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SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEFNHL 3/14/2013

Anaheim Ducks663247 Ducks' Corey Perry suspended four games by NHL663248 Ducks' Corey Perry is suspended four games for hit on

Jason Zucker663249 NHL hits Ducks' Perry with four-game suspension663250 Goalie coach enjoys brief NHL ride with Ducks

Boston Bruins663251 Bruins’ top line missing its mark663252 Bruins’ Chris Kelly out indefinitely with broken tibia663253 Chris Kelly diagnosed with broken left tibia663254 Bruins suffer tough losses663255 Brad Marchand’s recipe: Sugar and salt663256 Bruins center Chris Kelly has broken leg

Buffalo Sabres663257 Sabres have value in seller’s market663258 Around the rink: No white smoke at FNC, more thoughts on

Torts' postgame rant

Calgary Flames663259 Game Story: Calgary Flames 5, Detroit Red Wings 2663260 Johnson: Kiprusoff pulls out his superhero cape to save

Flames663261 Coach Babcock fuming over Red Wings’ collapse663262 Flames answer critics with 5-2 bounce-back win over Detroit

Red Wings663263 Iginla, mates trying to block out trade rumours, talk of

Flames’ demise663264 Flames defenceman producing points663265 Flames beat Red Wings 5-2663266 Flames try to put aside trade talk663267 Flames' Iginla shakes off trade hubbub663268 Iggy and Flames trying to quiet trade rumours

Carolina Hurricanes663269 Once Canes teammates, Tlusty, Kaberle on different paths

Chicago Blackhawks663270 Youngster Saad living up to his nickname for Hawks663271 Hayes joins Blackhawks' second line663272 AHL call-up Jimmy Hayes gets big shot with Blackhawks663273 Coach Q finds it’s not easy to replace Sharp663274 Hawks ready to hit the reset button663275 Stalberg, Shaw, Bickell together again

Colorado Avalanche663276 Milan Hejduk returns to Avs' practice, will play Thursday663277 Colorado Avalanche's David Jones on Ryan O'Reilly's line

now663278 Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild preview

Columbus Blue Jackets663279 Jackets riding red-hot Bobrovsky663280 Blue Jackets notebook: Game against Blackhawks could be

last as division foe663281 Blue Jackets, Blackhawks at a glance663282 Anisimov on the mend

Dallas Stars663283 Jamie Benn, Brenden Morrow duo could miss Stars' second

straight game663284 Heika: With Ray Whitney finally healthy, Stars fans will see

who the 40-year-old winger is for the first time663285 Thursday Preview: With Jamie Benn likely out of lineup,

Stars will need to find someone to match up with Anahe663286 Dallas Stars still require patience, but time to learn lessons

running out this season663287 GameDay: Anaheim Duck at Dallas Stars

Detroit Red Wings663288 Ex-Red Wings goalie Joey MacDonald happy for opportunity

with Flames663289 Red Wings' Jonas Gustavsson to start; Jordin Tootoo may

be healthy scratch vs. Flames663290 Calgary 5, Detroit Red Wings 2: Mike Babcock calls it 'a

disturbing loss'663291 Red Wings' Darren Helm (back) could return as soon as next

week663292 Jordin Tootoo scratched from Red Wings' lineup: 'I haven't

been up to par'663293 Red Wings have 35-to-1 odds of winning Stanley Cup663294 Flames' third-period barrage buries Red Wings663295 Red Wings' Jordin Tootoo scratched against Flames; Ian

White expected to return for practice Thursday663296 Former Red Wings backup goalie Joey MacDonald fitting in

well with Flames, who get assist from Jiri Hudler663297 Jimmy Howard has the flu, so Jonas Gustavsson starts for

Red Wings; Jordin Tootoo is healthy scratch663298 Injured Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm feels better

in more ways than one these days663299 Red Wings making progress in contract talks with Jimmy

Howard, could have long-term deal soon663300 Red Wings make 'crazy mistakes for no reason' during

third-period meltdown in ugly loss to Flames663301 Flames score three unanswered goals in third period to beat

Red Wings, shaky Jonas Gustavsson, 5-2

Edmonton Oilers663302 Simple plan works well for Edmonton Oilers663303 Edmonton Oilers aim to make a statement at Rexall Place

after long road trip663304 Edmonton Oilers put Ben Eager on waivers663305 Oilers finish nine-game road trip with back-to-back wins663306 Edmonton Oilers place Ben Eager on waivers663307 Edmonton Oilers happy to have captain Shawn Horcoff back

in the lineup663308 Edmonton Oilers keep the cleverness in check to turn

around road trip fortunes663309 Edmonton Oilers still in the mix663310 Despite back-to-back wins, Edmonton Oilers still have an

uphill slog to make the playoffs

Florida Panthers663311 Florida Panthers making practice time pay off663312 Slow starts dooming last-place Panthers

Los Angeles Kings663313 Kings' Jeff Carter is quick on the draw663314 Waking up with the Kings: March 13

Minnesota Wild663315 Veteran defenseman Brett Clark signs with Wild663316 Sources: Wild signs veteran defenseman Brett Clark663317 Reusse: Wild's less-heralded rookie Brodin is thriving in NHL663318 Wild owner Leipold sees a title, and hopes it's soon663319 Minnesota Wild: Defenseman Brett Clark adds 'experience

and poise'663320 Minnesota Wild: Jason Zucker back on ice day after taking

late hit

Montreal Canadiens663321 Youngsters lead way in Habs shootout win over Senators663322 Dave Stubbs: One of Eller's best efforts as a Hab663323 In the Room: 'Eller was phenomenal'663324 Eller salvages shootout win over Senators663325 Geoffrion considering retirement after serious injury663326 Lehner back in net to face Habs663327 Canadiens prospect Mac Bennett growing at University of

Michigan

Nashville Predators663328 Predators trying to cope with mounting injuries663329 Nashville Predators have been cold away from home ice663330 Western Conference update663331 Preview: Predators at Vancouver Canucks663332 Josh Cooper's hat trick663333 Rinne looks to shake off this season's shootout woes

New Jersey Devils663334 Henrique scores twice as Devils down Flyers, 5-2663335 Devils sign top prospect Reid Boucher to entry-level contract663336 Devils can damage Flyers' playoff hopes with home-and-home sweep663337 Slumping Devils winger David Clarkson still on pace to score

18 goals663338 Devils: Patrik Elias, Travis Zajac sit out morning skate663339 Devils' Krys Barch says Danny Briere apologized after hit

from behind663340 Devils notes: Martin Brodeur skates for second straight day663341 Devils snap offensive slump with 5-2 win over Flyers663342 Devils whip Flyers as Henrique, Hedberg shine663343 Goal-oriented Devils beat Flyers

New York Islanders663344 In tense drive for playoff spot, Islanders' Tavares tries to stay

calm

New York Rangers663345 Tortorella’s (Latest) Greatest Rant663346 John Tortorella's latest rant doesn't upset NY Rangers, who

complete energetic practice day before Winnipeg Je663347 Rangers coach turns page after loss to Sabres — sort of663348 Rangers start road trip with 3-1 loss to Sabres663349 Rangers, Sabres let go of past663350 Andrew Gross: Rangers' Marian Gaborik a poor fit663352 Rangers at Jets tonight (8 p.m. start)

Ottawa Senators663353 Comeback comes up short663354 MacLean says he has ‘no idea’ about report claiming Spezza

setback663355 Ottawa Senators drop second-straight shootout with 4-3 loss

to Montreal Canadiens663356 Ottawa Senators excited for addition of physical Matt

Kassian663357 Ottawa Senators in no rush to deal663358 New addition Kassian a ‘guy with a lot of passion’

Philadelphia Flyers663359 Flyers come out flat in loss to Devils663360 Luke Schenn late scratch against New Jersey663361 Flyers' Timonen nears (birthday) NHL milestone663362 Flyers Notes: Flyers' Kimmo Timonen nearing 1,000th NHL

game663363 It's familiar but different for Flyers' Simon Gagne663364 Another disappointing loss for Flyers663365 Flyers hit bottom; change coming?663366 GM mum after NHL-worst 15th regulation loss663367 Players say it's do or die vs. Devils663368 Flyers Pre-Game: Grand old defenseman Timonen rolling

along663369 Ilya Bryzgalov says Flyers have to be twice as ready for

Devils663370 Flyers Scoop: Gagne’s line trying to spark French revolution663371 Flyers flattened by Devils663372 Flyers: Timonen excited about being on verge of joining

1,000-game club663373 Timonen excited about upcoming milestone663374 Flyers' latest slump could lead to big changes

Phoenix Coyotes663375 Phoenix Coyotes' Shane Doan producing in second half663376 Phoenix Coyotes’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson is elevating his

game663377 Boedker's big night leads to Coyotes win

Pittsburgh Penguins663378 Letang’s natural ability gives Penguins added boost663379 Penguins notebook: Eaton providing team with quality

minutes since return663380 Starkey: Shero’s trades defy belief663381 Orpik might use visor for first time tonight663382 Improved team defense pays off

San Jose Sharks663383 Struggling San Jose Sharks play next two games against

L.A. Kings663384 Purdy: Darryl Sutter not changed by Stanley Cup success663385 Irwin showing his shoot-first mentality

St Louis Blues663386 Oshie day to day, probably won't play against Phoenix;

Tarasenko progressing663387 Oshie sued over pets' penthouse damage663388 Blues-Coyotes matchup box663389 Strauss: A unique situation in a unique season663390 Injury-riddled Blues try to manage adversity by managing the

puck663391 Injured Blues forward Oshie listed as doubtful for Thursday's

game

Tampa Bay Lightning663392 Lindback's play picks up since return in net for Lightning663393 Tampa Bay Lightning outshot 39-13 but beat Panthers663394 Tampa Bay Lightning notes: Physical Gudas makes NHL

debut663395 Tampa Bay Lightning D Radko Gudas says "I hope he's

okay" after hit on Florida's Kris Versteeg663396 Lightning seeks more shots

Toronto Maple Leafs663397 Carlyle facing key questions over Grabovski, Gardiner as

Leafs hit skids663398 Mirtle: Why the Leafs should #FreeJakeGardiner663399 Carlyle says simply: Gardiner will be up when he is ready ...

and no sooner663400 Leafs' Lupul says he's 'ready'663401 Agent's tweet sets back Jake Gardiner663402 Leafs' Kadri keeping an eye on Crosby663403 One year later, Leafs are in a familiar position663404 Jake Gardiner’s agent makes life a little more complicated

for Leafs defenceman after

Vancouver Canucks663405 Canucks hopeful Steve Pinizzotto sees NHL opportunity

finally knocking663406 Canucks Hat Trick: Gallagher proposes provincial David

Booth lottery. If he ever scores, think of the exciteme663407 Canucks hope to get a charge out of Pinizzotto663408 Gallagher: As far as refs are concerned, it's open season on

Burrows

Washington Capitals663409 One-timers: Carolina senses Capitals’ struggles, trying to

knock them out of division race663410 Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom: Caps’ dynamic duo

should reunite663411 Capitals begin preparations for Carolina rematch (updated)663412 Michal Neuvirth will start in net Thursday against Carolina663413 Maria Kirilenko, Alex Ovechkin haven’t set wedding date663414 Capitals’ Southeast Division chances in balance in

Hurricanes rematch663415 Capitals notes: Michal Neuvirth to make first start since Feb.

7663416 Capitals' dire situation tough to forget

Websites663429 ESPN / Rich Clune fighting a bigger battle663430 ESPN / Eyeing playoffs, Jets set sights on Rangers663431 ESPN / Need to know: Adversity coming for Ducks663432 ESPN / NHL, Sochi talks continue663433 ESPN / Blake Geoffrion, 25, mulls retirement663436 USA TODAY / Things to know about Wednesday's NHL

games663437 USA TODAY / Ducks' Corey Perry suspended for four

games

Winnipeg Jets663417 Jets recall Patrice Cormier from IceCaps663418 Cormier up from farm following Slater injury663419 Rallying around Thorburn after scrap shows tight team663420 Noel won't commit on Burmi's return663421 Wellwood a small wonder663422 Jets vow not to slip up663423 Kyle Wellwood making most of opportunity since returning to

Winnipeg Jets lineup663424 Lots of fight in Winnipeg Jets scrapper Chris Thorburn663425 Winnipeg Jets need to keep foot on pedal against Rangers663426 Burmistrov wants back into Winnipeg Jets lineup663427 Winnipeg Jets winger James Wright on right track to end

goal drought663428 Winnipeg Jets lose Jim Slater, recall Patrice CormierSPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129

663247 Anaheim Ducks

Ducks' Corey Perry suspended four games by NHL

By Helene Elliott

1:49 PM PDT, March 13, 2013

Ducks right wing Corey Perry on Wednesday was suspended four games without pay by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety as punishment for a hit that injured Minnesota forward Jason Zucker Tuesday night in St. Paul, Minn.

Perry will lose $115,135.12, which will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund. He previously was suspended by the NHL four years ago, so he is not considered a repeat offender within the prescribed 18-month period. Had he been judged a repeat offender, the suspension would have been longer.

Zucker, clearly dazed after being driven into the boards by Perry, had to be helped off the ice and did not return. However, he was able to skate on Wednesday.

Rob Blake of the Department of Player Safety, narrating the league’s explanatory video (see above), called the hit by Perry “a late, illegal check.” He also said Perry delivered the hit “nearly a full second” after Zucker had released the puck and that Perry made “significant contact” with Zucker’s head. Perry got a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct. Despite losing Perry, the Ducks rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Wild.

Blake said that although players must be aware of their surroundings and possible hits, “It is perfectly reasonable that Zucker should no longer expect to be hit this long after possession.” Blake also said he accepted Perry’s assertion that there was no malice behind the hit but said Perry could have held up. “He does recklessly make significant contact to the head of a player who was ineligible to be checked,” Blake said.

The Ducks next play at Dallas and St. Louis before returning home to face San Jose and Chicago. Perry will be eligible to return on March 22 against Detroit.

LA Times: LOADED: 03.14.2013


Ducks' Corey Perry is suspended four games for hit on Jason Zucker

By Helene Elliott

March 13, 2013, 8:44 p.m.

Ducks right wing Corey Perry was suspended four games without pay by the NHL Wednesday after delivering a hit that injured Minnesota forward Jason Zucker Tuesday night in St. Paul, Minn.

Perry, with nine goals and 15 assists this season, will lose $115,135, which will go to the Players' Emergency Assistance Fund, and he'll miss the Ducks' anticipated March 20 home game against Western Conference leader Chicago.

"Although I'm disappointed in the decision, I accept it and move on," Perry said. "I will continue to support my teammates and look forward to getting back on the ice on March 22 against Detroit."

Perry, who was suspended by the NHL four years ago, is not considered a repeat offender within the prescribed 18-month period. Had he been judged a repeat offender, the suspension would have been longer.

Zucker, clearly dazed after being driven into the boards by Perry, had to be helped off the ice and did not return. He was able to skate Wednesday.

Rob Blake of the NHL's department of player safety called the hit by Perry "a late, illegal check."

He said Perry delivered the hit "nearly a full second" after Zucker had released the puck and that Perry made "significant contact" with Zucker's head. Perry got a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct. Despite losing Perry, the Ducks rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Wild.

Blake said that although players must be aware of their surroundings and possible hits, "It is perfectly reasonable that Zucker should no longer expect to be hit this long after possession."

Blake also said he accepted Perry's assertion that there was no malice behind the hit but said Perry could have held up.

"He does recklessly make significant contact to the head of a player who was ineligible to be checked," Blake said.

The Ducks (19-3-3) play at Dallas on Thursday and St. Louis on Saturday before returning home to face San Jose and the Blackhawks.

DUCKS AT DALLAS

When: 5:30 p.m.

Where: American Airlines Center.

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

Record vs. Stars: 0-1.

Etc.: Ducks goaltender Viktor Fasth (upper-body injury) is day to day and his ability to play on Thursday will be established after the morning practice skate, a club official said.



NHL hits Ducks' Perry with four-game suspension

posted by ERIC STEPHENS

FARMERS BRANCH, Texas – The NHL put Corey Perry on ice Wednesday, dealing the Ducks' star winger a four-game suspension for his violent hit Tuesday on Minnesota rookie Jason Zucker.

Perry had a morning telephone hearing with Brendan Shanahan, the NHL's senior vice president of hockey operations and player safety, to state his case. The winger later took part in the Ducks' practice session at the rink just outside Dallas.

It is a significant loss for the Ducks, though they are better able to absorb his absence with their 19-3-3 record and 11-point lead in the Pacific Division. A potential unrestricted free agent this summer, Perry is second on the team with nine goals and 24 points.

for a video of the hit and the NHL's explanation of the discipline

Perry, who will not be eligible to return until March 22 at home against Detroit, will lose $115,135.12 in salary, which will go to the players' Emergency Assistance Fund.

"Although I'm disappointed in the decision, I accept it and move on," Perry said. "I will continue to support my teammates and look forward to getting back on the ice March 22 against Detroit."

The incident took place at 4:21 of the second period when Perry caught Zucker with a big hit that left the winger on the ice for a few minutes. Perry was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct.

Rob Blake, the NHL's hockey operations manager and top Shanahan lieutenant, explained the reasoning for the suspension in a league-produced video, calling it a "late, illegal check."

"As the video shows, after Zucker reverses the puck to his defenseman, Perry continues on his path and hits the Minnesota winger nearly a full second after he released the puck, making signinfcant contact with Zucker’s head," Blake said.

"Furthermore, although all plays develop quickly, Perry has enough time to avoid this violent check or at the very least minimize it more significantly."

Before the ruling came down, Perry said he felt he made a strong case to Shanahan to avoid supplementary discipline or lessen the amount levied.

"I had my feelings on it," Perry said. "I thought they were pretty significant. The game's played at a high speed. It's not played in slow motion. That's the way I was looking at it. It's a reaction."

In the video, Blake said the league accepted Perry's assertion "that there's no malicious intent to hit Zucker's head, the fact remains he does recklessly make signinfcant contact to the head of a player who was ineligible to be checked."

Blake also noted that while all player need to be aware of their surroundings on the ice, "it is perfectly reasonable that Zucker should no longer expect to be hit this long after possession."

It is the second suspension of Perry's career. His action during the Ducks' 2-1 victory over the Wild on Tuesday night led to some discipline from the league. It's unclear if he was deemed a repeat offender since his other suspension took place four years ago.

Perry sat for four games in 2009 after delivering an elbow to the head of Philadelphia's Claude Giroux.

After practice, Perry said he was glad to hear that Zucker was able to skate with the Wild on Wednesday.

"It’s great news," Perry said. "You don't like seeing anybody hurt. If I was in that position, you want to get back as quickly as possible. And hopefully he can.

"I’m not a person to go out there and hurt people and hope that they're out for a while. I hope he gets back and playing right away."

Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.14.2013


Goalie coach enjoys brief NHL ride with Ducks

posted by ERIC STEPHENS

ST. PAUL, Minn. — As he sat on the bench at Xcel Energy Center wearing an official Ducks sweater with his name on it, Zach Sikich secretly hoped for any way that his brief gig as an NHL goalie would be stretched out.

The national anthem was sung, and the Ducks began their game against the Minnesota Wild. It wasn't hard to notice Sikich, who was wearing his baby blue pads.

Summoned by the Ducks because the Viktor Fasth was injured during the morning skate and they couldn't get Jeff Deslauriers to the arena until right at game time, the 32-year-old Sikich was having the time of his life.

"Coach (Bruce) Boudreau just wanted to give me a heads-up that there's a chance that I possibly may not be there the whole game," Sikich said. "He told me that. So I was like, 'Man, I'd like for the puck to drop at least.'

"Once the puck dropped, I'm like, 'All right'. Then I got the nod from the equipment guy once the goal was under review. That's when I scooted my way off the bench. I was hoping I could stay the whole game. The first period was good."

Just like that, Sikich's NHL career was over. For his trouble, the Minneapolis resident and native of suburban Eveleth was paid $500 and received his very slightly used game sweater with his name on the back — and an experience to last a lifetime.

"That's the coolest part," he said. "Having an NHL jersey with Sikich on the back. More than anything, that's all I wanted. That's the cool thing.

"It's really cool to have that jersey. I'll frame it and put it in my office. I'll be able to tell a story."

David McNab, the Ducks' senior vice president of hockey operations, reached out to Sikich on Tuesday afternoon after it was apparent that Fasth could not go. He knew of him after bringing Sikich to practice last season to give an overworked Jonas Hiller a day off.

Sikich played for the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede and then in college at the University of St. Thomas before a nomadic pro career with these teams: the Motor City Mechanics, Danbury Trashers, Fort Wayne Komets, Jacksonville Barracudas, Quad City Mallards and Elmira Jackals.

There were also two games spent in the ECHL with the Long Beach Ice Dogs and five with the Phoenix Roadrunners back in 2005-06, his high-water mark as a pro.

"Last year, I got a call from the team and the guys, they wanted me to practice," Sikich said. "It was the night before, so I had a little time to prep. Today, I think I got a call about noon to 12:30. (McNab) said there might be a chance so just hang tight.

"I told them I’d clear my schedule and make sure it happened. I got the call about 1:30 and got the contract sent over. There was some urgency in that I had to get the contract back."

And so suddenly the former player put aside his day job running his ProHybrid Training system (prohybridtraining.com) for young goalie hopefuls. Sikich has been involved in that as well as instructional camps in and outside of Minnesota since his junior year in college.

Every moment was savored, and each one brought back memories.

"I remember just coming to the rink with a suit and tie on," he said. "I got down here and got in the locker room. From being a pro athlete and playing college hockey, the preparation is really the cool part. The routine.

"Once the puck drops, everything happens so fast. You won't think about that stuff. But what I do remember is the preparation, the routines. Taping the stick and looking at the rink. That was the real cool part."

Boudreau joked afterward that his plan was to get him in, but a close 2-1 win over Minnesota ruined that.

"My dream was to have a 5-0 lead and play him for the last 20 seconds to give him the thrill of his life," Boudreau said. "I didn't think that was going to happen."

Right now, Sikick mostly works with pee wee and bantam-level players but also serves as a part-time coach with his old Stampede team. He excitedly talks about prospect Charlie Lindgren, a 19-year-old whom he believes will be drafted in June, and hopes to become a goalie coach in the NHL.

But there will be nothing that can duplicate the best part of his 15 minutes of fame.

"Everyone was really awesome," he said. "Teemu (Selanne) and some of the veterans and Jonas remembered me. They said, 'Hey it's good to have you back.' That means a lot. There was a lot of positive energy with this team. I wish them the best as well."

Orange County Register: LOADED: 03.14.2013

663251 Boston Bruins

Bruins’ top line missing its mark

By Fluto Shinzawa

This story is from BostonGlobe.com, the only place for complete digital access to the Globe.

Claude Julien still refers to Milan Lucic, David Krejci, and Nathan Horton as his first line. But lately, the three have been first-liners in name only.

In Tuesday’s 3-2 giveaway to Pittsburgh, Lucic didn’t put a single puck on Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Krejci recorded one shot in 16:18 of ice time. Horton landed two shots. The three forwards were on the ice for both of Brandon Sutter’s third-period goals.

“For some reason, our top line was overpassing and we weren’t getting any shots on net,” the Bruins coach said after the loss. “It was hard to create more offense after we took that 2-0 lead. In the third period, it was about playing our best period. We had to go out there and not sit on our heels.”

In the last 12 games, Patrice Bergeron’s line has carried the offense. Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and Tyler Seguin have combined for 16 goals and 26 assists. Against Pittsburgh, Bergeron and Marchand assisted on Seguin’s net-front first-period strike. Earlier in the first, Bergeron set a screen on Zdeno Chara’s power-play goal. The three forwards have been dynamic offensively and thorough in their own end.

The same cannot be said about Krejci & Co. During the same 12-game stretch, the power line has totaled 6 goals and 13 assists. Lucic has only one goal in his last 13 games. Horton has found the back of the net just once in his last 10 games.

Krejci has not been as silent as his wingmen. Against Ottawa Monday, Krejci set up Daniel Paille’s goal with a long-distance pass to the streaking winger. Krejci also netted the winning goal in the shootout when he went upstairs on Robin Lehner.

Krejci had a four-game scoring streak (1-4—5) halted Tuesday, but he is not at his best when centering two ghosts.

“We needed to do more, put more at the net, and have more guys going to the net,” Lucic said. “That’s the way that, for us, we get most of our offense. You need everyone to step up and produce. Unfortunately, we didn’t have that.”

When Lucic and Horton skate swiftly and play north-south hockey, few defensemen can handle their size and speed. Their straight-line, smashmouth style, combined with Krejci’s creativity, made them the team’s best offensive forwards when the green flag dropped on the season.

But Lucic and Horton don’t have their good legs. The line hasn’t managed the puck efficiently. They are chasing the game instead of controlling its pace.

If Krejci’s line continues to misfire, opponents will blanket Marchand, Bergeron, and Seguin even more.

The Bruins need more offensive presence from Krejci’s threesome. With Chris Kelly sidelined indefinitely, the third line has been diminished offensively. Against Pittsburgh, Rich Peverley centered Jay Pandolfo and Jordan Caron.

It shouldn’t be so difficult for Lucic and Horton to re-fire their engines. They play a simple game: chip pucks ahead, apply their legs and muscle on the forecheck, find openings down low. Currently, that’s proving easier said than done.

In the market

The Bruins have lost three times in the last nine days after holding multi-goal leads in the third period: to Montreal, Washington, and Pittsburgh. Those fades underscore a need for teamwide defensive bolstering.

It’s likely that the Bruins will look to upgrade their blue line via the trade market prior to the April 3 deadline. Their ideal target would be a left-shot top-four defenseman.

If the Bruins stick to the formula they’ve used the last two seasons, the coaching staff will reunite Chara and Dennis Seidenberg. This season, the Bruins have paired Chara and Seidenberg for certain situations, including on the penalty kill and late in games. Last year, Chara and Seidenberg were reunited on March 17, 2012, and stayed together through the playoffs.

Johnny Boychuk, Chara’s current partner, would slide to the No. 2 pairing. Andrew Ference could move up to play alongside Boychuk. But Ference is most effective on the third duo.

One possibility for an acquisition would be Mark Streit. The Islanders captain will be an unrestricted free agent at year’s end. The Bruins considered signing Streit in 2008 before he came to terms with the Islanders. The left-shot Streit has four goals and 10 assists while averaging a team-high 25:10 of ice time per game.

Streit would command a steep price. Interest around the league in the smooth-moving defenseman is high. The Bruins would most likely have to part with picks and prospects to outbid other contenders.

Killer stuff

The Bruins went 4 for 4 on the penalty kill against Pittsburgh and overall are killing at a 92.6 percent rate, tops in the league. They survived a 65-second five-on-three power play with Bergeron and Gregory Campbell, two of their regular penalty killers, in the box. Even while two men down, they played the puck aggressively to limit Pittsburgh’s looks . . . The Bruins had a day off Wednesday after returning from Pittsburgh early in the morning . . . Bergeron has been serving as the net-front presence on the No. 2 power-play unit, a new position for him. The center has usually been at the point, the left-side half-boards, or on the goal line. Bergeron screened Fleury effectively on Chara’s power-play goal.

Boston Globe LOADED: 03.14.2013


Bruins’ Chris Kelly out indefinitely with broken tibia

By Fluto Shinzawa

This story is from BostonGlobe.com, the only place for complete digital access to the Globe.

On Monday, in the town where he played most of his NHL games, Chris Kelly suffered the most significant injury of his career.

The Bruins center broke his left tibia at 0:42 of the second period of the Bruins’ 3-2 shootout win over the Senators at Ottawa’s Scotiabank Place.

Kelly is out indefinitely. The severity of the break is unknown. The Bruins have not said whether he will require surgery.

Kelly, 32, was hurt when he collided with former Senators teammate Chris Neil. The Ottawa bruiser banged his left knee into Kelly’s leg. Neil said it was an accident, a sentiment shared by Bruins coach Claude Julien.

Kelly traveled with the Bruins to Pittsburgh Monday; at the time, the team had not determined the nature of the injury because of swelling.

In eight NHL seasons, Kelly has missed only 10 games because of injury. This year, he has 2 goals and 4 assists in 23 games. Kelly has been the No. 3 center and one of six regular penalty-killing forwards.

The Bruins have not recalled a center from Providence. On Tuesday against Pittsburgh, Rich Peverley replaced Kelly as the third-line center.

Peverley is a natural center who is comfortable taking faceoffs and killing penalties, two of Kelly’s assets. The Bruins are carrying one extra forward in Lane MacDermid.

The Bruins had been seeking a third-line upgrade prior to Kelly’s injury. They are hoping to land Carl Soderberg following the forward’s playoff run with Linkoping of the Swedish Elite League. They could also look for help via the trade market.end of story marker



Chris Kelly diagnosed with broken left tibia

Posted by Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff March 13, 2013 04:49 PM

Chris Kelly is out indefinitely because of a broken left tibia. Kelly suffered the injury in the second period of Monday’s 3-2 shootout win over Ottawa.

The injury took place when Kelly collided with former Ottawa teammate Chris Neil. Kelly needed help getting off the ice, placing little weight on his left leg.

Team doctors had to wait until swelling subsided to diagnose Kelly with the injury.

The Bruins have yet to recall a center to replace Kelly. Rich Peverley centered the third line in last night’s 3-2 loss to Pittsburgh. The Bruins are carrying one extra forward.

Kelly has two goals and four assists in 23 games. This is the most significant injury of Kelly’s career. The Bruins have not said whether Kelly will require surgery.



Bruins suffer tough losses

Stephen Harris / Boston Herald

The Bruins were six-plus minutes away from a special victory Tuesday night in Pittsburgh.

But, oh, what a ghastly few minutes followed.

Instead of nailing down a win that would have established them as the favorites in the Eastern Conference, the B’s flew home dejected and frustrated after quickly frittering away a two-goal lead and dropping a 3-2 stunner to the Penguins.

The Bruins had a day off yesterday to lick their wounds, physical and/or psychological, and will get back at it tonight at the Garden against the Florida Panthers.

Then late yesterday, the team issued bad news regarding Chris Kelly, who suffered a broken leg on a hit delivered by the Senators’ Chris Neil on Monday night in Ottawa. Kelly’s injury was not thought to be terribly severe, but general manager Peter Chiarelli announced that the center, “will be out indefinitely after breaking his left tibia.”

Assuming six weeks to heal a fracture, the 32-year-old would return just before the end of the 48-game regular season. The injury marks the first real bit of bad news this season for the Bruins, who, much like in the 2010-11 Stanley Cup season, have stayed healthy.

The team is fairly well-equipped to absorb the absence of Kelly, a player whose performance had improved recently following a sub-par start to the season. In 23 games, he posted just two goals and four assists, and was a minus-6, after scoring a career-best 20 goals last season and putting up a plus-33.

Rich Peverley slid over from the right wing into Kelly’s third-line center role from against the Penguins. Peverley picked up an assist and won 10-of-13 faceoffs in the game.

As bad as Tuesday’s loss was, the Bruins still reached the midpoint of their season with a record of 17-4-3, good for fifth-best in the NHL. And they know they still haven’t played their best hockey. There is plenty of room for upgrades, individually and collectively, during the 24-game sprint to the postseason.

It would be an easy explanation to say the Bruins ran out of gas late in Tuesday’s game. The B’s had, after all, played in Ottawa the night before and traveled to Pittsburgh, while the Penguins were off.

That might be reasonable if the B’s had merely suffered a sudden, late collapse, leading to the three Pens goals in a 4:15 span late in the third period. But in truth, as excellent as the Bruins were in claiming a 2-0 lead in the game’s opening 13:30, their play began to deteriorate almost immediately afterward.

Patrice Bergeron didn’t buy the fatigue argument, and the center hoped no one in the B’s room was trying to sell it.

“There’s nothing you can control,” Bergeron said. “That’s your schedule. I hope it’s not an excuse, because obviously we’re going to go through that (back-to-back games against rested foes) a lot more the rest of the year. It’s about finding a way. I don’t think it was about the energy. It was our approach to the last 20 (minutes).”

Indeed, the B’s played most of the final period back on their heels and trying to hang on to the lead. Such an approach usually doesn’t work against the weakest of teams, let alone the super-talented Penguins. If not for the fine play of backup goalie Anton Khudobin, the Penguins would have taken control of the outcome much earlier.

“He did a pretty remarkable job,” Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma said of Khudobin. “Luckily we were able to push through, because with the performance he was giving in net it looked like we might not be able to get one.”

It was a great victory for the Penguins and a potential crusher for the Bruins, who have to bounce back quickly tonight against the Panthers.

Florida lost, 3-2, at home Tuesday night to the Tampa Bay Lightning and occupied the 30th and last spot in the overall league standings entering last night. The Panthers have allowed a league-high 101 goals.

The B’s host the Washington Capitals, who rank next-to-last in the league, on Saturday afternoon, before returning to Pittsburgh for a Sunday matinee.

Boston Herald LOADED: 03.14.2013


Brad Marchand’s recipe: Sugar and salt

Steve Conroy / Boston Herald

If you want to know where Brad Marchand gets his competitive attitude, you only have to go to the family tree.

Raymond Marchand, Brad’s grandfather, was a couple of inches smaller than the Bruins forward, but that never kept him from making his presence felt, either on the hockey rink or in the boxing ring.

“He was only 5-foot-7, but he was tough as nails. It didn’t matter how big a person was, if you challenged him, you were going down. It’s just the way it was,” said Kevin Marchand, Raymond’s son and Brad’s father, who coached his son in Halifax, Nova Scotia as a Pee Wee and Bantam. “If you underestimated his strength, that’s when he’d catch you off guard, that’s when he’d catch you. And that’s what they tend to do with Brad. They underestimate his strength, his ability, his balance. And therefore, he can get the upper hand on you.”

Staying edgy

While Marchand is proving he can have the hands of an angel, it’s still that wee bit of devil in his blood that keeps his motor running. Raymond Marchand passed away in 2006 not long before the Bruins selected Brad with the 71st overall pick, but his fingerprints are still all over his grandson’s game and outlook.

“(Raymond) always taught my Dad to be a tougher guy and he’s always taught me to be gritty and to work hard and that’s always been a model that they’ve passed down through the family,” said the 24-year-old Marchand. “It’s a good trait to have. It’s gotten me to where I am.”

But this year, Marchand is getting recognized for his abundant skill, as much as the in-your-face swagger that has always been — and will always be — his calling card, even after scoring 28 goals last year. Though he’s cooled off a bit in the goal-scoring department lately, Marchand is still leading the Bruins with 12 (team-leading four game-winners and an impressive plus-16) while skating on a line with Patrice Bergeron and Tyler Seguin.

Balancing act

Finding the right balance of salt and sugar in his game has been an ongoing process for Marchand. Not that the B’s were unhappy with his game last year, evidenced by the four-year, $18 million contract that GM Peter Chiarelli handed him last summer. But in the exit interviews after his strong sophomore season, Chiarelli suggested that he continue to look for the right balance.

“In the normal maturation process, he’ll find that line,” said Chiarelli. “Play your natural game with your experience and hockey sense, you’ll find that line. But don’t force the issue. It wasn’t about telling him to dial it back or anything, it was about letting the natural progression happen. Don’t try to force it, one way or another.”

It was nothing like the exit meeting he had with Marchand following the 2009-10 season, after the Providence call-up managed just one assist in 20 games. Chiarelli conceded that it was the one and only time he harbored some doubts that Marchand would blossom into a top-six forward. Chiarelli suggested to Marchand that he come back next year ready to scrap on the fourth line and, if they got 10 goals from him, the club would be happy.

That’s when Marchand famously told the GM and coach Claude Julien that he was going to score 20. It sounds like a typically cocky boast from Marchand. In reality, he admits now that prediction was more desperation than chutzpah. He was worried he’d gotten his chance and blown it.

“At that point,” said Marchand, “I was a little nervous that I hadn’t secured a spot and I was willing to say whatever I had to say for them to believe in me.”

But he backed it up, scoring 21, then added another 11 on the B’s march to the Stanley Cup.

Following ‘Bergy’

After spending half the year on the fourth line, he got bumped up to play with Bergeron. He had come to admire Bergeron’s approach to the game, and now he was able to be on the ice with him at the same time.

“I don’t think I’d be as successful as I am right now if I wasn’t learning from Bergy and playing with him,” said Marchand. “He’s a tremendous player who has won at every level. He’s such a great leader. From Day One since I got here, he’s a guy that I wanted to follow and be like. One thing that struck me was after he got his concussion (in October of 2007), he skated with us in rookie camp in the middle of the next summer. It was the first time he did contact and in the first drill I was up against him and he was battling harder than anyone else on the ice. That really struck me, that a guy who was out for a year with a concussion and his first practice back, he was battling like that. . . . Teams want players like him and I want to be one of those guys that teams want and can count on in big situations.”

Both Marchand and Bergeron, of course, proved themselves in the biggest situation of all, each scoring two goals apiece in the B’s Game 7 victory in Vancouver.

He followed up that magical season with another good one, notching 28 goals, good for second on the team, behind only Seguin.

Rising star

Going into tonight’s game against Florida, Marchand was on a pace to score 42 goals over the course of a regular 82-game schedule. That kind of production, coupled with the work he does in his own zone and on the penalty kill, makes him an elite player in the NHL. Meanwhile, he only had 10 penalty minutes after getting 87 last year.

“He’s playing with a lot of confidence and that really shows in his game, but he’s always going to be (a sandpaper player). He’s that type of player that it gets him going, but at the same time he’s smarter with it,” said Bergeron. “He’s doing it at good times and he doesn’t cross the line most of the time. Yes, there were times he may have done a little too much of that, but it gets him going. I don’t think he should get that out of his game. But I can’t say enough about the way that he competes, the way that he works and wants to get better. All of that makes him the player that he is — and the player he’s going to be.”

Up in Canada, he’s even starting to get some consideration for the national team should the NHL send its players over to Sochi next year for the Olympics.

Ask Marchand if he’s enjoying the newfound respect for his skill, and “whatever” would be the best paraphrasing of his usual answer. He’s not looking to be lovable.

But his dad is clearly getting a kick out of the growing appreciation of his son’s full skill set.

“Absolutely,” said Kevin Marchand. “He’s always had to battle through size issues, he and his brother. They’ve always had to fight harder and battle harder than the bigger guys just to get in front of them. But there’s a competitive spirit in our family where you don’t believe you’re less than anybody else.”

And for Marchand, that’s been especially true this season.



Bruins center Chris Kelly has broken leg

Stephen Harris / Boston Herald

The Bruins announced late this afternoon that center Chris Kelly, who was injured on a hit by Senator Chris Neil in Kanata, Ontario Monday, "will be out indefinitely after breaking his left tibia."

That's the large, lower leg bone, or shinbone. Assuming six weeks to heal a fracture, the 32-year-old would return just before the end of the 48-game season.

It's tough and unexpected news for the team, because Bruins general manager Peter Chiarelli had expressed the hope in recent days that the injury was not too severe. This is really the first bit of bad news this season for the Bruins, who, much like in the 2010-11 Stanley Cup season, have stayed very healthy. The team is fairly well equipped to absorb the absence of Kelly, who was playing better recently after a sub-par start.

In 23 games, he posted just 2-4-6 and a minus-6. That after scoring a career-best 20 goals last season and a plus-33.

Winger Rich Peverley slid into Kelly's third-line center role against the Pens, and won 10-of-13 faceoffs.


663257 Buffalo Sabres

Sabres have value in seller’s market

BY: Mike Harrington

It’s T-minus three weeks and counting to the NHL trade deadline, set back to April 3 this year because of the lockout, and the Buffalo Sabres have 21 games left in the NHL’s shortened season. There were 20 games left when the deadline hit last season, with General Manager Darcy Regier getting a first-round draft pick from Nashville for Paul Gaustad and acquiring Cody Hodgson and Alexander Sulzer from Vancouver for Zack Kassian and Marc-Andre Gragnani.

The Sabres were fighting to get into the playoffs at that point and eventually sneaked into eighth place before a 1-3-1 finish cost them a shot in the postseason. Are they in a playoff push this year? Highly debatable.

Buffalo is 13th in the East and five points behind the teams tied for eighth, the New York Rangers and Winnipeg. They meet tonight in Manitoba, so one of them will go seven points ahead of the Sabres while using up a game in hand.

Prevailing wisdom around the league already has the Sabres among the chief sellers at the deadline, along with clubs like Calgary and Florida. Pending free agents like Robyn Regehr, Jordan Leopold and Jochen Hecht might get some interest and so will struggling winger Drew Stafford.

But what will really bear watching is what the Sabres do with captain Jason Pominville, winger Thomas Vanek and goaltender Ryan Miller. The team’s trio of long-standing stars will be entering the final years of their contracts next season.

“These are things that obviously are tough,” Pominville said prior to Tuesday’s 3-1 win over the New York Rangers. “Everyone has different situations. Guys have families. Some guys don’t. I think the biggest thing is doing what we can on the ice to help the team and do the things you can control.

“The other things that go around with it, I think we’re all professional enough to understand them. ... Management has to control what they control. We gotta do what we can do. Right now we haven’t done enough.”

Regier was unavailable for comment Wednesday but during his weekly appearance on WGR Radio on Tuesday night, Regier directly addressed the possibility of moving Miller, Vanek or Pominville for the first time. His point was their contracts are very palatable when you consider that a star player like Anaheim center Ryan Getzlaf just signed for eight years and $66 million last Friday.

“The reality of those three is if you were to put them on the market, they’re very desirable players,” Regier said. “Given Getzlaf’s contract in Anaheim, which is really the first big one in the new CBA, their contracts are going to be very reasonable. But right now they’re here, we expect to keep them here and build with them. Having said that, where we are, we have to be open to a lot of different things.”

It’s known the Sabres have had scouts at recent games in Los Angeles, Colorado and St. Louis, with the first two clubs getting watched on multiple occasions. Judging the significance of the scout roll call on game night in Buffalo, meanwhile, is difficult. That’s because so many teams use First Niagara Center as a quick vantage point because of scouts who live in nearby Southern Ontario.

Still, the Kings have been in town for the last two Buffalo home games and they are not one of the teams regularly listed here. The Kings got Jeff Carter from Columbus at last year’s deadline, reuniting him with former Philadelphia teammate Mike Richards, and went on to win the Stanley Cup.

Defensemen Matt Greene and Willie Mitchell have been out all season with injuries, and the Kings are familiar with Regehr and Leopold from their days with Calgary’s 2004 Cup finalists. The Kings would also be intrigued by the addition of Vanek or Pominville as well for their run at another Cup.

Vanek can be moved at will while Miller and Pominville have no-trade clauses that allow them to give Regier a list of eight teams to which they will not accept a deal. Regehr has a full no-trade clause he would need to waive to be moved.

While Miller has dealt with some trade rumors in the last two years, particularly involving Anaheim late in 2011, this is new territory for Pominville and Vanek.

“I’ve never heard my name out there so I can’t really answer that,” Pominville said, when asked how much of a distraction talks might be in the next month. “They would have to come up to me [for the eight-team list] and that hasn’t been the case.”

Miller will turn 33 this summer while Pominville hits 31 in November. Vanek’s 30th birthday is in January. There’s no indication the Sabres have discussed extensions with any of them.

When Miller spoke to The News on Tuesday, he wondered aloud if the team’s longtime stars are no longer thought of as the franchise’s core going forward. Vanek admitted pondering the finite nature of a hockey player’s career, likening it to being a young player during the team’s 2006 run to the Eastern Conference final and seeing veterans like Mike Grier and Chris Drury leading the team.

“They were about the age that I am now, and they’re done now,” Vanek said. “It hits you, how quick it goes. Here are two of my guys who mentored me, and they’re done playing hockey. You definitely want to be in a spot where you give yourself a chance of winning.”

Vanek acknowledged there’s likely no quick fix for the Sabres, meaning contention might have to wait until deeper into their careers if they stay here.

“We have good pieces here,” Vanek said. “Obviously, there are some pieces that need to be moved or added or however else you want to get it. The big piece for me, the one that makes me feel most comfortable, is that Ryan is here. He’s getting up there [in age], too, but this year he’s at the top of his game. That’s what is so unfortunate. When you have a goalie like him, you shouldn’t be in this position.”

The Sabres were off Wednesday and return to the practice ice this morning downtown. The next game isn’t until Ottawa comes to town Saturday afternoon at 3.

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.14.2013

663258 Buffalo Sabres

Around the rink: No white smoke at FNC, more thoughts on Torts' postgame rant

By Mike Harrington

No white smoke over First Niagara Center this afternoon so the Sabres remain quiet on the trade front while taking today off from practice (seriously now, how could I resist that one?). Here's what's going through my head today in the wake of last night's 3-1 win over the Rangers:

---Today's must-read is Bucky Gleason's column on the Sabres' thoughts moving forward. What do you do with Ryan Miller, Thomas Vanek and Jason Pominville as they head into the final years of their deals? Do you trade them now?

“Do we become a younger team or do we become a team that’s going to build and try to get this core group of guys a chance to move forward?" Miller said. "Or are we not the core anymore? Who knows? They’re not decisions we make. We react off management and circumstance.”

Hmmm. Interesting. I'll be writing more on this topic in tomorrow's sports section.

---John Tortorella's rants with the media are entertaining in a stupid kind of way but the more I think about last night's 90-second diatribe, the more I don't like one part of it. Tortorella is always pretty in-your-face about "I only talk about my team." Well, he had a lot to say last night about the Sabres, about not giving them credit and how they were "ripe to be beaten." Partly true for sure. But also pretty disrespectful. If you missed it, watch again:

---The folks at Bovada have passed on updated midseason odds and the Sabres are now 100-1 on winning the Stanley Cup and Northeast Division and 50-1 on winning the Eastern Conference. The Blackhawks are 9-2 favorites to win the Cup while the Penguins are 6-1 and the Bruins 8-1.

---Things are getting very top-heavy in the Western Conference with the Hawks and Ducks pulling away. If you go by my system of just wins and losses (combining OT/SO losses with regulation), those two teams are 40-11. The standings out there look like this (ordered by place that includes loser points):

CHI 21-5

ANA 19-6

VAN 12-13 (*Division leader*)

LAK 14-11

STL 14-12

PHX 13-13

DET 12-14

MIN 13-12

SJS 11-14

NSH 11-15

DAL 12-13

EDM 10-16

CBJ 10-17

COL 10-15

CGY 9-15

In my book, the Sabres are 10-17. Pretty easy to see how they're dead last in the Northeast behind Montreal (17-9), Boston (17-7), Ottawa (13-13) and Toronto (15-12), who are listed by points.

---The Sabres had not won back-to-back home games this season until last night. They had three regulation wins in their previous 19 games and three regulation wins at home all season. So how in the world are they only five points out of a playoff spot. Doesn't it feel like it should be 25?

Buffalo News LOADED: 03.14.2013

663259 Calgary Flames

Game Story: Calgary Flames 5, Detroit Red Wings 2

By KRISTEN ODLAND, Calgary Herald March 14, 2013 12:04 AM

THREE STARS

1. Flames LW Curtis Glencross — A physical presence early on, it was no surprise. Stepped up when the score was tied in the third and when the Flames needed him most. Gift-wrapped Stempniak’s game-winner and netted his ninth of the season.

2. Flames D Jay Bouwmeester — Solid all around. Jumped into the rush to score his fifth of the year which was Calgary’s second in the first period.

3. Red Wings C Valtteri Filppula — Applied of a ton of pressure and had Calgary’s defencemen out of breath, trying to keep up. Shot the puck plenty of times. Beat Miikka Kiprusoff on the game-tying goal in the second but that would be it for the Red Wing Finn.

WHY THE FLAMES WON

They managed to take advantage of a shaky goalie. Even Detroit’s slick puck movers Henrik Zetterberg, Valtteri Filppula and Pavel Datsyuk didn’t have an answer for that.

THE BIG HIT

Glencross laid a massive takedown on defenceman Brendan Smith behind the opposing net in the first period.

THE BIG SAVE

Miikka Kiprusoff, making a few good ones on the night, manages to get a shoulder on a deadly Henrik Zetterberg snapshot late in the second while Jiri Hudler was in the penalty box. Detroit’s Jonas Gustavsson also deserves an honourable mention for sticking a pad out to deny Mikael Backlund after he tried to pull a move during a penalty shot late in the third.

THE BIG PLAY

Fresh off a two-game absence to nurse a wrist injury, Glencross managed to fool the Red Wings by taking the puck wide into the corner. While Jonas Gustavsson was anticipating the shot, Glencross quickly passed to Lee Stempniak who tapped it into an open net.

THE ROSTERS

Flames scratches/injuries — C Paul Byron (hand), C Roman Cervenka (healthy), D Cory Sarich (healthy), D Anton Babchuk (healthy).

Red Wings scratches/injuries — G Jimmy Howard (flu), F Todd Bertuzzi (back), D Carlo Colaiacovo (shoulder), F Mikael Samuelsson (finger), D Kent Huskins (healthy), D Ian White (personal), RW Jordin Tootoo (healthy).

SUMMARY

Flames 5 Red Wings 2

First Period

1. Detroit, N Kronwall 4 (P Datsyuk) 3:20.

2. Calgary, A Tanguay 8 (pp) (M Cammalleri, D Wideman) 5:55.

3. Calgary, J Bouwmeester 5 (L Stempniak, M Stajan) 9:52.

Penalties — B Smith Det (Cross-checking) 5:16; C Glencross Cgy (Boarding) 13:09.

Second Period

4. Detroit, V Filppula 5 (pp) (K Quincey, G Nyquist) 16:39.

Penalties — J Hudler Cgy (Goaltender Interference) 14:54.

Third Period

5. Calgary, L Stempniak 7 (C Glencross, M Stajan) 5:37.

6. Calgary, C Glencross 9 (unassisted) 9:12.

7. Calgary, B Comeau 2 (M Backlund) 10:00.

Penalties — J Abdelkader Det (Interference) 0:29.

Shots on goal by

Detroit 15 12 11—38

Calgary 6 5 11—22

Power plays (goals-chances) — Detroit: 1-2, Calgary: 1-2.

Goal (shots-saves) — Detroit: J Gustavsson (22-17, L, 1-2-1). Calgary: M Kiprusoff (38-36, W, 4-5-2).

Referees — Tom Kowal, Ghislain Hebert. Linesmen — Michel Cormier, Jay Sharrers.

Att. at Calgary — 19,289.

NEXT UP

The Nashville Predators pay the Flames a visit Friday (7 p.m.; SNET-W, Sportsnet 960 The Fan) before Calgary heads out for three games on the road next week in Dallas (Monday), Nashville (Thursday), and Columbus (Friday).

Calgary Herald: LOADED: 03.14.2013


Johnson: Kiprusoff pulls out his superhero cape to save Flames

By GEORGE JOHNSON, Calgary Herald March 14, 2013 12:03 AM

Calgary Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff reaches out to stop a shot by Detroit’s Damien Brunner on Wednesday. Like he has done so many times before, Kiprusoff saved the day for the Flames who were flat for the first half of the game.

Shots after a period: 15-6, Detroit. After two, 27-11.

How in the name of sweet creation the Calgary Flames were, respectively, ahead a goal and then tied defied reason. Like Stonehenge, Area 51 or crop circles, not fully explainable.

Well, yes, there was one perfectly good rationalization for all the mysterious goings-on:

Miikka Kiprusoff.

This is not someone to be doubted or dissed.

Yes, Kiprusoff had looked mighty chuffed to be stapled to the end of the bench Monday at L.A., reduced to jotting notes on a clipboard, like some random third-string quarterback.

The startling snub in SoCal threatened to mutate into a full-blown maelstrom when coach Bob Hartley declined to make an immediate call on his starter against the Wings in the wake of a 3-1 loss. Suddenly, Kiprusoff’s mere participation had become a story.

For so long, his name on the Flames’ lineup card has been as automatic as Cal Ripken Jr.’s was in Baltimore.

If there was any, even half-serious consideration to sitting him a second straight game, the idea now sounds beyond ludicrous.

“Of course, it’s not fun,” said Kiprusoff, the soul of political correctness after a 36-stop night had proven decisive in a 5-2 victory over the Red Wings. “But we have another good goalie here in Mac (Joey MacDonald), but I always come to the games ready to play like it’s your last.”

He certainly played as if he had a point to prove. And maybe that was the intention in the first place. Who knows?

“He’s been on the of the best goalies in the world for the last 10 years,” said defenceman Jay Bouwmeester. “The best goalies have a different attitude. It’s a tough position, you make a mistake, it’s in the net.

“We’re never surprised what Kipper does. Ever.

“No one doubts him for a second. You don’t even think about it.”

Until the Flames began making mincemeat of the leaky Jonas Gustavsson — No. 1 man Jimmy Howard was down with flu, and not even on the bench — in the third period, it was all Kiprusoff.

There were more white jerseys packed around the Calgary crease than Catholic disciples flooding into St. Peter’s Square after the white smoke went up in Rome earlier in the day. Or seemed to be, anyway.

The Mule, Johan Franzen, providing a screen capable of blocking out the sun. Pavel Datsyuk diving in and out of the shadows, looking for a pocket to pick. Captain Henrik Zetterberg using that justly famous 20-mule-team strength, holding off defencemen to hold tight to the puck and make a play towards the net. Valtteri Filppula lurking, forever lurking, for a juicy leftover to present itself.

Datsyuk, in particular, was full of lethal mischief. Every time he touched the puck, the mesmerized Flames were holding onto the seat of their britches in abject terror.

“It wasn’t our best first period,” adjudged Kiprusoff graciously. “But sometimes it’s like that . . . that you’re able to come with a lead after that was nice. After that we played better and a pretty smart third.”

Niklas Kronwall wired a shot for Detroit’s first goal, at 3:20 of the opening period, and the second came via Filppula after a surge of Red Wing power

play pressure — Filppula having just made a post sing and Zetterberg sizzling a shot off Kiprusoff’s left shoulder.

Other than that, despite long stretches of territorial dominance and plenty of shots, they were held gallantly at bay.

Franzen and Zetterberg, victimized six times. Apiece.

Filppula, Justin Abdelkader, Gustav Nyquist each turned back three times. Every Detroit player except Dan Cleary and centre Joakim Andersson — goaltenders notwithstanding — had at least one crack.

“He played well,” praised Kronwall. “A great goaltender. One of the best in the league. He’s proved it year after year. But that’s no excuse. We have to find a way to get through that. He’s a quick guy. But I thought we had a lot of shots on him.

“We had some great second opportunities, we just couldn’t find a way to get it in.”

No, Kiprusoff had double-locked/dead-bolted the door and jammed a chair under the knob.

“If everyone is leaving the Scotiabank Saddledome with a smile, it’s because of Kipper,” lauded Hartley. “In the first period, our legs were still on the plane from our California trip, but in the second we got more life and more jump.

“We were hoping for a quick start. I don’t know if it’s a fact or an excuse, but after those long trips it’s tough to get going at home. In the first period, it was only the Wings. I don’t think we needed two Zambonis to clean the ice. Just one end would’ve been plenty.

“But, hey, we still had a 2-1 lead. And it was all about Kipper. Obviously when your goalie gives you saves like this it keeps you in the game, it gives you confidence.”

The kind of confidence Kiprusoff instils is something that’s earned game by game, highlight-reel save by highlight-reel save, miracle by miracle, over years.

“Without him,” summed up Bouwmeester, “if might’ve been a different game. It’s ...”

A helpless shrug, as if the phenomenon had gone far beyond any sort of logical explanation.

“It’s kinda . . . what he does.”

Yes. It is.

This is not someone to be doubted or dissed.

No. 34 between the pipes virtually every night from here on in remains the best — no, the ONLY — hope of salvation.



Coach Babcock fuming over Red Wings’ collapse

By Kristen Odland, Calgary Herald March 14, 2013 12:03 AM

No offence to the Calgary Flames but that one was officially gift-wrapped by the Detroit Red Wings.

After outshooting, outplaying, and, basically, outsmarting the hosts all night, the visitors crumbled within a few minutes in the third period and wound up dropping Wednesday’s game 5-2.

For the Flames, it was the club’s fifth-straight win at home. For the Red Wings, it was a terrible start to a three-game road swing through Western Canada.

And, to Mike Babcock, it was a mystery that left him fuming.

“Well, it’s amazing to me how you can play so well, look so organized, and look so talented. It’s almost like you get playing so good that you get loose,” the Red Wings head coach seethed afterwards. “It’s crazy. We just gave it to them. It had nothing to do with them. Those are self-inflicted wounds on us. Crazy mistakes for no reason whatsoever.

“To me, that was a disturbing loss because all we had to do was continue to do things right and you win the game.”

When Johan Franzen, Henrik Zetterberg, or Valtteri Filppula weren’t shooting the puck at will, Pavel Datsyuk was being his usual dominant self. For one stretch in the second period, it was like they were playing a game of keep-away. In the end, they outshot Calgary 38-22 but the second and first periods was where they really took it to them.

But frequent turnovers and giveaways (11) eventually cost the Wings.

After, Babcock both questioned a) the maturity of his group and b) the ability to stick with their game plan.

“There’s no sense in what happened here (Wednesday),” he said. “We had the puck. They couldn’t get the puck. When you go through their goals, we just gave it to them. To me, that’s a tough one to swallow. Big time. We have to have a look at ourselves as a group. The message has to get very clear that if you can’t look after the puck, there’s no sense playing.

“That right there was ridiculous.”

One reporter quietly suggested the collapse was a matter of being impatient when the score was tied 2-2 heading into the final frame.

Or trying to force things?

“Why would you force anything?” Babcock snapped back. “We had the puck the entire time. Why would you force anything? Just take what was given and play the game. But I’m with ya, why would you force anything? Why would you turn over the puck continually?

“You should ask them.”

A defensive breakdown cost them Calgary’s first goal 5:55 into the first period by Alex Tanguay, who took advantage of the time and space and made a nice play on Jonas Gustavsson. (“Something we’d talked about before,” Babcock noted.)

But other than that, he said, clean giveaways.

“You can’t play defensively when you give it to them in the slot,” Babcock continued. “Anything else?”

At that exact moment, a poor reporter joined the scrum late: “Um, coach, you mentioned giveaways …”

“Just ridiculous,” he interrupted. “We killed ourselves tonight . . . you look like you’ve got some skill back in your lineup, you’re starting to move the puck, you’re starting to play . . . just play the game.

“See you guys.”

And that, basically, summed up the Red Wings struggles as of late. The loss dropped them to 12-10-5.

Seventh in the Western Conference and with goaltender Jimmy Howard sick with the flu, they head to Edmonton Friday and play the Canucks on Saturday night.

“It’s something we have to fix right now,” said defenceman Niklas Kronwall, who’d put Detroit on the board 3:20 into the game. “It’s right there for us . . . instead we completely stopped playing, started looking at each other, and put ourselves in bad spots.

“Yeah, it’s not good enough.”



Flames answer critics with 5-2 bounce-back win over Detroit Red Wings

By SCOTT CRUICKSHANK, Calgary Herald March 14, 2013 12:03 AM

First period, he hammered a defenceman into the end boards.

Second period, he sizzled a slapper off the post.

Third period, he orchestrated the winning goal, then unassistedly bagged the insurance marker.

He also piled up three hits, three shots — and a plus-three rating — in the Calgary Flames’ 5-2 win over the Detroit Red Wings in National Hockey League action Wednesday at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

Afterward, Curtis Glencross, speaking of his injured wrist, said, “obviously, it’s not all there.”

Obviously?

Not exactly.

Because, despite being a game-time decision, it turned into Glencross’s finest night of the winter. Crabby. Fiesty. Effective. Looking like his old surly self.

“Glennie was dominant,” said coach Bob Hartley. “He was shooting pucks, he was skating, he was hitting. I felt he gave us a complete game. He’s becoming more and more important in our team structure.

“Glennie was on a mission. He was instigating, he was creating, he was on the puck. He’s the kind of player who can’t be on his heels. When he’s on his toes, he brings a total new dimension to our hockey club. Plus, he keeps our opponents, especially their defencemen, because here’s a guy that can really cause some damage with bodychecks on the forecheck. And you saw that in the first period.”

In the morning — before the team was on the ice for its skate — Glencross had tested the wrist, rather briefly. But he already knew that he’d dress for the evening’s festivities.

“Just got to keep playing, work through it,” he said. “It’s going to be lingering.”

The Flames can only hope.

Glencross, with the score deadlocked, wheeled through the slot and passed back against the grain to a wide-open Lee Stempniak, who deposited the go-ahead goal into a mostly vacated net at 9:12.

“They were puck-watching,” Glencross said of the Wings, “and I saw Stemper out of the corner of my eye. It had to go through a few bodies and sticks to get through to him, but luckily enough it got through to him.

Glencross added a goal four minutes later.

Up-ice aggression ultimately did in the Wings — again, apparently.

“We watched some video of Columbus playing them,” explained Glencross. “(The Blue Jackets) had three goals when they pressured hard on the forecheck and caused turnovers. Pucks went in the net off those turnovers. That was our game plan. That’s what we wanted to do — cause turnovers.

“When you have them turnovers — too many turnovers at your blue line or even at their blue line — it’s tends to be back in your net. We’ve been talking, ‘If you don’t have a play at the blue line, make the safe play. Get it behind their D and work the cycle.’ That’s what our goal was.”

Alex Tanguay, Jay Bouwmeester and Blake Comeau also beat Wings goalie Jonas Gustavsson (who was subbing in for sick first-stringer Jimmy Howard — he stayed at the team hotel all day, then remained in the locker-room during the contest).

Niklas Kronwall and Valtteri Filppula replied for the Wings, who outshot the locals 38-22 — which says a lot about the bounce-back effort of Miikka Kiprusoff.

Kiprusoff — yanked on Saturday, snubbed on Monday — turned in a wonderful performance.

On a night when Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk. Johan Franzen were feeling it — totalling 13 shots — the goalie repelled nearly everything.

“That’s why you can never question Kipper,” said Glencross. “An all-star goalie. The backbone of our hockey club. For him to come back and play the way he did, it just proves his character.”

Rebounding, of course, had not been limited to the netminder.

The Flames, licking their wounds after a three-game pasting through California, tasted success.

“It’s a big win for us,” said Glencross, whose team improves to 10-11-4. “It’s nice to come home and win after a disappointing road trip. It was a good bounce-back game for us. We just need to do the same thing next game (Friday against the visiting Nashville Predators).”

The city can only hope the team’s hiccups are behind it.

“It’s obviously not physical — we’re all in great shape on this team,” said Glencross. “It’s something where everyone’s got to get in the right mindset and come out every night. We can’t afford to cough up points right now.”



Iginla, mates trying to block out trade rumours, talk of Flames’ demise

By Scott Cruickshank, Calgary Herald March 13, 2013

Nimbly, deftly, Jarome Iginla fielded a general question about trade talk and managed to short-circuit specific queries about his own status.

Iginla, as everyone knows, has not signed an extension with the Calgary Flames.

The contract’s expiration is mere months away.

“As far as speculation,” Iginla offered in the middle of one of his answers Wednesday morning, “I said at the beginning of the year that I don’t want anything to be a distraction. I’m not going to talk about any of that speculation. As a team, we’re in a very critical point.”

Whether Iginla likes it or not, the stew is only starting to thicken.

The National Hockey League’s trade deadline is set for April 3. So the Flames, bottom-dwellers in the Western Conference, can expect rumours to swirl around the Saddledome.

Should they auction off assets?

How many? Which ones? No. 12 included?

Everyone in the city has an opinion. And Iginla has an opinion on the opinions.

“(Reader polls) it’s always after a real tough loss, eh?” the Flames captain, actually smiling, said of one recent local survey. “Can we do them after we dominate some games? And we do dominate the odd one. But, yeah, it’s always after the worst losses. So it is what it is. But I understand . . . the fans, their disappointment.

“We realize a lot of people have thrown in the towel.”

After the Flames’ three losses in California, this had marked reporters’ first crack at the team at its Calgary headquarters.

Coach Bob Hartley, unflinchingly, went through the predictable drill Wednesday morning. Earlier, he’d addressed his players on being the subject of gossip, on being the target of naysayers.

“We are a very proud Canadian market,” Hartley told the scrum. “We are in the National Hockey League. That is part of the business. If you think that you would be in Calgary and you’d meet one reporter a day, well, you’re not in the right business. There’s nothing wrong with speculation.

“I feel that every time there’s a microphone in front of me, I have a chance to reach out to hockey fans to promote the game, promote my team, promote my players. There’s going to be good days and bad days. That’s part of our job and that’s the job we chose.”

For players, it is possible to take a step back, for sanity’s sake. That’s one option.

“I don’t really read the newspapers too much for the sports or listen to the radio or watch too much TV regarding hockey,” said Lee Stempniak. “You can get too wrapped up in it, whether it’s good or bad. You try to shut things out and not worry about it.”

Added Matt Stajan: “That’s our job as professionals — you block everything out. You’re going to hear things no matter what. Being a team that has a lot of players that have played a lot of games, you’ve got to accept this as a challenge. People can talk about what they want to talk about, but this is a challenge for us to respond. We’re in a tight spot, no doubt about it.”

ODDS ADRIFT

The Flames, for what it’s worth, are 100-1 longshots to capture the Stanley Cup, according to Bodog.ca. Saddled with taller odds are only two outfits — Columbus Blue Jackets (150-1), Florida Panthers (250-1).

Stanley Cup favourites, no surprise, are Chicago Blackhawks (9-2) and Pittsburgh Penguins (6-1).

The Flames are 50-1 to win the Western Conference, 25-1 to win the Northwest Division.

Award favourites include Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby (1-1) and Chicago’s Patrick Kane (3-1) for the Hart; Pittsburgh’s Kris Letang (7-4) and St. Louis’s Kevin Shattenkirk (3-1) for the Norris; San Jose’s Antti Niemi (11-4) and Chicago’s Corey Crawford (11-4) for the Vezina.

HITMEN PLAYOFF STARTS SET

The Calgary Hitmen open the Western Hockey League playoffs at the Saddledome. Games 1 and 2 are set for March 21 and 22, both at 7 p.m. The enemy has yet to be determined.

Tickets went on sale Wednesday.



Flames defenceman producing points

By WES GILBERTSON ,Calgary Sun

First posted: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 10:32 PM MDT | Updated: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 11:10 PM MDT

Jay Bouwmeester has the green light.

The result is he’s turning on the red light at an encouraging clip.

With not a lot of positives in the first half of the Calgary Flames’ season, the offensive contributions of the smooth-skating blueliner — given the go-ahead to take some risks by head coach Bob Hartley — jump off the stats page at the Saddledome.

With a bit of assistance from Detroit Red Wings rearguard Jakub Kindl, who kicked his rebound into the net in the first period of Wednesday night’s meeting at the Saddledome, Bouwmeester tied his single-season high in a Flames uniform with his fifth goal of the shortened NHL season.

“I haven’t been trying to do anything different,” Bouwmeester said. “There’s been opportunities with the way we’ve been playing early in the season, and the attitude changes when it goes in a couple of times.

“Nobody was ever holding me back before, it just wasn’t there.”

He scored five times in 82 outings last winter, with his last tally coming in the meaningless season finale.

The ironman defenceman finished with four markers in 82 games during the 2010-11 campaign and had a hat-trick — spread across a full slate, though — in his first season with the Flames.

Bouwmeester has twice hit 29 assists in Calgary — a number that will be tough to match in the 48-game schedule.

The 29-year-old defenceman, who will be a hot commodity at the trade deadline if the Flames opt for drastic changes, has eight helpers so far this season.

AROUND THE BOARDS

Finally some good news for Flames fans. LW Curtis Glencross was back in the Flames’ lineup after missing one game with a wrist injury and made his presence known in the first period by drilling Wings D Brendan Smith. Glencross was whistled for boarding on what seemed like a clean hit … Red Wings RW Damien Brunner is still waiting for an opportunity to face off against Sven Baertschi on NHL ice. When the Flames were in Detroit five weeks ago, Baertschi was injured. Brunner is now the only Swiss forward on a big-league roster after Baertschi was assigned to the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat on the weekend. “I hope it’s going to work out for him, and he gets his chance soon again up here,” Brunner said. “He’s going to get (his confidence) back now in the American Hockey League, and then when he gets up and gets his chance to play big minutes — top six — I’m pretty sure he’s going to succeed, and the fans are going to love him.” … By the way, Baertschi was held off the scoresheet Wednesday’s 4-3 road loss suffered by the Heat at the hands of the Texas Stars.

OFF THE GLASS

With the entire city debating the merits of a rebuild, something tells me we’ll hear the term ‘intellectual honesty’ so much around the Saddledome over the next three weeks that we’ll miss buzz-words like ‘make-whole’ and ‘disclaimer of interest.’ And that’s saying something … According to Bodog.ca, the Flames’ odds of winning the Stanley Cup are 100-1. Jorge Mario Bergoglio — now known as Pope Francis — woke up Wednesday as a 33-1 long-shot to be selected as the new leader of the Catholic Church, so maybe it’s the year of the underdog … There will be playoff hockey next week at the Dome, thanks to the WHL’s Calgary Hitmen. They’ll open the first round at home next Thursday and Friday. If you typically only follow the Flames, these teens — who play on a junior team owned by the Flames — are worth keeping tabs on.

SWEET TWEETS

“It sounds like Peter Maher is calling the #flames game in a funeral home. #saddledead”

Calgary Sun: LOADED: 03.14.2013


Flames beat Red Wings 5-2

By RANDY SPORTAK ,Calgary Sun


Miikka Kiprusoff provided the goaltending the Calgary Flames and their faithful are accustomed to seeing.

His teammates took their sweet time but eventually managed to make the most of it.

Lee Stempniak broke a deadlock early in the third period for the key go-ahead goal to give the Flames a 5-2 victory over the Detroit Red Wings Wednesday night.

Undoubtedly, though, the hero was Kiprusoff, who responded from essentially being benched the previous outing with a 36-save performance while his club was grossly outplayed before the announced Saddledome sellout crowd of 19,289.

The Flames were outshot and outplayed by the Wings, who are not the powerhouse club they used to be, but Stempniak’s goal made all the difference in the world for a team desperately needing wins while sitting last in the Western Conference standings.

The real key to the tally, though, was Curtis Glencross, who returned after missing two games due to an unspecified injury – believed to be a wrist issue – and made a perfect pass that left Stempniak staring at an open net for his seventh of the season.

Glencross, who earlier rang a rocket of a shot off the post and had a couple of other chances, scored a couple of minutes later for the insurance marker, and then Blake Comeau’s tally made it a runaway affair in Calgary’s fifth consecutive home-ice win.

From there, the cheers were all for Kiprusoff, whose last outing was a 6-2 shellacking at the hands of the Los Angeles Kings Saturday night, a game in which the whole team was nowhere near up to snuff.

No such problem this night for Kiprusoff, who made a handful of key stops on Henrik Zetterberg alone through the first two periods, during which the visitors had a 27-11 edge on shots.

The end result really flattered the Flames, who fell behind early when Niklas Kronwall opened the scoring just over three minutes into the tilt.

Kronwall had two Flames players give a bullfighter’s “Ole” while avoiding him, before he stepped to the top of the circle and unloaded a top-corner slapper.

Alex Tanguay drew the Flames even just a couple of minutes later with a powerplay marker, taking advantage of a lucky bounce and making a pretty play.

Tanguay was sprung on a breakaway when Mike Cammalleri’s pass was knocked out the air by a defender but went right to his stick, and he neatly beat Wings goalie Jonas Gustavsson.

Jay Bouwmeester gave the hosts the lead at the period’s midway point with the kind of goal that usually has gone against the Flames this season.

Detroit hemmed the Flames in their zone for a solid five minutes, only to be held at bay by Kiprusoff.

Bouwmeester jumped into the rush and was denied on his first shot, but the puck bounced off the skate of Detroit defenceman Jakub Kindl and into the cage.

Despite the deficit, the Wings continued to carry the bulk of the play, and it finally paid off late in the second period when Valtteri Filppula scored his team’s first road-game powerplay goal of the season by banging home rebound.

Until then, the Wings were 0-for-37 on the man-advantage when away from the Joe Louis Arena.

To their credit, the Flames regrouped and ensured they didn’t waste Kiprusoff’s bounce-back effort and improved to 10-11-4.

Gustavsson stopped 17 shots for the Red Wings (12-10-5), who have lost three straight.

The Flames return to action Friday at home against the Nashville Predators.



Flames try to put aside trade talk



The thick concrete walls that surround the Calgary Flames’ locker-room at the Saddledome can block out a lot.

Sound.

Occasionally, cell-phone signals.

But what about speculation, especially the type of non-stop chatter that seems to follow a cellar-dweller around? There’s no sure way to stop that from seeping in.

“I think, for the most part, you have to be a pretty insulated group and not worry too much — good or bad — about what’s said outside the room,” said Flames winger Lee Stempniak.

“It’s a little bit of a choice you make as an individual. For me, I don’t really read the newspapers too much for the sports or listen to the radio or watch TV regarding hockey. I think you can get too wrapped up in it, whether it’s good or bad. You’re either feeling too good about your game and the way you’re playing or else you’re feeling too bad and you’re beating yourselves.

“You just try to shut things out.”

Easier said than done.

Fresh off a nightmare road-trip in Southern California, the Flames were greeted by a larger-than-usual throng of media at Wednesday’s morning skate at the Saddledome — and they weren’t there to ask about stopping Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg or the rest of the Detroit Red Wings a few hours later.

For the next three weeks, until the NHL trade deadline comes and goes April 3, that will be a fact of life for the Flames.

If face-of-the-franchise Jarome Iginla is willing to accept a trade, or if he’s so frustrated that he’s actually thinking of asking for one, he wasn’t saying Wednesday.

Maybe white smoke will billow out of the Saddledome when Iginla has made up his mind whether he wants to negotiate a contract extension with the team or try for a championship ring elsewhere.

There are rumblings blueline workhorse Jay Bouwmeester, the NHL’s all-time leader in games played without a single skate in the post-season, could be asked to waive his own no-trade clause.

With his contractual right to veto a move now expired, star netminder Miikka Kiprusoff has also been mentioned in the rumour mill.

And the whispers won’t be limited to big names and big contracts.

Need a versatile winger capable of scoring in bunches? Stempniak might be an option.

Need an experienced defenceman with a mean streak? A healthy scratch once again for Wednesday’s date with the Wings, Cory Sarich obviously doesn’t factor into the long-term plans at the Saddledome.

One day after the Ottawa Senators coughed up a sixth-round selection for tough guy Matt Kassian, maybe there is a market for Tim Jackman or just-arrived enforcer Brian McGrattan.

Interested in Chris Butler? Curtis Glencross? Alex Tanguay?

Make an offer.

“You have to use (the speculation) as motivation almost,” said Flames rearguard Mark Giordano. “If nobody is going to believe in you, you have believe in yourselves.”

There are not many believers outside those walls.

As the Flames trickled off the ice after Wednesday’s optional morning spin at the Saddledome, Bodog.ca announced the odds of the crew from Calgary winning the Stanley Cup are now listed at 100-1.

Only the Columbus Blue Jackets (150-1) and the Florida Panthers (250-1) are considered bigger long-shots.

Thing is, the Blue Jackets just rattled off five straight victories. The Flames have yet to cobble together more than two consecutive wins in this condensed season.

“I still believe this team can win four, five, six games in a row and get back in the playoff picture,” insisted Flames head coach Bob Hartley. “I know there’s going to be lots of speculation around our team and our players, but I addressed this with the players (Wednesday) morning — that’s part of our business.

“There’s one thing on our mind — to win hockey games.”



Flames' Iginla shakes off trade hubbub

By Eric Francis ,Calgary Sun


Returning to his Saddledome locker for the first time since his NHL team became toast on the coast, Jarome Iginla knew exactly what to expect Wednesday morning.

Sporting a somber tone interspersed with a few of his infectious grins, the Calgary Flames captain fielded questions from an inordinately large media throng before someone finally addressed the elephant in the room.

“Jarome, I’m going to have to ask the obvious question on everyone’s mind,” said the inquisitor, tired of the tip-toeing.

“What’s the story behind the pencils?”

All season long, Iginla has had a couple dozen unsharpened yellow pencils bound by a green rubber band sitting head height on his locker shelf.

At a time like this, it seemed like the perfect distraction.

“Personal,” said Iginla, with a laugh, obviously happy the gravity of the Flames’ situation was diffused — albeit temporarily.

The serious questions then continued, but not before one witty TV-type quipped out of ear-shot, “Maybe it’s a reminder it’s time to get the lead out.”

A low-blow indeed — something Iginla and his teammates have been getting a lot of ever since they crashed into the Western Conference basement. Three California losses in a row combined with word Iginla has yet to instruct his agent on how to proceed contractually sparked a flood of emotional responses to the Calgary Sun, in which 80% of all respondents said it’s time for the 35-year-old to respectfully ask for a trade.

“Those polls are always after a real tough loss, eh?” said a smiling Iginla, who has been through this sorry exercise the last few years.

“Could we do (the polls) after we dominate some games? And we do dominate the odd one. Ah … it is what it is. I understand their disappointment. We have fans who are very passionate.”

And that’s why, despite his hall-of-fame efforts and iconic status, the overwhelming majority don’t want Iginla to re-sign before the Apr. 3 trade deadline.

They want him to chase a Stanley Cup with a legitimate contender, and they want the Flames to re-tool, rebuild, recalibrate or whatever you want to call significant changes.

Because right now, it’s just repulsive.

“As far as speculation, I said at the beginning of the year, I don’t want anything to be a distraction, and I’m not going to talk about any of that speculation,” said Iginla, a pending free agent, of his contract status before Wednesday night’s game against the visiting Detroit Red Wings.

“As a team, we’re at a critical point as far as bouncing back and gaining some momentum. We realize a lot of people are throwing in the towel, but as a team, if we want to make the playoffs, we have to take advantage of these two (home) games. We believe we can, but we have to do it.”

They won’t.

They can’t.

And as for the false hope he suggests his teammates still have in that room, what else do you expect him to say?

What can Iginla say at all these days, really?

Inferior organizations and lesser players would have avoided all media requests Wednesday, but not Iginla, even though it was clear he’d be walking into a hornet’s nest of pessimistic pundits.

But that’s not the classy captain.

He has always faced the music — even on days such as Wednesday, when it’s prudent to move his lips but essentially say nothing.

“We’re going to need to play some pretty amazing hockey to get us back in the playoff picture, but we think it’s possible,” said Iginla for the 137th time over the last four years.

“We thought we had turned the corner and were ready to take some strides a few games ago when we got above .500 — and then we had a rough trip.”

It sets up for a rough week, a rough month and yet another rough year.

Who could blame Iginla for choosing over the next week or so to leave all this behind?

No one.

And that brings us back to the pencils.

Maybe each one represents a different team he’d be better off signing with this summer — something he doesn’t need a poll to get him thinking about every single day.



Iggy and Flames trying to quiet trade rumours



Home, sweet Saddledome.

Fresh off an awful three-game road-trip that makes their four consecutive wins on home ice a distant memory, the Calgary Flames are back in action Wednesday night, hosting the Detroit Red Wings (7:30 p.m., TSN. Sportsnet 960) in their own building.

The Flames (9-11-4) find themselves at the bottom the Western Conference standings, fueling speculation GM Jay Feaster could shop his stars, including captain and longtime face-of-the-franchise Jarome Iginla.

Speaking at the Saddledome for the first time since a Calgary Sun poll showed about 80% of respondents would welcome a change of scenery for the 35-year-old right-winger, Iginla stickhandled around questions about his future.

“It's always after a real tough loss, eh? Those polls. Could we do them after we dominate some games?” Iginla said with a wide smile.

“But I understand it -- the fans' disappointment. We have great fans here that are very passionate about hockey, and they want to win and they want to see improvements.

“As far as the speculation, I said at the beginning of the year, I don't want anything to be a distraction. I'm not going to talk about any of that speculation. As a team, we're at a very critical point, in terms of bouncing back and trying to build some momentum again.

“Also, we realize a lot of people have thrown in the towel. As a team, we need to find ways. If we're going to give ourselves a playoff shot and playoff chances, we have to take advantage of these next two home games.”

Just as the Flames trickled off the ice after Wednesday's optional morning skate, Bodog.ca announced the odds of the crew from Calgary winning the Stanley Cup are now listed at 100-1.

Only the Columbus Blue Jackets (150-1) and the Florida Panthers (250-1) are considered bigger longshots.

“I still believe that this team can win four, five, six games in a row and get back in the playoff picture,” insisted Flames head coach Bob Hartley. “I know that there's going to be lots of speculation around our team and our players, but I addressed this with the players this morning — that's part of our business.

“There's one thing on our mind, to win hockey games.”

Count the coach among the believers, but what about the rest of the bunch?

“We need to taste it,” Hartley said. “It's a taste that you can acquire. This is a totally different team when we win two, three in a row than when we lose two or three in a row.

“We start tonight. We have a big game. Let's start with a big win.”

If not, there could be a big fire-sale.

The Flames, who returned Tuesday afternoon from California, are aware of the rumours surrounding the squad — Iginla, Jay Bouwmeester, Miikka Kiprusoff are among those being mentioned as possible trade bait — and the feeling of some fans that it's time for a major rebuild.

“You have to use it as motivation almost. If nobody is going to believe in you, you have to believe in yourselves,” said Flames assistant captain Mark Giordano. “It was a tough road-trip, there's no doubting that. We've got to get back with a little bit of a swagger. I think we've done a lot of good things. We've won some big games. We need to get back to that and string a few together.

“But, you know, we've saying that all year.”

Kiprusoff will be back between the pipes for the Flames, while Jonas Gustavsson will get the call for the Wings (12-9-5, seventh in Western Conference) because Jimmy Howard is ill.

Curtis Glencross, who returned early from the road-trip due to a suspected wrist injury, skated Wednesday morning and is a game-time decision.


663269 Carolina Hurricanes

Once Canes teammates, Tlusty, Kaberle on different paths

By Chip Alexander

RALEIGH — One is getting a lot of ice time, playing well, enjoying himself. The other, not so much.

One is a former NHL All-Star and Olympian, considered a star in his home country. The other is trying to reach that level.

Jiri Tlusty of the Carolina Hurricanes and Tomas Kaberle of the Montreal Canadiens remain close friends. They dined together last week – along with the Canadiens’ Tomas Plekanec – the night before the Canes faced the Habs at PNC Arena.

But when the game was played Thursday, Tlusty was on the ice at forward and Kaberle, a defenseman, was a healthy scratch. Such is the state of things for the two natives of the Czech Republic.

Tlusty has gotten the opportunity to play on Eric Staal’s line with Alexander Semin this season and made the most of it – 13 goals, eight assists. He ranks among the NHL leaders in the plus/minus rating at plus-17 and is showing the ability and skills that made him a first-round draft pick of the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2006.

Tlusty did not have a point against the Washington Capitals on Tuesday but was sound in the defensive zone and blocked three shots in the Canes’ 4-0 road win.

"He’s a hard-working guy," Kaberle said. "He goes to the areas that some others don’t and can do the dirty job, and he’s picking up the points as well. I’m every happy for him."

With the NHL tied up in a labor dispute and the players locked out, Tlusty went back home to play pro hockey in his hometown of Kladno. Much has been made of him playing on a line with Jaromir Jagr and Plekanec, of the jolt of confidence he got from it, and Kaberle was there to see it.

"He was playing good in Kladno and he picked up where he left off when the (NHL) season began," Kaberle said. ""In some of the games, that line was dominating teams. It was nice to see. He’s still a young kid, so hopefully he can get better and better."

Tlusty, 24, and Kaberle, 35, once were teammates with the Leafs before Tlusty’s trade to Carolina in December 2009. Kaberle, a four-time NHL All-Star and former Czech Olympian, helped Tlusty through some off-ice problems and was a confidante when needed.

Kaberle was traded by Toronto to the Boston Bruins in 2011, helping the Bruins win the Stanley Cup. Signed to a megabuck free-agent contract by the Hurricanes in July 2011, Kaberle and Tlusty again became teammates.

But their paths were to part again. The Hurricanes traded Kaberle to Montreal after 29 games, disappointed by his play and looking to move his big contract.

Kaberle played 43 games for the Habs last season. He has been in just 10 games this season and was a healthy scratch for 12 straight games.

"We’ve spent a lot of time together, training in the summers the last six or seven years, and we know each other so well," Tlusty said. "It’s sad to see him not playing. I think he’s still a really good D-man and it’s just tough. They have good depth on their ’D’ and it has been hard for him to jump into the lineup."

Tlusty now appears to be a fixture in the Canes’ lineup and possibly among the top six forwards. Given the right circumstances, he could become a 25 to 30-goal scorer, Kaberle believes.

"I could see that," Kaberle said. "As long as he stays healthy. He’s had some issues with his shoulder before, and his knee. But I could see that, yes.”

Kaberle said he was the one stuck with the dinner bill last week on the night out with Tlusty and Plekanec. It had nothing to do with seniority, however.

"Back home we always play rock, paper, scissors for everything," Tlusty said, smiling. "So we played and he lost. He has to pick up his game in rock, paper, scissors."

For now, everything is going Tlusty’s way.

News Observer LOADED: 03.14.2013

663270 Chicago Blackhawks

Youngster Saad living up to his nickname for Hawks

By Chris Kuc, Chicago Tribune reporter

7:29 PM CDT, March 13, 2013

He's the left wing on the No. 1 line of the NHL's top team.

He plays soccer with buddies during the summer.

He has a physique and hockey acumen beyond his years.

He still lives with his parents.

He is called "Man-Child."

Brandon Saad not only has the most descriptive nickname on the Blackhawks, but the rookie also has developed into one of the team's top forwards at the tender age of 20.

"It was always my goal to play as soon as possible," Saad said. "Getting drafted by the Blackhawks, with the talent they have, it was a tough team to crack, and luckily I did. There were some injuries and … I got a chance to prove myself. It's all about getting the opportunity, and I was fortunate to get it."

The Pittsburgh native has run with it, with four goals, seven assists and a plus-6 rating to help the Hawks to a 21-2-3 record. Skating on the top line with Marian Hossa and center Jonathan Toews, Saad has developed into the kind of player the Hawks hoped he would when they drafted him in the second round (43rd overall) in 2011 — just a whole lot quicker than envisioned.

"I've always been a mature kid for my age and I try to bring that to the table, and I've been playing well so it's been good," said the 6-foot-1, 202-pound Saad. "To make the team this year was my first goal. Playing well and having the team success we've been having has been great."

A two-game stint with the Hawks in 2011-12, followed by a recall during the playoffs, gave Saad a taste of what it takes to be an NHL player. That has helped ease the transition this season after he made the team out of training camp.

"Coming in this year, I was a lot more comfortable getting those couple of games last year and getting to meet the guys and getting familiar with them," he said. "I'm a lot more comfortable, but it's still been a whirlwind season."

Saad's physical play and smarts have impressed the Hawks — especially his linemates.

"He's an absolute beast out there," Toews said. "He's so strong and fearless. He goes into those corners and those tight areas where there could be two guys coming after him, and he's bouncing them both off the puck and he's coming out and creating scoring chances off of it.

"It's pretty cool to see there's no situation he can't come up with the puck, and he's got his head up more and more and he's seeing those plays."

Added Hossa: "Everybody's forgetting how young he is. It's amazing. He's getting better and better every game."

And about that nickname?

"(Patrick) Kane and (Patrick) Sharp came up with that one," Saad said. "They're having fun with it, and I enjoy it too. I guess it's because I'm big for my age and I'm a young kid."

One-timers: Jimmy Hayes will be thrown right into the fire after being recalled from Rockford. Hayes skated on the second line with Kane and center Dave Bolland during practice Wednesday and likely will remain there Thursday night in Columbus. "I just have to stick to my game, be big, physical and use my speed," the 6-6, 221-pound Hayes said. … Forward Rostislav Olesz was placed on waivers.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.14.2013


Hayes joins Blackhawks' second line

By Chris Kuc

Tribune reporter

1:13 PM CDT, March 13, 2013

Jimmy Hayes will be thrown right into the fire that is the Chicago Blackhawks' season.

Recalled Tuesday from Rockford of the AHL, Hayes skated on the Hawks' second line with fellow winger Patrick Kane and venter Dave Bolland during Wednesday's practice and will likely remain in that spot when the team kicks off a four-game road trip against the Blue Jackets on Thursday night in Columbus.

"(Kane's) a really good player," the 6-foot-6, 221-pound Hayes said. "I just have to stick to my game, be big, physical and use my speed. You just want to make sure you go to the net and just try to get open for (Kane). He's playmaker."

Hayes played in 31 games with the Hawks last season and finished with five goals and four assists.

"I have to be more consistent this year," Hayes said. "I just have to make sure I'm ready to play every night and play hard and continue to play with energy."

A winger throughout his hockey career, Hayes had been shifted to center with Rockford this season as the Hawks look to develop more depth at the position. Hayes had 22 goals and 17 assists in 58 games with Rockford before his recall.

"I've probably been playing (center) for at least 40 (games)," Hayes said. "It's going well. I'm feeling confident there. It's a spot I just have to continue to develop. There are a lot of things you have to work on as a center."

One-timers: Corey Crawford will start in goal for the Hawks when they face the Blue Jackets. ... The Hawks placed forward Rostislav Olesz on waivers.

Chicago Tribune LOADED: 03.14.2013


AHL call-up Jimmy Hayes gets big shot with Blackhawks

By MARK LAZERUS [email protected] March 13, 2013 8:32PM

Updated: March 13, 2013 9:10PM

Daniel Carcillo’s leg injury in the first game of the season allowed Brandon Saad to step into a dream gig, skating alongside Jonathan Toews and Marian Hossa on the Blackhawks’ top line. Saad never looked back, almost instantly looking like the genuine top-liner he was forecasted to be.

Jimmy Hayes only can hope playing alongside Patrick Kane has the same effect on his career.

Hayes was called up from the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs on Tuesday and will step into the big skates of Patrick Sharp, who’s out for at least a few more weeks with an apparent shoulder injury. The 6-6, 221-pound Boston native — who had five goals and four assists in 31 games with the Hawks last season — will skate on the left wing of the second line, alongside Dave Bolland and Kane, the team’s leading scorer and a leading candidate for the Hart Trophy.

“He’s a really good player, so I’ve just got to stick to my game,” said Hayes, 23. “Just be big, physical and use my speed. He does all the puck work. He’s a magician with it. So I just have to read off of him.”

Hayes certainly has the tools to be an effective top-six forward. In 58 games with the IceHogs this season, he has 22 goals — tied with Jeremy Morin for the team lead — and 17 assists. As Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said, he’s “been on a tear” recently, even notching his first career hat trick.

Hayes said it’s part of a concerted effort to shoot more and go to the net more.

“I was struggling,” he said. “I only had six goals at the [end of the] lockout there, so I was taking it on myself to score goals. I was talking to [IceHogs coach Ted Dent], and Teddy told me, ‘You’ve got to shoot the puck and go to the net if you want to score.’ So I started to do that way more in my game, and it’s starting to reward me a little bit.”

Hawks captain Jonathan Toews said Hayes is a smart playmaker who can play anywhere in the lineup. But the biggest reason Hayes will get a crack on a premier line is because Quenneville doesn’t want to mess with what’s been working. Why shake up three or four lines when you can change one?

Hayes’ call-up allows Quenneville to reunite the effective third line of Bryan Bickell, Andrew Shaw and Viktor Stalberg. Bickell skated on the second line Thursday in Colorado, and Stalberg got his chance Sunday against the Oilers. They were back together Wednesday at Johnny’s IceHouse.

“Just watching them today in practice, it’s nice to see them back together,” Quenneville said. “They’re capable on a given night of being as good as anybody. [With] the lines being more familiar than the last couple games, hopefully we can recapture that enthusiasm we had when we started.”

Stalberg was glad for the chance to play on the second line — he pointed out that his line had three goals in the 6-5 loss — but he knows that trio has something special together.

“Our line has scored as much as any of the other lines,” he said. “So I’m not really too concerned about that. If we have those three offensive lines, or whatever you want to call it, we get more balance throughout the lineup. It’s not bad. … So it’s good to just insert a guy where Sharpie’s missing.”

It’s certainly good for Hayes, too, who gets to play with one of the league’s best in Kane.

“It gives you confidence,” Hayes said. “You want to go to the net and try to just get open for him. He’s a playmaker.”

Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 03.14.2013


Coach Q finds it’s not easy to replace Sharp

By Tim Sassone

It's not easy replacing Patrick Sharp.

Just ask Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville.

Scouting report

Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena, 6 p.m.

TV: Comcast SportsNet

Radio: WGN 720-AM

The skinny: The Blue Jackets had won five in a row before losing in overtime to Vancouver on Tuesday. The Hawks have beaten Columbus three times this season, but they were all 1-goal games. The Jackets, who have points in eight straight games, still are without injured defensemen James Wisniewski (broken foot) and John Moore (upper body). Derek Dorsett is out for the season with a broken collarbone, while Artem Anisimov is doubtful for Thursday's game with a lower-body injury. Corey Crawford starts in goal for the Hawks, who are looking to end a two-game losing streak.

Season series: Hawks lead 3-0.

Next: Dallas Stars at American Airlines Center, 7 p.m. Saturday

— Tim Sassone

Sharp has missed the last two games with a sprained left shoulder, and the Hawks have lost both of them.

Bryan Bickell was given the first opportunity to take Sharp's spot on left wing with Dave Bolland and Patrick Kane, but that meant splitting up the highly successful third line of Bickell, Andrew Shaw and Viktor Stalberg.

Stalberg got some time on the second line in Sunday's loss to Edmonton.

Bickell and Stalberg were back with Shaw at practice Wednesday with Jimmy Hayes, recalled from Rockford on Tuesday, skating at left wing with Bolland and Kane.

"We looked at our lines and just getting them all back together, and just having (Hayes) fitting in Sharpie's spot gives him a chance to continue on the way he has played there (at Rockford) based on how well he has played," Quenneville said. "He's earned the opportunity to get a spot like that and play with a couple nice players.

"He was on a tear down there and was producing at a real good rate. He was good for us last year when he first got here. I'm looking forward to seeing how he does."

Hayes, who had been playing center at Rockford, was looking forward to the challenge of skating in a game with Kane.

"It gives you confidence," Hayes said. "He's a playmaker, so I just have to get to the net and try to get open for him."

The 6-foot-6, 221-pound Hayes is the kind of big winger the Hawks don't have.

"He's got the ability to make a difference for this team, to play and play well at this level," Jonathan Toews said. "He's a big body and he skates well and he's not afraid to use his size.

"He goes into tough areas and above all he makes plays and is a smart player. You put him with good players out there and he's going to be a force."

Reuniting Shaw, Bickell and Stalberg was a key for the Hawks at this point.

"It's good we keep them together," Toews said.

"Just watching them today in practice, it was nice seeing them back together," Quenneville said. "When we look at it and say which line is going

to be our best line, they're capable on any given night of being as good as anybody, whether it's zone time or their finish, or their speed off the attack.

"It seemed like they had a lot of jump in practice today. It looked like the lines being a little more familiar than the last couple games hopefully we can recapture that enthusiasm we had when we started."

Bickell said just being familiar with linemates Shaw and Stalberg is important.

"I'm excited," Bickell said. "I know after Sharpie went down with his injury he threw me in there and then Stalberg just to try something, but for our line to help our team when it needs a spark I know our line can bring it. We've been doing it all year.

"We feel really comfortable together. We know where each other is going to be and we feed off each other. With Stalberg's speed and Shaw's grit and his willingness to do whatever it takes to get the puck, we don't make fancy plays, but we can make plays that work."

Stalberg has found a home it seems on the third line as well.

"We've had some success and hopefully we can keep it going," Stalberg said. "I don't know if the second line is a more offensive role for me. I think our line can score just as much as any line.

"I'm not too concerned with that. If we have three offensive lines going, or whatever you want to call it, it only adds more balance to the lineup.

"Obviously we haven't played as well as a group the last two games so we're looking to get back to what made us successful with those lines."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.14.2013


Hawks ready to hit the reset button

By Tim Sassone

Jonathan Toews claims to know nothing of the Sports Illustrated cover jinx.

But coach Joel Quenneville does.

ads not by this site

"I thought that's why we got beat," Quenneville joked.

The Blackhawks are on the magazine's cover this week with the story extolling their 24-game point streak and crediting them for bringing people back to the sport following the lockout.

"I saw the cover and it's pretty cool," Toews said. "It's definitely high praise for our team after what was a tough time for our sport a few months ago. The fans have come back full force and we've put everything on the line to try and play some exciting hockey for our fans.

"It's great that it's being noticed and we want to keep it going. Our fans show up to the United Center every night to see an exciting brand of hockey. There's a lot of attention on us and who knows where it's going to go."

The Hawks have lost two games since the story was written.

"We just have to get back to playing like we can," Toews said. "We had a nice (two-day) break here and we're excited to get back on the ice and play smart, responsible hockey out there. Just being a little more patient out there. I think we gave up too many scoring chances the last couple games. Sometimes that's going to happen. We just have to tighten up and hit the reset button."

Wish granted:

As part of the Make-A-Wish program, 13-year-old Jarrett Hill of Kirkland wanted to skate with the Blackhawks and meet goalie Corey Crawford.

A goaltender himself, Hill got more than he expected Wednesday when Jonathan Toews, Viktor Stalberg, Andrew Shaw and Brandon Bollig put some shots on him. Toews than gave Hill a tour of the dressing room and let him undress in Ray Emery's stall.

"It's always fun to have a little guy like that come out and take a few shots," Toews said. "I wasn't telling him how to stop pucks. I know nothing about that. For his age he was pretty good."

New Blue Jackets:

Three times the Hawks have played Columbus this season and all three games have been decided by 1 goal.

The Hawks face the Blue Jackets again Thursday night at Nationwide Arena. Columbus had a five-game winning streak snapped on Tuesday with an overtime loss to Vancouver but does have points in eight straight games.

"They're a completely different team," Viktor Stalberg said. "They're playing better and more solid defensively. They're a hardworking group. They might not have that top guy like they had in (Rick) Nash, but they do have more balance in their lineup and are hard to play against."

Corey Crawford will start in goal for the Hawks.

"Every game was on the line from start to finish with them," Joel Quenneville said. "It's a different team than we've seen over the last couple years. All of a sudden they look like they're on the right track."

Oh, shoot:

Bryan Bickell had some fun in shootout practice Wednesday by trying to duplicate what Ottawa's Kaspars Daugavins did on Monday, when he pinned the puck to the ice with the toe of his stick, kept control down the ice and spun when he got near the net.

Only a great save by Boston's Tukka Rask prevented Daugavins from scoring.

Bickell didn't get very far with the puck when he tried it.

"(Marian) Hossa said you should do the top of the stick thing and I said all right," Bickell said. "I started off OK, but the ice wasn't very good and I lost it so I just put it in the corner. I saw Q after and he kind of chuckled.

"I don't think that's in my game. If I ever had a penalty shot I would shoot, not do anything fancy like that. I guess the guy had success in the minor leagues doing it and scored, but for his first penalty shot up here, it was kind of surprising."

Daily Herald Times LOADED: 03.14.2013


Stalberg, Shaw, Bickell together again

Staff

The chemistry that Viktor Stalberg, Andrew Shaw and Bryan Bickell built up as part of the Blackhawks’ third line was evident. Playing 24 consecutive games together will help develop that.

But when Patrick Sharp went down with a shoulder injury last week, Bickell and Stalberg each got their shot on the second line in the next two games. Be it the disrupted chemistry, fatigue or just the fact that the Blackhawks were due for losses, it didn’t work.

So on Wednesday, thanks in part to a call-up from Rockford, the Blackhawks’ third line was together again.

Jimmy Hayes was recalled from the IceHogs and put on the second line with Dave Bolland and Patrick Kane, and the Blackhawks’ lines were basically back to where they were during their 24-game unbeaten streak on Wednesday. Hayes was in the injured Sharp’s vacated left-wing spot, giving him a chance to play with the red-hot Kane. The top line was the familiar Brandon Saad-Jonathan Toews-Marian Hossa combo and Daniel Carcillo joined Marcus Kruger and Michael Frolik on the fourth line.

And for the third line, it’s the chance to be together again.

“Just watching them today in practice, it was nice to see them back together,” coach Joel Quenneville said. “When we look at it, it’s almost like, ‘Which line going to be our best line?’ They’re capable of being as good as any one on a given night, be it (with) zone time, speed off the attack or finish. They had a lot of jump in practice.”

Bickell, who played on the second line in Colorado on Friday, said the trio is comfortable together.

"We know what everybody brings to the line and we feed off each other, with (Stalberg’s) speed and (Shaw’s) grit. He’s willing to do anything to get the puck,” Bickell said. “We know where everyone is, so it helps. We don’t need to make fancy plays. We just make plays that compliment us.”

Shaw agreed.

“When you’re playing with someone that much, you can read where they’re going to be and expect them to be there,” he said. “You trust they’ll be where they should be, and it’s worked out pretty well for us.”

For Hayes, it’s a second opportunity to make his mark with the Blackhawks. The 23-year-old played 31 games with the Blackhawks last season, tallying five goals and four assists. The 6-foot-6, 221-pound Hayes is back now, largely due to the numbers he’s put up in Rockford. Hayes is tied for a team high with 22 goals for the IceHogs; he also has 17 assists. While he’s played center a lot in Rockford this season, Hayes will be back at wing for the Blackhawks.

And starting with guys like Bolland and Kane doesn’t hurt.

“I’ll just stick to my game, be big, use my speed and (let him) do all the puck work,” Hayes said of Kane. “He’s a magician with it, so I’ll just read off him. I’ll just go straight to the net and try to get open for him.”

Line combinations, for the most part, were restored on Wednesday. The Blackhawks hope their winning ways return with them.

“The lines more familiar than the last couple of games,” Quenneville said. “Hopefully, we can recapture the enthusiasm we had when we started.”

The Blackhawks placed forward Rostislav Olesz on waivers today, according to TSN.ca. If Olesz clears, he will be assigned to the IceHogs. Defenseman Steve Montador, who was placed on waivers on Monday, cleared them and was assigned to Rockford on Tuesday.

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2013

663276 Colorado Avalanche

Milan Hejduk returns to Avs' practice, will play Thursday

By Mike Chambers

The Denver Post

Posted: 03/13/2013 12:04:57 PM MDT

Updated: 03/13/2013 03:07:39 PM MDT

Veteran right wing Milan Hejduk practiced with the Avalanche on Wednesday and is expected to play in Thursday's game at Minnesota. Hejduk has missed five games because of a stiff neck, he said, after absorbing a check at Columbus on March 3.

"I woke up and I couldn't move," Hejduk said.

The 37-year-old Hejduk practiced on the Paul Stastny-centered line, with left wing Gabriel Landeskog, but coach Joe Sacco said he's not sure if he will keep that trio together.Struggling power forward David Jones, who has just three goals in 23 games, has been playing with Stastny all season.He practiced with center Ryan O'Reilly and left wing John Mitchell on Wednesday.

Sacco said goalie Semyon Varlamov will start against the Wild, which will travel back to Denver on Friday and face the Avalanche at the Pepsi Center for a Saturday matinee.

Denver Post: LOADED: 03.14.2013


Colorado Avalanche's David Jones on Ryan O'Reilly's line now

Posted: 03/14/2013 12:01:00 AM MDT

By Mike Chambers

The Denver Post

With Ryan O'Reilly back, it seems odd to say he centers the third line, because he undoubtedly is one of the Avalanche's top forwards. But David Jones was "demoted" to O'Reilly's line Wednesday.

Jones had only three goals in 23 games while playing right wing on the Paul Stastny-centered line, mostly with Gabe Landeskog on the left side. He practiced Wednesday with O'Reilly and left wing John Mitchell. Veteran Milan Hejduk is scheduled to return to the lineup and replace Jones on Stastny's line.

The adjusted line combinations is an attempt by coach Joe Sacco to get Jones more involved in the offense.

"It's been a while now, where Jonesey has had some struggles. He needs to get his game going," Sacco said of Jones, who has only 47 shots and a weak 6.4 shooting percentage. "He's a big-bodied winger. He's got to play physical. He's got to win one-on-one puck battles. He's got to get going, and I have to find a way to get him going. He needs to be a bigger part of our team, and he can be."

Hejduk missed the past five games with what the Avs called a torso injury. The 37-year-old said it was a stiff neck, probably stemming from a check by Derek Mac- Kenzie during a game March 3 at Columbus. Hejduk said he awoke in Detroit on March 4 and couldn't move.

"Weird thing," he said.

Hejduk also needs to get going. He has only three goals in 20 games. Hejduk and Stastny have often played together since Stastny joined the Avalanche in 2006.

"Always like to play with Paul. We've played together a number of years. I'm happy to be there," Hejduk said.

Said Stastny: "He's easy to play with, a give-and-go guy. Sometimes you just have to switch it up and hopefully this move will help both lines."

Hejduk practiced with the Avs during the Tuesday morning skate, before Edmonton pounded them 4-0 at the Pepsi Center.The Avs previously beat Chicago and San Jose at home and were playing their best hockey of the season. Hejduk, like everyone on the team, was surprised by the Avs' letdown.

"We didn't have much life. (The Oilers) looked like they were faster than us, getting to loose pucks quicker. They played the right way," Hejduk said. "It wasn't our A game for sure, but at this point even if you don't have your A game you have to find a way to get a point or two.

"Not that many games left and we have to make a push to make the playoffs."

The Avs are one game past the halfway point of the NHL's lockout-shortened, 48-game season. Entering play Wednesday, they were 14th in the 15-team Western Conference but only four points out of a playoff slot.

Mike Chambers



Colorado Avalanche at Minnesota Wild preview

Posted: 03/14/2013 12:01:00 AM MDT

COLORADO AT MINNESOTA

6 p.m. Thursday, ALT; 104.3 FM, 950 AM

Spotlight on Jason Zucker: Minnesota's rookie forward would have been a junior this season at the University of Denver. Zucker took a huge hit from Anaheim's Corey Perry on Tuesday before the Ducks rallied for a 2-1 victory while Zucker was being treated for what was feared to be a head injury. Perry was suspended by the NHL for four games Wednesday and Zucker was feeling better, skating during an optional Wild practice. The team said Zucker is day to day with an upper body injury. If he plays Thursday, it will be his first game against the Avalanche.

NOTEBOOK

Avalanche: Semyon Varlamov will start in goal against the Wild. ... On the heels of Tuesday's 4-0 loss to Edmonton at home, everyone practiced Wednesday before the team flew to Minnesota. ... Milan Hejduk has 50 points (22 goals) in 66 games against the Wild. ... The Avs trail the all-time series against the Wild 33-29-9 and are 1-1 this season (both games at Minnesota). The Wild won 4-2 on Jan. 19 and the Avs won 4-3 in a shootout Feb. 14, one of four nonvictories for the Wild at home (9-3-1).

Wild: Brett Clark, who played for the Avs from 2005-10, joined Minnesota on Wednesday. The 36-year-old defenseman had been playing in the AHL and was recovering from an ankle injury. He had 199 blocked shots last season with Tampa Bay, ranking second in the NHL, and signed for a prorated salary of $900,000. He won't play Thursday. ... Wild radio play-by-play talent Bob Kurtz was hit in the head by a puck at practice Wednesday and suffered a wound that required 10 stitches. "Day to day with an upper body injury," Kurtz told the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Mike Chambers, The Denver Post


663279 Columbus Blue Jackets

Jackets riding red-hot Bobrovsky

By Shawn Mitchell

The Columbus Dispatch Thursday March 14, 2013 5:28 AM

A quick and crucial tilt of his head two nights ago might have been more important to Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and his team than any of the game-saving things he has done with glove or pad in recent weeks.

Bobrovsky, whose stinginess has been at the heart of a franchise record-tying eight-game point streak, was struck in the right eye Tuesday by a high stick wielded by Vancouver Canucks captain Henrik Sedin in the final minute of the third period of a 2-1 shootout loss.

The blade of Sedin’s stick slipped through the cage of Bobrovsky’s helmet and left him sprawled on the ice. No penalty was called, though a Nationwide Arena crowd was more concerned for the well-being of their red-hot goalie than incensed by the oversight.

“I could feel it, the stick on my eye,” Bobrovsky said. “I just moved like this (whipping his head backward) and that saved me,” he said. “(The eye) was a little watery. I had to (wipe) it a couple of times, but it did not make a difference.”

Bobrovsky was tended to by a trainer and stayed in the game. He participated in an optional practice yesterday, none the worse for wear.

“I am good,” Bobrovsky said.

Great, even.

Bobrovsky was named the league’s weekly first star on Monday. Now the team’s clear No. 1 goalie, he has started nine of the past 12 games and has been the catalyst for his team’s surge from the cellar.

Bobrovsky is 6-1-2 with a 1.55 goals-against average and .946 save percentage in his past nine games. Overall, he is 8-6-4 and ranks eighth in the NHL in goals-against average (2.19) and save percentage (.923), a remarkable turnaround from last season.

Bobrovsky, acquired in a draft-day trade with Philadelphia for a second-round and two fourth-round picks in June, had a 3.02 goals-against average and .899 save percentage last season as a backup to Flyers starter Ilya Bryzgalov. He ranked 41st and 42nd, respectively, in those categories.

But Bobrovsky is known as a tireless worker and student of his position. He embraced his new partnership with goaltending coach Ian Clark as he split starts with Steve Mason during the season’s first month.

“There are some areas of his game that we’ve worked real hard on,” Clark said. “One is getting bigger in traffic, getting that butterfly (stance) higher, covering a higher area. An area of his game that has been a little bit chronic for him is getting shrunken down in his position. … He’s playing a calmer game now, and as you get some starts back-to-back-to-back, you get into a rhythm.”

Clark appreciates Bobrovsky’s willingness to listen and adapt. Style tweaks aren’t always welcome, especially in a new relationship during a shortened season with little teaching time.

“It’s a risky thing to change up their games without the practice reps that a normal season will give you,” Clark said. “I’m real proud of him for embracing that adjustment.”

The Jackets are 5-0-1 in their past six games despite totaling just 13 goals. Their defense has improved, but “it’s starts with the goaltending, for sure,” center Brandon Dubinsky said. Bobrovsky has saved 161 of the past 166 shots he has faced (.970 percentage).

“He’s been really, really good,” center Mark Letestu said. “But we’d like to lean on him a little less than we have been.”

Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 03.14.2013


Blue Jackets notebook: Game against Blackhawks could be last as division foe

By Aaron Portzline

The Columbus Dispatch Thursday March 14, 2013 5:24 AM

The Blue Jackets are likely leaving the Central Division next season, bound for the Eastern Conference under a realignment plan that is expected to be approved this week.

The Jackets won back-to-back games against Detroit last weekend in what could be their final games as members of the Central. Tonight, the Blue Jackets play the Chicago Blackhawks at Nationwide Arena in what could be their final time as division rivals.

“Record-wise, they’re the best team in the league,” coach Todd Richards said. “To me, this is Muhammad Ali. You always want the title bout, you want the title shot. You want to step into the ring. We get to do it (tonight) for the last time.”

The Blue Jackets have lost three times to the Blackhawks this season, all by one goal: 3-2, 1-0 and 4-3 in overtime.

“We’ve played well; they’ve played well,” Richards said. “Really, all three games have been good games. They’ve had a bit of an edge as far as scoring chances, but that’s the danger that they possess with their personnel. “We were playing good hockey when we saw them last (March 1), but we’ve reached another level. And I still think we have room to get better.”

Under the realignment plan, the Blackhawks would remain in the Western Conference, meaning the Jackets would play them twice a season. The Red Wings are heading to the Eastern Conference along with the Jackets, but to different divisions. This means they would play three times.

Murray on the mend

Defenseman Ryan Murray, the Blue Jackets’ No. 2 overall pick in June, could be in Columbus as soon as next week to begin the next level of rehabilitation after shoulder surgery in January.

“Everything has been good, he’s doing really well,” said Rick Valette, Murray’s agent. “He’ll be ready to go (for training camp) in September.”

Murray was injured on Nov. 16 when he extended his left arm to break a backward fall. Surgery was delayed two months to allow swelling to subside in the shoulder.

Award season

Prospect Boone Jenner was voted “hardest-working player” and “best faceoff player” in the Ontario Hockey League for the second straight season, based on voting by league coaches. He was voted second-best body checker, too.

He has 44 goals, 37 assists and a plus-23 rating in 55 games with Oshawa. The Blue Jackets could recall him when Oshawa is eliminated from the OHL playoffs.

Slap shots

NHL clubs had a 5 p.m. deadline yesterday to vote on the realignment plan. The plan requires approval from 23 of 30 teams to pass. The league could make an announcement soon. … Richards would not divulge his starting goaltender for tonight. Steve Mason started the first three games this season against Chicago. Sergei Bobrovsky has only one career start against Chicago: On Jan. 21, 2011, he stopped 30 of 31 shots for Philadelphia in a 4-1 victory at United Center. … The Blue Jackets recalled defenseman Cody Goloubef from Springfield on an emergency basis, suggesting one of the Blue Jackets’ regulars might not play.



Blue Jackets, Blackhawks at a glance

Staff

Blue Jackets at a glance

• Last 10 games: 5-2-3

• Power play: 13 percent (29th in NHL)

• Penalty kill: 86 percent (5th in NHL)

• Injury update: C Artem Anisimov (lower body), C Derek MacKenzie (upper body) questionable; D John Moore (shoulder) out; RW Derek Dorsett (clavicle fracture), D James Wisniewski (right foot fracture) out.

Blackhawks at a glance

• Last 10: 8-2

• Power play: 18.1 percent (13th)

• Penalty kill: 84.4 percent (6th)

• Injury update: LW Patrick Sharp (shoulder) out.



Anisimov on the mend

Staff

Center Artem Anisimov (lower-body injury) took part in an optional practice yesterday and is questionable for tonight. He has two of the Jackets’ five goals in three games against Chicago.


663283 Dallas Stars

Jamie Benn, Brenden Morrow duo could miss Stars' second straight game

By MIKE HEIKA

Staff Writer

[email protected]

Published: 13 March 2013 09:12 PM

A fairly quiet day in Frisco.

Brenden Morrow (groin) and Jamie Benn (wrist) each skated, but did not go through a full practice. Benn said he is doubtful to play on Thursday against Anaheim, while Morrow is listed as “day to day,” meaning he’s questionable to go against the Ducks.

Benn has missed one game and Morrow two.

The bigger news is probably that Anaheim’s Corey Perry was suspended four games for a late hit on Minnesota’s Jason Zucker. Read about that here.

Perry obviously will not play against the Stars.

Here is Stars coach Glen Gulutzan on Morrow and Benn: “I would say that Jamie is doubtful for tomorrow. Brenden, we’ll see how he skates in the morning.”

Here is Benn on what he was able to do: “Worked out in the gym and got a bit of a skate in there and really didn’t shoot any pucks or pass any pucks. Just resting it, and we’ll re-evaluate it tomorrow.”

Trevor Daley was given a day off for maintenance, and Gulutzan said he is expected to play Thursday.

The rest of the group was out there, and a bunch of kids stayed out very late, so it’s good to see them working hard to improve. Stars have lost two straight and have scored one goal in past two games.

“I think it’s just about moving forward and making sure we’re getting better and coming out on Thursday and establishing a little bit of a presence at home,” Gulutzan said. “Correct what we did and move forward, because we can’t wallow around too long.”

The heavily-shuffled lines from Tuesday were the same in practice:

Ray Whitney-Derek Roy-Erik Cole

Reilly Smith-Cody Eakin-Jaromir Jagr

Loui Eriksson-Antoine Roussel-Tomas Vincour

Eric Nystrom-Vern Fiddler-Ryan Garbutt

Brenden Dillon-Stephane Robidas

Alex Goligoski-Jamie Oleksiak

Jordie Benn-(Trevor Daley) Philip Larsen

Kari Lehtonen is expected to start in goal.

Asked about the lines and possible changes, Gulutzan said: “It was only one game with the lines. We’ll probably keep the lines the same and go at her again. Tomorrow might be a little bit of a tighter leash to see whether or not we change things.”

Dallas Morning News LOADED: 03.14.2013

663284 Dallas Stars

Heika: With Ray Whitney finally healthy, Stars fans will see who the 40-year-old winger is for the first time

By MIKE HEIKA

Staff Writer

[email protected]


FRISCO — Strange as it may sound, Stars fans have no idea who Ray Whitney is.

He has played just nine games in a Dallas uniform, and returned Thursday from missing 16 games with a broken foot. So what’s the big deal about the smallish winger, who will turn 41 on May 8?

Well, simply this: He is a physical marvel who last season defied age to score 77 points with the Phoenix Coyotes. That ranked him 12th in the NHL. He has put up three seasons of 77 or more points (he had 83 in 2006-07) in the last six years, and has actually appeared to get better as he has aged. His worst season in that span is 57 points.

And that’s why the Stars signed him in the summer to a two-year contract that averages $4.5 million a season.

In his first eight games with the Stars, he had six points (two goals and four assists), and that was with a fractured bone in his foot.

And, points aside, he really is the cliché of a coach on the ice. Whitney is not that far away from either being a coach or a GM in the NHL. He has the mind for it, he has the drive, and he has the leadership.

“I’ve played with him before, and he and I know each other pretty well,” said winger Erik Cole, who was a teammate of Whitney’s on the 2006 Stanley Cup champion Carolina Hurricanes. “Regardless of who he’s playing with, he’ll help us. He’s a calming influence, and he’s got a way of making all of the people around him feel comfortable. He’s a good character guy and a great leader.”

Whitney is a no-nonsense guy who will speak his mind and demand more from everyone around him. He helped Phoenix to the Western Conference finals last season, helped Carolina to the Eastern Conference finals in 2009 and the helped the Hurricanes win the Cup in 2006.

Bottom line, he’s a winner.

“He is a strong leader,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “The work ethic that he’s put in to get prepared to play now is going to pay dividends for our group, because that’s where his no-nonsense professionalism and his ability to show our young players what it takes to play in this league 20 years is going to rub off and be good for us.”

That said, Whitney also can mix tomfoolery with his tenacity. He will “photobomb” interviews, skating behind the subjects while mugging for the television cameras. He also doesn’t mind making jokes with pointed meanings.

Asked about what influence his return might have on the Stars, he said: “I hope they’re not relying on a 40-year-old to provide the spark.”

And yet, the Stars sort of are. While they have a bunch of young players, they signed Whitney and Jaromir Jagr to bring something special to the group. While Stars fans have already seen a bit of what Jagr can do, they really have not been exposed to impact of Whitney’s presence.

“He’s definitely a special player and a big leader,” said center Jamie Benn, who is expected to miss his second game Thursday with a wrist injury. “He’s an experienced guy, and he knows what it takes to win hockey games. It’s going to be nice to have him back in the lineup.”

And back in a position to help improve the intensity. Whitney tried to help as much as he can when he was out of the lineup, but he has old school beliefs that state players on the ice are the most important.

“He can be fun, but he has this intensity and he has value system that just works,” said Cole, 34. “I’ve learned a lot from him. He knows how to poke

and prod and make sure everyone knows they are part of the team. It’s a great element to have around.”

One Stars fans are hoping will help end a four-year non-playoff stretch.


663285 Dallas Stars

Thursday Preview: With Jamie Benn likely out of lineup, Stars will need to find someone to match up with Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf

By MIKE HEIKA

Staff Writer

[email protected]


DALLAS STARS vs. ANAHEIM DUCKS

7:30 p.m. today, American Airlines Center, FSSW, KTCK-AM (1310)

Key Match-up: Derek Roy vs. Ryan Getzlaf

With Jamie Benn out of the lineup, it will be interesting to see how Stars coach Glen Gulutzan handles the match-up with Getzlaf. The 6-4, 221-pound center ranks sixth in the NHL in scoring with 31 points (10 goals, 21 assists) and is plus-14. Roy (5-9, 190) has four points in the last four games.

Key stat: 41

That’s the standings points for the Ducks, second best in the NHL. Anaheim is 19-3-3, ranks second in goal differential at plus-24, third in scoring at 3.32 and first in power play success at 26.7 percent.

Injuries

Anaheim: G Viktor Fasth (upper body) is doubtful. RW Corey Perry (suspension), LW Kyle Palmieri (upper body), LW Brad Staubitz (face), and C Nick Bonino (flu) are out.

Dallas: LW Brenden Morrow (groin) is questionable. C Jamie Benn (wrist) is doubtful. D Aaron Rome (foot) is out.

Notable

Ducks winger Corey Perry has been suspended four games for a late hit on Minnesota’s Jason Zucker and will not play against the Stars…Dallas is coming off a 4-0 loss to Nashville Tuesday and has lost two straight…Anaheim is coming off a 2-1 win in Minnesota on Tuesday and is 6-0-2 in its last eight games…Dallas defeated Anaheim 3-1 on Feb. 8. Derek Roy and Alex Goligoski each had two assists in that game…Jonas Hiller is expected to start in goal for Anaheim. He is 9-2-2 with a 2.71 GAA and .905 save percentage. However, he has a 4-9-1 career record against the Stars…Kari Lehtonen is expected to start for Dallas. He is 8-5-2 with a 2.46 GAA and .918 save percentage against the Ducks.


663286 Dallas Stars

Dallas Stars still require patience, but time to learn lessons running out this season

By MIKE HEIKA

Staff Writer

[email protected]


Stars fans have been juggling levels of patience for years.

Patience over ownership, over player movement, over player use, over expectations. It hasn’t been easy.

And Tuesday’s 4-0 loss to Nashville just goes to show that the need for patience is still there.

The Stars are trying to assimilate young defensemen to the NHL, and that is no small task. Witness the blunders against the Predators. Jamie Oleksiak has been trying to incorporate more skating into his game, and recent forays against Los Angeles and Phoenix have turned out well. Oleksiak hasn’t scored, but he hasn’t hurt the team, and he’s gained confidence.

But much of that was lost on Tuesday. Oleksiak started one of those runs with his big skates and long strides…and just like that, the puck was headed in the other direction. Matt Halischuk poked the puck away from Oleksiak and broke in on a 2-on-1. He fed teammate Nick Smaling, and Smaling powered a shot past Kari Lehtonen.

Boom, zing, game over. Nashville is 10-0-5 when it scores first. You can’t afford to make that mistake against that team, not at that time. When you’re up 2-0, maybe. But not 0-0 in the first period.

As the Stars tried to come back, Brenden Dillon tried to make a hip check, and was a second late. Instead of a crunching blow that changed momentum, it was a tripping penalty that handed the Predators a power play. Nashville scored in 14 seconds.

You don’t come back from 2-0 against Nashville.

Last mistake came midway through the second period as Jordie Benn tried to help create a goal on the power play. Benn is 25 and not 20 like Oleksiak, but he caught himself out of position, and had to race back to catch Richard Clune coming out of the penalty boxy. He hooked Clune to give him a penalty shot. Clune converted and it was 3-0.

“It wasn’t good. We needed to be a little bit better in a bunch of areas,’’ Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “I thought early on, we made a couple of young errors and some turnovers, especially with our defense in the back end. We need our big guys to step up when those situations happen and take control and we didn’t do it. “

But the process to get better is an interesting one.

Oleksiak likely will not be as adventurous the next game. Maybe that’s good, maybe that’s bad. Maybe he was moving too quickly with his assimilation. Maybe he needed to tap the brake. But, nervous is not how you want defensemen to play.

How about Dillon? He has 11 minor penalties this year, and he clearly has been told about it. However, he also has been a physical force, and the Stars need that on defense. So, did he need a lesson on when to be careful and when to be physical? Did he learn from it?

That’s part of the process, right?

Benn is 25 and is one of the leaders with the Texas Stars, so his window is a little different. He should be learning pretty quickly at this age. Gulutzan made a good point about how Benn might have defended the play differently.

“I thought it looked like Kari was playing it pretty well,’’ Gulutzan said. “We probably could have played it the way it was, but we took a penalty. We probably didn’t need to take a penalty.’’

And that is a teaching moment where Benn learned a valuable lesson. In reality, he just needed to ride Clune and make sure there was no rebound play. He will likely do that the next time.

But here’s the thing about next times…they are very precious in this kind of playoff race. They will come quickly, and they will come at important times. Anaheim is at the AAC on Thursday. Chicago on Saturday. The Stars can’t afford too many more lessons, and that is a tough place to put these kids.

They need patience — from the coaches, from the Stars, from the fans. There are not any real shortcuts to make them better. It takes time.

Aaron Rome is not expected back anytime soon from his broken foot. Philip Larsen has the same issues as Dillon and Oleksiak and Benn. To borrow a well-worn hockey phrase: It is what it is.

It is where the Stars are right now.

Morrow, Benn, Whitney and the lines: The Stars saw the return of Ray Whitney Tuesday from his broken foot, and he played well. Of course, he played well. He scored 77 points last season for Phoenix. He had six points in eight games to start his career with the Stars — and he did it with a fracture in his foot.

If Whitney is truly healthy, he can make a huge difference for the Stars. If he is back, and Jamie Benn (wrist) and Brenden Morrow (groin) return soon, the Stars have both the opportunity to improve their lines and the challenge to make sure they do it right.

These next two games are going to be huge at home against the two best teams in the Western Conference, so how the Stars adapt and adjust will also be huge.

Should be fun to watch, eh?

Of course, the Stars have to find a way to finish and score.

“We have to come out and be ready,’’ Gulutzan said. “We did everything right after we were down two to nothing and then we couldn’t score. We played soft, and we didn’t go to the hard areas to score, we didn’t force it down their throat. You have to jam it down their throat and come out after them and if you’re not going to do that then you’re just fluff.”

Kari Lehtonen allows four goals on 21 shots: Kari Lehtonen was outplayed Tuesday. Not just because Nashville’s Pekka Rinne was fantastic (in recording his league-high fifth shutout with 32 saves), but because Lehtonen was not.

The first shot was a tough change of angle, but it came from distance, and Lehtonen has stopped tougher. The second was a low shot through a crowd, but again, Lehtonen has stopped tougher. The Clune penalty shot seemed unremarkable, and Lehtonen has stopped 72.4 percent of the shootout chances he has faced in his career.

In other words, he would have liked that one back.

Lehtonen has been the team MVP for two years here, so it’s difficult to criticize anything he does, but that was not a good night. He allowed four goals on 21 shots. He did not make the transcendent save to change the game.

Pekka Rinne did that.

It’s no shame in saying you lost to Rinne, but the Stars will likely not get far with this lineup unless Lehtonen wins the goaltending battle on most nights.

And this was just a reminder of that.


663287 Dallas Stars

GameDay: Anaheim Duck at Dallas Stars

Posted Wednesday, Mar. 13, 2013

Ducks at Stars

7:30 p.m. Thursday, American Airlines Center

TV: FSSW

Radio: KTCK/1310 AM

Records: Ducks 19-3-3, 41 points; Stars 12-11-2, 26 pts.

About the Stars: The Stars struggled Tuesday night without two of their star players in the lineup in a 4-0 loss to the Nashville Predators. The Stars could again be without forwards Jamie Benn (wrist) and Brenden Morrow (groin) tonight. Neither was on the ice to start Wednesday’s practice but both skated at the end of the session, the Stars’ website reported. “I would say that Jamie is doutful [for today],” coach Glen Gulutzan said. “Brenden, we’ll see how he skates in the morning.” Morrow has missed the past two games. Benn has missed one.

About the Ducks: Anahiem arrives in Dallas with a four-game winning streak after Tuesday’s 2-1 victory in Minnesota. The Ducks have won 19 games overall, including eight on the road. However, Anahiem will be without forward Corey Perry, who was suspended for four games for a hit on Wild forward Jason Zucker on Tuesday. Perry is second on the team in scoring with nine goals, 15 assists and 24 points in 25 games. … Ryan Getzlaf leads the Ducks with 10 goals, 21 assists and 31 points.

Star-Telegram LOADED: 03.14.2013

663288 Detroit Red Wings

Ex-Red Wings goalie Joey MacDonald happy for opportunity with Flames

4:55 PM, March 13, 2013

By Helene St. James

CALGARY, Alberta -- Never one to lack for a smile, former Detroit Red Wings goaltender Joey MacDonald has been especially pleased after relocating to Calgary.

MacDonald played nine games in his first month with the Flames, who acquired the 33-year-old off Feb. 11 after he was put on waivers by the Wings.

"Things are going good," MacDonald said Wednesday morning at the Saddledome. "It's great to get an opportunity to play. It's tough leaving a team like Detroit, it's a great organization, I spent a lot of time there, but sometimes it's better to move on, and knowing that I'm going to be playing here, it's great."

MacDonald, who is 3-4-1 with a 2.85 goals-against average and .900 save percentage, at one point played five straight games while Miikka Kiprusoff was injured. MacDonald was waived by the Wings because he no longer fit into their plans after they signed Jonas Gustavsson to a two-year deal last summer. MacDonald went 8-5-1 in 14 games for the Wings last season, taking over as Jimmy Howard's backup after Ty Conklin struggled in the job.

MacDonald had hoped to catch on full-time in the NHL, but that wasn't to be with Detroit.

"It's disappointing leaving a team you spent so much time with," MacDonald said, "and they're a great bunch of guys and everything. It would have been nice to stay there, but sometimes getting an opportunity somewhere else and a fresh start is what you need. I think getting a chance here, it's a chance to expose me and to play some games. If I didn't get claimed, I'd probably be still down in Grand Rapids. Whenever you're playing in the NHL, you're getting seen, you're getting exposed, and that's what you've got to do. It's a contract year, so I'm just trying to play hard and hopefully, everything will work out here."

MacDonald said he still keeps in close touch with Howard and Wings goalie coach Jim Bedard. "They're always going to be good friends," he said. "When I've been playing, Howie and Jimmy B have been texting me after games. We're always going to stay pretty tight."

Detroit Free Press LOADED: 03.14.2013


Red Wings' Jonas Gustavsson to start; Jordin Tootoo may be healthy scratch vs. Flames

3:28 PM, March 13, 2013

By Helene St. James

CALGARY, Alberta -- The Detroit Red Wings had a lot of people back on the ice this morning at the Saddledome - and several nowhere near the place, too.

For starters, Jonas Gustavsson will start tonight when the Wings take on the Calgary Flames (9:30 p.m., FSD, TSN) because Jimmy Howard was so sick with flu he came to the rink early, then promptly was sent back to the team hotel to rest.

Secondly, it appears Jordin Tootoo will be a healthy scratch. Coach Mike Babcock didn't fully commit to such a decision after the morning skate, saying Tootoo will be a "game-time decision," but Tootoo stayed on the ice for a good hour after the usual 30-minute morning skate ended, usually an indication a player isn't playing.

That was Tootoo's impression, too, as he said, "I think it's going to be a game-time decision."

He took the possibility in stride, saying "obviously my foundation is being physical out there. Personally, maybe the last couple of games, for some reason I haven't been up to par. But for me mentally, it's taking it one day at a time and making sure I'm giving myself every opportunity to be in the lineup."

Valtteri Filppula is returning after a seven-game layoff because of a sore shoulder, and he'll be with Henrik Zetterberg and Damien Brunner. Pavel Datsyuk is with Johan Franzen and Justin Abdelkader to start, though Babcock said Gustav Nyquist may end up playing in Abdelkader's spot, if Nyquist plays. He's likely to be the scratch if Tootoo does play.

If Nyquist is in, he'll start with Joakim Andersson and Daniel Cleary. That would leave a fourth line of Cory Emmerton, Patrick Eaves and Drew Miller.

On the back end, Ian White was excused for the day for what Babcock said were personal reasons, but White is expected to be available for the rest of the trip, which continues Friday at Edmonton and concludes Saturday at Vancouver. With White unavailable, Brian Lashoff is in, and Kent Huskins is out for an eighth straight game.

The Wings will face Miikka Kiprusoff in net as they attempt to overturn a two-game losing streak.



Calgary 5, Detroit Red Wings 2: Mike Babcock calls it 'a disturbing loss'

12:46 AM, March 14, 2013

By Helene St. James

CALGARY, Alberta -- Niklas Kronwall summed up the loss as embarrassing. His coach was far more loquacious, going on for minutes about how awful the Red Wings were.

They lost, 5-2, to the Calgary Flames tonight at the Saddledome, a score the Wings felt was entirely self-inflicted.

"It's amazing to me how you can play so well," Mike Babcock said, "and look so organized and look so talented, and then it's almost like you get playing good, that you get loose. I mean, it's crazy. We just gave it to them. It had nothing to do with them. Those are self-inflicted wounds on us. Crazy mistakes for no reason what-so-ever.

"To me, that was a disturbing loss, because all we had to do was continue to do things right, and you win the game. Whether we don't have the maturity as a group, or the stick-to-it-ness -- there's no sense in what happened here."

The Wings outshot the Flames, 38-22. They scored on a power play on the road for the first time in 38 attempts, with Valtteri Filppula building on Niklas Kronwall's first-period goal. It was 2-2 after two periods.

Then nothing went right. Jonas Gustavsson, playing because Jimmy Howard had a bout with flu, was porous. Everyone else was sloppy.

"Awful," Kronwall said. "We just stopped playing, and we kept turning the puck over and over and over. It didn't feel like they beat us, it felt like we beat ourselves.

"Last period was embarrassing."

The Wings have just one point their last three games, squeezing that out of a weekend home-and-home series with Columbus. What frustrated players and Babcock tonight was that the Wings started so well only to completely fall apart.

"We have to have a look at ourselves as a group," Babcock said. "The message has to get very clear that if you can't look after the puck, there's no sense playing. That right there was ridiculous.

"Why would you force anything? We had the puck all the time. Just take what's given and play the game. It makes no sense."

Gustavsson said he'd liked to have back the fourth and fifth goals, scored by Curtis Glencross, who intercepted a pass, and Blake Comeau, one minute apart by the midway point of the third period. That spelled the end of any comeback hope for the Wings, who'd been stymied numerous times by Miikka Kiprusoff. A few more saves out of Gustavsson, and few less turnovers, and things might have been different.

"All the way up to that," captain Henrik Zetterberg said, "I think we played a good game. We had some bad turnovers that really cost us a few goals, and it's tough to do that in this league.

"We didn't play good enough to win, that's the final thought. Even in the third, we did a lot of good things, but the bad things really cost us."

The Wings next head to Edmonton, where they play Friday, before finishing the trip Saturday at Vancouver. With the playoffs a month-and-change away, points are at an all-time premium, and the Wings aren't picking up many.

Contact Helene St. James: 313-222-2295



Red Wings' Darren Helm (back) could return as soon as next week

March 14, 2013

By Helene St. James

CALGARY, Alberta -- Darren Helm is on the Red Wings' horizon.

General manager Ken Holland said Wednesday before a 5-2 loss to the Flames at the Saddledome that barring any setbacks, Darren Helm could return as early next Wednesday, when the Wings host the Minnesota Wild.

Helm has played only one game this season, sidelined by a muscle tear suffered while doing squats a few days before training camp began. His one game was against Minnesota on Jan. 25.

The Wings sorely miss Helm, who is key to getting the bottom-six forwards slotted to everyone's best talents. He's also a crucial part of the penalty kill, with his ability to use his speed to generate breakaways and eat up an opponent's man-advantage time.

The Wings will be careful with Helm, of course, but he was on the ice for a good 90 minutes Wednesday morning, and has joined practices after spending his first few days back on the ice skating by himself.

The news on Todd Bertuzzi, meanwhile, remains status quo, as he continues to deal with back pain by getting treatment back in Detroit. He last played Feb. 7 at St. Louis.




Jordin Tootoo scratched from Red Wings' lineup: 'I haven't been up to par'

March 14, 2013

By Helene St. James

CALGARY, Alberta -- Jordin Tootoo admitted his last few games might not have been up to par, and that's why he found himself a spectator.

Tootoo was a healthy scratch for the first time this season Wednesday as the Red Wings fell to the Flames, 5-2, at the Saddledome.

Coach Mike Babcock called it a "numbers thing," as the Wings had to scratch someone because Valtteri Filppula returned after being sidelined by a shoulder injury. That gave the Wings the option to put Filppula with Henrik Zetterberg and Damien Brunner, and move Johan Franzen to play with Pavel Datsyuk.

The Wings also came into the night on a two-game losing streak, which Tootoo figured played into the situation as well.

"We have a lot of guys coming back from injury, and I think when things aren't going the right way, or the way they're supposed to, sometimes change is good," he said. "I think sometimes change is good to fire a team up."

Tootoo stayed on the ice an hour after the 30-minute morning skate ended, even though the decision wasn't official until pregame warm-ups.

"For me," he said, "it's coming to the rink every day and preparing like I'm going to be in the lineup. Today is just another day for me that's it's a game day routine.

"Obviously, my foundation is being physical out there. Personally, maybe the last couple of games, for some reason I haven't been up to par. But for me mentally, it's taking it one day at a time and making sure I'm giving myself every opportunity to be in the lineup."

The Wings signed Tootoo last summer, seeing him as a solid combination of grit and offensive upside. Tootoo, however, has not produced quite as expected, with two goals and two assists in 26 games.

WHITE UPDATE: Defenseman Ian White, who just returned after being a healthy scratch for six games, was excused Wednesday for "personal reasons," Babcock said. White is on the trip and expected back with the team for Friday's game at Edmonton.




Red Wings have 35-to-1 odds of winning Stanley Cup

By The Detroit News

Johan Franzen and the Red Wings are decided underdogs to win the Stanley Cup, according to one bookmaker.

Johan Franzen and the Red Wings are decided underdogs to win the Stanley Cup, according to one bookmaker. (David GuralnickJpg

A little past the halfway point of this lockout-shortened season, the Red Wings are a 35-to-1 shot to win the Stanley Cup, according to an online bookmaker.

Bovada.com lists the Chicago Blackhawks as the favorite, at 9-to-2 odds, to take home Lord Stanley, followed by the Pittsburgh Penguins (6 to 1) and the Boston Bruins (8 to 1).

The team with the worst odds? The Florida Panthers, at 250 to 1.

Detroit News LOADED: 03.14.2013


Flames' third-period barrage buries Red Wings

By Gregg Krupa The Detroit News

Calgary, Alberta — Beyond failing to pull out of a sudden two-game nose dive, the Red Wings authored a third period fiasco Wednesday literally handing the Flames a 5-2 victory.

Outplaying Calgary for long segments of the game and out-shooting the Flames 38-14 overall, the Wings left themselves and their coach about as frustrated as they can get, after the game.

"To me, that's a tough one to swallow, big time," Mike Babcock said.

"Tonight," said a plainly upset Niklas Kronwall, "they didn't beat us. It felt like we beat ourselves.

"It just felt like we started making hope plays that were not there, trying to make passes that are not there. They took advantage of that," Kronwall said.

"They had more opportunities than that, and we just kept giving them more and more.

"The last period was embarrassing."

The Red Wings even managed their first road power-play goal of the season from Valtteri Filppula, who returned to the lineup after seven games with an injured shoulder. Filppula's goal tied the game late in the second period at two It should have provided the Red Wings with solid momentum, especially because they were dominating much of the play.

But, after a slow start to the third period for both teams, the Red Wings started turning over the puck and there were some defensive breakdowns.

"I don't know this can happen to you after you play so well and look so organized and look so talented," Babcock said. "It's almost like you get playing so good that you get loose, and I mean it's crazy.

"We just gave it to them. That's got nothing to do with them. Those are self-inflicted wounds on us and crazy mistakes for just no reason whatsoever.".

The coach, Kronwall and other players made it clear afterwards that the Red Wings have reached an existential moment for their playoff hopes.

They must rally, and soon, after a catastrophic loss in their first game on a three-game swing through western Canada that continues in Edmonton Friday and Vancouver Saturday.

"To me, that was a disturbing loss because all we had to do was continue to do things right and you win the game, and whether we don't have the maturity as a group or the stick-to-it-iveness, there's no sense in what happened here tonight," Babcock said. "Because we had the puck, they couldn't get the puck, and when you go through their goals, we just gave it to them."

At one point, Babcock was so upset he simply told the media, "Ask them!" when questioned about how so many mistakes could occur.

"We have to have a look at ourselves as a group, and the message has to get very clear that if you don't look after the puck, there's no use in playing — and that right there is ridiculous," Babcock said. "Why would you force anything? We had the puck all the time. Just take what's given to you."

Overall, the Red Wings were credited with 11 giveaways, including four by defenseman Brendan Smith.

Sloppy play, including two turnovers by their top two lines, led to all three Flames' goals in the third period.

Lee Stempniak scored on Curtis Glencross' cross-ice pass through three Wings defenders at 5:37, after the Flames were given tons of space in the Wings' zone.

At 9:12, Glencross gathered an errant pass from Filppula that Henrik Zetterberg failed to gather off the sideboards. Glencross merely skated 10 feet to the center of the rink and fired over the glove of Wings goalie Jonas Gustavsson.

Gustavsson started for Jimmy Howard, who is said to have the flu. While Gustavsson said he was frustrated with himself after the loss, Kronwall said, "We hung him out to dry."

Babcock made it plain, especially about the Glencross' goal.

"There's no recovery for giving the puck away," Babcock said. "They're just clean giveaways.

"You can't play defense if you give it to them in the slot."

At 10:00 of the third, Blake Comeau scored just his second goal of the year, after the Flames stole the puck from Johan Franzen leaving the Red Wings zone.

In the first period, the Flames had tied the game at one on a power play goal by Alex Tanguay, after the Wings failed to straighten out their coverage.

"We didn't take the speed through the middle, which was a simple play," Babcock said. "We had talked about it before."

The Red Wings did a lot of good things. They plainly outplayed the Flames for long stretches, before tossing the game away.

"We did a lot of good things tonight," Zetterberg said. "Unfortunately, we also did a few bad things as well, and we've just got to change that and move on to the next game."

Kronwall said the team is at a critical juncture.

"If we want to get into the playoffs, we have to start fixing this, right now," Kronwall said.

"It's all up to all of us in here. We have to be better, and we know it. And it's about time we fixed that."

From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20130314/SPORTS0103/303140391#ixzz2NVKclgLz

Detroit News LOADED: 03.14.2013


Red Wings' Jordin Tootoo scratched against Flames; Ian White expected to return for practice Thursday

By Ansar Khan | [email protected]

on March 13, 2013 at 9:25 PM, updated March 13, 2013 at 9:31 PM

CALGARY, Alberta – Quick pregame update:

Jordin Tootoo, as expected, is a healthy scratch tonight for the Detroit Red Wings against the Calgary Flames.

Tootoo took part in the pregame skate, but Patrick Eaves is taking his place on the line with Cory Emmerton and Drew Miller.

Tootoo had played in all 26 games.

“When things aren't going the right way or the way they're supposed to be, sometimes change is good,'' Tootoo said after the morning skate.

Tootoo indicated he needs to be more physical.

“My game, my foundation, is being physical out there,'' Tootoo said. “Maybe the last couple of games for some reason I haven't been up to par, but for me mentally it's taking it one day at a time and making sure I'm giving myself every opportunity to be in the lineup.''

White expected to practice Thursday: Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said he expects defenseman Ian White to return to practice Thursday in Edmonton.

The team said White did not play Wednesday – or show up at the arena – due to unspecified personal reasons.

Michigan Live LOADED: 03.14.2013


Former Red Wings backup goalie Joey MacDonald fitting in well with Flames, who get assist from Jiri Hudler



CALGARY, Alberta – When the Detroit Red Wings waived Joey MacDonald, the Calgary Flames turned to Jiri Hudler for the lowdown on the journeyman goaltender.

“I brought Jiri Hudler in my office and asked him about Joey,'' Flames coach Bob Hartley said. “Jay (general manager Feaster) asked me what I thought about Joey MacDonald and for me, when you’re dealing with a goalie, you have to ask (former) teammates, especially for a backup.

“Jiri right away said that he was a great guy. No hesitation. He’s a hard worker and he’s been just as Jiri told me.”

So Hudler, another ex-Red Wing, gets an assist in helping MacDonald resurrect his NHL career.

The Flames claimed MacDonald, 33, on Feb. 11, started him four days later, and are happy with what they got. Hartley called him one of the team's most consistent players over the past month.

“Mac is the ultimate team guy,'' Hartley said. “I had Johan Hedberg in Atlanta and (MacDonald) reminds me a lot of the Moose. He gets in the net like a half-hour before practice and the Zamboni kicks him out at the end of practice.''

MacDonald, scheduled to back-up Mikka Kiprusoff Wednesday against the Red Wings at the Saddledome, is 3-4-1, with a 2.85 goals-against average and .900 save percentage.

He had missed nearly 11 months with a back injury, following a strong stretch with the Red Wings in 2011-12, when he won the backup job from Ty Conklin after Jimmy Howard was injured. MacDonald went 8-5-1, with a 2.16 goals-against average and .912 save percentage last season.

“It's tough leaving a team like Detroit,'' MacDonald said. “It's a great organization, spent a lot of time there, but sometimes it's better to move on, and knowing that I'm going to be playing here has been great.''

The Red Wings signed Jonas Gustavsson on July 1 to be Howard's backup.

“I have no fear in putting Joey MacDonald in,'' Hartley said. “I feel that Joey MacDonald can win a game for you, and there aren’t too many teams that openly can admit this about their backup. … We put him in on the road, at home, he’s not rattled.''

MacDonald appreciates the confidence Hartley has shown in him.

“The best thing for me was just to get thrown in there and begin playing,'' MacDonald said. “I wasn’t thinking about my back. I played three games in four nights, and back-to-back games. Sometimes when you have an injury like that you don’t play and then you sit around and kind of get worse.''

He still keeps in touch with Howard and goaltending coach Jim Bedard, exchanging texts after games.

“They'll always be good friends,'' MacDonald said.



Jimmy Howard has the flu, so Jonas Gustavsson starts for Red Wings; Jordin Tootoo is healthy scratch



CALGARY, Alberta -- Update from the Detroit Red Wings morning skate at the Saddledome:

Jonas Gustavsson will start in goal tonight for the Red Wings against the Flames (9:30, Fox Sports Detroit) because Jimmy Howard has the flu.

Gustavsson said he learned this morning he will be making his third start of the season.

"Usually you know the day before, but it doesn't matter if you're starting or backing up, you got to prepare because you never know what happens,'' Gustavsson said.

Howard will dress as the backup.

Defenseman Ian White was not at the rink today due to what the team said is "personal reasons.'' The club said he is on the trip and will be available for the final two games, Friday at Edmonton and Saturday in Vancouver.

It appears forward Jordin Tootoo will be a healthy scratch for the first time this season, though coach Mike Babcock said that decision would be made at game time. Patrick Eaves and Cory Emmerton both said they were playing tonight.

Asked if he is playing tonight, Tootoo said, “Not as of right now. It's going to be a game-time decision, but I just got to prepare like I'm going to be in the lineup.''

He said he's not injured.

"I think sometimes change is good to fire a team up and for me it's come to the rink every day preparing like I'm going to be in the lineup,'' Tootoo said.

Forward Valtteri Filppula will return to the lineup after missing seven games with a shoulder injury.

Babcock said Justin Abdelkader will start the game on a line with Pavel Datsyuk and Johan Franzen, but that Gustav Nyquist will see some shifts on that line, too.

Here are the anticipated line combinations and defense parings:

Valtteri Filppula-Henrik Zetterberg-Damien Brunner

Justin Abdelkader-Pavel Datsyuk-Johan Franzen

Gustav Nyquist-Joakim Andersson-Daniel Cleary

Drew Miller-Cory Emmerton-Patrick Eaves

Niklas Kronwall-Jonathan Ericsson

Kyle Quincey-Brendan Smith

Brian Lashoff-Jakub Kindl

Jonas Gustavsson (starting)

Jimmy Howard



Injured Detroit Red Wings forward Darren Helm feels better in more ways than one these days

By Brendan Savage | [email protected]

on March 13, 2013 at 7:00 AM, updated March 13, 2013 at 7:04 AM

DETROIT – It's going to be at least another week or two until Darren Helm is healthy enough to return to the Detroit Red Wings lineup.

Heck, it might be even longer. Back injuries can be tricky.

But after battling injuries for almost a year now, things might finally be looking up for Helm. He not only practiced with the Detroit Red Wings Tuesday for the first time in more than a month, he'll also be joining them for the three-game western road trip that begins tonight in Calgary.

Helm probably won't play when the Red Wings visit Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver this week but simply being part of the club's traveling party is great therapy.

"It'll be nice to be on the road," Helm said. "Get back on a plane, dinner, share some time with the guys. It was nice when I was in Columbus, got to skate with a few of the guys that were injured or not playing and it was nice being on the plane and just going out to dinner. It's been awhile and I miss it. It will be good for my body and mind.

"I've been so cut off this year. It has been hard not being part of the team. Guys have been good, keeping me a part of things, but it's not the same when you're not out on the ice. Just joking around, shooting the puck around after, having lots of fun after the actual practice."

Helm's injury problems began almost a year ago.

He sprained the MCL in his left knee March 17 and didn't return until April 12, when the Red Wings opened the playoffs in Nashville.

Helm lasted six shifts and saw barely three minutes of ice time before going down again, this time with lacerated tendons in his forearm that required surgery and ended his season.

This season, Helm has appeared on one game because of the back injury.

He tweaked his back while working out before training camp and made his season debut Jan. 25 in a 5-3 victory over Minnesota before experiencing more problems. So it was back to the sidelines while doctors tried to figure out what was wrong with his back.

It wasn't until he visited a back specialist in New York that a small tear was discovered in one of his discs.

Helm began skating by himself last week and finally joined the Red Wings for practice Tuesday.

"I felt pretty good," said Helm, a third-line center whose speed and energy have been missed by the Red Wings. "There are still a few things I want to overcome. I really don't want to feel any pain after skates, the next morning. It feels good, but there are still a few things I need to do.

"We're coming up to a year and I've only played 13 minutes of hockey. I'm a little rusty out there, I kind of felt it today, just handling the puck and kind of getting timing right. I don't think my legs will take as long as I think, but timing will and just playing the game I want to play. It'll take a while for me to get back to where I want to be at.

"Today was the first day I've been on with the team in five or six weeks. It's definitely nice to be out there. I can kind of see the end coming close."

Helm said next Wednesday's home game against Minnesota was originally the target date for his return but he doesn't want to take any chances after sitting out so long. He wants to make sure his back is 100 percent healthy before he steps onto the ice in a game.

He also wants to be mentally ready.

"I want to make sure there are no issues with that, with my mind," he said. "I want to make sure when I'm out there that's the furthest thing from my

thoughts. I want to be as healthy as I can before I get back out there and not a thought in my mind about it.

"I got a little tired out on the ice. We've come so far to have a little setback here. We're definitely taking it slow and smart and making sure we do this right. I will have missed almost a full year. You can't just miss a year of hockey, step back into things and be the way you were.

"There's a lot of things I've got to get prepared for. The mental part of the game is really going to be important for me. Just focusing, the pregame preparation, it's going to take a while to get back to where I need to be."



Red Wings making progress in contract talks with Jimmy Howard, could have long-term deal soon



CALGARY, Alberta – The Detroit Red Wings are making good progress in their effort to sign goaltender Jimmy Howard to a long-term contract extension.

A source told MLive.com that the sides are inching closer to agreeing on a deal that would more than double Howard's current $2.25 million salary to the $5 million-a-year range. It is expected to be for at least six or seven years.

Getting their workhorse goaltender signed was the Red Wings' top priority. Playing behind a defense that lost Nicklas Lidstrom and Brad Stuart in the offseason and has been riddled by injuries, Howard arguably has been the club's most valuable player. He is 10-7-4, with a 2.46 goals-against average and .914 save percentage.

Howard, who turns 29 on March 26, averaged 36 wins for three seasons after assuming the starting role in 2009-10, when he finished second in Calder Trophy balloting to Buffalo Sabres defenseman Tyler Myers.

The club's top pick in the 2003 entry draft (64th overall in the second round), Howard has a career record of 120-61-23, with a 2.42 GAA and .917 save percentage.

Filppula, Brunner contract updates: The Red Wings also are trying to sign forwards Valtteri Filppula and Damien Brunner before the end of the regular season. Both can become unrestricted free agents on July 5.

The Red Wings are optimistic they can find common ground with Brunner, but they aren't anywhere close to signing Filppula, who is believed to seeking a contract worth more than $5 million a season.

The Red Wings have had numerous conversations with Brunner's agent. The problem is determining his market value with so little sample size. Brunner's base salary this year is $925,000, with the potential to earn $517,500 in bonuses (all prorated due to the lockout).

Brunner led the top Swiss league in scoring in 2011-12 and was doing the same this season when the NHL lockout ended. He scored 10 goals in his first 19 games with the Red Wings but has no goals in the past eight games.

Filppula returned to the lineup in Wednesday's 5-2 loss at Calgary after missing seven games with a sprained shoulder. His struggles (five goals, 11 points in 20 games) prompted coach Mike Babcock to criticize his play earlier this season.

Filppula is in the final season of a five-year deal that has a salary-cap hit of $3 million (his actual salary the past three seasons was $3.5 million).



Red Wings make 'crazy mistakes for no reason' during third-period meltdown in ugly loss to Flames



CALGARY, Alberta – The Detroit Red Wings used words like crazy, embarrassing, ridiculous and disturbing to describe a disastrous third period Wednesday.

After dominating the Calgary Flames for 40 minutes, but managing only a tie, the Red Wings self-destructed during an ugly five-minute stretch in the third period.

The Flames scored three unanswered goals for a 5-2 victory at the Saddledome. And Red Wings coach Mike Babcock was incredulous.

“It's amazing how you can play so well and look so organized and look so talented, and then it's almost like you get playing good and you get loose,'' Babcock said. “We just gave it to them. Those are self-inflicted wounds, crazy mistakes for no reason whatsoever.

“To me, that was a disturbing loss because all we had to do was continue to do things right and you win the game. There's no sense in what happened because we had the puck, they couldn't get the puck, and when you go through their goals, we just gave it to them.''

Lee Stempniak snapped a 2-2 tie at 5:37, stealing the puck from Patrick Eaves in the neutral zone and then finishing a nice pass through traffic from Curtis Glencross.

Valtteri Filppula made a bad giveaway in his own zone to Glencross, who scored unassisted at 9:12.

Johan Franzen completed the trifecta of errors by giving away the puck in the neutral zone to Mikael Backlund, leading to Blake Comeau's goal at the 10-minute mark.

“Awful,'' defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “We just stopped playing and we kept turning the puck over and over. It didn't feel like they beat us, it felt like we beat ourselves.

“We just kept giving them more and more opportunities. The last period was embarrassing.''

Kronwall said they started making “hope plays that weren't there'' and added that they hung goaltender Jonas Gustavsson out to dry.

Gustavsson was pressed into service because Jimmy Howard had the flu. He slammed his stick coming off ice.

“I felt confident going out in the third period that we had a chance to win and then things don't go your way and you get frustrated,'' Gustavsson said. “They got some chances and they scored on them. You want to be able to help the team when (the opposition) get those chances. I guess it wasn't good enough today.''

The Red Wings are winless in three (0-2-1). It was the start of a three-game Western Canada trip and a crucial stretch in which they play seven of eight on the road.

“If we want to get into the playoffs, we have to start fixing this right now,'' Kronwall said. “It's up to all of us in here. We all have to be better.''

“It was ridiculous. We killed ourselves. We had the puck the whole time and we just give it to them. I don't understand it.'' -- Mike Babcock

Babcock called it a tough loss to swallow – big-time.

“We have to look at ourselves as a group, and the message has to get very clear that if we can't look after the puck, there's no sense playing,'' Babcock said. “That right there was ridiculous.''

Said Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg: “We played good for two periods, even in the third we did a lot of good things, but the bad things we did really cost us.''

The Red Wings outshot Calgary 27-11 through two periods and got goals from Kronwall (3:20 of the first) and Filppula (16:39 of the second), who returned after missing seven games with a shoulder injury and scored the club's first power-play goal on the road (they were 0-for-37).

Mikka Kiprusoff (36 saves) prevented further damage, and Calgary got first-period goals from Alex Tanguay (5:55 on the power play) and Jay Bouwmeester (9:52, rebound off of Jakub Kindl's skate).

Babcock didn't attribute the third-period meltdown to poor defensive play, just senseless mistakes.

“They were just pain giveaways, nothing to do with 'Did we play defense?' '' Babcock said.

“It was ridiculous. We killed ourselves tonight. We had the puck the whole time and we just give it to them. I don't understand it.''



Flames score three unanswered goals in third period to beat Red Wings, shaky Jonas Gustavsson, 5-2



CALGARY, Alberta – The Detroit Red Wings dominated the team with the worst record in the Western Conference for two periods Wednesday.

They spent much of first 40 minutes in the offensive zone, cycling, grinding and generating chances, outshooting the Calgary Flames by a wide margin.

But, the Red Wings and goaltender Jonas Gustavsson endured a complete meltdown in the third period, as the Flames scored three unanswered goals for a 5-2 victory at the Saddledome.

The Red Wings, coming off pair of losses to Columbus (the latter in a shootout), are winless in three (0-2-1).

Gustavsson fell to 0-4-0 in his career vs. Calgary (the first three losses came when he played for Toronto). He was pressed into service because Jimmy Howard had the flu.

Mikka Kiprusoff made 36 saves for the win.

The Red Wings outshot Calgary 27-11 through two periods and got goals from Niklas Kronwall and Valtteri Filppula, who returned from a shoulder scored the club's first road power-play goal of the season, but could manage only a 2-2 tie.

The floodgates opened in the third period, as Calgary scored three goals in a span of 4:23, snapping a three-game losing streak and beating the Red Wings for the second time in as many games this season.

Lee Stempniak snapped a 2-2 tie, giving his team the lead for good, at 5:37, scoring after taking a nice pass through traffic from Curtis Glencross.

Glencross then scored at 9:12, snapping a shot that beat Gustavsson on the short side.

Blake Comeau made it 5-2 by scoring at the 10-minute mark.

The Red Wings worked hard for two periods to give themselves a chance to win in the third.

Filppula, back after missing the past seven games, scored his fifth goal of the season at 16:39 of the second period to tie it at 2-2. He fired in the rebound of a shot by Kyle Quincey.

The Red Wings had gone 0-for-37 on the power play on the road. They were the last team in the NHL to convert on the man-advantage away from home.

The Red Wings had a strong first period, controlling the puck in the offensive zone for much of it and outshooting the Flames 15-6. But Calgary capitalized on two of its few scoring chances and led 2-1.

Kronwall opened the scoring at 3:20, taking advantage of Justin Abdelkader's net-front screen by blasting in a shot from the top of the faceoff circle. It was his fourth goal of the season.

Calgary responded on the power play at 5:55, when Alex Tanguay slipped behind Kronwall and Jonathan Ericsson, broke in alone and beat Gustavsson.

Jay Bouwmeester made it 2-1 at 9:52, when the rebound of his shot bounced in off Jakub Kindl's skate. Brian Lashoff turned and fell in the neutral zone, enabling Bouwmeester to skate in close.


663302 Edmonton Oilers

Simple plan works well for Edmonton Oilers

Team wins games when players direct more pucks at the net, forget about playing ‘too cute’ and limit turnovers

By Joanne Ireland, Edmonton Journal March 13, 2013

EDMONTON - Simplicity has never really been a part of Taylor Hall’s game — ditto for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle.

They are among the Edmonton Oilers skilled forwards who haven’t always adhered to the game plan.

But after a pivotal 4-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday in Denver, there have definitely been more converts.

“As much as you want to try (to) dangle and make a guy look silly, it’s just better to put the puck in, grind them down,” Hall said. “Then when you get that chance, when you’re alone on the goalie or when you need to make a play, then you can use your skill.

“It’s almost selfless (and) that has to be a staple for our team.

“In the past, maybe we’d play a period where we played really simple but didn’t get any goals, then we just kind of went back to our old game. That’s a sign of immaturity,” continued Hall. “There are going to be games where we don’t get anything and we’re going to have to stick with it. Maybe it will be the third period when it comes, but we’re going to have to keep playing simple.

“As much as it’s not the most exciting way to play, we’re winning games doing it.”

Oilers head coach Ralph Krueger knows he’ll have to continue hammering home the message this week when the Oilers open a four-game homestand on Friday against the Detroit Red Wings.

He wants his charges to play the same team game, whether they’re at home or on the road.

Captain Shawn Horcoff figures that the reason the team has been so erratic this season — losing 6-0 one night in Nashville, then registering the first team shutout of the season against Colorado — stems from the youth and inexperience. More seasoned teams aren’t as quick to deter from game plans.

He said the more that players buckle down defensively and the better they play in games that are tight in the third period, the better they will be in the end. That experience is certainly something he’s brought since returning to the lineup from a broken knuckle.

“We’re just a little fragile, mentally, and I think we just have to continue in this locker-room to stay on top of each other as to what needs to be done,” Horcoff said. “When you have some inexperience and some young guys who play significant minutes, they need reassuring and reinforcement when it comes to doing the right things.”

The Oilers, now 10-11-5, have scored six even-strength goals in the last two games, twice built early leads, and in the game against Colorado limited their turnovers. It’s a formula that obviously works.

“We have so much skill on this team that it will take over eventually from the simplicity,” said Magnus Paajarvi. “We want to be too cute some times and that’s maybe when we don’t get those shots on net or when we don’t get those second chances.

“We have so much talent. Everybody knows that. Everybody has seen the highlights ... but we’ve been talking about this a lot and now we’re really focused on helping each other to get better and play simple first. Then we can use our skill.”

The Oilers have not been a consistently explosive team, despite their skill-set. Five-on-five, Edmonton still sits at the back of the pack, but they have scored 23 five-on-five goals in the last 13 games, compared to 12 in the first 13 of the season.

“We have a young, skilled team so it’s been an adjustment for guys,” said Nugent-Hopkins. “But when everybody buys in, the results speak for

themselves. When you play simple, you will get chances. It just starts with getting pucks to the net.

“We just want to carry this through now because it will be more important for us to play like this at home.”

Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 03.14.2013


Edmonton Oilers aim to make a statement at Rexall Place after long road trip

After two straight wins, club will play 14 of its final 22 games on home ice; sit three points out of a playoff spot in Western Conference


EDMONTON - When captain Shawn Horcoff was asked to sum up the Edmonton Oilers’ nine-game expedition that began on Feb. 25 in Chicago and ended March 12 in Denver, he was rather succinct.

“Long,” he responded without hesitation.

The Oilers netted eight out of a possible 18 points in the club’s longest road trip in franchise history, which was one win off the goal. The team also hit rock bottom after they were thumped 6-0 by the Nashville Predators, but did respond with a 6-5 win over the Blackhawks and a 4-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche.

“It was tough. It was just having to continually go into a new rink, someone’s home rink, and it was one game after another.” goaltender Devan Dubnyk said. “It’s hard to win on the road. That was the toughest part about a road trip like this. Then when you don’t win, there’s just that more pressure with each game that comes along.”

The goal now, of course, is to sustain some momentum. The Oilers yet to win three straight games this season, and with 14 of their final 22 games on home ice, they have to start rolling up some victories at Rexall Place to make any kind of last-gasp playoff push.

They are 4-4-2 on home ice, 6-7-3 on the road, and sit three points back of a playoff spot in the Western Conference.

“We have to start making a statement for ourselves in our building. We have to start winning games,” said defenceman Ladislav Smid. “Teams have to be scared to come to our building.

“We have to create an identity that we’ll be hard to play against and that we won’t give up two points easily.”

Ryan Jones said the road trip was tougher than he thought it was going to be — and he was one of the freshest players having just returned from an eye injury. It was just the never-ending grind of going from the game to the airport to another hotel only to have to hit the repeat button again and again.

“It really takes a toll on your body. The fatigue factor is so much higher when you’re on the road,” Jones said. “But when I looked at it, I thought it was a good opportunity for the team to make a statement, and, for me, I was just excited to get back.

“It feels like it’s been a month since we’ve been home.”



Edmonton Oilers put Ben Eager on waivers

Edmonton Journal March 13, 2013

EDMONTON - The Edmonton Oilers have placed forward Ben Eager on waivers.

The six-foot-two, 236-pound Ottawa native has scored one goal and one assist in 14 games this season, his lone marker coming on the Oilers' just-completed nine-game road trip during a 5-1 win over the Dallas Stars.

Eager missed nine games early this season after suffering a concussion in a fight with Vancouver Canucks forward Zack Kassian during the Oilers' season-opening game.



Oilers finish nine-game road trip with back-to-back wins

Dubnyk gets first shutout of season, fifth of career


DENVER — The nine-game road trip didn’t go as planned, not with a skid of five straight losses, but the Edmonton Oilers still managed to pocket eight points.

The Oilers capped off their 17-day expedition with a commanding 4-0 victory over the Colorado Avalanche on Tuesday at the Pepsi Centre.

It was the first time this season the Oilers have not allowed a goal. Tuesday’s win also came on the heels of a 6-5 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks, giving the Oilers their first back-to-back victories since Jan. 28-30.

“I think tonight was as complete a game as we’ve played, especially on the road,” said captain Shawn Horcoff. “What we had been talking about seemed to sink in a little bit.

“It’s not easy to finish in Denver after 17 days – I think we were all sucking wind a little bit — but when you’re not feeling great, that’s the kind of game you need to play.

“That’s the blueprint we’ve been talking about.”

Midway through the first period, Gabriel Landeskog lost an edge, springing Horcoff for a breakaway on Colorado goaltender Semyon Varlamov.

Horcoff took advantage of the play to score his second goal in as many games since returning from a hand injury.

Five minutes later, Sam Gagner put a rebound past the Avs goalie to give Edmonton a 2-0 first-period lead.

The last time these teams met, the Oilers peppered the Avalanche with 56 shots in a 6-4 win.

“We let them get away with a 2-0 lead and then 3-0. It was an uphill battle,” said Landeskog, whose club is 8-3-1 on home ice and 1-3 in games against the Oilers.

“We’ve just got to put this one behind us.”

Devan Dubnyk, who was back in the Oilers net after suffering a stinger in the second period of Sunday’s game at Chicago, turned away 36 shots, including a skate save before Magnus Paajarvi scored a dandy goal at the other end, batting in his own rebound.

It was the fifth shutout of his career.

The Avalanche thought they might be able to swing the momentum, but Jan Hejda’s third-period shot through traffic was disallowed because Landeskog was called for goaltender interference. It looked like the Colorado forward was pushed into

Dubnyk by Edmonton defenceman Justin Schultz.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins capped the proceedings with his second goal of the season, and first since Feb. 16, on a third period power play. Both of his goals have been scored against Colorado.

“Much more net pressure, much more discipline in bringing the pucks to the ice from non-scoring areas and having bodies in the scoring areas to finish it off,” said head coach Ralph Krueger.

“Overall, Devan was a symbol for what happened within the team. Look at the pressure we were under after the Nashville game (a 6-0 loss) and how we felt about that. It was time to look at ourselves in the mirror and look at the kind of season it was going to be.

“Were we going to stay in the hunt? Or were we going to leave the hunt? From Devan all the way through the team, they’ve decided to stay in with these two wins.”

The Avs are 10-11-4 while the Oilers return to Edmonton with a record of 10-11-5, which puts them in 12th place, three spots up from their position after the loss to the Predators.

The Oilers play 14 of their next 22 games on home ice.

“Eight points out of nine games is not ideal, but we can live with it,” said Taylor Hall, who finished with two assists.

“To win this game, against a divisional opponent ... those are just a few of the factors why this was a big win for us. We need to keep this momentum at home, though. It’s always a little bit tough to play at home after a long trip, so we need to be ready.”

OIL SPILLS: Ales Hemsky, who was under the weather in the morning, soldiered through the game, but with eight minutes left and the result seemingly in hand, Krueger pulled him from the lineup. “He had cramps going into the game but he played through it. That’s good for everybody to see that.” ... The Oilers assigned backup goaltender Yann Danis to the Oklahoma City Barons after the game, which means Nikolai Khabibulin will at least be on the bench for Friday’s game against the Detroit Red Wings. He had left the team during the road trip to attend to a groin injury.



Edmonton Oilers place Ben Eager on waivers

By Robert Tychkowski, Edmonton Sun


EDMONTON - Ben Eager arrived with a bang, but less than two full seasons later he’s leaving with a fizzle.

The Oilers placed the 6-2, 236-pound winger on waivers and if he clears he’ll be assigned to Oklahoma City.

On a team in desperate need of a big, strong forward who can play, the Oilers were hoping Eager would be the answer to years’ worth of prayers when they signed him to a three-year, $3.3-million contract in July 2011.

But concussion issues dogged him from the start. He suffered one in training camp last season and another in the season opener this year and they seemed to dull his edge. Instead of the feared and valuable asset he was during Chicago’s Cup run, Eager seemed lukewarm and tentative at times, struggling to get ice under head coach Ralph Krueger.

Mike Brown’s arrival, and willingness to be aggressive and energetic every shift, made Eager expendable in the eyes of management.

Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 03.14.2013


Edmonton Oilers happy to have captain Shawn Horcoff back in the lineup

By Derek Van Diest, Edmonton Sun


EDMONTON - It’s been a while since Shawn Horcoff has seen this kind of love.

But having the Edmonton Oilers captain out of the lineup showed how valuable he is to the team’s success.

With Horcoff in the lineup, the Oilers are 6-2-1 this season. Without him, they went 4-9-4.

“We all know the relationships with Shawn Horcoff and his importance to this team,” said Oilers head coach Ralph Krueger. “I’ve spoken about it enough. It’s why he has the C on his sweater and it’s why we didn’t put the C on anybody else when he was gone.

“Horcoff is the captain of this team and he has worked himself into a position of leadership here that is outstanding, and I’m very pleased for him to get goals in each of his two first games back.”

Horcoff, 34, missed 17 games after taking a shot off the hand that blew up his knuckle.

No longer having a knuckle, seems to have improved his hands, however, scoring on a deft tip against the Chicago Blackhawks and burying a breakaway attempt against the Colorado Avalanche.

Heading into the Oilers’ contest against the Detroit Red Wings Friday, Horcoff has four goals and an assist in nine games this season.

“Everybody is very happy for him,” Krueger said. “But above all, it’s important when your leader comes in and not only speaks about things, but does them on the ice. He’s been a great support for the coaching staff. It’s been an excellent start for him.”



Edmonton Oilers keep the cleverness in check to turn around road trip fortunes

By Derek Van Diest, Edmonton Sun


EDMONTON - The Edmonton Oilers have been trying to dumb it down all season.

But with so much offensive skill on the club, trying to sell a simple game is like trying to keep a Ferrari under the speed limit on the highway.

It may work out better in the long run, but it’s not as flashy.

“We have so much talent, everybody knows that, everybody has seen the highlights,” said Oilers winger Magnus Paajarvi. “We do get too cute sometimes and we talk about that a lot. We need to play simple, which is simple when you think about it, but it’s sometimes hard to do. We have so much skill on this team, that sometimes it will take over from the simplicity.”

In their two wins to close out a franchise-high, nine-game road trip, the Oilers focused on the basics.

They chipped pucks out, chipped them in, threw them on goal and crashed the net.

The Oilers scored 10 goals in the two wins, six of them even strength. Heading into the final two games of the trip, the club had been shut for nearly eight periods.

“It’s almost selfless, the fact that when we’re playing simple. Guys aren’t using their skill as much and we’re out-working teams,” said Oilers winger Taylor Hall. “Then when the moment is right we use the skill that we do have. That has to be a staple of our team, continuing for the rest of this year. When we play simple, especially on the road, we’re able to get wins, especially when our goalie plays the way he does.”

It’s not an easy message to sell for Ralph Krueger and the rest of the coaching staff. What’s the point of having high-end skill if you can’t use it?

“You always have to be creative, the coaching staff never wants to limit us in that aspect,” said Hall. “But there are times where as you want to try and dangle at the blue line and make a guy look bad, you just have to put the puck in and try to grind them down.

“Then, when you get that chance, when you’re in front or you need to make a play in the crease, then you can use your skill. As far as keeping it simple and playing a north-south game, that’s what we have to do.”

Due to a combination of design and necessity, the Oilers executed their simple game plan in a 4-0 win over the Colorado Avalanche Tuesday.

Needing a win to keep within distance of the playoff chase group, the Oilers were able to grind out the victory.

“It’s not easy to finish a 17-day road trip in Denver,” said Oilers captain Shawn Horcoff. “I think we were all sucking wind a little bit, but when you’re not feeling great, that’s the type of game we need to play.

“We got pucks in deep, we battled better one-on-one and we were real good defensively in the neutral zone. That’s something we’ve been talking about all year, we just haven’t been able to execute.”

Getting results goes a long way in helping the coaching staff sell the message. In the long run, it’s the Oilers’ best chance for success.

“For sure, in the past, maybe we played a period where we played simple and we didn’t get any goals, then we kind of went back to our old game,” said Hall. “That’s not a great sign, and that’s a sign of immaturity. There are going to be games where we don’t get results from that right away and we’re going to have to stick with it. Maybe it’ll be in the third period when it comes to fruition. We have to keep playing simple. It’s not the most exciting way to play but we’re winning games doing it.”

With 14 of their 22 remaining games at Rexall Place, the same philosophy has to apply when the Oilers are at home, starting when they host the Detroit Red Wings Friday.

“We want to be able to play the same game, whether we’re at home or on the road,” Krueger said. “We’ve been talking about that since the beginning of the season. We cannot be a team that changes our game because of having the home spectators cheering for us. They would be very happy with this kind of execution and this kind of team game, having five men going in the same direction. It’s going to be an important step for us mentally in our development to be able to play this kind of game. It’s something that we’re going to work very hard at.”



Edmonton Oilers still in the mix

By Robert Tychkowski, Edmonton Sun


EDMONTON - One point.

After nine games, 17 days, three injuries, a terrible mid-trip slump and a season’s worth fear and loathing, that’s all the ground the Edmonton Oilers lost.

One point.

They are only one point farther away from a playoff spot today than they were when they began their life-or-death journey through Chicago, Dallas, St. Louis, Minnesota, Columbus, Detroit, Nashville, Chicago (again) and finally Colorado.

When they left town on Feb. 24, they were tied for 12th, two points out of eighth.

After 27 periods of good, bad and ugly, the Oilers returned home to Edmonton Tuesday night tied for 12th, three points out of eighth.

All things considered, it a small amount of real estate to have lost on what was shaping up to be a death march. To still be alive when their world was falling apart in the middle five games, when the Oilers went 0-4-1, were outscored 21-7 and dropped to 15th, is a minor miracle.

It looked over.

They looked dead.

But they managed to get out of it with a 3-4-2 record, thanks to trip-saving wins in Games 8 and 9.

Trip-saving wins? Try season-saving wins.

Drop the last two and they’re in 15th, seven points back right now. No need to even come back home.

Not that they’re a great place right now. As everyone knows, it’s not the points, it’s the place in the standings that matters most.

They still have to put up a better record than Dallas, San Jose, Nashville, Minnesota and Columbus (and Colorado, if the Avs win their game in hand) over these last 22 games to make the playoffs. If one of those five (maybe six) teams is better than Edmonton down the stretch, the Oilers miss.

And instead of having a game in hand on the eighth- and ninth-place teams, those teams now have a game in hand on Edmonton.

But they’re still in the mix, and that’s all they wanted, and perhaps more than many expected when things were swirling down the drain in Detroit and Nashville.

The trip is over, 14 of their last 22 are at home, and there is still hope.

ROAD WARRIORS

Sam Gagner was a leader up front on the trip, potting five goals, three assists and getting in a fight. He was the lead dog in just about every game and returned to Edmonton first in goals and points and second in plus-minus and penalty minutes on the trip … Taylor Hall missed some of the action with a suspension and then a groin injury, but delivered seven points in seven games … Defenceman Ryan Whitney, a healthy scratch to start the trip, showed he can still produce, putting up five points in seven games. He’s come from nowhere, literally, to sit second in goals and points among Oilers defencemen this season … Could the Oilers ask anything more of Mike Brown? He provided instant energy when he was on the ice, getting in a pair of really good scraps and even contributing a goal.

MISSING IN ACTION

Ryan Jones returned home with a pretty pedestrian stats line, no goals, one assist, minus 3 and two minor penalties in eight games. It was enough to get him healthy scratched in Game 8 … Ryan Smyth, while turning in some

good penalty killing work, didn’t help offensively, contributing just two assists in 27 periods of work. Smyth and Jones were both out-pointed by Lennart Petrell … Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had a miserable trip offensively with just one point in the first seven games. He recovered late, however, generating three points in the all-important last two wins … Ben Eager’s body of work (one point in six games) contributed to his being placed on waivers Wednesday.

WORST OF TIMES

A close second was the fourth game, in Minnesota, in which the Oilers were outhsot 18-0 in the second period and 29-7 through 40 minutes of a 4-2 loss. That it wasn’t 10-2 is a testament to Devan Dubnyk’s ability to withstand relentless pressure. Lifeless doesn’t begin to explain what happened there. But even the Minnesota Meltdown didn’t look as bad as those back-to-back shutout losses in Detroit (3-0) and Nashville (6-0) in which the Oilers didn’t even work hard enough to draw a single penalty. Worst 120 minutes of the season.

BEST OF TIMES

Dubnyk, having watched Nikolai Khabibulin start three of the previous four games and bring the Who’s No.1 debate to the surface again, needed to deliver in his first game in over a week. In Dallas. Where the Oilers NEVER win. He answered the bell in a big way, stopping 33 of 34 shots to break the Texas curse and give Edmonton three of four points to start the trip. The great start, however, didn’t last and the Oilers were sinking badly in the middle stretch, winning just once in five games and dropping to 15th. Lose the final two games of the trip and the season was over. Enter Shawn Horcoff. Maybe it was a coincidence (it wasn’t), but the Oilers rose up upon his arrival and salvaged the season, beating Chicago and Colorado in a span of three days. If Edmonton makes the playoffs, those will be the two games they look back on

OILERS THEN

(at trip start)

Place in West: 12th

Pts out of 8th: 2

Pts ahead of 13th: 2


(1 game in hand on 8th and 9th place teams)

OILERS NOW

(at trip's end)

Place in West: 12th

Pts out of 8th: 3



(8th and 9th place teams have 1 game in hand)



Despite back-to-back wins, Edmonton Oilers still have an uphill slog to make the playoffs

By Terry Jones, Edmonton Sun

EDMONTON - The goal on the Great Brier Road Trip of 2013 was to ‘Bring ‘Em Back Alive.’

One thing for sure. If they hadn’t won the last two, becoming the first team to beat the Chicago Blackhawks at home in regulation and following up with a 4-0 win in Colorado Tuesday, they’d have shipped the Edmonton Oilers home with tags on their toes.

Now they come home on a two-game winning streak, three points south of a playoff position going into games Wednesday night, and the playoffs seem possible again.

But if this fragile team figures they’ve escaped desperation hockey time, they’d better think twice.

If the playoff line is 55 points, as many project, the Oilers would need to finish up 16-6-0 (or 15-5-2, 14-4-4, 13-3-6, 12-2-8 etc.) in their final 22 games to make the playoffs.

They have six more games at home than on the road.

They have 14 games left at home and eight on the road.

Right now the goal here shouldn’t so much be making the playoffs as staying alive for the final 21/2 weeks of the season where the Oilers finish up with seven of their last nine at home.

What a waste this season will have been if they don’t at least do that.

There are 13 games between now and that stretch. Realistically, they’ll need more than four points out of these next four home games against Detroit, Nashville, San Jose and St. Louis to get on with it.

The trade deadline is nine games away.

If this team is realistically without any remaining playoff hope by April 3, they are probably going to be sellers, not buyers, again. And remember how good Kevin Lowe’s words sounded a couple months ago?

“The goal for the organization is to be thinking about acquiring somebody at the trade deadline as opposed to trading away someone for a draft pick or prospect because we’re out of the playoffs. If there’s a piece or pieces we feel we are missing, we’ll do the deal,” the president of hockey operations told your correspondent.

That’s what the next nine games are about.

Maybe the next four games.

Oilers new VP Hockey Operations Craig McTavish offered another perspective in an interview with your agent.

“When I left as coach here, we were missing the big pieces. We had the periphery players taken care of. Now we have the franchise players who can play here for the next 10 or 15 years. We certainly have four or five of those guys. Now we’re more focused on finding the periphery players. We’re not looking for the big parts so much as we’re looking for smaller parts.”

The front end of this season has shown, that’s where management has let coaching and young players down.

There aren’t the periphery players here, the guys with grit, size, toughness, meanness, to surround the young skill players. And the skill players aren’t far enough into their careers to be able to supply some of that stuff with experience and acquired veteran moxy.

GM Steve Tambellini gave his steady-as-she-goes speech to the traveling media in Colorado on game day.

“Most of the people that are here are people we will be counting on for a long time. You’re not going to give up on youth just to get you help in the next two weeks. We’re not going to give up some of our youth for a quick fix here, that’s for sure,” he said.

And as much as I’m aware that a significant percentage of Oiler fans want Tambellini served up as a sacrifice right now, you have to endorse that philosophy.

To do otherwise is to advocate the Mike Milbury management model — not having the patience with young talent in his time with the New York Islanders.

Most fans can identify exactly what this team needs: the big, mean, tough power forward, the pest, the rat, the vicious defenceman and the upgrades on role playing positions on the third and fourth lines.

This team has not been provided with the parts to come close to creating the complete hockey club they want to become. But, as they proved in those huge last two wins to end the longest road trip in Oilers history at 3-4-2, there’s enough there to make upward progress in the standings.

The bottom line is if the Oilers turn around and lose three of their next four at home, it’ll almost certainly be back to Tambellini wearing his lucky tie to the draft lottery again.


663311 Florida Panthers

Florida Panthers making practice time pay off

Kevin Dineen is trying to maximize the effectiveness of the Panthers’ workouts in between games.

By Steph Rogers

Special to The Miami Herald

There are 30 teams in the NHL that are dealing with the challenges of a shortened season. That’s why there aren’t any excuses being made by coach Kevin Dineen about the results of his Panthers.

Right now, it’s all about what kind of work is going to make the team better during a rough four-game losing stretch. He’s drawing similarities between another South Florida team that made enough of a lockout to win a championship.

“It gets back to what [Heat] coach [Erik] Spoelstra said about his lockout last year,” Dineen said at the Panthers’ practice Wednesday. “When he looked at his schedule, he really had eight days to work out during the course of the season with full practices.”

The Panthers made good use of their Monday session to focus on the basics. They turned out 39 shots against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a disheartening loss the following night.

Before taking off to Boston to face the Bruins (fourth in the Eastern Conference), Florida squeezed in a Wednesday lunch-date practice at Saveology.com Iceplex (one of few that Dineen calls “precious time’’).

“I’ve got a lot of guys that are playing a heck of a lot of hockey,” the coach said. “So you’re really managing what we’re doing out there, and you’re trying to make that 23 minutes we had on the ice [Wednesday] real quality minutes.”

Jacob Markstrom liked what he saw from the other end of the ice in Tuesday’s game because the Monday practice paid off. He allowed three shots to get by him, enough to have the efforts end in a loss.

“Obviously I felt bad because the team worked really hard and created so many scoring opportunities,” he said.

Coming from a game where Markstrom was pounded by the Canadiens for 38 shots, he had a lot of breathing room when the Panthers allowed a season-low 13 shots at him in the loss to the Lightning.

“It’s hard. You want to feel the puck as much as possible,” the netminder said of his two experiences. The growing pains can be expected as Markstrom continues his transition from the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL.

“It’s a big thing for us as a defensive team, only allowing 13 shots,’’ he said. “It’s unbelievable. ... Those are the kind of games that we should win.”

Markstrom will make his sixth consecutive start in Boston, and he’s trying to channel the belief in himself that made him successful with the Rampage.

Dineen is confident that the Swedish-born rookie will have the resources to translate his good run in San Antonio to a successful role with the Panthers.

“He’s got a lot of staff around him to support him and help him in every way that we can, whether it’s through video, through practice, or a kick in the tail,” Dineen said.

“Whatever we feel is going to be most effective for him; it gets back to the incredible opportunity that we get to grab the net in the NHL and take advantage of it.”

Florida’s magic number has been three. Two tough 3-2 losses in the past week, and the loss to the Canadiens was by three goals. Does Markstrom carry the number three around with him?

“Absolutely not,” he said. “And hopefully we can get rid of that number as soon as possible.”

Injury updates

Right wing Kris Versteeg wasn’t at practice. He received an MRI on his knee after a hit by Radko Gudas in the loss to Tampa Bay.

Defenseman Brian Campbell had a “maintenance day” off the ice.

Dmitry Kulikov returned to the team Wednesday, an encouraging piece of news for the Panthers. He will not be available for the game in Boston or Saturday’s game against the Islanders at BB&T Center.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/03/14/3284663/florida-panthers-making-practice.html#storylink=cpy

Miami Herald LOADED: 03.14.2013

663312 Florida Panthers

Slow starts dooming last-place Panthers

Florida has allowed 37 first-period goals, the most in the NHL.

By Dieter Kurtenbach, Sun Sentinel

6:44 PM EDT, March 13, 2013

CORAL SPRINGS

The good news: The Panthers only allowed 13 shots to the Tampa Bay Lighting on Tuesday, two off a team record.

The bad news: The Panthers lost. Again.

And save for the statistical oddity of Tuesday's game, the script hasn't changed much for a team that has lost 14 of its past 17 contests.

A slow start was to blame again. The Panthers have allowed 37 first-period goals this season — six more than any other team in the league. Tuesday, the Panthers fought back from the early deficit, but again, the counter-attack wasn't enough.

Tuesday's loss marked the 17th time the Panthers have fallen behind in a game this season — they've only won one of those games (a 4-3 win at Buffalo on Feb. 3).

Panthers coach Kevin Dineen has put the blame on himself, and he's put the blame on his players. He's changed up game plans, and when that didn't work, he's gone back to the tried and true. Line changes, goalie changes, matchup changes — nothing has rectified the Panthers' first-period problems, and Dineen has run out of explanations.

"We're very aware that it's an issue for us right now," Dineen said of the slow starts. "It's something that we have to keep progressing on."

But gradual progress might not be enough. The Panthers' chances of making the playoffs for the second consecutive season diminish by the day.

Florida has gained only 20 points in 27 games — the worst mark in the NHL. Heading into Thursday's game at Boston, the Panthers are eight points out of the final Eastern Conference playoff spot, with seven teams to jump to reach the eighth seed.

As of Wednesday, the playoff cut-line in the Eastern Conference was estimated at 54 points. If that cut line holds (it's more likely to rise), the Panthers could only lose four more games in regulation and still make the playoffs. They have 21 games remaining.

"We are prepped," forward Peter Mueller said. "The coaches do a great job prepping us for each and every game. It's like we've been skating uphill. I wish I had the answer."

"It's a team wide issue that we really have to take care of," Dineen said. "We're going to get over this hump."

An early lead might be tough against the Bruins — Boston has allowed 16 first-period goals all season, the fourth-fewest in the NHL.

Versteeg out

The Panthers will be without forward Kris Versteeg on Thursday, and perhaps longer than that.

Versteeg collided knees with Tampa Bay's Radko Gudas in the third period of Tuesday's game, and he was unable to skate off under his own power.

Versteeg had an MRI Wednesday afternoon during the Panthers' practice.

At best, Versteeg's injury is a deep bruise — at worst, it's a tear and he'll miss the remainder of the season. Dineen said he would know more Thursday. Either way, the Panthers called up Jon Rheault from AHL affiliate San Antonio to take Versteeg's spot in the lineup.

Ed Jovanovski skated with the team Wednesday, but Dineen said that the captain won't play in Boston... Dmitry Kulikov skated Wednesday, but Dineen said that he'll be unavailable to play for the next two games... Brian Campbell was given the day off from skating by the Panthers coaching staff. He's expected to be in the lineup Thursday.

Sun Sentinel LOADED: 03.14.2013

663313 Los Angeles Kings

Kings' Jeff Carter is quick on the draw

The veteran forward is a dangerous man when he pulls the trigger around the net. Carter has 17 goals, tied for third in the NHL.

By Lisa Dillman

March 13, 2013, 6:42 p.m.

What does a revenge-seeking gunslinger from Missouri possibly have in common with a pure NHL goal-scorer born and bred in Ontario, Canada?

A lot, apparently.

The continuing education of Jeff Carter, whose 17 goals are tied for third in the NHL, knows no bounds. The Kings' forward received another unusual tutorial from his boss, General Manager Dean Lombardi, after the lockout ended in January.

Lombardi's meetings with his players are legendary in terms of length and scope. With Carter, he served up the fictional gunslinger Josey Wales as an inspirational teaching moment.

"I had no idea who it was," Carter said, smiling. "I do now."

Wales also served as part of Lombardi's syllabus during the run to the Stanley Cup last spring when Lombardi showed then-struggling Carter a clip from "The Outlaw Josey Wales," the movie starring Clint Eastwood in 1976.

Are you going to score goals, Jeff, or whistle Dixie?

"When you sit back and think about it, there's a lot of similarities in the movie he showed me," Carter said. "The quick draws and you've got to think ahead of the guy, which comes into play in hockey a lot."

The "Wales Effect" came into play just in time for the Western Conference final against the Phoenix Coyotes when Carter recorded his first career playoff hat trick in Game 2. That set the stage for the game-winning goal in overtime of Game 2 in the Final against the New Jersey Devils and two goals, including the game-winner, in the Game 6 Stanley Cup-clincher.

Carter, 28, added about 11 pounds of muscle in the off-season, and said he got up to about 215 before dropping some weight during the hectic season schedule.

He has been the Kings' best player since camp started and has carried that on with panache. His 17 goals are three behind NHL leader Steven Stamkos of Tampa Bay, and he had 13 in 13 games, from Feb. 11 through March 9.

For Coach Darryl Sutter, it was like getting a new player this season. He doesn't readily bestow compliments but last week called Carter "money."

"He's just got that gift to shoot and when you have that, it's obviously a good weapon," said center and linemate Mike Richards. "I don't watch much soccer, but say Ronaldo gets the ball somewhere around the box, he's a threat.

"He doesn't have the puck very often, but that's all he needs is that half a second to get the puck off. It surprises a lot of goaltenders how quick he gets it off."

Carter joked about working on his shot as a kid, and, at times, creating a path of destruction in the driveway. His dad made a full-size net so the youngster could practice. "I broke a lot of fences, yeah," Carter said. "Had to repair 'em a bunch."

Kings captain Dustin Brown grabbed one of his own sticks in the hallway after a recent practice and demonstrated how Carter holds his hands close together on the stick, marveling at how he manages to get that deadly wrist shot off "so quick" with those mechanics.

"At least 90% of anybody who has scored 40 goals has a wrist shot like that," linemate Dustin Penner said. "It's how quickly he can get it off with minimal effort. I'm not saying he doesn't exert effort, but he can shoot it as hard with what seems minimal movement with his wrist and arms as a guy who has to really step into it and just shoot it as hard or three-quarters as hard."

Carter said he has benefited from playing with Richards and Penner, knowing that Penner has a way of finding him if he gets to the right spot. "He's such a big body and when he sticks his [butt] out, not too many people can knock him off the puck," Carter said.

Carter scored 46 goals for Philadelphia in 2008-09, the first of three consecutive seasons he would lead the Flyers in goals before they traded him to the Columbus Blue Jackets in 2011.

Carter went from 36 goals two seasons ago to 21 goals in an injury-marred 55-game campaign last season, which started in Columbus and ended in Los Angeles. The Kings acquired him from Columbus for defenseman Jack Johnson and a first-round draft choice a few days before the trade deadline.

"He's a guy, not only as a player, who likes to feel comfortable in his surroundings," said Richards, who played with Carter in Philadelphia. "When you're not like that, it's just not the same. Now he's feeling comfortable, after coming to a new team, getting to know everybody, getting to know the surroundings. Not living in my spare bedroom anymore."

KINGS AT SAN JOSE

When: 7:30.

Where: HP Pavilion.

On the air: TV: FS West. Radio: 1150.

Record vs. Sharks (2011-12): 2-1-3.

Etc. San Jose ranks No. 3 in the league in penalty-killing efficiency (87.2%).

[email protected]


663314 Los Angeles Kings

Waking up with the Kings: March 13

Posted by JonRosen on 13 March 2013, 11:33 am

-The players weren’t exactly ready to admit it, but last night was an example of the Kings battling the schedule nearly as much as they were battling the Phoenix Coyotes. It’s nothing new to have to play back-to-backs with travel in the NHL; as Keaton Ellerby said, “It’s all part of the gig.” It was actually interesting that the players dismissed the schedule as a hindrance, while Darryl Sutter opined “They were a fresh team, we were a tired team. Simple.” In this compacted season – during a stretch in which L.A. plays 17 games over 30 days – a team that traveled the night before and did not hold a morning skate will be at a greater disadvantage than usual against a physical divisional rival that had a two-day break in the schedule. It wasn’t particularly surprising that the Coyotes had the jump early in this game as they looked to take advantage of the Kings’ road legs on the second night of a back-to-back. “You gotta take advantage of it,” Phoenix Head Coach Dave Tippett told reporters last night. The Kings had a poor performance. The Kings are also 9-3-0 in their last 12 games. Park and ride.

-I received questions on Twitter and the blog last night about the use of Jonathan Quick for the second consecutive game. Though it’s still a very small sample size, when the Kings have started the same goalie on back-to-back nights (Jonathan Bernier vs Nashville and St. Louis on March 4-5; Jonathan Quick vs Calgary and Phoenix on March 11-12), in the second game of the back-to-back that goalie has allowed eight goals on 37 shots. I interpret the choice to start Quick on consecutive nights as this: 1) Darryl Sutter has traditionally banked heavily on one goaltender throughout the year in the belief that in the grand scheme of the season, it will best serve that goaltender and the team when the playoffs arrive. 2) Quick has battled inconsistency this season, and the most effective way of reducing it is for him to play his way out of it. 3) Quick has his name on the Conn Smythe Trophy, and though the team didn’t play on back-to-back nights during last year’s playoff run, he has shown the ability to properly prepare himself to play at an extraordinary high level, even when extensive travel is factored in. I am led to believe there are those on this blog who may challenge that line of thinking, and I’ll thank them in advance for sharing thoughts and opinions in the comment section below.

-Over the past two weeks I’ve really been impressed with Mike Richards’ play. He has points in 11 of 15 games, and as Dustin Brown said last night, “Everyone talks about how hot Carts is, and a big part of that is Rick getting him the puck.” With Richards, it’s not always about the points, but his positioning and his awareness through 200 feet of the ice. During a backcheck early in the first period, he was able to position himself in the proper space to hinder the Phoenix defensemen’s ability to advance the puck up the ice while simultaneously extending his stick and his arms to cover the passing lanes. He never touched the puck, yet he created a turnover when the Phoenix player chipped the puck off the boards and into a comfortable position for the L.A. defense to handle it. That play without the puck is an example of Richards being the type of player that helps teams win playoff series. Richards also had a power play goal for a Kings unit that has four goals in its last seven opportunities, spanning three games.

LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 03.14.2013

663315 Minnesota Wild

Veteran defenseman Brett Clark signs with Wild

Article by: MICHAEL RUSSO , Star Tribune

Updated: March 13, 2013 - 9:11 PM

Brett Clark, who has played in nearly 700 NHL games, is the newest Wild player.

Chuck Fletcher said he had planned all along to add another veteran NHL defenseman this season. It’s probably not a coincidence, though, that the day after dressing five blue-liners with 140 games or fewer of experience Sunday against Vancouver, the Wild general manager called Brett Clark’s representation.

“You can never have enough defensemen,” Fletcher said.

Clark is a two-way defenseman who has played 681 games over parts of 13 seasons with Montreal, Atlanta, mostly Colorado and most recently Tampa Bay.

Since the lockout, he was playing for Edmonton’s farm team in Oklahoma City, averaging nearly a point a game and looking for a home. He has found it in Minnesota, signing a prorated $900,000 contract for the rest of the season.

Clark, 36, passed his physical Wednesday and will take the ice for the first time Thursday. He won’t play, however, until he participates in a few practices, coach Mike Yeo said.

“I think the defensive group has been doing a really good job for us, but this is a guy that adds veteran presence, adds puck-moving ability and has been around and thinks the game well,” Yeo said. “It adds a little bit of internal competition, which is not a bad thing.”

For now, the Wild plans to keep eight defensemen, Fletcher said. Yeo will have options, but more than likely Justin Falk and Nate Prosser will both become extras.

“You realize how quickly things can change in this league,” Yeo said, referring to injuries. “We’ve been fortunate — knock on wood — but things can change very quickly, so to have depth is very important.”

Clark, a native of Wapella, Saskatchewan, and a college player at Maine, was drafted by Montreal in 1996. He can play the penalty kill and power play, moves the puck well and is known as a shot blocker.

In 2006-07, he led the NHL in average shifts per game (35.1). In 2008-09, he was second in the NHL with 238 blocked shots. In 2010-11, he scored 31 points, blocked 157 shots and had 117 hits to help lead the Lightning to the Eastern Conference finals

Last year for Tampa Bay, he was second in the NHL with 199 blocked shots but was minus-26 in 82 games, which ranked 890th.

Clark said he suffered a fracture in his ankle around Christmastime and was never the same player.

“It’s very exciting to get back up here,” Clark said. “The lockout put a kink on a lot of things, but it helped me get fully healthy. … I went down to O.K. City. I was playing a ton down there and the opportunity came and it was very exciting.

“I knew I had to go down there and give everything I had like I was playing in the show.”

Star Tribune LOADED: 03.14.2013


Sources: Wild signs veteran defenseman Brett Clark

Posted by: Michael Russo under Wild news,

Updated: March 13, 2013 - 9:20 AM

The Wild has signed veteran defenseman Brett Clark to a one-year deal, NHL sources say. He will be in town today to take his physical. If he passes, he will join the Wild tomorrow.

Excerpt of my updated blog after 1 a.m.:

The 36-year-old free agent, who you may remember as a longtime Colorado Avalanche, has been nearly a point-a-game player for AHL Oklahoma City since the lockout.

He has one goal and 16 assists in 18 games and is plus-7. By all accounts, he has been very good. He played the past two years for Tampa Bay, playing 82 games each year and scoring nine goals in 2010-11. He has 45 goals and 185 points in 681 games over parts of 13 years with four NHL teams.

From watching him over the years, he's a good shot blocker and decent puck mover.

Wild's next two games are against Colorado, coincidentally enough, if Clark is to debut.

I have not talked with the Wild yet about signing Clark, but my guess is it's to provide depth and experience on the NHL roster. If he were to go to Houston, he would have to be placed on waivers.

I'm not sure what that would mean for Justin Falk or Nate Prosser, who are both on one-way deals. Obviously, Prosser has been the odd guy out most nights because Mike Yeo has explained the Wild doesn't have a right-shot D that feels comfortable playing the left side.

Either a trade is in the works or maybe Prosser is going on waivers to get to Houston. The Wild did trade an NHL salary out of Houston yesterday by sending Matt Kassian to Ottawa, so maybe it is willing to pay Prosser his NHL salary there. Just conjecture though.

Signing Clark also tells you right now where Marco Scandella is on the totem pole. He doesn't have a lot of experience, has been hurt a lot and is trying to beat the inconsistency demon. My guess is the Wild would be willing to trade Scandella at this point in his career. The second-round pick is the type of defenseman that may be a valuable asset.

Clark brings experience. When Tom Gilbert didn't play against Vancouver the other night, it was Ryan Suter and five very inexperienced D in the lineup -- Jonas Brodin, Jared Spurgeon, Clayton Stoner, Falk and Prosser. They actually did quite well in the 4-2 win though.

-- IN other news, Corey Perry has an 11 a.m. CT phone hearing for his eventual suspension for a blatant head shot on Jason Zucker. The Wild practices at noon, so we'll have a Zucker update after that. See more on the hit on the previous blog.

The Wild can insert Pierre-Marc Bouchard for Zucker. It'll also probably recall a forward from Houston. My guess is Justin Fontaine or Johan Larsson. We will see.



Reusse: Wild's less-heralded rookie Brodin is thriving in NHL

Article by: PATRICK REUSSE , Star Tribune

Updated: March 13, 2013 - 9:13 PM

While center Mikael Granlund has struggled, defenseman Jonas Brodin has shown maturity beyond his 19 years.

Jonas Brodin, paired with veteran Ryan Suter on the blue line, has had a solid rookie season for the Wild.

Wild owner Craig Leipold reached deep to sign free agents Zach Parise and Ryan Suter on July 4. The celebration erupted with Minnesota’s hockey fans, and so did theories as to how much the Parise-Suter pairing would mean for what had become a dreary on-ice product.

One of these was that, with the attention Parise and Suter would receive, the 20-year-old rookie forward from Finland, Mikael Granlund, could break into the lineup with less scrutiny and pressure.

So much for theories.

Granlund, now 21, was sent back to play with the Wild’s minor leaguers in Houston on Tuesday, after an ineffective 19-game start to his NHL career.

Fortunately, there’s another young man from the Nordic world — Sweden’s Jonas Brodin — who has done so much more than was anticipated on the Wild’s back line that Granlund’s rookie failings have been overshadowed.

Granlund was the ninth overall selection in the 2010 draft for the Wild. There was the same anticipation for his arrival among the W’s legion of loyalists as there had been for Ricky Rubio with the Timberwolves’ cubicle of survivors.

The Granlund hype here could be traced to the lacrosse-style goal that he scored in the semifinals of the 2011 World Championships. In Finland, a stamp was issued and a song recorded in honor of the goal.

In Minnesota, we watched the video and said, “What are you waiting for? Get him over here.’’

Granlund finally arrived. And he’ll be back. But for now, he’s an Aero, while the 19-year-old Brodin has become Suter’s steady left-hand man.

Suter was unfamiliar with Brodin until late August. That’s when Suter showed up for a couple of days of Octagon Hockey’s pro camp in St. Louis Park.

“There were some 5-on-5 drills and I noticed the way he was under control, how he kept all the simple plays simple,’’ Suter said. “I asked Darryl Sydor, ‘Who’s this guy?’ ’’

Sydor is the Wild’s assistant in charge of defensemen. His answer to Suter was also simple: “That’s Brodin, the kid from Sweden. He’s pretty good.’’

The owners imposed a lockout a couple of weeks later. For the veterans, it lingered for four months and reduced an 82-game schedule to 48. For prospects such as Granlund and Brodin, it meant playing in the AHL for the Houston Aeros.

Both were hurt in a game on Nov. 2. For Granlund, it was minor — a strained leg muscle. For Brodin, it was a broken collarbone that knocked him out of the Aeros’ lineup for 2 ½ months.

At that moment, anyone suggesting that in mid-March Granlund would be headed back to Houston and Brodin would be playing heavy minutes in his 22nd consecutive game on the Wild’s back line … that person would’ve been considered a bit woozy in the cranium.

Brodin returned from his injury for one game in Houston, and was promptly was called to the NHL for the Jan. 25 game in Detroit. He will play this entire season at age 19 — won’t turn 20 until July 12.

His playing time has ranged from 17:53 vs. Detroit on Feb. 17 to 24:51 on two occasions. For most of those NHL minutes, he has been paired with Suter.

“He was a little shy at first, I thought,’’ Suter said. “Now, he gets it.’’

Brodin’s fifth game was a 3-2 loss in Anaheim on Feb. 1. He was off-kilter that night, trying to force plays, holding the puck longer than is advisable in the world’s best hockey league.

Suter came to Brodin with this message that night: “If you’re in trouble, fire it over to my side. If I’m in trouble, I’ll know you’re there.’’

On Tuesday night, a half-hour after the Wild took a how-did-that-happen 2-1 loss to Anaheim in St. Paul, Suter added this:

“I told him, ‘If one of us makes a play that the other didn’t want to be made, we’re going to say something. That means you telling me … not just me saying something.’

“Jonas has done that. We’ve had great communication.’’

Suter was asked if he recalled thinking “wow’’ after a particular Brodin play.

He thought for a moment and said: “It’s his steadiness. The ‘wow’ is that a 19-year-old can keep the game simple in the NHL.’’



Wild owner Leipold sees a title, and hopes it's soon

By Brian Murphy

Posted 03/13/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 03/13/2013 09:57:18 PM CDT

Wild owner Craig Leipold vowed to win a Stanley Cup during his tenure, assuring business leaders the club is positioned to compete for an NHL championship for up to seven years while hedging his bets on this season.

"I see a Stanley Cup championship. My hope is that it happens soon," Leipold told the St. Paul Area Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, March 13. "It may not be this year. It may not be next year. But the beautiful thing is we have a window now that's not going to close in two or three years. We've got a window that's going to be opened up for five, six or seven years."

Leipold boasted during his speech about 102 percent-capacity sellouts at the Xcel Energy Center for the Wild coming out of a damaging lockout, plus merchandise sales among the NHL's top five teams, thanks to interest piqued by last summer's signings of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter.

But in an interview afterward, the team's majority stakeholder checked any hubris from that $196 million free-agency investment at the doors of the St. Paul Hotel, acknowledging he was pleased with how the Wild have played in recent weeks but cautioning against planning any ticker-tape parades.

"You don't want to say this year's the year we're going to win the Stanley Cup since we haven't been to the playoffs in four years," Leipold said. "Let's take it a step at a time. I'm trying to just be realistic. Do we want to win it this year? I guess we do. Of course we do. But it's not something that's going to

necessarily happen overnight. We've got these young guys coming up, and we think they're going to be a big part of winning the Stanley Cup."

Just past the halfway mark of this truncated season, the Wild are 13-10-2, good for 28 points. Entering play Wednesday, they were tied with San Jose and Nashville for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference -- but only two points behind first-place Vancouver in the Northwest Division and a top-three postseason seed.

Even with Tuesday's 2-1 home loss to Anaheim, Minnesota is 9-5-1 over its past 15 games.

"We're playing really well," Leipold said. "The team is coming together, no question. I guess the only scary part is that everybody's within two or three points. You win one night, you're in third place. You lose, you're in eighth place. So it moves quickly. But I think the team's come together at the right time."

The lockout cost the Wild about $17 million. To turn a profit this season, Leipold said, the team needs extra gate revenue from a deep playoff run, which teams do not have to share with the players. But he insisted the long-term stability from the new collective bargaining agreement, plus an improved, in-demand product, should offset short-term losses.

"Sure, you need to make a playoff run, like all teams, and this is a shortened year. It's an unusual year because of the lockout," he said. "But we're in a position that we have not been in at least the five years that I've been here. Much better position."

In April 2008, Leipold and minority owner Phil Falcone purchased a 95 percent stake in the franchise, which founding owner Bob Naegele Jr. sold for $225 million.

Falcone, a Chisholm, Minn., native and former Harvard hockey player, made his fortune on Wall Street betting against subprime mortgages. The Securities and Exchange Commission is suing Falcone and his hedge fund, Harbinger Capital Partners, on civil charges that he allegedly manipulated the market and defrauded investors by appropriating client assets to pay his taxes.

In an unrelated court case, Falcone's firm reportedly invested $3 billion in LightSquared, a broadband startup that filed for bankruptcy last year after federal regulators declined to approve the high-speed wireless network.

Falcone, who owns about 39 percent of the Wild, has denied any wrongdoing in court filings and is fighting the SEC's lawsuit in New York.

Leipold was asked whether the Wild's financial position is at risk because of Falcone's legal troubles.

"No, I'm not concerned about Phil," Leipold said. "He's still a good partner."

Pioneer Press LOADED: 03.14.2013


Minnesota Wild: Defenseman Brett Clark adds 'experience and poise'

By Bruce Brothers

Posted: 03/13/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 03/13/2013 07:15:12 PM CDT

Former NHL defenseman Brett Clark received overtures from several NHL teams before deciding to sign with the Wild, he said Wednesday, March 13.

Clark, 36, who had one goal and 16 assists in 18 games for Oklahoma City of the American Hockey League, signed a one-year contract worth a prorated share of $900,000 and joined Minnesota immediately.

He won't play, however, until he's had a chance to practice with the Wild, coach Mike Yeo said, which means Clark will miss Minnesota's game against the Colorado Avalanche on Thursday at the Xcel Energy Center.

"He certainly provides depth," Wild general manager Chuck Fletcher said, "but also the experience and poise he'll bring will certainly benefit our back end."

Clark spent five-plus seasons with the Colorado Avalanche and the past two with the Tampa Bay Lightning before becoming a free agent after last season. He joined the Edmonton Oilers' AHL affiliate to try to work his way back to the NHL.

Part of the agreement he reached with the Oilers was that he would have a two-week window to listen to offers from other teams. Minnesota contacted him Monday, he said, and "everything sort of got rolling from there. It's been a whirlwind last couple of days."

Clark had just two goals and 13 assists in 82 games for the Lightning last season but said a hairline ankle fracture he suffered halfway through the season hampered his play. The foot healed during the offseason, and he waited out the NHL lockout. When no NHL

offers arrived, he joined Oklahoma City.

When his brief time to talk to other teams arrived, Clark said he was contacted by several.

"This was my best option," he said. "I like the way things are going here. It's been a favorite place to come play for a visiting team, and it's exciting."

Clark has kept his eyes on the Wild.

"They're starting to get their structure together, and watching them play is phenomenal," he said. "They're in every game they play, so it's a lot of fun."

The 6-foot, 195-pound blue liner has 681 games of NHL experience with the Avalanche, Lightning, Atlanta Thrashers and Montreal Canadiens, with 45 goals and 140 assists.

"He's a good player," Wild defenseman Tom Gilbert said. "He's proven himself. It's always nice to have additions like that. It's good for presence in the locker room and on the ice."

Clark said his strength is as a well-rounded player.

"I can play solid defensively, block a ton of shots, but I can also contribute offensively, move the puck well," he said.

Yeo concurred.

"He's a guy who adds veteran presence, adds puck-moving ability and is a guy who has been around and thinks the game well," he said. "And he certainly adds a little bit of internal competition, which is not a bad thing. It puts the pressure on you to make sure you're ready to be your best every night."

Fletcher said the Wild will stick with eight defensemen, which means both Justin Falk and Nate Prosser will remain on a roster that has reduced its goals-against and shots-against averages through the first half of this abbreviated season.

"We defend well; I think it's one of the strengths of this team," Fletcher said. "But any time you can add another experienced guy, it's only going to make you stronger."



Minnesota Wild: Jason Zucker back on ice day after taking late hit

By Bruce Brothers

Posted: 03/13/2013 12:01:00 AM CDT

Updated: 03/13/2013 07:17:11 PM CDT

Winger Jason Zucker was back on the ice Wednesday, March 13, and said he's feeling much better after taking a late hit that knocked him out of he Wild's 2-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday night at the Xcel Energy Center.

NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan said Ducks forward Corey Perry, who hit Zucker, would receive a four-game suspension and forfeit $115,135 in salary for the illegal contact.

Wild coach Mike Yeo said Zucker does not have a concussion or he would not have been allowed to skate Wednesday, though his status for Minnesota's home game against Colorado on Thursday is questionable.

Yeo said he would confer with Zucker before making a lineup decision, and indicated that if Zucker does not play, forward Pierre-Marc Bouchard likely will take his place.

Bouchard has been a healthy scratch the past three games.

Zucker, 21, said only that it was an upper-body injury and he is day to day.

"I feel all right," he said after skating Wednesday. "Just trying to get better. We'll see how it is tomorrow morning."

Zucker was blindsided by Perry during the second period Tuesday and spent several minutes on the ice before he was helped off by teammates.

Perry received a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct.

"It's one of those things. It's hockey; it happens," Zucker said. "Just got to get back at it."

Zucker said he considers himself fortunate he wasn't hurt worse.

"Overall," he added, "I'm happy I'm standing here right

now."

Zucker has four goals and an assist in 11 games, and Yeo praised the way the rookie has played, citing his speed, his ability on the forecheck and willingness to head for the net, which is where he picked up his fourth goal in a 4-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday.

"Some of the areas of his game have started to improve, and they have to continue," Yeo said. "We have to make sure with young players that consistency is there."

Briefly

Backup goaltender Darcy Kuemper, sidelined by a pulled groin, skated during Minnesota's optional practice. He was activated off injured reserve and sent back to Houston of the American Hockey League. Kuemper, reserve goalie Matt Hackett and nine skaters took part in practice.


663321 Montreal Canadiens

Youngsters lead way in Habs shootout win over Senators

SEAN GORDON

MONTREAL — The Globe and Mail

Published Wednesday, Mar. 13 2013, 10:42 PM EDT

Last updated Thursday, Mar. 14 2013, 12:32 AM EDT

Left to their own devices, most young men eventually mature and find their path – “you’ll be a man, my son” and all that.

That’s fine for Rudyard Kipling, but as Ottawa Senators winger Guillaume Latendresse, who took his first steps at the highest level of professional hockey at the ripe old age of 19, said earlier this season: “nothing makes you grow up like the NHL.”

The buzzwords around the Montreal Canadiens lately has been maturity and seasoning, usually uttered in connection with the Habs’ brilliant 23-year-old defenceman, P.K. Subban. The blueliner has now had a hand in his team’s last nine power-play tallies and leads all NHL defencemen with seven goals, including one in Montreal’s 4-3 win over Ottawa Wednesday.

But there’s another 23-year-old in the Habs’ lineup who is also growing into his role.

That would be Lars Eller.

The Danish centre is making people forget a certain Slovakian goaltender for whom he was traded. Against the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday he was the Habs’ best forward by a healthy margin.

He forced turnovers, he killed penalties, he dangled, he scored a goal – his fourth giving him six points in his last seven games – and put a slick move on Ottawa’s rookie goalie Robin Lehner to decide the shootout.

Eller has emerged as a two-way force this season, and Wednesday’s was perhaps his most commanding performance; try as they might, the Senators couldn’t get the puck off his stick.

He added some bulk in the off-season, and became a father for the first time, but credits working with sports psychologists both in Montreal and in Sweden for his progress on the ice.

“It can’t hurt to have an extra couple of pounds on your body, but the most important thing is up here,” he said, pointing at his head, “no doubt about it.”

When he benched Eller earlier this season, coach Michel Therrien said he expected to see more intensity from the youngster; he has.

“(Teammate Brendan) Gallagher’s, what, five-eight? Muscle’s not everything . . . the most important part for me is the mental part, the confidence,” Eller said. “It’s a natural part of growing, of experience.”

With the triumph over the Sens, the Habs have now won four in a row, thanks in no small part to their kids.

Gallagher was once again at his irritating best, knocking in his eighth goal of the season from inside the goalmouth while Ottawa defencemen Chris Phillips and Sergei Gonchar did their best impressions of angry loggers working with dull axes.

Linemate Max Pacioretty’s shot had already squeezed through Lehner when he flailed at it – “that was pretty bad, eh?” he giggled.

Gallagher was around the net all night, and spent a fair amount of time sprawled in the blue paint after having been roughhoused to the ice by one Senator or another.

“I’ve been playing that way since I was a little guy, even my minor hockey coaches told me that’s how I had to play to have success,” he said.

Gallagher has showed uncommon poise in his rookie NHL campaign, and while his contributions – including those on Wednesday – have been important, another member of the Habs’ youth brigade is having an even bigger impact.

Accused by some hockey pundits during a brief contract holdout of being a “me-first” player, Subban has answered his critics with the best hockey of his career.

Few defencemen in the league can match Subban’s mix of physical play, defensive skills, skating ability and offence (perhaps Norris favourite Kris Letang).

He’s also changed his attitude and approach by playing more conservatively when carrying the puck, and shooting more intelligently.

For another, Subban, a noted media darling, barely steps before the cameras any more.

After his goal-and-an-assist performance, in which he played a game-high 30:52, the first words out of his mouth were: “As a team . . .”

His remarks lasted all of about 2:44, the first person, singular, pronoun was uttered no more than three or four times – all of them in a context where he criticized his play.

It’s a change that has impressed his teammates – defensive partner Josh Gorges said “he’s learning that the more you do things for the other guys, it comes back to you ten-fold.”

Even Therrien, who is plainly wary of heaping too much praise on Subban, said his young rearguard is playing the best hockey of his career and “he’s getting better and better.”

Subban’s performance was part of a broader picture that will cheer fans of both teams involved.

This was a night that belonged to the kids.

Run down the list: Ottawa’s 19-year-old Mika Zibanejad (a goal), 22-year-old teammate Jacob Silvferberg (a sweet assist), 22-year-old Habs winger Gabriel Dumont (an assist).

Or take the 21-year-old Ottawa Lehner, who parried 42 of 45 shots against the Eastern Conference leaders in their own barn on Wednesday – even if benefited from good luck of the sort that saw 19-year-old Alex Galchenyuk’s wicked wrist shot clank off the cross bar late in the third.

Each of the aforementioned is filling in for a higher-priced veteran (except for Galchenyuk) and each has performed brilliantly. In Montreal’s case for an over-achieving first-place team that entered Wednesday’s game on an 11-1-3 tear, and in Ottawa’s case for a club that just refuses to fall apart and let go of its playoff position despite crippling injuries.

As Ottawa coach Paul MacLean said of his youthful team before the game, “all we think of is it’s an opportunity for someone to show us how dumb we are” for not bringing them up sooner.

Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said goaltending depth remains his team’s backbone, but allowed that a new spirit of stubbornness has taken root with the injuries to the team’s top centre (Jason Spezza), top defenceman (incumbent Norris winner Erik Karlsson) and starting goalie (Craig Anderson).

“We try to hang in there, and just not go away. I think when you get some results, you think ‘we can do this’,” he said.

Add in the fact that Ottawa’s youngsters are made to feel at home by the likes of Colin Greening and Zack Smith – recent grads of the AHL Binghamton Senators – and you have a team with a chip on its shoulder.

Just when you think the wheels are wobbling to the point of falling off, the wagon keeps rolling.

“I love that people can write us off like that, it’s just that much more motivation for us as a squad, as a young group to keep striving for more success. We’ve got a lot of great depth in this organization,” said defenceman Marc Methot.

The Habs opened the score after some nice work behind the net from Dumont – who ferreted out a puck and tried to stuff it past Robin Lehner.

Eller was on hand to swipe the rebound into the net at 7:02 of the first, the assist was Dumont’s first NHL point.

“It didn’t really occur to me at the time, I was just happy we could take the lead . . . I just wanted to be on the ice for a goal for our team, I hadn’t to that point,” said the native of tiny Degelis, Que., who like Gallagher is a scrappy, undersized player.

Just over three minutes later, it was time for the Senators’ youngsters to step to the fore in the waning moments of a power-play.

Silvferberg out-witted a pair of Montreal defenders on the side boards and threw a no-look pass directly to Zibanejad, who rifled a pretty wrist shot past Carey Price.

The Habs doubled their lead on a second-period power-play through Gallagher, and made it 3-1 at 17:11 when Subban’s shot went through Tomas Plekanec’s screen and beat Lehner to the stick side.

Anyone who was under the misapprehension that would be enough to make the Senators go away was swiftly corrected.

After Alexei Emelin lowered the boom on an unsuspecting Eric Gryba after he had dished the puck – the big Russian might expect a call from the league on that one – Alfredsson made it a 3-2 game with 1.5 seconds to play in the frame.

The Senators picked up where they’d left off in the third, with Patrick Wiercioch making Andrei Markov look old and creaky in a four-on-four situation, faking a slap-shot to freeze Markov before snapping a wrister through Price’s legs.

Ottawa wouldn’t ultimately succeed in pulling out the win, but notwithstanding Lehner’s anger afterward at losing his third straight shootout – “they played it as average, I bit like it was awesome, it sucked” – there is much to be encouraged about.

Toronto Globe And Mail LOADED: 03.14.2013


Dave Stubbs: One of Eller's best efforts as a Hab

By Dave Stubbs, The Gazette March 14, 2013 5:05 AM

MONTREAL — So it was a Dane who extended an offbeat Canadiens streak on the day that an Argentine won a fairly significant election.

Lars Eller capped a wonderful game, one of his best ever as a Canadien, with the crafty shootout winner to lift the Habs 4-3 over the Ottawa Senators.

The victory was the Canadiens’ fourth straight and extended to three games the run on which they have not been beaten — two wins and a tie — on the day that the Catholic Church has elected a new Pope.

A less-than-useful statistic, perhaps, but since Catholicism and the Canadiens are both religions in Quebec, why not make the connection?

Just goes to show what Habs supporters have long believed: the Montreal jersey is indeed the sacred flannel, as approved by the omnipotent Commissioner upstairs.

No, not Gary Bettman.

Argentina’s Jorge Mario Bergoglio, from this day forward known as Francis, 266th Pope of the Catholic Church, is the eighth pontiff elected since the Canadiens were born in 1909, the seventh since the creation of the NHL in 1917.

On March 2, 1939, the date of election of Pius XII, the Habs beat the Toronto Maple Leafs 3-1, forward Louis Trudel of Salem, Mass., scoring the game-winner early in the third period.

And on Oct. 28, 1958, the election date of John XXIII, Montreal tied the Blackhawks 5-5 in Chicago, Henri Richard and Bernie Geoffrion both scoring twice.

The Canadiens went on to win the 1958-59 Stanley Cup, their fourth of five straight and 11th overall, meaning they won the league championship in 50 per cent of the seasons they played the day a new Pope had been elected.

Not that we’re stretching here.

The Habs did not play on the election days of John Paul II in 1978, Paul VI in 1963, Pius XI in 1922 or Benedict XV in the National Hockey Association of 1914.

Nor did they see action on the Feb. 6, 1922 election day of Pius XI, though they suffered a 3-1 loss two days before and celebrated a 6-4 win two days after — both against the Toronto SAINT Patricks.

(You probably need an asterisk beside the name of Benedict XVI, who was elected April 19, 2005, momentarily lifting the spirits of Catholic-faith Habs fans during the full season depressingly lost to the NHL lockout.)

So for a time on Wednesday, having needed nearly 2,000 years to select 266 Popes — it took the Canadiens only 21 seasons to win that number of games — Catholicism overtook the Habs as the bigger religion in town.

But not for long.

Not with the Habs returning to Montreal on the heels of 4-1 road trip. Not when the hometown heroes had scored four or more goals in six of their last seven games.

Not with a record of 18-5-4 that had them atop the NHL’s Eastern Conference.

Not when local UFC legend Georges St-Pierre, who aims to unpeacefully punch and kick and choke the living daylights out of foe Nick (Don’t Call Me Raphael) Diaz at the Bell Centre Saturday night, was given a rousing pregame welcome for a ceremonial faceoff.

And not when Eller scored twice, once to put the Canadiens on the board in the first period, then with a slick bit of shootout stickhandling before he roofed a forehand over Senators goalie Robin Lehner to seal the win.

“It always feels good to make the difference,” Eller told his own sort-of conclave post-game, reporters milling around. “In the end, two points is what we wanted and we got it.”

Eller had a terrific game with linemates Alex Galchenyuk and Gabriel Dumont, dangerous any time he was around the puck. He tied teammate Max Pacioretty for a team-high seven shots, his trio firing 12 of the Canadiens’ 45 pucks on Lehner.

If not the four-goal, one-assist offensive explosion he enjoyed against Winnipeg 14 months ago, this might have been Eller’s most complete game in a Montreal jersey.

“I’ll let you decide that,” he said with a smile. “I feel it’s been going one way for me and it’s been going up. I feel pretty confident and I’m sure I can keep getting better.

“It’s not just me. It’s my teammates. My linemates are making space for me, making good plays, opening up free ice.”

This was the first game that Eller, Galchenyuk and Dumont have worked as one. He commended the energy Dumont brings and marvelled that Galchenyuk “makes plays out of nowhere. … We’re working well together as a unit. Everybody wants to be the hero, that’s the kind of team we have.

“The big strength of this team is that we can win all types of games — we can defend leads, we can catch up if we’re behind, we can win in overtime, we won a shootout tonight. It’s good for the team’s confidence.”

The way Eller played from start to finish, there seemed little doubt that he’d be chosen by coach Michel Therrien for the shootout. He and Galchenyuk beat Lehner, while Habs goalie Carey Price was solved just once.

“I was waiting for the chance,” Eller said. “You want to be in those situations where the game is on the line, with a chance to win it for your team. You want that responsibility.”

Eller made it look easy, doing when it mattered what he’s tried on his own netminders in practice. It was a perfect end to an excellent night’s work for the 23-year-old.

“I guess you can feel after a couple shifts whether it’s going to be a good night,” Eller said. “Tonight was one of those.”

On a historic day for worshippers the world over, of the Canadiens and of a larger faith, the Senators inexplicably chose not to start a goalie named Ben Bishop.

And if the Canadiens don’t immediately start using “Pope” as the nickname for defenceman Francis Bouillon, then they simply don’t see the fun in the greatest religion in Quebec.

And we don’t mean Catholicism.

Montreal Gazette LOADED: 03.14.2013


In the Room: 'Eller was phenomenal'

By Pat Hickey, The Gazette March 14, 2013

MONTREAL — The Canadiens' offence started — and finished — with Lars Eller as Montreal squeaked past the Ottawa Senators 4-3 in a shootout Wednesday night at the Bell Centre.

"Lars Eller was phenomenal," said coach Michel Therrien. "Lars skates well, he's improving. He's having fun. I really like the way those guys are playing together. I'm glad to see (Gabriel) Dumont is getting a chance."

What is basically a makeshift line with Dumont joining Eller and Alex Galchenyuk proved to be the best line on the ice Wednesday night. Dumont and Eller combined to open the scoring with the Canadiens' only even-strength goal and Galchenyuk and Eller scored in the shootout to ensure the Canadiens' fourth consecutive win.

There have been two important factors in Eller's development. The first was a positive response to being banished to the press box early in the season and the second has been Therrien's decision to find a spot for Eller at centre, which is his natural position.

"I'm playing with a lot more confidence," said Eller. That's reflected not only in his scoring — he has four goals and 11 assists — but also in his faceoff success which is hovering around 50 per cent. Eller said his improvement in that area is a combination of hard work and experience. He won nine of his 16 faceoffs Wednesday.

This was game which could — and should — have been decided in a regulation time. It wasn't because Carey Price surrendered a softie to Patrick Wiercioch in the third period, and because Galchenyuk was a shade off target with a shot late in regulation time.

"I should have had that one," Price said of the Wiercioch goal. "He threw me off when he cut to the middle and I didn't get down quick enough."

Therrien found room in the lineup when Brandon Prust went down with a shoulder injury last week. The coach could have taken credit for a brilliant strategic move in putting Dumont with Galchenyuk and Eller, but he said that they are together because he didn't want to mess with his other three lines.

Dumont, who has been the hardest-working, if not the best, forward in Hamilton since the lockout ended, set the Canadiens' opening goal in motion when he tried a wraparound against Robin Lehner. The Ottawa goalie made the save but left a fat rebound for Eller.

The vote for grittiest performance of the night once again went to rookie Brendan Gallagher, who was in front of the net to tip Max Pacioretty's shot for his eighth goal of the season. The 5-foot-8 Gallagher gets knocked down a lot, but he says that's part of the fun.

"That's my game," said Gallagher. "I get hit a lot but the pain doesn't last for long."

Michael Ryder missed a chunk of the second period with some sort of injury but he returned for the third and Therrien danced around the subject of whether there was any reason for concern.

Andrei Markov and P.K. Subban continued to pile up huge minutes. Subban, who had a goal and an assist to go along with seven giveaways, was on the ice for 30:52 and Markov clocked 30:22. They played a total of 11:37 on the power play while Francis Bouillon, Josh Gorges and Alexei Emelin totaled less than two minutes.

There was one roster move after the game, with the Canadiens announcing that defenceman Greg Pateryn was being returned to Hamilton after three games. Pateryn was on the ice for only 6:59.

The move is probably a prelude to another move. The Canadiens have only six healthy defencemen and may be preparing to make a trade. It could also means that Raphael Diaz is close to returning from a concussion.



Eller salvages shootout win over Senators


The skinny: Lars Eller scored the deciding goal in a shootout to give the Canadiens a 4-3 win over the Senators Wednesday night at the Bell Centre. What appeared to be a cakewalk for the home side turned into a nail-biter when Carey Price allowed a harmless shot by Patrick Wiercioch to slide through his pads at 1:50 of the third period. That completed a Senators’ comeback from a 3-1 deficit.

Still in first: The win moved the Canadiens into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with a two-point edge over idle Pittsburgh. Montreal moved three points clear of Boston in the Northeast Division, but the Bruins are in the driver’s seat with three games in hand.

Resilient team: The Senators continue to collect points despite the loss of top scorer Jason Spezza, Norris Trophy-winning defenceman Erik Karlsson and top goaltender Craig Anderson. They have at least one point in 10 of their last 12 games and stand fifth in the Eastern Conference with a one-point edge over Toronto.

Power trip: Both teams enjoyed success on the power play. The Canadiens took a 3-1 lead on second-period power-play goals by rookie Brendan Gallagher and P.K. Subban. In typical fashion, Gallagher was in front of the net to tip a shot by Max Pacioretty for his eighth goal of the season, while Subban scored on a slapshot from the blue line. Mika Zibanejad scored Ottawa’s first goal on a power play while Daniel Alfredsson scored late in the second period to trim the Montreal lead to 3-2. The Canadiens went 2-for-5 with the extra man and Ottawa was 2-for-3.

Canadiens nemesis: It took a video replay to confirm Alfredsson’s power-play goal at 19:58 of the second period. The Canadiens will be happy to see the 40-year-old Swede retire. In 89 games against Montreal, he has 31 goals and 74 assists for 105 points.

Markov streak continues: Andrei Markov’s assist on Subban’s power-play goal gave him an assist in each of the past five games.

Mr. Generosity: Subban had a goal and an assist but this was not one of his better games. He was indecisive on the power play and the scoresheet credited him with seven giveaways.

Ice breaker for Dumont: Gabriel Dumont picked up an assist on Lars Eller’s goal for his first NHL point. Dumont was playing his sixth NHL game.

What’s next: The Canadiens will spend a rare Saturday night on the road as they meet the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center (7 p.m., CBC, RDS, TSN-690 Radio). The Canadiens will have a bit of an advantage because the Devils, who defeated the Flyers Wednesday night in Newark, have a return date Friday night in Philadelphia.



Geoffrion considering retirement after serious injury

By Brenda Branswell, The Gazette March 13, 2013

MONTREAL — Canadiens prospect Blake Geoffrion is considering retiring after suffering a depressed skull fracture last fall at the Bell Centre.

The 25-year-old forward with the Hamilton Bulldogs was injured Nov. 9 in a game against the Syracuse Crunch and underwent emergency surgery.

Geoffrion told Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin Wednesday that given his health condition “which has shown no significant improvement” since he underwent surgery, he felt it was his duty to tell them he was considering retiring from pro hockey, the Habs said in a press release.

It also said the Geoffrion family and the team wouldn’t be saying anything more about the matter until further notice.

Geoffrion managed to skate off the ice under his own steam after a powerful but legal hip check by Syracuse Crunch defenceman J.P. Côté. As the two players fell to the ice, Côté’s skate blade accidentally hit the side of Geoffrion’s head.

Geoffrion, who has been living in Chicago, seemed in good spirits when he spoke to reporters on Feb. 6 at the Bell Centre, on the eve of a medical appointment in Montreal. He didn’t want to talk about his symptoms, but said he was feeling better every day.

“The rehab process right now is to keep everything at a low momentum and not really do much ... until the symptoms go away,” Geoffrion said at the time.

His passion for hockey was also palpable.

“I know in my heart that I’ll come back from this,” he said last month. “I’ll do whatever I have to do to come back to play the game. I miss the game dearly. I’ve watched every single game of the Canadiens.”

Geoffrion played 13 games with the Canadiens last season. He had six points in 10 games with the Bulldogs this season before he was injured. He comes from a family steeped in hockey tradition. His grandfather and great-grandfather were legendary Canadiens — Bernie “Boom Boom” Geoffrion and Howie Morenz, respectively. His father Danny also played in the National Hockey League, including 32 games with the Canadiens.

The Canadiens acquired Geoffrion last February from the Predators as part of the trade that sent defenceman Hal Gill to Nashville.



Lehner back in net to face Habs

by Ken Warren on March 13, 2013

MONTREAL – Robin Lehner will make his third consecutive start in goal for the Ottawa Senators here Wednesday night as the Senators attempt to chip away at the gap between them and the Eastern Conference leading Montreal Canadiens.

Lehner, 1-0-3 with a goals-against average of 1.89 and a save percentage of .947, says it’s yet another in a long line of learning experiences.

“Everything’s a test when you’re young and a goalie, but you know what? I’m enjoying it,” he said. “Every arena in the NHL has lots of people. Our building has lots of people. It’s a good atmosphere here. It’s very loud. And they pump it with their stereo a little bit, too. It’s fun. Fun to get to play today and fun to play in this league, at all.”

The Senators (13-8-5), who are coming off Monday’s 3-2 shootout loss to the Boston Bruins, also carrying another intriguing streak into the contest. They’ve played nine consecutive one-goal games, posting a record of 4-2-3 during that span.

“For fans and coaches, I think that’s pretty stressful,” said centre Zack Smith. “Sure, we would like it to be a little less stressful. It’s no secret that we haven’t been scoring a lot of goals and our goaltending has been great, with 2-1 and 3-2 games. We’ve found ways. It would be nice to get a few more and not have to worry about going to a shootout or overtime every game.”

The Canadiens (17-5-4) have won three consecutive games, scoring 13 goals during that stretch. They have only regulation loss in their past 15 games. That stretch includes a 2-1 shootout loss to the Senators at Scotiabank Place on Feb. 25, a game where the Canadiens held a 45-24 shot advantage.

“I think it will be similar (to Monday’s game),” said Senators coach Paul MacLean. “They play a similar style (to Boston), but they skate maybe a touch better than Boston does. And, points-wise, they’re the best team in the East. They’ve been a handful for us ever since I’ve been here and we don’t anticipate that to be different tonight.”

Carey Price, who has a 13-4-3 record, a 2.37 goals against average and .910 save percentage will start in the Canadiens net.

Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 03.14.2013


Canadiens prospect Mac Bennett growing at University of Michigan


MONTREAL — When Mac Bennett says he has worked to get bigger during his three years at the University of Michigan, he feels he has to qualify that statement.

“Obviously, I’m not much taller, maybe an inch,” the 5-foot-11 Bennett said. “But I’ve put on 15 pounds and I’m a lot stronger than when I first came here.”

Bennett, who was drafted by the Canadiens in the third round (78th overall) in 2009, is regarded as a small defenceman, but Michigan coach Red Berenson and former defence partner Greg Pateryn believe he can play at the National Hockey League level.

“He’s bigger than some of the small defencemen in the NHL,” said Berenson, a former Canadiens player and long-time coach at Michigan. “He’s not oversized, but he’s not undersized either. You can’t have six guys his size, but if you want a player who can move the puck out of your zone quickly, he’s the guy.

“When he first arrived here, he wasn’t in the lineup for every game,” Berenson added. “But he worked hard. He’s putting in extra hours watching video and spending time on the ice. He’s one of those kids who takes advantage of being able to play college hockey; he gets it.”

A Rhode Island native, Bennett played prep-school hockey at Hotchkiss and one season in the United States Hockey League before choosing Michigan over Boston College. Berenson has a connection with the Bennett family and said that helped him in recruiting Mac. Berenson played with Mac’s uncles, Curt Bennett and Harvey Bennett Jr., in St. Louis. Mac’s grandfather, Harvey Sr., was a goaltender with the Boston Bruins in 1944-45.

“I didn’t know Mac’s father, Jim, but I played with Curt and I played with Harvey and I coached him in St. Louis, and I’m sure that helped in his decision,” Berenson said.

“Absolutely,” Pateryn said when asked if the National Hockey League is in Bennett’s future. “The way he skates, his vision with the puck. He’s gotten a lot better with his playmaking decisions. He’s still young and he has time to develop.”

Pateryn, who was called up by the Canadiens last week, said Bennett is an “unbelievable” skater, which is a valuable asset in today’s NHL.

“He’s a great player, he can really fly out there,” Pateryn said. “There are few players I’ve seen who can skate faster with the puck than him. He’s gotten a lot stronger each year. Every year I see him, he’s looking bigger and that’s good for him because he’s a smaller guy. I got to play with him for two years. I have nothing but good things to say about the kid.”

Pateryn said they remain friends and talk on the phone once a week.

For his part, Bennett said Pateryn played a huge role in his development.

“He made things a lot easier for me,” Bennett said. “It takes a lot of pressure off when the guy next to you is a brick s---house.”

Pateryn spent four years at Michigan and earned a degree, but Bennett said he’s not looking any further than this weekend’s crucial Central Collegiate Hockey Association quarter-final series against ninth-ranked Western Michigan. The best-of-three series opens Friday in Kalamazoo.

“Our only chance of making the NCAA championships is to win the CCHA tournament,” said Bennett, who was part of the 16-team national tournament in each of his first two seasons.

As a freshman, Bennett helped Michigan to the NCAA final before the Wolverines lost in overtime to Minnesota-Duluth. Last spring, Michigan lost to Cornell in another overtime squeaker in the first round of the tournament.

The current season has been a disappointing one. Bennett is one of 11 Michigan players who have been drafted by NHL teams, but Berenson’s squad is a young one and has been hard-hit by injuries, including a sprained knee that kept Bennett on the sidelines for a month and a neck

injury that cost New Jersey Devils defence prospect Jon Merrill the first half of the season.

“Our biggest problem is that we have two freshmen goaltenders and we couldn’t keep the puck out of our net,” Berenson said. “We’ve been scoring goals, but it took a while to sort out the defensive end.”

The good news is that Bennett and Merrill have made complete recoveries and Michigan is on a roll with a 7-2-1 record going into the CCHA tournament.

“We’ve won six in a row and we hope to keep it going,” Berenson said.

Bennett plans to be at the Canadiens’ development camp in June, and that might go a long way toward determining whether he becomes the latest in a line of players who have broken Berenson’s heart by leaving Michigan early or if he stays in school to complete his degree.

“I’m majoring in musicology,” said Bennett, who says he plays drums, guitar and a “little” piano.

“Piano was the first instrument I played and I gave it up after four months because I didn’t like it,” he added. “I’m regretting it now.”

Berenson said he hopes Bennett will return for his senior year. The coach has seen numerous players being lured to the NHL and said it’s not always for the better.

“The Canadiens pulled (Max) Pacioretty out after one year and he spent two years in the AHL,” Berenson said. “Mike Komisarek played two years here and he might have been better off if he stayed for another year or two. Komo had a man’s body, but he was still a kid.”


663328 Nashville Predators

Predators trying to cope with mounting injuries

Josh Cooper

The Tennessean

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — The Predators are banged up heading into Thursday's game here against the Canucks.

Forwards Colin Wilson and Patric Hornqvist were already on injured reserve, and forward Paul Gaustad was sent back to Nashville for evaluation after getting hurt in Tuesday's win at Dallas.

Tennessean LOADED: 03.14.2013


Nashville Predators have been cold away from home ice

Josh Cooper

The Tennessean

DALLAS — There isn’t much variance for the Predators with their home roster compared to their road roster this season.

They don’t change their game plan drastically when they play on the road.

But for some reason, the Predators have seen a large drop-off in their play in games away from Bridgestone Arena this season.

In their past seven games at home, the Predators are 5-0-2. In their past seven games on the road, they’re 1-5-1. The one victory was against the Stars on Tuesday.

And as they continue on a five-game, eight-day road trip through four time zones, unlocking the secret to better road play is even more crucial.

“It’s tough to win on the road. It’s tough to win at home, too. The parity in this league is tough,” forward Paul Gaustad said. “Any small advantage you can have plays in the favor of that advantage. I don’t like to make excuses on the road like, ‘We should play .500.’ We should try to get every game, home or away.”

The attributes Gaustad references are minute, but invaluable.

There’s the tangible — such as having the full effect of your training staff, last change on faceoffs and sleeping in your own bed in one time zone.

But there’s also the intangibles, such as the effect of the crowd on a team’s energy level.

“Everybody is a little bit better at home, a little more comfortable in their surroundings,” Predators coach Barry Trotz said. “If you don’t have energy, the crowd gives you a little bit of a boost.”

The crowd sometimes dictates a different style on the road.

Often you hear teams use the term “good road game” or “good road period.” This means a group has slowed the game’s offensive opportunities and negated the advantage the opposing team draws from its building.

“Every coach will tell you that you had a good road period when you take the crowd out of it,” Trotz said. “They’re jacked up early in the game, you’re really enthused, and if you can get the crowd to quiet down, the energy level in the building will come down.”

In this lockout-shortened season, proper rest and recovery have become vital factors in compiling a good road record. It’s especially true in the Western Conference, where travel involves multiple time zones and thousands of miles.

“Obviously you’re traveling some big distances in a short amount of nights, and you’re playing every other night,” defenseman Shea Weber said. “Especially this season, I think that’s probably the challenge.”

Nashville was 22-16-3 on the road last season, the second-best road record in the Western Conference.



Western Conference update

Josh Cooper

The Tennessean

Unexpected slumps and strong play by surprise squads have summed up the last week in the Western Conference. Here are some teams that caught our eye:

Columbus Blue Jackets (10-12-5)

When we talked to new team president John Davidson before the season, he said the Blue Jackets would surprise some people. His words have proved true. Columbus recently rode a five-game winning streak to being just three points out of the top eight.

Anaheim Ducks (19-3-3)

A week ago, we proclaimed the Chicago Blackhawks as eventual winners of the Presidents’ Trophy this season. Not so fast. The ’Hawks lost two. The Ducks, meanwhile, continued their own torrid pace and stand just four points behind Chicago — with a game in hand — for the NHL’s top record. However, 2011 MVP Corey Perry remains unsigned next season, and Anaheim will have to make a decision if it should trade its scoring ace or keep him for a playoff run.

Vancouver Canucks (12-7-6)

The Canucks have lost six of eight games and find themselves in a dogfight for the Northwest Division with resurgent Minnesota. Vancouver needs forward Ryan Kesler to get healthy if it wants to make some sort of playoff run. He has played only seven games all season because of injury.

San Jose Sharks (11-8-6)

There was a time not too long ago when the Sharks were one of the NHL’s best offensive and defensive teams. Now they have a minus-3 goal differential. Recently they tried defenseman Brent Burns at forward in an attempt to ignite their foundering offense. The Sharks have won four games since the calendar went past January.

Los Angeles Kings (14-9-2)

The Kings are looking like the team that went 16-5 in the playoffs a year ago. Los Angeles has won nine of 12 games and has mostly been doing it with offense. Forward Jeff Carter is red hot with 11 goals in his past 12 games.



Preview: Predators at Vancouver Canucks

Josh Cooper

The Tennessean

PREDATORS at VANCOUVER CANUCKS

• When: 9 p.m. today

• Where: Rogers Arena (Vancouver, British Columbia)

• TV/radio: Fox TN/102.5-FM

• Hat trick: 1. This is Nashville’s first game in Canada this season, part of its only road trip through there. 2. Nashville has four players on its roster who were either born in British Columbia or grew up there. 3. Vancouver has lost six of its past eight games and sits two points ahead of the Minnesota Wild for first in the Northwest Division.

• Injuries: Predators D Hal Gill (lower body), F Patric Hornqvist (upper body), F Colin Wilson (upper body) and F Paul Gaustad (upper body) are out. Vancouver D Kevin Bieksa (groin) is questionable. F Ryan Kesler (foot) is out.

• Next for Predators: 8 p.m. Friday at Calgary.

PREDATORS at VANCOUVER CANUCKS

• When: 9 p.m. today

• Where: Rogers Arena (Vancouver, British Columbia)

• TV/radio: Fox TN/102.5-FM

• Hat trick: 1. This is Nashville’s first game in Canada this season, part of its only road trip through there. 2. Nashville has four players on its roster who were either born in British Columbia or grew up there. 3. Vancouver has lost six of its past eight games and sits two points ahead of the Minnesota Wild for first in the Northwest Division.

• Injuries: Predators D Hal Gill (lower body), F Patric Hornqvist (upper body), F Colin Wilson (upper body) and F Paul Gaustad (upper body) are out. Vancouver D Kevin Bieksa (groin) is questionable. F Ryan Kesler (foot) is out.

• Next for Predators: 8 p.m. Friday at Calgary.



Josh Cooper's hat trick

Josh Cooper

The Tennessean

1Rich Clune has turned into a nice pickup for the Predators. When Clune first got to Nashville and fought almost every game, it seemed like that was mostly going to be his role. It hasn’t been the case. Clune has been a consistent player. He has been a minus in only one of the 25 games he has played. He is physical, strong, responsible and can chip in offensively, as evidenced by four points in his last seven games. The Predators have made a living off finding waiver pickups and turning them into viable members of their organization. Clune appears destined to follow that path.

2Shea Weber is finding his offensive touch. When Nashville’s captain wasn’t scoring, coach Barry Trotz vociferously defended him and said his offense eventually would come. Weber is starting to hit his stride and has been a point-per-game player over the past month. In his past 13 games, Weber has 13 points. Also during that stretch, Weber has been a plus-6, which has been impressive considering Nashville’s offensive woes. His slow start may have knocked him out of the Norris Trophy debate, but a strong finish could vault him back into the conversation.

3The Predators lost another important cog in their team Tuesday when forward Paul Gaustad went down with an upper-body injury. The sum of this team’s parts always has been greater than the individual, but the Predators can’t afford to keep losing important forwards. In the past week, they’ve lost their leading scorer (Colin Wilson), their best goal scorer of the past three years (Patric Hornqvist) and now the best faceoff man in the NHL. The Predators have continued to win, but you have to wonder whether injury issues will catch up to them.



Rinne looks to shake off this season's shootout woes

By David Boclair

Pekka Rinne figured things couldn’t get much worse this season, at least when it comes to shootouts.

“I can’t get wins in shootouts,” he said Saturday following a 2-1 shootout loss to the Minnesota Wild in which he made one save in three attempts. “If [teams] want to get a win against us just take it to the shootout. I can’t stop the puck in shootouts.”

The truth is, though, that things already have gotten a little better. And depending on how things go the next two days the upward trend could continue.

Sure, the loss to the Wild was his fifth in seven tries at the tie-breaking procedure. No other goalie has lost more than three thus far this season and Rinne never has lost more than five in a full 82-game season.

Still, one of the two victories was against the Los Angeles Kings on Jan. 31 (Nashville 2-1). Coming into the season the Kings were one of three Western Conference teams the Predators had never beaten in a shootout, not counting Colorado, which never has been to a shootout with Nashville.

The only remaining Western Conference teams the Predators have not beaten in shootouts are Vancouver (0-2) and Calgary (0-1). Those same teams are on the schedule the next two days — Vancouver on Thursday (9 p.m., Fox Sports-Tennessee) and Calgary on Friday (8 p.m., Fox Sports-Tennessee) as Nashville continues a five-game road trip.

Vancouver leads the NHL having gone to a shootout eight times this season, one more than Nashville, which makes the chances for another one high. Calgary has been only three times but has yet to win one.

It won’t take much, therefore, for Rinne to have a different outlook on things.

“He’s so competitive,” coach Barry Trotz said. “He’s the reason we win a lot of games. He just has to relax, and I know it’s hard when you’re so competitive. I think he’s the big reason we even get points a lot of nights. He’s all about winning and that’s why the frustration level comes out.”

Rinne came into the season having won two-thirds of his career shootouts (21-14) and having stopped 75.9 percent of the shooters he faced. Last season was his worst. He was 4-5 with a .700 save percentage.

Things have gotten worse this year.

“Pekks was lights out at times last year in the shootout,” Trotz said. “We just knew there was no way they were going to score. It’s just about patience and about rhythm and all of that. Pekks has looked so great in games.

“I can tell you this: Pekks is a great goaltender. The responsibility lies a lot on the goaltender but it’s with the shooters too. If they get two we have to get two. We can’t expect that Pekks is going to stop all three. We just have to score more on that.”

Briefly

• The Predators recalled center Chris Mueller from Milwaukee on Wednesday. The 27-year-old has appeared in 19 games for Nashville over the past two seasons and leads the Admirals with 18 goals this season.

His recall was connected to the fact that center Paul Gaustad did not finish Monday’s game at Dallas because he sustained an upper body injury.

Nashville City Paper LOADED: 03.14.2013

663334 New Jersey Devils

Henrique scores twice as Devils down Flyers, 5-2

Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger

on March 13, 2013 at 10:21 PM,

The Devils may be writing the Philadelphia Flyers out of the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Ilya Kovalchuk scored the team’s league-leading eighth short-handed goal and Adam Henrique scored twice as the Devils made it three in a row over the Flyers this season with a 5-2 victory Wednesday night at Prudential Center.

Johan Hedberg, making his 10th straight start in goal, made it three wins out of four.

The two teams meet tomorrow night at Wells Fargo Center.

"I think now teams are going to separate," Kovalchuk said of the conference race for playoff positions. "We have to stick to what we do best — don’t be flashy and try to get points. Good teams find a way to get through slumps and be back on track. We’re hungry and we want to win."

Henrique’s second goal of the game came at 1:16 of the third period. Bruno Gervais was still in the box for his late second period penalty when Henrique scored on a backhander from the right circle for his ninth goal of the season.

Patrik Elias gave the Devils a 1-0 lead at 2:02 of the opening period when Steve Bernier took a shot that was deflected by Adam Henrique. Elias put the rebound past Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov’s glove side.

Tom Kostopoulos was sent off for tripping at 2:40. With the Flyers on the power play, Johan Hedberg made the initial stop on a Danny Briere shot from the point before making a pad save on Simon Gagne from the bottom of the left circle at 3:44.

Flyers forward Zac Rinaldo did a flip when he was tripped by Ryan Carter at 9:13. It proved costly when Wayne Simmonds, from below the left circle, fed Jakub Voracek in the right circle for a power play goal at 9:45. That tied the score, 1-1.

The Devils regained the lead 36 seconds later when Henrique’s shot from above the right circle deflected off the right leg of Flyers winger Matt Read with Elias waiting at the left edge of the crease. After a brief review, Henrique was credited with his eighth goal of the season at 10:21.

Elias and Hedberg were given assists. It was Hedberg’s first point of the season and second since joining the Devils.

When captain Bryce Salvador was called for interference on Simmonds at 15:57, it was the Devils’ third straight penalty of the game.

That opened the door for the Devils’ league-leading eighth short-handed goal. Stephen Gionta’s pass from the boards went past Flyers point man Read, giving Ilya Kovalchuk a breakaway.

Kovalchuk’s shot from the right circle gave him his fourth short-handed goal of the season.

It was a 3-1 Devils lead at 6:31 of the second period. Alexei Ponikarovsky’s pass sent Andrei Loktionov up ice. The speedy center pulled the puck back as Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn slid across the left circle trying for a block. Loktionov then beat Bryzgalov for his fourth goal.

Star Ledger LOADED: 03.14.2013


Devils sign top prospect Reid Boucher to entry-level contract



The Devils today signed top prospect and prolific goal-scorer Reid Boucher to an entry-level contract.

Boucher, 19, has 62 goals and 94 points this season for Sarnia (OHL). That includes 21 power play goals and nine game-winning goals.

The right winger is not eligible to play in the NHL this season because his contract doesn't begin until 2013-14. However, it is possible the Devils will sign him to an AHL tryout contract to play with Albany this season.

The Devils' fourth-round selection in the 2011 entry draft (99th overall), Boucher was born in Lansing, Mich., but his hometown is Grand Ledge.

A 5-11, 195-pound right winger, he attended Devils training camp in 2011 and Albany's camp during the lockout this past September.



Devils can damage Flyers' playoff hopes with home-and-home sweep



Can the Devils virtually eliminate the Flyers from the playoff race with a sweep of their home-and-home series this week?

Devils coach Pete DeBoer isn’t thinking that way.

“I’m not thinking about the Flyers. I’m thinking about us,” DeBoer said today. “We have an opportunity to put some distance between us and one of the teams that are beneath us in the standings trying to catch us. That’s the bottom line. Points are critical.”

He said he didn’t need to remind his players of the importance of tonight’s game.

“You definitely don’t have to dwell on it. They’re aware,” he said. “A Philly-New Jersey matchup whether it’s in July or whether there is a season on the line, is going to be emotional and the energy levels are going to be high.”

The Devils have won two of three, which could signal a turnaround.

“It’s never perfect in a coach’s eyes, but I think we’re getting rewarded for some of our hard work lately, which is what we needed,” DeBoer said. “Hopefully we can build on that.”

Ilya Bryzgalov will start in goal for the Flyers. It will be his 26th start in 28 games this season.

Johan Hedberg makes his 10th straight start for the Devils. He last started 10 in a row back in January of 2002 for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

With Martin Brodeur (sore back) skating on his own, it is possible he could be back in time for Saturday night's home game against the Montreal Canadiens. But there is no guarantee. If Brodeur isn't ready by Saturday, that would mean giving rookie Jeff Frazee a start, or starting Hedberg three games in four days.

*DeBoer said there would be no changes in his lineup from Sunday’s game against Winnipeg.

“We’re going to go with the same lineup as last game,” DeBoer said.

That means defenseman Mark Fayne and left winger Stefan Matteau will be scratches while rookie winger Harri Pesonen must wait to make his NHL debut.

“Of course I wanted to play tonight,” Pesonen said. “It waits. I’m here and I’m ready if something happens or the lineup changes. I can’t complain.

“Hopefully (I) get on the ice Friday.”

He said he is not nervous waiting to play his first game.

“I try not to be nervous. I don’t want to be nervous. If you are, you’re not playing the game as you should be,” Pesonen, 24, said. “I’m just trying to be myself and be positive and be ready if I get called up in the lineup.”



Slumping Devils winger David Clarkson still on pace to score 18 goals



Devils right winger David Clarkson joked that he’s trashed his sticks during his lengthy goal-scoring drought in which he has failed to put the puck in the net since Feb 15.

But he was quick to point out that, actually, his sticks change at a regular pace under normal circumstances because of breaks and flaws. There is no need to get rid of perfectly good sticks.

After scoring 10 goals in the first 14 games this season, Clarkson hasn’t score another in the last 12.

“I don’t want to say I’m worried. As long as this team is winning I don’t really care if it’s me or who is scoring. They’ll go in,” Clarkson said today.

“I’m getting chances. Look in Buffalo, two empty nets and the goalie somehow gloves it. We’re not scoring as a team, it’s not one, two or three guys. The last 12 games or so the puck is not going in as a group.”

And that, coach Pete DeBoer suggested, is because Clarkson and several other Devils are passing too much instead of shooting.

“Your natural reaction when the puck’s not going in for you is to maybe get away from some of the things that made you successful. With David, for me, it’s getting pucks to the net,” DeBoer explained. “He’s a guy that gets shots on net from all different angles.

“We don’t have a team with a real shot mentality, so that’s important. He gets rewarded when he does that. When you look at his shot totals, I think there is a correlation with him getting the puck to the net and the goals that go in.”

Ilya Kovalchuk and Patrik Elias also fall into that category.

“We have a lot of guys who are probably pass-first players,” DeBoer said. “Kovalchuk, Elias. That’s not a bad thing. They’re unselfish. But I think as a group I’d like to see our team have more of a shot mentality. Get pucks to the net.”

Clarkson accepts that to a certain point.

“You’ve got to make plays, too, but I guess he’s saying he wants more shots out of the team and out of me,” Clarkson said.

“When you’ve played for a while I think you learn it’s like this in any sport. For 10 games everything is going in. The next 10 it’s not. I have to keep pushing and getting to those areas of the ice that made me successful in the beginning of the season.”

On Feb. 15, Clarkson was on a pace to score 34 goals in this shortened season. That would translate into 58 in an 82-game schedule.

He is now on pace to score 18 goals, or 32 in an 82-game schedule.

Clarkson knew he was bound to level off.

“You feel like you can keep going, but it’s a tight schedule,” he pointed out. “There are a lot of games in a lot of days. Not just that. I’m not a 50-goal scorer that’s going to keep doing that. I know what type of game I play.

“It seems to come in bunches for me when it does. I feel like I’m playing the same way. I’m going to continue to do the same thing. That’s really all I can do.”



Devils: Patrik Elias, Travis Zajac sit out morning skate


on March 13, 2013 at 10:04 AM, updated March 13, 2013 at 12:44 PM

The Devils held an optional morning skate today, with only Patrik Elias and Travis Zajac not skating.

Coach Pete DeBoer said there will be no lineup changes for tonight's meeting with the Philadelphia Flyers at Prudential Center, meaning rookie Harri Pesonen will have to wait to make his NHL debut.

Goalie Martin Brodeur (sore back) and defenseman Henrik Tallinder (lower body) both skated this morning before the morning skate. Both players remain on injured reserve.

DeBoer was asked if Brodeur might start practicing soon.

"Too soon," the coach said.

DeBoer said the Devils have a lot of "pass first" forwards and he'd like to see them shoot more often. He also noted that the intensity level of a Devils-Flyers game would be high "whether it's in July or the season is on the line."

Those who skated were:

Forwards-- Stefan Matteau, Steve Bernier, Tom Kostopoulos, Stephen Gionta, Ryan Carter, Adam Henrique, Harri Pesonen, Alexei Ponikarovsky, Krys Barch, Andrei Loktionov, Ilya Kovalchuk, David Clarkson

Defensemen-- Bryce Salvador, Marek Zidlicky, Mark Fayne, Adam Larsson, Anton Volchenkov, Peter Harrold, Andy Greene

Goalies -- Jeff Frazee, Johan Hedberg



Devils' Krys Barch says Danny Briere apologized after hit from behind



Devils winger Krys Barch said he wasn’t hurt when he was checked from behind into the boards by Danny Briere with 2:46 left in the game.

“I’ve been hit harder with a fist,” Barch said. “I just caught my neck kind of awkwardly.”

No penalty was called on Briere.

“He apologized after,” Barch said. “So I guess if he apologized he thought he did something wrong.”

Flyers winger Scott Hartnell amassed eight minutes in penalties during the third period, including a slashing penalty against Tom Kostopoulos after the Devils’ right winger leveled him with an open-ice hit.

“He threw a great hit there,” Barch said of Kostopoulos. “I think that’s what sets our sport apart, the emotion you can get into. It was just two guys that were kind of ticked off at each other.

“It’s too bad they didn’t get into something there because TK was probably excited to get into his first one. That’s part of the game. It’s fun for the fans. That’s why I watched it when I grew up. You want that intensity. You want those hits. Eight-two games a year without that would be a little monotonous I think.”

There is likely to be more on Friday night in Philly.

“They’re a very competitive team. They know what the situation is,” Barch.

Patrik Elias said he wasn’t hurt when he crashed into the end boards in the third. He went to the dressing room to have his skate blades checked.

*Johan Hedberg made his 10th straight start in goal. The last time he started 10 in a row was January of 2002 for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He’s now won three out of four.

“I thought he was very confident, very aggressive,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “Those are the two words that come to mind when I think about his game.”

DeBoer feels the Devils are starting to build momentum.

“I think so. Like I said during the losing streak, I thought we played well enough to win some of those games. For different reasons, they didn’t go our way,” DeBoer said. “We felt if we would just stick with it and try to keep a positive outlook, as positive as you could be in that situation, it would turn. And it has.”

*Center Andrei Loktionov scored his fourth goal of the season on a 2-on-1 with Ilya Kovalchuk.

Kovalchuk was asked if he thought his young linemate was going to pass instead of shoot.

“It was in the net. If he didn’t score, maybe we’d have a little talk,” Kovalchuk said with a grin. “It was a great decision. Good move by him.”



Devils notes: Martin Brodeur skates for second straight day

Tom Gulitti

Brodeur skates again

Goaltender Martin Brodeur skated on his own Wednesday for the second day in a row as he continues to work his way back from a back injury. Brodeur hasn’t played since his back tightened up on him during warm-ups prior to the Devils’ Feb. 24 game against Winnipeg.

Devils coach Pete DeBoer said it was "too soon" to tell when Brodeur will be ready to practice with the team.

With Brodeur out, Johan Hedberg started his 10th consecutive game. The 39-year-old hadn’t started 10 in a row since Jan. 5-Jan. 23, 2001 with Pittsburgh.

Defenseman Henrik Tallinder missed his fourth game in a row with a lower-body injury, but also skated on his own Wednesday.

Two scares

It appeared the Devils might lose two forwards to injury when Patrik Elias and Krys Barch went to the locker room 2:46 into the third period. Elias was slow to get up after going feet first into the end boards in the Flyers’ zone after being pushed down by defenseman Braydon Coburn.

He insisted his locker room visit was equipment-related, though.

"I actually had my skates checked because I went with both of my feet into the boards and I just wanted to make sure my skates were OK," said Elias, who returned a couple minutes later and finished the game.

Barch went headfirst into the boards on a hit by Philadelphia’s Daniel Briere, but also returned and finished the game.

"He just kind of caught me there, adjusted my neck for me," Barch joked. "I’ve been hit harder with a fist than that."

Boucher signs

The Devils signed RW Reid Boucher, their 2011 fourth-round draft pick, to a three-year, entry-level contract that begins in 2013-14. Boucher, 19, leads the Ontario Hockey League with 62 goals in 65 games with Sarnia, breaking Steven Stamkos’ team record.

Bergen Record LOADED: 03.14.2013


Devils snap offensive slump with 5-2 win over Flyers

By TOM GULITTI

The Record

NEWARK — Gradually, the Devils are getting their feet back on solid ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

They took another step forward Wednesday night at Prudential Center by breaking out of a nearly month-long offensive slump with a 5-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in the first game of a home-and-home series.

It was the first time the Devils scored more than three goals since a 5-3 win over the Flyers on Feb. 15 at The Rock and gave them their first regulation win since a 3-2 victory Feb. 21 at Washington.

Adam Henrique led the way with two goals and an assist. Andrei Loktionov and Patrik Elias had a goal and an assist apiece, and goaltender Johan Hedberg was sharp in making 23 saves.

“We haven’t had many nights like that in the last two months, so it was nice to score,” Devils coach Pete DeBoer said. “It was nice to get [Hedberg] a win and to have a game like that was a nice change.”

The Devils had scored more than two goals only three times in 12 games since that Feb. 15 win over the Flyers, going just 3-7-2 during that stretch. But they followed up a 3-2 shootout win over Winnipeg on Sunday with their most complete effort in more than a month and notched consecutive wins for the first time since sweeping a home-and-home series from Pittsburgh on Feb. 9 and 10.

After a six-game losing streak that nearly knocked them out of the top eight in the East, they’ve won three out of four to pull into a tie for sixth with Toronto with 31 points and moved six points ahead the 11th-place Flyers. The Atlantic Division rivals meet again Friday night at Wells Fargo Center.

“We’ve won three out of four. That’s pretty good,” Hedberg said. “We know it’s going to be a tight race. We want to stay away from long dips that we had and play a consistent game. If you can keep playing like we have and do a little more of the things we did [Wednesday], we’re going to be successful a lot of nights.”

The Flyers were the perfect medicine for what’s been ailing the Devils. The Devils are 3-0 against the Flyers this season and have won seven in a row from them overall, including the last four games of last season’s Eastern Conference semifinal series.

And, with Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov saying Tuesday that his team would be “done” in the playoff race if it loses both games of this series, the Devils sense an opportunity to deal a serious blow to one of their biggest rivals.

“If we get a ‘W,’ it’s nice they’re looking up to you in the standings,” Elias said. “It was mentioned here, but I think it’s more important for us to just stay with the game plan.”

Elias gave the Devils a 1-0 lead by backhanding in the rebound of Steve Bernier’s left-circle shot just 2:02 into the game. After the Flyers pulled even on Jakub Voracek’s power-play goal at 9:45 of the first, the Devils retook the lead only 36 seconds later on a goal credited to Henrique.

Bryzgalov made a pad save on Henrique’s wrist shot from the top of the right circle, but the rebound went in off the right skate of Flyers right wing Matt Read in front.

Ilya Kovalchuk upped the Devils’ lead to 3-1 with 2:42 to play in the first period by beating Bryzgalov over the left shoulder on a shorthanded breakaway — his league-leading fourth shorthanded goal of the season. Loktionov made it 4-1 on his 2-on-1 goal at 6:31 into the second, using a nifty toe drag to shed Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn in the left circle before beating Bryzgalov to the stick side.

Henrique made it 5-1 with a backhand over Bryzgalov’s left shoulder for a power-play goal 1:16 into the third period.

“I think it was just important for everybody to play a solid game from top to bottom, from start to finish,” Henrique said. “Everybody played well. Everybody was contributing. We built off that last win and carried that into [Wednesday] and, hopefully, we keep that going Friday.”



Devils whip Flyers as Henrique, Hedberg shine

By ZACH BRAZILLER

Pete DeBoer wanted more shot attempts.

The Devils gave their coach more goals instead.

New Jersey’s best offensive performance in nearly a month, coupled with another standout performance from goaltender Johan Hedberg, added up to a commanding 5-2 win over the Flyers Wednesday night in front of a sold-out crowd of 17,625 at the Prudential Center.

The Devils (13-9-5, 31 points) have won three of four after an 0-5-1 stretch, and are tied for sixth place in the Eastern Conference with the Maple Leafs.

At the team’s morning skate Wednesday, DeBoer said his team needed to have more of a shooter’s mentality instead of waiting for the perfect opportunity. Of course, if the Devils can score goals at such a close ratio to their shot attempts, it won’t matter. Facing Ilya Bryzgalov, who allowed three goals on the first nine shots he saw, helped, too.

Adam Henrique scored twice and added an assist. Patrik Elias also scored and assisted on Henrique’s first goal, and Ilya Kovalchuk added his NHL-leading fourth shorthanded goal. Hedberg, faced with four Flyers power plays, made 23 saves in the victory.

The Devils couldn’t have scripted a better first period, aside from the three penalties they took.

Henrique’s forecheck led to a giveaway and Elias’s ninth goal of the season on a goalmouth backhand, at 2:02 of the period. Jakub Voracek pulled the Flyers even on the man advantage, ripping home a Wayne Simmonds cross-ice feed past a helpless Hedberg on a half-empty net.

Just as the Flyers were done celebrating, however, Henrique snuck a right post wrist shot past Bryzgalov, 36 seconds later, The goal was reviewed, as after getting through Bryzgalov, it deflected off a player’s skate, which officials ruled was Philadelphia right wing Matt Read, rewarding the youngster with his eighth of the season.

The Flyers seemed to be in position to pull even on the power play again later in the period. Instead, Kovalchuk repeated his shorthanded magic, jumping on a Stephen Gionta pass off the boards and speeding past Andrej Meszaros for the puck before beating Bryzgalov near side.

Hedberg even picked up an assist, his first point since 2011.

Andrei Loktionov made it 4-1 at 6:31 of the second period, pulling up on a 2-on-2 rush leaving Braydon Coburn to fall on the ice and beat Bryzgalov. Henrique got his second early in the third period on a backhand on the power play to made it a rout for the Devils.

New York Post LOADED: 03.14.2013


Goal-oriented Devils beat Flyers

By ZACH BRAZILLER

Last Updated: 4:43 AM, March 14, 2013

Posted: 1:39 AM, March 14, 2013

Pete DeBoer wanted more shot attempts.

The Devils gave their coach more goals instead.

New Jersey’s best offensive performance in nearly a month, coupled with a second consecutive standout performance from goaltender Johan Hedberg, translated into a commanding 5-2 win over the Flyers last night in front of a sold-out crowd of 17,625 at the Prudential Center.

The Devils (13-9-5, 31 points) have won three of four after an 0-5-1 stretch, and moved into a sixth-place tie with the Maple Leafs.

“Like I said during the losing streak, I thought we played well enough to win some of those games,” DeBoer said. “For different reasons, they didn’t go our way. We felt if we would stick with it, try and keep a positive outlook, that it would turn, and it has.”

Prior to the game, DeBoer said his team needed to have more of a shooter’s mentality rather than waiting for the perfect opportunity. If the Devils can score goals at such a close ratio to their shot attempts, it won’t matter. Facing Ilya Bryzgalov, who allowed three goals on the first nine shots he saw, helped, too.

Adam Henrique scored twice and added an assist, Patrik Elias also scored and assisted on Henrique’s first goal, and Ilya Kovalchuk added his NHL-leading fourth shorthanded goal. Hedberg made 23 saves.

“I thought we played the right way from start to finish,” Henrique said. “We played a solid team game. We stuck to our system, we were getting pucks to the net, we got a couple of bounces our way. It’s a huge win for us.”

The Devils couldn’t have scripted a better first period, aside from the three penalties they took.

Henrique’s forecheck led to a giveaway and Elias’s ninth goal of the season on a goalmouth backhand, at 2:02 of the period. Jakub Voracek pulled the Flyers even on the man advantage, ripping home a Wayne Simmonds cross-ice feed past a helpless Hedberg on a half-empty net.

Just as the Flyers were done celebrating, however, Henrique snuck a right post a wrist shot past Bryzgalov 36 seconds later, and the Flyers seemed to be in position to pull even on the power play again later in the period. Instead, Kovalchuk scored shorthanded magic, jumping on a Stephen Gionta pass off the boards and speeding past Andrej Meszaros like he was a bystander for the 50-50 puck before beating Bryzgalov near side for a 3-1 lead.

“They made a couple of mistakes, we were patient and capitalized on them obviously,” Elias said.


663344 New York Islanders

In tense drive for playoff spot, Islanders' Tavares tries to stay calm

By ARTHUR STAPLE

TAMPA, Fla. -- John Tavares and his Islanders teammates have had some frustrations boil over this season. Not about games like Sunday's 6-1 loss to the Penguins, when the Isles were never in it, but more in games like the one a week ago against the Rangers.

Tavares, who has had more comments for officials this season than in any of his three previous seasons, was one of the few Islanders who didn't say anything to refs Mike Hasenfratz and Brian Pochmara after the 2-1 overtime loss in which the Islanders did not get a power play while the Rangers won on an OT power-play goal.

"I think sometimes you need to relax and not focus on that," said Tavares, who has drawn his share of penalties this season. "I wanted to go talk to them after the call in overtime, but I was a little too heated myself and I kind of avoided the situation knowing there was a lot of frustration and a different view on the calls."

Assistant coach Brent Thompson did have more than a few words for the officials and received a two-game suspension from the NHL. He'll return to the bench Thursday for the Islanders' game with the Lightning, the team's first action since Sunday's ugly loss dropped the Isles back below .500.

As it happens, the Islanders entered Wednesday's games as one of eight teams with at least 100 power-play chances and they are plus-9 in power plays earned vs. power plays given.

But the frustrations grow as the team's expectations grow -- Tavares understands there's more pressure on him and his teammates to succeed, given that they are past the halfway mark of this shortened season in better position in the East than they've been in his NHL career.

"You have to focus on the game and we've tried to stress that," he said. "When things don't go our way sometimes, when it's two or three games in a row, it can definitely build up and go a little over the top."

Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 03.14.2013

663345 New York Rangers

Tortorella’s (Latest) Greatest Rant

By LYNN ZINSER

Rangers Coach John Tortorella has made a career of the unpredictable news conference and Tuesday night became the latest installment in that long-running series. After the Rangers lost, 3-1, to the Sabres in Buffalo, Tortorella unleashed his thoughts about a loss he found particularly disturbing. It was not the garden-variety blame-the-media rant. It was directed toward his own team.

Even if he doesn’t think the Rangers are in playoff form, it’s good to know Tortorella is getting hot at the right time.

New York Times LOADED: 03.14.2013


John Tortorella's latest rant doesn't upset NY Rangers, who complete energetic practice day before Winnipeg Jets game

By Pat Leonard / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 8:02 PM

WINNIPEG – If any of the Rangers resented John Tortorella’s blow-up after Tuesday night’s 3-1 loss in Buffalo, they didn’t let on Wednesday afternoon at the MTS Iceplex in Manitoba.

A lively bunch of Blueshirts practiced at the Winnipeg Jets’ enormous, sparkling facility with the energy they had lacked in Tuesday’s defeat, while young Canadian fans pressed their noses against the rink windows and high school hockey games proceeded down the hallway.

“He’s always passionate in his postgame conferences,” former All-Star defenseman Dan Girardi, who was minus-three against the Sabres, told the Daily News. “I don’t know. I just think it doesn’t really matter how he reacts after the game. We know it was a game for the taking. You’d like to have that one, but we let it slip away.

“At this point of the year, at the halfway mark where points are hard to get, we can’t let games slip by like that. I think that’s why he was the most mad: You don’t want to look back and say that was a big game for us to lose, you know? We felt like if we played our game, we could’ve won that game. And we have to make sure that doesn’t happen again.”

If anything, the Rangers are internalizing the defeat and Tortorella’s being “disgusted and disappointed” more than they are trying to forget those lesssons. Veteran forward Arron Asham (back), who skated Wednesday for the first time since Feb. 22, recalled a somber postgame mood.

“You can’t dwell on these games,” said Asham, who is still a ways away from returning from injury. “(Tuesday) night, the dressing room was pretty quiet, the bus ride to the hotel was pretty quiet. But it’s a new day. Now, we’ve got the Jets to worry about.”

The Rangers (13-10-2, 28 points, eighth in the Eastern Conference) are placing extra emphasis on Thursday night’s test – the third of a four-game road trip that wraps up Saturday afternoon in Pittsburgh – and not only because the Jets (13-11-2, 28 points) sit just behind them in ninth place.

There also isn’t a better way to prove Sunday’s 4-1 win and complete effort in Washington wasn’t a fluke – and to continue cultivating the resilience of last year’s Rangers – than to bounce back immediately.

“I think we’ve been very close to our game the last five, six games,” said Girardi, who is playing well below 100% health but smirked and said “I feel good” when questioned on Wednesday. “If we respond the right way, come out hard and play better hockey, it’s gonna show a lot of the traits we had last year, you could say. (Last year), we were able to respond after a really poor game. That’s why it’s a very big game for us. The Jets are right behind us. We can’t afford to lose that. We have to make sure we match their intensity.”

New York Daily News LOADED: 03.14.2013


Rangers coach turns page after loss to Sabres — sort of

By BRETT CYRGALIS

Last Updated: 4:35 AM, March 14, 2013

Posted: 1:30 AM, March 14, 2013

WINNIPEG —Despite the fire coming out of John Tortorella’s mouth after Tuesday’s 3-1 loss to the Sabres in Buffalo, the Rangers coach did not burn the tape, did not call it an aberration, and did not immediately wipe the slate clean.

Instead, in preparation for Thursday night’s matchup against the Jets, Tortorella replayed parts of the video for his team, followed by a spirited practice.

So it was in the wake of anger where the hot-tempered coach found a learning experience.

“It was brought up today pretty extensively, and now we’re done with it,” Tortorella said. “We wanted to get it out of the way, right away.”

The consensus in the locker room was that most of the team had not heard exactly what the coach said after the game, when he went on a 90-second tirade about how he was “not going to give Buffalo any credit” for the win, and how he “couldn’t be more disgusted and disappointed with the way our top guys played.”

The reaction from the players was that those sentiments were not thrown away on the media only, but communicated clearly to everyone who needs to be held accountable.

“It’s called coaching, he’s coaching us,” Brian Boyle said. “What he says to you guys [the media] doesn’t really matter to us. I take what he says to me and what he says to us — it’s how he’s coaching us. That’s how you try to rectify things.

“He’s done it a long time. He knows what he’s doing. We obviously need to be better.”

After winning five of six games and going into Buffalo against a team that had lost four straight, the Rangers (13-10-2) seemed to be lining up another win to keep their four-game road trip a rolling success. But after thoroughly beating the Capitals 4-1 on Sunday, they were sloppy against the Sabres, who managed to take advantage.

“We were all feeling good, but last game was really a step backward,” said Carl Hagelin, now seemingly a solidified fixture on the top line with Rick Nash and Brad Richards. “That’s not the direction we want to go.”

So now it’s on to the Jets (13-11-2), a team tied with the Rangers for the eighth and final playoff spot in the conference and coming off a strong 5-2 win over the Maple Leafs. It’s no easy task in hopes of righting the ship before a difficult matchup against the Penguins in Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon.

“You have to live in the present in this league,” Hagelin said. “You just need to be ready about the next game, and you can’t think about what happened a week ago.”

Forward Arron Asham took part in practice for the first time since injuring his back three weeks ago. It was the first time he was on ice since he tested the injury in Montreal on Feb. 23. “It was a little worse than just that,” said Asham. He He will miss his 11th straight game tonight but is hoping for a return next week. “It happens. I wanted to play, but the back just wouldn’t let me. That’s the way it goes.”

At the time he called it back spasms, but now he was a little more honest about the situation.



Rangers start road trip with 3-1 loss to Sabres

By ANDREW GROSS

The Record

BUFFALO, N.Y. – John Tortorella ripped both his Rangers and the Sabres in a 90-second eruption of disgust. But mainly his “top players.”

This latest example of the Rangers derailing any momentum they create – a 3-1 loss Tuesday night at First Niagara Center to the Sabres and backup goalie Jhonas Enroth, who snapped a personal 0-10-3 slide with his first victory since Nov. 26, 2011 – had Tortorella seething.

“I don’t think the Sabres were the hungrier team,” Tortorella said. “I thought we stunk and I’m not going to give Buffalo any credit. I will give their third line credit, they outplayed our top players and that can’t happen. I couldn’t be more disgusted and disappointed with the way our top guys played, the way we handled ourselves through it.

“That team was ripe to be beaten and we simply did not play the way we’re supposed to play,” Tortorella added. “We sucked and we sucked at a time that you can’t suck. We have to get it straightened out.”

The Rangers (13-10-2), who looked so good in their sustained, three-zone effort in Sunday’s 4-1 win at Washington to begin this season-high four-game road trip, got a short-handed goal from Derek Stepan to take a 1-0 lead at 4:17 of the second period.

But they took four penalties in the second period and five in the game while getting just one third-period power play as the Sabres (10-14-3), who snapped a four-game losing streak, wrested control of the game and dominated the meek Rangers around both nets.

“I think when you’re closing out, you don’t take stick penalties,” said Callahan, who set up Stepan’s goal with a backhanded pass from behind the net. “I don’t think we had that tonight. The result was we’re hooking a lot more.”

Meanwhile, Enroth, subbing for Olympian Ryan Miller (sinus infection), stopped 32 shots.

“He had a good opportunity to settle in,” Brad Richards said. “We didn’t give him an opportunity to not settle in.”

Marcus Foligno scored the first of his two goals at 5:35 of the second period and Thomas Vanek’s breakaway off Jason Pominville’s long, off-the-boards feed, was the winner at 12:40 of the second period.

“That’s what it’s all about, being consistent,” said goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who made 19 saves. “It’s just disappointing to lose to a team where I thought we were the better team. We didn’t find a way to win. We need to figure it out here fast.”

“We felt they weren’t playing that great so we kind of fell into their level and became flat in the second period,” said Marian Gaborik, a minus-2 as he was taken off Stepan’s line to start the third period and placed on Brian Boyle’s third line while enforcer Micheal Haley was elevated to the second-line spot.

In addition to Gaborik, who took three shots in an invisible performance, Richards also was a minus-2 with two shots and Rick Nash took six shots but did not record a point for the first time in 11 appearances.

Defensively, the Rangers’ top pair of Ryan McDonagh, who did not muscle out Foligno on his first goal, and Girardi (beaten to the crease on Vanek’s breakaway) each were minus-3.

So, in addition to ripping his team’s performance, Tortorella also seemed to question their accountability as he fumed to the media.

“Did you ask them any questions?” Tortorella said. “I don’t know why I always have to answer these questions. Did they answer your questions? Were they in the room? What did they say?”

It didn’t really matter since the Rangers inexplicably had no answers on the ice.



Rangers, Sabres let go of past

Andrew Gross

Tuesday marked the first game between the teams since the Sabres’ Patrick Kaleta cross-checked Brad Richards from behind the in the Rangers’ 3-2 shootout win March 3.

Richards missed the next two games. Kaleta has one game remaining in his five-game suspension.

The Rangers did not try to retaliate against any of Kaleta’s teammates.

"It’s over and done with as far as I’m concerned," Richards said.

Great saves

Henrik Lundqvist made two jaw-dropping saves on Thomas Vanek at close range in the first period. On the second, Lundqvist, on his stomach, twisted his body so he could extended his left leg just enough to keep the puck out at 12:01.

"I was off position and I see him shooting and I’m stuck," Lundqvist said. "I try to push to my left. I can’t really recover, but I managed to get my pad on it."

Opportunity

Not only did enforcer Micheal Haley spend the third period playing on lines with Derek Stepan and Ryan Callahan or Brad Richards and Carl Hagelin, but he nearly tied the game at 2 at 5:42. But Jhonas Enroth robbed him from point-blank range.

"Fourth line, fifth line, first line, I’m going to play the same way and just try to go hard," Haley said. "Cally made a great play and I didn’t get the shot up enough."

Briefs

Coach John Tortorella said D Roman Hamrlik, a healthy scratch for the second straight game, will not be sent to Connecticut (AHL) on a conditioning stint, but will instead work with Rangers assistant Jim Schoenfeld. … RW Arron Asham (back) missed his 10th straight game but joined the Rangers in Buffalo. Asham worked on the stationary bicycle and did not skate.



Andrew Gross: Rangers' Marian Gaborik a poor fit

The Record

This marriage is surely leading to divorce.

Maybe not by the April 3 trade deadline, though there are plenty of whispers the Rangers are gauging the market’s interest in Marian Gaborik. Maybe not until this off-season. Or maybe not until the inconsistent scorer’s five-year, $37.5 million contract expires following the 2013-14 season, since a new deal seems implausible.

Regardless of the eventual departure date, there certainly seems to be a growing disconnect between Gaborik and coach John Tortorella.

The Rangers face the Jets tonight as they continue a season-high, four-game road trip coming off a bewilderingly flaccid 3-1 loss at Buffalo on Tuesday. And there was no greater sign of Tortorella’s disgust in Gaborik’s play than dropping him to the third line to start the third period while putting enforcer Micheal Haley in his place.

"He’s the coach and makes decisions," Gaborik said. "The lines tend to change all the time. So we have to be better. The guys that have to step up, have to step up. It’s got to be night in and night out.

"I’m not going to talk about that," Gaborik continued when asked if he considered the glaring line switch a demotion. "Like I said, it’s his decision and I have to play better. I want to be out in every situation."

Gaborik has eight goals and nine assists in 25 games in this lockout-shortened season. But all his goals have been concentrated into five games and he has just three goals in his last 20 games, none in his last three.

"We need to be more consistent, that’s the bottom line," Gaborik said. "The goals haven’t been going in there for me so I just have to get to all areas on the ice and just keep working hard. The chances have been [there] but it still needs to be more consistent and so I’ve just got to work for it. The bottom line is I’ve just got to work hard and keep going and try to stay positive."

Tortorella always wants a more concentrated defensive effort from Gaborik. The 31-year-old Slovakian often has said he understands the message. But the grinding, physical style Tortorella preaches certainly doesn’t come naturally to him.

Tortorella has tried Gaborik throughout his lineup this season, most frequently on a second line with center Derek Stepan and captain Ryan Callahan.

That pre-season pipe dream of Gaborik playing with fellow elite scorer Rick Nash and top-line center Brad Richards proved to be just that.

But Gaborik has spent just as much time recently on Brian Boyle’s third line with Taylor Pyatt. Solely in terms of skating ability, that’s like putting a racehorse with two workhorses.

Tortorella insists Gaborik plays better when he’s shuffled through the lines. Gaborik has said repeatedly having consistent lines is what players strive to attain.

Tortorella essentially has switched Gaborik to left wing this season. Gaborik has not complained but has said several times he’s more comfortable at his natural right wing.

Give Tortorella credit for this — he has toughened Gaborik. When Gaborik first came to the Rangers from the Wild, he took bumps and bruises as a sign he shouldn’t practice. Now, Gaborik rarely misses a practice.

But as Gaborik’s goal production decreases, the likelihood increases that this marriage can’t last much longer.

BRIEF: RW Arron Asham (back), who has missed the last 10 games, practiced with the Rangers in Winnipeg on Wednesday and said he hopes to play next week.



Rangers, Sabres let go of past

Andrew Gross

Tuesday marked the first game between the teams since the Sabres’ Patrick Kaleta cross-checked Brad Richards from behind the in the Rangers’ 3-2 shootout win March 3.

Richards missed the next two games. Kaleta has one game remaining in his five-game suspension.

The Rangers did not try to retaliate against any of Kaleta’s teammates.

"It’s over and done with as far as I’m concerned," Richards said.

Great saves

Henrik Lundqvist made two jaw-dropping saves on Thomas Vanek at close range in the first period. On the second, Lundqvist, on his stomach, twisted his body so he could extended his left leg just enough to keep the puck out at 12:01.

"I was off position and I see him shooting and I’m stuck," Lundqvist said. "I try to push to my left. I can’t really recover, but I managed to get my pad on it."

Opportunity

Not only did enforcer Micheal Haley spend the third period playing on lines with Derek Stepan and Ryan Callahan or Brad Richards and Carl Hagelin, but he nearly tied the game at 2 at 5:42. But Jhonas Enroth robbed him from point-blank range.

"Fourth line, fifth line, first line, I’m going to play the same way and just try to go hard," Haley said. "Cally made a great play and I didn’t get the shot up enough."

Briefs

Coach John Tortorella said D Roman Hamrlik, a healthy scratch for the second straight game, will not be sent to Connecticut (AHL) on a conditioning stint, but will instead work with Rangers assistant Jim Schoenfeld. … RW Arron Asham (back) missed his 10th straight game but joined the Rangers in Buffalo. Asham worked on the stationary bicycle and did not skate.



Rangers at Jets tonight (8 p.m. start)

By Carp

Pre-game notes courtesy of the NYR:

NEW YORK RANGERS at WINNIPEG JETS

Thursday, Mar. 14, 8:00 p.m.

MTS Centre – Winnipeg, MB

Rangers: 13-10-2 (28 pts)

Jets: 13-11-2 (28 pts)

TONIGHT’S GAME

The Rangers will face-off against the Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre (8:00 p.m. — TV: MSG Network; Radio: Bloomberg Radio), as they continue their four-game road trip. The Blueshirts currently rank third in the Atlantic Division standings, and rank eighth in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 13-10-2 (28 pts). The Rangers enter the contest having been defeated by the Buffalo Sabres, 3-1, on Tuesday at First Niagara Center, and are now 5-2-0 in the last seven games. The Blueshirts have registered a point in four of their last six road games (3-2-1). The Jets enter the contest with a 13-11-2 (28 pts) record to rank ninth in the Eastern Conference, and have recorded a point in four straight games (3-0-1). Following tonight’s contest, the Rangers will complete their four-game road trip when they face-off against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday, Mar. 16, at CONSOL Energy Center (1:00 p.m.), in a matinee matchup.

RANGERS vs. JETS: – All-Time: 23-16-1-9 overall (9-10-1-5 at home; 14-6-0-4 on the road) – 2013: Tonight is the second of three meetings this season, and the only meeting at MTS Centre. The Rangers are 0-1-0 overall (0-1-0 at home; 0-0-0 on the road), following a 4-3 loss on Feb. 26 at Madison Square Garden. The Blueshirts’ penalty kill was 3-3 (100.0%) in the contest. Anton Stralman led the Rangers with two points (one goal, one assist) in their first meeting. Ryan Callahan and Taylor Pyatt have also tallied one goal apiece. Henrik Lundqvist made 28 saves in the contest. – Last Season: New York was 4-0-0 overall (2-0-0 at home; 2-0-0 on the road). The Rangers out-scored the Jets, 12-3, including a 6-0 advantage in the third period. The Rangers’ power play was 5-20 (25.0%), while the penalty kill held the Jets scoreless in 12 shorthanded situations in the series. Ryan Callahan (three goals, two assists), Marian Gaborik (two goals, three assists) and Michael Del Zotto (one goal, four assists) tied for the series lead in scoring with five points apiece. Callahan’s three goals led all skaters, and Del Zotto tallied a series-leading, four assists. Henrik Lundqvist was 2-0-0 with a 1.00 GAA, .957 Sv% and one shutout, while Martin Biron was 2-0-0 with a 0.50 GAA, .980 Sv% and one shutout. – The Rangers’ 2-1 victory on Oct. 24, 2011, was the team’s first win in Winnipeg since a 5-4 victory against the previous Winnipeg Jets franchise on Nov. 21, 1992 – New York ranks 21st in the NHL with a 4-5-1 (9 pts) record on the road; Winnipeg ranks 29th in the NHL with a 5-6-0 (10 pts) mark at home – The Rangers are 5-1-0 vs. the Southeast Division this season; the Jets are 5-3-1 vs. the Atlantic Division this season – New York lists no former Jets on their roster – Winnipeg lists two former Rangers on their roster: Nik Antropov (2008-09); Olli Jokinen (2009-10)

INDIVIDUAL CAREER LEADERS vs. JETS: – Henrik Lundqvist — 22 GP, 9-6-6, 2.21 GAA, 2 SO – Martin Biron — 20 GP, 8-11-0-0, 3.02 GAA, 4 SO – Brad Richards — 51 GP, 18-38-56 – Marian Gaborik — 18 GP, 10-12-22 – Ryan Callahan — 18 GP, 8-5-13 – Michael Del Zotto — 10 GP, 2-8-10

SPECIAL TEAMS:

The Rangers’ power play has tallied a goal in eight of the last 13 games (9-39, 23.1% over the span), while the Blueshirts’ penalty kill is 43-48 (89.6%) in the last 16 games. New York has posted a record of 8-4-1 when not allowing a power play goal. – Power Play: The Rangers did not tally a goal in one power play attempt (2:00) on Tuesday at Buffalo. New York ranks 23rd overall (13-83, 15.7%) and is tied for 24th on the road (4-32, 12.5%). The Rangers are 2-8 (7:46) in five-on-three situations (last – 3/3 vs. BUF), and 1-1 (0:21) when four-on-three (last – 3/7 at NYI). Shorthanded goals allowed (3): 2/19 vs. MTL (Diaz, EN); 2/21 at OTT (Silfverberg); 3/3 vs. BUF (Gerbe). – Penalty Killing: The Blueshirts held the Sabres scoreless in five

power play attempts (10:00) and tallied a shorthanded goal on Tuesday at Buffalo. New York ranks seventh overall (75-89, 84.3%) and fifth on the road (28-33, 84.8%). The Rangers are 5-5 (5:52) in three-on-five situations (last – 3/10 at WSH), and 3-3 (4:19) when three-on-four (last – 3/3 vs. BUF). Shorthanded goals for (2): 1/20 vs. PIT (Nash); 3/12 at BUF (Stepan). – Four-on-Four: New York did not skate in a four-on-four situation on Tuesday at Buffalo, and are now minus-1 in 15 four-on-four situations (29:22) this season. Four-on-four goals for (1): 1/23 vs. BOS (Gaborik). Four-on-four goals allowed (2): 1/20 vs. PIT (Letang); 1/23 vs. BOS (Horton).

SOUTHEAST FEAST

The Rangers have posted a record of 20-4-2 in their last 26 games against Southeast Division opponents, including a 5-1-0 mark against the Southeast Division this season. The Blueshirts have out-scored their Southeast Division opponents, 88-52, over the span.

SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST

Rick Nash currently leads the team with nine goals, having tallied his first eight goals of the season in the third period. Nash is the second player in NHL history whose first eight goals of a season were tallied in the third player, while fellow Ranger Arron Asham is the other to have accomplished the feat, in 2003-04, as a member of the New York Islanders.

GOAL SCORING LEADERS SINCE 2009-10

Marian Gaborik has been among the league’s goal scoring leaders since joining the Rangers in 2009-10. Last season, Gaborik became the fifth player in Rangers history to record 100 goals in his first three seasons with the club, and became the third Ranger in franchise history to register multiple 40-goal seasons with the team. Entering this season, his 105 goals from 2009-10 to 2011-12 ranked seventh in the NHL, while his .48 goals per game average ranked third (behind Steven Stamkos and Alex Ovechkin) over that time period. Including games played this season, Gaborik currently ranks seventh in the league with 113 goals scored and is tied for third with .46 goals per game since the beginning of the 2009-10 season.

A BROADWAY HIT

The Rangers rank third in the NHL in hits (761) this season. Rangers’ captain Ryan Callahan leads the team and is tied for eighth in the NHL with 88 hits, while Brian Boyle ranks second on the Rangers and 11th in the league with 84 hits.

MEASURING UP

The Rangers rank among the Eastern Conference leaders in several statistical categories… – 3rd (6th in NHL) in GAA — 2.36 – 3rd in FO% — 51.4% – 1st (2nd in NHL) in Fewest PIM/G — 10.8 – T-2nd (T-5th in NHL) in OT wins — 2 – 5th in +/- Rating — +4

QUICK HITS: – The Rangers did not surrender a power play opportunity against on Mar. 7 at Long Island, marking the first time the Blueshirts did not have a shorthanded situation in a game since Jan. 10, 2012, in a 2-1 shootout win vs. PHX. The last time the Rangers did not allow a power play attempt against the Islanders was Jan. 7, 1989, in a 5-1 win at Long Island. – The Blueshirts have had 13 players make their regular season debut with the team this season – The Rangers’ power play has tallied a goal in eight of the last 13 games (9-39, 23.1% over the span) – The Blueshirts’ penalty kill is 43-48 (89.6%) in the last 16 games – New York has registered a point in eight of 10 games when scoring the first goal this season (7-2-1), and are 6-8-1 when allowing the game’s first goal – The Blueshirts have posted a 6-0-1 mark when leading after the first period, and are 7-0-0 when leading after the second period

THE HOT LIST: – Henrik Lundqvist — has held opponents to two goals or less in 12 of his last 18 games (10-7-1, 2.04 GAA, .926 Sv% over the span) – Rick Nash — has tallied a point in 10 of his last 11 games (seven goals, nine assists over the span) – Derek Stepan — eight points (four goals, four assists) in the last seven games – Ryan Callahan — eight points (five goals, three assists) in the last 10 games, including five points (three goals, two assists) in the last five contests – Brad Richards — four points (two goals, two assists) in his last six games, including two goals in the last three contests – Marian Gaborik — five points (one goal, four assists) in the last six games – Carl Hagelin — 13 points (six goals, seven assists) in the last 15 games, including four assists in the last four contests – Ryan McDonagh — 10 points (two goals, eight assists) in his last 15 games, including five assists in the last seven games – Michael Del Zotto — three assists in the last six games

MILESTONES IN SIGHT: – Ryan Callahan — 3 assists from 100th NHL career – Michael Del Zotto — 1 point from 100th NHL career – Steve Eminger — 3 points from 100th NHL career – Rick Nash — 2 goals from 300th NHL career; 5 games from 700th NHL career – Brad Richards — 3 points from 800th NHL career – Marc Staal — 3 points from 100th NHL career – Anton Stralman — 3 points from 100th NHL career – John Tortorella — 3 wins from 400th NHL career

INJURIES: – Michael Sauer (concussion, 12/5/11) — 25 – Arron Asham (injured, 2/19) — 10 – Marc Staal (injured, 3/5) — 4

Total Man-Games Lost: 62

Rockland Journal News: LOADED: 03.14.2013

663353 Ottawa Senators

Comeback comes up short


MONTREAL — The seemingly unstoppable train called the Montreal Canadiens rolled to another victory here Wednesday, but not before yet another spirited comeback by the Ottawa Senators.

The Canadiens pulled out a 4-3 shootout victory after Alex Galchenyuk and Lars Eller beat Senators goaltender Robin Lehner with sweet moves in the penalty shot competition. Jakob Silfverberg was the lone Senators shooter to beat Canadiens goaltender Carey Price.

With the victory, the Canadiens (18-5-4) padded their lead atop the Eastern Conference, but they did allow the Senators (13-8-6) back into this game after holding a 3-1 lead late in the second period.

The loss didn’t sit well with the Senators, but the point moved them four clear of the Winnipeg Jets, who currently hold down the ninth spot in the Eastern Conference.

It was the 10th consecutive time a Senators game has been decided by one goal. The Senators are 4-2-4 during that stretch.

Once again, the Senators refused to go away.

Patrick Wiercioch beat Price with wrist shot from the slot at the 1:50 mark of the third period, tying the game 3-3.

It was Wiercioch’s third goal in five games and his shot appeared to catch Price off guard as it slipped between the pads of the Canadiens goaltender.

Suddenly, it was a brand new game.

The Canadiens had appeared to be in complete control, leading 3-1 with time ticking down in the second period, but Daniel Alfredsson narrowed the gap to 3-2 with only two seconds left in the second.

Alfredsson’s power-play goal was originally waved off by officials, who believed his shot had caught the crossbar. After video review, however, Alfredsson was credited with his sixth goal of the season.

Up to that point the game had been all about the potent power plays.

Mika Zibanejad had also scored with the man advantage for the Senators, while Brendan Gallagher and P.K. Subban had scored for the Canadiens on the power play. Eller also scored for the Canadiens at even strength.

With the game deadlocked 3-3 late, the Senators once again found themselves in penalty trouble, but Lehner held his ground to send the game to extra time. He also caught a break when Galchenyuk ripped a shot off the crossbar with 1:25 remaining in regulation.

The Bell Centre has an intriguing history for Lehner.

He made his NHL debut here as a 19-year-old on Oct. 16, 2010, as an emergency replacement for Brian Elliott. With Pascal Leclaire injured and Elliott serving as the starter, Lehner was called up from Binghamton of the American Hockey League.

Yet when Elliott suffered a broken skate blade before the start of the third period of that game, Lehner was thrust into action. He didn’t allow a goal in more than four minutes before Elliott returned.

Lehner was somewhat of a surprise starter Wednesday. While he had picked up a win and a shootout loss in the Senators’ previous two games. Ben Bishop had stolen Ottawa a 2-1 shootout victory in the previous meeting between the teams on Feb. 25. Bishop made 44 saves in that game.

While Price was shaking his head at allowing the Wiercioch third-period goal, he did come up with a few big stops of his own, including robbing Kyle Turris on a 2-on-1 break. Price made a sharp save off a Turris deflection late in overtime.

CHEERS

The power plays. Both the Senators and Canadiens struck twice with the man advantage. Brendan Gallagher and P.K. Subban netted goals with the

man advantage for Montreal, while Daniel Alfredsson and Mika Zibanejad scored power-play goals for Ottawa.

JEERS

Carey Price, Canadiens.

Price had his moments, but the Patrick Wiercioch goal came at a bad time, with his team trying to nurse a third-period lead. In the last meeting between the teams, Price allowed a weak goal to Dave Dziurzynski.

WHY THEY LOST

Robin Lehner didn’t have an answer for Alex Galchenyuk and Lars Eller in the shootout, but the goalie magic continues for the Senators. Last time the teams met, Ben Bishop made 44 saves in regulation and extra time. This time, Lehner stopped 42 through three periods and overtime. But Lehner outplayed Price, generally considered one of the best netminders in the NHL.

YET ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE HITS

Late in the second, Eric Gryba crossed the Canadiens’ blue-line and was blindsided by Canadiens defenceman Alexei Emelin. Emelin didn’t appear to catch Gryba in the head, but the hit was late. Emelin received an interference penalty. Gryba returned.



MacLean says he has ‘no idea’ about report claiming Spezza setback


MONTREAL — An RDS report late Wednesday suggested that injured Ottawa Senators Jason Spezza could need more time than expected to return from his back disc surgery and could still be out for another month, but Senators coach Paul MacLean says he was unaware of anything new development in his recovery.

“I have no idea,” MacLean said following the Senators’ 4-3 shootout loss to the Montreal Canadiens. “I don’t know. Not that I know of. I don’t know anything about that. I was here all day, just like (the media).”

Spezza had returned to skating to light skating in recent weeks — away from his teammates — and appeared to be on track to get back into the lineup, perhaps before the end of March.

However, the report by Renaud Lavoie of RDS suggests that Spezza is dealing with “some stiffness” in his back, slowing his recovery.

The recovery from back disc surgery is typically in the six-to-eight-week range. Spezza is currently in Week 6, but if he’s sidelined for another four weeks, he wouldn’t be ready until perhaps the final two weeks of the season.



Ottawa Senators drop second-straight shootout with 4-3 loss to Montreal Canadiens

By Bruce Garrioch, Ottawa Sun

First posted: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 10:56 PM EDT | Updated: Thursday, March 14, 2013 12:41 AM EDT

MONTREAL — Describing the Senators as pesky doesn’t do them justice.

Persistent would be more accurate. And in some ways, they have become predictable.

The Senators erased a two-goal deficit, but still managed to pick up a point as Lars Eller scored in the shootout to hand Ottawa a 4-3 loss to the first-place Montreal Canadiens Wednesday night at the Bell Centre.

Though goalie Robin Lehner made 42 stops in 65 minutes, he wasn’t pleased with his effort in the shootout.

“I don’t know what to say. It sucks. I can’t seem to find a way in the shootout. I’m a little tired of one-point games,” said Lehner, who has lost three straight shootouts. “Our guys are playing their hearts out and they deserve the two points.

“It feels good in regulation and overtime, but when it comes to the shootout right now I’m not there. I didn’t expect it to be easy, either. It’s another speed. It’s not the AHL. I’ve got to work on it right now. It sucks. They’re selling it average and I’m biting like it’s awesome.”

Patrick Wiercioch and Daniel Alfredsson sparked the comeback, while Mika Zibanejad also scored. P.K. Subban, Brendan Gallagher and Eller beat Lehner in regulation.

The Senators have played in 10 straight one-goal games and are closing in on the NHL record of 12 set by the Chicago Blackhawks in 1997-98. Like the nine games before this one, this one was a nailbiter for Ottawa right to the finish.

It’s the first time this season the Senators have given up two power-play goals, but Wiercioch completed the Ottawa comeback by beating Price from the slot 1:50 into the third.

“As a team, with the youth we have in the third, we seem to have the legs to jump on some teams,” said Wiercioch. “For whatever reason, we seem to make plays in third and have more poise when we need it.

“It’s been working out well for us. We just have to find ways to close it out.”

Ottawa Sun LOADED: 03.14.2013


Ottawa Senators excited for addition of physical Matt Kassian



MONTREAL -- Matt Kassian will give the Senators a fighting chance.

His new Senators teammates were excited Wednesday morning before facing the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre and couldn't wait to meet their new teammate, who is expected join the club for practice Thursday in Ottawa.

"I'm sure he doesn't wear a visor, so he'll fit in good," said captain Daniel Alfredsson with a smile. "He knows his role and he can play some minutes as well It's a nice addition."

Acquired from the Wild for a sixth-round pick, Kassian is a true heavyweight. He had seven fights in the NHL last season with such opponents as Zenon Konopka, George Parros, Paul Bissonette, Darcy Hordichuk and Shawn Thornton.

"I sent him a few texts to welcome him here and say good things about the organization," said winger Guillaume Latendresse, who played with Kassian in Minnesota. "He'll fit in well with the group of guys we have here.

"He's such a good guy and good guy to be around. The media is going to find him funny. He's really fun to be around. He can talk about anything. He's got a lot of passion."

Kassian, 26, also has the ability to fight and win. He has 13 fights in the NHL, which pales in comparison to the 20 he had in the AHL during the 2009-10 campaign.

"I love it. I think it's great," said defenceman Marc Methot. "It just addresses that need we could use sometime.

"Having a guy like him establishes more of a physical presence and some respect towards some of our skilled guys. We're all really excited to have him on the team."

Kassian was one of three tough guys on GM Bryan Murray's list and came highly recommended by Minnesota GM Chuck Fletcher. Murray said the club needs muscle, especially playing in the Northeast Division.

"Toronto and Boston certainly have that element and so does Buffalo to some extent," said Murray. "I just don't like having to watch these young guys trying to defend themselves."

THIS N' THAT

The Senators should have brought Kassian to Montreal. The only two goals in his NHL career were scored here with Minnesota on March 11, 2011 in a 5-4 shootout loss. Kassian had 7:08 of ice time ... Goalies Robin Lehner and Ben Bishop enjoyed interacting with the fans on Twitter during the two hour ride on Via Rail to Montreal Tuesday. "It's always fun," said Lehner, a star on social media. "I started out with Twitter and the last year I've got to sit down with every tweet I want to send out and delete half of it. It's hard when you're in the middle -- not quite established and wanting to get established -- and you don't want to say something not appropriate." Bishop said he didn't know whether he should feel insulted that nobody offered him their hand in marriage. Lehner had a proposal he politely turned down ... Alfredsson didn't mind riding the rails. "It's nicer than busing, more comfortable and the scenery is better," he said.

OFF THE GLASS

Latendresse was surrounded by the media following the morning twirl. He hasn't suited up for a game here since Dec. 17, 2009 with the Wild and was excited to be back. "It's always fun to come back here," said Latendresse, who was drafted by the Habs 45th overall in 2005. "It's fun for everybody. It's such a great building to play in. It's going to be fun night for sure." ... Montreal coach Michel Therrien said he can get a good idea what his team will be like by judging the morning skate. "Not being sharp at the morning skate will often carry over into that night's game. It's something I try to remind my players of, and if I see they're not focused or not concentrating I

let them know about it," said Therrien ... Might be time to send RW Mark Stone back to Binghamton.

AROUND THE BOARDS

Senators C Jason Spezza skated in Ottawa and his back tightened up. Murray doesn't expect him to return for another month, which means mid-April just before the playoffs ... UFC champion Georges St. Pierre, who will defend his title here Saturday, got a huge ovation before he dropped the puck for the ceremonial faceoff ... C Mika Zibanejad's third goal in five games at 10:26 of the first was his sixth of the season, which tied him for the club's goal-scoring lead with Erik Karlsson and Alfredsson. Zibanejad looks right at home in the NHL now ... P.K. Subban made his presence felt by getting D Andre Benoit with a good body check ... Chris Neil did a pretty good job getting the Habs off their game by being a complete pest ... The Senators are on the verge of signing Portland D Troy Rutkowski. He is an undrafted UFA who has 20 goals and 41 assists in 69 WHL games this season.



Ottawa Senators in no rush to deal


First posted: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 07:22 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 07:28 PM EDT

MONTREAL — The Senators are going to keep their options open on the NHL’s trade market.

After acquiring tough guy Matt Kassian from the Minnesota Wild for a sixth-round pick Tuesday, GM Bryan Murray isn’t going to rush into any more decisions on trades until he gets a good handle on the club’s injured list.

While the Senators are getting players back, they were without six regulars Wednesday vs. the Habs. Goalie Craig Anderson (ankle), D Mike Lundin (concussion) and C Jason Spezza (back) are expected to return at some point.

“It depends on how the team plays and the needs at the time,” said Murray. “We’ve got a number of bodies that hopefully are coming back in the near future.

“We’ll just have to wait to see how it plays out and if, and what, we can down around the trade deadline with the personnel that we have.”

The Senators have a decision to make on veteran blueliner Sergei Gonchar. He is an unrestricted free agent and there have been no talks on a new contract.



New addition Kassian a ‘guy with a lot of passion’

MONTREAL – Even though Matt (“Meat and Potatoes”) Kassian says his game isn’t that complicated – he’s an old-fashioned, 6-5, 232-pound fourth line heavyweight – his old pal Guillaume Latendresse insists he’s an open book off the ice.


MONTREAL — Even though Matt “Meat and Potatoes” Kassian says his game isn’t that complicated — he’s an old-fashioned, 6-5, 232-pound fourth-line heavyweight — his old pal Guillaume Latendresse insists he’s an open book off the ice.

“He’s a great guy to be around,” said Latendresse, who was texting back and forth with Kassian late Tuesday after the Senators acquired him from the Minnesota Wild for a sixth-round pick in the 2014 NHL entry draft. “I think for the media guys, you’re going to find him funny. He loves everything. He can talk to you guys about whatever you want, every day. ‘Weird’ guy is not the (correct) word … but he’s the guy with a lot of passion.”

Perhaps when Kassian shows up at practice and holds his first scrum with Ottawa reporters Thursday, he’ll offer up some views on new Pope Francis, the shrinking number of candidates in the Liberal leadership race and the sudden sinkhole crisis in the United States. However, when he’s playing — or even when he’s sitting on the bench — the Senators believe he can be a magician, of sorts.

“He’ll make sure our smaller guys get bigger,” said Latendresse, who played alongside Kassian in Minnesota.

With Kassian around, Chris Neil and Zack Smith don’t necessarily have to fight every Tom, Dick and Harry (Zolnierczyk) whose goal is to antagonize the Senators’ highest-skilled players.

“It’s only going to help,” Smith said. “With guys like me and Neil, if we play more minutes, it’s hard to justify fighting some of the ‘fourth-line’ guys that don’t play a lot of minutes. He’s obviously a tough kid, he’s a Western kid (Kassian is from Edmonton), so that’s a given. I played against him a couple of years in the Western Hockey League.”

For clarity purposes, Kassian is 26 and Smith is 24.

Senators captain Daniel Alfredsson said he’s not all that familiar with the newcomer, but has received solid reports from Latendresse. Alfredsson even joked that Kassian could help the Senators reduce their penalty-minute totals.

“I’m sure he doesn’t wear a visor, so he’ll fit in pretty well,” he said, referring to the additional 12 minutes in penalties both Chris Phillips and Patrick Wiercioch received in recent games for fighting with a half-shield attached to their helmets.

Senators coach Paul MacLean acknowledges the team needed to fill a hole left by the departures of Matt Carkner and Zenon Konopka to free agency last summer. Ironically, Konopka now plays for Minnesota.

“We added an element to our team that we feel is really important,” MacLean said. “We’re looking forward to getting Matt (with the team Thursday) and into the lineup as soon as possible.”

THINK BEFORE YOU Robin Lehner engaged in some good-natured tweeting with Senators fans while riding the train from Ottawa to Montreal on Tuesday, but he says he’s had to learn about the power — and dangers — of social media.

“It’s always fun, but it has also been hard for me, too,” said Lehner, who received a fair share of criticism for his brutal honesty and hot temper in his first couple of years as a pro. “When I started out with Twitter in my first year, I enjoyed it. But in the last year or so, I’ve got to sit down and every tweet that I want to send out, I have to delete half of it. It’s hard to get on a roll with it, when you’re kind of in the middle — when you’re not quite established and you’re trying to get established — and you don’t want to say something that’s not appropriate.

“Like, sometimes if I’m thinking in Swedish and I wouldn’t know if the sarcasm (works in English). I don’t want to do too much to destroy any

chance of getting a chance. (On Tuesday), I had some fun, but the media (relations) guys were with us, too, so I got a lot of help.”

LAST SHOT WINS

Before Wednesday’s game, the Senators had been involved in nine consecutive one-goal games compiling a 4-2-3 record — tying the Columbus Blue Jackets for the longest streak this season.

“For fans or coaches, I think, it’s pretty stressful,” Smith said. “It’s no secret that we haven’t scored a lot of goals and our goaltending has been great, but we’ve found ways (to win). It would be nice to get a few more and not worry about going to a shootout or overtime every game.”

The Senators still have a ways to go to set any kind of record in that regard. In 1997-98, the Chicago Blackhawks established the mark for going 12 straight games that were decided by either one goal or ended up tied, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. (The shootout was introduced in 2005 to break ties). The single-season record for most one-goal and tie games is 54, established by the Edmonton Oilers in 1999-2000.

THE STAMP OF APPROVAL

Alfredsson claims he’s not offended in the least that Sweden bypassed him in their plans to celebrate the world championships this spring by issuing postage stamps honouring hockey greats Nicklas Lidstrom, Borje Salming, Henrik Lundqvist and somebody named Jorgen Jonsson. (Jonsson played only 81 games in the NHL with Anaheim and the New York Islanders, but he had an impressive career in Sweden and representing the country internationally).

“I want to be on a Canadian stamp,” Alfredsson said, with a smile.


663359 Philadelphia Flyers

Flyers come out flat in loss to Devils

Sam Carchidi, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Posted: Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 10:18 PM

NEWARK, N.J. - The Flyers, desperate for points, say every game they play until the end of the regular season is like a playoff matchup.

Truth be told, they may be the only "playoff" games they play this year.

The Flyers, appearing disinterested at times, continued their march to nowhere Wednesday night as they dropped a 5-2 decision to the New Jersey Devils at the Prudential Center.

That left the Flyers (12-15-1) with the most regulation losses in the NHL.

With their fourth defeat in the last five games, the 11th-place Flyers slipped six points behind New Jersey in the Eastern Conference. The Devils, who began the night in seventh place in the East, are 3-0 against the Flyers this season, and they have won the last six meetings between the teams in Newark.

The teams will meet again Friday at the Wells Fargo Center.

Adam Henrique (three points) scored a pair of goals, and Flyers-killer Patrik Elias had a goal and an assist for New Jersey (13-9-5), giving him 35 goals and 80 points in 79 career games against Philadelphia.

Never mind that the Devils started a struggling backup goalie, 39-year-old Johan Hedberg, who entered the game with an .879 save percentage and 2.97 goals-against average while filling in for the injured Martin Brodeur.

Never mind that the Devils had not won in regulation in their last nine games since Feb. 21.

Never mind that the Flyers, their backs against the proverbial wall, should have played with unbent urgency.

The Flyers, playing without flu-ridden defenseman Luke Schenn, fell into a 3-1 first-period hole despite having a 3-1 edge in power plays in the first 20 minutes.

A turnover by Andrej Meszaros led to Elias' rebound goal just 2 minutes, 2 seconds into the game.

The Flyers tied it on Jake Voracek's power-play goal - a one-timer from the right circle after a slick feed from Wayne Simmonds - midway through the first period.

But just 36 seconds later, disaster struck as Henrique's drive from above the right circle deflected off the Flyers' Matt Read and past goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.

Late in the period, Read failed to keep the puck in the zone at the blue line. Ilya Kovalchuk burst past him and scored on a shorthanded breakaway - firing a shot high and to the short side - to put the Devils ahead, 3-1, with 2:42 left in the session.

New Jersey made it 4-1 - its highest goal total in the last 13 games - when Andrei Loktionov used a toe drag to get around Braydon Coburn and scored from the slot with 13:28 remaining in the second period. Defenseman Bruno Gervais was caught up ice on the goal.

The Flyers are three points behind the eighth-place Rangers in the East, but they have played three more games than New York.

After Tuesday's practice, Bryzglaov, trying to stress the importance of the home-and-home series with the Devils, said the Flyers were "done" if they lost both games.

If he's right, the season - and perhaps some jobs - may be hanging in the balance on Friday night.

A source would not comment on the job status of coach Peter Laviolette or general manager Paul Holmgren.

Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 03.14.2013


Luke Schenn late scratch against New Jersey

POSTED: Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 7:36 PM

NEWARK, N.J. -- Defenseman Luke Schenn was a late scratch from the Flyers’ lineup on Wednesday night against New Jersey.

Schenn, who had appeared in all 27 games to start the season, participated in the morning skate at Prudential Center and seemed fine. The reason for his absence is apprently due to the flu.

Kurtis Foster replaced Schenn in the lineup. Bruno Gervais also played for the second straight game. Foster has played 12 games for the Flyers this season, collecting one goal and four assists. He was a healthy scratch for the last 12 consecutive games. Wednesday marked Foster's first game since Feb. 15, also against the Devils in New Jersey.



Flyers' Timonen nears (birthday) NHL milestone

POSTED: Wednesday, March 13, 2013, 1:25 PM

Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer

NEWARK, N.J. _ When he was sent back to the minors in 1998, defenseman Kimmo Timonen never thought he would one day be approaching an NHL milestone: playing in 1,000 games.

Timonen will play in his 998th game Wednesday when the Flyers face the host New Jersey Devils in a meeting of scuffling teams battling for playoff berths.

“It’s been a long journey and I’m a couple games away,” he said after Wednesday's morning skate. “….There’s been all kind of ups and downs in the middle, but that’s part of the game. I’m going to be the sixth Finnish guy to do it, so it’s a great honor.”

Timonen will turn 38 on Monday, which happens to be the same day he is expected to play in his 1,000th game, at Tampa Bay.

Timonen played eight seasons in Nashville before being traded to the Flyers, along with Scott Hartnell, for a first-round draft pick in 2007.

Yes, it was one of the better deals GM Paul Holmgren has made.

This is Timonen's 14th NHL season, which is quite an accomplishment when you consider Los Angeles didn’t draft him until the 10th round (250th overall) in 1993.

Timonen will be the 282d player in NHL history to reach 1,000 career games. The Flyers will honor him before a home game at an unspecified date.

“I'm not a big stat guy,” Timonen said. “I'm more worried about this time of my life and my career. I'm more worried about the team and how we're going to get wins, how we're getting into the playoffs. It doesn't matter if you score 100 points and you don't make the playoffs. Who cares?”

Added Timonen: “It's not the reason why we're here. We're here for winning the Stanley Cup, and I've got a lot of things to worry about what's going on with this team. How are we getting into the playoffs ... how we start winning these tight games.”

Thirty-eight players who spent time with the Flyers have reached 1,000 or more games. Bobby Clarke is the only player who played in 1,000 games or more for the Flyers (1,044).

At almost 38, Timonen is still going strong. He is tied for second among NHL defensemen with 19 points, and he is fourth with 16 assists.

Bryz, again. Ilya Bryzgalov (12-11-1, 2.77, .899) will face Devils backup goalie Johan Hedberg (4-7-2, 2.97, .879) on Wednesday night at 7:30. Bryzglaov will be making his 26th start in 28 games.

Gagne regaining form. Simon Gagne has two goals in his six games with the Flyers and is rounding into form after being used sparingly in Los Angeles.

Gagne is excited to be reunited on a line with Danny Briere Wednesday for the first time since 2010.

"When Danny came here as a free agent (in 2007), both of us were talking over that summer about playing on the same line," he said. "We had a chance to do that a couple of times that year, so having a chance to play with him again tonight will bring some good memories. I know him as a player and he knows me as a player, so that can help and hopefully we can do something good to help the team tonight."



Flyers Notes: Flyers' Kimmo Timonen nearing 1,000th NHL game


Posted: Thursday, March 14, 2013, 2:10 AM

NEWARK, N.J. - When he was sent back to the minors in 1998, defenseman Kimmo Timonen never thought he would one day be approaching an NHL milestone: playing in 1,000 career games.

Timonen played in his 998th NHL game Wednesday when the Flyers faced the New Jersey Devils in a meeting of scuffling teams battling for playoff berths.

"It's been a long journey, and I'm a couple games away," he said after Wednesday's morning skate. He added: "There's been all kind of ups and downs in the middle, but that's part of the game. I'm going to be the sixth Finnish guy to do it, so it's a great honor."

Timonen will turn 38 on Monday, which happens to be the same day he is expected to play in his 1,000th game, at Tampa Bay. He played eight seasons in Nashville before being traded to the Flyers, along with Scott Hartnell, for a first-round draft pick in 2007.

Yes, it was one of the better deals general manager Paul Holmgren has made.

This is Timonen's 14th NHL season. Los Angeles didn't draft him until the 10th round (250th overall) in 1993.

Timonen will be the 282d player in NHL history to reach 1,000 career games. The Flyers will honor him before a home game at an unspecified date.

"I'm not a big stat guy," Timonen said. ". . . I'm more worried about the team and how we're going to get wins, how we're getting into the playoffs. It doesn't matter if you score 100 points and you don't make the playoffs. Who cares?"

Added Timonen: "It's not the reason why we're here. We're here for winning the Stanley Cup, and I've got a lot of things to worry about what's going on with this team."

Thirty-eight players who spent time with the Flyers have reached 1,000 or more games. Bobby Clarke is the only player who played in 1,000 games or more for the Flyers (1,044).

Timonen entered Wednesday tied for second among NHL defensemen with 19 points, and he was fourth with 16 assists.

Schenn sits

Luke Schenn, who has been on the top defensive pairing with Timonen, was a late scratch Wednesday because of the flu. Timonen was paired with Andrej Meszaros, and Kurtis Foster played for the first time in the last 13 games.



It's familiar but different for Flyers' Simon Gagne

FRANK SERAVALLI, Daily News Staff Writer seravaf at phillynews.com


NEWARK, N.J. - For Simon Gagne, adjusting to life off the ice in Philadelphia was the easy part.

With his wife, Karine, and two children already familiar with the area, the Gagnes moved out of a local hotel and settled in South Jersey again. They're now trying to figure out how to get their nonessential belongings moved across the country from Los Angeles.

The bigger battle, though, has been finding comfort on the ice since being traded back to the Flyers on Feb. 26. Gagne has played seven straight games but says he still is not "100 percent" in game-shape.

"It's going really fast," Gagne said. "Slowly, it's starting to come [together]. I don't think it helped over the start of the season being in and out of the lineup [with the Kings]. You can work as hard as you want off the ice, skating and biking, but you need to have games under your belt.

"I feel that it's improving every game. We don't have too much time left . . . so I'll try to get on it as quick as I can."

Gagne, 33, has two goals in seven games with the Flyers. Coach Peter Laviolette said he thought Sunday, a win against Buffalo, was Gagne's best game to date. On Wednesday in New Jersey, Gagne was one of the Flyers' few consistent workers in an otherwise lackluster game.

"I thought last game [Buffalo] he played a real strong game for us," Laviolette said pregame. "It's always tough coming back, but he gives us a lot of depth in the top nine [forwards]. He can play some power play for us. He's starting to get back and get comfortable for us.

"I think it's been a good start for him. With the comfort of being back here, understanding the system and what we're doing . . . We need all of our players to continue to push."

Laviolette plugged Gagne on the left side with two players who have been struggling to score, Sean Couturier (two goals) and Danny Briere (five). Some have called it the "French Connection II," never mind that most couldn't name the three members of Buffalo's famed line of that name in the 1970s.

Or, well, the fact that it's the name of an underground heroin smuggling network from Turkey to France to the United States in the 1960s and '70s.

"Hopefully having two French guys on the same line will help," Gagne said. "I have no clue. I don't think [speaking French] changes much. The only thing it could change is if you're on a faceoff in the offensive or defensive zone and you want to switch something at the last second - and you don't have a French guy on the other team - you could speak French and they have no clue what you're talking about.

"After that, you know, it doesn't matter if you're French, Russian or Swedish. You just need to find a way to play good together. I guess it's just having that in common that makes it a little bit easier."

L. Schenn sick

Defenseman Luke Schenn was a late scratch Wednesday night. Schenn, who had appeared in all 27 games to start the season, participated in the morning skate at Prudential Center and seemed fine, but the team said he came down with a case of the flu. Kurtis Foster replaced him in the lineup. Foster has played 13 games for the Flyers this season, collecting one goal and four assists. He had been a healthy scratch for the last 12 consecutive games, with his last appearance coming Feb. 15, also in New Jersey.



Another disappointing loss for Flyers

FRANK SERAVALLI, Daily News Staff Writer seravaf at phillynews.com


NEWARK, N.J. - After every goal pumped behind Ilya Bryzgalov, the 17,625 Devil worshipers inside Prudential Center chanted "Flyers Suck!" in unison while pointing toward the dejected Philadelphia bench.

They weren't lying. By the fifth goal, maybe the Flyers were even believing it.

It took only 122 seconds into what was billed as a "must-win" game for Andrej Meszaros to be haplessly pickpocketed behind the Flyers' net, setting the tone for what ultimately ended up as a lifeless, 5-2 shellacking. It was the Flyers' seventh straight loss to New Jersey - including last year's playoff series - a team that was seemingly ripe for the picking with Martin Brodeur sidelined.

"This one stings, it hurts," said Scott Hartnell, who scored a meaningless goal late in the third. "It's any word you want to use. We're not playing desperate enough. If we say we are and we think we are, we're not doing that."

Suffice to say, Wednesday's nationally televised embarrassment - the Flyers' eighth loss by three or more goals in just 28 games - may spark a slew of changes both in the locker room and/or front office.

"I don't know the answer to that," coach Peter Laviolette said. "We've got to put it back together and win a game."

Hartnell said the Flyers' struggles and breakdowns should not be pinned on Laviolette.

"[Laviolette] is emotional, he's intense, his bench awareness is great," Hartnell said. "It's definitely not his fault. It's not for me to decide, or even think about. You play your best and you play your hardest. That's all you can ask for. A lot of guys have respect for him and that's definitely not lost.

"It's a combination of a lot of things. We aren't utilizing our game plan. There were some mental breakdowns from everybody. When we're not doing what we're supposed to be doing, we've got a turnover and we're playing defense for 30 seconds."

It was tough to pinpoint the most embarrassing part of Wednesday's beating. There were so many hard-to-believe moments. Was it when Ilya Kovalchuk blasted his fourth career shorthanded goal over Bryzgalov's shoulder? Or when a sliding Braydon Coburn was dangled around by Andrei Loktionov? Or, overall, the fact that the Flyers nearly went 11 periods without an even-strength goal?

How about when the Flyers pretty much packed in it after trailing 3-1 in the first period? The only fight they showed after that was gooning it up in the third period.

Hartnell said it was "a little dead" inside the Flyers' locker room during the first intermission. Not exactly the type of description that should be coming from a team battling for its life.

"There are mistakes we shouldn't be making," Laviolette said. "We need to eliminate the breakdowns. And then if something does happen, that does go against us, we need to overcome it."

A loss on Friday to the same Devils team will all but officially eliminate the Flyers from playoff contention, forcing them to go at least 12-5-2 over the course of the their final 19 games to even sniff a shot. SportsClubStats.com pegs the Flyers' playoff probability at 5.1 percent, based on strength of schedule.

"Every loss is tough to swallow," Meszaros said. "Especially now. It's critical."

"It was a must-win," captain Claude Giroux said. "We made a lot of mistakes out there. We need to make sure we're on the same page. It cost us another two points. We need to find a way to dig ourselves out of this

hole. We're a good team, we're a team that should make the playoffs. Those games like tonight, we've got to find a way to win it."

The hole is getting deeper, to the point where the Flyers soon will need safety lights on their helmets. When they meet the Devils again Friday night, the Flyers are guaranteed to be five points out of a playoff spot after Thursday night's game between the Jets and Rangers.

"To be honest, I have no idea what to say," Bryzgalov said. "I'm just tired of losing. I have no emotions, nothing to say. Another disappointing loss."

Slap shots

Johan Hedberg improved to 10-10-1 in his career against the Flyers. To add insult to injury, Martin Brodeur (47-30-8 lifetime) could be ready to play against the Flyers on Friday in Philadelphia . . . Jake Voracek (13 goals) is now just five goals short of his career high of 18, set last year with the Flyers over 78 games . . . The Flyers' last regular-season win over New Jersey was more than a year ago (March 12, 2012).



Flyers hit bottom; change coming?

POSTED: Thursday, March 14, 2013, 12:22 AM


NEWARK, N.J. — The Flyers hit rock bottom with a listless 5-1 defeat in New Jersey on Wednesday night, losing ground on one of the teams they are chasing in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt.

It was s stunningly poor effort, considering the importance of the game.

They are 11th in the East with a 12-15-1 record — the most losses in the NHL — and they are playing without confidence, without an edge.

They have scored one even-strength goal in the last 11 periods, and their goalie’s save percentage has dropped to .896 and his goals-against average has climbed to 2.86.

The Flyers have 20 games left to salvage their season, and there are hints that a loss on Friday to the visiting Devils might spell the end of the Peter Laviolette coaching era.

The players defended Laviolette after Wednesday’s loss, but they sure haven’t been defending him by their actions on the ice.

“Lavy’s emotional, he’s intense, he thinks the game really well,” winger Scott Hartnell said. “His bench awareness is great; it’s definitely not his fault.”

The Flyers have lost four of their last five games, and unless they make a major turnaround, they will miss the playoffs for just the second time in the last 18 seasons.



GM mum after NHL-worst 15th regulation loss

Posted on March 13, 2013

by Wayne Fish

NEWARK, N.J. -- Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren quietly walked out of the Prudential Center after Wednesday night’s loss to the Devils without so much as a word for the record.

And that spoke volumes about the state of the team right now.

Buried even deeper in the Atlantic Division basement and fading quickly from the playoff picture, the Flyers appear to have hit rock bottom ... yet again.

Holmgren, who knew he would be asked questions about coach Peter Laviolette’s job security after a 5-2 loss to the Devils, declined to comment to the media.

The silence was deafening.

Have the Flyers quit on their coach? Each other?

Scott Hartnell admitted the Flyers may have given up a bit after New Jersey scored early in the second period for a 4-1 lead.

“This one hurts,’’ he said. “It stings, you can use every adjective you want. It’s frustrating. Every time you look up, there’s a (New Jersey) defender in your face.

“It’s frustrating hockey. We weren’t utilizing our game plan, we weren’t doing what we’re supposed to be doing. We’re not playing desperate enough. We think we are but we’re not doing it. There was a little bit (of quit) in here (the locker room).’’

The Flyers have lost seven straight games to the Devils and six consecutive times at the Rock.

Laviolette seemed almost at a loss for words. This was the Flyers’ league-leading 15th regulation-time loss and the mistakes seemed too numerous to chronicle.

“There are mistakes we shouldn’t be making,’’ he said.

Asked if this is rock bottom for this team, he responded: “I don’t know. I have to put it back together and win a game. We need to eliminate the breakdown first of all ... and then overcome it.’’

On Tuesday, goalie Ilya Bryzgalov said one or none wouldn’t get it done in this two-game set against the Devils.

The Flyers and Devils meet again Friday night in Philadelphia but now the best the Flyers can do is get a split. A loss would put them eight points behind the Devils.

“I’m tired of losing,’’ Bryzgalov said. “We’ve been doing this (making mistakes) all year long. We continue to do the same thing.’’

Bryzgalov was at the mercy of the Devils in their three-goal first period.

New Jersey needed only 2:02 to score. A bad Andrej Meszaros clear attempt led to a Patrik Elias goal off a rebound.

The Flyers did manage to pull even at 9:45 when a Jake Voracek power-play shot eluded Johan Hedberg.

But the Devils went back to work at 10:21, with Adam Henrique’s long shot deflecting off Matt Read’s skate and past Bryzgalov.

Read was victimized again at 17:18. With the Devils shorthanded, Ilya Kovalchuk blew past Read at the left point, rushed in and beat Bryzgalov with a 25-foot rocket.

In the second period, a Devil two on one developed into their fourth goal. Braydon Coburn tried in vain to break up the play by sliding. Andrei Loktionov made a nice toe-drag play, pulling the puck past Coburn and firing a shot into the net at 6:31.

Hartnell scored late in the game to break a six-game goal drought in the third period for the Flyers.

After the game, Hartnell threw his support behind his coach. Laviolette twice has spurred Hartnell to great things -- first during the 2010 epic comeback series against Boston and then last year when he scored a career-high 37 goals.

“Lavy is emotional, he’s intense,’’ Hartnell said. “He thinks the game really well, his bench awareness is great. It’s definitely not his fault. I think a lot of guys have a lot of respect for him.’’

Short shots

Defenseman Luke Schenn was a late scratch due to a case of the flu and replaced by Kurtis Foster. ... Devils now lead the season series 3-0. ... Ryan Carter clearly stuck out his knee to hit Zac Rinaldo in a first-period collision but received only a two-minute tripping penalty. ... Elias had a goal and an assist, giving him 80 points in 79 career games against the Flyers.

Burlington County Times LOADED: 03.14.2013


Players say it's do or die vs. Devils

Posted on March 13, 2013

Wayne Fish

VOORHEES — All the talk a week ago was about how the Flyers had to do something against a big three of New York Rangers, Pittsburgh and Boston.

Having failed that test miserably, the Flyers now turn their attention to a two-game series against the New Jersey Devils, who stand four points ahead of Philadelphia with a game in hand.

To hear goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov tell it, the Flyers must win both games or their season is pretty much cooked.

“You lose both games, you’re done,’’ Bryzgalov said in the bluntest of tones Tuesday. “You’re done, that’s it. This is it, this is probably reality. (Lose two and) you would be eight points behind. Not many games left to catch up. It’s going to be very difficult. That’s how important these games are.’’

The 10th-place Flyers are 0-2 against the Devils so far and have to reverse that trend to keep their playoff hopes alive.

New Jersey is sort of in the same boat. The Devils got off to a hot start with 10 wins in the first month, putting it in the conference lead, but have since slipped all the way to seventh.

“They’re probably looking at it (the two games) the same way,’’ coach Peter Laviolette said. “Typically, that lends itself to a great hockey game.’’

Laviolette is buying Bryzgalov’s idea but says the Flyers can’t worry about game two until they’ve gotten through game one Wednesday night at the Prudential Center in Newark. The rematch is Friday in Philadelphia.

“You have to start with one, it’s a real important week for us,’’ he said. “I don’t like to coach two games, you can only play one. Bryz has a valid point — it’s a big week facing the Devils. If you look at the standings, there are teams we need to be successful against. Not only will it help us climb out of the hole we’re in, it will help us catch the teams directly in front of us.’’

Scott Hartnell sits near Bryzgalov in the locker room at the Skate Zone and couldn’t argue with his thinking.

“This is crunch time, this is where we have to show up and play,’’ Hartnell said. “We said last week was a big week and we laid three goose eggs. It’s going to be imperative that we play with some attitude, with some confidence. I think that’s something we’ve lacked.’’

The Flyers are just 3-6-0 against the Atlantic Division, so obviously that record has to improve in a hurry.

“They are must wins,’’ Max Talbot said. “We have to approach it knowing we have to win these games.’’

Added Danny Briere: “These games are huge; we said that about the games last week. We’re putting ourselves in a tougher and tougher position. If we had done well last year, we would probably say we would be happy with a split. But we wouldn’t even be happy with a split, we need both.’’

The Flyers do have the benefit of a lighter schedule in the days ahead. They play only three games over this 13-day stretch (since Sunday’s game vs. Buffalo) and that should at least make them fresher for these crucial games.

But now there only 21 games left for the Flyers, who can’t afford too many more losses.

“The line is getting thinner and thinner,’’ Sean Couturier said. “Let’s try not to think about that, let’s think about getting some wins.’’

Burlington County Times LOADED: 03.14.2013


Flyers Pre-Game: Grand old defenseman Timonen rolling along

By ROB PARENT

rparent at delcotimes at ReluctantSE

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - There may have been some howls of protest earlier this half-season when Paul Holmgren extended Kimmo Timonen's contract for one more year at the lofty price of $6 million. This despite Timonen closing in on 38 years of age and coming off back surgery last spring.

But amid a season in which the Flyers have been trying to play catch-up for nearly two months, a season which has been undermined by their lack of defensive depth, Timonen has quietly been having a very effective season.

While remaining the Flyers' most consistent defender, Timonen - the Flyers' only stable option at the point on a power play - has contributed three goals and 16 assists for 19 points. That places him in a tie for third on the Flyers in points, and more impressively tied for second in the league in defensive scoring behind only Pittsburgh's Norris Trophy candidate Kris Letang.

Of course, there's other things on his mind these days. Like the two looming games the Flyers have with the New Jersey Devils.

"I'm not a big stat guy," Timonen said at today's morning skate at Prudential Center. I'm more worried about this time of my life and my career. I'm more worried about the team and how we're going to get wins, how we're getting into the playoffs. It doesn't matter if you score 100 points and you don't make the playoffs. Who cares? It's not the reason why we're here. We're here for winning the Stanley Cup, and I've got a lot of things to worry about what's going on with this team."

Claude Giroux wears the C, but certainly Timonen, whose new title is "associate captain," is almost a captain emeritus in the locker room. His leadership is evident there. That he's counting down to his 1,000th NHL game is something else that sets him apart.

Timonen was set to play his 998th game Wednesday at Prudential Center, so Monday's game in Tampa - the same day Timonen turns 38 - should be celebrated as one grand game for him.

He may not be a stat guy, but Timonen is marking this career occasion.

"It's been a long journey, and obviously it's a couple of games away, but you go back to '98 when I got sent back to the minors, and I didn't know at that time that in 2013 I'm going to play my 1,000th game," Timonen said. "So it's been a long journey. There's all kinds of ups and downs in the middle, but that's part of the game. I'm going to be the sixth Finnish guy to do it, so it's a great honor."

As for that 1,000 figure, 38 NHL players who have worn a Flyers uniform at some point in their careers have hit it. Timonen, in his sixth Flyers season, is one of the more longer-term Flyers in that group.

Bob Clarke, at 1,144, is the only player that played 1,000 games or more in a Flyers uniform.

But all that aside, Timonen has his priorities straight. Asked about what seemed to be a businesslike morning skate today for the Flyers, he said, "I hope it's focus, because we need a 60-minute effort tonight from everybody.

"If there's a problem with our season, that's been the problem," Timonen added. "We haven't been able to play 60 minutes of hard hockey. The few games we've been able to do that we usually win the game and we play good hockey. Against these guys especially, you have to be patient and you have to be ready to play 60 minutes and you have to be ready to play a tight game. What you saw this morning, hopefully, was focus."

l l l

As for the pending first of the crucial back-to-back games with the Devils, there should be nothing much new for the Flyers tonight. Kurtis Foster (defense) and Mike Knuble (forward) are the healthy scratches, as usual. Ilya Bryzgalov will be making his 26th start in 28 games.

Delaware County Times LOADED: 03.14.2013


Ilya Bryzgalov says Flyers have to be twice as ready for Devils

By ROB PARENT

rparent at delcotimes.com

at ReluctantSE

VOORHEES, N.J. — As spring nears, the Flyers are finally reacting to reality. No more talk of their front-loaded schedule, no more “we’ve got plenty of time” answers. Last week’s three-game run of losses to the Rangers, Penguins and Bruins convinced everyone to get on the same page before their season is cast to the obituary pages.

“There’s no excuses; not any more,” Sean Couturier said. “You just have to go out there and get the job done.”

There is no better time to do that than now, since consecutive games against the New Jersey Devils loom. The Flyers are in Newark Wednesday night and the Devils travel down to Wells Fargo Center Friday night, so if there seemed a hint of tension in the Skate Zone air Tuesday, no wonder.

Including their easy elimination of the Flyers last spring in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Devils have beaten the Flyers six straight times, five in a row at the Prudential Center. Perhaps this next trip up the Turnpike, the third of the shortened season for the Flyers, isn’t as important as a playoff game. But it certainly feels that way inside the locker room, even to the coolest of interview subjects.

“If you check the standings, they are four points ahead of us and they have one game in hand,” goalie Ilya Bryzgalov said of the Devils. “If you win both games, you are tied up with them and you have a good chance to continue the battle for the playoffs. But if you lose both games, you’re done.”

Done? As in finis? That kind of done?

“You’re done,” Bryzgalov repeated. “This is probably reality. You’re going to be, like, eight points behind them with (about) 30 games played and not many games left to catch up. It’s not only going to depend on you. It’s going to depend on other teams more than you. That’s how important these games (are).”

In case anyone thought his teammates would shrug such talk off as just another funny Bryzgalov moment, know that those solemn workers around him Tuesday generally agree.

“It’s a huge two games,” Danny Briere said. “We said that last week about the three games (against New York, Pittsburgh and Boston) and we were oh-for-3. So we’re putting ourselves in a tougher and tougher position every week when we don’t play well. ... We wouldn’t even be happy with a split at this time. We need to win both games.”

Even usually reserved coach Peter Laviolette understood the timing of Bryzgalov’s impending death notice.

“Well, we have to start with one (win),” Laviolette said. “I think it’s a real important week for us. I don’t like to coach two games. You can’t play both games, you can only play one.”

That said, the coach added: “Bryz has a valid point. It’s a big week facing the Devils, too.”

New Jersey’s fast start has fizzled of late. The Devils have been missing goalie Marty Brodeur and prior to a 3-2 shootout win over Winnipeg Sunday had been on a 1-6-1 freefall. Brodeur has been out with an undisclosed injury since Feb. 24. He skated Tuesday for the first time since then, but no timetable on his return to game action has been set.

For backup Johan Hedberg, Laviolette has, believe it or not, prepared a couple of line switches. If Tuesday’s practice holds true, struggling forwards Briere, Sean Couturier, and Simon Gagne will be grouped together. Call it the French Reconnection. ... If not a desperate attempt to spark some offensive electricity with any and all of them.

“When you’re not winning games you know there’s always going to be changes,” said Briere, who has gone 10 games without a goal. “It’s always

the same. Hopefully, with the other two French guys, we can start to get something.”

Gagne, who has played six games since being acquired from Los Angeles, did score in Sunday night’s 3-2 win over the Buffalo Sabres. It was his first point since scoring a goal in his first game with the Flyers since his apparent swan song season with them in 2010, when he played a bit on a line with Briere. Their familiarity with each other will help, Briere said, and on top of that, “We’ll get some fresh legs with us, so it will be fun.”

Briere knows the fresh-legged Couturier because he’s the 20-year-old’s landlord. Like any good surrogate, Briere is watching out for his new linemate, who has come under increasing fire for his sub-par play. Couturier has gone nine games without a point, 19 games without a goal and his minus-8 rating is tied with Briere as the second-worst among the club’s forwards.

“He was playing eight minutes a game last year,” Briere said of Couturier, who actually played around 13 minutes on average, “and this year he’s playing 18. To be able to play 17, 18 minutes a game you have to be doing something (right).”

“I can talk to him pretty much about everything and he’ll be there for me,” Couturier countered about Briere. “He went through ups and downs early on in his career so he’s a great example to look up to.”



Flyers Scoop: Gagne’s line trying to spark French revolution

By ROB PARENT

rparent at delcotimes.com

at ReluctantSE

NEWARK, N.J. — Seven games into his second Flyers tenure, Simon Gagne is starting to feel a little more comfortable. Part of that has to do with his home life. Gagne, who had just sold his house to, as he put it, “one of the Phillies” before he was traded here from Los Angeles, finally was able to move his family into a house in Haddonfield last weekend.

Considering Gagne and wife Karine and their two young children had been living in a hotel the past couple of weeks, the change is significant.

“My sleep has been a lot better the past couple of days,” Gagne said.

Maybe that will aid him in his new challenge, helping to awaken fellow veteran Danny Briere and second-year center Sean Couturier on the scoreboard. The three were joined with crossed coaching fingers in advance of a crucial two-game home-and-home series with the New Jersey Devils.

Briere was paired with Gagne at times in his first, 10-year tenure with the Flyers. Head coach Peter Laviolette apparently saw value in a reunion.

“As a coach, sometimes you try to find lines that could one night kick in right away,” Gagne said before the teams’ first meeting of the week, Wednesday night at Prudential Center. “Lavy knows that I played with Danny in the past and we had some success together, so maybe having us back together with (Couturier) in the middle, maybe we could get something started. And hopefully, having two other French guys on the same line will help to make that happen.”

Knowing how big the two games with the similarly struggling Devils were, Gagne said, “You don’t want to look too much ahead, but if you do well ... you could be in really good shape after that. It could be a huge difference. Those two games could be a great chance for us to get back to where we want.”

Considering Gagne is still trying to find his legs with his “new” team, why does Laviolette think he can be a spark for this “French Reconnection Line,” with Briere going 10 games without a goal and Couturier his last 19 without registering one?

“Maybe it’s because we all speak French,” Gagne said semi-seriously. “If you’re lucky enough, you don’t have a French guy on the other team (on the ice), you know? You could speak French and they’d have no clue what you’re talking about. That might be an advantage you’d have, but after that it doesn’t matter if you’re French, Russian or Swedish. ... You just need to find a way to play good together.”

While remaining the Flyers’ most consistent defender, lone Philadelphia power-play quarterback Kimmo Timonen had contributed three goals and 16 assists for 19 points heading into play Wednesday. That placed him in a tie for third on the Flyers in points, and more impressively tied for second in the league in defensive scoring behind only Pittsburgh’s Norris Trophy candidate Kris Letang.

“I’m not a big stat guy,” Timonen said. “I’m more worried about the team and how we’re going to get wins, how we’re getting into the playoffs. It doesn’t matter if you score 100 points and you don’t make the playoffs. Who cares? ... We’re here for winning the Stanley Cup, and I’ve got a lot of things to worry about with what’s going on with this team.”

Claude Giroux wears the C, but associate C Timonen is almost a captain emeritus in the locker room. His leadership is evident. That he’s counting down to his 1,000th NHL game is something else that sets him apart. He was set to play his 998th game Wednesday, so Monday’s game in Tampa — the same day Timonen turns 38 — should be celebrated as one grand game for him.

“You go back to ’98 when I got sent back to the minors, and I didn’t know at that time that in 2013 I’m going to play my 1,000th game,” Timonen said. “So it’s been a long journey. There’s all kinds of ups and downs in the

middle, but that’s part of the game. I’m going to be the sixth Finnish guy to do it, so it’s a great honor.”

NOTES: Timonen will join 38 other NHL players who wore a Flyers uniform at some point in their careers and have eclipsed 1,000 games. Bob Clarke, at 1,144, is the only player who played all of his 1,000-plus games in a Flyers uniform. ... When asked if he thought the morning practice Wednesday seemed quieter and more businesslike than usual, Timonen said if that was so, “I hope it’s focus. If there’s a problem with our season, that’s been the problem. We haven’t been able to play 60 minutes of hard hockey.”



Flyers flattened by Devils

Mar. 13, 2013 10:13 PM

Randy Miller

NEWARK, N.J. — A referee raised his right arm to call a first-period penalty on the New Jersey Devils, so Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov left his net and started making a beeline to his bench.

A few strides later, Bryz fell flat on his face before play was whistled to a halt.

Fitting.

The Flyers are doing the same.

On a day white smoke pouring from the Sistine Chapel chimney signaled a new Pope, a once-promising Flyers' season took another big step toward burning to ashes.

Desperate to get hot and stay hot before it's too late, the Flyers came out flat again Wednesday night, then after making more than their share of bad mistakes, they was handed an embarrassing and pathetic 5-2 roasting that was more lopsided than the final score.

Bryzgalov said after Tuesday's practice that his team needed to beat the Devils twice this week or "we're done."

One loss in the books, the Flyers now are down to 20 games to turnaround their season with their position in the Eastern Conference standings leaving them with little margin for error.

The top 8 teams make the playoffs, and right now the Flyers are tied for 10th with the New York Islanders, two points behind the New York Rangers and Winnipeg for eighth and five behind New Jersey for seventh. Compounding matters, the Isles, Rangers, Devils and Jets all have 1-to-3 games in hand.

"We're not out of the playoffs," said Danny Briere, one of the Flyers' biggest slumpers with no points over his last five games and no goals in 11. "We're on the outside looking in right now, but there's still lots of games to be played."

Still, the Flyers are sliding again with one victory in their last five, and if things don't change quickly big changes could be on the horizon ... perhaps a blockbuster trade, maybe even a coaching and/or GM change if chairman Ed Snider gets fed up enough.

"I think our guys are focused," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said.

The Flyers are home on Friday night against New Jersey, then play in Tampa Bay on Monday night before going a five-day break that could entice management to shake things up one way or another.

Missing the playoffs is rare for the Flyers, who have qualified five years in a row and 15 times in the last 16 seasons, their nightmare 2006-07 season the one exception.

Falling behind early has been a recurring issue for the Flyers, and it happened to them again against the Devils as Patrik Elias scored just 2:02 in.

Jake Voracek tied it for the Flyers 9:45 into the first with a power-play goal, but the Devils had the lead back 36 seconds later when a seemingly harmless soft shot from the point by Adam Henrique was going wide until banging off Flyers winger Matt Read and in.

By the end of the first, Ilya Kovalchuk made it 3-1 with a short-handed breakaway goal, then Andrei Loktionov added a highlight-reel goal in the second and Henrique scored his second of the night 1:16 into the third to make it a rout.

The loss was the Flyers' third in three games this season to the Devils - all of them coming in New Jersey - and seventh in eight meetings dating to a 2012 second-round playoff series that was over in five games.

The Flyers got a bad break before the game when top-pair defenseman Luke Schenn was scratched with the flu after taking part in the morning skate. Kurtis Foster wound up playing for the first time in 13 games, but the Flyers had bigger issues: Too many costly giveaways ... their streak of no even-strength goals reaching a 10th period until Scott Hartnell scored a late meaningless goal ... putting just two pucks behind Devils goalie Johan Hedberg, who had been struggling since taking over the starting job 10 games ago due to Martin Brodeur's back soreness.

All of that led to another lost night, one in which the Flyers didn't put up much fight in looking like a team going nowhere.

"We all know what's at stake," Flyers forward Simon Gagne said.

Courier-Post LOADED: 03.14.2013


Flyers: Timonen excited about being on verge of joining 1,000-game club

Mar. 13, 2013 7:07 PM

Randy Miller

NEWARK, N.J. — Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen usually is all business on and off the ice.

Talk to him about what's wrong with the Flyers, you'll get an honest answer. Mention his personal achievements, you usually don't get much response.

Wednesday was an exception.

Asked if he realizes he's on the verge of playing in his 1,000th career NHL game, Timonen said, "Yeah, I know that," before breaking into a big laugh.

Timonen can reach 1,000 when the Flyers play at Tampa Bay on Monday night, a day that also happens to be his 38th birthday.

"It's been a long journey," Timonen said. "I'm a couple games away, but if you go back to '98, I got sent down to the minors and I didn't know at that time in 2013 I was going to play my 1000th game."

Timonen is so proud of his upcoming feat that he mentioned that he'll be just the sixth Finnish-born player to reach 1,000. (The others are Teppo Numminen, Teemu Selanne, Jari Kurri, Olli Jokinen and Saku Koivu.)

Timonen played his first 573 games over eight seasons with Nashville from 1998-2007, then through Wednesday had logged another 425 in six seasons with the Flyers.

Timonen will become the 282nd NHL player to reach 1,000 and 34th to have spent part of his career in Philadelphia. Bob Clarke is the only player to appear in 1,000 games as a Flyer; the Hall of Famer played all 1,444 of his NHL games for the franchise from 1970-84.

The Flyers likely will honor Timonen before his first home game after reaching 1,000 - March 26 vs. Tampa Bay - and present him with the traditional gift, a silver stick.

A four-time All-Star, Timonen is having another strong season, as his 19 points through Tuesday were tied for second in the league among defensemen.

"I'm not a big stat guy," said Timonen, who last month passed on a chance at unrestricted free agency after the season by signing a one-year, $6 million contract extension for 2013-14. "I'm more worried about the team and how we're going to get wins, how we're getting into the playoffs. It doesn't matter if you score 100 points and you don't make the playoffs. Who cares? It's not the reason why we're here. We're here for winning the Stanley Cup."

Schenn scratched

Flyers defenseman Luke Schenn, the league leader for hits by a blueliner, surprisingly was scratched for Wednesday's game.

Schenn took part in the Flyers' morning skate, but was absent from the pre-game skate and missed his first game of the season due to the flu.

Kurtis Foster replaced Schenn in the Flyers' lineup after sitting out 12 games in a row.

Jersey Livin'

Reacquired by the Flyers on Feb. 26, Simon Gagne lived out of a hotel for about 10 days before recently moving his wife and two young children into a rental home in Haddonfield.

"Having the kids, you get them in their own beds and it gets a little bit of space for them," said Gagne, who began his year playing for the Flyers from 1999-2010. "The hotel ... for a couple of days it's OK. But after a week you start to get some bad sleep. My sleep has been a lot better the past couple of days at home."

Read(y) to explode?

Matt Read was the Flyers' top goal scorer when suffering torn rib-cage muscles on Feb. 20. Since returning after a two-week absence - and a month ahead of schedule - the second-year forward had no points in three games heading into Wednesday.

"When talking to him, he is feeling stronger every day," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said. "He is working through it. He seems to be getting stronger."



Timonen excited about upcoming milestone

Mar. 14, 2013 2:50 AM

Written by Randy Miller

NEWARK — Flyers defenseman Kimmo Timonen usually is all business on and off the ice.

Talk to him about what’s wrong with the Flyers, you’ll get an honest answer. Mention his personal achievements, you usually don’t get much response.

Wednesday was an exception.

Asked if he realizes he’s on the verge of playing in his 1,000th career NHL game, Timonen said: “Yeah, I know that,” before breaking into a big laugh.

Timonen can reach 1,000 when the Flyers play at Tampa Bay on Monday night, a day that also happens to be his 38th birthday.

“It’s been a long journey,” Timonen said before the Flyers' 5-2 loss in New Jersey. “I’m a couple games away, but if you go back to ’98, I got sent down to the minors and I didn’t know at that time in 2013 I was going to play my 1,000th game.”

Timonen is so proud of his upcoming feat that he noted he’ll be just the sixth Finnish-born player to reach 1,000. (The others are Teppo Numminen, Teemu Selanne, Jari Kurri, Olli Jokinen and Saku Koivu.)

Timonen played his first 573 games over eight seasons with Nashville from 1998-2007, then through Wednesday had logged another 425 in six seasons with the Flyers.

Timonen will become the 282nd NHL player to reach 1,000 and 34th to have spent part of his career in Philadelphia. Bob Clarke is the only player to appear in 1,000 games as a Flyer. The Hall of Famer played all 1,444 of his NHL games for the franchise from 1970-84.

The Flyers likely will honor Timonen before his first home game after reaching 1,000 — March 26 vs. Tampa Bay — and present him with the traditional gift: a silver stick.

A four-time All-Star, Timonen is having another strong season. His 19 points are tied for third in the league among defensemen behind Pittsburgh's Kris Letang (27) and Montreal's P.K. Subban (20).

“I’m not a big stat guy,” said Timonen, who last month passed on a chance at unrestricted free agency after the season by signing a one-year, $6 million contract extension for 2013-14.

“I’m more worried about the team and how we’re going to get wins, how we’re getting into the playoffs. It doesn’t matter if you score 100 points and you don’t make the playoffs. Who cares? It’s not the reason why we’re here. We’re here for winning the Stanley Cup.”

Jersey living

Reacquired by the Flyers on Feb. 26, Simon Gagne lived out of a hotel for about 10 days before recently moving his wife and two young children into a rental home in Haddonfield.

“Having the kids, you get them in their own beds and it gets a little bit of space for them,” said Gagne, who began his year playing for the Flyers from 1999-2010.

“The hotel ... for a couple of days it’s OK. But after a week you start to get some bad sleep. My sleep has been a lot better the past couple of days at home.”

Schenn scratched

Flyers defenseman Luke Schenn, the league leader for hits by a blueliner, surprisingly was scratched for Wednesday’s game.

Schenn took part in the Flyers’ morning skate, but was absent from the pregame skate and missed his first game of the season due to the flu.

Kurtis Foster replaced Schenn in the Flyers’ lineup after sitting out 12 games in a row.

Read(y) to explode?

Matt Read was the Flyers' top goal scorer when suffering torn rib-cage muscles on Feb. 20. Since returning after a two-week absence - and a month ahead of schedule - the second-year forward has no points in four games.

"When talking to him, he is feeling stronger every day," Flyers coach Peter Laviolette said. "He is working through it. He seems to be getting stronger."

Empty netters

Jakub Voracek scored his 13th goal in his 28th game of the season. He scored a career-best 18 goals in 78 games last season. ... Danny Briere has no points in his last five games, no goals in his last 11. ... Braydon Coburn was a minus-2 in 22:01 of ice time. For the season, the blueliner is a career-worst minus-11 after being a plus-10 last season.



Flyers' latest slump could lead to big changes

Mar. 14, 2013 2:03 AM

Written by Randy Miller | Courier-Post Staff

NEWARK — A referee raised his right arm to call a first-period penalty on the New Jersey Devils, so Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov left his net and started making a beeline to his bench.

A few strides later, Bryz fell flat on his face before play was whistled to a halt.

Fitting.

The Flyers are doing the same.

On a day the white smoke pouring from the Sistine Chapel chimney signaled a new Pope had been picked, a once-promising Flyers’ season took another big step toward burning to ashes.

Desperate to get hot and stay hot before it’s too late, the Flyers came out flat again Wednesday night, then after making more than their share of bad mistakes, they were handed an embarrassing and pathetic 5-2 roasting that was more lopsided than the final score.

“We’ve been doing this all year long and we continued to do the same thing,” Bryzgalov said. “You know, it’s not my area to discuss the things. It’s just bad.”

The Flyers are sliding again with one victory in their last five, and if things don’t change quickly, big changes could be on the horizon ... perhaps a blockbuster trade, maybe even a coaching and/or GM change if chairman Ed Snider gets fed up enough.

Asked if he fears Peter Laviolette may the fall, Scott Hartnell defended his head coach.

“Lavy’s emotional,” the left winger said. “He’s intense. He thinks the game really well. His bench awareness is great. It’s definitely not his fault. I think a lot of guys have a lot of respect for him.”

Later, Flyers captain Claude Giroux stuck up for his coach, as well.

Told his players have his back, Laviolette responded, “Does that make me feel good? No. We needed to win a hockey game tonight. ... We weren’t successful.”

Bryzgalov said after Tuesday’s practice that his team needed to beat the Devils twice this week or “we’re done.” One loss in the books, the Flyers now are down to 20 games to turnaround their season.

The top eight teams in the Eastern Conference make the playoffs, and the Flyers currently are tied for 10th with the New York Islanders, and are two points behind the New York Rangers and Winnipeg for eighth, and five behind New Jersey for seventh. Compounding matters, the Isles, Rangers, Devils and Jets all have 1-to-3 games in hand.

“It’s crucial time,” defenseman Nick Grossmann said. “No hushing around about that. Look at the standings. We’re aware of it. We’ve been talking about it. But we need action on the ice and can’t have someone else do it. These guys in the room got to get the job done.”

Missing the playoffs is rare for the Flyers, who have qualified five years in a row and 15 times in the last 16 seasons, their nightmare 2006-07 season the one exception.

Falling behind early has been a recurring issue for these Flyers, and it happened to them again against the Devils as Patrik Elias scored just 2:02 into the game.

“The first shift of the game sets a tone, and we were in our end for about 40 seconds and iced the puck,” Hartnell said. “We had a brain cramp, and it kind of just started from there.”

Jake Voracek tied it for the Flyers 9:45 into the first with a power-play goal, but the Devils had the lead back 36 seconds later on the first of two goals by Adam Henrique.

By the end of the first period, Ilya Kovalchuk made it 3-1 with a short-handed breakaway goal, Andrei Loktionov added a goal in the second and Henrique scored again 1:16 into the third to make it a 5-1 rout.

The loss was the Flyers’ third in three games this season to the Devils —all of them coming in New Jersey — and seventh in eight meetings dating to a 2012 second-round playoff series that was over in five games.

“It seems like the Devils have just stymied us the last couple years, and it’s frustrating we can’t figure it out,” Hartnell said.

The Flyers got a bad break before the game when top-pair defenseman Luke Schenn was scratched with the flu after taking part in the morning skate. Kurtis Foster wound up playing for the first time in 13 games, but the Flyers had bigger issues: Too many costly giveaways ... their streak of no even-strength goals reaching 10 periods until Hartnell scored late in the game to make it 5-2, a meaningless tally he called “whip-dee-do” ... putting just two pucks behind Devils goalie Johan Hedberg, who had been struggling since taking over the starting job 10 games ago due to Martin Brodeur’s back soreness.

"We need to dig ourselves out of this hole," Giroux said. "We have a lot of guys on this team who are good players. We’re a good team. We’re a team that should make the playoffs and we’re going to battle to the end of the season to make it."

Woulda, shoulda, coulda. Bottom line, it was a another lost night for the Flyers, one in which they didn’t put up much fight in looking like a team going nowhere.

"To be honest, I have no idea what to say to you," Bryzgalov said. "I'm just tired of losing ... tired of losing. I have no emotions, nothing to say. Another disappointing loss."


663375 Phoenix Coyotes

Phoenix Coyotes' Shane Doan producing in second half

By Sarah McLellan azcentral sports Wed Mar 13, 2013 5:32 PM

It’s as if his body can sense the arrival of the midpoint of the season.

Long considered a second-half player, captain Shane Doan hasn’t shaken that reputation by adding three points in the two games since the Coyotes crossed the halfway mark of their schedule.

In total, Doan has five goals and seven points in his past seven games after scoring his team-leading ninth goal and chipping in an assist in Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Los Angeles Kings to preface a four-game road trip that start Thursday night in St. Louis.

“I’m fortunate to be getting them,” Doan said. “I’m not playing particularly great, but they can hide some things. Goals can hide things. At the same time, it’s nice to contribute offensively. I’ve got to get to the net. The last couple (goals) has been just being around the net at the right time.”

That’s probably a harsh self-critique but so quintessentially Doan. Either way, the Coyotes will take the production and whatever other improvement Doan can find in the final six weeks of the season.

“I can be more physical,” Doan said. “I can be more involved in the game, but it’s coming. Everything’s getting a little bit better.”

In control

Some of the easier lessons to teach, it would seem, come from personal experience.

“It’s way easier to have the puck than to chase it all the time,” coach Dave Tippett said. “Believe me. I was the guy that chased it all the time. I would have much rather had it.”

That was the piece of advice Tippett passed along to winger Mikkel Boedker on Monday, a day before Boedker scored twice and took over the team’s scoring lead.

“When he has the puck, he can be a very dangerous player,” Tippett said. “He just has to have it more. I think timing-wise, I think he feels like he’s going one way and the puck’s going the other. He’s just got to find a way to get in sync with the game.

“He has the ability to hold pucks. He changes directions well. He’s got good skill to hold it, powerful skater when he gets it. We just talked about don’t give it away so easily. Let’s see what happens when you keep it for a while.”

The greediness resulted in two goals – both a result of Boedker driving to the slot with the puck on his stick. Once he’s there, his shot is tough to stop.

“It’s kind of like playing off your fastball, I guess,” Doan said. “He plays off his speed and because of that, it makes it so you have to respect it, and it gives him open ice.”

Roster update

The Coyotes placed forward Nick Johnson on waivers.

He’ll report to the team’s American Hockey League affiliate if he isn’t claimed by another team.

The move opens up a roster spot should defenseman David Schlemko (shoulder) or winger Radim Vrbata (cracked bone in left foot) be healthy enough to return from injured reserve.

Defenseman Zbynek Michalek (lower body) and center Matthew Lombardi (upper body) are still considered day-to-day.

The Coyotes recalled defenseman Chris Summers from Portland on Tuesday to fill in for Michalek.

Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.14.2013


Phoenix Coyotes’ Oliver Ekman-Larsson is elevating his game

By Sarah McLellan azcentral sports Wed Mar 13, 2013 8:22 PM

Last season, when he was adjusting to full-time life in the NHL, Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson was somewhat of an unknown among his peers.

But now that’s changed.

“When I talk to players around the league, they know who No. 23, is and they know that they gotta make sure they’re aware of where he is on the ice all the time, because he’s sneaky good,” said Darren Pang, a former Coyotes broadcaster who is an analyst for TSN and the St. Louis Blues.

That buzz already has reached its subject, but Ekman-Larsson can filter it.

“I’ve heard people talk about me, but I don’t really listen to that stuff,” Ekman-Larsson said. “I just try to do my thing out there.”

The Coyotes will have a tougher time ignoring that praise. The 21-year-old will become a restricted free agent at season’s end when his entry-level contract expires, and management will be bombarded with his accolades.

He averages a team-high 25 minutes 11 seconds a game. His 17 points led the Coyotes until a few days ago. And he has the best rating on the team with a plus-9 mark.

This first-half performance — after 13 goals and 32 points in his first full season last year that was accompanied by an impressive playoff campaign — already has placed Ekman-Larsson on the short list for the NHL’s Norris Trophy with many outlets listing him as one of the NHL’s better defensemen.

“There are only a few guys, let alone in the league at his age and development, that I can think of that are that next defenseman that can win the Norris for many years to come depending on the years and success of the team,” Pang said. “But to me, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Drew Doughty, Alex Pietrangelo, (Kevin) Shattenkirk, these guys are special players, and Oliver Ekman-Larsson, he’s right in the middle of all this. In fact, this year, he may be the best of that bunch right now.”

Growing up in Sweden, Ekman-Larsson naturally idolized Nicklas Lidstrom, and that’s the comparison that seems to suit his play.

When he was a stalwart with Detroit, Lidstrom played in all situations for the Red Wings as a shutdown defender and power-play quarterback. Ekman-Larsson does the same for the Coyotes.

“When I watch Ekman-Larsson skate, he gets up the ice a lot quicker than Lidstrom did,” Pang said. “Lidstrom dissected where he was going and got there. Ekman-Larsson can skate and his transitioning and his pivoting — he can go forward and backward at the same speed. So I think that makes Ekman-Larsson extremely unique.”

That ability can be traced back to the time he spent as a centerman when he was 15.

“My dad wanted me to see the ice different, so I played center,” he said. “I think it made it easier to go back to ‘D’ and see the ice from the back end.”

General Manager Don Maloney said he’s had “some conversation” with Ekman-Larsson’s camp regarding a new deal, but Maloney doesn’t have a time line of when he’d like to complete it.

“We’ll pay on performance. We have no problem,” Maloney said. “But we won’t pay on potential. In Oliver’s case, he’s having a terrific season. He’s somebody we expect to sign at some point and hopefully for a long time.”

Doughty earned an eight-year, $56 million contract from the Los Angeles Kings after recording 33 goals and 126 points and being a plus-16 in 239 games during his first three years in the league.

P.K. Subban of the Montreal Canadiens more recently nabbed a two-year contract worth $5.75 million after he went 160 games with 21 goals and 76 points and was a plus-2 during his first three years.

If this were a full 82-game season, Ekman-Larsson would be on pace to cap off his entry-level years at 212 games, 23 goals, 96 points and plus-40.

“You negotiate hard with their agents,” Pang said. “You try to get a hometown discount. At the end of the day, you can ill-afford to let this quality of defenseman walk.”

The Coyotes will try to put an appropriate price tag on what Ekman-Larsson’s delivered so far to gauge his future worth, but it’s a challenge to pin down an intangible that still seems to be growing.

“I want to be a superstar in this league,” Ekman-Larsson said. “That’s my goal. Maybe not this year or next year but a couple years from now, and I want to prove everything — D-zone, offensive, my shot, my passes, my skating. That’s what I try to do every day, just get better.”

Arizona Republic LOADED: 03.14.2013


Boedker's big night leads to Coyotes win

Craig Morgan

March 13, 2013, 12:43am

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Shane Doan would garner a lot of votes if the league's players were ever asked to crown the NHL's best captain. But how do you measure such an honor? Maybe the answer is found in Doan's deep bag of leadership tricks.

Faced with the challenge of prodding gentle, humble, deferential Mikkel Boedker to greater heights, Doan took an unorthodox path to persuasion.

"I teased him that I'd slash him if he passed me the puck," Doan said. "He's so good with it that I wanted him to hold onto it and I meant it. He's the best player on the ice when he has the puck."

Faced with a four-game pointless streak, Boedker took that message to heart Tuesday against the Los Angeles Kings. The 23-year-old Dane scored the Coyotes' first and third goals in a critical 5-2 win that pushed Phoenix into sixth place in the ever-changing Western Conference standings.

The two-goal game was the third of Boedker's career and highlighted that ability Doan mentioned.

"I thought he created a lot of situations in the offensive zone," coach Dave Tippett said. "That's as good a game as he's played in a while."

When the season opened, the Coyotes had high hopes for Boedker. Following Ray Whitney's free-agent defection to the Dallas Stars, a team not blessed with a wealth of offensive forwards was suddenly blessed with less. Of all the young players on the roster, Boedker held the most promise to fill the gap, but he had never posted more than 28 points in two full NHL seasons and two partial seasons.

Through the early portion of the schedule, he looked poised to deliver, and general manager Don Maloney even singled him out as one of the team's most consistent players. But there have been lapses in his defensive game and stretches where he's failed to exert his will at the offensive end.

"There's times when, timing-wise, he feels like he's going one way and the puck is going the other," coach Dave Tippett said. "He's just got to find a way to get in sync with the game.

"He has the ability to hold pucks. He changes direction well, he's got skill, (he's a) powerful skater. When he gets it, we just talked about: ‘don't give it away so easy. Let's see what happens when you keep it for a while.' Tonight he kept it and good things happened."

Boedker leads the team with 18 points (six goals). He's not the point-a-game performer this team could really use, and he's not among the NHL leaders in any offensive category, but his confidence does appear to be surging following a strong playoff performance last season in which he notched four goals (two game-winners) and eight points in the team's run to the conference finals.

"It did a lot for me," Boedker said. "I know I can compete at the best level in the world and I can have an impact on a successful team. But obviously, taking the next step is important and I feel like I'm taking a good step in that direction."

It couldn't have come at a better time. The Coyotes needed a statement win on Tuesday. Never mind that L.A. knocked the Coyotes out in the Western Conference final last year. Never mind that the Kings are a division foe, making these games doubly important in the standings. Phoenix plays 14 of its final 22 games on the road, including a back-to-back set with these Kings next week at Staples Center. Two points in this game -- and none for L.A. -- was the only acceptable outcome for a team that was outside of the playoff ropes when the night began.

"Last year is over with," Boedker said. "But it's always good to beat a rival and it's always good to beat L.A."

To have Boedker spearheading that victory with his speed and skill was a good sign for a team hoping to build off last season's unprecedented success.

"It's kind of like playing off your fastball," Doan said. "He plays off of his speed and because of that it makes it so you have to respect him and it gives him open ice.

"He's just a dominating player when he's moving his feet and shooting the puck like that. We all love playing with him."

East Valley Tribune LOADED: 03.14.2013

663378 Pittsburgh Penguins

Letang’s natural ability gives Penguins added boost

By Josh Yohe

Updated 16 minutes ago

In the celebratory moments following the Penguins' comeback victory in Philadelphia last week, coach Dan Bylsma made a beeline for defenseman Kris Letang's locker.

They spoke quietly amid the jovial sounds of a victorious locker room, but the content of the conversation was easily understood. Letang's game has matured, the riverboat gambler is now able to navigate the ice with caution when necessary.

“I appreciate it,” Bylsma said to Letang that night, complimenting his performance while the Penguins held a one-goal lead in the third period.

The hockey world is beginning to appreciate his game as well.

A number of Las Vegas casinos now list Letang as the favorite to claim the Norris Trophy as the NHL's top defenseman.

He isn't interested in individual awards — “You guys think about it. I don't,” he said — but, at 25, is seeing his game blossom.

Letang leads the NHL in points by a defenseman with 27 and is still leading the rush with great frequency. His decision-making, though, has improved dramatically.

“It's always calculated,” Letang said.

Perhaps that wasn't always the case, but many have noticed the change.

“You can tell how he's matured,” said defenseman Mark Eaton, who partnered with Letang during the team's 2009 Stanley Cup run.

“He's better in all aspects. He was always skilled, could always skate, was always strong. He's just that much better.”

For all of Letang's wondrous offensive ability, his skills didn't always translate into offensive production. This is no longer the case as Letang not only leads defensemen in scoring but currently ranks 13th in the NHL. He has produced more points than star forwards Evgeni Malkin, Claude Giroux, Phil Kessel, Pavel Datsyuk, Ilya Kovalchuk, Alexander Ovechkin and both Sedin brothers.

“It's just a tremendous amount of skill,” defenseman Matt Niskanen said. “A lot of guys wish they could skate like him. A lot of guys. He takes incredible risks but always gets away with it because of his skating ability. He can always skate himself out of trouble.”

Niskanen acknowledges Letang now takes different risks than a couple of years ago.

“He'll always be able to avoid trouble because of his skating, but he's smarter with the puck now,” Niskanen said. “His game has really matured. Everything he does is with a purpose now.”

It is no coincidence that Letang's six-game scoring streak coincides with his team's six-game winning streak. Center Sidney Crosby has been the biggest catalyst during the streak, but Letang is not far behind.

He has displayed deft touch in the offensive zone — like during a four-assist game in Montreal and when he set up Crosby's game-winning goal last week against Tampa Bay — but also has played a more reliable, structured game in the third period.

“His decision-making has been very good,” Bylsma said. “Even though he's supporting the rush, he's putting pucks (deep) a little more. He certainly has been a factor. I think I noted with him the maturity in his decision-making with the puck and even jumping in, and how his supporting is much better for our team.”

Bylsma, when addressing Letang's recent skating prowess, used the word “noticeable” four times. Letang's skating always has been a cut above the rest. Now it appears the rest of his game has caught up.

“He's just really, really good right now,” Niskanen said.

Tribune Review LOADED: 03.14.2013


Penguins notebook: Eaton providing team with quality minutes since return

By Josh Yohe

Updated less than a minute ago

The Penguins entered the season with so much depth on the blue line that they eventually traded Ben Lovejoy to Anaheim and have been able to allow prospects like Joe Morrow to develop comfortably.

There was little reason to think another defenseman was necessary, and there was no reason to believe general manager Ray Shero would sign another.

Mark Eaton, though, found his way onto the roster. And if he continues his level of play, he might find himself in the lineup on a regular basis.

The Penguins are 5-0 with Eaton in the lineup. He is a plus-4.

“He's got that same style,” said defenseman Kris Letang, who occasionally has played with Eaton during the past two weeks. “He's a guy that can play both ends of the ice, can skate with the puck. He's really good defensively. He's reliable.”

Reliability is the trait Penguins management always has associated with Eaton.

The veteran is delighted to be back with the Penguins after spending the past two seasons with the New York Islanders.

“It's been a blast,” Eaton said. “This is why I did it. I missed it. To be able to get on to this team, and for us to be playing this well, only makes it that much more fun. I have been comfortable. My game doesn't change too much. I keep it simple. I've had the pleasure of playing with some great d-men.”

• Penguins center Evgeni Malkin will not play against the Maple Leafs on Thursday in Toronto but appears to be making progress in his recovery from a right shoulder injury. Malkin skated for a second consecutive day Wednesday, this time at Consol Energy Center before the Penguins practiced. Coach Dan Bylsma initially said Malkin would miss one-to-two weeks after suffering the injury Saturday in Toronto. It is unlikely he will be available for home games this weekend against the Rangers and Bruins.

• Defenseman Brooks Orpik said last week that he likely was going to start wearing a visor, saying there was “no excuse” for not wearing one after he watched Rangers defenseman Marc Staal — who does not wear a visor — suffer an eye injury. Orpik wore a visor during Wednesday's practice and said he might wear it against Toronto on Thursday.

• Right wing Tyler Kennedy, off to the worst start of his pro career, was unable to practice Wednesday because of an illness. It is unknown if Kennedy will play Thursday.

— Josh Yohe



Starkey: Shero’s trades defy belief

By Joe Starkey

At some point late in the Penguins' thrilling victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday, it struck me: Ray Shero is the best trader in the NHL.

What's more, he is the best trader in Penguins history — better than Craig Patrick.

Even before Brandon Sutter's dramatic game-winner, a quick glance at the Penguins' lineup was enough to blow your mind. In a league where teams are desperate for goals, Shero has reeled in James Neal, Chris Kunitz, Pascal Dupuis and Sutter. The four have combined for 54 goals this season.

The miracle isn't that Shero gets the guy he wants but that he always seems to get a little something extra. Neal for Alex Goligoski would have been a wonderful trade. Shero somehow got Matt Niskanen, too.

How did that happen?

Merely acquiring Marian Hossa from Atlanta in 2008 would have been impressive even for a package that included a former first-round pick and a fresh one and even though Hossa only stayed for a cup of cappuccino. His arrival helped to transform the Penguins' mindset — signaling it was time to win now — and nearly helped them win it all. Lost in the mayhem was that Shero secured a throw-in named Pascal Dupuis, who ironically has become “Sid's winger,” or at least one of them, and that was the role Hossa was supposed to play.

How did that happen?

Some of this is luck, of course. And nobody should compare Dupuis to the magnificent Hossa, but it's worth noting that since the beginning of last season, Hossa's 40 goals barely eclipse Dupuis' 36.

Kunitz for Ryan Whitney, straight up, would have been another emphatic win for Shero given what has transpired since. But a prospect named Eric Tangradi was sprinkled in, and although Tangradi did not pan out, it was worth a try. He was parlayed into a draft pick.

Shero's coup de grace was the Sutter deal because he basically made it with a gun to his head.

Jordan Staal had one skate out the door last summer. The Penguins stood to lose him as an unrestricted free agent after this season. Carolina was the most realistic trading partner.

It wasn't exactly a high-leverage situation for Shero, who nevertheless held his ground. He made it known he would not budge unless Sutter was included in the deal. Staal for Sutter straight up would have been understandable, if disappointing, from the Penguins' perspective.

Naturally, Shero not only got Sutter but also the eighth pick in the draft (used on elite prospect Derrick Pouliot) and another promising defense prospect in Brian Dumoulin.

How did THAT happen?

The verdict on the Staal deal, of course, won't be known for some time. Referendums will recur every spring in the playoffs. So far, though, Sutter's eight goals and 13 points look pretty good next to Staal's six and 18 — especially considering how big at least four of Sutter's goals have been.

I haven't even mentioned some lesser deals such as Gary Roberts for Noah Welch, Bill Guerin for a conditional pick and Hal Gill for picks.

Shero hasn't been perfect at the trading table, mind you. No GM is. Nils Ekman, Jordan Leopold and Alexei Ponikarovsky were all quite forgettable. Daniel Carcillo for Georges Laraque (who, once he arrived, suddenly decided he'd try to play hockey rather than fight) didn't work out as hoped.

But what did the Penguins really lose? Pretty much nothing — though I'm sure somebody's still panicking over the loss of Luca Caputi, who got off to a wonderful start with the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL this season and now plays in the AHL.

What separates Shero from Patrick, to this point, is that he has avoided the epic disaster — the Markus Naslund-for-Alek Stojanov or Glen Murray-for-Eddie Olczyk type deal.

Don't get me wrong. Patrick made some legendary, Cup-winning trades in 1991 and '92. Those will stand forever. But I'll take Shero at this point. And, don't look now, but the Penguins organization is flush with young, swift, offensive-minded defensemen, the kind every team craves.

It's only a matter of time before Trader Ray pulls the trigger again.



Orpik might use visor for first time tonight

March 14, 2013 12:51 am

By Shelly Anderson / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Last week, after a scary incident in which New York Rangers defenseman Marc Staal was hit near his right eye with a puck, Penguins veteran defenseman Brooks Orpik said he was strongly leaning toward adding a protective visor to his helmet.

This week, Orpik followed through.

Orpik added one of the clear shields to the front of his helmet in practice Wednesday at Consol Energy Center, and he reported no problems or annoyances.

"It wasn't much of a difference, to be honest," he said. "I think it depends on how you approach the situation. If you approach it that you don't want to wear it, then you're not going to like it. If you approach it with an open mind and think it's the best thing for you, then it's probably not going to be that big a difference."

He said he doesn't expect to need a long period of adjustment and could add it for games as soon as tonight when the Penguins visit Toronto.

"I don't know," he said. "I'll wear it again [at the game-day skate this] morning. I don't think that's too quick."

The issue of whether visors should be mandatory in the NHL arose -- again -- after Staal's injury. He is expected to recover fully. Orpik said beyond Staal's injury and others, he feels vulnerable with the way defensemen play these days.

"The amount of pucks that have been zipping by our heads ... " he said.

Orpik on rival's retirement

While playing at Boston College, Orpik grew to loathe Jack Parker, if only because he was part of a bitter rivalry as coach of Boston University.

Parker announced his retirement this week after 40 seasons and three NCAA titles, and Orpik found himself wanting to be complimentary.

"Anyone who lasts for 40 years and has that track record has to be admired," Orpik said. "I was always on the other end of the street, so you were always taught from Day 1 to hate everyone associated with that program.

"Once you leave there, you become friends with a lot of them.

"During the [NHL] lockout, I was skating at BU. They let me use their weight room and locker room. Maybe once you get out of there, it's not as bad. He's had a great run."

At Boston College, Orpik played for another star coach, Jerry York, who is in his 41st season as a head coach and has led two schools to a combined five NCAA titles.

"I'm sure Jerry York, he won't be too long after [Parker]," Orpik said.

Bennett and Bylsma

Penguins rookie winger Beau Bennett grew up playing roller hockey in southern California at the same time Penguins coach Dan Bylsma was playing for the Los Angeles Kings.

The Kings were sometimes involved in youth roller hockey tournaments, and Bennett was a participant. He lived near The Forum, the forerunner to Staples Center as the Kings' home arena.

"We would do a day tournament in the parking lot and then stick around and watch the Kings game at night," Bennett recalled.

"They had blow-up boards, and we would play with a puck on the asphalt. It was interesting, to say the least."

Bylsma remembers the tournaments. He believes Bennett's fan interest was focused on former Kings center Ray Ferraro, but Bennett said he remembers Bylsma.

"I'm going to get out my old pictures from those events and see if maybe Beau is in the background," Bylsma said

Tip-ins

Injured center Evgeni Malkin (undisclosed injury) skated before practice with conditioning coach Mike Kadar. ... Winger Tyler Kennedy missed practice for what Bylsma called a "maintenance day." ... Bylsma on defenseman Kris Letang's strong skating: "I think the hair has something to do with it, too. You notice the hair going."

Post Gazette LOADED: 03.14.2013


Improved team defense pays off

March 14, 2013 12:04 am

By Shelly Anderson / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Thirty goals in six games.

"You score 30 goals in six games, there's no reason you shouldn't win," Penguins defenseman Brooks Orpik said Wednesday.

That's the number of goals the Penguins have in a six-game winning streak they will carry into their game tonight against the Maple Leafs in Toronto.

It's also the number of goals they had in a stinging six-game loss to Philadelphia in the opening round of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs.

The difference in those two six-game stretches is, in some ways, immense.

"I think we learned in the playoffs last year that you can score as many goals as you want and you're not guaranteed anything," Orpik said.

Part of it is better team defense. The Flyers also scored 30 goals in that playoff series. In the Penguins current win streak, opponents have scored 20.

"We're really doing a good job with the puck, but also [playing] responsibly away from the puck in minimizing [opponent] opportunities," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. "That's something we're priding ourselves on right now. It's allowed us to win some hockey games some different ways. That's, I think, key for our team."

The six wins in a row have come in varying ways. The Penguins:

• Won a scoring frenzy, 7-6, March 2 in Montreal on Brandon Sutter's overtime goal.

• Held off Tampa Bay, 4-3, March 4 at home with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each getting a goal and an assist.

• Overcame a 4-1 first-period deficit to beat Philadelphia, 5-4, March 7 on the road with Chris Kunitz scoring two goals, including the winner.

• Allowed the Maple Leafs to come back from a two-goal, third-period deficit but won, 5-4, when Crosby and James Neal scored in the shootout and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury stoned the Toronto shooters Saturday at Air Canada Centre.

• Blew out the New York Islanders, 6-1, Sunday at home on Kunitz's hat trick and Crosby's five assists.

• Came back with three goals in the final seven minutes of regulation, two by Sutter, Tuesday to beat Boston, 3-2, while holding the Bruins to 16 shots.

Winning consistently and in so many ways can help as the final six weeks of the regular season and the playoffs approach.

"Definitely," Fleury said. "When it comes to crunch time, you've been through it. You overcome it and you know you can do it. The confidence is there.

"We find ways to win -- coming back or keeping our lead. I think we believe [in ourselves], but we also know that we've got to improve on some points. I don't think we're cocky about it. We know what we're doing wrong."

The biggest problem area likely is their penalty-killing, where the Penguins ranked 25th at 78.2 percent going into Wednesday.

A couple of weeks ago, team defense could have been on such a list, particularly after successive losses at Florida and Carolina, the games before the winning streak.

"After the Carolina game, the mentality of our team has been, we're going to go out and we're going to play and we're going to keep playing," Bylsma said. "We're going to have that mentality that we're going to keep playing our way.

"Whether it's a bad call, a referee's call, a penalty-kill that doesn't work out -- whatever the situation, we're going to keep playing. I think you've seen that in this stretch of hockey."

A couple of newcomers appreciate what they have seen.

"The thing that has stuck out to me thus far is our mental toughness," said Mark Eaton, a former Penguins defenseman who recently re-signed with the club.

"We've been behind in a lot of games and [found] ways to win. The attitude and the mental part of the game is something you really can't work on. It's nice to have that."

Rookie winger Beau Bennett was promoted in mid-February and has settled in after his first dozen NHL games. He has been impressed with what he has seen.

"In training camp, you kind of see the skill level of all these guys," Bennett said. "You come in here as a call-up and you just want to fit in.

"This roll that we've been on shows how our team has been pretty tenacious. We've really been sticking with our game and wearing teams down."

Eaton pointed out that having highly skilled players that dot the NHL scoring rankings is "something you can't really teach, either, and we have some of the best talent in the league," but he doesn't carry the baggage of the loss in the playoffs to the rival Flyers by a Penguins team picked by many to win the Stanley Cup.

"I think we learned more from that than we have this [winning] streak," Orpik said. "This streak is more applying what we learned from last year.

"We've really only played one bad period in this streak -- against Philly in the first period. Other than that, I think we've been really good."

On the March

A look at the Penguins' six-game winning streak since the beginning of the month. (Home games.)

Date Opponent Final

3/2 Canadiens 7-6 (OT)

3/4Lightning4-3

3/7 Flyers 5-4

3/9 Maple Leafs 5-4

3/10Islanders6-1

3/12Bruins3-2

Today

Game: Penguins vs. Maple Leafs, 7 p.m. Air Canada Centre, Toronto.

TV: Root Sports.

Post Gazette LOADED: 03.14.2013

663383 San Jose Sharks

Struggling San Jose Sharks play next two games against L.A. Kings

By David Pollak

Posted: 03/13/2013 02:30:17 PM PDT

Updated: 03/13/2013 06:52:57 PM PDT

SAN JOSE -- It's not that the Sharks should look at any stretch of their NHL schedule as a promising place to turn around their faltering season. Not with only two regulation wins in their last 20 games, and with particularly dismal efforts against cellar dwellers such as the Columbus Blue Jackets and Calgary Flames.

But the next three games -- a home-and-home series against the Los Angeles Kings starting Thursday night at HP Pavilion and a Honda Center matchup with the surging Anaheim Ducks -- seem especially daunting for a team already on a four-game losing streak.

Sharks coach Todd McLellan isn't playing down the challenge of facing a Los Angeles team on a 9-3-0 run even if it lost its most recent game, 5-2 to the Phoenix Coyotes on Tuesday.

"They're the Stanley Cup champions," McLellan said. "They went through their phase where they're figuring things out, and now they're playing like that. Great test for us."

The Sharks flew home after Tuesday night's 4-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues with mixed emotions. They came away empty-handed but did take heart from the fact that they found a higher gear that enabled them to apply more offensive pressure than they had in weeks.

"We've got to build on that, for sure," forward Scott Gomez said. "Losing's no fun, but you can also learn from it. If we don't come out and play like we did this game the rest of the way, we're just cheating ourselves and the fans."

Gomez was part of

McLellan's experiment to have injured defenseman Brent Burns return to action as a forward. Taking a pass from Gomez, Burns scored San Jose's first goal against St. Louis.

The Sharks did catch a bit of a break with the announcement Wednesday that Anaheim forward Corey Perry has been suspended for the Ducks' next four games for a late and illegal hit on Jason Zucker of the Minnesota Wild.

Still, Anaheim is a solid second in the Western Conference with 41 points and is 12-1-2 in its last 15 games.

The Sharks had Wednesday off, and the players probably can thank their new collective bargaining agreement for that. The labor pact that ended the lockout in January requires teams to give players four days off each month -- two at home and two on the road. The dates reportedly are determined before each month begins, and while they can be changed, the process discourages that.

San Jose's special teams continue to go in different directions. The penalty kill has moved up to third in the NHL with an 87.2 success rate, while the power play has fallen to 17th with a 17 percent success rate.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.14.2013


Purdy: Darryl Sutter not changed by Stanley Cup success

By Mark Purdy

Posted: 03/13/2013 07:35:00 PM PDT

Updated: 03/13/2013 08:14:46 PM PDT

SAN JOSE -- The Los Angeles Kings play the Sharks for the first time this season Thursday night at HP Pavilion. Which means that Darryl Sutter is back at his old workplace.

It is hardly the first time that Sutter has revisited San Jose since he was fired as the Sharks' head coach in December of 2002. He returned often as the Calgary Flames' head coach and was here twice last season after taking over the Kings in late December.

The difference this time: Sutter is returning to HP Pavilion as a Stanley Cup champion.

Not that you'd know it from looking at him. Wednesday after the Kings' practice session here, he wasn't wearing a championship ring. Hasn't worn it. Won't wear it.

"I'm not a jewelry guy," he explained. "The rings really are beautiful. But I don't need to wear one. It's not a big thing to me. What is it they say about big jewelry? It either winds up in the estate or winds up in the alimony."

So in case you're wondering whether success has changed Darryl Sutter, there's your answer: No. With the standard Alberta accent.

For Sharks fans, it was a wretched moment when the Kings won their NHL championship last June. But if anyone in San Jose was truly angry to see Sutter personally hoist the Cup with a big smile on the face ... well, I have yet to meet the person.

The fans here know Sutter. They know what he did for the Sharks. Basically, he taught San Jose how to be a serious hockey town. He arrived in

1997 when the team had fallen into ugly disrepair -- and when fans, who were giddy just to see their team reach the playoffs twice in the franchise's first six seasons, figured that was a splendid achievement.

To Sutter, it wasn't. Making the playoffs should be a minimum requirement every season, he said. He then led the Sharks to their first winning regular season and their first division championship while reaching the second round twice in five postseason trips. In 2002, his best team lost to Colorado by a single goal in Game 6 and Game 7 of round two. He was fired seven months later after a slow start to the '02-03 season.

"A couple of times, we were close," Sutter said. "And I think we were as good a team as we have now here (with the Kings). We just didn't win it."

So, yes, Sutter is the same straight-talking and unpretentious man he was during his five-plus seasons in San Jose. And although he's been gone for more than 10 years, he still knows people here -- the "blue collar guys," Sutter calls them. He means the equipment managers, the mail room man, the maintenance folks.

The Kings pulled into town early Wednesday morning after a loss at Phoenix. But by early afternoon, Sutter already had touched base with his "guys." All congratulated him on the Cup victory, his first after eight seasons as a player and 13 as a coach. And in response, even the hard-boot hockey man had to admit the reality of winning it more than matched the dream.

"It was awesome," Sutter said without compunction of the Kings' six-game victory over New Jersey. "The best part was seeing the players, seeing them celebrate. ... You know, what they go through to win it ... it gives you shivers."

And how about his own feelings?

"You're just exhausted," Sutter said. "There's nothing left. I was in bed by midnight the night we won. There was no big party." He smiled.

"You have to get some sleep," Sutter said, "and get back your energy ... and then you party."

Of course, that is a relative term in Sutter-ville. The NHL has a tradition of allowing each winning player or coach to "own" the Stanley Cup for a day. So the trophy made a trip to the Sutter family farm in Viking, Alberta, where Darryl and his six hockey-playing brothers grew up. A fiddle-playing band showed up for a picnic with Sutter's relatives and friends. Horses were ridden. Checkered shirts were worn.

The Los Angeles Times website features a gallery of pictures from that day. The best photo shows Sutter and his son, Chris, posing with the Cup in the barn hayloft where Darryl and his siblings once played pickup hockey between chores. The 19-year-old Chris, who has Down syndrome, and his father are staring out the hayloft window with the sun hitting their faces and the trophy. It's an immensely touching image.

In San Jose, where Chris spent his grade-school years and rapidly became a favorite of players and other Sharks employees, the image will especially hit home. Chris is "doing awesome," said Darryl, who said his biggest joy was simply having his extended family on hand for the affair. Two of his brothers had won Stanley Cups as players -- but in those days, the "Trophy Day" routine had not been instituted. So this was the first time the trophy had visited the Sutter homestead.

"It was great to see all my nieces and nephews there to enjoy it," Sutter said. "They had never been able to do that with their dads."

Would he have considered his own career to be a failure if he had not won a Cup?

"Not a chance," Sutter said, then explained.

"The way I look at it," Sutter said, "I've been fortunate to be 34 or 35 years in hockey and ... in the entire history of the NHL, you know, only about 5 percent of the coaches have won a Stanley Cup and about 1 percent of the players have ever won one. So there are going to be a lot of great players who never do."

At least one good hockey man did.

San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 03.14.2013


Irwin showing his shoot-first mentality

Staff

ST. LOUIS – There are two ways to look at Sharks defenseman Brent Burns lining up at forward against the Blues on Tuesday night.

The pessimist asks, did the Sharks really trade Devin Setoguchi, Charlie Coyle and a first round pick to Minnesota for a third line forward, when Burns was supposed to be, essentially, the long term replacement for Dan Boyle as the team’s number one defenseman?

The optimist would say the Sharks’ defense hasn’t been the reason San Jose has just two regulation wins in its last 20 games, and even though Burns is healthy, now is not the time to tinker with the blue line corps.

That includes defenseman Matt Irwin. The 25-year-old rookie seems to have secured a place in the lineup, at least for now. He’s played in every game since he was recalled on Feb. 26, and has done an admirable job at getting shots through from the point, something that the Sharks had been struggling with until recently.

On Sunday in Colorado, Irwin recorded a whopping eight shots on goal against the Avalanche, just the 10th time in franchise history a defenseman has recorded that many. Boyle has done it four times (Tom Pederson, 2, Rob Blake, Christian Ehrhoff and Gary Suter are the others).

On March 9 against St. Louis, Irwin scored his second goal of the year on a slap shot on a Sharks power play.

“Just trying to get them there I guess, can’t really say much else. Just get them there, and hope guys get to the net,” Irwin said on Monday.

He continued: “I think that’s part of my game, is getting pucks to the net and using my shot. That’s one of my assets. [Sunday night] I got them there, and unfortunately we didn’t get anything off of them, but you keep getting eight a night, something good is going to happen.”

Irwin made a good impression after he made the opening night roster, playing in nine of the first 10 games before he was sent back to Worcester. Even when he was reassigned, there was little doubt he would be back. He’s the only other Sharks defenseman besides Boyle with more than one goal (he has two), and with five points, he’s tied with Brad Stuart and Marc-Edouard Vlasic for second on the team in scoring among defensemen despite playing in just 16 games.

Irwin is averaging 19:21 of ice time a night, fourth among defensemen, including a little more than two minutes on the power play. That the coaching staff has put so much faith in him, makes him feel good.

“Absolutely, and that comes with shooting the puck, as well,” he said. “That’s part of my game. I’ve been a power play player for a while and that’s one of my strengths. Hopefully, we can just get that unit going a little bit more and get it [to be] more effective.”

Of course, it’s not been perfect. Irwin turned the puck over against the Blues on Tuesday at the offensive blue line, leading to a David Backes breakaway that Antti Niemi stopped. On March 2 at Nashville, Irwin’s turnover led to the only goal for Nashville by Gabriel Bourque in a 2-1 Sharks win on a similar play.

That misplay against Nashville resulted in Irwin coming out of the lineup the next game, and it’s evident that McLellan values Irwin’s ability to get rubber on the net as the team struggles offensively. On Tuesday against St. Louis Irwin wasn’t nearly as effective in doing that, registering just two shots, but he did have eight attempts blocked - a huge number.

Some of the veterans on the team might want to take notice of Irwin’s shoot-first mentality, according to the coach.

“Matt Irwin has a great shot, he’s willing to shoot it, and when he gets the puck he wants to shoot it,” McLellan said before the Blues game on Tuesday. “For a young defenseman who’s playing with a Dan Boyle or some of our veteran forwards, they often get nervous and want to share the puck and get it back to the dominant veteran.

“He’s showing a willingness to shoot, which is a great thing. Some of our veterans could show a willingness to shoot more, and get it through.”

Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 03.14.2013

663386 St Louis Blues

Oshie day to day, probably won't play against Phoenix; Tarasenko progressing

By Dan O'Neill [email protected]

Things could be better where T. J. Oshie is concerned.

On Tuesday night, Oshie left the Blues' 4-2 win over San Jose during the second period and collapsed in pain on the runway to the dressing room. He did not return in the third period and it was feared his injury – incurred during a hit on Brent Burns - could be severe.

Then on Wednesday morning, a story emerged about Oshie being sued by his apartment landlord for some $12,000 in damages, allegedly caused by Oshie's dogs.

But all in all, though, it could be worse.

The Blues had a day off on Wednesday, with only a few players skating. At the same time, the team pronounced Oshie's status is day to day with an “upper body” injury, which appears to be rib-cage related.

Coach Ken Hitchcock said it is unlikely Oshie will be ready to play on Thursday, when the Blues play host to the Phoenix Coyotes. But his absence is not expected to be extensive.

And where the suit is concerned, well, $12,000 is less than $13,000, heh?

Hitchcock indicated forward Andrew Murray would take Oshie's spot in the lineup.

Murray was called up from the team's American Hockey League affiliate in Peoria after forwards Andy McDonald and Alex Steen went down with injuries. Murray arrived with 10 goals and 19 point sin 38 games for the Rivermen.

However, Murray has played in only one game. Instead, Adam Cracknell, called up shortly after Murray, has taken the bulk of the replacement time.

“We wanted to alternate Murray and Cracknell,” Hitchcock said, “but when Cracknell got his chance, he just took advantage of it. So we have stayed with Adam.”

Cracknell, 27, always seems to play well when he joins the Blues. It make one wonder why he has been unable to establish a regular NHL job.

“I think for an NHL player, he's been between,” Hitchcock said. “He's a scorer down there and here he has to fit into more of a checking role. I think the longer he stays with us, the better and more comfortable he gets in that role.”

Vladimir Tarasenko, who has been out since Feb. 20 with concussion symptoms, took part is a slightly more vigorous skate on Wednesday. Tarasenko took part in drills with injured Andy McDonald (knee) and defenseman Ian Cole.

Tarasenko's return remains uncertain, while McDonald is day to day, with THE day getting closer.

Jake Allen is now 6-1 in his first seven starts with the Blues. That ties the best seven-game start for goaltender in franchise history. The mark is shared by Brian Elliott, who Allen essentially has sub-planted.

St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 03.14.2013


Oshie sued over pets' penthouse damage

By Joe Holleman

Oh, those pesky furry friends. Just ask T.J. Oshie.

According to a suit filed earlier this month in St. Louis County, a real-estate management company alleges that two pooches belonging to the popular Blues center got a little out of hand in Oshie's penthouse apartment — to the tune of about $11,000.

While the suit, filed by Ashley Development, doesn't specify what type of dogs allegedly did the dirty deeds, Jim Hayes of Fox Sports visited Chateau Oshie some time ago and provided glimpses of Oshie with best friends, Bella and Lily.



Blues-Coyotes matchup box

By Dan O'Neill

PHOENIX AT BLUES

When • 7 tonight

Where • Scottrade Center

TV, radio • FSM, KMOX (1120)

Blues preview • The Blues have been up and down of late, going 5-4-1 in their last 10. However, the team opened a three-game home stand with a 4-2 victory over San Jose on Tuesday. Forward Chris Stewart led the way with two goals and now has 11 goals to go with 12 assists. Stewart has jumped into the team lead with 23 points, which includes nine points in his last five games. Patrick Berglund leads the team with 13 goals. Rookie goaltender Jake Allen stopped 39 of 41 shots against San Jose, getting his first win at Scottrade. Allen is 6-1 as a starter for the Blues. T.J. Oshie tweaked sore ribs against San Jose and could be replaced in the lineup by Andrew Murray.

Coyotes preview • Since losing 6-3 to the Blues last Thursday, the Coyotes have won two in a row, beating Dallas and Los Angeles. Phoenix is 10-5-1 at home but 3-5-2 on the road. Captain Shane Doan leads the club with nine goals, while Mikkel Boedker leads in points (18), with six goals and 12 assists. Center Rob Klinkhammer has goals in his first two games since being called up from the AHL affiliate in Binghamton. Goaltender Mike Smith made 31 saves in the 5-2 win over Los Angeles on Tuesday. Smith has a 2.92 goals-against average and .899 save percentage in 21 starts.

Injuries • Blues — F Andy McDonald (knee), F Vladimir Tarasenko (concussion), out; F Alex Steen (upper body), F T.J. Oshie (upper body), day to day. Coyotes — F Radim Vrbata (foot), F Matthew Lombardi (upper body), D Dave Schlemko (shoulder), D Kurt Sauer (concussion), F Brett MacLean (illness), out.



Strauss: A unique situation in a unique season

BY JOE STRAUSS

The Blues opened this curious season eight weeks ago, and already the schedule’s more than halfway done. Give it six more weeks and it’ll be a wrap, a relative blink after the angst of a protracted lockout.

Compact the games and heighten the drama. True, playing 48 games contradicts the value of an 82-game grind, but one can’t argue with the drama that this format projects.

One week – no, one game – the Blues appear as sleepwalkers on ice and the next they seem revitalized despite rampant injuries within their front lines. Projected strengths become weaknesses. Supposed bit players emerge as season-savers. Supposedly gilded in goal, the Blues now find themselves performing roster calisthenics at the position by carrying three men where the rest of the league needs two.

“It is,” as general manager Doug Armstrong describes, “a unique situation.”

Coach Ken Hitchcock refrained Tuesday night from publicly naming tonight’s starting goalie against the Phoenix Coyotes. For Hitchcock, this seemed out of character. For the situation, perhaps it’s to be expected.

A team that considered both Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott starter-quality before the season now consistently sits them and their combined $7 million in salary behind 22-year-old rookie Jake Allen, who is owed $787,000 but qualifies as the resident hot hand.

This much is indisputable:

The Blues are one of eight teams allowing three or more goals a game.

Their collective .875 save percentage ranks last after they led the NHL last season.

Of the 79 men to appear in the crease this season, Elliott ranks 77th with an .851 save percentage. Just as former Cardinals manager Tony La Russa once refused to use embattled closer Ryan Franklin at home, Hitchcock now picks his spots for Elliott on the road. A March 3 loss in Dallas only intensified scrutiny on a goalie brilliant for much of last season but deeply bruised now.

Halak’s 2.38 goals-against average ranks a credible 15th among 41 goalies with a minimum of nine starts, but his .881 save percentage stands 37th.

Tuesday night Allen crouched in net for the Blues’ takedown of the big and burly San Jose Sharks. The win left Allen 6-1-0, matching the best career start by a Blues net-minder. That Allen shares the year-old record with Elliott testifies to the volatility of a position as much mental as it is physical.

Allen quietly mentions maintaining “the same approach” that served him well in Peoria before his two call-ups, the most recent in response to a blown three-goal lead in Los Angeles.

A compressed schedule leaves little room for error and even less for nuance unless your team is based in Chicago or Anaheim. The Blues awoke Wednesday in a three-way tie for third place in the Western Conference less than a week after standing among a mob in eighth place. Only last-place Calgary has yielded more goals in the conference.

“Goaltending to me right now (is) the biggest difference in our conference,” Hitchcock noted before Allen stopped 39 of 41 shots Tuesday night. “Anaheim has two goalies who have played very, very well. Chicago’s have exceeded expectations, or certainly met them. And it’s given their teams a chance to win every night.”

Allen is doing that for the Blues. He has become a scrambling team’s talisman, starting three of the last four games.

If Hitchcock’s reluctant to change socks on a hot streak, why would he change goalies? But by not spreading opportunity, does he risk his locker room becoming a tighter place?

Carrying three goalies is much like a baseball club advertising two closers. One man up means another is down. Blues goalie coach Corey Hirsch buys the metaphor but takes the pitching metaphor in another direction.

“It’s like a pitcher,” Hirsch said following Tuesday morning’s skate. “A lot of times he gets too much credit when the team wins and he takes too much blame when the team loses.”

“I don’t know where this is going to go right now,” Hitchcock admitted. “I think a lot of it depends on how Jake plays and how the other guys play. I think it’s going to be performance-driven.”

Hitchcock observed more aggressiveness from Halak on Sunday in Anaheim — a 4-2 loss that included an empty-net goal. “He was really competitive,” Hitchcock elaborated. “He was really hunting the puck, searching for it and working hard side to side.”

Down to their last 24 games, the Blues are hostage to their schedule’s math. They haven’t lost with Allen in goal since Feb. 19. They haven’t won without him since March 1, three losses ago.

“The reality is we’re in the winning business and Jake has given us the opportunity to win games,” Armstrong says. “An 82-game schedule allows you to ride out the ebbs and flows. A 48-game format doesn’t allow for that.”

Carrying three goalies projects as status quo. The club has four forwards on the injured reserve list. There is no pressing reason to contemplate exposing Elliott to waivers.

Tonight the question revolves around whether to start the man on a four-year, $15 million contract or the Riverman from Peoria. When it announced a 48-game schedule the NHL didn’t explain it as an upside-down universe.



Injury-riddled Blues try to manage adversity by managing the puck

By Dan O’Neill

Already missing three of their most talented players – Alex Steen, Andy McDonald and Vladimir Tarasenko – the Blues saw another top forward leave the ice during Tuesday’s 4-2 win over San Jose.

After delivering a hit to Sharks forward Brent Burns, T.J. Oshie left the ice in the second period bent over in pain. Oshie collapsed en route to the dressing room and needed assistance to complete the trip. He did not return in the third and worst-case outlooks were drawn up in every direction.

But the news Wednesday was not so dire. Having played seven games in 12 days, the team took a day off before playing the Phoenix Coyotes tonight at Scottrade Center. Meanwhile, a more thorough examination of Oshie revealed his “upper body” injury – which appears rib-cage related – to be a day-to-day proposition.

Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said Oshie was unlikely to play against Phoenix, but his absence is not expected to be extensive. The Blues hope to absorb the latest piece of adversity and extend their two-game winning streak.

“There’s times when it’s a little bit smooth and then there’s times when it’s just rough water and you have to get through it,” Hitchcock said. “We’re in that stage right now. We have to manufacture goals. We have to kind of do it by committee. But more important, we have to manage the puck the right way.”

That’s right, puck management. It’s not just for breakfast anymore.

Administering the puck in a conscientious manner has been a recurring issue for the Blues. At times, especially during a 6-1 start, the team handled the puck the way Brink’s handles money. At other times, which includes segments of a recent 5-4-1 stretch, it’s more like FEMA handling toxic waste.

On some nights, including recent frustrating losses at Dallas, Los Angeles and Anaheim, the contrasting personalities arrive in the same game. When they do, a money performance is sabotaged by a few minutes of disaster.

“When we played really well on the road … like, we really managed the puck well for half the game against Dallas, and then we mismanaged it for half the game,” Hitchcock said. “We did it for two-thirds of the game at LA … and then we started to do it against all the other teams. We started to manage the puck the right way.

“And I think that’s the aspect that has to be part of your game every night if you expect to win. Because you might score two goals and have to win the hockey game. You might have to shut a team out to win a hockey game.”

Oshie’s status and the roster attrition underline the point. The Blues are getting good work from the likes of Chris Porter and Adam Cracknell. And since moving into a more prominent role in Tarasenko’s absence, rookie Jaden Schwartz has been resolute. Another understudy, Andrew Murray, might answer the call against Phoenix.

That said, the replacements can’t be expected to create the kind of offense those they replaced are capable of generating. What they can do, what the entire team is capable of doing, is more fundamental. That is, they can avoid turnovers, they can get pucks deep in the opposition’s end and they can put pucks on the opposing net.

In baseball, speed and defense never slump. In hockey, smart puck management never backfires.

“Expecting players to play the same way is unrealistic,” Hitchcock added. “So we simplify things. We’ve taken out a lot of the gray-area stuff and we try to make it as black and white as we can for these guys.”

It’s not just new guys who benefit from workshops. Alex Pietrangelo is probably the Blues’ most valuable player, certainly their most irreplaceable. Along with his 18 points, Pietrangelo is carrying a minus-4 on the often deceptive plus-minus scale. He has been part of some of the more glaring mismanaged episodes.

But Pietrangelo, 23, is learning what it means to play beaucoup minutes, against elite players, at critical times. In seasons past, a veteran tandem of Barret Jackman and Roman Polak logged many of those minutes. Last season, the Blues had the top goaltending marks in the league and missteps weren’t so obvious.

“You have to be realistic,” Hitchcock said. “(Pietrangelo) gets maxed out every game. He plays in every situation, and all the minutes are heavy. So you have to be careful how you evaluate.

“It’s a different mind-set that you have to develop, and for a younger player it’s a hard mind-set to get into. Because one year you’re getting secondary matchups and the next thing you know, you‘re getting the heavy matchups every night. That’s something Petro is going to have to get used to.”

The lesson is simply stated but not easily absorbed.

“It’s understanding the opponent, understanding the score and understanding the clock,” Hitchcock said. “You can talk about it, but unfortunately, players have to go through it before they learn it.”

The Blues appear to be doing both.



Injured Blues forward Oshie listed as doubtful for Thursday's game

By NORM SANDERS

St. Louis Blues winger T.J. Oshie suffered an upper-body injury Tuesday against the San Jose Sharks and is listed as doubtful for Thursday's game against Phoenix.

Oshie left the ice in the second period Tuesday after attempting a check on Brent Burns along the boards. Oshie fell on the ice, then could be seen receiving attention from the Blues' athletic trainer in the tunnel near the bench.

Oshie has five goals and 17 points in 26 games.

The Blues hope to have Alex Steen (shoulder) and Andy McDonald (knee) back from injuries soon and are still without rookie winger Vladimir Tarasenko (concussion), who has been doing some light skating.

Allen continues hot streak

Blues rookie goalie Jake Allen moved to 6-1 Tuesday in the Blues' 4-2 win over San Jose as he turned away 39 of 41 shots. The 22-year-old New Brunswick native not only made the most saves by a Blues goaltender this season, he also lowered his goals-against average to 2.63 while raising his save percentage to .903.

With the team's success continuing with Allen in net, look for the Blues to continue playing him despite the presence of healthy veterans Jaroslav Halak and Brian Elliott.

Blues still in hunt for defense help?

Blues General Manager Doug Armstrong said rumors about the Blues seeking help for the left side of the defense are nothing new.

The Blues have added veteran Wade Redden to a mix that includes Barret Jackman, Kris Russell and Ian Cole.

"That's an area that we looked at over the summer," Armstrong said. "Right now we have seven guys and I think it's a mistake to think that these guys can't get the job done. They have no choice, they have to get the job done."

Armstrong also likes the job being done by center Patrik Berglund, who ranks ninth in the NHL with 13 goals and has 17 points in 26 games.

The 24-year-old Berglund has four goals and six points during a five-game scoring streak. He also has eight goals in his last 14 games.

"When he has success, he's a power player, he takes the puck to the net and uses his size and strength," Armstrong said. "He's scoring goals right now because of that."

Prospect news

*The Blues on Wednesday agreed in principle to sign forward prospect Ryan Tesink to an entry-level contract. The 19-year-old has 17 goals and 41 points in 41 games with Saint John in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He was a sixth-round draft pick in 2011.

*According to the Peoria Journal Star, defenseman Jani Hakanpaa, the Blues' 2010 fourth-round pick, will join the Rivermen on Thursday and is expected to play this weekend.

The 6-foot-4, 218-pound native of Finland left that country's Espoo Blues team to come play in North America. He had two goals, five points and 34 penalty minutes in 34 games with Espoo.

Belleville News-Democrat LOADED: 03.14.2013

663392 Tampa Bay Lightning

Lindback's play picks up since return in net for Lightning

By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 13, 2013

As Shawn Matthias darted through a pair of Lightning defenders, the Florida forward took a pass on his stick and skated in alone for a breakaway on Tampa Bay goaltender Anders Lindback.

A fragile Lightning team was holding onto a one-goal lead late Tuesday when Matthias broke into the Tampa Bay zone. The lead remained intact after Lindback, looking more confident and comfortable than in recent games, came up with the point-blank stop against Matthias.

"I tried to be patient," Lindback said.

It proved one of those snapshot moments that stand out in the course of a game. Recently, those moments have been for the wrong reasons for Lindback. On Tuesday, it was for the right reason.

"What I liked on that, he wasn't back in his net, he wasn't deep in his net and he challenged him," Lightning coach Guy Boucher said. "Even if (Matthias) had scored, I would have liked the fact that he was challenging him. And when you are scared to lose, you back up."

The hope is that Lindback's 37-save performance in Tuesday's 3-2 win against the Panthers will help him take a step forward and perhaps carry over into today's home game against the New York Islanders.

"It's big for me, and that's what I need to bring to the team every game," Lindback said. "It's going to be more of these tight games (down the stretch). It's my job to step up and give the team a chance to win, so I'm really happy about that."

After Lindback started the season with solid numbers, his game began to slip in mid-February. The low point came in Pittsburgh on Feb. 24, when he was pulled after allowing three goals on 10 shots, including two soft goals, in the first period.

At that point, coaches gave Lindback a chance to catch his breath. After playing only 38 games in two previous NHL seasons, Lindback started 12 of 16 to start this season. So, Mathieu Garon started the next four games.

In Lindback's past three starts, however, his game has steadily risen.

He came within six minutes of a shutout in New Jersey on March 5 and allowed two or fewer goals in all three starts, though he might like to have back the two he allowed against Winnipeg on March 7. In the past three starts, Lindback is 2-1 with a 2.02 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage.

On Tuesday, Lindback looked more in control of his game, swallowing up pucks instead of giving up rebounds. His glove looked as strong as it has all season. And, more importantly, he came up with saves when the team really needed them.

"That's his game. There we go, that's the game he needed, that we needed since the beginning of the year,'' Boucher said. "He's had games where he was close, but there was always something missing. (Tuesday) that was his game. He made the right saves in the third period, the key saves that a top goaltender does."

Though Lindback's game is far from where he wants it to be, perhaps the signs of turning things around are on the horizon.

"He was phenomenal, a big breakaway save in the third, and hopefully this gets him some confidence, because I know the team definitely has confidence in him and he showed it," center Steven Stamkos said. "He did a great job of making the first save and not really giving much."

Perhaps it will be a building block.

"That is going to help him grow, for sure," Boucher said.

Tampa Tribune LOADED: 03.14.2013


Tampa Bay Lightning outshot 39-13 but beat Panthers

By ERIK ERLENDSSON



Out-battled, outplayed and outshot, but not outscored.

That summed up the Lightning's Tuesday night, when they pulled out a 3-2 victory at BB&T Center despite being outshot 39-13.

Marty St. Louis finished with a goal and two assists, Vinny Lecavalier had a goal and an assist and rookie Alex Killorn had two assists. Steven Stamkos scored his league-leading 20th of the season, while Anders Lindback stopped 37 shots.

It didn't take long for the Lightning to get on the board, when St. Louis took a quick peek behind him from along the end boards before putting a backhand pass onto the tape of Lecavalier, who pulled the puck over to his forehand to beat a sliding Jacob Markstrom on the first shot of the game at 1:36. For Lecavalier, it was his first goal in 11 games, dating to Feb. 19. It marked the third time in the past four games Markstrom allowed a goal on the first shot he faced.

From that point, the Panthers had much of the territorial control of the ice, aided by three power-play chances. But despite keeping the puck in Tampa Bay's zone for good portions of time, Florida did not generate many quality scoring chances despite getting 17 shots on goal in the first period. And when the Panthers did get an open look, Lindback was in the right position to make the saves.

The Lightning, however, took advantage of the limited chances they did create to build a 2-0 lead late in the first as Killorn took a pass coming down the open left-wing side sans helmet (it was knocked off earlier in the shift) to feed a cross-ice pass to an open St. Louis who managed to bat the rolling puck and get enough of it to put it into the vacated side of the net with 2:12 left in the period.

Tampa Bay built the two-goal lead despite a 17-3 deficit in shots on goal.

The trend continued in the second period, and it finally cost Tampa Bay in the opening minute as Lindback went out to play the puck and Sami Salo whiffed on the outlet pass, allowing Marcel Goc to find Kris Versteeg at the side of the net for an easy goal 13 seconds into the period to make it 2-1.

Another turnover in the Lightning defensive zone proved costly midway through the second period when Nate Thompson had the puck knocked off his stick behind the net by Jack Skille, who found Tomas Kopecky at the side of the net for a soft shot that found the five-hole on Lindback. A moment before the shot went through Lindback, Salo came through the crease and made contact with Lindback's stick, which opened up the lane for the puck to go under. It marked the second consecutive game the Lightning lost a two-goal lead, and by the time the second period ended Florida held a 30-6 shot advantage.

The Lightning managed to regain the lead as Stamkos drew a penalty after being denied on a partial breakaway chance, only to fire a shot from low in the left circle for a shot that appeared to bank off the stick of Markstrom and into the net at 5:30 for a power-play goal, just the sixth goal on the road with the man advantage this season for Tampa Bay. The Lightning had the 3-2 lead despite being outshot 32-8 at the time.



Tampa Bay Lightning notes: Physical Gudas makes NHL debut

By ERIK ERLENDSSON | The Tampa Tribune



For more than two seasons, the legend of Radko Gudas grew within the Lightning organization nearly as quickly as his thick, lumberjack-like beard.

On Tuesday, Gudas made his NHL debut as the Lightning visited the Florida Panthers.

Drafted in the third round in 2010, the 6-foot, 205-pound defenseman steadily became one of the team’s top prospects. Known for his heavy, open-ice hits in the American Hockey League, Gudas became a complete player while appearing in 206 games with Tampa Bay’s minor league farm team.

He was recalled from Syracuse on Monday.

“He’s a kid that came in two years ago and he had a major upside as far as his physicality … and will hit extremely hard at moments teams don’t expect,’’ Bolts coach Guy Boucher said. “He’s a warrior, but what is great is, over the past two years his game is a little calmer in the sense that he chooses those moments a lot better than he used to.

“And we really, really liked him at (training) camp, and (he) was a lot closer to making the team than we thought. Now, he is just playing extremely steady with the physicality he has always had. And he deserves to be here.’’

Gudas leads the AHL with a plus-32 rating while picking up 207 penalty minutes this season. He was home relaxing with his roommates Monday when he received a call on his cell phone from the 813 area code.

“I hadn’t had (Steve Yzerman’s) phone number, but I saw that it was somebody from Florida calling, so I had a little feeling but I wasn’t sure,’’ Gudas said. “But I was so excited.’’

Gudas called his father in Prague, Czech Republic, to share the news, but his parents were not able to arrange a flight to see his NHL debut. Instead, his parents are expected to be in attendance Thursday for his home debut.

Lightning LW Pierre-Cedric Labrie said opposing teams will learn to keep their head up when Gudas is on the ice.

“He’s got his own style, and his style is rare,’’ Labrie said. “He comes low and fast, and you better keep your head up when you come across the blue line because he’s coming.

“He’s hard to play against. … There are so many good things to say about that guy.’’

Familiar foes

Tampa Bay G Anders Lindback and Florida G Jacob Markstrom faced off against each other Tuesday. The two were teammates in their hometown of Gavle, Sweden, with Byrnas in the Swedish Elite League.

During the 2008-09 season, the two were the goaltending tandem, with Lindback appearing in 24 games while Markstrom, a year younger than Lindback, appeared in 35 games. Lindback moved on the following season to Timra for one season before joining the NHL’s Nashville Predators.

Markstrom, a second-round pick by Florida in 2008, spent the past two seasons in the Panthers’ minor-league system and has recently assumed the No. 1 role for Florida after Jose Theodore went down with a torn groin muscle.

Nuts and Bolts

G Mathieu Garon was activated off injured reserve, while G Cedrick Desjardins was reassigned to Syracuse. … Tampa Bay scratched D Brian Lee, RW Adam Hall and Labrie. … RW Marty St. Louis registered his 11th multi-point game of the season. … C Tom Pyatt suffered an undisclosed upper-body injury in the first period and did not return. … In a 60-minute

span, dating to the third period on Saturday and through two periods Tuesday, the Lightning had a total of eight shots on goal.



Tampa Bay Lightning D Radko Gudas says "I hope he's okay" after hit on Florida's Kris Versteeg

Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer

Wednesday, March 13, 2013 3:24pm

With 12:31 to go in the third period of his first NHL game, Lightning defenseman Radko Gudas got some attention he did not want as a knee-to-knee hit with Florida's Kris Versteeg forced the Panthers right wing out of the game with a right-knee injury.

Gudas said the play was accidental and replays showed the hit was not dirty. Gudas was not penalized. As of Wednesday afternoon, there was no update on Versteeg's condition.

"It’s the type of my game. I play the body," Gudas said. "I wasn’t going to hurt him or anything. I went for the puck and turned my back to him and he kind of tried to jump around me. It’s something that happens in hockey. I obviously didn’t want him to get hurt or anything. I hope he’s okay."

Added Lightning coach Guy Boucher:"That body check wasn't a body check, if you look at it. It wasn't cheap. It wasn't anything. It's just bad luck for Versteeg. I feel bad. Even if it's an opponent, you don't want to see that."

Gudas had a successful debut with two hits and three blocked shots in 15:20 of ice time.

"He played solid. He played poised, a lot more poised than I though he would be for a first game," Boucher said.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.14.2013


Lightning seeks more shots

Damian Cristodero, Times Staff Writer

Wednesday, March 13, 2013 2:55pm

SUNRISE — At various times Tuesday, coach Guy Boucher was both frustrated and furious behind the Lightning bench.

It wasn't just that the team couldn't generate shots on goal against the league-worst Panthers — 13 were two off the franchise low — it was that players were passing up shots to look for even better plays.

"I've got 12 in my mind right now," Boucher said. "I'm on the bench, yelling, 'Shoot the puck!' "

Thanks to goaltender Anders Lindback, Tampa Bay beat the Panthers 3-2 at the BB&T Center despite being outshot 39-13. But the happy ending could not mask — and actually more brightly highlighted — a problem the Lightning has battled all season: It simply does not take enough shots.

A team with Steven Stamkos, Vinny Lecavalier, Marty St. Louis, Teddy Purcell and rookie of the year hopeful Cory Conacher was 28th in the 30-team league entering Wednesday, averaging 26.7 per game.

In 2010-11, when Tampa Bay went to the Eastern Conference final, it tied for seventh with an average of 31.8. Doesn't sound like much of a difference. But over an 82-game schedule, that's 419 more shots (2,608 to 2,189) and 419 more opportunities to score.

Stamkos' 91 shots entered Wednesday tied for 11th in the league, but you had to go to 72nd place to find the next Lightning player, Lecavalier with 62. Purcell, with perhaps the team's best wrist shot, was tied for 194th with 43.

Then there is this: Tampa Bay has outshot opponents in just nine of 26 games, going 5-4-0.

There were plenty of reasons for Tuesday's drought. The Panthers kept their defensemen hard on the side boards, which helped keep the puck in the Lightning zone. Tampa Bay also was down to 10 forwards by late in the first period because of Tom Pyatt's upper-body injury, so fatigue might have played a part.

Unsaid was Florida also worked harder than the Lightning to control the puck. Then there was what Boucher called "the disease of skill guys."

"Because they're skilled — and we got a lot of skill guys — they're overdoing it with the skill and grinding it less," he said.

"They're stuck on the nice plays they make and passing plays they make, and they're looking for them. But the great majority of times, it's just not there. And we just passed up an opportunity to put a puck on net that could go in or could give us a rebound."

Stamkos said it is not so simple. The team's 5-13-1 swoon, including losses in eight of its past 11 games, has toyed with the players' confidence.

"There were a few times where … confidence with the puck, confidence in making hard plays … you don't want to be that guy that screws up," he said.

The result: "We gave them the puck," he said of Tuesday's game, "chipping it out of our zone when maybe there's a pass. Hopefully, a win gets some confidence."

Boucher joked he would whip his players to get the message across before tonight's game with the Islanders at the Tampa Bay Times Forum.

His actual plan is to show them video of shooting opportunities they ignored.

"You just need to put (the puck) on the goalie," Boucher said. "It's not a dangerous shot, but it creates chaos in the (offensive) zone. That's what they need to do."

PYATT UPDATE: There was no word Wednesday on Pyatt's injury other than he was day-to-day.

Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 03.14.2013

663397 Toronto Maple Leafs

Carlyle facing key questions over Grabovski, Gardiner as Leafs hit skids

JAMES MIRTLE

TORONTO — The Globe and Mail


Last updated Wednesday, Mar. 13 2013, 8:08 PM EDT

Randy Carlyle had a message on Wednesday.

There will be no rash decisions, even with the barbarians (read: fans and media) baying for change.

And as poorly as he acknowledges his NHL team has played in a couple recent outings, the Toronto Maple Leafs head coach is adamant he’s not going to change “the template” he set out.

“We try to take 24 hours and get ourselves calmed down,” Carlyle said following a late practice, a mere 14 or so hours after an ugly 5-2 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. “I think I was upset more last night than any game this year.”

Carlyle has had, until this recent three-game losing skid, a fairly charmed start to his first full season in Toronto.

After all, the Leafs didn’t lose more than two games in a row and ran up an impressive 15-9-0 record that put them only two points from the Northeast Division lead.

A winless week later, however, and they have to suddenly worry about teams like Winnipeg coming up from behind them.

If Toronto doesn’t snap its losing skid in two home games Thursday and Saturday against the Pittsburgh Penguins and Jets, respectively, there’s a scenario where the Maple Leafs can be in ninth place in the Eastern Conference – outside of playoff position – within three days.

The losing of late, meanwhile, has shone more of a spotlight on some of Carlyle’s curious lineup decisions.

In Winnipeg, that included benching centre Mikhail Grabovski and his linemates for most of the game’s second half, in favour of a fourth line that includes enforcers Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren.

With the Leafs trailing 3-1, Grabovski played only five of the game’s final 30 minutes, as part of an ongoing clash between the coach and a player who is often regarded as one of the hardest working and most valuable on the team.

The Leafs’ highest-paid forward hasn’t been as productive as in the past this season, in large part due to the role he is playing. Carlyle has decided to deploy Grabovski as a checking centre, often starting his shifts in the defensive zone and against team’s top lines (much like he did with Sammy Pahlsson in Anaheim).

Grabovski’s wingers, meanwhile, have been Nikolai Kulemin and either Jay McClement or Leo Komarov for most of the season – a trio that has produced a combined 25 goals in its last 231 NHL games dating back to the start of last season.

Despite that, Grabovski and Kulemin have still combined for one fewer even-strength point (22) than the more-heralded duo of Phil Kessel and Tyler Bozak.

After averaging more than 18 minutes a game early on this season, however, Grabovski’s minutes are down to closer to 15 a game the last month.

“You make the call,” Carlyle said curtly when asked after Tuesday’s loss if Grabovski’s ice time was cut due to a lack of offence – something evident in the fact he has just six points in his last 16 games.

The other area that has become a focal point for the Leafs coach is the blueline, where he has used an AHL veteran on every pairing and had their inexperience show recently against speedy teams such as the Jets.

With 22-year-old Jake Gardiner excelling in the minors (30 points in 40 games) after making the NHL’s all-rookie team last season, questions have been raised for weeks over why he has yet to join the big club.

Those murmurs hit a fevered pitch after Tuesday’s loss, when Gardiner’s agent, Ben Hankinson, posted a tweet saying simply “Free Jake Gardiner.”

“I don’t really pay attention to what agents have to say,” Carlyle said in response. “I don’t live in the Twitter world. …

“Jake had an opportunity here. He played two games for our hockey club, and we felt he was nowhere near where he needed to be. We went forward as we’ve done with some other players. Jake needed seasoning in the AHL and when we feel it’s time for Jake to come back, we’re going to make that decision. And we’re not going to be influenced by anybody.”

As for the highs and lows of his early tenure in Toronto, Carlyle noted he and his team are doing their best to remain unfazed by those as well.

“That’s why when people were pumping our tires two weeks ago about what we were, our statement has always been we’re a work in progress,” he said. “There’s no better example than when you have performances like we did [Tuesday].”



Mirtle: Why the Leafs should #FreeJakeGardiner

JAMES MIRTLE

TORONTO — The Globe and Mail


Last updated Wednesday, Mar. 13 2013, 2:30 PM EDT

Oh the firestorm that follows a Toronto Maple Leafs losing streak.

And this isn’t even much of a streak either. Yet.

Yes, the Leafs lost (and lost badly) to the Jets in Winnipeg on Tuesday night, a game that ranks up with their worst performances of the year and against a team that’s right on their heels.

And, after the game, player agent Ben Hankinson tweeted out #FreeJakeGardiner.

As in Leafs prospect Jake Gardiner, the young defenceman who had 30 points in 40 games with the Marlies right now and was on the NHL’s all-rookie team a year ago.

In fairness to the Leafs management, there was a strong case to have Gardiner down in the AHL originally. He was trying to recover from a concussion, obviously wasn’t up to speed and so was given more seasoning in the minors.

On the flip side, however, it’s clear the big club could use his talents.

Gardiner played the fourth most minutes of anyone on the Leafs last season, behind only Dion Phaneuf and Carl Gunnarsson on the blueline, and, for the most part, acquitted himself quite well – especially for a rookie who wasn’t expected to make the team.

He had 30 points and averaged more than 21 minutes a night, playing on both special teams regularly and often on a pairing with the since departed Luke Schenn. (Gardiner’s best play was with Cody Franson, however.)

Most importantly, Gardiner has considerable speed and the ability to move the puck well out of the Leafs end, something that’s certainly been an issue this season. The Leafs are one of the weakest puck possession teams in the league, and someone like Korbinian Holzer playing top pairing minutes is part of the reason why.

That said, calling up Gardiner isn’t a cure for everything that ails this team, and he’s probably best suited for a third-pairing role to start off. (There’s also the issue of waivers. Once Gardiner plays three more NHL games, he would require them to be sent back down – one of the main reasons the Leafs have been cautious with his recall.)

In order to open a spot for him, coach Randy Carlyle would also have to relent and return Phaneuf to the right side – where he’s spent most of his career – giving the Leafs better depth on right defence and allowing Gardiner to play with either Phaneuf, Mike Kostka or Franson.

Gunnarsson – Phaneuf

Fraser – Franson

Gardiner – Kostka

(There’s also John-Michael Liles to consider, too, and he’s also a left sider who could be worked in as soon as Thursday’s game against the Penguins. No easy task after a long layoff.)

The Leafs have to be careful here, though. Recalling Gardiner in the midst of a losing streak could put undue pressure on him, but Toronto also has a tenuous hold on a playoff spot and is in danger of beginning a bad slide.

Should they lose their next two games, they can fall to ninth in the East as soon as Saturday night, and more widespread panic would set in.

And good luck quietly recalling Gardiner then.

This whole situation brought out the media in full force on Wednesday, as many attended both the Marlies pregame skate in the morning (which is rare) and the Leafs practice later in the day.

Marlies coach Dallas Eakins, as he tends to be, was diplomatic about the whole thing, offering more praise for Gardiner and saying the firestorm would be a good lesson for a young player in a crazy market.

“From his agent’s point of view, I’m not sure how well thought it was,” Eakins said. “Jake’s got a game today. He and I have a plan in place for how we’re trying to get him back to the NHL… He’s caught in a roster thing right now.

“His game is very good. I’ve challenged him and our team needs to be the best player on the ice every night, and on most nights, he’s done that.”



Carlyle says simply: Gardiner will be up when he is ready ... and no sooner

By Terry Koshan ,Toronto Sun


TORONTO - Jake Gardiner is going to play in the National Hockey League, again.

Maple Leafs coach Randy Carlyle is sure of it.

The question weighing on the mind of seemingly everyone in Leafs Nation, though, is when?

The hand-wringing has taken on a greater sense of urgency with the Leafs riding a season-high three-game losing streak into Thursday’s home date with Sidney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

But there’s been no summoning of Gardiner from the Marlies, and his agent, Ben Hankinson, didn’t aid the situation when he tweeted late on Tuesday night #FreeJakeGardiner after the Leafs were trounced 5-2 on the road by the Winnipeg Jets.

“It’s our job to make sure the timing is right and he is performing at a level where he is too good for the American Hockey League,” Carlyle said following practice at the Air Canada Centre on Wednesday.

“And I have not heard anyone tell me he has. He has NHL-quality skills, he is going to play in the NHL. It’s just a matter of when.”

For Carlyle, Hankinson’s little outburst on Twitter meant nothing.

“I don’t really pay attention to what agents have to say,” Carlyle said. “I don’t live in the Twitter world. We make our judgment and our assessment on our players both in the NHL and the American league.”

Gardiner, before the Marlies played host to Lake Erie on Wednesday, had 10 goals and 20 assists in 40 games with the Baby Leafs and was minus-3. Carlyle was asked whether it was the defensive side of Gardiner’s game that needed to improve before he was recalled.

“He played two games for our hockey club (in January) and we felt he was nowhere near what he needed to be,” Carlyle said. “Jake needed seasoning in the American Hockey League, and when we feel it is time for him to come back, we are going to make that decision.

Not influenced

“We are not going to be influenced by anybody other than the people who are doing the assessing and the people who are involved in the organization.”

It could be that Gardiner’s waiver status has been a factor in the Leafs’ decision to keep him on the farm. Once Gardiner plays in three more NHL games, he will reach 80, and would require waivers to be returned to the Marlies. In other words, when Gardiner, who made the NHL’s all-rookie team in 2011-12, is back with the Leafs, he won’t wear the Marlies sweater, again.

No matter how Carlyle slices it, the issue is going to be present until Gardiner is recalled or the Leafs start winning again with regularity. Veterans John-Michael Liles and Mike Komisarek are taking up spots in the press box, and though Carlyle acknowledged the option remains to make changes against the Penguins, that is not an automatic.

Carlyle would like to see NHL neophytes such as Korbinian Holzer and Mike Kostka work out the kinks instead of benching them.

“The learning curve for some of our younger players is we are at the halfway point of the season, and the points that are available are going to be acquired through more desperation,” Carlyle said. “You have to play better and that’s no hidden fact.”

The loss against the Jets led to the assumption that Carlyle wouldn’t have much choice but to throw a different look at the Penguins. Yet after Carlyle had a look at the game video and met with his players prior to practice, he

wasn’t as bent out of shape as he was in the minutes immediately after the loss.

“I was upset more last night than any game last year from a coaching standpoint,” Carlyle said. “Sometimes you take 24 hours and you watch the video and you re-evaluate. Are there people on the sideline who can play better than the individuals who have been playing? We have not had to make too many changes. This is decision time for us.

“We are looking for positive reaction (to the three-game losing streak). It is about resetting ourselves, refocusing, rejigging, whatever word you want to describe, until the template we have created (is met).

“It does not matter if it is Pittsburgh, Boston or Winnipeg, whoever it is. We have to focus on the things we do well.”

And for now, apparently, that focus does not include Gardiner.

Toronto Sun LOADED: 03.14.2013


Leafs' Lupul says he's 'ready'



TORONTO - Is Joffrey Lupul around the corner from rejoining the Leafs? It appears that way.

Lupul, who suffered a broken forearm against Pittsburgh on Jan. 23, took more progressive steps during practice on Wednesday.

Lupul wore the same colour sweater as centre Mikhail Grabovski and wingers Jay McClement and Nikolai Kulemin.

“He looks good from the standpoint of the way he moves out there,” coach Randy Carlyle said. “But I don’t think it would be wise to get too far ahead of ourselves with him participating in a limited amount in (his) first practice. He just did all of the forechecking. Instead of a coach doing it we sent a player to do it. We will have more on the doctor’s assessment of him as we go forward in the next couple of days.”

Next Wednesday will mark eight weeks that Lupul was hurt when he was hit by a Dion Phaneuf slapshot.

“It is not my decision,” Lupul said. “It’s whenever I am cleared to play, I will be playing. For me, I feel good and my conditioning is fine. Ready to go when I get the green light.”

PENS HAVE CONCERNS

As much as the Maple Leafs will be concerned with Sidney Crosby on Thursday night, Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma has his own worries when he looks at the Leafs roster.

The Penguins held the Leafs to 21 shots in regulation before Crosby’s shootout winner earned Pittsburgh a 5-4 victory last Saturday at the Air Canada Centre.

“They have very good quick transition, they are an attacking team, and have skill there in all (top) three lines,” Bylsma told reporters on Wednesday.

“We don’t want the game to be up and down, or by words that I have read, a track meet. We want to control the game much better than that by playing good with the puck and in the offensive zone.

“We want to stay away from that type of game and minimize their opportunities with the puck.”

And if the two teams go to a shootout again? Bet on the Penguins. They’re a career 4-0 against the Leafs in the shootout since it was introduced for the 2005-06 season.

BALLS ON ICE

The Leafs opened practice on Wednesday with free-for-all games of shinny at both ends of the ACC, using orange street-hockey balls.

This after the Leafs lost in Winnipeg on Tuesday night, their third setback in a row.

“We just felt that in some of the situations you are presented with over the course of the season, when you don’t feel good about yourself, it’s time to resort back to when you were a kid,” Carlyle said. “We all played ball hockey, street hockey, and you can see it lightens the mood for your practice, it picks your players up and gives them a little touch about what their childhood was about and the game was meant to be fun.

“But the most fun about the game of hockey is when you win. It’s all about preparing our group for our hockey game tomorrow night.”

LOOSE LEAFS

There was no indication from Carlyle, but the expectation is that Ben Scrivens will start in goal versus Pittsburgh ... Penguins defenceman Kris Letang, who leads all NHL rearguards with 24 assists, doesn’t want to hear that he is in the running for the Norris Trophy. “You think about it, but I

don’t,” Letang said. “The biggest thing is to win the Stanley Cup, especially in a short season like this.” ... In the annual coaches poll of players in the Ontario Hockey League’s Eastern Conference, a couple of Leafs prospects garnered votes. Tyler Biggs of the Oshawa Generals was third in the hardest shot category and Stuart Percy of the Mississauga Steelheads tied for second in the best shooter in shootouts.



Agent's tweet sets back Jake Gardiner

By Steve Simmons ,Toronto Sun


TORONTO - Whatever it was that Jake Gardiner said to his agent on the telephone Wednesday morning, the young defenceman wasn’t about to share it with those who had surrounded him with cameras and microphones outside the Toronto Marlies dressing room.

He looked the way he usually looks in front of the Toronto lights, part-deer, part-headlights, somewhat frozen, unemotional and just a little bit stoic.

“It’s his choice to do that,” Gardiner said of his agent, Ben Hankinson, who had taken to Twitter on the same night the Leafs were thumped by the Winnipeg Jets and written #FreeJakeGardiner.

“It’s his choice,” said Gardiner. “Not much I can really control ... I don’t think he meant any harm by it.”

Gardiner said that. His words may have seemed true. Perhaps they were. But his body language spoke differently.

His body language said: I’m only out here speaking to you fine media people because my %^$#%& agent got me in the headlines, and now I have to cover his ass and explain everything.

Me? If Ben Hankinson were my agent on Tuesday night, he wouldn’t have been by Wednesday morning. I would have fired him. If Hankinson wants to advocate for his client, wants to inquire why he isn’t playing for the Leafs, why he hasn’t been called up — which, frankly, a lot of us have been wondering about — Twitter isn’t the place to make his mark.

A phone call to Dave Nonis, the Leafs general manager, would be a nice start. A conversation with Nonis’ lieutenants, Dave Poulin or Claude Loiselle, may be appropriate. Taking on the Leafs front office in social media? That’s for fans. It’s the most immature of mediums, and not for those representing prized prospects.

Apparently, Hankinson has gone that route. His late night tweet, though, blew up on him. Hankinson, for the record, made himself unavailable to defend himself Wednesday.

“I’m not sure how well- thought it was from the agent’s point of view,” said Dallas Eakins, the coach who has been handed the important job of further developing Gardiner’s game. “(Jake’s) got a game today. Him and I have a plan in place and how we’re trying to get him back to the NHL and part of the plan is for him to be the best player on the ice everyday. To do that, you have to be mentally free of everything.

“We have a little bit of white noise going on (today).”

Here is among the problems with Hankinson’s tweet. Just about every day in the past few weeks, the Leafs front office has had a conversation about Gardiner. They have spoken to Eakins every day. The matter being discussed: When’s the optimum time to bring Gardiner back to the Leafs?

“If we call him up today, which might have been possible, everybody will say we’re bowing to the pressure of the agent,” said a Leafs front-office voice. “If we don’t call him up, some will say we’re just being stubborn about it. Either way, it’s not right. (Hankinson’s) put his kid in a position he doesn’t need to be.

“It’s not like we haven’t been talking about this every single day.”

The current youngsters on the Leafs defence, Mike Kostka, Korbinian Holzer, Mark Fraser, may all be NHL players for the long run, although that’s doubtful. But none of them have what Gardiner has. None of them are in demand elsewhere. None of them made the NHL’s all-rookie team a year ago. None of them have the explosive game-changing speed that makes Gardiner so rare a commodity.

But one of them will have to go, unless the Leafs do something with the well-paid press-box watcher John-Michael Liles, to make room for Gardiner. Fraser isn’t going anywhere, he’s been too solid. Kostka would need to

clear waivers to be sent down, so that’s unlikely. The more likely to be sent out is the newly signed Holzer, who can still be sent to the AHL without restraints.

Gardiner is aware of all this: It’s his agents job to make him aware of all the possibilities. And it’s his agent’s job to do his bidding — primarily in private. And no doubt, it will be that way in the future.

Gardiner will be called up, maybe today, maybe tomorrow. He is now day to day with the Marlies.

“I don’t want him happy to be here,” said Eakins of the AHL. “I don’t want any of our players happy to be here. I want him to be clawing to get out of this dressing room and back to the NHL.

“It’s like a tightrope a little bit. You want him to be angry. You want him to be hungry but, at the same time, you don’t want it to turn into a negative or affect the team. That’s the great thing about Jake. Is he hungry to get out of here? Absolutely. Have we seen any little bit of it in the dressing room or around his teammates? Absolutely not.”

When asked if Gardiner is ready to return to the NHL, Eakins answered with an emphatic: “Absolutely.”

The question now is when? This season has been difficult enough for Gardiner already, with the concussion recovery and trying to find his legs again. His agent didn’t need to make it that much more trying.



Leafs' Kadri keeping an eye on Crosby



TORONTO - When he watches Sidney Crosby, Nazem Kadri does all he can to stop from sneaking a pad on to the Maple Leafs bench to take notes.

“Everyone can take something out of his game, especially when he comes to town or we go there,” Kadri said of the Pittsburgh Penguins superstar. “Every single player on this team has to elevate their game. If you don’t, he is going to burn you.”

Unlike opposing players, fans and media, for the most part, aren’t at ice level to watch the 25-year-old work his magic. It’s one thing to marvel at Crosby from a distance, quite another to play on the same surface.

Kadri tries to soak up all he can when the Leafs play the Penguins.

“He has top-end talent but his work ethic and determination are on a whole other level,” Kadri said. “He refuses to be out-willed. He’s the guy — you can put your money on it — if the puck is going in the corner, and he is after it, most likely he is going to be the one coming up with it.

“I’m watching him, trying to take as many positive things as I can and apply it to my game.”

The Leafs were reminded of Crosby’s power during a 5-4 shootout loss against the Penguins at the Air Canada Centre last Saturday. Crosby scored in regulation and then got the winner in the post-game skills competition. Crosby spent much of the game locked in an intense clash with Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf, a respectful battle that goes back to their days together with Canada’s junior team.

In his NHL career, Crosby has 19 goals and 19 assists in 24 games against the Leafs. How do the Leafs hope to contain him?

“There are different ways,” Leafs coach Randy Carlyle said. “If you want to turn the puck over and give him the opportunity to play in the offensive zone and attack, he is a dynamic player. He has proven it and he has been very effective here over the last little while.

“We saw first-hand how dominant he can be, but I think we had a lot to do with it as far as turning the puck over and giving him the space he cherishes. You have to out-work him, and that’s not an easy task when you have a player of that level.”



One year later, Leafs are in a familiar position

By Michael Traikos

Boy, this is starting to look familiar.

It was a year ago when the Toronto Maple Leafs seemed secure in a playoff spot and were even eyeing the possibility of gaining home-ice advantage for the first round. But then they lost 2-1 to the Winnipeg Jets on Feb. 7, which triggered a spectacular downward spiral with the team going 2-13-2 over 17 games and eventually led to a 13th-place finish in the Eastern Conference standings.

On Tuesday night, Toronto fell 5-2 to those same Jets, extending its losing streak to a season-high three games. The Leafs are still in a playoff spot, but is this once again the beginning of the end?

Based on what lies ahead, it very well could be. Toronto plays the mighty Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday, who defeated the Leafs 5-4 in an overtime shootout earlier this week. After that, there is a rematch against Winnipeg, who are now only three points back of Toronto and at the end the month are playing back-to-back games against the Boston Bruins.

In other words, head coach Randy Carlyle has little time to get the Leafs back to playing like they were earlier in the year or else the playoffs could quickly slip from Toronto’s grasp.

The Leafs are currently in sixth place with a 15-11-1 record and 31 points. Here is a breakdown of the five teams breathing down their neck in the standings:

New Jersey Devils, 7th place (29 points)

Games played 26

The rest of the week vs. Philadelphia (Wednesday), at Philadelphia (Thursday), vs. Montreal (Saturday)

The Skinny The Devils are coming off a brutal skid, where they lost six straight and eight of nine. Coincidentally, the troubles began when Martin Brodeur suffered a back injury, leaving the team in the shaky hands of backup Johan Hedberg, who has been pulled twice since then. Hedberg won has two of his last three games, but the longer Brodeur remains out, the further the Devils will fall out of the playoff picture.

New York Rangers, 8th place (28 points)

Games played 25

Record 13-10-2

The rest of the week at Winnipeg (Thursday), at Pittsburgh (Saturday)

The Skinny Based on head coach John Tortorella’s most recent post-game tirade following a 3-1 loss to the Sabres — “We sucked. We sucked at a time when we can’t suck” — you might think that the Rangers were spiraling down the standings. But that was just Torts being Torts. The team has actually won five of its last seven, Rick Nash has 16 points in his last 11, and since returning from a two-game absence Brad Richards has two goals in three games. In other words, expect them to be there.

Winnipeg Jets, 9th place (28 points)

Games played 26

Record 13-11-2

The rest of the week vs. NY Rangers (Thursday), at Toronto (Saturday)

The Skinny Winners of three of their last four games, the Jets are coming are strong. Part of the reason for the recent surge is goaltender Ondrej Pavelec, who allowed seven goals in his last four games and has been a factor in Winnipeg’s nine-game streak of not allowing a power play goal. If Evander Kane, who has two goals in his last two games, can stay consistent the Jets should be a threat.

New York Islanders, 10th place (25 points)

Games played 26

Record 11-12-3 (26 GP)

The rest of the week at Tampa Bay (Thursday), at Florida (Saturday)

The Skinny Led by John Tavares, who has 16 goals and 29 points, the Islanders might be considered the dark horse of the Eastern Conference standings. But do not count them out. In the last week, the Islanders defeated the Canadiens and Senators and benefit from playing the second-last place Capitals twice more and the last-place Panthers three more times before the season ends.

Philadelphia Flyers, 11th place (25 points)

Games played 27

Record 12-14-1

The rest of the week at New Jersey (Wednesday), vs. New Jersey (Friday)

The Skinny Chris Pronger is not ruling out a comeback and neither have the Flyers, who lost three of their last four games but are far too talented to miss the playoffs. That does not necessarily mean they will make it, because as of right now they do not look like a playoff team. The big concern — aside from goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov and the defence — is Danny Briere, who has gone 10 games without a goal.

National Post LOADED: 03.14.2013


Jake Gardiner’s agent makes life a little more complicated for Leafs defenceman after

By Sean Fitz-Gerald

In Winnipeg, the Toronto Maple Leafs were preparing for an uncomfortable flight home, having lost three straight games for the first time this season. In cyberspace, the court of public opinion was rendering its decisions, and that court included a player agent.

Not long before midnight, Toronto time, the agent posted this into his Twitter account for the world to see: “#FreeJakeGardiner.”

#FreeJakeGardiner—

Ben Hankinson (@benhankinson) March 13, 2013

The agent, Ben Hankinson, represents Gardiner, the 22-year-old defenceman banished by the Leafs to the American Hockey League more than a month ago. Hankinson’s message spread quickly online, shared hundreds of times within minutes.

Gardiner has 30 points in 40 games with the Toronto Marlies this season, with four points in his last three games. He is a creative, puck-moving defenceman, and he has not caught the eye of Leafs coach Randy Carlyle, for whatever reason.

Jake Gardiner on #FreeJakeGardiner: "I'm just waiting for my opportunity."—

Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 13, 2013

Dallas Eakins on #FreeJakeGardiner: "From his agent's standpoint, I'm not sure it was well thought out."—

Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) March 13, 2013

The Leafs already have a pair of well-known defencemen sitting in their press box. John-Michael Liles has not played since Feb. 16, and Mike Komisarek has dressed four times for the Leafs this season, and not since Feb. 2.

Gardiner has only played in two games with the Leafs this season. He was still recovering from an injury suffered in the AHL when the NHL emerged from its lockout. The Leafs used him in Games No. 3 and 4 — a win (over Pittsburgh) and a loss (to the New York Islanders) — and have not used him since.

Toronto fell 5-2 to the Winnipeg Jets on Tuesday. It was the team’s third loss in a row with a handful of difficult games ahead on the schedule. Goaltender James Reimer was pulled in the third period, after Winnipeg’s fourth goal.

In the post-game scrum, a reporter asked Carlyle to identify the team’s defensive struggles at even strength. (Only one of Winnipeg’s goals was scored on the power-play.)

“We’re doing a lot of circling right now,” Carlyle said. “We’re not engaging in the hockey game from a physical standpoint. And if you watch our defensive zone coverage in some of the situations, we want to circle, and we’re not playing in straight lines right now … the ‘try’ is there, but the intelligent ‘try’ wasn’t there.”

He will almost certainly be asked where Gardiner’s name might fit into an equation like that the next time he meets a crowd of reporters.

National Post LOADED: 03.14.2013

663405 Vancouver Canucks

Canucks hopeful Steve Pinizzotto sees NHL opportunity finally knocking

By Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun March 13, 2013

VANCOUVER — When the Chicago Wolves were in Abbotsford this past October for a two-game series with the Heat, winger Steve Pinizzotto described his National Hockey League dream this way: “I’ve thought about it for 28 years now.”

Well, that lifelong dream — now almost 29 years old — seems about to finally become a reality, perhaps even as soon as Thursday.

Pinizzotto was scheduled to complete his two-week conditioning stint with the Wolves on Wednesday in Grand Rapids, Mich., and Canucks’ assistant general manager Laurence Gilman confirmed the rugged winger will join the team Thursday.

He figures to play his first NHL game either Thursday when the Canucks open a four-game homestand against the Nashville Predators or on Saturday against the Detroit Red Wings.

To paraphrase something broadcaster Jim Robson once said about Trevor Linden, at this point Pinizzotto would play on crutches.

“I’ve had a little bit of bad luck, some adversity, but the door is kind of creeping open here, so I just want to make the best of my opportunity,” Pinizzotto said over the phone Wednesday from Grand Rapids.

“I haven’t heard anything yet to be honest so I have to deal with tonight first and go from there.”

But Gilman indicated Wednesday that Pinizzotto will join the Canucks on Thursday. Pinizzotto was placed on the Canuck roster prior to his conditioning stint, so there is a spot here waiting for him and the Canucks do not have to waive anyone to make room for him.

Pinizzotto’s NHL and Canuck debut probably should have occurred 18 months ago. He missed all of last season after injuring his shoulder in a Canuck pre-season game when it looked like he was going to crack the team out of training camp.

He was expected to compete for a job at this season’s short post-lockout camp, but was out with a groin injury.

Before signing with the Canucks last season, Pinizzotto languished in the minor league system of the Washington Capitals. Despite two solid seasons with the AHL Hershey Bears, during which time he registered 83 points and 302 penalty minutes, Pinizzotto never got a sniff with the Capitals.

“It’s been a long time coming, but that’s how the cards played out and I can’t dwell on the negatives from the past,” he said Wednesday. “I want to focus on the future.”

The Canucks are anxious to finally get a look at Pinizzotto in their lineup.

“He was a very sought-after commodity when we signed him nearly two years ago,” Gilman said. “He had a very productive training camp and was well on his way to earning a spot on our roster when he got injured. Unfortunately, he has had injury issues this year. But that being said, there is clearly a premium on players like this in the marketplace.

“There’s a very high degree of probability that he would be picked up on waivers. There have been a lot of people around the league asking questions about him.”

Although Pinizzotto figures to spend much of Thursday travelling from Michigan to Vancouver, there is a chance he could play Thursday night.

“He could very easily be in the lineup,” Gilman said.

The Canucks and head coach Alain Vigneault like Pinizzotto’s grit and the fact he has a decent skill set to go along with it. If his stay in Vancouver is going to be a long one, Pinizzotto knows he must bring that physical presence every shift.

“That’s kind of what I do, finish checks, put the odd point up,” Pinizzotto said.

“I just want to help the team win some games. I just see myself being a huge energy guy, who gets some bumps in and gets the team fired up. Everybody kind of feeds off that stuff.”

Pinizzotto, a right-winger, is likely to start on the fourth line and could bump newly acquired Tom Sestito into the press box.

ICE CHIPS: Pinizzotto has four goals, 12 points and 27 penalty minutes in 24 games with the Wolves this season ... He’ll join fellow Rochester Institute of Technology product Chris Tanev in the Vancouver lineup ... Pinizzotto won a pair of Calder Cups while playing for the Hershey Bears.

Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 03.14.2013


Canucks Hat Trick: Gallagher proposes provincial David Booth lottery. If he ever scores, think of the excitement!

By Jonathan McDonald

After what can only be described as a scintillating shootout win for the Canucks Tuesday night in Columbus, Province Sports columnist Tony Gallagher serves up the often-entertaining post-game Canucks Hat Trick. TG, over to you …

1. Twenty-four hours ago, everyone in talk radio and in media jobs all over the continent agreed: There was absolutely no market for Roberto Luongo, the Canucks’ veteran goaltender. His contract was long, onerous in real dollars that still need to be paid, with the salary cap coming down for next season. Plus, he was fanning more pucks than a geisha performing a Japanese tea service.

Reality might have been an entirely different world altogether, as some teams may have been able to look past his previous two performances to a rather larger body of work but, heavens, you need to be paid what GM’s get paid to think that way and that certainly isn’t the case with many of us in this business.

Then, last night, Luongo plays well, drags the Canucks from a game they deserved to lose and puts two points on the board by himself. Presto, everything will have changed today and that certainly suggests a need for the equivalent to the Libor rating to measure volatility in the goalie market. That would rise and fall as the possibility of a trade involving the likes of Cory Schneider, Ben Bishop or Jonathan Bernier rose and fell based on their last performance.

That would satisfy those of us in the media, who need numbers for everything.

2. Speaking of Luongo and Cory Schneider, that little meeting at the bench early in the third period, after coach Alain Vigneault wisely called a timeout — after another of his between-period chats didn’t work out so well, and the team spent the first four minutes examining every square inch of its own zone — was so touching. Here was Schneider chortling on the bench, joking with Lui after he had taken a shot flush in the tummy, and the two were getting on like Laurel and Hardy.

I fear we will not know the true feelings of either of these two guys until long after the fact, long after one of them has changed addresses and speaks his mind. That’s always been the pattern with Luongo. You never know what he’s really thinking about an issue at the time, but it comes out after it’s no longer an issue. He calls it being professional and we call it something else quietly, especially if we’re lied to.

So it will almost certainly be the case this time. When the divorce finally comes along and Luongo is finally asked about his feelings of what it was like, then it will come out. Maybe there will be no change, but not until then will we really know what they truly believe about this idea of two No. 1 goalies.

3. We need to start a provincial lottery for high rollers on when David Booth will score his first goal. We know the commissioner doesn’t approve of gambling, but think of the money it could raise for some very worthy causes. Tickets could be drawn for the next 10 games at, say, a hundred grand per ticket and if the money isn’t won, there could be a carryover to the next 10, and so on, carrying over until next season, if necessary.

The drama would be immense, the candidate who had that particular game known in advance, his apprehension and excitement rising and falling and felt by all every time Booth got near the net with or without the puck. And when the blessed event occurs, think of the euphoria, the massive exchange of money to the winner and the selected charity. Booth could tweet a picture of himself posing with the puck, mounted like a hunting trophy, beside the lucky winner. The player or players who assist on the goal could, similarly, pose in a helpful way.

The game could be stopped, the money presented, with speeches from the CEO of the charity and the fortunate winner.

Shootout goals not included!

Vancouver Province: LOADED: 03.14.2013


Canucks hope to get a charge out of Pinizzotto

By Jim Jamieson, The Province March 13, 2013

Steve Pinizzotto is known as being an energy player and the Canucks can certainly use more of that these days.

Pinizzotto, an agitating fourth-line winger with a decent skill-set, will be recalled by the Canucks and travel to Vancouver on Thursday, as his two-week AHL conditioning stint with the Chicago Wolves expires.

“I’m starting to feel pretty good, getting back into the swing of things, getting my timing back,” Pinizzotto said Wednesday before the seventh and final game of his conditioning stint in Grand Rapids, Mich., against the Griffins.

When he gets into the Canucks lineup, it’ll be the first NHL game for Pinizzotto, 28, one that’s been a long time coming.

The Mississauga native missed the entirety of 2011-12 with a shoulder injury suffered after it appeared he had the inside track on a fourth-line job with the Canucks in the preseason. Healthy again, Pinizzotto then suffered a torn groin playing in the minors during the lockout, costing him three months.

Pinizzotto was originally signed as a free agent by the Canucks in July of 2011, following a losing Stanley Cup final appearance where they were pushed around by the Boston Bruins. The 6-foot-1, 195-pounder is looking forward to getting a chance to show what he can do.

“That’s what I do, provide some energy and make sure people know I’m out there,” he said. “Not too many people like getting hit, especially defencemen.”

Canucks assistant GM Lorne Henning acknowledged it’s unlikely the winger would play on Thursday against the Nashville Predators after flying in, but wouldn’t completely rule it out.

“This gives us an extra forward,” said Henning. “We’ll have to see how it all fits in, but hopefully we can get him in there sooner than later.”

Pinizzotto, who spent four seasons in the Washington organization, got agonizingly close to playing an NHL game when he was scratched after a pre-game warm-up with the Capitals.

“I felt the same thing last year and again it didn’t happen,” he said. “At this point, I’m not going to think too much about it. That’s when bad things happen.”

Putting Pinizzotto into the lineup won’t force the Canucks to make any roster moves, as his coming off injured reserve two weeks ago required them to open up an NHL roster spot — with the resultant placement on waivers and loss of Aaron Volpatti to Washington.

Pinizzotto signed the same one-year, two-way $600,000/$275,000 deal with the Canucks that he signed with them the previous season. He has 4-8-12 and 27 PIMs in 23 games overall with Chicago this season and two assists in six games during the conditioning assignment.

Henning saw Pinizzotto play in Chicago on Saturday against Milwaukee.

“He’s still working on getting his timing,” said Henning. “I spoke with Scott Arniel (Wolves coach) and he said (Pinizzotto) has been better the last couple of games.”



Gallagher: As far as refs are concerned, it's open season on Burrows

By Tony Gallagher, The Province March 13, 2013

You saw it once again Tuesday night in Columbus. Seriously, you see it almost every game.

We speak of Alex Burrows standing in front of the net trying to do what lots of other players in the league do all the time: screen the goalie and try for a deflection on any shot he might be able to get his stick on.

But with Burrows there’s a difference, and every defenceman in the league seems to know it. You see, it’s perfectly alright to cross-check him as hard as you like, perhaps punch him in the head or the face if you like, and there’s virtually no chance the referee will give you a penalty.

Evidently, the rules go right out the window when it comes to this guy, for two reasons.

One is that he told the world that referee Stephane Auger had threatened before a game in December 2010 that he was going to get him for showing him up in a previous game — and then the referee did precisely what he said he would do — gave him a ridiculously undeserved penalty.

And secondly because there was that bevy of publicity during the 2011 Cup final that Burrows and a whole host of Canucks allegedly took dives all the time, and therefore any time Burrows hits the ice — no matter how hard he’s hit — it’s embedded in the minds of the officials that he is “probably diving.”

It’s like media hype has become reality. Ergo, open season on Burrows.

You keep thinking that this will end, and they’ll let Burrows out of this penalty box he seems to be in. But no. It never ends. It goes on and on.

The league dismissed Auger at the end of last season, and now, for all anyone really knows, many of the officials seem to think of Burrows as the guy who got one of their fellow officials gonged.

In fact, Auger was removed for a series of gaffs, not the least of which was disallowing a goal in Detroit, saying the whistle had gone, when in fact Brad May had backhanded the puck right into the goal, the whistle clearly blowing two or three seconds after the fact. Yet despite all evidence to the contrary, he stuck with his original call. It was a blunder of stunning proportions, even for a league which refuses to admit it has an officiating problem.

But this isn’t about Auger, it’s about the integrity of the officials and the integrity of the game.

We all know that the referees and linesmen are human and they have their personal feelings. And many may feel what Burrows did was betray some sort of unwritten confidence rule whereby what’s said on the ice stays on the ice. But these guys need to look in the mirror and ask themselves, are we doing the job the way it’s supposed to be done?

A referee’s job is to impartially call the very best game he can every night to the very best of his ability. He might be a better official if he remembers a certain player can sometimes have the temptation to embellish a hit and perhaps be aware of that tendency, but ego and personal feelings have no place in his role.

It doesn’t matter what he thinks of a particular player or a particular coach or team. His job is adjudicate the rules of the game to the best of his ability. What happened in the past is not relevant. If a guy who strangled your mother gets tripped in a game you’re working, it’s your job to call a penalty. To do otherwise is a betrayal of your profession, your ethics and it subverts the integrity of the game. That’s one of the things that makes the job so tough. There’s no “me” involved, only the rules and the imperative the game be judged as fairly as possible.

Naturally, there are mistakes made which go in favour or against any given player or team on any given night. Heavens, we all saw how Henrik Sedin got lucky when the officials seemed to miss him jamming his stick into Sergei Bobrovsky’s mask in the third period Tuesday night, so this isn’t a homer rant — or at least wasn’t meant to be.

But this open season on Burrows has got to stop. It does the game and the officials a shocking disservice.


663409 Washington Capitals

One-timers: Carolina senses Capitals’ struggles, trying to knock them out of division race

Posted by Katie Carrera on March 13, 2013 at 11:37 am

With 48 games in 99 days, there’s not a lot of time to digest what happened in any single contest. So as we churn through this compressed Capitals season, I’ll be rounding up my thoughts and analysis of each game here. If you missed them, check out the game story from the 4-0 loss to the Hurricanes and more on how Carolina targeted Washington’s beat up blue line.

>> Each loss makes the Capitals’ playoff chances grow dimmer, and following their third straight defeat Tuesday night, there was a somber tone in each corner of the home dressing room at Verizon Center.

Following the 4-0 loss to the Hurricanes Tuesday night, Washington’s postseason hopes are quite precarious. The Capitals sit 14th in the Eastern Conference with 21 points, seven out of eighth place and a full 10 behind the Southeast Division leading Carolina Hurricanes. A loss in Thursday’s game at Carolina would all but eliminate the Capitals in the division race.

The Hurricanes are quite aware of the stakes and know they can essentially put their familiar foe out of reach with a win in Raleigh.

“Definitely. I think if you watched them play tonight, it seems like they’re missing maybe some confidence,” said Hurricanes defenseman Joe Corvo, who had a brief stint with the Capitals. “They’re struggling a little bit. As a team that’s on a roll and playing well, you’ve got to smell blood.”

Asked before Thursday’s game if he and his team viewed this week as an opportunity to lock the Capitals away in the East’s basement, Coach Kirk Muller insisted that the Hurricanes excel when they take a simple game-by-game approach rather than look too far ahead. Following the win, he stressed the same mentality.

“You just can’t take anything for granted. That was one of our strongest 60-minute performances this year and in a big game, that’s great with having so many young guys,” Muller said. “What we’ve done a really job [of] is staying focused. We’ll rest tomorrow, get back at it Thursday and it happens that Washington will be our opponent again, and we’ve got to have the same mindset that every game you’ve got to go out and earn it.”

Captain Eric Staal shared a similar, even-keeled approach.

“Obviously when you’re at the top of the division, there’s gonna be important games where teams are looking at you to gain some ground. We’ve been focusing in on making sure we’re prepared every night, and especially against our own division,” Staal said. “We’re gonna need to do that Thursday, and we know that they’re gonna be pushing hard to try and get a win. We’ve got to be ready to go.”

>> Capitals players pulled no punches after Tuesday’s loss. Nicklas Backstrom called it “60 minutes of just terrible effort.” Karl Alzner took aim at the team’s lack of energy and intensity.

Coach Adam Oates didn’t share their opinion, though.

“Obviously, when you get behind the way we did, it gets hard, but you know, they didn’t have their first chance until four minutes left in the first period so I can’t necessarily agree with that,” Oates said. “We were doing a lot things right. We had a lot of chances early, we didn’t score, they got a soft one and put us on our heels.”

Still, it’s hard not to see that there were things the Capitals could have done better against Carolina, from driving the net to eliminating time and space in the neutral zone to thwarting an opposing offensive possession.

Asked if he could pinpoint where things changed from the Capitals’ three-game winning streak to this three-game losing streak, Alzner couldn’t identify a root cause but there’s little that likely couldn’t be solved by some old-fashioned work.

“I’m not positive. The Islanders game and the Rangers game we took too many penalties and now it’s almost like we’re not playing with that energy and that intensity anymore,” Alzner said. “We’re scared to take penalties, we’ve got to be hitting more. We’ve got to make it tougher on teams to play

us because right now it’s pretty easy. Our battle, our compete level hasn’t been high enough. The exact reason, I don’t know, but it’s been a downward spiral in the last three.”

>> In the past two games Braden Holtby is now 0-2 with a 3.96 goals against average and .889 save percentage. (Over his 13 starts in the last 14 games, Holtby is 8-5 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .928 save percentage.)

Yes, two games a small sample size and Holtby is still the go-to guy in net, but for the first time in a long while it seems like a legitimate question to ask who will start in net next. Would you stick with Holtby on Thursday in Carolina? Or perhaps give Michal Neuvirth his first start in more than a month to shake things up?

>> The first goal the Hurricanes scored was, as Oates called it, a soft one. A shot by Corvo went off the side of Holtby’s mask and into the net. The netminder believed the Carolina defenseman shot at his head intentionally.

“Caught me off guard. Obviously I was trying to keep my place on the post and trying to read where he was going to pass it to,” Holtby said. “It was pretty creative on his part; I’ve never seen someone try that, so it kind of caught me off guard. … You usually have some that are deflected but nothing when the guy is actually trying to do it.”

Corvo said he wasn’t trying for a bank shot off Holtby’s mask but a deflection anywhere off the goaltender’s body.

“I was aiming for like the back of him, his back,” Corvo said. “Anywhere up there, and it just so happened to hit his head.”

>> Alexander Semin recorded the primary assist on Corvo’s tally and played an overall solid game against his former club. When he was most noticeable, though, was early in the second period when Semin was clipped by high sticks on consecutive shifts.

The first was a high stick by Semin’s longtime friend Alex Ovechkin on the follow-through of a shot. The second came when Holtby’s paddle cut Semin’s chin down by the Capitals’ goal line.

“I tried to lift my stick back into my blocker and I had no idea he was skating there,” Holtby said. “I felt bad, I felt like I hit him pretty hard. Hope it didn’t hurt him too bad because that was not intentional at all.”

Muller was pleased with Semin’s overall game.

“He put the team in front of his personal stuff tonight, so I thought it was good,” Muller said. “He did get caught twice, twice in the face. … Both were [accidental]. One was a follow-through on a shot and the other one was in the corner there. Both accidental. Just, he got caught twice, which you don’t see too often.”

>> Of the six defensemen who suited up for the Capitals Tuesday night, Steve Oleksy may have been the oldest, but Jeff Schultz, who was playing in his 393rd career NHL game, had the most experience in the group.

While the Hurricanes made a deliberate effort to wear down Washington’s defense and occasionally its youngest members were overexposed, it was Schultz with the most glaring mistake. Patrick Dwyer beat him back behind the net to negate an icing, steal the puck and pop out front to find Riley Nash, who scored to make it 3-0 Carolina.

“Just got beat back to the puck, went to the wrong side of the net and I got outmuscled behind the net they put it out front and scored,” Schultz said. “That was just a mistake on my part.”

Washington Post LOADED: 03.14.2013


Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom: Caps’ dynamic duo should reunite

Posted by Neil Greenberg on March 13, 2013 at 10:40 am

Superman and Batman. Butch Cassidy and Mozart. Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. These duos stand the test of time for greatness.

In 390 games played, Backstrom has 284 assists. More than a third of those have been registered on goals by Ovechkin (60 primary and 37 secondary). This year, the Swede has been credited with just three secondary assists for the Great 8 — all on the power play.

Some of that is because of Ovechkin’s goal drought during five-on-five play (just three even-strength goals on 61 shots in 25 games this season). But there could be an easy fix for that: reunite the dynamic duo — for good — down the stretch.

Coach Adam Oates talks a lot about “playing the right way.” While we don’t know for sure what that means, I hazard a guess it includes possessing the puck. And if that is indeed the end game, then there is no one on the roster who helps Ovechkin “play the right way” more than Backstrom.

Consider Ovechkin’s puck possession numbers (as measured by Corsi percentage, which is simply the even-strength shots attempted for Washington as a percentage of all shots taken) with the pivots, since 2007:

Ovi WOWY (1)

There are pitfalls, of course, having a top line with your two best players, but Washington is currently 14th in the Eastern Conference and close to having its playoff hopes all but squashed over the next few games. What’s the worst that could happen?



Capitals begin preparations for Carolina rematch (updated)

Posted by Eric Detweiler on March 13, 2013 at 12:25 pm

After Tuesday night’s lackluster showing at Verizon Center in a 4-0 loss against division rival Carolina, the Capitals were back on the ice at Kettler Capitals Iceplex on Wednesday morning, working out with juggled lines.

Mike Green and Brooks Laich, both battling groin injuries, practiced, along with defenseman Tom Poti, who missed last night’s game with what the team is calling an upper-body injury.

Notably, the top line features Nicklas Backstrom and Matt Hendricks with Alex Ovechkin, dropping center Mike Ribeiro, the team leader in points, to the third line with Mathieu Perreault, Jason Chimera, and Joel Ward. The second line features Marcus Johansson, Eric Fehr and Troy Brouwer.

“Just trying to find a little chemistry,” Oates said after the session. “Sometimes, you get a little flat. Looking for a spark. Throw a different wrinkle at them tomorrow night, how they might cover us. I know [Ribeiro] played with [Ward] and [Chimera] and had some good games earlier, so just trying to find something.”

Washington, now 10-14-1 and 14th in the Eastern Conference, will need to right the ship quickly if it hopes for a better result on Thursday night in Raleigh, visiting the Hurricanes in the second leg of a home-and-home.

Oates made the switch to Backstrom and Ovechkin down the stretch on Tuesday night, a pairing he hadn’t utilized since the third game of the season. Ovechkin has not scored in three straight games and did not put a shot on goal against the Hurricanes.

“I’m a little surprised it didn’t happen a little sooner,” Brouwer said of the line shakeup. “Again, he’s trying to find creative ways to get guys sparked up, get guys a newfound enthusiasm and find some way to score some goals.”

Carolina took advantage of Washington’s injuries in the back for three goals in the opening two periods. Tomas Kundratek, Steve Oleksy and Cameron Schilling, three players who began the season at Hershey, were among the six healthy defensemen in action. Schilling made his NHL debut in Tuesday’s loss, logging 11 minutes, 58 seconds on the ice.

Reinforcements should be on the way soon, although likely not in time for Thursday’s contest.

Green, who skated with teammates on Tuesday morning, was back on the ice, working through drills alongside Karl Alzner. Green’s groin injury has kept him out of nine of the past 11 games. On Tuesday, Green said he was “a little bit of a ways away.” He did not speak with reporters on Wednesday and Oates didn’t address the defenseman’s status.

Poti said he “tweaked something” in Sunday’s loss at the New York Rangers. He missed time last month after being boarded by Toronto’s Leo Komarov, but he said that the latest ailment was not related. Although feeling better on Wednesday, Poti would not speculate on his availability for Thursday other than saying he will travel with the team.

“We’ll see what happens tomorrow after I skated today and kind of go from there,” Poti said.

Laich also skated with teammates on Tuesday and seemed to be participating fully early in Wednesday’s session. He’s still waiting to make his season debut, battling a lingering groin injury.

John Erskine remained out with an upper-body injury.

Forwards

Hendricks- Backstrom-Ovechkin

Johansson-Fehr-Brouwer

Perreault-Ribeiro-Chimera/Ward

Volpatti-Beagle-Wolski/Crabb/Laich

Defense

Green-Alzner

Carlson-Schultz

Schilling-Oleksy

Kundratek-Poti



Michal Neuvirth will start in net Thursday against Carolina

Posted by Eric Detweiler on March 13, 2013 at 2:06 pm

Adam Oates shook up the forward lines in response to a lackluster effort in Tuesday’s 4-0 loss against Carolina. After Wednesday’s practice, the first-year Capitals coach said his search for a spark heading into the second leg of a home-and-home with the Hurricanes will extend to the goaltenders, too.

Oates plans to give Michal Neuvirth his first start in net since Feb. 7 on Thursday night in Carolina rather than Braden Holtby, who has started 13 of the team’s past 14 games.

“We need a good start,” Oates said. “The last couple starts have been tough on Braden, so just give him a chance to regroup and [Neuvirth] gets it.”

Neuvirth made his last start in Pittsburgh, getting pulled for Holtby after allowing two goals on 11 shots in an eventual 5-2 loss. He made an appearance in relief on Sunday, allowing one goal in 28 minutes in a 4-1 loss to the Rangers.

Holtby had won five of six starts before disappointing efforts in his last two outings, part of the team’s current three-game losing streak.

After struggling in New York, the 23-year-old netminder allowed three goals in the first two periods against Carolina, including a fluke first-period goal to Joe Corvo that struck him in the mask. The loss dropped his personal record to 9-9 this season and the Capitals 10 points back of the Southeast Division-leading Hurricanes.

“We’ve lost three in a row – That’s the bottom line,” Holtby said before Oates informed the media of his plans for Thursday. “Obviously, it’s not good enough. We need to be better. I need to be better in order to turn this around.”

Over the past month, Neuvirth has battled two separate illnesses, necessitating the NHL debut of 21-year-old Philipp Grubauer. The youngster came on in relief of Holtby last month in Philadelphia and then allowed five goals at the New York Islanders in a 5-2 loss.

Neuvirth, 24, was too sick to travel to each of those games but said he’s feeling “100 percent” healthy now.

“Obviously, it’s been a long time since I started,” Neuvirth said. “[I] practice hard. I’m feeling good in practice, but practice is not a game.”

In seven starts, Neuvirth has compiled a 1-4-1 record with a 2.98 goals against average and .890 save percentage. Five of those starts came consecutively from Jan. 24-31. Both statistics are worse than his career averages.

Neuvirth has not faced Carolina this season but has been strong against the Hurricanes in his career, posting a 3-1-1 record in five starts with a 2.66 goals against average and .913 save percentage. His first career shutout came in Raleigh on Oct. 28, 2010.

“Every game is a different story, and you’ve got to be ready,” Neuvirth said. “Every game goes a different way. Obviously, we have a tough schedule ahead of us, and we need to get some wins.”



Maria Kirilenko, Alex Ovechkin haven’t set wedding date

By Beth Harris

Associated Press

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Tennis player Maria Kirilenko and hockey star Alex Ovechkin are talking wedding plans between their busy schedules, although the Russian couple hasn’t set a date.

“Now it’s a little bit difficult because I’m playing and Alex is playing,” Kirilenko said Wednesday after winning her quarterfinal match at the BNP Paribas Open. “We are just in the period of talking what’s the best. We will find the right day.”

That might be soon, since Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals are stuck near the bottom of the NHL standings. The couple announced their engagement on New Year's Day via his Twitter account.

“I think all the young girls, they want to have the best dress, the best wedding, and everything the best,” said Kirilenko, a friend of designer Stella McCartney.

Kirilenko said she alternates between being nervous and calm for Ovechkin’s games.

“I want him and the team to win so much,” she said.

She tries not to worry about him getting injured.

“It can happen with us as well, we can twist our knee,” she said. “Just better don’t think. Just be positive. Don’t try to find those bad things.”

Ovechkin’s advice to her? “Just go there and beat them,” she said, laughing.

Washington Times LOADED: 03.14.2013


Capitals’ Southeast Division chances in balance in Hurricanes rematch

By Stephen Whyno

The Washington Times

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Adam Oates doesn’t need his Washington Capitals players to read the newspaper to see where they’re at in the standings. They’re plastered on boards around the practice facility, and the coach wants his players to be keenly aware of what’s going on.

“It’s part of your job,” Oates said. “We’re not happy about it. We maybe don’t talk about it as much as we should. But we all know about it.”

Ten points back of the Southeast Division-leading Hurricanes after Tuesday night’s 4-0 loss to Carolina, the Caps are perilously close to falling out of the race altogether.

Joe Corvo could sense a lack of confidence in an opponent on a losing streak.

“They’re struggling a little bit,” the Hurricanes defenseman said. “As a team that’s on a roll and playing well, you’ve got to smell blood.”

The Hurricanes smell blood and Thursday night have the chance to all but bury the Caps in the Southeast when the teams meet again in Raleigh, N.C. It’s hard to envision Washington overcoming a 12-point deficit with 22 games to play.

“Obviously, when you’re at the top of the division, there’s going to be important games where teams are looking at you to gain some ground,” Carolina captain Eric Staal said. “Especially that we won the game here [Tuesday], it’s big. We want to make sure we follow that momentum up and really shut the door.”

Caps players can feel the door closing. They’re fourth in the division and 14th in the Eastern Conference.

“It’s not where you want to be, obviously,” left wing Jason Chimera said. “You look at the standings and you see yourself down there, that’s the worst feeling you can have.”

Actually, Chimera clarified, the worst feeling is sitting at home in late spring while other teams are in the playoffs. This core isn’t used to that feeling. The Caps haven’t missed the playoffs since 2007, and until last season owned the Southeast Division.

It’s very different this year. The Tampa Bay Lightning cooled off after their start, but the Hurricanes are cruising along, even after losing starting goaltender Cam Ward to a knee injury.

But coach Kirk Muller won’t think big picture, like how many points it will take to make the playoffs or how quickly his Hurricanes can put the Caps away.

“You just can’t take anything for granted,” Muller said. “What we’ve done a really good job [of] is staying focused. We’ll … get back at it Thursday and it happens that Washington will be our opponent again, and we’ve got to have the same mindset that every game you’ve got to go out and earn it.”

That’s what Carolina was able to do Tuesday night at Verizon Center, earning two points at a time when the Caps need them desperately. Staal called it a “big week” based on what he and his teammates could accomplish.

“We knew these two games were going to be pretty big games for us,” Hurricanes center Riley Nash said. “Thursday they’re going to be really hungry again. They’re obviously fighting for every point they can get.”

Going into Thursday on a three-game losing streak, the Caps aren’t just fighting; they’re in desperation mode. Anytime they don’t pick up points, the task of reaching the playoffs becomes more daunting.

“We know how important this game is,” defenseman Karl Alzner said. “We’re not walking through just thinking, ‘Oh, it’s just another game.’ We know the importance of every single game we’re playing.”

Facing first-place Carolina again adds another layer. The goal for the Caps is to get into the top eight in the Eastern Conference, but players and Oates have talked about possibly needing to win the division to make it.

That would be mighty hard to do if they lose another head-to-head matchup.

“We have to emphasize it as a must-win,” right wing Troy Brouwer said. “They’re the team we’re trying to catch in our division here, so we can’t drop any more points, especially against these guys.”

That’s a lot riding on Game 25 of a 48-game regular season. But given where the Caps are in the standings, Oates welcomes the desperation that being so far out of the playoff picture brings for his players.

“I would hope that they are feeling the pressure because I would hope that they do know the standings,” he said.

It’s impossible at this point not to know the situation. It’s getting late very early around the Caps.

“To be honest with you, yeah, I look at the standings. Twenty-three games left, we just have to win more games,” captain Alex Ovechkin said. “It’s not over yet, it’s just the middle of the year. But [this] game is very important for us, and probably next week all this road trips is gonna be very important for us. We have to take many as points as we can.”



Capitals notes: Michal Neuvirth to make first start since Feb. 7

By Stephen Whyno

The Washington Times

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Adam Oates hesitated when asked about his starting goaltender for the first time in awhile. Braden Holtby was clearly the man, starting 13 of the Washington Capitals‘ past 14 games, but Michal Neuvirth will get the nod Thursday night at the Carolina Hurricanes.

“We need a good start,” Oates said. “The last couple starts have been tough on Braden. So just give him a chance to regroup and Neuvy gets it.”

Holtby went 8-5 with a 2.35 goals-against average and .928 save percentage in those 13 starts. But in his past two, he’s 0-2 with a 3.96 GAA and .889 save percentage.

“I think I should be playing better,” Holtby said. “I’m not satisfied with what we’re doing right now.”

Holtby gets a break against Carolina as Neuvirth is set to make his first start since Feb. 7, when he was pulled after allowing two goals on 11 shots at the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“Obviously, it’s been a long time [since] I started” Neuvirth said. “I practice hard and I’m feeling good in practice, but practice is not a game.”

Neuvirth made a relief appearance Sunday against the New York Rangers, which the 24-year-old said was hard because he didn’t have preparation time. He was sick for a few days before playing against the Rangers.

Illness kept Neuvirth from making two scheduled starts: Feb. 27 at the Philadelphia Flyers and this past Saturday at the New York Islanders. Holtby started at Philadelphia and Philipp Grubauer at New York, but Neuvirth said he’s 100 percent now and ready to face the Hurricanes.

“Everybody’s going to get their turns,” Oates said.

Neuvirth has just one victory with the Caps’ season more than half over. Five of his seven starts came consecutively from Jan. 24 to 31.

That has meant a lot of time off going into the most important game of the season so far.

“For me myself, I’m just going to [take it] one game at a time and I’m focused in on [Thursday]. That’s what I’m worried about right now,” Neuvirth said. “Obviously we have a tough schedule ahead of us, and we need to get some wins.”

Poti feeling better

Defenseman Tom Poti skated Wednesday after missing Tuesday night’s 4-0 loss to Carolina with what the team is calling an upper-body injury. Poti said he tweaked something Sunday against the Rangers and that it was a different problem than when he got when hit into the boards Feb. 5.

“Feeling OK,” Poti said. “A little stiff, a little sore. But it felt better today. That’s why I went on the ice and tested it out.”

Poti was uncertain if he’d be able to play Thursday at Carolina. Judging by the defensive pairings at Wednesday’s practice, the Caps could have the same blue line: Karl Alzner with Tomas Kundratek, Jeff Schultz with John Carlson, and Cameron Schilling with Steve Oleksy.

Kundratek, Schilling and Oleksy were with the Hershey Bears in the American Hockey League when the Caps’ season began.

“I think the three guys that got called up, they’ve been playing really well,” Poti said. “Schill had a good game [Tuesday] night and those guys played well. We kind of threw them into the fire a little bit and they’ve been playing pretty good.”

Changes up front

Oates shuffled his forward lines after the shutout loss, reuniting Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom with Matt Hendricks at left wing.

“With Backy, I play almost all my career in NHL,” Ovechkin said. “It’s not gonna be [a] question, like we have chemistry or not.”

Marcus Johansson will get a chance to center the second line between Eric Fehr and Troy Brouwer, while Mike Ribeiro goes back to a spot he was in earlier in the season, between Jason Chimera and Joel Ward.

“Just trying to find a little chemistry,” Oates said. “Sometimes you get a little flat. Looking for a spark. Throw a different wrinkle at them.”



Capitals' dire situation tough to forget

Brian McNally

The Washington Examiner

It is impossible for the Capitals to escape the reality of their situation. Even if they somehow avoided newspapers and websites and television and radio, the Eastern Conference standings are plastered on a board inside the organization's practice facility in Arlington.

And it isn't pretty. In 14th place in the Eastern Conference and fourth in the Southeast Division, Washington enters Thursday night's game against the first place Carolina Hurricanes in desperate need of a win to keep their division title hopes alive. Following a dispiriting 4-0 loss at home to the Hurricanes on Tuesday, the rematch in Raleigh approaches must-win territory.

"Just looking at it, we've got to have a pretty amazing record the next 23 to give ourselves a good chance [at the postseason]," defenseman Karl Alzner said after practice Wednesday at Kettler Iceplex. "You can't look too far ahead, but we know that this next game is not only huge for the points but huge for morale. And that's what this team needs right now."

Washington remains seven points behind the New York Rangers, the No. 8 seed in the conference playoff chase. There is still some hope there. But they need a far more sustained effort against the Hurricanes, who survived some shaky play early, got a fluke goal to take the lead and never looked back.

A win and the Hurricanes would be 12 points ahead of the Caps in the division. But they also know that 4-0 victory means little now. After all, Washington two weeks earlier had pasted an undermanned Carolina 3-0 before the favor was repaid. The Caps were missing three defensemen in Tuesday's loss and played Cameron Schilling, making his NHL debut, and Steve Oleksy, appearing in his fifth NHL game.

"You just can't take anything for granted," Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller said. "That was one of our strongest 60-minute performances this year, and in a big game, that's great with having so many young guys. ... We did take advantage, at times, of some inexperience on their group, too. It shows how tough a league it is."

The Caps (10-14-1, 21 points) shifted their lines at Wednesday's practice with Nicklas Backstrom and Alex Ovechkin reunited on the top line. Marcus Johansson, after his two best games of the season, is now the second-line center. Mike Riberio moves to the third line with Jason Chimera and Joel Ward, a trio that had success together earlier this season. Meanwhile, forward Brooks Laich and defenseman Mike Green were both on the ice again Wednesday -- a good sign as they push to return from groin injuries. But neither is expected back this week to help their struggling teammates snap this inopportune three-game losing streak.

"It's an uncomfortable feeling. And that's part of being a pro is taking the highs and lows," Oates said. "And right now we need to put [Tuesday] behind us. We watched some video. We're going to show some more [Thursday] because we're playing the same team. But we need to find the energy between now and then to be professional and to have a good game."

Washington Examiner LOADED: 03.14.2013

663417 Winnipeg Jets

Jets recall Patrice Cormier from IceCaps

By: Ed Tait

Jim Slater is down with an injury, Patrice Cormier is up from St. John’s and Alex Burmistrov is fighting to get back into the lineup.

That, in a nutshell, sums up the developments Wednesday with the Winnipeg Jets, who gathered at MTS Iceplex following Tuesday’s dominating 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs and with the New York Rangers in town for Thursday’s tilt (7 p.m. TSNJets/TSN 1290).

Slater, the veteran centre, apparently broke his hand blocking a shot Tuesday night and according to coach Claude Noel, will be gone "week-to-week." The Jets recalled the 22-year-old Cormier from the IceCaps to fill his spot in the lineup, although Noel said his insertion will be a game-time decision.

Originally drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the second round, 54th overall, of the 2008 NHL entry draft, Cormier has 11 points (7G, 4A) in 32 games with the IceCaps this season and has been their best player in the last month.

"The reports I got [indicate] he’s been playing quite well," said Noel of Cormier. "He’s been very aggressive and been one of their better players. We get game reports every game and he’s done well. He brings energy, he’s a strong guy, good on face-offs and he’s played very well. I think he’ll be enthused to get back up here."

As for Burmistrov – who was a healthy scratch from the lineup Tuesday – he wasn’t saying much about Noel’s decision. And the coach was just as mum.

"That’s a coach’s decision. I guess I’m not playing that good," Burmistrov said. "I will just stick with working hard in practice and trying to get back."

"It was just a coach’s decision... which is one I don’t want to share with you," added Noel. "Alexander and I have a good relationship and I’ve always been open with him and spoke to him. And I’ve spoken to him all the way along. I spoke to him again today. For me, it’s something between him and I that we need to work out."

The Jets play host to the Rangers Thursday and then are in Toronto and Ottawa Saturday and Sunday before returning home for four in a row at MTS Centre against Boston, back-to back with Washington and then Tampa Bay.

Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 03.14.2013


Cormier up from farm following Slater injury

By: Ed Tait

PATRICE CORMIER is getting another shot at proving he belongs in the NHL.

And, as is often the case, it comes at another's expense.

The Jets announced Wednesday they had summoned Cormier from the St. John's IceCaps after Jim Slater apparently injured his hand while blocking a shot in Tuesday's win over Toronto. Jets coach Claude Noel said Slater will be 'week-to-week' in his recovery.

"Jim does a lot of things," said Noel. "He kills penalties, he's a reliable faceoff guy and you can put him in any situation in any position up front and he does a really solid job. He'll be a guy that we'll miss."

Originally chosen by the New Jersey Devils in the second round, 54th overall, of the 2008 NHL entry draft, the 22-year-old Cormier has 11 points, including seven goals, in 32 games with the IceCaps this season. IceCaps head coach Keith McCambridge told TSN 1290 on Wednesday that Cormier has been their best player in the last month.

"The reports I got is he's been playing quite well," said Noel. "He's been very aggressive and been one of their better players. We get game reports every game and he's done well. He brings energy, he's a strong guy, good on faceoffs and he's played very well. I think he'll be enthused to get back up here."

The Jets were also without forward Nik Antropov on Wednesday, but Noel said he was just taking a 'maintenance' day.

RANGER WATCH: The New York Rangers practised Wednesday at the MTS Iceplex and a familiar face in these parts was back on the ice as Arron Asham, who has been out with a sore back for weeks, was working with his teammates.

"It felt really good to get back out there with the guys, it's been a couple of weeks," Asham told the team's website. "It's going to be a work in progress. I'm just hoping it continues to feel better and better. Obviously it's been frustrating. I want to be out there playing and helping this team move forward. It's so tough watching from the stands."

The Rangers fell to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, a game in which head coach John Tortorella said he was disgusted with his team's performance.

But the Rangers were decidedly more upbeat on Wednesday and with good reason: just as there's no time to celebrate, there's no time for moping about either.

"With the schedule we have it has to be a one-day thing, learn from (Tuesday night) this morning and guys have to be moving past it this afternoon," said Derek Stepan to reporters afterward. "We can't sit here and dwell on it and over-analyze it, we've got another big game (today) and it's a quick turnaround."



Rallying around Thorburn after scrap shows tight team

By: Ed Tait

Posted: 1:00 AM

CHRIS THORBURN took one for the team Tuesday. And, if called upon, he'll do it again on Thursday. And Saturday. And Sunday. And...

The Winnipeg Jets veteran winger squared off with Leafs tough guy Colton Orr in Tuesday's win and drew praise afterward from teammates and coaches for helping set the tone in what was an impressive performance highlighted by the team's collective grit and speed.

"To be honest, man, it felt great," said Thorburn of his teammates' reaction. "I had a couple of guys come up to me and give me pat on the back and that goes a long way in giving me confidence and just knowing that you're doing the right thing.

"We're a tight-knit group. Whether it's a big goal, a blocked shot or a hit... it's just something that the team rallies around. Our team is so tight-knit that we can feed off it. (Tuesday) night was a big step for us in proving that we're there for each other in a pack-mentality kind of thing."

Toughest

One of the toughest and most popular hombres in the Jets lineup, Thorburn has more fights this year -- six -- than goals -- one. But he does have a very clear understanding of what his gig is and it's one of the most difficult in all of sports.

"That's a tough role, that's a tough position," said coach Claude Noel. "Chris Thorburn is a really good team player that plays hard and realizes that he probably has to do that to be an NHL player. I'll tell ya, that's not an easy role. I don't think Chris is a heavyweight, but he's willing to do the things necessary for his teammates.

"That's a really tough task to get yourself motivated to do that against guys that are bigger and stronger or possibly better fighters than you. He earns a lot of respect from his teammates in being able to do that."

Having said all that, here's the thing: Thorburn would just as soon be remembered for his spectacular highlight-of-the-night goal against Buffalo last year than for dropping his mitts. But, again, he'll do whatever is required to stay in the lineup -- especially with the club's heavyweight, Anthony Peluso, currently injured.

"I think I'm a guy that can play. I can bring a lot of elements to a game, it's just I've got to do it on a consistent basis," Thorburn said.

"It's something I don't think I need to do to stay in the lineup. It's something I can offer for the team. If the team needs a boost, I'm there to do that.

"It's not like I'm out there to fight every night. It's just seeing how the game is going and judging it from there."

The anti-fighting camp will scoff at what kind of an impact Thorburn vs. Orr had on the game, but with the two men in the penalty box -- and Orr joined by Mark Fraser a few minutes later -- the Jets did score their first power-play goal in eight games.

"It seemed to spark the guys on the bench," said Thorburn "The guys feed off it, our power play went out and got a goal.

"I sat in the box and it was like, 'OK, I accomplished something.' That's the main objective."



Noel won't commit on Burmi's return

By: Ed Tait

Posted: 1:00 AM

HE'S young, has the deft touch of a brain surgeon and iron will to compete.

But Alex Burmistrov's play of late -- a tendency to go east-west, not north-south and not consistently make the trustworthy decisions with the puck -- first found him benched during the Winnipeg Jets' recent road trip and then banished to the press box for Tuesday's 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was the first on the ice for practice Wednesday at the MTS Iceplex and, naturally, a swarm of media surrounded his locker afterward. Not that Burmistrov was offering a whole lot of public insight on what has transpired over the last few days.

"That's a coach's decision," he began in a short session that included more questions than answers and lasted all of 100 seconds. "I guess I'm not playing that good. I will just stick with working hard in practice and trying to get back."

Asked what he thought he had to work on to get back in the lineup, Burmistrov said: "I don't know. You should ask this coach."

And so it went...

Reporter: Is there anything in particular you (and Claude Noel) talked about?

Burmistrov: "No."

Reporter: So you are just waiting for your next turn?

Burmistrov: "Yeah. I'm just waiting and keeping on working hard."

Reporter 2: How tough is it to sit out?

Burmistrov: "It would have been tougher if we had lost. But we win so that mean coach made a good decision."

Reporter 3: Is there anything in particular you would like to change about your play lately?

Burmistrov: "Everybody know what kind of player I am. I'll stick with that, I think."

Reporter: 3: You are second in the team in hits (now third behind Evander Kane and Mark Stuart)...

Burmistrov: "I don't know. I can't answer a question like this because I don't know. You should ask coach."

Worth noting: Burmistrov wasn't being short or confrontational. But clearly this is an issue he wants to leave behind closed doors. The same went for Noel when he was quizzed on the subject and asked why Burmistrov was taken out of the lineup.

"It was just a coach's decision... which is one I don't want to share with you," said Noel.

And when pressed if Burmistrov would be back in the lineup tonight against the Rangers, Noel added:

"We don't know. That will be a game-time decision. Would you like to ask me another way? I'll give you the same answer, you can give me 12 different ways."



Wellwood a small wonder

By: Tim Campbell

Posted: 1:00 AM

In the days of size, strength and speed, it's a wonder Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Wellwood isn't in emergency wards more often -- scraped from the ice as the latest victim of an opponent in search of a puck.

None of this is exactly news, except that maybe his ongoing contributions are, in that context, newsworthy.

The 29-year-old from Windsor, Ont., has not lived up to his career-best numbers of last season -- 18 goals, 47 points -- but if the last week or so is any gauge, he figures to yet be an important figure in the Jets' quest for a better place in the standings come the end of April.

Tuesday's victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs was further evidence -- a first-period power-play assist and a key second-period goal from the most unassuming of NHLers, instrumental in the Jets' 5-2 victory.

"You're right, when you look at him he doesn't look like your prototypical NHL guy but he gets the job done and he's an interesting guy to be around," Wellwood's teammate Zach Bogosian said Wednesday. "He's fun.

"As far as his success, he's got all the skills in the world and you see him do some things with the puck that even some of the so-called best players in the league can't do. So he's fun to watch, that's for sure. Some of the things he does are pretty unreal, I think.

"Whether you're on the ice or watching from the bench, you kind of... if he does something crazy, you kind of look down the bench and say, 'Did you just see what he did?' Skill has been next to his name all the way back to junior and obviously he's got a special gift with the puck that not many guys have."

After four straight games in the press box, Wellwood returned last week and was reunited on a line with Nik Antropov. These recent games have again provided signs Wellwood's on-ice IQ is rarely exceeded.

"For me, it's a matter of trying to prepare and get your skills in the game up to the way you want it to be," Wellwood said Wednesday after the team's practice at the MTS Iceplex.

"You can't focus on whether you're in the press box or where you're playing or how many minutes you're getting or whatnot. You have to let your game develop and go from there.

"I'm happy with my game the last three or four weeks."

From 20 games this season, Wellwood has only two goals and five points.

"He's always going to make plays, now he's executing plays a bit better and getting results," said Jets coach Claude Noel, who sees confidence returning. "The results are the only difference. He's had chances before."

Checker James Wright is now with Wellwood and Antropov and Wellwood said Wednesday he likes the fit.

"I want to have the puck and be able to check it properly," Wellwood said. "Having our line with Antropov and Wright, Wright seems to really check well and get into the right positions and make the easy play. And then me and Antro can make a lot of area passes and handle the puck a little more. It's worked out well so far."

Wright certainly hasn't been without his chances to crack the goal goose egg he has with the Jets this season.

"(Wellwood) is a really crafty, creative guy," Wright said. "It's really fun to play with him. He set me up numerous times (Tuesday) and if I could only bury a goal, I'd have had a hat trick.

"He's really fun to play with, he makes plays, he's real creative and he makes things happen for your line."

Apart from his improving confidence and personal state, Wellwood pointed to key team elements -- in particular, chemistry -- that have boosted the Jets' record to 8-3-1 in the last 12.

"I sense that our penalty kill's gotten a lot better and that our line combinations seem to be working," he said. "If you can throw lines out there that are going to play consistent hockey with energy and move the puck, it's going to look like a lot better team game."



Jets vow not to slip up

By: Ed Tait

Posted: 1:00 AM

Claude NOEL knows better. The Winnipeg Jets know better. And so, if there was even a hint of temptation to bask a little longer in the glow of Tuesday's spanking of the Toronto Maple Leafs -- to slip this thing into cruise control for a day and enjoy the ride -- it was snuffed out in a nanosecond by the boss and his troops.

"You can't take your foot off the pedal," said Noel Wednesday following practice at the MTS Iceplex. "We don't want to get back to mediocrity at home and just because we won one game and played the right way... I think you try to establish your mental state in practice and today I thought it was a little loose early but it got better as the practice went on.

"You've got to buckle down and get ready because it's not going to be easy. The Rangers are coming in here and we've got to be prepared to start again."

And so the season-long quest for more consistency continues, even in the wake of an 8-3-1 run for the Jets that has put them right back in the NHL Eastern Conference playoff discussion. The Jets' next three games come against teams within three points of them, including today's opponent, the New York Rangers followed by a quick trip to Ontario and dates in Toronto and Ottawa on the weekend.

Next week, the Jets have a four-game homestand that opens with Boston and then features three in a row against teams behind them in the standings -- back-to-back with the Washington Capitals, followed by the Tampa Bay Lightning. After that it's two of their next three against the Southeast Division's Carolina Hurricanes.

In other words, what looks so promising now can be quickly flushed with a bad run in the next chunk of the schedule.

"We go right back at the Rangers-Leafs on Thursday-Saturday here and those are two teams right around us," said Jets defenceman Ron Hainsey. "We need to continue to make hay against these teams that are right around us to really get ourselves in a position where we could maybe put some distance between ourselves and the pack behind us. We need to continue to string wins together to get a little space, otherwise it will be the same game over and over where it's the feeling of do or die, if you will.

"We're in that group that is five or six teams that are so close together that when you're playing them it's like the playoffs because the movement in the standings can be so huge, especially if you can get two points without giving up that third. We're in that stretch now where all the games are critical. It's fun."

The Jets spent a good portion of Wednesday's session with the media discussing the Leafs' win and how their physical play and collective will -- while mixed with their speed and solid special-teams play -- is their perfect blueprint to success. But just to hammer home his yesterday-was-great-now-do-it-again-tomorrow message, here was Noel's response when asked if the Jets had established themselves as a hard team to play against:

"I wouldn't say we've established that. I think that after (Tuesday) night we've convinced ourselves or established that within ourselves. But it's one game. The challenge really is to determine if that's the way we want to play and that's the way we need to play to be successful. We know one thing: it has brought success for us and so it should be a fairly easy sell with the players.

"But saying and doing are two different things and before this I can't sit here and say we were a hard team to play against because some games, whether at home or on the road, I didn't see that consistently enough. You have to establish some consistency in your game in order to start walking like you're a winner game in and game out. We're trying to establish that.

"The physicality of our game and the intensity really led to a solid 60-minute game," added Noel.

"It showed in the scoring chances we got -- 19-13 -- which is quite a bit more than we've had in the past and I think it's just from playing 60 minutes and playing with some intensity. That's going to be one of the key things here and home.

"And getting the fans involved just like we did last year. I think it's fair for the fans to expect more of us. We should expect more from ourselves. (Tuesday) night we were proud of the way we played and that's the way we have to continue to play."



Kyle Wellwood making most of opportunity since returning to Winnipeg Jets lineup

By Ken Wiebe,Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 08:48 PM CDT | Updated: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 09:31 PM CDT

Slowly but surely, Kyle Wellwood seems to be rounding into form.

After managing only two assists in 15 games to start his second season with the Winnipeg Jets, Wellwood found himself in the press box as a healthy scratch for four consecutive contests.

To be frank, Wellwood looked nothing like the player that was one of the most pleasant surprises for the Jets one season earlier, when he produced 18 goals and 47 points and earned a new one-year contract.

But an injury to Anthony Peluso opened the door for Wellwood to return to the Jets’ lineup and he scored in his first game back.

Then after playing well in three games but failing to register a point, Wellwood had a goal and an assist in Tuesday’s 5-2 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“It’s always a challenge,” said Wellwood, when asked about sitting out. “For me, I’ve been at a level in the NHL where I’m happy with my play and what I focus on is trying to get there. When you’re not at that level, you want to get to that level where you’re having success.

“You can’t focus on if you’re in the press box, where you’re playing or how many minutes you’re getting, you have to let your game develop and go from there. I’ve been happy with my game the last three or four weeks. It’s just a lot better feeling and you know it when you’re playing well.”

Wellwood even helped spark a power play that had been running ice cold, assisting on Nik Antropov’s first period marker.

“That’s helped a lot,” said Wellwood, when asked about getting back on the power play. “It’s nice to be out there and getting opportunities. It helps your overall game.”

Having those two or three shifts where you’re handling the puck a bit and feeling things out, it helps your energy level, as well as your skills.”

When on his game, Wellwood does a great job of playing to his strengths.

“He’s not very fast, he doesn’t have a really good shot but the reason he is so successful is that he’s very smart, he has good hands and he can make those plays that not a lot of guys can make,” said Jets winger Evander Kane.

“You watch him down low and in the corners and he’s out-battling guys that are twice his size. It’s pretty impressive to watch.”

Winnipeg Sun LOADED 03.14.2013


Lots of fight in Winnipeg Jets scrapper Chris Thorburn

By Paul Friesen ,Winnipeg Sun


And you thought you had an unpleasant job.

With big Anthony Peluso on the shelf with a busted set of knuckles, Chris Thorburn is the resident rumbler for the Winnipeg Jets.

And when bullies like the Toronto Maple Leafs show up, he knows when the bell sounds he’ll wind up in the schoolyard trying to prove it, sometimes against the most renowned scrappers in the NHL.

Tuesday night, just 2:46 in, one of them came calling.

“I just heard my name and turned around — and it was him,” Thorburn was saying, Wednesday. “I knew before the fight what I was getting into.”

Asking for a dance was the Leafs’ Colton Orr, a Winnipegger with well over 100 notches on his big-league belt.

Seconds before the final buzzer, Thorburn got another invitation, a relatively innocuous slash to the back of the legs from Frazer McLaren of the heavyweight division.

This time, two points safely in the bank, Thorburn declined.

But as it is with these matchups of machismo, that probably just delayed the inevitable, perhaps by mere days. The Jets pay a visit to the Leafs, Saturday.

“Sometimes you might need a fight, sometimes you might not — depending on how we’re executing the game plan,” Thorburn explained. “We’ll see. They’re a team that feeds off that physical stuff. Especially in their building, you don’t want to give them any more momentum. If they don’t come out with any, you don’t want to give them anything they can feed off.

“It’s something you’ve got to put some thought into.”

We can say what we want about whether fighting should have a place in hockey, but we can’t deny that it does.

Thankfully, it’s rarely a Broad-Street-Bully free-for-all anymore.

Nowadays fighters are managed, like professional boxers, with an eye on maximizing the rewards. Only the manager is usually the fighter himself, and the rewards are measured not in one-time paydays or title belts, but in the shots of adrenaline a team can get from the scuffle.

“There’s some guys in the league that will do it no matter what,” Thorburn said. “But it’s tough finding fights sometimes when you’re down. There’s a lot of smart players. A lot of the tough guys can play now.”

Orr, not long ago thought to be a 6-foot-3, 230-pound slug doomed for the minors, got himself into skating shape and rebuilt his game in the AHL last season.

But while he shed some weight, he can still chuck ’em.

“He’s not usually the guy I would pick to fight,” Thorburn acknowledged. “The guys fed off it — our power play went out and got a goal. I kind of sat in the box and was like, ‘Ok, I accomplished something.’

“I didn’t win the fight, but I still gave our team momentum. It’s weird how that stuff works.”

Jets head coach Claude Noel has seen how it works. Timing is everything, getting a feel for when your team needs a lift.

“Some players have to be taught,” Noel said. “Some you don’t have to. I don’t believe he needs to be told. And there is a real art to how you do that.”

If we’re going down that road, then Thorburn did his best Picasso, Tuesday.

“I don’t think Chris is a heavyweight, but he’s willing to do the things necessary for his teammates,” Noel said. “That’s a really tough task, to get

yourself motivated to do that. Against guys that are bigger and stronger, or better fighters, possibly, than you.”

Seeing a fight actually spark his team is the enforcer’s version of scoring a game-winner.

“I had a couple guys come up to me and give me a pat on the back,” Thorburn said. “That goes a long way... it feels great, I’m not going to lie. It’d be nice to get a game-winning goal, but I’ll take that for now.”



Winnipeg Jets need to keep foot on pedal against Rangers

By Ken Wiebe ,Winnipeg Sun


Above the line or below the line, that is the question the Winnipeg Jets are trying to answer as they face the New York Rangers on Thursday.

Entering action, the Jets and Rangers are tied for eighth spot in the Eastern Conference standings, though the Rangers are currently above the line as they hold a game in hand.

“They’re a team that was kind of called out a little bit by their coach. There’s nothing wrong with that, but they’re going to be hungry,” said Jets forward Evander Kane. “If you look at the situation in itself, it’s obviously just a big game

“We’re into the stretch point of the season now and it’s kind of crazy to think that after Game 26. Each and every game is so important. It’s cliché and it sounds old, but that’s what it is.”

The Jets are coming off a convincing 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs that may have been the most complete home-ice effort of the campaign.

However, the Jets are only 5-6-1 at MTS Centre and can’t really afford to take a step backward.

“You can’t take your foot off the pedal, that’s the first thing,” said Jets head coach Claude Noel. “We don’t want to get back to mediocrity at home. You’ve got to buckle down and get ready, because it’s not going to be easy. We’ve got to be prepared to start again.”

The Jets will also need to be prepared to be without centre Jim Slater for the next little while as he’s out with a suspected broken hand.

Slater blocked a shot from Maple Leafs blue-liner Carl Gunnarsson with 9:55 left in the third period and is out “week-to-week” with what Noel called an upper-body injury.

“He’ll be out for a little while,” said Noel.

With Slater on the shelf, look for Noel to turn to either Alex Burmistrov (a healthy scratch on Tuesday) or Patrice Cormier, who was recalled from the St. John’s IceCaps of the American Hockey League on Wednesday.

“(Slater) is a guy who brings a lot to the table,” said Jets right-winger Chris Thorburn. “He’s a huge faceoff guy for us, he’s a leader through his play. It’s someone we’re definitely going to miss. He’s our top penalty killer and he’s a guy that brings it every night.

“Every year he’s gotten better at what he does. Hopefully he’s not gone for long. We definitely need a guy like that down the stretch here to get into the playoffs.”

Rangers head coach John Tortorella unleashed a classic post-game rant after his team lost 3-1 to the Buffalo Sabres on Tuesday, but was in good spirits and spoke for nearly six minutes on Wednesday afternoon following his team’s workout at MTS Iceplex.

One thing you won’t find Tortorella doing right now is fretting over where his team currently resides in the grand scheme of things.

“I’m not even looking at the standings right now. We try not to,” said Tortorella. “I know everybody does because there is so much talk about it. But I think if you take care of your business every single day, things will fall into place. That’s the way we’ve gone about it here the past three or four years.

“It doesn’t matter where we’re at right now. There’s a lot of games to be played and a lot of things can change, good and bad. Worry about today.”

The Jets hung on for a 4-3 win over the Rangers on Feb. 26 at Madison Square Garden after a wild third period.

“We’re in a different place now. We can probably remember how we played in the third period, but they’ll be a different team in this building,” said

Rangers centre Brad Richards. “We’ve got to be a hungrier team than we were (on Tuesday). That’s the only thing we’re worrying about.”



Burmistrov wants back into Winnipeg Jets lineup

By Kirk Penton ,Winnipeg Sun


Burmistrov Alex Burmistrov is one of the top hitters on the Jets but his play of late certainly left something to be desired for head coach Claude Noel

Alex Burmistrov was saying all the right things when he finally faced the media on Wednesday at MTS Iceplex.

The Jets centre, who was banished to the press box for Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs, said he is not frustrated by his predicament since the team did well without him.

“It would be tougher if we lost, but we win, so that means the coach made a good decision,” Burmistrov said.

Smart answer, as it never hurts to remind the coach of his intelligence when trying to work your way back into the lineup. Burmistrov played a season-high 19:54 last Thursday in Tampa Bay and then watched most of the last two periods on Sunday in New Jersey. He was a healthy scratch for the Leafs game, and he said he didn’t know why when he spoke to the media on Wednesday.

“I don’t know,” he said. “You should ask the coach.”

For the second consecutive day head coach Claude Noel said he wanted to keep the reasoning behind Burmistrov’s benching in-house, but he did say the lines of communication between him and the 21-year-old Russian were open behind the scenes.

“Alexander and I have a good relationship and I’ve always been open with him and spoke to him and I’ve spoken to him all the way along,” Noel said. “I spoke to him again (Wednesday). So, for me, it’s something that, between him and I, we need to work out.”

The stats suggest Burmistrov is having a decent season. He is one of only a handful of players on the team who have more takeaways than giveaways, he is third on the team in hits, and he is plus-6 on a team that has given up more goals than it has scored.

“I guess I’m not playing that good, and I’ll stick with working hard in practice and try to get back,” Burmistrov said.

Centre Olli Jokinen said the youngster is doing all the right things in the wake of his very public punishment.

“I was watching him today and he was working hard,” Jokinen said. “He was the first guy out there and that’s a good sign. He wants to get back in the lineup. As a young player, you learn from it. He’s a smart kid and he’ll come back stronger.”

Noel said Burmistrov will be a game-time decision for Thursday night’s contest against the New York Rangers.



Winnipeg Jets winger James Wright on right track to end goal drought

By Kirk Penton ,Winnipeg Sun


It’s been three and a half years since James Wright last scored an NHL goal.

Granted, the Jets winger wasn’t in the league for a couple of those years, but he would still very much like to end the drought as soon as possible.

“If you’re not producing any offence you gotta make sure they’re not going in the back of your net, so that’s kind of what I’m trying to do right now,” Wright said. “It’d sure be nice to get the goose egg out of there, but when that comes I think it’ll just start rolling.”

Wright last dented the twine in an NHL arena on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. He notched the insurance goal in Tampa Bay’s 3-1 win over the host Montreal Canadiens. Since that night, he has played 58 games in the big league without scoring.

He had a pair of glorious chances during Tuesday’s 5-2 win over the Maple Leafs and another on last week’s road trip, but he remains snakebitten. The shot he wants back the most was his first-period attempt on Tuesday when he was wide open in the slot and got a perfect feed from Kyle Wellwood, only to be denied by James Reimer.

“I had more time than I thought,” said Wright, who has become one of the team’s premier penalty killers. “I just gotta build off that, get that first one, and they’ll just come.”



Winnipeg Jets lose Jim Slater, recall Patrice Cormier

By Ken Wiebe ,Winnipeg Sun

First posted: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 10:39 AM CDT | Updated: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 08:39 PM CDT

The Winnipeg Jets have summoned forward Patrice Cormier from the St. John’s IceCaps to help offset the loss of Jim Slater.

Although he didn’t arrive in Winnipeg in time for Wednesday’s practice, Cormier is an option to play Thursday against the New York Rangers.

“He’s been very aggressive and been one of the (IceCaps’) better players,” said Jets head coach Claude Noel. “He brings energy, he’s a strong guy, good on faceoffs. He’ll be enthused to get back up here.”

Cormier, 22, has seven goals and 11 points in 32 games with the IceCaps this season.

SCHEIFELE SALUTED: Jets prospect Mark Scheifele scored well in the Eastern Conference Ontario Hockey League Coaches Poll.

Scheifele, the seventh overall pick of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, received the most votes in most dangerous in goal area and best shot categories, while placing second in the best faceoff man and tying for second in best shootout shooter.

Scheifele has a career-high 38 goals and 77 points in 43 games with the Barrie Colts this season.

ASHAM PROGRESSING: Portage la Prairie product Arron Asham was on the ice with the Rangers Wednesday, but isn’t ready to return to action as he recovers from back spasms.

Asham has one goal and 17 penalty minutes in 12 games this season.

“I’ve always liked him as a player, but he’s been banged up so much that we really haven’t seen exactly what he’s going to do with our club,” said Rangers head coach John Tortorella.


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ESPN / Rich Clune fighting a bigger battle

By Scott Burnside

ESPN.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- It's the spring of 2010. Rich Clune is sitting on the Los Angeles Kings' bench in the first round of the playoffs as the Kings take on the Vancouver Canucks.

The Toronto native is in the NHL. He's on "Hockey Night in Canada." He's living the dream.

Except his legs are cramping up because he's not sleeping and he's not eating properly; he hasn't for a long time, in fact.

The perpetual drinking and the other drugs have sapped him of his strength and conditioning and, worse, his desire to play the game. And in the moment that should have been a cherished memory for life, burnished to a healthy glow to be remembered with pride and shared with children and grandchildren, Clune is instead filled with disgust and self-loathing at what his life had become, what he had become.

"Here was every kid's dream, and I wished I was anywhere else," Clune recalled. "I was so disgusted with myself. I was just so emotionally bankrupt.

"When I got called up, I didn't even want to be at the rink anymore," Clune said during a lengthy interview in a Nashville restaurant. "I was finally in a place I'd dreamed of being, and I was like, oh no, I can't go there. I need to restart. I couldn't wait for the season to be over."

On this day a vibrant, well-spoken Clune sports a nasty cut across the bridge of his nose courtesy of Kings defenseman Drew Doughty from a recent game.

In a game shortly after the end of the lockout, Doughty's teammate Mike Richards caught Clune with an elbow that knocked out four of Clune's lower teeth, the fragments of which ended up going down Clune's throat.

He's been wearing a protective shield over his jaw until recently and, with the Predators' heavy road schedule, Clune has just recently moved into an apartment. He jokes that his closest non-hockey friend in his new home city might be his dentist.

Clune smiles easily, and the implication is clear, that these battles are, relatively speaking, easy to fight. These are wounds that are, relatively speaking, easy to heal.

And if it's possible to be delighted with a little dental work or a nasty gash on the nose, then a clean and sober Clune is as happy as a clam.

After that series against the Canucks almost three years ago, there was one more bender, a team trip to Las Vegas.

Back in Los Angeles, alone, unhappy and unhealthy Clune decided he had had enough, decided he couldn't go on; not just in terms of hockey, not just in terms of pursing the dream of being a professional athlete, but could not go on. Period.

So he called the only people he felt could help him, the only people with whom he could share his burden: his parents.

"Help me, please," he said from miles away.

It is a moment no one in the Clune family will ever forget. It is a moment that changed everything, changed all of them.

"Was I scared? For sure. Absolutely," said his mother, Anne Marie Clune.

She had seen her son on television, the close-up of his face on the bench, a face that did not look like the son she remembered, certainly not the face she had helped move into a Nashville apartment less than two months earlier.

"I was, of course, devastated. Of course, I felt terrible guilt. What did I do to cause this in my son?" said Anne Marie, the chief talent officer for The Talent Co. in Toronto.

But when that initial shock passed, Anne Marie Clune and her husband, Tom -- one of the founders of a successful Toronto marketing agency and currently the COO of marketing company Capital C -- Anne Marie's parents, her younger sister and Clune's two younger brothers joined in the process of getting Clune the help he needed and ensuring that he found the life he was seeking.

The beginning

Clune was 2 when he first picked up a foam hockey stick.

"He just loved it," his mother recalled.

He learned to skate when he was 5; his father, Tom, a former college hockey player, made it a condition of his agreeing to help teach skating to other kids in their East End neighborhood that his oldest son could join him on the ice.

Tom Clune is a graduate of St. Michael's College in Toronto, a private school with a long and storied hockey tradition. Clune and his father used to watch junior hockey games together, and Clune became enamored with a young player named Sean Avery. Scrappy, fast, fearless -- those were the qualities of Avery's game Clune would admire and, in some ways, would try to emulate as he began to excel at the game in his early teens.

"Richard always had this fire in his eyes with every sport," his mother said.

Although his parents and agent Bobby Orr felt Clune should consider college as an option, once scouts began to follow Clune's progress through the Toronto minor hockey system, he was determined to play junior hockey in Canada.

And so, at 16, Clune headed off to Sarnia to play for the Ontario Hockey League's Sting.

Tom and Anne Marie Clune agreed to allow Clune, a top-notch student, to move away from home provided he agree to a contract with three conditions: do well in school, keep your nose clean and pursue a post-secondary education.

Clune agreed, and for a time those conditions were met.

In his second year in Sarnia, 2004-05, Clune was named the OHL's scholastic player of the year.

That season also saw Clune selected to play on Canada's under-18 team that earned a silver medal at a tournament in the Czech Republic. He also was asked to compete for Canada at another international tournament later that summer. By that time, the Dallas Stars had made him the 71st pick of the 2005 draft.

It's hard to imagine life being any better for a teenage boy anywhere, let alone one in Canada. And yet, as all the tumblers that would open the door to a successful NHL career -- a successful life -- seemed to click into place, Clune found himself charting a course down a darker, self-destructive path that would nearly cost him everything.

How he hit bottom

Clune first got drunk at 13. Even then, he understood that, although he enjoyed the sensation, it wasn't something he should be doing. It would take him a decade or so to come to grips with those conflicting emotions: the guilt and shame that came from abusing alcohol, and later other drugs, and the overriding desire to keep doing it.

Made captain of the Sting before the 2005-06 season, Clune spent more and more time drinking, hanging out at bars. He broke curfew regularly to pursue his party lifestyle. Often, he and some teammates would cut school to begin drinking early in the day.

Although he continued to put up decent offensive numbers, he was unhappy.

"I had all this positive stuff that I had going for me," he said. "I was always a happy-go-lucky guy, but I started walking around with a chip on my shoulder."

Maybe he was tired of trying to live up to expectations. Maybe he was, in his own way, rebelling.

"That's when the drinking really started to pick up," he said. "I pretty much made friends with all the shady characters in town."

That offseason, he demanded a trade, creating nonexistent issues as a rationale for team management, his agents, his family.

"I put the team in an awful position," Clune said.

Steven Stamkos was coming to the team, and the Sting were looking to Clune to be a mentor for the young prospect. But instead of being a leader, Clune was increasingly concerned only with himself.

Rich Clune

Rich Clune's OHL career was full of on-ice highs and off-ice lows.

"I was a different player back then. I was kind of selfish. I would never fight to stick up for my teammates. I really had no interest in the team anymore," he said.

Instead he wanted out.

In the vernacular of alcoholics, it's known as "geographical cure," Clune explained, the idea that the problem isn't inside but rather external; that by going somewhere else, things will get better.

They didn't.

In fact, they got worse.

After being traded to Barrie, with which he had played his final year of junior in 2006-07, Clune continued to spiral. At one point, there was an alcohol-related brush with the law. Criminal charges eventually were dropped, but if the incident itself did not bring his problems into focus for Clune, it did for those around him.

He was, he concedes, the extreme junior hockey player: drinking too much, doing other drugs, carousing with women. Although he had the swagger of a young man with a big ego, he suffered from low self-esteem.

"From the outside, you feel you have everything going for you, but inside you're hurting," he explained.

In his one season in Barrie, Clune's production continued to be at odds with his lifestyle. He scored 32 goals and 78 points.

"The more I scored, the more I partied," he said.

He was never late for practices or games. But hungover?

"All the time," he said.

Looking back on those days, Clune shakes his head in wonder that he was able to pull it off physically.

By the end of his junior career, Clune had been kicked out of two billets' homes for misbehavior. Now, sent to the Stars' AHL affiliate in Iowa, he was a professional player living on his own without supervision, hardly a recipe for getting his life back on track, even if he did flirt with the idea several times in the next couple of years.

Clune recalls getting emails from longtime Dallas Stars executive Les Jackson encouraging him to find balance not just in his game but in his life away from the rink.

"I think they could see I was self-imploding," Clune said. "But I never clued in. I was like, 'What is he talking about? Let's talk about my contract.'"

Clune's view of someone who was an alcoholic was always the standard cliché: some homeless man on a park bench. He never saw himself in that way, never connected his own behavior with the disease.

"If I backtrack, there were probably tons of wake-up calls I should have listened to," Clune said.

The long climb up

After two years in the Stars' organization, Clune was dealt to the Los Angeles Kings. When he first chatted with Kings GM Dean Lombardi and assistant GM Ron Hextall, Clune expected the traditional "Glad to have you aboard" speech, but instead the two men warned Clune that there were lots of positives about his game but there were also a bunch of red flags.

The cautionary reception was another blow to Clune's already crumbling self-esteem, another excuse to feel sorry for himself, another excuse to continue his self-destructive behavior.

Although he had intentions of rededicating himself to hockey, to pursuing his dream of being an NHL player, his inability to curb his drinking and his use of other drugs was a powerful counterbalance to whatever remained of those dreams.

He recalls being so hungover or worn down from partying that he could barely stand to get ready for games in Manchester, where he played parts of five seasons.

Some of his teammates stopped talking to him.

He recalls netminder Jonathan Bernier, now the Kings' backup, looking at him with disgust.

"He just said, 'You're a piece of [expletive],'" Clune recalled.

And, really, what was the argument?

Hextall asked Clune whether he needed help, but Clune was too embarrassed to take the offer.

And then, in the face of all that, Clune got his chance, called up to the big leagues.

Maybe it wasn't the textbook epiphany or hitting the bottom, but Clune knew it was wrong, knew he wasn't ready physically and certainly wasn't ready for it mentally.

Needless to say, that call to his parents that followed was as difficult a moment as someone might face.

"I told them exactly what was going on. I knew I had to make a change. It's the most vulnerable I think I've ever felt," Clune said.

He went home and went into treatment first as an in-patient and then as a twice-a-week outpatient. He remains vigilant about his program of sobriety.

Rich Clune

Rich Clune was losing a bigger battle when he was with the Kings.

Clune is the oldest of three boys. Middle brother Matt is playing in the ECHL for the Ontario (Calif.) Reign and dreams of being a screenwriter.

The youngest Clune brother, Ben, is also an aspiring writer, with whom Matt is working on a series of projects, and is an outfielder playing college baseball at Sewanee of the Southern Athletic Association, not far from Nashville.

For as long as Matt can remember, his older brother has been his hero.

He admits, having visited Rich in California before that phone call home, that his brother wasn't making good decisions. And then, during Rich's rehabilitation, Matt had to come to terms with his own feelings, the idea that somehow he'd been thrust into the role of "older" brother vacated at least temporarily by Rich.

"I think you're kind of in denial at first," Matt Clune said from Bakersfield, Calif., during a weekend road trip. "We were afraid to know the truth about what he was going through because it scared us."

Rich acknowledges that, for a time, the natural order of things was disrupted for his family as he found his way back to sobriety.

"Matt, he was pretty heartbroken at first. I had to earn Matt's trust back again. I think he felt a little betrayed," Rich said.

For his part, Matt feels it was more a case of Rich having to earn back his place as the older brother he and Ben had always looked up to.

From a mother's perspective, this journey -- and can it be described as anything but? -- has given a family back a son and brother but, in doing so, has taken them all to a place that only those families that endure the most difficult of times get to.

She jokes that she doesn't want people to become ill while hearing her gush about her family and the bonds that have been strengthened and redefined as a result of this period, but the pride the entire family feels is obvious, palpable.

"I see it in my boys and it makes my heart sing," Anne Marie said. "We faced a lot together."

"We're as close as a family can get," Rich added. "I can look my family in the eye and I know they love me for who I am."

Clune returned to the Kings' organization for the 2010-11 season, and, although he dreamed of a return to the NHL, it appeared that moment might never happen.

After being put on waivers by the Kings after the lockout, Clune was picked up by the Nashville Predators.

It was Hextall who called and told Clune that he was going to get a chance to play in the NHL again. The former NHL netminder acknowledged that it was a bittersweet moment for him because he had come to see himself as a kind of mentor to Clune and Clune represents the kind of player the Kings like to have in their organization.

"He plays the game hard, and he plays for keeps all the time," Hextall told ESPN.com this week.

Although Hextall will not discuss the specifics of what happened during Clune's time with the Kings, it's clear he is intensely proud of what Clune has accomplished.

"He's worked really, really, really hard" on the mental and physical aspects of his game, Hextall said. "I couldn't be happier for him.

"This is a really good opportunity for him. And that's what I told him."

Clune was upfront with coach Barry Trotz about his past when he joined the Predators. The team has a history of working with players who have dealt with personal issues -- Jordin Tootoo and Brian McGrattan, to name just two -- and Trotz himself is familiar with these kinds of journeys. Trotz's father is a recovering alcoholic who has enjoyed decades of sobriety.

"My dad's gone through that, so I know how tough it is," Trotz told ESPN.com. "And my dad's my biggest hero because I know what he went through."

As for Clune's career, Trotz is challenging the rugged forward not to settle for being a fourth-line thumper.

"I think there's a lot more in his game," Trotz said. "He skates well enough to get around the ice. He seems to have a good sense of the game."

The coach points to Montreal's Brandon Prust, who has evolved into a valuable two-way forward who can play a rugged style and contribute on the penalty kill as well as play with skilled players, as a kind of model for Clune.

As if to prove Trotz's point, Clune's line started a crucial game last week against the Edmonton Oilers; the trio was effective throughout the night with Clune scoring a goal and fighting Edmonton tough guy Mike Brown en route to a 6-0 win. Clune's line started the next game, as well, a game in which Nashville earned a much-needed point against Minnesota in a shootout loss. And then there was the penalty shot goal this week against the team that drafted him, the Stars. His ice time and responsibilities continue to edge northward, and he ranks 21st in the league in hits.

Every day a beginning

Matt Clune had a chance to catch up with his brother during an early western road trip by the Predators. He sat down near the ice level for the pregame skate in Anaheim, watching for the first time in person as his older brother stepped onto the ice in an NHL jersey. Rich was the last player out of the Predators' locker room, and Matt marveled as he saw him skating with Shea Weber and Pekka Rinne, sharing the ice with Teemu Selanne and Saku Koivu.

Proud?

Clune family

The Clune clan. Rear (l to r): Rich and Matt; front: Anne Marie, Ben, Tom.

"There're really no words to describe the feeling," Matt said. "It was one of the best moments of my life."

At the end of the warm-up, Rich grinned at his younger brother and tossed him a puck, then he later got an assist.

A couple of nights later, Matt Clune was again in attendance at Staples Center, where the Predators took on the Kings. This time, Matt's view of his brother was somewhat different, less in awe, the situation somehow less surreal.

"It was more like: This is my brother's job; he belongs here," Matt said.

A strong Christian, Matt believes his brother's journey and his ability to deal with his problems are a sign.

"For me, this is God's hand at work," Matt said.

It's been almost three years, and Clune feels comfortable enough in his own skin now that he's willing to share his story. Although his is the story of a man who nearly threw away a professional hockey career but got it back,

he is hopeful that anyone reading this -- boy, girl, athlete or not, young, old -- will perhaps gain the courage to ask for help, courage it took Clune a long time to find.

The interesting thing is that Clune wasn't looking to make a change to save his career; he was looking to make a change to save his life, to become a human being again. But a byproduct of getting healthy has been that Clune has rediscovered his love for the game.

Even as he puts less pressure on himself to be someone or do something, he has found he is far more dedicated to the game.

"I'm just trying to stay in the moment and enjoy every moment," he said. "I never did that before.

"There's something inside of me no one can touch. I have that peace of mind now."

ESPN LOADED: 03.14.2013

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ESPN / Eyeing playoffs, Jets set sights on Rangers

By Pierre LeBrun

It is like the schedule maker knew, right?

The Winnipeg Jets welcome the New York Rangers to their hostile environment Thursday night with the two clubs tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

After spending most of the season hovering just below that eighth spot, the Jets can finally come up for air if they upend the Rangers.

"We’d like to be above the line, so that means somebody has to be below it other than us, and we don’t care who it is,” Jets coach Claude Noel told ESPN.com on Wednesday. "The Rangers will be coming in here a little snarly because we beat them in their building. And they had a tough one last night, too. It’s going to be a good game. We have to play the same way [as Tuesday night]."

The Rangers, who lost 4-3 at home to Winnipeg on Feb. 26, laid an egg in Buffalo on Tuesday night in losing a 3-1 decision to the struggling Sabres.

Just when you think the Blueshirts are showing signs they’re back to being the contenders many of us predicted, they take a step backwards. So you know coach John Tortorella will have his team fired up for Thursday night.

That’s exactly what Noel did with his troops Tuesday night in an emotional 5-2 win over the visiting Toronto Maple Leafs, one of Winnipeg’s better all-around efforts of the season.

"We’re playing pretty good," Noel said. "We’re playing a bit better defensively. We’re getting good goaltending. We wanted to send the message Tuesday night that we need to play better at home. I thought our guys really played well. We played the way we had played last year [at home] with a lot of passion. We wanted to get back to playing a lot better in our home building."

After dominating at the MTS Centre last season, going 23-13-5 in front of the loudest crowd in the NHL, the Jets were only 4-6-0 at home this season before delivering Tuesday night’s impressive win over the Leafs.

"Last night, we got some production from different people. I thought [Nik] Antropov had a real strong night, one of his better games I’ve seen him play," Noel said. "The thing I liked the most about that game was that we played with some energy. We played with a sense of purpose, which we hadn’t seen consistently for a while. That was a consistent 60 minutes of hard play."

Noel felt captain Andrew Ladd led the way with his physical play, which also included a fight with Toronto captain Dion Phaneuf.

"I thought the leadership of Andrew Ladd last night was huge," Noel said. "They started to try to knock us around at home, and he would have none of that. I thought he really showed the way, which I thought was fabulous."

These are big moments right now for the Jets. The pressure is on this franchise to make the playoffs. Last season, the fans in Winnipeg would have cheered on a 0-82 team, just content to get an NHL team back after a 15-year absence.

In Season 2, however, they want more.

"I think the honeymoon’s over, I agree," Noel said. "Last year, the fans were happy to be back part of the National Hockey League, they were just happy to have a team to cheer for. Now they want more than that and they expect more than that, and I think they should. It’s very clear what the fans want: They want to be proud of our team, of the way we play and perform, they want to see improvement in our game, and they want to see that we’re trying. When you don’t, they let you know. They’re knowledgeable hockey fans, they’re through the roof. But they don’t expect anything less from us than what we should expect from our ourselves, to be honest."

Of course, catching and passing the likes of New York or New Jersey in the standings isn’t the only way for the Jets to get in the playoffs. It just so happens that Carolina only has a three-point lead atop the Southeast

Division. That guaranteed top-three seed is another carrot the Jets are aiming for.

"We talked about it last week," Noel said. "There’s two ways for us to get into the playoffs, to either get above the line [top eight in conference] or to win our division. We don’t want to lose sight of those two things. It really doesn’t matter to us which way it happens. But the first thing for us is to play consistently and keep getting points."

It is time to prove they’re for real.

"We wanted to take a step in the right direction in last night’s game to prove to ourselves that we can be a team that can be above the [eighth-place] line," Noel said. "We don’t just want to hover around it like we did last year."

They want in this season. The Rangers better be ready Thursday night.


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ESPN / Need to know: Adversity coming for Ducks

By Pierre LeBrun

The Anaheim Ducks have been able to do no wrong this season, a 19-3-3 record worthy of more national attention had it not been for Chicago’s historic start.

Now, though, we’ll find out more about these surprising and impressive Ducks.

Goalie Viktor Fasth, injured during a morning skate Tuesday, is out with an upper-body injury and it’s not clear for how long.

He has been a big part of Anaheim’s start.

The Ducks also will have to live without star winger Corey Perry for a bit as well.

The big news from Tuesday night’s 2-1 win in Minnesota was the ejection from the game of the former Hart Trophy winner after his five-minute major for interference on Wild winger Jason Zucker.

I love the way Perry plays: he combines all-world offensive talent with a nasty edge, plays the game hard and doesn’t take shortcuts.

But that hit on Zucker had some red flags when it comes to the NHL’s desire to curb head hits: the principal point of contact was the head, and to me the hit was late.

Perry has a phone hearing with NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan on Wednesday afternoon, which suggests he can’t get any more than five games as per CBA rules.

Perry explained his viewpoint on the hit with Ducks beat writer Eric Stephens of the Orange County Register in this postgame video.

The key point I thought Perry tried to make is that he didn’t change his trajectory looking for that hit and that’s certainly something Shanahan looks for.

But to me, anyway, it’s a hit that’s worth three or four games.

Perry’s only other NHL suspension was in January 2009, when Colin Campbell gave him four games for an elbow to the head of Flyers star Claude Giroux.

All of this comes at a time when there’s tremendous pressure on Perry off the ice to make a decision on his future. After the Ducks signed linemate Ryan Getzlaf to an eight-year, $66 million extension Friday, the spotlight fell solely and squarely on Perry now to see if he’ll sign over the next few weeks with the Ducks or decide he wants to go to market this summer. All of which will put Anaheim in a tough, tough position in terms of whether it trades him before April 3 or deals with his situation after the season.

A GM from another team suggested to me recently that perhaps the Ducks should keep Perry, even if he doesn’t sign before April 3 and then try to do a sign-and-trade in the offseason in order to recoup value from the asset.

The lure for Perry and his agents at Newport, the GM said, is that under terms of the new CBA, you can get eight years maximum on a deal with your own team but only seven years if you leave to sign elsewhere; hence the appeal of the sign-and-trade. The idea being that the Ducks would allow Newport to talk to any team it wants, in effect advancing its own free agency.

Food for thought.

For now, though, this is the first real bit of adversity this season for a Ducks team that probably will have to play the next week without both Perry and Fasth.

At least it appears Jonas Hiller has found his game. Anaheim’s No. 1 netminder from the past few years, who saw Fasth challenge him for the top job this season, was outstanding Tuesday night in stopping 30 shots in Minnesota. He’s now 6-0-1 in his past seven starts with a .931 save percentage and 1.96 goals-against average.

So, the silver lining here appears to be that Hiller is ready to assume No. 1 duties again.


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ESPN / NHL, Sochi talks continue

By Pierre LeBrun

ESPN.com

Meetings this week in Sochi, Russia, advanced the process on possible NHL participation in next February's Olympics.

"We had two productive days of meetings in Sochi," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told ESPN.com via email from the Moscow airport. "Saw and visited all the hockey venues, the Olympic Village and other key Olympics-related infrastructure. We met with the Sochi Organizing Committee, the IIHF and a number of IOC representatives. There is more work to be done, but it was an important trip for us to make."

The meetings come after the NHL, International Olympic Committee, International Ice Hockey Federation and NHL Players' Association met last month in New York.

The NHLPA was not present at this week's meetings in Sochi, having already done its own site visit previously. The NHLPA would need to be a part of any agreement for Olympic participation.

IIHF president Rene Fasel reiterated that he was hopeful for an agreement by May.

"This was a very good couple days of site visits of the Olympic venues and infrastructure, followed by some good discussions with the NHL representatives," he said in a statement on Wednesday. "I remain optimistic about the NHL's participation in Sochi and I hope that we can come to an agreement, [at the] latest beginning of May, which would be good for the teams as to which players to select for the World Championships.

"It must be said that many challenges remain and that this is more than just an IIHF-NHL issue. We have also the IOC, the NHLPA, the Sochi organizers, the National Olympic Committees and the national ice hockey associations. There lots of coordinating to be done.''

The NHL has participated with its players in the Olympics in every Games since 1998 in Nagano, Japan.

The Sochi Games open on Feb. 7, 2014. Russia is spending more than $50 billion on venues and infrastructure projects to prepare for its first Winter Games.

Also taking part in meetings this week in Sochi are leaders of the seven winter sports federations on the Olympic program.


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ESPN / Blake Geoffrion, 25, mulls retirement

By John Buccigross

ESPN.com

Montreal Canadiens forward Blake Geoffrion, 25, grandson of Hockey Hall of Famer Bernie "Boom Boom" Geoffrion and great grandson of Hockey Hall of Famer Howie Morenz, told the team that he is considering retirement after suffering a serious head injury.

Geoffrion had told ESPN.com that he was planning to retire, but sources then said he had reconsidered. The Canadiens did not indicate when a final decision will be made.

Geoffrion, while playing for the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs on Nov. 9, 2012, in Montreal's Bell Centre, suffered a depressed skull fracture following a hard, legal check from Syracuse Crunch defenseman J.P. Cote. As Geoffrion fell to the ice, his head was struck by Cote's skate blade an inch and an half above his left ear, slicing his skin and fracturing his skull.

“I met with four doctors, the last being Dr. Julian Bailes in Chicago, and they all told me the same thing. I should take another career path.

” -- Blake Geoffrion

After arriving at Montreal General Hospital, Geoffrion had a seizure and emergency surgery, when a titanium and metal mesh/plate and acrylic bone was implanted to repair the fracture and protect his brain.

"I met with four doctors, the last being Dr. Julian Bailes in Chicago, and they all told me the same thing," Geoffrion told ESPN.com. "I should take another career path."

In a statement, the Canadiens said that Geoffrion has "has shown no significant improvement since he underwent surgery last November 10," so "he felt it was his responsibility to inform the Canadiens' management that he was considering retiring from professional hockey."

Bailes is chair of the NorthShore University HealthSystem department of neurology in Chicago. Since 1994, Bailes has been a neurological consultant to the NFL Players' Association.

Geoffrion was born in Florida and raised in Nashville, Tenn. After being selected by the Nashville Predators in the second round of the 2006 NHL draft, he played four years of college hockey at Wisconsin, where he won the 2010 Hobey Baker Award as college hockey's best player. He played 42 games for Nashville and 13 for Montreal in parts of two seasons.

"I love the game of hockey more than anything, and this decision tears me up inside," Geoffrion had told ESPN.com, "but we are talking about my brain. Not a knee or a shoulder. I want to have a family, have kids, play with them and a strong quality of life for another 60 or 70 years. These last three months of recovery have been hell. For two months I would sit in the shower for an hour with no lights on. My head was throbbing. The plate in my head is still sensitive. I've tried to put a hockey helmet on four or five times, and I can't even put that on yet."

Geoffrion has a degree from the University of Wisconsin. His fiancée, Katelyn Deady, also graduated from Wisconsin and will graduate from Loyola University School of Law in May. The two plan to be married on Aug. 17.


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ESPN /Blake Geoffrion, 25, mulls retirement

By John Buccigross

ESPN.com














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ESPN / Blake Geoffrion, 25, mulls retirement

By John Buccigross

ESPN.com














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USA TODAY / Things to know about Wednesday's NHL games

Kevin Allen, USA TODAY Sports2:01p.m. EDT March 13, 2013

Simon Gagne says the Philadelphia Flyers' home-and-home series against the New Jersey Devils Wednesday and Friday might be his team's biggest games of the season.

"It could make a big difference about where we are in the standings," the Flyers winger said.

The longtime rivals are separated by four points in the standings, and the Flyers could climb back into the playoff picture with a sweep.

MORE: Wednesday's NHL scoreboard

"This rivalry is football-related: Eagles and Giants," NBC analyst Pierre McGuire said. "Devils and Flyers is just an extension of the bad blood that emanates from football."

The Devils have gone 2-6-1 without goaltender Martin Brodeur, who is sidelined by a back injury. No. 2 goalie Johan Hedberg picked up a victory in his last outing, but he has given up four or more goals in five of his last 10 outings and three or more goals in seven of his last 10 outings.

"The Devils miss Marty Brodeur," McGuire said. "They have not been good enough in goal."

The Flyers, meanwhile, have gone 5-5 in their last 10.

"It doesn't take much to understand what's going on," Gagne said. "You look at the standings, and I think everyone came to the locker room today and looked at where we were at and how many games we have left.

"I'm not good at math, but if you look at it we have to win games right now."

The Devils, who reached the Stanley Cup Final in June, and the Flyers are lower in the standings than they expected to be. Both have played well at home and struggled on the road. New Jersey is 8-3-2 at home, while Philadelphia has gone 8-4-1.

The Devils have beaten the Flyers twice this season. Brodeur was in net both times.

"I think every game for us is going to be crucial," Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov said. "We are not in the position to take games off or weeks off."

Other things to know about Wednesday night's games:

-The Montreal Canadiens will attempt to break the tie atop the Eastern Conference when they host the Ottawa Senators. The Pittsburgh Penguins matched Montreal's 38 points when they rallied past the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night. The Canadiens have won three in a row and have points in nine of their last 10 games. Ottawa's Robin Lehner will be in net for the third game in a row.

-The Calgary Flames have the NHL's second-worst home penalty killing and that might be what the Detroit Red Wings need because they have the worst road power play. They have not scored in 36 chances. This will be Jiri Hudler's second time facing his former team. He was shut out at Joe Louis Arena earlier this season.

USA TODAY LOADED: 03.14.2013

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USA TODAY / Ducks' Corey Perry suspended for four games

Mike Brehm, USA TODAY Sports4:38p.m. EDT March 13, 2013

Anaheim Ducks star Corey Perry was in the news on Wednesday, and not related to his contract status or the accompanying trade speculation.

Instead, he was suspended for four games over his hit Tuesday night on the Minnesota Wild's Jason Zucker. Perry was assessed a five-minute major for interference and a game misconduct at 4:21 of the second period of the Ducks' 2-1 win.

Zucker had reversed the puck to his defenseman in the Ducks' zone and was looking the other way when Perry hit him.

"Perry continues on his path and hits the Minnesota winger nearly a full second after he released the puck, making significant contact with Zucker's head," the NHL's Rob Blake said in his explanatory video.

Zucker was on the ice for about three minutes before he sat up with assistance. He left the game with help and didn't return.

"I didn't change my path of direction," Perry told the Orange County Register after the game. "I was committed. I tried to let up. It's hard. It happened so fast. It's unfortunate."

Blake said, though, that Perry had ample time to avoid the hit or at least to minimize it. He said that although the league accepted Perry's explanation during his hearing that the hit wasn't malicious, it was reckless because Zucker had no expectation of being hit that late after getting rid of the puck.

This is the second four-game suspension of Perry's career. He got that many games in 2009 for elbowing Philadelphia Flyers forward Claude Giroux, his lone other suspension since joining the league.

Perry will forfeit $115,135.12 in pay. The Ducks' second-leading scorer will miss the remaining two games of the Ducks' trip and two home games. He can return on March 22 against the Detroit Red Wings.

USA TODAY LOADED: 03.14.2013

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