)

Canadiens: 6-5-0 (12 pts)

TONIGHT’S GAME

The Rangers will face-off against the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m. — TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7), in their 2013-14 regular season home opener. The Blueshirts currently rank seventh in the Metropolitan Division standings, and 14th in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 3-6-0 (6 pts). The Rangers enter the contest having defeated the Red Wings, 3-2, in overtime on Saturday at Detroit. The Canadiens enter the contest with a 6-5-0 (12 pts) record to rank sixth in the Eastern Conference, and have lost three of their last four games. Following the contest, the Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the New York Islanders tomorrow, Oct. 29, at Nassau Coliseum (7:00 p.m.), in the second game of a back-to-back set.

RANGERS vs. CANADIENS:

All-Time: 191-323-94-3 overall (127-123-54-1 at home; 64-200-40-2 on the road)

2013-14: Tonight is the first of three meetings this season, and the only meeting at Madison Square Garden.

Last Season: New York was 0-3-0 overall (0-1-0 at home; 0-2-0 on the road). The Rangers out-shot the Canadiens, 76-62, in the series, including a 28-16 advantage in the first period. Anton Stralman notched the Rangers’ lone goal in the series, while Carl Hagelin and Derek Stepan each tallied an assist. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 15 of 17 shots in his only appearance.

Only two of the Rangers and Canadiens last eight meetings have been decided by fewer than three goals – a 5-3 win for the Blueshirts on Nov. 5, 2011 at MSG, and a 3-1 loss on Feb. 19, 2013 a MSG

New York is 0-0-0 at home; Montreal is 3-1-0 on the road

New York is 1-0-0 vs. Atlantic Division opponents; Montreal is 2-0-0 vs. Metropolitan Division opponents

New York lists two former Canadiens on their roster: Dominic Moore (2009-10); Benoit Pouliot (2009-10 – 2010-11)

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. CANADIENS: Henrik Lundqvist – 26 GP, 13-10-2, 1 SO, 2.87 GAA; Brad Richards – 37 GP, 9-13-22; Dominic Moore – 25 GP, 4-13-17; Derek Stepan – 11 GP, 0-7-7; Dan Girardi – 26 GP, 3-6-9.

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Power Play: The Rangers were 1-3 (4:15) on Saturday at Detroit. New York ranks 19th in the NHL overall (5-27, 18.5%), and is tied for 29th at home (0-0,

0.0%). The Rangers are 2-2 (0:48) in five-on-three situations (last – 10/12 at STL), and 0-1 (0:30) when four-on-three (last – 10/12 at STL). Shorthanded goals allowed (2): 10/8 at SJS (Vlasic); 10/24 at PHI (Read).

Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts were 3-4 (7:05) on Saturday at Detroit, and are now 24-28 (85.7%) in the last six games. New York is tied for 17th in the NHL overall (29-36, 80.6%), and ranks 30th at home (0-0, 0.0%). The Rangers are 2-2 (1:59) in three-on-five situations (last – 10/16 at WSH), and 0-0 (0:00) when three-on-four. Shorthanded goals for (1): 10/7 at LAK (McDonagh).

Four-on-Four: New York tallied one goal in two four-on-four situations (4:59) on Saturday at Detroit, and are now -1 in 10 four-on-four situations (17:11) this season. Four-on-four goals for (2): 10/16 at WSH (J. Moore); 10/26 at DET (Brassard). Four-on-four goals allowed (3): 10/3 at PHX (Vrbata); 10/7 at LAK (Muzzin); 10/12 at STL (Backes).

HOME OPENERS:

The Rangers have posted a record of 36-34-16 in 86 home openers all-time at Madison Square Garden

The Blueshirts have registered at least one point in seven of their last nine home openers, posting a record of 4-2-1-2 over the span dating back to the 2003-04 season

New York established franchise records for most goals for and largest margin of victory in a home opener with a 7-0 win vs. Toronto on Nov. 20, 1932

The Blueshirts have posted nine shutouts all-time in home openers, with the last shutout in a home-opening game on Oct. 16, 2003 vs. Atlanta (Mike Dunham, 0-0); Andy Aitkenhead has posted a franchise record, two shutouts in home openers (Nov. 20, 1932 vs. Toronto and Nov. 18, 1934 vs. St. Louis)

ORIGINAL SIX SHOWDOWN:

Tonight’s contest will be the second of 14 scheduled games against Original Six opponents this season (1-0-0).

Last season, the Rangers posted a 4-5-0 record against Original Six opponents. Rick Nash and Derek Stepan tied for the team lead with five assists and seven points apiece, while Carl Hagelin, Brad Richards, and Anton Stralman tied Nash and Stepan for the team-high with two goals each against Original Six opponents. Michael Del Zotto (one goal, two assists), Dan Girardi (three assists), and Marc Staal (one goal, two assists) tied for the team lead in scoring among defensemen with three points apiece. Henrik Lundqvist was 4-3-0 with a 2.65 GAA and .901 Sv% in seven appearances against Original Six opponents.

New York is 59-37-12 against Original Six teams since 2005-06, including a 13-15-3 mark vs. Montreal over the span. The Rangers’ .602 win% ranks third, trailing Detroit (.631, 45-24-11) and Montreal (.607, 84-52-13), and ahead of Chicago (.562, 40-30-11), Boston (.530, 69-60-23), and Toronto (.490, 63-66-21).

ROAD WARRIORS: The Rangers concluded their season-opening nine-game road trip with a 3-2 overtime win at Detroit on Saturday. The trip established a franchise record for longest road trip to start the season, breaking the old record of seven games set in 2011-12. It also tied the franchise mark for longest road trip overall, established during the 1955-56 season. The Blueshirts’ home opener tomorrow against Montreal is their latest home opener in a non-lockout shortened season since the 1947-48 season (Oct. 29).

FINISHING THE JOB: The Blueshirts have registered a point in 94 consecutive regular season games when leading after the second period, dating back to the 2009-10 season, posting a record of 88-0-6 over the span. The Rangers’ last regulation loss in a game when entering the third with the lead was Feb. 4, 2010 (6-5 loss vs. WSH). New York is 2-0-0 when leading after the second period this season.

THE HOT LIST:

Brad Richards – eight points (five goals, three assists) in the last eight games

Derick Brassard – four points (one goal, three assists) in the last five games

Ryan McDonagh – two assists in the last four games

MILESTONES IN SIGHT:

Dan Girardi – 3 games from 500th NHL career

Marc Staal – 1 point from 100th NHL career; 3 games from 400th NHL career

INJURIES:

Carl Hagelin (IR – 9/30; shoulder, out indefinitely) – 9

Rick Nash (IR – 10/14; head injury – 10/8, out indefinitely) – 6

Ryan Callahan (IR – 10/21; broken thumb – 10/16, 3-4 weeks) – 3

Henrik Lundqvist (injured, day-to-day) – 2

Total Man-Games Lost: 22

Rockland Journal News: LOADED: 10.28.2013

723709 NHL

Clarkson’s Homecoming for the Maple Leafs Is Delayed but Hard-Hitting

By DHIREN MAHIBAN


TORONTO — David Clarkson was supposed to be the feel-good story of the summer: hometown boy signs with the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team he grew up idolizing, and hopes to make his mark right away.

Instead, Clarkson, a right wing with a reputation for not shying away from conflict, was suspended for the first 10 regular-season games after leaving the bench to join an altercation during a preseason game against the Buffalo Sabres on Sept. 22. “I sometimes make decisions with my heart, not my head,” he said.

It was largely a decision of the heart that brought Clarkson north of the border from New Jersey to sign a seven-year, $36.8 million contract with the Maple Leafs in July. His agent, Pat Morris, said the uncertainty of the Devils’ ownership situation at the time also played a role in Clarkson’s opting for free agency.

“I think the day I signed, I think that was when it sunk in,” said Clarkson, adding that he was excited about the decision.

In his regular-season debut Friday, a 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, it took Clarkson, who grew up in nearby Mimico, two shifts to find himself back in the penalty box for a hooking minor penalty. Over his career, Clarkson has 772 penalty minutes in 428 games, nearly two minutes a night.

“It’s unfortunate that he’s missed a number of games for the suspension,” Leafs Coach Randy Carlyle said. “I think the one thing that we’ve got to make sure of is that the referees know who he is. They seem to know him too well.”

In his home debut on Saturday night, Clarkson, who is 6 feet 1 inch, finished with a game-high eight hits in 21 minutes, playing alongside his fellow newcomers David Bolland and Mason Raymond in a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The highlight of Clarkson’s game came in the final minute of the first period, when he caught the veteran Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi with a heavy shoulder-to-shoulder hit, knocking Scuderi out of the game with a lower body injury.

“Clarkie is a hard-nosed guy,” Bolland said. “He works his butt off down low, he works for those pucks, and he’s always in the right position.”

An undrafted free-agent signing by the Devils in August 2005, Clarkson, 29, has had 76 regular-season fighting majors, according to Hockeyfights.com.

“We need his tenacity and his aggressiveness,” Carlyle said.

Growing up, Clarkson attended many Maple Leafs games with his father, who had season tickets. His idol was the Leafs star Wendel Clark.

“It’s obviously nice to be playing my first game at home, but it’s another hockey game,” Clarkson said. “I’ve played quite a few games in this league, so it’s not anything new, but it was nice to get that first game out of the way.”


723710 NHL

Anze Kopitar makes right decision in Kings' shootout win over Oilers

By Lisa Dillman

October 27, 2013, 11:04 p.m.

The shootout intelligence was good, of course.

But you can crunch the numbers, listen to a successful teammate and in the end, it comes down to a split-second decision and maybe even a quick change of heart.

Kings' Drew Doughty shows leadership, fortitude Kings' Drew Doughty shows leadership, fortitude

Kings take back what they gave away in 7-4 win over Coyotes Kings take back what they gave away in 7-4 win over Coyotes

Kings are trying to learn from early lessons Kings are trying to learn from early lessons

That's what happened with center Anze Kopitar on Sunday when he scored the decider in the shootout to give the Kings a 2-1 victory over the Edmonton Oilers at Staples Center.

The Kings peppered Oilers' goaltender Richard Bachman, who was recalled from the minors earlier in the day, with a season-high 48 shots on goal, but they only got one past him in regulation.

BOX SCORE: Kings 2, Oilers 1 (SO)

Mike Richards and Kopitar managed to beat him in the shootout, and Kings goalie Jonathan Quick stopped David Perron and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the second and third rounds. Nugent-Hopkins shot wide on his attempt.

The Kings are now 4-0 in shootouts this season. Jordan Eberle scored on Quick in the first round, becoming the first player to get one past Quick in shootouts this season.

Kopitar went third after Richards and Jeff Carter.

"Whoever goes first, kind of throws out the scenery — what's going on there," Kopitar said. "Rick [Richards] said there's a little bit of room, high glove.

"But I came down and I saw a bit more room on the blocker side. So I decided to fire there."

Even as Kopitar has struggled to score this season in non-shootout situations, he has trusted his instincts in these one-on-one showdowns. In fact, he has only missed once in four shootout opportunities and has had three game-deciding goals.

The way Bachman was playing, the Kings could have given way to understandable frustration. Richards, who scored on a rebound at 16:58 in the second period, was the only King to get one past Bachman before the shootout.

It looked as if he had another in the third period, but it was waved off when it was ruled that Kings forward Matt Frattin had contact with Bachman.

"Their goalie had a hell of a game," Kings Coach Darryl Sutter said.

Said Carter: "We knew him from last year [with Dallas]. He played well for them. When a guy starts in the minors and gets his call, you know you're going to get his best effort."

The Kings had 23 shots on goal in the third period and Kopitar himself nearly ended it in the final 20 seconds of regulation. Edmonton's only goal came from Nail Yakupov, on the power play, at 4:12 of the second period. His rebound, from the base of the circle, made it, 1-0.

"You've got to keep on plugging away," said Kopitar. "That's what it is. Last game, we scored four in the first. Tonight we just couldn't do it. But you can't get frustrated, keep on going. Eventually they're going to go in.

"Having 48 shots meant we were doing something right. We were there. I'm sure if we have games where we have 48 shots, most of the time it'll be a good chance to win."

And having the likes of Richards, Carter and Kopitar going in the shootout doesn't hurt.

"It's a tough lineup," Bachman said. "Obviously you want to get that point. It's a huge point. But it's a shootout.

"Obviously you want the win, though. It's a little disappointing there."

LA Times LOADED 10.28.2013

723711 NHL

Hockey World: Cracking down on NHL head hits ‘not an easy job’

By Jim Matheson, Edmonton Journal October 27, 2013

Hockey World: Cracking down on NHL head hits ‘not an easy job’

Boston Bruins forward Loui Eriksson, left, is hit in the head by Buffalo Sabres tough guy John Scott on during their game Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2013. Scott has been suspended indefinitely by the NHL pending a disciplinary hearing for the blindside hit that levelled Eriksson.

Los Angeles Kings assistant general manager Rob Blake, who was once part of NHL sheriff Brendan Shanahan’s posse as they tried to crack down hard on the league’s dirty players, doesn’t miss being one of the league’s lawmen.

He turned in his badge willingly when Kings GM Dean Lombardi called offering Ron Hextall’s former job last summer, with Hextall returning to the Philadelphia Flyers in a similar role.

“It’s not an easy job ... you get critiqued all the time,” the potential Hall of Fame defenceman said.

Shanahan, Blake, another former NHLer Stephane Matteau and others like Kris King, spent countless hours watching film of sundry bad deeds, most of them wallops to the head. They’re told to be tough on crime by the league’s GMs, until it’s one of their guys.

“We’re told in the summer to come down hard, then you act on a guy who’s had three suspensions before and his GM says ‘what are you doing? He didn’t do anything wrong,’ ” Blake said with a laugh. “The rules are there, but if it’s their team ...”

Blake, who was no angel as a player with several suspensions over his career spent mostly with the Kings, is watching the ugly John Scott situation very closely.

Scott, a lug with one career goal who is in the Buffalo Sabres’ lineup to police the bad stuff, blindsided Loui Eriksson in the head and faces a hearing, and a possible stiff rap, even if he’s never been before a league disciplinary board before.

“I’m sure whatever happens, they’ll (Shanahan and Co.) hear he didn’t get enough,” said Blake.

“He has no history. That’s one thing he’s (Scott) got going for him. I don’t see it being the big one (suspension) people are waiting for.”

Blake and Shanahan, who is in the Hall of Fame, understand what’s going through a player’s mind because they were in the same boat a few times with hits gone very bad.

“There can be accidents where a player’s timing is just a little off, but it’s the predators ... I don’t know if you still call them that, but you can tell,” Blake said. “Patrick Kaleta or Raffi Torres? You can tell two or three shifts before that they’re looking for somebody, then it happens,” said Blake.

Blake isn’t a fan of Kaleta, the Sabres’ agitator. Kaleta appealed a 10-game suspension to league commissioner Gary Bettman, who upheld it, and now he can go to a third independent party if he desires.

“I hope he learns from this,” said Blake, well aware that Matt Cooke finally got it during his run of trouble while with the Pittsburgh Penguins that he had to get civil or get out of the game.

“Cooke’s team (Pittsburgh) pushed him when he hit the guy from the Rangers (Ryan McDonagh). They knew there was going to be a big suspension, and they took the stance that he had to change to play with them,” Blake said. I give Matt Cooke 100 per cent credit because he was in our office two of three times over the summer with Brendan looking at video. He’d ask Brendan ‘what am I allowed to do here?’ He went the extra step to learn instead of saying ‘I’m getting screwed.’ ”

What the league would probably like is for players to willingly sit in on film study with Shanahan and Co. over the summer months to see illegal hits 20,

30, 50 times in slow-motion, various angles, and see how they dispense their justice.

“Funny you should say that ... Andy Sutton had just retired and he was doing something with equipment and he came into our office for two nights,” Blake said. “He started watching the plays. We had him in here twice with in-person hearings (before suspensions). This was good for him. He said ‘geez, do you guys really look at this play, this way?’ ”


723712 Ottawa Senators

Senators searching for answers after another slow start

by James Gordon

on October 27, 2013

The Ottawa Senators knew they’d need 60 minutes of outstanding hockey to take out the NHL’s apex predator at Canadian Tire Centre Sunday evening.

Another lousy start left them dead in the water.

The San Jose Sharks scored twice in the opening 6:35 en route to a 5-2 mauling that left the Senators fuming — and searching for answers — afterwards.

It was the third time in their last four games they’ve given up 2-0 leads in the first period. Unsurprisingly, each of those slow starts produced a loss.

Goaltender Craig Anderson said the Senators need to “come out and be hard to play against” early in games.

“I thought we came out of the gate pretty good, we had the puck in their zone for a little bit, and they come down and on their first chance, we have a breakdown, and it’s in our net,” Anderson said.

“That’s just kind of the way things are going for us right now,” he continued. “We make a mistake and it ends up in our net, and I’m not sure … I don’t know how you change that. You need a little bit of luck, but at the same time, you’ve got to limit the amount of mistakes you make.”

Said defenceman Jared Cowen: “I think it’s just about being patient. I think sometimes we get focused on scoring goals instead of what it takes to score a goal and how to get there. I think we get too excited and try to make something out of nothing, really.

Whatever the cause, the Senators don’t have long to figure it out. Next up on Tuesday: A date with the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.

For all the mistakes in this one, all was not lost initially. Sharks coach Todd McLellan’s decision to sit No. 1 goalie Antti Niemi for the first time this season gave the Senators hope for a comeback.

Backup Alex Stalock’s first NHL start was an adventure for stretches as he struggled with rebounds, puck control and just plain staying in his net.

But as the Senators learned, spotting the league’s top team a two-goal lead is like granting Usain Bolt 10 metres off the starting gun: Even if he trips and rolls his ankle, he’s still going to win.

Tomas Hertl, Andrew Desjardins, Tommy Wingels, James Sheppard and Joe Pavelski all scored for the Sharks, who improved to 10-1-1.

The defence duo of Erik Karlsson and Marc Methot responded for the Senators.

Anderson took the loss after allowing all five goals on 29 shots. The stat line didn’t look great, but he didn’t get much help either.

MacLean suggested the Senators just aren’t arriving at the rink prepared.

“I think it’s all about everybody being ready to play,” he said. “That starts with myself and the leadership group to make sure that we’re ready to play the game.”

Hertl, who hadn’t scored in six games after bursting out of the gate with six goals in his first three contests, was more than happy to take advantage of the Senators’ inability to protect the front of their net in the first.

He grabbed a puck that went straight through Ottawa defenceman Joe Corvo’s legs and deposited it behind Anderson at the 1:16 mark.

Desjardins made it 2-0 shortly thereafter with another freebie in front.

Had the Sharks decided to march Niemi (1.53 goals-against average, .933 save percentage) out for his 12th straight start, that might have been the deathblow.

Instead, the Senators did what they should against a guy with little NHL experience: Put everything on net and look for big rebounds.

Karlsson led the way with six shots in the first (of nine overall), scoring on a screened slapper from the point at 11:07.

MacLean is fond of saying the Senators like when Karlsson is “playing for us, not the other team,” and he says it for a reason.

Seven minutes later, No. 65 gave it right back, turning the puck over at the blue line on the power play to Wingels, who pushed it up to former Ottawa 67’s star Logan Couture for a breakaway.

Karlsson appeared to concede the goal, coasting back while Couture put a nice deke on Anderson. Except Anderson made the initial save and was left to watch helplessly as the puck sat in the blue paint, just out of his reach.

Wingels, who hadn’t stopped skating, had an easy tap-in to make it 3-1.

Methot made it 3-2 at 9:09 of the second period, but Sheppard’s tally 1:29 into the third ended all hope of a comeback.

Twitter.com/SensReporter

GAME FILE

CHEERS

Tommy Wingels, Sharks

His shorthanded goal was the turning point of the game. An assist on San Jose’s fifth gave him eight points on the year. Not bad for kid who scored all of 13 in 42 games last season.

JEERS

The Senators’ lackadaisical effort in their own zone was a total team effort. They were officially dinged for 11 turnovers in the game, but that was probably a conservative count.

WHY THEY LOST

The Sharks are now 7-0-1 when scoring first (and when leading after one period) and 8-0-0 when leading after two. It’s hard enough to come back against the Edmontons and Floridas of the league, let alone this group.

SHUFFLE UP

MacLean tinkered with his lineup prior to the game, inserting Jean-Gabriel Pageau for injured winger Clarke MacArthur and flipping Patrick Wiercioch in for Eric Gryba on defence. MacArthur also missed practice Saturday.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.28.2013


Scanlan: Senators cooking up a losing recipe

By Wayne Scanlan, Ottawa CitizenOctober 27, 2013

Eleven games into the 2013-14 NHL season, the Ottawa Senators are looking for something.

An identity ... a couple of points ... a game against a weak Eastern team ... bigger crowds.

All of the above.

For a second straight game, a supposedly travel-weary team from the Western Conference rode into the Canadian Tire Centre on its high horse and taught the Senators a lesson; on Sunday’s occasion, a 5-2 beatdown by the San Jose Sharks.

A modest crowd of 17,145 sat restlessly through a game in which the home team trailed for 58 minutes, 44 seconds.

For a second straight game, the visitors anointed a rookie goaltender to make his first NHL start. Like Frederik Andersen in the Anaheim Ducks’ 2-1 win Friday, Alex Stalock recorded the victory without having to endure a massive onslaught by a supposedly desperate home team. Don’t be fooled by Ottawa’s 40 shot total. The Senators were shooting from everywhere.

Where is the urgency?

What happened to the plan to make hay at home? The Senators’ home record fell to 1-3-0 and all three losses have come at the hands of western clubs — Edmonton, Anaheim and San Jose.

(Maybe this was the key to last year’s success: Easy Eastern pickin’s, with 48 games all within the conference).

The Senators have now lost to Anaheim home and away and the Sharks home and away.

Captain Jason Spezza, visibly annoyed at a second straight home loss after an impressive 6-1 win in Detroit on Wednesday, lamented his team falling behind, as usual.

“It’s going to be a hell of a long year if that’s our recipe,” Spezza said of the eight times Ottawa has allowed the opposition to score first. “We have to start getting a lead. It’s hard enough to win games in this league. If you fall behind every night, you’re chasing the whole time.”

Chasing. The word applies here on a number of levels.

According to head coach Paul MacLean, the Senators were “chasing the game all night.”

Since the season began, the Senators have been chasing teams with leads and chasing teams above them in the standings, with 10 points to show for 11 games played.

Overall, the Senators are 4-5-2. Their only home ice win came on Oct. 17 against the New Jersey Devils.

The Sharks, the NHL’s best team at 10-1-1, finished a game in Montreal just 17 hours before Sunday’s 5 p.m. drop of the puck in Ottawa.

Apparently, playing the night before isn’t much of detriment any more. The Senators will tell you about games they have won, despite travelling.

The modest matinee crowd had just settled into their seats when they got into uh-oh mode. The Sharks took advantage of a couple of miscues in the Senators zone to stake an early 2-0 lead.

Where have we seen this movie opening before? Oh yes, Friday night, when the supposedly weary Ducks rolled into town and put up a two-spot before the Senators started to play.

That comeback fell short as the visitors skated away with a 2-1 victory.

As it did versus the Ducks, the home team chipped into the 2-0 lead with a goal to make things interesting. This time, it was an Erik Karlsson slap shot just past the midpoint of the first period. Karlsson’s blast was rendered more effective because of the screen on goalie Stalock made by winger Cory Conacher.

Alas, Karlsson was having one of those games in which, as his coach often expresses it, he was playing for both teams. At his river-hockey best, Karlsson was wheeling, blasting pucks, making things happen.

He was also victimized on Tommy Wingels’ shorthanded goal, a stab in the back coming so soon after Karlsson had put his team on the board and pumped some life into a dead building. On the power play, Karlsson lost the puck at the Sharks blue line, leading to a Logan Couture chance on Anderson. With the puck sitting in the goal crease and Anderson down and out, Wingels skated in and and chipped the puck into the open net.

Despite his goal, Karlsson wound up minus-one on the period (and the game, in the end) as he was on the ice for two of San Jose’s three goals, unable to get back to prevent Andrew Desjardins’ backhand shot that beat Craig Anderson for the Sharks’ second goal of the game.

Karlsson giveth, Karlsson taketh away, there he was again setting up a Marc Methot blast — on a delayed penalty call — to again chip into San Jose’s two-goal lead by closing the gap to 3-2. By this point, one could argue that Karlsson figured in on a couple of Ottawa goals and a couple for the Sharks.

Karlsson called the Wingels score “an unnecessary goal you don’t want to give away.”

But God love him, No. 65 is entertaining when he’s on the ice, which for the Senators is nearly half the hockey game.

If only they could play another one with a lead, as they did in Detroit.

“It’s frustrating,” said Kyle Turris. “We’re at home. We want to get off to a good start, we talk about it in the room. We just come out a bit flat and give them a couple of opportunities we shouldn’t and it ends up in the back of our net.”



Remparts slice Olympiques’ win streak

By DON CAMPBELL, OTTAWA CITIZENOctober 27, 2013

Remparts 4 Olympiques 2

Any time the current edition of the Gatineau Olympiques can draw comparisons to the 2010-11 team is a good thing. That’s the last edition of the Olympiques to advance to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League finals.

So it was all positive when the road-weary Olympiques played late Sunday afternoon at Quebec, trying for a seventh consecutive win that would have been the club’s longest winning streak since that 2010-11 season.

It took Quebec Remparts rookie goaltender Callum Booth to keep them from doing it.

The 16-year-old from Montreal made 29 saves, including 15 in a furious second period assault by the Olympiques, as Quebec turned back the Olympiques before a crowd of 10,827 at Le Colisée Pepsi to end the Olympiques’ run.

“We will have to battle like we did every night,” said Gatineau head coach Benoit Groulx of the stretch of success. “There are no games given to you in this league.

“In this stretch, we have seen the best of our goaltender Robert Steeves. Vaclav Karabacek was stellar and our most consistent player. He was our best player this weekend and yet, he just has one goal to show for it. He was spectacular. He is really showing signs of becoming a great player.

“And Vincent Dunn has also played some good hockey. That’s good news for us. Now we go back home and a get a few days rest before another big week ahead.”

Still it was fun while it lasted, the Piques last lost Oct. 12 to Baie-Comeau.

At that point, Gatineau was 6-5 and lumped in eighth place overall, barely averaging three goals a game.

Then they got on a run, winning four of the six away from the Robert Guertin Arena, and averaging four goals a game to climb to a tie for third overall. They are also 6-3 on the road with their road wins total, tops in the league.

On defence, they surrendered just 15 goals in those six games, with over-age goaltender Steeves carrying the bulk of the load. The Moncton product is still 9-4 after the loss with a 2.46 goals-against average and a save percentage of .899.

The Olympiques are doing if offensively with a balanced attack.

After Calgary Flames pick Émile Poirier, who is tied for third in league scoring with 12 goals and 26 points through 16 games, there isn’t another Olympique among the league leaders, not until rookie Karabacek, who is tied for 47th with seven goals and 15 points.

Facing the Remparts, the Olympiques fell behind 2-0 in the opening period on a pair of goals by Fabrice Herzog.

Gatineau dominated in the second, outshooting Quebec 15-5 only to fall three goals down on Zachery Moody’s only goal of the period.

Karabacek gave the Olympiques life with a goal three minutes into the third only to see Quebec’s Maxime Chevalier restore the three-goal lead 91 seconds later.

Ottawa Senators draft pick Dunn cut it to 4-2 and 4:51, but the Olympiques couldn’t close the gap further.

The loss in the provincial capital came on a heels of a 5-4 shootout win Saturday over the Rimouski Oceanic.

Rimouski jumped to a quick 2-0 lead before Gatineau veteran Martine Reway cut it in half before the first period ended and Dunn tied it with the only goal of the middle frame.

Marc-Olivier Brouillard scored his fifth and sixth of the season early in the third only to have Rimouski bounce back with a pair, including the tying goal with less than seven minutes to play.

The teams skated through the overtime and went nine shots deep in the shootout when Gatineau’s Jake Coughler scored and Steeves made his seventh save of the shootout to give Gatineau the win.

The Olympiques return home Wednesday night to face the defending Memorial Cup-champion Halifax Mooseheads and top NHL picks Jonathan Drouin (third, overall, Tampa Bay) and goaltender Zachary Fucale (36th overall, Montreal).

The Ottawa 67’s, meanwhile, enjoyed a rare weekend off with just a public skate in West Carleton with fans Sunday. They play Tuesday night when they host the Kingston Frontenacs at the Canadian Tire Centre.



Ottawa Senators sit our Clarke MacArthur because of injury

By Bruce Garrioch ,Ottawa Sun

First posted: Sunday, October 27, 2013 04:57 PM EDT | Updated: Sunday, October 27, 2013 05:04 PM EDT

Clarke MacArthur’s search for his first goal of the season has been put on hold.

After missing Saturday’s skate with a nagging injury, the Senators winger wasn’t in the lineup Sunday against the San Jose Sharks at the Canadian Tire Centre because the club wanted to give the unknown ailment a rest.

Coach Paul MacLean said before the game MacArthur was being held out for precautionary reasons, and the hope is his absence won’t be long-term. Jean-Gabriel Pageau was dressed and played on the fourth line.

“He has a minor injury that we want to make sure doesn’t grow into something bigger,” said MacLean. “I’m not exactly sure when it happened, but he felt some aggravation when he didn’t practice and we want to give it a chance to get healed up, so it’s not something long lasting or chronic.”

The injury could stem from MacArthur slamming into the boards hard in Wednesday’s 6-1 victory over Detroit after Bobby Ryan scored a goal. While MacArthur hasn’t scored in his first 10 games, the club is pleased with his effort.

“He’s been a very consistent player. We have no issues with Clarke at all,” said MacLean. “I think after we play 82 games, we’re going to find out he’s going to have plenty of goals, points and statistics we’re going to like.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.28.2013


Ottawa Senators Marc Methot doesn't hurt Olympic chances

By Don Brennan ,Ottawa Sun


Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli was at Sunday’s game to scout for Canada’s Olympic entry, which means Jason Spezza didn’t do himself any favours.

With a minus-2 performance during some unimpressive moments in his own zone, Spezza looked anything but Olympic calibre, although he did make a decent play to draw an assist on Marc Methot’s goal.

Methot, on the other hand, was one of the Senators’ better players.

Along with scoring his first of the season on one of his three shots, he was plus-1 and blocked a couple of pucks sent toward his own goal.

“I didn’t know (Chiarelli) was here, (but) there’s people watching all the time,” said Methot. “I look at it as a good motivational factor. It’s not necessarily a selfish thing. If it’s going to make me play better, it benefits me and the team.

“As of right now, (the Olympics) is not something I’m concerning myself with. All I’m worried about is trying to get some more wins here.”

Those won’t come on a regular basis until the Senators start playing better defensively. ve all the answers,” said Methot.

“I don’t know what’s causing it. It’s just little breakdowns in our end that we’re doing.”

Achieving consistency, Methot believes, begins with a work ethic in practice.

“That hasn’t really been an issue ever with this club,” he said. “We don’t have any bad apples, so to speak, on the team. Everyone works their tail off in practice all the time.”



Only ways Ottawa Senators and San Jose Sharks meet again his year is for the Cup

By Don Brennan ,Ottawa Sun


The broadcasters for San Jose Sharks games are funny guys.

In the dying minutes of the team’s 5-2 beating of the Senators on Sunday, they told fans back in California this was the final meeting of the season between the two teams “unless they meet in the playoffs.”

For that to happen, the Senators and Sharks would have to be the Stanley Cup finalists. And the way the Senators played Sunday, especially in their own end, there’s no way that’s going to happen — even in an Eastern Conference that could be up for grabs in eight months time.

STARTS AND STOPS

Erik Karlsson was having his best period in the first since he won the Norris. He was strong in all areas of the ice, but particularly exceptional in the offensive zone. And then Tommy Wingels scored a short-handed goal after Craig Anderson had stopped Logan Couture on the breakaway, and you wondered, why couldn’t Karlsson at least pick up the trailer? ˙ For the second game in a row, the Senators were facing a goalie making his first NHL start. This time 26-year-old St. Paul, Minn., native Alex Stalock was able to put them down. “I had a fan in Montreal who asked me when I was going to play,” said Stalock, who is in his fifth season as a pro. “I mean, you look at the guy here we have in front of me. He’s arguably one of the best goalies in the world right now.” He was referring, of course, to Antti Niemi ˙ And for the second game in a row, we are reminded, the Senators could not take advantage of a team softened up by the Habs the night before ˙ Anderson was beaten by the second and sixth shots he faced. The first San Jose goal, by rookie Tomas Hertl, was a complete cluster you-know-what. Jason Spezza couldn’t get the puck out of the zone, Joe Corvo couldn’t corral it when it bounced his way, and Jared Cowen deflected the shot under Anderson’s pad. Then, one of Derek Grant or Jean-Gabriel Pageau should have been on Andrew Desjardins before he scored the second ˙ Mika Zibanejad didn’t start the game on the first line, as we thought might be the case. He was left wing on the third line with Zack Smith and Chris “Oil

Changers” Neil. The three kept the puck in the Sharks zone for their entire shift after the Hertl goal and was easily Ottawa’s best unit in the first — to the point. Senators coach Paul MacLean rewarded the three with power-play time ˙ Colin “The Grass Is Always” Greening joined the first line as the right-winger.

THINGS I THINK I THUNK

With the NHL’s best team in town, there were a disturbing number of empty seats at the top of a few sections ˙ For the first time in team history, the Senators have bowls of candy in the press box for the media. Dallas Eakins wouldn’t approve ˙ Cory “Little Train” Conacher didn’t get a point on the play, but his presence in front of the San Jose net was the main reason Karlsson scored in the first. Time and again, Conacher proves you don’t have to be a big man to provide a good screen .. Milan Michalek’s diligence on the back check prevented Hertl from having a very good crack at a second goal in the opening period ˙ Hertl turned the tables with a back check that probably prevented Spezza from scoring in the second, but the Senators captain stuck with the play and, on a delayed penalty call, assisted on Marc Methot’s first goal of the season.

BETWEEN PERIODS

Before the opening puck drop, Sharks coach Todd McLellan sounded a little like Jacques Martin speaking about Spezza 11 years ago when he addressed Hertl’s goal-scoring slump, which had reached six games. “It’s virtually impossible to keep the pace that he started with and the energy he’s had,” McLellan said of the 19-year-old Czech, who had seven goals after the season’s first five games. “Has he hit the wall, or is it just reality? It’s a men’s league. He’s feeling his way through. People know who he is now so the matchups are a little bit different. He’s playing through that.” ˙ It’s probably not a good thing that we’ve made it this far into the column without mentioning Bobby Ryan’s name ˙ Sunday games in Ottawa should be outlawed during the NFL season.

BITS, BYTES AND BUTT ENDS

Ottawa native Dan Boyle missed his sixth consecutive game with the concussion, but McLellan said the defenceman could play Wednesday in Boston against the Bruins ˙ The Senators are the first NHL team to outshoot the Sharks in San Jose’s 11 games. It was also just the third time this season the Senators have outshot their opponents ˙ Karlsson wound up with nine shots on net. He had three more blocked and another three that went wide, so his trigger finger was busy ˙ Former Senator Marty Havlat accompanied the Sharks and he looks good. However, he still doesn’t know when he’s going to be able to make his return from groin surgery ̇ Don’t see this happen very often — Chris Phillips was guilty of the most Senators giveaways, with three ˙ Smith was the Senators’ best faceoff man with a 5-3 record in the circles.


723718 Philadelphia Flyers

Mason deal one of Holmgren's best

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: Monday, October 28, 2013, 4:02 AM

Flyers coach Craig Berube says he isn’t ready to anoint Steve Mason as his No. 1 goalie.

But his actions speak louder than his words.

Mason has started eight of the Flyers’ 10 games. Ray Emery has started the other two.

And, so, yes, it has become clear that Mason is the go-to goalie.

Among NHL goalies who have played at least five games, Mason is eighth in the 30-team league with a .930 save percentage, and his 2.15 goals-against average places him ninth.

GM Paul Holmgren gets criticized for dealing promising goalie Sergei Bobrovsky, who blossomed into the Vezina winner as the league’s best goalie last season with Columbus. Holmgren, however, made amends by acquiring the 6-foot-4, 217-pound Mason from Columbus late last season, dealing goalie Michael Leighton and a third-round draft pick in 2015.

So far, it looks like one of the best trades of the Holmgren era.

Granted, it’s not a huge sample, but in 15 games with the Flyers over the last two seasons, Mason has resembled the goalie who was named the NHL’s rookie of the year after the 2008-09 season.

Mason, 25,who can become an unrestricted free agent after the season, and the Flyers (3-7) will be severely challenged Tuesday when they face Anaheim (9-3) at the Wells Fargo Center. The Ducks are averaging 3.17 goals per game, the NHL’s seventh-best attack.

Both teams are aiming for their third straight wins.

Corey Perry (six goals, 13 points) ) and Ryan Getzlaf (five goals, 12 points) lead the Ducks, while defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Francois Beauchemin, are plus-11 and plus-10, respectively.

Defenseman Luca Sbisa, the Flyers’ No. 1 pick in the 2008 draft, has not played for the Ducks this season because of an ankle injury. He was traded to Anaheim as part of the Chris Pronger deal.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.28.2013


Flyers starting to adapt to Berube's system

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer


After his team's latest victory, Flyers coach Craig Berube sounded like his predecessor, Peter Laviolette.

"I really liked our skating legs tonight, especially in the third period. We had a lot of jam left out there," Berube said after the Flyers' 5-2 win over the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum on Saturday.

The victory gave the Flyers (3-7) a modest two-game winning streak. They will try to win their third straight - something they didn't accomplish until April in last year's abbreviated season - when they host Anaheim on Tuesday.

In their last two games, the Flyers have outscored their opponents in the third period.

Before that, they had been outscored, 12-2, in the final period, which was the main reason they started 1-7.

In Saturday's win, Vinny Lecavalier had his seventh career hat trick as the Flyers played their best all-around game of the young season. They got strong goaltending from Steve Mason (again), played well at both ends, won the special-teams battle (1-0), and were hard on the puck for a full 60 minutes.

In short, they seem to be adapting to Berube's system.

"They played a solid game without the puck," said Berube, whose team is 2-4 since he replaced Laviolette. "When you do that, you can still score a goal. It's not just sitting back and playing defense. It's playing good without the puck to create turnovers. You still play in the offensive zone. We got rewarded for it. We shot the puck. We were at the net."

"We were just sloppy in our own end," Islanders captain John Tavares said.

The Flyers made the Isles look sloppy with a strong forecheck as they improved their record to 3-7, five points behind the third-place Islanders in the ragged Metropolitan Division.

"We have to build on this," said winger Jake Voracek, who scored his first goal of the season.

Team Techno

The Flyers are using an indoor GPS tracking system on their players to evaluate some of their physical ability. At practices, tiny devices are placed inside their jerseys to track their movements. The tracking devices can also monitor progress on injuries, fatigue and acceleration.

Breakaways

Mason (2.15 GAA, .930 save percentage) has started eight of the 10 games and has emerged as the No. 1 goalie. . . . Lecavalier (four) became the Flyers' top goal scorer, surpassing Tye McGinn (three), who is now with the AHL Phantoms. . . . The Flyers practiced Sunday in Kensington at the Scanlon Ice Rink, one of the rinks refurbished by the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation. . . . Nick Grossmann's 30 blocked shots placed him sixth in the NHL entering Sunday. . . . Zac Rinaldo spent more time in the penalty box (four minutes) on Saturday than on the ice (3:39).



Emery just wants to contribute

ANDREW ALBERT, Daily News Staff Writer [email protected]


WHEN THE Flyers decided to use their last compliance buyout on goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov, they had a vision for what would happen between the pipes. Bryzgalov had brought controversy, conflict and mediocrity to the position. General manager Paul Holmgren decided that was not the route the Flyers wanted to take moving forward, and looked for options elsewhere.

The option the Flyers decided on was Ray Emery. The 31-year-old goalie was brought back in after being in Philadelphia for the 2009-10 season. All signs pointed to him taking the starting job.

Emery saw action in 29 games that season, in which the Flyers made a run to the Stanley Cup Finals. The familiarity of the organization had Emery itching to come back.

"I was excited to come back," said Emery, who was injured during his last stint here. "There were kind of familiar faces around, I knew what the organization was about. I was excited to play in Philly again."

The fact that there was only one other goalie on the roster excited him, too. He had only played in more than 40 games in a season once during his NHL career, which started in 2002. He was looking forward to doing it again this season.

By the time training camp came around, there was a battle brewing for the right to be between the pipes.

Steve Mason, who is just 25 years old, grew into a contender for the spot. He made seven appearances for the Flyers last season, and earned the right to fight for the spot.

After training camp, the Flyers decided Mason was the way to go. Mason was named the starter via Instagram, leaving Emery in a familiar situation of sharing duties in the net.

Just last year, the veteran goalie was placed in a tandem with Corey Crawford with the Chicago Blackhawks. Emery was phased out as time went on, and Crawford saw all of the action in the playoffs when the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup.

This season, Emery wants to make the most of the time gets on the ice.

"Personally, I want to contribute any way that I can, and obviously when I get in there play the best that I can," Emery said. "It's basically the same thing every year."

Emery believes his relationship with Mason can only help the team.

Emery was 17-1 in 21 games (19 starts) with 1.94 goals-against average for Chicago last season and wants to share that experience of winning the Stanley Cup with his new teammates.

"Each year is kind of a new season," Emery said. "We have a good group here, and it kind of sorts itself out as to how you contribute. Having been through that experience it is definitely something you want to replicate, sharing a championship with a group of guys like we did last year."

Emery has not had the best start to the season, allowing eight goals in two games. Mason has gotten the majority of the starts. Emery is not bitter about the situation, but is ready to help in any way he can.

"We bounce things off each other," Emery said of his relationship with Mason. "Goalies are kind of a different breed. We know how each other is feeling and definitely chat about game situations, and even off-the-ice stuff.

The competition, as well as the working friendship between the two seems to be having a positive impact. Mason has been steadily improving, and the Flyers have started winning.

"It is a different environment and we kind of feed off each other, so it is exciting to come to work and getting a chance with a young goalie like Mason," Emery said. "Especially with how well he has been playing, it is something that motivates you."

Unique practice

The Flyers held a practice at Scanlon Ice Rink yesterday. Fans flocked to the Harrowgate facility to see the team, which has won its last two games.

The Flyers return to action tomorrow against Anaheim at the Wells Fargo Center.

The practice was sponsored by the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation, a program that helps children in the Philadelphia and Camden areas learn sportsmanship and other life skills.

"Obviously the foundation he has going here is unbelievable," Claude Giroux said. "For us to be able to help in any way is good. Just a little practice like this. To see the kids smiling, and for us to have a good practice, it is good."

"Not your typical practice," coach Craig Berube said. "A lot more passing and shooting, fun stuff. Give the fans a little show. More of a fun practice today.

"You're out there and you see all the kids who are excited and watching, it is great for everybody," Berube said.



Sunny skating day for suddenly winning Flyers

Posted: Sunday, October 27, 2013 6:12 pm | Updated: 6:25 pm, Sun Oct 27, 2013.

Wayne Fish Staff writer

PHILADELPHIA – Before Sunday, the Flyers’ last two ventures into outdoor hockey (the 2010, 2012 Winter Classics) were losing propositions.

But when they visited Scanlon Rink on behalf of the Ed Snider Youth Hockey Foundation to practice in front of about 100 kids, everyone came out a winner.

The Flyers might be millionaire athletes but they didn’t act like them for this event, putting on their equipment at the Wells Fargo Center and busing over to the rink like a bunch of high school kids.

All for the cause, to help introduce hockey to the next generation.

“It’s pretty neat to do this for the smiles on their faces,’’ Scott Hartnell commented. “It was a great experience.

“Ed Snider (the Flyers’ owner) does a lot for this community, not only for the youth hockey foundation but all around. He’s a giving man.’’

Both general manager Paul Holmgren and coach Craig Berube endorsed the idea.

As for the players, anytime they can play under the open sky, it’s fun. For many it takes them back to their roots – skating on small ponds and lakes in northern United States, Canada and Europe.

“It does bring you back to early morning practices (as a youth) when you sat on the step and got dressed,’’ Hartnell said. “Dad or mom drove you to practice at 5:30 in the morning.’’

Berube took it easy on his players, and why not? They’re coming off their first two-game winning streak, including Saturday night’s convincing 5-2 win on Long Island.

“It was more like fun stuff,’’ Berube said of the workout. “Give the fans a little show. We played last night, so we gave the players a little bit of a break.

“Mr. Snider does a great job with all this youth hockey stuff. We just want to show our support. The guys love doing stuff like this and the kids enjoy it.’’

Captain Claude Giroux reported the ice was in excellent shape even though temperatures reached close to 60 degrees.

“To be able to give back a little bit is great,’’ Giroux said.

High technology: The Flyers are experimenting with a device produced by an Australian company called Catapult Sports.

Basically, it’s a computer chip situated in a small harness that helps track a player’s movements: How fast he’s going, how far and how long.

Flyers assistant trainer Ryan Podell has been put in charge of monitoring the findings.

According to information released by the company, the Catapult “OptimEye’’ monitor is a more accurate way to chart a player’s physiological workload.

The monitor is about half the size of a smartphone and weighs about an ounce.

The device is equipped with its own GPS, a magnetometer, an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

Many basketball teams – from college to NBA to the Olympics – are employing this technology and now hockey is picking up on it.

One fascinating use is the tracking of a player’s recovery from injury. By keeping an eye on a player’s cuts and acceleration, trainers can tell how much improvement has taken place by measuring it against a pre-injury baseline.

Burlington County Times LOADED: 10.28.2013


Lack of power-play success hampering Flyers

Staff Writer

October 27, 2013, 1:15 pm

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- If you’re still searching for a tangible reason why the Flyers' record is so bloody awful this season, look no further than their power play.

Heading into the final weekend of October, they were nestled into 29th place in the NHL in power-play percentage (8.1 percent).

They are a living example of the movie, “The Gang That Couldn’t Shoot Straight.”

Which is why they spend a significant amount of time practicing the power play between games and even during morning skates.

Practice makes perfect? Not quite.

“If you think about it,” offered coach Craig Berube, “there are a lot of penalties in the games. Hopefully, for the other team. So a lot of times, half the game is special teams.

“You should practice it -- it’s just as important as anything else. If you don’t practice it, it’s hard to be good at it or focus on it. That’s why we practice it all the time.”

Captain Claude Giroux was asked if he ever gets tired of practicing something in which the club can’t seem to get any better.

“Nah, even if it were going well, it’s good to practice it,” Giroux replied. “Know your options and what you have to do.”

What they may have to do is try some different players. They broke a power-play skid on Saturday (one goal in their last 25 power plays) with a goal from Vinny Lecavalier during their 5-2 rout of the Islanders (see story).

Berube already moved Kimmo Timonen from the first unit to the second for the first time in his Flyer career. Mark Streit is now the lone defenseman on Giroux’s top unit.

“We had a few good looks; we had a few good scoring chances, but I think we can still control the puck a little more,” Streit said.

Translation: It would be nice if we held onto the puck long enough to get a shot, a rebound and a reload before the other team ices the puck.

“There are some positives and some things we can do better,” Streit said. “Both units had some scoring chances, but that’s not enough. We need to get on the board.”

Coming into Sunday, the Flyers are now 4 for 40, sitting at 10 percent.

Here’s something to chew on. Last season (the lockout-shortened campaign), the Flyers finished third overall in the NHL in power-play efficiency at 21.6 percent (37 for 171). Those 37 power-play goals represent 28 percent of the Flyers' overall goal-scoring total (133 goals).

In 2009-10, the Flyers were also third at 21.4 percent. Their 68 power-play goals that season represented 29 percent of their overall offense (236 goals).

It’s no secret that for the last several seasons, the Flyers have struggled to score goals 5-on-5. Their power play has been their refuge from disaster.

Hence, when the power play isn’t producing, this team isn’t scoring.

“That’s probably an area that gives me a little bit of pause,” general manager Paul Holmgren said, acknowledging the Flyers are overly dependent upon their PP-units for goals.

“We’ve got to do better on our power play. We’ve got to be more productive somehow. That, to me, is just from getting shots on net or at the net and going to the net. We have players that can make plays.

“The plays we’re trying to make right now aren’t working, so we’ve got to hammer at the net. I know coaches have talked about that and are working on that and have spent time doing video.

“We have players that can do it and have done it in the past. Sooner or later, you hope they bust through.”

Holmgren says it’s a proven fact that overall goal-scoring is down throughout the NHL. Yet when it comes to power-play efficiency, it’s all about the offense being a step quicker than the defense.

The Islanders -- not the Penguins -- have the league’s best power-play unit, rolling along at 30 percent efficiency. The Flyers shut them down three times on Saturday.

The Isles move the puck quickly around the ice, they get point shots, rebounds and even goals. Except for this game against the Flyers.

Matt Moulson had five power-play goals in his first 10 games. John Tavares and Frans Nielsen had a combined 11 power-play assists over that same span.

Berube wants more shots that actually reach the net, more traffic in front and more rebounds.

“I’m looking for shots and momentum,” he said. “You always say that the power play has got to score. You have to go out and create momentum for your team.

“You can do that by getting set up, getting shots through and getting the puck back. It’s about puck recovery and getting shots through. When you get too fancy, you forget about shooting, and before you know, your power play goes.”

When you don’t get most of the above, it means your power-play units are being out-worked by the penalty killers.

“Get in there, hunt for pucks,” Scott Hartnell said. “If they have two guys, we need four guys working for pucks. Hard work and keeping it simple is the biggest thing I’ve found.

“Get the puck up top, shoot it with two or three guys crashing the net. Sometimes, the simplest play is the best play.”

They can improve on Saturday’s effort ... if they keep practicing it.



Flyers' offense finally backs Steve Mason

October 27, 2013, 11:00 am

Tim Panaccio at [email protected].

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Steve Mason had done just about all a goalie could do this season to win games except the one thing he was not capable of doing: score goals.

Of his first seven starts, only three times did the Flyers get him two goals.

Saturday at Nassau Coliseum, Vinny Lecavalier gave him a hat trick, the team gave him two more scores and voila: a 5-2 victory (see story).

“Especially, two right off the bat,” Mason beamed. “For us to come out with that kind of effort and take advantage of a tired team was definitely a big part of this game.

“This was a big, overall game for this hockey club. Not just the five goals but all the effort everyone put forth and having a healthy lineup was big, too.”

The Flyers scored twice early in the first period for a 2-0 lead.

Mason got huge support from his penalty-kill units as they shut down the NHL’s No. 1 power play. The Isles came in at 30 percent but went 0 for 3 on Saturday.

“That was one thing, I went over there at the end after we got that last goal and told them (penalty-kill units) that they had some huge blocks there,” Mason said.

“Had they not blocked some, they would have gone into the net. Guys were sacrificing themselves. That’s what we need to win hockey games.”

The Flyers blocked 18 shots.

Max Talbot played 2:47 on the penalty kill and had a couple of blocks and Braydon Coburn played 3:35 while registering four blocks.

“We were ready,” Talbot said. “Lappy (Ian Laperriere) did a great job preparing us. I think we’re getting better as a unit, as well, playing together and making little adjustments. It was good.”



Chip plugs Flyers into world of sports science

Oct. 28, 2013

Dave Isaac | Courier-Post

Next Up

Flyers vs. Ducks• Where: Wells Fargo Center

• When: 7 p.m. Tuesday

• TV/Radio: CSN/97.5 FM

The Flyers’ healthy scratches gathered on a fresh sheet of ice for extra work last week, and defenseman Luke Schenn joined them even though he was set to play the next game.

Extra skating is part of a new way of thinking for NHL players.

So is charting every last stride.

Schenn, along with every other Flyer in practice this season, has donned a chip on the back of his shoulder pads recording precise data on how far, fast and efficiently he skated.

“At the start, it was a little bit of getting used to just having it on there and you’re not sure what the whole program is all about,” Schenn said. “For me

personally, sometimes in a drill, if you take that extra one or two strides to get into the play, it works on your acceleration a bit and it tracks that.”

The Flyers are in the infancy of a partnership with a company called Catapult Sports, which provides data and analysis to professional teams in a wide range of sports.

“It’s opening up parameters,” said Gary McCoy, an applied sports scientist with Catapult. “What the eye sees and the body does are often two very different things. The Catapult data is changing the way eyes are looking at the athletes.

“What we normally end up finding out is opening up a can of worms. This is a 1,000-gallon can of worms. You end up knowing things about the sport that you’ve never even seen before.”

McCoy describes the Catapult platform, which was used by Chip Kelly when he coached college football for the Oregon Ducks and now with the Eagles, as a dashboard on a Formula 1 car.

“How much fuel’s in the system? What speed they’re running at? Where’s the tachometer? Until we had something like Catapult, we didn’t know the answers to those questions,” McCoy said. “That’s really, from a very general perspective, what Catapult does.”

Data overload

The end result is a whole lot of data when 23 players remove the chip from their shoulder pads every day in practice.

“There’s three parts to this,” McCoy explained. “There’s the hardware that Catapult pushes out that’s creating all the data. There’s data aggregation. And you’ve got data analysis and then you’ve got prescription. At Catapult, we don’t really play that prescription part.”

Flyers assistant strength and conditioning coach Ryan Podell brought the system to general manager Paul Holmgren’s attention in the offseason. Systems like this reportedly cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $100,000 per season. Holmgren gave it the green light, and the Flyers have begun building data.

“All that stuff is interesting to look at,” Holmgren said. “How you get it to relate to your team and how it can benefit your team is what we’re gonna sit down and try to figure out. We’re all looking at ways to do things better and improve ourselves. This is just something new, but it sounds real interesting.”

The Flyers aren’t alone in this. Other NHL teams, including at least one in the Metropolitan Division, are using Catapult or similar systems. Catapult also recorded data from players in the last Winter Classic, which was played in Philadelphia in 2012.

Among the most important metrics that are being recorded are acceleration and deceleration. The length in which a player skates in practice is almost irrelevant because he could be gliding instead of powering through on any given drill.

“The costs of those decelerations and collisions become very important,” McCoy said. “Another thing we get the opportunity to measure is the rotational velocity of the athlete. If a guy has a slapshot, how fast can he turn his torso into that shot? It’s torso rotation that creates that speed and the significant output.”

Because the Flyers are still in the data-building phase, they haven’t really changed their practice routine at all. Players’ data is posted in the facility so they know where they are, but there’s no penalty for not reaching a certain measurement.

“It’s not like you’re comparing like me versus Claude Giroux,” Schenn said. “It’s just about yourself. It depends on how you were the practice before or the week before. It’s basically a measuring stick against yourself.”

Injury prevention

Another benefit of the system is injury prevention. Most preventable injuries, according to McCoy, are soft-tissue injuries caused by overuse. The metric that helps hockey teams monitor that issue is “bio-mechanical load.”

“Guys that skate and skate well, skate clean, (they) have a very low load score,” McCoy said. “It’s very repetitious movements on the ice. Guys that don’t move really well, end up being more susceptible to soft-tissue injury.”

With all the technology involved in this high-tech system, there’s still not much that can be done about the injury that plagues contact sports the most – concussions. Since the chip is in the shoulder pads, it doesn’t measure anything cranial.

“You can measure the awesome velocity of an impact and the load scores that that generates as being significant, but we really measure those from the neck down,” McCoy said. “We think there’s a point in time where we integrate that data.”

Already, the players are thinking about the data. Schenn, for instance, is working on his acceleration and deceleration.

“That’s in those first two or three strides,” Schenn said. “That can be the difference for a puck race in a corner and getting involved in a play. If you start mentally thinking about that in practice, I think it will come more second nature in a game.”

Courier-Post LOADED: 10.28.2013

723725 Phoenix Coyotes

Coyotes' Martin Hanzal will have a disciplinary hearing

By Sarah McLellan azcentral sports Sun Oct 27, 2013 4:51 PM

Coyotes center Martin Hanzal will have a disciplinary hearing with the league’s department of player safety Monday for a hit he laid in Saturday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers.

At 13:42 of the first period, Hanzal hit Oilers defenseman Jeff Petry along the boards and his forearm caught Petry’s head. Hanzal’s feet left the ice in the follow-through, and he was whistled for a two-minute charging penalty on the play. Petry was able to remain in the game.

The league is looking at the charging call, although it could find other infractions on the play.

Rule 42 defines charging as a player who skates or jumps into an opponent.

Hanzal’s discipline history is slim. He was tagged with a one-game suspension in the 2012 playoffs for boarding Los Angeles Kings captain Dustin Brown.

With Hanzal’s status uncertain, the Coyotes assigned winger Brandon Yip to their American Hockey League affiliate Sunday and recalled center Andy Miele. In six games with Portland this season, Miele has five goals and three assists.

The Coyotes did not practice Sunday.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 10.28.2013

723726 Phoenix Coyotes

Buffalo Sabres enforcer John Scott awaits his fate

By Sarah McLellan azcentral sports Sun Oct 27, 2013 11:45 PM

While Buffalo Sabres tough guy John Scott awaits a verdict from the NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan, the league continues to debate the role Scott plays and how much value it carries.

Scott was suspended indefinitely after he hit Boston Bruins winger Loui Eriksson with a blindside check to the head in last Wednesday’s game in Buffalo. He has an in-person hearing scheduled with Shanahan Thursday, which means his suspension could top five games.

Scott has already sat out two games.

"I just thought I was completing a check, but obviously I hit his head," Scott told John Vogl of The Buffalo News. "It wasn’t exactly what I was aiming for. I didn’t want to do that.

“It’s just a bad play. Unfortunate it happened. … Honest to God, I didn’t realize it was that bad of a hit, because I was in the box, I was asking the ref like, ‘Was it a head hit?’ I didn’t set out to do that.”

Eriksson had to be helped off the ice and spent the night in local hospital. He returned to Boston but he is out indefinitely with what the team is calling a “pretty severe” concussion.

“The referees called it the way everybody saw it,” Claude Julien told Joe Haggerty of Comcast SportsNet New England. “It’s unfortunate. The guy who did it did his job tonight. He’s there for two reasons, and that’s either to fight or to hurt…he did his job tonight.

“It’s disappointing that a key player gets hurt. I know there is history here, but it’s a guy [in Scott] that plays about two or three minutes a game, and he targets one of our best players with that kind of thing.”

The history Julien is referring to is the rivalry that’s existed between the two teams since Bruins winger Milan Lucic bowled over Sabres goalie Ryan Miller nearly two years ago.

Scott doesn’t have a suspension history but seems to be of this shrinking breed of player whose sole responsibility is to police the ice.

“This was bound to happen,” NBCSN hockey analyst Mike Milbury said in a postgame interview after labeling Scott a “goon” during the NHL Live pregame show. “This guy is a predator. He was put out there to seek and destroy.”

But Scott, who has one goal in 187 career games and has averaged 4:57 time on the ice this season, views himself differently.

“I don’t think I’m a dirty player,” Scott said. “I try to play within the code, within the rules. This is my first suspension. I don’t try to be a dirty player. I kind of feel really upset. I was sick to my stomach last night knowing what happened, watching the video. I just kind of regret the whole situation. I don’t want to be a dirty player.

"I get frustrated when people say I’m a goon and this and that. I have a role. I do it.”

Rinne sidelined

The Nashville Predators will be without No. 1 netminder Pekka Rinne for at least a month while Rinne recovers from a spontaneous bacterial infection in his hip.

Rinne underwent a hip arthroscopy last May, but the team is unsure how the infection started.

General Manager David Polie told Josh Cooper of The Tennessean Rinne felt soreness last Tuesday night after he made 27 saves in Minnesota against the Wild. Rinne attracted a fever and had a limp the next day.

Rinne had arthroscopic surgery last Thursday to clean out the hip.

"Because there is an infection, they’re going to do a scope basically to flush it out, to wash it out and do the ultimate best they can to remove the infection as soon as possible,” Polie said. “Because they’re doing a scope, he will be out approximately one month, so that’s really where we are. I have no other updates as far as any more details."

Kronwall returns

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall returned to the ice last Wednesday against the Ottawa Senators, his first game since he suffered a concussion after he was taken into the boards by Colorado’s Cody McLeod Oct. 17.

"I could have done a lot of things differently," Kronwall told Ted Kulfan of The Detroit News. "I shouldn't have put myself in that spot in the first place. He's coming in with a lot of speed, sure, but I did turn at the last second.

"It goes fast out there and it's so easy to go back and slow it down, look at it in slow motion, and be very smart about things. But it's hockey and everything is high pace and it goes fast out there.

McLeod was leveled with a five-game suspension.

“Guys will make some bad decisions out there sometimes,” Kronwall said. “"In my case, I ended up on a stretcher. But I'm feeling pretty good."

Lights, camera, action

Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos recently took a break from the ice to film a Coke Zero commercial.

The two-minute spot took nine hours to shoot, Stamkos told Damian Cristodero of the Tampa Bay Times.

“The camera crews were good at editing out all my mistakes, so it was fun,” Stamkos said.

But it doesn’t sound like Stamkos will be permanently trading his skates for a career in Hollywood.

“I think I’ll stick to hockey,” he said. “It’s something that is fun but takes a lot of work. You have new-found respect for actors and stuff like that, the actual time they’re there.”

Arizona Republic LOADED: 10.28.2013

723727 Pittsburgh Penguins

Despite recent struggles, Penguins dominating on faceoffs this season

By Josh Yohe

RALEIGH, N.C. — Some concerning flaws have been evident during the Penguins' three-game losing streak.

Losing faceoffs isn't one of them.

The Penguins, a team that struggled with draws early in the Sidney Crosby era, are thriving like never before.

“They are such a dangerous team and can beat you in so many different ways,” Islanders center Frans Nielsen said. “And that's just one more thing that they do really, really well.”

Through their first 11 games, the Penguins have won 55.5 percent of faceoffs. Only Nashville has won a higher percentage of draws.

“Obviously we have a lot of guys who are good in that situation,” Penguins left wing Jussi Jokinen said. “It's an important thing for a team.”

Why are the Penguins better at winning draws than in previous seasons?

“I think it's simple enough. I mean, if you keep working at something like faceoffs, you can't (help but) get better at them,” center Joe Vitale said. “ I think that's something a lot of guys have done.”

Three Penguins centers — Evgeni Malkin, Brandon Sutter and Joe Vitale — are hovering between 57 and 58 percent on faceoffs.

Crosby is clicking at just less than 53 percent, which is more impressive when considering Crosby has taken 152 more faceoffs than any of his teammates and routinely is matched against the opposition's best faceoff men.

“We definitely follow Sid's lead,” Vitale said. “He's been incredible all year. I don't think people have any clue just how strong he is, but when he's taking draws, you can see it.”

Vitale insists that all of the centers prepare differently for maximum performance in the faceoff dot, but that hard work is the root of their success.

Even family members help out.

Vitale's wife plays the role of a linesman in the summer, dropping pucks in the driveway on sweltering St. Louis afternoons.

“We did it again this summer, and it seems to help,” he said. “She's all about making it a team effort to get better on faceoffs.”

Brianna Vitale wasn't on hand for on-ice workouts during training camp, but assistant coach Tony Granato was. Vitale credits him for much of his success.

“Tony worked with a lot of us during camp, and I think it really did help,” Vitale said. “You can see the difference in a lot of people so far.”

No one has been more impressive than Malkin, who is annually under 50 percent in the faceoff circle.

He plays on a line with Jokinen, who is a faceoff specialist. Jokinen, though, has been asked to take only 12 draws all season because of Malkin's proficiency.

Malkin is afforded the privilege of being able to cheat on draws. Should he get booted out of the circle, Jokinen will jump in and give the Penguins a favorable matchup anyway.

This line's ability to cleanly win draws could pay even more dividends when winger James Neal returns from injury. He has a penchant for scoring goals

off faceoff wins, as he historically lines up a few feet behind Malkin on draws in the left-wing circle.

The way Malkin is going, Neal will receive plenty of good looks.

“It's definitely a weapon for us right now,” Vitale said. “We just want to keep it going.”

Note: Defenseman Rob Scuderi is not expected to play Monday against Carolina and is being evaluated in Pittsburgh after suffering a lower-body injury Saturday in Toronto.

Tribune Review LOADED: 10.28.2013


On the Penguins: Fight on fight

October 27, 2013 11:37 AM

By Dave Molinari / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

It is the most divisive, contentious issue in the NHL.

Has been for decades,likely will be for as long as the game is played.

It's a topic that inspires white-hot passions on both sides, and surely has brought people with conflicting views to blows more than a few times over the years.

Which, given the subject on which they disagree, is more than a little ironic.

But, while those who follow the game seem to be fairly evenly divided on whether fighting should continue to have a place in the NHL, there is no such split in the Penguins' locker room.

An unscientific survey suggests that the guys in there fall into one of two camps: Those who believe unequivocally that fighting belongs in the game, and the ones even more adamant about it.

That's in keeping, by the way, with the feelings expressed by players around the league.

And, while the anti-fighting camp appears to be growing -- several general managers, including Ray Shero of the Penguins, have opined that fighting's place in the game should be re-evaluated -- that sampling of Penguins players found no one who believes fighting should be legislated out of existence.

Defenseman Paul Martin, for example, is not some knuckle-dragging thug. His next on-ice skirmish that results in major penalties will be his first, and he is a product of college hockey, where fighting earns a player a major penalty, a game misconduct and a one-game suspension.

Nonetheless, he contends fighting is an integral part of the NHL game.

"You need some toughness to make sure other players don't target your top guys, so I think that's part of the game," Martin said. "If you take fighting out of the game, it just makes it that much easier to target the skilled guys, the top guys."

Right winger Pascal Dupuis isn't much of a brawler, either, although he joked that, "I fight the puck every night." He believes that fighting is needed "to police ourselves," and that the rules governing it should not be altered.

"I don't know exactly what would happen but, by now, I think the game is perfect the way it is," he said.

Center Brandon Sutter, who usually has a bout or two per season, says fighting "absolutely" should remain part of the NHL because of its value as a deterrent.

"If you take that out of the game, you're going to see a lot more bad hits, a lot more hits from behind, a lot more head shots," Sutter said. "Guys will take more liberties. There's no way you can take it out."

Those who would like to see fighting reduced in, if not removed from, the NHL often point to college hockey and the international game, where fighting is extremely rare, as evidence that hockey without fighting can be entertaining.

Proponents, however, note that there are significant distinctions between hockey in the NHL and elsewhere.

"Playing overseas in different leagues, the game's played differently," Sutter said. "It's a smaller ice surface [in the NHL]. There's more hitting. It's way more physical. It's a completely different game. Obviously, college is different, too."

The latest round of fighting debates was sparked by an incident in the season-opener between Montreal and Toronto, when Canadiens enforcer George Parros was pulled down by Maple Leafs tough guy Colton Orr and slammed off the ice, face-first.

Parros sustained a concussion and embarked on an extended stay on the injured-reserve list.

"Anytime you see something scary where a guy gets knocked out or hits his head on the ice, it's never fun to see," Sutter said. "It's pretty awful."

And while the way Parros was injured isn't common in hockey fights, in which most of the damage is done by punches, there have been steps taken to reduce how many players are hurt in them. The most conspicuous is assessing players who remove their helmets before squaring off an extra minor penalty.

"It's good that they're making guys keep their helmets on," Sutter said. "That's a start."

This Week

Monday: at Carolina ... The Penguins have limited former teammate Jordan Staal to two assists in four games since he was traded to the Hurricanes in 2012.

Wednesday: Boston ... No, this isn't a chance to avenge the Bruins' sweep in the Eastern Conference final. A victory in late October doesn't counter four in the spring.

Friday: Columbus ... Wonder if Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards realizes that, legal technicalities aside, goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is the guy who really owns Consol Energy Center.

Saturday: at Columbus ... This home-and-home series might well go down as the long-overdue start of a legitimate rivalry between the Penguins and Blue Jackets.

Post Gazette LOADED: 10.28.2013


Carolina Hurricanes' woes have been early in games

October 27, 2013 11:16 PM


RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Penguins have had major problems closing out games lately.

They were outscored, 6-1, in the third period in recent losses to the New York Islanders and Toronto, games in which they either led or were tied after 40 minutes.

Carolina, which the Penguins will face at 7:08 p.m. today at PNC Arena, has had a similar, though not identical, problem for much of the season: The Hurricanes have made a habit of getting poor starts, putting themselves in holes from which they often cannot escape.

Carolina's opponents have taken multiple-goal leads in three of the past five games and the Hurricanes have been outscored, 9-3, in the opening period in their 11 games.

"You can't win consistently in this league if you're spotting teams two goals," coach Kirk Muller said after the Hurricanes practice Sunday at PNC Arena.

Although Carolina has been shut out in Period 1 eight times, Muller believes their early game issues are not a matter of effort.

"We have to come out smarter and have a good first period, where we play the game the right way," he said. "And just keep building as the game goes."

Because the Penguins have lost three consecutive games -- something that didn't happen last regular season -- and Carolina has dropped two in a row, Muller expects ample urgency from both clubs this evening.

"I said to the guys, 'Hey, [tonight's] going to be a heck of a hockey game, because you've got two teams that shouldn't be very happy,' " he said.

"I think there's going to be a lot of emotion and intensity. Should be a good one."

Missing a key

The Penguins know what it's like to be missing key players because of injuries -- James Neal has skated all of five shifts for them this season, and defensman Kris Letang sat out the first nine games -- but Carolina is trying to get by without probably its most valuable guy.

Goalie Cam Ward is on injured-reserve after sustaining an unspecified injury Thursday in Minnesota. General manager Jim Rutherford said he is expected to be out for three or four weeks.

"It's a tough loss, for sure," said Penguins center Brandon Sutter, a former Hurricanes player. "He's had a couple of tough injuries. Hopefully, he'll be back in a couple of weeks.

"They're in good hands, but it's always tough to replace a guy like that."

Until Ward returns, Justin Peters and Mike Murphy will take over in goal for Carolina, which also signed former NHLer Rick DiPietro to a minor league contract over the weekend.

Carolina also might face the Penguins without its leading scorer, left winger Jeff Skinner, who has an unspecified injury and underwent an MRI Sunday while his teammates were skating.

Light fan turnout

Carolina's practice Sunday was open to the public which, per team policy, has been the case for nearly a decade.

But the Hurricanes workouts don't seem to be a big draw. At least not on a Sunday when the NFL is in session and the North Carolina state fair is going on nearby.

A quick head count in the middle of the session showed 14 fans to be on hand.

Tip-ins

Hurricanes forward Nathan Gerbe, formerly of Buffalo, skated Sunday alongside Eric Staal and Alexander Semin on Carolina's top line, although Muller did not commit to using him there tonight. ... The Penguins had a scheduled day off Sunday.



Penguins scouting report

October 27, 2013 11:39 PM


Scouting report

Matchup: Penguins vs. Carolina Hurricanes, 7:08 p.m. today, PNC Arena, Raleigh, N.C.

TV, radio: Root; WXDX-FM (105.9).

Probable goaltenders: Marc-Andre Fleury for Penguins; Justin Peters for Hurricanes.

Penguins: Have scored three or more goals in 11 of past 16 games against Carolina, winning 10 of them. ... C Sidney Crosby has seven points in four away games this season. ... Power play is 2 for 23 in the past five games.

Hurricanes: Are 15-8-3 against Penguins since moving to Raleigh in 1999. ... C Eric Staal has 15 goals, 22 assists in 35 career games against Penguins. ... Are the NHL's eighth-worst faceoff team, with success rate of 46.6 percent.

Hidden stat: Penguins have lost three consecutive games in regulation for first time since dropping six in a row from Dec. 29, 2011 to Jan. 11, 2012.



Penguins' Sutter has only one goal in mind

October 27, 2013 11:05 PM


RALEIGH, N.C.

It probably doesn't upset Brandon Sutter much that eight of his teammates have recorded more shots on goal than he has this season.

It might not even bother him that 14 of them have more goals.

But it's safe to assume that he wishes that, as the Penguins prepare to face Carolina at 7:08 p.m. today at PNC Arena, he wasn't sharing his spot in the team goal-scoring race with a group made up mostly of defensive defensemen, injured guys, minor league call-ups and goaltenders.

Sutter, you see, is shooting 0 for 15 from the field through the Penguins' first 11 games.

That hardly constitutes a crisis, given Sutter's job description as a third-line center, but the slump is something he and the coaching staff would prefer to discuss in the past tense.

"Offensively, he could contribute more," said assistant coach Tony Granato, who works with the forwards. "He's had some chances now. If he can get one, he can get rolling.

"He's a good scorer. It's something that's still going to be expected of him, to contribute offensively."

Sutter, who had 11 goals in 48 games last season, has chipped in four assists, and figures he doesn't need to make any major adjustments to his game to help him get a puck past an opposing goalie.

"I just have to keep shooting, keep doing what I'm doing," he said. "I'm more worried about the other part of the game than I am scoring goals."

There hasn't been much reason for him to fret about the other facets of his game, though.

He is handling his defensive responsibilities, including killing penalties, effectively, and has won a hefty share of faceoffs -- 57.1 percent.

That that figure is good enough only to rank him third among Penguins centers speaks more to the early season proficiency of Evgeni Malkin (57.9) and Joe Vitale (57.7) than it does to any shortcomings by Sutter.

He also has been the Penguins' best faceoff man on the road, at least among those who have handled more than nine.

He is 36-22 on away draws, a success rate of 62.1 percent. That not only is the best on the team, but is significantly higher than his rate at home -- 53.9 percent.

Which means pretty much nothing, really, because of the small sample size available in late October.

"If it was at the 40-game mark or something, we would look into it and see why those numbers were skewed that way," Granato said.

Sutter said he agrees it's too early to read anything into his win-rate on road faceoffs, but acknowledged that, while a miserable game at the dots always is possible, he has fared pretty well there through the early weeks of the season.

"They're one of those things where, game to game, you never know," he said. "So far, it's gone pretty well."

Although the same cannot be said of his efforts to score a goal, Sutter said he isn't inclined to make radical changes -- be it to his stick pattern or his game-day routine or anything else -- when he's struggling to find the net.

"The only time I change things like that is if I feel I'm not playing well," he said, adding that, "it'll be nice to get that zero off the board and not have to worry about it anymore."

It probably would be even nicer if he could get goal No. 1 against Carolina, a team that drafted him and with which he spent his first four NHL seasons.

This will be Sutter's fifth game against the Hurricanes since being traded in the deal that sent Jordan Staal to Carolina in 2012, however, so the novelty of playing against guys who used to be his teammates is nearly gone.

"The first couple [of games] are kind of tough, but I think that now, I'm kind of past that," Sutter said. "We played them already this year and it just felt like a normal game. It just feels like playing hockey."

He knows that feeling very well, of course.

The idea now is to get reacquainted with the one that comes from scoring a goal.


723732 San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks beat Ottawa Senators 5-2

By David Pollak

[email protected]

Posted: 10/27/2013 04:46:50 PM PDT

Updated: 10/27/2013 04:46:51 PM PDT

OTTAWA -- The Sharks showed Sunday that they're good enough to win with little rest, a dwindling number of healthy forwards and their backup goalie.

With the opening faceoff coming just 22 hours after one the previous night in Montreal, San Jose methodically smothered the Ottawa Senators 5-2 with Alex Stalock earning his second NHL win in his first NHL start.

How's that? Stalock had appeared in three previous NHL games and even picked up a win in relief in on Feb. 1, 2011, but this was his first 60 minutes of hockey.

The Sharks goals came from Tomas Hertl, Andrew Desjardins, Tommy Wingels, James Sheppard and Joe Pavelski, and Ottawa defensemen Erik Karlsson and Mark Methot both scored on long shots from the blue line.

The victory gave San Jose a 3-1 record on its trip through the Eastern Conference and an NHL leading 21 points for the season.

The game was a milestone accomplishment for a netminder whose career almost came to an end three days after that 2011 NHL win when a nerve in his leg was severed by a skate in a scrum during an AHL game in Worcester.

The injury sidelined Stalock for a year and his rehab program was a strenuous one. But his determination enabled him to step into the backup job behind Antti Niemi when the Sharks decided it was time for Thomas Greiss to move on.

Stalock was busy all night, as the 40 shots he faced were more than Antti Niemi saw in any game this season.

The Sharks may have settled whatever nerves Stalock had by staking him to a 2-0 lead before the game was seven minutes old when Hertl swept the puck past Ottawa netminder Craig Anderson and Desjardins found a rebound in the slot and put it in the back of the net.

Rookie Hertl's goal was his eight of the season, but first in seven games.

Ottawa cut the lead to 2-1 when defenseman Karlsson's shot through traffic beat Stalock at 11:07 of the first period, but the Sharks got that one back before the period ended.

With the Sharks short-handed, Logan Couture went in on a breakaway only to have Anderson make the save. But Wingels out-hustled the Ottawa defense to the puck as it sat in the crease before Anderson realized it was loose and the Sharks had a 3-1 lead at 18:15.

Ottawa scored the only goal of the second period and, again, it was a shot through a crowd that got past Stalock with Methot doing the damage to make it 3-2.

Sheppard, however, restored the two-goal lead just 1:29 into the third period when he took a feed from Joe Thornton and beat Anderson high on the glove side. It became a three-goal lead at 7:59 when Pavelski scored after a give-and-go rush with Justin Braun and the play survived video review.

Sheppard played on Thornton's line the entire game as coach Todd McLellan was forced to juggle his forwards around when Matt Nieto was a late and unexpected scratch after playing one of his best games of the season in Montreal.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.28.2013


Sharks beat Senators 5-2

Associated Press

Updated 10:49 pm, Sunday, October 27, 2013

OTTAWA, Ontario -- Alex Stalock's long wait for his first NHL start was well worth it.

The goalie stopped 38 shots and was instrumental in leading the Sharks to a 5-2 win over the Ottawa Senators on Sunday.

Stalock, who had made three previous appearances in relief of Antti Niemi, admitted he was nervous and excited for this one.

"I think it helped a lot being a 5 o'clock game for me and not having to sit around all night and come to the rink and go through the routine," he said. "It was a little easier than sitting around all day in my hotel room."

Stalock was solid throughout, including making 16 saves in the first period to help the Sharks take a 3-1 lead.

"Maybe it's a good thing that I saw a lot early and was able to feel it," he said. "They were kind of shooting it from everywhere, which I was kind of expecting they would, but not being in a game yet I was lucky enough to make saves."

Stalock's teammates were happy to see him earn the win and were thrilled to give him a few early goals to help with his confidence.

"He's been patiently waiting behind (Niemi), and to come out with a performance like that was huge for us," captain Joe Thornton said.

Tomas Hertl, Andrew Desjardins, Tommy Wingels, James Sheppard and Joe Pavelski scored for the Sharks (10-1-1), who played the fourth game of a five-game trip.

Hertl opened the scoring just 1:16 in when the puck bounced over the stick of Senators defenseman Joe Corvo, allowing Hertl to quickly put a shot between goalie Craig Anderson's legs.

Just more than five minutes later, sloppy play by the Senators in their end allowed Desjardins to make it 2-0. He picked up a rebound and scored off his backhand.

Ottawa cut its deficit in half midway through the period with a goal but the Sharks added a shorthanded strike with less than two minutes remaining in the period.

Erik Karlsson bobbled the puck at his blue line, and Logan Couture took off on a breakaway. Anderson made the initial save, but the puck rested in the crease. Wingels banged it in to restore the two-goal lead.

"Right now, we make a mistake and it ends up in our net," Anderson said. "I'm not sure how you change that. You need a little bit of luck, but at the same time, you've got to limit the amount of mistakes you make."

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 10.28.2013


Sharks' Burns not expected out long-term

October 27, 2013, 2:30 pm

Staff Writer

OTTAWA – Brent Burns missed his fourth straight game on Sunday in Ottawa, but remains day-to-day and is not expected to be out long-term, according to general manager Doug Wilson.

Burns was originally on the Sharks’ road trip that began in Detroit last Monday, but returned to the Bay Area later in the week on the advisement of the team’s medical staff. He was whacked by a high stick against the Senators on Oct. 12, and took another high hit against Calgary on Oct. 19.

The Sharks have struggled offensively without Burns. Headed into Sunday’s game, the club had just three total goals in its last three games. In their first eight games with Burns in the lineup, the Sharks scored at least three goals in every game and 39 total.

Since the start of the shortened 2013 season, the Sharks average 3.26 goals-per game with Burns as a forward and just 2.04 when he plays defense or sits out.

In eight games, the six-foot-five, 230-pound Burns has four goals and four assists for eight points, a +8 rating and eight penalty minutes.



Stalock to start for Sharks; Boyle still out

October 27, 2013, 12:15 pm

Staff Writer

OTTAWA – Alex Stalock will make his first ever NHL start in Ottawa on Sunday, head coach Todd McLellan confirmed shortly before the game.

Dan Boyle remains out, but McLellan is targeting Wednesday’s game in Los Angeles for the defenseman.

“We hope that Wednesday is the day for him, but he needs to get his feet underneath him a little bit more and a full practice again with the team,” McLellan said. “He’s feeling remarkably good for what he went through, just not quite there yet.”

As for Stalock, he is the only backup goalie in the NHL to not see a single minute of playing time yet, as Antti Niemi has gone the distance in all 11 games. McLellan suggested that his team, playing a second game in less than 24 hours, could get some extra energy from Stalock’s appearance.

Stalock’s good friend Logan Couture hopes that’s the case.

“I know I’m pretty excited to be playing for him,” said Couture, who scored both goals in a 2-0 Sharks win on Saturday in Montreal. “Al is one of my better friends from this game, so I’m excited for him to make his first ever NHL start, and I hope a lot of guys are as well.”

The Sharks are playing their first of 10 back-to-backs this season.

“I think we’re probably going to see a more simple game from our team; smarter plays, knowing that we’re going to be fatigued,” Couture said. “If we get a power play, we’ve got to score tonight.”

Mike Brown will return to the lineup, although McLellan did not reveal who would come out.

Marty Havlat, who has yet to play this season, is also getting closer, according to the coach.

“I hope within the next week, he’s back in our lineup,” McLellan said.



Sharks rookies trending in different directions

October 27, 2013, 7:30 am

Staff Writer

MONTREAL – One Sharks rookie is surging, while another is starting to show some wear.

Matt Nieto was the most noticeable player on the ice in the Sharks’ 2-0 win over the Canadiens on Saturday night, despite not getting on the scoresheet. Nieto had a game-high six shots on net, and according to head coach Todd McLellan, his play in the second period helped gain momentum for the Sharks.

“One of his best games. It was a good night for him, because it was a skating night. That he can do,” McLellan said.

“I thought he really got us going in the second period when he drove wide and created a scoring chance, and kind of got some momentum going for us, and we began to attack a little bit more.”

The head coach is referring to Nieto drawing a hooking penalty on David Desharnais, when Nieto sped through the offensive zone and drew the penalty leading to Logan Couture’s goal to make it 1-0.

“I felt pretty good,” the 20-year-old Nieto said. “I felt comfortable, I was making plays, my linemates were supporting me, so I thought I had a pretty good night.”

Meanwhile, Tomas Hertl is taking a ride on the struggle bus. Hertl has just one assist in his last five games, and hasn’t scored a goal since Oct. 12 vs. Ottawa. The 19-year-old has looked tired at times, as he adapts to the hectic NHL schedule.

Against Montreal on Saturday, Hertl played just 10 minutes and 19 seconds, a season low. He took some shifts on the fourth line early in the game, switching places with John McCarthy, and didn’t see the ice at all in the second half of the third period.

McLellan opted to put Joe Thornton between James Sheppard and John McCarthy to close out the game, while Hertl, Freddie Hamilton and Andrew Desjardins sat.

“Just shifted some people around,” McLellan said. “When we got to two [goals], we didn’t want to play safe, but there’s a pair of players (McCarthy and Sheppard) I moved around just because I thought they were a little more reliable defensively and were having excellent games. That’s the only reason for it.”

* * *

Alex Stalock is set to make his first NHL start against the Senators on Sunday, the last NHL backup to see some action, as Antti Niemi has played every minute of all 11 games.

Niemi leads the league with nine wins, and is one of two goalies with multiple shutouts. His 1.53 goals-against average is third in the league among goalies that have played at least five games.

“When you’re confident and you can be patient and just wait for the puck to hit you, it gives you more time to react,” Niemi said after the Montreal win. “I’m feeling like that right now.”

Expect Niemi to return to the net on Wednesday in Los Angeles, as the Sharks conclude their road swing.



Stalock comes through in first career NHL start

October 27, 2013, 6:00 pm

Staff Writer

OTTAWA – Playing a second game just 19 hours after the previous one ended is not an ideal situation.

Unless your Sharks goalie Alex Stalock, who was making his first career start on Sunday evening in Ottawa, and who had to wait more than three weeks after opening night to finally see some action.

“I think it helped a lot, being a 5 o’clock [PST] game,” Stalock said after his 38-save performance in a 5-2 win over the Senators. “I didn’t have to sit around all night, and come to the rink, and go through the routine. It was a little easier than sitting around all day in my hotel room.”

The 26-year-old recorded his second win in his fourth career appearance, the previous three of which came in relief of Antti Niemi. His first win was on Feb. 1, 2011, and since then he’s had to recover from a potentially career-threatening nerve injury that kept him sidelined for nearly a calendar year. It happened while with AHL Worcester, just three days that first NHL victory against Phoenix two-and-a-half years ago.

It’s a topic he can’t escape, including Sunday night at Canadian Tire Centre.

“It seems I can’t get out of an interview now without the injury question. I think I’m passed it hockey-wise,” he said.

“Just being able to play the game again was a big step for me.”

Sharks head coach Todd McLellan said before the game that he hoped competing for Stalock would energize his club, which could be fatigued after a 2-0 win in Montreal the previous night.

Whether that played a role in the offense waking up from a dormant three game stretch, in which the Sharks scored just three total goals, is impossible to measure. But, Logan Couture was glad the team pulled through for Stalock on a night in which the legs were surely a bit heavier than usual.

“He looked great. He made a lot of saves,” Couture said. “We didn’t play our best, but we got the win on the road and Al was great.”

McLellan said: “He was a bit of a sparkplug for us tonight, if you will. The guys wanted to play for him. I thought he handled himself well.”

Stalock also saw an unusual amount of shots for a Sharks goalie. Ottawa attempted 17 shots in the first period and 40 for the game, a season high allowed for San Jose. Stalock saw just two get past him, both coming on point shots in which he may have been screened.

Stalock sensed the Senators were testing him early, obviously knowing he hadn’t yet gotten in to a game.

“Maybe that’s a good thing I saw a lot early and was able to feel it,” he said. “They were kind of shooting it from everywhere, which I expected they would, not being in a game yet. I was lucky enough to make the saves.”

McLellan said: “That sure wasn’t planned, but I think he felt like he was in the game.”

The Sharks grabbed the lead less than two minutes in, and never relinquished it. Twice the Senators drew to within a goal, but San Jose never surrendered the equalizer and cruised after getting a three-goal cushion early in the third.

Tomas Hertl ended a six-game drought just one minute and 16 seconds in, and Andrew Desjardins and James Sheppard each got their first of the season. Tommy Wingels’ shorthanded goal and Joe Pavelski’s fourth of the year rounded out the scoring as the Sharks rearranged three of their four forward lines.

“It’s a team win, team mentality,” McLellan said. “Tonight when [Couture, Patrick Marleau and Tyler Kennedy] didn’t have their best night, yet they were effective, somebody else picked the team up. Tomas Hertl gets involved again, Tommy Wingels gets involved, [Sheppard] – all important guys.”

The Sharks will surely go back to Niemi for Wednesday against Los Angeles as their five-game road swing concludes. But, for at least one night, Stalock proved he could give the Vezina Trophy finalist from last season a break when necessary.

“He’s been through a lot,” Joe Thornton said. “He’s been patiently waiting behind Nemo, and to come out with a performance like that was huge for us.”


723738 St Louis Blues

Paajarvi will not practice after being injured against Nashville

4 hours ago • By Jeremy Rutherford [email protected] 314-444-7135

The Blues lost two forwards in Saturday's 6-1 win over the Nashville Predators.

Magnus Paajarvi and Chris Stewart left the game with upper-body injuries. Paajarvi's injury is considered significant and is expected to keep him out of the lineup. Stewart's injury, while serious, may not cause him to miss any games.

The Blues host Winnipeg Tuesday at Scottrade Center at 7 p.m.

Paajarvi was hit by a Predators' player in the first period. He stayed in the game briefly, but then headed to the Blues' locker room and did not return for the second period. He finished with 3 minutes, 34 seconds of ice time.

"(Paajarvi) got whacked into the boards there," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "He's got a pretty good upper-body injury right now."

Paajarvi was seen after the game, not wearing any ice or bandages, leading one to believe that it could be a possible concussion.

The Blues were off Sunday and will return to practice Monday at the IceZone. But Paajarvi will not be on the ice, as he continues to be evaluated by the club.

Stewart, meanwhile, is considered questionable moving forward.

In the second period of Saturday's game, he was sent into the wall by Nashville's Patric Hornqvist, who received a minor boarding penalty.

Stewart lay on the ice, receiving attention from the Blues' medical staff, before being led to the club's locker room.

Stewart actually returned later in the second period and umbrage with Hornqvist. He cross-checked Hornqvist and punched him, leading to 14 minutes in penalties, including a 10-minute misconduct.

“(Stewart) was angry,” Hitchcock said. “I probably shouldn’t have put him out there. When he came back to the bench, I thought he was all right, but I probably shouldn’t put him back out there.”

Stewart finished with 7:14 in ice time. He will be re-evaluated Monday and his status for Tuesday's game against the Jets, at this time, is considered questionable.

"That was really significant on Stewy, that injury," Hitchcock said. "Hopefully he's going to be all right."

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.28.2013


Steen plays down early scoring success

5 hours ago • By Jeremy Rutherford [email protected] > 314-444-7135

Alexander Steen cut off reporters at every pass.

With two goals in Saturday’s 6-1 win over Nashville, Steen caught Washington’s Alex Ovechkin for the most goals in the NHL with 10. But when mentioned in the same breath as Ovechkin by reporters, Steen replied: “It’s only nine games … nine games. He’s been doing it for years. I’ve been doing it for nine games. Relax.”

Former Blues captain Brian Sutter holds the franchise record, reaching 10 goals in the club’s first eight games in 1978-79. Since then, Brett Hull (1989-90 and 1990-91) and Scott Young (2000-01) reached double digits in nine games, and Steen joined them Saturday.

As a reporter uttered Hull’s name, Steen stopped him.

“I don’t think we should be comparing myself to Brett Hull,” he said.

Steen may be cutting off those types of questions at the pass, but those inquiries will continue to come as long as the Blues’ left winger is taking teammates’ passes and putting the puck in the back of the net.

“We let him know all the time,” Blues right winger T.J. Oshie said, “but he seems to stay level-headed and keeps working hard. He deserves everything he gets.”

Steen has scored six goals in his last four games, he has at least one in eight of the team’s nine games this season, and he is the first Blue since Kevin Miller in 1993 to record 15 points in the first nine games of the season. But as Steen tells it, his early success is only the result of the work of his fellow Blues, who are 6-1-2 as they prepare to host Winnipeg on Tuesday.

While all of their points haven’t come while playing together, the team’s top line of Steen, David Backes and T.J. Oshie has combined for 35 of the Blues’ 92 points. The continuity of remaining intact has been beneficial.

“It is,” Steen said. “To be honest, it’s been a big part of why I feel comfortable and confident, not moving around as much as I have been in the past. I’m enjoying playing with those two. They work extremely hard. It’s been a pleasure for me to play with those two. Osh’s efforts on the forecheck, Backes’ reads and hits is what is creating all these situations for me.”

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock has altered his bottom three lines in recent games, but he has kept the Steen-Backes-Oshie trio in place.

“They deserve to be together,” Hitchcock said. “They’ve played well as a group, and as long as you play well as a group, in this organization, you get to play.”

But there are others, Steen says, responsible for his production, which includes three power-play goals. Chris Stewart, who has been criticized for his lack of production this season (two assists), aided in two of Steen’s man-advantage markers.

“A lot of it is what we’re about in here – it’s team stuff,” Steen said. “Like my first goal against Nashville in the first game of the season was ‘Stew.’ There’s no way that goes in if Stew isn’t there. (Saturday), same thing. There’s no way that goes in. Too far out to beat (Nashville goalie Carter Hutton) with a wrister unless Stew takes away his eyes.”

Meanwhile, the Blues are benefiting, Hitchcock believes, because the team’s eyes are on Steen.

“He’s playing very intelligently right now,” Hitchcock said. “I think by the way he plays, everybody is watching it, and it makes us play smarter.”

Blues defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk concurred.

“He’s someone that I personally have seen working really hard off the ice, in the weight room, and taking care of himself,” Shattenkirk said. “He’s someone that you can easily follow.”

Steen doesn’t have the reputation of Ovechkin or Hull, but that’s OK.

“Hopefully teams underestimate him a little bit,” Shattenkirk said. “But I think that (label) is quickly starting to lose its power.”

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.28.2013


Red-hot Steen scores twice to help carry Blues past Predators


By JIM DIAMOND — The Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Pucks just keep going in for Alexander Steen.

Steen scored his ninth and 10th goals of the season to lead the St. Louis Blues to a 6-1 win over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

T.J. Oshie, Jaden Schwartz, Derek Roy and Alex Pietrangelo also scored for the Blues, who had lost three of four including a home loss to Vancouver in overtime Friday night.

Nick Spaling scored for Nashville, which has lost two of three as it sets out on a season-long seven-game road trip.

St. Louis has won four straight in Nashville for the first time.

"I thought we played really well, but it was a strange game," St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock said. "For the two teams that play each other, we don't give up many of scoring chances and they don't give up many, but there seemed to be a lot of scoring chances."

Steen scored the game's first goal at 5:27 of the opening period.

With the Blues on a power play, Steen beat Nashville goaltender Carter Hutton with a wrist shot from above the left faceoff dot. A screen from teammate Chris Stewart helped Steen score his ninth of the season.

"There's no way that goes in, too far out to beat him with a wrister unless (Stewart) takes away his eyes," Steen said. "I thought we had good jump and we got out of the gates a lot quicker than we did last night."

He has at least one goal in all but one of St. Louis' games this season.

Oshie and Schwartz scored 4:02 apart in the second period to send the Blues into the second intermission up 3-0.

Spaling got the Predators on the board with a short-handed goal less than a minute into the third when he scored his first goal of the season on breakaway, beating St. Louis goaltender Jaroslav Halak on the stick side.

"We were feeling good in here and we had a lot of momentum off those first couple of periods," Oshie said. "I think we responded really well even though giving up short-handed goals is a tough act to follow."

The Blues put the game out of reach after Steen scored his second of the game at 4:37 and Roy followed at 7:48.

Steen already has surpassed his goal total from the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, when he had eight in 40 games.

"From us, we need a little more production from our forwards," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "When we get a chance to convert, we've got to convert."

Hutton was lifted following Roy's goal. He was replaced by Magnus Hellberg, who was recalled Thursday after No. 1 goaltender Pekka Rinne had surgery to clear up an infection in the hip that he had surgically repaired in the offseason.

Pietrangelo added a power-play goal at 12:58 of the third.

"They're a shooting power-play; we knew that's what they were going to do," Nashville captain Shea Weber said. "They get pucks through with traffic. They have a great power play and they scored enough tonight."

Jay Bouwmeester, David Backes, and Vladimir Tarasenko each had two assists for the Blues.

NOTES: Roy played in his 600th career NHL game. ... Blues LW Magnus Paajarvi sustained an upper-body injury in the first period and did not return to the game. ... Before Saturday, Nashville had gone seven games without allowing a power-play goal. .. Predators D Mattias Ekholm recorded an assist on Spaling's goal, his first career NHL point.

Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 10.28.2013

723741 Tampa Bay Lightning

Bolts notes: Gudas’ ejection overcome

By Erik Erlendsson | Tribune Staff


SUNRISE — With one squirt of water, Florida RW Scottie Upshall nearly triggered an uproar.

Instead the veteran forward found a way to get Tampa Bay rookie D Radko Gudas ejected from the Lightning’s 4-3 shootout victory Sunday.

Midway through the second period, shortly after Gudas’ power-play goal gave the Lightning a 3-1 lead, Gudas was sitting on the ice in front of the Florida bench after missing a hit along the boards. With the play stopped on an offsides call, Upshall pulled out a bottle and squirted water at Gudas, who

then raised up to his knees and slashed his stick against the top of the boards, snapping the stick in half.

Gudas ended up with a slashing minor, a 10-minute misconduct penalty and a 10-minute game misconduct, which carries an ejection, at 12:51 of the second period. Upshall received an unsportsmanlike minor, but remained in the game and had the assist on the game-tying goal.

Gudas declined to discuss the situation after the game, but his absence forced Tampa Bay to play nearly half the game with five defensemen while playing the second half of back-to-back games.

“These guys are competitors, so if something is going to happen, naturally our guys are going to react, so it’s a savvy little play on their part,” Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “They ended up knocking a defenseman out of the game for us and I guess good on them. But in my opinion, and my opinion doesn’t count for much, I would not have kicked (Gudas) out.”

While losing Gudas put the team in a bit of a bind having to play the rest of the game short a defenseman, watching the rugged blue liner’s reaction was understood by many.

“I think he plays best when he plays with emotion and that’s when things happen,” defenseman Sami Salo said. “I don’t want him to try to control that. I think that’s when he plays his best and I wouldn’t blame him for that.”

Shootout selections

When Cooper handed in his lineup sheet with the top three shootout participants, the final two selections were D Victor Hedman and Salo to follow Valtteri Filppula.

While Filppula, who is now 2-for-2 on the season, was no surprise to kick things off for the Lightning, choosing a pair of defensemen might have had some scratching their heads for the rationale behind the move. But Tampa Bay often ends practice with shootout drills, and Salo and Hedman have been among the more successful participants in recent weeks, though both missed their chances to close out the game Sunday.

“There was probably a few eyebrows raised as a couple of defensemen go, but ... shootouts you judge so many different ways,” Cooper said. “And to me, ... I thought Sammy and Victor had good games, they have been good in shootouts for us at practice, so I don’t see any problem with letting them go.”

The kids are all right

The trio of C Tyler Johnson, LW Ondrej Palat and RW Richard Panik started out the season as the third line, a combination that enjoyed plenty of success in the American Hockey League the previous two seasons.

But a few games into the season, Cooper broke up the trio, swapping Panik with RW Teddy Purcell. In the third period Saturday against Buffalo, however, the three were back together and came up with a big play as Palat scored the game-winning goal.

“Sometimes you just have to go with what you feel and we had a lot of shots on goals from everybody without results,” Cooper said. “And the Johnson-Panik-Palat line has had a lot of success together, and it was just time (to reunite them) I guess.

“Stuff like that makes the coach look really good but ultimately it wasn’t about that, honestly. We had one goal in 50-plus minutes and we needed to shake things up and it just fortunately worked out for us.”

Cooper kept the line intact for Sunday’s game, and though Panik picked up an assists on Gudas’ power-play goal, the three were on the ice for both third-period goals against the Lightning.

Nuts and Bolts

D Keith Aulie and D Mark Barberio were scratched. ... Florida LW Tomas Fleischmann was scratched with the flu. ... Tampa Bay has killed off 23 of the past 24 power plays against.

Tampa Tribune LOADED: 10.28.2013


Bolts stay hot with shootout win over Florida

By Erik Erlendsson | Tribune Staff


SUNRISE - Steven Stamkos knows a thing or two about putting the puck in the net with the game on the line.

Being tapped on the shoulder in the shootout, well that’s not exactly his comfort zone.

But in the fourth round of Sunday’s shootout against Florida, Stamkos swung wide to his left, did a little shake-and-back and pushed a forehand shot past Jacob Markstrom for the deciding goal in the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 4-3 victory in front of an announced crowd of 12,336 at BB&T Center.

Anders Lindback made the goal stand up by stopping Dmitry Kulikov for his first win of the season as the Lightning won for the third consecutive game and for the fifth time in the past six games, getting goals from Marty St. Louis, Radko Gudas and Stamkos, who has four goals in two games against Florida this season and 21 in 30 career games against the Panthers.

With an 8-3 record through 11 games, Tampa Bay set a franchise record for wins in October, and the victory was the fifth in a row at Florida, a building the Lightning notoriously have trouble picking up points in.

It only made sense, then, that a player who has enjoyed little success in a certain situation — Stamkos was 5-for-27 in shootouts in his career entering the game — finds a way to get it done.

“Obviously it’s something that I’ve struggled with in the past, and practice does help just getting to try certain moves coming in,” Stamkos said. “So it was nice to see one go in and even nicer to help your team win in that situation.”

It also helped the Lightning overcome two blown two-goal leads, including entering the third period.

“We played a pretty solid road game (but) it’s tough to cough up a two-goal lead in the third,” Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “But that’s just something we have to work on.”

Tampa Bay was also forced to play nearly half the game with only five defensemen after Gudas was ejected with 7:09 left in the second period for breaking his stick across the boards in front of the Florida bench after he had water squirted in his face from the Florida bench by Scottie Upshall. Playing the second game of a back-to-back and starting less than 24 hours after the start of Saturday’s game may have contributed to losing the two-goal lead as in addition to the additional ice time played by the remaining defensemen, the pairings were different nearly every time somebody went over the boards.

“Certainly it is a tough spot,” said Matt Carle, who finished with a game-high 29 minutes, 24 seconds of ice time. “We are all comfortable playing with each other, but you’re playing different positions as well. Some of us lefties end up on the right so it does make it a little bit harder.”

The game seemed like it was going to be easy from the start for Tampa Bay.

St. Louis scored his seventh of the season 41 seconds into the game, converting a cross-ice pass from Stamkos for a tap-in past Markstrom. Stamkos then made it a 2-0 game with his eighth of the season at 4:35, putting in a rebound from the top of the right circle after Markstrom kicked out a shot from Ryan Malone.

Florida coach Kevin Dineen used his timeout to get things under control, and the Panthers started to make a push before cutting the Tampa Bay lead in half when Shawn Matthias finished off a scramble around the net at 13:48. Gudas would regain the two-goal lead when his wrist shot from the point deflected off Florida defenseman Mike Weaver for a power-play goal at 9:58.

The Panthers pulled even with goals 3:12 apart, with Nick Bjugstad deflecting an Upshall backhand shot at 5:39 of the third and Brad Boyes taking advantage of Ondrej Palat losing the puck deep in his own end, allowing Boyes to skate to the top of the crease alone before slipping the puck under the pads of Lindback at 8:51.

“They worked hard, they had a couple of looks and put it in,’’ Lindback said of the third period. “We got a little unlucky on one there where Palat lost the puck, but that happens. The important thing is how you respond and I think after that we really shut it down and didn’t give them any more opportunities to score.”

The Panthers did have a couple more prime scoring opportunities, but Lindback stopped Matthias from in close at 10:28 and another by Kris Versteeg 40 seconds later to keep the game tied and set the stage for his first

victory since March 13 as he stopped three of the four shootout attempts, improving to 7-for-9 in shootouts in his career.

“He was stellar for us tonight,” Cooper said. “He stopped some big guys that they sent out in the shootout and that’s what you need, you need your goalie to stand up for you to win the game and he did that for us tonight.’’

Tampa Tribune LOADED: 10.28.2013


Gudas ejected for smashing stick on Panthers bench

Damian CristoderoDamian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer

Sunday, October 27, 2013 11:33pm

SUNRISE — Panthers RW Scottie Upshall denied he squirted Lightning rookie D Radko Gudas with water in the second period of Sunday's game.

It was blue Gatorade, he said, laughing.

In response, Gudas angrily broke his stick over the top of the boards in front of the Florida bench. For that he got two minutes for slashing, a 10-minute misconduct and a game misconduct that forced Tampa Bay to play with just five defensemen for the final 27:09 of the 4-3 shootout win.

"He overreacted a bit," Upshall said. "He's a guy who plays a bit on the edge. He plays hard, and he was fired up."

"Savvy move on their part," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "They end up knocking a defenseman out of the game for us."

Gudas — automatically fined $200 by the league and eligible for supplemental discipline — declined to comment.

It began when Gudas missed a body check at the Panthers' blue line and fell to the ice in front of the Florida bench. That is when Upshall gave a squirt.

"I think he was embarrassed he fell," Upshall said. "Then he slashed his stick. You would think it was the end of the world. He was freaked out."

"That was a first," Lightning C Steven Stamkos said. "That's a tough call to lose a guy for slashing the boards. But it was a reactionary thing with 'Gudes.' I thought maybe if he gets a 10, maybe the guy who squirts the bottle gets 10."

Instead, Upshall got two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct.

"It's interpretation of the ref," said Cooper, who when the call was made had an extended talk with referee Tim Peel. "He's probably looking at the game and saying he doesn't want something to escalate, and I completely understand that. He's doing his job. In my opinion, penalty, yes. Ten (minutes), I probably could have … lived with it. It's tough to eject a guy for that."

Think about it, Cooper said: "If I pulled out a Gatorade bottle and squirted you right now, I don't think you would be happy about it. These guys are competitors. If something is going to happen, naturally our guy is going to react."

LINE DANCING: C Tyler Johnson, RW Richard Panik and Ondrej Palat are back together.

The line, one of the best in the AHL the past two seasons, gained much acclaim for winning a job out of training camp but was broken up in the third game of the season when Panik was shifted to a line with C Valtteri Filppula and Alex Killorn.

But midway in the third period of Saturday's 3-2 victory over the Sabres, Cooper reunited Panik with Johnson and Palat. The result: Palat's winning goal with 4:05 left with Johnson's assist.

"Stuff like that makes the coach look really good," Cooper said, laughing. "Ultimately, it's not about that. Honestly, we had one goal in 50-whatever minutes. We needed to shake things up."

ODDS AND ENDS: Eight wins are a Lightning record for October. … RW Marty St. Louis' second-period holding penalty was his first infraction of the season. … G Anders Lindback got his first win in his third start.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.28.2013


Lightning tops Panthers in shootout



SUNRISE — This is the kind of roll the Lightning is on right now.

Steven Stamkos, who was 5-for-27 in his career in shootouts, was the fourth shooter called by coach Jon Cooper on Sunday against the Panthers.

And the center delivered the winner with a snazzy deke to his forehand that had Florida goalie Jacob Markstrom flailing and gave Tampa Bay a 4-3 victory at the BB&T Center.

"It was nice to see one go in," Stamkos said, "and even nicer to help your team in that situation."

It was the third straight win for Tampa Bay (8-3-0) and fifth in its past six games as it nestled into first place in the Atlantic Division.

"Probably the quietest 8-3 record in the league, and we like it that way," Stamkos said. "We're happy but not satisfied. It's nice to be where we are, but we always want more."

It was not the cleanest win. Tampa Bay gave up a 2-0 first-period lead forged on goals by Marty St. Louis and Stamkos, and a 3-1 lead in the third.

The team also was without Radko Gudas for the final 27:09 after the defenseman, who scored the Lightning's third goal, was ejected for breaking his stick on top of the boards in front of the Panthers bench, a response to being squirted with Gatorade by Florida's Scottie Upshall.

That meant playing with just five defensemen, which, in the second of back-to-back games, contributed to some fatigue.

"We feel pretty fortunate we came away with two points," Cooper said. "We played a pretty solid road game, but it's tough to cough up a two-goal lead in the third."

Especially when Brad Boyes' goal 8:51 into the period that tied the score came after he stripped Ondrej Palat in the Lightning zone.

But Tampa Bay found a way, with Valtteri Filppula also scoring in the shootout and goalie Anders Lindback making three saves (and 29 in regulation and overtime) for the 2-1 shootout win.

"We're getting points, but it's a little disappointing where you have a two-goal lead going into the third period," defenseman Matt Carle said. "I don't think we sat back, but certain little plays here and there make the difference."

And for the better, as well. Stamkos, who had just one goal in 13 previous shootout attempts, flashed some signature skill.

"Quite a move," Cooper said. "When I was growing up, I don't remember those moves, where they come from."

"I'm never going to be a guy who doesn't want to go," Stamkos said of shootouts. "You want to be an impact player. You want to help your team win in those situations."

Lightning 2 1 0 0 4

Panthers 1 0 2 0 3

Lightning wins shootout 2-1

First Period—1, TB, St. Louis 7 (Stamkos, Malone), :41. 2, TB, Stamkos 8 (Malone, Carle), 4:35. 3, Fla, Matthias 1 (Winchester, Goc), 13:48. Penalties—Salo, TB (hooking), 1:55; Purcell, TB (tripping), 11:09; Panik, TB (boarding), 19:18.

Second Period—4, TB, Gudas 1 (Panik, Killorn), 9:58 (pp). Penalties—Campbell, Fla (tripping), 2:37; St. Louis, TB (holding), 5:07; Fla bench, served by Huberdeau (too many men), 9:12; Gudas, TB, served by Malone, minor-misconduct-game misconduct (slashing), 12:51; Upshall, Fla (unsportsmanlike conduct), 12:51.

Third Period—5, Fla, Bjugstad 1 (Upshall, Kulikov), 5:39. 6, Fla, Boyes 5, 8:51. Penalties—Kopecky, Fla (high-sticking), 1:29.

Overtime—None. Penalties—None.

Shootout—TB 2 (Filppula G, Hedman NG, Salo NG, Stamkos G), Fla 1 (Huberdeau NG, Barkov NG, Boyes G, Kulikov NG). Shots on Goal—TB 8-8-10-2—28. Fla 10-9-10-3—32. Power-play opportunities—TB 1 of 3; Fla 0 of 4. Goalies—TB, Lindback 1-2-0 (32 shots-29 saves). Fla, Markstrom 1-4-2 (28-25). A—12,336 (17,040).

Lightning 4

Panthers 3

shootout

Gudas in Squirtgate

The defenseman is ejected after getting squirted with Gatorade. 7C



Video: Gudas tossed in Squirtgate



SUNRISE — Lightning defenseman Radko Gudas received a 10-minute and a game misconduct during Sunday's 4-3 shootout win over the Panthers.

Gudas went a little haywire with 7:09 left in the second period after Scottie Upshall, from the Florida bench, squirted him with water. Gudas smashed and broke his stick across the top of the boards in front of the Florida bench.

The ejection left the Lightning with five defensemen for the remainder of the game.

See video of the sequence at tampabay.com/blogs/lightning, though it is a bit tough to see Upshall's water squirt.



Video: Radko Gudas smashes stick on boards after being squirted with water by Florida's Scottie Upshall



Lightning defenseman Radko Gudas received a 10-minute and a game misconduct during Sunday's game with the Panthers.

Gudas went a little haywire with 7:09 left in the second period after Scottie Upshall, from the Florida bench, squirted him with water. Gudas smashed and broke his stick across the top of the boards in front of the Florida bench.

The ejection left the Lightning with five defensemen for the remainder of the game.

You can watch the incident here, though it is a bit tough to see Upshall's water squirt.


723747 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs’ injuries open hole for Kadri to shine

JAMES MIRTLE

TORONTO — The Globe and Mail

Published Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013 9:24PM EDT

Last updated Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013 11:31PM EDT

There is a golden opportunity brewing for Nazem Kadri, even if it may not last more than a few weeks.

After playing on a mishmash of lines with just about every winger in the organization in his time with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Kadri is finally now pencilled in on the big one, centring two point-a-game wingers in Phil Kessel and James van Riemdsyk.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 10.28.2013


Maple Leafs head west with confidence

By: Kevin McGran Sports Reporter, Published on Sun Oct 27 2013

Go west. It’s a ritual for many Canadians: head to Alberta and British Columbia in search of riches.

For the Maple Leafs over the past few years, western trips have been anything but successful.

The Leafs are 0-5-2 in their last seven visits to Calgary. They have lost five in a row in Vancouver. Only Edmonton, site of Tuesday night’s game, has offered an oasis. The Leafs have won four of their last five in the home of the inept Oilers.

But it is with renewed confidence and optimism that this Leaf team makes the trek. They are coming off a satisfying 4-1 win over an elite team, the Pittsburgh Penguins, that put them into first place in the Eastern Conference.

They have done so with a makeshift lineup after a string of injuries to forwards Tyler Bozak, Joffrey Lupul and Nikolai Kulemin. Bozak didn’t make the trip, but Kulemin and Lupul might play.

The Leafs hope the road games help the team bond.

“It’s going to be fun,” said centre Dave Bolland. “It’s the road trips where you get to know the guys and go out for dinner.”

If there’s one new Leaf that coach Randy Carlyle would like his team to get to know better, it’s Bolland. The solid two-way forward has six goals in 12 games for the Leafs, after seven all of last season with Chicago.

“He’s been everything that we’ve asked . . . a player that you can move up and down your lineup. He plays and practises at a very high pace,” said Carlyle. “It’s not that he’s immune from making mistakes . . . as we all do. But it’s not a mistake through laziness ever. He might read a situation wrong, but it’s never through laziness.

“He’s a model for our younger players. . . . There’s a huge learning curve for a lot of young players in the league, and on our team David Bolland would be a guy that they should (look) to.”

Bolland has quickly developed some chemistry with speedster Mason Raymond and gritty David Clarkson, now with two games under his belt since returning from a 10-game suspension.

“When I came in this year, it was to play my game,” said Bolland, “do what I do best. It’s bring leadership, bring character, bring the play on the ice.”

Western trips have historically been a barometer for the Leafs. In their seven-season stretch of failing to make the playoffs before this past spring, the Leafs went 4-11 in Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver.

Earlier, when the Leafs were conference finalists (and played out west more frequently), they had much more success — 5-1-0 on the road against those three in the 1999-2000 season, 3-2-1 in 2000-01. Good times, as they say.

Before the last lockout-shortened season in which teams only played within their conference, the Leafs went 1-2-0 out west in February, 2012. That was the beginning of the end for a club that GM Brian Burke later compared to an 18-wheeler going off a cliff.

Things are far better in Toronto these days with solid goaltending from James Reimer and Jonathan Bernier, and a knack for winning despite being outplayed for long stretches.

With Bozak out for at least a week with a lower-body injury, Nazem Kadri looked at home on the first line between Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk on Saturday night.

Lupul, meanwhile, was expected to make the trip after doctors assured the team he’d suffered nothing more serious than a bone bruise when he took a shot off the foot in practise. Kulemin also seems close to a return. His broken foot, also from a shot in practice, has healed and he might play in Edmonton.

Toronto Star LOADED: 10.28.2013


Maple Leafs hope Kulemin, Lupul can play out west


The Leafs hope to get Nikolai Kulemin and Joffrey Lupul back into their lineup on their road swing through Western Canada. Both could play as early as Tuesday in Edmonton.

“We’ll see how it feels and we’ll go from there,” said Kulemin. “It’s still sore, but it gets better every day. I do a lot in the gym.”

Kulemin broke a bone in his foot on a hard shot in practice in the first week of the season. Lupul hobbled off the ice on Wednesday after a similar play. After a series of tests, doctors determined Lupul suffered no more than a deep bone bruise.

Neither player was wearing a plastic protective guard around the boot of their skate, upsetting coach Randy Carlyle.

“Everybody is going to wear it now,” said Kulemin. “It’s not a big difference. Maybe a difference on the turn. You get used to it.”

Tyler Bozak, out with a lower-body injury, is not expected to play on the Leafs’ trip. He was hurt in Friday’s game against Columbus.



Maple Leafs: Captain Dion Phaneuf in crowded penthouse; doghouse vacant


We’re taking a bit of a left turn here with Penthouse/Doghouse. It’s Sunday, and we’re feeling charitable. The Leafs, after all, beat the Pittsburgh Penguins and are in a logjam at the top of the standings.

So the Doghouse is empty, but you’ll see when we get there that a few guys are on a short leash.

The penthouse, however, is full. Let’s start with captain Dion Phaneuf. He played a game-high 25 minutes 38 seconds against Pittsburgh and set up the Leafs’ first goal with a slap-pass up ice to Dave Bolland for a short-handed marker. So an assist, a plus-1 and he was out all night against either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin.

So kudos to Phaneuf. “There are tough minutes for him to accumulate,” said Leafs coach Randy Carlyle. “We think that he does a heck of a job for our hockey club, or else we wouldn’t be using him in those situations. I know that it seems to be that there’s a love-hate type of relationship at certain times, but there’s a lot of love shown from our part as far as a coaching staff.”

Sitting at the head table with Phaneuf in the penthouse is Phil Kessel, who had a goal and an assist. And what an assist, in setting up Nazem Kadri for the game-winner.

Kessel then salted the game away with a power-play goal after a James van Riemsdyk pass. Kessel, enjoying a great start to the season, now has seven goals.

And how about James Reimer? With a 37-save performance, including 16 in the second period, he is the second goalie this season to keep Crosby off the scoresheet.

Now, back to the doghouse. As we said, it sits empty, but the door is open for a few players:

Mason Raymond (who had a good game helping shut down the Crosby line) has one point in his last five games.

Paul Ranger seems keen on scoring, and fails at times to make the easy pass through the neutral zone. It hasn’t come back to bite him yet.

Kadri, as good as he was, struggled in the faceoff circle (four wins out of 13 draws).



Maple Leafs feel right at home in the West

By Lance Hornby ,Toronto Sun


TORONTO - Not since the Pat Quinn heyday have the Maple Leafs been able to win more than once on their three-game swing through Alberta and British Columbia.

But there are signs this roster has the most depth, leadership and goaltending since Quinn lit up his El Cubano victory cigar to foul the mountain air. Which is why these Leafs aren’t dreading this week’s trip west.

While the Eastern Conference leaders (8-4) are far from perfect — just ask demanding coach Randy Carlyle — they have not wallowed after losses.

Either the stoppers step up, such as James Reimer’s 37-save performance against the Penguins in Saturday’s 4-1 win, or maligned players such as Nazem Kadri, Dion Phaneuf and Jake Gardiner redeem themselves.

The injury bug has gone through the room, David Clarkson served his 10-game suspension and Morgan Rielly’s trial is through, at least until the team’s 40-game mark — and the Leafs have not stumbled.

Seventy games remain on Toronto’s slate, six of the next seven on the road, but if they have to leave the confines of home for awhile, then west is the preferred direction. Ten Leafs are from the Prairie provinces and B.C.

“There are a lot of guys on this team looking forward to getting there and having their families come out and see the games,” said Sicamous, B.C.’s Cody Franson.

“It’s fun, with the new alignment, that we get to play in every city again.”

The Leafs leave early Monday and will practice at Rexall Centre in Edmonton the same day, before facing ex-Marlies coach Dallas Eakins and the Oilers on Tuesday. Wednesday, they meet the rejuvenated Calgary Flames, now under Brian Burke’s influence, then it’s two days off before the trip concludes in Vancouver.

For captain Phaneuf, Edmonton-born and NHL-trained with the Flames, the first part of the week holds the most significance.

“Going home to Edmonton and playing there is special to me. I played a lot of hockey out in (Alberta). It’s a special part of the schedule, but we also have to go in there and win some games, too,” Phaneuf said.

Toronto beat the inexperienced Oilers a couple of weeks ago, but needed overtime to do it. The Flames, meanwhile, have ex-Leafs Matt Stajan, Lee Stempniak, Joe Colborne and goalie Joey MacDonald.

There is a little role-reversal in Vancouver with Mason Raymond returning to play the recent Stanley Cup finalist and, of course, local product Rielly’s triumphant homecoming.

“First of all, it’s a nice little trip, where we haven’t really had a chance to all be together on the road,” said Manitoban Troy Bodie. “And we get to look at a lot of the teams out there.

“There are a lot of Western boys on this team for sure, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, all the Western provinces. It’s a big, rough and tumble team, that’s for sure.

“You can definitely tell where guys are from. Walking into this room, you knew from guys talking around you. I knew the Manitoba guys right away, Colton Orr and Reims.”

Not only are there Western roots, but a number of Leafs can trace their NHL lineage to the other conference and are well versed on the Oilers, Flames and Canucks.

Jay McClement started with St. Louis, Joffrey Lupul was with Anaheim and Edmonton, Jonathan Bernier was an L.A. King, Frazer McLaren played for San Jose and Dave Bolland won two Cups in Chicago, where he clashed many times with the Canucks.

“Vancouver is really good, especially in its own building,” Bodie said. “Edmonton is a team that has a lot of skill. You can never take them lightly and Calgary is much improved. It’s going to be a tough trip.”

But the Leafs will hardly feel alone. Despite the scheduling void created by the lockout, there is a good chance that absence made the heart grow fonder for the Western sector of Leafs Nation.

Whether their great-grandparents listened to Foster Hewitt in the days when Canada had one predominant English team or they’re transplanted Torontonians, blue and white sweaters will be visible — with a loud vocal component.

“What surprised me so much was all the people cheering for us in Columbus on Friday,” new Leaf Bodie said. “It was unbelievable. There were more Leafs jerseys than Blue Jackets. But Leafs fans are everywhere and it’s nice to have your fans out West.”

The Leafs made sure the trip started out on the right note with Saturday’s win. Toronto was outshot, but mostly shut down Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

“Any time you go on the road, that (kind of result) builds team chemistry,” Clarkson said. “That’s was a big win and as long as we come out and play that same style, the way the coaching staff wants us to, we’ll be successful.

“We won’t have it every night, but we have to find a way to have it on a majority of these nights.”

This week in particular.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.28.2013


Toronto Maple Leafs ex-coach John Brophy reunited with former players



John Brophy: His name alone evokes so many wild stories from hockey's Slap Shot era. But for a certain group of Maple Leaf players, there's the unforgettable years he coached in the late '80s in St. Catharines and with Toronto between 1986-88. His old-time hockey methods collided with the modern NHL and the resulting mess played out in the waning days of the Harold Ballard era in Toronto.

Flash forward 25 years. A group of 'Brophy's Boys' knew they had to visit their colourful coach, when they recently happened upon the Nova Scotia retirement home where the 80-year-old is now confined.

"We were on the NHL Legends tour bus outside the native reserve in Eskasoni," said Mark Osborne. "Guys such as Al Iafrate, Tom Fergus, Gary

Leeman, myself, Dan Daoust. We had a five-hour drive to our next game in Liverpool, we looked at the atlas and saw the road ran right through Antigonish.

"It just dawned on me. I had got an earlier text message from (ex-Leaf) Wes Jarvis who reminded me John was in a nursing home there."

Osborne, now an analyst for Leafs TV and an alumni executive, got directions and asked the bus driver to pull in.

"It's a series of cottages near a field with sheep running around," Osborne said. "As soon as we went in, he just lit up, he was just tickled.

"We reminded him who everyone was. He hasn't had a good year, but was doing much better. He's not that mobile from his car accident a number of years ago. The funny thing is, his unit has five elderly women. He keeps on telling them he once coached the Leafs and they don't believe him. They say, 'Oh, sure you did John.'"

The stories flowed with side-splitting results.

"There was a game where Iafrate was on for the first shift of the game and was a minus two right away," Osborne recalled.

"Broph wanted him off the ice and yelled in that high-pitched voice 'I-a-fray-tee!,' while Garry Lariviere, his assistant, tried to settle him down. John benched Al about 10 minutes and then put him back. So Al goes minus-three and we're down 3-0 after one period.

"None of us were really playing well that night, so we come off and he yells 'it's like you guys are playing in the dark, so sit in the dark.' And he shuts the dressing room lights off, left the room and slammed the door. There we are, NHL players, in complete darkness. Borje Salming said 'Come on guys, turn on the lights'. Al was right by the switch, but Broph was listening outside.

"As soon as Al turned them on, he burst right through the door and screamed at him again, telling him how dumb he was. Then he started on Al's hair (the defenceman was follically challenged) 'I-a-fray-tee, you're bald, you're bald, you're bald.'"

Brophy was quite proud of his own white mane, but in the midst of an intense game in the old L.A. Forum, he split his head trying to walk under the stands.

"He didn't even want the trainers to help him," Osborne said. "He just said 'Bleed, bleed.' With that red streak and white head he looked like the Japanese flag.

"You talk to all the players from his generation, the '70s and '80s, and they say there is nobody like Broph. The antics, his one-liners, the things he'd do between periods were unprecedented. And surviving the minor leagues with all those tough guys, he was such a competitive guy.

"One year Hockey Night did a music feature 'the 12 Days of Christmas'. The 10th day was '10 Brophy tantrums' and in each verse, the clip was him turning purple with rage."

The players stayed about 20 minutes and were glad they stopped by.

"You think about life and him getting on in years," Osborne said. "There are no guarantees about anything. Will we get to see each other again? Because he's in a home now, there's no way of ever really bringing him back for an alumni celebration.



Maple Leafs goalie debate back in focus



TORONTO - At times during Toronto’s 4-1 win on Saturday night against Pittsburgh, James Reimer’s head was spinning around like Linda Blair’s in The Exorcist.

Trying to track the Penguins, most notably Sidney Crosby, Evegni Malkin and a few other creative forces, is hard on a goalie’s neck.

But Reimer made 37 saves, while 14 Penguin pucks missed the mark. Reimer survived at least one more episode with a cement glove to improve his record to 4-0-2 against the powerful Pens.

“They are arguably the best players in the world and they bring it every time they come to play,” Reimer said. “I’m just lucky enough that my teammates step up and play big games. I don’t know if it has as much to do with me as the guys in front of me working their butts off.”

Indeed, the Leafs demonstrated some quick sticks to thwart shots or break up odd-man rushes.

Once more, a stellar game by one of the Leafs’ net duo has created debate on who is No. 1 or at least who starts the first of a three-game road trip on Tuesday in Edmonton. With back-to-backs, it’s likely Jonathan Bernier would go Wednesday in Calgary if coach Randy Carlyle sticks with Reimer. The better of the two would be in line to play in Vancouver on Saturday.

“It’s early in the season (and) you just want to play as many good games as possible,” Reimer said.

DRAWING CLASS

Thanks to Jay McClement and Dave Bolland, the Leafs’ struggles in the faceoff circle were alleviated on Saturday. The duo were a combined 29-of-50.

Tyler Bozak, who had been struggling in the dots, was injured. And while Carlyle praised Nazem Kadri’s faceoff work amid his strong game on Saturday, Kadri was actually 5-for-14.

INJURY UPDATES

Nikolai Kulemin expects to play on the Western road trip, a month after the right winger’s ankle bone was chipped just prior to opening night.

“It feels good to get back on the ice,” he said. “It’s very frustrating to sit down and have to watch the guys playing. I want to be part of the team and help them. I keep working hard to be in the best shape.”

Recapping the injury picture, Bozak has a lower body injury resulting from the Columbus game on Friday with an early guess of a seven-to-10 day absence. Joffrey Lupul (bruised foot) will be on the road trip as should defenceman Mark Fraser, who has an injured knee but hit the ice Saturday morning to skate with his teammates.

Milestone men

With his 56th win on Saturday, Reimer passed fellow Manitoban Ken Wregget for 16th in Leafs history. He is now one victory behind Al Rollins and Ed Chadwick.

Phil Kessel potted goal No. 126 as a Leaf, good for 34th in club history, tied with Errol Thompson and Sergei Berezin.

Kessel is five behind Doug Gilmour and a spot in the top 30. Kessel recently joined the top 50 in assists, adding his 141st on Saturday to pass Bob Baun and take the 49th spot.

And Carlyle’s 40th regular-season win broke his tie with Doug Carpenter and moved him into 19th place.

ROAD WARRIORS

The Marlies won their first road game Sunday, a 3-2 victory in Hamilton. New forward Jerred Smithson had his first goal, as did Jerry D’Amigo, while Greg McKegg added his third. David Broll, Josh Leivo, Stu Percy and Spencer Abbott had assists. Goalie Drew MacIntyre was named first star after making 20 saves.


723754 Washington Capitals

Capitals are plagued by slow starts

By Katie Carrera,

Updated: October 27 at 4:54 pm

What began as a hiccup has evolved into a nagging ailment for the Washington Capitals, who can’t seem to get out of their own way in the first period.

Even before their latest case study in poor starts, in Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Calgary Flames, Capitals players recognized the importance of playing from the outset with the poise and focus they’ve shown late in games. But that knowledge didn’t change anything in the opening 20 minutes at the Saddledome.

“We’re taking too long to get into games,” Coach Adam Oates said. “That’s a fact.”

Washington stood a step behind play by the Flames, who successfully implemented a straightforward, no-frills game plan to hem the visitors in the defensive zone. Thanks to a few lost battles on the boards, turnovers and an inability to properly track defensive assignments, Calgary took a 2-0 lead in less than eight minutes.

“Just weren’t prepared to play. It was simple as that. Calgary was prepared to play the game and we weren’t. That’s why we lost the game,” said goaltender Braden Holtby, who was pulled 12:48 into the contest with Washington down 3-1 in an effort to spark the team.

“It’s nothing to do with systems, it’s nothing to do with the coaching staff. It’s what we do as professional athletes, professional hockey players, is prepare yourself,” Holtby said when asked what needed to be corrected. “I don’t think we’re doing a good enough job in here. You can’t single people out in that but as a group we’ve got to figure out what we’re doing in order to prepare better.”

Just 11 games into the season, it wasn’t the first time a Capitals player criticized the team’s preparation. On Saturday, Holtby wasn’t alone in his assessment.

“I thought we were — not just right off the bat –I thought we were slow for a while,” John Carlson said. “Took us a while to get our legs and we had a few good starts but it’s something that we need to work on.”

Carlson went on to say “preparation is big” especially with regard to anticipating how an opponent plans to attack the game. It shouldn’t have been a surprise that Calgary, as the home, team, came out hustling and focused on moving up the ice. The Capitals should have been able to counteract it earlier than the second period, when they finally showed glimpses of what they’re capable of and closed the gap to one goal.

“When we play right that’s what it looks like,” Oates said. “We put ourselves back in the game.”

That is what has made the Capitals’ poor starts appear so similar to each other: The absence of the their basic game plan that has allowed them to make late-game rallies. Instead, they are unable to escape their own zone for shifts at a time and, with an abundance of turnovers and unorganized play in their own end, allow an opponent to dictate the game.

Washington has been outscored 12-6 in the first period this season. While it’s not all about generating offense, there’s little doubt the Capitals can make better decisions to help keep the play out of their own end. Take the top line, for example, which was held without a point vs. Calgary for the first time in four games. Alex Ovechkin dismissed the suggestion that the Flames held insight into limiting them, saying instead that they derailed their own efforts.

“We just put ourselves in that kind of position where we have puck in neutral zone but don’t make a play,” Ovechkin said. “We just have to make right decision. If you dump the puck it has to be right to dump the puck. If you make a play you have to make the right play.”

The Capitals have shown they can be a dominant team at times but have sabotaged themselves by repeatedly using their best efforts to make up for early deficits rather than gaining control from the start.

“It’s unacceptable for a team like us. We’re a great team and everyone in there knows that we need to be better off the starts,” Carlson said. “You see when our game is on it’s so tough to stop us. I think it will be a more combined effort all around, everybody chipping in whenever they can to make sure we start that off right from the puck drop and not wait for anything to happen.”

Washington Post LOADED: 10.28.2013


Five thoughts on the Capitals’ 5-2 loss to the Flames

By Katie Carrera,

Updated: October 27 at 11:30 am

Déjà vu all over again for the Capitals against Calgary, but this time the mistakes didn’t come with a happy ending. Washington fell, 5-2, to the Flames, snapped its winning streak and gets to take stock of some familiar problems.

Five thoughts on the loss in Calgary:

1. Those slow starts. Getting off to a strong start in the first period has been a consistent issue for the Capitals through the first 11 games. Saturday night there was a lack of execution in which pretty much every player was concerned in the first 20 minutes with turnovers, missed assignments and general sloppiness. Even in games the Capitals have won this season – like in Edmonton and Winnipeg earlier this week – they were uneven in the opening frame.

It’s a risky habit and one that bit Washington in the form of three Flames goals Saturday night.

“We’ve got to figure that out, especially on the road, especially in these buildings teams are tough to play against,” Aaron Volpatti said. “They’re fast. There’s no excuse we’ve got to come out better.”

Establishing a better start isn’t all about offensive production and in the Capitals’ case, the opposite cause is more critical. Washington, which has been outscored 12-6 in the first period this season, needs to home in on the details of its defensive and transition game from the opening faceoff.

More to come on the slow starts later in the day Sunday, a day off for the Capitals.

2. Second line. I asked Coach Adam Oates about the group of Martin Erat, Brooks Laich and Troy Brouwer, which was heading into its fourth game together. Here’s what he had to say: “On a night-to-night basis, on a consistent basis, they all skate good, they’re all top-six forwards. They can handle any defense pairing that’s put against them, any line. I count on them for a lot of minutes. They all kill penalties, they’re on the power play. Not everybody’s perfect every night but they play 20 minutes for us every night.”

His point is well taken in that regardless of how much offense the second line is or isn’t producing, those players will be counted on to handle heavy workloads. In Calgary, Erat and Laich were on the ice for four goals against while Brouwer was on for two. On the play leading to the first goal, Erat lost a battle against two Flames on the boards but none of his teammates helped out either. On the second, Erat got caught between Sven Baertschi and Sean Monahan in the slot. A lost faceoff by Laich, who went 5 for 16 in the circle against the Flames, led to Mike Cammalleri’s second goal of the night.

When that group is having as much trouble in its own end as it did in Calgary, it’s likely the rest of the team isn’t faring well either.

3. Where’s the D? Overall the Capitals’ play in their own end Saturday night left plenty to be desired, from the forwards getting back to provide proper support to the defensemen making the correct decision.

No one could escape criticism in this one and it seemed like each defensive pairing had its own adventures in the early going: getting split by a speedy Calgary forward like John Erskine and Steve Oleksy; getting caught flat-footed like Mike Green and Nate Schmidt; or giving up uncharacteristic time and space like Karl Alzner and John Carlson.

“There was a couple mistakes by everybody,” Oates said. “They got two goals off of bad tracking and then we get worn down in our own end and out of position. Little mistakes by everybody.”

4. Volpatti’s goal. The gritty winger recorded his first goal as a Capital and first since Jan. 25 with a nice putback on a rebound that popped into the slot. Re-acquired on Feb. 28 off waivers from Vancouver, Volpatti played only 4:58 against Calgary. But perhaps there’s something to be said for being willing to make a hit and then going to a high-traffic area on the ice.

“It went up to the point and I tried to get in that soft spot,” Volpatti said. “Sometimes I find myself a little bit almost too close to the net and that time it bounced right out to me. Luckily I got enough on it, I kind of whiffed it.”

Rookie defenseman Nate Schmidt also recorded his first NHL point on the play, with the primary assist, after firing the shot that rebounded to Volpatti.

5. Chimera, goal scorer. Jason Chimera recorded his second goal in as many games and third of the season with a pretty backhander after a quick feed from Mikhail Grabovski. With his third tally, Chimera matched his regular season output from last year.

He helped set up the play creating a rush into the offensive zone with Eric Fehr, but when Derek Smith laid down to block his shot Chimera recovered the puck and fed it down low to create a cycle. Some work by Fehr and Grabovski to create space down by the goal line and suddenly the veteran winger was all alone with the puck and able to skate right through the crease for the shot.

Washington Post LOADED: 10.28.2013


Capitals dismantled in Calgary as win streak snapped at three

Staff report


CALGARY, Alberta -- After a tough road trip, the Calgary Flames were happy to be back home.

Calgary scored on the first shift, and Michael Cammalleri scored two goals and the Flames cruised to a 5-2 win over the Washington Capitals on Saturday.

Cammalleri's first goal gave Calgary a 3-1 lead at the 13-minute mark of the first period.

"I thought it was nice for us to come out with a high energy start," said Cammalleri, who was playing in his fourth game after missing the first seven with a hand injury.

"(We) just came off a nine or 10-day road trip, quite a lot of travel and I thought it was a testament to the group's will to win the way that we were able to get going off the start."

The Flames started the season 3-0-2. But things didn't go as well on a five-game road trip in which they only earned one win.

"We ended with two losses and that didn't feel good for anybody but at the same time, you regroup, you're excited to come home, excited to play in front of our fans and know that if we can put some wins together we're right back where we want to be," said Cammalleri, who also had an assist and has five points (three goals, two assists) on the season.

The Flames' big achievement was holding Capitals star Alex Ovechkin to no points for the first time in eight career games against Calgary. In the first seven, he had eight goals and seven assists.

"The start, we weren't ready for it. They jumped on us right away, scored first shift. They had momentum and we kept making mistakes in our zone," Ovechkin said.

Slow starts have been an issue for the Capitals all season. They've been outscored 12-6 in the first period.

"I don't think we jump in right away. Something has to be happening. We have to score or there needs to be a big play by a goalie," Ovechkin said. "We were a little sleepy out there tonight."

Not only did Ovechkin, the NHL's third-leading scorer, get shut out, but so did the Capitals' No. 2-ranked power play, which went 0 for 4 against a Calgary penalty kill that entered the game ranked 29th.

"The plan was to not allow (Ovechkin) to get the puck. The only place in the game where it was pretty tough was on the power play. He's so skilled and playing on the far side, he is basically impossible to cover," Flames coach Bob Hartley said.

"Karri Ramo had a couple of big saves on him and I thought that 5-on-5, the Stajan line and whoever was playing on D against Ovie did quite a job."

Also scoring for Calgary (5-4-2) was Kris Russell, Jiri Hudler and Curtis Glencross, with Russell and Dennis Wideman finishing plus-5.

Calgary, which has yet to lose in regulation at the Saddledome (3-0-1), continues its three-game homestand Wednesday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Jason Chimera and Aaron Volpatti scored for Washington (5-6-0), which had its three-game winning streak come to an end. The Capitals have two stops left on a five-game road trip, the next game is at Vancouver on Monday.

It was the second and final meeting of the season between the two teams and for Holtby, the night went similar to the first meeting, when he was pulled 16:22 into the first after three goals on 11 shots and the Capitals down 3-0.

On Saturday, it was three goals in 12:50 and a 3-1 deficit.

Calgary got off to a fast start, jumping out to a 1-0 lead on a strong opening shift by the line of Cammalleri with Joe Colborne and TJ Galiardi.

The trio hemmed the Capitals in their end nearly the entire time and the persistent pressure led to Russell's first goal as a Flame at 1:04.

"We weren't happy with the way we had come out to start the previous games. We knew that we were behind the 8-ball and we didn't want to have it happen, especially to a team like this," Russell said. "We did a good job of really making sure we were focused from the start and ready for that first shift."

The shot advantage reached 11-2 in Calgary's favor at 7:24 after Hudler converted Sean Monahan's rebound. Hudler leads the Flames with 13 points and has points in 10 of Calgary's first 11 games.

"We're going to have to realize as a group that we have to do something before the game to make sure we're prepared because the majority of the games we're losing, it's because of the first period," Holtby said.

"It's nothing to do with systems, it's nothing to do with what the coaching staff can do, it's what we do as professional athletes, professional hockey plays. You prepare yourself and we're not doing a good enough job in here."

Ramo finished with 27 saves to even his record at 2-2-1. Holtby took the loss and is 4-5-0.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/oct/27/capitals-dismantled-calgary-win-streak-snapped-thr/#ixzz2iyU4qi41

Washington Times LOADED: 10.28.2013

723757 Winnipeg Jets

Jets, Avalanche tied 1-1 after first period

By: Ed Tait

Posted: 1:38 PM

Last Modified: 7:46 PM

DENVER – If the Winnipeg Jets had designs on savouring their shootout win over the Dallas Stars Saturday night — really letting the moment sit for a spell — the reality of the NHL schedule hit them smack dab in the lips immediately afterward.

The Jets were airborne for Denver immediately after Saturday’s win and meet the buzz-saw that is the Colorado Avalanche tonight at 7 p.m. (TSN-Jets/TSN 1290) at the Pepsi Center.

The Avs, at 9-1-0, are one of the NHL’s hottest teams in the early part of the 2013-14 season. Only the San Jose Sharks, at 9-1-1, have more points.

"They obviously have a very good team," said Jets centre Mark Scheifele, one of 10 players who were on the ice for Sunday morning’s optional skate. "hey have a solid three lines, they play a hard game and it’s been working for them. Every team can be beaten, we’ve just got to go out there and play how we can play and continue to build as a team."

Colorado has completely bought in to the teachings of new head coach Patrick Roy and the hall-of-fame netminder is wary of his team taking its’ foot off the gas tonight.

"I watched a bit of their game last night and other games as well," said Roy of the Jets.

"This is a good team. I know that they feel they’ve been up and down a bit, but I thought they played OK yesterday. They’re goaltender was outstanding. I expect them to have a good start tonight.

"They’ve got good offence, they can got guys that can certainly score goals and their defence is not bad either. We’re going to have to be very solid at the beginning of the game."

Al Montoya is expected to get the start in goal tonight — he was on the ice while Ondrej Pavelec, so solid in the win over the Stars — did some off-ice work. Claude Noel won’t speak to the media until later today.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.28.2013


Power play? What power play?

By: Ed Tait

Posted: 10/28/2013 1:00 AM

DENVER -- It is a recipe for disaster in the National Hockey League... heck, in any hockey league anywhere on this green earth.

It goes like this: An impotent power play, mixed with nightmarish defensive-zone play on most nights equals one big, fat loss. And the evidence was never more clear than in Sunday night's 3-2 Colorado Avalanche win over the Winnipeg Jets.

The Jets carried a 2-1 lead into the third but nosedived in the final 20 minutes against the NHL's hottest team, giving up two goals in the final 13 minutes. That, coupled with an ineffective power play -- actually, ineffective doesn't begin to describe an 0-for-26 run that stretches back eight games -- means the Jets are now 5-6-2 overall and 1-1-1 on this four-game jaunt through the Central Division.

"In the third you could say we imploded," said Jets coach Claude Noel. "Our decisions were poor. But I thought they were poor in spots throughout the game and we still managed to be up 2-1. It's a situation where we could have closed the game out. You look at the last two goals and there were some mistakes that were poor, poor in a lot of ways. Things that we haven't done to that degree lately.

'We created quite a few of our own problems, whether it's a breakout, blind passes through the middle...'

-- Jets head coach Claude Noel

"We created quite a few of our own problems, whether it's breakout, blind passes through the middle... some of the stuff we did, you had to really give your head a shake.

"The biggest disappointment for me in this game," added Noel, "is this is a game we believed we had a chance to win. And regardless of which place they're in, whose record is what. The game was up for grabs and, to me, we let it slip away."

-- POWER PLAY... DECLINED?

There must have been stretches during the Jets latest run when Noel & Co. might have been tempted to decline the man advantage. For the record, the Jets last scored on the power play back on Oct. 11 in a 4-1 loss to the Dallas Stars. Since then? Zilch. Nada.

"We can't expect to win a game when we're not putting our best game forward against a team like this," said Devin Setoguchi. "I think it starts with our power play. It's pretty much been the difference here. It starts with me, it starts with the guys on the power play. We need to figure it out right away."

Yes, for as solid as the Jets were with the man advantage early in the season -- they scored man-advantage goals in each of the first five games -- it's starting to look very familiar to the unit that finished dead last in the NHL a year ago.

That, too, could soon change.

"The power play's getting old, but these are pretty much the same players we had here last year," said Noel. "What we're proving on the power play is there's a reason why we were last last year and it looks like, unless we change -- we've changed the dynamics of the power play, we've done some different things -- but we keep doing some of the same things we saw last year.

"We will continue to attack it, practise it, find different ways. But at the end of the day we don't make the greatest decisions. We don't execute. And this is the same stuff we lamented about before. That cost us the game. We were 0-for-5. It's a momentum killer. It's like shooting yourself in the foot over and over again. It does a lot of things to you and none of it is positive. It demoralizes you, it takes momentum away. It adds frustration and all the negative stuff that surrounds it is all right there."

It was during his rant about the ineffective power-play when Noel took a brief breath and offered up a sly suggestion... in which he might not have been joking.

"We have to find a way. We have the players we have. We have to find different combinations," said Noel. "I don't care if we've got five defencemen on the ice. We've got to get it done."

-- THE UGLY FINAL 20

The Jets were outshot 17-6 in the third as the Avs came in wave after wave. But the Jets also got completely away from all the things that had given them a 2-1 lead after 40.

"For some reason when we have leads in the third period we feel that playing defence means sitting back," said Evander Kane. "We had way too many turnovers in our end. We didn't want the puck. They had the puck, they created turnovers and we gave it to them."



Blood clot sidelines Postma

By: Ed Tait

Posted: 10/28/2013 1:00 AM

DENVER -- The Winnipeg Jets defensive corps has taken another hit as Paul Postma has been shelved indefinitely after it was discovered Sunday he has a blood clot in his leg.

Already without Jacob Trouba, who is out after crashing into the boards on Oct. 20 against St. Louis, the Jets' defensive depth will be tested with the absence of the 24-year-old Postma.

Adam Pardy drew into the lineup for Sunday's game against the Colorado Avalanche, but there are no immediate plans to summon another defenceman from St. John's.

"We just learned of it today so we're doing some follow-up stuff on that as we speak," said Jets coach Claude Noel prior to Sunday night's game. "It's longer than week to week. It's unfortunate. That's just the way it goes.

"He sensed that something was up, he just didn't know it was of that magnitude."

Postma played in Saturday night's 2-1 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars and was with the team Sunday morning at the Pepsi Center doing some off-ice workout stuff at an optional skate. He played 15 minutes and 10 seconds against the Stars, blocking three shots and registering one of his own.

Postma doesn't need to be hospitalized, but will be taking blood thinners and will remain with the team through the rest of the road trip before returning to Winnipeg after Tuesday's game to be further evaluated by the team's doctors.

Zach Redmond, who was one of the last players sent to St. John's after main training camp, has not yet suited up for the IceCaps as he recovers from injury. He is with the AHL club on their current road trip, but was not dressed for Sunday's loss to the Providence Bruins.

KID IS ALL RIGHT: Jets centre Mark Scheifele played 7:39 in the win over Dallas Saturday and was at 14:13 against the Avs on Sunday. And with the Jets' first-rounder forever under the microscope, the lack of ice time -- particularly in the third in Dallas -- led to some questions about where his game is at right now.

"I'm happy with Mark," said Noel Sunday. "I have nothing negative to report. Part of the process of getting him to be a good NHL player... there's a lot of different things, patience being one of them, understanding, helping him along the way and allowing him to find his way. I don't want to over-coach the situation. He's got to be able to feel that as he plays better he plays; as he plays average, things change."

Scheifele said Sunday before the Avs game he's been working on his defensive game, as requested, and is trying to stay confident while dealing with bumps and dips in his ice time.

"It's part of the game. You have to be able to deal with different things," said Scheifele. "The team won (Saturday). That's the biggest thing, that should be the biggest thing on everyone's mind. It shouldn't be ice time, it shouldn't be points. It should be the team winning. That's all I'm really worried about."

Good answer. But the Jets, and Noel in particular, also understand that many young players who come from junior want it all right away. It comes for some, for others, it takes awhile.

"Patience isn't part of the repertoire for young players," said Noel. "It's something they have to learn and go through and we have to be able to have dialogue to explain the patient part as they are understanding what it takes. You have to sell it to them, like you have to sell it with other players.

"Mark has been with us for two years in parts. I'm sure he had an expectation level and goals set at the start of the year. I don't think he needs to veer from that goal."



Jets' Postma out indefinitely after blood clot discovered in leg

By: Ed Tait

Posted: 10/27/2013 5:16 PM

Last Modified: 10/27/2013 5:36 PM

DENVER – Winnipeg Jets defenceman Paul Postma has been shelved indefinitely by the team after it was discovered he has a blood clot in his leg.

Postma, 24, played in Saturday night’s 2-1 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars and was with the team this morning at the Pepsi Center doing some off-ice workout stuff at an optional skate. He played 15 minutes and 10 seconds against the Stars, blocking three shots and registering one of his own.

"We just learned of it today so we're doing some follow-up stuff on that as we speak," Jets coach Claude Noel said Sunday afternoon. "It's longer than week-to-week. It's unfortunate.

"He sensed that something was up, he just didn't know it was of that magnitude."

Postma doesn’t need to be hospitalized, but will be taking blood thinners and will remain with the team through the rest of the road trip before returning to Winnipeg after Tuesday’s game to be further evaluated by the team’s doctors.

Adam Pardy will draw into the lineup for the Jets for tonight’s game against the Colorado Avalanche and there are no immediate plans to call anyone up from St. John’s.



Roy's simple plan has Avs ascending with Jets in town

By Ted Wyman

First posted: Sunday, October 27, 2013 01:36 PM CDT

Updated: Sunday, October 27, 2013 06:24 PM CDT

DENVER – It’s been one of the most memorable coaching debuts in NHL history.

In his first season as head coach in the NHL, Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy has led the Colorado Avalanche to a remarkable 9-1 record through the first 10 games.

The Avs lead the league in many statistical categories and their dressing room was buzzing with confidence and excitement as they prepared to play the Winnipeg Jets Sunday night at the Pepsi Centre.

“We want to make sure we remain humble,” Roy said Sunday morning. “We don’t want to get too high after wins. We also certainly want to make sure we focus on things we can control. What we control obviously is how we prepare ourselves.”

Roy was a highly successful junior hockey coach before taking the reins in Colorado this season. He says he still uses the same techniques that helped him win in the QMJHL.

“Yes, absolutely,” he said. “The details are the same but it’s easier for these players to execute. You cannot do it in junior if you don’t practice, but in the NHL you are capable of making those adjustments.

“The important thing is the players feel that they are not locked in that structure. They can work inside of it, they can find their niche and they can create a lot of offence out of it. We want to play well defensively, we want to be in the right place, but the players don’t feel we want to be a defensive team.”

Imagine what their numbers would be like if they were trying to be a shutdown defensive team? The Avalanche have given up the fewest goals against in the entire NHL. Just 14 in 10 games.

Goaltenders Semyon Varlamov and J-S Giguere have been incredibly good and the defence corps solid, while a group of younger forwards gets the job done up front.

“We give them the freedom they want offensively,” Roy said of his players. “I want them to be creative. That’s what the fans are coming for anyways. They want to see some great plays offensively.”

Roy says what has worked well for him so far is not trying to be as much a coach as a member of the team with a common goal.

“I’m here to be their partner.,” Roy said. “I certainly want to help them to get some ideas, come up with different strategies, make some adjustments and the players are very receptive to that. It excites them and keeps them very focused for the game.”

Things have calmed down for Roy since the opening game of the season when he blew a gasket and had a screaming match with Anaheim Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau.

But the Avalanche certainly haven’t stopped winning.

On Sunday night they’ll face Jets team that has earned points in the last three games and beat the Dallas Stars 2-1 in a shootout Saturday night.

“I watched the game last night and other games as well,” Roy said of the Jets. “This is a good team. They feel like they’ve been up and down a bit I thought they played OK Saturday. Their goaltender was outstanding. They have good offence, they have guys that can score goals and their defence is not bad either, so we’re going to have to be good right at the start of the game.

“I expect them to have a good start tonight.”

The Jets, who are 5-5-2 overall and 2-1-1 on the road, are expected to start backup goaltender Al Montoya, though that was not set in stone after an optional morning skate. Varlamov will get the start for the Avalanche..

One of the 10 players who took part in the skate was rookie centre Mark Scheifele, who had only 7:39 of ice time on Saturday night and was replaced on the second line by centre Olli Jokinen.

“It’s part of the game,” Scheifele said. “You have to be able to deal with different things. The team won and that should be the biggest goal in everyone’s mind. It shouldn’t be ice time and it shouldn’t be points.

“Obviously, you want to be on the ice and you want to be playing but it’s something you don’t have control over. All you can do is worry about what you can do. There’s some ups and downs to the season but that’s just the pro lifestyle. You’ve got to be able to deal with adversity.”

The Jets have played three solid games in a row, recording a shootout win, a shootout loss and an overtime loss along the way.

“The last few games have been good building blocks for us,” Scheifele said.

The puck drops at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.28.2013


Winnipeg Jets: Again with the power play problems?

By Ted Wyman


Updated: Monday, October 28, 2013 12:24 AM CDT

DENVER - If you will, blame poor puck handling decisions, a lack of killer instinct or even tired legs for the third-period implosion that cost the Winnipeg Jets a chance to knock off the hottest team in the NHL.

At the end of the day, this was all about an age-old problem for the Jets – the inability to score on the power play.

The Jets had five power play opportunities to just one by Colorado, but it was the Avalanche who skated away with 3-2 victory Sunday night at the Pepsi Center, thanks to an inspired comeback in the late stages of the game.

The Jets, who finished last in the entire NHL in power play percentage last season, have now gone 26 straight man-advantages without scoring a goal.

“At the end of the day, we all know, we were 0-for-5 and it cost us the game,” Jets coach Claude Noel said. “It’s a momentum killer. It’s like shooting yourself in the foot over and over again.

“It was a game that will go down as one we could have won. In the third, you could say we imploded. Our decisions were poor.”

The Jets got goals by Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler to take a 2-1 lead into the third period against an Avalanche team that has lost only once this season. The Jets, now 5-6-2, were looking good, with backup goalie Al Montoya playing extremely well and holding the dangerous Colorado forwards at bay for the most part.

But the Avs poured it on in the third, forced turnovers and used their exceptional speed and passing to produce goals by Jan Hejda and Paul Stastny and take the lead.

“We didn’t want the puck,” Jets forward Evander Kane said. “For some reason when we have leads in the third period we think playing defence means sitting back. We had way too many turnovers in our own end.”

Fittingly, the winning goal for the Avs came shortly after another failed Jets power play and after rookie Mark Scheifele made a meek pass behind his own net that led to a key turnover.

“We could have closed the game out,” Noel said. “If you look at the last two goals, there were some mistakes that were poor in a lot of ways. The biggest disappointment for me in this game is this was a game all of us believed we had a chance to win. Regardless of whose record is what, the game was up for grabs and to me, we let it slip away, it’s that simple.

“We created quite a few of our own problems. You had to really give your head a shake.”

Matt Duchene scored early in the first period for the Avs, who dominated for six or seven minutes off the opening faceoff but looked beatable for most of the first 40 minutes.

The Jets were playing like the team that had earned points in the previous three games and were 2-1-1 on the road coming into the game. But, after playing Saturday night in Dallas, you knew that would be difficult to sustain and the Jets simply couldn’t pull it off.

“We just got outplayed,” said Little, who scored his sixth goal of the season. “They came out a lot harder than us. They came out in the third on a mission and they wanted to win the game. We came out flat and we watched them. Having a 2-1 lead going into the third we should do a lot better than that.

“Tonight the power play could have been a difference-maker and we fell flat again.”

To be fair, the Jets did score just seconds after a power play Sunday night and got another on a delayed penalty Thursday night. But the record still shows they haven’t scored in 26 attempts, a number that has to be eating them alive.

“We can’t expect to win a game if we’re not putting our best foot forward against a team like this,” forward Devin Setoguchi said. “It starts with me, starts with the guys on the power play. We need to figure it out right away.”

Somehow, given how long this power play has struggled with the same personnel, that doesn’t seem likely.

We’ll leave the last words to Setoguchi:

“We are just in disarray.”



Blood clot shelves Jets' Postma indefinitely

By Ted Wyman



DENVER -- Jets defenceman Paul Postma will be sidelined indefinitely after doctors found a blood clot in his leg Sunday.

Postma attended the Jets gameday skate prior to Sunday's mathcup against the Colorado Avalanche and was seen riding an exercise bike, but he complained of leg pain shortly thereafter.

The Jets said they are still following up with doctors on the diagnosis but expect him to be out of the lineup long term.

He was replaced in the lineup Sunday by Adam Pardy.

"It's unfortunate," Jets head coach Claude Noel said. "I think he sensed something was up, just didn't know it was that magnitude."

"I don't have any information on the term because we just learned of it (Sunday) and we're doing some follow up stuff as we speak."

Postma, 24, has no points, six penalty minutes and is even in six games this season.

Noel said there were no plans to immediately call up a replacement as the St. John's IceCaps were playing in Providence on Sunday.

Zach Redmond would be the likely candidate, but has not played yet this year due to injury.



Jets Snapshots: Time to shuffle Scheifele?

By Ken Wiebe



The calls to send Mark Scheifele down to the minors are picking up steam and it’s easy to see why.

Obviously, there are parts of the rookie’s game that still need serious work and some of those shortcomings in the defensive zone are ending up in the back of the Winnipeg Jets net.

This is not to pin Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Colorado Avalanche on Scheifele — plenty of costly mistakes were made in the contest— but there’s no disputing his third-period turnover was a contributing factor to the game-winning goal that Paul Stastny scored with just over five minutes to play.

Scheifele lost the puck, then was a bit late getting to veteran Alex Tanguay down low and two passes later, the Jets were picking the puck out of their net and wondering what happened to that 2-1 they had built just past the midway point of the second period after goals by Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler.

My advice to those hoping No. 55 gets a ticket to Newfoundland during the next few days?

Relax and take a deep breath.

No, the NHL is not a place where much on-the-job training can occur but to ship Scheifele out of town at the first sign of adversity isn’t the right thing to do either.

When the Jets committed to the 20-year-old in training camp and made him their No. 2 centre, they did so with the understanding that there were going to be growing pains — serious growing pains — and dealing with them is part of the deal.

This is just another part of the learning process.

The past two games have been rough on Scheifele, but before that, the seventh overall pick in 2011 was starting to show some positive signs and get more involved offensively, though his numbers (one goal, three points in 13 games) don’t exactly jump off the page.

There’s a fear that if Scheifele doesn’t find offensive success soon, his confidence could suffer.

See how the centre responds first and don’t do anything rash before reaching the quarter pole.

Plenty of veterans are making mistakes too and besides, what are the Jets options at centre?

Eric O’Dell had a strong training camp and his first NHL look should come this year, but can you say with any certainty that he’s an upgrade over Scheifele right now?

O’Dell has five goals and nine points in nine American Hockey League games this season, but his experience is limited.

The other option the Jets could consider would be to sign a veteran like Manny Malhotra, who is playing for the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL and has no points in seven games.

Malhotra could help the Jets with their woes in the faceoff circle and bring some leadership, but the hasn’t been more than a complementary player for a few years.

LOOSE PUCKS

In just his second start and game of the season, Jets backup Al Montoya finished with 33 saves and did what he is supposed to do, give his team a chance to win. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, it’s important the Jets find a way to get Montoya 15-to-20 starts...A blood-clot injury to Paul Postma opened the door for Adam Pardy to return to lineup and the Newfoundlander chipped in an assist and two hits in nearly 14 minutes of work...D Zach Redmond is making progress from lower-body injury he suffered during an IceCaps practice and could return to game action on Wednesday. Provided all goes well, don’t be surprised to see him join the Jets shortly thereafter.



Jets fall 3-2 to Avalanche

Staff report



It wasn’t a lack of energy as the Winnipeg Jets played on consecutive nights for the first time this season, it was a simple lack of execution.

Paul Stastny converted a pass from Gabriel Landeskog at 14:32 of the third period to lead the Colorado Avalanche to a 3-2 victory over the Jets on Sunday night at Pepsi Center.

Bryan Little and Blake Wheeler had the goals for the Jets, who are 1-1-1 on the four-game road trip that wraps up Tuesday in St. Louis against the Blues.

Both Little and Wheeler had a goal and an assist in the contest as the Jets built a 2-1 lead they could not protect.

Al Montoya, making just his second start of the season, had 33 saves for the Jets.

Matt Duchene and Jan Hejda also scored for the Avalanche, who got 23 saves from Semyon Varlamov.

The Jets fell to 5-6-2, while the Avalanche continue to lead the Central Division standings with a 10-1 record under new head coach Patrick Roy.

Thanks to an 0-for-5 showing for the Jets power play, they’ve now gone 0-for-26 with the man advantage and haven’t scored a power-play marker since Oct. 11 against the Dallas Stars.

LOOSE PUCKS: The Jets made two lineup changes on Sunday, inserting D Adam Pardy for Paul Postma and RW Chris Thorburn for Anthony Peluso ... Postma is out indefinitely after suffering a blood clot in his leg ... Jets C Olli Jokinen suited up in his 1,100th NHL regular season game on Sunday night.


723766 Vancouver Canucks

Ovechkin back on track as he preps to face Canucks on Monday

By Steve Ewen

October 27, 2013

Maybe it will take an Alex Ovechkin autobiography for all of us to figure out what truly happened to his game for the better part of 2010-12.

The Great 8 comes to Rogers Arena Monday night with the Washington Capitals to take on the Vancouver Canucks in the midst of the best start of his NHL career, with 10 goals in 11 games. Put that it together with the way he ended last year, and Ovechkin has 32 goals in his past 32 regular season encounters.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last player to score more than 30 times in 30 regular season contests was former Canuck Pavel Bure, who pulled it off over two seasons in 2001 while playing for the Florida Panthers.

Numbers wise, this Ovechkin, who just turned 28 years of age, matches up with the Ovechkin who averaged 54 goals his first five years in the NHL.

He doesn’t mesh with the guy who was wearing his jersey and scored 32 goals for the Capitals in 2010-11 and then 38 the following year. That guy put up 65 points in 2011-12, which was good enough for 37th in league scoring.

That was in the Valtterri Filppula, Max Pacioretty and Teddy Purcell neighbourhood of the NHL points list that season. Don’t get us wrong, those are all solid players. They just haven’t ended up in too many paragraphs alongside Ovechkin. Those guys didn’t sign a 13-year, $124-million contract in January, 2008.

Ovechkin was duelling Sidney Crosby for greatest player in the world for five seasons. He finished last season in such a fashion that he won his third Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player and he’s started this campaign in such a way that people are talking about him being a 50-goal, 50-game man if the 2014 Sochi Olympics and his role with the event don’t intervene.

In between those periods, columnists like Bruce Arthur were writing things like, “He’s still in there, somewhere. If only he could let himself out,” in a Dec. 1, 2011, Province story with with headline, “What is it with Alex Ovechkin?”

In Calgary, prior to the Flames up-ending the Capitals by a 5-2 count on Saturday, Ovechkin told reporters: “I feel comfortable right now. When you feel comfortable, it’s easy to play and easy to do some work.”

You have to wonder if it’s really that simple.

Maybe Vancouver 2010 did him in. Russia came in as a gold-medal contender but was ushered out after the quarterfinals, thanks to getting their doors blown off by Canada in a 7-3 romp. There were assorted murmurs that week about the Russians having way too much fun off the ice.

Maybe it was a lingering effect of Ovechkin’s testy relationship with coach Bruce Boudreau, who was fired by Washington in November, 2011.

Maybe it was time off and an incompetent stunt double. Or maybe it was stress from those CCM commercials he did, like the one where a kid came across a creepy floating Ovechkin head in his school locker and wound up with crazed Ovechkin laugh to close things out.

Doubt that last one if you want. But Ovechkin did opt against renewing his CCM deal in August, 2011 and signed on with Bauer instead.

It could a combination of many things, also including Ovechkin being excited about being the face of Sochi, and Washington coach Adam Oates giving opponents a different look by moving Ovechkin from left wing to the right side. Oates is undoubtedly part of what’s at play here, too, you can bet, considering the understanding he’d have of emotional, goal-scoring types from his time playing with Brett Hull.

Whatever it is, it’s good theatre, that’s for sure. And maybe one day it’ll be a good chapter or two in a book.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.28.2013

723767 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks open a homestand after winning for coach John Tortorella

By Iain MacIntyre

October 27, 2013

VANCOUVER - After all we’d seen, heard and been conditioned to believe, John Tortorella has been such a disappointment with the Vancouver Canucks.

Thirteen games into the regular season, he hasn’t screamed at any reporters, referees or players on his bench. The only guy he has yelled at is Keith Acton, and the Edmonton Oilers’ assistant coach deserved it. A warning to reporters about their cellphones? That’s the most volatile Torts has been? We remember worse from Tom Renney.

All Tortorella does is just stand behind the bench and ... and ... coach. We can’t even tell what that Mona Lisa grin of his means most of the time. And, yet, no Canuck had a better road trip than Tortorella.

Well, maybe Henrik Sedin did.

That and other random thoughts as the 8-4-1 Canucks, after a full weekend off thanks to Torts-the-magnanimous, open a three-game homestand tonight against the Washington Capitals.

KA-CHING: During contract negotiations, great players rarely get cheaper when the general manager waits. With their performance on the Canucks’ 5-1-1 road odyssey, which finished with back-to-back wins in St. Louis and New Jersey, Daniel and Henrik Sedin may have added another year and a half-million per season to their next deals.

Although general manager Mike Gillis and agent J.P. Barry have maintained a publicity blackout, the sides are believed to be periodically chipping away at an extension for the twins, who are eligible for unrestricted free agency after this season.

If Henrik plays the final 69 games like he has the first 13, he’ll win the Hart Trophy if Sidney Crosby gets hurt. The Canuck captain had points in all seven games on the trip, inching into second in National Hockey League scoring before Sunday’s schedule, and in its final 28 hours logged 50:47 of ice time.

Sedin’s 25:04 of playing time Friday in St. Louis and 25:53 Thursday in New Jersey were the busiest regular-season nights in his 13-year career. Daniel, who had two goals and five points in the seven games, set a career-high with 25:25 in New Jersey before taking it easy with 24:06 on Friday. Henrik and Daniel averaged 19:21 and 19:01 last season.

With a new coach, new system and a pile of injuries, the Sedins have never seemed more important to the Canucks in October.

The notion held by some that GM Mike Gillis somehow might get the 33-year-olds to accept a two- or three-year deal at close to their current salaries of $6.1 million seems nonsensical. Toronto Maple Leaf Phil Kessel, outscored by the Sedins over the last three seasons, recently signed for $8 million per year and Detroit Red Wing Pavel Datsyuk, who is 35, has a new three-year extension worth $7.5-million annually starting next season.

The Sedins were never going to come cheap. And they’re getting less so by the week.

TORTS POOL: Here’s predicting that when Torts finally blows, it will be because he has been asked for the 17th straight day about overplaying his top forwards. Ryan Kesler (22:32), Henrik (22:24) and Daniel (22:09) are now second, third and fourth in ice time among NHL forwards. Playing in a Western Conference outpost, during an Olympic year that features a compressed schedule with more travel than ever before.

Tortorella chided reporters on the road trip, reiterating that he simply doesn’t believe there’s some threshold of minutes beyond which his top players shouldn’t go. He’s wrong, of course. It’s a physiological certainty that every player has limits, otherwise the best ones would play 60 minutes a night. And Gillis, a man of science, knows this.

The minutes for Kesler and the Sedins are not sustainable.

THE PACIFIC THEATRE: Lest there was any doubt about how much tougher realignment has made it for the Canucks to make the playoffs, their winning percentage of .654 was only fourth best in the Pacific Division as of Sunday afternoon. Even at 8-4-1, the Canucks were barely ahead by winning percentage of the fifth-place Los Angeles Kings, who had a game Sunday night against the Edmonton Oilers.

The Canucks get the Kings and the rest of the mighty Pacific’s top five during a road trip that starts next Tuesday against the Phoenix Coyotes. Only the top three finishers in each of the NHL’s four remade divisions are guaranteed playoff spots, although there are two wild card berths per conference.

WHO’S ON FOURTH? In fairness to Tortorella, he hasn’t had much choice with the playing time of his top players. Not if he wants to win. There are five injured forwards missing from a lineup that had questionable third- and fourth-line depth to begin with.

Already, the Canucks have used 19 different players, including defencemen, at forward positions this season. A couple of nights on the road, Vancouver barely had a third line, let alone a fourth.

Key winger Alex Burrows, out since cracking a bone-blocking shot in the Canucks’ season-opener Oct. 3, should return to the lineup this week. Forwards Jannik Hansen and Jordan Schroeder were placed on the long-term-injured list last week, meaning they’ll be out a minimum 10 games.

GOOD NEWS: Beyond the play of the Sedins, the rebirth of Kesler as a goal-scoring winger, and the NHL resurrection of forward Mike Santorelli, there were some other vital developments on the road trip for the Canucks.

Rookie backup goalie Eddie Lack, coming off major hip surgery, is proving he is NHL-ready and capable of starting in at least the 17 back-to-back situations the Canucks face this season. Key defencemen Alex Edler and Kevin Bieksa are playing some of the best hockey of their careers, 23-year-old blueliner Chris Tanev averaged 21:07 on the trip and sixth defenceman Ryan Stanton, 24, looks like a waiver-pickup lottery prize.

And the Canucks’ power play is now only the sixth-worst in the league after generating the overtime winner in St. Louis where, a day after Tortorella implored officials to give his reformed team “some goddam calls,” Vancouver had more man-advantages than the opposition for just the second time this season.

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 10.28.2013

723768 Websites

ESPN / DiPietro gets a shot with Canes' AHL club

October, 27, 2013

6:14 PM ET

By Scott Burnside | ESPN.com

The door to the NHL hasn’t opened wide for former No. 1 draft pick Rick DiPietro, but a professional tryout by the Carolina Hurricanes with their American Hockey League affiliate in Charlotte opens it a crack, and that’s a crack that didn’t exist last week.

"When he’s healthy and he’s into it, he can stop pucks," Carolina GM Jim Rutherford told ESPN.com on Sunday. "That’s what we’re hoping he can do."

DiPietro, a free agent after being bought out of the remaining eight years of his 15-year, $67.5 million deal by the New York Islanders in the offseason, had been working out with the Boston College hockey team when Rutherford inquired about his availability.

Rutherford hopes DiPietro will start two games for the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday and Thursday, and then they’ll assess their options. The Hurricanes have been laid low by injuries to their top two goaltenders, Cam Ward, who is out for at least a month with a lower-body injury, and backup Anton Khudobin, who has been out for more than two weeks with what is believed to be a foot injury. Khudobin, who has been excellent for the Hurricanes, could take shots Monday, but his return timetable remains cloudy -- hence the interest in DiPietro.

The Hurricanes, tied for second with the Islanders in the mediocre Metropolitan Division with a 4-4-3 record, have been relying on Justin Peters, who has little NHL experience.

"But what happens if he goes down?" Rutherford asked.

Although the team examined a number of goaltending options, including a number of former NHL netminders currently without work, Rutherford liked the idea of seeing what DiPietro could do.

The veteran GM said he met DiPietro, 32, during last season’s contract talks and liked what he saw in DiPietro’s personality and attitude. The two main obstacles that have dogged DiPietro in recent years -- his health and his monster contract that had become, in the end, a kind of albatross -- are both gone, Rutherford noted.

"He's got a lot of things behind him," Rutherford said. Now, he’s back to square one. “It’s a very good opportunity for him,” Rutherford added, even if DiPietro doesn't end up signing with the Hurricanes.

DiPietro played only three games for the Islanders last season, losing all three before being put on waivers and sent to the team’s AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, where he played 18 games. Since 2008-09, DiPietro has played only 50 NHL games.

ESPN LOADED: 10.28.2013

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NBCSports.com / Report: Rinne says bacterial infection ‘very serious’

Joe Yerdon

Oct 27, 2013, 4:01 PM EDT

Pekka Rinne‘s bacterial infection that will keep him out for up to a month isn’t just a big deal for keeping him off the ice, but also for putting his health in danger.

Josh Cooper of The Tennessean shares a translated report from a Finnish magazine, Urheilulehti, in which Rinne says the infection in his hip was deemed “very serious” and some of the details of how it came about may sound familiar.

“It started aching during the evening. I had a fever and my other leg began to swell up,” Rinne said. “The next day I was sent to the operating surgeons . From there they took samples, and they were sent to a laboratory. They

found a bacterial infection.”

“I will be taking antibiotics for a while now. I have a cannula in my arm for four weeks.”

What Rinne is dealing with sounds eerily similar to what Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Tomas Vokoun has with his blood clot issue that put him on the shelf for 3-6 months. Fortunately for the Predators, Rinne is only slated to miss a month.

NBCSports.com / LOADED: 10.28.2013

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NBCSports.com / Lundqvist will play in Rangers home opener Monday

Joe Yerdon

Oct 27, 2013, 2:57 PM EDT

The New York Rangers will have Henrik Lundqvist back for their home opener.

Rangers coach Alain Vigneault announced Lundqvist will get the start against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday night, the team’s first home game of the year. He missed their last two games with an undisclosed injury.

Lundqvist tells Andrew Gross of Ranger Rants he’s 100-percent and pain free and ready to play. Backup Cam Talbot started their previous two games losing 2-1 to the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday and beating the Detroit Red Wings 3-2 in overtime on Saturday night.

This season, Lundqvist has had his ups and downs. Along with the injury he’s also struggled out of the gate with his save percentage below .900 and his goals-against average above 3.00 and winning just two out of seven games played. He does have a 2-0 shutout win against the Washington Capitals, however.

Tags: Alain Vigneault, Cam Talbot, Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers


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NBCSports.com / Ducks recall 2009 first-round pick Holland

Joe Yerdon

Oct 27, 2013, 2:31 PM EDT

Anaheim Ducks forward Mathieu Perreault is banged up and they’re calling on Peter Holland to help fill out ranks.

The team recalled the 2009 first-round pick from Norfolk in the AHL to help fill out the starting lineup while Perreault is hurting. Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register says Nick Bonino will take Perreault’s spot on the second line and Holland will play on the fourth line.

Holland played in 21 games last season for the Ducks scoring three goals with two assists in a fourth line role. He was the 15th overall selection in the 2009 draft by the team.

Perreault, meanwhile, was spotted wearing a soft brace on his left hand/wrist and Stephens says it’s at least not broken. He was acquired from Washington earlier this season.


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NBCSports.com / Oilers recall Bachman and Lander from AHL

Joe Yerdon

Oct 27, 2013, 1:29 PM EDT

The Edmonton Oilers have called up goalie Richard Bachman and forward Anton Lander from the American Hockey League and it’s got fans wondering what’s up in goal.

Bachman being called up has some wondering if he’s taking Jason LaBarbera‘s job as Devan Dubnyk‘s backup. LaBarbera gave up five goals in the Oilers’ 5-4 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes and his season numbers to this point are, bluntly, abysmal.

Jonathan Willis of the Edmonton Journal has some thoughts on the move.

The Bachman recall is a bit of a surprise. It’s unclear at this point how the Oilers have managed to fit him on the roster; it’s possible that they waived Jason LaBarbera after yet another poor outing (though there has been no word yet on that front), that one of their goalies is injured or that they simply moved enough bodies to injured reserve to carry three goalies for the time being.

Dubnyk hasn’t played very well of late either, but he’s been a bit better than LaBarbera. At this point the Oilers could use any kind of improvement in goal.


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NBCSports.com / Jagr blames new sticks for lack of goals, says ‘I have to start scoring’

Joe Yerdon

Oct 27, 2013, 12:07 PM EDT

Even though the New Jersey Devils came back and surprised the Boston Bruins on Saturday night, Jaromir Jagr is feeling the pressure to perform better.

Jagr is tied for the team lead in points with nine (with Marek Zidlicky) but has just two goals. Rich Chere of The Star-Ledger shares the future Hall of Famer’s take of his own play that centers around his apparently poor equipment.

“I have to start scoring,” Jagr said. “I don’t score as many goals as I would like to or have as many chances. It might have something to do with my sticks. I had to change my sticks this year. The company I (got) my sticks from went into bankruptcy. It’s not easy when you’re 41 to change all of a sudden. The game is so quick, a little difference and you lose the puck.”

They always say a good craftsman never blames his tools, but after scoring 683 career goals we can give Jagr a little bit of leeway here. Besides, after helping spark the Devils comeback with two assists against Boston maybe he’s found a new career as a set-up man.


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NBCSports.com / Hanzal to have hearing on Monday about Petry hit

Joe Yerdon

Oct 27, 2013, 11:10 AM EDT

Phoenix Coyotes forward Martin Hanzal will have a talk with the NHL about his hit on Edmonton Oilers defenseman Jeff Petry on Saturday night.

The league announced Hanzal will have a hearing on Monday over the elbow he connected with Petry at 13:42 of the first period during the Coyotes’ 5-4 win over the Oilers. Petry was rattled by the hit but stayed in the game. Hanzal was assessed a minor penalty for charging.

Hanzal does have a record for the league to consider. He was given a one-game suspension for boarding Los Angeles Kings forward Dustin Brown during the 2012 playoffs.


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NBCSports.com / Bolland’s play a huge boon to Maple Leafs success

Joe Yerdon

Oct 27, 2013, 10:27 AM EDT

When the Toronto Maple Leafs traded for Dave Bolland over the summer, not many people thought they were getting as good of a player as he’s been early on this season.

Through 12 games, Bolland has 10 points including six goals. On top of that he’s often been matching up against the opponents’ top centers, as was the case in the Maple Leafs’ 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday.

Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle told reporters following last night’s game, as Chris Johnston of Sportsnet shares, he’s been invaluable so far.

“He’s been everything that we’ve asked,” Carlyle gushed when asked about Bolland. “He’s a model for our younger players.”

Further to that, Carlyle holds Bolland up as an example to other players on how to prepare correctly for games.

While Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk pile up the points, Bolland is doing that and working his defensive game to the tune of playing over 20 minutes a game. Maybe buying out Mikhail Grabovski was the right move for Toronto after all.


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NBCSports.com / Toews after loss to Wild: ‘We know we want to be better than that’

Joe Yerdon

Oct 27, 2013, 9:15 AM EDT

Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews wasn’t very pleased with his team after losing to the Minnesota Wild 5-3 on Saturday night.

Toews told reporters following the game he knows his team is better than they’ve shown as Tracey Myers of CSNChicago.com shared.

“We know we want to be better than that,” Jonathan Toews said. “That’s two games in a row that we gave up five goals or more. It’s one thing that people are talking about us not scoring but sometimes you don’t need to score that many to win if you’re playing good defensively. We had breakdowns, we had turnovers inside our zone, we had miscommunications and some penalties that we shouldn’t have taken.”

The defensive breakdowns by the Blackhawks are something too new to the team. After showing last season during their Stanley Cup run, they’re more than capable of keeping opponents off the score sheet.

After dropping this game to the Wild and a firewagon hockey-like 6-5 overtime game to the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Blackhawks have some things to figure out before they play the Wild again on Monday.


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USA TODAY / Sabres trade Thomas Vanek to Islanders

Kevin Allen,

9:10 p.m. EDT October 27, 2013

The Buffalo Sabres started the final phase of their rebuilding project by trading prize goal scorer Thomas Vanek to the New York Islanders for a package that includes Matt Moulson, a first-round draft pick in 2014 and a second-rounder in 2015.

At some point this season, the Sabres could also trade veterans Ryan Miller and Steve Ott as rental players.

From the Islanders' perspective, they are landing one of the NHL's premium goal scorers, possibly a perfect fit for prized center John Tavares. Vanek has hit the 40-goal mark twice, and generated 20 goals last season in 38 games. He has four goals this season.

MORE: Sharks keep surging

The Islanders have shown they can be a factor in the Metropolitan Division, and Vanek has been a difference-maker throughout his career.

The catch is that Vanek will be an unrestricted free agent next summer, and Vanek, 29, might simply want to see what's available to him. He owns a year-round home in Minnesota.

From the Sabres' perspective, this is a strong return for a rental player. He has scored 30 or more goals three times in his career and posted 44 points in 47 games last season. Moulson also will be an unrestricted free agent, but the Sabres might feel like they have a reasonable chance to re-sign him.

In the meantime, Moulson, who has six goals in 11 games this season, could partially replace Vanek's offensive contributions.

The key for the Sabres is the first- and second-round picks, viewed as crucial to their hopes of rebuilding the team.

USA TODAY LOADED: 10.28.2013

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USA TODAY / Why this may be the best San Jose Sharks team in franchise history

By Kevin Allen

October 27, 2013 at 11:20am EDT

The San Jose Sharks (9-1-1) will be aiming for their 20th and 21st point in 12 games tonight when they play in Ottawa (5 p.m.). The Sharks may rest goalie Antti Niemi for the first time this season, giving backup Alex Stalock his first start.

Here’s why the Sharks may have their best shot at a Stanley Cup.

1. Blackhawks vibe: There are similarities between these Sharks and the Chicago team that has won two of the last four Stanley Cup titles. Speed. Transition game. Scoring depth.

2. Olds dogs, new tricks: The Sharks seem to have the perfect blend of older veterans (Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Dan Boyle), established difference makers (Logan Couture and Joe Pavelski) and a young star in waiting (Tomas Hertl).

3. Goalie best in the west: When you factor in experience, accomplishments and current level of play, Niemi is the best goalie in the Western Conference. He’s already won a Stanley Cup, and he’s durable and he is in the prime of his career. He has the perfect unflappable demeanor.

4. Sneaky good defense: Aside from Boyle, Sharks defensemen don’t often find the spotlight. But Brad Stuart, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Jason Demers, Scott Hannan, Matt Irwin and Justin Braun are playing at a high level as a group. This is mobile, cohesive, puck possession defense that knows how to defend, reclaim the puck and move it up ice. Would you be shocked if I told you Braun is averaging more minutes (21:31) than anyone on the San Jose defense right now? He’s presently one of the NHL’s most underrated players.

5. Strong supporting cast: The Sharks’ depth is better than it has been in the past. The third and fourth lines are quicker, more dangerous. They put pressure on the opposition. Players such as Tommy Wingels, Matt Nieto and Tyler Kennedy are all making key contributions on a nightly basis. Their contributions help make the Sharks’ the NHL’s highest-scoring offense and the Western Conference’s best 5-on-5.

Your games tonight:

San Jose at Ottawa, 5

Tampa Bay at Florida, 5

Anaheim at Columbus, 6

Winnipeg at Colorado, 8

Edmonton at Los Angeles, 9


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USA TODAY / Brandon Dubinsky ejected for hit that injured Saku Koivu

Mike Brehm,

9:50 p.m. EDT October 27, 2013

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky was ejected from Sunday's game for a hit that knocked the Anaheim Ducks' Saku Koivu out of the game.

Dubinsky stepped up with 35 seconds left in the second period and hit Koivu soon after he released the puck. He received a five-minute major for interference, plus a game misconduct. On-ice officials conferred with one another before handing out the penalty.

Koivu was dazed and helped by a teammate to the dressing room. There were no immediate update on his condition, though the Ducks said one might be available on Monday.

Dubinsky had picked up his second short-handed point in two games when he set up Artem Anisimov.

He was fined $10,000 last season for boarding Rob Scuderi, then with the Los Angeles Kings.

Dubinsky addressed reporters after the game:

"Obviously, I don't think I'm a dirty player and I don't think I was targeting his head. I understand the league is trying to crack down on hits to the head, and I don't think it was one. You never want to hit somebody and hurt them. It's a game, we're all competitive and you want to make sure that everybody's safe. Like I said, I don't think I targeted his head there and I feel bad that Koivu didn't return to the game."

MORE: Vanek traded to Islanders

On the hit, he said:

"I was just going to finish my check. I know he moved the puck, but it was less than a second between him moving the puck and the hit actually happening. I thought I hit him square and there was no malicious intent behind it. The refs didn't have the call...the linesman made the call and they said he made the call. I'm not a dirty player; I play the game honest. I went out there to make a body check, not to injure Koivu."


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