sport-scan daily brief

Transcription

SPORT-SCAN
DAILY BRIEF
10/31/15
Anaheim Ducks
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Erik Johnson says Avalanche needs more shots
Avalanche loses to Carolina, ends three-game road trip
Rask, Faulk, Skinner lift Hurricanes over Avalanche
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Capitals 2, Blue Jackets 1 | Too little, too late for Jackets
Arizona Coyotes
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Heika: Stars taste 3-on-3 overtime for first time, Jamie
Benn caps dramatic comeback
Cold facts: Comeback kids defy odds again, beat
Vancouver 4-3
Stars look to stay perfect against the Pacific Division, host
San Jose Sharks
Heika: If any indication, first overtime test shows how
Stars are built for 3-on-3 format
Observations: Stars' Jamie Benn showing what a 'bell
cow'
NHL Gameday: Stars seek continuation of hot start
OK .... the Dallas Stars are good
Poor start derails Coyotes in loss to Canucks
Arizona Coyotes' Kyle Chipchura capitalizes on expanded
role
Game Day: Vancouver Canucks at Arizona Coyotes
Coyotes hope for return of Hanzal, Vermette vs. Canucks
Boston Bruins
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Tuukka Rask backstops Bruins’ win over Panthers
Change of scenery working out well for ex-Bruin Reilly
Smith
Bruins notebook: Tuukka Rask in top form a good sign for
Bruins
Brad Marchand's two goals lead Bruins past Panthers
Bruins set for back-to-back tests in Florida
Derek Sanderson biopic getting a rewrite
Talking Points: Marchand, Rask shine bright for B's
Haggerty: Krug proving doubters wrong again
Haggerty’s Morning Skate: NHL awaits concussion
lawsuits
Buffalo Sabres
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Sabres notebook: Ullmark picks up first NHL victory
Eichel puts a charge into Sabres’ victory
Sabres’ run this week is an October treat
A long-ago rivalry renewed with Amerks and Springfield
Fan snatches puck from boy at Sabres-Penguins game
Calgary Flames
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Dismal start to season continues as Canadiens whip
Flames
Flames goalie still has belief in himself after rough start
Hartley looks to the positives as Flames prepare to face
Montreal
Calgary Flames' Karri Ramo returns after trip to minors
Montreal Canadiens embarrass Calgary Flames 6-2
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Canes return home to top Avalanche 3-2
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Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
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Colorado Avalanche
Ducks' cold play keeps Coach Bruce Boudreau on hot
seat, and it's getting hotter
Ducks GM Bob Murray: 'I'm not inclined to make rash
changes'
Blues down Ducks: What you need to know
Ducks GM Bob Murray says he’ll be patient with coach
Bruce Boudreau
So far, 3-on-3 overtimes are working to Blackhawks
advantage
Wild exact small measure of retribution over Blackhawks
with 5-4 victory
Blackhawks fall to Wild 5-4
Erik Gustafsson latest Blackhawk to make NHL debut this
month
Observations from the Blackhawks' loss to the Jets
NHL's three-on-three OT is a joke
266 minutes, 45 seconds later, Blackhawks finally score
even-strength goal
Makeshift Blackhawks lineup breaks out, but falls to Wild
Now with Stars, Patrick Sharp says he hasn't had this
much fun 'in a long time'
Hockey team called 'Redskins' with 'Blackhawks' logo
refuses to change nickname
Zucker scores early, Wild hand Blackhawks 2nd straight
loss
Five Things: Artem Anisimov flying under radar for
Blackhawks
Offense comes alive, but Blackhawks fall short in loss to
Wild
Blackhawks make multiple lineup changes vs. Wild
Columbus Blue Jackets
Dallas Stars
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Detroit Red Wings
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Why the Red Wings lost to the Senators, 3-1
Red Wings lack creativity in 3-1 loss to Senators
Red Wings seek to get Riley Sheahan going
Sports, culture website Grantland shut down by ESPN
Senators won't give Red Wings 'anything easy' tonight
Red Wings flat on offense in loss to Senators
Krupa: Blashill isn’t wilting from Wings’ early issues
Wings seek offensive thrust from newly minted line
Helm joins growing list of Wings trying to get groove back
Red Wings postgame: Home losing streak reaches three
games covering 17-day stretch
Offensively challenged Red Wings lose to Senators, 1-5-1
in last 7 games
Second-period analysis: Senators 2, Red Wings 1
First-period analysis: Senators 1, Red Wings 0
Recap: Red Wings-Senators stats, scoring summary,
video highlights and more
Detroit Red Wings' Darren Helm says he's far from where
he needs to be, must skate harder
Red Wings Gameday: With Carolina out of the way,
prepare to get familiar with Ottawa Senators
Red Wings lineup vs. Senators: Line of Riley Sheahan,
Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist must make impact
Ask Ansar: On Dylan Larkin's role with Red Wings and the
futures of Tomas Jurco, Brendan Smith
Senators beat offensively challenged Red Wings 3-1
Edmonton Oilers
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Edmonton Oilers notes: A youth movement is afoot in
Edmonton
Oilers show resolve against Montreal, will they carry it into
Calgary game?
Oilers head coach Todd McLellan aims for hard, fast,
supportive crew
Oilers players want to out-work their opponents, but
challenge is consistency
Florida Panthers
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Florida Panthers can’t contain Boston Bruins’ power surge
in 3-1 loss
Marchand scores twice, Bruins defeat Panthers 3-1
BOSTON POWERED UP IN 3-1 WIN: Bruins score two
power play goals, hold Panthers to one in victory
Bruins' special teams dominate Panthers in 3-1 loss
Preview: Capitals at Panthers; Saturday, 7 p.m.
Panthers rookie Brickley to face his hometown Bruins
Panthers rookie Logan Shaw set to replace Jaromir Jagr
in NHL debut
Panthers leading scorer Jagr not expected to play tonight
Los Angeles Kings
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Kings' dogs play right into the fans' hands
LA Kings host Predators, try for seventh straight victory
Previous: Reign drop first of season to Rampage
GREENE IMPROVING, BUT UNLIKELY TO PLAY
SATURDAY
OCT. 30 VS RAMPAGE PREGAME NOTES
OCTOBER 30 PRACTICE QUOTES: DARRYL SUTTER
OCTOBER 30 PRACTICE NOTES
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Minnesota Wild
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Wild improves to 5-0 at home
Kuemper steps up preparation for possible start
Gameday preview: Wild at St. Louis
Wild morning skate report: It's the Blackhawks, say no
more
Minnesota Wild: Justin Fontaine headed for injured
reserve
Brian Murphy: Wild's two points mean more than revenge
against Blackhawks
Minnesota Wild: Strong third period leads to win over rival
Blackhawks
Wild report: Kuemper eager for another chance
Montreal Canadiens
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Ottawa Senators
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Weise, Byron unlikely heroes in Canadiens' win
Weise's hat trick helps Canadiens get back to their
winning ways
In the Habs' Room: Montreal Canadiens need to turn
things around in Calgary: Max Pacioretty
Canadiens-Flames preview: Calgary slow out of gate
About last night …
The Morning After: Habs’ Pacioretty embarrassed by loss
to Oilers
Nashville Predators
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Predators eye improvement even with strong start
Expect Cogen to hit a home run in Tampa Bay
Devils' Brian O'Neill came inches from scoring his first
NHL goal
How did Devils players dress at their Halloween costume
party?
Devils "in an OK place" after first 10 games and looking to
keep progressing as schedule toughens
Jiri Tlusty "questionable" for Saturday's game vs.
Islanders with upper-body injury
Jiri Tlusty misses Devils' practice
Gelinas rewards Devils for keeping faith
New job at Maple Leafs GM leaves Lou Lamoriello
re-energized
New Lou Lamoriello: Re-energized with ‘Yankees of the
NHL’
Islanders’ next step: Learning not to be stupid sometimes
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Mats Zuccarello Records Hat Trick as Rangers Down
Maple Leafs
Mats Zuccarello hat trick leads Rangers to 3-1 victory over
Maple Leafs
Crushed Ice: Alain Vigneault also trusts Derick Brassard
line in D-zone late after fourth line gives up Leafs
NY Rangers Notes Blog: Viktor Stalberg recovered from
concussion, Etem stays in vs. Leafs, updates & analysis
Rangers’ top line reunites with a bang in commanding win
Rangers’ Diaz decision may push Dylan McIlrath out the
door
Why NHL’s hot seats are warmer than ever — especially
for this coach
Rangers 3, Maple Leafs 1: The final word(s)
Live Blog: Rangers beat Leafs, 3-1 on Zuccarello’s first
career hat trick
New York Rangers
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Flyers open road trip with a loss to Sabres
Listless Flyers fall to the Sabres, 3-1
Flyers coach makes lineup changes
Offense starts in defensive zone, Flyers coach says
Flyers making several lineup changes; Voracek to 2d line
Flyers drop 3rd straight with another loss to Sabres
Best of NHL: Zuccarello's hat trick lifts Rangers past Leafs
Instant Replay: Sabres 3, Flyers 1
Flyers-Sabres 5 things: Michal Neuvirth gets the start
Flyers Notes: Strong start to October followed by rough
finish
5 Flyers things to know for Friday: Jakub Voracek, Claude
Giroux on verge on breakup?
Pittsburgh Penguins
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Positives outweighing negatives in puck fiasco
Penguins' top-6 forwards begin to take shape
Penguins notebook: Fehr ready to make debut in any role
Kessel's return to Toronto will help to keep Penguins'
surge off the radar
Penguins assign center Porter to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
'It was just stunning': Young Penguins fan overwhelmed
after puck incident goes viral
San Jose Sharks
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Former Sharks goalie Niemi thriving in Dallas
Sharks will have their hands full with resurgent Dallas
Stars
Sharks could face old friend in net for Stars
Sharks prepare for real test with 'dynamic' Stars offense
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Resiliency allows Blues to overcome early adversity
Bluenotes: Hitchcock compliments Ott's contributions
Preview: Blues vs. Wild
Blues update: Tarasenko, Parayko not on the ice
BenFred: Was the hit on Tarasenko dirty?
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While Bolts’ offense under scrutiny, defense standing
strong
Lightning battles through tough stretch
With Johnson questionable, might be another callup for
Lightning
New York Islanders
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Ottawa Senators measure up in opener of
home-and-home series with Detroit
Chris Wideman reunites with the man who helped him
along, Detroit coach Jeff Blashill
Hockey fathers, hockey sons: The Browns and Chychruns
look forward to another draft day
Senators take first of home-and-home series Red Wings
Senators rookie Chris Wideman offers high praise for
Wings coach
Senators goalie Craig Anderson polls fans on new gear
Hammond to start as Ottawa Senators battle Detroit Red
Wings
Philadelphia Flyers
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New Jersey Devils
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New York Rangers cont'd
Rangers-Leafs: Morning skate report
Rangers top Maple Leafs, 3-1, behind Mats Zuccarello's
hat trick
Rangers-Maple Leafs in review
Rangers 3, Maple Leafs 1 … post-game notes & quotes
Maple Leafs at Rangers … It’s Go Time!
Amid Rangers’ flaws, the penalty kill strengthens
St Louis Blues
Tampa Bay Lightning
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Toronto Maple Leafs
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Maple Leafs bomb on Broadway in loss to Rangers
A new MLSE boss won’t change Leafs’ direction, until the
wind blows: Cox
Maple Leafs-Pittsburgh Penguins: Game preview
Rich Clune makes Maple Leafs debut tonight against
Rangers
Game Day: Penguins at Maple Leafs
Lack of finish finishes off Leafs
Lamoriello says it's too soon to judge this year's Leafs
Will Phil Kessel be greeted with cheers or jeers on return
to T.O.?
Bernier just has to 'find his game': Babcock
Toronto Maple Leafs drop fifth in a row in loss to New York
Rangers
Why the NHL’s new 3-on-3 format is a good thing, no
matter what the players say
Toronto Marlies’ Frank Corrado ‘progressing well’ after
acquisition by Maple Leafs
New MLSE CEO Michael Friisdahl is an outsider who
starts with a clean slate: ‘He comes in with no baggage’
Vancouver Canucks
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Canucks Game Day: Backup Bachman finally gets the call
Backup Bachman helps Canucks keep Coyotes at bay
Decision Day nears for Jared McCann
New OT format puts sloppy, exhilarating fun back in
tiebreaker
The Provies: McCann leaves no doubt and the emotional
JPat audio you gotta hear
TronArmy Presents: The Jason Botchford Avatar
Challenge
As Canucks president, Trevor Linden gets his second
chance at the Cup
Washington Capitals
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Barry Trotz exercises coach’s challenge for first time, but
Blue Jackets’ goal is upheld
Justin Williams gets on the board, and the Caps hold off
the Blue Jackets, 2-1
Capitals vs. Blue Jackets: Game 9 discussion thread
Michael Latta, Nate Schmidt return to Capitals lineup
Brooks Orpik frustrated with his penalties
Inside the Caps' game-winning tic-tac-TJ goal
Trotz unhappy with first coach's challenge
Williams, Oshie lift Caps over Jackets
Tortorella draws quite a reaction from Capitals
Trotz makes two lineup changes for tonight
Friday Six-Pack: Missing Mike Green?
Websites
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ESPN / Is the NHL better off now that fighting penalties
are down drastically?
Sportsnet.ca / Five things we learned in the NHL: Lupul
ruling looked wrong
Sportsnet.ca / West Coast Bias: How long can the Ducks
GM defend Bruce Boudreau?
Sportsnet.ca / The 10 scariest starts of the 2015-16 NHL
season
Sportsnet.ca / Should disallowed Maple Leafs goal have
counted?
Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs have nothing planned for Phil
Kessel return
TSN.CA / Bernier getting every chance at No. 1 job
TSN.CA / 5 Minute Abbs: Canucks at Coyotes
TSN.CA / TSN Hockey's Top 10 Storylines of the Week
TSN.CA / Dreger Report: Ducks inching closer to point of
no return
TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: Blues' Parayko an impact
rookie defenceman
TSN.CA / Boyes searching for long-awaited first Leafs
goal
Winnipeg Jets
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Gaining altitude
ABOUT THE HABS
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS
Winnipeg Jets heading out on the road, where they are
seemingly at home
Winnipeg Jets could just be scratching the surface after
promising start
SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129
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Anaheim Ducks
If not, their world will be shaken up considerably.
LA Times: LOADED: 10.31.2015
Ducks' cold play keeps Coach Bruce Boudreau on hot seat, and it's getting
hotter
Helene Elliott
Bruce Boudreau seemed surprised at the number of reporters clustered
around him Friday, after his team returned from an 0-4-1 trip with a
conference-lagging 1-7-2 record. They might have been surprised he was
still coaching the underachieving Ducks.
"Hello, world," Boudreau said, not quite smiling.
He remains part of the Ducks' world for now, but the pressure to win is
intensifying on him and on them. They played well enough in parts of their
last three games — at Chicago, Dallas and St. Louis — to bring energy to
their practice Friday at Honda Center and keep Boudreau employed
through their next game, at home Sunday against Nashville. If they
continue to struggle, though, General Manager Bob Murray would be
justified in losing his patience.
Asked about Boudreau's employment prospects, Murray released a
statement indicating he wasn't ready to act yet but will remain vigilant.
"We were one game away from the Final just five months ago. So while
this has been a terrible start, I'm not inclined to make rash changes. I'm
going to be patient," he said. "That said, we are severely underperforming
as a group. I can't recall a time where a vast majority of our players have
underachieved simultaneously, and I fully expect a turnaround."
See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >>
And if it doesn't occur soon?
Murray has several options: fire Boudreau, trade for a scorer, or break up a
team that finished No. 1 in the West last season. A trade might provide a
jolt but a total tear-down makes no sense and would be logistically difficult.
Players said they don't want Murray to choose the first option because
they believe in Boudreau and know it's their responsibility to perform,
which is true enough.
Ryan Getzlaf drew a contrast to the atmosphere in the days before Randy
Carlyle was fired and replaced by Boudreau in November 2011.
"You got the feeling in the room that maybe some guys were not listening
anymore, and I don't have that feeling at this point," said Getzlaf, who
underwent an appendectomy Wednesday and has resumed light exercise.
"Bruce is doing what he does. Our assistants are doing what they do. And
it's just a matter of playing that consistent brand of hockey. They're putting
together the game plan. We've got to go out and execute it."
That Getzlaf, Corey Perry, Ryan Kesler, Jakob Silfverberg and Andrew
Cogliano would have no goals after 10 games is unthinkable. It might be a
byproduct of the many off-season changes Murray made, although his
hand was forced in some cases.
Winger Matt Beleskey wanted a five-year deal and a no-trade clause and
the Ducks wouldn't agree; replacing him by trading Emerson Etem for
speedy Carl Hagelin seemed smart because Etem had been given many
chances and simply couldn't finish. Trading winger Kyle Palmieri for draft
picks was tough but he was heading into his last season before restricted
free agency and the Ducks have a self-imposed budget well below the
salary cap. Defenseman François Beauchemin wanted a three-year
contract at 35 and was expendable because of the promising young
defense corps.
Cogliano called the changes "a little bit of a consideration" in the early
chaos but didn't blame Boudreau for frequently juggling the lines during
the season.
"I think we're still in a little bit of who-fits-with-who adjustments but I think
that's on the players now," Cogliano said. "It's a matter of everyone's just
got to go out and make it work because we're not in a position now to say,
'Oh, I don't play good with him, or I don't fit here, I don't fit there.' You have
to go out and make yourself fit because we don't have any time to waste."
In other words, it's early but it's later than you think — but not too late.
"The answers are still in here. I feel that way and other people do, too,"
defenseman Cam Fowler said. "We just have to be patient even though it's
tough to do. But we have a good little stretch of home games here where
we can really focus on what we want to do and hopefully get some better
results."
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Ducks GM Bob Murray: 'I'm not inclined to make rash changes'
Oct. 30, 2015 Updated Oct. 31, 2015 12:05 a.m.
By ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER
ANAHEIM -- Bob Murray is not happy with the Ducks' woeful start but the
general manager on Friday threw some level of support behind his
embattled coach.
Speaking for the first time on the topic of Bruce Boudreau's status, Murray
said he's willing to give it more time to see if his coach and players can pull
themselves out of their 1-7-2 tailspin to open the 2015-16 season.
The Ducks are back home after a winless five-game road trip but Murray
emphasized that the current struggles of a team that reached Game 7 of
the Western Conference finals isn't all on Boudreau, who's in his fifth
season.
“I really don’t like commenting on rumors, but I will say this, we were one
game away from the [Stanley Cup] Final just five months ago," Murray
said. "So while this has been a terrible start, I’m not inclined to make rash
changes. I’m going to be patient.
"That said, we are severely underperforming as a group. I can’t recall a
time where a vast majority of our players have underachieved
simultaneously, and I fully expect a turnaround.”
Following Thursday's 2-1 loss to St. Louis, Boudreau told the Register that
he expected to be coaching the Ducks this weekend and he was running a
practice session Friday at Honda Center as scheduled. The Ducks will
host Nashville on Sunday.
Boudreau, whose future has been the subject of rampant speculation,
appreciated the signal of support sent out by his boss and said he didn't
feel it was needed.
"I expect to be [coach]," Boudreau said. "That means a lot. But at the same
time, I agree with him. I think we're slowly getting better and better. Feeling
our way. I expect us to play really good on this homestand.
"I'm fine. All I can do is do what I've done, work as hard as I can and that's
it."
Some of his patience may come from the changes he made this summer,
which haven't produced results on the ice.
The additions of Kevin Bieksa, Carl Hagelin, Chris Stewart and Shawn
Horcoff have yet to be a proven upgrade over losing Matt Beleskey and
Francois Beauchemin to free agency and trading Kyle Palmieri and
Emerson Etem.
Ironically, it has been low-cost depth forward Mike Santorelli who has had
the greatest impact among the moves. Santorelli has two goals to tie for
the team lead with defenseman Hampus Lindholm.
Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.31.2015
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Blues down Ducks: What you need to know
Oct. 30, 2015 Updated 10:08 a.m.
By ERIC STEPHENS / STAFF WRITER
was action at the bench – they had two guys all alone for a breakaway and
we had nobody back there.”
(on the failed late power play in the third period …)
“We’ve got to be able to hit the net. That’s one thing that sort of bugged
me. We’re getting opportunities to shoot and we’re shooting it high, we’re
shooting it wide. We’re not getting it on the net, where you can converge if
there’s a rebound. You’ve got the extra guy and have two or three guys on
him.”
COREY PERRY
Here’s what you need to know about the Ducks’ 2-1 loss to the St. Louis on
Tuesday night:
(on the team needing a break to go their way …)
- A lack of effort isn’t to blame for this loss but the goal-starved Ducks leave
themselves with no room for error. Even of the fluky kind.
“I think we deserved better tonight. I thought our guys battled hard. All their
chances, a lot of them were on the power play. There’s a few breakdowns.
Freddie made some big saves at crucial times to keep us in that game.
You’re not going to blame that on Freddie. He’s been a rock back there all
season. It’s not his fault at all.”
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT
(on his goalie’s attitude during team’s rough stretch …)
“Until somebody tells me [I’m not], I’m coaching the team.”
- Frederik Andersen has a 0-5-2 record despite a 2.05 goals-against
average and .932 save percentage.
“It’s probably frustrating for him obviously. You look at his numbers, they’re
right up there. He’s not getting the support. It’s our job in front of him to
help him out. What he’s got to do on a 2-on-0 tonight. It’s one of the best
shooters in the league in Tarasenko. That’s a breakdown. A guy doesn’t
have a stick, a d-man goes to the bench, it’s a 2-on-0. It’s tough. Off the
back wall, off his pad and in the net. You’re not going to say anything to
him. He’s been a rock. We just got to help him out.”
PLAYER OF THE GAME
FREDERIK ANDERSEN
- It was a losing effort for him but Andersen continues to give the Ducks
quality goaltending. With his team down a goal, the Danish netminder
allowed his teammates a chance to forge a tie when he made big
point-blank stops on David Backes and Alexander Steen. Andersen
stopped 32 shots and has allowed two or fewer goals in five of his seven
starts.
(on the winning fluke goal …)
THE GAME IN 140 CHARACTERS OR FEWER
- Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau
STAT OF THE NIGHT
ANALYSIS
- If there’s nothing else, the Ducks appear to still be responding to Bruce
Boudreau. The speculation about his future is in overdrive but his team
showed that it’s still willing to work hard for him, which was the case
against the Blues. Will it be enough for Boudreau to keep his job? Maybe,
maybe not. But they’ve simply got to get more from players like Ryan
Kesler and Corey Perry, especially when an equally unproductive Ryan
Getzlaf is now in recovery mode following his appendectomy. Ducks GM
Bob Murray has laid low when it comes to addressing their horrible start
publicly. He hasn’t come out to back his coach or put the onus on his
players to be better. Right now, this team can use Matt Beleskey’s
finishing ability from last season.
KEY MOMENT
- Fresh off getting a power-play goal from Hampus Lindholm, the Ducks
had a golden chance to go up two goals on St. Louis and take control of an
injury-plagued Blues team. Ryan Kesler, Cam Fowler and Corey Perry
were at the forefront of a 4-on-2 rush when Fowler tried to go cross ice with
a pass to Perry. The pass hit Perry’s skate from behind and shot back in
the other direction. There were no Ducks behind Fowler as defense
partner Korbinian Holzer had broken his stick and went to grab another
one. In that time, St. Louis winger Steve Ott secured the puck and quickly
got it to Vladimir Tarasenko for a 2-on-0 with Jori Lehtera. On a
give-and-go play, Lehtera gave Taranseko a nice touch pass and the star
sniper one-timed a shot past Andersen for a 1-1 tie.
ANY NEWS?
- Center Ryan Getzlaf missed his second consecutive game. Getzlaf had
to undergo a non-emergency appendectomy Wednesday.
MORE POSTGAME QUOTES
BRUCE BOUDREAU
(on the shot disparity in favor of the Blues …)
“A lot of times when you’re looking at shots … St. Louis shoots from
everywhere. They had a lot of shots from the perimeter, which we don’t
have a problem with. We couldn’t get to the front of the net when we had to
get to the front of the net. Rebounds – when we’re looking at the net,
they’re going to the right. Stuff like that. It’s just bad luck, some of it.”
(on the Vladimir Tarasenko goal …)
“Corey gave the puck and he turned to open up for a one-timer. Holzy lost
his stick and was going to the bench. So there was nobody back there.
When Cam missed the play – and they were changing too because there
“You want to get as fast to the post as you can and seal the post. It’s the
way I play. This time it cost the game, the goal. It’s tough.”
(on his team’s overall play …)
“We held them to the outside. We didn’t give them that many chances in
the first two periods. Maybe they came out a little bit harder in the third. We
got to be able to take it to them a little bit more. We played a great game.
We could have deserved a win here, that’s for sure.”
POSTGAME NOTES
• Chris Wagner and Hampus Lindholm each had four shots on goal to lead
the Ducks.
• Patrick Maroon had a team-high four credited hits.
• Blues rookie Colton Parayko had a game-high 10 shots and was a plus-2.
• The Ducks managed just four shots in the third period.
• St. Louis winger Steve Ott had four hits, one fight, one assist and three
faceoff wins in three draws.
• Scott Gomez won eight of 11 draws, including the one that led to
Parayko’s winning goal.
• Corey Perry played a season-low 15:07 and had two shots.
DUCKS RECORD/STANDING
1-7-2 (0-5-1 on road, 1-2-1 at home), seventh place in Pacific Division
WHAT’S NEXT?
- The Ducks play Nashville on Sunday at Honda Center at 5 p.m.
Orange County Register: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979755
Anaheim Ducks
Ducks GM Bob Murray says he’ll be patient with coach Bruce Boudreau
By Elliott Teaford, Daily Breeze
POSTED: 10/30/15, 6:48 PM PDT | UPDATED: 5 HRS AGO
ANAHEIM >> The questions were too great to ignore, during a season with
too much at stake, so Ducks general manager Bob Murray issued a
statement Friday to beat reporters addressing the status of beleaguered
coach Bruce Boudreau.
“I really don’t like commenting on rumors, but I will say this: We were one
game away from the (Stanley Cup) Final just five months ago,” Murray
said in an e-mail sent by a team spokesman while the Ducks held a
spirited 30-minute practice at Honda Center.
“So while this has been a terrible start, I’m not inclined to make rash
changes. I’m going to be patient. That said, we are severely
under-performing as a group. I can’t recall a time when a vast majority of
our players have under-achieved simultaneously, and I fully expect a
turnaround.”
The Ducks’ 1-7-2 start dropped them into last place in the overall
standings. Their record includes a 0-4-1 trip that ended with a 2-1 loss
Thursday to the Blues in St. Louis, igniting a new round of frenzied
speculation about Boudreau’s future with the Ducks.
Picked by many to win the Stanley Cup, the Ducks have looked more like
chumps than champs to start 2015-16. They have struggled to score,
lacked chemistry and appeared overwhelmed at the most inopportune
moments when things haven’t gone their way.
“When I look in the players’ eyes, like after the game (Thursday) night,
nobody wants to win more than those guys,” Boudreau said. “It’s not like
they’re just sitting there, going, ‘Oh, here we go again.’ They’re frustrated
with themselves and the results.
“I’m sure, like you saw (during Friday’s practice), they were pretty upbeat
for a team that got home at 2:30 in the morning and practiced hard for 30
minutes, and they’re going to continue to practice hard because they want
to get out of this.”
Boudreau also said he appreciated the effort of his players.
“It’s hard to explain,” Ducks captain Ryan Getzlaf said. “It’s a combination
of everything, I guess. If it was one thing I’d have narrowed it down already
and would have fixed it. It’s a matter of things going in the right direction,
putting some pucks in the net.”
Getzlaf returned to Honda Center on Friday for the first time since
undergoing a non-emergency appendectomy Wednesday that has
sidelined him for two games and could keep him out for several more.
There is no timetable for his return to the lineup.
“Lighter,” Getzlaf said, smiling, when asked how he was feeling.
Defenseman Cam Fowler said it was time the Ducks rallied around each
other and Boudreau.
“We’re not naïve,” Fowler said. “We understand when teams go through
this, the first thing that happens is people start talking about the coach, and
we’re aware of that. But we can swing it in the other direction and use it as,
‘OK, you know what? We’ve got guys fighting for their jobs right now, so no
time better than now to come together and start doing the things we want
to do.’”
Said left wing Andrew Cogliano: “Bruce has obviously taken the heat, like
every coach in those situations usually does. I don’t think it’s necessary.
Bruce doesn’t play the game. … We’ve been shut out in five of 10 games,
so it’s pretty self-explanatory that it’s nothing about the coach.
“It’s about the players.”
LA Daily News: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979756
Arizona Coyotes
Poor start derails Coyotes in loss to Canucks
Sarah McLellan, azcentral sports 10:50 p.m. MST October 30, 2015
The roles had finally reversed.
After usually being the team limping into the next road city at the wee
hours of the morning, the Coyotes were sitting at home waiting for the
Canucks to arrive to complete a back-to-back set.
But Arizona couldn’t capitalize on the advantage and instead was upended
4-3 by Vancouver on Friday in front of 12,166 at Gila River Arena.
“They were a team that was tired,” coach Dave Tippett said, “but when you
give up four, that’s a big road to climb.”
The Canucks had 11 different players chip in offensively to help build an
early three-goal lead that was reinforced by a power-play tally off the stick
of winger Daniel Sedin at 18:08 of the second period – the eventual
game-winner.
“It’s a big point of the game,” Tippett said.
Winger Tobias Rieder cut the deficit to 1 late in the third, but the Coyotes
were in chase mode almost from the drop of the puck.
Goalie Mike Smith was yanked after giving up two goals on three shots in
the first 4:26.
The first came only 1:56 into the period on a slick finish by Canucks rookie
Jared McCann, who took a behind-the-net pass and slid into the slot
before roofing a shot over Smith.
A brief 2:30 later, winger Alexander Burrows handcuffed Smith with a shot
along the wall.
“You can contribute offensively on the score sheet, but still the goal is to
win as a team,” Vermette said.
And then at 17:04, winger Steve Downie converted his first goal as a
member of the Coyotes. He accepted a Tyler Gaudet pass and then wired
a shot past Bachman with center Boyd Gordon setting the screen. The
assist marked Gaudet’s first career point, and defenseman Nicklas
Grossmann also tallied his first point (an assist) as a Coyote.
“With the loss, it kind of diminishes that,” Gaudet said. “As a team, we have
to be better.”
But 1:04 later, the Canucks reinstated their two-goal lead with a
power-play goal. Daniel Sedin was left all alone on the weak side and had
ample time to walk into a glove-side shot.
“Those kind of shots I need to find a way to stop to be able to win this
game,” Lindback said.
Vancouver’s power play went 1-for-4, while Arizona finished 0-for-2.
“When your team played the night before, one of the ways they can rest is
get on the power play and get momentum,” Tippett said.
The Coyotes came close to pulling even in the third, making it 4-3 when
Rieder backhanded a bouncing puck in front at 17:39 with Lindback on the
bench for the extra attacker, but the Canucks held on for the rest of the
period.
Arizona will now take a five-day hiatus to rest and practice before returning
to action Thursday when it’ll host the Colorado Avalanche.
“Our goaltending has to be better,” Tippett said. “We took some ill-advised
penalties, and we shot a lot of pucks with no screens, no traffic. Just didn’t
shoot the puck smart enough. Those are all areas that will addressed.”
Key player
Canucks goalie Richard Bachman made 29 saves in his first game of the
season.
Key moment
The Coyotes called on backup Anders Lindback to man the crease the rest
of the way, his third appearance of the season. He finished with 17 saves,
while backup Richard Bachman had 29 for the Canucks in his first start of
the season.
The Canucks went up 4-2 when they scored on the power play at 18:08 of
the second period off a shot by winger Daniel Sedin.
The early exit extended Smith’s struggles against the Canucks.
3 goals by the Canucks in 9:03.
Last season, he went 1-3 while allowing 12 goals. He was also pulled from
a Dec. 22 game after getting beat four times on 11 shots in barely 21
minutes of work. More recently, Smith has seemed to suffer from a bout of
adversity.
View from the press box
Since starting the season 3-0 and stopping 104 of the first 106 shots he
faced, Smith has posted a sub-.900 save percentage in seven straight
starts.
“He hasn’t played as well as we’d like the last little bit,” Tippett said.
“Hopefully the (time) off and some good practice this week will help.”
The Canucks converted their third goal – on only their sixth shot – at 10:59
of the first period. Defenseman Christopher Tanev put a point shot on net,
and Lindback’s pad save kicked the rebound off of center Brendan
Gaunce’s skate and over the goal line.
Once the period came to an end, the Coyotes were tagged with 11
goals-against in their past five periods of play. Arizona managed to survive
a late push by Toronto of Monday’s 4-3 win which saw the Maple Leafs
tally twice in the third period. The next night, the Coyotes concluded their
five-game East Coast road trip with a 6-0 drubbing courtesy of the Bruins.
“We give up the first one on really poor coverage, got beat 1-on-1,” Tippett
said. “The second one is just a bad goal, and the third one’s a fluke goal.
We gave up three goals the first (six) shots. It was an uphill battle from
there.”
The Coyotes fared better in the second, putting 13 shots on Bachman and
beating him twice. Only 5:50 into the period, winger Max Domi punched his
fifth goal of the season.
Bachman got a piece of a Mikkel Boedker shot, but Domi backhanded the
rebound in with his back to the net – his 11th point of the season, the
second-highest total among all NHL rookies. The goal also snapped a
98:50 scoreless drought for the Coyotes.
With an assist on the play, Boedker has six points in his past four games.
Center Antoine Vermette also notched an assist on the goal – his first point
of the season.
Key number
This was not the type of performance the Coyotes wanted to stew on for
five days, but their loss to the Canucks surely offers up plenty of areas to
focus on during a five-day hiatus. Slow starts continue to foil their
late-game pushes and although the penalty kill looked strong at times, it
was tested far too often against the Canucks. Arizona's goaltending might
also need some attention during this break as No. 1 Mike Smith has
struggled to regain the form he debuted in the first three games of the
season. Steadying that position is key for the team to getting back above
the .500 mark.
Arizona Republic LOADED: 10.31.2015
979757
Arizona Coyotes
Arizona Coyotes' Kyle Chipchura capitalizes on expanded role
It’s becoming a ritual for Coyotes forward Kyle Chipchura, a climb up the
depth chart from a secondary role to a primary position.
Last season, after being placed on waivers in December, Chipchura found
himself anchoring the team’s No.1 line in March and wearing an ‘A’ as an
alternate captain.
This go-around, the upgrade happened sooner – in the first month after
two of the Coyotes’ top centers went down with injury.
The 29-year-old started Friday's game centering two of the team’s elite
wingers, Max Domi and Mikkel Boedker, amid a four-point start through his
first nine games.
“Maybe you don’t play that role for all 82 games but when you get that
responsibility, you gotta be ready to go and you gotta be ready to
contribute,” Chipchura said.
A veteran of 400-plus NHL games, Chipchura’s versatility has been a
long-standing asset to the Coyotes. They’ve been able to maneuver him
around the lineup to fill holes as needed, but that flexibility hasn’t always
meant a permanent home in the lineup.
“Every year, when you’re not necessarily a star player in the league,
there’s always young guys coming up and you see a big kind of change in
the face of the league,” Chipchura said. “Yeah, you gotta be willing to put
in the work, put in the time and try to earn your spot.”
The jump in responsibility, which happened once Martin Hanzal and
Antoine Vermette recently suffered lower-body injuries – certainly seems
to suit Chipchura.
Four points in his first nine games – he scored the game-winner and added
an assist in Monday’s 4-3 win over the Maple Leafs – marks the most
productive start he’s had in his career.
“That’s what’s great about Chip,” coach Dave Tippett said. “He’s such a
good person because he’s willing to give whatever’s asked of him.
Sometimes he thinks he can do more, and he’s not asked to do more.
There’s a skill to deal with that, too. He’s a real good teammate, real good
utility player on our team.”
Progress report
Tippett had one-on-one talks Thursday with two of the team’s rookies,
Domi and winger Anthony Duclair, to rehash the first 10 games of the
season.
“Obviously, both of them had a great start to their NHL careers, but there’s
still lots of work to be done,” Tippett said. “The great thing about it is they’re
enthusiastic. They recognize that there’s a lot of places that they have to
get better in, but they also recognize that they have the capabilities to play
in the league and they want to help us win. It’s been good, but lots of steps
to go yet.”
Injury update
Hanzal missed his second straight game with a lower-body injury. The
Coyotes, however, were able to welcome back Vermette and defenseman
Connor Murphy to the lineup after both sat out Tuesday’s game with
lower-body injuries. Actually, Vermette had been idle for three games total
– snapping a streak of 482 consecutive appearances. “This is something
you don’t want to experience,” Vermette said. “Three games is too long.
Any game is too long. It’s nice to be back.” The Coyotes certainly have the
opportunity to get back to full strength. Their next game isn’t until Thursday
when they host the Avalanche. “We need some practice time,” Tippett
said. “We’ll have to look at where we’ve been the first month here. It’s been
a hard go for our group, so we’ll manage some rest and some practice time
and get ready for next week.”
Asked for an update on forward Joe Vitale, who’s sidelined with a fractured
orbital bone suffered after a fight Oct.17, Tippett said, “Still lying pretty low.
Hasn’t done much yet.” Vitale is on injured reserve and last week, General
Manager Don Maloney said Vitale would be out four-to-six weeks.
979758
Arizona Coyotes
Sbisa-Bartkowski
Bachman
Game Day: Vancouver Canucks at Arizona Coyotes
Potential scratches: Biega and Cracknell.
Injury update: Forwards Chris Higgins (foot) and Brandon Prust
(undisclosed), defenseman Dan Hamhuis (undisclosed) and goalie Jacob
Markstrom (lower-body).
Canucks (4-2-4) at Coyotes (5-4-1)
Puck drop: 7 p.m.
TV/Radio: Fox Sports Arizona-Plus/KTAR-AM (620).
Coyotes center Antoine Vermette returns to the lineup after missing the
last three games with a lower-body injury.
"I'm excited," Vermette said. "This is something that you don't want to
experience. Three games is too long; any game is too long. It's nice to be
back. I'm looking forward to tonight. It's a big game for us."
After tonight's game, the Coyotes will have five days off.
"This is an important game," center Kyle Chipchura said. "It's a division
game. It's a team that was in the playoffs last year. Coming off the road,
these first games back always seem to be a tough one. You have to have
that focus. Can't look too far ahead, and you have to be ready to put the
work in tonight."
Center Brad Richardson spent the past two seasons with the Canucks.
"A pretty balanced attack," Richardson said. "They're a team that rolls four
lines. Really, their coach always kind of preaches that so everyone's going
to play. The key guys are still the Sedins."
Fast facts for Friday’s game
Captain Shane Doan has a team-high four points in three home games.
The Coyotes are 5-2 when scoring first.
Center Brad Richardson had 44 points the last two seasons with the
Canucks.
Defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson had three points against the Canucks
last season.
Vancouver is 5-3-2 against Arizona in its last 10 games.
Winger Daniel Sedin had six points in five games last season against the
Coyotes.
Center Henrik Sedin ranks third in the NHL in faceoff win percentage (59.7
percent).
The Canucks have allowed only three power-play goals this season.
Possible Coyotes lines:
Rieder-Vermette-Duclair
Domi-Chipchura-Boedker
Martinook-Richardson-Doan
Gaudet-Gordon-Downie
Ekman-Larsson-Stone
Dahlbeck-Michalek
Grossmann-Murphy
Smith
Potential scratches: Hanzal, Scott and Elliott.
Injury update: Center Martin Hanzal (lower-body) is out. Forward Joe
Vitale (fractured orbital bone) is on injured reserve.
Possible Canucks lines:
D.Sedin-H.Sedin-Vrbata
Baertschi-Horvat-Hansen
Burrows-Sutter-Virtanen
Gaunce-McCann-Dorsett
Edler-Tanev
Hutton-Weber
979759
Arizona Coyotes
By Nicolino DiBenedetto STATS, Inc.
Oct 30, 2015 at 5:53a ET
Getting Martin Hanzal back would give the Arizona Coyotes a lift
offensively. It could also provide a spark for Max Domi.
With Hanzal among a trio of players who could return from injury on Friday
night, the Coyotes will attempt to bounce back from their worst loss of the
season against the struggling Vancouver Canucks. The game can be seen
on FOX Sports Arizona Plus, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Hanzal is one of six players with a league-high 10 assists. The veteran
center has been a major influence on Domi, Arizona's star rookie who has
four goals and six assists.
With Hanzal sidelined with a lower-body injury on Tuesday night, Domi
was a minus-3 while the Coyotes (5-4-1) lost 6-0 at Boston to conclude a
2-2-1 road trip.
In addition to Hanzal's possible return, the Coyotes are awaiting word on
center Antoine Vermette. Defenseman Connor Murphy is expected to be
back.
#ListenIn to Friday's @ArizonaCoyotes game vs the Canucks! We'll have
Oliver Ekman-Larsson mic'd up! pic.twitter.com/BFotDsnpCf
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) October 29, 2015
Vermette has been held without a point in seven games, while Murphy has
two in nine.
"Murphy will play for sure," coach Dave Tippett said. "Vermette and Hanzal
we'll re-evaluate in the morning.
"It would be ideal to get them both back, but we'll see. Neither one we're
going to put into trouble if we think there's a possibility of injuring things
further, but if they can play they'll play and that would certainly help."
Production from Anthony Duclair would also be helpful. The 20-year-old
left wing has a team-leading five goals, but none in the last four games.
The Coyotes fell 3-1 in the most recent home matchup with Vancouver on
March 22, ending their four-game winning streak in the series there.
The Canucks (4-2-4) have dropped five of six (1-2-3) after blowing a
two-goal, third-period lead to fall 4-3 in overtime at Dallas on Thursday.
Vancouver is 1-0-4 in games ending in overtime or shootouts after going
12-0-5 in such contests last season.
"We were good last year 4-on-4 and in shootout," coach Willie Desjardins
said. "We won quite a few games that way. And that's been a big
difference in the games this year."
Former Coyote Radim Vrbata is starting to get going, totaling three goals
and one assist in the past four games. The right wing's 31 goals led the
team last season while his 32 assists were a career high.
Vrbata, who had two stints with the Coyotes from 2007-14, had four points
in five matchups last season.
Jared McCann is looking to get back on the score sheet after being held
without a point by the Stars. The center, the 24th overall pick in the 2014
draft, had two goals in a 5-1 win over Montreal two days earlier, giving him
four on the season to put him in the thick of the rookie scoring race with
Duclair, Domi and others.
McCann, though, is yet to score through three road games.
Daniel Sedin has six points in his last four matchups with Arizona. He had
a pair of assists in Thursday night's loss to bring his season points total to
a team-leading eight.
foxsportsarizona.com LOADED: 10.31.2015
979760
Arizona Coyotes
By Nicolino DiBenedetto STATS, Inc.
Oct 30, 2015 at 5:53a ET
Getting Martin Hanzal back would give the Arizona Coyotes a lift
offensively. It could also provide a spark for Max Domi.
With Hanzal among a trio of players who could return from injury on Friday
night, the Coyotes will attempt to bounce back from their worst loss of the
season against the struggling Vancouver Canucks. The game can be seen
on FOX Sports Arizona Plus, beginning at 6:30 p.m.
Hanzal is one of six players with a league-high 10 assists. The veteran
center has been a major influence on Domi, Arizona's star rookie who has
four goals and six assists.
With Hanzal sidelined with a lower-body injury on Tuesday night, Domi
was a minus-3 while the Coyotes (5-4-1) lost 6-0 at Boston to conclude a
2-2-1 road trip.
In addition to Hanzal's possible return, the Coyotes are awaiting word on
center Antoine Vermette. Defenseman Connor Murphy is expected to be
back.
#ListenIn to Friday's @ArizonaCoyotes game vs the Canucks! We'll have
Oliver Ekman-Larsson mic'd up! pic.twitter.com/BFotDsnpCf
— FOX Sports Arizona (@FOXSPORTSAZ) October 29, 2015
Vermette has been held without a point in seven games, while Murphy has
two in nine.
"Murphy will play for sure," coach Dave Tippett said. "Vermette and Hanzal
we'll re-evaluate in the morning.
"It would be ideal to get them both back, but we'll see. Neither one we're
going to put into trouble if we think there's a possibility of injuring things
further, but if they can play they'll play and that would certainly help."
Production from Anthony Duclair would also be helpful. The 20-year-old
left wing has a team-leading five goals, but none in the last four games.
The Coyotes fell 3-1 in the most recent home matchup with Vancouver on
March 22, ending their four-game winning streak in the series there.
The Canucks (4-2-4) have dropped five of six (1-2-3) after blowing a
two-goal, third-period lead to fall 4-3 in overtime at Dallas on Thursday.
Vancouver is 1-0-4 in games ending in overtime or shootouts after going
12-0-5 in such contests last season.
"We were good last year 4-on-4 and in shootout," coach Willie Desjardins
said. "We won quite a few games that way. And that's been a big
difference in the games this year."
Former Coyote Radim Vrbata is starting to get going, totaling three goals
and one assist in the past four games. The right wing's 31 goals led the
team last season while his 32 assists were a career high.
Vrbata, who had two stints with the Coyotes from 2007-14, had four points
in five matchups last season.
Jared McCann is looking to get back on the score sheet after being held
without a point by the Stars. The center, the 24th overall pick in the 2014
draft, had two goals in a 5-1 win over Montreal two days earlier, giving him
four on the season to put him in the thick of the rookie scoring race with
Duclair, Domi and others.
McCann, though, is yet to score through three road games.
Daniel Sedin has six points in his last four matchups with Arizona. He had
a pair of assists in Thursday night's loss to bring his season points total to
a team-leading eight.
foxsportsarizona.com LOADED: 10.31.2015
979761
Boston Bruins
Tuukka Rask backstops Bruins’ win over Panthers
4-0-0. They got the first part of their goal completed on Friday. The second
part — against the Lightning — comes Saturday in the back-to-back.
“We have a tough task [Saturday],” Krug said. “Half the job’s done. We’re
looking to get the other half now.”
Boston Globe LOADED: 10.31.2015
By Amalie Benjamin GLOBE STAFF OCTOBER 31, 2015
SUNRISE, Fla. — In a wild bit of misguided fervor, with expectations
clashing with rational thought and disappointment yielding to utter
silliness, the narrative emerged that perhaps the Bruins should turn to
Jonas Gustavsson rather than Tuukka Rask for their goaltending needs.
It was, in a word, ridiculous.
Rask is an all-world goalie, with a Vezina Trophy on his shelf — or under
his bed, or holding open a door somewhere — while Gustavsson has been
a serviceable backup. It wasn’t really even a concept worth addressing. All
thoughts of that should be over now, with Rask putting together
back-to-back gems, throwing a shutout Tuesday and following up with a
31-save masterpiece on Friday night in a 3-1 win over the Panthers at the
BB&T Center.
That one goal? It came on a five-on-three power play.
“Tuukka was outstanding in my mind tonight,” Bruins coach Claude Julien
said. “He made some big saves and certainly made our penalty kill look
even better.”
NHL summary: Bruins 3, Panthers 1
This is sports agate content
Bolstered yet again by a power play that has scored a whopping 11 goals
in nine games, the Bruins ran their record to 5-0-1 in their last six games
after starting the season 0-3-0. But they wouldn’t have gotten the chance
to go up, 3-0, midway through the second period if not for Rask.
“I felt good last game, I felt good before, but yeah, I felt good,” Rask said.
“We’re playing pretty good defense, too, overall. It helps when everybody
is doing their job and then I can focus on doing my job. That’s what we’ve
been doing the past couple games, and it’s been easier.”
After Rask stopped Quinton Howden at 5:23 at the first, the center coming
in alone and letting go from the right circle, the goaltender did the same to
Nick Bjugstad 1:22 later. It happened again, too, with a pad stack save on
Jonathan Huberdeau. Despite those chances — which Julien called
“self-inflicted” — Florida was kept scoreless in the first.
“The last two games he’s been great,” Torey Krug said. “When he’s seeing
the puck like he is right now, it helps us cause we’re not second-guessing
our decisions. We know that if we do get caught and we’re playing
aggressive, he’s there to back us up, so he’s been great for us the last
couple games.”
It wasn’t just Rask, though, with a team defense that had been
all-but-nonexistent at the start of the season appearing more and more at
crucial times. The Bruins started the second period by not allowing a shot
on goal until they went down by two men at 11:20 of the period.
Then, it got a little dicey, including a 1:27 five-on-three penalty kill almost
immediately after the five-on-three in which Bjugstad scored at 11:32. It
also included a third period in which the Panthers had more shots on net
(18) than they had had in the first two periods combined (14).
“Credit them for coming out hard, and I think credit our guys, special
teams, for doing a good job on the penalty kill and Tuukka holding the fort
there in the third when we needed it,” Julien said.
By that point, the Bruins had gotten a pair of scores from Brad Marchand
and one from Zdeno Chara on the way to their three-goal lead.
The Bruins had taken that lead at 9:22 of the first, when Marchand tipped a
shot from Chara in the high slot past Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo
on the power play. They added another from Marchand, this time at even
strength, when the winger crossed the crease and backhanded the puck in
after a shot from Krug at the point at 7:07 of the second.
They weren’t done, adding another power-play goal at 9:13, this one by
Chara. The Bruins’ NHL-leading power-play (by percentage coming into
the night at 32.1 percent) scored two more goals. The Bruins had 38 all of
last year, on a power play that finished 18th in the league at 17.8 percent.
“It was,” David Krejci said, in an understatement, “another good day for our
power play.”
But one win isn’t what the Bruins had intended on coming to Florida,
especially given the success they’ve had on the road, where they are now
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Boston Bruins
Change of scenery working out well for ex-Bruin Reilly Smith
By Amalie Benjamin GLOBE STAFF OCTOBER 30, 2015
SUNRISE, Fla. — Reilly Smith never seemed to be the right fit in Boston.
Part of it was the pressure of coming from Dallas in the Tyler Seguin trade.
Part of it was the pressure of performing in the Boston market, especially
for a streaky player that sunk to 13 goals in a season in which he was
signed to a two-year contract with a cap hit of $3.425 million. Despite
having a plenty of talent, Smith wasn’t exactly set up for success.
Things are different in Florida.
Smith — like Jimmy Hayes, for whom he was traded on July 1 — is off to a
hot start with the Panthers, with four goals and three assists in nine
games. Hayes has three goals and five assists in eight games.
Smith acknowledged big differences in the two markets.
“It definitely doesn’t have that,” Smith said, of the scrutiny he got in Boston.
“But those are some things that you as an athlete and as definitely an NHL
player, you kind of like it and you’re able to feed through it and you’re able
to use it.
The 27-year-old Bruin has developed into one of the NHL’s top all-situation
left wings.
“So I don’t think it ever hindered me when I was in Boston, but it’s a
different atmosphere here. It’s nice. It’s a little bit more laid-back.”
On Friday, Smith played 19:48 with three shots on goal and no points. His
hooking penalty in the first period led to Brad Marchand’s first goal of the
game in a 3-1 vicory for the Bruins.
Smith arrived in Boston from the Stars and reaped the benefits of playing
with Marchand and Patrice Bergeron, scoring 20 goals and adding 31
assists in 2013-14 in his first full NHL season. He backtracked to 13 goals
and 27 assists last season.
He seemed to have highs and lows that were greater than most of his
teammates, with his dips balanced out with impressive stretches.
“You can say I’m a streaky player, but at the same time there’s not too
many people in this league that are very consistent and those players are
all absolute superstars,” Smith said. “You try to be more consistent and try
to add that to your game but I think that’s a goal that any NHL player is
looking for.”
He wouldn’t get the chance to try to find that consistency in Boston. He got
traded for a second time, with the Bruins trying to cut their cap number
down in a summer of changes after a disappointing season.
So far, Florida agrees with him. He has been given more responsibility,
including the penalty kill, which he did not play on in Boston. And he has
done good things with that responsibility.
“Reilly’s been great,” Florida coach Gerard Gallant said. “I knew he was a
good player, but he’s even better now that I’ve seen him play nine games
with us. He’s played really well at both ends for us. He’s killed penalties.
He plays power play. So he’s a very useful player for us. Like I said, he’s a
better player than I thought.”
His start is markedly different from last year, when he missed most of
training camp — along with Torey Krug — without a contract. In his first
nine games – the same amount he’s played this season — Smith had just
two goals and one assist.
“So far it’s been a great experience here,” he said. “A lot of opportunity and
it’s nice to have a lot of young guys with a lot of skill and a lot of upward
mobility here. It’s a good situation to be in and I’m really happy to be here.”
Kevan Miller returns
Kevan Miller returned to the lineup against the Panthers after missing the
third period Tuesday night against the Coyotes. But Joonas Kemppainen
did not play because of an injury. The fourth line was Zac Rinaldo with
Chris Kelly and Tyler Randell. Zach Trotman was the healthy scratch
again . . . Connor Brickley, native of Everett and the cousin of NESN
broadcaster Andy Brickley, took the ice for the Panthers on Friday night,
the first time the rookie has played against the Bruins. “Pretty cool,”
Brickley said. “Obviously being from Boston and watching them my whole
life, it’s pretty special, pretty cool that I’m able to play against them now.” .
. . Shawn Thornton reiterated he’s not ready for retirement. His contract is
up this summer. Thornton will test the market, which might be tough with
the dwindling number of fights and fighters in the league. As he put it, it will
not be his choice if he finds himself retired next season. Asked about
facing the Bruins again, Thornton said, “It’ll be easier this year. There’s
only about six guys, seven guys from the year we won it over there.
They’ve got a lot of new faces. It’s still fun to play against your friends and
I still have a few over there, but this will be a little easier than the first one
last year, for sure.” . . . Thornton poked a little fun at Hayes’s breakout
season last year: “He had 19 tap-ins. I’ve never seen anybody so lucky in
my life. Every time he put his stick on the ice near the net, it went in.”
Boston Globe LOADED: 10.31.2015
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Boston Bruins
Bruins notebook: Tuukka Rask in top form a good sign for Bruins
Stephen Harris Saturday, October 31, 2015
SUNRISE, Fla. — Tuukka Rask got busy quickly last night against the
Panthers, facing — and stopping — clean breakaways by Quinton
Howden and Nick Bjugstad in the first 6:45. It was his way of letting his
teammates know that he was in top form.
That usually means good things for the Bruins, which proved true as they
went on to a 3-1 win.
Rask said he’d prefer to ease into a game, but this was OK, too.
“I guess in a perfect world you just like to get a feel for the puck and feel
good about it,” said Rask. “But sometimes it’s like this.”
After his 31-save masterpiece, which was challenging from start to finish,
Rask was asked if this was his best performance of the season.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I felt good last game, I’ve felt good before, but I felt
good. We’re playing pretty good defense overall. It helps when everybody
is doing their job and I can focus on doing my job. That’s what I’ve been
doing the last couple of games.”
In trouble again?
Brad Marchand does not expect to be suspended for his boarding major
and game misconduct for shoving Florida defenseman Dmitry Kulikov into
the sideboards with 2:05 left. Kulikov suffered a cut from his visor.
“I looked at the replay,” said Marchand. “He was a little off-balance. He had
just shot the puck into the zone on his backhand and he was a little
off-balance. I just kind of pushed him. It’s not like I buried him hard or
anything like that. It’s unfortunate, but things happen quick. I hope he’s
okay and I’m sure he is.
“I was would be very surprised (by a suspension), but it’s not up to me.
We’ll see (today).”
Happy as a Panther
We may never really know whether Reilly Smith was entirely comfortable
in Boston’s hockey hotbed, but the 24-year-old seems genuinely at home
as a member of the Panthers.
Smith was traded by the Bruins on July 1 for Jimmy Hayes, and had
posted 4-3-7 totals and a plus-4 in nine games as a Panther heading into
last night.
“Reilly’s been great,” said Florida coach Gerard Gallant. “I knew he was a
good player, but he’s even better that I thought now that I’ve seen him play
nine games. He’s played really well at both ends. He kills penalties. He’s a
very useful player for us.”
Of course, he was a useful player during his two seasons as Bruin — just
one prone to prolonged scoring droughts. But he’s happy here.
“So far it’s been a great opportunity here,” said Smith. “(There is) a lot of
opportunity (to play), and it’s nice to have a lot of young guys with a lot of
skill and upward mobility. It’s a good situation to be in and I’m really happy
to be here.
“(My time in Boston) was a great experience. I got to learn a lot of things
from some very talented, veteran players. So there were a lot of positives I
took from that experience.”
He was asked about the pressure in Boston, which some observers
suspected led to his inconsistency.
“I don’t think it ever hindered me when I was in Boston,” said Smith. “It is a
different atmosphere here. It’s nice. It’s a little bit more laid-back.”
He’s a Brick
Everett native Connor Brickley, the first cousin of NESN announcer Andy
Brickley, has reached the NHL with the Panthers and played well. In nine
games, he has a goal and two assists, a plus-3 rating and 18 hits.
“Everyone has made me feel real comfortable since Day 1,” said the
23-year-old former Vermont winger. “I think what really helped me was
playing in the American league last year with San Antonio. I think that
really kick-started the process of being ready to make the jump up here.
Working down there, learning the pro game, helped me a lot.
“This is pretty cool that I’m able to play against (the B’s), obviously, being
from Boston and watching them my whole life. This is pretty special. Every
kid’s dream is to play in the NHL It gets more realistic as you get older, I
took the process day-by-day just like everybody else. Now that I’ve made it
here, I hope to stick.”
Ex-Bruin Shawn Thornton is a linemate and a mentor for Brickley. ““He
asks questions and he listens,” said Thornton. “He’s been fun to play with.
He’s a gritty kid. He wasn’t a first-round pick. He’s had to work to get here
and he’s surprised a lot of people to be here. I can definitely relate to that.”
Boston Herald LOADED: 10.31.2015
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Boston Bruins
Brad Marchand's two goals lead Bruins past Panthers
Stephen Harris Saturday, October 31, 2015
SUNRISE, Fla. — The Bruins were again a strong team with and without
the puck, although they did have to rely on sensational goalie Tuukka
Rask (31 saves) to make a bundle of Grade A saves, and improved to
4-0-0 on the road this season with a 3-1 victory last night against the
up-and-coming Florida Panthers.
Brad Marchand had a terrific two-way effort, buzzing all over the ice and
scoring two goals. Defenseman Zdeno Chara scored his first goal of the
season. David Krejci had an assist, the 300th of his career, to run his
season-opening scoring streak to nine games (seven goals, eight assists).
And the B’s league-leading power play converted twice.
Marchand drew a five-minute boarding penalty and game misconduct with
2:05 left for shoving Florida defenseman Dmitry Kulikov head-first into the
side boards.
The Panthers, who came in off back-to-back wins, pressed in the final 20
minutes — and the Bruins probably sat back too much, trying to nurse their
lead to the final horn. Florida coach Gerard Gallant pulled goalie Roberto
Luongo with 4:08 left and his team on a power play, setting up a frantic
6-on-4, but Rask and the B’s kept the puck out.
“This road trip is important for us, (against) two teams we are hoping to
catch up to and get ourselves moving up in the standings,” said B’s coach
Claude Julien, whose club faces the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight in
Tampa. “I think (this weekend) has a lot of significance for all three of the
teams involved in this trip. (The Panthers are) a good team that’s been
improving a lot in the past few years and is a legit contender.”
The Panthers had some early pressure on Rask, who had to stop clean
break-ins by Quinton Howden and Nick Bjugstad in the opening 6:45. But
the B’s then went on a power play and cashed in.
Chara’s shot from the top was tipped in the low slot by Marchand, the puck
changing direction enough to beat Luongo on the stick side at 9:22.
Rask was obviously in good form, and made maybe his best stop so far
this season during a Florida power play at 11:55 of the first. A pass went
across from the left to Jonathan Huberdeau in the right circle. Huberdeau
let go a quick shot, but Rask sprawled quickly across to smother the
seemingly certain goal.
The B’s took charge of the game with a pair of goals just over two minutes
apart in the second period. At 7:07, defenseman Torey Krug fired off a shot
from the left point. Luongo dropped into his butterfly as the puck
approached, but Marchand skated in front of the goalie for the interception.
Luongo was frozen and couldn’t move as Marchand moved across the
goalmouth and popped a backhander into the wide-open cage.
The lead went to 3-0 during a power play at 9:13, a shift on which
Marchand twice took the puck away from defenseman Erik Gudbranson. A
moment later, a rebound ended up on Chara’s stick low in the right circle
and he snapped home a forehander.
The Bruins took a succession of minor penalties late in the second,
handing the home team two 5-on-3 power plays (33 seconds, 1:27). Rask
made two tough stops in close, before Bjugstad connected with a second
rebound bid during the first 5-on-3, making it 3-1.
Well past the halfway point of the game, the Panthers had just seven shots
on goal, as the B’s recent upturn in team defense continued. Even after the
late-second period power plays, the home team had just 11 shots.
The key for the Bruins has been combining both a more up-tempo
attacking style and the conventional system of solid team defense that’s
been a foundation going many years.
“I think the guys have recognized that,” Julien said. “There’s some
awareness now — a lot better than (there) was. There’s a lot of new
players who are starting to understand our game plan or system better;
they’re a lot more comfortable in making some decisions that help us be
better. We had to find a balance between (offense and defense).”
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Boston Bruins
Brad Marchand’s two goals lead Bruins past Panthers
Stephen Harris Friday, October 30, 2015
SUNRISE, Fla. — The Bruins were again a strong team with and without
the puck most of the night – although they did have to rely on sensational
goalie Tuukka Rask (31 saves) to make a bundle of Grade A saves – and
improved to 4-0-0 on the road this season with a 3-1 victory Friday night
over the up-and-coming Florida Panthers.
Brad Marchand had a terrific two-way effort, buzzing all over the ice and
scoring two goals (Nos. 3 & 4). Zdeno Chara (1) scored during a power
play. David Krejci had an assist – his 300th – to run his season-opening
scoring streak to nine games (7-8—15). The B’s league-leading power
play scored twice.
Marchand drew a five-minute boarding penalty with 2:05 left, shoving D
Dmitry Kulikov head-first into the side boards. He got a game misconduct
and could hear from the league.
The Panthers, who came in with a two-game winning streak, pressed in
the final 20 minutes – and the Bruins probably sat back too much, trying to
nurse their lead to the final horn. Coach Gerard Gallant pulled goalie
Roberto Luongo with 4:08 left and his team on a power play, setting up a
frantic 6-on-4.
But Rask & Co. kept the puck out and the B’s opened their quick Florida
trip with a win.
catch up to and get ourselves moving up in the standings,” B’s coach
Claude Julien, whose club faces the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight in
Tampa, said. “I think (this weekend) has a lot of significance for all three of
the teams involved in this trip. (The Panthers are) a good team that’s been
improving a lot in the past few years and is a legit contender.”
The Panthers had some early pressure on Rask, who had to stop clean
break-ins by Quinton Howden and Nick Bjugstad in the opening 6:45. But
the B’s then went on a power play and cashed in.
Chara’s shot from the top was tipped in the low slot by Marchand, the puck
changing direction enough to beat Luongo on the stick side at 9:22.
Rask was obviously in good form, and made maybe his best stop so far
this season during a Florida power play at 11:55 of the first. A pass went
across from the left to Jonathan Huberdeau in the right circle. Huberdeau
let go a quick shot, but Rask sprawled quickly across to smother the
seemingly certain goal.
The B’s took charge of the game with a pair of goals just over two minutes
apart in the second period. At 7:07, defenseman Torey Krug fired off a shot
from the left point. Luongo dropped into his butterfly as the puck
approached, but Marchand skated in front of the goalie for the interception.
Luongo was frozen and couldn’t move as Marchand moved across the
goalmouth and popped a backhander into the wide-open cage.
The lead went to 3-0 during a power play at 9:13, a shift on which
Marchand twice took the puck away from defenseman Erik Gudbranson. A
moment later, a rebound ended up on Chara’s stick low in the right circle
and he snapped home a forehander.
The Bruins took a succession of minor penalties late in the second,
handing the home team two 5-on-3 power plays (33 seconds, 1:27). Rask
made two tough stops in close, before Bjugstad connected with a second
rebound bid during the first 5-on-3, making it 3-1.
Well past the halfway point of the game, the Panthers had just seven shots
on goal, as the B’s recent upturn in team defense continued. Even after the
late-second period power plays, the home team had just 11 shots.
been a foundation going many years.
“I think the guys have recognized that,” Julien said. “There’s some
awareness now — a lot better than (there) was. There’s a lot of new
players who are starting to understand our game plan or system better;
they’re a lot more comfortable in making some decisions that help us be
better. We had to find a balance between (offense and defense). The last
game (a 6-0 win vs. Arizona), even though the team we played had played
a lot, we managed to do that well. We really didn’t give them a lot and I
thought we still generated a lot.
“It’s about that mind-shift — going from defense to offense and back and
forth. Our guys I think are adjusting a lot better to that.”
979766
Boston Bruins
Bruins set for back-to-back tests in Florida
Stephen Harris Friday, October 30, 2015
SUNRISE, Fla. – The Bruins put their 3-0-0 road record to test tonight, as
they face the up-and-coming Florida Panthers in the front half of a quick,
two-game Florida trip. The B’s tackle the Lightning tomorrow night in
Tampa.
catch up to and get ourselves moving up in the standings,” saif B’s coach
Claude Julien. “I think it has a lot of significance for all three of the teams
involved in this trip.
"(The Panthers are) a good team that’s been improving a lot in the past few
years and it a legit contender.”
been a foundation for the B’s going many years.
“I think the guys have recognized that,” said Juliern. “There’s some
awareness now – a lot better than (there) was. There’s a lot of new players
who are starting to understand our game plan or system better; they’re a
lot more comfortable in making some decisions that help us be better.
“We had to find a balance between (offense and defense). The last game
(a 6-0 win vs. Arizona), even though the team we played had played a lot,
we managed to do that well. We really didn’t give them a lot and I thought
we still generated a lot.
“It’s about that mind-shift –- going from defense to offense and back and
forth. Our guys I think are adjusting a lot better to that.”
For the B’s, D-man Kevan Miller is expected to play, but center Jonas
Kemppainen is questionable. Old friend Jaromir Jagr is doubtful for
Florida. It looks like Tuukka Rask will be in net, which would suggest
backup Jonas Gustavsson would face the Bolts tomorrow night.
979767
Boston Bruins
Derek Sanderson biopic getting a rewrite
Gayle Fee Friday, October 30, 2015
“Turk,” a biopic about the fast life and hard times of Bruins hockey hero
Derek Sanderson that’s been in the proverbial development hell for two
years, is back on again.
Producer Shep Harmon told the Track the script is getting an overhaul,
and they’ll be shopping the tale to Tinseltown as soon as it’s ready. “We
want to get this movie made and we want to do it in Boston,” he said.
Based on Sanderson’s book, “Crossing the Line: The Outrageous Story of
a Hockey Original,” the flick will follow Turk’s tale from age 11, growing up
in Ontario, to his Stanley Cup-winning days in Boston, his fall into poverty
and addiction, and his rescue by pal Bobby Orr.
“Public Morals” writer/creator/star Ed Burns is a producer on the flick and
was on board to play Sanderson’s father. However, if his TNT drama is
picked up for a second season, it might limit his involvement.
“It takes every waking minute of his life,” Harmon said. “But he still wants to
do ‘Turk.’”
Harmon said he’s still hoping to cast Wyatt Russell, son of Hollywood
heavies Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, to play Orr in the flick.
“He came to Boston, spent time with Bobby, they’re so alike,” he said. “And
besides, his dad, Kurt Russell, did ‘Miracle,’ another hockey movie, so it
would be great to keep him on.”
But Harmon said he’s hoping to cast a big name to play Sanderson.
“It’s a big, big role,” he said. “It will get a lot of attention so we’re hoping for
someone big.”
Boston writer Casey Sherman, whose books are the basis for the
upcoming “The Finest Hours” flick from Disney and an in- development
drama on the hunt for the Boston Marathon bombers, has been tapped for
the rewrite.
As always, do stay tuned ...
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Boston Bruins
Talking Points: Marchand, Rask shine bright for B's
October 31, 2015, 12:30 am
Joe Haggerty
The NFL may have swept the visitor’s locker room at Gillette Stadium prior
to the Jets game, but such inspections are routine and nothing turned up, a
league source told CSNNE.
GOLD STAR: Brad Marchand scored the first two goals for the Bruins out
of the gate and gave them the offense they desperately needed when the
Panthers were stacking up quality chances in the first period. The first was
a tipped goal from the high slot that counted for his second power play goal
of the season and the second was a good hockey play going directly to the
net after turning the puck over on the forecheck. He finished with three
shots on net, a couple of hits and ended up getting bounced from the game
for a boarding hit on Dmitry Kulikov in the third period. It was originally
called a match penalty in the third, but was changed by the referees to a
five minute boarding major and game misconduct after the game was
over.
BLACK EYE: Jussi Jokinen stepped in for Jaromir Jagr and finished with
no shots on net while losing 4-of-6 face-offs in 21 plus minutes of ice time.
Jokinen has always been a Bruins killer throughout his career but he was a
non-factor this time around against a Bruins team that played decent
hockey behind a stellar Tuukka Rask. The Panthers managed to get 32
shots on net against the Bruins but they couldn’t get much past the B’s
netminder. Jokinen was one of many in that club outside of the one score
from Nick Bjugstad.
TURNING POINT: The Panthers enjoyed a handful of quality chances
against the Bruins in the first period, but Rask turned them all away in a
quality performance. Quinton Howden got an open chance when Joe
Morrow fell down backpedalling on defense, Bjugstad had a chance
directly in front of the net and Rask pulled out the double-stacked pad save
against Jonathan Huberdeau during the Florida power play. They were all
Grade-A scoring chances that didn’t get past Rask. He stoned the
Panthers on all those chances and held things scoreless until Marchand
could finally score on the power play and get things moving for the Bruins.
HONORABLE MENTION: Rask was stellar coming off a solid, largely
unchallenged shutout against the Coyotes and stopped 31-of-32 shots
from the Panthers, who were getting some good pressure on the Boston
net. Rask was at his best early while turning away a handful of Florida
scoring chances in the first period, and then late while making 18 stops in
the third period as the Bruins were feverishly protecting a two-goal lead.
Those third period leads have been dangerous for the Bruins this season,
but there’s no real danger for the Black and Gold when Rask is playing at
Friday night’s elite level between the pipes.
BY THE NUMBERS: 7 – The number of consecutive games where the
Bruins have held a two goal lead during the game. The Bruins are 5-1-1 in
those seven games.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “Tuukka was outstanding in my mind tonight, he made
some big saves and certainly made our penalty kill look even better.” –
Claude Julien, on the goaltending that led the way for Boston on Friday
night.
Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 10.31.2015
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Boston Bruins
Haggerty: Krug proving doubters wrong again
October 30, 2015, 1:45 pm
Joe Haggerty
Torey Krug has made it a point of proving people extremely wrong
throughout his hockey career.
That’s part and parcel of being a 5-foot-9, 181-pound defenseman in a
world where talent evaluators gravitate toward considering bigger and
stronger being better and smaller players have to continually do more to
prove they can play at every level. They looked at Krug on the ice, and
gave him the “you’re five foot-nuthin’ and a 100-nuthin’ pounds” treatment
like he was right out of central casting for the “Rudy” movie.
“He’s had to [step up] because of the situation, and I think he’s really
responded well,” said Julien. “Torey has gotten better every year. To me,
he’s a determined athlete that wants to continue to improve. Those are the
kinds of guys you want to surround yourself with on your team.”
There was a team in the NHL past where a player of Krug’s stature
wouldn’t have been given much of a shot in the NHL, but clearly it’s a
friendlier, faster league for smaller, skilled players at both the forward and
defensemen positions. Julien likened Krug to an undersized D-man he
coached in New Jersey, Brian Rafalski.
“[It’s about] him not necessarily saying, ‘well, I’m going to win this battle
against this 6-foot-6 guy.’ [Krug] has just got to be smart, and all we want
for him is to come out with the puck. So even if you’re going to go in the
corner and you’re side-to-side, maybe be smarter, let [the other guy] go in
first, and maybe take the puck away just before he goes in and go out the
other way,” said Julien, when asked about Krug’s expanded role during
training camp. “I always use the example of Brian Rafalski, who I coached
in New Jersey. He was extremely good at that.
This season the doubters, and this hockey writer was regrettably included
among them, felt that thrusting the 24-year-old into a top-four defenseman
role might be a tad premature in his NHL development. But with the early
returns already in, those doubters appear to be completely wrong.
“He was this little player, and you could use him against top lines because
he was smart in his D-zone that way. He’d come out with the puck, and
then go up the ice. He didn’t have to engage in battles, and that’s what I
told Torey because Torey’s from that area [of Michigan]. I’m sure he’s
seen him play. I said that if you can be a little more like Brian Rafalski was,
you’re gonna see a big difference.
Clearly, Krug has shown all of the makings of handling bigger ice time
totals, holding his own against the best of opponents and excelling in all
sorts of situations in a couple of very good NHL seasons to open his
career. Still, many thought it might have been a little too much, too soon
given that Krug’s promotion was being done largely out of necessity. After
all, Zdeno Chara and Dennis Seidenberg as the only established top-four
defensemen on the B’s roster and the Bruins started the season without
either of them healthy.
“There’s times when he can handle himself, he’s big [and] he’s strong.
That’s not to say he’s weak. But it’s hard to compare him to a 6-foot-6 guy
that’s going in the corner and he’s 230 pounds. Be smarter, and come out
with the puck…that’s all we care about. [It’s the] same thing with forwards,
when we talk about physicality: just get in there, get your nose dirty and
come out with the puck. If you’re not a hitter, you don’t have to run anybody
over. But if you’re smart enough to come out with the puck, you’re not
going to hear a complaint from me.”
Krug has been one of the real stalwart links in the Bruins D-man chain
throughout the up-and-down trajectory of this early season. He is in the
midst of proving he’s indeed a top-four NHL defenseman. More than that,
Krug, at 24, is showing he can do a whole lot more than merely survive in a
high-pressure role on the Black and Gold.
The undersized Krug hasn’t been hearing a whole lot of complaints
through the first month of the season. He’s also built up his strength over
the past three NHL seasons, and came into camp noticeably bigger before
ripping off 41 pull-ups on the first day of training camp. When that’s coming
from a guy that’s averaged 13 goals and 39 points in his first two full NHL
seasons, that’s a pretty eye-opening commitment toward constant
improvement.
A great deal of it seems to come down to awareness on the ice,
experience gained against certain players in certain situations and
constantly thinking and computing the risk/reward ratio for making plays
on the ice.
“I think a big thing for me has been puck management,” said Krug. “In
certain situations [it’s about] knowing that I can’t jump into the play
knowing who I’m out on the ice against and who I’m with. There are certain
plays you might try against a third or fourth line, and those are plays that
you’re not going to try against a John Tavares.
“It’s just about managing the game, the time and the score, and when you
need to just chip the puck out and flip it into the neutral zone…and then
knowing other times when you can make a play.”
Krug leads all Bruins defensemen with seven points in his eight games
and he’s been one of the key performers from the point position on a top
Bruins power-play unit that is dominating while ranking first in the NHL with
a 32.1 percent success rate. He’s also reveling just a little bit in proving
people wrong that thought he was just a PP specialist, or a guy that
couldn’t play his way out of being a bottom pairing D-man for the rest of his
career.
“I love it because people say that I can’t do it, and so far it’s been going
pretty well,” said Krug, who is second on the Bruins averaging 23:12 of ice
time per game this season. “I’ve had a good partner in Adam [McQuaid] to
help me along with that, but the added responsibilities have been great.
You’re not out there wondering what you’re going to do your next shift.
“You don’t have time to think…you’re just thrown in the fire there. It’s been
a lot of fun going up against top players. It’s a better style of hockey for
than going out against third and fourth lines, and then getting roughed up
on every shift. I think it’s been a lot of fun and a success so far. But by no
means am I satisfied. I’m just looking to learn and keep getting better every
day.”
Five of Krug’s seven points on the season have come on the power play,
so clearly he could step up even more at the offensive end in five-on-five
play, where the Krug/McQuaid pairing has been hemmed into their own
zone at times. But Krug is a plus-3, McQuaid is a plus-5, Chara is a plus-5
and rookie Colin Miller is a plus-3 as well, and the D-men have focused on
tightening up their D-zone playing in five-on-five situations.
Krug’s increased role and his elevated level of play certainly hasn’t gone
unnoticed by Claude Julien and the Bruins coaching staff.
The message is simple: Krug knew this was a big season for him given the
team situation, and given the fact he’s on a one-year deal with the Bruins
that he preferred in contract negotiations at the end of last season. The
young D-man is betting on himself for the Adam Larsson or Jake
Gardiner-level contract (5 years, $20.25 million) after this season. He’s
proving on the ice that he’s worth it with each game, where he’s thriving no
matter what is going on around him.
979770
Boston Bruins
Haggerty’s Morning Skate: NHL awaits concussion lawsuits
October 30, 2015, 1:00 pm
Joe Haggerty
Here are all the links from around the hockey world, and what I’m reading
,while still laughing at Marshall Faulk and Michael Irvin still trying to say on
the NFL Network that they don’t think Tom Brady is “upset” about
Deflategate at this point. Yup, sure he – along with the rest of the Patriots
-- isn’t on a mission to destroy everything in their path this season.
*Allan Walsh posts an article on the Harvard Law Record about the NHL
and the impending concussion lawsuits.
*Paul Stewart talks about his work trying to mentor young referees and
making sure there are new groups of quality hockey officials coming up
through the ranks.
*Erik Karlsson thinks the 3-on-3 overtime format is “boring” as some NHL
players are voicing their dislike of it in the last couple of days. There’s been
no confirmation that Karlsson also said that being forced to kill penalties is
“unfair” because he’s not ever on the ice to actually do it.
*Good piece about Travis Roy 20 years after his accident on his first shift
for the BU hockey team, and all that he’s accomplished in the last two
decades for the betterment of those with spinal cord injuries.
*This old guy that stole the puck from the kid in Pittsburgh is exactly the
kind of guy that deserves the social media outrage he’s receiving this
morning. Once he turned around and saw the kid sitting there waiting for
the puck, I can’t fathom how he didn’t just turn it over to him.
*The New York Rangers hope that line tweaks can solve some of the
problems the Blueshirts are going through lately.
*FOH (Friend of Haggs) Gary Lawless says that hockey fights are down 40
percent from even just last season, and that it continues to be legislated
out of the game.
*For something completely different: some fun interviews with celebrities
about the first place they saw the original Star Wars movie. For the record,
I saw it as a 3-year-old at the old Starlight Drive-In movie theater in North
Reading with my parents. And I demanded to see it a couple more times in
the days and weeks afterward. I was completely mesmerized by the
music, the aliens, Han Solo and Chewbacca and the first movie character I
was ever truly frightened by in Darth Vader as a very young kid. I used to
go to my grandparent’s house as a 3,4 and 5-year-old and have them play
that Star Wars soundtrack over and over on their gigantic 8-track tape
player. Boy, those were the good old days.
979771
Buffalo Sabres
By Amy Moritz
Updated 12:03 AM
October 31, 2015
Coach Dan Bylsma described Linus Ullmark as a calm and collected
goaltender. He was. That is until the final horn sounded.
Ullmark lifted both arms in the air followed by emphatic fist pumps as his
teammates came to congratulate him.
At 22 years old he became the youngest goaltender to earn a win for the
Buffalo Sabres since 21-year-old Mika Noronen won against Chicago in
2000.
His reaction?
“Pure happiness,” Ullmark said.
In his second career start Ullmark made 27 saves to earn his first NHL win,
a 3-1 decision against the Philadelphia Flyers in First Niagara Center on
Friday night. It was his fifth game in North America and the native of
Sweden is adjusting to the game on a smaller rink with more physical play
in front of the net and pucks that find a way to the crease from the boards.
“He’s played pro hockey in Sweden but it’s been on the big ice,” Bylsma
said. “It’s a bit different of a game. … He’s a calm demeanor guy and I think
the first game it didn’t look in place, but tonight more calm and collected
and real confident.”
Ullmark lost his NHL opener, 4-3, to the New Jersey Devils and while he
felt he was able to react quicker in Friday night’s win, he also credited the
defense in front of him.
“The thing that I lacked the last game when we lost was my speed and I felt
that I battled through it a lot more this time and I kept going and … kept
seeing the pucks all the time just battling through the whole game,”
Ullmark said.
“The guys were awesome in front of me, blocking shots the whole game,
kept the rebounds away from me and helped me out a lot.”
It was a relatively low workload. Through the first two periods, Ullmark
faced just 14 shots, but it didn’t keep him from being dialed in to the game.
“That’s how it is,” Ullmark said. “That’s great because that means we were
dominating them and playing really good. The boys were playing good the
whole game, battling through and helping me out.”
And when he needed to, Ullmark came up with timely saves. Like at the
end of the second period when Flyers forward Claude Giroux found
Wayne Simmonds for a prime scoring chance.
“I just tried to get over in the shooting lane as fast as possible and it worked
out,” Ullmark said.
He made 13 saves in the third period as the Flyers threw pressure on the
Sabres. Philadelphia broke through for a goal when Mark Streit placed a
puck across Ullmark’s shoulder with 3:36 left in the game.
“You always want to be perfect out there but it’s nothing to say about it,”
Ullmark said. “They make a good play and they bury it and that’s just how it
is. You just have to look forward and not think about it too much.”
Former Sabre Michal Neuvirth didn’t enjoy the same night in the Flyers’
net. He faced 36 shots letting in three goals, one of them on one of five
Buffalo power plays. He was burned by Jack Eichel with 36 seconds left in
the first period after making what he felt was a good start.
“They came out hard,” Neuvirth said. “I made a few early saves and I felt
good. … We gotta stay out of the penalty box. We spent way too much
time killing penalties and obviously the first goal with 30 seconds left on the
road, we gotta make sure we just shut it down.”
As for how the Sabres look this year, Neuvirth said, “For sure they’re
different. They’re playing much better than last year but last year’s last
year. It doesn’t matter.”
Remember the kid in Pittsburgh Thursday night who had a puck flipped to
him by Sabres coach Dan Bylsma only to have it snagged by an adult who
pocketed the souvenir for himself?
Friday we learned more about him.
Trey Dopson is a third grader who told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “I Just
can’t process it through my head what happened.”
Dopson ended up getting a Sidney Crosby jersey and a puck from the
Penguins along with two Sabres pucks after the incident was replayed on
the broadcast and social media blew up.
His father, David, said he was most impressed with the way Trey handled
the initial disappointment.
“That’s what I was really impressed by and proud of,” David told the
Post-Gazette. “He had no animosity or anger toward the man” who took
the puck.
Buffalo News LOADED: 10.31.2015
979772
Buffalo Sabres
“We’re doing a lot of good things right now.”
By John Vogl
Updated 12:23 AM
October 31, 2015
The building was quiet. The Sabres were doing good things, but nothing to
get the crowd’s excitement level up.
Then Jack Eichel happened.
The rookie added yet another highlight to his rapidly growing video
package Friday, opening the scoring and bringing the noise into First
Niagara Center. Fans ate up the goal, and the Sabres fed off the energy in
a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia.
“With the puck on his stick, it’s a little bit different electricity in the air,”
Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. “You feel the energy in the building.”
Eichel’s fourth NHL goal started with a pass from Ryan O’Reilly at center
ice. As the 18,062 fans watched Eichel collect the puck at full speed with
open ice in front of him, they moved forward in their seats and started
making noise. The decibel level grew when Eichel suddenly stopped in the
left circle to leave defenseman Evgeny Medvedev grasping at air.
With net-driving O’Reilly drawing the other defender toward him, Eichel
had a clear path to the middle of the ice. He eluded the backcheck of
Wayne Simmonds and fired a waist-high shot into the left side of the net.
The place went chaotic as Eichel raised his arms in celebration with 35.4
seconds to go in the first period.
“It was a good team effort in the first, and to be able to get a goal at the end
of it to kind of lift us coming in, get something for all our efforts, it was kind
of nice,” said Eichel, who credited O’Reilly for giving him room to
maneuver. “I knew he was going to drive the net, and I figured I would try to
pull up. I could kind of feel their D backing up with him driving deep. I just
tried to change my angle a little bit on the goalie, getting him sliding across
the net and then shoot it back to where he came from.
“It’s an old skill.”
An old skill possessed by a 19-year-old young gun with 11 games on his
resume.
“It’s amazing to see the maturity on a kid like that, and that was a huge
goal to get us going,” O’Reilly said.
The goal gave the players bounce to their step when they headed into
intermission. They had full-on swagger when they came back out. They
scored on an early power play and watched Marcus Foligno win a fight
against Luke Schenn. They headed into the next intermission with a 2-0
lead and 31-14 shot advantage.
“If you leave a little space like that to Eich, he’s going to put it in,” Sabres
goal-scorer Nicolas Deslauriers said. “Especially at the end of the first like
that, it feels good.
“In the second, we kind of played the same way. Marcus stepped up for the
boys, and you can see it was almost another gain of energy for us. We had
like four, five shifts down low in their zone, and it’s just all-around probably
our best game.”
“It was relentless,” O’Reilly added. “I think where we really took re-control
of the game was after Marcus’ fight. He did a great job showing we’re
going to war here no matter how long it’s for. We stepped up after that, and
we took control of the whole game.”
The only drawback for Eichel was a postgame visit to the medical staff.
After watching blood drip on the floor at the base of his locker, he headed
for stitches to close a big gash on his chin. He got hit with the puck in his
final shift with about 90 seconds to play.
The cut will eventually heal. The highlight of the goal will last longer.
“Maybe I should work on scoring on the road,” said Eichel, who has scored
all his goals in front of the cheering fans in Buffalo. “I’ve been doing a little
too much thinking, but I think I’m doing a lot of good things as the season’s
gone on. I think our line has been getting better every game. I think we
could have had more tonight, and it’s going to break through sooner than
later for us.
979773
Buffalo Sabres
Sabres’ third goal showed that. Deslauriers has three goals on the season.
Only O’Reilly and Eichel have more. Who would have thought that?
Sabres’ run this week is an October treat
“When you go on a two-on-one with him, you have to be ready,”
Deslauriers said of O’Reilly. “It might be coming to you.”
By Mike Harrington
Deslauriers said touch passing has been a focal point of his post-practice
work with O’Reilly, a rinkrat who’s always one of the last players to leave
the ice.
Updated 11:38 PM
October 30, 2015
You want to talk about treats? For a 4-7 team, the Buffalo Sabres have
provided plenty of them in the first month of their new era.
Friday’s 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers continued what was easily
the team’s strongest week of the season, and probably its most dominant
stretch of hockey since the failed run to the playoffs at the end of the
2011-12 season.
When you compile 129 shots on goal in three games – probably a month’s
worth last year – your offense is at full efficiency. Here’s my mental
scribbling from Friday night’s victory:
• Even with the infusion of talent onto this roster, it was pretty
inconceivable to think Dan Bylsma would be able to get this kind of speed
and tempo into his team’s play so quickly. I was wrong. The buy-in from the
entire roster is obvious. Bylsma comes with a Stanley Cup on his resume,
the instant credibility needed to take charge and implement a system that
thrives on puck pressure. It’s exactly what this team needed.
Having forwards who can actually skate is obviously a big reason but it’s
amazing what a little forechecking can do. And it’s amazing to see the
impact of having defensemen like Mark Pysyk and Jake McCabe being
able to make a simple pass.
• The theory that the Sabres shouldn’t move on getting a goaltender and/or
a defenseman because they’re not a playoff team this year is negative
thinking. Maintaining the conservative view I held in preseason, the
Sabres are looking at an improvement of 25-30 points over last year but
that will not be enough to get them into the playoffs.
But even if you agree with that, you have to look at how things are breaking
in the Atlantic Division. It looks like the weakest division in the league.
Toronto has been as lousy as most people figured but Detroit, in its first
year under Jeff Blashill, and Boston, in maybe its last under Claude Julien,
haven’t been anywhere near as good as you’d think.
Montreal and Tampa Bay look solid but the Sabres need to push toward
Florida and Ottawa. General Manager Tim Murray wants to build this thing
slowly, sure. But don’t think for a second he’s not trying to get more pieces
too.
• Ryan O’Reilly has been as advertised with his work on puck possession,
positioning and faceoffs. But it’s pretty obvious he knows that big contract
is going to call for much more offense than his career average of 45 points
over his five full seasons. He has nine assists – one off the league lead
held by five players – and his 13 points are fifth, four behind Dallas’ Jamie
Benn for the top spot.
“I don’t think about it that much. It’s more a game to game focus,” he said.
“I’ve had some good bounces and gotten on the board but I know there
were chances to tie games and give a little more too. It’s always nice to get
points but it’s about team points more.”
That’s a leader’s answer there. O’Reilly played a stunning 26:03 Friday
night, seven seconds shy of his career high. He’s leading all NHL forwards
in ice time at an average of 21:32.
• Jack Eichel doesn’t have an assist in 11 games. Weird stat and it doesn’t
matter a bit. The buzz in the building when Eichel gets the puck is like you
would hear when Pat LaFontaine or Gilbert Perreault would get it at the
Aud. It’s been even more interesting to hear the murmurs on an Eichel
rush on the road, where he doesn’t even have a goal yet. All four are at
home.
• If the Sabres aren’t going to get a goalie in here, it would seem they
should make Linus Ullmark the starter for now and spot Chad Johnson as
the backup. Ullmark is the prospect, the guy who might take over in a year
or two if Robin Lehner can’t handle the job. Johnson has really only cost
the Sabres one game on his own, the meltdown against Montreal, but how
many easy pucks is he going to continue to drop and create rebound
chances?
• Nicolas Deslauriers is the team’s most rugged player. He can throw
bombs with his fists, but teammates talk about his hands for another
reason too. They’re soft. The way he chipped in O’Reilly’s pass for the
“It’s a unique skill,” O’Reilly said of Deslauriers’ conversion. “He’s been
huge for us.”
• Now for the dousing of water over all this good talk. You might want to
take a gander at the November schedule. It starts Sunday night in
Brooklyn against the Islanders. There are the final two meetings against
Tampa Bay, Ryan Miller’s return to Buffalo with the Canucks and San
Jose’s lone visit of the year.
Once we hit Nov. 17, things get pretty much ridiculous. In a seven-game
stretch, six of the games are against either St. Louis, Dallas or Nashville.
They enter Saturday’s play a combined 22-5-2. If the Sabres are still
hanging around on Dec. 1, they’ll clearly be on to something.
979774
Buffalo Sabres
“We’re doing a lot of good things right now.”
By John Vogl
Updated 12:23 AM
October 31, 2015
The building was quiet. The Sabres were doing good things, but nothing to
get the crowd’s excitement level up.
Then Jack Eichel happened.
The rookie added yet another highlight to his rapidly growing video
package Friday, opening the scoring and bringing the noise into First
Niagara Center. Fans ate up the goal, and the Sabres fed off the energy in
a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia.
“With the puck on his stick, it’s a little bit different electricity in the air,”
Sabres coach Dan Bylsma said. “You feel the energy in the building.”
Eichel’s fourth NHL goal started with a pass from Ryan O’Reilly at center
ice. As the 18,062 fans watched Eichel collect the puck at full speed with
open ice in front of him, they moved forward in their seats and started
making noise. The decibel level grew when Eichel suddenly stopped in the
left circle to leave defenseman Evgeny Medvedev grasping at air.
With net-driving O’Reilly drawing the other defender toward him, Eichel
had a clear path to the middle of the ice. He eluded the backcheck of
Wayne Simmonds and fired a waist-high shot into the left side of the net.
The place went chaotic as Eichel raised his arms in celebration with 35.4
seconds to go in the first period.
“It was a good team effort in the first, and to be able to get a goal at the end
of it to kind of lift us coming in, get something for all our efforts, it was kind
of nice,” said Eichel, who credited O’Reilly for giving him room to
maneuver. “I knew he was going to drive the net, and I figured I would try to
pull up. I could kind of feel their D backing up with him driving deep. I just
tried to change my angle a little bit on the goalie, getting him sliding across
the net and then shoot it back to where he came from.
“It’s an old skill.”
An old skill possessed by a 19-year-old young gun with 11 games on his
resume.
“It’s amazing to see the maturity on a kid like that, and that was a huge
goal to get us going,” O’Reilly said.
The goal gave the players bounce to their step when they headed into
intermission. They had full-on swagger when they came back out. They
scored on an early power play and watched Marcus Foligno win a fight
against Luke Schenn. They headed into the next intermission with a 2-0
lead and 31-14 shot advantage.
“If you leave a little space like that to Eich, he’s going to put it in,” Sabres
goal-scorer Nicolas Deslauriers said. “Especially at the end of the first like
that, it feels good.
“In the second, we kind of played the same way. Marcus stepped up for the
boys, and you can see it was almost another gain of energy for us. We had
like four, five shifts down low in their zone, and it’s just all-around probably
our best game.”
“It was relentless,” O’Reilly added. “I think where we really took re-control
of the game was after Marcus’ fight. He did a great job showing we’re
going to war here no matter how long it’s for. We stepped up after that, and
we took control of the whole game.”
The only drawback for Eichel was a postgame visit to the medical staff.
After watching blood drip on the floor at the base of his locker, he headed
for stitches to close a big gash on his chin. He got hit with the puck in his
final shift with about 90 seconds to play.
The cut will eventually heal. The highlight of the goal will last longer.
“Maybe I should work on scoring on the road,” said Eichel, who has scored
all his goals in front of the cheering fans in Buffalo. “I’ve been doing a little
too much thinking, but I think I’m doing a lot of good things as the season’s
gone on. I think our line has been getting better every game. I think we
could have had more tonight, and it’s going to break through sooner than
later for us.
979775
Buffalo Sabres
By Amy Moritz
Updated 12:03 AM
October 31, 2015
Coach Dan Bylsma described Linus Ullmark as a calm and collected
goaltender. He was. That is until the final horn sounded.
Ullmark lifted both arms in the air followed by emphatic fist pumps as his
teammates came to congratulate him.
At 22 years old he became the youngest goaltender to earn a win for the
Buffalo Sabres since 21-year-old Mika Noronen won against Chicago in
2000.
His reaction?
“Pure happiness,” Ullmark said.
In his second career start Ullmark made 27 saves to earn his first NHL win,
a 3-1 decision against the Philadelphia Flyers in First Niagara Center on
Friday night. It was his fifth game in North America and the native of
Sweden is adjusting to the game on a smaller rink with more physical play
in front of the net and pucks that find a way to the crease from the boards.
“He’s played pro hockey in Sweden but it’s been on the big ice,” Bylsma
said. “It’s a bit different of a game. … He’s a calm demeanor guy and I think
the first game it didn’t look in place, but tonight more calm and collected
and real confident.”
Ullmark lost his NHL opener, 4-3, to the New Jersey Devils and while he
felt he was able to react quicker in Friday night’s win, he also credited the
defense in front of him.
“The thing that I lacked the last game when we lost was my speed and I felt
that I battled through it a lot more this time and I kept going and … kept
seeing the pucks all the time just battling through the whole game,”
Ullmark said.
“The guys were awesome in front of me, blocking shots the whole game,
kept the rebounds away from me and helped me out a lot.”
It was a relatively low workload. Through the first two periods, Ullmark
faced just 14 shots, but it didn’t keep him from being dialed in to the game.
“That’s how it is,” Ullmark said. “That’s great because that means we were
dominating them and playing really good. The boys were playing good the
whole game, battling through and helping me out.”
And when he needed to, Ullmark came up with timely saves. Like at the
end of the second period when Flyers forward Claude Giroux found
Wayne Simmonds for a prime scoring chance.
“I just tried to get over in the shooting lane as fast as possible and it worked
out,” Ullmark said.
He made 13 saves in the third period as the Flyers threw pressure on the
Sabres. Philadelphia broke through for a goal when Mark Streit placed a
puck across Ullmark’s shoulder with 3:36 left in the game.
“You always want to be perfect out there but it’s nothing to say about it,”
Ullmark said. “They make a good play and they bury it and that’s just how it
is. You just have to look forward and not think about it too much.”
Former Sabre Michal Neuvirth didn’t enjoy the same night in the Flyers’
net. He faced 36 shots letting in three goals, one of them on one of five
Buffalo power plays. He was burned by Jack Eichel with 36 seconds left in
the first period after making what he felt was a good start.
“They came out hard,” Neuvirth said. “I made a few early saves and I felt
good. … We gotta stay out of the penalty box. We spent way too much
time killing penalties and obviously the first goal with 30 seconds left on the
road, we gotta make sure we just shut it down.”
As for how the Sabres look this year, Neuvirth said, “For sure they’re
different. They’re playing much better than last year but last year’s last
year. It doesn’t matter.”
Remember the kid in Pittsburgh Thursday night who had a puck flipped to
him by Sabres coach Dan Bylsma only to have it snagged by an adult who
pocketed the souvenir for himself?
Friday we learned more about him.
Trey Dopson is a third grader who told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, “I Just
can’t process it through my head what happened.”
Dopson ended up getting a Sidney Crosby jersey and a puck from the
Penguins along with two Sabres pucks after the incident was replayed on
the broadcast and social media blew up.
His father, David, said he was most impressed with the way Trey handled
the initial disappointment.
“That’s what I was really impressed by and proud of,” David told the
Post-Gazette. “He had no animosity or anger toward the man” who took
the puck.
979776
Buffalo Sabres
A long-ago rivalry renewed with Amerks and Springfield
KEVIN OKLOBZIJA'S HOCKEY O-ZONE
12:47 p.m. EDT October 30, 2015
Few match-ups on the Rochester Americans' schedule truly exemplify the
essence of the American Hockey League like a game against and the
franchise from Springfield.
For 45 years or so, games between the Amerks and Indians (or Kings or
Falcons) were every-month or, at the very least, every-year, happenings.
The first time the Amerks ever made the Calder Cup finals, 1959-60, they
lost to the Indians in five games. That Springfield team included stars like
Bill Sweeney, Floyd Smith, Harry Pidhirny, Marcel Paille, Ted Harris and
Parker MacDonald.
They wouldn't meet in the finals again for 30 years, and then they went
back-to-back, and Springfield prevailed both times. They won in 1990 as
the New York Islanders affiliate, and again in 1991 with the Hartford
Whalers stocking the roster. The late Jimmy Roberts, who died on Oct. 23,
was the coach both years.
Tonight the Amerks are in Springfield's MassMutual Center to play the
Falcons, Rochester's first trip to the western Massachusetts city since in
almost exactly nine years. Their last visit: Nov. 3, 2006.
The AHL's very unbalanced schedule pretty much lopped New England
right off the map as far as the Amerks were concerned, especially since
Rochester was in the Western Conference and the Falcons were in the
East.
Of the Amerks who are healthy and may/should play tonight, just five have
ever faced a Springfield: Bobby Sanguinetti, Matt Donovan, Jason
Akeson, Matt Ellis and Cal O'Reilly.
Amerks coach Randy Cunneyworth has a more unique distinction: he has
played for and against, and he hasn't forgotten his two games for the
Indians in 1990-91 when he was on a conditioning assignment from the
NHL's Hartford Whalers.
Actually, what's most vivid in mind is the Indians' theme song, the Bill
Haley and his Comets version of "Shake, Rattle and Roll."
"Get out of that kitchen and rattle those pots and pans," Cunneyworth said.
Cunneyworth had broken a bone in his lower leg, just above his right ankle
and missed a month. A slap shot by Whalers defenseman Ulf Samuelsson
struck him as he gained position in the deep slot. He got little sympathy
from Samuelsson.
"I come in with a cast the next day and Ulfie says, 'Geez, Cunney, it was
going in, too,' " Cunneyworth recalled.
The Amerks are in New England all weekend, and players better keep the
itinerary handy.
Tonight's game starts at 7 p.m. They're in Portland, Maine, for a 3 p.m.
game on Saturday and then come back down I-91 to play the Hartford Wolf
Pack at 5 p.m. Sunday.
The Amerks last visit to Portland was on March 22, 2001, and they haven't
been to Hartford since March 9, 2002.
Forwards Jerry D'Amigo won't play this weekend due to a lower body
injury. Justin Kea (lower body) and Patrick Kaleta (lower body) remain out.
Forwards William Carrier (lower body), Evan Rodrigues (upper body) and
Nick Baptiste (upper body) are expected to play, Cunneyworth said.
Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 10.31.2015
979777
Buffalo Sabres
Fan snatches puck from boy at Sabres-Penguins game
Staff report 7:22 a.m. EDT October 30, 2015
A GIF doesn't define a man, but those three seconds sure didn't look good.
In Sabres coach Dan Bylsma's return to Pittsburgh Thursday night, one
fan gained instant fame by making a diving grab when the ex-Penguins
coach tossed a puck over the glass in the second period.
It was quite a catch.
Too bad the puck was intended for a much, much younger fan.
Bylsma apparently wanted to show some gratitude to the fan base that had
supported him the past six years. The Penguins honored him with a video
tribute earlier in the night. Everything was copacetic.
When Bylsma spotted a young fan walking down the steps, he lobbed a
puck at him. As it flipped end over end toward the hopeful boy, an older
gentleman ... rather, some guy, snagged it and whisked it behind his back.
That's where the video evidence ends. Twitter was not happy.
Sportscenter noticed.
For everyone tweeting us about the little kid who just got the puck
snatched away, we're on it - don't you worry.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 30, 2015
According to a CBSSports report, the older fan was booed and did not
return to his seat that period.
The story, though, has a happy ending. The Penguins hooked the little guy
up with another puck — and a Sidney Crosby jersey — later in the game.
He was psyched.
The lesson, of course, is if you're going to swipe a souvenir away from a
little kid, make sure you don't get caught on video.
On second thought, just don't ever do that under any circumstance.
Happily ever after: @penguins give kid a puck after a fan snatched one
from him earlier in the game. pic.twitter.com/RvPQLkU2he
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 30, 2015
the kid was brought a puck, and then, a jersey! well done,
@penguinspic.twitter.com/polYvlY3fh
— Stephanie (@myregularface) October 30, 2015
Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 10.31.2015
979778
Calgary Flames
Dismal start to season continues as Canadiens whip Flames
GEORGE JOHNSON, CALGARY HERALD
Published on: October 31, 2015 | Last Updated: October 31, 2015 1:07 AM
MDT
A dull, glassy-eyed resignation has replaced we’ll-show-you spark of
defiance from a year ago.
They stumble out for post-game comments now, loss after blessed loss,
looking like accident victims who’ve just walked away from a car wreck.
Disoriented. Confused.
Parroting the same clichés. Forlornly searching for any positives; cubes of
sugar in a sand dune.
There’s no defence in Calgary Flames. And no defending them, either.
“We have another situation,’’ said a sombre Bob Hartley of Saturday’s
quick-pack trip up north to Edmonton, “where we have to roll up our
sleeves, bear down on our chances and clean up our game defensively.
“That’s where most of our problems are. There’s turnovers, there’s missed
assignment and the puck is in our net.
“It’s tough to win games like that.”
Playing a Montreal Canadiens team reeling slightly from consecutive
losses, on the second half of back-to-back nights (losing 4-3 in Edmonton
on Thursday) and giving their Hart Trophy-winning, other-worldly
netminder Carey Price a richly-deserved night off, the Flames failed to
take advantage, defiled 6-2 at the Scotiabank Saddledome on Friday
night.
That was ugly. Butt ugly.
“Too many chances from the slot, too many chances period,’’ said captain
Mark Giordano. “That wasn’t a 6-2 game, I thought we played well in the
first and second periods, but we didn’t take our chances.’’
Dale Weise certainly took his. Three of them, in fact. Two that Calgary
goaltender Joni Ortio really should’ve had — one through the wickets after
Tomas Fleishmann stopped short, leaving Dennis Wideman to skid
backwards and open things up, then a wrist shot from distance.
They did little to appease the goaltending concerns (the second one, in
particular, was softer than a double-ply roll of Charmin bathroom tissue).
When Weise notched No. 3, the hats (most Habs’ ballcaps) rained down
from the stands for the usual pro-Canadiens’ crowd old allegiances dying
hard.
“Obviously, when an Original Six (team) travels across Canada, there’s
going to be fans,’’ said Hartley, half-derisively. “You know, they cheered
them.
“And they were right about it.’’
Calgary Herald: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979779
Calgary Flames
Flames goalie still has belief in himself after rough start
there’s 20,000 people who see it right away. The first reaction is always
blaming the guy who’s there.
“That’s something I have to live with.
“I know I’m capable of living with that.
Published on: October 30, 2015 | Last Updated: October 30, 2015 10:38
PM MDT
Wracked by self-doubt? Plagued by anxiety? Feeling bunged up? Beat
down? Tossed aside?
In dire need of a hankie to dab at the corners of moistened eyes or a
soundproof room to rage in?
Not Karri Ramo.
“I believe in myself,’’ rasped the here-today/gone-tomorrow/back-again
goaltender, returned to his old stall in the Calgary Flames dressing room,
and last off the ice following Friday’s morning skate. “Results have been
bad but I don’t feel worried. I don’t feel I can’t be a goalie, or anything. We
all deal with the same thing, every day, every practice, every game.
“Does it help if you’re worried all the time what’s going to happen?
“I don’t think so.
“I know what I’m capable of.’’
Ramo sounded like a scratchy 33 1/3 LP as he tugged off equipment.
“I’ve been travelling,’’ he explained apologetically, with a small smile. “For
72 hours, basically.
“The voice is a little tired.
“California fever, I guess. Something I’m trying to clear up.’’
California air-conditioning sniffles aside, this has been quite the
tumultuous little stretch for Ramo. Certainly nothing he could’ve
envisioned when putting pen to paper on a $3.8 million, one-year one-way
deal on July 1.
Back then, the No. 1 job seemed within his grasp. He, after all, was the
goalie they had the confidence in to finish the playoffs series against the
Anaheim Ducks. Coach Bob Hartley was a fan. And a 15-9-3
regular-campaign record with a 2.60 GAA and .8915 save percentage
hinted at better days.
Then, nine days ago: Pitched onto the waiver wire, bypassed by 29 teams
and summarily dispatched to the idylls of Stockton, Calif., to play 20
scoreless minutes in relief of new pro Jon Gillies.
Having barely unpacked, Ramo found himself hustling back to Calgary,
chop-chop, following the “lower-body” injury sustained Wednesday in
Ottawa by Jonas Hiller, in time to back up Joni Ortio for Friday’s duel with
the suddenly-susceptible Montreal Canadiens.
“Well, you know,’’ he reasoned, shrugging, “you just try to deal with your
emotions.
“It’s part of this business.
“Obviously you do through a lot of feelings and you try to work through it.
It’s a process.’’
The three-goaltender equation was always a bad idea, fraught with
disaster/distraction, particularly for a group that has plodded out of the
starting gate.
And when neither of the chosen two, Ramo or Hiller, could establish his
qualifications as Da Man, a game of “musical chairs”, as Hartley
disdainfully dubbed it, began. Lose a game, change the goalie. Lose a
game, change the goalie.
In three starts with the big club, Ramo’s 0-3, with a 4.37
goals-against-average and .879 save percentage.
He’d stumbled against a post allowing late, late goal by Dustin Byfuglien in
Winnipeg that cost the fragile Flames at least point against the Jets, then
in his next start was yanked after giving up four on 18 shots to Ovie and the
Capitals at the ’Dome.
The next day he was placed on waivers.
“Every time you step in the net, every time you male a mistake it’s very,
very likely you’ll see it on the scoreboard,’’ said Ramo on Friday. “And
“Stats are always stats. They never tell you the whole thing. Every statistic
right now for our team is bad. That doesn’t mean we are bad hockey
players, everybody.
“It all comes down to prepare ourselves, what we do next.’’
With Ortio between the pipes versus Montreal losing 6-2, Ramo will get the
nod for a key date at Rexall Place on Saturday.
Hiller is expected to be out at least a week. From there, how this shakes
down is anyone’s guess.
“Obviously I have to be better,’’ confessed Ramo. “Definitely. I’m not even
close to being satisfied.
“But am I losing my confidence? No.
“I have no doubts about my abilities. I want to be better. I know I can be
better. I have to be better.
“But I don’t have to change too many things, the way I play. Right now the
results haven’t come. But they will.
“As I said, I believe in myself.”
Now he has to convince them to believe in him, too.
979780
Calgary Flames
Hartley looks to the positives as Flames prepare to face Montreal
Published on: October 30, 2015 | Last Updated: October 30, 2015 2:04 PM
MDT
Bob Hartley was spinning light out the darkness.
“We can’t always live on negatives,’’ proclaimed the Calgary Flames’ boss
on Friday morning. “It’s a new game, a new challenge. Hey, we’re back in
our building and we’re a young team.
“It’s up to us to build back our game. We still have lots to learn, lots to
correct. The worst thing we could do is show up with bad attitudes,
negative attitudes.
“That would get us nowhere. We’re not happy where we’re at. But at the
same time, we have a game tonight. The beauty of this business is we’re
playing so many games that good or bad we have to park the last one and
focus on the next one.’’
That’d be the Montreal Canadiens, this evening, 7 p.m. at the Scotiabank
Saddledome.
Currently 2-7-1, Hartley’s group ranks an unsettling 13th in the
conference, at minus-20 are saddled with the worst goals-for/against ratio
in the league and are coming off a 0-2-1 road trip that saw them cough up
13 goals whiling lose a goaltender (Jonas Hiller) to injury.
To fall much further off the pace, with a trip up to Edmonton to play the
Hab-slaying Oilers on Saturday night, would be really playing with
matches.
“This,’’ proclaimed captain Mark Giordano, “is a big weekend for us.”
Montreal, failing to tie an NHL standard for wins to open a season by losing
in Vancouver and then gassing a 3-0 lead at Rexall Place, aren’t apt to be
in a jolly mood, either.
“You lose a game that way,’’ said Giordano, “you’ve got to expect them to
be ready to go. On our side, we’ve got to have that intensity and that
hunger, too.
“I thought we did a tonne of good things (in Ottawa). The previous games
we were struggling to score goals and we sort of broke out of that the other
night. We got some ugly ones and that’s what we needed. We have just
have to clean up some things in front of our net.’’
The return from a hand injury by T.J. Brodie, Giordano’s regular sidekick,
certainly helped to stimulate the offence from the back line.
“You saw the game in Ottawa,’’ said Hartley. “It’s speed, the way that he
reads the other team’s attack. I thought he was probably our best D.’’
And tonight versus Montreal?
“We show our guys their tendencies,’’ replied Hartley, back on a familiar
theme. “But it’s about our game Our game. And whether we play the
Canadiens, we play the Senators, we play the Oilers, it’s about us
executing the right way, playing the right way.’’
NOTES: Hartley said Hiller, injured in a collision with Ottawa’s Bobby Ryan
on Wednesday, will miss at least a week owing to a “lower-body” injury. He
wouldn’t commit to the hurriedly-summoned Karri Ramo as the definite
starter in Edmonton, either, despite the back-to-back scenario.
“Ortio tonight and then we’ll see,’’ was his take on the situation … Habs
expected to start Mike Condon (2-0, 1.50 GAA, .947 save percentage) in
net after reigning Hart Trophy winner Carey Price surrendered nine goals
in past two starts, including Thursday’s 4-3 meltdown loss against the
Oilers … Flames’ forward units: Colborne-Monahan-Hudler;
Gaudreau-Bennett- Frolik; Raymond-Backlund-Jones;
Grant-Stajan-Jooris.
Defence pairings: Giordano-Brodie; Engelland-Hamilton;
Russell-Wideman. Brandon Bollig is the odd-man out among the forwards
… Regarding his recent line-juggling, Hartley said: “You get confidence in
this game in two ways: Winning games and scoring goals. You’re five six
years old and you see your game on the scoresheet, it’s the object of the
game. That’s what we’re trying to build.’’
979781
Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames' Karri Ramo returns after trip to minors
first NHL goal in his second game with the Buffalo Sabres, scored his first
for Calgary in his second game donning the Flaming C and this was his
second tilt for the Canadiens … Honestly, is there any explanation for how
Dale Weise went from the player who was rarely a factor with the
Vancouver Canucks to the cult-hero status he has in Montreal? It’s a great
story, though.
BY RANDY SPORTAK, CALGARY SUN
IN THE CREASE
FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 10:33 PM MDT |
UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 10:37 PM MDT
Kris Russell’s plus-minus in the last five games: minus-9. In that same
time, Mark Giordano is posting a plus-2 mark … You just know all those
kids in Edmonton are looking forward to collecting their Halloween candy
Saturday night against this Flames team, which is surrendering goals by
the bucket … Being on that day, feel free to let your wildest imagination go
with how scary it’ll be for the Flames … Back to Byron, he understood the
twist of fate in comparison to last season’s breakaway struggles. “I think
last year was just kind of the most unlucky year of my life in terms of getting
chances. Not too many times guys get that many chances that don’t go in.
Throughout my career I’ve always been pretty good on breakaways. It was
definitely some vindication there, for sure,” he said. Byron is also is just as
flummoxed as anyone about the Flames’ struggles. “I watched the game in
Ottawa and I thought they dominated them and they came out losing. It
seems like they’re in one of those funks right now where the bounces
aren’t going their way. They need to just keep working hard, keep digging.
They’ve got the talent. They’ve got the leadership over there. I’m not too
worried about them over there.”
Score one for Karri Ramo.
He managed to see the bright side of a trip to the minors.
“You get to see new places,” the Calgary Flames goalie said after Friday’s
morning skate in anticipation of his club’s clash with the Montreal
Canadiens.
Yes, he meant Stockton, Calif., home of the club’s AHL affiliate.
Yes, he meant the city that in 2015 was ranked eighth in the U.S. in terms
of violent crime rate.
“It’s an interesting place,” Ramo said.
And he didn’t see much of it. After all, the goalie was assigned to the
minors on Oct. 22 after clearing waivers, played one period for the Heat,
and then was recalled to the Flames on Thursday after Jonas Hiller
suffered a lower-body injury this week.
Now, after Joni Ortio’s shaky start Friday evening against the Montreal
Canadiens, Ramo will be getting the call as the Flames’ starter on
Saturday night against the Edmonton Oilers.
While Ramo was perfect in his 20 minutes of AHL action — making six
saves in a relief appearance — his time this season with the Flames hasn’t
gone nearly as well.
Before being placed on waivers, the 29-year-old netminder posted a 0-3-0
record along with a 4.38 goals-against average and .879 save percentage.
Considering how Hiller’s save percentage is worse, but average is better,
it’s not exactly easy to say one has been better — or worse — than the
other this season for the Flames.
In their defence, the skaters in front of them have not helped the cause
nearly enough, leaving their netminders exposed to face all kinds of
golden chances.
But you won’t get Ramo to say he was made a scapegoat for the team’s
early season struggles or say he’s frustrated with what happened.
“I guess it’s part of this business. You go through a lot of emotions, a lot of
feelings, and you try to work through it. It’s just a process,” Ramo said.
“I believe in myself. The results have been bad, but I don’t feel worried and
I don’t feel I can’t be a (NHL) goalie. I know what I’m capable of.”
Hiller, who was injured when Ottawa Senators forward Bobby Ryan
collided with him, is due to be out for at least a week, according to head
coach Bob Hartley.
Through it all, plus a cold he’s battling, Ramo insists he’s confident he’ll
find his top form.
“Every time you step in the net, every time you make a mistake, it’s very,
very likely you see it on the scoreboard and there’s 20,000 people who see
it right away and the first reaction is to blame the guy who’s there. I know
that’s something I have to live with, but I know I’m capable of living with
that,” he said.
“Stats are always stats, but they never tell you the whole thing. Every stat,
probably for our team is really bad, but it doesn’t ultimately mean we are
bad hockey players.
“Obviously, I have to better, definitely. I’m not even close to being satisfied,
but am I losing my confidence? No. I have no doubt about my abilities. I
want to be better. I know I can be better. I have to be better. But I know
what I’m capable of doing and I don’t have to change too many things the
way I play. The results will come.”
OFF THE GLASS
Nice touch by the Flames to welcome back Paul Byron, claimed by the
Habs via waivers on the eve of the season. Can’t lie, you had to expect him
to score on a breakaway against his former team after all those missed
ones last season. Talk about apropos the way this campaign is going for
the Flames … By the way, here’s a quirky stat with Byron: He scored his
Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979782
Calgary Flames
the current cast of Flames will match that Wes Craven-calibre month. In a
dozen games, not 11.
BY WES GILBERTSON, CALGARY SUN
“We’ve gotta stay positive,” said Flames captain Mark Giordano. “I mean,
we’re going through a tough time. It seems like every bad thing that
happens, it seems like we’re not finding a way to come out of it. We’ve just
gotta keep playing, keep working hard, and eventually we’re going to get
some breaks here.
“Tonight, I think it wasn’t a 6-2 game. I thought it was a back-and-forth
game for a while there, and we just let it get away from us.”
So you’re looking for one last item to up the fear factor of your Halloween
haunted house?
Added Jones: “We’ve got a long way to go, a long way to climb. But I think
we’re just trying to search for a win here. Forget about further down the
road than that — it’s about playing a good 60 minutes and getting a
regulation win, which we haven’t done yet.”
Montreal Canadiens embarrass Calgary Flames 6-2
We’ve got you covered ... Just flip ahead a few pages and clip out the
NHL’s Western Conference standings.
Around these parts, what could be more frightening than the Calgary
Flames’ current win-loss record?
After Friday’s 6-2 setback to the league-leading Montreal Canadiens at the
Saddledome, the Flames now own a 2-8-1 mark this fall.
Boo!
Scary stuff.
“At times, we just look like a minor-league team,” said Flames right-winger
David Jones. “We’re not making plays. We’re mishandling the puck and
just kind of throwing it away. Just not a lot of poise out there right now, and
I think that’s what happens when you lose games.
“We’ve just gotta find a way to get out of it. I know we’ve been saying it all
season, but we need a spark.”
There was oodles of excitement and optimism about what the Flames
could accomplish this season, but the footage from the first month of the
new campaign is just as gory as The Exorcist, The Shining or any other
horror flick.
Friday’s loss was no exception.
The Flames looked sharp in the early going, but their momentum vanished
in a blink when starter Joni Ortio couldn’t squeeze his pads on what looked
like a harmless one-timer from right-winger Dale Weise as the
out-of-towners grabbed an early lead.
It got worse — surprise, surprise — in the second period. The Flames
actually potted a pair in Friday’s middle frame — Jiri Hudler and Josh
Jooris did the honours — but that didn’t matter much after they
surrendered three at the other end, including Weise’s second of the night.
The Flames have now allowed 19 second-period markers this season.
To put that in perspective, the Nashville Predators and Los Angeles Kings
have dug fewer pucks out of their nets, total.
And how bad did it get for the home-side in the third?
Well ... Habs speedster Paul Byron — claimed off waivers from Calgary
earlier this month — scored on a shorthanded breakaway.
Yes, that’s the guy who couldn’t buy a breakaway goal last season when
he was on the Flames’ payroll.
And then, Weise completed the hat-trick.
Yes, that’s the guy who had never collected more than two points in 269
previous NHL outings. To add insult, the Flames had to wait as Habs fans
littered the Saddledome ice surface with lids.
Nathan Beaulieu and Devante Smith-Pelly also scored on Ortio, who was
shelled for six goals on 31 shots.
“I’ve got to stop the puck, that’s it,” Ortio said. “It’s all been said what we
have to do, and now it’s just a matter of executing and actually doing the
things we have to do out there. The talk isn’t enough anymore. We need
actions.”
And soon.
For the Calgary-based franchise, the worst October on record came during
the 1995-96 campaign. That fall, with star centre Joe Nieuwendyk at home
due to a contract holdout that would eventually lead to a historic trade with
the Dallas Stars, they managed to collect just five points in 11 skates
before the calendar flipped to November.
If they can’t squeeze a point — or two — out of Saturday’s clash with the
Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place (8 p.m., CBC/Sportsnet 960 The Fan),
Calgary Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979783
Carolina Hurricanes
Canes return home to top Avalanche 3-2
By Chip Alexander
There was an October rarity Friday at PNC Arena — a Carolina Hurricanes
game.
After seven consecutive games on the road, an annual rite of the hockey
season during the N.C. State Fair, the Canes finally returned home to face
the Colorado Avalanche and notch their first victory on home ice.
Goaltender Cam Ward again was smooth and active in net, defenseman
Justin Faulk scored on the power play, Victor Rask and Jeff Skinner had
even-strength goals and the penalty killing was timely as the Hurricanes
emerged with a 3-2 win marred only by a first-period injury to forward Elias
Lindholm.
Lindholm fell awkwardly to the ice after bumping into the Avs defenseman
Nikita Zadorov, their legs becoming entangled. He returned to play one
shift in the second period but then left again and did not return.
The Canes finished off a 4-3-0 road trip with victories over the Detroit Red
Wings and New York Islanders, rallying in the third period Thursday
against the Isles and then winning in overtime.
[Video: Canes' coach Bill Peters on win]
“We’ve got a winning atmosphere in here and the chemistry is really good,”
said Ward, who finished with 28 saves. “We wanted to keep a good thing
going and we knew we needed a strong effort here at home.”
After a scoreless first, the Cavs’ Alex Tanguay gave Colorado a 1-0 lead in
the second. But the Canes (5-6-0) quickly answered as Rask crashed the
net to bang the puck past Avs goalie Semyon Varlamov and Faulk scored
on the power play.
Special teams had not been a strength for Carolina in the first 10 games
this season. The Canes were last in the NHL in the power play — Faulk
scoring all three goals — and 24th in penalty killing.
But Faulk scored his fourth and the Canes effectively killed off a pair of
penalties in the first period when the Avs (3-6-1) had 30 seconds of a
5-on-3 advantage. Carolina also killed off a penalty in the second after
Tanguay’s score.
“It was good,” Faulk said of the penalty killing. “It’s something that was a
huge strength of ours last season and we’re working to get back there. It’s
a work in progress and tonight a good sign that when we play the right way
on the penalty kill we can shut team down.”
Faulk nearly scored in the first minute of the second when his shot from the
point hit the crossbar and initially was ruled a goal. After a review, the goal
was disallowed as the puck rolled along the goal line but did not cross it.
But Rask tied the score with his fourth goal of the season — his overtime
score beat the Avs 1-0 in Denver on Oct. 21 — off a Kris Versteeg
centering pass. Almost three minutes later, Faulk used a screen by Eric
Staal to fire the puck past Varlamov.
Skinner picked up his second of the season five minutes into the third,
rifling a shot from the right circle. Skinner had five shots against the
Islanders and was active in the offensive zone again Friday.
“The last few games I had some chances I’d like to see go in, but that’s
the way it goes,” Skinner said. “You’ve just got to stick with it.”
Defenseman Brett Pesce, playing his fourth NHL game, earned his first
career point with an assist on Skinner’s goal. Versteeg and defenseman
Ryan Murphy each had a pair of assists in the game.
“It was a hard-fought game and I thought we were under control when it
was 1-0, then they scored those two goals,” Avs coach Patrick Roy said.
“We were playing against a team that played really well defensively and
didn’t give us much.”
The Avs, who won on the road Thursday against Tampa Bay, picked up a
goal by Carl Soderberg in the final minute with an extra attacker. But Ward
and the Canes finished it out.
“We’ve got some traction now,” Peters said. “We’re going in the right
direction for sure.”
News Observer LOADED: 10.31.2015
979784
Chicago Blackhawks
So far, 3-on-3 overtimes are working to Blackhawks advantage
Chris Hine
Do the Blackhawks have an advantage in 3-on-3 overtime? You bet.
The Blackhawks are nearly a month into the season and have played in
three 3-on-3 overtimes. Still, coach Joel Quenneville has some questions
about the format.
"I'm still not sure exactly how to play it," Quenneville said.
A lot of coaches would like to have Quenneville's problem. The Hawks
have won each of their overtimes, with two coming in consecutive 1-0
victories last week over the Lightning and Ducks in a combined 68
seconds. That's barely enough time for a shift — or to get settled in your
seat after a commercial break.
In an attempt to entertain fans and prevent games from going to shootouts,
the NHL installed the new five-minute 3-on-3 overtime rule, replacing
4-on-4. So far, the NHL is getting what it has wanted out of the system —
even if fans, players and coaches debate whether 3-on-3 constitutes
legitimate hockey.
The new system has proven to be a boon for the Hawks, who have used
their healthy supply of skill players — especially the three they send out to
start overtime, to win each extra session — to intimidate some opponents
over the prospect of facing the Hawks in overtime.
"It's exciting for the fans, and watching games you're not participating in
there are a lot of things happening," Quenneville said. "… I like the fact
there's a better chance it's not decided by a shootout."
The numbers back up that assertion.
Through Friday, 29 of 153 NHL games this season were tied at the end of
regulation, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Of the 29 ties, 20 ended
in overtime (69 percent) with the average duration of 2 minutes, 58
seconds. Compare that to the same point last season, when 18 of 38
games (47 percent) that went to 4-on-4 overtime ended without a shootout
and the average length of overtime lasted 3:59. For all of 2014-15, 306
games went to overtime, with 136 ending in the extra session at an
average length of 3:55.
The NHL is getting what it wants, whether hockey purists like it or not.
"It's more interesting than the shootout," Hawks winger Marian Hossa said.
"The shootout has been around such a long time and I think 3-on-3, it's
up-and-down hockey. There are chances, goals scored. People enjoy it
more."
Hawks fans certainly have. The Hawks' first overtime came in their second
game against the Islanders. The Islanders committed a penalty, meaning
the Hawks were able to send an extra skater on the ice in a 4-on-3 power
play. Patrick Kane put a puck on net that found its way into the goal at 1:49
of the extra session for a 3-2 victory.
Then came Jonathan Toews' double act. He lifted the Hawks to a 1-0
victory over the Lightning with a goal 17 seconds into overtime Oct. 24
after the Hawks controlled the faceoff and scored 51 seconds into
overtime against the Ducks on Monday.
Against the Islanders, Quenneville put out Toews, Kane and Duncan Keith
to begin overtime. Brent Seabrook played the last two with Toews and
Kane as Keith recovers from knee surgery. When the season began,
Quenneville wasn't sure what personnel grouping he would deploy in
overtime — one forward and two defensemen? Three defensemen? Three
forwards? But two forwards and one defenseman seems to be working so
far, especially when they are Toews, Kane and Seabrook.
It's a grouping that has aroused concern in their opposition.
Before the Jets defeated the Hawks 3-1 on Thursday, Jets winger Drew
Stafford said his team did not want the game to go to overtime for fear of
what the Hawks could do.
"You don't want to give them some extra time or space," Stafford said. "I
think 5-on-5, you can limit their chances by taking away their time and
space."
Jets coach Paul Maurice said Toews makes the Hawks especially
dangerous in overtime.
"Is he coming out to shut you down or is he coming out to score? That's
what makes him great," Maurice said. "If you have the puck he's the right
guy on the ice to shut you down, and if he has the puck he's the right guy to
have it."
With only three skaters for each team, it is hard for one side to change its
grouping without relinquishing a potential breakaway. That can lead to an
extended shift for the first skaters on the ice, but that plays into the Hawks'
hands as well, given their personnel. When Keith is healthy, it means the
Hawks can roll out three Conn Smythe Trophy winners as their first
overtime skaters.
"Sometimes that first shift, you're waiting to tire out the other line and you
get your one chance and it goes in," Toews said. "… There's not really any
down time. I remember once in the preseason when I did change and it
ended up in the back of our net. It's something you have to be really careful
of. Even if you're tired you have to stay in position, not give up anything
easy."
So far, that hasn't been a problem for the Hawks. If anything, they have
made it look too easy.
Chicago Tribune LOADED: 10.31.2015
979785
Chicago Blackhawks
Wild exact small measure of retribution over Blackhawks with 5-4 victory
Chris Kuc
When it comes to archenemies, the Blackhawks make a darn good one for
the Wild.
Three straight years of the Hawks ousting them in the postseason made
the Wild loaded for bear when the teams met Friday night at Xcel Energy
Center.
In the first meeting between the teams since the Hawks dispatched the
Wild in the playoffs' second round in May, the teams traded goals in a
furious offensive explosion. And the Hawks came out on the short end of a
5-4 result in a rollicking game before a crowd of 19,140.
"I'm sure they had this circled on their calendar," Hawks defenseman Brent
Seabrook said afterward. "We're not going to get an easy game. Being the
Stanley Cup champs and all we have to come prepared every night and be
ready to battle."
The offense came to work as the Hawks broke out of a scoring slump with
four goals — two from captain Jonathan Toews — but backup goaltender
Scott Darling struggled and yielded five Wild scores. The Hawks had
scored one goal in each of their previous three games and Toews' second
of the night marked the first time they had scored five-on-five in more than
13 periods.
"It was nice to see us put up some goals and get some five-on-five and get
the guys rolling," Seabrook said. "We did a good job of playing with speed
and pace but we gave up too much."
After taking a 2-1 lead on Toews and Seabrook goals, the Hawks faltered
defensively and allowed consecutive scores from Ryan Carter, Charlie
Coyle and Jared Spurgeon. Toews and Artem Anisimov scored to tie
things but Nino Niederreiter notched the game-winner in the opening
minute of the third period when he banged home a rebound of a Jason
Zucker shot.
"You win in this league by how well you check and how well you play
without the puck," Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. "You're not going
to win giving up those kinds of goals."
After dropping their second game in as many nights, the Hawks finished
the first month of the season with a 6-5-0 record and have yet to find
consistency at either end of the ice.
"We probably deserve to be 6-5," Quenneville said. "It's not going to get
any easier. Let's find a way to put ourselves in a better spot than we ended
up with."
Added Seabrook: "We have to be better on both ends. We have to get
better and better with more games and more familiarity."
The Wild were extra motivated because of the Hawks' dominance over
them in the last three postseasons. Having a target on their collective
backs is a situation the Hawks have come to accept as Stanley Cup
champions three of the last six seasons.
"It makes for a long season," Toews said. "Every game is at an elevated
pace and style. (But) in the long run it's something that makes us better."
Quenneville called teams — especially those in the Central Division —
bringing their best each game to knock off the defending champs
"challenging."
"You know every game the other team's going to be ready," Quenneville
said. "The top matchups are definitely aware of who's on the ice (and) their
awareness of how we play. That's the challenge we have to face. It's a
tough division (and) opponents are quite familiar with each other."
979786
Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks fall to Wild 5-4
Chris Kuc
When it comes to archenemies, the Chicago Blackhawks make a darn
good one for the Minnesota Wild.
Three consecutive years of being ousted in the postseason at the hands of
the Hawks will do that, so the Wild were loaded for bear when the teams
faced off Friday night at Xcel Energy Center. In the first meeting between
the teams since the Hawks dispatched the Wild in the second round back
in May, the teams exploded offensively. The Hawks were on the short end
of a 5-4 result in a rollicking game in front of 19,140. It marked the Hawks’
second loss in as many nights and they ended the October portion of their
schedule with a 6-5-0 record.
Jason Zucker had a goal and an assist while Jason Zucker, Charlie Coyle,
Jared Spurgeon and Nino Niederreiter also scored. Mikko Koivu had three
assists and Marco Scandella two helpers.
Jonathan Toews had two goals for the Hawks and Artem Anisimov and
Brent Seabrook also scored.
Hawks winger Marian Hossa left the game in the second period with a
lower-body injury and did not return. The Wild lost Justin Fontaine to injury
in the second.
979787
Chicago Blackhawks
Erik Gustafsson latest Blackhawk to make NHL debut this month
Chris Kuc
ST. PAUL, Minn. — With coach Joel Quenneville continuing to explore
different combinations, Blackhawks youngsters are getting opportunities
to make their marks.
Erik Gustafsson became the fifth player to make his NHL debut for the
Hawks this season during their 5-4 loss to the Wild on Friday night at Xcel
Energy Center. Gustafsson, who was paired with Trevor Daley, joined
fellow defenseman Viktor Svedberg and forwards Artemi Panarin, Tanner
Kero and Vincent Hinostroza in seeing their first NHL action in October.
"Everybody loves the chance to play," Quenneville said. "There's a reason
why they're here: They have ability. Over the course of a season we
expect these guys to get better as well. But certainly the opportunity has
never been better for some of these younger guys. So far we're not
complaining."
Also in the lineup for the Hawks against the Wild was Ryan Hartman, who
was recalled from Rockford of the AHL on Friday. Scratches were Viktor
Tikhonov, Bryan Bickell and David Rundblad.
Toews talk: Jonathan Toews notched his third and fourth goals of the
season Friday, and the latter was rare in that it came with the Hawks
skating five-on-five. Toews' first two goals this season occurred during
three-on-three overtimes, and the third — in the first period against the
Wild — was short-handed. Despite the five-on-five drought, Toews had
made sure not to alter his style to create more opportunities.
"An easy thing to do is to try to cheat for offense and get away from your
game," Toews said. "For me, focusing too much on the end result is what's
going to make it harder. I just want to focus on the process, focus on my
game, play with energy and know when I do get the chances I'll be ready
for them."
Injury update: Winger Marian Hossa left Friday's game during the second
period with a lower-body injury and did not return. Quenneville said the
injury is not serious and the veteran winger is day-to-day.
Quenneville said defenseman Michal Rozsival, who hasn't played this
season while recovering from a broken ankle, "is kind of close" to making
his season debut.
979788
Chicago Blackhawks
Observations from the Blackhawks' loss to the Jets
Chris Hine
Notes from the Blackhawks 3-1 loss to the Jets
Eventually, somebody will score a 5-on-5 goal for the Blackhawks. And
even more, that somebody will be somebody other than Patrick Kane,
Artem Anisimov and Artemi Panarin, who have accounted for all 5-on-5
goals for the Hawks since their opener against the Rangers.
Even though the Hawks have won four of their last five, it hasn’t been an
especially good time for their offense. Stellar defense and goaltending
helped to conceal the lack of quality chances the last two games, but not
Thursday in their 3-1 loss to the Jets. The Hawks did generate 46 shots,
but they were less than satisfied with the quality of those chances.
“I wish we had more disruption at the net. I thought he made a lot of saves
without traffic and I think that a lot of goalies will shine on a night like that.”
Here are other notes from the Hawks loss:
1. Lineup changes
Quenneville made a few changes to his lineup on Thursday inserting
Tanner Kero as the third-line center to make his NHL debut, as expected.
However, he pulled a surprise in benching Teuvo Teravainen for Bryan
Bickell.
“I don’t want to send any messages (to Teravainen),” Quenneville said.
“It’s opportunity. Everybody wants to play. Everybody wants to play more
and everybody is fighting to get in the lineup. That’s where it is. … There’s
no message sending.”
But the Hawks hope Teravainen uses the opportunity as motivation to step
up his play. Tervainen has been at every forward position so far this
season, but his production has lagged after a decent start.
As for Bickell, Quenneville said: “He was OK,” which wasn’t exactly a
ringing endorsement of Bickell’s play in 8 minutes, 15 seconds of ice time,
while Quenneville said of Kero, “I liked him.”
2. Garbutt continues his strong play
Ryan Garbutt hasn't scored a goal as a Blackhawks, but Garbutt has one
of the most effective skaters of later. Garbutt had another strong outing
Thursday, recording five shots and leading all Hawks forward in Corsi
plus-minus at plus-10. During one sequence, Garbutt had fallen on the ice
in the Hawks zone, but got up, got the puck, carried it out of the zone and
created a 2-on-1 the other direction.
3. Central could be a quagmire
Thursday’s loss was the Hawks’ first game against a Central division
opponent, a division that is shaping up to be trouble. So far, six of the
seven (the Avalanche being the exception) teams in the division have
legitimate hopes of making the playoffs. Only as many as five can make
the playoffs, meaning at least one team will be left on the outside.
It should add a little flavor to divisional games throughout the season, as it
did Thursday, according to captain Jonathan Toews.
“I don’t think any team is going to give up anything easy,” Toews said. “It’s
something we can expect down the road from this team and from the other
teams that we’ll be battling for points down the stretch, throughout the
season. We’re just getting started.”
979789
Chicago Blackhawks
NHL's three-on-three OT is a joke
Steve Rosenbloom
Four-on-four and 3-on-3 overtime play isn't NHL hockey. Same goes for
shootouts. Stop it, NHL.
If you like to be entertained, then you probably love the NHL’s new 3-on-3
overtime.
But if you like hockey, not so much.
If you’re Blackhawks fan, then you love the new 3-on-3 overtime because
Jonathan Toews owns it.
But if you appreciate a team built to win hockey games as they are played
almost 100 percent of the time, then no, this is not what you signed up for
when you chose a sweater and crest to root for.
Playoff overtime is the best. It is played 5-on-5 like any other period,
except the first team to score wins. The play becomes sudden, tense and
dramatic. Nothing else in sports compares to it.
If the NHL wants a legitimate winner, that’s the fairest way to determine
one.
But the league won’t do that during the regular season. TV won’t allow the
Hawks to go three overtimes like always.
But still, the NHL wants a result, no matter what, and has resorted to a
variety of silly hockey ideas to avoid a tie. The previous 4-on-4 overtime
was a gimmick. The shootout still is. Three-on-three is a joke.
It’s entertaining. I’ll give the NHL that.
It’s also stupid.
All of the league’s ideas that force a result are stupid because they're not
hockey. It’s not the same game. In many ways it penalizes building a deep
team that is suddenly forced to earn points in a different kind of
competition.
Take the Kings last season, for example. The defending champions had
another deep, consistent roster, especially down the middle, and I
shouldn’t have to tell Hawks fans that.
The Kings built a team to roll four lines the way the Hawks do when they’re
winning Stanley Cups because that’s the best way to build a team to
survive the regular season and the two-month crucible that is the Stanley
Cup playoffs.
But the Kings missed the playoffs. You could point to several reasons, but
one of the big ones is they couldn’t play the 4-on-4 gimmick nor the
carnival game that is the shootout.
I get that more open ice and a shootout highlights skills, and the Hawks are
lucky to have players who can win the hockey version of slam dunk
contests and 1-on-1 games.
Good for them. Bad for those of us who believe the soul and artistry of the
game is executing those skills amidst the threat of physical duress and
other defensive responses inherent in 5-on-5 play.
After seeing all the gimmicks, I’d lobby to play 5-on-5 overtime for five
minutes, if there has to overtime at all. I don’t need overtime. I’m fine with
going back to ties. It looks like the fairest ending after all.
I don’t need the gimmicks. I don’t need a 100-point season devalued
because of the loser point. I don’t need a worthy NHL team missing the
playoffs because of pond hockey.
979790
Chicago Blackhawks
266 minutes, 45 seconds later, Blackhawks finally score even-strength
goal
Written By Rob Ogden Posted: 10/30/2015, 10:14pm
After more than 13 periods had passed without an even-strength goal, the
Blackhawks finally broke through Friday against the Wild.
Jonathan Toews netted a 5-on-5 goal during the second period of a 5-4
loss in Minnesota to end the drought.
GOAL: Toews. The 5-on-5 goal drought has ended! The 5-on-5 goal
drought has ended! #Blackhawks trail 4-3.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 31, 2015
If my math is right, that was the #Blackhawks' first 5-on-5 goal in 266
minutes, 45 seconds.
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) October 31, 2015
Toews’ goals was Chicago’s third of the game, but the first came on the
penalty kill and the second on a power play.
Patrick Kane’s power-play tally against Winnipeg on Thursday was
Chicago’s only goal in a 3-1 loss.
In the two games prior, Towes netted an overtime winner in each game to
break a scoreless tie.
Chicago Sun Times LOADED: 10.31.2015
979791
Chicago Blackhawks
Makeshift Blackhawks lineup breaks out, but falls to Wild
scored right off the drop of the puck, with Niederreiter’s goal standing as
the decisive tally.
The Hawks closed out October with a middling 6-5-0 record, only four
points behind the first-place Stars but in sixth place in a brutally difficult
Central Division.
Written By Mark Lazerus Posted: 10/30/2015, 09:52pm
“We probably deserve to be 6-5,” Quenneville said. “That’s kind of where
we probably should be. It’s challenging and it’s not going to get any
easier.”
ST. PAUL, Minn. — This is what Joel Quenneville is working with right
now. He has a rookie on his top defensive pairing. A rookie on his second
defensive pairing. And a rookie on his third defensive pairing who on
Friday became the fifth Blackhawks player to make his NHL debut this
month. His third line featured two 21-year-olds and a 23-year-old in his
second-ever game. Eight of his 18 skaters on Friday weren’t on the team
last spring when the Hawks won the Stanley Cup.
Compounding things further, Marian Hossa left the game after the second
period with a lower-body injury and didn’t return (Quenneville said it wasn’t
serious, and that Hossa is day-to-day), leaving Jonathan Toews with
rookies on either wing.
It’s the kind of work-in-progress that can drive a coach batty, especially
one who’s enjoyed as much success and stability as Quenneville. But the
Hawks coach is trying to take the long view as his team vacillates wildly
between very good and very bad in the early stages of this title defense.
Patience has never been Quenneville’s virtue, but he’s counting on it
paying off in the long run.
“Everybody loves the chance to play,” Quenneville said. “Some guys are
new to the system, but they’re excited about the challenge and
opportunity. There’s a reason why they’re here, because they have ability.
Over the course of a season, we expect these guys to get better. But
certainly, the opportunity’s never been better for some of these younger
guys. So far, we’re not complaining.”
Friday’s 5-4 loss to the Minnesota Wild was all the pluses and minuses of
such a young-but-promising lineup rolled into one. There were maddening
defensive lapses but encouraging offensive plays, sloppy execution but
spirited effort. This is how it’s going to be for a while, at least until Duncan
Keith returns from his knee injury, and perhaps even longer. The Hawks
will have to take the good with the bad, and try to win despite themselves
sometimes.
“We’ve got some work to do,” Brent Seabrook said. “We’ve got to be better
as a team on both ends of the think. That’s something we’ll get better and
better at with more games and more familiarity.”
Following two straight skin-of-their-teeth 1-0 overtime victories and a loss
in Winnipeg, Quenneville shook up his lineup by benching Bryan Bickell
and Viktor Tikhonov in favor of Teuvo Teravainen and Ryan Hartman, and
elevating Ryan Garbutt back to the top line. He also benched David
Rundblad on the back end in favor of Erik Gustafsson, who made a splash
in his NHL debut with a terrific stretch pass to set up the game-tying goal in
the second period. The moves paid off, as the Hawks broke out of their
prolonged offensive slump in a big way.
But the defensive lapses again were glaring, and Scott Darling had a
difficult time controlling rebounds and bailing out his teammates. Most
frustrating for Quenneville, the Hawks gave up a goal 18 seconds into the
first, with 11 seconds left in the first, and 32 seconds into the third — the
final one the game-winner by Nino Niederreiter on a juicy rebound.
“These things can’t happen if you want to be successful,” Quenneville
said.
The tone was set just 18 seconds into the game when Jason Zucker
scored to put the Wild up 1-0. Toews tied it on a shorthanded goal at 4:06,
and Brent Seabrook’s power-play goal at 10:33 gave the Hawks a 2-1
lead. Artemi Panarin had the primary assist on the goal, moving him ahead
of Oilers sensation Connor McDavid for the league lead in assists among
rookies, with eight.
But Ryan Carter scored on a beautiful 2-on-1 with Erik Haula four minutes
later to tie it back up, and Charlie Coyle tipped Marco Scandella’s shot
past Darling with 11 seconds left in the period to give the Wild a 3-2 lead. A
power-play goal by Jared Spurgeon — after Andrew Desjardins knocked
Justin Fontaine out of the game with a knee-to-knee hit that a source said
the league took a long look at, though supplemental discipline is not
expected — made it 4-2 Wild, before the Hawks offense woke up.
Toews scored his second goal of the game, and his fourth in the last four
games, on an odd-man rush with Teravainen at 10:47 of the second.
Remarkably, it was the Hawks’ first 5-on-5 goal in 266 minutes, 45
seconds — more than 13 periods worth of hockey. And a terrific pass from
deep in his own end to the far blue line by Gustafsson sprung Artem
Anisimov for a breakaway goal to tie it 4-4 at 13:42. But the Wild again
979792
Chicago Blackhawks
Now with Stars, Patrick Sharp says he hasn't had this much fun 'in a long
time'
Written By Rob Ogden Posted: 10/30/2015, 04:26pm
Many Blackhawks fans were devastated when the team traded star winger
Patrick Sharp to Dallas in July, but Sharp seems to be just fine with the
move.
Sharp, who has three goals in the Stars’ past two games, recently said he
hasn’t had this much fun playing hockey in a long time.
Sharp: "It's always an adjustment, coming to a new team, but I haven't
had this much fun playing hockey in a long time." #Stars #WFAAStars
— Mike Leslie (@MikeLeslieWFAA) October 28, 2015
The quote came as a bit of a surprise considering Sharp was a part of
three Stanley-Cup winning teams during his time in Chicago.
But let’s not forget, he did waive his no-trade clause in order to go Dallas.
“Dallas was one that was always top of the list,” Sharp said recently to
Sports Illustrated. “It’s a class organization, it’s a team that’s on the rise. I
think they have a great chance—I mean, I think we have a great chance to
win in the next few years, so when the opportunity to come down to Texas
popped up, I was more than happy to say yes.”
Blackhawks fans get emotional over picture of Patrick Sharp, Johnny
Oduya with Stanley Cup rings
Along with fellow former Blackhawk Johnny Oduya, Sharp has the Stars
off to an impressive 8-2 start, the best record in the Western Conference.
Sharp will face his former team for the first time on Dec. 22 in Dallas, and
the Stars will come to Chicago for a homecoming Feb. 11.
979793
Chicago Blackhawks
Hockey team called 'Redskins' with 'Blackhawks' logo refuses to change
nickname
Written By Dan Cahill Posted: 10/30/2015, 02:03pm
A Morden senior hockey team in Manitoba, Canada, named the Redskins
and wearing a logo similar to the Blackhawks, refuses to change its
nickname despite pressure from a local city council member and social
media.
The Morden team has been a member of the South Eastern Manitoba
Hockey League since the mid-80s and has won 12 championships, more
than any other league franchise.
As with the NFL’s Washington Redskins, the Morden team has stirred
controversy. Earlier this month, Morden council member Heather Francis
demanded the team drop its native-inspired nickname. Her motion was
defeated 5-2 by the council.
From CTV News in Winnipeg:
“To continue using a name that is a derogatory term for a group of
people, I think, is unacceptable,” Francis said. Francis adds that she’s not
the first to raise the issue of the team’s name, as a local resident brought it
before council last year. “At the time, council decided it wasn’t really our
role,” she said, adding: “I really kind of regret brushing it off.”
Morden GM Brent Meleck doesn’t understand the outcry.
Meleck told CTV Winnipeg:
“Nothing’s broken here, so why fix it? I don’t see any reason, other
than one person’s opinion, and is that going to change anything?”
Meleck went on to say that his team makes First Nations people of Canada
proud:
“It’s just a name,” he said. “We put the jersey on, we wear it with pride.
We respect the jersey, we respect everything that has to do with
Redskins.”
Several sports teams have changed their nicknames, mascots and logos
because they were offensive or demeaning. The Washington Redskins
have been under pressure for years to change their name and logo, but
have not budged.
“Blackhawks” finds its origin in an army unit named after a Sauk leader,
Chief Black Hawk, around the time of World War I.
The SEMHL was founded in 1951. The original Morden team was
nicknamed the Bombers.
Reaction to the Morden nickname has run mixed in social media.
979794
Chicago Blackhawks
Zucker scores early, Wild hand Blackhawks 2nd straight loss
By BRIAN HALL
Associated Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- The Minnesota Wild won't make too much of a
regular-season win against their playoff nemesis.
Minnesota knows the postseason is what really matters when it comes to
measuring itself against the Chicago Blackhawks.
Jason Zucker scored 18 seconds into the game and assisted on Nino
Niederreiter's winner to lead the Wild to a 5-4 win over the Blackhawks on
Friday night. Ryan Carter, Charlie Coyle and Jared Spurgeon also had
goals for Minnesota, which dealt Chicago its second straight loss.
"We beat them in the regular season last year," Minnesota coach Mike Yeo
said. "So, until we end their season like they've ended ours, then we don't
take a whole lot out of that."
The Wild have lost to the Blackhawks in the playoffs each of the past three
seasons, including the past two in the second round. But Minnesota has
actually had the upper hand lately during the regular season, going 9-6-1
against Chicago in the last 16 games.
Mikko Koivu added three assists, and Devan Dubnyk made 25 saves, as
the Wild won their fifth straight at home to start the season.
"It doesn't really matter how you get the win or against who, they're all
important," said Koivu, who extended his point streak to a career-high
eight games. "We knew the challenge coming in and the type of team they
are, and the success that they had the past few years. So, for sure, it's
always a good one to get and compete, and like I said before, to keep
building our process."
Jonathan Toews scored twice for the Blackhawks, who finally snapped a
5-on-5 scoring drought. Brent Seabrook and Artem Anisimov had a goal
each for Chicago and Scott Darling stopped 25 shots.
"There's a lot of speed to our games, there's a lot of respect," Blackhawks
coach Joel Quenneville said of the matchup with Minnesota. "A lot of
respect both ways. The building gets fun and there's a lot of history on the
ice and the pace is always as good as it gets. You've got to bring your 'A'
game against this team."
Two nights after setting a team record with a goal just 10 seconds into the
game, Zucker started the scoring when he spun around with a loose puck
and fired a quick shot past Darling.
Zucker's line struck quickly again in the third when he drove the net and
Niederreiter poked home a loose puck just 32 seconds into the period.
"Zucks, he's a threat every time he's on the ice, so it's not surprising he's
not going to wait for anyone else," Dubnyk said of the quick scoring.
While Minnesota tries to prove itself against Chicago, this season's version
isn't the same Blackhawks, either.
The defending Stanley Cup champions traded forwards Patrick Sharp and
Brandon Saad and defenseman Johnny Oduya left as a free agent. The
Blackhawks have also lost defenseman Duncan Keith to a knee injury.
It has led to the Blackhawks being the league's fifth-lowest scoring team
entering Friday, averaging two goals per game. Chicago had won four of
its past five but hadn't scored with the teams at full strength since Oct. 22
at Florida. Toews netted his second goal midway through the second at
even-strength to end the drought at 266 minutes, 45 seconds.
"We did a good job of playing with speed and pace, but we gave up too
much and that's not something we're trying to do," Seabrook said.
NOTES: Chicago F Marian Hossa didn't play in the third period because of
a lower-body injury and Quenneville called Hossa day to day. ... Wild F
Justin Fontaine left the game in the second period and did not return after
a knee-on-knee collision with Chicago F Andrew Desjardins. Minnesota
announced Fontaine suffered a lower-body injury and Yeo said the injury
is "probably more week to week than day to day." ... Blackhawks D Erik
Gustafsson made his NHL debut. ... Linesman Brian Mach, a Minnesota
native, was honored before the game for officiating in his 1,000th NHL
game.
Daily Herald Times LOADED: 10.31.2015
979795
Chicago Blackhawks
Five Things: Artem Anisimov flying under radar for Blackhawks
October 30, 2015, 11:00 pm
Tracey Myers
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A little good, a little bad: the Blackhawks had a little of
both in Friday night’s loss to the Minnesota Wild.
Certainly, this is a team still trying to figure things out, and their last several
games prove that. When their defense has been stellar, the offense was
quiet. On Friday their offense got going and their defense gave up too
much.
You take the bitter with the sweet, realize this team, as Brent Seabrook
said, has some work to do, and now they have to do it. So before we head
home, let’s look at Five Things to take from the Blackhawks’ 5-4 loss to the
Wild.
1. The defense had an off night. The Blackhawks gave up a few odd-man
rushes. They struggled at times to get Minnesota out of their zone. What
that ticked coach Joel Quenneville off most were those lapses at the
beginning and ends of periods. The Wild scored two goals early in periods
(18 seconds into the first and 32 seconds into the third) and another with
11 seconds left in the first.
2. Jonathan Toews on a roll. The offense did plenty of good things on
Friday night, and it’s no surprise that Toews was a big part of it. His two
goals – one short-handed, the other the Blackhawks’ first 5-on-5 goal in
more than a week – now give him four for the season.
3. Artem Anisimov continues to contribute. While a smattering of fans keep
asking when Marko Dano comes back to Chicago, everyone might want to
give credit to the center in that trade. Anisimov is what the Blackhawks
needed immediately, a capable second-line center that filled the void left
this offseason. He’s been just that, scoring his fourth goal on Friday and
showing he’s not just the other guy on that second line with Artemi Panarin
and Patrick Kane.
4. Will Andrew Desjardins get supplemental discipline? Desjardins went
knee-to-knee with Minnesota forward Justin Fontaine in the second period
on Friday night. Fontaine needed help to get to the locker room, and
Minnesota writers reported that Fontaine could be out for a few weeks. A
source said the league will look at the hit, but any decision on if there
is/isn’t supplemental discipline won’t be made until this weekend.
5. Finding their way. The Blackhawks won their first three games without
Duncan Keith but they weren’t going to roll without him. They miss Keith on
defense. They miss him on the other side, too. But he’s not even getting on
the ice for a bit so the Blackhawks will have to find ways to get through a
few more weeks without him.
979796
Chicago Blackhawks
Offense comes alive, but Blackhawks fall short in loss to Wild
October 30, 2015, 10:00 pm
Tracey Myers
ST. PAUL, Minn. – For three games the Blackhawks struggled to score,
although they only lost one of those games. Still, they were looking for
more production.
On Friday they found their offense again. Problem is, the Minnesota Wild
found more.
Jonathan Toews scored twice but the Nino Niederreiter got the game
winner just 32 seconds into the third period as the Wild beat the
Blackhawks 5-4 at Xcel Energy Center. The Blackhawks, who had won
four in a row before embarking on this quick road trip, have lost their last
two.
Marian Hossa sustained a lower-body injury at some point in the second
period and did not return for the third. His last shift came with 5:52
remaining in the second, when the Blackhawks’ attempted go-ahead goal
was waved off. Coach Joel Quenneville said Hossa is day-to-day with the
injury, which doesn’t sound serious.
The Wild also suffered a loss in forward Justin Fontaine, who didn’t return
after a knee-to-knee collision with Andrew Desjardins. Minnesota coach
Mike Yeo told reporters that Fontaine could be “week-to-week.” The
Blackhawks’ fourth liner received a tripping penalty on the play. A source
said the league will review the hit; it’s uncertain at this time if Desjardins
receives any supplemental discipline.
Artem Anisimov scored his fourth goal of the season and Brent Seabrook
added a power-play goal. Erik Gustafsson, playing in his first NHL career
game, recorded an assist. Ryan Garbutt also had his first point with the
Blackhawks, an assist on Toews’ second goal.
But for everything the Blackhawks got, they gave up too much on the other
end. Minnesota scored two goals early in periods (18 seconds into the first
and 32 seconds into the third) as well as a goal with 11 seconds remaining
in the first. It was a frustrating night for a team that’s long prided itself on
defense first.
“That’s how we measure ourselves. You win in this league with how well
you check, how well you play without the puck,” Quenneville said. “The
[last] two nights we’ve given up some goals; you’re not going to win in this
league giving up those kind of goals. Rather easy. Two goals to start
periods, big shifts and those two – you can look at other ones, but we have
to be better last shifts of the period. Those are shifts you want to be on the
ice.”
Darling allowed five goals on 30 shots and took some of the blame.
“I’ve got to come up with a few more saves, especially when the boys
score four goals for me and we’ve been struggling to score,” Darling said.
“It’s unfortunate I couldn’t keep goals down.”
The Blackhawks pride themselves on team defense, however. Team-wise
it wasn’t there on Friday night and Minnesota took advantage of the
miscues. The Blackhawks will certainly take the uptick in their offense, but
not at the expense of defensive letdowns.
“I think we have some work to do,” Brent Seabrook said. “We have to be
better as a group, better as a team on both ends of the rink. That’s only
going to get better with more games and more familiarity.”
979797
Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks make multiple lineup changes vs. Wild
October 30, 2015, 5:45 pm
Tracey Myers
ST. PAUL, Minn. – Teuvo Teravainen will be back in the lineup and West
Dundee native Ryan Hartman will play his first game of the 2015-16
season when the Blackhawks face the Minnesota Wild tonight at Xcel
Energy Center.
Defenseman Erik Gustafsson will make his NHL debut tonight and Scott
Darling will get the start. While coach Joel Quenneville said who was going
into tonight’s lineup, he wouldn’t say who was coming out.
Teravainen was a healthy scratch on Thursday night against the Winnipeg
Jets. Quenneville said he wasn’t trying to send a message in scratching
the forward in that game, although he said Teravainen’s game had been
“ordinary” lately.
The Blackhawks recalled Hartman on Friday morning. Hartman played in
five games with the Blackhawks last season; he has three goals and two
assists in eight games with the Rockford IceHogs this season.
Gustafsson was recalled earlier this week to at least give the Blackhawks
a seventh defenseman during this two-game road trip. Darling was
expected to start tonight regardless of Wednesday’s outcome; he’s played
in the second half of the Blackhawks’ previous two back-to-backs already
this season.
The Blackhawks lost to the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 on Thursday, snapping a
four-game winning streak. Despite the victories, they haven’t been scoring
much and have been changing lines and lineups in an attempt to generate
more offense. That’s meant opportunity for some of the Blackhawks’
prospects, with Hartman and Tanner Kero the latest to get a chance.
“Everybody loves the chance to play,” Quenneville said. “Some guys are
new to the system but they’re excited about the challenge and opportunity.
There’s a reason why they’re here, because they have ability. Over the
course of a season we expect these guys to get better as well. But
certainly the opportunity’s never been better for some of these younger
guys.”
Meanwhile, Quenneville said defenseman Michal Rozsival is “kind of
close” to returning, although it still sounds like Rozsival would not be ready
for Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Kings.
Duncan Keith (right knee) still isn’t doing much in terms of workouts.
Quenneville said they should have a better idea next week on when Keith
can get back on the ice. Keith’s original recovery timeline of 4-6 weeks has
not changed.
979798
Colorado Avalanche
Erik Johnson says Avalanche needs more shots
By Mike Chambers
Posted:
Updated:
10/30/2015 11:32:42 PM MDT
10/31/2015 12:04:09 AM MDT
RALEIGH, N.C. — In a 3-2 loss at PNC Arena on Friday, the Avalanche
didn't play desperate until desperate was all it had.
Colorado outshot Carolina 32-26, but the Avs didn't bombard goalie Cam
Ward until the end.
Shooting the puck and crashing the net produced two goals at Tampa Bay
on Thursday and two more against the Hurricanes. Friday, fortunate
rebounds led to goals by Alex Tanguay and Carl Soderberg. Otherwise,
the Avs seemed too focused on making the pretty play.
"No doubt we can always shoot the puck more. You look at the first goal —
Nate (MacKinnon) shot it, it hit Grigo (Mikhail Grigorenko) in the butt and it
goes right to Tangs," Avs defenseman Erik Johnson said. "The one at the
end, it was a scramble in front and a rebound goal. We've made a
conscious effort to really put the puck on net more, but I think you can
always do more."
Brandon Gormley back. First-year Avs defenseman Brandon Gormley was
back in the lineup Friday after being scratched in the previous two. He
replaced Nate Guenin, who was scratched along with defenseman Brad
Stuart.
Gormley played 11:11, had one shot and was plus-1. Coach Patrick Roy
said Gormley, 23, was OK.
"It's a project with him," Roy said. "He and (Nikita) Zadorov, they're project
guys. Obviously they aren't ready yet. They need to play some games, and
we'll see how it goes.
Zadorov, 20, played with Gormley at even strength and finished with 14:16
in ice time.
Footnotes. Coloradan John Grandt was one of the linesmen, and referee
Justin St. Pierre also worked the Avs game against Tampa Bay on
Thursday. ... Brock McGinn made his home debut for Carolina. McGinn is
the youngest brother of former Avalanche forward Jamie McGinn.
Denver Post: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979799
Colorado Avalanche
Avalanche loses to Carolina, ends three-game road trip
By Mike Chambers
Posted:
Updated:
10/30/2015 07:44:16 PM MDT
10/30/2015 09:38:58 PM MDT
RALEIGH, N.C. — Winning the third period has typically been too much of
a challenge for the Avalanche in this young season, and once again,
Colorado couldn't get it done Friday to conclude a three-game Eastern
Conference road trip.
First-year Avs center Carl Soderberg finally scored his first goal with the
team, but it came with 31.8 seconds remaining and wasn't enough. The
Avs lost 3-2 to the Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena, a defeat that can
also be blamed on a disgruntled power play that finished 0-of-3 on the
night and 0-of-14 for the trip.
Colorado allowed five power-play goals on the trip.
"If you want to win on the road, you need your special teams to do a good
job," Avalanche coach Patrick Roy said. "We kept them to around 24 shots
5-on-5 and we did the same thing in Tampa. We're defending ourself OK
5-on-5, (but) we don't score enough goals."
The Avs lost 4-1 at Florida on Tuesday and won 2-1 at Tampa Bay on
Thursday. They return home for a Sunday matinee against San Jose,
playing three of four games at the Pepsi Center before embarking on a
franchise-tying-long seven-game road trip.
"We get in the meat of the schedule here and playing every other night.
We'll put this game behind us," Avs defenseman Erik Johnson said. "We
wanted to finish this road trip 2-1, but we have to make sure we go home
and win some games before going back on the road."
Carolina's Jeff Skinner scored the winning goal 5:07 into the third period,
beating goalie Semyon Varlamov with a wicked, top-shelf wrist shot. Victor
Rask and Justin Faulk previously scored for the Hurricanes (5-6), who
overcame a 1-0 deficit.
Carolina also beat the Avs 1-0 in overtime on Oct. 21 in Denver. In both
games, goalie Cam Ward was the Hurricanes' MVP. He made 30 saves
Friday, allowing Soderberg's goal while the Avs worked a 6-on-5 attack.
Alex Tanguay gave Colorado a 1-0 lead early in the second period with an
even-strength goal and soon thereafter the Avs went on their third power
play. But they failed to capitalize and the Hurricanes began to take control.
"We'd love to build on that momentum after getting the first goal on the
road. You have a chance to really put them on their heels and
unfortunately we didn't do that," Avs winger Jarome Iginla said. "We
needed to get something out of that game tonight. It was there. But we
didn't."
Carolina concluded a seven-game road trip Thursday at the New York
Islanders and was playing at home for the first time since Oct. 13. So both
teams were playing back-to-back nights on tired legs.
Following Tanguay's goal and Colorado's third failed power play, the
Hurricanes scored twice in 2:54 to take the lead.
Rask — who scored the 1-0 overtime winner Oct. 21 in Denver — tapped
in a feed from linemate Kris Versteeg to tie it, and defenseman Faulk saw
his slap shot find a hole in Varlamov's armpit and dribble across the goal
line.
The latter came against the Avs' penalty killers, who allowed three goals at
Florida and one at Tampa Bay.
Denver Post: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979800
Colorado Avalanche
Rask, Faulk, Skinner lift Hurricanes over Avalanche
By: The Associated Press
Updated: October 30, 2015 at 10:30 pm
RALEIGH, N.C. — Highlight-reel goals were the order of the night, and the
Carolina Hurricanes kept up their run of home dominance against the
Colorado Avalanche.
Victor Rask tied it in the second with a nifty tap-in, Justin Faulk scored on a
power-play one-timer and Jeff Skinner found a tiny lane with a wrister,
helping the Hurricanes beat the Avalanche 3-2 Friday night for their third
straight victory.
Colorado's Carl Soderberg scored with 31.8 seconds left, but Carolina got
its first home win of the season.
It was the Hurricanes' first home game following a long, annual road trip —
seven contests this time — to avoid traffic conflicts with the North Carolina
State Fair.
Carolina won the teams' only other meeting this season 1-0 in overtime
nine days earlier. Goalie Cam Ward got that shutout and stopped 28 shots
in this one.
"We're getting closer," Hurricanes coach Bill Peters said. "We've got some
traction now, a little bit of confidence. We've got both goaltenders going,
and I think we're going in the right direction for sure."
Colorado's Semyon Varlamov made 23 saves. Alex Tanguay also scored.
Kris Versteeg and Ryan Murphy each had two assists for the Hurricanes.
Brett Pesce got his first career point on a third-period assist.
Colorado's last win in Raleigh was in January 2008.
"If you want to win on the road, you need your special unit to do a good
job," Colorado coach Patrick Roy said. "We just don't score enough goals."
The Avalanche outshot the hosts 11-7 in a scoreless first period. Carolina
was penalized twice and had to kill off 30 seconds of a 5-on-3 power play.
An apparent goal by Faulk was disallowed 20 seconds into the second.
Replays showed the puck never crossed the goal line.
Tanguay got Colorado on the board at 6:49 of the second, scoring from the
slot on Mikhail Grigorenko's deflection of Nathan McKinnon's centering
pass.
Rask retaliated with 8 minutes left in the period, receiving Versteeg's
centering pass in the low slot and lifting the puck over Varlamov's
shoulder.
Faulk put Carolina ahead with 5:04 left in the second on a one-timer from
the high slot on the power play.
"I kind of know the area I want to go," said Faulk, who like Rask has four
goals on the campaign. "I'm not trying to put it in a little space — well,
sometimes I am — but that one I was trying to get some good wood on it
and get some speed on it."
Skinner got the insurance goal at 5:07 of the third with a seeing-eye shot
through traffic over Varlamov's left shoulder.
"I was just trying to get it through," said Skinner, who tallied his second of
the season. "Their D-man was on me. I tried to back him off with a sort of a
fake and got it through to the net. (Riley) Nash did a good job getting in
front of the net so (Varlamov) couldn't really see it. I hit a small target
without meaning to. Sometimes it finds a hole, and sometimes you miss an
open net."
NOTES: Hurricanes C Elias Lindholm left the game in the first period with
a lower-body injury and did not return. ... Carolina's next game is at home
on Sunday against Tampa Bay. ... The Avalanche's next game is at home
on Sunday against San Jose. ... Ryan Murphy played in his 100th NHL and
Carolina game on Friday night. ... Hurricanes rookies LW Brock McGinn
and D Pesce made their home-ice debuts. ... Carolina C Joakim
Nordstrom (lower body) missed his eighth straight game while Colorado D
Brad Stuart (back) missed his fourth straight. ... Hurricanes C Andrej
Nestrasil and D Michal Jordan were healthy scratches, as was D Nate
Guenin for Colorado.
Colorado Springs Gazette: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979801
Columbus Blue Jackets
Capitals 2, Blue Jackets 1 | Too little, too late for Jackets
By Aaron Portzline The Columbus Dispatch • Saturday October 31,
2015 12:06 AM
WASHINGTON — The Blue Jackets knew there would be consequences
Friday night if they didn’t start playing quicker, smarter and together with
the puck in the defensive zone.
On Tuesday, the Blue Jackets slopped their way to a victory at New
Jersey. The Washington Capitals, with a deep roster of skilled finishers,
would not be as forgiving. The Blue Jackets mostly kept the Capitals in
check, but it was on offense that their game fizzled.
The Blue Jackets generated 30 shots but too few grade-A scoring chances
and only one goal on Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby, losing 2-1 in front
of 18,506 at the Verizon Center.
“We’re not looking for moral victories here,” Blue Jackets coach John
Tortorella said. “It’s early in the year, (but) it’s a little late for moral victories
after the start that we had. I thought we played well. I don’t think we
generated a lot offensively. That was probably the weakest part of our
game.”
The Blue Jackets trailed 2-0 and only 5:15 remained in the third period
when they finally scored. Matt Calvert scored off his own rebound, his first
point of the season.
“Holtby made some big saves,” Calvert said. “For us, we have to keep
doing what we’re doing down low, but we have to make some plays out of
that. It’s something we’ve put a lot of emphasis on these last two games,
but we obviously have to keep working on it.”
Blue Jackets goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky had 26 saves in his best outing
of the season. His positioning has been better in recent games; and his
pads are getting snap-quick, too.
“(Bobrovsky) made a couple of big saves,” Tortorella said. “And you hope
he gets some momentum off it. That’s what the boys were saying on the
bench.”
Center Ryan Johansen, in his return from a two-game absence, had some
jump in his game. He played 17:24, skating mostly with Brandon Dubinsky
and Cam Atkinson. But by the third period, Nick Foligno took Atkinson’s
spot.
“(Johansen) played good,” Tortorella said. “I moved some people in and
off his line. They were close, but … it didn’t get those really good (scoring)
looks. Give Washington credit; they’re well-coached, they defend well.”
The Capitals took a 1-0 lead at 14:16 of the second period when Justin
Williams scored on a slap shot from above the right circle.
They struck again at 11:59 of the third, started by a bad pinch by Blue
Jackets defenseman Dalton Prout. T.J. Oshie, trailing the play with Alex
Ovechkin ahead to his left and Nicklas Backstrom to his right on a 3-on-1
break, roofed a lovely drop pass from Backstrom for a 2-0 lead.
On this night, that seemed insurmountable with Holtby’s play (29 saves)
and the Blue Jackets’ dearth of scoring chances.
Calvert charged hard toward the net after a long shift in the Capitals’ end.
His first shot was stopped by Holtby, but he spun in traffic to find the
rebound, lifting it into the net off his backhand.
“Between Bob and Matty, we had life right to the end,” Johansen said. “But
a lot of our chances were from the outside, not where we wanted to shoot
them, so back to the drawing board.”
Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 10.31.2015
979802
Dallas Stars
Heika: Stars taste 3-on-3 overtime for first time, Jamie Benn caps dramatic
comeback
By Mike Heika
Published: 29 October 2015 10:48 PM
Updated: 31 October 2015 01:02 AM
The Stars can score goals, they proved that last season when they were
second in the NHL.
But they are doing something different this year, making those goals stand
up. Dallas came back from a two-goal third period deficit to defeat the
Vancouver Canucks, 4-3, in overtime Thursday at American Airlines
Center.
"What's really good to see is we had a tough time with adversity last year,
and this year we've started off where we're learning to battle through some
tough situations and come up with some big wins," Stars coach Lindy Ruff
said.
Dallas pushes to 8-2-0 on the season and leads the Western Conference.
The Stars overcame a three-goal deficit in a 4-3 win over Anaheim
Tuesday and crawled back from a goal 10 seconds into the third period
that gave Vancouver a 3-1 lead.
"That's something that last year would have turned the game the other
way," Ruff said.
Instead, Dallas fought back patiently, received goals from Jason Demers
and Patrick Sharp (his second of the game) and then saw captain Jamie
Benn score the game-winner at the 2:28 mark of overtime. Benn now
leads the NHL in scoring with 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in 10
games. Dating back to the push that helped him win the Art Ross Trophy
as leading scorer last season, Benn now has 40 points (21 goals, 19
assists) in the past 22 games.
On the game-winner, Benn curled into the slot in the NHL's new
three-on-three overtime and had plenty of fice. Linemate Tyler Seguin was
waiting about 20 feet over for a one-timer, but Benn looked him off and
then snapped in the game-winner.
"I saw him locked and loaded there for about 10 seconds," Benn said. "I
think they were paying more attention to him than to myself. I just let a shot
go, and it was fortunate enough to go in."
But the Stars have made their own fortune this season. As much as they
had 19 giveaways and long stretches of bad play against the Canucks
(4-2-4), they also had a 75-60 advantage in shot attempts. Dallas won the
battle of advanced stats and also had a 34-24 edge in the faceoff circle
against the best faceoff team in the NHL.
So they did earn the win.
"It wasn't a perfect game, but we played well in spurts," said Sharp, who
now has three goals in the past two games after not scoring in the first
eight games. "One thing we're learning is that we're never out of a game.
We've got some firepower in here, and we've got speed, and we're well
conditioned. So we're going to play right to the end. That's what happened
tonight. We got better in the third period."
The fact the Stars added Sharp, defenseman Johnny Oduya and goalie
Antti Niemi over the summer could be one of the reasons for the
new-found poise. Niemi came up with some huge saves, including
stopping Vancouver's Radim Vrbata on a breakaway to keep the game
tied at 3-3 and force overtime.
"I think every night we're going to point to a couple big saves," Ruff said.
"He kept us there. It's easy to get discouraged when it's 3-1, but he allowed
a chance to tie the game and go on and win it."
The NHL switched to three-on-three overtime this season, and this was
the Stars' first taste of it. Dallas had two shots on goal and Vancouver had
none in the extra frame, but there was end-to-end action. In the end,
Dallas was able to thrill the crowd of 17,664 with just the right play at the
right time.
"It's a good thing that we believe in each other, and we can do it, but I don't
want to make this a habit or a routine," Benn said. "We want to be going
into the third period with leads, and locking down those games."
Dallas Morning News LOADED: 10.31.2015
979803
Dallas Stars
Cold facts: Comeback kids defy odds again, beat Vancouver 4-3
By Mike Heika
Updated: 30 October 2015 11:19 PM
Save of the Game
With the score tied 3-3 late in the third period, Canucks winger Radim
Vrbata broke in alone on Stars goalie Antti Niemi, who came up with a pad
save to keep the game tied and force overtime.
Discuss
Stars coach Lindy Ruff swapped his top defense pairs in the second
period, playing Johnny Oduya with John Klingberg and moving Alex
Goligoski to a pair with Jason Demers. Could the defense-minded Oduya
be the perfect fit with the risky Klingberg, a fellow Swede? Just so you
know, Ruff changed back in the third period.
What does it mean?
The Stars continue to defy the odds by coming back in games. Down 3-1 in
this one and getting badly outshot, Dallas found a way to stick with it and
pull out a win. That makes them 8-2-0 on the season and gives them eight
straight wins over the Canucks
The Goals
Canucks: Just after a Stars power play expired, Vancouver's Alex Burrows
was able to get loose on a breakaway. Burrows was slashed by Stars
defenseman Alex Goligoski and earned a penalty shot. Burrows went in
slowly and slipped the puck through Antti Niemi for his second goal of the
season. Canucks 1, Stars 0.
Stars: Dallas winger Patrick Sharp skated in on the right wing and whipped
a shot on goal from distance. The puck somehow eluded Vancouver goalie
Ryan Miller and slipped in at 15:05 of the first period for Sharp's second
goal of the season. Stars 1, Canucks 1.
Canucks: With Vancouver on the power play, Alex Edler put a shot on goal
from the left point that slipped through a Henrik Sedin screen at 5:38 of the
second period. Canucks 2, Stars 1.
Canucks: Daniel Sedin broke in off the third period faceoff and put a shot
on goal. Radim Vrbata then flipped in the rebound 10 seconds into the
third period for his third goal of the season. Canucks 3, Stars 1.
Stars: Dallas defenseman Jason Demers put a shot on goal from the right
point. It bounced through a Radek Faksa screen and then off the skate of
Vancouver defenseman Luca Sbisa at 10:06 of the third period. Canucks
3, Stars 2.
Stars: Dallas defenseman John Klingberg danced at the blueline and then
snapped a shot on goal that Patrick Sharp tipped in for his second goal of
the game. Stars 3, Canucks 3.
Stars: After several great scoring chances, Jamie Benn took matters into
his own hands, whipping one in from the slot in the three-on-three
overtime. Stars 4, Canucks 3 (OT).
979804
Dallas Stars
Stars look to stay perfect against the Pacific Division, host San Jose
Sharks
By Mike Heika
San Jose Sharks at Stars
2 p.m. Saturday. TV: FSSW. Radio: KTCK-AM (1310), KTCK-FM (96.7)
Goalie Antti Niemi gets to face his old team for the first time since leaving
San Jose in the summer. Niemi signed a three-year contract with the Stars
after he played five seasons with the Sharks. Niemi is off to a hot start,
going 5-1-0 with a 2.55 GAA and .917 save percentage.
Key matchup: Jason Demers vs. Joe Thornton
Demers was traded to the Stars from San Jose last season and is off to a
good start with five points (two goals, three assists) in eight games.
Thornton is the longtime leader of the Sharks who has scored 64 points
(18 goals, 46 assists) and is plus-19 in 65 games against the Stars.
Key number: 17-3-1
That's the record of the Central Division vs. the Pacific Division. Dallas is
3-0-0 against the Pacific, including a 4-3 OT win Thursday against
Vancouver.
Injuries
Sharks: C Logan Couture (leg) is out.
Stars: LW Travis Moen (upper body), RW Patrick Eaves (lower body) and
LW Curtis McKenzie (lower body) are out.
Notable
Dallas is ending a four-game homestand. The Stars last season ranked
26th in the NHL in home record at 17-16-8. They are 4-1-0 at home to start
this season. ... San Jose is 5-4-0 and coming off a 2-1 loss Wednesday to
Nashville. ... Stars coach Lindy Ruff said that his three injured players are
not yet practicing and are not expected to join the team when a four-game
road trip begins Monday in Toronto. ... San Jose has taken over first place
in the NHL in faceoff winning percentage at 54.6 percent. Vancouver was
first, but Dallas won 59 percent of its draws Thursday against the Canucks
to knock them down to second place. Dallas ranks 15th in faceoff success
at 50.3 percent. ... In eight career games against the Sharks, Stars forward
Tyler Seguin has eight points (five goals, three assists).
979805
Dallas Stars
Heika: If any indication, first overtime test shows how Stars are built for
3-on-3 format
By Mike Heika
If Thursday night was any indication, the Stars are built for the NHL's new
3-on-3 overtime.
In an open-ice battle in which speed and possession are key, Dallas could
have an advantage over other teams. That played out against the
Vancouver Canucks when the trio of Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and John
Klingberg was able to stay in the offensive zone and eventually score the
game-winning goal halfway through the five-minute overtime in a 4-3
victory that pushed the Stars to 8-2-0.
"You're never safe out there, and once you get going back and forth, it's
fire-wagon hockey. It was fun," winger Patrick Sharp said. "It's easy for me
to say it's fun now, since we won the game. Maybe I would be saying
something different if we lost."
Like the shootout, the level of acceptability from the players and the fans
often rests on how well the team does. Dallas dominated the shootout
when it was introduced back in 2005. Led by shooters Jussi Jokinen and
Sergei Zubov and goalie Marty Turco, Dallas went 12-1 that first season,
and fans loved the skill competition.
The Stars have gone 10-9 in the shootout over the last three seasons, and
fans haven't been as enamored. With almost 70 percent of overtime
games reaching the shootout last season, the NHL decided it needed to do
something to diminish the importance of the skills competition and get
emphasis on deciding a game with "real hockey." So teams voted to
reduce the 4-on-4 overtime that preceded the shootout to 3-on-3. So far,
20 of 29 tied games have ended in overtime and not reached the shootout.
"Just watching, you can tell games are going to end faster," Stars center
Jason Spezza said. "There's a lot of open ice out there."
Spezza said in preseason that he believes a good team could win a
faceoff, control the puck and stay in the offensive zone until it scores. He
endorses a patient philosophy. Players such as Benn and Seguin might be
more open to scoring off the rush. Either way, Stars coach Lindy Ruff said
the team has to be just as committed to preventing a goal as it is to scoring
one.
"There are going to be a lot more scoring opportunities," Ruff said. "We've
talked a lot about it as a team. If you get a chance, there's a good chance
you're going to give up a chance. If you're pressing with two guys, you're
going to be chasing guys back down the ice. From all the 3-on-3 that I've
watched, it's been one chance going one way and one chance going the
other."
So far, so good, on that note. Vancouver didn't have a shot on goal
Thursday, while the Stars had two. Ruff was quick with his changes, too.
He started with Benn, Seguin and Klingberg, then went to Sharp, Cody
Eakin and Jason Demers, and then went to Spezza, Ales Hemsky and
Alex Goligoski before getting Benn's trio back in the game.
Ruff will probably go with two forwards and a defenseman for each group
and will rely on the skilled players.
"I'll probably use three defensemen ... just three, and those would be the
offensive guys," Ruff said. "Somewhere between six and eight forwards
and three defensemen is my plan."
With OT games ending quickly, he might not need too much depth. But the
key to reacting to this new part of the game still will be determined by how
it affects the standings.
"I guess it went well for our first try," Benn said. "It's fun, it's creative. I'm
sure you're going to see a lot of nice goals and a lot of big saves. You just
hope you're on the winning side of it."
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Dallas Stars
that dug a 3-1 hole. That might have been one reason he was so good
down the stretch _ Benn knows that so much of what happens to this team
is going to flow through him.
Observations: Stars' Jamie Benn showing what a 'bell cow'
"It's a big responsibility that he's wrapped his arms around," Ruff said.
By Mike Heika
Published: 30 October 2015 08:00 AM
The thing about sports is leadership is often shared, so the bell cow
analogy doesn't work perfectly. But as much as the Stars have added
some pretty smart cows to the herd, it seems Benn's bell has only gotten
bigger.
And that is a pretty neat thing to watch.
Daryl Reaugh talks Jamie Benn here in the post-game Emporium. Enjoy.
Having spent my sports writing adolescence on the high school football
fields of North Texas, I received quite the education in homespun
coachspeak.
I learned that "puny" is a term for sick.
That you didn't want your quarterback "pole-axed."
And that every team needs a "bell cow."
I don't recall seeing bell cows when I was growing up in Michigan, but they
are a big deal down here. It's the lead cow that seems smarter than the
rest. The farmer puts a bell around its neck, and the other cows follow it
around. The thought is the smart one keeps the rest out of trouble.
Jamie Benn has become the bell cow for the Stars.
He probably has been for a while, that's why Jim Nill named him captain in
2013. But it seems even more exaggerated this year. In this frenetic start
to the season where the Stars have either been astonishing or atrocious,
Benn has been at the middle of all of it.
When the Stars needed a physical statement against the Broad Street
Bullies on a marauding four-game road sweep, Benn provided it. But when
they were far too pretty in the return to the AAC against Florida Saturday,
Benn sort of started that as well. His first couple of shifts against the
Panthers were sloppy and careless, and the team got sucked right into the
fumes of that hully-gully home hockey that frustrated Lindy Ruff so much
last season.
Heck, even in that big win against Anaheim Tuesday, Ruff partially blamed
the captain for the bad start.
"As good as he was in the end, he was pretty bad in the beginning," Ruff
said of a three-goal first period for the Ducks. "He'll be the first to admit it."
And while it's difficult to get Benn to admit anything _ he said at the end of
last season that he wasn't hurt but then had double hip surgery a couple of
weeks later _ it's clear when you watch his body language that the
26-year-old is starting to understand his place on this team. On that
game-winning overtime goal, Tyler Seguin had a nice shift. He corralled
the puck, gave it to Benn, and circled into the slot with his stick cocked for
a big one-timer.
Last year, Benn would have made the obvious play and slid the puck right
to his favorite linemate. This year, he shot. Is that why the puck went in?
Was Ryan Miller fooled? Or was it that Benn has so much confidence now
that his darn-near-perfect snipe just inside the post was the best option in
his head?
It's an interesting study in the mind of a leader.
When Benn made his amazing run to the Art Ross Trophy last season by
tallying 23 points (12 goals, 11 assists) in the final 12 games, Seguin was
right there riding shotgun. Playing in 11 of the last 12 games, Seguin had
15 points (five goals, 10 assists). But when asked about Benn's fantastic
finish, Ruff said that having Benn play 10 games without Seguin while the
latter was battling a knee injury in February was probably good for Benn.
It forced him to look elsewhere for a little while. It forced him to look inside
for a little while.
The two friends are still the NHL's dynamic duo, as Seguin has 14 points
(four goals and 10 assists) in 10 games this season and ranks third in the
league in scoring. But the OT play Thursday shows that Benn has gained
the confidence to choose himself at times now, to know when he needs to
be "the guy."
He also knows that when he doesn't play his best, the rest of the team can
follow him out of the meadow and into a dangerous part of the forest _ and
that might be a revelation that he's just starting to grasp this season.
The Stars had another tough game Thursday, and Benn was on for two of
the Vancouver goals, including the one 10 seconds into the third period
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NHL Gameday: Stars seek continuation of hot start
OCTOBER 30, 2015
Staff
Sharks at Stars
2 p.m. Saturday, American Airlines Center, Dallas
TV: FSSW Radio: KTCK/1310 AM and 96.7 FM
Records: Sharks 5-4-0, 10 points; Stars 8-2-0, 16 pts.
About the Sharks: They’ve slumped after a 4-0-0 start. Joel Ward (5 goals,
3 assists) and Joe Pavelski (4 goals, 4 assists) lead San Jose in scoring.
Goalie Martin Jones is 5-3 in his eight starts with a 1.74 goals-against
average but is 0-2-0 in his career against the Stars. Backup Alex Stalock is
3-1-0 against the Stars with a 2.68 GAA.
About the Stars: Their 16 points are the most in the Western Conference
and second in the NHL to Montreal, which won its first nine games. Last
season the Stars needed 21 games to reach eight wins. Scoring champ
Jamie Benn continues a blistering pace, leading the league with nine goals
and 17 points. Tyler Seguin’s 10 assists share the NHL lead. Dallas starts
a four-game road trip Monday to Toronto, Boston, Carolina and Detroit.
Star-Telegram LOADED: 10.31.2015
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Dallas Stars
OK .... the Dallas Stars are good
BY MAC ENGEL
OCTOBER 30, 2015
The attempts to stay away from the most disappointing team in DFW have
failed. Ten games into the 2015-’16 season and the Dallas Stars look like
the best version of themselves. Or at least a version that will reach the
playoffs. Certainly a version worth watching.
I white flagged this team after last season’s epic flop where it missed the
playoffs for the sixth time in the last seven years. I routinely bought the
hope they were selling, and simply gave up amid pain, frustration, sadness
and despair.
I vowed not to return until they showed me something more than another
plate of disappointment.
After an OT win against the Vancouver Canucks at The Monopoly Airlines
Center on Thursday night, the Stars are 8-2-0 with 16 points, tops in the
NHL‘s Western Conference.
If the playoffs opened today, the Stars would face the Winnipeg Jets in a
first round series. There are only 72 more games remaining in the regular
season, so that first round matchup might change.
“This year I would be thrilled if we made the playoffs,” Stars All-Star
forward Jamie Benn told me on Thursday.
ME: Do you think you will?
BENN: Yep.
Sign me up. The blue line is no longer 93,323 knots behind their group of
forwards. Second-year D-man John Klingberg should be an All-Star one
day. Jamie Benn is the best player in the NHL. The high-priced goalie
tandem of Kari Lehtonen and Antti Niemi works.
The Stars are not perfect, but no longer are they are sports tragedy of bad
timing, and a goalie that could not make the save when necessary. This
looks like it will hold.
They are fourth in NHL in scoring at 3.5 goals per game. The goals against
you would like to be a bit better - 2.70 is not terrible, but it’s not great; that
figure ranks 18th in the NHL. Both special teams units rank in the top 10,
which is usually a decent barometer for a team’s success, and the team is
off to the type of start that indicates they won’t stink.
“It was something we talked about as a group,” Benn said. “We put a lot of
emphasis on how we started.”
Unlike seasons past when the Stars fell face forward to start the season
and had to chase games, this group is ahead.
All of it looks like for the first time since he bought the team, the
considerable cash owner Tom Gaglardi has invested will yield the return
he wants. The Stars have the seventh-highest payroll in the NHL. Gaglardi
has OK’d the money necessary for GM Jim Nill to make whatever move
necessary.
“I am communication always, but I let my guys run the club - (president)
Jim Lites on the business side and Jim Nill on the hockey side,” Gaglardi
said. “We have come a long way. Our season ticket base has more than
doubled since I came on. We are a top-10 club now. I’m really glad I
bought it.”
Now all he needs to do is to make the playoffs for the second time in his
tenure, and the interest that has waned for so long surrounding this
franchise will return.
“The first time we made the playoffs (in ‘14, a first round loss against the
Ducks) was great, and it was a series we should have won,” Gaglardi said.
“Last year was a disappointment. It’s a tough league, but I do think we are
getting there.”
Ten games in and I’m in.
Star-Telegram LOADED: 10.31.2015
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Detroit Red Wings
Why the Red Wings lost to the Senators, 3-1
Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 2:21 a.m. EDT October 31, 2015
From Joe Louis Arena
In the first period: After spending much of the first few minutes in their own
zone, the Wings got a good chance on Ottawa goalie Andrew Hammond
when Justin Abdelkader angled a shot from the left circle. After 12
minutes, shots were 7-4 to the Wings. Max McCormick put the puck in
Detroit's net at 14:45 but officials immediately waved off the goal because
of contact with Jimmy Howard. Abdelkader was called for holding the stick
of Zach Smith on the play. Howard made a save on Mark Stone during the
Ottawa power play. At 18:46, Kyle Turris scored when he swiped at a
loose puck before Danny DeKeyser could clear. Cody Ceci was called for
holding at 19:14. Shots were 12-10 to Ottawa.
In the second period: The Wings had 1:14 left on a power play. Chris Neil
was called for tripping Teemu Pulkkinen at 3:13, giving Detroit a second
power play. Smith went for hooking at 4:48, creating a 25-second 2-man
advantage. Tomas Jurco went to the penalty box for holding at 6:53. At
10:10, Matt Puempel scored from the front of the net. Ceci went back to
the penalty box at 15:44. Smith joined him at 16:37 to give the Wings 1:07
with two extra skaters. Henrik Zetterberg scored at 17:00 when he
converted Teemu Pulkkinen's rebound. Brendan Smith was called for
tripping at 18:56. Shots were 21-20 to Detroit.
In the third period: The Senators had 56 seconds left on their third power
play. Riley Sheahan's line had a good shift, forcing a save from Hammond.
Jakub Kindl was called for hooking at 8:59. Sheahan nearly set up a
short-handed chance, but his attempted pass to Joakim Andersson
caromed off a defender's skate. The Wings called a timeout with 1:39
remaining, and Howard out of the net. Bobby Ryan scored at 0:55. Final
shots were 35-30 to Ottawa.
Quotable: Henrik Zetterberg said on going 1-for-5 on power plays: "In a
game like this, you have to take advantage and score more goals. First
5-on-3, we had one decent chance. Second one, we got an ugly one. But
power play, got to create more. We are trying and trying, but nothing is
going in." ... Niklas Kronwall said: "we just have to get more pucks to the
net, that is the biggest thing. Get to the net and create chaos." ... Gustav
Nyquist added: "We skated pretty hard, our D were real active. So that is a
step on the way."
Up next: Saturday at Ottawa.
Detroit Free Press LOADED: 10.31.2015
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Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings lack creativity in 3-1 loss to Senators
Wings as they tried to gain zone entry. Abdelkader was denied on a
net-front attempt, as he backhanded the puck at Hammond near the
period's midpoint. With four minutes to go, the Wings were being outshot,
14-5 in the third period.
"I thought there was a want and a will," Blashill said, "but we still have to be
more determined."
Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 1:57 a.m. EDT October 31, 2015
It was, of course, Zetterberg who got the sixth shot, when he attempted a
wraparound with three minutes to play.
The scenario is getting entirely too familiar.
Bobby Ryan scored for Ottawa in the game's final minute.
The Detroit Red Wings continued a now weeks-old habit of not putting
together the sort of energetic, creative and hard-nosed performance
needed to win. They lost for the sixth time in seven games Friday night at
Joe Louis Arena, falling to the Ottawa Senators 3-1. For the second
straight game, the Wings allowed an empty-netter, reflecting their
desperation to try to tie the score at the end.
The Wings are on a 1-5-1 slide, with their last solid all-around performance
dating to the third game of the season, and their last victory to a week ago.
During the past seven games, the Wings have netted just 12 goals.
"It is frustrating," Henrik Zetterberg said. "After the first three games, this
has gone downhill pretty fast. We have bits and pieces here and there
where we are showing what we can do, but our lowest level has got to be
way higher than this."
A big issue has been that Zetterberg and Dylan Larkin are the two skaters
who stand out for their superior play - Zetterberg's power play goal was his
12th point in 10 games, and Larkin twice got the Wings two-man
advantages.
"In order to be a good team, we are going to need depth of scoring," coach
Jeff Blashill said. "So we need way more guys contributing on the score
sheet. I thought some guys took steps in the right direction, but we still
need more. Part of that is the determination to get to the net-front, part of
that is to get seconds, but ultimately we need more results from more
guys."
Jimmy Howard faced 34 shots to 30 for Senators goalie Andrew
Hammond. The Wings have been outshot in five of the last seven games.
"We just have to get back to keeping it simple and making the right
decisions out there," Niklas Kronwall said. "I thought the energy level was
pretty good, but the power play needs to get better. We need to have less
turnovers."
The teams meet again Saturday in Ottawa. Petr Mrazek is scheduled to
start.
After an unimpressive first few shifts, the Wings got skating in Ottawa's
zone and took a rare lead in shots. Justin Abdelkader had a clean shot
denied.
Howard helped kill a penalty with three saves, including gloving a blaster
from the blue line. Turnovers continued to be a problem, with Kronwall
guilty of a couple in the first period alone.
Kyle Turris put the Senators up a goal at 18:46, when he knocked a loose
puck into the net before Danny DeKeyser could clear.
The Wings got to start the second period with 1:14 left on a power play, but
only managed one shot on Hammond. A second power play materialized
two minutes later, and Larkin drew a second penalty to create a 25-second
5-on-3. Yet the Wings couldn't get things going, and at one point Howard
had to make a stop during the man advantage.
"We had a lot of chances on the power play today, and to win games, when
you get that many opportunities, that was a big part," Gustav Nyquist said.
"We need to do a better job on the power play.
"It is frustrating right now. We are not generating enough goals. Through
10 games, most of the time, Hank's line has been carrying us. Us other
guys, we have to do a better job of stepping up."
It got worse at the game's mid-point, when Matt Puempel put the Senators
up by two. The Wings caught a break when an Erik Karlsson slap shot
clanked off a post.
A fourth power play came Detroit's way with five minutes to go in the
second period. Larkin was able to draw another penalty, this time giving
the Wings 1:07 with two extra skaters.
The reward was Zetterberg's goal 23 seconds later, when he grabbed
Teemu Pulkkinen's rebound and found a hole just before Hammond
closed his left skate to the goal post.
The Wings had to start the third period killing a penalty, hampering their
offensive efforts. The Senators continued to attack, too, and slowed the
979811
Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings seek to get Riley Sheahan going
Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 11:23 p.m. EDT October 30, 2015
As they exit the first month of the season, the Detroit Red Wings badly
need to get Riley Sheahan going.
Friday's performance in the 3-1 loss to Ottawa at Joe Louis Arena was a
little better, even as Sheahan was on the ice for a goals-against to leave
him with a minus-5 defensive rating.
Sheahan was also on the ice in the final minute to take an offensive-zone
faceoff, and played a season-high 17:51.
"He took a step in the right direction in terms of his involvement and impact
on the game," coach Jeff Blashill said. "He is doing pretty good on faceoffs,
too, so that was one of the reasons he was out there late."
What the Wings really need from Sheahan, who has become their
second-line center with Brad Richards sidelined by a sore back, is
production. Sheahan has just one goal and one assist, and no points in the
last four games.
Sheahan cited a need to move his feet better and getting more pucks to
the net as areas of focus as he sought to look like the capable forward he
can be.
"Being a two-way player is very important to me, so you have to take care
of what goes on in your d-zone before you can worry about your offense,"
he said. "Then point will come."
He began the game centering Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist, a
combination that should yield success.
"They are both amazing players and I think the one game we played
together in Edmonton, we were happy with the way we played, so we are
going to focus on that," Sheahan said.
Blashill noted that performance against the Oilers as being behind the
reunion. He also stressed Sheahan's "impact on the game has to be
better. He is a guy I have lots of belief in, another guy I think will be much
better.
"I put Riley, Tats and Nyqui on a line, they are going to get lots of
opportunity - now they have to be difference makers in a game. It is going
to fall equally on their shoulders as it does on other lines, but in the role
they are going to play, they are going to have to be real impactful players."
What Blashill wants to see is each player stand out on his own. Almost
anyone can look good playing with Henrik Zetterberg or Pavel Datsyuk, so
the satisfaction would be to see these players, all in their mid-20s and
being counted on eventually to take over from the mid-30s group, achieve
success on their own.
"All of them, I believe, either have been or are going to be elite players in
this league, but they have to prove it," Blashill said. "And when they are
together, they have to prove it on their own merit, not on a line with
Zetterberg or on a line with Datsyuk. They are going to have to step up and
prove they are elite, elite players in the league."
979812
Detroit Red Wings
Sports, culture website Grantland shut down by ESPN
Brian Manzullo, Detroit Free Press 2:23 p.m. EDT October 30, 2015
ESPN has decided to suspend its sports and pop culture website,
Grantland.
Former popular ESPN personality Bill Simmons founded the website in
2011 and served as its editor-in-chief until May, when he parted ways with
ESPN. Chris Connelly had been interim editor-in-chief until today.
ESPN had told Sports Illustrated media writer Richard Deitsch in May that
it planned to support Grantland for the "longterm."
Then, today, the Worldwide Leader released this statement:
Effective immediately we are suspending the publication of Grantland.
After careful consideration, we have decided to direct our time and energy
going forward to projects that we believe will have a broader and more
significant impact across our enterprise.
Grantland distinguished itself with quality writing, smart ideas, original
thinking and fun. We are grateful to those who made it so. Bill Simmons
was passionately committed to the site and proved to be an outstanding
editor with a real eye for talent. Thanks to all the other writers, editors and
staff who worked very hard to create content with an identifiable sensibility
and consistent intelligence and quality. We also extend our thanks to Chris
Connelly who stepped in to help us maintain the site these past five
months as he returns to his prior role.
Despite this change, the legacy of smart long-form sports story-telling and
innovative short form video content will continue, finding a home on many
of our other ESPN platforms.
Some of the most prominent writers for Grantland included authors Chuck
Klosterman, Jonah Keri and Malcolm Gladwell; former Michigan
basketball star Jalen Rose; and writers Zach Lowe, Bill Barnwell and
Wesley Morris, among many others.
Simmons signed an exclusive deal with HBO in July, which includes a
weekly talk show that will debut next year.
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Detroit Red Wings
Senators won't give Red Wings 'anything easy' tonight
Helene St. James, Detroit Free Press 1 p.m. EDT October 30, 2015
The two points available tonight would, at best, leave the Detroit Red
Wings at .500 as they finish up another five-game segment of their
season.
The Wings are hosting the Ottawa Senators at Joe Louis Arena (7:30 p.m.,
FS-Plus). The teams meet again Saturday in Ottawa.
The Wings are 1-2-1 their last four games. Their goal every five-game
segment is to get at least six points.
The Senators are 4-3-2 overall. A 5-4 victory over Calgary the other night
was the first victory for the Senators in five tries.
"They are don't give you anything easy, it is tight, for sure," Wings coach
Jeff Blashill said. "I think they have got lots of talent. (Erik) Karlsson is one
of the best offensive defensemen in the league. He will make you pay if
you are not doing a good job of making it harder on him."
Kyle Turris leads the Senators with five goals, and he and Mark Stone
share the points lead, at 10 each. Karlsson has nine points, all assists.
The Wings have had a mostly forgettable past week, including going
0-for-6 on the power play at Edmonton, building a lead at Calgary only to
stop skating, and then getting burned by carelessness with the puck
Tuesday at home against Carolina.
Blashill said the "urgency level should be the same every game throughout
the year. The points are critical. We understand that.
"We have got to really focus on us playing at our very highest level and not
really worrying about who we are playing against. We have to play at a
much higher level for us to be successful."
Tonight's lines are Henrik Zetterberg with Dylan Larkin and Justin
Abdelkader, Riley Sheahan with Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist, Darren
Helm with Tomas Jurco and Teemu Pulkkinen, and Luke Glendening with
Drew Miller and Joakim Andersson. Landon Ferraro is the odd forward out.
Jimmy Howard is starting in goal. The defense has Niklas Kronwall with
Jonathan Ericsson, Danny DeKeyser with Alexey Marchenko, and
Brendan Smith with Jakub Kindl.
The Wings only have six healthy defensemen, but they are holding off on
calling up anyone. The Grand Rapids Griffins play in Toronto tonight, so if
the Wings need a defenseman, it'd be an easy postgame call-up.
979814
Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings flat on offense in loss to Senators
Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 12:28 a.m. EDT October 31, 2015
Detroit — You keep waiting for the Red Wings to break loose, to show the
firepower everyone expected they would have.
But thus far in the young season, the waiting continues.
It just hasn’t materialized. And the Red Wings are looking like an average
hockey team.
Friday was more of the same against Ottawa, as the Senators won the
opener of the back-to-back weekend set 3-1.
Losing has become a familiar feeling for the Red Wings (4-5-1), who have
lost six of their last seven (1-5-1).
“I don’t know what else to say,” perplexed captain Henrik Zetterberg said.
“We’re talking about it. We’re trying to do the right things. Keep it simple,
get pucks in, stay in their end. But it is frustrating.
“After the first three games, (it’s gone) downhill pretty fast. We have bits
and pieces where we’re showing what we can do. But our lowest level has
to be way higher than this.”
Ottawa goalie Andrew Hammond, last season’s second-half hero for the
Senators, stopped 29 shots and received plenty of help from teammates
who blocked 13 shots.
Hammond’s best save in the third period, with the Senators clinging to a
one-goal lead, was a goal-mouth stop on a driving Justin Abdelkader, who
redirected a pass from Zetterberg.
The Red Wings pulled goalie Jimmy Howard with under three minutes left
and had decent pressure against Hammond, but couldn’t score.
Then, with 55 seconds left, Bobby Ryan netted an empty-net goal, his third
goal of the season, to close out the scoring.
“In large parts we worked harder but we didn’t get enough accomplished,”
Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. “We still have to be better. There was a
want and will but we still have to be more determined.”
Howard had 32 saves for the Red Wings, including a glove save on Alex
Chiasson with just under four minutes left that kept it a one-goal deficit for
the Red Wings.
The Senators (5-3-2) have won two sraight after going winless in four.
Zetterberg (power play) scored for the Red Wings.
Kyle Turris and Matt Puempel had Senators goals.
“We’re not generating enough goals,” said forward Gustav Nyquist, who
led the Red Wings with seven shots. “Through 10 games it’s been like that
most of the time. Other guys (besides Zetterberg’s line) have to step up.”
Zetterberg cut the Ottawa lead to 2-1 with his third goal.
With the Red Wings enjoying a two-man advantage, Zetterberg put back
Teemu Pulkkinen’s shot — which was blocked, with the puck squirting to
Zetterberg near the dot at the 17 minute mark.
Until Zetterberg’s goal, the Red Wings power play had struggled again to
generate of any threat at all. It was 1-for-5 overall.
“The power play needs to be better,” defenseman Niklas Kronwall said.
“We just have to get more pucks to the net, that’s the biggest thing.
Both Ottawa goals were the result of Senators players getting to the net
and out-battling the Red Wings for position.
“We talk about owning each crease and we didn’t tonight,” Blashill said.
“They scored two net-front goals and we didn’t get to the net. Not good
enough.”
Detroit News LOADED: 10.31.2015
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Detroit Red Wings
“But also, make sure that your brain’s working,” he added, with a tinge of
sarcasm. “Make sure you’re making the right decision, and executing on
the play.”
Krupa: Blashill isn’t wilting from Wings’ early issues
Zetterberg said their befuddlement is not a matter of instituting anything
new systemically.
Gregg Krupa, The Detroit News 7:25 p.m. EDT October 30, 2015
“No,” he said. “It’s just mental errors.
“Either we try to do too much, or we try to make the right play and we don’t
execute. And we’ve talked about it.
Detroit — If he is feeling the pressure, it does not show.
“We’ve got to make the simple play, or just execute. It’s as simple as that.
Jeff Blashill walks into the Red Wings dressing room wearing sweatpants,
a long-sleeve T-shirt tucked in, with a relaxed look of casualness on his
face as he approaches a media scrum his daily briefing.
“Too many easy mistakes.”
When it takes a moment for the first question asked, Blashill eases an
awkward pause with an easy smile.
It is not the coach. It is the players.
Any lineup changes?
“From yesterday?” he says, squinting his eyes as he examines his
memory for the recollection of who is in, who is out, how the lines and
defensive pairings are set, and when he last changed them.
“Uh,” he says, prolonging the utterance to continue the examination. “I
think they’re the same as it was yesterday.”
Make no mistake: It is not that Blashill did not know, with precision, his
lineup. Recalling with specificity when he last changed it, is more
problematic — especially these days.
Give him time
But if it is his players for long enough, then it will be the coach.
Top-flight resumes, like Blashill’s, do not dictate success in the NHL. Guy
Boucher still looks for an NHL job after it looked like he could not miss
when Steve Yzerman first put him behind the bench in Tampa Bay.
The time for any quick and fast judgments about Blashill’s performance is
still well down the road.
But he is likely to look like a far better coach when he fills out a lineup card
that includes Datsyuk, Green, Quincey and Richards.
Then everyone is likely to look a lot less confounded. Even some fans.
Through about seven minutes and a dozen questions, he is equally
relaxed and confident, pausing to chat with the media corps from Ottawa
about undersized defensemen in the NHL and his experience coaching
Torey Krug (Livonia) and the Bruins in the best junior league in the states,
the United States Hockey League, seven years ago.
“We’ve got to focus on us playing at a really high level,” Blashill said at the
end of the seven minutes. “We have to play at a much higher level for us to
be successful.”
He may be the second youngest coach in the NHL, but Blashill has been
around.
He may be under pressure, but he coaches hockey. And he has been
under pressure before — although not as a head coach in the NHL.
Injuries pile up
It has not been an easy start.
It began with Pavel Datsyuk, out for the first month and a half, followed by
Darren Helm, a second of the top three centers, potentially. When newly
acquired free-agent center Brad Richards’s wonky back caused him to
drop off the sheet, it made three.
Then Johan Franzen and the other big free-agent acquisition, offensive
defenseman Mike Green went down, along with a key defensive
defenseman, Kyle Quincey.
Injuries are part of hockey and not to be used as excuses. But they are
facts.
Meanwhile, headed into the game against the Senators, the Red Wings
have looked, in a term coined by their previous coach,
“un-Red-Wings-like.”
In social media, some wonder how much of the lack of possession and a
transition game results from a rookie coach.
Some say they notice his occasional quizzical facial expression, caught by
television cameras. Is the young coach confused, some wonder, on
Twitter?
It is far less that Blashill is puzzled, than the Red Wings are puzzling.
Through nine games (4-4-1), his club was perplexing.
Blashill has noticed. And, during games, his face sometimes registers the
degree of his recognition.
Head games
Also noticing are Henrik Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall and other Wings who
say, simply, they are not putting one foot in front of the other very well,
while experiencing occasional brain cramps and also trying to do so much
to make up for all they lack that they needlessly complicate their game.
Ask about the recent stretch of mucky, mistake-riddled play, and some of
the players get confused looks on their faces, too.
“In general, we want to spend more time in their zone, and execute a lot
better in our zone,” Kronwall said.
“A lot of it,” he said, is moving their feet.
He looked confident and relaxed as he left.
979816
Detroit Red Wings
Wings seek offensive thrust from newly minted line
Outlook: The teams play for the second time in two nights….The Senators
are 1-2-2 at home, the Red Wings a mediocre 2-2-1 on the road…Ottawa
has one of the worst power plays in the NHL at home (1-for-18, 5.6
percent).
Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 2:13 p.m. EDT October 30, 2015
Detroit — They can't do it alone.
Henrik Zetterberg's line with Dylan Larkin and Justin Abdelkader on the
wings has been the Red Wings' lone, consistent offensive threat.
Some other players, another line, has to help.
Coach Jeff Blashill is banking on his newly constructed second line of
Riley Sheahan between Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist.
The Red Wings had high hopes for all three heading into this season, and
with the club stuck in the mud currently, now would be a good time for the
line to help get the team moving in the right direction.
"They'll get a lot of opportunity and now they'll have to be difference
makers in the game," said Blashill of his expectations for Sheahan's line.
"It's going to fall equally on their shoulders, as it does other lines.
"But in the role they're going to play, they're going to have to be real
impactful players."
All three have spent time on other lines and maybe didn't have the
spotlight or expectations squarely on them.
Now, grouped together, the expectations are different.
"When they're together, they have to prove it on their own merit," Blashill
said. "Not on a line with Zetterberg or (Pavel) Datsyuk, so they're going to
have to step up and prove they're elite players in this league."
Blashill had the three together last week in Edmonton and the line
produced several quality scoring chances.
But after forward Brad Richards (back) exited the lineup, Blashill had to
reshuffle the lines for balance.
The shuffle produced little offense, though, and now Blashill has reunited
Tatar, Sheahan and Nyquist.
"They can be real good together," Blashill said. "In fact, I spoke to them
and said I believe they either have been or are going to be elite players in
this league.
"But they have to prove it."
Division rival
Blashill and the Red Wings will see plenty of Ottawa in a span of 48 hours
with back-to-back games against the Senators.
Ottawa stormed into the playoffs last season on the strength of an
amazing 23-4-4 run, qualifying for the postseason on the final day of the
regular season.
Primarily a young team that's another year older, the Senators appear to
be capable of contending for a playoff spot again.
"They're extremely well coached and they don't give you anything easy,"
Blashill said. "They have lots of talent. It's a great hockey team."
Leading the way for Ottawa is two-time Norris Trophy-winning Erik
Karlsson.
"Karlsson is obviously one of the best offensive defensemen in the league
for sure," Blashill said. "He'll make you pay if you're not doing your job."
Ice chips
With Jimmy Howard starting Friday, goaltender Petr Mrazek is scheduled
to get the start Saturday in Ottawa.
… Kyle Quincey (concussion) expects to have an update on his condition
early next week.
Counting Saturday's game, Quincey will have missed four consecutive
games since getting hit high Oct. 23 in Calgary by the Flames' Sam
Bennett.
Red Wings at Senators
Faceoff: 7 p.m., Saturday, Canadian Tire Center.
TV/radio: FSD; 97.1, 1270 AM.
979817
Detroit Red Wings
Helm joins growing list of Wings trying to get groove back
Ted Kulfan, The Detroit News 1:46 p.m. EDT October 30, 2015
Detroit — Like quite a few Red Wings these days, Darren Helm isn't thrilled
with the way he has started this season.
Without a point through five games, with a minus-3 rating and not playing
with his usual energy, Helm isn't pleased.
"I don't have any excuses for it right now," Helm said. "It's just something I
have to be way better."
Actually there is an excuse, if you want to call it that.
Remember, it was Helm who was involved in a major collision with
prospect Jerome Verrier the opening drill of training camp that resulted in
Helm suffering a slight shoulder separation and a concussion (Verrier
broke his leg).
Helm missed the entire training camp and exhibition season as well as the
opening four games of the regular season.
In coach Jeff Blashill's mind, that's a major hurdle to overcome once the
regular season begins.
"When you miss training camp, this becomes training camp and it's hard
when it's full-go to get your game going," Blashill said. "Helmer will be a lot
better tonight than he was the last game, and better the next game, and
he'll keep getting better.
"It's (preseason) is vital. Not that they don't come in great shape, they
come in unbelievable shape. But it's like I was talking with Kroner (Niklas
Kronwall) the other day, there's nothing like the bumping and grinding of
practice and in the pace. You can't replicate that. And Helmer is coming
out of a concussion, so he has to get where he's comfortable to dish out a
hit and take a hit and to be comfortable with it to be effective.
"The reality of it is, it takes time."
An engaged and effective Helm makes the Red Wings a tougher team.
"At his best he has great tenacity and physicality," Blashill said. "He has
big time speed, and that's what he'll bring to the table as we move forward.
"It's (training camp, preseason) real vital.
Helm believed he was on his way back, out of his doldrums, until watching
video with coaches the other day.
What bothered Helm was his work ethic — or lack thereof.
"I thought I was working but it didn't look like I was in the video," Helm said.
"It's something I have to do a lot better job of.
"I thought I was doing the right things, skating, but just watching the video I
wasn't getting to my spots and not nearly as hard as I need to be, to be
effective."
If Helm gets back to the level of skating he usually has, there's a good
chance the other aspects of his game will also come along.
"Like physicality, more scoring chances, opportunities as well," Helm said
."I just have to get back to really skating, skating and working hard and my
game will follow from there."
Blashill had Helm primarily on a wing to start the season but switched
Helm back to his normal center position Friday against Ottawa.
Helm was centering Tomas Jurco and Teemu Pulkkinen, which
theoretically will make Helm move his feet and play with speed.
"It'll get me moving a little more," said Helm of playing center. "It forces me
to be one of the first guys back. I can get a little more speed coming down
(the ice) and into the play. I have to work a lot harder and skate more and
hopefully it gives me the mental boost I need."
979818
Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings postgame: Home losing streak reaches three games covering
17-day stretch
Brendan Savage
on October 30, 2015 at 11:21 PM, updated October 30, 2015 at 11:33 PM
If you missed the Detroit Red Wings' 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators,
we've got you covered. Here's a quick snapshot:
THREE STARS
1. Erik Karlsson – The Senators captain was on the ice for all three of his
team's goals, drew an assist on the game-winner, had four shots and
nearly scored himself in the second period, when he hit the post. His 25:28
of ice time was second only to Detroit's Niklas Kronwall (25:48).
2. Andrew Hammond – Ottawa's goaltender turned aside 29 shots and the
only goal he allowed was by Henrik Zetterberg during a 5-on-3 power play.
3. Matt Puempel – The second-year forward scored the game-winning
goal midway through the second period to give the Senators a 2-0 lead. He
also had a plus-2 rating.
BY THE NUMBERS
3 – Consecutive home losses by the Red Wings, who haven't won at Joe
Louis Arena since beating Tampa Bay 3-1 Oct. 13.
4 – Blocked shots by Ottawa's Jean-Gabriel Pageau, the most on either
team.
5 – Faceoff wins by Ottawa's Zack Smith in six tries.
7 – Shots by Red Wings forward Gustav Nyquist, who led both teams in
that department.
13 – Shots blocked by the Senators.
32 – Saves by Detroit goaltender Jimmy Howard, who is 0-2-1 in his last
three appearances.
TWEET TWEET
blashill: we talk about owning each crease and we didn't own either
tonight. they scored two net front goals.
— gregg krupa (@greggkrupa) October 31, 2015
Michigan Live LOADED: 10.31.2015
979819
Detroit Red Wings
Offensively challenged Red Wings lose to Senators, 1-5-1 in last 7 games
"Hank's line has been carrying us for a while now. Whoever is playing on it
with him seems to be generating some goals but us other guys, we've got
to do a better job of stepping up. It doesn't matter who you're out there
playing against you've got to be able to generate some offense, too."
By Ansar Khan
on October 30, 2015 at 10:15 PM, updated October 31, 2015 at 1:29 AM
DETROIT -- A familiar scene unfolded at Joe Louis Arena on Friday.
The Detroit Red Wings were outshot, spent more time playing defense
than on offense, had difficulty getting second opportunities, misfired on too
many shots and played catch-up hockey most of the night.
The Red Wings lost to the Ottawa Senators, 3-1. Detroit (4-5-1) is 1-5-1 in
its past seven games, having scored only 12 goals during that stretch.
Coach Jeff Blashill said the energy and compete level was fine.
"I thought there was a want and a will, but we still got to be more
determined," Blashill said. "We got to continue to run up our determination
level."
Henrik Zetterberg scored the Red Wings' lone goal. Once again this team
is getting little contribution beyond the top line.
"We're trying to do the right things, keep it simple, get the pucks in, play in
their end," Zetterberg said. "Obviously, they're going to spend some time
in our end. It is frustrating. After the first three games (3-0), this is downhill
pretty fast. We have bits and pieces here and there where we were
showing what we can do, but the lowest level has got to be way higher
than this and it goes for everyone."
It was the front end of a home-and-home set between Atlantic Division
rivals who might be battling for a playoff spot. They'll meet again Saturday
in Ottawa.
"I think we've been close lots, but we got to find ways to points," Blashill
said. "I believe in process over a long period of time and results will follow,
but our process has to get better and we got to find ways to points as well.
You have to continue to grind here. It's frustrating but nobody is feeling
sorry for us. We're going to have to pick ourselves up tomorrow and find a
way to grind out two points."
Trailing 2-1, the Red Wings pulled goaltender Jimmy Howard for the extra
skater with 2:30 to play. It resulted in good pressure and some chances,
but they did not convert.
Bobby Ryan's empty-net goal with 55 seconds remaining sealed the
outcome.
The Red Wings had a couple of good scoring chances during odd-man
rushes in the third.
Andrew Hammond robbed Justin Abdelkader on the doorstep with 11:40
left, following good passes from Dylan Larkin and Zetterberg during a
three-on-two.
Minutes later, Riley Sheahan's pass to Joakim Andersson during a
shorthanded two-on-one break went off a skate.
The Red Wings had two five-on-three power-play opportunities in the
second period. The first one lasted 25 seconds, and they failed to register
a shot.
Zetterberg scored on the second one, at the 17-minute mark, to cut
Ottawa's lead to 2-1. It was his third goal and team-leading 12th point.
The Senators had taken a 2-0 lead on a goal by Matt Puempel at 10:10, in
what was a particularly bad sequence for Jakub Kindl. The Detroit
defenseman lost coverage on Ryan circling behind the net and then didn't
cover Puempel in front of the net when Ryan made a nice centering pass.
The Senators led 1-0 after the first period on a goal by Kyle Turris at 18:46.
Turris swatted the puck in from the net front, as three Red Wings, including
defensemen Danny DeKeyser and Alexey Marchenko, were unable to
clear it.
Needing more players to step up -- besides Zetterberg and Larkin -- coach
Jeff Blashill challenged the second line of Sheahan, Tomas Tatar and
Gustav Nyquist. The trio, who combined for 69 goals and 146 points in
2014-15, did not capitalize, though Nyquist assisted on Zetterberg's goal.
"Yeah, it's frustrating," Nyquist said. "Right now we're not generating
enough goals. Through 10 games I think it's been like that most of the time.
979820
Detroit Red Wings
Second-period analysis: Senators 2, Red Wings 1
By Brendan Savage
DETROIT – The Senators took a 2-0 lead midway through the period on
Matt Puempel's first goal of the season before Henrik Zetterberg put the
Red Wings on the board.
Zetterberg scooped up a rebound at the bottom of the right faceoff circle
near the goal line after a slap shot by Teemu Pulkkinen and he buried it
into the open half of the net during a 5-on-3 power play with exactly three
minutes to play.
It was Zetterberg's third goal of the season.
The Red Wings outshot the Senators 11-8 and have a 21-20 edge for the
game.
Ottawa will start the third period with 56 seconds of power-play time after
Brendan Smith was called for tripping late in the second.
979821
Detroit Red Wings
First-period analysis: Senators 1, Red Wings 0
Brendan Savage
DETROIT – Kyle Turris scored the only goal of the period with 1:14 left,
when he slid the puck past Jimmy Howard amid a goal-mouth scramble. It
was his sixth goal of the season.
The Red Wings had 10 shots on goal but none that qualified as a good
scoring chance.
The Senators thought they had scored earlier, when Max McCormick
stuffed the puck past Howard during another goal-mouth scramble. But the
goal was waved off because the referee had already blown his whistle due
to a holding-the-stick penalty vs. Detroit's Justin Abdelkader with 5:15 left.
The only other penalty in the period was against Ottawa's Cody Ceci for
holding with 45.6 seconds left, meaning the Red Wings will start the
second period with 1:14 of power-play time.
Howard stopped 11 shots.
979822
Detroit Red Wings
Recap: Red Wings-Senators stats, scoring summary, video highlights and
more
Senators 1, Red Wings 0 (13:07): Red Wings send their penalty killers
onto the ice when Tomas Jurco goes off for holding. Ottawa on its second
power play of the game.
Turris goal, 1-0 Senators pic.twitter.com/e2RGcTXUDj
By Brendan Savage
Senators 1, Red Wings 0 (15:12): Red Wings will have up to 25 seconds of
5-on-3 power play time after Zack Smith is whistled for hooking.
Senators 1, Red Wings 0 (16:47): Red Wings back on the power play
when Chris Neil goes off for tripping.
FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page for the latest. If you're viewing this on
our mobile app, Click here for updates and to comment.
Senators 1, Red Wings 0 (19:59): Red Wings start the period with 1:14 of
power-play time. In the first, Ottawa had four scoring chances to Detroit's
two. The Red Wings had the edge in hits (10-8) and faceoff wins (9-7)
while the Senators had four blocks to Detroit's three.
THIRD PERIOD
Senators 3, Red Wings 1 (0:00): Red Wings fall to 4-5-1, their worst
10-game start since 1993-94, Scotty Bowman's first year in Detroit.
FIRST PERIOD
Senators 1, Red Wings 0 (0:00): Senators outshoot the Red Wings 12-10.
Senators 3, Red Wings 1 (0:55.0): Fans start heading to the exits quickly
after Bobby Ryan scores into an empty net. Red Wings are going to lose
their third straight at home.
Senators 1, Red Wings 0 (0:45.6): Red Wings get their first power play
when Cody Ceci goes off for holding.
Senators 2, Red Wings 1 (1:39): Jeff Blashill uses his timeout after the
Senators narrowly miss scoring into the empty net.
Senators 1, Red Wings 0 (1;14): Kyle Turris slips the puck past Howard
amide a goal-mouth scramble. His sixth of the season.
#RedWings pull Howard with 2:30 left in 3P.
Red Wings 0, Senators 0 (5:15): Red Wings catch a break when Max
McCormick puts the puck past Jimmy Howard only to have the goal waved
off as the referee had already blown the play dead because of a penalty to
Justin Abdelkader. He goes for holding the stick and Ottawa has the
game's first power play.
— Bob Duff (@asktheduffer) October 31, 2015
Senators 2, Red Wings 1 (3:48): Time is running out on the Red Wings,
who are being outshot 14-5 in the third period.
#Redwings six giveaways. 55 percent in circle, though.
— gregg krupa (@greggkrupa) October 31, 2015
Senators 2, Red Wings 1 (11:01): Senators back on the power play when
Jakub Kindl goes off for hooking.
Daniel Alfredsson is in the house at the Joe. Naturally. #sens
— Wayne Scanlan (@HockeyScanner) October 30, 2015
Red Wings 0, Senators 0 (8:40): Red Wings with a 7-4 edge in shots but
no real good scoring chances.
Senators 2, Red Wings 1 (11:40): Pretty passing play, Larkin from the left
faceoff circle to Zetterberg at the right to Abdelkader in front but he can't
finish. Maybe the nicest passing play of the season.
Red Wings 0, Senators 0 (19:59): Ottawa wins the opening draw and the
Red Wings and Senators are underway on Hockey Fights Cancer Night.
The Red Wings just honored a youngster who battled the disease and is
now cancer free. He dropped the ceremonial first puck.
Senators 2, Red Wings 1 (19:59): Ottawa starts the third with 56 seconds
of power play time.
We're ready for Red Wings hockey. Reverse sweater night. Wings in
white. pic.twitter.com/9HnYbZf9vg
SECOND PERIOD
— Ken Kal (@KenKalDRW) October 30, 2015
Senators 2, Red Wings 1 (0:00): Red Wings with an 11-8 edge in shots for
the period and 21-20 for the game.
Senators 2, Red Wings 1 (1:04): Senators get their third power play of the
game when Brendan Smith goes off for tripping.
Zetterberg gets Detroit on the board, they trail Ottawa 2-1
pic.twitter.com/JWycRLkWia
Senators 2, Red Wings 1 (3:00): Henrik Zetterberg pounces on a rebound
to the right of the Ottawa net near the goal line and buries it during the
5-on-3. Red Wings with 1:37 of power-play time remaining. Teemu
Pulkkinen and Gustav Nyquist with the assists.
Senators 2, Red Wings 0 (3:23): Red Wings to have up to 1:07 of 5-on-3
power-play time when Zack Smith goes off for slashing Larkin.
Senators 2, Red Wings 0 (4:16): Red Wings get their fourth power play of
the game when Cody Ceci goes off for hooking. Big power play for Detroit.
Pane of glass dislodged here at JLA and it's taking longer to fix than
#RedWings PP.
— Bob Duff (@asktheduffer) October 31, 2015
#RedWings fixing the glass. Offense could use a fix as well. #Senators
pic.twitter.com/8xyNG1qnsE
— Dana Wakiji (@Dwakiji) October 31, 2015
Senators 2, Red Wings 0 (8:50): Brief delay while the maintenance crew
fixes a piece of glass in the corner.
Puempel gives Ottawa 2-0 lead pic.twitter.com/DZlCFLv4Kz
Senators 2, Red Wings 0 (9:50): Matt Puempel's first goal of the season
from Bobby Ryan and Erik Karlsson adds to the Ottawa lead.
979823
Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings' Darren Helm says he's far from where he needs to be,
must skate harder
Ansar Khan
DETROIT – As Halloween approaches, Detroit Red Wings forward Darren
Helm saw his own version of a scary movie when he viewed clips of his
performance through five games this season.
"I thought I was doing all right, but after looking at some video, I'm pretty far
from where I need to be," Helm said. "I thought I was working, but it didn't
look like I was working too much in the video, so it's something I'm going to
have to do a lot better job of."
Helm missed training camp, the preseason and the first four regular
season games due to a concussion and separated shoulder from a
head-on collision with prospect Jerome Verrier minutes into the first
practice during camp. It figured to take him some time to get into peak
form.
"I thought I was doing the right things skating, but just watching the video, I
wasn't really getting to my spots, wasn't skating nearly as hard as I need to
be to be effective," Helm said. "I think if I pick that up, other things will
follow -- physicality, more scoring chances, opportunities. I just got to get
back to really just skating, working hard."
Helm, who has no points, was moved back to his customary center spot for
Friday's game against the Ottawa Senators. He'll be on line with Teemu
Pulkkinen and Tomas Jurco.
"Hopefully, that will get me moving a little bit more," Helm said. "It kind of
forces me to be one of the first guys back. (Hopefully), I can get a little bit of
speed coming down from below, coming up into the play."
Coach Jeff Blashill said the past couple of weeks essentially have been
Helm's training camp.
"Not that they don't come in great shape, they come in in unreal shape, but
there's nothing like the bumping and grinding that goes on in practices and
games, and you can't replicate that," Blashill said. "Helm is coming off a
concussion, he's got to get himself where he's comfortable dishing out the
hits that he needs to in order to be effective, where he's comfortable taking
the hits to be effective. And that takes time."
Helm is vital because of his speed and forechecking, his ability to pressure
defensemen into mistakes.
"When Helm's at his best, he's got great tenacity and he's physical and
he's got big-time speed," Blashill said. "That's what he'll bring to the table
as we continue to move forward."
Helm said his conditioning could be better.
"I don't have any excuses for it right now," he said. "It's just something I've
got to be way better at."
He said he feels good physically.
"It's just that mental aspect of really just pushing myself harder to skate
more and more, get involved physically," Helm said. "If I skate hard and
work hard, then I feel like I'm in good shape and everything else will
follow."
979824
Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings Gameday: With Carolina out of the way, prepare to get familiar
with Ottawa Senators
Brendan Savage
GAME INFORMATION
• Who: Detroit Red Wings (4-4-1) vs. Ottawa Senators (4-3-2)
• Where: Joe Louis Arena
• When: 7:30 p.m.
• TV: Fox Sports Detroit Plus
• Radio: 97.1 WXYT-FM and Red Wings radio network
• Social media: Follow MLive sports on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
• Twitter: Follow Ansar Khan and Brendan Savage
• Live coverage: Join our live updates at 6:30 p.m.
GAME NOTES
• The Red Wings squared off against the Carolina Hurricanes in three of
their first nine games. Now, they're going to do the same thing in the next
nine against the Ottawa Senators. The teams will meet in a
home-and-home series beginning tonight and concluding Saturday in
Ottawa. They'll play again Nov. 16 in Ottawa, meaning 33 percent of the
Red Wings' first 18 games will have been played against the same two
teams. That's a schedule straight out of the days of the Original Six.
• The Red Wings and Senators were each 2-1-1 in last year's season
series with each team winning once at home and once on the road. Gustav
Nyquist led the Red Wings with three goals vs. Ottawa. ... The Senators
are expected to be without Clarke MacArthur (concussion), Mike Hoffman
(lower body) and Curtis Lazar (concussion). Hoffman could play in
Saturday's rematch. ... MacArthur had three goals vs. Detroit last season.
... Ottawa is 3-1 on the road. ... The Red Wings are 2-2 at home after
dropping their last two at Joe Louis Arena.
• Jimmy Howard, who will start in goal for the Red Wings, has a 5-3 record,
3.15 goals-against average and .897 save percentage against the
Senators in his career. Ottawa is one of five teams Howard has a sub-.900
save percentage against.
• The special teams for the Red Wings and Senators are about as even as
possible. Ottawa has connected on 16.7 percent of its power plays
compared to 16.1 for the Red Wings while the Detroit penalty killers have
been successful 74.8 percent of the time compared to 78.4 for the
Senators.
979825
Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings lineup vs. Senators: Line of Riley Sheahan, Tomas Tatar and
Gustav Nyquist must make impact
Ansar Khan
DETROIT – When Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill spoke with Riley
Sheahan, Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist on the ice before practice
Thursday, he made it clear the club has high expectations of their line.
"They're going to get lots of opportunity and now they have to be
difference-makers in the game," Blashill said. "It's going to fall equally on
their shoulders as it does on other lines. But in the role they're going to play
they're going to have to be real impactful players."
The Red Wings (4-4-1) face the Ottawa Senators (4-3-2) tonight at Joe
Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit) in the front end of a home and home
set. They need their second line to produce, taking some pressure off the
top line of Henrik Zetterberg, Justin Abdelkader and Dylan Larkin.
"They were real good in Edmonton (3-1 loss on Oct. 21) and we broke
them up because of an injury (to Brad Richards)," Blashill said. "I think they
can be real good together. In fact, as I spoke to them yesterday, I believe
they either have been or are going to be elite players in this league, but
they have to prove it.
"When they're together, they have to prove it on their own merit and not on
a line with Zetterberg or a line with (Pavel) Datsyuk, so they're going to
have to step up and prove they're elite, elite players in this league."
Sheahan, in particular, needs to step up, by moving his feet better and
being stronger on the puck. He has just two points (goal, assist) and a
team-worst minus-4 rating in nine games.
"I think his impact on the game has to be better," Blashill said. "(He is)
another guy I have lots of belief in, another guy I think will be much better."
Here are the Red Wings lines tonight:
Justin Abdelkader-Henrik Zetterberg-Dylan Larkin
Tomas Tatar-Riley Sheahan-Gustav Nyquist
Tomas Jurco-Darren Helm-Teemu Pulkkinen
Drew Miller-Luke Glendening-Joakim Andersson
Landon Ferraro (healthy scratch)
On defense:
Niklas Kronwall-Jonathan Ericsson
Danny DeKeyser-Alexey Marchenko
Brendan Smith-Jakub Kindl
In goal:
Jimmy Howard (starting tonight)
Petr Mrazek (starting Saturday)
979826
Detroit Red Wings
Ask Ansar: On Dylan Larkin's role with Red Wings and the futures of
Tomas Jurco, Brendan Smith
By Ansar Khan
on October 30, 2015 at 6:01 AM, updated October 30, 2015 at 6:12 AM
DETROIT – Much can change in a couple of weeks.
Fourteen days ago, the Detroit Red Wings were looking good at 3-0. Since
then, a 1-4-1 record has raised concerns.
They've been outshot by a wide margin (32-24 average per game), special
teams have been mediocre, several forwards haven't produced as
expected and the defense hasn't been proactive enough to suit coach Jeff
Blashill.
It's a relatively small sample size, too soon to sound an alarm. But, as
Blashill said Thursday, before an important home-and-home series
against the Atlantic Division rival Ottawa Senators: "We don't look at it as
early in the league. I think every point is critical, every juncture. The points
at the beginning of the year are just as important as at the end of the year."
Here's what M-Live readers asked about this week:
Q: What role do you see for Dylan Larkin when Pavel Datsyuk returns? –
Mike
A: He'll still have a prominent role in the top six. Larkin and Henrik
Zetterberg have been their most productive and dangerous forwards,
playing with Justin Abdelkader.
Unless they go into a prolonged slump they'll probably stay together even
after Datsyuk returns, perhaps within a couple of weeks. I could see
Datsyuk centering a line with Tomas Tatar and possibly Darren Helm (not
sure they'd want Gustav Nyquist with Datsyuk and Tatar since that
combination would lack a physical, gritty element). Maybe another line
with Riley Sheahan centering Nyquist and Teemu Pulkkinen.
Where would that leave Brad Richards (back), who might return around
the same time as Datsyuk?
We could sit here all night and talk about line combinations. We'll see how
it goes.
Q: Any chance the Wings could still send down Larkin when Datsyuk
returns, giving the kid a chance to play in the World Juniors again? – J.B.
A: No. There's no reason to demote one of your most effective players.
Larkin's speed, playmaking ability and hockey sense have been
tremendous assets. His maturity for a 19-year-old is evident by his ability
to not only step right into the lineup but flourish on the top line.
Blashill summed it up when announcing Larkin had made the team, saying
"he makes us better." They can't afford to send down players who make
them better.
Q: Once Datsyuk returns, must they part with a forward to waivers since
only Larkin has protection (waiver exempt) and they would not send him
down (I am inferring). It seems in this case (Joakim) Andersson would be
lost for sure, but I especially hate saying good-bye to (Tomas) Jurco; that
kid has 15-20 goals in him per year if he can get the confidence that comes
with minutes. I am guessing they are on the phone looking to swap for draft
picks now. I suppose at one level it is a nice problem to have. – John
A: When Datsyuk is ready, they can place Johan Franzen on long-term
injured reserve, providing cap relief. But if Richards also is back at that
time and they have no other injury up front they'll need to trim a forward.
Jurco is safe. There is zero chance he will be waived. He's young (22), has
skills, decent size (6-1, 203) and good potential. He just seems to be
dealing with confidence issues after struggling last season and being
scratched in six of nine games this season.
If they have no option but to waive someone, Andersson would seem to be
the most likely candidate. He's been scratched more often than Landon
Ferraro. Andersson is a good penalty killer, but he lacks speed, something
that Ferraro provides on the fourth line.
Q: I'm disappointed to see Jurco as the odd-man out. I had high hopes for
him when we drafted him and especially after he broke into the league and
looked good. Do you think they'll look to trade him? – Chris
A: Jurco just needs time and opportunity, the latter of which he must earn.
Blashill said this week they have a long-term plan for Jurco, so I doubt they
would look to move him this season. They like his combination of size and
skills.
I think he's still trying to figure out what kind of game he's supposed to play
to make it in the NHL. He was a puck-dangling, offensive player in juniors
and in the AHL. Last season he was forced into a more grinding type role
in order to stay in the lineup.
I believe the Red Wings will give Jurco more time, but his window of
opportunity might shrink next season when players like Andreas
Athanasiou, Anthony Mantha and Tyler Bertuzzi will make a push for
roster spots.
Q: If the Wings are going to start sitting a D-man like Brendan Smith as a
healthy scratch, then why don't they put him on the block and see what
kind of return they could get for him? Does Smith have a long-term future
with the Wings? – Saskatoon Wingnut
A: I think it's fair to wonder about Smith's future with the organization,
especially with defensemen like Alexey Marchenko (recalled last week),
Xavier Ouellet, Nick Jensen and Ryan Sproul in the system.
This is a big year for Smith, who needs to show marked improvement by
cutting down on mistakes and making better decisions with the puck.
I doubt they would trade a defenseman mid-season unless they're getting
one back in return. Even though they have some in Grand Rapids who
could step in, injuries can take a toll and you don't want to risk being short
on the blue line.
Q: This shot differential the Wings are having problems with through their
first (nine) games is very worrying. It's tough to score when you don't
shoot, and easier to get scored on when the other team is outshooting you
by 10-plus shots a game. What do they do about this? – Saskatoon
Wingnut
A: It'll get better, especially when Datsyuk returns. But for now, it is
disconcerting, especially for a team that has prided itself on puck
possession. They have spent too much time chasing the puck, too much
time in their own zone.
The problem begins in their own zone, where they seem to have difficulty
breaking out cleanly. The forwards probably need to do a better job of
positioning themselves to receive passes and get through the neutral zone
with speed.
Once they're in the offensive zone, they need to be stronger on the puck,
cycle it better. Too often they take a shot (which is sometimes blocked or
fired wide) and they're unable to retrieve the puck and they're going back
the other way.
979827
Detroit Red Wings
Senators beat offensively challenged Red Wings 3-1
By Larry Lage, The Associated Press
POSTED: 10/30/15, 10:32 PM EDT | UPDATED: 30 SECS AGO #
COMMENTS
DETROIT (AP) — Kyle Turris and Matt Puempel scored in the first two
periods and Bobby Ryan added an empty-net goal in the final minute,
helping the Ottawa Senators beat the Detroit Red Wings 3-1 on Friday
night.
Andrew Hammond made 29 saves for the Senators.
Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg scored on the second of two power plays with a
two-man advantage late in the second period. Jimmy Howard stopped 32
shots for the Red Wings.
The Senators limited Detroit’s quality scoring chances in the third, helping
them improve to 4-1 on the road this season.
The offensively challenged Red Wings pulled Howard to add an extra
skater with 2-plus minutes left, but couldn’t score to send the game to
overtime before Ryan restored Ottawa’s two-goal lead with 55 seconds
left.
Detroit has been held to one goal four times over its last six games.
Both teams have been struggling lately after a strong start.
Ottawa had won only one of its previous five games after opening the
season 3-1. Since starting 3-0, Detroit is 1-5-1.
Ottawa was in control early and looked like it was going to take a 1-0 lead
early in the game, but Max McCormick’s apparent goal that would’ve been
the first of his career was waved off by a Detroit penalty. The Senators
kept pressuring and were rewarded when Turris scored with 1:14 left in the
first after defenseman Danny DeKeyser whiffed on a chance to clear the
puck away from the front of the net.
Hammond, who played his second game of the season, made a glove
save to stop Zetterberg’s slap shot on the first of Detroit’s two 5-on-3
power plays in the second.
Ottawa took a two-goal lead on Puempel’s goal in front of the net off
Ryan’s no-look pass.
Zetterberg scored from the right circle off a redirected shot with 3 minutes
left in the second period, pulling the Red Wings within goal.
NOTES
Ottawa forwards Mike Hoffman (lower body) and Curtis Lazar (upper
body) along with Detroit defensemen Mike Green (upper body) and Kyle
Quincey (concussion), were scratched with injuries. ... Zetterberg ended a
six-game skid without a goal after scoring twice during the team’s 3-0 start.
... Turris has scored five of his six goals on the road this season. ... Ottawa
hosts Detroit on Saturday night.
Macomb Daily LOADED: 10.31.2015
979828
Edmonton Oilers
Edmonton Oilers notes: A youth movement is afoot in Edmonton
JOANNE IRELAND, EDMONTON JOURNAL
MDT
There is a youth movement afoot in Edmonton and Leon Draisaitl and
Darnell Nurse are determined to prove to the Oilers brass that they should
be a part of it.
The plan for the duo, at the start of the season, was to ensure that they got
more seasoning with the Bakersfield Condors in the American Hockey
League, rather than rush their entry into the NHL. Injuries dictated a
change in plans.
“We want to stay here and we want to play here,” said Draisaitl.
Connor McDavid is, obviously, the future of the franchise, but his
supporting cast is starting to emerge. Defenceman Brandon Davidson,
who has been looking to gain a foothold in the lineup since the season
opened, had a strong game against the Montreal Canadiens. Nurse has
played two strong games since he was called up and Draisaitl, recalled on
Thursday, shook off a long travel day and put away two goals in the Oilers’
4-3 win over the league’s top team.
He had scored two goals in the 37 games he played with the club last
season before he was sent to the Kelowna Rockets.
“You have to give them credit. They’ve come up and been catalysts for our
team,” said Oilers head coach Todd McLellan. “They are telling us they
want to stay here.”
He did go on to say that it is not uncommon for players to come up and
excel but that it can be adrenalin-fuelled and it can wear off once a player
settles in.
“It’s definitely exciting but with all that excitement comes the responsibility
for us to continue to perform. It’s two games for me,” said Nurse. “That’s a
really small sample size.
“That’s the focus of anyone who comes up, in our position: to come up and
stay,” he continued. “That said, you have to come out and play every night.
You have to continue to work hard.
“The opportunity is awesome but you have to make the most of it.”
Up next
It’s round two of the Battle of Alberta, with the Calgary Flames dropping
into Rexall Place on Saturday. It’s also the second half of a back-to-back
set for the Flames, who hosted the Canadiens on Friday.
Edmonton scored a 5-2 win in Calgary on Oct. 17 with McDavid netting a
pair of goals in a three-point night. It was his first multi-point game, and his
breakout moment.
Since that night, he has fashioned a seven-game point streak,
accumulating four goals and seven assists.
Oil drops
– McDavid hits the small screen on Tuesday. The 60 Minutes Sports
episode featuring the 18-year-old airs at 6 p.m. Edmonton time on
Showtime.
– It’s no coincidence that McDavid’s linemate, Benoit Pouliot, has also
started to put up some points. He has scored scored three goals so far this
season, all in the last four games.
– The Oilers’ struggles in the face-off circle are not over but it should be
noted that the club had snuck into 26th spot by Friday morning with a 47.9
win percentage.
Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979829
Edmonton Oilers
Oilers show resolve against Montreal, will they carry it into Calgary game?
JOANNE IRELAND, EDMONTON JOURNAL
MDT
The comeback kids they were not. Not even close. In those games where
last season’s Edmonton Oilers were trailing after the first 20 minutes, they
finished with a record of 2-24-5. After two? The record was an abysmal
2-32-3.
And things weren’t exactly trending the other way this season either. The
Oilers were 0-3 in games where they were trailing after the first period, 0-4
in those games that they were down after two periods of play.
So when the club clawed back from a 3-0 deficit to defeat the
league-leading Montreal Canadiens by a score of 4-3, it was a quantitative
achievement.
The question now is, can the Oilers build on Thursday night’s result, which
also ended a three-game losing streak?
“We need to keep this going,” said Benoit Pouliot, who has settled in rather
nicely on a line with Connor McDavid and Nail Yakupov. “You’re going to
lose a game once in a while, but one is enough. You can’t go two or three.”
Head coach Todd McLellan refers to it as holding onto your hand, rather
than folding at the first sign of trouble, and it was one of the questions he
had about the team when the season opened. Did they have what it took to
push back?
The Oilers host the Calgary Flames on Saturday, followed by home games
against the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburgh Penguins.
“You look at that win and it’s a step forward,” said Jordan Eberle. “We’re
still not where we want to be, but we have Calgary coming in and hopefully
we can get another win there, then all of a sudden, we’re on a bit of a roll
with two more Eastern teams coming in. It’s tough to look that far ahead
but it’s a way for us to, hopefully, get back to .500 and get ourselves back
in the race.”
Eberle, who is still on his way back from a shoulder injury, was working out
in the first period, so all he saw was that the Canadiens had a 3-0
advantage, but he was encouraged with what he saw in the final 40
minutes — particularly with the number of players who are out of the lineup
with a variety of injuries.
Matt Hendricks, Justin Schultz, Lauri Korpikoski, Rob Klinkhammer and
Griffin Reinhart, along with Eberle, were out of the Oilers lineup.
“We had some resilience early last year but we lost some of those
one-goal games then after a while, we just lost that push back,” said
Andrew Ference. “We’d get that early goal against, and you could feel the
deflation.
“Last night was great. Now the message is that we have to consistently
have that attitude.
“We’ve talked about it, because there was a similar feeling in some of
those games where it was close and there were moral victories. … We
didn’t want to let that happen again,” Ference continued.
“I can remember the first 10, 15 games last year where there was actually
quite a bit of good hockey mixed in there but no points. No wins. And that’s
just not good enough in this league. We wanted to do everything we could
not to fall into that rhythm again of being close, of being satisfied with doing
things well but not getting wins.”
Fuelled by the youthful exuberance of players like Leon Draisaitl and
Darnell Nurse, both recent call-ups, and sparked by the skill of Connor
McDavid, the Oilers are now 4-7.
“I felt like last year we were more down on ourselves when we were down
two or three goals. Heads were down. The mood changed. Negativity was
showing up,” said Pouliot. “(Against Montreal) it was a totally different
story. After the second, we knew we had the momentum going into the
third. We didn’t give up against the best goalie in the league.”
“It should be something we can build on, or, we’ll take our foot off the gas
… and have to start over,” said McLellan, “We’re a young team. We’re
going to figure that out. We take the test on Saturday.”
Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979830
Edmonton Oilers
Oilers head coach Todd McLellan aims for hard, fast, supportive crew
BY TERRY JONES, EDMONTON SUN
It was the morning after a hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens
which, in the same 60 minutes, embodied everything still wrong with the
Edmonton Oilers and everything right with the team, too, especially
involving the young core players of this team, all of whom produced points
in the come-from-behind 4-3 win.
And new head coach Todd McLellan judged it to be a fair combination of
questions from your correspondent.
Where’s the Oilers’ coach and management at, going into the 12th game
of the season against a Calgary Flames team which established an
identity and rode it to the playoffs last year?
What kind of identity does McLellan want?
What identity does he think is within the group and where is he at with all
that?
“In an ideal world, and we don’t live in an ideal world, we would be fast,
hard and very supportive,” said McLellan.
“We’ve talked to the players about that. That’s where we want to go. That’s
the identity we want to get to. We believe we have some building blocks for
that. To me, it covers all different areas of the arena.
“Fast isn’t just foot speed.
“It decisions being made, it’s anticipation, puck movement, coming out of
your own end … Tomas Holmstrom was a fast hockey player but I don’t
know that he skated real fast.
“Hard is many different things.
“Connor McDavid stripping the puck in the neutral zone is hard. Matt
Hendricks blocking a shot, to me, is hard. It’s not only physical
confrontation. It’s more Ryan Nugent-Hopkins stripping a puck with good
body position late in a game after he’s played 25 minutes. That’s hard.
“Support is the team play.
“You could watch us Thursday night and say ‘You had it and didn’t have it.’
And that’s how it’s going to be for a while. But the support was everybody
sticking with a plan and not folding their hand.
“Even on nights when it is not going well, we see part of that identity. We
need to polish it up and grow it so you can see it for longer periods of time
and you see more success with it.”
Continuing my line of questioning, I asked how much of growing an identity
in a situation like this is an extension of a talent like McDavid?
“I think it’s a big part of it,” said the coach of his young superstar, who has
12 points in 11 games to sit fifth in NHL scoring, carrying a seven-game
point streak into Saturday’s Hockey Night In Canada game.
“You can’t force an identity on a group. If you’re a grinding defensive team,
that’s your identity.
“I look at some of the pieces that are in place right now and I think we can
be a fast team. I think we can be a hard team. I think we can be a real
supportive team.
“We’re not forcing the identity. We’ll try to augment that going forward with
the players joining the organization.”
That all sounds well and good with McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins,
Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Nail Yakupov, Leon Draisaitl, Darnell Nurse,
Justin Schultz, Oscar Klefbom and Griffin Reinhart.
There’s a lot of fast, hard and supportive in there.
But you look at the veteran players brought in here, such as, oh, say Teddy
Purcell, and you don’t think fast, hard and supportive. There are others.
Solving the identity crisis of the Edmonton Oilers might involve more than
the coaches and the players. New general manager Peter Chiarelli will
likely have some moves to make as well.
Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979831
Edmonton Oilers
Oilers players want to out-work their opponents, but challenge is
consistency
The Oilers were an exceptionally easy team to play against in the first
period against Montreal, as Benoit Pouliot took a dumb penalty in the
offensive zone that cost a power-play goal, Anton Lander messed up and
Oscar Klefbom imploded – 1-0 to 2-0 to 3-0.
BY TERRY JONES, EDMONTON SUN
“We can give up some offensive opportunities, give up some offensive
goals, in my opinion, to have that identity where teams know it’s not going
to be a track meet. It’s not going to be a 6-4 game or a 5-4 game, it’s going
to be a 3-2,” said injured Hendricks.
“In-your-face. Disciplined. In my opinion, that’s an identity you can make
because those things are in your control.
The Edmonton Oilers have an identity crisis.
“Being a smart team when it comes to dumping pucks and placing pucks
where we can get them. All four lines can do that. We want to be a team
where we’re consistent down the lineup and let the offensive talents take
over when we get the puck in areas where we want to have it.”
They still don’t have one.
Nine years out of the playoffs and 11 games into this season under new
management and the Oilers are still a hockey club in search of an identity.
The Montreal Canadiens came to town Thursday. They have an identity.
The Calgary Flames come to town Saturday. They have an identity.
Not the Oilers. Forging an identity has been as elusive for the Oilers as
finding a playoff spot.
There was a moment there, when Ralph Krueger was coach, when some
players pointed out that they believed they were on the verge of having an
identity. But then the Oilers lost nine of 10 and Krueger was fired. False
alarm.
How do you build an identity with this team?
How can you be a puck-possession team when you can’t win a faceoff?
How can you be a defence-first team when you continually have major
mistakes happening and ending up in the back of the net?
With all their No. 1 and other high first-round draft picks, all of whom were
on the score sheet in the come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Montreal
Canadiens Thursday, many have expected the Oilers identity to become a
high-scoring team. But there are still a lot of nights when teams shut this
group down to next to nothing.
On Saturday the Oilers play their 12th game of the season against a
Calgary team Edmonton must keep in the rear view. The team is coming
off a win coach Todd McLellan labeled as “something we can be proud of,
something we can build off of,” after illustrating everything that’s been
wrong with this team in giving the Canadiens a gift-wrapped 3-0 lead. The
good, the bad and the ugly were all on display in one memorable night.
It seemed like a good time to check the identity crisis of the supposedly
emerging Oilers.
“First of all, an identity is something that when a team comes in, their
coaches are telling their players how this team is going to play,” said
Jordan Eberle, the definitely-being-missed injured first-liner who has spent
the start of this season studying this squad from the press box.
“That’s consistently. Not one night and then three nights later. You have to
do it every night.
“When I look at our team, I see a lot of speed. I see a lot of skill. And I also
see a team that competes. And I think that’s something we have to have
every night. It’s there some nights and then we take a night off.
“When I talk about speed, I’m talking about players playing fast. Moving
the puck quick. Breaking out quick. That’s what we want teams to say
when they come to play us. ‘The Oilers play fast and if you make mistakes
they’re going to beat you with their skill and they’re going to out-work you.’
“When you talk about possession, you’re not going to score if you don’t
have the puck. It goes to face-offs but also to taking penalties. First and
foremost, we have to understand that we have to defend and break out the
puck well to be able to get an opportunity to score.”
One thing is quite clear: with the exception of a veteran like Team U.S.A.
captain Matt Hendricks, the identity is going to come from 25-and-under
players Connor McDavid, Eberle, Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Nail
Yakupov, Darnell Nurse, Leon Draisaitl, Justin Schultz, Oscar Klefbom
and Griffin Reinhart.
“To me, a team’s identity should be wrapped around things that are in your
control,” said Hendricks.
“It’s hard to be a puck-controlling team when you don’t win face-offs. But
there are other intangibles like work ethic and defence-first mentality, so a
team comes into Rexall Place and says ‘Oh, we’re going to have our
hands full tonight.’ We don’t want to be an easy team to play against.”
To Hendricks, it comes down to individuals.
“You know we’re going to be prepared as a team. Our coaches cover
everything we need to know to be ready to go. But individually, are we
prepared? Are we ready to come out? Is everybody in this room ready to
play?
“Our starts are key to how we’re going to play that night. I think we did a
great job bouncing back against Montreal. But that first period wasn’t
pretty.”
Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979832
Florida Panthers
SATURDAY: CAPITALS AT PANTHERS
When/where: 7 p.m.; BB&T Center.
Florida Panthers can’t contain Boston Bruins’ power surge in 3-1 loss
TV/radio: FSFL; WHIS 1080, WMEN 640, WNMA 1210.
Series: Washington leads 60-45-9
BY GEORGE RICHARDS
OCTOBER 30, 2015
Scouting report: The Capitals had won five in a row before losing to
Pittsburgh at home on Wednesday. Washington, which beat Columbus on
Friday, won two of three against Florida last year.
Miami Herald LOADED: 10.31.2015
NHL players love talking about how important special teams are “these
days.”
Their point was made on Friday night.
Boston’s top-rated power play scored two goals and Florida’s third-ranked
unit got one, all while Tuukka Rask turned away 31 shots in the Bruins 3-1
win at BB&T Center.
“Those are momentum changers,’’ Brandon Pirri said. “We’ve said it 100
times, special teams are huge in this game. We had a few chances,
capitalized on one, but with our power play, we expect more. We just
needed to bear down and put them in the net.’’
The Bruins, who lead the league with 11 goals while with the man
advantage, scored on their first two power play chances to win for the third
straight game.
Boston’s penalty kill units also put in a strong game. Although Florida got
its lone goal on a 5-on-3 chance in the second after falling behind 3-0,
Rask and the Bruins didn’t let the Panthers get another one.
Florida’s goal came when Nick Bjugstad knocked in a rebound midway
through the period.
A few moments later, the Panthers got another two-man advantage — this
time for almost 90 seconds — but didn’t score and wouldn’t again.
Florida also pulled goalie Roberto Luongo on two late power play chances
and failed to convert. Boston went 2 for 3 with the advantage; Florida was
1 for 6.
“They move the puck real well and got guys in front of the net,’’ coach
Gerard Gallant said. “Luongo had no chance on those goals.’’
The Panthers, despite playing without star Jaromir Jagr, came out
aggressively and challenged Rask early.
Rask, usually strong against the Panthers, was again Friday as he turned
away one chance after another.
“I thought Rask was, by far, the best player on the ice,’’ Gallant said. “He
was outstanding. Rask made some great saves, was the difference in the
game.’’
Boston took a 1-0 when Brad Marchand got a piece of a Zdeno Chara pass
midway through the first.
In the second, Marchand took a Torey Krug pass, worked around two
Florida defenders in front of the net and backhanded a shot past Luongo.
Chara got the third goal at 9:13 of the second off another rebound.
Marchand was later ejected for his hit on Dmitry Kulikov. Gallant said
Kulikov broke his nose and is questionable for Saturday’s game against
the Capitals.
“I just saw the replay of it,’’ said Marchant, who could face suspension.
“[Kulikov] was a little off balance. I just pushed him. It’s not like I buried him
hard or anything like that. It’s unfortunate. I obviously didn’t mean to bury
him from behind, but things happen quick.”
▪ Jimmy Hayes was back in Sunrise for the first time since the Panthers
traded him to Boston in exchange for Reilly Smith and the expiring contract
of Marc Savard in July.
Hayes, a Boston native who scored a career-high 19 goals for the
Panthers last year, said he was “caught off guard” when Florida dealt him
to the Bruins.
A few days before that deal, it was reported general manager Dale Tallon
was very close to pulling off a deal for Hayes at the draft with the Rangers.
“You don’t expect to be traded and after having a pretty good year, I
thought I had a spot on the team,’’ said Hayes, whose brother Kevin plays
for New York.
“You always hear rumors and wherever my brother was ... there was talk I
would be traded there.’’
979833
Florida Panthers
BY BILL WHITEHEAD
Associated Press
OCTOBER 30, 2015
Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins' power play are continuing to click.
Marchand scored twice and Zdeno Chara picked up his first goal of the
season to lead the Bruins to a 3-1 win over the Florida Panthers on Friday
night.
"It's the same as every game. You just want to work hard and sometimes it
comes together and sometimes it doesn't. Luckily tonight got a couple of
bounces," said Marchand.
Marchand, who extended his point streak to five games, also was given a
major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Dmitry Kulikov with
2:06 left in the game. Kulikov left the ice bleeding and has a broken nose.
The center said he watched a replay of the hit.
"He was a little off balance. I?just pushed him. It's not like I?buried him
hard or anything like that," Marchand said. "It's unfortunate. I obviously
didn't mean to bury him from behind, but things happen quick."
Boston coach Claude Julien agreed.
"Definitely it's a penalty. But it's almost like he lost his balance, he put his
arms in front, then his head hit the boards," Julien said. "Once the guy is
bleeding from a hit like that, they have to give him a game (misconduct)."
Boston goalie Tuukka Rask made 31 saves and Florida's Roberto Luongo
had 22.
The first period featured a number of strong scoring chances, especially
for the Panthers. But it was scoreless until the Bruins were able use the
league's top power play to grab the lead after Florida's Reilly Smith was
sent off for hooking. Marchand tipped in a long shot by Chara past Luongo
at 9:22 for his third goal.
Rask kept the game scoreless early with big saves on a breakaway by
Quinton Howden then a rebound chance by Alex Petrovic. He added a
sliding glove save on a point-blank shot by Jonathan Huberdeau at 11:55
with Florida on the power play.
"It's huge. When they have a couple of breakaways like they had early on
and he makes some big saves, it gives us a lot of momentum and a lot of
trust that he's going to have a big game," Marchand said.
Florida coach Gerard Gallant said Rask was the difference.
"I thought Tuukka Rask was by far the best player on both teams. He was
outstanding," Gallant said.
Marchand scored his second goal after controlling a shot by Krug, skating
past Luongo and flipping in his fourth goal at 7:07 of the second.
Chara put in a rebound off Krejci's shot for Boston's second power-play
goal at 9:13 after Pirri was called for tripping.
Nick Bjugstad recovered Bolland's shot and scored his fourth goal on a
5-on-3 power play for Florida at 11:32 in the third to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Florida had another 1:17 of 5-on-3 less than a minute later after Joe
Morrow and Adam McQuaid drew minors but they failed to capitalize.
Chara was called for a delay of game penalty with 4:59 left. Florida pulled
Luongo to set up a 6-on-4 advantage but couldn't score.
"Rask outplayed me. I need to be better and give the team a chance to
win," Luongo said. "Tonight the other goalie was better than me.
NOTES: The game was the first of four meetings between the clubs, who
traded right wingers on the first day of free agency on July 1. Florida sent
Boston-area native Jimmy Hayes to the Bruins for Reilly Smith and the $4
million salary cap-hit in the contract of Marc Savard (concussion), who
hasn't played since 2011. ... The home team won all four games last
season. ... RW Logan Shaw, 23, made his NHL debut for the Panthers.
The Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, native was a third-round pick by Florida in
2011 and is one of 11 players on the roster drafted by the Panthers. ...
Both teams play Saturday to complete back-to-back games. Boston goes
to Tampa Bay while Florida finishes its three-game homestand against
Washington before embarking on a West Coast road swing that starts
Wednesday in Anaheim.
979834
Florida Panthers
Saturday: Capitals at Panthers
When, where: 7 p.m.; BB&T Center, Sunrise
BOSTON POWERED UP IN 3-1 WIN: Bruins score two power play goals,
hold Panthers to one in victory
Posted by George Richards 10/30/2015 at 10:56 PM
NHL players love talking about how important special teams are "these
days."
Their point was made on Friday night.
Boston's top-rated power play scored two goals and Florida's third-ranked
unit got one all while Tuukka Rask turned away 31 shots in the Bruins 3-1
win at BB&T Center.
"Those are momentum changers,'' Brandon Pirri said. "We've said it 100
times, special teams are huge in this game. We had a few chances,
capitalized on one, but with our power play, we expect more. We just
needed to bear down and put them in the net.''
The Bruins, who lead the league with 11 goals while with the man
advantage, scored on their first two power play chances to win for the third
straight game.
Boston's penalty kill units also put in a strong game. Although Florida got
its lone goal on a 5-on-3 chance in the second after falling behind 3-0,
Rask and the Bruins didn't let the Panthers get another one.
Florida's goal came when Nick Bjugstad knocked in a rebound midway
through the period.
A few moments later, the Panthers got another two-man advantage -- this
time for almost 90 seconds -- but didn't score and wouldn't again.
Florida also pulled goalie Roberto Luongo on two late power play chances
and failed to convert. Boston went 2-for-3 with the advantage; Florida was
1-for-6.
"They move the puck real well and got guys in front of the net,'' coach
Gerard Gallant said. "Luongo had no chance on those goals.''
The Panthers, despite playing without star Jaromir Jagr, came out
aggressively and challenged Rask early.
Rask, usually strong against the Panthers, was again Friday as he turned
away one chance after another.
"I thought Rask was, by far, the best player on the ice,'' Gallant said. "He
was outstanding. Rask made some great saves, was the difference in the
game.''
Boston took a 1-0 when Brad Marchand got a piece of a Zdeno Chara pass
midway through the first.
In the second, Marchand took a Torey Krug pass, worked around two
Florida defenders in front of the net and backhanded a shot past Luongo.
Chara got the third goal at 9:13 of the second off another rebound.
Marchand was later ejected for his hit on Dmitry Kulikov. Gallant said
Kulikov broke his nose and is questionable for Saturday's game against
the Capitals.
"I just saw the replay of it,'' said Marchant, who could face suspension.
"[Kulikov] was a little off balance. I just pushed him. It’s not like I buried him
hard or anything like that. It’s unfortunate. I obviously didn’t mean to bury
him from behind, but things happen quick.”
-- Jimmy Hayes was back in Sunrise for the first time since the Panthers
traded him to Boston in exchange for Reilly Smith and the expiring contract
of Marc Savard in July.
Hayes, a Boston native who scored a career-high 19 goals for the
Panthers last year, said he was "caught off guard" when Florida dealt him
to the Bruins.
A few days before that deal, it was reported general manager Dale Tallon
was very close to pulling off a deal for Hayes at the draft with the Rangers.
"You don't expect to be traded and after having a pretty good year, I
thought I had a spot on the team,'' said Hayes, whose brother Kevin plays
for New York.
"You always hear rumors and wherever my brother was ... there was talk I
would be traded there.''
TV/Radio: FSFL; WHIS-AM 1080, WMEN-AM 640, WNMA-AM 1210
Series: Washington leads 60-45-9
Scouting report: The Capitals had won five straight before losing to
Pittsburgh at home on Wednesday. Washington, which played host to
Columbus on Friday, won two of three against Florida last year. The
Panthers' lone win was in the NHL-record 20-round shootout.
Bruins' special teams dominate Panthers in 3-1 loss
Jaromir Jagr, who leads the Panthers with six goals and 10 points, missed
his first game of the season with discomfort running down his ribs to his
leg. The Panthers are also missing top-line center Aleksander Barkov for
at least another two weeks with a broken hand.
Harvey Fialkov
Jagr, 43, may play on Saturday. He was replaced by rookie forward Logan
Shaw, who made his NHL debut wearing jersey No. 48 instead of Jagr's 68
that he first sported after he was drafted in 2011..
979835
Florida Panthers
A game after their special teams were absolutely flawless in a win over the
Avalanche, the Panthers, sans two-thirds of their top line, were anything
but perfect Friday night at the BB&T Center.
The Panthers allowed two power-play goals to the Bruins' top-ranked unit
while their failure to score against Tuukka Rask on three long two-man
advantages tilted the ice toward Boston in a 3-1 loss to their Atlantic
Division rival.
The loss ended the Panthers (5-4-1) modest two-game winning streak with
the Alexander Ovechkin-led Capitals on deck Halloween night to wrap up
the three-game homestand. The Bruins (5-3-1) have gone 5-0-1 after an
0-3 start.
Rask had 31 saves to improve to 13-2-1 against the Panthers.
"The difference in the game was the power play and Rask outplayed me,''
said Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo, who made 22 saves but allowed too
many rebounds. "I have to be better to give the team a chance to win.
Tonight the other goalie was better than me.
"I could've been sharper … didn't have good jump tonight, felt a little bit flat
and it showed.''
Trailing 3-0 in the second, the Panthers got two consecutive 5-on-3
advantages and a chance to flex their top-ranked home power play
muscles. They needed just 21 seconds on the first one as Nick Bjugstad
cleaned up a carom for his fourth at 11:32.
However, the Panthers' ensuing, 1:27 two-man advantage was snuffed out
by the Bruins' 27th-ranked PK, but really it was Rask coming up huge on
Reilly Smith's slot-shot to keep it a two-goal deficit heading into the third.
"I was happy for a lot of it but the final six minutes I didn't like overall,''
Panthers coach Gerard Gallant said. "Overall we played hard but I thought
Tuukka was probably the best player on both teams.
"[The second 5-on-3 power play] was probably the key part of the hockey
game. Our power plays been good and we got our chances. ... If we played
them the same way tomorrow we'd win that game probably 6-5 instead of
[losing] 3-1.''
The Panthers, who were 3-for-3 on the power play Tuesday, were 1-for-6,
compared to Boston's 2-for-3 success rate.
"It would've been nice to get another one there,'' said Smith, who was
Rask's teammate the past two years in Boston. "He's a world-class goalie
and that's what he's paid to do. … The frustration builds especially when
you keep getting chances and they're not going in the back of the net.''
The Panthers also came up empty on a 6-on-4 advantage around the
four-minute mark in the third with Luongo pulled from the net. Then after
Brad Marchand, who scored two goals, got a 5-minute boarding/game
misconduct that sent defenseman Dmitry Kulikov to the dressing room
with a bloody, broken nose, the Panthers again fired blanks on a 2:06,
6-on-4 edge.
"We have to do a better job on killing penalties, and 1-for-6 for us, we have
to be better on the power play, that's what wins games,'' Panthers forward
Jonathan Huberdeau said.
Marchand said he didn't intend to hurt Kulikov, who turned 25 on
Thursday. Gallant hasn't ruled Kulikov out for Saturday's game. If he
couldn't go, then Steven Kampfer would replace him.
"I just saw the replay of it,'' Marchand said. "He was a little off balance. I
just pushed him. It's not like I buried him hard or anything like that. It's
unfortunate. I obviously didn't mean to bury him from behind, but things
happen quick.''
The Bruins needed their potent power play to get their offense in gear as
Marchand deflected in Zdeno Chara's long wrist shot at 9:22 to give
Boston a 1-0 lead after one.
Marchand made it 2-zip at 7:07 of the second period when he swept in a
backhand rebound for his fourth goal in his past five games. Just 2:06
later, the Bruins clicked on another power play as the 6-foot-9 Chara
buried another long rebound at 9:13.
Jagr out
"I don't think I can fill [Jagr's] shoes quite yet," Shaw joked with the media
after morning skate. "He's something special. … Obviously, he gets priority
for that number."
Sun Sentinel LOADED: 10.31.2015
979836
Florida Panthers
Preview: Capitals at Panthers; Saturday, 7 p.m.
Harvey Fialkov
Al Montoya will be in the nets for Panthers
Capitals at Panthers
When/where: 7 p.m.; BB&T Center, Sunrise
TV/Radio: FSF/1080-AM
Notable: The Panthers had won two straight before Friday's meeting with
the Bruins, while the Capitals had their five-game winning streak snapped
in a 3-1 home loss to the Penguins behind 33 saves by Marc-Andre Fleury.
C Evgeny Kuznetsov scored their lone goal and he leads the Caps with 12
points before Friday's home tilt with the Blue Jackets. Caps superstar LW
Alexander Ovechkin, who captured his fifth Maurice Richard Trophy last
season with 53 goals, has five goals and nine points. D John Carlson has
eight assists and 10 points. The Caps have the third-ranked power play
and are 3-0 on the road. The Panthers were 1-1-1 with the Capitals last
season, including a 2-1 record 20-round shootout at home that ended in
Nick Bjugstad's game-deciding goal on his second shootout attempt. The
Panthers are 1-0 in second games of back-to-backs after downing the
Hurricanes 4-1on Oct. 13, while the Caps are also1-0 in the same scenario
with a 7-4 win over the Oilers last week. Panthers coach Gerard Gallant
almost always starts G Al Montoya in second games of back-to-back sets,
especially when he's 2-0 with a 1.50 GAA.
979837
Florida Panthers
Panthers rookie Brickley to face his hometown Bruins
Harvey Fialkov
Panthers rookie Connor Brickley, a native of Everett, Mass, will play his
first NHL game against his beloved Bruins and his cousin Andy Brickley,
who calls Boston's games for NESN-TV will be behind the microphone.
"When I was playing for [the University of Vermont] we always had
different announcers when we were on NESN,'' Connor Brickley
explained. "I never had Andy so it's pretty cool the first time I get him
behind the mike I'm playing in the NHL against the Bruins.''
Andy Brickley played forward for 11 seasons in the NHL from 1982-94 with
Pittsburgh, New Jersey, Boston and Winnipeg. He finished with 82 goals
and 222 points in 385 games, not including five points in 17 playoff games.
Connor Brickley's father, Craig, was drafted in the 13th round by the Los
Angeles Kings in 1974, and was a standout wing for the University of
Pennsylvania, but never reached the NHL.
"His dad was a great player and was lightning on the ice with great skills,''
Andy Brickley said. "So he's got the good genes, but it's all about
commitment and preparation and when you're opportunity presents itself
you got to make the most of it.
"Connor's had a lot of injuries. I don't like to say it but he tries to play bigger
than he is sometimes. But he loves that aspect of the game. The way the
game is trending now, if you're third- and fourth-line forwards can be role
players with a meanness and still be a productive offensive player then
you're going to be an elite team and challenge. I hope that's what we're
witnessing because he certainly has that capability.''
Brickley, 23, has a goal and three points with a plus-3 ice rating in eight
games.
979838
Florida Panthers
Panthers rookie Logan Shaw set to replace Jaromir Jagr in NHL debut
Harvey Fialkov
When Logan Shaw was drafted in the third round by the Florida Panthers
in 2011, the first jersey they assigned to him was No. 68.
On Friday night when Shaw steps on the ice to make his NHL debut
against the Boston Bruins he will be replacing future hall of famer No. 68
Jaromir Jagr, who will miss his first game of the season with ribs and leg
pain.
Shaw, a 23-year-old right wing, who had two goals in five games with the
Portland Pirates, Florida's AHL affiliate in Maine, wore No. 68 throughout
four Panthers development camps and three rookie camps as he worked
his way up the organizational ladder.
Shaw said he will be quite happy to be wearing No. 48.
"I don't think I can fill [Jagr's] shoes quite yet,'' Shaw joked with the media
after morning skate at the BB&T Center on Friday. "He's something
special. It's pretty special to be in the same room as him. … Obviously, he
gets priority for that number.''
Jagr, 43, who leads the Panthers with six goals and 10 points in nine
games, participated in parts of morning skate but told reporters afterward
that one side of his body was too weak for him to play. Jagr, who left
Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Avalanche in the first period, is hoping to play
Saturday against the Washington Capitals.
Jagr's absence will mean that two-thirds of the Panthers' top line, including
Aleksander Barkov (broken hand), will be sidelined. Panthers coach
Gerard Gallant said that he will once again place versatile forward Jussi
Jokinen on the revamped top line with center Nick Bjugstad and left wing
Jonathan Huberdeau.
"We'll go with Jokinen to start and see how things go,'' Gerard said of
Jokinen, who has six points in nine games, including two assists on
Tuesday. "He's played center, right wing and left wing so he's played any
position for us. He's a very valuable guy and we really like him.''
Shaw had 25 points, including 13 goals, in his first full season of
professional hockey last year for the San Antonio Rampage of the AHL.
Gallant said he coached against Shaw when they were in the Quebec
Major Junior Hockey League at the same time for three years and calls
him a, "a good, solid kid.''
"The kid worked hard,'' Gallant said. "It's deserving. You talk to the
coaches down there and they said he's been the best player. He had a
great camp. He put himself in the [running] with those other guys .''
One of those other guys was Panthers forward Connor Brickley, who
played with Shaw last season and who is now sharing his "penthouse''
apartment with Shaw.
"He's got a really strong, two-way game and brings a lot of energy on the
ice,'' Brickley said. "He's a fast skater, moves the puck well and finishes his
checks pretty hard.''
Coincidentally, in 1996 when Shaw was 4 years old, growing up in Glace
Bay, Nova Scotia, his parents, Sandra and Gerard, bought him a Florida
Panthers jersey. The Panthers reached the Stanley Cup Finals that
season.
"I don't know why. I grew up an East Coaster, and it was all about Toronto,
Montreal and Boston. I just loved the jersey. It's surreal right now. It's pretty
special. After I got drafted two of my best friends, 6-feet, 200 pounds, had
the baby jerseys on. It was pretty funny.''
Friday night, Shaw finally gets to wear the adult version and his parents
will be in the BB&T Center to cheer him on.
"I'm trying to soak it all in,'' Shaw said. "It's awesome to be up there. I
wasn't expecting it. I was just down there working hard trying to make it up
here. That's what I'm going to do, work hard and try to take it day by day.''
979839
Florida Panthers
Panthers leading scorer Jagr not expected to play tonight
Harvey Fialkov
When Panthers leading scorer Jaromir Jagr was asked if he was playing
Friday night against the Bruins, he shook his head and told the Sun
Sentinel, “Not tonight.’’
However, Panthers coach Gerard Gallant wouldn’t completely rule out the
43-year-old left wing.
"I'm not going to say no because [Jagr] might come tonight and want to
play. But probably not tonight," Gallant said. "I'm not going to rule him out.
But he's very questionable."
Jagr was on the ice for the start of the morning skate Friday. He left after
about 10 minutes but returned shortly thereafter. Jagr left Tuesday’s game
against the Colorado Avalanche during the first period because of
discomfort running down one side of his body from his ribs to his leg. He
did not skate Wednesday but practiced on a limited basis Thursday.
Jagr, who leads the Panthers with six goals and 10 points, will be replaced
on the injury-decimated top line by verstaile forward Jussi Jokinen.
Jonathan Huberdeau, the Panthers leading scorer last season, has yet to
score his first goal this season, will play left wing and Nick Bjugstad will
center the line.
Jagr’s anticipated absence opens up a forward spot for rookie Logan
Shaw, who will make his NHL debut Friday.
979840
Florida Panthers
11:32 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, 2015
Staff
SUNRISE, Fla. — Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins' power play are
continuing to click.
night.
bounces," said Marchand.
Marchand, who extended his point streak to five games, also was given a
major penalty and a game misconduct for boarding Dmitry Kulikov with
2:06 left in the game. Kulikov left the ice bleeding and has a broken nose.
The center said he watched a replay of the hit.
"He was a little off balance. I?just pushed him. It's not like I?buried him
hard or anything like that," Marchand said. "It's unfortunate. I obviously
didn't mean to bury him from behind, but things happen quick."
Boston coach Claude Julien agreed.
"Definitely it's a penalty. But it's almost like he lost his balance, he put his
arms in front, then his head hit the boards," Julien said. "Once the guy is
bleeding from a hit like that, they have to give him a game (misconduct)."
Boston goalie Tuukka Rask made 31 saves and Florida's Roberto Luongo
had 22.
The first period featured a number of strong scoring chances, especially
for the Panthers. But it was scoreless until the Bruins were able use the
league's top power play to grab the lead after Florida's Reilly Smith was
sent off for hooking. Marchand tipped in a long shot by Chara past Luongo
at 9:22 for his third goal.
Rask kept the game scoreless early with big saves on a breakaway by
Quinton Howden then a rebound chance by Alex Petrovic. He added a
sliding glove save on a point-blank shot by Jonathan Huberdeau at 11:55
with Florida on the power play.
"It's huge. When they have a couple of breakaways like they had early on
and he makes some big saves, it gives us a lot of momentum and a lot of
trust that he's going to have a big game," Marchand said.
Florida coach Gerard Gallant said Rask was the difference.
"I thought Tuukka Rask was by far the best player on both teams. He was
outstanding," Gallant said.
Marchand scored his second goal after controlling a shot by Krug, skating
past Luongo and flipping in his fourth goal at 7:07 of the second.
Chara put in a rebound off Krejci's shot for Boston's second power-play
goal at 9:13 after Pirri was called for tripping.
Nick Bjugstad recovered Bolland's shot and scored his fourth goal on a
5-on-3 power play for Florida at 11:32 in the third to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Florida had another 1:17 of 5-on-3 less than a minute later after Joe
Morrow and Adam McQuaid drew minors but they failed to capitalize.
Chara was called for a delay of game penalty with 4:59 left. Florida pulled
Luongo to set up a 6-on-4 advantage but couldn't score.
"Rask outplayed me. I need to be better and give the team a chance to
win," Luongo said. "Tonight the other goalie was better than me.
NOTES: The game was the first of four meetings between the clubs, who
traded right wingers on the first day of free agency on July 1. Florida sent
Boston-area native Jimmy Hayes to the Bruins for Reilly Smith and the $4
million salary cap-hit in the contract of Marc Savard (concussion), who
hasn't played since 2011. ... The home team won all four games last
season. ... RW Logan Shaw, 23, made his NHL debut for the Panthers.
The Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, native was a third-round pick by Florida in
2011 and is one of 11 players on the roster drafted by the Panthers. ...
Both teams play Saturday to complete back-to-back games. Boston goes
to Tampa Bay while Florida finishes its three-game homestand against
Washington before embarking on a West Coast road swing that starts
Wednesday in Anaheim.
Palm Beach Post LOADED: 10.31.2015
979841
Los Angeles Kings
Kings' dogs play right into the fans' hands
Lisa Dillman
One by one, some of the Kings' players came down the hallway after a
photo shoot Friday at their practice facility in El Segundo.
The burning question was not: Were you wearing Prada or Versace?
It was: What's the name of your dog?
In the case of center, Jeff Carter, it would be dog(s). He posed with three of
them, for the purpose of an upcoming team calendar for charity. It will
benefit four organizations and could be released in late November or early
December.
The post-practice mood was festive, befitting a team on a six-game
winning streak, including two road victories earlier this week in Canada, at
Edmonton and Winnipeg.
There is something about the Kings and their dogs and fan interest. One of
Carter's other dogs, Cece, a white Maltese, went missing in October in
Hermosa Beach and Carter and his wife Megan sent out alerts on Twitter.
Concerned community members whipped into action and the Carters
found Cece a day-and-a-half later.
See the most-read stories in Sports this hour >>
Center Anze Kopitar's dog, Gustl, has been the most well-known of the
animals. An individual not connected with the Kopitars runs a Twitter
account named after Gustl, and currently has 3,498 followers.
Later, power forward Milan Lucic walked through with his cute dog named
Boo. Perhaps Boo was a nod to the Halloween spirit or maybe Lucic likes
Lobo ("Me and You and a Dog Named Boo.")
Neither.
Lucic's young daughter made the call. "Monsters, Inc.," he said, smiling,
referring to the girl cartoon character named Boo. Now if Lucic gets booed,
it can be neatly explained away as a reference to his dog.
There's been scarce booing during the recent Kings' run. They've been
composed, scoring the winning goal in the last five minutes in the last two
games.
"We've won games in different ways," Kings Coach Darryl Sutter said. "In
such a capsule — we've only played nine games — but if we said we could
have been 6-3, we'd have taken 6-3 and go from there.
"If you score the first goal, it makes a difference. You can also play really
well and not score the first goal and be able to work around that. When you
say 'poise' or whatever that is, it's important for all of us. That's got to come
to the coaches to the players and the players to each other."
Defenseman Matt Greene, on injured reserve with an upper-body injury,
took part in practice but there is no timetable for his return.
"I feel good. I'm getting better," said Greene. "Just getting stronger now
and trying to get ready to be at 100% here hopefully."
He has especially been impressed by the team's forecheck during this
winning run.
"Guys are getting back to making sure, getting that first puck stopped,
being physical and that opens up everything," Greene said. "That really
keys our game. We rely heavily on that."
KINGS VS. NASHVILLE
When: 1 p.m. Saturday.
On the air: TV: Fox Sports West; Radio: 790.
Etc.: The Predators (7-1-1) are the lone team in the league not to have
allowed a first-period goal. Nashville is off to its second-best start in
franchise history. They went 8-0-1 to start the 2005-06 season.
LA Times: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979842
Los Angeles Kings
LA Kings host Predators, try for seventh straight victory
POSTED: 10/30/15, 11:15 PM PDT | UPDATED: 52 MINS AGO #
COMMENTS
Elliott Teaford
PREDATORS AT KINGS
Faceoff: 1 p.m., Saturday
TV/Radio: FSW / 790-AM
Update: The Kings have won six consecutive games after losing the first
three of the season. Their winning streak is their longest since an
eight-game streak last Feb. 7-24 brought them back into a playoff position
briefly. They awoke Friday as the Pacific Division co-leaders, with the
Vancouver Canucks. Tyler Toffoli has scored a team-leading seven goals
and was tied for second in the NHL at the start of business Friday. Only the
Dallas Stars’ Jamie Benn, with nine, had more than Toffoli. Jeff Carter has
a team-leading nine points, including six assists. After a rocky start to the
season, goalie Jonathan Quick is 5-3 with a 2.00 GAA and a .928 save
percentage. The Kings haven’t played since a 4-1 victory Tuesday over
the Winnipeg Jets. The Predators are 7-1-1 after a 2-1 victory Wednesday
over the San Jose Sharks.
LA Daily News: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979843
Los Angeles Kings
It was good I think, I’ve played center before and think I’m a pretty good
center. I like to come low with my speed and carry the puck through the
neutral zone. It was bit weird in the beginning … but I think I got into it.
Previous: Reign drop first of season to Rampage
Kempe, on how the team can bounce back:
Posted by Lindsay Czarnecki on October 30, 2015
They’re a good team, it was a tight game the whole game so I just think we
need to keep doing what we are doing and keep shooting the puck and
probably get more goals tomorrow.
Justin Auger, on the overtime loss:
Head coach Mike Stothers, on the game overall:
I thought it was a great hockey game. Two good teams, you go into
overtime, it’s 3-on-3, anything can happen so I was happy with the way we
played. I thought we played a good hockey game, I thought they played a
good hockey game. Both goalies played well. I think we saw a little bit of
everything and, you know what, I’m looking forward to tomorrow afternoon.
Stothers, on Kurtis MacDermid:
I see an extremely large man who can get around the ice pretty well. You
know what, he’s making some plays for us, he’s definitely a tough
individual but he’s working on all aspects of his game and I think that’s
important. The big thing in hockey now is size and he does bring that and I
think he can play. We know how tough he is, we just want to make sure
Kurtis is playing, and playing well and making plays to be a hockey player
not, not just a guy who is a physical presence.
Stothers, on Derek Forbort:
He comes downs from the Kings, so he’s not coming here to sit on the
bench. If he’s doing that then I’m not talking to you after the game. You put
him on the ice, that’s just the way it is. He’s been up there, he’s earned the
right to play with the Kings. It’s been tough for him to get in the lineup and
he’s with us here for however long and then I’m sure he’ll be going back up
to the big club and helping them out.
Stothers, on the battle the team had after falling behind in the third:
I thought we played well. Guys battled hard, and we were glad to get it in
overtime with the late one. It sucks we didn’t come away with the two
points, but of course we’re happy with one.
Auger, on the new looks with Kris Newbury’s absence:
It just gives other players a chance to step up – young guys like Brodz and
Zykov and those guys who sometimes might not be playing late in a game.
We look to them more late in a game to step up when those guys are out.
Auger, on whether Mike Stothers’ approach has changed:
No, not really. Stuttsy’s always been one to expect a lot out of us. He
expects us to work hard, no matter what.
Auger, on his game-tying goal:
I was just standing in front. Obviously that’s where Stuttsy likes me, and I
saw the puck between my legs and just whacked at it, and luckily it snuck
in through his five-hole. [Reporter: With your size and your skill set, is that
something that you continually through junior, through professional
hockey, reinforce those types of similar plays?] Yeah, of course. Being a
big guy you’re expected to be in front of the net a lot, especially on the
power play and getting in front of the goalie and blocking his vision and
stuff. That’s what Stuttsy expects of me, so getting a goal like that puts me
out there out there more and [gives me] more confidence, and he’s going
to want me in that position more when I’m putting them in the net.
You can very easily get discouraged and we don’t. We’re trying to instill the
same type of demeanor that we had last year. Again, we don’t get too
pumped up with wins, we don’t get too pumped up when we score and we
don’t get discouraged when we get scored upon. Stay even-keeled, stay
focused and you know what, there was still a lot of hockey to be played,
there was still 10 minutes I believe, of hockey. We’re confident in our
abilities to battle and that’s part of it. When things are going good it’s easy,
but you know what, when you’ve got some adversity it’s how you dig in and
I was real proud of our guys, I thought they did a great job.
Auger, on the expansion of his roles in his second full professional season:
Stothers, on Peter Budaj’s goaltending:
They’re a big, physical team, and we’ve just got to come out and compete
every shift against them. We knew they’d come out hard. Like I said, I
thought we played great. We just didn’t end up with the two points.
Buds has been great. You can see why he’s had the career that he’s had,
he’s been very reliable. He just settles things down there for us. Comes up
with the big saves when he needs to and we try to pride ourselves on not
giving up a whole lot of opportunities but we know when he’s there he’s
going to make the save for us. Having said that, Ray [Emery] is going in for
us tomorrow and we know he’s going to do a good job for us tomorrow as
well. So we feel real good with our goaltending.
Yeah, getting a lot more power play, penalty kill time – that’s a big thing. I
wanted to be leaned on more as an older guy this year than last year.
Obviously we lost a lot of our core guys, and being one of the returning
players, I like to be looked on being put out there late in a game in a key
situation when we need a goal and stuff. I’m just trying to carry that over,
game-in and game-out.
Auger, on the Rampage:
Derek Forbort, on making his Ontario Reign debut:
It was definitely fun getting back in the lineup and playing and getting back
with these guys and going out there and competing. It wasn’t that big of an
adjustment, really. I just wanted to go out there and play my game.
Sean Backman, on 3-on-3 overtime and his chances:
Forbort, on playing alongside Kevin Gravel:
There’s a lot of room to skate out there when there’s only three guys out
there, but a couple good tries and unfortunately we came up on the short
end of things tonight.
I really like playing with him. I thought we have good chemistry. They kind
of call us the twins back there. We kind of play the same style of game and
we’re able to read off each other pretty well because of that. [Reporter: A
little bit of a different game, though, as well. You’re playing more of a
defensive role at times, and he seems to have gotten the offensive bug
over the last 18 months. Is that good for you guys that way?] Yeah, I mean,
whether he plays offensive or not, I think we complement each other pretty
well.
Backman, on how the team can bounce back:
It helps that the game’s tomorrow. You don’t have to think about it for that
long, you get another crack at it 3 o’clock tomorrow afternoon. It also helps
that we’re playing the same team, so we get a little revenge tomorrow and
hopefully we can get a win.
Backman, on the Rampage:
They’re a good skating team. They’ve got some guys who can score up
front but then again so are we. I think they are a good matchup for us
because we are similar hockey teams with guys who can move the puck
and skate so it should be a good game tomorrow again.
Backman, on the play of Rampage goalie Calvin Pickard:
We want do to our best to make it as hard as possible for him and he’s a
good goaltender and there’s a lot of good goaltenders in this league and
we’re just going to have to do a better job at getting pucks at him and
creating traffic and making it tougher the next game.
Adrian Kempe, on his move to center:
Forbort, on whether anything came smoother after gaining NHL
experience:
No, I mean I try to be as consistent as possible with every game that I play
– just the same preparation, the same mindset, no matter what level I’m
playing at.
Forbort, on anything specific Darryl Sutter told him before joining the
Reign:
Nothing really. Just go down and compete. Work hard. [Reporter: John
Stevens, anything?] Just kind of that same thing. Just be firm in my plays,
and hopefully I’ll get back up.
Forbort, on whether he dealt with any “rust”:
No, not really. I mean, up in LA they did a good job getting me back into
shape after being sick, so I felt pretty good out there.
LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979844
Los Angeles Kings
GREENE IMPROVING, BUT UNLIKELY TO PLAY SATURDAY
Posted by JonRosen on October 30, 2015
Having skated in limited capacities during the rehabilitation of his
upper-body injury, Matt Greene practiced with the Kings Friday afternoon
in advance of the club’s game against the Nashville Predators on Saturday
(1:00 p.m. / FOX Sports West / KABC 790 / I Heart Radio).
“I feel good,” Greene said. “I’m getting better. That’s about it. That’s all I
really have.”
He had a little bit more to offer than that and understands that the ongoing
process to rejoin the team could be nearing its completion date. Greene
suffered an upper-body injury during a preseason win over the Colorado
Avalanche on September 27, and though he returned to appear in the first
three Kings games, logged only 8:49 of ice time during the October 13 loss
to Vancouver. Speaking with reporters on October 14, Darryl Sutter said
his current injury was “related” to the upper-body injury suffered in
Colorado. Four days later, Greene said he was “coming along” but not yet
fit to play.
“A few days ago I started to feel better and I’m just getting stronger now
and I’m trying to get ready to be at 100-percent pretty soon here,
hopefully,” said Greene, who noted he had “no clue” as to when he might
re-enter the lineup.
Though he’s getting close, he’s unlikely to play against the Predators.
During rushes at Friday’s practice, he was the odd-defenseman out, with
all defensive pairings from the wins over San Jose, Carolina and Winnipeg
remaining intact. That means Brayden McNabb is most likely to skate to
the left of Drew Doughty, Jake Muzzin should partner with Alec Martinez,
and Christian Ehrhoff would skate with Jamie McBain.
Los Angeles has won six in a row after opening the season with three
consecutive losses.
“We’ve got a lot of guys who have been there for a while doing it, playing in
big games,” Greene said. “It’s early in the season, but those are big games
to dig yourself out of an 0-3 hole. Everybody did a really good job.”
Matt Greene, on his approach to practice and whether he has any
restrictions:
I don’t. I’m just kind of cruising around and just making sure that I’m getting
my legs back underneath me and getting stuff that’s in my position – going
back, getting pucks, retrievals, making the first pass – and just working on
my game so I’m ready to go when I am healthy.
Greene, on what he has seen from the winning streak:
I think the forecheck has just been really good. I think guys are getting
back to making sure they get that first puck stopped, being physical and
that really opens up everything. That really keys are game I think. We rely
heavily on that. We play a lot of O-zone time, a lot of time with the puck and
the guys have been doing a great job with that. The top lines all the way
through to the fourth line have been doing a very good job. I think the D
have been great just moving pucks and getting it into their hands. And then
Quickie has been outstanding. When those things click, we’re a good
hockey team.
Greene, on the Kings’ road performance thus far:
It’s big. It’s big wins and we needed them and the guys have been doing a
good job. It’s fun to watch.
979845
Los Angeles Kings
OCT. 30 VS RAMPAGE PREGAME NOTES
Friday, October 30, 2015, 7:00 p.m. PT
Posted by Lindsay Czarnecki on October 30, 2015
Citizens Business Bank Arena, Ontario, CA
Reign pre-game notes
–With the loss of center and points leader Kris Newbury to a broken foot,
head coach Mike Stothers said Thursday he’s moving Adrian Kempe off
the wing to instead center Sean Backman and Justin Auger. “The loss of
Newbs hopefully doesn’t affect us too much because we try not to rely on
any one guy,” Stothers said Thursday. “It’s good opportunity for other guys
to step up.” The other top forward line will continue to feature Nic Dowd
centering Michael Mersch and Valentin Zykov. Stothers has been prone to
shaking up the forward lines throughout games, so don’t be surprised if
they’re adjusted tonight as well.
–Goalie Peter Budaj is expected to be between the pipes for this contest
for what will be his sixth straight start. He leads the AHL in wins (5) and
shutouts (3). … Defenseman Derek Forbort, who started this season with
the Kings, will be on the blue line after being sent down on Thursday
morning.
Scouting the opposition
–The Rampage are second in the Pacific Division, trailing only the Reign.
They’re the only other AHL than the Reign to have not lost in regulation
this season. The Rampage are third in the AHL in power play percentage
(30.0%) while the Reign’s penalty is second in the league (96.2%),
surrendering just one goal. “They have been playing well. Their goalie
(Calvin) Pickard, I’m familiar with him from the Western Hockey League
and I know how good he is, he has some very impressive numbers,”
Stothers said Thursday. “They’re a team that’s not giving up a whole lot.
They’ve got a good mix of size and speed and they’re finding ways to put
the puck in the next. I think it’s a great matchup and I’m exciting to see two
good teams going at it and hopefully we can keep playing like we have
been which is as a team.”
–Here’s a nice video report from their broadcaster Dan Weiss, where you
can get a look at how the team is doing so far and hear from some of the
players.
–One name that will look familiar to Kings fans is center Marc-Andre
Cliché. The Kings acquired him in 2007 in the trade that sent Sean Avery
to the Rangers. Cliché has spent most of his career in the AHL, most of it
with the Manchester Monarchs. Cliché has 1 goal and 2 assists this
season.
979846
Los Angeles Kings
OCTOBER 30 PRACTICE QUOTES: DARRYL SUTTER
On winning games late:
We’ve won games different ways. We’re in such a capsule – we’ve only
played nine games – but if we said we could’ve been 6-3, we’d have taken
6-3 and go from there. You have to win in different ways, meaning you still
have to have a really good foundation. If you look at it, it has still got to do
with goals against and goals for and how that’s sorted out between the
two, so you need the foundation of that and understanding that. When you
score the first goal it makes a difference, but you also have to know that
you can play really well and not score the first goal and be able to work
around that. I think that when you say ‘poise’ or whatever that is, that’s
important for all of us. That’s got to come from the coaches to the players
and the players to each other. That’s what’s important.
On any commonality stringing together the 3-0-0 road record:
I would say it would be against three totally different types of teams. The
best road game that we played was clearly in Winnipeg, clearly, of the
three. It’s a challenge for us on the road because of the way the match-ups
are. We’re not as experienced in areas that require winning match-ups. I
guess if you’re looking for something that’s common in those three games,
I would say against Thornton’s line in San Jose we did a really good job. I’d
say in Edmonton we did a really good job against Nugent-Hokpins’ line,
and in Winnipeg we did a really good job against Little’s line. So with three
top things, and there are a lot of top offensive players that are better at
home than they are on the road, so if you can saw off those guys or
outscore those guys, then you probably have a better opportunity.
[Reporter: Not to look back or get too romantic, but that was a terrific
hockey game. From what we’re watching upstairs, and we’re not always
watching personnel – the Winnipeg game.] The Central Division is a step
up. You look ahead, there are pretty dominant [teams], if you look at the
profile of coaches first. Five of them have won at least one Stanley Cup, I
believe, and that has a huge impact. Chicago’s the defending champion.
Teams try to play like Chicago more and more.
On whether the team’s 48.3% faceoff percentage is a “blip”:
It’s hit and miss. You want to break it down by games against who, and if
you look at guys like Andy and Shoresy, they can both rate off the charts
both ways, and they have to be better off it. It’s part of that position … it’s
important. [Reporter: Does that affect what you do in games, too? It seems
like you were moving guys around, on the road?] Absolutely. Carts and
Kopi are on the ice lots now. I guess you can see that if something’s right
away where somebody’s beating somebody all the time, we’ve got two out
of the lot. Quite honest, your guys that are in those slots, your third and
fourth slots, have got to win faceoffs, or they’re going to lose two or three
more minutes a game, especially at home. They’re not going to be out
there if they can’t. There should be more ties, and it’s a 50-percent rule. …
if you’re over 50, you go, ‘he had a good game.’ If you’re under 50, ‘he was
not very good.’ So when you think about it, you should get more ties, when
you think about it. If you lose it clean for scoring chances, then it’s hard for
me to put those guys out there. We have two lefties, two righties, which is
what we had before. It didn’t matter. We had two lefties, two righties. If you
go back to our four centermen, that first championship here, were Kopi,
Mike, Stolly and Fras. They were the four guys. Carts wasn’t in that. And
then I think it was still Stolly, Kopi, Jeff, Mike. They were the four guys who
took faceoffs. Now you look at it. Now you’re just into Kopi, Jeff. It’s a big
difference.
979847
Los Angeles Kings
OCTOBER 30 PRACTICE NOTES
Staff
Good afternoon from Toyota Sports Center. Today’s alignment at practice,
via color coding:
White: Pearson-Kopitar-Brown
Blue: Lucic-Carter-Toffoli
Purple: Gaborik-Shore-Lewis-Weal
Yellow: Clifford-Andreoff-Nolan
McNabb-Doughty
Muzzin-Martinez
Ehrhoff-McBain
Greene
-Jonathan Quick was the first goaltender to leave the ice. Tomorrow’s
game is an afternoon affair against Nashville (1:00 p.m. / FOX Sports West
/ KABC 790 / I Heart Radio), and the #LAKingsGoalieTweetOff applies to
practices on the day before afternoon games.
-Matt Greene has been skating while working back from an upper-body
injury; on Friday, he was an active participant in practice. “A few days ago
I started to feel better and I’m just getting stronger now and I’m trying to get
ready to be at 100-percent pretty soon here, hopefully,” he said.
-The lines were adjusted back to those seen in the Edmonton game and
for the outset of the Winnipeg game, which meant that Tanner Pearson
skated opposite Dustin Brown on Anze Kopitar’s line. “You guys know how
it goes,” Pearson said after practice. “If you’re not up to par, he’s going to
switch something up. That’s what kind of happened. I played with the kind
of guy I played with before, so it wasn’t really a big change.”
-Many dogs were on hand at the facility as part of a players/dogs calendar
photoshoot, which is part of Kings Care’s first ever pet calendar. More
details to come!
Crew'd up pic.twitter.com/qjjLbScudP
— LA Kings 6
(@LAKings) October 30, 2015
-I’ll be at the Reign game tonight against San Antonio. If you’re around the
press box, say hello!
-Thank you for your patience during this site’s redesign, which is mostly
aesthetic and nearly complete.. More stories to come!
979848
Minnesota Wild
Wild improves to 5-0 at home
By Kent Youngblood
October 30, 2015 — 11:38pm
Yes, Wild coach Mike Yeo would like to see better team defense than what
he’s seen for a good bit of this young season. But, again in Friday’s 5-4
victory over Chicago at Xcel Energy Center, the Wild did what it’s already
done a lot of this season:
Rallied when things didn’t go their way. “What we have been absolutely
outstanding at is, when there have been momentum shifts that have gone
against us, we’ve collected ourselves and gotten back to our game,” Yeo
said.
Happened a couple times tonight. After Jason Zucker had scored on the
game’s first shift for the second time this week, the Wild allowed a
short-handed goal , then a power-play goal to fall behind 2-1.
But the Wild scored the next three goals, including Jared Spurgeon’s
power-play goal early in the second to go up 4-2.
Then, after a couple defensive lapses allowed the Hawks to tie the game,
the Wild got Nino Niederreiter’s goal 32 seconds into the third period, then
the Wild – and Devin Dubnyk – shut out Chicago the rest of the way.
The Wild is now 5-0 at home, the first time in franchise history Minnesota
has opened a season with five straight home wins in regulation.
Here are some other stats/thoughts on the night:
--Once again the line of Mikko Koivu (three assists), Zucker and
Niederreiter was very, very good. Koivu had three assists. Zucker had a
goal and an assist. And Niederreiter – who led the team with five game
winners last season -- got his first of this season tonight.
--For Koivu, it’s eight straight games with a point, a career high. It was his
12th career three-plus assist game and his 26th three-plus point night. He
has three goals and nine points in that eight-game streak.
--It was Zucker’s sixth career multi-point game. And he now has a
career-high five-game point streak.
--Ryan Sutter, who had an assist tonight, now has 31 points in 58 career
games vs. Chicago.
--Charlie Coyle has scored a goal in consecutive games and five points in
10 games this season.
--If you watched the game, you saw the hit that Chicago’s Andrew
Desjardins put on Justin Fontaine early in the second period. Fontaine was
skating along the blue line when Desjardins appeared to lunge at him,
clipping him and sending Fontaine to the ice. He needed help getting to the
locker room and is, according to Yeo, “week to week’’ with a lower body
injury.
Asked if he thought the 2-minute tripping call was correct, here’s what Yeo
said: “You don’t like a knee-on-knee hit,” he said. So, I know it’s a tough
one for the refs, and I kind of understood what they were saying. But
certainly I felt it warranted a 5-minute major.’’
The Wild will call up a forward in time for Saturday’s game in St. Louis.
That’s about all for now. Have a great rest of your weekend.
Star Tribune LOADED: 10.31.2015
979849
Minnesota Wild
Kuemper steps up preparation for possible start
By Kent Youngblood Star Tribune
October 31, 2015 — 1:23am
Wild coach Mike Yeo said he hasn’t made a decision yet, but goalie Darcy
Kuemper might finally get the opportunity he’s been waiting days for
Saturday in St. Louis.
Kuemper, the backup to starting goaltender Devan Dubnyk, has seen
action in two games this season. He stopped 35 of 37 shots in the Wild’s
2-1 overtime loss at Anaheim Oct. 16. Sunday at Winnipeg, he got the
start. But, after giving up four goals on 18 shots, Kuemper was pulled
midway through the second period with the Wild down 4-1.
He has been waiting for a week for another chance.
With his team playing on back-to-back nights starting with Friday’s 5-4
victory over Chicago at Xcel Energy Center, there is a good chance
Kuemper will get the start Saturday at St. Louis.
Kuemper said he would relish the opportunity. “Definitely, it’s always nice
to play,” he said after Friday’s morning skate. “I’ve felt good in practice
yesterday and today. So I’m looking for my next opportunity. Whether it’s
tomorrow or somewhere else on the schedule, I’ll be ready.’’
A starting goalie usually doesn’t have to wait long to put a difficult game
behind him. But a backup? It can take some time, which offers plenty of
time to stew over a subpar game. Kuemper said he spent a lot of time with
goaltenders coach Bob Mason looking at film of that loss in Winnipeg.
“It was kind of a tough situation,” Kuemper said. “We hadn’t practiced in
two days, so I hadn’t really been on the ice. So my footwork and everything
were pretty good. Just tracking [the puck] was a little off. Maybe that was
because of a lack of ice time. … I didn’t feel like my game was that bad
watching it over again. So I have to keep building and be ready for the next
game.’’
Kuemper said he looked at the film, then made a list of things to work on
over the last few days.
“I’ve been feeling good,” he said. “I felt great today. So, like I said, I’ll be
ready for my next opportunity.’’
Divisional motivation
Friday’s game was the Wild’s first against the Chicago team that pushed
the Wild out of the playoffs the past three seasons, a matchup ripe with
emotion.
Saturday should be just as dramatic.
The Wild has already played — and beaten — the Blues, the team the Wild
eliminated in the first round of last season’s playoffs. But Saturday’s game
at the Scottrade Center will mark the Wild’s first game in St. Louis since a
4-1 victory in Game 5 of the Western Conference quarterfinals.
That victory gave the Wild a 3-2 edge in the series; Minnesota closed it out
two days later.
Conference games are extra important anyway. Add the rematch element.
And then consider the tight nature of the Central Division, where the top
four teams have the top four records in the Western Conference.
Entering Friday’s games, six of the seven division teams were in the top
eight in the conference, and just four points separated Chicago, sixth in the
division, with first-place Dallas.
“You get more excited for a game when it’s like that,” The Wild’s Charlie
Coyle said.
Etc.
• Because of the Gophers-Michigan game, the Wild’s game at St. Louis on
Saturday will be carried on 107.9 FM on the radio, as well as on Fox Sports
North.
• Single-game tickets will go on sale Tuesday for the Wild’s Stadium Series
game with Chicago on Feb. 21 at TCF Bank Stadium.
979850
Minnesota Wild
Gameday preview: Wild at St. Louis
October 30, 2015 — 11:44pm
CHRIS MILLER
Wild gameday
7 P.M. at St. Louis • FSN (107.9-FM)
Preview: The Blues (7-2-1) were knocked out of the playoffs by the Wild
last season. They lost 3-2 at Xcel Energy Center on Oct. 10 despite
outshooting the Wild 13-1 in the third period.
Players to WATCH: Colton Parayko scored the game-winning goal in
Tuesday’s 2-1 victory over Anaheim and leads Blues defensemen with
four goals. C Vladimir Tarasenko has six goals, and C Jori Lehtera leads
the team with six assists. G Jake Allen has given up one goal on his past
49 shots and G Brian Elliott has two shutouts in nine career starts vs. the
Wild. … Wild C Mikko Koivu has 17 points in 27 games vs. St. Louis.
Numbers: Before Friday’s 5-4 victory over Chicago, the Wild was eighth in
the NHL in scoring (3.11 goals per game) and 18th in goals-against (2.78).
Injuries: For St. Louis, W Patrik Berglund (shoulder), C Paul Stastny (foot)
and W Jaden Schwartz (ankle) are out; D Kevin Shattenkirk (lower body) is
doubtful. For the Wild, C Tyler Graovac (groin) is out.
979851
Minnesota Wild
Wild morning skate report: It's the Blackhawks, say no more
By Kent Youngblood
October 30, 2015 — 12:32pm
A number of factors are in place for the Wild's game tonight with Chicago
to be a high-intensity affair. This is the first of five games for the Wild this
season against the team that knocked them out of the playoffs the past
three seasons.
This is a Central Division game. And while division games are always very
important, the tightness of this division through the early going of this
season has added even more emphasis to that. As of this morning
Minnesota was both fourth in the division and fourth in the Western
Conference. Six of the seven teams in the division are in the top eight of
the conference. Only four points separate Chicago, sixth in the division,
and first-place Dallas.
“It’s nice,” Charlie Coyle said after this morning's optional skate. “You get
more excited for a game when it’s like that. We like that, to have teams that
will give you a game every night.’’
Still, listening to coach Mike Yeo, it sounds as if he wants his team to be
aggressive but composed. Too much emotion could lead to mistakes that,
against a counter-punching team like the Hawks, can be costly.
So he’s asking his team to walk a fine line. “It’s your own division,” he said.
“You watch, around the Central Division, and night after night these teams
are getting points. They’re winning. Every game is so important. The
head-to-head matchups will be important. There is no question. There will
be a lot of emotion in this game, based on what’s happened in the past.
And that it’s a division rivalry. But bottom line is that can help you and it can
hurt you. … It’s a fine line. You have to be aggressive. We have to go out
and try to create offense against them. But it’s a team that
counter-punches very well. And so, if you’re turning the puck over at the
blue line or through the neutral zone, this is a team that can quite easily
turn those into opportunities going back against you.’’
Here are some other items from this morning:
Nate Prosser has played in just three games this season. But he’s played
in two of the past three, and it sounds like Yeo has liked what he’s seen.
So Prosser should play tonight. “I really like his game,” Yeo said. “He’s not
a guy who’s going to go out and make incredibly dynamic plays. But he’s
going to make a lot of winning plays. He’s going to pay a price for his
teammates, and he’s going to help you on the penalty kill. He’s going to
defend well.''
Yeo said he hasn’t given any thought yet to who will play goal in Saturday’s
game in St. Louis. But there appears to be a good chance that it will be
Darcy Kuemper, who was pulled after giving up four goals Winnipeg in his
last start. Kuemper said that he watched film of that game with goaltenders
coach Bob Mason, has made the necessary adjustments, and is ready to
go after two good days of practice.
The Blackhawks are on the second of a back-to-back, having lost in
Winnipeg last night.
979852
Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild: Justin Fontaine headed for injured reserve
By Chad Graff
Posted:
Updated:
10/30/2015 12:01:00 AM CDT
10/31/2015 12:09:41 AM CDT
Justin Fontaine is expected to be placed on injured reserve Saturday after
the Wild's third-line winger suffered a lower-body injury that coach Mike
Yeo said will likely sideline Fontaine on a "week-to-week" basis.
Fontaine was hurt in the second period of the Wild's 5-4 win Friday night
when Blackhawks forward Andrew Desjardins collided with Fontaine on a
play in which Desjardins' knee hit Fontaine's knee. Desjardins was
assessed a two-minute penalty, and the Wild scored on the ensuing power
play.
"You don't like a knee-on-knee hit," Yeo said. "I know it's a tough one for
the refs and I kind of understood what they were saying, but I certainly felt
it warranted a five-minute major."
With Fontaine sidelined, the Wild are expected to call up a forward from
their AHL affiliate for Saturday's game in St. Louis, though Yeo was mum
on who that forward will be.
Jordan Schroeder and Kurtis Gabriel are the most likely to receive the
call-up.
Pioneer Press LOADED: 10.31.2015
979853
Minnesota Wild
Brian Murphy: Wild's two points mean more than revenge against
Blackhawks
into the game. Then he bagged their third one to yank them off the canvas
after Minnesota had built a two-goal lead.
Three minutes later, Artem Anisimov, the hulking center acquired from the
Blue Jackets in the Saad trade, answered Toews' tally with the tying goal.
Nino Niederreiter stepped up to pot the game winner 32 seconds into the
third period, and the Wild finished what they should have an hour earlier.
By Brian Murphy
Posted:
Updated:
10/31/2015 12:01:00 AM CDT
10/31/2015 12:30:21 AM CDT
"We're getting our wins, which is good," said Dubnyk. "We're going to
continue to try to get to our game, which doesn't happen right at the start of
the year. You build it. As long as we get wins along the way, that's the most
important thing."
Score-settling and statement-making in October is for chumps in a rivalry
as one-sided in moments of truth as Wild-Blackhawks.
Minnesota has played Chicago 15 times the last three postseasons,
boasting all of three wins. The Hawks' buzz-killing four-game sweep in
May en route to a third Stanley Cup championship in six seasons was a
chilling reminder they are the class of the NHL and the Wild's daddy.
The teams renewed acquaintances Friday night at the Xcel Energy
Center. The Wild skated off with a balanced and entertaining 5-4 victory
that helped them keep pace in the airtight and remarkably superior Central
Division more than retaliating against a team that has banished them to
the golf course three consecutive springs.
The reckoning is in six months, when deep drilling in the standings will be
required to determine home-ice advantage and playoff seeding.
Just 10 games into the 2015-16 season, points are at a premium because
Minnesota's division is monopolizing them like Rockefeller.
Six of the top seven teams in the Western Conference are from the
Central. It's a back-alley horserace where the division winner is destined to
be crowned whenever the last 2-by-4 is laid down.
The upstart Dallas Stars lead the way with 16 points. The Wild, Nashville
and St. Louis each have 15. Winnipeg has 13. Struggling Chicago is on the
back end, though its 12 points would have put the Blackhawks in second
place in the Atlantic Division entering play.
"There's no room to breathe," acknowledged Wild captain Mikko Koivu.
Friday was the first of five games between the teams, an unbalanced
divisional slate that could produce irregular tiebreaking scenarios.
Head-to-head records count only the last four games in the series, two in
Chicago and a pair of remaining Wild home games, including the Feb. 21
outdoor novelty act at TCF Bank Stadium.
That means one fewer game at Xcel, where for the first time in franchise
history the Wild have won their first five home games in regulation.
What is more, they have earned six of eight points against division
opponents as the club hastily packed for its flight to St. Louis and another
Central matchup Saturday against the Blues.
"Division wins are huge," said coach Mike Yeo. "We have a lot of teams
that would be in first place in a lot of other divisions. When you're going
head to head there's only so many points they're giving out. Making sure
you're getting them and making sure someone else isn't is real important."
The Stanley Cup hangover, meanwhile, remains an unavoidable side
effect for reigning champions.
The unrelenting pace of playing pressure-packed games deep into June
grinds down body and mind. Deep roster turnover is inevitable in the salary
cap era.
Minnesota Wild s Nino Niederreiter, right, of Switzerland, joins in the team
celebration of the decisive tie-breaking goal off Chicago Blackhawks
goalie
The Blackhawks shrewdly retooled after their 2010 and 2013
championships. Maintaining momentum off their 2015 Cup seems more
daunting.
The Stars peeled off veteran center Patrick Sharp and defenseman
Johnny Oduya via free agency while clutch scorer Brandon Saad was
dealt to Columbus before he could leverage a high-end contract.
Their core of captain Jonathan Toews, sniper Patrick Kane, money goalie
Corey Crawford and all-world defenseman Duncan Keith remains the envy
of any front office.
Toews, whose killer instinct is unrivaled, scored the short-handed goal that
woke up the Blackhawks after they yielded Jason Zucker's goal 18 second
979854
Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild: Strong third period leads to win over rival Blackhawks
By Chad Graff
Posted:
Updated:
10/31/2015 12:01:00 AM CDT
10/31/2015 12:28:37 AM CDT
The Chicago Blackhawks have treated the Wild like their little brother. The
Blackhawks have ended the season for St. Paul's skaters three straight
years, posting a 12-3 postseason record against the Wild.
So after an October win less than a month into the NHL season, the Wild
spared themselves of much celebration Friday night, even if their 5-4
victory at the Xcel Energy Center came over last season's Stanley Cup
champions.
"Until we end their season like they've ended ours," coach Mike Yeo said,
"then I don't take a whole lot out of that."
Revenge isn't delivered in October hockey games.
Still, wins against the defending champs never hurt, and the Wild earned
that with five different goal scorers.
Minnesota Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk, right, smothers a shot as Chicago
Blackhawks Artemi Panarin of Russia skates in in the third period of an
NHL hockey
Even after they let a two-goal lead slip in the second period.
Thanks to Nino Niederreiter's game-winner 32 seconds into the third
period and improved play from Devan Dubnyk in net the final 20 minutes,
the Wild hung on for their sixth one-goal victory of the young season. They
improved to 7-2-1 overall and, for the first time in franchise history, open a
season 5-0-0 at home.
"If we can get wins along the way while we build our game to the highest
level, that's all that matters," Dubnyk said. "It feels good (to beat Chicago)
because they're always a challenge. It seems like any game (against
them) could be 1-0 or 5-4. It's a fun challenge. They've obviously had our
number in the playoffs so any chance we can get one against them is
good.
"Friday's game yielded a high-scoring, slick-skating affair more
pleasurable for the 19,140 fans than the coaches.
The Wild showed defensive lapses that led to a 3 on 1 rush Jonathan
Toews turned into his second goal of the night and a breakaway goal by
Artem Anisimov.
But they found a way to win on a night they weren't perfect.
"As a player, these are fun games," Ryan Carter, a fourth line forward who
scored his second goal in four games, said. "I don't know that the coaching
staff likes them that much though. I think they like the 3-2 games."
If there's a concern from Yeo outside of defensive liabilities, it's his team's
ability to close out games.
They led 4-2 Friday night in the second period before two quick Chicago
goals in less than three minutes.
"It's just that killer instinct of keeping a team down and burying them in that
moment -- I don't think we've been particularly great at that," Yeo said. "But
what we have been absolutely outstanding at is when there have been
momentum shifts that have gone against us or something bad has
happened we've been able to collect ourselves and get back to our game."
The Wild got goals from each line except the top line.
But once again, Mikko Koivu's line started the scoring early. After Jason
Zucker set the franchise record for quickest goal in a game (10 seconds)
on Sunday, he scored 18 seconds into Friday's game. Linemate
Niederreiter scored the game-winner 32 seconds into the third, earning the
Wild a victory in the first of a back-to-back that takes them to St. Louis for a
game against the Blues on Saturday night.
"The way we started the third period," Yeo said, "that was the team we
need to be."
979855
Minnesota Wild
Wild report: Kuemper eager for another chance
By Chad Graff
Posted:
Updated:
10/30/2015 12:01:00 AM CDT
10/30/2015 07:08:59 PM CDT
Wild goaltender Darcy Kuemper's last start ended with him watching from
the stands in Winnipeg, home to one of the few NHL arenas that doesn't
make room for backup goalies on the bench.
After allowing four goals in less than 21 minutes, Kuemper was pulled and
took a seat opposite the team's bench, watching from behind the glass, an
arm's reach from Jets fans.
He had started that game in part because it was the second of
back-to-back games. Now, as the Wild begin another back-to-back,
hosting the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday before visiting the St. Louis
Blues on Saturday night, Kuemper is hoping he'll be back between the
pipes for his third start and a chance to redeem himself.
"It's always nice to play," said Kuemper, 25. "I felt good in practice
yesterday and (Friday). I'm looking forward to my next opportunity,
whether it's (Saturday) or whenever it is on the schedule. I'll be ready."
Before Friday's game, Wild coach Mike Yeo said he hadn't had
conversations with assistant coaches about whether Kuemper or Devan
Dubnyk, who was set to start against the Blackhawks on Friday, would be
the starting goalie Saturday.
NHL teams usually don't start the same goalie on consecutive nights this
early in the season, as evidenced by the Chicago Blackhawks' plan to start
backup Scott Darling against the Wild on Friday after Corey Crawford was
used Thursday in Winnipeg.
Because of that, backups like Kuemper often mentally prepare to start in
the second of back-to-backs.
"You have to be ready regardless of who you're playing, but you kind of
know which games are possibilities so you gear up for those and be as
ready as you can," Kuemper said.
As the starting goalie at the beginning of last season, Kuemper was able to
quickly move past tough outings because the team counted on him the
next game. That's more difficult as a backup.
In his career, Kuemper has been pulled from starts nine times and posted
a 2-3-2 record with a 3.41 goals-against average and .887 save
percentage in his next start, five of which have come on the road.
In an effort to leave last Sunday's difficult start behind him, Kuemper
watched video of the game with goalie coach Bob Mason.
"It was a tough situation, where we hadn't really practiced the past two
days, so I really hadn't been on the ice," Kuemper said. "My footwork and
everything was pretty good, but my tracking (of the puck) was a little off.
Maybe that was because of the lack of ice time."
Kuemper's other start this season was in Los Angeles, a fine 35-save
performance when the Wild lost 2-1 in overtime game.
He said he's ready for what could be his third start of the season Saturday.
"I've been feeling good (during practice this week)," Kuemper said. "I'll be
ready for my next opportunity."
NEW BAD BLOOD
In an astounding show of roster stability, fourth-line forward Chris Porter is
the only Minnesota player who wasn't here for last season's second-round
playoff loss to Chicago.
Yet even Porter, claimed on waivers by the Wild at the beginning of this
month, is familiar with a rivalry involving the Blackhawks. He was with the
St. Louis Blues in 2014 when they lost to the Blackhawks in an
opening-round playoff series.
"They took it us the same way that they did here," Porter said. "So, I'm very
familiar with that team and that group. ... I think there's a great rivalry there
and there's a benchmark you want to get to, and it's a good game to play
and see where you're at."
Nearly a month into his time with the Wild, Porter said he has reached a
point where he can play Yeo's system without having to think about where
he needs to be on each play.
"I feel good and I'm not thinking on the ice; I'm just playing," he said. "And
I think our line is doing a good job of developing some good chemistry and
getting a lot of offensive zone time."
BRIEFLY
After serving as a healthy scratch in five of the Wild's first six games, Nate
Prosser was set to be in the Wild's lineup Friday, his third appearance in
four games. Christian Folin was set to miss Friday's game as a healthy
scratch.
979856
Montreal Canadiens
Weise, Byron unlikely heroes in Canadiens' win
Pat Hickey, Montreal Gazette
EDT
CALGARY — There was no shortage of unlikely heroes Friday as the
Canadiens salvaged their western Canada road trip with a 6-2 win over the
Calgary.
The win eased the pain of two disappointing losses in Vancouver and
Edmonton.
“It felt good because we’ve played so poorly the last two games and we
needed a win tonight,” said Dale Weise, who led the offence with his first
career hat-trick.
Weise said his partners on the third line, Tomas Fleischmann and David
Desharnais, made it easy for him to score the goals, although it should be
noted that his second goal was unassisted after he took advantage of a
mental mistake by Mason Raymond.
Weise took advantage of goaltender Joni Ortio’s inexperience, beating him
on two long shots. The first went through the five hole, while the second
beat him high on the glove side.
“The first one I was kind of surprised because I shot it through their D-man
and I didn’t see it go in,” said Weise. “The ref signalled goal and I got a little
excited. The second one I knew when I shot it that he didn’t really see it.”
Fleischmann made the big play on the third goal, passing up a shot and
setting Weise up with a blind drop pass in close.
“It was ubelievable,” Weise said of the pass. “I was trying to get to the net.
I knew he was trying to make a play and he has unbelievable hands in
tight.”
The goal produced a parade of hats, a rarity on the road but not surprising
considering the large number of Canadiens jerseys in the stands.
“I was little shocked but it just shows the great fans we have,” said Weise.
Weise now has six goals, one fewer than team leader Max Pacioretty.
“I’ve had so many that I’ve missed, empty nets,” said Weise. “Last night, I
missed an empty net that would have made it 4-2 that probably changes
the game.”
Weise said he felt good for Paul Byron, who was claimed on waivers from
the Fames on the eve of the season opener. Byron assisted on Devante
Smith-Pelly’s first goal and then scored a shorthanded goal to put the
Canadiens ahead 5-2.
“That’s as good as it gets,” said Weise. “I told him I never saw a bench
reaction like that, it was like he scored an OT winner. He hasn’t been in the
lineup, he’s working hard every day and to score a goal like that feels
good.”
Byron agreed.
“It feels really good, not just because they waived me but to get the season
going right and help the team get the two points,” said Byron, who was a
healthy scratch for 10 games before making his season debut Thursday in
Edmonton.
“It was a big goal because they’re on the power play and if they score, it’s
4-3 and instead we’re up 5-2,” said Byron.
Byron made a cross-ice pass to Smith-Pelly on the goal that made it 4-2.
“I was was calling for it early and he made a great pass,” said Smith-Pelly.
Torrey Mitchell picked up an assist on that goal and he and Smith-Pelly
picked up a point in each of the three games on this trip.
Backup goaltender Mike Condon made 30 saves to run his record to 3-0.
Weise noted that Condon set the tone for the game in the first period when
he stopped 15 shots and allowed the Canadiens to take a 1-0 lead.
Oh, we should mention that defenceman Nathan Beaulieu scored on the
power-play for his first goal of the season.
Montreal Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2015
979857
Montreal Canadiens
Weise's hat trick helps Canadiens get back to their winning ways
PM EDT
CALGARY — Dale Weise had his first career hat-trick and Paul Byron had
a goal and an assist against his former team as the Canadiens got back on
the winning track with a 6-2 win over the Calgary Flames Friday night at
the Scotiabank Saddledome.
Rookie goaltender Mike Condon made 30 saves as he ran his record to
3-0. The win ended a two-game losing streak for the Canadiens who ran
their record to an NHL-best 10-2-0.
Striking first: The Canadiens took a 1-0 lead in the first period despite
being outshot 15-13. Weise notched his fourth goal of the season at 5:20
when he put a shot between Joni Ortio’s pads. Tomas Fleischmann
carried the puck into the Calgary zone and then pulled up along the boards
and passed to Weise, who was trailing on the play. Condon made an early
save on Sean Monahan and got a break when T. J. Brodie had an opening
but lost the handle on the puck. Condon stopped Johnny Gaudreau on a
wraparound attempt midway through the period.
Scoring spree: After a first period marked by solid goaltending, both teams
came out firing in the second period and produced four goals in the first
6:57. Jiri Hudler got the Flames on the board at the 27-second mark of the
second period. He beat Condon from a sharp angle three seconds after
the expiration of a penalty to Max Pacioretty. The Canadiens regained the
lead when Nathan Beaulieu scored his first goal of the season on a power
play at 2:32. Josh Jooris converted on a rebound of a shot by Gaudreau at
4:41 to deadlock the game at 2-2. Weise put Montreal back on top when
he scored his second of the night at 6:57. He took advantage of some
indecision by Mason Raymond to grab a loose puck in the Flames’ zone
and beat Ortio with a 30-footer to the glove side.
Happy homecoming: Byron, who was waived by the Flames at the end of
training camp, stayed in the lineup in place of Alexander Semin. Byron
picked up his first point as a Canadien when his cross-ice pass set up
Devante Smith-Pelly to put Montreal ahead 4-2 at 12:22 of the second
period and he added an unassisted shorthanded goal at 3:53 of the third
period. Byron blocked a pass in the neutral zone and then won a foot race
against Mark Giordano. Weise completed the rout — and his hat-trick —
when he scored at 11:44. Fleischmann took the puck to the net but passed
up the shot for a blind drop pass to Weise. It was the first time Weise has
had more than two points in a game.
Home sweet home: The Canadiens will play their next four games at
home, beginning Sunday night when the Winnipeg Jets are in town (7
p.m., Sportsnet One, Sportsnet 360, RDS, TSN-690 Radio). The Jets will
be followed by the Ottawa Senators Tuesday, the New York Islanders
Thursday and the Boston Bruins Saturday.
979858
Montreal Canadiens
In the Habs' Room: Montreal Canadiens need to turn things around in
Calgary: Max Pacioretty
EDT
Edmonton — The Canadiens said they took their foot off the gas in the
final two periods of their 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oilers Thursday night
but it looked more like they slammed on the brakes.
“Instead of playing 60 minutes, we played about 20,” Tomas Plekanec said
after the Canadiens squandered a 3-0 first-period lead. “We thought we
were going to score more goals and it was going to be an easy night and it
wasn’t.”
It would be understatement to say the Canadiens sat. They were outshot
11-5 in each of the final two periods but Plekanec gave a nod to the Oilers’
offensive talent.
“They play well offensively and we gave them so much room in the second
and third periods and we paid for it.”
The Canadiens’ season-opening win streak has now become a losing
streak and captain Max Pacioretty said the team has to turn things around
when it wraps up this western road trip Friday night in Calgary.
“We have to make sure it doesn’t happen again, there isn’t much more we
can say but that,” Pacioretty said. “We think we’re untouchable when we
get a lead like that and then we leave our goalie stranded. I’m a little
embarrassed but we have a game tomorrow and we have to prove this
was a fluke.
“We got fancy, overconfident,” he added. “We stopped putting pucks on
the net. Our game is to put pucks on the net, forecheck, win the 50-50
battles and that wasn’t there after the first period and that’s on all of us.”
Carey Price saw his record here fall to 0-4 and he is 1-6-1 lifetime against
the Oilers but he aid he didn’t feel snakebit.
”You take each game as it comes,” said Price. “Tonight should have been
the night for us but it wasn’t.
“We were still in a pretty good situation, up 3-2 on the road, but we
continued to sit back and make plays that weren’t there and they took
advantage of it,” said Price. “They outearned it for two periods.”
Price said he was impressed with rookie Connor McDavid, who assisted
on two goals to run his consecutive-game points streak to seven games.
“He’s a dynamic players,” Price said. “There’s no question he’s going be
an excellent addition to this league. He’s exciting and his talent is really
outstanding. I’m happy for the Oilers fans who are going to be seeing him
for the next 15 or 20 years.
There were some bright spots. The power play produced a goal and
Torrey Mitchell scored his fifth of the season, one goal behind his
production for all of last season.
“We were on our toes in the first and then we were on our heels the rest of
the game,” Mitchell said. “We’ve had different situations here to start the
season and we have things to fix for sure.”
The offensive star for the Oilers was Leon Draisaitl, who was called up
from Bakersfield of the AHL earlier in the day. He had a 3:45 wakeup call
in Bakersfield, caught at 6:30 a.m. flight to Phoenix and arrived in
Edmonton mid-afternoon. A lack of sleep didn’t bother him as he scored
two goals including the winner with 62 seconds to play.
Brandon Davidson, who was playing only his fourth game this season and
the 16th of his career, also scored while newcomer Darnell Nurse turned in
a solid game on defence.
McDavid said it was good to see the youngsters step up and play well for a
team that has been hit by injuries in the past week.
“Any time there are injuries, you’ll see young guys getting called up, and
stepping up,” McDavid said. “It’s just sticking with it, and not giving up on it.
There have been a lot of times when you’re down 3-0 and you just give up.
We’ll get the next one. The resiliency, the mental toughness to stick with it
says a lot for this group.”
979859
Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens-Flames preview: Calgary slow out of gate
EDT
CANADIENS AT FLAMES
Scotiabank Saddledome, Friday, 9 p.m., CITY, RDS, TSN-690 Radio.
The matchup: While the Canadiens set a team record with their nine-game
winning streak to start the season, the Flames got off to a disappointing
start. Calgary’s 5-4 shootout loss in Ottawa Wednesday left the team with
a 2-7-1 record and the Flames are 1-4 at the Saddledome. That’s not a
good start for a team that had high hopes after making the playoffs last
season, and coach Bob Hartley may find himself on thin ice if the Flames
don’t turn it around.
Changes for Montreal: Coach Michel Therrien made the first lineup
changes among his skaters Thursday when he benched Alex Semin for
the game in Edmonton and replaced him with Paul Byron, who was
making his debut in a Montreal uniform. Semin, who was signed as a free
agent during the off-season, was on a short leash but Therrien was
reluctant to make a change while the team was on a winning streak. Semin
had one goal and two assists. He has gone three games without a point,
but the more disturbing stat was that he had only three shots in those
games.
Where’s the defence? The Flames’ woes can be traced to their defence,
which ranks 29th in the league, allowing nearly four goals a game. Karri
Ramo was banished to the AHL after losing his first three games and
posting a 4.37 goals-against average. Jonas Hiller, with a 3.67 GAA, is the
No. 1 but his availability is in question. He suffered a lower-body injury
when Bobby Ryan ran into him Wednesday. He was replaced by Joni
Ortio, who has a 2.96 GAA. The Flames rank 23rd on the power play and
16th on the penalty-kill. Johnny Gaudreau (one goal, 10 assists) is the
team’s leading scorer. No Flame has scored more than three goals.
Injury update: The Flames have listed Hiller as day-to-day. Long-term
casualties are Ryan Culkin (shoulder), Lance Bouma (broken fibula) and
Michael Ferland (lower-body). The Canadiens haven’t lost any
man-games to injury this season.
What’s next: This game marks the end of the Canadiens’ three-game
Western Canada road trip and the team will open a four-game homestand
on Sunday when the Winnipeg Jets come calling (7 p.m., SNE, RDS, TSN
Radio 690). The homestand runs through next week with games against
Ottawa Tuesday, the Islanders Thursday and the Boston Bruins Saturday.
979860
Montreal Canadiens
And his teammates must like him: the Canadiens have scored 13 goals in
Condon’s last two starts.
About last night …
• Paul Byron has scored in his second game as a Sabre, Flame and
Canadien.
Posted by Mike Boone
• The last time the Canadiens won in regulation in Calgary – Jan. 5, 2002 –
Alex Galchenyuk was seven years old.
It’s past midnight on the second of a back-to-back.
This will be the Paul Byron edition of ALN: Short and sweet.
Your Montreal Canadiens did not play well in Edmonton Thursday night.
And until Dale Weise flashed his “Dutch Gretzky” scoring touch, the team
was being outplayed in Calgary.
When the dust settled on a 6-2 win, the Canadiens had raised their record
to an NHL-best 10-2. The team will have a happy flight home before
facing a major test Sunday night, when the big, tough and talented
Winnipeg Jets visit the Bell Centre.
It was the Night of the Plumbers in Calgary.
• In a mere 14:17 of ice time, Dale Weise scored three times, led both
teams with seven SoG, had three hits and blocked two shots.
• Weise’s linemate, Tomas Fleischmann, had two assists – as did their
centre, David Desharnais. Each member of the line was plus-3.
• In his first game against the team that put him on waivers, Paul Byron
scored a spectacular breakaway goal and added an assist.
• Devante Smith-Pelly, who lost weight in the off-season and has worked
what’s left of his butt off since the puck dropped Oct. 7 in Toronto, finally
scored his first goal of the season.
• Torrey Mitchell assisted on the Byron and DSP goals.
The Canadiens are getting outstanding production from their bottom six
forwards. And the top line – Tomas Plekanec, Max Pacioretty and the
indefatigable Brendan Gallagher – had its moments in Calgary … largely
because Gallagher hustles and makes things happen on every shift.
The concern – as the Canadiens begin a four-game homestand that
includes visits by the Senators, Islanders and resurgent Bruins – is the
team’s ostensible second line.
Alex Galchenyuk makes nice moves and creates promising chances. But
he has two goals this season – four fewer than Weise, three fewer than
Mitchell.
Galchenyuk’s scoring winger, Alexander Semin, was in the pressbox in
Edmonton and Calgary. He may be there for a while, unless Michel
Therrien decides to give Lars Eller a night off on Sunday.
Eller was on the ice for the Josh Jooris goal that tied the game 2-2 in
Calgary. That was at 4:41 of the second period, and Eller didn’t play
another shift until two minutes into the third – when he promptly took a
slashing penalty.
Because the game became a rout, Michel Therrien used Eller for a few
shifts in the third. But the centre-turned-winger, who began the season as
a nice complement to Galchenyuk and Semin, has reverted to the Lars
Eller of yesteryear – bereft of confidence, prone to taking penalties at
inopportune times.
Galchenyuk’s forte is playmaking. He needs wingers who can score. The
jury is out on whether Semin can fill that role. The jury was in long ago on
Eller as an NHL scorer.
You don’t want to mess with the chemistry of a team that has the league’s
best record. But you have to think that Marc Bergevin is at least thinking
about acquiring a sniper for Galchenyuk.
At this early stage, it’s the general manager’s only headache.
The Canadiens blueline corps is solid. They beat the Flames without a
single point from either Andrei Markov or P.K. Subban, both of whom
played reasonable minutes (19:32 for Markov – less ToI than either Jeff
Petry or Alexei Emelin).
Oops! Nearly forgot Mike Condon, who kept the Canadiens in the game
while Calgary was dominating in the early going.
Condon has won all three starts. His GAA of 1.67 and save percentage of
.944 are better than the comparable numbers of the goaltender Condon
has watched in nine games.
979861
Montreal Canadiens
The Morning After: Habs’ Pacioretty embarrassed by loss to Oilers
Posted by Stu Cowan
HKN Canadiens Oilers 20151029
Maybe Alex Semin wasn’t the problem.
Canadiens coach Michel Therrien made Semin a healthy scratch for
Thursday’s game in Edmonton and it looked like a good move as the
Canadiens roared out to a 3-0 lead after the first period on goals by
Brendan Gallagher, Torrey Mitchell and Alex Galchenyuk.
But then they sat back and watched as the Oilers rallied for a 4-3 victory
with Leon Draisaitl scoring the winning goal at 18:58 of the third period.
After starting the season 9-0, it was the second straight loss for the
Canadiens, following Tuesday’s 5-1 loss in Vancouver.
Paul Byron, acquired from the Calgary Flames on waivers before the start
of the season, took Semin’s spot in the lineup and logged only 9:46 of ice
time, including 1:41 short-handed. The only Hab with less ice time was
Devante Smith-Pelly with 9:19. Byron failed to get a shot on goal and was
credited with one hit.
The 5-foot-8, 158-pounder was hoping to get back in the lineup Friday in
Calgary (9 p.m., CITYM, RDS, TSN Radio 690) when the Canadiens take
on his old team.
“I want to play them pretty bad,” Byron told reporters in Edmonton after
Thursday’s game. “Everything that’s happened there with them, I’ll have a
lot of positive energy to play in that game. I’d like to, but it’s up to the
coaching staff now.”
About the loss to the Oilers, Byron said: “Tonight we didn’t bring forth a
60-minute effort. We played for one period and the other team brought it to
us and we learned that we can’t do that.”
Byron will get his wish. The Canadiens announced on Friday afternoon
that the only change to the lineup will be Mike Condon starting in goal
instead of Carey Price. So Semin will sit again.
979862
Nashville Predators
Predators eye improvement even with strong start
Adam Vingan, 9 p.m. CDT October 30, 2015
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Finding an apparent weakness in a team with a
7-1-1 record requires some serious nitpicking.
Yet room for improvement will always remain, even for the Predators, who
could match the best 10-game start in franchise history if they defeat the
Los Angeles Kings on Saturday.
“I think now, we have stats on everything — zone time and shot
differentials and everything — so now I think we can break down parts of
our game that we know we’ve got to be better (at) if we want to continue
playing like this," Predators forward Mike Fisher said. "...There are some
things that we still know we've got to work on and be better (at) if we want
to continue on and continue to tilt the odds in your favor night in and night
out."
Truthfully, there isn't much for the Predators to be concerned about
currently. Entering Friday, Nashville owns the NHL's stingiest defense,
allowing only 1.89 goals per game. The offense, though not as prolific, is
still formidable at 2.78 goals per game. Through nine games, the
Predators are also the only team in the league that hasn't allowed a
first-period goal. If they extend their season-opening streak to 12, they'll tie
the NHL record set by the 1974-75 Kings, according to Elias Sports
Bureau.
As for what can be bettered, the most obvious area is faceoffs as the
Predators are the league's worst team in that regard at 44.4 percent as of
Friday.
"It comes from just preparation, being ready," said Fisher, who has a 47.8
individual faceoff percentage. "Obviously it's a centerman's deal, but
getting help from everyone. We just know we've got to be better."
Fisher and Predators captain Shea Weber each mentioned the power
play, which has recently cooled with one goal in 13 opportunities in the
past four games. Puck possession has progressively improved —
Nashville has controlled 52.1 percent of the even-strength shot attempts
over the past six games after taking 46.2 percent across the first three,
according to war-on-ice.com — but room for growth remains.
"It's gotten way better since the first three games of the year," Predators
coach Peter Laviolette said. "We're playing much faster and getting the
puck moving forward, getting into the offensive zone, so the attack, I think,
the shots on net, the attempts, the five-on-five play has been better. From
the first three games, we were sitting back a little too much."
The Predators are undoubtedly pleased with how their season has begun,
but they are by no means satisfied and understand that there is
significantly more work to be done.
“You have to be consistent in this league," Predators general manager
David Poile said Thursday. "The highs and the lows which are almost
inevitable to happen have to be very short, especially the lows or you’re
not even going to make the playoffs. That’s what we were able to do last
year and so far this year, it’s the same thing.
"You look for that in all areas of your game. … What I’m looking for is
perfection. I know that’s not (a realistic) scenario that I just painted, but
that’s what we strive for every day.”
Tennessean LOADED: 10.31.2015
979863
Nashville Predators
Expect Cogen to hit a home run in Tampa Bay
David Ammenheuser, 7:23 p.m. CDT October 30, 2015
Buried beneath the upcoming stories of the free agent signings and
managerial hires, there will be this small mention during the upcoming
winter meetings:
TAMPA BAY RAYS: Hired Jeff Cogen to front-office position.
It's an offseason baseball transaction that will get very little nationwide
attention.
Yet, Rays fans should be ecstatic. Cogen's signing could do more for the
Tampa Bay baseball market than any free-agent player signing.
This 58-year-old sports executive may be able to supply the ray of hope
that this 17-year-old franchise needs.
Despite playing in a metro market more than twice the size of Nashville,
the Rays have had trouble attracting fans to Tropicana Field. The Rays
ranked last in major league attendance this past season, averaging 15,403
fans. By comparison, under Cogen's leadership, the Predators averaged
16,854 per game last season. That's 1,451 more per game. The Predators'
lowest single-game attendance (15,566) was above the Rays' average.
It's the third straight season the Rays' attendance has dropped. It's the
fourth straight season the Rays' attendance has ranked last in the majors.
There are few better salesmen, promoters and sports marketers than
Cogen. He got his start as a promoter for Ringling Bros. and Barnum &
Bailey Circus. He then went to work for Mike Illitch, managing the Joe
Louis Arena and Fox Theater in Detroit. From there, he excelled in top
management roles with the Florida Panthers, Dallas Stars and Texas
Rangers.
His best work was done here in Nashville as the CEO of the Predators. He
and COO Sean Henry turned NHL hockey games into must-see events in
the South. Few would've ever thunk it.
Yet, baseball has always been his first sports love.
That's why this opportunity was too good for Cogen to ignore. Going to
Tampa Bay, he will advise and assist Brian Auld, who has been with the
franchise for 10 years but is in his first season as team president.
Cogen needs to tap in to the Rays fanbase which is largely a stay-at-home
watch-the-Rays on TV fanbase. Earlier this month, the Rays Tweeted
"#Rays games on @FOXSportsRays rank 1st for prime-time viewing in
Tampa-St. Pete for average nightly viewership (4.2 HH)."
The Rays ranked 12th overall in overall television viewership among
markets with baseball franchises. And the TV rights to the Rays games is
up for renewal after the 2016 season. If recent history is an indicator, the
Rays could become the latest pro sports franchise to get a heap of cash in
their next broadcast rights deal.
But that won't solve the team's biggest problem: Tropicana Field.
The Rays have spent many years trying to upgrade Tropicana Field and
woo more fans. The Rays have had negotiations with the city about
negotiating an early release from their lease, which extends to 2027. The
team would prefer to build a new ballpark in the Tampa Bay area.
However, negotiations continue to stall.
Now for a bit of caution: Cogen is not going to Tampa Bay with the intent
on helping the Rays move to Nashville. That's not happening.
He's going to work hard to make the Rays successful in their current
market.
And it's the feeling here, that he'll hit another home run.
Tennessean LOADED: 10.31.2015
979864
New Jersey Devils
Devils' Brian O'Neill came inches from scoring his first NHL goal
Rich Chere
on October 30, 2015 at 6:00 AM, updated October 30, 2015 at 6:04 AM
PHILADELPHIA — An iron post and an inch or two prevented Devils
winger Brian O'Neill from enjoying an extra special homecoming.
The Yardley, Pa., native, the first Bucks County-born player to reach the
NHL, almost scored his first goal in the league when he tipped a shot from
defenseman Adam Larsson into the left post at 8:42 of the first period
Thursday night at Wells Fargo Center.
"I tipped it back across the net and unfortunately it hit the post," O'Neill
said. "I couldn't see it because I had my back to the net, but I heard it. I
thought, 'It must have gotten pretty close.' For sure you think it goes in if it
hits the post. Or at least 50-50."
Still, the Devils emerged with a 4-1 victory over the Flyers and O'Neill
played well.
He said he did not spot his family in the crowd.
"No. Usually once the game gets going that's the last thing on my mind,"
O'Neill said. "Hopefully they had good seats."
The fact that the Devils are winning (five wins in their last six games)
erased whatever disappointment O'Neill had about coming so close
without scoring.
"We've been on a pretty good run here the last five games," he said.
"Obviously the loss against Columbus was pretty disappointing, but we
responded well."
Star Ledger LOADED: 10.31.2015
979865
New Jersey Devils
How did Devils players dress at their Halloween costume party?
Rich Chere
October 30, 2015 at 6:00 AM, updated October 30, 2015 at 6:03 AM
NEWARK — If you spot a couple of Oompa Loompas trick or treating
Saturday, you might want to take a closer look. They could be Devils
winger Jordin Tootoo and his wife, Jen.
The Devils held their Halloween party in Hoboken on Sunday and the
Tootoos were deemed to have the best costumes as they dressed up as
the characters from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
"I think everyone had pretty unique costumes," Tootoo said modestly.
"You're quite anxious to see what everyone is wearing. My wife definitely
has a little more creativity than I do. She looked it up a few weeks ago. It
was between the Oompa Loompas or Superman and Wonder Woman.
The Oompa Loompa costumes fit perfectly so we went with that."
It may have been the Oompa Loompa dance that stood out most for
Tootoo's teammates.
"They played the song while we were all there," he said. "I probably
should've done a little more homework before I got there regarding the
Oompa Loompa dance. I looked over at Cory (Schneider) and he was
doing the dance himself, so I just imitated him. That's the first time I ever
saw it."
Schneider got high marks for his Forrest Gump costume. Oddly enough,
defenseman John Moore also went as Forrest Gump.
"I thought it was creative. I walked in and John Moore's wearing the same
thing," Schneider said with a frustrated shrug. "Maybe my details were a
little better but Johnny, the way he carries himself, was a little more Forrest
Gumpy."
A compliment?
"I don't know if that can be a compliment," Moore said. "But I appreciate it."
Stephen Gionta and his wife, Kaitlin, went as New England Patriots coach
Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady. Stephen wore a cutoff
sweatshirt and had a clipboard, headset and sweat pants.
"I told him he could've worn khakis," Schneider said.
Other costumes included:
Jacob Josefson as a hippie with paisley shirt, black fringe vest and peace
medallion.
Lee and Lindsay Stempniak as Popeye and Olive Oil.
Patrik Elias went as a 'Cereal' killer with blood and cereal boxes (with
knives) duct-taped onto himself.
Adam Henrique dressed as Wild Thing from Major League.
Travis Zajac was Olaf from Frozen.
Eric Gelinas was an ultimate warrior.
Andy Greene was Lieutenant Dan.
Stefan Matteau went as a ninja.
Damon Severson was a plastic surgeon.
Kyle Palmieri was a penguin. Not THE Penguin from Batman.
"Keith Kinkaid and his girlfriend were the walking dead," Tootoo said.
"They put a lot of time and effort into putting the makeup on. The more I
looked at them, the creepier they got. I thought that was pretty good."
But the Tootoos were most memorable.
"Toots was good, Rico was pretty good. The Forrest Gumps were good,"
Gionta said. "I hadn't seen Forrest Gump yet on Halloween. That was
pretty good."
979866
New Jersey Devils
Devils "in an OK place" after first 10 games and looking to keep
progressing as schedule toughens
Posted by Tom Gulitti
Having completed the first 10 games of their schedule with a 5-4-1 record,
the Devils may have surprised some people so far, but that does not mean
they are satisfied as they begin their second 10-game segment Saturday
afternoon against the Islanders at Prudential Center.
“We're taking the right steps,” Devils captain Andy Greene said today. “We
didn't get off to the start we wanted to, but the last five or six games have
been pretty good. Now, we've got to continue. Ten games doesn't make a
season. We've got to continue to get better in practice and in games every
day and keep taking steps. We're not a team that can take games off, take
periods off. When we do, we see what happens. If we stick together and
continue to grow, we can take steps in the right direction.”
It looked as if it might be a very long season after the Devils lost their first
three games in regulation, but they are 5-1-1 since then to hit the 10-game
mark with 11 points.
“Probably better than some people expected out of us, but, how we felt
about ourselves, I think we're in an OK place,” goaltender Cory Schneider
said. “I actually feel like we've left a few points on the table. Maybe there's
a couple points we've gotten that we shouldn't have, but I feel as though
we could be even better than we are right now. So, hopefully, this is
sustainable. I think the way we've been playing it's not as if we've been
getting lucky and pulling games out of the fire. I think we've controlled a
few games and played well and I think it's definitely sustainable.
"So, maybe it's not a fluke that we're above .500 10 games in.”
“After the first three games, we're satisfied where we are,” Greene said. “If
you asked me after we lost the first three there, that's not where we want to
be, but we've been resilient and have come back hard to fight back to
where we are.”
The word Devils coach John Hynes used to describe where his team
stands through its first 10 games was “progressing.”
“I think the biggest thing really from the five to 10-game (mark) was just, to
the credit of the players, you're starting to see guys really take charge of
the team,” Hynes said. “Their games are growing. We've had guys that
have really been difference makers in the games and when your players
can do that and provide that type of work ethic and compete then the
systems and things you're trying to put in place really work well.
“So, I'd say (it's) a good progression, but the biggest progression we've
seen now is just the elevation of individual player performances.”
Among the players who have elevated their games has been center Travis
Zajac, who scored two goals in Thursday's 4-1 win in Philadelphia and has
four goals and three assists over the last five games.
“I think the first thing that jumps out is just his compete level and the
energy that he's playing with,” Hynes said of Zajac. “He had the goals last
night, which was great, but I think when you look over the course of the
game he was so impactful, whether it was on winning faceoffs, winning his
puck battles, (and) he was excellent on the penalty kill. I think when you
see a player of his caliber and his hockey sense play with that energy and
determination and compete, then, more often than not, end results like last
night are going to follow, whether it's pucks in the net or being a real
strong, impact player.”
Thursday's victory over the Flyers was probably the Devils' most complete
performance of the season. Although they had nothing to show for it after
controlling play in the first period and then fell behind in the second, they
pushed back and took back control in the third.
That was particularly encouraging because the Devils crumbled in a
similar situation in their 3-1 loss to Columbus Tuesday night.
“The Columbus game was real good until the third and then (Thursday) our
third was our best period, so we made the adjustment and we learned from
it,” said Schneider, who will start his eighth consecutive game Saturday.
“The schedule kind of picks up here. We've got some real tough teams
coming through, so that will be a good test for us to see where we're at
against some of the league's elite.”
After playing four of their last five games against teams that didn't qualify
for the playoffs last season, the Devils face a much tougher schedule over
the next month. Only two of their next 13 games come against teams that
didn't make the postseason in 2014-15 – Nov. 20 at Edmonton and Nov.
25 at home against Columbus.
The Devils play their next eight in a row against 2014-15 playoff teams.
That stretch begins with two in a row against the 6-2-2 Islanders– Saturday
and Tuesday (at Barclays Center) – before hosting the reigning Stanley
Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks next Friday to begin a three-game
homestand that also includes games against Vancouver (Nov. 8) and St.
Louis (Nov. 10).
After that comes another game against the Cup champs on Nov. 12 in
Chicago and visit from Sidney Crosby and the Penguins on Nov. 14 before
they begin their three-game Western Canada road trip on Nov. 17 in
Calgary. Following games in Edmonton and Vancouver (Nov. 22), the
Devils return home to face the Blue Jackets before closing out the month
of November with a home-and-home series with Montreal (Nov. 27 and
28).
Bergen Record LOADED: 10.31.2015
979867
New Jersey Devils
Jiri Tlusty "questionable" for Saturday's game vs. Islanders with
upper-body injury
Devils coach John Hynes said left wing Jiri Tlusty is “questionable” for
Saturday's game against the Islanders after sitting out today's practice
with an upper-body injury.
“He's questionable for tomorrow, but it's not a long-term thing,” Hynes said.
“So, we held him out today and, hopefully, he feels better tomorrow and
should be good to go.”
I saw Tlusty in the locker room after today's practice and he sounded
confident that he will play against the Islanders.
“I'll be fine tomorrow,” he said.
Although Matteau practiced today in Tlusty's spot at the line with Travis
Zajac and Kyle Palmieri, Hynes said the coaching staff hadn't decided yet
whether Matteau or Bobby Farnham would take Tlusty's place in the lineup
if he is unable to play against the Islanders. Tlusty's health might also
impact whether Hynes goes with 11 forwards and seven defensemen for
the third consecutive game, but he seemed to like the way the team played
with the seven defensemen in Thursday's 4-1 win in Philadelphia.
“Some of it will not necessarily depend on Jiri, but we'll finish our
evaluation of (Thursday's) game this afternoon and probably discuss and
then make a decision for tomorrow,” Hynes said. “But, it won't be basically
on one player. It's what we think is going to be the right fit for tomorrow.”
Cory Schneider will start his eighth consecutive game in net.
The Devils practiced for only about 15 minutes today. Then, Hynes told
pretty much everyone to get off the ice, except for Matteau, Farnham and
backup goalie Keith Kinkaid, who did some extra work.
“It's a 1 o'clock game and we don't skate tomorrow morning, so it's just to
keep everyone focused and usually after a game it's good to do some
exercise and get the lactic acid out,” Hynes said. “That's all really today
was focused on.”
979868
New Jersey Devils
Jiri Tlusty misses Devils' practice
Left wing Jiri Tlusty did not participate in the Devils' practice today at
Prudential Center as they prepare for Saturday afternoon's game against
the Islanders.
A Devils' spokesperson said that head coach John Hynes would provide
information on Tlusty's absence following practice. Stefan Matteau is
skating today in Tlusty's spot on the line with Travis Zajac and Kyle
Palmieri.
Everyone else on the active roster participated in today's practice.
The Devils are coming off a 4-1 win in Philadelphia Thursday night.
Here is the breakdown of those practicing today:
Forwards: Mike Cammalleri-Adam Henrique-Lee Stempniak; Stefan
Matteau-Travis Zajac-Kyle Palmieri; Sergey Kalinin-Jacob
Josefson-Jordin Tootoo; Bobby Farnham-Stephen Gionta-Brian O'Neill.
Defensemen: Andy Greene-Adam Larsson, John Moore-Damon
Severson; Eric Gelinas-David Schlemko; Jon Merrill.
Goaltenders: Cory Schneider, Keith Kinkaid.
979869
New Jersey Devils
Gelinas rewards Devils for keeping faith
October 31, 2015
Last updated: Saturday, October 31, 2015, 1:21 AM
By TOM GULITTI
After Eric Gelinas played what was by his own admission an "awful game"
Oct. 22 in Ottawa, the Devils’ defenseman wasn’t sure when he’d get his
next chance to play.
In the past two seasons, either under former head coach Pete DeBoer or
co-coach Scott Stevens, such a performance would almost certainly mean
Gelinas would sit out the next game as a healthy scratch. Current Devils
coach John Hynes took a different approach, though.
Hynes went right back to Gelinas in the next game in Buffalo, but scaled
back his role, taking him off the power play, so he could concentrate solely
on his even-strength game. Although Gelinas played only 9:58 in the 4-3
win over the Sabres, he played responsibly in those minutes and earned
back his power-play time in the next game.
He then picked up a power-play assist in Thursday night’s 4-1 win in
Philadelphia.
"I think I answered pretty well. I kept my game simple and made some, it
turned out to be, nice plays," Gelinas said. "It’s just a matter of sticking to
that and not getting out of my way and trying to do more things in order to
look better. It’s working this way, so I want to keep it going this way."
Gelinas, who will be in the lineup again this afternoon against the
Islanders, clearly appreciated the vote of confidence he received from
Hynes. A similar approach in the second half of last season by Stevens
with Adam Larsson has paid off nicely with Larsson, 22, emerging now as
one of the team’s best defensemen.
Gelinas is 24, but still young in terms of his development as an NHL
defenseman. Although he’s always been a threat offensively because of
his big shot from the point, he understands that he needs to take care of
his own end first to play regularly in this league.
"Just the fact that they actually put me back out there after a bad game, it
showed me that they trust me and they believe in me," Gelinas said. "So,
that was a nice pat on the back and it’s not really something I’ve had in the
past. It felt good and it was nice just from a personal standpoint to get back
out there right after it."
979870
New Jersey Devils
New job at Maple Leafs GM leaves Lou Lamoriello re-energized
October 31, 2015
Last updated: Saturday, October 31, 2015, 1:20 AM
By ANDREW GROSS
NEW YORK – No offense, New Jersey, but Lou Lamoriello knows he's
working in a completely different hockey market now.
The former Devils president/general manager and occasional coach
acknowledged on Friday during his first trip back to the metropolitan area
with the Maple Leafs, that his new position as that team's general manager
has left him "re-energized."
"Re-energized is a good word because of the challenge that's there,"
Lamoriello said before the Maple Leafs lost to the Rangers, 3-1, at
Madison Square Garden. "Toronto is Toronto. It is hockey and I don't
apologize for saying that. Toronto should be the Yankees of the NHL,
that's my feeling."
It was an eventful off-season for Lamoriello, 73, who first relinquished his
position as the Devils GM in order for the organization to hire former
Penguins GM Ray Shero. Then, on July 23, Lamoriello said he was
stepping down as president after being with the organization since 1987.
Minutes after that announcement, the Maple Leafs hired Lamoriello as
their GM.
"I haven't really felt anything other than smooth and easy," Lamoriello said
of the transition. "It's because of the people. When you're dealing with
good people, it makes it easier."
Maple Leafs president Brendan Shanahan started his career with the
Devils in Lamoriello's first season there and ended his career as a Devil in
2008-09. And Lamoriello has long known new coach Mike Babcock, hired
away from the Red Wings two months before Lamoriello came on board.
Lamoriello said the three are now "trying to find out where the team is and
who wants to be part of it."
Lamoriello will face his former team for the first of three times in the regular
season on Dec. 8 when the Devils visit Toronto.
But the Maple Leafs do not play at Prudential Center until the season finale
on April 9. So, for now, being on the east side of the Hudson River sufficed
as a homecoming.
"It feels good," Lamoriello said. "The city hasn't changed. The people
haven't changed. I enjoyed every day I was here."
979871
New Jersey Devils
New Lou Lamoriello: Re-energized with ‘Yankees of the NHL’
By Larry Brooks
October 31, 2015 | 2:29am
After what seemed a lifetime as grand emperor of the Devils, Lou
Lamoriello made his first appearance at the Garden on Friday as general
manager of the Maple Leafs.
“Re-energized is a good word [for how I feel],” Lamoriello said before his
team was beaten 3-1 by the Blueshirts. “But that’s because of the
challenge there.
“Toronto is Toronto. Toronto is hockey. I don’t apologize for saying that,”
the GM said. “Toronto should be the Yankees of the NHL. That’s my
feeling.”
Maybe the Leafs, without a Cup since 1967 and with one playoff
appearance the last 10 years, could start by trying to be the Mets?
Lamoriello, of course, left the Devils in July after 29 years of service to
tackle the assignment in Toronto upon the request of team president
Brendan Shanahan, who had been a rookie in the GM’s first season in
New Jersey, 1987-88.
“The transition has been smooth and easy because of the people
involved,” said Lamoriello, who had stepped up into a sole role as Devils’
president in May after hiring Ray Shero to take over as GM. “When you’re
dealing with good people, it makes it a lot easier.”
Lamoriello acted as sheriff, mayor and justice of the peace in New Jersey.
But in Toronto, Shanahan is president. Mike Babcock, in place when
Lamoriello was hired, is the coach whom the GM will not be firing.
“I’ve known Mike for a long time; you can throw Brendan in there, too,”
Lamoriello said. “They’re very secure in their own skin.
“Everyone has an opinion, but as far as what people think and do, no one
can ever come between the three of us.”
Rick Nash assisted on all three of linemate Mats Zuccarello’s goals, but
the winger was a victorious picture of frustration after finishing the night
stuck on one goal despite myriad opportunities.
“It feels like every night I have two or three great chances,” said No. 61. “I
missed [the net] on a 2-on-1, had a chance from the slot and a guy got his
stick on it.“… I got frustrated a long time ago.”
The Blueshirts were 0-for-3 on the power play, generating just three shots
on three man-advantages within a span of 10:29 in the second period
while holding a 1-0 lead. The club is 4-for-28 on the power play on the
year. The Leafs were not awarded a power play.
New York Post LOADED: 10.31.2015
979872
New York Islanders
Islanders’ next step: Learning not to be stupid sometimes
By Brett Cyrgalis
October 30, 2015 | 5:32pm
So there was the disastrous game that looked so reminiscent of the old,
losing Islanders. Now it’s time to see if that game has any carryover effect.
The Islanders will travel to Newark to take on the Devils in a Halloween
matinee on Saturday afternoon, trying to forget about the horrific 3-2
overtime loss to the Hurricanes that occurred in Brooklyn on Thursday
night. They blew a 2-1 lead with just over five minutes left in the third
period, and their sloppy play was deserving of all the scorn that came
afterward.
“They held each other accountable [Thursday] night in a good way, and
that’s a good thing from a coaching standpoint,” Jack Capuano said after
Friday’s practice on Long Island. “That’ what you want to see. I talk about it
all the time, but when you ask them, it’s about execution and managing the
puck the right way. That’s exactly what happens when you don’t.”
The Islanders’ relative success in recent years — making the playoffs in
two of the past three seasons — has been predicated on two things: speed
and talent. On Thursday, they spent almost all of the third period unable to
get out of their own end, therefore neutralizing their speed. When they did
get it out, they tried to make what Capuano likes to call “hope plays,” which
resulted in turnovers and Carolina going the other way.
“When that surge happened and that momentum changed, it’s just a
matter of making sure you do the right things at the right time with the
puck,” Capuano said. “When you don’t do that, coaches will tell you, it’s
going to turn the tide of the game. Hopefully guys realize that, and if they
don’t, they know we’re going to hold them accountable and that’ll change.”
Really, the most troubling part of the lack of execution is it showed a
mental lapse. The Islanders are still a young team, and despite some
apparent vulnerabilities, they’re still 6-2-2, tied with the Rangers atop the
Metropolitan Division going into Friday’s action.
But they’re still learning what it takes to win on a nightly basis and how to
put away games even without playing their best. A performance like
Thursday’s was less about the loss of a point than it was about how it
happened, and what that means going forward.
“It’s just early in the season, just a little bit of — not complacency — just a
little bit of not being fully invested for 60 minutes,” forward Kyle Okposo
said. “I think we’ve played well in spurts, we just have to do a better job of
being in it for a full 60, and I have no doubt that we will.”
Good news for the Isles is they should have starting goalie Jaroslav Halak
back for Saturday. He seemingly has overcome the illness that kept him
from the lineup on Thursday night.
“I just wasn’t feeling well,” Halak said after a full practice Friday, “and we
have three goalies, so why not take advantage of it?”
The challenge will come in the way of a resurgent Devils team under
first-year head coach John Hynes. The days of Lou Lamoriello and the
defense-first Devils have seemingly started to transition into a more
dynamic team under Hynes that has surprised quite a few people by
starting 5-4-1.
“I know Hynes is a good coach, he’ll have them well prepared, they’ll play a
structured game,” Capuano said. “At the end of the day, it’s about doing
the right things. That really determines, along with goaltending and special
teams, the outcome of hockey games.”
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New York Rangers
Mats Zuccarello Records Hat Trick as Rangers Down Maple Leafs
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSOCT. 30, 2015
A hat trick by Mats Zuccarello sent the Rangers to a 3-1 home win over the
Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night.
Henrik Lundqvist made 22 saves as the Rangers improved to 7-2-2. The
Rangers have won four of their last five, earning 10 points in their last six
games.
The Rangers played for the first time since defeating Calgary, 4-1, on
Sunday.
During the time off, Coach Alain Vigneault reconfigured his top two lines,
reuniting Zuccarello with Derick Brassard and Rick Nash and putting Chris
Kreider back with Derek Stepan.
A deflection by Joffrey Lupul at 18 minutes 9 seconds into the third period
spoiled Lundqvist’s shutout bid.
SABRES 3, FLYERS 1 Ryan O’Reilly had a goal and two assists, the
rookie goaltender Linus Ullmark got his first N.H.L. win, and Buffalo beat
visiting Philadelphia.
Jack Eichel and Nicolas Deslauriers also scored for the Sabres. Ullmark
made 27 saves.
Mark Streit prevented a shutout by scoring with 3:26 left, but the Flyers
have lost three straight. Two of those losses came this week against the
Sabres.
CAPITALS 2, BLUE JACKETS 1 Justin Williams and T. J. Oshie each
scored a goal to lift Washington to a victory at home over Columbus.
Braden Holtby made 29 saves to help the Capitals avoid back-to-back
losses for the first time this season.
Columbus fell to 2-2-0 under its new coach, John Tortorella.
HURRICANES 3, AVALANCHE 2 Victor Rask, Justin Faulk and Jeff
Skinner scored, and Carolina beat Colorado for its third straight victory.
Colorado’s Carl Soderberg scored with 31.8 seconds left, but Carolina
earned its first home victory this season.
SENATORS 3, RED WINGS 1 Kyle Turris and Matt Puempel scored in the
first two periods, and Bobby Ryan added an empty-net goal in the final
minute, helping Ottawa win at Detroit.
Detroit’s Henrik Zetterberg scored on the second of two power plays with a
two-man advantage late in the second period.
BRUINS 3, PANTHERS 1 Brad Marchand scored twice, and Zdeno Chara
picked up his first goal of the season to lead Boston to a road win over
Florida.
Marchand was also given a major penalty and a game misconduct for
boarding Dmitry Kulikov with 2:06 left in the game. Kulikov left the ice
bleeding.
WILD 5, BLACKHAWKS 4 Jason Zucker scored 18 seconds into the game
and assisted on the game-winning goal by Nino Niederreiter to lead
Minnesota to a win over visiting Chicago.
Ryan Carter, Charlie Coyle and Jared Spurgeon also had goals for
Minnesota, which dealt Chicago its second straight loss.
New York Times LOADED: 10.31.2015
979874
New York Rangers
Mats Zuccarello hat trick leads Rangers to 3-1 victory over Maple Leafs
BY Pat Leonard
Updated: Saturday, October 31, 2015, 1:52 AM
The Toronto Maple Leafs boasted Lou Lamoriello. The Rangers countered
with Mats Zuccarello.
The Norwegian forward rolled to his first career hat-trick in a 3-1 Blueshirts
win at the Garden Friday night, helped by three assists apiece from
linemates Derick Brassard and Rick Nash in the Rangers’ first game in five
days.
“All the goals I scored, it’s just Nasher and Brass,” said Zuccarello, who
lifted his total to a team-high seven goals with finishes at 9:41 of the first,
5:34 of the third and 19:11 of the final period. “I’m just the lucky guy who
put it in the open net. Even I can’t miss every open net I get.”
The Rangers (7-2-2) dispatched a Maple Leafs (1-6-2) team in complete
rebuild mode under president Brendan Shanahan, coach Mike Babcock,
and GM Lamoriello, the legendary 28-year president of the New Jersey
Devils back in New York for a regular season game for the first time since
taking the new job in July.
“It feels great (to be back),” Lamoriello, 73, said. “The city hasn’t changed.
The people haven’t changed.… I enjoyed every day I was here, didn’t
regret one thing.”
Lamoriello said his new job in Ontario is “reenergizing because of the
challenge involved.”
“Toronto is Toronto,” he said. “That is hockey. I don’t apologize for saying
that. Toronto should be the Yankees of the National Hockey League.”
Friday night, the Rangers were more this year’s Mets.
New York Daily News LOADED: 10.31.2015
979875
New York Rangers
Crushed Ice: Alain Vigneault also trusts Derick Brassard line in D-zone
late after fourth line gives up Leafs goal
BY Pat Leonard
Saturday, October 31, 2015, 12:06 AM
Ryan McDonagh’s strip of the puck from Leafs center Nazem Kadri led to
Mats Zuccarello’s eventual third goal and first career hat trick, stretching
the Rangers’ lead to the final 3-1 score. But it was noteworthy that
Zuccarello was on the ice in the first place to protect a one-goal lead.
For one, Jarret Stoll had lost a defensive zone face-off that led to Joffrey
Lupul’s shootout-ruining goal at 18:09 of the third with goalie Jonathan
Bernier (23 saves) pulled. But also, after Alain Vigneault’s fourth line put
him in that tough spot, the coach showed no hesitation going to Derick
Brassard’s line with Zuccarello and Rick Nash because he had been
impressed with their defensive zone commitment, too.
“They had their best game of the year, there’s no doubt,” Vigneault said of
the three forwards. “I thought that not only offensively did they make some
real solid plays that led to Grade-A opportunities that they were able to
finish, but I thought at both ends of the rink they were real solid. That’s why
I had them out there in the last minute and a half. They’ve been very
competitive and very good in their reads. They were our best players
tonight.”
Vigneault rightfully won’t let go the consistently worrisome miscues or
underwhelming play throughout his lineup, including Kevin Hayes’
uninspiring third line, the inconsistent fourth unit, and a Derek Stepan line
that is still waiting for Chris Kreider to snap out of it. Stepan also had a
couple bad turnovers in this one.
That’s not even mentioning Keith Yandle’s puck management issues and
Dan Boyle’s many lost races and battles on the back end. And don’t get
me started on Henrik Lundqvist’s frequent giveaways with the puck, which
has become a frustrating habit from a player who otherwise has been his
team’s MVP thus far and deserves his first shutout of the year that
continues to elude him.
“You saw tonight there’s still room for improvement,” Vigneault said,
covering all bases with a blanket statement. The coach also continued to
take jabs postgame at how unacceptable his team’s start to the season
has been despite the victory, when asked about Toronto’s team.
“That team works hard,” he said. “They just got over 50 shots against
Montreal, and anybody who went to our game in Montreal saw how they
dominated us start to finish. (Tonight) they work hard and we played a
strong game. We had good effort from our team tonight. I thought we got
some difference makers tonight on Brassard’s line and now we need
somebody else to step up to the plate next game.”
The Leafs actually had plenty of “two-on-ones” early, as Lundqvist said,
but somehow they didn’t put a single shot on net when those glorious
chances arose. Part of it was the Ranger defense but mostly it was
Toronto’s inability not only to finish, but to even take a shot.
Personally, I thought Toronto’s early third-period goal should have
counted. I didn’t think Joffrey Lupul interfered with Lundqvist, but I guess I
see the argument that Lundqvist couldn’t play up to the top of his crease.
Brassard had a funny quote about the goalie interference disallowed goal,
a call that was upheld after Leafs coach Mike Babcock challenged it.
“That guy was basically in Hank’s pants there, so I think that was the right
call,” Brassard said.
Nash said of reuniting with Brassard and Zuccarello on a line after five
games split apart: “I think it fed a lot off last year. We knew we had a pretty
good season. It takes some time to get back early on in the season, we
struggled a bit. But I think tonight when we hold onto pucks and we make
plays, you can see there is definitely some chemistry.”
Otherwise, I thought McDonagh was excellent for the Rangers, but I’m
going to write more about that this weekend. Let’s just say he’s skating
well, creating offensively, and on Friday looked the closest to his dominant
potential that he’s been this season.
By the way, Zuccarello has a team-high seven goals in 11 games. His
career high is 19, scored across 77 games in 2013-14. Just sayin'.
NOTES AND NOTES AND NOTES AND …
The Rangers have scored the first goal in seven of their 11 games. They
are 7-2-2 overall, including 5-1-1 in the games they’ve scored first and
0-1-1 in the games they have not … They’ve won four straight games at
home. They’re 4-0-1 in their last give, and they’ve gotten points in their last
six games (4-0-2), but I dislike that last stat because no one should be
proud of just going to overtime … Lundqvist and Antti Raanta have
combined to post a .947 save percentage so far this season with 324
saves on 342 shots … The Rangers have a 155-1-9 record in their last 165
regular season games in which they’ve led after two periods, dating to
Feb. 6, 2010, vs. New Jersey. Of course, that traces back into the years of
John Tortorella and the years of taking a one-goal lead, hunkering down,
blocking shots and holding on. This is an incredibly impressive stat, but I’m
not sure I love seeing everyone quote this stat after a game in which the
Rangers needed a referee’s call to disallow one goal to stop a Leafs
comeback, followed by a surrendered goal in the final two minutes that put
the Blueshirts on the ropes. Not exactly a shutdown job down the stretch
… The Rangers’ power play was 0-for-3 and not good AT ALL, but the
Rangers themselves did go a full game without committing a penalty for
the first time all season. Part of that traces to the amount of time the
Rangers had the puck in stretches.
MORE ON THE LEAFS, AND DYLAN McILRATH from Friday’s early story
Vigneault understandably doesn’t agree with NHL coaches receiving full
blame when issues run much deeper, like Columbus’ recent firing of Todd
Richards seven games in and last season’s scapegoating of ex-Toronto
coach Randy Carlyle before he was run out of town for Mike Babcock.
“I always felt with Randy Carlyle there that they were a hardworking team,”
Vigneault said of the Maple Leafs. “Nobody’s gonna make me believe that
Randy had no idea what defensive hockey was. He’s a great coach that
won a Stanley Cup, and his players competed hard for him. I’m sure that’s
what Babcock’s doing now: That team’s gonna work hard and compete
hard.”
Babcock, who won a Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008, is part of a
new Toronto brain trust led by GM Lou Lamoriello, the former New Jersey
Devils president of 28 years, and president Brendan Shanahan.
The transition will be painful for the Leafs, though. They have just four
players drafted by the organization on the roster, and on Friday forward
Rich Clune was set to become the 11th player – none of whom were
drafted by the franchise – to make his Leafs debut this season.
The strain of their early-season woes, including injuries, was evident in
Babcock’s Friday morning interview. He admitted the Leafs “feel we can
be better as a group,” then snapped at a reporter for asking about his
team’s energy level even though Babcock had said he was seeking an
“energy” fourth line.
“I think what I said if I’m not mistaken – we could rewind it all and figure it
out – I don’t like you putting words in my mouth,” Babcock said. “I think
what I said is they bring the energy and they bring compete, and so we like
that.”
The Rangers have fewer problems in comparison, but Vigneault admitted
he is facing a decision about defenseman Dylan McIlrath, 23, who’s played
in just one game.
“Moving forward I’m not quite sure what’s gonna happen here,” Vigneault
said. “It’s not the ideal situation for him, and a couple of our other guys
obviously have got to play a little bit better. So we’ll take it a game at a time
and see how it unfolds.”
Vigneault’s rationale for McIlrath’s lack of playing time was that the
Rangers defensive corps has stayed healthy.
“I haven’t been in very many situations where especially on the back end
you go 10 games and stay as healthy as we did,” the coach said. “I would
have liked to see him in more than one game. We were fortunate we
stayed healthy.”
But that’s no excuse for not playing McIlrath. If Vigneault wants to see
McIlrath play, the coach should play him. It’s not like Dan Boyle and Keith
Yandle haven’t given him more reasons to switch. McIlrath should be
playing somewhere, given his youth. Whether that means recalling
veteran defenseman Raphael Diaz or putting the McIlrath in the Rangers’
lineup, something has to give.
TROTZ ON TORTS
Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz, a good friend of John Tortorella’s,
had a funny way of explaining the former Rangers coach’s style before
Trotz’s Caps beat Tortorella’s Columbus Blue Jackets, 2-1, Friday night.
“You’re gonna see them try to block shots all the time,” Trotz said. “It’ll be
five guys playing goal, and a goalie, so that’ll make six. That’s demanded
of them.”
Meanwhile, the combative Tortorella – who mishandled star skill players
Henrik and Daniel Sedin in his previous stop in Vancouver – seems to be
on bad terms with Columbus center Ryan Johansen already. Johansen
confirmed an Oct. 22 report that Tortorella had told him he was “not in
shape” during the first intermission of his first game behind the bench.
“That was something that was said in the room,” Johansen told the
Columbus Dispatch. “That’s something that shouldn’t leave the room …
Whatever me and coach talk about is between me and him.”
THE SCHEDULE
The Rangers return to practice Sunday at 11:30 a.m. in Greenburgh. They
will have Sunday off, then will practice again Monday, before hosting the
Washington Capitals Tuesday night at the Garden.
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New York Rangers
The penalty kill, meanwhile, has steadied following a shaky 12-for-16 start
through four games in which the Blueshirts’ shorthanded surrendered four
goals in a stretch of three games.
NY Rangers Notes Blog: Viktor Stalberg recovered from concussion, Etem
stays in vs. Leafs, updates & analysis
Entering Friday night’s game against the Leafs, the Rangers’ penalty kill
was a perfect 17-for-17 in its last six games. Overall, the unit ranks eighth
in the NHL at 29-for-33 (87.9%).
BY Pat Leonard
Friday, October 30, 2015, 9:26 AM
Vigneault added the forward duo of Stepan and Nash as his third pair on
the kill after unusually leaving them off it at the start of the season, but the
team’s primary penalty-killing pair of forwards have been Dominic Moore
and Jesper Fast, followed by Jarret Stoll with either Viktor Stalberg or
Oscar Lindberg.
Rangers forward Viktor Stalberg implied he sustained a concussion on last
Saturday night’s head shot by Flyers defenseman Radko Gudas, but the
good news is Stalberg returned to practice Thursday morning.
Ryan McDonagh, Kevin Klein, Marc Staal and Dan Girardi have led the
way as the defensemen, and of course, Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta
have been studs in goal.
Emerson Etem will stay in Friday’s lineup, but Vigneault expects Stalberg
to be available by the Rangers’ next game, Tuesday night against the
Washington Capitals, if needed. Etem has played well in his two regular
season appearances so far.
THREE-ON-THREE OT
“I’ve had a few of them before,” Stalberg said, alluding to concussions, “so
it was more one of those things where we’d rather be safe than sorry. I
didn’t feel 100 percent so I talked to the doctors and stuff and we decided
there was no point going back out there.”
Stalberg, 29, confirmed he did not see Gudas coming because he was tied
up in battle already. He took the high road when asked about the hit, which
the NHL inexplicably allowed as legal – both on ice and upon review.
“Nothing really,” Stalberg said of what he thinks about the hit. “It is what it
is. He’s good at stepping up and making big hits. I think he hits me in the
head, but the league made the decision it was not one of those hits, so so
be it.”
Stalberg (goal, three assists) had a great preseason and, despite
inconsistency through nine games, made a difference most recently on the
fourth line with his skating ability. Etem (one assist) has brought good
skating and puck battles to the fourth line, too, though, helping that line
increase its time in the offensive zone.
Stalberg will miss out on facing a Toronto organization that drafted him in
the sixth round in 2006. He played his first NHL season with the Maple
Leafs in 2009-10.
Etem, meanwhile, has been encouraging after an underwhelming
preseason. The Rangers have been patient with the forward they acquired
in this summer’s trade of Carl Hagelin to the Anaheim Ducks, and Sunday
night against the Calgary Flames, the coaches liked what they saw.
“His size, his battle was really good,” associate head coach Scott Arniel
said Tuesday. “He was in a tough situation having not played in such a
long time but really used his size well, battling in the corners, coming off
the walls with pucks.
“He had two great chances in front, and that’s what he’s gonna need to
do,” Arniel added. “He needs to be like a Kreider, like a Nash; he needs to
get to that blue painted area. And he did a good job of that. And when he
had the puck we saw his speed a few times … He’s improved. In camp I
know he was very nervous coming in here and he’s very – I think – every
week his game’s improved.”
The Rangers’ power play ranks just 21st of the NHL’s 30 teams at 4-for-25
(16%), but they’ve scored in three of their last four games (3-for-9, 33.3%)
and should have had a goal in the fourth game Sunday against Calgary.
Kevin Hayes, however, missed an open net off a Derick Brassard set up.
So it could be a lot better, but it seems to be going in the right direction.
“(It’s) cohesiveness with the units getting to know each other, our mentality
shooting pucks,” Arniel said Tuesday of the power play’s recent up-tick.
“Nasher’s been going a good job in front of the net. I still think there are
some areas where breakouts have to get better, have to get crisper, but
our shot mentality has been a lot better. We’ve talked about the Tampa
series last year where we really got motion and puck movement and
created open lanes. So we’re trying to follow up on that.”
Interesting to hear the coaches are using last season’s Eastern
Conference finals as a teaching point. It makes sense for the power play,
given that the Rangers went a blistering 7-for-24 on the power play
(29.1%), including three straight games of two power play goals. Believe
they lost with those numbers?
At the moment, four players are tied with two power play points this season
to lead the team: Keith Yandle, Brassard, Mats Zuccarello and Dan Boyle.
Here are the two power play units the Rangers will use Friday night. The
coaches have tinkered with the point men but have kept the groups pretty
consistent:
The Rangers have failed to score in their first two overtime games of the
season, losing to the Devils in the new OT format and falling to the Flyers
in a shootout. I got a feeling from Vigneault that he wasn’t crazy about the
three-on-three OT because he can’t impose much control on it as a coach,
and Arniel seemed to back that up with his comment Tuesday.
“We just want guys to get a feel because the one thing we’ve talked about,
so far, it’s hard to coach it, because so much of the unknown happens,”
Arniel said of the three-on-three format. “It’s instinct that happens or a
tough bounce or a missed shot that turns into a two-on-one or a
breakaway and it’s hard to say to the players; Let’s go out and do this. But
we want them to defend, get angles, do all that stuff, and the only way you
can keep working at it is keep trying.”
YEAH, THEY CAN BE A BIT BETTER
Vigneault on Thursday, when pressed on what he means by saying the
Rangers must improve their “process,” mentioned his team’s time spent in
the offensive end, its scoring chances, and its ability to limit the
opposition’s time in New York’s end and their scoring chances. So, in other
words, everything.
WE KNOW, BUT JUST STOP
Arniel said of Nash’s scoring struggles: “If you don’t look at any of the
stats, Nash has 17 primary scoring chances. That leads the team. Kreider
has 14, he’s second. It’s not like they’re not getting their opportunities …
(Nash) has to get one. The one thing we do know about him: when he gets
one he gets bunches.”
All of this is true. Nash is working his butt off. It’s just we’ve heard this song
and dance before. Time to put up.
THE CAPTAIN ON HIS GAME
Ryan McDonagh, asked about characteristics of his game when he’s most
dominant: “Usually I have the puck a bit more. Usually I have it a little bit
more in the offensive zone. A lot of times I can make something happen
from the blue line there, make a move and go down and create. But you’ve
obviously got to do the right things to get yourself there first. It’s coming,
though. I think our whole group collectively is getting a better
understanding of how to be effective in the offensive zone.”
Vigneault on whether he thinks McDonagh’s agme is coming: “I feel his
last three games he’s been skating much better. He’s been skating better
with the puck. He needs to improve his decision making with that puck.
Sometimes simpler is better or as Don Cherry would say now and then,
‘Easy early.’ Sometimes that first available outlet is that best option, and
he needs to be maybe a little quicker to that decision. and he’s got to keep
skating with it. When he’s skating with that puck and moving it up, he’s a
real effective player. I think health-wise and conditioning wise he’s found
his groove, and I expect him to continue to improve the way he has the last
three games.”
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
It will forever be a mystery that president Glen Sather, who fleeced
Nashville Predators GM David Poile in that Jan. 2014 Michael Del
Zotto-for-Kevin Klein trade, is the same man who let Anton Stralman walk
so he could sign Dan Boyle the following summer.
MORE PRACTICE NOTES
Lundqvist said Friday that the Rangers need to “raise our game here. I
think it’s good that we’ve been getting points in most games but I think we
all feel we can improve as a group.” Vigneault said: “Our record is good.
That part is positive. Parts of our game have been good in moment, but we
understand that we need to improve our process. We need to be harder to
play against, and we’re working on it.”
BOYLE IT DOWN
Here was Vigneault’s assessment last Saturday of Boyle, the veteran
defenseman the coach healthy scratched for an Oct. 13 loss to Winnipeg:
“I like the fact that in our own end he’s competing real hard, he’s playing
stronger in his one-on-one battles. Like I’ve told him many times, anytime
he feels that he can carry the puck and sees an opportunity to make
something happen, he’s got the green light like any one of our other D’s.
And he’s got to trust his instincts. He’s got good offensive instincts and we
need that part of his game.”
DAN’S BAD START
Vigneault’s latest criticism of an individual player came late last week
when he told my colleagues after a practice in Greenburgh, bluntly, about
why Kevin Klein is playing on the top defensive pair in place of Dan Girardi.
“Kevin was playing so much better than Danny that I made the switch,”
Vigneault told my colleagues. “For some reason, Danny’s overall game,
especially with the puck, has not been as efficient as in the past. He’s
working at it, watching a lot of video to see where he can improve.”
Girardi is coming off offseason ankle surgery, as is Marc Staal, but Girardi
hasn’t re-acclimated as quickly.
Vigneault later said, before Saturday’s game against the Flyers, of the
McDonagh-Klein pairing: “Since we’ve put them together I think they’ve
been very physical and dependable in our own end. I think Mac’s game is
slowly but surely coming.”
QUICK NOTE ON THE PHILLY LOSS
It’s been bothering me, so I have to include it: I neglected to include in my
recap of last Saturday’s shootout loss in Philly that Staal also had saved a
goal with a left-glove save, to go along with Mats Zuccarello’s two stops to
help Henrik Lundqvist.
FRIDAY RANGERS LINEUP VS. MAPLE LEAFS
Forwards: Rick Nash-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello, Chris
Kreider-Derek Stepan-Jesper Fast, Oscar Lindberg-Kevin Hayes-J.T.
Miller, Emerson Etem-Dominic Moore-Jarret Stoll
Defensemen: Ryan McDonagh-Kevin Klein, Marc Staal-Dan Boyle, Keith
Yandle-Dan Girardi
Goalies: Henrik Lundqvist (starter), Antti Raanta
Scratches: F Viktor Stalberg, D Dylan McIlrath
979877
New York Rangers
Rangers’ top line reunites with a bang in commanding win
By Larry Brooks
October 30, 2015 | 10:18pm
Maybe it wasn’t a final, or even a midterm, but if you want to talk about
acing a chemistry exam, then you’re talking about the firm of Nash,
Brassard & Zuccarello at the Garden on Friday.
Reunited as a line after a five-game trial separation, Rick Nash, Derick
Brassard and Mats Zuccarello turned this contest against the Maple Leafs
into game of tic-tac-toe on ice, accounting for all three goals in the
Blueshirts’ 3-1 victory that most assuredly did not come easy.
And it was Zuccarello who notched each one of them, each one on primary
feeds from Brassard with secondary assists from Nash, the final one into
an empty net with 49 seconds remaining for the first hat trick of his NHL
career.
“Obviously, all the goals I scored, it’s just Nasher and Brass,” the
Norwegian said. “I’m just a lucky guy to put it in an open net.
“Even I can’t miss every open net, so it’s good.”
The club’s first line that was intact nearly all last season and through the
first five games of this year was strong through all three zones, jumping in
its own end, aided by heady first passes from the back end that got the
three scoring rushes off to the races.
“Zuke seems to be around the puck a lot; you always get a good effort from
him,” Nash said. “He’s one of the smartest players I’ve ever played with.
He understands the game.”
The Rangers yielded a plethora of odd-man rushes and glorious chances
in the first period off of which the 1-6-2 Leafs couldn’t even force Henrik
Lundqvist to come up with a save. Toronto may as well have dumped it in
on its procession of 2-on-1’s through the early going.
But when tested, Lundqvist was outstanding yet again, holding the Maple
Leafs off the board until Joffrey Lupul got one with goaltender Jonathan
Bernier pulled for the extra attacker to make it 2-1 at 18:09 of the third.
Toronto never got another sniff, with Ryan McDonagh coming up to disrupt
Nazem Kadri above the left circle to begin the sequence on which
Zuccarello sealed it.
“I thought our D had a great night,” Nash said. “On the second goal,
Kleiner [Kevin Klein] made a play into the middle that got it going.”
You’ll recall that coach Alain Vigneault called out his top unit at the practice
that followed the season-opening victory in Chicago in which the line was
ordinary. Zuccarello scored a pair in the next game, a victory at Columbus,
but the line that lives on precision and flow was dying early on the vine with
stops and false starts.
Hence, the coach broke up the unit following the fifth game, inserting
Derek Stepan between Zuccarello and Nash while moving Brassard
between Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast. Obviously Vigneault had little
interest in extending much of a credit line to his first line.
“Obviously we were not happy with the way we played at the start of the
season,” said Brassard, who had his best game of the year by a mile.
“Hopefully this gives us confidence coming up for the next couple of
games.
“When we move the puck and see each other and the chemistry is good,
we’re going to make plays,” the center said. “We knew when the coach put
us together [at Thursday’s practice] that we had to come out big, and that’s
what we did.”
The Rangers survived Toronto coach Mike Babcock’s challenge of a
waved off goal just 12 seconds into the third that would have cut the lead to
2-1. But referee Chris Rooney upheld his own call that Lupul had impeded
Lundqvist in the crease so the goaltender could not make a play on a long
one from the left side that ricocheted in off Dan Boyle.
“I thought it was the right call,” Lundqvist said. “Even though I play deep in
my net I have to be able to come up and make that play, and I couldn’t with
him there.”
On this night, Brassard, Nash and Zuccarello made all the plays necessary
for the Rangers, 4-0-2 in their last six, 7-2-2 overall and, in the words of
Vigneault, “still [with] room for improvement.”
979878
New York Rangers
Rangers’ Diaz decision may push Dylan McIlrath out the door
By Larry Brooks
October 30, 2015 | 9:33pm
Dylan McIlrath’s days as a Ranger might be numbered — and the number
could be a single digit one if the club recalls Raphael Diaz from the AHL
Wolf Pack rather than permit the veteran defenseman to abscond to his
native Switzerland.
Diaz, 29, signed a one-year, $700,000 contract as a free agent last
summer with the Blueshirts with the understanding the organization would
allow him to return to Europe after a mutually agreeable period if he did not
make the varsity out of camp.
When Diaz cleared waivers just before the season opened after the
Rangers opted to keep the 23-year-old McIlrath as their seventh
defenseman, the parties agreed to revisit the situation after about a month.
Though there is nothing written in stone — nothing written at all, actually —
the month is just about up. And the Rangers, who have a minimum of cap
space at their disposal, would realistically only be able to promote Diaz
only if they move McIlrath.
The Blueshirts would leave themselves approximately $350,000 of space
if they were to carry eight defensemen. That’s an untenable way to go
through the season. McIlrath, a healthy scratch for the 10th time in 11
games when the Rangers faced the Maple Leafs at the Garden on Friday,
is on a $600,000 contract.
The former first-rounder, selected 10th overall in 2010, would have to clear
waivers in order to play for the Wolf Pack. Rather than expose him to
claim, general manager Jeff Gorton would likely attempt to recoup a draft
pick for McIlrath via a trade.
Coach Alain Vigneault didn’t sound especially cheerful about McIlrath’s
prospects for getting into the lineup anytime soon when asked about the
rookie following Friday’s morning skate. Fact is, even with right-sider Dan
Boyle’s ongoing struggles and even with a burdensome early schedule
that featured three sets of back-to-backs, the right-handed McIlrath got
into just one game, the Oct. 13, 4-1 defeat to the Jets in the Blueshirts’
fourth game.
Lefty Keith Yandle has struggled as well, but McIlrath doesn’t play that
side. Diaz, a righty by trade, can not only play both sides but prefers the
left. In an either/or, that is Diaz’s advantage in the competition he did not
win during camp.
At that time, though, management could not have projected such slow
starts from Boyle, Yandle and Dan Girardi and the coaching staff could not
have projected the Rangers would have as much difficulty as they have
had in their transition from defense to offense. Diaz’s strength is in moving
the puck.
“I haven’t been in very many situations over a 10-game period where a
team [defense] has been as healthy as we’ve been,” Vigneault said when
asked about McIlrath’s idleness. “I’d have liked to see him in more than
one game but we’ve stayed healthy.
“Moving forward, I’m not sure what’s going to happen. Obviously it is not
an ideal situation for him. A couple of [defensemen] are not playing as well
as they can, so we’ll see what happens.”
Obviously if Vigneault had wanted to see McIlrath in more than one game,
the coach would have used him in more than one game. It is not as if
Vigneault is merely a bystander. It certainly seems as if the coach just
doesn’t have enough confidence in the rookie to play the veteran of four
NHL games.
Diaz, on the other hand, has played 201 career NHL games that include 11
for Vigneault’s Blueshirts following the defenseman’s acquisition from the
Canucks at the 2013-14 deadline. Diaz also played four games in the
playoffs, including Game 1 of the Cup final, before signing with Calgary as
a free agent that summer.
Henrik Lundqvist has tickets for Sunday’s if-necessary Game 5 of the
World Series at Citi Field that his buddy Matt Harvey is scheduled to start.
“I spoke to Matt [Thursday],” Lundqvist said. “He’s in a very positive frame
of mind. The team is confident they will turn this around at home.
“There’s going to be a game [5] for me to go to.”
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New York Rangers
Why NHL’s hot seats are warmer than ever — especially for this coach
Another bit of dichotomy comes with this one play, on which ruffian Radko
Gudas — who likely concussed the Rangers’ Viktor Stalberg with a
shoulder to the head last Saturday — tried to undercut the superlative
Sabres rookie Jack Eichel.
Gudas unsuccessfully tries to hit Jack Eichel in last night's
Flyers/Sabres game s/t @BanginPanger pic.twitter.com/tabBWdKAml
By Brett Cyrgalis
October 30, 2015 | 12:44pm
The conversation started innocently enough, with Rangers assistant
coach Scott Arniel talking about his team’s good record to start the season
despite some subpar play.
“We wanted to do that and get out to a good start, and 6-2-2 is a good start
— and that’s probably where the NHL has changed,” Arneil said after his
team’s practice on Tuesday. “Because you see teams lose playoff spots
early in the year and never get back in.”
So when you see a good man and good coach like Todd Richards get
axed in Columbus after an 0-7 start, replaced by the domineering John
Tortorella, well, it’s not hard to see the immediacy of this league. The Blue
Jackets fancied themselves contenders for the Metropolitan Division
crown — and rightfully so — and by firing Richards so incredibly early in
the season, they declared they’re not giving up on the playoffs.
Which is why there is obvious pressure mounting around the league on
other underachieving teams, nowhere heavier than on coach Bruce
Boudreau in Anaheim.
The Ducks are getting hard to watch, and it’s especially hard to listen to
Boudreau after his team finds new ways to lose every night. They blew a
3-0 lead in Dallas on Tuesday, which drew this face from the coach:
this makes me really sad, but i feel it is my duty to post it.
pic.twitter.com/9hOtvKiiQU
It’s also drew this honest quote:
“You can call it what you want — it’s demoralizing,” he said. “You shouldn’t
lose the game like that. We can sugarcoat and say we ran out of gas, or
whatever, but these guys are professionals. There should be no such thing
as running out of gas.”
The Ducks wrapped up a winless five-game road trip with a 2-1 loss in St.
Louis on Thursday, which ended appropriately with a goal off the
backboards and off the skate of their own goaltender.
“We need a break and we’re not getting them right now,” Boudreau said,
before adding the one line that every coach on the hot seat has repeated in
attempted self-preservation. “We were competing really hard, and that’s all
I can ask for.”
So general manager Bob Murray has a decision to make. His team is
1-7-2, and plays six of the next seven games at home. The Pacific Division
is hardly a powerhouse, but it’s going to take some work to climb back into
contention. Murray has to decide if firing Boudreau is the thing that’s going
to wake up his players — and if so, who out there is a better fit?
Because a turnaround needs to happen soon. The Rangers can attest to
how a slow start takes its toll. Even if a team battles back, the aftereffects
remain. The Blueshirts have the past two seasons as evidence, when a
bad first-plus month left them falling tantalizingly short of glory.
“I think we did play really good hockey the last two years and got ourselves
back into the race,” Arniel said, “but it’s a hard thing when you get behind
the eight ball.”
This is the same league?
Boy, is it fun to watch Johnny “Hockey” Gaudreau. He is not the most
well-rounded player yet, but with ability like this, he’s must-see TV.
Senators defensemen are having a *little* trouble keeping up with
Johnny Gaudreau tonight. https://t.co/BvIMsKWn6d
https://t.co/G5b0uAIWQb
— SB Nation NHL (@SBNationNHL) October 29, 2015
Meanwhile, down in DC, there’s another young player — with the term
“player” being used liberally — named Tom Wilson still doing things like
this. It’s a wonder he and Gaudreau are playing the same sport:
here's another look at Wilson on Maatta, since there is much debate
about it pic.twitter.com/3cyzcd00yC
Luckily, Eichel avoided the hit and kept his lower body attached, going on
to continue to make moves like this:
Eichel …Eicheling pic.twitter.com/A9OnpX7q6l
Have I said before the league is in good shape?
Tort of different
When John Davidson hired Tortorella, he was looking for a change toward
more discipline and accountability. Which is not to say Tortorella was
brought in to roll heads.
“I’m always trying to change,” the combustible former Rangers coach told
reporters before Tuesday’s game against the Devils in Newark. “The
perception that I’m just some sort of idiot that won’t change. I’m always
trying to learn about the game. I think as a coach if you don’t, it’s going to
go by you. I think there is a little bit of perception out there that it’s my way
or the highway, and that’s totally false.”
Well, in the middle of another question, Tortorella said he had a bus to
catch and left. So, about that change….
It’s not so much me, as it’s Roenick
Turns out the best player in the video game NHL ’94 is doing more than
just bumbling on NBCSN. Jeremy Roenick apparently participates in golf
outings where he attacks alligators. If he had his hand bitten off, would
Keith Jones get the gator’s head and present it to Roenick on his birthday?
Jeremy Roenick vs. The Alligator pic.twitter.com/YCO1IZzWdY
— Rhea Hughes (@rheahughes) October 26, 2015
By the way, Jones, who calls Flyers games on Comcast in Philadelphia,
thought Gudas’ hit on Stalberg was “a great hit”? Yeesh.
Parting shot
Dan Byslma returns to Pittsburgh, gets a nice tribute from the fans, and
even tries to throw a puck to a little kid. The adjectives used in various
places online to describe the guy who intercepted it are, um, NSFW.
979880
New York Rangers
Rangers 3, Maple Leafs 1: The final word(s)
Andrew Gross
WHAT IT MEANS: The Rangers defeated the Maple Leafs, 3-1, on Friday
night at Madison Square Garden in their first game since Sunday’s 4-1 win
over the Flames. The Rangers now have a season-high six-game point
streak (4-0-2) and are 5-1-1 at home this season.
WHY IT HAPPENED: Beyond the two-way game the Rangers got from the
Rick Nash-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello trio, they also got a team-high
seven shots from captain Ryan McDonagh, who might have skated as well
tonight as he has all season. Coach Alain Vigneault was not as effusive in
his praise of the other lines tonight, saying it was now somebody else’s
turn to step up but, except for a lull through parts of the second period, the
Rangers did a good job of establishing the pace and controlling all three
zones. The Maple Leafs do create rushes, several odd-man rushes, but
seem to have a hard time finishing, and that certainly benefited the
Rangers. So did the goalie interference call on Joffrey Lupul, which
negated Matt Hunwick’s potential equalizer just 12 seconds into the third
period.
OF NOTE:
- Rick Nash had one shot on net in 15:57 in addition to two attempts
blocked and two shots miss the net. The missed shot on his first shift
seemed to typify his season thus far as he had a wide-open look to the left
of Maple Leafs goalie Jonathan Bernier and shot the puck into the right
corner. So, yes, despite being thrilled by the victory and how well his line
played, there is frustration for Nash coming off a career-high 42 goals as
he has just one (an empty netter in which he was hooked and didn’t even
put the puck in the net) through 11 games. “It became frustrating a long
time ago,” Nash said. “It seems every night I could have had two or three.”
- The Rangers power play was 0 for 3 with three shots and is now 4 for 28
this season.
- The Rangers did not commit a penalty in the game, the first time that’s
happened since April 9, 2014 against the Hurricanes. it also marks the first
time the Rangers were not shorthanded in a game since Feb. 24, 2015
against the Flames.
- The Rangers allowed two goals or fewer in regulation for the sixth straight
game (they lost a 3-2 shootout at Philadelphia).
- Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time the Rangers had a player score
a hat trick and the same two players have the primary and secondary
assist - as was the case tonight with Zuccarello, Brassard and Nash - was
March 30, 1975 against the Kansas City Scouts when Steve Vickers
scored four times. On each of his first three goals, Jean Ratelle had the
primary assist an Rod Gilbert had the secondary assist. Overall, it was the
first time it had been done since Feb. 27, 2013 when the Ducks Kyle
Palmieri (now with the Devils) was assisted on his hat trick by Corey Perry
(three primary assists) and Ryan Getzlaf (three secondary assists).
QUOTABLE:
- Coach Alain Vigneault on his top line: “Well, they had their best game of
the year, there’s no doubt. I thought that, not only offensively did they
make some real solid plays that led to grade A opportunities that they were
able to finish, but I thought both ends of the rink, they were real solid.
That’s why I had them out there in the last minute and a half. They’ve been
very competitive and very good in their reads. They were our best players
tonight. There’s no doubt. All three of those guys.”
- RW Mats Zuccarello: “It’s always fun to score goals. For sure it’s not
every day that you score three, at least not me. Obviously all the goals I
scored, it’s just Nasher and Brass. I’m just a lucky guy to put it in an open
net. Even I can’t miss every open net I get so it’s good.”
- G Henrik Lundqvist: “I thought it was important for us to really keep the
third man high and make smart decisions because they came really hard
in their transition game and early on they had a couple of two-on-ones. But
we just played it really well. We put a lot of pressure on the player with the
puck and they didn’t manage to get a shot on net even though they had a
two-on-one look. But overall I thought we played a really good game. We
stepped up when we needed to. Obviously the first line had a huge night
with Zuccarello playing really well, not only his goals but the way he
opened up the game for his teammates. It was fun to watch.”
- Lundqvist on Matt Hunwick’s disallowed goal: “That was a big call. I think
it was the right call because I can’t come up. He comes in and even though
he doesn’t make contact right away he’s there so I can’t come out. And
then when the puck hits me he kind of bumps into me. So I thought it was
the right call. For a goalie to come out and play your game within the
crease, you need to make that play.”
- Hunwick on his disallowed goal: “Obviously not happy with it. That was
one of the plays we wanted to do and that was to get pucks to the net with
a guy right in the crease. I didn’t really think there was much contact there
but obviously the referees thought differently and it didn’t go our way.”
- Maple Leafs captain Dion Phaneuf on the disallowed goal: “We were in
the hockey game all night. It was a one goal game heading into the third
and we score one early, they call it back, that’s the rules. That’s just
hockey, that’s the way it is whether I agree with it or not. For me to stand
here and say either way it doesn’t help the cause. It’s done. It’s over
with. That’s what we said on the bench. Obviously we challenged it, we
tried to get the call changed, it doesn’t get changed, so we move on.
That’s part of the game. I thought we started off the third very well. I
thought our penalty kill was really good in the second to hold us. (Jonathan
Bernier) was really good for our team to help keep it a one goal game on
the road but they just pushed that little bit extra.”
- C Derick Brassard on Hunwick’s disallowed goal: “Ten seconds into the
third period, that’s not how you want to play with the lead. That guy (Lupul)
was basically in Hank’s pants there so I think that was the right call by the
refs. That was a break for us.”
- Brassard on his line with Zuccarello and Nash: “Hopefully it gives us
some confidence coming up in the next couple of games. But for sure it
was nice to get on the board for the team. We knew when coach put us
together yesterday we had to come out big and that’s what we did tonight.
Hopefully we can build on that.”
MY THREE RANGERS’ STARS:
1. Mats Zuccarello: Pretty easy pick for the Broadway Hat recipient after
he scored his first career hat trick. But it wasn’t just how active he was in
the offensive zone. He had a strong game defensively, both along the
walls and with his backcheck. In all, he had four shots and was a plus-3 in
18:12.
2. Derick Brassard: Brassard’s was a plus-3 with three primary assists and
two shots while winning 10 of 17 faceoffs in 17:25 as his re-insertion
between Zuccarello and Rick Nash - also a plus-3 - served as the catalyst
for that line to have its best game of the season.
3. Henrik Lundqvist: The goalie came really close to his first shutout of the
season, losing his bid on Joffrey Lupul’s deflection of Dion Phaneuf’s slap
shot at 18:09 of the third period. He did seem to play a little further out from
his crease than he typically does, as evidenced when Lupul was called for
goalie interference on Matt Hunwick’s waved off goal that would have tied
the game 12 seconds into the third period. Lundqvist made 24 saves
Lundqvist is now 5-2-2 with a 1.87 goals-against average and a .943 save
percentage.
WHAT’S NEXT: The Rangers practice at noon on Saturday and next host
Alex Ovechkin and the Capitals on Tuesday before embarking a two-game
trip to Colorado and Arizona.
979881
New York Rangers
Henrik Lundqvist (4-2-2, 1.98 goals-against, .941 save percentage)
Maple Leafs (1-5-2)
Live Blog: Rangers beat Leafs, 3-1 on Zuccarello’s first career hat trick
James van Riemsdyk-Nazem Kadri-Leo Komarov
Daniel Winnik-Tyler Bozak-Joffrey Lupul
Andrew Gross
Shawn Matthias-Peter Holland-P.A. Parenteau
Michael Grabner-Byron Froese-Rich Clune
The Rangers resume their schedule tonight against the struggling Maple
Leafs, having not played since Sunday’s 4-1 win over the Flames, the end
of a stretch of three games in four nights.
Jake Gardiner-Dion Phaneuf
The Rangers used this week to tweak their top two lines at practice Derick Brassard and Derek Stepan flip-flopping - and to also work on
conditioning. The team practiced on Tuesday, ending that sessions with
gassers, did off-ice work, including individual video/learning sessions for
the players, on Wednesday, then practiced again on Thursay as coach
Alain Vigneault unveiled the lines he’ll be using tonight.
Martin Marincin-Roman Polak
“I thought we used our time well,” Vigneault said. “We don’t get a lot of
breaks in the schedule. We worked on some areas we need to work on.
We know our game is not where it needs to be for us offensively.”
Vigneault has covered a lot of that ground previously, specifically on
Thursday, when he broke down what he saw as the Rangers’ deficiencies
as far needing to spend more time in the offensive zone and create more
chances while spending less time in the defensive zone giving up
chances. Again, this is a team that has scored four goals in three of its last
four games - all wins - and has scored at least four goals in five of its 10
games. In fact, the Rangers goal differential of plus-9 is tied for third in the
NHL. Only five teams, by the way, are worse than the Maple Leafs
minus-7.
Which is why, perhaps, Vigneault strongly defended former Maple Leafs
coach Randy Carlyle on Thursday when asked what differences he sees in
the Maple Leafs under Mike Babcock.
“He’s obviously trying to implement his system,” Vigneault said of
Babcock, who, like Carlyle, won a Stanley Cup with his former team Babcock with the Red Wings and Carlyle with the Ducks. “But I always felt
with Randy Carlyle there, they were a hard working team. Nobody is going
to make me believe that Randy had no idea what good defensive hockey
was. He’s a great coach. He won a Stanley Cup and his players competed
hard for him and I’m sure that’s what Babcock’s doing now with his team.”
Babcock will have his 11th new Leaf in the lineup tonight when Rich Clune
joins the fourth line. Clune has a little Sean Avery in him and will try to bring
a certain energy to the fourth line.
“I think it’s obvious I play a different style,” Clune said. “I’m going to bring
that style and just work towards the win.”
Dylan McIlrath remains a healthy scratch, marking the 10th time in 11
games the rookie defenseman has not gotten into the lineup.
Vigneault was asked whether he thought McIlrath was pushing for a lineup
spot or it was an indication that the top six defensemen are fairly set. Dan
Boyle was the only one among the top six to sit out a game as he was a
healthy scratch on Oct. 13.
“I haven’t been in very many situations where you go 10 games and stay
as healthy as we did,” Vigneault said. “I would’ve liked to see him in more
than one game. Moving forward, I’m not quite sure what’s going to happen.
It’s not the ideal situation for him. A couple of our other guys obviously
have got to play a little bit better.”
Veterans Dan Boyle and Dan Girardi have been singled out previously by
Vigneault as players who’ve gotten off to slow starts.
The Rangers come into tonight’s game having killed off 18 straight power
plays. And Mats Zuccarello needs one assist to reach 100 for his NHL
career.
Rangers (6-2-2)
Rick Nash-Derick Brassard-Mats Zuccarello
Chris Kreider-Derek Stepan-Jesper Fast
Oscar Lindberg-Kevin Hayes-J.T. Miller
Emerson Etem-Dominic Moore-Jarret Stoll
Ryan McDonagh-Kevin Klein
Marc Staal-Dan Boyle
Keith Yandle-Dan Girardi
Matt Hunwick-Morgan Rielly
Jonathan Bernier (0-4-1, 3.02, .902)
979882
New York Rangers
Rangers-Leafs: Morning skate report
Andrew Gross
A rarity here at Madison Square Garden so far this season: Both teams
with full morning skates.
For the Rangers (6-2-2), nothing has changed from Thursday’s practice,
meaning Derick Brassard will center Rick Nash and Mats Zuccarello and
Derek Stepan will center Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast. Dylan McIlrath is
the extra defenseman and Viktor Stalberg (head) will miss his second
straight game, though he skated with his teammates for a second straight
day and is expected to be available Tuesday against the Capitals.
For the Maple Leafs (1-5-2), both center Tyler Bozak (lower body) and
defenseman Jake Gardiner (upper body) are expected to return to the
lineup after missing four and three games, respectively.
Left wing Rich Clune is expected to make his Maple Leafs’ debut after
being recalled from Toronto (AHL) on Thursday. Veteran Brad Boyes (no
goals, four assists) remained on the ice skating as the extra.
Remarkably, Clune will become the 11th player to make his debut for the
Leafs already this season. None of those 11 were drafted by the
organization.
Jonathan Bernier (0-4-1, 3.02 goals-against average, .902 save
percentage) will be in net opposing Henrik Lundqvist (4-2-2, 1.98, .941)
and Leafs coach Mike Babcock was asked about the difference it can
make to a team to have a franchise goalie like Lundqvist.
Babcock said that Lundqvist is “always ready to go,” and he’s always
enjoyed the challenge of coaching against Lundqvist.
“Bernier can do the same thing for us,” said Babcock, noting a lot of
goalies around the NHL struggle early in the season. “He’s got to find his
game.”
One of the new Maple Leafs this season is ex-Ranger defenseman Matt
Hunwick, who was selected as one of the team’s alternate captains prior to
the regular-season opener.
Hunwick, 30, played 55 regular-season games last season in his lone
season with the Rangers with two goals and nine assists. He was also
scoreless in six postseason games. He dressed as a seventh defenseman
for Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Lightning as the
Rangers were unsure how much captain Ryan McDonagh could
contribute. It became known shortly after the 2-0 loss that ended the
Rangers’ season that McDonagh had played on a broken foot.
“It’s always fun playing against a former team and it’s a great experience to
play at MSG,” Hunwick said. “I’m looking forward to tonight. Always,
playing at MSG has been a highlight, even before becoming a Ranger I’d
look forward to it.
Hunwick said the last time he had worn a letter for a team was when the
Avalanche sent him to Lake Erie (AHL) for all but one game of the 2013-14
season and Hunwick was an alternate captain for the Monsters. Before
that, Hunwick said, he last wore a letter when he was captain at Michigan.
“I was a bit surprised,” Hunwick said of being given an A. “Even though I
had come in a couple of weeks early, I’d only been around the group for
four or five weeks.”
Hunwick said there are similarities playing for new Leafs coach Mike
Babcock as there are in playing for Alain Vigneault. He said both run very
detail-oriented practices with not a lot of time standing at the board
watching plays being diagrammed and much more time on the ice drilling.
979883
New York Rangers
Rangers top Maple Leafs, 3-1, behind Mats Zuccarello's hat trick
October 30, 2015, 9:44 PM
11:21 PM
Last updated: Friday, October 30, 2015,
By ANDREW GROSS
NEW YORK – One game back together begged the question of why
Derick Brassard had not been centering Mats Zuccarello and Rick Nash in
the past five.
“We’re kind of connecting,” said Zuccarello after scoring his first career hat
trick. “It’s not every day we are going to connect like this, but it’s really nice
when it happens.”
Brassard had the primary assist on all three of Zuccarello’s tallies and
Nash also had three assists as the Rangers topped the Maple Leafs, 3-1,
on Friday night at Madison Square Garden after coach Alain Vigneault
reunited last season’s top line.
“It never went away,” Brassard said of the trio’s chemistry.
“We wanted to have a better start as a team. It’s not like we panicked, and
he was looking for different answers. But we do feel comfortable with each
other.”
Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves for the Rangers (7-2-2), who extended
their point streak to six games (4-0-2). But he had his bid for his first
shutout this season spoiled on Joffrey Lupul’s goal at 18:09 of the third
with the Maple Leafs (1-6-2) having an extra skater.
Lundqvist also benefited from a waved-off goal 12 seconds into the third
period because of Lupul’s goalie interference as defenseman Matt
Hunwick’s shot trickled in, a call that withstood coach Mike Babcock’s
challenge.
“I thought it was interference because I can’t come out,” Lundqvist said.
“Even though I’m deep in my net, I want to play my game. Otherwise, it’s
easy to take advantage of a play like that if you don’t make that call.”
Instead of a tie game, Zuccarello made it 2-0 as Brassard fed him on a
2-on-1 at 5:34 of the third period.
He completed the hat trick on his empty-netter with 48.6 seconds
remaining, with Brassard making sure he found his linemate.
“One hundred percent I knew he was there,” said Brassard, who had a hat
trick in Game 6 of last season’s Eastern Conference final against the
Lightning. “It’s always special. When I scored my hat trick last year in
Tampa, it was an unreal feeling.”
Zuccarello had made it 1-0 at 9:41 of the first period as Nash slid it to
Brassard in the slot and the center found Zuccarello open at the right post
to beat Jonathan Bernier (23 saves).
“One of the things that’s underrated about Mats is his hockey sense,” said
Nash, still stuck on one goal after scoring a career-high 42 last season.
“He’s one of the smartest players I’ve played with.”
Vigneault reunited that trio by flip-flopping Brassard and Derek Stepan,
who was put back between Chris Kreider and Jesper Fast.
Brassard’s line and captain Ryan McDonagh’s team-high seven shots as
he shows continued improvement were among the positives. The power
play, however, went 0-for-3 – all in the second period – with just three
shots when the Rangers could have extended their one-goal lead.
979884
New York Rangers
Rangers-Maple Leafs in review
By Rick Carpiniello on October 31, 2015
Thoughts:
1) Happy Halloween. Every year at this time I think of Scott Fraser, the
terribly overrated, under-trying speedy winger who signed a ridiculously
big contract with the Rangers. He went to the team Halloween party with a
bandit’s mask and a bag full of money. When teammates asked him what
he was supposed to be, he said, “my agent.”
brass, zuc celebrate2) Well, I’m not sure if all of Alain Vigneault’s
messages got through, especially the one about needing to be harder to
play against. But he sure hit the jackpot with his line re-juggling and going
back to the dance with the one that brung him the Presidents’ Trophy last
season.
3) And, yeah, people are asking, “Why break them up in the first place?”
and those people obviously didn’t watch the preseason, in which none of
them perspired, or the first couple of games in Chicago or Columbus, or, I
imagine, some of their practices. I think we all knew they’d be back
together at some point soon. AV surely didn’t know it would have that kind
of results that quickly.
in front of 18,000 people. “Yup, I’m convinced, I mucked it up.” It’s an
asinine, asinine rule. That call needs to be reviewed in Toronto, or by an
off-ice official. The challenge needs to be taken out of the hands of the
official who made the original call or non-call. Not that Toronto always gets
it right.
13) Lundqvist looked like he hadn’t played in a week, especially with the
puck at times. But he hung in there, and as he has most of this season, got
better as the game went on, and got better when he needed to be better.
Not surprisingly, he felt the disallowed goal was the correct call because
Lupul blocked him from getting to the top of the crease, prevented him
from playing his position as he needed to play it. Then, he said – correctly
– Lupul’s skate caught him in the leg and spun him a bit. Lundqvist has
said all along, he’s not looking for penalties. He just wants to be able to do
his job. You know, like he was in L.A. in June of 2014. I swear, I looked his
Lundqvist’s career shutout number for my story, like, four seconds before
the shutout was broken up.
14) Leo Komarov drilled Derek Stepan from behind, clearly, with a cross
check. Play on.
15) Mike Babcock’s team is horrible. Not sure what their cap situation is,
but how do they not claim every player who ever goes on waivers? Tanner
Glass is better than Rich Clune. Raphael Diaz would be in their top four.
rangers celebrate16) J.T. Miller made the mind-numbing early pass in the
middle of the offensive zone, just inside the blue line, which went the other
way, the kind of play that keeps him out of the top six. Then played a
top-six worthy game thereafter.
17) One more night of Kevin Hayes Keep-Away.
4) Mats Zuccarello now has seven goals in 11 games. His career high is
19, two seasons ago. Of course, he said he was lucky, and that all three of
his goals were open-netters. “Even I can’t miss every open net I get, so it’s
good. … It’s not every day we are going to connect like this, but it’s really
nice when it happens.”
18) Going to say this and duck. I thought Dan Boyle played OK in this
game. Or at least, somewhat better.
5) Derick (three assists) Brassard: “When we make plays and we’re
skating, we’re pretty hard to handle. Henrik Lundqvist: “Just the talent they
have, the way they see the game – all three of them – when they’re ‘on’
they’re really fun to watch. They have to be a bit part of this club moving
forward if we’re going to have success.”
20) Is it me, or is Marc Staal hitting the net a lot more frequently this year?
6) Rick (three assists) Nash used the word “frustrated” or “frustration” at
least three times. Those two early chances really bothered him. Then he
would have had a tap-in at the goalmouth but got hog-tied and, at the
same time, whacked in the mouth with a stick. Play on. The thing he hasn’t
done, at least what I’ve noticed, is he hasn’t started the give and go as he
did so often last year. Get the puck high in the D-zone or in the neutral
zone, move it quickly to a teammate then go like hell for the return pass.
Seems to me he’s tried to lug it out more, from a standing start. That
doesn’t play to his strength.
7) Nash did make the play coming off the wall that led to the Brassard dish
to Zuccarello for the 1-0 goal. A goal that was awfully pretty. And no doubt
will result in more pass-pass-pass attempts rather than shots. He made
the pass that led to the 2-on-1 for the second goal, which was huge in the
third period of a 1-0 game, just after the disallowed goal. And he made the
head-man pass to Brassard for the empty-netter by Zuccarello. I thought
he played a tremendous game other than, you know, the scoring.
8) If there were such a thing as third assists, credit Kevin Klein and Ryan
McDonagh with one each, on the second and third goals. I thought Klein
continued to play at a very high level, and McDonagh took another step
toward reaching his.
9) Before we get all giddy about that top line, let’s remember that for
two-plus periods they missed a fair amount of chances – Nash, especially,
missed the net twice on what AV calls “prime” or “Grade A” chances – and
that they were part of the power play that failed to put away this lousy,
lousy team.
10) I did, for the most part, think AV’s team forechecked better, and, for the
most part, made the “easy, early” play out of the zone. But in the early
going, Toronto had a trunk-load of odd-man rushes. Fortunately it was
Toronto, which failed to even get a shot on some of those rushes.
Toronto Maple Leafs v New York Rangers11) The Rangers caught a giant
break 12 seconds into the third, when ex-Ranger Matt Hunwick’s
seemingly harmless shot snuck through Lundqvist with Gary Lupul in the
crease behind Marc Staal. Somehow, the tiny bit of contact between Lupul
and Lundqvist resulted in the referees disallowing the goal because of
incidental interference with the goalie, and somehow, when Babcock
challenged the call, the officials upheld the call.
12) Based on every goalmouth collision the last two years, or 10, or
whatever, that should have been a goal. But, as I said last time in Philly,
chances are pretty slim that a human being wants to overturn his own call
19) Dion Phan-woof. But you’d take Matt Hunwick on the New York
Rangers defense right now, wouldn’t you?
21) With Boston playing in Florida last night, there was some twitter chatter
about the deal Panthers GM Dale Tallon had talked about, the one at the
draft that would have supposedly sent Jimmy Hayes to the Rangers for
Cam Talbot, before Florida traded him to the Bruins. Tallon apparently has
told people he was ticked, that he offered more than Edmonton, and not
sure if it came from him or was extrapolated, that Sather wanted to do his
old team a favor before he retired. Now, I will admit, Jimmy Hayes for
Talbot would have been better than what the Rangers got, and I don’t
know if there was more to that deal or if it was straight up. But the fact is the
Rangers were in no position to make that move backed up against the
salary cap as they were. They dealt Carl Hagelin, an important player they
very much wanted to keep, that very same day for a draft pick and
Emerson Etem, because otherwise they weren’t going to be able to re-sign
and keep Stepan. They couldn’t have traded Talbot for Hayes straight up
without doing a bunch more moves to shed salary. But Sather doing
Edmonton a favor is a much better tale, I guess.
22) I think it will be good for the Rangers to get back to a regular schedule
soon. I also think it will be really good for them, a test, to play a division
rival that’s playing well, when Washington comes to town Tuesday. They
usually rise to those challenges.
Rockland Journal News: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979885
New York Rangers
Rangers 3, Maple Leafs 1 … post-game notes & quotes
BANNER Team notes
–
THREE’S COMPANY – On each of the Rangers’ three goals in
tonight’s game, Mats Zuccarello recorded the goal, Derick Brassard tallied
the primary assist, and Rick Nash notched the secondary assist.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time a Ranger tallied a hat
trick and the same two players notched the primary assist and the
secondary assist on all three goals was on Mar. 30, 1975 vs. the Kansas
City Scouts (Steve Vickers registered four goals in the game; on each of
his first three goals, Jean Ratelle tallied the primary assist and Rod Gilbert
recorded the secondary assist). In addition, the last time an NHL player
tallied a hat trick and the same two players recorded the primary and
secondary assists on all three goals was on Feb. 27, 2013 (Anaheim vs.
Nashville; Kyle Palmieri registered a hat trick, Corey Perry recorded the
primary assist, and Ryan Getzlaf recorded the secondary assist). The last
time a Ranger tallied a hat trick in which the same two players assisted on
all three goals was Nov. 2, 2013 vs. Carolina (in that contest, Derek
Stepan recorded a hat trick, and Chris Kreider and Mats Zuccarello each
tallied an assist on all three goals; Zuccarello recorded two primary assists
and one secondary assist, while Kreider tallied one primary assist and two
secondary assists).
–
PICK SIX – The Rangers extended their point streak to a
season-high six games (4-0-2). Last season, the Rangers posted three
separate point streaks that were six games or longer in length. New York
has earned at least one point in nine of 11 contests thus far in 2015-16
(7-2-2).
–
HOME COOKING – The Blueshirts extended their winning streak
at home to four games, and they have outscored their opponent, 15-3, in
the four contests. In addition, the Rangers have earned at least one point
in each of their last five home games (4-0-1) and in six of seven home
games in 2015-16 (5-1-1). Dating back to last season, the Blueshirts have
earned at least one point in 36 of their last 46 home contests (30-10-6),
including 19 of their last 24 home games (16-5-3).
–
TWO GOOD – The Rangers have allowed two goals or fewer in
regulation in each of the last six games and have allowed one goal or
fewer in regulation in five of the last six contests. New York has allowed
two goals or fewer in eight of 11 games in 2015-16. As of the conclusion of
tonight’s game, the Rangers lead in the NHL in goals against per game
(1.82) this season. Entering this season, the Rangers were the only team
that ranked fifth or higher in the NHL in goals against per game in each of
the previous five seasons (2010-11 – 2014-15).
–
SAVING THE DAY – Over the last seven games (since. Oct. 15
at Montreal), Henrik Lundqvist and Antti Raanta have combined to post a
.957 SV% (199 saves on 208 shots over the span). This season, Rangers
goaltenders have posted a .947 SV% (324 saves on 342 shots).
–
FIRST IN SCORE – New York tallied the first goal the game for
the seventh time in 11 games in 2015-16. The Rangers have posted a
5-1-1 record when registering the first goal of the game in 2015-16. In
addition, New York has posted a 46-7-4 record in games which they have
tallied the first goal since the start of last season. The Rangers have
outscored their opponent, 12-5, in the first period thus far this season.
–
FINISHING THE JOB – The Rangers have posted a 155-1-9
record in their last 165 regular season games when leading after two
periods, dating back to Feb. 6, 2010 vs. New Jersey. New York’s .939
winning percentage and .967 points percentage when holding a lead after
40 minutes over the span rank first in the NHL. In addition, the Blueshirts
have posted a 41-0-1 record in 42 contests in which they have held a lead
after two periods since the start of the 2014-15 season.
–
TEAM DISCIPLINE – The Rangers were not called for a penalty
in tonight’s contest, marking the first time the Blueshirts were not assessed
a penalty in a game since Apr. 8, 2014 vs. Carolina. In addition, tonight’s
game marked the first time the Rangers were not shorthanded at any point
in a game since Feb. 24, 2015 vs. Calgary.
–
RAKING THE LEAFS – The Rangers have earned a point in nine
of their last 12 games against the Maple Leafs, dating back to Jan. 14,
2012 (8-3-1).
BANNER Three Stars on Broadway
–
Mats Zuccarello tallied his first career hat trick, registered four
shots on goal, and posted a plus-three rating in 18:12 of ice time. He has
registered nine multi-goals games in his career, including two during the
2015-16 season (Oct. 9 at Columbus and tonight), and two of his last three
multi-goal games have been against the Maple Leafs. Zuccarello leads the
Rangers in goals (seven) and points (nine) this season. He has tallied six
points (four goals, two assists) in the last five games and nine points
(seven goals, two assists) in the last 10 games. Zuccarello has also posted
a multi-point game in each of his last three games against the Maple Leafs
(six goals, one assist over the span), and he has notched seven goals in
eight career contests against Toronto. In addition, he has registered a
multi-goal game in each of the last two contests against Toronto.
zucc second goal–
Derick Brassard tied a single-game career-high
with three assists, led the Rangers with 10 faceoff wins and a 59% faceoff
win percentage (10-for-17), and posted a plus-three rating in 17:25 of ice
time. He has recorded three assists in a game on five occasions in his
career, including three times as a Ranger (Apr. 3, 2013 vs. Pittsburgh,
Dec. 23, 2014 vs. Washington, and tonight). In addition, Brassard has now
posted seven three-point games in his career, including five as a Ranger.
Brassard extended his point streak to three games (two goals, three
assists). He has registered six points (two goals, four assists) in the last
five games, as well as eight points (three goals, five assists) in the last nine
games. Brassard also extended his point streak against the Maple Leafs to
four games (one goal, six assists), and he has tallied an assist in each of
his last three games against Toronto.
–
Henrik Lundqvist made 24 saves to earn his fifth win of the
season. Lundqvist appeared in his 629th career game with the Rangers in
tonight’s contest, tying Turk Broda for seventh in NHL history in career
appearances by a goaltender with one franchise. The only goaltenders in
NHL history who have appeared in more games with one franchise than
Lundqvist has with the Rangers are Martin Brodeur (New Jersey), Tony
Esposito (Chicago), Terry Sawchuk (Detroit), Olaf Kolzig (Washington),
Billy Smith (NY Islanders), and Mike Richter (NY Rangers). Lundqvist also
tied Broda for 35th place on the NHL’s all-time appearances list. The
Rangers’ all-time wins and shutouts leader has allowed two or fewer goals
in eight of nine appearances this season, including each of the last five
appearances. In his last 36 regular season games (dating back to Dec. 8,
2014 vs. Pittsburgh), Lundqvist has posted a 26-8-2 record, along with a
1.92 GAA, a .937 SV%, and 1 SO.
BANNER BLUESHIRT BREAKDOWN
–
Rick Nash recorded three assists and posted a plus-three rating
in 15:57 of ice time. He has registered seven three-assist games in his
career, and he has posted a three-assist game in each of his last two
contests against the Maple Leafs (six assists over the span). Nash has
registered five points (one goal, four assists) in the last five games and six
points (one goal, five assists) in the last eight games. Nash, who led all
Rangers with five points (two goals, three assists) in the season series
against the Maple Leafs in 2014-15, has notched a point in each of his last
four games against Toronto (two goals, six assists), and he has registered
17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in his last 14 games against the Maple
Leafs.
–
Ryan McDonagh led all skaters and tied a single-game
career-high with seven shots on goal, and he posted a plus-one rating
while skating in a team-high 21:57 of ice time in the contest. The Rangers
captain is tied for first among team defensemen in shots on goal (20) in
2015-16.
BANNER QUOTE BOOK
Alain Vigneault, New York Rangers head coach
On the first line’s play tonight… “Well, they had their best game of the year,
there’s no doubt. I thought that, not only offensively did they make some
real solid plays that led to grade A opportunities that they were able to
finish, but I thought both ends of the rink, they were real solid. That’s why I
had them out there in the last minute and a half. They’ve been very
competitive and very good in their reads. They were our best players
tonight. There’s no doubt. All three of those guys.”
On the team’s defense… “I thought he made a couple good plays on the
walls, and back checked extremely hard. That team works hard. They just
got over fifty shots against Montreal and anybody who went to our game in
Montreal saw how they dominated us start to finish. They work hard, and
we played a strong game. We had good effort from our teams tonight. I
thought we got some different makers tonight on Brassard’s line and now
we need somebody else to step up to the plate next game.”
On Ryan McDonagh … “I thought McDonagh had a good game tonight; he
skated well again. There’s no doubt tonight that there’s still room for
improvement. There were some positive things and we’re going to
continue to work on it.”
Mike Babcock, Toronto Maple Leafs head coach
On today’s game… “Obviously you’re here to win. Obviously we thought
we scored a goal that got called back. We thought we had some good
opportunities that we didn’t get a hold of. They had three, we had a penalty
kill that was good. Bernier had his best night of the year. We gave up
basically two backside goals, which is hard for us. We had an untimely
pinch that I didn’t like. All in all we did a lot of good things and it’s hard to go
say that to the guys all the time though you’ve got to find ways to win
games.”
On Jonathan Bernier’s performance… “I thought he was solid. I’m a big
believer that the coach and the players are responsible for anything
backside and you’re responsible for what’s in front of you. To me, I never
worry about that other stuff and I just worry what’s in front. I thought he
played good. I thought he was solid. I didn’t think our team gave up that
much. At the end we were getting a little carried away in the back. I thought
we gave up some chances but all in all our chance total was down which
was positive. I thought we had a good game. It was good to have Bozak
back. I thought Froese was dominant in the penalty kill face-off for us. He
was competitive, which was a positive thing for us. It was good to have
Gardiner and Bozak back obviously.”
On the recalled goal… “It was in the paint. I don’t know totally how it’s
going to go that way. To me, he’s a guy who plays deep anyway and so to
me, you could be in the blue paint playing against them and not disrupt him
[Lunqvist] because he’s not out of the paint anyway. They obviously
must’ve thought we did, but it’s unfortunate for us. We could’ve used that
goal.”
Mats Zuccarello, New York Rangers forward
On scoring a hat trick tonight… “It’s always fun to score goals. For sure it’s
not every day that you score three, at least not me.”
On playing on a line with Rick Nash and Derick Brassard… “Obviously all
the goals I scored, it’s just Nasher (Rick Nash) and Brass (Derick
Brassard). I’m just a lucky guy to put it in an open net. Even I can’t miss
every open net I get so it’s good.”
On the chemistry with his linemates… “We played with each other for a
while now, especially me and Brass and Nasher as well. We’re kind of
connecting. It’s not every day we are going to connect like this, but it’s
really nice when it happens. We will go to work tomorrow at practice and
hopefully play a good game on Tuesday.”
Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers goaltender
On tonight’s game… “I thought it was important for us to really keep the
third man high and make smart decisions because they came really hard
in their transition game and early on they had a couple of two-on-ones. But
we just played it really well. We put a lot of pressure on the player with the
puck and they didn’t manage to get a shot on net even though they had a
two-on-one look. But overall I thought we played a really good game. We
stepped up when we needed to. Obviously the first line had a huge night
with Zuccarello playing really well, not only his goals but the way he
opened up the game for his teammates. It was fun to watch.”
On the disallowed goal… “That was a big call. I think it was the right call
because I can’t come up. He comes in and even though he doesn’t make
contact right away he’s there so I can’t come out. And then when the puck
hits me he kind of bumps into me. So I thought it was the right call. For a
goalie to come out and play your game within the crease, you need to
make that play.”
On the first line… “If you put three really talented players together good
things are going to happen. But also for each game they gain more
confidence and they get to know each other even better. But they’ve
obviously been playing together for a lot of games now and just the talent
they have, the way they see the game all three of them, when they’re on
they’re really fun to watch. They have to be a big part of this club moving
forward if we’re going to have success. Those three guys need to play at a
really high level and they really did tonight. They’ve been doing it for a lot
of games so it’s great to see.”
Rick Nash, New York Rangers forward
On playing on a line with Zuccarello and Brassard… “We thought we
struggled a little bit early in the season, couldn’t find that chemistry.
Tonight is just one game, but I thought it was a real positive note.”
On playing with his linemates… “It seems like we open up room for each
other. You know when we’re feeling it, and when we’re having chemistry it
seems like we’re making plays, we’re holding onto the puck, we’re not
chasing it all night.”
On chemistry with his linemates… “I think it fed a lot off last year. We knew
we had a pretty good season. It takes some time to get back early on in the
season, we struggled a little bit. But I think tonight when we hold onto
pucks and we make plays, you can see there is definitely some chemistry.”
Derick Brassard, New York Rangers forward
On the first line’s play tonight… “Hopefully it gives us some confidence
coming up in the next couple of games. But for sure it was nice to get on
the board for the team. We knew when coach put us together yesterday
we had to come out big and that’s what we did tonight. Hopefully we can
build on that.”
On the first line’s chemistry… “When we move the puck and we see each
other and the chemistry is good we’re going to make plays obviously and
that’s what we did tonight.”
On getting Zuccarello the hat trick… “I knew Zuke was on the left side and
I didn’t want to give it to him too early so the D-man could make a play at
the red line so I kind of faked going to the right side. It’s always nice when
you’re teammates are scoring hat tricks. They’re always special and it was
nice for him to get that done.”
On the disallowed goal… “Ten seconds into the third period, that’s not how
you want to play with the lead. That guy was basically in Hank’s pants
there so I think that was the right call by the refs. That was a break for us.”
Dion Phaneuf, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman
On tonight’s game… “We did a lot of good things but the bottom line is we
just didn’t have that little bit more to find a way to win the game. We did a
lot of good things but we just need to find that little extra gear.”
On the disallowed goal… “We were in the hockey game all night. It was a
one goal game heading into the third and we score one early, they call it
back, that’s the rules. That’s just hockey, that’s the way it is whether I
agree with it or not. For me to stand here and say either way it doesn’t
help the cause. It’s done. It’s over with. That’s what we said on the
bench. Obviously we challenged it, we tried to get the call changed, it
doesn’t get changed, so we move on. That’s part of the game. I thought
we started off the third very well. I thought our penalty kill was really good
in the second to hold us. Bernie (Jonathan Bernier) was really good for
our team to help keep it a one goal game on the road but they just pushed
that little bit extra.”
Matt Hunwick, Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman
On the disallowed goal… “Obviously not happy with it. That was one of
the plays we wanted to do and that was to get pucks to the net with a guy
right in the crease. I didn’t really think there was much contact there but
obviously the referees thought differently and it didn’t go our way.”
On the team’s effort… “We’re working hard but we want to see wins and
right now they’re not coming but we’re going to continue to work and do the
right things to try and flip the script here.”
On the Rangers’ top line… “They’re always good on the transition. They
can transition from defense to offense almost quicker than anyone. It’s
definitely a challenge. You need to be in the right position and they
caught us a couple of times tonight.”
979886
New York Rangers
Maple Leafs at Rangers … It’s Go Time!
Maple Leaves at Rangers.
So the Maple Leaves go out and trade Phil Kessel, hire Mike Babcock, Lou
Lamoriello, et al, and they still stink.
Toronto has won one of its first eight games, and that was against
Columbus, during the seven-game Jackets losing streak that began John
Tortorella (and, yeah, the Rangers beat CBJ twice, too).
The Leaves give the Rangers trouble. They won their only visit last
season, and two of the three meetings overall. The Rangers are 7-3-1 in
their last 11 vs. Toronto, but seven of the last 10 have been decided by
one goal, four of those in overtime or a shootout. At least the Rangers
don’t have to worry about Kessel torching them this time.
They play their only game in an eight-day span, and their first in five days.
They host Washington on Tuesday. The Rangers are 6-2-2 in 10, though,
as we’ve discussed at length, haven’t been nearly at the top of their game
in probably nine of those 10. They are 4-1-1 at home.
So tonight Alain Vigneault goes back to his tried-and-true top six, reuniting
Derick Brassard (3-2-5) with Rick Nash (1-2-3) and Mats Zuccarello
(4-2-6), and Derek Stepan (3-2-5) with Chris Kreider (1-4-5) and Jesper
Fast (1-2-3).
The rest of the lineup remains the same, with the exception of Henrik
Lundqvist in goal after Antti Raanta beat Calgary last Sunday. Emerson
Etem remains in on the fourth line, though Viktor Stalberg (concussion)
has been cleared to play, according to Vigneault. Dylan McIlrath is
prucha’d.
Tonight’s probable lineup:
Nash-Brassard-Zuccarello.
Kreider-Stepan-Fast.
Lindberg-Hayes-Miller.
Etem-Moore-Stoll.
McDonagh-Klein.
Staal-Boyle.
Yandle-Girardi.
Lundqvist/Raanta.
979887
New York Rangers
Amid Rangers’ flaws, the penalty kill strengthens
NEW YORK – As the Rangers continue to take apart, and try to fix, parts of
their game that have either failed or been inconsistent, one area had
become a strength lately.
The Rangers’ penalty killing units had been on a 17-for-17 run through the
prior six games heading into Friday’s Garden game against the Toronto
Maple Leafs.
And while they’ve had a fair amount of turnover in the personnel on the
penalty kill, it has been a constant in two-plus seasons under coach Alain
Vigneault and assistant coach Ulf Samuelsson. Since they took over at the
start of 2013-14, the Rangers’ 85-percent kill-rate is tied for the best in the
NHL, and their 19 short-handed goals are tied for the league lead over that
span.
RR logo outlinedThis summer the Rangers lost Carl Hagelin, who was
such a key to the Rangers’ penalty-killing unit, such a unique weapon
because of not only his speed – perhaps the best in the league – but the
way he uses it without the puck, to pressure opponents in either zone.
They brought in Jarret Stoll, a proven top faceoff man (NHL-leading 65.6
win percentage) who killed penalties for two Stanley Cup champs in Los
Angeles, but doesn’t kill in the manner Hagelin did. Sophomore Jesper
Fast had a tremendous first year as a penalty killer, along with incumbents
Dominic Moore (the leading forward with 25:11 on the PK), and of course
Rick Nash and Derek Stepan, who are so dangerous together on the kill.
Vigneault, asked about it, sounded as if he feels the penalty-killing unit
could be better.
“We get some big saves, and that’s the key to any penalty killing,” he said.
“But our pressure in the neutral zone and our trigger points – we’ve got
trigger points 5-on-5 but we also have a lot 5-on-4, where our guys can get
in there and swarm – our players have been good at that. When they’ve
been a little bit behind in executing it, we’ve gotten some unreal saves.”
But the Rangers feel that particular special team is coming together.
“The new guys that are involved are starting to feel a little more
comfortable out there – Stollie understanding when to be aggressive and
how to set up in our forecheck and where to be in the D zone,” Ryan
McDonagh, who leads the team with 31:33 of short-handed ice time, said.
“I think guys are getting really comfortable and confident there. And
making good reads off of when to be aggressive and when to peel back.”
The kills have allowed the Rangers to hang around in games in which
they’ve gone ahead to win or get a point.
“It can definitely get you going in games where you’re looking for that extra
push or energy boost, and to kill off a penalty in an important time of the
game can definitely help you the same way a good power play (can),”
Henrik Lundqvist said.
Which brings us to the other special team. The Rangers’ power play, as
bad as it has been at times (read: awful), has scored in three of the last
four games.
979888
Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators measure up in opener of home-and-home series with
Detroit
For one of the few times this season, the Senators put together three
strong periods to earn a win over a division rival.
CHEERS
To an old-fashioned home-and-home series, in Detroit and Ottawa on
consecutive nights. If the teams didn’t like each other Friday, they really
won’t like each other on Saturday.
WAYNE SCANLAN, OTTAWA CITIZEN
JEERS
PM EDT
To the bad luck that cost Max McCormick his first NHL goal at 14:45 of the
first period. After shovelling a shot past Howard, McCormick thrust his
stick in the air in celebration, only to see the play whistled down because
the Red Wings’ Justin Abdelkader was being called for a holding the stick
penalty.
DETROIT – If this two-game series with the Red Wings is a measuring
stick for the Senators, then they measured up in Game 1.
“Best game of the year, start to finish,” said Senators head coach Dave
Cameron.
Ottawa’s second straight victory improved its overall record to a very
respectable 5-3-2 for 12 points in 10 games. It is 4-1-0 on the road. Detroit
fell to 4-5-1, three points behind the Senators.
Andrew Hammond stopped 29 of 30 Detroit shots for his first victory of the
season. Bobby Ryan clinched the win with an empty-net goal in the final
minute.
“We come in and get two points in a divisional building, and we get a
chance to do it again (Saturday),” Ryan said. “It’s a building block. We had
a lot of positives in the game.”
There were no end of hopeful signs that Hammond, in his second start,
had regained some of the magic that carried him and the Senators to a
20-1-2 run and a playoff spot last season.
During his hot streak, Hammond was very good and occasionally blessed.
That described the scene in the second period, when Detroit’s star rookie,
Dylan Larkin, was missing a wide open net one minute and veteran centre
Henrik Zetterberg was being robbed by a Hamburglar glove save the next
minute.
“We just had a really good effort for 60 minutes,” Hammond said. “I felt I
was able to settle in pretty early and the team played really well in front of
me.”
The Senators and Hammond survived a brief 5-on-3 disadvantage, to cling
to their one-goal lead, a leftover from the first period.
Those penalty kills loomed large when Matt Puempel extended the lead to
2-0 with his first goal of the season in just his second NHL game of
2015-16.
From in front, Puempel redirected a Ryan pass to the top of the net. He
was all smiles on the bench, and why not, with family and friends from
Windsor here to see it?
“I don’t have too many goals in this league, but it’s the first time my parents
saw me score one live (in the NHL),” Puempel said. “I’m happy for that.”
Ryan actually fetched the puck out of the net, thinking it was Puempel’s
first career goal. (It was actually his third.)
An Erik Karlsson slap shot that clanged off the post could have run the
visitors’ lead to 3-0, but that shot stayed out and toward the end of the
second period the Wings closed the gap to 2-1.
With the Senators trying to kill a second 5-on-3 situation, Zetterberg took
advantage of a blocked shot that bounced to him for an open shot at 17:00
of the second period. Hamburglar had no chance.
The teams traded chances and bodychecks in a fairly even opening
period, but the Senators skated off with a lead thanks to Kyle Turris’
team-leading sixth goal of the season at 18:46.
Turris won a battle of hockey sticks in the Red Wings’ crease. Winger Mark
Stone was also in on the turf war for the puck, and as the puck finally came
to Turris he slipped it between Jimmy Howard’s pads.
The Senators outshot the home team 12-10 in what was perhaps Ottawa’s
best first period of the season.
Shane Prince, still looking for his first goal, won’t get a better chance than
his look early on, so close to Howard he could read the Hockey Fights
Cancer writing on his pink goalie mask. Turris had spotted Prince trailing
on the play and slipped a perfect pass across ice to him. Prince made a
quick move and promptly shot the puck wide.
GAME FILE
WHY THEY WON
SWEDE ON SWEDE
The Swedes are known for their fellowship around the league, but when
Henrik Zetterberg gave his countryman Erik Karlsson a tug with his stick,
Karlsson shot him a look and then spoke to a nearby referee to officially
lodge a complaint.
HAMMY NEAR HOME
Andrew Hammond grew up in Surrey, B.C., but has settled with his wife
very close to Detroit, in Grosse Point, Mich., on the shores of Lake St.
Clair. The couple met at Bowling Green University, but Marlee was once
an intern for the MLB Detroit Tigers.
Ottawa Citizen LOADED: 10.31.2015
979889
Ottawa Senators
Chris Wideman reunites with the man who helped him along, Detroit coach
Jeff Blashill
EDT
DETROIT Long before the Senators went on the ice for an optional
practice, defenceman Chris Wideman was engaged in a lengthy ice-level
chat with a former coach.
Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill once recruited Wideman for
the Miami University of Ohio hockey team when Chris was a midget player
in St. Louis. Blashill was an assistant coach at Miami of Ohio at the time.
Blashill fairly raves about Wideman, who has played just three games as a
rookie for the Senators this season.
“He had an unreal ability to pass the puck extraordinarily hard, and shoot it
really hard, especially for a little guy,” Blashill says. “He’s got great
confidence and offensive ability. The numbers he put up last year in the
American League are amazing.”
Wideman led all AHL defenceman in scoring for Binghamton in 2014-15
and was named the league’s defenceman of the year.
Wideman, 25, and 5-10, 180 pounds, says he owes “a ton” to Blashill.
“He had a big impact on my hockey career,” Wideman says. “He’s a
special guy and it’s pretty cool to both be at the same level here, and he
also coached my brother in junior. Has a relationship with my whole family,
so it’s pretty special.”
Blashill, in his first season as Detroit’s head coach, was with the Indiana
Ice of the USHL when he recruited and coached Chris’s brother Alex, now
a forward with the B-Sens.
As Ottawa’s seventh defenceman, Chris Wideman is having to be patient.
He was a healthy scratch again Friday versus the Red Wings. Blashill
doesn’t doubt he will succeed in the NHL.
“I’m sure he’s finding ways to be successful at this level,” Blashill says,
citing Wideman as one of those undersized players who has the physical
and mental makeup to be an impact player.
“I think guys that have to battle size, they have to be extremely confident,”
Blashill says. “He’s got real confidence. I coached Torey Krug in junior,
he’s got confidence like that.
“They have a swagger to them and that’s what makes them successful.
Today’s NHL has a place for smaller defencemen, Blashill believes.
“In the end, you have to get the puck out of your zone,” he says. “You can
talk about small guys getting beat defensively, but everybody gets beat
one way or the other. Big guys sometimes get beat, maybe they’re not fast
enough.
“I think the key is the package. As a smaller guy, you’ve got to be elite
getting out of your zone, and elite offensively.”
Sounds like Wideman.
PUEMPEL AT HOME
Of all places for his second start of the season with the Senators, Matt
Puempel is in Detroit – so very close to his hometown of Windsor.
“A couple of friends texted me to say they’re coming,” Puempel says. “My
parents will be here. This is the closest to home I’ve been since playing
against the Windsor Spitfires in my junior days.”
Puempel, 22, who played for the OHL Peterborough Petes, grew up a fan
of the Toronto Maple Leafs, but always admired the class of the Red
Wings, including the Stanley Cup-winning teams led by Steve Yzerman.
Puempel attended a few NHL games at Joe Louis Arena and came to
Detroit for a couple of Stanley Cup parades as a pre-schooler.
MRAZEK STARTS AT CTC
Former Ottawa 67’s goaltender Peter Mrazek will start for Detroit in Ottawa
on Saturday, and he couldn’t be more excited. Mrazek, of course, was a
standout goaltender for the Ottawa 67’s.
“I spent three great years there, it’s going to fun (Saturday),” Mrazek said.
With Shane Prince now in the Senators lineup, along with defenceman
Cody Ceci, Mrazek has an added ex-teammate to visit.
“It’s great to see those guys in the NHL, and we can meet,” Mrazek says. “I
saw (Tyler) Toffoli in L.A. I’m happy for all of them.”
A trip to Ottawa also means a chance to catch up with his former goalie
coach with the 67’s, Tom Dempsey. Mrazek is still in touch with Dempsey
“almost every day,” he says.
“Whether we have a game, or he texts me to see how I’m doing, or how is
the game going,” Mrazek says.
“I think he’s watching my games, too, because he always texts me after
the game.”
Mrazek and Friday’s starter, Jimmy Howard, have split the first 10 games
of the season evenly, with five games apiece. Saturday will be Mrazek’s
sixth start. He is 2-3-2 with a 2.61 goals-against and .922 save
percentage.
979890
Ottawa Senators
Logan Brown says they’re inseparable in the summer.
Hockey fathers, hockey sons: The Browns and Chychruns look forward to
another draft day
“When we were younger, I would head to his cottage for two weeks at a
time, and then he would come and stay with me for two weeks,” he says.
“Now that we both drive, we probably saw each other five or six times a
week last summer. But we talk all year long, we Facetime all the time.”
KEN WARREN, OTTAWA CITIZEN
As they deal with pre-draft hype, expectations and stress, they’re receiving
similar advice from their fathers.
EDT
Jeff Brown, who is in the somewhat odd situation of coaching a rival OHL
team, says he’s trying not to get in Logan’s way.
When Ottawa 67s coach and general manager Jeff Brown thinks back to
his own NHL draft year and the next one in 2016, he can’t help but laugh at
how small the hockey world really is.
Brown and best friend Jeff Chychrun were born four days apart in 1966
and they grew up together playing minor hockey and baseball in Nepean.
The two defencemen were then chosen back-to-back in the 1984 NHL
entry draft in Montreal: Brown, a slick skater with offensive flair, went 36th
to the Quebec Nordiques, while Chychrun, a towering presence, was
selected 37th by the Philadelphia Flyers.
Now, it’s their sons’ turn. Jakob Chychrun, a standout defenceman with
the Sarnia Sting, and Logan Brown, a star centre with the Windsor
Spitfires — yes, they, too, are best friends — are on target to become first
round NHL picks next summer.
“He’s with a great organization in Windsor, with a great coach,” he says.
“It’s up to him to show them how good he can be. It starts with being a good
teammate.”
Logan Brown jokes that he tries “not to give away secrets” when he talks to
his father.
In terms of the draft, he has adopted a big picture perspective, partly due
to the experiences of his father and his best friend’s father.
“My Dad was rated a bit higher than he went (in 1984), but he dropped a bit
and Mr. Chychrun was rated bit later, but got picked earlier than expected,”
he says. “You can see both sides to the story and they both had good NHL
careers. When you talk to both of them, they’ll tell you it doesn’t matter
where you go or even what team picks you. All the matters is that you get a
chance. It’s what you do after you’re drafted.”
Accordingly, the circle of hockey life, full of crazy coincidences and
amusing anecdotes, is almost complete.
Meanwhile, over in Sarnia, Jakob Chychrun is also doing his best not to
get ahead of himself. The latest ratings have him as a solid top 5 selection
– perhaps top three – in the 2016 draft. He will make plenty of noise back
home as the earliest Florida-born selection in NHL draft history.
“We talk about it all the time,” says Brown. “Jeff (Chychrun) is Logan’s
godfather. We were in each other’s weddings. We’ve been best friends for
life.”
“Lots of people are trying to say how big a deal it is, but my Dad just keeps
telling me, ‘it’s just another year’, almost downplaying it,” he says. “I don’t
want to focus on it too much. I am trying to focus on the team winning.”
While the sons are dealing with the inevitable pressures which come from
being under the microscope in their draft years, their fathers’ experiences
are helping guide them.
As much as the Chychruns and Browns are trying to stay relaxed about the
prospect of history repeating itself, they at least acknowledge thinking
what if?
Whatever happens, their post-draft experience should run far smoother.
“In the summer, my Dad was talking and wondering about things,” says
Jakob Chychrun. “Does any team have two first round picks?”
We’ll let Chychrun tell the story about what happened after the
congratulatory handshakes were finished at the old Montreal Forum back
in 1984.
“We drove back home together and my dad’s car broke down around
Casselman,” he recalls, laughing boisterously.
“We jumped a fence and we went towards a farmer’s house to get some
water for the radiator. A bunch of dogs were chasing us and the farmer
came out, yelling at us to get off his property.”
Ultimately, they returned to the highway empty-handed. They then stuck
out their thumbs and returned to Ottawa in fine style, indeed.
“Yup, we ended up going back to Ottawa in the back of a U-Haul trailer,”
Chychrun says.
“True story,” says Brown.
It’s one of the many NHL-related tales the sons have heard countless
times at family gatherings and while developing in hockey.
Following a playing career that ended due to concussions, Chychrun – he
registered three goals, 22 assists and 742 penalty minutes in 262 games
— landed in Boca Raton, Florida. While toying with the idea of returning to
the game as a referee, he coached Jakob in his early years in hockey.
Brown, meanwhile, settled in St. Louis after concussions ended his career
– 154 goals and 431 assists in 747 games – and coached Logan in his
formative years.
Don’t let the distance fool you.
The sons played countless tournaments together on spring All-Star teams,
travelling across the United States and in Canada.
The families have also stayed close during summers, at their cottages
west of Ottawa. The Chychruns have a place on White Lake, 40 minutes
away from the Brown family cottage on Mississippi Lake.
“I don’t think too many people are aware of it, but Logie’s my best friend,”
says Jakob Chychrun. “We played in those tournaments and for the past
couple of years, we’ve trained together in the summer. For sure, it’s pretty
cool.
“We’ve definitely talked about (the NHL draft) a little bit. We’ve always had
each other’s backs. We always want the best for one another.”
Yes, they do. Boston, Toronto, Carolina and Arizona are all in that position,
making it at least possible that a Chychrun-Brown first-round package
could happen.
979891
Ottawa Senators
Senators take first of home-and-home series Red Wings
On the 12th shot the Senators fired at Howard, Turris opened the scoring
with 1:14 left in the first. He took a pass from Stone and then made a great
individual effort with a crowd of Wings in front to beat the traffic by sliding it
by Howard on the glove side.
With 5:15 to go in the first, Binghamton callup Max McCormick had what
would have been his first NHL goal called back.
BY BRUCE GARRIOCH, OTTAWA SUN
FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 10:25 PM EDT |
UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 11:39 PM EDT
DETROIT - DETROIT — The Senators were firing on all cylinders in the
Motor City.
Though he did a good job going to the front and firing it by a sprawling
Howard, the officials ruled Zack Smith didn’t give the netminder a chance
to make the saves.
“Our best game of the year, start to finish, we just let them off the hook in
the second with some untimely penalties,” said coach Dave Cameron.
“We had (urgency) right from the opening faceoff right to the last one.
In one of their better efforts of the season, the Senators hit the 10-game
mark by picking up their second straight victory and captured Round 1 of
this back-to-back series against the division-rival Detroit Red Wings with a
3-1 victory at the Joe Louis Arena Friday night.
“Our focus was on good execution.”
While Andrew (The Hamburglar) Hammond picked up his first victory of
the season by making 29 stops in the win, Kyle Turris and Matt Puempel
were able to beat Detroit goalie Jimmy Howard on the 34 shots he faced to
allow the Senators to move their record to 4-1-0 on the road this season.
THREE STARS
Only Henrik Zetterberg was able to beat Hammond while Bobby Ryan put
it away into an empty net.
2. Kyle Turris, OTT: He has emerged as a No. 1 centre because he helps
lead the charge most nights. He was no different in this effort.
The two teams will close out the home-and-home at the Canadian Tire
Centre. If the Senators are able to sweep the series it would be a huge
boost to their confidence.
3. Dylan Larkin, DET: He'll have nightmares about missing an open net in
the second, but he had an excellent effort. Keep an eye on him.
“We needed it. Now, we emphasize what we need, a roll,” said Ryan.
“We got two points in a divisonal building and really a four-point game.
“We get a chance to do it again (Saturday) but I really thought we had a lot
of positives in the game. Throughout the lineup, I thought everybody
contributed. We had some great penalty kills that really contributed. (Jared
Cowen, Mark Borowiecki and Jean-Gabriel Pageau) blocking shots, those
guys really did the dirty work.”
Making his first start since a 4-1 loss to the Arizona Coyotes last Saturday
at home, Hammond was solid.
He made a big stop on Justin Abdelkader with a point-blank save with
11:40 to go in the third and the Senators clinging to a one-goal lead.
Hammond just did his job.
“We just had a really good effort for 60 minutes,” said Hammond.
“I felt a lot better. You don’t want to ever just get the first one out of the way,
you want to get off to a great start, but it’s just natural once you get the first
one out of the way you feel more comfortable. I felt like I was able to settle
in early and the team played well in front of me.”
His teammates were impressed with The Burglar.
“He looked comfortable and he looked like he was Andrew Hammond of
March and April last year,” added Ryan.
And, the Senators were able to get their game together.
The Senators held a 2-1 lead after 40 minutes and they were sailing along
quite nicely until a late power play effort got Detroit on the board.
The Wings pulled to within a goal with three minutes left in the second after
being rewarded their second 5-on-3 of the game.
This one was a stretch of 1:07. Zetterberg took pass and beat Hammond
on the glove side to cut the Senators lead to 2-1 with Zack Smith and Cody
Ceci in the box.
The Wings were 1-for-5 on the power play.
Puempel, who grew up about 25 minutes away from The Joe in Essex,
Ont. (a suburb of Windsor), had a homecoming he’ll be able to remember.
Suiting up for his second game since being called up from Binghamton
Monday, Puempel redirected a pass from Bobby Ryan by Howard glove
side.
That came at 10:10 of the second and gave the Senators a 2-0 lead.
“I don’t have too many goals in this league that’s the first time my parents
were able to see one live,” said a smiling Puempel.
“I’m happy for that. I had a good dinner with them last night and that’s stuff
you don’t usually get to do in pro hockey. I’m pretty fortunate.”
The Senators and Wings faceoff at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Twitter: @sungarrrioch
1. Andrew Hammond, OTT: The Hamburglar picked up his first victory of
the season by making the saves when the Senators needed them most.
Ottawa Sun LOADED: 10.31.2015
979892
Ottawa Senators
Senators rookie Chris Wideman offers high praise for Wings coach
DETROIT - Never forget the hockey world is a small world.
Chris Wideman didn't get a chance to face Jeff Blashill Friday night but
they did get an opportunity to catch up.
Before the morning skate got underway at the Joe Louis Arena, the
Senators' rookie defenceman and the Detroit Red Wings new head coach
had a short talk while Wideman was on the club's bench because it turns
out they have a long history together that goes back to 2007-08.
That's when Blashill, working as an assistant with Miami University at
Ohio, recruited Wideman to play college hockey for the school. Later on in
his career, Blashill coached Wideman's younger brother Alex (who is now
in Binghamton) with the USHL's Indianapolis Ice. They've all been good
friends since.
"I remember Chris as a midget hockey player. He had unreal ability to pass
the puck and an extraordinary ability to shoot it really hard, especially for a
little guy," said Blashill Friday morning.
"He's got great confidence. He's got great offensive ability. The numbers
he put up last year in the American league were amazing. He's got really
good ability and I'm sure he's finding ways to be successful at this level. I
really think he's an outstanding person and he's got an outstanding family."
Blashill said the fact the 5-foot-10 Wideman has been able to overcome
his size says a lot about what it has taken for him to get here.
"It says a ton about him," said Blashill. "I think any guys that have to battle
size, they have to be extremely confident and he's got real confidence.
"I coached (Boston's) Torey Krug in junior and he's got confidence like
that. They're similar in that aspect where they have a swagger to them and
that's what makes them successful."
Wideman was a scratch for the second-straight game, but he thinks pretty
highly of Blashill.
"He's a really good coach at a lot of levels and a really good guy,"
Wideman said after the optional skate. "He had a big impact on my hockey
career.
"He's a special guy and it's pretty cool to both be at the same level here.
(He gave him) a lot of guidance. I was playing junior at the time (in St.
Louis) and he got me through all that and prepared me for college. He's
really good guy and very easy to talk to."
A HOMECOMING
Winger Matt Puempel was looking forward to the chance to play in his own
backyard Friday night. The Senators' winger -- called up on an emergency
basis from the club's AHL affiliate in Binghamton Monday -- grew up in
nearby Essex, Ont. which is across the river and about a 25-minute drive
from the Joe Louis. Puempel's parents were going to be in the stands while
he'd gotten texts from other friends who told him they had tickets. "This is
the closest I've played (to home) since playing against the Spitfires in
Windsor in the junior days," Puempel said before the game. He didn't get
the chance to play here last year because he had a high ankle sprain and
missed the club's visit late in the season. "It's exciting getting to play here
for the first time. I got to play here a couple of times as a kid and it's always
a dream to play here," said Puempel. He was a Toronto Maple Leafs' fan
growing up but noted the Wings were a close second and he had a chance
to attend a couple of the club's Stanley Cup parades as a kid.
THE LAST WORDS
Former 67's goalie Peter Mrazek is looking forward to getting a chance to
play at the Canadian Tire Centre Saturday night. "I'm excited. I spent three
great years (in Ottawa) and it's going to be fun," said the Wings' backup.
He's looking forward to the chance to face ex-67's teammates Shane
Prince and Cody Ceci as well. "It's great to see those guys playing in the
NHL and we can see each other -- like (Tyler) Toffoli in L.A. It's great that
we get a chance to meet up," said Mrazek, who stays in regular contact
with former 67's goalie coach Tom Dempsey ... Coach Dave Cameron
opted not to make any changes against the Wings. The Senators held an
optional skate but you can expect to see goalie Craig Anderson make the
start Saturday night at home. Winger Mike Hoffman, who's recovering from
what's believed to be a groin injury, was on the ice Friday and may play in
Game 2 of this series. "He got through another skate today and we'll make
that decision (Saturday). I'm not sure," said Cameron. Winger Curtis Lazar
(concussion) has resumed doing exercise but hasn't been on the ice. He
won't play this weekend.
979893
Ottawa Senators
Senators goalie Craig Anderson polls fans on new gear
DETROIT - Craig Anderson is getting a little help from the fans in the
selection of his new goalie pads, blocker and glove.
During a break in the Motor City Thursday night, the Senators' goalie used
his Twitter account to post the three finalists for his new gear. Then, he
took a straw poll on his social media account to see which one the fans
liked best in the designs made by Brian's Custom Sports from Kingsville,
Ont.
"Those were the three I would go with and I have an idea of what I was
thinking I would want," said Anderson Friday morning. "You just want to
get another point of view and another perspective from it.
"It's created a lot of buzz."
A few weeks ago, Anderson asked the fans to enter their own designs but
none of those made the cut for the finals.
"That got a lot of good feedback. People came up with some strange items
but at the end of the day it's just good to get other people's ideas," said
Anderson.
Anderson said he isn't sure which he'll choose.
"We got good response but at the end of the day I get the final say in
choosing what I want," said Anderson. "It's kind of nice when you have
something in your mind and it gets the most votes then you know you're
going in the right direction or maybe something that looks good to me
might not look good to someone else.
"It's just something fun to do."
979894
Ottawa Senators
Hammond to start as Ottawa Senators battle Detroit Red Wings
DETROIT - The Hamburglar will make his return Friday night.
The Senators have decided to give backup Andrew “The Hamburglar”
Hammond the start against the Detroit Red Wings in this home-and-home
series that gets underway Friday night at the Joe Louis Arena. It’s
expected that goalie Craig Anderson will play at home Saturday night.
This is a homecoming of sorts for Hammond. He makes his off-season
home in nearby Grosse Pointe, Mich.
He missed the first two weeks of the season with a groin injury he suffered
before an exhibition game Oct. 1 and has only made one start this season
-- a 4-1 loss to the Arizona Coyotes Saturday at home.
There are no other changes to the club’s lineup.
Winger Mike Hoffman was on the ice here Friday morning but he won’t
play. He is sidelined with what’s believed to be a groin injury but could
return Saturday night at home.
979895
Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers open road trip with a loss to Sabres
SAM CARCHIDI, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
POSTED: Saturday, October 31, 2015, 3:01 AM
BUFFALO - A Flyers season that started so promisingly - including wins
over Stanley Cup champion Chicago and the powerful Rangers - has hit a
roadblock.
A new-look lineup made no difference Friday as the Flyers dropped their
third straight, falling to Buffalo, 3-1, before a Halloween-themed crowd at
the First Niagara Center.
"As a team, we were slower. We were second on the puck, and that's why
we took so many penalties," right winger Jake Voracek said. "We got
outplayed."
"We haven't been able to get into any kind of rhythm in these last couple
games," coach Dave Hakstol said.
In the opener of a five-game road trip that continues Monday in
Vancouver, goalie Michal Neuvirth (33 saves) was outstanding in his first
appearance since he suffered a head injury in Boston on Oct. 21.
The rest of the team, however, didn't show their 27-year-old goalie much
support. Once again, the offense created little attack time, and Buffalo was
allowed to spend large portions of the game in the offensive zone.
The Flyers committed eight minor penalties and gave Buffalo six power
plays.
"We have to stay out of the penalty box," Neuvirth said. "We spent way too
much time killing penalties."
The Flyers killed five of the six power plays, but it took them out of the flow
of the game.
"In the second period, we spent all of our energy killing penalties off,"
Hakstol said.
Defenseman Michael Del Zotto had two of the team's five second-period
infractions (high stick, cross checking).
Ten seconds after the Flyers (4-4-2) squandered a power play for the
eighth straight time in their last four games, Buffalo (4-7) made it 3-0 on a
picturesque two-on-one goal with 16 minutes, 48 seconds left in the game.
Nicolas Deslauriers took a slick feed from Ryan O'Reilly (three points) and,
with one hand on his stick, redirected a bouncing puck past Neuvirth.
Mark Streit's goal, off a nice feed from R.J. Umberger, got the Flyers within
3-1 with 3:26 remaining, but there would be no dramatic comeback.
Buffalo took a 2-0 lead into the final period; it would have been 5-0 if
Neuvirth hadn't been at his best. The Sabres, skating circles around the
visitors with their speed, had a 31-14 shots advantage in the first two
periods, and many of them were point-blank chances.
In a Buffalo-dominated second period, Neuvirth robbed David Legwand
three times, including a breakaway.
The Sabres, who scored a 4-3 overtime win at the Wells Fargo Center on
Tuesday, took a 1-0 lead when rookie Jack Eichel, skating left to right to
avoid Evgeny Medvedev, scored on a wrist shot from the slot with 36
seconds left in the opening period.
Neuvirth, a former Sabre, was screened by Zemgus Girgensons, and had
no chance on O'Reilly's left-circle shot, a power-play goal with 15:40
remaining in the second period to give Buffalo a 2-0 cushion. Vinny
Lecavalier was in the penalty box for interference when O'Reilly scored his
fourth of the season.
It was the fifth straight game the Flyers had allowed at least one
power-play goal, and their penalty kill clearly misses injured centers Sean
Couturier and Pierre-Eduoard Bellemare.
Rookie Linus Ullmark, a sixth-round draft pick in 2012 who made the
second start of his career, made 27 saves and notched his first win.
For most of the game, the Flyers used restructured lines, but Hakstol went
back to some familiar combinations in the third period, putting Voracek
(four shots) back with Claude Giroux.
"We didn't generate a whole lot in the first couple periods," said Hakstol,
whose team had as many shots in the final period (14) as in the first two
periods combined.
Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 10.31.2015
979896
Philadelphia Flyers
Listless Flyers fall to the Sabres, 3-1
JEFF NEIBURG,
POSTED: Sunday, November 1, 2015, 2:01 AM
BUFFALO - Luke Schenn was probably just looking for a spark. And who
could blame him? His team was lifeless and trailing by two midway through
the second period. So the burly defenseman dropped his gloves and went
to battle with Buffalo's Marcus Foligno.
Not even Schenn's fight could stir any fight from the rest of his teammates
in the Flyers' 3-1 loss Friday at First Niagara Center.
The Flyers took three penalties after his fight and went shotless during a
10-minute, 51-second stretch before getting two late attempts on Sabres
goalie Linus Ullmark, who was making his second career NHL start.
The Flyers took eight minor penalties on the night, spending nearly a third
of the game in the box.
"We spent all of our energy killing those penalties off tonight," coach Dave
Hakstol said.
The Flyers showed little battle for the second night in a row, dropping their
third straight game and second this week to the Sabres, who beat the
Flyers in overtime on Tuesday.
"Nothing's easy right now," Hakstol said.
Now a four-game stretch through western Canada begins Monday in
Vancouver.
Buffalo (4-7) outshot the Flyers 36-28, though it was 31-14 after two
periods. If not for the play of Michal Neuvirth, making his first start since
being injured Oct. 21 in Boston, the score could've been much worse.
"That's my job," Neuvirth said. "We've got to stay out of the penalty box.
We spent way too much time killing penalties."
The Flyers (4-4-2) didn't provide him with a ton of help down the other end,
barely challenging the 22-year-old Ullmark.
Rookie phenom Jack Eichel got the scoring started with just over 30
seconds to play in the first period. The 2015 second overall pick danced by
Flyers defenseman Evgeny Medvedev and worked his way into the slot,
where he fired a wrist shot past Neuvirth's stick side.
Ryan O'Reilly took advantage of a Vincent Lecavalier interference penalty
and beat Neuvirth with a slap shot just over four minutes into the second
period, with Zemgus Girgensons screening Neuvirth in front.
O'Reilly's goal marked the fifth straight game the Flyers surrendered a goal
on the penalty kill.
The Flyers got an early power play in the third period, but made nothing of
it, and Nicolas Deslauriers made them pay with a goal 10 seconds after
getting out of the box to put the game away for good.
"We wanted to respond from last night," said defenseman Mark Streit, who
scored the Flyers' only goal in the final four minutes of the game.
"Obviously, we didn't do that."
Streit scored the Flyers' only goal with three minutes, 26 seconds
remaining in the game.
It hardly mattered.
Slap shots
In an effort to generate more offense and switch things up a bit, coach
Dave Hakstol made wholesale changes to the line combinations and
defensive pairings, most notably splitting up the top-line duo of Jake
Voracek and Claude Giroux . . . Center Sean Couturier (concussion) did
not make the trip with the Flyers, who fly Saturday morning to Vancouver,
and missed his fourth straight game. General manager Ron Hextall said
Couturier - who remains day-to-day - will skate Saturday in Voorhees, N.J.
. . . Though Pierre-Edouard Bellemare was placed on injured reserve with
a lower-body injury, the Flyers did not make a corresponding roster move
from their minor league affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms . . . The
Flyers have about $673,000 in salary-cap space, so a call-up from Lehigh
Valley is still possible at some point on this trip.
979897
Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers coach makes lineup changes
SAM CARCHIDI, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
POSTED: Saturday, October 31, 2015, 3:01 AM
BUFFALO - in an attempt to jump-start his team's sagging offense, rookie
coach Dave Hakstol made several lineup changes in Friday's game in
Buffalo.
Most noticeably, two top-line players - right winger Jake Voracek and left
winger Michael Raffl - were dropped to different units.
The Flyers began the night averaging 2.11 goals per game, 25th in the
30-team NHL.
Voracek, goalless in the first nine games, was shifted to the second line,
while Raffl, who also entered the night without any goals, was moved to
center on the third line.
"We didn't generate enough [Thursday], and we gave up too much,"
Hakstol, referring to a 4-1 loss to New Jersey, said before the game. "With
that in mind, we can go back to exactly what we had, or we can make some
changes. The first thing we have to do is concentrate on being better
without the puck."
The top line had Claude Giroux centering Matt Read and Wayne
Simmonds, while Scott Laughton centered Brayden Schenn and Voracek.
Raffl centered the third line, with R.J. Umberger on the left and Sam
Gagner on the right.
The fourth line had Ryan White centering left winger Chris VandeVelde
and right winger Vinny Lecavalier. All three played different fourth-line
spots Thursday.
"We need a four-line game tonight," Hakstol said before the opening
faceoff. "We got away from that a little" Thursday.
In addition, Radko Gudas replaced defenseman Brandon Manning. Gudas
was on the right side, with Evgeny Medvedev on the left. The other
pairings: Nick Schultz and Luke Schenn, and Mark Streit and Michael Del
Zotto.
Couturier update
Sean Couturier, who missed his fourth straight game Friday because of a
concussion, did not make the trip to Buffalo. He skated at the Flyers'
practice facility in Voorhees on Friday and will do so again on Saturday,
general manager Ron Hextall said.
Hextall said no decision has been made on whether Couturier will be able
to join the team for Monday's game in Vancouver. As of now, the general
manager is not planning to recall any players from the Phantoms.
The Flyers have about $670,000 in cap space.
Without Couturier and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (lower-body injury), the
Flyers are missing arguably their two best defensive centers.
"The number of opportunities we've given up (lately) is not going to lead to
winning hockey," Hakstol said.
The Flyers had allowed an average of 37.3 shots in their previous three
games.
979898
Philadelphia Flyers
Offense starts in defensive zone, Flyers coach says
JEFF NEIBURG,
POSTED: Sunday, November 1, 2015, 2:01 AM
BUFFALO - Despite the Flyers' entering Friday night's game with the
Sabres ranked 25th out of the 30 NHL teams in goals per game, coach
Dave Hakstol said after Friday's morning skate he wasn't that concerned
with the 2.11 goals per game they had averaged in their first nine contests.
"I don't think it's any different of an outlook than it was two months ago,"
Hakstol said. "I think we're confident in our group when we're doing things
together in the right way. I feel very comfortable saying that we can be a
team that's comfortable playing the lower-scoring, close, tight games and
being solid and consistent through the 60 minutes. We're not going to be a
team that scores five to six goals per night."
They also can't afford to be a team that scores 2.11 goals per night. It's not
a winning formula, as evidenced by the fact they score only once in Friday
night's 3-1 loss to the Sabres.
Hakstol is still banking on the fact the Flyers are getting good opportunities
that eventually will lead to more goals.
But, overall, he says, it starts with the defensive zone. If the Flyers can
commit to a good, strong defensive game, it won't matter how many goals
they score. They entered Friday allowing 33 shots against per night,
third-highest in the league, and allowed 36 by the Sabres.
So, defense first, which means there can't be a whole lot of breakdowns in
that area, especially not on the penalty kill.
In Thursday's loss to New Jersey, Travis Zajac got into open areas twice
and scored two power-play goals in close without a body near him enough
to thwart a scoring attempt on goalie Steve Mason.
When the Flyers played Buffalo on Tuesday, a few minor defensive
breakdowns allowed the Sabres to jump out to an early, 2-0 lead at Wells
Fargo Center. Luckily for them that night, the Flyers found some scoring.
"Little things lead to those," Hakstol said. "There's no major flaw, and
there's usually not one major mistake. It's usually a series of two or three
small details in a row that end up in those opportunities. And that's the
case (Thursday) night, as well. It's (getting) back to it, making sure we're
confident in the details and then go make the plays.
And it isn't only the six defensemen who account for goals against. It's a
five-man unit's job to play defensively.
"It's a chain reaction. Every play affects the next play," Hakstol said of
playing in the defensive zone. "It's everybody. Everybody has to do their
part and be a little bit better. There's no big, glaring issue. It's the little
things and the little details that lead to either success or failure."
That said, though, as Jake Voracek put it after Thursday's game: "You
rarely win the game with one goal. Let's be honest."
Honestly, the defense and offense both need to be better.
979899
Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers making several lineup changes; Voracek to 2d line
Sam Carchidi, Inquirer Staff Writer
POSTED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015, 6:39 PM
BUFFALO _ Rookie coach Dave Hakstol is making several lineup
changes, trying to awaken the Flyers' offense in Friday's game in Buffalo.
Jake Voracek, goal-less in all nine games, will move to the second line.
"We didn't generate enough last night, and we gave up too much," said
Hakstol, referring to Thursday's 4-1 loss to New Jersey. "With that in mind,
we can go back to exactly what we had, or we can make some changes.
The first thing we have to do is concentrate on being better without the
puck."
The top line will have Claude Giroux centering Matt Read and Wayne
Simmonds, while Scott Laughton will center Brayden Schenn and
Voracek.
Michael Raffl will move from left wing to center, with R. J Umberger on the
left and Sam Gagner on the right.
The fourth line will have Ryan White centering left winger Chris
VandeVelde and right winger Vinny Lecavalier. Lecavalier played on the
left side Thursday.
"We need a four-line game tonight," Hakstol said. "We got away rom that a
little" Thursday.
In addition, Radko Gudas will replace defenseman Brandon Manning.
Gudas will be on the right side, with Evgeny Medvedev on the left. The
other pairings: Nick Schultz and Luke Schenn, and Mark Streit and
Michael Del Zotto.
Michal Neuvirth (2-0, 1.55 GAA), who has a .947 save percentage, will
make his first start since he was injured in Boston on Oct. 21.
Couturier update. Sean Couturier, who will miss his fourth straight game
Friday because of a concussion, did not make the trip to Buffalo. He
skated at the Flyers' practice facility in Voorhees on Friday and will do so
again on Saturday, GM Ron Hextall said.
Hextall said no decision has been made on whether Couturier will be able
to join the team for Monday's game in Vancouver. As of now, the general
manager is not planning to recall any players from the Phantoms.
The Flyers have about $670,000 in cap space.
Without Couturier and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (lower-body injury), the
Flyers are missing arguably their two best defensive centers.
979900
Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers drop 3rd straight with another loss to Sabres
October 31, 2015, 2:00 am
Staff
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Is it possible that the Flyers took the Sabres for
granted?
Playing the team that finished last in the NHL standings the past two
seasons twice in the same week may have given the Flyers a false feeling
of confidence.
The Flyers lost to the Sabres for the second time in four days with a 3-1
defeat Friday night (see Instant Replay).
Flyers head coach Dave Hakstol didn't like his team's start in Buffalo. He
said the Sabres swung the momentum in their favor after Claude Giroux
and Ryan O'Reilly exited the box as a result of off-setting minor penalties.
Four-on-four hockey saw Buffalo control the puck and the majority of the
play. The penalties occurred at 17:12 of the first period. Jack Eichel scored
the first goal of the game just 12 seconds after the Giroux and O'Reilly
minors were killed off.
“We haven't been able to get any kind of rhythm in any one of these past
three games," Hakstol said after the Flyers' third straight loss. "It's one
thing to the next. We had a pretty good first period until we got to the
four-on-four and that seemed to swing the momentum. They scored a goal
right after that.”
On Tuesday night, the Flyers should have taken note of the improved
Buffalo forwards and defensive corps when the Sabres won, 4-3, in
overtime.
Former Sabres goaltender Michal Neuvirth spent parts of the past two
seasons in Buffalo and he certainly could have given his new teammates a
firsthand scouting report on the improved Sabres offense.
Neuvirth hadn't played a game since he suffered an upper-body injury in
Boston on Oct. 21.
On Friday night in Buffalo, the Flyers started slowly, having lost the night
before to the New Jersey Devils. The team held an optional skate on
Friday morning. Neuvirth was tasked with stopping the two-game losing
streak to start the five-game road trip.
He did his part. His teammates didn't play to the high standards that he set
in the game's early moments. Hakstol wanted to play Buffalo five-on-five or
five-on-four. Having to kill six Sabres power plays didn't factor into the
Flyers' pregame plan.
The Flyers started slowly and made far too many trips to the penalty box
for Neuvirth's liking.
“We've got to stay out of the penalty box. We spent way too much time
killing penalties," Neuvirth said. "Obviously, the first goal with 30 seconds
left [in the period], we've got to make sure that we just got to shut it down."
Eichel, the Hobey Baker Trophy winner and second overall pick in the
2015 NHL draft, amped up the Buffalo crowd and gave his team the
momentum with just 36 seconds remaining in the first period. Eichel took
an O'Reilly pass at the blue line and changed directions to avoid Flyers
rookie defenseman Evgeny Medvedev en route to ripping a snapshot low
blocker side on Neuvirth. It was Eichel's fourth goal of the season, all of
which have come on home ice.
Captain Claude Giroux echoed Neuvirth's sentiments.
“Too many penalties tonight," Giroux said. "Third period we picked it up a
little bit but it was too late."
Buffalo took a 2-0 lead on an O'Reilly power-play goal just 4:20 into the
second period. O'Reilly scored just eight seconds after an interference
minor penalty against Flyers winger Vinny Lecavalier. Sabres captain
Brian Gionta found O'Reilly with a nice pass. The former Colorado
Avalanche center ripped a clapper past Neuvirth for his fourth goal of the
season.
O'Reilly also assisted on Nicolas Deslauriers' third goal of the season just
3:12 into the third period. Deslauriers made it 3-0 when he buried the
O'Reilly pass off of a two-on-one breakaway against Luke Schenn.
O'Reilly now has three goals and seven assists in his past five games. He
also has 13 points in 11 games played this season.
Flyers defenseman Mark Streit cut the Buffalo lead to 3-1 with 3:26 left in
the third period with his third goal of the season. Streit was the recipient of
a slick backhand pass from behind the net by R.J. Umberger and knocked
the puck in behind Linus Ullmark.
However, the Flyers were already in too deep.
Neuvirth made 33 saves in his first game against the Sabres since he was
traded to the New York Islanders at the 2015 NHL trade deadline on March
2.
The Sabres (4-7-0) have now won two of their past three games — both
against the Flyers (4-4-2).
The Flyers will head to Vancouver on Monday night to face the Canucks.
They will play Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday
night. The road trip will then take the Flyers to Calgary on Thursday and to
Winnipeg on Saturday night.
979901
Philadelphia Flyers
Best of NHL: Zuccarello's hat trick lifts Rangers past Leafs
October 31, 2015, 12:00 am
Staff
NEW YORK -- The New York Rangers have waited all season for their top
line to dominate a game.
Against a downtrodden opponent Friday night, Rick Nash, Derick Brassard
and Mats Zuccarello stepped to the forefront.
Zuccarello recorded his first NHL hat trick, and Brassard and Nash each
assisted on all three goals in the Rangers' 3-1 win over the Toronto Maple
Leafs (see full recap).
Wild edge 'Hawks, move to 5-0-0 at home
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Jason Zucker scored 18 seconds into the game and
assisted on Nino Niederreiter's winner to lead the Minnesota Wild to a 5-4
win over the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday night.
Ryan Carter, Charlie Coyle and Jared Spurgeon also had goals for
Minnesota, which dealt its playoff nemesis Chicago its second straight
loss.
Mikko Koivu added three assists, and Devan Dubnyk made 25 saves, as
the Wild won their fifth straight at home to start the season (see full recap).
Marchand's 2 goals keep Bruins surging
SUNRISE, Fla. -- Brad Marchand and the Boston Bruins' power play are
continuing to click.
night.
bounces," said Marchand (see full recap).
Holtby stops 29, lifts Caps by Jackets
WASHINGTON -- After Barry Trotz's Washington Capitals held on for a
2-1 victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets Friday, the coach emerged
perplexed that he lost his first challenge under the league's expanded
goalie interference replay rule.
Justin Williams and T.J. Oshie each scored and Braden Holtby made 29
saves to help the Capitals avoid back-to-back losses after falling 3-1 to
Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
On the only shot to slip by Holtby, Matt Calvert's rebound wrister late in the
third period, Trotz believed Boone Jenner had interfered with his goalie,
and challenged under a rule introduced this season (see full recap).
979902
Philadelphia Flyers
Instant Replay: Sabres 3, Flyers 1
Goalie report
Neuvirth made 33 saves and Linus Ullmark made 28 saves in his first
career NHL victory.
Power play
October 30, 2015, 9:45 pm
Staff
The Flyers went 0 for 6, while the Sabres went 1 for 9.
O'Reilly lit the lamp for his third power-play marker of the season.
Penalty kill
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Two tired teams faced off against one another on
Friday night in Buffalo.
The Flyers got into penalty trouble midway through the period when Ryan
White took a minor at the 1:23 mark and then Michael Del Zotto sat at
12:17 for high sticking.
The host Sabres lost in Pittsburgh on Thursday night, while the Flyers lost
to the Devils at home.
Neuvirth and the Flyers looked good in successfully killing off both minor
infractions.
After both teams took optional skates Friday morning, the Flyers were
unable to shake the fatigue, losing to the Sabres for the second time this
week, this one a 3-1 decision.
The Flyers took four straight penalties in the second period.
Michal Neuvirth was sharp early on in the first period as Radko Gudas was
sent to the sin bin for interference at 14:35.
Forwards Sean Couturier (upper body), Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (lower
body), Brandon Manning (healthy).
The early power play allowed Neuvirth to quickly get a feel for the puck
after not playing since Oct. 21 with an upper-body injury.
What's next?
The Sabres outshot the Flyers, 40-33, in Tuesday night's OT thriller in
Philly and brought the same shoot-first mentality on Friday night.
At the 17:20 juncture, Claude Giroux went to the box for slashing and he
took Ryan O'Reilly with him for roughing.
At the 19:24 mark of the first period , Buffalo drew first blood just as
five-on-five play had resumed. Jack Eichel, the second overall pick in the
2015 NHL draft, deftly took an O'Reilly pass from just inside the Flyers'
blue line, changed directions on the fly to avoid Flyers rookie defenseman
Evgeny Medvedev, then fired a bullet past Neuvirth's blocker low for the
1-0 lead.
The Eichel goal seemingly injected enthusiasm into the Buffalo crowd and
the Sabres fed off of it.
Buffalo carried the momentum into the second. At the 4:20 mark, O'Reilly
scored his fourth goal of the season with Vinny Lecavalier in the box for
interference.
The Sabres owned a 31-14 shots advantage after 40 minutes.
For the Flyers, opportunity knocked at the 1:02 mark of the third period
when Buffalo energy forward Nicolas Deslauriers sat two minutes for
charging.
The Sabres killed off the penalty and at the 3:12 mark, Deslauriers
deposited an O'Reilly feed behind Neuvirth to break it open and hand
Buffalo a commanding 3-0 advantage.
Finally, at the 16:34 mark, R.J. Umberger's feed to Mark Streit got the
Flyers on the board.
By then, it was too late.
Hear him ROR
O'Reilly recorded three points (one goal, two assists) for the second time
this season, eighth of his career.
Mike & Eich
Neuvirth tended the bars for 29 starts during Buffalo's rebuilding phases at
the end of the 2013-14 season and in 2014-15.
Neuvirth signed with the Flyers as a free agent last summer. Friday night
was Neuvirth's first career start against Sabres generational talent Eichel.
Milestones
Luke Schenn played in his 500th careeer game.
Jakub Voracek played in his 300th game as a Flyer.
Drought continues
Voracek is still goalless this season. He has landed 44 shots on goal.
Chin music
At the 10:40 mark of the second period, Marcus Foligno drilled Nick
Schultz at the Flyers' bench. Schenn, looking to spark his team, took
exception to the truculence and exchanged trick-or-treat right-handed jabs
with Foligno.
Scratches
The Flyers will head west to Vancouver for a showdown with the Canucks
on Monday.
979903
Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers-Sabres 5 things: Michal Neuvirth gets the start
October 30, 2015, 1:00 pm
Tim Riday
Flyers at Sabres
7 p.m. on The Comcast Network
The Flyers (4-3-2) will try to avoid a third straight defeat when they kick off
their five-game road trip against the Buffalo Sabres (3-7-0) at First Niagara
Center on Friday night.
Here are five things to get you ready for the game:
1. Neuvirth’s back
Backup goalie Michal Neuvirth will get the nod against his former club on
Friday.
Neuvirth, who hasn't' played since suffering a head injury in Boston on Oct.
21, spent parts of two seasons in Buffalo before signing a two-year deal
with the Flyers over the summer. In 29 total games, he went 6-19-3 for a
pitiful Sabres club but somehow managed to post a respectable .921 save
percentage and 2.96 goals-against average before being traded to the
New York Islanders at the trade deadline.
The 27-year-old turned heads in his first few appearances with the Flyers
but was unfortunately slowed by a fluke injury in his third start for the team
against the Bruins. In four games overall this season, he’s gone 2-0-0 with
a .947 save percentage and 1.55 goals-against average. He also recorded
back-to-back shutouts against the Florida Panthers and Chicago
Blackhawks in his first two starts as a Flyer.
Neuvirth has been practicing with the Flyers since last Sunday and was
activated off injured reserve Thursday night.
In six career games — five starts — against Buffalo, the Czech netminder
is 4-1-0 with an .899 save percentage and 3.09 goals-against average. He
could be in for a heavy workload on Friday, however, as the Sabres have
generated a combined 93 shots on net over their past two games.
2. Eichel watch
The Flyers did an admirable job of keeping rookie Jack Eichel in check in
Tuesday's 4-3 overtime loss to the Sabres.
Eichel didn't factor in on any of Buffalo's four goals in over 18 minutes of
ice time and was limited to just three shots on net. The Flyers didn't allow
him time and space, forcing the 18-year-old to play most of the game on
the perimeter.
But that was just one game. The Flyers can't forget about Eichel on Friday.
He was buzzing in the Sabres' 4-3 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on
Thursday night, firing eight shots on target.
Plus, Eichel is back home, where he has recorded all three of his goals this
season.
3. Problems on the PK
The Flyers' inability to kill off penalties as of late has been problematic.
Over the past four games, opposing teams have gone a combined 5 for 13
on the power play. The Flyers have clearly regressed on the PK after a
promising start, falling to 26th in the NHL in shorthanded situations (75
percent), and have been caught running around entirely too often.
"We have to be a harder working team; we have to outwork their power
plays," Steve Mason said Thursday. "[The Devils] found some open space
there and they capitalized. That’s the biggest thing, when they have their
opportunities we have to shut them down. As an overall unit we have to be
better and do a better job."
Losing Sean Couturier (concussion) and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
(lower-body injury), arguably the team's top penalty-killing forwards, hasn't
helped either.
Regardless, the Flyers need to find a way to elevate their game while
shorthanded. They can't afford to wait until Couturier and Bellemare return
to try to fix their coverage woes.
4. Keep an eye on …
Flyers: Nick Schultz appears to be in Dave Hakstol’s doghouse. The
veteran defenseman was benched in the third period of Thursday’s 4-1
loss to the New Jersey Devils — he received just two shifts in the final 11
minutes — and was largely responsible for two goals because of simple
coverage breakdowns. It looks like his role with the team is diminishing, as
well. He was taken off the top pair and skated with Evgeny Medvedev
against the Devils. His next stop could be the press box, given his shoddy
work in the defensive zone this season.
Sabres: Buffalo usually relies on versatile forward Jamie McGinn to
provide energy and a sound defensive presence, but the 27-year-old is
more than capable of chipping in some offense. He's earned goals in
back-to-back games and has fired nine shots on goal. The 6-foot-1,
210-pounder averages just 10 minutes a game but is industrious with his
ice time. He tends to be streaky, too, so don't be surprised if he remains
active against the Flyers.
5. This and that
• The Flyers are 10-2-2 in their last 14 visits to Buffalo.
• Jakub Voracek (40) and Dustin Brown (36) of the Los Angeles Kings are
the only two forwards in the NHL with more than 35 shots on target and
zero goals.
• Ryan O'Reilly has two goals and five assists during his current four-game
point streak.
• Vinny Lecavalier was the only Flyer to not play more than 10 minutes on
Thursday. He recorded an assist, one shot and a plus-1 rating in 7:16 of
total ice time.
• Tyler Ennis has five goals and five assists in 18 career games against the
Flyers.
979904
Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers Notes: Strong start to October followed by rough finish
October 30, 2015, 9:00 am
Tim Panaccio
What could have been a great October has turned into smashing
pumpkins.
The Flyers were 4-2-1 on Tuesday and thinking they could go 6-2-2.
At the same time, they were staring down the barrel of playing two teams
beneath them in the overall Eastern Conference standings — Buffalo and
New Jersey.
Everyone knows how this club plays down to the opposition.
Two games later, they are 4-3-2 and finish out the month Friday night in
Buffalo, where the Sabres could make it a home-and-home sweep.
Last October, they went 4-4-2 under Craig Berube, so they can still get one
win better here.
“I don’t think we really put too much focus into last year,” Luke Schenn
said. “It’s a fresh start, fresh season. But there’s no question we’ve got to
know how to win as a group here and learn how to do that and win on a
consistent basis.”
The Flyers have two overtime losses and a shootout loss. And they’re
about to start a nine-day, five-game road swing through Western Canada
after they escape Buffalo.
“There’s been some inconsistencies which is why you win one, lose one,
win two, lose two,” goalie Steve Mason said. “We have to shore up some
things to become a consistently good hockey club. It’s frustrating. You see
glimpses of how good the team can be.”
Just like last season, which is the scary part. It’s a repeat in so many ways.
“You play a team like Chicago or had a good comeback win against
Boston or even a decent game in Tampa and things like that,” Schenn
said. “Then there are some other ones where it just doesn’t add up.
“So inconsistent is probably a good word right now and if you’re
inconsistent in this league then it’s hard to make up any ground, because
teams are too good and there are a lot of good consistent teams out there
that know how to win, so we have to find our stride here hopefully in this
road trip.”
D-pairs
Flyers coach Dave Hakstol mixed up all three of his defensive pairs for this
game. Didn’t produce a win or even slow the Devils down.
“We’re going to look at a couple different things,” he explained earlier.
“We’re going to try to keep evolving. Push. What’s the right timing to do
that? There’s no script for it. We’re going to keep looking for ways to have
our overall group back there evolve. We need everybody. Every single
night. We need to do it by committee.”
Injured reserve
The Flyers placed Pierre-Edouard Bellemare (right knee/ankle) on IR on
Thursday and backdated it to Tuesday when he injured himself behind the
net against Buffalo. They need to call up an extra forward for their
upcoming road trip, which begins Friday in Buffalo.
College hockey
If you want to see some top collegiate hockey, it’s in the area this
weekend, while the Flyers are on the road. Princeton, Yale, UMass and
Maine will compete at the Capital City Classic on Friday and Saturday at
Sun National Center in Trenton, New Jersey. Princeton and Yale open
their seasons while UMass is trying to improve on a 4-0-1 start. Maine is
looking to build off last season’s run to the Hockey East quarterfinals.
979905
Philadelphia Flyers
5 Flyers things to know for Friday: Jakub Voracek, Claude Giroux on verge
on breakup?
Randy Miller
Center Claude Giroux and right wing Jakub Voracek are the Flyers'
Batman and Robin.
They've been together on the top line for most of the last four seasons and
usually have been a dynamic duo piling up points ... until this season.
Nine games in, Giroux has been held to three goals and five points, while
Voracek has but three assists for the 4-3-2 Flyers, who play Friday night in
Buffalo.
Combined, that's just eight points .. or .89 per game. That's way down from
the 1.85 points per game that they contributed from 2012-13 through last
season.
"It's very frustrating," Giroux said after the top line was shut out Thursday
night in the Flyers' 4-1 loss to the Devils.
You'd think new coach Dave Hakstol is getting close to trying something
new and break up Voracek and Giroux.
The first move possibly would be to give Giroux and Voracek a new left
wing, as Michael Raffl has just one assist thus far, but splitting up the
Flyers' top two offensive guns definitely is a possibility.
Hakstol did it for the third period in Boston last week, and moving Wayne
Simmonds to top-line right wing helped sparked a comeback victory.
"We've had chemistry together before, and I'm not worried that we're not
going to have chemistry in the future, too," Giroux said.
Here are 5 Flyers things to know for Friday.
1. The Flyers' special teams have been a disaster so far. Their power play,
which was among the top eight in the league the last four seasons, has just
four goals in 28 opportunities for a 14.3 percent conversion rate that ranks
tied for 22nd. Meantime, the Flyers' PK has been almost as bad as it was
last season when finishing fourth worst. Thus far, it has allowed nine
power play goals in 36 kill attempts for a 75 percent success rate that is
26th.
2. No. 2 goalie Michal Neuvirth, off IR as of Thursday, will be in net Friday
for his first start since leaving an Oct. 21 game in Boston with an
upper-body injury.
3. The Flyers have an open roster spot and only 12 healthy forwards, but
so far have opted against calling up someone from the AHL. Injuries to
centers Sean Couturier (concussion) and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare
(lower body) have Sam Gagner and Vinny Lecavalier in the lineup.
Bellemare, who was hurt last Tuesday, was placed on IR Thursday
because he's expected to miss at least two weeks. Couturier will miss his
fourth game Friday. He hoped to be back by now, but had a setback earlier
this week.
4. Blueliner Radko Gudas is just five hits behind the league leader despite
playing four fewer games. Gudas, who sat out three games as a healthy
scratch, has 34 hits in six games. Islanders left wing Matt Martin leads with
39 in 10 games.
5. Defensive defenseman Luke Schenn never scored more than 22 points
in his first seven NHL seasons, but already has a goal and three assists in
four games. Is Schenn making an early run at the Art Ross? "No, I don't
think that will happen," he said with a smile. "I'm just fortunate enough to
have a couple good bounces and breaks lately."
979906
Pittsburgh Penguins
Positives outweighing negatives in puck fiasco
By Jason Mackey
Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, 10:09 p.m.
Updated 6 hours ago
Somebody had to be the adult in the situation.
Trey Dopson, a third-grader from Canonsburg, had no problem obliging.
The day after a man snatched a hockey puck from Dopson, 8, during a
Penguins-Sabres game at Consol Energy Center — and Dopson was
showered with gifts and attention — the young Penguins fan gave one of
the extra pucks he received to one of his best friends, Luca Porriero,
during a Halloween celebration at Hills-Henderson Elementary School in
Canonsburg.
“I already had a Buffalo Sabres puck,” he said matter of factly. “And he's
one of my best friends.”
That Dopson turned a negative situation into a positive one was no
accident, his mother said. The family is trying to use the situation as a
teaching tool.
Shirley Dobson said “we don't harbor any ill will toward the man who
snatched the puck,” tossed by former Penguins coach Dan Bylsma into the
stands.
Dave Dopson took his son to the game and purposely did not confront the
older man who could not be identified.
“We try to teach Trey — obviously in this situation it showed — that those
kinds of things aren't important,” Shirley Dopson said. “There are going to
be good people and bad people. You don't have to confront people or get
into an altercation to get your point across.”
The reaction on social media and what came next probably didn't hurt.
Watching the incident unfold on TV, Penguins vice president of
communications Tom McMillan said several staffers began exchanging
emails on how to “make sure he leaves the arena with a smile on his face.”
The Penguins, via mascot Iceburgh, delivered a puck and a Sidney Crosby
jersey to Trey.Bylsma, now the Sabres coach, contributed a pair of pucks.
“It felt magical,” Trey said. “It's hard to believe, actually.”
The Penguins' quick response was praised across the Internet.
At Consol Energy Center, the fan was relentlessly booed and eventually
left the game.
“Here's a little boy who was unhappy because he thought he was going to
get a puck,” McMillan said. “You have a chance to make it right.”
Trey said he got a Sabres puck last year.
Father and son went to the game and purposely bought seats behind the
Sabres bench because Trey, who plays hockey for the Southpointe Rink
Rats, wanted to see No. 2 overall draft pick Jack Eichel.
The Dopsons spent Friday morning watching the news and listening to the
radio while Trey got ready for school, blown away by the response.
“I knew Trey would shake it off and still have a good time,” Shirley Dopson
said. “The outpouring of support and what the Penguins did was
unexpected and amazing. It overshadowed anything negative.”
Tribune Review LOADED: 10.31.2015
979907
Pittsburgh Penguins
Penguins' top-6 forwards begin to take shape
By Jason Mackey
Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, 9:27 p.m.
Updated 9 hours ago
Back-to-back victories over Washington and Buffalo gave the Penguins
wins in six of seven and had them two points out of first place in the
Metropolitan Division entering play Friday.
Those wins injected life into the Penguins, but they also may have
answered a few questions about the composition of their top-six forwards.
In their third game together, Pascal Dupuis, Sidney Crosby and Patric
Hornqvist shined. They were the Penguins' best line against the Sabres.
“Every shift they had, particularly in the first two periods, they were a
threat,” coach Mike Johnston said.
Dupuis joked that Crosby can handle passes as long as they're in a
“20-foot radius.” He's being modest. Perhaps more than any other player
on the Penguins roster, Dupuis knows Crosby. And vice versa.
Just watch Dupuis' goal in the first period against the Sabres. Dupuis
recognizes Crosby coming off the bench, drives the slot and whacks
Crosby's rebound past Chad Johnson.
“He knows where I'm going to be,” Dupuis said of Crosby. “He trusts that
I'm going to be there.”
Hornqvist scored his first goal of the season in the 4-3 win over Buffalo. He
called his season-opening drought “a few too many” games to go without a
goal. It's understandable, especially coming from a five-time 20-goal guy.
Should Hornqvist spring to life and more resemble the player who had nine
goals in his first 13 games last season while playing predominantly beside
Crosby … look out.
“We played really well together,” Hornqvist said of that line. “It helped to
get that first goal on the first shift. Everybody is feeling good. We took the
puck to the net.
“You play with Sid, you just have to get open. He always has double
coverage on him. Just try to get open and score.”
Toronto placed Mark Arcobello on waivers Thursday. It was an almost
cruel twist considering Arcobello played on Malkin's wing last season.
A substantial upgrade has been Kessel, who was shifted next to Malkin
starting Oct. 24 in Nashville.
The first game was a bit of a feeling-out process, but definitive progress
was evident in Washington.
Just watch Malkin loop around and then into the left circle, locate Kessel
and coolly slide a pass through Karl Alzner's skates that Kessel buried
past a helpless Braden Holtby.
“The way the play developed down low in the corner, (Kessel) found an
opening,” Johnston said. “The last few games, he's found an opening
down low, and he's missed some of those chances.
“You know they're going to come. With some of our scorers, if they get the
number of shots they're getting, if they get the quality chances, goals are
going to come.”
David Perron had been demoted to the fourth line, but given another
chance to stick on Malkin's left wing, he had perhaps his strongest game of
the season against the Capitals: four shot attempts, one on goal, four hits
and two takeaways in 13 minutes, 52 seconds.
“I'm just trying to finish my hits,” Perron said. “Did a good job of that
(Wednesday). It's nice for us to get a goal as a line, too. We felt good. We
had some chemistry. We got a lot of shots, some chaos in their zone. That
was good to get one, for sure.”
979908
Pittsburgh Penguins
Penguins notebook: Fehr ready to make debut in any role
By Jason Mackey
Friday, Oct. 30, 2015, 6:51 p.m.
Updated 6 hours ago
Eric Fehr doesn't remember whether it was last season or two years ago,
but the point comes across just the same.
As a member of the Washington Capitals, Fehr said he once played all 12
forward spots in a season: right wing, center and left wing on lines one
through four.
Ask Fehr what he expects to happen when he makes his season debut
Saturday in Toronto, and he insists he has no clue where he'll be slotted.
He does, however, have a 1-in-12 shot at being correct.
“That's going to be real interesting to see how that all plays out,” Fehr said.
“It's going to be good whichever way it goes.
“If it's more of a shutdown role or if it's more of an offensive role, my goal is
always to try and outscore my opponent when I'm on the ice. Doesn't really
matter who you're playing with. The job's the same.”
Since 2008-09, in seasons where Fehr has played at least 50 percent of
his team's games, he's averaged .23 goals per game — or an 82-game
projection of about 19 goals.
He's also allowed just 25.69 scoring chances against per 60 minutes,
according to war-on-ice.com, during that same stretch. To give that
context — and granted, Fehr played about 35 percent more games —
Jordan Staal's SCA per 60 from 2008-09 through his Pittsburgh departure
was 25.75.
Basically, Fehr can produce offensively and defend. He's also coming off a
season in which he won 52 percent of his faceoffs.
“I'm really excited,” Fehr said. “I feel great. I feel like I've worked really hard
to get to the spot that I'm at now. I just want to get back in there, get caught
up to the speed of play and try to contribute any way I can.”
Coming off 19 goals and 33 points in 75 games for the Capitals last
season, Fehr missed the Penguins first nine games while recovering from
offseason elbow surgery. He agreed to a three-year, $6 million contract
with the Penguins on July 28.
PORTER SENT TO AHL
To make room for Fehr, the Penguins reassigned forward Kevin Porter to
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. In eight games, Porter registered one assist while
skating 11:34 per game, 1:42 of it while the Penguins were shorthanded.
ZATKOFF'S BUSY NIGHT
Jeff Zatkoff's 50 saves Thursday were the most by a goaltender in the NHL
this season and the third most since the start of last season. They set a
career-high for Zatkoff and were the most by a Penguins goaltender since
Ty Conklin stopped 50 against the New York Islanders on Feb. 26, 2008.
979909
Pittsburgh Penguins
“You have to grind games, you have to win them the hard way. That’s what
we’re learning to do early this year.”
Kessel's return to Toronto will help to keep Penguins' surge off the radar
NOTE — Forward Kevin Porter was assigned to the Penguins’ minor
league team in Wilkes-Barre, opening a spot for Eric Fehr, who is
expected to make his 2015-16 debut and Penguins debut tonight.
October 31, 2015 12:00 AM
Post Gazette LOADED: 10.31.2015
By Dave Molinari / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Phil Kessel will play a game at Air Canada Centre tonight in Toronto for the
first time since the Maple Leafs traded him to the Penguins July 1.
His return might even attract a bit of attention.
Roughly as much as if, say, one of King Kong’s cousins would if he
perched atop CN Tower and began swatting at airplanes.
PG Round Table: Penguins getting back on track?
Paul Zeise and Dan Gigler discuss Bylsma's return to Pittsburgh, Kessel's
line and more.
OK, probably a bit more.
Far less likely to be noticed is that Kessel’s team has won six of its past
seven games and had climbed to within two points of first place in the
Metropolitan Division before games Friday night.
That likely is an under-the-radar reality because the Penguins have not
made an issue of their surge through the standings after an 0-3 start,
which seems a tacit acknowledgement that their game still is not fully in
sync.
“We’re not satisfied right now,” defenseman Ben Lovejoy said. “I don’t
think guys in the room feel like we’re invincible. Sometimes, when you get
on a winning streak, you feel a little too good about yourself. I don’t think
that’s the case right now.”
Mind you, the Penguins have come by their recent victories honestly,
mostly because of superior goaltending and stingy team defense. They
are allowing an average of two goals per game, tied for fifth in the league
before Friday.
“It starts with our goaltending,” Lovejoy said. “We have a lot of confidence
in our goaltending.
“Our commitment to defense, in the defensive zone, with all six guys, has
gotten better and better.”
But while their offense, which generated a season-best four goals in a 4-3
victory Thursday night against Buffalo, is showing signs of a revival, it still
is nowhere near as productive as expected. A sampling:
• The power play, so fearsome on paper, has been as dangerous as a
heavily sedated kitten, with a conversion rate of just 9.4 percent.
• Sidney Crosby, who averaged over a point per game in each of his first
10 pro seasons, has just five in 10 games.
• David Perron, despite some strong play of late, has gone 22 games
without a goal.
Now, it’s reasonable to believe that the power play eventually will begin to
capitalize on more of its chances, that Crosby will put up points at a more
customary pace and that wingers such as Perron and Chris Kunitz will
start to find the net occasionally.
At the same time, the Penguins still have to exorcise some defensive
lapses from their game. That happened against the Sabres after the
Penguins took a 2-0 lead, and Buffalo ultimately forced goalie Jeff Zatkoff
to make 50 saves.
“Six out of seven is great, but in a game where you give up 53 shots, it’s
almost bittersweet,” winger Beau Bennett said. “You’re happy you won,
but it’s not going to work in the long run.”
Probably not, although Buffalo was throwing the puck toward the net at
every opportunity and finished with 14 more shots than any other
Penguins opponent so far this season.
The battle to fend off the Sabres, though, reinforced the idea that lopsided
victories will be rare this season, that games will be, more often than not, a
60-minute struggle.
“It’s a grind every game,” winger Pascal Dupuis said. “If you look around
the league everywhere else, it’s the same grind. You’re not going to win
just on talent.
979910
Pittsburgh Penguins
Penguins assign center Porter to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
October 30, 2015 11:32 AM
By Seth Rorabaugh / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Penguins assigned center Kevin Porter to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of
the American Hockey League. Porter has played in eight games and has
one assist.
Porter's demotion comes just as center Eric Fehr is eligible to be activated
from long-term injured reserve. A free agent signing this past offseason,
Fehr has missed the first 10 games of the season while recovering from
offseason surgery to his left elbow.
Fehr could potentially make his season debut in Saturday's road game
against Toronto.
979911
Pittsburgh Penguins
Giving the boy a Crosby jersey was an easy call, he said, because Mr.
Crosby's jersey "is obviously the most popular jersey."
'It was just stunning': Young Penguins fan overwhelmed after puck
incident goes viral
Trey, who plays left wing for the Southpointe Rink Rats top Mites division
team, said getting the pucks and the jersey was "cool" since Mr. Crosby is
one of his favorite players.
October 30, 2015 3:46 PM
Though he said he's keeping the Crosby jersey and Penguins puck, he
gave one of the Sabres pucks to his sister, Olivia, who also plays hockey,
and gave the other one to one of his two best friends at school.
By Sean D. Hamill / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The 8-year-old Penguins fan who became a social media and sports
phenomenon overnight after an adult fan snagged a puck away from him
at Thursday night's game, said today that the whole fallout from the
incident has been "phenomenal" and a bit overwhelming.
"I just can't process it through my head what happened," said the boy, Trey
Dopson, a third-grader at Hills-Henderson Elementary School in
Canonsburg.
"It was just stunning," he said this afternoon after marching in his school's
Halloween parade dressed as Rocky Balboa.
In an incident that has been replayed probably thousands of times,
including being seen nationwide on ESPN's “Sportscenter,” during the first
period of Thursday night's game between the Penguins and Buffalo
Sabres, Trey caught the eye of Sabres head coach Dan Bylsma.
Trey and his father, David, a substitute physical education teacher and
stay-at-home dad, were sitting just a couple rows from the Sabres' bench.
"I waved to [Mr. Bylsma] and I walked down the steps to catch the puck
and then this guy leans in front of me, snatching the puck, then he hides it
behind his back and smiles at me," Trey recalled.
This mean old man took a puck from a little kid: https://t.co/caWyw18jvZ
https://t.co/8WNEVXcJdc
— SB Nation (@SBNation) October 30, 2015
It was what happened next that turned the story from sad to happy.
As Trey turned to go back to his seat with his dad, the crowd around the
man who snagged the puck immediately turned on him and began booing.
Mr. Bylsma appeared to see the man snag the puck, even shaking his
head in disbelief. After fans began loudly booing, a minute later, Mr.
Bylsma sent up two Sabres pucks via a Penguins usher.
“I was aware because of the response of the crowd,” Mr. Bylsma, a former
head coach of the Penguins, said afterward to reporters. “They were
cheering for him to get it and the kind of the response of the crowd is what
made me know that he didn't get it. I got him a puck and I think he got a
jersey after that. So maybe it was a good thing the guy stole the puck from
him.”
And all of that may have been it -- except that the entire scene was shown
on the television broadcast of the game on Root Sports.
Bob Errey, the Penguins' television analyst narrated as the incident was
replayed on the live broadcast: “Dan Bylsma is trying to throw it to that kid
up there in the red, look at this. The gentleman grabs it right out and puts it
in his pocket and sits down. Are you kidding me? Somebody get that kid in
the red vest a puck.”
Penguins spokesman Tom McMillan said today that he was watching the
Root Sports broadcast of the game when it happened.
Immediately after the video went on television, "emails started flying
around between [Penguin] staff members, and we quickly decided we
have to get him a jersey and have [mascot] Iceburgh present it to him."
Just after 8 p.m., shortly after the second period began, the Penguins main
office tweeted out: “For everyone tweeting us about the little kid who just
got the puck snatched away, we're on it -- don't you worry.”
For everyone tweeting us about the little kid who just got the puck
snatched away, we're on it - don't you worry.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 30, 2015
And sure enough, they came through.
The Penguins had the mascot Iceburgh present the boy with a free Sidney
Crosby jersey and a Penguins puck, to the cheers of the crowd.
"In a situation like that, you see it and you just want to make it right," Mr.
McMillan said, noting, however, that he can't recall "a situation quite like
this before."
Later, after the game, the Penguins staff also got a game-used hockey
stick from Sabres player Mike Weber, said Trey's mom, Shirley, a
nephrologist. Trey said he also is keeping the stick.
Because of how it all turned out, Trey said: "I'm 100 percent sure I'd rather
not get the puck than get the puck" Mr. Bylsma first threw.
Of all the coverage of the incident - from his friends and teachers at school,
to neighbors and the media - Trey said he knew what happened was a big
deal when his dad told him he had been on ESPN's “Sportscenter.”
When he heard, he said, "I thought, 'This is big time now.' "
His mother and father said what made them most happy was how their son
reacted when he didn't get the first puck Mr. Bylsma intended to throw to
him, just walking away and not making a big deal about it.
"That's what I was really impressed by and proud of," said Dr. Dopson,
who is from Washington. "He had no animosity or anger toward the man"
who took the puck.
Mr. Dopson, who is from Bristol, Pa., near Philadelphia, said he and his
wife "have always tried to teach our children not to make a big deal out of
nothing."
It's a skill that will help in life and on the hockey rink, Mr. Dopson said: "To
overreact is not going to help anyone."
What was not shown on the television broadcast, though, was that the
man who snagged the puck eventually left at the end of the second period.
But he didn't leave quietly.
After resisting calls from just about everyone around him to give the puck
to Trey, he left his seat, and walked up the stadium steps holding the puck
aloft defiantly to the fans around him, Mr. Dopson said.
Even so, Mr. Dopson said he hopes people don't come down on the man,
who could not be reached for comment, as he may have a child in his own
life he hoped to give the puck to.
"We don't know his situation, and that's why we don't want to overreact
with any anger toward him," he said.
For his part, Trey, who had to leave the Halloween parade today right
away to get to a hockey tournament in Hershey, said he was never upset
with the man.
Why?
"Because the best man always comes out with something," he said with a
smile.
979912
San Jose Sharks
Former Sharks goalie Niemi thriving in Dallas
By Curtis Pashelka
POSTED:
UPDATED:
10/30/2015 04:30:36 PM PDT
10/30/2015 11:27:16 PM PDT
DALLAS -- Goalie Antti Niemi started some of the biggest games in Sharks
franchise history and is proud of what he accomplished in San Jose.
But it was tough for him to feel completely satisfied when his time with the
team came to an end this summer.
"The biggest thing is that we wanted to go a long way in the playoffs more
than one year, which we didn't do," Niemi said by phone Friday. "So that
was disappointing."
Niemi now seems to be thriving with the Dallas Stars, who traded for Niemi
then signed him to a three-year, $13.5 million deal in late June.
Going into Dallas' game with the Sharks on Saturday afternoon, Niemi has
a 5-1 record and a .917 save percentage. He's won four straight starts,
which includes comeback victories over Vancouver and Anaheim earlier
this week to enable Dallas to take over first place in the brutal Central
Division.
Although he didn't know Friday if he would start against San Jose, he's
happy to be given a fresh start.
"It's been great so far. We have a lot of talent and we can create scoring
chances," Niemi said. "That's a good thing, but we have to be able to play
well in the defensive zone well, too. So, it's been good. I was really happy
with these comeback wins."
"Sometimes that happens when you stay with one team for a while and
then get traded," Sharks defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic said. "It's a
new team, new city, new excitement. I know he's doing well."
Niemi's legacy as the Sharks' No. 1 goalie for five seasons includes a
Pacific Division title and an appearance in the Western Conference finals
in 2011. He had a regular-season record of 163-92-35, was a Vezina
Trophy finalist in 2013 and is second all-time in franchise history with 25
shutouts and a save percentage of .917.
But playoff success came and went, as Niemi had a 19-20 postseason
record in four seasons. Following 2011, the Sharks made it past the first
round just once, and after the team missed the playoffs last season, a
change at goalie was part of its offseason makeover.
"Part of the problem for the San Jose Sharks last year was the
goaltending," said Craig Button, an NHL analyst for TSN, earlier this
month. "It was either really good or it took them right out of games."
Niemi didn't know what the future held in the weeks that followed the end
of the regular season, as he was in his final season of a four-year contract
extension that he signed with the Sharks in 2011. He was 31-23-7 in
2014-15 with a 2.59 goals against average but felt as a pending
unrestricted free agent, he was still an NHL-caliber goalie.
The Stars agreed, as they traded a 2015 seventh round draft choice to the
Sharks to acquire him. Now Niemi and Kari Lehtonen form one of the most
experienced goalie tandems in the NHL.
"I felt I could still play," Niemi said. "I thought I had a decent year and that
there was going to be some interest. I wasn't too worried about that."
Shortly after trading Niemi, the Sharks found their next No. 1 goalie by
dealing a first-round draft pick next year to the Boston Bruins for Martin
Jones, who has started eight of nine games so far this season.
Alex Stalock, who backed up Niemi like he does for Jones, said the biggest
thing he admired about Niemi was how hard he worked.
"He wasn't touted as the next big Finnish goalie, and there were other
goalies that were touted to be in that spot," said Stalock, who developed a
close friendship with Niemi. "Now you look at where he's (at), and I think if
you ask him, the number one reason why he's made it is his work ethic."
Sharks coach Pete DeBoer didn't say who his starting goalie would be
Saturday, so there remains a chance Stalock could go against his good
friend Niemi.
"It'll be good to see him, but at the same time, he knows it's back to work,"
Stalock said. "They're playing great and he's playing great. They want to
keep that rolling."
San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979913
San Jose Sharks
Sharks will have their hands full with resurgent Dallas Stars
By Ross McKeon Updated 10:00 pm, Friday, October 30, 2015
The Sharks need to be awake and on time for a high noon shootout
Saturday against the Dallas Stars, the league’s most surprising and
dangerous team early on.
The Stars made a number of modest offseason moves following a
non-playoff season, but they didn’t budge from their run-and-gun,
we’ll-outscore-you philosophy, which flies in the face of most teams’
defense-first approach.
Dallas has won eight of 10 out of the gate to lead the ultra-competitive
Central Division. The Stars opened eyes early by sweeping a four-game
road trip to Tampa Bay, Florida, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, giving Dallas
a season sweep of the Pens coupled with a 3-0 home win on opening
night.
Dallas leads the West with 35 goals and is third overall behind Montreal
(45) and Boston (36). The Stars are one of four teams that have scored
more than 30 goals in the West.
It’s the same dynamic duo leading the Dallas charge: top-line forwards
Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. Benn leads the league with 17 points on the
strength of nine goals. His 34.6 shooting percentage was among the top
three in the NHL entering Friday. Seguin, third in the league entering
Friday with 14 points, has taken more shots (43-26) but they haven’t gone
in at the same clip as his linemate.
The addition of Patrick Sharp from the Chicago Blackhawks gives that top
line the look of the most dangerous combination in the league. Sharp, 33,
also brings strong leadership and the experience of winning three recent
Stanley Cups to the youthful Stars’ locker room.
The Sharks will encounter a couple of recent teammates. Dallas signed
free-agent goalie Antti Niemi after he spent the previous five seasons in
San Jose. Niemi, 32, has gained the majority of ice time over fellow Finn
and incumbent starter Kari Lehtonen. Niemi is 5-1-0 with a 2.55
goals-against average and .917 save percentage. His career numbers in
San Jose were 163-92-35, 2.40 and .917.
Jason Demers, traded by the Sharks early last season for fellow
defenseman Brenden Dillon, has two goals, five points and is averaging
21:05 of ice time. He’s part of the Stars’ top four on a blue-line corps that
includes rising star John Klingberg, a 23-year-old Swede who entering
Friday was fifth in scoring among NHL defensemen with nine points.
General manager Jim Nill was a sought-after talent while spending 15
years as assistant GM and 19 years total in Detroit before Dallas snagged
him in 2013. As he continues to put his stamp on the franchise, the Stars
are now viewed as a contender instead of a pretender.
He’s legit: Oilers rookie Connor McDavid was scoreless in three of his first
four NHL games, but he has made plenty of noise since. Riding a
seven-game scoring streak to give the 18-year-old five goals and 12
points, the No. 1 overall pick was not only the leading rookie scorer but
also sixth overall in the points race entering Friday.
Food for thought: A federal tax rate hike planned for high-income earners
in Canada could make it more difficult for the seven north-of-the-border
teams to compete for and ultimately sign free-agent talent.
“For a lot of players, it does matter,” player agent Rand Simon told the
Ottawa Citizen. “Any time a player has to make a decision on where he’s
going to play, we do want to give him the full picture, and tax rates are
important.”
Last chance? Ex-Shark Martin Havlat is in St. Louis on a 10-day tryout
contract trying to resurrect his career at age 34. He followed an
unproductive season in New Jersey (five goals, 14 points, minus-11 in 40
games) by getting cut from Florida’s training camp as a tryout hopeful this
fall. He and former Devils forward Dainius Zubrus, 37, are hoping to stick
with the injury-riddled Blues.
Briefly: Sharks beware: The Central Division is 17-3-1 against the Pacific
thus far. … Twenty of the 29 games that have required overtime this
season before Friday have been decided in 3-on-3 sudden death (69
percent). Last season, under the 4-on-4 format, only 44.4 percent of
games were decided before requiring a shootout.
San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 10.31.2015
979914
San Jose Sharks
Sharks could face old friend in net for Stars
October 30, 2015, 3:00 pm
Kevin Kurz
SAN JOSE – The potential exists for an intriguing goalie matchup on
Saturday afternoon in Dallas when the Sharks visit the Stars.
Sharks coach Pete DeBoer wasn’t saying who would start for San Jose,
though, while Dallas coach Lindy Ruff doesn’t like divulging his starter in
advance. We’re just going to have to wait and see if Antti Niemi gets the
call against his former team, and whether his good buddy Alex Stalock
starts on the other end of the rink.
“It would be fun, obviously,” Stalock said of the possibility.
Niemi spent the previous five seasons in San Jose, making the playoffs for
the first four of those before the Sharks flamed out last April. It was
inevitable that there would be a change in net in the offseason, as Niemi
was a pending unrestricted free agent as well as part of a core group that
was never able to get over that proverbial hump.
[KURZ: Sharks prepare for real test with 'dynamic' Stars offense]
The Sharks traded his rights to Dallas on June 27, and the Stars promptly
inked him to a three-year, $13.5 million contract. Kari Lehtonen remains on
the Dallas roster, but Niemi has played 400 of the team’s 600 minutes,
posting a 5-1-0 mark with a 2.55 goals-against average and .917 save
percentage for the top team so far in the Western Conference.
Stalock has been paying attention to the Stars, both in net and otherwise.
“They’ve got a really good team, and a team that can put runs on the
board,” he said. "The way their goalie has been playing gives them a
chance. It’s not surprising at all how [Niemi] is playing.”
Joe Thornton figures that Niemi would love to play against the Sharks, just
like he’d love to see his former teammate between the pipes.
“I’m sure he’s excited for it,” Thornton said. "He was here for a long time,
and facing a former team it’s going to be a little nerve-wracking for himself.
As far as the shooters, we’re excited to shoot on him and hopefully we
learned over all those years where to put pucks past him.”
Joe Pavelski said: “He played a big part in this organization for the last
[five] years. We enjoyed being his teammate. … But he’s a goalie, right?
You try to put the puck by him and you hope at the end of the night you
score on him.”
If it’s Stalock in net for the Sharks, it would be just his second start of the
year. He allowed five goals on 33 shots in a 6-3 loss to the Islanders on
Oct. 17.
The circumstances weren’t ideal for his season debut, as the Sharks were
playing the second of a back-to-back and had just lost some key players to
injury. Still, that’s the life of a backup, according to DeBoer, who has said
that Stalock will play either in Dallas or Colorado on Sunday.
“As soon as I start feeling a little bit badly about the position you’re putting
these guys in – [Sharks assistant coach] Johan Hedberg reminds me that
he did it for 15 years in that spot,” DeBoer said. “That’s part of the job, to go
in there and give us some energy. I thought he did that. … We all have
confidence in his ability to come in and play.”
No matter who is in net for either team, Stalock expects to see Niemi at
some point on the Sharks’ quick trip to Texas.
Along with their friendship from being teammates for two seasons, Stalock
praised Niemi for helping him along the way.
What did he learn?
‘”I think the biggest thing is work ethic,” Stalock said. “From where maybe
he came from when he was 15-16 [years old], he wasn’t touted as the next
big Finnish goalie. Maybe there are other guys in the league now that were
touted to be in that spot. … I think if you asked him the number one reason
why he’s made it is his work ethic.”
Pavelski agreed.
“He worked as hard an anybody in this organization when he was here. He
worked to make himself better.”
979915
San Jose Sharks
Sharks prepare for real test with 'dynamic' Stars offense
October 30, 2015, 1:00 pm
Kevin Kurz
SAN JOSE -– One game after facing perhaps the best blue line in the
NHL, the Sharks will get a good test again in Dallas on Saturday when they
line up against one of the most prolific offenses at American Airlines
Center.
The Stars are in first place in the Western Conference (8-2-0),
leap-frogging the Predators on Thursday night with a 4-3 OT win at home
against Vancouver. Their 35 goals scored are second in the NHL only to
the Montreal Canadiens.
“The thing that jumps right off the page at you is their skill up front,” Pete
DeBoer said on Friday, shortly before the Sharks’ charter to Texas. “That’s
as dynamic a group of forwards as there is. They’re playing with
confidence right now. We’re going to have to make sure that our attention
to detail is real good.”
Jamie Benn paces the Stars’ attack, and is at the top of the NHL
leaderboard in goals (9) and points (17). Tyler Seguin isn’t far behind with
14 points, while Jason Spezza, Ales Hemsky and newcomer Patrick Sharp
are all dangerous, too.
“They’ve got a lot of skill and [make] a lot of plays off the rush,” Tommy
Wingels said. “Some dynamic forwards and guys who can move the puck.
We’re going to have to be smarter with the puck, and limit their odd man
rushes and try to bury our chances.”
Although the Sharks (5-4-0) played well enough to beat Nashville on
Wednesday at home, it was still a disappointing 2-1 regulation defeat.
They’ll enter the weekend’s back-to-back, which also features a game in
Colorado on Sunday, having lost four of their last five.
[KURZ: Sharks notes: Karlsson in holding pattern; Couture update]
They should be well rested and prepared, though, with practices and video
sessions four days this week. DeBoer was pleased with how the week
went, but now it’s time to see some results.
“Nothing reinforces those messages more than wins,” he said. “That’s
where we’ve got to get to. It’s nice to play a good team like Nashville close,
but we’ve got to find a way to win games.”
Playing back-to-back afternoon games is abnormal, especially in the
Western Conference. The Sharks will drop the puck with the Stars at 2
p.m. local time on Saturday, and 1 p.m. in Denver (both games start at
noon PT in the Bay Area).
Joe Pavelski doesn’t seem to mind the schedule, though. After all, barring
any travel problems, the Sharks should be able to get to Denver on
Saturday evening and have plenty time to rest and recover before
Sunday’s game.
“I think players like day games,” Pavelski said. “You wake up, get to the
rink, play the game and you actually have a little bit of time after.”
The Sharks recalled forward Bryan Lerg and defenseman Dylan DeMelo
from the AHL Barracuda on Friday. The pair practiced with the team, and
will likely serve as extra bodies for the Colorado game in case someone
gets hurt in Dallas.
979916
St Louis Blues
Resiliency allows Blues to overcome early adversity
In going 2-0-1 without Stastny, Schwartz and Shattenkirk, the Blues have
scored six goals — two in each game — while allowing just four.
“You’ve got to hunker down defensively,” Hitchcock said. “You’ve got to
expect every night, you’re going to score two goals and get points.”
But now the Blues’ resiliency could be further tested.
4 HOURS AGO • BY JEREMY P. RUTHERFORD
At the 10-game mark of the Blues’ regular season, let’s play “If someone
had told you ...”
If someone had told you that defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk would have
played in just three games, Robby Fabbri four, Paul Stastny five and
Jaden Schwartz seven, what would you think?
If someone had told you that Schwartz, David Backes and Dmitrij Jaskin
would have no goals, what would you think?
If someone had told you that the power play would convert just four of 37
chances, ranking No. 26 in the NHL at 10.8 percent, what would you think?
If all of those were true, would your guess be that the Blues are .500?
Below .500? Looking for their first win?
Well, those things are all true, and the Blues were tied for third overall in
the league standings with a record of 7-2-1 going into Friday’s games.
How is that possible?
“Our strong point and where we think we can be successful is with our
depth and with our defensemen being able to chip in offensively and
having great goaltending,” Blues newcomer Scottie Upshall said. “And so
far, our first 10 games have been just that. We’ve had scoring up and down
the lineup. Losing key guys definitely hurts, but it gives other guys an
opportunity to step up and take on a role and do things outside the norm.
You look at the positive and right now the positive side is outweighing the
negatives for a lot of our game.”
Vladimir Tarasenko leads the Blues with six goals and 10 points, but
despite no goals from Backes and Jaskin and just one between Stastny
and Schwartz before they left the lineup, the offense has scores from 10
other sources.
Although the Blues miss the production of Shattenkirk, who had eight
goals and 44 points in 56 games last season, they have been
compensated with the performance of rookie defenseman Colton Parayko,
who has four goals (tops among NHL defensemen) and seven points in 10
games.
“When you lose Shatty, our most offensive D man, and Stastny and
Schwartzy, two of our top offensive players, it’s tough to replace,” Blues
goalie Jake Allen said. “But guys are stepping up, guys are going to get a
chance to show what they’re made of. Everyone is chipping in somehow
and we’re getting it done.
“It’s not just a two-man show, we’re finding ways to win. We’re not scoring
six or seven goals right now. We’re winning 2-1 or 1-0, but it doesn’t
matter, a win is a win. Guys are stepping up defensively and offensively
and finding a way to get it done for 60 minutes, wearing teams out, and just
capitalizing on our chances.”
The Blues have scored 27 goals, ranking No. 12 in the NHL, and allowed
21. But inside that slim goal differential, the club has managed to post a
record of 3-1-1 in games decided by one goal and in reality 5-1-1 when
adding two more games in which the team added a late empty-net goal for
a two-goal victory margin.
As witnessed in Thursday’s 2-1 win over Anaheim, the Blues are doing
their damage late. They have been outscored 11-7 by their opponents in
the first period this season, but after scoring two goals in the second and
third against the Ducks, they have now combined to outscore their
opponents 23-12 in the final two periods.
“It hasn’t been clean, but we’ve had great spirit and I think the spirit has
carried us in the second half of games,” coach Ken Hitchcock said. “If you
look at our second half of every game we’ve played, we’ve really played
well. So we haven’t got discouraged. It’s not a great painting at times, but
boy, the way we stay with it and the way we battle, it’s been impressive so
far.”
The power play hasn’t converted in its last 16 attempts and is one for its
last 28, but that has been somewhat offset by a penalty-killing unit that is
No. 15 in the league (81.1 percent) and goaltending that ranks No. 8 in
goals-against average (2.10) and No. 12 in save percentage (.918).
“We’ve got to bind together and clamp up and not give much up,” Backes
said. “We have to be responsible defensively and take care of our end.”
Tarasenko exited Thursday’s game with a knee injury, and although he
returned, he had some soreness Friday and did not participate in the
team’s optional practice. Parayko, who left Thursday’s game with an
injured left foot, was in a walking boot Friday and also did not practice.
Hitchcock said that Tarasenko was OK but Parayko would be a game-time
decision for Saturday night’s game against Minnesota.
“It’s more ‘Who’s in than who’s out’ and I like that,” Hitchcock said. “That’s
really helped. You can commiserate all you want with what’s missing, but I
like the fact that it’s more about the guys that are in than the guys that are
out. I like the fact that it’s about whose name comes up on the board, and
when it’s your turn to play, they expect you to contribute.”
St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 10.31.2015
979917
St Louis Blues
Bluenotes: Hitchcock compliments Ott's contributions
After Steve Ott was named the No. 1 star in a 2-1 victory over Anaheim,
Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said the veteran forward is playing his best
hockey since coming to St. Louis three years ago.
In 11 minutes, 15 seconds of ice time Thursday, Ott assisted on a goal by
Vladimir Tarasenko, issued four hits, went 3-0 in the face-off circle and
stuck up for Tarasenko after a big hit.
“I think he’s being smarter with his energy,” Hitchcock said. “I think he’s
been smart with his positional play. That’s really helping him. He’s in the
right spot, spacing on the ice is good. He’s creating turnovers, he’s got
energy in the right places.”
A year ago, Ott was coming off sports hernia surgery the previous
summer, and looking back he says it had an impact on his skating and thus
everything else.
“I didn’t really have enough time to get myself going feet-wise,” Ott said. “I
felt like I was playing a lot of catch-up last year. It takes a little toll on your
stride, but this summer, I really tried to add a lot of that, mix in a lot of
skating, getting your feet going again.
“The one thing you’ve got to do to stay around this league is keep your
feet. When I feel my feet are going (good), I get pucks, I’m on top of pucks,
just try to chip in as well. For myself, that was what I keyed on this
summer.”
Ott’s night Thursday included his heads-up assist, whicht created a 2-on-0
break for Tarasenko and Jori Lehtera, with Tarasenko finishing the
give-and-go for a 1-1 game 6:18 into the second period.
Later, Tarasenko went down after a knee-on-knee hit by Anaheim’s
Shawn Horcoff. The Blues star was helped off the ice and missed the final
four minutes of the period before returning for the third. Ott took the matter
into his own hands, but it wasn’t Horcoff he went after. Instead, he mixed it
up with Ducks star Corey Perry.
“It’s always nice having a teammate like Steve, a guy who can step up for
you,” Tarasenko said. “These are the kind of guys who can make team
spirit on the team. Glad to play with him.”
Ott said that he was doing his job.
“To be honest, I didn’t really see what happened until afterwards,” he said.
“It’s a revved-up game. They have a hard, hard hockey team over there
that plays physical as well. We knew it would be a physical contest and I
think we matched well. We got a huge two points for our club.”
ALLEN STARTS
Jake Allen will make his third consecutive start in net Saturday against
Minnesota. In three career regular-season appearances against the Wild,
Allen is 1-1 with a 2.63 goals-against average and an .899 save
percentage.
979918
St Louis Blues
Preview: Blues vs. Wild
6 HOURS AGO • BY TOM TIMMERMANN
When • Saturday at 7 p.m.
Where • Scottrade Center
TV, radio • Fox Sports Midwest, KMOX (1120 AM)
Blues • The Blues have gotten five of six points so far in their five-game
homestand, their longest of the season. (They have another five-game
homestand in December.) They’ve lost just two of their first 10 games in
regulation, but one of them was to Saturday’s opponent, the Wild. That
loss came in St. Paul in the second game of the season, a 3-2 loss in which
the Blues outshot the Wild 13 to one in the third period but did not get the
tying goal. The Blues have lost three straight to the Wild since beating
them 6-1 in Game 4 of the playoffs last season. Jake Allen will start in goal,
his third straight start. Vladimir Tarasenko has 41 NHL games in which he
has two or more points; six have come against Minnesota.
Wild • Minnesota beat Chicago 5-4 on Friday night in their first meeting
since the Blackhawks swept the Wild in the second round of the 2015
playoffs. This is already the third set of back-to-back games for the Wild
this season; they’ve split each of the first two. Zach Parise has seven goals
(three on the power play), tying him for second in the league. The Wild
went into the Chicago game ranking 23rd in penalty killing at 78.3 percent,
the worst in the Western Conference. (Nine of the 10 worst teams in
penalty killing are in the East.) Wild coach Mike Yeo was leaning toward
using Darcy Kuemper in goal against the Blues. Kuemper was lifted from
his last start after giving up four goals to Winnipeg.
Injuries • Blues — D Kevin Shattenkirk (lower-body injury), F Vladimir
Tarasenko (leg), D Colton Parayko (foot), questionable; F Scottie Upshall
(sore), probable. Wild — C Tyler Graovac (groin), D Christian Folin (lower
body), out.
979919
St Louis Blues
Blues update: Tarasenko, Parayko not on the ice
The Blues held an optional skate Friday afternoon and neither Vladimir
Tarasenko nor Colton Parayko were on the ice.
Both were injured in Thursday's 2-1 win over the Anaheim Ducks.
Tarasenko left the game briefly after a knee-to-knee collision with
Anaheim's Shawn Horcoff in the second period. He came back and
finished the game but in some pain Friday.
"He's good, he's ready to go," Hitchcock said.
But when asked again Tarasenko's status heading into Saturday's game
against Minnesota, Hitchcock replied: "It's the off day. Who knows?
Tomorrow we'll tell you who's in the lineup."
Parayko left the game with about 6 1/2 minutes remaining in regulation
after colliding with Anaheim’s Chris Wagner. He injured his left foot, which
was in a walking boot Friday.
"He just fell on the ice," Hitchcock said. "(The boot) is a protection thing,"
Hitchcock said. "He'll be a game-time decision. So we'll see where he's at
tomorrow."
Forward Scottie Upshall, who didn't play Thursday, and defenseman Kevin
Shattenkirk, who missed his seventh straight game, were on the ice
Friday.
Upshall could be available against the Wild.
"We'll see where he is," Hitchcock said. "He worked hard at the skate
today, so he might be a possibility for us."
When he met with the media, Hitchcock was still waiting on an evaluation
on Shattenkirk.
"He's still out on the ice, so I'm not really sure where they're at with him,"
Hitchcock said. "He practiced full today, so we'll see how he feels. For us
with Shatty, it's kind of when he's able to absorb some practices back to
back ... so we'll see tomorrow."
In other news, Hitchcock confirmed that Jake Allen will be in net Saturday,
making his third consecutive start.
OTT EARNS NO. 1 STAR
Tarasenko scored his sixth goal of the season. Jake Allen made 22 saves
for his third victory. Colton Parayko scored his fourth NHL goal and posted
10 shots.
But none were the No. 1 star in Thursday's 2-1 triumph over Anaheim.
That was Steve Ott, who had one assist, four hits, seven penalty minutes
and was 3-0 in face-offs in 11 minutes 15 seconds of ice time.
"This is the best he's skated since he's come here," Blues coach Ken
Hitchcock said. "He's given us proper energy, smart energy, and he's
starting to gain some offensive confidence. I like the way Steve is playing
and I also like the way we're using him. He plays a certain role. He kills
penalties in a big way, and when we need energy a little higher up in the
lineup, we put him in there. He gave us that energy again."
Ott's night began with the heads-up helper that created a 2-on-0 break for
Tarasenko and Jori Lehtera, with Tarasenko finishing the give-and-go for a
1-1 game 6:18 into the second period.
"(Anaheim) had a little bit of a mishap and turned it over," Ott said, "and all
of a sudden you see two superstars on the other end and they are playing
give-and-go and what a heck of a goal."
About two minutes later, Ott leveled Anaheim's Chris Wagner, causing a
mini-melee that put the Blues on the power play. The Ducks' Pat Maroon
and Korbinian Holzer took exception to the hit and along with Ott were
whistled for roughing penalties.
Then, on a night in which many fans dressed up in their Halloween
costumes, came the scariest moment of the game. Tarasenko went down
after a knee-on-knee hit by Anaheim's Shawn Horcoff with four minutes left
in the period. The Blues' star was helped off the ice and didn't return for the
remainder of the period.
No penalty was called on Horcoff, who also landed an elbow high into
Tarasenko's chest.
"I didn't think about (the hit)," Tarasenko said. "It's not my job to tell
something about referees. Let them do their job."
Ott took the matter into his own hands, but it wasn't Horcoff he went after.
Instead, he mixed it up with Ducks' star Corey Perry, and while both
players received five-minute fighting majors, Perry was called for an initial
holding penalty, putting the Blues on the power play.
"It's always nice having a teammate like Steve, a guy who can step up for
you..." Tarasenko said. "These are the kind of guys who can make team
spirit on the team. Glad to play with him."
Ott said that he was doing his job.
"To be honest, I didn’t really see what happened until afterwards," he said.
"It’s a revved up game. They have a hard, hard hockey team over there
that plays physical as well. We knew it would be a physical contest and I
think we matched well. We got a huge two points for our club."
979920
St Louis Blues
Granted, four of these misses came from distances of 50-plus yards. But
he made 5 of 7 from 50-plus last season.
BenFred: Was the hit on Tarasenko dirty?
The Rams don't score enough to leave points on the field, like the
35-yarder Zurlein missed in the third quarter of last Sunday's win over the
Browns.
23 HOURS AGO • BY BEN FREDERICKSON
The World Series is making people say wacky stuff.
No. No. No.
This is our Friday Starter blog — here to remind you that you’ve nearly
made it, that two days of freedom are just around the corner, that you
should pat yourself on the back, because you deserve it. Seriously. Just
look at what you survived this week.
Vladimir Tarasenko went down.
This was the last thing the Blues needed, their shining star favoring his left
leg after a crushing blow from Anaheim center Shawn Horcoff in the
second period of a tie game Thursday night.
Lately, the Blues have been the Black and Blues. Jaden Schwartz broke
an ankle. Paul Stastny broke a foot. Patrik Berglund's shoulder surgery
shut him down until January. Kevin Shattenkirk is still shaking off a
lower-body injury.
Then came Horcoff's decking of Tarasenko. The cheers that followed
Tarasenko's game-tying goal 10 minutes before were replaced by the
silence of held breath.
Horcoff's forearm appeared to meet Tarasenko's chin. Their knees
knocked. Tarasenko crashed backward and was eventually helped off the
ice by a trainer. Blues center Steve Ott, never one to turn down an on-ice
altercation, went after Anaheim star Corey Perry to retaliate.
By now you know how it ended. Tarasenko returned for the third period
and the Blues won 2-1 to improve to 7-2-1.
Tarasenko declined to offer his opinion on if the hit was dirty. That didn't
stop others from weighing in. Horcoff wasn't penalized for the blow, but he
could hear from the NHL's department of player safety. That seems
unlikely, though.
"Horcoff’s elbow appears to separate from his body and target Tarasenko
high," wrote Matt Larkin of the Hockey News. "But watch the 'ripple' just
above Tarasenko’s logo after the impact. It appears the contact is to the
upper chest, not the head. The educated guess here is Horcoff gets off
without any supplemental discipline. Close, but an acceptable hit. And just
a reminder, the fact Horcoff has never been suspended doesn’t make him
safer. Past history would only come into play after a decision to suspend
and would only affect sentencing."
John Shannon of Sportsnet's Hockey Central came to the same
conclusion:
"Don't expect any SD for Horcoff after his elbow on Tarasenko … Got his
arm up, but what hurt Tarasenko was the inadvertent knee on knee."
Whether it was a dirty hit delivered a hair too late, or a routine clobbering
that only demanded more attention due to the star factor of the player it
temporarily took out, it should have delivered a strong message to the
Blues.
Tarasenko's head must stay on a swivel, and the big hits, especially ones
that tiptoe the lines of what the NHL considers legal, can't go unpunished.
The Blues' list of injuries is already too long, and Tarasenko, who is now
tied for sixth in the NHL in goals scored, is too valuable.
The NFL's heartbreak tour is over.
Rip Oakland Raiders owner Mark Davis for his bizarre bowl cut and his
minivan if you want, but I'll give him credit for attending Oakland's town hall
meeting on the Raiders' potential relocation. And get this. He answered
questions!
If the NFL really will take into consideration what it saw and heard during
its stops in St. Louis, San Diego and Oakland, then this is worth
mentioning.
St. Louis, which is working toward building a second stadium within a
25-year span, had the biggest reported turnout of any meeting, checking in
at 1,500 people. San Diego and Oakland, which for years have been
unable to come up with viable plans for new stadiums in their home cities,
drew reported crowds of 450 (San Diego) and 400 (Oakland).
Greg the Leg is off.
Rams kicker Greg Zuerlein has made 2 of his last 7 field goal attempts
after making 6 of 6 through the first four games of the season.
979921
Tampa Bay Lightning
While Bolts’ offense under scrutiny, defense standing strong
By Erik Erlendsson
Published: October 30, 2015
TAMPA — All the talk surrounding the Lightning about the lack of goals
being scored over the past week has been one-sided.
While much of the focus has been on Tampa Bay’s sudden scoring issues
— one goal during a three-game winless streak — there is one sliver of
silver lining. The Lightning are not allowing many goals, either.
As Tampa Bay hosts Boston on Halloween night, the Lightning have
allowed only three regulation goals (not counting empty-net goals) in the
past three games: none in an overtime loss at Chicago, one in St. Louis
and two to Colorado on Thursday. The stingy defensive effort is
overshadowed by Tampa Bay’s lack of scoring — a drought that reached
156 minutes before Alex Killorn scored late in Thursday’s second period —
but the defense and goaltending are something the Lightning can hang
their hats on until the offense comes around.
“We are not winning games, but we are climbing the defensive statistical
ladder,’’ Lightning head coach Jon Cooper said. “Those are where your
habits start and your winning starts, from your end out first. We are not
showing that in the standings right now, but I have complete confidence
we will if we keep this up.’’
After being a little loose defensively to start the season, allowing three or
more goals five times in the first eight games, Tampa Bay tightened up in
rush coverage and penalty killing. The Lightning allowing only an overtime
goal in Chicago and a tipped goal in St. Louis, plus an empty-netter.
Colorado scored twice, one a bang-bang play at the top of the crease and
a rebound goal that resulted form a poor back check.
“We are doing a lot of good things defensively,’’ defenseman Victor
Hedman said. “We are not turning pucks over, not as much in our own end.
We are very quick in outnumbering when we can, and get the puck out as
quick as we can. That’s what makes us successful. We have a lot of speed
on our team and that’s what we have to do, play fast defensively to try and
counter (the forecheck).’’
In the past three games, Lightning goaltenders Ben Bishop and Kristers
Gudlevskis combined to stop 78 of 82 shots for a save percentage of .951
and a goals-against average of 1.35. Numbers like that generally show up
during winning streaks.
“If you would have told me three games ago that we were only going to
give up three regulation goals in the next three games, and you told me we
were only going to get one point out of that, I would have said no way,’’
Cooper said.
So, with the offense struggling and forwards banged up — Cedric
Paquette and Jonathan Drouin are expected to miss tonight’s game, while
Tyler Johnson missed Friday’s practice and is questionable — the
defensive play has been strong. If that continues, it bodes well for
whenever the highest-scoring team in the league last season breaks out
offensively.
“We are not cheating the game, and I think that is the biggest thing when
you are going through this little bit of a funk and not scoring is to make sure
you are playing well defensively,’’ alternate captain Ryan Callahan said.
The offense is going to come, he said.
“Look at this group in there; we are not worried,” Callahan said. “It’s
frustrating when it happens, but we have the group to score goals in here.
You feel for Bish, and he probably deserves better than what showed on
the scoreboard. But you just keep going. It’s an 82-game season. They are
not fun, but you just keep pushing on.’’
Tampa Tribune LOADED: 10.31.2015
979922
Tampa Bay Lightning
Lightning battles through tough stretch
Hurricanes. Crunch coach Rob Zettler said after Friday's game that he had
no word on a Vasilevskiy call-up, or any forward callups.
Times staff writer Joe Smith contributed to this report.
.TONIGHT
By Rick Brown, Times Correspondent
Friday, October 30, 2015 5:30pm
Lightning vs. Bruins
When/where: 7; Amalie Arena
TV/radio: Fox Sports Sun; 970-AM
TAMPA — When expectations are high and things don't start the way a
team wants, it is easy for it to lose confidence. The Lightning is currently
going through a tough stretch, having lost three consecutive games
entering tonight's game against the Bruins.
But though the players are fighting through the frustrations of losing close
games, coach Jon Cooper is seeing his team display habits that will
eventually help it win.
"In the end, it's about how many goals you give up," Cooper said.
"Ultimately that's how you're judged. But habits and how you play, how
many scoring chances are you really giving up, (also matter). If you can sit
here and say you're giving up 10 or less (scoring chances) in a game, you
have a pretty good chance of winning the game. That's what we've been
doing of late (with scoring chances).
"There have been some encouraging signs. We're not winning any games,
but we're climbing the defensive statistical ladder. But I still believe those
are where your habits start, and your winning starts on your end first.
We're not showing that in the standings now, but I have complete
confidence that we will if we keep this up."
Cooper is also seeing signs of the offense picking up. After not getting 30
shots on net in regulation in the five previous games (Tampa Bay had 31
against the Jets, but two came in overtime), the Lightning ripped 35 shots
in a 2-1 loss to the Avalanche on Thursday.
"People are saying they aren't scoring, but they are getting chances, and
eventually they're going in," Cooper said. "You're not going to keep those
guys off the sheet forever. It's just unfortunate because these are all
one-goal games. When we need that extra one, we're having trouble
finding it.
"The group was zipping around (Friday). They were working hard, and
that's what they've been doing all year. So eventually we'll break out of
this."
This is the Lightning's longest regular-season losing streak since Tampa
Bay lost five straight from March 4-10, 2014, and two of those losses came
in shootouts.
Though the Lightning has given up just four regulation goals in the past
three games, it has scored just one goal. That is unusual from pretty much
the same team that led the NHL in scoring last season.
"Sometimes it's hard not to get frustrated, especially when guys are used
to scoring a lot of goals and you're playing well and that's not happening,"
wing Erik Condra said. "But a big thing is we wanted to focus on defense.
… And we've been playing good defense.
"And last game we had a lot of opportunities. When you're not getting
opportunities, that's when you get frustrated. … We have enough skill in
here that at some point they'll start going in."
While the Lightning looks to regain its scoring touch, it also has to deal with
injuries beginning to pile up.
Forwards Jonathan Drouin (lower body) and Cedric Paquette (ankle) did
not practice Friday and were doubtful for tonight's contest. Also, forward
Tyler Johnson has an undisclosed injury and did not practice. Cooper did
not rule him out but said if Johnson isn't better, the Lightning may have to
make another callup.
Still, Condra said it's best to go through these issues now rather than later
in the year.
"We're still trying to find ourselves as a team," he said. "Sometimes you
need to go through a little adversity and learn from that to become better at
the end."
VASILEVSKIY WINS AGAIN: Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped 27 of 28
shots Friday night in his second — and possibly final — rehab start for AHL
Syracuse, a 4-1 win over visiting Hershey. "I feel great," Vasilev-skiy told
the Syracuse Post Standard. Sidelined since early September after
surgery for a blood clot in his collarbone area, Vasilevskiy could rejoin the
Lightning this weekend. If recalled, he might start Sunday against the
Key stats: The Bruins had won four of their past five heading into Friday's
game against the Panthers. … C David Krejci entered Friday with seven
goals and seven assists. … Former Lightning wing Brett Connolly had
three goals. … Boston had the top-ranked power play (32.1 percent). …
Lightning C Cedric Paquette (ankle) and LW Jonathan Drouin (lower body)
were doubtful for tonight. C Tyler Johnson (undisclosed) was
questionable. … G Ben Bishop, expected to start, is 3-3-2 with a 3.08 GAA
in eight career games against Boston.
Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.31.2015
979923
Tampa Bay Lightning
With Johnson questionable, might be another callup for Lightning
Joe Smith, Times Staff Writer
Friday, October 30, 2015 1:12pm
As injuries continue to mount for Lightning, there could be another callup
coming before Saturday's game against the Bruins.
Tampa eliminated from bidding for 2018 World Junior Hockey
Championships
Tortorella to coach Team USA for World Cup
Jonathan Drouin (lower body) and Cedric Paquette (lower body) both
didn't participate in Friday's practice, and are doubtful for Saturday's
game. But center Tyler Johnson (undisclosed) also didn't skate, and is "on
the fence" as far as availability Saturday, coach Jon Cooper said.
Jonathan Marchessault was recalled from AHL Syracuse Thursday and
played. But another forward could be coming.
The Lightning has lost three straight games, and playing without these
regulars certainly doesn't help.
Tampa Bay Times LOADED: 10.31.2015
979924
Toronto Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs bomb on Broadway in loss to Rangers
“No question about it in my opinion. He has to find his game. If you look at
all the goalies in the NHL, lots of goaltenders struggle early in the year.
That’s nothing new. You’ve just got to be confident in your ability and
you’ve got to keep getting the opportunity to keep going out here.
“Bernier has an opportunity to be real good for us.”
By: Kevin McGran Sports Reporter, Published on Fri Oct 30 2015
NEW YORK—Lou Lamoriello was surrounded by the New York media,
who also had covered him during his time running the New Jersey Devils,
in his first trip to Madison Square Garden as general manager of the Maple
Leafs.
And he spoke without irony.
“Toronto is Toronto, that is hockey,” said Lamoriello. “I don’t apologize for
saying it: Toronto should be the Yankees of the NHL. Some people might
get upset about it. I can’t help that. That’s my feeling.”
Think what you will about the Yankees, given it’s the cross-town Mets who
are in the World Series. But the Maple Leafs — to many the most important
team in the NHL with its biggest and most influential fan-base — are trying
to build a team that will always matter in the standings.
The Maple Leafs took their rebuilding road show to Broadway, and it fell
flat.
Mats Zuccarello scored all three goals, the last into an empty net, and
goalie Henrik Lundqvist stopped just about everything the Leafs shot his
way as the New York Rangers skated to a 3-1 victory, their sixth straight
game with at least a point.
Joffrey Lupul scored late in the third but the Leafs continue to struggle in
the win-loss column, dropping to 1-6-2. And there’s no time to rest, as they
face Phil Kessel and the Pittsburgh Penguins Saturday night at the Air
Canada Centre.
“We poured it on in the third period, it was a close game, but no one is
happy about it,” said Lupul. “We’re not getting on the bus saying, ‘Oh, we
played pretty good.’ ”
Lamoriello refused to let the team’s losing ways get to him, calling these
“early days” in the process.
“We know there’s a plan and a process and along that way there’s going to
be maybe some tough sledding,” said Lamoriello. “When there’s tough
sledding, and you really don’t have that strong foundation yet, it’s more
difficult. You have to get a foundation.”
The Leafs made some roster changes, hoping it might add a spark. Centre
Tyler Bozak and defenceman Jake Gardiner returned from undisclosed
injuries, adding some depth, while just-signed Richard Clune saw regular
action on the fourth line.
The Leafs did a lot of small things right: they were good on faceoffs,
winning 60 per cent of draws. Bozak and Byron Froese each won 12 of 16.
After a slow start, they got some pucks at the Rangers net.
“All in all, we did a lot of good things — it’s hard to say that to the guys. You
have to find ways to win games,” said Leafs coach Mike Babcock
afterward. “Frustration is an absolute waste of time. I don’t know why you
get frustrated. You just come in tomorrow and get better.
“They’re not dumb. They know they’re doing tons of good things. But don’t
feel sorry for yourself. Dig in and find a way to win games. If we do things
well, and we stick to doing things well, we’ll find ways to win on a
consistent basis.”
Goaltending is the Rangers’ big strength.
The biggest difference between the Leafs and Rangers in that time was
probably goaltending.
The Rangers have had Lundqvist in net as an undisputed No. 1 since 2005
while the Leafs have gone through a dozen wannabes in that time.
“Any team that is being successful and winning games are doing it
because they’re getting solid goaltending,” said Rangers coach Alain
Vigneault. “You can’t win in this league if you don’t get goaltending.
“Any team that expects to win, you need goaltending. That’s just part of the
NHL today.”
The Leafs are hoping beyond hope Jonathan Bernier can be a dominant
No. 1 goalie. Despite being winless through five starts, Bernier got the call
Friday.
“Bernier can do the same thing for us,” said Leafs coach Mike Babcock.
Toronto Star LOADED: 10.31.2015
979925
Toronto Maple Leafs
A new MLSE boss won’t change Leafs’ direction, until the wind blows: Cox
By: Damien Cox Sports Columnist, Published on Fri Oct 30 2015
Richard Peddie, standing in the lobby of a Los Angeles hotel in January
2008, was asked if the team’s embattled general manager, John Ferguson
Jr., still had the ability to make a coaching change if he felt it was
necessary.
“No,” was Peddie’s straightforward answer.
Ferguson would be fired soon after. Peddie had accompanied the team on
that trip to California to oversee matters, and to evaluate a deteriorating
situation. It was, in many ways, the height of his power as CEO of Maple
Leaf Sports and Entertainment, a moment at which he was more in charge
of the hockey club that Conn Smythe founded and built than any member
of the hockey department.
Ferguson’s father had been a famous player, coach and GM, and he had
played pro and came from deep hockey roots. Peddie was an
accomplished businessman who, depending on who’s counting, saw the
value of MLSE at least triple over his 14 years at the helm and expand its
tentacles to many new business enterprises.
By that conversation in L.A., the suit was calling the shots and was clearly
far more powerful than the hockey guy, different from even the days when
Ken Dryden and Cliff Fletcher were in charge. It had just evolved that way.
The team’s philosophy had become not necessarily to pursue
championships, but to aim for one round of home playoff dates every
spring, and budget for that.
Keep that story in mind, folks, as MLSE tries to assure one and all that the
newest CEO, Michael Friisdahl, isn’t about to get involved with the Maple
Leafs, Raptors or even Toronto FC in the same way his predecessor, Tim
Leiweke, was.
I remember a quarter century ago when Rosanne Rocchi, Harold Ballard’s
savvy lawyer, was heavily involved in many key decisions involving the
Leafs as Ballard lived through his final days. Donald Crump, one of
Ballard’s executors, wielded influence for a time, jousting for position with
another executor, Don Giffin. Brian Bellmore, Steve Stavro’s lawyer,
gained extraordinary influence during the late 1990s.
Peddie didn’t start out in charge. He gained power over the years.
The Leafs, despite their lack of success in terms of winning Stanley Cups,
remain a glittering jewel on the Canadian sports scene. The Hope
diamond of sports, Rocchi once called it. Ambitious people are drawn to
the franchise, and often see themselves as power brokers as the sands of
power shift, as they always seem to shift.
The plan is for Leafs president Brendan Shanahan and Raptors president
and GM Masai Ujiri to continue to report directly to the MLSE board. That’s
been the way things have been done ever since Leiweke announced he
was leaving. Shanahan made the call on firing Dave Nonis, on dismissing
a long list of scouts, on pulling the trigger on the Phil Kessel deal, on hiring
Mike Babcock.
A hockey guy making hockey decisions, going to the board for approval
when necessary.
Friisdahl, who has yet to even meet Shanahan, has been hired for his
business expertise, and the idea is he’ll leave the sports decisions to the
experts, Shanahan and Ujiri and TFC’s Tim Bezbatchenko.
Good plan. And that may well be the way it all works over time.
That said, sometimes things change abruptly around this sports
conglomerate, like when Stavro sold out to the Ontario Teachers Pension
Fund, or when Brian Burke was axed, and sometimes they change almost
imperceptibly, like water seeping unnoticed into a basement. Suits bring
sponsors to the dressing room to show off a little, discussions of the
direction of the teams or the decisions made take place at cocktail parties
far from the boardrooms, and people who started out as neophytes begin
to see themselves as experts worthy of input.
It’s hard to exactly understand the relationship between co-owners Bell
and Rogers at MLSE, something Leiweke had to manage as a buffer
between the board and the teams. But the positive strides made by the
Raptors and, in a very different way, by the Leafs seem to be the result of
those two communications rivals either working better together than could
be expected or somehow neutralizing the worst instincts of the other.
Rogers is being hammered for hiring Mark Shapiro, an experienced
baseball executive, now that it has resulted in the departure of Alex
Anthopoulos. But the same corporation owns 37.5 per cent of MLSE, and
Friisdahl is almost the opposite of Shapiro. Very different decisions.
Over time, of course, Friisdahl will become very involved in a variety of
ways, and at the same time the Rogers/Bell relationship will continue to
evolve, and probably change. Rogers or Bell could decide to sell their
chunk at some point. Bell and minority MLSE owner Larry Tanenbaum
have bought the Argos and will soon make that a priority.
In other words, this is not a static situation. Today is just today, not
necessarily tomorrow.
The Raptors seem on a solid path right now. The Leafs have made the
commitment to a slow growth approach that promises to be painful but
could, if executed properly, produce a sustainable period of success.
Remember, though, choosing a course has never been a problem for the
Leafs.
Staying the course has always been the problem.
The hiring of Lou Lamoriello, who learned how to manage George
Steinbrenner and a multi-sport structure with the YankeeNets
organization, was done in part to try to make the hockey club more
focussed and disciplined, and therefore less affected by the changing
winds and notions of ownership. Shanahan gained extraordinary insights
into how all 30 NHL clubs are operated during his years at NHL
headquarters, and he understands hockey franchises are often
susceptible to influences and temptations that ordinary businesses are
not.
It’s one thing to struggle now and say the Leafs are committed to a logical
rebuild, and quite another to stay committed two years down the road
when wins are still outnumbered by losses and the ownership balance
changes, or somebody whispers in the ear of somebody on the board that
it doesn’t have to be this way, that there’s a faster way to produce a
winner, sell more merchandise and improve TV ratings.
That’s all it takes.
That’s what Leaf history makes very, very clear.
979926
Toronto Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs-Pittsburgh Penguins: Game preview
AIR CANADA CENTRE
Puck drop: 7 p.m.
TV: CBC
Radio: TSN 1050
Key matchup: Phil Kessel vs. Morgan Rielly.
Kessel is sure to receive a loud welcome back from the Air Canada Centre
crowd. Whether they will be cheers or boos remains to be seen. Rielly is
playing more and more against the other team’s top players and will be
relied upon to keep the dangerous Kessel off the board.
Need to know: Evgeni Malkin has three game-winning goals, tops in the
NHL. He leads the Penguins with 51 career points (15 goals, 36 assists) in
28 games against the Maple Leafs . . . Sidney Crosby has 49 points (21
goals, 28 assists) in 32 career games against Toronto . . . The Pens have
won six of their past seven games.
Up Next: Monday vs. Dallas at the ACC, 7:30 p.m., Sportsnet
979927
Toronto Maple Leafs
Rich Clune makes Maple Leafs debut tonight against Rangers
NEW YORK—A revamped Toronto Maple Leafs lineup — one that inserts
Rich Clune and sees the return of Tyler Bozak and Jake Gardiner — hope
to turn around the season Friday night against the Rangers.
Clune will be the 11th player to make his Leaf debut this season — none of
them draft picks.
“I want to be part of this group, it’s a hungry group,” said Clune after
Friday’s morning skate. “I visualized this day for a long time. I’m ready for
it.”
Clune is a 28-year-old left-winger just signed to an NHL deal by the club
after an impressive start to the season with Toronto Marlies. A grinder and
a some-time fighter, Clune played 120 games in the NHL with the Kings
and Predators.
But he’s dedicated his life to fitness after writing about his battle with
alcohol addiction in The Players Tribune.
“I’m a big believer in working as hard as you can,” said Clune. “To be a pro
athlete, you can’t take anything for granted. Every year, someone is
coming in who maybe worked a bit harder than you. I just try to be the
hardest worker out there.
“I feel good today.”
The Leafs have one win in eight games so far and will go with Jonathan
Bernier in net, against New York’s Henrik Lundqvist.
Bozak and Gardiner return to the lineup after battling undisclosed injuries.
Brad Boyes and Scott Harrington were expected to be scratched for the
game.
“Bozak is an important guy and he can help us out,” said coach Mike
Babcock. “Gardiner moves the puck real well and was playing well for us.
Any kind of boost like that is real positive for us.”
979928
Toronto Maple Leafs
Game Day: Penguins at Maple Leafs
BY LANCE HORNBY, TORONTO SUN
FIRST POSTED: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2015 12:07 AM EDT |
UPDATED: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2015 12:19 AM EDT
The Leafs and Jonathan Bernier held Crosby off the board in his own rink
two weeks ago, but he's getting warmed up as the schedule enters
November. The Leafs have yet to win at home and will be a little tuckered
by playing the night before. Reimer will have to be at his sharpest with
Pittsburgh's extended family of snipers.
FIVE KEYS TO THE GAME
Thank you Kessel
Even the most cynical of Phil Kessel bashers at the ACC must give him his
due -- six straight years as leading scorer, battling his way into the top 20
in team history before the trade. Just look at the state of the Leafs offence
now and think how bad it might have been without a highlight goal now and
then from No. 81. Expect at least a point or two from the ex-Leaf.
Grounding the Penguins
The Leafs played one of their best road games two weeks ago in holding
Pittsburgh's big shots -- other than Evgeni Malkin -- off the board in a 2-1
loss. But any quarter given the visitors, especially more of those unwise
penalties to let the Pens set up on the power play, will be costly. Pittsburgh
is wrapping up three games in four days and won't be in much better
late-game shape than the travelling Leafs.
Home at last
Toronto's next four are at the Air Canada Centre, all with a day off in
between starting this weekend. A little swagger on home ice never hurts
and might as well start this evening.
Fehr play
Right winger Eric Fehr, added from the Washington Capitals in the
off-season after almost 500 games and a plus-39 in his career, is expected
back from off-season left elbow surgery for this game. Kevin Porter was
demoted Friday.
Ben and Brian show
Ben Lovejoy and Brian Dumoulin have proven a good shutdown pairing of
late. On the opposite side, the Leafs will be relying on Matt Hunwick and
Morgan Rielly to have strong games at both ends of the rink. Toronto also
welcomes back Jake Gardiner from injury.
SPECIAL TEAMS
LEAFS -- PP 8.7% (29th), PK 71.9% (28th)
PENGUINS -- PP 9.4% (28th), PK 87.1% (7th)
SICK BAY
LEAFS -- D Stephane Robidas (knee), C Nick Spaling (upper body).
PENGUINS -- None.
Toronto Sun LOADED: 10.31.2015
979929
Toronto Maple Leafs
Lack of finish finishes off Leafs
LANCE HORNBY, TORONTO SUN
UPDATED: SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2015 12:02 AM EDT
The Maple Leafs were the last team in the Eastern Conference to reach
the 20-goal mark, clawing their way to it during Friday’s eighth loss in nine
games.
If there was any doubt they’ll have to carve new avenues to the net without
Phil Kessel, the evidence is front of them, along with every team in the
Eastern standings except Columbus. And yet they do generate enough
decent chances, as judged by their shot totals, faceoff prowess and a good
brand of forechecking instilled by coach Mike Babcock.
But their finish is diminished. They had odd-man rushes at Henrik
Lundqvist early in last night’s 3-1 loss in New York to have cashed at least
one, against a goalie they’ve done fairly well against through the years.
They went to the net with zeal, with some controversy over whether Joffrey
Lupul actually disrupted the Rangers goalie on the disallowed tying goal
early in the third period. When Lupul did get his stick on a late-game
deflection, the Rangers were already up by two.
Getting Tyler Bozak back after two weeks away was a help, if only to add
to the Leafs increased success on the draw. As the sixth and extra forward
with Jonathan Bernier pulled, Bozak and Nazem Kadri were able to win
some big face-offs in the Ranger zone prior to the Toronto goal.
But Kadri, Daniel Winnik, Shawn Matthias, Peter Holland and P.A.
Parenteau are all sitting on one or less goals. With Kessel looking across
from them on Saturday, there isn’t a dominant line or even a dominant
forward to rely upon for the big strike. Those stone hands have to loosen
up.
HENRIK HUMBLES LEAFS
As mentioned, Friday was not a typical Leafs-Rangers match. The three
goals before Mats Zuccarello completed his hat trick with an empty-netter
represented one of the more tame games scoreboard wise.
Lundqvist was driven from the last game at MSG by a six-goal Leafs attack
and nine combined goals resulted in every game in 2014-15, part of an
average of six-plus goals in the previous 19 meetings.
There are 11 teams Lund-qvist has played at least 25 times, but before
Friday his .900 save percentage against Toronto was the worst compared
to .920 or better against Boston, Ottawa, Buffalo, Carolina, Florida and
Winnipeg/Atlanta.
HUSTLING HOMECOMING
Former Rangers Matt Hunwick, Parenteau and ex-Islander Michael
Grabner had plenty of jump on Broadway, Grabner showing some of that
speed that should be an asset to the Leafs.
Hunwick did pinch too deep on the second Zucarello goal as well as losing
his stick, but he likely anticipated he would get some help from a forward
such as Leo Komarov.
Defenceman Jake Gardiner came back from injury, but handed one away
in mid ice that nearly saw Brassard cash in before an alert Bernier stopped
him. Morgan Rielly was not so lucky, his soft clearing pass up the wall after
breaking up a rush was quickly converted by the Zuccarello-Derick
Brassard-Rick Nash line in the first period.
MARLIES WIN
The farm team was able to get on without Byron Froese and Rich Clune,
whipping Grand Rapids 6-1 at Ricoh on Friday. William Nylander had two
goals, while Josh Leivo had a goal and two assists.
Richard Panik, who had a slow start with the AHL club after being let go by
the Leafs, contributed three assists.
GAME ON
Bernier’s 24 saves, seven against Ryan McDonagh, could see him back in
net Saturday against Kessel and the Pens, leaving James Reimer to face
Jamie Benn and the Dallas Stars on Monday. Leafs did give up the first
goal for the eighth time in nine games ... Centres Froese and Bozak were
both aces on the draw at 12-4 ... Winger Clune led the Leafs with four hits
in his debut after signing a National Hockey League contract courtesy of a
good start with the Marlies. Most of his hits came early in the game before
Babcock shortened the bench. The most dangerous check by a Leaf was
Komarov shoving Derek Stepan head-first into the boards in the first
period. There was no call on the play, but a mild tap by Dion Phaneuf that
snapped a fragile stick was whistled ... It has been an interesting season
so far for the Leafs captain, who is taking a lot of penalties, but also holding
the team lead in scoring with seven assists ... Zuccarello’s hat trick was his
first in the NHL and first by a Ranger against the Leafs since a four-goal
effort by Marian Gaborik in 2011 ... No power play chances for the Leafs
on Friday, which hasn’t happened since at least 2013-14 ... The Leafs had
to endure an MSG crowd that not only was cheering the Rangers, but
whooping it up when the Mets-Royals scores were posted on the board, a
World Series meeting the many Jays fans on the roster no doubt hoped
their team would be part of.
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Toronto Maple Leafs
Lamoriello says it's too soon to judge this year's Leafs
ROB LONGLEY, TORONTO SUN
draw a penalty all night, no doubt causing a raised Babcock eyebrow or
two.
The lack of offence figures to be an ongoing concern. In five of nine
games, the Leafs have scored just one or fewer and only the Anaheim
Ducks with 10, have fewer than the Leafs.
So yes, it’s going to be a long season and there’s not a hint of worry about
it from Lamoriello as management and coaches vow to keep frustration out
of the equation. The report cards can wait, however. And until Babcock
and management see an attitude that fits their vision, top prospects will be
kept in the minors.
Just nine games into a regular season that was always headed for modest
results and potential frustration, Maple Leafs general manager Lou
Lamoriello isn’t ready to write up report cards on his players just yet.
“Culture is a word that is over used, but under developed,” Lamoriello said.
“We are going to have to see who wants to be a part of the price you have
to pay to have success. When we find that out, that’s when you will see
some of the younger players coming in.
Sure, the team dropped yet another contest here Friday night, falling 3-1 to
the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden and have just one
victory thus far.
“You don’t want to bring them in to anything other than an environment that
is committed.”
And, yes, there was a strong effort from some Leafs facing one of the
better teams in the Eastern Conference, but ultimately it equaled an eighth
defeat and fifth in a row.
The evaluation process is well under way for the management team,
however, though Lamoriello made it clear Friday that a rush to judge won’t
happen — be it after a showing like Friday’s or a dodgy one in Monday’s
loss to Arizona.
“It’s only under 10 games right now, so it’s really too soon,” Lamoriello said
in a corner of the MSG press box prior to puck-drop. “I’ve always said in
the beginning, everybody’s on their best behaviour and doing the best they
can.
“It’s after a period of time where you really see how they are. That’s why
we have to wait and see.”
The jaded among Leafs observers would suggest that if the Leafs are on
their best behaviour now, what might happen when they start acting up?
“I will say that I have been happily surprised with a couple of people I’ve
seen play (previously) and the way I’ve seen them play under (coach Mike
Babcock) now.”
As has been the case for the most part this season, there was a committed
effort from the Leafs on Friday, despite the familiar result for a team that is
now 1-6-2. Babcock said afterwards that “frustration is a waste of time” —
something the players may have a more difficult time accepting the more
the losses pile up.
“I don’t think anyone’s accepting it,” said forward Joffrey Lupul, who scored
the Leafs lone goal. “No one’s happy. We’re not getting on the bus and
saying ‘Oh, we played pretty good.’ We’re not accepting it, we’re looking
forward to the challenge tomorrow.”
The latest loss may become a familiar script for a Leafs team that lacks the
firepower to seriously challenge an upper-echelon team like the Rangers.
They certainly weren’t blown out against a rested opponent and made the
Blueshirts work for the win.
Only a couple of perfect feeds to Mats Zuccarello beat goaltender
Jonathan Bernier, who is still seeking his first win of the season after six
starts. And if a failed Babcock challenge 12 seconds into the third period
had have gone the other way, the score would have been tied 1-1.
“I thought we did a lot of good things, but obviously not good enough,” said
centre Tyler Bozak, after Zuccarello finished off his hat trick with an
empty-net goal. “We’ve got to stop saying that.”
The bid for three-on-three ended soon after, however, when Zucarello
finished off the hat trick with an empty-net goal.
Bernier had arguably his strongest outing of the season, backing up his
coach’s comments earlier in the day that he is capable of matching
Rangers counterpart Henrik Lundqvist as a top goalie in the league.
“I thought (Bernier) had his best night of the year,” said Babcock, who will
reward the guy he wants to be his No. 1 with the start at home Saturday
against Phil Kessel and the Penguins.
Bozak, back after missing four games, also had an encouraging night for
the Leafs. Paired with Daniel Winnik and Lupul, that trio generated traffic
on Lundqvist, a little too much it turns out. The Leafs challenged the “no
goal” ruling on a would-be equalizer but were denied when video review
ruled Lupul guilty of goaltender interference.
Another area of improvement for the Leafs was on special teams —
including three consecutive penalty kills in the second. The other half of
the special teams equation was moot, however, as the Rangers didn’t
979931
Toronto Maple Leafs
“He’s been hurting a bit, but something like that won’t keep Phil out of the
lineup,” Rutherford said. “He won’t let it.”
Will Phil Kessel be greeted with cheers or jeers on return to T.O.?
Phil Kessel playing through injury? His critics will claim they don’t
recognize this Phil.
BY MIKE ZEISBERGER, TORONTO SUN
But Jim Rutherford does. And no matter how the ACC crowd reacts to Phil
The Thrill on Saturday, the Pens GM is glad to have him on his side.
On an eerie Saturday night dominated by ghouls and goblins, certain
patrons at the Air Canada Centre might consider the most heinously
costumed villain of them all to be wearing No. 81 for the visiting Pittsburgh
Penguins.
Let’s be honest here: The irony of Phil Kessel’s first game back in Toronto
falling on Halloween certainly hasn’t been lost on any of us, least of all
Penguins GM Jim Rutherford, the man who engineered the blockbuster
July 1 trade that brought the speedy winger to Pittsburgh.
As such, given the polarizing figure that is Kessel, there is certain to be a
strong reaction to his presence on Saturday night, from the moment he
steps on to the ice for warmup to his first shift of the game.
Question is: Will there be more jeers than cheers?
Rutherford hopes not. While he won’t predict how the ACC crowd will
respond to Kessel being back in the house, the veteran GM strongly insists
making Kessel a target for all the shortcomings experienced by the Leafs
during his tenure in Toronto is extremely misguided.
“(What the fans do) is out of my control but, in my opinion, he doesn’t
deserve to be booed,” Rutherford said during a phone interview on Friday,
suggesting that a warm reception ideally, if not realistically, would be more
suitable.
“During his time in Toronto, Phil Kessel was the Leafs’ best player. He took
a lot of abuse that, in my opinion, he didn’t deserve. He took a lot of blame
for things that went wrong for the Leafs and all of that should not have
been put on his shoulders.
“We are pleased that he’s a Pittsburgh Penguin.”
Any discussion on Kessel’s time in blue and white is in no way a
black-and-white issue.
There was the good Phil, the offensive force with the God-given talent that
thrilled Leafs Nation with 181 goals in 446 games with Toronto.
Then there was the not-so-good Phil, the enigma who at times would
appear to be coasting and whose participation in Salute-Gate — the
incident after a win against the Tampa Bay Lightning almost a year ago in
which the decision was made to not wave sticks to acknowledge the home
fans — showed just how much he isn’t suited to be a team leader.
Whichever Phil you gravitate to, there assuredly will be leather-lunged
Leafs patrons in the house on Saturday who will look at Kessel and see a
man disguised as a scapegoat. There is no escaping that.
In Rutherford’s case, what he sees is a player who continues to make
significant contributions to a Penguins team that slowly is finding its form.
Having won six of their past seven games, the Penguins still rank among
the league’s bottom-three teams in goals scored, registering just 20 in 10
games. The lack of offensive pizazz is certainly puzzling for a roster that
features names such as Kessel, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Patric
Hornqvist, Kris Letang, David Perron and Chris Kunitz.
Kessel started the season on a line with Crosby and Kunitz, but has
subsequently switched to a trio that features Malkin and Perron. The move
paid dividends on Wednesday when Kessel’s third-period goal snapped a
1-1 tie en route to the Pens’ 3-1, come-from-behind win over Alex
Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals.
In 10 games in Pens black-and-gold, Kessel has four goals, two assists
and leads the team in shots with 35.
“Phil has played well for us,” Rutherford said. “He’s already scored two
game-winning goals for us and he continues to manufacture chances.
“I think Phil can play with either Sid or Geno. At the beginning of the
season, I just think Phil and Sid were trying too hard out there to set each
other up instead of just going with the flow of play. Those things work
themselves out with time.”
Rutherford said Kessel has been nursing an undisclosed minor injury,
adding that No. 81 refuses to use it as an excuse.
PENS NOT WORRIED ABOUT SID
In what is being perceived in some circles as The Great 2015 Skid of Sid
The Kid, Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford has a
simple response to those who want to know what is wrong with Sidney
Crosby.
“Nothing,” Rutherford said on Friday. “Non-story.”
Crosby comes into Saturday’s game against the Maple Leafs with just five
points, including only one goal. He has registered a point in just two of the
Penguins’ 10 games.
What’s the issue here?
“Nothing,” Rutherford repeated. “Non-story.
“We’re talking about the best player in the game. He’s doing fine. Our
entire team hasn’t been scoring and that reflects partially on Sid when he’s
setting guys up and they’re not putting pucks in the net.
“It’s just a matter of time. Like I said, it’s a non-story.”
979932
Toronto Maple Leafs
Bernier just has to 'find his game': Babcock
BY ROB LONGLEY, TORONTO SUN
NEW YORK - So what does Henrik Lundqvist have that Jonathan Bernier
does not, other than the 343 wins, tops among active NHL goalies?
Let Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock explain as he offered a new
way to pump Bernier’s tires on Friday morning prior to the Leafs meeting
with the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden.
“Bernier can do the same thing for us, there’s no question about it in my
opinion,” when asked about Lundqvist following the team’s morning skate.
“He’s just got to find his game.”
Bernier has struggled so far earlier in the season and had yet to record a
win prior to Friday’s contest.
“If you look all the goalies in the National Hockey League, lots of
goaltenders struggle early in the year. That’s not new. You just have to be
confident in your ability. We believe he has an opportunity to be really
good for us.”
WHERE’S ROBIDAS?
Don’t expect Leafs defenceman Stephane Robidas back in the lineup any
time soon. The injured Leafs defenceman, who hasn’t skated in a month,
is still recovering in his native Quebec and it is unclear when he will rejoin
the team.
“We have no knowledge of exactly when that will be,” Leafs general
manager Lou Lamoriello said on Friday prior to the Leafs’ game against
the Rangers.
RANGERS STRUGGLING?
Babcock should have these problems. While the Leafs coach came to
New York seeking just his second win behind the Toronto bench, Rangers
counterpart Alain Vigneault was not pleased with his team’s effort, despite
amassing a 6-2-2 record prior to Friday’s game.
Vigneault was in a grumpy mood this week, when he said that other than
Lundqvist, a lot of Rangers players “would be getting a talk from their
mothers about their marks on their first report cards.”
After his team’s morning skate Friday, Vigneault re-iterated his demands.
“Our game is not where it needs to be,” Vigneault said. “Hopefully (a week
heavy on practice) will be beneficial.”
BOZAK, GARDINER RETURN
With a talent-thin roster, the Leafs welcomed the return of centre Tyler
Bozak and defenceman Jake Gardiner Friday in Manhattan.
“It’s one of my favourite buildings to play in,” Bozak said of making his
return from a four and a half-game absence at Madison Square Garden.
“I’m excited to get back in. I feel great. Hopefully I can stay that way the
rest of the year.”
With his emphasis on moving the puck quickly out of the Toronto end,
Babcock was pleased to have Gardiner back for top pairing duty with
captain Dion Phaneuf.
“They just make you feel better,” Babcock said. “Bozak’s an important guy
for us. He can help us out and give us a much better one-two punch (at
centre). Gardiner just skates the puck and moves the puck real good and
was playing real well for us.
“Any kind of boost like that is a real positive for our group.”
QUICK HITS
Defenceman Scott Harrington is out with an upper body injury and is listed
as day-to-day ... Mark Arcobello, released by the Leafs earlier this week,
cleared waivers on Friday ... Rich Clune made his Leafs debut on a gritty
line with Byron Froese and Michael Grabner.
979933
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs drop fifth in a row in loss to New York Rangers
The Associated Press | October 30, 2015 11:25 PM ET
NEW YORK — Mats Zuccarello’s hat trick sent the New York Rangers to a
3-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Friday night.
Henrik Lundqvist made 22 saves as the Rangers improved to 7-2-2. New
York has won four of its last five, earning 10 points in its last six games.
The Rangers played for the first time since defeating Calgary, 4-1 on Oct.
25.
During the break, coach Alain Vigneault reconfigured his top two lines,
reuniting Zuccarello with Derick Brassard and Rick Nash and putting Chris
Kreider back with Derek Stepan.
Zuccarello opened the scoring at 9:41 in the first with his fifth of the
season. Stationed inside the right circle, he one-timed a Brassard feed
past Jonathan Bernier. New York held onto the 1-0 lead until Zuccarello
finished a 2-on-1 by driving a Brassard feed over Bernier at 5:34 of the
third.
His empty netter with 48.6 seconds left sealed the scoring.
Joffrey Lupul’s deflection at 18:09 spoiled Lundqvist’s shutout bid. Toronto
has only scored 20 goals in nine games this season.
Lupul appeared to tie the game at 12 seconds into the third, but the goal
was waived off. The sequence began with a Leafs defenceman taking a
slap shot from the point, as Lupul jostled with Rangers defenceman Marc
Staal in front of Lundqvist. The puck appeared to change direction before
going into the net, but the goal was immediately disallowed.
Leafs coach Mike Babcock used a challenge to review the play but the call
was upheld.
The Leafs will return home for a Halloween night date with the Pittsburgh
Penguins and former teammate Phil Kessel. The game marks Kessel’s
return to Toronto following a July 1 trade. The Leafs received Scott
Harrington, Kasperi Kapanen, Nick Spaling, a 2016 first round draft pick
and a 2016 third round draft pick.
The Leafs and Penguins have already played once this season, a 2-1 loss
for the Maple Leafs in Pittsburgh on Oct. 17.
National Post LOADED: 10.31.2015
979934
Toronto Maple Leafs
Why the NHL’s new 3-on-3 format is a good thing, no matter what the
players say
Cam Cole | October 30, 2015 11:27 PM ET
Vancouver Canucks goalie Ryan Miller is 0-3 in the new overtime format.
In the absence of a scientific poll of hockey fans on their feelings about
3-on-3 overtime as we approach the end of its first calendar month, we’re
going to guess that it breaks down as follows:
Locals lose? “What a stupid format!”
Locals win? “I can’t remember when I had more fun watching hockey!”
This same standard evidently applies to players, like Winnipeg’s Dustin
Byfuglien, who called it “a terrible part of hockey” after losing in OT at
home to Tampa.
Ottawa’s Norris Trophy-winning defenceman Erik Karlsson, meanwhile,
said the 3-on-3 format is “boring” and felt “more like a bag skate” to him
and other big-minutes players who were pressed into still more ice time in
the extra session.
We should point out here that the reason so many minutes are added to
Karlsson’s already heavy workload is that the Senators not only can’t win
in overtime, they can’t lose, either.
All four of their regulation ties have gone the distance in OT, all the way to
the shootout, and three of those at home.
That just about makes the Sens the least interesting overtime team in the
league.
Still, Karlsson has a point, although he should keep in mind that not every
team’s solution to 3-on-3 is to play one or two great players until they drop.
Some teams are more democratic. We’re thinking here of the Vancouver
Canucks, who are a league-worst 0-4 in overtime and, at the time they
were scored upon Thursday by Dallas’s Jamie Benn, had the following
three players on the ice: Yannick Weber, Jannik Hansen and Bo Horvat.
So here’s some numbers to chew on.
This time last season, with 4-on-4 overtime, 60 percent of tie games had
gone to the shootout. This year: 31 percent.
Entering Friday night, one of every five games played had gone to
overtime. Of those games, 20 of 29, or 69 per cent had been settled short
of the shootout, which was the whole point of the rule change.
And it has resulted in shorter games, because the average 3-on-3 session
has ended in 2:04. Five games have been settled in under a minute,
including two by Chicago’s Jonathan Toews, two nights apart, the first in
17 seconds at home to Tampa, the second 51 seconds in to beat
Anaheim; both, unbelievably, 1-0 finals.
Which brings us to the goal scorers. Yes, there have been some Victor
Rasks and Ron Hainseys, but the roll call of OT winners includes Toews,
twice, Patrick Kane, Johnny Gaudreau, Evgeny Malkin, Anze Kopitar,
Claude Giroux, Ondrej Palat, Mark Giordano, Phil Kessel, Gustav Nyquist
and Jamie Benn.
None of those great players, I’m guessing, complained about the extra ice
time.
But the 3-on-3 format has succeeded in ways even the NHL hadn’t
envisioned; namely, the kind of game it most often produces.
Its critics hate the idea of hockey without big hits and finished checks,
either of which can be dangerous in overtime.
This is understandable: the game has become so micro-coached that the
loss of structure, of control, of tight checking, doesn’t even feel like the
hockey we have been brainwashed into accepting as the norm.
Once upon a time, kids (you may not believe this), goals routinely were
scored when players were caught at the end of long shifts, and fatigue led
to coverage mistakes and odd-man rushes.
This happened 5-on-5, by the way, before anyone had ever heard of
finishing a check, clogging shooting lanes or the left wing lock.
So what has happened in the new overtime format is exactly what we
hoped would happen, and it’s glorious. Coaches have not yet solved the
puzzle. A few have tried to play keepaway with the puck, possessing it at
all costs, but at any point a shot that misses the net or a seemingly
inconsequential turnover can be fatal.
They have largely lost the ability to keep shifts down to 35 seconds,
because of the switch of ends after regulation time that makes each bench
a full zone further away from each team’s own goal, and therefore makes
line changes more hazardous.
Players get caught out, tired, and they get outskated by a fresher player
who happened to catch a line change at a fortuitous moment. Luck, yes
luck, plays a part.
Is 3-on-3 the fairest way of deciding who gets two points and who gets
one? Probably not. Endless overtime would be fairest, but who’d go for
that in the regular season?
Not the players.
“It’s a tough way to lose,” Byfuglien’s Jets teammate Bryan Little said after
the loss to Tampa. “But the shootout is an even worse way to lose.”
979935
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Marlies’ Frank Corrado ‘progressing well’ after acquisition by
Maple Leafs
Jordan Mady | October 30, 2015 4:18 PM ET
After 105 AHL games and 28 NHL games with the Canucks, Frank
Corrado said he’s ready to serve as a full-time NHL blueliner.
Home is a comforting idea for many. It’s safe and pleasant. But when
Toronto Marlies defenceman Frank Corrado first returned to his home city
not long ago, it was the opposite.
On Oct. 5, the 22-year-old was told by Vancouver Canucks general
manager Jim Benning that he was being waived for the purpose of being
re-assigned to the team’s AHL affiliate Utica Comets in New York.
“You learn pretty quick that it’s a business and there’s an ugly side to it. It’s
tough when those things happen,” the native of Vaughn said. “It’s never
easy to take that news.”
Before Corrado could report to Utica, he learned before the noon waiver
deadline the next day that he’d been picked up by the Toronto Maple Leafs
organization.
He played his first game with the Marlies on Friday Oct. 23, just under a
month after his last appearance in Vancouver’s pre-season game against
the San Jose Sharks.
“It was nice to get my legs back in the first few games,” he said.
Corrado’s return to the ice was at the beginning of a three-game road trip
in the same number of days.
“I think he’s progressing well,” Marlies head coach Sheldon Keefe said.
“Having to do it three games in three days after not playing at all is a tough
go for him but I think he’s doing well.”
“He’s a guy who moves really well and because he moves really well, he’s
able to do a lot of things on the ice and skate the puck up the rink and get
you on offence,” he said. “And I think the big thing that comes out of time
spent here is for him to get back into game mode but also to be able to put
some of the things that he’s learned with the Leafs in terms of the system
and everything, in play, in game action, here. So it’s an opportunity for him
to do that.”
After 105 AHL games and 28 NHL games with the Canucks, Corrado said
he’s ready to serve as a full-time NHL blueliner.
“I think I’m right there. I believe I can play in the NHL. I’ve done it and
there’s been nights in the NHL where I thought I was an NHL player,” he
said. “My time in the AHL, I feel like I’ve learned a lot and progressed and
shown that I can play in the NHL. So I think right now, it’s just about putting
it all together.”
It’s been almost a month since he learned of his fate in Vancouver and he
has yet to completely shake off the experience.
After he was given the news of his demotion, Corrado sent out a seemingly
motivational tweet that he said was about expressing his feelings at the
time.
Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong
enough.
— Frank Corrado (@frankcorrado22) October 5, 2015
“I feel on these social media platforms, we all have a voice. As hockey
players, I feel like we’re kind of the most vanilla of all the athletes and we
don’t really say much that’s really meaningful,” he said. “That was just
something I was kind of going through and I felt like that was something I
needed to get off my chest. It’s healthy, right? To sometimes just voice
how you feel and with an audience like that, it’s nice to get that out there.”
He said both the Maple Leafs and Marlies personnel have been supportive
since his arrival. And while being home in Toronto means more support
from friends and family, he knows he can’t get too comfortable.
“I feel like you’re never really settled. You’re never really comfortable. And
that’s anywhere. Just the type of business it is. You never really know
what’s going to happen,” he said.
“I remember the feeling of being waived and it was pretty low and it was a
pretty bad feeling. That’s something I never really want to feel again.”
979936
Toronto Maple Leafs
New MLSE CEO Michael Friisdahl is an outsider who starts with a clean
slate: ‘He comes in with no baggage’
protected by the PR department or customer service department. … It’s
very consumer-oriented. You’re asking people to put up a lot of money,
and they expect not only wins but warm hot dogs and great customer
service and cleanliness and all of that stuff. They sell millions of dollars in
suites and sponsorships. There’s a sales component to it. He has those
(experiences).”
Eric Koreen | October 29, 2015 | Last Updated: Oct 30 10:54 AM ET
It has been 14 months since Tim Leiweke announced he was leaving
Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment. At the time, it was reported that
Leiweke would not stay on the job past June 30, 2015.
Yet here we were, almost four months past that date, and Leiweke was still
the chief executive officer of the powerful sports company that owns the
Maple Leafs, Raptors and Toronto FC. Names popped up as rumoured
replacements, but nothing stuck. Finally, on Thursday, as talk of Alex
Anthopoulos leaving the Blue Jays dominated the Toronto scene, MLSE
made its hire.
“My initial reaction (was) who was he. Who is he?” said Richard Powers,
the national academic director of the Rotman School of Business’s
directors education program. One of his focuses is sports marketing. “I
think if you lined up 10 names, I’m not sure I would have picked his.”
It is tough to know what to make of the new CEO, Michael Friisdahl, who
had been the president and CEO of Air Canada Leisure Group since
October 2012. His entire professional history has been in the travel
industry; now, he comes over to run the sports and real estate monolith.
The easiest way to view him is as a complete counter to Leiweke. The
blustery outgoing CEO came to Toronto with talk of parade routes,
championships and NFL teams. During his brief time with the company, he
overhauled the front offices of the three major sports franchises of MLSE.
“I think it really does indicate a shift in the strategic direction of the
organization, at least at the CEO level,” Powers said. “They’ve hired some
good sports management people and now they need somebody to
manage them. He certainly doesn’t have any sports background. It doesn’t
appear that he has any broadcasting background, which is odd given the
ownership of the organization. But he does have senior management
experience. That’s obviously what they deemed to be a priority.”
You can see why, at MLSE, that is crucially important. Competing
communications companies Bell and Rogers are the two biggest
stakeholders of the company. That leads to obvious disagreements and
conflicts of interest.
“(Friisdahl) is more of a business guy. He’s used to boards of directors,”
former MLSE CEO Richard Peddie said. “He’s been a CEO. Any CEO has
board experience. He probably has much more board experience than
Tim. Tim reported to an individual, Phil Anschutz (during Leiweke’s time in
Los Angeles with Anschutz Entertainment Group). This individual knows
the boardroom. He would know the governments better. He would know
his way around board of directors and owners. That will probably help
him.”
“He steered clear of any trouble while he was (at Air Canada), and I think
that’s probably one of the benefits of him coming into this situation,”
Powers added. “He comes in with no baggage, no relationship with either
of the main figures on the board. He should be able to start with a clean
slate. Anybody coming in with other types of experience, sports or
broadcasting, would have likely had a past or some dealings with these
people. He clearly hasn’t, judging by his resumé.”
That would not have been true if they hired from within, or somebody from
the sports or broadcasting world — such as former Corus Entertainment
CEO John Cassaday, another rumoured Leiweke replacement. Friisdahl
has no obvious connection to Bell, Rogers or minority owner and board
chairman Larry Tanenbaum.
Nor does he need sports expertise at this moment, with Brendan
Shanahan, Masai Ujiri and Bill Manning in charge of the Maple Leafs,
Raptors and Toronto FC, respectively.
“Typically, a CEO comes in and makes changes,” Powers said. “I think that
had to be part of the discussion. Leiweke and the board have spent a lot of
time trying to put a good sports-management team in place.
“He inherits (executives) that he didn’t have any part in selecting. That’s a
risk.”
It is hard to see the direct link between the travel and sports industries.
However, there is a link that ties in with MLSE’s current priorities.
“Air Canada is a customer-facing business,” Peddie said. “That means the
customers are right in your face. A CEO can’t hide up in their office
979937
Washington Capitals
Barry Trotz exercises coach’s challenge for first time, but Blue Jackets’
goal is upheld
By Isabelle Khurshudyan
October 30 at 11:53 PM
“You can go ahead and ask me the question,” Coach Barry Trotz said,
knowing it was inevitable.
The Washington Capitals had just beaten the Columbus Blue Jackets, 2-1,
but within the win against a divisional foe was a controversial goal. With
less than six minutes left in the game, the Blue Jackets scored to narrow
Washington’s lead to one goal.
Trotz looked up at the Verizon Center video board to see a replay, but on
the bench, he and his staff immediately thought Capitals goaltender
Braden Holtby had been interfered with by Boone Jenner. “Then we got
the word from our war room, if you will,” Trotz said.
With the Capitals still having a timeout, it was a consensus that Trotz
should exercise his new power to contest the call. In Washington’s second
game of the season, a Capitals goal by defenseman Dmitry Orlov had
been waved off after San Jose Coach Peter DeBoer challenged that Jay
Beagle interfered with Sharks goalie Martin Jones.
Columbus’s goal was upheld, which left Trotz frustrated with what he felt
were two different standards. Here’s the goal by Matt Calvert on Friday:
#Jackets goal, interference? Trotz challenges, officials deem a good goal
#CapsJackets #Caps up 2-1 pic.twitter.com/jGphj7kvQB
— Capitals Goalies (@CapsGoalies) October 31, 2015
And here’s the goal that was disallowed against San Jose because of
contact by Beagle:
overhead on the goal currently being reviewed
pic.twitter.com/T3EOg67FSy
“Everybody was here for the San Jose goal that got called off, and if that’s
called off, then that’s definitely goalie interference [tonight],” Trotz said. “I
was disappointed the referees didn’t come over and at least explain it to
us. I looked at it, and originally their guy basically doesn’t allow Holtby to
make the save, and so he sort of gets split apart a little bit, and therefore,
he’s not able to make a second or third save.”
Trotz was irked that the referees did not give the Capitals clarification for
why the Columbus goal was upheld. He said the team plans to contact the
league for an explanation.
“I’m not quite sure what the standard is,” Trotz said. “We’ve had two, and
they’re vastly different, so a little bit vague on that.”
Trotz said he doesn’t have a problem with the on-ice officials reviewing the
goal, as opposed to the review being up to the NHL situation room in
Toronto. Though he wasn’t happy with the result, Trotz was pleased that
the communication on his first coach’s challenge was seamless.
“It was like, right away,” Trotz said. “Obviously, our video coaches are
going, ‘Sorry about that.’ Not at all. That was the right call. I would’ve did
the same. Seeing it up on the board, I would’ve called a challenge anyway.
It was the right call, and we would do it again if it was the same play.”
Washington Post LOADED: 10.31.2015
979938
Washington Capitals
Justin Williams gets on the board, and the Caps hold off the Blue Jackets,
2-1
They were welcomed to Washington as the missing pieces, a boost in skill
to the forward corps, perhaps the boost that finally gets the Washington
Capitals over the hump in the Stanley Cup playoffs. Friday night’s game
against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Verizon Center will be a blip on the
radar in that journey, but it seemed to mark the end of an adjustment
period for new additions T.J. Oshie and Justin Williams.
Both scored in the 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets, preventing the
Capitals (7-2-0) from an extended letdown after Wednesday’s home loss
to Pittsburgh. Williams came to Washington in the offseason via free
agency, Oshie arrived by trade, and both seem to be fitting in just fine.
“When you’re contributing, you’re always fitting in a lot better and feeling
good about yourself,” Capitals Coach Barry Trotz said. “They play the right
way and they say the right things and they come and practice the right
way. They bring energy to the room, so they’ve been a really seamless fit.”
[Trotz uses his coach’s challenge ]
With the game scoreless midway through the second period, Williams’s
one-timer broke a stalemate. The puck scooted away from Williams and
down the boards, but defenseman Karl Alzner kept the play alive,
retrieving the puck by the boards and passing it off to Marcus Johansson,
who fed Williams in the high slot.
Williams dropped to one knee as he blasted the puck and then watched
the disc rattle around the goal. His photo later appeared on the video
board as his name was announced as the goal scorer, a first for him as a
Washington Capital in his new home venue and second overall .
“Mentally, you have to expect a score every game and every shot you
have,” Williams said. “That’s obviously not realistic, but it’s the mentality
I’ve got to have, so I expect many more around here.”
Oshie’s fourth goal of the season gave the Capitals a two-goal cushion
midway through the third period. Alex Ovechkin passed from the left
faceoff circle to Nicklas Backstrom on the right. Skating backward,
Backstrom pushed the puck to Oshie, who fired from the slot, a perfectly
executed tic-tac-toe play.
“The funny thing is, Osh casually sends a rocket underneath the bar,”
Trotz said. “I mean, he made it look so causal that it was just like throwing
a dart. When you see those three players going on a three-on-one, you get
excited.”
Columbus answered with a goal by Matt Calvert less than three minutes
later. Trotz used his new coach’s challenge power for the first time,
arguing that goaltender Braden Holtby was interfered with by Boone
Jenner. But the goal stood, which ultimately didn’t matter for the Capitals,
who got 29 saves from Holtby.
“We battled through that and we won,” Trotz said. “I just felt bad for Holts. I
think he deserved a shutout.”
After a physical, scoreless first period against Pittsburgh, Alzner said
Oshie happily strode into the locker room during intermission and said,
“That’s what I love. I love the battles.” The Capitals had another one Friday
night.
The Blue Jackets (2-9-0) started the second period with back-to-back
shots on goal less than three minutes into the period, but an impressive
sequence by Holtby kept them off the board. First, his pad saved David
Savard’s slap shot. Jenner tried to punch in the rebound, but Holtby’s pad
was there again.
The Capitals had their chances, too. Thirteen minutes 14 seconds into the
period, Ovechkin and defenseman Dmitry Orlov rumbled into the offensive
zone on an odd-man rush. Ovechkin fed Orlov, who had only Columbus
goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky before him. But his wrist shot missed wide of
the net. A minute later, Williams got the Capitals on the board.
“We’re a different look than we were last year,” Alzner said. “Last year, I
think we were a little bit more grind-it-out and beat-them-down and that
kind of style. I think now, we still have that, but we have a little bit more
finesse.”
979939
Washington Capitals
Capitals vs. Blue Jackets: Game 9 discussion thread
The end of a five-game winning streak gave Coach Barry Trotz an
opportunity to make changes to his lineup before the Washington Capitals’
game against the Columbus Blue Jackets Friday night.
After a 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night, which dropped the
Capitals to 6-2-0, Trotz said he wanted the fourth line to be better, so he
swapped Michael Latta in for Chandler Stephenson. But instead of playing
center, where Latta was for most of preseason and in Washington’s first
two games, he’ll be at wing. Brooks Laich will center the fourth line, which
allows Andre Burakovsky to move back to play left wing instead of being
on the right.
Trotz also made a change to the defense, inserting Nate Schmidt back into
the lineup. Schmidt will play on the right, which has taken some
adjustment. He hasn’t played consistently on the right since he was in
college, but the Capitals prefer defenseman Dmitry Orlov playing on the
left side.
After starting the season winless, Columbus made a coaching change,
bringing in John Tortorella, who the Capitals are familiar with from his time
coaching the New York Rangers.
“They’re going to pressure all over the place,” Trotz said. “John’s all about
pressure. You’re going to see them try to block shots all of the time.
There’ll be five guys playing goal and a goalie, so that makes six. That’s
demanded of them.”
The Capitals lineup is posted below, and the discussion thread is now
open.
Forwards
Alex Ovechkin-Evgeny Kuznetsov-T.J. Oshie
Marcus Johansson-Nicklas Backstrom-Justin Williams
Jason Chimera-Jay Beagle-Tom Wilson
Andre Burakovsky-Brooks Laich-Michael Latta
Defensemen
Brooks Orpik-John Carlson
Karl Alzner-Matt Niskanen
Dmitry Orlov-Nate Schmidt
Goaltenders
Braden Holtby
Philipp Grubauer
Scratches
Stanislav Galiev
Chandler Stephenson
Taylor Chorney
979940
Washington Capitals
Michael Latta, Nate Schmidt return to Capitals lineup
Michael Latta started to sense a change was coming on Wednesday,
before the Washington Capitals played the Pittsburgh Penguins. Coach
Barry Trotz had told Latta he might play again soon, after the 24-year-old
forward had been a healthy scratch for more than two weeks.
That change was cemented with a 3-1 loss on Wednesday night. During
Friday’s morning skate, Latta took rushes for the first time since a 5-0 loss
to San Jose on Oct. 13. Against the Columbus Blue Jackets, he’ll be the
right wing on a fourth line centered by Brooks Laich, which also allows
Andre Burakovsky to move back to the left side, his more natural place.
That means 21-year-old center Chandler Stephenson is the odd man out.
“It’s tough to keep your head in all of the time,” Latta said. “But, you know,
you’ve just got to be a pro. It’s tough, but at the end of the day, I’m still
living my dream and playing in the NHL.”
Though the fourth line with Stephenson at center had good possession
numbers in a small sample size of playing together for four games, it was
the only line that hadn’t scored during the Capitals’ hot offensive streak. In
any case, when Washington was on a five-game win streak, changes were
unlikely. But after the Capitals lost to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night,
Trotz said the fourth line has to be better.
“This will be a good test for him,” Trotz said of Latta. “He’s got to get back
in. … What I want to see is just consistency in his game. It starts with
practice and it builds to a little more consistency, so we’ll see. If he can
bring that, he can be very effective.”
Latta’s insertion wasn’t the only change, as defenseman Nate Schmidt will
play on the right side of the third pairing, with Dmitry Orlov on the left.
Outside of the first two games and an appearance by Schmidt in
Vancouver, Taylor Chorney has played the majority of games.
Schmidt hasn’t played consistently on the right since he was in college, so
he admitted it takes some adjusting, though it has its benefits, particularly
in the offensive zone. Trotz said he thought Wednesday was Orlov’s best
game and he’s gotten better and better, so the plan is to keep him on the
left side.
“It’s more of when you’re breaking pucks out and you’re handling things in
the neutral zone,” Schmidt said. “The hardest part is probably playing in
the neutral zone and catching passes on your backhand, or having to
move up the ice kind of laterally as oppose to when your body is facing up
the ice when you’re playing on your strong side. That’s when you see a
little bit of a difference.
“It’s a huge advantage in the offensive zone. You can dive down on and be
on your forehand instead of being on your backhand, which is really nice.”
The projected lineup for Friday night’s game is below. With the Capitals on
the front end of a back-to-back, goaltender Philipp Grubauer is expected to
start against the Florida Panthers on Saturday night.
979941
Washington Capitals
Brooks Orpik frustrated with his penalties
October 30 at 11:47 AM
There are the penalties Brooks Orpik can live with, the ones where the
Washington Capitals defenseman is being physical or preventing scoring
chances. Then there are the penalties that irk him, the stick infractions that
keep Washington’s high-skilled players such as Alex Ovechkin and
Evgeny Kuznetsov off the ice while the penalty kill team goes to work.
Orpik leads the team with 12 penalty infraction minutes for six minors. His
average of 1 minute 30 seconds puta him on pace for 123; he had 66 last
year. Orpik, 35, hasn’t had more than 70 penalty minutes since the
2008-09 season, so it’s unlikely that trend will change this year; after just
eight games, it’s too small a sample size to accurately project Orpik’s
penalty minutes.
But that doesn’t mean he’s happy with how many penalties he’s had.
“Some of them, like the tripping or slashing calls, I think those are the ones
you really want to avoid,” Orpik said. “It’s definitely frustrating. I’ve gotten
pretty lucky because I don’t think they’ve scored at all when I’ve been in
the box. PK has done a really good job. It’s not a good feeling. You
definitely feel like you’re kind of letting your team down.”
Orpik’s penalty minutes rank 40th in the league, and the Capitals are
among the least penalized teams, ranked fifth with a 7:30 average. Orpik
also started last season in similar fashion; he had 14 penalty infraction
minutes in Washington’s first eight games, but that pace slowed.
“I think that’s just how the league goes,” Orpik said. “It’s tough. You’ve got
to know early on in the season that they’re historically, I guess, they’ve
been a little stricter and more by the book. I don’t know. I can’t say that for
certain, but it certainly seems like that’s how it plays out. As the season
goes on and you get to the playoffs, I guess you can get away with a little
bit more, you know?”
Washington’s penalty kill team has allowed just four power-play goals in
27 times shorthanded, ranking 11th in the NHL with an 85.2 penalty kill
percentage. Orpik said he could probably cut down on the stick infractions
by getting better positioning so he doesn’t have to use his stick as much,
though that’s a challenge as well because “you’re taught to go stick on
puck a lot,” he said.
“I think just like anything else, whether it’s penalties or making mistakes
during the game with decisions or reads, you never want to make the
same mistake twice, so that goes for taking penalties, too,” Orpik said.
“You want to just kind of look at it and look where maybe you can do
something differently.”
979942
Washington Capitals
Inside the Caps' game-winning tic-tac-TJ goal
October 30, 2015, 11:30 pm
CHUCK GORMLEY
When the sellout crowd of 18,506 fans streamed out of Verizon Center and
onto F Street following the Capitals’ 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue
Jackets Friday night, it’s a pretty safe bet many of them were re-describing
one of the most spectacular passing plays they’d ever seen.
With the Caps holding a 1-0 lead thanks to Justin Williams’ second goal of
the season, Caps goaltender Braden Holtby sprung Alex Ovechkin,
Nicklas Backstrom and T.J. Oshie on a 3-on-1 against Blue Jackets
netminder Sergei Bobrovsky.
Ovechkin faked shot and found Backstrom streaking through the right
circle. But instead of taking the shot, Backstrom dropped a pass to Oshie,
as if setting a golf ball on a tee.
“I saw he was coming and he has a better shot than I do,” Backstrom said
of Oshie. “I probably could have shot it, too. It was a nice pass by Ovi. But
we scored, that’s all that mattered.”
Oshie, who now has four goals and four assists in his first nine games as a
Capital, said he was 90 percent sure Backstrom would pass the puck to
him in the slot.
“He always sees the next play before everyone else,” Oshie said. “I was
ready and he had it on a tee for me. I don’t even know if it was moving. It
was just sitting there for me.”
Oshie snapped a shot under the crossbar, sending the crowd into a wild
celebration of high-fives, fist pumps and a bunch of “Did you see that’s?”
“I was just so excited it went in,” Oshie said. “If you watch, I’m actually
looking at which guy to go to to hug because Ovi made a great play over
and then Backy left it for me. So I just stopped and they came to me.”
The Caps went on to secure the win despite losing a coach’s challenge on
a late goal by Columbus forward Matt Calvert, improving their record
season-opening to 8-2-0.
After the game, Caps coach Barry Trotz said he momentarily allowed
himself to be a fan on Oshie’s tic-tac-toe goal.
“Osh casually sent a rocket underneath the bar,” Trotz said. “He made it
look so casual, like he was throwing a dart and it’s going right there. When
you get to see those three players going on a 3-on-1 you sort of get
excited. You think the chances of that thing going to the back of the net are
pretty good.”
Trotz said his decision to get his top two lines out against the Blue Jackets’
fourth line resulted in the Caps’ fourth line of Michael Latta (7 shifts, 3:55),
Andre Burakovsky (10 shifts, 7:09) and Brooks Laich (14 shifts, 7:28)
seeing limited ice.
Trotz also confirmed goaltender Philipp Grubauer will get his second start
of the season Saturday night in Florida against the Panthers.
INSIDER: CHUCK GORMLEY
979943
Washington Capitals
Trotz unhappy with first coach's challenge
October 30, 2015, 11:00 pm
CHUCK GORMLEY
Capitals coach Barry Trotz had his first opportunity at a coach’s challenge
go against him on Friday night and he wasn’t happy about it.
With 5:15 remaining and the Caps holding a 2-0 lead on the Columbus
Blue Jackets, a mad scramble in front of Braden Holtby’s crease resulted
in Matt Calvert roofing a shot into the half-guarded net.
A goal was called on the ice, but replays seemed to indicate Blue Jackets
forward Boone Jenner interfered with Holtby in the crease moments before
the goal.
So Trotz, who had a timeout in his pocket, used it on the coach’s
challenge.
“We all said, ‘I think that’s interference,’” Trotz said following the 2-1 win
over the Blue Jackets. “And then we got the word from our war room, if you
will. Everybody was here for the San Jose goal that got called off, and if
that’s called off, then (Calvert’s goal) is definitely goalie interference.”
Trotz was referring to an Oct. 13 goal by Dmitry Orlov that was disallowed
because of Jay Beagle's interference with Sharks goalie Martin Jones.
Those replays showed Beagle barely grazing the arm of Jones as Orlov’s
shot soared into the net.
This time, at least in the opinion of Trotz, there was more contact between
Jenner and Holtby.
“I look at it and their guy (Jenner) basically doesn’t allow Holtby to make
the save,” Trotz said. “And so (Holtby) sort of gets split apart a little bit and
therefor he’s not able to make a second or third save.
“Then Willy (Tom Wilson) comes in and bumps (Jenner) a little bit and the
player is still in (Holtby’s) face. If it doesn’t allow him to play goal, I’m told
it’s not a goal. They’ll have to give us clarification. We didn’t get anything
from the referees.”
Trotz said Capitals general manager Brian MacLellan would “probably”
call the NHL’s office to get clarification on why the goal was allowed to
stand.
“It’s a good rule and it’s in place for a purpose,” Trotz said. “I may not
agree with it but we battled through it and won. I just felt bad for Holts. I
thought he deserved a shutout.”
Holtby, who finished with 29 saves in the win, was not nearly as worked up
over the call but agreed with his coach.
“We’d obviously like to see it (overturned) which we thought it should have
been,” Holtby said. “But at the same time it gave us a chance to work on
our 6-on-5 (after the Blue Jackets pulled goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky)
and I thought we did a very good job of that.”
Chuck Gormley
979944
Washington Capitals
Williams, Oshie lift Caps over Jackets
October 30, 2015, 9:45 pm
Chuck Gormley
Post-game analysis of the Capitals’ 2-1 win over the Columbus Blue
Jackets Friday night at Verizon Center:
How it happened: Justin Williams snapped a scoreless tie with 5:44
remaining in the second period and T.J. Oshie finished off a beautiful
3-on-1 with Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom with just over 8 minutes
remaining in the third to give the Capitals a 2-0 lead. They needed it
because Matt Calvert backhanded a shot over Braden Holtby (29 saves)
with 5:15 remaining in the third.
What it means: The Caps have won six of their last seven and improved to
7-2-0. The Blue Jackets fell to 2-2-0 under John Tortorella and are now
2-9-0.
Coach’s challenge: The Caps challenged Calvert’s goal, but it was
deemed Boone Jenner did not interfere with Holtby in the crease.
Save of the night: There were lots, but Braden Holtby’s right pad stop on
Boone Jenner from the doorstep early in the second period kept the game
scoreless.
Check of the night: Ryan Johansen knocked Alex Ovechkin to the ice,
which is a rarity, but the scariest collision came late in the second period
when T.J. Oshie accidentally clipped Andre Burakovsky in the offensive
zone, sending the 21-year-old winger crashing to the ice. Burakovsky
recovered and finished the game without incident.
Keeping 23: The Caps planned on taking 23 players to Florida and Barry
Trotz said he doesn’t know when the club might reduce its roster by
sending a forward back to Hershey. Center Chandler Stephenson, 21,
would not require Waivers. Right wing Stan Galiev, 23, would. Both were
healthy scratches Friday night. “That’s really an organizational decision,”
Trotz said. “I prefer to have probably less but we’re going to carry 23 and
that’s fine. We have the (cap) room to do that. I don’t like any players not to
play, really, but I understand.”
What’s next: The Capitals planned on leaving after the game for southern
Florida, where they will face the Panthers on Saturday night in Sunrise (7
p.m., CSN-plus). The teams is expected to be off on Sunday and has
scheduled a practice on Monday before leaving for New York, where
they’ll face the Rangers on Tuesday night (7 p.m. CSN).
Chuck Gormley
979945
Washington Capitals
Brooks Orpik - John Carlson
Matt Niskanen - Karl Alzner
Tortorella draws quite a reaction from Capitals
Dmitry Orlov – Nate Schmidt
Goaltenders
October 30, 2015, 3:15 pm
Chuck Gormley
Braden Holtby (starter) - Philipp Grubauer
Scratches: Chandler Stephenson, Taylor Chorney, Stan Galiev
Injured: Chris Brown (hand)
There are 30 NHL coaches but few draw reactions from opponents the
way John Tortorella does. Hired by the Columbus Blue Jackets to replace
Todd Richards nine days ago, after the Jackets opened the season with
seven straight losses, Tortorella will return tonight to Verizon Center,
where he once took a beer shower.
“There’ll be a whole lot more yelling behind the bench,” Capitals veteran
left wing Jason Chimera said when asked about facing the Blue Jackets
with Tortorella. “… You always want to beat his teams. You always want to
make him fester behind the bench.
“We’ve played against him for many years and New York was a heated
rival for us. It’s going to be a fun matchup.”
In parts of 14 NHL seasons as coach of the Tampa Bay Lightning, New
York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks, Tortorella’s teams went
444-371-115 and he won the Stanley Cup in 2004 with the Lightning.
But the Canucks fired Tortorella after just one season, owing him $6
million in future pay. The Canucks reportedly will pay part of Tortorella’s
coaching salary and the Blue Jackets have agreed to give the Canucks a
second-round pick for his services, which are believed to be for three
years.
Tortorella has a reputation for his quick temper and colorful exchanges
with the media (many of which can be easily found with a few search
engines), but he’s also known for an aggressive offensive style and a
suffocating, collapsing defensive structure.
BLUE JACKETS
Forward lines
Brandon Dubinsky - Ryan Johansen - Cam Atkinson
Scott Hartnell - Alexander Wennberg - Nick Foligno
Boone Jenner - William Karlsson - Matt Calvert
Rene Bourque - Gregory Campbell - David Clarkson
Defense pairs
Jack Johnson - David Savard
Fedor Tyutin - Dalton Prout
Cody Goloubef - Ryan Murray
Goaltenders
Sergei Bobrovsky (starter) - Curtis McElhinney
Injured: Brandon Saad (illness)
Scratches: Jared Boll, Kevin Connauton
MORE CAPITALS: Friday Six-Pack: Missing Mike Green?
MORE #CAPITALSTALK
“They’re going to pressure all over the place,” Capitals coach Barry Trotz
said. “John’s all about pressure. And you’re going to see them block shots
all the time.
Follow CSN Capitals on Twitter
“There will be five guys playing goal and a goalie, so that makes six. That’s
demanded of them. They’re going to come at us very aggressively and
defend really hard. That’s a trait all of John’s teams have had, big time
pressure and big time commitment on the defensive part.”
Follow @CSNCapitals
After an injury-riddled 2014-15 season that saw them miss the playoffs,
the Blue Jackets were preseason picks to return to the post-season, but
the road is much steeper now. Despite winning two of their first three
games under Tortorella the Jackets (2-8-0) are tied for last in the NHL with
four points, seven out of a playoff spot.
Follow @ChuckGormleyCSN
Still, Caps defenseman Karl Alzner believes that with Ryan Johansen,
Brandon Dubinsky, Boone Jenner, Scott Hartnell, Brandon Saad, Jack
Johnson and Sergei Bobrovsky, it’s only a matter of time before the Blue
Jackets make a run.
“Just looking at their lineup and from playing them last year, they’re way
better than what their record says,” Alzner said. “They’re not an easy team
to play against. They’re deep and when their goaltending heats up they’re
insanely hard to score against.”
Alzner said he expects the Blue Jackets to play even grittier with Tortorella
behind the bench.
“That’s the way Columbus has been over the last couple years even
without (Tortorella) and they have a lot of firepower up front to score goals,
too," Alzner said. "It’s a deadly combination when it’s clicking.”
The Blue Jackets are expected to get Johansen (illness) back in the lineup
but are expected to be without Saad (flu), who did not make the trip.
Here are projected lineups for both teams:
CAPITALS
Forward lines
Alex Ovechkin - Evgeny Kuznetsov - T.J. Oshie
Marcus Johansson - Nicklas Backstrom - Justin Williams
Jason Chimera - Jay Beagle - Tom Wilson
Andre Burakovsky - Brooks Laich – Michael Latta
Defense pairs
CSN CAPITALS ON TWITTER
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INSIDER: CHUCK GORMLEY
Tags: NHL, Washington Capitals, John Tortorella, Columbus Blue Jackets
Chuck Gormley
979946
Washington Capitals
Trotz makes two lineup changes for tonight
October 30, 2015, 12:15 pm
Chuck Gormley
Forward Michael Latta and defenseman Nate Schmidt will return to the
Capitals lineup tonight when the Columbus Blue Jackets visit the Verizon
Center (6:30 p.m. pregame, CSN) because …
“A loss,” Caps coach Barry Trotz said. “Bored.”
Latta, a healthy scratch the past six games, will replace rookie center
Chandler Stephenson, who was on the ice for the Penguins’ game-winning
goal Wednesday night in a 3-1 loss. Latta will play right wing on a fourth
line with Andre Burakovsky moving to left wing and Brooks Laich moving
to center.
“He’s got an edge,” Trotz said. “He’s a good draw guy. He can have an
effect, but he’s got to show it on the ice.”
Latta has not played since the Caps’ 5-0 loss to the San Jose Sharks in the
second game of the season.
“It’s unfortunate you’ve got to lose to go back in but I’m excited to get back
in, It’s been a couple tough weeks sitting out and not going to battle with
your teammates every night.”
During his time as a healthy scratch Latta worked with strength and
conditioning coach Mark Nemish on improving his explosiveness and
quickness. In 53 games with the Caps last season Latta had no goals and
six assists while averaging 8:31 in ice time. His last NHL goal came on
Nov. 15, 2013, a span of 62 games.
On the back end, Schmidt will return to the lineup in place of veteran
Taylor Chorney and will play on the right side of Dmitry Orlov on the Caps’
third defense pairing. Schmidt has no points and three shots in three
games this season.
Trotz said he moved Orlov, who is left-handed and has played most of his
career on the right side, to the left because it helps him both offensively
and defensively.
“I thought last game was his best game of the year,” Trotz said. “It’s taken
a while to get all the rust off but his game is starting to have a real sound
level of consistency that we know he has. … We feel he’s got top four
talent.”
Schmidt, who is also left-handed, said he played on the right side during
his three seasons at Minnesota. He said playing the off side (a left-handed
shooter on the right side of the ice) is an advantage offensively and can be
a bit of a disadvantage defensively.
“I think they’re trying to figure out something that works for everybody,”
Schmidt said. “There’s a huge advantage to play your offside in the
offensive zone. You’re always in a shooting position on your forehand. It’s
mostly neutral zone stuff, where you’re catching pucks on your backhand
and you don’t have your body facing the ice; you’re more turned
sideways.”
Trotz said goaltender Braden Holtby (5-2-0) will get the start tonight, with
backup Philipp Grubauer possibly getting the start Saturday night when
the Caps visit the Florida Panthers.
“I might, yes,” Trotz said when asked about starting Grubauer in Florida.
Here’s a look at how the Caps should look tonight:
979947
Washington Capitals
Friday Six-Pack: Missing Mike Green?
October 30, 2015, 9:45 am
Chuck Gormley
Welcome to our Friday six-pack, where we answer your most pressing
questions about the Capitals. We had a good variety this week and if we
didn’t get to yours, keep them coming throughout the week on my Twitter
account @ChuckGormleyCSN. Let’s get started:
@ChuckGormleyCSN and..How much will we miss Green with the set up
PP pass to Ovi? Carlson can't seem to place it in the sweet spot.
— drewtang (@drewtang) October 30, 2015
Honestly, I don’t think Caps fans are going to miss Mike Green as much as
you think. You are right in that John Carlson does not give Alex Ovechkin
the puck at the same speed and location as Green did for 10 straight
years, but they haven’t been together for 10 years, either. Plus, the Caps’
power play is so much more dynamic and less predictable than it was in
previous years, when it centered around setting up Ovechkin for
one-timers from the left circle. Now, T.J. Oshie and Andre Burakovsky are
threats from the slot, Marcus Johansson and Evgeny Kuznetsov are
threats from the side of the net, Nicklas Backstrom can surprise goalies
with his quick shot from the half wall, and Carlson and Matt Niskanen can
blast away from the point. Believe it or not, Carlson has actually logged
more power-play time this season (29:00) than Ovechkin (28:28). But
guess how many power-play shots he’s taken? One. Ovechkin leads the
Caps with 10 power-play shots, followed by Oshie (8) and Kuznetsov (6). I
actually think this year’s power play is more dangerous than any other I’ve
seen in the past five years and it’s because of its multiple threats. Green’s
departure also means more power-play ice time for Niskanen (12:20), who
already has a power-play goal. The Caps also will not miss Green’s
penchant for being in and out of the lineup. He is currently sidelined with
an upper body injury sustained when he was steamrolled by Flames
forward Josh Jooris last week. Green, 30, missed at least 10 games in
seven of his 10 seasons with the Caps, including each of the last five.
@ChuckGormleyCSN #CapitalsTalk I love Orpik but he's taking a lot of
penalties & been beat some - see any changes to D-men pairings soon?
— Jess Hughes (@JessrHughes) October 30, 2015
There is a lot to like about Brooks Orpik, but I see your concerns. Through
eight games he’s taken six minor penalties and his lack of quickness was
evident in Beau Bennett’s game-tying goal for Pittsburgh Wednesday
night. At 35, Orpik is not as agile as he was a few years ago but he is still a
hard-edged, reliable defender who should be able to complement John
Carlson for at least another season or two, at which time Madison Bowey
could be ready to assume that role. I think the Caps’ stability with their
defensive pairings is a strength, not a weakness, and I think Orpik is a big
reason Carlson is developing into one of the top 10 defensemen in the
game. I’d keep them together until or unless there is greater concern.
@ChuckGormleyCSN @CSNMA Burakovsky is better then 4th line,he
needs to get more minutes with other line mates.Kuz and him play well
together
— Patljr_7 (@patljr_7) October 30, 2015
We can all agree, Barry Trotz included, that Andre Burakovsky is not a
fourth-line player and will not be stuck there for long. With Jay Beagle
locked into the third-line center spot, Burakovsky is also unlikely to see any
more time at center, a position he never played until early last season. But
if you move Burakovsky up, who drops down? Based on merit, I would
drop Justin Williams off the second line and move Burakovsky into that
spot with fellow Swedes Nicklas Backstrom and Marcus Johansson. While
I like your idea of matching Burakovsky with Kuznetsov I think there is too
much risk in their games to play together. I would, however, like to see
Backstrom setting the table for Burakovsky’s wicked snap shot. Of course,
dropping Williams ($3.25 million) to a fourth line would anger fans already
upset that Brooks Laich is occupying the other wing at $4.5 million. But I’d
give it a look, at least temporarily, and beef up Williams’ ice time on the
power play and penalty kill.
@ChuckGormleyCSN What kind of issues raise enough concern for trade
market scouting? (E.g., right-hand face off winners)
— imjustjokinen (@imjustjokinen) October 30, 2015
Nice Twitter handle and great question! With Jay Beagle and Michael Latta
as their only right-handed centermen, the Caps have asked righty T.J.
Oshie to handle some of the draws, but he’s 7-for-28 in his first eight
games. Against the Pens the Caps were less than impressive in the dots
(29 for 64) with Barry Trotz emphasizing that some Penguins faceoff wins
were so clean the puck ended up in their defensive zone. (Yes, that
bothered him). I’m not underestimating the importance of winning faceoffs
and gaining possession of the puck. It’s crucial. But good faceoff men can
be developed if they put the work in after practice and assistant coach
Blaine Forsythe directs faceoff drills after every practice. I’m not sure I
would want to burn up a roster spot for a faceoff specialist. If I’m trade
market scouting, I’m looking to see what’s out there on the defensive side.
The Caps have three unproven blue liners (Dmitry Orlov, Nate Schmidt,
Taylor Chorney) making up their fifth, sixth and seventh D spots and for
now I think Brian MacLellan is seeing what he has back there while
keeping an eye on potential UFAs who could be added at the trade
deadline if needed. On that list are names like Alex Goligoski, Dan
Hamhuis, Braydon Coburn, Kyle Quincey, John-Michael Liles and Nikita
Nikitin. If the Caps could land one of those guys to play alongside Orlov,
Schmidt or Chorney, well, that could be a significant upgrade.
@ChuckGormleyCSN What is going to be done about the 4th line?
— Pcatucci (@Dc01herd) October 29, 2015
@ChuckGormleyCSN With the 4th line struggling, do you see a
permanent change (new signing, early promotion) or the carousel
continuing?
— DaniloASandoval (@Danilo4Sandoval) October 29, 2015
A lot of questions this week on the fourth line and yes, I have concerns as
well. There really is no identity on the Caps’ fourth line right now. Chandler
Stephenson is a step quicker than Michael Latta, but is he strong enough
and experienced enough to handle NHL power forwards? Brooks Laich is
a reliable penalty killer, but has he lost his scoring touch? And we all know
Andre Burakovsky is not a fourth-line player. Stan Galiev has incredible
skill, but he may free-lance too much to be trusted with fourth-line minutes.
We had a long talk with Barry Trotz about this yesterday and he
wants/needs his fourth line to be reliable defensively. Ideally, he said, he
would like three veterans who make safe plays and kill penalties on that
line. The salary cap people will hate me for suggesting this (and so would
Justin Williams), but would a fourth line of Laich, Latta and Williams be
worth a try? That would allow Burakovsky to play on the second line, the
checking line to remain intact and the top line to be what it is. It would also
allow Trotz to spread out his minutes. And remember, having 14 healthy
forwards is a rare luxury in the NHL, so at some point the forward lines will
be dictated by injuries.
@ChuckGormleyCSN @CSNMA biggest rival this year: Pens or Rags?
Sid/Ovi seems to trump NYR despite recent playoff results
— David (@davidb22307) October 30, 2015
I love the Caps-Pens rivalry and the energy it brings to Verizon Center.
There were 64 hits in that game Wednesday night and the fans loved it.
But like Brooks Orpik told me, the Penguins hate the Flyers (and their fans)
more than they hate the Caps and they’ve played each other in the
playoffs three times in the last seven years. (The Caps and Pens haven’t
met since that classic seven-game series in 2009). Those playoff series
stoke rivalries more than anything driven by the media. (The Caps and
Islanders games will be doozies this year). It’s also probably safe to say
the Rangers and their fans hate the Flyers and their fans more than they
hate the Caps. (Maybe that just tells you how easy it is to hate the Flyers).
The Rangers have knocked the Caps out of the playoffs in each of their
last three playoff meetings over the past four springs, so you have to think
the Rangers are their biggest rivals, although I liked it more when John
Tortorella was dropping bombs behind the New York bench. But if you
asked me right now, I’d say those Caps-Islanders games will be the
nastiest we’ll see this season.
Chuck Gormley
979948
Winnipeg Jets
Gaining altitude
The Jets will likely need a repeat of the 16-8-5 mark they posted against
the Central — or, at least, an improvement on their 10-8-3 record against
the Pacific last year — to stay above the playoff line. And just like last
season, this will be a test of the team’s depth.
3. ICKY STARTS, BETTER FINISHES
By: Ed Tait
Posted: 10/30/2015 9:42 PM
Paul Maurice stepped up to the podium, his face set in stone, his voice
filled with all the emotion of an usher guiding folks to their seats at a
funeral.
This coming Thursday night, not long after his Winnipeg Jets had finished
off a solid 3-2-1 homestand with a 3-1 win over the defending Stanley Cup
champion Chicago Blackhawks. So why did the Jets coach look like he
had just gulped down a carton of sour milk?
Well, even at 6-3-1 the Jets are still very much a work in progress. And with
the bar set higher during last year’s run to a playoff berth, his expectations
for his crew have grown. They’ve also grown inside the locker-room, it
seems, where the troops are parroting the same message as the general
about pushing to get better, even in the wake of a win and even if the 6-3-1
start is the best 10-game opening for the franchise since its relocation.
Every team has returning pieces and new pieces that makes one year’s
edition different from the last. And so every coach is tasked with reading
his squad and then pushing the right buttons to maximize its return.
So, what do we make of the 2015-16 Jets after 10 games?
"It’s still early. But I would say that as of right now we’re a team that can
skate really well and make plays," said veteran defenceman Mark Stuart.
"Now it’s a matter of doing that night in and night out. We’re still learning a
little bit how hard it is to win in this league and that you have to do that for
60 minutes in order to get the win.
"We’ll get there, and once we do good things will happen."
That’s our early take, too, knowing full well the calendar has yet to turn to
November and there are 72 games left in this gruelling marathon.
Here are 10 takes on the Jets at the 10-game mark (all numbers prior to
Friday night’s action):
1. THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT
A huge question mark for this franchise prior to puck drop for Game 1 in
Boston was how would Nikolaj Ehlers, Nic Petan and Andrew Copp —
along with Alex Burmistrov, returning from the KHL — manage to replace
vets Michael Frolik, Lee Stempniak, Jiri Tlusty and Jim Slater.
Winnipeg Jets' Nikolaj Ehlers (27) celebrates his goal against the Tampa
Bay Lightning during first period NHL action in Winnipeg on Friday,
October 23.
JOHN WOODS / THE CANADIAN PRESS
Winnipeg Jets' Nikolaj Ehlers (27) celebrates his goal against the Tampa
Bay Lightning during first period NHL action in Winnipeg on Friday,
October 23.
The early answer: quite capably, actually.
Ehlers has been sensational with four goals and four assists through 10
games; Copp is centring a fourth line that is earning more minutes;
Burmistrov has shown flashes while Petan — who draws the press box
assignment whenever Maurice wants to go bigger and insert Anthony
Peluso — brings a skill level to the second power-play unit and the fourth
trio. Petan’s skill set, it says here, should lead to an occasional look in the
Top 9, even if it means bumping a struggling forward down.
2. DON’T FIXATE ON THE CENTRAL, FIXATE ON THE BIGGER
PICTURE
A storyline that’s already getting old: how tough the Central Division has
been and will be the rest of this winter. Hey, we understand the Jets being
in the NHL’s toughest neighbourhood is a talking point and no doubt we’ll
be hammering away at it from now until April. Five teams from the Central,
including wild-card squads Minnesota and the Jets, earned invitations to
the playoffs last season and we don’t see that changing.
Heading into Friday’s action the Blackhawks, with 12 points in 10 games,
were sixth in the Central but had the same point total as Los Angeles and
Vancouver in the Pacific.
The Jets have surrendered the first goal in eight of their 10 games this
season — including Thursday’s win over Chicago — and yet are 5-2-1
when they give up the first marker. That’s a dangerous act to try and
continue and a long way from last year’s team, which scored first in 49 of
its 82 contests. No team wants to be chasing the game from the outset.
4. WHO’S NO. 1?
Ondrej Pavelec still seems to be the club’s top netminding dog, as much a
nod toward the work he did last year in leading this team to the
post-season as his numbers through six starts. But consider this in the
wake of Thursday’s win, a game in which Michael Hutchinson stopped 45
of the 46 shots he faced — the No. 1a/2 man is now a perfect 4-0 this year
with a goals-against average of 1.75 and a save percentage of .949,
numbers which put him up there with stars such as Price, Rinne and
Lundqvist.
Pavelec, meanwhile, is 2-3-1 with a .918 save percentage and 2.69 GAA.
A goaltending debate doesn’t have to be cancerous, as we saw last year
with the Jets. Hutchinson pushing Pavelec — while Connor Hellebuyck
and Eric Comrie blossom with the Manitoba Moose — is nothing but
healthy.
5. THE D PAIRINGS... ANOTHER WORK IN PROGRESS?
Maurice has left his forward lines intact, other than to switch out Petan for
Peluso, but has tinkered with his defensive pairings. It’s hard not to think
this will change again in the games ahead. Dustin Byfuglien has done his
thing from the blue-line, but the rest of the crew has been all over the map.
Everyone is waiting for Jacob Trouba to take that proverbial next step into
dominant D-man; Tyler Myers and Ben Chiarot have had just as many iffy
moments as good; Stuart is what he is — Thursday’s game was his best in
eons — while Toby Enstrom, depending on your point of view, is either a
capable puck-mover or vulnerable to being pounded by the bigger teams
in the Western Conference.
All of this is to say this unit, a real tower of power for the Jets last year, still
has some work to do.
6. NO BRAKES ON BLAKE
It’s early, way too early, to be throwing this out, but here it goes anyway:
this franchise hasn’t had a player lead them in scoring with better than a
point per game since Ilya Kovalchuk had 87 in 2007-08. Wheeler has five
goals and 12 points in 10 games — including a game-winning goal and a
short-handed effort — to put him in the Top 5 in scoring to start the year.
He’s been the club’s most consistent forward and, dating back to last year,
now has 15 goals and 14 assists in his last 28 games.
7. THE SHOOTING GALLERIES
Shots-against hardly equal quality chances against, but one of the reasons
Maurice might have been a little withdrawn after Thursday’s win was the
46 shots surrendered. That’s a scary number, no matter how many quality
chances it may have included. The Jets have allowed 30 or more shots in
eight of their 10 games and have given up 40 or more in four of them.
Bryan Little pointed out after the Chicago win he’s lost track how many
times Pavelec and Hutchinson have bailed out this bunch and for a coach
that has pressed for better defensive zone coverage. That’s a potentially
frightening trend.
8. VERY SPECIAL TEAMS
The Jets’ power play is clicking at 24.1 per cent — seven of 29 — which
ranked seventh heading into Friday, while the penalty-kill unit is 13th
overall. The power play now throws out two deadly units with more skill
and firepower — courtesy Ehlers, Petan and last year’s addition, Mattieu
Perreault — and the penalty-kill unit has to be good because of this: the
Jets still take way too many minors.
The Jets’ power-play/penalty-kill time differential is minus-17 minutes 53
seconds, second-worst in the NHL to the New York Islanders
(minus-19:13). They’re fifth-highest in short-handed minutes and
fifth-lowest in power-play time. And that’s a not a good combo.
9. THE BOSS MAN
Paul Maurice was parachuted in to take over the Jets Jan. 12, 2014. He
had worked in big markets and small, was respected by his players and
seen as one of hockey’s deep thinkers upon his arrival. And he was also a
career .500 coach. But since arriving he’s helped transform a
mediocre-to-poor team into a contender. His record with the Jets is
67-41-19 and his understanding of his personnel and how best to put them
in positions to succeed also speaks of his growth as a coach.
10. THE ROAD AHEAD
The Jets are 3-2-1 at home to start this season but given the quality of the
opponents — last year’s champs and finalists in Chicago and Tampa,
three other playoff teams in St. Louis, Calgary and Minnesota and the
Kings, who won two of the three Cups before stumbling last winter — that’s
a better body of work than you might think.
But it’s what lies ahead that will give us a better feel for this year’s edition:
eight of the Jets’ next nine, and 10 of 14 games in November, will be away
from the MTS Centre.
Settle in, folks. This movie is barely past the opening credits.
Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 10.31.2015
979949
Winnipeg Jets
17 Torrey Mitchell
21 Devante Smith-Pelly
ABOUT THE HABS
22 Dale Weise
24 Jarred Tinordi
Posted: 10/31/2015 2:09 AM
26 Jeff Petry
Tim Campbell
27 Alex Galchenyuk
28 Nathan Beaulieu
Will finished a western swing Friday night in Calgary after blowing a 3-0
lead and losing 4-3 in regulation to the Edmonton Oilers. Sunday's game
against the Jets is the first of a four-game homestand.
32 Brian Flynn
The team's fast start this season has been led by some excellent balance.
Four players shared the team's scoring lead with 11 points in 10 games
heading into the game in Calgary, captain Max Pacioretty, C Tomas
Plekanec, D P.K. Subban and D Andre Markov. And right with them with
10 points is RW Brendan Gallagher.
51 David Desharnais
41 Paul Byron
67 Max Pacioretty
74 Alexei Emelin
76 P.K. Subban
Pacioretty had seven goals so far this season, including two
game-winners, and was a plus-12.
77 Tom Gilbert
Montreal had opened the scoring in nine of its 11 games.
79 Andrei Markov
G Carey Price, despite a bit of a messy third period in Edmonton, was
7-2-0 to start the season with a GAA of 2.01 and a save percentage of
.936.
81 Lars Eller
Montreal had nine power-play goals in its first 11 games and had 15
third-period goals in that time.
WINNIPEG JETS
31 Ondrej Pavelec
34 Michael Hutchinson
2 Adam Pardy
4 Paul Postma
5 Mark Stuart
6 Alex Burmistrov
7 Ben Chiarot
8 Jacob Trouba
9 Andrew Copp
12 Drew Stafford
14 Anthony Peluso
16 Andrew Ladd
17 Adam Lowry
18 Bryan Little
19 Nic Petan
22 Chris Thorburn
26 Blake Wheeler 27 Nikolaj Ehlers
33 Dustin Byfuglien
39 Toby Enstrom
55 Mark Scheifele
57 Tyler Myers
85 Mathieu Perreault
MONTREAL CANADIENS
31 Carey Price
39 Mike Condon
6 Greg Pateryn
11 Brendan Gallagher
13 Alexander Semin
14 Tomas Plekanec
15 Tomas Fleischmann
(Lineups subject to change)
-- Tim Campbell
979950
Winnipeg Jets
19 Ryan Johansen
20 Brandon Saad
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS
23 David Clarkson
25 William Karlsson
Posted: 10/31/2015 3:00 AM
27 Ryan Murray
Tim Campbell
29 Cody Goloubef
38 Boone Jenner
Columbus will be playing the second night of back-to-back games when
meeting the Jets tonight. The Jackets played Friday night in Washington.
The Jackets were 2-1 under new coach John Tortorella going into the
game against the Caps, having beaten Colorado and New Jersey in the
last week. That raised the season's mark to 2-8-0.
Leading scorer C Ryan Johansen has six points in eight games but had
missed the last two due to illness. He was back to practice Thursday and
was expecting to play today. He was benched for part of Tortorella's debut
last week.
C Boone Jenner had six goals in the first 10 games to lead the team.
No. 1 goalie Sergei Bobrovsky's numbers through the first 10 games aren't
pretty: 30 goals against, 3.99 goals against average, .864 save
percentage.
WINNIPEG JETS
31 Ondrej Pavelec
34 Michael Hutchinson
2 Adam Pardy
4 Paul Postma
5 Mark Stuart
6 Alex Burmistrov
7 Ben Chiarot
8 Jacob Trouba
9 Andrew Copp
12 Drew Stafford
14 Anthony Peluso
16 Andrew Ladd
17 Adam Lowry
18 Bryan Little
19 Nic Petan
22 Chris Thorburn
26 Blake Wheeler 27 Nikolaj Ehlers
33 Dustin Byfuglien
39 Toby Enstrom
55 Mark Scheifele
57 Tyler Myers
85 Mathieu Perreault
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
30 Curtis McElhinney
72 Sergei Bobrovsky
4 Kevin Connauton
7 Jack Johnson
9 Gregory Campbell
11 Matt Calvert
13 Cam Atkinson
17 Brandon Dubinsky
18 Rene Bourque
40 Jared Boll
41 Alexander Wennberg
43 Scott Hartnell
47 Dalton Prout
51 Fedor Tyutin
58 David Savard
71 Nick Foligno
(Lineups subject to change)
-- Tim Campbell
979951
Winnipeg Jets
Assuming the Bombers win their last game -- and wouldn’t that be just like
them if it’s meaningless? -- O’Shea will complete his second season with a
13-23 mark, good for a winning percentage of .361.
Winnipeg Jets heading out on the road, where they are seemingly at home
Of coaches who’ve been at the helm at least one full season, that’s worse
than Paul LaPolice, Mike Kelly and Jim Spavital, to name a few.
BY PAUL FRIESEN,
If he loses his last game, O’Shea drops below Jim Daley, too.
FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 06:25 PM CDT
Who’s he ahead of?
UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 06:28 PM CDT
Jeff Reinebold, Tim Burke and Joe Zaleski.
It’s enough to make that bronze Bud Grant in front of the place wear a
frown.
The predictable, formulaic thing to say about the Winnipeg Jets’ right now
is how up against it they are on a gruelling road stretch that starts in
Columbus, Halloween night.
Come to think of it, that’s the best thing Wade Miller has done as
president/CEO.
How that win over Chicago, Thursday, was desperately needed because
it’s so hard to win on the road.
Aside from enclosing the press box.
The Jets play four away from home in the next week, including a pair of
back-to-backs, return home for one, then head out for four more in seven
days.
Still with the Bombers, saw an interesting tweet from former receiver
Terrence Edwards (@Tjedwards82) this week.
Oh, the horror.
Nonsense.
“After I retired in 2013, I was told @Wpg_BlueBombers would bring me
back and send me off in style.. 2 years later I’m still waiting,” Edwards
posted.
When the Jets climbed aboard their charter flight to Ohio, Friday, they
were back in their comfort zone.
Reached down in Atlanta, Friday, the former No. 82 said he was “just a
little frustrated that it hasn’t happened.”
Home cooking is overrated for this group.
Maybe they’re waiting for the three-year mark, when I believe retired
players become eligible for the Bomber Hall of Fame.
The camaraderie of the road is where it’s at.
It’s been that way since this team discovered its identity early last season.
And it’s continued into the early part of this one.
EDWARDS WAITING
Edwards ended his tweet with one of those sad-face emoticons.
The way things are going with this organization, that may as well be the
team’s logo.
The Jets lost just as many games at home as they did on the road last
year.
They opened this campaign three-for-four on the road, then barely posted
a winning record during a six-game homestand.
Downtown Winnipeg is still not that tough a place to pick up points for
visiting teams. Not as tough as it should be.
The Jets gave up far too many chances to the Blackhawks and were lucky
(hello, Michael Hutchinson) to escape the homestand with a 3-2-1 mark.
Like those who take a long, solo journey to find themselves, this team is
more likely to rediscover its identity somewhere else.
BOMBERS A MESS
Across town, the Blue Bombers are much easier to figure out.
It’s to the point where many fans I talk to aren’t even angry anymore.
They’ve simply stopped caring.
And the crowd count at the money pit Selinger Field has become reflects it.
Attendance continues to erode like bad concrete, from 30,637 in the first
year of the place to 26,746 this year.
And those numbers are bolstered by the big Banjo Bowl turnout of
35,000-plus.
When your biggest selling point for a game is the 50-50 draw, you know
you’re reaching. And wasn’t it fitting a member of Premier Pigskin’s
government won it at the last game?
The Bombers have completely flubbed the move into the new stadium,
throwing wads of what should have been easy money down the toilet.
How much potential revenue was lost we’ll never know.
But figuring they should have maintained an average of at least 30,000,
they kissed off around $1 million in ticket sales alone last year, another
$1.75 million this year (based on a $60 average ticket).
Factor in concessions and souvenirs, not to mention the Grey Cup game,
and the lost opportunity only grows.
If they couldn’t increase their season-ticket base in a year they hosted the
championship, what will next season look like?
BAD COMPANY
Which brings us to head coach Mike O’Shea, who’s putting himself in the
historically bad company of some of the worst coaches in franchise
history.
Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.31.2015
979952
Winnipeg Jets
Winnipeg Jets could just be scratching the surface after promising start
BY KEN WIEBE
FIRST POSTED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 06:21 PM CDT
UPDATED: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2015 06:25 PM CDT
COLUMBUS, OHIO — Want to know the scary thing about this edition of
the Winnipeg Jets?
They might only be scratching the surface and that's saying something,
given the 6-3-1 start the Jets are off to this season.
As the Jets get set to open a four-game road trip against the Columbus
Blue Jackets on Saturday, it's worth noting that the next five games will be
played against Eastern Conference teams.
That's not to suggest this next stretch is going to be a cake walk, especially
with two back-to-back game scenarios upcoming, one of which includes a
date with a Montreal Canadiens team that was off to a flawless 9-0 start
before hitting a rough patch on a swing through Western Canada.
It's just that the majority of games won't feature any against Central
Division opponents (those come later this month) and that has to be
considered a win right now, given how tight things are from the top team to
the club that resides in sixth spot and would be on the outside looking in if
the playoffs started today.
It's important to remember that a 10-game sample size is just that, a small
fraction of the 82-game grind of a schedule that only gets tougher each
time the calendar flips before the middle of April.
However, that the Jets have already collected 13 points is an early
indicator this push to incorporate additional young skill into the lineup —
instead of bringing back place holders with more experience but not as
much potential — was the right call.
The Jets have already received a boost in offensive production (averaging
more than three goals per game), while working hard to maintain the fast
and difficult to play against identity that brought so much success last
season.
Dynamic rookie Nikolaj Ehlers is fitting in well and producing, while Mark
Scheifele and Mathieu Perreault are rolling at just under a point-per-game
pace.
Blake Wheeler is driving the reunited top line, while Bryan Little and
Andrew Ladd seem to be rounding into form after relatively slow starts (by
their own lofty standards).
Drew Stafford has helped ensure the so-called third line has chipped in
offensively while providing another suitable group of checkers.
The goal of getting the fourth-line more regular work has been decent, but
will get even more important as the campaign wears on..
Discipline — or lack thereof on occasion — continues to be a work in
progress for the Jets, who remain one of the most penalized teams in the
NHL.
It's not like the Jets are out of control in this area, but there are still too
many times when avoidable infractions have taken place, especially in the
offensive zone.
Playing an in-your-face style is one thing, but eliminating the unnecessary
stick fouls would make the Jets an even more dangerous team to play
against in the long run.
Speaking of dangerous, Jets head coach Paul Maurice knows the real
work is just beginning when it comes to defending.
This doesn't apply only to the defence corps either, though there haven't
been many nights when all three pairings were on their game at the same
time either.
Some growing pains were expected, but there are too many lapses taking
place at even strength, with plenty of quality scoring chances being
surrendered.
Fortunately for the Jets, the masked men between the pipes have been
above average and they must continue to be.
After giving up four goals against the Minnesota Wild, all Michael
Hutchinson did was make 45 saves against the Chicago Blackhawks on
Thursday to improve to 4-0 while lowering his goals against average to
1.75.
Much like last season, the hot start for Hutchinson will lead many to
suggest that it's time to give the backup a chance to take the ball and run
with it.
But once again, it would be best to pump the brakes and take a deep
breath.
Look for both goalies to split the next four games and if Maurice chooses to
implement a goalie rotation like he did last season in the near future, so be
it.
Right now, both guys are playing pretty well and by pushing one another,
Hutchinson and Pavelec can remain sharp.
There are enough games to go around, with 10 of 14 to be played on the
road in November.
A somewhat bumpy ride out of the gate was expected, but the Jets have
done a pretty good job navigating the open road, giving them reason to
believe there is another level to reach.
Winnipeg Sun LOADED 10.31.2015
979953
Vancouver Canucks
Canucks Game Day: Backup Bachman finally gets the call
BY BRAD ZIEMER
OCTOBER 30, 2015
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Goalie Richard Bachman will finally get his chance to
play tonight when the Vancouver Canucks complete a two-game road trip
against the Arizona Coyotes (7 p.m. Pacific, on Sportsnet Vancouver, TSN
1040).
After watching Ryan Miller start and finish the first 10 games of the regular
season, Bachman will play his first full game since the second round of the
American Hockey League playoffs last May.
"It has been a little bit but I'm excited to get the start tonight," Bachman
said after today's game-day skate at Gila River Arena.
Bachman did play parts of two pre-season games with the Canucks, but
his last full game came in Game 7 of the second round of the AHL playoffs
last May when he was playing for Oklahoma City.
Bachman said besides the lockout, this is probably the longest he has
gone without playing a full game. But he has become used to having big
gaps in his schedule over the years.
"I have been in this situation before and I think the biggest thing is to just
try and get into it early, feel some pucks, get into the flow of the game,"
Bachman said. "You can simulate quite a bit in practice but it's hard to
simulate a lot of traffic, especially when guys are laying out and blocking
shots and that kind of stuff because guys aren't doing that in practice."
Bachman was signed this summer to be the No. 1 guy for the Canucks'
Utica farm team. But when Jacob Markstrom went down with an injured
hamstring in the final practice of the pre-season, Bachman became the
Canucks' No. 2 goalie.
The 28-year-old has appeared in 41 previous NHL games with the Dallas
Stars and Edmonton Oilers.
Bachman said he has known for quite some time that he was either going
to start Thursday's game in Dallas or tonight's against the Coyotes.
The Canucks were the only NHL team that hadn't used their No. 2 goalie
this season.
"I'm sure the guys have seen the work I have put in and they are going to
want to help me out tonight," Bachman said. "Everyone wants to do it for
one another in here, which is a pretty nice thing to have in a dressing
room."
Defenceman Chris Tanev said nothing will change for the Canucks with
Bachman in net.
"He has played before, he just hasn't played in awhile, so early on I think
we have to let him feel the puck until he gets used to it and then it's just a
game from then on," Tanev said.
The Canucks will make one other lineup change tonight. Winger Sven
Baertschi will sit out as a healthy scratch and veteran Adam Cracknell will
take his spot in the lineup.
CHIP SHOTS: The Canucks say winger Brandon Prust will miss four to six
weeks with the left ankle injury he suffered in the second period of
Tuesday's win over the Montreal Canadiens.
Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 10.31.2015
979954
Vancouver Canucks
Backup Bachman helps Canucks keep Coyotes at bay
BY BRAD ZIEMER
OCTOBER 31, 2015 2:17 AM
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Backup Richard Bachman took care of business.
Meanwhile, a collection of Vancouver Canucks youngsters seem to be
suggesting we ain’t seen nothing yet.
Bachman, who hadn’t played a full game since May, was solid in his first
action as a Canuck and rookies Brendan Gaunce, Jared McCann and
Jake Virtanen continued to impress as Vancouver beat the Arizona
Coyotes 4-3 Friday night at Gila River Arena.
McCann scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season, Gaunce potted
his first NHL goal in just his second game and Virtanen picked up an
assist.
Bachman stopped 29 of 32 shots in the building where he saw his first NHL
action five years ago with the Dallas Stars.
“It’s exciting and the first win as a Canuck is something special,” Bachman
said. “I’ll have that puck forever. I haven’t played in a while and it was great
just to be back on the ice and see some game action and be able to make
a save or two.
“It wasn’t perfect by any means and there are a few things I want to clean
up. You have to get out there to figure it out again, but it was a lot of fun.”
The Canucks bounced back nicely from Thursday night’s disappointing
4-3 overtime loss in Dallas and gave Bachman some early run support
The Canucks chased Arizona starter Mike Smith when they scored on two
of their first three shots.
McCann opened scoring at the 1:56 mark of the first when he took a
behind-the-net pass from Adam Cracknell, calmly skated to the middle of
the ice and snapped a wrist shot over Smith’s right shoulder.
“That was a great goal, it was a skill play,” said coach Willie Desjardins.
Less than three minutes later, Alex Burrows beat Smith short side from the
left circle. That brought backup Anders Lindback into the game.
Gaunce put one past him at 10:56 when a rebound off a Chris Tanev point
shot hit Gaunce’s skate and ricocheted into the net.
“Hey, it counted,” a smiling Gaunce said of the fact his first NHL goal was
not exactly a Mona Lisa. “That’s all that matters. It was a great play by
(Tanev) to get the puck on net and through some bodies. I was just
standing there and was lucky it hit off me.”
Rookie Max Domi made it 3-1 at 5:50 of the second when he put a
backhand rebound attempt by Bachman. Steve Downie made it a one-goal
game at 17:04 of the second, beating Bachman from the top of the right
circle.
But just over a minute later Daniel Sedin scored on the power play to make
it 4-2.
This time, the Canucks were able to hold a third-period lead. although
things got interesting when Tobias Rieder made it 4-3 at 17:39 of the third.
“We played last night and they made a push in the third,” said Daniel
Sedin. “That was kind of a flukey goal that made it 4-3. I’ll take that third
period any time.
“We have got four lines going, everyone is chipping in and it’s fun to play
that way. No one is feeling the pressure to go out and produce. We play a
solid team game and it pays off.”
The Canucks were the last NHL team to use their backup goalie this
season. Ryan Miller had started the first 10 games.
Desjardins made one other lineup change. He made winger Sven
Baertschi a healthy scratch and replaced him with Cracknell.
“If you look at the overall game, I think the battle level is probably the
biggest thing,” Desjardins said before the game of Baertschi. “It’s not that
he’s bad. He has played pretty good. But Gaunce came in and played
good and the matchup here against Phoenix, I think Gaunce and Cracknell
are good fits.”
The Canucks finished the month of October 5-2-4. Last season, they went
7-3-0 in October. Vancouver plays 10 of its 14 November games on the
road.
ICE CHIPS: Canucks prospect Hunter Shinkaruk scored twice in Utica’s
7-5 win over Binghampton on Friday night. Shinkaruk has six goals in six
games this season for the Comets. . .The Canucks chartered home after
the game and play host to the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday night. . .PGA
Tour regular Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford took in Friday night’s game and
visited the dressing room after the game. . .While the Canucks were
playing in Glendale, across town the Phoenix Suns were welcoming
Victoria’s Steve Nash into their ring of honour at their game at Talking
Stick Resort Arena.
979955
Vancouver Canucks
Decision Day nears for Jared McCann
BY BRAD ZIEMER,
OCTOBER 30, 2015 11:27 PM
GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Jared McCann played Game No. 9 on Friday night.
The question now is does the 19-year-old rookie centre with the
Vancouver Canucks survive to play No. 10 on Monday night against the
Philadelphia Flyers?
It sure looks that way. McCann may have sealed the deal with his
team-leading fifth goal of the season Friday night in Arizona.
Players can be sent back to junior after playing nine NHL games without
burning the first year of their three-year entry level contracts. If they are
sent down after playing 10 or more games, that first year of the contract is
done. And once they are sent back to junior they cannot be recalled for the
remainder of the season.
"It leaves no doubts,” a confident McCann said of his game-opening goal
in Vancouver’s 4-3 win over the Coyotes.
McCann, obviously, hopes he can remain a Canuck and acknowledged
Friday night’s game that he’s been thinking about the impending decision
on his future.
“It’s tough not to think about it, but at the same time you can kind of use it to
your advantage and I feel like for me it helps me play better knowing that I
have got something on the line here,” he said.
The Canucks will have a decision to make this weekend on McCann and
another one early next week on fellow rookie forward Jake Virtanen, who
played his eighth game on Friday night.
McCann has certainly made a case for himself. He has proven he can
score at the NHL level and made an impression with a quick and highly
effective wrist shot. What he has to prove to the organization is that he is
up to the rigors of the NHL defensive game.
“That is what I am trying to do,” McCann said. “I feel like I gave it everything
I could up to this point and the rest is up to them.”
Coach Willie Desjardins said before the game that decisions on McCann
and Virtanen won’t be easy ones, but acknowledged there is a chance
both could stick with the team.
“We’ll evaluate after tonight’s game again and take another good look at
him,” Desjardins said of McCann. “He has been good for us. But it’s still a
tough decision to make. It might not seem like it is, it might seem it’s for
sure and a given, but our No. 1 thing is (determining) where he’ll develop
the most. Whether he gets 20 minutes in junior (in Sault Ste. Marie) or 12
minutes with us.”
Centre Bo Horvat knows what McCann is going through. He lived it as a
19-year-old rookie last year.
“I remember last year it was definitely nerve-wracking for me, not knowing
what is going to happen to you,” Horvat said. “But he has played amazing.
He has done everything to make to make it a tough final decision.
Whatever happens, Jared is going to rise to the top. He has really proven
himself this year and no matter what happens to him, he is going to be
fine.”
INJURY UPDATES: Desjardins said winger Chris Higgins is expected to
practise with the team on Sunday. Higgins has been out all season with a
foot fracture. Desjardins said goalie Jacob Markstrom could also return to
practise Sunday. He has been out since suffering a hamstring injury in the
final practice of the pre-season.
The team said winger Brandon Prust will be out four to six weeks with a left
ankle injury he suffered in Tuesday night’s win over the Montreal
Canadiens.
979956
Vancouver Canucks
New OT format puts sloppy, exhilarating fun back in tiebreaker
BY CAM COLE
OCTOBER 30, 2015
In the absence of a scientific poll of hockey fans on their feelings about
3-on-3 overtime as we approach the end of its first calendar month, we’re
going to guess it breaks down as follows:
Locals lose? “What a stupid format!”
Locals win? “I can’t remember when I had more fun watching hockey!”
What has happened in the new overtime format is exactly what we hoped
would happen, and it’s glorious. Coaches have not yet solved the puzzle.
A few have tried to play keep-away with the puck, possessing it at all costs,
but at any point a shot that misses the net or a seemingly inconsequential
turnover can be fatal.
They have largely lost the ability to keep shifts down to 35 seconds,
because of the switch of ends after regulation time that makes each bench
a full zone further away from each team’s own goal, and therefore makes
line changes more hazardous.
Players get caught out, tired, and they get outskated by a fresher player
who happened to catch a line change at a fortuitous moment. Luck, yes
luck, plays a part.
Is 3-on-3 the fairest way of deciding who gets two points and who gets
one? Probably not. Endless overtime would be fairest, but who’d go for
that in the regular season?
Not the players.
This same standard evidently applies to players, like Winnipeg’s Dustin
Byfuglien, who called it “a terrible part of hockey” after losing in OT at
home to Tampa.
“It’s a tough way to lose,” Byfuglien’s Jets teammate Bryan Little said after
the loss to Tampa. “But the shootout is an even worse way to lose.”
Ottawa’s Norris Trophy-winning defenceman Erik Karlsson, meanwhile,
said the 3-on-3 format is “boring” and felt “more like a bag skate” to him
and other big-minutes players who were pressed into still more ice time in
the extra session.
We should point out here the reason so many minutes are added to
Karlsson’s already heavy workload is the Senators not only can’t win in
overtime, they can’t lose, either.
All four of their regulation ties have gone the distance in OT, all the way to
the shootout, and three of those at home.
That just about makes the Sens the least interesting overtime team in the
league.
Still, Karlsson has a point, although he should keep in mind not every
team’s solution to 3-on-3 is to play one or two great players until they drop.
Some teams are more democratic. We’re thinking here of the Vancouver
Canucks, who are a league-worst 0-4 in overtime and, at the time they
were scored upon Thursday by Dallas’s Jamie Benn, had the following
three players on the ice: Yannick Weber, Jannik Hansen and Bo Horvat.
Not an Edler, Tanev, Sedin, Sedin, Sutter, Burrows or Vrbata to be found,
when the decisive goal beat Ryan Miller (0-3 in OT).
Here’s some numbers to chew on.
This time last season, with 4-on-4 overtime, 60 per cent of tie games had
gone to the shootout. This year: 31 per cent.
Entering Friday night, one of every five games played had gone to
overtime. Of those games, 20 of 29, or 69 per cent had been settled short
of the shootout, which was the whole point of the rule change.
It has resulted in shorter games, because the average 3-on-3 session has
ended in 2:04. Five games have been settled in under a minute, including
two by Chicago’s Jonathan Toews, two nights apart, the first in 17 seconds
at home to Tampa, the second 51 seconds in to beat Anaheim; both,
unbelievably, 1-0 finals.
Which brings us to the goal scorers. Yes, there have been some Victor
Rasks and Ron Hainseys, but the roll call of OT winners includes Toews
twice, Patrick Kane, Johnny Gaudreau, Evgeny Malkin, Anze Kopitar,
Claude Giroux, Ondrej Palat, Mark Giordano, Phil Kessel, Gustav Nyquist
and Jamie Benn.
None of those great players, I’m guessing, complained about the extra ice
time.
The 3-on-3 format has succeeded in ways even the NHL did not envision;
namely, the kind of game it most often produces.
Its critics hate the idea of hockey without big hits and finished checks,
either of which can be dangerous in overtime.
This is understandable: the game has become so micro-coached that the
loss of structure, of control, of tight checking, doesn’t even feel like the
hockey we have been brainwashed into accepting as the norm.
Once upon a time, kids (you may not believe this), goals routinely were
scored when players were caught at the end of long shifts, and fatigue led
to coverage mistakes and odd-man rushes.
This happened 5-on-5, by the way, before anyone ever heard of finishing a
check, clogging shooting lanes or the left-wing lock.
979957
Vancouver Canucks
“We have seen a couple calls already go in the goalie’s favour.
“With that new rule, you have to think about those things.”
The Provies: McCann leaves no doubt and the emotional JPat audio you
gotta hear
BEST MOVES
October 31, 2015. 12:12 am
Yes, I see Gaunce caught Horvat in the scoring race.
Staff
At least, he got shot on net, tonight, am I right?
BEST GOAL
Gracefully, calmly, and with some impressive self-confidence given the
moment, Jared McCann almost cuddled the puck, as he toe-dragged it
through the slot.
Then he you saw his finishing move. Top shelf, no cheese.
Yes, I know Horvat isn’t scoring. And yes, I know how many even strength
goals against he’s been out there for.
It was off a nice move too, as he swept in from in front of the net, using his
backhand. But, alas, nothing to show for it.
People are getting frustrated. He’s looked frustrated. But the points are
going to come.
The coach has him doing everything right now, killing penalties, on the
power play, big d-zone face-offs, closing out games defensively.
He did not miss. It was the Canucks first goal of the game and McCann’s
fifth in nine. The most important number in that sequence is the last one.
The coach needs him to shut down Seguin and Benn in OT, with
Bartkowski and Weber the only other Canucks on the ice. Oh, AND he
needs him to score goals.
After his nine games, the Canucks must now make a decision about
McCann. Are they going to send him to junior?
I get it.
How can they?
But there is a lot to process here. It has been a massive change from last
year.
As McCann said himself, there are no doubts left.
You wonder if he can handle it. He can. He will.
There is no choice to be made.
Just look at him do things like this zone entry, things he was not able to do
a year ago:
Here’s the funny thing about McCann, he’s always trying to score goals.
It’s almost unnerving sometimes how often he slips into the low slot on a
shift, sitting there open, waiting for a pass.
How the hell did he get there? That open?
horvatphx The Provies: McCann leaves no doubt and the emotional JPat
audio you gotta hear
He did in Montreal.
Backhad-to-backfoot-to-forehand, Not long after that entry, Gaunce
scores. The Canucks are up 3-0.
He did it in Glendale.
BEST SUPPORT
Even when it’s a rolling puck, he has the ability to turn it, calm it and put it in
before you could shift gears moving into the HOV lane on Hwy 1.
Say this for Willie, he loves him some Bo.
“If you’re willing to go in those areas, you’ll get your chances,” his coach
would say after the game. “So far, he’s been willing to go there.”
“I’m not worried about Bo’s play. He’s one of the best 20-year-olds in the
league. He is. For sure. He gets some real tough minutes. He’ll come
back.
He leads the team in goals. The question isn’t whether he’s going to stay
with the Canucks. It’s how long before he’s on the power play?
“It’s not that he’s lost his way. He’s played hard in different situations. But
he hasn’t been rewared with much.
“It is a thought, for sure,” the coach said. “We’ve talked about it, for sure. I
think both he and Baertschi are power play guys.
“I trust him. It took him a while to get that trust but I do trust him.
“We’ll see. Our power play has been pretty good, but it certainly wouldn’t
be out of the question to see one of those guys on it.
“Or even both.”
“I never shield him from a tough matchup. Ever. I feel he’s as good as we
got defensively. And I’ll use him in all those situations.”
Did I mention how much more comfortable Willie is discussing his players
this year?
@botchford Are the @VanCanucks the only team in the NHL that don't
play their leading goal scorer on the PP? #logic
I have 13 minutes of him talking today, and he did not drop one “real good.”
— Cameron (@cameronmac89) October 31, 2015
BEST ANSWER
You will not hear anything better this weekend than JPat getting choked
up, seemingly wrought with emotion over Bo’s start to the season.
Catching up on Canucks, surprised no review ask on goal 2: glove contact
in crease on glove-side goal = interference pic.twitter.com/mXdFEBNUov
@JustinTillyer @VANcanucks92 got it on tape lol
pic.twitter.com/wATY3zR1DS
— Kevin Woodley (@KevinisInGoal) October 31, 2015
— Miguel (@strombone99) October 31, 2015
Here’s the thing, Downie knew he interfered with Bachman, or at least
knew there was enough there, it could have been overturned, but it didn’t
sink in for Bachman till after the game.
Amazing audio.
Here’s Downie right after the goal, urging the puck be dropped before
there was a challenge.
Cracknell, by the way, has no idea what’s going on here. Why is this guy
yelling hurray up, drop the puck??
Bachman said it was going in either way, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t
worth a challenge.
“It was my first game and I wasn’t really thinking about the challenge at the
time,” Bachman said.
“It didn’t cross my mind. Not until you said that. Bump or not, I wasn’t going
to make the save.
“But now, I’m going to look at it. I think it’s a sensitive call right now in the
league.
BEST STOP WHAT YOU’RE DOING AND LISTEN TO THIS
Maybe JPat had this epiphany in self reflection, and furrowed his brow with
a lump in his throat as felt he was too hard on a 20-year-old, as his heart
grew three sizes.
#Canucks Horvat had 3 shots on goal vs DET on Saturday. Only shots in
past 5 games. So 4 of last 5. Nada.
— Jeff Paterson (@patersonjeff) October 30, 2015
Then again, maybe he just had something caught in his throat
I have it on loop. May become my ring tone.
BEST CAPTION
Screen Shot 2015-10-31 at 1.53.33 AM
Screen Shot 2015-10-31 at 1.52.36 AM
Screen Shot 2015-10-31 at 1.51.54 AM
BEST JUST MISSED
BEST BANDWAGON JUMP
Willie admitted he had McCann pegged for an OT shift against Dallas but
when there was a d-zone draw he felt he had to put Horvat out there
instead.
Honestly, people had more patience for Lee Goren than they do Baertschi.
BEST REVELATION
Even in Phoenix they can’t figure out what the deal was when Vrbata
wasn’t playing with the twins.
Q from Phx reporter: Was that just to get Vrbata going?
Willie: “I think Vrby came to us because he wanted to play with the Sedins.
I don’t think he was on … He wasn’t struggling (without them) but he
wasn’t having as much fun.”
wait, say what?
“You always have more fun when you score. That’s just the way scorers
are. I think he was excited to get back with the and when he got back with
them, he played well.”
I can’t see this being an issue when Willie starts playing Sutter with the
twins again, can you?
BEST WHO KNEW?
Who could have guessed morphing myself and the gman would turn us
into an overlord.
The Canucks have played 11 games, Baertschi has been scratched in
two, benched in four and played 12 minutes on the power play.
He has three assists, 12 shots, is a plus-1, has been one the ice for the
fewest goals against on the team (1), while leading the team in
shot-attempt differential.
I concede you may be right. Maybe he’s out of here by December when
Shink has come for his job.
But now, now he hasn’t been given a chance. Like none.
He hasn’t been handed anything. He’s been in the doghouse from Game
2. He actually has a coach who wants him to play a way I’m not sure he’s
capable of playing.
“That’s the level he may need to get higher at, his battle level,” Desjardins
said.
On his first two shifts against Dallas, he drove the net.
On his third, he did this:
sven1 The Provies: McCann leaves no doubt and the emotional JPat
Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 11.32.35 PM
It was just one of four scoring chances he produced on the night. It led the
team.
BEST ALWAYS THINKING
And after that he was benched.
After being buried as a has-been earlier in the season, Burrows has what?
eight points in 11 games.
So, are you a baeliever?
BEST LOL
What do the fans see? A veteran finally coming through, going to show the
young guys the light?
I’m can’t. I’m sick. I mean, where’s pam?
Or..
NSFW #pshapbotch @botchford @TronArmy
pic.twitter.com/DS6cunLhHJ
Screen Shot 2015-10-30 at 11.36.34 PM
— ZoSo (@ZoSoNuck) October 31, 2015
Trade bait.
BEST WHEELS
Gaunce said he was never too concerned about people criticizing his foot
speed.
“I knew it was going to come soon enough, because I was never a slow
skater. It was just something I needed to work on to make it a good part of
my pro game.
“I think it’s showing now.”
It sure did on that icing he saved, which led to his goal.
gaunce1 The Provies: McCann leaves no doubt and the emotional JPat
BEST GIF
Your 1st star of the night….. Luca Sbisa!!! pic.twitter.com/axnAR59Edm
— Nadine (@Blame_Tanev) October 31, 2015
BEST CONTROVERSY
Not from @EASPORTSNHL game this is for real @botchford @mrviddles
pic.twitter.com/g25QIglgHM
— Bigshaw (@sniperdude17) October 31, 2015
Sbisa was fine tonight. He had good moments. Not-so good moments. It’s
been this way most of the year.
Without question, the glaring, holy shit, mistakes are way, way down.
Maybe that’s because of who he is playing with (helps) but also, he’s just a
little more comfortable with this team.
He’s not light years from where he was last year, but he is better.
And he’s had far better games than he had tonight.
He was minus-11 in shot attempt differential, but given most of the game
the Canucks were up by at least two goals, it’s not that significant.
He was on the ice and not exactly doing great things on the second or third
goals.
Really, the first start was Bachman, who was playing his first game of the
season for a coach who was ambivalent about playing him against a team
that’s scored some goals and playing for a team that’s blown some leads.
Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.31.2015
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Vancouver Canucks
TronArmy Presents: The Jason Botchford Avatar Challenge
October 31, 2015. 12:05 am
Jason Botchford
TronArmy started small. We did face swaps using basic apps on our
smartphones finding an outlet that was small but enjoyed within sports
media. There have been people using photoshop for years but
#photoshap was different. Photoshop was more creative and smarter, It
was a form of sports coverage that was similar to writing but captured a
certain point that wasn’t always easy to convey in text.
I loved it and soon found others that had the same interests. We learned
the apps together growing from a few to many very quickly. With help from
local features in the game night blogs like The Provies and The Six-pack
more eyes saw our work and helped propel @TronArmy into existence.
Fast forward to today, @Tronarmy is close to 450 followers and with help
from Botch, part of Province Sports network.
We have all had a lot of fun doing all these #pshaps. As we take this step
onto a new platform I want everybody that has contributed art and grown
their photoshop skills with me to be proud of how far this has come. Lets
ride this wave of #shap as far as it goes.
Okay let’s get on with it.
Jason Botchford Avatar Night
Jason Botchford (@Botchford) is the main reason you’re reading this right
now, it is with his help that I was able to get this new platform all figured
out. To thank him I decided it would be appropriate for him to face the
critique of the troops and have us design him a new avatar.
I’ll use this space to break down some of the entries from the night and
announce Botch’s picks for his new Avatar.
Vancouver Province: LOADED: 10.31.2015
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Vancouver Canucks
As Canucks president, Trevor Linden gets his second chance at the Cup
DAVID EBNER
Published Friday, Oct. 30, 2015 4:20PM EDT
Last updated Friday, Oct. 30, 2015 4:59PM EDT
As lunch ends, a bottle of red arrives. Trevor Linden’s famous in this town.
Better word: beloved. The wine is an offering from a nearby table of older
gentlemen. Mr. Linden demurs.
On the way out, Mr. Linden thanks the group, their table crowded with
multiple bottles. “How’s it going, boys?” Mr. Linden’s voice is jovial,
fraternal, like he’s greeting close friends. “It looks like you have a lot better
afternoon than I have.”
“We’re working on it,” says one of the men, smiling broadly. There’s no
prodding about the prospects of the Vancouver Canucks.
“Trust me, I appreciate the offer,” says Mr. Linden. He’s late for a meeting.
Mr. Linden’s stature in Vancouver was first forged on the ice. In 1988-89,
when he was an 18-year-old rookie, he scored 30 goals for the then-woeful
Canucks. Five seasons later, he led Vancouver to the cusp of the Stanley
Cup.
He wears the scars. His nose takes a distinct leftward dart near the tip. He
broke it in his first playoff series, in 1989. He broke it again, a puck to the
face, early in the 1994 Cup final against the New York Rangers. In Game
7, Mr. Linden scored two goals, but the Canucks lost 3-2.
It made his legend around here.
Mr. Linden retired as a Canuck in 2008, a week before his 38th birthday.
The team was in ascent. In 2011, propelled by the Sedin twins, Vancouver
again came within one win of the Cup. Thereafter, slowly then suddenly,
the team fractured. By the spring of 2014, it was in pieces – the Canucks
crawled to their worst finish in 14 years.
The owners, the Aquilini family, turned to Mr. Linden two days before his
44th birthday. The hockey hero, a member of the Order of Canada, was
installed as the boss. It was a rescue job, a slog that might take several
years to arrest the downward spiral and spark a new future.
Mr. Linden had been a leader – long-time captain of the Canucks as a
player; president of the NHL players’ union for eight years; and
experienced in business after he retired from the game. But he had zero
management experience. He was a rookie, again.
“I’m not afraid,” Mr. Linden says between bites, “to go into a situation and
ask questions.”
We eat at Chambar, near Rogers Arena. The restaurant interior is all brick,
exposed wood, and surreal lights crafted by Omer Arbel, an internationally
lauded local. Mr. Linden sits to my left, rather than across the table. It’s
instinct: he always aims to stoke connection.
When we sit down, we talk about backcountry skiing, a shared interest.
Linden had just watched a film about Whistler’s 50th anniversary,
chronicling the mountain’s transformation from wilderness to global resort.
“I love those stories of people who were pioneers,” says Mr. Linden, “and
had the vision and the fortitude to keep driving and to build something
really special.”
He cuts a sharp figure. On game nights he prefers slim black suits, no tie,
his white-collared shirt a couple buttons open. Today he’s in a black
sweater, white-collared shirt, grey slacks. He gesticulates when he
speaks. His trim beard is turning white and grey. He eats steak, medium
rare, and spurns dessert.
really listens. He’s genuine, and he’s got a business savvy. It does not feel
like he is a rookie.”
Mr. Linden brought a principal ethos: rebuild the Canucks as a top team
through the annual NHL entry draft. In the decade before, the Canucks’
draft record was among the worst. His general manager, Jim Benning, had
deep roots in amateur scouting.
When Mr. Linden was hired, he moved fast on some fronts – firing the
head coach and hiring Mr. Benning – but slow on others, taking time to
assess key staff. He learned how the franchise worked before he made
more sweeping moves this past summer – firing two assistant general
managers, promoting a new boss of amateur scouting, and hiring a new
medical guru.
The Aquilinis want everything – the current team competitive, in the playoff
race, while simultaneously building the Canucks of the future. It is, thinking
of business outside hockey, much like corporations such as IBM or
Corning or General Electric, walking a tightrope from past to future, riding
out the last generation of success while stoking the potential of future
gains.
It isn’t easy. Just ask the people who ran Research In Motion.
Mr. Linden has one of the oldest teams in hockey – the Sedins turned 35 a
month ago. “Everybody knows it doesn’t last forever,” he says. The
Canucks made the playoffs last spring, but there’s no guarantee this
season. The future looks somewhat brighter, though, with many more
young players on the roster than usual. Mr. Linden’s stamp.
The fall from the heights of 2011 has made the team a harder sell. Rogers
Arena isn’t full; tickets are still among the most expensive in hockey. “Our
fans are great,” he says. “But I understand the uncertainty. They’ve gone
through a tremendous degree of success.”
Hiring Mr. Linden was a big-time bet – a significant risk – for the Aquilinis.
The family is worth an estimated $2.8-billion. The Aquilini patriarch is
84-year-old Luigi, an immigrant from Italy whose bottom-line maxim is:
“You make money when you buy, not when you sell.” The family’s fortune
is eclectic and sprawling, everything from real estate to blueberries.
Mr. Linden meets monthly with Luigi and his sons, Francesco, Roberto
and Paolo.
“Luigi is a guy who wants to be in the fields talking to the guys,” says Mr.
Linden. “He’s the guy figuring out a better way to plant the cranberries.
Having the opportunity to spend some time with Luigi has been really,
really cool. He just has a real love for business.”
The Canucks are the family’s crown jewel. The purchase was led by
Luigi’s eldest son, Francesco, buying half of the team and the arena in
2004, and the other half in 2006 – for an estimated total of $300-million. It
did not look like a savvy investment at first. On-ice success helped, and
the NHL’s huge TV deal in Canada last year elevated the worth of all
teams. Forbes Magazine now pegs the Canucks as the fifth-most valuable
NHL franchise, worth $800-million (U.S.), lagging behind a quartet of
Original Six squads – Toronto, New York, Montreal and Chicago.
Forbes estimates Canucks operating income to be almost $50-million a
year, also fifth-best in hockey.
Outside Rogers Arena, the second of three Aquilini Centre
commericial-residential towers is under construction. But the jewel inside
is tarnished. ESPN The Magazine sees plenty of problems. The latest
tally, weighing measures such as bang for the buck, players and stadium
experience, places the Canucks at 112th out of the 122 teams in football,
baseball, basketball, and hockey. The Spurs are No. 1, the Toronto Maple
Leafs dead last.
The Canadian dollar is another problem. The Canucks actively hedge with
forward contracts and other methods to ease the cost of player salaries
paid in U.S. dollars.
Mr. Linden’s focus is the future. In all venues.
In the six years he spent away from the game, Mr. Linden relished intense
adventures – long-distance cycling and backcountry skiing – and building
a chain of local fitness clubs that bears his name.
This summer, he hiked the Grouse Grind – a steep ascent of 853 metres in
the North Shore mountains – several times with Canucks prospects.
Some, initially, couldn’t keep up. “It’s mental,” he says. “You’ve got to push
through. It hurts.”
Chuck Lawson, CEO of L&L Signature Fitness Group Ltd., cites his
partner’s voracious appetite: to learn more and do more. Everything from
the financials to scouting locations. With the Canucks, Mr. Linden is
likewise. Early last season, he visited with the management team of
basketball’s San Antonio Spurs, regarded as among the best in sports.
Mr. Linden does the hike in under 40 minutes. Fast. The Sedins – “they’re
freak shows,” he says – do it in 32. Sven Baertschi’s first time up, the
23-year-old winger took 52 minutes. Turning to Mr. Linden at the top, Mr.
Baertschi said: “That was hard. I know I can do better.” By summer’s end
Mr. Baertschi was under 40 minutes.
Victor de Bonis, the Canucks’s chief operating officer, is a two-decade
veteran of the front office. Before Mr. Linden rejoined the franchise, morale
had soured. “He really sparked the company,” says Mr. de Bonis. “He
Last winter, Mr. Linden hit the road with his amateur scouts in small
arenas, watching juniors from Sarnia, Ont., to Everett, Wash. “Spending
time, asking questions,” he says. Dan Palango was on two of those trips.
He is an old Mike Gillis guy, hired by the former Canucks boss, and liked
Mr. Linden from the start.
“This business is a jungle,” says Mr. Palango. “He doesn’t pretend to have
all the answers. He forms sound judgments and he engages us. He makes
people feel valued. It makes the long drives easier.”
The future emerges in names such as Bo Horvat, 20, Ben Hutton, 22, and
Jared McCann, 19. Whether they, in three, four, five years, will help the
Canucks rival Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers or Sean Monahan’s
Calgary Flames is unknown.
This is Mr. Linden’s second chance. No NHL team has come as close to
the Cup as Vancouver without winning. “I have moved on from ‘94,” he
says. “I don’t think often about it – but I do think about the opportunity to
bring a Cup here in the position I am now. That would be so cool.”
----------------------Trevor Linden, President of the Vancouver Canucks
Age: 45
Hometown: Medicine Hat, Alta.
Family: Married to Cristina, 20 years. No children.
Recent reading: Legacy: What the All Blacks can teach us about the
business of life, by James Kerr, examines the culture of New Zealand’s
national rugby team. “The veteran stars sweep the locker stalls,” says Mr.
Linden. “It’s about humility and hard work.” In the spring, Mr. Linden read
about the end of the Ottoman Empire, including a novel by Louis de
Bernières and a biography of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk by Andrew Mango.
Mr. Linden attributes his interest in history to his late hockey mentor,
former Canucks general manager and coach Pat Quinn: “He always had a
story about a great battle back in the 17th century.”
Some musical favourites: Fleetwood Mac, Gregg Allman Band.
Vacations: In May, sightseeing in Turkey with his wife for eight days. “A
great country. I loved it.” In 2014, he took on the mountainous Haute Route
bicycle race from Geneva to Nice, France, which features more than
20,000 metres of climbs.
Favourite local ride: From home in Kitsilano, B.C., over to Lions Bay and
then back via Cypress Mountain, up and down there, and home to Kits.
Ninety kilometres, 3 1/2 hours.
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ESPN / Is the NHL better off now that fighting penalties are down
drastically?
if a fight breaks out in the heat of battle, I have no issue with it. Players still
need to police the game, even if cheap shots are on the decline. And
Scotty, I would've enjoyed playing against the mullet-headed Pierre
LeBrun when we were both 17, but now we'll just have to settle for a good
game of shuffleboard.
As season debuts go, Leon Draisaitl's two-goal performance was about as
good as it gets. Perry Nelson/USA TODAY Sports
Hot or not
Benn Jamie Benn, Dallas Stars
Benn scored the winner and also had an assist in the Stars' 4-3 overtime
win at Vancouver. Benn leads the league with 17 points.
CrosbySidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins
Crosby had a pair of assists in the Penguins' 4-3 win over Buffalo, but he
still has just one goal and five points through 10 games.
Are we seeing the end of fighting in the NHL?
Pierre LeBrun@Real_ESPNLeBrun: Through Wednesday night's games,
136 in total, there were 66 fighting majors handed out, down from 109
fighting majors through the same number of games last season, and down
from 140 fighting majors through 136 games just two seasons ago. We're
talking a 53 percent drop in just two years. We all know fighting has been
down over the past decade, but what we're seeing over the past two years
is a dramatic decline. It's obvious when you look at the composition of NHL
rosters, too, with fourth lines and depth positions being taken by players
with speed or skill, rather than fighters. The game has gotten faster and
faster, especially in the past five years. Your average fourth-liner now has
some speed or skill or energy. Very few traditional enforcers remain in the
game. What's left to ponder is just how low these fighting stats will become
over the next decade.
Scott Burnside@ESPN_Burnside: I wonder how the 17-year-old,
mullet-headed Pierre LeBrun would have felt about these stats.
Personally, I'm completely unsurprised by the drop in numbers. I think the
real question is whether front offices and players have an appetite for
hastening the eradication of fighting. Do they do nothing and let nature
take its course, as fighting slowly dwindles away to nothing as the stats
suggest will happen? Or do they take a proactive stand and perhaps add
harsher penalties for fighting that would almost certainly accelerate what
seems inevitable? Why not make it an automatic game misconduct for
fighters? Or anyone who fights a second time in a game gets the boot? It
would be nice to hear players, GMs and league officials publicly endorse
not just the decline in fighting, but its ultimate elimination. The game is too
good now to see it cluttered up with dust-ups, and it has been for a while.
The stats you noted, Pierre, only reinforce the fact that fighting is not
relevant today, if it ever was.
Craig Custance@CraigCustance: I'm with you guys that these numbers
are a real positive for the sport, and I'm all for highlighting skill over
needless fighting. The other positive is that the serious decline in fighting
has not been accompanied by a huge increase in cheap shots or
additional exposure for the game's stars. That was always one of the
biggest arguments for keeping the fighters in the game. Without them, the
theory went, the rats of the hockey world would operate unchecked and
feel free to take their shots at the skill players. Now that we know the
numbers, it may be worth asking the stars whether they feel any less safe
on the ice, because the outside view is that it doesn't look a whole lot
different. Part of it is a credit to the league. The message sent by shelving
Raffi Torres for 41 games following his head shot on Jakob Silfverberg
was that cheap shots won't be tolerated, especially by those with a long
rap sheet like the one Torres has. There can't be any backslide with that
message. I always liked the comparison to baseball, where if a player
crosses the line you'll still see the occasional bench-clearing brawl. I'm not
against players policing themselves when necessary, I'm just against
fighting for the sake of fighting.
Joe McDonald@ESPNJoeMac: Craig, you mentioned brawls in baseball,
which immediately reminded me of a conversation I once had with Bruins
team president and Hall of Famer Cam Neely. Personally, these so-called
bench-clearing brawls in baseball are a joke. My favorite part is when the
bullpens empty and opposing pitchers run in from the outfield, right next to
each other at some ballparks, and wait until they get into the scrum before
grabbing and screaming at one another. But I digress. A few years ago,
Neely spoke to a group of Red Sox prospects about life as a pro athlete in
Boston. Afterward, I asked him if he talked about brawls, and the harsh
words he relayed confirmed he feels the same way about baseball brawls.
Years ago, I was covering an AHL game and was interviewing a
high-ranking hockey executive when a fight broke out. I asked him what he
thought of fighting in the game. He looked at my recorder and told me to
shut it off. "There's a place for it in the game," he told me. That was a
decade ago. Yes, the game has drastically changed and I'm loving the skill
and speed that dominates today's game, but I also enjoy when players
drop the gloves. I hate staged fighting, and there's no need for it. However,
Around the league
• The Edmonton Oilers overcame a 3-0 first-period deficit to beat the
Montreal Canadiens 4-3, who have now lost two in a row after starting the
season 9-0-0. Rookie sensation Connor McDavid had two assists for the
Oilers, and Leon Draisaitl had a pair of goals in his season debut.
• Defenseman Ron Hainsey lifted the Carolina Hurricanes again Thursday
night, getting his second consecutive winning goal with the overtime
winner in a 3-2 victory over the New York Islanders. Hainsey was also
credited with the winner earlier this week against the Detroit Red Wings.
• Winnipeg Jets goalie Michael Hutchinson continued his mastery of the
Chicago Blackhawks, making a career-high 45 saves in a 3-1 win that
ended the defending Stanley Cup champions' four-game winning streak.
Hutchinson is now 4-0-1 in his career against Chicago.
ESPN LOADED: 10.31.2015
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The 21-year-old forward was standing in front of the net and a point shot
deflected off his body for his first NHL goal.
Sportsnet.ca / Five things we learned in the NHL: Lupul ruling looked
wrong
The club's first-round pick in 2012 wasn't the only NHLer to achieve a
notable first as Buffalo Sabres goaltender Linus Ullmark recorded his
first-career NHL win.
JEFF SIMMONS
Ullmark, 22, stopped 27 of 28 shots against the Philadelphia Flyers to
become the youngest Sabres goalie since Mika Noronen in 2002 to record
a victory.
OCTOBER 31, 2015, 12:41 AM
It was badly needed outing for Buffalo, whose goalies have struggled since
Robin Lehner went on injured reserve with an early-season injury.
It was a busy Friday night of hockey.
The Minnesota Wild got some revenge on the Chicago Blackhawks, the
Buffalo Sabres had one of their most complete performances of the
season and Zdeno Chara contributed his first goal of the 2015-16
campaign.
Here’s five things we learned:
Goalie interference rulings gone wild: It’s honourable that the NHL is using
their replay system to provide more accuracy on rulings on the ice, but it’s
hard to understand one of the decisions from Friday night.
During the game between the Toronto and New York Rangers, the Maple
Leafs appeared to score a clean goal on Henrik Lundqvist 12 seconds into
the third period. As soon as the puck crossed the line, the Rangers
netminder was insistent that he was interfered with by Joffrey Lupul.
The refs reversed the call and despite a challenge from Maple Leafs coach
Mike Babcock, the goal stood.
On second look, it remains debatable that Lupul could be ruled for goalie
interference. He appeared to make slight contact with Lundqvist's skate
while battling for position inside the crease, but didn't affect the play too
much.
We're not sure what the refs or the league saw, so it's unfair to pass too
much judgment, but this sure looked like a clean goal. Goalie interference
has become a league-wide conversation and the NHL needs to get this
right.
Gorges could be facing a suspension: Buffalo Sabres defenceman Josh
Gorges should be expecting a call from the NHL's Department of Player
Safety.
Gorges was ejected from Friday's game against the Philadelphia Flyers
after an ugly looking hit from the behind on forward Matt Read behind the
Sabres' net.
It does look like an bang-bang play while the two players are skating
towards a loose puck, but as Gorges tries to hold his ground, he sends
Read's body flying into the boards at a scary speed. It looked dangerous
on replay.
Gorges received a game misconduct for boarding and a suspension could
be coming along with it.
Zucker likes fast starts: There were plenty of goals (nine in total) in the
highly entertaining match-up between the Minnesota Wild and Chicago
Blackhawks and Jason Zucker got the game started off the bang.
The Minnesota Wild forward scored 18 seconds into the game -- just days
after he set a franchise record by scoring 10 seconds into a game -- to
become the first player in Wild history to score a goal in the opening 20
seconds of a game multiple times in a season, according to NHL PR.
As well, he is now the first player to score in the first 20 seconds of a game
twice in a calendar month since Joe Sakic accomplished the feat in 2001
with the Colorado Avalanche.
Hats for Mats: Coming into this game, Mats Zuccarello had scored 49
career goals. But the New York Rangers forward had never recorded a hat
trick at the NHL level. That changed Friday night against the Toronto
Maple Leafs.
The 28-year-old winger opened the scoring the first period, added an
insurance marker in the third, and sealed the game with an empty-netter
for his first career NHL hat trick. He became just the second Norwegian in
NHL history to achieve the milestone.
According to the Sportsnet Stats department, his countryman Espen
Knutsen did so in 2002 with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Night of firsts: Just one night after making his NHL debut, Brendan Gaunce
achieved a special moment in his hockey journey.
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Sportsnet.ca / West Coast Bias: How long can the Ducks GM defend
Bruce Boudreau?
MARK SPECTOR
OCTOBER 30, 2015, 10:48 PM
Laleggia back to the minors, and call up Draisaitl, fitting his AAV into the
newly created cap space.
Pitlick and Laleggia spent the day and early evening flying to Edmonton,
then back to Bakersfield. But for San Jose, which has called up farmhand
Bryan Lerg numerous times already this season, there is no travel
involved.
The San Jose Barracuda of the AHL play out the same rink as the Sharks,
same as the Winnipeg Jets and the Manitoba Moose. Others, like the
Toronto Maple Leafs, Anaheim Ducks, Philadelphia Flyers and Los
Angeles Kings, it’s less than a two-hour drive from the minor league
dressing room to the NHL team.
The most perplexing story in hockey so far this season is the Anaheim
Ducks. And dangerous too. A guy could file this notebook, go for a beer,
and before his second sip the boss could be calling asking for a piece on
the Bruce Boudreau firing.
Meanwhile, Vancouver’s farm team is in Utica, New York, the furthest
distance between an NHL club and its AHL affiliate. Thus, the belief is that
the Canucks will re-establish an AHL team in Abbotsford, where the
Flames once had their top farm club.
As of this writing however, the Ducks were sticking with Boudreau as their
head coach, and for that we give Anaheim GM Bob Murray much credit.
Firing Boudreau is the easy way out. By keeping Boudreau in charge, the
GM is telling his players that this is their problem to fix — which it is.
HALL OF A TALK
Murray, one GM who seldom speaks to the media, had this to say on
Friday in Anaheim:
“I really don’t like commenting on rumors, but I will say this,” he began. “We
were one game away from the Final just five months ago. So while this has
been a terrible start (1-7-2 with a league-low 10 goals), I’m not inclined to
make rash changes. I’m going to be patient. That said, we are severely
underperforming as a group. I can’t recall a time where a vast majority of
our players have underachieved simultaneously, and I fully expect a
turnaround.”
Good for him. But you wonder if he’ll be singing the same tune if the Ducks
are still in the basement of the Pacific Division a week from now. On one
hand, he’s got far better players than this record shows. On the other, it is
the coach’s job to diagnose the problem and get it fixed.
“We need to start having a sense of urgency,” said Ducks goalie Frederik
Andersen. “That’s the bottom line. We’ve almost got to treat this as
playoffs time. We can’t think this way but we’ve got to start winning games.
“We’ve got to start thinking of one game as a do-or-die game every night.
We got to realize that.”
PACIFIC DEPTHS
The saving grace for the Ducks? Take a look at the Pacific Division
standings — it’s become the NHL’s weakest division early in the 2015-16
season.
As of Friday morning, here were the point totals of the NHL’s four divisions,
adding up points accrued by every team in the division: Central – 91
points; Metropolitan – 85; Atlantic – 79; Pacific – 62.
Of course, there are only seven teams in the two Western Conference
Divisions, and eight in each Eastern Division. But the math on the average
points totals for each division isn’t dissimilar: Central – 13.0 points;
Metropolitan – 10.6; Atlantic – 9.9; Pacific – 8.9.
Now, if the Ducks regain form and Montreal cools a tad, the end-of-season
math should support our theory that the Atlantic is the NHL’s weakest
division, while the Central is the strongest by far. But right now, it seems a
lock that the Central will place five teams in the Western Conference
playoffs, and the Pacific only three.
FREQUENT FLYER MILES
An advantage is emerging — especially out West — over roster movement
between teams and their AHL affiliates.
When players are called up — even if it is just a paper move for cap
purposes — that player has to physically travel to that NHL city. Even if it
means a round-trip day from Bakersfield to Edmonton, and back to
Bakersfield, as it did for a pair of Oilers farmhands this past week.
You’ve seen the move before — Toronto made it last week — but here is
why it happens, using the Oilers as an example:
Edmonton wanted to call up Leon Draisaitl, but in order to do so they
needed cap space. The answer was to move Jordan Eberle on to Long
Term Injured Reserve. But the closer a team is to the cap ceiling at the
time of the LTIR move, the more relief the move buys them.
So Edmonton identified the salaries of farmhands Joey Laleggia and Tyler
Pitlick as the combination that brought them closest to the $71.4 million
cap, and recalled them. Then they put Eberle’s $6 million on LTIR, and that
effectively raises Edmonton’s functioning cap to $77.4 million, as long as
Eberle remains on LTIR. Moments after that, they assign Pitlick and
Speaking of that Canadiens-Oilers game, when Draisaitl awoke at 3:45
a.m., flew all day, then scored two goals in a 4-3 win, this post-game quote
from head coach Todd McLellan caught my ear:
“(Draisaitl) started slow. Hallsy pulled him aside and said, ‘Let’s go. Relax.
You are a good player.’ Then I felt he was more involved.”
One of my favorite moments in recent hockey history along these lines
came back in 2013, in Game 4 of the Chicago-Detroit series, when
Jonathan Toews took three consecutive minor penalties. Remember
defenceman Brent Seabrook’s visit to Toews in the box, settling the Hawks
captain down with some wise words?
Hall doesn’t turn 24 until Nov. 14, but has quietly matured into a leader
among those younger Oilers who have been embroiled in their everlasting
rebuild. I suspect he’s on the radar of GM Peter Chiarelli as a possible
trading chip with enough value to bring in the quality defenceman the
Oilers desperately need. But when it’s all said and done, I predict Hall —
who has 10 points in 11 games this season — will be deemed too valuable
to part with.
UP IN FLAMES
Joni Ortio started in goal Friday night against Montreal, his first home start
since March of 2014. All six of his appearances in 2014-15, and his first
three games this season, all came on the road.
Maybe it’s just because he’s a Finnish goalie from Turku who plays for the
Flames, but what I’ve seen of Ortio I’ve always quite liked. Of course, I’ve
always said Miikka Kiprusoff was the underrated goalie of his generation.
It’s quite clear that the Flames — which had 11 points through 10 games
last season, and just four this year — messed up by signing Karri Ramo
and carrying three goalies into the season. Now Hiller is out at least a
week with a lower-body injury, and Ramo has been called back up. The
result is a group of goalies that likely don’t have much confidence
combined, as it requires to be a successful NHL No. 1.
PRUST FOR BUST
Many Canucks fans lamented the trade of 24-year-old Zack Kassian and a
2016 fifth-round pick to the Montreal Canadiens in exchange for Brandon
Prust, who is 31. But it was viewed in the Canucks front office as addition
by subtraction, and perhaps people got some insight after Kassian ended
up leaving the Habs to enter into Stage 2 of the NHL/NHLPA Substance
Abuse and Behavioral Health Program.
But now Prust is out 4-6 weeks with an ankle injury, and this becomes the
deal that both teams may have lost.
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Sportsnet.ca / The 10 scariest starts of the 2015-16 NHL season
JEFF SIMMONS
OCTOBER 30, 2015, 8:19 PM
"It's not really hockey," Karlsson told reporters. "It's about who holds on to
the puck the longest. Who cheats the most. Small stuff like that. It's kind of
boring."
Toronto's special teams: No one in their right mind was expecting much of
the Toronto Maple Leafs this season, given the talent level on their roster,
but it's safe to say head coach Mike Babcock was hoping for a better
performance from the special teams unit. Toronto ranks in the
bottom-three in both penalty kill (71.9 per cent) and power play (8.7 per
cent). We knew the Leafs would have trouble scoring without Phil Kessel,
but the penalty kill should reasonably be better. It's a small sample, but
those are poor numbers in both categories.
Halloween isn’t all about fun and games. There’s haunted houses, scary
costumes and sometimes people give out apples instead of candy.
Like the popular holiday, the NHL has its share of scary moments too.
Here’s 10 of the scariest starts after one month of the 2015-16 season:
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh Penguins: Crosby recorded two assists on
Thursday night, but that doesn’t make up for the rest of October. The
Penguins captain has only registered points in two games (five points in
total) this season and he was held pointless in eight of his first nine games.
His luck is due to get better but Crosby would be the first to tell you that
he’s had a horrific month of production by his standards.
Jordan Staal, Carolina Hurricanes: The 27-year-old has yet to find his
groove this season. Staal has just two points, both coming on Thursday
night, and he has not registered a goal in any of his 10 games. Staal is
coming off a disappointing year so expectations weren't huge for the
Hurricanes centre, but there's no doubt that the club expects more
production.
Semyon Varlamov, Colorado Avalanche: Varlamov was critical in
Colorado's breakout season two years ago and was fairly solid last year,
but he's had a month to forget in October of 2015. The Avalanche
netminder went 2-3-1 with an ugly .890 save percentage along with a 3.40
goals-against average. The 27-year-old was impressive, stopping 34 of 35
shots, during Colorado's victory on Thursday, so maybe things are about
to get better?
Anaheim Ducks: Yikes. The Ducks are not only last place in the Western
Conference with just one win in their first 10 games, but their
usually-reliable offence has been abysmal. Anaheim has recorded an
average of just one goal per game -- 10 goals in 10 games -- and are the
fourth team in NHL history to score one or fewer goals in eight of their first
10 games (the first since the 1936-37 Blackhawks).
Buffalo's goaltending: The Sabres paid a steep price to acquire Robin
Lehner from the Ottawa Senators last June, but they haven't gotten an
initial return on investment because of an early-season injury. Instead, the
Sabres have faltered in net without a quality backup. Chad Johnson has
handled most of the work, allowing 27 goals in nine games with a .881
save percentage.
Calgary Flames: A lot of people (stats people mostly) could see this
coming from a mile away, but the Flames' first month of the season is still
disappointing. They have the worst goal differential in the entire league
(-20) and have only won two of their first 10 games. They aren't
possessing the puck frequently enough and their goaltending has
struggled on the most part. Getting defenceman T.J. Brodie back in the
lineup should help.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Columbus had one of the worst starts to a season
in NHL history. They lost each of their first eight games, the first team to do
so since the New York Rangers in the mid-1940s, and caused the
organization to replace head coach Todd Richards with John Tortorella.
Does it get scarier than that!?
Detroit Red Wings' possession: It's hard to criticize the Detroit Red Wings
too much. They're adjusting to a new coach after a decade with Mike
Babcock and have gotten great production out of rookie Dylan Larkin, but
there are some red flags with this team. The biggest? Their declining
possession numbers. Entering Friday's action, the Red Wings rank
second-last in the NHL in Corsi For and second-last in Corsi For per 60
minutes. That's not a sustainable way to play and Jeff Blashill needs to
make an adjustment with his team.
Ottawa's 3-on-3 play: It's difficult to make 3-on-3 hockey boring, but the
Ottawa Senators made a good case for it earlier in the week against the
Calgary Flames.
It wasn't the first time Ottawa appeared in 3-on-3 overtime this season and
their risk-averse approach has not been a good fit for the new format. The
Senators have been too conservative, are playing not to lose, and need to
have some more fun with it.
As captain Erik Karlsson put it, it has been uneventful.
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Sportsnet.ca / Should disallowed Maple Leafs goal have counted?
JOE PACK
OCTOBER 30, 2015, 9:50 PM
Twelve seconds into the third period, the Toronto Maple Leafs finally
solved Henrik Lundqvist.
As soon as the puck crossed the line, the New York Rangers goaltender
called to the referee to reconsider, his argument being that Joffrey Lupul
interfered with him in the crease.
The goal was reversed, though Leafs coach Mike Babcock challenged the
alleged goalie interference. The call stood and the Rangers scored soon
after to extend their lead to 2-0, eventually winning 3-1.
Should this goal have counted?
CALL STANDS. NO GOAL. BAD CALL. LEAFS GET ROBBED
— PAT LEONARD (@PLEONARDNYDN) OCTOBER 31, 2015
TO ME, LUPUL TOUCHES LUNDQVIST, BUT PUCK WAS ALREADY
BY.
— KEVIN MCGRAN (@KEVIN_MCGRAN) OCTOBER 31, 2015
The advent of the coach's challenge allows teams to call foul if they believe
a play in their zone was previously offside or if their goaltender was
impeded. Goalies, indeed, should be protected from crease crashers and
dangerous collisions, even skaters keeping them from moving within their
crease.
The Rangers did not use their coach's challenge to reverse the call - the
Leafs did, and lost. But the notion that Lupul made it impossible for
Lundqvist to make a save in his crease is highly questionable.
Though the goal Brendan Gallagher scored on the Detroit Red Wings on
Oct. 18 was of a different context, it's amusing to watch this video and try
to square in your mind how Gallagher's counted and Lupul's didn't.
Lupul appeared to make contact with Lundqvist's skate as he entered the
blue ice and some contact was made between the two as the shot
bounced through the goaltender's pads. Neither instance appeared to be a
clear-cut example of interference.
A goaltender's safety and the integrity of the rules should be paramount in
all situations. But this goal should have counted.
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Sportsnet.ca / Maple Leafs have nothing planned for Phil Kessel return
JEFF SIMMONS
OCTOBER 30, 2015, 9:35 PM
The Toronto Maple Leafs have nothing planned for Phil Kessel‘s return to
the Air Canada Centre on Saturday night, according to Sportsnet’s
Damien Cox.
In the past the Maple Leafs have celebrated their former players, but the
organization has changed their philosophy under new leadership.
It’s nothing personal, Phil.
“This is a bit of a change from (president) Brendan Shanahan and (general
manager) Lou Lamoriello,” Cox said Friday night during his Headlines
segment with Elliotte Friedman. “They’re not going to do that stuff…No
insult to Phil Kessel, they won’t be doing any sort of tribute.”
Kessel spent six seasons with the Maple Leafs, racking up 181 goals and
213 assists in in 446 games, before he was traded to the Pittsburgh
Penguins this past summer.
The 28-year-old has four goals and two assists in 10 games with
Pittsburgh this season.
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That put the Leafs in a familiar and unfortunate state of trailing early.
TSN.CA / Bernier getting every chance at No. 1 job
The club has scored first just once in the opening nine games, the fewest
of any team in the league so far this season. They've led after the first
period just a single time – outscored 10-3 in opening frames despite
out-shooting their opponents.
By Jonas Siegel
2. Disallowed
NEW YORK – When Mike Babcock announced his goaltending plans for
the coming weekend he made it clear there was an opening for Jonathan
Bernier.
Bernier would start Friday against the Rangers, the Leafs coach said, and
a decision regarding Saturday's starter would be made on the hour or so
plane ride back to Toronto.
Babcock didn't end up needing that flight home to make up his mind.
Bernier's performance in New York made that decision easy; he'll start
again versus the Penguins on Saturday. "I thought Bernier had his best
night of the year," said Babcock after another close defeat, this time a 3-1
decision against the Rangers – the Leafs eighth in nine games to start the
year.
The Leafs appeared to have tied the score at one point 12 seconds into the
third frame, but Joffrey Lupul, pitched in front of Lundqvist, was ruled for
goaltender interference.
"I was just trying to get to the net and battle for position there," said Lupul,
who would later score the Leafs only goal of the game. "I saw the shot
coming through and I didn't feel like I touched Lundqvist, but obviously
they saw it differently."
The goal was disallowed initially and then confirmed by video review after
the Leafs challenged the play.
"He's a guy who plays deep anyway and so to me you could be in the
blue-paint playing against him and not disrupt him because he's not out of
the paint anyway. They obviously must've thought we did," said Babcock.
"It's unfortunate for us – we could've used that goal."
Stopping 23 of 25 shots, Bernier stood just about toe to toe with Henrik
Lundqvist at the Garden. He was strong, sturdy and square to the puck,
keeping the Leafs close in a game that offered little room for error.
"It's a close play," said Lupul. "[But] if you don't get in front of these guys
like Lundqvist and Price and these top guys you're not going to score.
Ideally we'd like that goal to count. They saw it differently."
"Tonight was probably one of my best games of the year," Bernier said,
concurring with his coach's sentiment.
Toronto has scored one goal or less in five of their nine games.
The only two goals to beat him – both from Mats Zuccarello, who ended up
with three on the night – were back-side attempts that he had no chance to
stop.
"I just thought he was solid," Babcock observed. "I'm a big believer that the
coach and the players are responsible for anything back-side and [the
goalie] is responsible for what's in front of [him]."
It was a welcome showing for the Leafs coach.
Babcock has been pushing his struggling No. 1 to emerge throughout the
fall, giving him every opportunity to seize control of the crease. He offered
Bernier the first two starts of the regular season despite a subpar
preseason and then challenged the 27-year-old to step up his game, both
publically and privately, last week.
Struggling at times in first periods (though better of late), Bernier had
compiled a .902 save percentage in his first five starts. He remains winless
– goal support has been hit or miss – despite Friday's stable showing.
"Bernier can do the same thing for us," Babcock said, when asked if he
was envious of the Rangers and their reliability in goal with Lundqvist, who
was sharp with 24 saves.
"We believe that he has an opportunity to be real good for us."
He held the Leafs in a close affair. The Rangers grabbed the lead midway
through the opening period and from there it was a showdown between the
two goaltenders in a game of limited chances.
Bernier made a stick save on Ryan McDonagh on a New York power-play;
a composed stop of a Jarret Stoll deflection; and then an anticipatory
turndown of Chris Kreider on a backhand redirect off the rush.
He made all the stops he was supposed to make, which was not always
the case in his earlier appearances this fall. "Bernier was really, really
good for our team to help us stay in a one-goal game on the road," Dion
Phaneuf said after the loss.
The Leafs need more of that from the goaltender they hope to cement as
their No. 1.
Along with ineffective special teams and a sometimes punchless offence,
below-average play between the pipes has held the one-win club back on
more than a few nights early this season. More efforts like Friday, both
from the Leafs and their goaltender, will help change that fact.
"Obviously it's not the start that I wanted," said Bernier, who fell to 0-5-1
this season, "but I've just got to stick with it shot by shot and not really
focus on the end-result."
Five Points
1. Scoring first
Completing a tic-tac-toe connection off some confusion in the Toronto end,
Zuccarello gave the Rangers the lead midway through the opening period
Friday.
3. Penalties
A point of focus all week, Leaf special teams took a half-step forward on
Friday. Toronto's penalty kill, which gave up four goals in losses to
Montreal and Arizona, was sharp in stopping the Rangers in all three of
their attempts on Friday.
But the Leafs continued a season-long struggle to draw penalties. They
did not draw a single power-play in New York and have drawn the fewest
of any team in the league this season (23).
Treading carefully, Babcock implied that some calls might have gone his
team's way Friday given how close the action was and how much time they
spent in the offensive zone. "We've just got to work harder and hope that
you get treated fairly and they make the calls," he said.
The Leafs have gone six straight games without a power-play goal and
have just two all season.
4. Deployment
Deployment has changed in many regards for the Leafs under Babcock.
One example is the manner in which he's employed the club's so-called
top line of Nazem Kadri, James van Riemsdyk and Leo Komarov. Each
player on that unit has started more than 70 per cent of their shifts (off a
faceoff) in the offensive zone.
The tactic, used maybe most effectively with the Sedin twins in Vancouver
under Alain Vigneault (now the Rangers coach), gives the skilled likes of
Kadri and van Riemsdyk heady opportunity to create in the offensive zone
while minimizing the amount of time spent defending.
[The line, which finished with better than 60 per cent zone starts on Friday,
actually had an offensive zone faceoff result in the first Rangers goal. The
second New York goal also started with the Kadri line in the offensive
zone.]
In contrast, Babcock has buried a checking unit that's typically featured
Daniel Winnik, Nick Spaling (when healthy) and Lupul. Facing off against
the opposition's best each night, that trio has started less than 40 per cent
of their shifts in the offensive zone – the lowest such marks on the team.
5. Robidas
Saturday marks a month since Stephane Robidas last skated.
The 38-year-old has been a ghost, not seen around the team since a
morning skate on Oct. 3 – the final game of the preseason.
Circumstances around his injury are somewhat mysterious.
Robidas was, by his own account, healthy at training camp. According to
the team, he suffered a strain in his knee – which then troubled his groin –
on the day of that early October skate, the day before the penultimate
round of cuts. The timing was convenient for both player and team as
Robidas appeared on the verge of not making the final roster.
He's been on injured reserve since.
Leafs general manager Lou Lamoriello couldn't say Friday when Robidas
would take the ice again.
"At this point we have no knowledge of when exactly that will be,"
Lamoriello said of Robidas, who suffered two broken knees in the season
before he joined the Leafs. "What's transpired with him, everything has
caught up with him. The injury that he had and the effort that he put in to
get ready for this season; you strain everything else when you favour the
major injury. He had a serious injury."
Robidas has been in Quebec, set to return to Toronto next week.
Quote of the Night
"Frustration's an absolute waste of time. And you might think it's not, but to
me I don't know why you get frustrated. You just come in tomorrow and
you get better and you keep getting better. They're not dumb – they know
they're doing tons of good things."
-Mike Babcock on the possibility of frustration setting in with the Leafs
stuck on one win.
Up Next
The Leafs host Phil Kessel and the Penguins on Saturday night.
TSN.CA LOADED: 10.31.2015
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TSN.CA / 5 Minute Abbs: Canucks at Coyotes
By Jon Abbott
Five points of interest ahead of puck-drop:
1. Jared McCann hits the 9-game mark tonight. The Canucks rookie leads
the team with 4 goals and sits top 5 in the league among rookie goal
scorers. The mark is a testament to his hard work. Playing the 10th game
is now his goal and that will mean he is officially on the NHL books for the
year. Should that occur, another game to circle is game 39. At times
general managers decide they don't want to shave off a year of his free
agent status and therefore send that player down before the 40-game
mark.
2. Brandon Prust's recovery timeline is now 4-6 weeks, due to an ankle
injury suffered against his former club, Montreal. The news is tough for
Prust, who is in the final year of his contract and was off to a good start with
5 points in 9 games. His absence, along with Higgins, could also increase
the chance of Jake Virtanen getting an extended look, beyond the
10-game mark, as well.
3. Richard Bachman will make his Canucks goaltending debut tonight.
Ryan Miller takes a rest after playing the first 10 games of the season.
Bachman began his career in Dallas and his first NHL appearance was in
Arizona, in relief of Andrew Raycroft on December 11, 2010. Bachman
went 4/4 and prevented Shane Doan from scoring a hat-trick.
4. Although Bachman dressed for Vancouver in the pre-season, his last
"meaningful" game was head-to-head against the Canucks farm team. At
that time Bachman was part of the Oilers organization and playing for
Oklahoma City. His Barons were in Game 7 of the second round vs. the
Utica Comets and of course, Jacob Markstrom. Bachman was brilliant and
stopped 39 of 40 shots, but Grenier would get the goal, Markstrom would
earn the shutout and the Comets would advance to the conference final.
5. The NHL is certainly getting younger when junior teammates face-off
against one another, less than two years removed from the OHL. Tonight
former Knights teammates and frequent linemates over three seasons
together in London, Bo Horvat and Max Domi go head-to-head. At the
same time Jared McCann and Tyler Gaudet will look back on their two
seasons together in Sault Ste. Marie before taking to the ice in Arizona.
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TSN.CA / TSN Hockey's Top 10 Storylines of the Week
By Scott Cullen
After Connor McDavid scored one point in his first four NHL games, there
was lots of wondering about how tough it is to make the jump to the NHL as
an 18-year-old.
Now that he has 11 points during a seven-game point streak, the
questions are now veering towards how high McDavid can finish in the
scoring race.
As Travis Yost wrote, McDavid might be even better than we thought.
Maybe even better than I thought, and I was pretty, pretty high on him.
Stars left winger Jamie Benn has been one of the game’s top power
forwards for five-plus seasons, but he took his game to another level last
year, leading the NHL in scoring with 87 points in 82 games.
Twitter Embed
It might have been a bit of a surprise, for his scoring would reach that elite
level, but Benn has picked up where he left off and again is the league’s
top scorer in the early going.
The Bruce Boudreau Watch continues, only because the Anaheim Ducks
have managed one win in their first 10 games.
He has nine goals and eight assists for 17 points in 10 games, with his
latest goal being the OT winner Thursday night.
After scoring that goal, Benn looked to the skies, paying tribute to a dearly
departed friend.
DROWNING DUCKS
When a Stanley Cup candidate struggles like this, they get closer to
making a decision on the coach’s future, as Darren Dreger wrote.
No one is scoring – they are shooting 3.6% as a team -- and No. 1 centre
Ryan Getzlaf was sidelined by appendicitis. But, other than that,
everything is going great.
If there’s an early difference to notice about Benn and his shots on goal
this season, it’s that he’s getting more tip-ins. If you have the combination
of size and skill to create that space in close to the net, might as well shoot
from there.
I can just see Bruce Boudreau getting on an elevator with GM Bob Murray
about now.
FIGHTING DOWN
The Colorado Avalanche have not been a good puck possession team,
maybe since Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic were running 1-2 down the
middle, but in the early going this season, it’s really bad. Through nine
games, the Avalanche have controlled 40.8% of score-adjusted shot
attempts at even-strength.
Gary Lawless put together a piece on how dramatically fighting has
decreased in the NHL, down 40 per cent from the same time last season,
and it’s been an organic process.
The league hasn’t moved to ban fighting or increase penalties, but they
haven’t had to because, as teams start looking for every edge they can
get, they come to realize that it’s asking a lot to devote a lineup spot for a
player’s intangible benefits when there are more and more measures that
tell them just how much the typical NHL enforcer costs their team in
hockey terms (ie. goals for and against).
On top of that, the decrease in fighting is for the betterment of hockey
players. The Globe and Mail’s James Mirtle had an excellent article
detailing the effects -- including brain trauma and psychological wear – on
many former NHL enforcers, with the late Todd Ewen the centerpiece of
Mirtle’s insightful piece.
With fighting in hockey becoming increasingly rare, how long before the
league delivers the final blow and says, “That’s it. No more.”
CROSBY SLUMP
The league’s best player, the player that I forecasted to lead the league
with 98 points this season, started the season with three points in nine
games and alarm bells started going off.
What’s wrong with Sidney Crosby, asked Frank Seravalli and Penguins
assistant coach Rick Tocchet talked about playing a perimeter game.
“He’s got to attack the net more. I think he’s looking to pass the puck. He’s
got to attack the net more,” said Tocchet. “For me, you can’t play a
perimeter game in the NHL.” Look, no player wants to be accused of
playing a perimeter game, let alone a bull like Crosby, whose trademark
lower-body strength has allowed him to excel in traffic throughout his
career.
Trouble is, the perimeter accusation is hardly an established fact.
Comparing his shots from last season to this, Crosby’s average shot is
about two feet further away than last season. What stands out, though, is
that he’s taking a much higher percentage of wrist shots than he did a year
ago, and has taken all of one slap shot.
Embedded Image
When you look at that plot of Crosby’s shots, does it look like they are all
from the perimeter? To me, it looks like he’s been really unlucky and
Penguins GM Jim Rutherford agreed, “He’s set up a lot of scoring
opportunities that didn’t get converted,” he told Leafs Lunch. “I don’t see
any difference in (Crosby’s) game, other than we haven’t converted the
way that we normally do.”
Five points in 10 games surely counts as a slump for No. 87, but let’s pump
the brakes on what’s wrong with him. Sometimes the puck just doesn’t go
in.
AVALANCHE POSSESSION WOES
In the Behind the Net era (2007 - ), the only team to finish a season with
worse score-adjusted possession numbers were last year’s Buffalo
Sabres, a team actively trying not to win games.
Avalanche head coach Patrick Roy has made no secret of his distaste for
counting shot attempts, which doesn’t make it all that likely that the team
will be able to resolve this problem unless they fall backwards into a
solution.
Of course, a team that doesn’t pay attention to or even scoffs at analytics,
isn’t in great position to fix the situation, because they’re only coming
around to investigate two years after it was widely known to be a problem.
CATCHING UP WITH AUSTON MATTHEWS
The top-ranked prospect for the 2016 NHL Draft, Auston Matthews has
been destroying the Swiss League, putting up 17 points, including a
league-leading 10 goals, in 14 games for Zurich. He’s currently out with an
upper-body injury, but Matthews has done nothing to diminish his stature
as the top draft prospect.
Other top prospects from Craig Button’s mid-October Craig’s List, include
winger Jesse Puljujarvi, who has eight points in 18 games for Karpat in
Finland, defenceman Jakob Chychrun, who has 10 points in 12 games
with Sarnia (OHL), left winger Matthew Tkachuk, who has 17 points in 12
games for London (OHL), and winger Patrik Laine, who has six points in
11 games for Tappara Tampere in Finland. Alex Nylander, playing for
Mississauga (OHL) has 21 points in 14 games.
Coming off a summer when there really weren’t marquee unrestricted free
agents, there is a sense of uncertainty for a couple of the premier centres
in the league who are slated to become free agents in the summer of 2016.
It’s entirely possible that Anze Kopitar and Steven Stamkos will get signed
to long-term extensions, but for every day that they aren’t, the questions
will linger as teams start to wonder if they can secure the services of a
franchise-changing player.
The Insiders make it sound like a Kopitar deal was close at some point, but
it’s not done.
OILERS RECALL NURSE, DRAISAITL
The Edmonton Oilers have a reputation (first and foremost in recent years,
for winning the draft lottery) for playing their high draft picks in the NHL as
teenagers. Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov all made
the jump, but as the Oilers have struggled, the franchise has taken some
heat for rushing young talent.
THE NEXT ONE IS HERE
They started last season with defenceman Darnell Nurse and Leon
Draisaitl on the NHL roster before sending them back to junior, Nurse after
two games, Draisaitl in midseason, after playing sparingly in 37 games.
So, while we examine the demise of the last generational player, it turns
out that the next one might be even better than expected.
So, the Oilers were committed to the long-term plan and letting these
prospects develop in the American Hockey League this year, until injuries
hit and suddenly Nurse and Draisaitl were recalled after playing six AHL
games.
Nurse scored in his first game up and Draisaitl netted two in his first game,
so the Oilers may end up having to find room to keep them around this
time.
Women’s hockey may not necessarily be one of the Top 10 stories of the
week, or maybe it is (depending on who is reading this column), but I’m
seeing a whole lot more on my Twitter feed about the CWHL and NWHL
seasons.
If you've watched Olympic or Women's World Championship hockey,
familiar names dot the leading scorers list, and while these leagues are on
the climb up, it would make mountains of sense for the NHL to offer a hand
in support to these leagues because they attract fans to the sport, fans that
may not always feel welcome otherwise.
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TSN.CA / Dreger Report: Ducks inching closer to point of no return
Darren Dreger joins Mike and Dave for some Bacon and Dregs as the
Toronto Maple Leafs get set to take on the New York Rangers.
Johnston tried to lure Green to Pittsburgh when he made the jump prior to
last season, but Green declined, opting to stay with the Comets and hone
his skills as a head coach in pro hockey.
By Darren Dreger
"If asked two years ago, I would have said I wasn't ready, but I feel like I'm
there now," Green added. "It's never been a sprint for me. I think I've
gone about it the right way and I need to be sure."
The Anaheim Ducks will have to win 52 of their remaining 72
regular-season games to come close to the 109 points and Pacific Division
title won last season. With every loss, Anaheim, a team favoured by many
to win the Stanley Cup, is inching closer to being a non-playoff team.
His ability to connect with younger players is considered one of Green's
strengths. He admits it can be challenging trying to get the best out of each
player, but recognizes working with individual players is a key element to
coaching in today’s game, where younger players can have a prominent
role. However, Green's approach to the game remains very similar to
how he prepared as a player.
Unbelievable.
The urgency of the situation isn't lost on Ducks players, coaches or
management and was driven home by Thursday’s 2-1 loss to the Blues in
St Louis. It was a loss amplified by Tarasenko's tying goal scored on a
two-on-oh, followed by Colton Parayko's game winner on a shot from the
point that sailed wide of the net before ricocheting off the end boards and
into the Ducks net off goalie Frederik Andersen's skate.
"I have a strong belief in how the game should be played,” he said. “If
you're not willing to put it on the line every shift, you're not going to win."
The loss in St Louis comes two nights after a meltdown in Dallas, where
the Stars scored four unanswered goals in a 4-3 win that left Anaheim
demoralized.
NHL clubs are paying attention and Green's name is on the list along with
the aforementioned Stothers and former NHL head coach Bruce Cassidy,
currently residing on the bench of the Boston Bruins affiliate in Providence.
Binghamton Senators coach, Luke Richardson also remains a top
contender among the coaching up and comers.
NHL: Ducks 1, Blues 2
Vladimir Tarasenko tied things up in the second with his sixth of the
season and Colton Parayko's fourth turned out to be the game-winner, as
the Blues handed the Ducks their fifth straight loss.
Bruce Boudreau will require treatment in a local burn unit based on his
media placement on a hot seat that has reached lava-like temperature.
The question now is will Boudreau be behind the bench for the Ducks next
home game on Sunday?
General manager Bob Murray may have more slack left in the rope, or may
opt to make a trade to shake things up. However, a trade can't guarantee
success and it makes little sense to trade Sami Vatanen or Hampus
Lindholm, young defencemen teams are interested in, unless Anaheim is
getting quality young assets back. It’s too early for a transaction like that to
materialize.
"I really don’t like commenting on rumors, but I will say this: We were one
game away from the Final just five months ago," he said on the team's
official website on Friday afternoon. "So while this has been a terrible start,
I’m not inclined to make rash changes. I’m going to be patient.
"That said, we are severely underperforming as a group. I can’t recall a
time where a vast majority of our players have underachieved
simultaneously, and I fully expect a turnaround.”
Bad luck, mistakes, an offence that has dried up with just 10 goals in 10
games and, subsequently, an eroding confidence are among the factors
contributing to the Ducks’ demise.
If Boudreau makes it through the weekend he will have to steer Anaheim
to a lengthy winning streak to get back in the hunt and away from the
crosshairs that target him as the NHL's next coaching casualty.
Going Green
The list of available, experienced NHL coaches is short. However, with the
firing of Todd Richards in Columbus and the ongoing speculation swirling
around the Ducks, inevitably there will be additional changes between now
and next season.
Utica Comets head coach Travis Green's name continues to pop up as a
candidate deemed NHL ready.
Green coached the Comets to the American Hockey League's Calder Cup
final last year before falling to the Manchester Monarchs and another
quality NHL coaching prospect, Mike Stothers.
Green played 970 games in the NHL, and was known for his work ethic
and tenaciousness as an honest and skilled forward during his time with
the Islanders, Ducks, Coyotes, Bruins and Maple Leafs (twice).
After finishing his playing career in 2008, Green joined the WHL's Portland
Winterhawks as an assistant coach and assistant GM and worked under
now Penguins head coach Mike Johnston for five seasons.
"I went to Portland for a reason. Like playing, I needed to learn the trade
and I feel like I gathered 10 years of experience in the five years I was with
Mike," Green told the Dreger Report.
Dreger: Babcock looking for better effort
Green says there were inquiries this past off-season from NHL teams with
interest in talking to him about assistant opportunities, but he feels the
experience he's gaining as a head coach in the AHL is the better path.
Nylander to the rescue
It's all about development in the Toronto Maple Leafs organization these
days and that's not going to change anytime soon. Without a true number
one centre, the Leafs have hope prospect William Nylander will develop to
a point where he vies for the job in the not too distant future.
Embedded ImageNylander is playing centre this season for the Toronto
Marlies and early scouting reports say he is doing very well, playing a lot of
minutes in tough matchups and is committed to focusing on the "Datsyuk
and Zetterberg" details required to be an effective two-way player.
Whether or not Nylander develops as a centre or ultimately finds an NHL
home on the wing is up to him according to Leafs management. There's no
doubt Mike Babcock is invested in all of the young talent ripening on the
farm. Babcock says he speaks with Marlies coach Sheldon Keefe every
day and says with the quality of players Toronto now has in the AHL, it's
important to be patient.
A class act
This may be the one and only time I mention a mascot in the Dreger
Report, however, Iceburgh and his Pittsburgh Penguins made a young lad
very happy during Thursdays Sabres-Pens game. As the attached video
shows, an elderly gentleman, vilified on Twitter for doing so, snatched a
Dan Bylsma puck toss, intended for a boy standing behind the Buffalo
bench, out of mid-air.
The video went viral, but as you would expect, the Penguins made it right a
short time later.
The Worst: Man steals puck from kid
In his return to Pittsburgh, Dan Bylsma throws a puck over the glass to a
young fan but an older gentleman jumps in and steals the puck, fortunately
the Penguins would give the young fan a new puck and a Sidney Crosby
jersey.
Until next week, look forward to the next instalment of Insider Trading,
Tuesday on Sportscentre and TSN.ca
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TSN.CA / Statistically Speaking: Blues' Parayko an impact rookie
defenceman
Leon Draisaitl – Called up from Bakersfield of the AHL, where he had two
points (1 G, 1 A) in six games, the 20-year-old Oilers forward scored two
goals, including the game-winner in a 4-3 win over Montreal. Draisaitl got a
pretty sweet opportunity, skating on the right side with Taylor Hall and
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
ZEROES
By Scott Cullen
A Blues rookie making a difference; Hutchinson, Palmieri, MacKinnon,
Teravainen, Fantasy tips and more in Scott Cullen’s Statistically Speaking.
This season has already provided exciting rookie performances, from
Connor McDavid to Dylan Larkin to Max Domi to Artemi Panarin to Nikolaj
Ehlers, there have been a lot of skilled forwards making a difference right
away.
Nate Guenin, Nikita Zadorov – Colorado’s third defence pairing was
pinned in their own end for most of the night at Tampa Bay as Guenin (3
for, 16 against, 15.8 SAT%) and Zadorov (5 for, 17 against, 22.7 SAT%)
both were on the ice for less than 25% of even-strength shot attempts.
David Desharnais – The Montreal centre failed to record a shot attempt in
13:37 and was knocked off the puck, by Edmonton’s Ryan
Nugent-Hopkins, in the defensive zone on the play that led to Draisaitl’s
game-winning goal.
VITAL SIGNS
But, don’t overlook a St. Louis Blues defenceman who has quickly
established his place on the depth chart, thriving with more ice time in the
absence of Kevin Shattenkirk.
Teuvo Teravainen – With one point in the past six games, and two shots
on goal in the past three, the second-year Blackhawks forward was a
healthy scratch for Chicago’s 3-1 loss at Winnipeg.
Colton Parayko scored a goal and registered 14 shot attempts, with 10
shots on goal, in a 2-1 win against Anaheim Thursday. The 22-year-old
was a third-round pick of the Blues in 2012, and after three seasons at the
University of Alaska-Fairbanks, he turned pro last spring, playing for the
AHL’s Chicago Wolves.
Alexander Semin – It didn’t take long for Semin to fall out of favour but,
after one point in his previous eight games, and one shot on goal in the
previous two, he was a healthy scratch for Montreal’s 4-3 loss in
Edmonton.
The 6-foot-5 blueliner has made an immediate impact on the lineup, and
after a half dozen games, he was suddenly thrust into a prominent role,
playing more than 21 minutes in each of the past four games for St. Louis.
He has five points (2 G, 3 A) in the past five games and has outstanding
possession stats.
DEFENCEMEN SHOT-ATTEMPT PERCENTAGE LEADERS (MIN. 100
5-ON-5 MINUTES)
Tyler Ennis – Just as he was starting to produce, the Sabres winger was
held out of Buffalo’s loss at Pittsburgh due to a lower-body injury.
Jonathan Drouin – The second-year Lightning winger was held out of the
lineup against Colorado due to a lower-body injury, but he’s also been held
without a point, and has only two shots on goal, in his last five games.
FIRSTS
PLAYER TEAM
SAT%
RELSAT%
Jake Muzzin
L.A.
60.5%
5.0%
Brendan Gaunce – The 26th pick in the 2012 Draft, Gaunce made his NHL
debut for Vancouver, playing 10:47 in a 4-3 overtime loss at Dallas. He
had two points (1 G, 1 A) in five AHL games for Utica when he was
promoted.
Aaron Ekblad
FLA
60.2%
13.2%
SHORT SHIFTS
John-Michael Liles
CAR
59.8%
7.6%
Christian Ehrhoff
L.A.
59.7%
4.3%
Hurricanes C Jordan Staal had a couple of assists in a 3-2 win over the
Islanders, his first points of the season…Sabres C Ryan O’Reilly had two
assists and team-best possession (27 for, 9 against, 75.0 SAT%) in a 4-3
loss at Pittsburgh; he has seven points (2 G, 5 A) during a four-game point
streak…Penguins C Evgeni Malkin picked up a goal and an assist against
Buffalo, and has 10 points (4 G, 6 A) in the past eight games…Jets C
Bryan Little had a pair of assists in a 3-1 win over Chicago, and has nine
points (4 G, 5 A) in the past seven games…Stars LW Jamie Benn had a
goal, the overtime winner, and an assist in a 4-3 win vs. Vancouver; he has
a league-leading 17 points (9 G, 8 A) in 10 games…Blackhawks RW
Patrick Sharp scored a pair of goals and had 10 shot attempts (6 SOG),
giving him six points (3 G, 3 A) in the past six games…Oilers C Connor
McDavid had a couple of assists against Montreal, and has 11 points (4 G,
7 A) during a seven-game point streak…Oilers LW Taylor Hall picked up
two assists against Montreal, and has 10 points (4 G, 6 A) in the past eight
games.
Colton Parayko
STL
59.1%
4.0%
Dmitry Orlov
WSH
58.8%
4.4%
Alex Pietrangelo
STL
57.7%
1.5%
Jake McCabe
BUF
56.9%
5.4%
Jay Bouwmeester
STL
56.7%
-0.3%
Barret Jackman
NSH
56.4%
6.2%
A rookie defenceman that is putting up points, handling 20 minutes a night
and quarterbacking the power play? He’s a difference-maker already.
HEROES
Michael Hutchinson – Winnipeg’s goaltender stopped 45 of 46
Blackhawks shots in a 3-1 win. He has a .949 save percentage in four
starts this season. As he did last season, Hutchinson will push Ondrej
Pavelec for playing time.
Kyle Palmieri, Travis Zajac – New Jersey has been surprisingly offensive
this season, and Palmieri had a goal and two assists, while playing a
season-high 19:26, and Zajac tallied a pair of goals in a 4-3 win at
Philadelphia.
Palmieri has five points (2 G, 3 A) in the past four games, and Zajac has
seven points (4 G, 3 A) in the past five games.
Alex Tanguay, Nathan MacKinnon, Jarome Iginla – The Avalanche are
mixing and matching lines, but this one worked well at Tampa Bay
Thursday, scoring both goals in a 2-1 win.
Tanguay played a season-high 20:04, scored his first goal of the season
and added an assist.
Devils G Cory Schneider stopped 27 of 28 shots in a 4-1 win at
Philadelphia, lifting his save percentage to .919 in eight starts…Making his
season debut for the Penguins, Jeff Zatkoff stopped 50 of 53 shots to help
Pittsburgh to a 4-3 win against Buffalo…Avalanche G Semyon Varlamov
turned back 34 of 35 shots in a 2-1 win at Tampa Bay, the second time in
six starts that he’s allowed fewer than three goals.
FANTASY FOCUS
Some players with high on-ice shooting percentages due for regression:
David Krejci – It’s been a wonderful start to the season for the Boston
centre, but his current on-ice shooting percentage is 16.1%; his previous
high was 11.1% in 2008-2009, and most other years have hovered in the
typical 8-9% range.
Mikko Koivu – On a seven-game point streak, the Wild centre has an
on-ice shooting percentage of 14.8%. Over the past four seasons, he
hasn’t finished with an on-ice shooting percentage higher than 7.9%
MacKinnon had a goal and an assist, and has nine points (4 G, 5 A) in nine
games. He’s also averaging a career-high 3.44 shots on goal per game.
Dylan Larkin – Not to rain on the rookie’s brilliant start for Detroit, but
Larkin has a 15.5% on-ice shooting percentage, and given the Red Wings’
overall possession woes, it could be especially dicey to rely on
percentages so high.
Iginla had a pair of assists, giving him five points (1 G, 4 A) in the past five
games and had a season-high six shots on goal. That matters, because
even after that performance, Iginla is averaging 2.22 shots on goal per
game, his lowest per-game rate since 1997-1998.
The counter to those above, some players that are due for better
percentages when they are on the ice:
Radim Vrbata – Production is picking up for the Canucks winger, who has
four points (3 G, 1 A) in the past four games, but an on-ice shooting
percentage of 1.5% is comically low for someone who has finished above
7% in each of the previous five seasons.
David Backes – The Blues centre has just two points in 10 games and is
generating a career-low 1.60 shots per game, but he’s due for a significant
improvement on his 1.5% on-ice shooting percentage. His previous low is
6.7% in 2011-2012.
Marian Hossa – A first-line player who typically has high on-ice shooting
percentages (only once below 8.4% in the past eight seasons), Hossa is
currently riding at 1.7%. It will get better.
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minutes on Monday night, and could see his spot in the lineup threatened
following the signing of Rich Clune on Thursday morning.
By Jonas Siegel
The Leafs, who have scored one goal or less in half their eight games,
could use, if not the offence of his best days, then an injection of what he
provided in recent seasons with Florida - he had 14 goals and 38 points in
78 games last season. He’s trying to get there by reverting back to the
basics.
NEW YORK - It was surely a good while before his father planted a maple
tree 15 years ago - celebrating his son being drafted by Toronto - that Brad
Boyes first envisioned himself scoring a goal with the team that has always
represented home.
“I think now my focus is trying to get better in the other areas,” Boyes said,
“getting harder on the puck and generating more chances by being
simpler; playing a simple game. Just go back to the basics. Get the puck,
put it on the net; get the puck, be hard, go to the net. Once that stuff goes,
stop thinking and then your abilities will open up and hopefully take over a
bit. Start from scratch right now.”
TSN.CA / Boyes searching for long-awaited first Leafs goal
A native of the Toronto suburb of Mississauga, Boyes was traded to San
Jose nearly three years after the Maple Leafs picked him in the first round
of the 2000 draft. About a month into his reconnection with the club, and
more than 15 years since that draft day in Calgary, Boyes continues to
search for that first goal in a Leafs sweater.
He’s yet to score in the opening eight games this season.
“I’ve got to get more chances,” said Boyes, who does have four assists. “I
want to score more obviously, produce more that way.”
He’s also looking to spend more time holding the puck. “It’s get it, hold onto
it, get it to the net,” Boyes said. “So I think those are some things I need to
work on.”
“If I’m a scorer it gives me energy when I score,” Mike Babcock said on the
subject of goal-scoring, especially when it’s not there early in the season.
“Doesn’t matter what the coach tells you when you don’t score, you’re still
pressing more. That’s just the reality of the situation because that’s how
you deem yourself as a scorer.”
“I just want to generate some more chances.”
The first one will surely mean more to Boyes. It’s been a long wait - 15
years and counting.
Boyes was briefly among the most prolific goal-scorers in the league. He
scored 76 goals over a two-year span with the Blues in the late 2000s - tied
for ninth best over that period. His 43 goals in 2007-08 were bettered by
only four players - a hearty group of Alex Ovechkin, Ilya Kovalchuk,
Jarome Iginla, and Evgeni Malkin.
Boyes kept that company for a short time.
Set to turn 34 next spring, he is predictably a different player now. Age
does that. So do changes in the way the game is played.
“When I scored 40 it was a ton off the rush,” Boyes said of what stands as
the top goal-scoring campaign of his 11-year career. “We’d come up with
lots of speed off the rush. Most of our goals were [scored] that way.”
He added 33 goals the following year - 16 on the power play.
Power plays dominated the league in that post-lockout era, the attempt to
eliminate clutching and grabbing sending penalties through the roof.
Boyes took full advantage. He’d set up on his off-wing of the Blues
man-advantage and fire away.
His most common running mates in those days were Paul Kariya, Keith
Tkachuk, Andy McDonald and a young David Backes. With Kariya in
particular, Boyes knew he just had to find an opening and the puck would
be put on his tape every time.
“If I’m with a guy like that, for me it’s just get open,” Boyes said.
He scored 49 goals over the four seasons that followed his 72-point
campaign in 2008-09 - a career-best - reviving his goal-scoring prowess
with a fourth 20-goal campaign in Florida two years ago. A teenage
Aleksander Barkov was his centre most nights as a Panther.
“He was sick,” Boyes said of the now 20-year-old Barkov, picked second
overall in 2013. “He was really impressive.”
Hoping his smarts and 40-point potential could help in a year of major
transition, the Leafs signed Boyes to a one-year contract about 10 days
into training camp.
It’s been a modest start so far - Boyes describes it as “decent.”
A positive driver of possession throughout his career, Boyes has been
about average to his teammates in that respect so far - 51 per cent
score-adjusted. The Leafs, too, have generated about as many scoring
chances as their opponents with him on the ice.
He’s yet to really click with any of the three centres he’s played with
already; Boyes started with Nazem Kadri and has since teamed with Peter
Holland and the recently waived Mark Arcobello. He lined up with a fourth
different pivot on Thursday - Byron Froese, who will play his third NHL
game in New York on Friday.
Boyes, who totaled 35 power-play points in that career year with the Blues,
has yet to register one on a Toronto power play that’s scored just twice all
season. At the team’s most recent practice, he was removed from the man
advantage entirely and was the last player to exit the ice.
He was getting extra work in, firing pucks on James Reimer with his
teammates long gone from the ice. Boyes played a season-low of about 10

sport-scan daily brief

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