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CAROLINA HURRICANES NEWS CLIPPINGS • December 3, 2014

DeCock: Small crowd, big win for Hurricanes

By Luke DeCock - staff columnist

[email protected] 2, 2014

RALEIGH — With the Carolina Hurricanes up a goal late in the second period, after a prolonged sequence of offensive pressure, the team was ushered into a timeout by spontaneous cheers.

It wasn't nearly as loud as the Hurricanes probably deserved, outplaying one of the NHL's best teams on its way to a 2-1 win over the Nashville Predators, but it was the best an announced crowd of 9,161 could do Tuesday - a figure that has become all too common for a team that ranks 29th out of 30 teams in attendance this season, thanks to fewer discounts and complementary tickets off the ice and a general lack of interest in the team on the ice.

These are unusual times. The Hurricanes hadn't had a decent-weather crowd in four figures since 2003. (The blizzard-brave 6,896 in January 2010 clearly endured exceptional circumstances.) They have had two in the past three weeks. As the momentum of the Stanley Cup win in 2006 has ebbed, along with the playoff runs that bookended it, so have the crowds. A few years ago, an audience this small would have been unthinkable.

"It was a little sparse," Hurricanes captain Eric Staal said. "But the people who were there were into it, energetic."

To underscore those circumstances Tuesday, the man who coached the Hurricanes to the Cup was behind the bench of a first-place team: Peter Laviolette, off to a near-flawless start in his first season with the Predators. Two other members of that 2006 bunch were with him, assistant coach Kevin McCarthy and center Matt Cullen, part of so many good memories here, typically in a much fuller building.

The Predators have been the NHL's bellweather small-market, non-traditional franchise, weathering attendance woes, ownership uncertainty and a general lack of playoff success year after year, but almost always making the playoffs, at least until the past two years.

They bottomed out to grab defenseman Seth Jones in the draft when they missed two years ago, then brought in Laviolette

after missing again last year. Back on stride this season, they continue to deliver competitive consistency, in direct contrast to the Hurricanes' boom-and-bust history.

If the question facing a market outside the Hockey Belt is whether it's better for business to be good most of the time but rarely great, or great once in a while but rarely good, these franchises epitomize the extremes.

Tuesday's crowd reflected the general lack of optimism surrounding the Hurricanes' current fortunes. That may change soon. Either the Hurricanes will either catch fire and make a run at the playoffs, or new general manager Ron Francis will pull the trigger on what's probably an inevitable fire sale. Either way, that should raise an eyebrow or two - as would the addition of a franchise player with a top-three pick in June's draft.

At the moment, the ennui remains evident in the stands. While weeknight games against non-marquee opponents are always the toughest sells, they have been historically sparse this season. Monday and Thursday games one week last month drew 19,911 fans … combined.

The low-water mark in Hurricanes history remains the 7,016 who came out on Halloween 2000 to see the Hurricanes face the Tampa Bay Lightning. The novelty of the new arena had worn off. The team had missed the playoffs the year before and was expected to do the same again. That isn't how it turned out.

The attendances in the 8,000s ended in 2003, thanks to a season-ticket base that even in these doldrums is drastically healthier than it was a decade ago, but it certainly isn't what it once was. This is what's left: A chilly Tuesday night for the die-hard and the curious, a fan base in hibernation waiting for a reason to awaken.

DeCock: [email protected], @LukeDeCock, 919-829-8947


Laviolette gives fast-starting Preds a new look

December 2, 2014

The Nashville Predators come into PNC Arena on Tuesday to face the Canes, but it's not the Preds of old.

Barry Trotz no longer is behind the bench. The leading scorer is a rookie. The pace is faster, more up-tempo.

Peter Laviolette, in his first season as coach, has the Preds 16-5-2 and in first place in the Central Division with 34 points, the same total as the St. Louis Blues but with a game in hand. Rookie forward Filip Forsberg has 10 goals and 13 assists, and a plus-20 rating.

"I think a lot of our success comes from our work ethic," Laviolette said. "From Day One the guys have worked extremely hard. They've worked hard in practice, they work hard in games, they worked hard in training camp. It's a real good group of guys that enjoys going out and working together."

Forsberg, 20, was named the NHL's rookie of the month for November after scoring nine goals and adding six assists as the Preds were 10-3-0 in the month. Three of his goals were game-winners including an overtime score Thursday against Edmonton in a 1-0 victory.

Forsberg's plus-20 rating is the best in the NHL.

"He's been impressive," Laviolette said. "Last year was a good learning process for him, getting over into North America hockey and trying to figure out the game. Now he comes back and he's stronger, he's a year older and a year wiser. I've seen him since development camp when I was hired and he was the most impressive player on the ice in the rookie tournament. In our training camp he did the same thing."

Goaltender Pekka Rinne has arguably been the Preds' best player and will be the starter against the Canes. Rinne has played in 20 games, with a 16-3-1 record, 1.82 goals-against average and .933 save percentage. His 16 wins lead the NHL.

"They're a deep team," Canes coach Bill Peters said. "They're 8-2 in their last 10 and won four of the last five, so they're rolling right along."

The Canes will have Cam Ward back in net. Ward will be making his 17th appearance and coming off the 4-2 road win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday.

Peters said the Canes will dress 12 forwards and six defensemen after going with seven D against the Pens in the back-to-back games. In the morning skate, the Canes had Eric Staal centering Jiri Tlusty and Elias Lindholm, who turned 20 Tuesday; Riley Nash with Nathan Gerbe and Alex Semin; Victor Rask centering Jeff Skinner and Andrej Nestrasil, and Jay McClement with Zach Boychuk and Pat Dwyer. Brad Malone is the extra forward.

The defensive pairs were Justin Faulk-Andrej Sekera, Tim Gleason-John-Michael Liles, and Ron Hainsey-Michal Jordan. Jay Harrison is the extra defenseman.

At 7-13-3, the Canes need to start winning games to stay within shouting range of third place -- and playoff position -- in the Metropolitan Division.

"You don't want to fall much further behind, believe me," Peters said. "It's already a big enough hole. We'll just take this four-game home stand and reassess things after that and go from there."

Canes Fend Off Preds, 2-1

Tuesday, 12.02.2014 / 10:28 PM

Michael Smith

Tracking the Storm: Analysis

-- Once again, the Carolina Hurricanes proved they can skate with, play with, fend off and best the top teams in the league, as they topped the Central Division-leading Nashville Predators by a 2-1 margin. Linemates Jeff Skinner and Victor Rask tallied for Carolina, and Cam Ward posted a 32 saves in his eighth win of the season.

"It should send a message to our team. We’re playing some really good hockey teams. Pittsburgh, one of the top teams,

Nashville, one of the top teams. Not only are we hanging with them, but we’ve had every chance to win hockey games," Ward said. "It’s a confidence booster. We realize that we always have to play like that; it’s a consistency thing. But we can feel real happy about tonight.”

"For the most part, I think we’ve been good here for a while," head coach Bill Peters said. "We were looking for a play here or there that makes the difference, and we got one here tonight.”


-- Pekka Rinne has been the opposite of porous this season, coming into tonight’s game with a 1.82 goals-against average, a.933 save percentage and 16 wins in 20 games. But, in opportunistically throwing pucks toward the net, the Hurricanes found a way to sneak a pair past Rinne.

With just 1:01 to play in the first period, Andrej Nestrasil pulled up along the near boards. He spun and centered the puck to Jeff Skinner, who was cruising through the slot. Skinner extended his stick to deflect the puck top-shelf glove-side of Rinne.

"I was calling for it, and I don't know if he heard me and just threw it there. It was a great pass by him, and I just tried to get my stick on it there at that point," Skinner said. "It's a puck going to the net, and the defenseman is kind of on me. You just try to put your stick on it, and it's a good bounce."

Fifty-five seconds into the third period, Victor Rask added an insurance tally that would end up being the game-winning goal, a simple head-down-and-fire play as he skated near side into the zone. His slap shot pinged off the metal before tickling the twine and making it a 2-0 lead for the home team.

"They're tight games," Rask said. "We lose a few games by one goal, but we felt good today, and it was nice to get the win."

With an assist on Rask’s goal, Skinner posted two points on the night. He now has 10 points (5g, 5a) in six career games against the Predators. Last December, he posted his first-career hat trick in Nashville.

"I read. I read a lot of things," Peters responded when asked if he's aware of Skinner's success against Nashville. "I'm well aware of what's going on. Skinny's going to be successful against everybody. It doesn't matter who he's playing against when he does it right, and he's been doing it right for quite a while now."

Rask extended his point streak to three games, and he’s got four points (1g, 3a) in that stretch.

-- Cam Ward made 32 stops en route to his eighth victory of the season. It was just his second-career win against Nashville in seven career appearances.

Ward was reliable when called upon, especially late in the third. In the first period, he kept the game scoreless in the first

period when he denied Taylor Beck, who broke into the zone with speed and partially uncontested.

"I thought both teams were real good. There was no room out there," Peters said. "Both sets of D were gapped right up. I didn't think the forwards had much time to operate, so you had to get heavy down low and win some battles."

Ward’s only blemish came in the third period when Mike Ribeiro dented the scoreboard after a failed clearing attempt resulted in a gift right in the slot.

The Hurricanes were then able to kill off a minute's worth of a power play that turned into a six-on-four advantage in the last 60 seconds of the third period. Andrej Sekera, who was awarded the fireman's helmet, and Patrick Dwyer each blocked shots in the waning seconds of the game to earn the 2-1 lead.

"Winning hurts, right? You need those types of plays. They've got some guys on the back-end that can shoot it," Peters said. "You've got to be willing to pay the price, but it's worth it. That's the beautiful thing in sport. It's hard work that you have to do each and every night."

-- A couple of random notes: The Hurricanes have no earned at least one point in each of the last seven meetings between the two teams at PNC Arena. Overall, the Canes are now 6-1-2-1 versus the Predators at home.

Also, Rask pitched the puck off the video board on a clearing attempt in the third period. A whistle blew play dead, and a section of the video board was damaged on the play.

"I just wanted to get it out of the zone," Rask said. "I flipped it a little bit too high."

-- Carolina’s five-game homestand continues on Thursday when the Washington Capitals come to town.

"I liked the way we played with [the lead]. I thought we continued to play the same way, regardless," Eric Staal said. "It was a good win, and we'll try to build off of it."

"We want to be solid and tough to play against at home. The beginning of this month is a good chance to establish and build off that," Skinner said. "This is a good first step, and we'll try to keep building from here."

Homestand Kicks Off Crucial December

Monday, 12.01.2014 / 4:30 PM / Tracking the Storm

By Michael Smith

As one month ends and another begins, the Carolina Hurricanes can assess the first two months of the 2014-15 regular season with mixed judgment; a much better November helped the team dig out of an October-sized hole. Ahead in December, the Canes face the challenge of continuing to improve in order to position them well heading into the New Year.

In the first 10 days of November, the Canes won five of six games and had points in every game of that stretch (5-0-1). In the latter half of the month, the Hurricanes posted a 2-7-0 record, dropping six of seven games at one point.

Five of those six losses came by just a goal’s difference, the slim margin between two points and a losing skid in today’s NHL.


“The easiest way to turn it around is no freebies. I thought we gave up a few too many easy goals here recently,” head coach Bill Peters said. “We’re not a team that can outscore our mistakes, so we have to eliminate those types of mistakes.”

“I still think we’re making progress. We were a lot better in November than we were in October, and now it’s about coming out with a big, big December,” Eric Staal said. “Now it’s about finding ways to get over that hump and be on the right side of those one-goal games.”

That happened on Friday, Nov. 28 in Pittsburgh, when the Canes iced away a 3-2 lead with an empty-net tally late to seal a 4-2 victory, one of the team’s most complete efforts of the season. A night later, even though the Canes dropped a 3-2 decision, there are elements of their game they can highlight heading into December.

“They’re at the top of the Eastern standings. We more than hung in there in Pittsburgh. I thought we controlled most of that game and got the win, and then they came back with a better effort here at home, but it was a pretty competitive game,” Staal said. “If we would have chipped in a little bit more, we would have been where we wanted to be.”

“I liked the back-to-back with Pitt. I liked a lot of the things we took out of that,” Peters said. “I thought we took a step for sure. We can play with anybody in this league. We just have to find a way to play 60 minutes at our level.”

With a team identity beginning to form – Peters said they’re “definitely getting closer” – the group also finds itself the healthiest it has been essentially all season, with forward

Jordan Staal still on the shelf but positively progressing in his recovery (http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=741602).

“That helps, no question,” Staal said of the team’s clean bill of health. “You want to have all bodies in the lineup and know what you look like when you’re out there playing your game.”

December plays out much like November did: four of the first six games played at home, followed by a slightly road-heavier second half.

“We’re set up pretty good for the month of December. I really like the month,” Peters said. “We went over it real quick here prior to practice, and we want to get started and take advantage of the fact that we’re starting the month at home.”

The final month of the 2014 calendar year begins with four straight games at home, a chunk of a larger five-game homestand that dates back to Saturday, Nov. 29 against Pittsburgh.

“We’re playing good teams, so we’re going to have to have our game dialed in,” Peters said. “I think we’re there.”

In all, December could prove to be a crucial month for the Hurricanes who find themselves nine points removed from the playoff picture in the Metropolitan Division.

“We know where we’re at as far as the standings go. This [month] is very key to us continuing to take steps toward getting better and getting points,” Staal said. “We just have to find ways to win. When you’re putting up points and getting wins, you’re finding ways in different areas of your game.”

Hurricanes edge Predators 2-1

Posted 11:02 p.m. yesterday

RALEIGH, N.C. — One game after the Carolina Hurricanes struggled to maintain their energy and their execution in a home loss, Jeff Skinner provided a much-needed spark.

Skinner had a goal and an assist Tuesday night against one of his favorite NHL opponents, the Nashville Predators. Carolina fended off Nashville's last-minute, two-man advantage to win 2-1 at PNC Arena.

The victory came one game after coach Bill Peters criticized his Hurricanes for Saturday's 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh.

Skinner provided the early offense with his sixth goal of the season then set up Victor Rask's goal 55 seconds into the third period. Skinner has 10 points in six career games against Nashville, including a hat trick in a 5-2 road victory last Dec. 5.

"Sometimes, that's just the way it works," Skinner said.

Nashville had its four-game winning streak snapped. Goalie Pekka Rinne had 23 saves but couldn't handle Skinner's tip-in at 18:59 of the first.

Carolina's John-Michael Liles passed ahead to Andre Nestrasil along the left boards, and Nestrasil maneuvered away from a defender, back-handing a pass toward the crease. Skinner got a stick on the puck, beating Rinne to the far post.

"He got his stick on the puck, and he was able to deflect it over my shoulder," Rinne said. "It was a nice play by them, and obviously at the time, a big goal."

Mike Ribeiro cut the lead to 2-1 with 4:46 remaining for Nashville. Carolina failed to clear the zone, and Roman Josi


sent the puck back toward the crease, where Ribeiro gathered it, then turned and beat Cam Ward.

The Predators earned their first power play of the game with a minute left, but couldn't score on a 6-on-4 opportunity. Andrej Sekera blocked a shot in the final five seconds to seal the victory.

It was the sort of gritty play the Hurricanes lacked in the loss to Pittsburgh.

"You need those types of plays," Peters said. "They've got some guys on the back end that can shoot it. You've got to find

shooting lanes, and you've got to be willing to pay a price. . That's what it's all about, finding ways to win."

Nashville (16-6-2) outshot Carolina 33-25. Ward made 32 saves for the Hurricanes, who were outshot 15-6 in the third.

Carolina (8-13-3) improved to 6-3-1 when scoring first.

NOTES: Nashville coach Peter Laviolette is in his first season with the Predators. He coached the Hurricanes to the 2006 Stanley Cup. . The crowd of 9,161 was the lowest announced attendance of the season for Carolina at home.

Hurricanes trending upward after slow start

Posted 9:08 a.m. yesterday By Mike Maniscalco

The Carolina Hurricanes would like to forget the start to the 2014-15 season – a zero in the win category for October will do that. Part of the historically poor slow start can be attributed to injuries, the broken leg of Jordan Staal in the pre-season being the most notable, which caused a shuffling to the lineup deck. Add in the loss for some duration of Eric Staal, Nathan Gerbe and Patrick Dwyer, trying to learn a new system and a road trip through Western Canada where Murphy’s Law ruled, and there was a reason that had a lot of people wondering if this group could survive November.

New head coach Bill Peters didn’t waiver through the October swoon, he felt there was a enough good coming from his players that the wins would follow. A shutout win over Arizona, backed up by a win over the defending champion LA Kings and the Hurricanes started to show signs of putting this season back on track.

The second month of the season was a bit kinder to the team. Seven wins in November and improved play from several individuals were the highlights, but still some inconsistency plagues the Hurricanes heading into December.

So here is what can be determined through the first two months of the hockey campaign for the Hurricanes.

The Good

Cam Ward has rounded back into the form that put him on the list of top netminders in the NHL. His November numbers were solid, posting a 2.01 goals-against average and .930 save percentage in his 12 November starts, going 7-5 in that span. Ward looked sharp physically and said that mentally he had gotten back to having fun playing the game, something that had escaped him the previous years.

Overall the goalies have done their job, on most nights giving the team in front of them a chance to win. Anton Khudobin is still searching for his first win of the season, but he has been solid in his appearances, despite only seeing action in seven games.

Riley Nash answered the call with the Staals on the sideline. Nash was given big minutes in October and rewarded the franchise with solid two way play. The combination of Nash and Nathan Gerbe might be the Hurricanes most complete

duo. Depth at center was a concern for the organization, but Nash proved he could shoulder the load with consistent play and he has become a reliable face-off man for the team. He is also tied for the team lead in points with 15 (4g 11a) in 23 games.

Nash and rookie center Victor Rask might have been the brightest lights in October. With Nash proving he is a dependable NHL centerman and rookie Rask fitting in on the team playing second line minutes. Rask’s play might have slowed a bit during the second month of the season, but he has shown that he can play for this team, a question that needed to be answered.

Jiri Tlusty has regained his scoring touch with 10 goals this season. Tlusty has bounced back from last season’s numbers to lead the team in goals a little past the quarter point of schedule. He is also healthy, and he has shown in the past when he is not nagged by injuries he can be a goal scoring threat for Carolina.

The power play has been better more nights than not. Coming off the home-and-home against one of the best penalty killing teams in the league in Pittsburgh, Carolina scored four man-advantage goals in the two games. Rod Brind’Amour is in charge of running the power play and the team is making smart decisions with the puck, they had better movement around the ice and more importantly, are getting results. What was once an Achilles heel of the team has been a strength and is likely to keep on improving.

Bill Peters – the new head coach has been a steadying force for the team implementing a system that when executed brings an exciting style of hockey to the Triangle. Peters also has a belief in his players and in turn, the players are buying into what Peters is trying to install. He has been true to his word that good play will be rewarded and that if a player is not holding up his end of the deal, he will have his minutes reduced. Peters notices the details and as the year has moved on, his team has been better at handling them. It’s a small sample and the record might not reflect it yet, but Peters has done a solid coaching job with this team.

Justin Faulk is trending up heading into December. The defense has had its ups and downs, and Faulk did too at the


start of the year, but he closed November with a bang, playing huge minutes and becoming an offensive contributor. Faulk is one of the top young defensemen in the league and to see his play on both ends of the rink pick up is something that the coaching staff needed to have. Faulk and defensive partner Andrej Sekera are the team’s top blue line pair and asserted themselves in that spot as the second month moved on.

The not-so good

Alexander Semin has five points in 18 games, all assists. This is the biggest mystery of the season for the Hurricanes. Semin did have off-season wrist surgery, but Bill Peters has made Semin a healthy scratch three times this year due to not moving his feet or playing at the NHL pace. With his contract, Semin has to be one of the top point producers for this club. He has one of the best shots in the NHL, yet there have been far too many nights where he has not been credited with a shot on goal. For a player of his talent to only have five assists at this point of the year is confounding, if the riddle as to why this season has been so poor can be solved, the team has a chance to make noise in the Metropolitan division. If not, the team will struggle with consistency and not having a true top line for opponents to fear.

This doesn’t just fall on Semin. Every night in the NHL, the top players i.e. highest paid, have to be the best players on the ice. From production to effort, the league is based on the stars providing scoring punch. Also, these players have to finish games when given the opportunity. Eric Staal did that against Dallas, but that has been a rare example this year. Staal, Jeff Skinner and Alexander Semin all have the ability to provide

more offense and if the team is to make a run at the top three in the Metro division these players have to lead the charge.

The Hurricanes have been consistently inconsistent starting games. There is no reason as to why this team gets off to such bad starts and it is a question that the players and coaches have said if there was an answer, they would have found it by now. The finishes have not been as big an issue, except when the team has lost consecutive games it seems to stand out more squandering a good start to a contest. The team has to find a way to start on time instead of trying to dig out from a deficit.

The five on five play of the team needs to tighten up. From defensive lapses, to the lack of offensive production, (the team has been outscored 35 to 48 at even strength) the Hurricanes have had few games where they have outperformed their opponent at level strength. Part of this is due to the team trying to find consistency from the top players providing offense at five on five play, which in turn has forced Bill Peters to juggle the lines more than he has wanted to.

Moving forward

The Hurricanes have shown a better grasp of Peters systems, the power play and penalty kill are performing above expectations and the goaltending is giving the team a chance to win a nightly basis. The start to the season will be hard to overcome and for a lot of fans even harder to forget. The bright side was that in November the team showed that it can compete with some of the top teams in the NHL and that there is no reason not to think that the Hurricanes best hockey is in front of them.

Hurricanes top Predators 2-1

Posted on December 3, 2014 by Peter Koutroumpis

RALEIGH, N.C. – The Carolina Hurricanes held off the Nashville Predators and posted a 2-1 win at PNC Arena on Tuesday.

Jeff Skinner and Victor Rask scored for Carolina while goaltender Cam Ward earned his eighth win of the season, making 32 saves on the night.

Mike Ribeiro scored the Preds lone goal of the game late in the third while goaltender Pekka Rinne made 23 saves in the losing effort.

The one-goal margin of victory gave the Hurricanes their second win in their last three games

Following a 4-2 win at Pittsburgh last Friday, the Hurricanes started their current five-game home stand with a 3-2 loss to the Penguins on Saturday.

Carolina redeemed itself against the Predators, playing a steady and cerebral five-on-five game that eventually earned

them the win over one of the hottest teams in the National Hockey League’s (NHL).

Nashville, coached by former Hurricanes coach Peter Laviolette, came to Raleigh having won eight of its last 10 games, and was undefeated in its last four contests.

“Not only were we hangin’ with them, but we had every chance to win a hockey game,” Ward said.

“It’s a confidence boost we need. We always gotta’ play like that.”

Skinner scored his sixth of the season with 1:01 remaining in the first period by tipping in a wraparound backhand feed towards the net from Andrej Nestrasil.

Not having scored a goal in four previous games with 13 shots on net, the redirect was one of those types of goals that Skinner needed.


“You get a bunch of great chances and the one you least likely expect to go in – goes in for you,” Skinner said smiling.

“I’ll take those, especially right now. It’s a nice one to get in there.”

The finish was due to the work of Nestrasil, the Hurricanes’ newest addition as he tallied his second point (1g, 1a) in five games played with the team.

The Czech forward controlled the puck along the left side boards before sending it towards the low slot where Skinner was streaking and extended his blade to send the puck over the Nashville netminder’s glove-hand shoulder.

“I’m just tryin’ to read off him,” Skinner said when describing the play.

“He did a great job takin’ the puck down the wall and protecting it there. I was callin’ for it, so I don’t know if he heard me and just threw it there, but obviously a great pass by him. I just tried to get my stick on it there at that point.”

Skinner’s goal gave Carolina a 1-0 lead after being outshot 8-6 following the first 20 minutes of play.

Carolina managed to play just as steady a second period and outshot Nashville 13-10 while working within tight quarters.

“I thought both teams were real good,” Carolina head coach Bill Peters said.

“There was no room out there. Both sets of D were gapped right up. I didn’t think forwards had much to operate with, so you had to get heavy down low, you had to win some battles down low…That’s the kind of game it was.”

Rask scored his fourth goal of the year and his first game-winner of his career 55 seconds into the third period on a pass from Skinner.

The goal extended his current point streak to three games (1g, 3a) as his slap shot from the top of the left circle eluded Rinne as a result of being deflected by Preds defenseman Roman Josi.

“Yeah, it was tipped on the D-man,” Rask confirmed.

“I was just gonna’ put it on the net and I got lucky and it hit the D-man’s stick, and the goalie couldn’t react enough.”

Soon after, Nashville’s play became more desperate while trailing Carolina 2-0.

Mike Fisher tripped Nathan Gerbe and gave Carolina its first power play of the game.

Though coming into the game ranked ninth in the league with the man-advantage, the Hurricanes never put together any threat to extend the lead further as play continued.

Nashville took another penalty at 7:38 as Ribeiro was called for hooking and gave Carolina another man-up opportunity within

five minutes, but the Hurricanes finished 0-for-2 on the power play.

With under five minutes to play and the Predators pressing, defenseman Justin Faulk tried a long clearing attempt along the boards from behind his net.

Josi intercepted it near the blue line and kept it in by dumping it towards the Hurricanes net where Ribeiro stood all alone.

Getting the puck under control, the Preds forward toe-dragged the puck to his backhand and undressed a sprawling Ward and beat him high to break the netminder’s shutout bid.

The game’s suspense was heightened as Carolina forward Riley Nash was penalized for tripping and gave Nashville the chance to tie the game with a minute to play.

Laviolette called a timeout to organize the Preds offense.

After Ward mad a save 29 seconds later, Peters called a timeout to organize the Hurricanes defense to preserve the one-goal victory.

Nashville eventually won the draw and Ward made three stops – a blocker save on Josi, a pad save on Shea Weber, and a glove save on Filip Forsberg – all in succession to force a faceoff with seven seconds to play.

The Preds gained possession of the puck and tried to get another shot on goal, but Hurricanes defenseman Andrej Sekera made a critical block that denied the opportunity from making it to the net, and preserved the win for Carolina.

“It hurts right?” Peters asked when referring to his defenseman’s stop.

“You need those types of plays. They’ve got some guys on the back end that can shoot it. You gotta’ find shooting lanes and you gotta’ be willing to pay a price. It’s worth it though – that’s the beautiful thing in sport – it’s hard work and you gotta’ do it, each and every night. Reggie paid a price there. I haven’t talked to anybody, he’s a tough kid. That’s what it’s all about – finding ways to win as necessary.”

With three more games coming up from Thursday through Monday, the game’s first star was happy that his team pulled out a win over a top opponent at home.

“It’s nice to get off to a good start,” Skinner concluded.

“We’ve got a lot of home games here. We’ve talked about getting on a bit of roll and it’s a good first step.”

Notes: Skinner’s goal added to his total of nine points (5g, 4a) he owns in six career games played against Nashville…Coming into the game, Ward had finished the month of November with a 7-5-0 record and posted a 2.01 goals-against-average and .930 save percentage…Carolina finished 23-37 in the faceoff circle – winning only 38 percent of its draws against the Preds – well below its 53-percent success rate coming into the game.


Power Play: Hurricanes snap Preds' 4-game streak with a 2-1 home win

Lauren Brownlow

FOX Sports Carolinas

DEC 02, 2014 11:17p ET

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The Carolina Hurricanes (8-13-13) edged the Nashville Predators (16-6-2) by a 2-1 final, fending off a power play in the final seconds to emerge victorious. The Predators saw a four-game winning streak snapped, while the Hurricanes won just their second game in the last six, all of which have been decided by one goal (five of those were on the road).

Slap Shots

1. The Hurricanes got an early lead and played well with it.

It took awhile -- the first goal wasn't scored until the first period was nearly over -- but nothing came easily in this game for either team, and finally getting out to that 1-0 lead enabled the Hurricanes to play the kind of hockey they wanted to play.

"We were able to play with a lead for a long time there, and it's comfortable, right? Your young guys are a little more relaxed and you're not pressing quite as much and you don't feel the need that you have to score on each opportunity, and you definitely don't have to cheat," Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters said. "You never have to cheat, but young guys tend to stray a little bit when you're down or when they feel they have to push. You've got to keep doing it the right way."

Captain Eric Staal, who finished with no points but won seven of his 12 faceoffs, was happy with the way the team played with the lead, and said it was an improvement from the way they played with a lead during some of these one-goal losses.

"I like the way that we played with it. I thought that we continued to play the same way regardless, and I think that we did that in Pittsburgh (in a win) as well," Staal said. "It's something we did not do in Colorado (in a loss) and we obviously talked about it and tonight, we were playing the same way. We continued to get aggressive on the forecheck an attack. It was pretty tight but our game felt the same regardless of if we were up one or two."

2. Pekka Rinne was very good in goal, but it wasn't enough.

The Hurricanes probably could have made their lead a bit more comfortable. But the reason they didn't was the play of Rinne, one of the NHL's best goaltenders -- and one of the hottest, having allowed no even-strength goals in his last two games.

He allowed two goals, but both were a bit of a bad bounce, and he stopped all 13 Hurricanes' shots he saw in the second period.

"I thought in the second, we controlled pretty well, had some really good looks to get a gap on them and didn't cash in, but they've got a good goalie," Staal said.

Hurricanes' goalie Cam Ward, who's pretty hot himself, knows all about those bad bounces. He appreciated and respected what he saw out of Rinne.

"They've got an elite goaltender on the other end of the ice in Pekka Rinne. Sometimes that's what it takes -- it takes deflections to beat goalies like that," Ward said. "Even on (Victor Rask's third-period) goal, I don't know if it hit a stick on the way but great pass by (Andrej Nestrasil) to (Jeff Skinner)."

3. Where do both teams go from here?

Obviously, the Predators are one of the best teams in the NHL and will be fine. They're in great position, leading the Central Division even after the loss. But the loss did snap a four-game winning streak, and it was to one of the NHL's worst teams in Carolina.

"We always look for things we can take out of the game, that we can do better, but so far our team has had a pretty good response," Laviolette said. "We haven't played as consistently as we'd like."

The Hurricanes, meanwhile, were seeing any chance they might have at a playoff berth slip away slowly as they couldn't quite gain traction in late November after a hot start to the month. That November was necessary after a winless October, though, and the Hurricanes are still trying to dig their way out of a hole.

They'll take it any way they can get it, though.

"It's important. I think we've talked about it before, being solid at home, being tough to play against at home. The beginning of this month is a good opportunity for us to sort of establish that and build off that," Skinner said. "This is a good first step and we've got to try and keep building from there."

The Hurricanes have been close recently against some of the league's best teams, and now they're going to play their next three games at home (they're 1-1 in the first two of this five-game homestand). But they have to be consistent.

"It should send a message to our team. We're playing some really good hockey teams. Pittsburgh is one of the top teams, Nashville is one of the top teams and not only are we hanging with them, but we've had a real chance to win hockey games," Ward said. "So it's a confidence-booster. You realize that you've always got a play like that. Its' a consistency thing. But we can feel really happy about tonight."

Three Stars

--Jeff Skinner: The forward has been great in the last 2 1/2 weeks against everyone, according to Peters, but in six career games against Nashville, he now has 10 points (five goals and five assists). He finished this game with a goal and an assist.


--Cam Ward: The Hurricanes' goalie finished with 32 saves on 32 shots, and he had to fend off a furious Predators' rally on a power play in the waning seconds. He got some help from his teammates, but ultimately he did just that, and continues his resurgent season.

--Victor Rask: The rookie has been a steadying influence at center all year, surprisingly filling in very capably for Jordan Staal (or helping). He finished this game with a goal in the third to bring him to eight points in his last 14 games (he didn't have a point in his first nine career games).

Jean Beliveau, Canadiens great, dies at 83

Tuesday, 12.02.2014 / 11:52 PM / News

By David Kalan - NHL.com Staff Writer

Rare is the talent so great that a sports franchise would buy an entire league to secure his services. Jean Beliveau of the Montreal Canadiens was such a talent.

Beliveau died Tuesday at the age of 83.

Despite being born in Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Beliveau did not have a burning desire to play for the legendary NHL team nearby. In fact, he spurned several offers from Montreal general manager Frank Selke to sign a contract, choosing instead to play with the Quebec Aces of the amateur Quebec Senior Hockey League. Eventually, Selke had the Canadiens buy the whole QSHL in 1953, turning it into a professional league and securing the rights to Beliveau in the process.

It was one of the great investments in hockey history. The Canadiens have had great players including Maurice Richard, Guy Lafleur and Patrick Roy; however, few cast a shadow like Beliveau, known affectionately as "Le Gros Bill."

Beliveau spent 18 full seasons with the Canadiens from 1953-71 after his two amateur tryouts. In 1,125 games, he scored 507 goals, set up 712 others and finished with 1,219 points. He played in 14 NHL All-Star Games, won the Hart Trophy as League MVP twice (1956 and 1964), the Art Ross Trophy as top scorer in 1956, and the inaugural Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1965.

Beliveau is widely regarded as the greatest center in the history of the winningest organization in hockey.

Dwarfing those accomplishments, however, is that Beliveau was a member of 10 Stanley Cup-winning teams as a player and seven more as an executive with Montreal. His name has been engraved on the Stanley Cup 17 times, more than any individual.

Wayne Gretzky wrote in his foreword of Beliveau's autobiography, "Having had the good fortune to win four Stanley Cups in my career and to experience the satisfaction and lifelong friendships that are generated by such a difficult and collective effort, it is mindboggling to recall that Jean Beliveau accomplished the feat no fewer than ten times as a player and seven times more as a senior executive with the

same organization. I don't think there can be any other figure in the history of professional team sports who better exemplifies the word 'winner.'"

Beliveau is second all-time in Canadiens history in points and assists, third in goals, and fourth in games played. He became the fourth player in NHL history to reach 500 goals when he scored on Feb. 11, 1971, and was the second player in League history to score 1,000 points, joining Gordie Howe of the Detroit Red Wings in that exclusive club on March 3, 1968, in his 911th game.

His 10-season run as captain, during which Montreal won the Stanley Cup five times, is tied with Saku Koivu's as the longest in Canadiens history.

Beliveau, whose No. 4 was retired by Montreal on Oct. 9, 1971, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1972 after the Hall waived its usual mandatory three-year waiting period.

"Jean was a star of stars," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said upon presenting Beliveau with the NHL Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. "The fans loved the way he played, but they loved him even more for his humanity, the pride he took in his profession and the standards of excellence that he set. He is the emblem of elegance and class.

"Even today, nearly 40 years after his retirement, Jean Beliveau is greeted with the same reverence wherever he goes. He inspires in others the same love for hockey that always has been his trademark -- and always will be."

With such an overwhelmingly impressive resume, it seems stunning hockey wasn't the first arena in which Beliveau shined, and he nearly went professional in a completely different sport.

Beliveau grew up playing baseball in the summers and regularly watched the minor-league Montreal Royals, the starting point of Jackie Robinson's career. When Beliveau was 15 years old, he was offered a minor-league contract by a scout who had been impressed by his ability to pitch. The deal was nixed by Beliveau's mother, Laurette.


The influence of his parents would be a recurring theme in the course of his early career, which by extension dramatically influenced the Canadiens and hockey. When the Canadiens initially attempted to sign Beliveau to a "C Form" contract, which would have given him $100 cash immediately but would have bound him to Montreal's NHL franchise, the scouts were directed to his father, Arthur, who immediately balked at a contract that wouldn't allow his son to control his future.

Selke and the Canadiens eventually settled for a "B Form" contract that enabled him to remain an amateur but required Beliveau to play with the Canadiens if he turned pro. However, after Beliveau made only brief appearances with the Canadiens in the 1950-51 and 1952-53 seasons and didn't seem interested in leaving the Quebec Aces of the Quebec Senior Hockey League, Selke decided to buy the entire league and convert it from amateur to professional.

With the Canadiens now in possession of Beliveau's rights (along with the rights of every other player in the league), the 22-year-old was forced to join the team for the 1953-54 season.

The litany of accomplishments that followed weren't bad for someone who never played organized hockey before the age of 12. Born Aug. 31, 1931, Beliveau was the oldest of eight siblings. He learned hockey on a backyard rink, like so many of his contemporaries.

"[S]hinny at the Beliveau Forum may have been technically primitive, devoid of positional play and five-on-five chalk-talk strategies, but we were allowed to concentrate on the basics, learning how to skate, stickhandle, and shoot," he wrote in his autobiography, "Jean Beliveau: My Life in Hockey."

It was in that Beliveau Forum that he picked up the first skills and influences that would make him one of the greatest players on the Canadiens despite a childhood Beliveau said was typical for a French-Canadian Catholic family and "in no way remarkable."

However, the dedication to hard work and strong values valued by his parents made Beliveau a figure that was as remarkable as his childhood wasn't. In addition to his exploits on the ice, Beliveau was an active force for charities in Quebec and throughout Canada, founding the Jean Beliveau Foundation in 1971, an organization he would later transfer to the Society for Disabled Children in 1993.

Such charitable work brought Beliveau honors through the years. He was named a Knight of the National Order of Quebec in 1988, named a Companion of the Order of Canada in 1998, added to Canada's Walk of Fame in 2001 and has been the subject of postage stamps. In 1994, Beliveau was offered the position of Governor General of Canada, which he turned down to spend time with his family.

In 2003, the Canadiens introduced the Jean Beliveau Trophy, which is awarded to the Montreal player who best demonstrates community involvement and spirit. As well, he was an honorary captain of Canada's gold medal-winning 2010 men's Olympic hockey team.

During the final two decades of his life, Beliveau battled numerous health issues, including cardiac-related issues in 1996, as well as a cancerous tumor discovered in his neck in 2000. In January 2010, he was hospitalized after suffering a stroke.

Hockey world reacts to passing of Beliveau

Wednesday, 12.03.2014 / 7:30 AM / News

NHL.com

The passing of Montreal Canadiens great Jean Beliveau on Tuesday at the age of 83 was met with reaction from throughout the sport. "No record book can capture, no image can depict, no statue can convey the grandeur of the remarkable Jean Béliveau, whose elegance and skill on the ice earned the admiration of the hockey world while his humility and humanity away from the rink earned the love of fans everywhere," National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. "Mr. Béliveau was a formidable presence and his departure leaves an immeasurable void. As we grieve that he has left us, we cherish what he gave us: A sport elevated forever by his character, his dignity and his class. "For all the accomplishments he achieved and all the accolades he received, Jean Béliveau was always the epitome of the boy whose only dream was to play for the Montreal Canadiens. Hockey is better because that dream was realized. The National Hockey League sends heartfelt condolences to

Mr. Béliveau's wife, Élise, and Mr. Béliveau's family, to his countless friends around the hockey world, and to his beloved Canadiens, who he always represented with such distinction and grace." Montreal Canadiens president Geoff Molson issued the following statement: "The Montreal Canadiens organization is extremely moved by Mr. Béliveau’s passing away. Like millions of hockey fans who followed the life and the career of Jean Béliveau, the Canadiens today mourn the passing of a man whose contribution to the development of our sport and our society was unmeasurable. Jean Béliveau was a great leader, a gentleman and arguably the greatest ambassador our game has ever known. "Jean Béliveau was part of the Canadiens family for over six decades. The Canadiens organization will bring all the needed support to the members of Jean Béliveau’s family, and will work closely with them to organize the ceremonies that will


take place in the coming days. On behalf of the Molson family, and all members of the Canadiens organization, I would like to

extend my deepest condolences to his beloved wife Élise, his daughter Hélène and granddaughters Magalie and Mylène."

Devils lose forwards Elias, Jagr, Gionta to injury

Tuesday, 12.02.2014 / 9:08 PM / News

By Wes Crosby - NHL.com Correspondent

PITTSBURGH -- New Jersey Devils forwards Jaromir Jagr and Patrik Elias sustained apparent injuries during the game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday at Consol Energy Center.

Jagr was sent into the boards by Penguins defenseman Robert Bortuzzo with 2:03 remaining in the second period. Jagr remained on the ice for minutes as Devils trainers attended to him.

The former Penguin, who leads New Jersey with 15 points this season, received a round of applause from the crowd when he skated off the ice under his own power and down the runway.

Elias did not return following the first intermission after 5:09 of ice time in the period. Neither Jagr nor Elias returned for the start of the third period.

New Jersey also lost forward Stephen Gionta late in the first period. He seemed to favor his foot as he headed to the Devils locker room.

Penguins forward Scott Wilson, who was making his NHL debut, left the game in the second period because of an apparent injury.

TODAY’S LINKS http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/12/02/4371690/decock-small-crowd-big-win-for.html?sp=/99/103/400/120/#storylink=cpy

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/12/02/4370501/laviolette-gives-fast-starting.html?sp=/99/103/400/120/ http://hurricanes.nhl.com/gamecenter/en/recap?id=2014020366&navid=DL|CAR|home

http://hurricanes.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=741865&navid=DL|CAR|home http://www.wralsportsfan.com/hurricanes-edge-predators-2-1/14239510/#jrfRTyuQrmpZPSAY.99

http://www.wralsportsfan.com/hurricanes-trending-upward-after-slow-start/14237085/#3QQ8vv5oYtXR0dI5.99 http://trianglesportsnet.com/archives/5945

http://www.foxsports.com/carolinas/story/power-play-hurricanes-snap-preds-4-game-streak-with-a-2-1-home-win-120214 http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=742122 http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=742115 http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=742038

741013 Washington Capitals

After rough outing in Toronto, backup Justin Peters stays positive and looks ahead

By Alex Prewitt December 2 at 1:42 PM

Justin Peters sat down on the Washington Capitals’ bench Saturday night in Toronto, baseball cap atop his head, and tried to navigate the tricky task of balancing anger with encouragement. He had allowed two goals during the first period. One deflected off a stick, then a thigh, then into the net. Another deflected off a stick and zoomed through his legs. In the locker room, Coach Barry Trotz told Peters he needed spark, so Braden Holtby would replace him after intermission.

“As soon as I was told I’m not going in, I have to go from being [ticked] off at myself to being a supporting cast for Braden, supporting cast for the team,” Peters said Tuesday. “If I’m going to sit there and pout about it, it’s not going to be a good vibe for the team, it’s not going to have any positive effect on anyone else, including myself.”

After Holtby allowed three goals during the second period and a 6-2 blowout kept chugging toward its inevitable conclusion, Peters returned and completed his shortest outing of the season. In seven games with the Capitals since signing for two years in free agency, Peters’ .872 save percentage ranks 63rd among 67 NHL goaltenders. He hasn’t allowed fewer than three goals over his past five appearances dating to Oct. 18.

But with 14 games in December ahead and only one back-to-back – Dec. 22 at home vs. Ottawa, Dec. 23 in New York against the Rangers – Peters might have several weeks to work out the kinks. Tuesday after Washington’s morning skate, while the scratched skaters worked with assistant Blaine Forsythe, Peters and goaltending coach Mitch Korn


returned to basic fundamentals, slowing down the drills and working on simple things like sliding to block shots.

“For me, when you’re not in there every night, you’ve got to truly find a way to be sharp in practice,” Peters said. “I’ve been trying to treat the practices like my games. Get a good warmup before, really bearing down in practice and staying and helping, getting some extra work after.

“You’ve got to learn from what happened. The only way to take a positive from it is learning from it. There’s no point just trying to forget about it or trying to move on from it, pretending it didn’t happen. We’ve got to realize what went wrong, areas we can improve. That’s what I’m trying to do.”

Some of what went wrong, Peters said, was best forgetting. Morgan Rielly’s unassisted goal caromed off Evgeny Kuznetsov’s stick, then flicked off Nate Schmidt’s thigh and past Peters.

“That’s when it really tests you mentally to stick with the process,” Peters said. “Such an unfortunate bounce, in something like that you can only laugh really.”

The next goal, 23 seconds before the period ended, came because another stick deflected Cody Franson’s point shot on Toronto’s power play. But Peters let it slip through his five-hole. The Capitals had fallen behind 2-0, their largest first-intermission deficit since Oct. 14, coincidentally when Peters made his Washington debut because Trotz pulled Holtby less than 10 minutes after the puck dropped. Now, Trotz approached Peters in the visiting locker room and informed him Holtby would go in.

“He wanted to make a change to get the guys going, and I believe in his process and what he’s doing and I respect that,” Peters said. “Obviously I want to stay in there, I don’t want to come out of the game, but that’s his call.”

Now, with Holtby starting Tuesday against Vancouver and for the foreseeable future, Peters received some extra work with Korn. During Trotz’s years in Nashville, he had seen Korn use additional time to help Tomas Vokoun, Mike Dunham, Chris Mason and Carter Hutton become serviceable NHL netminders. He will hope for the same with Peters.

“It’s just fundamental things, it’s all those things you want,” Trotz said. “As long as you’re using the knowledge Mitch is providing, you’re going to improve.”

Sitting at his locker Tuesday, Peters thought back to Saturday, specifically those 20 minutes of limbo between when he got yanked and when he returned. He had experienced this situation before, as had Holtby, and understood the reasoning behind Trotz’s decision. After all, what more could he do besides watch, cheer and wait?

“If you sit there and you’re [mad] and cursing and swearing, feeling sorry for yourself, if you’re asked to go back in there and you’re not ready to go back in there,” Peters said. “Obviously you need to be disappointed. It’d be unhealthy if you’re not, but as soon as you can turn it into, ‘Okay, I need to help this team get going, get rah-rah, be supportive for Holts, for the guys,’ it allows you to get back in the right frame of mind to get back in there.”

Washington Post LOADED: 12.03.2014


Postgame: For second straight game, Capitals killed by penalties

By Alex Prewitt December 2 at 11:46 PM

The Washington Capitals had been shipped into the penalty box alone four times, allowed power-play goals three times for the second straight game and dropped their fourth in five, so now they tried — and struggled — to pinpoint what went wrong.

The pivotal moments in Tuesday night’s 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks unfolded almost exclusively with someone parked behind glass, much as they had done Saturday in Toronto. Troy Brouwer’s holding penalty turned

into Daniel Sedin’s fifth goal of the season, which tied his franchise’s all-time mark for power-play scores. Jay Beagle’s hooking penalty became a 3-1 deficit, thanks to Radim Vrbata. Then, in the third period of a tie game, Nate Schmidt’s pass went over the boards, so a delay-of-game penalty ushered Sedin’s record-breaking score, and the night’s winner to boot.

“It’s a pretty meat-and-potatoes type thing,” goaltender Braden Holtby said. “A lot of it has to do with tying up sticks in front, my rebound control, my ability to see through traffic. Just those little things are starting to drift away a bit, and we’ve got to find a way to grab ahold of them and make sure we’re making it hard on other teams.”

Instead, the Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs each found three power-play goals over the past two games. Instead, the Capitals’ penalty kill allowed its eighth goal over 13 tries. Instead, they were baffled as to why and how.

“Not one thing in particular that’s happening,” defenseman Matt Niskanen said. “We’re giving up goals on the penalty kill in different ways. … We tried to address a few things after the Toronto game. I think there were different types of stuff. It’s tough, though. It’s tough to win a hockey game when you give up three.”

It was also tough when the Sedin twins treated the penalty killers like puppets, going up 2-1 midway through the second period on a perfect cycle behind the net. After Henrik Sedin baited Verizon Center into booing because he held the puck for so long, Vrbata skipped a pass back to him. While the Capitals trained their attention into the corner, Daniel Sedin dove toward the net, unmarked.

“It’s something we pre-scouted and I need to play that better, knowing that play is coming,” Holtby said.

Holtby had little chance on Vrbata’s rebound goal, because defensemen Brooks Orpik and John Carlson both slugged at the puck and whiffed the cool rink air. The puck kicked off Carlson’s skate, trickled past Orpik’s flailing stick and went straight to Vrbata on the weak side.

“You start with the goaltending; it’s got to be your best penalty killer,” Coach Barry Trotz said. “That’s where it starts, and then it goes from there. Tonight I couldn’t blame Braden on anything. I thought he was pretty solid. They executed. You look at the goals, they’re second-chance goals where pucks are bouncing, couldn’t get a handle on it, they’re able to whack it in.”

Except for the last goal, which Trotz later claimed few goaltenders ever could have stopped. A failed breakout attempt, always risky when shorthanded, left Daniel Sedin streaking down the left wing. Just inside the faceoff circle, Sedin cocked back and swung, mid-stride. The puck buzzed across Holtby’s body and into the top-right corner.

The Capitals hounded Vancouver goaltender Ryan Miller for almost two minutes once Holtby vacated the net during the third period, but Sedin’s second goal held up. They had erased a 3-1 deficit, gotten two goals from Carlson and celebrated Brooks Laich’s first goal since mid-March. But, for the second straight game, they packed up and left the locker room thinking about penalty kills gone awry.

“At any given time, we’ve just got to be more ready,” Carlson said. “We prepare really well. We don’t have an issue of that. It’s definitely a little bit of communication maybe, a little bit of teamwork to maybe squash some plays, but the bottom line is we played a good game and we didn’t give ourselves a chance to win because of it. Something needs to change.”

Washington Post LOADED: 12.03.2014


Daniel Sedin powers Canucks past Capitals

By Harvey Valentine - Associated Press - Tuesday, December 2, 2014


WASHINGTON (AP) - Daniel Sedin scored two of Vancouver’s three power-play goals and assisted on the other, and the Canucks defeated the Washington Capitals 4-3 Tuesday night.

Sedin scored the game-winner at 9:39 of the third period when he took a pass from twin brother Henrik Sedin in the left circle and fired a shot to the far side of Braden Holtby.

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The Canucks, who are 2-1 on their seven-game road trip, bounced back from Sunday’s loss at Detroit. They haven’t dropped back-to-back games since mid-October.

Radim Vrbata added a power-play goal and an assist, and Derek Dorsett also scored for Vancouver. Henrik Sedin had two assists, and Ryan Miller finished with 23 saves.

John Carlson had two goals and an assist, and Brooks Laich also scored for Washington, which is 1-3-1 in its last five games.

Holtby made 28 saves for the Capitals, who have allowed three power-play goals in each of their last two games.

Laich tied the score at 3 during a 4-on-4 sequence early in the third period when he got behind a defender and lifted the puck over Miller’s shoulder for his first goal of the season.

Vancouver outshot Washington 12-5 in the first period and took a 1-0 lead with 2:02 left when Jannik Hansen intercepted a clearing pass and got the puck to Bo Horvat in the left circle.

Horvat slid the puck across to Dorsett, who one-timed it past Holtby from the slot for his third of the season.

Carlson tied it at 2:45 of the second period on a shot from the slot off a feed from Nicklas Backstrom.

The Canucks took a 3-1 lead with consecutive power-play goals midway through the period.

With Troy Brouwer off for holding, Vrbata corralled a rebound and sent it around behind the net to Henrik Sedin, who fed it in front. Daniel Sedin beat a sliding Holtby for his fifth of the season at 10:01.

Less than three minutes later, Holtby blocked a shot from Alexander Edler, but Vrbata banged the bouncing puck home for his 11th goal.

Carlson pulled Washington to 3-2 when he netted his second of the period and fourth of the season with a drive from just inside the blue line.

NOTES: The Canucks have won six of their last seven against the Capitals. … Vancouver last dropped consecutive games on Oct. 18 (Tampa Bay) and Oct. 21 (Dallas). … The Capitals have only three home games remaining in December. They have a trio of three-game road trips. … Capitals D Mike Green (upper-body injury) missed his fourth straight game.

Washington Times LOADED: 12.03.2014


Capitals back to being a .500 team after loss to Canucks

Staff

December 2, 2014, 11:45 pm

Twenty-four games into their first season under head coach Barry Trotz the Capitals find themselves right where they started with a .500 record.

Only this time, their 10-10-4 record has them sitting in 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings, 12 points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Islanders.

In Tuesday night’s 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks the Capitals were reminded just how far they have to go to be considered a true Stanley Cup contender.

The Caps battled back from 1-0 and 3-1 deficits to tie the score, but they could not stay out of the penalty box and paid for it, allowing three power-play goals for the second straight game to lose their second in a row.

“We are a very good desperate hockey team,” said veteran center Eric Fehr, who set up Brooks Laich’s game-tying goal 4:39 into the third period. “I think that is why we get to a lot of overtimes and we have a lot of comebacks.

“We don’t want to put ourselves in those situations. I think we have such a high confidence level in our ability to come back that sometimes it feels like we aren’t urgent enough to get a lead.”

The Caps have not owned a lead after the opening period since Nov. 18 at Arizona. That was seven games ago. When they score first they are 9-1-1. When they don’t they are now 1-9-3.

“Stats are overwhelming for the team that scores first,” said Laich, whose goal was his first since March 9. “Whatever it is, we need to figure it out. You can’t play from behind all the time, especially against good hockey teams.”

Here is another stat worth noting. The Capitals are now 5-6-4 in one-goal games. The Canucks, who improved to 17-7-1 overall, are 8-0-1 in one-goal games.

The story behind the Caps’ loss to the Canucks followed a similar script to their loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs three nights earlier. In both games, the Capitals allowed three power-play goals on four opportunities.

With six power-play goals allowed in two games the Caps have fallen all the way to 29th in the NHL with a kill rate of 74.7 percent.

“It’s pretty hard to win with that,” Capitals defenseman Matt Niskanen said. “I don’t know what’s causing it, if we’re not on the same page or if we’re not doing the right things. But right now it’s not going well for us. We’ll keep working at it.”

The flip side of allowing too many power-play goals is taking too many penalties and the Caps did just that against the Canucks, who went into the game with just one power-play goal in their previous five games.

In the second period, back-to-back penalties to Troy Brouwer [holding] and Jay Beagle [hooking] led to power-play goals by Daniel Sedin and Radim Vrbata.

And in the third period, less than five minutes after Laich tied the score at 3-3, defenseman Nate Schmidt took a delay of game penalty for flipping the puck just over the glass.

“That’s one of the penalties every coach in the league hates,” Capitals coach Barry Trtoz said. “No one’s trying to shoot it up in the stands. He gets a penalty trying to make a play.”

The Canucks made the Caps pay when a mixup in the neutral zone allowed Henrik Sedin to set up Daniel Sedin for a one-timer from the top of the left circle. Daniel didn’t miss, cranking a shot off the corner of the right crossbar for his second goal of the game.

“When a guy winds up like that from that area, you just try to take away space,” Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby said. “It kind of froze me a bit but that’s a pretty tough place for a goalie to stop it.”

The Caps pushed for the equalizer but couldn’t get another shot past Ryan Miller, leaving their fans and their head coach frustrated.

“It’s gotta come from the room,” Trotz said. “I think I’m saying the right things. I’ve been doing this a long time. When you step on the ice I can’t help them anymore, really.

“It’s one-on-battles, intensity, urgency. All those things. You’ve got to go after people. I’m pretty straightforward. I’d rather go after people than sit back and take it. I’d rather be the hammer than the anvil.”


Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 12.03.2014


Capitals fall to Canucks despite Carlson's two goals

Staff

December 2, 2014, 10:00 pm

Instant analysis of the Capitals’ 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks Tuesday night at Verizon Center:

How it happened: A pair of goals by defenseman John Carlson and another by Brooks Laich allowed the Capitals to battle back from deficits of 1-0 and 3-1 to tie the score, but they could not stay out of the penalty box en route to their second straight defeat. The Caps surrendered a pair of power-play goals to Daniel Sedin and another to Radim Vrbata. The killer goal came 9:39 into the third period after Caps defenseman Nate Schmidt went to the box for delay of game, flipping the puck just over the glass with 9:03 gone in the period. Thirty-six seconds later Daniel Sedin took a pass from his brother, Henrik, and rifled a shot that rattled off the right corner crossbar and behind Braden Holtby for a 4-3 lead.

What it means: The Caps slipped to 10-10-4, hitting the .500 mark for the first time since Nov. 15 when they were 7-7-3.

Winter Classic news: NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly spoke with Caps season ticket holders before the game and fielded several questions regarding the 2015 Winter Classic that will take place Jan. 1 at Nationals Park. Construction of the outdoor rink is scheduled to begin on Dec. 15.

Daly also told fans they could be getting an NHL All-Star Game in the not-too-distant future.

“I have no doubt the All-Star Game will be in line soon,” he said.

Daly also spoke with media members and addressed why there will be no alumni hockey game associated with the Classic.

“That’s a complicated issue,” he said. “Typically, it’s the host team that makes that decision and we try to work the host team. We’ve had complications in the past and I expect that was part of the reason. Another part of the reason could be that our venue deal with Nationals Park was fairly late in the game, which I think everybody recognizes.

“In terms of doing all the things we would normally do around the game with the home club we’re probably a little bit behind than we normally are. It’s a great event but it comes with a lot of issues that need to be resolved, too. I think the primary focus has to be on the Winter Classic itself and the game on the ice and certainly our priority is to make that as good as it can be.”

As for what ancillary events fans can expect, Daly said details will be coming shortly.

“I think you’ll be getting a steady does of announcements leading up to the Winter Classic in terms of the surrounding events and things the Capitals and the league are doing together to make it a special event.”

Support for Backstrom: Daly said the NHL is fully supportive of Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom and his fight to keep the silver medal he was awarded after being banned from the gold medal game of the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi for having pseudoephedrine in his system. Pseudoephedrine is an ingredient in the allergy medication Backstrom has been taking for years. The World Anti-Doping Agency is appealing the IOC’s ruling that cleared Backstrom of any wrongdoing.

“Certainly, we support Nick,” Daly said. “The circumstances surrounding the determination [by WADA], I think, were unfair. It’s unfortunate it’s still in litigation. I’m hopeful -- I can’t say I have any real reason to believe -- but I’m hopeful it gets resolved in a way that’s beneficial to Nick because certainly he deserves the silver medal.”

Look ahead: The Capitals will practice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on Wednesday, then hit the road for their next three games in Carolina, New Jersey and Tampa.



Caps look to create havoc in front of Miller against Canucks

December 2, 2014, 5:45 pm

News and notes as the Capitals await tonight’s game against the Vancouver Canucks at Verizon Center [6:30 p.m., Capitals Central, CSN]:

Between the pipes: The Caps will go with Braden Holtby [8-6-3, 2.40 GAA, .911 SP] and the Canucks will turn to Ryan Miller [15-4-0, 2.42, .911]. Holtby has lost three of his last four decisions [1-2-1] but has allowed just six regulation goals in his last three starts. This is his first career start against the Canucks. Miller had a four-game win streak snapped when the Canucks lost a 5-3 decision in Detroit on Sunday. Miller is 16-12-0 lifetime against the Caps with three shutouts.

Crowding the crease: Caps coach Barry Trotz said his players have been given a directive to create havoc in front of Miller and every other goalie they face. Those who don’t, he says, will see a reduction in ice time.

Trending: The Canucks have lost two in a row just once this season. They have been outscored 20-12 in first periods this season but have outscored opponents 30-28 in second periods and 29-17 in third periods. They’re also 2-0 in overtimes.

Feeling special: The Caps’ penalty kill has slipped to 23rd in the NHL after allowing three power-play goals Saturday night in Toronto. The Canucks are 10th on the PK. The Caps remain second in the NHL on the man-advantage, while the Canucks are 17th.

Even now: The Canucks have outscored opponents 51-50 at even strength this season. The Caps have been outscored 47-44.

Special together: Nicklas Backstrom ranks tied for first in the NHL in power-play assists (11) and tied for eighth in power-play points (11) and Alex Ovechkin ranks tied for third in the league in power-play goals (6).

Getting better: The Caps rank fourth in the NHL in shots against per game (27.1), ninth in hits (657) and 10th in the League in blocked shots (351). D Brooks Orpik ranks third in the NHL in blocked shots (64) and fifth in the league in hits (90).

Quick on the draw: The Caps have won 132 of 232 faceoffs (56.9 percent) in their last four games.

Look ahead: The Caps will practice at Kettler on Wednesday at 11:30 a.m., then board a flight to Raleigh, where they will play the Carolina Hurricanes.



Caps' Orpik says Sedins can 'eat you alive'

Staff

December 2, 2014, 2:45 pm

Capitals defenseman Brooks Orpik can remember playing against Henrik and Daniel Sedin before they had facial hair. It was in the 1999 World Junior Championships and no, he couldn’t tell them apart.


In those six games -- Daniel had five goals, five assists and Henrik had three goals, six assists -- Orpik could see the future of the Vancouver Canucks.

“They’re amazing to watch,” said Orpik, who also has a kindred connection to the Swedish twins, since he was born on the same day, Sept. 26, 1980.

Tonight, Orpik will be assigned a shutdown role against the Canucks’ two leading scorers when they invade Verizon Center (6:30 p.m. pregame, CSN). “You can tell they’ve played together forever,” Orpik said. “Some of the passes they make, they don’t even look. They just know where each other are. Awareness is a big thing with those guys. Sometimes you think you have them and they make a bind pass and before you know it it’s in the back of your net.

“You gotta be hard on them. They’re not big guys. [Daniel is 6-foot-1, 187 pounds; Henrik is 6-2, 188]. I played against them enough that if you are hard on them they can take bad penalties and you can get them off their game a little bit. If you’re not hard on them they can eat you alive.”

Since entering the NHL in 2000-01, Daniel, who wears No. 22 and was taken second overall, has 311 goals and 826 points in 1,003 NHL games. Henrik, who wears No. 33 and was taken third overall, has 199 goals and 864 points in 1,034 games.

Through 24 games this season, Henrik Sedin leads the Canucks with 22 points and Daniel is close behind with 21. Their linemate, Radim Vrbata, leads the Canucks with 10 goals and has been the perfect complement to the pass-first twins.

“It’s their instincts,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz said. “They use a lot of deception in their game. When you think they’re doing a cycle play they’re actually doing a cutback play. It’s mind-boggling how they find each other.”

Orpik agreed.

“They’ll cycle you for 40-50 seconds and they don’t care if they get a shot or not. They’ll wait until that one little slip-up and that one window of opportunity.”

In addition to using Orpik and defense partner John Carlson on the Sedin line, Trotz has assembled a new checking line, moving Brooks Laich from fourth-line left wing to third-line left wing alongside Eric Fehr and Joel Ward. Jason Chimera will state tonight’s game on a fourth line with center Andre Burakovsky and right wing Jay Beagle.

Laich said the key to limiting the Sedins’ chances is limiting their puck possession.

“It starts with faceoffs,” he said. “Once they have the puck it’s tough to get it back. If they do get the puck in our zone the key is bumping into them and stopping their skating. They move really well and they confuse teams a lot. If you can push one against the boards, push the other against the boards and bring our defenseman in to build a wall and not let them move at all, that will help us.”



Caps' road to Winter Classic begins with rink tour

Staff

December 2, 2014, 12:00 pm

The countdown to the 2015 Winter Classic between the Capitals and Chicago Blackhawks has begun.

The Capitals will host the Road to New Year’s Day Outdoor Rink Tour throughout the month of December, with visits to local rinks by Caps alumni, the Red Rockers and team mascot Slapshot.

Scheduled rink visits include Washington Harbor Georgetown, the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink and Canal Park Ice Rink in Washington, as well as the Reston Town Center Skating Pavilion

Dates and locations include:

Saturday, Dec. 6 – Washington Harbor Georgetown

3050 K Street NW, Washington, D.C.

Appearances by alumni Brent Johnson and Alan May.

9 a.m.: Kids Club Skate

10 a.m.: General Public/Open Skate

Friday, Dec. 12 – National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden Ice Rink on the National Mall

6th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.

Appearances by select alumni.

5-7 p.m.: General Skate

Sunday, Dec. 14 –Reston Town Center Skating Pavilion

1818 Discover Street, Reston, Va.




Tuesday, Dec. 30 – Canal Park Ice Rink

202 M Street SE, Washington, D.C.




Kids Club members receive free admission and rentals to all events.



Trotz defends playing musical goalies

Staff

December 2, 2014, 8:45 am

In hindsight, Barry Trotz’s decision to pull goaltender Justin Peters after he allowed two goals on six first-period shots didn’t work out Saturday night in Toronto.

The Maple Leafs beat Braden Holtby on their first shot of the second period and rolled to a 6-2 win in arguably the worst loss of the season for the Capitals.

Trotz, who will turn to Holtby tonight when the Caps host the Vancouver Canucks at Verizon Center, wasn’t making any apologies Monday for playing musical goalies, with Peters allowing three goals in the first and third periods and Holtby surrendering three in the second.

“I was trying to change the mojo and it didn’t get changed,” Trotz said.

“At the end of the day they got five goals on 14 shots [in the first two periods]. You hold a team to 14 shots in two periods you should be in pretty good shape.”

Peters didn’t take the loss in Toronto because the first goal allowed by Holtby stood up as the game-winner. But after allowing three goals in his


first two games with the Capitals, Peters has allowed 19 goals in his last five games and has failed to hold opponents under three goals in each of those appearances.

He is now 2-3-1 with a 3.28 GAA and .872 save percentage. It should be noted that each of Peters’ last five starts have come on the tail end of back-to-back games for the Caps, three of them on the road.

“Goaltenders have the toughest job,” Trotz said. “Goaltending is about erasing mistakes. That’s the hard part of that position, but it’s also the best part about that position. You can have the biggest effect on the game, positively or negatively.

“I wasn’t mad at Petey, I was mad at the mojo we had. He couldn’t do anything on the first goal [a double deflection off Evgeny Kuznetsov and Nate Schmidt]. I think he probably could have had the second goal from my vantage point, a little more stick detail and getting his legs down quicker and sealing that off.

“I was just changing to get us going. The mindset was to get everybody else’s minds on not what just happened but what we’re going to do. It was an easy time to have an excuse. I didn’t want an excuse. I wanted to come back.”

The Caps didn’t, of course, allowing a goal to Tyler Bozak on a giveaway by Nicklas Backstrom just 23 seconds into the second period to fall behind 3-0.

“We talked about it after,” Holtby said of Trotz’s goalie roulette. “That’s the way hockey goes, that’s the way goaltending goes.

“It’s not a first experience for either myself or Petey. We know as part of the team you do whatever is asked of you and you trust the decisions being made are the right ones.

“I think everyone in our locker room has trust in our coaching staff and it just didn’t work out. It could have easily worked the right way if I found a way to make a save on that first goal against me.

“Maybe we go down and score again. There’s always hindsight when there’s a delicate situation. It looks bad if it turns out bad and good if it turns out good. All we can do as players is make sure when we’re called upon to be there and respond.”

That next chance comes tonight at Verizon Center, where the Caps will play just four times in the month of December. They are 5-4-3 at home this season. The Canucks are 9-4-0 on the road.

“We’ve got to make it a vicious place to play,” Trotz said.


740854 Detroit Red Wings

Florida 4, Detroit 3: Why the Red Wings lost Tuesday

By Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 12:20 a.m. EST December 3, 2014

At Joe Louis Arena

■In the first period: The Panthers dominated the opening shifts, batting four shots Jimmy Howard's way as Detroit skaters were unable clear the puck. Kyle Quincey resorted to a hooking penalty at 1:32. Florida's Willie Mitchell got both a roughing and a high-sticking call at 4:25. Riley Sheahan had a good chance denied after driving to the net. Pavel Datsyuk fired a shot that went in off Tomas Tatar to give Detroit a 1-0 lead at 6:47, with Stephen Weiss drawing the second assist. Howard made a great glove save on Brad Boyes as the Panthers sustained their attack. Jimmy Hayes scored at 15:11, beating Danny DeKeyser to a loose puck for a short wrist shot. Shots were 14-13 to Florida.

Mike Babcock talks after Red Wings' loss to Florida Tuesday at the Joe Louis Arena. Video by Helene St. James/DFP

■In the second period: Tomas Fleischmann fanned very badly on a shot past the five-minute mark as the Panthers continued to outskate the Wings.

The Wings called a time-out at 7:32. Sean Bergenheim scored at 12:21. Jussi Jokinen sent the puck in from the left corner, firing it right by Quincey to Bergenheim, who had a wide open shot as Howard had slid to his right. The Wings got another power play at 16:36, after Fleischmann was called for interference on Howard, but couldn't get a shot on Roberto Luongo. Henrik Zetterberg had a shot go off the crossbar near the end. Shots were 24-21 to Detroit.

■In the third period: Brendan Smith misplayed the puck and Vincent Trocheck ended up being all alone to walk in on Howard and stretch the puck around him for a 3-1 Florida lead at the 20-second mark. The Wings got a fourth power play at 5:28, but had trouble even getting set up. Luongo needed a few seconds to recover after taking a puck to the neck. Aaron Ekblad scored on a slap shot that changed direction on its way into Detroit's net, at the 8-minute mark. Datsyuk scored at 9:32 on a mad crush at the net, and he nearly had another goal two minutes later, but Luongo covered up the puck. Tatar sent a rising wrist shot on net that Luongo absorbed with his body. Howard was pulled with 3:23 to go in regulation. Gustav Nyquist scored at 19:01. Final shots were 41-31 to Detroit.

■Coach speak: Mike Babcock said, "Hockey is an honest game, and you've got to be honest with your work ethic and your preparation. We didn't have the guys ready to play, and we didn't play hard enough. We tried to turn it up at the end, and we made it close and exciting, but the right team won. Let this be a lesson to us: If you want to be at the top of the league, you've got to play every night."

■Up next: Thursday hosting the Dallas Stars.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 12.03.2014


Florida 4, Detroit 3: Wings 'brutal' as win streak ends


No one minced words after the Detroit Red Wings saw their four-game winning streak sullied.

The Wings looked worse than the 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers would indicate, thoroughly outworked Tuesday at Joe Louis Arena. Another two-point performance from Pavel Datsyuk couldn't pretty up a game of turnovers and a tardy start.

"Maybe we thought we were going to win by putting one skate out there," Johan Franzen said, "but that's not going to happen in this league. We've got to fight for every point. It's not good enough."

Coach Mike Babcock excoriated everyone including himself. "We were brutal," he said. "We were no good, and that includes the coaches, because our team wasn't ready. They played hard, they were organized, they were structured, they played better than us, they deserve the points."

Tomas Tatar had the first goal and Gustav Nyquist scored the last, with 58.2 seconds to go, booking Datsyuk's marker. A 17-shot third period left Roberto Luongo with 38 saves to 27 from Jimmy Howard.

"We can't just drop a game like this," Tatar said. "We won four in a row, but it doesn't mean we can take a night off."

The Wings' power play converted for a fifth straight game, but at even strength, the Panthers were the more lethal opponent, despite being the team that had played the night before.

"They came at us hard and they were the ones that played last night," Nyquist said. "For some reason they had legs going early, and we just weren't good enough. It's not the way we play. Just flush this one, and move on."

Neither side got in a morning skate as the Joe stood in darkness from mid-morning to mid-afternoon, one of many downtown buildings affected by a mass power outage.


"I felt like the power outage was in our brains there for a bit," said Henrik Zetterberg, who had 11 shots on net. Tatar didn't concur, saying, "I don't want to make excuse. They had it, too.

"We didn't look good. We looked like we didn't want those two points."

The Panthers did, showing energy from the get-go. It was halted temporarily only after Franzen managed to draw two simultaneous penalties on Willie Mitchell, granting the Wings a 4-minute power play. A little past two minutes into that stretch, Datsyuk fired a shot that went in off Tatar, while Tomas Jurco screened. The Panthers saw their hard work pay off at 15:11, when Jimmy Hayes got to a loose puck first and snapped it behind Howard.

Franzen described the Wings as having let their "guard down a little bit. You get comfortable."

The Panthers built a 2-1 lead just past the game's midpoint. Jussi Jokinen sent the puck to the net. Howard had gone out of position, leaving Sean Bergenheim with an open net after Kyle Quincey just missed clearing the puck. A goaltender interference call on Tomas Fleischmann set up a golden opportunity for the Wings to tie the game, but a furious attack down low yielded everything but a shot on Luongo.

A careless play by Brendan Smith left the Wings in a deeper hole 20 seconds into the third period, as Vincent Trocheck turned the mistake into a goal. Eight minutes in, Aaron Ekblad scored on a slap shot. Datsyuk halved Florida's lead 92 seconds later during a goal-mouth scramble, and Nyquist cut it to one, but the Wings got what their overall performance warranted: Nothing.



Gordie Howe didn't suffer major stroke, not in ICU


Son Murray Howe says dad is 'responding and resting comfortably with family while in the hospital'

Gordie Howe

Detroit Red Wings hockey legend Gordie Howe is in hospital, his family gathered by his side.

Tonight, son Mark Howe told the Free Press that an MRI had ruled out a large stroke, adding that the family would be releasing a statement Wednesday morning. Gordie Howe remained hospitalized overnight.

Mark Howe, a pro scout for the Detroit Red Wings, spent most of today traveling to Lubbock, Texas, where Gordie Howe lives with his daughter, Cathy, and her family.

Early today, son Mark Howe texted that Gordie Howe, "had a major stroke yesterday. In ICU."

Another of Gordie and Colleen Howe's sons, Murray Howe, a radiologist, later clarified the situation, saying Gordie Howe was not in intensive care, but is hospitalized.

"We are awaiting test results at this time to determine whether he has had a new stroke," Murray Howe said via text. "He is responding and resting comfortably with family while in the hospital."

Gordie Howe, 86, suffers from dementia and has had a series of mini-strokes since summer began. He had a severe one on Oct. 26, but recovered enough to gain some movement in his right side. At the time, Mark Howe said the family feared Gordie Howe wouldn't survive another major stroke.



Power outage affects Joe Louis Arena


Mike Babcock in the dark as power failure befalls Joe Louis Arena. Video by Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press.

Power outage in Detroit canceled morning stake; Babcock: 'We still had our meetings'

Joe Louis Arena

Power returned to Joe Louis Arena about five hours after a massive outage caused players to leave the arena using flashlights and iPhones.

The lack of electricity that affected much of downtown Detroit on Tuesday left the arena in the dark just as the Red Wings were about to begin their morning skate, around 10:30. They made do with backup lighting, TVs and soccer play. And someone got in a leisurely cup of coffee.

"I don't know what's going on lately, whether it's the rats," Johan Franzen said after the Wings lost, 4-3, to the Florida Panthers. "It wasn't a big deal. We rode a bike, or I went outside for a run. It's not a big deal."

By shortly after 3p.m., the power was back on at the Joe, and the 7:30p.m. start between the Wings and Florida Panthers was unaffected.

Wings coach Mike Babcock offered an upside to the situation, which saw him depart the arena shortly before 11a.m., hours earlier than his normal game-day routine.

"It's good," Babcock said. "Players didn't want to go on. Coaches didn't want to go on. We still had our meetings.

"I get to go to Tim Hortons for a coffee on the way home instead of rushing home."

Unlike a 34-minute delay during Sunday afternoon's game at Joe Louis Arena between the Wings and Vancouver, which was caused by an outside electrical transmission line, Tuesday's ordeal was caused by a major cable failure that hit more than 900 sites.

Though auxiliary, emergency lighting lit parts of the Joe, including the dressing room and the event-level exits, even that amount of lighting didn't last long. Around 11a.m., an exodus of workers flowed from the arena.

Players used what little light there was to change back into street clothes. Arena workers guided many out by flashlight. Others used the lighting mechanisms on their cell phones to see where they were going.

Babcock wasn't the least fazed. Though players weren't able to skate, the coaching staff was able to run its usual special teams meetings and scout the Panthers.

"We had a backup thing to turn our TVs on so we could have our meetings anyway," Babcock said. "Then they were just playing a little soccer. You know, we feel with our young group it's important to get our team ready to go, and we think skating is part of that. But we don't have to skate as long as we get together. So that was important, that we got together this morning."



Power restored in Detroit; WSU to resume classes


8:31 p.m. EST December 2, 2014

The city of Detroit is reporting that power has been restored to all customers affected by today's cable failure.

Throughout the afternoon, lights were gradually coming back on across Detroit's fire stations, schools and other public buildings after a power outage hit more than 900 sites.

About one-third of the outages were restored by 2:15 p.m., according to DTE Energy. A "major cable failure" shut down the grid at about 10:30 a.m., affecting all of Detroit's Public Lighting Department's roughly 100 customers, according to a statement from the City of Detroit.

The mayor's office said in a news release that two city facilities powered by the grid remain without power, but that efforts are underway to power up those as well.

The outage caused disruptions across downtown Detroit, with virtually all traffic signals and the People Mover out, and numerous elevators stuck in public buildings. Detroit Fire Department firefighters continued into the afternoon rescuing people out of elevators from downtown buildings. Most fire stations are on generator power, and all are able to take calls by land line or radio.

Wayne State University and numerous local schools were affected by the outages. Shortly before noon, the university's web site listed more than 40 buildings that were without power, and classes on the main and medical campuses were canceled.

But at 5:30 p.m., WSU's web site indicated that all power had been restored and classes are back on track for Wednesday.

The Detroit Medical Center's Detroit Receiving Hospital has begun rerouting highest-level trauma patients to Henry Ford and St. John's main hospitals, although emergency power system have kept patients "safe and well cared for," according to a statement. Other DMC hospitals — Harper and Hutzel, for example — were not affected by the outage.

A power outage left buildings closed and streetlights out in Detroit today. Matt Helms, Detroit Free Press

Spokeswoman Sarah Collica said she was told "the lights flickered on and off — an indication that crews are working on the problem" she said, but overall patient care was not affected. DMC leadership will update families and patients at 3 p.m., she said.

Reports of the outages began flooding fire department radio traffic shortly after 10:30 a.m. today, with dispatchers checking to make sure the stations were able to open their garage doors.

Meanwhile, many nonpublic buildings are unaffected.

Public safety operations, courts affected

The lights flickered before they went out completely at the Frank Murphy Hall of Justice in downtown Detroit around 10:30 a.m.

Cases, including Bob Bashara's murder trial, abruptly stopped for the day as people evacuated the court by stairs.

"It's a significant hindrance to how we're able to conduct our daily business," said Wayne County Circuit Judge Timothy Kenny, who presides over the criminal division.

Power was restored to the building, but it remained closed today and is expected to reopen Wednesday morning.

Jail inmates who were courtrooms were quickly escorted out.

"During a blackout, inmates are secured to nearest lockup and monitored by deputies until power is restored," said Dennis Niemiec, a spokesman for the Wayne County Sheriff's Office. "There is no movement until power is restored."

At the Wayne County Jail, more than 1,200 inmates at Jail Divisions 1 and 2, at 570 and 525 Clinton Street, were locked down until power was restored, said Cpl. Brian Earle with the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.

Power was restored at Jail Division 1 and backup generator was brought to Jail Division 2, so operations are now normal there, Niemiec said.

The Coleman A. Young Municipal Center also was evacuated today. Insurance defense attorney Aaron Kleid had just finished up a settlement conference in that building when the outage hit.

"We went out to use the elevator and the lights started flickering. The power went out. There was a PA (announcement) to evacuate," said the Southfield-based lawyer who had to walk down 19 flights of stairs to exit the building. "It was exceptionally orderly."

Once on the sidewalk, people were busy asking one another what was going on. Kleid's news app explained the situation to him.

There was power in the Millender Center parking garage, so he was able to retrieve his car without a problem. However, because traffic lights were out along Jefferson, he said the route took him an extra 10 to 15 minutes.

"It's very inconvenient to everyone who uses the court system," Wayne County Circuit Chief Judge Robert Colombo Jr. said of the outage. "It's a significant problem when this happens."

Colombo said outages have occurred quite a few times over the last 10-15 years and said he remembers problems with the grid dating back to the early 2000s.

"We need to get this grid fixed so that in the future, we don't have these problems," Colombo said.

He pointed out when the courts close, it costs everybody money. Jurors in trials will have to come back and then will be paid for another day.

Michigan State Police have troopers helping police with patrols near Detroit City Airport, the Central Business District and Wayne State. The MSP Detroit regional dispatch center wasn't affected by the outages. Belle Isle, which is operated by the state, continues to experience "brown-outs," according to an MSP news release.

Arts museum, Cobo Center and more without power

Among others dealing with outages today:

• The Detroit Institute of Arts Museum was closed because of the outage, cutting short nearly 900 children's field trips. A back-up generator was activated to maintain humidity and climate control as well as security.

"The art is never damaged during a power outage," said museum spokeswoman Pam Marcil.

• The Detroit Historical Society lost power while a school group was in the Streets of Old Detroit exhibit, according to organization spokesman Bob Sadler.

"There wasn't any panic" he said. "The staff acted fast. They had flashlights. They moved them up to lobby and they boarded their buses."

Some old and delicate pieces in the DHS collection are temperature- and humidity-controlled, but Sadler said the power outage won't impact their well-being.

• Though Cobo Center lost its power and the work crews preparing for the North American International Auto Show were sent home, it won't affect their ability to be ready for the region's prime event in January, said Cobo spokesman Phil Frame.

He explained that safety regulations required that.

"I think they're going to be able to recover fine," he said. "We expect to be back up in few hours. Either the grid will come up or there are some generators we're trying to get. We expect everything to be back to normal business by tomorrow morning."

The auto show opens to the press on Jan. 12 and to the public on Jan. 17.

• The private Detroit Yacht Club on Belle Isle also lost power.

• The outages also cut power to the Belle Isle Aquarium, but the fish will be OK. Back-up generators are keeping the filtration system running, said Richard Kik, the aquarium curator. The lights are on, just dimmer; the aquarium is open to the public on weekends.


Free Press reporters Elisha Anderson, Marlon A. Walker, John Gallagher, Robin Erb, Zlati Meyer, Kimberly Mitchell and Lori Higgins contributed to this report.



Larkin, Motte invited to U.S. junior national team camp

By George Sipple, Detroit Free Press 11:26 a.m. EST December 2, 2014

The camp will run Dec. 16-19 in Boston, determine who plays for U.S. in worlds

Dylan Larkin

Five players from the University of Michigan and two Plymouth Whalers lead a list of invitees to the United States World Junior Championship evaluation camp.

The camp will run Dec. 16-19 in Boston.

Check it out: The full roster

The Wolverines invited are forwards Tyler Motte (St. Clair), J.T. Compher and Dylan Larkin (Waterford) and defensemen Zach Werenski (Grosse Pointe) and Michael Downing (Canton).

The Whalers invited are forward Sonny Milano and goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic.

Other forwards with local ties invited are Michael McCarron (Macomb) of London (OHL) and Auston Matthews and Jeremy Bracco of the Ann Arbor-based U.S. National Team Development Program.

Goaltender Brandon Halverson (Traverse City) of Sault Ste. Marie (OH) was also invited.



Red Wings' late rally falls short against Panthers

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 11:37 p.m. EST December 2, 2014

Detroit — The power outage that hamstrung downtown Detroit earlier Tuesday apparently never really left the Red Wings.

They got energized late in the game, but by then it was much too late.

On a strange day all the way around, the Red Wings saw a four-game win streak disappear to the young, impressive Florida Panthers, 4-3.

"As soon as the game started it looked like we didn't want those two points," Tomas Tatar said.

The Panthers' Vincent Trocheck and Aaron Ekblad scored third-period goals, lengthening a slim one-goal lead and sending much of the Joe Louis Arena crowd home early.

But Pavel Datsyuk sliced the lead to 4-2 with his 10th goal and with goalie Jimmy Howard off for an extra attacker, Gustav Nyquist scored his team-leading 12th goal with with 58.6 seconds left, cutting the lead to 4-3.

But Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo (38 saves) wouldn't let the Red Wings complete their rally and the Panthers, who played the night before and lost in Columbus — earned a well deserved victory.

"Hockey is an honest and fair game and you have to be honest with your work ethic and preparation," coach Mike Babcock said. "As a coaching staff we didn't have the guys ready to play. We didn't play hard enough. We turned it up in the end, made it close and exciting, but the right team won.

"Let this be a lesson to us. If you want to be at the top of the league, you have to play every night. You can't play like that."

Trocheck scored 27 seconds into the third period giving Florida a 3-1 lead, getting behind the Red Wings defense after a Brendan Smith turnover.

Ekblad, the first overall pick in June's draft, scored his fourth goal at the 8-minute mark. Ekblad lined a shot from the top of the slot that appeared to redirect off two sticks, the last of Gustav Nyquist's past Howard (27 saves), making it 4-1.

The goals from Datsyuk and Nyquist made it interesting, but it wasn't nearly enough.

"We just weren't good enough, it's not the way we play," Nyquist said. "Any time you have a team in your building that's played the night before, you want to get on them right away. We didn't do a good enough job of that."

Both teams had their game-day rituals disrupted when the massive power outage that affected most of downtown Detroit sent Joe Louis Arena into total darkness.

The Red Wings were just headed to their morning skate when the lights went out — the Panthers never made it to the ice in the morning.

But the change of plans apparently had a larger affect on the Red Wings than the Panthers, who played (and lost) in Columbus the evening before.

"They didn't have a morning skate either," Tatar said. "That can't be an excuse for us."

"That's all crap," said Babcock of the morning upheaval having an effect.

The Red Wings dropped to 14-6-5 (33 points) with the loss. The Panthers (10-7-6, 26 points) have won three of their last four games.

Tatar (power play) scored the other Red Wings goal.

Jimmy Hayes and Sean Bergenheim added the other Panthers goals.

Bergenheim broke a 1-1 tie in the second period with his fourth goal at 12:21.

The Red Wings failed to get the puck out of the defensive zone and the puck got to Panthers forward Jussi Jokinen at the side of the net.

Jokinen centered the puck to Bergenheim, who didn't get a clean shot off, but had a large portion of the net open with Howard too far to the side.

Tatar opened the scoring with his 10th goal.

With the Red Wings on the power play, thanks to a pair Florida defenseman Willie Mitchell penalties, Tatar finally converted.

Datsyuk's shot from the circle was deflected by Tatar in the slot, and the puck flew past Luongo at 6:47.

But the gutty Panthers answered later in the first period.

Hayes beat Danny DeKeyser to a puck near the crease and flipped it past Howard at 15:11 of the first period, his sixth goal.

"We never executed, so when you don't execute you're ultra-slow," Babcock said. "We're a way quicker team than we used to be but we looked slow tonight. Mentally, we weren't engaged."

Detroit News LOADED: 12.03.2014


Gordie Howe hospitalized; son says it wasn't a stroke


By Ted Kulfan and Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 9:02 p.m. EST December 2, 2014

Detroit — Red Wings legend Gordie Howe is in a Texas hospital, but one of his sons says it wasn't the result of a stroke, according to a report from CBC News.

Murray Howe says tests showed his father didn't suffer a new stroke and that "it was likely dehydration with fatigue," according to a tweet from CBC News. Howe could be discharged Wednesday, according to the CBC News tweet.

Test shows #GordieHowe didn't suffer a new stroke, says son Murray Howe. It was likely dehydration with fatigue. May be discharged tomorrow.

— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) December 3, 2014

It had been reported that Howe suffered a stroke on Monday. Cathy Purnell also told the Associated Press her father suffered a "significant stroke" on Monday. She said he was stable and "a little bit alert" Tuesday morning, and doctors at a Lubbock hospital where he was taken were scheduled to do additional tests.

Howe, 86, has had a series of minor strokes since suffering a severe stroke Oct. 26. There have been periods of improvement and optimism, with news of Howe walking, or sitting up, or responding to his children.

Then came Monday's news. Purnell said therapists who have been tending to Howe arrived at her house Monday morning and discovered him nonresponsive in bed.

The Red Wings said Howe's son Mark, a scout for the organization, is on his way to Lubbock to be with Gordie and Cathy.

Murray and Marty Howe, brothers of Mark, are also traveling to be with their father.

"He's a fighter," Purnell said. "The man is tough. He has this will to keep going, all things considered."

The man known as "Mr. Hockey" set NHL records for goals (801) and points (1,850), mostly with the Red Wings. The records later were bettered by Wayne Gretzky.

Purnell said the family wants to get Howe back to her house as soon as possible.

"It scares the daylight out of me," Purnell said.

She said she told her father Monday night to "stop pulling these games on me. He gave me a smile. His sense of humor is intact."



Wings miss morning skate during power outage

Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 11:29 p.m. EST December 2, 2014

Detroit — The Red Wings and Florida Panthers got an unexpected morning off.

Morning skates ahead of Tuesday night's game at Joe Louis Arena, were canceled because of a massive power outage in the downtown Detroit area.

The lights went out shortly before the Red Wings were going to go on the ice, just after 10 a.m. Workers at Joe Louis Arena were told leave the arena shortly after 11 a.m.

General manager Ken Holland was going to conduct scouting meetings at the arena, but they were moved to the Marriott down the street.

Holland said at approximately 1:40 p.m., the ice at JLA could hold up for the next eight hours, so bad ice isn't a factor.

Fortunately, the Red Wings tweeted shortly before 3:30 p.m. that power had been restored.

Joe Louis Arena is part of the Detroit Public Lighting grid, which was being affected throughout the city.

This was the second time in three days Joe Louis Arena was affected by a power outage. Sunday's game was delayed by approximately 30 minutes when the power went out 29 seconds into the game .

Coach Mike Babcock said the Red Wings had their team meetings Tuesday morning, so preparation wasn't affected other than getting on the ice.

A select group

Dylan Larkin, the Red Wings' first-round pick in June, was among U.S. players selected for the preliminary roster for the world junior tournament, Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Montreal and Toronto.

Larkin, a Waterford native currently playing at Michigan, has two goals and 10 assists in 13 games.

Larkin is a 6-foot, 190-pound center who was picked 15th overall by the Red Wings.

Larkin He was is one of six local players on the preliminary roster.

Forwards Michael McCarron (Macomb) and Tyler Motte (St. Clair) and defensemen Michael Downing (Canton) and Zach Werenski (Grosse Pointe Woods), and goalie Brandon Halverson (Traverse City) were invited to the training camp.

Up-and-coming team

Coach Mike Babcock feels the Panthers have one of the promising rosters in the NHL, and complimented the building done by general manager Dale Tallon.

Babcock said the nucleus of goaltender Roberto Luongo, along with the mix of veterans and youngsters Tallon has accumulated, has made for a competitive roster.

"They don't give up many goals and are in games each and every night," Babcock said.

"They're doing a real nice job and I like their kids. Their They're kids look like they're going to be real high-end players."

Ice chips

Justin Abdelkader (shoulder) wasn't in the lineup Tuesday, but even without the injury, the likelihood of Abdelakder playing wasn't high. Abdelkader had the flu, and wasn't at JLA.

… Daniel Cleary and Brian Lashoff were other scratches.

… Babcock feels there's a lot of room for growth among his team, particularly the younger players.

"The object is to win games," Babcock said. "We want to be better defensively and offensively and way harder on both ends and around (both) nets.

"We have a bunch of young guys that have a lot of growth opportunity ahead of them if they embrace it and work every day.

"That's the challenge for us as a coaching staff and them as players."



Windsor native Aaron Ekblad returns home, nets game winner to snap Detroit's winning streak


Aaron McMann | [email protected] By Aaron McMann | [email protected]

Email the author | on December 03, 2014 at 12:15 AM, updated December 03, 2014 at 1:15 AM

DETROIT -- It was quite the homecoming Tuesday night for Windsor native and Florida rookie defenseman Aaron Ekblad.

With his parents, aunts, uncles and cousins in attendance, and even a friend dancing on the Joe Louis Arena big screen, the 18-year-old Ekblad scored the game-winning goal to help the Panthers win 4-3 and put an end to Detroit's four-game winning streak.

"It was a pretty good feeling, for sure," Ekblad said. "I can't wait to go say hi to them. I haven't been able to see my parents yet, so I'll be excited."

Ekblad's goal, his fourth of the season, came eight minutes into the third to give Florida a cushy 4-1 lead.

Positioned on the left side of the ice, he said the puck bounced off teammate Jonathan Huberdeau's skate and he just pushed it past Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard.

"It came to me on a lucky bounce," Ekblad said. "I got a nice step into it, that's all.

"The guys on the team joke that my stick's like a wet noodle. I definitely don't try and put too much on it, and it's been working from here."

The goal was Ekblad's second in as many games, as the No. 1 pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft scored Monday night in Florida's 2-1 loss to Columbus.

A 20-goal scorer last season for the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League, Ekblad leads all Florida defenseman with 13 points and has been averaging close to 20 minutes of ice time per game.

"There's a reason you're the first pick in the draft," said Red Wings coach Mike Babcock. "Obviously, hockey sense and skill. He doesn't look 18 to me. He's a big guy. Their back end moved the puck real good. I thought they were solid."

Detroit rallied late, getting a goal from Pavel Datsyuk at 9:32 and Gustav Nyquist in the final minute, but Ekblad and the Florida defense was able to hold on for the Panthers' third win in four games.

"Thank god we did," Ekblad said. "They came back there, and I remember growing up how good Detroit was at coming back late in games."

Michigan Live LOADED: 12.03.2014


Red Wings: Florida was faster, better-prepared, worked harder and deserved the two points

Ansar Khan | [email protected] By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

on December 03, 2014 at 12:02 AM, updated December 03, 2014 at 1:12 AM

DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings should have been fresher Tuesday than the Florida Panthers, who played the night before.

Instead, the Panthers outskated the Red Wings. That led to turnovers, some of which wound up in Detroit's net.

The Red Wings weren't prepared, didn't play hard enough and didn't execute, losing 4-3 at Joe Louis Arena as their season-high four-game winning streak was snapped.

"You got to be honest with your work ethic and your preparation," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "Obviously, as a coaching staff we didn't have the guys ready to play, we didn't play hard enough.

"We tried to turn it up at the end, we made it close and exciting, but the right team won. Let this be a lesson for us, if you want to be at the top of the league you got to play every night, you can't play like that."

Said forward Johan Franzen: "Maybe we thought we were going to win with putting one skate out there, but that's not going to happen in this league."

The Panthers scored four consecutive goals after Tomas Tatar put the Red Wings ahead 1-0 with a power-play goal at 6:47 of the first period.

But goals by Jimmy Hayes (15:11 of the first) and Sean Bergenheim (12:21 of the second) gave the Panthers a lead they would not relinquish as the Red Wings played catch-up hockey, which Babcock refers to as losing hockey, the second half of the game.

"We were brutal. No good. Period," Babcock said. "We can pretend that we were prepared but we're just kidding ourselves.

"We were no good. That includes the coaches because our team wasn't ready. They played hard, they were organized, they were structured; they played better than us. They deserved the points. They're going home happy."

The Red Wings hoped to get an early jump on a team that played Monday (Florida lost 2-1 at Columbus). But the Panthers got stronger as the game progressed. They widened the gap in the third period on goals by Vincent Trocheck (27 seconds) and Aaron Ekblad (8:00).

"For some reason, they had legs going early," Detroit's Gustav Nyquist said. "Anytime you have a team in your own building that's played the night before, you want to get on them right away and we didn't do nearly a good enough job of that."

Pavel Datsyuk cut his team's deficit to 4-2 at 9:32 of the third and Nyquist scored with 59 seconds remaining in regulation after goaltender Jimmy Howard was pulled for the extra skater.

But the Red Wings (14-6-5) couldn't complete the comeback.

"We were just slower. I think they were more hungry in the 50-50 battles," Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "They got the puck back after they were shooting the puck and they got the puck back after we shot the puck."

When you don't execute, you're ultra-slow, Babcock said.

"We're a way quicker team than we used to be; we looked slow tonight," Babcock said. "We didn't execute, we turned the puck over. We had by our count around 20 turnovers. You have no chance. Mentally we weren't engaged."

Perhaps it will serve as a lesson.

"We won four in a row but it doesn't mean we can take a night off," Tatar said. "It looked like we didn't want those two points."



Panthers 4, Red Wings 3: Mistake-prone Detroit has its season-high four-game winning streak snapped


on December 02, 2014 at 10:10 PM, updated December 03, 2014 at 1:21 AM

DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings' offense has been clicking lately, propelling them to their longest winning streak of the season.


On Tuesday, they were reminded they better tighten up defensively.

Shoddy play in their own end, including several turnovers, cost the Red Wings in a 4-3 loss to the Florida Panthers at Joe Louis Arena.

Detroit (14-6-5) had its four-game winning streak snapped against a young Panthers club that won three of the five games between the teams in 2013-14.

The Red Wings have allowed 23 goals in seven games since beating Columbus 5-0 on Nov. 18. They haven't suffered during that stretch (5-2) thanks to their offense (26 goals).

Pavel Datsyuk had a goal and assisted on Tomas Tatar's power-play goal. Gustav Nyquist scored his 12th goal with 58.7 seconds remaining in the third period but the Panthers hung on for the win.

Leading 2-1 after 40 minutes, the Panthers scored twice in the first eight minutes of the third to widen the gap.

Vincent Trocheck capitalized on a turnover by Brendan Smith and tucked the puck past Jimmy Howard 27 seconds into the period.

Aaron Ekblad made it 4-1 on a shot from the point that deflected in off Gustav Nyquist's stick.

Datsyuk trimmed his team's deficit at 9:32 with his 10th goal. He has 17 points in 14 games.

But the Red Wings had dug themselves too deep a hole to escape. Florida, behind Roberto Luongo's 38 saves, improved to 10-7-6 under former Red Wing Gerard Gallant, in his first season behind the Panthers' bench.

Sean Bergenheim scored the only goal of the second period to snap a 1-1 tie.

Riley Sheahan turned over the puck along the boards, leading to a sequence that ended with Bergenheim, from the slot, one-timing a pass from Jussi Jokinen into an open net. The puck skidded into the goal as Howard had moved to his right anticipating a shot from Jokinen.

The Panthers had several odd-man rushes in the period. The Red Wings' best chance came in the final minute when Henrik Zetterberg fired a shot off the crossbar.

The teams traded goals in the first period.

Florida registered six of the game's first seven shots, applying heavy pressure on Howard, before a double-minor penalty on Panthers captain Willie Mitchell (high-sticking, roughing) shifted momentum.

Tatar scored at 6:47, tipping in a shot from Datsyuk. It was Tatar's 10th goal.

Former Panther Stephen Weiss also assisted on the goal, giving him six points (three goals, three assists) in five games since returning from a groin injury.

The Red Wings have scored at least one power-play goal in five consecutive games and are 18 for 55 in their past 13 games.

The Panthers tied it at 15:11 when Jimmy Hayes chipped in the rebound of a shot by Trocheck.



Second-period analysis: Panthers 2, Red Wings 1


Email the author | on December 02, 2014 at 9:20 PM, updated December 02, 2014 at 9:25 PM

DETROIT -- Despite a 24-21 advantage in shots, the Red Wings are getting outworked by Florida and trail 2-1 after the second period.

Mike Babcock called timeout 7:38 into the second period after two consecutive icing calls against the Red Wings but the offense struggled to do much after.

Florida scored 12:21 into the period on a goal from Sean Bergenheim, who rebounded a deflected shot in front of the net.

The Red Wings came up scoreless on a two-minute power play late after Tomas Flieschmann was penalized for goaltender interference.

Detroit outshot Florida 11-7 in the second.

Second-period updates

Panthers 2, Red Wings 1: Period ends with Detroit outshooting Florida 24-21 yet trail 2-1.

Panthers 2, Red Wings 1 (0:42): Florida calls timeout.

Panthers 2, Red Wings 1 (3:24): Detroit net comes off its hinges and Tomas Fleischmann is penalized two minutes for goaltender interference. Power play for the Red Wings.

Panthers 2, Red Wings 1 (4:44): Shots 22-20 in favor of Detroit, but they're unable to mount any serious pressure.

Panthers 2, Red Wings 1 (7:39): Florida takes the lead on a goal from Sean Bergenheim in front of the net. Jussi Jokinen and Brad Boyes with the assists. Bergenheim's fourth goal of the season.

Red Wings 1, Panthers 1 (9:44): Detroit has a scoring chance but Roberto Luongo gets his pad on a Zetterberg shot. Red Wings with an 18-17 shot advantage.

Red Wings 1, Panthers 1 (12:28): Red Wings call timeout after two straight icings. Defense looks tired.

Red Wings 1, Panthers 1 (13:29): Detroit with a 3-2 shot advantage this period.

Red Wings 1, Panthers 1 (16:04): Even hockey so far in the second. Florida now with a 15-13 shot advantage.

Red Wings 1, Panthers 1 (19:59): Florida wins the opening faceoff and the second period is underway.

Red Wings-Panthers links

• First-period analysis: Red Wings 1, Panthers 1

• Red Wings Gameday: Mike Babcock likes offensive surge but wants better defense



First-period analysis: Red Wings 1, Panthers 1



DETROIT -- Bookended by a pair of defensive lapses, the Detroit Red Wings find themselves in a 1-1 tie with the Florida Panthers after the first period.

Florida netted the first five shots of the game before Willie Mitchell was penalized four minutes for a high stick and roughing. Detroit capitalized, with Tomas Tatar rebounding a Pavel Datsyuk shot from the left circle at 6:47.


With shots tied 10-10, the Panthers dominated control of the puck for the latter part of the period, eventually tying the game at 1 at 15:11 when Jimmy Hayes rebounded a deflected shot in front of the net.

The Red Wings, at least right now, appear to be feeling the effects of missing Justin Abdelkader, out with a shoulder injury.

FIRST PERIOD

Red Wings 1, Panthers 1: Period ends with a 14-13 shot advantage for Florida.

Red Wings 1, Panthers 1 (4:49): Florida's Jimmy Hayes evens the game at 1 on a rebound in front of the net. Assists to Vincent Trocheck and Willie Mitchell.

Red Wings 1, Panthers 0 (5:31): Shots now even 10-10.

Red Wings 1, Panthers 0 (9:41): Puck flies off the rink and we've got a face off at center ice. Shots now 8-6 in favor of Detroit.

Red Wings 1, Panthers 0 (13:13): Tomas Tatar scores with 1:31 left in the power play, redirecting a shot from Pavel Datsyuk from the left circle. Stephen Weiss nabs an assist, too. Tatar's 10th of the season.

Red Wings 0, Panthers 0 (15:35): Florida's Willie Mitchell penalized two minutes for a high stick and two minutes for roughing. Shots now 6-3 Florida.

Red Wings 0, Panthers (18:28): Kyle Quincey penalized for hooking as the Panthers register four early shots on goal.

Red Wings 0, Panthers 0 (19:59): Detroit wins the opening faceoff and the Red Wings-Panthers are underway at Joe Louis Arena.



Live updates: Detroit Red Wings vs. Florida Panthers (chat)



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THIRD PERIOD

Panthers 4, Red Wings 3: Red Wings drop their first since Nov. 22 at Toronto.

Panthers 4, Red Wings 3 (0:58): Gus Nyquists scores on a rebound in front of the net. Jimmy Howard has been pulled for the last two minutes.

Panthers 4, Red Wings 2 (3:23): Tomas Tatar shot skating in from the right side gloved by Luongo. Faceoff in the Florida zone.

Panthers 4, Red Wings 2 (5:18): Detroit whistled for offsides and The Joe begins emptying.

Panthers 4, Red Wings 2 (10:28): Pavel Datsyuk scores with lots of traffic in front of the Florida net. Maybe this game isn't over yet. Detroit still outshooting Florida, 32-29.

Panthers 4, Red Wings 1 (12:00): Detroit musters three shots on the power play but comes away empty. Roberto Luongo takes a Datsyuk shot to the throat, but seems OK. Then, 32 seconds later, Aaron Ekblad scores on a slap shot redirected in front of the net.

Panthers 3, Red Wings 1 (14:32): Jonathan Huberdeau penalized two minutes for tripping. Detroit power play.

Panthers 3, Red Wings 1 (19:33): Vincent Trocheck scores 27 seconds into the third period.

Red Wings-Panthers links:

• Second-period analysis: Panthers 2, Red Wings 1

• First-period analysis: Red Wings 1, Panthers 1



Red Wings prospect Dylan Larkin of Michigan named to U.S. World Junior team preliminary roster


on December 02, 2014 at 4:08 PM, updated December 02, 2014 at 4:14 PM

Center Dylan Larkin, the Detroit Red Wings' top pick in the 2014 entry draft, was among 30 players named Tuesday to Team USA's preliminary roster for the World Junior Championship.

The players will attend training camp Dec. 16-19 in Boston before the final roster is unveiled on Dec. 24. The World Junior Championship runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 5 in Montreal and Toronto.

Larkin, 18, is a freshman at Michigan, where he has two goals and 10 assists in 13 games. He is among nine invitees who were members of the U.S. Men's National Under-18 team that won gold at the 2014 IIHF Under-18 Men's World Championship.

The Red Wings' selected the highly skilled Larkin (6-0, 192) with the 15th overall pick. He is their highest selection since they took Martin Lapointe 10th overall in 1992.



Detroit Red Wings Gameday: Mike Babcock likes offensive surge but wants better defense

Brendan Savage | [email protected] By Brendan Savage | [email protected]


GAME INFORMATION

• Who: Detroit Red Wings (14-5-5) vs. Florida Panthers (9-7-6)

• When: 7:30 p.m. at Joe Louis Arena

• Live coverage: Join the MLive live updates at 6:30 p.m. ET and follow Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) and Brendan Savage (@BrendanSavage) on Twitter.

• TV: Fox Sports Detroit Plus

• Radio: WXYT-FM (97.1), WXYT-AM (1270) and Red Wings radio network

GAME NOTES


The Red Wings' offense has been one of the best in the NHL in the last two weeks. They've scored at least four goals in the last seven games and are averaging 4.0 in regulation during that span.

The only hiccup was a 4-1 loss Nov. 22. Throw that game out and Detroit is averaging 4.5 in the last two weeks.

But the Red Wings are also giving up their share of goals and that doesn't please coach Mike Babcock. The Red Wings have allowed 19 goals in the last seven games for an average of 2.71 per game. Throw out a 5-0 win over Columbus and the number jumps to 3.17.

"We're a pretty good hockey club when we play with pace, " Babcock said recently. "When we don't play with pace, we're not. The thing I don't like about what's gone on lately is we're giving up too many goals. We want to get back to giving up no goals.

"I don't mind if we score goals but I'm not interested in giving them up."

• Henrik Zetterberg has had at least one point in four straight games. He has a goal and five assists in that span. ... Pavel Datsyuk has nine goals among 15 points in only 13 games. ... Jimmy Howard has won three straight games and is 4-1 in his last five appearances.

• Jussi Jokinen, who shares Florida's scoring lead with two goals and 10 assists, has went five straight games without a point. ... Panthers goalie Robert Luongo has a 2-2-2 record in his last six appearances. ... Florida is averaging 1.8 regulation goals in its last six games.

• Last season, the Panthers won three of five against the Red Wings, including two at Joe Louis Arena. ... The Red Wings' power play is ranked No. 6 in the NHL with a 22.7-percent success rate and the penalty kill is fourth (86.0). ... Florida's power play is 22nd (15.5 percent) and the penalty killers are 16th (80.5).

PREGAME LINKS

Here are some recent stories to peruse until game time:

• Johan Franzen needed at net front as Red Wings seek fifth straight win

• Legendary Gordie takes turn for worse after another major stroke

• Detroit power outage derails Red Wings morning skate at Joe Louis Arena

• Shoulder injury forces Justin Abdelkader to miss game vs. Florida

• 5 things to watch: Red Wings seek longest winning streak since 2012

• There's no shortage of power in offense as Red Wings win fourth straight



Gordie Howe hospitalized but resting comfortably while doctors run tests on Red Wings legend



The condition of hockey legend Gordie Howe took a turn for the worse on Monday when the former Detroit Red Wings was hospitalized after fears that he might have suffered his second major stroke in a little more than five weeks.

"We are awaiting test results at this time to determine whether he has had a new stroke," son Murray, said in a text to M-Live. "He is responding and resting comfortably with family while in hospital currently. He is not in an ICU."

Howe, 86, has been living at the home of daughter Cathy Purnell in Lubbock, Texas.

Purnell told The Associated Press that her father was stable and ''a little bit alert'' Tuesday morning, and doctors at a Lubbock hospital where he taken were scheduled to do additional tests.

''He's a fighter,'' Purnell told the AP. "The man is tough. He has this will to keep going, all things considered.''

Purnell said therapists who have been tending to the legendary Detroit Red Wing arrived at her house Monday morning and discovered him nonresponsive in bed. Howe remained that way until the evening, when Purnell said he recognized family members once he became alert.

Purnell said the family wants to get Howe back to her house as soon as possible.

Mark Howe, Gordie's son and the Red Wings director of pro scouting, said on Sunday that his father's condition had improved and that he was comfortable and no longer experiencing back pain following an epidural.

Mark Howe, who was planning on attending tonight's game against Florida at Joe Louis Arena, is traveling to Lubbock along with other family members, including brothers Marty and Murray.

Howe suffered a significant stroke on Oct. 26, impairing his speech and causing him to lose some function on his right side. He showed significant progress a week later but had a setback shortly after.



Red Wings, seeking fifth win in row, face Florida; Johan Franzen needed at net front



DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings, riding a four-game winning streak. are prepared to face a fast, young team on the rise tonight when they host the Florida Panthers at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit).

The Red Wings (14-5-5, 33 points) are seeking their longest winning streak since they won six in row from Feb. 8-19, 2012.

The upstart Panthers (9-7-6, 24 points) won three of five meetings against Detroit last season, including two in a shootout. Each team had six points.

"They skated us every time we played them last year except at the end," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "We'd be ahead and they'd catch us. They play quick. They have good young players.

"(Panthers general manager) Dale Tallon is building a real good program. They seem to be really playing well. Solid goaltending (from Roberto Luongo). They don't give up many goals and are in games each and every night. I think they're doing a real nice job. I like their kids. They look like they're going to be high, high-end players."

Said Red Wings goalie Jimmy Howard: "They always play us tough. They've been getting great goaltending. They got some great young players up front. They played us hard last year."

Joakim Andersson will be back in the lineup for the Red Wings in place of Justin Abdelkader, who injured his shoulder late in the second period of Sunday's game against Vancouver on a hit from Luca Sbisa.

"He is day to day," GM Ken Holland said. "He has a low-level injury, so we'll see how fast he heals."

Babcock said Abdelkader wouldn't have been available anyway because of the flu.


"He's sick today at home, so he didn't even come in. He's throwing up," Babcock said. "So we're going to see how it is tomorrow and get a read and see where he's going. I don't know how long he's going to be (out)."

Babcock said Johan Franzen will take Abdelkader's spot on the line with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg.

"Mule's got to be at the net-front. That's a priority for him," Babcock said. "If not, (Tomas) Jurco will go there."

Here are tonight's line

Henrik Zetterberg-Pavel Datsyuk-Johan Franzen

Gustav Nyquist-Riley Sheahan-Tomas Tatar

Tomas Jurco-Darren Helm-Stephen Weiss

Drew Miller-Luke Glendening-Joakim Andersson

Daniel Cleary (scratched)

On defense:

Jonathan Ericsson-Niklas Kronwall

Danny DeKeyser-Kyle Quincey

Brendan Smith-Jakub Kindl

Brian Lashoff (scratched)

In goal:

Jimmy Howard (starting)

Petr Mrazek



Detroit power outage derails Red Wings morning skate at Joe Louis Arena



Update: Power was restored to Joe Louis Arena this afternoon and the game was start as scheduled. The JLA Garage power was also restored and will be open for fans to park for tonight's game. The People Mover and all local bars and businesses that provide shuttle service to the Joe for Red Wings games had power restored and will be available for park-and-ride services tonight.

DETROIT - The lights went out at Joe Louis Arena Tuesday morning just before the Detroit Red Wings were about to take the ice for the morning skate.

A power outage affected other parts of Detroit, not just the old building, but team officials are confident the game against the Florida Panthers tonight will take place as scheduled (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit).

"Obviously, there's something wrong, but I hear it's the whole area," coach Mike Babcock said. "They'll get it worked out and we'll be playing tonight."

Players worked out in the dark hallway outside the dressing room while a couple of people held flashlights.

Babcock said it's just as well they didn't skate.

"Players didn't want to go on, coaches didn't want to go on. We still had our meetings," Babcock said. "Let's just get ready to play. We're ready to go."

Back-up power provided enough lighting and electricity for TVs, enabling coaches to go over the game plan.

"We feel with our young group it's important to get our team ready to go and we think skating is part of that," Babcock said. "But we don't have to skate as long we get together, so I thought that was important."

Power went out for about 30 minutes shortly after the opening faceoff during Sunday's game against Vancouver, but that apparently has nothing do with today's issue.

Asked how this might affect preparation, Babcock said, "I don't know how it's going to affect anything. It's a long way from game time. I get to go to Tim Horton's for a coffee instead of rushing home."

Here is a statement from the Detroit Public Lighting Department:

"The city's public lighting grid suffered a major cable failure that has caused the entire grid to lose power at approximately 10:30 this morning. The outage is affecting all customers on the PLD grid. We have isolated the issue and are working to restore power as soon as possible.

"The city's Public Lighting Department is working closely with DTE during this process. Mayor Mike Duggan and representatives of DTE will provide further details a 2 p.m. press briefing at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters."



Florida snaps Detroit's win streak, 4-3

By The Associated Press

Posted: 12/02/14, 11:36 PM EST | Updated: 1 min ago

DETROIT (AP) — Aaron Ekblad and Vincent Trocheck had happy homecomings Tuesday night.

Ekblad, a native of nearby Windsor, Ontario, scored the winner and Trocheck, who called Joe Louis Arena home when he played youth hockey, added a goal to help the Florida Panthers end Detroit’s four-game winning streak, 4-3.

Sean Bergenheim gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead midway through the second period when he shot into an open net after a giveaway — one of many — deep in the Red Wings’ zone. The hosts played from behind the rest of the night.

Ekblad, the first pick in this year’s NHL draft who grew up across the Detroit River, scored on a slap shot midway through the third period to give Florida a cushion it would need.

“It’s pretty cool,” the 18-year-old defenseman said. “A lot of my favorite players of all time have played in this building.

“My parents are here and I can’t wait to say ‘Hi’ to them.”

Jimmy Hayes added a goal for Florida, which has won three of its last four.

Detroit’s Gustav Nyquist scored with 59 seconds to play to cut the lead to a goal, but the Red Wings never got another good chance.

Tomas Tatar and Pavel Datsyuk each scored their 10th goals and Jimmy Howard made 27 saves for the Red Wings, who were seeking a fourth straight home victory.

Roberto Luongo made 38 saves to secure his eighth win of the season.

Florida’s Willie Mitchell earned four minutes in the penalty box early in the first period after roughing and high-sticking Darren Helm in front of the Panthers’ net. Tatar made the Panthers pay when he tapped Datsyuk’s wrister past Luongo.

Hayes evened the score late in the first period and Trocheck and Ekblad added third-period goals to give the Panthers a 4-1 lead.


“A lot of family and friends here tonight at the game,” said Trocheck, who played in the youth system owned by Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch. “To come back and have a game like this and get the win is huge.”

Florida had played at Columbus 24 hours earlier, while Detroit had the night off. It was hard to tell which team had the extra rest.

The Red Wings had 12 giveaways — 11 in the first period — to the Panthers’ four and never seemed as spry as their guests most of the night.

“I thought they came at us hard; they were the ones that played last night,” Nyquist said. “For some reason, they had legs going early.

“We just weren’t good enough tonight.”

Coach Mike Babcock was a little more blunt.

“We were brutal. No good. Period,” he said. “We can pretend that we were prepared, but we’re just kidding ourselves.”

Both teams had to cancel their morning skates after a massive power outage Tuesday morning shut down several public buildings, including Joe Louis Arena, in the city’s downtown. Power was restored to most of the affected buildings by nightfall and the game began as scheduled.

The Red Wings had a late start in Sunday’s 5-3 win over Vancouver because of a power failure seconds into the game. The two outages were not related.

NOTES: Hockey Hall of Famer and Detroit legend Gordie Howe was placed in intensive care at a Lubbock, Texas, hospital after suffering what his family called a major stroke Monday night. The 86-year-old has suffered three strokes since late October. ... Florida forward Aleksander Barkov was scratched with an upper-body injury. ... Red Wings forward Justin Abdelkader missed the game with a left shoulder injury he suffered during Sunday’s win over Vancouver.

Macomb Daily LOADED: 12.03.2014


Gordie Howe suffers another major stroke

By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily

Posted: 12/02/14, 3:20 PM EST | Updated: 45 secs ago

DETROIT >> Gordie Howe’s son, Murray, says that the family is still waiting test results to determine whether he has had a new stroke or not.

He also added in a text that Gordie is not in ICU.

He’s responding and resting comfortably with family while in the hospital.

Howe, who’s known as “Mr. Hockey”, is 86 and has been living with his daughter, Cathy, in Lubbock, Texas.

On Sunday, his son Mark said that his father’s condition had improved despite suffering a mini stroke on Saturday.

Howe suffered a significant stroke on Oct. 26, which impaired his speech and caused him to lose functionality of the right side of his body.

Howe has been suffering from dementia for several years and recently underwent spinal stenosis surgery.

Howe, who spent the first 25 seasons of his career with the Wings, still holds franchise records for games played (1,687), goals (786), points (1,809), power-play goals (211) and game-winning goals (121).

Howe is the NHL’s all-time leader in games played (1,767) and ranks second in goals (801), third in points (1,850) and ninth in assists (1,049).

Howe finished his career with the Hartford Whalers at age 52.

He made the last of his 23 NHL All-Star Game appearances that season at Joe Louis Arena.

He got to play alongside his sons, Mark and Marty, in the World Hockey Association for six seasons where he totaled 30 goals four times and reached 100 points at least twice.

Howe’s wife of 55 years, Colleen – known as “Mrs. Hockey” – died in 2009 after a lengthy battle with Pick’s Disease, an incurable neurological condition that causes dementia.

Macomb Daily LOADED: 12.03.2014

740921 New Jersey Devils

Depleted Devils played with heart, but now what?

Rich Chere | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com By Rich Chere | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

PITTSBURGH — They deserve a great deal of credit for being able to play the Pittsburgh Penguins almost even, but the Devils would rather have had a point or two.

“We played our (butts) off. We didn’t win. That’s the bottom line,” Devils coach Pete DeBoer said after Tuesday night’s 1-0 loss to the Penguins.

Their most courageous performance of the season?

“I think so. We came to play,” DeBoer said. “We wanted to put our fastest lineup on the ice tonight against that team. I thought right from the drop of the puck we skated with them, worked and gave ourselves a chance to win the game.”

And lost the game, as well as three forwards in Jaromir Jagr, Patrik Elias and Stephen Gionta.

Now what?

“We have to keep believing. We can’t get down. We can’t just go work hard and not think we’re going to win,” goalie Cory Schneider said. “We have to believe we have the people in the room to get the job done, and I think we have the last few games. We’ve busted our butts and done just about everything we could.

“We all need to chip in and come up with some big performances. We’re all going to be pushed right now. It’s not going to be easy with the guys we’re missing if they’re going to be out for any period of time. But just have to believe.”

Adam Henrique, just back from an upper body injury, agreed.

“We lost a lot of guys. We did a good job coming together. We just couldn’t find that one. Schneids held us in there,” Henrique said.

Can they possibly compete against the Maple Leafs Thursday night in Toronto?

“No question," Henrique said. "We had a couple guys who were not in the lineup. Ryds (healthy scratch Michael Ryder) was playing well. Obviously he’ll be back if we’re missing those guys.

“There are always guys willing to jump in and fill the roles and try to take advantage of that. If we do call guys up, it’s a big opportunity. That’s how I started (when Jacob Josefson was injured). That’s how I got in. Hopefully the guys are alright and be back. If not, the guys in here will compete.”

Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 29 Devils shots for his fifth shutout.

“We kept our shifts short. We just couldn’t get one by him,” Scott Gomez said. “When guys started going down everyone picked it up.”

A great effort, but no points.

“We did everything we had to in order to pull a win out of a tough building. The puck just wouldn’t go in,” Schneider said. “It (stinks) to lose again. Just


the way three lines battled and worked their butts off, I think we all deserve a little bit better result.”

Star Ledger LOADED: 12.03.2014


Devils fall to Pittsburgh Penguins, 1-0, as injuries mount | Rapid reaction


PITTSBURGH — It was the Devils' most courageous performance of the season. But it was also a fifth straight defeat.

Losing Jaromir Jagr, Patrik Elias and Stephen Gionta with injuries, the Devils battled the powerful Pittsburgh Penguins to the end before falling, 1-0, on a third period goal from Evgeni Malkin Tuesday night at Consol Energy Center.

Gionta was hit in the foot by a shot, and Jagr was hit in the head by Robert Bortuzzo's high hit. There was no report from the Devils on the severity of either injury or the nature of Elias's injury.

The Devils are 0-3-2 in their last five games.

HIGHLIGHTS

Although they were depleted, the Devils played well enough defensively to keep the Penguins from taking control of the game. Goalie Cory Schneider was solid, making a saving shorthanded stop on Brandon Sutter in the second period.

The nine remaining healthy forwards made it a game, even though the Devils were clearly outmanned in the last half of the game.

LOWLIGHTS

The injuries just kept coming. Patrik Elias did not come out at all for the second period. Stephen Gionta was hit in the foot by a shot. He took a quick spin with 12:00 left in the second to test his foot but went limping back to the dressing room.

Jaromir Jagr, who had gotten into a little scrap with Bortuzzo, took a shoulder to the head from the Penguins' defenseman a few minutes later. Jagr remained down on the ice before eventually getting up and skating on his own to the dressing room.

FIGHTS

None. Jordin Tootoo challenged Bortuzzo, who declined.

HEALTHY SCRATCHES

Devils: RW Michael Ryder, D Seth Helgeson

Penguins: D Brian Dumoulin

NOTABLE

Jagr passed Hall of Famer Al MacInnis (5,157) on the NHL career shots list, taking over sole possession of third place behind Ray Bourque (6,206) and Marcel Dionne (5,366). When it was suggested that Bourque's record was out of reach, Jagr said: "Hey, I'm always open (for passes)."

Only three goalies have won 300 NHL games before turning 30. They are Terry Sawchuk, Martin Brodeur and Marc-Andre Fleury.

Purely by coincidence, Scott Gomez told NJ Advance Media how proud he is to be wearing No. 21, formerly worn by right winger Randy McKay. Less than an hour earlier, former Devils winger and current assistant GM for the Penguins Bill Guerin was reminiscing and talked of how underrated McKay was as a leader and a player for the Devils.

THE WEEK AHEAD

Thursday: Devils vs. Toronto Maple Leads at Air Canada Centre, MSG, WFAN-AM 66, WFAN-FM 101.9, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday: Devils vs. Washington Capitals at Prudential Center, MSG Plus, WFAN-AM 66, WFAN-FM 101.9, 7 p.m.

Monday: Devils vs. Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena, MSG Plus, WCBS-AM 88, 7 p.m.

Tuesday: Chicago Blackhawks at Prudential Center, MSG Plus, WFAN-AM 66, WFAN-FM 101.9, 7 p.m.



Greetings from the press box: Can Scott Gomez and Patrik Elias turn back the clock?


PITTSBURGH — Martin Brodeur is now wearing a St. Louis Blues jersey and Scott Gomez is back in a Devils sweater.

Who would have guessed?

“I texted him. I’m sure it’s weird for all of us that he’s in a different uniform, but he can still bring a lot to a team. He is a legend in this game. It’s St. Louis's gain,” Gomez said Tuesday. “People tend to forget things quick. But some don’t.”

Devils fans who were angry when Gomez signed with the Rangers in 2007 might forgive him if he can help turn the team around. And that will happen if he is still a top playmaker.

Patrik Elias, who can use a boost, remembers playing with a younger Gomez.

“I think I was second in the NHL the whole year with shots. He finds you,” Elias said. “I knew I was going to shoot everything I got. He wanted to make passes to me and he wanted me to shoot. I was getting four or five shots game. “Brian (Gionta) had the most goals in the club’s history one of those seasons. He had 48 goals.

“Offensively Gomer always gave me time to open up so I could get a quality chance or quality shot. He’s one of the guys that have done that in my career. Petr (Sykora) did that well, with Marty Havlat you kind of have that, and with Gomer. He controls the puck and when we were at our best I knew I was going to get the puck. I just had to get open.”

Can they do it again?

“I don’t know if I’m going to play with Patty. But when you play with Patty, that’s one guy who knows how to get open. It’s my job to get him the puck,” Gomez said.

If they are on the same line, Elis will be shooting.

“Oh, yeah. He’s not going to shoot too many pucks. He always looks for a pass, so you have to be ready. You have to know there is always a pass coming,” Elias said.

Goalie matchup

Cory Schneider (9-10-3, 2.59 goals-against average, .915 save percentage) vs. Marc-Andre Fleury (13-4-1, 2.19 GAA, .924 save percentage).

Fleury's record at home against the Devils is far better than on the road. He is 14-9-3 with a 2.15 goals-against average on home ice against the Devils. On the road Fleury is 4-13-1 with a 3.07 GAA.

Schneider will make his NHL-leading 23rd start. Although they are 0-2-2 in their last four games, the Devils are still in the playoff race.


"You have one eye on that, but I'm more worried about our game," coach Pete DeBoer said. "I think when I look back at our last games, we could've won every one of those games that we played. Maybe the Winnipeg game I'd probably say no, but Calgary, Vancouver and the last couple are all winnable games for us. We just have to find a way to be on the other side of it."

A game to forget

The Devils had not spend time watching their 8-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins back on Oct. 28 at Consol.

"No. A couple tendencies on some of the things that maybe worked or didn't work. Other than that, no," DeBoer said.

What they would have seen was seven Devils penalties that allowed the Penguins to go 3-for-7 on the power play.

“If you start taking penalties, they’ll make you pay for that. That’s what we’ve got to learn from that," Elias noted. "We’ve got to have good discipline, not take penalties and be disciplined in our system.”

DeBoer agreed.

"These are speed teams. Part of our penalty trouble has been not working hard enough to get on the right side of people," he said. "We're not a fast, fast team, so you've got to work extra hard to get on the right side of people. That's something we've tried to focus on. Hopefully it's going to work."

Sidney Crosby and Robert Bortuzzo were both ill Tuesday morning. It will be a game time decision whether either player can play.

Injuries

Devils: RW Martin Havlat (lower body), C Travis Zajac (upper body) D Jon Merrill (arm), LW Ryane Clowe (head), D Bryce Salvador (lower body).

Penguins: D Kris Letang (lower body), C Marcel Goc (foot), F Pascal Dupuis (blood clot), F Beau Bennett (lower body)

Projected lineups:

Devils' lines:

26 Patrik Elias- 21 Scott Gomez- 68 Jaromir Jagr

23- Mike Cammalleri- 14 Adam Henrique- 12 Damien Brunner

15 Tuomo Ruutu- 16 Jacob Josefson- 18 Steve Bernier

8 Dainius Zubrus-11 Stephen Gionta- 20 Jordin Tootoo

Devils' defense:

6 Andy Greene- 28 Damon Severson

10 Peter Harrold- 2 Marek Zidlicky

25 Eric Gelinas- 5 Adam Larsson

Penguins' lines:

13 Nick Spaling- 87-Sidney Crosby- 72 Patric Hornqvist

14 Chris Kunitz- 71 Evgeni Malkin- 17 Blake Comeau

27 Craig Adams- 16 Brandon Sutter- 23 Steve Downie

59 Jayson Megna- 25 Andrew Ebbett- 38 Zach Sill

Penguins' defense:

7 Paul Martin- 3 Olli Maatta

10 Christian Ehrhoff- 4 Rob Scuderi

47 Simon Despres- 41 Robert Bortuzzo

Rich Chere may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Ledger_NJDevils. Find NJ.com on Facebook.



What has Devils' Michael Ryder so angry before tonight's game vs. Pittsburgh Penguins?


PITTSBURGH — Scott Gomez will make his season debut and Adam Henrique will return to the lineup from an upper body injury when the Devils face the Pittsburgh Penguins Tuesday night at Consol Energy Center.

But an angry Michael Ryder will be a healthy scratch.

"Yeah, I'm angry. Of course I'm angry," Ryder said when asked by NJ Advance Media. "You want to play. Especially when I know I can help the team. If the coach doesn't think you can help the team, that's what he thinks."

Ryder said he cannot recall the last time he was a healthy scratch and he didn't see this coming.

"Nope. It's the coach's decision to do what he's got to do if he thinks he can win. Not much I can do," Ryder said. "It is what it is. The coach makes decisions and that's it. Obviously you've got to score goals, but the whole team is struggling to score goals. (Pete DeBoer) has his decisions that he thinks are best and if I don't fit in, that's it."

DeBoer was unavailable after it became evident that Ryder, Seth Helgeson and Jon Merrill would be healthy scratches.

Ryder has 12 points (4 goals, 8 assists) in 24 games this season. He has not scored a goal in 11 straight games.

Last season he went 23 straight games without scoring a goal Jan. 12 to Mar. 18.

"For me this is totally different. Last year I knew I was struggling. I wasn't doing different things," Ryder said. "This year I thought I was skating well and creating chances. Even though I'm not scoring sometimes I'm trying to do other things on the ice. Sometimes people have this perspective of you and kind of overlook everything else, I guess.

"If I was playing really bad, you'd kind of get the feeling it was going to happen. I didn't think I was playing bad. I don't have any answers."

Gomez would not confirm that he is in the lineup, but that was the indication since Ryder stayed on the ice long after practice.

"It's great to be back and great to be in an NHL arena," Gomez said.

What does DeBoer expect from Gomez?

"We need a little burst of energy here," the coach said. "He has a skill level. He has an ability to create some offense. He's motivated. I remember the Scott Gomez four or five years ago. The last three years he's been a little bit of a journeyman in and out of the lineup.

"Hopefully he can re-find that game from the last time he was effective over a long stretch. That's what we're hoping for. You see it in practice. But you've got ti bring that to the rink every day."

Are the Devils lacking creativity?

"I would say that's a fair comment," DeBoer said. "You see it. When he gets the puck on the stick in practice he does things that guys out there can't do. That's got to translate into a game when you're playing an opposition and guys are flying around the ice a hundred miles an hour.

"It hasn't translated the last couple of years in the spots he's been. I think we're all hoping that the fact he's comfortable here in New Jersey and has a history here that he can find that again."

As for Henrique, he would not divulge the nature of his upper body injury suffered last week against the Red Wings.

"I kind of just got hit," Henrique said. "I feel better."


The optional morning skate in Pittsburgh was only the second day Henrique has skated since the Nov. 28 injury.

Rich Chere may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @Ledger_NJDevils. Find NJ.com on Facebook.



Devils prospect Steven Santini named to preliminary U.S. junior team roster


PITTSBURGH — The Devils held an optional morning skate at Consol Energy Center Tuesday.

Devils prospect Steven Santini was one of 30 players selected to the preliminary roster for the 2015 U.S. national junior team. The final roster will be named by Dec. 24.

Team USA will compete in the 2015 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, Dec. 26-Jan. 5, in Montreal and Toronto.

Santini, at Boston College, has been sidelined with a wrist injury and may not be ready to play by the start of the tournament.

Rich Chere



Devils come up short again with injury-riddled lineup; Gomez logs big minutes; Henrique feels fresh

Almost overshadowed tonight by the injuries and the late hit to the head on Jaromir Jagr by Robert Bortuzzo was that the Devils lost another game, falling 1-0 to the Pittsburgh Penguins at Consol Energy Center.

That’s five losses in a row for the Devils (0-3-2) and just three wins in their last 14 games (3-9-2) to drop them to a season-worst 9-12-4 for the season.

The Devils went in with an injury-depleted lineup and then lost Jagr (possible head injury), Patrik Elias (elbow) and Stephen Gionta (blocked shot off his foot). None of the Devils injured players were available to talk to the media after the game and the team didn’t provide any update on them.

The game remained scoreless until Evgeni Malkin’s goal 2:32 into the third period. Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves for his league-leading fifth shutout of the season.

“Gutsy effort,” Devils coach Pete DeBoer said. “We had a short bench all night and guys competed hard. I just wish they would have got rewarded for it.”

“I thought we played exactly the way we had to play given the circumstances,” said goaltender Cory Schneider, who finished with 22 saves. “Guys injured to start the game and we lost two or three guys along the way. We did everything we had to in order to pull a win out of a tough building and the puck just wouldn’t go in. It (stinks) to lose again. Just the way three lines battled and worked their butts off tonight I think we all deserved a little bit better result.”

The Devils outshot the Penguins 29-23, outhit them 31-23, including 15-4, in the third period, but again could not find a way to score. It was the third time they were shut out this season – the second time in their last four

games -- and the sixth time in their 25 games so far in which they scored one goal or less.

“We just couldn’t get one by him,” said center Scott Gomez, who made his season debut tonight. “I thought when started going down everyone picked it up and you’ve got to like the effort. If we play like that, we’re going to get some points out of this game.”

“We played our (rear end) off,” DeBoer said. “We didn’t win. That’s the bottom line.”

The Devils were down to nine forwards for the last three periods, which meant some heavy minutes for those who were left. Damien Brunner played 9:09 of his 20:41 for the night in the third period. Adam Henrique was playing his first game back from an upper-body injury and logged 20:11 for the night, including 7:32 in the third period.

Mike Cammalleri led all Devils’ forwards by playing 23:21, including 8:08 in the third period.

Gomez, who signed with the Devils Sunday night because of the slew of injuries, played 8:43 in the third period and 22:10 for the night in his first game since last April with Florida. (It was his first game as a Devil since May 5, 2007.)

“I put in the work,” Gomez said. “I’ve definitely got to thank (fitness trainer) Vladimir Bure and (Devils strength and conditioning coach) Mike Vasalani, that’s for sure. It’s an honor to play in the NHL and to come back and whether it’s 20 minutes or five minutes, it’s good to be out there. It just happened that way. Everyone kind of had to double shift, but we still came up short.

“We’ve got to find a way to put it in.”

Gomez, who began the night centering Elias and Jagr, ended up playing with Tuomo Ruutu (14:36 in ice time) and Brunner in the third. Henrique centered Cammalleri and Steve Bernier (16:31). That left Jordin Tootoo (8:50 total), Jacob Josefson (16:08) and Dainius Zubrus (16:20) for the third line.

“We were playing hard the way we needed to,” Henrique said. “Guys were getting hits, physical, getting into the game. I thought we did a good job. The guys played well the last game like that in the third period (a 3-1 loss to the Islanders). I thought we did a good job of carrying that over. Unfortunately, we’re down a couple guys here, but I thought the guys did a good job of coming together and playing hard for a full game.”

“It’s that time of year, though,” Schneider said. “You’re getting into the middle of the season when injuries can pile up on you like that and games get a little more gritty and physical and more tightly checked. It’s going to happen, but give some guys credit who stepped up and played a lot of minutes tonight who may usually not. I thought we were right there.”

***

Gomez said he didn’t see Elias get injured.

“Obviously, something had to happen because Patty will pay through anything,” Gomez said. “I didn’t even know what happened.”

Gomez hit Elias in the chest with a shot in the first period, but said, “I think it was his elbow or something like that.”

***

Henrique said he “felt good” coming back from his upper body injury. He sat out Saturday’s game after being injured in the third period of Friday’s 5-4 shootout loss to Detroit.

“I felt fresh,” Henrique said. “No issues.”

He was mad at himself, though, for firing wide left on a great power-play chance from the slot in the first period.

“It was brutal. That’s one I’ve got to have, especially early with a team like this,” he said. “So, it’s disappointing to miss that one, but we’ll move forward here. If we keep playing like that we’re going to win games.”

***


Before he was injured, Jagr had three shots on goal and now has 5,160 in his career, passing Al MacInnis (5,157) for sole-possession of third-place in NHL history. Marcel Dionne (5,366) is second.

Posted by Tom Gulitti on 12/3 at 01:17 AM

Bergen Record LOADED: 12.03.2014


DeBoer: Headshot on Jagr would've caused "World War 4" if Crosby was target; Bortuzzo faces hearing

The Devils provided no update on any of their players who were injured in tonight’s 1-0 loss in Pittsburgh.

That group included Jaromir Jagr, Patrik Elias and Stephen Gionta. Gionta blocked a Paul Martin shot in the first period and did not return. Elias apparently injured his elbow and did not play after the 16-minute mark of the first period.

Jagr was injured on an unpenalized shoulder to the head from Penguins defenseman Robert Bortuzzo with 2:03 left in the second period. The NHL’s Department of Player Safety announced Borutuzzo will have a hearing concerning the hit at a date and time to be determined.

The Devils were still pretty upset about the hit on Jagr after the game.

“I thought it was a real liberty, totally unnecessary,” Devils coach Pete DeBoer said. “If one of our guys did that to (Penguins captain Sidney) Crosby there would be World War 4.”

When I asked DeBoer what he meant by World War 4, he said it was "self explanatory."

Jagr had just passed the puck to Jordin Tootoo, who was driving to the net, when Bortuzzo caught him with his right shoulder to head near the end boards to the right of the Pittsburgh net.

“I just thought it was a liberty. It was a headshot,” DeBoer said. “It doesn’t matter whether it was a shoulder or elbow, it’s a shot to the head.”

DeBoer said the referees told him they, “never saw it.”

“But, the league will see it and I’m sure they’ll take the appropriate action,” DeBoer said.

Bortuzzo and Jagr had been going at it all night. Bortuzzo also caught Jagr with a hit along the left wing boards in the Penguins’ zone 8:49 into the first period.

Tootoo also thought that hit was late.

“I thought it was a little late for sure,” Tootoo said. “He made the play and it was a good two, three seconds after the fact. So, was the last hit. We talk about head shots. Clearly that was a head shot.”

What frustrated Tootoo most is he had tried to get Bortuzzo to fight about 15 seconds before his second period hit on Jagr. Earlier in the period, Jagr and Bortuzzo had jostled with their sticks in a scrum after the whistle.

“Jagr’s our best player and any time someone takes a run at you, my job is to make sure that it doesn’t happen again,” Tootoo said. “I asked the guy to go countless times. When you’re a player that is going to run around and do (stuff) like that to our best players, my job is to take action and make sure it stops right there.”

Tootoo said when he asked Bortuzzo to fight, “He just kind of kept playing and that was it.”

After the pass from Jagr didn’t connect, Tootoo headed back toward the Devils’ zone to backcheck and didn’t see that Bortuzzo had hit Jagr.

“I didn’t see the hit, the last one he did,” Tootoo said. “I was back checking and the whistle blew. I wish I would have been there at that moment because there would have been gloves flying for sure.”

In case you were wondering, the Devils and Penguins meet next on Dec. 29 at Prudential Center.

“I’m not going to forget what number he is and it’s a long season,” Tootoo said. “But, at the same time, we’ve got to worry about our guys in the dressing room here and get back on the winning ways. That was a pretty gutsy effort by the team tonight losing a few guys. I think it was a step in the right direction for the guys that we had left.”

The Devils have more pressing needs now, though. They have lost five in a row (0-3-2) and have just three wins in their last 14 games (3-9-2) to fall a season-low three games under NHL .500 at 9-12-4.

And now they face the possibility of playing Thursday night in Toronto with an injury-decimated lineup.

The Devils were already missing center Travis Zajac (lower body), left wing Martin Havlat (lower body), left wing Ryane Clowe (suspected concussion) and defensemen Jon Merrill (sore right hand) and Bryce Salvador (lower body) because of injuries. Although center Adam Henrique returned Tuesday from an upper-body injury, the Devils were depleted enough that they signed center Scott Gomez Sunday night.

Although he’s headed toward his 43rd birthday on Feb, 15, Jagr has never missed a game for any reason in his season-plus as a Devil and proven to invaluable. He has led the team in scoring the last two seasons.

This season he has four goals and 11 assists in 25 games.

“It’s tough to see him go down like that,” Schneider said. “He’s been such a warrior for us for the last year-plus and he almost seems invincible at 43. We’re hoping that he’s OK and it wasn’t as bad as it looked.”

If Jagr, Elias and Gionta are out for Thursday, the Devils will have to call up at least two forwards or add them in some other way. The only extra forward on the trip with them is right wing Michael Ryder, who was a healthy scratch tonight.

Henrique said there is “no question” the team will be able to compete and win, though.

“We’ve got a couple guys who weren’t in the lineup,” Henrique said. “(Michael Ryder) has been playing well. Obviously, he’ll be back if we’re missing these guys and there are always guys willing to jump in and fill the roles and try to take advantage are going to play more. “

Henrique then recalled how he got his start in 2011-12 after Jacob Josefson fractured his collarbone. He had just been sent down after struggling at the start of that season.

“For some young guys coming in, if we do call guys up, that’s a big opportunity,” Henrique said. “That’s how I started and that’s how I got in and, hopefully, there will be somebody there champing at the bit. Hopefully, the guys are all right. Hopefully, they’ll be back, but if not the guys in here will compete.”

The Devils need to find a way to start winning now or this season will get away from them quickly.

“We have to keep believing,” Schneider said. “We can’t get down. We can’t just go work hard and not thing we’re going to win. We have to keep believing that we have the people in the room to get the job done. I think we have the last few games. We’ve busted our butts and, again, done about everything we could. We all need to chip in and come up with some big performances. We’re going to be pushed right now. It’s not going to be easy with some of the guys we’re missing if they’re out for any period of time, but we just have to believe.”

***

Tonight’s game got chippy as it progressed and there were several after the whistle scrums in the second and third periods.

Henrique got involved in a wrestling with Evgeni Malkin in one after Malkin shouldered defensemen Eric Gelinas in the chest. Henrique called that “just a scrum”, but admitted the game got chippy.

“It got there,” he said. “We were playing hard in the first. We were playing hard the way we needed to. Guys were getting hits, physical, getting into


the game. I thought we did a good job. The guys played well the last game like that in the third period. I thought we did a good job of carrying that over. Unfortunately, we’re down a couple guys here, but I thought the guys did a good job of coming together and playing hard for a full game.”

Posted by Tom Gulitti on 12/2 at 10:35 PM



Devils hoping Gomez's playmaking can give them "a burst of energy"; Henrique feeling good

Scott Gomez has waited two months for this chance.

He’ll finally get a chance to play in an NHL game tonight in Pittsburgh after signing with the Devils Sunday night.

Gomez, who will turn 35 on Dec. 23, had been practicing with the team as an unsigned player after attending training camp as a tryout.

“It’s great to be back,” said Gomez, who won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year in 1999-2000 and Stanley Cups with the Devils in 2000 and 2003. “It’s great to be in an NHL arena and I’m excited, especially excited to help the team out.”

The Devils can use any the help Gomez can provide. They are 0-2-2 in their last four games and 3-8-2 in their last 13. They have struggled again to score goals, averaging 2.38 per game, which puts them 24th in the NHL.

The Devils are hoping he can rekindle some of the playmaking skill that made him so successful during his first stint with the team from 1999-2000 to 2006-07.

“We need a little burst of energy here. He has a skill level. He has an ability to create some offense. He’s motivated. I remember the Scott Gomez four or five years ago. The last three years he’s been a little bit of a journeyman in and out of the lineup and, hopefully, he can re-find that game the last time he was effective over a long stretch. That’s what we’re hoping for. You see it in practice, but you’ve got to bring that to the rink every day.”

That kind of creativity is not something the Devils have a lot of.

“I would say that’s a fair comment,” DeBoer said. “And you see it. When he gets the puck on his stick in practice, he does things that guys out there can’t do. That’s got to translate into a game when you’re a playing an opposition and guys are flying around the ice 100 miles an hour. It hasn’t translated the last couple years in the spots he’s been. I think we’re hoping that the fact that he’s comfortable here in New Jersey and has a history here that he can find that again.”

Gomez did play well in the three preseason games he played in for the Devils, scoring two goals and assisting on another, but NHL regular season games are a significant step up in the level of competition.

“I don’t put a ton of stock in that,” DeBoer said. “That’s American League hockey in training camp and exhibition games. So, I see it practice. We see what he’s capable of doing. He’s going to get an opportunity and like all guys, that’s all you can ask for. The opportunity’s there. You either grab it and run with it or you don’t.”

Gomez practiced Monday on a line with Patrik Elias and Jaromir Jagr. It was unclear whether that would be a line combination tonight with Adam Henrique returning after missing Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Islanders with an upper-body injury.

Gomez and Elias had some success playing together in the past. Playing with Gomez and Brian Gionta in 2003-04, Elias finished second in the NHL with 300 shots on goal (behind Ilya Kovalchuk’s 341).

Elias also finished sixth in the league that season with 81 points and fifth in goals with 38.

“He finds you,” Elias said of Gomez. “I knew I was going to shoot everything I got a chance. He wanted to get passes to me. He wanted me to shoot, get the chances, so I was getting four or five shots a game.”

In 2005-06, Brian Gionta set a team record by scoring 48 goals playing on that line with Elias and Gomez.

“I think we played well together,” Elias said. “We were responsible. All three of us could play back and we’d back each other up, but, offensively, Gomer always gave me the time to open up so I could get a quality chance or a quality shot. He’s one of the guys that has done that in my career. Petr (Sykora) did that well and with Marty (Havlat) we kind of have that and with Gomer. He controls the puck and when we were at our best I knew I was going to get the puck. I just had to get open and we kind of read off of each other pretty well.”

So, if Elias plays with Gomez tonight, he will have more of a shooting mentality. At center, Elias has focused more on being a set-up man.

“He’s not going to shoot too many pucks,” Elias said of Gomez. “He always looks for a pass, so you’ve got to be ready. You’ve got to know there’s always a pass coming.”

Gomez knows exactly what he’s supposed to do.

“I know my job is to pass the puck and I get in trouble when I don’t shoot,” he said. “Depending on the players you play with, it’s pretty easy. I don’t know if I’m going to play with Patty, but when you play with Patty that’s one guy that knows how to get open and it’s my job to get him the puck. But, I’m not going try too much. I know what my job is. I never forgot that.”

Gomez hasn’t played in an NHL regular season game since last April with Florida, but from attending camp and practicing with the team the last two months, he knows their system and the way they play, so that should help some.

“I think that was a real positive,” DeBoer said of Gomez practicing with the team. “He jumps right in. He knows our systems. He knows the guys on the team. He’s actually been a pleasure to be around. I think that was part of our attraction to him too, just the attitude he’s brought to the dressing room every day. He’s a fun guy to be around, he enjoys the game and, hopefully, he can bring some of that to our team.”

“He’s just a great guy to have in the room,” Henrique said. “He has the experience. He’s won here. So, it’s nice to have him back. He keeps things loose in the room. He’s a good person to have in there and we’re more than happy to have him.”

***

A week ago, Gomez and Martin Brodeur were working out together at Prudential Center and still hoping they would get a chance to play in the NHL this season. Now, only a couple days apart, both have been signed. Gomez signed with the Devils on Sunday night and Brodeur signed a one-year deal with St. Louis today.

We each got the email (that) our insurance was running out and the retirement was definitely a big printed line. We kind of laughed at that,” Gomez said. “We texted each other the other night and it’s great. That’s a guy that loves hockey. I’m sure it’s weird for all of us that he’s in a different uniform, but he can still bring a lot to a team. He’s a great guy in the room and he’s a legend in this game. It’s just St. Louis’ gain.”

***

Henrique is expected back in the lineup tonight after missing Saturday’s 3-1 loss to Islanders with an upper body injury.

“I feel good,” Henrique said. “I’ll hopefully get in and get a big bounce-back win tonight.”

Henrique was injured in the second period of Friday’s 5-4 shootout loss to Detroit.

“I kind of just got hit,” he said. “It was a little play, but I feel better, I feel good. It’s nice to be back out there.”


Henrique did off ice work Saturday and Sunday, but stayed off the ice both days. He skated on his own Monday, so today’s morning skate was the first time he was on the ice with the rest of the team.

***

Other subjects DeBoer discussed today:

On the team’s slide and being four points out of a playoff spot:

“You have one eye on that, but I’m more worried about our game. Really when I look back at our last games here, we could win every one of those games that we played. Maybe back in the Winnipeg game I’d say, ‘No’, but Calgary, Vancouver, the last couple, I think those are all winnable games for us and we’ve just got to find a way to be on the other side of it here.”

On the importance of not taking penalties against the Penguins (ranked frist in the NHL on the power play at 31.6 percent):

“These are speed teams. Part of our penalty trouble has been not working hard enough to get on the right side of people. We’re not a fast, fast team, so you’ve got to work extra hard to get on the right side of people. That’s been something we’re trying to focus on and, hopefully, it’s going to work.”

On if the team looked at the last game against Penguins (8-3 loss on Oct., 28) at all

“A couple of tendencies on some of the things that maybe worked or didn’t work, but other than that, no.”




Former Devil Martin Brodeur officially a St. Louis Blue after signing one-year contract

Martin Brodeur is officially no longer a lifelong Devil.

After practicing with the team on a tryout basis since Friday, Brodeur signed a one-year contract with the St. Louis Blues today. The deal carries a salary of $700,000 plus performance bonuses.

“It feels great,” Brodeur told stlouisblues.com. “I really appreciate the opportunity for me to be here the last few days. It definitely worked out real well. I’m excited for this fresh start.”

Blues rookie netminder Jake Allen is scheduled to play in Wednesday’s game in Chicago, but head coach Ken Hitchcock said Brodeur will play at some point on the team’s three-game trip, which also includes visits to Nashville on Thursday and the Islanders Saturday afternoon.

It will be the first time in Brodeur’s career he will play for an NHL organization other than the Devils. Brodeur, who was drafted 20th overall by the Devils in 1990, is the NHL’s all-time leader with 688 regular season wins, 124 shutout and 1,259 games.

The Devils and Blues have already played twice this season -- Nov.. 4 at Prudential Center and Nov. 6 in St. Louis -- and do not meet again in 2014-15, so Brodeur won't have to worry about facing his former team unless both reach the Stanley Cup Final.

The Blues were in need of another goaltender with NHL experience after Brian Elliott suffered a knee injury last Tuesday against Ottawa. So, they turned to the Brodeur, who had been looking for a job since deciding to move on from the Devils after the last season to clear the way for Cory Schneider to become the team’s unquestioned No. 1 in net.

The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer was a three-time Stanley Cup winner with the Devils and won the Vezina Troph as the NHL’s top goaltender four times.

Brodeur’s former teammates are happy for him, even if it will be strange to see him wearing an NHL jersey without a Devils’ logo on it.

“It’s good for him,” right wing Jaromir Jagr said. “You’ve got to respect him whatever he wants to do, so who cares what kind of jersey he’s going to wear? It’s not about the jersey. It’s about the guy being happy. So, he wanted to play and he felt like he didn’t have a chance (to do that) here. He still loves the game, I understand that.”

Brodeur had been working out at the Devils’ practice facility last week while waiting for a team to call him. Center Scott Gomez, who assigned with Devils Sunday night and will make his season debut with the team tonight in Pittsburgh, had been working out with Brodeur.

“We texted each other the other night and it’s great,” said Gomez, who was teammates with Brodeur on the 2000 and 2003 teams. “He’s a guy that loves hockey. I’m sure it’s weird for all of us that he’s in a different uniform, but he can still bring a lot to a team. He’s a great guy in the room and he’s a legend in this game … It’s St. Louis’ gain.”

In 39 games with the Devils last season, Brodeur went 19-14-6 with a 2.51 goals-against average, .901 save percentage and three shutouts. He needs just 12 wins to reach 700 for his career.




Gomez and Henrique to play for Devils tonight; Ryder "angry" to be a healthy scratch

Adam Henrique and Scott Gomez said after the Devils’ optional morning skate that they did not know yet if they will be in the lineup tonight in Pittsburgh, but it appears both will be in uniform.

That’s because right wing Michael Ryder will be a healthy scratch tonight for his first time in two seasons as a Devil. With no extra healthy forwards on the trip, that means lineup spots are committed to Henrique and Gomez.

Henrique missed Saturday’s 3-1 loss to the Islanders with what the team is calling an upper-body injury. He was injured in the second period of Friday’s 5-4 shootout loss to Detroit.

Gomez signed with the Devils Sunday night and will be making his season debut. He had been practicing with the team as an unsigned player since attending training camp as a tryout.

On defense, Eric Gelinas said “it looks like” he will be back in the lineup after sitting Saturday as a healthy scratch. He’ll replace Seth Helgeson, who will sit for the second time in three games as a healthy scratch.

Defenseman Jon Merrill also remains out as he works his way back from a sore right hand. Merrill has been cleared medically, but Devils coach Pete DeBoer said Monday’s practice was his first with full contact.

DeBoer said this morning that he had not decided upon his lineup yet and was going to wait until after the skate to do so, but it was clear that Ryder will sit out as he, Helgeson and Merrill remained on the ice afterward for conditioning skating.

Ryder has four goals and eight assists in 24 games this season. He has gone 11 games without scoring a goal, however, and has just three assists over that span.

Ryder, 34, wasn’t sure of the last time he was a healthy scratch.

“I can’t remember,” he said.

When asked if he was angry, Ryder replied, “Yeah, I’m angry. Of course, I’m angry. You want to play, be in the lineup, especially when I know I can help the team and stuff like. If the coach doesn’t think you can help the team, that’s what he thinks.”

Although he has been struggling to score lately, Ryder said he didn’t see this coming.


“It’s the coach’s decision to do what he’s got to do if he can win, so it’s his decision,” Ryder said. “There’s not much I can do. I didn’t think I was playing bad, but it is what it is. The coach makes decisions and that’s it.”

“If I was playing really bad, you can kind of get a feeling it was going to happen,” Ryder added. “But, I don’t know. I don’t have any answers.”

Ryder understands that he needs to score more, but pointed out he’s not the only Devil who in that category.

“Obviously, you’ve got to score goals, but the whole team is struggling to score goals, I guess,” Ryder said. “You’re going to have to ask (DeBoer). He’s got his decisions that he thinks is best and if I don’t fit in, then that’s it.”

After scoring only two goals in the final 36 games of last season, Ryder now has just six goals in his last 60 games. He feels his slump is “totally different”, though, than the one he endured last season.

“Last year, I kind of knew I was struggling and I wasn’t doing different things,” Ryder said. “This year, I thought was skating well, (getting in) on the forecheck, creating chances and that. Even though I’m not scoring sometimes, I’m just trying to do other things on the ice, but sometimes people have this perspective of you and it kind of overlooks everything else.”




No decisions on Devils' lineup for tonight, yet; Santini, Wood named to U.S. preliminary roster

The Devils are holding an optional morning skate today at Consol Energy Center in preparation for tonight's game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Head coach Pete DeBoer said he would wait until after the skate to decide his lineup, incliding whether Adam Henrique (upper-body injury) will play and if Scott Gomez will make his season debut after being signed Sunday night.

Both Henrique and Gomez are on the ice for the optional skate. The only player on the trip who is not skating is defenseman Andy Greene.

Defenseman Marek Zidlicky is skating today after sitting out Monday's practice because he was resting. Zidlicky has been nursing a sore right foot from blocking a shot a week ago in Vancouver.

Cory Schneider will start in net for the Devils against Marc-Andre Fleury for the Penguins, who also appeared to have an optional skate. A handful of players, including Sidney Crosby, did not skate for the Penguins this morning.

***

Although he is slated to be out until after New Year's following Oct.. 28 wrist surgery, Devils prospect and Boston College sophomore Steven Santini was one of 30 players named today to the preliminary roster for the 2015 U.S. National Junior Team.

The final U.S. roster that will compete at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championships in Montreal and Toronto will be named by Dec. 24. The tournament opens on Dec. 26 and runs through Jan. 5.

Forward Miles Wood, the Devils' 2013 fourth-round pick, also was named to the preliminary roster.

Santini, the Devils' 2013 second-round draft pick, is one of seven players named to the preliminary roster who were on the 2014 U.S. world junior team. He is one of 10 defensemen on the preliminary roster.

The players on the preliminary roster will attend training camp from Dec. 16 to Dec. 19 at Walter Brown Arena on the Boston University campus.

Posted by Tom Gulitti on 12/2 at 11:17 AM



Devils fall to Penguins as Evgeni Malkin scores lone goal

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Robert Bortuzzo’s main responsibility is to protect Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The towering Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman is unapologetic in his aggressive approach, figuring if he does his job, then his team’s stars can do theirs.

One board-rattling second-period collision with New Jersey’s Jaromir Jagr on Tuesday night sent a jolt that could resonate for months. Bortuzzo’s run-in with Jagr woke up his teammates and Malkin provided the game’s only goal 2:32 into the third period as the Penguins edged the reeling Devils 1-0.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 29 shots for his NHL-leading fifth shutout, but it was Bortuzzo’s meeting with the future Hall of Famer that will be remembered when the teams meet again in New Jersey on Dec. 29.

Jagr chased a puck to the right corner behind the Pittsburgh net and sent it around the boards. The puck was gone by the time the 6-foot-4 Bortuzzo barreled into him and sent Jagr onto the ice face-first.

“Totally unnecessary,” New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer said. “You know, if one of our guys had done that to Crosby there’d be World War Four.”

Jagr laid on the ice for several minutes before woozily making his way to the dressing room. He received a surprisingly warm ovation from the Pittsburgh crowd, which has lustily booed Jagr from the moment the two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Penguins left in 2001.

Penguins' Sidney Crosby slides into the glove of Devils goalie Cory Schneider. Gene J. Puskar/AP Penguins' Sidney Crosby slides into the glove of Devils goalie Cory Schneider.

Penguins coach Mike Johnston felt the hit was clean and Bortuzzo was repentant.

“I thought the puck was there,” Bortuzzo said. “I kept my shoulder down, felt like I hit him in the chest. It’s unfortunate he went out of the game, but like I said, just playing hard.”

Jagr was alongside a handful of banged up teammates in the dressing room when Malkin ended a brilliant end-to-end rush by taking a feed from Jayson Megna and beat Cory Schneider with a backhand. Steady play from Fleury made it stand up as the Penguins won for the fourth time in five games.

“We told our guys it might be one of those games where we might just have to will it out in the third period,” Johnston said. “We hung in there with it. We stuck with it. We guarded against frustration for the most part and I thought we did a good job in a really tough game.”

Schneider made 22 saves but received little help. New Jersey generated few quality chances against Fleury, who has won six straight at home against the Devils.

Evgeni Malkin celebrates his goal with Jayson Megna (l.) and Christian Ehrhoff (r.) in the third period. Gregory Shamus/NHLI via Getty Images Evgeni Malkin celebrates his goal with Jayson Megna (l.) and Christian Ehrhoff (r.) in the third period.

Gomez played 22 minutes in his return to the Devils after being signed on Monday but couldn’t stop New Jersey from being shut out for the second time in eight days.

“Whether it’s 20 minutes or five minutes, it’s good to be out there,” Gomez said. “It just happened tonight. Everyone kind of had a double shift. We still came up short and we have to find a way to put it in.”


Pittsburgh’s patched-together lineup lacked injured defenseman Kris Letang and banged-up forwards Chris Kunitz and Marcel Goc. In their place were fill-ins such as Andrew Ebbett and Scott Wilson, who was called up from Wilkes-Barre Scranton on Tuesday morning when Crosby missed the pregame skate with an illness. While the reigning MVP played in his 574th game — the eighth most in team history — Crosby was surrounded by a sea of largely unfamiliar faces.

Then again, the Penguins received little sympathy from New Jersey. The Devils brought back the well-traveled Gomez hoping he could give the struggling lineup a needed energy boost.

The 34-year-old last played for New Jersey in 2007, when the Devils lost to Ottawa in the Eastern Conference semifinals. He began the night as the young guy on a first line that included the 42-year-old Jagr and 38-year-old Patrik Elias, only to have Jagr and Elias head to the trainer’s room.

“I’m not going to forget what number (Bortuzzo) is,” New Jersey forward Jordin Tootoo said. “It’s a long season, so at the same time, we have to worry about our guys in the locker room here and get back on the winning ways.”

New York Daily News LOADED: 12.03.2014


Hit on Jaromir Jagr angers Devils in 1-0 loss to Penguins

By Associated Press

PITTSBURGH — Robert Bortuzzo’s main responsibility is to protect Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The towering Penguins defenseman is unapologetic in his aggressive approach, figuring if he does his job, then his team’s stars can do theirs.

One board-rattling second-period collision with the Devils’ Jaromir Jagr on Tuesday night sent a jolt that could resonate for months. Bortuzzo’s run-in with Jagr woke up his teammates and Malkin provided the game’s only goal 2:32 into the third period as the Penguins edged the reeling Devils 1-0.

Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 29 shots for his NHL-leading fifth shutout, but it was Bortuzzo’s meeting with the future Hall of Famer that will be remembered when the teams meet again at Prudential Center on Dec. 29.

Jagr chased a puck to the right corner behind the Pittsburgh net and sent it around the boards. The puck was gone by the time the 6-foot-4 Bortuzzo barreled into him and sent Jagr onto the ice face-first.

“Totally unnecessary,” Devils coach Peter DeBoer said. “You know, if one of our guys had done that to Crosby there’d be World War Four.”

“Totally unnecessary. You know, if one of our guys had done that to Crosby there’d be World War Four.”

— Devils coach Pete DeBoer on the hit to Jaromir Jagr

Jagr laid on the ice for several minutes before woozily making his way to the dressing room. He received a surprisingly warm ovation from the Pittsburgh crowd, which has lustily booed Jagr from the moment the two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Penguins left in 2001.

“I’m not going to forget what number [Bortuzzo] is,” Devils forward Jordin Tootoo said. “It’s a long season, so at the same time, we have to worry about our guys in the locker room here and get back on the winning ways.”

Penguins coach Mike Johnston felt the hit was clean and Bortuzzo was repentant.

“I thought the puck was there,” Bortuzzo said. “I kept my shoulder down, felt like I hit him in the chest. It’s unfortunate he went out of the game, but like I said, just playing hard.”

Jagr was alongside a handful of banged up teammates in the dressing room when Malkin ended a brilliant end-to-end rush by taking a feed from

Jayson Megna and beat Cory Schneider with a backhand. Steady play from Fleury made it stand up as the Penguins won for the fourth time in five games.

Schneider made 22 saves but received little help from his teammates. They generated few quality chances against Fleury, who has won six straight at home against the Devils.

Scott Gomez played 22 minutes in his return to the Devils after being signed on Monday, but couldn’t stop his team from being shut out for the second time in eight days.

“Whether it’s 20 minutes or five minutes, it’s good to be out there,” Gomez said. “It just happened tonight. Everyone kind of had a double shift. We still came up short and we have to find a way to put it in.”

The Devils brought back the well-traveled Gomez hoping he could give the struggling lineup a needed energy boost.

The 34-year-old last played for New Jersey in 2007, when the Devils lost to Ottawa in the Eastern Conference semifinals. He began the night as the young guy on a first line that included the 42-year-old Jagr and 38-year-old Patrik Elias, only to have Jagr and Elias head to the trainer’s room.

New York Post LOADED: 12.03.2014

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