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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF NHL 10/27/2013

Anaheim Ducks 723407 Ducks' Jakob Silfverberg out 4-6 weeks 723408 News is mixed for Ducks on injury front

Boston Bruins 723409 Devils get 2 late goals to stun Bruins 4-3 723410 Tough night for Bruins’ Krug, penalty killers 723411 Bruins stunned by the Devils 723412 Bruins’ Loui Eriksson sits for second straight game 723413 Tonight's Bruins lineup 723414 Game 10 preview: Devils at Bruins 723415 Good vibrations 723416 Both sides recall Jagr’s time fondly 723417 Devils penalize B’s 723418 Big chill for penalty kill 723419 Bruins blow lead, game 723420 B’s let one slip away vs. Devils 723421 Julien: Loui Eriksson doing 'OK'

Buffalo Sabres 723422 Regier caught by surprise by Sabres’ bad start 723423 Ruff should thank his lucky Stars he’s gone 723424 Inside the NHL by John Vogl: Train may have left station for Miller trade 723425 John Vogl’s Top Line: A look at three people making an impact in the hockey world 723426 Sabres fail to close out Lightning 723427 Leino could return to Sabres' lineup tonight; Weber out long term with thumb injury 723428 Buffalo Sabres fall to Tampa Bay Lightning 723429 Rochester Amerks defeat Toronto Marlies

Calgary Flames 723430 Giordano out, Stempniak out, Baertschi in 723431 Calgary Flames Snapshots: Back in the lineup for Sven Baertschi 723432 Calgary Flames down Washington Capitals 5-2

Carolina Hurricanes 723433 Canes need wins, better first periods 723434 Ex-Isles goalie DiPietro gets tryout with Checkers

Chicago Blackhawks 723435 Wild goalie too tough for Hawks 723436 Mills makes Blackhawks debut 723437 Blackhawks’ effort in loss to Wild unacceptable to Jonathan Toews 723438 Late surge not enough as Blackhawks fall 5-3 to the Wild 723439 Blackhawks center Michal Handzus out for a bit; Marcus Kruger steps in 723440 Brad Mills, Jeremy Morin make season debuts for Hawks 723441 Night to forget for Blackhawks 723442 Mills latest Blackhawk to get shot at replacing Frolik 723443 Blackhawks fall to Wild 5-3 723444 Handzus to miss at least next 3 games 723445 Still not 100 percent, Backstrom comes up big vs. Hawks 723446 Blackhawks' point streak snapped in loss to Wild 723447 Five Things to Watch: Hawks vs. Wild 723448 Blackhawks Morin, Mills in lineup for matchup against Wild

Colorado Avalanche 723449 Matt Duchene loves fast-pace system and personal style of Patrick Roy 723450 Dater: Avalanche exceeding expectations by far 723451 Denver pro hockey a combined 12-1, including 3-0 Cutthroats 723452 Niklas Kronwall admits some blame for injurious hit from Cody McLeod

Columbus Blue Jackets 723453 Blue Jackets 5, Maple Leafs 2: Rare short-handed goal sparks Jackets 723454 Michael Arace commentary: Leafs fans find night in Columbus no bargain 723455 Blue Jackets notebook: Ryan Murray relishes ‘gift’ first goal

Dallas Stars 723456 Defensman partners shuffled for Goligoski, Gonchar 723457 Heika: Stars get point, but not satisfied with result 723458 Stars fall, 2-1, to Jets in shootout; remain in last place in Central 723459 Morning skate update: Dallas Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski back in lineup vs. Winnipeg Jets 723460 Ladd scores in shootout, Jets beat Stars 2-1

Detroit Red Wings 723461 Rangers 3, Red Wings 2 (OT): Why the Red Wings lost on Saturday night 723462 New York 3, Detroit 2 (OT): Red Wings can't find identity in late loss 723463 Wings great Nicklas Lidstrom enjoying retirement, coaching son's team in Sweden 723464 New York 3, Detroit 2 (OT): Rangers push past Howard, Wings late in overtime 723465 Nicklas Lidstrom, perfectly retired, watches Red Wings prepare for Rangers 723466 NY Rangers beat Detroit Red Wings on Derick Brassard's goal in OT 723467 Wings look to generate more offense tonight against well-travelled Rangers 723468 Derick Brassard's OT goal gives Rangers victory over Red Wings 723469 Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall tries to block a shot from the Rangers' Benoit Pouliot 723470 Red Wings' Tomas Tatar to play on top-two line, looking to score some goals as team's 'sniper' 723471 Red Wings lose to Rangers in overtime, 3-2, as Derick Brassard scores with 13 seconds remaining 723472 Live blog: Red Wings look to get back on track against offensively challenged Rangers 723473 Red Wings looking to establish blueprint, an identity, host travel-weary, low-scoring Rangers 723474 Former Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom visits team, looks forward to special events 723475 Detroit Red Wings to hold bone marrow drive during today's Hockey Fights Cancer Night

Edmonton Oilers 723476 Same old, same old as Oilers fall to Coyotes 723477 Needed: defensive help for the Edmonton Oilers 723478 Edmonton Oilers winger Tyler Pitlick latest to join walking wounded 723479 Edmonton Oilers lose goal-fest to Coyotes

Florida Panthers 723480 Florida Panthers’ Brad Boyes needs to get defensive

723481 LOOKING FOR ANSWERS: Dineen Trying to Find Combos that Work for Florida Panthers 723482 Lightning at Panthers preview 723483 Winchester and Bergenheim bright spots in dark loss for Panthers

Los Angeles Kings 723484 Kings' Drew Doughty shows leadership, fortitude 723485 Ben Scrivens and goaltending instruction 723486 On the eve of Legends Night… 723487 Regehr: “I’ve been feeling better”

Minnesota Wild 723488 Postgame: Lots of thoughts after Wild's victory in Chicago 723489 Wild notes: Veteran Rupp continues to be sidelined by knee injury 723490 Wild-Chicago game recap 723491 Backstrom helps Wild get revenge against Blackhawks 723492 Pregame: Wild set to play Blackhawks for first time since playoff loss 723493 Blackhawks C Handzus out with injury 723494 Wild beat Blackhawks with a decidedly different look 723495 Wild 5, Blackhawks 3: Minnesota wins third straight

Montreal Canadiens 723496 Sharks use suffocating defence and two Couture goals to shutout Habs 723497 Canadiens come up blank against Sharks 723498 About last night …

Nashville Predators 723499 Trotz blames goalie only for one of St. Louis' goals 723500 Nashville Predators buried by St. Louis Blues 723501 Preview: Blues at Predators 723502 Nashville Predators benched Viktor Stalberg to give him time to adjust

New Jersey Devils 723503 Devils Get 2 Late Goals to Stun Bruins 4-3 723504 Devils score two goals in final 1:08 to stun Bruins, 4-3 723505 Devils: Some choice words in first intermission sparked turnaround 723506 Devils' comeback win over Bruins sparked by four power play goals 723507 Devils' Marek Zidlicky on pace to break club's season record for assists 723508 Devils' Cory Schneider aggravated existing injury during shootout loss to Canucks 723509 Devils: Cory Schneider hurt; Keith Kinkaid recalled from Albany 723510 Devils notes: Goaltender Cory Schneider sits out 723511 Devils rally late with two power-play goals to beat Bruins, 4-3 723512 Gulitti: It's time youth is infused into Devils' lineup 723513 Devils score two late goals to stun Bruins 723514 Devils stun Bruins with two late goals 723515 Islanders defense lets them down again

New York Islanders 723516 Islanders can't back up big win, fall to Flyers 723517 Mark Streit, now with Flyers, appreciates his time with Islanders

New York Rangers 723518 Derick Brassard scores game-winning goal to lift NY Rangers past Red Wings 723519 Crushed Ice: Derick Brassard explains his overtime game-winning goal for NY Rangers in 3-2 win over Detroit Re 723520 NY Rangers' Dan Girardi admits second-guessing details after blowout losses out West, but he rebounded strong 723521 Alain Vigneault calls for centers Derek Stepan, Derick Brassard to do more for NY Rangers starting Saturday at 723522 Rangers show grit in OT win over Red Wings 723523 Henrik Lundqvist: I ‘want to play Monday’ 723524 Rangers notes: Lundqvist hopes to play Monday 723525 Chris Kreider learning on the fly 723526 Henrik Lundqvist targeting home opener Monday night for his return 723527 Derick Brassard scores in OT to give Rangers 3-2 win over Red Wings 723528 Rangers-Red Wings in review 723529 Rangers 3, Red Wings 2 (OT) … post-game notes 723530 It’s Go Time! … Rangers at Red Wings 723531 Rangers at Red Wings tonight … pre-game notes

Ottawa Senators 723532 Silfverberg out 4-6 weeks after breaking hand in Ottawa game (with video) 723533 Senators go with Anderson against Sharks 723534 Ottawa Senators Spezza relishes playing against top centres 723535 Senators coach MacLean looking for better execution 723536 Ottawa Senators forward Mika Zibanejad goes from minors to top line

Philadelphia Flyers 723537 Flyers (finally) display some 3d-period 'jam' 723538 Flyers Notes: Streit says return to Nassau Coliseum 'emotional' 723539 Flyers finally bust loose in 5-2 win over Islanders 723540 'Emotional' night for Flyers' Streit; Mason facing Isles 723541 Flyers' PP crippling their offense 723542 Lecavalier hat trick spurs Flyers past Isles 723543 Lecavalier hat trick spurs Flyers past Islanders 723544 An emotional night for ex-Isle Streit 723545 Practice centers on power play blackout 723546 Lecavalier's hat trick powers suddenly scoring Flyers to win 723547 Lecavalier hat trick lifts Flyers over Islanders 723548 Instant Replay: Flyers 5, Islanders 2 723549 Skate update: Streit ready to face former club 723550 Flyers-Islanders: 5 things you need to know 723551 Mason continues to carry the load 723552 Flyers strike quickly for victory 723553 Lecavalier's hat trick earns Flyers a win on Long Island

Phoenix Coyotes 723554 Effort pays off in goals for Phoenix Coyotes’ Martin Hanzal 723555 Keith Yandle leads Phoenix Coyotes to win over Edmonton Oilers 723556 Sarah McLellan's Coyotes blog 723557 Problems persist for Coyotes, even in fun win

Pittsburgh Penguins 723558 Leafs send Pens to third straight loss 723559 Baby Pens notebook: Forward Gibbons enjoying uptick in scoring production 723560 Penguins notebook: Defense dealt blow with Scuderi injury 723561 Penguins' Fleury off bench, back among NHL elite 723562 Partnership with Letang awaits Pens' young star Maatta 723563 Division games dominate upcoming slate for Penguins 723564 Penguins' losing streak reaches 3 in Toronto

San Jose Sharks 723565 San Jose Sharks bounce back, blank Canadiens 2-0 723566 Sharks' Larry Robinson upset at lack of respect players have for each other

723567 Sharks Dan Boyle: Lapierre's hit showed lack of respect 723568 Niemi, Sharks top Montreal 723569 Commitment to defense helps Sharks past Montreal 723570 Instant Replay: Couture leads Sharks past Canadiens 723571 Sharks search for offense in Montreal 723572 Wingels questionable; Burns returns to Bay Area 723573 In the Crease: Sharks vs. Canadiens

St Louis Blues 723574 Sobotka earns bigger offensive role with Blues 723575 Blues rebound from OT losses with strong start, big finish 723576 Blues 6, Predators 1 (Final) 723577 Blues looking for early intensity against Predators

Tampa Bay Lightning 723578 Bolts notes: Cooper pleading for more shots on goal 723579 Lightning rally to end homestand in style 723580 Bolts Beat: New type of role for Stamkos 723581 Lightning tops Sabres 723582 Lightning seeks All-Star Game for Tampa 723583 Lightning-Panthers preview 723584 Lightning Nuts & Bolts 723585 NHL struggles with reducing hits to head 723586 Lineup is tweaked as Tampa Bay prepares for the Sabres

Toronto Maple Leafs 723587 Leafs get shutdown effort from Bolland and Phaneuf 723588 Leafs use team approach to hold Crosby in check and defeat Penguins 723589 Leafs hoping to contain Sidney Crosby 723590 Maple Leafs: Depth on full display as team climbs into first: Cox 723591 Maple Leafs manhandle Penguins, take top spot in East 723592 Maple Leafs: Jonathan Bernier in penthouse, Nazem Kadri in doghouse after loss to Blue Jackets 723593 Don Cherry watch: John Scott defence sparks buzz 723594 Maple Leafs' Bolland a beast against Pens 723595 Maple Leafs' Nazem Kadri shows he's more than just a sniper 723596 Maple Leafs shut down Sidney Crosby and Penguins 4-1 723597 Maple Leafs' Fraser anxious to return to lineup 723598 Maple Leafs host Crosby, Penguins 723599 Lupul-less Leafs look to reset against Penguins 723600 Toronto Maple Leafs’ Nazem Kadri makes the most of top-line opportunity in win over Pittsburgh Penguins

Vancouver Canucks 723616 On the wing, Ryan Kesler is a slayer 723617 Hat trick: A good month for Gillis, Santorelli > Raymond, and Lack’s dark side

Washington Capitals 723601 Open thread: Capitals at Flames 723602 Braden Holtby’s confidence ‘sky high’ after strong showings in five consecutive starts 723603 NHL rookies with entry-level contracts can pose dilemma 723604 Projected lineups for Capitals and Flames

Winnipeg Jets 723605 Jets get out of town fast 723606 Pavelec lone star in Texas 723607 Jets vs. Stars 723608 Peluso takes Olli's odd advice after first goal 723609 Jets' confidence slowly building on the road 723610 Pavelec shines in 2-1 shootout win over Stars 723611 Jets in dire need of 'poetic justice' 723612 Stars 723613 Prospects are good 723614 Jets come up big in the big D 723615 Winnipeg’s Cody Eakin ready to play for the home team — the Dallas Stars SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129 723407 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks' Jakob Silfverberg out 4-6 weeks

By Lance Pugmire

6:03 PM PDT, October 26, 2013

Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg sustained a broken right hand when he was slashed in Friday night's game against Ottawa, his former team. He is expected to miss four to six weeks, the Ducks announced Saturday.

Silfverberg, 23, has four goals and three assists in 11 games. He had spent the bulk of the season alongside Teemu Selanne and Mathieu Perreault on the Ducks' second line.

Silfverberg was slashed by Ottawa's Jared Cowen in the third period of the Ducks' 2-1 win over the Senators. Silfverberg was acquired from Ottawa in July, along with prospect Stefan Noesen and a first-round draft pick in exchange for forward Bobby Ryan.

TONIGHT

AT COLUMBUS

When: 3 p.m. PDT.

Where: Nationwide Arena.

On the air: TV: Prime Ticket; Radio: 830.

Record vs. Blue Jackets (2013): 1-0-2.

ETC.: The Ducks gave goalie Frederik Andersen a two-year contract after he helped them beat Ottawa. Perreault sprained his left wrist in the game and is day to day, but forward Dustin Penner, who was knocked unconscious by an Oct. 20 hit from Colorado forward Ryan Garbutt, is cleared to play in Columbus.

LA Times: LOADED: 10.27.2013

723408 Anaheim Ducks

News is mixed for Ducks on injury front

By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze

Posted: 10/26/13, 10:23 PM PDT

DUCKS vs. COLUMBUS

Faceoff: 3 p.m., today, Nationwide Arena

TV/Radio: Prime, KLAA 830-AM

Update: Jakob Silfverberg suffered a broken right hand when he was slashed midway through the third period of the Ducks’ victory Friday over the Ottawa Senators and will be sidelined four to six weeks, a team spokesman said. Mathieu Perreault sprained his left wrist and his status is day-to-day. Dustin

Penner is scheduled to rejoin the team in Columbus after remaining behind in Orange County following a concussion suffered in Sunday’s victory over the Dallas Stars. Ryan Garbutt of Dallas was suspended for five games by the NHL for illegally charging Penner. The veteran winger did not play in Friday’s victory over Ottawa or losses to Toronto and Montreal to start the Ducks’ eight-game trip. Corey Perry (five goals, six assists) and Ryan Getzlaf (four goals, seven assists) lead the Ducks (8-3-0) with 11 points apiece. Columbus, which moved to the Eastern Conference during the NHL’s off-season realignment, improved to 5-5-0 after Friday’s victory over Toronto.

LA Daily News: LOADED: 10.27.2013

723409 Boston Bruins

Devils get 2 late goals to stun Bruins 4-3

October 26, 2013

Staff report

BOSTON (AP) — It took a couple of last-minute goals for the New Jersey Devils to snap their recent woes against the Boston Bruins.

Marek Zidlicky and Andy Greene scored power-play goals 23 seconds apart late in the third period, lifting the Devils to a 4-3 win over the Bruins on Saturday night.

The victory snapped a seven-game losing streak against the Bruins for the Devils (2-5-4).

‘‘I mean, we were due for some good fortune,’’ Devils coach Peter DeBoer said of his team’s start this season, but he could as well have been referring to the recent games against Boston.

‘‘We haven’t had a lot of it through the first 10 or 11 games,’’ he said. ‘‘I thought the guys continued to work hard, we dug ourselves a little hole there early and considering the circumstances, it would have been easy to pack it in and we didn't. We kept chipping away and like I said, we were due for some good luck.’’

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

Torey Krug, Jarome Iginla and Milan Lucic scored first-period goals for Boston (7-3).

Iginla and David Krejci each had two assists as Boston built a 3-1 lead.

With the Devils skating with a 6-on-3 advantage after Krug was given a double minor for high sticking Brunner, Patrice Bergeron was whistled for delay of game and they pulled Brodeur, Zidlicky unloaded a shot from the point that beat Tuukka Rask with 1:08 to play.

‘‘It’s a huge win,’’ Devils’ forward Patrick Elias said. ‘‘Obviously we didn’t start well.’’

Green then scored the game-winner from the left circle on a 5-on-4 advantage at 19:15.

Rask made 28 saves.

New Jersey went 4 for 7 on the power play.

‘‘Well, obviously the power play — four power-play goals tonight,’’ DeBoer said. ‘‘I don’t think we've won in this rink in four or five years, so we were going to need something special tonight, whether it was a four-star performance from somebody or our power play to click. We got some of that.’’

Coming off a last-second win against San Jose on Thursday, Boston grabbed a 2-0 lead on its first two shots of the game against Brodeur.

Krug’s power-play goal gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 7:52 of the opening period when he fired a slap shot from just above the right circle that ricocheted in off a Devils’ player in front of the net.

Boston made it 2-0 just 1:27 later when Iginla sent a shot from the right wing that caromed off Brunner’s skate and between Brodeur’s pads. DeBoer then called time out. It turned out to be a small key in sparking his team.

Iginla didn’t think the Bruins were overconfident after jumping on the Devils early.

‘‘I think we’re confident (when) we have the lead. We think we can hold it. It was just the second period that we weren’t as good,’’ Iginla said. ‘‘We weren’t skating as well. We weren’t first to the pucks like we were in the first period. You give them credit. They got better.

‘‘But the third, with the lead by one goal up until the last four minutes, it was the way we want to play that. Being at home we'd like to put them away, but we weren’t able to and they hung around and they got the power plays late and they took advantage of it.’’

It was Boston’s third game in four days and coach Claude Julien thought it may have hurt his team, but didn’t use it as an excuse.

‘‘To me tonight we had one line going and too many mediocre guys,’’ he said.

The Devils cut the deficit to 2-1 on Henrique’s power-play goal when he swooped in and scored off the rebound off Eric Gelinas’ shot at 11:24.

But Krejci sent Lucic in alone down the left wing and he fired a wrister past Brodeur with 56 seconds left in the first.

The Devils played a more spirited second period and had a handful of decent scoring chances before Brunner’s goal sliced it to 3-2 with 27.1 seconds left in the period. He fired a backhander that slipped between Rask’s right arm and the post, trickling across the line.

NOTES: Boston had won 11 of the previous 12 games against New Jersey, with the lone loss in April 2011. ... Bruins D Zdeno Chara was whistled for two minor penalties. ... It was the first of three meetings between the teams this season, the only in Boston. ... Boston is off until Wednesday when it plays at Pittsburgh in a rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference finals, swept by the Bruins. ... The Devils host Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

Boston Globe LOADED: 10.27.2013


Tough night for Bruins’ Krug, penalty killers

By Barbara Matson

October 27, 2013

When the game ended, Bruins defenseman Torey Krug was facedown on the ice, his stick stretched out in front of him, pointed at the Devils’ net.

His last-second shot had been blocked, the puck shunted aside, and the buzzer sounded on the Devils’ unconventional 4-3 victory. The Bruins gave up four power-play goals as they gave New Jersey its first road victory of the season.

“It’s tough,’’ said Krug, who took a double minor penalty for high sticking at 16:45 of the third period that helped set up New Jersey’s frantic finish, two power-play scores in 23 seconds sending the Devils bouncing past the Bruins.

“You can never take anything for granted in this league,’’ said Krug. “And we were on the bad side of it this time and in our own building. We had the lead in the third period; we’ve got to close out games, so we have to do a better job.’’

The Bruins were nursing a 3-2 late in the third period when Krug went into the deep left corner of the Bruins’ zone with the Devils’ Damien Brunner, both players trying to get control of the puck. Krug swung around and his stick knocked Brunner in the face, drawing blood and a double minor.

“I was just going in to battle with the guy and I stuck him in the face,’’ a disconsolate Krug said. “Didn’t mean to.”

At 18:11, Patrice Bergeron took a delay-of-game penalty when he flung the puck over the glass and the Bruins were staring at a 5-on-3 power play, against a Devils team that already had scored twice with a one-man advantage. To make sure, the Devils pulled goalie Martin Brodeur for a 6-on-3 advantage and Marek Zidlicky tied the game. With Brodeur back in the net, Andy Greene got the final power-play goal of the game.

“When you allow four power-play goals in a game that’s not a good sign for a win,’’ said Bruins coach Claude Julien. “I thought we had many mediocre players tonight.’’

It was a particularly tough night for Krug and the Bruins penalty killers.

“They did a good job,’’ said Krug, “but at the same time, we’ve got to do a better job of clearing pucks out and winning battles. I was out there for two of those goals. I wish I did a better job of clearing pucks and winning battles.”

The Bruins seemed to have the game in hand after taking a two-goal lead in a 1:27 spurt in the first period. But the Bruins’ penalty kill, normally a point of pride for the team, fell flat. Adam Henrique knocked in a rebound of Eric Gelinas’s point shot in the first, and Brunner made it 3-2 when he swiped a backhand between Tuukka Rask’s pad and the left post at 19:32 of the second.

“[The Devils] came up faster [in the second],’’ said Krug. “I don’t know if we were prepared for that or whatever may be the case. Maybe we didn’t play our style in the second period and they took it to us. Once again, we’ve got to try to do a better job.’’

Krug had a bright start to his game with a power-play goal at 7:52 that gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead. With Milan Lucic blocking the front of the net, the young defenseman took a pass from Jarome Iginla at the right point and flung a wrist shot past Brodeur for his fourth goal of the season.

“I got a nice pass from Iggy,’’ Krug said, shrugging. “We talked about shooting pucks tonight, and I did that and it went in somehow.’’

But Krug was in no mood to talk about scoring goals. He was still stewing about not stopping goals.



Bruins stunned by the Devils

By Fluto Shinzawa

October 27, 2013

The Bruins gave up four power-play goals. They had to stare down a late-game six-on-three situation when Torey Krug (high-sticking double minor) and Patrice Bergeron (delay of game) were parked in the penalty box. After taking a 3-1 lead into the second period, the Bruins eased off the gas.

But those weren’t the primary reasons the Bruins dropped a 4-3 game on Saturday night to New Jersey, which had entered TD Garden with just one other win.

The Bruins had far too many passengers hitching on for a free ride.

“Tonight, we had one line going,” said coach Claude Julien, referring to his first unit of Milan Lucic, David Krejci, and Jarome Iginla. “We needed more. Too many mediocre guys. Whether it was hitting a wall or whatever the case may be, it just wasn’t good enough. We had the day off [Friday] to give those guys a rest. Three games in four nights isn’t always an easy thing to go through. You wish you could have pulled this one off to have a real good week. But unfortunately that wasn’t the case.”

Julien didn’t name any of his anchors. The scoresheet did the talking.

No. 2 right wing Brad Marchand: 0-0—0, zero shots, no presence. No. 3 left wing Carl Soderberg: 0-0—0, one shot, replaced by game’s end by Daniel Paille. No. 4 center Gregory Campbell: 0-0—0, two shots, 3 for 11 on faceoffs.

With at least one scuffler on each line, it was no surprise the Bruins didn’t get any whiff of four-line traction after an excellent first period. For every strong shift the power line submitted, the other units killed the forward momentum.

The Bruins were in great shape after the first. Krejci and Co. had turned in one of their best 20-minute stretches of the season. Lucic was in front and Iginla was the disher on Krug’s game-opening power-play goal. With Lucic and Krejci providing net drive, Iginla whipped a shot that deflected off Damien Brunner and beat Martin Brodeur.

Adam Henrique answered with a power-play goal at 11:24 of the first. But the Bruins grabbed a 3-1 lead after more good stuff from the first line, this time starting in the defensive zone.

Krejci won a D-zone faceoff against Dainius Zubrus. As Krejci pulled the puck back to Dennis Seidenberg, the Bruins rolled out a set play. Iginla sprinted toward the right-side wall. Seidenberg went to Dougie Hamilton. As soon as Hamilton received the pass, he rolled the puck up the boards, knowing that Iginla would pluck it off the wall.

That led to a rapid three-on-two rush. Lucic capped the flurry with his team-leading sixth goal at 19:04 of the first.

Things went sour after that.

The Bruins should have put the game out of reach in the second. Their offensive millstones said otherwise.

At the other end, the Devils got late life with a power-play goal in the final minute of the second. Rask thought he had pushed from left to right to kick out Brunner’s sharp-angle shot. But Brunner’s shot banked off Rask’s right pad and squeaked over the line. Rask tried to pull the puck back into play, but the goal was good.

“You’re kind of there,” said Rask (28 saves). “But it hits your toe. It’s barely in. What do you do?”

The Bruins, while being outplayed, still had at least a point in their sights. But at 16:45 of the third, Krug carved Brunner open with a high stick.

Then at 18:11, the Bruins lost their best penalty-killing forward. Bergeron corralled the puck and cleared the zone. Trouble was, Bergeron’s clear careened into the stands.

“I thought I was closer to the wall,” Bergeron said. “It’s one of those plays I make basically every time. I went a little too hard on that one and too high. I take full responsibility for that play.”

The Devils, up two skaters, were soon up three. With approximately 90 seconds remaining in regulation, New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer pulled Brodeur to create a six-on-three situation. The Devils made no mistake.

Steve Bernier planted himself in front of Rask. Marek Zidlicky wound up at the right point. Zidlicky, one of the league’s hardest shooters, cranked a slap shot past Rask at 18:52 to tie the game at 3-3.

“A six-on-three for a minute and a half, that’s a good chance,” Iginla said. “You want to kill it. But they had a good screen and they put it right in the top corner. So that’s a good shot.”

Twenty-three seconds later, the Devils scored the winner. With Krug still in the box, Jaromir Jagr set up Brunner for a net-front one-timer. Brunner fanned on the shot, but the puck dribbled to Andy Greene at the far post. Before Rask could recover, Greene found the back of the net at 19:15.

“We had the lead, we had momentum, and we let it slip by,” Bergeron said. “So we definitely let this one get away from us.”



Bruins’ Loui Eriksson sits for second straight game

By Fluto Shinzawa

October 27, 2013

Bruins forward Loui Eriksson sat out his second straight game, Saturday night’s 4-3 loss to the Devils, because of the concussion he sustained against Buffalo Wednesday.

It is unknown how much more time Eriksson will miss.

“Loui’s doing OK, I guess, for a guy who suffered a concussion,” said coach Claude Julien. “It’s the same thing. You have a good day. You have less of a good day. It’s early on. But like always, you keep your fingers crossed that it’s going to get better sooner than later for his sake.”

Because of Eriksson’s injury, Brad Marchand played on Patrice Bergeron’s right side for the second straight game. Reilly Smith remained on the line as Bergeron’s left wing.

Marchand did not play well as Eriksson’s replacement against New Jersey. Marchand had no points and zero shots in 14:41 of ice time.

Eriksson has only been a Bruin for eight games. But in his ninth, the first full game Eriksson sat out, his teammates recognized how much he will be missed.

“His two-way game, the way that he’s always there on defense and also on the forecheck,” Bergeron said of Eriksson’s presence. “He’s a great player. You obviously miss him every time when you’re playing with a great player like him. But I’m used to playing with Marshy. Marshy’s playing a different wing now, so he’s got to adjust to that. It wasn’t bad. I thought we adjusted pretty well.”

Eriksson struggled early, going without a point in his first three games. He wasn’t in synch with his linemates.

Eriksson potted his first goal as a Bruin against Columbus Oct. 12. Since then, Eriksson’s touch and skating had improved. Against Buffalo, before John Scott knocked Eriksson into another country, the No. 2 line had generated consistent offensive chances.

In the first period, an Eriksson defensive-zone chip off the boards led to a close-range Bergeron shot. The line combined for nine of the Bruins’ 34 shots. They played well defensively, generated speed through the neutral zone, and controlled the puck in the offensive zone.

“He’s a good playmaker,” Julien said. “Not only that, he’s smart with the puck. When he has it, he doesn’t just throw it away. What we missed was probably the chemistry that started to build with his linemates. I thought that line was really good and had a lot of chances in Buffalo. You could see it coming along. Right now, it kind of takes a step backward because of that. The guys that are there, Marsh has been with Bergy long enough, so there’s a guy playing with him now that knows Bergy well.”

Jagr returns

The Devils’ Jaromir Jagr only dressed for 33 games, including 22 in the playoffs, for the Bruins last season. But the future Hall of Famer made an impression with his short stay that almost resulted in another Stanley Cup ring.

“I thought, if anything, where he’s been maybe questioned or criticized at times has been his moods. His mood here was great,” Julien said. “He was a good example for young guys, working out, doing extra, and trying to stay at the top of his game. Obviously at that age, you have to do that to stay at the top of your game. He led by example in a lot of ways. Good memories. We were happy to have him.”

Jagr is a two-time Cup champion. He was the league MVP in 1999, led the NHL in scoring five times, and has 683 career goals, 10th most in NHL history.

Yet for all his experience and accomplishments, Jagr never participated in a come-from-behind doozy like he did last season against Toronto in Game 7.

“I don’t remember any games like that, not where I played on a team around the league the last 20 years,” Jagr said. “It might happen in the regular season or in the first game of the playoffs. But Game 7? That’s special. That doesn’t happen very often, especially where you’re kind of dead. Everybody was thinking it might be the last game of the season. All of a sudden you score three goals and you win in overtime. That’s kind of special.”

Jagr assisted on two goals, including the winner. Jagr has two goals and seven helpers for nine points.

“Great play by Jagr to get the puck to [Damien] Brunner originally,” said New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer. “For a guy who’s 41 years old, I thought he was a beast again tonight. I thought he was great.”

Bonus time

Jarome Iginla, who scored the Bruins second goal midway through the first period, appeared in his 10th game of the season Saturday. By doing so, he qualified for a $3.7 million bonus payment. If necessary, the Bruins can apply all or part of Iginla’s payment toward the bonus cushion at the conclusion of the season. Any team can exceed the $64.3 million cap by 7.5 percent of the upper limit . . . Devils goalie and Marblehead native Cory Schneider didn’t travel to Boston and didn’t dress for the game because of a lower-body injury. DeBoer said Schneider most likely aggravated an injury in Thursday’s 3-2

loss to Vancouver . . . David Krejci won 9 of 11 faceoffs . . . Dougie Hamilton assisted on Iginla’s goal. Hamilton also cleared the puck that led to Milan Lucic’s goal. Hamilton moved the puck crisply on both plays . . . Matt Bartkowski was a healthy scratch for the fourth straight game.



Tonight's Bruins lineup

Posted by Fluto Shinzawa,

October 26, 2013 06:32 PM

Based on pregame warmups:

Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Jarome Iginla

Reilly Smith-Patrice Bergeron-Brad Marchand

Carl Soderberg-Chris Kelly-Jordan Caron

Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton

Zdeno Chara-Johnny Boychuk

Dennis Seidenberg-Dougie Hamilton

Torey Krug-Adam McQuaid

Tuukka Rask

Chad Johnson

* Martin Brodeur (0-2-2, 3.40 GAA, .865 save percentage) will start in goal for the Devils.



Game 10 preview: Devils at Bruins

Posted by Fluto Shinzawa

October 26, 2013 12:19 PM

Good afternoon from TD Garden, where the Bruins will host the Devils tonight.

Goalie Tuukka Rask will start for the Bruins against Devils counterpart Martin Brodeur. Marblehead native Cory Schneider, the Devils' backup goalie, did not travel to Boston because of a lower-body injury.

Loui Eriksson (concussion) will miss his second straight game. Bruins coach Claude Julien said Eriksson is doing OK. Brad Marchand will skate in Eriksson’s spot on the second line again tonight.

Puck drop: 7 p.m.

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

Records: Devils 1-5-4, Bruins 7-2-0

Projected Bruins lineup:

Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Jarome Iginla

Reilly Smith-Patrice Bergeron-Brad Marchand

Carl Soderberg-Chris Kelly-Jordan Caron

Daniel Paille-Gregory Campbell-Shawn Thornton

Zdeno Chara-Johnny Boychuk

Dennis Seidenberg-Dougie Hamilton

Torey Krug-Adam McQuaid

Tuukka Rask

Chad Johnson

Healthy scratch: Matt Bartkowski

Storylines: Jarome Iginla will appear in his 10th game tonight. That will make Iginla eligible for a $3.7 million bonus. If necessary, the Bruins can apply all or part of Iginla’s payment toward the bonus cushion. Any team can exceed the cap by 7.5 percent by using the cushion… Tonight will mark the first game for Jaromir Jagr against his old team. According to New Jersey coach Peter DeBoer, Jagr (2-5—7) has been the team’s best forward through 10 games… Bartkowski will be a healthy scratch for the fourth straight game… Dave Jackson and Greg Kimmerly will be the referees. Derek Amell and Greg Devorski will be the linesmen.



Good vibrations

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Steve Conroy

Brad Stuart has played more than 900 NHL games among five different teams and he has his name emblazoned on the Stanley Cup, courtesy of his helping the Detroit Red Wings to the 2007-08 title.

But around these parts, Stuart is best known for being a rather large footnote in the history of the Bruins. On Nov. 30, 2005, S tuart was involved in the stunning trade that brought him from San Jose to Boston along with Marco Sturm and Wayne Primeau for Joe Thornton, a deal that infuriated the fan base and ultimately led to a major housecleaning of the Bruins management offices.

The quiet and thoughtful Stuart was considered the centerpiece of that deal and, as such, found himself in the eye of the storm. Now in his second season back with the Sharks, Stuart reflected on those tumultuous days when he was in town Thursday for a meeting with the B’s.

“I remember getting traded here and then being put up against the wall (by reporters) and it felt like there were 20 people with cameras in my face,” Stuart said with a chuckle. “So that was a little different, going from San Jose to here. A little more media attention, but that was OK.”

His best memory from his time with the Bruins?

“Probably that first game,” said Stuart. “We flew in that morning and we were playing Ottawa, which at the time was 20-2 or something and we beat them. I remember Marco scoring a couple of minutes into the game and I had an assist in the first game. I’ll always remember that. It was pretty surreal almost, but it was fun. It was kind of a good way to start.”

But all good things come to an end — and that end came quickly. Two games later, Nick Boynton broke his kneecap and, without one of the their top defensemen, the B’s were essentially back to where they started on the back end before the trade and now without a superstar up front. Thornton went on to win the Hart Trophy, B’s general manager Mike O’Connell was fired near the end of the season, the B’s missed the playoffs and Peter Chiarelli was soon hired.

But through that tumult, Stuart did his best to respond to the challenge of being a No. 1 defenseman. In 55 games that first year with the B’s, he had 10-21-31 totals, the best point-per-game average of his career.

“I came here and was given a pretty big responsibility,” said Stuart. “I was playing a lot of minutes and in all situations and it definitely was one of my better years offensively. It was a really good growing experience for me. It was a tough year as far as the team went, but I felt like, as a player, I got better as the result of my time here.”

Things went south for Stuart the following year. His play sagged and he was eventually traded to Calgary with Primeau, just 14-plus months after the big deal that brought them to Boston. In return, the Bruins got forward Chuck Kobasew, a short-timer, and defenseman Andrew Ference, who would be instrumental in changing the Bruins’ culture.

Under the circumstances, it wasn’t always easy for Stuart in Boston. But he looks back with nothing but fondness.

“I always felt like people treated me well here,” said Stuart. “I know a lot of people were upset over the trade, but I never felt like it was directed at me at all. I did enjoy playing here. They were a couple of tough years, but it’s a great city and I really did enjoy it.”

Now, his career has come full circle. After his rights were traded from Detroit to San Jose in June 2012, he signed a three-year deal with the Sharks, the team that drafted him No. 3 overall in 199 8. And he now shares a dressing room with Thornton.

“That’s the way it goes,” Stuart said with a wry smile. “Things change all the time. It’s a little bit ironic, I guess, that we’re together playing here right now, but that’s the way it is.”

This week’s B’s timeline

Wednesday at Pittsburgh, 8 p.m. — Not only is Sidney Crosby off to another great start, but the Penguins will be looking for some revenge after their bitter defeat at the hands of the B’s in the Eastern Conference finals. It also appears that goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (1.74 GAA and .930 save percentage) has rediscovered his game.

Thursday vs. Anaheim, 7 p.m. — Last week, the B’s endured their first back-to-back endeavor and came away with four points. But they can’t play the way they did against San Jose and expect to win many nights. The Ducks, meanwhile, are in the midst of of a marathon eight-game road trip.

Saturday at New York Islanders, 7 p.m. — While the Islanders have some very good forwards in John Tavares, Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen, they have not found a way of keeping the puck out of their own net. Going into the weekend, they had allowed 28 goals in nine games, more than twice as many as the B’s had allowed (13).

STERN REBUKE NEEDED TO CURTAIL CHEAPSHOT ARTISTS

In the aftermath of the Sabres’ John Scott leveling a cheap shot that concussed Bruin Loui Eriksson last week, there was a lot of talk from the players about cleaning up the game themselves and engendering more respect for their fellow player.

That would be great if it would happen but the evidence so far suggests that it’s not. With players well aware of the crackdown on head shots and the damage that can be inflicted by such hits, there have already been eight suspensions handed out this year.

The only thing that seems to work is a lengthy suspension that will severely punish both the player and the team. That’s what happened to the seemingly incorrigible Matt Cooke when he elbowed the Rangers’ Ryan McDonagh in March 2011. Cooke, for whom the NHL rewrote the rule book after his cheap shot on Marc Savard, was suspended the final 10 games of the regular season and the first round of the playoffs for the hit on McDonagh. Without Cooke, a decent top-nine forward despite his rap sheet, the Pens were bounced in the first round by Tampa Bay in seven games. A healthy Cooke might have made a difference.

With his bank account having taken a hit and with the previously enabling Penguin brass coming down on him, Cooke, now with Minnesota, altered his game. Cooke’s still no saint — to which Adam McQuaid can attest — and his redemption song has been sung a little too loudly by some folks. But he’s at least curtailed the dangerous head shots and he hasn’t been suspended since then.

CIRCLE THE DATE!

For the first time this season, Tyler Seguin, the Dallas Stars’ new franchise center, finished above 50 percent in the faceoff circle in a game. In the Stars’ win over Calgary on Thursday, he won 10-of-19 draws, a modest foray into the black but a step forward nonetheless.

Going into the weekend, the ex-Bruin had won 43 draws and lost 75 for a 36.4 percent win percentage. Not exactly what you’re looking for from the guy who is leading your team in minutes among forwards (18:52).

Boston Herald LOADED: 10.27.2013


Both sides recall Jagr’s time fondly

Steve Conroy

The Bruins may be just one of seven NHL teams for whom Jaromir Jagr has played, and he was only here for just a few months.

But Jagr, who returned to the Garden last night as a New Jersey c, certainly made an impression in the time that he was here.

“I know a lot of people are going to say he didn’t score — and he didn’t. But he certainly added a lot to our team. I thought he played well,” said coach Claude Julien. “I thought if anything he was snake-bitten when it came to goal scoring. He worked hard, he had a great attitude, he made things happen. I still remember in overtime there in Chicago where he just took a shot, hit the crossbar, and it could have been the winning goal. He’s a guy who usually comes up big in big moments and whether he was frustrated or not, he didn’t show it, he just kept working hard. I thought if anything, where he’s been maybe questioned or criticized at times has been his moods; and his mood here was great.

“He was a good example for young guys — working out, doing extra and trying to stay on the top of his game.”

Jagr at first didn’t seem like a perfect fit for the B’s. But by the end of his run here, he — and the Bruins — had somehow made it work. In the final seconds of B’s sweep of Pittsburgh, Jagr was on the ice, clearing Penguins out of the crease.

“He was really trying to buy in right away and speaks to the guy that he is,” said his linemate Patrice Bergeron. “He did get out of his comfort zone a bit in playing our system. It wasn’t necessarily the system he was used to, but he was willing to learn it for the better of the team. That was great to see.”

Told the B’s had good things to say about him, Jagr grinned.

“They’re not going to say bad things with the cameras in their face,” joked Jagr, who picked up two assists.

Jagr said he expected the excellence he saw from Bergeron, Tuukka Rask, and Zdeno Chara, but Milan Lucic really opened his eyes.

“I think the biggest surprise to me was Looch and how he played,” said Jagr. “I honestly didn’t know how good he is. He’s a huge part of the hockey club.”

Good news on Loui

Julien said Loui Eriksson, concussed by the John Scott head shot on Wednesday, is doing as well as could be expected.

“Loui’s doing OK, I guess, for a guy who suffered a concussion,” said Julien. “It’s the same thing — you have a good day, you have less of a good day — and it’s early on but we’re just, like always, you keep your fingers crossed that it’s going to get better sooner than later for his sake.”

Scott is suspended indefinitely until an in-person hearing on Thursday. . . .

Old friend Michael Ryder returned to the Garden as a member of the Devils, and contributed an assist on the game-tying goal in New Jersey’s 4-3 win. The B’s made a summer pitch to bring Ryder back, but he opted for New Jersey where he’s “one of the guys that are counted on and try to produce some offense.”

Though he’s minus-5, Ryder leads the struggling Devils in goals with four and is averaging 16:42 of ice time while playing on the right wing. . . .

Torey Krug opened the scoring with a power-play goal, but was on the ice for two Jersey power-play goals and in the box for the Devils’ equalizer and winner. . . .

The second line of Reilly Smith, Bergeron and Brad Marchand produced just three shots (one on net), all off the stick of Bergeron.



Devils penalize B’s


Steve Conroy

The Bruins let the New Jersey Devils hang around last night at the Garden — and it cost them what looked like a sure win.

After holding a pair of two-goal leads and then missing numerous chances to extend that advantage, the B’s gave up two late power-play goals and the Devils, who came into the game winless on the road and with just one victory overall, walked out of the Garden with a 4-3 victory. The Bruins, absorbing their first truly bad loss of the season, allowed all four goals to the visitors on the power play.

“We had too many mediocre players tonight,” coach Claude Julien said.

After a poor second period in which they allowed the Devils to get within a goal on a late Damien Brunner power-play tally, the B’s played a better third period and seemed poised to close the game out, before taking a couple of automatic penalties. First, with 3:15 remaining, defenseman Torey Krug got his stick up and clocked Brunner to earn a four-minute penalty.

“I was just going in to battle with the guy and stuck him in the face. Didn’t mean to,” a dejected Krug said.

Then, if that didn’t put the B’s in a bad enough situation, Patrice Bergeron lifted a clear attempt over the glass and into the seats with 1:49 left for a delay of game penalty.

“It’s one of those plays where you want to get it all the way down,” Bergeron said. “I thought I was closer to the wall. It’s one of those plays I’ll make basically every time. But I went a little too hard and little too high. I take full responsibility on that play.”

Shortly after that, New Jersey coach Pete DeBoer pulled goalie Martin Brodeur for an extra skater to make it a 6-on-3 advantage, and most NHL teams will take advantage of the situation. The Devils did when defenseman Marek Zidlicky drilled a slapper over B’s goalie Tuukka Rask’s blocker.

The Bruins got a man back after the goal, but they were still on the penalty kill with Krug in the penalty box. The B’s had been the beneficiary of a good bounce in the first period when Jarome Iginla’s pass went off a Devils defender and into the the net, but it was bad fortune that sunk them in the end.

Brunner fanned on a point-blank slap shot attempt, but with Rask playing the initial shot, the puck went right to defenseman Andy Greene, who fired it into the empty net with 44.1 seconds left.

The B’s penalty kill came into the game ranked third in the league, having killed off 21-of-24 times shorthanded. But last night severely messed with that average as they allowed four on seven chances.

“It’s definitely something that can’t happen. We’ve got to do a better job,” said Bergeron, who was on the ice for the last goal. “We’ve got to give them credit also. They moved the puck well and made some nice plays. But we’ve got to be tighter and be smarter with our push and be in sync.”

It looked like the B’s would get their fifth consecutive win and third in four nights when they sprinted out to 2-0 and 3-1 leads in the first period on goals from Krug (power play), Iginla and Milan Lucic.

“We had a really good first 20 (minutes) and then we knew they would put more pressure on us, like they did,” said Chara, who was in the penalty box for the Brunner goal with 27.1 seconds left in the second period after being called for delay of game. “And we just didn’t respond well.”



Big chill for penalty kill


Stephen Harris

Prominent on the list of things that had gone well for the Bruins during the first three weeks of the season was their penalty kill. Entering yesterday’s games, no NHL team had allowed fewer power-play goals than the Bruins, who’d been scored on just three times in nine games.

There wasn’t quite an automatic presumption that the B’s would survive opposition power plays — but it was close to that.

But, boy, did that perception explode in a hurry last night. The New Jersey Devils scored all their goals on power plays, going 4-for-7 when a man (or two, or three) up, and stunned the Bruins, 4-3, to earn just their second win of the season.

“When you allow four power-play goals in a game, that’s not a good sign for a win,” said B’s coach Claude Julien, after his team’s four-game winning streak came to an inglorious end.

“I thought we had too many mediocre players,” he said. “Our penalty kill obviously faltered. It wasn’t good enough. They scored on their opportunities that they had, and our penalty kill wasn’t up to the task.”

The home team appeared to be in good shape, up 3-2 deep into the third period. But then a four-minute high-sticking call on Torey Krug with 3:15 left started the B’s demise. Patrice Bergeron joined him in the box with another inadvertent clearing shot into the seats, and the Devils had a 5-on-3 for two minutes. Make that a 6-on-3, when goalie Martin Brodeur skated to the bench with some 1:20 to go.

New Jersey got a 40-foot slapper from Marek Zidlicky to tie it during the 6-on-3, then the winner from Andy Greene with the clubs skating 5-on-4 with 44.1 seconds left. It was nearly as stunning an ending as Thursday, when the B’s beat San Jose on David Krejci’s score with 0.8 seconds left.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that,” goalie Tuukka Rask said. “They ripped us apart. I don’t know if they were that good, or we were just not on top of our PK. Some weird goals there. (There is) no excuse. You’re leading by two goals after a period, you should have everything under control. But you just let up a little bit, suddenly it’s a one-goal game and it’s anybody’s game.

“First period, we were flying, we were making plays and everything seems to go in. They definitely got better in the second, started forechecking better. We couldn’t get clear breakouts and then they found a way to score that goal, which gave them life for the third. We definitely lost our life after the first.

“It shouldn’t be that way, but it seems to be when we play a good period, we can’t follow up with another one. It’s obvious that the other team is going to push harder. They’re going to get yelled at. But it’s no reason why you should let up and let them back into the game. I don’t think we played bad; we just couldn’t find our legs like we had in the first.

“We should know better. We should know how to handle these kind of games. Two power plays at the end is kind of bad luck, but still, no excuses.”

The second Devils goal was a bad one for Rask, as Damien Brunner’s flip somehow ended up inside the left post. The goalie angrily picked up the puck and flipped it in the air. “It hits your toe and just falls in,” said Rask. “What are you gonna do?”

On the first late power-play goal, Zidlicky’s bomb from high in the right slot, Rask was occupied with net-front traffic and off balance as the puck flew by, stick-side.

“I think I was leaning a little bit too much for the guy in front of me,” said Rask. “He took a step and I kind of lost my balance. Top shelf. A 5-on-3 from there (actually 6-on-3), there’s a pretty good chance he scores. (Facing a 6-on-3), you’re just trying to see whatever you can, try to be big out there and hope it hits you if you don’t see it. You know for a fact they’re going to throw everything at the net and have guys in the crease bouncing on those loose pucks. That’s just a tough situation for everybody.”

So was Greene’s winning goal, a play on which Brunner flubbed a shot attempt in front and the puck dribbled to Greene for a virtually empty net.

“It’s just one of those things,” Rask said. “When things aren’t going your way, they don’t go your way.”

Things were not going the Bruins’ way in this one.



Bruins blow lead, game

Saturday, October 26, 2013

Steve Conroy

The Bruins lost a 3-1 lead and watched the New Jersey Devils score two power-play goals in the last 1:08 to notch a 4-3 victory at the Garden tonight.

All four goals the Devils scored came on the power-play.

"I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything like that. They just—they ripped us apart," said Tuukka Rask. "I don’t know if they were that good or if we were just not on top of our PK. Some weird goals there but no excuses. You’re leading by two at the end of the first, you should definitely have everything under control and then we just let up a little bit and someone lets one goal gain and it’s anybody’s game."

After a poor second period in which they allowed the Devils to get within a goal on a late Damien Brunner power-play tally, the B's played a better third period and seemed poised to close the game out.

But then they took a a couple of automatic penalties. First, with 3:15 remaining, Torey Krug got his stick up and clocked the Devils' Damien Brunner, earning himself a four-minute penalty.

“I was just going in to battle with the guy and stuck him in the face. Didn't mean to,” said a dejected Krug.

Then, if that didn't put the B's in a bad enough situation, Patrice Bergeron lifted a clear attempt over the glass and into the seats with 1:49 left in the game.

“It's one of those plays where you want to get it all the way down,” said Bergeron. “I thought I was closer to the wall. It's one of those plays I'll make basically every time. But I went a little too hard and little too high. I take full responsibility on that play.”

Shortly after that, Jersey coach Pete DeBoer pulled Marty Brodeur for an extra skater to make it a 6-on-3 and most NHL teams will take advantage of the situation, which the Devils did when Marek Zidlicky drilled a slapper over Tuukka Rask's blocker.

That gave the B's one man back, but they were still on the penalty kill with Krug in the box. The B's had been the beneficiary of a good bounce in the first period when Jarome Iginla's pass went off a Devil defender and into the the net, but it was bad fortune that sunk them.

Brunner fanned on a point blank slapshot attempt, but with Rask playing the initial shot, the puck went right to Andy Greene, who fired it into an empty net with 44.1 seconds left.

"I thought we had too many mediocre players tonight and those things kind of create those situations," said coach Claude Julien.

The B's now have three days to stew over this one before they had to Pittsburgh to start another 3-in-4 nights swing on Wednesday.



B’s let one slip away vs. Devils

Steve Conroy

The Bruins let the New Jersey Devils hang around and it cost them what looked like a sure win.

Protecting a one-goal lead late in the third period, defenseman Torey Krug took a four minute double minor for high-sticking with 3:15 left and then Patrice Bergeron was called for delay of game with 1:49 remaining. The Devils pulled goalie Martin Brodeur for a 6-on-3 advantage and defenseman Marek Zidlicky tied it up on a slapper with 1:08 left.

Then, with the Devils on a conventional one-man advantage, defenseman Andy Greene fired home a fanned shot of Adam Henrique’s past a helpless goalie Tuukka Rask, and the B’s had their first bad loss of the season, 4-3, at the Garden.

New Jersey, which trailed 2-0 and 3-1 in the first period, scored all of its goals on the power play.

The Devils came into the game with just one win and, in the first period, they showed why when the Bruins sprinted out to a 3-1 lead.

The first goal came 7:52 into the game, just 11 seconds after the B’s went on their first power play. Defenseman Torey Krug took a nice cross-ice feed from Jarome Iginla and fired a shot into a maze of sticks, and it beat Martin Brodeur.

The Devils goalie was then victimized by some bad luck. Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask made a nice play to move a loose puck back up ice, and Jarome Iginla carried it deep on the right side. Iginla attempted a pass to David Krejci out front, but the puck went off Damien Brunner’s skate and past Brodeur at 9:19.

The Devils got one back at 11:24 on a power-play goal from Adam Henrique. With defenseman Johnny Boychuk in the penalty box for interference, New Jersey defenseman Eric Gelinas fired a shot that produced a big rebound off Rask. Henrique fired the puck right back in from the high slot to make it 2-1.

The two-goal cushion was re-eastablished with 55.8 seconds left in the period on a picture-perfect play by all five skaters that led to a 3-on-2. First, Krejci won a defensive-zone faceoff back to Dennis Seidenberg, who tapped the puck back to defense partner Dougie Hamilton, who in turn sent it up along the boards to Iginla for the breakout. From the right wing, Iginla fed Krejci in the middle and New Jersey defenseman Marek Zidlicky decided to leave the right side go to the center, leaving Milan Lucic all alone on the left wing. Krejci fed Lucic, who beat Brodeur with a low wrist shot to the shortside.

The B’s outshout the Devils, 10-6, in the opening 20 minutes.

New Jersey, however, did not roll over. The Devils competed much better in the second period and kept the B’s hemmed in their own zone in several instances, usually against the third defense pair of Krug and Adam McQuaid.

The B’s did have some chances to extend the lead early in the second. Lucic set up Krejci nicely on another 3-on-2, but Krejci fanned on the pass and the bid went over the net. Krejci also was stoned by Brodeur when he elected to keep the puck and shoot on a 2-on-1.

The lead was cut to 3-2 with 27.1 seconds left in the second and defenseman Zdeno Chara in the penalty box for delay of game after sending the puck over the glass in the Bruins end. On the Devils power play, it looked like Rask had made a terrific save on a backhander by Brunner, but the puck actually squeezed in between the goalie and the near post



Julien: Loui Eriksson doing 'OK'


Steve Conroy

After having suffered a concussion on Wednesday on the head shot from the Sabres' John Scott, Loui Eriksson remained off the ice this morning as the Bruins prepared for their game against the New Jersey Devils tonight at the Garden.

Coach Claude Julien was as upbeat as he could be for anyone dealing with a concussion.

"Loui’s doing OK I guess for a guy who suffered a concussion," said Julien. "It’s the same thing – you have a good day, you have less of a good day. And it’s early on but, like always, you keep your fingers crossed that it’s going to get better sooner than later for his sake."

It looked like the same lineup tonight for the B's against the struggling Devils (1-5-4) while New Jersey will be putting a familiar face back in net. With Cory Schneider dealing with a lower body, future Hall of Famer Martin Brodeur will be between the pipes for the Devils.

This is also the first time back at the Garden for Jaromir Jagr since the Game 6 loss in the Stanley Cup Finals to Chicago. Jagr was in a Bruin uniform for just a short time, but he left an impression.

"I know a lot of people are going to say he didn’t score – and he didn’t. But he certainly added a lot to our team," said Julien. "I thought he played well. I

thought if anything he was snake-bitten when it came to goal scoring. He worked hard, he had a great attitude, he made things happen. I still remember in overtime there in Chicago where he just took a shot, hit the crossbar, and it could have been the winning goal.

"He’s a guy who usually comes up big in big moments and whether he was frustrated or not, he didn’t show it, he just kept working hard. I thought if anything, where he’s been maybe questioned or criticized at times, has been his moods; and his mood here was great. And again, he was a good example for young guys – working out, doing extra and trying to stay on the top of his game. Obviously at that age (41), you have to do that to stay at the top of your game. So he led by example in a lot of ways, so good memories and we were happy to have him."

Told the Bruins had good things to say about him, Jagr broke into a grin.

"They're not going to say bad things with the cameras in their face," he joked. “No, same thing from my side. I met a lot of good people, a lot of good players. We had a pretty good run. Maybe with a little more luck we would have been holding the Cup."

Looking back on his playoff run here, he said he expected the excellence from Tuukka Rask, Patrice Bergeron and Zdeno Chara. But Milan Lucic realy opened his eyes.

"I think the biggest surprise to me was Looch and how he played," said Jagr, who has been one of the best forwards on the Devils this season. "I honestly didn't know how good he is. He's a huge part of the hockey club."

Jagr has 2-5-7 totals and is plus-2 in 10 games.

Michael Ryder is another former Bruin in the Devils lineup. The B's actually made a pitch to bring back Ryder last summer, something that surprised Ryder given the fact that the B's chose to move on from him after the Stanley Cup win.

"For sure, definitely. But I thought coming here was a better for me and it is what it is," said Ryder. "Lou (Lamoriello) was really interested and I talked to him a few times and he really wanted me to be a part of this team. He told me the opportunity I'd be getting and the position I'd be playing, the icetime I'd be getting. That's what I wanted, to be one of the guys that are counted on and try to produce some offense."

Ryder has four goals and is minus-5 for the Devils.


723422 Buffalo Sabres

Regier caught by surprise by Sabres’ bad start

By John Vogl

on October 27, 2013 - 1:32 AM

TAMPA, Fla. — Darcy Regier has had a target on his chest often during his long, tumultuous tenure as Sabres general manager. The anger, however, has never been this pinpoint, with arrows of derision getting fired at Regier from all sides.

Through it all so far – the chants for his firing from dwindling crowds in Buffalo, the outright mocking by former players and NHL analysts – Regier says he’s kept others in his thoughts.

“With respect to how the fans feel, I understand that,” Regier told The News on Saturday. “It’s interesting. What overrides the personal is you feel badly for others, whether it’s coaches or players or ownership or fans. You feel badly for them, and it just brings the focus back on you’ve got to figure something out. You’ve got to figure out how to do the work.”

As the person who coined the “suffering” tagline in Sabreland, Regier knew things would be difficult this season. He never saw the worst start in franchise history coming, however.

“No, I didn’t,” he said prior to the Sabres’ 3-2 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday. “I don’t think anyone did, but you’re here and you have to work your way out of it. We want to make sure people are positive.”

It’s been hard for anyone in the organization to keep his head up so far. The Sabres won just once in the opening 11 games, and they held a lead for only

9 minutes, 35 seconds. They’ve been an embarrassment during first periods. Goals have been nearly non-existent.

It’s disappointing, Regier says, but he’s doing his best to find bright spots.

“When things are tough as they are organizationally and hockey specifically, you have to focus on the things you can do,” he said in Tampa Bay Times Forum. “Whether it’s a player on the ice or a coach or myself, you have to really focus in on the work you’re responsible for and try and do everything you can to contribute to getting out of that situation.

“In all of that, you look for bright spots and you look for growth and you look for things that have to be improved on. I look at this group now, and we’re trying something – assuming the graphic on TV was right – we’re trying something that hasn’t been tried in quite some time with four teenagers in the lineup.”

The four teenagers – Mikhail Grigorenko, Zemgus Girgensons, Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov – played again Saturday. When they all dressed Friday, the Sabres became the first time since 1996 to have that many teens in a game.

“You look for the growth in that,” Regier said. “It’s really important while they’re playing and while they’re growing we don’t have them in over their heads and they can manage the situation. So far, they’ve been resilient, and they are getting better.”

Zadorov has been a revelation during his opening four games. The 6-foot-5, 220-pound defenseman has been a physical force, crushing opponents with body checks while playing a fearless style.

The 18-year-old is in his nine-game tryout period, and the Sabres will use it up before deciding whether to send him back to juniors with London of the Ontario Hockey League.

“It’s only been a couple games, but it’s been a good couple games,” Regier said. “He’s a very good skater. He covers a lot of ice. He’s good with the puck. He likes to play a physical game, but most kids at that age don’t have that strength. That’s maybe the thing that stands out more than anything is his ability to handle big, mature players on the other team.”

Zadorov is part of a defensive corps that has impressed Regier. He looks at Zadorov and fellow first-round picks Rasmus Ristolainen, Mark Pysyk and Tyler Myers with a glowing eye.

“Our defense is very young,” Regier said of the unit, which has Myers as an elder statesman at age 23. “I can look down the road and feel pretty good about this group as a defense corps for a long time for the organization.

“I think it’s upfront where we’ve got to sort some things out. It’s not as connected as it needs to be.”

The Sabres scored just 17 goals in the opening 12 games. They’d been outshot by an average of 10 per night. They rarely have the puck.

Regier reiterated the only way to improve the team is through the draft. He still talks about it with owner Terry Pegula, who has bought into the plan.

“You have to have high-quality players, and you have to have a number of them,” Regier said. “Free agency wasn’t going to afford us that opportunity, so you have to look back at the draft and realize that most of your ability to add top players to your team is going to come through that process of the draft. The nature of it is it’s slow, and it can be painful.

“The nature of this game is it’s a short-term business but a long-term process. The talent will only grow at the rate it will grow, and it takes time.”

Until everyone matures, Regier will seek out small things while recognizing most other people are looking at him.

“Those are the things underneath the difficult times that you point to, to maintain a level of hope,” Regier said of improvements. “You hope that everyone can see that and kind of grab on to that, and it helps to get through the tough times.”

Buffalo News LOADED: 10.27.2013


Ruff should thank his lucky Stars he’s gone

By Bucky Gleason

on October 27, 2013 - 1:23 AM

Lindy Ruff will roll into town today with a new team for the first time since the Sabres fired him last February. The Dallas Stars are off to a slow start. They entered their game Saturday against Winnipeg with a 4-5-0 record, leaving them in last place in the Central Division and second-last in the Western Conference.

Ruff was the best coach in Sabres history and should be applauded when he steps behind the visitors’ bench Monday night. He’s a good person who guided the franchise to some of its greatest moments. He spent more than half of his life here as a player and coach and can forever call Buffalo home no matter his address.

He deserves a warm welcome back.

It wasn’t intentional, but the Sabres did him an enormous favor when they sent him on his way. For starters, they spared him the indignity of this season. Ruff would be pulling out his hair if forced to coach this team. The Sabres are a laughingstock, an international punch line, an embarrassment.

How Darcy Regier survived longer than Ruff remains a great mystery that has baffled many across the league. It would have been interesting to see what Ruff would have accomplished with a competent general manager. That said, my opinion about Ruff hasn’t wavered since last season. The time had come to fire him.

But not if it meant hiring Ron Rolston.

Rolston shouldn’t have been named the interim coach, let alone the head coach going into this season. James Patrick was infinitely more qualified. At least he could have filled in the blank next to “NHL Experience” on the application. Patrick had two strikes against him. He wasn’t fond of Regier and refused to be a yes man.

Little did we know that the “interim” tag, like many things that come from the organization, was pure fiction. Rolston finagled a multiyear extension when the Sabres should have conducted an open search during the offseason. Let’s be honest, it wasn’t as if other teams were lining up to hire him.

Negotiations should have gone something like this:

Rolston: I’m looking for a long-term deal.

Regier: You’re dreaming.

End of negotiations. If Rolston wasn’t satisfied, well, tough.

Instead, the thinking was along these lines:

Rolston: I’m really going to the NHL?? Thank you!!!

Regier: With this long-term deal, he’s indebted to me for life. This is my kingdom, and he will march to my orders. It’s been my plan since the Paul Gaustad trade. I’m a genius. Ken Sawyer said so. Terry listens to him.

Wow, this Kool Aid really does work.

Look, it has become increasingly clear that Rolston is little more than a Regier clone, right down to his speech patterns and ability to bore the masses. He’s what you get when you put Regier in the dryer. He’s a shrunken version of the same, a Mini-Me, and he’s become another link on a long chain of incompetence.

Ask around, and I have, and you’ll find Rolston has no business coaching in the NHL. Rolston never played a shift in the NHL. He was a Division I assistant coach but never a head coach. USA Hockey’s development team was the first he called his own. He didn’t even make the final list at Penn State before Regier hired him in Rochester.

Apparently, they see the game the same way. It’s scary to think that met the criteria for him to coach at hockey’s highest level. Rolston has a credibility problem because he lacks credentials. But that’s what happens when a man is granted an opportunity he would not have otherwise received and did not deserve.

Simply, he’s not a threat to Regier. He’s a puppet.

Players will say the right things, how they’re behind their coach 110 percent, but they see through this charade. Veterans in particular aren’t going to waste their time listening to a small-timer who knows less than they do about hockey. It’s a matter of time before they check out for the season, if it hasn’t happened already.

Do you get a sense that they’re ready to break down the dressing room door on any given night, the way players did for Ruff or Ted Nolan before him? I’ll give Rolston credit for this much: There is no team in the NHL that is more reflective of its coach. Both are over their heads. Together, they’re irrelevant.

Every time you turn around, you hear someone in the organization praising Rolston for his teaching ability, as if he’s running a hockey school or coaching some travel team. Ted Black on the radio last week reiterated how Rolston is great with teenagers. OK, then he should be coaching the Junior Sabres. He can switch gigs with Michael Peca, who would be an upgrade.

Pegula can continue kidding himself that he has the right people in place, but he’s merely prolonging the agony. He would be wise to tap into a long list of hockey people who can help fix this mess. He can start with alumni that Regier hasn’t alienated. If Rolston is a skilled teacher, he should be working to his strengths, preferably somewhere else.

This is the NHL. The object is to win.

Ruff didn’t win enough and was fired. He should look around Monday and thank his lucky stars. Someday, his lucky Stars will be thanking him.



Inside the NHL by John Vogl: Train may have left station for Miller trade

on October 27, 2013 - 1:09 AM

Staff report

TAMPA, Fla. — Unless the Sabres find a desperate trade partner, they’ve missed their best chance to deal Ryan Miller.

Trades involving goaltenders are relatively rare in the NHL, with only 23 deals of note since 2005-06. Just a dozen happened during a season, and the return was far less lucrative than summertime moves.

History shows that folks in Sabreland who are still hoping for a first-round pick or star player in return for Miller are probably dreaming too big.

Only five goalies have brought back a first-round pick— Dwayne Roloson (2006), Tomas Vokoun (2007), Vesa Toskala (2007), Semyon Varlamov (2011) and Cory Schneider (2013) — and just one trade happened during the season. Roloson went from Minnesota to Edmonton for first- and third-round selections.

Just two deals have featured goalies being exchanged for established stars. Only one occurred during a season. Dallas sent goalie Mike Smith, forwards Jussi Jokinen and Jeff Halpern, and a fourth-round draft pick to Tampa Bay for forward Brad Richards and netminder Johan Holmqvist in February 2008.

General managers simply haven’t been willing to pay high prices for a goalie, at least not while games are being played.

A more likely scenario based on past events would have the Sabres getting a second-round pick for Miller. Seven of the 23 deals involved an exchange of second-round selections, but even that asking price is more attainable in the summer. Four of the seven trades came during the offseason, outnumbering the in-season moves of Cristobal Huet (2008), Pascal LeClaire (2009) and Ben Bishop (2012).

The most common in-season trade is goalie-for-goalie, done in five of the 12 transactions, but that shouldn’t appeal to the Sabres. Jhonas Enroth continues to improve and Buffalo has five goaltending prospects.

In order to secure a big return for Miller, the Sabres need a team to either lose its goalie to injury or be desperate for a playoff run.

Edmonton had a veteran club in 2005-06 after big deals for Chris Pronger, Michael Peca and Jaroslav Spacek. The moves would have been for naught if the Oilers didn’t get a goalie. They had no chance in the playoffs with Jussi Markkanen, Ty Conklin or Mike Morrison, so they paid a heavy price to get Roloson.

It worked as he carried them to the Stanley Cup finals before getting hurt in the opening game. The Sabres can try using that as a selling point, but it appears they had a better chance of making someone buy it during the summer.

Barnaby blasts Sabres

A number of retired Sabres are mad and embarrassed at what’s become of their beloved organization. Matthew Barnaby is one who’s willing to make his feelings known publicly.

The longtime agitator and former television analyst was furious after Wednesday’s 5-2 loss to Boston. He delivered a hard-hitting rant toward owner Terry Pegula, General Manager Darcy Regier and coach Ron Rolston on Twitter (which is cleaned up grammatically here because it’s not easy to obey all the rules of writing with a cell phone and 140 characters).

“I’m not a Sabres hater but more of a proud alumni that thinks fans deserve better. Pegula is a great guy but is a fan,” Barnaby wrote. “Sabres were so much better when in bankruptcy. I really don’t understand how Darcy still has a job. Plain and simple there are better GMs and coaches out there.

“Team plays with no passion. Zero. Gives up way too many shots and outnumbered attacks. Team will miss playoffs 8 of 12 years. Not good enough to keep your job.

“Best thing I did was not renew my tickets. Saw this coming and was sick of watching a bad product. … It is really ugly and going to get worse. Saw it last year early. Just because people are in big positions does not make them smart hockey people!”

Teens are a trend

The Sabres have the most teenagers in the NHL with four, but they’re hardly alone. Youngsters are making clubs across the league.

Pittsburgh and Toronto decided during the week not to return their 19-year-olds to their junior organizations. Defenseman Olli Maatta will remain with the Penguins, while fellow blue-liner Morgan Rielly isn’t going anywhere after playing his way into the Maple Leafs’ top four.

“It’s a pretty good feeling,” Rielly said. “I have a lot left to prove. I have to keep working hard and keep getting better.”

Rielly and Maatta were drafted in 2012, two of the 14 first-round picks who’ve already made it to the NHL. Eight of this year’s first-round picks have played, including defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Nikita Zadorov of the Sabres.

“There will be down moments, and I hope people keep that in focus,” Penguins blue-liner Brooks Orpik said while talking about Maatta. “But with his talent and work ethic, I don’t think those stretches will last too long.”

Duchene no fan of Sacco

Colorado forward Matt Duchene didn’t always see eye-to-eye with Joe Sacco, the former Avalanche coach hired to be Rolston’s assistant this season. The Avs made the playoffs during their first year together but missed the last three postseasons.

The Avs are among the best and most exciting teams in hockey this season with a new coach, Patrick Roy. That’s not a coincidence, Duchene strongly hinted.

“There’s always been a plan,” Duchene said, “but is it the right plan? Is it the plan that works for this team? We’ve had a young, fast, offensively gifted team for four years and haven’t ever shown that.”

Duchene did well under Sacco during their opening two years together, putting up 51 goals and 122 points. He had 43 points in 47 games last season. He also found himself in Sacco’s doghouse too many times for his liking.

“The one thing with Patrick is there’s no doghouse,” Duchene said. “If you’re not doing what you’re supposed to do, he’s going to bring you in, he’s going to sit you down and you’re going to correct it constructively and then you’re going to move on from there. You don’t stay in that doghouse. That’s the nice part.”

On the fly

• Hockey folks down South stick together. When Nashville hosted Winnipeg on Thursday, the Predators’ mascot wore an Atlanta Thrashers jersey. The Jets moved to Winnipeg from Atlanta in 2011.

• Detroit’s Stephen Weiss had two goals, no assists and a minus-4 rating through his first 11 games, making some wonder why he got a five-year, $24.5 million deal to leave Florida. “This falls on me,” Weiss said. “You have to realize you’re a good hockey player and you’re here for a reason.”

• Predators goalie Pekka Rinne is out at least a month with a bacterial infection in his surgically repaired hip. “His last game was maybe his best game in two years,” coach Barry Trotz said. “Real unfortunate.”



John Vogl’s Top Line: A look at three people making an impact in the hockey world

on October 27, 2013 - 1:08 AM

Staff report

The superstar opened with 10 goals in 10 games, continuing a remarkable run. He has 32 goals in his last 31 games, becoming the first 30-in-30 guy since Pavel Bure in 2001.

Detroit Red Wings

The club lost alumnus Shawn Burr to leukemia last year and honored him Saturday by holding a bone marrow registration drive during a game against the Rangers.

Phil Kessel, Toronto Maple Leafs

In addition to 12 points in the first 11 games, the forward and testicular cancer survivor put two dozen kids from Childhood Cancer Canada in a suite for a Leafs game.

The Sabres’ Week Ahead

Monday — Dallas: The Stars have a new coach. A guy named Lindy Ruff. It’s possible fans in Buffalo might want to say hello.

Thursday — At New York Rangers: The Blueshirts entered Saturday’s schedule with a goal differential of minus-19, worst in the NHL.

Saturday -— Anaheim: Teemu Selanne’s farewell tour rolls into Buffalo, with the future Hall of Famer making his last appearance downtown.



Sabres fail to close out Lightning

By John Vogl

on October 26, 2013 - 10:53 PM

, updated October 27, 2013 at 1:31 AM

TAMPA, Fla. — During a frantic three-minute span Saturday night, the Sabres went from one goal up to their 10th regulation loss. Cody Hodgson and Drew Stafford watched it all from the bench.

Tampa Bay ended Buffalo’s winning feeling at one game, scoring twice in the final 5:51 to earn a 3-2 victory. The Sabres’ busy and effective penalty killers helped put the team on the verge of a second straight win, but things fell apart at the end with missed assignments and net-front scrambles.

“We’ve got to close those out,” Sabres right wing Brian Flynn said in Tampa Bay Times Forum. “We were fortunate to be up, 2-1, with seven minutes left, and those are the ones you’ve got to come out on top on the road and steal two points.”

Coach Ron Rolston was furious at Hodgson and Stafford following the game. Hodgson took only two shifts during the third period while Stafford had three.

“Your best players have to be your best players,” Rolston said. “At the end of the day, that’s what’s got to happen.”

The action was steady all game, but it picked up during the final eight minutes. Thomas Vanek was having a quiet night despite playing against the

team he loves to torment. A reckless run of penalties by the Sabres (six in all) kept their best scorer glued to the bench for long stretches.

“You try to stay sharp and get into it,” Vanek said, “but it tires out the guys that kill, and the guys sit on the bench, it’s hard on them, too.”

When Vanek finally got a chance, he put Buffalo in front. Great passes by Zemgus Girgensons and Marcus Foligno resulted in Vanek getting the puck in point-blank range, and he beat Ben Bishop with 7:14 left to give the Sabres a 2-1 lead.

The goal brought Vanek’s totals to 24 goals and 39 points in 33 games versus Tampa.

It wasn’t enough to make the Sabres a winner as they fell to 2-10-1. Martin St. Louis beat Ryan Miller on a one-timer just 83 seconds after Vanek scored. Onrej Palat recovered a rebound during a net-front scramble and flipped the puck home with 4:05 to play, giving the Lightning two goals in less than two minutes.

The Sabres flew home after the game and will be off today. They’ll need the rest heading into Monday’s highly anticipated meeting with Dallas. Stars coach Lindy Ruff will make his first appearance on the visiting bench in First Niagara Center.

Tampa’s power play took advantage of the Sabres’ first penalty, with Tyler Johnson putting Buffalo in its customary 1-0 hole in the first period. Opponents have a 16-1 scoring advantage in first periods this season.

The Sabres’ penalty killers then kept the team in the game. Once the Sabres got back to full strength, they got on the scoreboard as Flynn scored with 7:02 to go in the second period.

“You’re not going to create any offense when you’re in the box,” Flynn said.

...

Ville Leino returned to the Sabres’ lineup for the first time since breaking a rib in the season opener, and he assisted on Buffalo’s opening goal. He was originally scheduled to return later this week, but he convinced the coaching staff he was ready.

“I’m feeling good,” Leino said. “There’s not really too much pain anymore. The last day or two, I’ve been feeling better.”

Like other observers, Leino noticed during his time on the sidelines that the Sabres rarely have the puck. Once that changes, the results will change.

“We’ve got to have the puck more,” the forward said. “We’ve got to have more shots. We’ve got to have more zone time. Most of the nights you’ll win.”

...

The Sabres placed Mike Weber on injured reserve to open a roster spot for Leino. The defenseman suffered a broken thumb Friday night blocking a slap shot taken by Florida’s Mike Weaver. Rolston said Weber will be out “long term.”



Leino could return to Sabres' lineup tonight; Weber out long term with thumb injury

October 26, 2013 - 12:15 PM

By John Vogl

TAMPA, Fla. -- The Sabres badly need someone who can create offense. Ville Leino has a chance to heed the call.

The forward might play tonight when the Sabres visit Tampa Bay. He said his broken rib, suffered during the season opener, is no longer giving him discomfort.

"I’m feeling good," he said in Tampa Bay Times Forum. "It’s going to be for coaches and me to make the move.

"I’m just excited to go back out there and play hockey. I love playing hockey, so for me it’s just going to be fun to go out there and play, and that’s always when I play the best, too."

Coach Ron Rolston said it's a "possibility" that Leino returns against the Lightning.

"He’s obviously a veteran presence here," Rolston said. "He’s got the ability to create offense and control the puck, so it’ll be a help, but he hasn’t played for a while, too, so it’s going to take him a bit, I’m sure."

The Sabres would need to clear a roster spot to activate Leino, and they could do so by placing defenseman Mike Weber on injured reserve. He has a cast on his left thumb after blocking a shot Friday in Florida and will be out long term, Rolston said.

The only player to take the ice for the optional morning skate was suspended Patrick Kaleta, so it's not clear if Ryan Miller will start in goal as scheduled or if Jhonas Enroth has earned a second straight start after his 44-save performance Friday.



Buffalo Sabres fall to Tampa Bay Lightning

Mark Didtler

TAMPA, FLA. — The Tampa Bay Lightning ended a successful homestand with a late comeback victory.

Ondrej Palat and Martin St. Louis scored third-period goals to help the Lightning rally for a 3-2 victory over the Buffalo Sabres on Saturday night.

After St. Louis pulled the Lightning even at 14:09, Palat made it 3-2 from the low slot 1:46 later.

Tyler Johnson had the other Tampa Bay goal as the Lightning (7-3) completed a seven-game homestand with a 5-2 record.

“It’s awesome,” Palat said.

The Lightning overcame a strong performance by Buffalo goalie Ryan Miller, who stopped 36 shots.

Brian Flynn and Thomas Vanek scored for Buffalo (2-10-1), which was coming off a 3-1 win at Florida on Friday night in which the Sabres were outshot 45-21.

“It’s disappointing,” Vanek said. “We battled hard and walked away with nothing. It doesn’t take many mistakes with those guys to bury one.”

Buffalo took a 2-1 lead when Vanek scored from the low left circle after taking a nifty pass from Marcus Foligno 12:46 into the third. Vanek has 24 goals and 39 points in 33 games against Tampa Bay.

Flynn tied it at 1-all with 7:02 left in the second when he scored off a pass through the crease by Cody McCormick.

Johnson put the Lightning up 1-0 on a rebound power-play goal at 12:48 of the first. The goal came after Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers failed to swat away the puck after Miller made a save on Valtteri Filppula’s shot.

Buffalo has been outscored 16-1 during the first period this season.

Tampa Bay’s Ben Bishop stopped a backhand by Steve Ott during a breakaway midway through the first. He finished with 20 saves.

Miller made several nice saves early in the second when Tampa Bay had two power plays. The goalie made a post-to-post save on St. Louis’ right circle shot.

Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 10.27.2013


Rochester Amerks defeat Toronto Marlies

Oct. 26, 2013

Staff report

With just two meetings under their belts this season, the Rochester Americans have already beaten the Toronto Marlies more times than they did in 10 matchups last season.

Luke Adam and Phil Varone each recorded a goal and an assist to extend their respective scoring streaks and the Amerks defeated the Marlies, 4-1, on Saturday at Ricoh Coliseum.

Rochester (4-2-1) went just 1-9 against Toronto in the regular season last year and was then swept in three games in the Calder Cup playoffs.

Both victories have been by a score of 4-1. Saturday’s was the first win for the Amerks in Toronto since March 3, 2012.

Luke Adam put Rochester on the board with 3:51 left in the first period with a power-play goal.

Jamie Tardif won a faceoff in the Marlies’ zone that went to Adam between the circles.

Adam has now scored a goal in four straight games and has a team-leading seven this season — three coming on the power play.

Mike Zigomanis, a Marlie for the previous four seasons, made his return to Toronto memorable when he doubled the lead 7:12 into the second.

Varone assisted on the goal and has recorded at least a point in all seven games.

Adam and Varone are tied for the team lead with 10 points apiece.

Alexander Sulzer made it 3-0 with 3:02 left in the second with the team’s second power-play goal of the season.

Rochester finished 2-for-7 with a man up.

Spencer Abbott tallied the Marlies’ lone goal 9:44 into the third.

Varone capped the scoring with an empty-netter in the closing seconds.

Matt Hackett returned to the net after getting the night off in Friday’s overtime loss and finished with 28 saves, including one on a T.J. Brennan penalty shot.

Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 10.27.2013

723430 Calgary Flames

Giordano out, Stempniak out, Baertschi in

October 26, 2013. 1:05 pm

By George Johnson

Still no sign of captain and fulcrum Mark Giordano. Also hidden away from view early Saturday morning, Lee Stempniak, arguably the Calgary Flames most dependable forward.

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

The cupboard sure is starting to get bare at an extremely delicate point in this early-going for the 4-4-2 Flames.

Licking their wounds after losing four of five on the road, they’ve returned to face a rampaging Alexander Ovechkin and the rest of the Washington Capitals to open a three-game homestand at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Karri Ramo has been tapped to defend Calgary’s net goal and face the Caps’ Braden Holtby.

The hugely-influential Giordano has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to Oct. 21 – released via Twitter! – and will be missing his third consecutive start tonight. Whispers, unaddressed, about the seriousness of his mysterious (officially: undisclosed) lower-body injury have been swirling.

Stempniak also has a lower-body problem which, in the ludicrously covert world of injury non-divulging, could technically mean anything from an inflamed ingrown toenail to total leg amputation.

“I mean, both of them are great leaders in here, a huge help for our team,’’ acknowledged winger Sven Baertschi of the holes to be filled. “With both of them out, there has to be other guys step up and I think we have enough offensive firepower in here to score goals and we’ve got enough defenceman that can play very well.

“Everybody has to chip in with a little more leadership and … problem solved.’’

They can only pray a solution is that simple.

Baerteschi, sat in Dallas by a dissatisfied Bob Hartley, draws back into the lineup tonight in Stempniak’s absence. Defenceman Derek Smith, recalled from AHL Abbotsford, may also be included.

“We’re nursing a few bumps and bruises,’’ said Hartley . “There’s going to maybe be one or two game-decisions but that’s part of the business. Smitty had a great game last night in Abbotsford. He has experience in this league so I’m very comfortable putting him in there.

“The situation with Sven Baertschi is no different than McGrattan or Jackman or whoever on this team. Everyone goes by the same rules, goes by the same expectations. There’s only one way to be in the lineup and that is to perform.’’

Whoever gets the call, the task is undeniably daunting. Ovechkin has talled 10 times in 10 games and personally dismantled a 3-0 Flames’ lead in the season-opener at the Verizon Center, scoring twice.

“We played them on Game 1 of the season so we know what to expect,’’ said Hartley. “They’re obviously a team with a lot of firepower. (Alex) Ovechkin is on a mission since Day One of the regular season so it makes it interesting. For us, our game plan doesn’t change. We have to play our game, the style that fits us the best and make the most out of our chances.’’

With Stempniak a no-go, Baertschi’s offence will be a welcome addition against the Caps.

“We had the day off and now we’re ready to go,’’ said the Swiss winger. “Especially me. I’m just going to play as hard as I can. Try to make plays out there, try to score goals. That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life. That’s what I want to do out there. I’m going to play hard, too. I want to make sure I stay in the lineup.’’

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.27.2013


Calgary Flames Snapshots: Back in the lineup for Sven Baertschi

By RANDY SPORTAK

First posted: Saturday, October 26, 2013 11:13 PM MDT

Updated: Sunday, October 27, 2013 12:15 AM MDT

Sven Baertschi reacted positively the first time he was at the centre of a hailstorm from above the team’s brass.

That would be when president of hockey operations Brian Burke ripped him on the eve of the NHL season.

Time will tell how Baertschi responds to the second incident, but the Calgary Flames left winger didn’t have to wait long for his chance.

After being a healthy scratch in the club’s clash against the Dallas Stars on Thursday that ended the five-game road trip, Baertschi was back in action during Saturday’s tilt against the Washington Capitals.

And he looked pretty darn good to start the game. The Swiss youngster drew a penalty on his first shift and helped set up Jiri Hudler’s goal that made it 2-0 just past the seven-minute mark.

“I’m ready to go — I had some rest,” Baertschi said after the morning skate. “I’m just going to play as hard as I can. I’ll try to make plays out there and try to score goals. That’s what I’ve been doing my whole life, and that’s what I

want to do out there. I’m going to play hard, too. I want to stay in the lineup and keep playing here.”

In Dallas, Flames head coach Bob Hartley wouldn’t delve too deeply into what about Baertschi’s game he didn’t like to the point he felt the rookie needed to sit for a game.

Hartley wasn’t any more forthcoming Saturday.

“The situation with Sven Baertschi is none different than (Brian) McGrattan or (Tim) Jackman or whoever on this team. Everyone goes by the same rules, and everyone goes by the same expectations,” Hartley said. “There’s only way to be in the lineup — and that’s to perform.”

Baertschi returned to the lineup Saturday night in part because right-winger Lee Stempniak is injured.

“Now, the challenge for me is to make sure it’s not going to happen again. The time’s now to bounce back,” said Baertschi, 21. “It’s a big opportunity, and I take it very serious. I want to make sure I leave everything on the ice so the next time, when we have a full, healthy lineup, it’s not going to be me out. I want to make sure next time we have a full healthy lineup, ‘He’s good to go. We can’t take him out of the lineup.’ ”

Off the glass

In case you can’t find the Flames third jerseys on the Internet, they’ll be officially unveiled Sunday during Flames Fest at the Saddledome, which runs from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. … A case could be made Stempniak and captain Mark Giordano were the club’s most consistent players to start the season. Now, both are out of action due to “lower-body” injuries. Giordano was placed on the injured reserve list retroactively, which means he is eligible to return as early as the next game. That’s not to say he will return, but he could … With Giordano out, the Flames summoned D Derek Smith from the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat after a one-game stint in the minors. Smith played Saturday night for the Flames after being a healthy scratch in the first seven games before being dispatched to the minors. “Watching for the last month or so, it’s been long, a long journey. I’m ready for when I get the chance, and hopefully, I can make the most of it,” said Smith, who played Friday night in Abbotsford and awoke at 4:15 a.m. to get to the airport for the flight to Calgary. It was a tough start to the season for Smith, who was flying high a couple of seasons ago, was injured and never got on track last year. To be a scratch so often to start this season would make it hard to keep a chin up. “It’s tough, but this isn’t one of my first couple years,” Smith said. “This is my seventh year pro, now, so I’ve been through and see a lot of other guys go through it, too. All you can do is come to the rink, work hard, wait for your opportunity and make the most of it.”

In the crease

Former Calgary Hitmen star Karl Alzner, who lives here in the off-season, purchased 20 tickets for the game and had a cheering section of 32 people at Saddledome. He’s purchased a suite for 24 fans when the Capitals play in Vancouver, his hometown. “This is a free trip. I’m paying to play, but it’s worth it, though,” Alzner said … Capitals goalie Braden Holtby will be happy to not face the Flames again this season. He lasted 16 minutes in the first meeting and 16 minutes Saturday night, surrendering three goals in each of those starts and facing a grand total of 25 shots.

Holtby, who’s from Lloydminster, Alta., was none too pleased about being yanked at the Dome and had plenty of reasons to be upset, including the fact he is on the radar for Canada’s Olympic team.

Sweet tweet

If Sven keeps playing like this, Hartley is going to bench him every other night! #Flames #mightbeworthit

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.27.2013


Calgary Flames down Washington Capitals 5-2

First posted: Friday, October 25, 2013 02:31 PM MDT

Updated: Sunday, October 27, 2013 01:30 AM MDT

Staff report

It was red-light night at the Saddledome.

For a change, Alex Ovechkin wasn’t turning them on.

For the first time in eight career meetings with the Russian superstar, the Calgary Flames managed to keep Ovechkin off the scoresheet, a key ingredient to their success in Saturday’s 5-2 home-ice win over the Washington Capitals.

“The plan was to not allow him to basically get the puck,” said Flames head coach Bob Hartley. “We knew the only place in the game that it would be tough was on the powerplay, He’s so skilled and playing on the far side, he’s basically impossible to cover. But Karri Ramo gave us a couple of big saves on him and I thought that five-on-five, the five-man effort, (Matt) Stajan’s line and whoever was playing on D against Ovi, did quite a job.”

Ovechkin was a one-man wrecking crew in Washington’s 5-4 shootout victory over the Flames earlier this month, scoring twice in regulation and also potting the clincher in the skills competition.

With TJ Brodie and Chris Butler drawing the daunting task of keeping tabs on the Capitals captain, he wouldn’t enjoy the same kind of success on this night.

Five of Ramo’s 27 saves came against the reigning Hart Trophy winner, who had eight goals and seven helpers in seven previous clashes with the crew from Calgary.

“He had a couple of point-blankers there from his spot where, normally, that’s a goal,” said Flames defenceman Dennis Wideman, who posted a plus-five rating against his old squad.

“I think everybody has seen him score a few from there.”

Not this time.

Showing impressive jam after winning just once on a five-game road-trip, the Flames scored three times during an impressive opening period and added a couple of third-period tallies to snap the Capitals’ three-game winning streak and end Ovechkin’s three-game point spree.

Kris Russell found the back of the net with a wicked wrister just 1:04 after the national anthem, while Jiri Hudler and Michael Cammalleri also scored early to chase Capitals netminder Braden Holtby after just 12:50 of action.

Cammalleri scored his second of the night — and third in four games since returning from injury — from an awkward angle midway through the third period and Curtis Glencross sealed the deal with just over five minutes remaining.

Jason Chimera and Aaron Volpatti were Washington’s marksmen.

“I congratulated the boys because I’ve rarely saw a first period like tonight after coming back from a five-game road swing,” Hartley said. “That’s pretty unbelievable and very unusual, so our guys deserve lots of credit.”

While the Flames gave themselves a bit of breathing room with a stellar start, equally impressive was the way they finished in Saturday’s Hockey Night in Canada clash.

Despite being without the services of captain Mark Giordano and winger Lee Stempniak, who have been arguably their most consistent performers so far this season but are both nursing lower-body injuries, the Flames ensured their early lead didn’t go to waste.

“We needed to get back to the basics. That’s why we were successful earlier,” said Russell, also a plus-five on this night.

“We did a better job tonight of, throughout our lineup, coming in waves. Every shift, we kinda had momentum, or if we lost it, the next shift had the task of getting it back, and I thought we did a really good job of that.”

With the victory, the Flames improved to 5-4-2 and now own a 3-0-1 record on home ice.

Hartley’s bunch will host the fan-friendly Flames Fest — and unveil a new third jersey — Sunday at the Saddledome.

Their next clash comes Wednesday, with the Toronto Maple Leafs making a visit to the Stampede City (6 p.m., TSN).

Projected Flames Lines

FORWARDS

Curtis Glencross-Matt Stajan-David Jones

Sven Baertschi-Sean Monahan-Jiri Hudler

Michael Cammalleri-Mikael Backlund-TJ Galiardi

Lance Bouma-Joe Colborne-Brian McGrattan

DEFENCE

TJ Brodie-Chris Butler

Kris Russell-Dennis Wideman

Derek Smith-Shane O'Brien

GOAL

Joey MacDonald

Karri Ramo

INJURED: D Mark Giodano (lower body), RW Lee Stempniak (lower body)

SCRATCHES: RW Tim Jackman, D Chris Breen

Projected Capitals Lines

FORWARDS

Marcus Johansson-Nicklas Backstrom-Alex Ovechkin

Martin Erat-Brooks Laich-Troy Brouwer

Jason Chimera-Mikhail Grabovski-Joel Ward

Aaron Volpatti-Eric Fehr-Tom Wilson

DEFENCE

Nate Schmidt-Mike Green

Karl Alzner-John Carlson

John Erskine-Steven Oleksy

GOAL

Braden Holtby

Michal Neuvirth

INJURED: D Jack Hillen (leg)

SCRATCHES: RW Jay Beagle, D Alexander Urbom

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.27.2013

723433 Carolina Hurricanes

Canes need wins, better first periods

Published: October 26, 2013

By Chip Alexander

The annual N.C. State Fair run is coming to an end. Not coincidentally, the the Carolina Hurricanes' run of four road games also has ended.

The Canes began the annual road swing with victories over Toronto and the New York Islanders. After a break and three practices in Raleigh, Carolina was beaten in back-to-back games by Minnesota on Thursday and Colorado on Friday.

It all adds up to a 4-4-3 record as the Canes prepare to play seven of the next eight games at PNC Arena.

“We've just got to find ways to win,” Canes coach Kirk Muller said after the 4-2 loss to the Avalanche at the Pepsi Center in Denver. “We've got to put a pretty good home stretch together.”

The Hurricanes also need to find a way to put together a strong first period. They’ve scored three goals in first-period play and been outshot 118-97 this season, a glaring shortcoming.

The Canes have trailed 2-0 after the first in three of the past five games – Chicago, Minnesota, Colorado – and have not led after the opening period

since the second game of the season, against Philadelphia. They’ve failed to score in the first period eight times.

“You're not going to win hockey games on a consistent basis in this league if you don't have a good first period,” Muller said. “The old saying is catchup hockey usually is losing hockey.”

Against the Avs, the Canes allowed two first-period goals in falling behind 2-0. Drayson Bowman scored for Carolina 12 seconds in the second, taking a pass from Jordan Staal and ripping a shot from the right circle to pull the Canes to 2-1. But the Avs led 3-1 after two, then picked up an early power-play score from Matt Duchene in the third to make it a 4-1 game.

“It isn't easy to come back,” Canes center Jordan Staal said. “We have to find a way to have a better start and play the way we did in the second and most of the third.”

Andrej Sekera scored in the third for the Canes, coming in on the back side to beat Avs goalie Semyon Varlamov and make it 4-2. The Canes also had chances on the power play, with Varlamov making a spectacular save on a point-blank Alexander Semin shot.

“It was a good power play,” Staal said. “We moved the puck well and couldn't find a way to bury it. We have to find a way to play with that killer instinct and get our power play going.”

Staal never mentioned the Canes' injuries in his postgame interview. It was more about what the Canes need to do to get better.

“It's two tough games we've got to learn from,” Staal said. “There's still things in our game that aren’t good enough.”

The fatigue of the two games wasn't a factor, or the mile-high altitude of Denver. The Canes outshot the Avs 16-8 in the final period and 22-16 in the final two periods.

But again, a listless first was too much to overcome. The Canes were outshot 18-8 and needed some hustling work in killing off a long 5-on-3 power play by the Avs to keep it a two-goal deficit.

“They came out real strong in the first,” Canes goalie Justin Peters said. “For us to kill that 5-on-3 got some momentum for us.”

A plus for the Canes was that defenseman Tim Gleason was able to play for the first time this season after missing the first 10 games because of a concussion. Gleason had more than 17 minutes of ice time in his 600th career game.

Forward Elias Lindholm also was able to return after missing five games with a shoulder injury and was plus-1 for the game. Sekera had a goal and assist and Jiri Tlusty earned his first assist of the season.

Next up for the Canes is a home game Monday against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens beat Carolina 5-2 in early October in Pittsburgh as former Canes forward Jussi Jokinen had a hat trick.

The Canes will practice Sunday and it's possible goalie Anton Khudobin, out the past five games with a lower-body injury, could do some skating. Forward Jeff Skinner, who missed the Avs game with an upper-body injury, also could return.

Muller was asked if he could identify a common thread in the slow first-period starts.

“Guys just have to find a way to prepare themselves to get ready to play,” he said. “We pick up the tempo later on and get going … but it's tough when you give a lot of these teams the lead. It gives them a chance to sit back and play a smart game.”

News Observer LOADED: 10.27.2013

723434 Carolina Hurricanes

Ex-Isles goalie DiPietro gets tryout with Checkers

Posted by Chip Alexander

on October 26, 2013

Former New York Islanders goaltender Rick DiPietro has been signed to a professional tryout contract with the Charlotte Checkers, the Carolina Hurricanes' AHL affiliate.

The signing was confirmed Saturday by Hurricanes president and general manager Jim Rutherford, who said injuries to goaltenders Cam Ward and Anton Khudobin had the Canes exploring all options.

"It could be a safety net and give us more depth," Rutherford said. "At this point it's a tryout. We'll see what kind of shape he's in, how his health is, how he plays."

Rutherford said DiPietro would join the Checkers on Saturday night, begin practicing with the team and likely would play a few games later in the week.

DiPietro, 32, was the first overall selection by the Isles in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He signed a 15-year contract with the Islanders in 2006 and was an NHL All-Star in 2008, but soon had his career interrupted by injuries.

DiPetro underwent hip surgery in 2008, followed by knee surgeries, and missed games because of a concussion and groin injury. The Massachusetts native played 50 games for the Islanders the past five seasons -- three in 2012-2013, when he went 0-3.

The Islanders placed DiPietro on unconditional waivers in July, then bought out the remainder of his contract.

Khudobin was injured Oct. 13 against the Phoenix Coyotes and Ward on Thursday against the Minnesota Wild. Both have lower-body injuries.

Ward will have an MRI on Sunday, Rutherford said, and is expected to miss three to four weeks. Khudobin may skate Sunday at the Canes practice.

Goalies Justin Peters and Mike Murphy both have been recalled from the Checkers. Peters relieved Ward against the Wild and started Friday as the Canes lost to the Colorado Avalanche 4-2.

Last season, the Canes were contending for a Southeast Division title before Ward injured a knee and backup goalie Dan Ellis cut himself with a skate.

"We don't want to be put in the same position we were in last year," Rutherford said. "When Cam was hurt, we started going through the names and looking at possibilities.

"With an 82-game schedule you have more leeway with injuries. But with that being said, having as much depth as you can in goal is important."

News Observer LOADED: 10.27.2013

723435 Chicago Blackhawks

Wild goalie too tough for Hawks

By Chris Kuc,

10:58 PM CDT, October 26, 2013

Niklas Backstrom probably figured it was going to be his night when the Wild goaltender made it out of the pregame warm-up unscathed.

When the Wild and Blackhawks met in Game 1 of the Western Conference quarterfinals in April, Backstrom suffered a season-ending sports hernia before puck drop and had to watch the rest of the series as his team fell in five contests.

On Saturday night, Backstrom not only finished the game but stood tall in it as the netminder made 33 saves to stymie the Hawks during the Wild's 5-3 victory in front of a United Center crowd of 21,521. The Hawks had their seven-game points streak snapped as they lost for the second consecutive contest to drop to 6-2-3.

"(Backstrom) had a couple of big saves in clutch times in the game," Hawks winger Bryan Bickell said. "Give it to him, he played great. For us, we need to turn on to a new level. We're not playing there yet. We have to reach down and find it."

Jason Pominville had two goals while Zach Parise, Kyle Brodziak and Justin Fontaine also found ways to solve Hawks goalie Corey Crawford, who didn't get a whole lot of help in a second consecutive shaky defensive effort from his teammates.

Ryan Suter and Mikael Granlund each added two assists as the Wild upped their record to 6-3-3 in the first of two meetings in three days between the teams. Bickell, Patrick Kane and Marcus Kruger scored for the Hawks and Nick Leddy added two assists but Minnesota was in control throughout.

"It doesn't really matter who we're playing against, we know we want to be better than that," Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said. "That's two games in a row we gave up five goals or more.

"It's one thing when people are talking about us not scoring as much, but sometimes you don't need to score that many to win if you're playing smart defensively. We had breakdowns, we had turnovers inside our zone, we had miscommunications and penalties that we shouldn't have taken."

Parise and Brodziak gave the Wild a 2-0 lead early in the second and the Hawks couldn't recover. After Bickell cut the deficit in half with a goal in his fourth consecutive game, Pominville scored twice to put it away.

"Overall we played a pretty good game," Pominville said. "They definitely made a push and played well in the second and had some good zone time (and) good movement, but I think when they had good opportunities (Backstrom) made some unreal saves, a couple point-blanks."

In their last two games, the Hawks have yielded a combined 11 goals.

"We have to tighten that up and get back to playing that solid checking game we know how to play," Toews said. "Our talent and our ability is going to take over when the work ethic is there. It's another frustrating loss. We're not happy with that. We know we have to be a lot better."

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.27.2013


Mills makes Blackhawks debut

By Chris Kuc

8:21 PM CDT, October 26, 2013

Brad Mills always held on to the belief he would make it back to the NHL.

"I don't think I'd still be playing if I didn't feel like I had the NHL game left in me," said Mills, who had a game-high five hits in his Blackhawks debut — a 5-3 loss to the Wild on Saturday night at the United Center. "That's what motivates me in the offseason to train and make sure I'm one of the fittest guys and able to compete at this level."

The 30-year-old is in his second stint in the league after signing a one-year contract with the Hawks on Friday and being recalled from Rockford. Mills, who appeared in 31 games with the Devils from 2010-12, skated on the right wing of the Hawks fourth line along with Brandon Bollig and center Brandon Pirri.

Mills impressed the Hawks' brass during training camp and then with the IceHogs with whom he had two goals and two assists in eight games.

"What I did here in the preseason and during training camp gave the coaching staff and some of the guys who haven't seen me play a taste of my game," said Mills, who wore No. 51. "I showed what I can bring and then went down to Rockford and was a leader there."

Waiting game: The game was delayed for eight minutes in the second period while an apparent goal by the Hawks' Andrew Shaw was reviewed by the league office in Toronto. It finally was determined that the puck was knocked in with a high stick and was disallowed.

"It certainly put everybody to sleep in the building," coach Joel Quenneville said of the review. "The longest review I've ever seen. It was a long one. Tough call. It looked like we had the goal and we were rolling."

Back again: Jeremy Morin also saw his first action of the season with the Hawks. The winger was the Hawks' final cut out of training camp and was slotted on the third line with winger Bryan Bickell and center Shaw.

Morin, 22, said he concentrated on several elements of his game while with Rockford to put himself back into the equation with the Hawks.

"It's another chance and hopefully I can do something with it," he said.

Hurting: Michal Handzus did not participate in the morning skate and Quenneville said the veteran center "could be out for a little bit. We'll see" with an upper-body injury.

He said it: Mills had one career goal entering Saturday's game and it came against the Hawks in 2010. The veteran said he remembers it vividly.

"(Against) Marty Turco in this building, actually," he said. "This building hopefully is a good place for me."

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.27.2013


Blackhawks’ effort in loss to Wild unacceptable to Jonathan Toews

BY MARK LAZERUS

October 26, 2013 11:43PM

Updated: October 27, 2013 2:43AM

The Blackhawks’ league-worst penalty kill gave up a goal five seconds into the first power play of the night. The hot-and-cold power play came up empty on its first five chances and six of seven overall. The Hawks took a penalty halfway through a power play. They took a penalty seven seconds into being short-handed. And even though they killed off that two-man disadvantage, they failed to generate any momentum off it — in fact, they gave up two goals shortly afterward to all but seal their first regulation defeat in eight games.

In short, the 5-3 loss Saturday against the Minnesota Wild at the United Center was nothing special.

“It reflected the rest of our game,” captain Jonathan Toews said of the poor special-teams performance. “When we had a chance to control the game, to really get the momentum going and get our crowd into it, we didn’t really do it.”

Didn’t do much of anything for much of the game, really. Besides the special-teams struggles, the Hawks — the top defensive team in the league last season — have allowed 11 goals in their last two games. Coach Joel Quenneville, after saying earlier in the day that Nikolai Khabibulin’s effort in a 6-5 loss Thursday to the Tampa Bay Lightning wasn’t good enough, suggested that Corey Crawford didn’t do his part on Saturday. Quenneville said the Hawks gave up the usual amount of chances, but ‘‘they’ve gone in two games in a row on us.”

On the other side, Niklas Backstrom, who was injured in warmups before Game 1 of the first-round series between these teams last spring and missed all of the Hawks’ five-game victory, made 33 saves, stopping Patrick Sharp seven times — many of them on golden chances. Crawford, meanwhile, made 20 saves.

But Toews said the entire team effort was unacceptable.

“People are talking about us not scoring as much, but sometimes you don’t need to score that many to win if you’re playing smart defensively,” Toews said. “We had breakdowns, we had turnovers inside our zone, we had miscommunication and penalties we shouldn’t have taken. I think one thing relates to the other, and it’s just a little bit sloppy sometimes. We’ve got to tighten that up and get back to playing that solid checking game that we know how to play. Our talent and our ability’s going to take over when the work ethic is there.”

The Wild took a 1-0 lead just five seconds into the game’s first power play, as Marcus Kruger lost a faceoff, Ryan Suter took a shot and Zach Parise put in the rebound. It was the third time the Hawks have yielded a power-play goal almost immediately.

“Bingo-bango, in your net right off the bat,” Quenneville said.

Kyle Brodziak made it 2-0 before the Hawks had a goal disallowed — after an excruciating eight-minute review — because Andrew Shaw hit the puck with a high stick. Bryan Bickell scored his fourth goal in as many games less than three minutes later to give the Hawks brief life, but Jason Pominville scored the first of two goals four minutes later to suck the life back out of the building. Patrick Kane (minus-3 for the second consecutive game) scored on the power play in the third, and Kruger added a goal in the final minute — window dressing on a pretty ugly scene at the United Center.

The bright side is, the Hawks have an instant chance at redeeming themselves, with the return match in St. Paul, Minn., on Monday night.

“It was an up-and-down game with momentum — we score, we take a penalty, they score,” Bickell said. “It was a roller-coaster game. Tomorrow’s a new day. We play them again. And we need to be better.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 10.27.2013


Late surge not enough as Blackhawks fall 5-3 to the Wild

BY MARK LAZERUS

October 26, 2013 9:46PM

Updated: October 26, 2013 10:48PM

The Blackhawks’ league-worst penalty kill gave up a goal five seconds into the first power play of the night. The hot-and-cold power play came up empty on its first five chances, and six of seven overall. The Hawks took a penalty halfway through a power play. They took a penalty seven seconds into being shorthanded. And even though they killed off that two-man disadvantage, they failed to generate any momentum off it — in fact, they gave up two goals shortly afterward to all but seal their first regulation defeat in eight games.

In short, Saturday night’s 5-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild at the United Center was nothing special.

“It reflected the rest of our game,” Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said of the poor special teams performance. “When we had a chance to control the game, to really get the momentum going and get our crowd into it, we didn’t really do it.”

Didn’t do much of anything for much of the game, really. Besides the special-teams struggles, the Hawks — the top defensive team in the league last season — have allowed 11 goals in their last two games. Hawks coach Joel Quenneville, after saying earlier in the day that Nikolai Khabibulin’s effort in a 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday wasn’t good enough, suggested that Corey Crawford didn’t do his part on Saturday. Quenneville said the Hawks gave up the usual amount of chances, but, “They’ve gone in two games in a row on us.”

On the other side, Niklas Backstrom, who was injured in warmups before Game 1 of the first-round series between these teams last spring and missed all of the Hawks’ five-game victory, made 33 saves in the victory, stopping Patrick Sharp seven times — many of them on golden chances. Crawford, meanwhile, made 20 saves.

But Toews said the entire team effort was unacceptable.

“People are talking about us not scoring as much, but sometimes you don’t need to score that many to win, if you’re playing smart defensively,” Toews said. “We had breakdowns, we had turnovers inside our zone, we had miscommunication and penalties we shouldn’t have taken. I think one thing relates to the other and it’s just a little bit sloppy sometimes. We’ve got to tighten that up and get back to playing that solid checking game that we know how to play. Our talent and our ability’s going to take over when the work ethic is there.”

The Wild took a 1-0 lead just five seconds into the game’s first power play, as Marcus Kruger lost a faceoff, Ryan Suter took a shot and Zach Parise put in the rebound. It was the third time the Hawks have yielded a power play goal almost immediately.

“Bingo-bango, in your net right off the bat,” Quenneville said.

Kyle Brodziak made it 2-0 Wild before the Hawks had a goal disallowed — after an excruciating eight-minute review — because Andrew Shaw hit the

puck with a high stick. Bryan Bickell scored his fourth goal in as many games less than three minutes later to give the Hawks brief life, but Jason Pominville scored the first of two goals four minutes later to suck the life back out of the building. Patrick Kane (minus-3 for the second straight game) scored on the power play in the third, and Marcus Kruger added a goal in the final minute — window dressing on a pretty ugly scene at the United Center.

The bright side is, the Hawks have an instant chance at redeeming themselves, with the return match in St. Paul, Minn., on Monday night.

“It was an up-and-down game with momentum — we score, we take a penalty, they score,” Bickell said. “It was a roller-coaster game. Tomorrow’s a new day. We play them again. And we need to be better.”



Blackhawks center Michal Handzus out for a bit; Marcus Kruger steps in

BY MARK LAZERUS

October 26, 2013 9:50PM


Michal Handzus could be out “for a little bit” with an upper-body injury, Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said.

Handzus, who had wrist surgery in the summer and also tore his medial collateral ligament during the Stanley Cup Final, didn’t participate in the morning skate Saturday and could miss at least three games, as the Hawks play them in a four-day span.

Marcus Kruger moved up from the fourth line to Handzus’ spot between Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane on the second line. Handzus, who missed the preseason as he recovered from his playoff injuries, appeared to be struggling to keep up with his faster linemates in recent games.

“Offensively, we haven’t given [Kruger] that much of an opportunity to play up there in those types of situations,” Quenneville said. “Offensively, not a lot was happening [on the second line]. Hopefully, we get a little spark there.”

Minor problem

Jonathan Toews entered the game against the Minnesota Wild having taken a minor penalty in four consecutive games. He had 12 penalty minutes through 10 games — that’s roughly double his career rate. And his six penalties are the most on the team.

“I try to make sure I’m not the guy that’s taking penalties every game the way I have been lately,” Toews said. “Best way to kill a penalty is not to take one in the first place, and I haven’t been doing a great job of that. It’s something I have to focus on.”

Added Quenneville: “I don’t like Jonny taking penalties because we need him on the penalty kill. Seems like a lot of the guys that are taking penalties are our penalty-killers this year. That might be part of why we’re having such a hard time.”

Nik fix

Nikolai Khabibulin is likely to get more work now that the Hawks are facing eight back-to-back sets over the next two months. He’ll have to do better than he did Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning when he gave up six goals on only 25 shots in a 6-5 overtime loss.

“We’re definitely not pleased, knowing that we’re expecting more than that,” Quenneville said. “Let’s move forward in a positive way, but knowing that’s not good enough.”



Brad Mills, Jeremy Morin make season debuts for Hawks

BY MARK LAZERUS

October 26, 2013 9:50PM


As a 30-year-old with only 31 NHL games under his belt — and none since Nov. 5, 2011 — Brad Mills didn’t exactly seem to be on the brink of getting a call to suit up for the defending Stanley Cup champions. Mills knew that. But he also knew he had a very strong training camp with the Blackhawks, and, hey, you never know.

“I’ve been telling myself the whole positive-thinking thing,” Mills said before making his Hawks debut Saturday against the Minnesota Wild. “You want to feel there’s an opportunity coming. It helps to motivate you. So when it comes, it’s not completely out of the blue. But it’s a little bit of a surprise.”

Mills — whose lone NHL goal came at the United Center on Nov. 3, 2011, when he was with the New Jersey Devils — was one of two Hawks making their season debuts, as he and Jeremy Morin were called up from Rockford on Friday. Morin played right wing on the third line alongside Bryan Bickell and Andrew Shaw, and Mills took Ben Smith’s spot on the right side of the fourth line. Mills also saw some time as a penalty-killer with Michal Handzus out of the lineup with an upper-body injury. He’s a natural center, so he can help with faceoffs, as well.

Mills, who had a goal and two assists in training camp and two goals and two assists through eight games in Rockford, described himself as a “hard-nosed, intense, physical guy.”

“I think I’ve got a lot of speed, which helps me to close gaps and finish checks, create turnovers and just make life miserable for the other team,” Mills said.

Morin, meanwhile, was the last of the Hawks’ NHL-ready prospects to get the call. He competed with Jimmy Hayes, Brandon Pirri and Joakim Nordstrom for a spot out of camp but had to wait his turn. Morin had played in 13 games over the last three seasons with the Hawks, posting three goals and two assists.

“It’s always nice to get the call and be able to put on the uniform and try to prove that you can play at this level,” he said.

“I’m excited for the opportunity.”



Night to forget for Blackhawks

By Tim Sassone

Chalk it up as one of those forgettable losses in a long season.

The Blackhawks were a step behind from the opening faceoff Saturday night in their 5-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild at the United Center.

"We had breakdowns, we had turnovers inside our zone, we had miscommunication and took some penalties we shouldn't have taken," Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said. "I think one thing relates to the other and it's just a little bit sloppy sometimes. We've got to tighten that up and get back to playing a solid checking game that we know how to play.

"Our talent and ability is going to take over when the work ethic is there. It's a frustrating loss to lose like that at home."

The Hawks were 1-for-7 on the power play, which deflated the crowd of 21,521.

"It reflected the rest of our game," Toews said. "When we had the chance to take control and really get the momentum going and get our crowd into it, we didn't really do it."

The Hawks have allowed 11 goals in the last two games counting Thursday's 6-5 loss to Tampa Bay in overtime.

"Our chances are probably what we've given up all year," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "They've gone in two games in a row on us."

The Hawks put 36 shots on Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom, who shut the door despite playing with a strained knee. Jason Pominville scored 2 goals for Minnesota.

"We had a lot of opportunities on our power play, some good looks, and unfortunately they didn't go in," said Bryan Bickell, one of the few bright spots for the Hawks with his fourth goal in the last four games. "He had a couple big saves at clutch times in the game. Give it to him (Backstrom). He played great."

Minnesota took a 2-0 lead on a power-play goal by Zach Parise in the first period and Kyle Brodziak's score early in the second.

Parise's goal, his sixth of the season, came five seconds after an interference penalty to Marian Hossa. Parise poked the puck to Ryan Suter at the point from a faceoff and headed straight to the net for a rebound.

Brodziak made it 2-0 just 2:03 into the second period, catching Hawks goalie Corey Crawford well back in his net.

The Hawks had 20 seconds of a 5-on-3 in the second period but failed to cash in. They also were 0-for-2 on the power play in the first period.

Bickell's goal at 13:46 of the second period cut the Minnesota lead in half.

It came just over two minutes after the Hawks had an apparent goal disallowed. An extra long video review showed Andrew Shaw knocked the puck toward the net with a high stick. While Wild defenseman Clayton Stoner appeared to bring the puck into the net as he fell, it was ruled he didn't have possession of it.

The review took at least six minutes.

"It certainly put everybody to sleep in the building," Quenneville said. "It was the longest one I've ever seen."

The Wild got a third goal, from Pominville, before the second period ended from in the slot. Again, it appeared Crawford was caught too deep in his net.

Pominville, playing in his 600th game, scored again early in the third period before Patrick Kane's power-play goal made it 4-2. Kane finished the game minus-3 and is minus-9 for the season.

"Games like tonight, you're not happy with the result or the way things went," Quenneville said. "We should all be disappointed with the way things evolved tonight and be excited about getting them again on Monday."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.27.2013


Mills latest Blackhawk to get shot at replacing Frolik

By Tim Sassone

The Blackhawks still are trying to replace Michael Frolik as a fourth-line penalty killer.

It's a search that has taken them through Joakim Nordstrom, Ben Smith and Brandon Saad.

Now Brad Mills gets his chance.

"Millsy is an experienced guy; he's been around," Quenneville said of the 30-year-old right wing. "We thought he had a real good camp and had a real nice presence at Rockford toward the end of last year. He's a right shot, can take faceoffs, kill penalties … he can fill that niche that we're looking for.

"Our PK has been a work in progress this year. It hasn't been as predictable or as dependable as we saw last year. We're trying to nail it. Millsy is going to get a chance, and we can use Saad there as well, but that one spot we're still looking to fill."

Mills was signed to a one-year contract Friday before being recalled from Rockford.

"I kind of felt this was coming, and that helps to motivate you," he said. "I think what I did here in the preseason and in training camp kind of gave the

coaches and the guys here who haven't seen me play a taste of my game. I think I showed them what I can bring, just a hard-nosed, intense, physical guy."

Mills had 1 career NHL goal before Saturday — against the Hawks and Marty Turco in the United Center.

"This building, hopefully, is a good place for me," Mills said.

Staying hot:

Jeremy Morin also was in the lineup following his Friday recall from Rockford and looking to pick up where he left off in the minors, where he had 4 goals and 4 assists in the first eight games.

"Mo's had a real nice start to the season down there," Joel Quenneville said. "When you were looking at who's going to make our team coming out of camp, there were four or five guys all with a chance. They were all comparable exiting camp as far as who was deserving.

"He gives us a little bit of something. He's got speed and quickness and can score goals. Things happen when he's out there."

Morin went down with a good attitude, and it paid off.

"It's always nice to get that call and come here and put on that uniform," he said. "Now I need to prove I can play at this level. You want to be up here; that's the goal."

Handzus out:

The Hawks will be without center Michal Handzus for "more than a couple days," according to Joel Quenneville, with an upper-body injury. "He could be out for a little bit; we'll see," Quenneville said.

Handzus has battled wrist problems since last year in the playoffs.

With Handzus out at least the next two games — Monday at Minnesota and Tuesday at home against Ottawa — Marcus Kruger was expected to get the majority of playing time as second-line center.

"Krugs is a reliable guy," Quenneville said. "Offensively, I don't think we've given him too many opportunities to play up there, but he's capable. I think that line was OK (Handzus, Patrick Sharp and Patrick Kane), but not a lot was happening there. Hopefully we can get a little spark there."

Upon further review:

Consider goalie Nikolai Khabibulin on notice that he needs to be better than he was in Thursday's 6-5 overtime loss at Tampa Bay.

"We'll definitely swipe (the slate) clean, but when you see what happened we're definitely not pleased, knowing we're expecting more," Joel Quenneville said. "Let's move forward in a positive way but knowing that's not good enough."



Blackhawks fall to Wild 5-3

Staff report

Niklas Backstrom made 33 saves in his first win of the season and the Minnesota Wild defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3 on Saturday night in a rematch of their first-round playoff series.

Jason Pominville had two goals in his 600th career game as Minnesota earned its third consecutive win.

Zach Parise, Kyle Brodziak and Justin Fontaine also scored for the Wild, and Ryan Suter and Mikael Granlund had two assists apiece.

Bryan Bickell scored for the fourth consecutive game for the Blackhawks, who had recorded at least one point in each of their past seven games. Patrick Kane added his team-best sixth goal in the third period.



Handzus to miss at least next 3 games

By Tim Sassone

on Sat, 10/26/2013 - 11:51

The Blackhawks will be without center Michal Handzus for "more than a couple days," according to coach Joel Quenneville, with an upper body injury.

"He could be out for a little bit, we'll see," Quenneville said.

Handzus has battled wrist problems since last year in the playoffs. The Hawks played the Wild on Saturday then are at Minnesota on Monday before returning home to host Ottawa on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Quenneville said call-ups Jeremy Morin and Brad Mills would be in the lineup at forward Saturday night against Minnesota after being recalled from Rockford on Friday.

"Millsy is an experienced guy, he's been around," Quenneville said. "We thought he had a real good camp. He's a right shot, can take faceoffs, kill penalties - he can fill that niche that we're looking for."

Morin will be looking to pick up where he left off in Rockford, where he had 4 goals and 4 assists in the first eight games.

"Things happen when he's out there," Quenneville said.

"It's always nice to get that call and come here and put on that uniform," Morin said. "Now I need to prove I can play at this level. You want to be up here, that's the goal."



Still not 100 percent, Backstrom comes up big vs. Hawks

October 26, 2013, 10:00 pm

Nina Falcone

Niklas Backstrom admitted he's still not feeling 100 percent, but things sure didn't look that way on Saturday night.

After suffering from a sprained knee, the Minnesota netminder returned to the ice for his first full game since Oct. 8 and stopped 33 shots as the Wild went on to record a 5-3 victory over the Blackhawks.

Backstrom's return came perhaps a bit early as backup goaltender Josh Harding remains day-to-day with a lower-body strain. But the injury wasn't his focus; getting a win was.

"I try to address every game the same way," Backstrom said following Minnesota's victory. "It doesn't matter what happens, you go out there and try to play your best and help your team, your teammates when they need you.

"You can't really hide behind any excuses, you just try to be there for the guys and find a way to play the best you can."

The Blackhawks came out strong in the first couple minutes of Saturday's game as the top line fired a few early shots Backstrom's way. But it didn't take long for the Wild to find their groove as Zach Parise's early power-play goal gave Minnesota the early boost they were looking for.

The defending Stanley Cup champions created a few good chances to catch back up, but it was Backstrom who stopped the Blackhawks' opportunity for a shift in momentum.

"(The Blackhawks) definitely made a push and played well in the second… but I think when they had some good opportunities, (Backstrom) made some

unreal saves. A couple point-blanks, a breakaway from (Patrick) Sharp, he kept us in there," forward Jason Pominville said after scoring two of his team's five goals.

"I think overall it was a good team effort."

But Saturday night was just the beginning for the Blackhawks and Wild. Both teams will head to Minnesota where they will face off again on Monday night.

The Wild were happy after their win, but they say they can only celebrate for so long.

"It's a big win, but (the Blackhawks are) a really good team. We know we have to be ready on Monday," Backstrom said. "We can enjoy this from today and learn things from tonight to be better on Monday because that's what (the Blackhawks) always do, they step up the next game."

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.27.2013


Blackhawks' point streak snapped in loss to Wild

October 26, 2013, 9:45 pm

Staff report

There are a few wrinkles in the Chicago Blackhawks’ game that weren’t there last season. One is their discipline, or lack thereof. The other is their giving up power-play goals quickly.

And on Saturday, both were present again.

Bryan Bickell scored his fourth goal in as many games, but the Blackhawks had an otherwise forgettable night in a 5-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild at the United Center. It was the Blackhawks’ second regulation loss of the season, snapping a seven-game point streak.

The Blackhawks only allowed one power-play goal to the Wild. But it came off another lost faceoff, just five seconds into the advantage, with Zach Parise giving Minnesota the early lead. But their recent habit of taking too many penalties continued, putting them shorthanded more often than they would’ve liked.

“Our penalty kill isn’t even close to where we want it. It’s cost us points and cost us games,” said Marcus Kruger. “We know what to do. We know the system. I don’t know why it still happens and we don’t do what we’re supposed to do. I’m a big part of that. I don’t know. Maybe get back to basics, I think.”

The Wild scoring right off the faceoff irked coach Joel Quenneville.

“I don’t know how many goals (teams) have scored right off the faceoff. Bingo, bango, in your net, right off the bat,” he said. “They get the lead and a decent start.”

Jason Pominville scored twice for the Wild, who capitalized when the Blackhawks got sloppy and got to Corey Crawford five times on 25 shots. Niklas Backstrom, who’s coming off a knee injury, looked strong in stopping 33 of 36.

There was an odd second-period moment when the Blackhawks were credited with a goal on the ice, but it was eventually disallowed. Jeremy Morin fired a shot that bounced off Wild goaltender Niklas Backstrom and flew up in the air. Andrew Shaw deflected it with a high stick before it hit Clayton Stoner and, with Stoner, went into the net. It was negated after a lengthy video review, referee Kelly Sutherland announcing that Shaw’s “high stick was above the bar, there was no possession or control by Minnesota, therefore, no goal.”

“It certainly put everybody to sleep in the building. That’s the longest review I’ve ever seen. It was a tough call. Looked like we had the goal. But we scored right after that so we still had the momentum at that point.”

That score came from Bickell, who turned and fired past Backstrom for his fourth in as many games. But whatever the Blackhawks gained off that and the 1:53 of a 5-on-3 Wild power play that they killed off, they lost with mistakes and penalties.

“I took a really stupid one today. That can’t happen,” Kruger said. “That’s something we want to get rid of and maybe that’s some frustration there. That’s why things like that happen. When you’re rolling that doesn’t happen.”

The Blackhawks aren’t rolling right now so much as sputtering in a few departments. It hasn’t cost the a lot of points lately, but they’ve nevertheless given up a lot of goals in their past two games. That’s not their style.

“We know we want to be better than that,” Jonathan Toews said. “That’s two games in a row that we gave up five goals or more. It’s one thing that people are talking about us not scoring but sometimes you don’t need to score that many to win if you’re playing good defensively. We had breakdowns, we had turnovers inside our zone, we had miscommunications and some penalties that we shouldn’t have taken.”

The Blackhawks will get another chance at the Wild in Minnesota on Monday night. They’ll take lessons from this one and regroup. They’re doing some uncharacteristic things right now, and it cost them tonight.

“We had a lot of opportunities on the power play, some good looks. Unfortunately they didn’t go in,” Bickell said. “It was an up and down game a roller-coaster game. But tomorrow’s another day. We go there and we need to be better.”



Five Things to Watch: Hawks vs. Wild

October 26, 2013, 1:15 pm

Staff report

After playing a very loaded schedule against Eastern Conference teams in this early going, the Chicago Blackhawks see a familiar opponent tonight in the Minnesota Wild. There won’t be as much at stake between the two as there was last spring, when the Blackhawks eliminated the Wild in five games, but it’s nevertheless a division matchup under the new alignment.

So before puck drop, let’s look at Five Things for tonight’s game.

1. Remember yesterday when we said the Wild’s goaltending situation was a bit injury-riddled? It still is. Niklas Backstrom is starting, although he told the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that he’s not quite 100 percent off a knee injury. Josh Harding (lower body) didn’t even make the trip, which leaves Jonas Gustafsson as the backup. The Blackhawks need to get to Backstrom early and often. They’ve piled up a lot of first-period shots in most games this season. That can’t change tonight.

2. Jeremy Morin will make his 2013-14 Blackhawks debut tonight on the third line with Bryan Bickell and Andrew Shaw. The Blackhawks’ third line has been more noticeable as of late – it’s also contributed some much-needed offense -- and Morin needs to bring that energy to keep it that way. Morin was on the bubble to make the Blackhawks out of training camp, so he has his motivation to make an impact now.

3. Brad Mills was also called up from Rockford yesterday and will make his Blackhawks debut tonight. A physical forward, Mills can help in a variety of ways. But where he could make his biggest contribution is on that struggling penalty kill. The Blackhawks need to get better at it, consistently better. They didn’t allow the Wild a power-play goal in the first round last spring. Times have changed, and the Blackhawks need to either stay out of the box or keep goals out of their net on the kill. They hope Mills can help here.

4. Marcus Kruger’s getting a shot at the second-line center job again, with Michal Handzus sidelined with an upper-body injury. Kruger’s played there before (mostly when Dave Bolland had his injury issues last season). Hey, I like Kruger at second-line center. Can take a hit (especially along the boards, as well documented), willing to go to the tough areas, drives the net and brings a little more speed than Handzus. That could be the spark that line needs to really get rolling.

5. Just a hunch (or a pick to click, I guess you’d say) that Jonathan Toews has a big game tonight. No real reason why. Just sounds good.



Blackhawks Morin, Mills in lineup for matchup against Wild

October 26, 2013, 12:00 pm

Staff report

Jeremy Morin and Brad Mills will be in the lineup and Michal Handzus is out with an upper-body injury when the Chicago Blackhawks host the Minnesota Wild tonight at the United Center.

Morin was skating on the third line with Bryan Bickell and Andrew Shaw this morning. Morin, who has four goals and four assists with Rockford thus far this season, hopes to bring some of that energy to the Blackhawks now.

“I’ll just try to play how I’ve been playing down there,” Morin said. “There are a lot of young, hungry guys down there. I’ll try to bring some of that up here.”

Shaw said Morin will bring an edge to a third line that’s been more noticeable as of late.

“He’s that aggressive wing, he’s got a great shot from that side, and he’ll get pucks to the net,” Shaw said. “We all have to play hard defensively, and he’ll be excited to be in the lineup.”

Mills, meanwhile, had a whirlwind of a Friday with agreeing to terms on a one-year deal and then being called up by the Blackhawks. Coach Joel Quenneville said Mills brings solid experience, especially on a penalty kill that is still struggling.

“He’s been around, he had a nice camp and was a good presence in Rockford at the end of last year,” he said. “He’s a right shot, can take faceoffs, kills penalties and fills that niche we’re looking for.”

[ALSO: Kane, Sharp grace the cover of Michigan Avenue magazine]

Handzus, who played Saturday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Quenneville said the veteran center “could be out for a little bit.”


723449 Colorado Avalanche

Matt Duchene loves fast-pace system and personal style of Patrick Roy

By Adrian Dater

Posted: 10/27/2013 12:01:00 AM MDT

Updated: 10/27/2013 01:48:15 AM MDT

Not quite two years ago, Matt Duchene was a miserable human being. He was in the throes of a terrible season with the Avalanche, his point production way down, his body banged up with injuries. He was an occasional tenant in the doghouse of his coach, Joe Sacco. Everything had always come so easy to the 20-year-old, but suddenly he was hit with the first real crisis of confidence in his life.

"I was letting my confidence get shaken badly by a lot of things that maybe were a little unfair and a little tough to handle at that age," Duchene said. "After I kind of got to that rock bottom, it was tough. I had times where I could barely look at myself in the mirror. I was kind of like a duck; I was calm on the outside, but paddling for my life underneath the surface."

So he did something about it.

Last summer, Duchene started seeing a sports psychologist. Many athletes do this, but don't like to talk about it. Duchene is proud he did it, and has no hesitation talking about it. Talking to a psychologist has helped him have a different view of himself, and what he needed to do to get to where he is now: happy, productive and better equipped to handle the pressures of his job.

"My first (couple of years), if I wasn't scoring or things weren't going well, I would come to practice the next day and I would put so much pressure on

myself to score. And then if I didn't, I would get down and it would carry on to the next day," Duchene said. "Now, if I have a slump, I just stay consistent with what works, because it will eventually work.

"Same thing on the flip side; before if I got hot, I would be so excited and on cloud nine. I may be like that now on the inside, but I don't show it."

Duchene not only changed his mind-set before last season, he changed his body. He switched to a gluten-free diet, which helped him drop weight without sacrificing muscle mass. He played well in the NHL's lockout-shortened season and was rewarded this past offseason with a five-year, $30 million contract extension that will kick in next season. While he was happy with his growth on the ice, he was still miserable much of the time. Losing does that.

He also wasn't happy playing for Sacco. At the time, he kept his opinions to himself. But no more.

"There were very few people in this (dressing) room who were happy. Our style of play, it wasn't right for this team. We knew it would fail," Duchene said. "That was the hard part. We knew (any) success was going to be short-lived. It was hard to really be excited about it. For myself, it was really hard to look at what we were doing and think it would keep on working. I can honestly say now, it's not like that."

Duchene loves the fast-pace system and personal style of his new Avs coach, Patrick Roy.

"The one thing with Patrick is, there's no doghouse. If you're not doing what you're supposed to do, he's going to bring you in, he's going to sit you down and you're going to correct it constructively and then you're going to move on from there. You don't stay in that doghouse," Duchene said. "It's the first time I can honestly say everyone in this room is excited.

"I think there's always been a plan (here). People are professionals and they always have a plan, but is it the right plan? We've had a young, fast, offensively gifted team for four years and haven't been able to show that every night. The only time we ever seemed to play that way was against a team that really opened it up and let us play that way."

Sacco, now an assistant coach with the Buffalo Sabres, declined to comment when informed of Duchene's remarks. Avalanche center Paul Stastny said he had some of the same frustrations under the former regime.

"Our roster was never depleted. I think we had a lot of skill. Sometimes you just have to put the right parts together," Stastny said. "(Roy) has done a good job putting all the pieces together."

As for Duchene, Stastny said he is showing maturation.

"The way he prepares for stuff, he's grown into more of a team guy. He's developed his game, not just offensively," Stastny said. "He's trying to take more of a leadership role with younger players and be more vocal."

One thing Duchene said he learned through his struggles is to never give in.

"I made a decision to never let anyone rattle me, not let anyone rattle me or rattle my confidence," he said. "I was living and dying with every game and that was a problem. Now I look at everything as a whole."

WINNIPEG AT COLORADO

6 p.m. Sunday, ALT; 950 AM

Spotlight on Evander Kane: Kane was the player taken immediately after Matt Duchene (fourth overall) in the 2009 NHL draft, by the Atlanta Thrashers. A skilled power forward, Kane has been somewhat hidden in obscurity playing for the small-market Jets and their woebegone former identity in Atlanta. Like a lot of other Jets, he has gotten off to mostly a mediocre start, but he has great talent.

NOTEBOOK

Avalanche: Semyon Varlamov will start in goal for the Avs. ... Winnipeg is now in the same division as the Avs (Central) after playing in the Eastern Conference its first two years back in the NHL. ... Varlamov's record at home is 4-1, with a goals-against average of 2.02 and .938 save percentage. ... The Avs won't play again until Friday in Dallas after Sunday's game. On Saturday night, when they host the Canadiens, the Avs will retire the No. 52 jersey of former defenseman Adam Foote.

Jets: Entering Saturday's game in Dallas, the Jets had gone 19 consecutive power-play opportunities without a goal. ... Winnipeg is likely to start backup goaltender Al Montoya against the Avs. ... Winnipeg entered Saturday ranked 26th in the NHL in faceoffs at 45.2 percent.

Adrian Dater, The Denver Post

Denver Post: LOADED: 10.27.2013


Dater: Avalanche exceeding expectations by far

By Adrian Dater

Posted: 10/27/2013 12:01:00 AM MDT

Updated: 10/27/2013 12:42:01 AM MDT

We're 10 games into the season, and the Avalanche is 9-1. That's a sentence I most certainly didn't think I'd write a few weeks ago. I mean, I had a hunch the Avs would get off to a decent start — new coach, new attitude, etc. ... But 9-1? No.

Some observations about how this all happened:

Andre Benoit, Cory Sarich and Nate Guenin have gone from castoffs to leading men. Half the Avalanche's current starting defensive corps was, at one point last season, deemed not good enough to play regularly in the NHL. None have missed a game yet, and for good reason. They have been tremendous.

Guenin, 30, had 32 games of NHL experience with four teams before coming to the Avs. Sarich was a healthy scratch at times with the Calgary Flames. Benoit was a minor-leaguer in the Ottawa system.

Patrick Roy and Joe Sakic saw something good in them, though, and acquired all three. Does this not say something about their hockey judgment?

Matt Duchene isn't the captain, but he has become the man who makes the Avs go. Duchene has become the guy whom the average fan in the stands gets most excited to see when he's on the ice. He's probably the real leader of the team, its conscience and confessor. Duchene cares, and the fans relate to that.

Semyon Varlamov has become the apt pupil. With Roy and Francois Allaire to call upon for guidance on how to play in goal, the young Russian has the equivalent of a Hershey factory at his disposal anytime he wants a chocolate bar.

Varlamov has taken advantage of his opportunity. He has been outstanding in net, having allowed more than two goals in a game just once.

J.S. Giguere has shown there is something left. To go into Boston and Pittsburgh — probably the two best teams in the Eastern Conference — and shut them out? This is something 36-year-old goalies aren't supposed to do.

Jiggy is as smart as they come about how to play the position. I loved it when a few smart alecks on Twitter laughed at Roy's decision to start him against the Penguins on Monday. "Evgeni and Sid say thanks," one Pittsburgh Tweeter said.

Any follow-up comment, sir?

Andre Tourigny has done wonders for the PK. Tourigny, a former junior coach for 11 years in the QMJHL, was brought in by Roy to coach the defense and penalty-killing unit. So far, so great.

The PK unit has been outstanding, so much better than the disorganized outfits of recent years. He has his players playing an actual system now, where players know where they're supposed to be at all times and how to react to different puck movements.

Nathan MacKinnon isn't there yet, but we see the promise. MacKinnon has looked a little herky-jerky a lot of the time so far. He seems to want to do things at 100 miles an hour when, as Duchene learned, 80 might suffice better.

Roy is a hockey mensch. Seriously, a 9-1 start for a rookie NHL coach — who else could have pulled this off besides Patrick Roy? His confidence was always high, and that was before the start. I'm not sure Roy totally believes what's happened so far, but if he is surprised, he's not going to show it.

This start only has added to the already considerable Roy legend.

There's a long way to go yet, but does anyone really want to bet against Roy succeeding in the game of hockey? It's something that seems to happen quite a lot.

Adrian Dater



Denver pro hockey a combined 12-1, including 3-0 Cutthroats

By Mike Chambers

Amid all the excitement about the Avalanche’s NHL-best 9-1 start folks might have forgot about the Avs’ Central Hockey League affiliate, the Derek Armstrong-coached Denver Cutthroats. The Fish are also off to a great start, beginning 3-0 with Friday’s 6-4 victory over Wichita at the Denver Coliseum.

Last weekend, the Fish swept visiting Tulsa by 4-1 and 3-2 scores. They are again backed by Avalanche-drafted goalies Kieran Millan from Boston University and Kent Patterson from Minnesota. Millan is off to a sizzling start (2-0, 1.44 GAA, .960 save percentage in 120 minutes) after having a good training camp with the Avs and receiving kudos from rookie Colorado coach Patrick Roy.

I wanted to get this blog out earlier today, because the Cutthroats’ game tonight started at 6 p.m., and they could use your support. For schedule, tickets, news and other information, visit www.denvercutthroats.com.



Niklas Kronwall admits some blame for injurious hit from Cody McLeod

By Adrian Dater

Avalanche, Cody McLeod, Detroit Red Wings, Niklas Kronwall

When Cody McLeod made that hit on Detroit’s Niklas Kronwall, a lot of people got silly with their over-reactions, some calling it “inexcusable” and “indefensible” and others who don’t know much about hockey going into more hysterics. At the time, I said that it was a late hit and would likely result in a suspension, which turned out to be the case. I also said that Kronwall put himself in a bad spot by keeping his head low around the dasher while playing a puck, then shifting his direction. And of course, all that got me was a hail storm of nasty Twitter invective from Wings fans and other high-horse knights of the keyboard.

Well guess who said he was partially to blame for that hit happening? Yup, Niklas Kronwall. As he told The Detroit News:

“I could have done a lot of things differently,” Kronwall said. “I shouldn’t have put myself in that spot in the first place. He’s coming in with a lot of speed, sure, but I did turn at the last second.

“It goes fast out there and it’s so easy to go back and slow it down, look at it in slow motion, and be very smart about things. But it’s hockey and everything is high pace and it goes fast out there. Guys will make some bad decisions out there sometimes. In my case, I ended up on a stretcher. But I’m feeling pretty good and looking to get back out there.”

Hats off to Kronwall for enlightening those who think every time a guy gets hurt on a hit, the offender needs to be locked up and hockey turned into badminton.


723453 Columbus Blue Jackets

Blue Jackets 5, Maple Leafs 2: Rare short-handed goal sparks Jackets

By Aaron Portzline

Saturday October 26, 2013 6:08 AM

Even though the Blue Jackets were leading by a goal, the circumstances at Nationwide Arena were growing bleak midway through the third period last night.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, with one of the NHL’s best power plays, had a 59-second 4-on-3 man advantage with two of the Blue Jackets’ top penalty-kill players — Dalton Prout (interference) and Fedor Tyutin (tripping) — in the penalty box.

“You just never know,” Blue Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky said. “That’s why you have to keep going.”

Dubinsky carried the puck the length of the ice, then wired a shot from the right faceoff dot at 12:27 of the third period that beat Maple Leafs goaltender Jonathan Bernier and sent the Blue Jackets on their way to a 5-2 victory before a small but loud crowd of 13,390.

The Leafs cut their deficit to 3-2 almost three minutes after Dubinsky’s goal, but Ryan Johansen had an empty-net goal with 26.1 seconds remaining and Nick Foligno a tap-in with 6.3 seconds left.

“(Dubinsky’s goal) is obviously a huge goal,” coach Todd Richards said. “It was a huge plus for us. On the other end of it, sitting on the Toronto bench, I’m sure you’re on the 4-on-3 thinking you’re going to tie the game or, at worse, come out still down 2-1 with some time left to tie it. To give up a shorty right there is a tough one to recover from.”

It was the third short-handed goal in a 4-on-3 situation in Blue Jackets history. The last came during the 2005-06 season.

“Those are pretty rare,” Dubinsky said “They’re pretty special when you get one.”

Rookie Ryan Murray and Marian Gaborik also scored for the Blue Jackets, who have won three straight after a four-game losing streak. Goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 23 shots.

This might have been the Blue Jackets’ most complete game this season. Certainly, it was the best they have skated, Richards said.

“The first and third periods, especially, I thought we did a really good job managing the puck, getting it behind them and forcing them into turnovers,” Richards said.

The Blue Jackets drew eight minor penalties on Toronto, five of them obstruction calls, and also won 44 of 67 (65.7 percent) faceoffs, including 13 of 17 (76.5 percent) by Dubinsky.

But Dubinsky’s biggest moment was the short-handed goal. In his end, Dubinsky gathered the puck to Bobrovsky’s right, curled around and saw nothing but open ice. Mark Letestu joined the rush with Dubinsky. Leafs defenseman Dion Phaneuf headed to the bench for a new stick after his broke, but his partner Cody Franson gave Dubinsky room to carry the puck.

“I just grabbed the puck and went,” Dubinsky said. “If somebody pressured me I was just to get it out (of the zone). Letestu did a good job drawing (attention). He gave me a good lane to shoot the puck.

“It’s hard to say if that’s our best game. We still have some stuff we can clean up. One of the marks of a good team is never being satisfied in what you’re doing. Everybody stepped up. It’s a huge two points. We’re back to .500. Now we have to keep piling on some wins at home and start climbing those standings.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.27.2013


Michael Arace commentary: Leafs fans find night in Columbus no bargain

By Michael Arace


The Blue Jackets and Toronto Maple Leafs are not altogether dissimilar.

The one has a mere dozen years of history but no curses, unless you want to count a certain former general manager. The other has nearly a century of tradition and success and heartache, and more curses than the Boston Red Sox.

Drop the puck, though, and it is a heck of a matchup. It was last night at Nationwide Arena, where the Jackets beat a good Leafs team 5-2. The game was taut, fast and hard-hitting. One goal separated the teams until the final half-minute.

The Jackets are on the come. It might be said now. They had a nervy opening night and some struggles on the road. They lost four in a row at one point. They now are tacking in a different direction.

Last night’s victory was the Blue Jackets’ third consecutive home victory and their third in a row overall. It came against the next-best team they have seen this season, after the Boston Bruins. It furthered momentum during this homestand, which continues with four of the next five within the friendly confines.

A crowd of 13,930 was on hand to see the Leafs make only their fifth appearance at Nationwide in 13 years. The turnout was some 4,200 below capacity, which can be described as disappointing given that the iconic Leafs were in town, and they came in on a roll.

“Everyone needs a winner, and we’re not a winning team yet,” Jackets center Brandon Dubinsky said. “We’ve got to continue going now that we’re at .500, set our sights at the top of the division and climb the ladder.”

According to Forbes, the average price of a ticket for a Maple Leafs game in the Air Canada Centre on the secondary ticket market is $369. Last night, not long before the puck dropped in Nationwide, there was at least one Twitter report that said scalpers were giving away tickets.

It was no surprise, then, that scores of Leafs fans were in the building. They can drive from the other side of Lake Ontario, get a hotel room for a couple of nights and feed (and

water) themselves for less than it costs to get into the ACC.

All but a few of them enjoyed our beautiful city and our Midwestern hospitality — the few being those who threw garbage on the ice in the third period and were dragged out of the lower bowl by Columbus’ finest.

“It’s great to see all of them,” said Jackets winger Nick Foligno, who had a goal. “I’m just glad we got to keep them quiet tonight and not give them too much to cheer about. At the same time, our fans were awesome.”

Jackets fans were curiously few, but they were at full throat. There was much to cheer. Rookie defenseman Ryan Murray scored his first NHL goal. Dubinsky scored what turned out to be the winning goal, short-handed and unassisted, on a wicked wrist shot from atop the right dot. Dubinsky was particularly good on this night.

So was Ryan Johansen, the Blue Jackets’ shutdown center who is emerging as a two-way threat. He scored an empty-net goal that iced the game with 27 seconds remaining.

“I’ve got a lot of relatives on my mother’s side who are big Leafs fans,” Johansen said. “I’ve got bragging rights for tonight.”

The Leafs, like the Jackets, are emerging under new management. Last season, they made the playoffs for the first time since 2004. There are signs that the Hillman curse, or the Keon curse, or whatever, is waning. But the Jackets vexed them last night.

“There is a huge opportunity in front of us,” Dubinsky said. “Pittsburgh is a good team, but no one is running away with our division.”

This is true.

Michael Arace is a sports reporter for The Dispatch.



Blue Jackets notebook: Ryan Murray relishes ‘gift’ first goal

By Shawn Mitchell


The first NHL goal scored by Blue Jackets rookie defenseman Ryan Murray was preceded by what he called a “gong show” in front of the net.

Murray’s goal, the Blue Jackets’ first score in a 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs last night, wasn’t a blue-line blast or a deft backhand shot. It was, Murray said, “a bit of a gift.”

“It was just sitting there on the goal line for me,” Murray said. “But I’ll definitely take it.”

It wasn’t all dumb luck. Murray, after all, was only in position to score because he had earned a regular spot on the power play for the first time this season.

“Some of it is that he’s earned it,” coach Todd Richards said. “Some of it is us still trying to look for someone on the back end who can control the puck and run a power play from up top.”

Murray, 20, spent nearly nine minutes on the point with his partner, James Wisniewski, during six power plays. It is a place he probably belongs, said center Ryan Johansen, who played against Murray in juniors in the Western Hockey League.

“I know what he’s capable of,” Johansen said. “He’s always going to be one of those guys who is pushing on the power play. He might not be the flashiest player or the fastest skater, but he does everything well.”

The game was Murray’s 10th, triggering the first year of his three-year, entry-level contract.

Earlier this week, general manager Jarmo Kekalainen advised Murray to “find a place” in Columbus, Murray said.

“I went out and the first (apartment) I saw I took,” said Murray, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2012 draft. “It’s exciting. But at the same time, there is no such thing as making the team on a two-way contract. You’ve always got to be on your toes still.”

Gaborik on a roll

Right wing Marian Gaborik scored to give the Jackets a 2-1 lead early in the third period, when he slipped a behind-the-net pass from Nick Foligno between the post and Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier.

It was his third goal in the past three games and extended his point streak to four games. Gaborik has 12 goals and nine assists in 17 games against Toronto in his career.

“I think there is a lot more to Marian still,” Richards said. “He’s been able to contribute and score goals, but we’re trying to find the right fit for him up front, trying to find the right combination of center and left wing to play with him. But he’s got a nice little streak going.”

Slap shots

Right wing Jared Boll missed the morning skate with what Richards called a “stomach virus.” He was in the lineup but played limited minutes (nine shifts over 5:03). … A short-handed goal by Brandon Dubinsky was the first scored by a Blue Jacket at Nationwide Arena since Mark Letestu got one in a 4-2 victory over Detroit on Feb. 2. It was only the third short-handed goal in a 4-on-3 situation in franchise history.


723456 Dallas Stars

Defensman partners shuffled for Goligoski, Gonchar

SPORTSDAYDFW SPORTS

Staff Writer

Published: 27 October 2013 12:38 AM

Updated: 27 October 2013 12:47 AM

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.27.2013

723457 Dallas Stars

Heika: Stars get point, but not satisfied with result

Mike Heika

Staff Writer

[email protected]



The good thing about the Stars’ 2-1 shootout loss to the Winnipeg Jets at American Airlines Center on Saturday is that Dallas was able to fight back in the third period and get a point in the standings.

The better thing is, they’re not that happy with it.

Dallas moves to 4-5-1 and definitely earned the point with strong goaltending and some scrappy efforts in the third period. However, a slow start, some failed power plays and a lack of finish overall had players pointing out the flaws instead of resting on the laurels.

“Our first period wasn’t very good. We got outshot, we got outworked, and it’s tough to win games when you have bad starts,” said center Vernon Fiddler, who assisted on the Stars’ only goal. “We’re playing catch-up hockey and we’re trying to find momentum, and we just can’t find it. We’ll take the point out of it, but we have to be much better.”

Dallas is looking up at most of the Western Conference, including the 5-5-2 Jets. The Stars are ahead of only Edmonton, and while ground can be made up quickly, it also could have been made up with a regulation win at home.

“The first period, we resembled the team in practice this morning,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “We weren’t crisp this morning, and we didn’t come out crisp.”

The Stars relied heavily on goalie Kari Lehtonen, who had a season-high 37 saves and now touts a 3-1-1 record, a 1.29 goals-against average and a .961 save percentage.

“They got a lot of shots early in the game,” said defenseman Stephane Robidas, who scored the Stars’ only goal. “Our goalie was pretty good again tonight — he’s one of the best in the game — because it could have easily gone downhill.”

Dallas hung in early, and Winnipeg scored the first goal at the 3:28 mark of the second period. Lehtonen leaped to make a high save on a Dustin Byfuglien shot, then fell awkwardly. That allowed Evander Kane to easily deposit the rebound in the net for his sixth goal of the season.

The Stars were relentless coming back and finally scored when Robidas broke his stick on a shot from the point in the third period. The fluttering puck sailed through screens set by Lane MacDermid and Antoine Roussel and nestled in the net for Robidas’ first goal of the season.

Dallas then controlled the third period (16-7 in shots), while Winnipeg controlled overtime (6-2 in shots), but the Jets were better in the tiebreaker. Andrew Ladd beat Lehtonen for Winnipeg, while Ondrej Pavelec stopped Jamie Benn, Alex Chiasson and Ray Whitney.

Dallas went 0-for-4 on the power play and has yet to score at home with the man advantage (0-for-16).

“We had a couple of point-blank opportunities and just didn’t connect,” Ruff said. “We had opportunities.”

The Stars were credited with 13 giveaways and rank seventh in the league at 94 total. Ruff said the team has to clean up the giveaways and stop chasing the game.

“It’s a new coaching staff and new system, so it takes time. But as a team, we have to start figuring it out for ourselves,” Fiddler said. “We should have a pretty good handle on it by now. We need to be much better. We need to get to be a team that comes at you wave by wave, and the next one has to follow, and the next one has to follow the next one. That’s how you build momentum. We really have to get our stuff together.”

The Stars play back-to-back road games Monday at Buffalo (the return of Lindy Ruff to his old arena) and Tuesday at Montreal (one of the toughest buildings in the league). They play eight of the next 10 on the road.

“We have to learn what we did right and what we did wrong,” Robidas said. “I think that’s the bottom line. As a team, we have to get better every game.”


723458 Dallas Stars

Stars fall, 2-1, to Jets in shootout; remain in last place in Central

Associated Press

Published: 26 October 2013 06:38 PM

Updated: 26 October 2013 10:54 PM

DALLAS (AP) — Andrew Ladd stepped on the ice in a shootout knowing Winnipeg had lost two in a row after regulation.

The Jets' captain made it a happy ending this time.

Ladd scored the only goal in a shootout, Ondrej Pavelec had 35 saves and the Winnipeg Jets beat the DallasStars 2-1 on Saturday night.

The Jets played past regulation for the third straight game and fourth in the past five. They snapped a three-game losing streak.

"Yeah, nice to be on the other side of an overtime and shootout game for sure," Ladd said.

After Jamie Benn hit the post and Alex Chiasson was stuffed easily by Pavelec in the shootout, Ladd beat Kari Lehtonen on the glove side. The Jets got the win when Ray Whitney missed wide. Olli Jokinen missed on Winnipeg's first attempt.

The Jets were penalized for too many men on the ice with 24.6 seconds left in regulation, and Pavelec made a pad save on a point-blank shot from Benn just a few seconds after the faceoff.

"We need him to be our best player on a lot of nights," Ladd said of Pavelec. "He bailed us out a couple times, but still thought we did a lot of good things."

The Stars had a 4-on-3 advantage for the first 1:35 of overtime, but the Jets had the two best scoring chances during that stretch. Bryan Little was stuffed by Lehtonen, and Zach Bogosian couldn't finish a play, trying to beat Lehtonen with a crossover on the goalie's glove side.

"We made some ill-advised decisions," said Stars coach Lindy Ruff, who returns to Buffalo on Monday night for his first game since getting fired during his 15th season with the Sabres in February. "We gave some pucks up again. Our shots are going to stay high against until we manage the puck better."

Lehtonen had 37 saves for Dallas, including four in the final minute of overtime, but lost for just the second time this season. Winnipeg won in Dallas in its first visit since relocating from Atlanta, and for just the second time in the franchise's 14 seasons.

"These three in a row, losing that extra point would have been tough on our group," Jets coach Claude Noel said. "So I thought we got rewarded."

Stephane Robidas pulled Dallas even at 1-all at 6:36 of the third period when his shot from the point went through the legs of Lane MacDermid and under Pavelec. The assists went to MacDermid and Vernon Fiddler, who carried the puck into the zone and flipped a pass backward to Robidas.

"It's tough to win games when you have bad starts," Fiddler said. "You're playing catch-up hockey. We can't be a team that just turns it on in the third and expect to win."

Evander Kane opened the scoring at 3:28 of the second with a goal during a delayed penalty as an extra Winnipeg skater was joining the play. Kane settled the puck with his glove on the right wing and shot it past Lehtonen as the goalie was settling back in after jumping to make a pad save on a shot.

Tyler Seguin, who had a career-high four points when Dallas beat Winnipeg 4-1 for its only road win earlier this month, was held scoreless but had a team-high five shots.

Winnipeg just missed going up 2-0 in the opening seconds of the third period on a rush that ended with Dallasdefenseman Jordie Benn sweeping the puck out of a wide open crease after a shot hit the post.

The Stars had a good chance to go in front with about 6 minutes left, but Seguin couldn't control the puck with Pavelec out of position.

Notes: The Winnipeg franchise had just one previous win in Dallas dating to its days in Atlanta. ... Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski played nearly 20 minutes after he was a healthy scratch in Thursday's 5-1 win over Calgary. Kevin Connauton, who replaced Goligoski against the Flames, was a scratch against the Jets. ... Winnipeg opened the second of 10 back-to-back sets this season. The Jets play at Colorado on Sunday night. ... The Stars were 0 for 4 on the power play and have failed to convert in all 16 chances at home.


723459 Dallas Stars

Morning skate update: Dallas Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski back in lineup vs. Winnipeg Jets

MIKE HEIKA

Staff Writer



Ali Lucia previews the Stars game vs. Winnipeg tonight here via the miracle of video.

Lindy Ruff speaks to the media at the morning skate here.

Stars coach Lindy Ruff still is trying to figure out his defense pairings, and it seems if he's going to do some juggling, it might be best to do it in a home game.

Alex Goligoski will return from a healthy scratch to play Saturday against Winnipeg, and the lines will look something like this:

Jamie Benn-Tyler Seguin-Rich Peverley

Ray Whitney-Cody Eakin-Alex Chiasson

Valeri Nichushkin-Shawn Horcoff-Erik Cole

Lane MacDermid-Vern Fiddler-Antoine Roussel

Brenden Dillon-Stephane Robidas

Trevor Daley-Sergei Gonchar

Alex Goligoski-Jordie Benn

Kari Lehtonen

Goligoski, who led the team in defenseman scoring, plus/minus and average time on ice last season, comes back in and Kevin Connauton will be a healthy scratch. Ruff will juggle his pairs by splitting up Trevor Daley and Jordie Benn, and keeping Goligoski apart from Gonchar.

"I want to see Alex's reaction to coming out and going back in. I also want to see the match-up we want with him," said Ruff. "We're going to look at a couple of possibilities tonight. Alex might get some time with Daley. Those bottom four, we're going to try either/or during the game."

Goligoski was a healthy scratch last season and came back with nine assists in the next 12 games. He currently has 0 points in eight games and is minus-10. Ruff said they would like him to improve his defense, but that they really want to see him control the puck and help create offense.

"I think first it starts with defending," Ruff said. "Alex hasn't been happy with the way he has defended _ start in you own end and play well there. We know what he can bring to us offensively, and those are the tools that when he gets up ice, we want him to use."

Goligoski said he prepares for each game the same, so a healthy scratch doesn't affect him much, other than making sure he's fresh.

"You get a little rest and then come out hard," he said.

Gonchar has started slowly in previous seasons. He said he is being patient with his assimilation to the Stars.

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

Asked if he had thought about the possibility of a healthy scratch, Gonchar said no.

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

Ruff said he felt the defense played better in a 5-1 win over Calgary Thursday, but that the team as a whole played better together. Dallas had a 34-29 edge in shots on goal.

"I thought our tracking players _ our players coming back through the neutral zone _ were really good," Ruff said. "They took time and space away and really helped our D out. When you get that kind of support, it can really help our defensemen."

Connauton will be the team's only healthy scratch. Ryan Garbutt will serve Game 2 of a 5-game suspension, and defenseman Aaron Rome has been assigned to the Texas Stars.

Rome will play in the AHL to get back his "game feel" after having hip surgery in the off-season. He has not played a game in the NHL yet this season.

"He needs to play," Ruff said. "He needs to go down there and be one of their best defensemen. I think we know what he can be as a player, but it's tough to step into games and get up to speed. It's an opportunity for him to get his

game back and play with a good group of defensemen down there, so I think it should really help him."


723460 Dallas Stars

Ladd scores in shootout, Jets beat Stars 2-1

Posted Sunday, Oct. 27,

By SCHUYLER DIXON

DALLAS — Andrew Ladd stepped on the ice in a shootout knowing Winnipeg had lost two in a row after regulation.

The Jets' captain made it a happy ending this time.

Ladd scored the only goal in a shootout, Ondrej Pavelec had 35 saves and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Dallas Stars 2-1 on Saturday night.

The Jets played past regulation for the third straight game and fourth in the past five. They snapped a three-game losing streak.

"Yeah, nice to be on the other side of an overtime and shootout game for sure," Ladd said.

After Jamie Benn hit the post and Alex Chiasson was stuffed easily by Pavelec in the shootout, Ladd beat Kari Lehtonen on the glove side. The Jets got the win when Ray Whitney missed wide. Olli Jokinen missed on Winnipeg's first attempt.

The Jets were penalized for too many men on the ice with 24.6 seconds left in regulation, and Pavelec made a pad save on a point-blank shot from Benn just a few seconds after the faceoff.

"We need him to be our best player on a lot of nights," Ladd said of Pavelec. "He bailed us out a couple times, but still thought we did a lot of good things."

The Stars had a 4-on-3 advantage for the first 1:35 of overtime, but the Jets had the two best scoring chances during that stretch. Bryan Little was stuffed by Lehtonen, and Zach Bogosian couldn't finish a play, trying to beat Lehtonen with a crossover on the goalie's glove side.

"We made some ill-advised decisions," said Stars coach Lindy Ruff, who returns to Buffalo on Monday night for his first game since getting fired during his 15th season with the Sabres in February. "We gave some pucks up again. Our shots are going to stay high against until we manage the puck better."

Lehtonen had 37 saves for Dallas, including four in the final minute of overtime, but lost for just the second time this season. Winnipeg won in Dallas in its first visit since relocating from Atlanta, and for just the second time in the franchise's 14 seasons.

"These three in a row, losing that extra point would have been tough on our group," Jets coach Claude Noel said. "So I thought we got rewarded."

Stephane Robidas pulled Dallas even at 1-all at 6:36 of the third period when his shot from the point went through the legs of Lane MacDermid and under Pavelec. The assists went to MacDermid and Vernon Fiddler, who carried the puck into the zone and flipped a pass backward to Robidas.

"It's tough to win games when you have bad starts," Fiddler said. "You're playing catch-up hockey. We can't be a team that just turns it on in the third and expect to win."

Evander Kane opened the scoring at 3:28 of the second with a goal during a delayed penalty as an extra Winnipeg skater was joining the play. Kane settled the puck with his glove on the right wing and shot it past Lehtonen as the goalie was settling back in after jumping to make a pad save on a shot.

Tyler Seguin, who had a career-high four points when Dallas beat Winnipeg 4-1 for its only road win earlier this month, was held scoreless but had a team-high five shots.

Winnipeg just missed going up 2-0 in the opening seconds of the third period on a rush that ended with Dallas defenseman Jordie Benn sweeping the puck out of a wide open crease after a shot hit the post.

The Stars had a good chance to go in front with about 6 minutes left, but Seguin couldn't control the puck with Pavelec out of position.

Notes: The Winnipeg franchise had just one previous win in Dallas dating to its days in Atlanta. ... Stars defenseman Alex Goligoski played nearly 20 minutes after he was a healthy scratch in Thursday's 5-1 win over Calgary. Kevin Connauton, who replaced Goligoski against the Flames, was a scratch against the Jets. ... Winnipeg opened the second of 10 back-to-back sets this season. The Jets play at Colorado on Sunday night. ... The Stars were 0 for 4 on the power play and have failed to convert in all 16 chances at home.

Star-Telegram LOADED: 10.27.2013

723461 Detroit Red Wings

Rangers 3, Red Wings 2 (OT): Why the Red Wings lost on Saturday night

October 27, 2013 |

By Helene St. James

Detroit Free Press Sports Writer

At Joe Louis Arena

■ IN THE FIRST PERIOD: The Red Wings went on a power play 1:08 into the game. Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, split up for 5-on-5 play, were on the same man-advantage unit, but neither of the two groups used were able to get anything going in New York’s zone. Jimmy Howard made a big stop on Chris Kreider around the 5-minute mark, as Kreider deked to his backhand right outside the crease. The Wings went on a second power play at 6:38. There was much better puck movement this time, with Todd Bertuzzi trying to close on a Datsyuk shot with a backhand that Cam Talbot denied. Drew Miller took advantage of a turnover to send the puck short-side at 17:12. Shots were 16-13 in favor of Detroit.

■ IN THE SECOND PERIOD: Howard was busy, making his 21st save of the game on Brian Boyle 8 minutes in. The Wings looked so unorganized that coach Mike Babcock called a time-out to prompt a little more firepower. Justin Abdelkader had a good chance denied shortly thereafter, but then the Wings went on a penalty kill at 16:53. The Rangers scored at 17:20 when Benoit Pouliot jammed in a backhand from the left side. The Wings went on a third power play at 18:32, and Daniel Alfredsson converted at 19:49 when he connected on a nice setup by Datsyuk. The Rangers had a 29-24 edge in shots after 40 minutes.

■ IN THE THIRD PERIOD: Mats Zuccarello scored at 2:18 when he converted Dominic Moore’s rebound, making it 2-2. The Rangers rolled on and on, gaining entry into Detroit’s zone nearly every shift and then keeping the puck cycling. The Wings rushed New York’s zone here and there, but Talbot didn’t have to do nearly as much work until late in the game.

■ IN OVERTIME: The Rangers dominated the period, spending almost all of it in Detroit’s zone, and were rewarded when Derick Brassard slipped away on a breakaway and put the puck behind Howard at 4:47.

■ QUOTABLE: Zetterberg, on how the Wings played: “I think the first, we played better. In the second, they kept it really simple. As soon as they got the puck in their own end, it was glass-out and three guys went. We got caught a few times in the second period. Howie played great for us, but we couldn’t find a way to score enough goals.” ... Niklas Kronwall: “In the second period, we gave them way too much room out there. We just have to be a lot better than we were tonight.”

■ UP NEXT: Wednesday at Vancouver.

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.27.2013


New York 3, Detroit 2 (OT): Red Wings can't find identity in late loss

October 27, 2013 |

By Helene St. James


The indignity has grown to this: The Red Wings lost Saturday to an opponent that almost never scores and almost never wins and thatfielded a goaltender playing in his second game.

Undone by an especially egregious second period at Joe Louis Arena, the Wings saw two leads disappear into a 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers, dropping the Wings to 0-2-2 since beating Colorado 10 days ago.

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

The Rangers recorded just their third victory in nine games when Derick Brassard turned a breakaway into a celebration with 12.9 seconds left on the clock. It was the Rangers’ 40th shot on Jimmy Howard. They came into the game having averaged 1.5 goals per game and 28 shots.

“We put ourselves in trouble,” Niklas Kronwall said. “We didn’t make the right play. We didn’t get pucks deep, didn’t get it out of our zone, and here we go again. We gave them way too much space out there.

“Right now, we’re trying to play ourselves out of each and every situation, and that’s costing us.”

That the Wings didn’t play better stood out all the more because this came on the heels of Wednesday’s 6-1 loss to Ottawa. The one Wing who did recover after allowing three goals on eight shots that night was Howard, who was stellar Saturday.

“Howie was great, gave us a chance, especially in the second period,” Babcock said.

On the winning goal, Howard said Brassard’s shot “went off my stick and just sort of rolled up my body.”

“It’s frustrating. We lost with 12 seconds left in overtime. I think once again, we didn’t really play through 60 minutes and it cost us. We’ve got to figure out a way, in here, to just go out there and compete for each other.”

Daniel Alfredsson and Drew Miller scored for Detroit, with Alfredsson giving the Wings a 2-1 lead in the closing minute of the second period when he one-timed a sweet pass from Pavel Datsyuk past Cam Talbot, who made his NHL debut Thursday.

Alfredsson’s goal came shortly after Babcock had called a timeout after the Rangers had been averaging something like a shot per minute.

Mats Zuccarello, responsible for the turnover that led to Miller’s goal, made it 2-2 just past 2 minutes into the third period. Benoit Pouliot had evened the Wings’ early lead on a power play.

“There’s no consistency in our play,” Babcock said. “It doesn’t look like we’re wearing the other team out. We’re going to have to sort this out. We face a little bit of adversity here and we have to dig in.”

The Wings don’t play at the Joe again for nearly two weeks, heading Monday for a trek through Western Canada, still in search of an identity.

“Having a four-game road trip is perfect for us,” Babcock said. “We’ve got to get way better defensively, way better in our own zone and way better at taking care of the puck.”



Wings great Nicklas Lidstrom enjoying retirement, coaching son's team in Sweden

October 27, 2013 |

By Helene St. James


He is the perfect retiree now, perfectly at home limiting his hockey to skating with teenagers.

Taking advantage of Sweden’s fall school break, Nicklas Lidstrom and his family stopped in Detroit this weekend en route to a vacation in the Bahamas. Lidstrom dropped by Joe Louis Arena on Saturday to say hello to former teammates in the morning before watching the Wings and Rangers.

Some players couldn’t help but ask if he was interested in joining them. Henrik Zetterberg, who took over the captaincy when Lidstrom retired in 2012, inquired about an emergency signing, but of course Lidstrom timed his retirement as perfectly as he did everything else.

“I miss playing and being part of it,” Lidstrom said, “but I also know it was my time to leave the game. But it’s always something I’ll miss.”

Lidstrom said he gets his hockey fix at home in Vasteras, Sweden, where he gets back on skates, “three to four times a week with the kids, as an assistant coach with my 13-year-old. That’s the level of hockey that I’m part of now.”

He said retirement “has been fun, especially spending a lot more time with my family and having a chance to be there when the kids have their activities, their hockey. It’s been treating me real well.”

During 20 seasons with the Wings, Lidstrom, 43, won four Stanley Cups, seven Norris Trophies and a Conn Smythe Trophy. His impact went beyond the ice: He was so professional, so even-tempered, so polite that he earned the nickname “the perfect human.”

“He’s one of the greatest people I’ve ever been around and one of the greatest players I’ve ever had an opportunity to witness,” coach Mike Babcock said, enumerating what he’d learned from Lidstrom: “Be humble. Do things with poise every day. Choose your attitude right every day. Do everything right, every day. That’s what he does.”

Lidstrom will be back in Detroit to participate in the Dec. 31 Winter Festival alumni games between the Wings and Toronto at Comerica Park, leading up to the Jan. 1 Winter Classic. “I’m looking forward to seeing some of the guys I haven’t seen in a long time and played with back in the ’90s,” he said.

There is also a big date in 2014: March 6, when the Wings will retire Lidstrom’s No. 5. He’s also guaranteed to make an appearance in 2015, when he’ll be a first-ballot Hockey Hall of Fame inductee.



New York 3, Detroit 2 (OT): Rangers push past Howard, Wings late in overtime

9:44 PM, October 26, 2013 |

By Helene St. James


Jimmy Howard flushed his previous games. His teammates, not so much.

The Detroit Red Wings got shown up by an opponent that's struggled to score and win, losing 3-2 in overtime to the New York Rangers Saturday at Joe Louis Arena.

Derick Brassard scored with 12.9 seconds left when he rushed up the middle.

Since upending Colorado on Oct. 17, the Wings have gone 0-2-2.

Daniel Alfredsson and Drew Miller scored for Detroit in regulation. Jimmy Howard, who let in three goals on eight shots three nights earlier, had made 28 saves after 40 minutes, allowing just a power play goal that made it 2-1 headed into the third period.

The Rangers had won two of their first eight games, averaged 1.5 goals scored during that stretch, and started a goaltender in Cam Talbot who had made his NHL debut two nights earlier because star netminder Henrik Lundqvist is nursing an injury.

What could be more ripe for a team looking for redemption after Wednesday's awful 6-1 loss to Ottawa?

Talbot didn't look wet behind the ears in the opening period, though, making 15 saves to leave it 1-0 on Miller's goal. Two Detroit power plays went unconverted, leaving Miller's first goal of the season as the only marker.

Miller scored when Mats Zuccarello turned the puck over in Detroit's zone, with Miller wheeling around and sliding the puck blocker-side on Talbot.

The Rangers got 13 shots on Howard, as the Wings continued to struggle with allowing more shots than reasonable.

It got much worse in the second period, when the Wings basically stopped skating. Howard averaged something like a save per minute to keep his teammates from seeing a deficit. A time out didn't help much, though Justin Abdelkader had a glorious chance denied with about five minutes left, shooting while wide open only to see Talbot block. Then the Rangers went on the power play, and the Rangers converted, with Benoit Pouliot a backhand from the doorstep.

Detroit's top producers struck back when the Wings got a third power play after Tomas Tatar was tackled by Taylor Pyatt. Pavel Datsyuk picked up the puck in the right corner and slid it along the ice before finding Alfredsson for a one-timer, with 11 seconds to go in the second period.

That 2-1 lead was leveled less than three minutes into the third period, when Howard gave up a rebound that Jordin Tootoo just missed clearing, instead enabling Zuccarello to slide in and score.

The Wings don't play at the Joe again for nearly two weeks, heading off Monday for a four-game excursion to Western Canada, still in search of an identity.



Nicklas Lidstrom, perfectly retired, watches Red Wings prepare for Rangers

3:20 PM, October 26, 2013 |

By Helene St. James


Henrik Zetterberg tried to sway his mentor into signing a quickie contract but no go: Nicklas Lidstrom isn’t playing again for the Detroit Red Wings until an appearance Dec. 31 in the Winter Festival alumni games.

Lidstrom was at Joe Louis Arena today, watching his former teammates prepare for their evening game. The Wings host the Rangers at Joe Louis Arena tonight (7 p.m., NHLN, FSD).

“We tried to get him an emergency signing here,” Zetterberg said, “but he said he couldn’t.

The Wings could use some help as they seek to overturn a three-game winless streak. At the very least, three goals over the past three games have prompted new lines. Zetterberg is centering his own line, between Tomas Tatar and Johan Franzen, while Zetterberg’s favorite linemate, Pavel Datsyuk, is now centering Todd Bertuzzi and Daniel Alfredsson. Stephen Weiss is with Daniel Cleary and Justin Abdelkader. Joakim Andersson with Drew Miller and Jordin Tootoo.

Jimmy Howard is starting, seeking to rebound after allowing the Senators three goals on eight shots in Wednesday’s ugliness.

Lidstrom is in town just for the weekend, en route Sunday to the Bahamas for a family vacation. He retired in 2012 after 20 seasons with the Wings, during which he collected four Stanley Cups, seven Norris Trophies and a Conn Smythe.

Lidstrom and his family moved back to Vasteras, Sweden, after retiring. He now gets his hockey fix as an assistant coach. Lidstrom said he gets back on skates, “three to four times a week, as an assistant, with the kids, as an assistant coach with my 13-year-old. That’s the level of hockey that I’m part of now.”

Lidstrom said retirement, “has been fun, especially spending a lot more time with my family and having a chance to be there when the kids have their activities, their hockey. It’s been treating me real well.”

Lidstrom is universally recognized as one of the best to ever play.

Also, one of the most perfect. Lidstrom’s humble personality, his attention to detail, his sanguine temper and his utter professionalism earned him the nickname “the perfect human,” from teammates.

It still holds up in retirement.

“He looks perfect,” Zetterberg said, smiling. “I think he actually lost some weight, looks a little fitter. I don’t know how he does it.”

Lidstrom, 43, will have his No. 5 jersey retired March 6 when the Wings host the Avalanche.



NY Rangers beat Detroit Red Wings on Derick Brassard's goal in OT

By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily

Posted: 10/27/13, 1:00 AM EDT

DETROIT – Detroit’s effort Saturday night against the road-weary New York Rangers was better than the Wings had Wednesday.

But in the end it still wasn’t good enough to pull out a victory.

Derick Brassard scored with 13 seconds left in overtime to lift the Rangers to a 3-2 win over Detroit and snapping a six-game losing streak at Joe Louis Arena in the process.

“When you look at our group there’s no consistency in our play,” said Wings coach Mike Babcock, whose squad was outshot again 40-34. “It doesn’t look like we’re wearing on the other team and at the end of the night, I look at the shot clock and it says 40. We had 34, but 40 is way too many, 28 is way too many. We have a long way to go in that area.

“We have to sort this out,” Babcock continued. “We’re facing a little bit of adversity and we have to dig in. Having a four-game road trip is perfect for us. We have to get way better defensively, way better in our own zone and way better taking care of the puck.”

The Wings, who were coming off an embarrassing 6-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators, are now 0-2-2 in their last four games and have scored a total of five goals.

“Something has to be done about it,” said Jimmy Howard, who made 37 saves. “We’ve got to figure out a way in here to just go out there and compete for each other. It’s going to be the guys in here that get the job done. I think it’s just believing in each other and not trying to do too much out there. Let guys do their jobs.

“It’s frustrating,” Howard continued. “We lost with (13) seconds left in overtime. Once again, we didn’t really play for 60 minutes and it cost us.”

The Rangers, who were playing their final of nine straight games on the road due to renovations being done at Madison Square Garden, came in with just two wins in their first eight games.

“This has got nothing to do with the Rangers, it’s all about us,” Niklas Kronwall said.

Drew Miller and Daniel Alfredsson scored for Detroit.

The Rangers, who last won at Joe Louis Arena on Jan. 30, 1999, got goals from Benoit Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello, while goalie Cam Talbot stopped 32 shots.

Taking a 2-1 lead into the third period, the Rangers got the equalizer just two minutes in when Zuccarello banged home a rebound between Howard’s legs after his original save on Dominic Moore.

Babcock had just juggled up his forward lines out of the locker room because of how poorly his team had played in the second.

“The second period obviously disappoints me,” Babcock said. “When it gets to be a theme and this is a theme. We can’t give it away in the second period, especially in your own barn, you’ve got to outplay the other team and we didn’t do that.”

In overtime, Pouliot was able to chip a puck past Danny DeKeyser to send Brassard in alone on Howard to end the game.

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

Miller opened the scoring late in the first period.

Picking up a loose puck and the Wings’ blue line, Miller rushed up ice on a 2-on-1 with Jordin Tootoo and then snapped a wrist shot to beat Talbot short side for his first goal of the season.

It was just the Wings’ second goal in a span of 194 minutes and 10 seconds over four games.

Prior to that goal they had been outscored 11-1 during that stretch.

Howard kept the Wings’ slim one-goal advantage with two huge saves before the 10-minute mark of the second period.

The first came off a shot by Ryan McDonagh, who grabbed a rebound off the end boards that Howard joisted his blocker at to stop.

Then, out of position and trying to work through a Ranger player that fell into the crease, he shot his blocker across his body to turn aside Brian Boyle.

The Rangers tied the game up with a power play goal from Pouliot late in the second period.

Pouliot found a loose puck just outside the crease and backhanded a shot past Howard, who was on his side in the crease.

The Wings answered right back, finally capitalizing on their power play, which was their third of the night, scoring with just 11 seconds left in the period.

After some good puck movement in the Rangers’ zone, Pavel Datsyuk fed Alfredsson a pass in the slot and using a Johan Franzen screen to his advantage he beat Talbot with a wrist shot.

Macomb Daily LOADED: 10.27.2013


Wings look to generate more offense tonight against well-travelled Rangers

By Chuck Pleiness, The Macomb Daily

Posted: 10/26/13, 2:46 PM EDT

DETROIT – As the Detroit Red Wings head into their 12th game of the regular season tonight against the New York Rangers, they’re still in search of an identity.

“We have to play well,” Wings coach Mike Babcock said Saturday after the team’s morning skate at Joe Louis Arena. “It’s just like doing your job, you have to have a blue print to know what you’re doing and you have to have the energy to come in and do it each and every day. We haven’t established a blue print enough. We don’t have an identity or whatever you want to call it.”

After going 6-3-1 in their first 10-game segment, the Wings’ 11th game was one they’d soon like to forget, a 6-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators.

“Through 10 games, you’re 6-3-1 and you think you’re off to not a bad start and then game 11 comes along and you’re wondering what the heck you’re doing,” Babcock said. “We have to regroup here today, we have to play harder as a good and better as a group.”

The Wings have scored just 25 goals this season, an average of 2.3 per game.

But they’ve scored just three goals over their last three games, going 0-2-1 in the process.

Babcock shuffled up his top two lines to try and generate more offense, breaking up Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg.

Datsyuk will center Todd Bertuzzi and Daniel Alfredsson, while Zetterberg will play between Johan Franzen and Tomas Tatar.

The bottom two lines remained the same.

The Rangers’ offense has been even worse. They’ve scored just 12 goals in eight game, an average of 1.50 per game.

“Like every team you’re playing you’re going to have your hands full,” Babcock said. “They’re like us, they don’t score any goals.”

Tonight’s game is the final of a nine-game road trip to begin the season for New York. The Rangers, who are 2-6-0, also played every preseason game on the road because Madison Square Garden was being renovated.

“I thought their D-zone look the same,” Babcock said. “When I look at the Rangers it’s a lot of carry over, lots of shot blocking, I really like 27 (Ryan McDonagh), 5 (Dan Girardi) and 18 (Marc Staal). I really thought they were fantastic the other night. (Derek) Stepan is obviously a real good player for them. (Brad) Richards seems to be getting it going again. (Dan) Boyle always impresses me, I think he’s done a real good job and gone to New York and become a real good player here in the league.”

Detroit has won six in a row at home against the Rangers and are 10-1-0 in the past 11 against New York at Joe Louis Arena

The Rangers have won only twice in Detroit, which is 17-2-3 over the last 22 games against New York, since 1986.

The Rangers’ last win in Detroit was on Jan. 30, 1999 (3-2).

Macomb Daily LOADED: 10.27.2013


Derick Brassard's OT goal gives Rangers victory over Red Wings

Ted Kulfan

October 26, 2013 at 10:43 pm

Detroit — A victory is becoming extremely elusive right now for the Red Wings.

The streak without a win has reached four games after Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers, who were playing their ninth consecutive road game to open the season.

But Rangers forward Derick Brassard scored on a breakaway in overtime with 12.9 seconds left, giving the Rangers a thrilling victory.

It was a demoralizing loss for the Red Wings, who are 0-2-2 in their last four games — with a four-game trip through Western Canada ahead next week.

"Very disappointing," defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. "You play hockey to win games and right now we're not getting the job done.

"We have to get back to the basics and keep it a lot more simple. Sometimes the best play might be off the glass."

The Red Wings (6-4-2) continue to turn pucks over, give up far too many shots, and spend more time defending rather than attacking the other team.

The Rangers (3-6-0) had 40 shots on net (the Red Wings 34) and capitalized on 10 Red Wings giveaways (the Rangers were charged with only one giveaway).

"We spend too much time in our own zone, turn pucks over and here they come," coach Mike Babcock said. "There's no consistency in our play. It doesn't look like we are wearing the other team out.

"I look at the shots, they had 40 and we had 33. But 40 is way too many. Twenty-eight is too many. We have a long way to go in that area."

Rangers forward Mats Zuccarello tied it 2-2 at 2:18 of the third period.

Zuccarello dove and swatted at a long rebound allowed by goalie Jimmy Howard into near the hashmarks, Zuccarello's first goal of the season.

Drew Miller and Daniel Alfredsson (power play) scored for the Red Wings.

Alfredsson gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead at 19:49 of the second period, one-timing a pass from Pavel Datsyuk for his second goal of the season.

"We got a big power-play goal to set us up in the third," Babcock said. "We hadn't played well in the second, we all knew it, and they scored right away (in the third)."

The Rangers outshot the Red Wings 16-8 in the second period, gradually taking control of the game.

Rangers forward Benoit Pouliot (power play) answered for the other Rangers goal. It was Pouliot who sprang Brassard free with the overtime goal.

"It's tough coming to Detroit, it's not an easy game and they have some great players on the other side," Pouliot said. "It is fun to be out there and you want to compete against the best."

Detroit News LOADED: 10.27.2013


Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall tries to block a shot from the Rangers' Benoit Pouliot

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

on October 27, 2013 at 1:03 AM, updated October 27, 2013 at 1:06 AM

DETROIT – Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock lamented the lack of consistency in his team’s play this season following Saturday’s 3-2 overtime loss to the New York Rangers.

The common theme in many games has been poor puck management, leading to far too many shots and scoring chances against.

That was the case again on Saturday. The Rangers did not resemble an offensively-challenged team playing its ninth consecutive game on the road and missing its best offensive player and elite goaltender.

Derick Brassard scored on a breakaway with 12.9 seconds remaining in overtime. The Rangers outshot the turnover-prone Red Wings 40-34, extending Detroit’s winless streak to four (0-2-2).

“It doesn’t look like we’re wearing on the other team and at the end of the night, I look at the shot clock and it says 40,’’ Babcock said. “We had 34, but 40 is way too many, 28 is way too many. We have a long way to go in that area.’’

The Red Wings (6-4-2) have been outshot in eight-of-12 games and are allowing an average of 32.4 per game.

If not for the strong goaltending they’re getting most nights, they would be in much worse shape. Jimmy Howard, bouncing back from a bad performance in Wednesday’s 6-1 loss to Ottawa, made 37 saves to help his team earn one point.

“Howie was great for us all night. He deserved a lot better,’’ defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “He was really standing on his head at times and kept us in the game and gave us a chance to win.”

That was of little consolation to Howard.

“It’s frustrating,’’ Howard said. “Once again, we didn’t really play for 60 minutes and it cost us.’’

“It doesn’t look like we’re wearing on the other team and at the end of the night, I look at the shot clock and it says 40.'' -- Mike Babcock

On the winning goal, Kyle Quincey got caught pinching, leaving the right side of the ice wide open, enabling Brassard to break loose after receiving the puck from Benoit Pouliot.

“Brassard busted loose and got the shot off and it went off my stick and just sort of rolled up my body,’’ Howard said. “Tried to fling my arm and get it over the cross bar but it still went in the net.’’

Cam Talbot, in just his second NHL start, made 32 saves in place of the injured Henrik Lundqvist. The Rangers (3-6-0) also played without star forward Rick Nash (concussion).

The Red Wings, after a decent first period, got outplayed in the second, which has been a theme this season. They were outshot 16-8 but fortunate to still be leading 2-1 heading into the third after Daniel Alfredsson fired in a

one-timer, on a pass from Pavel Datsyuk, on the power play with 11 seconds to play.

The Rangers had tied it 1-1 on Pouliot’s power-play goal at 17:20. Drew Miller opened the scoring for Detroit at 17:12 of the first period.

“I think in the second period, they got on top of us,'' Howard said. "In today’s NHL, when one team’s pressing and the other team’s on their heels it’s tough to get over that funk.’’

Mats Zuccarello tied it at 2-2 at 2:18 of the third period by swatting in a rebound from the slot.

“The bottom line is they took the game over from us in the second period,’’ Babcock said. “I thought we fought to get it back in the third period, but in the second we got (out) skated, turned pucks over in the neutral zone, never got it behind them enough. When we get in their zone we’re one-and-done too quickly.’’

After playing so well defensively in a 1-0 shootout loss to the league-leading San Jose Sharks on Monday, the Red Wings have been too careless with the puck.

"Obviously, it was better than Wednesday's game,’’ captain Henrik Zetterberg said. “As soon as they got the puck in their end, it was glass out, three guys went and we got caught a few times in the second period.

“Howie played great for us. In the third we found a way to get back a little bit and created more chances but couldn't find a way to score enough goals."

Michigan Live LOADED: 10.27.2013


Red Wings' Tomas Tatar to play on top-two line, looking to score some goals as team's 'sniper'


on October 25, 2013 at 7:02 PM, updated October 25, 2013 at 7:04 PM

DETROIT – Tomas Tatar has waited patiently for the opportunity to play on one of the top two lines, which the confident young forward believes he deserves.

His time has come. The Detroit Red Wings need more offense, and one of the changes they made Friday was placing Tatar among their top six forwards for Saturday’s game against the New York Rangers at Joe Louis Arena (7 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit).

“Hopefully, this is going to be the turning point and I can help the first two lines produce,’’ Tatar, 22, said.

Coach Mike Babcock has split up Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, looking for more balance, hoping the chance to play with one or the other sparks more players. The Red Wings have scored only three goals in three games (0-2-1) and are averaging just 2.24 per game.

Tatar will be playing on a line with Zetterberg and Johan Franzen. It will be the third game in a row for Tatar, after he was a healthy scratch in seven of the first eight.

“I think I started a game once with Pav and Danny (Cleary), but besides that, this is a big opportunity to play with those guys,’’ Tatar said. “It’s basically like a dream. All those guys are really good players. They’re leaders on the team. It’s going to be fun and hopefully we can build some chemistry and score a couple of goals.’’

Tatar is small (5-foot-10, 186) but tenacious. He skates well, goes to the hard areas and has good hands around the net. He had four goals and seven points during a 20-game stint with the Red Wings last season, before being sent down to Grand Rapids, replaced by Gustav Nyquist.

“Just play the way he’s been playing all the way up to how he got here,’’ Zetterberg said. “He’s skilled, he sees the ice very well, he’s got a good shot. Me and Mule like to have the puck a lot. I think (Tatar) will be good at finding an open spot and be the sniper.’’

Tatar’s play without the puck, concern about turnovers and his defensive ability, have prevented him from securing a regular spot in the lineup. But the

Red Wings need an offensive spark and are hoping the 2013 AHL playoff MVP (16 goals, 22 points in 24 postseason games) can provide it.

“Some guys are given the opportunity because we have to generate some more offense,’’ coach Mike Babcock said. “We need team offense, not individual offense. That comes from forechecking harder, being heavier on the puck in the O-zone, having a better net-front presence, shooting the puck and getting it back. We’d like (Tatar) to be a part of all those things.’’

Said Tatar: “My job will be to skate, get the pucks for the guys so they can make the plays. Be aggressive on the puck for those guys so we can stay in the offensive zone, get the puck in the corners for them. They are smart guys and make the plays, so I need to get open for them and make more space.’’

Tatar also will play on the second power-play unit, on a line with Franzen and Stephen Weiss.

Zetterberg said the team needs to spend more time in the offensive zone.

“I think we’re a little too much one-and-done,’’ Zetterberg said. “It’s tiring to play like that. Once you get into their zone you want to spend some more time, wear out their D a little bit.

“I think we’re one shot and they get the puck back out, and that’s tough to score goals like that. You have to spend time there and grind and get some ugly goals, and hopefully we can spread it out a little bit more now and get four lines going.”



Red Wings lose to Rangers in overtime, 3-2, as Derick Brassard scores with 13 seconds remaining



DETROIT – A struggling team that’s had difficulty scoring, is weary from the road and was missing its two best players seemed ripe for the picking Saturday night.

But the Detroit Red Wings could not take advantage of the reeling New York Rangers.

The Red Wings were turnover-prone and allowed too many shots and scoring chances.

Derick Brassard scored on a beakaway with 12.9 seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Rangers to a 3-2 victory at Joe Louis Arena.

Drew Miller and Daniel Alfredsson scored for the Red Wings. Jimmy Howard kept his team in the game by making 37 saves. Detroit (6-4-2) is winless in four (0-2-2).

The Rangers (3-6-0) were missing their best forward (Rick Nash, concussion) and top goaltender (Henrik Lundqvist, lower-body injury). They had scored only 12 goals in eight games (1.5 per game). And this was their ninth consecutive road game to open the season while Madison Square Garden is being renovated.

But none of that mattered, as they were more energetic than the Red Wings, who were trying to rebound from a disastrous 6-1 loss at home Wednesday to the Ottawa Senators.

Cam Talbot made his second career start and stopped 32 shots.

The Rangers tied it at 2-2 at 2:18 of the third period when Mats Zuccarello swatted in a big rebound from the slot while Joakim Andersson tried unsuccessfully to cover him.

The Rangers outskated and outplayed the Red Wings in the second period, outshooting them 16-8. Detroit was fortunate to trade power-play goals and maintain the lead at 2-1.

Alfredsson scored with 11 seconds remaining in the period. He found some space and buried a one-timer on a pass from Pavel Datsyuk. Johan Franzen provided a net-front screen. It was Alfredsson’s second goal of the season.

Howard made several spectacular saves to keep the Rangers off the scoreboard for the first 37 minutes before Benoit Pouliot scored at 17:20 of the second period to tie it at 1-1.

Pouliot backhanded in a rebound from the edge of the crease.

Miller scored the only goal in the first period, one in which the Red Wings had a 16-13 edge in shots.

Miller fired a low wrist shot past Talbot during a two-on-one with Jordin Tootoo. It was his first goal of the season, only the second goal for his team in a stretch of 194 minutes and 10 seconds (Red Wings had been outscored 11-1 during that stretch).

“They turned the puck over in our zone and we made the transition,’’ Miller said on Fox Sports Detroit after the first period. “I first looked to pass to Toots and their guy was back-checking him well so I decided to shoot it and (it went) over the pad and under the blocker.’’

The Red Wings had dominated the Rangers at Joe Louis Arena, winning six in a row and going 10-1-0 in their past 11 vs. at home before Saturday. The Red Wings now are 17-2-4 in their past 23 home games vs. the Rangers, who last won in Detroit on Jan. 30, 1999 (3-2).



Live blog: Red Wings look to get back on track against offensively challenged Rangers



DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings look to end a three-game winless skid and snap out of their scoring funk against a struggling New York Rangers club they have dominated at home over the past decades.

The Red Wings (6-4-1) have won six in a row at Joe Louis Arena vs. the Rangers, who last won in Detroit on Jan. 30, 1999 (3-2). The Red Wings are 17-2-3 in their past 22 home games against the Rangers.

Both teams are having a hard time scoring. The Red Wings have tallied just three goals in their past three games (0-2-1) and averaging just 2.24 per game. That's an offensive outburst compared to how the Rangers are faring -- they have scored only 12 goals in eight games, an average of 1.5 per game.

Detroit is looking to rebound from a 6-1 loss at home to the Ottawa Senators. The Rangers (2-6-0) are wrapping up a nine-game road trip to start the season, while Madison Square Garden is being renovated.

The Red Wings juggled their lines after that performance, splitting up Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg for more balance on their top two lines.



Red Wings looking to establish blueprint, an identity, host travel-weary, low-scoring Rangers



DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings are having trouble scoring goals, but not quite as tough a time as the New York Rangers, tonight’s opponent (7 p.m. at Joe Louis Arena, Fox Sports Detroit).

The Rangers have scored only 12 goals in eight games and rank 28th in the NHL at 1.50 per game. That’s the main reason they’re off to a 2-6-0 start.

They’re also travel-weary. This will be their ninth consecutive road game to start the season, due to renovations at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers’ home opener is Monday vs. Montreal.

“I watched them (in Thursday’s 2-1 loss to the Flyers); I really like their (defense), I was very impressed with (Ryan) McDonagh, (Dan) Girardi and (Marc) Staal,’’ Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “They worked hard and had great detail in their game. (Brad Richards) seems to have his game back. They’ve got lots of good players. We need to find a way to play well against them and worry about us and not so much about the Rangers.’’

The Red Wings (6-4-1) have their own issues. They have scored only three goals in three games (0-2-1), prompting more line shuffling in Friday’s practice as Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg were split up.

“You have to have a blue print to know what you’re doing and you have to have the energy to come in and do it each and every day,’’ Babcock said. “We haven’t established a blueprint enough. We don’t have what you can call an identity or whatever you want to call it.

“Through 10 games, you’re 6-3-1 and you think you’re off to not a bad start and then Game 11 comes along and you’re wondering what the heck you’re doing. We have to regroup here today, we have to play harder as a good and better as a group.’’

The Red Wings have dominated the Rangers at Joe Louis Arena, winning six in a row and going 10-1-0 in their past 11 vs. at home. The Red Wings are 17-2-3 in their past 22 home games vs. the Rangers, who last won in Detroit on Jan. 30, 1999 (3-2).

Here are the Red Wings lines and defense pairs for tonight:

Todd Bertuzzi-Pavel Datsyuk-Daniel Alfredsson

Johan Franzen-Henrik Zetterberg-Tomas Tatar

Daniel Cleary-Stephen Weiss-Justin Abdelkader

Drew Miller-Joakim Andersson-Jordin Tootoo

Niklas Kronwall-Brendan Smith

Kyle Quincey-Danny DeKeyser

Brian Lashoff-Jakub Kindl

Jimmy Howard (starting)

Jonas Gustavsson

Nicklas Lidstrom pays former team a visit

Former Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom stopped by the dressing room to meet with his ex-teammates. On his way to family vacation, Lidstrom said he is happily retired in Sweden.

“I do enjoy it and it’s been fun, especially spending a lot more time with my family and having a chance to be there when the kids have their activities, their hockey and all that,'' Lidstrom said. "So (retirement) has treated me real well.’’



Former Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom visits team, looks forward to special events



DETROIT – Many honors await former Detroit Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom during his retirement.

He’ll be saluted at the Winter Classic alumni game at Comerica Park on Dec. 31. He’ll have his jersey No. 5 raised to the rafters at Joe Louis Arena on March 6. He is a lock to be a first-ballot selection for the 2015 Hockey Hall of Fame.

Lidstrom visited his former teammates Saturday morning at the Joe and will attend tonight’s game against the New York Rangers. He made a brief stop in town before a family vacation.

“Staying at Homer’s place again, in his basement,’’ Lidstrom said of ex-teammate Tomas Holmstrom. “He’s kind enough to let us stay there so it’s been working out great.’’

And just in case anyone is wondering if the seven-time Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defenseman has entertained thoughts of a comeback, forget it. He is happily retired in Sweden.

“Sometimes I miss playing and miss being a part of it, but I also know it was my time to leave the game when I left it,’’ Lidstrom said. “But it’s always something I’ll miss.

“I do enjoy (retirement) and it’s been fun, especially spending a lot more time with my family and having a chance to be there when the kids have their activities, their hockey and all that. So (retirement) has treated me real well.’’

Said former teammates Henrik Zetterberg: “Actually, we tried to get him for an emergency signing here, but he said he couldn’t.

“When he comes in, it’s like he’s still part of the team. It’s been a lot of good memories, it’s fun to have him around again.’’

Lidstrom is looking forward to playing in the Winter Classic alumni game against the Toronto Maple Leafs alumni.

“It’ll be fun to see some of the guys I haven’t seen in a long time and played with in the ’90s. I haven’t seen the roster yet, but I’m imagining a lot of the guys we won (Stanley) Cups with in the ’90s will be on the team.’’

Even at age 43, Lidstrom might be the only one for either side who could still play in the league, and at a high level. He is on the ice 3-4 times a week in Sweden, serving as an assistant coach on his 13-year-old son’s team.

“I asked him today if he was loving (retirement) and he said he misses it a bit, but not enough to work out hard enough to play,’’ coach Mike Babcock said. “It’s always great seeing him. He’s one of the greatest people I’ve ever had around and one of the greatest players I’ve ever had an opportunity to witness. You don’t replace people like that, but other guys get opportunities.’’

Lidstrom will have his No. 5 raised to the rafters at JLA during a special ceremony March 6, prior to the game against the Colorado Avalanche. The event was pushed back a year due to the NHL lockout.

Zetterberg said Lidstrom, dubbed “The Perfect Human’’ by teammates many years back, doesn’t look or act much different.

“He looks perfect,’’ Zetterberg said. “I think he actually lost some weight and looks a little fitter. I don’t know how he does it.’’

Babcock said he learned a lot from Lidstrom.

“Do things with poise every day, choose your attitude right every day,’’ Babcock said. “He comes in every day, he’s a superstar, you put the hot pack on your back and you put it right back where it was. You don’t leave it on the floor. You do everything right. That’s what he does every day.’’



Detroit Red Wings to hold bone marrow drive during today's Hockey Fights Cancer Night

By Brendan Savage | [email protected]

on October 26, 2013 at 9:00 AM, updated October 26, 2013 at 9:27 AM

Fans attending tonight's Detroit Red Wings game against the New York Rangers will have an opportunity to take part in the club's Hockey Fights Cancer Night at Joe Louis Arena.

The Red Wings will be holding a bone marrow drive throughout the game on the concourse behind section 126. Fans will have an opportunity to be added to the Be The Match Registry by taking part in a quick cheek swab.

The bone marrow registration is being done in memory of Shawn Burr, the former Red Wings forward who battled acute myeloid leukemia before dying

last summer at age 47 after a fall in his home. Burr had a bone marrow transplant last year.

The Red Wings are one of seven NHL teams hosting its Hockey Fights Cancer Night this month and will have all-lavender dash boards to mark the occasion. Lavender is the color that represents awareness for all forms of cancer.

Some of the players will use lavender-colored tape on their sticks, which will then be auctioned at a date to be determined on Auctions.NHL.com.

Also, Red Wings goaltender Jimmy Howard will be wearing pinks and using pink equipment to raise awareness for breast cancer. The gear will be auctioned to raise money for cancer research.

A portion of tonight's 50-50 raffle will benefit the Van Andel Institute, which is presenting the Hockey Fights Cancer Night.

Fans are also encouraged to wear lavender clothing and write the name of a person they know who has been impacted by cancer on a sign. To celebrate cancer survivors in their lives, they'll be asked to hold the sign up during the second TV timeout following the 10-minute mark of the first period.

All fans entering Joe Louis Arena will receive a lavender-colored towel.


723476 Edmonton Oilers

Same old, same old as Oilers fall to Coyotes

By Jim Matheson, Edmonton JournalOctober 26, 2013

PHOENIX - The winning coach, Dave Tippett, looked like he’d lost.

The losing coach, Dallas Eakins, looked as though he’d lost. Again.

While the Phoenix Coyotes’ Tippett was gobsmacked after a 5-4 comedy-of-errors victory, the Edmonton Oilers’ Eakins was, well, numb as usual after a same-old, same-old setback where his club scored early and scored often but not late, as they tumbled to three wins and an overtime loss in 12 games.

“Yeah, it was entertaining I guess … but I don’t like giving up four and five goals a night because you’re not going to win in this league that way,” said Tippett, speaking with a forked tongue because the Coyotes are 7-3-2 after scoring 39 and giving up 40 in their dozen games.

Eakins would love a winner’s lament, but for the eighth time in these 12 games his club surrendered at least four goals (they’ve scored 35 and given up 48), they couldn’t kill a penalty or two when it counted (they’re tied for 28th in the league in that department), and the losses keep piling up.

The Los Angeles Kings are next on the dance card Sunday night.

Oilers goalie Jason LaBarbera gave up three goals in the first four shots in the second period, and two screened power-play shots by defenceman Keith Yandle and Oliver Ekman-Larsson leaked through his 6’3” 230-pound frame in the last 10 minutes.

When the Oilers needed a save they didn’t get it.

“Your goalie has to be your best penalty-killer … I couldn’t do that in the third period,” said LaBarbera, who was trying to see around Martin Hanzal’s ample rear-end on the Yandle goal and the Ekman-Larsson goal after a diving play by Yandle at the blue-line to keep the puck in on a Jeff Petry clearing attempt.

But the pucks eluded LaBarbera, who played two years here Ilya Bryzgalov’s backup, then was the caddy for current Phoenix ’tender Mike Smith for two more.

“I have to make a save,” he said.

That’s been a standard refrain, too. LaBarbera has given up 16 goals in 112 shots for an .857 save percentage. Devan Dubnyk, who relieved LaBarbera for 39 seconds after the third goal in the second period, is at .878. A save percentage of .900 is a low bar in the NHL.

The Coyotes got four goals from their blue-liners, with David Schlemko and Michael Stone scoring on 50-footers by the mad-as-hell Oilers goalie to the bench in favour of Dubnyk.

“I didn’t have a timeout (he’d used it on an icing with the fourth line out against Hanzal and company) I wanted to have a chat with our team to get them back in the right direction. It was a wake-up call … they may have thought I was going to pull the goalie but got him right back in,” said Eakins.

“I wanted to let our team breathe a little bit.”

“They got two goals on tips by our forwards (Mark Arcobello on Schlemko’s goal and an unnamed Oiler on Stone’s). Our players were trying to get their sticks on pucks so they didn’t get to the net, but you block shots with your body,” said Eakins.

Hanzal, the best player on the ice, an absolute load in the middle, got the other Phoenix goal off his skate in the first minute of the second.

Oilers goal scorers were: Pitlick, with his first NHL marker on a weak change-up that found a cavernous hole through Smith’s legs; Will Acton on a juicy rebound of a Ben Eager shot; David Perron on a sweet tic-tac-toe with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Justin Schultz; and Ryan Jones on a deflection.

It wasn’t a stellar bit of goaltending on either side — 57 total shots and nine goals.

But the Coyotes got the win and Eakins was left to offer up another “we did a lot of good things, but” analysis after the game. The fact is, his team isn’t nearly good enough. They lose to the teams they should, (like the Pittsburgh Penguins) and lose to the teams that should be their equal (Winnipeg Jets and the Coyotes).

They score, but they can’t defend. They haven’t had a power-play goal (they’re 5-for-41) in seven straight games, although they only had two looks and a little more than two minutes of extra man Saturday. Their penalty kill has given up 12 goals in 12 games, most in the league. There was a sense of inevitability that the Oilers weren’t going to win here, even with the four goals and a very ordinary game by Smith, one of Canada’s Olympic hopefuls.

“The power plays came back-to-back. That’s tough and I thought one should have been cancelled out because Jordan Eberle clearly got high-sticked in the head. Boyd Gordon’s heart rate was high because I had to keep using him (on the faceoffs).”

“We had to find a way to block those shots,” said Eakins.

“Those two defencemen (Yandle and Ekman-Larsson) are mobile and skilled,” said Nugent-Hopkins.

“You can’t take those penalties in the last 10 minutes, though.”

LaBarbera knows he wasn’t good enough.

“It was a weird one. A lot of pucks bouncing around, a couple of tips, a couple of screens,” he said. “I didn’t see Yandle’s shot. I didn’t see the last two.”

ON THE BENCH: The Oilers scratched defenceman Nick Schultz to play Denis Grebeshkov for the second time this season

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.27.2013


Needed: defensive help for the Edmonton Oilers

October 26, 2013. 10:45 pm

Posted by:

Jim Matheson

The real concern for Edmonton Oilers GM Craig MacTavish isn’t the injuries to Taylor Hall and Sam Gagner, who could be back in a week with a cage mask to protect his busted jaw, and now Tyler Pitlick.

He has to put a tourniquet on his overall team defence, either by trading something of real value to get a top 4 D-man or getting help in net, or getting more responsible forwards away from the puck.

His struggling team is drowning in goals allowed (48 in 12 games).

Devan Dubnyk’s play has been much better his last four starts, but backup Jason LaBarbera has an .857 save percentage. Yes, it’s time to panic.

MacTavish has to make a trade (not Mike Brown for a fourth-round draft pick) to send a message to his players and certainly to the restless fan base that three wins in 12 games is an embarrassing start. It is time to panic.

The Oilers score lots 5-on-5 (30) but they can’t stop anything.

Five goals to Winnipeg, six to Vancouver, four to New Jersey, six to Toronto, five to Phoenix, four to Montreal, four twice to Washington.

“They need a goalie,” said two pro scouts at Saturday’s game.

It’s not as simplistic as that. Team defence. It’s awful right now. They’ve given up 27 5-0n-5 goals, most in the league. Minnesota’s surrendered five, by way of comparison in the same 12 games.



Edmonton Oilers winger Tyler Pitlick latest to join walking wounded

October 26, 2013. 9:27 pm

Posted by:

Jim Matheson

Edmonton Oilers winger Tyler Pitlick went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows Saturday, securing the souvenir puck for his first NHL goal, then having to leave the rink on crutches after his left knee was damaged when he tried to avoid a low hit by Phoenix defenceman David Schlemko.

Pitlick threw a slow curve at Phoenix goalie Mike Smith midway through the first when he was expected a high hard one off the right wing, and the off-speed delivery fluttered through Smith’s wickets.

In time, Pitlick may tell his kids he roared down the wing and looked like Guy Lafleur unleashing a rocket, his hair flying, but actually it was pretty fortunate stuff.

Not the kind of goal that will win Smith any points in his battle to be one of Canada’s Olympic goalies. But it was sheer joy for Pitlick, playing his third NHL game.

The exhultation gave way to exasperation when Pitlick hobbled off the ice a little later. He tried to squeeze past Schlemko, and instead of taking the hit or bowling over the local boy Schlemko, he somersaulted.

There’s no word on how badly he’s injured but Pitlick (10 shifts in the game Saturday, just 6:08) was playing on the third line and has been getting significant minutes–10 minutes on average in his three games. He looks like an NHLer.

“He’s hurt and didn’t come back in the game so that’s not usually a good sign,” said coach Dallas Eakins.

He had no trouble with the Schlemko check.. “It looked like he caught him with his hip. I didn’t have much problem with it.”

Eakins said they may go with seven D against the Los Angeles Kings Sunday night after sitting out Nick Schultz for Denis Grebeshkov against the Coyotes, or they’ll bring somebody else in from OKCity.

Linus Omark had four goals Friday night against San Antonio, one on a penalty shot. If that isn’t enough (11 points, seven goals in 11 games) to get a look as a farmhand nothing is.

Then again, Anton Lander (six points in eight games) was scratched Saturday against the same Rampage in a 4-2 loss, so he could be on his way instead. You’d much rather go with six D and 12 forwards.

“This is tough for the kid (Pitlick). He does the simple things. He gets pucks deep and goes after body. We’re asking our guys to shoot the puck from all angles and he’s done that,” said Eakins.

Grebeshkov was much better in his second game of the season (16 minutes, plus 2) than in his first on the six-game road trip when he only got seven minutes work against Ottawa a week ago.

It’s going to be interesting when Corey Potter, down in OKC on a two-week conditioning stint to recover from back problems, returns.

The Oilers will have eight defencemen. Do they want to carry that many?

Potter has to clear waivers. Ditto for Grebeshkov. And with Schultz sitting as a healthy scratch and making $3.5 million, this is not a good sign for the veteran who came in the Tom Gilbert trade.



Edmonton Oilers lose goal-fest to Coyotes

By Derek Van Diest ,Edmonton Sun

First posted: Saturday, October 26, 2013 03:44 PM MDT | Updated: Saturday, October 26, 2013 03:58 PM MDT

GLENDALE, ARIZ. - PHOENIX — Special teams have been anything but for the Edmonton Oilers this season.

Saturday afternoon, the Oilers were once again burnt by their inability to kill a penalty or score with the man advantage, giving up a pair of power-play goals in the third period in a 5-4 loss to the Phoenix Coyotes.

Keith Yandle scored to tie the game in the third, then Oliver Ekman-Larsson netted the winner - both on the power play - to hand the Oilers their second consecutive loss.

Martin Hanzal, Michael Stone and David Schlemko added the others for the Coyotes in the win. Tyler Pitlick, Will Acton, David Perron and Ryan Jones scored for the Oilers, while Jason LaBarbera took the loss in goal.

“It’s getting disheartening to keep saying I liked most of our game, but we ended up short,” said Oilers head coach Dallas Eakins. “Any night that you tip two pucks into your own net, that’s usually trouble and we have to find a way to block those shots on that penalty kill at the end.

“I thought on both those goals we had a real good look at getting in front of the shot and we didn’t quite get there and not quite getting there is not good enough.”

Jones had put the Oilers up 4-3 just over seven minutes into the third, as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins’ shot from the high slot bounced off the Oilers winger and sailed past Coyotes goaltender Mike Smith.

The Oilers, however, could not hold the lead as Yandle tied the game on the power play with a point shot that found its way through a crowd in front.

Ekman-Larsson then went on to score the winner at 12:23 of the period, snapping a shot through LaBarbera.

“I didn’t see the last two,” said LaBarbera. “But you have to make a save, you have to get something on it, I just couldn’t come up with a save at the right time.

“It was a weird game, a lot of pucks bouncing around, there were a couple of tips and screen shots. Your goalie has to be your best penalty killer and I wasn’t able to do it in the third period.”

Pitlick opened the scoring in the first period with the first of his career. The Oilers rookie took the puck up the right wing, whiffed on his initial shot then threw the puck at the net, which fooled Smith and slid through him.

Pitlick was later knocked out of the contest when Schlemko caught him with a hip-check along the board. Pitlick was forced to leave with an injury to his left knee.

In the second, the Coyotes scored three goals in a five-minute span, temporarily chasing LaBarbera.

Martin Hanzal scored 47 seconds into the period, finishing off an Oliver Ekman-Larsson pass in front. Stone gave the Coyotes the lead on a shot from the boards, which LaBarbera probably should have handled.

Just 27 seconds later, Schlemko gave the Coyotes a 3-1 lead as his point-shot hit Mark Arcobello on its way through and changed direction on LaBarbera, who was none-too-impressed with the Oilers centre.

Eakins pulled LaBarbera temporarily, allowing the goaltender to compose himself, then sent him back in.

“I didn’t have a timeout and I wanted to have a little chat with our team to see if I could get them going right back in the right direction,” said Eakins, who had burned his timeout earlier in the game on an icing. “It was a wakeup call, where I think they thought I was going to change the goalie and then I was able to get him right back in. It was more of a chance for me to let our team breath a little bit.”

Devan Dubnyk made one save in 39 seconds of relief work before making way for LaBarbera again.

Acton got the Oilers to within a goal, banging a rebound past Smith, who stopped Ben Eager’s initial shot.

The Oilers had a number good chances to tie the game before Perron finally did, finishing off a brilliant four-way passing play.

Eberle started the play in the Coyotes zone with a cross-ice pass to Justin Schultz, who found Nugent-Hopkins at the side of the net. Nugent-Hopkins then found Perron for the easy tap-in.

“There was a five-minute stint there where we let our guard down and they capitalized,” Nugent-Hopkins said. “But for the most part I thought we played a pretty solid game and those penalties at the end killed us.”

GAME REVUE

Three Stars

1. Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Coyotes

Scored the game winner and added a pair of assists.

2. Keith Yandle, Coyotes

A goal and a diving play to keep the puck in at the zone setting up winner.

3. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Oilers

A pair of assists for the centre.

OIL GRADES

Offence B

Defence C

Goaltending C

Power play D

Penalty kill D

Toughness C

Effort B

WHY THEY LOST

They can’t kill a penalty and score on their power plays, a bad combination in hockey. Two power-play goals in the third gave Coyotes the win.

BIG PLAY

Jordan Eberle starts a pretty passing play with a cross-ice feed to Justin Schultz. He finds Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who slides it across to David Perron for an easy tap-in.

BIG HIT

Coyotes defenceman David Schlemko goes low and catches Tyler Pitlick with a hip-check along the boards. Pitlick injured his knee on the play and did not return.

NEXT

Oilers at Los Angeles Kings (7 p.m.) Staples Center

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.27.2013

723480 Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers’ Brad Boyes needs to get defensive

By George Richards

Posted on Sun, Oct. 27, 2013

With victories in just three of the opening 11 games, Panthers coach Kevin Dineen is desperate to find a combination that works.

On Saturday, Dineen said Tomas Kopecky and Shawn Matthias, two of Florida’s leading scorers last season, would be put in better position to score their first goal of the season.

Brad Boyes, however, might not play Sunday against visiting Tampa Bay after being benched for all but two shifts in the third period of Friday’s loss to Buffalo. Boyes leads the Panthers with four goals, but Dineen hasn’t been too keen with Boyes’ play on the defensive side of the ice.

“Brad Boyes was brought in here to score goals, and we know he can score goals,” Dineen said about Boyes, who worked on a fifth line with Krys Barch and an injured Steve Pinizzotto on Saturday.

“When he gets into the scoring areas, he needs to take advantage. That’s when we’re excited about his play. He also has to understand we have to be a complete hockey team, to be good in both ends. That’s part of our makeup.

“I can go through every player and pick things I’m not happy about. Look at our record; I’m not happy with my coaching. I’m not happy with a lot of different players’ overall game. Again, we need a complete game from everyone to have success. That’s doubly important for our veterans.”

Boyes came into the locker room Saturday afternoon with Barch, dripping in sweat after putting in extra time on the ice.

Boyes scored 10 goals with the Islanders last season, and his four goals with the Panthers is one better than Marcel Goc, Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov. Boyes is third on the Panthers with six points.

Scottie Upshall has seemingly taken Boyes’ spot in the lineup after he was scratched Friday. Upshall was working with Nick Bjugstad and Kris Versteeg on Saturday.

“I want to be in the lineup,” said Boyes, who signed a one-year deal with the Panthers after coming to training camp on a tryout. “It sucks, but I’m going to work to get back in there. … I want to keep going out there and have the opportunity to score. It hasn’t happened lately. Everyone had shots [Friday]; I just need to keep firing at the net.”

While Boyes has four goals, Matthias and Kopecky are looking for their first of the season. Both players have created a bunch of chances, as Kopecky is third on the team with 26 shots on goal and Matthias has 15 shots.

Dineen said both will be given additional time on the power play, and he isn’t worried about them breaking through and scoring soon. Of course, the longer the drought, the more doubt creeps into their collective games.

“I’ve been there before, and it’s no fun,” Dineen said. “It gets in your head a little bit, and you start driving a different path to the arena because you think taking the expressway instead of the Sawgrass will make a difference in how you play. At the end, hey, whatever works. As a coach, I have to put them in situations to succeed. I do have confidence and belief in those players.”

Matthias, who scored a career-high 14 goals in last season’s lockout-shortened season, said he hasn’t changed his off-ice habits during the slump but might Sunday.

Matthias, who plays on a line with Kopecky and Goc, is back on the wing after spending much of the past few seasons at center.

“The worst thing you can do is think too much about it, and I’ve been doing that,” Matthias said. “I need to get one to get this off my mind and start rolling. It’s hard not to think about it. If the chances weren’t coming, I would be really worried. But they are there. It’s just a matter of time. I’ll get one and the stress will go with it.”

• Sean Bergenheim had a big impact in his first game back since Game 7 of the 2012 Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Bergenheim, who had been out with various lower-body injuries, assisted on Florida’s lone goal and had numerous chances against the Sabres.

“There were some high-end scoring chances that he helped create,” Dineen said. “It was a good start for him. It was a baby step. The first one is out of the way, and we can stop talking about anything but his performance.”

• Although Pinizzotto is working out with the team after sustaining a hip injury during training camp, Dineen said the former Vancouver forward isn’t close to being game-ready.

Miami Herald LOADED: 10.27.2013


LOOKING FOR ANSWERS: Dineen Trying to Find Combos that Work for Florida Panthers

Posted by George Richards at 05:34 PM

With wins in just three of the opening 11 games, Panthers coach Kevin Dineen is desperate to find a combination that works.

On Saturday, Dineen said Tomas Kopecky and Shawn Matthias, two of Florida's leading scorers last season, would be put in better position to score their first goal of the season.

Brad Boyes, however, may not play Sunday against visiting Tampa Bay after being benched for all but two shifts in the third period of Friday's loss to Buffalo. Boyes leads the Panthers with four goals but Dineen hasn't been too keen with Boyes' play on the defensive side of the ice.

"Brad Boyes was brought in here to score goals and we know he can score goals,'' Dineen said about Boyes, who worked on a fifth line with Krys Barch and an injured Steve Pinizzotto on Saturday.

"When he gets into the scoring areas he needs to take advantage. That's when we're excited about his play. He also has to understand we have to be a complete hockey team, to be good in both ends. That's part of our makeup.

"I can go through every player and pick things I'm not happy about. Look at our record; I'm not happy with my coaching. I'm not happy with a lot of different players' overall game. Again, we need a complete game from everyone to have success. That's doubly important for our veterans.''

Boyes came into the locker room Saturday afternoon with Barch dripping in sweat after putting in extra time on the ice. Boyes scored 10 goals with the Islanders last year and his four goals with the Panthers is one better than Marcel Goc, Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov. Boyes is third on the Panthers with six total points.

Scottie Upshall has seemingly taken Boyes' spot in the lineup after he was scratched Friday. Upshall was working with Nick Bjugstad and Kris Versteeg on Saturday.

"I want to be in the lineup,'' said Boyes, who signed a one-year deal with the Panthers after coming to training camp on a try out. "It sucks, but I'm going to work to get back in there. .-.-. I want to keep going out there and have the opportunity to score. It hasn't happened lately. Everyone had shots [Friday], I just need to keep firing at the net."

Although Boyes has four goals, Matthias and Kopecky are both looking for their first of the season. Both players have created a bunch of chances as Kopecky is third on the team with 26 shots on goal and Matthias has 15.

Dineen said both will be given additional time on the power play and added he isn't worried both players will break through and score soon. Of course, the longer the drought, the more doubt creeps into their collective game.

"I've been there before and it's no fun,'' Dineen said. "It gets in your head a little bit and you start driving a different path to the arena because you think taking the expressway instead of the Sawgrass will make a difference in how you play. At the end, hey, whatever works. As a coach I have to put them in situations to succeed. I do have confidence and belief in those players.''

Matthias, who scored a career-high 14 goals in last year's lockout-shortened season, said he hasn't changed up his off-ice habits during the slump but may on Sunday. Matthias, who plays on a line with Kopecky and Marcel Goc, is back on the wing after spending much of the past few seasons at center.

"The worst thing you can do is think too much about it, and I've been doing that,'' Matthias said. "I need to get one to get this off my mind and start rolling. It's hard not to think about it. If the chances weren't coming I would be really worried. But they are there. It's just a matter of time. I'll get one and the stress will go with it.''

-- Sean Bergenheim had a big impact in his first game back since Game 7 of the 2012 Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Bergenheim, who had been out with various lower-body injuries, assisted on Florida's lone goal and had numerous chances against the Sabres.

"There were some high-end scoring chances that he helped create,'' Dineen said. "It was a good start for him. It was a baby step. The first one is out of the way and we can stop talking about anything but his performance.''

-- Although Pinizzotto is working out with the team after suffering a hip injury during training camp, Dineen said the former Vancouver forward isn't close to being game-ready.

SUNDAY: LIGHTNING AT PANTHERS

When, Where: 5 p.m.; BB&T Center, Sunrise

TV/Radio: FSNF; WQAM-560

The series: Florida leads 57-43-10

The game: The Panthers have lost four of six to the Lightning dating to last year including a 7-2 setback in Tampa Bay's home opener on Oct. 10. Tampa Bay played host to Buffalo on Saturday night before traveling to South Florida. The Panthers have three points in their past three games.

Miami Herald LOADED: 10.27.2013


Lightning at Panthers preview

By Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel

4:30 PM EDT, October 26, 2013

Lightning at Panthers

When/Where: 5 p.m., BB&T Center

TV: FSF; Radio: 560-WQAM

Scouting report: The Panthers have scored two or less goals in each game of this 1-2-1 homestand. Despite outshooting Buffalo 45-21 the Panthers are coming off a 3-1 loss. They're 1-of-12 on power play over last six games. The Panthers were blown out 7-2 in the Lightning's home-opener on Oct. 10 as superstar Steven Stamkos notched an assist and his sixth career hat trick. G Jacob Markstrom gave up six goals on 24 shots. Lightning G Ben Bishop (6-1) had 19 saves, but Anders Lindback, who's 0-2 with a 3.80 GAA, will face Florida. The Lightning are 4-2 on a seven-game homestand that concluded Saturday against Buffalo. D Ed Jovanovski (hip) and G Tim Thomas (groin) are out. Fs Brad Boyes and Krys Barch are projected scratches.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 10.27.2013


Winchester and Bergenheim bright spots in dark loss for Panthers

Linemates combined on Panthers' lone goal in 3-1 loss to dismal Sabres; Boyes to be benched

By Harvey Fialkov, Sun Sentinel

5:41 PM EDT, October 26, 2013

SUNRISE

If there were any bright spots during Friday's painful 3-1 loss to the lowly Sabres, then it had to be the play of newfound Panthers' linemates Jesse Winchester and Sean Bergenheim, who combined on Florida's lone goal.

After a season out of the NHL, Winchester, 30, has battled back from a serious concussion sustained in December 2011 when he was on the Ottawa Senators. After playing 16 games in Finland during the lockout last season, Winchester was out of hockey until the Panthers offered him a two-way contract in July.

Last week, Panthers coach Kevin Dineen said he had the, "joy,'' of telling Winchester to move out of his hotel and find a more permanent place to live.

"It was a pretty special day,'' said Winchester, who has two goals and has been a vital addition to the vastly improved penalty-kill unit. "I worked hard all summer and last year to get healthy and get better. To come in and really earn a job is something to be proud of.

"I'm just trying to play simple, play hard and do whatever the team asks me to do.''

Dineen said Winchester has been one of his better forwards.

"Jesse's got a level of desperation,'' Dineen said. "That kid's been hungry since Day 1 … of training camp. He's established a trust level with my staff and I, that he can go out there and be an effective player. He gives us a dynamic we've been missing, a guy who can kill penalties, be responsible defensively, be physical and chip in offensively.''

In Bergenheim's first NHL game since April 2012, he set up Winchester in front and created several scoring opportunities in 11:59 of ice time.

"Bergy had a good game if you look at the chances he created,'' Dineen said. "Baby steps. That first one's out of the way and we can quit talking about anything but his performance.''

Bergenheim said he felt sore but, "pretty good,'' after his first game, and he too sang the praise of Winchester.

"He creates room,'' Bergenheim said. "I like his style. He goes to the net and works hard.''

Foul mood

Losing to a 1-9-1 team had Dineen in a salty mood after practice Saturday at BB&T Center, as he sent more messages than a hotel phone operator.

A disappointed Dineen said he was benching Brad Boyes, the team's leading goal scorer with four, on Sunday because of defensive shortcomings.

"When he gets into scoring areas he needs to take advantage of that so we can get excited about his play,'' Dineen said. "He's also very understanding that we have to be a complete hockey team, meaning we have to be good at both ends.''

Dineen also sent a stern message to slumping forward Jonathan Huberdeau, who has one assist in his last four games.

"I need Jon Huberdeau to be a top-notch player for us right now,'' said Dineen, who moved Huberdeau back on a line with Aleksander Barkov and Tomas Fleischmann. "I don't want guys who want to be NHL players on a bad team. We had that last year, good players on a bad team.

"I want players to bring something to the table and if they don't … they're not in the lineup.''

Fire away

The 45 shots by the Panthers Friday was their most since Nov.5, 2010, when they outshot Carolina 50-31 in a 7-4 win. Just two days earlier they tied a franchise-high with 55 shots in a 4-3 loss to the Atlanta Thrashers.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 10.27.2013

723484 Los Angeles Kings

Kings' Drew Doughty shows leadership, fortitude

By Lance Pugmire

3:26 PM PDT, October 26, 2013

The Kings still can use the fortitude forged from their Stanley Cup season ... once Kings Coach Darryl Sutter reminds them.

After the Phoenix Coyotes scored a fourth consecutive goal to turn a 4-0 Kings lead into an unwanted October gag Thursday night, Sutter called time out.

Defenseman Drew Doughty couldn't remember a word that was said, but he knew his marching orders: Phoenix won't score again.

"I was just kind of thinking to myself, 'I've got to get this team back going, show my leadership,'" Doughty said.

On the heels of goals in back-to-back games, Doughty assisted on Matt Frattin's goal later in the third period and finished with a plus-four goal differential in his team-highest 27 minutes 23 seconds of ice time.

"You've just got to stay positive," Doughty said. " … I'm trying to play hard defense, that's what the team wants me to do, and trying to do more on the offensive end."

Visible touch

Maybe it was his plate-breaking charity shooting on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" earlier in the week.

Kings center Anze Kopitar said he did nothing else to vary his preparation before finally breaking his 26-game regular-season scoring drought with a power-play goal 42 seconds into the Kings' victory.

"I ate the same pregame meal and everything," Kopitar said. "Nothing was really … different, but I didn't hit the post tonight and it's nice to get the first one."

Whatever it was, the Kings (7-4) need that potent scoring touch back. Kopitar had five consecutive seasons with 25 or more goals before last year's lockout-shortened campaign.

Sutter said Kopitar's breakthrough is "really good" for a team playing four of its next six games against Pacific Division rivals. Only Tuesday's game against Phoenix is on the road.

"It's nice," Kopitar said. "I've been too close too many times now."

Break on through

After training camp, Sutter praised Dwight King as the team's most consistent left wing.

"It's really good to see … Kinger gets rewarded for a lot of work … the grunt work, right?" Sutter said.

King's first career hat trick was capped by an empty-net goal. Kings center Jarret Stoll said teammates wanted King to relish the moment.

"He usually has that smile on his face 24/7, but he wasn't smiling too much when he came back to the bench" after the empty-net goal, Stoll said. "I said, 'Kinger, where's that smile? You just got a hat trick!' I think he was trying to be a 50-goal scorer."

King reluctantly put a Kings hat on for the cameras after the game and humbly described his performance. "Just tried to get there before" Phoenix goalie Mike Smith "was set."

Center of attention

Kings centers hadn't scored in their first 59 shots, but after Kopitar's breakthrough Mike Richards provided Thursday's defining play — a short-handed goal to quickly answer Phoenix's tying goal. It was Richards' 28th career short-handed goal and the team's third this season.

"It's great … for everybody," said Stoll, who remained goal-less but noted that the other scoreless center, Colin Fraser, notch his first assist. "It's a big win and gets us back on track. Me and 'Frazz,' we've got to get ours the next."

KINGS VS. EDMONTON

When: 6.

Where: Staples Center.

On the air: TV: FS West; Radio: 1150.

Record vs. Oilers (2012-2013): 2-0-1.

Etc.: Right wing Jordan Eberle leads Edmonton in points, but the Oilers have given up more goals than any team in the NHL. The Kings will wear vintage jerseys while honoring former defenseman Jay Wells.

LA Times: LOADED: 10.27.2013


Ben Scrivens and goaltending instruction

Posted by JonRosen on October 26, 2013

Ben Scrivens has appeared in three games with the Kings, a sample size that becomes even smaller when considering he has started only one regular season game since joining the team as an asset in the trade that sent Jonathan Bernier to the Toronto Maple Leafs in June. Through 98 minutes of play this season, he’s 1-0-0 with a shutout, having stopped 31-of-33 shots.

It was clear that Scrivens was raising his play throughout his heavy training camp usage, with Darryl Sutter stating that “he got better every game” shortly before the start of the season.

But Scrivens has a grand total of 35 career NHL games under his belt – with only 28 decisions – and there is the factor that he has received instruction from several different goaltending coaches in his professional career, including Francois Allaire and Rick St. Croix with Toronto, and Bill Ranford and Kim Dillabaugh in Los Angeles.

There’s no indication whatsoever that the multiple voices have been problematic. It is, however, an interesting conversation topic with Ranford, who discussed Scrivens’ development since joining the Kings, and the convergence in the styles of tutelage the 27-year-old has received.

Goaltending Coach Bill Ranford, on Ben Scrivens:

I think it’s been a real, real good work in progress. There’s some philosophies that Kim and I have with our goalies that were different than what he was doing in Toronto. It’s one of those things – you have to gain that trust, and we’ve worked on that through the summer once we found out that he was coming to us, and then in training camp. As the season’s moved along here, he has worked hard at little things in his game, and the maintenance and the tempo that we have as an expectation for our goalies.

Ranford, on the differences between Scrivens’ instruction in Toronto and Los Angeles:

I think some of just the aspect of the tempo of his game. We focused on a little bit more urgency, eliminating delay in his game, and to give him more time to take in information when he’s moving from spot to spot. That’s probably the first things that we worked on right off the bat. Putting a little bit more urgency in his post-save – any time that situation comes about. And then the other aspect is he’s just kind of worked on his hand position a little bit, and just being a little bit more reactive with his hands.

Ranford, on a reference to Scrivens “searching for a happy medium” in his instruction:

He was working with Frankie Allaire, and I think his is a little bit more of a blocking philosophy than we have, and I’m more of a being in more of a reactive state…Francois Allaire’s been around for a long time, and you want to learn, and analyze his philosophies…and that’s probably where Scrivs is coming from, from the point of trying to find that happy medium. We want him to be reactive, and he was taught in certain situations to be more in a blocking state, and it’s finding that comfort level for him. I’ve always said I’m not a guy that’s going to mold a robotic-type goalie, and ‘this is the L.A. King goalie.’ We take the tools from within, and I’ve always said when what you do starts causing goals against, then I step in and make the changes. That’s kind of always been my philosophy with everybody. I’m not trying to mold a cookie cutter-type goalie. Each guy, if you look at the guys that we’ve had here in the past, they’ve all been a little bit different. But the biggest thing, the staple for us as L.A. King goalies, is attention to detail, work ethic.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.27.2013


On the eve of Legends Night…


Phoenix Coyotes v Los Angeles KingsThe Kings will hold the first Legends Night of the season and will honor Jay Wells in an on-ice ceremony prior to Sunday evening’s game against the Edmonton Oilers. All fans in attendance will receive a Wells “bobble-fist,” shown above.

Selected 16th overall by Los Angeles at the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, Wells appeared in 604 games as a King, the 10th highest total in club history. His 1,446 penalty minutes rank third all-time in the club’s registry, while his 177 career points rank seventh amongst defensemen.

His NHL playing career spanned from 1979 to 1997, and of his three goals in 114 career playoff games, one particular goal kick started the greatest comeback in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.

Daryl Evans punctuated the Miracle on Manchester with an overtime goal against Grant Fuhr and the Oilers – a goal that Wells was on the ice for – and recalled the goal scored 2:46 into the third period that helped catalyze the Kings’ comeback.

“Going in, trailing by five goals, we just wanted to simplify things,” Evans said. “I think that was the message, was to try to win the final 20 minutes and build a little momentum for the following game. Jay, again, I think a play that really was just characteristic of him – a simple play from back at the blue line, a little traffic in front. He shot it, the puck found its way into the net, and the next thing you know, we were on the board and we had a little bit going. Jay Wells – he kicked it off.”

Goal scoring was not how Wells earned his NHL keep. A rugged defenseman often referred to as “honest,” he was a shutdown defenseman with a rugged streak eager to defend his teammates and stood toe-to-toe with some of the well-known enforcers of the 1980’s.

Daryl Evans, on Jay Wells:

Jay was the ultimate teammate. He was one of those guys that stuck up for his teammates. He was fortunate enough to have the gift of being able to throw the fists back in an era where you really had to do so. I think he was a well-respected guy not only by his teammates, but also by his peers. Known as a hard-nosed player. Always played the game clean, but if anything had to be handled on the ice, he was the first one to jump for it. He was a great teammate, and he had an impact on our team back in the ‘80s.

Evans, on Wells’ defensive attributes:

Well, I think when you look at him, he was known for the big hip check. He was one of those guys, again, if you didn’t have your head up, he’d make you pay the price – but in an honest way. Simple game in the defensive zone. He was one of those guys, first pass, get it up to the forwards, and let them do their work in the offensive zone. Just again, simplifying it, putting pucks at the net. But as a player, again, a guy who showed up every night. He was one of those guys that you couldn’t say ‘didn’t give it his all’ every night. I think when you look at his statistics, one of those guys that goes unnoticed a lot for the things that he did on the ice. He was known for being a physical player, and a real hard player to play against.

Evans, on where Wells placed amongst the better fighters in the league:

I saw him fight a few of the heavyweights in that time – Dave Semenko, and things like that. With the reputation that Semenko had at that time, Jay definitely could hold his own at that level. He was a guy that could hold his own. He’d hit hard when he threw a punch, and he had the ability to be able to defend with the strength that he had. He had great balance on the ice. I think that’s one of the keys for those guys that are able to fight, especially for the guys who throw the heavy punch. Sometimes you throw that big punch and you lose your balance, but he was able to be able to stand in there, and I think that’s one of the things that probably I noticed about when he got involved in his fights, was his ability to be able to hold that balance. I’d put him up there, and he was definitely in the top echelon, for sure.

KingsCast caught up with Wells at Hockey Fest in 2010 and put together this feature:

Wells’ statistics:

The Kings will be wearing Forum Blue and gold jerseys with the iconic crown insignia for all Legends Nights games. Here’s goaltender Ben Scrivens in his Legends Night mask:

Scrivens

Future 2013-14 Legends Nights will honor Larry Murphy on December 7 prior to a game against the New York Islanders, and Jim Fox on March 13 when the Toronto Maple Leafs visit.

Mike Kalinowski put together a Wells feature for LAKings.com: Jay Wells – A Closer Look

Previous Legends Nights:

2012-13: Ian Laperriere, Kelly Hrudey

2011-12: Daryl Evans, Bernie Nicholls, Charlie Simmer

2010-11: Rogie Vachon, Bob Berry, Bob Pulford



Regehr: “I’ve been feeling better”


Nearly half of Robyn Regehr’s 33 years have been spent on the roster of a National Hockey League team. A first round pick by Colorado in 1998, Regehr made his NHL debut as a 19-year-old with Calgary in the 1999-00 season and has spent the last 15 seasons with the Flames, the Buffalo Sabres, and now the Los Angeles Kings, with whom he has appeared in 23 regular season and 18 playoff games.

There is heavy mileage on Regehr’s body. Though there are limitations in his mobility, the veteran defenseman claims to have improved positionally in the second half of October, and his own observations are certainly in concert with many of those in observance following a pair of games this week that would likely constitute his two most productive outings of the young season.

“I think I’ve been feeling better the last three or four games, and I’ve just been in a little bit better position, and a little faster to close guys out, and that’s caused some good hits and some more physical play, which for me personally, I need that,” he said. “I feel like I play a better game, and I’m in the game more if I’m hitting, closing guys down and being hard on ‘em.”

Ranking third on the Kings with an average of 17 minutes and 11 seconds of even strength time on ice per game, Regehr was credited with five hits in both Monday’s loss to Calgary and Thursday’s win over Phoenix. He also blocked three shots against the Coyotes, recorded an assist, and finished with a plus-2 rating over 20:49 of total ice time.

“I think if you look at Robyn as a player, he’s always been known as a tough defender. He’s a really good defender,” said assistant coach John Stevens. “He gets people isolated along the boards and below the goal line, the plays he stops there. On top of that, he’s not going to lead the rush, but he’s capable of getting the puck and moving it up, getting it to his partner and making a support play. I think he’s been very effective for us in that regard the last couple games.”

Earlier in the season, there was an adjustment period in fine tuning his positional bearings and improving his timing and reads. As he has gained more in-game repetitions, the level of his play has risen.

“Timing is a big part of…positioning. Also, the speed in which you close down on a guy once you get the angle on him,” Regehr said. “So once you figure out the angle, you know where you’re going to meet him. You have to do it very, very quickly. Nowadays, a lot of guys, especially with guys with some very good speed, what they’ll do is they chip the puck past you, and then you can’t touch them, and then you go around that way. There’s a lot of things that kind of have to play into that, but just being a little bit sharper on all of them, having a little bit more practice to do that, and getting in more game situations to just improve at it.”

The challenges in winning battles for pucks chipped beyond the defending goal line was not an issue limited to only Regehr.

“I think early in the year, that’s an area where our whole team had to get better at,” Stevens said. “But certainly with him, Drew, going back for pucks and being able to get pucks that we get to first, either get your feet turned up or make a play. It’s something we’ve spent some time looking at, and he spent some time doing some extra work on in practice, and I think it’s starting to pay dividends. But clearly, when you do a good job defending, and you get possession of the puck, you want to be able to keep possession by making plays from there, and that’s something he’s worked hard at.”

Regehr also shared some specific objectives when the team is competing in its own zone and analyzed his assist on Dwight King’s goal as part of a fundamentally sound play in the win over Phoenix on Thursday.

On how to defend pucks chipped deep into Kings territory:

First of all, if he chips it in, and you can’t make the play on him initially – you have too much of a gap, or there’s just been too much time since he’s chipped it – you have to turn and race back. If you can get the puck first, you go back and get the puck first and try to make a play, get it to your partner or do something with it. That being said, if you go back, and it’s going to be a

50-50 puck, what you usually try to do as a defender, you try to get under the guy’s stick so he can’t make a play on the puck, and then kind of get your body in position so you can finish the check, and then separate him from the puck. That’s really what a lot of body checks are, are separating the opposition from the puck so either you can get the puck or someone else can get the puck. Those are the two kind of different scenarios. I guess the third one is, if he chips it past you, and you know he’s going to beat you, sometimes you leave him for your partner if your partner’s coming across, and he’s going to play that situation, and you have to go back to the front of the net. Or, if it’s you, then you look for the angle. So you know he’s going to get the puck. Figure out the angle he’s going to go, and try to cut off the back of the net, because you don’t want to allow him to get behind the net, because what that does, is it makes everyone on all of our defensive zone coverage then shift to the other side, and whenever you have that happen, it’s hard because there’s seams that open up. There’s usually time that it takes to do that, and time allows the offensive team to make a play. So you want to cut that – we call it ‘cut the ice in half’ – because you want to keep ‘em onto one side and finish him.

On his assist on Dwight King’s second goal against Phoenix:

I was just shooting at him. I was shooting it at Dwight. I knew that when Justin made the play across, and I saw the puck bouncing to me, but I also took a quick peek, and I saw that [King] was already in great position in front of the net, and as we just spoke about, the puck went from one side to the other. So what happened if, if you look at that play, those players hadn’t had a chance to come over and check him yet. He’s there, and he made a great deflection. I shot it at him. He did all the hard work.

On whether he simply tries to “shoot it low” in those situations:

[I'm] just trying to shoot it at them [so] they can get a stick on it exactly. You look – sometimes guys will have their stick up in the air. Sometimes they’ll have it out on their forehand or backhand. Wherever it is, you just want to try to shoot it so they can get at it. It’s very, very difficult to shoot on a goalie, on an NHL goalie, from the blue line, just you and the goalie, and score on him. The percentages are extremely low. You want to use screens, you want to use tips, you want to use things like that in order to try to set something up, whether it’s a goal or a rebound, or something like that where you can create some offensive chances.


723488 Minnesota Wild

Postgame: Lots of thoughts after Wild's victory in Chicago

Post by: Michael Russo

October 27, 2013 - 12:43 AM

This is one of those games where I don’t know where to start, so instead of trying to formulate something structured, I’m just going to go in order of what comes to my mind.

Scary concept, I know, the way my cloudy mind works.

First, the particulars. Wild won, 5-3, against the Chicago Blackhawks, the model team in the NHL, winners of two Cups in four years, a team that didn’t have a regulation loss this season and had points in six straight at home. In fact, it hadn’t lost in regulation in 15 games at the United Center, spoiling their awesome fans.

The Wild has won three in a row for the second time this year and now returns home to complete the home-and-home vs. the Blackhawks. Minnesota is 4-0-2 at the X, including four wins in a row. Before tonight, the Wild was 1-3-1 on the road with seven goals total. So, a little math here, but the Wild scored two fewer goals tonight than it did in five previous road games.

My teachers at Old Bethpage Grade School would be so proud of me!!!

Before I continue, I apologize for not topping our hoops writer Jerry Zgoda’s bubble bath Wolves report with my own Wild Minute from the sauna or something, but make sure to watch Sunday’s Wild Minute with assistant to the GM Jim Mill, where I insult Blackhawks legendary anthem singer, Jim Cornelison.

Jason Pominville, in his 600th game, scored two goals for his 19th 2-goal game. He also scored the winning goal for his 23rd career winner. He also had six shots. He also buried two pretty Mikael Granlund feeds, giving Granlund three “sick” assists on the Russo “sick-assist” meter in two games. Granlund now has seven apples – one more than he had all of last season. I’ll tell you what: When Granlund learns how to bury the puck himself, he’s going to be a “sick” player. And, while that may not come consistently this season, it will come. His hands, skill and vision are too good for it not to come eventually. He just keeps getting better in every facet of the ice, and he’s so responsible defensively. His “compete,” as Todd Richards used to say, is impressive as well.

Zach Parise scored his sixth goal of the season and fourth on the power play. The Wild’s power play, which ranks fifth in the NHL, has scored in nine of 12 games. Kyle Brodziak scored 1:01 into the second. Justin Fontaine put the Wild up 5-2 before the Blackhawks scored late.

I wrote most my gamer on Niklas Backstrom, who made 33 saves and was downright awesome.

Backstrom was tested immediately, robbing Marian Hossa 21 seconds in when the star two-way forward got every ounce of a Jonathan Toews rebound. Later, Backstrom kicked out his left pad and denied Hossa again.

But his best save came 31 seconds after Parise scored. Patrick Sharp wheeled into the Wild zone to create a break. Coming from Backstrom’s right, Sharp crossed the entire goalmouth and tried to bury the puck inside the post to the left of Backstrom.

He patiently stayed with Sharp the whole way and gloved down the primo chance. Backstrom denied Sharp seven times, and they were almost all Grade A chances.

As coach Mike Yeo said, it was “great to see.” And when he said, “great,” he stressed great, as in, “GREAT!!!” to see. And you know that’s because Backstrom had a slow start to this season even before straining his right knee Oct. 8 and after Friday’s practice said he wasn’t 100 percent from his most recent injury as well as offseason abdominal surgery.

So this was big, and Backstrom’s teammates gave him props and props and more props. Backstrom, like he usually is after a win or loss, brushed everything off as no big deal, saying there was no pressure after seeing Josh Harding give up eight goals in nine games before he was hurt.

When you play against Chicago, you need your goaltender to make big saves at big times, and Backstrom did that over and over again tonight. Good to see from the true pro.

-- Marco Scandella and Nate Prosser were quite the pair tonight, and I disregard the late Scandella penalty and late Prosser mishap that resulted in Chicago scoring a meaningless goal in the last minute. When you play against Chicago, the Hawks are going to get their chances, and there were several tonight.

But Scandella and Prosser were always a safe pair for Rick Wilson to send over the boards. They were each plus-2. Scandella assisted on Brodziak’s goal and drew the Hossa penalty that led to Parise’s goal. And Prosser was just a rock and assisted on Fontaine’s goal. He was chippy, got into faces and was tough in front of the net. He made good first passes, and it’s just so impressive that a guy can be scratched almost every night and he just steps into the lineup and plays this way. You know it has to be frustrating for Prosser to be scratched all the time. Yet, he never shows that frustration publicly. He just shows up with a smile on his face and works his tail off while waiting for Yeo to write his number on the lineup sheet. It’s why his teammates respect him so much,

-- 5-on-3. Gawd awful. This is two games out of four now that the Parise-Suter-Pominville-Dany Heatley-Mikko Koivu fivesome couldn’t score on a long 5-on-3. Only two shots. Yeo says the Wild’s got to figure it out. I’m not fond of three lefties down low. I wish they’d go with a setup of Koivu in the middle, Pominville and Parise on the sides and Suter and Jared Spurgeon up top. The best 5-on-3’s work it low and score off goalmouth passes. If you have Pominville on the left side of the cage and Parise on the right, I think the Wild will get its chances. The Wild practiced 5-on-3’s a lot in camp and Parise to Pominville was a constant goal in that setup.

Yeo says it’s not the personnel, it’s the execution.

The power play did get this game rolling though five seconds into the first PP.

-- PK, much better tonight. Killed 6 of 7 and all the big ones in big spots.

“Starts with Backy,” Yeo said. “But I just like the way we were on our toes, were aggressive, we had good sticks, good reads. This is a game that our guys should feel good about.”

-- Big props to referee Kelly Sutherland. I’ve always been fans of Sutherland and tonight’s ref sidekick Chris Rooney, but Sutherland was real good tonight in one area.

After an eight-minute review that could have been accompanied by the Jeopardy theme music, he basically conducted a press conference on the ice over the PA system to explain why Andrew Shaw’s goal was disallowed. Video review determined that Shaw's stick was above the height of the crossbar when he deflected Jeremy Morin’s shot. The puck then deflected off defenseman Clayton Stoner and into the net. According to Rule 80.3 "When an attacking player causes the puck to enter the opponent's goal by contacting the puck above the height of the crossbar, either directly or deflected off any player or official, the goal shall not be allowed"

Sutherland explained that since Stoner never “regained possession” for the Wild, Shaw’s touch was illegal and thus the goal was.

-- Suter, 2 assists (great one where he does what so few Wild d-men have done throughout history; WALK THE BLUE LINE and shoot en route to the Parise tally). He logged 26:58 (slacker) but still has led all Wild and opposing skaters in ice time in all 12 Wild games this season).

-- Career-best plus-2’s for Granlund, Nino Niederreiter and Prosser. Granlund, Pominville and Scandella also plus-2’s.

-- Wild blocked 19 shots tonight.

-- Heatley looked better tonight. He had a great shift with Niederreiter and Granlund in the first period and won a puck race to help set up the Brodziak goal even though he didn’t get an assist on it.

-- Tough night for the fourth line, which was minus-2.

-- Yeo says the Wild will need to be better Monday, and he was impressed with a lot of things tonight.

That’s it for me. Obviously, please read the gamer, notebook and Sunday Insider, too, on www.startribune.com/wild. I’ve got a 7 a.m. flight back to MSP. Talk to you after Sunday’s practice.

Star Tribune LOADED: 10.27.2013


Wild notes: Veteran Rupp continues to be sidelined by knee injury

Article by: Michael Russo

Star Tribune

October 26, 2013 - 10:49 PM

CHICAGO – Wild left winger Mike Rupp had no clue when he had his left knee scoped last spring that his season debut would be delayed until at least November.

“This has been one of the most challenging things I’ve ever had to deal with injury-wise,” said the 33-year-old Rupp, a veteran of 597 games. “There was almost like a disconnect and I couldn’t get things firing, and once I did get things firing, there’s been so much compensation the last couple years that the [left] leg was just kind of depleted. I’ve had to work hard to build up the strength again.”

Rupp had arthroscopic knee surgery in 2011-12 with the Rangers. He reinjured the knee during a fight in Colorado and eventually required more surgery to repair a torn meniscus after the season.

“Even the year before with the Rangers I felt I was skating on one leg,” Rupp said. “Because of the lockout, I got extended time to rest and build it up, so I felt like I was in a good place when I came here. In hindsight, I still think I had some stuff to get cleaned up. I had a lot of fragments under my kneecap that wasn’t allowing a deep bending motion on that side.

“Now my knee feels outstanding and I’m kind of retraining my body. I was doing squats and I haven’t done squats in a couple years.”

Rupp and coach Mike Yeo met Friday to gameplan how to allow Rupp to take the next big step. With three practices this week, Yeo said Rupp will do more line reps and get in more battle drills in combination with, as Yeo joked, “the torture we’ll put him through at the end of practice.”

“He’s moving better, but he’s got another level to get to still before we put him in a game.”

Rupp is optimistic he’ll be playing soon.

“I always feel like I say I’m turning the corner to an extent, but the last seven days or so I really feel like it’s gotten to a different level,” Rupp said. “I think I need to get it to one more level, but I don’t think that’s far away at all.”

Memorable field trip

Eighteen children from the Minnesota Special Hockey Association’s Rogers Wildcats attended Saturday’s Blackhawks and Wild morning skates and game as guests of the Denis Savard Foundation.

Wildcats coach Dale Veer met the Blackhawks legend and Hall of Famer at a Hockey Expo. Savard not only invited the group to Chicago, but his foundation picked up the tab for the bus, hotel and tickets for 56 kids, parents and volunteers.

“The kids describe it as a trip of a lifetime,” said appreciative Tom Schuneman, whose daughter, Maggie, plays for the Wildcats. They also played the Chicago Tomahawks on Saturday.

“These kids have a bigger influence on me than I do on them,” said Corey McConnach, a volunteer coach and student at the University of Minnesota. “They show what true sportsmanship is all about, and this trip is something that none of us will ever forget thanks to the Denis Savard Foundation.” For more information on the Minnesota Special Hockey Association, go to www.mnspecialhockey.org.

Ultimate hockey mom

The Blackhawks just came off their mother-son trip to Fort Lauderdale and Tampa, and along for the ride was Nick Leddy’s mother, Vicki.

“It was her first taste of what we do and she was just taking everything in,” said Leddy, the 2009 Minnesota Mr. Hockey and 2012 Wild first-round pick. “She relaxed by the pool, laid out on the beach, went shopping, they had a brunch.

“My dad [Mike] did the father-son trip a few years ago and it’s great giving back to them and showing them what they built up. It’s really special.”

Injury update

The Wild was without injured defensemen Jonas Brodin (cheekbone) and Keith Ballard (concussion), forward Charlie Coyle (knee) and goalie Josh Harding (lower body) Saturday. Coyle and Ballard are expected to practice Sunday, while Brodin and Harding are questionable.



Wild-Chicago game recap

MICHAEL RUSSO

October 26, 2013 - 10:49 PM

GAME RECAP

Star Tribune’s Three Stars

1. Niklas Backstrom, Wild: Making his first start since Oct. 8, he stopped 33 of 36 shots, including several robberies.

2. Mikael Granlund, Wild: Assisted on two Jason Pominville goals; seven assists in 12 games after six in 27 games last year.

3. Marco Scandella, Wild: Assisted on Kyle Brodziak’s goal and drew a penalty that led to Zach Parise’s power-play goal.

By the numbers

19 Two-goal games, 23 game-winning goals for Pominville, playing his 600th game.

4 Power-play goals for Parise, tied for second in the NHL

2 Assists for Ryan Suter (first multi-point game).

7 Wild wins in past 21 meetings with Chicago (two in regulation).



Backstrom helps Wild get revenge against Blackhawks

Article by: Michael Russo

Star Tribune

October 27, 2013 - 12:12 AM

CHICAGO – If there was any thought that red-hot Josh Harding seized the reins as the Wild’s No. 1 during Niklas Backstrom’s eighth season with the club, the veteran goaltender had something to say about that Saturday night.

Making his first start in 18 nights because Harding is now sidelined with an injury, Backstrom was outstanding during a 33-save effort as the Wild, dispatched by the Chicago Blackhawks in five games during last year’s playoffs, knocked them off this time, 5-3.

Backstrom, whose 2013 playoffs consisted of five minutes of warmups at the United Center and a sports hernia, lasted through warmups and beyond this evening. He was tested early and often and stood tall with a series of brilliant saves, including seven on sniper Patrick Sharp.

“He made a save early in the game that made you think, just the way he made it and the way he looked, that he was in it,” coach Mike Yeo said. “He was going to be on it, and he was all night long.”

Jason Pominville, playing his 600th game, scored two goals off brilliant passes from linemate Mikael Granlund. Zach Parise, Kyle Brodziak and Justin Fontaine scored the other goals, and Ryan Suter had two assists for the 6-3-3 Wild, which has won three consecutive games.

The Wild, winners of four in a row at home, and the Blackhawks will complete the home-and-home series Monday in St. Paul.

“It’s a confidence booster,” Brodziak said.

The Wild, which had previously scored seven goals in five road games, spent much of the second period on its heels after Brodziak deflected Marco Scandella’s shot for a 2-0 Minnesota lead 61 seconds in.

At one point, after an eight-minute review, a Blackhawks goal was disallowed. It was ruled that Andrew Shaw scored off a high-stick and the Wild didn’t regain possession when defenseman Clayton Stoner accidentally knocked it over the goal line.

“That was the longest review I’ve seen in my career,” Pominville said.

Wild killer Bryan Bickell scored two minutes later anyway, but with the Wild in full-scale survival mode, Pominville sniped Granlund’s pass for a 3-1 lead with 2:18 left in the period.

“When you’ve got a guy that can shoot the puck like that and a guy that can distribute it like that, you’d sure like to think that eventually it’s going to pay off,” Yeo said.

Pominville cashed in again in the third after Granlund picked off Nick Leddy’s clear for a 4-1 lead.

“They definitely made a push and had some good zone time, good movements,” Pominville said. “But Backy made some unreal saves, couple point-blanks, a breakaway by Sharp. He kept us in there.”

The defending Stanley Cup champs entered with one regulation loss in 11 games and no regulation home losses in six.

“They’re a skilled team. They’re going to have their chances,” Backstrom said. “You have to find a way to be in the way of the puck.”

Backstrom’s early saves provided the cushion for Parise to give the Wild a 1-0 lead.

Parise sent a puck back to Suter on a faceoff and turned toward the net, and after Suter slid along the blue line and wristed a high shot at Corey Crawford, Parise tapped in the rebound for his sixth goal and fourth on the power play.

Minnesota has scored at least one power-play goal in nine of 12 games, although for the second time in four games, the Wild’s $34 million five-on-three unit of Mikko Koivu, Dany Heatley, Parise, Suter and Pominville couldn’t score on a long two-man advantage in the second.

But the Wild’s penalty kill extinguished six of seven Chicago power plays, and Scandella and defense partner Nate Prosser were terrific. They were each plus-2.

“Tough in their defensive game, tough in their D-zone coverage, tough around the net,” Yeo said of the two defensemen. “I liked the way both guys executed and showed some real composure in their shifts.”



Pregame: Wild set to play Blackhawks for first time since playoff loss

Post by: Michael Russo

October 26, 2013 - 12:47 PM

Good afternoon from the house that Nick Leddy built, the United Center, where the Wild and Blackhawks meet tonight for the first time since Minnesota's opening-round loss to Chicago in last year's playoffs.

The Blackhawks went on to win a little hardware later that summer much to the chagrin of the what-the-heck-just-happened Boston Bruins.

The Wild has won four in a row at home but is 1-3-1 on the road and has scored seven goals in that stretch. It opens a home-and-home series with its new Central Division rivals. In the past 20 meetings including last year’s playoffs, the Wild has won six against the Hawks and only one in regulation. Including last year’s 0-3 playoffs, the Wild has won two of the past 10 visits to Chicago.

Nineteen Wild players took the ice for today's morning skate. The only one who took the optional off? Matt Cooke.

"That's why I went on. I wanted to make him feel uncomfortable," joked coach Mike Yeo.

Asked what he expected now tonight from Cooke, Yeo kidded, "I don't know, but the pressure's on."

The Wild will go with the same lines that were changed during and ended Thursday's game vs. Carolina (changes in CAPS):

Zach Parise-Mikko Koivu-Justin Fontaine

NINO NIEDERREITER-Mikael Granlund-Jason Pominville

Matt Cooke-Kyle Brodziak-DANY HEATLEY

Stephane Veilleux-Zenon Konopka-Torrey Mitchell

Ryan Suter-Jared Spurgeon

Marco Scandella-Nate Prosser

Clayton Stoner-Matt Dumba

Niklas Backstrom

Johan Gustafsson

That's eight new bodies that didn't play vs. Chicago in the playoffs: Fontaine, Niederreiter, Granlund, Cooke, Prosser, Dumba, Backstrom, Gustafsson. And remember, Stoner got hurt in Game 1, Pominville missed the first three games and Veilleux only played two.

"I haven't seen them a ton this year, but ... they seem like they're moving well, they look like they're checking well as a team, they look like they're attacking

well as a group. They look like they're improved," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said.

Brad Mills and Jeremy Morin will make their season debuts for Chicago. Michal Handzus is out with an upper-body injury and Ben Smith is scratched.

Mills has played 31 games previously for the Devils and nearly signed a PTO last year to play for the Wild's Houston Aeros (now defunct). crying

Charlie Coyle, Jonas Brodin, Josh Harding, Keith Ballard and Mike Rupp aren't here for the Wild. Coyle, Rupp and Ballard should practice in Minnesota tomorrow, while it's uncertain yet if Brodin and Harding will. The Wild will take the next big step in Rupp's hopeful eventual return to the ice from offseason knee surgery next week when he's put through the gauntlet. He'll get more practice reps and be tortured after practice, Yeo quipped. I'll have more on Rupp in Sunday's Star Tribune.

I also chatted with Leddy, who in case you didn't know was once drafted by the Wild in the first round and is the next Bobby Orr in the minds of many Wild fanatics. His mom, Vicki, just went on her first-ever mother-son trip and Leddy had some cool things to say. The Wild had a mother-son trip once and it was definitely a hoot.

Also, real cool story, but 18 kids from the Minnesota Special Hockey Association (the Wildcats) were brought to town by the Denis Savard Foundation. The kids, their parents and volunteers attended today's Wild and Blackhawks skates and now are going to play the Chicago Tomahawks. Savard's Foundation picked up the whole tab for 56 people. Pretty special scene down at the skate as the children watched their favorite Wild players skate. I'll have more on that in Sunday's notebook as well.

Talk to you after the game.



Blackhawks C Handzus out with injury

Associated Press

October 26, 2013 - 6:10 PM

CHICAGO — Blackhawks center Michal Handzus has been ruled out of Chicago's game against the Minnesota Wild.

Chicago coach Joel Quenneville says Saturday that Handzus has an upper-body injury. The 36-year-old forward has a goal and two assists in nine games this season.

Forwards Jeremy Morin and Brad Mills, who were promoted from Rockford of the AHL on Friday, are expected to play against the Wild on Saturday night.



Wild beat Blackhawks with a decidedly different look

By Chad Graff

[email protected]

Posted: 10/26/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 10/27/2013 12:09:07 AM CDT

CHICAGO -- The stalls in the visiting locker room at United Center were the same, and many of the Wild players occupying them reverted to their old spots.

Mikko Koivu was in the same stall. So were Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.

But in the building where the Wild's postseason came to a swift end less than six months ago, a different Wild team playing a different system delivered a decisive 5-3 win over the defending Stanley Cup champions Saturday night.

It was a team effort, players said. But it was brought on by a group that was absent from the playoff series that Chicago won in five games last season.

Jason Pominville, who missed the first three games of the series, scored two goals; Mikael Granlund, who didn't play in the series; recorded two assists, and Niklas Backstrom, who was injured in warmups for Game 1, returned between the pipes in a dominating effort.

"We did a lot of really good things and obviously won a big game tonight," coach Mike Yeo said.

After a few offseason acquisitions and the emergence of a few young players, the Wild showed Saturday they're a different team from the one that couldn't keep up with the Blackhawks in May.

Rookie Justin Fontaine scored; Nino Niederreiter, acquired in July, continued to play well; and Matt Cooke, a free-agent acquisition, was a big part of a penalty kill that allowed only one Chicago goal on seven power-play chances.

"It's a lot different," Kyle Brodziak said. "There are quite a few new faces, but not only that, it's what we've been working on since the beginning of the year. That makes us a lot different team to play."

What they've been working on is a new system created by Yeo after the playoff series loss. After scoring seven goals in the five playoff games, Yeo made adjustments designed to improve puck possession and zone entries.

Through the first 12 games of a long season, it's yielded a more dominating game, with mixed results on the score sheet.

Saturday night, the Wild capitalized on scoring chances and weren't chasing the play the way they did in May.

The Wild scored first and never trailed against the defending champs. They netted four goals in 5-on-5 play and a power-play goal from Parise that got it started.

Both of Pominville's goals came at even strength and were the first two goals the second line scored this season. Both goals came after crisp passes from Granlund.

"The chances have been there and they haven't gone in," Yeo said. "When you have a guy who can shoot the puck like that (Pominville) and a guy who can distribute it like that (Granlund), you sure like to think eventually it's going to pay off, and tonight was a great example of that."

Backstrom turned in his most impressive game of the season. It was his first game in Chicago since he exited with the warmup injury that resulted in surgery in last season's playoffs.

Returning at less than 100 percent from a knee strain, he made several highlight-reel stops against Chicago's skilled forwards. After Brodziak made it 2-0, Backstrom ensured the Blackhawks never got closer than that.

"It starts with Backy," Yeo said. "No question. He was outstanding; he was on top of his game."

Backstrom was the biggest difference, but he was far from the only one.

Nine players in the the Wild lineup didn't play against the Blackhawks in the playoffs. Three others saw limited action.

"It's always a huge challenge to play the defending Cup champions, so with lots of young guys coming into this, it's not an easy thing," Koivu said. "We have to remember, though, it's just one game. We have to take the good out of it and move forward."

Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.27.2013


Wild 5, Blackhawks 3: Minnesota wins third straight

-- Chad Graff

Pioneer Press

Posted: 10/26/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 10/26/2013 10:09:49 PM CDT

RECAP: Zach Parise got the scoring started five seconds into a first-period power play, and Minnesota never trailed in its third straight win.

Kyle Brodziak, on a deflection in front of the net, and Jason Pominville, on a wrist shot from the slot, added second-period goals. Pominville and Justin Fontaine scored in the third.

Marcus Kruger scored with 29 seconds remaining to cut the Chicago deficit to 5-3.

MEANING: The Wild have earned at least one point in their past four games and have won their past three. They are 6-3-3 heading back to the Xcel Energy Center, where they haven't lost in regulation.

ETC.: Pominville's goals came in his 600th career game. ... The Wild have scored a power-play goal in nine of 12 games this season. ... Matt Cooke's second-period assist gave him eight points this season, second most on the team behind Parise (9).

UP NEXT: vs. Blackhawks, 7 p.m. Monday, FSN, KFXN-FM 100.3

Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.27.2013

723496 Montreal Canadiens

Sharks use suffocating defence and two Couture goals to shutout Habs

MONTREAL — The Canadian Press

Published Saturday, Oct. 26 2013, 10:28 PM EDT

Last updated Saturday, Oct. 26 2013, 11:58 PM EDT

The Sharks’ Logan Couture won’t score many easier goals.

Couture got his second of the game in San Jose’s 2-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night when a third period dump-in took an inexplicable bounce off the glass and landed on his stick. Couture made no mistake in front of the gaping net.

“I’ve gotten a couple of empty-net goals already this year,” said a grinning Couture. “I’ve been lucky.”

The Sharks were up 1-0 when veteran Patrick Marleau dumped the puck into the Canadiens zone. Carey Price, who had anticipated retrieving the puck behind his net, couldn’t get back in time when it instead fell to Couture.

“It’s not the way you want to get scored on,” said Price, who made 35 saves on the night. “It’s the way it bounces sometimes. They’re a good team. That’s what they do. They’re a very structured team and they played a perfect road game today.”

Defender Josh Gorges was on the ice when the Sharks doubled their lead. Gorges unsuccessfully sprawled in front of Couture to stop the shot.

“Obviously, it’s unfortunate that bounce, but when things like that happen we need to be able to respond the right way. We didn’t get it going again after that,” said Gorges.

“You never expect something like. You’re never prepared for something like that. But those are the breaks in the game. Down 2-0, we still had a chance.”

But the Canadiens, who only took six shots on net in the third period, couldn’t find an answer to Antti Niemi’s play.

Niemi made 22 saves for his second shutout of the season and league-leading ninth win. The Finnish goaltender, who’s played every game for the Sharks this year, is allowing an average of less than two goals a game, backed by a cool .933 save percentage.

“When you’re confident and when you can be patient, sometimes just wait for the puck to get to you, it gives you more time to react,” said Niemi. “I’m feeling like that right now.”

After a scoreless first period in which San Jose outshot Montreal 11-8, Couture scored his first of the game on the power-play at 6:20 of the second period.

With the Montreal faithful calling for a tripping penalty on Couture, Joe Thornton sent a precise pass onto Couture’s stick. The 24-year-old made no mistake from close range for his fifth goal of the year.

Couture took defender Raphael Diaz out of the play right before the goal. There was no call on the play.

“We thought that we could have had a few more power plays,” said Montreal head coach Michel Therrien. “That’s the way it is. What are you going to do?”

With the assist on the goal, Thornton inched ever closer to a milestone. The Sharks’ captain, who sits second in most assists amongst active players behind Jaromir Jagr, now needs two more assists to reach 800 in his career.

The Habs’ lack of discipline almost cost them again later in the period when Couture rifled a shot past Price that hit the post.

Montreal took four minor penalties on the night. The Sharks only took one.

“We got ourselves into some penalty trouble,” said captain Brian Gionta. “When we’re taking too many, it’s a good indication that we’re not in the game, or that our speed isn’t there.

“They were on us all night long. We couldn’t seem to generate much. We have to do a better job.”

Notes: The injury-troubled Canadiens were without Daniel Briere (concussion), Max Pacioretty (hamstring), George Parros (concussion), and Brandon Prust (shoulder). ... Defender Dan Boyle has been out of the Sharks’ lineup with a head injury since taking a hit from former Hab Maxim Lapierre on Oct. 15. The Sharks were also without forward Brent Burns (sore gums). ... Montreal heads to New York to play the Rangers on Monday.

Globe And Mail LOADED: 10.27.2013


Canadiens come up blank against Sharks

Sharks 2, Canadiens 0

By Pat Hickey, The Gazette October 27, 2013 1:02 AM

The skinny: Logan Couture scored two goals ansd Antti Niemi made 22 saves for his second shutout of the season as the San Jose Sharks defeated the Canadiens 2-0 Saturday night at the Bell Centre.

Where’s the puck: Carey Price was caught out of position on Couture’s insurance goal at 4:09 of the third period. Price went behind the net to play Patrick Marleau’s dump-in, which went along the lip at the top of the boards. The puck hit a support before it reached Price and he looked helplessly as it popped out to Couture in the slot. Earlier in the period, Price lost sight of the puck after stopping a shot by Matthew Nieto, but Nathan Beaulieu stepped in to clear the puck from the crease.

Shooting gallery: San Jose outshot Montreal 35-22, which is no surprise because the Sharks have outshot the opposition in all 11 games this season. The Canadiens are a little better than most teams because the Sharks had been outshooting teams by an average of 15.6 shots a game coming into Montreal

Lack of opportunity: The Canadiens rank sixth in the NHL on the power play but didn’t get a chance to show what they can do. They had only one power play and had only one shot on goal. San Jose had four power plays and scored once.

Thanks for coming: Rookie defenceman Greg Pateryn was taking part in the pregame warmup when the Hamilton Bulldogs issued a press release saying that he was going back to the American Hockey League team. The Canadiens recalled Pateryn last Wednesday and he was a healthy scratch for Thursday’s game against Anaheim. The good news for Pateryn is that he earned $15,548.78 on his NHL contract during the brief callup.

Injury update: Travis Moen left the ice in the third period after he took a puck in the face. Brendan Gallagher appeared to be hurt after he went head-first into the boards as he battled Matt Irwin for a loose puck. He went to the clinic but returned in time for his next shift.

What’s next: The Canadiens travel to New York to play the Rangers Monday night. It will be the first hockey game at Madison Square Garden since the completion of a three-year, $1-billion renovation. The Canadiens are back at the Bell Centre Thursday to face the Dallas Stars.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.27.2013


About last night …

Posted by Mike Boone

Be of good cheer and enjoy Sunday.

Your Montreal Canadiens lost to one of the best teams in the NHL.

San Jose is a bona-fide Stanley Cup contender.

The team the Sharks beat 2-0 Saturday night at the Bell Centre isn’t … at least not yet.

Give the Canadiens some credit.

Through 44 minutes, they were in a one-goal hockey game – despite being outshot and often outplayed by a very good team.

That crazy second San Jose goal was the dagger. From that point on, the Canadiens played like a team that realized resistance was futile.

Credit San Jose general manager Doug Wilson with retooling his team on the fly. Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi are gone. Hall of Famer Larry Robinson is coaching a group of defencemen that includes no superstars, just six guys who do their jobs efficiently.

You can tell why Douglas Murray was deemed expendable in San Jose. All the Sharks’ Dmen – including veteran Scott Hannan – can skate and move the puck.

Likewise the Sharks forwards. This was the first game of the young season in which the Canadiens were conspicuously the slower team.

Best evidence, for me, was the play of my fave young rave, Michaël Bournival. Against Anaheim, the Canadiens’ rookie was constantly giving the Ducks’ defencemen fits with his ability to turn on the jets and find open ice.

Not against San Jose. Like almost all his teammates, Bournival found himself with a white jersey – or a few of them – in very close proximity every time he touched the puck and everywhere he went on the ice.

P.K. Subban habitually wheels and deals and evades foils all forechecking efforts. Not against San Jose. The Sharks were in P.K.’s face, forcing to work on defence and slowing down his efforts to move the puck up the ice.

And when P.K. isn’t leading the charge …

Tomas Plekanec was the only Canadien with more than two shots on goal. He had three.

Matthew Nieto (I’ve never heard of him, either) had six SoG for the Sharks. Couture and James Sheppard had four each. Three other Sharks had three.

In addition to their 35 SoG, the Sharks missed the net 15 times and had 18 shots blocked (four by former Shark Josh Gorges).

Corresponding numbers for the Canadiens were 22-9-12. The Canadiens also iced the puck 12 times.

The stats don’t lie. San Jose dominated puck possession.

Nor do the ToI numbers lie.

Why the heck was Francis Bouillon playing 21:22? Michel Therrien trying to kill the guy?

Nathan Beaulieu, by contrast, played 8:27. The rookie defenceman had one shift in the third period.

Was Beaulieu worse than Raphael Diaz, who was bounced on his duff and out of the play when Couture’s power-play goal opened the scoring?

The Sharks had four man advantages. The Canadiens had one, when Brad Stuart went off for boarding late in the second period. The Canadiens PP had one shot on Antti Niemi, who has played every minute of every Sharks game. Niemi has nine wins, a 1.53 GAA and a .933 save percentage..

It’s not difficult to post gaudy goaltending stats in San Jose. The Sharks allow 23.1 shots per game, a smidge behind Minnesota’s league-leading average of exactly 23. The Canadiens are 23rd, allowing 32.8 shots per game.

Again, Wilson has put together a nice team, and the Sharks are well-coached by Todd McLellan and his staff.

The Canadiens will play them again in San Jose on March 8. That will be after the Sochi Olympics and the trade deadline.

By then, each team will have a pretty good idea of what the 2013-’14 season is going to end up looking like.

It’s a good bet the Sharks will have their eyes on the prize.

The Canadiens? A work in progress.

Look, there’s no disgrace in losing a close game to a team as good as San Jose. The last time the Canadiens were shut out at the Bell Centre was Game 11 of the 2013 season.

That was when the Leafs laid a 6-0 whuppin’ on the guys in red jerseys.

The Canadiens then went on the road to Florida, where they won in a shootout over Tampa Bay and added an overtime win over the Panthers (David Desharnais got the winner).

The Canadiens came home to beat Philadelphia and Carolina before winning their fifth in a row at Madison Square Garden.

That’s where they’ll be for a rare Monday night game as the Rangers open their renovated MSG.

And by then, Ian Cobb and the HIO Summiteers will have made bail.

Coach Michel Therrien liked his team’s effort Saturday night at the Bell Centre, but it wasn’t enough to carry the Canadiens over the San Jose Sharks.

The Sharks have lost only one game in regulation this season and lead the National Hockey League with 19 points with their 9-1-1 record.

“They’re a fast team…They’re strong on the puck. And they don’t give you a lot,” Therrien said after the Habs 2-0 loss.

“They play really well defensively as we could see. But we were right there with them. We had our chances in the second period but their goalie made some good saves at the right time. And they’re playing with a lot of confidence right now. So a lot of credit to (them).”

The Sharks have been averaging 38.6 shots per game –the most in the NHL–and allowing 23.1 shots per game, on average, the second least in the league. They outshot the Canadiens 35 to 22.

Travis Moen left the game after getting cut in the second period, but Therrien said he’ll be fine. A few minutes later, Gallagher lost his balance and banged into the boards, but didn’t miss a shift.

“Give them credit. They smothered us. They forced us into making plays that we shouldn’t have made,” said defenceman Josh Gorges. “We need to be better when we’re in those situations.”

The Canadiens announced after the game that they’ve reassigned Nathan Beaulieu and Patrick Holland to the Hamilton Bulldogs. Beaulieu only played one shift in the third period.

“I thought he didn’t have confidence tonight. He was on his heels a little bit. And that’s a process with young guys. It’s normal,” Therrien said.

Larry Robinson was back on the ice in Montreal Saturday morning with the San Jose Sharks as the team prepares to face the Canadiens Saturday night. (7 p.m., CBC, RDS, TSN Radio 690)

The 62-year-old hall of fame defenceman who won six Stanley Cups with the Canadiens and three more coaching with the New Jersey Devils is now in his second season as an associate coach with the Sharks.

Robinson keeps everything in perspective, forward Joe Thornton said after the Sharks’ morning skate at the Bell Centre.

“He’s been so awesome for all of us guys,” Thornton said. “If there’s kind of a stressful moment on the bench, he just kind of relaxes everybody. He’s been a big help for a lot of us.”

The Sharks had one of the best penalty-kill percentages last year after having the second worst percentage among NHL teams in 2011-12.

Robinson and assistant coach Jim Johnson set a brand new penalty kill “and it’s been working for us–pressure everywhere,” said Sharks defenceman

Marc-Edouard Vlasic, a Montreal native who expects to have about 30 family members and friends at Saturday’s game against the Canadiens.

“He does keep things loose out there. You probably heard him in practice today. He’s always yelling. He’s cracking jokes. He likes to keep the guys in a good mood. He’s a great guy to have around,” Vlasic said.

“Just the other day he was telling me how to shoot. I’ve been shooting for 26 years and he tells me my hand is too low. So little details like that that he can improve your game on.”

Robinson has had a huge impact, said Sharks coach Todd McLellan.

“He takes a lot of stress way from a lot of people in certain situations,” he said.

“He’s very astute obviously as a player. He thinks like a player. But he communicates like a coach and those tools are really remarkable for a coaching staff to have,” McLellan said.

The Sharks’ defencemen have transformed their game over the last year and a half, said McLellan, adding that Johnson also deserves a “big chunk of credit” as well.

“Between the two of them, they’ve got the back end playing really well.”

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.27.2013

723499 Nashville Predators

Trotz blames goalie only for one of St. Louis' goals

Oct. 27, 2013 |

Written by

Josh Cooper

Predators coach Barry Trotz said he could fault goaltender Carter Hutton for one of the five scores he allowed in Nashville’s 6-1 Saturday loss to St. Louis.

It was the fifth goal, scored on a wrist shot by Derek Roy.

Otherwise, the other four were caused by team breakdowns.

Hutton was yanked midway through the third period after stopping 21 of 26 shots. Rookie Magnus Hellberg came in and faced four shots on goal, making three saves in his NHL debut.

“When it got to 5-1, you don’t know how the bench is going to react,” Trotz said of his decision to pull Hutton. “I just felt that Carter is going to play a lot of games for us, and Magnus has not played a minute in this league, and I felt it was an opportunity because the game was out of hand. I could put Magnus in and give him some experience because he has never played a minute in this league. “

Both Hutton and Hellberg are vying for starts with starter Pekka Rinne out for at least a month after surgery for an infection to his hip. Hutton took a pragmatic approach to the defeat.

“You never want to get pulled,” Hutton said. “That’s the thing with being a goalie. You want to be in there and you want to win, but at the same time it’s one game. Whether I gave up 12 or whatever, it’s just one loss, life goes on, the sun is going to come up tomorrow.”

Hellberg disappointed: Hellberg was not exactly pleased with his performance. He said he enjoyed getting his NHL debut out of the way but overall did not like the fact that the Predators lost.

“I mean, tough loss for the team,” Hellberg said. “Obviously St. Louis is a good team to play against. They were better than us today, but it was fun to get some action tonight, get the first game out of the way. That was the only positive tonight.”

Penalty kill off: The Predators had killed off 22 straight penalties before Saturday’s game.

That streak ended in the first period when Alex Steen fired a wrist shot past Hutton 5:27 into the game. Alex Pietrangelo added a second in the third period. The Blues power play went 2-for-5 against the Predators.

“They’re a shooting power play. We knew that’s what they were going to do,” defenseman Shea Weber said. “They get pucks through with traffic. They have a great power play and they scored.”

Stalberg sits: Predators coach Barry Trotz said he sat forward Viktor Stalberg for the second straight game because “there’s no reason to take anybody out.”

Nashville signed skating Stalberg to a four-year, $12 million contract in the offseason. Stalberg has no points in six games played with the Predators, thought he mostly has been put on the fourth line.

Preds fight cancer: There was purple tape in the stalls of the Predators players Saturday morning. It was to bring awareness to the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer initiative.

“It’s a great charity,” forward Matt Hendricks said. “Cancer is something that touches everybody in this room and everybody in this league and everybody in this community.”

Tennessean LOADED: 10.27.2013


Nashville Predators buried by St. Louis Blues

Oct. 26, 2013 |

Written by

Josh Cooper

The Predators often harp on getting traffic and bodies in front of the opposing team’s net — scoring what they call the “dirty” goals.

If Nashville can do that and opponent can’t, the Predators often win.

On Saturday night, however, it was the Blues who got to the interior, getting goals in and around Nashville’s goaltenders in a 6-1 win at Bridgestone Arena. The six goals by the Blues were the most allowed by the Predators all season.

The loss for the Predators (6-5-1) was a crucial one. They’ll spend the next 17 days on the road on a trip that will span seven games. Nine of Nashville’s next 10 games will be away from Bridgestone Arena.

Predators backup goaltender Carter Hutton made 21 saves and was pulled midway through the third period. Jaroslav Halak picked up the win for the Blues.

Nashville has lost its only two games against St. Louis this year.

The Blues scored first off a shot by forward Alexander Steen on the power play with 14:33 left in the first period. Steen’s shot was with Chris Stewart screening Hutton.

The Blues’ second goal came when forward T.J. Oshie pushed in a puck past Hutton off a point shot by Alex Pietrangelo with 12:26 left in the second period.

Nashville brought itself to within two goals at 3-1 off a shorthanded breakaway by Nick Spaling just 52 seconds into the third period, but St. Louis scored against as Steen banked a shot off Hutton from behind the Nashville net 4:37 into the third.

A Derek Roy wrist shot with 12:12 left in the third period went past Hutton and put the score at 5-1 in favor of the Blues. Hutton was pulled from the game in favor of rookie Magnus Hellberg.



Preview: Blues at Predators

Oct. 26, 2013 |

Written by

The Tennessean

BLUES AT PREDATORS

BLUES AT PREDATORS

• When: 7 tonight

• Where: Bridgestone Arena

• TV/radio: None/102.5-FM

• Predators keys: 1. Protect the net. With Pekka Rinne out for an extended period of time, it’s up to backups Carter Hutton and Magnus Hellberg to protect the net. Hutton played well on Thursday, allowing just two goals from 36 Winnipeg shots 2. Balanced attack: Patric Hornqvist’s four goals lead a team that has 12 players finding the net in the first 11 games. The Predators do not have one explosive scorer, so it’s crucial the balance act works again and again. 3. Win at home: The Predators hit the road for seven straight road games after tonight, so it’s key to grab at least a point against the Blues.

• Next for Predators: 9 p.m. Thursday at Phoenix.



Nashville Predators benched Viktor Stalberg to give him time to adjust

Oct. 26, 2013 |

Written by

Nick Cole

Viktor Stalberg was considered one of the Predators’ biggest acquisitions in an offseason full of personnel changes, but the winger found himself as a healthy scratch in Nashville’s overtime win on Thursday.

“It is never fun watching,” Stalberg said after sitting out the 3-2 victory over Winnipeg. “It is embarrassing, too; I have to be better. It is up to me to make a difference out there, so I will do everything I can once I get back in and try to get it going.”

Stalberg, who signed a four-year, $12 million contract in July, had yet to register a point through six games with the team.

The former Chicago Blackhawk missed the first four games of the season with a shoulder injury, and his lack of production when he returned to action led Predators coach Barry Trotz to make the decision to sit the 27-year-old.

“We have to make a short-term decision for a long-term gain,” Trotz said. “As Viktor gets his game in order with us, I think he will be fine. We have to win games, and we’re fortunate right now to have some good depth. So if you are not quite on your game, we will put what we think will be the best lineup to win out there.”

Stalberg said he thought he had been making progress but that he was still trying to mold his game to better fit the Predators’ philosophy.

“I’ve had some chances to make some plays, but obviously they are looking for something else,” Stalberg said. “But you can’t be feeling sorry for yourself or feel sour because there is a long ways to go. There are a lot of new things going on here, and sometimes you have to take a step back to hopefully take two forward.”

Trotz said the situation with Stalberg was similar to what the team went through in 2010 after signing forward Sergei Kostitsyn and watching him get off to a slow start because, in part, of an injury.

“You want a player to sort of get back real quick, but in a new system and new environment it hasn’t happen as quick,” Trotz said. “You saw what happened with Sergei — he ended up being one of our leading scorers.”

Slow start: Predators forward Colin Wilson has just one goal through 11 games, but the 24-year-old is optimistic that he will find the net with more regularity soon.

“Sometimes pucks just aren’t going in,” Wilson said. “I think I can do a little bit more offensively, but I like the chances I have been creating and the puck possession, so it is going to come back.”

Wilson, who accounted for 19 points in 25 games last season, said his offseason shoulder surgery has had no impact on production to this point.

“It is not even a thought when I play,” he said. “It feels great. It was something I wanted to take care of so I wouldn’t even have to think about anymore.”

Hutton’s job: Trotz indicated that goaltender Carter Hutton would again be in net against the St. Louis Blues tonight after improving to 2-0-0 (1.37 goals-against average) with Thursday’s win over Winnipeg.

With starting goaltender Pekka Rinne expected to miss at least the next month because of hip surgery, 22-year-old goaltender Magnus Hellberg was called up from Milwaukee to relieve Hutton as needed. But Trotz said there was no immediate plan for the 2011 second-round pick to make his NHL debut.

“We don’t really have a long-term plan,” Trotz said. “We are just on a day-to-day plan trying to get him up to speed here, just the same as we did with Carter.”

Trotz said the coaching staff would draw up a week-to-week game plan for the position until Rinne returns. That plan could include juggling Hellberg and fellow 22-year-old Marek Mazanec between Milwaukee and Nashville to ensure ample playing time.

Practice update: Mike Fisher and Paul Gaustad did not skate with the team Friday on what the Predators called a maintenance day for the forwards. The status of defenseman Roman Josi, who has been out of action since suffering a concussion on Oct. 4, remained unchanged.


723503 New Jersey Devils

Devils Get 2 Late Goals to Stun Bruins 4-3

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published: October 26, 2013 at 10:09 PM ET

BOSTON — Marek Zidlicky and Andy Greene scored power-play goals 23 seconds apart late in the third period, lifting the New Jersey Devils to a 4-3 win over the Boston Bruins on Saturday night.







Rask made 28 saves.



Krug's power-play goal gave the Bruins a 1-0 lead at 7:52 of the opening period when he fired a slap shot from just above the right circle that ricocheted in off a Devils' player in front of the net.

Boston made it 2-0 just 1:27 later when Iginla sent a shot from the right wing that caromed off Brunner's skate and between Brodeur's pads. Devils coach Peter DeBoer then called time out.

It may have served as a bit of a wake-up call for his team because they cut it to 2-1 on Henrique's power-play goal when he swooped in and scored off the rebound off Eric Gelinas' shot at 11:24.


The Devils played a more spirited second period and had a handful of decent scoring chances before Brunner's goal sliced it to 3-2 with 27.1 seconds left in the period. He fired a backhander that slipped between Rask's right arm and the post, trickling across the line.

NOTES: Boston had won 11 of the previous 12 games against New Jersey, with the lone loss in April 2011. ... Bruins D Zdeno Chara was whistled for two minor penalties. ... It was the first of three meetings between the teams this season, the only in Boston. ... Boston is off until Wednesday when it plays at Pittsburgh in a rematch of last season's Eastern Conference finals, swept by the Bruins. ... The Devils host Tampa Bay on Tuesday.

New York Times LOADED: 10.27.2013


Devils score two goals in final 1:08 to stun Bruins, 4-3

By Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger


BOSTON – Devils coach Pete DeBoer knew what his team was facing.

Struggling with their worst start in year, the Devils faced one of the Eastern Conference’s powerhouses.

"These are gut-check type games. For me, these are statement-type games, where you have an opportunity to come in here and put our work boots on and try and beat one of the best teams in the NHL," DeBoer said before the match. "If we can do that, I think it could push us on to bigger and better things."

Staging a dramatic comeback, the Devils scored twice in the last 1:08 to pull out a stunning 4-3 victory over the Bruins tonight at TD Garden.

Bruins defenseman Torey Krug receieved a double minor for high-sticking Damien Brunner with 3:15 left. Krug received a double minor for high-sticking Brunner with 3:15 to go.

Patrice Bergeron was called for delay of game at 18:11, making it a 5-on-3 and goalie Martin Brodeur was pulled for an extra attacker. Defenseman Marek Zidlicky tied the game with 1:08 left when he blasted a shot from above the right circle while the Devils had a three-man advantage.

Andy Greene then scored from the bottom of the left circle with 44.1 seconds left to win it.

After a first period in which the Bruins were close to staging a blowout, the Devils regrouped and cut the deficit to one with a late goal in the second.

Bruins captain Zdeno Chara was called for delay of game after Jaromir Jagr argued that he shot the puck out of play. The call was made after the two referees and two linesmen huddled.

With 27.1 seconds left in the period and the Devils with a power play advantage, Damien Brunner backhanded a shot from the left circle. Goalie Tuukka Rask was unable to stop it from going in on his stick side just inside the post. It was Brunner’s fourth goal of the season and was upheld by video review.

Rask, who tried to quickly fish the puck out of the net, slammed his stick on the ice in disgust.

It was a Dainius Zubrus penalty for tripping Chara at 7:41 of the opening period that got Boston rolling.

Just 11 seconds into the power play, the Bruins took a 1-0 lead when Torey Krug wristed a shot from above the left circle that beat Brodeur on his glove side at 7:52. Milan Lucic was originally credited with tipping the shot in, but the goal was later given to Krug.

It was a 2-0 Bruins lead at 9:19. Jarome Iginla skated past Devils defenseman Anton Volchenkov and then went wide for a centering pass that deflected off Brunner’s skate and into the net. The two goals, 1:27 apart, came on Boston’s first three shots of the game.

At that point, the Devils called their timeout.

Johnny Boychuk was called for interference at 10:28 of the first, putting the Devils on a power play. That led to a goal from Adam Henrique at 11:24 that cut the deficit in half.

Rookie defenseman Eric Gelinas took a Jagr feed and fired a shot that was stopped by Rask, but Henrique scored on the rebound from the slot for his third goal of the season. The Devils have scored at least one power play goal in five straight games.

Brunner was called for interference at 11:58. Krug just missed from the right circle at 12:12 during the Boston power play.

With 55.8 seconds left in the period, Lucic scored an even-strength toal as the Bruins opened a 3-1 lead. Zidlicky was pulled to the center of the ice by David Krejci, whose pass found Lucic all alone in the left circle.

Star Ledger LOADED: 10.27.2013


Devils: Some choice words in first intermission sparked turnaround



BOSTON – There were more pleasant places to be than in the Devils’ dressing room after a first period in which they were at risk of being blown out by the Bruins.

What was the mood?

“It wasn’t positive, I’ll tell you that,” defenseman Andy Greene said.

What was said?

“I can’t tell you,” Patrik Elias added. “That we wasted 20 minutes of hockey.”

Jaromir Jagr said the Devils “were a little bit scared” facing the powerful Bruins, but a spirited dressing room give-and-take between the coaches and players changed everything.

Did coach Pete DeBoer ever come close to losing faith that a comeback was possible?

“No comment,” DeBoer said with a laugh. When asked how big the win was, DeBoer stretched his arms as wide as he could.

DeBoer, who has called Jagr the Devils’ best forward all season, said: “For a guy who’s 41 years old, I thought he was a beast again tonight.”

Jagr was modest about his play.

“I have to start scoring,” he said. “I don’t score as many goals as I would like to or have as many chances. It might have something to do with my sticks. I had to change my sticks this year. The company I (got) my sticks from went into bankruptcy. It’s not easy when you’re 41 to change all of a sudden. The game is so quick, a little difference and you lose the puck.”

Jagr used Combat sticks.



Devils' comeback win over Bruins sparked by four power play goals



BOSTON – As comebacks go, the Devils staged one Saturday night that can easily be classified as improbable and unforgettable.

They scored two goals in the final 68 seconds, including the tying goal in which goalie Martin Brodeur was pulled to create an unusual six-against-three power play advantage.

But was their stunning 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins, their first at TD Garden in four years, the kind of performance that can turn their season around?

“We can talk about it in 20 games maybe whether this was a momentum-changer,” Devils forward Patrik Elias said. “We hope so. It was a big win against a really good team. It’s tough to play against these guys. The power play was great for us, obviously.”

The power play, which has produced at least one goal in five straight games, went 4-for-7 to spearhead the Devils’ first win in Boston since a 2-1 shootout victory on Nov. 27, 2009.

“It’s huge,” Brodeur said after stopping 25 of 28 shots for his 670th career win and first of the season. “We talked about it (Friday) when we came in here that this could be something big for us as far as our confidence and knowing what we are able to achieve in certain situations.

“We didn’t just turtle and go home. We fought through this against a tough team. Records prove we’re not good against them. We don’t play well against Boston, especially in this building. It’s been real tough for us. We can’t get (too full of) ourselves. I thought we did a little bit with the Rangers, getting a little too high after that win. We have to stay grounded.”

That will be a challenge considering the magnitude of the comeback.

It actually started with a power play goal from Damien Brunner with 27.1 seconds remaining in the second operiod. That brought the Devils to within a goal, 3-2, but the Bruins were on a four-game winning streak for good reasons.

The Devils were still trailing when Bruins defenseman Torey Krug received a double minor for high-sticking Brunner with 3:15 left. Brunner lost a tooth and needed six stitches in his lower lip.

When Patrice Bergeron got a delay of game penalty at 18:11 for shooting the puck over the glass, that made it a 5-on-3 power play. But coach Pete DeBoer wanted to increase the odds and Brodeur left the ice with 1:24 to go, making it a six-on-three power play.

Asked if he’s seen that before during his 20-year Devils career, Brodeur said: “I don’t remember it.”

Defenseman Marek Zidlicky tied the game with 1:08 left when he blasted a shot from above the right circle. Brodeur returned to his net.

Time was running out when Jaromir Jagr fed Brunner for a shot from the right circle. Brunner flubbed it, but the puck went to Greene, who scored from the bottom of the left circle with 44.1 seconds remaining.

“I was cheating a little. It popped right to me,” Greene said. “(Bruins goalie Tuukka) Rask read it really great. I didn’t have that much room to put it in there.”

But he did, ending what started as a potential blowout for the Bruins and ending in a dramatic win for the Devils.

“This one feels good,” Brodeur said. “We showed a lot of character. Again we got snake-bitten in the first. Two lucky goals and a big breakdown. But we stayed with it and guys stepped up in the second and just played the game. We didn’t try to win the game right away. We knew time was on our side. A little bit of luck, but that hasn’t been something that’s come around too often so we’ll definitely take it.”

And probably not forget it.



Devils' Marek Zidlicky on pace to break club's season record for assists



BOSTON – Marek Zidlicky insists he isn’t concerned with offensive numbers. The fact that he is on an early pace to break the Devils’ record of 60 assists in a season set by Scott Stevens in 1993-94 isn’t a priority.

Right now, Zidlicky claims, a few victories would make him feel much better than the eight assists he had in the first 10 games of the season.

“For me it’s not about the points, it’s winning games,” Zidlicky said. “I try to do my best every game.”

The Devils re-signed the 36-year-old Czech this past summer because he offers something no one else on the team give them—offense from the blue line. But along with that attribute comes some risk.

“When Zid keeps it simple, he’s very good. With him it’s walking that line between offense and defense,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “Sometimes he tries to do too much and makes mistakes. And when eh does, he know. I don’t have to say anything to him. He comes back to the bench and he knows what he did.”

That brings a smile to Zidlicky’s face.

“I know. Sometimes I think too much. They want me to score some goals. And when we’re losing in the last five minutes of a game, we need to score some goals,” he said. “But I know pretty quick if I do something wrong. I know right away if I do something right or wrong. And Pete knows I know.”

The Devils, who face the Boston Bruins Saturday night at TD Garden, need Zidlicky’s offensive skills. But there are times when they wonder if they can afford his defensive risk-taking.

“I’ve said it before. He’s a special guy and his numbers would be a lot better if we played a different style,” Jaromir Jagr said. “We play a low-risk style. His numbers would be higher if he played on a team where he could take a little more risk, but it’s not our style. We’ve tried in some games and it didn’t work for us, so we have to go back to a different style of hockey.”

Jagr and Zidlicky were teammates last season during the NHL lockout on HC Kladno in the Czech League. They were a dynamic pair on Jagr’s hometown club.

“On big ice surfaces, European ice, his skill shows even more. You have a lot more time to make a play,” Jagr said. “Offensively he’s right up there with the best players skill-wise. His only disadvantage is he’s kind of a small guy.

“With the new rules it’s tougher for small guys to play against Joe Thornton and big guys like that. He can do it, but that’s probably the only reason people don’t pit him in the category with the very best.”

Zidlicky, like most of his teammates, has played well for long periods before committing the occasional mistake at a costly time.

It has not hurt his spirit and his desire to get the Devils back on track.

“Each guy has to bring something to the team when we’re struggling. But it’s tough sometimes,” Zidlicky said.

Like Zidlicky himself, the Devils have wrestled with the good and bad all season.



Devils' Cory Schneider aggravated existing injury during shootout loss to Canucks



BOSTON – Devils goalie Cory Schneider may have already been dealing with a minor lower body injury when he aggravated the problem during Thursday night’s loss to the Vancouver Canucks.

The issue now is how long Schneider will be sidelined.

“I don’t know the answer to that. I think it’s short term, but I don’t know,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “I don’t have the exact story on it. He might have

been dealing with a little bit of something prior to that but definitely Thursday’s game was the game where the next morning he really felt it.”

DeBoer said he had already decided to start Martin Brodeur against the Boston Bruins Saturday night at TD Garden before Schneider’s injury forced the team’s hand.

“I did. We had told Marty right after that game to start preparing for tonight’s game,” DeBoer revealed.

Minor league call-up Keith Kinkaid joined the Devils in Boston, driving the 2 1/2 hours from Albany Friday night after the home game against Hartford.

Kinkaid was scheduled to start for Albany tonight against Portland.

"I think that was the plan, to play for Albany. Things change, though," Kinkaid said. "Anytime you get to be up here you have to make the most of your opportunity. It's just great to be back up here. Anytime you come back up you get a little smile on your face, so it makes the drive easy. Back to work up here just to prove to them that I'm ready."

Every day the Devils seem to have a new No. 1 goalie, so Kinkaid might want to get in on that.

"I don't know what is wrong with Schneids, but I want to make the most of my opportunity," Kinkaid said. "If that means sitting on the bench and working my tail off in practice, that shows out there, too."

Albany is off to a great start.

"We're playing really great defense," Kinkaid said. "We're scoring goals. Our speciality teams are helping out, too. We're right there at the top.

"It's so much fun when you're winning. We've had rough starts the last few years. The mood in the locker room is totally different. It looks like we know how to win."

* * *

DeBoer said the Devils will make no lineup changes for tonight's game.

"These are gut check type games. For me, these are statement type games where you have an opportunity to come in here and put our work boots on and try and beat one of the best teams in the NHL," DeBoer said. "If we can do that, I think it could push us on to bigger and better things."

* * *

Boston is yet another "homecoming" for Jaromir Jagr. He was a member of the Bruins that went to last season's Stanley Cup Finals.

"It was a good experience, no question about it," Jagr said. "I met a lot of good people and we went to the Finals. We had a pretty good run. Maybe with a little more luck we'd be holding the Cup."

Bruins coach Claude Julien on Jagr: "I know a lot of people are going to say he didn't score... and he didn't. But he certainly added a lot to our team. I thought he played well... He led by example in a lot of ways, so good memories and we were happy to have him."



Devils: Cory Schneider hurt; Keith Kinkaid recalled from Albany

BOSTON-- Devils goalie Cory Schneider suffered a lower body injury that will prevent him from dressing as Martin Brodeur's backup against the Boston Bruins tonight at TD Garden.

Consequently, Keith Kinkaid was recalled from Albany (AH) under the NHL's goalie exemption rule The Devils did not have to take Schneider off the roster and put him on injured reserve.

The Devils have 48 hours under the goalie exemption rule without having to put Schneider on IR. It can be re-done after 48 hours, but a team only has two goalie exemptions per season.

"His lower body was bothering him. He should be okay," general manager Lou Lamoriello said of Schneider. "We used the goalie exemption rule. This had nothing to do with who is starting (against the Bruins)."

Brodeur will face the Bruins.

Kinkaid has joined the Devils. He was 2-1-1 in four AHL games with a 1.97 goals-against average and .912 save percentage this season.

Scott Wedgewood (3-0-0 with a 1.62 GAA and .935 save percentage) played for Albany last night. Lamoriello said had he known, Wedgewood might have been the goalie recalled.

Maxime Clermont was re-assigned from Elmira (ECHL) to Albany.

Schneider apparently hurt himself in Thursday night's shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks. He did not make the trip to Boston with the Devils.

Lamoriello said Bryce Salvador (death in the family) is on his way back to New Jersey and will be available for Tuesday's game.

Ryane Clowe (head injury) is exercising but not skating.

* * *

The Devils had a full morning skate today at TD Garden.

Lines:

Patrik Elias-Andrei Loktionov-Jaromir Jagr

Rostislav Olesz-Adam Henrique-Michael Ryder

Dainius Zubrus-Travis Zajac-Damien Brunner

Ryan Carter-Stephen Gionta-Steve Bernier

Jacob Josefson-Mattias Tedenby

Defense:

Andy Greene-Mark Fayne

Eric Gelinas-Adam Larsson

Anton Volchenkov-Marek Zidlicky

Peter Harrold

Goalies:

Martin Brodeur

Keith Kinkaid



Devils notes: Goaltender Cory Schneider sits out


— Tom Gulitti

Devils goaltender Cory Schneider remained in New Jersey and missed Saturday's game with a lower-body injury that he aggravated in Thursday's 3-2 shootout loss to Vancouver.

Devils GM Lou Lamoriello said Schneider was "sore," but the team does not consider his injury to be serious. Devils coach Pete DeBoer said, "I think it's short term, but I don't know."

DeBoer said Schneider "might have been dealing with a little bit of something prior to" Thursday's game.

With Schneider unavailable, the Devils used a goaltender roster exemption to call up Keith Kinkaid from Albany (AHL) to back up Martin Brodeur, who made 25 saves Saturday to earn his first win of the season (1-2-2).

Powering up

The Devils' power play was dismal through their first six games, producing just one goal on 15 chances. Since then, though, they've scored at least one power-play goal in five consecutive games (8-for-25) and came through with four Saturday night.

"Power plays are kind of finicky," said defenseman Andy Greene, who scored the fourth power-play goal Saturday. "They go in spurts, up and down. Right

now, we are feeling good about it and it's coming up big for us, keeping us in games and giving us chances."

The last time the Devils scored at least four power-play goals was Jan. 22, 2008, when the scored five in a 7-3 victory in Philadelphia.

Salvador returning

After being away from the team since Wednesday following a death in his family, defenseman Bryce Salvador was scheduled to travel back to New Jersey on Saturday.

Lamoriello said Salvador will be available to play Tuesday night against Tampa Bay.

Bergen Record LOADED: 10.27.2013


Devils rally late with two power-play goals to beat Bruins, 4-3

Saturday, October 26, 2013 Last updated: Sunday October 27, 2013, 12:36 AM

BY TOM GULITTI

BOSTON – Devils coach Pete DeBoer began reaching out with hands like a fisherman talking about his record catch and then stopped, probably realizing his arms did not stretch far enough.

“How big?” DeBoer asked in trying to measure the importance of the Devils’ dramatic 4-3 victory over the Boston Bruins on Saturday night at TD Garden. “You know how big.”

DeBoer knew the longer the Devils’ early-season struggles continued, the harder it would be for them to climb out of the hole they dug for themselves in the first 10 games and the more questions there would be about his future. Things certainly didn’t look good for DeBoer and the Devils after 20 minutes Saturday.

They fell behind 2-0 and 3-1 in the first period, but regrouped and fought their way back to win with four power-play goals, including two in the final 1:08.

Defenseman Marek Zidlicky tied the game on a rare 6-on-3 goal, with Martin Brodeur on the bench for an extra attacker and just 68 seconds remaining.

Defenseman Andy Greene scored the winner with 44.1 seconds left, giving the Devils their first road victory of the season (1-5-2) and just their second win overall (2-5-4).

The Devils also snapped a seven-game-losing streak against the Bruins (0-5-2) and ended a six-game losing streak at TD Garden that dated to a 2-1 shootout win Nov. 27, 2009.

“We just didn’t turtle and go home,” Brodeur said. “We fought through this against a tough team that records prove that we’re not good against. We don’t play well against Boston. Especially in this building, it’s been really tough for us, and to pull out this win in the situation we’re in, we showed a lot.”

The Devils didn’t seem to have any luck early, though. The Bruins jumped ahead 2-0 by 9:19 into the game on two goals that deflected in off Devils.

Torey Krug’s wrist shot from the right circle deflected off Adam Henrique and past Brodeur 7:52 into the game.

Then, Jarome Iginla’s centering pass deflected in off the skate of Devils right wing Damien Brunner at 9:19.

The Devils got one goal back with Henrique banging in the rebound of rookie Eric Gelinas’ right-point shot for a power-play goal at 11:24. But then Milan Lucic beat Brodeur between the pads on 3-on-2 rush with 55.8 seconds remaining in the opening period to make it 3-1.

That led to a serious talk in the Devils’ locker room during the first intermission.

“It wasn’t positive, I’ll tell you that,” Greene said. “We pretty much lost every single battle and we weren’t doing things proper. We focused and stuck with it, and Marty gave us a chance only being down 3-1 there. Our power play came up huge tonight.”

A power-play goal by Brunner – a backhand from the left circle that snuck past goaltender Tuukka Rask on the short side – with 27.1 seconds remaining in the second got the Devils within 3-2. That was the score when Krug caught Brunner in the mouth with a high stick with 3:15 remaining, sending Krug to the box with a four-minute double minor.

Brunner, who lost a tooth and needed six stitches for a cut on his lip, went to the locker room for some quick repairs and was back in time to play a key role on Greene’s winner. But, first Boston’s Patrice Bergeron cleared the puck over the glass in the defensive zone with 1:49, giving the Devils a 5-on-3 power play.

DeBoer waited until there was 1:24 left to pull Brodeur to make it a 6-on 3. That paid off as Zidlicky’s blast from the right point went in over Rask’s right shoulder.

Then, with the Devils on a 5-on-4 power play, Jaromir Jagr fed Brunner for a right-circle shot that Brunner shanked. The puck slid directly across to Greene in the left circle, however, and he fired it into the left side of the net.

“I was just cheating a little bit in there and it popped right to me,” Greene said. “Rask read it really great and I didn’t have really that much room to get that in there.”



Gulitti: It's time youth is infused into Devils' lineup


The Record

Much of the talk before the Devils opened training camp last month was about their young defensemen getting the opportunity to force their way onto the opening night roster. Eric Gelinas, 22, Alex Urbom, 22, Jon Merrill, 21, and Damon Severson, 19, did get a chance to play a good amount during the preseason, but when it came down to it, none of them made the team.

Gelinas and Merrill were sent down to the AHL before the final preseason game and Severson, who was not ready, was returned to his junior team. Urbom couldn’t be sent down without clearing waivers first and was lost to Washington.

That left 20-year-old Adam Larsson, the 2011 first-round pick who played two seasons already in the NHL, as the lone "young defenseman" on the roster. Then, he was a healthy scratch for three of the first nine games as coach Pete DeBoer relied heavily on his veterans with the team struggling.

An unfortunate situation with veteran Bryce Salvador needing to leave the team because of a death in his family opened the door for Gelinas to be called up for Thursday’s game against Vancouver and something remarkable happened. Playing in a defense pair with Larsson, who returned from a two-game healthy scratch exile, Gelinas did some things the Devils desperately needed from their defense.

He skated the puck up ice, joined the rush when he didn’t have the puck and was aggressive in the offensive zone. He even scored a power-play goal – his first NHL goal.

"He adds a dimension to our defense we don’t have a lot of and that’s a guy that can skate the puck out of trouble," DeBoer said.

Larsson also responded by playing one of his best games of the season.

The next important step will be for Gelinas and Larsson to repeat their performances in tonight’s game in Boston. That would be a big boost for a Devils team that is just 1-5-4.

That would also give DeBoer and GM Lou Lamoriello a tough decision to make when Salvador returns next week. Other than Gelinas, Larsson is the only other defenseman on the team that doesn’t have to clear waivers to be sent down.

With just one win so far, the veteran approach hasn’t been working. Perhaps, it’s time to let the young guys play.



Devils score two late goals to stun Bruins

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Updated: Saturday, October 26, 2013, 11:19 PM

BOSTON (AP) — It took a couple of last-minute goals for the New Jersey Devils to snap their recent woes against the Boston Bruins.

Marek Zidlicky and Andy Greene scored power-play goals 23 seconds apart late in the third period, lifting the Devils to a 4-3 win over the Bruins on Saturday night.


“I mean, we were due for some good fortune,” Devils coach Peter DeBoer said of his team’s start this season, but he could as well have been referring to the recent games against Boston.

“We haven’t had a lot of it through the first 10 or 11 games,” he said. “I thought the guys continued to work hard, we dug ourselves a little hole there early and considering the circumstances, it would have been easy to pack it in and we didn’t. We kept chipping away and like I said, we were due for some good luck.”





“It’s a huge win,” Devils’ forward Patrick Elias said. “Obviously we didn’t start well.”


Rask made 28 saves.


“Well, obviously the power play — four power-play goals tonight,” DeBoer said. “I don’t think we’ve won in this rink in four or five years, so we were going to need something special tonight, whether it was a four-star performance from somebody or our power play to click. We got some of that.”





“I think we’re confident (when) we have the lead. We think we can hold it. It was just the second period that we weren’t as good,” Iginla said. “We weren’t skating as well. We weren’t first to the pucks like we were in the first period. You give them credit. They got better.

“But the third, with the lead by one goal up until the last four minutes, it was the way we want to play that. Being at home we’d like to put them away, but we weren’t able to and they hung around and they got the power plays late and they took advantage of it.”


“To me tonight we had one line going and too many mediocre guys,” he said.




New York Daily News LOADED: 10.27.2013


Devils stun Bruins with two late goals

By Associated Press

October 26, 2013 | 10:20pm

BOSTON — It took a couple of last-minute goals for the Devils to snap their recent woes against the Bruins.

Marek Zidlicky and Andy Greene scored power-play goals 23 seconds apart late in the third period, lifting the Devils to a 4-3 win over the Bruins Saturday night.


“I mean, we were due for some good fortune,” Devils coach Peter DeBoer said of his team’s start this season, but he could as well have been referring to the recent games against Boston.

“We haven’t had a lot of it through the first 10 or 11 games,” he said. “I thought the guys continued to work hard, we dug ourselves a little hole there early and considering the circumstances, it would have been easy to pack it in and we didn’t. We kept chipping away and like I said, we were due for some good luck.”





“It’s a huge win,” Devils forward Patrick Elias said. “Obviously we didn’t start well.”


Rask made 28 saves. The Devils went 4-for-7 on the power play.

“Well, obviously the power play — four power-play goals tonight,” DeBoer said. “I don’t think we’ve won in this rink in four or five years, so we were going to need something special tonight, whether it was a four-star performance from somebody or our power play to click. We got some of that.”





“I think we’re confident [when] we have the lead. We think we can hold it. It was just the second period that we weren’t as good,” Iginla said. “We weren’t skating as well. We weren’t first to the pucks like we were in the first period. You give them credit. They got better.

“But the third, with the lead by one goal up until the last four minutes, it was the way we want to play that. Being at home we’d like to put them away, but we weren’t able to and they hung around and they got the power plays late and they took advantage of it.”


“To me tonight we had one line going and too many mediocre guys,” he said.




***

The Bruins had won 11 of the previous 12 games against New Jersey, with the lone loss in April 2011. … It was the first of three meetings between the teams this season, the only in Boston.

New York Post LOADED: 10.27.2013


Islanders defense lets them down again

By Zach Braziller

October 26, 2013 | 9:57pm

Islanders fans booed former captain Mark Streit in his return to Nassau Coliseum.

Perhaps they were just frustrated at the state of the team’s defense, because the Isles certainly could use the veteran blue-liner.

That was readily apparent after another uneven performance by the back line.

Though he protected his defensemen, Islanders coach Jack Capuano expressed his concern regarding his porous defense Saturday morning, and that was before the Islanders got shredded by the previously anemic Flyers, allowing three first-period goals en route to a dismal 5-2 loss in front of 13,620 mostly angry customers at Nassau Coliseum.

“We have to defend a little harder around them,” Capuano said before the game. “We’re not the biggest ‘D,’ but we have to defend a little harder to give our goalies a better chance.”

Across their first 11 games, the Islanders (4-4-3, 11 points) have held an opponent to fewer than two goals just once, and the opposition has scored 17 over the past four contests. The Islanders still have managed three points in that span, a nod to their relentless attack.

Goaltending, whether by Evgeni Nabokov of Saturday’s starter Kevin Poulin, has been a point of concern, but the back line’s struggled are well documented.

“It’s just sloppy in our own end,” captain John Tavares said after the loss. “We haven’t made it easy on our goaltenders. It’s tough to ask them to give us 30-plus saves a night. We have to bare down away from the puck, rather than worry about things with the puck.”

Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen scored the Islanders goals.

Capuano split up his top pair on defense, Travis Hamonic and Andrew MacDonald, looking to help out the other pairings, particularly rookie Matt Donovan, a minus-two, and Matt Carkner. They didn’t have an answer for Vincent Lecavalier, who broke out of a season-long slump with a hat trick, as the Flyers won for just the third time this season.

Philadelphia (3-7-0, 6 points) entered the contest the only team in the NHL without a three-goal performance on its resume. The Flyers looked like a powerhouse Saturday night, scoring against Poulin on their first two shots, as they avoided becoming the first team to fail to score three goals in a game through their first 10 games since the 1940 New York Americans.

“It’s a little bit of everything,” MacDonald said. “They seem to be getting some good chances off the team. As a team, we’re going to have to work on our rush response. Collectively as a whole, we have to improve defensively.”

Capuano, perhaps looking to deflect blame from the team’s struggling defensemen, criticized his entire team’s effort after the first period. He didn’t see enough fight or all-out effort — qualities the Islanders rode to the playoffs last year.

“We need all 20 guys going, and tonight we didn’t [have that],” he said. “For us to be successful, that’s the type of team we have, and that’s how we need to play. Win, lose or draw, the work ethic and determination and the grit in your game has to be there, and I didn’t see that in our game tonight.”


723516 New York Islanders

Islanders can't back up big win, fall to Flyers

Originally published: October 26, 2013 10:35 PM

Updated: October 27, 2013 1:30 AM

By ARTHUR STAPLE [email protected]

The Islanders' season is just about a month old, and their inability to play consistently from one night to the next already is an issue.

After a mad dash to victory over the powerhouse Penguins in Pittsburgh on Friday night, the Islanders fell behind by two goals on the first two Philadelphia shots Saturday night. The 5-2 loss to a Flyers team that had scored 13 total goals in its first nine games was the result of too many breakdowns and too many Islanders unable to give their best effort.

The Islanders faltered at this time of the schedule in each of the previous three seasons. Aside from last season, when they turned it around with a furious finish, the late October/early November swoon has led them on a steady slide to irrelevance.

That was supposed to be a thing of the past. Instead, the Islanders sit at 4-4-3, with the same number of wins through 11 games that they had in each of the previous three seasons.

"I'd hoped so," Travis Hamonic said when asked if these effort issues were supposed to be behind this team. "We were flat tonight."

Kevin Poulin made his first start in goal in two weeks and was down by two goals by the 5:30 mark of the first. Vinny Lecavalier's power-play blast ticked off Hamonic's stick and in just 4:30 into the game. A minute later, Jakub Voracek raced around rookie defenseman Matt Donovan, cut past Matt Carkner and buried a shot behind Poulin through a crowd.

The Flyers hadn't scored more than two goals in a game coming in. Now they had two on two shots and more confidence than they'd had during a horrible 2-7-0 start that included the firing of former Islanders coach Peter Laviolette.

"When you score on your first two shots, it's hard not to have confidence," said Poulin, who finished with 27 saves. "They have a lot of skill and they got a big boost there."

The Islanders twice pulled within a goal, on Kyle Okposo's first-period slap shot and Frans Nielsen's second-period shorthander, but the Isles did not rally in the third down a goal as they had a night earlier in Pittsburgh.

Lecavalier, who scored again late in the first for a 3-1 lead, completed his hat trick at 8:53 of the third, sweeping the puck into an open net with Poulin out of position and Donovan unable to tie up Lecavalier.

It was another rough night for Donovan, who was on for three Flyers goals and now is a minus-6 in his last three games. With Lubomir Visnovsky (concussion) and Brian Strait (upper body) sidelined, the Islanders went with the same six defensemen as they had on Friday -- at least until Donovan started to implode, when Jack Capuano essentially went down to five defensemen.

"We had some D that struggled," Capuano said. "You saw some of the battles we lost. We can't have that."

What the Islanders have right now is a team that can score but can't put a full 60 minutes together night in and night out. The Rangers, another team struggling to find itself early this season, come to the Coliseum on Tuesday. If the Isles come out weak again, they risk giving life to another divisional opponent.

"We're a .500 club and we should be disappointed," Capuano said. "Our standards are higher."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 10.27.2013

723517 New York Islanders

Mark Streit, now with Flyers, appreciates his time with Islanders

Originally published: October 26, 2013 9:41 PM

Updated: October 27, 2013 1:04 AM

By JOHN JEANSONNE [email protected]

An unavoidable sidebar to Saturday night's Islanders-Philadelphia Flyers proceedings was the return to Nassau Coliseum by Mark Streit in new clothes.

Philadelphia's orange and black aside, he immediately was recognizable for what he had been the previous five years in these environs, assisting on two of his new team's three first-period goals in a 5-2 Philadelphia victory.

"Emotional game for me," Streit said. "I tried to just stay focused and play the game. But it was tough. I'm just happy we got the win and played a pretty good game."

Streit, 35, may not have been an emperor during his Islanders tour, but during the team's darker days, he was chief cook and bottle washer -- capably handling disparate chores, a defenseman who led a last-place team in scoring, a trigger on the power play. He also was captain of the first Islanders team to make the playoffs in six years.

Against the Penguins in May, Streit experienced that long-awaited postseason series, what he called his "most memorable moments" at the Coliseum. "I mean, having the building full," he said, "a really great atmosphere, the people, the excitement of the towns around . . . "

A month later, about to become a free agent, he was traded to Philadelphia.

"I think once I packed up , I realized that probably my time here had come to an end," Streit said. "You know, they're building within the draft and they're coming along really nice. I mean, guys like Johnny [Tavares] and Bailes [Josh Bailey] and [Kyle] Okposo, all those guys.

"They're getting better every year, so they want to keep that going. I don't know; maybe they think they didn't want to screw up the chemistry, but that's their decision. I didn't really expect that they were going to go crazy on the free-agent market."

Streit has "moved on," as Islanders coach Jack Capuano put it, not unkindly. He is one of "them" now, and the business at hand was a professional game against friends and colleagues he had known so recently as "us."

A Swiss native, Streit has had several North American hockey homes, from minor-league Springfield to Montreal and the Island. But the long stay here brought the most memories and "a lot of great friends, not just in hockey.''

Said Streit, "They did a lot for me. They gave me the opportunity to play as a full-time defenseman. I made the All-Star team. I was captain for two years. I

mean, that's an unbelievable achievement. And we made the playoffs in the last year, so a lot of great memories."

He has kept an eye on the Islanders' results. "That's natural," he said. He stays in personal touch, via texting, "with a few of those guys once in a while. I don't live on another planet."

But hockey is a cold world. It was past Streit's leg that his close friend, Islanders center Frans Nielsen, sneaked a shorthanded goal in the second period.

Streit smiled. "If somebody had to score," he said, "at least it was him."


723518 New York Rangers

Derick Brassard scores game-winning goal to lift NY Rangers past Red Wings

By Pat Leonard / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Updated: Sunday, October 27, 2013, 3:01 AM

DETROIT – This is how the Rangers wanted to go home: with their heads held high.

The Blueshirts mounted their best offensive effort of the season by far Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena to defeat the Red Wings, 3-2, in overtime, and conclude their season-opening, nine-game road stretch with flourish heading into Monday’s home opener at the Garden against the Montreal Canadiens.

Forwards Derick Brassard, Benoit Pouliot and Mats Zuccarello each scored his first goal of the season. Brassard snuck the game-winner under the blocker of Wings goalie Jimmy Howard on a breakaway with 12.6 seconds remaining in overtime, off a pure-effort assist from Pouliot, who dove to poke the puck forward.

“Finally!” Brassard cried out as he stomped to his locker.

Detroit’s Howard (37 saves) stood on his head against the Rangers’ season-high 40 shots, but Cam Talbot (32 stops) answered again for the Rangers in his second career NHL start, following his 25-save debut Thursday in Philadelphia. He especially made poised denials of Todd Bertuzzi and Johan Franzen on the doorstep as the Wings’ big-bodied forwards crowded his crease.

“I just try not to think about who’s there,” said Talbot, who not long ago was watching these Red Wings stars on TV. “I try to focus on the puck and not worry whether it’s Bertuzzi or (Pavel) Datsyuk or (Henrik) Zetterberg, I just try to make that save and cover the rebounds, because I know if you leave them out there, those guys are just gonna bang them in there one-by-one.”

The Rangers (3-6-0), in fact, flipped the script on Detroit (6-4-2), earning their first win in the Motor City since Jan. 30, 1999, by throwing more traffic at the crease than they had at any point this season. Their persistence resulted in rebound goals for Pouliot and Zuccarello just 4:58 apart straddling the second intermission, Pouliot’s on the power play after the Rangers had scored only one goal in the previous183 minutes and 29 seconds going back three games. Brian Boyle, Ryan McDonagh, Marc Staal and Dominic Moore all had assists.

All night, the Rangers’ neutral-zone defense forced turnovers (the Wings had 17) and dictated the action. Though Chris Kreider couldn’t finish a couple great chances, the Boston College product was everywhere and received praise from coach Alain Vigneault, as did the physical Boyle. There was a lingering sense the Rangers wouldn’t let this one get away, even when they trailed 2-1 after 40 minutes despite playing their best period of the season in the second, outshooting Detroit 13-3 in the first 15 minutes.

“I think we were so desperate for a win,” defenseman Marc Staal said. “That desperation showed – the urgency and wanting to win and get those two points.”

The month of October mostly has been a huge disappointment. Garden chairman James Dolan’s poorly scheduled “transformation” of his arena displaced the Rangers for the entire preseason and nearly this whole first

month. But they play nine of their next 12 games at home, and it’s a given how returning to New York makes the team feel.

“What do you think?” Vigneault said, laughing. “We don’t have the record we want, but we saw some strides in the right direction.”

STILL ACHING: Henrik Lundqvist, recovering “slowly” from his mystery injury, hopes to start Monday but isn’t certain he’ll be able. Carl Hagelin (left shoulder) may not return from offseason shoulder surgery until next Saturday against the Hurricanes. Ryan Callahan (broken thumb) is out until at least Nov. 6, and there’s no timetable on the return of Rick Nash (concussion).



Crushed Ice: Derick Brassard explains his overtime game-winning goal for NY Rangers in 3-2 win over Detroit Red Wings

BY Pat Leonard

DETROIT – Derick Brassard couldn’t finish a second-period breakaway Saturday night when Jimmy Howard barely got a shoulder on a high wrister that sailed wide.

But Brassard knew what he was up against from his days playing with Columbus – when the Red Wings and Blue Jackets were still in the West – as he skated in to score his overtime game-winner in a 3-2 Rangers victory.

BLUESHIRTS TOP RED WINGS IN OT, 3-2, TO CLOSE ROAD TRIP ON HIGH NOTE

“I played a lot against Detroit in the past in my career, and I knew how good Howard was in breakaways and shootouts,” Brassard said. “So the first time, in the second period, I tried to get high on him. Then it was a great play in overtime. (Benoit Pouliot) used the second effort to push it into space there so I could skate into it. I couldn’t settle the puck on the ice, and I didn’t know how much time I had, so I tried to go five-hole, and the puck was not flat on the ice, so I think it gave me a little advantage on that.”

Brassard didn’t even know where the puck went. He thought maybe it snuck through Howard’s five-hole, where he was aiming, but it squirted under the goalie’s right arm. Brassard credited not only Pouliot’s pass but defenseman Dan Girardi’s winning a one-on-one battle in the defensive zone just prior to set up the play.

The Blueshirts’ offensive effort was by far the team’s best of the season, and Cam Talbot (32 saves) is starting to make a name for himself in net with Henrik Lundqvist sidelined.

“We had all four lines, everyone was rolling tonight,” Brassard said. “Our ‘D’ played really well, so did our goalie. It’s his second game in his career, and it’s never easy to come here in this building. He stayed really confident and played really well. We deserved that one. We’ve been working hard on the road trip. It’s not the record that we were expecting to have, but we’re going home for a while and we’re going to turn this around.”

Every Ranger but two – Dan Girardi and J.T. Miller – put at least one shot on goal.

Finally, the Rangers’ neutral-zone defense was smothering all night, forcing 17 Red Wings turnovers.

“We were patient,” Marc Staal (assist) said of the neutral zone clampdown. “They have a lot of guys that like to – like Datsyuk, Zetterberg – those guys like to turn back and make plays through the neutral zone. And I thought we were patient not to kind of just spin around in circles. We stayed with our structure and were able to bat a few down and turn it over.”

WHAT A SAVE

Howard’s diving blocker save on Brian Boyle’s second-period rebound should end up on a ton of NHL highlight reels the rest of the season. Boyle felt he got a good shot off and was incredulous that Howard had gotten over to make the stop. Perhaps Howard leaped across because with Rangers winger Derek Dorsett collapsed through the crease into the net, the goalie couldn’t slide across as he normally would.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM ALAIN VIGNEAULT POSTGAME

On what the Rangers did well: “I thought against a team like Detroit that has such a real strong transition game and they’re probably the best in the league or close to it as far as making the legal interference. So you’ve got to really do two things well: You’ve got to manage the puck so you don’t feed their transition – I thought we did a good job of that, using our speed and getting pucks behind their D. And I thought we really battled hard for the ice. They make it real hard for you, they get in front of their net, they make it hard for you by driving our net hard, and I thought we did a real good job being strong in those two areas and we were able to generate quality chances and when they did get chances we had some big saves.”

On how well the Rangers were forechecking: “We got to pucks – we weren’t really forechecking – we were getting pucks behind their ‘D’ and we were first on the puck and already in the offensive zone with possession.”

Vigneault on players that impressed him: “We had a lot of guys stand out in my mind. Kreids (Chris Kreider) tonight in my mind had a real strong game protecting the puck, making it hard on their D. Boylezee’s line (yes, Brian Boyle – never heard that one before), and obviously Pouliot and Brass tonight spent a lot of time in their end.”



NY Rangers' Dan Girardi admits second-guessing details after blowout losses out West, but he rebounded strong in Philadelphia

BY Pat Leonard

DETROIT – Nothing says Dan Girardi like a shot block off the collarbone, and maybe the Rangers defenseman’s self-sacrifice Thursday in Philadelphia indicated this team’s iron man is reclaiming his identity.

Girardi, 29, has been out of position and unsure with the puck often in October, nowhere close to his All-Star form of two seasons ago. But he had his best game in Thursday’s 2-1 loss to the Flyers, breaking up multiple odd-man rushes and anchoring a perfect penalty kill, including a painful block of a rising Matt Read wrist shot.

“I know I’m not playing my best, but I don’t think it’s panic mode,” Girardi told the Daily News Saturday morning before taking on the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena. “I know I can be better. I’m trying to do the right things, but sometimes if I’m thinking too much maybe it gets in the way. I may overthink a pass or a play instead of just hitting a guy.

“When you lose games like 9-2 in San Jose and 6-0 in Anaheim, you second guess yourself in the defensive zone, on rush coverage,” Girardi continued. “Then maybe you’re overcautious. Instead, we have to be more confident and trust that everybody knows where they’re supposed to be.”

VIGNEAULT CALLS OUT UNPRODUCTIVE CENTERS BRASSARD, STEPAN

Girardi was exactly where he needed to be breaking up a Flyers three-on-one rush late in Thursday’s third period that kept it a one-goal game and gave the Rangers a chance.

“I like being a big difference-maker, making a big play or a big block,” Girardi said.

Coach Alain Vigneault took notice.

“He had a good game in the sense that he made some big defensive plays that stopped the opposition from getting some grade-A chances,” the coach said Saturday of Girardi. “There were two odd-number situations we gave up, one at the end of the game, that would have prevented us from trying to tie it, and he made some big plays. So hopefully that’s a start for him.”

Recently, the Rangers’ defense has announced itself as the leading candidate to drag the team out of its early season doldrums if someone could just score. Marc Staal said New York’s defensemen, however, can’t allow a lack of goals to bait them into forcing offense from the back and losing their structure.

“We may have been doing that the first couple weeks,” Staal said.

Girardi also said it’d be helpful if the team could generate more consistent offensive pressure, “hem teams in like we used to,” to put their opponents on their heels for a change.

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock called the play of Girardi, Staal and Ryan McDonagh in Philadelphia “fantastic” after watching the tape. Vigneault said his defensive corps as a whole has been “playing the percentages better, with and without the puck.”

WHO'S IN GOAL? WHO CARES? RANGERS NEED TO SCORE

“That’s what all Ds have to do,” Vigneault said. “They’ve got some reads to make when we have the puck. When you don’t have the puck, you’ve got to be part of the forecheck. You’ve got to read the backcheck, and you’ve got to help out the forwards making sure they’ve picking up the right personnel.”

Vigneault, a former defenseman himself, concluded with a quip.

“Ds have always been a lot smarter than forwards,” he said, smirking. “We all know that. So it’s real important they help those guys out as much as they can.”

GETTING LATE EARLY

Staal acknowledged the season is almost a month old and there is no longer time to say ‘It’s still early.’

“Eight games is a pretty big chunk of the season, so we have to get results and get points,” Staal said. “We can talk all we want about how we think we’re playing better or feeling better, but it doesn’t matter if we don’t win.”

REFLECTION FROM QUICKIE

Rangers rookie right wing Jesper Fast told the Daily News on Saturday morning that he believes if he talks more on the ice, he can improve on his total three shots through six games and become more of an offensive threat.

Fast is quiet by nature, but he said he thinks he needs to learn to communicate better and more often with teammates during his shifts. He said he feels the Rangers offensively are “getting stuck in the corners” sometimes instead of establishing the type of cycles he thrived in during the preseason. He also said he has to “move the puck better and use my speed.”

“If I don’t move my feet, I’m not gonna get chances,” Fast said.

EXTRA, EXTRA

Just a few notes from Wednesday’s practice, actually, that I thought were interesting but never posted.

I asked center Derick Brassard to describe how the Rangers’ play is affected when their “compete level,” as they say, isn’t where it should be. Brassard said in games in which the Rangers have played well, they’ve managed the puck well and supported each other, but in games they’ve lost, he feels their execution has been off and affected their rhythm.

Ryan McDonagh also described how the defensemen are trying to “come out clean” from their own zone with the puck to set up an “attack with speed” through the neutral zone, “as opposed to dumping it and chasing to an area.” McDonagh allowed that dump-and-chase is going to happen and sometimes needs to, but the Blueshirts can’t be relying on it to the point where they’re not applying the ideal pressure, and instead their opponents are able to attack them with speed, instead.

FORWARD THINKING

Carl Hagelin (left shoulder) said Saturday morning that his plan is to return from offseason shoulder surgery either Tuesday at the Islanders, Thursday against the Sabres or next Saturday against the Hurricanes … Captain Ryan Callahan (broken thumb) remains out until at least Nov. 6 … Asked about the status of Rick Nash (concussion), Vigneault said: “I haven’t asked about him in four or five days. He’s not around, so I worry about the guys that are here.”



Alain Vigneault calls for centers Derek Stepan, Derick Brassard to do more for NY Rangers starting Saturday at Detroit Red Wings

BY Pat Leonard

DETROIT – Alain Vigneault called for more from his top two centers, Derek Stepan and Derick Brassard, the morning of the Rangers’ game at Joe Louis Arena against the Detroit Red Wings.

“We need our centermen to help us out here a little bit,” Vigneault said. “They’re a big part of defensive hockey and offensive hockey, and we’ve got quite a few on that end right now that are underperforming.”

WHO'S IN NET? WHO CARES? RANGERS NEED TO SCORE GOALS

Vigneault is keeping Stepan and Brassard as the centers of his top two lines Saturday night. He wouldn’t say whether he’d consider moving Brad Richards back to the middle if their struggles continue, but that clearly would be the next step.

“Tonight I’m not thinking about that,” the coach said. “Tonight I’m hoping that Step and Brass, especially those two – they’re supposed to be our offensive players, our offensive skill. They need to start showing some of that.”

Red Wings coach Mike Babcock watched tape of the Rangers’ 2-1 loss to the Flyers Thursday night in Philadelphia and said he liked a lot about New York’s game. But he also drew a simple conclusion:

“They’re like us,” Babcock said. “They don’t score any goals.”

It’s true. The Red Wings (6-4-1) have three goals in their last three games (0-2-1), struggles so bad they are splitting up top two goal scorers Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg to start Saturday’s game.

But the Rangers (2-6-0) have a league-low 12 goals in eight games and have scored one goal in the last 146 minutes and nine seconds of hockey.

The Blueshirts undoubtedly are weary of this nine-game, season-opening road stretch. The game in Detroit puts an end to the constant travel before Monday’s home opener against the Canadiens.

“It’s tough,” Zetterberg said of the Rangers’ frequent travel. “I talked to a few of the guys (on the Rangers). They really want to get home and play in front of their home fans.”

Goalie Cam Talbot will make his second straight start Saturday night against the Red Wings, with Jason Missiaen backing him up as Henrik Lundqvist continues to recover from his undisclosed injury.

Lundqvist participated in a full team practice Saturday morning at the Joe, his third straight practice and the first time he’s been back in front of the full team taking shots since last Saturday.

“It’s a little better,” Lundqvist said. “It’s moving slowly in the right direction. Today was the first real practice I had in a week, so we’ll see how I respond … It’s tough to be patient. I’m not gonna hide it. I definitely want to play Monday. I want to be there and play in front of our fans. So that’s our goal, but at the same time you have to be smart about it. It’s a long season, but we’ll see how I react to this. This was a good skate.”

Unfortunately, Vigneault said when asked about the status of Rick Nash (concussion) that he hadn’t even asked about him in four or five days and that he’s heard nothing new. No news is bad news.

Carl Hagelin (left shoulder) said he is not sure yet whether he’ll return to the lineup Tuesday on Long Island, Thursday against the Sabres or Saturday against the Hurricanes. But he said the plan is to come back one of those games.

Vigneault made a slight lineup change by reinserting diminutive Norwegian forward Mats Zuccarello for Brandon Mashinter, who has quite a shiner on and around his left eye from Thursday’s heavyweight battle with Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds.

It’s unfortunate timing for the Norwegian media outlet TV 2 Sporten, which sent two reporters this week to cover Zuccarello. He was scratched while they were covering him in Philadelphia, and now that they’ve moved on to California to cover a Norwegian Olympic-level snowboarder, Zuccarello re-enters the Rangers’ lineup.

Such are the breaks.

Finally, here is a good breakdown from Red Wings coach Mike Babcock on the Rangers. Babcock watched New York’s game against the Flyers in preparation for Saturday’s game:

“I thought their D zone looks the same, and when I think of the Rangers, I still think there’s lots of (carryover) from before (with John Tortorella), lots of

shotblocking,” Babcock said. “I really liked 27, 5 and 18 (referring to defensemen Ryan McDonagh, Dan Girardi and Marc Staal). I thought they were fantastic for them the other night. (Derek) Stepan’s obviously a real good player for them. (Brad) Richards seems to have his game going here. (Brian) Boyle always impresses me. I think he’s done a real good job. He’s gone to New York and become a good player in the league. It’s like every team in the league: You’re gonna have your hands full. And they’re like us. They don’t score any goals.”

RANGERS LINEUP AT RED WINGS

Forwards: Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Brad Richards, Benoit Pouliot-Derick Brassard-J.T. Miller, Taylor Pyatt-Brian Boyle-Derek Dorsett, Mats Zuccarello-Dominic Moore-Jesper Fast

Defensemen: Ryan McDonagh-Dan Girardi, Marc Staal-Anton Stralman, John Moore-Michael Del Zotto

Goalies: Cam Talbot (starter), Jason Missiaen (backup)

Healthy scratches: Brandon Mashinter, Justin Falk

Injured: Henrik Lundqvist (undisclosed injury, day-to-day), Rick Nash (concussion, injured reserve), Ryan Callahan (broken left thumb, out until at least Nov. 6), Carl Hagelin (left shoulder, out until at least Tuesday on Long Island).



Rangers show grit in OT win over Red Wings

By Brett Cyrgalis

October 26, 2013 | 10:05pm

DETROIT — It became very clear on Saturday night in Joe Louis Arena how much the smallest bit of success can change the entire complexion of a team — and possibly a season.

In a game the Rangers needed to win in the worst way, what they got was some extra effort where there was none before, the result being a 3-2 overtime win over the Red Wings that sends the Blueshirts home from this brutal nine-game season-opening road trip battered, but no longer beaten.

“I think we deserved that one,” said Derick Brassard, the beleaguered center who was called out by coach Alain Vigneault before the game for needing to contribute more, then went out and scored the game-winner on a breakaway in overtime.

“It’s not the record we were expecting to have,” Brassard said about his 3-6-0 team, “but we’re going home for a while and we’re going to turn this around.”

What might have turned the game around was a moment late in the second period, when the Rangers were down 1-0 after Drew Miller got the Red Wings (6-4-2) on the board early. With the Rangers the power play, forward Benoit Pouliot found a way to bang in a loose puck at the goalmouth and tie the game, 1-1.

It was Pouliot’s first goal of the season, his first point as a Ranger, and it enlivened his game. So much so that when the overtime rolled around, there was Pouliot sprawled out on the ice, diving to advance the puck to Brassard, who, after getting denied by the red-hot goalie Jimmy Howard on a breakaway earlier in the game, took a rolling puck and netted the decisive tally.

“It’s a big boost, for sure,” Pouliot said about his goal and the energy left in its wake. “It makes you feel good, makes you feel better. In your head, it feels like it’s a big push for yourself.”

Just that little bit of boost is what now allows the Rangers to go home for Monday’s game against the Canadiens at a revamped Garden with at least a modicum of momentum. Though they played an assertive game all night, notching a season-high 40 shots on net and 54 total attempts, the game teetered on falling off into another bad-luck loss.

They were down 1-0 then 2-1 after Daniel Alfredsson gave his new team the lead on a power play with just 11 seconds remaining in the second. But 2:18

into the third, Mats Zuccarello followed Pouliot by jumping off the goalless schneid and banging in a rebound to tie it, 2-2.

“It’s important not just for them, but for our team,” said Vigneault, whose squad came into the game dead last in the league with 12 goals. “We were not scoring a lot.”

The Rangers also got another good game out of rookie goalie Cam Talbot, who made 32 saves in his second NHL start, and likely will fall back into the role of Henrik Lundqvist’s backup starting on Monday.

Yet for a time it looked like Talbot was going to get outdueled by Howard, who made a jaw-dropping stop on Brian Boyle midway through the second period, diving in front of an open net and somehow getting a blocker on the shot.

That’s when it looked like this could be another effort for naught, another night the Rangers would go back to a hotel and speak of moral victories.

But because of a little extra effort, and a little bit of good fortune, the Rangers now get to go home to their own beds and do so with a better understanding of what it will take for this team to win.

“Everyone played hard,” Pouliot said. “We deserved to win.”



Henrik Lundqvist: I ‘want to play Monday’

By Brett Cyrgalis

October 26, 2013 | 4:09pm

DETROIT — Henrik Lundqvist was not about to parse his words.

The Rangers’ franchise goaltender did not dress for the second straight game in Saturday night’s 3-2 overtime win over the Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena, citing his mysterious injury. Yet as the Blueshirts’ season-opening nine-game road trip came to an end, they now look forward to Monday, when they take on the Canadiens at the revamped Garden.

And though Lundqvist is being coy about the nature of his injury, there was no hesitation about his desire to play in the home-opener.

“I’m not going hide it, I definitely want to play Monday,” he said after Saturday’s morning skate, what he called his first full practice in a week. “I want to be there and play in front of our fans. That’s my goal, but at the same time, you have to be smart about it. It’s a long season. We’ll see how I react to this. It was a good skate for me.”

Lundqvist said the injury, which occurred in the second game of the season in Los Angeles, is slowly progressing. As tough as it is to sit out, the 31-year-old free-agent-to-be also is cognizant of not trying to push to hard and making matters worse.

“I hoped it to be good two weeks ago,” he said. “Every day it’s improving. You just hope it’s moving faster.”

The hope now for Lundqvist is the Rangers can use the return to New York as a turning point in what has been an poor start to a season with high expectation.

“I think we all feel frustration right now, and not being able to be out there and help out just adds to it,” Lundqvist said. “We just have to turn everything into a positive thinking here. It’s been a long road trip for us. Come back home and play at the Garden on Monday is going to bring some life back to the group here.”

Coach Alain Vigneault was adamant about needing better play from his four centers, and singled out Derek Stepan and Derick Brassard specifically.

“I’m hoping that both Step and Brass, especially those two, they’re supposed to be our offensive players, our offensive skill,” Vigneault said. “They need to start showing some of that.”

Brassard had a wide-open breakaway midway through the second period, but was denied by goalie Jimmy Howard. He then had another breakaway in overtime, and scored the game-winner.

Vigneault continued to have no update on the status of Rick Nash, who is presumably still dealing with the aftereffects of a concussion sustained on a hit by the Sharks’ Brad Stuart on Oct. 8. Saturday was the sixth straight game he missed.

“I haven’t asked about him in four or five days,” Vigneault said of Nash, who is the team’s best offensive player and carries a $7.8 million cap hit through the 2017-18 season. “He isn’t around, so I’m worried about that guys that are here.”

Mats Zuccarello reentered the lineup after being a healthy scratch on Thursday in Philadelphia, and scored the goal that tied the game 2-2. Brandon Mashinter was scratched.



Rangers notes: Lundqvist hopes to play Monday


— Andrew Gross

Hank’s hoping

Henrik Lundqvist missed his second straight game with an undisclosed injury but participated in the Rangers’ morning skate, his first full practice since playing in a 4-0 loss to the Devils on Oct. 19. He said he is improving but not as quickly as he’d like.

The Rangers practice today at Madison Square Garden before Monday’s home opener against the Canadiens.

"I’m not going to hide it, I definitely want to play Monday," Lundqvist said. "That’s my goal but, at the same time, you have to be smart about it. It’s a long season."

The winner

C Derick Brassard wasn’t even sure how he beat Jimmy Howard on a breakaway at 4:47 of overtime, thinking he’d slipped the puck between the goalie’s pads. The puck actually went under Howard’s blocker.

"I couldn’t settle the puck on the ice and I didn’t know how much time I had so I tried to go five-hole but the puck was not flat," Brassard said. "The play started with G [defenseman Dan Girardi] winning his one-on-one in the defensive zone and Benny [Pouliot] had a great second effort."

Tuesday, or later

LW Carl Hagelin (left shoulder) repeated he’s hoping to play on Tuesday against the Islanders, the first day he’s eligible to come off long-term injured reserve following off-season surgery to repair a torn labrum.

But Hagelin broadened his return target to Tuesday, Thursday against the Sabres or Saturday against the Hurricanes.

"It’s no backtrack," Hagelin said.

Briefs

D Justin Falk and LW Brandon Mashinter were healthy scratches. …The Rangers reported no change in the status of RW Rick Nash (concussion).



Chris Kreider learning on the fly

October 26, 2013 by STEVE ZIPAY / [email protected]

Rangers left wing Chris Kreider is seen on

Left wing Chris Kreider, perhaps the fastest skater on the Rangers, is learning to ease off the throttle. It was something he tried to alter during his stay in Hartford before he was recalled last Monday.

"I'm slowing my skating down a little bit . . . trying not to get too far ahead of the play, timing plays a little bit better,'' said Kreider, 22, who picked up his first point, an assist on Brad Richards' goal, in Philadelphia. In early preseason games, he said, "I was just going a million miles per hour every shift; instead of trying to do A, B and C, just try to focus on A."

Forwards not blessed with such speed also need to adjust to succeed, Alain Vigneault said. "We need our centermen to help us out a little bit. They're a big part of defensive hockey and offensive hockey. I'm hoping Step [Derek Stepan] and Brass [Derick Brassard], especially those two, they're supposed to be our offensive skill. They need to start showing some of that."

Zuccarello back in

Mats Zuccarello dressed after being a healthy scratch in Philadelphia. He scored early in the third period Saturday night to tie it 2-2. Brandon Mashinter -- who had a shiner, cuts and swelling near his left eye but no vision problems after a fight with Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds -- and Justin Falk were healthy scratches.

Hagelin back soon

Carl Hagelin (offseason shoulder surgery) hopes he can make his season debut on Long Island on Tuesday night. "It's either the 29th, 31st [Sabres] or the 3rd [Hurricanes],'' said Hagelin, who has been taking contact regularly. He will miss Monday night's home opener against Montreal but then is eligible to come off long-term injured reserve.



Henrik Lundqvist targeting home opener Monday night for his return


Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist keeps his eye on

The visitors' locker room at Joe Louis Arena was virtually deserted shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday when Henrik Lundqvist, rehabbing from an undisclosed injury, finally arrived after his post-practice, on-ice workout. He unbuckled his pads, closed his eyes and seemed to meditate for a minute, and then opened them as writers moved in to check his status.

Lundqvist missed his second straight game Saturday night, a rare event for the 31-year-old goaltender, who has been bothered by an ailment believed to involve his left leg or foot. But he already was targeting Monday night's home opener against the Canadiens for his return.

"It's tough to be patient, but I'm not going to hide it, I definitely want to play Monday," said Lundqvist, who suffered the injury in a 3-1 win in Los Angeles in the second game of the season. "I want to be there and play in front of our fans, so that's my goal. But at the same time, you have to be smart about it. It's a long season. We'll see how I react to this."

At least there didn't appear to be any setback after a long morning session with all his teammates. "More speed and regular shots," he said. "That was different compared to the last two days, where it's been more technical stuff in close."

So the healing process is "moving slowly in the right direction . . . Every day it's improving. You just hope it's improving faster,'' he said. "Today was the first real practice I had in a week, so we'll see how I respond."

Lundqvist repeated his assertion that if this were late-season crunch time, he would dress and give it his best shot, even if he weren't 100 percent. "It's easier to do when you get down the stretch,'' he said. "It would definitely be a different story if it's March or April."

But watching from up near the press box again rather than being on the ice is painful in a different way.

"I think we all feel frustration right now and not being able to be out there and help out adds to it, but you have to stay positive," said Lundqvist, who has a 3.45 GAA and .890 save percentage in seven appearances. "This will be a

test for us here, the tough start. It's been a long road trip for us; to come back home and play in the Garden will maybe bring some life to the group."



Derick Brassard scores in OT to give Rangers 3-2 win over Red Wings


DETROIT -- You had to go back to Jan. 30, 1999, to find the last time the Rangers won at Joe Louis Arena.

But Derick Brassard scored on a breakaway with 13 seconds left in overtime and rookie goaltender Cam Talbot turned aside 32 shots in securing his first NHL win Saturday night as the Rangers beat the Red Wings, 3-2. That's the same score by which the Rangers beat Detroit in 1999, when Mike Richter faced 40 shots.

With time winding down in overtime, Benoit Pouliot's extra effort to move the puck ahead to Brassard -- who had been denied on a breakaway earlier in the game when his rising shot glanced off Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard's shoulder -- typified the level of effort the Rangers put forth.

"He just put it in space for me and I only had to skate to it. The puck was kind of bouncing a little, so I closed my eyes and shot it," Brassard said. "The first one of the season is always the hardest to get. That's what I want to do for this team, produce offensively, and I haven't done it at the start of the season."

Pouliot, Mats Zuccarello and Brassard each scored his first goal of the season to close out a nine-game road odyssey on a high note.

Entering Monday night's home opener against Montreal, the record is not what the Rangers and coach Alain Vigneault wanted it to be, but "3-and-6 is a lot better than 2-and-7," defenseman Marc Staal said. "We've got a good feeling going, and we're finally going home, but we have to try to string a few wins together."

Down 1-0 in the first period and 2-1 entering the third, the Rangers, with a season-high 40 shots, battled back twice to tie the score before Brassard ended it.

Pouliot, one of the bodies who created traffic in front of Howard much of the evening, backhanded in a rebound late in the second period for the 1-1 tie.

"We showed a couple clips of Detroit doing it [creating traffic]. They've got that art down to a science, and hopefully we took a page out of their book," Vigneault said.

Talbot, 26, has allowed only four goals in two starts plus the overtime.

"I don't worry whether it was [Todd] Bertuzzi or [Pavel] Datsyuk or [Hank] Zetterberg, I just tried to play at the top of the crease and control rebounds, guys did a great job clearing out the rebounds I did leave," Talbot said. "Getting one point is great, but getting two points on the road is huge. It gives us a lot of confidence moving forward, coming into a building like this and beating a good team. I'm just trying to enjoy it as it lasts."

Zuccarello, whose mid-ice turnover triggered a two-on-one that led to Drew Miller's goal and a 1-0 Detroit lead at 17:12 of the first, dived for the puck and swept a rebound through Howard's legs to tie it at 2 at 2:18 of the third.

"I thought the second period [when the Rangers outshot the Wings 16-8] could've been our best period of the year," Vigneault said, "and we didn't let the power-play goal affect us."

That was when Taylor Pyatt was sent off for holding and Daniel Alfredsson's one-timer beat Talbot with 11 seconds left for a 2-1 lead. Said Vigneault, "We won the third period and overtime."

The game ended a tumultuous road trip that started out West and included blowouts at the hands of the Sharks and Ducks. The Rangers, who have played well defensively in the last three games, will be overjoyed to skate at home Monday.



Rangers-Red Wings in review

27 October 2013, 4:58 am by Carp in Hockey New York Rangers NHL Rangers Report - 2 Comments

New York Rangers v Detroit Red Wings

Thoughts:

1) I really would have felt sorry for the Rangers if they had lost this game and had to go home to what is supposed to be a celebration of the renovated arena and all, only to be greeted by an angry home crowd.

2) I also don’t believe, had they lost this game, that all was lost. I know, ultimately it’s a results-driven business, but the Rangers needed to be a lot better, and for a lot of the Rangers to be a lot better, and in this game, win or lose, a lot of them were a lot better, right from the start, too. Ya gtta start playing better before things turn. It’s not accepting a good effort over a win. It’s that it’s a necessary step toward winning. If they play like this they will win their share. This was their best game of the season.New York Rangers v Detroit Red Wings

3) I kinda wish that the three guys who scored hadn’t scored, because I often scold or mock those who simply think “He scored, he’s great; he didn’t score, he stinks.” But I was typing throughout this game about how many players looked as if something had clicked in their heads, and three of those I about whom I was typing scored.

4) So the trip ends 3-6, which is not good by any stretch, with just 15 goals in the nine games, and all with some very, very, very legitimate reasons/excuses … though nobody better use them as such. And, honestly, nobody did. But 3-6 with a win at the end if a lot better than 2-7 with three straight losses. No?

5) Now some good news: 41 of the next 73 games are at home, including nineof the next 12, and then 11 of 12 from Nov. 30 through Dec. 23 (Festivus). Some potentially bad news: Opening nights are difficult at best; and first game back from a long trip is traditionally difficult, at best.

New York Rangers v Detroit Red Wings6) Cam Talbot. The kid was really strong early, especially on those PPs. Jimmy Howard was fairly amazing throughout. Obviously, that’s a huge win for the rookie goalkeep. No. 1 and a Broadway Borsalino to boot. Meanwhile Henrik Lundqvist is pushing for Monday. I wouldn’t rush him, or let him rush himself, back.

7) OK, so this is what I wrote before I knew the result: There were more than a few guys who I saw moving their feet and going to the net and working a forecheck much better in this game, and that includes Mats Zuccarello, Derek Stepan, Derick Brassard and Benoit Pouliot. Seriously, two of those guys drew penalties, one had a brekaway. Zuccarello and Pouliot scored goals and had other chances. (Then Brassard got his second breakaway and scored the GWG, thus avoiding the dreaded Breakaway Contest After the Hockey Game Ends and the Bettman Bonus Point for losing).

8) That said, Zuccarello commited a dumb turnover inside the blue line that led to the 1-0 goal. I don’t fully blame him, though. Got to be a little confusing when the coach wants guys to try to make plays instead of playing safe. Sometimes there are going to be bad decisions. That was one. I think you have to live with it.

9) I liked the way Marc Staal played the resulting 2-on-1. Instead of the typical Rangers D-man snow angel and failure to block the pass, he took away the pass by staying on his feet. That left the puck-carrier to the goalie, and Talbot simply got beaten short-side. Again, it happens. Maybe if Talbot knew Staal would play it that way he wouldn’t have been off the post? Who knows?New York Rangers v Detroit Red Wings

10) Going back to the point about moving feet, how good was the Derek Dorsett-Brian Boyle-Taylor Pyatt line? Tons of chances, loads of forecheck. Pyatt can’t take that penalty, though. Potentially crushing. And on the PPG at the end of the second, Dan Girardi’s got to do a better job moving that guy out of Talbot’s grill.

11) The first Pouliot penalty=Pansification. The Rangers have been good on the PK. which is good news for Pouliot, who seems to prefer the bench in the penalty box.

12) Brad Richards on the point. And I know he’s scored some goals, and to some of you guys that’s all that measures how a player is playing, but geez, the guy has made some dreadful plays at the blue line and in the defensive zone. And especially on the PP. Of course, the Rangers scored their PPG, by Pouliot, with Ryan McDonagh and John Moore on the points.

13) I think you’re gonna like having Detroit in the East. I am.

14) Wow. Under 4:00 left in a 2-2 game, team desperate for a win or a point, and live action is lost to commercials, one of them, ironically, an Optimum ad! Holy shishkebob. Sam Rosen explained it wasn’t the fault of the televising networks; that somebody forgot to turn on the red light that notifies officials that it’s a TV timeout. So play resumed. Then, next stoppage came the TV timeout. And, only one question in Alain Vigneault’s press conference on the post-game? While they’re doing extensive Devils, Islanders, Buffalo yapping? Really?

15) Chris Kreider and J.T. Miller. Both of them looked very comfortable in this game. Miller, like Pyatt and Pouliot, took a bad penalty. But the two kids looked like they belong and added a lot of energy and effective play in both ends. That’s as well as I’ve seen Kreider play, and that includes when he was Boy Wonder during the ‘12 playoffs. Wonder if they’re both here to stay? Wonder what happens when Carl Hagelin comes back Tuesday and Ryan Callahan comes back in another couple of weeks? Me? I’m giving them a long, long leash and a chance to stay permanently.

*************************************New York Rangers v Detroit Red Wings

My Three Rangers Stars:

1. Cam Talbot.

2. Benoit Pouliot.

3. Marc Staal.

Rockland Journal News: LOADED: 10.27.2013


Rangers 3, Red Wings 2 (OT) … post-game notes

26 October 2013, 11:12 pm by Carp in Hockey New York Rangers NHL Rangers Report - 16 Comments

New York Rangers v Detroit Red Wings

Post-game notes courtesy of the NYR:

Rangers 3, Red Wings 2 (OT).

Click here for boxscore.

Team Notes:

– The Rangers defeated the Detroit Red Wings, 3-2, in overtime tonight at Joe Louis Arena, to wrap-up their season-opening nine-game road trip. – The Blueshirts are now 3-6-0 overall (6 pts), including a 3-6-0 mark on the road this season. – Tonight’s contest was the 11th consecutive meeting between the Rangers and Red Wings that was separated by two or fewer goals, with seven of those games decided by one goal. – The Rangers’ power play was 1-3 (4:15) in the contest, while the Blueshirts were 3-4 (7:05) on the penalty kill. New York is now 24-28 (85.7%) on the penalty kill in the last six games. – The Blueshirts out-shot the Red Wings, 40-34, including a 16-8 advantage in the second period.

Player Notes:

– Cam Talbot made 32 saves to earn his first career win in his second NHL appearance, and is now 1-1-0 overall with a 1-1-0 mark on the road this season. – Derick Brassard notched the game-winning goal with 13 seconds remaining in overtime, registered three shots, and won 9-15 faceoffs (60%) in 14:37 of ice time. The goal was his first of the season, and he has now tallied four points (one goal, three assists) in the last five games. – Benoit Pouliot registered his first point as a Ranger with a power play goal, and added the lone assist on Derick Brassard’s overtime game-winning goal in 14:39 of ice time. – Mats Zuccarello tallied the game-tying goal at 2:18 of the third period, and registered three shots and two hits in 10:24 of ice time. The goal was Zuccarello’s first point of the season. – Brian Boyle recorded a power play assist and three shots, and won a game-high, 13-20 faceoffs (65%) in 18:14

of ice time. He leads the team with a 55.2% faceoff winning percentage (79-143) on the season. – Ryan McDonagh tallied a power play assist and logged a team-high, 26:52 of ice time. He has registered two assists in the last four games, and now leads all team defensemen in scoring with three points (one goal, two assists) this season. – Dominic Moore recorded an assist, two shots, and two hits in 12:02 of ice time. The point was his first as a Ranger since Apr. 15, 2006 at Philadelphia (assist). – Marc Staal registered an assist on Mats Zuccarello’s third period goal, and logged 19:54 of ice time. He is now one point shy of 100 career points. – Anton Stralman led all Rangers with a career-high, six shots on goal, and logged 20:51 of ice time.

Team Schedule:

– Sunday, Oct. 27 – Practice, 1:00 p.m. at Madison Square Garden – Next Game – Monday, Oct. 28 vs. Montreal (7:30 p.m. ET – TV: MSG Network)



It’s Go Time! … Rangers at Red Wings

26 October 2013, 6:30 pm by Carp in Hockey New York Rangers NHL Rangers Report - 391 Comments

Three Rangers Stars: Game 9, Rangers at Red Wings, Oct. 26 (Poll Closed)

Cam Talbot 25.84% (23 votes)

Benoit Pouliot 21.35% (19 votes)

Chris Kreider 14.61% (13 votes)

Derick Brassard 11.24% (10 votes)

Brian Boyle 5.62% (5 votes)

Jason Missiaen 5.62% (5 votes)

Marc Staal 3.37% (3 votes)

Mats Zuccarello 3.37% (3 votes)

Anton Stralman 2.25% (2 votes)

Derek Dorsett 2.25% (2 votes)

John Moore 2.25% (2 votes)

J.T. Miller 1.12% (1 votes)

Taylor Pyatt 1% (1 votes)

Dan Girardi 0% (0 votes)

Brad Richards 0% (0 votes)

Derek Stepan 0% (0 votes)

Ryan McDonagh 0% (0 votes)

Dominic Moore 0% (0 votes)

Michael Del Zotto 0% (0 votes)

Jesper Fast 0% (0 votes)

Total Votes: 89

Game 9.wings

Rangers at Red Wings.

Finally, and end to this torturous nine-game road journey to start the season (15 counting preseason). Whether it ends with a win, loss or Bettman Bonus Point it’ll be good news for the Rangers that it’s over.

Cam Talbot starts in goal again. Henrik Lundqvist practiced Saturday at the morning skate and said he hopes to play in the home opener Monday.

Justin Falk and Brandon Mashinter are prucha’d, as Mats Zuccarello gets back into the lineup.

Ah, the Good Ol’ Joe. Maybe now that the Wings are in the East there can be a rivalry built. I don’t recall a lot of Rangers success there. I remember the night Joey Kocur fought Bob Probert on Mike Keenan’s orders, and Probert’s mom scolded Kocur after the game. I remember the night Michel Bergeron fell off the bench and disappeared behind the players.

I also recall, chillingly, going in and out of there the same day, with a police escort, in the first sporting event involving a New York team after the 9/11 attacks (one of the rare instances where reporters flew with the team due to the circumstances and Glen Sather’s understanding) and how emotional it was flying directly over still smoldering and smoking lower Manhattan.

***************************************

CONTEST WINNER: Congrats to What The HECK!, the only entrant to predict Flyers 2, Rangers 1 and the winner of two tickets to Thursday’s Halloween game against Buffalo.

Don’t forget to vote for Three Rangers Stars in the poll on the left. And if you want to help me select Three Stars in my next-day reviews I only have 73 openings left (plus playoffs).



Rangers at Red Wings tonight … pre-game notes

26 October 2013, 5:13 am by Carp in Hockey New York Rangers NHL Rangers Report - 204 Comments

Pre-game notes courtesy of the NYR:

NEW YORK RANGERS at DETROIT RED WINGS

Saturday, Oct. 26, 7:00 p.m. ET

Joe Louis Arena – Detroit, MI

Rangers: 2-6-0 (4 pts)

Red Wings: 6-4-1 (13 pts)

TONIGHT’S GAME

The Rangers will conclude their season-opening nine-game road trip when they face-off against the Detroit Red Wings at Joe Louis Arena (7:00 p.m. — TV: MSG Network; Radio: ESPN 98.7), in an Original Six matchup. The Blueshirts currently rank seventh in the Metropolitan Division standings, and 14th in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 2-6-0 (4 pts). The Rangers enter the contest having been defeated by the Flyers, 2-1, on Thursday at Philadelphia. The Red Wings enter the contest with a 6-4-1 (13 pts) record to rank fourth in the Eastern Conference, and have lost their last three games (0-2-1). Following the contest, the Rangers will return to action when they face-off against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, Oct. 28, at Madison Square Garden (7:30 p.m.), in their 2013-14 regular season home opener.

RANGERS vs. RED WINGS:

All-Time: 211-260-103-1 overall (135-94-58-0 at home; 76-166-45-1 on the road)

2013-14: Tomorrow is the first of three meetings this season, and the only meeting at Joe Louis Arena.

Last Season: Did not play. In 2011-12, New York was 1-0-0 overall (1-0-0 mark at home; 0-0-0 mark on the road), following a 2-1 overtime victory on Mar. 21, 2012 at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers’ power play was 1-3 (33.3%) in the contest. Brad Richards tallied the power play goal for the Rangers, while Ryan Callahan notched the overtime game-winner. Henrik Lundqvist made 26 saves (.963 Sv%) in the win.

The last 10 meetings between the Rangers and Red Wings have been decided by two goals or less, including six contests separated by one goal

New York is 2-6-0 on the road; Detroit is 3-2-1 at home

New York is 0-0-0 vs. Atlantic Division opponents; Detroit is 3-0-0 vs. Metropolitan Division opponents

New York lists no former Red Wings on their roster

Detroit lists one former Ranger on their roster: Mikael Samuelsson (2001-02 – 2002-03)

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. RED WINGS: Henrik Lundqvist – 5 GP, 1-3-1, 3.19 GAA; Rick Nash – 55 GP, 25-22-47; Brad Richards – 21 GP, 7-14-21; Derick Brassard – 25 GP, 5-7-12; John Moore – 7 GP, 1-1-2

SPECIAL TEAMS:

Power Play: The Rangers were 0-2 (4:00) on Thursday at Philadelphia. New York ranks 19th in the NHL overall (4-24, 16.7%), and is tied for 14th on the road (4-24, 16.7%). The Rangers are 2-2 (0:48) in five-on-three situations (last – 10/12 at STL), and 0-1 (0:30) when four-on-three (last – 10/12 at STL). Shorthanded goals allowed (2): 10/8 at SJS (Vlasic); 10/24 at PHI (Read).

Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts were 4-4 (11:00) on Thursday at Philadelphia, and are now 21-24 (87.5%) in the last five games. New York is tied for 16th in the NHL overall (26-32, 81.2%), and ranks 14th on the road (26-32, 81.2%). The Rangers are 2-2 (1:59) in three-on-five situations (last – 10/16 at WSH), and 0-0 (0:00) when three-on-four. Shorthanded goals for (1): 10/7 at LAK (McDonagh).

Four-on-Four: New York did not skate in a four-on-four situation on Thursday at Philadelphia, and are now -2 in eight four-on-four situations (12:12) this season. Four-on-four goals for (1): 10/16 at WSH (J. Moore). Four-on-four goals allowed (3): 10/3 at PHX (Vrbata); 10/7 at LAK (Muzzin); 10/12 at STL (Backes).

ORIGINAL SIX SHOWDOWN: Tonight’s contest will be the first of 14 scheduled games against Original Six opponents this season.

Last season, the Rangers posted a 4-5-0 record against Original Six opponents. Rick Nash and Derek Stepan tied for the team lead with five assists and seven points apiece, while Carl Hagelin, Brad Richards, and Anton Stralman tied Nash and Stepan for the team-high with two goals each against Original Six opponents. Michael Del Zotto (one goal, two assists), Dan Girardi (three assists), and Marc Staal (one goal, two assists) tied for the team lead in scoring among defensemen with three points apiece. Henrik Lundqvist was 4-3-0 with a 2.65 GAA and .901 Sv% in seven appearances against Original Six opponents.

New York is 58-37-12 against Original Six teams since 2005-06, including a 1-4-1 mark vs. Detroit over the span. The Rangers’ .598 win% ranks third, trailing Detroit (.633, 45-24-10) and Montreal (.607, 84-52-13), and ahead of Chicago (.562, 40-30-11), Boston (.530, 69-60-23), and Toronto (.490, 63-66-21).

ROAD WARRIORS: The Rangers will wrap-up a nine-game road trip to begin their 2013-14 regular season campaign tomorrow at Detroit. The trip established a franchise record for longest road trip to start the season, breaking the old record of seven games set in 2011-12. It also tied the franchise mark for longest road trip overall, established during the 1955-56 season. The Blueshirts are slated to open their home schedule on Oct. 28 against Montreal, their latest home opener in a non-lockout shortened season since the 1947-48 season (Oct. 29).

FINISHING THE JOB: The Blueshirts have registered a point in 94 consecutive regular season games when leading after the second period, dating back to the 2009-10 season, posting a record of 88-0-6 over the span. The Rangers’ last regulation loss in a game when entering the third with the lead was Feb. 4, 2010 (6-5 loss vs. WSH). New York is 2-0-0 when leading after the second period this season.

THE HOT LIST:

Brad Richards – eight points (five goals, three assists) in the last seven games, including five points (two goals, three assists) in the last four games

Derick Brassard – four assists in the last six games, including three assists in the last four contests

John Moore – two points (one goal, one assist) in the last three games

INJURIES:

Carl Hagelin (IR – 9/30; shoulder, out indefinitely) – 8

Rick Nash (IR – 10/14; head injury – 10/8, out indefinitely) – 5

Ryan Callahan (IR – 10/21; broken thumb – 10/16, 3-4 weeks) – 2

Henrik Lundqvist (injured, day-to-day) – 1

Total Man-Games Lost: 18


723532 Ottawa Senators

Silfverberg out 4-6 weeks after breaking hand in Ottawa game (with video)

by James Gordon

on October 26, 2013

The Anaheim Ducks announced Saturday that Jakob Silfverberg – acquired this summer from the Senators in the deal that sent Bobby Ryan to Ottawa — is out four-to-six weeks with a broken right hand.

The injury occurred midway through the third period of Friday night’s 2-1 victory for the Ducks over the Senators at Canadian Tire Centre — the first game back in the capital for the young sniper since the July trade that sent him to California.

Silfverberg was off to a fast start with the Ducks, scoring four goals and three assists in 11 games so far this season. He becomes the second piece of that trade to suffer a major injury — prospect Stefan Noesen is out for the season after tearing both the ACL and MCL in his knee.

The video below appears to show what happened to Silfverberg Friday.

Midway through the third period, the play moves back up the ice after a chance in the Anaheim zone. Silfverberg (No. 33) is playing the puck along the boards as Senators defenceman Jared Cowen comes back to take him out.

Before he lands the hit, his stick comes around and appears to hit Silfverberg in the right hand. The Ducks said the injury was the result of a slash.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.27.2013


Senators go with Anderson against Sharks

by James Gordon

on October 26, 2013

Ottawa Senators backup goaltender Robin Lehner was outstanding when his team played the Sharks in San Jose back on Oct. 13, stopping 47 shots in a 3-2 loss that could have gone either way.

For that reason, Senators coach Paul MacLean considered going back to the big Swede when the Sharks visit Canadian Tire Centre Sunday evening to close out their season series against Senators.

But with Craig Anderson coming off a strong performance in Friday night’s 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks and a manageable schedule ahead, MacLean ultimately decided to go with his No. 1 netminder.

“Craig and Robin have been our best players, our most consistent players since the season started and Craig’s the No. 1 goalie and historically plays games. The schedule right now, with (games) every other day, is conducive to him playing. And when he’s playing well, we’re a hard team to beat.”

While there won’t be a change between the pipes, MacLean will shuffle his defencemen and forwards.

Patrick Wiercioch returns to the lineup after sitting out a couple of contests as a healthy scratch. Eric Gryba will sit in his place.

What happens up front will depend on how everyone’s feeling Sunday. Second-line winger Clarke MacArthur was given a “maintenance day” and didn’t practice Saturday, though MacLean said he “should be OK” to play.

And Jean-Gabriel Pageau, who is also nursing a minor injury and hasn’t played since Oct. 17, is a maybe as well.

Meanwhile, Mika Zibanejad, who just three games ago was still toiling in the minors, was back on the first line at practice Saturday after closing out the Anaheim loss in that spot Friday.

Turns out it isn’t a long way to the top after all.

MacLean wasn’t ready to commit to that trio against the Sharks, but the promotion speaks to how well Zibanejad has played in the two games since returning from AHL Binghamton this week.

He had an assist in Wednesday’s 6-1 shellacking of the Detroit Red Wings and was the only Senator to find the back of the net against the Ducks.

Zibanejad said he needs to keep taking advantage of his speed and firing plenty of shots at the net (he led all Senators with four Friday) to secure his spot in the lineup.

He’s also recommitted to a more physical brand of play, something the team asked of his when it sent him down to Bingo. He had five hits against the Ducks, second only to Jared Cowen.

Zibanejad said he’s not the kind of player who’s going to go out of his way to make a big hit, but added he’s more apt to throw his body around when the opportunity is there now.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.27.2013


Ottawa Senators Spezza relishes playing against top centres

By Don Brennan ,Ottawa Sun

First posted: Saturday, October 26, 2013 08:04 PM EDT | Updated: Saturday, October 26, 2013 09:05 PM EDT

Whether he has last change or not, Paul MacLean usually wants his best against the opponent's best.

He wants Jason Spezza on the ice against the other team's top centre.

"In Detroit they picked the matchup," MacLean said, referring to what was ultimately a 6-1 victory over the Red Wings. "They wanted to play (Pavel) Datsyuk against him so we accepted it.

"Here (Friday) night we wanted to play Spezza against (Ryan) Getzlaf, so we made that happen. As it turns out it ends up 2-0 for Getzlaf (who had a goal and an assist).

"Did we do the right thing? We can look back on it and say maybe no, but at the same time Jason's responsibilities and total game is so important to us. And in order to have an expectation for him to do that in big moments in the game, or in the future in big games, you've got to start somewhere.

"So we decided who Jason plays against based on who we're playing, and at this point we want him playing against the best guys."

As a result, Spezza has logged more ice time (an average of 19:08 per game) than any other Senators forward, while leading the team in goals (seven) and points (10). Makes sense to have your top producer on the line more than putting out a checker to match the minutes played by a guy like Getzlaf, right?

More importantly, Spezza is relishing the challenge.

While the buzz Wednesday was about him versus former Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson, Spezza pointed out to all who would listen that in fact he was going up against Datsyuk, who is one of the top two or three players in the world.

Not only did he win that battle 2-0 by scoring a pair of goals, his second of the night was all about him beating Datsyuk. Going down ice 1-on-1 against the Detroit star, Spezza fired a shot that went high and wide, then blew past Datsyuk to the net. Recognized as a strong back checker, Datsyuk tried to beat Spezza to the rebound, but Spezza pushed Datsyuk's stick away with his and then fired the puck in the net.

When it was suggested a couple of days later that he made Datsyuk look like merely mortal on the back check, Spezza shrugged.

"When you're as good as he is at it, you get a free pass every once in awhile," he said with a chuckle.

In the hours leading up to Sunday's meeting with the Sharks, Spezza will sit down with MacLean and the two will discuss Spezza's assignment for the day.

He'll either play against Joe Thornton, who is currently the centre on a line with rookie scoring sensation Tomas Hertl and Brent Burns (or Freddie Hamilton, if Burns remains out with an injury), or Spezza will go head-to-head with Logan Couture, who has Patrick Marleau and Tyler Kennedy as his wingers.

More likely it will be the latter - because that line is San Jose's best.

"They're very different from each other, I find," Spezza said in comparing Thornton and Couture. "Logan plays with good pace, he's more of a shooter. His line mates are pretty quick."

"Joe is more of a strong down low, hang on to the puck guy. He's got Burns and Hertl, two big guys too, so they're more about a lot of possession time, lot of cycling time, less dynamic off the quick attack.

"The Couture line is more of a transition, quick line."

Interestingly, Spezza would rather play against an offensive line because it forces him to play a better defensive game.

"I feel when I play against the checking lines of the other teams, you can take more chances yourself, because they're not necessarily trying to score, they're more trying to prevent you from scoring," he said. "When you play heads up against the other team's top guys, it's more of a responsible game, because they can make you pay.

"If you give the checking line three or four chances, they might not score one. If you give the top line three or four chances, they're probably going to score one. So you have to manage the puck a little bit better.

"That's why I enjoy playing against the other team's top lines. It's a game within a game a little bit."

THIS AND THAT: Missing Saturday's practice was Clarke MacArthur. MacLean called it a maintenance day for the veteran but then said he "should be okay" for Sunday's game. "We'll see what it's like in the morning," MacLean said "¦ One definite line up change the Senators will make is to have D Patrick Wiercioch replace D Eric Gryba. Wiercioch has been a healthy scratch the last two games "¦ C Jean-Gabriel Pageua could also return to action after missing the last three games with a minor upper body injury. "Pageau we're going to give consideration," said MacLean. "The injury he has is healed up. We're going to give it over night and give it some consideration." "¦ The Senators used C Kyle Turris on the point on the power play Friday and could do it again. "We felt with Kyle's defensive game and skating ability, and obviously his shooting ability, in that formation we had, it could work possibly." MacLean said, explaining that there was a need to experiment with someone in the absence of Wiercioch, a power play point man. "We practiced it for a couple of days, so they could kind of get used to it, and I thought they had a couple of scoring opportunities in the game (Friday) night." Even with Wiercioch's return, Turris could drop back when the Senators are with the man advantage. "We're not going to be afraid to use it, now that we've used it once," said MacLean. "We're always scared to death to use it the first time. When you're using four forwards on the ice and you haven't done it, you haven't practiced it a lot, it can be something that you're a little cautious about."

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.27.2013


Senators coach MacLean looking for better execution



Legend has it that the late John McKay — as coach of a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that would finish the 1976 NFL season with a 0-14 record -- was asked after one game what he thought of his team's execution.

"I'm all for it," quipped McKay.

The day after being beaten by the Anaheim Ducks for the second time in less than two weeks, Senators coach Paul MacLean spoke of his team's execution, too.

He's all for it.

On the subject of overall speed, MacLean believes the Senators have the personnel to compete with the Ducks or any of the other top teams in the NHL. Yet it was their inability to keep pace with Anaheim in Friday's 2-1 loss at Canadian Tire Centre that was the most obvious difference in a contest which wasn't as close as the score would suggest.

"We aren't (at the same speed level) with Anaheim," MacLean said following practice at Sensplex Saturday. "I thought they outskated us in Anaheim by a large margin (during a 4-1 setback Oct. 13) and I thought they (out)skated us (Friday) night as well. I thought they carried a lot of the play.

"We feel we're a team that can play 200 feet and play fast. Right now, our (lack of) execution and attention to detail slows us down. (Anaheim's) structure and attention to detail is a little bit better than ours. And being quicker, is what we're saying (to the players) right now.

"Right now, the thing that slows us down the most is our (lack of) execution. We don't pass the puck near quick enough or well enough."

The Senators better change their ways in a hurry if they hope to avoid another losing streak. With the San Jose Sharks providing the opposition Sunday in a 5 p.m. start at CTC, Ottawa is playing host to a team many would say is the best in the NHL at the moment.

The Sharks brought an 8-1-1 record with them into Saturday game in Montreal, and before it they were just one second from having no regulation time losses at all. David Krejci scored at 19:59 of the third period in Boston Thursday to beat San Jose 2-1 in a game the B's were outshot 39-17.

"We have to be ready," understated Senators captain Jason Spezza. "I watched a little bit of their game against Boston "¦ they controlled the play all game. And we feel Boston is one of the best teams. So I'm sure they're going to be good (Sunday)."

Despite the fact Robin Lehner was the first star in a 3-2 loss in San Jose Oct. 12, it will be Craig Anderson making his second start in a row for the Senators.

MacLean did toy with the idea of giving Lehner another crack at the Sharks, who entered Saturday with a plus-23 goal differential that was tops in the league. For comparison purposes, the Senators are plus-1.

"We considered (Lehner) for sure," said MacLean, who added that Anderson and Lehner have been his team's "best, most consistent" players to date. "But at the same time Craig is the No. 1 goalie and the schedule right now is conducive to getting him in the net, getting him playing well. And as long as he is we'll continue to do that.

"When he's playing well, we're a hard team to beat."

Considering trends, Anderson will need to stand on his head for the Senators to upset the Sharks. As of Saturday, San Jose led the NHL in shots per game, with 38.8, while the Senators were giving up an average of 37.5 shots per game, the most in the league.

"I think we have to shut the points down a little bit better than we did in San Jose," said Spezza. "We have to stay out of the penalty box, because they're power play is deadly. And I think we've just got to be opportunistic when we get our chances.

"We're starting to play better hockey for longer stretches. We're just continually trying to put it together for a full 60 minutes."

The Senators would also like to give their fans something to cheer about again. They have only won one of three home games thus far, and they again need to establish ownership of their barn. After visiting Chicago to take on the defending Cup champions Tuesday, the Senators play nine of their 14 games in November at CTC.



Ottawa Senators forward Mika Zibanejad goes from minors to top line



Mika Zibanejad is actually on a three-game point scoring streak.

It started six days ago, when he had a goal and two assists in Bridgeport to lead the Binghamton Senators to a 6-5 win over the Sound Tigers.

From his exile to the minors, Ottawa's first round pick in 2011 has rapidly climbed back into a position of importance with the big team. Zibanejad finished Friday's game on the top line, with Jason Spezza and Milan Michalek -- and practiced there Saturday, too -- but while coach Paul MacLean refused to confirm the 20-year old Swede will be on the No. 1 unit when the Senators host the Sharks, after the loss to the Ducks he also called Zibanejad one of his best players in the 2-1 defeat.

Zibanejad scored the lone goal of the game, building on a run that includes an assist in Detroit Wednesday, his first night back in the NHL

"Obviously not," Zibanejad said Saturday when asked if a week ago he imagined he'd be on Spezza's line anytime soon. "But I'll take it.

"I think it's going to be fun to get a crack at it, and to keep working," he added. "I think that's the biggest thing, that's why I've got a chance with those guys. I've been working hard, skating and competing, playing my game. I've been trying to listen to what (the coaches) have to say, what they want me to do, and work on it. I'm trying to do that. Now I've just got to keep going."

Long term, MacLean still sees Zibanejad as a centre. But he still has more to learn about the position at this level. On the wing, Zibanejad was able to effectively use his speed and size Friday. His five recorded hits were second only to Jared Cowen's six, and his forechecking created opportunities.

"He shoots it great," said Spezza. "He's played centre, which is more of a playmaking position, so I think he'll have to change a little bit. As a winger, you have to stand still a little bit more in the slot, and be ready to shoot. But with the way his shot is, I can see him being a goal scoring winger, for sure."

For his part, Zibanejad just wants to show he do whatever job is asked of him. Everyday.

"I think they know and I know what I can do at this level," said Zibanejad. "The whole 'prove myself' part is just about being consistent, to be able to carry on from two games to make it three games, then from three games to make it four games.

"For me right now, I think the biggest thing for me is to stay focused, and to keep being consistent. I can talk a lot about it, but if I don't go out and do it, the words won't matter. So I'd rather speak less and show more on the ice with my actions."


723537 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers (finally) display some 3d-period 'jam'

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer

Posted: Sunday, October 27, 2013, 12:40 AM

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Flyers coach Craig Berube sounded like his predecessor, Peter Laviolette.

“I really liked our skating legs tonight, especially in the third period. We had a lot of jam left out there,” said Berube after the Flyers’ 5-2 win over the host New York Islanders on Saturday.

In their last two games, the Flyers have outscored their opponents in the third period. Not too coincidentally, they won both games.

Before that, they had been outscored, 12-2, in the final period, which was the main reason they started 1-7.

In Saturday’s game, Vinny Lecavalier had his seventh career hat trick (see story), depositing his third goal while falling down at in the slot with 11:07 left. That gave the Flyers a 4-2 lead, and Matt Read locked up the win with an empty-net goal.

The Flyers have their first two-game winning streak of the season, and they are 3-7 — five points behind the third-place Islanders in the ragged Metropolitan Division.

“We have to build on this,” said Jake Voracek after scoring his first goal of the seaosn.

The Isles were coming off Friday’s 4-3 comeback win in Pittsburgh.

“We took advantage of a tired team, and that was a big part of the game,” said goalie Steve Mason, who was solid again with 26 saves.

Breakaways. Scott Hartnell, who missed the last four games with an injury, returned to the lineup and had three shots, four hits and was plus-1 in 16:18. The left winger said he felt better than he expected. “My shifts were short and I did what kind makes me effective — going to the net and stopping to the net, and (linemate Jake Voracek) got a goal and I had a couple point-blank chances, too.”…..….Zac Rinaldo spent more time in the penalty box (four minutes) than on the ice (3:39)…Mark Streit and Claude Giroux each had a pair of assists…..Braydon Coburn (four blocked shot) and Kimmo Timonen were each plus-2…..The Flyers host Anaheim on Tuesday.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.27.2013


Flyers Notes: Streit says return to Nassau Coliseum 'emotional'



UNIONDALE, N.Y. - Veteran defenseman Mark Streit, who is in his first year with the Flyers, said it was "emotional" to return Saturday to his former indoor playground, the Nassau Coliseum.

"You just have to try to focus on the game and not the circumstances," the former New York Islanders captain said before the opening faceoff. "It's definitely special because I spent five years here and have a lot of great memories . . . especially making the playoffs last year."

Streit, 35, registered two assists in Saturday's first period, during which he was saluted with a video montage on the scoreboard. The two assists raised his season total to four.

The Flyers entered the night with a 2-7 record.

"Some of the injured guys are coming back, which is huge for us," he said, referring to Vinny Lecavalier and Scott Hartnell. "During the offseason, we signed some new guys, and there's a new chemistry to the team, and maybe it just takes a little longer, but I think we're on the right path."

Power-play woes

The Flyers started the game 29th in the 30-team NHL on the power play, clicking at just 8.1 percent (3 for 37). They were 1 for their last 25 before Lecavalier scored on the Flyers' first power play Saturday night.

"We've got to get shots and momentum," coach Craig Berube said. "You always say the power play has to score, but you have to go out and create momentum for your team. You do that by getting the shots through and getting the puck back; it's about puck recovery and getting shots through. If we start getting too fancy and passing it around too much, you forget about shooting, and before you know it, the power play is over."

At Saturday's morning skate, the Flyers spent more time than usual working on the power play.

Hartnell returns

After missing four games with an upper-body injury, Hartnell returned to the lineup.

The left winger's #hartnelldown Foundation, which raises money for local charities, is hosting what it calls a "chowdown," and giving fans a chance to have dinner with Hartnell next Sunday at Spasso Italian Grill in Old City. For more information, e-mail the foundation's director, Carrie Wood-Grillo, at [email protected].



Flyers finally bust loose in 5-2 win over Islanders



UNIONDALE, N.Y. - It took the Flyers until their 10th game - long after they had fired their coach, juggled their lines, and promoted players from the minors - but they finally found their offense Saturday night at the Nassau Coliseum.

Especially Vinny Lecavalier.

Lecavalier scored the seventh hat trick of his career - and first as a Flyer - to highlight a 5-2 win over the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum.

"We want to start a streak - that's our goal right now," Lecavalier said after his team's second straight win. "Overall, tonight was a great confidence-booster for everybody."

The Flyers erupted for three first-period goals, including two by Lecavalier, en route to their highest output of the season.

The Flyers were in danger of becoming the first NHL team not to score three goals in any of their first 10 games since the 1940-41 New York Americans, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Lecavalier, 33, completed his hat trick with 11 minutes, 7 seconds left, giving the Flyers (3-7) a 4-2 lead. As he was knocked down, he somehow swiped the puck to Claude Giroux, but he picked himself up in the slot and, while off-balance, knocked Giroux's return pass into an empty net before falling to the ice.

"It was a hardworking 15 seconds, probably the hardest he's worked since he's been a Flyer," winger Scott Hartnell said. "Not many players can do that."

For the Flyers, now 31-4-2 against the Islanders since 2007, there were numerous contributors:

Lecavalier, in his second game since returning from an injury, played right wing on Giroux's line and had his first hat trick since March 11, 2008, also against the Islanders.

Jake Voracek, who had a team-high 22 goals last season, had his first goal of the year.

Defenseman Mark Streit, returning to face his ex-teammates, contributed two first-period assists.

Giroux broke out of a slump with a pair of assists.

The Flyers had a total of 13 goals in their first nine games before Saturday.

Lecavalier (power play) and Voracek scored a minute apart early in the first period to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead - just their second two-goal advantage of the season.

Skating right to left, Voracek made a dazzling move around Matt Carkner and scored on a 12-footer from the slot for his first goal of the season.

"It's about time the puck went in," Voracek said.

Slowed by a back injury suffered in the preseason, Voracek showed the speed he displayed last season.

The Isles were coming off a draining, 4-3 comeback win in Pittsburgh the previous night.

"They played yesterday, so it was important for us to get off to a good start," Giroux said.

The Flyers were coming off a 2-1 win over the Rangers on Thursday.

"We're skating a lot better," Voracek said. "The last three or four games we've really picked up the pace. We've been creating a lot of offense and playing very responsible defensively."

With the Flyers holding a 2-1 lead, Lecavalier tapped in his own midair rebound past Kevin Poulin with 1:47 left in the opening period to give his team a two-goal cushion. Poulin was the second straight backup goalie to face the Flyers.

Late in the second period, Zac Rinaldo was hit in the face by teammate Braydon Coburn's shot. He received several stitches above his right eye and returned in the third period, and was called for a high-sticking penalty with 16:50 left.

The Flyers, aided by goalie Steve Mason, were 3 for 3 on the penalty kill.

"You count on goalie the most in the penalty kill," coach Craig Berube said, "and he came up with some huge saves at the right time."



'Emotional' night for Flyers' Streit; Mason facing Isles


Posted: Saturday, October 26, 2013, 4:48 PM

UNIONDALE, N.Y. _ Veteran defenseman Mark Streit, who is in his first year with the Flyers, said it will be “emotional” to return to his former indoor playground Saturday, the Nassau Coliseum.

“You just have to try to focus on the game and not the circumstances,” the former New York Islanders’ captain said after the morning skate. “It’s definitely special because I spent five years here and have a lot of great memories…especially making the playoffs last year.”

The Flyers are 2-7.

“Some of the injured guys are coming back, which is huge for us,” he said, referring to Vinny Lecavalier and Scott Hartnell. “During the off-season, we signed some new guys and there’s a new chemistry to the team and maybe it just takes a little longer, but I think we’re on the right path.”

Streit, 35, is one of the “new guys.” He has two assists and a minus-4 rating in nine games.

Power-play woes. The Flyers are 29th in the 30-team NHL on the power play, clicking at just 8.1 percent (3 for 37). They are 1 for their last 25.

“We’ve got to get shots and momentum,” coach Craig Berube said. “You always say the power play has to score, but you have to go out and create momentum for your team. You do that by getting the shots through and getting the puck back; it’s about puck recovery and getting shots through. If we start getting too fancy and passing it around too much, you forget about shooting and before you know it, the power play is over.,”

At Saturday’s morning skate, the Flyers spent more time than usual working on the power play.

Hartnell returns. After missing four games with an upper-body injury, Hartnell will return to the lineup.

The left winger’s #hartnelldown Foundation, which raises money for local charities, is hosting what it calls a “chowdown,” and giving fans a chance to have dinner with Hartnell next Sunday (DESK: Nov. 3) at Spasso Italian Grill in Old City. For more information, email the foundation’s director, Carrie Wood-Grillo, at [email protected].

Breakaways. Steve Mason (2.17 GAA, .930 save percentage) will oppose the Isles’ Kevin Poulin (3.03, .893), marking the second straight game the Flyers have faced a backup goalie. Mason will start for the eighth time in 10 games……Adam Hall will be scratched in favor of Jay Rosehill….Max Talbot (plus-1) is the Flyers’ only “plus” player....The Isles' Frans Nielsen and Matt Moulson each have six goals. All the Flyers' forwards combined have six goals.



Flyers' PP crippling their offense


Posted: Saturday, October 26, 2013, 10:15 AM

UNIONDALE, N.Y. _ The Flyers’ offensive funk is directly related to their power-play production.

Make that their LACK of power-play production.

The Flyers, who play the Islanders on Long Island on Saturday night, are just 3 for 37 (8.2 percent) on the power play, placing them 29th in the 30-team NHL. They are 1 for 25 (4 percent) in their last seven games.

Even a new-look power play, with Vinny Lecavalier and Mark Streit on the top unit, didn’t help Thursday against the Rangers. The Flyers went 0 for 4, including a five-minute man-advantage in which they managed just four shots.

In short, the Flyers don't shoot enough on the power play, they try to get too cute and make the perfect set up, and they look out of sync.

The team’s power play is “an area that gives me a little bit of pause,” general manager Paul Holmgren said on Friday. “We’ve got to do better. We’ve got to be more productive somehow. That, to me, is just from getting shots on net or at the net and going to the net.”

Holmgren said the Flyers have “players that can make plays. The plays we’re trying to make right now aren’t working, so we’ve got to hammer at the net. I know the coaches have talked about that and are working on that and have spent time doing video. We have players that can do it and have done it in the past. Sooner or later, you hope they bust through.”

The Flyers (2-7), who had one of the NHL's top power plays last season, will be facing a 4-3-3 Islanders team that has the league’s third-best penalty kill, with an 86.7 percent success rate.

Breakaways. Brayden Schenn leads the Flyers with five point but is minus-4….John Tavares (four goals, eight assists) has points in all 10 Islanders games….The Flyers have a total of 13 goals in nine games....Isles winger Michael Grabner will return from a two-game suspension for an illegal hit against Carolina on Oct. 19. Grabner has eight points in eight games…..In Friday’s 4-3 comeback win in Pittsburgh, the Islanders scored three third-period goals in a 5:34 span. The Flyers have not scored three goals in any of their nine games….The Isles scored a 4-1 win over Philadelphia last spring, ending their seven-game home losing streak against the Flyers. The Flyers have won 14 of their last 16 games on Long Island....Former Flyers coach Peter Laviolette has not responded to requests by the team's PR staff to do a conference call with reporters..



Lecavalier hat trick spurs Flyers past Isles

Posted: Saturday, October 26, 2013 10:52 pm | Updated: 11:27 pm, Sat Oct 26, 2013.

By Wayne Fish Staff writer

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Five goals? Break out the confetti and champagne.

Going into Saturday night, the Flyers had yet to score more than two goals in a game this season.

But led by Vinny Lecavalier’s seventh career hat trick, the Flyers exploded for five — count 'em, five — goals in a 5-2 win over the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum.

It took 10 games, but the Flyers finally broke out on offense as they ran their very modest winning streak to two games.

The Flyers continued their recent mastery of the Islanders. Since 2007, Philadelphia is 31-4-2 overall against New York, including 16-3-0 at Nassau.

Most importantly, the Flyers appear to have bought into coach Craig Berube’s system.

“They played a solid game without the puck,’’ Berube said. “But you have to understand, when you do that, you can still score a goal. You create turnovers, and we got rewarded for it tonight.’’

A number of Flyers felt the same way.

“I think this is a big game overall for this club,’’ goalie Steve Mason said. “It wasn’t just the five goals, it was the overall effort we put forth.

“The guys are finally getting rewarded for the hard work. There have been a lot of intense practices to get things down pat.’’

The Flyers stopped the Islanders’ league-leading power play (0-for-3) and blocked a whopping 18 shots.

Lecavalier was nothing short of spectacular, particularly on his third goal at 8:53 of the third. He was tripped up, got up, took a pass from Claude Giroux and shot it into the net as he was being knocked to the ice a second time.

“Not many players can do that,’’ Scott Hartnell said. “I said right away it’s a pretty special player to do that.

"You could tell warming up he was going to be on tonight. He’s a big reason why we pulled out the W.’’

Lecavalier has been playing down the “vindication’’ angle this year, not concerning himself with the doubters who said the Flyers paid too much for his services after Tampa Bay bought out his contract.

But no question Lecavalier had to feel good about this performance. It look like Vinny Lecavalier vintage 2004.

The third goal really underlined his effort.

“Honestly, after I went down, I just kind of got up and ‘G’ (Giroux) made a great play,’’ Lecavalier said. “We have to keep it going. We want to start a streak, keep the confidence.

“Getting five goals feels good. We haven’t scored more than two goals. We have to be happy with tonight.’’

Jake Voracek also scored his first goal of the season.

“We’re skating a lot better,’’ Voracek said. “The last three or four games, we’ve really picked up the pace.

“We’ve been creating a lot of offense and playing very responsibly defensively. I think that’s why we’ve been starting to score some goals.’’

The Flyers raced to a 2-0 lead as Lecavalier sent a shot past Kevin Poulin at the 4:30 mark. It was a power-play goal, just the Flyers’ fourth of the season (they were 1 for their last 25 chances coming into the game).

Then Voracek scored just a minute later. Voracek drove down the right side and made a cut to the net. Defenseman Matt Carkner over-skated the play, allowing Voracek room to zero in for the goal.

“It’s about time the puck went in,’’ Voracek said. “I saw there was some open ice. Brayden (Schenn) chipped it in, and I saw Hartnell driving to the net. I just tried to whip it.’’

The Flyers gave up a goal to Kyle Okposo at 10:16. Luke Schenn appeared to screen Mason, allowing Okposo’s long shot to find its way in.

But Lecavalier responded with his second goal at 18:13, with an assist from Michael Raffl, plus ex-Islander Mark Streit’s second assist of the game.

Not willing to stand prosperity, the Flyers gave up a shorthanded goal to Franz Nielsen at 10:30. Voracek was guilty of turning over the puck in the attack zone, and Nielsen was able to convert a pass from Peter Regin.

But Lecavalier struck again in the third and Matt Read added an empty-net goal with 1:32 to play.

Short shots

Zac Rinaldo got hit in the face by a Braydon Coburn shot in the second period and suffered a cut above the right eye. But after some repairs he came back for the third period.

Hartnell returned to action after missing two weeks due to injury and looked none the worse for wear. “Not bad actually,’’ he replied to a question about how he felt. “It was important not to get caught out there for a long shift. And I got some chances.’’

Berube on his team’s two wins after a week off to practice his system: “We worked on a lot of stuff. I liked our skating legs tonight, especially in the third period.’’

The Flyers outscored the Isles, 2-0, in the third period, after they had been outscored 12-3 in the third period for the season.

Burlington County Times LOADED: 10.27.2013


Lecavalier hat trick spurs Flyers past Islanders


By Wayne Fish Staff Writer

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Vinny Lecavalier signed with Philadelphia last summer but he truly became a Flyer on Saturday night.

Lecavalier registered a hat trick to lead the Flyers to a 5-2 win over the Islanders at Nassau Coliseum. It took 10 games but the Flyers finally cleared the two-goal mark for the first time this season.

Lecavalier led this offensive outburst with his fourth career hat trick as the Flyers ran their very modest winning streak to two games.

The Flyers continued their recent mastery of the Islanders. Since 2007, Philadelphia is 31-4-2 overall against New York, including 16-3-0 at Nassau.

Jake Voracek scored the Flyers' other goal as the visitors took leads of 2-0 and 3-1, then hung on for the win.

"We're skating a lot better,'' Voracek said after scoring his first goal of the season. "The last three or four games we've really picked up the pace.

"We've been creating a lot of offense and playing very responsibly defensively. I think that's why we've been starting to score some goals.''

The Flyers raced to a 2-0 lead as Lecavalier sent a shot past Kevin Poulin at the 4:30 mark. It was a power-play goal, just the Flyers' fourth of the season (they were 1-for-their last 25 chances coming into the game).

Then Voracek scored just a minute later. Voracek drove down the right side and made a cut to the net. Defenseman Matt Carkner overskated the play, allowing Voracek room to zero in for the goal.

"It's about time the puck went in,'' Voracek said. "I saw there was some open ice. Brayden (Schenn) chipped it in and I saw (Scott) Hartnell driving to the net. I just tried to whip it.''

The Flyers gave up a goal to Kyle Okposo at 10:16. Luke Schenn appeared to screen goalie Steve Mason, allowing Okposo's long shot to find its way in.

But Lecavalier responded with his second goal at 18:13, with an assist from Michael Raffl, plus ex-Islander Mark Streit's second assist of the game.

Not willing to stand prosperity, the Flyers gave up a shorthanded goal to Franz Nielsen at 10:30. Voracek was guilty of turning over the puck in the attack zone and Nielsen was able to convert a pass from Peter Regin.

In the third period, Lecavalier completed the hat trick with a goal at 8:53.



An emotional night for ex-Isle Streit


By Wayne Fish Staff writer

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Pleasant hockey memories aside, Mark Streit doesn’t want to look back, although on Saturday, he was forced to one more time.

There the defenseman stood on Saturday morning in front of his locker in the Flyers’ dressing room at Nassau Coliseum as the New York media gathered to ask him how it felt to be coming back to where he played and was captain.

Streit, 35, acknowledged it was going to be an emotional night. Even though he played only four seasons for the Isles (he missed one entire season due to a shoulder injury), Streit was a big part of why the Islanders made it to the playoffs last season for the first time in six years.

And it wasn’t as if Streit just walked away via free agency. While he was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of last season, the Islanders — having failed to reach a contract extension with the Swiss native — traded his rights a few weeks before the market was slated to open.

So the Flyers stepped up and offered a four-year, $21-million deal that blew the Islanders’ bid out of the water. Streit never made it to the open market.

“It was emotional coming back,’’ Streit said. “I walked around a little bit yesterday and, you know, a lot of great memories. It’s special to be back.’’

Streit has already had an impact with the Flyers, having pushed his way past Kimmo Timonen onto the No. 1 point shooter role on the first power-play unit.

As for leadership, the Flyers gave him an alternate captain’s “A’’ during Scott Hartnell’s injury absence, so you know he’s a go-to guy both on and off the ice.

Coach Craig Berube confirmed that.

“He (Streit) gets up in the rush,’’ Berube said. “He shoots the puck real well and is a good leader. We love having him.’’

No doubt, Streit kind of knew the fans were going to give him a big welcome when he stepped onto the ice. He was a popular player and helped turn this franchise around.

“You have to try to focus on the game; it’s not about the circumstances,’’ he said. “It’s going to be special because I was here for five years and there were a lot of good times. I just want to go out, play a good game and help my team.’’

The acquisition of Streit was necessary for now, but also the next few years ahead. He plays a style similar to that of Timonen, who is in his last year in the NHL. Next year, Streit will be unquestionably the top D man.

Every team needs a savvy defenseman at the top of its depth chart. At least the Flyers won’t have to worry about that position for a while.

To fight “Orr’’ not to fight

Bobby Orr has been making the TV/radio rounds plugging his new book: “Orr: My Story’’ and one of the things he’s willing to discuss is the game’s continued need for fighting.

Orr is considered a legend in hockey, right up there with Gretzky, Howe and Lemieux, so his opinion is highly respected.

Like many ex-players, Orr believes fighting is just about the only way for players to police their own actions. If that’s taken away, things could get dangerous for skill players and just about everybody not in the “enforcer’’ category.

“I just think that the fear of getting beaten up is a great deterrent from all of a sudden becoming a tough guy,” Orr said to a Canadian media outlet.

“I really believe we have to get rid of the staged fighting and get rid of avenging the legal hit, but I think that we have to leave (fighting) in there. I just think a lot of guys will all of a sudden get real brave and I think that it will lead to more violence in our game.”

The question is, how do you separate the different categories; how do you know if the fight you’re watching isn’t some sort of revenge thing for an indiscretion that took place months ago? Is that a “staged’’ fight or something that has broken out in the heat of the moment?



Practice centers on power play blackout

Posted: Saturday, October 26, 2013 1:05 pm

Wayne Fish Staff writer

UNIONDALE – When a team’s power play is only one spot away from the worst in the league, there are three solutions to fix it.

Practice, practice, practice.

So that’s what the Flyers have been doing the past two days, attempting to get out of a season-opening 3-for-37 skid.

Going into Saturday night’s game against the Islanders, the Flyers had just one goal in their last 25 attempts with the man advantage.

“I’m looking for shots and getting momentum,’’ coach Craig Berube commented after the morning skate at Nassau Coliseum. “You always say that the power play has got to score but you have to go out and create momentum for your team.

“Getting the shots through and getting the puck back is key. When you start getting too fancy and passing the puck around, you forget about shooting. And then, before you know it, the power play is over.’’

Berube has been tinkering with the power play, most significantly replacing Kimmo Timonen on the point with Mark Streit.

But it really doesn’t matter who the trigger man is – the important thing is that the power play create pressure.

“If you think about it, there are a lot of penalties in a game,’’ Berube said, “hopefully for the other team. A lot of time, half the game is special teams. You should practice it and that’s why we spend time on it.

“If you don’t practice it, it’s hard to be good at it.

Claude Giroux sees value in repetition drills.

“Even if it (the power play) goes well, I think it’s good to practice it,’’ he said. “Know your options, know where you have to be.’’

The power play should get a boost on Saturday night because Scott Hartnell will return to the lineup after missing two weeks with an injury.



Lecavalier's hat trick powers suddenly scoring Flyers to win

By Rob Parent, Delaware County Daily Times

Posted: 10/26/13, 9:52 PM EDT | Updated: 4 hrs ago

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — The goal-starved Flyers found a sanctuary from their problems Saturday night in the most likely of locales: the downtrodden, doomed hockey market they’ve so often found to their liking.

Vinny Lecavalier, who wasn’t a part of the Flyers’ 30 wins in their previous 36 meetings with the New York Islanders, helped keep the trend going by registering a hat trick that carried the Flyers to a 5-2 victory at Nassau Coliseum.

For Lecavalier, the free agent prize the Flyers bought during their long summer vacation, it was his seventh career hat trick, and fit in nicely with the theme of the night — his last one in March 2008 also came against the Islanders.

“I felt strong,” said Lecavalier, referring to his return after three games missed due to injury. “I felt really good last game, and felt even better tonight.”

For the most part, however, Lecavalier’s focus is fully trained on the team, and on its present state.

“Overall, tonight, it was a great confidence booster,” Lecavalier said. “Getting four or five goals, it feels good. It feels good to score more than two goals, because that’s all we’d done this year, is to score two. So to get a little more offense off of us playing well defensively, it paid off tonight. We have to keep going in that direction.”

The third-period goal that marked the completion of Lecavalier’s trick was indicative of the style he brings when healthy. After Claude Giroux blocked an Islanders attack with Lecavalier’s help at the Flyers’ defensive blue line, Lecavalier dove to chip a pass back to Giroux to start a chaotic break the other way. Lecavalier slid down again while reaching for a Giroux return and wound up shooting it past positionally incorrect Islanders goalie Kevin Poulin to give the Flyers a 4-2 lead with 11:12 left in regulation.

“He dove for the puck with second effort and we love seeing that,” Giroux said of Lecavalier, playing his second game since making the switch to right wing on the top line. “He’s a guy with a lot of character and never gives up.”

Although the Islanders turned up the heat after that, the Flyers (3-7) held on for their second straight victory. It was also the first time they managed more than two goals in a game over this 10-game start.

Matt Read closed it out with an empty-net goal that sent a not-so packed house to the exits.

Try as they might to market their product to an audience they’ll be abandoning in two years, the Islanders — who leave for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in 2015 — didn’t come close to selling out the Coliseum, even with the two-win Flyers team and their top defenseman, former Islanders captain Mark Streit, paying a visit.

A video montage of Streit’s time on the Island drew some polite applause, but since Streit assisted on two first-period goals for the Flyers, the applause soon died down.

For Streit, it was probably the best compliment he could have had.

“It was a special game for me,” Streit said. “You’re out there against former teammates and you know those guys really well, so it was a little awkward.

“I just tried to stay focused,” he added. “Just play the game. But it’s tough. The first game back is always special.”

Streit had precious little time to take in the surroundings as an early Flyers lead woke up an Islanders team that had played the night before in Pittsburgh, thereby sparking an intense game the rest of the way. It would end up as the Flyers’ best performance this season.

“I’m just happy we got the win and played a pretty good game,” Streit said. “Especially at this time of the season, with the way we started, a victory on the road is huge.”

The wakeup call began when Lecavalier took a slapshot that hit the Isles’ Travis Hamonic’s stickblade but continued on right past Poulin for a power play goal 4:30 into the game. The Flyers’ power play, ranked next-to-last in the league at 3-for-37 heading into the game, had failed to capitalize on a man-advantage in 24 of their previous 25 opportunities.

The Flyers took a 2-0 lead just a minute later, as Jake Voracek cut into the slot right around Isles defender Matt Carkner and put a shot past Poulin for his first goal of the season.

“Brayden (Schenn) chipped it in and I saw (Scott Hartnell) driving to the net,” Voracek said, “and I just tried to whip it. It’s about time it went in.”

But the Isles drew a break when Flyers defender Nick Grossmann broke ranks to try to get a hit at the boards. That overloaded the slot with Isles, and left Kyle Okposo alone at the point. He drilled a slapshot through a screen (set largely by Luke Schenn) at the 10:16 mark to halve the lead.

Lecavalier then scored his second of the night, taking a nice pass from linemate Michael Raffl for a scoring chance, and knocking his own rebound home at 18:13 of the first.

A Frans Nielsen goal brought the Islanders to within 3-2 midway through the second. But the Flyers were by far the stronger of the two teams in the third period, especially when fending off two chances for the Islanders’ power play, which came into the game No. 1-ranked in the league.

“That was huge,” said goalie Steve Mason (26 saves). So was Lecavalier’s insurance goal, which is always the most potent trick when trying to protect a lead.

“That was a hard-working 15 seconds,” Hartnell, just back from the injured list, said of Lecavalier’s stumbling rush up ice. “That was probably the

hardest he’s worked since he’s been a Flyer. The play was going in their (defensive) zone, and he swiped the puck and made it so that their defensive guy couldn’t get it. How many players can do that?”

TWO THUMBS UP

n Vinny Lecavalier with a night to remember. Of course, he’s had a lot of them.

n Jake Voracek with his first goal of the season.

TWO THUMBS DOWN

n Zac Rinaldo had more penalty minutes than time on ice, though he missed time while getting his eyebrow stitched up.

n Isles center Josh Bailey checking in with a nice, minus-3.

Delaware County Times LOADED: 10.27.2013


Lecavalier hat trick lifts Flyers over Islanders

Flyers vs. Islanders highlights

Tim Panaccio

October 26, 2013, 10:45 pm

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- Thomas Hickey hooked him like a fish in Long Island sound.

Vinny Lecavalier went down hard on the ice -- without a call from the official.

“After I fell down, I didn’t see, but I got back up and G (Claude Giroux) made a great play back onto my stick,” Lecavalier said, describing what became his hat-trick goal that iced a 5-2 rout of the Isles at Nassau Coliseum (see Instant Replay).

Giroux’s pass was a no-look, backhander 8:53 into the third period that gave Flyers goalie Steve Mason some measure of comfort with a 4-2 lead.

“He dove for the puck, second effort, and we love seeing that,” Giroux said of Lecavalier, who got himself back into the play after being tripped. “He’s a guy with a lot of character, and he never gives up.”

It was Lecavalier’s seventh career hatter and first since March 11, 2008, when he was in Tampa Bay.

It was also the highlight of the Flyers’ season thus far, as they finally scored more than two goals in a game and also won two games in succession.

“Overall, this was a great confidence booster for everybody,” Lecavalier said. “Getting four or five goals that feels good. Feels good to score more than two goals.

“That’s all we’ve done this year -- score two goals. To get a little more offense off us playing well defensively, it paid off tonight. We have to keep going [in] that direction.”

This was Lecavalier’s second game back from a groin/abdominal injury, and he said he felt even better on the ice than he did on Thursday night against the Rangers. He had 2:29 in power play time, same as Giroux.

“I felt really good the last game and felt I lost the puck a few times and that was from not playing for two weeks,” Lecavalier said. “But I felt strong, no injury, and felt even better tonight.”

Flyers coach Craig Berube has been preaching about focusing on the play away from the puck as a key to getting turnovers and converting those takeaways into goals. It was evident in this game.

“They played a solid game without the puck,” Berube said. “When you do that, you can still score a goal. It’s not just sitting back and playing defense.

“It’s playing good without the puck to create turnovers. You still play in the offensive zone. We got rewarded for it tonight. We shot the puck. We were at the net.”

The Flyers fired 31 shots on goalie Kevin Poulin. They also missed 20 shots and had 13 more blocked.

“We still miss the net a little too much,” Berube said.

Yeah, they’re still the gang that can't shoot straight.

Loose pucks

Claude Giroux was 12-for-18 (67 pct) on faceoffs ... Flyers actually had The Flyers had one more shot (33) not reach the net than they did that reached the net (32). They had 13 shots blocked and 20 shots that missed the net ... Scott Hartnell returned to the lineup after missing four games with a rib cage injury. He recorded three shots, four hits, a takeaway and was +1 in 16:18 of ice time. ... Zac Rinaldo had more penalty minutes (four) than time on ice (3:39).



Instant Replay: Flyers 5, Islanders 2

Tim Panaccio

October 26, 2013, 9:30 pm

Flyers captain Claude Giroux talked about jumping on the Islanders early.

Well, that’s exactly what happened, as the Flyers scored two goals just a minute apart in the first 5:30 of the first period.

Giroux never mentioned anything about a hat trick, though.

Vinny Lecavalier got his first of the the season and the seventh of his career, as the Flyers defeated the Isles, 5-2, at Nassau Coliseum.

His first goal was a one-timer from the right circle for a power-play goal that snapped a 1 for 25 skid on special teams. He got another late in the period and his third came in the third.

That one saw Thomas Hickey trip him on the rush. Vinny fell, got back up, and put in the rebound for his hatter.

“We skating a lot better,” said Jakub Voracek before the game. Voracek had one of the Flyers other two goals. Matt Read scored the final one on an empty net.

“The last 3-4 games we've really picked up the pace," Voracek continued. "We've been creating a lot of offense and playing very responsible defensively. I think that's why we've been starting to score some goals. Hopefully we can keep this going.”

Injuries

Zac Rinaldo was cut above the right eye after being struck by a shot from Braydon Coburn in the second period. He did return to the game.

A first

For Austrian winger Michael Raffl, who was rewarded with a move up to the top line this week with Giroux and Lecavalier. He recorded his first NHL point on Lecavalier’s second goal of the game in the first period.

Twice is nice

Only the second time this season the Flyers led in a game 2-0. They did it first back on Oct. 8 against Florida – their first win of the season.

Welcome back

Mark Streit’s homecoming saw the Flyers' defenseman pick up two assists. Streit played here for five seasons, though, technically, he missed one year with a shoulder injury after a collision with teammate Matt Moulson during a scrimmage.

Avoiding a dubious record

This was the first time all season the Flyers scored three goals in a game. Good thing, too, because had they not, they would have tied the 1940 New York Americans, who went 10 games without three goals.

Special teams

The Flyers faced the No. 1 power play in the NHL as the Islanders came in with a 30-percent efficiency and 10 goals. The Flyers did yeoman’s work, killing off a bad charging penalty by Zac Rinaldo in the second period. During that kill, the Flyers blocked one shot and cleared the puck several times. Alas, Voracek had a giveaway on a cross-ice pass right after that, during a Flyers power play, and Frans Nielsen scored shorthanded, making it, 3-2. The Flyers were 1 for 3 on their power play.

Fights

A rather long bout and a very good one early in the game between Flyers enforcer Jay Rosehill and the Isles Eric Boulton. When these two guys dress for a game, it’s entirely predictable they’re gonna drop ‘em. We gave it a draw.

Scratches

A new one with center Adam Hall joining defensemen Andrej Meszaros and Hal Gill.

Loose pucks

Claude Giroux was 12 for 18 (67 percent) on faceoffs. .. The Flyers had one more shot not reach the net (33) than they had shots reach the net (32). They had 13 shots blocked and 20 shots that missed. ... Scott Hartnell returned to the lineup after missing four games with a rib cage injury. He recorded three shots, four hits, a takeaway and was plus-1 in 16:18 of ice time. ... Zac Rinaldo had more penalty minutes (four) than time on ice (3:39).

Up next

The Anaheim Ducks visit Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday night.



Skate update: Streit ready to face former club

The Flyers 'still making the same mistakes'

Tim Panaccio

October 26, 2013, 1:15 pm

UNIONDALE, N.Y. -- He played the point here at Nassau Coliseum the past five NHL seasons.

Old buildings hold old memories for players, such as Flyers defenseman Mark Streit, who will meet his former Islander teammates Saturday night for the first time since having his rights traded last June.

For Streit, his fondest memory of Nassau Coliseum is the competitive six-game playoff series last spring against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“We won the two games at home but couldn’t pull it off,” he said. “I was here for five years and the first couple years were tough. Having the building full, the atmosphere, the people, the excitement and the town … that playoff series, that’s what stands out.

“It’s been an emotional [return] for me. I went to Garden City [Friday] and walked around a bit. I have a lot of great memories. It’s nice to be back.”

The 35-year-old Swiss is a no-nonsense kind of guy. He said he wouldn’t allow himself to think about the visit back here at any point this past week until the time was right.

Ironically, lost in the fanfare of coming back here is the fact Streit played his 500th NHL game on Thursday against the Rangers in Philadelphia. No one noticed.

“We won it, my 500th game in the NHL, as well, so it was pretty sweet,” he said. “But obviously it’s exciting to go back, but it’s all about the two points.

“Obviously, you know all the guys after being there for so long. You’re just so used to the rink and the people. I just want to concentrate on the game and play a really solid games. For us, it’s another huge game to keep winning.”

The Flyers are shooting for two “firsts” tonight against the Isles. They are trying to win consecutive games which they haven’t done; and trying not to tie the 1940-41 New York Americans dubious record.

And what record would that be? The Americans were the last NHL club to go 10 straight games out of the gate where they scored two goals or less.

In other words, Craig Berube’s club is shooting – literally – to score three goals in this game. Given the way starting goalie Steve Mason is playing, that should be plenty to win.

“We need to get on the board,” Streit said.

The Islanders won’t be playing here much longer. They are scheduled to relocate to Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in 2015-16, although club owner Charles Wang is still negotiating with officials in Uniondale about moving that date up a year.

Streit remembers when the Islanders made the announcement they were moving to Brooklyn a little over one year ago – Oct. 24, 2012.

“I was surprised, because as a player, you thought they would find a solution with Hempstead County there, and then all of a sudden, they have a deal with Brooklyn,” Streit recalled.

“[Barclays Center] is a great building, but for fans living out East, it’s kind of tough to get to Brooklyn because of traffic.

“But the ownership, Charles, they didn’t see a light at the end of a tunnel to get something done. I guess the only solution was to move.”

Wang had tried for years to launch his ill-fated “Lighthouse Project” and when it fell through, he gave up.

“Lights out there, yeah,” Streit quipped. “It’s unfortunate because there are a lot of fans out there. They were going in a good direction with the team. Now they’re moving and they can’t change it. They have to attract some new fans in Brooklyn.”

Most times the Flyers come here, there are huge pockets of fans wearing orange and black and not Islander orange and blue.

“Teams in the East, they’re located so close to each other that you have Flyers fans everywhere,” Streit said. “It’s going to be great. It’s an old rink, but it has something to it and hopefully we have a lot of Flyers fans there.”

So you’re saying it’s actually possible to like Nassau Coliseum?

“I mean, it’s an old building,” Streit replied. “Once it’s packed, it’s a pretty good atmosphere, but you can’t compare it to the Wells Fargo Center.”

Streit captained the Islanders for two seasons. Their future here and later at Barclays is now in the hands of 23-year-old John Tavares.

“That was a given,” Streit said of his successor. “He’s been a great leader and unbelievable player on the ice. When he came in as an 18-year-old, he was so young and yet his dedication to hockey impressed me from day one.

“He worked so hard. He’s a great guy off the ice. I don’t think they could have gone with a better guy as a captain.”

Loose pucks

Mason will be in goal again tonight. Mason has started all but two games thus far. … The Islanders came roaring back Friday night with three goals in less than six minutes to upend the Penguins, 4-3, in Pittsburgh. … The Isles playing back-to-back works in the Flyers’ favor. “I don’t think that is something we can be thinking,” Flyers captain Claude Giroux said. “Early on, they’ll have their legs and be going. We’ll have to stay with them the whole game. It’s going to be important early on to get a lead and get momentum.” … Scott Hartnell returns after missing four games with a rib cage injury. “Looking for him to be physical, get to the net, shoot pucks, just that grinding, power forward style,” Berube said. “That’s his game.”



Flyers-Islanders: 5 things you need to know

The Flyers 'still making the same mistakes'

Tom Dougherty

October 26, 2013, 11:00 am

After snapping a four-game losing streak Thursday in a 2-1 win over the Rangers, the Flyers on Saturday will attempt to win two in a row for the first time this season against another New York team.

The Flyers (2-7-0) head to Long Island to face the Islanders (4-3-3), who are coming off a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Penguins on Friday.

With puck drop set for 7 p.m. at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (CSN), here are five things you need to know:

1) G-start?

Last season, the Flyers were off to a bad start. They were 6-9-1 before their first game against the New York Islanders. New captain Claude Giroux was in the middle of a seven-game goalless streak and wasn't happy with his team's start of the season.

Giroux stepped up, snapped his goalless streak with two tallies and an assist to lead the Flyers to a whopping 7-0 win over the Islanders in Uniondale, N.Y.

Nine games into the 2013-14 season, the 25-year-old finds himself in a similar situation. The Flyers are off to another bad start, one that resulted in a coaching change, and Giroux hasn't scored a goal in nine games. Will another meeting with the Islanders jumpstart the struggling center?

Giroux will play his second game with Vinny Lecavalier, who returned Thursday after missing four games, on his wing along with Michael Raffl. Giroux and Lecavalier played together at even strength for the first time this year against the Rangers. The line produced no points.

Against the Islanders in his career, Giroux has produced more than a point-per-game in 25 regular-season contests. He's potted seven goals and has 21 helpers against the Isles. Lecavalier, too, has torched the Islanders in his career. The 33-year-old has 46 points (23 goals, 23 assists) in 50 career games against the Isles.

A game against the Islanders could be a perfect opportunity for the Flyers' top line to get going.

2) Hartnell returns

On Thursday, Lecavalier returned to the Flyers, and tonight, Scott Hartnell is expected to play after sitting out four games with an apparent rib injury, which he says feels "pretty good" and isn't worried about re-injuring (see story).

Hartnell participated in full practice Friday and played with Brayden Schenn and Jakub Voracek. He'll, at least, start the game with the pair as head coach Craig Berube continues to tinker with his line combos. With Peter Laviolette, Hartnell was on the top line with Giroux and Voracek.

The 31-year-old left wing, who is in the first year of a six-year contract extension signed with the orange and black last year, is another top forward struggling to score for the Flyers. In five games this year, Hartnell has no points and is a minus-2. But like Giroux, the Islanders could be a perfect team to get Hartnell's season going.

Hartnell has 19 goals and 33 points in 41 games against the Islanders. Ten of those goals are power-play markers, and that should come in handy for the Flyers, whose power play this season has been allergic to scoring.

The Flyers have three power-play goals in 37 opportunities through nine games. Their 8.1 percent success rate ranks 29th in the league. Only the Anaheim Ducks, who come to the Wells Fargo Center on Tuesday, have a worse PP unit. The Flyers are one for their last 25 power play chances, so Hartnell's return will be welcomed there as well.

3) Stay out of the box

It has been one of Berube's biggest worries since taking over as head coach. The Flyers have had an apparent disregard for discipline, though it has improved in the last three games.

The Flyers have 56 total penalties -- 46 minor penalties -- and are averaging 16.9 penalty minutes per game. Their penalty kill unit ranks 15th in the league with an 82.5 percent kill rate and hasn't allowed a power-play goal in three games. But they cannot afford to put the Islanders on the man advantage.

New York's power play is one of the top units in the NHL. If the Flyers get in penalty trouble, it will be a long night for Steve Mason.

The Islanders have 10 power-play goals in 33 opportunities. That gives the Isles a 30.3 percent success rate with a man advantage, the league's top unit. Matt Moulson leads the team with five power-play goals.

4) Contain Grabner

You hear about John Tavares all the time. He's the Islanders' captain and best player -- one of the top players in the game -- and you're going to have to watch for a few other players, including Moulson, Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen. But the Flyers have to find a way to contain Michael Grabner.

Grabner, 26, is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL and his speed, coupled with his skill, gives teams headaches. Grabner returns to the Islanders after serving a two-game suspension for a hit to the head of Carolina's Nathan Gerbe last Saturday.

In eight games this year, Grabner has two goals and six assists. He started the season off strong, scoring seven points in his first four games but has just one point in his last four games. The Austrian winger has five goals in 15 career games against the Flyers.

It will take a team effort for the Flyers to contain Grabner, whose speed often nets him at least one breakaway per game. With an aging Kimmo Timonen, who appears to have very little acceleration at the age of 38, Luke Schenn and Nicklas Grossmann, the Flyers' defense has below-average speed. The forwards have to make sure they don't get caught when Grabner is one the ice -- and, for that matter, at any time during the game, as the Islanders are a young, good skating team.

5) This and that

• Last season, the Flyers were 2-1-1 against the Islanders, and are 17-3-2 in their last 22 games against the Islanders.

• Sean Couturier has no goals and just two assists in nine games this season, but his 20:07 of ice time against the Rangers is a season high. In six games since Berube has taken over as head coach, the third-year center has averaged 18:39 per game. He is also averaging 1:50 of ice time on the power play. He played 4:51 on the PP against the Rangers.

• Islanders goalie Evgeni Nabokov has a lifetime 10-4-2 record against the Flyers. In 17 games against the orange and black, Nabokov has a 2.69 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. He has twice shut out the Flyers.

• Both Flyers goalies have had success against the Islanders in their career. Mason has a 2-1-1 record with a 1.98 GAA and a .933 SV percentage vs. the Islanders, while Emery is 6-0-1 with a 1.69 GAA and .935 SV percentage in seven games against the Islanders. Mason has started the last three games and will be in net for the Flyers on Saturday night.

• Mark Streit will play the Islanders for the first time since signing with the Flyers in the offseason.



Mason continues to carry the load

Oct. 27, 2013 |

Written by

Dave Isaac

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — As he walked by a crowd of reporters swarming defenseman Mark Streit in the locker room, Flyers goalie Steve Mason sarcastically quipped, “What, did he play here or something?”

The 25-year-old goalie certainly hasn’t gotten that kind of treatment much this season, despite his role.

Going into Saturday’s action, Mason had a 2.17 goals-against average, which ranked ninth among goalies that have played 300 minutes this season. His .930 save percentage ties him for fifth in the same crowd.

“He’s been playing well for us,” team captain Claude Giroux said. “Every game he’s working his (tail) off and in every practice. He’s one of our leaders.”

Mason got his fourth consecutive start Saturday. It was his eighth start overall. He’s taken hold of the starter’s role since playing seven games for the Flyers last season after a trade-deadline deal brought him to Philly from

Columbus. He had a 1.90 goals-against average and .944 save percentage in those games last season.

Ray Emery, whom the Flyers signed to a one-year, $1.65 million contract in the offseason, has played only two games this season.

Flyers coach Craig Berube said he wanted to get Emery work at some point, but just couldn’t turn away from Mason, who has been the team’s most consistent player this season.

• Streit settled in with Flyers: Returning for his first game against the Islanders, the team he spent the last four years with, Streit called it an “emotional” night and not just because he had a pair of assists in the first 20 minutes.

“You just have to try to focus on the game and not the circumstances,” said Streit, who was captain of the Isles for the last two seasons.

With the Flyers, Streit still is called upon for his leadership qualities, but more so for points with the offensively-challenged Flyers. That’s one of the things Luke Schenn likes about playing with him.

“I think we complement each other pretty well,” Schenn said. “He definitely makes it easy.”

• Avoiding history: With three first-period goals, the Flyers already had a game-high on the season. Had they not scored more than two, they would have been the first team since the 1940 New York Americans to go 10 games without scoring three goals in a game.

The first goal of the game was a power-play tally, snapping a 1-for-25 skid across seven games. The Flyers had been practicing the man advantage in earnest, including during the morning skate.

After getting only eight shots on net during a five-minute power play Thursday, the Flyers’ objective has been clear: shoot, shoot, shoot.

“When you start getting too fancy and passing it around too much, you forget about shooting and before you know it, the power play’s over,” Berube said.

Courier-Post LOADED: 10.27.2013


Flyers strike quickly for victory

Lecavalier scores hat trick to sink Islanders

Oct. 26, 2013 11:47 PM |

Written by

Dave Isaac

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Knowing that the New York Islanders had played the night before, the Flyers might have wanted to wear down the home team and tire them out by the third period.

Captain Claude Giroux had other ideas. He said he wanted to jump on the Isles early. The Flyers did just that in beating New York 5-2 Saturday, thanks to a hat trick by Vinny Lecavalier.

With Andrew MacDonald in the penalty box for hooking, the Flyers found themselves on the power play early in the first period. Lecavalier one-timed an offering from former Islander Mark Streit, who had two assists in his homecoming, into the New York net at 4:30.

Only 60 seconds later, the Flyers struck again.

Jake Voracek scored his first of the year when he flew down the right wing, cut inside on Islander defenseman Matt Carkner and beat goalie Kevin Poulin, who expected Scott Hartnell to get the puck at the far side of the net.

“I saw there was a little bit of open ice,” Voracek said. “Brayden (Schenn) chipped it in and I saw Hartsy driving to the net and I just tried to whip it. It's about time the puck went in.”

Hartnell returned to the lineup after missing four games with a rib injury.

“My shifts were short and I did what makes me effective — stop in front of the net and get some chances,” Hartnell said. “I felt probably better than I did the first few games of the year.”

Steve Mason made 26 saves on the night, but was beaten at 10:16 of the first period when Kyle Okposo’s blast from the point beat him through traffic. The Flyers’ goalie never saw the shot.

In the waning minutes of the opening period, Lecavalier got the goal back on a fantastic individual effort.

He accepted a pass from Michael Raffl by kicking the puck up to himself. When Poulin made the save on the initial shot, he batted the puck out of mid-air for his second goal of the night and third of the year.

“You knew he was gonna be on tonight,” Hartnell said of Lecavalier, “and he was a big reason why we pulled out the ‘W’.”

The middle stanza was dominated by the Flyers, who outshot the Islanders 12-5 and had another seven shots go wide of the net. The only goal of the period, however, was a shorthanded tally for Frans Neilsen.

The third period was better for the Flyers, who shut the door effectively for their second straight win.

“We felt confident all night,” Hartnell said. “To make it 4-2 and 5-2 was a nice relief in the last few minutes of the game where one little mistake might cost us.”

Lecavalier scored at 8:53 of the final period on another superb individual effort. He was tripped up by Thomas Hickey, but still made a one-handed pass to Max Talbot, who furthered the puck to Giroux. The captain dished it back to Lecavalier, who scored from his knees.

“It was a great play by ‘G’,” said Lecavalier, who potted his seventh career hat trick and first since Mar. 11, 2008, also against the Islanders. “I honestly didn’t see after I fell down. I just got up and he made a great play right back on my stick.”



Lecavalier's hat trick earns Flyers a win on Long Island

Oct. 26, 2013 |

Written by

Dave Isaac

UNIONDALE, N.Y. — When asked if the third period would be the most important against a team that played the night before, Flyers captain Claude Giroux was thinking the opposite.

“Early on, it’s gonna be important the first 10 minutes to get a lead or get the momentum,” Giroux said.

True to Giroux’s word, the Flyers jumped on the New York Islanders early Saturday night in a 5-2 victory.

With Andrew MacDonald in the penalty box for hooking, the Flyers found themselves on the power play early in the first period. Vinny Lecavalier one-timed an offering from former Islander Mark Streit and it was tipped by Isles defenseman Travis Hamonic and into the New York net at 4:30.

Only 60 seconds later, the Flyers struck again. Jake Voracek scored his first of the year when he used his speed to fly down the right wing, cut inside on Islander defenseman Matt Carkner and beat goalie Kevin Poulin, who expected Scott Hartnell to get the puck at the far side of the net.

“I saw there was a little bit of open ice,” Voracek said. “Brayden (Schenn) chipped it in and I saw Hartsy driving to the net and I just tried to whip it. It's about time the puck went in."

New York beat Steve Mason, who was very good once again, at 10:16 of the first period when Kyle Okposo’s blast from the point went through the screen of Luke Schenn. It appeared as though Islanders winger Matt Moulson tipped the goal, but Okposo was given credit.

In the waning minutes of the opening period, Lecavalier struck again on a fantastic individual effort. He accepted a pass from Michael Raffl by kicking the puck up to himself. When Poulin made the save on the initial shot, he batted the puck out of mid-air for his second goal of the night and third of the year.

“We're skating a lot better,” Voracek said. “The last three or four games we've really picked up the pace. We've been creating a lot of offense and playing very responsible defensively. I think that's why we've been starting to score some goals.”

The middle stanza was dominated by the Flyers, although they weren’t able to capitalize. They outshot the Islanders 12-5 and had another seven shots go wide of the net. The only goal of the period, however, came off the stick of Frans Neilsen.

With the Flyers on the power play, Voracek turned the puck over and Neilsen backhanded the puck behind Mason after a 2-on-1 with Peter Regin.

The third period was better for the Flyers, who shut the door effectively for their second straight win.

Lecavalier scored at 8:53 of the final period on another superb individual effort. He was tripped up by Thomas Hickey, but still made a one-handed pass to Max Talbot, who furthered the puck to Giroux. The captain gave it back to Lecavalier who potted his first hat trick since Mar. 11, 2008, also against the Islanders.

With 1:32 to go, Matt Read added an empty-net goal.

On the other end of the ice, Mason was once again reliable for the Flyers, making 26 saves. The Flyers played pretty well in front of him defensively. They were able to shut down the Islanders’ league-leading power play, which went 0-for-3. It broke a streak of five straight games with power-play goals for the Isles.


723554 Phoenix Coyotes

Effort pays off in goals for Phoenix Coyotes’ Martin Hanzal

By Sarah McLellan azcentral sports Sat Oct 26, 2013 8:02 PM

The surge of goals early in the season is nothing new.

Center Martin Hanzal had five in his first seven games last season.

“That’s probably the good summer in Czech,” he said with a smile.

But the way in which Hanzal has found his first five this season, through 12 games, is important because many have come from a dogged effort to go to the front of the net and stay there.

“I’m trying to grow as a player every year and every game,” Hanzal said. “I’m trying to be more smart and make more plays. Obviously going to the net hard, I’m a big guy and just work around the crease. The pucks are hitting me, so I’m kind of lucky.”

Hanzal scored his fifth of the season, which ties him for the team-lead with linemate Radim Vrbata and center Mike Ribeiro, Saturday against the Edmonton Oilers when a shot from defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson careened off Hanzal’s skate as he headed toward the net. Hanzal is on pace to surpass the career-high 16 goal mark he reached in 2010-11.

“It’s good to see him get rewarded in that area,” coach Dave Tippett said. “He’s worked hard in front of the net. After practice, he works hard deflecting a lot of pucks, figuring out where he needs to be to screen the goalie or get rebounds, those kinds of things. He’s done a real good job there.”

What’s even more impressive is Hanzal combines that offensive responsibility with tracking the other team’s top players, and he’s done both lately while being banged up.

“He’s trying to be our lead horse out there,” Tippett said. “If you look at him, he plays in all situations. He plays a big hard game. He’s gone to the net and been a screen in front of the net on the power play as well as we’ve seen him do.’’

Defense contributes

The Coyotes called on Michael Stone to fill Rusty Klesla’s spot on the blue line, and Stone scored his second of the season with his trademark shot from the point.

His partner on the third pairing, David Schlemko, also had a goal.

“It’s always good to get that first one out of the way, get that monkey off your back,” Schlemko said. “It’s nice for me and Stoney to each get one.”

The unit, though, was a combined minus-2.

“They scored, but they had their struggles the other way, too,” Tippett said.

For Stone, this was his first appearance since Oct.15 against Ottawa. He and David Rundblad have worked with associate coach Jim Playfair to maintain a game-day routine while they’ve been healthy scratches.

“Just staying positive and keep putting the work in,” Stone said.

Injury update

Klelsa is still considered day-to-day with a lower-body injury. He is not expected to skate Sunday, but wing Lauri Korpikoski could, Tippett said.

Korpikoski is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury.

“We’ll see where everybody is on Monday,” Tippett said. “I think the day off (Sunday) will do everybody a lot of good.”

Center Jeff Halpern played only four shifts in the first period before leaving with an upper-body injury that Tippett called, “spasms.

“Didn’t seem like anything serious,” Tippett said.

Ice chip

This was the Coyotes’ first game against goalie Jason LaBarbera since he signed with the Oilers after four seasons in Phoenix.

“He’s a great guy,” defenseman Keith Yandle said. “He’s a guy he works hard. It’s good to see him out there. Obviously, it’s better when you win but for us, we know he’s a big goalie, good goalie, and getting pucks and people to the net is our main objective and trying to disrupt him. If he sees it, he’s going to save it. He’s that good.”

-Yandle (goal and assist), Ekman-Larsson (goal and two assists) and Vrbata (three assists) all had multi-point games.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 10.27.2013


Keith Yandle leads Phoenix Coyotes to win over Edmonton Oilers

By Sarah McLellan azcentral sports Sat Oct 26, 2013 5:04 PM

GLENDALE – The Coyotes have made blown leads, high-scoring highlights and wacky comebacks trendy, relying on some if not all three methods in the past week to find two points – like they did in a Saturday matinee at Jobing.com Arena when the Coyotes outlasted the Oilers 5-4 in front of 11,684.

But coach Dave Tippett hopes this is style of play is simply a fad and one that becomes outdated in a hurry.

“I like scoring goals,” Tippett said. “Don’t get me wrong. I like some of the plays we’re making. But I don’t like us giving up four or five a night because you’re not going to win in this league like that.

“You can be a fun team but if you’re going to just go out there and give away chances and give away four or five goals a night, then you might be entertaining but you won’t be winning.”

In a three-game tour of the new Pacific Division this past week, the Coyotes scored 13 goals and gave up 13. They went 2-1, but it’s a challenge to win when the goal differential is even.

“Our game is not in very good shape, actually,” Tippett said.

After giving up four first-period goals Thursday in a 7-4 loss to the Kings, the Coyotes fell behind early again. Oilers winger Tyler Pitlick fanned on his first

attempt off the rush but his second skipped between goalie Mike Smith’s legs at 9:59 of the first. Smith turned in 26 saves.

The start of the second was better with three straight goals keyed by defensemen against former Coyote backup Jason LaBarbera, who finished with 22 saves. Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s shot went off center Martin Hanzal’s skate and in 47 seconds into the period. Michael Stone’s shot from inside the blue line at 5:20 gave the Coyotes their first lead, and David Schlemko made it 3-1 27 seconds later with his point shot and first goal.

“If you look at our back end, every guy can jump into the play and make good passes and good plays,” defenseman Keith Yandle said.

The Oilers pulled LaBarbera after that and replaced him with Devan Dubnyk, but Dubnyk made only one save and played 39 seconds before the Oilers put LaBarbera back in.

But a two-goal lead wasn’t enough for the Coyotes, and the Oilers tied it at 3 before the end of the second. Center Will Acton poked a rebound five-hole on Smith at 8:03.

“You’d like to see our defense tie him up,” Tippett said.

And then winger David Perron finished off a tic-tac-toe passing play with 57 seconds left in the period.

“That’s tactically glaring when a guy’s got an open net from a foot in,” Tippett said. “Something went wrong there. Those are some things we’ll tactically look at Monday.”

The Oilers retook the lead 7:23 into the third with a Ryan Jones deflection in front of Smith, but the Oilers were in tough to maintain the edge once they started a parade to the penalty box. They committed three penalties in the period, and the Coyotes scored on two.

Yandle tied it at 10:40 with a seeing-eye point shot, his first, and then made a diving stop at the blue line on an ensuing power play to keep the puck in the zone.

“Little bit of a shortstop I’d like to think,” Yandle said. “Just try to do whatever you can to keep it in. It was kind of all or nothing.”

Eventually, the puck found its way onto Ekman-Larsson’s stick and he, too, buried it from the point with Hanzal as the screen in front of LaBarbera.

Ekman-Larsson finished with a goal and two assists, and the defense recorded seven points. To date, the defense has scored 10 of the Coyotes’ 40 goals – a quarter of the goals.

“We talked about getting more pucks to the net between the second and third, and I think we did a really good job of that,” Ekman-Larsson said.

The offensive contributions from the blue line have no doubt helped spur the outpouring of goals, which rank the Coyotes among the best in the league, but the departure from clean defensive play is worrisome to Tippett – especially since that’s supposed to be the identity of his team.

“Our game is going to have to get better, and don’t get me wrong I like winning,” Tippett said. “Any time you can win, you should have a smile on your face. But I look at it how are we going to win long-term? There’s just some things that need to improve if we’re going to win long-term.”



Sarah McLellan's Coyotes blog

Game Day: Oilers at Coyotes

Oilers (3-7-1) at Coyotes (6-3-2)

Puck drop: 12 p.m.

TV/Radio: FSAZ/KTAR-AM (620).

Possible Coyotes lines:

Klinkhammer-Vermette-Doan

Chipchura-Hanzal-Vrbata

Boedker-Ribeiro-Moss

Bissonnette-Halpern-Yip

Ekman-Larsson-Michalek

Yandle-Morris

Schlemko-Stone

Smith

Potential scratches: Rundblad, Klesla, Kennedy and Korpikoski.

Injury update: Winger Lauri Korpikoski is on injured reserve with an upper-body injury. Defenseman Rusty Klesla is day-to-day with a lower-body injury. Forwards Shane Doan, Dave Moss and Martin Hanzal along with defensemen Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Zbynek Michalek did not practice Friday as they’re dealing with bumps and bruises, but all are expected to play.

Possible Oilers lines:

Eberle-Nugent-Hopkins-Yakupov

Perron-Arcobello-Hemsky

Jones-Gordon-Pitlick

Gazdic-Acton-Eager

N.Schultz-Ference

Smid-Petry

J.Schultz-Belov

LaBarbera

Potential scratches: Joensuu, Grebeshkov and Hamilton.

Injury update: Winger Taylor Hall (knee), winger Ryan Smyth (groin) and center Sam Gagner (jaw).

On the Oilers:

“Obviously, if we don’t play our game and get pucks down low and work their ‘D,’ it’s going to be a long night,” defenseman Derek Morris said. “If they’re coming out of their zone quick and with speed, they’re going to create a lot of offense so we’re going to have to hem them in.”

On the matinee game:

“You just have to adapt to it,” coach Dave Tippett said. “I will say I’ve seen over the years, different players adapt to it different. Some players need to get themselves going. Others are right on top of their game. I think it affects every player in a different way, but we gotta make sure it’s like every other game. You’ve got to show up and be ready to play when the puck drops.”

“We don’t have our morning skate,” Morris said. “We don’t have our lunch. We don’t have our break before the game, so we’ve just got to wake up and go. We practice at 10:30, 11 every single day, so it’ll be like getting ready for a practice.”

-The Coyotes are 21-15-5 in 41 afternoon games since the 2000 season.-The Coyotes have scored the second-most goals in the NHL with 35..

-The Coyotes lead the NHL with 16 third-period goals. They’ve outscored their opponents 16-9 in the period.

-The Coyotes are 5-1-1 at home and 11-2-2 overall against the Oilers with Tippett at the helm.

-The Oilers rank second in the league in blocked shots (181) and second on the road with 124 blocked shots.

-The Oilers are 1-0 in afternoon games so far this season.



Problems persist for Coyotes, even in fun win

CRAIG MORGAN

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Slow starts, blown leads, high-scoring games. This is exactly the brand of hockey you expected from the Phoenix Coyotes, right?

"Entertainment, entertainment," said coach Dave Tippett, who decided to play along with the narrative for a few quotes following Saturday's 5-4 matinee win over the Edmonton Oilers. "We're going to rewrite history here."

The good news? The Coyotes rallied from another sluggish start, another blown lead and a middling performance from goalie Mike Smith to post a victory on home ice, bringing their record at Jobing.com Arena to 4-0-1 for nine of a 10 possible points.

The bad news?

"Our game's not in very good shape," Tippett said. "I love scoring some goals, but you can't give up four to five a night. That's a recipe for disaster.

In Phoenix's past two games, there have been a total of 20 goals scored. For the season, the Coyotes have 40 goals. That was the second-highest total in the NHL before Sunday's evening NHL games began. But they had allowed 39. That was also the second-highest total in the league.

"Don't get me wrong. I like winning," Tippett said. "Any time you win, you should have a smile on your face. But what I look at is how we're going to win long term. There's just some things in our game that are going to have to improve if we're going to win long term."

Let's talk about those.

-- After 11 games played, Smith's save percentage is .903. It's too early to label that a troubling trend, but it's not too early to say it warrants watching. That number needs to climb significantly for Phoenix to be a player in the West. When the Coyotes advanced to the Western Conference finals, it was .930.

-- Puck management and defensive-zone coverage have been shoddy. There have been plenty of culprits here over the course of the season. On Sunday, goals by defensemen David Schlemko and Michael Stone masked the fact that both made a litany of mistakes on the defensive end, something Tippett noted after the game.

-- Playing smarter with leads. In the past six games, the Coyotes have either blown a two-goal lead or a third-period lead four times, somehow managing to get six points out of those four games.

"You can't take chances when you have the lead," captain Shane Doan said. "You have to do it when you're trailing, and I think we have more capability of coming back than we have in the past, which is encouraging, but we need to make sure we’re playing the right way with the lead."

If this sounds like a glass-is-half-empty portrayal of a win, just know that is how the Coyotes coach was portraying it -- and rightfully so. In five games on home ice, there has been little to complain about from an entertainment standpoint, and that's great for a new ownership group as it tries to ignite a fan base.

There are also plenty of positive signs in the lineup, from Martin Hanzal's hot start and net presence, to Mike Ribeiro's creativity, to 10 goals from the defense, to an emerging power play.

The Coyotes want to score more goals. Every team does. Tippett doesn’t want to play endless 2-1 games. But the Coyotes can't keep up this style or they're going to start resembling the team that took the ice opposite them on Saturday.

"If we play loosy-goosy all the time, we'll just be a fun team to watch. That's about it," Tippett said.

A team with a whole lot of wows but not a lot of wins.

foxsportsarizona.com LOADED: 10.27.2013

723558 Pittsburgh Penguins

Leafs send Pens to third straight loss

By Rob Rossi

Updated 6 hours ago

TORONTO — Sidney Crosby is capable of a lot.

The Penguins are asking a whole lot of him.

That was evident in a 4-1 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs at Air Canada Centre on Saturday night.

The Penguins have lost three in a row. Crosby, the NHL scoring leader with 18 points, has failed to produce a point in two of those defeats, and the Penguins have scored just once in those contests.

“It's tough,” center Evgeni Malkin said. “We have to stay aggressive, play hard (and) physical.

“But we need to score.”

A three-goal third period by the Maple Leafs — sparked by center Nazem Kadri's power-play marker — did in the Penguins (7-4-0, 14 points).

All of the Penguins' losses have occurred in games in which Crosby has failed to record multiple points.

The Penguins have scored 35 goals. Crosby has played a part in 51.4 percent of the offense.

Maple Leafs goalie James Reimer turned aside 37 shots Saturday night, including three from Crosby, who played almost 24 minutes.

He has played at least 22 minutes in eight consecutive games.

“With the injuries we've had, (we're) forced … to lean on (Crosby) in a lot of different areas,” coach Dan Bylsma said, also noting Malkin's boosted workload of at least 22 minutes in three prior contests.

Goaltending is not a problem area for the Penguins, who were seventh in overall goals-against average (2.38) before this loss.

Marc-Andre Fleury is off to a career-best start.

The Maple Leafs were only the third team to tag him for more than two goals, and Fleury has surrendered only 17 in nine starts.

Still, injuries to a couple of skilled right wingers — James Neal (upper body) and Beau Bennett (lower body) — have altered the Penguins' other lines.

Malkin played with his fourth right winger of the season Saturday night. Matt D'Agostini, who had not played previously because of a lower-body injury, replaced Chuck Kobasew to the right of Malkin.

D'Agostini and Kobasew combined for 24 goals the past two seasons. Neal produced 21 goals in 40 games last season.

Bennett scored only three goals as a rookie last season, but he is projected to contribute more as a playmaker — and coaches believed he could serve as the primary weapon on a third line in his second NHL campaign.

The Penguins' third line against Toronto consisted of Brandon Sutter centering Kobasew and left winger Tanner Glass. Sutter is without a goal, and Kobasew has not scored in nine games.

“It's frustrating, especially because it feels like we are getting chances,” Sutter said.

After registering multiple shots in three of four games, Sutter finished with one against Toronto. He, Glass and Kobasew combined for four attempted shots, two on net.

The injuries to Neal and Bennett also have derailed a promising start by the fourth line, which had included Glass and Craig Adams as the wingers for center Joe Vitale.

Glass has played up the last couple of weeks, and the Maple Leafs were the fourth opponent over the past five games against whom the Penguins dressed Deryk Engelland — a defenseman — as a fourth-line winger.

Even the return of Kris Letang — the only defenseman to average a point per game last season — has not helped the Penguins much.

Letang scored his first goal Saturday night, finishing after a behind-the-cage feed from Malkin, to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead in the first period. That power-play goal snapped a 1-for-20 run by the Penguins.

However, the first surrendered short-handed goal — one of two markers scored by Toronto center Dave Bolland — erased that lead.

Tied after two, the third period provided a stage for Crosby to shine in front of a “Hockey Night in Canada” television audience.

He proved human.

“We have to help,” Malkin said.

Tribune Review LOADED: 10.27.2013


Baby Pens notebook: Forward Gibbons enjoying uptick in scoring production

By Jonathan Bombulie

Updated 8 hours ago

In the first period of a game last Sunday in Manchester, N.H., Baby Pens forward Brian Gibbons went below the goal line to retrieve a dumped-in puck and quickly flicked an airborne backhand pass toward a teammate in the slot.

It hit Manchester goalie Jean-Francois Berube in the back of the head and bounced into the net.

When you're hot, you're hot.

Gibbons opened the season on a torrid scoring pace, putting up four goals and seven assists as the Baby Pens got off to a 6-0 start.

In one respect, it's a surprise. The 5-foot-8 Gibbons had just 30 points in 70 games in each of his first two seasons in the AHL.

In another respect, it's not. Gibbons had 101 points in 81 games in his final two seasons at Boston College before the Penguins signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2011.

“He's a perfect example of a guy who's got all the hockey sense, all the ability, all the skill, but now his mind is right,” Baby Pens coach John Hynes said.

While the uptick in production doesn't hurt Gibbons' chances of making it to the NHL, it's probably not his ticket to the show. That would be his speed. He's one of the fastest players in the AHL, an attribute he has put to good use paired with Jayson Megna on one of the Baby Pens' top penalty-killing units.

“I want coach to be able to trust me against other teams' best players,” Gibbons said. “It's something I enjoy. If that was my role, I'd be good. I'd be happy with it, but I think I can provide more than that, too.”

Slow start

Around the same time the Penguins signed Gibbons out of Boston College, they also signed winger Paul Thompson out of the University of New Hampshire.

Thompson, who scored 20 goals in the AHL last season, has no goals and one assist in four games this season and was a healthy scratch twice.

“You've got to prove it through practice,” Hynes said. “You've got to make it known you're ready to play.”

Late show

In their first six games, the Baby Pens were tied after two periods three times and trailed heading into the third period twice. They won all five of those games.

Last weekend, winger Tom Kuhnhackl scored a power-play goal with 40 seconds left to give the Baby Pens a 3-2 win over Worcester and defenseman Brendan Mikkelson scored 22 seconds into overtime in a 4-3 win over Manchester.

Seven up

First-round defenseman Derrick Pouliot is off to a typically prolific start for the Western Hockey League's Portland Winterhawks.

He had 13 points in his first eight games, including two assists and a plus-7 rating in an 8-1 win over Tri-City on Oct. 19.

Red, white and blue

Upper St. Clair native Dylan Reese will play for Team USA in the Deutschland Cup from Nov. 8-10 in Munich, Germany.

It's not exactly the Olympics, but it's a fairly prestigious four-team international tournament that's been around since 1987. Team USA, which also includes former Penguins Chris Bourque and Noah Welch, is made up of Americans playing abroad. Reese is with Khabarovsk Amur in Russia's KHL this season.



Penguins notebook: Defense dealt blow with Scuderi injury

By Rob Rossi

Updated 6 hours ago

TORONTO — Dan Bylsma had a healthy defense corps for less than four periods.

Rob Scuderi appeared to favor his left leg after absorbing a hit near the boards by Toronto's David Clarkson with about 21 seconds remaining in the first period of the Penguins' game at Air Canada Centre on Saturday night.

Scuderi was helped to the dressing room by head athletic trainer Chris Stewart and left winger Chris Kunitz. He did not return for the second period.

Byslma said after the game that initial medical evaluations revealed nothing definitive. Scuderi will be reevaluated upon returning to Pittsburgh, Bylsma said.

Scuderi has not missed a game since the 2009-10 season, his first with Los Angeles after signing with the Kings as a free agent. He has missed only 10 games dating to his last season with the Penguins (2008-09).

Health had just turned in favor of the Penguins' defense.

Kris Letang made his debut Friday night. That marked the first time that Bylsma had all of his defensemen available.

If Scuderi is not available at Carolina on Monday, Roberto Bortuzzo would return to the lineup. He has played in only three of the past seven games.

Another week for Neal

Evgeni Malkin is facing another week without his preferred linemate.

Right winger James Neal (upper-body injury) is not expected to resume practicing with the Penguins this week, Bylsma said.

Neal missed a 10th consecutive game at Toronto. He has not played or practiced since Oct. 3, when he was injured in the regular-season opener against New Jersey.

Neal, when healthy, has served as Malkin's regular right winger on the second line the past two seasons.

Neal is on the long-term injury list. That designation requires a player to miss at least 10 games and 24 days, so Neal is not even eligible to play until Monday night at Carolina — though, he will miss that contest, too.

Initially, Bylsma turned to second-year winger Beau Bennett to fill the second-line opening. However, Bennett (lower body) has missed six straight contests because of an injury suffered at Tampa Bay on Oct. 12.

Bylsma said Saturday that he was not sure if a return to practice this week was likely for Bennett, who is on injured reserve.

Next option

Looking to spark Malkin, who had gone two games without a point, Bylsma started Matt D'Agostini as the second-line right winger at Toronto.

D'Agostini made his regular-season debut. He was injured (lower body) during the Penguins' second exhibition game.

Chuck Kobasew had played to Malkin's right on the No. 2 scoring line for five consecutive games. He failed to score in those contests, and Kobasew had not produced a point since beginning the season with goals in each of the first two games.

Around the boards

Forwards Dustin Jeffrey and Jayson Megna joined Bortuzzo as Penguins' healthy scratches against Toronto. Jeffrey had not played in the last five games.



Penguins' Fleury off bench, back among NHL elite

By David Golebiewski

Updated 8 hours ago

Despite implementing rule changes for the 2013-14 season that shrunk the size of goalie leg pads and created more space behind the net by making it shallower, the NHL hasn't seen an uptick in scoring (5.52 goals per game) compared to 2012-13 (5.48). Marc-Andre Fleury certainly hasn't been bothered, as the Penguins' goalie is enjoying the best season of his decade-long career to this point.

Fleury faltered in the playoffs last season, mostly sitting on the bench as the Penguins were swept by the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference final. But the 28-year-old is stopping pucks at an elite level in 2013-14, carrying the load with backup Tomas Vokoun out following surgery to remove a blood clot from his pelvis.

Fleury is having his best year yet as measured by GA%-, which compares a player's percentage of goals allowed to the league average and puts it on a scale where 100 is exactly average. The lower the number the better. Fleury's GA%- this season is 18 percent better than the league average, easily topping his Stanley Cup-winning performance in 2008-09:

Fleury's greatest hits

Year GA%-

2013-14 82

2007-08 87

2010-11 94

2012-13 95

2008-09 96

Source: Hockey-Reference.com

Fleury is preventing lamp lightings at the best clip among goalies in the new-look Metropolitan Division and ranks sixth among all netminders who have played in at least five games. If Fleury's GA%- holds up, it would be the best for a regular Penguins goalie since Hockey-Reference began tracking the stat 30 years ago.

Goalie Team GA%-

Tuukka Rask Bruins 50

Josh Harding Wild 55

Semyon Varlamov Avalanche 61

Jonathan Bernier Maple Leafs 75

Carey Price Canadiens 75

Marc-Andre Fleury Penguins 82



Partnership with Letang awaits Pens' young star Maatta

By Rob Rossi

Updated 8 hours ago

TORONTO

Ray Shero has found wingers for captain Sidney Crosby and fellow franchise center Evgeni Malkin.

Now it appears he has taken care of Kris Letang, the Penguins' back-end pillar.

Olli Maatta will be for Letang what Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis are for Crosby, what James Neal is for Evgeni Malkin: the fit, the partner, The Guy.

Coaches see that happening as soon as next season. Management sees a Maatta-Letang pairing as the Penguins' version of what Ryan Suter-Shea Weber was for Nashville, what Weber and rookie Seth Jones will be for the Predators.

Letang noted this week he has never had a permanent partner.

Shero has long sought one. That was behind his free-agent pursuits of Dan Hamhuis (2010) and Suter (2012).

Shero was mostly schooled in the art of general managing by David Poile, under whom he worked while in Nashville. Poile, during his runs with Washington and Nashville, has built from the blue line out — and most often his clubs have achieved success on the strength of a deep defense corps anchored by a top pairing of elite players.

It is part of Shero's DNA to construct a dominant defense.

That is why Penguins ownership's decision seven years ago to hand him the keys to an organization blessed with Crosby and Malkin made total sense. Within three years of taking control of the Penguins' hockey operations, Shero had transformed the blue line into one that could go nine players deep on a run to the Stanley Cup.

That ninth player, Alex Goligoski, was such a prized young player that Shero traded him for Neal and Matt Niskanen.

Shero has spent the past three years attempting to build another Cup champion by rebuilding a defense corps to match the Penguins' awesome offensive arsenal.

He has taken all available avenues: free agency (Paul Martin, 2010, and Rob Scuderi, 2013); trades (Niskanen, 2011); and keeping his own (Letang, 2013). Shero also has drafted defensively: four first- or second-round picks used on defensemen since 2011.

Maatta was part of a 2012 NHL Entry Draft opening day that may go down as Shero's Hall of Fame thesis. On June 22, 2012, Shero acquired Maatta, Derrick Pouliot, Brian Dumoulin and Harrison Ruopp — four defensemen who, barring trades, could be playing regularly for the Penguins in two years.

Pouliot, the eighth overall draft pick, was viewed by outsiders as the great get because of his offensive upside.

Maatta, the 22nd pick, was viewed by Penguins brass as a potential franchise defenseman because of his two-way play.

It is early, but Maatta looks like that kind of player.

Letang thinks so. It is why he spent the past two months lobbying coaches to keep Maatta instead of returning him to junior hockey.

“He can't develop better there,” Letang said. “He needs to play in the NHL. He is more ready than I was at his age. He needs to be here against the best players, around our coaches, because that will make him the player he can be.”

Letang is convinced Maatta will become an elite player.

Shero has been looking for one of those for Letang, to whom he recently committed $58 million for the next eight years.

Shero's view of Letang has always been the sky is the limit.

“Kris is a very good player, and his best days are ahead of him,” Shero said. “I think he'll probably win the Norris Trophy. He is that kind of player for us.”

Imagine what Letang will do with Maatta.



Division games dominate upcoming slate for Penguins

October 26, 2013 11:26 PM

By Shelly Anderson / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

TORONTO -- Only four of the Penguins' first 11 opponents have been from the Metropolitan Division. They played the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday of the Atlantic Division.

Now they are looking at a heavy dose of division games over the next four weeks.

Beginning with a matchup Monday at Carolina, four of their next five games, six of eight and eight of 12 are against fellow Metropolitan Divisions clubs.

That's fine with them.

"When you're playing in the division, you tend to maybe have a little more bite to your game, with some history and seeing those guys a lot," Penguins center Joe Vitale said.

Four of the 12 division games in the coming stretch are against teams that weren't in the same division as the Penguins before the NHL realignment that took effect this season.

That includes a home-and-home series next weekend against Columbus and a chance to develop the makings of a rivalry with the Blue Jackets, who previously were in the Western Conference.

"Sure. You have that opportunity every time you play a team you're not really familiar with," Vitale said. "I like it because you don't really see a lot of these players very often, so it gives you a fresh start to establish yourself -- hey, this is my game. This is what I bring. It's kind of a cool thing."

The Penguins also will have a chance to open a bigger edge in the division, which they led by three points going into Saturday over the second-place New York Islanders and Carolina.

"It's always nice to play divisional games because if you're going to make headway in the standings, these are the teams you've got to play well against," winger Tanner Glass said.

Glass welcomes a sense of familiarity. Last season, his first with the Penguins, featured no inter-conference games because of a lockout.

"Last year was such a funny year," Glass said. "You're playing every second night, and sometimes you forget who you're playing. You're just out there playing."

Young roster retainees

Olli Maatta of the Penguins isn't the only defensive teenager to play his way onto an NHL roster this season.

Toronto opted to keep Morgan Rielly rather than returning him to Moose Jaw of the Western Hockey League.

Rielly appeared in his ninth game in Toronto's 5-2 loss Friday night at Columbus and his 10th in the game Saturday against the Penguins.

Once a player dresses for his 10th game, the first year of his entry-level contract takes effect.

Rielly, 19, was the fifth player chosen in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft at Consol Energy Center. The Penguins claimed Maatta with the 22nd choice in the first round then.

Goaltending wish list

Phoenix's Mike Smith became the 11th goalie in NHL history to score a goal eight days ago when he launched a rink-long shot and put a puck into Detroit's net in what became a 5-2 Coyotes victory against Detroit.

Scoring seems to turn up on the wish list of a lot of goalies -- the Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury has taken a few shots late with his team up by a couple of goals and has said he would like to score one sometime -- but Penguins backup goaltender Jeff Zatkoff said it is not on his list.

"Not really," said Zatkoff, who has played in two games this season, his first two in the NHL.

"I figure that if I score a goal, maybe it will be because I'm the last one to touch it [before] they shoot it into their own empty net."

Smith handles the puck better than most goaltenders. The ones who have that ability, from Martin Brodeur to Ron Hextall, obviously are the most likely to accurately launch a shot from one end of the ice to the other.

"I don't think many goalies can play the puck like [Smith]," Zatkoff said. "He catches it, drops it and snaps it right away. Not only hard, but high. He's known for being able to play the puck well, and that showed it."

Scratches

The Penguins' healthy scratches were wingers Dustin Jeffrey and Jayson Megna, and defenseman Robert Bortuzzo.

Post Gazette LOADED: 10.27.2013


Penguins' losing streak reaches 3 in Toronto

October 27, 2013 12:11 AM

By Shelly Anderson / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

TORONTO -- The Penguins have been one of the best teams in the NHL this season. Other than some injuries, not much was going poorly as they won seven of their first eight games.

Now, after running into a hot goaltender here, a third-period lapse there, they have taken possession of an ugly sidecar -- a losing streak.

"You don't want to let these things linger. You have to recognize some mistakes that we can correct," defenseman Matt Niskanen said after the Penguins lost their third game in a row, 4-1, against the Toronto Maple Leafs Saturday night at Air Canada Centre.

They have not lost this many in a row in the regular season since a six-game losing streak Dec. 29, 2011 to Jan. 11, 2012.

Adding to the albatross of a losing streak was the potential loss of defenseman Rob Scuderi, who wore an orthopedic boot on his left foot and was on crutches after the game.

Scuderi was checked into the boards by Toronto's David Clarkson in the final minute of the first period. While teammate Deryk Engelland fought the Maple Leafs' Frazer McLaren in retaliation for the hit, Scuderi had to be helped off the ice.

"I don't have any definitive news," coach Dan Bylsma said. "He's going to be re-evaluated when he gets back to Pittsburgh."

Bylsma wasn't sure if that would be before or after the Penguins finish this two-game road trip Monday at Carolina.

The Penguins started the night in a three-way tie with the Maple Leafs and Boston for the most points in the Eastern Conference at 14. Center Sidney Crosby started the night as the NHL's leading scorer with 18 points, but Toronto held him in check. He was limited to two shots, lost 18 of 30 faceoffs and had a plus-minus rating of minus-2.

Nazem Kadri broke a 1-1 tie less than two minutes into the third period for Toronto, which had lost three of its previous four games. He finished off a tic-tac-toe play after a turnover by Penguins center Evgeni Malkin in his offensive end.

"Through 40 minutes, I liked where our game was. I liked the way we played," Bylsma said. "We come out right at the beginning of the third and get a little impatient and force a turnover and that was enough."

Phil Kessel added a power-play goal with 2:55 left in regulation, and Dave Bolland scored into an empty net with 42 seconds left to seal it for the Maple Leafs.

Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, a Norris Trophy finalist last season, was playing in his second game after missing the first nine because of a knee injury. After a 4-3 loss Friday night to the New York Islanders, Bylsma noted that Letang probably should have shot the puck more on the power play.

Letang apparently listened.

He gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 6:52 of the first period. He pinched down into the right circle and one-timed a pass that came from Malkin from behind the net.

It was Letang's first point of the season.

The Penguins were getting good movement and shots on Toronto goaltender James Reimer on another power play later in the first period when things went sour.

Toronto's Dion Phaneuf picked off a Letang pass and set up Bolland for a short-handed breakaway. Bolland blasted a slap shot past Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury to tie the score, 1-1, at 16:33 of the first period.

With 17 seconds left in the first period, Clarkson hit Scuderi into the boards near the Penguins blue line. Scuderi kneeled for a moment before he was assisted off the ice.

Scuderi was a member of the Penguins' 2009 Stanley Cup team. He then spent four seasons with Los Angeles -- where he won another Cup -- before he returned to the Penguins, signing as a free agent over the summer to give them a steady veteran who specializes in defensive play.

"That hurts," said Niskanen, who was paired with Scuderi while Letang was hurt. "He's been really good. Rock solid. Like he always is. He's the definition of consistency. So, hopefully, it's not too bad."

Letang and Scuderi have been slated to be a top defensive pairing for the Penguins this season, but they so far have played together less than four periods.

"We have a lot of depth defensively, good players," Letang said. "Somebody's going to have to step up and play a bigger role."

The injury comes just as the Penguins were starting to get a little healthier.

Not only did Letang return Friday to make his season debut, but winger Matt D'Agostini made his Penguins debut Saturday, the first day he was eligible to come off of long-term injured reserve. D'Agostini, another free agent signee over the summer, had been out since he got an unspecified injury in a preseason game.

He played primarily on the second line with Malkin and left winger Jussi Jokinen.

Post Gazette LOADED: 10.27.2013

723565 San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks bounce back, blank Canadiens 2-0

By David Pollak

[email protected]

Posted: 10/26/2013 06:48:06 PM PDT

Updated: 10/26/2013 11:18:30 PM PDT

MONTREAL -- The question has come up at every stop on the Sharks' extended trip: How is this year's hot start different from last year's?

Well, here's one way: Saturday night at the Bell Center, San Jose bounced back from its first regulation loss of the season with a 2-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens. A year ago, the Sharks needed seven games to pick up two points in one night.

"I don't know if it's more important in this league to win multiple games or to stop the losses," Sharks coach Todd McLellan said. "This is the first time we've had to put the brakes on a loss. The response from our group was excellent."

Logan Couture accounted for both goals -- one on a power play, the other after a strange bounce that might have involved more than luck. Goalie Antti Niemi made 22 saves in picking up his second shutout of the week as the Sharks' boosted their record to 9-1-1.

"Yeah, I felt good and the team played well again," said Niemi, who has given up two goals over the past three games. "Not too many shots, and this time we were able to score two."

The Sharks were coming off a brutal 2-1 loss Thursday in Boston with the winning goal coming with 0.8 seconds left in the game with a breakdown in coverage to blame. Couture also liked the way the Sharks responded.

"That was a tough loss, but we didn't let it get to us," Couture said. "We got over it quickly, moved on and got ready for tonight. That was really important and big for us."

This was San Jose's fourth game without injured defenseman Dan Boyle and third without Brent Burns. While the offense did pound Montreal netminder Carey Price with 35 shots, the Sharks again had trouble finishing plays, and that had McLellan tinkering with his lines at times.

The first period was scoreless, and although the Sharks outshot Montreal, it was Niemi who had to make the tougher saves, the biggest being on Tomas Plekanec to thwart an odd-man rush.

The first four penalties all went San Jose's way, but it wasn't until that fourth one that the Sharks could take advantage.

"Our first three power plays, we were sloppy. We weren't sharp," Couture said. "The puck was bouncing on, us and we weren't ourselves. Even the fourth one was a little sloppy, but people were able to find a way."

The goal came as Couture sliced toward the net, then deflected a hard pass from Joe Thornton past Price at 6:20 of the second period.

The closest the Canadiens came to scoring required a quick save, and it wasn't by Niemi. Montreal forward David Desharnais' shot late in the second period was behind Niemi and about to cross the line when defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic swept it away with his stick.

"I knew what he was trying to do," Vlasic said of Desharnais. "I just knocked it away before he could do it."

San Jose got its second goal at 4:09 of the third period when Price went behind his net to field a puck rimmed around the back boards by Patrick Marleau. But the puck took a weird bounce to Couture in front of an open net, and he backhanded it in.

But McLellan indicated a little more than luck was involved.

"That's where we needed to put it," he said of the puck flying along the glass. "We talked about that before the game. You could see even in the third, he likes to come out and play the puck. When it's up on the glass, it doesn't matter what rink you're in, you can't trust it."

Burns went back to San Jose after Thursday night's loss in Boston for further evaluation of his facial injuries.

Sharks forward Tommy Wingels was in the lineup after taking a high hit from Boston defenseman Zdeno Chara in Thursday night's 2-1 loss to the Bruins.

While the hit looked questionable and Wingels was visibly upset at the time, he was trying to look forward Saturday.

"I didn't like the hit, but it's over with, and I've moved on," he said.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.27.2013


Sharks' Larry Robinson upset at lack of respect players have for each other

By David Pollak

[email protected]

Posted: 10/26/2013 03:01:56 PM PDT

Updated: 10/26/2013 03:45:25 PM PDT

MONTREAL — If Larry Robinson does not come back for a third season as associate coach with the Sharks, it'll likely be because he doesn't like the lack of respect players have for each other these days.

Returning to the scene of his hall of fame career, Robinson was asked if he planned to exercise his contract option for a third season with San Jose.

"Who knows?," said the 62-year-old Robinson. "At my age I just hope I get up the next morning."

Then he got serious.

"I wouldn't be in it as long as I have if I didn't enjoy the game and that's the part I like the most," he said. "If there was anything that would turn me away from the game it's the way it's being played and how the league is being handled now."

San Jose Sharks Antti Niemi (31) comes out of net to play the puck with Marc-Edouard Vlasic (44) against the New York Rangers in the second period at SAP Center in San Jose on Oct. 8, 2013. (Josie Lepe/Staff file)

Then he brought up the recent rash of illegal hits and injuries.

"How many concussions have we had in the last two, three or four few weeks, the lack of respect the players are having for each other," Robinson said. "You question where our game is going sometimes."

Yes, hockey has always been a rough game. But things have changed since his era, Robinson said.

"There were situations where guys put themselves in a vulnerable position where if you did make contact, there was a possibility he'd get hurt. Back then, some guys were stupid enough not to wear helmets," Robinson said, pointing to himself, "and you'd ease up."

Now, he added, "I see guys that are in vulnerable positions and players don't care. They go ahead and hit anyway."

Robinson has been back here many times since leaving the Canadiens in 1989, but he said it never gets old coming back.

"The atmosphere, everything around here is terrific," he said. "It feels like hockey when you come to Montreal."

Does he find himself reliving his days with the Canadiens, when he was on six Stanley Cup-winning teams?

"Not really," he said. "Maybe privately when you're just sitting around and have nothing to do, but it's not something I dwell on. I'm not a big believer in the past. I mean, we had a great time and I'm extremely grateful for everything that happened. But there's still a future and you've got to look to the future, too."



Sharks Dan Boyle: Lapierre's hit showed lack of respect

By David Pollak

[email protected]

Posted: 10/26/2013 11:22:18 AM PDT

Updated: 10/26/2013 11:22:20 AM PDT

MONTREAL -- Sharks defenseman Dan Boyle finally opened up Saturday about the hit from St. Louis Blues forward Maxim Lapierre that knocked him unconscious.

"I don't think he thought he was going to put me in the hospital with the hit, so I agree with him that wasn't his intention," said Boyle, who had declined to talk about the play for two days. "At the same time, we're told since we were 5 years old not to hit a guy when you see numbers and it's pretty clear he saw my numbers and he decided to hit anyway. That's just lack of respect is what I think."

Boyle skated at Bell Center with his teammates, but is not scheduled to play in Saturday night against the Montreal Canadiens. He said he has no idea when he will be ready to compete.

In Boston, Boyle talked about the aftermath of Lapierre's hit, but wouldn't talk about the play itself or the Blues forward who received a five-game suspension. In Montreal, he said he had given the topic more thought.

And while he faulted Lapierre for the decision he made, Boyle acknowledged he might have done something similar -- depending on the opposing player.

"We've all been playing long enough that in a split-second, we're conditioned to make that decision," Boyle said. "A lot of guys would probably choose to not hit there.

"And vise versa for me, too. There's a lot of guys in the league where I wouldn't hit and, I'm not going to lie, there's probably a handful that I would."

Boyle's family made the short drive from Hull, Ontario, to the Bell Center and were glad to see the defenseman's health had improved to the point where he could practice.

Forward Tommy Wingels skated on the third line after taking a high hit from Boston defenseman Zdeno Chara in Thursday night's 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins. Coach Todd McLellan said the decision had not been made yet whether Wingels would play.

Antti Niemi will start his 11th consecutive game against the Canadiens with back-up Alex Stalock set to get his first action of the season Sunday in Ottawa.



Niemi, Sharks top Montreal

Associated Press

Published 11:25 pm, Saturday, October 26, 2013

MONTREAL - Sharks forward Logan Couture won't get many easier goals.

Couture got his second goal of the game when a third-period dump-in took a bounce off the glass and landed on his stick. He made no mistake, firing the puck into the open net to help San Jose beat Montreal 2-0 on Saturday.

"I've gotten a couple of empty-net goals already this year," Couture said. "I've been lucky."

The Sharks were up 1-0 when Patrick Marleau dumped the puck into the Canadiens' zone. Goalie Carey Price, who had anticipated retrieving the puck behind his net, couldn't get back in front in time when the puck caromed to Couture.

"It's not the way you want to get scored on," said Price, who made 35 saves. "It's the way it bounces sometimes. They're a good team. That's what they do. They're a very structured team and they played a perfect road game today."

Part of the Sharks' strong effort came from goalie Antti Niemi, who made 22 saves for his second shutout in the past three games and his league-leading ninth win. He has played all 11 of the Sharks' games and has a 1.53 goals-against average with a .933 save percentage.

"When you're confident and when you can be patient, sometimes just wait for the puck to get to you, it gives you more time to react," Niemi said. "I'm feeling like that right now."

After a scoreless first period in which San Jose outshot Montreal 11-8, Couture gave his team the lead with a power-play strike at 6:20 of the second period. Joe Thornton sent a pass onto Couture's stick, and he scored from close range.

"They were on us all night long," Montreal's Brian Gionta said. "We couldn't seem to generate much. We have to do a better job."

San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 10.27.2013


Commitment to defense helps Sharks past Montreal

Kevin Kurz

October 26, 2013, 7:45 pm

MONTREAL – The importance of playing that proverbial 60-minute game was never more evident than in the Sharks’ loss in Boston on Thursday, when they surrendered the game-winning goal with less than a second in regulation after a final shift of lackadaisical play.

Perhaps that early season lesson will pay dividends in the future for the Sharks, who played a near perfect road game in beating the Canadiens at Bell Centre on Saturday night, 2-0. Logan Couture scored twice and Antti Niemi made 22 saves for his second shutout in three games.

[Instant Replay: Couture's two goal night leads Sharks past Canadiens]

Goals are now suddenly at a premium – the Sharks have just three total in their last three games – but the team seemingly did all of the little things right and made finding space difficult for a speedy Montreal club. Consequently, San Jose earned its ninth win in 11 games (9-1-1).

“This is the first time we’ve had to put the breaks on a loss. The response from our group was excellent,” Todd McLellan said. “We could have hung our heads and pouted from what happened in Boston.”

Couture said: “That was a tough loss (in Boston), but we didn’t let it get to us. We got over it quickly, moved on, and got ready for tonight. That was really important and big for us.”

Other than score goals in bunches like they were early on, the Sharks continued to do what has given them the NHL’s best record through the first three and a half weeks. They had a substantial edge in zone time and outshot Montreal 35-22, played strong team defense in front of a steady and at times spectacular Niemi, and were on the power play much more than the penalty kill.

In fact, the Sharks have now been on the power play for more than a half hour (30 mintues and 56 seconds) as compared with time killing penalties. That leads the league by a wide margin, as second place Chicago has an advantage of almost 18 minutes.

On Saturday, the Sharks had the first four power plays, and even though the first three weren’t very effective, they capitalized on a pretty passing play at 6:20 of the second when Couture redirected in a Joe Thornton pass to open the scoring.

“Our first three power plays, we were sloppy. We weren’t sharp,” Couture said. “The puck was bouncing on us, and we weren’t ourselves. Even the fourth one was a little sloppy, but people were able to find a way.”

McLellan gave his perspective of his team’s substantial difference in the power play over penalty kill stat.

“I think there’s two factors to that. One, is the speed offensively and the ability to stay on top of teams. Teams get tired, they tend to take penalties. And then secondly, being pretty sound positionally in the defensive zone. You don’t have to reach and hook and hold. Your positional play and your good sticks help you that way.”

Marc-Edouard Vlasic said: “We’re using our speed. We’re on the forecheck. When you’re in the [offensive] zone all game, they have to take penalties eventually.”

Vlasic made biggest defensive play of the game to keep the Sharks’ 1-0 lead intact. David Desharnais was about to deposit a loose puck rebound off of the end boards, but Vlasic quickly got his stick in the way late in the second period.

“He was trying to score, and I just got my stick there. Simple as that,” Vlasic said. “I knew what he was trying to do, I just knocked it away before he could do it.”

That allowed Couture to get a huge insurance marker in the third, when he took advantage of an awkward bounce off of the glass after a Patrick Marleau rim. Surprisingly, McLellan revealed that was somewhat by design.

“That’s where we needed to put it. We talked about that before the game. You could see even in the third, [Carey Price] likes to come out and play the puck. When it’s up on the glass, it doesn’t matter what rink you’re in, you can’t trust it.”

Couture received a slash to the hands from P.K. Subban, but still managed to record his 14th career two-goal game.

“Broken nail, that’s what it was,” Couture said. “But, I was able to battle through for the next ten minutes.”

The Sharks will move on to Ottawa on Sunday for the second half of their first back-to-back of the season. If they continue to play the way they did on Saturday, they won’t need to break the scoreboard to be successful.

“We played patient enough to wait for our breaks,” McLellan said. “Defensively, it was a full team commitment.”



Instant Replay: Couture leads Sharks past Canadiens

Kevin Kurz

October 26, 2013, 6:15 pm

MONTREAL – When a team is struggling to score goals, as the Sharks are right now with some key pieces out of the lineup, a fortunate bounce leading to an effortless conversion is more welcome than normal.

The Sharks got just that on a key insurance goal in the third period of their 2-0 win over Montreal on Saturday night at Bell Centre. Patrick Marleau’s hard dump-in attempt ricocheted off of the corner boards to the slot, where Logan Couture deposited his second of the night at 4:09 to give San Jose a 2-0 lead. Goaltender Carey Price was out of position after going behind the net to play a puck that never made it that far.

Couture’s first marker was the only scoring through two periods. Joe Thornton received a pass from Marleau and quickly fed Couture for a redirection at 6:20. Of Couture’s 14 career multi-goal games, 10 have come on the road.

Antti Niemi, the only goalie to play every minute of every game for his team this season, made several impressive stops. In the first period, he gloved a shot by Tomas Plekanec on a two-on-one shorthanded rush midway through the period, and later denied David Desharnais from in close with 5:41 to go in the frame.

Desharnais nearly tied the game in the second on a delayed penalty to Brad Stuart. Niemi was out of the goal crease when Desharnais corralled a loose puck and tried to speedily push it home, but a quick stick from Marc-Edouard Vlasic knocked it away. The Sharks killed off the minor to Stuart, and Stuart’s blast with 15 seconds left in the second was snagged by Carey Price to keep it 1-0 after two.

The Sharks (9-1-1) improved to 2-1-0 on their five game road trip. It was their first visit to Montreal since Dec. 4, 2010, and just their third win in 15 games here.

Despite not making it on the scoresheet, rookie Matt Nieto had perhaps his best NHL game to date. The third line winger finished with a game-high six shots, and nearly scored early in the third when his shot snuck through Price before it was cleared out of the crease.

After scoring at least three goals in each of their first eight games, the Sharks have been held to three total in their last three games.

Special teams

The Sharks entered the game with nearly 26 more minutes on the power play than the penalty kill, a league best by more than seven minutes. That number grew against Montreal, as San Jose had four power plays to just one for the Canadiens. Couture’s power play goal was his second of the season.

San Jose has allowed just one power play goal against in its last six games.

In goal

Niemi recorded his league-leading ninth win with 22 saves. Price fell to 5-5-0, allowing two goals on 35 shots.

Backup Alex Stalock is expected to get his first start on Sunday in Ottawa.

Lineup

Tommy Wingels, who missed the final two periods in Boston on Thursday after getting crunched by Zdeno Chara, returned to action. Rookie Tomas Hertl, whose production has slowed significantly since his hot start, took some shifts on the fourth line switching places with John McCarthy.

New acquisition Mike Brown was a healthy scratch, while James Sheppard returned to the lineup.

The Sharks remain without Brent Burns and Dan Boyle, while the Canadiens are also fighting the injury bug. Max Pacioretty, Brandon Prust, Danny Briere and Douglas Murray are all out, among others.

Up next

San Jose plays in its first back-to-back situation with a game in Ottawa on Sunday. They return to the Bay Area immediately afterwards, but get right back on a plane to visit Los Angeles on Wednesday, Oct. 30, to conclude the five-game road swing.

The Sharks’ 10 back-to-backs are tied for the fewest in the league.



Sharks search for offense in Montreal

Kevin Kurz

October 26, 2013, 10:30 am

MONTREAL – Their scorching early season offense has cooled significantly in the past two games, as the Sharks were shut out in Detroit on Monday and managed just one goal against Boston’s Tuukka Rask on Thursday.

They did, however, manage to fire 39 shots on Rask in the 2-1 loss, and had several good looks at the net that were turned away by the impressive Finn. They’ll want to repeat that effort against Carey Price and the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday night at Bell Centre.

“We had some very, very good looks in Boston between the hash marks, just us and Rask, the goaltender, and he was better than we were,” Todd McLellan said. “You have to bear down in those situations; you don’t get them often. We had enough in that game to score two, and that’s what would have made the difference.”

Marc-Edouard Vlasic said: “We played really well last game. We outplayed them. We’ve got to play that way again, and we’ll get rewarded.”

The Sharks will remain without key personnel in Dan Boyle and Brent Burns, meaning other players will have to continue to fill those vacancies. Freddie Hamilton will again be slotted on the wing of Joe Thornton’s line with Tomas Hertl, and Hamilton was much more noticeable in Boston than Detroit, when he made his NHL debut.

Hamilton finished with four shots, and nearly gave San Jose a 1-0 lead in the first period with a sneaky attempt from the circle that seemed to catch Rask off guard.

“He had some good shots last game, and some good looks,” Thornton said. “He looked comfortable last game.”

Playing in Montreal is special for personal reasons for a number of NHL players, and the Sharks are no different. Several of the team’s family members were in attendance at the morning skate, including Jason Demers’ father and much of Boyle’s family.

Saturday night’s Hockey Night in Canada national broadcast adds even more oomph to the game for many of the visitors.

“I remember growing up on the farm, and we had three channels. If it wasn’t playing on the English channel, you switched to the French channel,” said Aneroid, Saskatchewan native Patrick Marleau.

The history and tradition of Canadiens hockey isn’t lost on Chicago-area native Tommy Wingels, either.

“I think any hockey fan knows that [history], and knows it’s special to play in a place like this,” Wingels said.

Leaving Montreal with a win would make it even better. But, to do that, they’ll have to break out of their mini-offensive funk.

“We’ve just got to score. That’s what we were doing the first eight games, scoring on those chances,” Logan Couture said.



Wingels questionable; Burns returns to Bay Area

Kevin Kurz

MONTREAL – Tommy Wingels will be a game-time decision on Saturday night in Montreal, after the winger skated in the morning at Bell Centre. Wingels left Thursday’s game in Boston after taking an apparent check to the head from Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara in the first period.

“I didn't like the hit, but it’s over with, and I’ve moved on,” Wingels said.

Wingels will meet with the Sharks’ medical staff later Saturday.

Todd McLellan said: “He’s feeling pretty good, so we’re hoping he can play.”

Brent Burns remains out, and has flown back to the Bay Area. There was no further update on the forward, who will sit out his third straight game and Sunday in Ottawa, after a series of high hits.

Defenseman Dan Boyle continues to recover, and according to one report, Boyle is likely to play against the Senators on Sunday. Saturday was Boyle’s third straight day on the ice as he recovers from an apparent head injury.



In the Crease: Sharks vs. Canadiens

Kevin Kurz

October 26, 2013, 9:30 am

Programming note

Sharks-Canadiens coverage gets underway today at 3:30 p.m. with Sharks Pregame Live, only on Comcast SportsNet California

Where they stand

Sharks: 8-1-1, 17 points, 1st Pacific Division, 2nd Western Conference

Canadiens: 6-4-0, 12 points, 5th Atlantic Division, 6th Eastern Conference

Vitals

Sharks

Goals per game: 4.00 (1st)

Goals-against per game: 1.70 (3rd)

Power play: 22.9 percent (8th)

Penalty kill: 86.7 percent (4th)

Canadiens

Goals per game: 3.30 (T – 4th)

Goals-against per game: 2.00 (5th)

Power play: 25.6 percent (6th)

Penalty kill: 82.9 percent (13th)

Probable lines

Sharks

Tomas Hertl – Joe Thornton – Freddie Hamiton

Patrick Marleau– Logan Couture – Tyler Kennedy

Matt Nieto – Joe Pavelski – Tommy Wingels

John McCarthy – Andrew Desjardins – Mike Brown

Marc-Edouard Vlasic – Justin Braun

Matt Irwin – Brad Stuart

Scott Hannan – Jason Demers

Antti Niemi (confirmed starter)

Alex Stalock

Canadiens

Alex Galchenyuk – Lars Eller – Brendan Gallagher

Michael Bournival – Tomas Plekanec – Brian Gionta

Travis Moen – David Desharnais – Rene Bourque

Mike Blunden – Ryan White – Patrick Holland

Andrei Markov – P.K. Subban

Josh Gorges – Raphael Diaz

Francis Bouilon – Nathan Beaulieu

Carey Price

Peter Budaj

Last game

Sharks: David Krejci’s goal in the final second of the third period gave the Sharks their first regulation defeat, 2-1, in Boston on Thursday. Patrick Marleau’s team-leading eighth goal tied the game early in the third, but the Sharks were unable to gain a point in the standings despite a 39-17 shot advantage. Antti Niemi took the loss.

Canadiens: Tomas Plekanec had a goal and two assists as the Canadiens downed Anaheim at home on Thursday, 4-1. Brian Gionta and Michael Bournival each had a goal and an assist, and Carey Price made 31 saves.

Keep an eye on…

Sharks: Freddie Hamilton. The current replacement for Brent Burns on the Joe Thornton line, Hamilton skated well and generated some offensive chances in Thursday’s loss in Boston, his second career NHL game. He had four shots on goal, including an attempt that handcuffed Tuukka Rask in the first period, in more than 15 minutes of ice time.

Canadiens: Brendan Gallagher. The 21-year-old plays on the wing of a speedy line with Lars Eller and fellow youngster Alex Galchenyuk, and is tied for the team lead in goals with five. A fifth round pick in 2010, Gallagher has 35 points (20g, 15a) and +14 rating in 54 career games.

Injuries/Scratches

Sharks: Raffi Torres (right ACL surgery), Marty Havlat (pelvic surgery), Adam Burish (back surgery), Brent Burns (face) and Dan Boyle (head into boards) are out. Tommy Wingels (undisclosed) is questionable.

Canadiens: Alexei Emelin (right knee), Davis Drewiske (shoulder), Douglas Murray (upper body), George Parros (concussion), Max Pacioretty (left hamstring), Brandon Prust (upper body) and Danny Briere (concussion) are out.

Season/All-Time series

The Sharks are 10-13-4-1 all-time against the Canadiens, and Montreal holds a 10-2-2-0 advantage at home.

The Canadiens visit the SAP Center on March 8.

Quoteable

"We played the game we wanted to play, we liked a lot of the things that we did. We could have had a little more polish around the net, but it’s still a loss and that’s unacceptable – especially in the situation we were in." – Todd McLellan, after Thursday’s last-second loss in Boston

Burning question

Who do the Sharks miss more, Brent Burns or Dan Boyle, and why? Leave your answer in the comments section below.


723574 St Louis Blues

Sobotka earns bigger offensive role with Blues

3 hours ago • By Jeremy Rutherford [email protected] 314-444-7135

NASHVILLE, Tenn. • Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said Saturday morning “enough is enough.”

Once again, Vladimir Sobotka started the regular season on the fourth line. But through the first eight games of the year, Hitchcock has moved him all over the lineup — playing center, left wing and right wing and playing with anyone. The moves have come during the game and usually are dictated by the score.

On Saturday, however, Sobotka was switched before the Blues’ game against Nashville, and it was dictated by his play the previous night. He was moved to a top offensive line — centering Magnus Paajarvi and Vladimir Tarasenko — after recording a goal, five shots, three hits and finishing 6-1 in the face-off circle in the Blues’ 3-2 overtime loss to Vancouver.

“He was the best player on the ice for both teams,” Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. “That’s why he’s moving up the ladder. We use him as a sixth man in basketball and for our team it’s a real advantage because I can pop him in and out anywhere, and it’s really effective. But I just need him up the ladder more. He’s earned the right — that’s the internal competition of the team — to play up the ladder right off the bat rather than have the score (dictate it).”

In a movie Sobotka has starred in before, he opened the 2013-14 season on the Blues’ fourth line, playing the left wing, alongside Maxim Lapierre and Ryan Reaves. He had three points in his first two games (1 goal, 2 assists) and saw his ice time increase to 15-plus minutes per game.

“If I’m starting on the fourth line, I say you have to earn the minutes on the ice and play good and hopefully I’m going to get second line or third line,” Sobotka said. “I don’t feel like I’m a fourth liner. I just try to bring my best every game and it seems like it’s working out for me right now. So I just can’t change anything right now, just play like I play.”

Sobotka, who is in his fourth season with the Blues, had two goals and five points going into Saturday’s game. He’s a key part of the team’s penalty-killing unit, dabbles on the power play and had a face-off winning percentage of 71.2 percent (47-19) before facing Nashville.

“He’s such a versatile guy,” Hitchcock said. “How many guys in the league can you throw out there at center, left or right wing in the same period and he doesn’t miss a beat? He’s one of the most underrated players in the league. This is the best he’s played for a long time for us anyway. This is the best he’s played since I’ve had him.”

STEEN IS SECOND

Blues forward Alexander Steen entered Saturday’s game with eight goals, tying him for second in the NHL behind Washington’s Alex Ovechkin (10).

Steen had scored in seven of the Blues’ eight games before facing Nashville.

“Right now, everything is going in for him and he is one of the most complete players in the league,” Nashville coach Barry Trotz said.

BLUENOTES

Derek Roy played in his 600th career NHL game Friday night. ... The Blues’ healthy scratches were forward Adam Cracknell and defenseman Ian Cole.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.27.2013


Blues rebound from OT losses with strong start, big finish


NASHVILLE, Tenn. • At the Blues’ morning practice Saturday, head coach Ken Hitchcock playfully took exception to Nashville’s request that visiting clubs taking a roundabout route to their dressing room, to avoid walking past the Predators’ room.

Hitchcock strung purple tape across the hallway separating the two sides.

“(Nashville head coach Barry Trotz) thinks he’s the lion keeper, (saying) ‘You’ve got to go around here to go to our zoo,’” Hitchcock joked.

The Blues kept the mood light Saturday, despite an abysmal start against Vancouver Friday night that led to an overtime loss to the Canucks. Back on the ice 24 hours later, the club needed a ferocious start against Nashville to reclaim the identity it had misplaced in back-to-back OT defeats.

The lions broke out of their cage.

Following their keeper, Alexander Steen, the Blues claimed their fourth straight victory in Nashville with a 6-1 victory over the Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

“We came out a lot harder today, which I think is expected,” Steen said. “We’re back in the rhythm of things.”

No one is on a rhythm like Steen. He scored his club-high ninth and 10th goals of the season Saturday, tying Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, who had 10 goals in 10 games.

Steen has a goal in eight of the team’s nine games, and the Blues now have a similar streak with at least one point in eight of nine games this season. But as they returned home to prepare for Tuesday’s game against Winnipeg, the Blues were dealing with the loss of forwards Magnus Paajarvi and Chris Stewart. They each left the game with upper-body injuries.

“Well, we’ll see how these guys are in the next couple of days,” Hitchcock said. “We’re going to need a further evaluation on this thing (Sunday) on both guys. But Paajarvi was playing great, that’s the tough part. And Stewy had a great game (Friday) and he was playing well again tonight.”

So, the Blues won shorthanded Saturday, opening a 3-0 lead before Nashville’s Nick Spaling netted a shorthanded goal 52 seconds into the third period. But Steen answered with his second goal of the night and Derek Roy, playing in his 600th NHL game Saturday, piled on with his third goal of the season to help the Blues pull away for good.

With the way the Blues have been trending lately — their slow start against Vancouver and their devastating finish in Winnipeg — their lopsided victory Saturday over Nashville should not be underestimated. They had both a sound start and a commanding finish.

Steen kicked off the scoring Saturday on a power-play goal just 5½ minutes into the first period. He took a feed from defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and curled a long-rang shot around Nashville goalie Carter Hutton.

“Not only is he on a roll when you get the puck to him, but he’s putting himself in the right position to have these opportunities,” Shattenkirk said.

The Preds nearly tied the score later in the period, but defenseman Shea Weber, who once ripped a net with a blistering shot at the 2010 Olympics, clanked the post.

The Blues clung to a 1-0 lead at the first intermission, but added to their advantage 7½ minutes into the second period with T.J. Oshie’s second goal of the season. He redirected a shot by Alex Pietrangelo past Hutton.

The Blues were playing without Paajarvi, who left late in the first period and didn’t return for the start of the second, and one minute after Oshie gave the club a 2-0 lead, Stewart was sent flying into the boards by Nashville’s Patric Hornqvist. Stewart lay on the ice for a lengthy time before heading to the locker room.

Down two forwards, the Blues went up even further.

On a 2-on-1 rush, Jaden Schwartz pumped in his second goal of the season, converting a patient feed from Vladimir Sobotka. The Blues had two second-period goals on just three shots in the frame for a 3-0 lead with 8:24 left in the second.

Stewart returned to the game, but then perhaps in retaliation for the hit, racked up 14 minutes in penalties, cross-checking Hornqvist, after which Stewart also received a roughing and a 10-minute misconduct.

“He tried to come back, he was angry,” Hitchcock said. “I probably shouldn’t have put him out there. When he came back to the bench, I thought he was all right, but I probably shouldn’t put him back out there.”

With just a few ticks left in the second period, a boarding call against Nashville’s Paul Gaustad prevented a possible Predators’ goal. Gaustad pushed Shattenkirk into the wall, and despite the fact that a delayed penalty was coming, a quick-sequence goal by the Preds led their fans to believe they had cut into the lead.

Nashville did eventually slice into the Blues’ 3-0 lead, with Spaling’s shorthanded tally, but the Blues followed with goals by Steen, Roy and Pietrangelo to wrap up the win. While Steen led the way with two goals, Oshie, Schwartz and Pietrangelo each had a goal and an assist.

Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak was solid, making 22 saves for his sixth victory.

“I thought we played really well, but it was a strange game,” Hitchcock said. “There seem to be a lot of scoring chances. We needed Jaro to be good. It was a 6-1 game, but it didn’t feel like a 6-1 game. We needed our goalie to be good, and he was, and our players that have carried us all year offensively did a great job for us.”



Blues 6, Predators 1 (Final)


NASHVILLE, Tenn. • At the Blues’ morning practice Saturday, head coach Ken Hitchcock playfully took exception Nashville’s request that visiting clubs taking a roundabout route to their dressing room, to avoid walking past the Predators’ room.

Hitchcock strung purple tape across the hallway separating the two sides.

“(Nashville head coach Barry Trotz) thinks he's the lion keeper, (saying) ‘You've got to go around here to go to our zoo,’” Hitchcock joked.

The Blues kept the mood light Saturday, despite an abysmal start against Vancouver Friday night that led to an overtime loss to the Canucks. Back on the ice 24 hours later, the club needed a ferocious start against Nashville to reclaim the identity it had misplaced in back-to-back OT defeats.

The lions broke out of their cage.

Following their keeper, Alexander Steen, the Blues claimed their fourth straight victory in Nashville with a 6-1 victory over the Predators at Bridgestone Arena.

“We came out a lot harder today, which I think is expected,” Steen said. “We’re back in the rhythm of things.”

No one is on a rhythm like Steen. He scored his club-high ninth and 10th goals of the season Saturday, tying Washington’s Alex Ovechkin, who had 10 goals in 10 games.

Steen has a goal in eight of the team's nine games, and the Blues now have a similar streak with at least one point in eight of its nine games this season. But as they returned home to prepare for Tuesday’s game against Winnipeg, the Blues were dealing with the loss forwards Magnus Paajarvi and Chris Stewart. They each left the game with upper-body injuries.

“Well, we’ll see how these guys are in the next couple of days,” Hitchcock said. “We’re going to need a further evaluation on this thing (Sunday) on both guys. But Paajarvi was playing great, that’s the tough part. And Stewy had a great game (Friday) and he was playing well again tonight.”

So, the Blues won shorthanded Saturday, opening a 3-0 lead before Nashville’s Nick Spaling netted a shorthanded goal 52 seconds into the third period. But Steen answered with his second goal of the night and Derek Roy, playing in his 600th NHL game Saturday, piled on with his third goal of the season to help the Blues pull away for good.

With the way the Blues have been trending lately – their slow start against Vancouver and their devastating finish in Winnipeg – their lopsided victory Saturday over Nashville should not be underestimated. They had both a sound start and a commanding finish.

Steen kicked off the scoring Saturday on a power-play goal just 5 ½ minutes into the first period. He took a feed from defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk and curled a long-rang shot around Nashville goalie Carter Hutton.

“Not only is he on a roll when you get the puck to him, but he’s putting himself in the right position to have these opportunities,” Shattenkirk said.

The Preds nearly tied the score later in the period, but defenseman Shea Weber, who once ripped a net with a blistering shot at the 2010 Olympics, clanked the post.

The Blues clung to a 1-0 lead at the first intermission, but added to their advantage 7 ½ minutes into the second perid with T.J. Oshie’s second goal of the season. He redirected a shot by Pietrangelo past Hutton.

The Blues were playing without Paajarvi, who left late in the first period and didn’t return for the start of the second, and one minute after Oshie gave the club a 2-0 lead, Stewart was sent flying into the boards by Nashville’s Patric Hornqvist. Stewart lay on the ice for a lengthy time before heading to the locker room.

Down two forwards, the Blues went up even further.

On a 2-on-1 rush, Jaden Schwartz pumped in his second goal of the season, converting a patient feed from Vladimir Sobotka. The Blues had two second-period goals on just three shots in the frame for a 3-0 lead with 8:24 left in the second.

Stewart returned to the game, but then perhaps in retaliation for the hit, racked up 14 minutes in penalties, cross-checking Hornqvist, after which Stewart also received a roughing and a 10-minute misconduct.

“He tried to come back, he was angry,” Hitchcock said. “I probably shouldn’t have put him out there. When he came back to the bench, I thought he was all right, but I probably shouldn’t put him back out there.”

With just a few ticks left in the second period, a boarding call against Nashville’s Paul Gaustad prevented a possible Predators’ goal. Gaustad pushed Shattenkirk into the wall, and despite the fact that a delayed penalty was coming, a quick-sequence goal by the Preds led their fans to believe they had cut into the lead.

Nashville did eventually slice into the Blues’ 3-0 lead, with Spaling’s shorthanded tally, but the Blues followed with goals by Steen, Roy and Alex Pietrangelo to wrap up the win. While Steen led the way with two goals, Oshie, Schwartz and Pietrangelo each had a goal and an assist.

Blues goalie Jaroslav Halak was solid, making 22 saves for his sixth victory.

“I thought we played really well, but it was a strange game,” Hitchcock said. “There seem to be a lot of scoring chances. We needed Jaro to be good. It was a 6-1 game, but it didn’t feel like a 6-1 game. We needed our goalie to be good, and he was, and our players that have carried us all year offensively did a great job for us.”



Blues looking for early intensity against Predators


NASHVILLE, Tenn. • How long will it take for the Blues to get back into the their pre-break form?

Some may suggest that it took two periods and that based on the final 20 minutes in Friday's 3-2 overtime loss to Vancouver, they are re-engaged. They rallied from a 2-0 deficit and lost on a power-play goal with 14 seconds left in OT.

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said late Friday and again on Saturday morning that he felt the team deserved a better result for its finish against the Canucks. But he also said the Blues may not be through the woods yet as they attempt to recover the zip that led them to a 5-1-1 record before their schedule forced them to take a week off.

The team is in Nashville tonight to take on the Predators at 7 p.m.

"We're not going to come close to winning if we don't get engaged at the start," Hitchcock said. "Hopefully (the Vancouver loss) is a good wake-up call. We're back in the league and playing and we can really get engaged from the start to the end.

"It's going to be a challenge, getting back up to speed. I don't think it's going to happen overnight. I think it's like starting all over again. It's just the way it is, but I think we're real lucky that we've got a game (Saturday) ... we can get going again."

The Blues held an optional practice this morning at Bridgestone Arena. It appeared that about half the players went on the ice. One of them was center Derek Roy, who said the players were trying to overcome the disappointment of their performance against the Canucks.

"It was tough," Roy said. "We knew not playing for a week that we were going to be a little sluggish, and we wanted to come out real strong. We felt that we didn't come out and strong as we wanted to, but as the game went on, we got better as a team. I think we can take from the second and third period how we played and move that forward into tonight."

***

TONIGHT'S PROJECTED LINEUP

Forwards

Alexander Steen-David Backes-T.J. Oshie

Magnus Paajarvi-Vladimir Sobotka-Vladimir Tarasenko

Jaden Schwartz-Patrik Berglund-Chris Stewart

Brenden Morrow-Derek Roy-Ryan Reaves

Defensemen

Jay Bouwmeester-Alex Pietrangelo

Barret Jackman-Kevin Shattenkirk

Jordan Leopold-Roman Polak

Goalie

Jaroslav Halak

***

PROJECTED PREDATORS' LINEUP

Forwards

Colin Wilson-Mike Fisher-Patric Hornqvist

Gabriel Bourque-Matt Cullen-Craig Smith

Filip Forsberg-David Legwand-Nick Spaling

Matt Hendricks-Paul Gaustad-Eric Nystrom

Defensemen

Seth Jones-Shea Weber

Mattias Ekholm-Kevin Klein

Victor Bartley-Ryan Ellis

Goalie

Carter Hutton

***

SOBOTKA IS SOLID

Blues forward Vladimir Sobotka saw 16 minutes, 14 seconds of ice time Friday against Vancouver. He finished with a goal, five shots on goal, five missed shots, three hits and was 6-1 in the face-off circle.

The only downside of the night was that he didn't play the other 48:32 of the OT game. Hitchcock would have played Sobotka the entire game if it were possible.

"He was the best player on the ice for both teams," Hitchcock said. "That's why he's moving up the ladder today."

Sobotka started the season on the Blues' fourth line, but Hitchcock said Saturday morning, "enough is enough." The Czech Republic native, as noted above, will center Magnus Paajarvi and Vladimir Tarasenko against the Predators.

"If I start on the fourth line, I'll say, 'You have to earn those minutes on the ice and play good to hopefully get on the second line or third line,'" Sobotka said. "It doesn't really matter. I'm playing 16-17 minutes every night. I don't feel like I'm playing on the fourth line."

Sobotka has now won 47 of 66 face-offs (71.2 percent) this season.

***

A LOT TO LIKE ABOUT JONES

Nashville defenseman Seth Jones, who was the No. 4 overall player taken in last summer's draft, is making quite an impression as a rookie.

He played 28:33 in Thursday's 3-2 overtime win over Winnipeg and is averaging 24:43 per game this season — that's 3:28 more than any other first-year player in the league.

"At 19 years old, I like the fact that he's 6-foot-5, he's 210 pounds and he's very poised," Nashville coach Barry Trotz said. "He skates very well, plays a mature game and he's mature off the ice. He's only going to get better, so that's what I like about him."

***

ODDS & ENDS

• The Blues had a season-low 24 shots on goal Friday against Vancouver, including just 12 in the first two periods.

• Derek Roy will play in his 600th NHL game tonight against Nashville. "It's a lot of years in this league, a lot of battles," Roy said. "I've had to fight through a lot of things and injuries and everything that comes with it."

• The Blues had their best game of the season on face-offs Friday against Vancouver, winning 61.4 percent of the draws. Tonight, they will be facing the No. 1 face-off team in the NHL in Nashville, which wins 56.7 percent of its draws.

• Blues forward Alexander Steen is tied for second in the NHL with eight goals, trailing Washington's Alex Ovechkin by two. "Right now, everything is going in for him and he is one of the most complete players in the league," Trotz said.

• Roy saw only 11:10 of ice time Friday against Vancouver and his assignment on the fourth line tonight could be seen as a demotion. But Hitchcock said this morning that the Blues are going into tonight's game thinking that they will be constantly rolling four lines against the Predators if the game stays even-strength.


723578 Tampa Bay Lightning

Bolts notes: Cooper pleading for more shots on goal

By Erik Erlendsson | Tribune Staff


TAMPA — With the first month of the season nearly complete, the Tampa Bay Lightning entered Saturday averaging just 25.8 shots per game, second-lowest in the league.

This despite the fact Tampa Bay averaged 3.4 goals per game, third in the league heading into the weekend.

While Lightning head coach Jon Cooper certainly likes the team’s shooting percentage to this point, getting more shots on goal is an area he wants improved upon moving forward.

“Shooting the puck has got to be a little bit more of a priority and I know that sounds probably the most redundant thing that I’ve been saying all year,’’ said Cooper, whose team responded with 39 on Saturday night. “But we have to be better at that. Our shots on goal on the power play and five on five are not nearly where I think they should be. Our goals for are fine, but we are

getting them on minimal shots. I just think the more you shoot, the more chances pucks have to go in the net.’’

Part of that has come from players looking for the pretty play instead of the better play.

“Sometimes you have to be selfish and I think our guys can be too unselfish. They would rather tic-tac-toe it and set up their buddy the whole time,’’ Cooper said. “Whereas sometimes you have to make the selfish act and shoot yourself.’’

How does Cooper break that habit?

“Aside from walk around with them for 24 hours telling them ‘shoot, shoot, shoot, shoot,’ I don’t know what else to do,’’ he joked. “You just have to keep hammering it in their head.’’

Fine to laugh now

The own goal in the final two minutes of Thursday’s game against Chicago no doubt will be shown more times than anybody with the team would like to see, though the Lightning were able to put the gaffe behind them with the overtime victory.

But the backpass from Matt Carle at center ice to Radko Gudas that hit a rough patch of ice, hit the heel of his stick and deflected off Gudas’ skate and past G Ben Bishop was not easy to deal with at the moment.

“I wanted to throw up when I saw the puck go in,’’ Carle said. “That was real sickening but it’s just one of those things (and) we were able to end up winning the game so we are able to laugh about.’’

When Carle sent the pass back into his own zone, it was such an innocent play that the thought of what ended up being the end result never entered Carle’s thought process.

“I think I made a play earlier in the game back to Bishop when we were on the power play and ended up passing the puck back to him and I was actually more worried about that,’’ Carle said. “It never even crossed my mind (the play to Gudas) was going to go in the net or that it even had a chance. I have the puck in the neutral zone and I see they are changing so I didn’t want to just turn around and dump the puck and just give it back to them. I was hoping to lag a few seconds off the clock there and it goes in the net. So it’s a weird, wacky play.’’

Suiting up

After sitting out for three weeks, defensemen Keith Aulie and Mark Barberio — who had each played only one game this season — suited up Saturday as Cooper opted to dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen for the first time this season. D Andrej Sustr and LW Pierre-Cedric Labrie were scratched.

Barberio had not played since opening night (Oct. 3 in Boston) and Aulie had sat out the past six games.

“We’ve had some guys sitting out and we have games coming up, so we have to get these guys in and get them some reps because our schedule tightens up so much in November,’’ Cooper said.

Nuts and Bolts

Buffalo has allowed the first goal in 12 of 13 games this season. ... The Sabres have been outscored 16-1 in the first period this season. ... C Tyler Johnson’s third goal of the season matched his total from last year. ... RW Marty St. Louis needs 11 points to tie Lightning assistant coach Steve Thomas for 92nd on the all-time scoring list. ... The Sabres played without RW Patrick Kaleta and LW John Scott, who are each out due to suspension.

Tampa Tribune LOADED: 10.27.2013


Lightning rally to end homestand in style



Two late quick-strike goals Saturday jolted the Tampa Bay Lightning to victory.

Marty St. Louis and Ondrej Palat scored less than two minutes apart late in the third period to rally Tampa Bay to a 3-2 victory against Buffalo in front of an announced crowd of 18,088 at The Forum.

Tyler Johnson also scored and added an assist, while Ben Bishop made 20 saves to help the Lightning finish a seven-game homestand with a 5-2 record.

“I think we are resilient and that’s nice to see,’’ St. Louis said. “The good teams always find a way to win. It’s not always going to be perfect. We’re not looking for perfection, we’re looking for results.’’

The result against Buffalo was there, but how the Lightning got there was far from perfect even while firing a season-high 39 shots on goal — Tampa Bay was credited with 15 giveaways.

But despite being stonewalled by Buffalo goaltender Ryan Miller for most of the night and falling behind 2-1 on Thomas Vanek’s goal with 7:16 left, the Lightning remained on task and found a way to not only get the goal back, but also find the winning marker in the final six minutes.

Radko Gudas sent a pass from the center point to Steven Stamkos at the left circle. Stamkos then zipped a pass across the ice to St. Louis, who shimmied back into an open spot in the slot for a one-timer just past a sliding Miller at 14:09, which came 83 seconds after the Sabres took the lead.

Two shifts later, Johnson and Palat won the puck in the corner before Palat found Johnson at the top of the crease, but his shot attempt was blocked. That allowed Palat to kick the rebound up to his stick before pushing the puck past a sprawled-out Miller for his second-career game-winning goal with 4:05 to play.

“The big thing on the bench was, they got one and we have to get the next one, and it’s big-time players making big-time plays. ... That pass Stammer makes to Marty,’’ Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. “And then the kids went to work. That was just a 100 percent blue-collar, work-ethic goal and they deserved every ounce of that.’’

For Palat, it was a just reward for a strong, unassuming game in which he did a little bit of everything — from playing solid defense, delivering four hits, protecting the puck on his stick and finishing with four shots on goal to go along with his game-winner to earn top-star billing.

“You are doing almost everything but give the kid a cape,’’ Cooper said. “He’s one of those guys that unless you are behind the bench to see what he does for you, he kind of goes unnoticed. The last three games it would be hard to argue who the best player on the ice has been. He’s extremely dependable.’’

That includes coming through in a clutch situation, helping Tampa Bay rescue a victory from what could have been a difficult defeat to one of the bottom teams in the league.

“We believe that we can score those two goals when we were down, and we did it. ... That’s just a good feeling,’’ Palat said.

Johnson opened the scoring for the Lightning, converting a rebound of Valtteri Filppula’s shot for a power-play goal 12:48 into the first period.

But Tampa Bay failed to convert on three power-play chances in the first 10 minutes of the second period, and only a strong backcheck by Teddy Purcell to strip the puck off the stick of Steve Ott on a breakaway chance prevented the Sabres from scoring short-handed. A poor turnover by Richard Panik in the defensive zone allowed the Sabres to get even at 12:58 of the second as a scramble around the crease saw the puck squirt to an open Brian Flynn at the left post for an easy tying goal.

“We battled, and there were a couple of times where we didn’t play our best but we bounced back and came back,’’ Johnson said. “Anytime you can do that it shows good character and I think our team showed it pretty well tonight.’’



Bolts Beat: New type of role for Stamkos



TAMPA — Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos stepped outside his comfort zone while stepping in front of the camera.

Normally at ease while answering questions with news cameras staring him down, Stamkos stared down a different camera while shooting a commercial for Coke Zero Canada, which is just now hitting the airwaves north of the border. The ad is also available for viewing online at www.YouTube.com/MomentZero.

In the short film, which lasts around two minutes, Stamkos portrays fictional hockey player Shawn Warford, who gets traded by his father/coach and goes on to score five goals with his dad on the opposing bench. The film also features Edmonton’s Jordan Eberle — who did his own Moment Zero ad portraying Kevin Walker — and TSN television personality Bob McKenzie.

Being in that situation gave Stamkos a new appreciation for actors and those involved with filming movies and television.

“It’s amazing that it’s that long of a process,’’ he said of the 8½-hour day to shoot two commercials. “There’s a lot of sitting around, a lot of waiting, moving of camera angles and stuff like that and for (90 seconds) of actual video. So I have a lot of respect for actors and what they have to go through to make a movie and that’s a two-hour movie.

“It’s an unbelievably long and sometimes painful process, but in the end the professionals that edit it, they make it look good.’’

To get ready for his acting debut, Stamkos sought out some “acting tips’’ from Cabbie Richards, a sports personality who does sketch-style pieces for TSN. The piece, which originally aired last weekend in Canada and is also available on YouTube, offers more of a lighthearted look to Stamkos’ new-found acting side with more of an ad-lib approach.

“With him it’s kind of easy, you just got to go with it,’’ Stamkos said. “It was funny and you just try to let your guard down and have some fun.’’

One thing that hockey and acting do have in common is taking direction. At the rink it comes from the coaches; on the set it comes from the director.

So what’s the difference?

“Directors are a little more laid back and you can cut and edit and redo stuff in a film,’’ he said. “If you make a mistake on the ice and it’s in the back of your net, it’s going to cost you. So it’s a little more laid back (on set), little more sitting around.’’

Stamkos has been receiving plenty of attention already for the ad as well as his performance on TSN and his teammates did not let him off the hook. During a recent video session, instead of clips of scoring chances and strong backchecks, Stamkos’ performance was slipped in and “critiqued’’

“We had a little Bolts Film Festival, so we showed it to the team and had a good little grade on how he did,’’ Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “He was actually really good. He had some good lines.’’

Don’t expect Stamkos to be switching lines for line changes anytime soon.

“I think I’ll stick to hockey,’’ he joked. “Definitely getting a little more press than maybe I would like to but it’s gone well (and) it turned out pretty good.’’



Lightning tops Sabres

Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer

Saturday, October 26, 2013 11:19pm

TAMPA — Lightning coach Jon Cooper had quite a list of things he said Ondrej Palat does well.

He plays defense. He controls the puck. He plays physically.

And for the past few games, Cooper said, Palat has been the Lightning's best player: "He's doing almost everything, but give the kid a cape."

It was fitting, then, that Palat got the winning goal in Saturday night's 3-2 victory over the Sabres in front of an announced crowd of 18,088 at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

"A great feeling," the rookie left wing said, "just perfect."

It was not an easy win. A power play that would rather pass than shoot was 1-for-6, and the Lightning had 15 puck giveaways and 20 turnovers.

It also needed goals from Marty St. Louis and Palat in 1:46 of the third period to overcome a 2-1 deficit and goaltender Ryan Miller, who was exceptional with 36 saves as Tampa Bay had a 39-22 shot advantage.

Tyler Johnson also scored. Steven Stamkos' pinpoint cross-ice pass set up St. Louis' one-timer, and goalie Ben Bishop made 19 saves as the Lightning (7-3-0) finished a seven-game homestand 5-2-0.

"We're not looking for perfection; we're looking for results," St. Louis said. "You try to correct mistakes as you go and be honest with how you assess your game individually and collectively. After that, it's finding ways. We've done that."

As has Palat, 22, in his 24th NHL game, who plays so efficiently it sometimes is difficult to spot his contributions. Against the Sabres he had four shots and three hits, and was plus-1. But before his goal, his most noticeable moment was missing an open net during a second-period penalty kill.

It was a difficult play — Johnson's pass was in Palat's skates — but it stuck with Palat, and he hoped for another chance. That came with 4:05 left in the third period on a scramble in front of the net that ended with Palat's third goal of the season.

Cooper called it a "100 percent, blue-collar, work-ethic goal." Palat simplified it.

"I passed it to (Johnson), and he shot it, and there was a rebound, and it hit my skate," Palat said. "I saw Miller was out of the net, so I just shot it."

"He's not a flashy guy, but he just does everything so well," right wing Teddy Purcell said. "He's smart, and he battles."

And consider this: Of Palat's five career goals, two are winners, not a bad percentage.

"He's just extremely dependable," Cooper said. "When he makes a mistake, you're almost shocked that it happened. And it doesn't happen very often."

Lightning 1 0 2 3

Sabres 0 1 1 2

Lightning 1 0 2 3

Sabres 0 1 1 2

First—1, Tampa Bay, Johnson 3 (Filppula, Carle), 12:48 (pp). Penalties—Larsson, Buf (hooking), 11:16; Ehrhoff, Buf (hooking), 14:58; Crombeen, TB (interference), 17:38.

Second—2, Buffalo, Flynn 2 (McCormick, Leino), 12:58. Penalties—Ott, Buf (interference), :47; McCormick, Buf (cross-checking), 2:41; Ennis, Buf (hooking), 8:03; Malone, TB (roughing), 9:32; Thompson, TB (boarding), 16:00; Tallinder, Buf (tripping), 19:00.

Third—3, Buffalo, Vanek 4 (Foligno, Girgensons), 12:46. 4, Tampa Bay, St. Louis 6 (Stamkos, Gudas), 14:09. 5, Tampa Bay, Palat 3 (Johnson), 15:55. Penalties—None. Shots on Goal—Buffalo 6-13-3—22. Tampa Bay 12-15-12—39. Power-play opportunities—Buffalo 0 of 3; Tampa Bay 1 of 6. Goalies—Buffalo, Miller 1-8-0 (39 shots-36 saves). Tampa Bay, Bishop 7-1-0 (22-20). A—18,088 (19,204).

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.27.2013


Lightning seeks All-Star Game for Tampa



TAMPA — Could an All-Star Game be coming to the Tampa Bay Times Forum in the near future? The Lightning has asked the NHL to make it happen.

Though not naming the game specifically, team spokesman Bill Wickett said the Lightning has asked the league to host "an event."

The draft would be a tough sell in west-central Florida, and it is difficult to believe a Winter Classic could be held here. That leaves the All-Star Game, last held at the Times Forum in 1999. The stadium recently went through a $60 million makeover.

"It's always a fun event," Tampa Bay C Steven Stamkos said. "It's great for the fans to get to see that caliber of player. In those cities it's a pretty big deal."

Wickett said no applications have been submitted, though a league representative did a preliminary arena walk-through.

It could be a while before Tampa gets the All-Star Game. There won't be one this season because of the Olympics, and Columbus, scheduled to host the 2012-13 game that was cancelled because of the lockout, likely will host next season. There have been reports the Coyotes might host in 2015-16.

In other words, Jeff Vinik better start lobbying his fellow owners if he wants the game soon.

"I've never had a chance to do that before on any level," Stamkos said of perhaps playing in an All-Star Game at home. "I have seen guys who represent the team whose city is hosting. It's always a great time and pretty cool to play in front of your home fans, so it would be special."

CHANGES: The Lightning went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen Saturday against the Sabres as defensemen Keith Aulie and Mark Barberio played their second games of the season. D Andrej Sustr and RW Pierre-Cedric Labrie were scratched.

"Our schedule tightens up in November, and we have to get those guys in," coach Jon Cooper said of Aulie and Barberio.

"You don't like to sit out, but it's a team game, and we've been playing really well lately," said Aulie, whose only other game was Oct. 8 at Buffalo. "Getting back in the game, you have to focus on the little things and things that are going to help the team, not try to do too much. Sometimes players try to make up for lost time and try to do things they don't normally do."

Barberio, whose other game was the Oct. 3 season-opener against the Bruins, had two shots, two giveaways and a blocked shot, and was plus-1 with 12:03 of ice time. Aulie was minus-1 with 7:05 of ice time.

MISSED CHANCE: RW Teddy Purcell was involved in an odd play when he failed to get a shot off at G Ryan Miller on a partial second-period breakaway.

"Their (defense) had inside position on me, so I tried to take his ice away," Purcell said. "Miller, he just read it the whole way. He made himself so big, and I was in so close. Looking back now, maybe I would have liked to go quick backhand, forehand, five-hole. But once he was with me, instead of wasting a shot, I tried to put it out front, maybe hit a skate, get lucky."

ODDS AND ENDS: The Lightning's 39 shots were a season high. … Stamkos won 12 of 19 faceoffs. … Anders Lindback is expected to start in net today at Florida. … As expected, D Victor Hedman (right foot) played.



Lightning-Panthers preview



. Today

Lightning at Panthers

When/where: 5; BB&T Center, Sunrise

TV/radio: Sun Sports; 970-AM

Key stats: The Lightning has won four straight games at Florida and has not lost in regulation in five straight (4-0-1). … Florida has been outscored 10-4 in the first period. … The Panthers are 1-for-12 on the power play in their past

six games. … The game ends the first of Tampa Bay's 12 back-to-back games this season.



Lightning Nuts & Bolts



30 seconds with …

RW Teddy Purcell

Food you cannot stand: Avocado. Just the texture.

Band you'd like to play with: I can't play any instrument, but if I could, I'd love to play with Pearl Jam.

Worst dresser on the team: Alex Killorn. He wears bad shoes.

Best Halloween costume you've worn: The Grim Reaper. My dad did all the face paint.

Celebrity crush growing up: Danielle Fishel (Topanga on Boy Meets World)

Minus never a plus

Lightning D Victor Hedman's minus-5 on Oct. 19 against the Bruins reminded former Lightning captain Dave Andreychuk of the night he was minus-5 and how, as he said, "I used it as motivation that, 'God, I don't want this to happen ever again.' "

Andreychuk was a rookie with the Sabres during the 1982-83 season in a 6-2 loss to the Red Wings that included, as Andreychuk recalled, two empty-net goals by Danny Gare.

"I took the game sheet and hung it in up in my (locker) stall and wrote on it with a Sharpie 'minus-5,' " Andreychuk said. "No one wants to be minus-5. It's tough to swallow. It definitely leaves a mark."

A new career?

Even though Lightning C Steven Stamkos said he had a fine time shooting his new, and funny, Coke Zero commercial, he added, "I think I'll stick to hockey."

"It's something that is fun but it takes a lot of work," he said of the nine hours it took to create the two-minute spot. "You have a new-found respect for actors and stuff like that, the actual time they're there."

Though the commercial was well-received for its wit and charm, Stamkos said, "It's definitely getting a little more press than I'd like. The camera crews were pretty good at editing out all my mistakes, so it was fun."

You can view the commercial at tampabay.com/blogs/lightning.

"The whole team and how we really were together. A lot of guys stepped in. The star players played great. Obviously, the best memory was winning the last game at home."

Blackhawks and former Lightning G Nikolai Khabibulin, on his memories of Tampa Bay's 2004 Stanley Cup run

Number of the day

10 Regular-season overtime goals for Lightning RW Marty St. Louis, one of five players with at least 10 for their current teams. Also: New Jersey's Patrick Elias (15), Washington's Alex Ovechkin (12), Phoenix's Shane Doan (11) and Vancouver's Daniel Sedin (10).



NHL struggles with reducing hits to head



Ryan Malone wanted to make clear he is not condoning any hit by a player who specifically targets the head. But the Lightning left wing also said there is much more to consider when talking about the league's crackdown on head shots than the players' willingness to make the game less dangerous for each other.

"The game is moving so fast," Malone said. "If your mind is made up you're going to finish your checks, it takes a split second for a guy to change (his body) angle. It happens so fast. If you're in the stands watching or up in the press box, obviously it looks slower than when it's happening on the ice."

Hits to the head, and their punishment, were all over the news last week.

Monday, league disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan suspended three players for such hits. Wednesday, Buffalo's John Scott leveled Boston's Loui Eriksson with a devastating blow that could land him a heavy suspension. And Thursday, commissioner Gary Bettman upheld a 10-game suspension to Buffalo's Patrick Kaleta, a repeat offender.

Including the preseason, 10 players have been suspended for hits to the head or boarding, Canada's TSN sports TV network says on its website.

But Malone said it is too easy to say, as some have, that players simply need to show each other more respect.

"I think it's more situational," Malone said. "The repeat guys, it's not a coincidence. And blind-side hits and hits from the back, those are something that can be taken out of the game. But guys are going to get hit in the head. You're looking down at the puck, guys are different sizes. It's almost inevitable."

Malone, in an October 2011 preseason game at Montreal, caught Chris Campoli with an elbow to the side of the head. He was not suspended when Shanahan ruled that the position of Campoli's head changed at the last moment when he lost the puck.

So, what is the solution?

For players throwing the checks, "it's hard, but you need to be aware of the circumstances about what might happen," Malone said.

Continued fines and suspensions will keep driving that point home. As Lightning center Steven Stamkos said, "I've seen clips where guys have eased off hits, so there is a conscious effort."

But players getting checked also have some responsibility, Stamkos said. "You do have to try to avoid vulnerable positions."

As Malone said, "If you don't expect to get hit, you're probably in the wrong sport."



Lineup is tweaked as Tampa Bay prepares for the Sabres



Lightning coach Jon Cooper on Saturday noted how the schedule "tightens up" in November. With thatin mind, as well as the belief it is inevitable roster depth will be tested, he shook up the lineup a bit for Saturday's game with the Sabres. Defensemen Keith Aulie and Mark Barberio were added. Defenseman Andrej Sustr and wing P.C. Labrie are scratched.

It is just the second games this season for Aulie and Barberio.

"We've had some guys who have been sitting out," Cooper said. "We've got games coming up and we have to get those guys in and get them some reps."

Barberio, who hasn't played since the season-opener on Oct. 3, and Aulie, whose only game was Oct. 8 at Buffalo, said they were looking forward to the chance.

"But you can't come in and try to do too much or think about the next game," Barberio said. "I get to play tonight, so that's my focus, and putting my best foot forward. Keep things simple. Just try to move the puck up quick and get in the rush if there's a chance. Just play my game."

Added Aulie: "Focus on the little things and things that are going to help the team, not try to do too much. Sometimes players try to make up for lost time and try to do things they wouldn't normally do. But for me, it's just going out and doing the little things well."

Give Barberio credit, too, for understanding his situation as an NHL rookie. While saying sitting out "is something you don't want to get used to," he added, "It's an adjustment period when you move up to the NHL. I do have to bide my time a little bit. But I'm definitely excited to get my second chance to play."

Other stuff from the morning skate: Only a few players actually skated. One was defenseman Victor Hedman (right foot), who is good to go tonight against the Sabres. ... Ben Bishop gets the start in net. Anders Lindback will start Sunday at Florida, Cooper said, adding that likely won't change regardless of how Bishop plays against the Sabres. ... Buffalo is 28th in the league standings, and the Lightning, at 6-3-0 is coming off a thrilling 6-5 overtime win over the Blackhawks, last season's Stanley Cup champs. So, how does Cooper keep his guys from perhaps looking past the Sabres? "The one thing you can't do is look at the standings," Cooper said. "We've won a couple of games here to start the season but I don't think any team can sit here and say, 'This is who we're playing. We're going to give a half-hearted effort,' especially us." ... Interesting take from Ryan Malone on hits to the head. "The game is moving so fast. If you're mind is made up you're going to finish your check, it takes a split second for a guy to change the angle. It happens so fast. If you're in the stands watching or up in the press box watching, it looks a lot slower that when it's happening on the ice. So, it's hard. But as a player you need to be aware of the circumstances about what might happen."


723587 Toronto Maple Leafs

Leafs get shutdown effort from Bolland and Phaneuf

DAVID SHOALTS

TORONTO — The Globe and Mail



James Reimer stole the show and the win Saturday night but he could not have done it if a couple of his Toronto Maple Leafs teammates had not done a masterful job of checking Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby.

Crosby came into the Air Canada Centre riding a nine-game point streak against the Maple Leafs. The NHL’s leading points man (18 points in 11 games) had 11 goals and four assists in nine games against the Leafs going back to Oct. 10, 2009. The Penguins also held a hot hand against the Leafs at the ACC, having won their last two visits and held a 5-2-1 record, also going back to 2009.

But Maple Leafs head coach Randy Carlyle had one new and one familiar weapon to throw against Crosby and they managed to hold him without a point to break his streak. The new weapon was centre Dave Bolland, who came to his hometown Maple Leafs in a trade last June, and the familiar one was defenceman Dion Phaneuf, who has waged war with Crosby for years.

By the end of the 4-1 Toronto win, the Leafs may have been outshot 38-30, which is where Reimer’s heroics in goal come in, but Crosby finished minus-1 and Bolland produced two goals, including a shorthanded one with help from Phaneuf. It was Phaneuf who spotted Bolland up ice late in the first period during a Penguins power play. He fired the puck up the middle to him for the Leafs’ first goal, a breakaway slapshot to the top corner. Bolland added an empty-netter in the third period to ice the win.

This left the Penguins with their third consecutive loss after a 7-0 start to the season. They are also reeling from injuries and lost another key player in the first period. Defenceman Rob Scuderi took a shoulder-on-shoulder hit from Leafs winger David Clarkson and then fell awkwardly to the ice.

Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma said he did not have “any definitive news on a lower-body injury” to Scuderi. The defenceman will be “re-evaluated when he gets back to Pittsburgh,” Bylsma added.

Every time Crosby and linemates Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kunitz hit the ice, Carlyle sent Bolland over the boards along with wingers Mason Raymond and Clarkson and, of course, Phaneuf. When Crosby wasn’t being shadowed by Bolland, he was engaged in a lively exchange of hacks and whacks with Phaneuf.

This was nothing new for Crosby and Phaneuf. They have gone at it for years, going back to their days together with the Canadian world junior team. Many a national team practice was livened up by their skirmishes in front of the net.

“That’s a battle that’s not going to go away,” Crosby said.

It wasn’t long before Crosby knew this visit to Toronto, which turned into a second loss in as many nights, was not going to be a lot of fun. Midway through the first period, he took a hit from Clarkson and then got a little too much stick into Raymond, which resulted in a tripping penalty.

Crosby and company turned up the heat in the second period but the Leafs managed to weather the storm. The Penguins outshot the Leafs 16-4, with Crosby’s line striking for half of those shots after being held to two shots from Kunitz in the first period.

While Reimer can take most of the credit for keeping the Leafs in the game during that period, Bolland and Phaneuf can take a bow as well. They managed to hold Crosby in check, setting the Leafs up for their third-period heroics when goals from Nazem Kadri and Phil Kessel pulled out the unlikely win after the Penguins faded in the last 20 minutes.

Crosby thought his line generated enough good scoring chances that the Penguins should not have gone into the third period with the score tied 1-1. He professed not to have much familiarity with Bolland, who plied his trade with the Chicago Blackhawks in the Western Conference until this season.

“I haven’t played Chicago in a long time,” he said. “He did a good job for [the Leafs]. He got a big goal shorthanded. Those matchups are within every game; you’re always playing someone.”



Leafs use team approach to hold Crosby in check and defeat Penguins

JAMES MIRTLE

TORONTO — The Globe and Mail


Last updated Sunday, Oct. 27 2013, 12:00 AM EDT

It wasn’t always pretty, but it was likely the Toronto Maple Leafs best performance of this young season.

Yes, they were outshot – including heavily in an ugly second period – but netminder James Reimer was terrific in response, picking up his third win as he made 37 saves and got a standing ovation at one point from the Air Canada Centre crowd as part of a 4-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.

And he had some help from throughout the Leafs lineup.

With Tyler Bozak a late scratch with a lower body injury, centres Dave Bolland and Nazem Kadri were both sharp in big minutes, limiting Penguins superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin to very little on the night.

Add in a strong performance from captain Dion Phaneuf on the back end, two nice plays that turned into key goals on offence from a revamped top line and a terrific outing from a third line that was formerly the fourth line and there were positives all over.

The biggest of which was that the Leafs looked little like the team that had been outplayed in four of its last five games, including an ugly loss in Columbus a night earlier.

“We had to respond off our effort we had last night,” Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said of his team’s 5-2 loss to the Blue Jackets. “That’s really what we asked of our group… We were bound and determined that we were going to make amends for last night. We accomplished what we did. Not to say we were perfect – just to say we did a lot of good things out there and we played our heart out.”

The Leafs recipe for winning a lot of games this year has been to get pounded on the shot clock early and come on late, but they opened Saturday with a very even first 20 minutes that involved both teams trading goals.

Come the second, however, Toronto was unable to generate much of anything and was outshot 16-4, surviving with a tie into the final 20 minutes only because Reimer made several key stops.

The game then swung their way when Kadri gave the Leafs a lead early in the third, completing a pretty tic-tac-toe play that involved all three members of the first line. After springing into an open space in the slot, Kadri finished the move off with a backhand deke that make Penguins netminder Marc-Andre Fleury look way out of position on his pokecheck.

“Not many guys can go in and make that play that he did to score the goal,” Carlyle said.

Rather than sit back and try and maintain the 2-1 lead, however, Toronto continued to press, eventually scoring on a late power play when James van Riemsdyk found Phil Kessel in the crease for his seventh goal of the season.

Bolland, who had opened the Leafs scoring by wiring a slapshot past Fleury on a breakaway, then picked up his sixth of the season by firing the puck into the empty net.

Toronto had clearly been the better team over those final 20 minutes, a sign of what Carlyle hopes they can be when they put all of the elements of their game together.

The two game’s two main running subplots were both huge positives, too.

No. 1 was Reimer improving his save percentage to .933 and showing he remains very much in the conversation to be the team’s starter down the road despite Jonathan Bernier’s equally strong play.

The Leafs now have the sixth best team save percentage in the league at .928, even better than last season when they ranked seventh at .917.

“You don’t win in this league without goaltending that gives you a chance,” Carlyle said. “And Reims gave us a chance. We didn’t have a very good second period obviously. We were hemmed in our zone and they had a lot more energy than we did.”

No. 2 was Kadri adjusting smoothly to playing 20 minutes between the Leafs two top offensive players when his season average had been closer to 16.

More significant than his highlight reel goal was the fact he matched up against Malkin and basically played the former Hart Trophy winner to a draw, something that may help him earn extra ice time from a coaching staff still asking for consistency from the youngster at both ends of the ice.

"Pretty comfortable,” Kadri said of how he felt with Kessel and van Riemsdyk, something that happened only in a few games late last season and in the playoffs when Bozak was hurt. “They're good friends of mine. We get along. It was pretty easy."

The Leafs injury news Saturday night wasn’t quite as positive. According to Carlyle, Bozak will miss at least a week to 10 days after being hurt late in the loss to Columbus, with his injury unconfirmed but rumoured to be related to his lower back.

“It’ll be a little while here until we get a proper assessment, get an MRI,” Carlyle said.

And winger Joffrey Lupul, whose foot was badly bruised by a shot in practice on Thursday, is still a maybe to play on Tuesday in Edmonton.

The Leafs also aren’t expecting to get either Nikolai Kulemin (ankle) or Mark Fraser (knee) back in the next week, meaning it’ll be a hodgepodge of fill-ins for at least the three games on their upcoming Western Canada road trip.

Based on Saturday’s performance, however, Carlyle may be able to lean harder on Bolland, Kadri and the Jay McClement centred third line (with

Carter Ashton and Colton Orr) for a while and hope they continue to get a similar effort.

“I think that was a big game for this locker room,” said winger David Clarkson, who played 21 minutes in his second game as a Leaf. “It shows us where we have to be and how we have to play.”



Leafs hoping to contain Sidney Crosby

James Mirtle

Toronto — The Globe and Mail



He has had a remarkable start to his year, picking up points in all but one game and racing out to a solid lead in the NHL’s scoring race with 18 points after 10 games.

Now Sidney Crosby rolls into Toronto looking to pad his stat total against a franchise he has lit up in the past.

Crosby has 19 goals and 40 points in 25 career games against the Maple Leafs, which includes five points in three games last season when Toronto finished the year ranked fifth in the East.

He has had more success against the Leafs than most teams in the conference, too, as his 1.6 points per game ranks higher than his totals against all but four other teams he has faced regularly (New York Islanders, Winnipeg Jets, Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers).

The Leafs, who fell to 7-4-0 this season after a loss in Columbus on Friday, wouldn’t reveal a specific game plan for shutting down the game’s top star, but noted they’ll always “be very aware” when he’s on the ice.

“He’s a very well rounded player,” Leafs defenceman Cody Franson said. “He does a little bit of everything very well. You have to play him close and try and make it a tough night on him. Do everything you can to keep him off the scoresheet.”

“As always, great players are great challenges,” Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said. “He has some tendencies that he likes to do but he finds ways to overcome a lot of the defensive systems and the people that he competes against. He takes it as a personal challenge.”

The Leafs have been starting games extremely slow as of late, getting outshot 58-25 in the first periods of their last five outings, and Carlyle is clearly looking for a reversal of that trend.

On the season, the only period Toronto isn’t getting badly outshot in is the third. But against a team like Pittsburgh, that type of night could put the Leafs down by several goals.

The Penguins boast some obvious threats in Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but they also got defenceman Kris Letang back in last night’s loss to the Islanders and have played a very good overall possession game early on this season.

They’ll likely be a handful if the Leafs put up the same sort of lacklustre effort they did in Columbus.

“We weren’t anywhere near where we needed to be as far as engaged in the hockey game physically,” Carlyle said. “We seemed to be a half step behind… we didn’t play very well.”

“We know we have to come out with a big effort in order to try and take two points tonight,” Franson said. “If you don’t get up for a game like this then you’re going to get walked around. They’ve got a combination of skill, size and speed that will hurt you if you’re not prepared to play. It’s a good test for us as a team.”

Notebook

- Leafs winger Joffrey Lupul is unlikely to play Saturday because of his foot injury, which the team is still investigating the seriousness of. Carlyle said

Lupul was undergoing a CT scan to assess the damage, but they remain hopeful it’s just a bone bruise. “We felt if it would be best to see and explore if he’s got any further injury,” Carlyle said.

- Toronto recalled Carter Ashton and sent Josh Leivo down in a minor shakeup of their depth forwards. Both have been getting limited minutes during their time with the Leafs, with Ashton averaging just six minutes a night. “He was the best player as far as the coaching staff and management felt of his performances down there,” Carlyle said.

- Expect James Reimer to start for the Leafs and Marc-Andre Fleury to get the call for Pittsburgh. Both teams played Friday and used their other goaltenders, so a switch is likely.

- Leafs defenceman Mark Fraser skated on Saturday morning with the team and is getting closer to a return from his knee injury. He was on crutches for a few days when it originally happened on the second game of the season and believes he can play by the first week of November. Provided Lupul’s injury isn’t more significant than previously thought, Toronto could be fully healthy for the first time by the time they get a nearly week-long break starting Nov. 3.



Maple Leafs: Depth on full display as team climbs into first: Cox

By: Damien Cox Sports Columnist, Published on Sat Oct 26 2013

First place in the conference, a one-two goalie punch most teams would love to have and the decision to make the star right winger the highest-paid player in team history looking like good business indeed.

Yes, these 26 days of October have been very, very rewarding for the Maple Leafs.

The fact eight wins have been racked up in 12 starts without yet dressing a complete lineup and having been forced to use a wide variety of farmhands and NHL greenhorns really says something about the kind of team that Brian Burke started and Dave Nonis has built upon.

Saturday night’s contest against Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins was a perfect example of that. No Joffrey Lupul, no Tyler Bozak. Move a few bodies around, call up Carter Ashton for some energy, slide Troy Bodie into the lineup and turn to James Reimer in goal after three straight starts for Jonathan Bernier.

The result? A solid 4-1 triumph, with 37 saves from Reimer, the key ones in the second period when the Leafs were badly outplayed.

Flawed, yes, these Leafs may be. But it’s a team also clearly becoming more than the sum of its parts, a resilient group showing it can win games in different ways with whatever players happen to be available that night.

Of the adjustments required on this night, the most intriguing was the insertion of Nazem Kadri into the No. 1 centre slot in place of Bozak, who was felled in Friday night’s loss in Columbus.

Now 23, Kadri has been sculpted slowly and carefully by the Leafs, and is emerging as the best drafted and developed forward the club has produced since Nik Antropov, for sure, and maybe since Vince Damphousse.

Many objected to the pace with which the Leafs brought Kadri along, but the results are there for one and all to see, a point-per-game player who, evidently, just might have the ability to emphatically fill the top pivot spot left vacant when Mats Sundin headed off to Vancouver.

Against the Pens, now losers of three straight, James van Riemsdyk was the best Leaf attacker, and probably Dave Bolland the best overall performer. But Kadri was awfully good, and not just because he scored the winning goal on a gorgeous passing play with van Riemsdyk and Phil Kessel, the $64 million man.

After taking three minors 24 hours earlier in a scratchy effort against the Blue Jackets, Kadri seemed focused and controlled, undoubtedly relishing the opportunity to skate between JVR and Kessel. He still played with an edge, but avoided penalties and the easy neutral turnovers while playing a responsible defensive game.

With five minutes to play after a faceoff in the Pittsburgh end, he was retreating in the passing lane when he picked off a clearing pass to send the Penguins backwards again, then later in the shift hustled back to make a nice backchecking effort to break up another rush.

That’s the kind of stuff coach Randy Carlyle needs to see to trust him more.

Bozak, it’s clear, has done an awfully good job of playing a role for which he isn’t perfectly suited over the past three years, working well with Kessel, his good buddy, in particular.

But most everyone in hockey would say that while he’s a so-so No. 1 centre he would be a terrific fit in the No. 3 slot, particularly with his faceoff and penalty-killing skills.

If by the 40-game mark this season the Leafs line up down the middle with Kadri, followed by Bolland, and then Bozak and Jay McClement, most would argue the Leafs would be in pretty good shape at centre.

So we’ll see how this develops. Bozak is out for at least a week so Kadri, a superior goal-scorer to Bozak and thus more able to capitalize on Kessel’s underrated passing skills, will get a few more games on the top line.

After his contract squabble, Kadri hasn’t been consistently good this season, not yet, but he showed on the winning goal with a high-speed, backhand deke in tight that he has unique offensive skills.

“Not many players can make that play he made,” Carlyle said.

Bolland scored twice and seemed to make a good connection again with David Clarkson, who had hits on Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang and knocked Pitt blue-liner Rob Scuderi out of the game with the solid shoulder-to-shoulder check late in the first.

Clarkson’s desperation to score in his first NHL game in his hometown playing for the hometown team was palpable. But that’ll come, and otherwise, he’s just solid and tough in every zone, just what the Leafs need.

He arrived Friday just as Lupul departed with another injury, Reimer stood tall on Saturday as Bernier took a breather and Kadri stepped in and delivered when Bozak joined the walking wounded.

That’s been the story all season for the Leafs, one player filling for another, with only 10 players having skated in every game.

It’s the kind of story that could take a team a long way.

Toronto Star LOADED: 10.27.2013


Maple Leafs manhandle Penguins, take top spot in East

By: Kevin McGran Sports Reporter, Published on Sat Oct 26 2013

No Tyler Bozak. No Joffrey Lupul. No problem for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

There was a lot to like about the way they beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-1 on Saturday night to move into a five-way tie for first place in the Eastern Conference.

From Nazem Kadri shining on the top line, to Dave Bolland’s two goals, to Dion Phaneuf’s performance against top opponents.

But the one constant in every Leaf win so far has been goaltending.

And on Saturday night, James Reimer re-ignited the “who’s No. 1?” debate by running his record to 3-0-0 and becoming just the second goalie this season to keep Sidney Crosby off the scoresheet.

“They have arguably the best players in the world, and they bring it every time they come and play,” Reimer said of the Penguins. “I’m just lucky enough to have teammates step up and play big games.

“I don’t know if it has much to do with me, more than the guys in front of me working their butts off. Again tonight I thought they worked as hard as they could, and they really earned it.”

Reimer is 4-0-2 all-time against the Penguins.

“I don’t know if it was a big game. Sure, maybe it was,” said Reimer. “You just want to play as many good games as possible. . . . It was just the Toronto Maple Leafs playing the Pittsburgh Penguins and I was trying to get in the way of puck.”

Reimer hasn’t played much recently, even though he opened the season with a win in Montreal. He left his previous start when he was run over by a teammate and suffered a headache.

“I felt good,” said Reimer. “I didn’t feel like there was too much rust.”

Jonathan Bernier has been mostly superb, but lost three of his last four games. He probably won’t sit for long, though, with the Leafs heading out on a three-game road trip through Western Canada, including back-to-backs Tuesday and Wednesday in Edmonton and Calgary. Bernier, the former L.A. King, is 3-0-0 in his career against Edmonton.

“They’ve been great every night, giving us a chance to win every night,” said forward James van Riemsdyk, who picked up two assists. “You can’t say enough good things about both of them.”

David Clarkson, playing his second game of the year, lined up with Bolland and Mason Raymond against Crosby’s line. Bolland scored short-handed and into the empty net, while Crosby came up empty even though Pittsburgh dominated the second period with a 16-4 shots advantage.

“(Reimer) was unbelievable,” said Clarkson. “Whenever you can have confidence in both your goalies. . . . We were getting outshot and we still were battling hard and knew we were going to win this game.”

The game turned early in the third when Kadri scored the go-ahead goal, finishing off a three-way passing play with a deke on Marc-Andre Fleury for the game-winner.

The Leafs produced the solid effort after a 5-2 loss in Columbus that cost them the services of Bozak.

While Lupul’s injury, suffered Wednesday in practice, was deemed to be a bone bruise, Bozak’s sounds more serious with the best guess that he’ll miss a week to 10 days with a lower-body injury. Lupul will make the trip out west, with the hope that he will play Tuesday.

“With Bozak, it will be a little while until we get a proper assessment,” said coach Randy Carlyle. “It will take at least a week to 10 days to recover. That could get updated.”

That means a long look-see for Kadri on the top line.

“He played hard,” said Carlyle. “He made some plays through the neutral ice. A little flopping around a few times. But not many guys can make the play he made to score the goal. He was better in the faceoff circle. When your line starts with the puck, it’s a big advantage for the game.”

While Kadri drew the assignment against Evgeni Malkin, Bolland’s line with Clarkson and Raymond drew Crosby’s.

“It reminded me (of) when I played (in New Jersey) with (John) Madden and (Jay) Pandolfo,” said Clarkson. “It’s always great when as a team we find a way not just to shut down those guys, but shut down a whole team and play physical and play more in their zone.”



Maple Leafs: Jonathan Bernier in penthouse, Nazem Kadri in doghouse after loss to Blue Jackets

By: Mark Zwolinski Sports reporter, Published on Sat Oct 26 2013

COLUMBUS, OHIO—Not an easy task to pick a “penthouse” player after Friday night’s 5-2 loss by the Leafs in Columbus. Ditto for the “doghouse” — because the Leafs as a team deserved to reside there for one night. This was a game in which the Leafs should have outgunned the home team. It was their first-place power, skill and scoring prowess against a band of blue-collar Blue Jackets. But the Jackets made it a mismatch in their favour, and along the way highlighted the weaknesses the Leafs have shown at times this season: lack of consistency, inability to match the commitment and work ethic of the opposition.

PENTHOUSE

Jonathan Bernier

The goalie kept the score from getting out of hand. Columbus was up 2-1 midway through the third and Bernier had been his steady, mistake-free self to that point. Everything fell apart after, though, including a short-handed goal.

“They’re a good team. They work hard,” Bernier said. “They had a good forecheck and they were all over us.”

That short-handed goal came off a wicked, rising wrist shot from Brandon Dubinsky, who characterizes the hard-nosed attitude in Columbus.

“Sometimes you’ve got to give the shooter credit,” Bernier added. “He put it right under the crossbar, but like I said, too, I gotta make more saves.”

DOGHOUSE

Nazem Kadri (reluctantly)

Like we said, this is a tough one because so many Leafs were not up to par, but Kadri took a key penalty at the end of the second that coach Randy Carlyle pointed to in his post-game press conference as one of several unflattering details in the loss. Kadri also worked hard on several shifts, taking punishment and throwing some gloved punches in the heat of the moment. But he’s not a factor where he should be — on the scoresheet. Carlyle wants him to find that offence, but he also wants him to contribute at the other end.

Hockey life is going to be tough for Kadri for the next while. He’s seeing third-line minutes and it’s harder to score outside the top-six forwards. The Leafs were trying to create some chemistry between Kadri and Joffrey Lupul, but Lupul missed Friday’s game with a foot injury.

Kadri just has to bear down more and increase his coach’s confidence by controlling the puck and keeping his man out of the Leafs zone. He’s a minus-3 player after 10 games, and that has to change. Not an easy task, but Kadri has proven in the past that he can adapt.



Don Cherry watch: John Scott defence sparks buzz

By: Kim Nursall Staff Reporter, Published on Sat Oct 26 2013

Here’s how Don Cherry’s Coach’s Corner played out Saturday night:

KEY POINTS: Don Cherry, dressed to dazzle in a sparkly purple blazer, defended the Buffalo Sabres' John Scott. The defenceman is facing a long suspension for a hit on Boston’s Loui Eriksson last week. Cherry said because Scott spends most of his time on the bench, he feels he has to stir something up quickly when he gets sent out on the ice. Cherry also said Matt Duchene is playing the best hockey in the league right now — even better than Sidney Crosby. Cherry finished with a tribute to goaltender Martin Biron, who announced his retirement this week. Cherry said it's sad that many will only remember Biron as the goalie that San Jose Sharks’ Tomas Hertl scored on.

BEST CHERRY QUOTE: “Don't think of him and that hot-dog goal,” he said about Marty Biron and Hertl. Also (not so much a quote) Cherry once again mispronounced Patrick Roy's last name. The French name continues to be beyond Cherry.

WHAT RON MacLEAN DID: Got Cherry to clarify that he's mad at Sabres coach Ron Rolston for his role in Scott's hit on Eriksson.

FAN REACTION: Cherry's comments on Scott got a lot of play on Twitter. Many agreed with him to a certain extent, like Richard Popp: “Scott is a goon, hit was horrible, but it's the first time he's been more than a fighter.” Of course, others didn't buy it: “Sorry, but Don Cherry is a babbling idiot and should have been canned from the CBC years ago,” said Brett Lefebvre.

GRADE: B



Maple Leafs' Bolland a beast against Pens

By Mike Zeisberger ,Toronto Sun

First posted: Sunday, October 27, 2013 12:20 AM EDT | Updated: Sunday, October 27, 2013 12:25 AM EDT

David Bolland has the type of fiendish grin that makes an opponent’s skin crawl.

When he’s not getting under their skin, of course.

Bolland did both on Saturday night. And a whole lot more, too.

Throughout his entire career, Bolland has embraced the role of pestering the other team’s elite players. Whether the name stitched on the back reads “Sedin” or “Crosby,” the Mimico native savours the opportunity to get the opposition’s marquee performers off their game while he refines his own.

“For sure. I relish going up against the top guns we’re playing against,” Bolland said, flashing that mischievous smile that drives players around the league nuts.

Bolland had reason to be particularly upbeat. After delivering a stinker in a 5-2 loss in Columbus Friday night, his Leafs rebounded with a huge victory over Sidney Crosby’s mighty Pittsburgh Penguins 24 hours later, scoring three unanswered goals in the final 20 minutes to snap a 1-1 tie.

When asked to describe what was the root of his team’s downfall, Sid The Kid need just two words to sum up the 4-1 loss.

“Bad third,” he said.

He could have used two other words that would have been just as appropriate.

“David Bolland.”

We all know about Bolland’s reputation for being an agitator. Everyone in hockey does. As his former Hawks teammate and close friend Jonathan Toews said the other week: “They don’t call him The Rat for nothing.”

Fellow Hawk Patrick Kane listed his favourite Dave Bolland moment as the 2011 radio interview on Chicago station WGN in which the pride of Mimico said the Blackhawks would never allow the Sedins on their team, adding that “they probably still would be sisters” and might sleep in bunk beds.

Count on those comments being stirred up again by the Vancouver media when the Leafs meet the Canucks on the beautiful left coast next Saturday.

Having said that, there is much more to Dave Bolland and his game than just being a rodent on skates, to steal an image painted by Toews.

And that was on display for all to see on Saturday night in front of a national television audience.

With the Penguins on a power play late in the first period, Bolland jumped on a Penguins turnover and broke in alone on goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Rather than try some fancy dipsy-doodle move, he just wound up and blasted a shot from the high slot that drew the Leafs even at 1-1.

Two periods later, with just 42 ticks remaining on the clock, Bolland sealed the deal with his second goal of the game, sliding the puck into the empty net to send the capacity throng at the Air Canada Centre home happy.

In the end, Bolland’s body of work on this night: two goals including a short-handed marker; a plus-2 rating; 22:39 of ice time, third most on the team; a 55% winning percentage in the faceoff circle; and, of course, a few glares from members of the Crosby-Pascal Dupuis-Chris Kunitz line that he helped shut down.

“He’s been everything that we’ve asked,” coach Randy Carlyle said. “You can move him up and down on different lines and he’ll produce.

“If he makes a mistake, it’s not because of a lack of hard work. Never. He’s the type of guy you want all the kids on your team to look up to and learn from.”

Since coming to Toronto, Bolland has maintained that these Leafs can do special things. He would know, having won two Stanley Cups in Chicago - one more, by the way, than Crosby.

That, of course, is primarily due to the talent that was around him with the Hawks. But his experience of knowing what it takes to be successful is proving to be priceless for the Leafs.

During his post-game interview, the one Leaf Crosby mentioned was goalie James Reimer, the game’s first star. But, given the way Bolland played, his name certainly could have entered the conversation.

“When I came here. I was just told to play my game,” Bolland said.

A “game” that is proving to be much more well-rounded than many fans probably gave him credit for.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.27.2013


Maple Leafs' Nazem Kadri shows he's more than just a sniper

By Rob Longley ,Toronto Sun


The game-winning goal was a thing of beauty, but it was what Nazem Kadri did away from the puck on Saturday night that may have impressed the critical eyes of those who employ him.

Kadri’s backhand-to-forehand to top-shelf goal early in the third period provided the highlight moves he relishes, not to mention the dagger in handing the Penguins a third consecutive loss.

But as the game went on in his assignment of first-line centre duties replacing injured Tyler Bozak, Kadri showed Leafs coach Randy Carlyle even more on the way to a 4-1 Toronto win.

Kadri saw some penalty-kill time and late-game minutes as the Leafs put together one of their more impressive defensive efforts late in the game.

“Just be reliable,” Kadri said when asked about who he approached the role. “Obviously, I want to focus on what I can do and that’s put the puck in the net and helping the team that way.

“But when you are going against players like (the Penguins stars) you have to worry about your D-zone and the neutral zone.

“I’ve been working hard and trying to earn (Carlyle’s trust). I’ve said it from the start: I want to be one of those guys that Randy can count on. And that’s not just scoring goals.”

With Bozak out for at least a week with a lower-body injury — and possibly longer pending further medical tests — the Leafs are going to need it. And for one night, anyway, Kadri certainly was up to he task.

REIM TIME

He’s been keeping backup hours lately, but there was nothing part-time about James Reimer’s play on Saturday night, particularly in a dominating second period during which he made 16 saves to keep his team in it.

In his first start in nine days, Reimer continued the strong play he has historically shown against the Pens.

“(Reimer) was outstanding,” Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said afterwards. “He made some excellent saves and was certainly the difference in the second period.”

You could pick any number of big saves by Reimer, but two in the second were especially notable. One, a sprawling pad save on Pascal Dupuis that saw Reimer keep his leg pinned to the post to get the rebound as well. The second was a flash-the-leather glove save on Matt D’Agostini.

GAME ON

Not that Pens star Sidney Crosby had many great chances — he managed just three shots on goal — Reimer and the Leafs snapped an 18-game point streak by No. 87 versus Canadian teams ... Another night, another big assist

by James van Riemsdyk to Phil Kessel for the insurance marker late in the third. When his between the legs shot attempt failed, JVR swept it to Kessel who buried the puck into an empty net behind Marc-Andre Fleury ... What had been a quiet night for Kessel — no shots through 40 minutes — ended with an assist on Kadri’s game winner and the important third goal to give him seven goals and seven assists in 12 games ... Two things you might not have noticed on Kadri’s big game-winning goal. First, the terrible giveaway in the Toronto zone by the Pens’ Evgeni Malkin. Second, Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly scooped up the loose puck and started the play up-ice ... Kessel is now on a three-game goal-scoring streak. And what does this say about the usually flashy forward? With the Leafs protecting a two-goal lead in the final minute, No. 81 was one of the four Leafs on the ice ... He was by no means the only Leaf to do it, but David Clarkson finishing check after check certainly seemed to impress upon his teammates.

MORE SCORE

Crosby not only was held off the scoresheet for just the second time this season. In 12 previous games at the ACC, Crosby had piled up 17 points ... Sometimes the big rebounds Reimer routinely is knocked for pay off, particularly if they are steered in the right direction. Not long after making a big save on Malkin, David Bolland was sent free on a breakaway for a short-handed goal to tie the score at 1-1 ... No fancy deke from Bolland either. Just a huge slapshot ripped high to the stick-side top corner behind a helpless Fleury. Set up too by a great slap pass from Dion Phaneuf, who saw Bolland streaking free ... Leafs tough guy Frazer McLaren had a chance to test his repaired hands when he engaged Penguins counterpart Deryk Engelland in a spirited tussle late in the first period ... The scrap took place after Pens defenceman Rob Scuderi became the first NHLer this season to pay the price for a Clarkson bodycheck when he was ridden hard into the boards late in the first and had to be helped off the ice ... It was a good opportunity for American-born van Riemsdyk to impress Team USA/Pens coach Bylsma as the Sochi Olympics are now less than 100 days away. The Leafs forward had a couple of solid chances in alone on the Pittsburgh net but was denied by Fleury’s glove

QUICK HITS

When the Pens were shut out by Jean-Sebastien Giguere and the Colorado Avalanche earlier this week, it was the first time they had been blanked in 87 games. The previous goalie to get the SO against them? Reimer in Feb. 2012 ... ACC fans of the night? This one was easy. The kids from Camp Trillium — which does so much for children with cancer and their families. The crew was on hand as guests of Clarkson.



Maple Leafs shut down Sidney Crosby and Penguins 4-1

By Lance Hornby ,Toronto Sun


For the Maple Leafs to beat the likes of Sidney Crosby, they must psyche themselves like Sidney Crosby.

That was the message coach Randy Carlyle was pumping to his under-manned team before they met the NHL’s leading scorer, along with the equally dangerous Evgeni Malkin and the rest of the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.

Staff and players were on the same page in the 4-1 win, as the Leafs blanked Crosby and held Malkin to a power-play assist. That comes after three games where the Leafs faced a stable of stars — Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Corey Perry, Ryan Getzlaf and Marian Gaborik, with only Gaborik earning a point.

“As always, great players are great challenges,” Carlyle said. “(Crosby) has tendencies he likes to do, but he finds a way to overcome a lot of the defensive systems that he competes against. He takes it as a personal challenge. That’s what we have to do as a team, challenge ourselves to limit the time and space and be very aware of where and when he’s on the ice.”

That task fell mostly to defencemen Dion Phaneuf and Carl Gunnarsson. Crosby and Malkin ended the night a combined minus-5, accounting for five of the 38 Pittsburgh shots on a sharp James Reimer.

“It’s well-known to us that he plays against the top players on every team that we face,” Carlyle said of his captain Phaneuf. “They are tough minutes for him to accumulate. We think he does a heck of a job for our club or else we wouldn’t be using him in those situations.”

Few players are adored more than Crosby in the hockey world, while few Leafs have been judged as harshly in Toronto and elsewhere as the highly paid Phaneuf.

“I know that there seems to be a love-hate type of relationship at certain times,” Carlyle said. “But there’s a lot of love shown from our part, the coaching staff.”

Afterward, Phaneuf didn’t get too much into his sometimes chippy duels with Crosby, except to say, “He likes to play the game hard and so do I ... I played against him a long time and I have a lot of respect for him.”

The Leafs improved their record to 8-4 and gained first place in the conference, having started the day tied with the Pens and Boston Bruins, who lost to the Devils. The Leafs also start a Western Canadian road trip on the right note.

Nazem Kadri, subbing for an injured Tyler Bozak as first-line centre, had the winner early in the third on a Phil Kessel pass, while Kessel buried his fifth in the past three games, sandwiched around a first-period Dave Bolland shortie and his empty netter.

Carlyle was patching his lineup again, minus two top-six forwards. Bozak was a scratch with a lower-body injury from Friday’s loss in Columbus that Carlyle said could keep him out a week. Winger Joffrey Lupul spent Saturday morning getting a precautionary MRI on the foot he injured in Thursday’s practice. It’s been diagnosed as a bone bruise that shouldn’t affect him travelling, though he might not play in the opener in Edmonton on Tuesday.

A two-way line with Bolland, David Clarkson and Mason Raymond was also effective on Saturday, although Reimer and some over-anxiousness by the Pens didn’t hurt Toronto’s cause. The Leafs have been outshot in nine straight games, but cut down on their league-worst giveaways, committing just one in the third period.

“We’re not a team to follow one guy around or worry about one player, but when the coach puts you out there to shut down, that’s your job for the night,” Clarkson said. “We knew what he was doing, we just had to go out there and finish our check, make it hard on (Crosby) and play clean.”

Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma had to tinker with his defence after a Clarkson hit knocked Rob Scuderi out of the game with a lower-body injury. He’ll be re-evaluated on Sunday. Bylsma just got Kris Letang back on the blue line Friday night, but is still without sniper James Neal for a few weeks.

Kadri, who has been usurped by Bolland’s arrival, played a strong game, although the ensuing shakeup meant a mixed bag of third- and fourth-liners that included Colton Orr, Frazer McLaren, Troy Bodie, Trevor Smith and Carter Ashton. Yet with last line change, Carlyle was able to control the match-ups and the bottom-six group were up to the task of staying with the high-energy Pens.

Letang made it 1-0 with Paul Ranger in the box, but the Leafs circled the wagons for the next 53 minutes, with some huge Reimer saves during a couple of Pittsburgh power plays. Malkin had his arms raised for what he thought was a goal, only to have Reimer get just enough of the puck, as the Leafs went up ice to cash in with Kadri. Reimer, hoping to get Tuesday’s start, also made two full extension pad saves on Pascal Dupuis.

With Gunnarsson off, Phaneuf sent Bolland away on a breakaway and he hammered it past Marc-Andre Fleury’s blocker side for his fifth of the year.



Maple Leafs' Fraser anxious to return to lineup

By Dave Hilson ,Toronto Sun


Rugged stay-at-home defenceman Mark Fraser has played in just two games this season for the Maple Leafs after being sidelined on Oct. 2 with a knee injury, suffered when Flyers forward Jay Rosehill took him into the boards in Philadelphia.

But Fraser, who joined 11 other players for Toronto’s optional morning skate Saturday, said he doesn’t expect to be out much longer and that if everything goes as he hopes, he will be accompanying the Leafs on their three-game Western road swing that kicks off Tuesday in Edmonton and wraps up Saturday in Vancouver, with a Calgary date sandwiched in between.

“There’s no specific date for me yet,” Fraser said of returning to the lineup. “It’s just a really big step I’m back on the ice now. This is my first day I was actually able to take some drills with the team. I’m still a little ways away, but it’s just reassuring that before the four-week point (the time the Leafs expected him to be out) that I’m already able to skate with the guys.”

Fraser looked mobile on the ice and said he was pain free, but that he was still wearing a brace on the knee and didn’t want to rush things.

“The last thing I would want is to come back and put myself in a vulnerable position and have (the injury) extended even further,” Fraser said. “It’s definitely nice to get back out there and build up some of that confidence by showing myself I can be with the guys again.”

Another guy who looked mobile on the ice was Nikolai Kulemin, who has a broken bone in his ankle. The big Russian is expected to return in early November at the latest.

LUPUL GETS CT SCAN

One player who did not join the morning skate was winger Joffrey Lupul.

Lupul, who is tied for the team goal-scoring lead with Phil Kessel with six each, missed Friday night’s 5-2 loss to the Blue Jackets with a bruised foot suffered when he blocked a shot in practice earlier in the week.

“Lupes is gone for a CT scan to get a more in-depth diagnosis of the injury. We don’t think there is anything more. The swelling has subsided,” coach Randy Carlyle said after the skate.

Lupul has had his fair share of injuries since joining the Leafs more than two years ago, and it remains to be seen how long he will be out of action this time around.

CHEMISTRY LESSON

Carlyle likes to juggle his lines, so no combination is safe. But David Clarkson, in his first game back with the team after serving a 10-game suspension, started Friday night’s tilt in Columbus alongside fellow Torontonian Dave Bolland and the versatile Jay McClement.

And though the trio was split up later in the contest, they got off to a great start, looking as if they might be an energy line with a lot of offensive upside.

“It was good,” Clarkson said of playing with the pair. “We have to find each other a little more and a bit more plays. But I thought in the other team’s zone we battled hard. Right now, it’s just about finding ways to win and I think as you play more and more with people and get comfortable with who you are going to be with, that’s when you start to build chemistry.”

As for playing his first game in Toronto as a Leaf, Clarkson had this to say: “It’s obviously nice to be playing my first game at home, but it’s another hockey game. I’ve played quite a few games in this league, so it’s not anything new … It was nice to get that first game (Friday) out of the way.”

Clarkson was a minus-1 with four shots on goal and one hit in 15:41 of ice time against Columbus.

WELCOME BACK CARTER

Carter Ashton was brought back to the big club on Saturday, presumably to fill in for Lupul, after being returned to the AHL Marlies for two games.

“We try to reward people that are part of the organization who go down and work hard, make a contribution down there,” Carlyle said of Ashton. “He was the best as far as the coaching staff and management felt, and if we needed a player he would a (top) choice.”

Ashton, who has one assist and is a plus-2 in seven games with the Leafs this season, recorded a goal in each of the two games with the Marlies and had a total of 10 shots on net.

— Dave Hilson



Maple Leafs host Crosby, Penguins

By Mike Zeisberger ,Toronto Sun


TORONTO - There is always an extra buzz in the building when Sid The Kid makes a Saturday visit to the Air Canada Centre.

And tonight is no exception.

In what arguably is the best start to a season of his illustrious career, Sidney Crosby enters Saturday’s game against the Maple Leafs having accrued 18 points in his first 10 games. Pro-rated over an 82-game season, No. 87 is on pace to finish the 2013-14 campaign with 148 points, which would be the highest single-season total in the NHL since Pens owner Mario Lemieux posted 161 back in 1996.

Both the Leafs and Pens are coming off losses on Friday. Sloppy Toronto play, coupled with seven Columbus power plays, led to a 5-2 Blue Jackets victory over the Leafs, while Pittsburgh dropped a 4-3 home-ice decision to the Islanders despite peppering goalie Evgeni Nabokov with 42 shots.

For all things Leafs-Penguins, follow the Sun's team of hockey columnists - Rob Longley with play-by-play updates, Lance Hornby with stats and Mike Zeisberger for a live chat from the press box at the Air Canada Centre starting at 6:45 p.m. Saturday.



Lupul-less Leafs look to reset against Penguins

By Dave Hilson ,Toronto Sun


TORONTO - The Maple Leafs are probably hoping they can develop a strong case of collective amnesia and put a disappointing loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday night behind them.

But they’ll most likely have to do it without Joffrey Lupul.

Coach Randy Carlyle said after the Leafs’ optional skate on Saturday morning at the Air Canada Centre that Lupul, who is tied for the team lead in goals with six with Phil Kessel, was having further testing on his bruised foot. He did not play against the Blue jackets after injuring it in practice earlier in the week, and he was not among the 12 players who skated Saturday.

“Lupes is gone for a CT scan to get a more in-depth diagnosis of the injury. We don’t think there is anything more. The swelling has subsided,” Carlyle said.

The Leafs suffered a horrific third-period collapse in Columbus, allowing four third-period goals in a 5-2 loss to the Blue Jackets.

“We weren’t anywhere close to where we needed to be as far as being engaged in the hockey game,” Carlyle said of the loss. “We seemed to be a half-step behind and our execution level was not where we would expect it.”

Now Toronto must quickly try to turn things around against Sidney Crosby and the Penguins when it hosts Pittsburgh on Saturday night at the ACC.

“We know we have some room to improve. Last night was an example of that,” captain Dion Phaneuf said of the 7-4-0 Leafs, “but today’s a new day. That’s a positive of playing back to backs, they’re not always the easiest games but we’re ready to go and we know we’re going to have to play a full

game and play the style that we need to and play to our system to give ourselves a chance against this team.”

The Maple Leafs won’t find any extra motivation in facing Crosby & company, simply trying to right the ship after having lost three of their past four games should be enough.

“Sid, obviously, has had a great start to his year,” Phaneuf said. “He has been the top player in the league for quite a few years now and I don’t think that has changed. He always finds a way to keep improving and I think you’re seeing that again this year.”

Crosby leads the league in points this season with 18 (eight goals, 10 assists) and has always been a Leafs killer. He has nine goals and eight assists in 12 career games at the ACC.

“With great players, there are great challenges,” Carlyle said of neutralizing Crosby. “We have to take it upon ourselves to try to limit time and space for those players.”

But Toronto might be getting the Penguins (7-3-0) at an opportune time, with them having dropped two in a row including a 4-3 loss at home to the New York Islanders on Friday night. (Though Pittsburgh hasn’t lost three in a row in the regular season since a six-game slide from Dec. 29, 2011, to Jan. 11, 2012.)

Goaltender James Reimer is likely to get the start for Toronto after Jonathan Bernier was peppered with 36 shots against the Blue Jackets and probably will need the rest. Reimer is also 3-0-2 with a 2.51 goals-against average in five career starts against the Penguins.

Expect Marc-Andre Fleury, who is 7-1-0 with a 1.74 GAA this season, to start for the Penguins. He sat in the loss to the Islanders.

In response to Lupul being unavailable, the Leafs called up Carter Ashton from the Marlies. Ashton has one assist and is a plus-2 in seven games with the Leafs this season.

“We try to reward people that are part of the organization who go down and work hard, make a contribution down there,” Carlyle said. “He was the best as far as the coaching staff and management felt, and if we needed a player he would a (top) choice.”

Injured winger Nikolai Kulemin (chipped ankle) and injured defenceman Mark Fraser (knee) also joined in the morning skate, and while they both looked mobile neither is quite ready to return.

Fraser did say, though, that he hoped to join the Leafs on a three-game Western road swing that begins Tuesday in Edmonton.



Toronto Maple Leafs’ Nazem Kadri makes the most of top-line opportunity in win over Pittsburgh Penguins

Michael Traikos | 26/10/13 | Last Updated: 27/10/13 1:10 AM ET

TORONTO — Nazem Kadri spent all summer trying to convince the Toronto Maple Leafs that he deserved to be paid like a top-line centre. On Saturday night, he showed that he could play like one.

Leafs’ David Clarkson excited to begin journey with hometown team: ‘You can’t beat it’

With Tyler Bozak out for at least a week with an lower-body injury, Kadri got a chance to play alongside Phil Kessel and James van Riemsdyk. And the young forward made the most of the opportunity.

Kadri, who played 19 minutes and 46 seconds — about three minutes more than his season average — scored the game-winning goal in a 4-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“I’ve been saying it all along: I want to be one of those guys that [head coach] Randy [Carlyle] can count on and this team can count on,” said Kadri. “That’s not just scoring goals.”

Indeed, Kadri finished the game with a plus-1 rating. It was an impressive stat, considering he was matched up against Evgeni Malkin, who finished the game with no even-strength points and just two shots.

Sidney Crosby, who entered the game having scored 19 goals and 40 points in 25 career games against the Leafs, was a minus-2 with no points and three shots.

“Nazem played hard,” said Carlyle. “Anytime you play against those level of players, they’re world-class players. I thought Nazem had that little extra. But I thought our whole team responded from our level of effort last night [in a 5-2 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets].”

Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press

Nathan Denette/The Canadian PressToronto Maple Leafs forward Dave Bolland, left, celebrates his short-handed goal and Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, right, looks on during first period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013.

The Leafs, who were also missing Joffrey Lupul (foot) for the second straight game, were thin up front. And, at times, it showed. Toronto was outshot 16-to-4 in the second period and relied heavily on the top two lines.

But once again, Toronto got by with opportunistic scoring and another solid goaltending performance. Kessel, who had just one shot on net, extended his point streak to three games with a goal and an assist. And James Reimer made 37 saves for his third win of the season.

With the win, the Leafs improved to 8-4-0 and took sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference. The Penguins, who dropped their second straight game, moved into a four-way tie in second.

Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead in the first period when defenceman Kris Letang received a backdoor pass from Malkin on the power play. But that would be it for the Penguins’ offence.

With less than four minutes remaining in the first period, the Leafs tied the game on a short-handed goal from Dave Bolland. Taking a breakaway pass from Dion Phaneuf, Bolland ripped a slapshot from the top of the faceoff circle past Marc-Andre Fleury. The second-line centre, who blanketed Crosby all night, would add an empty-netter for his sixth goal of the season.

“I sort of thought Dion was going to throw the puck down the ice there. But I think he just caught me in a blink of his eye. I know Fleury comes out, so I just had to shoot it by him. I was thinking shot.

Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press

Nathan Denette/The Canadian PressPittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, left, takes a face-off against Toronto Maple Leafs forward Trevor Smith, right, during first period NHL hockey action in Toronto on Saturday, Oct. 26, 2013.

In a scoreless second period, the goaltenders took over. Reimer made a splits-save to rob Pascal Dupuis on a two-on-one. At the other end, Fleury came out of nowhere to glove a sure goal from van Riemsdyk.

The Leafs eventually beat Fleury in the third period on a nice rush from the top line. Van Riemsdyk started the play by dishing the puck to Kessel and then towards the net, which opened a passing lane for Kessel to find Kadri. He then cut sharply towards the slot and snuck a backhand past a fallen Fleury.

“We’re all on the same page offensively,” said Kadri. “It’s not only the offensive side of things. We were able to take care of the D-zone and shut down a few of their key players. Realistically, that’s what it came down to tonight.”

It was Kadri’s fourth goal and ninth point of the season (Bozak has three goals and six points). Not bad considering Kadri has been bouncing between the second and third lines.

Kessel, who has four goals and six points in his last three games, added a power-play goal from van Riemsdyk with less than three minutes remaining to give the Leafs a two-goal lead.

But it was Kadri’s ability to play on the top line that proved to be significant, especially now that Bozak is out for what could be three games.

“For sure Nazem is an all-around player,” said Bolland. “You see his skill and how he handles the puck. He’s got great skills. The way he plays, he’s going to be a top-end player in this league.”

National Post LOADED: 10.27.2013

723601 Washington Capitals

Open thread: Capitals at Flames

Katie Carrera

October 26 at 8:55 pm

Oct 3, 2013; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom (19) passes the puck as Calgary Flames center Sean Monahan (23) defends in the second period at Verizon Center. The Capitals won 5-4 in a shootout. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Nicklas Backstrom passes the puck beyond the reach of Calgary Flames rookie center Sean Monahan back on Oct. 3 at Verizon Center. (Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports)

The Capitals look to make it four wins in a row Saturday night as they take on the Calgary Flames. Braden Holtby (4-4-0, 2.78 GAA, .919 save percentage) will make his sixth consecutive start and no doubt hopes to have a better outing against the Flames than he did on Oct. 3 when he was pulled after allowing three goals in the first 16 minutes. Karri Ramo (1-2-1, 3.95 GAA, .883 save percentage) gets the nod for the Flames. In the first meeting between the two teams, Ramo finished with 35 saves in the Capitals’ 5-4 overtime win.

Here is the Capitals’ lineup.

Forwards

Johansson-Backstrom-Ovechkin

Erat-Laich-Brouwer

Chimera-Grabovski-Ward

Volpatti-Fehr-Wilson

Defense

Alzner-Carlson

Schmidt-Green

Erskine-Oleksy

Goal: Holtby, Neuvirth.

Scratches: Alex Urbom and Jay Beagle.

LTIR: Jack Hillen (fractured tibial plateau)

Washington Post LOADED: 10.27.2013


Braden Holtby’s confidence ‘sky high’ after strong showings in five consecutive starts

Katie Carrera


Perhaps the best thing for Braden Holtby was to sit out back on Oct. 12, when the Capitals hosted the Colorado Avalanche.

Through the first four games he had allowed 13 goals on 102 shots, been pulled from one start and let in at least two fluky, uncharacteristic goals. Goaltending coach Olie Kolzig wasn’t overly concerned, knowing that Holtby was still working on incorporating adjustments to his game and that the .872 save percentage and 4.04 goals-against average weren’t reflective of his

overall play. But Kolzig believes that watching for a night helped the 24-year-old.

In five starts since he backed up against Colorado, Holtby’s poise has appeared to grow with every outing. He has stopped 172 of 182 shots in that span for a .945 save percentage and 1.98 goals-against average with performances that have helped establish composure for the team as a whole.

“He’s just continued to build momentum and his confidence is sky high,” Kolzig said Saturday morning. “When he gets that way it has a real calming effect on the team. They realize they can make a mistake and it’s not necessarily going to end up in the back of the net, it frees up the guys in front to be a little more aggressive in the offense and as a result we’ve scored a few goals the last couple games.”

Holtby’s recent surge is why he will receive a sixth consecutive start Saturday night against the Flames. Kolzig explained that the Capitals initially planned to play Michal Neuvirth in Calgary, but with Holtby and the team on a three-game winning streak, they opted not to disrupt that momentum.

While Holtby has had slow starts for two consecutive years, the circumstances this season were different from last. In the lockout shortened campaign, things were in “shambles” the goaltender said and he was simply trying to do too much. This time around it was more a matter of fully integrating new approaches to his game and shaking off a couple odd plays.

One of the biggest changes Kolzig has made to the Capitals’ goaltending philosophy since taking over as coach is to have netminders not square up to the puck when handling plays from below the hash marks to the goal line. They’re also looking for the goaltenders to be able to read situations and know, for example, if there’s a less threatening odd man rush that they can sit back rather than commit completely to a certain form of coverage.

For Holtby, who has always been a very aggressive goaltender, that adjustment has taken some time. Rather than coming out to cut down a shooter’s angle in certain situations, he’s playing flatter along the goal line. It allows him to react to sudden changes of direction and be in better position to handle those types of plays.

“The sharp angle shots you’re not as committed to so that if the puck keeps moving around then you’re not using so much energy, so you’re easier to get squared up to certain shots,” Holtby said. That was “something we’d been looking at last year. We look for tendencies, patterns and that’s one thing that we thought we could do better.”

It’s smart and selective aggressiveness but Kolzig admits it comes with the tradeoff of giving up an occasional goal that might have simply hit a goaltender in the past when they were out to challenge a shot.

“We’re willing to sacrifice those for those East-West plays that goalies really seem to get beat on a lot. I think it’s really going to benefit him more playing this way,” Kolzig said, adding that it creates more potential to carry over positive energy to the team. “It’s amazing when goalies make saves like that…. Those things energize the guys, the bench. Big saves always do that. By him playing this way we’re giving him an opportunity to make those saves on a more frequent basis.”

In each of the past five games, Holtby has seen no less than 30 shots in any single game. He likes to see more shots so that he can be consistently involved in the game, but unlike last year when he handled significant workloads during Washington’s playoff push not all these attempts are coming from the perimeter.

“The last few games with that many shots, I think as a group we know we’re giving up too many chances,” Holtby said. “Got lucky a few times especially in Edmonton and we still gave up four [goals] in Winnipeg. It’s not exactly where they’re all outside like they were last year during that stretch, we did a very good job of keeping those shots to a minimum and from the outside. Getting better at it this year but we know we have to clean it up.”

Against the Jets, it was Holtby’s 43-save performance that gave the Capitals an opportunity to capture a 5-4 shootout win but the goaltender had to speak up in the second intermission and demand more of his teammates en route to that victory. They’re working to rise and match his play, so he won’t have to tell them again.

“We’ve given up a few breakaways here and there and when your goalie can bail you out it’s huge,” Troy Brouwer said. “We’re trying to clean up that aspect of our game. When your goalie’s there and he’s making those saves, keeping you in games, giving you a chance — we’ve got to help him out and do our part to make his job easier.”



NHL rookies with entry-level contracts can pose dilemma

Neil Greenberg


An NHL team gets just 10 games before it must make a decision on players in the lineup who still have major junior eligibility. If a player suits up for 10 or more games, one year of his three-year entry-level contract is burned. If he plays in 40 or more contests, the season accrues and gets him to unrestricted free agency that much sooner. There is a lot at stake in these 10 games, especially in the salary cap era when cheap production reigns supreme.

One of the best metrics we have for just how good a teenage player can be is time on ice per game. Better players play more minutes, and it holds true if you are a rookie or veteran.

Since the 2005-06 season, rookie defensemen who have stayed with their NHL clubs past the 10-game mark while skating more than 20 minutes per night have gone on to average 22:18 per game and 30 points per season over the remaining years of their entry-level contracts. Rookie defensemen who skated less than 20 minutes per game have saw 18:30 per game while producing just 19 points per season. That means the future is bright for Nashville blue-liner Seth Jones, whose 24:23 per night is already in the top 25 for all defenseman.

When rookie forwards with junior eligibility have been trusted with more than 20 minutes per game, they have gone on to average almost a point per game over their first three years. Conversely, forwards skating fewer than 20 minutes average 40 points in 68 games per season.

Does that mean Nathan MacKinnon of Colorado, the first overall pick of this year’s draft, will be a bust because he skates only 13:13 per night? No, but it could be an indication that his development might take longer than some expect. Same for Calgary center Sean Monahan, who has tallied six goals and three assists in his first ten games while skating 15:41 per night.

And what about Tom Wilson, 19, of Washington? Capitals Coach Adam Oates recently acknowledged to The Post’s Katie Carrera that keeping him in the NHL is “a tough decision.” Though his 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame is NHL-ready and Oates said Wilson “acts like he belongs,” his limited playing time on the fourth line could be cause for concern. And even if the Capitals are correct and Wilson is a power forward in the making, losing one of these cost-controlled contract years for less than eight minutes a night — none on special teams — could set up some difficult fiscal decisions down the road.

ELC Years Avg GP Avg Pts Avg TOI

Defenseman

10-20 minutes per night 60.0 19.1 18.5

Over 20 per night 76.8 30.2 22.3

Forward

Under 10 per night 53.5 19.0 12.7

10-20 minutes per night 67.7 38.8 15.5

Over 20 per night 72.9 71.4 19.6



Projected lineups for Capitals and Flames

Katie Carrera


The Capitals will face a more depleted Calgary squad Saturday night at the Saddledome than the one they hosted back at Verizon Center in the second game of the season. The Flames, playing their first game at home after completing a five-game road trip that saw them win only one contest, will be without top defenseman and captain Mark Giordano and top-line winger Lee Stempniak, who are both suffering from undisclosed lower-body injuries.

Still, Coach Adam Oates is expecting another hard-working effort from a Calgary squad that took the Capitals by surprise on Oct. 3 and jumped out to a three-goal lead to start that contest before Washington went on to capture a 5-4 shootout win.

“They played very good, skated great, their defensemen were involved in the game, they played as five man units excellent in the game and caught us a little bit off guard I think,” Oates said. “In their home town, with their home crowd we expect a hard game.”

All Capitals were present and accounted for at the morning skate, including Marcus Johansson who is expected to face Calgary after leaving Friday’s practice early with some soreness. Washington will stick with the same lineup as it looks to extend its current winning streak to four games, which means Calgary native Jay Beagle will sit out for a fourth straight contest.

Here are the projected lineups for both teams.

Capitals

Johansson-Backstrom-Ovechkin

Erat-Laich-Brouwer

Chimera-Grabovski-Ward

Volpatti-Fehr-Wilson

Alzner-Carlson

Schmidt-Green

Erskine-Oleksy

Holtby, Neuvirth.

Flames

Curtis Glencross-Matt Stajan-David Jones

Sven Baertschi-Sean Monahan-Jiri Hudler

Michael Cammalleri-Mikael Backlund-TJ Galiardi

Lance Bouma-Joe Colborne-Brian McGrattan

TJ Brodie-Chris Butler

Kris Russell-Dennis Wideman

Derek Smith-Shane O’Brien

Karri Ramo is expected to start.


723605 Winnipeg Jets

Jets get out of town fast

Ed Tait

10/27/2013 1:00 AM

DALLAS -- If hockey fans have learned anything about the Winnipeg Jets over these two-plus years, it might be this:

Their frustrating inconsistency often means they handle boons and blessings as well as they handle adversity -- not very well.

And so maybe it's a good thing the Jets, who served up a solid effort in a 2-1 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars Saturday night, were airborne immediately after the game for Denver and a meeting with the Colorado Avalanche, 9-1 to start the season, this evening.

"That was one of our better games, especially the first 40 minutes when we played pretty good," said veteran Olli Jokinen. "That was a big win for the team. We can move on, try and put this game behind us and focus on the next one.

"We're a .500 hockey team so there's no reason to plan the parade."

Yup, that just about sums up this team perfectly. Now 5-5-2, they last posted back-to-back wins at the start of the season when they opened with victories over Edmonton and Los Angeles. Since then it's kind of been all over the map in a 3-5-2 run.

"We've just got to go game-by-game, we can't really worry about who we're playing against," Jokinen said. "We've got to play our way. We can't get satisfied having the one win here. That's our second win in four-five games, whatever it is. To me, we're a .500 hockey club. This gives us confidence. We want to take those steps forward. We don't want to be in the position where we have one good game and then take a few steps back. That's been the case for us in the first 12 games.

"We've got to have the right mindset and play the way we did tonight, build off this game and try to be better, try to improve."

All that said...

"If we had said at the start of the trip we'd have three out of the first four points, we definitely would have taken that," said Andrew Ladd. "It's nice having a win heading into (Denver) against a really tough team. We're going to have to be playing with the confidence and the jam we had tonight.

"Confidence-wise, this is a big thing."

PP SPECIAL: The Jets' power play was 0-for-4, extending their drought to seven games and 23 man-advantage chances -- although Evander Kane's goal did come on a delayed penalty. But the Jets penalty kill was excellent in killing off four chances.

And raise your hand if you've heard this before, albeit from Stars head coach Lindy Ruff:

"We are going to have to figure something out because we are not getting the job done, especially when we need to. We got to figure it out. Because like I said, it can make a difference in a game when you get a 4-3 in overtime or a 5-4 late in the third, whatever it is, that's pretty big.

"It's going up against their four hardest-working players pretty much and we have to outwork them and figure out a way to get it going."

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.27.2013


Pavelec lone star in Texas

Ed Tait

10/27/2013 1:00 AM

DALLAS -- They call Texas "The Lone Star State." And the good folks here take great pride in doing it up big.

So it could be said the performance Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec served up in Saturday night's 2-1 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars was certainly Texas-worthy.

The 26-year-old Czech was the best player on the ice at American Airlines Center -- a left-alone star by his teammates on occasion -- in what was arguably his top performance of the season.

And in the process he became the Jets/Atlanta Thrashers' all-time leader in goaltender wins with 95 -- ironically, surpassing the man in the Stars' net, Kari Lehtonen.

"Oh really? I had no idea," said Pavelec when told of the stat after the game. "I mean, that's good, but most importantly we got the win and we can go from tonight and another big one tomorrow. Yeah... good night.

"Right now I just feel like we won another game, a really important game. So... maybe (he'll celebrate) later."

"He was good," said Jets captain Andrew Ladd. "We need him to be our best player and on a lot of nights we put a lot of pressure on him to do so. We feel he's capable of doing that. He bailed us out a couple of times."

THREE-GAME WINLESS STREAK BECOMES THREE-GAME POINT STREAK

The win evened the Jets' record at 5-5-2 and means they have now picked up points in three straight games after a shootout loss to Washington and an OT setback in Nashville earlier in the week.

"It was good road game for us," said coach Claude Noel. "I thought our team played fairly consistent. There were some ebbs and flows in the second period where we probably would have liked to have a little of it back.

"I thought Pavelec was superb again when he had to be. He had some key saves at some key times. We did a good job through the neutral zone, way better than the first time we played them (a 4-1 loss in Winnipeg) and I thought we controlled the (Tyler) Seguin line pretty good."

FYI, the Seguin line -- featuring Rich Peverley and Jamie Benn on the wings -- gobbled up the Jets back on Oct. 11, racking up three goals and eight points total. Saturday night in Big D they were held off the scoresheet.

LATE-GAME DRAMATICS... AGAIN

The Jets carried a 1-0 lead into the third period after Evander Kane -- who was a game-time decision after missing the morning skate with an "upper-body" injury -- scored his sixth goal of the season in the second. But a seeing-eye-goal by Stephane Robidas through traffic pulled the Stars even at 1-1. Pavelec stepped up big-time to earn the first star -- his stop on Jamie Benn in the dying seconds left might have been his best -- while the Jets killed off a too-many-men penalty that carried into the first 95 seconds of overtime.

"Our goalie was fantastic," said Noel. "We gave him some opportunities there, even at the end, that were point blank and he had to come up big. He made some really key saves. It's getting to the point where we're starting to expect that from Pavelec and he's coming through big-time for us."

THE SKILLS COMPETITION

Here's how the shootout unfolded: Dallas shot first, with Jamie Benn failing. Jokinen followed, but missed, as did Alex Chiasson for the Stars. Andrew Ladd then beat Lehtonen before Pavelec sealed the deal with a stop on Ray Whitney.

"I usually have (a move) picked out before I go," said Ladd. "Going second maybe allows you to see the goalie's tendencies on the first shot and (Jets' goaltending coach) Wade Flaherty does a good job of giving us some scouting stuff before the game, too."



Jets vs. Stars

Staff Writer

10/27/2013 1:00 AM

Second Period

1. Winnipeg, Kane 6 (Byfuglien, Stuart) 3:28.

Penalties -- Little Wpg (hooking) 1:07, Robidas Dal (holding) 10:51, Byfuglien Wpg (slashing) 14:01.

Third Period

2. Dallas, Robidas 1 (Fiddler, MacDermid) 6:36.

Penalties -- Wpg Bench (too many men) 19:34.

Overtime

No Scoring.

Penalties -- None.

Shootout

Winnipeg wins 1-0

Winnipeg: Jokinen miss, Ladd goal. Dallas: Benn miss, Chiasson miss, Whitney miss.

Referees -- Francois St. Laurent, Brad Watson.

Linesmen -- Jonny Murray, Bryan Pancich.

Attendance -- 13,875.

"Ø"Ø TIDE TURNING?

The Jets/Thrashers franchise has had some serious nightmares against the Stars, having won just once in seven visits to Dallas and going 2-12-1 over the years against their Texas rivals. Make that now 2-6 in Dallas and 3-12-1 overall.

"Ø"Ø GOOD NUMBER:

Jokinen was credited with a game-high seven hits. "I think it's a lot to do with playing away," said Jokinen with a shrug. "To be honest, it's really hard to get a hit (credit for one, from the NHL stats crew) at our building at home. I feel that way, at least."

"Ø"Ø UGLY NUMBER:

The Jets struggles in the face-off circle continued Saturday night. Winnipeg won only 36 per cent of their draws, with only Michael Frolik -- who was one-for-one in the dot -- having a passing grade.

"Ø"Ø UP NEXT:

The Jets chartered out of Dallas immediately after the game for Denver, where they face the Colorado Avalanche tonight (7 p.m., TSN Jets/TSN 1290).



Peluso takes Olli's odd advice after first goal

Ed Tait

10/27/2013 1:00 AM

DALLAS -- A new twist to an old hockey tradition comes courtesy Olli Jokinen and Anthony Peluso.

Jets' fans might have spotted the veteran Finn talking to the young forward on the bench during the TSN Jets telecast of Thursday's OT loss to Nashville -- one in which Peluso scored his first career NHL goal.

It turns out Jokinen was explaining three must-dos after scoring your first:

1. Keep the puck, that's a given.

2. Put away the stick that was used; another common practice.

3. Take the game stats sheet that features your first goal and slip it under your pillow for two nights.

Wait... what?

"He told me to put the game sheet under my pillow, so the last couple of nights I've been doing that," said Peluso. "Olli's been a great guy to me so I feel like I should listen to him."

"I can't remember who told me to do it when I scored my first... but I did," said Jokinen on Saturday with a grin. "But I think I went about 20 games after that without one."

FOUND A HOME: Winnipeg product Cody Eakin has been solid to start the season for the Stars and, finally, he's starting to feel like he's found a hockey home.

"The last few years for me... I get traded in junior (from Swift Current to Kootenay) and then going pro (in the AHL with Hershey) and then to Washington and then getting traded here, playing in Austin (the Stars affiliate) and then coming here... it seems like the last few years I've just been bouncing around," said Eakin Saturday. "Now it feels more solidified. I'm

living on my own. I've got my own place and it's nice because there's a bunch of young guys living downtown, while most of the guys with kids and kids in school are living out in Frisco. We've got a good group of guys, a great combination and it makes it feel like home. It feels like I'm going to be here."

Eakin has drawn good reviews from new head coach Lindy Ruff and likes the respect the Stars' bosses bring to the organization and, in particular, to the dressing room.

"It's been really good," said Eakin. "(Ruff's) come in, (assistant coach) James Patrick and (GM) Jim Nill... right away when those guys talk everyone listens and respects what they're doing.

"Guys like that, with their backgrounds, everyone wants to turn this around for them and buy into what they say."

PLAYING SPECTATOR: Another Winnipeg product, Ryan Garbutt, served the second of his two-game suspension against the Jets after being disciplined for his hit on Anaheim's Dustin Penner.

"It was good," Garbutt told Dallas reporters.

"I was glad I went there (to the NHL headquarters in New York) for the meeting. I had a good talk with (NHL disciplinarian) Brendan Shanahan. I definitely accept the penalty that I got, and I hope that Dustin Penner is feeling better."

"There's no condoning or defending the Garbutt hit," added Ruff. "I told him after the game, you are going to get suspended for it. There are some that can be accidental, maybe a guy is bent over at the last second.

"But it is clearly stated that it is your responsibility. Those are the situations we want to stay away from. It's something we've talked about as a team. Obviously, we don't want to lose any more personnel. You turn the highlights on every night and you see someone going into the boards.I think you've got to err on the side of caution because the more of these that happen, the history is, the penalties get more severe."



Jets' confidence slowly building on the road

Ed Tait

10/26/2013 11:04 PM

DALLAS — If hockey fans have learned anything about the Winnipeg Jets over these two-plus years, it might be this:

Their frustrating inconsistency often means they handle boons and blessings as well as they handle adversity — not very well.

And so maybe it’s a good thing the Jets, who served up a solid effort in a 2-1 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars Saturday night, were airborne immediately after the game for Denver and a meeting with the Colorado Avalanche, 9-1 to start the season, Sunday evening.

"That was one of our better games, especially the first 40 minutes when we played pretty good," said veteran Olli Jokinen. "That was a big win for the team. We can move on, try and put this game behind us and focus on the next one.

"We’re a .500 hockey team so there’s no reason to plan the parade."

Yup, that just about sums up this team perfectly. Now 5-5-2, they last posted back-to-back wins at the start of the season when they opened with victories over Edmonton and Los Angeles. Since then... it’s kind of been all over the map in a 3-5-2 run.

"We’ve just got to go game-by-game, we can’t really worry about who we’re playing against," Jokinen said. "We’ve got to play our way. We can’t get satisfied having the one win here. That’s our second win in four, five games, whatever it is. To me, we’re a .500 hockey club. This gives us confidence. We want to take those steps forward. We don’t want to be in the position where we have one good game and then take a few steps back. That’s been the case for us in the first 12 games.

"We’ve got to have the right mindset and play the way we did tonight and build off this game and try to be better, try to improve."

All that said...

"If we had said at the start of the trip we’d have three out of the first four points, we definitely would have taken that," added Andrew Ladd. "It’s nice having a win heading into tomorrow against a really tough team. We’re going to have be playing with the confidence and the jam we had tonight.

"Confidence wise this is a big thing."

PP SPECIAL: The Jets’ power-play was 0-for-4, extending their drought to seven games and 23 man-advantage chances — although Evander Kane’s goal did come on a delayed penalty. But the Jets penalty kill was excellent in killing off four chances.

And raise your hand if you’ve heard this before, albeit from Stars’ head coach Lindy Ruff:

"We are going to have to figure something out because we are not getting the job done, especially when we need us. We got to figure it out. Because like I said, it can make a difference in a game when you get a 4-3 in overtime or a 5-4 late in the 3rd, whatever it is, that’s pretty big.

"It’s going up against their four hardest working players pretty much and we have to out work them and figure out a way to get it going."



Pavelec shines in 2-1 shootout win over Stars

Ed Tait

10/26/2013 11:03 PM

DALLAS — They call Texas "The Lone Star State." And the good folks here take great pride in doing it up big here.

So it could be said the performance Winnipeg Jets goaltender Ondrej Pavelec served up in Saturday night’s 2-1 shootout victory over the Dallas Stars was certainly Texas-worthy.

The 26-year-old Czech was the best player on the ice at American Airlines Center — a left-alone star by his teammates on occasion — in what was arguably his top performance of the season.

And in the process he became the Jets/Atlanta Thrashers’ all-time leader in wins by a goaltender with 95 — ironically, surpassing the man in the Stars’ net, Kari Lehtonen.

"Oh really? I had no idea," said Pavelec when told of the stat after the game. "I mean, that’s good, but most importantly we got the win and we can go from tonight and another big one tomorrow. Yeah... good night.

"Right now I just feel like we just won another game, a really-important game. So... maybe (he’ll celebrate the achievement) later."

"He was good," added Jets captain Andrew Ladd. "We need him to be our best player and on a lot of nights we put a lot of pressure on him to do so. We feel he’s capable of that doing that. He bailed us out a couple of times."

THREE-GAME WINLESS STREAK BECOMES THREE-GAME POINT STREAK

The win evened the Jets’ record at 5-5-2 and means they have now picked up points in three straight games after a shootout loss to Washington and OT setback in Nashville earlier in the week.

"It was good road game for us," said coach Claude Noel. "I thought our team played fairly consistent. There were some ebbs and flows in the second period where we probably would have liked to have a little of it back.

"I thought Pavelec was superb again when he had to be. He had some key saves at some key times. We did a good job through the neutral zone, way better than the first time we played them (a 4-1 loss in Winnipeg) and I thought we controlled the (Tyler) Seguin line pretty good."

FYI, the Seguin line — featuring Rich Peverley and Jamie Benn on the wings — gobbled up the Jets back on Oct. 11th, racking up three goals and eight points total. Saturday night in Big D they were held off the scoresheet.

LATE-GAME DRAMATICS... AGAIN

The Jets carried a 1-0 lead into the third period after Evander Kane — who was a game-time decision after missing the morning skate with an ‘upper-body’ injury — scored sixth goal of the season in the second. But a seeing-eye-goal by Stephane Robidas through traffic pulled the Stars even at 1-1. Pavelec stepped up big time to earn the first point — his stop on Jamie Benn in the dying seconds left might have been his best — while the Jets killed off a too-many-men penalty that carried into the first 95 seconds into overtime.

"Our goalie was fantastic," said Noel. "We gave him some opportunities there, even at the end, that were point blank and he had to come up big. He made some really key saves. It’s getting to the point where we’re starting to expect that from Pavelec and he’s coming through big time for us."

THE SKILLS COMPETITION

Here’s how the shootout unfolded: Dallas shot first, with Jamie Benn failing. Jokinen followed, but missed, as did Alex Chiasson for the Stars. Andrew Ladd then beat Lehtonen before Pavelec sealed the deal with a stop on Ray Whitney.

"I usually have (a move) picked out before I go," explained Ladd. "Going second maybe allows you to see the goalie’s tendencies on the first shot and (Jets’ goaltending coach) Wade Flaherty does a good job of giving us some scouting stuff before the game, too."



Jets in dire need of 'poetic justice'

Ed Tait

10/26/2013 1:00 AM

DALLAS -- It was not long after the Nashville Predators had dusted off the Winnipeg Jets in OT Thursday night when Barry Trotz made a reference to "poetic justice."

The comment from the Preds head coach came after Craig Smith had taken a pass from David Legwand to beat Ondrej Pavelec with just 17 seconds left, and following a couple of chances by the Jets' to clear the zone before Dustin Byfuglien overskated a loose puck.

The "poetic justice" part? Earlier in the game Smith had twice been rocked by the big man before he played the OT hero.

"I felt like I made a good play, put it on a tee," Smith said. "The emphasis in this room has been shooting the puck and we did a good job of that by creating chances. That was the finishing touch right there."

Now, as the Jets fled the scene immediately after the game for Dallas -- they continue their four-game swing through the Central Division tonight against the Stars -- it was hard not to think they could use a little "poetic justice" of their own.

Yes, for as much as they continue to be sporadic in their play -- head coach Claude Noel called it Jekyll and Hyde afterward -- there were stretches in which the Jets dominated the play against the Preds. And, there were other times when they had that dazed and confused look of a team still struggling with confidence and attention to detail in their own end. They also seem to be lacking the same resolve that is Nashville's trademark and are demonstrating a remarkable lack of finish on the power play.

And with that, some alarming Jets' trends:

-- The Jets have now gone six games without a power-play goal, a stretch of 19 man advantages with no pay dirt.

-- The Jets won only 34 per cent of their face offs against the Preds (Olli Jokinen was the best with a 50 per cent average). Heading into Friday's action, Winnipeg was 26th in the dot at 45.2 per cent.

-- Pavelec, who has been both brilliant and iffy at times this year, is 3-5-2 with a .902 save percentage and 3.06 goals against average. The Jets play Saturday-Sunday in Dallas/Denver, so expect to see Al Montoya in net for one of those games.

Most of all, it's hard not to wonder how fragile this team's collective confidence is, because despite rallying to tie the game with three minutes left, they looked deflated and frustrated afterward.

"We had some good things, we had some guys step up and play well," said forward Blake Wheeler. "You need those things on a long road trip."

And they'll need a lot more -- call it puck luck, defensive intensity, battle and some poetic justice of their own -- with the next stops in Dallas, Colorado and St. Louis.



Stars

Ed Tait

10/26/2013 1:00 AM

"Ø"Ø ABOUT THE STARS

The Stars snapped a four-game losing streak with a 5-1 win over Calgary Thursday night, getting two goals from captain Jamie Benn, a three-point effort from Alex Chiasson (2G, 1A) and solid work from Kari Lehtonen, who kicked out 28 shots. The Finnish netminder had missed five games with a lower-body injury.

Chiasson now has 11 goals in his first 14 NHL games.

Since the start of the 2011-12 season, the Stars are 18-8-1 against teams from Canada, including a record of 9-4-1 at home.

Tyler Seguin picked up a career-high four points (2G, 2A) in the Stars win over the Jets earlier this month. Seguin is second on the Stars in scoring with 10 points (4G, 6A) behind Jamie Benn (3G, 8A). Benn is on a five-game point streak (2G, 5A).

Ryan Garbutt, the Winnipeg product with the Stars who was suspended five games for charging Anaheim's Dustin Penner, is eligible to return to the lineup Nov. 3 vs. Ottawa.

WINNIPEG JETS

31 Ondrej Pavelec

35 Al Montoya

2 Adam Pardy

4 Paul Postma

5 Mark Stuart

9 Evander Kane

12 Olli Jokinen

14 Anthony Peluso

15 Matt Halischuk

16 Andrew Ladd

17 James Wright

18 Bryan Little

19 Jim Slater

22 Chris Thorburn

24 Grant Clitsome

26 Blake Wheeler

27 Eric Tangradi

28 Patrice Cormier

33 Dustin Byfuglien

39 Toby Enstrom

40 Devin Setoguchi

44 Zach Bogosian

55 Mark Scheifele

67 Michael Frolik

DALLAS STARS

30 Dan Ellis

32 Kari Lehtonen

3 Stephane Robidas

4 Brenden Dillon

6 Trevor Daley

10 Shawn Horcoff

12 Alex Chiasson

13 Ray Whitney

14 Jamie Benn

17 Rich Peverley

20 Cody Eakin

21 Antoine Roussel

23 Kevin Connauton

24 Jordie Benn

28 Lane MacDermid

33 Alex Goligoski

38 Vernon Fiddler

43 Valeri Nichushkin

55 Sergei Gonchar

72 Erik Cole

91 Tyler Seguin



Prospects are good

Ed Tait

10/26/2013 1:00 AM

NOTABLE:

C Eric O'Dell, last year's leading scorer, has four goals to start the season.

C Adam Lowry, who missed two games with an injury, accompanied the club on a six-game road trip that began Friday night in Manchester.

D Ben Chiarot is already plus-7 and tied for the team scoring lead with two goals and three assists.

D Zach Redmond, who has been out with an undisclosed injury, skated with the team on Wednesday and made the trip. The club is hoping he'll be able to suit up after the weekend.

G Eddie Pasquale has started five of the six games, posting a 2-3 record, a 2.61 GAA and .914 save percentage.

RW J.C. Lipon has been banged up, but has two goals in his first stint as a pro.

QUOTABLE:

"None of those young players have disappointed, but Lowry's been hurt and hasn't played much. Lipon's been pretty good and Brenden Kitchon (D, 1G, 4A), those guys are stepping from junior to the American league. That's a huge step. They've fit in and that's about all you can ask right now after six games." -- IceCaps GM Craig Heisinger.

THE DRAFT PICKS

(not including those mentioned elsewhere in this story)

2013 CLASS

D Josh Morrissey, Prince Albert Raiders -- Tied for second in scoring for the Raiders with four goals and nine assists and said to be on the radar screen for the Canadian junior team.

C Nic Petan, Portland Winterhawks -- Named the Western Hockey League Player of the Week after scoring seven points (2G, 5A) in three games. Also being watched closely by Team Canada brass.

G Eric Comrie, Tri-City Americans -- Has decent numbers -- .921 save percentage, 2.80 GAA -- on a struggling team.

C Jimmy Lodge, Saginaw Spirit -- Has played in just nine games, with two goals and four assists.

C Andrew Copp, University of Michigan -- Leads the Wolverines in scoring (2G, 4A) and was one of the Big Ten's Three Stars for the week ending Oct. 13.

D Jan Kostalek, Rimouski Oceanic -- The Czech D-man has six assists in 13 games.

D Tucker Poolman, Omaha Lancers -- Three assists in seven games.

D Marcus Kalstrom, AIK J20 (Swedish SuperElite) -- Has six goals and five assists in 11 games, among the top D scorers in his league.

Other notables

C Lukas Sutter, Red Deer Rebels -- Battled injury to start the season but has two goals and two assists in six games.

G Connor Hellebuyck, U Mass-Lowell -- Superb numbers a year ago, but off to an 0-2 start this season with a River-Hawks team that is 1-3 to start the year.

C Ryan Olsen, Kelowna Rockets -- A point a game guy through 11 games this season (3G, 8A). Had 32 goals and 87 points in just 69 games a year ago.

G Jason Kasdorf, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute -- Not off to a great start. Has a 1-1 record, but a 3.49 GAA and .786 save percentage. Junior Scott Diebold has started one more game than the Winnipeg-born Kasdorf, now a sophomore after an excellent freshman season.

DALLAS -- They are drafted as teenagers full of both promise and questions. The Winnipeg Jets, like every one of their NHL rivals, understand the risk in this the moment they call out a kid's name on draft day.

And so, in that regard, the Jets view Scott Kosmachuk in much the same way they do rookies in the show such as Mark Scheifele and Jacob Trouba and those in St. John's such as Adam Lowry and Brenden Kitchon.

"All these young guys," began Jets' assistant GM Craig Heisinger this week, "are still finding their way. And that's what it's all about: Them getting to know us and us getting to know them."

Well, here's what the Jets already know about Kosmachuk -- just a few days ago named the Canadian Hockey League Player of the Week after picking up nine points (six goals, three assists) in three games -- the kid can flat-out score.

"He's got a different game to him," said Heisinger. "He's got a little bit of rat in him, he's got some finish to him. His game is evolving. Is what he is in junior what he's going to be as a pro? We're not 100 per cent sure on that because sometimes the guys that are successful have to change their game.

"But his game is certainly going in the right direction. He had a good season last year and he's got to build on it."

Kosmachuk is the focus of our first Prospect/Down on the Farm Report of the 2013-14 season that checks in on some of the Jets' draft picks and others in the system.

A 19-year-old Toronto product already in his fourth season with the Guelph Storm, Kosmachuk was selected by the Jets in the third round (70th overall) of the 2012 NHL Draft. He's rifled 14 goals in 14 games this season after posting consecutive 30-goal campaigns as a 17- and 18-year-old.

"Our team overall has had a great start," said Kosmachuk in a telephone interview with the Free Press this week. "We've got high expectations. Everyone on the team is playing well right now and we're all working well together. And, for me, my line (with Zack Mitchell and Hunter Garlent) just has great chemistry right now. Things are just clicking."

Kosmachuk, considered by many to now be the best right-wing prospect in the Jets' system, attended both the team's development camp in the summer, followed by the Young Stars tournament in Penticton, B.C., and main training camp with the big club. He scored a dandy goal in the Kraft Hockeyville exhibition game in Belleville and used the whole experience of being with the Jets as a springboard into his scorching OHL start.

"You come back from a main NHL camp and you're playing at a higher pace than if I was back in Guelph," said Kosmachuk. "It's fast, you have to make quicker decisions and everything is just done at a higher speed. The guys are stronger, more skilled. It was just a different level.

"So all that helps your confidence a lot. Just to get the shot to get out there, the fact that they had the faith in you to play and compete in an exhibition game. Some of the guys I talked to (other NHL prospects) didn't even get to play in one.

"And getting to wear that Jets jersey for the first time in Penticton... a lot of the boys thought that was pretty cool. Then being in the dressing room in Belleville with all the guys that are actually on the Jets team... that was surreal. That's definitely the right word for it, 'surreal.' "

Kosmachuk said the Jets asked him to work on becoming a more effective player all over the ice, not just in the offensive zone, and to continue developing as a player, both mentally and physically.

"This year was our first year to get to know him through development camp and the rookie tournament," said Heisinger. "He did fine at those things, he's off to a good start."

Yeah, you could say that.

"We're having so much fun right now as a team," said Kosmachuk. "Our coach (Scott Walker) always talks about that, the having fun. But he also said it's a lot more fun when you're winning and we're doing that, too."



Jets come up big in the big D

Ted Wyman

Sunday, October 27, 2013 12:16 AM CDT

DALLAS - It was clear this week Jets goalie Ondrej Pavelec was tired of all the talk about trying to get better and wanted to see some action.

His own actions spoke volumes Saturday night in Dallas.

Pavelec was brilliant, stopping 36 shots in regulation and overtime, and giving up no goals in the shootout as the hard-working Winnipeg Jets earned a 2-1 shootout victory over the Stars.

The goaltender, who became the franchise’s all-time leader in goaltender wins with 95, was by no means alone as the Jets played one of their most complete games of the season.

But he needed to come up big at times and he did just that to help the Jets turn a three-game losing streak into what is now a three-game points streak.

“It was a great road game and we needed it,” Pavelec said. “We needed two points. We were great on the penalty kill and it was a good win for us.”

Pavelec saw the puck well all night and did a great job of holding onto the puck. When he did give up rebounds, the Jets blue-liners battled hard to clear the crease and knock away the rebounds.

“Our goalie was fantastic,” Jets coach Claude Noel said. “We gave him some opportunities right at the end there, point blank, where he had to come up big. I thought (Stars goalie Kari) Lehtonen made some key saves as well but there were some point blank ones we had to face. It’s getting to the point where we’re starting to expect that from Pavelec and he’s coming through for us.”

For the just the third time this season, the Jets got the first goal of the game. Evander Kane, who missed the gameday skate with an upper body ailment, gloved down a rebound in the slot and fired a puck by Lehtonen.

It stayed that way until Stephane Robidas of the Stars beat Pavelec midway through the third on a low shot that changed speeds when his stick broke. The Stars really poured it on in the latter half of the third and even had a power play for the last 25 seconds of the third period and the first 1:35 of overtime after the Jets were called for too many men on the ice.

The Jets not only killed the penalty, but actually had several chances to score shorthanded and wound up outshooting the Stars 6-2 in the extra period. Pavelec made huge saves on the Stars Jamie Benn late in regulation and Valeri Nichushkin in overtime.

Jets captain Andrew Ladd scored the only goal of the shootout to help the Jets improve to 5-5-2 on the season with another divisional matchup set for tonight in Denver against the 9-1 Colorado Avalanche.

“If we said at the start of the trip we’d have three out of the first four points, we’d have definitely taken that,” said Ladd, whose team is now 2-1-1 on the road. “It’s nice having a win heading into a game Sunday against a really tough team. We’re going to be playing with a bit of confidence and the jam that we had tonight.”

Centre Olli Jokinen, who led all players with seven hits and was solid at both ends of the ice, said the Jets have to keep perspective after the big win.

“That was one of our better games, especially the first 40 minutes,” Jokinen said. “It was a good two points for the team and now we can move on. We’re a .500 hockey team and there’s no reason to plan the parade."

There’s a good chance Pavelec will take a seat in favour of backup Al Montoya Sunday night, but perhaps that will give the goalie a chance to reflect on getting the milestone win on Saturday.

“Oh really? I had no idea,” Pavelec said when asked about breaking the wins mark previously owned by, coincidentally, Lehtonen (with Atlanta).

“Right now we just won a very important game, so maybe later.”

Pavelec is sometimes great, sometimes average for the Jets.

But he has shown a lot this week.

First he stood up to say there’s no room to be focusing on positives like taking points from overtime and shootout losses to Washington and Nashville. After all, they were still losses.

Then he stood up and made sure it didn’t happen again.

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.27.2013


Winnipeg’s Cody Eakin ready to play for the home team — the Dallas Stars

Ted Wyman

Saturday, October 26, 2013 11:31 PM CDT

Cody Eakin is tired of the nomadic lifestyle and wants to settle down in a second home.

It seems the 22-year-old Winnipegger is getting his wish this season with the Dallas Stars.

Since 2010, Eakin has played in Swift Current, Kootenay, Washington, Hershey, Austin, Texas and now Dallas, where he has found a home centring

the Stars’ second line between veteran Ray Whitney and super rookie Alex Chiasson.

“The last few years for me have been a lot of moving around,” Eakin said Saturday as the Stars prepared to play the Winnipeg Jets.

“Getting traded in junior, going pro, going to Washington, getting traded here, playing in Austin and then coming here. The last few years I’ve kind of been bouncing around but now it feels more solidified. I’m living on my own, got my own place and it’s nice. There’s a bunch of the young guys living downtown. We’ve got a great combination and it makes it feel like home.

“I know I’m going to be here and hopefully I can stay here for a long time.”

Eakin is off to a nice start with the Stars (two goals and five points in nine games) after establishing himself as a full-time NHLer last season with seven goals and 24 points in 48 games.

The move to Dallas came with an added bonus for the Winnipegger — the Stars are in the same division as the Jets.

“It’s nice to play there, somewhat of a dream come true,” said Eakin, who splits his time in the off-season between Winnipeg and Kenora. “I was young when (the original Jets) left but to have them back and be in the same division is pretty neat. Coming home, playing in front of friends and family and getting a chance to be around there in the winter time a little bit and play hockey there is pretty exciting.”

Eakin is feeling pretty good about his game as well.

“Getting more confident with the puck in the offensive zone and trying to be better every game,” he said. “Starting to click with my linemates. I like the way it has started on draws, defensively and the offence will come.”

PELUSO THE SNIPER

Jets coach Claude Noel called Anthony Peluso’s first NHL goal on Thursday night an “added bonus” to the fact that the right-winger is energizing the team with physical play.

“He’s been pretty good,” Noel said. “I think you can see what he can bring to the table. He’s a physical player that has to play with an edge and that’s the thing we’re looking for from him in a game. He has to try to be responsible for bringing our emotional level up through physical play. We know that he has some skills and can make some plays, so that’s an added bonus as long as he can be dependable and continue to make sure he understands his role.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.27.2013

723616 Vancouver Canucks

On the wing, Ryan Kesler is a slayer

Ryan Kesler’s production has skyrocketed playing on the Wing with the Sedins

Jason Botchford

October 26, 2013 10:02

ST. LOUIS — Something Mike Gillis has got with his new coach is bold moves.

Well, that and the most successful road trip in team history.

On it, John Tortorella allowed Kevin Bieksa to do just about anything his heart desired, scratched David Booth and lined Ryan Kesler with the Sedins.

All of it worked on a 5-1-1 milk run through the East. A record that near perfect is impressive regardless of the quality of opposition, which, to be honest, wasn’t the NHL’s cream.

So, it hasn’t vaulted the Canucks back to nibbling grapes, lounging on their former glory perch of Stanley Cup contenders quite yet. The next road trip, to Phoenix, L.A., San Jose and Anaheim, will be far more revealing.

But it has managed to give an old, stagnant core a ‘new-car’ smell, and that is achievement.

The Canucks needed a good start to get Tortified, and buy into the cult of Tortorella. Consider it done.

“Most of all, it’s in the way we play,” Henrik Sedin said when asked if this team has come together in three weeks.

“We have every player playing in every situation, including offensive zone faceoffs, defensive zone faceoffs.

“It gives you more of a team feeling where everyone does a bit of everything. You get that from four lines and six Ds and, well, we showed a lot of good things this trip.”

The improbable win in St. Louis Friday was Tortorella’s best team-building exercise yet, given the number of injuries and road games played.

Win a game like the Canucks did, 3-2 in overtime with Eddie Lack starting along with two call-ups from Utica, and a new coach will have his players lapping up every course he can slop down on their plates.

And Tortorella has been serving them plenty of new dishes.

The main focus for change right now is Kesler.

He is playing the wing and hasn’t publicly bristled. That’s progress. He may want to settle in and get used to it too, depending on how seriously he took Tortorella’s post-game sermon.

In it, Tortorella declared Mr. Selke a better winger than centre, which is the most controversial item to pass by his lips this season.

“I’ve always thought Kes was going to be a … I just look at Kes like a winger,” Tortorella said. “Even from afar.

“I like to have that big body on the boards. I think it forces him to play in the area he needs to play. I think he gets more shots on the wing.

“I think it takes away some of the one-on-one stuff that really is out of our game.

“Right now, we’ll keep him there and we’ll see where it goes.”

For years, Kesler has been so good winning faceoffs, and defending the middle of the ice, no coach even considered saddling him up with the Sedins outside of the power play. Though, to be fair, Alain Vigneault did dabble with playing him on the wing last year.

“It’s fun, they are so good at getting you the puck and they open the ice for me,” Kesler said.

“That’s why (Tortorella) is the coach and that’s why we were 5-1-1 on this trip.

“I haven’t played with them in 10 years, so, yeah (I did raise my eyebrows). But it worked out.”

Tortorella’s commitment to a Kesler career transition to wing will get a stiff test when Alex Burrows returns, which could happen as soon as tomorrow.

But there is no denying it’s worked. In six games centring the second line, Kesler’s stat line read one goal, no assists, and a minus-5.

In the past seven, mostly on the wing with the Sedins, he’s had six goals, three assists and he’s been a plus-3.

If the Sedins’ agent JP Barry hasn’t already included those stats in his negotiations with the Canucks, he soon will. Or should, anyway.

Because Kesler’s production says more about the Sedins than it does Kesler. They have had this quietly remarkable start to life with Tortorella and are deserving of credit for the fact Kesler was churning on the road trip in a way he hasn’t for two seasons.

They continue to make everyone they play with better.

It’s true, Daniel isn’t scoring like he once did. But he’s no less a player. It just means they need a sniper on their wing more than ever. Kesler, albeit with a couple of lucky goals, has done it nicely.

It wasn’t that long ago people were wondering if Kesler would score 20 goals this season. Friday he scored two goals and pushed his season total to seven which left him tied for sixth in the NHL.

“We all know my year last year wasn’t spectacular by any means,” Kesler said. “It took me some games to get my feet under me again and really get my confidence back up there. This trip definitely helped me a lot.”

He could have replaced “this trip” with the Sedins.

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.27.2013

723617 Vancouver Canucks

Hat trick: A good month for Gillis, Santorelli > Raymond, and Lack’s dark side

October 26, 2013. 8:58 am

Jason Botchford

Hat trick: A good month for Gillis, Santorelli > Raymond, and Lacks dark side

1. In parts, the road trip worked something like an indictment of GM Mike Gillis.

The Mt Rushmore of Gillis’s most controversial trades were neatly highlighted when the Canucks scratched David Booth and visited Cody Hodgson in Buffalo, Michael Grabner on Long Island, and Cory Schneider in Jersey.

Lost in a blizzard of hoopla generated by revisiting those deals during the past couple of weeks is that Gillis has had a very good start to this season.

The players are rallying around his new coach, who has managed to give his stale core a new car smell.

He planned this year to keep some cap space for the start of the season to pluck from the waiver wire, and uncorked a good find in defenceman Ryan Stanton.

Sure, Stanton and Kevin Bieksa had a tough night in St. Louis, getting creamed at even strength. He was on the ice for two shots for and seven against. But overall, Stanton has been a rock as a No. 6 and that hasn’t been easy to find.

We’ll get to Mike Santorelli later but he’s developed into a significant contributor in the top six, and he’s cheap, cheap, cheap.

Brad Richardson has been an effective penalty killer and scored some goals, which is allowing people to overlook his cold garbage Corsi.

Gillis also had the money to take Jeremy Welsh off Carolina’s hands. He has been effective and, oh by the way, the Hurricanes are picking up 40% of his salary.

Not bad.

Now for Gillis to turn this into a great year of managing, he still needs to add an impactful forward, notably at centre.

2. Gillis signed Santorelli to a two-way deal, suggesting he didn’t have any idea he’d go out and put up nine points in his first 13 games.

Sometimes you need luck and Gillis got some with the way Santorelli is playing the first month of the season.

He’s a waterbug with a puck who won the game against the Devils with his shootout move, and followed it up with a leading pass into the slot to Kesler in St. Louis which was a beauty.

I don’t know if Santorelli is really this good or how long he can sustain it.

But I do know he can do all the stuff you wanted from Mason Raymond. The stuff on the boards and around the net. He has, in fact, been a significant improvement on the Falling-down One, no matter how many goals Raymond has scored with the Leafs.

Santorelli is quite the gadget for John Tortorella and his play, holding serve on the second line against opponents just about nightly, is the reason the coach has been able to load up the top line, playing Ryan Kesler with the Sedins.

“It’s probably something the prior coaching staff didn’t have,” Tortorella said of Santorelli. “Everytime we talk about him, from Day 1 and his testing to right now, he’s probably been our most consistent guy.

“He’s being put into a lot of different situations.”

High praise for a guy who came out of nowhere. OK, Winnipeg and Florida. But close enough.

3. Eddie Lack is on pace to play 19 games this year, which is right where the Canucks want him to be.

Winning games like Friday’s against the Blues goes a long way.

Lack didn’t face an incredible test of scoring chances, but that shouldn’t take away from his game. The two goals he gave up were on the power play and he would have had the second if his stick didn’t get caught as he swept through the crease to try and make the save.

I liked the sequence in the second when he made a toe stop on a Brenden Morrow slapper and then stoned Jordan Leopold on the crease’s porch when Leopold got a handle on the rebound.

I also liked his aggression in the third when he went Dan Cloutier for a moment, tossing blocker punches.

I’ve always known Lack to be a “happy happy” player, who is friendly, grounded, funny and humble. I don’t know many guys who would be hanging with the Legion of Blog playing video games and eating Greek food.

But that was nothing for Lack. I hadn’t really seen this aggressive side, or this arrogant side Tortorella was going on about after the game because every time I see him he has a smile from here to Buenos Aires.

Suppose he must have a darker side in the locker room and on the ice where he talks about biting the heads of bats, and opponents.

“The thing is, not only has he played well, he has a nice arrogance about him,” Tortorella said. ”I think teams play off their goalie, especially their backup … He is steady and I think our team feeds off that.”

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.27.2013

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