2/20 Sportscans

Transcription

2/20 Sportscans

SPORT-SCAN DAILY BRIEF
NHL 2/20/2012
Anaheim Ducks
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Teemu Selanne's milestone goal sparks Ducks in 2-0 win
Hiller, defense 'on the same page'
Ducks stay hot, shut out Florida
Final: Ducks 2, Panthers 0
Boston Bruins
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Bruins left with nothing
Getting back into the grind
Backstrom stops 48 shots and Wild blank Bruins 2-0
Inconsistent Bruins looking for a spark
In Montreal, it’s in the blood
Final: Wild 2, Bruins 0
Game 57: Bruins at Wild
NHL Capsules: Red Wings stretch home winning streak to
23 games
Fourth line delivers first-rate effort
Nothing doing for Bruins
Niklas Backstrom stops 48 shots and Wild blank Bruins 2-0
Buffalo Sabres
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Team effort takes away time, chances from Pens' Malkin
Sabres trounce Pens to snap skid
Everyone deserves blame for Sabres' poor season
Wings maintain hold on top spot
Sabres' Leopold loses young friend to cancer
Quick warmup notes: Light down from the ceiling
Roy shows signs of his go-to persona
Roy leads Sabres to rout of Penguins
Roy scores twice in Sabres 6-2 win over Penguins
Calgary Flames
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Flames keep pushing for the playoffs
Smokin'! Flames have been on fire since Boston Beatdown
Cause deeply personal to Tanguay
Oilers, Coyotes, Flyers to face Flames
Carolina Hurricanes
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Islanders' Tavares schools Canes again
Chicago Blackhawks
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Blackhawks' power play continues to sputter
Blackhawks top Blues for 3rd win in row
Dave Bolland the beneficiary of a lucky bounce
Blackhawks 3, Blues 1: Another strong game for Corey
Crawford
Blackhawks rally past Blues
Blackhawks’ Crawford shows best defense starts in goal
Blackhawks rally for third straight win
Colorado Avalanche
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Avs' Mueller's stay on IR could be short after torso injury
Avalanche hurts playoff chances with loss at Winnipeg
Jets beat Avs 5-1, tie Leafs for 8th in East
Dallas Stars
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Detroit Red Wings
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Rangers 3, Blue Jackets 2 (OT): Nash’s heroics wasted in
defeat
Blue Jackets notebook: Howson meets with GMs, but no
deals yet
Jackets-Rangers summary
Season status report
Blue Jackets: Nash’s heroics wasted in overtime loss to
Rangers
War of words
Detroit Red Wings 3, San Jose 2: Wings stretch home
winning streak to 23 games
Detroit 3, San Jose 2: 23rd straight home win gives Red
Wings all-time NHL record
Red Wings 3, Sharks 2: Notes, quotes from Sunday's win
Red Wings' Joey MacDonald saves the day
Drew Sharp: Red Wings' home winning streak will mean
more if Stanley Cup follows
23 and counting! Red Wings' home cookin' continues
Grinders' speed makes Red Wings' day
Red-hot Wings: Joey MacDonald saves home win streak
again as it hits 23
Red Wings' Joey MacDonald appreciates crowd support as
he continues remarkable run in net
San Jose Sharks become Detroit Red Wings' 16th victim
during NHL-record winning streak
oaltender Joey MacDonald's NHL numbers better than he
posted in minors
Drew Miller goals usually mean good things for Detroit Red
Wings
Red Wings edge Sharks, 3-2, run home winning streak to 23
games
Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk garners top spots in several
categories, including smartest player, in NHLPA poll
Poll: What should the Detroit Red Wings do before the
trading deadline?
Red Wings laud play of 'fast, hard' third line
Red Wings win record 23rd straight at home
Lightning deal Kubina to Flyers instead of Wings
Edmonton Oilers
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Columbus Blue Jackets
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Poll places Stars' Jamie Benn, Loui Eriksson among most
underrated players in NHL
Sinking Stars continue to be more talk than action after
another loss
Dallas Stars come up short again in one-goal game
Stars' Glen Gulutzan expects to ride Kari Lehtonen through
stretch run
Jamie Benn, Sheldon Souray will make trip with Stars, but
may not play
Three stars: Michael Ryder shines for Stars, but Shea
Weber takes top honors
Former Star James Neal signs six-year, $30-million
extension with Pittsburgh
Canucks school young Oilers
Oilers lose game, Khabibulin
Oilers not giving Krueger much help
Paajarvi pickin' up steam
Singin’ the same old song
Canucks down Oilers 5-2
Schneider 'fine' backing up Bobby Lu
Florida Panthers
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Anaheim Ducks (24-24-10) at Florida Panthers (27-19-11), 6
p.m. (ET)
Florida Panthers fall to Anaheim Ducks, losing third
consecutive game
Bad Things Come in 3s for Panthers: Cats downed 2-0 by
Ducks ..
Florida Panthers lose third straight at home
Los Angeles Kings
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Sutter mulls lineup changes
Brown, Stoll, Penner updates
Minnesota Wild
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Wild snaps seven-game skid
Blues' Jackman breaks 150-game goal drought against Wild
The Wild's week ahead
For Brodziak, day couldn't get much better
If it's Hockey Day somewhere, Rau is a scoring threat
Wild-Boston game recap
Kyle Brodziak receives 3-year contract extension; Wild shuts
out Bruins
Marek Zidlicky back in Wild's lineup against Bruins
Wild 2, Bruins 0: Niklas Backstrom blanks champs
Minnesotan Chad Rau delivers spark that ends Wild's sevengame losing streak
Montreal Canadiens
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Montreal Canadiens honour Gary Carter with pre-game
tribute
Devils deal Habs playoff setback
Canadiens, Brodeur, Robinson remember Gary Carter
Devils shut down Canadiens to win 3-1
Hal Gill: "We really came to love Montreal as a family"
Jack Todd: Pierre Gauthier's secrecy does the Canadiens
more harm than good
About this evening …
Canadiens sleepwalk through listless matchup with the
Devils
Nashville Predators
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Weber, Rinne send Predators past Stars
Nashville Predators beat Dallas Stars
Gill is relieved his late penalty didn't cost win
Timely goal helps make Predators winners in Gill's debut
New Jersey Devils
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The Lesson of Neal Broten
Devils-Canadiens: As they play
Growing up in Montreal, Devils goalie Martin Brodeur knew
Gary Carter
Devils' Ilya Kovalchuk hasn't given Zach Parise contract
advice
Stiff back will keep Kurtis Foster out of Devils' lineup vs.
Canadiens
Fourth-place Devils showing their toughness
Devils defeat Canadiens 3-1 in possibly Martin Brodeur's
final game in his hometown
Devils' Martin Brodeur beats Canadiens after dad undergoes
brain surgery
Brodeur able to block out his dad's illness as Devils beat
Canadiens
Bests Habs despite father’s surgery surgery
Parise, Clarkson help Devils beat Canadiens
New York Islanders
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Nabokov to talk contract with Islanders
New York Rangers
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Flashy Moves, a Quick Strike and a Win
NY Rangers coach John Tortorella says officials got it right
in disallowing Michael Del Zotto’s goal
NY Rangers put aside Rick Nash trade rumors, beat
Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime on Derek Stepan's goal
Columbus’ Nash can’t beat Rangers, but may join ’em
Tortorella finds right Rangers crew '4' overtime
Stepan's OT goal lifts Rangers over Blue Jackets
Rangers beat Columbus in overtime, 3-2
Blue Jackets ace deflects Ranger rumors
Rangers beat coveted Rick Nash, Blue Jackets in overtime
NHL
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One-timers
A wild year for Wheeler in Winnipeg
Snakes on a plane? Not these days in the NHL
Kiprusoff anchors Flames’ ROWing team
Ottawa Senators
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NHLers take notice of underrated Sens
Gonchar makes case to stay with Sens
Game Day: Sens vs. Isles
Philadelphia Flyers
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Pronger may seek out Primeau
Flyers forced to get defensive
Kubina gives Flyers a needed enforcer
Pronger may turn to Primeau for recovery guidance
Veteran defenseman Kubina acquired for two picks
Holmgren makes case for the defense
Flyers' concussed captain facing long-term longshot
recovery
Flyers Notebook: On the Sunday, Trader Paul rested
Bryzgalov looks, feels 'strange,' Flyers lose to Penguins
Flyers Fight For Lives: Lauren Pronger talks about husband
Chris' status
McCAFFERY: Flyers’ goalie roulette again igniting unrest
Flyers' acquisition of big defenseman Kubina confirmed
Flyers' concussed captain facing long-term longshot
recovery
Flyers Wives Carnival still a great family event
Pronger's wife: Chris' status 'very disheartening'
Ducks' Selanne bounces back after benching
Babcock, Red Wings break Flyers' wins record
Leach excited to be back at Wives Carnival
NHL Wrap: Devils overtake Flyers in standings
Phoenix Coyotes
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Coyotes likely to stay quiet with NHL trade deadline looming
Pittsburgh Penguins
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Pens look sluggish in loss to Sabres
Penguins extend James Neal's contract
Penguins' answers within
Penguins still have faith in goaltender Johnson
Penguins re-sign winger Neal to six-year extension
Lackluster Sabres able to get the best of passionless
Penguins
Penguins never catch up as Sabres rule, 6-2
Penguins sign Neal to $30 million contract extension
Poor play brings out the best in Buffalo's struggling lineup
Penguins Notebook: Neal comfortable with team, contract
San Jose Sharks
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San Jose Sharks fail to snap Detroit Red Wings' home
streak in 3-2 loss
Idling San Jose Sharks need to add another gear (goal
scorer)
Wings tip Sharks for record home winning streak
Red Wings down Sharks 3-2, extend home streak to 23
Pavelski concerned after taking puck to the head
St Louis Blues
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Hockey Guy: Blues find goaltending strength in numbers
Third Period: Blackhawks 3, Blues 1
Wild's Peters has hearing for cross-check on Backes
Blues are still finding goals hard to get on the road
Blues can't break pattern in loss to Chicago
Tampa Bay Lightning
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Kubina: Lightning 'belong to my heart'
Kubina says Lightning will always "belong to my heart"
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mattias Ohlund to have
major knee surgery
Defenseman Pavel Kubina: 'It's hard to leave' Tampa Bay
Lightning
Toronto Maple Leafs
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Maple Leafs go back to the drawing board... again
Jets beat Avs to pull level with Leafs
Five NHL games to watch
Which Jacket fits best?
Being prepared for a second career is a must for pro athletes
NHL trade deadline: Maple Leafs among teams looking to
trade
Oldest living Toronto Maple Leaf Wally Stanowski on the
Stanley Cup, sex and why he hates the Leafs
Five answers after Canucks beat Leafs 6-2
Funky time for Leafs
Leafs aim for home edge
Vancouver Canucks
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Cory Schneider is 'all about wins'
'Under-achieving' Canucks roll over Oilers
Canucks Game day: Cory Schneider's motto: Just win, baby
Overrated? No. Disliked? Oh Yeah
Canucks lead NHL in road wins after victorious game
against Edmonton
League's second best road team begins last long trip of
season in Edmonton
Schneider provides good insurance against a let-down game
Trade or stand pat? A fan's point of view
Washington Capitals
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Uneven Capitals haven’t won consecutive games in more
than a month
Capitals need a boost during power-play opportunities
Capitals vs. Lightning: Washington loses chance to move up
in NHL playoff picture
Florida’s Kris Versteeg fined for hit on Jeff Halpern
For Capitals, it’s ‘one step forward, one step back’
Websites
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ESPN / Blue-line depth won't fix Flyers' goalie issue
NBCSports.com / NHLPA poll tells us that the players love
Pavel Datsyuk
NBCSports.com / Hockey Day in America: The USNTDP
gets American players off on the right foot
Sportsnet.ca / Say no to Nash
Winnipeg Jets
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Noel looks for more from Jets
Fehr back in lineup
Jets Pavelec sets career high for wins
Jets SNAPSHOTS: Top players finally delivering
Jets back in the playoff race with win over Colorado
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Anaheim Ducks
SPORT-SCAN, INC. 941-284-4129
Teemu Selanne's milestone goal sparks Ducks in 2-0 win
Associated Press
SUNRISE, Fla. — Teemu Selanne scored in the first period, Jonas Hiller
made 31 saves and the Ducks defeated the Florida Panthers, 2-0, Sunday
night.
believed that we're there. We don't really care what anybody else thinks
about it. As long as we believe we're there, we're OK."
Selanne, 41, is the oldest player to score 20 goals in the NHL since Johnny
Bucyk with Boston in 1976-77. Selanne, who has 17 20-goal seasons,
moved into 12th place in all-time goals with 657.
"That's almost overwhelming to hear your name in the same group as those
guys," Selanne said. "It's unbelievable. I could never imagine that I could
climb up with those guys and very thankful for that."
Hiller has three shutouts this season.
"On the road, it's all about winning. It doesn't always have to be pretty,"
Hiller said. "I thought it wasn't our best game tonight. But still we found a
way. We're definitely happy with the two points."
Jose Theodore made 25 saves for the Panthers, who lost for the third
consecutive time and have scored three goals in those games.
"I thought tonight we really played hard and had some chances but Hiller
made some good saves," Theodore said. "Maybe we're holding our sticks a
little tight right now."
The Panthers couldn't produce much offense and failed to get off a shot
during a four-minute power play in the first period and only one during a
power play in the second.
"We need to find ways to score goals right now," Coach Kevin Dineen said.
"We're not creating enough on offense to get us two points at the end of the
night."
LA Times: LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Anaheim Ducks
Hiller, defense 'on the same page'
By ERIC STEPHENS
SUNRISE, Fla. – Look at the season as a whole, and the Ducks are still in
the middle of the NHL pack in average of goals allowed.
But the number doesn't nearly reflect the work that's being done of late by
goalie Jonas Hiller and the teammates in front of him, who have bought fully
into Coach Bruce Boudreau's system and are playing tight hockey at the
defensive end.
After a 2-0 victory over the Florida Panthers on Sunday night, the Ducks
have allowed just eight regulation goals over the first six contests on their
eight-game trip. They have allowed two or fewer 17 times during their
current 15-2-4 run.
"Our goalie has played really well but also I feel like we're on the same
page," winger Niklas Hagman said. "We're doing the things that obviously
are expected from us.
"We're doing a pretty good job shutting down the middle. They're getting
shots but they're getting shots from the corners or from the blue lines. You
can't take it all away. But I feel like we're playing smarter."
Hiller, who got his third shutout of the season, said the biggest difference
now from two months ago is he has complete confidence in his teammates
and they have the same in him. The trust level has risen over time.
"I think everybody has been playing pretty well lately, which makes life
easier for me too," he said "I know the guys are playing tight on their guys. I
can focus on stopping the puck. I don't have to worry about backdoor plays
and stuff like that.
"And it feels like everybody out there just trusts each other. That's always a
good feeling. Having that confidence, it makes life easier for everybody."
Niklas Hagman scored an empty-net goal with 14.3 seconds left and the
Ducks earned at least a point for the ninth consecutive game. At 60 points,
the Ducks are five points behind eighth-place Calgary in the Western
Conference.
SELANNE MILESTONE
"It's nice to get to the 60-point plateau because then you can at least see
the guys in the distance," Coach Bruce Boudreau said. "We always
Selanne moved past Brendan Shanahan into 12th place with his 657th
goal. It also gave him 20 goals this season, marking the 17th time he has
done it in his career.
Teemu Selanne passed another big name on the NHL all-time goal scoring
list and attached himself to a few more legends with another milestone.
Selanne joined a list that includes Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Mike
Gartner, Brett Hull, Jaromir Jagr, Joe Sakic, Marcel Dionne and Mats
Sundin. Only four have scored 20 more often — Gordie Howe, Ron Francis,
Dave Andreychuk and Shanahan.
"That's a big honor and it's almost overwhelming to hear your own name in
the same group with those guys," Selanne said. "It's unbelievable obviously.
I could never imagine that I could climb up with those guys. Very thankful
for that."
Orange County Register: LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Anaheim Ducks
Final: Ducks 2, Panthers 0
by JEFF MILLER,
At 41, Selanne is the oldest player to score 20 in a season since Boston's
Johnny Bucyk did it in 1976-77.
HAGMAN HIT
Teemu Selanne scored the deciding goal and Jonas Hiller shut out Florida
on Sunday as the Ducks beat the Panthers, 2-0.
Niklas Hagman wrapped up the victory with an empty-net goal, bouncing
back from a big hit he received from Florida's Sean Bergenheim in the
second period.
Selanne scored from Bobby Ryan and Saku Koivu at 12:13 of the first
period. Hiller stopped 31 shots.
"I got to read up on the rule because to me it was a total blindside hit,"
Boudreau said. "Maybe the total contact on one angle wasn't to the head
but it grazed the shoulder and then hit the head full on. It was totally
blindside. He didn't see it coming."
Hagman said he didn't see Bergenheim but couldn't determine if he thought
the hit was clean or illegal until he watched it on video.
"I know that he got me pretty good," he said. "But I haven't seen it so I don't
know what to say."
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Anaheim Ducks
The Ducks (25-24-10) remain 13th in the Western Conference but now
have pulled within five points of the eighth and final playoff spot.
The goal was the 657th of Selanne’s career, moving him past Brendan
Shanahan and into 12th on the NHL’s all-time list.
The score remained 1-0 until Niklas Hagman‘s empty net goal in the closing
seconds.
The Ducks, at 4-0-2, have earned 10 of a possible 12 points through the
first six stops on their season-long eight-game trip.
They return to action at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Tampa Bay.
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Boston Bruins
Ducks stay hot, shut out Florida
Bruins left with nothing
By ERIC STEPHENS /
SUNRISE, Fla. – A quiet message is being sent by the Ducks to the other
teams locked in a battle for the final playoff spots in the Western
Conference.
Objects in the mirror are indeed closer than they appear.
Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller makes a save against the Panthers' Shawn
Matthias during the second period.
The Ducks won for the 15th time in their past 21 games as hot goalie Jonas
Hiller led the way with his third shutout of the season in a 2-0 victory over
the Florida Panthers on Sunday night at BankAtlantic Center.
Twenty points out of eighth place on Jan. 6, the Ducks (25-24-10) are now
five back as they have 60 compared to 65 for Calgary and the ninth-place
Kings. Colorado and Dallas have 62 and Minnesota 61.
"It's nice to get to the 60-point plateau because then you can at least see
the guys and the distance," Coach Bruce Boudreau said. "It still a long ways
away. They'll all play before we play again and it could be seven."
Said Teemu Selanne: "Everybody has believed for a long time that we have
a chance to climb back. We're still not really there but we're in the right
direction."
Hiller stopped 31 shots to make Teemu Selanne's first-period goal stand up
until Niklas Hagman wrapped up the victory with an empty-net goal.
Hiller's recent streak is 13-2-4 with a 1.73 goals-against average and a .933
save percentage. Boudreau said his latest effort was "phenomenal."
"He's held some pretty good scoring teams to a few goals," Boudreau said.
"And he did a lot of it on his own today. He was very good."
Wild’s Backstrom turns them aside
By Fluto Shinzawa
ST. PAUL - At the conclusion of yesterday’s 2-0 loss to the Wild at the Xcel
Energy Center, Milan Lucic lifted his stick and hammered it twice on the
boards in front of the Boston bench. The stick didn’t give. With one final
whack, Lucic finally snapped the twig, then flung the shaft onto the ice in
disgust.
There was no sense in keeping a stick that had no juice.
Lucic had two of Boston’s 48 shots, including a sparkling scoring chance in
the third period. At 9:51 of the third, Lucic snapped a close-range shot on
goal. But Niklas Backstrom gloved the bid to keep Minnesota’s 2-0 lead in
place. It was perhaps the sharpest of Backstrom’s 48 saves, the most he’s
ever made as an NHL puckstopper.
“We had a number of chances like that,’’ said Bruins defenseman Zdeno
Chara. “It didn’t go in. That’s always tough when you don’t get that bounce.’’
The Bruins, who dropped a 4-2 decision to Winnipeg Friday night, have lost
two straight. They haven’t lost three straight since late October, after which
they rolled 10 wins in a row.
The down-and-out Wild snapped a seven-game losing streak. Their
goaltender was perfect. They scored two opportunistic goals off the rush.
They didn’t give the Bruins many second sniffs. Once more, the Bruins
were out-Bruined by a non-playoff opponent.
The Bruins have shot blanks in four of their last nine games.
It was Selanne's 657th goal of his career, which pushed him past Brendan
Shanahan into 12th place on the NHL's all-time list.
“We’re getting frustrated because we’re not scoring,’’ said coach Claude
Julien. “We’re getting a lot of shots every night. I think we can still be better
as far as getting to the front of the net and finishing around those areas. We
had a breakaway. We’re getting chances. Right now, we’re not burying
them. I think we’re squeezing our sticks a little bit because of what we’re
going through. You’ve just got to stick with it here and fight your way out of
it. Simple as that.’’
"He's a wonder," Boudreau said. "He could have had a couple today.
Florida's where older people come, right? He comes here and he thrives."
The Wild scored both goals with speed through the neutral zone. Before
their first strike, the Wild won four straight puck battles along the wall to
Selanne provided all the margin Hiller would need at 12:13 of the first
period when he sniffed out a rebound created by Bobby Ryan's shot and
swept it past Florida goalie Jose Theodore.
initiate their breakout. With the last pass, Dany Heatley tapped the puck to
in-stride Chad Rau, who hurtled over the offensive blue line. Chara was
backtracking, but he couldn’t get in position to fend off Rau’s attack.
As Marco Scandella jumped up to join the rush, Rau, speeding down the
left wing, looked to pass to his teammate. Instead, Rau fired an off-wing
wrister low blocker on Tim Thomas to beat the Boston netminder at 10:15 of
the second. It was Rau’s second career goal. He was recalled from
Houston, Minnesota’s AHL affiliate, yesterday morning.
“He was looking at [Scandella] and he wasn’t even looking where he was
shooting,’’ Chara said of Rau. “He made a really nice shot - short side off
the post.’’
The Wild doubled their lead at 15:30 of the second with a power-play goal.
With Chris Kelly in the box for tripping, Devin Setoguchi carried the puck
through the neutral zone and hit Matt Cullen. The center split Chara and
Dennis Seidenberg, but fanned on his shot. Before the Bruins could find the
loose puck, Cullen had recovered and snapped his second attempt past
Thomas (27 saves) to give the Wild a 2-0 lead.
“They hit him with speed, but we still had good position,’’ Chara said. “He
lost the puck. He fanned on it. We all went for that unsuccessful shot. He
got up, changed direction, and hit the net. Those are two goals that we
could have prevented. But those are little mistakes that are a little unlucky,
too. They will happen.’’
But such errors are compounded because the Bruins aren’t finishing. In the
first period, Daniel Paille had a partial breakaway. Backstrom punched out
Paille’s shot with his blocker. In the final minute of the first, Andrew Ference
rotated down low to swat a puck on goal. Backstrom stayed with Ference to
kick out the defenseman’s shot.
In the third period, the Bruins pushed their hardest. They winged 22 pucks
on the Minnesota net. But Backstrom wasn’t going to be beaten.
“I think if you get too narrowly focused . . . it could probably get frustrating,’’
Ference said. “As a team, we’re talking about getting our game back in
order. I think we are taking steps in the right direction. As long as we keep
building our game back up, not focus on necessarily [yesterday], but focus
on where it’s going, you can keep the frustration at bay.
“I think everyone knows in here that just being frustrated doesn’t bring a lot
of success to the turnaround. It puts a decline in your game. There’s been a
good effort and good determination by guys to get our game back. You
could draw that from [yesterday]. On a game-by-game basis, it’s frustrating.
But in the bigger picture, we’re making strides the right way.’’
Fluto Shinzawa can be reached at fshinzawa@globe.com. Follow him on
Twitter @GlobeFluto.
Boston Globe LOADED: 02.20.2012
613836
Boston Bruins
Getting back into the grind
At 2:15 of the third period, with his team trailing by two goals, Thornton
dropped the mitts with Matt Kassian. The 6-foot-4-inch, 232-pound bruiser
appeared to have asked Thornton to fight earlier in the game. Kassian
started with a flurry, then hung on to fend off Thornton’s response.
“I thought maybe it was a good time,’’ Thornton said of the scrap. “There
was still a lot of time on the clock. Get some energy on the bench. That was
the game plan, anyways.’’
It’s not how you start
For the second straight game, Benoit Pouliot started out alongside Milan
Lucic and David Krejci. Yesterday, however, Pouliot finished on another
line.
In the third period, Julien replaced Pouliot with Kelly. Pouliot and Caron
flanked Hennessy on the third line for the period.
With the Bruins without Nathan Horton (concussion) and Rich Peverley
(knee), they’ve needed Pouliot to jack up his game and play out of position.
Pouliot had been most effective as the No. 3 left wing alongside Kelly and
Peverley. For the last two games, Pouliot moved up to second-line duty
while switching from left wing to right.
“It’s a good opportunity to show what you’re capable of,’’ Pouliot said before
the game. “Some of our top guys are out. We’ve just got to step it up. Some
guys have moved up. It’s time to take advantage of that and take control of
it.’’
But the Bruins didn’t get enough top-six presence out of Pouliot yesterday
to keep him with Krejci and Lucic. Through 40 minutes, Pouliot put three
pucks on goal in 11:35 of ice time.
Able to smile about it
After smashing his row of teeth - four fakes and a few real ones - during
practice Saturday, Kelly spent more than an hour in a dentist’s chair to
undergo repairs.
“It’s never easy losing your teeth,’’ Kelly said with a laugh. “I think I got hit
by a couple pucks too that day. Just the way the day was going.’’
Kelly was injured after losing an edge and smashing his face into the
boards at Wakota Arena. After practice, one of the Wild’s team dentists
bonded Kelly’s teeth.
“The fake ones just disintegrated in my mouth,’’ Kelly said. “I remember
spitting them out. They’re somewhere on the ice.’’
Picked over
So far, four prominent players have been moved in advance of the Feb. 27
trade deadline: Hal Gill (Montreal to Nashville), Dominic Moore (Tampa Bay
to San Jose), Nicklas Grossman (Dallas to Philadelphia), and Pavel Kubina
(Tampa Bay to Philadelphia). Any of the four would have been solid
additions for the Bruins. However, the Bruins didn’t have the proper
currency to pull off the trades.
Fourth line reunites, produces nine shots
In all four deals, a 2012 second-round pick went the other way. The Bruins
traded their 2012 second-rounder to Ottawa last year for Kelly.
By Fluto Shinzawa
The moves indicate that general manager Peter Chiarelli might have a hard
time adding pieces because of the lack of picks and prospects. The Bruins
are also without a 2012 fourth-rounder, which they swapped to Carolina for
Joe Corvo.
ST. PAUL - Against Winnipeg Friday night, Daniel Paille was away from his
usual linemates. Normally the No. 4 left wing, he skated on the third line
with Chris Kelly and Jordan Caron.
Yesterday, the fourth line was together again, Paille back with Gregory
Campbell and Shawn Thornton. Kelly started the game centering Caron
and Josh Hennessy. The fourth-liners responded by bringing their usual
hard-hat approach.
“There was some energy from that line,’’ said coach Claude Julien. “You’ve
always been able to count on those guys to play with that kind of show.
They’ve been good. They had some opportunities. They had a fair amount
of shots, that line. They spent some time in the offensive zone. They’re
certainly doing their job. Knowing them, they see what we’re going through.
They’d like to be able to produce like everybody else.’’
The three grinders combined for nine of Boston’s 48 shots. Paille had the
best chance with a breakaway in the first period.
And the winners are . . .
The NHL Players Association and the CBC released their annual poll, which
queried 257 players. Zdeno Chara was named the toughest defenseman to
play against. Patrice Bergeron earned the nod as the league’s most
underrated player. Lucic was voted the league’s toughest player. “I’m
surprised. He’s not that tough,’’ Kelly said in jest. Kelly added that Lucic’s
title was “bang-on.’’ . . . Bergeron won 16 of 21 faceoffs, and led all Bruins
forwards with 20:32 of ice time, but failed to record a shot . . . Corvo had
one of his most offensively active games with six shots, the most since he
ripped off seven against Calgary Jan. 5 . . . Andrew Bodnarchuk was the
healthy scratch for the third straight game . . . The Bruins stayed here
overnight and will travel to St. Louis this morning for Wednesday’s game
against the Blues.
Fluto Shinzawa
613837
Boston Bruins
ST. PAUL, Minn.—No lead feels safe for the offensively challenged
Minnesota Wild these days.
But for one game, at least, Niklas Backstrom made his team's advantage
look commanding.
more for people that aren't playing the game that have the leisure to think of
stuff like that."
Notes: Cullen hadn't scored a power-play goal since Nov. 15. ... The game
marked the only meeting between the two teams this season, and Boston's
first visit to Minnesota since 2009. ... The Bruins have never scored a
power-play goal against the Wild. They went 0 for 1 on Sunday. ...
Minnesota placed D Mike Lundin on injured reserve with a lower-body injury
before the game. ... Wild captain Mikko Koivu missed his second straight
game with an undisclosed injury. ... Sunday was billed as "Hockey Day in
America." Rau scored his previous goal on Jan. 21, which was billed
"Hockey Day in Minnesota."
AP
Backstrom made a career-high 48 saves for his fourth shutout of the
season to lead the Wild to a 2-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
613838
Matt Cullen and newly recalled Chad Rau each scored second-period goals
for Minnesota, which won for only the second time this month, and
Backstrom did the rest to frustrate the Bruins.
Inconsistent Bruins looking for a spark
Boston outworked Minnesota early on offense and held the Wild to only
three shots in the final period. But Backstrom stopped 22 shots in the third
period, earning the 26th shutout of his career.
By Fluto Shinzawa
Minnesota's previous victory came Feb. 2 at Colorado. Minnesota went
winless in its next seven games, scoring only nine goals during that span.
SOUTH ST. PAUL, Minn. - Chris Kelly spoke quietly. He kept his head
bowed and his chin tucked into his chest. For good reason.
"Winning, that's fun, that's why you play, and we haven't had a lot of wins in
the last couple of months, so sure it's been tough," Backstrom said.
"Hopefully this is a good start for something new. We'll try to enjoy this. We
learned the last couple of months, you can't take anything for granted."
Kelly had no wish to flaunt the damage to two of his cracked front teeth that
a grinding off-day practice had inflicted.
Backstrom's save total was the highest by a Wild goalie in a shutout. Not
bad considering he was 0-3-2 in his past five starts.
Of the 20 Bruins put through the paces, Kelly was suffering the most
following yesterday’s grim 40-minute practice at Wakota Arena. Early in the
session, as Kelly entered a corner, he lost an edge and hit the deck.
"It's almost a little unfair on those guys. It's the one position where you're
solely judged on your wins and losses, as opposed to the rest of the guys,"
Wild coach Mike Yeo said.
Tim Thomas made 27 saves for the Bruins, who have lost six of 10 and
were shut out for the fourth time in nine games.
"Like we've told the guys, we can either be bitter or better, and let's work on
getting better here," Boston coach Claude Julien said. "And that's what
we're going to try to do here in the next few days."
Earlier in the day, Rau was called up from Minnesota's AHL affiliate in
Houston to fill in for Warren Peters, who received a one-game suspension
for cross-checking David Backes in St. Louis on Saturday night.
Boston Bruins
“Just one of those days,’’ Kelly said, shaking his head.
Andrew Ference and Patrice Bergeron approached to check on their
teammate. After several moments, Kelly got up and skated to the dressing
room to recover from the tooth-cracking tumble.
Naturally, being a hockey player, Kelly returned to the ice minutes later.
During the three-on-three cross-ice battle that followed, Kelly hit the ice
once more, driven to the sheet by a thundering Shawn Thornton check.
After practice, his teammates tried to console the third-line center. Kelly sat
in the corner, his gray practice jersey dotted with blood, no doubt dreading
the dentistry that he will require.
“At least when I wipe out, I have on a full cage,’’ said goalie Tim Thomas.
The Twin Cities native responded by scoring his second goal of the season
to put the Wild up 1-0 in the second period on a wrist shot from the left
circle.
There weren’t many smiles on the Bruins’ faces following their practice.
After their latest loss, a 4-2 setback to Winnipeg on Friday, they have
posted a 4-6-0 record in their last 10 games.
Cullen, another Minnesota native, added a power-play score five minutes
later for his first goal since Jan. 10.
They haven’t won two straight in over a month. They are down two right
wings in Nathan Horton (concussion) and Rich Peverley (knee sprain).
"It's been a tough stretch and it's important that we don't sit here and pat
ourselves on the back too much," Cullen said. "Certainly we'll enjoy it now.
We're happy and we're proud of the way we played, but we have to
continue to build. We have an uphill climb ahead of us."
They are grinding their gears, scraping metal on metal, with no indications
that a WD-40 cure-all is in their near future. For too long, they’ve been
playing with as much fizz as a week-old can of ginger ale.
It was Minnesota's first two-goal lead since Jan. 31 when it led Nashville 3-0
before losing 5-4.
This time, though, the Wild held on thanks to some brilliant saves by
Backstrom.
Minnesota doubled its shot total from the previous night against St. Louis -a season-low 13 -- by the end of the second period and finished with 29.
The Bruins have lost consecutive road games for the first time this season.
The defending Stanley Cup champions are 1-10-1 in 12 games against the
Wild.
Thomas said the team can't afford to get ahead of itself in trying to get back
to winning consistently.
"I think you approach it the same way you do a winning streak, just take it
one game at a time," Thomas said. "When we were rattling off on that roll in
November and December, we weren't thinking about that big picture. That's
“We need a better package from our hockey team,’’ coach Claude Julien
said. “Whether we talk about D-gap or putting the puck in deep or putting it
in the right area where we can get it back, there’s so much of that.
“When it’s all over the place, it’s a matter of righting the ship and getting our
focus on doing the little things right again. It’s really not just one area. It’s
many, many areas.’’
Amid the peaks and valleys that have troubled the Bruins for almost two
months, they’ve avoided slipping into a significant hole.
Since the beginning of November, they have dropped two straight games
on only two occasions. Their longest losing streak is three, which took place
in October when they were at their worst.
But while their collective approach hasn’t plunged off a cliff, they are
concerned with how they’ve regressed in multiple areas of their game.
Thomas and Tuukka Rask haven’t been bad, but they haven’t been great.
The defense isn’t springing one big leak, but there are a handful of small
holes. The offense has carried the play and established in-zone time.
But that last hard push - the battle in the dirty areas, the wave-after-wave
pressure - isn’t there to complement their puck possession.
“It’s very frustrating,’’ said defenseman Dennis Seidenberg. “[On Friday],
the first period was OK. I think we played pretty good. The second period,
we were just flat. We were going through the motions. We didn’t have any
battle in us. We were making bad passes. We weren’t coming out of our
zone clean.
“It’s very frustrating, because we know we have it in the locker room. But if
we don’t play together, it’s not going to get better.’’
Yesterday, the coaches repeated the exercise they have introduced more
than they’d prefer: a hard, focused practice meant to spark the players and
inject life in their skates.
The most spirited action took place in the cross-ice drill. The Bruins threw
checks, flung pucks at their goalies, and battled in the net-front danger
zones to initiate the energy they’ll require today against the Wild.
“It starts with the commitment to play the way we can, the work that goes
behind it, and the enthusiasm,’’ Julien said. “Enthusiasm creates energy.
We haven’t had that in a while. When we have it in spurts in certain games,
it makes a big difference.
“We have to find that again and get ourselves geared up to head in the right
direction. We’ve just got to keep working through it.
“It’s not a fun situation. It’s not an easy situation. There’s not a team in the
league that doesn’t go through it. We go through it every year. We’re going
through it now.
“Bottom line is, let’s fight through it and find a way to get through it. We
can’t just give up. But we can’t just accept it either.’’
…
Tyler Seguin was the only player who didn’t practice yesterday. Julien
declined to explain Seguin’s absence but said he will play today . . . The
USHL’s Dubuque Fighting Saints will attend today’s game. Bruins general
manager Peter Chiarelli is a part-owner of the Dubuque club. Former
University of Maine star Jim Montgomery is the coach. Montgomery might
not be long for the USHL, as his name has been mentioned as a pro or
college coach . . . The Bruins will stay in St. Paul after today’s game and
will travel to St. Louis tomorrow morning.
613839
Boston Bruins
In Montreal, it’s in the blood
By Kevin Paul Dupont
We found out just how different Canadiens fans are last March 8, when
Zdeno Chara veered Max Pacioretty into a turnbuckle at the Bell Centre,
the young and talented Habs winger dazed and falling face-first to the ice in
a crumpled heap. It was a frightening sight, the awkward collision and its
end result far worse than the hit itself, and Montreal fans immediately called
for Chara’s head.
Many of those fans also called 911, some because they sought immediate
medical attention for their injured CH warrior, and others because they
wanted Chara hauled off to jail.
Who knew that doctors and emergency medical personnel actually attend
each NHL game and that the Montreal police, when not conducting
investigations to find out whether the current Habs coach knows enough
French to order dinner in centre ville, have more important sleuthing to do
than chase down a 6-foot-9-inch defenseman who might try to duck out of
town while dressed in short pants, long socks, clunky skates, and an
oversized Spoked-B on his chest?
Some 11-plus months later, many of those same Habs fans obviously felt
they finally got their reward, and Chara his comeuppance, when a clearing
shot by Tomas Plekanec Wednesday night nailed the Bruins captain in the
face and felled the towering defenseman on the same sheet of ice that once
hosted a chilled Pacioretty.
Face-down and bleeding around the chin, a woozy Chara needed a minute
or two to clear the cobwebs, straighten up, and make his way to Boston’s
dressing room for repair.
“I’ve taken a lot of pucks in the face,’’ Chara explained later. “But in the chin
. . . you’re going to go down. You’re going to get knocked out a little bit.’’
Chara’s brain wasn’t so addled, however, that he could miss the loud and
churlish mix of cheers and boos that cascaded down from the crowd of
21,000-plus.
The Bell Centre, like the more intimate Forum that still stands down the
street, repurposed as a movie house, has always been a very tough room
to work. But cheering someone’s injury, while by no means unique to Habs
fans, is detestable and ugly, even in a city where the words “it’s only a
game’’ play to the ear like “it’s only a religion’’ or “it’s only your family we’re
talkin’ here.’’
For many in Montreal, hockey isn’t what they watch, but what they breathe,
how they think, who they are. The game and their team are as intertwined
in their daily life as sleep, shower, commute, job, dinner. It’s the city of three
H’s: hockey, health, and hygiene. The fourth H, for hysteria, isn’t always
silent.
Remember, it’s a town that rioted after it won its last Stanley Cup in 1993.
Local police would never admit it, but they’re probably relieved that the
Canadiens have yet to return to the Cup Final.
Nonetheless, when the Habs are bad, as they have been roughly half the
time over the last dozen or so seasons, it makes long Montreal winters ever
longer. There is no NBA, no NFL. The Alouettes are pretty good, but that’s
the CFL, forever the po’ boy of North American football.
The Expos, in their 35 years, were never much more than an oddball
diversion, even with the oddest ball of them all, Bill Lee, in their rotation
(bonjour, Stan Papi). To think that the Expos or anyone else ever offered
healing salve to broken Habs souls would be to think that a disappointed
Red Sox Nation could find relief in, say, the Head of the Charles Regatta,
the Beanpot, or the Home Show.
Bruins coach Claude Julien coached three seasons in Montreal. He learned
first-hand that the zeal of Canadiens fans can at times race off faster than
an unimpeded Rocket Richard on a breakaway.
“It’s disappointing,’’ Julien said after hearing the Habs fans cheer Chara’s
misfortune. “It’s their passion . . . but sometimes they care so much that
they’re not thinking what is the right thing to do.’’
“I was disappointed,’’ added Chara, his words placed as carefully and
precisely as the stitches in his chin. “[Injury] is nothing to do with sport . . .
even with what happened previously with the two teams.’’
Fans of Les Glorieux will always love their hockey, even though their team
hasn’t won a Stanley Cup for nearly 20 years (see: Jacques Demers, June
9, 1993). There is little doubt that some of the misplaced cheering and
anger vented on Wednesday, though much of it related to L’Affaire
Pacioretty, is connected to what is by far the longest Cup drought in the
franchise’s storied history.
The Habs have won an NHL-record 23 Cups, and until this insufferable
wait, the franchise’s longest hiatus was from 1931-44. Because it’s
Montreal, we must count in dog years, which makes Montrealers feel like
the current dry spell stretches back prior to the invention of the Zamboni, if
not the wheel.
Boston fans obviously won’t have much sympathy for what some of them
consider to be the devil of all sports franchises, especially not after
watching that 1918-2004 slump play out in the Back Bay in segments of
162 games or more. Some Boston fans will even revel, often not secretly, in
the ongoing CH malaise.
It’s fairly obvious that they’re hurting up there in Montreal, and more than
ever they’re taking it very personally, passionately. The belly-down Chara,
with the back of his No. 33 sweater flashed toward the rafters, presented
himself as this oversized, convenient object of scorn. He was zee Big Zee,
bloodied and hurting, and in that moment, fans couldn’t separate the hurting
Chara from the sweater he wore or the game he played.
In Montreal, where the concept of keeping things separate is so dear, Habs
fans displayed an innate inability to separate love of a game from basic
decency. That’s not something to go all 911 about, but it is something that
tells them, and others, about themselves.
Kevin Paul Dupont’s “On Second Thought’’ appears on Page 2 of the
Sunday Globe Sports section. He can be reached at dupont@globe.com.
Follow him on Twitter @GlobeKPD.
613840
Boston Bruins
Final: Wild 2, Bruins 0
February 19, 2012|Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff
13:33 1st period: 0-0
Bruins with 11-4 shot advantage. Looks similar to first period against
Winnipeg. Very thorough. We know how that ended.
8:55 1st period: 0-0
Big-time blocker save by Niklas Backstrom on Daniel Paille. Partial break
for Paille. Lots of jump for No. 20.
Nik Backstrom sharp early. Two kick saves on Daniel Paille and Gregory
Campbell.
All done in Minny. Bruins lose two straight for first time in over month.
Andrew Bodnarchuk is the healthy scratch.
18:30 3d period: Wild 2-0
Timeout Bruins. O-zone faceoff coming with Tim Thomas out of net.
Good goaltending at both ends. Tim Thomas kicks out Dany Heatley’s
chance. At other end, Nik Backstrom gets a piece of Joe Corvo’s shot.
613841
Boston Bruins
Game 57: Bruins at Wild
Nik Backstrom with his best save so far. Glove stop on Milan Lucic down
low. Little higher and that’s a goal by Lucic.
Jeff Taffe with a shot off the crossbar.
Mad flurry by Wild on Tim Thomas. Jed Ortmeyer with first attempt. Chad
Rau also has a sniff. Thomas down and out.
Line changes for Bruins. Chris Kelly up with David Krejci and Milan Lucic.
Benoit Pouliot and Jordan Caron flanking Josh Hennessy.
Finally, Shawn Thornton vs. Matt Kassian. Kassian with the early flurry,
then hangs on to hold off Thornton late. Long scrap. Kassian wanted that
one for a while.
Tyler Seguin with two in-close chances. Can’t break through.
February 19, 2012|Fluto Shinzawa, Globe Staff
ST. PAUL — Good afternoon from the Xcel Energy Center, where the
Bruins will play the Wild today. The Bruins are looking to avoid their first
losing streak in over a month.
Tim Thomas should get the start. Tyler Seguin is expected to play despite
missing practice yesterday.
Puck drop: 3:30 p.m. ET
TV/radio info: NBC (Mike Emrick, Ed Olczyk, Pierre McGuire),98.5 The
Sports Hub (Dave Goucher, Bob Beers)
Records: Bruins 35-19-2, Wild 25-24-9
Projected Bruins lineup:
Brad Marchand-Patrice Bergeron-Tyler Seguin
Milan Lucic-David Krejci-Benoit Pouliot
Daniel Paille-Chris Kelly-Jordan Caron
Gregory Campbell-Josh Hennessy-Shawn Thornton
Zdeno Chara-Johnny Boychuk
Another stinker of a second by the Bruins. Minnesota 20 minutes away from
ending a seven-game losing streak.
Dennis Seidenberg-Joe Corvo
Andrew Ference-Adam McQuaid
Two-on-one for Devin Setoguchi and Dany Heatley. Tim Thomas with the
desperation save. Bruins are leaking big-time now.
Tim Thomas
Healthy scratches: Andrew Bodnarchuk
Clean breakout by Wild leads to Matt Cullen PPG. Cullen fans on first shot,
but snaps second one past Tim Thomas. Splits Zdeno Chara and Dennis
Seidenberg with ease. Given Bruins’ lack of pop, that might be enough.
Chad Rau down left wing with speed. Beats Tim Thomas with off-wing
wrister. At that angle, Thomas usually stops it.
Storylines: Benoit Pouliot was a former first-round pick of the Wild.
Minnesota traded Pouliot to Montreal for Guillaume Latendresse. Pouliot
has yet to click with David Krejci since his promotion… Minnesota has the
fourth-best home penalty kill in the league. Not good news for the Bruins,
who went 0 for 2 on the PP against Winnipeg on Friday… Greg Kimmerly
and Steve Kozari will be the referees. Ryan Galloway and David Brisebois
will be the linesmen.
20:00 1st period: 0-0
Shots tied up, 13-13. More life for Minnesota in second half of first. Bruins
with some good looks but no finish. Very little on power play, which has
been the norm lately.
613842
19:14 1st period: 0-0
NHL Capsules: Red Wings stretch home winning streak to 23 games
Andrew Ference goes down low on power play. Nik Backstrom there to kick
out Ference’s bid.
Tuukka Rask
Boston Bruins
By Associated Press | Monday, February 20, 2012 |
http://www.bostonherald.com | NHL Coverage
DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings won their 23rd straight home game,
breaking the NHL overall record with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose
Sharks on Sunday.
Detroit, which broke the single-season record of 20 on Tuesday night,
surpassed the 22 wins in a row the Boston Bruins had over two seasons
more than eight decades ago.
Henrik Zetterberg and Drew Miller gave Detroit a two-goal lead midway
through the second period and Darren Helm restored the two-goal edge
7:01 into the third. Logan Couture scored late in the second period for the
Sharks and Patrick Marleau pulled them within a goal with 4:44 left.
The Blackhawks returned to the United Center after going 2-7 on a trip, and
Chicago’s three straight wins have come on the heels of a nine-game losing
streak.
Andy McDonald scored in the first for the Blues.
DEVILS 3, CANADIENS 1
MONTREAL - Zach Parise, David Clarkson and Matt Taormina scored and
Martin Brodeur made 21 saves to help New Jersey beat Montreal.
The Devils improved to 34-20-4 with their third straight victory and jumped
past division rivals Pittsburgh and Philadelphia into fourth in the Eastern
Conference.
Max Pacioretty scored for Montreal. The Canadiens have lost eight straight
against New Jersey at the Bell Centre. The Canadiens last beat the Devils
in Montreal on March 11, 2008.
The Red Wings won their sixth straight game, all in a homestand, and have
an NHL-high 84 points.
PREDATORS 3, STARS 2
Detroit’s Joey MacDonald, filling in for the injured Jimmy Howard, made 31
saves.
DALLAS - Shea Weber scored on a power play with less than a second
remaining in the first period, Pekka Rinne stopped 22 shots, and Nashville
beat Dallas.
The Pacific Division-leading Sharks have lost six of eight.
DUCKS 2, PANTHERS 0
SUNRISE, Fla. - Teemu Selanne scored in the first period and Jonas Hiller
made 31 saves for his third shutout of the season in Anaheim’s victory over
Florida.
The 41-year-old Selanne is the oldest player to score 20 goals in the NHL
since Johnny Bucyk did it for Boston in 1976-77. Selanne moved past
Brendan Shanahan into sole possession of 12th place on the career goals
list with 657. Selanne has 17 20-goal seasons, tying the Finn for fifth on the
career list.
Niklas Hagman added an empty-net goal. The Ducks have earned at least
a point in nine straight games.
Nashville improved to 6-19-1 in franchise history in Dallas.
Weber put the Predators ahead to stay 2-1 with his 12th goal of the season,
popping a loose puck into an open net with 0.2 seconds left in the first.
Gabriel Bourque and Colin Wilson added even-strength goals for Nashville,
3-3-2 in its last eight after a five-game winning streak.
Michael Ryder and Alex Goligoski scored for the Stars.
Boston Herald LOADED: 02.20.2012
613843
Boston Bruins
Fourth line delivers first-rate effort
RANGERS 3, BLUE JACKETS 2, OT
NEW YORK - Derek Stepan scored 22 seconds into overtime to lift New
York past Columbus.
Columbus captain Rick Nash, the subject of trade rumors - including those
involving the Rangers - got the Blue Jackets even at 2 with 1:33 left in
regulation.
Artem Anisimov snapped a 1-1 tie in the second period for the Eastern
Conference-leading Rangers, who got back to their winning ways following
a 4-2 loss at home to Chicago on Thursday might. New York (38-14-5) has
won five of six and nine of 12 (9-2-1), and leads second-place Boston by
nine points.
Brad Richards gave the Rangers a first-period lead, and Derick Brassard
tied it in the second.
The Blue Jackets, who lost 6-1 at home to Chicago on Saturday, are last in
the NHL with 41 points. Columbus had alternated wins and losses the
previous six games.
SABRES 6, PENGUINS 2
BUFFALO, N.Y. - Derek Roy scored twice and added an assist to help
Buffalo snap a four-game skid.
Jason Pominville had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Miller made 24
saves, including stopping Jordan Staal and Evgeni Malkin on breakaway
attempts in the second period.
Paul Gaustad, Drew Stafford and Tyler Ennis also scored for Buffalo, and
the Sabres moved out of a tie with Carolina for last place in the Eastern
Conference.
Deryk Engelland and Jordan Staal scored for Pittsburgh.
BLACKHAWKS 3, BLUES 1
CHICAGO - Dave Bolland scored the go-ahead goal in the third period
when his centering attempt hit in off St. Louis’ forward David Backes’ stick,
and Chicago beat the Blues for its third straight victory.
Corey Crawford made 29 saves, Duncan Keith tied it in the third and Marian
Hossa had an empty-net goal.
By Steve Conroy / Bruins Notebook | Monday, February 20, 2012 |
http://www.bostonherald.com | Boston Bruins
ST. PAUL, Minn. — There weren’t many smiles in the Bruins locker room
after yesterday’s 2-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild, but the reunited Merlot
Line could have taken some solace in knowing it might have been the
team’s best line in the game.
The trio of Shawn Thornton, Daniel Paille and Gregory Campbell threw nine
shots at Wild goalie Niklas Backstrom, and early in the third period when
the team was desperate for a spark, Thornton threw down with the Wild’s
Matt Kassian, giving away a couple of inches and about 20 pounds.
Kassian got in a couple of early shots on an off-balance Thornton, but the
Bruin came back and outlasted him in a long, grueling fight.
“I thought that was a good time (to fight); there was still a lot of time left on
the clock to get some energy on the bench. That was the game plan,
anyway,” Thornton said.
The B’s responded with some desperation but, unfortunately for them, no
goals.
In the first period, the fourth line created some terrific chances, including a
breakaway by Paille.
“If we put a couple of those in, maybe it’s a different game,” Thornton said.
“I’ve said it many times, it’s not for a lack of effort with our line. Sometimes
it’s a lack of execution. We put enough pressure on ourselves and that’s
definitely not the problem. Creating energy and not getting scored on is our
job. But then again, with (the) opportunities we’re getting, once in a while
we should be able to chip one in for us.”
Coach Claude Julien, who put the line back together for familiarity’s sake
after splitting it up for a game, liked what the unit brought.
“There was some energy from that line,” Julien said. “You can always count
on those guys to play with kind of (emotion). They’ve been good and they
had some opportunities . . . they’re certainly doing their job. But knowing
them, they see what we’re going through and they’d like to produce, like
everybody else. We’re just taking it one step at a time right now. Frustration
is something that can drag on for a long time if you let it.”
Tooth be told
Chris Kelly has two newly bonded front teeth after losing a couple to a
crash into the boards at practice Saturday. He said his front four teeth were
already fake.
“The (dentist) was a great guy for coming in on a Saturday,” said Kelly, who
spent more than an hour in the chair. “I guess he couldn’t get a hold of his
assistants at the start so he had his 12-year-old son helping out and he had
a hockey game in a couple of hours. But eventually he got a hold of one of
his assistants and she came in. Nice people here.”
Was he happy with the outcome?
“Yeah, not bad,” said Kelly. “It’s not the winning smile that I used to have,
but hopefully I can get that back somewhere down the line.”
Kelly is no stranger to the dentist’s chair.
“But it’s never easy losing your teeth,” he said with a laugh. “I think I got hit
(by) a couple of pucks that day, too. It’s just the way the day was going.”
In high regard
The Bruins may have been inconsistent as of late, but they still have a lot of
respect around the league, according to the latest NHLPA/CBC poll of
players.
Milan Lucic was voted the toughest player in the league, trailed by Zdeno
Chara and Thornton. Chara was named the toughest defenseman to play
against, and Patrice Bergeron was voted the most underrated player in the
league. . . .
Amazingly, the Wild improved their record against the Bruins to 10-1-1.
. . .
Wild center Kyle Brodziak signed a three-year extension. . . .
The NHL suspended Minnesota center Warren Peters for one game for
cross-checking St. Louis’ David Backes in Saturday’s game.
613844
Boston Bruins
Julien was angered by the performance in the 4-2 loss to Winnipeg on
Friday, but felt his team, obviously a long way from playing to its potential,
at least took a step forward yesterday.
“I think our first period was decent and the third period we spent most of our
time in their end, so it certainly was better,” Julien said. “The second period
became a challenge again, so we have to find a way to be better. But when
you’re not scoring, you’re having to fight from behind all the time. You’re
allowing the other team to get the first goal and we’ve done that a lot. That’s
tough in this league.”
Julien conceded that the loss of the two injured players has made it difficult
to create chemistry with some of his forward lines.
“That’s been a challenge, but you still have to overcome those things,”
Julien said. “It’s not an excuse. It’s the reality. But we’re still a better team
than to be shut out the way we have been lately. I think that’s where the
confidence has to come back. There were times when we had loose pucks
and we took the extra time to make the play. Right now, we’re shooting it
right back into the goaltender. That’s what happens when you squeeze your
sticks and things haven’t been going your way.”
The game turned in the second period on a play that the B’s appeared to
have covered. Chad Rau broke in on the left wing with defenseman Zdeno
Chara back. With the trailer far behind the play, Chara let goalie Tim
Thomas take the shooter and Rau beat him to the short side.
“It was a straight 2-on-1 as far as I know. I was trying to put myself in
position to stop the shot and get to the other guy, if that’s the way it worked
out,” Thomas said. “But it didn’t work out that way. The guy took the shot
and scored.”
The Wild doubled the lead with a Matt Cullen power-play goal that was a
bad break for the B’s. Cullen’s initial shot went off the back of defenseman
Dennis Seidenberg and bounced right back to Cullen. With Thomas already
moving to play the original shot, Cullen was able to score easily.
Backstrom saved his best work for the third. Midway through the period, he
robbed Milan Lucic with a great glove stop, causing Lucic to slam his stick
in exasperation. Lucic would eventually shatter his stick in frustration at the
end of the game.
Julien, however, wants his players to keep their heads up.
“Like we’ve told the guys, we can either be bitter or better,” Julien said.
“Let’s work on being better.”
-— sconroy@bostonherald.com
Nothing doing for Bruins
Frustration builds in wake of latest shutout
613845
By Steve Conroy
ST. PAUL, Minn. — After their 2-0 loss to the Minnesota Wild yesterday at
Xcel Energy Center, the Bruins chose to look at the big picture.
Boston Bruins
Niklas Backstrom stops 48 shots and Wild blank Bruins 2-0
By Associated Press | Sunday, February 19, 2012 |
http://www.bostonherald.com | Boston Bruins
The reality of the small picture was just too gruesome to view.
Playing a Wild team that had lost seven straight games and was coming off
a loss to the St. Louis Blues on Saturday in which it mustered just 13 shots
on net, the B’s seemed to need that first goal of the game, and their genial
Midwestern hosts just might have rolled over for them.
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Matt Cullen and Chad Rau each scored a goal and
Niklas Backstrom made a career-high 48 saves for his fourth shutout of the
season to lead the Minnesota Wild to a 2-0 win over the Boston Bruins on
Sunday.
But that goal never came, and the Wild took advantage of the B’s dip in play
in the second period to score a couple of goals. After that, the Wild leaned
hard on a terrific performance by goalie Niklas Backstrom, who made 48
saves (22 in the third period) for the shutout.
The Wild won for only the second time in February - their previous victory
came Feb. 2 at Colorado. Minnesota went winless in its next seven games,
scoring only nine goals during that span.
These are not fun times for the defending Stanley Cup champions. The
Bruins have been shut out four times since Nathan Horton was felled by a
concussion Jan. 22, and now, with Rich Peverley on the shelf for the next
month, it’s not getting any easier.
“There’s some concern there where we’re getting frustrated because we’re
not scoring,” coach Claude Julien said. “We’re getting a lot of shots every
night. I think we can still be better as far as getting in front of the net and
finishing around those areas. We had a breakaway tonight, so we’re getting
our chances and right now we’re not burying them. We’re squeezing our
sticks a little bit because of what we’re going through. But you just have to
stick with it here and fight your way out of it. It’s as simple as that.”
Tim Thomas made 27 saves for the Bruins, who have lost six of 10.
Earlier in the day, Rau was called up from Minnesota’s AHL affiliate in
circle.
It was Minnesota’s first two-goal lead since Jan. 31 it they led Nashville 3-0
before losing 5-4. This time, though, the Wild held on thanks to some
brilliant saves by Backstrom.
Minnesota doubled its shot total from the previous night against St. Louis a season-low 13 - by the end of the second period and finished with 29.
Wild.
Notes: Cullen hadn’t scored a power-play goal since Nov. 15. ... The game
marked the only meeting between the two teams this season, and Boston’s
613846
Buffalo Sabres
Team effort takes away time, chances from Pens' Malkin
NHL's leading scorer held to one point during Sabres' triumph
I'll have to talk to some of the other guys and go back to the drawing
board."
No need, however, to worry about Kaleta on the defensive end.
"Patty is a skilled guy for how hard he works and how physical he is,"
Gaustad said. "He makes plays. He did a great job again. Defensively, he's
getting smarter and smarter and it's great to see."
....
The Sabres reported glass from an arena light bulb, not a photographer's
strobe, smashed to the ice just as the team came on for the pregame
warmup. The team tried to keep skating but there was too much glass on
the ice and eventually, the players moved to the Penguins end when
Pittsburgh was done and got permission from the NHL for an additional five
minutes of warmup.
"There were pretty big chunks," said goalie Ryan Miller. "The reason we
took long shots was I didn't want to take glass in the face from guys
sweeping in close, and potentially getting an eye injury from that. We just
waited our turn for a little bit of warmup."
"A great number of our players lost [an] edge skating over the glass," said
Ruff.
Ruff said chunks were about half the size of a penny and the players were
hurriedly getting skates resharpened. As it turned out, the Sabres were
granted the extra warmup time but were back on the ice to start the game in
about 10 minutes.
"Overall the league handled that situation pretty well," Ruff said.
By Mike Harrington
....
Pittsburgh center Evgeni Malkin hit town as the NHL's leading scorer and
had five points when the Penguins bludgeoned the Sabres, 8-3, on Dec. 17.
He wasn't anywhere near that good Sunday.
The Penguins fell to 51-32-9 the last two years without Sidney Crosby and
are 28-19-4 this year. Crosby, their concussed captain, skated with the
team Friday but has no timetable to return from his latest concussion battle.
He did not travel to Buffalo.
A quintet of Sabres dedicated to stopping Malkin's line got the job done.
Forwards Paul Gaustad, Patrick Kaleta and Nathan Gerbe, and the defense
tandem of Robyn Regehr and Andrej Sekera got the bulk of the work as
Malkin registered just one assist in Buffalo's 6-2 win.
"We had to take away speed and time from him," Gaustad said. "Robyn and
Reg [Sekera] did a great job out there too. We didn't want to back off on
him. If we backed off, it gives him time."
Malkin and linemates James Neal and Chris Kunitz have combined for 100
points in 30 games since Dec. 10, with Malkin collecting 45 (22 goals, 23
assists). Neal, who got a six-year, $30-million contract extension Sunday
morning, had one assist.
Kaleta played 18 minutes, 47 seconds — just 10 seconds off his career
high for a regulation game — while Gaustad's 18:14 was his secondhighest total in 2012.
....
The game was the Sabres' only Sunday contest of the season. To prep for
the NBC telecast, they were off Saturday for the first time while other teams
were playing; their previous two Saturdays off were league-wide breaks for
Christmas Eve and the All-Star break. ... Miller had been 0-4-1 with a 4.67
goals-against average in his last seven games against the Penguins, and
beat them for the first time since Dec. 8, 2008. ... Zack Kassian's assist on
Tyler Ennis' goal with 3:17 left snapped his 13-game pointless streak.
Buffalo News LOADED: 02.20.2012
613847
Buffalo Sabres
Sabres trounce Pens to snap skid
The Gaustad line held the Montreal trio of Max Pacioretty, David
Desharnais and Erik Cole to two points Friday night while setting up
Regehr's first goal of the season.
Roy, Pominville help Buffalo end four-game winless streak with 6-2 rout of
Pens
"That was our job and we take pride in that," Kaleta said of the back-to-back
challenges. "I'm up to the task, up to the challenge. It's fun."
By John Vogl
"The last two games they did a fabulous job," said coach Lindy Ruff. "They
just flat-out outworked the other team's top line."
Gaustad scored his seventh goal of the season Sunday early in the second
period, stuffing home a Gerbe rebound for his seventh point in the last 10
games. Later in the period, Kaleta burst down the right wing and set up
Gerbe perfectly on a 2-on-1 but Gerbe clanked his shot off the goalpost.
"Hey, I can skate," said a beaming Kaleta. "You just get it, take off and go
as hard as you can to create as much space as you can [from the chasing
defenseman]."
Kaleta also had an unsuccessful penalty shot midway through the second
after the Penguins threw a loose stick on the ice at the puck. Kaleta worked
up plenty of speed and his wrist shot leaked through goaltender Marc-Andre
Fleury but deflected wide.
"I just tried to get down there and stayed patient," Kaleta said. "I got a shot
and maybe I could have got it a little higher and maybe sold a better shot.
The day started with the building falling down on the Sabres. They
responded by bringing down the house.
Buffalo ended its four-game winless streak with authority Sunday, earning a
6-2 victory over Pittsburgh. The Sabres tied their season high in goals while
playing the type of game the First Niagara Center crowd has been
expecting all season, an outing filled with clutch offense and impressive
goaltending.
"It was fun because we worked hard and deserved to win," captain Jason
Pominville said. "It's just disappointing that a lot of times we've been
inconsistent."
Pominville and linemate Derek Roy combined for three goals and six points,
including a goal each in the opening 4:16 to get the Sabres and the sellout
crowd of 18,690 rolling.
"We got off to a good start," said defenseman Christian Ehrhoff, who also
had three points, all assists. "We really worked hard, and it showed in the
score."
The meeting with the Penguins started ominously for the Sabres. A large
light bulb near the ceiling of the arena exploded just prior to warm-ups.
When the players took the ice, large shards of glass ruined the edges on
their skates. Most of the Sabres needed to retreat to the dressing room to
get the blades re-sharpened.
Everyone deserves blame for Sabres' poor season
By Bucky Gleason
The officials gave the Sabres five extra minutes to warm up in the Penguins'
zone after Pittsburgh left the ice. The referees also delayed the start of the
game to give Buffalo time to remedy the blade problems.
The Sabres have had so many problems this season that it's difficult to
determine where to begin and where to end. Obviously, they're broken and
need to be fixed. There is no magic trade that can turn them around before
the Feb. 27 deadline.
"There was glass all over the ice, and it was frozen into the ice," Pominville
said. "It wasn't skateable, and it was pretty dangerous. I'm surprised they
were able to get it off that quick because it was really frozen into the ice."
When comparing expectations to results, this season will likely go down as
the worst in franchise history.
Once the puck dropped, the only thing jagged was the Penguins'
goaltending. The Sabres needed just 52 seconds to start the torment of one
of their favorite targets, Pittsburgh goaltender Brent Johnson. Then, after
only three shots, Buffalo increased its lead to 2-0.
Pominville added to his team-high goal total with his 23rd just as the fans
were settling into their seats. Johnson stopped Pominville's deflection of a
Tyler Myers pass, but the captain popped the rebound over the goalie to get
the building roaring.
With 4:16 gone, the Sabres struck again. Roy skated to the bottom of the
left circle and put a backhand between Johnson and the post. It was the
third straight game in which the Sabres scored twice in the opening period.
They entered the day averaging just 2.36 goals per game this season.
The Sabres chased Johnson with 2:52 gone in the second when Paul
Gaustad popped home a rebound to give Buffalo a 3-0 lead.
It shouldn't have been a surprise the goalie didn't last long. He entered with
just a 3.61 goals-against average and .873 save percentage against the
Sabres. The shortest start of his career came in Buffalo on Dec. 26, 2006,
when he allowed four goals on six shots in a stick-splintering, glovethrowing outing for Washington.
After Johnson calmly departed for Marc-Andre Fleury, it was the Sabres'
turn to get frustrated. Fleury repeatedly stoned the Sabres' second-period
attack — including a penalty shot by Patrick Kaleta — and got help when
left wing Nathan Gerbe hit the post instead of a wide-open net.
Deryk Engelland scored with 3:39 gone in the second. Sabres goalie Ryan
Miller answered with his biggest save of the day three minutes later. He
stopped NHL points leader Evgeni Malkin on a breakaway, allowing the
Sabres to keep their 3-1 lead through the second period.
"He had a lot of speed behind him so I thought maybe that was a chance for
him to shoot," said Miller, who finished with 24 saves. "I know he likes to go
low blocker — it's a favorite, it's a first option — I just tried to make sure I
was ready to cover it."
Jordan Staal pulled the Penguins within 3-2 with 5:05 gone in the third,
bringing an "uh-oh" moment to the Blue and Gold faithful. The team with a
tendency to collapse instead responded. Drew Stafford scored just 1:05
later, and Pominville fed Roy for a short-handed goal with 8:32 to gone to
send the Sabres toward their victory.
"A lot of things clicked," Miller said. "We do have the skill to win some
hockey games."
The question afterward became why isn't that talent displayed nightly. The
trade deadline is next Monday, and the Sabres created seven anxious days
for themselves by falling toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
"We kind of put ourselves in a tough position as to where management has
to take a good look as to what's going on because we don't perform up to
our expectations," Miller said. "It comes down to the right makeup of
players, and this is the time when some of that kind of shuffles.
"We know that the effort and some of the key plays have been missing this
year. We were happy to have it [Sunday]. We're just going to try and keep
establishing that kind of a game when we can."
jvogl@buffnews.com
613848
Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo's injuries cannot be ignored, but they're not a valid excuse, either.
Injuries might have prevented them from contending in the division or made
a difference between fourth and eighth in the conference. Fifteen skaters
have appeared in 44 games or more this year. To blame injuries for having
the NHL's 28th-best record is ludicrous.
OK, so is it the players? Broken down, you can find no fewer than seven
who were having the worst seasons of their careers in one form or another
going into the weekend. It's not a good sign when two forwards, Jason
Pominville and Thomas Vanek, accounted for nearly 31 percent of their
scoring through 57 games.
Derek Roy was on pace for 16 goals and 40 points, both career lows since
the lockout. Drew Stafford was headed toward 13 goals, a career-low for a
full season. Paul Gaustad was on pace for 21 points. Ryan Miller was
staring down the barrel of his first losing record, his worst goals-against
average (2.82) and second-worst save percentage (.906).
Ville Leino was on pace for six goals and 22 points, one fewer goal and one
fewer point than he had in 19 playoff games in 2009-10. Brad Boyes, a
three-time 25-goal scorer, was on pace for four goals and 19 points. He had
never averaged worse than 0.512 points per game in his career before
averaging .295 ppg this year.
Do we really need to reach deep down the list and find Cody McCormick
with no goals in 38 games or Matt Ellis with six points in 47 games or Mike
Weber's team-worst minus-14 in 31 games played this season? Tyler Myers
missed 20 games with injuries, but he's been less productive in the games
he played than in his first two years.
It's not an anomaly, you know, like the weather. It's a pattern.
Is that the players or coaching?
Several players mentioned how it was odd not hearing Lindy Ruff, when he
watched from the press box, screaming during games. It made me wonder
if they've grown tired of listening to their coach's bark. At times this season,
the Sabres looked stale and uninterested in playing for him.
Ruff can't score goals from behind the bench but he's partly responsible for
the listless efforts and poor defense that have become common this year.
He's also the one who needs to get players in positions to succeed.
Luke Adam had five goals and 13 points in his first 16 games while playing
mostly on the top line. The rookie's production, and likely his confidence,
took a dive when he was demoted for an extended period. He skated into
the weekend without a point in 20 games, or since Dec. 17, and was still
fifth among forwards in scoring with 20 points. He's back in Rochester.
Boyes' success earlier in his career came while playing wing and bombing
one-timers from the left circle. He has played center out of necessity for
much of his time here. Leino was signed with the idea he could play center.
The experiment failed, and Ruff has been unable to find him consistent
linemates without breaking up Vanek and Pominville.
So is that the coaching or the poor personnel?
GM Darcy Regier made no changes even when it was obvious his team
was headed in the wrong direction. Nearly six weeks ago, Sabres President
Ted Black suggested they had reached a crossroads and insisted Regier
was doing his job. If his job was doing nothing to address flaws and watch
his team slide down the standings, he succeeded.
Regier has the trade deadline ahead with little hope of reaching the
postseason. He was given an open checkbook for the first time in his
career. The Sabres are spending more and getting worse results.
Owner Terry Pegula and his upper-management team have insisted Regier
isn't getting fired, which at best sounds like accepting mediocrity for a team
that supposedly was serious about winning it all.
The answer to the questions, of course, is all of the above.
Let's work backward for the solution, one you've read numerous times.
Change the general manager, have the incoming GM decide on the coach,
clear cap space, address his roster and make sure he has enough depth to
overcome injuries.
Kane for Miller?
Jeremy Roenick caused quite a stir, particularly in Chicago and Buffalo, last
week when he suggested the Blackhawks needed to consider trading away
Patrick Kane in an effort to upgrade their goaltending.
"I love Patrick Kane," Roenick said on ESPN radio in Chicago. "He is one of
the most talented and one of the best players in the NHL. But if you really
want a top-end goaltender you're going to have to give up somebody."
With the 'Hawks looking for better goaltending and the Sabres in need of
more scoring, some wondered if a deal for Ryan Miller might be in the
works. It might have made sense, but it wouldn't be an ideal move for either
side.
Kane is one of the most popular athletes in Chicago and will forever have a
place in its sports history after scoring the Stanley Cup winner in 2009-10.
Kane has 13 goals and 48 points in 59 games, putting him on pace for the
worst year of his career, but trading him anywhere would be a tough sell.
It also wouldn't be fair to him or the Sabres if he wound up in Buffalo, a
small town that can be suffocating for all players. Just ask Miller. It would be
considerably more difficult for the South Buffalo native, whose every move
would be analyzed. The best scenario for him would be staying in Chicago.
Senators center Jason Spezza on his team going 5-0-1 all-time when their
fathers travel with them for road trips: "I guess it's the fear of the fathers."
Around the boards
Eric Staal Watch: The Hurricanes center had seven goals and 20 points
and was minus-22 in his first 38 games this season. In his next 19 games,
with the Hurricanes out of contention, he had seven goals and 24 points
and was plus-4. He's an example of how much easier the game can
become when playing under less pressure.
The Senators watched three drafts fall into place last week in a 6-2 win over
Florida when 2007 first-round pick Jim O'Brien scored his first NHL goal
from 2006 first-round pick Nick Foligno and 2005 first-round pick Brian Lee.
Boston, Chicago, Nashville, Detroit and the Rangers inquired about Ryan
Smyth before he and the Oilers agreed they weren't interested in trading
him away as a rental. Smyth, who has a no-trade clause in his contract, is
looking for an extension in the $6.5 million range over two years.
Don't be shocked if Nikolai Khabibulin lands back in Chicago before the
deadline. The Blackhawks need a goaltender they can trust in the playoffs.
The Bulin Wall spent four years with them before signing with Edmonton in
2009-10, the year Chicago won the Stanley Cup with then-rookie Antti
Niemi.
bgleason@buffnews.com
613849
Buffalo Sabres
Wings maintain hold on top spot
Nash ponders future
The Columbus Dispatch listed six teams believed to be suitable for winger
Rick Nash to lift his no-trade clause with the Blue Jackets. It included the
Rangers, Boston, San Jose, Los Angeles, Vancouver and Toronto.
New York appeared to have the inside track, but Columbus is looking for a
starting goaltender. It brings deals more into play with Boston (Tuukka
Rask) and Vancouver (Cory Schneider). Los Angeles has Jonathan Bernier,
but the Kings are reluctant to take Nash's long-term contract and $7.8
million cap hit.
Toronto has young players it can move, starting with defenseman Luke
Schenn, but it didn't appear likely it would include a goaltender that can
meet Columbus' needs. The Leafs could look into the asking price for Jeff
Carter, however, with the idea they could fix him with coach Ron Wilson
and GM Brian Burke.
By Bucky Gleason
(Through Thursday's games, Last week in parentheses)
1 Detroit Red Wings. NHL-record 21 straight victories at home. (1)
2 New York Rangers. Ryansanity? Callahan has 8 goals in 11 games. (2)
3 Vancouver Canucks. Acquiring Nash is unlikely, but what about Carter?
(3)
4 St. Louis Blues. McDonald returns after missing 51 games with
concussion. (5)
5 Boston Bruins. Boychuk signs three-year contract extension for $10
million. (4)
Another option is, well, nothing.
GM Scott Howson has a reputation for being extremely careful and could
wait until after the season to make a deal, assuming he's still in charge.
Teams will have a better idea where they stand with personnel and the
salary cap this summer. Nash would still need to approve any deal.
6 Nashville Predators. Rookie D Ellis itches scratch with two points vs.
'Hawks. (6)
7 Pittsburgh Penguins. Staal would be on 37-goal pace if he stayed healthy.
(8)
Zidlicky wants out
8 Philadelphia Flyers. When all else fails, cancel practice and play poker.
(7)
Minnesota's decision to scratch healthy defenseman Marek Zidlicky against
Winnipeg last week fueled speculation that a trade was imminent, but it was
actually coach Mike Yeo making the call. Yeo didn't want the veteran
playing without knowing whether he was committed to helping them win.
9 San Jose Sharks. Thornton, Pavelski combine for 22 points in seven
games. (10)
"I'm making an assumption that his head would not be in the right place to
play," Yeo told reporters. "I don't know what's going on, and that's speaking
honestly. I don't know what's going to happen."
Zidlicky has made it clear that he wants to be moved and would waive his
no-trade clause if it meant playing for the Devils. GM Cliff Fletcher hinted
that he might keep him until the summer, when he would have more
options. Yeo last week wasn't sure when, or if, Zidlicky would get back in
the lineup.
"He would have to prove, just like every one of our players, that he's all in to
what we want to do," Yeo said. "If you do that, and if you go out and show
that night in and night out, then absolutely. Anybody who's here, we will
treat them as part of the team."
Quotable
10 New Jersey Devils. Kovy's previous hat trick was three years, one day
earlier. (11)
11 Ottawa Senators. Jason Spezza has five goals, 13 points in five-game
streak. (14)
12 Florida Panthers. Erratic play leads to lopsided wins and losses since
All-Star break. (16)
13 Chicago Blackhawks. Losing streak prompts calls for Q's dismissal. (9)
14 Los Angeles Kings. Guilty of poor timing in announcing ticket-price hike.
(13)
15 Toronto Maple Leafs. Scratching healthy Schenn fuels trade speculation.
(12)
16 Phoenix Coyotes. Five straight wins before shootout loss to Canucks.
(18)
17 Calgary Flames. Charge continues despite five forwards sidelined with
injuries. (21)
18 Washington Capitals. Kolzig says Ovechkin should stop playing "rock
star" role. (15)
19 Colorado Avalanche. Muller suffered injury in midsection, not another
concussion. (19)
20 Dallas Stars. Nieuwendyk makes it work with one of the NHL's smallest
payrolls. (20)
21 Winnipeg Jets. Thorburn: no goals in first 49 GP, then three in next
seven. (22)
22 Minnesota Wild. C Kyle Brodziak in preliminary talks for contract
extension. (17)
23 New York Islanders. Moulson is one of the NHL's most underrated
players. (23)
24 Anaheim Ducks. Selanne ties Shanny for 12th place all-time with 656th
goal. (28)
Glass was swept off the ice and some players left and returned to the locker
room. Lindy Ruff came out and had a discussion with Jason Pominville, at
which point Ryan Miller left the net and stopped facing shots, instead
moving to center ice to do some light stretching. The Penguins' warmup at
the zamboni end went on unaffected. Light crashing down kind of a
metaphor for the season, isn't it?
UPDATE: The Sabres got an extra five minutes of warmup at the zamboni
end after the penguins left.
---It will be Miller against Pittsburgh backup Brent Johnson after Marc-Andre
Fleury, who is 11-4-2 in his career against Buffalo, played yesterday in
Philadelphia.
---Evgeni Malkin leads the league in scoring with 70 points and had five in
the Sabres' 8-3 loss Dec. 17 in Pittsburgh. Get this: Malkin has 29 points in
12 games this year against the Northeast Division.
---The Penguins announced this morning that winger James Neal, enjoying
a breakout year with 30 goals, has signed a six-year, $30 million contract
extension. The Sabres are paying Ville Leino $4.5 million. Just sayin.
Join me at 12:30 for our game blog.
25 Montreal Canadiens. Chara disappointed that fans cheered after he was
injured. (26)
---Mike Harrington
26 Tampa Bay Lightning. Stamkos has 33 of 39 goals at even strength. (24)
27 Carolina Hurricanes. Ruutu's injury quiets trade talk with deadline
approaching. (27)
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28 Buffalo Sabres. With big expectations come big disappointment. (25)
Roy shows signs of his go-to persona
Buffalo Sabres
29 Edmonton Oilers. Renney still battling concussion after getting hit with
puck. (29)
30 Columbus Blue Jackets. Rangers look like the best landing place for
Nash. (30)
613850
Buffalo Sabres
Sabres' Leopold loses young friend to cancer
Jordan Leopold has made some good friends during his monthly visits to
Women's and Children's Hospital. One of the closest was Anna Rose
Leavoy, who had been fighting brain and spinal cancer since December
2010.
The Sabres' defenseman would speak with the Leavoy family at length
during his visits, conversations that began last season. Today's victory over
Pittsburgh was tempered when Leopold learned that Anna Rose, who was
11 months old when she was diagnosed, died today.
"Very sad," Leopold said in a text message.
"We benefited from his solo visits," Jason Leavoy, Anna's father, said in an
e-mail in late December. "It's a down-to-earth visit, not too flashy, with his
ears open to listen to how things are really going. ... The visits are a
wonderful distraction in difficult times."
---John Vogl
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Buffalo Sabres
Quick warmup notes: Light down from the ceiling
Quickies from the Sabres-Penguins warmup:
---Something happened just as the Sabres took the ice. It's believed that a
strobe light from the ceiling crashed to the ice and shattered just inside the
Buffalo blueline. The house lights are at half, remember, when fans enter
the building and immediately go to full when the players take the ice for
warmups.
By Bucky Gleason
Derek Roy stood before his stall in the Sabres' dressing room long after the
game ended Sunday afternoon and talked about better days earlier in his
career. He could go back to the earliest days of his career and find coaches
who pointed toward him as a common denominator for success.
"I was a go-to guy in Kitchener when we won the Memorial Cup my last
year," Roy said. "I played in the world juniors. It was a great year. I played
in Rochester and was the go-to guy right away. It was fun. ... When we lost
Danny [Briere] and [Chris] Drury, I had a good season. I just tried getting
better and better."
Check the record, and you'll find accuracy in his account. Roy was a
dominant player while climbing the ranks and a good one in the NHL. He
had 20 points in eight games in Rochester before he was summoned to the
Sabres for good in 2005-06, finishing the year with 15 points in 18 playoff
games.
The Sabres a year later pointed toward his success with Thomas Vanek
when they decided Briere and Drury, their top two centers while reaching
the conference finals in consecutive years, were expendable. Roy's
response was 32 goals and 81 points in 78 games, a point total that left him
ninth among NHL centers.
And when things turned sour, when he vanished in the 2009-10 playoffs
against Boston, when the Sabres took off last year on an incredible secondhalf run and made the playoffs without him, when their scoring fell off and
players looked stale this year — he was the guy people pointed toward as a
common denominator for failure.
"It comes with the territory," Roy said. "When you're supposed to be scoring
goals and you're not scoring goals, it's your fault. If you want to be that guy
in the spotlight ... that's your job. It's fun to be in that position when things
go right, but it's not fun to be in that position when you lose games. I like
being the go-to guy."
Roy was a guy worth going to Sunday, a rarity this season. He rediscovered
what made him successful early in his career with a three-point effort in a 62 victory over the Penguins in First Niagara Center. He set up Jason
Pominville early in the game, added a goal a few minutes later and scored
short-handed in the third period to end any doubt.
Who knows if it will continue?
Sabres coach Lindy Ruff wondered where Roy's game had been all season
and wasn't sure if it would return Tuesday against the Islanders. It's not a
good sign when a coach isn't certain of what to expect from a player after
watching him for 526 games. It's impossible to determine if Sunday's effort
was merely a flash of brilliance or total recovery.
Naturally, Roy's at the center of whether they should shoot for the playoffs
or use him as an asset to reload. The NHL trade deadline is a week from
today, and Roy could be down to his final days in Buffalo. His contract has
a full season with a $4 million cap hit, which makes him attractive trade bait.
There's an argument to keep him on a team emaciated down the middle.
Buffalo is clinging to slim playoff hopes. The postseason remains a
possibility if he continues playing well, but they face long odds in the first
place partly because he failed to perform.
The Sabres have said nothing to him about the possibility he could be
moved. He claimed he didn't know his name had been mentioned in trade
rumors and said he wants to stay. He disputed his reputation as a selfabsorbed player who butted heads with Ruff about his defense and
unwillingness to put team victories over individual achievement.
"Right now, this is my team," Roy said. "I'm not a GM. I have no idea what
they're going to do. All I can do is play for my team, play for my linemates,
go out every night like it was my first year and play as hard as I can every
game."
bgleason@buffnews.com
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Buffalo Sabres
Fleury stopped the first seven shots he faced, including Patrick Kaleta’s
penalty shot, giving the Penguins a chance to mount a comeback. They cut
Buffalo’s lead to 3-2 on Staal’s power-play goal 5:05 into the third.
After squandering early leads in losing each of their past two games, the
Sabres responded. Stafford and Roy scored goals 2:22 apart.
“Today we finished the deal,” coach Lindy Ruff said.
“I think the answer was getting the fourth one right away. That was the
answer. … We just kept coming.”
Ryan Miller was sharp, too. He made 24 saves, including stops of Staal and
Evgeni Malkin on breakaway attempts in the second period.
Pominville opened the scoring 52 seconds in, and Roy made it 2-0 by the
4:16 mark.
The Sabres got off to a fast start despite having their pregame warmup
interrupted when a light bulb broke just before Buffalo took the ice. Shards
of broken glass were scattered across the ice in the Buffalo end.
Several Sabres players needed to have their skates re-sharpened.
The NHL allowed the Sabres additional time to warm up, which they did in
the Penguins’ end. And the start of the game was delayed for a few minutes
to allow the last few Sabres players time to have their skates sharpened.
“After a weird warmup, we stuck with it. Didn’t want to make any excuses
out of it,” Pominville said.
“We were able to get the lead, get it early and be good with it.”
Roy leads Sabres to rout of Penguins
Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Buffalo Sabres
JOHN WAWROW
The Associated Press
Roy scores twice in Sabres 6-2 win over Penguins
BUFFALO — Sabres forward Derek Roy was still upset with himself after
being robbed by Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury’s pad save in the
second period.
Written by
He didn’t miss on his next opportunity.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Roy redirected Jason Pominville’s centering pass through Fleury’s legs for
a short-handed goal as part of Buffalo’s three-goal third period in securing a
6-2 win over the Penguins on Sunday. It was a game in which the Sabres
snapped a four-game skid (0-3-1) and Roy finished with two goals and an
assist to enjoy his best outing in nearly four months.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Derek Roy scored twice and added an assist for
the Buffalo Sabres, who snapped a four-game skid with a 6-2 win over the
Pittsburgh Penguins on Sunday.
“Finishing the chances is obviously key,” said Roy, who was staring at an
open side only to have Fleury kick out his left pad in preventing the Sabres
from building a 3-1 lead with 7:20 left in the second period.
“He made a nice save. But at the same time, you want to finish that and get
up three goals and close the game out,” Roy said. “In the third period, I was
really mad and I wanted to go out and score a goal.”
JOHN WAWROW
Jason Pominville had a goal and two assists, while Ryan Miller made 22
saves, including stopping Jordan Staal and Evgeni Malkin on breakaway
attempts in the second period. Paul Gaustad, Drew Stafford and Tyler
Ennis also scored for Buffalo (25-27-7), which improved to 1-3-1 in its past
five, and moved out of a tie with Carolina for last place in the Eastern
Conference.
It was a breakout performance for Roy, whose five points (two goals, three
assists) in three games matched what he had in his previous 20 (three
goals, two assists).
Deryk Engelland and Jordan Staal scored for the Penguins, who dropped to
4-2-1 in their past seven and failed to build off a 6-4 win at Philadelphia a
day earlier. Marc-Andre Fleury allowed four goals on the 12 shots he faced
after taking over for Brent Johnson, who allowed three goals on 12 shots.
Pominville had a goal and two assists, while Paul Gaustad, Drew Stafford
and Tyler Ennis also scored in helping Buffalo (25-27-7) move out of a tie
with Carolina for last place in the Eastern Conference.
Pittsburgh (33-21-5) lost to Buffalo for only the second time in nine
meetings (2-7-0), and squandered a chance to move ahead of the fourthplace Flyers in the East.
Deryk Engelland and Jordan Staal scored for the Penguins, who came out
flat in failing to build off a 6-4 win at Philadelphia a day earlier.
The Sabres jumped to a 2-0 lead 4:16 in, and finally found a way to get a
first-period lead to stand up. After Staal cut Buffalo’s lead to 3-2 by scoring
a power-play goal 5:05 into the third period, the Sabres responded with two
goals in a span of 2:22.
Backup goalie Brent Johnson’s season-long struggles continued. His record
dropped to 3-7-2 after being yanked early in the second period after
allowing three goals on 12 shots. Though Fleury provided the Penguins an
immediate lift upon taking over, he eventually allowed three goals on 12
shots as Pittsburgh (33-21-5) squandered a chance to move ahead of the
fourth-place Flyers in the East.
“It was a letdown for our team,” Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said. “We
knew exactly what team we were playing and what they could do and how
they were going to play. We didn’t execute and play that way. And early on,
we gave up good opportunities, which they capitalized.”
Stafford regained the Sabres’ two-goal edge 65 seconds after Staal scored.
After failing to convert Thomas Vanek’s pass through the crease, Stafford
maintained control of the puck, circled the net and banked a shot in off
Fleury.
Roy then sealed the victory with a short-handed goal. Pominville set him up
by sending a pass into the middle, which Roy redirected past Fleury.
Buffalo blew two one-goal leads in a 4-3 shootout loss to Montreal on
Friday, and squandered a 2-0 lead in a 7-2 loss at Philadelphia on
Thursday.
Pominville and Roy opened the scoring with goals on consecutive shots.
And Johnson was yanked after Gaustad scored 2:52 into the second period
to put the Sabres ahead 3-0. Nathan Gerbe circled the net, came out the
right side and got a shot off that Johnson stopped. Gaustad got to the
rebound and flipped it over the fallen goalie.
Fleury was sharp through the second period in helping the Penguins
attempt to mount a rally. Midway through the second period, Fleury got his
glove out in stopping Patrick Kaleta, who was awarded a penalty shot after
Pittsburgh’s Chris Kunitz threw his stick at the puck.
Miller was better against a high-powered Penguins offense that had scored
19 goals in its previous four games.
Buffalo defenseman Christian Ehrhoff’s giveaway in his own zone led to
Staal being set up all alone driving to the net, only to have Miller get a piece
of the shot off his left shoulder less than two minutes in.
Malkin had an even better chance four minutes later, when he chased down
a loose puck at the Sabres blue line and headed toward the net. Malkin
patiently waited until he got to the top of the crease before snapping a shot,
which Miller turned away with his right pad.
NOTES: After managing just three goals and two assists in 20 games,
Sabres C Roy now has two goals and three assists in his past three. ...
Johnson was appearing in only his fifth game in two months, as the
Penguins attempted to provide Fleury a break after he stopped 27 shots in
a 6-4 win at Philadelphia on Saturday. Fleury has now appeared in all but
nine of the Penguins’ 59 games this season. ... Prior to the game, the
Penguins announced they had signed LW James Neal to a six-year, $30
million contract extension. ... The Sabres are 0-for-2 on penalty shots this
season, and 19 of 53 overall.
"Tommy is a very good player,” Cammalleri said. ”I think sometimes he
doesn’t get as much credit for his ability to play with great hockey smarts
and take advantage of some offensive opportunity.
“I played with him years ago and know he’s very capable. He’s been very
good for us lately."
In three games since moving to centre from the wing, Cammalleri has
proved very good on a makeshift second line with Kostopoulos and Blake
Comeau.
No one on either team played better than Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff.
Kiprusoff turned away all 28 Los Angeles shots, including a stunning skate
stop on Dustin Penner and glove-hand robbery of Mike Richards.
“He’s something special,” Kostopoulos said Kiprusoff. “He turns games
around in our favour many times. I’ve never seen a goalie that can dictate
the momentum of the game, change the momentum of a game, by saves.
But he does it all the time for us.
“He’s been playing really well. We’ve got to thank him, appreciate him, not
take him for granted. He’s been great."
So great, the Flames find themselves on top of the playoff cutline for the
first time in 11 months
Ten of their next 14 games are home.
“We’re going in the right direction,” said captain Jarome Iginla. “This is the
start of where we want to go. Now we just want to keep going. We know it’s
going to be a race down to the end...
Democrat and Chronicle LOADED: 02.20.2012
“Guys have worked hard. We don’t think we’ve gotten there by any means.
But it’s a big win for sure."
613855
V. Hall
Calgary Flames
Calgary Herald: LOADED: 02.20.2012
Flames keep pushing for the playoffs
613856
By Vicki Hall
Smokin'! Flames have been on fire since Boston Beatdown
CALGARY — The drought lasted 342 days for the Calgary Flames.
RANDY SPORTAK, Calgary Sun
That’s how long the Flames resided outside of the playoff picture in the
NHL’s Western Conference.
On Saturday night, the coach Brent Sutter’s Flames finally vaulted into
eighth place with a 1-0 shutout of coach Darryl Sutter’s Los Angeles Kings.
The Flames (28-22-9) are tied with L.A. at 65 points, but have more wins.
"It’s nice, but we know how quickly things can change,” Flames winger Tom
Kostopoulos said late Saturday at Staples Center. “Since I’ve been here
with the Flames, we’ve knocked on the door of that spot a few times, and let
it slip.
“We’ve got to keep pushing like we’re out of the playoffs,” Kostopoulos said.
“We can’t take any game for granted . . . because overnight it can change.
We’ve got big games coming up against all the teams that are in that pack,
so it’s going to be fun hockey."
Fun hockey — and, for the Flames, surprising hockey.
General manager Jay Feaster hates it when reporters bring up the topic of
injuries, but the fact remains the Flames are without six regulars in their
lineup. Up front, Calgary is missing an entire second line (David Moss,
Curtis Glencross and Lee Stempniak) along with centres Blair Jones and
Mikael Backlund.
After Jones went down with a cracked ankle, Kostopoulos quietly preached
the importance of the role players stepping up and making the most of the
increased ice time.
He backed up his words with action, especially on Saturday night. Normally
a fourth-line grinder, Kostopoulos logged the most minutes of any Flames
forward (19:32.)
He chipped in with four hits, three blocked shots, and pure-hustle assist on
the winning (and only) goal of the night by Michael Cammalleri.
Calgary Flames
At the time, it appeared the Calgary Flames could have been headed for a
knockout.
Somehow, though, the Flames survived the standing eight-count which was
that Beantown beatdown in early January at the hands of the Boston Bruins
— actually, you could call it a nine-count based on the outcome of that
game — and punched their way back into the NHL’s playoff picture.
Having actually pulled into the Western Conference’s elite eight, with the
latest step upward being Saturday’s 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Kings to
vault into eighth place, the Flames have shown the kind of resilience you
see in Rocky-type movies.
Who would have thought it possible after the 9-0 loss to the reigning
Stanley Cup champions Jan. 5, which had them riding a five-game losing
slide?
“It’s how you respond to games like that, and it could have been the best
thing for us,” Flames winger Tom Kostopoulos said. “It was a real wakeup
call. We were playing soft — not playing the right way — and a legitimate
team like Boston really handed it to us.
“Really, depending on the way the year goes, it could be the best thing
that’s happened to us. It’s shown us how we have to play every night to
compete for a chance at the playoffs and a chance at the Cup.”
After that game in Boston, the Flames had tumbled back down to 12th in
the West, a half-dozen points off the playoff pace. Pretty much everybody
who wasn’t part of the organization was ready to write them off, with visions
of a fire sale and subsequent rebuild.
Since that butt-kicking, the Flames have put together a 10-3-4 record
(including an impressive 4-0-4 mark on the road). They’re on a run of eight
games without losing in regulation time (5-0-3) heading into Tuesday’s
home clash with the Edmonton Oilers
(7 p.m., Sportsnet West/Sportsnet 960).
“It was pretty tough. It was our lowest game of the year, and everything that
could go wrong did go wrong,” Flames captain Jarome Iginla said.
“But (head coach) Brent (Sutter) and the coaching staff did a good job of
telling us as soon as it was done to just throw it out.
“The next day, the message was, ‘Let’s just forget it. It was a tough road
trip, but let’s move forward.’ It feels since then we’ve been getting better as
a team.
“Now, we feel more confident. We’re beating teams above .500, which was
something last year we weren’t able to do, and we’re playing better.
“It does feel good.”
With 23 games remaining on the schedule, this team’s fate has not been
sealed.
Remember, this was a club which had climbed as high as fifth in the
Western Conference last season, with players openly talking about gunning
for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs before things fell
apart for good.
However, despite outrageous number of man-games lost due to injury,
including five forwards — none of whom are expected to be in action until
next month at the earliest — they’ve put up a fight.
Consider the goals-for (40) and goals-against numbers (30) in those last 17
games. The Flames have done it with defence, including the Vezina
Trophy-consideration form from goalie Miikka Kiprusoff, and not a bunch of
offence.
“With the challenge we’ve had with injuries, the young guys have come up
and played well in difficult situations. The guys have played hard,” Igilna
said. “Absolutely, guys should feel good about themselves. We’ve found
ways to get better on the road. We’ve been better at getting points in those
close games.
Whenever Tanguay records an assist this season, he’s working towards
finding a way a family can successfully battle the ravages of stomach
cancer.
The slick left-winger is often criticized for not shooting enough, but assists
are important to him.
For every helper he records, Tanguay can feel good about another $200 he
donates for cancer research.
About a dozen Calgary Flames players are involved in charities around the
community, and most get interested in helping out causes because of
personal experience.
Stomach cancer really hit home with the Tanguay family.
In January 2010, Tanguay’s wife Helene was informed that her mother had
the disease. She died in June 2010.
Nobody could blame Tanguay for a tough year with the Tampa Bay
Lightning.
Helene was pregnant with the couple’s second child through the whole
ordeal, giving birth to a son just a couple of months before her mother
passed.
“It was a tough deal for her and her family and for myself, as well,” Tanguay
said.“You never want to see someone you love go away this fast.
“I’m sure we’re not the only family that has gone through this type of story
before.”
Even if Tanguay falls short in the assists department, he will make a
minimum donation of $10,000 this season.
The Flames Foundation for Life will match that contribution, and Tanguay
has found a company, KPMG, to further match his contribution.
The main problem with stomach cancer is how tough it is to detect.
“It’s something to build on.”
Given the symptoms are bad gas and causing flu-like problems, the ailment
can often be disregarded until it has spread.
Added Kostopoulos: “It’s nice, but we know how quickly things can change.
Since I’ve been here, we’ve knocked on the door a few times and let it slip.
We’ve got to keep pushing like we’re out of the playoffs.
By then, it’s too late to successfully fight off the cancer.
“We can’t take any game for granted, because overnight, it could change.
We’ve got big games coming up against all the teams in the pack, and it’ll
be fun hockey.”
“Stomach cancer is one of the deadliest cancers there is,” Tanguay said.
CALGARY TOWER RETURNS
“It’s more in Asia. We’re finding ways to donate a bit more. It’s something
we’re dedicated to.
Goalie Henrik Karlsson was recalled Sunday by the Flames after a
conditioning assignment with the AHL’s Abbotsford Heat, and rookie Leland
Irving was sent to the minors.
“We’re hoping there are better ways to diagnose it and find treatments.
Karlsson, who suffered a knee injury in early December, posted a 2-2
record and a 2.26 goals-against average with a .903 save percentage while
with the Heat. He’s played six games for the Flames this season, in which
he’s compiled a 0-4-1 record with a 3.48 GAA and .895 save percentage.
In his five games for the Flames this season, Irving has a 1-1-3 record to go
with a 3.26 GAA and a .915 save percentage.
randy.sportak@sunmedia.ca
On Twitter: @SUNRandySportak
Calgary Sun: LOADED: 02.20.2012
613857
Calgary Flames
“We found out there isn’t much research being done in North America.
“We hope there are families that go through it that have a better chance of
surviving it.
“You wish you can do a lot more. If we all do a little bit, then we’ll all get
there. I wish I could do more things to get involved.
“There are a lot of people who feel helpless in this situation. You can only
do so much.
“Every day, I hope those specialists and researchers get some help to find
a solution.”
Alex and Helene are expecting their third child now, but Tanguay is thankful
his son was born before his mother-in-law passed away.
The newborn was at least a small beacon of happiness in an otherwise sad
time in their lives.
“We’re fortunate enough that she had time to meet him,” Tanguay said.
Cause deeply personal to Tanguay
“My wife felt great she was able to show the first grandson to her. That was
a good time.”
IAN BUSBY, Calgary Sun
Every time Alex Tanguay makes a beautiful passing play that ends in a
goal, he’s not just helping his team on the ice.
613858
Calgary Flames
Oilers, Coyotes, Flyers to face Flames
RANDY SPORTAK, Calgary Sun
Saturday’s clash will be a good chance for Flames fans to see that potential
for themselves.
5. Flying attack
One week to the NHL trade deadline.
One week for the Calgary Flames to prove to GM Jay Feaster whether he
should try and buy or put a ‘for sale’ sign on a few players.
After garnering three of four points during their two-game trek to Dallas and
Los Angeles and running their record to 5-0-3 in the past eight games, the
Flames return home this week to play four straight home games, starting
with Tuesday night’s Battle of Alberta clash with the Edmonton Oilers.
This is a big opportunity to take a stronger hold on the playoff spot they
grabbed by vaulting over the L.A. Kings into eighth spot in the Western
Conference standings.
Despite an obscene run of injuries to the forward ranks, the Flames have
managed to hold their own to this point. The onus will fall on the supporting
cast to keep contributing as we gear up for the final quarter of the NHL
season.
Guess which is the highest scoring team in the NHL. Detroit? No.
Vancouver? No. It’s not Boston, Chicago nor Pittsburgh, either. It’s the
Flyers.
Sure, the Flyers are big and strong, as usual, both on the wings and on the
blueline, but they also boast all kinds of offensive forces.
Claude Giroux is a rising star, and one of three Flyers already with 20
goals, along with Scott Hartnell and Wayne Simmonds.
The depth goes on, too, with a few talented young rookies in Sean
Couturier and Matt Read and veterans Danny Briere, Jakub Voracek and
Maxime Talbot.
Oh yeah … this may very well be the last time Flames fans get a first-hand
chance to see Jaromir Jagr play, too.
randy.sportak@sunmedia.ca
1. Slicker than Oil
Battle of Alberta? What battle? The meetings between the Flames and the
rival Edmonton Oilers have been incredibly one-sided. As in, they weren’t
this uneven in the mid-80s when the Oil had that Wayne Gretzky-led
dynasty.
The Flames have not only won all four games this season but have cobbled
together a nine-game winning streak versus the Oilers. If that’s not enough,
the Flames have claimed 16 of the last 17 meetings and lost only two
games dating back to the 2008 New Year’s Eve tilt.
Eventually, the rebuilding, young-and-talented Oilers will turn the tide —
and maybe even go on a similar run against the Flames — but this game
will mean so much more to the Flames than to the Oilers, who appear
destined to receive another lottery draft choice.
613859
Carolina Hurricanes
Islanders' Tavares schools Canes again
Associated Press
2. Gags goin’ great guns
UNIONDALE, N.Y. John Tavares took advantage of Carolina once more,
notching two goals and an assist in the Islanders' 4-3 victory on Saturday
night that completed New York's four-game season sweep of the
Hurricanes.
You knew Edmonton Oilers centre Sam Gagner would slow down from that
crazy spell at the start of the month — eight goals and 15 points in a fivegame span. He went into Sunday’s clash with the Vancouver Canucks with
one point in three outings.
Kevin Poulin made 33 saves for the Islanders (25-25-8), who pulled within
six points of eighth-place Toronto in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The last time the Islanders had at least a .500 record after Feb. 1 was four
years ago.
Still, when a player goes on a roll like that, he gains a new level of
confidence in his ability and is more and more capable of going on another
scoring spree.
Tavares broke a 3-3 tie 38 seconds into the third when he knocked a
rebound past goalie Justin Peters, who replaced starter Cam Ward to begin
the period. It was Tavares' 24th goal of the season and sixth against
Carolina. He also has six assists against the Hurricanes (22-26-11), who
are tied with Buffalo at 55 points for last in the conference.
As much as the Oilers are struggling to return to being a playoff team, the
certainly have no shortage of talent. Gagner is just one piece of the puzzle,
which also includes such up-and-comers as Jordan Eberle, Taylor Hall and
rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
The Oilers must improve defensively, but they sure can put pucks in the
net.
3. JunkyaRd Dogs
Despite the never-ending rumours of moving from Arizona, the salary-cap
restraints which have been involved in being owned by the NHL while Gary
Bettman searches — seemingly in vain — to find a group willing to lose its
own money to keep the team in Scottsdale, the Phoenix Coyotes keep in
the playoff hunt and been one of the league’s hottest teams with an 8-1-1
mark in their last 10 games.
The Flames and the Desert Dogs have three more meetings this season
and are currently running neck-and-neck, so Thursday’s clash at the Dome
should have a solid level of intensity.
4. Big flyers landing
Is this the year the Philadelphia Flyers finally hoist the Stanley Cup? There
are all kinds of reasons to expect the Flyers to be in the mix, with all their
scoring depth and a good blueline corps — although they severely miss the
injured Chris Pronger. But yet again, the goaltending is a question mark,
despite the monster contract given to Ilya Bryzgalov (US$51 million over
nine years) last summer.
The Flyers will be hard-pressed to catch the New York Rangers for top spot
in the Atlantic Division but will be an Eastern Conference favourite, so
Frans Nielsen and Kyle Okposo also scored for the Islanders. Poulin, 21,
was recalled from AHL Bridgeport this week to replace No. 1 goalie Evgeni
Nabokov, who is out with the flu. Poulin made two point-blank saves in the
closing seconds to preserve his second win.
Since Tavares posted two goals and two assists in New York's 5-2 win at
Raleigh on Jan. 31, he had only two assists in eight games as the Islanders
scored only 12 times.
Nielsen's power-play goal gave New York a 3-2 lead eight minutes, one
second into the second period, but Carolina defenseman Jaroslav Spacek
tied it with a shot from the point at 10:58.
Nielsen's goal finished a slick passing sequence between him, Tavares and
P.A. Parenteau, who established a career high in points at 54 with three
assists.
The Islanders also beat Carolina in Raleigh 4-3 in a shootout on Jan. 3 and
2-1 in overtime in their previous game on Long Island on Jan. 21.
New York took the lead two minutes, seven seconds in on Okposo's 13th.
Brandon Sutter tied the game 1-1 at 13:47 of the first on a 2-on-1 break with
Patrick Dwyer. It was the 13th goal of the season for Sutter, 23, the son of
Calgary Flames coach and former Islanders forward Brent Sutter.
Carolina's Jiri Tlusty put the Hurricanes ahead 2-1 just 15 seconds into the
second before Tavares scored on a picturesque sweep around Spacek at
4:10 for his first goal since Jan. 31.
The Hurricanes were 4-0-2 in their previous six games, including a 4-2
home win over San Jose on Friday.
Hurricanes captain Eric Staal extended his point streak to eight games with
an assist on Spacek's goal. He has five goals and four assists during the
spurt.
NOTES: The Hurricanes won all four meetings with the Islanders last
season, outscoring New York 18-8... Last season, the Islanders were 1512-6 after the All-Star Break. They are 6-3-1 this season since the break ...
The Hurricanes were without forwards Chad LaRose and Tuomo Ruutu
because of undisclosed upper body injuries, and D Joni Pitkanen
(concussion). Ruutu leads Carolina with 17 goals ... The Islanders were
missing defensemen Travis Hamonic (facial injuries), Dylan Reese (knee)
and Mike Mottau (concussion). ... New York improved to 10-2-1 in games
that are tied after 40 minutes.
News Observer LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks' power play continues to sputter
By Chris Kuc,
Skating at the United Center for the first time since Jan. 24, the Chicago
Blackhawks were facing the St. Louis Blues on Sunday in a key Central
Division showdown.
It was the second of back-to-back games for both teams and the first home
contest for the Hawks after completing their nine-game road trip during
which they went 2-6-1.
With their 3-1 victory over the Blues on Sunday, the Hawks are now on a
three-game winning streak after dropping nine consecutive. Dave Bolland
scored the game-winner in the third period to lift the Hawks, who also got
scores from Duncan Keith and Marian Hossa and strong goaltending from
Corey Crawford.
Crawford allowed only a first-period goal to Andy McDonald as he outdueled Blues netminder Brian Elliott. Bolland's goal in the third came when
he sent the puck into the St. Louis crease and Blues center David Backes
inadvertently redirected it into his own goal.
The Hawks moved to within eight points of the Blues in the Central and
Western Conference standings. The Hawks improved to 20-6-4 at the
United Center while the Blues dropped to 11-12-3 on the road.
Scratches for the Hawks included defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson (upperbody injury) and forwards Brendan Morrison and Michael Frolik. Sitting for
the Blues were defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo and winger Chris Porter.
Chicago Tribune LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Chicago Blackhawks
The cloud attached to the silver-lining victory by the Blackhawks over the
Blues on Sunday was a power play that continues to sputter.
With an 0-for-3 effort during their 3-1 win, the Hawks have now gone 29
consecutive man advantages without a goal.
Dave Bolland the beneficiary of a lucky bounce
"Maybe we're thinking too much," winger Patrick Kane said. "It comes down
to work and getting the puck back. It's kind of unacceptable to be where we
are with the skill we have. I'm sure we'll turn it around soon."
By MARK POTASH
The Hawks haven't scored a power-play goal since Jan. 24 against the
Predators, a span of 10 games.
On the recent losing streak, the Blackhawks allowed two bad-bounce goals
from near center ice and had three shots deflect off defensemen for goals.
"Tough stretch, tough stretch," coach Joel Quenneville said. "That's got to
be something that we can rely on to ignite our offense or score some timely
goals. We'll get it right."
But it went their way against the Blues. Defenseman Duncan Keith faked a
shot from the top of the left circle and got the puck to center Dave Bolland
to the left of the Blues’ net. Bolland’s goal bounced in off Blues center David
Backes.
Giving back: Center Dave Bolland is set to launch "The Dave Bolland
Foundation," dedicated to helping marginalized and at-risk youth. The
foundation will focus on three projects: Chicago's Beyond the Ball,
Toronto's The Remix Project and the international disability charity Easter
Seals. The goal is to raise awareness and funds to assist community
programming through education and mentorship initiatives in sport and the
arts.
"Being here in Chicago, I want to do anything I can to help," Bolland, a
Mimico, Ontario, native said. "Chicago gives to us. They come to our
games, they treat us like kings in the city, and it's great for us to help out
and give back in any way we can."
For more information, go to http://www.davebolland.com.
Rank and file: In a poll conducted jointly by the NHL Players' Association
and CBC's "Hockey Night In Canada," the Hawks fared well in a number of
categories voted upon by players around the league. The organization
ranked first in "Team You'd Like to Play For," while Quenneville was second
behind the Penguins' Dan Bylsma in "Coach You'd Like to Play For" and the
United Center trailed only the Bell Center in Montreal as "Favorite Rink to
Play In."
Chicago Tribune LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks top Blues for 3rd win in row
‘‘We’ll take it,’’ Bolland said. ‘‘Sometimes [goals] are accidental. But those
are the little things, those [deflections] that coming off the [losing] streak are
big for us.’’
Ugly goal
The Blues scored their lone goal with 23 seconds left in the first period
when defenseman Nick Leddy failed to clear the puck in front of the net,
and Blues forward Jamie Langenbrunner kicked it toward the goal off Andy
McDonald’s stick.
The crowd at the United Center roared when the replays showed
Langenbrunner’s kick, but the goal was upheld upon review because it was
ruled the puck went in off McDonald’s stick.
Hawks goalie Corey Crawford said he and Leddy got their signals crossed
on the rebound.
‘‘We both thought we were doing something, then switched back,’’ Crawford
said. ‘‘It’s just kind of a hesitation on our part. I just gotta get out there and
whack his stick away and just grab it or something. We’ll [learn from it].’’
Room to improve
The Hawks failed to score on all three power-play opportunities and are 0for-29 dating to a 3-1 loss to the Nashville Predators on Jan. 24.
‘‘Tough stretch,’’ coach Joel Quenneville said. ‘‘I thought [against the Blues]
each power play was better than the prior one. But that’s something we’ve
got to rely on to ignite our offense or score some timely goals. We’ll get it
right.’’
By Chris Kuc,
The Hawks also killed the Blues’ only power play. Since allowing goals on
six of 19 power plays, the Hawks have killed their last 13 in a row and 15 of
their last 16 over their last six games.
Back at home. At last.
Hammer time?
Defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson missed his sixth consecutive game with
an upper-body injury but could return Tuesday against the Red Wings at the
United Center.
Blackhawks rally past Blues
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Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks 3, Blues 1: Another strong game for Corey Crawford
Staff
Staff
Dave Bolland scored the go-ahead goal in the third period when his
centering attempt hit the stick of St. Louis' David Backes and went in and
the Chicago Blackhawks rallied to beat the Blues 3-1 Sunday for their third
straight victory.
Corey Crawford made 29 saves for the Blackhawks, who did all their
scoring in the final period.
The heat will never be off Corey Crawford until he masters the Antti Niemi
art of allowing four or five goals only when his team scores six or seven.
But the way the Blackhawks have been going, Crawford allowing one when
his team scores two or three will maintain his status as a goaltender the
Hawks might be able to win it all with. Or at least the best chance they’ve
got.
After the 3-1 victory Sunday over the St. Louis Blues in a ‘‘Hockey Day in
America’’ matinee before 22,077 fans at the United Center, the Hawks have
won three consecutive games with Crawford after breaking a nine-game
losing streak in New York against the Rangers last week.
But while the offense carried the bulk of the load with first-period flurries
against the Rangers and Blue Jackets, it was Crawford’s excellence early
against the Blues while Brian Elliott was shutting out the Hawks that made
third-period goals by Duncan Keith, Dave Bolland and Marian Hossa mean
something.
Crawford stopped 29 of 30 shots overall, including breakaways by Andy
McDonald and Chris Stewart among several quality saves. But he was
particularly good in the first period — stopping the Blues’ first 14 shots
before a tough-luck goal by McDonald with 23 seconds left in the period.
‘‘We needed a goalie win,’’ Hawks coach Joel Quenneville said. ‘‘Today
was a goalie win. Crawford was instrumental in keeping us in the game.’’
Crawford has stopped 84 of 88 shots in his last three games, a .955 save
percentage the Hawks can thrive on. It’s a huge jump from his .901 season
percentage and the unacceptable .854 in five losses during the nine-game
losing streak that put the Hawks’ postseason status in jeopardy.
Crawford said he didn’t lose confidence during the recent downturn but
doesn’t feel he’s playing that much differently now than he was then.
‘‘Obviously, I made some adjustments,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t think I was playing
terribly. I wanted to play better. I needed to play better. So it was more of a
hunger or a need to play better than getting down on myself.’’
Then what’s the difference?
‘‘I’m a little more in control,’’ he said. ‘‘Sometimes I was sliding out of
position or getting into the net too much, where it was costing us a goal
here or there. That’s a huge amount when you’re giving up a goal like that
almost every game. I was just trying to stay in control and stay in the net.’’
Crawford’s play has helped resuscitate a team that seemed to have too
many stars, too many veterans and too much leadership to lose nine in a
row.
‘‘He’s the backbone to our team,’’ said Bolland, who scored the tie-breaking
goal on a deflection off Blues center David Backes’ skate with 6:57 left in
the third period.
Even with three consecutive victories, the Hawks (32-21-7, 71 points) still
are sixth in the Western Conference playoff race — eight points behind the
Blues (36-16-7, 79 points) and only six points ahead of the ninth-seeded
Kings (27-21-11, 65 points). But Crawford’s resurgence gives them hope
that they won’t have to sweat it out like they did last season.
‘‘It’s nice to see,’’ Patrick Kane said. ‘‘He’s really excited about where he’s
at. It’s good to have confidence in him. We’ve seen it all last year, how good
he was. We know what a great goaltender he can be.’’
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Chicago Blackhawks
Duncan Keith had the tying goal in the third for Chicago, playing its first
home game since Jan. 24. Andy McDonald scored in the first for the Blues,
who took the 1-0 lead into the final period behind a tough defense and the
goaltending of Brian Elliott, who was going for his second straight shutout.
Marian Hossa added an empty netter with 49 seconds to go for Chicago.
The Blackhawks returned to the United Center after a 2-7 road trip, and
Chicago's three straight wins have come on the heels of a nine-game losing
streak.
Bolland took a pass at the left side of the net and directed the puck toward
the goal. It hit Backes' stick and went in at 13:03 of the period to make it 21, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
Keith earlier took a pass from Patrick Sharp and sent a screaming onetimer from the slot past Elliott, tying the game at 4:52 of the final period. It
was the first goal allowed by Elliott after he'd posted seven straight shutout
periods. He entered the game leading the NHL with a 1.55 goals against
average.
McDonald scored for the Blues late in the first period, a goal upheld by
video replay.
During a scrum in front of the Chicago goal with 24 seconds left in the first
period, the Blues' Jamie Langenbrunner kicked the puck toward the goal
and McDonald nudged it in past Crawford.
Shortly after Keith's tying goal in the third, two Blackhawks crashed into
Crawford as he was stopping a shot by McDonald and the collision
dislodged the net before the puck crossed the line. Another video review
followed and the call on the ice of no goal was upheld.
St. Louis, which has allowed the fewest goals in the league (tied with the
Rangers) at 114 entering the game, made it tough for Chicago to generate
any offense, outshooting the Blackhawks 15-4 in that first period.
McDonald, who'd missed 51 games this season with a concussion, scored
for the third time since his return a week ago. He nearly converted earlier in
the first with the Blues short-handed, skating in alone before Crawford
denied him. Then it was the Blues' turn on the power play and Kris Russell's
short hit the post.
NOTES: St. Louis G Jaroslav Halak, who'd been slowed by flulike
symptoms, was scratched from the lineup for a second straight game. ....
Blackhawks D Niklas Hjalmarsson missed his sixth straight game with an
upper body injury. He skated Sunday and will be re-evaluated for Tuesday
night's game against the Red Wings, coach Joel Quenneville said.
Daily Herald Times LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks’ Crawford shows best defense starts in goal
By Tim Sassone
Maybe the Blackhawks did learn something during one of the worst losing
streaks in franchise history.
Time will tell if the Hawks actually are a better team defensively for having
gone through what they did in those 9 straight losses, but Sunday’s 3-1
victory over the St. Louis Blues at the United Center was encouraging in
that regard.
Related articles
All the excuses were in place for the Blackhawks.
Blackhawks rally past Blues Blackhawks can’t afford to ever be too patient
Blackhawks’ biggest players playing big
Back from a nine-game road trip. Second game in 24 hours. Third game in
four days. And, oh, yeah, they were playing the league's best defensive
team that was coming off its 12th shutout the day before.
The Hawks won a defensive struggle against the NHL’s best defensive
team, and they did it behind goalie Corey Crawford’s 29 saves.
But the Hawks rallied from a 1-0 deficit after two periods to score three in
the third for their third straight win, 3-1 over St. Louis.
Showing that great goaltending is ultimately the best defense, Crawford
made 14 of his saves in the first period and kept the Hawks in it until
Duncan Keith, Dave Bolland and Marian Hossa scored goals in the third
period.
They're now 2-0 this season against Blues All-Star goalie Brian Elliott, who
has just four other losses in 29 games this season. It also was a reward for
Corey Crawford, who's now quieting the "let's trade for a goaltender" talk as
the man in net for this three-game win streak's that followed the nine-game
nightmare. When the Hawks were being dominated, and out-shot 15-4 in
the opening period, the only shot that got past him was on a goalmouth
pileup in which Jamie Langenbrunner kicked the puck to Andy McDonald,
whose stick provided enough push to get it over the goal line. Crawford
stopped the other 29 shots he faced, including a breakaway by Chris
Stewart midway through the second to keep it 1-0. There were a couple of
other big ones along the way, too.
It was the third win in a row for the Hawks coming out of their nine-game
skid and third straight for Crawford.
“We needed a goalie win, and I thought today was a goalie win,” Hawks
coach Joel Quenneville said.
Nobody on the Hawks’ roster took more heat during the losing streak than
Crawford, who admits his game did take a turn for the worse on the long
road trip.
Crawford losing his net and allowing soft goals was becoming a regular
occurrence, and he knew it.
“I’ve made a couple adjustments,” Crawford said. “I think I’ve been in more
control. I thought I was starting to run out of position and I was ending up
out of my net where it was costing us maybe a goal every game. That’s way
too much.
“I’m just trying to be in more control and more patient and let stuff come to
me instead of trying to get out and be aggressive. Just read the play and
have confidence in my positioning where I don’t have to run out like that on
the side. Just wait and trust my reaction time.”
If the Hawks were even thinking about trying to add a veteran goalie before
the Feb. 27 trade deadline — and there were discussions about it —
Crawford’s last three games likely put all that to rest.
“I was always comfortable with our goalies,” said Quenneville, who likes the
way Crawford has handled the adversity in just his first full season as the
Hawks’ No. 1 goaltender.
“We know the scrutiny goaltenders go through,” Quenneville said. “They’re
under the microscope and they get evaluated a lot more than players in
front of them. They come under fire when you’re not winning, and they get
some accolades when you’re doing all right.
“He had such a great end to the season that the standard this season might
have been a little high. He had a decent start and he’s been a little
inconsistent, but you’ve got to commend him for how he stuck with it,
worked his way through it. He’s proven it to us that he’s capable of doing it.”
Playing the Blues these days is a test of patience, which the Hawks passed.
Down 1-0, they hung in there until the third period when Keith scored at
4:52 on a slap shot past goalie Brian Elliott.
Bolland put the Hawks ahead with 6:57 to play when his centering pass was
deflected in by the Blues’ David Backes.
Duncan Keith's equalizer just under five minutes into the third was just his
second goal in three months, but he wound up a plus-3 after being a plus-4
in Columbus 24 hours earlier. Dave Bolland's winning goal was actually a
centering pass that went off of Blues captain David Backes, who was
parked in front of the net. And Marian Hossa wristed in an empty-netter
from his own blue line to cap off Hossa Bobblehead Day.
Wicked Wristers
- The Hawks power play is now 0-for-its-last-29 with Sunday's 0-for-3.
Bolland scored the last one in the third period of the last home game, Jan.
24 against Nashville.
- Joel Quenneville said before the game defenseman Niklas Hjalmarsson
skated once again and could be ready for Tuesday's game against Detroit.
He's missed the last five with an upper body injury. Steve Montador's also
missed the last five with an upper body, but the Head Coach says there's
been no progress toward his return.
Comcast SportsNet.com LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Colorado Avalanche
Avs' Mueller's stay on IR could be short after torso injury
By Adrian Dater
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Left wing Peter Mueller was placed on injured
reserve Sunday by the Avalanche, but he could be off the list today. Mueller
missed his third consecutive game Sunday because of a torso injury. He
was placed on IR retroactive to Feb. 11, to make roster room for Matt
Duchene, ho returned from a seven-week absence against Winnipeg. NHL
bylaws make it possible for Mueller to return any time the team sees fit.
Hossa added an empty netter in the final minute.
Jiggy skates. Avs goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere was back on the ice
Sunday morning, after being off his feet three days because of a groin
injury.
“That was a really big game for us, and it was good in a lot of ways that we
were able to play a patient game,” Keith said. “We stuck with it and didn’t
panic and grinded it out for a win.
Giguere has remained on the active roster since sufferering the injury
Wednesday at Vancouver. It's expected that Cedrick Desjardins will be sent
back to Lake Erie of the AHL.
“We learned a lot there in that losing streak and I think we brought some of
those lessons we learned into tonight’s game. We have to keep playing the
right way.”
Footnotes. Duchene said that when his knee injury occurred Dec. 29, he
feared he would be lost for the season.
Daily Herald Times LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Chicago Blackhawks
Blackhawks rally for third straight win
"It was tough for the first few days there, when we didn't really know,"
Duchene said. "But I can't say enough about the training staff here and how
they helped me get back." ... Former Avs player Mike Keane visited the
team at the morning skate. Keane, a Manitoba native who played for the
AHL's Moose before retiring in 2010, chatted for a while with former
teammates Adam Deadmarsh and Sylvain Lefebvre. ... The Avs have today
off.
Denver Post: LOADED: 02.20.2012
CHRIS BODEN
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Colorado Avalanche
3. Andrew Ladd. Jets veteran scored a power-play goal.
Avalanche hurts playoff chances with loss at Winnipeg
By Adrian Dater
What you might have missed
The game was a sellout at MTS Centre, and the Jets have yet to play in
anything less than a packed home building this season.
Up next
WINNIPEG, manitoba —There are only so many points the Avalanche can
afford to lose if it wants to be skating after game No. 82. Two more got
away Sunday night at the loud, rocking MTS Centre in the Avs' first visit to
Winnipeg since the team was in its first season in Denver.
The Avs were soundly beaten 5-1 by the Jets in a game that saw Matt
Duchene return to the lineup for the first time in seven weeks. The loss,
Colorado's third in the last four outings, kept it at 11th place in the Western
Conference, three points back of the eighth spot.
Los Angeles, Wednesday at 7 p.m., Pepsi Center.
Denver Post: LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Colorado Avalanche
Jets beat Avs 5-1, tie Leafs for 8th in East
For a team that was supposed to be desperate to stay relevant in the
playoff race, the Avs were just a bit too easy to play against. That had
coach Joe Sacco ticked off
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
afterward.
WINNIPEG, Manitoba — With their reunited top line scoring in bunches and
their power play finally clicking, the Winnipeg Jets are peaking at the right
time.
"Overall, we just weren't good enough, in all areas of the game. I don't think
we had everybody here on deck tonight," Sacco said. "A big game like that,
I would have expected a little bit more intensity from more guys tonight,
especially after having played well the last of couple games. I think we got
off track tonight and it showed in our play."
The Avs came out just a little too passive in the first period, with Jets
players the ones digging a little harder for loose pucks along the boards.
The Jets were the ones who forechecked a bit harder and seemed a tad
more willing to dive in front of a shot. For a time, the Avs got away with it
and mostly traded low-grade scoring chances with the Jets.
But starting at the 1:45 mark of the second period, the Jets commenced
getting rewarded for their harder work. Young Jets forward Evander Kane
floated around the Avs' net all the way into the high slot and beat goalie
Semyon Varlamov with a backhander for the first goal.
The lead was 2-0 for Winnipeg at 3:30 after Avs defender Erik Johnson
tried a blind backhand clear-out, or pass up the middle, and had it
intercepted by Bryan Little, who had an easy shot past Varlamov from
there.
Avs standout rookie Gabriel Landeskog took a Johnson pass and beat Jets
goalie Ondrej Pavelec with a short-side shot at 10:42.
However, on the next shift, Winnipeg's Kyle Wellwood beat the Avs'
defense to a puck behind the net and caught Varlamov moving too slowly to
guard the inside post, Wellwood brought home the backbreaker.
"That play, I was slow and didn't see the puck that well, so I think that's my
(fault)," Varlamov said.
Bryan Little scored twice, Andrew Ladd made a goal and two assists and
linemate Blake Wheeler added four assists Sunday night in a 5-1 victory
over the Colorado Avalanche that moved the Jets into a tie with Toronto for
eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
“I think our whole line is playing really well,” Wheeler said. “When we were
put together after the All-Star break, we made a conscious effort to make
this thing work similar to how we did last year in Atlanta.”
Ondrej Pavelec made 31 saves to help the Jets, playing the second game
in an eight-game homestand, increase their winning streak to three and
close within a point of Southeast Division-leading Florida.
Evander Kane had a goal and an assist, and Kyle Wellwood also scored for
Winnipeg.
“It’s nice to finally see us put a few pucks in the net and get confidence,”
Ladd said. “It’s going to be such a big thing going forward here. The power
play has to be here and hasn’t been.”
Gabriel Landeskog scored for Colorado.
“Overall, we just weren’t good enough in all areas of the game,” Avalanche
coach Joe Sacco said. “I don’t think we had everybody here on deck
tonight. In a big game like that, I would have expected a little bit more
intensity from more guys.”
The Avalanche are tied with Dallas for 10th in the West.
“It’s a big loss this time of the year,” said Colorado forward Matt Duchene,
who returned to the lineup after missing 20 games because of a knee injury.
“I think we carried the play in the second period. But they’re a great team.”
Said Sacco: "That was certainly a goal we didn't want to give up in that time
of the game. It started with a turnover in the offensive zone, and we weren't
very hard on the puck."
The Jets improved to 18-9-2 in the raucous MTS Centre.
Duchene showed some good moments with the puck, but linemates Paul
Stastny and Milan Hejduk had bad nights. But so did many other Avs
players.
Kane opened the scoring at 1:45 of the second period, beating goalie
Semyon Varlamov with a quick backhander through traffic from the left
circle for his team-leading 22nd goal.
"I thought we carried the play a lot of the second period, probably should
have been the team that scored three goals, but it didn't happen," Duchene
said. "We've got to find ways to do it a little earlier in a game."
Little was the recipient of a gift from defenseman Erik Johnson, whose blind
clearing attempt gave the Winnipeg center a wide-open net to shoot at 3:30
of the second.
Said Avs defender Ryan O'Byrne: "We got a win in Edmonton, and we
talked about going on a streak, but we had a setback here. We've got to
regroup."
Landeskog beat Pavelec low to the blocker side on a power play at 10:42 of
the period. The rookie has 15 goals. The Jets restored their two-goal lead
46 seconds later when Kane’s high shot ricocheted off the glass and
Wellwood jammed it into the Colorado net.
Adrian Dater: 303-954-1360 or adater@denverpost.com
Avs Recap
The Post's three stars
Ladd and Little scored power-play goals in the third period to cap the
scoring. Litle has 18 goals.
1. Evander Kane. Jets youngster scored first goal and was strong along
boards.
“The third I thought we played real well,” Jets coach Claude Noel said. “We
got some good performances from a lot of guys and our power play came to
life, which was good.”
2. Kyle Wellwood. Jets veteran scored a backbreaker of a goal to put
Winnipeg up 3-1.
NOTES: Varlamov finished with 20 saves. ... Winnipeg forward Eric Fehr
returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the previous four games.
Jets defenseman Zach Bogosian sat out his third consecutive game with an
upper-body injury.
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Rangers 3, Blue Jackets 2 (OT): Nash’s heroics wasted in defeat
Captain’s goal forces overtime, but New York capitalizes for win
“We got our legs back,” Brassard said. “That power play got us going.”
Anisimov made it 2-1 later in the period when he swooped into the crease
to bury the rebound of an errant slap shot by defenseman Dan Girardi that
took a wild bounce off the glass behind Mason.
Del Zotto appeared to make it 3-1 when TV replays showed he scored with
one-tenth of a second left in the second period, but the goal was waved off
when it was determined that the official clock of the video goal judge
showed that time had expired when the puck crossed the goal line.
smitchell@dispatch.com
Columbus Dispatch LOADED: 02.20.2012
By Shawn Mitchell
613871
NEW YORK — Yesterday was a fine day to be a sports fan in the Big
Apple.
Blue Jackets notebook: Howson meets with GMs, but no deals yet
First, the Knicks dispatched the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks
in a Madison Square Garden matinee. Linsanity reigned as Knicks point
guard Jeremy Lin — Gotham’s latest superhero — had 28 points and a
career-high 14 assists.
By Shawn Mitchell
Then the Garden was cleared and iced for the Eastern Conference-leading
Rangers, the lowly Blue Jackets and a capacity crowd of blue-shirted fans.
The Rangers didn’t exactly put on a command performance in the late
show, but they did enough to defeat the Blue Jackets 3-2 in overtime.
With goalie Steve Mason on the bench for an extra skater, Blue Jackets
captain Rick Nash tied the score at 2 with a shot from the top of the circle
that sizzled past the glove of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist with 1:33 left in
regulation.
Rangers center Derek Stepan scored the winner 22 seconds into overtime.
Brad Richards and Artem Anisimov also scored for the Rangers and Derick
Brassard for the Blue Jackets, and it looked for a moment that Nash, the
subject of trade talks, might have been the man of the match. But overtime
ended quickly when Stepan took a sweet pass from defenseman Michael
Del Zotto and scored to Mason’s backside.
Between Garden games, while bootleg Lin jerseys were still being hawked
outside, Nash was made available to the New York media to discuss the
possibility of a trade to the Rangers, reportedly one of the teams most
interested in his services.
Nash, the Jackets’ franchise player, got a taste of what might await him if
he is traded to a major market.
“No comment,” Nash said three times in response to questions from a
group of about two dozen reporters.
NEW YORK — Two months ago, about the time it became clear that the
Blue Jackets had no hope of reaching the playoffs, general manager Scott
Howson pledged to be active before and at the trade deadline.
Howson has yet to swing a deal, but that doesn’t mean he has been sitting
still.
Howson spent his weekend in Philadelphia and New York, where he met
with general managers Paul Holmgren (Philadelphia), Brian Burke (Toronto)
and, presumably, Glen Sather (New York Rangers).
The meeting with Burke was unscheduled, but the two met yesterday
morning in a New York hotel. Burke reportedly was in town to tape a public
service announcement for his son Patrick’s “You Can Play” initiative, in
honor of his late brother, Brendan.
Rick Nash and R.J. Umberger of the Blue Jackets also were slated to tape
announcements for the initiative yesterday, and Howson said he and Burke
engaged in more than idle chit-chat.
Howson remained tight-lipped about the particulars, but he agreed to give a
general characterization of the Blue Jackets’ efforts eight days before the
trade deadline.
“As you get closer to the deadline, you start to have more certainty about
what teams are thinking and you start to be able to define things with more
clarity,” Howson said.
Are things clearing up?
Would playing in a media hotbed such as New York be agreeable to the
soft-spoken, low-key Nash? How has he handled the scrutiny of being far
and away the hottest commodity on the trade market?
“Not enough, because we haven’t done a deal,” said Howson, who refused
to comment on Nash or any other Blue Jackets player who potentially could
be traded.
“I played in the Olympics a couple times, so this is really nothing compared
to that,” Nash said. “But it’s fun.
Senior adviser Craig Patrick accompanied Howson to Philadelphia on
Saturday and watched the Blue Jackets’ American Hockey League affiliate,
Springfield, play at the Rangers’ affiliate, Connecticut, in Hartford on Friday.
“I just worry about today. Right now, I’m a Blue Jacket and that’s what
matters. I’m dealing with a game I’m playing in two hours.”
Oh yes, the game.
Patrick was not in New York last night, although assistant general manager
Chris MacFarland, a native of the Bronx, joined Howson in Madison Square
Garden.
The Rangers wavered in the final two periods but did nothing to dispel their
status as a Stanley Cup contender, with or without Nash.
No go
“We don’t need you,” a raucous fellow near the press box bellowed at Nash
shortly after the opening faceoff.
Defenseman James Wisniewski was a healthy scratch against the Rangers
last night, a day after he said he suffered a pulled groin, and 10 days after
he returned from a broken left ankle.
“We don’t want you,” several thousand fans chanted after Nash scored the
tying goal.
Wisniewski, who was a game-time decision, also took a puck off his left foot
on Saturday against Chicago and briefly left the game in the third period.
Richards scored at 17:49 of the first to give New York a 1-0 lead. The
Rangers improved to 28-1-2 in games in which they scored first.
He missed 17 games after suffering the fractured ankle at Dallas on
Dec. 29.
Several of the Blue Jackets seemed more ready to take two off the first tee
than take on the Rangers during a first period in which they struggled to
clear the puck and registered all of four shots.
Slap shots
But Brassard, playing the point on a power play, tied the score at 1 with a
slap shot from the blue line at 5:26 of the second.
Goaltender Curtis Sanford (back) skated in Columbus yesterday. “I heard it
went well,” interim coach Todd Richards said. Sanford has missed five
games. … Defenseman Nikita Nikitin (left knee) is expected to return to the
lineup on Tuesday against San Jose. Nikitin missed his 12th consecutive
game last night. … Right winger Jared Boll (broken right foot) is feeling
“much better,” Richards said, and could return Friday against Colorado. …
Forward Antoine Vermette played his 599th NHL game last night.
613872
think All-Star, Olympian, Blue Jackets captain and current hot commodity
Rick Nash is worth trading for.
“We don’t want you,” they chanted at Nash in the final moments of last
night’s game. That Nash had just scored the tying goal with 93 seconds left
had something to do with it. It incensed a Madison Square Garden crowd.
Earlier, Jeremy Lin did his thing as the Knicks dispatched the Mavericks in
The World’s Most Famous Arena. These New Yorkers didn’t want their
double-feature Sunday spoiled by a loss to the NHL’s worst team, and Nash
made that a possibility.
Jackets-Rangers summary
“That’s the reception you’re going to get in this building if you score in the
last minute,” Nash said.
Game No. 59
The New York Rangers beat the visiting Blue Jackets in overtime tonight, 32. How good are the Rangers, who now have a nine-point lead over second
place Boston in the Eastern Conference? Good enough that their fans don’t
Rangers center Derek Stepan made it a non-issue a few minutes later. He
scored off a sweet feed from defenseman Michael Del Zotto to end the
game 22 seconds into overtime.
“Step put himself in a great spot and I slid it over to him and it was an empty
net,” Del Zotto said. “It was great puck movement.”
19: Blue Jackets left wing Ryan Russell had played in 19 consecutive
games before being made a healthy scratch last night. He had two goals
and a minus-3 rating since his NHL debut on Jan. 7 in Los Angeles.
613874
Blue Jackets: Nash’s heroics wasted in overtime loss to Rangers
By Shawn Mitchell
Captain’s goal forces OT, but New York capitalizes for win
NEW YORK — Today was a fine day to be a sports fan in the Big Apple.
Columbus 0
1
1
0
—
2
N.Y. Rangers
3
1
1
0
1
—
FIRST PERIOD: Scoring — 1. N.Y. Rangers, Richards 18 (Hagelin, Del
Zotto), 17:49.
SECOND: Scoring — 2. Columbus, Brassard 11 (Vermette), 5:26 (pp); 3.
N.Y. Rangers, Anisimov 11 (Girardi, Mitchell), 13:13. Penalties — Hagelin,
NYR (hooking), 1:26; Gaborik, NYR (high-sticking), 5:21; Dorsett, Col
(interference), 9:31; Nash, Col (hooking), 9:59; Eminger, NYR (holding),
17:41.
First, the Knicks dispatched the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks
in a Madison Square Garden matinee.
Linsanity reigned. Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin — Gotham’s latest
superhero — had 28 points and a career-high 14 assists.
Then, the Garden was cleared and iced for the Eastern Conference-leading
New York Rangers, the lowly Blue Jackets and a capacity crowd of rabid,
blue-shirted fans.
The Rangers didn’t exactly put on a command performance in the late
show, but they did enough to defeat the Blue Jackets 3-2 in overtime.
THIRD: Scoring — 4. Columbus, Nash 19 (Carter, Umberger), 18:27.
Penalty — Stralman, NYR (delay of game), 12:17.
Blue Jackets captain Rick Nash tied the score at 2 with a shot from the top
of the circle that sizzled past the glove of goaltender Henrik Lundqvist with
1:33 left in regulation.
OVERTIME: Scoring — 5. N.Y. Rangers, Stepan 12 (Del Zotto, Gaborik),
:22.
Rangers center Derek Stepan scored the winner 22 seconds into overtime.
Shots on goal: Columbus 4-11-8-0—23; N.Y. Rangers 10-15-9-1—35.
Power plays: Columbus 1 of 4; N.Y. Rangers 0 of 2. Goalies: Columbus,
Mason 7-21-3 (35 shots-32 saves); N.Y. Rangers, Lundqvist 28-11-4 (2321). A: 18,200. T: 2:23.
613873
Season status report
Brad Richards and Artem Anisimov also scored for the Rangers and Derick
Brassard for the Blue Jackets, and it looked for a moment that Nash, the
subject of trade talks, might be the man of the match.
But overtime ended quickly when Stepan took a sweet pass from
defenseman Michael Del Zotto, who faked a shot and drew the attention of
goaltender Steve Mason and allowed Stepan to score into an open net.
Between games, while bootleg Lin jerseys were still being hawked outside,
Nash was made available to the sizable New York media horde to discuss
the possibility of a trade to the Rangers, reportedly one of the teams most
interested in his services.
Nash got a taste of what might await him should he be dealt to a major
market.
“No comment,” Nash said three times in response to questions from a
group of about two dozen reporters.
Would playing in a media hotbed such as New York be agreeable to the
soft-spoken, low-key captain? How has he handled the scrutiny of being far
and away the hottest commodity on the trade market?
Finishing second and third in the Most Underrated Player category were
Jamie Benn (6% of the vote) and Loui Eriksson (4% of the vote). Boston's
Patrice Bergeron finished first in the category with 8% of the vote.
“I played in the Olympics a couple times, so this is really nothing compared
to that,” Nash said. “But it’s fun.
Sheldon Souray, meanwhile, finished third in voting for hardest shot with
2% of the vote.
“I just worry about today, right now. I’m a Blue Jacket, and that’s what
matters. I’ve played my whole career here. I’m dealing with a game I’m
playing in two hours, and that’s all I’m really worried about.”
On a negative note, American Airlines finished sixth in polling for Worst Ice
category with 6% of the vote.
Oh yes. The game.
Dallas Morning News LOADED: 02.20.2012
613877
Dallas Stars
The Rangers wavered against the Blue Jackets but proved they are a Cup
contender, with or without Nash.
“We don’t need you,” bellowed a raucous Rangers fan near the press box at
Nash.
Sinking Stars continue to be more talk than action after another loss
Richards scored at 17:49 of the first to give New York a 1-0 lead. He
latched on to an outlet pass from Del Zotto, carried the puck through the
neutral zone and beat Mason high after a deft give-and-go with left winger
Carl Hagelin.
MIKE HEIKA
The Rangers improved to 28-1-2 in games in which they scored first.
Form held against the woeful Jackets, several of whom seemed primed and
ready to take two off the first tee in April, especially early in the first period.
The Blue Jackets were held to four shots in the period, during which they
struggled to clear the puck from their zone and registered all of four shots.
But Brassard, playing the point on the power play, tied the score at 1 with a
slap shot from the blue line at 5:26 of the second.
Anisimov made it 2-1 later in the period when he swooped into the crease
to bury the rebound of an errant slap shot by defenseman Dan Girardi that
took a wild bounce off the glass behind Mason.
Del Zotto appeared to make it 3-1 when TV replays showed he scored with
one-tenth of a second left in the second period, but the goal was waved off
when it was determined that the official clock of the video-goal judge
showed that time had expired when the puck crossed the goal line.
613875
War of words
Sunday February 19, 2012 9:18 AM
After goaltender Steve Mason was pulled from yesterday’s loss to Chicago,
he engaged in a shouting match with a Blackhawks fan seated behind the
Blue Jackets’ bench. The exchange was captured live on a Chicago cable
telecast. “I don’t think it was anything that is uncharacteristic of what
sometimes happens in a game,” interim coach Todd Richards said.
613876
Dallas Stars
Poll places Stars' Jamie Benn, Loui Eriksson among most underrated
players in NHL
While the Stars desperately try to salvage a playoff spot in the Western
Conference, the hole keeps getting a little deeper each game.
Dallas took a 3-2 loss to Nashville at American Airlines Center Sunday, and
dropped to 29-26-4 (62 points). While the Stars aren’t about to catch the
soaring Predators (34-19-6, 74 points), they continue to fritter away
chances to gain ground on the seventh and eighth place teams in the West.
Yes, there are 23 games remaining in the season and plenty of time to
make a run, but the Stars are now 4-5-2 since the All-Star Break and
looking like a boxer who has taken body blow after body blow. After a while,
it starts to wear you down.
"We’ve talked so much about what we have to do, but it’s execution,’’ said
defenseman Mark Fistric. "We’re fighting for our lives here, and we can't be
shooting ourselves in the foot.’’
Fistric had a bad turnover on Saturday in overtime that led to Radim
Vrbata’s overtime game-winning goal. He was also on the ice for two goals
against on Sunday. However, it was the short-handed quartet of Vernon
Fiddler, Adam Burish, Adam Pardy and Alex Goligoski who had the big
mistake in the dying seconds of the first period.
Burish won a faceoff with 11 seconds left in the period, and the Stars simply
could not clear the puck against the Nashville power play. That led to a
monster shot from Ryan Suter that led to a hard rebound off of Kari
Lehtonen’s pads, which led to Shea Weber pounding in a shot that crossed
the goal-line with 0.2 on the clock.
"We make a mental error with 11 seconds left…we did not know what our
escape route was off that face-off,’’ Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. "We
won it clean, and couldn’t get it out. And that’s a mistake that can’t happen.
It just can’t happen.’’
And yet it did…again.
And that’s what’s so frustrating about the Stars. They keep talking about
getting on a roll, they keep talking about how important these points are,
they keep talking about solving the problems, and too often they don’t follow
through with actions.
Gulutzan juggled his lines and found some nice results. Michael Ryder had
five shots on goal and scored his team-high 23 goal of the season. Dallas
had a 24-21 edge in shots on goal and a 63-41 advantage in shot
opportunities. The Stars did a lot of things right, just not enough.
"We’ve got to get some kind of consistency with winning, and that point is
probably right now,’’ said defenseman Alex Goligoiski, who added a goal.
"You can say it’s the Phoenix game, and then after that game, you say,
`Maybe it’s this one.’ But, really, it’s probably right now _ our desperation
level has to be probably as high as it’s going to get.’’
It’s so dire now that you almost forgot that this team is 0-9-2 on the second
night of back-to-back games.
MIKE HEIKA
Hockey Night in Canada joined with the NHL Players Association to do a
poll of players on some key questions, and the Stars received a little love.
The Stars head out to road games at Montreal on Tuesday and at Chicago
on Thursday. They are not expected to get either Jamie Benn (leg) or
Brenden Morrow (neck) back in the lineup, and defenseman Sheldon
Souray is only a 50-50 chance to return, Gulutzan said.
That means the team simply has to dig in and be better.
"If you’re going to let (the pressure) bother you, you’re going to be sunk, so
you’ve got to keep moving,’’ Gulutzan said. "As hard as it is to swallow,
you’ve got to keep doing things right. The moment you veer away and start
losing confidence, you’re in trouble. We’re doing the little things right, we’re
not getting the result.’’
Lehtonen started 33 of the 34 games to end last season under then-coach
Marc Crawford, and the Stars talked this season about giving the 28-yearold goalie more days off. They also had planned on three different
occasions in the past nine games to play back-up Richard Bachman in net.
However, Lehtonen is playing well, and the Stars desperately need points.
"Kari is battling to get us into a playoff spot and he's hungry,'' Gulutzan said.
"He'll play if we tell him to play and he always wants to play, so we're going
to use him. He's given us a chance in every game.''
613878
Dallas Stars
Dallas Stars come up short again in one-goal game
Staff
DALLAS -- The Nashville Predators celebrated a rare victory in Dallas.
Shea Weber scored on a power play with less than a second remaining in
the first period, Pekka Rinne stopped 22 shots, and the Predators beat the
Dallas Stars 3-2 on Sunday night.
"It's been a tough building," Predators coach Barry Trotz said.
popping a loose puck into an open net with 0.2 seconds left in the first. The
goal was upheld after a video review showed the puck entered the net
before time expired.
"I saw it go in, I heard the horn... so I assumed it was in, but I didn't realize
how close it was," Weber said.
The Stars won the season's first two meetings against the Predators by a
total score of 10-4. This time, the Predators dictated the kind of closechecking style they favor.
"We haven't played well against Dallas at all this year so it was good to get
the win," Weber said.
Lehtonen had 18 saves on Sunday, but all three goals came off of strange
bounces or screened plays. He is 3-4-2 in his last nine games, including a
2-1 overtime loss in Phoenix on Saturday.
"I let them know I was available. I talked to them on the plane and told them
I felt fine,'' Lehtonen said of the decision to play on back-to-back nights. "It's
based on how I'm feeling, and I'm feeling really good. I've had rest pretty
much every other day, so it's not an issue. I feel good and I want to keep
going.''
Gulutzan said his plan is to ride his No. 1 goalie.
"Kari is in a lot different shape even than he was 12 months ago,'' Gulutzan
said. "He's in good condition, and he's had rest days, and he's had
maintenance days, and he feels good, so we're going to use him.''
613880
Dallas Stars
Jamie Benn, Sheldon Souray will make trip with Stars, but may not play
MIKE HEIKA
Stars center Jamie Benn and defenseman Sheldon Souray will join the
Stars on their upcoming two-game road trip to Montreal and Chicago, but
neither might play on Tuesday at Montreal, Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said.
Michael Ryder and Alex Goligoski scored for the Stars, coming off a 2-1
overtime loss in Phoenix on Saturday night. Dallas fell to 0-9-2 on the
second leg of back-to-backs this season.
Benn, who received a leg laceration on Thursday when he was cut by a
skate, is not expected to play Tuesday. He received 13 stitches to close the
cut, and still is trying to get his mobility. Souray, who has missed six games
with a foot bruise after taking a puck on the skate, is listed as 50-50 for
Tuesday. He has skated two days, Gulutzan said, and might need a couple
of more days to get his foot ready.
"Another one-goal game," Goligoski said. "I think for the most part, we were
maybe outworked a little bit tonight. The difference is that we give them
maybe a freebie there at the end of the first.... We were working hard, just
not hard enough."
Gulutzan said Stars captain Brenden Morrow -who has missed nine games
with neck, back and shoulder pain and stiffness - will probably not return
until early March. Morrow is going through therapy, but the only relief for his
pain might be more rest.
Kari Lehtonen made 18 saves for the Stars, 2-4-2 in their last eight.
Briefly: Hal Gill , who was acquired in a trade by the Predators on Friday,
played in his first game for Nashville...Predators center Mike Fisher missed
the game with flu...In his second NHL game, 26-year-old Stars rookie Ryan
Garbutt had 10:00 in time on ice, as well as five hits...Michael Ryder had
five shots on goal, two that missed the net and two that were blocked. He
scored his team-leading 23rd goal of the season.
Dallas coach Glen Gulutzan thought his team played well in stretches, but
the Stars continue to slump as they try to climb into the top eight in the
West.
"As hard as it is to swallow, you've got to keep doing things right," Gulutzan
said. "The moment you veer away and start losing confidence, you're in
trouble. We're doing the little things right, we're not getting the result."
The Stars turned up the pressure in the third period, but Rinne made a
sprawling save on Tomas Vincour's close-range attempt with 17:22 left,
then denied Eric Nystrom's choice scoring chance with 15:30 remaining.
Star Telegram LOADED: 02.20.2012
613879
613881
Dallas Stars
Three stars: Michael Ryder shines for Stars, but Shea Weber takes top
honors
Dallas Stars
MIKE HEIKA
Stars' Glen Gulutzan expects to ride Kari Lehtonen through stretch run
STARS REPLAY
MIKE HEIKA
NASHVILLE 3, STARS 2
Three stars
Goalie Kari Lehtonen has drawn nine starts in a span of 16 days for the
Stars, and will likely start again on Tuesday in Montreal, coach Glen
Gulutzan said.
1. SHEA WEBER, Nashville: Goal and big minutes
2. Michael Ryder, Stars: Goal and several chances
3. Pekka Rinne, Nashville: Twenty-two saves for the big goalie.
1st
Dallas had a strong start and scored first. Mike Ribeiro had a gritty shift and
made a strong play behind the net. He skated out and pushed a pass to
Michael Ryder in the slot. Ryder went skate to stick and flipped in his 23rd
goal at 6:49. Nashville carried the play for the final five minutes to take a 21 lead. Gabriel Bourque and Shea Weber scored on deflections, with
Weber's goal crossing the line with 0.2 seconds to go.
Nashville 2, Stars 1
2nd
In a methodical period, Nashville had three great scoring chances and
scored on one. A Predators goal was disallowed at 9:52 when Matt
Halishuck punched a puck in with the fist of his glove on his stick. Nashville
scored at 16:05 as Colin Wilson won a battle and beat three Stars
defenders while flipping a backhanded shot into the net for his 12th goal. A
minute later, Brandon Yip went just wide on the power play. Dallas had just
five shots on goal but 11 shots that were blocked.
3rd
The Stars applied a ton of pressure, and it finally paid off with 4:49
remaining. Alex Goligoski whipped a shot from the left boards through an
Eric Nystrom screen for his eighth goal. Dallas had a late power play and
pulled the goalie but couldn't score.
613882
Coach Mike Babcock originally had planned to start Jimmy Howard, put
with MacDonald having won five straight games, opted to give Howard
another couple of days to ready himself after being sidelined since Feb. 2
with a broken finger.
The Wings and Sharks hadn't met since Nov. 17 at San Jose, in a game
owned by the Sharks. The Wings looked ready to make up for that Sunday,
using several dominating shifts to make hard work for Antti Niemi. Pavel
Datsyuk's line had an excellent scoring opportunity on a drive to the net by
Johan Franzen, but it was Zetterberg's group that broke through, at 6:30,
when Zetterberg's backhand shot snuck through traffic and in behind Niemi.
The Wings faced starting the second period with a 1:53 man disadvantage.
MacDonald helped out with a couple of saves, helping stem the Sharks'
momentum. Jason Demers had a great chance denied by MacDonald
around the six-minute mark, and the Wings got a chance to regain their
footing when they went on their second power play of the game at 7:04, but
it Darren Helm weaving in to fire a shot on Niemi after a penalty Johan
Franzen left the Wings short-manned again that highlighted the stretch.
Miller scored his 12th of the season at 10:40 when he fired a shot on net
and then caught his own rebound in the low slot. The Sharks had topped 21
shots before they finally broke MacDonald at 14:33 during a power play,
when Logan Couture's shot deflected in off the stick of Justin Abdelkader
after several funny bounces along the way. The Sharks got 19 shots
through on MacDonald total just in the second period.
A third power play for the Wings came early in the third period, but they
didn't generate any good chances after an early shot by Ian White ended up
felling Marc-Edouard Vlasic, who took the deflected shot straight in the
face. It was the third line that came through with another goal, when Miller
forced a turnover in the neutral zone and sped up the left side before
centering the puck to Helm, who fired the puck stick-side on Niemi. Justin
Abdelkader was challenged to fight by Ryane Clowe after sending the
Sharks winger into the boards late in the period.
Dallas Stars
Former Star James Neal signs six-year, $30-million extension with
Pittsburgh
Patrick Marleau cut the score to 3-2 at 15:16 of the third period, after Brent
Burns intercepted Nicklas Lidstrom's clearing pass in Detroit's zone and
sent the puck to the net.
Detroit Free Press LOADED: 02.20.2012
613884
Detroit Red Wings
Associated Press
The Penguins have signed left wing James Neal to a six-year contract
extension that will pay him an average of $5 million a season.
The deal comes nearly a year to the day Pittsburgh acquired the highscoring forward in a trade with the Stars.
Neal, 24, is second on the team and tied for fourth in the NHL after scoring
his career-best 30th goal in a 6-4 win at Philadelphia on Saturday.
Detroit 3, San Jose 2: 23rd straight home win gives Red Wings all-time NHL
record
By Helene St. James
The Red Wings won again at home Sunday, this time against an opponent
that meant just a little bit more.
613883
Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings 3, San Jose 2: Wings stretch home winning streak to 23
games
By Helene St. James
Joey MacDonald backed up his coach's decision to start him in goal by
delivering the Red Wings a 23rd straight victory at Joe Louis Arena.
Aided by another good game from the third line, MacDonald led the Wings
past the Sharks, 3-2, Sunday afternoon, helping Detroit defeat the Sharks
for the first in three tries this season.
The Wings haven't lost at the Joe since Nov. 3, setting an NHL record by
besting the 20-game single-season record and 22-game all-time record for
home wins. They got 31 saves out of MacDonald in their latest one, plus
goals from Henrik Zetterberg, Drew Miller and Darren Helm. Miller also had
an assist.
The Wings claimed their 23rd straight victory at Joe Louis Arena with a 3-2
win over the San Jose Sharks, the team that has bounced them from the
playoffs the past two years and beat them the first two times they met this
season. A 31-save performance from Joey MacDonald, along with goals
from Henrik Zetterberg, Drew Miller and Darren Helm, got the job done.
"That obviously was a pretty big game," Helm said. "They've had our
number, to say the least, the last couple of years when it's playoffs or
regular season. This was a big test that I thought our guys were up for."
MacDonald provided 18 saves in the second period. The penalty killers held
off the Sharks three of the four times, allowing one bouncy puck into
Detroit's net. The whole team responded in the third period, limiting the
Sharks to four shots the first 15 minutes en route to building on a singleseason NHL home winning streak and besting the all-time NHL home
record streak of 22 set by the Boston Bruins in 1929-30.
"We wanted to, first of all, continue the streak that we have going," captain
Nicklas Lidstrom said, "but also to play well, here. It was important to get
away with a win today."
613885
Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings 3, Sharks 2: Notes, quotes from Sunday's win
By Helene St. James
In the first: Shortly after a dominating shift by Pavel Datsyuk's line, the Red
Wings took a 1-0 lead when Henrik Zetterberg fired a backhand shot
through traffic that surprised Antti Niemi at 6:30. The Wings went on a
power play at 14:48 when Brent Burns slashed Datsyuk, but despite good
movement, they weren't able to convert.
In the second: The Sharks controlled the start of the period, but the Wings
used special-teams play to get back into it and went ahead, 2-0, after Drew
Miller connected on his own rebound at 10:40. San Jose cut its deficit to
one goal after Logan Couture took a swipe at the puck during a battle in
front of the net while the Sharks were on a power play. The puck went in off
Justin Abdelkader's stick and was ruled good after a brief review. The
Sharks totaled 19 shots in the period (25 after 40 minutes).
In the third: Three Sharks were hit by pucks. Ian White hammered a shot
that deflected off Niemi and straight into the face of Marc-Edouard Vlasic,
who immediately dropped to the ice, lay there for several minutes, then
skated off with blood streaming. Joe Pavelski got hit by a Nicklas Lidstrom
shot in the side of the head; Colin White took a puck off the ankle minutes
later. Miller earned his second point at 7:01 when he forced a turnover and
took off up the left flank before finding Darren Helm in the middle. Patrick
Marleau scored at 15:16.
Overheard: Coach Mike Babcock, on allowing 19 shots in the second
period: "We were shorthanded three times. But if you include the carryover
for a minute and a half, we were shorthanded four times. That's why the
shots, and that's why the momentum. I actually really liked our penalty kill."
Helm, on seeing three Sharks get hit: "That's pretty bad puck luck for them.
You don't want to see guys get hurt like that. A bad deflection off a skate
into a guy's face, hopefully he's all right. ... But they did go down and score
another goal, so I don't know if it really deterred them too much."
Our three stars: 1. Joey MacDonald (33 saves); 2. Miller; 3. Helm.
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Detroit Red Wings
Ken Holland told the Free Press the team would announce the decision
today.
The Wings returned home two weeks ago eyeing six straight games at the
Joe as an opportunity to collect a dozen points. They got every one of them,
their last two against the Sharks, who have sent the Wings home from the
playoffs two years in a row. MacDonald played his role brilliantly; the
Sharks' first goal was a bouncy one credited to Logan Couture after the
puck went in off Justin Abdelkader's stick late in the second period during a
San Jose power play.
"Couture came in and took a shot, and it deflected up in the air and there
was a little scrum and it ended up on top of the net," MacDonald said. "I
don't know if he knocked it in or one of guys did -- it was just kind of a funny
play.
"We rebounded. We finished the period, and then we built on that in the
third."
The Wings hadn't played the Sharks since losing, 5-2, in San Jose on Nov.
17. They looked ready to amend for that from the start -- Zetterberg got a
backhand shot behind Antti Niemi at 6:30. That was Zetterberg's 11th point
in eight games.
"Obviously, Z is playing good for us," Babcock said. "He's a competitive
guy. He always gets better as the year goes on. But his best hockey is
usually in the playoffs, and we need him to be an elite, elite player for us if
we're going to be successful. He's always good without the puck; it's nice
when he's got her going with the puck, too."
Most of the second period was spent without the puck -- the Wings had
about 6 minutes killing penalties. Miller and Couture exchanged goals to
give the Wings a one-goal lead.
"I thought we responded well in the third after we didn't play well at all in the
second," Lidstrom said. "They were pushing us back and they had a couple
of chances to tie the game up, but I liked the way we responded in the third.
I thought we came out with the push again."
Helm scored early in the third period, and Marleau scored late. MacDonald
had little work to do -- he faced four shots in the first minutes of the period,
but without his labor in the second, the Wings' winning streak might have
snapped.
"He's been great," Helm said. "Amazing. Doing it every night. You can't ask
for more."
Red Wings' Joey MacDonald saves the day
By Helene St. James
Joey MacDonald backed up his coach's decision to start him in goal by
delivering the Red Wings a 23rd straight victory at Joe Louis Arena.
Aided by another good game from the third line, MacDonald led the Wings
past the San Jose Sharks, 3-2, Sunday. The Wings haven't lost at the Joe
since Nov. 3, setting an NHL record by besting the 20-game single-season
record and 22-game all-time record for home wins. They got 31 saves from
MacDonald in their latest one, plus goals from Henrik Zetterberg, Drew
Miller and Darren Helm.
MacDonald made 18 saves in the second period.
"He kept us in the game," captain Nicklas Lidstrom said. "It could have been
a different scenario if they get a goal or two there. He played tremendous
for us again."
Coach Mike Babcock had planned to start Jimmy Howard. But MacDonald
had won five straight, so Babcock opted to give Howard another couple of
days to ready himself for Tuesday's game at Chicago after being sidelined
since Feb. 2 with a broken finger.
"Mac's done a real good job for us," Babcock said. "Howie is going in
Chicago. But let's be honest, if things weren't going good, Howie would
have been in two or three games ago. But why would we when we can give
him time to get better? It's worked out real well."
Now the Wings must decide whether to keep three goalies on the roster,
send MacDonald back to the minors, or waive Ty Conklin. General manager
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Detroit Red Wings
Drew Sharp: Red Wings' home winning streak will mean more if Stanley
Cup follows
By Drew Sharp
After Joey MacDonald stopped a San Jose breakaway -- from what has
now become his customary standing-on-head position -- the Joe Louis
Arena partisans offered up the appropriate goalie salute.
They serenaded MacDonald with a chant of "Joey! Joey!"
"It was really awesome hearing that," MacDonald said, his disbelieving eyes
as wide as the growing gap separating the Red Wings from the rest of the
NHL pack.
He was quickly reminded that the last time a Detroit crowd chanted the
name "Joey," it wasn't celebratory. It was a slap at former Lions quarterback
and punching bag Joey Harrington.
But this Joey has turned the Joe into a horror chamber for the opposition.
Each spectacular save pumping a little energy jolt into a team determined
Sunday to end one streak while continuing another.
No. 23 in a row was special for the Wings because it snapped a five-game
regular-season losing streak to the Sharks.
It's still early -- and perhaps we're too easily blinded by their now
unparalleled home brilliance -- but these Wings are gradually molding into a
team that regularly struck fear in the hearts of playoff opponents with their
balanced scoring, sound defense and timely goaltending.
Miller assisted on Darren Helm's eventual game-winner at 7 minutes, 1
second of the third period, giving the Wings a 3-1 lead.
They could afford giving injured starter Jimmy Howard a little more healing
time for his fractured finger. It made sense keeping MacDonald in goal.
Why mess with what has worked in the past five home games? After all,
isn't one of the oldest axioms in hockey that you keep riding the hot goalie
until he throws you?
And goaltender Joey MacDonald, for the sixth consecutive time (6-1-1
overall), maintained the lead for the Wings, who ended a five-game Sharks
regular-season winning streak against the Wings (the Sharks also have
eliminated the Wings the last two seasons in the playoffs).
"He's been incredible through this," said Henrik Zetterberg. "That's what
makes this (winning streak) special was that we're getting contributions
from guys everywhere, and that's what you have to have to keep this
going."
Though not continuous, the Tigers' 35-5 start to the 1984 season and the
Pistons' 25-1 two-month roll through the NBA in 1990 are the most
identifiable local winning "streaks" because both culminated in world
championships.
Regardless of how much further the Wings push their Joe Louis Arena will
on the rest of the NHL, the streak's ultimate place within the pantheon of
Detroit sports sustained brilliance will depend on whether they take the last
dance with Lord Stanley's chalice come June. If The Streak serves as a
telling prelude to even grander accomplishments down the road, it will live
forever. But if it's merely a footnote to another disappointingly abbreviated
playoff run, time unfortunately will diminish its significance.
"We're not sitting around in awe of this because we know that this is strictly
only a stepping-stone to what we really want," said fourth line winger Drew
Miller, who netted his 12th goal of the season in the second period. "It's
great that we're doing this and that we're doing it at home. But we're all
about getting ready for the playoffs and playing at our highest level then."
The Sharks have become the Wings' top rival, having eliminated them from
the playoffs in the second round the past two springs. Though it's a little
early for sending playoff messages, the Wings clearly want home ice
through the playoffs for as long as possible.
And with their level of confidence, does any team really want to see a
Game 7 at the Joe?
Or as it was called Sunday, the "Joey"?
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Detroit Red Wings
"They're a good hockey team and have given us a lot of trouble,"
MacDonald said.
MacDonald made 31 saves Sunday, continuing his impressive play in place
of Jimmy Howard (broken right index finger).
Coach Mike Babcock said after Sunday's game Howard will get the start
Tuesday in Chicago. So the question becomes: Who will back up Howard,
MacDonald or Ty Conklin?
After MacDonald's performance over the last almost three weeks, he has
definitely given Wings management and coaching staff a difficult decision to
make.
"We haven't talked about it," said coach Mike Babcock of himself and
general manager Ken Holland. "Mac has done a good job for us. Howie will
start in Chicago. Howie would have been in there two or three games ago
(but for MacDonald's performance). It's worked out real well."
Said MacDonald: "I just have to keep building and be ready for my next
start."
Logan Couture (power play) and Patrick Marleau had goals for the Sharks
(31-19-7, 69 points).
Marleau cut the lead to 3-2 at 15:16, his 23rd goal, jamming a loose puck
past MacDonald. But the Wings did a good job of keeping the Sharks at bay
the remainder of the afternoon.
"They throw a lot at the net from bad angles, and with the big guys they
have, they try to win battles in front," MacDonald said. "We did a good job
of taking away second chances, limiting them."
MacDonald provided the turning point in the second period by stopping 18
of 19 shots and four Sharks power plays.
To head into the final 20 minutes ahead 2-1, the Wings felt they had
stemmed the Sharks' momentum.
23 and counting! Red Wings' home cookin' continues
"I liked the way we responded in the third (period)," Nicklas Lidstrom said.
"We came out with a push. He (MacDonald) kept us in the game, it could
have been a different (outcome). He played tremendous."
By Ted Kulfan
Zetterberg opened the scoring with his 13th goal, a backhander from
between the circles that may have deflected off a Sharks player or stick and
fluttered past goalie Antti Niemi at 8:30.
Detroit — Sometimes the way they play is extraordinary and sometimes the
Red Wings are less than that.
There have been times during this 23-game win streak at Joe Louis Arena
they've won late, other times they've taken control of a game early.
Zetterberg has 11 points (four goals, seven assists) over his last eight
games.
Detroit News LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Detroit Red Wings
But, in the end, they keep winning, as they did in Sunday's 3-2 victory over
San Jose. It wasn't in overly great fashion, but there are no style points
associated with these victories.
Grinders' speed makes Red Wings' day
They just keep winning.
By Ted Kulfan
"Especially after we broke the record (after 20 games), it was kind of natural
to (possibly) have a letdown," said Henrik Zetterberg, who opened the
scoring against the Sharks with his 13th goal. "We haven't played our best
games (since then) but we've found ways to win."
Detroit— In a tight game between two good teams, it's often the grinders
who make the difference.
By winning Sunday the Wings (41-17-2, 84 points) erased any and all
asterisks to their home win streak record. The Boston Bruins team from
1929-30 had won 22 consecutive home games over two seasons.
That's been eclipsed by these Wings, who just want to see how far they can
take this record.
"It's a pretty cool thing, great to be part of," said Drew Miller, who starred
with a goal and assist against the Sharks. "As long as we can keep it going,
let's keep it going."
The Wings' third line of Drew Miller, Darren Helm and Justin Abdelkader
was pivotal in Sunday's 3-2 victory over the Sharks.
The line used its speed, physicality and energy, plus goals from Miller and
Helm (Abdelkader assisting on Miller's goal, and Miller on Helm's goal) to
spark the Wings' victory.
"They play hard and fast," coach Mike Babcock said.
Which is precisely what makes the line so dangerous and effective.
"All three of us play with speed, and especially with Helmer in the middle,
we have to keep with him," said Miller, who scored his 12th goal. "It forces
us to play a faster game and it's good for us and the team.
"Our line is having some success right now and it's good for our team to
have that secondary scoring. We have to keep it going."
Abdelkader replaced Danny Cleary when he was forced out of the lineup
because of fluid buildup in the knee. The line, which was surging with
Cleary part of it, never lost a beat.
"They're using their speed to their advantage," Nicklas Lidstrom said.
Henrik Zetterberg sees the line's effectiveness as more evidence of how
deep the Wings' are.
"It shows our depth and how important that is," he said. "The third line
scored huge goals and gave us momentum. It's easier for us to play."
With his goal and assist Sunday, Miller reached new career highs in assists
(10) and points (22) this season.
"You want to improve," he said. "I want to keep going, not be satisfied with
that, and keep producing for the team and for myself individually."
Datsyuk recognized
The players around the NHL know exactly how good Pavel Datsyuk is.
Evidence of that respect was shown in the results of the second annual
NHLPA/CBC Hockey Night in Canada Player Poll, which was released
Sunday.
Datsyuk was named first in six of 17 categories.
He was voted the NHL's smartest player, most difficult player to play
against, hardest to take the puck from, most difficult player to stop (voted by
goalies only), cleanest player to play against and toughest forward to play
against.
Nicklas Lidstrom was voted the best role model by the players.
A total of 257 players participated in the poll, the complete results of which
can be found at www.PlayersPoll.ca or www.nhlpa.com.
Nice problem
With Jimmy Howard (broken right index finger) starting Tuesday in Chicago,
the Wings likely will make a move regarding their backup Monday.
Will they keep Ty Conklin , or go with Joey MacDonald , who was promoted
from Grand Rapids when Howard was hurt Feb. 2?
game, beating the nemesis Sharks, 3-2, Sunday to push their NHL record
slightly past incredible, headed toward unfathomable.
They won with goals from role players Drew Miller and Darren Helm, with a
few fisticuffs from Justin Abdelkader, and with a flurry of superb saves from
a 32-year-old goalie who knows his way around North America's smaller
rinks.
During this 6-0 home stand, Joe Louis Arena became Joey Louis Arena,
and I profusely apologize for that pun. But things have gotten so strange
and giddy around here, you could tell me Dominik Hasek will take over next
and I might believe you. Actually, Jimmy Howard will return Tuesday night
when the Wings travel to Chicago, after he missed seven games because
of a broken right index finger.
Mike Babcock was able to rest Howard longer because MacDonald was so
hot. There's no debate now, with Howard in the midst of his own remarkable
season. But when he got hurt Feb. 2, did anyone really expect to be talking
about a gaudy winning streak?
No, nobody did. Not even necessarily MacDonald, who's grateful for the
chance and now eager to see what Howard and the Wings can keep doing.
After facing the Blackhawks, the Wings will go for No. 24 at home Thursday
night against the Canucks.
"It's great to be the guy that gets thrown in every single night, the guy who
takes some of the pressure off Howie for a bit," MacDonald said. "He'd
been playing a lot and had quite a streak going. I just gotta be ready for my
next start."
Whenever that is, wherever that is. MacDonald, who surrendered two goals
or less in five of the six home games, certainly has earned the backup spot
over Ty Conklin. If MacDonald gets sent back to Grand Rapids, it'd just be a
strategic move to keep him sharp while Howard plays.
But if this was it for now — wow. The Sharks had knocked the Wings out of
the playoffs the past two years and beaten them five straight in the regular
season. And when the Wings started taking penalties while holding a 2-0
lead in the second period, the Sharks swarmed with a 19-8 shot advantage,
and MacDonald stood firm.
Shortly after he stopped a partial breakaway by Jason Demers, the sellout
crowd launched the "Jo-ey! Jo-ey!" chant. When he stuffed Joe Thornton on
the power play, the noise grew, and suddenly MacDonald was a long way
from Halifax or Peterborough or Toledo.
Those are a few of his minor league stops while with the Bruins, Islanders,
Maple Leafs and Wings. MacDonald's first NHL game was in 2006 as a Red
Wing, and six years later, here he was again.
Or Conklin could be waived and sent to Grand Rapids if he clears waivers.
"It's nice when you got 20,000 people chanting your name, especially in a
building where so many great players have come through," MacDonald
said. "It kind of tickles me. It's awesome. What happens down the road
here, nobody knows, but I think I gave a pretty good effort. When you do
that and leave it all out on the ice, things take care of themselves."
Ice chips
Race motivates
Howard worked out early Sunday morning with Cleary. Cleary, too, could
return to the lineup against the Blackhawks.
Even when Patrick Marleau banged in a goal with 4:44 left to make it 3-2,
the Wings and MacDonald didn't waver, and grabbed their fourth one-goal
win in the home stand. Besides the obvious — talent, defense, coaching,
etc. — two other factors are pushing the Wings these days: St. Louis and
Nashville. The Wings lead the NHL with 84 points but can't separate in their
own division, which means they're not winning all these games as a lark,
but a necessity.
613890
That's why MacDonald's steadiness has been so, so important.
With only 21 games left in the regular season and Howard expected to get
the bulk of the action, there's a good chance MacDonald will be sent back
to Grand Rapids to keep sharp, then be brought up for the playoffs.
… Breaking the season down into 10-game segments, the Wings were 8-11 in this last segment, their best stretch of the season.
Detroit Red Wings
Red-hot Wings: Joey MacDonald saves home win streak again as it hits 23
"Obviously, Mac's done a real good job, and let's be honest, if things
weren't going good, Howie probably would've been in two or three games
ago," Babcock said. "But why would we? Give him time to get better. It's
worked out real well."
Bob Wojnowski
It could not have worked better for the humble journeyman who keeps a
home in Grand Rapids while living out of a hotel in Detroit. Perks: Good
food and the bed gets made. Downside: No home-cooked meals.
Detroit They're winning with all sorts of bodies in all sorts of ways, tight
game or blowout, good foe or bad, Joey or Jimmy. The Red Wings keep
lining up and taking numbers, and where it stops, nobody knows.
Actually, there is no downside, not for a determined veteran who began the
season with an NHL career record of 23-43.
If it stops here for Joey MacDonald, the accidental streak-saver, well, it's
the ride of a lifetime. The Wings just won their 23rd consecutive home
"He's just a low-key guy who plays his game and doesn't really care what's
going on around him," Henrik Zetterberg said. "Most goalies are like that.
They kind of live in a bubble."
Living in a bubble is better than living on the bubble. MacDonald has seen
both sides and is acutely aware bubbles can burst. But he's not going to
waste one second thinking about it, not after experiencing how short (and
how long) the distance between opportunities can be.
Times they are a-changin'
The last time the Wings lost at home (Nov. 3) …
Herman Cain was the leading Republican presidential candidate, while Rick
Santorum was polling at just 2 percent.
Victor Martinez was the Tigers' DH, Miguel Cabrera their first baseman, and
slugging first baseman Prince Fielder wasn't even on Detroit's radar.
The New York Giants were about to lose four straight games, making them
a long shot to make the playoffs, let alone win the Super Bowl.
Jeremy Lin hadn't yet been waived by the Warriors (or the Rockets, for that
matter), and had scored a total of just 76 points in his professional career.
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Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings' Joey MacDonald appreciates crowd support as he continues
remarkable run in net
Ansar Khan
DETROIT – Joey MacDonald made a great save on Jason Demers'
breakaway midway through the second period Sunday, and the capacity
crowd at Joe Louis Arena broke out with chants of “Joey, Joey!''
More accomplished goaltenders have been serenaded in similar fashion:
Chris Osgood, Dominik Hasek, Jimmy Howard.
For a journeyman like MacDonald, who until Feb. 4 had spent the entire
season in the minors, to get that kind of treatment from Detroit Red Wings
fans is quite a feat. It speaks to his remarkable run.
MacDonald continued his outstanding play, making 31 saves to lead the
Red Wings to a 3-2 victory over the nemesis San Jose Sharks, extending
their NHL-record home winning streak to 23 games.
It's not the first time MacDonald has heard this chant during a six-game
winning streak in which he has allowed only 10 goals.
“It's nice when you get 20,000 people chanting your name,'' MacDonald
said. “It doesn't happen too often, especially in a building like this, with so
many great players coming through.
“It kind of tickles me. … Ozzie, Hasek. Manny Legace, all these guys that
had great years here. I remember hearing the Ozzie chant a lot of times.
For them to be chanting my name is pretty special.''
The Red Wings never trailed in snapping a five-game regular-season losing
streak vs. the Sharks, the team that has eliminated them from the second
round of the playoffs each of the past two seasons.
Henrik Zetterberg continued his roll with a first-period goal. The third line
provided speed, energy and offense, as Drew Miller scored a goal and set
up Darren Helm for what proved to be the winning goal at 7:01 of the third
period.
But MacDonald was the key, making 18 saves in the second period alone
and denying the Sharks on several odd-man rushes.
“He's been great, amazing, doing it every night, and you can't ask for
more,'' Helm said.
“He's making the saves to give us a chance to win,'' Miller said. “You have
to have that out of your goaltender.''
It might have been MacDonald's last start for a while. Howard, out since
Feb. 2 with a broken right index finger, will start Tuesday in Chicago, coach
Mike Babcock said again after the game.
The Red Wings said they will reveal their backup plan on Monday.
MacDonald certainly has earned the job over Ty Conklin. The team might
place Conklin on waivers Monday at noon. If they do, and he clears, he
would be sent to the Grand Rapids Griffins.
MacDonald does not need to pass through waivers to be sent down, since
he cleared at the start of the season and has not played 10 NHL games or
been on the roster for 30 days.
“Whatever decisions they make I’ll be happy with it,'' MacDonald said. “If I
do get sent down I’ll do the same thing down there. I’ll play and I’ll get a
chance back here some time.”
The Sharks essentially had four power plays in the second period and
scored on one, as Logan Couture cut their deficit to 2-1 at 14:33. The Red
Wings, outshot 19-8, weathered the storm and gathered themselves in the
third.
Helm gave his team some breathing room by taking a pass from Miller on a
rush and blasting in a shot from the slot past Antti Niemi at 7:01. It was a
critical goal, as Patrick Marleau scored with 4:44 remaining in the third
period.
"A big part of our line's success is playing fast,'' Helm said. "We don't really
have the skill as the other guys. So playing straight ahead is important for
us, getting pucks deep and skating.''
Penalty killing also is vital, and Babcock liked what he saw in that area.
“Give Mac a ton of credit,'' Babcock said. "I don't think he had much action
in the first period, neither goalie did. Not as much in the third, but he had to
do a good job in the second.''
MacDonald credited a solid defensive effort -- players blocking shots,
boxing out, clearing rebounds, limiting second chances.
Zetterberg opened the scoring at 6:30 of the first period by whipping in a
backhand shot while Jiri Hudler was parked in front of the net. Zetterberg
has four goals and seven assists in the past eight games.
Miller made it 2-0 at 10:40 of the second with his 12th goal. He drove to the
net and knocked in the rebound of a shot by Justin Abdelkader.
Players said it was important to beat the Sharks. And now they'll move on to
another rival, the Blackhawks, as Howard will make his first appearance
since a 4-3 shootout win in Vancouver Feb. 2.
“Extremely fun to add six more wins to the home record and just keep
battling every night,'' MacDonald said. “With a team like this, you know
they're going to show up and work hard for you.''
Michigan Live LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Detroit Red Wings
San Jose Sharks become Detroit Red Wings' 16th victim during NHL-record
winning streak
Brendan Savage
DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings' list of victims during their NHL-record
23-game home winning streak reached 16 after Sunday's 3-2 victory over
the San Jose Sharks.
The victory gave the Red Wings a 26-2-1 record at home, where San Jose
is one of three teams that have won at Joe Louis Arena this season.
And all three of Detroit's losses came during an 0-2-1 stretch from Oct. 28Nov. 3. The Red Wings lost 4-2 to San Jose, 2-1 in overtime Minnesota on
Nov. 1 and 4-1 to Calgary before going on their record tear.
Surprisingly, despite the lengthy streak the Red Wings' 53 points at home
rank second behind the New York Rangers, who have 54 entering tonight's
game against visiting Columbus Blue Jackets.
But the Rangers, who are 25-3-4 at Madison Square Garden, have played
three more home games than the Red Wings this season.
During the streak, the Red Wings have outscored their opponents 92-34
(including three shootout goals credited to the team) and have outshot them
720-566.
Johan Franzen has scored a team-high 13 goals during the streak followed
by Henrik Zetterberg (9), Niklas Kronwall (8), Pavel Datsyuk (7) and Valtteri
Filppula (7).
Zetterberg scored Detroit's first goal vs. San Jose.
The St. Louis Blues have lost three times at Joe Louis Arena during the
streak while the Red Wings have beaten Anaheim, Phoenix, Edmonton,
Dallas and Nashville twice apiece.
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Detroit Red Wings
"We work hard out there. In the past couple of seasons, that's kind of the
way we were brought up. You have to work hard and earn your ice time.
We've been getting a little more of a role on the team and getting more of
an opportunity to play."
The third line of Miller, Helm and Justin Abdelkader had four of Detroit's
seven points against San Jose.
"They work hard," said goaltender Joey MacDonald. "You've got Millsie and
Helms, all those guys, they work hard every night and that's what you need
to win games. Every team's got their top couple of lines. Your third and
fourth lines are going to win a lot of games.
"That's the key over the last little streak we've had, those lines."
oaltender Joey MacDonald's NHL numbers better than he posted in minors
Miller's 12 goals have him tied for sixth among the Red Wings with Niklas
Kronwall and Todd Bertuzzi. He's only one behind Henrik Zetterberg,m who
has 13.
Brendan Savage
Helm's goal was his sixth.
DETROIT – Goaltender Joey MacDonald has put up All-Star numbers since
being recalled from Grand Rapids to replace injured Jimmy Howard on the
Detroit Red Wings roster.
In eight games, MacDonald has a 6-1-1 record, 1.66 goals-against average
and .934 save percentage.
That's better than the numbers he was putting up in Grand Rapids, which is
in last place in its division with a 20-21-5-4 record.
In 26 games for the Griffins, MacDonald had an 11-11-3 record, 2.63 GAA
and .913 save percentage.
"They're using their speed to their advantage, too, which we saw on a
couple of occasions, on a turnover when Helm scored that third goal," said
captain Nicklas Lidstrom. "Just a quick turnover, going the other way, one
pass and a quick shot.
"It's great to see they're kind of grinding the other team down low but they're
getting scoring chances and scoring on them, too."
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Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings edge Sharks, 3-2, run home winning streak to 23 games
MacDonald made 31 saves in Sunday's victory over the Sharks.
"He's playing really well," said teammate Drew Miller, who had a goal and
an assist for Detroit. "He's making the saves and giving us a chance to win."
MacDonald has started the past seven games but will likely see that streak
end when the Red Wings visit the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday, when
Howard is scheduled to return to the lineup.
"I just have to keep building on it and be ready for my next start,"
MacDonald said. "If I was down in Grand Rapids or here, you have to give
your team a chance to win, especially with a team like this.
"You know they're going to show up and work hard for you."
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Detroit Red Wings
Drew Miller goals usually mean good things for Detroit Red Wings
Brendan Savage
DETROIT – Seeing Drew Miller in the goal-scoring column is a good sign
for the Detroit Red Wings.
Miller has scored in 11 games this season and the Red Wings have won
eight of them.
The latest victory came Sunday at Joe Louis Arena, where Miller bagged
his career-high 12th goal in the second period of a 3-2 victory over the San
Jose Sharks that hiked the Red Wings NHL-record home winning streak to
23 games.
Ansar Khan
DETROIT – After setting the NHL record for consecutive home wins, the
Detroit Red Wings seem determined to put it well out of reach for future
generations.
Joey MacDonald was solid again, making 31 saves, as the Red Wings
defeated their nemesis San Jose Sharks 3-2 Sunday afternoon at Joe Louis
Arena, extending their home winning streak to 23 games and their overall
win streak to six games.
Henrik Zetterberg, Drew Miller and Darren Helm scored for the Red Wings,
who snapped a five-game regular-season losing streak against the Sharks,
the team that has eliminated them from the second round of the playoffs in
each of the past two seasons.
MacDonald has won six games in a row, allowing only 10 goals in the
process. He is 6-1-1 since stepping in for an ineffective Ty Conklin at the
start of the second period Feb. 4, in a 4-3 shootout loss at Edmonton.
It might have been MacDonald's last start for a while. Jimmy Howard, out
since Feb. 2 with a broken right index finger, is expected to start Tuesday's
game in Chicago, coach Mike Babcock said on Saturday.
MacDonald, however, clearly has emerged as the club's back-up goalie and
might remain on the roster to spell Howard from time to time.
The Red Wings might place Conklin on waivers Monday at noon. If they do,
he likely would clear and be sent down to the Grand Rapids Griffins.
The Red Wings weathered the storm in the second period and regained
their energy in the third. Clinging to a one-goal lead, Helm gave his team
some breathing room by blasting in a shot from the slot past Antti Niemi at
7:01. It came off a rush, as he took a pass from Miller.
It was Miller's fifth goal in 10 games.
That's a big change for a guy who went 17 games without a goal to start the
2012 portion of the schedule before finally breaking the slump Jan. 31 in a
3-1 victory at Calgary.
He also drew an assist on linemate Darren Helm's game-winning goal in the
third period against San Jose.
"The puck is going in for us," said Miller, whose 12 goals are a career-high,
two more than he scored in each of the past two seasons. "It's good for the
team. You have to have that secondary scoring.
It proved to be a critical goal, as Patrick Marleau scored with 4:44 remaining
to cut Detroit's lead to 3-2.
San Jose pulled Niemi for the extra attacker with 1:15 left, but the Red
Wings held on.
The Sharks, buoyed by three power plays, were on offense for much of the
second period, outshooting the Red Wings 19-8.
The teams traded goals. Detroit was fortunate that MacDonald made
several big stops to prevent San Jose from taking the lead.
Miller made it 2-0 at 10:40, eight seconds after his team killed a penalty. He
drove to the net and knocked in the rebound of a shot by Justin Abdelkader,
after Brent Burns missed a clearing attempt.
Miller has 12 goals, two more than his career high. He has five goals in the
past 10 games, after going 17 games without a goal.
San Jose answered with a power-play goal from Logan Couture at 14:33.
It happened during a wild scramble around the net, and it took several
minutes before it was upheld by video review. The Red Wings argued that
Joe Thornton, from behind the net, knocked in the puck with a high stick.
Replays showed it went in off Abdelkader's stick.
Zetterberg opened the scoring at 6:30, with the only goal of the first period,
his 13th of the season. He has four goals and seven assists in the past
eight games, after picking up only one point (an assist) in his previous six
games.
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Detroit Red Wings
Things are obviously going well.
So with that in mind, should Red Wings general manager Ken Holland
tinker with a successful formula and try to make a deal before the Feb. 27
deadline or would he be foolish risk upsetting the current chemistry?
Holland apparently would like to add at least one more piece to the Red
Wings' puzzle as MLive.com confirmed the Red Wings made an offer to the
Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Pavel Kubina, who was instead dealt
to the Philadelphia Flyers.
Is adding a defenseman like Kubina the Red Wings' most pressing need?
Or would you rather see Holland acquire something else like another
scorer, grinding forward or goaltender to back up Jimmy Howard?
Howard has been out for almost a month since breaking a finger and there's
no denying Joey MacDonald has played well in his absence since being
recalled form Grand Rapids.
MacDonald is riding a five-game winning streak after Friday's 2-1 victory
over Nashville, which extended the Red Wings' NHL-record home winning
streak to 22 games. His numbers since joining the Red wings are stellar – a
5-1-1 record, 1.61 goals-against average and .933 save percentage.
Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk garners top spots in several categories,
including smartest player, in NHLPA poll
And MacDonald will get a seventh straight start as he's scheduled to be
between the pipes once again today when the Red Wings try and make it
23 in a row at home against the San Jose Sharks.
Ansar Khan
So it appears as if there's little doubt MacDonald is going to be Howard's
understudy entering the playoffs. But do the Red Wings need at least one
more part to ensure a good run at the Stanley Cup?
Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk was voted in the top spot in six
different results, including the NHL's smartest player and the hardest to take
the puck from, according to results from the second annual NHLPA/CBC
Hockey Night in Canada Player Poll.
The poll, for which 257 players were surveyed, will be discussed during
tonight's game between Montreal and New Jersey on CBC (6 p.m.). The
final three results will be revealed: the Players’ choice for the current NHL
player they would select to start a franchise; whether fighting should be
banned; and the Canadian city that most deserves an NHL team.
If you were Holland, what would you do?
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Detroit Red Wings
Red Wings laud play of 'fast, hard' third line
Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom was named the best role model,
followed closely by Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby.
Ansar Khan
The New York Rangers' Marian Gaborik was again voted by his peers as
the best skater, as well as the fastest.
DETROIT – Some notes and quotes following the Detroit Red Wings' 3-2
win over the San Jose Sharks on Sunday:
Boston's Patrice Bergeron was selected as the most underrated, while his
teammate Zdeno Chara was overwhelmingly voted the toughest
defenseman to play against. The Bruins' Milan Lucic earned the top spot for
toughest player, narrowly edging out teammates Chara and Shawn
Thornton
Joey MacDonald, on the third line (Darren Helm, Drew Miller, Justin
Abdelkader): “All those guys work hard every night and that's what you
need to win games. Every team's got their top couple of lines. Your third
and fourth lines are going to win a lot of games. That's the key over the last
little streak we've had, those lines.''
The Rangers' Henrik Lundqvist was voted as the most difficult goalie to
score against.
Henrik Zetterberg, on the third line: “They’re playing with confidence and it
shows our depth and how important that is. On most teams, the top two
lines play off each other and the third line comes in and scores huge goals
and gives us momentum and makes it easier for us to play.”
Players were polled on several other topics, including which player they
would pick to start a franchise; the Canadian city they feel is most suited for
an NHL team; cleanest player; both underrated and overrated teams; both
fighting and the instigator; best referee; coach they would most like to play
for; most demanding coach; assistant coach they think should be the next
head coach; best and worst ice; and their favorite arena.
For complete NHLPA/CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada Player Poll results,
including fan results on the same questions the players were asked, visit
www.PlayersPoll.ca, or go to www.nhlpa.com.
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Detroit Red Wings
Poll: What should the Detroit Red Wings do before the trading deadline?
Brendan Savage
DETROIT – The National Hockey League's trading deadline is in eight days
and the Detroit Red Wings are atop the overall standings with 82 points
after winning five straight games.
Coach Mike Babcock, on the third line: “They were good killing penalties
and they give us momentum every time they're on the ice. They play fast
and hard. Sometimes in these games, because it's so tight-checking, your
skill people, who want to make plays every time down the ice, have a
harder time than the people that go straight ahead. Guys that went straight
ahead had success early and the other guys got with it and did the same
thing.''
Helm, on the third line: "I thought we were pretty consistent. I thought we
did a good job playing in their zone most of the time, getting a lot of pucks
on net. That makes it easy when all three of us are playing hard."
Helm, on his game-winning goal: "I was aiming for the net. I've been getting
a little frustrated, getting chances, not being able to finish. That was just
one where Millsie made a great pass, I just teed it up and hoped for the
best. It was nice to see the red light go on in the back."
MacDonald, on his six-game winning streak: “It's great to be the guy to get
thrown in there every single night, to take some of the pressure off (Jimmy
Howard) for a little bit. Howie's been playing a lot, he had quite a streak
going. He'll be back here the next game (Tuesday at Chicago) and just got
to keep building on it and be ready for my next start.''
Helm, on beating the Sharks: "We always see it as a pretty big game.
They've had our number the last couple years, whether it's playoffs or
regular season. It was a big game for us, keep that streak going and to beat
a really good hockey team that's playing really well. It was a big test that I
thought our guys were up for."
Babcock, on Henrik Zetterberg: “He always gets better as the year goes on.
His best hockey is usually in the playoffs. We need him to be an elite player
if we're going to be successful. He's always good without the puck, but it's
nice when he gets it going with the puck.''
Zetterberg, on how his lower-body injury is coming along: “It’s OK. It’s kind
of lingering a little bit, so we’ve just got to take it day-by-day.”
Ryane Clowe, on his fight with Justin Abdelkader: “If I want to spark the
team, I've got to do it earlier than with five minutes left in the third. He took a
run at me. I thought it was late and a bit high. I gave him a shot, and he was
actually the one who dropped his gloves first.
Clowe, on the game: “That's why they've won so many games at home,
because they stepped it up in the third. They outplayed us.”
Joe Pavelski, on taking a shot off his helmet: “It's bound to happen once in
a while.”
Kubina, who has three goals, eight assists and is averaging just under 20
minutes of ice time in 52 games this season, has seven days to comply to
the request or Tampa Bay can trade him anywhere.
The Wings have money to spend, just over $5 million under the salary cap,
and were looking to bolster up the blue line or find someone to push Jakub
Kindl, whose turnover Friday led to Nashville’s only goal. Kindl was muscled
off the puck down low by Jordin Tootoo.
Kubina, who has 110 goals and 272 assists in 953 career games, is in the
final year of a $3.5 million deal that he signed prior to last season. It was a
deal that returned him to the Lightning, who he helped lead to winning the
Stanley Cup in 2004.
Kubina has been suspended by the league on two separate occasions one
of which involved the Wings. He was suspended for the first game of the
2006-07 season for a crosscheck on the Wings’ Jiri Hudler.
Last March, Kubina was handed a three-game suspension for an elbow on
Chicago’s Dave Bolland.
On Thursday, San Jose got forward Dominic Moore and a seventh-round
pick from Tampa Bay for a second-round pick in 2012.
Kubina has also played for Toronto and the Atlanta, which relocated to
Winnipeg this season, in his NHL career.
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Detroit Red Wings
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Edmonton Oilers
Red Wings win record 23rd straight at home
Canucks school young Oilers
(AP)
Early goal gave Vancouver momentum
The Detroit Red Wings won their 23rd straight home game, setting an NHL
multiple-season mark and holding on to beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2
Sunday.
By John MacKinnon, edmontonjournal.com February 19, 2012
Detroit, which broke the league's single-season record of 20 on Tuesday,
surpassed the 22 wins in a row the Boston Bruins had over two seasons
more than eight decades ago.
EDMONTON - The Detroit Red Wings are the NHL’s gold standard, but the
Vancouver Canucks set a mighty high standard, also.
Henrik Zetterberg and Drew Miller gave Detroit a two-goal lead midway
through the second period and Darren Helm restored the two-goal edge
7:01 into the third.
Logan Couture scored late in the second period for the Sharks and Patrick
Marleau pulled them within a goal with 4:44 left.
The Red Wings won their sixth straight game, all in a homestand at Joe
Louis Arena, and have an NHL-high 84 points.
Macomb Daily LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Detroit Red Wings
It’s a bar the Oilers cannot reach, let alone clear, in their current
configuration, which became painfully apparent to the Rexall Place faithful
just 53 seconds into the first period of a 5-2 Canucks’ victory on Sunday
night.
That was when Henrik Sedin buried a shot behind Edmonton starting goalie
Nikolai Khabibulin to set the tone for a game that was, by turns, a clinical
dissection of the Oilers by a superb Canucks team, and a demonstration of
the great skill and quick-strike capability the Oilers have themselves, when
they put their mind to it.
Which, this night, they displayed only intermittently. They coughed up the
puck just as regularly, and the combination proved a recipe for a lopsided
loss.
Lightning deal Kubina to Flyers instead of Wings
On their best night, the Oilers skilled players — Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle,
Ales Hemsky, Sam Gagner and Magnus Paajarvi — can acquit themselves
well against the Canucks’ galaxy of talent.
By Chuck Pleiness
But when the Oilers lead with defensive- or neutral-zone giveaways and try
to play catch-up against an elite team, they can just forget it. So it was the
Oilers were down 2-0 after the first period and behind 2-1, 3-1 and 4-1,
even as they lifted their intensity in the second period.
DETROIT — According to tsn.ca, Tampa Bay has dealt defenseman Pavel
Kubina to the Philadelphia Flyers for a second and fourth round draft pick.
A source confirmed to The Macomb Daily Friday night that the Wings have
made an offer to the Lightning for Kubina. Details of the offer aren’t known.
The NHL trade deadline is 3 p.m. on Feb. 27.
The Lightning kept Kubina, 35, out of the lineup of Thursday’s 6-5 shootout
win over the San Jose Sharks. General manager Steve Yzerman also said
he would keep the defenseman off the ice until a trade could be completed.
Yzerman, a long-time Red Wings captain, asked Kubina for a list of five
teams to which he would accept a trade. His contract provides that
parameter.
“It was a tough beginning,” said Paajarvi, who one-timed a nifty pass from
linemate Ales Hemsky past Canucks goalie Cory Schneider to narrow the
Vancouver margin to 4-2 at 18:23 of the second period.
“Boom, right away a goal for them gives them all the momentum. It took us
almost until their 2-0 goal to get back into the game at all. I guess we’ve got
to work on the starts, for sure, and just match their intensity, just keep up
with them.”
Not just the Sedins, but the Canucks as a group played their own private
game of keepaway during a first period that was far more lopsided than the
2-0 score would indicate. The second goal was an almost too-easy tic-tactoe play finished by defenceman Sami Salo, who had cruised down to the
low slot to take a perfect pass from Henrik Sedin and bury it behind
Khabibulin.
Things could have been worse, but an apparent late-period goal by Manny
Malhotra was disallowed after video review central in Toronto ruled the
Canucks centre had directed the puck into the net with a distinct kicking
motion.
That reversal was about the only distinct break the Oilers caught in the
opening 20, but they carried it into the second period, getting an early goal
from Shawn Horcoff, and holding the Canucks shotless through the first 13
minutes of the middle period.
“Once we get going, we can create a lot,” Paajarvi said. “But when we’re
not going, that’s when they’re going to punish us and that’s what they did.”
Curiously, the Canucks have been accused of playing with clinical efficiency
but a paucity of passion as they have compiled a 10-0-3 record of late,
creeping ever closer to the streaking Red Wings.
Well, if this is how the Canucks play when they’re not especially aroused,
the Oilers were a fortunate bunch indeed. For long stretches of the first
period, and bursts in the second and third, this was men against boys, and
mighty skilled men at that.
All their tic-tac-toe passing gave the Oilers fans vertigo, but it gave
Khabibulin a sore groin, so he sat down at the end of the bench to start the
second period and ceded his post to Devan Dubnyk.
The Canucks’ uncomplicated brilliance had Paajarvi and his teammates
shaking their heads at game’s end
“They’re so skilled, they’re really a transition team, right,” Paajarvi said.
“They really feed on what you give them in transition.
“Unfortunately, we gave them a little bit too much tonight and they
capitalized, of course.”
The Sedins had a four-point night, a goal and an assist each, while Kevin
Bieksa and Chris Higgins had the other Canucks goals.
The Oilers line of Sam Gagner, Jordan Eberle and Taylor was held off the
scoresheet, not for a lack of effort but maybe owing to a lack of simplicity.
Eberle, for one, wasn’t about to rationalize a loss because it was against
one of the best teams in hockey.
“At the end of the day, we lost the game,” Eberle said. “We’ve got to be able
to take points, especially against teams in our division, Colorado and these
guys, at home.
“We’ve been a good team at home, I think we’ve been one of the best
teams at home.
“I don’t know if it’s a lack of discipline early on or just a lack of discipline
with the puck, but a lot of the goals that they scored results of us turning the
puck over. It’s stuff that can be corrected and that’s what makes it even
more frustrating.”
EDMONTON - Whenever the Vancouver Canucks bring their road show
wizardry to town, fans may laugh at how little the home team touches the
puck.
The Canucks, who haven’t lost a game in regulation in five weeks and have
the second-most points in the NHL with 82, predictably toyed with the
Edmonton Oilers in a 5-2 victory at Rexall Place on Sunday night.
They scored twice on 17 shots — captain Henrik Sedin and defenceman
Sami Salo on a five-on-three power play off a Henrik feed — on Nikolai
Khabibulin in the first 20 minutes before the beleaguered starting goalie
took a seat at the end of the bench with what the team said was a tweaked
groin, but it might also have been exhaustion.
Khabibulin, who made about six fire-alarm stops, kept it from being 5-0 in
his one period of play. Manny Malhotra got one in off his skate, too, but the
play was reviewed and the goal disallowed after it was
determined he had turned his skate to get it past the Oilers goalie.
Devan Dubnyk played the last two periods, giving up goals to defenceman
Kevin Bieksa, winger Chris Higgins, off a Jannik Hansen pass after a weak
defensive effort in the corner by Cam Barker, and Daniel Sedin.
The Oilers did get two on Canucks goalie Cory Schneider in the second
period. Captain Shawn Horcoff
shovelled Ryan Smyth’s relay home, and Magnus Paajarvi fired a rocket off
an Ales Hemsky pass, but that was it as ran their record to 1-4 against the
Canucks this year.
The Oilers, who were shoddy
defensively, gave up two quickies to Toronto last Wednesday 98 seconds
into the game and got the game to overtime, but the Maple Leafs aren’t the
Canucks. Vancouver leads the NHL with 64 first-period goals and is 32-6-1
when opening the scoring.
Edmonton had no chance on
Salo’s one-timer, with Ben Eager and Ladislav Smid in the penalty box, but
completely lost Henrik Sedin on his goal 53 seconds into the game.
“Blown coverage,” said Horcoff, who had the responsibility of checking the
Sedins and Alex Burrows. “(We were) too soft in our zone and we kept
turning the pucks over.”
The Oilers treated Khabibulin like he was radioactive material. They
wouldn’t go near him to help him out.
“He felt it (sore groin) three or four minutes in and tried to play through, then
had it tested after the period,” said stand-in head coach Ralph Krueger,
once again running the bench for Tom Renney, who’s out with a concussion
and may return for Tuesday’s game against the Flames in Calgary.
Plainly, simply, the Canucks schooled the Oilers on Sunday night, and they
knew it.
Smyth had a tough night defensively, finishing with a minus-2 rating, but it
wasn’t just the Oilers’ commotion in their end, which has been a constant
for much of the season.
“It’s hard to take something from it, it’s hard to play like the Sedins,”
Paajarvi said. “I don’t think anybody can play like the Sedins.
The Oilers also failed to show enough emotion against a team that had
played the night before in Vancouver. The Canucks are
“Of course, they’re one of the best teams in the league and they play so
simple, it’s unbelievable. They chip pucks in, get it deep, (as well as) any
team in the league. That really shows you that you can play simple hockey
and be effective.”
32 points ahead of the Oilers
The Oilers are learning it can be a slow, painful, difficult process to master
the art of playing simple hockey.
On Sunday, the Oilers were on the same level as the Canucks when
Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 02.20.2012
There was little push back for most of the game.
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“You’ve got to play with pride, play for your job, play for the logo on the front
of your jersey,” said Smyth. “You have to compete.
Edmonton Oilers
Canucks overpower Edmonton; veteran goalie suffers groin injury
(22-30-6) in the standings, but if they kept track of time of puck possession,
the Canucks would have had it 80 per cent of the time.
Samantha King was singing O Canada, but that was it.
“They went to the Stanley Cup finals last year, but this was a challenge for
us, to rise to the level of one of the better teams in the league,” Smyth said.
The Canucks have scored more road goals (102) than any
other team this season and boast a
By Jim matheson, edmontonjournal.com February 19, 2012
20-9-2 record away from home, which is No. 1 in away points.
Krueger admitted that “three of their goals were missed coverages ... and
we kept trying to pass the puck through them, right up the middle of the ice.
That’s their strength — they’re all about transition.”
Paajarvi, who has four points in his last five games, was one of the few
bright spots for the Oilers with four shots and his sweet one-timer that he
buried past Schneider.
“Maggie’s skating and looking for opportunities to play grittier and get to
pucks first ... it’s exciting to see him making this step,” said Krueger.
“Maggie and Hemmer (Hemsky) are getting some synergy which is good for
us.”
ON THE BENCH: Oilers centre Sam Gagner was slashed on the hand by
Bieksa in the first and missed the last three minutes, but was back for the
final 40 minutes ... Henrik Sedin played his 558th straight game, —10th
longest streak in NHL history ... The Canucks’ last regulation loss was Jan.
15, 4-2 to the Anaheim Ducks. They’re 10-0-3 since then ... Salo’s goal was
his 300th career point ... Canucks centre Ryan Kesler didn’t score, but he
had seven shots on net and another four blocked ... Canucks defenceman
Keith Ballard is out with concussion symptoms.
Edmonton Journal: LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Edmonton Oilers
“The best way is to always play between them, always know where one is,
because they’re trying to find each other.”
The Sedins have traditionally feasted on the Oilers. Heading into the
contest, Daniel had 60 career points against the Oilers, while Henrik had
62.
“You have to make sure you don’t give them any space down low in the
defensive zone and you have to finish your checks,” said Gilbert.
“You have to make sure you finish your checks and know where you’re
going, because they’re trying to bounce off you and are always trying to
beat you on the quick give and go pass, so you always have to be aware of
that.”
Overrated?
It’s no secret the Canucks are not well liked around the league, but
overrated?
That’s the word coming from a national player poll that voted the Canucks
the most overrated team in the NHL.
The Canucks earned 24% of the vote, while the Toronto Maple Leafs came
in second at 18% and the Washington Capitals third at 15%.
“Our results speak for themselves; I don’t think teams really like us,” said
Canucks goaltender Cory Schneider.
Oilers not giving Krueger much help
Derek Van Diest, Edmonton Sun
“I think those polls are probably more about who you know, they’re kind of a
popularity contest than actual fact. I don’t think there are any teams that
have gotten more points than we have the past year and a half.
“I find it hard to think that we’re overrated in any sense. But that’s their
opinion, not ours.”
EDMONTON -
Rising to the occasion
Ralph Krueger is not getting much support in the quest for his first NHL
coaching win.
Considering where they are in the standings, it would be easy to believe the
Oilers traditionally get spanked by teams in the NHL’s upper echelon.
On Sunday, the Oilers associate coach took charge for the fifth time in two
seasons as Tom Renney was given the weekend off, still suffering from
concussion-type symptoms after taking a puck in the head nearly two
weeks ago.
Yet that hasn’t been the case this season, as some of Edmonton’s best
games have come against teams much higher in the standings.
Heading into the game against the Vancouver Canucks, Krueger was 0-4
while filling in for Renney.
Now he’s 0-5.
“I didn’t even know that until someone told me the other day,” said Oilers
winger Ryan Jones.
“It would be nice to get one for him so he can say that he has one and
doesn’t have to worry about it anymore.”
Last season, Krueger took the reins for a couple of games while Renney
attended his father’s funeral.
The Oilers have beaten the Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, New
York Rangers, Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks.
“I think it’s the amount of time we have the puck,” said Krueger.
“When we play teams that we feel we are eye-to-eye with, we have a lot of
puck possession. Against Vancouver or the top teams we seem to move
the puck quicker.
“Teams like Vancouver, San Jose and Detroit, they don’t give you any time
or space, and we have to move the puck quicker. That seems to play into
our cards and we seem to play a better hockey game.”
Edmonton Sun: LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Edmonton Oilers
Sunday marked the third straight game Krueger was put in charge due to
Renney’s injury.
Krueger didn’t get much help, as the Canucks jumped to an early 2-0 lead
en route to an easy 5-2 victory.
Paajarvi pickin' up steam
“That’s been all based on us,” defenceman Tom Gilbert said of Krueger’s
winless streak.
“When he’s been behind the bench we haven’t played our best ... and that’s
unfortunate. It has nothing to do with him being back there; it’s just a matter
of us playing as a team and, unfortunately, we haven’t had any support for
him when he’s behind the bench.”
Magnus Paajarvi is a different player since returning from exile in
Oklahoma City.
Easier said ...
Perhaps it’s because he’s playing with different players.
The Oilers were talking a good game before facing off with the Canucks,
knowing they needed to keep an eye on Daniel and Henrik Sedin.
Paajarvi scored one of Edmonton’s goals in Sunday’s 5-2 loss to the
Vancouver Canucks — his second tally since being recalled five games
ago.
Unfortunately, it only took 53 seconds to lose track of one of the twins — in
front of the net, of all places.
He hadn’t scored in the previous 33 games before being dispatched to the
Oilers’ AHL affiliate.
“It’s like they’re one, to be honest with you. One always know where the
other one is,” Gilbert before the game.
“It looks like Magnus and Hemmer (Ales Hemsky) are getting some
synergy, which is good for us,” said Oilers associate coach Ralph Krueger.
“If you look at the game from above (press box), you can see where they
are and you know they’re going to pass to each other.
“If we can get another line going for us like that, it’s nice. And Magnus is
skating, he’s looking for opportunities to play grittier, he’s trying to get to
pucks first. He’s taking a step, and we want to keep that going.”
Coming off Saturday’s 6-2 win over Toronto — quite possibly Henrik and
Daniel’s second favourite team to play against — the twins combined for 12
points over a 26 hour span against the Leafs and Oilers.
Paajarvi scored the Oilers’ second goal last night, one-timing a feed from
Hemsky past Canucks goaltender Cory Schneider.
“We have to be really disappointed with our start in this game,” said
associate coach Ralph Kreuger, who is now 0-5 replacing Tom Renney.
“It was a great interception from Ales in the neutral zone and a great drive
to the net by (Anton) Lander,” said Paajarvi.
“We got down 1-0 by losing coverage and 2-0 by giving them a 5-on-3
power play. You can’t dig out of a hole against a team like that.
“Hemmer was able to find me and I just laid everything I had on the stick
and I was able to get some power on it.
“Three of their goals, the first, third and fourth, were because of lost
coverage and the fifth was on a turnover. We were trying to pass it through
them,” he said.
“I feel a lot better and feel great playing with Hemmer. We’ve been creating
a lot and I think we could have had a couple of more goals (Sunday).
“But individually, it feels better this time around than the last time, for sure.”
Getting a chance to play on an offensively-minded line with Hemsky has
done wonders for Paajarvi’s state of mind, which according to him is the key
to his success of late.
“It’s a matter of coming out with a sense of urgency,” said Ryan Smyth.
“We’re capable of playing with a lead. We haven’t had one in a while, but
when we were starting quickly, we were pretty effective at holding the lead.
“But you come out and execute like we did (Sunday) and you are not going
to come out with a win.
“I came into the season in the best shape of my life, so that wasn’t the
problem,” he said.
“You can’t play catch-up hockey in this league. Not in today’s game,” added
Smyth.
“It’s all mental. It’s all about feeling good in your head and I think that’s the
way it’s going for me right now.”
Especially against Vancouver.
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Edmonton Oilers
The Canucks took a 4-2 lead into the third period and made it 25-0 so far
this year when they lead going into the final 20 minutes.
Smyth said it doesn’t matter that this team is so far out of the playoffs that
half the line-up is already checking out the date and location of the world
championships.
Singin’ the same old song
“It doesn’t matter what the standings say, you still have to play with pride,”
said Smyth.
Terry Jones, Edmonton Sun
He keeps delivering that message to this group.
EDMONTON -
“It’s a privilege to be playing in the NHL. And there’s a challenge here and
an opportunity to rise to the level of the teams you play when they’re
playing at the top of their game and show everybody you are a good team.”
Twenty-four games left on the schedule.
Or start singing the song on the bench.
Twenty-four games to go.
“Twenty-four games left on the schedule. Twenty three games to go ...”
If one of those games should happen to be played, there’d be 23 games left
...
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Edmonton Oilers
It’s like the countdown in that old One Hundred Bottles of Beer on the Wall
song that teams used to sing on long bus trips.
Wasn’t now supposed to be about the time of the season the Oilers were to
be sitting about 10th or 11th, in the mix and in range of a playoff position,
playing meaningful games?
Instead, is it now going to be a steady stream of games like we saw in last
night’s 5-2 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, or the one the Oilers lost Friday
night to the Colorado Avalanche?
Will they be an out-motivated, outplayed, out-of-the playoffs-for-the-sixthcosecutive-season outfit, continually failing to get out of the gate against
teams either fighting for a final playoff spot like the Avs or preparing for a
long run in the playoffs, like the Canucks?
Why would it be any different this year?
In this three-game home stand, the motivated visitors got the jump on the
Oilers every time.
Toronto jumped to a 2-0 lead, Colorado was up 3-0 and Vancouver 2-0 en
route to Sunday’s 5-2 win.
The first goal against the Maple Leafs was scored at 0:40 and the second at
1:30. Last night against Vancouver, they came at 0:53 and 6:34.
“Obviously, we’re starting the games flat,” said Jordan Eberle.
“Obviously, we’re not starting well. Our starts have to be under question.
“In this one, we were on our heels before the game even began.
Canucks down Oilers 5-2
Robert Tychkowski, Edmonton Sun
It’s not easy looking your teammates, a mirror, or even a post-game
reporter, in the eye and admitting that even your best isn’t good enough.
Especially against a hated divisional rival.
But the Edmonton Oilers had nowhere to turn but the truth on Sunday after
the Vancouver Canucks rolled into Edmonton and showed the Oilers just
how far away their rebuild is from completion.
The battle between a team with a chance to win the Stanley Cup and a
team with a chance to win the draft lottery had an inevitability about it — like
birds vs worms — and it played out the way everyone expected.
“Too many turnovers, we just gave them too many good scoring chances
and you’re never going to beat a team that good trying to out-chance them,”
captain Shawn Horcoff sighed after a 5-2 loss. “You have to tip your hat,
they are a good team, but we gave them a lot of their offence, really.”
Gave, took, it was all in the eye of the beholder. But suffice it to say that
whenever Vancouver need a goal, they simply went out and got it.
“We’re giving up odd-man rushes early and leaving guys like the Sedins
uncovered in front.”
They scored the first two, scored two more when the Oilers showed life and
after Edmonton scored late in the second, they scored early in the third to
erase all doubt.
The Sedins vs. the Oilers is one of the greatest mismatches in sport. It has
been for years.
Routine. Edmonton’s best just isn’t good enough to beat Vancouver’s best
... not that the Oilers at their best by any stretch of the imagination.
“You have to be better then we were,” said defenceman Ryan Whitney.
“They’re a good team, but we’re a lot better than we just showed. There
were just a lot of things combined that weren’t pretty.
Regardless, Schneider knows his role is to caddy for Luongo, who is not
going anywhere soon with 11 years left on a 12-year, $64-million contract
extension.
“I think guys are trying to do other guys jobs. You have to trust that the guy
next to you is going to have his man; you can’t try to get your man and his
... it feels like we don’t have enough trust in each other out there.”
“There’s not a whole lot to be upset or complain about, I’m fine with the role
I’m doing now,” Schneider said. “I take it seriously, it’s not as though I think
less of myself because I don’t play as much. I’m just staying patient and
focusing on what I have to do.
The first period looked every bit like two teams separated by 32 points in
the standings, with Vancouver rolling out to a 1-0 lead just 53 seconds after
the opening faceoff when Henrik Sedin buried a back-door sitter.
“Bad first shift on our part,” said Horcoff. “You leave one of the most
dangerous guys in the game with a wide open net, that’s not the way you
want to start. And then we get into penalty trouble and they made us pay on
the 5-on-3.”
Spotting Vancouver a 2-0 lead is usually a death sentence, but by the six
minute mark the Canucks were up 9-0 on the shot clock and about to make
it 2-0 on a long two-man advantage.
“It was all our start,” said Whitney. “We go down 2-0 that quick, after they
played Saturday night ... we wanted to have a good start. You want to play
the Sedins hard and they’re in on both goals.”
After giving up 17 shots in the first period, Edmonton fought back in the
second. Horcoff scored at 1:08 and Vancouver didn’t get a shot till 13
minutes in. But shutting Vancouver down for most of a period isn’t good
enough.
Right when it looked like the Oilers were back in the fight — Bang! Bang! It
was over. Kevin Bieksa at 15:01 and Chris Higgins at 16:40 put it out of
reach.
Magnus Paajarvi scored late in the second, so Daniel Sedin scored early in
the third. If the Canucks needed seven, you have to believe they would
have scored seven.
“You rewind their goals and the puck was on our stick earlier (in the shift)
and we just didn’t make plays,” said Jordan Eberle. “It’s stuff that can be
corrected and that’s what makes it frustrating. We have to be able to take
points from teams in our division at home.”
LATE HITS: Nikolai Khabibulin got the start in goal for Edmonton but was
pulled at the first intermission with a sore groin.
613907
“For me it is all about wins. The other numbers are nice, but it’s not what I’m
too worried about. As a guy that doesn’t play too often, I want to win, I want
to be able to help my team out and not be the guy that throws us off the
track. It would be tough to not play as much if I was losing all the time.
Winning is my priority and that’s what I really pride myself in.”
Sunday’s start was just Schneider’s third in the Canucks’ last 14 games.
Earlier this season, he got on a roll taking over for an injured Luongo and
going on to win five consecutive games.
“That was good, it was good to know that you will get back in there, you get
into a rhythm and you don’t think about it as much,” Schneider said. “When
you have some time between starts, you tend to over-think things or they
don’t come as naturally as if you’ve been playing a lot.”
Selected by the Canucks in the first round — 26th overall — of the 2004
NHL Entry Draft, the Marblehead, Mass., native was supposed to be the
team’s goaltender of the future.
But due to the length of Luongo’s contract extension, Schneider could grow
old waiting on that future.
That’s one of the reasons his name has come up in recent trade
speculation, with a number of teams around the league in the market for a
quality starting goaltender.
“It’s all speculation and rumours and it’s easy to do,” Schneider said. “It’s
easy to pick names and say ‘This makes sense.’ I haven’t heard anything
from the team in that regard and I don’t expect to.
“Until (Canucks GM) Mike Gillis comes and tells me I’m not going to be a
part of the team anymore, I’m going to go about my business and be a good
teammate and work as hard as I can for this team.”
613908
Florida Panthers
Edmonton Oilers
Anaheim Ducks (24-24-10) at Florida Panthers (27-19-11), 6 p.m. (ET)
By Sports Network
Cory Schneider believes he has what it takes to be a starting NHL
goaltender.
But as long as he plays behind Roberto Luongo in Vancouver, the Canucks
puck-stopper will always be second banana and spend more time on the
bench then in the crease.
Especially considering the way Luongo has been playing of late.
“It’s not something I ever think about,” Schneider said, prior to getting the
call Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers. “My role on this team is what it is.
All I can do is control the opportunities I do get and not worry about the
ones I’m not getting.
The Anaheim Ducks are hoping to keep an unlikely playoff push going this
evening. The Florida Panthers are just trying to keep first place in the
Southeast Division from getting away.
The Ducks try to extend an eight-game point streak as they battle a
Panthers club hoping to avoid a third straight setback.
Anaheim put itself in an early hole with a very slow start to the season that
also led to a coaching change, with Bruce Boudreau stepping in for Randy
Carlyle after a 7-13-4 start. Anaheim has been putting things together under
its new coach since the beginning of January, going 14-2-4 since Jan. 6.
That includes a current 5-0-3 run that the Ducks were able to extend thanks
to goals from Corey Perry and Sheldon Brookbank in a 3-2 shootout loss to
the Devils. Perry's sixth goal in four games and Brookbank's first in 168
contests helped erase a two-goal deficit.
“If we were losing a lot and if it seemed more unfair than it is, then maybe it
would be a little more frustrating, but Roberto has been one of the best
goalies in hockey over the last three months. For me, it’s just been fun to
watch him and watch the team win.”
Jonas Hiller made 25 saves in defeat, getting outdueled by New Jersey's
Martin Brodeur.
Heading into Sunday’s contest, Schneider had played in 21 games this
season, compiling a 12-5 record with a 2.26 goals against average and a
.928 save percentage.
"Marty is a heck of a goaltender," Getzlaf said in praise of his foe. "He has
done it for years. It's a different kind of style from most goaltenders but he
finds a way to get it done and he did tonight."
His numbers are actually better than Luongo’s, who has a 2.30 goals
against average and .922 save percentage in 41 games this year.
Anaheim, now 3-0-2 on an eight-game road trip, sits seven points out of a
playoff spot.
Florida, meanwhile, fell a point behind Washington for first place in the
Southeast Division with a shutout loss back on Feb. 7, but rebounded with
three straight wins to reclaim the top spot. However, consecutive losses to
the Senators and Capitals now have the Panthers just two points ahead of
Washington and only three up on Winnipeg.
Florida had a chance to pad its lead on Friday, but instead lost 2-1 to
visiting Washington. Tomas Fleischmann scored the first goal for the
Panthers with 39.8 seconds left in the first, but the Caps scored twice in the
third.
Jose Theodore made 39 saves for the Panthers, who have lost the first two
of a four-game homestand.
"When you have a lead you at least want a point out of it, but we found a
way to lose tonight. ... It's a regular-season game, obviously, two teams
trying to get to the playoffs. It was definitely an intense game," Panthers
forward Kris Versteeg said.
Center John Madden missed Friday's game with a lower-body injury, while
Mike Weaver is questionable for this contest after suffering a facial injury
versus the Caps.
Anaheim has won two straight and four of its past versus Florida, including
two straight trips to Sunrise.
Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/02/19/vprint/2649799/anaheim-ducks-24-24-10-at-florida.html#storylink=cpy
Miami Herald LOADED: 02.20.2012
613909
Florida Panthers
rebuffed by Hiller, who earned his 22nd win of the season and 14th shutout
of his career.
“We played well in the third period,’’ said goalie Jose Theodore, who gave
up one goal [the second was into an empty net] on 26 shots. “Maybe we’re
holding the sticks a little too tight around the net. We’re working hard, have
had some good practices. We have to build on the third. Things just aren’t
going our way.’’
With the trade deadline now a week away, it’s apparent the Panthers need
more offensive help if they want to stop their 11-year postseason drought —
longest in NHL history. General manager Dale Tallon has been furiously
working the phones and the Panthers are expected to be buyers on the
trade front.
“We’re really struggling. Three goals in three games obviously isn’t
enough,’’ Samuelsson said. “We have to play with desperation.’’
Bradley hurt
The Panthers lost winger Matt Bradley to an undisclosed injury after he
slammed into a stanchion near the Florida bench while trying to check
George Parros into the glass. Parros saw the hit coming and stopped, with
Bradley crashing into the post. Play had to be stopped while the
subsequent broken glass was replaced.
Bradley left the locker room without commenting to the media. The
Panthers are calling it an “upper-body’’ injury, although Bradley looked like
he hit his head on the collision. Dineen said the Panthers will call up a
forward from their AHL club in San Antonio and Michal Repik — who was
sent down a month ago — is considered the front-runner to return.
Florida Panthers fall to Anaheim Ducks, losing third consecutive game
• Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau said he thought Bergenheim blind-sided
Niklas Hagman when Bergenheim threw a shoulder on a big hit at the end
of the first period.
By George Richards
• Center Stephen Weiss played in his 613th game with the Panthers, tying
him with Radek Dvorak for the franchise lead. Weiss will become the team’s
all-time leader in games Thursday against Minnesota.
Miami Herald LOADED: 02.20.2012
Brian Campbell sat in his locker stall for more than 10 minutes after
Sunday’s game in full uniform alternately staring into space and muttering
under his breath while shaking his head.
613910
Campbell sure didn’t look like a player on a team that remains in first place
in its division, one that holds the third overall seed in its conference.
Bad Things Come in 3s for Panthers: Cats downed 2-0 by Ducks ..
Florida Panthers
It can be said the Panthers don’t much look like a first place, playoff-bound
team either.
BY GEORGE RICHARDS
For the first time this season, Florida has lost three consecutive games in
regulation after Anaheim got a first-period Teemu Selanne goal and held on
for a 2-0 win at BankAtlantic Center. The Panthers, who won back-to-back
games in the New York area last weekend, are 0-3 in their four-game
homestand and have scored a grand total of three goals in those losses.
Brian Campbell sat in his locker stall for more than 10 minutes following
Sunday's game in full uniform alternately staring into space and muttering
under his breath while shaking his head.
The Panthers, who still remain atop a toothless Southeast Division, have
been outscored 10-3 in those losses.
“It’s disappointing,’’ said Campbell, whose team was shut out for the fifth
time this season and second in the past three weeks. “It’s really frustrating,
and it’s really disappointing. The last two games were tight. We need to find
a way to get things done.’’
Florida appeared to sit back once again and let its opponent dictate the
pace of the game. Anaheim, which has gone 15-3-4 since Jan. 1, controlled
play for the first 30 minutes as the Panthers rarely made goalie Jonas Hiller
do much. Florida was already down 1-0 when Lubomir Visnovsky’s high
stick caught Mikael Samuelsson and sliced his right eyelid.
The Panthers did nothing with the four-minute power play, however,
registering no shots while watching the Ducks play keep-away with the puck
in the Florida zone. The Panthers went 0 for 4 with a man advantage.
“We need to find ways to score. We’re not creating enough on offense to
get us two points at the end of the night,’’ coach Kevin Dineen said. “We got
off to a slow start, and that has been an issue lately and is something we
need to correct.’’
Florida definitely picked up the pace in the second half of the second period
and created a bunch of chances in the third. Hiller, who has played in 53 of
Anaheim’s 60 games, was stellar and kept the Panthers off the board. Sean
Bergenheim had a great chance to tie the score with 1:25 left but was
Campbell sure didn't look like a player on a team that remains in first place
in its division, one that holds the third overall seeding in its conference.
It can be said the Panthers don't much look like a first place, playoff-bound
team either.
For the first time this season, Florida has lost three straight games in
regulation after Anaheim got a first period Teemu Selanne goal and held on
for a 2-0 win at BankAtlantic Center.
The Panthers, which won back-to-back games in the New York area last
weekend, are 0-3 in their four-game homestand and have scored a grand
total of three goals in those losses.
Florida, which still remain atop a toothless Southeast Division, have been
outscored 10-3 in those losses.
Alberta“It's disappointing,'' said Campbell, whose team was shutout for the
fifth time this season and second in the past three weeks. “It's really
frustrating and it's really disappointing. The last two games were tight. We
need to find a way to get things done.''
Florida appeared to sit back once again and let its opponent dictate the
pace of the game. Anaheim, which has gone 15-3-4 since Jan. 1, controlled
play for the first 30 minutes as the Panthers rarely made goalie Jonas Hiller
do much. Florida was already down 1-0 when Lubomir Visnovsky's high
stick caught Mikael Samuelsson and sliced his right eyelid.
The Panthers did nothing with the four minute power play, however,
registering no shots while watching the Ducks play keep-away with the puck
in the Florida zone. The Panthers went 0-for-4 with the advantage.
“We need to find ways to score. We're not creating enough on offense to
get us two points at the end of the night,'' coach Kevin Dineen said. “We got
off to a Wade3slow start and that has been an issue lately and is something
we need to correct.''
Florida definitely picked up the pace in the second half of the second and
created a bunch of chances in the third. Hiller, who has played in 53 of
Anaheim's 60 games, was stellar and kept the Panthers off the board. Sean
Bergenheim had a great chance to tie the game with 1:25 left but was
rebuffed by Hiller as he earned his 22nd win and 14th shutout of his career.
Ruth“We played well in the third period,'' said goalie Jose Theodore, who
gave up one goal (the second was into an empty net) on 26 shots. “Maybe
we're holding the sticks a little too tight around the net. We're working hard,
have had some good practices. We have to build on the third. Things just
aren't going our way.''
With the trade deadline now a week away, it's apparent the Panthers need
more offensive help if they want to stop their 11-year postseason drought –
longest in NHL history.
General manager Dale Tallon has been furiously working the phones and
the Panthers are expected to Tresbe buyers on the trade front.
“We're really struggling. Three goals in three games obviously isn't
enough,'' Samuelsson said. “We have to play with desperation. I think we
did that in the third but we can be better early. It doesn't matter that we got
points in New York after this three in a row. It's very disappointing and it's
never good. We just have to keep our head high, keep working and stay in
this.''
BRADLEY HURT
The Panthers lost winger Matt Bradley to an undisclosed injury after he
slammed into a stanchion near the Florida bench while trying to check
George Parros into the glass. Parros saw the hit coming and stopped, with
Bradley going crashing into the post. Play had to be stopped while the
subsequent broken glass was replaced.
Bradley left the locker room without commenting to the media. The
Panthers are calling it a 'upper body' injury although Bradley looked like he
hit his head on the collision. Dineen said the Panthers will call up a forward
from their AHL club in San Antonio and Michal Repik – who was sent down
a month ago – is considered the frontrunner to return.
() Ducks coach Bruce Boudreau says he thought Bergenheim blindsided
Niklas Hagman when Bergenheim threw a shoulder on a big hit at the end
of the first period.
“Maybe the total contact on one angle wasn’t to the head, but it grazed the
shoulder and then hit the head full on,'' said the former Capitals coach. “But
it was totally blind side. He didn’t see it coming.''
Said Hagman, who spent parts of four seasons with the Panthers: I didn’t
expect that whoever was going to be there had that much speed. I didn’t
see the hit. He got me pretty good. I don’t know what to say. For sure, I
didn’t see him.''
() Center Stephen Weiss played in his 613th game with the Panthers, tying
him with Radek Dvorak for the franchise lead. Weiss will become the team's
all-time leader in games Thursday against Minnesota.
Sun Sentinel LOADED: 02.20.2012
613911
Florida Panthers
Florida Panthers lose third straight at home
If the Panthers continue to miss the net, they just may knock themselves
out of the playoff picture.
The Ducks were playing their sixth game of a seasonlong eight-game road
trip and still managed to create far more scoring opportunities than the
Panthers, who have lost three straight games in regulation for the first time
this season (and first since March 31-April 8 of last season).
If not for the outstanding goaltending of Jose Theodore, the score would've
been far more lopsided. Certainly, Theodore wanted this victory more than
most as he was going against former Caps coach Bruce Boudreau, who
benched him early in two consecutive first-round playoff series in their two
years together in Washington (2008-10).
So much for home sweet home.
The Southeast Division-leading Panthers were coming off a rare weekend
road sweep in New York and had an excellent opportunity to create
separation in their division with a four-game homestead looming. Instead,
they've scored just three goals while dropping three straight to Ottawa,
Washington and Anaheim. They've allowed the slumping Capitals to hang
around at two points back while giving hope to the Winnipeg Jets.
After a scoreless second period, the Panthers were desperate to improve
their 2-16-2 mark when trailing (1-0) heading into the third. With 11:36 left,
Ducks goalie Jonas Hiller made his save of the night when he speared
Tomas Fleischmann's slot-shot. With 1:18 left, he made another sliding
skate save on Sean Bergenheim's attempt, before Niklas Hagman's emptynetter with 14.3 seconds left sealed the deal.
Hiller recorded 31 saves in his third shutout of the season, 14th of his
career, and he is 13-2-4 in his last 19 games while allowing two or fewer
goals in 15 of those.
Despite starting the day in 13th place of the Western Conference, the
Ducks are one of the hottest teams in the NHL, and are 15-2-4 over their
last 21 games. That includes a 6-0-3 stretch and 4-0-2 on this road trip.
The Panthers continued their monthlong trend of giving up the first goal.
After Stephen Weiss – who tied the all-time franchise mark with 613 games
played - couldn't maintain control, future Hall of Fame forward Teemu
Selanne beat rookie defenseman Erik Gudbranson to a rebound of Bobby
Ryan's shot before easily smacking it past Theodore at 12:13 of the first.
It was the 41-year-old's 20th goal of the season, giving him 17 seasons of
20 or more goals. Number
657th of his career moves him past NHL disciplinarian czar Brendan
Shanahan into 12th place for all-time goals.
Florida had a golden opportunity to tie it up during a four-minute power play
after Ducks' defenseman Lubomir Visnovsky high-sticked Mikael
Samuelsson in the face. However, the Panthers were unable to muster
even a shot against the Ducks' 10th-ranked PK unit which elicited loud jeers
from the disappointed fans.
It's not clear if Bradley sustained a concussion or injured his shoulder after
missing a check on George Parros early in the second period. If he's out for
an extended stretch, the Panthers will have to call up a player from San
Antonio, possibly Michal Repik.
McCabe scouting
Former Panthers captain Bryan McCabe is now doing some scouting for the
Panthers and despite the rash of injuries to three of the team's core blueliners, the 36-year-old says he's hung up the skates for good.
"I'm too old for this,'' McCabe joked.
McCabe finished with 145 goals and 348 assists, including 28 and 76 in 199
games for the Panthers.
Sun Sentinel LOADED: 02.20.2012
613912
Los Angeles Kings
By Harvey Fialkov,
Sutter mulls lineup changes
Nothing summed up Sunday's disheartening 2-0 loss to the surging
Anaheim Ducks better then Panthers forward Matt Bradley basically
knocking himself silly after crashing into the sideboards after missing a
check.
Posted by Rich Hammond
Other than injury-related issues, Darryl Sutter has been rather consistent in
terms of line combinations. Coming off consecutive 1-0 losses, is that about
to change? After last night’s game, Sutter said he needed more from top
players, and reiterated it again today when he said, “Kopi and Brownie are
struggling. They’ve got to get to the area, that strong area, that area that’s
hard to play in. They’ve got to get there and be going there, and then it will
come for them.”
Does that mean a breakup for the first line of Brown, Kopitar and Justin
Williams? With Jarret Stoll likely to return Tuesday, it would seem that some
type of shake-up is in the cards, and Sutter also raised the idea of changes
on defense to try to get the offense going. Is it re-arranging deck chairs on
the Titanic, or can it make a difference?
SUTTER: “Hopefully we’ll get Brownie back to good health tomorrow, and
then we’ve got to decide what we’re doing. If we get Stoll back in the lineup,
we have to decide what we want to do. We put Marty [Alec Martinez] in for
Slava, and then Drew [Davis Drewiske] in for Marty. Are we getting
enough? We’re not scoring, so we’re not getting enough. The only guys
who have generated anything together, on a consistent basis, are King and
Richards, quite honestly. Lokti and Lewie [Trevor Lewis] have been pretty
good together. It’s just finding that whole (package).”
LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 02.20.2012
613913
Los Angeles Kings
Brown, Stoll, Penner updates
Posted by Rich Hammond
Here are today’s updates from Darryl Sutter on Dustin Brown, who missed
today’s practice because of illness, on Jarret Stoll, who appears to be just
about ready to come off the injured-reserve list, and Dustin Penner, who
apparently, in the coach’s eyes, has raised above equine-manure status for
now.
SUTTER: “Brownie has been under the weather a little bit. With a couple
days (between games), we better keep him away so it doesn’t go through
(the team), if it hasn’t started. Jarret (Stoll) was sick in Dallas. He was really
sick. So that’s probably where Brownie got it.”
Stoll spent quite a bit of time on the ice this morning. He was out there with
Simon Gagne and Bernie Nicholls before practice, then participated in the
full-team session for 40 minutes.
SUTTER: “He needed a full practice. He’s been skating on his own. You
can push it when you’re skating on your own, but he still had to test it, when
you’re getting pushed. He gets another day tomorrow, and then he should
be good.”
Star Tribune LOADED: 02.20.2012
613915
Minnesota Wild
Blues' Jackman breaks 150-game goal drought against Wild
Associated Press
ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Blues are on quite the roll now. Even Barret
Jackman is pitching in on the offensive end.
Jackman broke a league-high 150-game scoreless drought and Brian Elliott
made 13 saves to lead the Blues to a 4-0 win over the Minnesota Wild on
Saturday.
The Blues won for the sixth time in seven games and gained points for a
franchise-record 21st straight home game. They picked up their league-best
26th home win (26-3-4).
Minnesota is winless in its last seven and has scored just nine goals during
its latest slump.
Jackman had held the longest active scoreless skid in the NHL. Anaheim's
Sheldon Bookbank broke a 167-game scoreless streak with a goal Friday.
Jackman sent a shot from the point past goalie Josh Harding for his first
goal since Jan. 7, 2010. It gave the Blues a 2-0 lead early in the second
period.
"It's not like anyone is expecting me to score," said Jackman, who has 20
goals in his 10-year career. "But it's nice anytime you can bounce one in. I
finally got a bounce my way. The guys are all pretty excited for me."
"It was awesome to see a guy like that score," Elliott said. "Now, I think
there is more to come."
St. Louis coach Ken Hitchcock was elated to see several of his players
break scoring skids.
Reeves, who has nine fighting majors in 40 games, scored for the first time
since Jan. 13, 2011. He converted from in front of the net off a pass from
Scott Nichol for a 1-0 lead midway through the first period.
"It's about time, it's been a while," Reeves said. "I don't even know how to
celebrate anymore."
As for Penner, he played 11 minutes, 31 seconds, in a fourth-line role
against Calgary and recorded two shots on goal, three missed shots and
one hit.
613916
SUTTER: “He was fine. We talked about him working his way back in. It’s
game to game. It’s simple.”
The Wild's week ahead
Minnesota Wild
LA Kings Insider: LOADED: 02.20.2012
613914
Minnesota Wild
Wild snaps seven-game skid
MICHAEL RUSSO
Today: vs. Boston, 2:30 p.m. (Ch. 11)
Thursday: at Florida, 6:30 p.m. (FSN)
Associated Press
Friday: at Dallas, 7:30 p.m. (FSN)
Player to watch:
Matt Cullen and Chad Rau each scored a goal and Niklas Backstrom made
a career-high 48 saves for his fourth shutout of the season to lead the
Minnesota Wild to a 2-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday.
The Wild won for only the second time in February — their previous victory
Kris Versteeg, Florida
Has bounced around the league, but Versteeg has found a home in Florida
-- leading the Panthers, who are trying to make the playoffs for the first time
since 2000, with 22 goals and 48 points.
Voices "Outside our locker room, there's not a person in the world that
probably thinks we're going to make the playoffs." -- Wild coach Mike Yeo.
613917
Minnesota Wild
Associated Press
ST. PAUL, Minn. - Matt Cullen and Chad Rau each scored a goal and
Niklas Backstrom made a career-high 48 saves for his fourth shutout of the
season to lead the Minnesota Wild to a 2-0 win over the Boston Bruins on
Sunday.
The Wild won for only the second time in February — their previous victory
circle.
It was Minnesota's first two-goal lead since Jan. 31 it they led Nashville 3-0
before losing 5-4. This time, though, the Wild held on thanks to some
brilliant saves by Backstrom.
Minnesota doubled its shot total from the previous night against St. Louis —
a season-low 13 — by the end of the second period and finished with 29.
Wild.
Notes: Cullen hadn't scored a power-play goal since Nov. 15. ... The game
marked the only meeting between the two teams this season, and Boston's
Brodziak, the first player Chuck Fletcher traded for as general manager in
2009 (Edmonton), has scored 40 goals and 98 points in 221 games with the
Wild. He's missed only two games because of the flu.
His value goes beyond the scoresheet. He's evolved into a leader, takes big
draws, logs large minutes, is a key penalty-kill cog, is versatile enough to go
from the third line to the first and is as blue-collar as they get.
"I'm trying to work on consistency," Brodziak said. "Just playing a strong,
solid game every night. That's something that is growing and I can continue
to grow on. I don't expect to score every night, but if I'm playing strong
defensively, strong at faceoffs, strong on the penalty kill, aggressive on the
forecheck and being strong on the puck, that's when good things happen
for me."
One-game suspension
Warren Peters was suspended for Sunday's game after cross-checking the
side of St. Louis center David Backes' head Saturday. Peters lost $2,905 of
salary.
"My actions probably warranted a game's suspension," Peters said. "I know
I'm responsible for my stick. At the end of the day, I hit a kid in the head
with my stick. There's no room for that."
Back in good graces?
It turned out all Marek Zidlicky needed to break out of coach Mike Yeo's
doghouse was terrible execution from the defensemen Saturday in St.
Louis.
"That's what he's here for," Yeo said in explaining why he played Zidlicky
against the Bruins after scratching him the two previous games. The
benching came after Zidlicky's agent said his client would waive his notrade clause to go to New Jersey.
Zidlicky had a tough start to Sunday's game but got better as the game
moved along.
"There's been a lot of talk, there's been a lot of things written, but the
ultimate measure of if a guy wants to be a part of it is how he goes out and
plays," Yeo said. "I thought he made a pretty bold statement."
Koivu still out
Captain Mikko Koivu missed his second consecutive game with an
undisclosed injury. "We'll just keep calling him day-to-day," Yeo said. Koivu
watched Sunday's game from the press box.
With Peters suspended, the Wild called up Chad Rau, who scored the
winning goal. Defenseman Mike Lundin (lower body) was placed on injured
reserve.
Lundin can become a free agent July 1 and is potential trade bait by the
Feb. 27 deadline.
The fight went on and on
613918
Matt Kassian's fight with Shawn Thornton in the third lasted 1 minute, 25
seconds -- the longest, he said, of his career.
Minnesota Wild
For Brodziak, day couldn't get much better
MICHAEL RUSSO
613919
Minnesota Wild
If it's Hockey Day somewhere, Rau is a scoring threat
The Wild center's three-year contract extension worth $8.49 million was
announced soon after a 2-0 victory over Boston. Brodziak could have
become a free agent July 1.
JIM SOUHAN
Kyle Brodziak was all smiles Sunday, and it wasn't only because "we beat
the Stanley Cup champs."
The on-again, off-again Wild forward is cultivating a knack for beating
goalies on special occasions and in front of family.
The Wild center's three-year contract extension worth $8.49 million was
announced soon after a 2-0 victory over Boston. Brodziak could have
become a free agent July 1.
Sunday afternoon, Wild forward Chad Rau took a deft backhand pass from
Dany Heatley and skated toward a bunch of people he had no idea he'd be
seeing so soon, a who's who of hockey talent and family ties.
"My goal as a player is to keep getting better every year," said Brodziak, 27.
"There's definite belief in this organization. I want to be part of building it
into a winning team. The culture is changing around here, and I just want to
be part of the future and helping to turn this around into a winning club."
Saturday, Rau had begun taking a pregame nap in preparation for the
Houston Aeros' game in Abbotsford, British Columbia, when he received a
text from Aeros General Manager Jim Mill.
"Call me as soon as you can," it read.
"I don't have an international plan on my phone," Rau said. "Luckily, the text
came through, otherwise I wouldn't have had a clue."
Mill told Rau to take a cab to the Vancouver airport, almost two hours away.
Rau made it an hour before his flight to Los Angeles, and cleared customs
just in time. "I was sweating a little bit," he said.
In L.A., he changed terminals and missed a 9:45 flight, then took the redeye to Minnesota, ate a pregame breakfast and took a quick nap before
heading to the X.
Rau arrived just in time. The Wild hadn't won a game in regulation since
Feb. 2, and had tumbled through the standings since.
The Wild and Boston Bruins were scoreless in the second period. Cal
Clutterbuck scraped a puck off the boards and flicked it to Heatley. Heatley
fed the rookie, who sped up ice.
With time to think, Rau would have been surprised by the faces around him
in the Bruins' end. He didn't have time to think.
MICHAEL RUSSO
GAME RECAP
STAR TRIBUNE'S THREE STARS
1. Niklas Backstrom, Wild: The goalie made 22 of his career-high 48 saves
in the third period to improve to 4-0-1 all-time vs. the Bruins. It was his 26th
career shutout.
2. Matt Cullen, Wild: He ended a 15-game goal drought with his first powerplay goal since Nov. 15.
3. Marco Scandella, Wild: Defenseman, in his fourth game since being
recalled, blocked seven shots.
By THE NUMBERS
Massive defenseman Zdeno Chara hedged toward Wild defenseman Marco
Scandella, who was trailing the play.
91 Shots on goal by the Bruins (48 were on net, 43 were blocked or
missed).
Tim Thomas, the Bruins' outstanding goaltender and supposed
conscientious objector, might have leaned toward Scandella, too. To
Thomas' right sat Rau's family, with his brothers screaming through the
glass.
35-15 Wild's all-time goal differential against Boston. They are 10-1-1 vs.
the Bruins.
Rau took a long, exaggerated look at Scandella, then, almost without
looking, ripped a shot past Thomas.
613921
"He was looking so far back," said Wild defenseman Nate Prosser, who
played with Rau at Colorado College. "That was amazing. I don't even know
if he could do it again. I know I haven't seen him do that before. It was just
what the team needed."
Minnesota Wild
Kyle Brodziak receives 3-year contract extension; Wild shuts out Bruins
Posted by: Michael Russo
On Jan. 25, Rau had scored his first NHL goal, a game-winner on Hockey
Day Minnesota.
On Sunday, hours after returning to St. Paul and facing the defending
Stanley Cup champions, Rau scored a game-winner on Hockey Day In
America, as the Wild for the first time had four Minnesotans play for it in a
game.
You can see the Wild marketing team introducing Hockey Night in St. Paul,
then Hockey Night In the General Proximity of Tom Reid's Hockey City Pub,
in an attempt to dredge maximum goals from Rau.
With the trade deadline approaching Feb. 27, the Wild re-signed arguably
it's biggest potential free agent after Sunday's 2-0 win over the Boston
Bruins.
Kyle Brodziak has signed a three-year contract extension worth $8.49
million. That's an annual salary-cap hit of $2.83 million.
He was all smiles afterward.
"I don't mind if there are hockey days," Rau said with a smile.
"I’m really happy," Brodziak said. "Just happy it’s done with and now I can
concentrate more on playing hockey."
Mike Rau, Chad's father, attended the game with his three other sons. Curt,
Kyle's twin, plays in the North American Hockey League, and Matt, the
oldest, is a resident at Hennepin County Medical Center.
As I wrote the other day, Brodziak was not enjoying this process at all. In
fact, the quote was, "I hate it."
When he moved the family from Chicago to Eden Prairie in 1996, a friend of
Mike's built a sport court and a backyard rink, and soon Mike had three
hockey players, plus a medic to mend them.
"I’ve never had to deal with anything like it before, so it was definitely on my
mind," Brodziak said. "I’m happy to be part of the organization for a few
more years and looking forward to it.
"The cool thing was, his brothers were down by the glass when he scored,"
Mike said.
"My goal as a player is to keep getting better every year. There’s definite
belief in this organization. I want to be part of building it into a winning team.
The culture is changing around here and I just want to be part of the future
and helping to turn this around into a winning club."
Rau is hardly the only player the Wild has called up, while desperately
seeking healthy bodies and scoring. The team has used 39 players this
season. Some stay for a few days of per diem, meander around the ice and
depart.
Wild coach Mike Yeo, who has pushed more buttons than an accordion
player while trying to revive his team, hinted that Rau could stick around.
"Not just the fact that he scored the goal, but I was really impressed with his
game," Yeo said. "You're going out, playing against a heavy, hard team,
and I thought his 'D' zone coverage was really strong, I thought his puck
execution was really good.
"He knows when to make a smart play and when to make more of a skilled
play, and I was impressed with his puck strength. ... He wants to make a
difference, and I like that."
613920
As Chuck Fletcher talked about in early December, he's seen an evolution
this season with Brodziak into a leader off the ice, and of course, his play
on the ice has been getting better. He's versatile enough where he can
move up in lines, like the last few games where he's been the top-line
center with Mikko Koivu injured.
Brodziak has scored 40 goals and 98 points in 221 games with the Wild.
He's missed two games here with the flu.
As mentioned, nice win for the Wild, stunning considering what's been
going on lately and coming off yesterday's awful 4-0 loss in St. Louis.
Chad Rau, just recalled with Warren Peters suspended one game, scored
the winning goal -- his second winning goal out of his two in his career. The
other came on Hockey Day Minnesota and columnist Jim Souhan wrote a
nice piece of Rau for Monday's newspaper. He was in Abbotsford, B.C.
when he got the call at the end of a six-game, 13-day trip with the Aeros.
Minnesota Wild
Wild-Boston game recap
He had to rush two hours to Vancouver airport, fly to LAX and get on a
12:20 red-eye (I've taken that flight a gazillion times) and got in shortly after
6 a.m.
Regardless of Rau scoring, coach Mike Yeo said, "Really impressed with
his game. You’re going out and playing a heavy, hard team. I thought his dzone coverage was very strong, I thought his puck execution was very
good. He knows when to make a smart play and when to make more of a
skilled play. And I was impressed with his puck strength."
What Yeo loves about Rau is he just doesn't come into the lineup and try to
fill-in, take a spot. He tries to make an impact. His goal was great tonight,
looking off Marco Scandella forever before whistling one by Tim Thomas
just past the 25-foot stick of Zdeno Chara.
He didn't get a shaving cream pie to the face this time, which he was
"grateful" about.
Matt Cullen snapped a 15-game goal drought. He was bigtime relieved, and
I'll probably write about that in either Tuesday's paper or Wednesday's.
And Niklas Backstrom made a career-high 48 saves for his 26th shutout
and fourth of the season. The Wild is 10-1-1 all-time vs. the Bruins
(outscored them 35-15). He is 4-0-1. It snapped a five-game winless streak
for Backstrom.
Yeo said he talked to Backstrom before the game: "It's one position where
you're solely judged on your wins and losses. It’s been a little bit unfair
because of our struggles as a team. … What we talked about, focus on
playing great. You can’t control a lot of the other things."
"It’s the best team you can play, won the Cup last year," said Backstrom.
"It’s a big challenge. You always want to measure yourself against the
best."
I thought Marco Scandella was terrific tonight. Seven blocked shots. The
Wild had 24. Greg Zanon, four blocked shots and four hits. Matt Cullen and
Erik Christensen won 20 of 30 faceoffs. Marek Zidlicky competed real hard
after a very tough start.
Too bad the Wild can't come right back and play Florida tomorrow or the
next day. It next plays there Thursday in the front end of a tough, tough
back-to-back. At Florida, At Dallas.
That's it for me. Barring news, no blog Monday as the Wild has the day off. I
will be on KFAN at 9 a.m.
613922
Minnesota Wild
Marek Zidlicky back in Wild's lineup against Bruins
Yeo did say that he has coached Peters for two seasons "and he's not the
type to do anything. I think I've seen him in one fight in two years, and he
wouldn't do anything even close to that if he didn't feel that Backes cross
checked
Spurgeon at the boards at that time."
Yeo upset
Minnesota's rookie coach said before today's game that he remained "a
little bit upset" about his team's play against the Blues.
"We're not going to allow anything less than our best effort," he said,
"because there's a lot more at stake that just two points every night. If we
want to create the right culture here, I don't care how many guys we have
out of the lineup. When you're faced with adversity, how you handle it,
these type of things, I wasn't happy with how we handled it last night."
Although Yeo said he was not angry, he sounded like he was.
"To go out and have an effort like we did last game, that's mot good
enough," he said. "That's not up to our standards and we shouldn't allow
that."
Koivu still out
Yeo said center Mikko Koivu remains day to day with an undisclosed injury,
but indicated he does not believe it's serious.
The Wild brought up forward Chad Rau from the Houston Aeros of the
American Hockey League and placed defenseman Mike Lundin on injured
reserve with a lower-body injury.
The game notes for today's game listed seven Wild players out with injuries:
Guillaume Latendresse, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Jarod Palmer, Clayton
Stoner, Carson McMillan, Koivu and Lundin.
The number of man-games lost to injury has climbed to 238. Minnesota lost
a franchise-record 429 man-games last season.
Sonmor honored
Former North Stars, Fighting Saints and University of Minnesota coach
Glen Sonmor was honored today with the State of Hockey Lifetime
Achievement Award.
Earlier recipients of the award from the Wild were former St. Paul Johnson
coach Lou Cotroneo and former North Star and Gopher Neal Broten.
Pioneer Press LOADED: 02.20.2012
613923
Minnesota Wild
By Bruce Brothers
Wild 2, Bruins 0: Niklas Backstrom blanks champs
Defenseman Marek Zidlicky returned to the Wild lineup against the Boston
Bruins this afternoon after being a healthy scratch in the previous two
games and four more times over the previous 11.
Near the end of that first four-game stretch, Zidlicky went public with his
dissatisfaction and asked general manager Chuck Fletcher to trade him.
The native of the Czech Republic, who has zero goals and 13 assists
through 40 games, recorded assists in two of his five games back in the
lineup before coach Mike Yeo benched him again.
"I thought before he came out of the lineup, he played his three best games,
maybe all year," Yeo said before the game against Boston. "You wonder,
'Why did you take him out?' but we thought with some of the comments that
were made we questioned whether his focus was completely there.
"He said that it is, so this is a chance for him to prove it."
Peters suspended
The NHL handed center Warren Peters a one-game suspension for his
cross check to the head of the Blues' David Backes in Saturday's 4-0 loss in
St. Louis.
Backes, who is from Blaine, hit Nate Prosser and then Jared Spurgeon to
draw Peters' ire.
Justified?
"I'm going to be careful on this one," Yeo said. "I'd rather leave it alone."
Bruce Brothers
Goalie Niklas Backstrom stopped all 48 shots he faced and Minnesota
snapped its seven-game losing streak with a victory over Boston in front of
19,198 this afternoon at the Xcel Energy Center.
Minnesota natives Chad Rau and Matt Cullen scored second-period goals
to put the Wild in front on an afternoon when they used four Minnesotans in
their lineup, possibly for the first time. The others were Jeff Taffe and Nate
Prosser, and Taffe narrowly missed a goal when his shot five minutes into
the third period hit the crossbar.
MEANING: The Wild appear to be out of the playoff race, but defeating the
defending Stanley Cup champions should do wonders for a spirit that has
been flagging.
ETC: Cullen's goal ended a string of 15 games without a goal dating to Jan.
10.
613924
Minnesota Wild
Minnesotan Chad Rau delivers spark that ends Wild's seven-game losing
streak
"I wasn't aware of that," Rau said. "Pretty cool."
By Bruce Brothers
613925
If Chad Rau keeps this up, he might end up with a full-time job in the
National Hockey League.
Rau, who traveled by planes, van and automobile for 14 hours from
Abbottsford, British Columbia, before arriving in the Twin Cities at 6:15 a.m.
Sunday, scored his second winning goal in five NHL games less than 10
hours later to help the Wild defeat the defending Stanley Cup champion
Boston Bruins 2-0 at the Xcel Energy Center.
Minnesota is 4-1 with Rau in the lineup.
A winger from Eden Prairie who signed as a free agent May 17, 2010, Rau
made his NHL debut on Hockey Day Minnesota on Jan. 21 and scored the
game-winner in a 5-2 win over Dallas.
Three games later, he was shipped back to Houston of the American
Hockey League after the Wild's victory over the Avalanche in Colorado.
Minnesota went winless over its next seven games.
Saturday afternoon, Rau was taking a pregame nap in Abbottsford when he
was awakened by a text from Aeros general manager Jim Mill. The Wild,
expecting forward Warren Peters to receive a league suspension, needed
Rau for Sunday's game, just in case.
Mill arranged for a car to take Rau to the Vancouver airport, not quite a twohour drive, at which point Rau had one hour to clear customs and make his
flight to Los Angeles. After a three-hour flight to L.A., Rau had to be shuttled
to a different terminal. He had time to eat dinner before catching a 12:20
a.m. redeye flight to Minnesota.
The convoluted schedule was
the best available, Mill said, because there are no direct flights between
Vancouver and the Twin Cities after early afternoon, and if Rau had taken
an early-morning flight, he would not have landed in the Twin Cities until
about 12:30 p.m. or later.
Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens honour Gary Carter with pre-game tribute
MONTREAL — The Canadian Press
In a city where hockey rules all, Montreal Expos catcher Gary Carter was as
popular as the beloved Canadiens.
Carter died of brain cancer Thursday at 57, and the Canadiens honoured
the baseball Hall of Famer — nicknamed “The Kid” — with a five-minute
video set to The Eagles' “New Kid in Town” before a 3-1 loss to the New
Jersey Devils on Sunday.
Canadiens players also sported No. 8 Carter jerseys during the warm-up
and had a sticker with his number adorning their helmets.
Youppi — the Expos mascot adopted by the Habs on Sept. 16, 2005, after
the baseball team left Montreal for Washington, D.C. — also paid tribute.
He wore an old-school Expos jersey and cap for the national anthems.
Youppi would later return to his hockey jersey featuring a No. 8 patch, while
still wearing the baseball cap.
It made for a special night for Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur.
“Part of me growing up in Montreal is me watching him play baseball,” he
said. “I got to meet him a few times through my dad because he was the
Expos photographer. For us, he was a part of our family.
“He was really a gentleman, a nice guy. You could just look at his face and
the way he conducted himself and tell he was a class act.”
Carter was an 11-time all-star, playing most of his career with Montreal and
the New York Mets.
"I got to the hotel at 7 or so, ate a pregame meal and napped for a couple
hours," Rau said.
A memorial service for Carter's family and friends will be held Friday night.
Then, after rejoining the Wild lineup at the X just in time for Hockey Day in
America, Rau broke a scoreless tie midway through the second period after
The service will be held in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. The family has asked
that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to The Gary Carter Foundation.
Dany Heatley's pass sent him into the Bruins' zone on a two-on-one play.
Rau planned to pass to the trailing Marco Scandella but said Scandella
wasn't positioned right.
Toronto Globe And Mail LOADED: 02.20.2012
613926
Montreal Canadiens
So he shot.
And, at 10:15 of the middle period, he beat goalie Tim Thomas for the only
goal needed.
Devils deal Habs playoff setback
"That's what he does, I guess," said teammate Matt Cullen, whose powerplay goal five minutes later capped the scoring. "He comes in and scores
goals."
MONTREAL — The Canadian Press
"He has a knack for the net," teammate Nate Prosser said.
A season ago, a second-half surge saw the New Jersey Devils eyeing an
improbable playoff spot. This year, their sights are set on home-ice
advantage.
"He's coming up, and he wants to make a difference," Wild coach Mike Yeo
said of Rau.
Yeo said numerous guys played like that Sunday, a good sign after the
team produced a stink-bomb in a 4-0 loss to the Blues a day earlier in St.
Louis.
Key players were Backstrom, who made a career-high 48 saves for his
fourth shutout of the season, and Cullen, who snapped a streak of 15
games without a goal.
Backstrom, too, tipped his hat to Rau.
"The kid is just smiling over there; he's happy to just be here, and brings a
lot of energy with him every time," Backstrom said. "It's fun to see him score
goals, but it's not about that. He plays hard and plays smart hockey, so it's
a great experience for him."
Rau, Cullen, Prosser and Jeff Taffe gave the Wild lineup a decided
Minnesota flavor; all four are from Minnesota, and it was the first time in
team history four Minnesotans had played in a game for the Wild.
Zach Parise and David Clarkson scored and Martin Brodeur made 21 saves
to lead the New Jersey Devils to a 3-1 win over the Montreal Canadiens on
Sunday.
Matt Taormina added an insurance goal as New Jersey (34-20-4) won its
third straight and vaulted past division rivals Pittsburgh and Philadelphia
into fourth in the Eastern Conference.
“The roll that we're on, it's well-deserved,” Brodeur said of his team, on an
8-1-1 run since the NHL's all-star break. “The boys are working really hard,
we're playing with a lot of passion every night, guys are blocking shots,
making second efforts.
“We're happy with the position that we're in but we just want to move
forward.”
Bell Centre victories are a career habit for Brodeur. The Montreal native is
now 43-18-5-0 lifetime against the Canadiens, with a 1.81 goals-against
average and a .931 save percentage.
“I gotta give credit to my players. I think every time they know I care about
it,” he said. “They play really hard here for me.”
Added Brodeur: “It's a fun place to play, the atmosphere is great. A lot of
friends always come to see me and support me so to go out and perform
well on top of it; it's definitely what I'm looking for every time I come to
Montreal.”
Max Pacioretty scored the lone goal for Montreal (24-26-10), which has now
lost eight straight to New Jersey at the Bell Centre. The Canadiens last beat
the Devils in Montreal nearly four years ago, a 4-0 triumph on March 11,
2008.
Carey Price made 22 saves for Montreal in Sunday's loss.
After a key 4-3 shootout victory in Buffalo on Friday, the Canadiens' slim
hopes for a playoff berth became narrower. A win would have moved
Montreal within four points of the eighth and final spot in the Eastern
Conference.
“We all know how important these games are, especially tonight when we
had a chance to make up some ground,” Pacioretty said. “It's frustrating
that, myself included, we came out the wrong way. If we'd played like we
did in the third period, we would have had better results.”
Slow starts have been an issue for the Canadiens of late. While Price gave
his team a chance in the opening 20 minutes — stopping 12 shots including
a chance by Patrik Elias from in close — the Habs managed just four shots
on Brodeur in the first period.
The Devils opened the scoring when Parise deflected an Ilya Kovalchuk
shot off the faceoff past Price at 18:03 of the first. It marked the fourth
straight game that the Canadiens have seen their opponent be first on the
board.
“Maybe it's nerves of knowing that our season could be over before the
playoffs, but it's no excuse at all,” Pacioretty said.“ That should give us
more motivation to go out there and play 60 minutes hard as a team.”
New Jersey doubled its lead at 19:42 of the second. Elias' wristshot from
the blue-line deflected off Clarkson and into the net for the rugged winger's
22nd goal of the season.
Pacioretty ended Brodeur's shutout bid at 1:46 of the third when he picked
up a loose puck in a busy crease and wristed it past the Devils goalie, who
had no idea where the puck was. The 23-year-old winger has been on a
tear of late, picking up 13 goals and five assists in his last 17 games.
“We've been playing pretty good hockey, getting points in a lot of the recent
games. Tonight, there's no excuse, though,” Canadiens defenceman Josh
Gorges said. “We don't have the luxury — and I've said this before — of
taking a night off, a period off or a shift off. We don't have that because
every game is maybe the difference of getting in or us going home early.
“That's the frustrating part,” he added. “When we're making a push and
playing some good hockey and getting some points, the opportunity for us
to get four points out of the playoff picture tonight and we don't have the
effort that we needed in order to be successful.
Taormina re-established New Jersey's two-goal lead with his first of the
season. After the Canadiens failed to clear the zone, Devils defenceman
Mark Fayne took a shot from the blue-line that went in off Taormina at 8:27.
Notes: Called up by the Canadiens on Saturday, Aaron Palushaj was
inserted into the lineup in place of winger Louis Leblanc, who was under the
weather. ... The Devils scratched defenceman Kurtis Foster and wingers
Stephane Veilleux and Cam Janssen. ... Anton Volchenkov left in the first
period after a Tomas Plekanec shot hit him in the mouth. He returned for
the second period. ... For the first time since January 20, 2001, the
Canadiens did not take a penalty.
613927
Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens, Brodeur, Robinson remember Gary Carter
MONTREAL - New Jersey Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur remembers the
days when Expos catcher Gary Carter would stop by the Brodeurs’ St.
Léonard home, dropping in on the man who many times froze the Kid’s
megawatt smile.
Denis Brodeur, Martin’s dad, was for years the Expos’ photographer,
snapping the ballplayers’ Florida mug shots and their exploits on the
diamond in Montreal.
Carter, needless to say, was in many of those photos.
And young Marty often tagged along when his dad headed down to West
Palm Beach for the spring-training assignment.
On Sunday night, Martin Brodeur stood in his goal crease before his team’s
3-1 victory over the Canadiens and watched the emotional scoreboard
tribute to Carter, who died last Thursday of brain cancer at age 57.
Denis Brodeur wasn’t in his usual spot at the glass taking photos of his son.
He himself had undergone brain surgery Friday and was said postgame by
his son to be doing well.
“Gary came to our house a lot and autographed pictures for me and my
brothers,” Martin Brodeur said. “He was really close to our family. We were
very saddened by the news (of his illness and death).”
Canadiens legend Larry Robinson had his own special memories of Carter,
the Hall-of-Fame-bound defenceman and his wife, Jeanette, having been
practically Kirkland neighbours of the Kid and his wife, Sandy.
“We knew them well,” said Robinson, a Devils assistant coach. “We’d been
over to his and Sandy’s place on a few occasions. He was just a
tremendous man. This was a very, very sad day. We miss him dearly.”
Robinson, who shared the Montreal sports spotlight with Carter during the
latter’s 1974-84 Expos days, recalled doing various events with the Kid at
CFCF-TV, and of taking his own son to the ballgames they both loved.
The Canadiens organized a tasteful and emotional tribute to Carter before
their 6 p.m. game.
It began with the warmup shortly after 5:30, organist Diane Bibeau playing
the Expos’ old theme song as the Habs skated onto the ice.
Every Canadien wore a sweater with their own number on the sleeves but
with “Carter” nameplated across the shoulder blades and the Kid’s No. 8 on
the back. Each helmet bore a No. 8 sticker.
Players were to autograph their jerseys and this week they’ll be auctioned
at canadiens.com, proceeds going to the Gary Carter Foundation.
(A curious piece of trivia: centreman Bill Carter played eight games for the
Canadiens in 1958-59 and 1961-62. During his brief stay he wore No. 25
and, yes, No. 8.)
The start of the game was delayed for a five-minute celebration of Gary
Carter’s life, house announcer Michel Lacroix relating many of the Hall of
Famer’s career highlights.
Canadiens mascot Youppi!, adopted by the Habs after the ballclub left town
in 2004, appeared on the ice wearing an Expos uniform; he’d be back in his
Habs jersey before long, but kept his Expos cap on to the end.
And then to the Eagles’ 1976 Hotel California album track New Kid In Town,
a monster hit during Carter’s days in Montreal, a slideshow of photos and
video of the Kid appeared on the scoreboard and flashed on the ice,
followed by a moment of silence.
Brodeur would improve his lifetime record against the Canadiens to 43-185-0 with a goals-against average of 1.81, a save percentage of .931 and
nine shutouts.
This wasn’t Brodeur’s busiest night, the first star’s opponent managing only
four shots through the first 26:12 of the game.
The 39-year-old hasn’t committed himself to returning to hockey next
season, an unrestricted free agent come July 1, but before Sunday’s game
he said he’s leaning to another year.
Surely he’s discovered the fountain of youth?
By Dave Stubbs
“I don’t know about that when I wake up in the morning,” Brodeur said,
laughing. “I want to concentrate on doing my best to get myself into a better
state of mind to make my decision about my future.
“It will be how consistent I can be. That’s harder as you get older. Winning
is a big part of it and being a family with this team has been a lot of fun. If
that continues, it will help me make a good decision.”
The former Canadiens defenceman, traded Friday afternoon, made his
Nashville Predators debut Sunday in the Lone Star State, considerably
south of where he expected to be.
Montreal Gazette LOADED: 02.20.2012
Devils shut down Canadiens to win 3-1
Gill figured he’d be in Buffalo for Friday’s Habs-Sabres game, then back
home in Montreal by midnight. But late Friday afternoon he was in Detroit to
meet his new teammates, in Dallas Saturday to prepare for Sunday’s first
game as a Predator, then en route to Nashville for a homestand beginning
Tuesday, four games in seven nights before he’ll head to Carolina and
Florida.
By Pat Hickey, The Gazette February 19, 2012
“A veteran should know when it’s getting close to trade deadline that you
pack another suit,” Gill said Saturday, laughing at his predicament. “I’m a
little high and dry. My wife is going to have to send me some stuff.”
613928
Montreal Canadiens
Clothes, the 36-year-old figured, were the least of his concerns.
The skinny: The New Jersey Devils used a couple of deflections to take a 20 lead and then relied on Marty Brodeur and the defence to defeat the
Canadiens 3-1 Saturday night at the Bell Centre. Zach Parise, David
Clarkson and Matt Taormina scored the New Jersey goals while Max
Pacioretty’s power-play goal spoiled Brodeur’s shutout.
Missed opportunity: The loss leaves the Canadiens in 13th place in the
Eastern Conference, six points behind slumping Toronto and the Maple
Leafs have a game in hand.
Return of the native: The Devils rank 15th in the NHL in goals-against
average going into the game but Montreal native Brodeur looked like the
winningest goaltender in NHL history as he made 21 saves. He now has a
43-18-5 record against the Canadiens with a 1.81 goals-against average
and a .931 save percentage.
If you don’t shoot, you can’t score: The Canadiens were outshot 12-4 in the
first period and went 17:50 without a shot. The Devils scored the only goal
of the period when Zach Parise deflected Ilya Kovalchuk’s shot from the top
of the faceoff circle at 18:03. Adam Henrique won a faceoff against Tomas
Plekanec in the Canadiens’ zone to earn the second assist on the goal.
By the seat of his pants: David Clarkson appeared to be trying to get out of
the way of a Patrik Elias’s shot from the blue line when the puck glanced off
his thigh and charged direction enough to fool Carey Price and give the
Devils a 2-0 lead at 19:43 of the second period.
Max Pac on a roll: Pacioretty scored a power-play goal at 1:46 of the third
period. It was the 25th of the season for Pacioretty, who has six goals and
two assists in the last six games.
Getting in the way: The Devils blocked 33 shots with Anton Volchenkov and
Andy Greene each blocking nine. Volchenkov went down when he caught a
Tomas Plekanec slapshot in the face late in the first period but returned to
start the second.
Canadiens honour The Kid: The game was preceded by a video tribute and
a moment of silence for former Expos’ catcher Gary Carter. Carter, the first
player enshrined into the Baseball Hall of Fame as an Expo, died last week
after a battle with brain cancer, He was 57. The Montreal players came out
for the warmup with jerseys bearing Carter’s name and his No. 8.
What’s next: The Canadiens are home to Mike Ribeiro and the Dallas Stars
Tuesday night and then go on the road for a three-game trip which will take
them through the Feb. 27 trading deadline. They are in Washington Friday
and then play the Florida Panthers Feb. 26 and the Tampa Bay Lightning
Feb. 28.
613929
Montreal Canadiens
Hal Gill: "We really came to love Montreal as a family"
By Dave Stubbs, The Gazette February 19, 2012
MONTREAL - Hal Gill was in Dallas on Sunday with the clothes on his
back. And just a few casual things in an overnight bag for a road trip that
had become many nights.
“It ended up being easier going to Detroit so I could join the team,” he said.
“I could worry about clothes later.”
It was probably inevitable that Gill would be moved before the Feb. 27
trading deadline, the Canadiens eager to get something before he became
an unrestricted free agent on July 1.
And at first blush the Habs have done well, acquiring forwards Blake
Geoffrion, Robert Slaney and a 2012 second-round draft pick in exchange
for Gill and, should Geoffrion play 40 or more games next season, a 2013
fifth-round pick.
But there were many things the Canadiens gave up in dealing Gill, who had
played 196 of his 1,047 regular-season NHL games for the Habs.
One would be his sensational second-goalie penalty-killing, a huge reason
for the Canadiens’ current No. 1 league ranking. Gill had been a shotblocking machine in Montreal – he got in the way of 122 shots this season,
and 301 more the past two years.
Add Gill’s competitive experience, his popularity with teammates and his
profound leadership, wearing an alternate captain’s “A” since he signed
here as a UFA in July 2009.
His mentorship last season of rookie defenceman P.K. Subban was
incalculable. On the rink, when paired with Subban, Gill was the fallback,
dependable steed when his partner, a frisky colt, strayed or got into trouble;
off the ice, Gill helped teach Subban how to be a professional.
Now Gill takes those qualities to Nashville to nurture young players there,
being counted upon to guide them toward the Western Conference playoffs.
That’s exactly what he was told Friday in Detroit by Predators GM David
Poile and head coach Barry Trotz.
“They told me what they expected of me and it’s pretty much in my
wheelhouse, so to speak,” Gill said. “Kill penalties, try to be a shutdown
defenceman and be a leader in a young locker room. That sounds like
something I’m comfortable doing and I hope I can help out.”
Surely he’ll lift the Nashville penalty-kill higher than its current No. 16
ranking?
“I hope so,” Gill said, laughing again. “That’s the plan. I always say, it
doesn’t matter what your (kill) percentage is, if you give up four goals but
you’re up 6-5 and you kill the penalty in the last minute, then the PK won
the game. You look at it case by case. Hopefully we’ll have some big
games coming down the stretch and into the playoffs. Hopefully, our PK can
help win games.”
Gill knew the writing was on the wall in Montreal, notwithstanding the light
suitcase he packed for Buffalo. But while the trade didn’t catch him
completely off guard – as did his swap to Pittsburgh from Toronto at the
2008 deadline – nor did it overjoy him, no matter his enthusiasm for the
fresh challenge.
“I understand the business, but it doesn’t change the fact that when you’re
on a team, with the same core group of guys you end up falling in love with,
you want to win with that team,” he said. “We put some good things
together (in 2009) when I came in with (Brian) Gionta, (Michael) Cammalleri
and (Scott) Gomez. It was a good group of guys and, obviously, you want to
win together.
“But as this season went forward, I don’t think it was the same. My role had
changed, with seven defenceman playing and my ice time reduced. There’s
a time when you have to move on, I guess. That doesn’t make it easy.
Obviously, I would have loved to stay and try to make a run for the playoffs,
but it didn’t work out. I’m on a new team with new opportunity. It’s pretty
exciting now that I’m here and on (the Predators), but you never want to
leave your teammates.”
The mechanics of Gill’s trade almost exactly mirrored the bizarre Dec. 9
deal that sent Habs defenceman Jaroslav Spacek to Carolina for fellow
rearguard Tomas Kaberle.
Gill had taken part in the Canadiens’ Friday morning skate in Buffalo then
shared a meal with teammates back at their hotel. It was around 1 p.m. that
his phone rang, GM Pierre Gauthier telling him that he’d been traded to a
team Gauthier wouldn’t yet divulge, presumably awaiting NHL approval of it.
“Pierre told me to be ready for it, and it wasn’t for 45 minutes or so that I
knew it was Nashville,” Gill said. “I said: ‘Why don’t you just wait and tell me
all at once instead of keeping me on pins and needles?’ ”
Gill hustled to his room to fill his thin bag and call his wife, Anne, who was
home in Westmount with their 4-month-old, Talon. Together, they
speculated about the defenceman’s destination.
Gill finally heard Nashville at nearly 2 p.m. He spoke to as many teammates
as he could, text-messaged others, then rushed back to the arena to pack
his gear. Gill was in a taxi to the airport for a 3:30 p.m. flight to join his new
team in Detroit, where he’d watch the Predators fall 2-1 to the Red Wings
Friday night.
“We can forget how tough it is on the wives,” Gill said of how a trade
dramatically affects the family unit. “Anne has a harder road ahead than
me. I just have to play hockey and focus on what I’ve been doing. She’s
going to be without me and on her own for a while now.
“I’ve said before that my wife is my all-star. But now she’s made my Hall of
Fame.”
Through the end of the season, Anne will manage the lives of Talon and the
couple’s two young daughters. At season’s end they’ll decide their futures,
but for now the family is staying put.
“My 7-year-old (Isabelle) is fluent in French,” Gill said. “My 4-year-old
(Sophie) hears everything and is about to start speaking it. They’re in
school and they come first. I want them to finish up.
“I talked to Sophie on Friday and I don’t think she quite gets it. She was
asking what my team is – ‘What’s a Predator?’
“I had family in town so they were distracting Isabelle. It’s hard on her.
She’s moved around, but always when you’re younger you meet friends
everywhere you go. Now she’s got some really good friends in Westmount
and she’s gotten to love the area and all the people around. She was pretty
upset, but she’s a tough kid.
“It’s such a huge thing to be able to speak French and for my family to have
that experience … We really came to love Montreal as a family. There are
so many experiences to pull from that. I’ll be back after the season and
hopefully close up shop, then turn the page from there.”
Gill lauded the Canadiens organization as first class and spoke of the
pleasure to play for the Molson family. The 2009 Stanley Cup champion
with Pittsburgh said the Habs’ run through three rounds of the 2010 playoffs
“was one of the best times I’ve ever had in hockey.”
Gill will need a few suitcases to pack his Montreal memories when he
moves on for good, now on his fifth team in a 14-year NHL career. He had
that remarkable playoff run, and days apart this season he welcomed his
son into the world and played his 1,000th NHL game.
He recalls arriving from the Penguins in the fall of 2009 “as a kid from
Boston who said: ‘I’ll just go up to Montreal and who cares? I’ll play my
game, make some money and hopefully have some success.’ But we really
put something together and as a team kind of fell in love with it together.
“There’s a lot of guys who felt the same way. Hopefully this discouraging
season doesn’t ruin those guys and distract them too much. There’s a lot of
guys with whom I have friendships. As I left, I talked to (Travis) Moen and
(Josh) Gorges and (Mathieu) Darche, shot texts back and forth with Gionta.
“You have all those friendships from going to battle, playing with a guy like
Gorges and blocking shots with him. Those are the things you (remember).
It’s learning from P.K. and hopefully having taught him a few things. It’s
relationships you build with Moen, Gionta, a new guy coming in like Erik
Cole.
“There’s a different feel when you’re on the streets of Montreal. Even if
you’re playing Columbus on a Tuesday night, it’s the biggest thing. That’s
what made it fun. There’s a pressure, but you’re the big game, the big story.
Walk down the street and it’s a community full of culture. But the biggest
thing is the passion for hockey and I enjoyed that.”
Gill first signed here for two seasons, then last summer for one more, in his
mind not finished his business with mentoring Subban and making a run
deeper still into the playoffs. For a variety of reasons, those things didn’t
work out.
“Throughout the year, a lot of things, we had some injuries,” he said.
“(Andrei) Markov’s (knee) injury changed everything. Then Gionta (torn
biceps). Different things happened and things changed.
“Signing last summer, I was expecting to build on what we had already
done as a team, so it’s disappointing in that respect. It was a frustrating
season in Montreal with everything that was going on, not just in my game
but in everyone else’s. That’s the way it goes. It’s not always the way you
plan it out.”
Gill, like everyone else, didn’t expect to see the clinic overflow. He didn’t
expect head coach Jacques Martin and assistant Perry Pearn to be fired, or
Cammalleri traded in the middle of a game.
“It was pretty crazy,” he admitted. “You have to roll with it and play it as it
goes. I really liked Jacques, he understood me and I understood him. I
really liked Perry and I ended up liking Cunney and Laddy (head coach
Randy Cunneyworth and assistant Randy Ladouceur). They’re all good
coaches in their own right. It was just crazy circumstances and I guess
those things kind of happen.
“When there’s a lot of noise, as there is in Montreal, you just tune it out. My
focus was on what I was supposed to be doing and how I could help the
team.”
Subban will feel the impact of his relationship with Gill for seasons to come,
the counsel of a long-established pro on and off the ice something beyond
measure.
Because of injuries and the puzzling lineups of coaches, the two often
weren’t paired this season. But Gill said he tried to help the larger-than-life
22-year-old as best he could.
“P.K. has a lot of people working with him, trying to help him,” Gill said,
chuckling. “You try not to bother him too much. He’s a great player, he can
do whatever he wants with a game.
“I’ve talked with him about it. We had a good talk Friday, actually. I’ll be
watching him. He’s got a lot of good things to do. He’s a guy who just
enjoys the game and gets caught up in the moment and that’s what makes
him so good. But sometimes when you get too caught up, it can distract
you.
“P.K. was a lot of fun to play with. He always kept you on your toes and he
kept me young for a long time, so I thank him for that. When you’re around
people like him, like a lot of the guys we had on our team, we enjoyed the
game and coming to the rink. That’s what makes the game fun.”
Gill joked that what he’ll miss most about Montreal is poutine. In fact, it’s the
fans, to whom he offered a merci, en français, that will remain with him long
past his playing days.
“When you come into a big market like this, you don’t know whether people
are going to jump on you. They can be very honest at times,” he said, a
wonderful way of describing this city’s famously fickle fans. “But they were
always good to me.
“I understand that fans want to see pretty plays and a beautiful saucer pass
across the ice, but I think they understood my game, and I’m grateful for
that.
“It really allowed me to thrive and do what I wanted to do as a player, so I
think that was the biggest thing for me – sharing what I do well and having
them appreciate it.”
613930
Montreal Canadiens
Jack Todd: Pierre Gauthier's secrecy does the Canadiens more harm than
good
By Jack Todd, Special to The Gazette February 19, 2012
of his decisions. Now a simple request to talk to the goalie coach, for
instance, is met with a firm nyet, and an unacceptable explanation: “If we let
you talk to the goalie coach, then everyone will want to talk to him.”
MONTREAL - When Pierre Gauthier dealt Hal Gill to Nashville on Friday,
he was, typically, not available for comment.
So a reporter covering the Canadiens can talk to goalie coaches all over the
league, but not to Pierre Groulx, the one who is working with Carey Price
and Peter Budaj.
Instead, Gauthier issued a statement: “First and foremost, I would like to
thank Hal Gill for his contribution to our team over the last three seasons.
His leadership and commitment were much appreciated. I wish him the best
of luck with his new team.”
The Ghost had struck again. Thanks for taking all those bumps and bruises
for this team during that playoff run back in 2010, Hal. And hasta la vista.
Here we are at a pivotal point in a dismal season, and the general manager
is not available for comment. Does this mean you’ve given up on the
season, Pierre? Where does Blake Geoffrion fit into your plans? Do you
plan to get a look at Geoffrion in Montreal this season?
No comment. A one-paragraph statement. That’s it, that’s all.
Thirty GMs in the National Hockey League. Twenty-nine of them talk. So
who do we get in the most passionate hockey city on the planet? The
Ghost. A man who would be better suited for the CIA, where secrets are a
business.
Other teams have public-relations problems with players like Tim Thomas,
the guy with the Park Ave. salary and the trailer-park manners. In Montreal,
the PR problem is with the general manager himself.
Last week, I ran into a veteran francophone commentator. We spent the
next 90 minutes talking about the state of the Habs and, more specifically,
their secretive GM. My friend was worried. About the team, but also about
the public image of what was once considered the classiest of
organizations. The paranoia and secrecy around the Canadiens, he was
saying, has made it almost impossible to keep up normal human
relationships.
Assistant coaches are forbidden to talk. Players are forbidden to talk,
outside of controlled situations following games and practices, or to a
handful of reporters who can be relied to produce stories that are an
extension of the PR department. Everyone in the organization is afraid of
being quoted in the wrong place and losing their job – everyone except
players like Scott Gomez, who make too much money to have to worry
about Gauthier’s opinion.
“I’ve known (assistant coach) Larry Carriere for 30 years,” he said. “One of
the best guys in the league, wonderful man. Friendly to everybody. Now I
walk by him and he kind of shakes his head, letting me know he can’t talk.”
Hockey is a friendly game. People talk. Coaches, scouts, players, assistant
coaches, journalists, agents, GMs. One great, big friendly stew. It’s that way
in press dining rooms around the league, before every game. It’s that way
in the rinks, at every practice and pregame skate. If a bona fide journalist
wants to talk to a GM in any of 29 NHL cities, he has only to send an email
or make a phone call.
The exception? Montreal.
Too many media demands in Montreal? The same goes for Toronto – but
Burke’s Leafs run an open organization.
The Cammalleri trade was the perfect example of the way Gauthier
operates. No doubt he and Calgary GM Jay Feaster had talked about it
beforehand – but what prompted Gauthier to pull the trigger was that
Cammalleri talked out of turn. The message to youngsters like David
Desharnais, Max Pacioretty and P.K. Subban was clear: shut up or leave.
Buy into Gauthier’s paranoid world where the media is the enemy or find
yourself a new home.
Once upon a time, the Canadiens name was synonymous with class.
Gauthier has taken care of that, as well. When Kirk Muller came to town
with the Hurricanes, did he get a welcome befitting a very able coach and a
former captain of the team? Absolutely not. Not once was Muller glimpsed
on the big screen at the Bell Centre. The Canadiens might as well have
flashed “NO CLASS” on the screen in letters 10 feet tall.
With Gauthier, such shabby moves are a trend. Remember when Halak
came back, the way the ceremony awarding Carey Price his monthly
Molson Cup trophy was delayed so that Halak would have to watch? And
remember what else happened that night? Yep. Halak shut out the Habs.
Muller’s Hurricanes also beat them.
Who made the decisions to ignore Muller’s return and to attempt to
embarrass Halak? The Canadiens are so secretive it’s hard to find out – but
both incidents have Gauthier’s little handprints all over them. It’s the only
way you know the Ghost is around.
Senator Hartland Molson once said that the Canadiens were a sacred trust,
that the Canadiens “belonged to the people.” But Gauthier sees the team as
his own little fiefdom, to deal with as he pleases, the public be damned.
Geoff Molson, the grandson of Hartland’s brother Thomas, has to prove that
he understands what his great-uncle meant.
It’s time the Ghost went to haunt some other franchise. He’s done enough
damage here.
613931
Montreal Canadiens
About this evening …
By Mike Boone
So close.
So tantalizingly close.
I listen often to Hockey Central on Sportsnet at lunchtime. An excellent
hockey show, packed with information, free of the puffed-up breast-beating
(“Darren Dreger has learned...”) that you get on TSN. In the past couple of
weeks, I’ve heard guys like Mike Gillis and Lou Lamoriello talking about
their teams in detail.
If they had been able to beat the New Jersey Devils in their early-evening
match at the Bell Centre, your Montreal Canadiens would have drawn
within four points of a playoff spot.
How does this hurt their teams? Gillis and Lamoriello are two of the more
successful executives in this league. Talking doesn’t hurt them one bit. As
Stu Cowan pointed out last week, Brian Burke is the polar opposite of
Gauthier in every way, and yet Burke has been a significantly more
successful GM than his Montreal counterpart.
But that didn’t happen.
The furtive Gauthier’s obsession with secrecy sometimes hurts the
Canadiens more directly, as when he hastily peddled Jaroslav Halak off to
St. Louis without testing the market and then did the same with Mike
Cammalleri.
Was there a better deal out there? Maybe, maybe not. Gauthier will never
know, because he’s too secretive to go public and find out.
Gauthier, who has taken Bob Gainey’s stealthy regime and made secrecy a
fetish, has undone all the normal lines of communication that help reporters
to write informed stories and make them more inclined, not less, to approve
And wouldn’t that have made for an upbeat beginning to the Montreal work
week?
The Canadiens lost 3-1.
The final score flattered the home team, and the dwan will bring a morning
as miserable as any other Monday … and maybe more so.
Having dug itself into a deep hole virtually from the opening game of the
season – a 2-0 loss in Toronto that would launch a 1-5-2 run in early
October – the Canadiens have no margin for late-season error.
The loss to New Jersey left the Canadiens six points south of the
postseason cutoff line, with 22 games to play.
After Dallas visits the Bell Centre Tuesday night, the Canadiens will play
seven of their next nine games on the road – many against teams as
desperate for points as they, and including a tough western swing through
Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver.
A high mountain to climb for a No. 13 team six points behind No. 8 Toronto
with the Maple Leafs holding a game in hand, you say? No argument there,
but perhaps in the Canadiens' case, who have won only 11 of their 32
games at home, maybe it's a good thing.
Over dinner in the media lounge before the game, TSN 990 play-by-play
announcer John Bartlett pointed out the Canadiens were 5-1-1 since the
Roman Catholic diocese of Montreal placed a newspaper advertisement
urging parishioners to pray for a playoff spot.
I mean . what's there to say about a team that sleepwalked its way through
the first half of day of rest?
Maybe the Church doesn’t like Sunday games.
How would anybody find something positive to say about a team in yet
another "most important game" of the season when it trails by two goals
after the first two periods - and should have by three or four?
There was certainly no divine intervention against the Devils.
The names on the jerseys change, but it’s the same old New Jersey team –
featuring the incomparable Martin F. Brodeur – that plays a defensive
system the Canadiens are not able to crack.
By now, most among us are aware that this Canadiens team has made a
case for being where it is. On too many nights at the Bell, they've been little
more than ordinary.
The key stat was blocked shots. Forming the usual protective wall around
Brodeur, the Devils blocked 33 shots. Defencemen Andy Greene and Anton
Volchenkov had NINE blocks each – including one the tough Russian
blocked with his face.
On other nights, poor - and team playing without the desperation it needs at
this stage of the season.
There are no statistics kept for blocked passes or rushed decisions. If there
were, those are two other areas in which New Jersey was able to dominate.
The Canadiens could not complete a pass that travelled more than 10 feet.
They kept trying, however, and forcing the pucks through a forest of white
jerseys prevented the home team from building up any rhythm or flow to
their game.
The Devils’ offensive zone pressure – particularly against undersized
defencemen Raphael Diaz and Yannick Weber produced rushed plays and
turnovers. Then, once the puck was bouncing around the Canadiens’ zone,
New Jerseys forwards were able to pounce and take advantage of traffic in
front of Carey Price.
No fewer than 13 Devils were on the ice for goals and finished in the plus
column. No one was a minus.
The Canadiens shutdown line – Tomas Plekanec centring Rene Bourque
and Mathieu Darche – had a miserable game. They were on for every New
Jersey goal. Defencemen Chris Campoli, Tomas Kaberle, Josh Gorges,
P.K. Subban and Weber were all in the minus column, as well.
The Canadiens top scoring line … OK, their ONLY scoring line was largely
ineffective. Erik Cole is playing hurt, and it shows. David Desharnais had no
SoG, and Max Pacioretty had five shots blocked but scored on the powerplay to make it a one-goal game for a while in the third period.
Hopes for a comeback fizzled, however, and the Bell Centre crowd lapsed
back into the silence that had enshrouded the building since the emotion of
a superb tribute to Gary Carter.
The Canadiens went almost 18 minutes without a shot in the first period. A
second period drought lasted more than six minutes.
Scott Gomez’s line, with Ryan White and a very energetic Andrei Kostitsyn,
had some aggressive shifts. But at no point did it appear as though the
Canadiens would mount a surge that would turn the momentum of the
game decisively in their favour.
A fourth-place team, with 72 points in the standings, beat a 13th-place team
that is stuck on 58, facing a whack of road games and running out of track.
• In hi Nashville debut, Hal Gill played 16:23 – all at even-strength – blocked
two shots and was plus-2 in the Predators’ 3-2 win.
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Montreal Canadiens
Where the Canadiens are is one point ahead of No. 14 Buffalo, which
handled Pittsburgh 6-2 on Sunday, and three ahead of No. 15 Carolina with both teams holding a game in hand.
And against this disciplined and talented Devils team, all of the warts were
on display.
Explain to me, for example, how Tomas Plekanec now is a horrid minus-17
after being on the ice for all of the Devils goals. Unhappily for Rene
Bourque and Mathieu Darche, they were on the ice with him for goals by
Zach Parise in the first, David Clarkson in the second and defenceman Matt
Taormina in the third.
Max Pacioretty was to score the only Canadiens goal in the second minute
of the final period on the power play in a tame affair in which the Devils
earned three minors and the Canadiens none.
The first minor was assessed only 2: 06 into the game. A great way to start,
right? Trouble is, when you're No. 28 with the man advantage, it's a
challenge even to post a shot - which was the case while Anton Volchenkov
was sitting out a hooking penalty.
Actually, on this night this team had a major problem getting a shot at any
time in the first period and the first half of the second.
For example, their third shot of the game came at the game's 1: 44 mark,
their fourth almost 18 minutes later. It's not what you could call a recipe for
success, and neither was it 10: 58 into the second period, at which point the
Canadiens had tested Martin Brodeur only twice.
Get the picture? What I'm saying is that the Canadiens were extremely
fortunate to go into the first intermission trailing by only a goal, and you can
pencil in Carey Price as being unfortunate to be beaten by a goal in each of
the first two periods.
Both were deflections - the first by Parise in the game's 19th minute on Ilya
Kovalchuk's shot a couple of steps inside the blue line. The second, with
only eight seconds remaining in the second period, deflected off David
Clarkson's body beyond a startled Price, who had a Patrik Elias shot in his
headlights until the puck struck Clarkson. This, after the gang that couldn't
shoot straight finally find their game with seven shots in the last half of the
period. Stuff happens.
Obviously, what the Canadiens lacked against the Devils is what has been
missing on far too many nights - particularly in the comfort of the Bell.
Almost to a man, they continue to insist that anything less than winning is
unacceptable, but when you're outshot 12-4 in the first period of a home
game, it's clear to everyone that for one reason or another, the effort isn't
there.
Or, they're simply not good enough.
Canadiens sleepwalk through listless matchup with the Devils
By RED FISHER, The Gazette February 20, 2012 2:07 AM
613933
The Canadiens have only nine more home games following this 3-1 loss to
the New Jersey on Sunday, so what the math tells us is there are 13 still to
be played on the road.
Weber, Rinne send Predators past Stars
Nashville Predators
Associated Press
DALLAS — Shea Weber scored on a power play with less than a second
remaining in the first period, Pekka Rinne stopped 22 shots, and the
Nashville Predators beat the Dallas Stars 3-2 on Sunday night.
popping a loose puck into an open net with 0.2 seconds left in the first. The
goal was upheld after a video review showed the puck entered the net
before time expired.
With time running down in the first period, and the score tied 1-1 (Dallas
scored first on Michael Ryder’s goal), Weber scored on a rebound off a shot
by Suter as the horn sounded. The replay showed the entire puck crossed
the goal line before time expired, and Nashville never trailed again.
The win was Nashville’s second in its last three games, and came just 48
hours after a loss to Detroit on a goal with 5.0 seconds left. The win was
also Nashville’s first in three games against the Stars this season. The
Predators (34-19-6) played the game without co-leading goal scorer Mike
Fisher, who was out with the flu.
“We’ve been chasing every game it seems like for the longest time here,”
Coach Barry Trotz said. “Hopefully we can get that turned around.”
Tennessean LOADED: 02.20.2012
Michael Ryder and Alex Goligoski scored for the Stars, coming off a 2-1
overtime loss in Phoenix on Saturday night. Dallas fell to 0-9-2 on the
second leg of back-to-backs this season.
613935
Kari Lehtonen made 18 saves for the Stars, 2-4-2 in their last eight.
Gill is relieved his late penalty didn't cost win
First-line center Jamie Benn, Dallas’ only All-Star pick, missed his second
straight game with a knee injury and is day-to-day.
The Stars turned up the pressure in the third period, but Rinne made a
sprawling save on Tomas Vincour’s close-range attempt with 17:22 left,
then denied Eric Nystrom’s choice scoring chance with 15:30 remaining.
Nashville Predators
Josh Cooper
Hal Gill is normally the guy killing the big penalty at the end of the game. At
6-foot-7, 241 pounds, Gill has often said he thrives on those moments.
Goligoski got the Stars within one at 15:11 of the third period when his shot
from the edge of the left circle sneaked past Rinne for Goligoski’s eighth of
the season.
That wasn’t the case Sunday, mostly by Gill’s own doing.
Dallas went on the power play with 2:05 left when Nashville’s Hal Gill went
to the penalty box for tripping. The Stars pulled Lehtonen with 1.25
remaining for a 6-on-4 advantage, but couldn’t come up with the equalizer.
The stay-at-home defenseman, who was acquired by Nashville on Friday in
a trade from Montreal, was in the penalty box after a tripping penalty. The
Predators were up 3-2 at the time. The Predators killed off the two minutes,
even though there were a few anxious moments for Gill.
Mike Fisher, Nashville’s top goal-scorer with 17, was scratched due to
illness.
“It’s no fun in the box, especially in the end of a game like that and a close
game,” Gill said. “I’m real happy they got that one for me.”
Ryder gave the Stars the lead at 6:49 of the opening period, notching his
team-best 23rd goal from the slot off Mike Ribeiro’s centering pass.
With the exception of the penalty, Gill played as advertised for Nashville. He
was on ice for a total of 16:23 and finished a plus-2.
Bourque’s re-direct off David Legwand’s setup for his third of the season
drew the Predators even at 1 at 15:39 of the first.
“When he’s on the ice, he sort of engulfs you,” Coach Barry Trotz said. “He
kills the cycle and just engulfs the person. He’s more about substance than
style, but he really is effective.”
After Weber gave them the lead, the Predators thought they’d made it 3-1
midway through the second period when Matt Halischuk knocked in a
rebound. But the goal was disallowed when a video review showed that
Halischuk directed the puck into the net with his glove.
Wilson officially extended Nashville edge to 3-1 at 16:05 of the second
period on a backhander from the low slot, Wilson’s 12th of the season.
613934
Nashville Predators
Nashville Predators beat Dallas Stars
The Predators dressed seven defensemen so Gill didn’t quite have a set
defensive partner, though he spent most of his minutes with Roman Josi.
He still believed the transition was close to seamless.
“I think everyone understands the system, everyone plays it pretty well to a
‘T,’ ” he said. “Everyone’s on board and it makes it easy.”
Fisher out: The Predators were without forward Mike Fisher, Nashville’s coleader in goals, Sunday night. Fisher became ill with the flu late Saturday.
According to Trotz, forward David Legwand suffered the same issue after
Nashville’s game at Detroit on Friday.
Fisher and Legwand sit next to one another on the team’s charter plane.
Josh Cooper
“He (Legwand) gave him a little gift after the game,” Trotz joked. “Fish was
good this morning and then it hit him right before the game and he was very
ill.”
Defenseman Ryan Suter understood the importance of a good start for
Nashville even hours before the Predators’ 3-2 victory over Dallas.
With Fisher out of the lineup, the Predators played seven defensemen and
had to rotate centers through the lineup with wingers.
“Part of being on from the start is getting chances, and sometimes scoring
first. I’m sure when we’re leading after one (period), our winning percentage
is a lot higher than when we’re tied or down a goal,” Suter said following the
morning skate.
“Good thing is we did that and found a way to win,” center Craig Smith said.
“You have to find a way no matter who is in the lineup.”
Nashville didn’t get the first goal for the seventh time in nine games since
the All-Star break but a last-second goal by Shea Weber to end the first
period gave Nashville the lead. The Predators played grinding hockey and
squeezed the Stars the rest of the way.
“It seems like we’re always coming back now,” said Weber, who scored with
0.2 seconds remaining on the clock for a 2-1 lead. “To play with the lead is
huge. You have a guy like (goaltender) Pekka (Rinne) in there who can
make the big saves when things break down, and we can lock things down
that way.”
Better road: Nashville’s victory Sunday gives the Predators at least one
victory at American Airlines Center in the last three seasons.
From 2003-04 through 2008-09, Nashville had won two games total at
Dallas.
613936
Nashville Predators
Timely goal helps make Predators winners in Gill's debut
Staff reports
The Nashville Predators were reminded Friday that every second in a
hockey game is precious. Two days later, they made every second of the
first period count.
Shea Weber’s power play goal with .2 seconds left before the first
intermission put Nashville ahead to stay in a 3-2 victory over the Dallas
Stars on Sunday at Dallas.
The game was Nashville’s first with defenseman Hal Gill in the lineup. Gill
was acquired Friday afternoon in a trade with Montreal but was not in the
lineup for that night’s 2-1 defeat at Detroit, a game decided by a Red Wings
goal with five seconds remaining in the third period.
However, the Predators were without their leading goal scorers, Mike Fisher
and Patric Hornqvist, who have 17 goals each. Fisher, who had appeared in
47 straight contests, was scratched because of an illness. Hornqvist missed
his third straight with an injury.
Rookie left wing Gabriel Bourque scored his third goal of the season and
tied the score 1-1 at 15:39 of the first, and Colin Wilson made 3-1 with 3:55
to play in the second.
Dallas got back within one on Alex Goligoski’s goal with 4:49 to play.
Gill was called for Nashville’s only penalty of the contest (tripping) with 2:05
to play, and the Stars added to their advantage when they pulled their
goalie. They got two shots on goalie Pekka Rinne but missed the net three
other times during that power play.
Conversely, the Predators took advantage of the first of two penalties called
against the Stars when Weber converted a rebound opportunity just before
the horn sounded to end the first period. Officials on the ice immediately
ruled the Predators captain beat the clock and then confirmed the call with
a video review.
It was Weber’s seventh power play goal of the season, which gave him the
outright team lead, and his 12th overall, most among the team’s
defensemen.
Gill finished with a team-best plus-2 rating in 16:23 of ice time as Nashville
dressed seven defensemen because of their issues at forward.
Rinne recorded his 32nd victory, which is one short of his career-high set
last season.
Glen Sather, the Rangers president and general manager, would be wise to
consider Lamoriello’s logic. Fans at Madison Square Garden on Sunday
night who chanted, “we don’t want you” at Columbus forward Rick Nash
after he scored the tying goal late in the third period of the Rangers’ 3-2
overtime victory were not chanting those words because they don’t want a
player of Nash’s quality. The fans just don’t want to give up players, such as
Brandon Dubinsky, who already epitomize the team’s identity and who have
been rumored to be involved in a potential trade.
The growing consensus seems to be that the Rangers need to add more
scoring to their lineup. The addition of Nash would appear to achieve that.
But if the cost of Nash’s acquisition were to include Dubinsky, wouldn’t that
be with the hope that Nash would replenish what Dubinsky already provides
in addition to Nash’s needed scoring touch? How much would the Rangers
miss Dubinsky’s game, not to mention other players from the roster who
could be involved in a deal?
When Neil Smith, the former Rangers general manager, made his historic
trade deadline deals in the 1994 Stanley Cup winning season, he didn’t
take away from the team’s personality and strength, he added to it. Mike
Keenan, the Rangers coach, wanted a bigger, grittier and meaner team
than what he had at the time, even though the Rangers were first over all in
the N.H.L. standings. And he got his wish when the Rangers acquired
Stephane Matteau and Brian Noonan — two players who had played for
Keenan in Chicago — and Glenn Anderson and Craig MacTavish, who also
had Stanley Cup winning resumes.
On paper, the losses of Mike Gartner and Tony Amonte appeared to
diminish the Rangers offensive firepower. In reality, the Rangers had
enough firepower, they just needed to double-down on adding to the
personality of the team envisioned by Keenan.
In Broten’s case, instead of being an aging player at the end of his career,
he ended up being exactly what the Devils needed. Not only did his style fit
into Lemaire’s system at the expense of a player, Millen, who didn’t,
Broten’s playmaking ability re-emerged and he became the first-line center
the team desperately needed.
Broten scored 28 points in the Devils final 30 games of the regular season.
He was one of the Devils most important players in the playoffs, producing
19 points in 20 games, as the Devils won their first Stanley Cup.
Addition without subtracting from a team’s core strength helped the
Rangers and Devils win Stanley Cups in 1994 and 1995. Such logic worked
then, and it still applies now.
New York Times LOADED: 02.20.2012
613938
New Jersey Devils
The Predators begin a stretch of four straight home games Tuesday against
Vancouver (7 p.m., Bridgestone Arena, Fox Sports-Tennessee).
Nashville City Paper LOADED: 02.20.2012
613937
Devils-Canadiens: As they play
New Jersey Devils
Rich Chere/
The Lesson of Neal Broten
MONTREAL -- Martin Brodeur was in the Devils' net as he returned to his
hometown to face the Canadiens Sunday night.
By GEORGE BRETHERTON
“It’s a case of a player making the people around him a little better. Corey
was better one-on-one, but Neal makes other players around him a lot
better. He’s got a style that is more conducive to our system.” The Devils
president and General Manager, Lou Lamoriello, in February 1995, after
acquiring Neal Broten from Dallas for Corey Millen.
When it comes to hockey, taking a quote from Lamoriello and applying it is
never a bad idea. He has made a Hall of Fame career out of making
shrewd, successful decisions.
When Lamoriello made the trade for Broten, it didn’t seem to make a lot of
sense. The Devils were having trouble scoring goals. Broten was a 35-yearold former star who appeared on the downside of his career, having
produced only 4 points for the Stars in the first 17 games of the lockoutshortened season. Millen was a speedy, 30-year-old center who scored 50
points for the Devils in 1993-94, but he was still having trouble fitting into
the defensive scheme used by Devils Coach Jacques Lemaire.
Carey Price started for the Habs.
Defenseman Kurtis Foster was sidelined for the Devils because of a stiff
back. Peter Harrold, called up from Albany (AHL), took his place in the
lineup. Cam Janssen and Stephane Veilleux were healthy scratches.
Before the game the Canadiens honored former Expos catcher Gary
Carter. Every Canadiens player wore a jersey with Carter and No. 8 on it for
the pregame warmup. The jerseys will be auctioned to benefit the Gary
Carter Foundation.
The ceremony included projecting Carter baseball cards onto the ice and
then a video tribute that included a photo of Carter and Rocket Richard.
Brodeur watched from the ice.
During the game the Habs wore decals with No. 8 on the back of their
helmets.
FIRST PERIOD
The Devils started the line of Alexei Ponikarovsky-Dainius Zubrus-Steve
Bernier with Bryce Salvador and Anton Volcheknkov on defense.
Volchenkov took a hooking penalty at 2:06.
Travis Zajac (Achilles0 still hasn't resumed skating.
Other lines: Zach Parise-Adam Henrique-Ilya Kovalchuk; Petr Sykora-Patrik
Elias-David Clarkson; Eric Boulton-Jacob Josefson-Nick Palmieri. Defense:
Andy Greene-Mark Fayne; Matt Tarormina-Harrold.
Adam Larsson (bruised lower back) skated in New Jersey today.
Boulton delivered a big hit into the boards on Gomez with 8:40 left.
613940
Price stopped Elias on a chance from the bottom of the left circle with 7:40
to go.
Devils' Ilya Kovalchuk hasn't given Zach Parise contract advice
A Tomas Plekanec shot deflected off Volchenkov's stick and hit the Devils
defenseman in the face at 13:12. He remained down and skated off the ice
with some help, using a towel for the bleeding.
Rich Chere
Star Ledger LOADED: 02.20.2012
New Jersey Devils
613939
New Jersey Devils
Growing up in Montreal, Devils goalie Martin Brodeur knew Gary Carter
Rich Chere/
MONTREAL -- When Devils goalie Martin Brodeur was growing up in
Montreal, his father was the team photographer for the Montreal Expos.
MONTREAL -- Devils winger Ilya Kovalchuk, who knows a thing or two
about playing the final season before signing a big contract, said he hasn't
given teammate Zach Parise any advice.
"No. He's a grown man," Kovalchuk said. "I just want him to stay here
because, like I've said a lot of times, it will be good for the whole
organization. He's played for the team a long time. He's our captain and
hopefully he will sign a long term deal."
Kovalchuk said there are more pressing issues for the team than Parise's
contract.
So Brodeur got to know Gary Carter well.
"We just have to think about the game right now," he said. "You can only
control your own business. We really hope he's going to sign because, like I
said, he's our leader."
"For me, because of my dad, Gary Carter was a really good family friend.
He came to our house a lot and I met him a lot," Brodeur recalled today. "I
have pictures of him autographed to me and to my brothers.
Kovalchuk, of course, played last season under a lot of scrutiny after
signing his 15-year, $100 million contract with the Devils. He said it didn't
put more pressure on him.
"While my dad was working for the Expos I went to almost all the training
camps in West Palm Beach (Fla.), so I got to meet him there. For us, Gary
Carter was really close to our family. When we heard the news we were
saddened by it."
"Not really. My contract before that wasn't that bad, either," he said with a
smile. "It never puts pressure on you. We're all professionals. You have to
show up and do your best all the time."
Carter will be honored prior to the Devils-Canadiens game Sunday night at
the Bell Centre.
All the Canadiens players will wear No. 8 jerseys for the pregame warmup
and there will be a No. 8 patch on their sweaters and No. 8 decal on their
helmets, which will be auctioned for the Gary Carter Foundation.
"If I have a chance I'll definitely look at (the ceremony)," Brodeur said. "That
was part of me growing up in Montreal."
Brodeur enjoys coming back to play in his hometown.
"It's always fun. A great atmosphere to play in this building and this city. It's
always a big challenge for our team to play well because it's an atmosphere
we don't get to see too much in New Jersey," Brodeur said. "It never gets
old, I guess."
Asked if he feels he's found the Fountain of Youth this season, Brodeur
laughed.
"I don't know about that," he said. "Not when I wake up in the morning,
that's for sure.
"It's been going well, there's no doubt about that. The team is playing really
well. We found our game all together and we've been rolling. So we just
have to keep that going and try to get ourselves into the playoffs."
Brodeur said he will probably wait until after this season to determine
whether he'll come back.
"Probably. I think right now we're going to be busy playing hockey so I want
to try to concentrate and do my best to get myself in a better state of mind
to make my decision," he said. "Definitely I'm leaning towards playing again,
but I'm going to wait probably until the end."
What does he want to find out the rest of the way?
"How consistent I'll be able to be. I think when you get older you're fighting
that thing more than when you're younger," he said. "To me it's an
important thing. The team now is a lot of fun. If we keep on having fun-- not
necessarily just winning, although that's a big part of it-- being a family
together and doing a lot of stuff together, that will help me make a good
decision, too."
Parise was asked whether he has had any negotiations.
"Nothing has changed and I've told our reporters that they can stop asking
questions about it because I'm done talking about it," Parise said.
As for Kovalchuk, he said he's playing his best hockey as a Devil.
"Yea. I think as a team we're playing the best since I've been here. But you
always have some room to improve," Kovalchuk said.
"I think as a line we're playing really well. When you play with Zach you
know he'll always work hard and create a lot of room for us."
He said recognition of his defensive skills has come with the Devils'
success.
"It all comes with winning," Kovalchuk noted. "The team wins and
everybody looks good.
"I think we play as a team more. I think we pay attention to details and we're
all on the same page."
Coach Pete DeBoer spoke of Kovalchuk.
"He's played hard all year but I think he's found another level," DeBoer said.
"Those guys as a group realized we needed a push to get in. We went into
the All-Star break sitting tied for eighth with a tough stretch of games
coming out of it. We knew the rubber was kind of hitting the road at that
point and we needed to find another level and those guys have done that."
He said he isn't overconfident that teams behind the Devils aren't putting on
much pressure.
"I'm never comfortable this time of year," DeBoer said. "You're a bad
weekend away from being all of a sudden back in the middle of a dogfight
for eighth.
"I have been on the other end of this in Florida, a few points out looking up.
It's tough to make up ground this time of year because of the three-point
games and everybody is beating each other. I've been on both ends of it
but you're never comfortable until you're in."
DeBoer said of the Devils' objectives: "Obviously the first priority is to get in.
Then it's to hunt down the teams ahead of you and hopefully get home ice.
There are a lot of things we're playing for here."
613941
New Jersey Devils
“He’s just a little crazy. He’s trying to block every puck. It’s in his blood,” Ilya
Kovalchuk said.
Goalie Martin Brodeur could only shake his head.
Stiff back will keep Kurtis Foster out of Devils' lineup vs. Canadiens
"It's crazy. Seriously," he said. "He puts himself in that position by going
down so low. That's him. He's not going to change. It doesn't bother him.
The guy is a tank."
By Rich Chere
Coach Pete DeBoer added: "The guy is just a warrior. He took a whole
bunch of stitches in the face. Most guys you wouldn't see again and he
misses only a couple of shifts and goes right back out there."
MONTREAL -- Devils defenseman Kurtis Foster said tightness in his back
will prevent him from playing in Sunday night's game against the Canadiens
at the Bell Centre.
Then there was Bryce Salvador, who didn’t know if he could play at all
because of a stomach problem. In fact, he played two periods before
leaving for good.
Foster tried to take part in the team's optional morning skate, but left the ice
almost immediately.
“He wasn't feeling well going in. We thought he could get through it but he
got worse as the game went on,” coach Pete DeBoer said. “He tried to play
through it. But unless we had moved a Porta Potty near the bench on that
side, we wouldn’t have gotten through the third period.”
"I tried to skate. It just got worse," Foster said of his back. "I decided
pushing it wasn't going to help me or the team tonight."
He said he felt stiff after the game Friday night.
"It doesn't happen that much," Foster noted. "It's just something that after
the last game was a little tight and it kind of got worse and worse the last
couple days."
Defensemen Bryce Salvador and Andy Greene also did not skate but are
okay to play.
That means minor league call-up Peter Harrold will be in the lineup. He'll
wear No. 21.
"We're dealing with a few things," coach Pete DeBoer said.
I asked DeBoer if he was worried that Adam Larsson (bruised lower back,
now on IR) could be out long term.
"No. Unless I'm missing something, no," he answered.
Eleven forwards skated. Those who did not were Patrik Elias, Petr Sykora
and David Clarkson.
*Peter Harrold was used in the last minute against Montreal's top line.
"The numbers (of healthy defensemen) dictated it but also his play dictated
it," DeBoer said. "We're asking a lot of him and (Matt) Taormina, the young
guys we've got there. On the flip side I thought our three veteran guys that
ended up finishing the game-- Volchenkov, Greene and Fayne-- were
fantastic."
*Did the Devils really believe they could be a team with home ice in the
playoffs?
"We just have to keep the roll going," DeBoer said. "We're on a roll here
now. We want to keep this going. Our schedule gets tough. We've got a lot
of road left again."
Martin Brodeur: "We got ourselves in a good position. We have a lot of work
to do, but we like what we're seeing. The guys are working hard and playing
with a lot of passion every night."
613943
New Jersey Devils
Martin Brodeur did not take part in the optional, but Johan Hedberg did.
There will be a five-minute pregame tribute to Gary Carter before the
Devils-Canadiens game.
Devils defeat Canadiens 3-1 in possibly Martin Brodeur's final game in his
hometown
613942
New Jersey Devils
Fourth-place Devils showing their toughness
By Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger
MONTREAL — Martin Brodeur says it probably wasn’t the last game he will
play in his hometown.
By Rich Chere/The Star-Ledger
However, if he does not return next season, Brodeur can look back at a
solid performance in a 3-1 victory over the Canadiens that moved the Devils
into sole possession of fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
MONTREAL -- Defying some prognasticators, the Devils are now in fourth
place in the Eastern Conference after their 3-1 victory over the Montreal
Canadiens Sunday night.
With three straight wins and an 8-1-2 record in their last 11 games, the
Devils have 72 points. The Penguins, who lost to the Sabres yesterday, and
the idle Flyers both have 71. Although the Devils have as many points as
the Bruins and more than the Panthers, those two teams are ahead in the
standings because they lead their divisions.
It is a spot that would give them home ice in the playoffs.
But they also have something that can’t be measured in the standings.
Already hit by injuries on defense, the Devils saw Anton Volchenkov get hit
in the face by a Tomas Plekanec slap shot at 13:12 of the first period. He
got three stitches in the corner of his mouth above his upper lip and played
the final two periods.
“At first I thought it would be a little bit tough to come back. But in the first
intermission it felt a little better,” Volchenkov said.
He said he did not lose any teeth.
"The teeth are good," Volchenkov reported. "The mouth guard probably
saved my teeth. It's alright. It's hockey. Stitches are part of the game."
But Volchenkov has taken several shots in the face, including one from
Washington's Nicklas Backstrom early last season that resulted in a
concussion.
The Devils brought a 2-0 lead into the third period, but Dainius Zubrus took
a high-sticking penalty after 38 seconds and the Canadiens scored on the
power play.
Ilya Kovalchuk blocked a shot by Tomas Kaberle from deep in the left circle,
but the puck went to Max Pacioretty and he was able to beat Brodeur on
the goalie’s stick side at 1:46.
Defenseman Matt Taormina’s first goal of the season helped the Devils
regain their two-goal lead at 8:27. Taormina took a shot from the right point
using Bernier as a screen and the puck eluded goalie Carey Price. It was
the defenseman’s second NHl goal, the first coming Oct. 30 last season in
Los Angeles.
Late goals in the first and second periods gave the Devils a 2-0 lead.
In the opening period Zach Parise’s goal off the faceoff gave the Devils a 10 lead with 1:57 to go.
Adam Henrique won the faceoff in the left circle and Ilya Kovalchuk took a
quick shot that Parise deflected in the air past goalie Carey Price.
It was Parise’s 22nd goal of the season.
Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban nearly tied the score with 35.8
seconds left when his shot trickled through Brodeur. The goalie, who had
gotten his stick on it, turned toward the net and grabbed the puck before it
reached the goal line.
pictures of him autographed to me and to my brothers. I didn’t know much
English when I was young, so it was tough to understand what was being
said.
“While my dad was working for the Expos I went to almost all the training
camps in West Palm Beach (Fla.), so I got to meet him there. For us, Gary
Carter was really close to our family. When we heard the news, we were
saddened by it.“
Carter was remembered prior to the game. All the Canadiens players wore
No. 8 jerseys for the pregame warmup. During the game, the Habs wore
No. 8 decals on the back of their helmets.
Earlier in the first period, Tomas Plekanec’s shot deflected off Anton
Volchenkov’s stick and hit the Devils defenseman in the jaw at 13:12.
Volchenkov remained down and skated off the ice with some help, using a
towel for the bleeding.
Brodeur watched the video tribute to Carter on the scoreboard as he stood
on the ice between his net and the blue line. It is difficult to imagine what
must have been going through his mind just minutes before the puck was
dropped.
After receiving stitches near his mouth, Volchenkov returned at the start of
the second period.
He played as if there were no distractions, lifting the Devils into sole
possession of fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
The Devils took a 2-0 lead when they scored with 17.4 seconds remaining
in the second. Patrik Elias took a wrist shot from just inside the blue line
that hit David Clarkson in front and found the net for the right winger’s 22nd
goal of the season.
With four straight wins and an 8-1-2 record in their last 11 games, the
Devils have 72 points. The Pittsburgh Penguins (who lost to Buffalo
yesterday) and the idle Philadelphia Flyers both have 71.
Brodeur spoke of playing in his hometown.
Although the Devils have as many points as the Boston Bruins and more
than the Florida Panthers, those two teams are ahead in the standings
because they lead their divisions.
“It’s always fun. A great atmosphere to play in this building and this city. It’s
always a big challenge for our team to play well because it’s an atmosphere
we don’t get to see too much in New Jersey,“ Brodeur said. ”It never gets
old, I guess.“
“Where we came from last year, maybe expectations weren’t as high as
maybe from Lou (Lamoriello) or Pete (DeBoer) or everybody,” Brodeur said.
“Now we’re in this position.
Asked if he feels he’s found the fountain of youth this season, Brodeur
laughed.
“Because you know we’re not dominating teams. We’re winning hockey
games playing toe to toe with teams.”
“I don’t know about that,” he said. “Not when I wake up in the morning,
that’s for sure.
Volchenkov came back in the second period after being hit in the face by a
Tomas Plekanec shot at 13:12 of the first.
“It’s been going well, there’s no doubt about that. The team is playing really
well. We found our game all together and we’ve been rolling. So we just
have to keep that going and try to get ourselves into the playoffs.”
Then the Devils scored goals late in the first (Zach Parise) and second
(David Clarkson) periods to take some of the fight out of the Canadiens.
Brodeur said he will probably wait until after this season to determine
whether he’ll come back.
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New Jersey Devils
There is, however, no denying the fight in the Devils.
“We have a great atmosphere in the room,” Ily Kovalchuk said. “Guys want
to fight for each other.”
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New Jersey Devils
Devils' Martin Brodeur beats Canadiens after dad undergoes brain surgery
Brodeur able to block out his dad's illness as Devils beat Canadiens
By Rich Chere
By TOM GULITTI
MONTREAL — Anton Volchenkov’s willingness to come back and play
soon after being hit in the corner of his mouth by a slap shot seemed
heroic.
MONTREAL – Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur has been playing his best
hockey of the season with a heavy heart.
And then goaltender Martin Brodeur revealed that his 21-save performance
in the Devils’ 3-1 victory over the Montreal Canadiens last night at the Bell
Centre came only two days after his father underwent brain surgery.
Devils’ Zach Parise, right, celebrating after scoring past Canadiens goalie
Carey Price, left, as Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban can only watch
during first-period action Sunday at Bell Centre.
Denis Brodeur, 81, was diagnosed two weeks ago. In fact, his son flew to
Montreal to be at his side on Feb. 8, the day after beating the Rangers at
Madison Square Garden.
AP
“He’s okay. I was there with him (Saturday) night and (Sunday) morning.
He’s walking around and talking,” Brodeur said. “He recognized me. He’s
going to be okay.
“He’s been bothered with something for a couple of months. They did some
tests and found something. The surgery was on Friday.”
It is a sad coincidence that Brodeur has been reminiscing in his hometown
about the death of former Expos catcher Gary Carter from brain cancer.
When the young goalie was growing up in Montreal, his father was the team
photographer for the Expos and Canadiens. Martin got to know Carter well.
“For me, because of my dad, Gary Carter was a really good family friend.
He came to our house a lot and I met him a lot,” Brodeur said. “I have
Devils’ Zach Parise, right, celebrating after scoring past Canadiens goalie
Carey Price, left, as Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban can only watch
during first-period action Sunday at Bell Centre.
Brodeur revealed after the Devils’ 3-1 win in Montreal Sunday night that his
father, Denis, underwent brain surgery Friday night.
Brodeur spent Saturday evening with Denis after the Devils flew to Montreal
for Sunday’s game.
“He was fine,” Brodeur said. “He was walking around. He recognized me.
So, that’s good.”
Brodeur said his father had been having some problems recently, so he
went to see him Feb. 8. Brodeur missed practice that day because of a
minor right ankle injury and did not play the next night against St. Louis, but
was back in time for the morning skate that day.
Brodeur kept the news to himself until now, out of respect for his father’s
privacy.
For Brodeur, the constant thread in a run of 14-of-17 first- or second- place
Atlantic Division finishes, there’s something more urgent, more important,
that made his 3-1 triumph over the Canadiens last night even more
poignant.
Like his son, Denis Brodeur, 81, was a goaltender and won the Olympic
bronze medal with Canada in the 1956 Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo. He
went on to become the long-time team photographer for the Canadiens and
the Montreal Expos and often brought a young Martin with him on his
assignments.
Brodeur won in his hometown, where his father Denis, 81, underwent brain
surgery Friday, the night Brodeur beat the Ducks in a shootout at Prudential
Center. Brodeur spent Saturday night with his father here.
It was a sad coincidence that Denis Brodeur underwent surgery on the day
after former Expos catcher Gary Carter died of brain cancer. Brodeur called
Carter “a family friend.”
“He’s fine. He was up and walking around and he recognized me, so that’s
good,” said Brodeur, who learned of his father’s impending surgery Feb. 7,
the night he beat the Rangers 1-0 at the Garden.
The Canadiens honored Carter prior to Sunday’s game with a video tribute
and moment of silence. They also wore jerseys with No. 8 and Carter on
the back during pregame warm-ups.
Brodeur last night continued to be his rediscovered old self, the all-time
great who owns all the records, 646 victories, 117 shutouts, 1,171 games.
He won for the seventh time in eight games and has keyed the Devils’ climb
to second in the Atlantic, the best they’ve been in 140 games, since they
won the division April 11, 2010.
“I grew up watching him,” Brodeur said. “I got to meet him a few times
through my dad because he was the Expos’ photographer and for us he
was a part of our family with a lot of discussions that we had about him and
he really was genuinely a nice guy. You saw on the video, you could just
look at his face and the way he conducted himself he was a class act. So,
it’s definitely a sad day.”
The news about Brodeur’s father put a damper on another solid Devils’
victory. They improved to 8-1-1 since the All-Star break and climbed one
point ahead of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia into fourth place in the Eastern
Conference.
The Devils had been concentrating mostly on solidifying their spot in the
Eastern Conference playoff race, but now they’re in position to have homeice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
“You think about it, but it’s not something we’re taking about,” said captain
Zach Parise, who opened the scoring by deflecting in an Ilya Kovalchuk
shot with 1:57 left in the first period.
“But, I think it’s something now that’s definitely a possibility for us. If we
keep playing the same way, I don’t see why that’s something we can’t do.”
The Devils got a gutsy effort from an injury-depleted defense missing Kurtis
Foster (stiff back), Henrik Tallinder (blood clot in left leg) and Adam Larsson
(bruised lower back). They had to play the final 25 minutes with only five
defensemen because Bryce Salvador was unable to continue playing
through a stomach bug.
They were fortunate that defenseman Anton Volchenkov returned after
missing the final 6:48 of the first period after he was struck in the mouth
with a Tomas Plekanec slap shot. Volchenkov was back for the start of the
second period, though, after receiving three stitches to close a cut on his
upper lip.
“He’s good,” Kovalchuk said. “He’s just a little crazy. He wants to block
every puck.”
David Clarkson scored on deflection with 17.4 seconds left in the second
period to make it 2-0. After Max Pacioretty scored on a power-play rebound
1:46 into the third to break up Brodeur’s shutout bid, defenseman Matt
Taormina’s right point shot went through Steve Bernier’s screen in front to
make it 3-1 at 8:27.
That was plenty for Brodeur, who made 21 saves to improve to 9-3-1 in his
past 13 starts with a 1.75 goals-against average and a .929 save
percentage.
“He’s on top of his game right now and he gives the whole team
confidence,” Devils coach Pete DeBoer said.
Bergen Record LOADED: 02.20.2012
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New Jersey Devils
Bests Habs despite father’s surgery surgery
By MARK EVERSON
The 39-year-old face of the franchise somehow held it together last night,
even after seeing the Canadiens’ tributes to his “family friend,” former Expo
and Met Gary Carter, who succumbed to brain cancer the day before his
father’s surgery. In coincidences that couldn’t be overlooked, Brodeur came
to know Carter through his father, a team photographer of the Expos and
Canadiens.
“Sad news,” Brodeur said yesterday morning of Carter’s passing. “He came
to our home a lot. My brother and I have pictures autographed to us. Gary
Carter is somebody really close to our family without being part of the
family. It’s part of me growing up in Montreal.”
Part of Brodeur playing in Montreal is winning. He improved to 21-12-1 in
his native city while backstopping the Devils to their sixth straight road
victory.
The Devils pulled a point ahead of the Flyers and Penguins in the Atlantic
with last night’s triumph, and they are not ruling out catching the first-place
Rangers, who hold a nine-point lead.
“You never know,” captain Zach Parise said with a twinkle in his eye.
“It’s been a long time,” Brodeur said of being among the top two in the
division.
The Devils have won the Atlantic nine times in the past 17 seasons. Before
finishing fourth last year, they’d won two straight, four times in five seasons
and five times in seven. Home ice in the playoffs hasn’t helped lately,
though, as they’ve been ousted in the first round in each of their last three
appearances, and lost that way in their last four series.
They’d prefer to try again anyway. They stand 8-1-1 since the All-Star
break, and 22-8-3 in their last 33.
This victory was another variation on the theme that has brought them to
where they stand today. They scored a couple, faltered in the third, yet
triumphed at the end.
Parise tied Kirk Muller for fourth place on the Devils’ all-time list with his
185th goal to open the scoring at 18:03 of the first. Adam Henrique won an
offensive draw for Ilya Kovalchuk to shoot from the trigger, and Parise
deflected his 22nd past the stick of Carey Price. David Clarkson made it 2-0
with 17.2 seconds left in the second, deflecting Elias’ long wrister over
Price’s glove for his 22nd goal of the season.
Then the Devils resumed their third period struggles, giving up Max
Pacioretty’s power play goal 1:46 in. Matt Taormina quelled the concern
with his first since Oct. 30, 2010, through Steve Bernier’s screen.
The Canadiens honored Carter’s memory by wearing No. 8 jerseys in
warm-ups, along with a video tribute and a moment of silence. The jerseys
will be auctioned to benefit the Gary Carter Foundation in Florida. ... Patrik
Elias holds the Devils team record with 354 goals. ... Anton Volchenkov
took one of eight Devils’ blocks on the right cheek in the first but returned in
the second. Bryce Salvador left the game after the second, ill. ... The Devils
visit Toronto tomorrow. ... Defenseman Kurtis Foster sat out last night with
a back strain, with Peter Harrold recalled from Albany to take his place. The
Devils already are without Henrik Tallinder and Adam Larsson on their
regular backline.
New York Post LOADED: 02.20.2012
MONTREAL — Even the Devils’ climb to a home-ice playoff slot for the first
time in more than 22 months is trivial compared to the anguish Martin
Brodeur has been rising above so completely.
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New Jersey Devils
Parise, Clarkson help Devils beat Canadiens
As bargains go, he's been one of the best: a 14-14-0 record, a 2.24 goalsagainst average and a player who has been one of the main reasons the
Isles still are within sight of eighth place.
Staff
Nabokov also has grown to like what's around him. "I never asked for a
trade, I've never done this," he told Newsday two weeks ago. "If they come
to me, that's a different story, but they haven't done that. I like what I see
over here. I like the direction this team is going. Now a lot of people said
last season the reason I didn't come here is because it's a bad organization.
That's not true. I didn't come because I didn't think I was ready. I came to
training camp ready to go, and I think it's been good."
MONTREAL -- Zach Parise, David Clarkson and Matt Taormina scored and
Martin Brodeur made 21 saves to help the New Jersey Devils beat the
Montreal Canadiens 3-1 on Sunday night.
The Devils improved to 34-20-4 with their third straight victory and jumped
past division rivals Pittsburgh and Philadelphia into fourth in the Eastern
Conference.
Max Pacioretty scored for Montreal. The Canadiens have lost eight straight
against New Jersey at the Bell Centre. The Canadiens last beat the Devils
in Montreal on March 11, 2008.
Notes & quotes:Kyle Okposo missed practice with the flu. If he can't play
Monday, Tim Wallace will go back into the lineup and rookie Nino
Niederreiter could get a chance to play with one of the top two lines.
Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 02.20.2012
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New York Rangers
Carey Price made 22 saves for Montreal.
After a 4-3 shootout victory in Buffalo on Friday night, the Canadiens' slim
hopes for a playoff berth stalled again. A win would have moved Montreal
within four points of the eighth and final spot in the East.
Flashy Moves, a Quick Strike and a Win
Price gave the Canadiens a chance in the opening 20 minutes, stopping 12
shots.
By CHRISTOPHER BOTTA
The Devils opened the scoring when Parise deflected Ilya Kovalchuk's shot
off a faceoff past Price with 1:57 left in the first. New Jersey made it 2-0 with
18 seconds left in the second, with Clarkson scoring off a deflection for his
22nd goal of the season.
Pacioretty ended Brodeur's shutout bid at 1:46 of the third when he picked
up a loose puck in a busy crease and wristed it past the goalie. The 23year-old winger has 13 goals and five assists in his last 17 games.
Taormina re-established New Jersey's two-goal lead at 8:27 of the third with
his first of the season. After the Canadiens failed to clear the zone, Devils
defenseman Mark Fayne took a shot from the blue line that went in off
Taormina.
NOTES: The Devils scratched defenseman Kurtis Foster and wingers
Stephane Veilleux and Cam Janssen. ... For the first time since January 20,
2001, the Canadiens didn't take a penalty.
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New York Islanders
Nabokov to talk contract with Islanders
By ARTHUR STAPLE
Evgeni Nabokov wasn't on the ice for the Islanders again Sunday at
practice, but he is in the team's plans.
Don Meehan, Nabokov's agent, told Newsday in an email Sunday that talks
will "start soon" between himself and general manager Garth Snow on a
contract for the 36-year-old goaltender, who has resurrected his NHL career
with a solid season.
Nabokov (flu) has missed the last two games and Sunday's practice. He
likely won't be well enough to play in Monday's Coliseum matinee against
Ottawa or Tuesday's game in Buffalo.
Snow, who declined comment on any current or future contract talks but
reiterated that he has no plans to trade Nabokov before next Monday's
deadline, appears to envision Nabokov teaming next season with 21-yearold Kevin Poulin, who made 33 saves in Saturday's 4-3 win over the
Hurricanes and likely will get the call in goal Monday.
There are no assurances that Nabokov will take what the Isles will be
offering. He's playing this season for the veteran's minimum of $575,000,
the deal he signed with the Red Wings in January 2011 that came with a full
no-trade clause.
The Isles claimed Nabokov on waivers, the goalie declined to report and
Snow tolled the contract to this season before the two men met in April and
Nabokov arrived in training camp ready to restart his NHL career.
Observing the Rangers’ performance from the press box, Columbus
General Manager Scott Howson learned a little bit more Sunday night about
the players he might have interest in acquiring for Rick Nash.
But after watching defenseman Michael Del Zotto, 21, make a gorgeous
pass to forward Derek Stepan, also 21, for a goal 22 seconds into overtime
to give the Rangers a 3-2 victory, Howson will also understand why his
counterpart, Glen Sather, is reluctant to trade any of his talented, young
players for Nash.
Stepan’s winning goal came after some dazzling puck movement by Del
Zotto and Marian Gaborik in the opening shift of overtime. With the puck
alone to the left of goaltender Steve Mason, Del Zotto surprised the Blue
Jackets by sliding it across the ice to Stepan, who snapped it into the
unguarded net.
“Gabby set it up and Michael made a great pass,” Stepan said. “They did all
the work. I was just in the right spot.”
The first-place Rangers, who play Tuesday night in Pittsburgh, have a 9point lead over Boston and the Devils in the Eastern Conference. The
Rangers and the Bruins each have 25 games left in the regular season. The
Devils have 24.
Just as impressive, the Rangers have followed each of their last eight
losses with a victory.
“We wanted to make sure we responded after that Chicago game,” the
captain Ryan Callahan said, referring to the Rangers’ 4-2 loss Thursday to
the Blackhawks. “We wanted to have a strong start and put the loss behind
us. I thought we controlled the puck for most of the game.”
The Rangers did, outshooting Columbus, 35-23, and winning a majority of
the puck battles. But they failed to protect a 2-1 lead late in the game with
Mason pulled for an extra attacker. Nash showed off his offensive skills,
sending a wrist shot past Henrik Lundqvist with 1 minute 33 seconds left in
regulation.
“We made it a little closer than we should have,” said Del Zotto, who had
two assists and was outstanding in more than 25 minutes before his play on
the winning goal. “We shot ourselves in the foot a couple of times. But we’ll
take the two points.”
The speed of the rookie Carl Hagelin, another young player Howson would
covet, was the catalyst for Brad Richards’s goal to open the scoring.
Richards took a pass from Del Zotto inside the Rangers’ zone and skated
toward the Columbus goal. Recognizing that Hagelin had a step on his
defender, Richards flipped him a lead pass over the opposing blue line.
Instead of shooting, Hagelin slid the puck back to Richards, who finished
the give-and-go by scoring on Mason for a 1-0 Rangers lead with 2:11 left
in the first period. Derick Brassard tied the score with a power-play goal at
5:26 of the second period. With Gaborik serving a high-sticking penalty for
accidentally hitting defenseman Aaron Johnson in the visor, Brassard — a
forward playing the point — accepted the puck after Columbus won the
face-off deep in the Rangers’ zone and slapped it by Lundqvist, who was
screened.
know why they are different,” Del Zotto said. “It is a bit unfortunate, but it’s
the way it goes."
Although the Rangers failed to score on a five-on-three power play in the
middle of the second, Artem Anisimov’s goal two minutes later gave them a
2-1 lead. Anisimov scored when Mason and his teammates were unable to
corral a shot from the point by defenseman Dan Girardi that bounced off the
boards behind the Columbus goal and landed in front of the crease. The
goal, at 13:13 of the second period, was Anisimov’s fourth in his last eight
games.
It was the second straight game the Rangers had been upset with a
suspect call. In Thursday night’s 4-2 loss to the Blackhawks, the Rangers
were steamed over a puzzling second-period whistle that nullified a Ryan
Callahan goal. Marian Gaborik’s point-blank shot danced on the goal line
and Callahan poked in the rebound. The official explanation, according to
Tortorella, was that Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford had covered
the puck up and the play was dead.
Del Zotto appeared to give the Rangers a two-goal cushion at the end of
the second period, but it was ruled that his shot crossed the goal line after
time had expired. MSG Network showed the shot entering the goal with a
tenth of a second left on the clock, but the referees — after N.H.L. hockey
operations officials in Toronto reviewed the play — announced that time
had expired on the official timer as the puck was still on the goal line.
That just added to the Rangers’ ire with the officials that night. The
Blackhawks got on the board only minutes into the first period on a penalty
shot when the officials claimed that defenseman Dan Girardi had closed his
hand on puck in the crease. Girardi claimed he had just brushed the puck.
“It was frustrating, but their clock said differently,” Del Zotto said. “All you
can do is move on.”
Howson is listening to offers for Nash, the team’s captain and best player,
because he could receive a package of assets to help start a rebuilding of
the club. Nash was tight-lipped in a discussion with reporters before the
game. He seemed eager for the rumors to end, while showing respect to
the Blue Jackets and claiming not to be bothered by the speculation.
“It’s going to take care of itself,” Nash said. “I just worry about today. Right
now, I’m a Blue Jacket. That’s all that matters. I played my whole career
here. I don’t fall into any of those rumors. All I’m dealing with is a game that
I have to play in a few hours. That’s all I’m worrying about.”
Nash responded with a “no comment” to a final pair of questions — one
about his hopes not to see the trade process drag into the summer, another
asking if he envisions himself living in a big market like New York — before
politely ending the interview and going on to score the second-most
important goal of the game.
New York Times LOADED: 02.20.2012
613950
Tortorella has worked hard to keep calm over the officiating ever since his
comments after the Winter Classic. The officials in that game gave the
Flyers a last-second penalty shot, which Rangers goaltender Henrik
Lundquist stopped. Tortorella’s comments after that game reportedly cost
him $30,000 in fines.
Clearly setting up the game-winner for Stepan in overtime had eased some
of Del Zotto’s ire at the officials Sunday night.
“The refs aren’t perfect, neither are we,” Del Zotto said. “It’s just how the
game goes, it is not something we can control. We can’t make the calls out
there. Sometimes we get a bad one, sometimes we get a lucky one.”
New York Daily News LOADED: 02.20.2012
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New York Rangers
NY Rangers put aside Rick Nash trade rumors, beat Columbus Blue
Jackets in overtime on Derek Stepan's goal
By Pat Leonard
New York Rangers
NY Rangers coach John Tortorella says officials got it right in disallowing
Michael Del Zotto’s goal
Blue Jackets forward Rick Nash gave the New York media throng little to
spin into headlines or hubbub in two interviews Sunday night, but he wasn’t
as subtle on the ice.
By Kristie Ackert
Before Derek Stepan lifted the Rangers to a 3-2 overtime win over
Columbus at the Garden, the NHL’s most coveted prize leading up to
Monday’s trade deadline left his imprint with a game-tying goal with 1:33
remaining in the third period.
The New York Rangers celebrate Derek Stepan's winner as the Blue
Jackets leave the MSG ice.
Fans booed Nash and chanted “We don’t want you!” after Henrik Lundqvist
was fooled by No. 61’s “knuckle-puck” that dipped under the goaltender’s
blocker.
It was an odd sight.
After the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime win over the Blue Jackets Sunday night,
John Tortorella was standing up for the officials on a controversial call. He
firmly believes the refs got it right when ruling that Michael Del Zotto’s shot
at the end of the second period had crossed the goal line after time had
expired.
The confusion is caused by the use of different clocks in the arena and in
the video booth.
“It’s because there are six damn clocks. The Columbus (broadcast) had a
:00.2 (seconds remaining), MSG had a :00.1, but the clock that counts is
the one upstairs in the video booth,” Tortorella explained. “They sent us a
picture down in between periods, it was the correct call.”
It was not a popular call, particularly when the MSG replay was shown at
the Garden.
After Del Zotto made a defensive stop with 11 seconds to play, he raced up
ice and Derek Stepan fed him at the net. Del Zotto slid the puck past
Columbus goalie Steve Mason as the buzzer sounded to end the period.
Instant-video replays in the arena and on the Rangers broadcast showed
the puck trickling across the goal line with :00.1 left on the game clock.
The officials waved it off and a quick review ruled that time had expired on
the official clock.
“I didn’t know. I had no idea, it happened so quick, the Jumbotron showed
point-1 left, the official video, or official clock, showed 0.0, I guess. I don’t
“That’s the reception you’re gonna get in any building if you score in the last
minute to tie it up on the road,” said Nash, who would not confirm a report
that he’s willing to waive his no-movement clause in the event of a trade to
the Rangers. “That was a good effort. They’re a very good team, and you
can see why they’re in first place.”
The Rangers (38-14-5) are in first place because they grab two points even
when games seem to be slipping away. Stepan scored off assists from
Marian Gaborik and Michael Del Zotto (two assists) 22 seconds into
overtime to help the Blueshirts bounce back from a 4-2 loss to Chicago on
Thursday.
“Michael sees the ice,” Stepan said of Del Zotto’s feed across, “and as soon
as I saw him get (the puck), I knew he was going to at least take a look.”
By now, the Garden crowd is used to the Rangers bouncing back. Sunday
night, Brad Richards and Artem Anisimov scored, but the question remains:
Is Nash a necessary piece for a Stanley Cup run?
John Tortorella would love Nash. Not only does the 27-year-old have a
knack for scoring the big goal, he’s tight-lipped and hardly talks about the
other team. He sounds like a Ranger already.
The Blueshirts have done their due diligence on Nash. They had a scout
watching the Blue Jackets in Minnesota on Feb. 11. Columbus (17-35-7)
also has had scouts on the Rangers’ tail at home, on the road and in the
minors, exploring all options to rebuild.
Nash’s contract, which carries a $7.8 million annual cap hit through 2017-
18, would hamstring the Rangers financially. If the reported demand of
Brandon Dubinsky, prospect Chris Kreider and a No. 1 pick is even a bit
uncomfortable for Blueshirts management, then parting with any top young
players such as Ryan McDonagh or Stepan has to be out of the question.
Nash was asked whether he’d prefer to be dealt prior to the deadline so this
drama doesn’t drag into the summer: “No comment.” Could he envision
himself playing and living in a big market such as New York: “No comment.
I’m just worried about the game.”
There really is no other way he could answer those questions. After all, a
week from now, he might be back at the Garden answering some more.
New York Daily News LOADED: 02.20.2012
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New York Rangers
and Del Zotto’s brilliant backhand, back-door relay to Stepan at the left
porch.
Nash, whose right circle knuckler eluded Henrik Lundqvist to tie the match,
has skated under the radar throughout his career. But the Columbus
captain has been on the world stage, a point he reinforced when asked for
his reaction to being interrogated by a dozen reporters before the match.
“I’ve played in the Olympics a couple of times for Canada,” he said. “This is
nothing compared to that.”
And now there is no more than a week to go until it’s known whether the
elephant in the big room on Broadway will call it home.
And whether the fans will be chanting Nash’s name in celebration the next
time he scores here.
Columbus’ Nash can’t beat Rangers, but may join ’em
613953
By LARRY BROOKS
Tortorella finds right Rangers crew '4' overtime
The 6-foot-4, 220-pound elephant in the big room all but obscured the
significance of the Rangers’ 3-2 overtime victory last night over the 30thoverall Blue Jackets at the Garden.
By LARRY BROOKS
That’s because the immediate fate of Rick Nash, the Columbus power
winger who has been made available to the Blueshirts among a select
number of NHL clubs in advance of next Monday’s trade deadline will have
more impact on the Rangers this season and in years to come than the two
points they earned last night.
Five straight times now John Tortorella has started four-on-four overtime
with Marian Gaborik and Derek Stepan up front, with the defense pair of
Michael Del Zotto and Anton Stralman starting four of them and jumping on
12 seconds into the other.
Nash, who scored the tying goal with 1:33 remaining in the third after which
fans chanted “We Don’t Want You” before Derek Stepan struck for the OT
winner at 0:22, offered a rational response to the fans’ collective thumbsdown.
“It’s the kind of reaction you would expect in any building after scoring the
tying goal,” he said.
Nash shed little light on whether he might be Broadway bound, offering
variations of “no comment” to three different questions before the game
regarding a possible move. Nash then swatted away a postgame question
about whether he considered last night’s match a showcase.
Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson has turned Nash’s limited
availability into a traveling circus. It has become impossible to determine
whether teams are seriously pursuing Nash or whether Howson is
attempting to create a big-market market for the left winger, who has been
the small market’s franchise player since his first-overall selection in the
2002 Entry Draft.
Howson was in Philadelphia on Saturday to meet with Flyers senior
management. Yesterday morning, Howson met at his Manhattan hotel with
Toronto GM Brian Burke. Los Angeles, Boston and Vancouver have been
solicited for offers.
Rangers GM Glen Sather, who is believed to have chatted last night with
Howson, seems unfazed over the cap crunch he would create in the future
by picking up the remainder of the Nash’s contract, under which No. 61 will
carry an annual $7.8 million charge through 2017-18.
Sather apparently believes Nash, who has scored between 27 and 41 goals
for seven straight seasons, would fortify the Rangers, who have come from
modest beginnings to first place in the East by nine points over the Bruins
and Devils.
Rather, Sather is fazed by Columbus’ asking price, believed to be Brandon
Dubinsky, Ryan McDonagh or Michael Del Zotto, Boston College winger
Chris Kreider and either a first-round pick or another of the Rangers’ top
prospects.
McDonagh and Del Zotto are untouchables on the NHL roster, and Kreider
is regarded as a can’t-miss prospect with a ceiling as high as those in an
apartment in a Manhattan pre-war building.
It is unknown whether Sather has made a counter-proposal.
The Rangers persevered to gain the victory when the club’s attack-oriented
OT mentality produced a picture goal created by a Marian Gaborik’s speed
New York Rangers
“I don’t want to wait there and maybe not get them on,” the coach said after
the Rangers didn’t wait in recording a 3-2 OT Garden victory over the Blue
Jackets on Stepan’s goal at 0:22 off nifty relays from Gaborik and Del Zotto.
“They’re our best four-on-four [combination]; I’m not concerned about
matching there at all.”
The Rangers have won five straight games decided in OT since losing the
season opener in Stockholm to the Kings. That’s in addition to their 3-4
record in shootouts.
“Gabby has the speed to back people off and Michael is so good at seeing
the ice,” said Stepan, who moved in back door at the left porch to put away
Del Zotto’s backhand feed after Gaborik had moved the puck diagonally
down low on the right side to the defenseman.
“We scored power-play goals two games in a row where Michael found
[Ryan Callahan] back door, so once Gabby moved the puck to him, I knew
he would at least take a look and see if I would be there.”
Del Zotto endorsed the attack mentality that has paid off for the Rangers,
and not only in four-on-four. The Blueshirts play with a defensive structure,
but they want to pressure the puck as often as possible.
“Look at the guys out there [to start OT],” Del Zotto said. “There’s
tremendous speed and a lot of skill.
“When I saw Gabby fake the shot [before passing], I knew I’d have kind of
an open net on my backhand. Then when [goaltender Steve Mason] came
sliding across, I knew Step would be back-door.”
Henrik Lundqvist limited an opponent to two goals or fewer for the 10th time
in his last 11 starts and 17th time over the last 20, but he was nevertheless
disturbed in yielding the tying goal to Rick Nash at 18:27 of the third period
after the Blue Jackets won an offensive zone draw with their goaltender
pulled for the extra attacker.
“It was a knuckle puck that dipped on me, and I was upset that I didn’t do a
better read and know it was a knuckler until it was too late,” said The King.
“I was disappointed not to keep it 2-1, but as long as we got the win, it’s all
right.”
Asked about Nash, who might be a teammate within the week, Lundqvist
said: “He’s a good player, no question. He’s strong and has a great shot.
He can be really effective.”
Del Zotto appeared to have beaten the clock with a goal with 0:00.1
remaining in the second period according to the scoreboard clock
superimposed on the MSG telecast, but the official clock in the upstairs
scorers’ booth used by officials in Toronto for the video review showed triple
zeros. Hence, no goal.
“We saw the picture [of the official clock] between periods,” Tortorella said.
“It was the correct call.”
to exasperated Rangers coach John Tortorella before he left the ice for the
dressing room.
Steve Eminger did not return to the ice following the 8:52 mark of the third
after Sammy Pahlsson appeared to land on the defenseman’s left leg/knee.
Tortorella declined to provide information on Eminger's status. The coach
similarly did not provide an update regarding the status of Ruslan
Fedotenko, who missed his fifth straight game in the aftermath of sustaining
a suspected concussion on Feb. 9 but did participate in the optional
morning skate after being off the ice the previous three days.
The Blue Jackets had gotten even at 1 at 5:26 of the second, just 5
seconds into a high-sticking penalty against Marian Gaborik. Antoine
Vermette won a faceoff in the right circle back to Brassard, who glided
along the blue line to the center of the ice and fired a shot through traffic
that got past Lundqvist for Brassard's 11th goal.
The Blueshirts are in Pittsburgh tomorrow night and on the Island Friday
before facing the Sabres at the Garden on Saturday.
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Stepan's OT goal lifts Rangers over Blue Jackets
Staff
Columbus got out of a 5-on-3 jam earlier in the period that lasted for 1:33
when Derek Dorsett and Nash were sent off.
The Rangers took a 1-0 lead in the opening period when Richards took a
return pass from Carl Hagelin at the edge of the left circle and sent a
sizzling shot past Mason with 2:11 left for his 18th goal.
NOTES: The Blue Jackets lost 3-2 at Los Angeles on Feb. 1 when Kings D
Drew Doughty scored the winning goal with 1 second left in the game.
Richards netted the winner at Phoenix on Dec. 17 with 0:00.1 seconds left.
... Anisimov has four goals and three assists in his past eight games. ...
Brassard had gone five games without scoring before he netted the Blue
Jackets' lone goal Saturday against Chicago.
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New York Rangers
Derek Stepan scored 22 seconds into overtime, and the New York Rangers
overcame a late tying goal by Columbus and one disallowed on their side in
a 3-2 victory over the Blue Jackets on Sunday night.
Rangers beat Columbus in overtime, 3-2
Stepan took a pass from Michael Del Zotto, who faked a shot and scored
into a wide-open left side of the net.
By STEVE ZIPAY /
Columbus captain Rick Nash, the subject of trade rumors — including those
involving the Rangers — got the Blue Jackets even at 2 with 1:33 left in
regulation. That prompted chants of "We don't want you" from the
disappointed Madison Square Garden crowd.
Like it or not, Rick Nash's stock -- and maybe his price at the trade deadline
-- went up a little Sunday night.
Artem Anisimov snapped a 1-1 tie in the second period for the Eastern
Conference-leading Rangers, who got back to their winning ways following
a 4-2 loss at home to Chicago on Thursday. New York (38-14-5) has won
five of six and nine of 12 (9-2-1), and leads second-place Boston by nine
points.
The Blue Jackets, who lost 6-1 at home to Chicago on Saturday, are last in
the NHL with 41 points. Columbus had alternated wins and losses the
previous six games.
Brad Richards gave the Rangers a first-period lead, and Derick Brassard
tied it in the second. Henrik Lundqvist stopped 21 shots to earn the victory
after taking a day off against Chicago.
Steve Mason made 32 saves for Columbus (17-35-7).
Nash could be on the move before next week's NHL trade deadline, and the
Rangers are a potential destination for the high-scoring forward. He
declined to say before the game whether he would like to be dealt or if New
York is a team he wants to join.
Anisimov used a fortuitous bounce to give the Rangers a 2-1 lead with 6:47
left in the second. Dan Girardi fired a shot from the right point that sailed
high and wide of the net and slammed off the end boards. While Mason
scrambled to locate the puck, it kicked back out front to Anisimov, who
scored his 11th of the season from just in front of the left post.
Mason was down on his stomach in the crease as the Rangers celebrated.
For the second straight period, the Blue Jackets spent most of the final two
minutes on a failed power play. Columbus escaped danger in the final
second of the second when the Rangers appeared to stretch the lead to 31.
New York got control of a loose puck in the Blue Jackets' end, and Del
Zotto fired in a shot as the buzzer sounded. The officials huddled around
the scorer's table as a video review ensued in Toronto. Unofficial television
replays, that superimposed the dwindling clock against the replay of the
goal, showed that the puck entered the net with 0:00.1 seconds left.
However, it was determined in Toronto that time had run out before the
puck crossed the line. Referee Don Van Massenhoven was showered with
boos when he made the announcement that the official video showed time
expired, and those grew much louder when the television replay was
displayed on the arena video board. Van Massenhoven explained the ruling
After Nash, who has been the subject of trade rumors, tied the score with
1:33 remaining in the third period, Derek Stepan scored 22 seconds into
overtime to give the Rangers a 3-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.
After Nash's shot from the right circle beat Henrik Lundqvist, the Madison
Square Garden crowd chanted, "We don't want you!"
Nash, who has been the topic of discussions between the teams' general
managers -- Glen Sather of the Rangers and Scott Howson of the Blue
Jackets -- brushed off the taunts, saying they are expected in any arena
when an opponent scores in the waning seconds to send a game into
overtime. He added that he did not consider the game a showcase: "No,
we're trying to win. I'll do everything I can to help our team win."
But team captain Nash hasn't been enough to salvage a miserable season
for the Blue Jackets. They are 7-19-4 on the road and are in last place in
the NHL with 41 points.
"I faced him a lot over the years in international games," said Lundqvist,
who made 21 saves and is 8-1-0 in the last nine games. "I know there's
been some speculation. Whatever happens happens. But he's a talented
guy, strong and a good shooter. It was a knuckle shot that went straight
down. I'd rather see him get a clean rocket there and make the save."
It didn't end up costing the Rangers because Stepan scored into an almost
wide-open net early in overtime to finish an exquisite series of passes by
Marian Gaborik, who first faked a slapper, and Michael Del Zotto, whose
cross-ice pass found Stepan unguarded.
"Hell of a play," coach John Tortorella said.
But this one should have been easier for the Rangers, who already were
leading 2-1 when a wrister by Del Zotto appeared to cross the goal line with
one-tenth of a second left in the second period, according to a replay on the
scoreboard.
But after a video review in the war room in Toronto with the "official" clock,
the referee reported that the puck was on the line at 0:00.0 -- no goal, and
no 3-1 lead. Tortorella stood on the bench, gesturing toward the
scoreboard, until he got an explanation.
"I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed," Del Zotto said.
"They have six clocks," Tortorella said. "But it was the right call."
So the Rangers, who still haven't lost two consecutive games since Dec.
13-15, climbed to 38-14-5 (81 points) and moved nine points ahead of the
Bruins and Devils in the Eastern Conference.
Brad Richards scored his 18th for the only goal of the first period. Derek
Brassard tied it at 1 on a power play 5:26 into the second, but the Rangers
regained the lead when a long shot by Dan Girardi caromed off the end
glass and to the left of the net, where Artem Anisimov pounced and beat
sprawling goalie Steve Mason (32 saves). The goal, at 13:13 of the second
period, was Anisimov's fourth in the last eight games. Before that, the
Rangers couldn't cash in on a five-on-three for 1:33.
Newsday LOADED: LOADED: 02.20.2012
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BRIEFS: Ruslan Fedotenko, who missed his fifth straight game after taking
a high hit from former Lightning center Dominic Moore, participated in
Sunday's optional morning skate. It marked the first time the veteran left
wing has been on the ice since Tuesday at Boston. … Left wing Wojtek
Wolski and defensemen Jeff Woywitka remained the healthy scratches.
Wolski has not played since Jan. 15 and Woywitka last played Dec. 30.
613957
New York Rangers
Rangers beat coveted Rick Nash, Blue Jackets in overtime
New York Rangers
By ANDREW GROSS
Blue Jackets ace deflects Ranger rumors
By ANDREW GROSS
NEW YORK – Rick Nash stood outside the visiting Blue Jackets' dressing
room at the Garden, facing repetitive questions from some 25 media
members about the trade rumors that have enveloped him and a game
against the Rangers, his potential future team.
"I just worry about today," said the Columbus captain and five-time All-Star.
"Right now I'm a Blue Jacket and that's what matters. I've played my whole
career here, and that's how I'm dealing with the game I've got to play in two
hours. That's all I'm worried about."
So it's left for others to fret and speculate whether Nash will be a Ranger by
the trade deadline, which is a week from today at 3 p.m.
NEW YORK – Rick Nash certainly gave the Rangers’ brass plenty to think
about before next Monday’s NHL trade deadline, even as the Madison
Square Garden faithful chanted, “We don’t want you.”
Nash, the Blue Jackets’ five-time All-Star and potential Rangers’ target in a
blockbuster trade, prompted the chant by tying the game with 1:33
remaining in regulation.
But Derek Stepan scored 22 seconds into overtime as the Rangers won, 32, Sunday night despite having Michael Del Zotto’s goal at the secondperiod buzzer waved off after video review.
“That’s the reaction you’ll get in any building when you score in the final two
minutes to tie it up,” said Nash, the 27-year-old Columbus captain, adding
he did not view the game as a showcase. “No, we’re trying to win the game.
I’ll do everything to help our team win.”
"You're in different buildings every other night," Nash said about whether
playing at the Garden would make him think about possibly being a Ranger.
"It's just another game."
The Eastern Conference-leading Rangers (38-14-5), coming off a 4-2 loss
to the Blackhawks, still have not dropped consecutive games in regulation
since Dec. 13-15. Henrik Lundqvist made 21 saves after Marty Biron played
Thursday.
The Rangers and Blue Jackets have been in contact and Columbus scouts
have been a regular presence at Rangers' games this month.
The Blue Jackets (17-35-7) are last in the NHL in points, a major reason
they’d consider moving their franchise player.
Nash entered Sunday's game with 18 goals and 21 assists, and the twotime, 40-goal scorer had 277 goals and 250 assists in 650 games since
being the first overall pick in the 2002 NHL draft.
“I just worry about today,” said Nash, who had four shots in 17:41 and now
has 19 goals and 21 assists this season. “Right now I’m a Blue Jacket and
that’s what matters.”
But Nash's contract carries a $7.8 million salary-cap hit through 2018, and
the Rangers also likely would have to surrender at least one first-round pick
as well as at least one NHL player and one or two top prospects.
Nash’s contract carries a $7.8 million salary-cap hit through 2018, which is
as much of a consideration to the Rangers as likely having to surrender at
least one first-round pick as well as at least one NHL player and one or two
top prospects.
"You know what? It's going to take care of itself," said Nash, 27."I'm a Blue
Jacket right now and we're playing great hockey."
Nash, who has a no-movement clause in his contract, would not comment
when asked whether he has put the Rangers on a list of teams to which
he'd accept a trade. He also responded with "no comment" when asked if
he would prefer to be dealt by the trade deadline and not have the rumors
persist into the summer. Nor would he say whether he could envision living
or playing in New York.
But Nash did say the media attention was not uncomfortable for him.
"I'm fine," Nash said. "I played the Olympics a couple of times for Canada,
so this is really nothing compared to that."
Business considerations aside, there's little doubt Nash's skill would bolster
the Rangers' lineup.
"He's real fast," said Rangers defenseman Marc Staal, comparing Nash's
play to that of his brother, the Hurricanes' Eric Staal. "He tries to wind up a
lot and he really tries to get a full head of steam, whether it's a shot or
carrying it into the zone.
"You've just got to watch where he is," Staal added. "If you get caught
sleeping at the blue line, you're going to be in trouble."
Nash, who has a no-movement clause, would not comment when asked
whether he has put the Rangers on a list of teams to which he’d accept a
trade. He also responded “no comment” when asked if he would prefer to
be dealt by the trade deadline and not have the rumors persist into the
summer as well as whether he could envision living or playing in New York.
“He can shoot,” Del Zotto said. “Those are the toughest guys to play again,
the guys who are tough to knock off the puck. I thought Mac and G
[defensemen Ryan McDonagh and Dan Girardi] did a pretty good job
against him.”
The Rangers took a 2-1 lead on Artem Anisimov’s goal at 13:13 of the
second period and Del Zotto appeared to give the Rangers a two-goal edge
heading into the third period. The Garden scoreboard replay indicated there
was 0.1 seconds left when the puck slid past Steve Mason (32 saves).
But the official clock from the NHL replay center in Toronto showed 0.0
seconds.
“There are six damn clocks,” coach John Tortorella said. “Columbus had a
point two, MSG had a point one. But the clock that counts is the one
upstairs in the video booth and they sent us a picture down in between
periods. It was the correct call. With all the HD crap, something happens
with the clock. But they made the right call.”
Left wing Mike Rupp, who played with Nash in Columbus, compared Nash
to ex-Rangers captain Jaromir Jagr.
“I was a bit upset,” Del Zotto added. “It would have been a big goal for us.”
"In the corner, you've got to play him a lot like Jagr," Rupp said. "It's not
necessarily the best play to take a big run at him. If he turns, you're in
trouble. He's a little more dangerous on the rush than Jagr."
BRIEFS: Brad Richards scored his 18th goal of the season at 17:49 of the
first period. … Ryan Callahan had a five-game point streak snapped. …
Ruslan Fedotenko (potential concussion) missed his fifth straight game but
participated in the optional morning skate, his first time on ice since
Tuesday. …Defenseman Steve Eminger missed the final 11:30 after Sam
Pahlsson fell on his leg but Tortorella told the media he would no longer be
issuing medical updates.
A wild year for Wheeler in Winnipeg
paul waldie
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One-timers
Staff Report
Game No. 59
Sunday February 19, 2012 9:36 AM
Comments: 0
First star
Ottawa’s Jason Spezza has taken much abuse for being lazy, but he has
been among the best players in the NHL this season under new coach Paul
MacLean. He already has surpassed his points totals from the previous two
seasons, and he’s on pace for 34 goals and 86 points.
Penalty box
Two years ago, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin were titans of the game.
Crosby remains out with a concussion, and
Ovechkin is stuck in his own kind of fog. He has 23 goals and 44 points —
outside the NHL’s top 20 in both categories — by far his worst season yet.
Quotable
It all started with a phone call to Wheeler’s hotel room in Ottawa on Feb. 18,
2011. He was with the Boston Bruins at the time getting ready to face the
Senators that night. “I remember sitting in the room with my roommate
David Krejci when the phone rang. I said ‘I’m off to Atlanta,’ ” Wheeler
recalled. He’d been traded to the Thrashers along with defenceman Mark
Stuart in return for Rich Peverley and Boris Valabik.
He took it hard. Wheeler, 25, had been with the Bruins since 2008 when he
signed as a free agent after leaving the University of Minnesota. At that time
it looked like he would have a long career with Boston. He’d arrived as
something of a young phenomenon thanks to his size, 6 foot 5, and his
speed. None other than Wayne Gretzky selected Wheeler as the fifth
overall pick in the 2004 NHL entry draft when Gretzky was still with the
Phoenix Coyotes. Gretzky said he saw something special in Wheeler, who
then was just a 17-year-old high-school student in Minneapolis. Wheeler
didn’t sign with the Coyotes, preserving his eligibility for college, and
ultimately struck a deal with the Bruins after several other teams made
offers.
But in a split-second that day in Ottawa, Wheeler went from being part of a
contender to finding a role with troubled franchise that ultimately moved to
Winnipeg. If that wasn’t hard enough, Wheeler and Stuart watched the
Bruins win the Stanley Cup. “To be that close and see them go on to win
was definitely difficult,” Wheeler said. “But at the same time you’ve got to
understand that the toughest part of winning the Stanley Cup is the part that
we weren’t there for. So I mean we weren’t really a part of it all.”
There was more turmoil ahead. The move to Winnipeg proved difficult at
first, especially for his wife, Sam, who loved Boston. Then the season
started and Wheeler fell flat. His role with the Jets was to score goals, but
they just wouldn’t come and in hockey-obsessed Winnipeg the pressure
mounted. Five, 10, 15, 18 games went by without a goal. The worst drought
of his career.
“It was tough to look in the mirror and find answers,” Wheeler recalled. “I
just knew that that wasn’t the first impression that I wanted to make. I finally
just said, ‘Screw it.’ Screw the results and just go out there and play as best
as I can and the results kind of started coming from there.”
He got his first goal on Nov. 17 in a Jets’ 4-1 win over Washington and
hasn’t looked back. He now leads the team with 42 points and he’s a
mainstay on the Jets’ top line with Bryan Little and Andrew Ladd. He’s
gotten even better lately, earning six points in the last four games including
a goal and two assists on Friday to help the Jets beat Boston 4-2. “He’s
been playing some of the best hockey I’ve seen him play,” Little said. “Once
he gets going it’s hard to stop him.”
Jets coach Claude Noel points to Wheeler’s size and smarts. And while
Noel has juggled every line this season, he has kept Little and Wheeler
together. “I like their speed,” Noel said Sunday. “I think they’ve got
chemistry and they find each other and they produce.”
Everything nearly came crashing down on Jan. 14 when Wheeler took a
slap shot in the throat during a game against New Jersey. The puck barely
missed Wheeler’s jugular and doctors said he was incredibly lucky. He
missed just two games and got an assist in his next start.
It’s all been a year-long learning experience, Wheeler said. “And I think I
learned a lot from it,” he added. “Which is the most important thing.”
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NHL
“When they announced my name, they booed me pretty good. I was happy
about that, actually.” — Carolina defenseman Jaroslav Spacek, who
returned to Montreal for the first time since his trade earlier this season.
Snakes on a plane? Not these days in the NHL
— Aaron Portzline aportzline@dispatch.com
BRUCE DOWBIGGIN | Columnist profile | Globe and Mail Update
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NHL
They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But what happens to the
activities on an NHL team charter? If a reporter on board sees the star
player in a walking boot or witnesses the coach and goalie in animated
conversation, can the reporters go with the story? And is it true, in the
words of Alexei Kovalev, that “when [reporters] fly with the team and go
through the [metal detector] at an airport, their bags are filled with beer”?
We canvassed five Canadian NHL clubs about their policy (Toronto and
Ottawa did not respond) regarding journalists’ ability to disseminate what
they see in the air and on the tarmac. The Canucks, Jets and Flames all
told us that they expect “a level of confidentiality” from media in return for
the privilege of flying with the team.
“We have no written rules, but an understanding the plane is an extension
of the locker room and what goes on there is private,” e-mailed Scott
Brown, senior director of corporate communications for the Jets. “They are
provided a courtesy of being allowed on the plane in order to make travel
more convenient for them and they are asked to extend us some courtesy
in return.” Brown added that if there is a newsworthy event, the team and
three media members who regularly use the charter can “agree on a time
when they can report that, and they are given some lead time when
compared to other media.” In other words, timing is managed by the club.
Which is understandable on its own plane.
This is less of a problem now as very few media members still fly on team
charters. Some reporters prefer the extra work time they don’t get with the
prompt departures of teams after games. Others prefer not to accept the
control exerted by teams over what may or may not be reported. Most
media members on team charters are either working for TV, radio
broadcasters or those working on the team’s website – many subject to
hiring approval by the club.
In the past, if two teams finished the regular season with the same number
of points, the playoff spot went to the team with the most overall wins. This
year, shootout wins have been eliminated from the equation; they no longer
count in the playoff tiebreaker.
It matters to four of the seven Canadian-based teams, all hovering at the
edge of playoff contention – the Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and
Winnipeg Jets in the East, and the Calgary Flames in the West. Going into
Sunday games, Ottawa, Toronto and Winnipeg were seventh, eighth and
10th, respectively, in the conference standings. The team between, the
Washington Capitals, led them all in regulation and overtime wins with 28.
Toronto was next with 26, Ottawa had 25 and Winnipeg 24.
In the West, the news is better for the Flames, who found themselves
holding down a playoff spot in the Western Conference for the first time in
11 months. Technically, they were tied in points with the Los Angeles Kings,
but the Flames hold the first tiebreaker – most ROWs, 25, compared to 23
for the Kings – so if the playoffs started today, Calgary would be in and L.A.
would be out.
There wasn’t a lot of celebrating this important breakthrough in the Calgary
dressing room because there are almost two months to go in the season,
but for a team that has spent the entire year chasing a playoff spot from
behind, it mattered a little.
Team captain Jarome Iginla had the right perspective – happy enough that
they were in the thick of the hunt, aware that last year’s second-half surge
got them all the way to fifth place at one point, only to fade in the final three
weeks and miss out on playoffs altogether.
But it’s important for fans to understand the distinction. For complete
candour, it’s hard to fly with the team a reporter covers. As for beer,
reporters are entitled to share in food and drink aboard team charters, but
abuse of the privilege is, according to our sources, rare to non-existent.
Especially with police on alert for drunk-driving incidents.
On the weekend, the Flames eked out a 1-0 win over the Kings in L.A, a
team that cannot buy a goal right now. The Kings have been shut out in
consecutive games, have sunk deeper into 30th place in overall scoring,
and are hearing that Rick Nash siren song growing louder and louder.
Dan Like Dinner
Against Calgary, the Kings were foiled by goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff, who
is on an exceptional roll for the Flames.
TSN Radio 1050 has bowed to reality and shunted The Dan Patrick Show
from its 9 a.m. to noon slot into the netherlands of nighttime. Patrick has an
excellent show, but when the U.S. sports wheel turns to college hoops and
NBA at this time of the year, TSN could broadcast Hinterland Who’s Who
and get better ratings.
“What can I say? We love our goaltender,” said Mike Cammalleri, the
former King playing centre for Calgary at the moment because the Flames
have five regular forwards (Curtis Glencross, David Moss, Lee Stempniak,
Blair Jones and Mikael Backlund) on the injury list.
Patrick simply doesn’t talk enough hockey to satisfy Leaf Nation’s mania for
all things Carl Gunnarson. And so the decision to plug the time slot for now
with someone who knows Dion Phaneuf from Dionne Warwick. The fact
that TSN has assigned journeyman Scott MacArthur to the slot says it
hasn’t made any firm decision on the future of the time slot. Or else it takes
a very liberal interpretation of its slogan “The Hockey Experts.”
Which leads us to wonder about the Fan’s new afternoon duo of Tim
(Micallef) and Sid (Seixeiro), who are doing their own version of Wayne’s
World from 1-4 p.m. on the station. (Call us crazy but it has its charms.) The
former Score TV duo skew younger than any other hosts on the station. If
so, the Fan should put them in a higher-profile slot to exploit their appeal to
a new cohort of listeners. Plus, the ad revenues of the early afternoon shift
hardly justify keeping two well-compensated hosts in that slot.
As McCown is not going anywhere soon, that leaves the morning drive slot,
the other big-revenue slot on the schedule. Greg Brady and Jim Lang are
doing fine with the Fan’s traditional constituency but Richards is grabbing
the youth vote. If the Fan wants to fight Richards for the younger listeners,
Sid ’n Tim might be the answer.
613961
NHL
Kiprusoff anchors Flames’ ROWing team
Calgary rode Kiprusoff’s goaltending to the Stanley Cup final in 2004, a
year in which he was honoured with the Vézina Trophy. According to Iginla,
Kiprusoff is in the midst of an even better all-round season this year, and it
would be hard to find anyone on the L.A. side prepared to offer a rebuttal.
Goaltenders can be scary difference makers in the playoffs, which is one
reason that a lot of opposing teams would just as soon see Calgary on the
sidelines when the postseason begins. Kiprusoff is a wild card who can tilt
the playing field in any best-of-seven series.
“He’s played as good as I’ve seen him play, and that’s counting the Vézina
year,” Iginla said Saturday night. “All year he’s been outstanding, and he’s
enjoying it, too. He likes this, climbing back up in the playoff race. He’s into
it, too. You can see, each game is tight and he doesn’t mind that. He loves
to compete.”
Iginla tends to avoid hyperbole, just one of the things that makes him a
good captain. But he can do the math and he knew how important
Saturday’s victory was.
“If you don’t win,” Iginla said, “you’re looking at the standings and you’re
four out and so it’s like, you get close, and then you get knocked back. So it
feels good to get to the start of where we want to be.
“But it also feels like we’re going in the right direction. It feels like we’re
getting better as a team, and more confident. Last year, we got into this
position, but we weren’t able to beat the teams with above .500 records.
This year, we’ve been able to do that and we want to keep that going.
“Our goal is to make the playoffs and then build on that.”
LOS ANGELES— From Monday's Globe and Mail
And maybe they can, too, just so long as they keep those ROWs coming.
There is a new, underpublicized statistic in the NHL this season and it can
be found in the expanded standings page on the league’s website, listed
just after points. Its acronym is ROW – regulation and overtime wins – and
it represents the playoff tiebreaker adopted for this season after general
managers recommended the change last March.
613962
Ottawa Senators
NHLers take notice of underrated Sens
By Bruce Garrioch ,Ottawa Sun
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Sergei Gonchar is a veteran, he can ignore the noise.
UNIONDALE, N.Y. — Even the Senators’ opponents are surprised they’re
in the hunt for a playoff spot.
With the NHL trade deadline next Monday at 3 p.m. and speculation starting
to ramp up, Gonchar told the Sun he hasn’t been approached by anybody
in the Ottawa organization about waiving his no-movement clause.
In a poll conducted for Hockey Night in Canada with the NHL Players
Association, the Senators were tied with the Panthers as the third-most
underrated team with 11% of the vote. Both were behind the No. 1-ranked
Blues (28%) and No. 2 Predators (21%).
Making $5.5 million in the second season of a three-year, $16.5-million
deal, the 37-year-old Gonchar has no desire to play anywhere else.
“What they were forecasting in the beginning of the season, nobody had us
in a playoff spot, especially at this time of the year,” said captain Daniel
Alfredsson. “Ourselves, we just played it like, let’s go in as an underdog and
see what we can do. We’ve done a good job pushing ourselves. We haven’t
been satisfied by winning and we haven’t been accepting losing. We’ve just
been coming to work every day and the coaching staff has been a leading
force behind that.”
“If you look at the way we played last year, to the way we’re playing this
year, we’ve made a huge step forward. We’re making progress pretty much
every game and I like the direction that we’re going. This team is going the
right way.”
A GOOD BREAK
Relaxed and ready. After a four-day break in the schedule, the Senators go
back to work Monday afternoon against the New York Islanders at the
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum and Ottawa players hope they can
pick up where they left off.
With the battle for playoff spots heating up in the East, the Senators were
fortunate they didn’t fall back from their No. 6 ranking while they spent the
weekend watching everybody around them play.
So, after coming out of a seven-game losing skid, why are the Senators
suddenly firing on all cylinders?
“We’ve rediscovered our identity of what we had before the all-star break: A
hard-working team that can play 60 or 65 minutes and 200 feet,” said coach
Paul MacLean. “We learned that if we’re going to have success that’s the
way we’re going to have to play and we need everybody doing it on a
consistent basis.”
FOOT IN MOUTH
Senators prospect Andre Petersson has gotten himself in hot water in
Binghamton. Presented with the player-of-the-month award Saturday,
Petersson was booed by the faithful at the Broome County Veterans
Memorial Arena after comments he made to Swedish newspaper
Sportbladet were translated and reprinted.
Apparently, Petersson can’t stand the place.
“Just Google Binghamton. Have you been there? Don’t go there,” he was
quoted as saying.
The 21-year-old was forced to issue a mea culpa after a 6-2 victory over
Portland. One section chanted: “Go home!” “I’d like to say I’m really, really
sorry,” Petersson told the Binghamton Press and Sun Bulletin. “I said some
really stupid stuff, but I really, really regret it. It probably wasn’t exactly the
words I used, either, twisted in some weird way. I really like the crowd here.
I like the team we have, and all the guys. It’s fun playing here.”
TOUGH ONE
C Zenon Konopka, who will be a scratch for the third straight game, said it’s
not easy sitting, especially against his old team on Long Island.
“It’s really tough,” he said. “You see a lot of people and everybody asks the
same question, ‘Why aren’t you playing?’ We’re professionals, so we deal
with it, but I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you it doesn’t suck not playing.”
Konopka said he is confident he’ll get back in.
“I’ve been in the league for a long time. It’s been mentioned more than
once,” he said with a smile before the club’s flight here Sunday.
Senators GM Bryan Murray will spend time fielding calls and there’s a lot of
teams looking for blue-line help.
The market is set: A second-round pick and a mid-round pick (fourth or fifth)
for a pending unrestricted free-agent defenceman.
The Hawks, Wings and Bruins are all looking to add depth on the back end
heading into the playoffs. So are the Blues, but they don’t have any money
to spend.
Since Gonchar has one year left on his deal, the Senators would probably
demand a younger, cheaper defenceman in return.
Erik Karlsson, who’s set to become a restricted free agent this summer, will
be in the $5.5-million range on his new contract — or the same as Gonchar
is making.
The Senators have major concerns about changing their chemistry by
making moves.
Not only was Gonchar brought in to help the club win, he’s here because
the Senators want him to mentor Karlsson.
“We have good chemistry and it seems like all the guys are getting along
very well,” said Gonchar. “It’s not my decision, but I would say, ‘Yes’ (he’d
like to stay).”
Gonchar, who has two goals and 27 assists in 53 games this season, hasn’t
scored since Nov. 12 — a 36-game drought going into Monday’s holiday
matinee against the New York Islanders.
“(But) he’s been a pretty consistent player,” said coach Paul MacLean.
“We’d like to see him have more than (two) goals, but I’ve thought he really
does a good job in our end of settling us down and making good exits.
“Our power play, when it’s good, it’s because he’s good. For the most part,
he’s been consistent. He’s provided leadership and veteran play in the back
end, which is important for the success that we’ve had.”
Gonchar said the way the Senators have played this season reminds him of
the Washington Capitals club he played with in 1997. Expectations were
low heading into the season, yet they went all the way to the Stanley Cup
final.
“Nobody really counted on us to do anything. We lost to Detroit (in the final)
but we did well,” said Gonchar. “When we into this season, nobody really
counted on us. They didn’t think we were going to make the playoffs.
“We were picked No. 15 in the league. Everybody felt this was going to be
one of those years and next year would be the year we’d play better. We’ve
surprised everybody and we’ve got a real good chance to make the
playoffs.”
“We’ve got to figure out what kind of pieces we have. It’s something where I
will be ready when I’m called on,” said Konopka.
Gonchar would like to be part of it.
There won’t be any changes, which means D Matt Carkner also sits.
Ottawa Sun LOADED: 02.20.2012
613964
613963
Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
Game Day: Sens vs. Isles
Gonchar makes case to stay with Sens
Ottawa Senators (30-22-8) at N.Y. Islanders (25-25-8). Monday, 1 p.m.,
Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
TV: Sportsnet. Radio: Team 1200
SPECIAL TEAMS
OTT: PP No. 12, 17.8%; PK No. 19, 81.6%
NYI: PP No. 6, 19.5%; PK No. 9, 83.8%
PAST FIVE GAMES
ISLES
NYI 4, CAR 3
STL 5, NYI 1
NYI 3, WPG 1
FLA 4, NYI 1
Jared Cowen-Brian Lee
Goalies
Craig Anderson
Alex Auld
PLUS
The Senators are 8-0 in 2012 when C Jason Spezza scores — and he's
been finding the net and setting up his teammates a lot lately. Spezza is on
a five-game scoring streak in which he has five goals and eight assists ...
Senators C Jim O’Brien (2007) became the 184th player to score a goal for
the Senators when he had his first NHL tally Wednesday in a 6-2 win at
Florida. Assisted by Nick Foligno (2006) and Brian Lee (2005), it was the
first time in team history three former first rounders contributed to the same
goal ... Ottawa is 15-11-5 on the road.
MINUS
EDM 4, OTT 3 (OT)
G Craig Anderson's numbers are a little shocking vs. the Isles — a 2-4-0
lifetime record with a 3.47 GAA and .901 save-percentage ... The Senators
dropped a 2-1 OT decision to the Isles on Feb. 3 at Scotiabank Place. D
Mark Eaton scored the winner — his first goal in more than two years ...
Senators C Kyle Turris hasn’t scored a goal since Jan. 31 vs. the Bruins ...
The Isles are coming off a 4-3 victory over Carolina Saturday that moved
them within six points of eighth-place Toronto ... C John Tavares, who had
gone eight games without a goal, scored twice against the Canes. Those
were his first goals since Jan. 31.
OTT 4, NSH 3
INJURIES
STL 3, OTT 1
SENS
SIZING UP THE SIDES
C Peter Regin (shoulder)
NYI 2, LA 1 (OT)
SENS
OTT 6, FLA 2
OTT 4, TBL 0
Forwards: OTT. Getting contributions from all four lines
C Jesse Winchester (concussion)
Defence: OTT. Play has improved dramatically in past three games
ISLES
Goaltending: OTT. Anderson coming off great visit to Florida
G Rick DiPietro (hernia)
Power play: OTT. This area is coming to life for Senators
D Travis Hamonic (nose)
Penalty killing: OTT. Senators have six short-handed goals this season
D Mike Mottau (concussion)
Coaching: OTT. MacLean pushing right buttons to return team to form
D Dylan Reese (knee)
Overall: OTT. Senators can’t afford to start giving away points now
ONLINE EXTRA
ISLES LINES
Michael Grabner-Frans Nielsen-Kyle Okposo
With G Evgeni Nabokov out with the flu, G Kevin Poulin was in net for Isles
and made 33 saves in the victory over the Canes. Poulin was recalled from
the club’s AHL affiliate in Bridgeport ... The Isles haven’t been to the
playoffs since 2007.
Matt Martin-Josh Bailey-Brian Rolston
Matt Moulson-John Tavares-P.A. Parenteau
Jay Pandolfo-Marty Reasoner-Nino Niederreiter
Defence
613965
Philadelphia Flyers
Andrew MacDonald-Milan Jurcina
Mark Streit-Ty Wishart
Pronger may seek out Primeau
Mark Eaton-Aaron Ness
Goalies
Staff
Evgeni Nabokov
Al Montoya
SENATORS LINES
Milan Michalek-Jason Spezza-Bobby Butler
Colin Greening-Kyle Turris-Daniel Alfredsson
Kaspars Daugavins-Zack Smith-Erik Condra
Nick Foligno-Jim O’Brien-Chris Neil
Defence
Filip Kuba-Erik Karlsson
Chris Phillips-Sergei Gonchar
Chris Pronger is on the verge of reaching out to former Flyer Keith Primeau
to help him get through the most difficult period of his career _ and perhaps
his life.
Pronger, the Flyers star defenseman whose Hall-of-Fame career may be
over, has been sidelined by a concussion and has not played since
November.
Keith Primeau’s career was shortened because of a concussion.
“That has been brought up lately; there are a lot of parallels between the
two,” Lauren Pronger, Chris’ wife, said during the Flyers Wives Carnival
Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center. “I think Chris is now starting to realize
maybe he should be in communication with him to know what’s ahead of
him. I think the more information you get, the better off you are. You kind of
know what to expect and what you’re going to be going through. Obviously,
there will be differences, but if you have somebody that’s been through it,” it
will help.
for Sean Couturier, Brayden Schenn and either Sergei Bobrovsky or James
van Riemsdyk, in addition to draft picks.
Lauren Pronger said her husband has “good and bad days. Unfortunately, I
can’t report any major improvement. It’s very disheartening….He’s not
himself, and it’s not in a good way.”
That price would be too much to stomach, as it would gut the Flyers' biggest
asset - their offensive depth. And that's just the impact on this season, let
alone the future.
She said she sees “a lot of difference in Chris” since he was injured. “We’re
just hoping to have a couple good days in a row and see him back to his
normal self again. I know he wants that, too. It’s very frightening for him as
well.”
As such, it appears that Howson is taking his bat and ball elsewhere; he
was spotted meeting with Toronto general manager Brian Burke in a New
York City hotel yesterday morning. The Rangers are still interested and the
Los Angeles Kings, who haven't scored in two straight games, are getting
more desperate by the day.
She called his recovery “disheartening.”
As for the carnival, Lauren Pronger served as co-chairman. Prior to
Sunday, the event had raised $23 million since its inception 35 years ago.
“To see the support in the city and see how much we raise and give back to
all these charities, it is very special,” she said.
During the event, a young boy asked Lauren for her autograph.
“Really! You want MY autograph?!,” she said.
She complied.
Later, she said it was awkward.
“I guess I’m second-best to Chris,” she said with a smile.
Philadelphia Inquirer / Daily News LOADED: 02.20.2012
613966
Philadelphia Flyers
Perhaps the best move, though, would be adding another goaltender to the
mix - but Holmgren contends the "thought hasn't entered my mind."
CBC's Elliotte Friedman first said in December that the Flyers might be
interested in adding a third goaltender to shore up their tumultuous net.
Another report over the weekend said they might be kicking the tires on the
Islanders' soon-to-be free agent Evgeni Nabokov, who just shut out the
Flyers 2 weeks back. Holmgren's pal, Garth Snow, is on the record saying
that New York has no interest in moving Nabokov.
Yesterday, Holmgren admitted that the recent trades were a "recognition" of
the overall poor play in net and in front of it.
"I don't think either of our goalies are very happy with their games of late,
either," Holmgren said. "It's a recognition of that. They are both part of the
team. Players from time to time go through tough stretches. Maybe they're
both struggling a little bit right now. But I believe they both work hard and
are committed."
Flyers forced to get defensive
After Saturday's scary quote, in which Bryzgalov said he will "try to find
peace in my soul to play in this city," it's fair to wonder whether he really is
committed to playing in Philadelphia - regardless of his signature on that
large contract.
Frank Seravalli ,
It's also fair to wonder whether the Flyers would look to add to the circus the one that Flyers chairman Ed Snider said "never again" to happening.
The two defensemen have combined to block 203 shots this season, which
is almost as many as Braydon Coburn, Andrej Meszaros and Marc-Andre
Bourdon have stopped from getting to the net.
Hey, if your $51 million goaltender can't stop a puck, I guess you better limit
how many he sees on a nightly basis.
"With the addition of Nicklas and Pavel, we've certainly replaced some of
the size and maybe some of the nastiness that Chris [Pronger] brought to
our team," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren said yesterday at the
35th annual Flyers' Wives Carnival. "They're both experienced and big
bodies and they both can do good things for our hockey team."
Few would question Holmgren's intentions.
"No," Holmgren said when asked. "I like our goalies. I believe they are
going to play better."
And that's why the Rangers and Bruins will sleep soundly tonight.
QUOTABLE
"It's awkward me being here and not having him here. It's been
disappointing. We all wish he was here and on the ice, which is what he
enjoys the most. But today just wasn't one of those days. It's been tough, to
say the least. We're all trying to find our way right now, to support Chris in
any way that we can. But we're battling."
- Lauren Pronger, the wife of Flyers captain Chris Pronger, to Comcast
SportsNet on her husband's status and his absence from yesterday's Flyers
Wives Fight for Lives Carnival at the Wells Fargo Center. The Carnival,
celebrating its 35th anniversary, sought to raise more than $1 million to
benefit 40-plus area charitable causes.
Truth be told, it's hard to sit here and write that this Flyers team is not better
with the additions of Kubina and Grossman. Kubina, 34, is known as a shutdown defender. He won a Stanley Cup with the Lightning in 2004.
Grossman, 27, is a rugged Swede whose face more resembles Shrek than
it does Brad Pitt, which is not an insult but a testament to tough-but-smart
game he plays.
ON-ICE
But does adding either of these players really make the Rangers or Bruins
lose sleep at night?
4-9-1: The Flyers' record in games this season that start before 7 o'clock,
after Saturday's 6-4 loss to the Penguins. That's more than half of their total
losses in regulation (19) this season.
That's the big question.
Sure, a little snarl on the blue line can't hurt a team that hasn't had trouble
scoring - No. 1 in the NHL in goals - but has had a tougher time keeping
them out of their own net.
Since Dec. 17, when the Flyers were pounded by Boston, 6-0, at home,
they have scored 3.07 goals per game and given up 3.26. Their record is
12-12-4. And most importantly, they are 1-7-1 against the Rangers, Bruins,
Red Wings and Penguins.
STAT WATCH
117: Career two-goal games for Jaromir Jagr, after scoring twice against
Pittsburgh on Saturday. He now has just three goals since the calendar
turned to 2012.
147: Combined games played for Brayden Schenn, Matt Read and Sean
Couturier in their NHL careers.
203: Combined blocked shots by new guys Nicklas Grossman and Pavel
Kubina this season. With an additional eight on Saturday, Grossman set a
new career-high of 103.
Does that sound like a team that needs to add Columbus superstar Rick
Nash to the mix?
CAP SENSE
Those rumors appear to be dying by the minute. Columbus general
manager Scott Howson and senior adviser Craig Patrick were in
Philadelphia on Saturday for the second time in a week, to both scout and
chat with Holmgren face-to-face. The Blue Jackets are apparently asking
With the acquisition of Pavel Kubina (prorated $3.8 million), the demotion of
rookie defenseman Marc-Andre Bourdon ($875,000) and the addition of
injured winger Tom Sestito ($550,000) to the long-term injury list, it appears
that the Flyers have approximately $939,000 in additional salary acquisition
space before the Feb. 27 trade deadline.
The estimates, though, have varied based on the source. CapGeek.com
says the Flyers could afford a salary cap hit of $1.07 million. CSNPhilly.com
uses a league source who says the Flyers have $890,000 in space.
Either way, the Flyers are cap compliant. But it's still hard to figure how they
could afford to add a salary like Rick Nash's $7.8 million from Columbus.
And that's just for the remainder of the season.
TRADE TRACKER
Deadline: Feb. 27, 2012, at 3 p.m.
Since Feb. 1: Nine trades, 13 teams, seven NHL players, 10 minor
leaguers, 9 future draft picks.
PLAYERS' POLL
257 players were anonymously quizzed for an NHLPA / Hockey Night in
Canada poll. Here's a sampling of one of the questions:
Which goalie is the most difficult to score on? (For shooters only)
Henrik Lundqvist (N.Y. Rangers), 38%
Pekka Rinne (Nashville), 19%
Tim Thomas (Boston), 16%
Carey Price (Montreal), 5%
Mikka Kiprusoff (Calgary), 3%
Jimmy Howard (Detroit), 3%.
613967
Philadelphia Flyers
By shoring up the defense, Holmgren hopes to cover some of the
deficiencies shown by goalies Ilya Bryzgalov and Sergei Bobrovsky. Flyers
goalies have a 2.97 goals-against average, which was 25th in the 30-team
NHL entering Sunday.
Holmgren said that he has no plans to recall Michael Leighton from the
Phantoms, and that he has had no thoughts about adding a veteran goalie
in a trade.
"I like our goalies. I believe they are going to play better," he said. "They're
not happy with their performances, either. It's not like they're not trying.
They're both good guys and work hard in practice and realize they have to
play better."
Bryzgalov is playing in a "different atmosphere" and a city where there are
"different pressures on goalies," Holmgren said, aware that the 31-year-old
goalie was not in a hockey market in Phoenix.
Bryzgalov had played well recently, allowing just eight goals over five
games before a dismal performance in a 6-4 loss Saturday to Pittsburgh.
He surrendered three goals on 13 shots and was replaced by Bobrovsky,
who was just as ineffective (three goals on 17 shots).
Breakaways. A source said Sunday that "nothing was going on" in the
Flyers' pursuit of Columbus winger Rick Nash and that acquiring him would
be a long shot. . . . Kubina will join the team at practice Monday in
Voorhees. The Flyers start a four-game trip Tuesday in Winnipeg. . . . The
Flyers are 26th in the league in face-offs, winning 48.4 percent of their
draws. . . . At the Flyers Wives Carnival, Jagr was the first player to sell out
at the photo booth. . . . Winger Tom Sestito, who will have groin surgery
Tuesday, was placed on the long-term injured-reserve list.
613968
Philadelphia Flyers
Kubina gives Flyers a needed enforcer
Pronger may turn to Primeau for recovery guidance
By Sam Carchidi
By Sam Carchidi
Newly acquired defenseman Pavel Kubina gives the Flyers some beef - he
stands 6-foot-4 and weighs 258 pounds - and brings the team something
that has been missing since Chris Pronger was sidelined in November with
a concussion: nastiness.
Chris Pronger is on the verge of reaching out to former Flyer Keith Primeau
to help him get through the most difficult period of his career - and perhaps
his life.
"He's a big dude. He's playing dirty," Flyers winger Jaromir Jagr said during
a break in the Flyers Wives Carnival on Sunday at the crowded Wells Fargo
Center. "I think that's what we're missing a little bit."
Jagr said he and Kubina are "good friends, and he was killing me in front of
the net. I didn't like to play against him at all."
"He's something we don't have - a righthanded shot," general manager Paul
Holmgren said. "He's a big body who can help out on our power play and
penalty killing. He's an all-situational defenseman, an experienced guy who
has won a Stanley Cup" with Tampa Bay.
The Flyers' last righthanded defenseman of consequence was Eric
Desjardins. Steve Eminger was a righthander who played just 12 games
with the Flyers in 2008.
Kubina, 34, was acquired Saturday in a deal that sent second- and fourthround picks to Tampa Bay, along with minor-league forward Jon Kalinski.
Pronger, the Flyers' star defenseman, whose Hall-of-Fame career may be
over, has been sidelined by a concussion and has not played since
November.
Primeau's career was shortened because of a concussion.
"That has been brought up lately; there are a lot of parallels between the
two," Lauren Pronger, Chris' wife, said during the Flyers Wives Carnival on
Sunday at the Wells Fargo Center.
"I think Chris is now starting to realize maybe he should be in
communication with him to know what's ahead of him. The more information
you get, the better off you are. You kind of know what to expect and what
you're going to be going through.
"Obviously, there will be differences, but if you have somebody that's been
through it," it will help.
Primeau could not be reached for comment.
The addition of Kubina and 6-4, 230-pound Nick Grossman, a 27-year-old
defenseman who was acquired Thursday from Dallas, gives the Flyers
some imposing size on the back line.
Lauren Pronger said her husband has "good and bad days. Unfortunately, I
can't report any major improvement. It's very disheartening. . . . He's not
himself, and it's not in a good way."
They replace rookies Erik Gustaffson (5-10, 180) and Marc-Andre Bourdon
(6-0, 206), who were sent to the Phantoms in the AHL.
She said she sees "a lot of difference in Chris" since he was injured. "We're
just hoping to have a couple of good days in a row and see him back to his
normal self again. I know he wants that, too. It's very frightening for him as
well."
Grossman, who had eight hits and was plus-1 in his Flyers debut against
Pittsburgh on Saturday, and Kubina can become unrestricted free agents
after the season, but Holmgren hopes they turn out to be more than rental
players.
"We would certainly talk about extending their contracts, but I can't go to
those players until they've been here for a while and know the city and the
team and whether they even like it," the general manager said. "That's
probably somewhere in the future as a conversation."
Lauren Pronger called her husband's recovery "disheartening" and said he
wants to be on the ice "more than anyone. This is what he loves. This is his
passion."
The Prongers live in Haddonfield with their three children.
Chris Pronger, 37, "rests a lot because he needs that brain to heal," his wife
said. "He does as much as he can, but he's pretty much homebound."
By Wayne Fish
As for the well-attended carnival, Lauren Pronger served as cochairman
with Nadine Coburn, wife of Flyers defenseman Braydon Coburn. Before
Sunday, the event had raised $23 million since its inception 35 years ago.
Some say it might take two players to fill Chris Pronger’s skates and the
Flyers are about to find out shortly.
"To see the support in the city and see how much we raise and give back to
all these charities, it is very special," Lauren Pronger, 34, said.
Their latest acquisition, Pavel Kubina, joins Nicklas Grossman on a
Philadelphia roster trying to piece together a veteran backline for the
playoffs.
During the event, a young boy asked for her autograph.
"Really! You want my autograph?!" she said.
She complied.
Later, she said it was awkward.
"I guess I'm second-best to Chris," she said with a smile.
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Philadelphia Flyers
Veteran defenseman Kubina acquired for two picks
By Wayne Fish
The rebuilding of the Flyers’ defense appeared to be completed Saturday
night when the team acquired veteran Pavel Kubina from the Tampa Bay
Lightning for second- and fourth-round draft picks.
Just two days after picking up defenseman Nicklas Grossman from Dallas,
the Flyers completed a deal with the Lightning for the 34-year-old Kubina.
The Flyers had been getting by with rookies Erik Gustafsson and MarcAndre Bourdon. But it became clear to the team that more experience was
needed on the back line for the playoffs, especially with captain Chris
Pronger presumably out for the remainder of the season with postconcussion symptoms.
The second-round pick going to Tampa is a conditional pick that the Flyers
acquired from the Florida Panthers in the Kris Versteeg deal.
According to league sources, the Panthers have the right to make this
either a 2012 or 2013 pick prior to the beginning of the second-round of this
year’s draft.
Kubina, 6-foot-4, 258 pounds, is known as a steady two-way defenseman
who has a hard, accurate shot. He spent parts of eight seasons in two tours
with Tampa and also played one year with Atlanta and three with Toronto.
Kubina was the 179th overall pick in the 1996 draft (by Tampa). The native
of Celadna, Czechoslovakia played in the 2004 NHL All-Star Game and
later that season won the Stanley Cup with the Lightning.
The Lightning got past the Flyers in seven games in the Eastern
Conference finals that year.
He can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Currently, he is making approximately $3.8 million annually against the
salary cap.
There had been speculation that Kubina would only waive his no-trade
clause for a handful of teams.
Tampa general manager Steve Yzerman asked Kubina to compile a list of
five teams he would be willing to go to and the Flyers apparently were one
of them.
On Sunday, general manager Paul Holmgren looked back on the trades
with Tampa and Dallas, respectively, and acknowledged these were moves
that had to be made.
“It’s hard to replace Chris Pronger,’’ Holmgren said. “With the addition of
Nicklas and Pavel, we’ve certainly replaced some of the size and some of
maybe the nastiness that Chris had brought to our team. They’re both
experienced and big bodies and they both can do good things for our
hockey team.’’
No disrespect to veteran Andreas Lilja or rookies Erik Gustafsson and
Marc-Andre Bourdon, but with the Flyers’ goaltending situation so unsettled,
the team needs all the help it can get in front of the net.
And it doesn’t sound like Holmgren has any plans to make any changes
with his goaltending in the near future. He’s stuck with Ilya Bryzgalov’s big
contract and the difference between second-year man Sergei Bobrovsky
and career journeyman Michael Leighton (currently at Adirondack) is
probably a toss-up.
“I don’t think either of our goalies are very happy with their games of late,’’
Holmgren said. “It’s a recognition of that. They are both part of the team.
Players from time to time go through tough stretches.
“When you’re the goalie, it’s the last thing anyone remembers. I still think
we have two good goalies. Maybe they’re both struggling a little bit right
now. But I believe they both work hard and are committed.’’
Having Grossman and Kubina, along with Kimmo Timonen, Braydon
Coburn, Matt Carle and Andrej Meszaros in front of the goaltenders should
help.
Holmgren agreed that Bryzgalov might be struggling at times because of his
new environment — bigger market, more media, etc. He didn’t have to add
that a nine-year, $51 million contract brings its own pressure.
“When he went to Phoenix (from Anaheim), he was the main goalie ...
situations are different,’’ Holmgren said. “Coming here it’s a different team,
different atmosphere, different pressures on goalies, for lack of a better
word.
“I think there’s times where he’s played good. But I think there’s times
where he hasn’t played as well as we would have liked him to. I think Ilya is
aware of that. Both Sergei and Ilya are aware that we need them both to be
better.’’
Kubina is probably the Flyers’ highest-caliber right-handed shooting
defenseman since the retired Eric Desjardins.
“He’s something we don’t have,’’ Holmgren said. “He’s a right-handed shot.
He’s a big body who can help out on our power play and penalty killing.
He’s an all-situational defenseman, an experienced guy who has won a
Stanley Cup (with Tampa in ‘04).
“Over the last three days here we’ve added a couple bigger bodies there
who can help us in our own end in different areas of the game.’’
As the Feb. 27 trade deadline approaches, the Flyers’ focus now might turn
to adding a veteran with defensive prowess, leadership skills and some
energy. The Flyers have been giving up an alarming number of goals and
haven’t won back-to-back games since early January in part because of
that.
During his career, Kubina has represented the Czech Republic in the World
Championships and the Winter Olympics.
Would Holmgren go after that sort of player?
Burlington County Times LOADED: 02.20.2012
“Whether we can do something else to add that type of player, I don’t
know,’’ Holmgren said. “Max Talbot might be that player. He’s a defensiveminded guy who has played in a role like that and won a championship.
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Philadelphia Flyers
Holmgren makes case for the defense
“Sean Couturier is really advanced for a 19-year-old and plays that
defensive style. I don’t think that is what he is going to be as he matures.
But he’s going to be a pretty solid two-way guy. We’re kicking around some
ideas. But I don’t know if there is anything imminent here or on the horizon.’’
Holmgren said the Flyers are compliant with the salary cap. He added that
he wouldn’t enter into negotiations for contract extensions for either Kubina
or Grossman until they have played awhile and adjusted to the team and
the city.
Burlington County Times LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers' concussed captain facing long-term longshot recovery
the request of former GM Bob Clarke, Primeau has informally consulted
with area athletes on the effects of concussions since his retirement in
Sept. 2006.
"At first I was resistant," Primeau said. "I thought, 'I have a concussion, they
have a concussion, what are you going to share?’ But as I did it, I found
comfort in the conversations. ... You share experiences. They know my
situation. Although it doesn't heal you, it certainly is comforting."
Should Pronger reach out to him, Primeau said, he'd try to do the same for
Chris that others did for him -- talk about what needs to be talked about.
"I know some of what he's going through," Primeau said. "It's a long
process."
By ROB PARENT
PHILADELPHIA -- Chris Pronger was conspicuously absent Sunday as his
teammates did everything from sign autographs to flop feet-first into a dunk
tank.
So while their lives are a lesson in faith and patience, Lauren has busied
herself with months of preparations for this Flyers charitable event that she
knew about long before the Prongers arrived in the Philadelphia area.
It was the 35th Flyers Wives Fight For Lives Carnival, the third consecutive
one to be co-chaired by Lauren Pronger, who admitted she's had a lot on
her plate of late at home.
"It's very overwhelming," Lauren said. "I'd heard about it; it was a legendary
event. So when you first come here it kind of blows you away. By the
second year I was getting the hang of it, and now I feel like I'm an old hat at
this. It's a very special event, to see the support from the city and then at
the end of the day to see the numbers. To see how much we can raise to
give back to all these charities -- it really is very special."
"We have lots of help right now because we need it," said Lauren, a mother
of three and a loving wife still very worried about her husband's health.
"We're dealing with a lot right now."
She would have liked to have spent this day the way she had the previous
two -- helping to coordinate with Chris by her side. For now all they can do
is wait, and hope.
Now 37 and about four months removed from when he played his last
game, Chris Pronger is far from certain about his hockey playing future.
Though officially listed as being out for the season, and while no one has
been promoted to take his captaincy title for the Flyers, Pronger is nowhere
near even thinking about making a return for the playoffs.
Delaware County Times LOADED: 02.20.2012
Nor, his wife says, does it do him any good to speculate on his career
beyond the present.
Flyers Notebook: On the Sunday, Trader Paul rested
"He has good days and bad days," Lauren says as she talks about Chris'
post-concussion symptoms that has changed their lives. "Unfortunately, I
can't report any major improvement. I certainly wish I could. It's very
disheartening.
By ROB PARENT
"I see a lot of differences in Chris. So, (we’re) hoping to have a couple of
good days in a row and see him back to his normal self again. I know he
wants that, too. It's very frightening for him."
Chris spends mostly every day at home in Haddonfield, she says. He tries
to rest, tries to simply feel better. It isn't slow in coming, it’s simply
inconsistent. It comes, it goes.
"A lot of times he has to take naps," she says. "He needs the brain to heal.
So he does as much as he can. He's pretty much held back. He doesn't
leave the house very much at all. ... It's a shame. I know he misses the
camaraderie."
The headaches, the fatigue, the “foggy” feeling, it's not very different, just
that much deeper. She indicates he’s had concussions before, "but not this
level.
"He's not himself; that's what I would say," she said. "And it's not in a good
way. ... It's very very frightening for Chris. He's been able to battle through
so much and to come out of it, but this is different. This is really tough on
Chris because he wants to be out there more than anyone. This is what he
loves. This is his passion, and it's tough."
She is asked if she believes he'll get to the point of being able to resume his
career, and though she is prepared for the question she won't entertain it.
"That is not a fair question to ask -- I just want him to get better," Lauren
said. "We're taking it day to day. We'll see what happens. He still has a long
life ahead of him to live. He has three kids and a wife and everything. Right
now we're just hoping for his health to come back. That's the priority and
our main objective right now."
Lauren talked Sunday about how Chris may consult former Flyers captain
Keith Primeau, who has been dealing with post-concussion symptoms since
his retirement, saying, "There are a lot of parallels between the two. So I
think Chris now is starting to realize maybe he should be in communication
with him. I think the more insight you get the better off you are."
Primeau, a chain restaurant owner who spends his time dealing with
management work for the Las Vegans Wranglers of the ECHL and helps to
coach hockey at Bishop Eustace Prep, still lives in Voorhees Twp., N.J. At
613972
Philadelphia Flyers
PHILADELPHIA -- You might think the Flyers added their second tall and
hefty defensive acquisition of the week when they finally completed a deal
with Tampa Bay for the rental services of Pavel Kubina late Saturday night.
You might not know that the Kubina acquisition might have been introduced
as "...and now for something completely different."
"He's something we don’t have," Flyers general manager Paul Holmgren
said of the 6-foot-4, 258-pound veteran. "He’s a right-handed shot. He’s a
big body who can help out on our power play and penalty killing. He’s an
all-situational defenseman; an experienced guy who has won a Stanley
Cup."
Kubina did that in 2004 while in his first stint with the Lightning. Helped
them roll over a veteran bunch of Flyers then in the Eastern Conference
championship round. Made a big impression. What can he do some eight
years later?
For starters, he joins the 6-4, 230-pound Nick Grossman in one mission:
Making up for the loss of concussed captain Chris Pronger. Or, at least
trying to do so.
Grossman, 27, was acquired Thursday for a second-round draft pick in
2012 and third-rounder in 2013. Kubina 34, was officially secured late
Saturday night for minor leaguer Jon Kalinski, a conditional second-round
pick (this year or next), and a fourth-rounder in 2013.
Both are pending unrestricted free agents. Kubina, listed at a $3.85 million
salary this year, likely would not be re-signed, though the Flyers might be
looking at Grossman ($1.6) as a guy for the long haul.
“Over the last three days here we’ve added a couple bigger bodies there
who can help us in our own end in different areas of the game," Holmgren
said. "It’s hard to replace Chris Pronger. With the addition of Nicklas and
Pavel, we’ve certainly replaced some of the size and some of maybe the
nastiness that Chris had brought to our team. They’re both experienced and
big bodies and they both can do good thing for our hockey team."
Of course, neither of these guys are very experienced in net. But then,
maybe their presence alone could help the Flyers' struggling goaltenders at
least get close to consistent acts of competency.
"I don’t think either of our goalies are very happy with their games of late,"
Holmgren said. "Players from time to time go through tough stretches.
When you’re the goalie, it’s the last thing anyone remembers. I still think we
have two good goalies. Maybe they’re both struggling a little bit right now,
but I believe they both work hard and are committed.
"Both Sergei and Ilya are aware that we need them both to be better."
NOTES: As expected, Holmgren demoted defenseman Marc-Andre
Bourdon to the Phantoms. He also put Tom Sestito on the long-term injury
list, bringing the number of contracts down to the maximum of 50 and also
keeping below the salary cap. … Holmgren apparently didn't spend much
time Sunday talking trades like he had Saturday on the phone and in his
office with Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson
Saturday. Talks about Blue Jackets stud Rick Nash instead heated up with
Toronto Sunday. ... Holmgren all-but dismissed the idea of waiving or
dealing backup Sergei Bobrovsky and opting to bring up the Phantoms'
Michael Leighton. ... As for other trade ideas: "We’re kicking around some
ideas, but I don’t know if there is anything imminent here or on the horizon,"
Holmgren said.
613973
Philadelphia Flyers
That Flyers rookie defenseman already had five giveaways counted before
that, and the final stats guys cut him break and didn’t add the deserved
sixth.
Of course, we shouldn’t just get on the statisticians for making mistakes …
there were simply too many on this day to keep account of them all.
“I think it’s an easy life when you can blame one guy,” Bryzgalov said when
asked about the showers of boos that rained down after he allowed the
back-to-back shorthanded goals. “It’s easy to find a scapegoat, when you
can point to one guy and say, ‘We’re always losing when we have a bad
goalie.’ But I think that’s a wrong philosophy. I know I was frustrated in my
game today and I know I’ve got to be better. I will continue to work on this
…
“I will try to find peace in my soul to play in this city.”
Ah yes, the eternal search for sporting solitude in South Philly. Someone
might want to give Bryzgalov the phone numbers for Lance Parrish and
Chris Gratton so they can meet for a group therapy session.
Meanwhile, for immediate relief, Bryzgalov found consolation when he was
told of Giroux’s words of defense.
“I think that is the right philosophy,” Bryzgalov said. “It’s nice to hear that
from your teammates.”
Bryzgalov looks, feels 'strange,' Flyers lose to Penguins (With Video)
While Bryzgalov’s spectacular incompetency may have set the table for as
easy a comeback victory as the Penguins could imagine, it was mischiefmaker Matt Cooke who helped seal the steal for Pittsburgh.
By ROB PARENT
He began by jumping past Andrej Meszaros on a 2-on-1 break, and easily
beat Bryzgalov with a so-so shot 3:17 into the first. But Jagr turned the
game around with a pair of goals 18 seconds apart against his old team,
giving the Flyers a 2-1 lead after one period.
PHILADELPHIA — What’s worse, Flyers fans, watching Ilya Bryzgalov give
a blank stare from behind a goalie mask, or watching Ilya Bryzgalov give a
sad stare from a bench-side seat underneath his wool cap?
Despite moments of magic in the first period Saturday by one-time
Pittsburgh sports hero Jaromir Jagr, much of the rest of the afternoon at
Wells Fargo Center was spent with players and fans alike captured in eyesshut-wide wonder, all asking the same question …
How can the Flyers’ goaltending still be this bad?
Their starter — the Flyers’ $51 Million Bryz to Nowhere Project — gave up
three goals, including two on the same Flyers power play, and one of them
while his team had a two-man advantage. Amid an afternoon of too many
home team mistakes to count, Bryzgalov’s entertaining floor show led the
way to a 6-4 loss to the Penguins.
“Two shorthanded goals,” Jaromir Jagr said in wonder. “It changed the
momentum.”
With a season of head-shaking moments behind him, and despite a not-so
bad run of late, Bryzgalov simply outdid himself in the second period on this
day. He was so bad, he had the team’s best attack artist pulling back to
play post-game defense.
As if that’s going to help.
Then at 4:51 of the second period, Pittsburgh’s Pascal Dupuis took a
tripping penalty. Little did the Flyers realize what a shock this PECO power
play would be. First Jordan Staal forchecked the Flyers into a turnover, and
Bryzgalov barely moved as Staal’s shot went by. Then after Brooks Orpik
was whistled for a phantom hooking penalty to create a two-man Flyers
edge, Kimmo Timonen botched a cross-ice pass, and Cooke took it down
and beat Bryzgalov for a 3-2 Penguins lead.
“Strange game,” Bryzgalov said. “I can’t say exactly what was the reason;
so many things in my head, you know? … These two shorthanded goals
probably hurt the team and we couldn’t recover.”
On came backup Sergei Bobrovsky, who wasted little time proving why he’s
always going to be a backup.
The Flyers tied the game at 3-3 on a horrendous turnover in front by Deryk
Engelland, handing Eric Wellwood his first goal. But then Bobrovsky did
little to stop a shot by Dustin Jeffrey, who made it 4-3 37 seconds into the
third.
Timonen then had another turnover, and Dupuis capitalized with a goal. Not
to be outdone, Bourdon had the puck stolen from him by Chris Kunitz, and
that was turned into a goal by James Neal because Bobrovsky didn’t hug
the post.
“When we win you guys like to give the credit to the players and when we
lose you like to give credit to the goalies,” Claude Giroux said. “We’re
behind our two goalies. We have confidence in them. Bad goals are going
to happen. But they’re two good goalies. We know we have to be better in
front of them.”
Oh, how these Flyers goalies need a hug.
True, but the Flyers had shaken off some shaky early moments and had
everything going their way until Bryzgalov proved once again that you can’t
commit a mistake in front of him. What any and every NHL goaltender is
supposed to do is at least inspire confidence in his teammates.
When you’re a high-priced free agent goalie, you better do a whole lot more
than that. Bryzgalov can’t be inspiring any confidence when he plays this
way, not even from the agent who fleeced the Flyers into giving his client a
nine-year contract.
Flyers Fight For Lives: Lauren Pronger talks about husband Chris' status
(With Video)
Or perhaps that’s too harsh an assessment on a day in which the Flyers
had 15 giveaways to the Penguins’ 6. And that’s not counting Marc-Andre
Bourdon’s giveaway at the point in the third period that led to a late
Penguins goal.
By ROB PARENT and VINCE CAREY
“You win as a team, you lose as a team,” James van Riemsdyk said. “You
can’t ever pinpoint one guy (or two). Those guys are working hard back
there and we have to support them better.”
613974
Philadelphia Flyers
PHILADELPHIA -- Lauren Pronger, co-chair of the Flyers Wives Fight For
Lives and at the organization's annual Carnival fund-raiser, spent time
talking about husband Chris' situation and also what the Carnival is all
about.
Some snippets:
"Good and bad days," Lauren said when asked how Chris has been doing.
"Unfortunately, I can't report any major improvement. I certainly wish I
could. It's very disheartening.
"I see a lot of differences in Chris. So, just hoping to have a couple of good
days in a row and see him back to his normal self again. I know he wants
that, too. It's very frightening for him as well."
She talks about how Pronger may consult former captain Keith Primeau,
who has been dealing off and on post-concussion symptoms since his
retirement.
"There are a lot of parallels between the two. So I think Chris now is starting
to realize maybe he should be in communication with him. To know what's
ahead of him; I think the more insight you get the better off you are."
Mrs. Pronger also talked about the 35th year of the Carnival, and its
importance to the community. She is in her third season as co-chair.
"It's a very special event," she said, "to see the support from the city and
then at the end of the day to see the numbers -- to see how much we can
raise to give back to all these charities, it really is very special."
you point to one guy and say, ‘We’re always losing because of goalies,’ I
think it is the wrong philosophy.”
The Flyers allowed six questionable goals and fell to 14-15 at home with a
max payroll, and the fans are told to stay quiet and that their treatment of
the situation is philosophically flawed. But what are they supposed to do,
just laugh at the fat guy dancing between periods on the scoreboard
screen?
The customers are not causing the problem. They spend the money to help
fund $51 million goaltenders.
The goaltenders — and the head coach, too — are causing the problems.
Not that Laviolette should distribute playing time based on dollars invested,
but it was his goaltending shuffles that threw the entire operation into a
dangerous spin. Bryzgalov is here because of the coach’s impatience. So
trust him.
“We think we can be better in a lot of different areas,” said Laviolette, in
conversation about the goaltending. “And that certainly is one of them.”
They can be, and if they think they are contenders, they will be, even if it
means finding a capable veteran backup before the trade deadline. And
why not? It might halt their disintegration. Even if it doesn’t, at least it will
give Laviolette one more goalie to pull out of a game.
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Philadelphia Flyers
613976
Philadelphia Flyers
McCAFFERY: Flyers’ goalie roulette again igniting unrest
Flyers' acquisition of big defenseman Kubina confirmed
By JACK McCAFFERY
By ROB PARENT
PHILADELPHIA — Two postseason disasters and $51 million after the
cycle began, Peter Laviolette shoved it all back in motion Saturday. As he
did, the disintegration of the Flyers and their fans’ confidence continued.
During a 6-4 loss to the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, an exasperated
Laviolette changed goaltenders, continuing a pattern that he’d elevated to
banana-peel comedy in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals. With 23:03 to play,
out went Ilya Bryzgalov, who was lousy, and in came Sergei Bobrovsky,
who was Bobrovsky. Which is to say lousier.
By then, the 19,958 fans were in a panic. They didn’t know whether to boo
or to just mock-cheer every smothered Pittsburgh shot.
“You know, I think those guys have to keep quiet up there,” James van
Riemsdyk said. “They pay their money to see the team, but you win as a
team, lose as a team. You can’t pinpoint it on one guy. Those guys are
working hard out there. We have to support them a little bit better and figure
it out. It’s not just one guy. It’s all 20 of us out there.”
So that’s where Laviolette’s impatience with his goalies has taken things:
The fans are heckling the Flyers, and at least one Flyer is half-heckling
back. And good luck expecting the fans to agree to stop disturbing the
peace. There are just too many beer taps and too few Stanley Cup banners
in the Wells Fargo Center.
In Laviolette’s defense, the Flyers’ goaltending problems predated him by
decades. Still, he brought the Flyers to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals — only,
though, to string Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher to a bungee cord and
yank them back and forth from the ice until the Cup dream snapped. But it
wasn’t Laviolette’s 2010 initiative that helped rewrite Flyers’ history. It was
when he added degrees of difficulty last spring, initially committing to
Bobrovsky, then preferring Boucher and even re-enlisting Leighton for a
one-game Alumni Night. Afterward, Ed Snider essentially vowed never to let
the Flyers succumb again to such goaltending malfunction.
The Flyers maneuvered for the rights to Bryzgalov, paid him $51 million and
assumed they were buying a 70-game starter. But Laviolette does not have
that patience —- not that many coaches could have Saturday, not after
Bryzgalov permitted three goals in 36:57. When the Penguins scored two
shorthanded goals within 20 seconds, Laviolette all but sprayed Bobrovsky
onto the ice like a bag of pregame-warmup pucks.
As Bryzgalov headed to the bench, the fans trended toward disapproval.
“I think it’s an easy life when you can blame the one guy,” Bryzgalov said.
“It’s a bad goal, it’s a goalie’s mistake. It’s easy to find a scapegoat. When
PHILADELPHIA -- It might have been a coincidence, or a physical
defensive presence was such an obvious need for the Flyers that they
figured the more to help solve that shortcoming, the better.
Shortly after they left gaping lanes to their goal to help the Pittsburgh
Penguins post a 6-4 victory at Wells Fargo Center Saturday, the Flyers
traded for very available defenseman Pavel Kubina.
A late announcement had the Flyers shipping second- and fourth-round
draft picks, along with minor league player Jon Kalinski to Tampa Bay for
Kubina, a 34-year-old pending unrestricted free agent with 901 NHL games
under his big belt.
The deal was held up until Kalinski was added late Saturday night, as the
Flyers had to throw in a player to get their number of organizational
contracts back down to the maximum allowed 50.
Kubina was in his second tenure with the Lightning, but was recently asked
to take a press box seat. He was scratched from a game against San Jose
Thursday, with Lightning general manager Steve Yzerman announcing the
club was trying to trade the 6-foot-4, 258-pound defensive load.
Yzerman's old team, the Detroit Red Wings, reportedly made a pitch for
Kubina Saturday, but were outbid by the Flyers' offer.
An NHL source indicated the deal was made possible because the Flyers
did not make an offer earlier in the day to the Columbus Blue Jackets for
Rick Nash, though the clubs' respective general managers had a long,
private meeting in a Wells Fargo Center luxury box Saturday.
Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson, one source said, discussed
his interest in up-and-coming Flyers Brayden Schenn and Sean Couturier,
among others. Of the young Flyers players, the source said, the Blue
Jackets, "like all of them."
While the bidding for Nash, one of the league's most exciting offensive
players who has yet to reach his potential with the Blue Jackets, is likely to
keep rising, the Flyers' panic about the lack of protection in front of and in
their goalie crease continues to expand.
With the Kubina deal and Thursday's acquisition, Nick Grossman, the
Flyers would have added 12 feet, 8 inches in height and 488 pounds to their
defense as they continue to try to build a wall in front of shaky goalies Ilya
Bryzgalov and Sergei Bobrovsky.
Before he was benched against the Sharks, Kubina had three goals and
eight assists, along with 59 penalty minutes in 52 games this season. He
averaged almost 20 minutes of ice time per game while maintaining a plus1 rating.
Flyers Fight For Lives: Lauren Pronger talks about husband Chris' status
(With Video)
Kubina would not only bring size, but salary cap intrigue.
According to a source, the Flyers were $4.1 million below the salary cap
before the acquisitions of Grossman ($1.6 million hit) and Kubina ($3.86
million). They may get some cap relief but it would seem they are at least
treading the salary cap line if not a couple of steps over currently, meaning
deal of larger scope will be that much more difficult.
By ROB PARENT and VINCE CAREY
PHILADELPHIA -- Lauren Pronger, co-chair of the Flyers Wives Fight For
Lives and at the organization's annual Carnival fund-raiser, spent time
talking about husband Chris' situation and also what the Carnival is all
about.
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Some snippets:
Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers Notebook: van Riemsdyk comes slashing back into lineup (With
Video)
"Good and bad days," Lauren said when asked how Chris has been doing.
"Unfortunately, I can't report any major improvement. I certainly wish I
could. It's very disheartening.
By ROB PARENT and JACK McCAFFERY
"I see a lot of differences in Chris. So, just hoping to have a couple of good
days in a row and see him back to his normal self again. I know he wants
that, too. It's very frightening for him as well."
PHILADELPHIA -- In case anyone didn't know it, James van Riemsdyk is
back. For the first time in more than a month, the concussed Flyers forward
felt well enough to play, and to prove it he wasted precious little time before
mixing it up against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Van Riemsdyk made that clear with all of two seconds left in the first period,
taking a retaliatory slashing penalty. He indicated it was a message to the
Penguins, then admitted the timing might have been a little ill-advised.
She talks about how Pronger may consult former captain Keith Primeau,
who has been dealing off and on post-concussion symptoms since his
retirement.
"There are a lot of parallels between the two. So I think Chris now is starting
to realize maybe he should be in communication with him. To know what's
ahead of him; I think the more insight you get the better off you are."
Mrs. Pronger also talked about the 35th year of the Carnival, and its
importance to the community. She is in her third season as co-chair.
"I don’t want to take any crap from anyone out there right off the bat," van
Riemsdyk said. "I made that clear, (but) I took a stupid penalty. I wanted to
get that out there, anyway."
"It's a very special event," she said, "to see the support from the city and
then at the end of the day to see the numbers -- to see how much we can
raise to give back to all these charities, it really is very special."
That mistake-message done, van Riemsdyk then sent one to Flyers fans,
intended or not.
In the aftermath of a game that featured several costly defensive mistakes
and poor play from goalies Ilya Bryzgalov and Sergei Bobrovsky, van
Riemsdyk was asked about the fans' heat directed at the goalies.
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Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers' concussed captain facing long-term longshot recovery
“Yeah, you know what, I think those guys need to kind of keep quiet up
there," van Riemsdyk said. "I know they pay their money to see the team
but you win as a team and you lose as a team. You can’t ever pinpoint it on
one guy and we know those guys are working hard back there so we’re
going to have to support them a little bit better and figure it out."
By ROB PARENT
Maybe van Riemsdyk was just sensitive about some questioning he might
have heard about how long he stayed out with the concussion.
PHILADELPHIA -- Chris Pronger was conspicuously absent Sunday as his
teammates did everything from sign autographs to flop feet-first into a dunk
tank.
"It's funny when people question your character who have never even met
you before," he said. "That’s one thing I pride myself on, being a hardworking guy with a lot of character. When people say that about you, you
just have to laugh about it and just let it roll off you."
It was the 35th Flyers Wives Fight For Lives Carnival, the third consecutive
one to be co-chaired by Lauren Pronger, who admitted she's had a lot on
her plate of late at home.
Because they have no choice, because it sounds good and because --maybe? --- they are right, the Flyers keep telling themselves that midFebruary is not a catastrophic time to struggle.
"We have lots of help right now because we need it," said Lauren, a mother
of three and a loving wife still very worried about her husband's health.
"We're dealing with a lot right now."
Saturday, it was van Riemsdyk's turn.
Now 37 and about four months removed from when he played his last
game, Chris Pronger is far from certain about his hockey playing future.
Though officially listed as being out for the season, and while no one has
been promoted to take his captaincy title for the Flyers, Pronger is nowhere
near even thinking about making a return for the playoffs.
“To be honest, you want to struggle at some point, just to see what you are
made of,” van Riemsdyk said. “It will make us stronger if we can dig
ourselves out of this rut we are in here. And I think we have the guys who
can do it.”
Flyers coach Peter Laviolette spent most of his post-game press
conference honestly assessing poor performances all around for his team
after the Penguins' 6-3 victory. But Laviolette's softly spoken criticisms
didn't extend to the newest Flyer, defenseman Nick Grossman.
"I thought he played a strong game," Laviolette said. "He’s a big guy with a
heavy stick, he’s physical, he gets his body in the way. I thought he played
a lot of the rushes and in (defensive) zone coverage, he did a good job."
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Philadelphia Flyers
Nor, his wife says, does it do him any good to speculate on his career
beyond the present.
"He has good days and bad days," Lauren says as she talks about Chris'
post-concussion symptoms that has changed their lives. "Unfortunately, I
can't report any major improvement. I certainly wish I could. It's very
disheartening.
"I see a lot of differences in Chris. So, (we’re) hoping to have a couple of
wants that, too. It's very frightening for him."
Chris spends mostly every day at home in Haddonfield, she says. He tries
to rest, tries to simply feel better. It isn't slow in coming, it’s simply
inconsistent. It comes, it goes.
"A lot of times he has to take naps," she says. "He needs the brain to heal.
So he does as much as he can. He's pretty much held back. He doesn't
leave the house very much at all. ... It's a shame. I know he misses the
camaraderie."
The headaches, the fatigue, the “foggy” feeling, it's not very different, just
that much deeper. She indicates he’s had concussions before, "but not this
level.
"He's not himself; that's what I would say," she said. "And it's not in a good
way. ... It's very very frightening for Chris. He's been able to battle through
so much and to come out of it, but this is different. This is really tough on
Chris because he wants to be out there more than anyone. This is what he
loves. This is his passion, and it's tough."
She is asked if she believes he'll get to the point of being able to resume his
career, and though she is prepared for the question she won't entertain it.
"That is not a fair question to ask -- I just want him to get better," Lauren
said. "We're taking it day to day. We'll see what happens. He still has a long
life ahead of him to live. He has three kids and a wife and everything. Right
now we're just hoping for his health to come back. That's the priority and
our main objective right now."
Lauren talked Sunday about how Chris may consult former Flyers captain
Keith Primeau, who has been dealing with post-concussion symptoms since
his retirement, saying, "There are a lot of parallels between the two. So I
think Chris now is starting to realize maybe he should be in communication
with him. I think the more insight you get the better off you are."
Primeau, a chain restaurant owner who spends his time dealing with
management work for the Las Vegans Wranglers of the ECHL and helps to
coach hockey at Bishop Eustace Prep, still lives in Voorhees Twp., N.J. At
the request of former GM Bob Clarke, Primeau has informally consulted
with area athletes on the effects of concussions since his retirement in
Sept. 2006.
"At first I was resistant," Primeau said. "I thought, 'I have a concussion, they
have a concussion, what are you going to share?’ But as I did it, I found
comfort in the conversations. ... You share experiences. They know my
situation. Although it doesn't heal you, it certainly is comforting."
Should Pronger reach out to him, Primeau said, he'd try to do the same for
Chris that others did for him -- talk about what needs to be talked about.
"I know some of what he's going through," Primeau said. "It's a long
process."
“I like the Wii boxing. I fought [Dan] Carcillo last year and beat him. It was a
rematch. I lost the year before.”
Novelli, his son, Dominic Jr. and wife, Donna milled about on the event level
headed for the goalie cage.
“I like the games,” his son said. “I’m going to score on [Ilya] Bryzgalov.”
Doesn’t everybody these days?
Donna Novelli has a collection of photos of herself at home with Flyer
players over the years.
Who was her choice this year? That’s easy.
“Jaromir Jagr,” she smiled. “I love it. It’s fun, you see players and the best
part of all, it all goes to a good cause -- the charity.”
Craig Taylor, from Ridley Park, began coming to the Carnival when he was
seven years old, with his parents.
Now he brings his wife, Tori and daughters Madison and Kalya.
“Me and wife came once when we were engaged,” Craig Taylor said.
“We’ve been coming eight years. Madison is a huge Danny Briere fan. We
had to rush in and get the picture with Danny.”
The Taylor family picked up a couple of grab bags with surprises in them.
“We haven’t even opened them yet,” Tori said.
Daughter Kalya planned to challenge Claude Giroux on one of the Wii
games.
This was the 35th edition of the Carnival and third under Lauren Pronger
and co-chair, Nadine Coburn.
“It’s pretty amazing,” Lauren Pronger said. “Everything is going pretty
smooth. I think they perfected it.”
She admits it’s gotten easier to handle from an administrative standpoint,
although Lauren also helps out on the floor, handing out the grab bags.
“The first year, it was very overwhelming and I had heard about it being a
legendary event,” she said.
“So when you actually come, it kinda blows you away. By the second year, I
kinda getting the hang of it. And now it’s old hat.
“This is a very special event. To see the support and the city and see the
numbers and how much we can raise and give back to all these charities,
it’s very special.”
So while their lives are a lesson in faith and patience, Lauren has busied
herself with months of preparations for this Flyers charitable event that she
knew about long before the Prongers arrived in the Philadelphia area.
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"It's very overwhelming," Lauren said. "I'd heard about it; it was a legendary
event. So when you first come here it kind of blows you away. By the
second year I was getting the hang of it, and now I feel like I'm an old hat at
this. It's a very special event, to see the support from the city and then at
the end of the day to see the numbers. To see how much we can raise to
give back to all these charities -- it really is very special."
She would have liked to have spent this day the way she had the previous
two -- helping to coordinate with Chris by her side. For now all they can do
is wait, and hope.
Every day at home in South Jersey, it’s a constant struggle for Lauren
Pronger and her husband Chris, and their family.
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Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers Wives Carnival still a great family event
Staff
Dominic Novelli and his family have been coming to the Flyers Wives Fight
for Lives Carnival since 2006.
“I like seeing people, the players and doing different things here,” said the
South Philly native.
Philadelphia Flyers
Staff
“We have a lot of help,” she said. “And we need it.”
Lauren Pronger, who is co-chairman of the Flyers Wives Fight for Lives
Carnival, said Sunday that there has not been any substantial change,
either positive or negative, to Chris’ post-concussion syndrome since she
last spoke in January.
She also admitted that, for the first time, her family is considering reaching
out to Keith Primeau who has been suffering from post-concussion
syndrome for six years, because her and Chris want to know what life may
be like if he never gets better.
“That has been brought up a lot lately,” she said. “There are a lot of
parallels between the two [men]. I think Chris is starting to realize now that
he should be in communication with him.
“To know what is ahead for him. The more insight you can get, the better off
you are. You kinda know what to expect and what you are going through.
“Obviously, there will be differences but if you have someone who has been
through it, maybe that is a little comforting.
She declined to get specific about what differences she has seen in Chris
other than, to say, “He is not himself and it’s not in a good way.”
“I think this is very, very frightening for Chris. He’s been able to battle
through so much and come out of it, but this is different for him. This is
really tough on Chris. He wants to be out here more than anyone. This is
his life, this is his passion. And this is tough.”
Lauren got emotional speaking to reporters.
Lauren said he continues to have good and bad days.
“I just want him to get better,” she said. “He still has a long life to live, three
kids and a wife and everything. Right now, we’re just hoping for his health
to come back. That is our priority.”
“Unfortunately, I can’t report any major improvement,” she said. “I certainly
wish I could. It’s very disheartening.”
613983
Chris Pronger has gone through bouts of depression during his absence
from the team which began in late November. He won’t play this season
and his career could very likely be over.
Ducks' Selanne bounces back after benching
“I see a lot of differences in Chris,” she said. “Just hoping to have a couple
wants this, too. It’s very frightening to him, too.”
Staff
She declined to get specific about what differences she has seen in Chris
other than, to say, “He is not himself and it’s not in a good way.”
Lauren got emotional speaking to reporters.
“I just want him to get better,” she said. “He still has a long life to live, three
kids and a wife and everything. Right now, we’re just hoping for his health
to come back. That is our priority.”
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Philadelphia Flyers
Staff
Every day at home in South Jersey, it’s a constant struggle for Lauren
Pronger and her husband Chris, and their family.
Philadelphia Flyers
Teemu Selanne would be the first to admit he probably would have done
the same thing.
Bruce Boudreau admitted he’s done it before with Alex Ovechkin so, no big
deal.
What we’re talking about is Selanne being benched in Minnesota for the
final period the night before scoring the game-winning goal against the
Penguins.
Thing is, Selanne, like Jaromir Jagr, is starting to slow down. He’s 41 – a
year older than Jagr. And when he didn’t have it against the Wild, Boudreau
played him just 2:30 that third period.
Wednesday night in Pittsburgh, Selanne came right back with his 656th
career goal, tying him with Brendan Shanahan for 12th place (Jagr is 11th)
on the all-time scoring list.
“I missed probably three shifts,” Selanne told the Orange County Register.
“That's nothing. To be honest, I was dead tired for some reason. And it
happens. A lot of times when you feel like that, it's not the greatest place to
be.
“We have a lot of help,” she said. “And we need it.”
“This is about team effort. Everybody has done the job. That's what makes
this team special.”
Lauren Pronger, who is co-chairman of the Flyers Wives Fight for Lives
Carnival, said Sunday that there has not been any substantial change,
either positive or negative, to Chris’ post-concussion syndrome since she
last spoke in January.
Of course, Boudreau being Boudreau, tried to sound as if he were some
kind of psychic, telling people he absolutely knew if he cut Selanne’s
minutes, he’d respond the next game with a better effort.
She also admitted that, for the first time, her family is considering reaching
out to Keith Primeau who has been suffering from post-concussion
syndrome for six years, because her and Chris want to know what life may
be like if he never gets better.
“That has been brought up a lot lately,” she said. “There are a lot of
parallels between the two [men]. I think Chris is starting to realize now that
he should be in communication with him.
“To know what is ahead for him. The more insight you can get, the better off
you are. You kinda know what to expect and what you are going through.
“Obviously, there will be differences but if you have someone who has been
through it, maybe that is a little comforting.
“I think this is very, very frightening for Chris. He’s been able to battle
through so much and come out of it, but this is different for him. This is
really tough on Chris. He wants to be out here more than anyone. This is
his life, this is his passion. And this is tough.”
“That's why we rested him a little bit yesterday so he had that energy to do
that,” Boudreau told the paper. “He's been doing that his whole life. When
you needed something big, he was there to get something big. You need
that.”
Give major props for Selanne, who said that Boudreau needs to hold
everyone accountable for ice time.
“I don't care who you are,” Selanne said. “He has done that with Ovechkin
many times. It's all about how you respond to that. I'm old enough to just
move on. I know that if I get one bad night every 20 games, I take it.
“He came to me after the game and said, 'Teemu, I don't think you had it
tonight.' I said, 'Hey, I'm the first guy to say that.' ”
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Philadelphia Flyers
Lauren said he continues to have good and bad days.
Babcock, Red Wings break Flyers' wins record
“Unfortunately, I can’t report any major improvement,” she said. “I certainly
wish I could. It’s very disheartening.”
Staff
Chris Pronger has gone through bouts of depression during his absence
from the team which began in late November. He won’t play this season
and his career could very likely be over.
The Flyers had held the modern day NHL record since 1976.
“I see a lot of differences in Chris,” she said. “Just hoping to have a couple
wants this, too. It’s very frightening to him, too.”
Twenty home wins in succession.
That record fell this week when Mike Babcock’s club first defeated the
Flyers on Sunday at The Joe, tying the record, then breaking it with
Detroit’s 21st straight win on Tuesday against Dallas.
Leach, who is of Indian descent, lives on Manitoulin Island in the Lake
Huran area. He lectures First Nation people about drug and alcohol abuse
and also does motivational speaking.
Babcock got it right when he cautioned reporters that it’s impossible to
compare eras in the NHL. At the same time, he thought the league-wide
parity made breaking the Flyers’ record rather improbable.
“The fact is, even since I've been in Detroit, which is seven years, the depth
of talent, the depth of teams we play against are night and day different,”
Babs told Michigan Live.
“We used to be able to win by throwing our sticks on the ice. That's just not
possible anymore. That's because of the parity since the lockout. The reality
is this is an unbelievable mark.
“That’s what I dedicate myself, too today,” he said proudly.
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Philadelphia Flyers
NHL Wrap: Devils overtake Flyers in standings
T. Panaccio
“I look back when Scotty Bowman coached here -- they won 62 games one
year and they never did this.”
“This isn't real. It's not supposed to happen like this. But when it does, why
wouldn't you just get after it, keep it going as long as you can, and enjoy the
ride?”
Don't look now, but the Rangers and Penguins aren't the Flyers' only
problems in the Atlantic Division.
With their 3-1 win over the Canadiens Sunday, the New Jerseys Devils
have passed the Flyers in the Eastern Conference standings. The Devils
now sit in fourth place and are tied with the Boston Bruins for the secondmost points in the conference with 72 (see story).
613985
The Flyers and Penguins are currently tied for fifth place with 71 points.
Maybe, if it weren’t Babcock in the driver’s seat.
Philadelphia Flyers
Leach excited to be back at Wives Carnival
The win over Montreal is New Jersey's third in a row. The Devils are now 81-1 in their last 10 games.
Pens put on ice
Staff
It has been more than a decade since Reggie Leach attended a Flyers
Wives Fight for Lives Carnival.
See if you can figure this one out.
The Flyers beat the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night 7-2. They then lost to
Penguins on Saturday 6-4. So naturally, Buffalo got stomped by Pittsburgh
on Sunday, right?
Ahh, but “The Rifle” has returned fully cocked and loaded for Sunday’s
special 35th Anniversary Carnival at the Wells Fargo Center.
Actually, Buffalo -- the second-worst team in the Eastern Conference with
just 57 points -- downed the Pens 6-2 for their first win in their last five
games (see story).
The famed LCB line with Leach-Clarke-Barber will be signing autographs as
a unit, and also penning their names to a special Winter Classic pictures
that will be auctioned off.
Penguins goalies Brent Johnson and Marc-Andre Fleury both allowed three
goals on just 12 shots each. The Sabres' Derek Roy was Buffalo's only
multi-goal scorer, netting his 12th and 13th goals of the season.
“I was here when they started it 35 years ago and I think it’s a wonderful
thing,” Leach said. “The Flyers organization has kept it up and kept
everyone interested in hockey. They’ve done a great job.”
Blue Shirts beat Blue Jackets
Memories of his first Carnival? How about getting wet.
“I remember when the wives first got it started we were a bunch of young
guys at the time,” he said. “I was always stuck in the dunk tank. I always
liked being in there first because you can get it over with and leave.
“Everything was great back then. It was like a big fundraiser. I didn’t think it
would become as big as today. Over the years, it just grew and grew.”
Leave it to the league-worst Columbus Blue Jackets to take the Eastern
Conference-leading New York Rangers to overtime, and leave it Rick Nash
to force the extra session.
Nash, who has been the subject of near-constant trade rumors over the
past week, tied the game at 2-2 with 1:33 remaining in the third period. The
goal elicited a loud "We don't want you" chant from the crowd at Madison
Square Garden. The Rangers are reportedly on a list of teams for which
Nash would waive his no-trade clause.
Leach said it was “wonderful” to play again with his former teammates
during the Winter Classic.
That all aside, Derek Stepan made the crowd quickly forget about Nash
with his game-winner just 22-seconds into the overtime, giving New York
the 3-2 victory (see story).
“I had not seen them for a long time,” he said. “We actually spent New
Year’s Eve together after all these years with our families. Which was
wonderful.”
As the Rangers -- who lead the second place Bruins by nine points in the
East -- look forward to the playoffs in April, the Blue Jackets will instead be
focused on the NHL Trade Deadline next Monday, Feb. 27.
The roots of the Carnival go back to Barry Ashbee’s battle with leukemia in
1977. A picture of Ashbee still hangs in Clarke’s office at Voorhees’ Skate
Zone.
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Phoenix Coyotes
“The family thing is very true with Mr. Snider bringing all these guys back,”
Leach said. “They brought all these guys back for Winter Classic
representing different decades as Flyers. I thought it was the greatest thing
they ever did.”
Coyotes likely to stay quiet with NHL trade deadline looming
Leach said the death of Ashbee lingered for a very long time within the
organization after 1977,
By Jim Gintonio –
“It was devastating for us at the time but I am very happy they started this
Carnival for him,” said Leach, who never actually played with Ashbee as a
Flyer.
Even if Don Maloney or other general managers around the league were so
inclined to retool their teams heading into the final six weeks of the season,
it would be a difficult task.
So many clubs are in the chase for a playoff spot that it's easy to
understand the reluctance in making a deal as next Monday's trade
deadline approaches. Disrupting chemistry or going the rental-player route
often serves as a counterbalance to rushing after someone.
The Coyotes have been able to hang around the top eight in the Western
Conference despite injuries, and it's possible that they will enter the drive
for their third playoff spot in a row with no additional changes.
"One of the things I'm conscious of, we've never done short-term deals that
just don't make a lot of sense, and there's so few sellers right now -- that
might change in a week -- but right now there's so few sellers, and in order
to acquire something I think teams really have to overspend, and we're not
going to do that.
"I like the group, I like the mix, I like our chemistry. We'll still work very hard
to see, 'Can we make it a little better?' But we're not looking to take
anything off our roster. I just think we're in a good place where players know
their roles, know what to expect and if we do this and stay healthy, then
we're a playoff team."
The Coyotes, winners of seven of their past eight games, are getting
excellent goaltending from Mike Smith, who has won six in a row, and their
"scoring by committee" philosophy is working.
Reaching this point, seventh in the Western Conference with 23 games
remaining, has been a combination of the coaching staff impressing upon
the team that now it has to perform, and the players in turn accepting their
roles.
BUFFALO -- The Penguins looked sluggish throughout in a 6-2 setback
against the Buffalo Sabres today.
Jason Pominville, Derek Roy and Paul Gaustad scored to give Buffalo a 3-0
lead, which prompted Penguins coach Dan Bylsma to pull starting goalie
Brent Johnson.
Center Evgeni Malkin, the league's leading scorer, set up defenseman
Deryk Engelland's third goal of the season to give the Penguins life in the
second period. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who replaced Johnson early in
the second period, made a spectacular save on R oy and later stopped
forward Patrick Kaleta on a penalty shot to keep the Penguins alive.
Jordan Staal's 19th goal of the season in the third period pulled the
Penguins within a goal.
However, Roy scored 65 seconds later and Roy put the game away later in
the period with a shorthanded tally.
The Penguins were uncharacteristically undisciplined throughout, finding
themselves shorthanded five times, giving up a penalty shot and playing
some of their worst positional defense of the season.
Up next for the Penguins is a showdown Tuesday at Consol Energy Center
against the New York Rangers.
Tribune Review LOADED: 02.20.2012
613989
Pittsburgh Penguins
"Certainly as a player, individual stats are great and wonderful in regards to
future contracts," Maloney said. "But for us to win, sometimes we have to
sacrifice some offensive stats to play a very disciplined defensive system."
Penguins extend James Neal's contract
Overall, Maloney said, he is happy with how the team has played the past
two weeks and excited about the stretch run.
By Josh Yohe,
"(I) hope something falls our way to give us a little better chance at the
trade deadline, but (we are) not holding our breath," he said.
From the perspective of team chemistry, Maloney likes the tight-knit unit he
has now, jokingly adding that if a Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin knocked
on his door that he'd take them.
Two years ago, the Coyotes "really hit a home run," he said, by bringing in
handful of players, led by Lee Stempniak, who helped take the Coyotes to
their first playoff berth in eight years.
"It's a different marketplace now," Maloney said. "There's probably three
sellers, that might change; all you have to do is look at the standings. The
last two days there's been a shift in two or three teams in the discussions
I'm having, so I do believe as we go into next week, more players will be
available."
BUFFALO — The Penguins have signed right wing James Neal to a sixyear, $30 million contract extension, the team announced this morning.
Neal was set to be a restricted free agent following this season.
The 24-year-old Neal has enjoyed a breakout season while playing on
center Evgeni Malkin's right wing. He scored his 30th goal of the season
Saturday in Philadelphia. His previous career-high was 27 goals. Neal
scored only two goals in 27 games with the Penguins last season after
being traded, along with defenseman Matt Niskanen, from Dallas in
exchange for defenseman Alex Goligoski. Neal leads the league with 242
shots and is tied for the NHL lead with 13 power play goals.
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Pittsburgh Penguins
Coach Dave Tippett said injuries (as of Sunday, the Coyotes have six
players out) can always be a factor in trade-deadline decisions.
Penguins' answers within
"We're still a week and a little bit away from that," he said. "Don continues
to monitor our team and see where we are and see what we can do, and
that's something that as the week goes on here we'll certainly look at all the
different options."
At this point of the season with so much on the line, general managers put
prospective newcomers under a microscope.
Most likely share Maloney's view.
"So much of what we do here in Phoenix is mix chemistry, personalities," he
said. "We pay a lot of attention. Even though a guy might on paper look like
a skill-set we could use, if the personality doesn't fit we'll stay away from
him."
Arizona Republic LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Pittsburgh Penguins
By Dejan Kovacevic,
BUFFALO, N.Y. — Can you just picture Ray Shero cringing all through the
Penguins' lifeless, often laughable 6-2 loss to the cellar-dwelling Buffalo
Sabres on Sunday at First Niagara Center?
Can you imagine how tempted he must have been, with the NHL's trade
deadline just a week away, to frantically tap away at his speed-dials in
search of a skilled winger, a big defenseman, even a backup goaltender to
replace the still-leaky Brent Johnson?
Yeah, I can see Shero cringing. Maybe even cursing.
But calling out of desperation?
No chance.
Pens look sluggish in loss to Sabres
By Josh Yohe,
Shero didn't get to be the general manager who built a roster this solid —
33-21-5 despite leading the league in injuries and missing Sidney Crosby —
by responding reflexively to one long afternoon. Or even a lackluster
stretch, such as the 4-4-1 run since that eight-game winning streak ended.
This is the GM who watched and waited a full year to acquire winger James
Neal in the franchise's best trade since Craig Patrick's pickup of Alexei
Kovalev in 1998, then went through six weeks of talks to sign Neal on
Sunday to a six-year, $30 million extension.
The man knows what he's doing.
Penguins still have faith in goaltender Johnson
By Josh Yohe,
Which is why I'll be fine if, as I'm expecting, the Penguins aren't active at
the deadline for the first time in Shero's career.
This is what Shero told me shortly before faceoff: "We're playing well,
getting healthy, and that means more than anything. If I could get a 40-goal
scorer or something that makes sense, I'd do that. But ..."
He didn't complete the thought, but he didn't need to. The current trade
market, as viewed by this front office, ranges from awful to abysmal. The
only 40-goal type is Columbus' Rick Nash, and the cap-challenged
Penguins aren't in on those talks. Defensemen are scarcer still. And
goaltending couldn't be called a need with Marc-Andre Fleury as the starter.
Again, look past Sunday.
Assume that Crosby returns — Shero described the captain as "busting his
behind" to do that — and check out the top three lines: Evgeni Malkin will
stay between Neal and Chris Kunitz, unless the team loses its collective
mind. Crosby could skate with Pascal Dupuis and Steve Sullivan. Jordan
Staal could be back with Matt Cooke and Tyler Kennedy. And this isn't
taking into account that Dan Bylsma can mix and match, including bumping
Staal up as he did a couple times Sunday.
All healthy, it's as good a group of forwards as any in the East.
As Shero suggested, another sniper would be welcome. Maybe even an
older one, a la Gary Roberts or Bill Guerin. But I don't want to see another
Alexei Ponikarovsky or Kovalev — or anyone named Alexei, really — added
to sour things. Oh, and there isn't much on the rental market, either.
If the Penguins want to avoid more outcomes like Sunday, here are a few
suggestions:
>> Play like you mean it.
That's as embarrassing an effort as they've put out all winter, in stark
contrast to the 6-4 victory 24 hours earlier in Philadelphia. Kris Letang
correctly summarized it: "We didn't even show up."
>> Get more from Brooks Orpik.
It's one thing to clamor for a big, tough, net-front defenseman. It's another
not to get the most from the best you've got.
Johnson allowed goals on Buffalo's first two shots, but Orpik paved the way
for each, first by deflecting a pass into the slot, next by allowing 5-foot-9
Derek Roy to push him back on a rush. Roy should have been seeing stars,
not celebrating.
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The progress Penguins goalie Brent Johnson made in
his two previous starts did not translate to his performance Sunday against
the Buffalo Sabres. Johnson, in the midst of the worst statistical season of
his career, was yanked from the contest early in the second period after
allowing three goals on 12 shots.
Still, coach Dan Bylsma supported Johnson following the game.
"I'm confident this guy can win hockey games," Bylsma said. "He hasn't
played particularly well and hasn't had a season like last year. He is going
to be playing again. He's going to have to win us some games, and play
better."
The Penguins did not hold Johnson responsible for the setback. Rather,
many of the Penguins said their play made Johnson's ability to keep his
team in the contest nearly impossible. Johnson played well in his two
previous outings, a 1-0 loss in Toronto and a 4-2 victory last Sunday
against Tampa Bay.
>> The game between the Penguins and Sabres was almost delayed
because of glass on the ice during pregame warm-ups. Although the
Penguins weren't terribly concerned about the situation, Buffalo coach
Lindy Ruff didn't believe the game would start on time.
"I was concerned about safety because a great number of our players lost
their edge while skating over the glass," Ruff said.
Two Buffalo players had to get their skates sharpened before the game
because of the glass.
>> Penguins left wing Matt Cooke was struck in the left arm by left wing
Chris Kunitz's shot late in the first period but was able to stay in the game.
Defenseman Deryk Engelland was also injured against the Sabres, though
it isn't believed to be serious.
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Pittsburgh Penguins
Penguins re-sign winger Neal to six-year extension
By Josh Yohe,
>> Bench Paul Martin.
And do it now. He's been terrible, and he isn't getting better by suffering
more minus-4 messes like Sunday.
I asked Bylsma afterward if a benching has been considered, and he
replied that the minus-4 was not indicative of Martin's day and that Martin
"had one of his better games."
Sadly, that might be true.
>> Raise a fuss next month.
No one will be talking about this, but the best non-Crosby thing that could
happen to the Penguins between now and the playoffs is for the NHL to
finally address the game's glaringly obvious relapse into hooking, holding
and other obstruction.
To be clear, obstruction had nothing to do with the loss Sunday. But it hurts
the Penguins in the broader sense of their system and roster makeup,
especially on defense. They're built for skating, for mobility.
The NHL's general managers meet next month, and the outcry against
Terry Gregson, the league's dinosaur-in-chief of officiating, is expected to
be broad and vocal.
In the meantime, don't expect much to change on or off the ice.
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Pittsburgh Penguins
BUFFALO, N.Y. — After a sluggish start to his Penguins' tenure, James
Neal has proven he can be the scoring winger the team had coveted.
And the Penguins weren't about to let him go.
The Penguins announced Sunday they signed their All-Star right wing to a
six-year, $30 million extension, a deal that not only rewards Neal but also
should not prohibit the team from signing centers Sidney Crosby and
Jordan Staal to extensions. Crosby's and Staal's contracts expire in
summer 2013, and general manager Ray Shero can begin negotiating new
deals with them this summer.
"We felt like (it was) a good term, a good fit for both (parties)," Shero said of
the Neal deal.
Since losing a bidding war for former right wing Marian Hossa in 2008, the
Penguins have sought a legitimate sniper at the wing position. They found
that in Neal, who has 30 goals this season and is on pace to crack 40. He
has never scored fewer than 22 goals in his four NHL seasons. Most
wingers with those numbers command an even higher figure than what
Neal settled for.
However, the 24-year-old insisted that leaving the Penguins was never an
option, even though he would have been a restricted free agent after the
season.
"I love Pittsburgh," Neal said. "I love everything about what goes on here. I
couldn't see myself anywhere else."
Neal has established himself as one of the premier young players in the
game. Entering yesterday's games, his 30 goals were tops among notable
20-something wingers, and his 56 points were second to the 57 posted by
Ilya Kovalchuk of New Jersey.
The extension comes almost a year to the day the Penguins acquired him
from Dallas.
The Penguins' salary structure looks sound for the next two seasons.
Even if the salary cap stays at $64.3 million — it has risen every year since
its implementation — the Penguins would be almost $5 million under the
cap ceiling next season. Their only unrestricted free agents this summer —
goalie Brent Johnson, and forwards Steve Sullivan, Arron Asham and
Richard Park — come cheap. The Penguins' only restricted free agents will
be defenseman Matt Niskanen and little-used forward Cal O'Reilly.
Shero acknowledges there will be pressure to sign Crosby and Staal but
said he does not believe Neal's salary cap figure will hinder the Penguins'
ability to make those deals.
"There's always going to be something that adds that (pressure)," Shero
said. "We'll deal with each situation as it comes along."
Neal struggled in the final 20 regular-season games last season, scoring
one goal and managing just six points with the Penguins. Still, coach Dan
Bylsma said the team realized what it had in Neal.
"Right away last year," Bylsma said. "Although he didn't put up points, we
saw the way James Neal could play."
Before this season, Bylsma said he anticipated a 30-goal performance from
Neal, whose career-high had been 27. But Bylsma believed Neal's potential
screamed for even more production.
A conversation the two had indicates the winger believes 30 is merely a
starting point.
"Coming in this year, 30 was the tentative number," Bylsma said. "The
number he gave me was different. He's not there yet."
Whatever that number is — neither would say — Neal will have ample
opportunities to reach it in a Penguins uniform. It doesn't hurt, either, that
Evgeni Malkin projects as his center for the foreseeable future.
"When you have chemistry with a guy," Neal said, "you want to play with
him for a long time. I'm excited to play on a line with Geno for a long time
coming."
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Pittsburgh Penguins
Lackluster Sabres able to get the best of passionless Penguins
Center Drew Stafford scored on a wraparound goal to make it 4-2, with
Martin and Engelland both losing track of their men on the play. Fleury,
although brilliant in the second period after replacing Brent Johnson — who
gave up three goals on 12 shots — was down on the play and allowed the
shot to bounce off his chest and in.
"We left our goalies hung out to dry," Penguins right wing Pascal Dupuis
said.
Then, with the Penguins on a power play, the Sabres delivered a crushing
blow.
Late on the man advantage, Letang chose to forecheck while the rest of the
Penguins trailed the play. In fact, while Letang was pursuing the puck in
Buffalo territory, center Evgeni Malkin was circling the Penguins' net. With
the Penguins utterly out of position, right wing Zach Kassian found left wing
Tyler Ennis for the goal that essentially ended the game.
"I don't know what the problem is," said center Craig Adams, who was
referring to the Penguins' recent bout with discipline and poor starts. "But it
is a problem."
The Penguins have permitted 10 first-period goals in their past seven
games. Although they have managed to win three recent games despite
allowing two first-period goals, the Penguins realize such a formula simply
isn't acceptable.
"It was a letdown from our team," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma said.
The Penguins got back into the game in the second period, but Fleury's
play was most responsible. The Penguins were short-handed twice during
that period and forced Fleury to stop forward Patrick Kaleta on a penalty
shot.
"It's something we can't keep doing," Staal said. "This time of year, when
you get down right off the bat, it just isn't easy coming back. It doesn't help
any when you're short-handed. We buried ourselves with penalties."
Following a weekend of such radically different performances, the Penguins
face their biggest game of the season Tuesday at Consol Energy Center.
The Penguins will host the first-place New York Rangers, who they trail by
10 points in the Atlantic Division.
"We know it's a huge game," Staal said. "We have to get off to a better
start. We just have to play better."
Scoring summary
First period
Sabres, 1-0 (0:52): C Jason Pominville jammed the puck into Brent
Johnson's pads before gathering the rebound and lifting the puck over
Johnson.
Sabres, 2-0 (4:16): C Derek Roy skated around D Brooks Orpik before
depositing a backhand shot past Johnson.
Second period
By Josh Yohe,
Sabres, 3-0 (2:52): C Paul Gaustad received a pass from RW Nathan
Gerbe, outskated Paul Martin to the front of the cage and beat Johnson.
BUFFALO — The Penguins' performance Sunday in Buffalo could be
described as undisciplined. Defenseman Kris Letang wouldn't even give the
Penguins that much credit following their 6-2 setback against the lowly
Sabres.
Penguins, 3-1 (3:39): C Evgeni Malkin found D Deryk Engelland, who
blasted a shot past G Ryan Miller from the center point.
"Discipline is one thing," Letang said. "But we didn't even show up."
Penguins, 3-2 (5:05): C Jordan Staal, standing in front of the net, collected
RW James Neal's pass and sneaked a backhand shot through Miller.
The Penguins were short-handed five times, permitted a shorthanded goal,
a penalty shot and never played with the enthusiasm expected from a team
battling for playoff position in a nationally televised game.
Sabres, 4-2 (6:10): C Drew Stafford scores on a wraparound play, firing the
puck off fallen goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and into the net.
"There's nothing you can say, honestly," said Letang, who, along with
defenseman Paul Martin, was a minus-4.
Sabres, 5-2 (8:32): D Kris Letang's turnover led to an odd-man rush, which
ended with Roy redirecting Pominville's pass past Fleury.
"We didn't show up. We didn't play the right way."
Sabres, 6-2 (16:43): With D Paul Martin down in front of the net, C Tyler
Ennis gained possession of the puck in the slot and rammed it past Fleury.
Goals from defenseman Deryk Engelland and center Jordan Staal gave the
Penguins life, pulling them within a goal in the third period after falling
behind, 3-0.
Third period
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Pittsburgh Penguins
However, two Buffalo goals in the following 3:27 not only put the contest
away but illustrated just how poorly the Penguins played.
Penguins never catch up as Sabres rule, 6-2
By Dave Molinari,
BUFFALO -- The Penguins fell behind early and stayed there all afternoon
in a 6-2 loss to Buffalo at the First Niagara Center today.
The loss dropped the Penguins' record to 33-21-5.
Jason Pominville punched a rebound past Penguins goalie Brent Johnson
from the right side of the crease to give the Sabres a 1-0 lead 52 seconds
into the game.
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- It was, a few of the Penguins had agreed, a bit
perplexing.
Hard to figure how Buffalo could find itself anchored near the bottom of the
Eastern Conference as the stretch drive approached.
The Sabres simply had too much talent -- to say nothing of speed and
creativity and an accomplished coach -- to suffer through that kind of
season.
But there has been an occasional bright spot in Buffalo's mostly miserable
winter, such as a 6-0 victory against Boston a few weeks ago.
Derek Roy of Buffalo made it 2-0 at 4:16 when he shoveled a backhander
by Johnson from near the left dot.
And a 6-2 victory against the Penguins (33-21-5) Sunday at the First
Niagara Center.
Paul Gaustad put the Sabres up, 3-0, and drove Johnson from the game at
2:52 of the second, as he flipped in a shot from the right side of the crease.
For at least one game, the Sabres looked like the team they are supposed
to be. And the Penguins looked like the team they probably are in some of
coach Dan Bylsma's worst nightmares.
That goal prompted Penguins coach Dan Bylsma to replace Johnson with
Marc-Andre Fleury.
The Penguins sliced Buffalo's lead to 3-1 when Deryk Engelland scored his
third of the season on a slap shot from the left point at 3:39, and Fleury
stopped Patrick Kaleta on a penalty shot at 10:51 to keep the Penguins
within two.
They were sluggish and sloppy from the earliest minutes, and had the focus
one might expect of a group that spent the previous evening at Mardi Gras.
The Sabres playing to something resembling their potential at the same
time the Penguins were turning in one of their more lackluster showings of
the season yielded a predictable outcome.
Jordan Staal made it 3-2 at 5:05 of the third with his 19th of the season, but
Drew Stafford (6:10) and Roy (8:32) put pucks past Fleury to put the game
out of reach.
"They have all the skill," Penguins left winger Chris Kunitz said. "They have
the guys. I can't speak for what they do, but [Sunday] they looked pretty
good ... we made them look pretty good."
Tyler Ennis punctuated the Sabres' victory by scoring on a backhander at
16:43.
The Penguins had looked pretty good themselves 24 hours earlier in a 6-4
victory in Philadelphia, and what they accomplished against the Flyers
clearly had an effect on how they played Sunday.
The Penguins are off until Tuesday, when the New York Rangers will visit
Consol Energy Center at 7:38 p.m.
Post Gazette LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Pittsburgh Penguins
And not in a positive way.
"We came out so good [Saturday] and had such a good game," winger
James Neal said. "We just came out [Sunday] really flat. ... There was
obviously a letdown."
And it didn't take long to show up. On the ice, and the scoreboard.
Penguins sign Neal to $30 million contract extension
By Dave Molinari,
The Sabres went in front to stay just 52 seconds into the game, when Jason
Pominville punched a rebound past goalie Brent Johnson from the right side
of the crease.
It was the first of three goals allowed by Johnson, who faced 12 shots
before being replaced by Marc-Andre Fleury at 2:52 of the second period.
BUFFALO - Winger James Neal has agreed to a six-year, $30 million
contract extension with the Penguins.
It will take effect next season and includes a $5 million annual salary and a
modified no-trade clause that kicks in for the final three seasons.
That clause, when it takes effect, is believed to allow Neal to select eight
teams to which he cannot be traded.
Neal, who enters the Penguins' game at Buffalo this afternoon with a
career-high 30 goals, made it clear he did not care to play elsewhere.
He could have been a restricted free agent July 1, meaning that the
Penguins could have matched any offer he got elsewhere or been entitled
to compensation if they chose to not match. But, Neal said he had no
qualms about signing early.
"I'm just so comfortable in Pittsburgh," he said. "With the commitment the
organization is going to give me, it couldn't be a better feeling. I couldn't find
a better spot. Pittsburgh is where I wanted to be. I love everything about
what goes on here and how we play the game. I have some great
teammates...I just couldn't see myself anywhere else, and hopefully the
success continues."
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Pittsburgh Penguins
Poor play brings out the best in Buffalo's struggling lineup
By Dave Molinari,
Johnson hardly was the only Penguin to endure a miserable afternoon, but
for him, Sunday's performance was just the latest installment in what has
been a terribly difficult season.
He has a 3-7-2 record, 3.17 goals-against average and a save percentage
of .882.
And, not surprisingly, Johnson also has a public expression of confidence
from his coach, although even Bylsma acknowledged that the Penguins
have to get better play out of him.
"I'm confident this guy can play and win hockey games," Bylsma said. "He
hasn't played particularly well and [it] hasn't been a season like last season,
where he won seven games at the beginning of the season for us.
"Certainly, the starts the last couple [of games], where he's gotten behind in
the game, is not the best recipe for winning hockey games. He is going to
be playing again, and he's going to have to win us some games. He's going
to have to play better and be stronger in that area."
He delivered a similar message about -- and, perhaps, to -- defenseman
Paul Martin, who finished the day with a plus-minus rating of minus-4 -tying teammate Kris Letang for the worst in the game -- to drop his total for
the season to minus-11.
And while plus-minus ratings hardly are a foolproof method of measuring
performance, Martin's seems a reasonable reflection of the season he is
having.
"I thought Paul played one of his better games with the puck and created a
lot [Sunday]," Bylsma said. "Unfortunately, at the end of it, he is minus-3
[sic] and it's not a good thing.
"Paul's game, in some [aspects] this season, hasn't been where we need it
to be, and he knows that. He's trying to get it back because he's a guy we're
counting on to defend for us and play big minutes for us against other
teams' top lines."
Shot in the arm
The Sabres were up, 3-0, when Fleury replaced Johnson, and Deryk
Engelland got the Penguins on the board just 47 seconds later.
Cooke immediately headed to the bench, then down the runway leading to
the locker room. He returned for the start of the second period, however,
and played the rest of the game.
Fleury subsequently denied Patrick Kaleta on a penalty shot, but after
Jordan Staal got the Penguins within one at 5:05 of the third, Drew Stafford,
Derek Roy and Tyler Ennis beat Fleury to put the game out of reach.
And if the Penguins are lucky, it was out of their memories almost as
quickly.
"It is," Fleury said, "best to forget about that one."
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Pittsburgh Penguins
Penguins Notebook: Neal comfortable with team, contract
By Dave Molinari,
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- James Neal understood that waiting wouldn't give him
much leverage.
Left winger Matt Cooke apparently was bruised, but not broken, by a Kunitz
shot that appeared to slam off his left arm late in the first period.
Cooke, who had an ice bag on or near his left forearm after the game,
declined to speak with reporters, but Bylsma, a former player, clearly could
empathize with what happened to him.
"[The puck] is vulcanized rubber," Bylsma said. "It's pretty hard. And when
they shoot it at 90 mph, it can put a sting into you.
"Even if it's just a bruise, you're going to feel it. It's going to be there for a
little bit. Matt shook it off and played."
Glassy surface
A light above the playing surface broke before the game, which caused
skate problems throughout the game, even though there apparently was no
safety issue.
"I was just concerned about safety because a great number of our players
lost their edge skating over the [broken] glass," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff
said.
"There was chunks that were probably half the size of a penny. They
wanted to start the game. We still had two players in the room getting
skates sharpened. I said, 'We can't start the game.' "
After all, he was scheduled to become a restricted free agent -- not an
unrestricted one -- July 1, and those guys rarely receive outrageous
contract offers or switch teams.
Bylsma said, "I was aware [of the situation], and not concerned at all."
Didn't seem to matter, though.
The Penguins are 12-14-2 when allowing the first goal of the game. ... Ben
Lovejoy and Cal O'Reilly were the Penguins' healthy scratches against
Buffalo.
Neal sounds like a guy who likely would have accepted the six-year, $30
million contract he got from the Penguins Sunday, regardless of the
circumstances.
Tip-ins
That is why, he said, he didn't bother finding out what the market for him
might have been this summer.
613998
"I'm just so comfortable in Pittsburgh," he said. "With the commitment the
organization is going to give me, it couldn't be a better feeling. I couldn't find
a better spot. Pittsburgh is where I wanted to be."
San Jose Sharks fail to snap Detroit Red Wings' home streak in 3-2 loss
And the Penguins clearly want to have him there, which is why general
manager Ray Shero gave Neal a deal that will pay him $5 million in each
season, and includes a modified no-trade clause that kicks in for the final
three seasons.
By David Pollak
"It's one less thing we need to look at in the summer," Shero said. "But
even if it would have gone to the summer, we would have gotten it done."
San Jose Sharks
DETROIT -- Some other team will have to be the one to break the Detroit
Red Wings' NHL- record, home-ice winning streak.
He added that negotiations on the deal, which takes effect in the 2012-13
season, ran about four to six weeks.
The Sharks had their chance Sunday afternoon and came close before
dropping a 3-2 decision to their longtime rivals, a loss that ended San
Jose's own streak of five wins at Joe Louis Arena where Detroit has now
won its last 23 games.
Neal had one assist in the Penguins' 6-2 loss to Buffalo Sunday at the First
Niagara Center, but has a career-high 30 goals, which just happens to be
what coach Dan Bylsma was hoping to get from him coming into this
season.
San Jose's effort was an improvement over recent losses in Tampa Bay
and Carolina on this 1-3-1 road trip that still has four more stops, but no one
was taking any satisfication in that.
"Thirty was a kind of tentative number," Bylsma said. "The number he gave
back to me was different from that number. He's not there yet."
Neal's target number still isn't known, but unless it's completely unrealistic,
he probably has a good shot at reaching it. He has teamed with Evgeni
Malkin and Chris Kunitz to form one of the most productive lines in the NHL.
"When you find chemistry with a guy [like Malkin], you want to play with him
for a long time," Neal said. "We've [had] some good chemistry from the start
of the season, and it's just gotten better.
"I'm excited to be able to play on a line with [Malkin] for a long time."
The synergy they have surely played a large part in Neal's decision to make
a long-term commitment to the Penguins, but he insisted that there was
more to it than just working well with his linemates.
"I love everything about what goes on here and how we play the game," he
said. "I just couldn't see myself anywhere else."
"You don't win a game, you're frustrated," said Logan Couture, who scored
the first San Jose goal after Detroit had taken a 2-0 lead. "We're on a threegame losing streak right now and this isn't the time to do that. Teams are
closing in. The playoff spot is getting tighter and tighter."
San Jose's lead in the Pacific Division is down to two points over the
Phoenix Coyotes, though the Sharks do have two games in hand. Falling
out of first place, however, puts them in the mix with everyone else fighting
for the bottom three seeds.
Henrik Zetterberg, Drew Miller and Darren Helm provided the Detroit goals
while Couture and Patrick Marleau scored for the Sharks.
As if trying to win in Detroit these days isn't hard enough, the Sharks lost
three players to injuries during a short stretch of the third period. A
deflected puck hit Marc-Edouard Vlasic in the face, a slap shot hit Joe
Pavelski in
the head and another struck the knee of Colin White.
Though both Pavelski and White did return later in the game, Detroit
forward Darren Helm scored what proved to be the winning goal at 7:01
while all three were sidelined.
The Sharks lost again Sunday, lost for the sixth time in their past eight
games. But do not come to the wrong conclusion.
"I thought the game changed a little bit there," McLellan said of the stretch
where his players absorbed those injuries. "We got flat for about 10 minutes
and weren't able to use those minutes well."
The Sharks are not in trouble. The Sharks are in need.
Detroit's first goal came at 6:30 of the first period when Zetterberg fired a
back-hand shot through White's legs that goalie Antti Niemi said he did not
see in time to adjust his position.
They need a player who could have scored a third goal for them Sunday, a
goal that would have tied Detroit in regulation and sent the game into
overtime, instead of forcing the Sharks to settle for a spirited 3-2 defeat.
And at 10:40 of the second period, Johan Franzen jumped out of the
penalty box and into the play to give Detroit a 3-on-2 rush with Miller
converting the rebound of a shot by Justin Abdelkader.
They need a forward who can play on the top two lines and provide more
offensive vigor to a team that actually played pretty well defensively against
the Red Wings.
But the Sharks kept the pressure on after that and it paid off at 14:33 on a
power play when Couture batted the puck high out of the air and it eluded
Red Wing netminder Joey MacDonald.
They need another veteran presence that can produce more consistency,
so that the Sharks don't score five or six goals some nights and only one or
two in other games (including the past two).
"It just popped up and I whacked it down," said Couture of the play that
survived a video review after it showed Detroit forward Justin Abdelkader
made contact with the puck before it crossed the goal line. "Lucky, but we'll
take them any way we can get them."
They need a home game right now in the worst way but must gut it out for
four more games on their absurdly long nine-game trip, the Milos Raonic
Magical Mystery Tour -- so named because the lengthy journey is the
annual fallout from Raonic and other tennis stars occupying HP Pavilion for
the weeklong SAP Open. The Sharks must hate February.
The Red Wings added to their lead, however, after the puck got lost in
Torrey Mitchell's skates in the neutral zone and Helm capitalized on the
turnover by rifling a shot that beat Niemi on the stick side.
San Jose did make it 3-2 with 4:44 left in the game when Marleau poked in
the rebound of a shot by Brent Burns after a Detroit turnover. The Sharks
did pull Niemi with 1:18 left, but spent most of their energy protecting the
open net.
Niemi's performance was under fire after he allowed six goals in a 6-5
overtime loss in Tampa Bay on Thursday night, but McLellan praised his
work Sunday.
"Goaltender was much sharper," the coach said. "He accepted the
challenge -- both him and (Thomas) Greiss the last couple nights. Hopefully
we're going in the right direction."
Geographically, they're going south to Columbus for a Tuesday game
against the Blue Jackets.
"Move on, take the positives with the negatives," Couture said. "We need
points there. Points are so huge and we need to find a way to get some."
McLellan did not have details on the injury to Vlasic, but said it appeared
the puck hit him in the visor and caught him in the nose.
The shot taken by ex-Shark defenseman Ian White initially struck the back
of Dan Boyle's skate before felling Vlasic, who had to be helped off the ice.
They need an oomph injection.
They need to nevertheless pause and ponder the following fact, which
might shock some fans: The Sharks' current record (31-19-7) is actually
better than it was after 57 games last season (30-21-6) when our beloved
Los Tiburones went on to finish with the Western Conference's second-best
record. That's
another reason the current Sharks slump can't be called a crisis.
They need to thank their lucky teal stars, however, that they are playing in
the flaccid and underperforming Pacific Division. This has allowed the
Sharks to stay in first place and hold onto the third playoff seed. Their
closest divisional pursuers are Phoenix and Los Angeles, which have their
own problems and have allowed the Sharks room to breathe.
They need to realize, however, that with six of their final 13 games this
season scheduled against the Coyotes or Kings, the slump must be
rectified long before those six games come around and open the door for a
potential Phoenix or Los Angeles surge to a Pacific title.
All of which is to say that, with the NHL trade deadline peeking over the
Feb. 27 horizon, the Sharks would appear to be really rolling the dice if they
stand still and do nothing.
But it might happen. Making no move might be more likely than making any
move. So be prepared to bite fingernails for the next six weeks.
The shot that hit Pavelski was initially just as frightening. Dropping to the ice
just as Lidstrom fired away, the Sharks forward was hit squarely in the side
of his helmet.
There is no secret wish list for the Sharks. The names are out there, the
possible acquisitions and usual suspects who could add some juice to the
roster: Teemu Selanne, Ryan Smyth, Jarome Iginla, Tuomo Ruutu, and
especially Rick Nash.
The NHL has established a protocol to follow because of concerns about
concussions, and after passing all the required tests, Pavelski was back on
the ice after missing about eight minutes of action.
But here's the bad news: None of those players may be available to be
picked up in a reasonable deal, or even available at all. Things seem to be
breaking that way.
"It's bound to happen every once in a while when you go down like that,"
Pavelski said of being struck in the head. "I'm just glad I took it there and
not in the face."
Pavelski said he wanted to play and had to trust the system the league has
in place. But he was aware that he wasn't out of the woods yet.
So. The Sharks may stick with what they have. They may count on the
additional top-six forward juice coming from a player already on the roster.
They may count on hamstring-injured Marty Havlat to return at full speed
(reports are positive about his rehab) or count on recent rookie call-up
Tommy Wingels to have an impact along the lines of Logan Couture's
impact in the final weeks of the 2010-11 season.
"You still hope nothing comes about later because you have seen guys
come back the next day and say something hasn't felt right," he said.
It will be a risk. A severe, non-ideal, criticism-bringing risk. But a risk the
Sharks and general manager Doug Wilson are prepared to take.
Ryane Clowe had the size advantage and earned the decision in a fight
with Abdelkader with 5:06 remaining in the game.
A month ago, some of those wish-list names seemed quite get-able.
Selanne, the ageless Anaheim winger and former Shark, would have been
an energetic fit. But the Ducks apparently think they're still in the playoff
hunt and have sent out signals Selanne is off the block. Ruutu of Carolina
was solidly in the rumor stream until suffering an "upper-body" injury that
may keep him out as long as a month.
San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 02.20.2012
613999
San Jose Sharks
Idling San Jose Sharks need to add another gear (goal scorer)
Nash, the All-Star Columbus winger, was a nice thought. And the Columbus
Dispatch has reported the Sharks are among the teams on Nash's list of
acceptable trade destinations. But there are two roadblocks.
By Mark Purdy
The first is, Columbus probably would want Couture or Joe Pavelski in
return, a non-starter with Wilson. The other roadblock is Nash's contract
averages $7.8 million annually through 2018, too rich for the Sharks' salary
cap limitations. Plus, it would give Nash a larger cap figure than Joe
Thornton. And there is at least an unofficial franchise dictum that no Sharks
player should make more money than Thornton.
Wilson will tell you that since last summer, he has acquired 10 new players
for the Sharks roster, including last week's deal for helpful third-line forward
Dominic Moore from Tampa Bay. But is that enough? Does that fill the
added-oomph quotient?
The Sharks need to think long and hard about that before next Monday.
San Jose Mercury News: LOADED: 02.20.2012
614000
San Jose Sharks
Wings tip Sharks for record home winning streak
DETROIT – In what was a much improved effort than their previous two
losses to a pair of struggling teams, the San Jose Sharks showed up on
Sunday afternoon at Joe Louis Arena, trying to put an end to the leagueleading Red Wings’ NHL record home winning streak.
It didn’t happen. Drew Miller had a goal and assist while Henrik Zetterberg
and Darren Helm also scored in a 3-2 Detroit win, sending the Sharks to
their third straight loss (0-2-1), fourth in five games on their current road trip
(1-3-1), and sixth in the last eight (2-5-1).
And, even though the game could have easily gone the other way, with the
calendar now showing late February the time for moral victories is over.
“It’s not a win. When you don’t win a game you’re frustrated, and we’re on a
three-game losing streak right now,” Logan Couture said. “It isn’t the time to
do that. Teams are closing in and the playoff spot is getting tighter and
tighter. This is obviously a tough rink to play in, but we need to start winning
some games.”
Associated Press
The level of desperation was completely opposite when compared with
losses to Tampa Bay and Carolina earlier in the week, in which the Sharks
seemed to lack focus and were generally not sharp.
- The Red Wings are losing track of how many games in a row they've won
at home.
Todd McLellan said: “We’re much happier with the effort, but it’s still a loss.
We can’t get caught up in satisfaction points. Points are points. But, the
effort, commitment level to doing it the right way, to playing hard, to
sacrificing, all went up from the last two games.”
For the record, Detroit won its 23rd straight at Joe Louis Arena on Sunday,
setting an NHL mark for home dominance by holding off the Sharks 3-2.
"Where are we at with the streak?" asked Drew Miller, who scored for the
Red Wings. "The streak is cool, but we're more concerned with how we're
playing and to keep our spot in the race."
That includes goaltender Antti Niemi, who was publically challenged by
McLellan following a 6-5 overtime loss to the Lightning in which he allowed
six goals on 25 shots. “Goaltender was much sharper,” McLellan said.
The Red Wings won their sixth straight game, all in a homestand, and have
an NHL-high 84 points.
San Jose (31-19-7, 69 points) still has the Pacific Division lead, but is just
two points ahead of the surging Phoenix Coyotes (the Sharks have two
games in hand).
Detroit, which broke the league's single-season record of 20 on Tuesday,
surpassed the 22 wins in a row the Boston Bruins had over two seasons,
1929 and '30.
Calgary and Los Angeles are tied for eighth in the Western Conference with
65 points apiece.
"We've got a good thing going, but we need to take it on the road," Miller
said.
The Red Wings have won nearly 90 percent of their games at home and
are .500 away from Joe Louis Arena.
Detroit head coach Mike Babcock said goaltender Jimmy Howard, who has
been out two-plus weeks with a broken right index finger, will start in the
next game Tuesday night at Chicago.
Joey MacDonald, the team's third-string goaltender when Howard was hurt,
made 31 saves for his sixth straight win.
Henrik Zetterberg and Miller gave Detroit a two-goal lead midway through
the second period, and Darren Helm restored the two-goal edge 7:01 into
the third.
Logan Couture scored late in the second period for the Sharks, and Patrick
Marleau cut their deficit to a goal with 4:44 left.
It’s getting dicey.
“We need wins. I know we’re first in our division right now but that doesn’t
mean much when you’re only a few points out of the playoffs,” Ryane
Clowe said. “We’re looking for wins, not so much good efforts, but getting
the points in the bag.”
For the Red Wings, their record now stands at 23 wins in a row on home
ice. The Sharks are one of just two teams to beat the Red Wings in their
own building in regulation this season, back on Oct. 28, 4-2. Since a loss to
Calgary on Nov. 3, though, Detroit is unbeaten.
The Sharks outshot the Red Wings 25-16 through two periods and had the
better of the scoring chances up to that point despite trailing, 2-1.
Detroit held the territorial advantage to start the third, though, and got a key
insurance goal from Helm. Miller gained control of the puck and brought it
into the zone before finding Helm in the slot for a one-timer at 7:01.
The Pacific Division-leading Sharks have lost six of eight.
Patrick Marleau brought the Sharks back to within 3-2 with less than five
minutes to go. Ian White turned the puck over to Brent Burns at the point,
and Marleau cleaned up the garbage in front of the net after Burns’ shot.
"We were much happier with the effort," San Jose head coach Todd
McLellan said, "but it is still a loss, and we can't get caught up in
satisfaction points."
That was as close as the Sharks would get.
San Jose's Antti Niemi gave up a goal on the second shot he faced and
finished with 25 saves.
According to Clowe, the third period was “a lot different of a period than the
second when we had them hemmed in and had some chances. I don’t
know if fatigue played factor, and I don’t think that’s an excuse, but it was
tough to give up that third one.”
The Red Wings snapped a five-game losing streak against San Jose in the
regular season, beating a team that has eliminated them in each of the past
two postseasons.
Injuries may have also played a part.
San Francisco Chronicle LOADED: 02.20.2012
614001
San Jose Sharks
Defenseman Marc-Edouard Vlasic was hurt early in the third, when he was
struck in the face with the puck after a slap shot by Ian White deflected off
of Dan Boyle’s skate. Vlasic, who was standing in the slot in the defensive
zone, immediately crumpled to the ice and was bleeding heavily as he was
helped off of the ice. He didn’t return.
Red Wings down Sharks 3-2, extend home streak to 23
Vlasic was unavailable after the game, but McLellan was told the puck hit
Vlasic “kind of in the nose” after it glanced off of his visor.
Kevin Kurz
Moments after Vlasic went down, Joe Pavelski dove in front of a slap shot
by Nicklas Lidstrom and was struck in the side of the helmet. Pavelski later
returned after passing some concussion tests in the locker room.
“You have to have trust in that system that hopefully nothing bad will
happen,” Pavelski said.
There was more. Colin White also missed a stretch of time after getting hit
with a shot himself. That put the Sharks down two defensemen, and the
club “ran out of gas, but got it back at the end of the night, and couldn’t find
a way to get the third,” McLellan said.
Zetterberg put Detroit on the board when he cut to the slot untouched and
lifted a backhander through traffic and past Niemi at 6:30. The puck may
have deflected on its way towards the net.
“I saw it too late,” Niemi said.
Detroit took that lead into the second period and increased it thanks to
some fortunate timing. Johan Franzen stepped out of the penalty box as his
hooking minor expired, and just as the Red Wings gained possession of the
puck in their defensive zone. A three-on-two rush was the result, and Miller
put in the rebound of a Justin Abdelkader deflection midway through
regulation.
The Sharks didn’t fold though, and outplayed the Red Wings for most of the
second. Jason Demers, returning from nine-game absence with a lower
body injury, was stopped by Joey MacDonald six minutes into the period
when Demers had an open look from the circle.
MacDonald gloved a wrist shot from Couture on the power play just before
Miller’s goal, and later robbed Joe Thornton on the doorstep after a nice
pass through the slot from Burns. Burns also had a great chance himself
after a strong move at the point resulted in a two-on-one rush with Jamie
McGinn.
At that point, any player suspected of having a concussion is sent to a
“quiet room” and evaluated by the on-site team physician, and Pavelski
apparently passed the ensuing tests.
That’s not to say he isn’t a little concerned, though.
“You still hope nothing comes about later, because you have seen guys
come back later or the next day, or two weeks later and say something
hasn’t felt right,” Pavelski said. “I’m glad we have the day off tomorrow, or at
least a lighter day, and we’ll see how we go.”
The Sharks are scheduled to practice in Columbus on Monday afternoon.
“It’s bound to happen once in awhile, you go down like that. I’m just glad I
took it there and not in the face,” said Pavelski, who was on the ice when
Patrick Marleau scored with 4:44 left in the game.
Marc-Edouard Vlasic had a puck deflect into his face early in the third, just
before Pavelski went down. Colin White took a shot shortly after Pavelski,
and missed a stretch of time, too. A bloodied Vlasic was the only one who
did not return after McLellan said the puck glanced off of his visor and hit
him “kind of in the nose.”
“It’s a double-edged sword, because you’re real proud that your team is
prepared to sacrifice themselves, but then you’re worried about their health
after,” McLellan said.
614003
St Louis Blues
The Sharks were finally rewarded on the scoreboard with a power play goal
at 14:33 when Couture got his stick on an airborne puck that was bouncing
around the crease after Boyle’s shot from the high slot.
Hockey Guy: Blues find goaltending strength in numbers
A short review confirmed the goal, as it looked like Thornton may have
tapped it in with a high stick, but the video showed no conclusive evidence
to overrule the call on the ice. Couture later said that after it hit his stick,
Abdelkader put it in his own net.
By JEFF GORDON
San Jose drastically shuffled up its forward lines to start the game.
Thornton played with regular winger Pavelski and Tommy Wingels, while
Couture lined up with Clowe and Marleau. Newcomer Dominic Moore was
between McGinn and Michal Handzus, while the fourth line was Andrew
Desjardins, Brad Winchester and Torrey Mitchell.
Sunday's 3-1 Blues loss will renew fan demands for a goaltending-forscoring trade. Goals have been hard to come for the Note on the road and
this team has a lot of road games left.
But the value of employing two starter-quality goaltenders was underscored
again this week, when Brian Elliott took charge for the Blues while Jaroslav
Halak battled the flu.
The Sharks visit the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday, looking for a
season sweep of the NHL’s worst team.
Neither netminder ranks among the NHL's elite, but the duo leads the
league in goals-against average. Why mess with success?
Odds and ends: John McCarthy was reassigned to Worcester before the
game as Demers was taken off of injured reserve. … The Sharks were 1for-4 on the power play, and killed off all three Detroit advantages. …
MacDonald made 31 saves. … Douglas Murray missed the game with a
fractured Adam’s apple, and an update is expected within the next day or
two, according to Todd McLellan. … McLellan said after the game that he’d
like to see the Red Wings win the rest of their home games during the
regular season. Why? “Then the odds go against you,” he quipped.
Eliott saved the Note earlier this season and pushed Halak to pick up his
game. Halak responded and went on a tear. Now Elliott has reasserted
himself as a critical time.
614002
San Jose Sharks
Pavelski concerned after taking puck to the head
Kevin Kurz
DETROIT – Of the three injures the Sharks suffered in a span of just a few
minutes early in the third period of Sunday's 3-2 loss to Detroit, none looked
scarier than when Joe Pavelski was drilled in the side of the head by a
Nicklas Lidstrom slap shot.
With about 15 minutes left in regulation, Pavelski dove in front of Lidstrom
as the All-Star defenseman wound up inside the blue line, and the puck hit
the Sharks forward squarely in the helmet. He was slow to rise to his skates
but eventually made it up the tunnel and into the visitors’ locker room at Joe
Louis Arena.
(Elliott deserved a better fate in Chicago, where poor David Backes
doomed the Blues with an accidental own goal. Tough day for the captain.)
General manager Doug Armstrong recognized Elliott's value by giving him a
contract extension. With his tandem locked up for two more years, he feels
little urgency to trade from this strength to fill other needs.
No. 3 goaltender Ben Bishop may come into play as a result, as the NBC
broadcast team noted during the network's "Hockey Day in America'
extravaganza.
Scouts hoping to evaluate him in American Hockey League game action
couldn't do so this weekend. Bishop spent back-to-back games on the St.
Louis bench backing up Eliott with Halak in the sick bay.
But what more does he have to show in the AHL? He has 23 victories this
season with six shutouts, a .929 save percentage and a 2.25 goals-against
average.
Bishop is steaming toward Group 6 unrestricted free agency. He is unlikely
to re-sign with the Blues as long as Halak and Elliott are in place.
Another team could acquire him and keep him off the market -- either by
playing him down the stretch (unlikely) to negate his free agency or by
negotiating a contract extension with his camp (more likely).
But would another team offer enough to convince Armstrong to diminish his
depth? Since the Blues own the Rivermen, is Armstrong obligated to keep
Peoria on track toward the playoffs?
Are other teams willing to wait until the summer to bid on Bishop, when he
could hit the open market?
But Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli said the trade market could be sluggish this
year.
That storyline will be worth tracking as the trade deadline nears.
“It’s a combination of a bunch of factors,” he told the Boston Herald. “The
tightness of the races, first, and also I detect just a hesitation among the
managers to trade their players, whether they’re contending or not. Good
players are hard to come by. I think we’re seeing more guys getting locked
up (with new deals), so the player pool at the trade deadline may not be as
big.”
Here are some others:
The Predators hear the Blackhawks skating up behind them in the Western
Conference standings. By adding defenseman Hal Gill, Nashville GM David
Poile told his colleagues that he is in "buy" mode. He will worry about reupping defenseman Shea Weber and Ryan Suter at a later date.
The Ottawa Sun wonders if Columbus senior advisor Craig Patrick is
overseeing this week's Blue Jackets break-up. GM Scott Howson is making
the rounds of NHL rinks doing leg work, but he could be a dead man
walking. Will the franchise make a massive trade involving Rick Nash
and/or Jeff Carter before the deadline? Or will the Jackets be more active
this summer?
The Flyers added defensemen Nicklas Grossman from Dallas and Pavel
Kubina from Tampa Bay, moving four draft picks and a prospect in the
process. Is Philly GM Paul Holmgren plotting something bigger, like a play
for goaltending help or Nash? Columbus would want a lot for Nash, perhaps
goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky plus James van Riemsdyk and either Brayden
Schenn or Sean Couturier.
The Rangers could make a big play for Nash, or the team could aim lower
and add depth at center and/or defense. New York is playing very well and
now might not be the time to subtract major pieces.
No round-up of trade speculation is complete without noting that veteran
forwards Ales Hemsky (Oilers) and Andrei Kostitsyn (Canadiens) are
headed to free agency and up for bidding. Hemsky should generate heavy
bidding. Kostitsyn? Not so much.
By dealing Kubina and Dominic Moore (to the Sharks for a second-round
pick), the Lightning turned on its blinking "sell" sign. Power forward Ryan
Malone is the most obvious trade commodity left. Why GM Steve Yzerman
didn't make a play for goaltending help earlier this season is one of the
bigger mysteries of the season.
Many experts regard the Kings as a favorite to Nash or Carter away from
the Blue Jackets. Los Angeles GM Dean Lombardi is operating with an
increased sense of urgency after his team was shut out in back-to-back
games. Offensive defenseman Jack Johnson and goaltender Jonathan
Bernier are two of his more attractive chips.
The Panthers are in "buy" mode, which is a welcome change of pace for
long-suffering hockey fans in South Florida. GM Dale Tallon won't trade
future assets for rental help or burdensome contracts, but he has
demonstrated a willingness to make blockbuster moves.
The Devils want to add a defenseman. New Jersey could acquire Marek
Zidlicky from Minnesota, since the veteran puck-mover fell out of favor with
Wild coach Mike Yeo.
Colorado GM Greg Sherman is unlikely to retain pending free agent
defenseman Shane O’Brien after this season, but does he want to trade
him now? O’Brien is playing well, so Sherman would be foolish to move him
unless he gets a solid asset in return.
Senators GM Bryan Murray won't deal prospects for short-term help, but he
could move one expiring contract for another expiring contract to fill a
particular need. Ottawa wants back into the playoffs, but Murray realizes
there is still more rebuilding to do.
Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke won't sit still with his team suffering lopsided
losses. Toronto has been terrible since the All-Star break. Burke wants to
get bigger and tougher down the middle, but does he need to address
goaltending and defense as well? Would trading defenseman Luke Schenn
really be a great idea?
The Stars aren't sellers, per se, but GM Joe Nieuwendyk seems willing to
listen to offers for Steve Ott and Mike Ribeiro in case another teams wants
to overspend for help.
ESPN.com notes that Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff has plenty of players
headed toward free agency, including Jim Slater, Tanner Glass, Kyle
Wellwood, Tim Stapleton, Johnny Oduya, Randy Jones, Mark Flood and
Chris Mason. Teams looking for depth should keep that in mind.
Mounting injuries in Boston make the Bruins more likely to add help up
front. Power forward Nathan Horton could sit out the stretch run with postconcussion syndrome and the loss of Rich Peverley also stings.
St Louis Post Dispatch LOADED: 02.20.2012
614004
St Louis Blues
Third Period: Blackhawks 3, Blues 1
By DAN O'NEILL
As has happened so often, the Blues outplayed Chicago for much of the
game. But the team's inability to take advantage of scoring chances allows
the opposition to stay in the game. Chicago takes advantage to score three
third-period goals, including an open-net tally late to secure a 3-1 win.
The Blues scored only one goal, by Andy McDonald. But they had two
breakaways and several other good chances that weren't converted. As a
result, a 1-0 lead disappears as the Hawks dominate the third period.
The Blues continue to be a dissapointing team on the road, as their away
record slips to 10-13-3.
Dave Bolland scores to give Chicago their first lead wit 6:57 to play. Bolland
threw the puck in front of the net and it deflected in off David Backes.
Chicago ties the game with 16:04 to play on a blast by Duncan Keith.
Brian Elliott has been solid and Andy McDonald's first-period goal is still
holding up as the Blues carry a 1-0 lead to the third period.
Blues out-shooting Hawks 22-10 with five minutes remaining.
Chris Stewart gets a clean breakaway but can't beat Crawford through the
legs.
The second has not started well for the Blues. Chicago has much more
jump. And now Sobotka has taken a delay-of-game penalty.
The Blues get a goal wth 24 seconds remaining. Alex Pietrangelo hit the
goalpost with a shot - the third goalpost for the Blues - before the puck
wound up in the crease. Jamie Langenbrunner kicked at the puck which
was going in behind Corey Crawford. Andy McDonald was able to nudge it
with his stick before it went in, nullifying Langenbrunner's kick and making it
a good goal.
The goal is the third in three games for McDonald, as the Blues take a 1-0
lead to intermission.
Now the Blues are on a power play after a silly call on Chicago's Jamal
Mayers. Kris Russell hits the goalpost.
The Blues kill off an early power play for the Blackhawks, but Chicago going
right back on a PP after a ridiculous goaltender interference call on Vlad
Sobotka with 12:44 to play.
He was pulled down by Chicago defender and slid into goaltender Corey
Crawford - and the penalty is on Sobotka.
614005
St Louis Blues
Wild's Peters has hearing for cross-check on Backes
By JEREMY RUTHERFORD
Minnesota center Warren Peters has a hearing today with the NHL to
discuss his cross-check on David Backes late in the Blues' 4-0 win over the
Wild Saturday.
Brian Elliott's 4-0 shutout against Minnesota Saturday gave him six on the
season, matching teammate Jaroslav Halak. According to Elias, the Blues
became the first team in NHL history to have two goaltenders with at least
six shutouts.
Peters received a five-minute major for cross-checking and a gamemisconduct with 3 minutes, 30 seconds remaining in game. Backes left the
ice and didn't return, but afterwards, Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said the
team's captain was "fine" and expected to be in the lineup today against
Chicago.
Elliott lost a bid for his seventh shutout Sunday when Chicago's Duncan
Keith scored in the third period. That goal ended Elliott's shutout streak at
159:01, finishing about five minutes shy of his personal record (163:53).
Peters, according to the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, took exception to a
couple of hits Backes laid on the Wild late in the game. Peters said that a
request to drop the gloves with Backes was declined. Then while crosschecking Backes, he says his stick went up Backes' shoulder pads before
hitting him in the head.
COLAIACOVO SCRATCHED
"That was not the intent that I went in with," Peters told the Star-Tribune.
After the game, Blues assistant coach Scott Mellanby said he was
disappointed in the antics of the Minnesota players. Earlier in the game, Cal
Clutterbuck appeared to leave his feet while laying a hit on the Blues' Alex
Pietrangelo.
"A little bit emotional right now," Mellanby told KMOX's Kelly Chase after
the game. "I don't like the way they played. There's not a lot of courage
leaving their feet and hitting guys. Some guys need to realize the amount of
money they make is because of the star players in the game, and respect it
a little. You've got fourth-line guys cross-checking guys in the face, guys
leaving their feet to take out guys ... it's not tough hockey."
Halak missed his second straight game Sunday with the flu. He's expected
to rejoin the club Monday, and Ben Bishop will be returned to Peoria.
Blues defenseman Carlo Colaiacovo was a healthy scratch for the second
straight game, as Kent Huskins remained in the lineup. Colaiacovo missed
one game with a wrist injury, but he deemed himself available for
Saturday's game against Minnesota.
After Sunday's in Chicago, Colaiacovo declined comment.
BLUENOTES
The Blues were 0 for two on the power play Sunday. The team has gone
eight straight road games without a power play goal (0-16). Alex Steen had
the last road power-play goal Dec. 27. ... Minnesota's Warren Peters was
suspended for one game for his cross-check to Backes' head Saturday.
614007
St Louis Blues
614006
St Louis Blues
Blues are still finding goals hard to get on the road
CHICAGO • For the fourth time in their last six road games, the Blues
mustered only goal in a 3-1 loss to Chicago on Sunday. As a result, the
club's road scoring average — 51 goals in 26 games — dipped to 1.96
goals a game.
Left winger Andy McDonald scored the Blues' lone goal Sunday at United
Center, but only after it was upheld by video replay.
"We're a team right now that needs everybody to perform at a high level for
us to win on the road," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "The way we're
structured and the way we're built, we don't have offensive players to carry
us. So if we have people who are not up to task, it reflects in our game. We
get chances by volume and in that first nine rotation, when we've got weak
players, as the game wears on, we get exposed and that's what happened
again today. We got exposed."
The Blues finished Sunday with 30 shots on net, and 13 of those came from
the line of McDonald (six shots), Patrik Berglund (four) and Jamie
Langenbrunner (three). The top line of David Backes, T.J. Oshie and David
Perron had a total of four.
"Andy McDonald's line did a great job of sustaining pressure, getting pucks
in there and battling at the front of the net," Backes said. "Scott Nichol's line
did the same, but the other two lines ... not enough. When you don't have
even half your forwards going on the road, it's going to be tough to win."
The Blues are 2-4 in their last six road games, winning 3-1 at Ottawa and 43 at New Jersey in a shootout. But they are 0-4 in the games they scored
just one goal.
"When you have one line going, it's too easy for the other team to shut your
offense down," McDonald said. "So we really need contributions from our
top six forwards. That's going to be the key for us going forward. We've got
great goaltending, team defense, we're really strong. It's just going to be
whether or not we can get that depth scoring we need — our top six and
then the third line chipping in here and there for us. That's going to be the
key."
NHL HISTORY
Blues can't break pattern in loss to Chicago
CHICAGO • Once again, the Blues had a road game against a quality
opponent within their grasp and let it slip. Chicago's game-winning goal in a
3-1 victory came on an unlucky break, as the puck went in off the skate of
David Backes, but the real reason the Blues lost Sunday was the factthat,
once again, they failed to match the performance of their opponent late in
the game.
Taught similar lessons in previous road losses, including two December
games in Detroit, the Blues proved they still have much learning to do in
that area.
Entering Sunday's third period, the Blues were outshooting Chicago 22-13
and leading 1-0, but the Blackhawks rang up 14 shots and three goals,
including an empty-netter, to pull out the come-from-behind victory.
"I don't think we've learned the lesson ... if we learned the lesson, we would
have done it," Blues coach Ken Hitchcock said. "The only lesson you learn
is you dig in harder. The difference is we had people who weren't
performers today from the start to the finish. It didn't come up in the first
period, but it came up in the second and the third. So they got pushed out."
The defeat dropped the Blues to 10-13-3 on the road this season, and
they're now 5-8-2 against the Central Division, including 0-6-1 in their last
seven division games. They will host Boston on Wednesday at Scottrade
Center before packing their bags for a six-game, 10-day trip.
The Blues were making their first appearance at United Center this season
on Sunday, and it was a homecoming of sorts for Chicago, which was
playing at home for the first time in 25 days.
The visitors put together a dazzling first period, outshooting the Blackhawks
14-4 and holding them without a shot for a 14-minute stretch. But the
offense couldn't convert the chances into a goal, banging three posts and
misfiring on a short-handed breakaway by Andy McDonald with 11½
minutes left in the first period.
"I just missed," McDonald said. "I think I got a crossbar or elbow there. I
don't get too many chances like that, so you've got to capitalize."
But then late in the first period, McDonald broke the scoreless game on a
goal that withstood an official review.
Teammate Jamie Langenbrunner was standing in the crease when he
kicked the puck toward the net with his left skate. It was headed for the
back of the net and McDonald got a piece of it, nullifying the kicking motion
by Langenbrunner.
McDonald's third goal in three games handed the Blues a 1-0 lead with 23
seconds left in the first period.
A scoreless second frame saw the Blues fail to execute their second
breakaway of the day, as Chris Stewart had his attempt to beat Chicago
goalie Corey Crawford through the legs denied. Meanwhile in the period,
the Blackhawks came up empty on their third power play of the game,
falling to 0 for their last 29 opportunities.
Ahead 1-0, the Blues were 25-1-1 this season when taking a lead into the
third period. Their last loss in that situation was Dec. 27, when Detroit
rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the final 20 minutes for a 3-2 victory.
"They don't give up much, and you've got to stay with it," Chicago coach
Joel Quenneville said. "You've got to get through traffic. You've got to score
ugly goals."
Early in the third period, Blackhawks defenseman Duncan Keith rifled a
blast through traffic, beating goaltender Brian Elliott for a 1-1 score.
"I didn't even see (Keith)," said Elliott, who was making his third start in four
days. "There were just bodies there. Sometimes those sneak through the
crowd and you have a hard time reacting."
Elliott had no time to react on Chicago's second goal. This time, Keith
wound up for a slap shot but sent a rocket pass to Dave Bolland on the left
side of the net. Bolland went to pass the puck himself, but the puck went in
off Backes for a 2-1 lead with 6:57 left in regulation.
"I saw (Patrick Kane) just to my left and I was trying to give it to him but it
went off Backes' skate and into the net," Bolland said.
Backes called the play tough luck.
"We should be out of the zone before that, (but) we don't make plays to get
it out and then I put one in the back of our net," Backes said. "Such is life.
We need to be better all around and not have it go down to 10 minutes left,
where we're on our heels and they're really bringing the pressure to us.
"It's a case of not sticking to our game long enough."
the chance to grow up in the National Hockey League and play here for
around 700 games. I grew up here as a player, we won a Stanley Cup and
I've made so many great friends for life and met so many good people.
"It's hard to leave, but this team will always belong to my heart.''
Kubina, who thanked and praised Lightning owner Jeff Vinik, said there
were never any discussions held with the team about extending his contract
and admitted that the chance at a return for a third stint indeed seems
unlikely.
In the meantime, Kubina is excited to be joining the Flyers and reuniting
with countryman Jaromir Jagr, whom Kubina has played with at numerous
international tournaments including the Olympics.
While the no-trade clause in his contract stipulated he could submit a list of
five teams to whom he would accept a trade, Kubina never submitted a list.
Instead he thought about Philadelphia when general manager Steve
Yzerman mentioned to him that the Flyers were one of the teams
interested.
"I thought about it, talked it over with my family, and I think it's another
chance for me to play for a great team and a Stanley Cup contender and be
back in the playoffs again,'' Kubina said.
He was disappointed that he didn't get that opportunity this season with the
Lightning, who have climbed back to within six points of a playoff spot
following victories against San Jose and Washington last week.
"I always thought there was still hope to make the playoffs. It's such a great
group of guys and we proved that last year,'' Kubina said. "We struggled
this year, everybody knows that, but this team is still fighting for a playoff
spot and they have a great shot at it.
"So I was a little disappointed that Steve lost the patience and the hope for
that.''
Tampa Tribune LOADED: 02.20.2012
614009
Tampa Bay Lightning
Kubina says Lightning will always "belong to my heart"
Chicago's Marian Hossa added an empty-netter with under one minute to
play.
614008
JOE SMITH
Tampa Bay Lightning
Veteran defenseman Pavel Kubina packed up his Lightning locker Sunday
morning, even collecting the nameplate as a keepsake.
Kubina: Lightning 'belong to my heart'
By ERIK ERLENDSSON
Kubina, 34, traded to the Flyers Saturday for a second and fourth round
pick, appeared emotional as he described how difficult it is to leave the
organization he's spent parts of 10 seasons with. Drafted by Lightning
founder Phil Esposito, Kubina grew up as a player with Tampa Bay, winning
a Stanley Cup and immersing himself into the community over two separate
stints, developing "friends for life."
TAMPA Pavel Kubina wanted to return "home'' when he signed with Tampa
Bay as a free agent in 2010, hoping to finish his career in a Lightning
uniform.
"This team is always going to belong to my heart," Kubina said.
Originally a 1997 draft pick of Tampa Bay and a member of the 2004
Stanley Cup title team, Kubina didn't want to leave when the Lightning
chose not to re-sign him following the 2005-06 season. He never sold his
Pinellas County home, believing he would once again play with Tampa Bay.
Now it appears that his wish to finish out his playing days with the Lightning
may not come to fruition after the 35-year-old was dealt late Saturday to the
Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a conditional second-round pick in
either 2012 or 2013, a fourth-round selection in 2013 and minor league
forward Jon Kalinski, who was assigned to Norfolk of the American Hockey
League.
Though Kubina is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of
the season, his days with the Lightning are probably over. He capped off an
emotional three days by saying goodbye to teammates before meeting with
the media before heading to Philadelphia this morning.
"It's been very difficult not only for me but for my family,'' the defenseman
said. "We know that it's part of the business and I just have to move on.
When I came back here I had better offers for more years and more money,
and I took this deal because this team always belongs to my heart. ... I had
Kubina, who plans to join Philadelphia Monday, has been held out of
practices and games since Thursday, when general manager Steve
Yzerman called him into his office and told him they'd like to move him.
Yzerman asked for five teams Kubina would be willing to get dealt to, and
though the 6-4, 258-pound Czech was disappointed, he considered it with
his family for a couple days. He never submitted a list, but when Yzerman
called and said the Flyers offered a great deal, Kubina felt it was the "right
thing to do."
"It's a great team, with a mix of young stars," Kubina said of the Flyers. "It's
a very good team with so much tradition, passionate fans. I talked to my
family, it's another chance for me to go and play for a great team and for a
Stanley Cup contender and be in the playoffs again."
Kubina has such a connection for the area he still kept a Pinellas County
home and area code during four years he spent with Toronto and Atlanta
(2006-2010). And he re-signed with Tampa Bay in July 2010 (two years,
$7.7 million), leaving offers for more money and years from other teams on
the table.
But with the Lightning facing an uphill climb to the playoffs, still six points
out of the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference, Yzerman traded
veteran center Dominic Moore, and eventually Kubina, collecting three
combined draft picks.
"I always thought there was still hope to make the playoffs," Kubina said.
"It's a great group and we proved it last year, and it's pretty much the same
team. This team is still fighting for the playoffs and now they're only six
points out and have a great shot at it, with one game in hand. So I was a
little disappointed that Steve lost the patience and the hope for that."
Kubina acknowledged it was tough the past few days to be away, not even
watching Saturday night's win over the Capitals. He said he's spoken with
almost all of his teammates, who wished him well, and said the organization
is in good hands with owner Jeff Vinik. "You don't see owners like that
much," he said. "He's unbelievable."
That being said, Kubina put to rest any thoughts of a potential third stint
with Tampa Bay.
"I'm not a coach. I'm a player," Ohlund said. "I watch the games like every
other player who watches games. If they ask me for some input, I'm happy
to give it. But clearly, I'm not a coach."
What he has been all season is a patient, and that will not change any time
soon.
In August 2007, then-Lightning captain Tim Taylor had a resurfacing
procedure on his right hip. It took seven months for Taylor to even consider
playing again. He never did, though his day-to-day quality of life improved
tremendously.
It is a reality Ohlund knows he might face.
"I don't know if I want to put it in those terms," he said. "But this is a major
procedure. Everybody seems quite optimistic I'm going to get better."
"I think it happens once," Kubina said. "And, to be honest, I don't think so."
"I hope this works out for him," coach Guy Boucher said. "We miss him
greatly. He's such a good person. I hope his career will continue."
St. Petersburg Times LOADED: 02.20.2012
614010
614011
Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Mattias Ohlund to have major knee
surgery
Tampa Bay Lightning
Defenseman Pavel Kubina: 'It's hard to leave' Tampa Bay Lightning
By Joe Smith,
By Damian Cristodero,
It is easy to understand why Mattias Ohlund said, "I wake up every day in a
bad mood."
The Lightning defenseman is in pain, and the ache in his left knee that has
kept him sidelined the entire regular season and off skates completely since
mid November is getting worse.
"We have great trainers, and they work with me every day," Ohlund said.
"We've tried everything. We've been thinking and talking about this and
finally came to the conclusion it's time to get it done."
What Ohlund, 35, will have done Thursday at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio is
major surgery on his left knee that likely is the last best hope of saving his
career.
The complicated procedure performed by noted orthopedist Anthony
Miniaci will use a thin layer of titanium to resurface the bottom of the femur
behind the kneecap. That should create a cushion where cartilage that
usually covers the bone has flaked off to such an extent there is painful
bone-on-bone rubbing at the patellofemoral joint.
There is no guarantee the surgery will resurrect Ohlund's 14-season career.
There is not even a timetable for rehab.
"It's going to depend on how it takes," Lightning head medical trainer
Tommy Mulligan said.
But Ohlund volunteered, "We're talking months, not weeks."
"Do you have thoughts it's going to be tough? Absolutely," Ohlund added. "I
know it's going to be challenging, but I'm determined to come back as soon
as possible."
Ohlund hoped his knee problems were done after summer arthroscopic
surgery on both cleaned out what the team called "loose bodies."
The right knee is fine, Ohlund said. But the left never regained the proper
strength and has gotten progressively more painful while his limp became
more pronounced.
TAMPA — Veteran defenseman Pavel Kubina packed up his Lightning
locker Sunday morning, even collecting the nameplate as a keepsake.
"It's hard to leave," Kubina said. "This team is always going to belong to my
heart."
Kubina, 34, traded to the Flyers on Saturday for a second- and fourth-round
pick as well as a prospect, was emotional in talking about how much he
loved the area, the fans and his teammates, whom he called "friends for
life."
Drafted by Lightning founder Phil Esposito in 1996, Kubina grew up as a
player while spending parts of 10 seasons over two stints, including winning
a Stanley Cup in 2003-04.
That's why the past three days have been so tough; since general manager
Steve Yzerman asked him for five teams he'd be willing to get dealt to, then
sent Kubina home to wait. "It's part of the business," he said. "And it's not
fun sometimes."
Kubina, who had a partial no-trade clause, never submitted his list. When
Yzerman told him the Flyers offered a great deal, Kubina believed it was the
"right thing to do."
"It's another chance for me to go and play for a great team and for a
Stanley Cup contender," he said.
Even with the Lightning six points out of the playoffs, Kubina said he
believes the team has a great shot, which is why he was "disappointed that
Steve lost the patience and the hope for that."
Kubina said he plans to keep his Pinellas County home like he did during
four seasons (2006-10) with Toronto and Atlanta. He re-signed with Tampa
Bay in July 2010 (two years, $7.7 million), leaving offers for more money
and years on the table.
Kubina said the organization is in good hands with owner Jeff Vinik: "He's
unbelievable."
That being said, Kubina put to rest any thoughts of another reunion with
Tampa Bay.
The Lightning misses Ohlund's savvy, especially on the penalty kill, as well
as his average 18:43 of ice time last season that ballooned to 20:12 in 18
playoff games, in which he was plus-5.
"I think it happens once," he said.
The 6-foot-4, 229-pounder also hits like a battering ram, an asset that
makes opponents a little less confident in the offensive zone.
His transition to spectator has not been easy. And Ohlund bristled that the
coaching staff referred to him as an ad hoc assistant for the observations
he shares after watching games from the press box.
"And to be honest, I don't think so."
614012
Toronto Maple Leafs
Maple Leafs go back to the drawing board... again
614013
Toronto Maple Leafs
david ebner
Jets beat Avs to pull level with Leafs
Sweat dripping from the tip of his nose, Toronto Maple Leafs captain Dion
Phaneuf tried to explain what went wrong after his team was blitzed by one
of the NHL’s best, the Vancouver Canucks.
paul waldie
“We take pride in being a good defensive team, just like every other team in
the league,” said the 6-foot-3 defenceman after he was asked about the
Leafs’ style to press offensively, and whether it had helped the Canucks
find open ice to pile up the goals in the 6-2 Saturday night rout.
The Winnipeg Jets have finally made it to the “hump”, as coach Claude
Noel likes to say, now they have to see if they can get over it.
“We don’t talk before games about exchanging [scoring] chances, if that is
what you are inferring,” Phaneuf continued, taking some umbrage with the
question. “But to be completely honest with you, we talk about being a real
good defensive team. And when we have success offensively, it’s because
we’re good in our own end.”
The Jets beat the Colorado Avalanche 5-1 Sunday for their third straight
win. It marked the team’s first three-game winning streak since late
December and it pulled Winnipeg even with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the
race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. However, the
Leafs have a game at hand and will remain in eighth with the Jets ninth. But
the Jets are also now just one point behind Florida for top spot in the
Southeast Division.
The Leafs were good at neither end of the ice Saturday and simply were not
nearly good enough to keep up with one of the NHL’s top teams. Toronto
netminder James Reimer was poor on the Canucks’ two first-period goals,
putting his side in a hole, his back-to-back shutouts of early February a
distant memory. The defence was also weak, particularly on the third goal,
when Alex Burrows had essentially an eon to tee it up on a helpless
Reimer.
“It wasn’t from lack of effort,” said Phaneuf of the Leafs’ woes. “It was not
from us not being prepared. We just made some mistakes. And when you
mistakes against a good team they make you pay – and that’s what they
did.”
The humbling loss is a twofold blow: first, it makes the Leafs’ hold on eighth
place in the Eastern Conference ever-more tenuous, and second, should
the team make the postseason for the first time in eight years, even hopeful
fans can foresee a difficult first-round matchup if Saturday night was a show
of what the Leafs can conjure up against elite opponents.
The only team the Leafs have managed to overcome of late is the secondworst squad in the league, the Edmonton Oilers, and it took overtime to do
it.
Even Rick Nash might not be enough to save the Leafs’ faltering season.
Brian Burke, Leafs president and general manager, watched his team fold
in Vancouver and then emerged in New York on Sunday morning, meeting
Columbus Blue Jackets general manager Scott Howson. Sportsnet reported
on Sunday that the two men met over breakfast.
As the Leafs hunt for any answer available, it must sting, somewhat, for
Burke and vice-president of hockey operations Dave Nonis to watch the
Canucks beat down the Leafs, having built the foundations on which
Vancouver today flourishes. Burke, as the Leafs were practising on Friday,
said he had never worked as hard as for the trades he made so Vancouver
could draft the Sedin twins second and third in 1999.
“It’s been fun to watch them develop,” said Burke – but the view from his
Leafs’ perch is a different one. “It’s not fun to watch them now.”
Indeed, the Sedins – who were in something of a slump before Saturday
night – collected four points apiece against Toronto. For Vancouver, it was
a showcase of all the team’s elements firing in sync, an exclamation on a
month of sometimes erratic play that has still produced big results.
On Hockey Night in Canada, the Sedins delivered, Roberto Luongo was a
pillar, and the team’s many weapons were on the mark, including
defencemen Sami Salo and Kevin Bieksa, who had a goal apiece.
The win elevated Vancouver to 9-0-3 in its last dozen games, with the
Canucks’ last loss in regulation occurring more than a month ago.
“It hasn’t been a perfect month but we’re getting results,” said Bieksa, who
said the “mentally strong” team is able to quickly fix holes in its play over
the course of a couple games.
Against the Leafs, the Canucks were poised to jump on mistakes and
openings. The result was the difference between a Stanley Cup contender
and a team whose heralded rebuilding looks as shaky as ever.
“They’re a pretty offensive team, and they cheat for offensive chances,”
Bieksa said. “We knew if we took care of our end we’d be getting chances
at the other end.”
An NHL weekend
The Jets have been in this position before, only to start losing again and fall
back out of contention. That’s something Noel has talked about lately,
seeing his team “get over the hump”.
“We weren’t as sharp as we were Friday [in a win over Boston], but we
were sharp around their net and scored five goals,” said Jet goalie Ondrej
Pavelec who made 31 saves. “We finally scored some power play goals
and like I said maybe we weren’t as sharp as we were against Boston, but
we got the job done and got the two points.”
Added Blake Wheeler, who got four assists and now has 46 points to match
his career high: “I think some of that [the scoring] is a little bit of luck some
good bounces, but I think we’re making strong plays for the most part and
that’s kind of the big reason we are getting some better opportunities for the
most part.”
The Avalanche started the game in a similar position, needing a win to
remain relevant in the Western Conference playoff race. The Avs arrived in
Winnipeg on something of a roll, having beaten Edmonton Friday 3-1 to
give them a 3-1-1 record in their last five games.
It didn’t look like either the Jets or the Avalanche were ready to give much
of an effort at first. Both teams came out sluggish with multiple missed
passes and just 12 shots on goal split evenly between them after the first
period. The Jets also couldn’t score on a four-minute power play in the first
when the Avs Paul Stastny was called for high sticking.
Not scoring on that power play “was a bit scary,” Noel said after the game.
The penalty kill should have given the Avs a lift, but it was Winnipeg who
came out strong early in the second. Evander Kane scored less two
minutes into the period to give the Jets the lead. Bryan Little added another
goal two minutes later thanks to a bad clearing attempt by Erik Johnson
who put the puck right on Little’s stick as he stood in front of Avs goalie
Semyon Varlamov.
The Avs came back with Swedish rookie Gabriel Landeskog scoring on a
power play. That gave Colorado some life and it looked briefly like they
would mount a come back. They fired 20 shots on Pavelec during the
period, compared to just eight for the Jets.
But Kyle Wellwood ended the Avs surge by poking the puck past Varlamov
after he stopped a shot by Kane.
The third period was all Winnipeg with the Jets getting power play goals
from Little and Andrew Ladd. That ended the Jets woeful run of going 13
games and only scoring twice with the extra man.
Just about everything worked for the Jets Sunday. Not only did their power
play finally connect, but the players on their top lines also earned multiple
points. Along with Wheeler’s four assists, Little got two goals and Ladd,
Kane and Wellwood each had a goal and an assist. And Dustin Byfuglien
got two assists.
As for Colorado the loss ended what had been a good streak.
“It's tough,” said Avs forward Matt Duchene who played his first game after
being out more than seven weeks with a knee injury. “.I think we played a
pretty good hockey game. I think we carried the play in the second period.
But they're a great team. It's a big loss this time of the year.”
Added Varlamov who made 20 saves: “I have to be better.”
Avs coach Joe Sacco said his players just didn’t look ready to play.
“Overall we just weren't good enough in all areas of the game,” he said
afterward. “I don't think we had everybody here on deck tonight. In a big
game like that, I would have expected a little bit more intensity from more
guys.”
Things could get better for Winnipeg. The Jets have six more home games
coming up at the MTS Centre where they have been dominant for much of
the season.
But Noel cautioned that now that the Jets are near at the hump once again,
the true test will come when the team has to hit the road again. The Jets
are 11-17-4 on the road, something that will have to change if Winnipeg has
any hope of making the playoffs.
“We know the home stands are good and they have been good, but
eventually the hump is going to get created and it will happen on the road,”
he said. “And that’s going to be the elephant in the room. We are going to
have to deal with that. Because eventually if we do well on the home stand
it’s going to come down to how is our performance going to be when it gets
greasy?”
614014
Toronto Maple Leafs
Five NHL games to watch
david shoalts
The Devils are one of the NHL’s hottest teams while the Leafs are one of
the coldest. But the Torontonians need to snap out of it before the Capitals
do. Tuesday, 7 p.m., Sportsnet Ontario.
Red Wings at Blackhawks
Detroit, as always, is flying high with no worries as the trade deadline
approaches. Chicago, on the other hand, still has to decide if its modest
two-game winning streak means its goaltending worries are over or a trade
is necessary. Tuesday, 8 p.m., TSN2.
Kings at Avalanche
Here is a chance to see just how bad the Los Angeles offence is. Then
again, Colorado may not be the best team for this demonstration. And
maybe the Kings will have Rick Nash by this time. Wednesday, 9 p.m.,
TSN2.
Sharks at Maple Leafs
Put the kids to bed early for this one. It’s not for family entertainment. Think
the poor unsuspecting swimmers on the beach and Jaws. Thursday, 7 p.m.,
TSN.
All times Eastern
614015
Toronto Maple Leafs
Staff Report
The excitement was all about Blue Jackets winger Rick Nash, the top prize
as the NHL trade deadline nears, but chances are Burke and Jackets GM
Scott Howson spent just as much time talking about centre Jeff Carter.
Burke’s chances of making a deal for Carter, a player he has coveted in the
past, are far better than his chances of landing Nash.
First, Burke has some decent assets, such as defenceman Luke Schenn
and forwards Nazem Kadri or Joe Colborne, to offer Howson for Nash but
other teams can top that. Second, if Burke were to decide to throw almost
every decent prospect he has plus some draft picks on the pile in order to
get Nash, what good would it do?
The Leafs showed during their western road trip last week that they are
miles away from being a contender. Just about every part of their game has
weaknesses and now it looks like they have to start all over again in trying
to find a goaltender.
However, Burke also said in that e-mail message, “We are not looking for a
goaltender at this point.” That could be because none are available at a
decent price and Burke wisely thinks it’s better to wait until summer to plug
this gaping chasm. Youngsters such as Jhonas Enroth or Anders Lindback
plus any young goaltender who wasn’t included in a Nash trade might be
available then.
The No. 1 issue with a young team is often confidence. The Leafs’ shoddy
goaltending is doing nothing in this regard, which makes it a critical issue to
address before next season.
In any event, the Leafs are at a point where trading for Nash doesn’t make
much sense. They are still a team on the rise despite their troubles. But
they are not one or two players away from winning the Stanley Cup.
In his nine NHL seasons, Nash has shown he is a good player with gusts to
great but not someone you build a team around. Nevertheless, Howson and
his senior adviser Craig Patrick, who may be making the real decision on
this trade, are looking for a superstar’s price. Plus, Nash carries a Steve
Yzerman-like contract with a cap hit of $7.8-million (all currency U.S.) for
the next six seasons.
The only way a Nash trade makes sense for the Leafs is if the teams with
the best assets, such as the Los Angeles Kings, melt away and Howson
and Patrick somehow decide to deal him for something less because the
marriage is on the rocks anyway. Better that Burke take a look at Carter,
since the Leafs’ need is greater at centre.
However, this, too, needs to be done with caution. Carter also carries a
hefty salary cap hit at $5.3-million for 10 seasons beyond this one and his
attitude since being traded to Columbus by the Philadelphia Flyers is not
encouraging. Burke also needs to decide if Carter, who is more shooter
than playmaker, would be a good fit with Phil Kessel and Joffrey Lupul or
with whomever winds up being the second-line wingers next season.
On the plus side, if you decide Carter, 27, can be one of your top two
centres for more than five years, his cap hit is manageable. And the Blue
Jackets are so eager to be rid of him, the price compared to Nash will be
cheap. But care is needed in making the decision.
CAPS ARE BLOWING THEIR BIG CHANCE
No team is stumbling as badly as the Washington Capitals when it comes to
falling flat in the face of a great opportunity. As bad as the Toronto Maple
Leafs’ inability to get a grip on the eighth and last playoff spot in the Eastern
Conference is, the Caps’ failure to seize the chance to move ahead of them
is even worse.
Alex Ovechkin is the whipping boy for the Capitals’ woes, given that his
production funk is now in its second season, and rightly so. But the loss of
centre Nicklas Backstrom on Jan. 5 to a concussion is equally devastating.
He was their best player this season and might have helped bring Ovechkin
around.
No one knows when Backstrom will return. “Could be two weeks, could be
two months, could be two years,” Caps general manager George McPhee’s
said last week.
Word that Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke met with his
Columbus Blue Jackets counterpart on Sunday morning sent the
predictable frenzy through the social media, with Burke staying mum.
With their top line ineffective, the Caps are getting little scoring support from
their other three lines. However, there was one bright spot on the weekend
when defenceman Mike Green, always a big part of the team’s scoring,
returned from a six-week injury absence.
”No comment on any … potential deals,” Burke said in a terse e-mail
message.
The Capitals have two games left on their four-game trip, playing the
Carolina Hurricanes on Monday and the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday.
They have not won two games in succession in their past 15 and need to
start now.
KINGS HAVE THE GREATEST NEED OF NASH
The Los Angeles Kings extended their scoreless streak to 120 minutes 3
seconds thanks to a shutout loss last Saturday to the Calgary Flames. They
are now the NHL’s worst scoring team with an average of 2.07 goals a
game.
All of which means the pressure on general manager Dean Lombardi to win
the Rick Nash sweepstakes is crushing. The way their fans see it, the Kings
have to make a good playoff run or else.
Lombardi has the assets Columbus Blue Jackets GM Scott Howson is
looking for: a young, highly-regarded goaltender in Jonathan Bernier and
young defencemen such as Jack Johnson.
The Kings are fighting with the Flames for eighth place in the Western
Conference. The Flames’ win Saturday put them in eighth and the
tiebreakers are in their favour. That might be the tipping point for Lombardi
on this deal.
FLYERS BULK UP BUT TROUBLE STILL AHEAD
Philadelphia Flyers GM Paul Holmgren has met with Howson but it does not
look like Nash is headed to Philly. The Flyers’ decision to beef up their
defence with two trades indicates otherwise.
Besides, the Flyers’ biggest problem right now is goaltending and they do
not have the cap room to make Nash an easy fit. The trouble for Holmgren
is his goaltending problem is practically impossible to fix.
With Ilya Bryzgalov holding a huge long-term contract, Holmgren cannot
move the slumping goaltender nor can he add another one.
Thus Holmgren took the only option he had, bringing in the best
defencemen he could in hopes of protecting Bryzgalov and youngster
Sergei Bobrovsky. The Flyers have relatively easy games this week against
the Winnipeg Jets and Edmonton Oilers to break in newcomers Nicklas
Grossman and Pavel Kubina.
THE PRICE FOR NASH
A young goaltender is considered to be at the top of the price list for
Columbus Blue Jackets winger Rick Nash. However, word out of Columbus
is that is not necessarily so.
The Columbus Dispatch reported Sunday that a source said Jackets
general manager Scott Howson and senior adviser Craig Patrick are mainly
interested in the maximum possible price. “We want value,” the source said.
“Doesn’t have to be that position.”
It is still believed Nash’s preferred destinations (he has a modified nomovement contract) are the Boston Bruins, New York Rangers, San Jose
Sharks, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks.
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Toronto Maple Leafs
“I was a guy who invested as much time and energy as I could while I
played (he took correspondence courses in the minors) to make sure I had
the afterlife, so to speak, looked after,” Grimson said. “I kept up with my
studies. I shadowed people in the corporate world. I exposed myself to
different things so I could make the transition from hockey to some other
aspect of professional life as seamless as possible.
“I wanted to do something challenging after hockey. Getting a degree would
allow me the broadest range of choices. Certainly in this era of players, the
awareness (of the importance of a second career) is changing.
Occasionally, I connect with major junior players and I encourage them to
start taking steps now to build their marketable skills so they can do
something meaningful after their career.”
For Toronto Argonauts linebacker Jason Pottinger, 28, earning his MBA
from York University’s Schulich School of Business has taken on even
greater importance because of the inherent dangers of his sport and its
short career window.
He suffered a season-opening ACL knee injury in Calgary last year. Coach
Jim Barker thought he was finished for the season, perhaps even worse,
but Pottinger managed to return for the final six games of the season.
CFL players don’t make the kind of money their NFL counterparts earn so
most have full-time jobs in the off-season. Some even have part-time jobs
during the season, when it helps to have an understanding boss because
they can’t work regular hours.
“Having a second career is very important, not only financially but I want to
be able to do something that I truly enjoy after football,” said Pottinger, who
sees himself getting involved in a global import-export business when he
hangs up his helmet.
Between studying for his mid-term economics exam, Pottinger found time
last week to re-sign with the Argos.
“I don’t want to suddenly end up doing something I don’t want,” Pottinger
said. “It’s very important that I set up my life after football exactly the way I
want it to be.”
Pottinger has been in investing in real estate. He currently owns two rental
properties and has been renovating another with fellow CFLer Kevin Eiben,
who also runs two gyms.
“Eventually, I want to be an entrepreneur,” Pottinger said. “For the most
part, I want to use my MBA as a knowledge tool and a confidence tool that
will allow me to start my own business and make sure I maximize my
chances of success.”
Former Maple Leaf Mark Kirton, 54, has been selling real estate in Oakville
for the past 21 years. He played 266 NHL games with the Leafs, Detroit
Red Wings and Vancouver Canucks but twice as many games in the
minors.
“One thing for sure, near the end of my career in Newmarket (the Leafs’
AHL team at the time) I wasn’t prepared to ride the bus for another two or
three years,” Kirton said. “Did I think about (what I was going to do)? I don’t
think I did. I was fortunate my best buddy was into real estate and he got
me started.
Being prepared for a second career is a must for pro athletes
“I had coaches like Roger Neilson in Peterborough. He was a pretty strong
advocate about education. A few of us ended up getting a few credits at
Trent University because he made us go.”
Bob Mitchell
With his playing days nearing an end, Kirton never forgot some advice that
former Leafs captain Darryl Sittler gave him.
Faster than many like, and sometimes sooner that most expect, a pro
athlete’s career ends and they’d better be prepared, former NHL enforcer
Stu Grimson says.
“He said when you’re finished playing hockey, either stay in the game or
completely break away from it. Pull yourself away from the game for two or
three years and get some other career going and build confidence in it, then
you can come back to hockey if you want,” Kirton said. “Where a lot of guys
get into trouble is they get caught with one foot dragging back into the game
and the other into a new career and they never fulfill that new career.
“Many of us do play for 10 years, but you never know how circumstances
will change,” said Grimson, 47, now an attorney specializing in civil litigation
and family law in Nashville. “You need to think like a lawyer. Prepare for the
worst-case scenario.”
Suffering from post-concussion syndrome, the “Grim Reaper,” as Grimson
was nicknamed during his 15-year NHL career, was forced to retire during
the 2001-02 season while playing for the Nashville Predators. But he was
already preparing for the next phase of his life. He got an economics
degree with a psychology minor and then went to the University of Memphis
Law School, earning his degree at in 2005.
“You do need to have something to fall back on, although the money pro
athletes make these days makes it a bit easier when it’s over. But if I didn’t
have real estate, I wouldn’t have a clue as to what I would be doing now.”
Among the former NHL players also building successful lives away from the
game are former Leaf Boyd Devereaux, who runs Waking Sound
Productions, a video production house in Kitchener specializing in sportsaction cinematography, and former Islanders first-round pick Brett Lindros,
who works for Radiant Investments Management Ltd., a Toronto investment
firm.
Devereaux, 33, turned his lifelong interest in music and videos into a new
career with his partner Matt Davis, a former pro snowboarder. The company
recently had exclusive behind-the-scenes access to Mats Sundin and his
family when the Leafs honoured him and a musical documentary is being
produced to air on Leafs TV. Devereaux also previously co-founded an
independent music label, Elevation Recording.
“This was kind of a different way to stay in the game when I finished
playing,” said Devereaux, who retired after breaking his neck in 2010 while
playing for Canada at the Spengler Cup. “It’s been a way to keep my mind
off the fact that I’m not playing anymore, which can be tough.
“It’s pretty overwhelming when you’ve done something your whole life (and
then you can’t). You prepare for it as best as you can. But it’s a difficult
transition. It helps if you have something to pursue that gets you excited.”
Lindros only played parts of two NHL seasons, his promising career cut
short, as Grimson’s was, by a concussion. He did some hockey-related
television work immediately after retiring before moving into the financial
world.
“The transition from the hockey bubble world can be difficult to some
players,” said Lindros, 36, who took the Canadian securities course after his
stint as a host on the hockey show Be A Player ended. “I wanted to learn
more about finance so I would be able to manage my own investments.”
As it turned out, he wound up working with a company that he had invested
in and has now been there for just over two years.
Toronto Star LOADED: 02.20.2012
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Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL trade deadline: Maple Leafs among teams looking to trade
The Penguins are ecstatic. Neal’s offence is through the roof — he’s having
a career year — and Niskanen proved to be an everyday defenceman.
SELLERS THAT DID WELL
ST. LOUIS: The Blues got prospect Brock Beukeboom for Brewer, but more
importantly made a game-changing trade with Colorado. The Blues picked
up D Kevin Shattenkirk and F Chris Stewart for D Erik Johnson. Shattenkirk
and Stewart were missing pieces that have helped turn the Blues into a
2012 success story.
TORONTO: The Leafs are largely in the playoff hunt this year because of
Joffrey Lupul and Jake Gardiner, both acquired last Feb. 9 from Anaheim.
They also got John-Michael Liles from Colorado at the draft at the cost of a
second-round pick that had been acquired in that Kaberle trade with
Boston.
OTTAWA: The Senators found themselves well ahead of their rebuilding
schedule based on the strong goaltending of Craig Anderson, acquired at
the cost of Brian Elliott in a deal with Colorado. Sure, Elliott is reborn in St.
Louis, but that is Colorado’s regret. Anderson is hero to Sens fans, who’d
perhaps expected to take longer to ice a competitive team when stalwarts
Chris Kelly and Mike Fisher were traded away last year.
FLORIDA: It was a fire sale. Any player of value was moved out — Michael
Frolik, Cory Stillman, Bryan McCabe, Dennis Wideman, Bryan Allen — for
whatever the Panthers could get. The benefit? Roster spots and salary
space for a summertime remake that landed the team the likes of Brian
Campbell and Kris Versteeg.
REGRETS, THEY HAVE A FEW
BUFFALO: The Sabres acquired C Brad Boyes to bolster their playoff run
last year. Boyes helped get the Sabres into the playoffs. They lasted one
round. He is struggling this year, as are the Sabres.
COLORADO: The Avalanche got G Brian Elliott, and let him walk as a free
agent. Erik Johnson (acquired from St. Louis) hasn’t lived up to his hype.
Kevin McGran
Tick, tock. The NHL trade deadline is a week away.
It’s one of the two times of year, as Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke is fond of
saying, when his fellow general managers make their biggest mistakes.
(July 1, a.k.a. Free Agent Madness, is the other.)
Why does Burke say that? Because only one team wins the Stanley Cup.
But ever year about 20 of them think that if they make one or two moves —
add some grit, add a goalie, some size, a puck-moving D-man — they’ll be
in good shape.
The temptation to mortgage the future — or to save your job — for a shot at
the Stanley Cup is huge. So throw in a prospect, throw in a draft pick. Go
ahead, overpay.
LOS ANGELES: The Kings sent highly touted defence prospect Colton
Teubert and a first-round pick to Edmonton for Dustin Penner. Penner is
proving to be highly overrated and is on the block again.
PHILADELPHIA: Getting Kris Versteeg from the Maple Leafs at the cost of
first- and third-round picks seems high, given that the Flyers thought they
were building for a Cup run and ended up lasting only two rounds.
BUYERS AND SELLERS
Just about every team is going to make a move — or at least want to make
a move — in the week leading up to the trading deadline. We’ve broken it
down to teams who are the most likely • Buy: They’ll try to make a big
splashy move or a number of moves in the run-up to the playoffs.
• Sell: Teams that will officially start playing for the future by trading their
veterans.
Some will make trades for the playoffs. Some will make trades for the
future. Some will make trades they regret.
• Stand pat: They might make a smaller move or two, but nothing earthshattering.
With the benefit of hindsight, here’s a look at some of the winners and
losers of last year’s deadline deals.
BUYERS
BUYERS THAT DID WELL
BOSTON: The Bruins might have been able to win the Stanley Cup without
Tomas Kaberle, who disappointed in his time in black and gold. But Rich
Peverley and Chris Kelly, both deadline pickups, were key depth
contributors.
VANCOUVER: The Canucks were very happy to have picked up Chris
Higgins and Maxim Lapierre at the trade deadline last year. Both provided
grit and sandpaper that proved invaluable, especially after Manny Malhotra
went down to injury.
TAMPA BAY: The Bolts were supposed to have been rebuilding in 2010-11,
their first year under GM Steve Yzerman and coach Guy Boucher.
However, landing Dwayne Roloson on Jan. 1 gave the talented young team
a shot to rocket up the standings. Knowing the playoffs were within reach,
Yzerman acquired Eric Brewer from the St. Louis Blues to bolster the blue
line for a surprisingly long run in the playoffs.
PITTSBURGH: Seeking to add offence on a team beset by injuries, the
Penguins sent D Alex Goligoski to Dallas for F James Neal and D Matt
Niskanen. The Stars are happy with Goligoski, a puck-moving defenceman.
NEW YORK RANGERS: The Eastern Conference is theirs. Would be just
like them to make a big move and screw up their chemistry.
TORONTO: The pressure is on GM Brian Burke to make that trade to get
the Leafs into the playoffs for the first time since 2004.
PHILADELPHIA: Need a defenceman to sub for Chris Pronger. Have
prospects and goalies to deal.
WASHINGTON: Owner Ted Leonsis told the Washington Post: “(We) hope
we can add some jump via the trade markets during the next few weeks.”
SAN JOSE: Have to add the missing ingredient to get to the Stanley Cup
final.
VANCOUVER: Made it to the final last year, but need to add real toughness
and size. Have plenty others teams would want.
LOS ANGELES: Needs scoring. GM Dean Lombardi needs a deep playoff
run, maybe, to save his job. Therefore, he needs to add some impact
players.
NASHVILLE: If GM David Poile believes he can make the playoffs without
Ryan Suter, he could move the big defenceman while getting enough
assets to help get past the second round.
• Feb. 18: Send Kaberle to Boston for C Joe Colborne, a first-round pick
(traded on draft day to Anaheim for Tyler Biggs) in 2011 and a secondround pick in 2012 (later traded to Colorado for John-Michael Liles).
CHICAGO: Jobs are on the line if the team fails to make the playoffs. Their
February swoon is making everyone uncomfortable.
• Feb. 28: Send C John Mitchell to Rangers for a seventh-round pick in
2012.
NEW JERSEY: Cash-strapped team needs playoff dollars and will add
some depth to ensure it.
2010 (deadline: March 3)
DALLAS: GM Joe Nieuwendyk could go either way, really. But he’d love to
make the playoffs.
SELLERS
COLUMBUS: Rick Nash. Jeff Carter. R.J. Umberger, Derrick Brassard.
Antoine Vermette. Complete rebuild. Or, really, build for the first time.
The big deal — the one that brought Dion Phaneuf and Keith Aulie to
Toronto — had been made Jan. 31. The deadline deals were all about
prospects.
• March 2: Leafs send F Alexei Ponikarovski to Pittsburgh for F Luca
Caputi and D Martin Skoula. Skoula was flipped to New Jersey for a fifthround pick (Sam Carrick).
CAROLINA: GM Jim Rutherford can’t want all the same players back again
next year.
• March 3: Send F Lee Stempniak to Phoenix for F Matt Jones, a fourthround pick (later traded to Washington) and a seventh-round pick (later
traded to Edmonton) in 2010.
EDMONTON: Oilers GM Steve Tambellini has budding stars, but needs a
better supporting cast.
• March 3: Leafs send G Joey MacDonald to Anaheim for seventh-round
pick (Max Everson) in 2011.
TAMPA BAY: Have dearth of depth players to move to help reload for next
year.
• March 3: Leafs send sixth-round pick in 2010 to Pittsburgh for Chris
Peluso.
BUFFALO: Must unload some salary.
2009 (Deadline: March 4)
MINNESOTA: Free falling down the Western Conference standings made
them realize they’re still a year or two away from being a playoff team.
Burke’s first trade deadline in Toronto. He wasn’t very active until the
deadline, choosing to give his players a chance to audition.
MONTREAL: Lots of dead weight. Would move the likes of Scott Gomez for
peanuts just to get salary-cap space.
• March 4: Leafs claim G Martin Gerber off waivers from Ottawa.
STANDING PAT
DETROIT: The perfect team rarely finds a need to add at the deadline.
CALGARY: Adding Mike Cammalleri may have sufficed.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS: GM Garth Snow would probably love to make a
trade but may be stuck. He may not have the assets others need for the
kind of players he wants.
OTTAWA: Their long-term future may be better served by being sellers, but
their presence in the playoff race means GM Bryan Murray should keep this
squad intact.
WINNIPEG: Tantalizingly close, but saner heads will prevail. Loading up on
prospects is the better move in long term. No pressure (at least not like in
Toronto or Calgary) to make playoffs this year.
ANAHEIM: Surging up the Western Conference standings. GM Bob
Murray’s threat to trade players away from sunny southern California to a
cold northern city where hockey players are under the microscope paid off.
It will again next year.
BOSTON: They don’t have a lot of blue-chip prospects to peddle.
FLORIDA: Getting injured players back was a bit like adding some top-end
talent via trade for budget-restricted team.
PITTSBURGH: Might add something small, but wouldn’t Sidney Crosby
returning have a bigger impact?
ST. LOUIS: Happy to be there. Might make a move if not adding major
costs.
PHOENIX: League still owns team so budget is always a concern.
COLORADO: Sort of caught betwixt and between.
LEAF DEADLINE DEALS BY BURKE
Burke has a habit of making his big deals well before the deadline. But he
still makes a bit of a splash as the team gets closer to the deadline. Here’s
a look at his past deals made in the two weeks leading up to deadline day.
2011 (deadline: Feb. 28)
Two weeks before the deadline, the Leafs were in full sell mode.
• Feb. 14: Leafs send F Kris Versteeg to Philadelphia for a first-round pick
in 2011 (Stuart Percy) and a third-round pick (Josh Leivo) in 2011.
• Feb. 15: Obtain Aaron Voros from Anaheim in return for seventh-round
pick in 2011.
• March 4: Claim F Erik Reitz off waivers from New York Rangers.
• March 4: Get a second-round pick (Kenny Ryan) in 2009 from Rangers
for C Nik Antropov.
• March 4: Get a second-round pick (Jesse Blacker) in 2009 from Buffalo
for Dominic Moore.
• March 4: Acquire G Olaf Kolzig, D Jamie Heward and D Andy Rogers and
a fourth-round pick (forfeited) in 2009 from Tampa Bay for D Richard Petiot.
WHO STAYS, WHO GOES
If a struggling team — say, Buffalo — deals an oft-traded centre with just a
couple of months left before he becomes an unrestricted free agent — say,
Brad Boyes — will anyone truly be surprised?
The surprise will come when a big name moves. No one saw Calgary
moving Dion Phaneuf two years ago. This year, eyebrows will be raised if
the likes of Patrick Kane, Ryan Suter, Zach Bogosian or P.K. Subban —
franchise players when they were drafted — get moved.
All those names have come up in recent speculation. The trade deadline is
Feb. 27. The chatter began much earlier because so many teams have
bought into Burke’s logic that trading earlier than the deadline is smarter.
HOT COMMODITIES
RICK NASH: Previously believed to be untouchable, Nash bolted to the top
of every contender’s wish list as soon as Columbus GM Scott Howson told
reporters: “We’re open to all options to improve the team,” suggesting
anyone on his team was available. Nash is big, strong, can score, and is
still relatively young. A $7.8 million cap hit (until 2018) means Columbus will
have to take back some salary. The Jackets need a goalie, a blue-chip
prospect, in any package for Nash.
RYAN SUTER: The chatter has died down considerably after Suter said he
wouldn’t sign a new deal with Nashville before the trade deadline. But the
same issues apply: Can the Predators afford to let him walk as an
unrestricted free agent? Can they afford to sign him? Can they make the
playoffs without him? The Flyers would be a perfect fit. Preds need scoring
up front. Chosen two spots ahead of Phaneuf in 2003, Suter will look for a
hefty raise from the $3.5 million he’s earning this year.
JEFF CARTER: Nash’s teammate in Columbus has long been thought of as
on the way out. A bad fit from the start, Carter has a long-term deal — 11
years at $5.27 million a year. It’s a reasonable cap hit for a player in the
prime of his career and a solid scorer.
LUKE SCHENN: If Suter’s not available, the Leafs defenceman becomes a
valuable alternative. Schenn provides a stay-at-home, hard-hitting
defending style that teams need in the playoffs. Schenn’s relationship with
coach Ron Wilson is sometimes brought into question, and some believe
he’d welcome a trade to Philadelphia for a chance to play with his brother.
The Leafs need scoring and size and would only move him for that.
There, the man with the twinkling eyes and infectious cackle, puffs his pipe
purposefully, the smoke framing an aging face more friendly than grizzled.
This is performance theatre, a dramatic pause before the next story begins.
SAM GAGNER: An intriguing possibility for any team. The former first-round
pick had been shuttled aside by the Oilers organization, frustrated at not
getting a chance to play with Taylor Hall. Once he did — only very recently
— he’s showed he can be a top centre. The Oilers love Ryan NugentHopkins and may want to trade Gagner while his value is high. Still young,
he’d bring the Oilers a considerable return.
It’s not easy, at first, to make the connection between the frozen moments
of a young Maple Leaf posing with the Stanley Cup or beaming, Hollywoodhandsome, on the cover of a framed game program to the raconteur with
the tussled grey hair, rubbing his chin with a hand gnarled by arthritis.
RYAN MILLER: A disappointing year for the Sabres, and much of the blame
has been heaped on Miller for his less-than-stellar netminding. It may be
time for him to part ways with Buffalo, with Jhonas Enroth showing he has
the stuff to be a No. 1. Miller would be an intriguing get for any playoff
hopeful (Chicago, Toronto, Washington) that currently has goaltending
issues.
BUYER BEWARE
Players that teams would love to unload, but probably can’t.
SCOTT GOMEZ: One goal this season for the Montreal Canadien. His
$51.5 million deal expires in 2014. That’s a cap hit of $7.5 million a year for
a guy who’s essentially a role player.
“I can’t expect the young people to know about me,” he says with no hint of
regret. “The only people who would really know about me would have to be
my age or a little younger. Maybe 80. I understand that. Most people my
age are gone.”
Almost all of them, actually. At least from the hockey world.
Wally Stanowski, nicknamed “the Whirling Dervish” when he was one of the
NHL’s premier, puck-carrying defenceman in the 1940s, is the oldest living
former Maple Leaf. He’ll be 93 in April; the only remaining connection to
Toronto’s championship teams in 1942 and 1945. In all, he was a key
component of four Cup winners for the Leafs that decade. One of those
seasons, he was a first-team all-star.
RICK DIPIETRO: The frequently hurt Islanders goalie has only 10 more
years (at $4.5 million a year) remaining on his contract.
Despite that glorious resumé, he lives mostly anonymously in a quiet
Etobicoke neighbourhood though occasional reminders of that golden era
arrive in the mail. Autographs requests — the latest from California.
Stanowski ignores the ones he thinks are from entrepreneurs looking to
make a buck.
ALEXANDER SEMIN: Washington’s enigmatic centre is an unrestricted free
agent this summer so his $6.7 million salary is moot. No question he’s
talented. But his heart is a question mark. Could change the chemistry in
the room — and maybe not for the better.
Cataracts have cost him his driver’s licence, but, after eye surgery, he’s
hoping to get it back. His Grand Marquis waits for him on the driveway. With
a walker or cane, he stubbornly does his errands unrecognized though his
barber brags about him.
DUSTIN PENNER: Just what happened to the game of this former bluechipper is open to debate. Anyone who takes him off the Kings’ hands is
hoping a change of scenery will do him good.
He has a pacemaker. His back hurts sometimes, he thinks it’s from hockey,
and he prefers to reach across his body with his left arm to shake hands.
His grip, he says, is not that strong in his right.
BRAD BOYES: The veteran centre has already been traded three times at
the trade deadline. This year, he’s having a horrible season with
underperforming Buffalo. He’ll be 30 in April. Unrestricted free agent July 1.
But nothing has dulled his mind or his wit. And when the stories start, here
in the ground-level office at the back of his four-bedroom split-level, those
pictures on the wall come to life. The connection between Stanowski and
those black-and-white Images suddenly couldn’t be more obvious.
COVETED YOUNG PLAYERS
• Vancouver G Cory Schneider: Could Canucks part with Roberto Luongo’s
super backup?
• Los Angeles G Jonathan Bernier: Buried behind Jonathan Quick, but still
highly regarded.
• Philadelphia G Sergei Bobrovski: Pushed highly paid Ilya Bryzgalov for
playing time.
• Philadelphia F James van Reimsdyk: Hasn’t put together solid regular
season, but had a great 2011 playoffs.
• Toronto D Jake Gardiner: If Burke goes shopping, most GMs would have
this rookie on their list.
• Vancouver C Cody Hodgson: Up-and-down career, but has size and skill
— and guys named Sedin and Kesler ensconced ahead of him.
• Rangers D Michael Del Zotto: Rangers awash in young D. Could be
moved for offence.
• Rangers D Ryan McDonagh: See Del Zotto above.
614018
Toronto Maple Leafs
Oldest living Toronto Maple Leaf Wally Stanowski on the Stanley Cup, sex
and why he hates the Leafs
Paul Hunter
Hockey history covers the walls. But it lives in the big, blue easy chair
below.
He can replay, word for word, the searing speeches delivered by Leafs’
owner Conn Smythe when he was furious with his charges. He remembers
being benched by Smythe for sleeping with his own wife. He recounts how
he engineered his own trade out of Toronto, an unheard of manoeuvre in
the days when players were low-paid serfs.
He maintains that he actually scored two of the five goals credited to Howie
Meeker in the game that set a rookie record in 1947. (Canadian Press
reports from that time do state that Stanowski was initially credited with two
of the goals but they were later changed to Meeker tip-ins. The conspiracy
theorist in Stanowski thinks the Leafs were trying to promote Meeker for the
rookie award, which he won in 1947.) And he vividly recalls the stunning
personnel decision that allowed the Leafs to storm back from a three games
to zero deficit in the 1942 Stanley Cup final to knock off Detroit.
“Everyone thought Smythe had lost his reasoning. It was a shock,” he says.
“It took a lot of nerve.”
What Smythe did was sit leading scorer Gordie Drillon and top defenceman
Bucko McDonald. It would be like today’s Leafs scratching Phil Kessel and
Dion Phaneuf halfway through a Stanley Cup final. Smythe was ticked that
Drillon, who rarely touched the puck in his own end at the best of times,
was beaten to a dump in by a hustling Red Wing who scored the Game 3
winner. Don Metz and untried blueliner Ernie Dickens came into the lineup
and the Leafs won four straight in an unprecedented comeback.
“I think everybody started playing a little harder,” said Stanowski, recalling
the rally that was among his proudest moments as a Leaf.
While Hap Day was the coach, it was Smythe who ruled with an iron hand,
instilling fear in his players. Stanowski recounts an earlier rant that postseason that warned the younger players about wasting their energy chasing
women and concluded with the decree that “‘this goes for you married guys,
too. No sex.’ (Smythe) was against sex anyway.”
That’s possibly why, at the end of a later training camp, Smythe was
enraged when Stanowski’s wife appeared for breakfast at the team hotel.
Even though camp had concluded before she spent the night, Smythe
made sure Stanowski rarely got off the bench for the first half of that
season. That led to one of the more amusing episodes in Stanowski’s
career and his nickname.
During a game in Boston, Bruins goaltender Frank Brimsek went to the
dressing room to get his face stitched; this was long before face masks.
Since teams carried only one goalie, there was a lull. Day ordered the
bench-warming Stanowski on to the ice to warm up.
“I was embarrassed. So I just skated in front of the bench a little,” he
recounted. But Day would have none of it. He barked at the defenceman to
go for a “real” skate. So Stanowski went for a twirl, literally. He glided to the
middle of the ice and began a figure skating routine, complete with spins.
The organist picked up on it and began providing accompaniment while the
Boston crowd chipped in with rhythmic clapping.
“I could see Smythe sitting there (in the stands), mad as hell,” Stanowski
says. “But the crowd loved it. I skated back to the bench, backwards on one
skate, with the other foot up behind me. My leg touched the boards so I
knew I was there. When I turned around to look for Hap, I couldn’t see him.
He had his head below the boards. He was laughing like hell but he didn’t
want Smythe to see him.”
Stanowski was traded to the Rangers at the end of that 1947-48 season
and, in stories of that transaction, it was assumed that the straitlaced
Smythe was exasperated by his player’s antics. But Stanowski said he
actually engineered his own departure. He told a reporter that he was tired
of being underutilized and he was going to quit hockey. He knew the
reporter was a pipeline to the owner.
Sure enough, to hear Stanowski tell it, Smythe bit. Not wanting to lose his
defenceman for nothing, he packaged him to the Rangers. Stanowski said
he never had any intention of quitting but, in those days, if you asked for a
trade, you would have just been frozen out of a league that was run like an
old-boys’ club.
“Wally was a great defenceman,” says one-time Boston Bruins’ great Milt
Schmidt, who at 93 is one of the few former NHLers with first-hand
recollections of the Dervish.
Stanowski, along with about two dozen other old-timers recently signed a
letter of support to express their gratitude and to encourage the
continuation of the payments. That letter will be sent to both the NHL and
NHLPA and it notes that “the payments have been tremendously helpful to
us in supporting our basic living expenses and other items such as dental
and health costs.”
“It helps considerably,” says Stanowski.
Restricted in his movement by his bad back and lost licence, the former
defenceman says he spends a lot of his time in front of his television,
though he’d rather watch curling than hockey.
He doesn’t much like the modern game, which he finds too brutish with its
big hits along the boards or the frequent scrums in front of the net.
“Too much shooting it in and chasing after it,” he says. “I don’t like the
goaltending either. They just sprawl and block the puck. Nobody stands up
any more.”
Stanowski, though, checks in on the game enough to wonder how it is that
Leafs coach Ron Wilson keeps his job — “Why they ever prolonged his
contract, I don’t know” — and once in a while, he’ll wear his Jets cap to
support the NHL’s return to his hometown.
As for the Leafs, well, he says he “hates” them. That stems from longstanding bitterness over how he was treated in the past.
While he says current general manager Brian Burke is “first-class” for trying
to make things right and inviting him on the ice for a pre-game ceremony in
2009, he’s never forgiven what he perceived as some earlier shoddy
treatment.
Despite being part of four Stanley Cup winners, the Leafs refused to fly him
home from Mexico — where he had driven for a vacation — for the
ceremony when the Gardens closed in 1999. Then, later, there was a hamhanded attempt to honour him by letting him sit in the alumni box and have
his image flashed on the scoreboard. He would’ve had to get to the game
himself and no other family members were offered seats so he declined.
“He could really go,” says Schmidt, who lives in a retirement home outside
Boston. “He could skate. You didn’t fool around with him.”
“They were cheap,” he says.
These days, Stanowski has his own challenges. His wife, Joyce, was
recently diagnosed with cancer and the family — the couple had four
children — is setting up home care for her.
When Burke came on board, he apologized and offered to make amends,
Stanowski not only presided over a ceremonial opening faceoff in 2009, he
was chauffeured in a limo and was joined at the game by 12 family
members who were given seats.
The expense, eight hours a day at $15 per hour, won’t be easy. Like all
players from his era, Stanowski’s NHL pension is pitiful, especially when
compared to the huge salaries earned by today’s players. He says he gets
about $140 a month in pension from the league. He figures his various
other pensions and annuities bring him about $25,000 annually.
“My wife also gets a pension. She worked for the city of Toronto, so we get
along,” he says. “Players today make more in one period than I made in a
year.”
Stanowski has a copy of his first contract for 1938-39 and 1939-40. It paid
him $3,000 a season, minus a $30 deposit on his uniform. (Scroll to the
bottom of this article to see it.) He figures the most he made in one season
was “close to” $10,000 when he was with the Rangers.
Those days, players had to work in the summer to make ends meet.
Stanowski was a salesman for Shopsy’s, the deli meat company, and one
of his regular clients was future Leafs’ owner Steve Stavro, who had a
grocery store on Queen St. near Coxwell in Toronto’s east end. When he
retired from hockey, Stanowski sold heavy construction equipment. He says
it didn’t pay much either but he was able to pay off a $7,000 mortgage.
“My dad was very thrifty,” says Wally’s son Skip. “He’s a Depression guy
and had no money to speak of and very little to eat (when he was a boy in
Winnipeg). Guys that grew up in the Depression think it might happen again
so he never got himself hugely in debt. He basically paid for everything he
could with cash. He just worked hard all his life.”
Part of Stanowski’s annual income comes in the form of “gratuitous
payments” from the NHL and NHLPA. For players over 65, that amounts to
$690 twice a year times years of service. Stanowski gets credit only for his
seven years after the Second World War (Stanowski lost two-and-a-half
NHL seasons serving in the Canadian Air Force) because that’s when the
NHL pension plan began. For him, it adds up to just under $10,000 but it’s
not guaranteed from year to year. Those payments will be part of
negotiations when the current NHL collective bargaining agreement expires
on Sept. 15.
Still, despite his mixed feelings about the organization, he’s extremely
proud of those pictures of himself in a Leafs uniform that adorn his wall.
“I just loved playing hockey,” he says. “Whatever you do in life, you should
love it. We would have played for nothing because we loved the game so
much.”
614019
Toronto Maple Leafs
Five answers after Canucks beat Leafs 6-2
Damien Cox
Reimer couldn’t make any big saves early and was on the bench with a ball
cap on after the fourth Vancouver goal.
The Leafs were crushed 6-2 Saturday in Vancouver. We look at five
questions we posed before the game.
1. How will Luke Schenn respond to being a healthy scratch Wednesday in
Edmonton?
Wasn’t any worse than some of his teammates. Wilson said he played hard,
had jump. Hard to say if those were simply words of encouragement.
2. Can the Leafs, who haven’t beat Vancouver since 2003, at least create a
three-point game?
Not even close. This one was in the books halfway through the second.
3. Can Jake Gardiner continue to be, in Ron Wilson’s estimation, his best
defenceman over the past 15 games?
Gardiner was again the best blueliner they had, at least when it came to
moving the puck.
4. What’s with Mikhail Grabovski and his sticks? Apparently, he can’t get
the pattern he used to have. Will he be able to find the net?
No. Although Nik Kulemin, Grabovski’s linemate did. Talk about looking for
silver linings.
5. Is this James Reimer’s time to get on a roll after beating the Oilers?
Reimer couldn’t make any big saves early and was on the bench with a ball
cap on after the fourth Vancouver goal.
614020
Toronto Maple Leafs
Funky time for Leafs
By Mike Zeisberger ,Toronto Sun
Watching your team get roughed up 6-2 is never fun.
Watching it happen against the Vancouver Canucks, a franchise you both
despise, well, that cuts deep to the core.
Make no mistake here. There is no love lost between these two
organizations. In fact, there is no doubt that Burke, the one-time GM of the
Canucks, and Mike Gillis, who holds that position right now, have not
always seen eye-to-eye.
The Maple Leafs GM was poised to woo the Sedin twins to Toronto in the
summer of 2009 when Daniel and Henrik were on the verge of becoming
unrestricted free agents. Gillis ended up re-signing the Sedins, but not
before making a final trip to Sweden to get it done,
Wilson subsequently was slapped with a $25,000 US fine for tampering by
the league after he told a Toronto radio station that the team was interested
in the Sedins. Wilson’s comments came prior to July 1, meaning the twins
were still Canucks property,
Don’t forget, as well, that Nonis was let go as Canucks GM in 2008, unfairly
railroaded out of town despite making some shrewd moves, including
practically stealing franchise goalie Roberto Luongo in a one-sided deal
with the Florida Panthers.
Nonis’ replacement? Mike Gillis.
The hockey world was buzzing over the news that Brian Burke bumped into
Columbus general manager Scott Howson in New York on Sunday, a
meeting that the Leafs president reportedly claimed was unscheduled.
Even if the encounter was arbitrary, as is believed, you have to suspect that
Rick Nash’s name came up in the midst of the Maple Leafs’ recent scoring
woes up front.
While much of the focus (and legitimately so) these days has been on the
Leafs’ inconsistent goaltending, a breakdown of the scoring statistics
reveals there are significant concerns about the forward ranks, as well.
Simply put, the top line of Phil Kessel, Tyler Bozak and Joffrey Lupul is
lugging far too much of the offensive load right now, especially on a team
that this season has boasted of sporting scoring depth.
When head coach Ron Wilson said he was glad to see Nikolai Kulemin find
the back of the net late in the Leafs’ humbling 6-2 thumping at the hands of
the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena on Saturday, he was probably
more relieved than anything else. Kulemin, after all, is just one member of a
gaggle of Toronto forwards who are slogging through offensive dry spells
right now, ill-timed slumps for a team that can’t afford them here in the
stretch run for a playoff spot.
Consider these perturbing funks:
-- Tim Connolly: 1 goal in his past 19 games.
-- Nikolai Kulemin: 1 goal in his past 17 games.
-- Mikhail Grabovksi: 0 goals in his past 8 games.
-- Clarke MacArthur: 0 goals in his past 6 games.
You can bet the sight of his Canucks humiliating the Leafs on national
television was somewhat sweet for Gillis. For Burke and Nonis, not so
much.
Cross Checks
Hockey Night In Canada has not been kind to the Leafs the past two
Saturdays. During that period, Toronto has been outscored by a combined
margin of 11-2 in losses to the Montreal Canadiens and the Canucks ... The
Leafs are 4-5-1 since the all-star break.
NET RESULTS ARE TROUBLING
The story of the James Reimer/Jonas Gustavsson goaltending duo is a
simple one.
When they’ve been good, they’ve been very good. From Gustavsson’s
sizzling January to Reimer’s back-to-back shutouts earlier this month,
they’ve both offered a peek at how high they can set the bar.But when
they’ve been bad, ugh!
Entering play Sunday, 26 of the 30 National Hockey League teams sported
a goaltender with at least 24 appearances who had a goals-against average
of 2.80 or lower.
The lone four who didn’t? The Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning,
Chicago Blackhawks and Ottawa Senators.
Of more concern is the fact that the Leafs have allowed three goals or more
in 41 of their 59 games thus far. In other words, in every two of their three
outings versus Toronto, the opposition can expect to put up at least a threespot.
-- Matthew Lombardi: 1 goal in his past 11 games.
-- Joey Crabb: 0 goals in his past 11 games.
-- David Steckel: 0 goals in his past 18 games.
-- Darryl Boyce: 0 goals in his past 9 games.
-- Mike Brown: 0 goals in his past 27 games.
-- Jay Rosehill: 0 goals in his past 16 games.
-- Colby Armstrong: 0 goals in his past 16 games.
The only forwards on the parent roster not listed here: Kessel, Bozak and
Lupul.
If you add up those individual slumps, it comes out to three goals in 158
games played.
Part of the recent goaltending woes can be traced to the way Reimer and
Gustavsson have been playing so deep in the net. Using the standard
butterfly technique is fine but, at some point, you have to come off your goal
line and challenge shooters to some degree.
What these two can not afford to keep doing is allow early goals.
Opponents scored within the first 10 minutes of play in each of the Leafs
three games on their Western Canadian swing through Calgary, Edmonton
and Vancouver, paving the way for Toronto to register just two of a possible
six points on the trip.
Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.20.2012
614021
Toronto Maple Leafs
Leafs aim for home edge
You can all pick your jaws up off the floor, now.
Bitter Buds
Burke and his right-hand man, Dave Nonis, had angry scowls on their faces
as they stormed out of the Rogers Arena press box for the second
intermission on Saturday, and rightly so.
By Mike Zeisberger ,Toronto Sun
Having secured just two of a possible six points on their recently completed
three-game road swing through the Canadian west, the Maple Leafs have
returned to Toronto to what they hope is a successful run of home cooking.
The Leafs, who sport a record of 16-9-4 at the Air Canada Centre this
season, kick off a four-game home stand when they host the New Jersey
Devils on Tuesday evening.
Here’s a breakdown:
Tuesday: Devils @ Leafs — Leafs are 1-0-1 versus Devils this season,
outscoring New Jersey 7-5 ... Defeated Devils 5-3 in Newark on Nov. 2 ...
Devils responded by beating Leafs 3-2 in overtime on Dec. 6 ... Devils have
really picked up their game under coach Peter DeBoer and have rocketed
past the Leafs in the Eastern Conference standings.
Thursday: Sharks @ Leafs — Only meeting of the season between these
two teams ... Coach Ron Wilson hopes defenceman Carl Gunnarsson
(lower ankle sprain) will be back in time for this one ... Wilson would love to
beat his former team, which still includes a couple of players who were
mainstays during his time behind the San Jose bench, Joe Thornton and
Patrick Marleau.
Saturday: Capitals @ Leafs — Huge showdown between the two teams
fighting for the eighth and final playoff spot in the eastern conference ...
One of two remaining meetings between the Leafs and Caps, the other
coming on March 11 at the MCI Center ... Leafs are 1-1 vs. Caps this
season, outscoring Washington 9-5 ... Leafs humiliated Caps in their only
previous visit to the ACC by a 7-1 score on Nov. 19 ... Caps responded with
a 4-2 win at the MCI Center on Dec. 9.
Tuesday, Feb 28: Panthers @ Leafs — Like the Devils, the Panthers are
another team the Leafs are looking up at in the Eastern Conference
standings ... Panthers have owned the Leafs this season, winning both
previous meetings while outscoring Toronto 10-4 ... Drubbed Leafs 5-1 at
ACC back on Nov. 8, then defeated Toronto 5-3 in Sunrise on
Dec. 27.
Of the Leafs 23 remaining games, 12 are at the ACC.
Home: New Jersey, San Jose, Washington, Florida, Boston, Philadelphia,
N.Y. Islanders, N.Y. Rangers, Carolina, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Tampa Bay.
Road: Chicago, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Washington, Florida, Tampa Bay,
Ottawa, Boston, New Jersey, Buffalo, Montreal.
Loose Leafs
One of the problems the Leafs seem to be having now is the gap between
their forwards and defenceman, allowing open ice for opponents. There’s a
good chance it will be worked on at practice on Monday ... To hear the
Canucks say it, the Leafs tend to take risks in order to generate more
scoring chances, an alleged tendency Vancouver defenceman Kevin
Bieksa claimed his team pounced on in its 6-2 vicotry over Toronto on
Saturday night at the Rogers Arena. “They’re a pretty offensive team, and
they cheat for offensive chances,” Bieksa said. “We knew if we took care of
our end we’d be getting chances at the other end.”
Toronto Sun LOADED: 02.20.2012
614022
Vancouver Canucks
“It’s not something I ever think about,” Schneider said, prior to getting the
call Sunday against the Edmonton Oilers. “My role on this team is what it is.
All I can do is control the opportunities I do get and not worry about the
ones I’m not getting.
“If we were losing a lot and if it seemed more unfair than it is, then maybe it
would be a little more frustrating, but Roberto has been one of the best
goalies in hockey over the last three months. For me, it’s just been fun to
watch him and watch the team win.”
Heading into Sunday’s contest, Schneider had played in 21 games this
season, compiling a 12-5 record with a 2.26 goals against average and a
.928 save percentage.
His numbers are actually better than Luongo’s, who has a 2.30 goals
against average and .922 save percentage in 41 games this year.
Regardless, Schneider knows his role is to caddy for Luongo, who is not
going anywhere soon with 11 years left on a 12-year, $64-million contract
extension.
“There’s not a whole lot to be upset or complain about, I’m fine with the role
I’m doing now,” Schneider said. “I take it seriously, it’s not as though I think
less of myself because I don’t play as much. I’m just staying patient and
focusing on what I have to do.
“For me it is all about wins. The other numbers are nice, but it’s not what I’m
too worried about. As a guy that doesn’t play too often, I want to win, I want
to be able to help my team out and not be the guy that throws us off the
track. It would be tough to not play as much if I was losing all the time.
Winning is my priority and that’s what I really pride myself in.”
Sunday’s start was just Schneider’s third in the Canucks’ last 14 games.
Earlier this season, he got on a roll taking over for an injured Luongo and
going on to win five consecutive games.
“That was good, it was good to know that you will get back in there, you get
into a rhythm and you don’t think about it as much,” Schneider said. “When
you have some time between starts, you tend to over-think things or they
don’t come as naturally as if you’ve been playing a lot.”
Selected by the Canucks in the first round — 26th overall — of the 2004
NHL Entry Draft, the Marblehead, Mass., native was supposed to be the
team’s goaltender of the future.
But due to the length of Luongo’s contract extension, Schneider could grow
old waiting on that future.
That’s one of the reasons his name has come up in recent trade
speculation, with a number of teams around the league in the market for a
quality starting goaltender.
“It’s all speculation and rumours and it’s easy to do,” Schneider said. “It’s
easy to pick names and say ‘This makes sense.’ I haven’t heard anything
from the team in that regard and I don’t expect to.
“Until (Canucks GM) Mike Gillis comes and tells me I’m not going to be a
part of the team anymore, I’m going to go about my business and be a good
teammate and work as hard as I can for this team.”
Winnipeg Sun LOADED: 02.20.2012
614023
Vancouver Canucks
Canucks overpower Edmonton; veteran goalie suffers groin injury
By Derek Van Diest, QMI Agency
By Jim matheson, edmontonjournal.com February 19, 2012
Cory Schneider makes a save against the Ducks during a game in Anaheim
on Dec. 29.
Cory Schneider believes he has what it takes to be a starting NHL
goaltender.
But as long as he plays behind Roberto Luongo in Vancouver, the Canucks
puck-stopper will always be second banana and spend more time on the
bench then in the crease.
Especially considering the way Luongo has been playing of late.
EDMONTON - Whenever the Vancouver Canucks bring their road show
wizardry to town, fans may laugh at how little the home team touches the
puck.
The Canucks, who haven’t lost a game in regulation in five weeks and have
the second-most points in the NHL with 82, predictably toyed with the
Edmonton Oilers in a 5-2 victory at Rexall Place on Sunday night.
They scored twice on 17 shots — captain Henrik Sedin and defenceman
Sami Salo on a five-on-three power play off a Henrik feed — on Nikolai
Khabibulin in the first 20 minutes before the beleaguered starting goalie
took a seat at the end of the bench with what the team said was a tweaked
groin, but it might also have been exhaustion.
Khabibulin, who made about six fire-alarm stops, kept it from being 5-0 in
his one period of play. Manny Malhotra got one in off his skate, too, but the
play was reviewed and the goal disallowed after it was
determined he had turned his skate to get it past the Oilers goalie.
Devan Dubnyk played the last two periods, giving up goals to defenceman
Kevin Bieksa, winger Chris Higgins, off a Jannik Hansen pass after a weak
defensive effort in the corner by Cam Barker, and Daniel Sedin.
The Oilers did get two on Canucks goalie Cory Schneider in the second
period. Captain Shawn Horcoff
ON THE BENCH: Oilers centre Sam Gagner was slashed on the hand by
Bieksa in the first and missed the last three minutes, but was back for the
final 40 minutes ... Henrik Sedin played his 558th straight game, —10th
longest streak in NHL history ... The Canucks’ last regulation loss was Jan.
15, 4-2 to the Anaheim Ducks. They’re 10-0-3 since then ... Salo’s goal was
his 300th career point ... Canucks centre Ryan Kesler didn’t score, but he
had seven shots on net and another four blocked ... Canucks defenceman
Keith Ballard is out with concussion symptoms.
Vancouver Sun: LOADED: 02.20.2012
614024
Vancouver Canucks
Cory Schneider is 'all about wins'
shovelled Ryan Smyth’s relay home, and Magnus Paajarvi fired a rocket off
an Ales Hemsky pass, but that was it as ran their record to 1-4 against the
Canucks this year.
Canuck backup wins sixth consecutive start
The Oilers, who were shoddy
By Brad Ziemer, Vancouver Sun February 19, 2012
defensively, gave up two quickies to Toronto last Wednesday 98 seconds
into the game and got the game to overtime, but the Maple Leafs aren’t the
Canucks. Vancouver leads the NHL with 64 first-period goals and is 32-6-1
when opening the scoring.
EDMONTON — Al Davis, the late owner of the Oakland Raiders, would
have found a spot for Cory Schneider on his team. All Schneider does is
just win, baby.
Edmonton had no chance on
Salo’s one-timer, with Ben Eager and Ladislav Smid in the penalty box, but
completely lost Henrik Sedin on his goal 53 seconds into the game.
“Blown coverage,” said Horcoff, who had the responsibility of checking the
Sedins and Alex Burrows. “(We were) too soft in our zone and we kept
turning the pucks over.”
The Oilers treated Khabibulin like he was radioactive material. They
wouldn’t go near him to help him out.
“He felt it (sore groin) three or four minutes in and tried to play through, then
had it tested after the period,” said stand-in head coach Ralph Krueger,
once again running the bench for Tom Renney, who’s out with a concussion
and may return for Tuesday’s game against the Flames in Calgary.
He did it again on Sunday night, winning his sixth straight start as the
Canucks kicked off a six-game road trip with a 5-2 decision over the
Edmonton Oilers at Rexall Place.
Schneider didn't have to stand on his head in this one as he faced 28 shots,
16 of them in the third period when the game was pretty much over.
"I felt okay, I wasn't too busy early on, but I was struggling to track the puck
a little bit and spit out some pretty bad rebounds," Schneider said. "But I felt
better in the third. I think the shots were a little misleading. A lot of the credit
goes to my teammates. I don't think the game was ever in doubt and every
time they got one, then we got one right back.
"It was more just kind of taking care of things as opposed to making a lot of
big saves."
Smyth had a tough night defensively, finishing with a minus-2 rating, but it
wasn’t just the Oilers’ commotion in their end, which has been a constant
for much of the season.
Schneider's record this season is now 13-5-0 and he has won 11 of his last
12 decisions. Over the last two seasons, Schneider has compiled an
impressive record of 29-9-2.
The Oilers also failed to show enough emotion against a team that had
played the night before in Vancouver. The Canucks are
It's a refreshing change for the Canucks, who for the longest time couldn't
find a backup who could regularly help get them wins.
32 points ahead of the Oilers
Schneider's other numbers are equally impressive. He boasts a goalsagainst average of 2.25 and a .928 save percentage.
(22-30-6) in the standings, but if they kept track of time of puck possession,
the Canucks would have had it 80 per cent of the time.
On Sunday, the Oilers were on the same level as the Canucks when
Samantha King was singing O Canada, but that was it.
There was little push back for most of the game.
“You’ve got to play with pride, play for your job, play for the logo on the front
of your jersey,” said Smyth. “You have to compete.
“They went to the Stanley Cup finals last year, but this was a challenge for
us, to rise to the level of one of the better teams in the league,” Smyth said.
The Canucks have scored more road goals (102) than any
other team this season and boast a
20-9-2 record away from home, which is No. 1 in away points.
Krueger admitted that “three of their goals were missed coverages ... and
we kept trying to pass the puck through them, right up the middle of the ice.
That’s their strength — they’re all about transition.”
Paajarvi, who has four points in his last five games, was one of the few
bright spots for the Oilers with four shots and his sweet one-timer that he
buried past Schneider.
“Maggie’s skating and looking for opportunities to play grittier and get to
pucks first ... it’s exciting to see him making this step,” said Krueger.
“Maggie and Hemmer (Hemsky) are getting some synergy which is good for
us.”
"For me it all about wins," Schneider said before the game. "The other
numbers are nice, but that's not really what I am too worried about. As a
guy who doesn't play too often, I want to win, I want to be able and come in
there and help my team out and not be a guy that throws us off the track."
Longtime Canucks like Canuck captain Henrik Sedin have a true
appreciation for the job Schneider has done the past two seasons.
"We have a lot of confidence in him," Sedin said. "A lot of times the backup
is going to be there for 20 or 25 games in a season and (with Schneider) it's
not just about trying to survive. We have as good a chance playing him as
we do playing Louie (Roberto Luongo)."
Schneider's stellar play, of course, has not gone unnoticed and general
manager Mike Gillis is certain to get a number of calls before next Monday's
trade deadline from fellow GMs looking for goaltending help.
The Canucks will almost certainly not trade him at the deadline and
Schneider insisted Sunday he is able to tune out all the media chatter about
him.
"It's all speculation and rumours," Schneider said. "It's easy to pick names
and say, oh, this makes sense. I haven't heard anything from the team in
that regard and I don't expect to. Until Mike Gills comes and tells me I am
not a part of the team any more, I am just going to go about my business
and be a good teammate and work as hard as I can for this team."
JUST FOR KICKS: The Canucks won 5-2 Sunday night. It probably should
have been 6-2.
A Manny Malhotra goal in the final minute of the first period was reviewed in
Toronto and disallowed. The puck did go in off Malhotra's skate, but there
did not appear to be any distinct kicking motion.
"It didn't feel like a kicking motion, nordid it look like a kicking motion,"
Malhotra said. "I was just stopping on my way to the net. I was a little bit
surprised."
NICE RETURN: Winger Dale Weise returned to the lineup after a five-game
absence. He replaced Byron Bitz, who was experiencing hip soreness.
Weise set a nice screen on Kevin Bieska's second-period goal. He also
drew an assist on the goal.
"Obviously we got robbed on the first one there," Weise said of the Malhotra
non-goal. "So we had to go out and get another one. . .We have been doing
a lot of work in practice getting in front of the goalie and making sure he
can't see it. I don't think it was (Bieksa's) hardest shot but you can't stop
what you can't see."
RENNEY RESTS: Oilers coach Tom Renney missed his third game Sunday
night since suffering a concussion after he was struck by a Ladislav Smid
shot in practice on Feb. 6.
Associate coach Ralph Krueger filled in and said he is keeping in close
contact with Renney during his absence, while trying not to overdo it.
"One of the things we are trying to do is reduce the amount of processing
that he has to do," Krueger said before the game. "But Tom is informed of
every move. We are using all the different methods, sometimes it is BBM.
sometimes it's email, Tom uses a different one just about every time so he
kind of surprises me.
"Otherwise we have had some phone calls, too. He is up to date, up to
speed and passionately behind everything that has happened."
Renney did watch Sunday night's game from the press box.
SCARY THOUGHT: Former Canuck Darcy Hordichuk was scratched for the
ninth straight game by the Oilers on Sunday night. He's been spending
some time watching games with injured rookie Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Hordichuk joked before the game about being a good influence on last
summer's No. 1 draft pick.
"RNH has got a chance to spend some more time with me," Hordichuk said.
"When he gets back, you'll see a different player."
614025
Vancouver Canucks
'Under-achieving' Canucks roll over Oilers
going to have their own opinion, they are entitled to it, but by no means do
we really care about it."
Speaking of polls, Sports Illustrated had its own player survey last week in
which the Sedins were named as the easiest players to intimidate.
Daniel and Henrik didn't look too scared this weekend as they combined for
12 points in the two games.
"If everyone wants to bring out these polls, then put your name on it,"
defenceman Kevin Bieksa said after the win over the Oilers. "Don't be
anonymous, don't be a coward. If you have something to say, then say it
publicly. "Everyone in the league has an opportunity to voice their opinion
with a microphone. Just say it, don't hide behind an anonymous Sports
Illustrated poll. It's cowardly."
Sunday night's win kept the Canucks two points back of the Western
Conference-leading Detroit Red Wings, who beat the San Jose Sharks 3-2
earlier Sunday for their 23rd straight home win. The Wings probably placed
second in that most overrated poll.
The Canucks got off to another one of their patented fast starts, opening
scoring for the 40th time in 59 games this season. This one took all of 53
seconds.
Henrik Sedin was left all alone in front and Daniel found him with a pass out
of the corner. With Oiler goalie Nikolai Khabibulin caught out of position,
Henrik had an empty net to shoot at and didn't miss for his 13th of the
season.
The Canucks took advantage of a 5-on-3 power play to take a 2-0 lead at
6:43 of the first. Defenceman Sami Salo snuck into the slot from the left
point and converted a pass from Henrik Sedin for his eighth goal of the
season.
"I think that was the key to this game," coach Alain Vigneault said of his
team's quick start. "After playing (Saturday night) and coming in here we
wanted to get off to a really strong start and we did. We went north-south
really quick, we forced their Ds to turn and really carried the play for that
whole first period."
After racking up eight points against the Leafs, Henrik and Daniel each
added two more points on Sunday night. Henrik's six points in the two
weekend games were as many as he had managed in the previous 12
outings.
"We have never felt tired through this stretch, but we haven't played with
the urgency and energy that you need to produce," Henrik said.
"Defensively we have been good, we have been in the right spots, but
offensively we hadn't been getting to the places you need to be to score
goals."
After being outshot 17-5 in the first period, the Oilers held the Canucks
without a shot for more than 13 minutes to start the second. And after
Shawn Horcoff converted a Ryan Smyth pass at 1:08 of the second, it
looked like the Oilers might make a game of it.
EDMONTON -- Let's face it, the Vancouver Canucks are an overrated
bunch of under-achievers.
But two goals 1:39 apart late in the second put the Canucks back in full
control of the game. Bieksa used a nice screen in front by Dale Weise to
put a shot from the right point past Devan Dubnyk, who replaced Khabibulin
to start the second. The goal, Bieksa's seventh of the season, came at the
15:01 mark.
Just look at what they accomplished this weekend. In a pair of games
against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers, all the Canucks
could manage was to win by a combined score of 11-4.
"That goal was all screen by Dale," Bieksa said. "If he's not there then that
doesn't happen."
After a 6-2 triumph early Saturday night over the Maple Leafs, the Canucks
began a six-game road trip Sunday night with a 5-2 decision over the Oilers
at Rexall Place.
Chris Higgins made it 4-1 at 16:40, converting a Jannik Hansen pass for his
11th of the season. But the Oilers got one back before the period expired.
Magnus Paajarvi wired a one-timer off an Alex Hemsky pass past Cory
Schneider at the 18:25 mark to make it 4-2.
The Canucks are 10-0-2 in their last 12 games, second overall in the NHL
with 82 points and have a league-high 20 road wins. But apparently that's
not good enough.
Daniel Sedin restored Vancouver's three-goal lead 33 seconds into the third
period when he beat Dubnyk glove side from the slot after a pass from Alex
Burrows.
Earlier Sunday, Hockey Night in Canada released the results of its players
poll. One of the questions asked players to name the NHL's most overrated
team. The Canucks were the winner, with 24 per cent of the players who
responded naming the Canucks.
Maybe they were all Boston Bruins. Or Chicago Blackhawks.
"It really doesn't matter to us," centre Manny Malhotra said after Sunday
night's game. "The opinions that matter to us are in this room. We dictate
how we feel about each other and how we feel as a team. Everybody is
The Canucks haven't lost a game in regulation since Jan. 15.
"I think we have played three really solid games in a row now," Henrik said.
"The two last ones, we scored goals, we played good defensively and
haven't given up a whole lot of shots. It seems like we have turned a corner.
Of course, if they keep this up they run the risk of no longer being
considered overrated.
ICE CHIPS: The Canucks stayed overnight in Edmonton and will fly to
Nashville toay. They meet the Predators on Tuesday night. . .Khabibulin
apparently suffered a groin injury in the first period. . .The Canucks are now
25-0-0 when leading after two periods this season.
614026
Vancouver Canucks
team that has been able to take down the top dogs pretty much throughout
the season and if we can do that tonight it give you confidence moving
forward."
The Oilers will try and do just that without head coach Tom Renney behind
the bench. Renney suffered a concussion when he was struck in the head
with a puck during a Feb. 6 practice and will miss his third game tonight.
Associate coach Ralph Krueger will fill in again tonight.
Nikolai Khabibulin will start in goal for the Oilers.
Canucks Game day: Cory Schneider's motto: Just win, baby
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Canuck backup carries five-game winning streak into tonight's game
Slumping winger Ales Hemsky could be dealt by the Oilers before the
deadline. He has gone 15 games without a goal.
After an unproductive stretch, by their standards, Daniel and Henrik Sedin
combined for eight points versus the Maple Leafs on Saturday night.
INJURIES
EDMONTON -- For years, it seemed the Vancouver Canucks could not rely
on their backup goalies to get them wins.
Cory Schneider has changed all that.
Schneider carries terrific numbers into tonight's game against the Edmonton
Oilers -- a 2.27 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage.
But more importantly, Schneider has been collecting lots of wins.
"For me it all about wins," Schneider said after this morning's optional
morning skate at Rexall Place. "The other numbers are nice, but that's not
really what I am too worried about. As a guy who doesn't play too often, I
want to win, I want to be able and come in there and help my team out and
not be a guy that throws us off the track."
Schneider, who gets his first start since Feb. 9, carries a 12-5-0 record into
tonight's game. He was won his last five starts and 10 of his last 11
decisions. Over the last two seasons, Schneider has compiled an
impressive record of 28-9-2.
"It would be tough to not play as much if I was losing all the time," he said.
"Winning is my priority and that is what I really pride myself on."
Tonight, Schneider faces an Oilers team that has lost four of its last five
games and leads only Columbus in the overall NHL standings.
Still, the Oilers have had their moments. They beat the Canucks here 3-2
back on Oct. 25 and played Vancouver tough before losing 3-2 in a
shootout on Jan. 24 at Rogers Arena. The Canucks won the other two
meetings with the Oilers by scores of 4-3 and 5-3.
The Oilers are without centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (shoulder) and
defencemen Corey Potter (groin) and Theo Peckham (facial).
The Canucks are missing wingers Aaron Volpatti (shoulder) and Andrew
Ebbett (collarbone) and defenceman Keith Ballard (concussion).
ICE CHIPS: The Canucks will overnight in Edmonton and fly to Nashville on
Monday. They meet the Predators on Tuesday night in Game 2 of their sixgame trip that also makes stops in Detroit, New Jersey, Dallas and
Phoenix.
614027
Vancouver Canucks
Overrated? No. Disliked? Oh Yeah
February 19, 2012. 2:15 pm • Section: Puckworld, STAFF
EDMONTON — The Canucks aren’t what you would call devastated by the
fact their brethren have selected theirs as the NHL’s most overrated team.
A players’ poll done by Hockey Night in Canada and released Sunday
indicated that 24 per cent of those asked selected the Canucks as the most
overrated team.
"Coming into this building we saw what they did to Chicago twice this year,"
Schneider said. "If you fall asleep they will make you pay for it. They have a
dangerous power play, tons of skill up front and have got some bodies back
finally on the back end. We know what we are in for. They always seem to
give us tough games."
“I don’t think there’s any team that has got more points than we have over
the past year and a half, so I find it hard to think that we’re overrated in any
sense,” said goalie Cory Schneider. “That’s their opinion, not ours.”
In addition to Schneider getting the start in goal, the Canucks are expected
to make one other lineup change tonight. Winger Dale Weise, who has sat
out the last five games, was told he'll play tonight.
“I mean I’m sure teams don’t really like us, but it’s more of a popularity
contest than an actual fact.” he said.
The Canucks did not make a coach available following their skate this
morning, so there is no official word on who Weise will replace. But Byron
Bitz seems to be a good bet.
"I am really anxious to get back in there," Weise said this morning. "The
team is playing really well right now and you don't want to come in and
disrupt the flow of things. I am excited to get back in and help."
Weise was forced out of the lineup with a foot injury, but he's been ready to
play the past couple of games. He now seems to have a fight on his hands
with Bitz for a regular spot in the lineup.
The Canucks, who are coming off an impressive 6-2 win over the Toronto
Maple Leafs on Saturday night, have gone 9-0-3 in their last 12 games.
The Oilers were disappointed with their effort in a 3-1 home-ice loss to the
Colorado Avalanche on Friday night, but they do seem to rise to the
occasion against some of the NHL's best teams.
Earlier this month, the Oilers posted back-to-back home-ice wins over the
Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.
"It seems we bring our A game against the better teams," said forward
Jordan Eberle, who leads the Oilers with 55 points. "For us, we have been a
Schneider think it’s more a case of some NHL teams not liking the
Canucks.
Winger Dale Weise had a simple message for his NHL colleagues — look
at the standings.
“It’s funny, I don’t know how you can be an over-rated team and be second
in the league,” Weise said before Sunday night’s game against the Oilers.
“We are two points behind Detroit with a game in hand. It’s interesting. I
think for sure it’s just a dislike, when you are good people want to bring you
down and I think that’s the case here.”
614028
Vancouver Canucks
Canucks lead NHL in road wins after victorious game against Edmonton
Staff Report
EDMONTON – It looked like they were playing keep-away, like the big kids
were taking the little kids’ toys and there was nothing that could be done
about it.
Sunday night’s game at Rexall Place looked like what it was — some worldclass Olympians and NHL hardware collectors schooling a bunch of green
youngsters in their own playground.
The Canucks won 5-2, giving Cory Schneider an easy sixth win in a row
and 11th in 12 games, the only blemish since Nov. 16 coming in Carolina
on Dec. 15.
It was the Canucks’ league-leading 20th road victory.
And it was a textbook example of what makes the Canucks such a good
team, home or away.
The superstars scored, the defence scored, the power play scored, the
player returning from a nasty infection scored, the goalie made the saves
he had to and the grinders were using their bodies to hit and to screen.
They didn’t even need the goal that Manny Malhotra had go in off his skate
and that was disallowed after a review.
“I took a quick look at the Jumbotron and it didn’t look like it was a kicking
motion,” Malhotra said of his surprise when the on-ice call was reversed. “I
was just making a stopping motion.”
It would have marked the second game in a row Malhotra had scored while
driving to the net, another example of how the successful whole is the sum
of many hard-working parts.
The Sedins each picked up a goal and assist, giving them six points each in
the last two games.
But a microcosm of what makes the Canucks click came on Chris Higgins’
goal, which made it 4-1 with 3:20 to go in the second.
Cody Hodgson and Jannik Hansen did a good job of getting the puck out of
the zone, then of chipping it into the Edmonton end.
Hodgson’s aggressive forecheck forced Cam Barker to cough up the puck.
Hansen swooped it up and found Higgins in the slot. Higgins patiently outwaited Devan Dubnyk before scoring on the goalie’s glove side.
“It was a great pass and it doesn’t show up on the score sheet Cody getting
in there on the forecheck and causing a turnover,” said Higgins. “Those are
the little things we notice as a team.”
“I think we have to carry some momentum from yesterday because I think
[against Toronto] we played one of our best games of the year,” Schneider,
tonight's starting goalie against the Oilers, said after a morning skate in
which only he, Dale Weise, Andrew Alberts and Alex Sulzer took part. “Start
the trip off right.”
It's the last long road trip of the season for the Canucks -- counting
Saturday's 6-2 win over the Leafs, they play seven games in 11 days before
returning to Vancouver.
Heading into tonight's game, the Canucks were 19-9-2 away from Rogers
Arena, a .667 clip inferior only to the Rangers' .707 pace away from
Madison Square Garden.
“We've been tight defensively, haven't given up much,” Schneider said.
“And on Saturday the offence broke through, which I think is a result of
playing the right way.
“I think we're happy with how we've played the last four or five games and
you have to bring that kind of game on the road. You can't start opening it
up and try to play run-and-gun.
“You've got to keep it locked up.”
Schneider has won 10 of his last 11 starts, but tonight will mark just his
fourth start in 40 days.
“Edmonton is a good test,” he said. “It's never easy coming into this
building.”
NOTES: Schneider isn't impressed with a poll of NHL players that ranked
the Canucks as the most overrated team in the league (24 per cent). “I'm
sure teams don't really like us,” Schneider said. “It's more of a popularity
contest. I don't think there's any team that has more points than we have
over the past year and a half, so I find it hard to think we're overrated in any
sense, but that's their opinions not ours.” … Dale Weise, one of only three
players to take the optional morning skate, said he's playing tonight. No
coaches were available to confirm it. ... The Oilers are 5-of-16 on the power
play against the Canucks this season, but haven't scored a power-play goal
in three games (0-for-8). … Nikolai Khabibulin will start in goal for
Edmonton.
Vancouver Province: LOADED: 02.20.2012
The game’s last 50 minutes were generally garbage time after Henrik Sedin
converted Daniel Sedin’s pass to open scoring 53 seconds in, followed by a
Sami Salo blast on a 5-on-3 power play at 6:34 of the first.
614030
Edmonton tried to mount some pushback in the second period — the
middle 20 minutes of games being the glaring Achilles heel in the Canucks
juggernaut — but every time they made it look like it might get interesting,
the Canucks stormed back as if the players in blue and orange were a
collection of kids culled from the between-period exhibition and not fellow
NHLers.
Schneider provides good insurance against a let-down game
“After playing Saturday, it was important to get a real strong start and we
did,” Alain Vigneault said. “We went north-south real quick, we forced their
Ds to turn and really carried the play for that whole first period.”
1. CORY'S GLORY: He has won five straight and 10 of his last 11 starts,
including back-to-back shutouts in Colorado and Phoenix nearly two
months ago. The only blemish on Cory Schneider's starts streak came Dec.
15 at Carolina but his most impressive effort may have been Jan. 10 at
Tampa Bay. With the Canucks in a back-to-back situation after falling 2-1 in
Florida, it was the battle level that Schneider showed in a 5-4 shootout
victory against the free-falling and free-wheeling Lightning that caught the
eye. Steven Stamkos and Martin St. Louis combined for a dozen shots
before the backup stopped Ryan Malone, Dominic Moore and Stamkos in
the skills session. It wasn't just the 31 shots, it was the quality that
Schneider faced and that image is probably plastered in the memory bank
of Bolts general manger Steve Yzerman, who needs to resolve his
goaltending situation for next season knowing that Schneider could
command a handsome return at the draft. We bring all this up because
Schneider may face a similar situation in Edmonton. The Canucks could
easily come out flat after hammering Toronto 6-2 on Saturday, and the
Oilers have nothing to lose. The Canucks are 3-1-0 in a season series that
has been closer than the results suggest and Schneider won't have to worry
about Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, who had a hat-trick outing against the
Canucks. But Jordan Eberle and Taylor Hall have two goals apiece.
NOTES: Byron Bitz was a scratch after he informed Vigneault in the
morning he’d aggravated a hip flexor. Dale Weise drew in and was
screening Devan Dubnyk on Kevin Bieksa’s goal.
After stopping 15 of 17 first-period shots he faced, Nikolai Khabibulin left
with what was described as a groin injury.
614029
Vancouver Canucks
League's second best road team begins last long trip of season in
Edmonton
Vancouver Canucks
By Ben Kuzma,
By Gordon McIntyre
EDMONTON -- Only the New York Rangers have a better road record than
do the Canucks and Cory Schneider hopes the guys in front of him continue
the theme tonight.
2. BOOK ON BURROWS: As much as Alex Burrows will do the dirty work
on the top line to get pucks to Henrik and Daniel Sedin, the winger not only
showed a good release Saturday in a two-goal effort against Toronto, he
revelled in the up-tempo pace as the top line combined for 10 points. With
four shots, Burrows again showed that he's more than comfortable against
speedy opposition and his two-goal games this season have come against
St. Louis and Toronto, who both possess some pretty fleet feet. Which
brings us to tonight. Burrows leads the season series with three goals and
two assists. If the Oilers want to play run-and-gun, keep an eye on Burrows.
He could be the benefactor of some sweet feeds in his 499th career
regular-season game.
the back end this year, most importantly his first-pass ability out of the
defensive zone and point shot on the power play.
3. WEISE SAYS HE'S IN: The standard code of coaching conduct is to
reward victory and keep the lineup intact, outside of a planned goaltending
rotation. So, what to make of Dale Weise playing tonight after recovering
from a foot ailment? On one hand, why would you mess with a fourth line
that combined for a goal against the Maple Leafs and had seven shots and
five hits? Maybe Chris Higgins needs a breather from back-to-backs after
getting over an adverse reaction to antibiotics. Manny Malhotra or Byron
Bitz could be bumped up to the third line. Or, does Mason Raymond, who
didn't have a shot Saturday, sit out? I wouldn't break up that fourth line
because Alain Vigneault has been looking for the right combo there all
season. Guess we'll have to wait for the coach to tell us his rationale in the
pre-game show. Stay tuned.
If it weren’t for a history of concussions, Willie Mitchell might still be a
Canuck. He is a shutdown defenceman who often played against the
opposition’s top line in Vancouver. Beyond his defensive abilities, Mitchell
seemed to be well-liked in the dressing room. Since moving on to the Kings,
Mitchell’s injuries have continued to pile up. If healthy, he could definitely
help by adding stability on the back end and providing veteran leadership
going into the playoffs.
■ Willie Mitchell (L.A. Kings). A Canuck from 2006-2010.
■ Bryan Allen (Carolina Hurricanes). A Canuck from 2000-2006.
A steady, stay-at-home defenceman with good size and a bit of a mean
streak to him. Allen would make a good depth player on the Canucks’
blueline, and he can also play physically when called upon. His numbers
are nothing to get excited about, but Allen has a decently hard shot and
would add a good veteran presence to this year’s Canucks squad.
614031
Vancouver Canucks
Trade or stand pat? A fan's point of view
614032
By Adam Segal,
Uneven Capitals haven’t won consecutive games in more than a month
With the NHL trade deadline looming, many Canucks fans, armchair GMs
and self-proclaimed experts are speculating about which players the
Canucks need to fill the holes in their lineup.
By Katie Carrera
With Vancouver at or near the top of the Western Conference for much of
this season, the consensus is that GM Mike Gillis will do very little, if
anything, to tinker with this year’s roster. But after getting pushed around by
Boston in the Stanley Cup Final last year, the Canucks could probably use
another big body to prevent the Sedin twins from getting slashed and facewashed after the whistle.
For much of the Washington Capitals’ season it has been like this:
important wins followed, and largely negated, by an equally significant loss.
One step forward, one step back and it’s far from hyperbole.
Another area of concern is on the back end, where Canucks fans know all
too well that injuries can pile up. It seems like they can never have enough
defensive insurance on the blueline.
In identifying the team’s areas of weakness, I thought it would be interesting
to look at ex-Canucks, still in the NHL, who could help plug some holes on
Vancouver’s current roster. Here are five former Vancouver Canucks that
this year’s team could use for its impending Stanley Cup run (Note: this list
is purely about former Canucks still in the NHL — not actual trade
speculation):
■ Todd Bertuzzi (Detroit Red Wings). A Canuck from 1998-2006.
Six-foot-three, 235 lbs. and the guy can play. Need I say more? At 37, Todd
Bertuzzi is no spring chicken, but he still has the ability to put up decent
numbers. Bertuzzi has matured in Detroit, both on the ice and in the
dressing room. He’d be a great fit on a Canucks team lacking size and a
certain grit factor. He has also had some success in the shootouts, where
the Canucks could certainly use some help. It would be nice to see Bertuzzi
back in a Canucks uniform under better circumstances than the last time he
was here (see Steve Moore), but don’t expect him to be leaving Detroit any
time soon.
■ Raffi Torres (Phoenix Coyotes). A Canuck from 2010-2011.
An unsung hero from last year’s Stanley Cup finalist, Torres bolted to
Phoenix for better money and a multi-year deal. He had some gamechanging hits, particularly in Game 3 against Chicago, where he annihilated
Brent Seabrook behind the net. He was reckless at times and took some illadvised penalties, but he played a major role in slaying the dragon — the
Chicago Blackhawks. His presence in the Canucks lineup has been missed
this season.
■ Christian Ehrhoff (Buffalo Sabres), A Canuck from 2009-2011.
The Canucks had no chance at re-signing both Kevin Bieksa and Ehrhoff
last offseason due to salary cap restraints. Vancouver seems to be doing
just fine without the speedy German defenceman, who is struggling to live
up to his rich and lengthy contract this season. Despite all of these
struggles, Ehrhoff played a big part in the Canucks’ success, particularly
last season, when he recorded 50 points. His speed and skill are missed on
Washington Capitals
Over the past 15 games, the Capitals have not won consecutive contests.
The last time they accomplished the feat was a three-game winning streak
that stretched from Jan. 11 to 15.
“You can’t win like that. You can’t be successful. You gotta have those
streaks,” defenseman Karl Alzner said. “You look at the teams that are
doing pretty good, I bet they’ve all had a couple good streaks over five
games, we just haven’t been doing that. We talked about it before the game
— this is the best time to do it. We find a way to not get it done again.
There’s no other word besides being frustrating. We’re working hard, we’re
just not getting those goals.”
Roll the aforementioned stretch together with the fact that Washington has
won consecutive games on the road only twice this season and it paints a
picture as to why it has been such an up-and-down year.
Consecutive road wins occurred once under Coach Dale Hunter on Dec. 7
against Ottawa and Dec. 15 against Winnipeg and once under Bruce
Boudreau on Oct. 13 against Pittsburgh and Oct. 20 against Philadelphia.
Neither set included games on the same road trip.
Given the Capitals’ place in the Eastern Conference standings (ninth) and
that there are only 24 games remaining in the regular season, each contest
matters, and the margin for error to reach the playoffs is extremely thin.
That said, players are trying to not focus on the pressure they face to win –
although they know it is there.
“I said we need to win those games but you can’t look any further than the
next one,” said Brooks Laich, who before this four-game trip said
Washington likely needed to win at least three of the games. “It’s a loss but
you have to move on. I don’t know what to say right now. I don’t feel a lot
more pressure to have to do it. The group wants to win and that’s not going
to go away.”
Troy Brouwer, who went through a late-season push to the playoffs with
Chicago, echoed the sentiment of not allowing pressure to overwhelm the
team.
“The last thing we want to do is put too much pressure on ourselves,”
Brouwer said. “We know what’s at stake right now; we know how the
season could turn out if this trip doesn’t go well. For us, we want to go into
Carolina and have a good atmosphere, a good feeling – not too intense,
because that’s when we’ll start making mistakes and that’s when we’ll start
gripping our sticks a little tight.”
— The Capitals have reassigned forward Keith Aucoin to the Hershey
Bears. With Aucoin's reassignment to the AHL, the Capitals now carry 22
players on their active roster. As the roster stands now, Washington would
have room to add roughly $1 million before the trade deadline, according to
Capgeek.com.
Capitals notes: Washington reassigned center Keith Aucoin to the AHL’s
Hershey Bears. The team is carrying 22 players on its active roster, which
given its current configuration would allow for the Capitals to add roughly $1
million worth of annualized salary cap hits before the trade deadline on Feb.
27.
Washington Post LOADED: 02.20.2012
614033
614034
Washington Capitals
Capitals need a boost during power-play opportunities
Washington Capitals
Capitals vs. Lightning: Washington loses chance to move up in NHL playoff
picture
By Katie Carrera
By Katie Carrera,
RALEIGH — The Washington Capitals were already trailing by a goal when
they received their first power play Saturday night against the Tampa Bay
Lightning. It offered an important opportunity to potentially tie the contest,
answer back quickly to the goal they allowed and, at the very least, gain
some momentum.
None of that happened, though, as Washington struggled mightily to even
enter the offensive zone or gain control of the puck for any length of time
during the advantage.
A lack of flow and movement, rushes interrupted by going offside, turnovers
and too few shots – particularly second- and third-chance looks with traffic –
have come to characterize the Capitals’ power play in recent weeks. In tight
games like the 2-1 loss to the Lightning, a power-play goal can be the
difference between leaving with a point or without one, which is why
Washington need to be able to rely on that output again.
TAMPA — The Washington Capitals are as familiar with the Tampa Bay
Lightning’s desire to play a strong transition game as any team can be. That
knowledge didn’t stop the Capitals from playing into Tampa Bay’s hands
Saturday night, committing turnovers that caused the very opportunities
they hoped to prevent.
Turnovers led directly to both Lightning goals in Washington’s 2-1 loss at
Tampa Bay Times Forum. With the defeat, the Capitals missed an
opportunity to pass Toronto, which lost to Vancouver earlier Saturday, and
move into eight place in the Eastern Conference standings. Instead,
Washington (29-24-5, 63 points) remains outside the playoff picture in ninth.
“We’re wasting our own power plays,” forward Troy Brouwer said. “We need
to just make sure we’ve got a good net presence and make sure we’re not
making high-risk plays, because that’s what gets us in trouble.”
A loss to Tampa Bay, which sits below the Capitals in the standings and
has begun shipping away players prior to the trade deadline, was
particularly tough to take just 24 hours after an emotional victory against the
Florida Panthers. The defeat extended a troubling trend as well:
Washington has not won consecutive games over its past 15. The last time
it accomplished that small feat came during a three-game winning streak
from Jan. 11 to 15.
Much of the Capitals’ recent tribulations on the power play can likely be
traced back to the absence of Nicklas Backstrom, who remains sidelined
indefinitely by a concussion he suffered Jan. 3. Backstrom has missed 20
games, and during that stretch Washington is 8-for-55 on the power play, or
an abysmal 14.5 percent success rate.
“It’s what we’ve all been saying for a long time now. It’s frustrating. One
step forward, one step back,” defenseman Karl Alzner said. “You can’t win
like that. You can’t be successful. You gotta have those streaks. You look at
the teams that are doing pretty good — I bet they’ve all had a couple good
streaks over five games. We just haven’t been doing that.”
Backstrom averaged 3 minutes 22 seconds in power-play time per game in
the 38 contests he appeared in this season. Without him in the lineup, the
Capitals are missing their best passer and setup artist who typically ran the
unit from the half-board wall.
The roots of the frustration on Saturday were the Capitals’ repeated
turnovers and attempts to do too much both defensively and offensively
from the opening faceoff.
While Washington has used both Alexander Semin and second-year center
Marcus Johansson in that role at times with mixed results, the unit as a
whole still has a tendency to grow stagnant, which is why the power play
has been a point of emphasis in recent practices.
Tampa Bay (26-26-6) opened the scoring 2 minutes 10 seconds into the
contest after a pass by rookie defenseman Dmitry Orlov was picked off in
the neutral zone, sending a Lightning rush into the Capitals’ zone. A shot by
Tom Pyatt trickled between Tomas Vokoun’s legs and over the goal line
seconds later to give the Lightning a 1-0 lead.
“We’ve got to move the puck more,” Coach Dale Hunter explained recently.
“We’re trying to pass it more. You can’t just make one play — the home run
play. You’ve got to work it around, get the defenders out of position, that’s
what we’re trying to work on.”
The Capitals cannot replace Backstrom’s skill on the power play but, they
just got one return to the lineup that should aid their efforts with the manadvantage. On Saturday, top defenseman Mike Green skated 14:14 in his
first game back since undergoing sports hernia surgery on Jan. 17.
Green only saw 44 seconds of time on the second power-play unit against
Tampa Bay because the Capitals did not want to rush him into a heavy
workload immediately upon returning. But his ice time will increase all
around, including on the man advantage, with each successive
appearance.
Though it is a small sample size, the Capitals are 11 for 37 on the power
play (29.7 percent) with Green in the lineup this season. As he recovered
from the surgery, the 26-year-old defenseman spent a lot of time watching
from afar as his teammates struggled with the man advantage.
“We’ve gotta work harder. I think we take shots and we’re getting quality
shots but we’re not working hard enough to get it back,” Green said. “Any
time the puck goes into the corner or we dump it, they’re retrieving the puck
and they’re dumping it down the ice. It’s killing a lot of our momentum and a
lot of our time on the power play.”
The Capitals fell to 6-11-2 in road games when allowing the first goal.
“They scored first, they get confidence from that and usually it’s a different
game with who scores first,” Capitals Coach Dale Hunter said. “We were
playing on our heels a bit so then they took it to us.”
Pyatt’s goal was off one of several odd-man chances Vokoun (21 saves)
was forced to endure. Minimizing scoring opportunities off the rush has
been a point of emphasis for Hunter since he arrived in late November, but
every so often that aspect of the Capitals’ game eludes them. Against a
team like Tampa Bay, it proved costly.
“We want to win. This was winnable game and we didn’t get it done,”
Vokoun said. “I don’t think nobody can be happy about that. We just didn’t
execute our game plan. . . . We play the game to the strength of the other
team and we got beat.”
Tampa Bay took a 2-0 lead 1:50 into the second when Steven Stamkos
cashed in on another turnover. Matt Hendricks gave up the puck at the
Tampa Bay blue line, springing Stamkos on a breakaway that almost made
the NHL’s leading goal-scorer’s job too easy. Stamkos deked and deftly
sneaked the puck past Vokoun’s left pad for his 40th goal of the season.
Unlike the night before, when they thrived off their forechecking in rallying to
defeat Florida, early in Saturday’s game the Capitals barely established
themselves in the offensive zone long enough to take more than one shot
on Lightning goaltender Mathieu Garon (23 saves).
Against the Panthers, “we got over the line and the first thing in our head
was shoot the puck, shoot it, shoot it hard at the net, attack the net,”
forward Brooks Laich said. Against Tampa Bay, “we got over the line and
surveyed a little bit — looked to make a pass — then their back pressure
caught us or our passes weren’t to a guy in a shooting position.”
Laich put the Capitals on the board when he redirected a pass from
Mathieu Perreault past Garon as he cut into the slot. His tally, the first by a
Washington forward other than Alex Ovechkin or Alexander Semin since
Feb. 7, cut the deficit to 2-1, but the team never found another injection of
offense.
Capitals note: Mike Green returned to the lineup 32 days after undergoing
surgery to repair a small tear in his stomach lining. The defenseman
finished with 14:14 of ice time, no shots on goal and one penalty. Asked
how he felt, Green replied: “Good, really good. Took some time in the first
period to get my feel back, but I felt really good.”
614035
Washington Capitals
Florida’s Kris Versteeg fined for hit on Jeff Halpern
By Katie Carrera
Late in regulation of Washington’s 2-1 win over the Florida Panthers,
Florida right wing Kris Versteeg. (Wilfredo Lee - Associated Press) tempers
flared on both sides. In the final seconds of the game, Jeff Halpern took a
faceoff and fell on the puck in an attempt to run out the clock.
Video replay of game shows that when Halpern was lying on the ice,
Florida’s Kris Versteeg cross checked the Capitals’ center down further
pushing his head and neck further downward. The NHL announced late
Sunday night that it had fined Versteeg $2,500, the maximum allowed by
the collective bargaining agreement, for the cross-check.
614036
Washington Capitals
For Capitals, it’s ‘one step forward, one step back’
That’s perhaps what happened in Tampa, as Washington couldn’t capitalize
on some of what goaltender Tomas Vokoun calls “puck luck” it was getting.
The Capitals also were unable to take advantage of a Lightning team that is
in sell mode with the Feb. 27 trade deadline approaching.
“This was winnable game, and we didn’t get it done. I don’t think nobody
can be happy about that,” Vokoun said. “We play the game to the strength
of the other team, and we got beat.”
Alzner lamented a lack of offense — two goals in beating Florida 2-1 and
one in the 2-1 loss at the Lightning. Forward Brooks Laich said it was
because of too few shots taken.
As a defensive group, the Capitals surrendered too many odd-man rushes,
and their 13th-ranked power-play unit came up empty.
As a result, Washington failed to win consecutive games for the first time
since Jan. 13 and 15. The Capitals‘ most-recent consecutive road victories
came Dec. 7 and 15.
“You can’t win like that. You can’t be successful,” Alzner said. “You look at
all the teams that are doing pretty good, I bet they’ve all had a couple good
streaks over five games. And we just haven’t been doing that. We talked
about it before the game: This is the time, this is the best time to do it, and
we find a way to not get it done again.”
Before departing for the trip, Laich set the benchmark of at least three
victories in four games for the Capitals, who ideally would like to make the
playoffs by passing Florida and winning the Southeast Division for the fifth
straight year.
“I said we need to win those games, but you can’t look any further than the
next one,” Laich said. “Right now, I don’t feel a lot more pressure to have to
do it. The group wants to win, and that’s not going to go away.”
The Caps are clawing for a playoff spot for the first time since 2008, when
Bruce Boudreau took over as coach for Glen Hanlon in November 2007.
They got a taste Friday night of what it was like to win an important game,
away from Verizon Center, no less. But “one step forward, one step back”
means things are just as dire as they were last week going into the final two
on this trip.
“We’ve got to win those two games,” Alzner said. “They’re against teams
that we know pretty well. Like Brooksie said, four of four or three of four
we’d be pretty happy with.
“We still have a chance to get a good road trip. Being on the road we’ve
been struggling so much, so it would be a confidence booster to get the
next two wins.”
Washington Times LOADED: 02.20.2012
By Stephen Whyno
TAMPA, Fla. — Center Jeff Halpern knew it right after the Washington
Capitals picked up their biggest victory of the season Friday night against
the first-place Florida Panthers: That was just one, and they couldn’t afford
a let-up.
Instead, a loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning 24 hours later put them almost
right back where they started before embarking on this four-game road
swing.
“It’s what we’ve all been saying for a long time now — it’s frustrating,”
defenseman Karl Alzner said. “It’s one step forward, one step back.”
The Capitals weren’t totally demoralized by the defeat Saturday night, but
many of the good feelings were gone. A victory would have put them back
in a playoff position; now they’re in chase mode for the next two games, at
the Carolina Hurricanes on Monday and at the Ottawa Senators on
Wednesday.
Perhaps desperation mode, too.
“We can’t afford any slip-ups on this trip,” right wing Troy Brouwer said. “But
the last thing we want to do is put too much pressure on ourselves. We
know what’s at stake right now; we know how the season could turn out if
this trip doesn’t go well. For us, we want to go into Carolina and have a
good atmosphere, a good feeling — not too intense, because that’s when
we’ll start making mistakes, and that’s when we’ll start gripping our sticks a
little tight.”
614037
Winnipeg Jets
Noel looks for more from Jets
By: Ed Tait
Winnipeg Jets head coach Claude Noel wants more of the same from his
squad Sunday night against the Colorado Avalanche: more grit, more
resolve, more resiliency.
And he'd like to see more of everything from winger Eric Fehr, who draws
back into the lineup after being a healthy scratch for the last four games,
but has just one goal and two points in 31 games this year.
"I'd like him to show me he wants to have success. It’s that simple," Noel
said when asked after Sunday’s game-day skate what he wanted to see out
of the struggling Winkler product. "Help me help you. I'll play him 20
minutes if he can help me help him. All I want is just for him to perform
better, harder and be productive. Ask yourself at the end of the day, 'What
impact did I have on the game?' It's a pretty simple question. Everybody
plays differently, but everybody has a chance to have an impact on the
game in your own way. Well, show it to me because I'm waiting."
Fehr will replace Antti Miettinen on the Jets' fourth line along with Nik
Antropov and Tim Stapleton at home against the Avalanche (7:30 p.m. TSN
Jets/TSN Sports Radio). The Jets' top two lines of Andrew Ladd-Bryan
Little-Blake Wheeler and Evander Kane-Alex Burmistrov-Kyle Wellwood will
remain intact, as will the GST checking trio of Tanner Glass, Jim Slater and
Chris Thorburn.
The Jets, 28-26-6 and in 10th spot in the Eastern Conference, got some
help Saturday night when two of the teams they are chasing – the Toronto
Maple Leafs and Washington Capitals – both lost. The Leafs are two points
ahead of the Jets, the Caps just one, while the Florida Panthers, who lead
the Southeast Division, are three points ahead of Winnipeg.
Winnipeg Sun LOADED 02.20.2012
614039
Winnipeg Jets
Jets Pavelec sets career high for wins
The Jets have won two straight after falling 3-1 to the New York Islanders at
the MTS Centre on Tuesday. After that loss, the Jets vowed to get up off
the mat and show more jam when things go sour in a game.
By Kirk Penton ,Winnipeg Sun
"The Islander game, we were up and we kinda got discouraged in that
game and ended up losing it," Evander Kane said. "After that game, we
made a promise to ourselves that we can't be discouraged when other
teams score goals or come back on us. So far we've done a pretty good job
of not letting that creep into a game.
Ondrej Pavelec’s season was already good. Now it’s technically the best it’s
ever been.
"We took it upon ourselves to play a complete 60 minutes no matter what
happens throughout the course of a game and not get down and have that
same team confidence."
The 24-year-old Czech Republic native set a single-season career high on
Sunday night with his 22nd victory, stopping 31 shots in the 5-1 win over
the Colorado Avalanche.
Pavelec won 21 games last season in Atlanta in 58 appearances. This year
he needed just 50 games in Winnipeg to set a career high.
Winnipeg Free Press LOADED 02.20.2012
“Pavs has been real good,” head coach Claude Noel said. “He was huge in
that second period, and he made some big saves. I don’t get real nervous
watching him in the net. He certainly gives me a real sense of calm and
composure and confidence. He looks like he’s under control. It looks like
the puck’s going half speed.
614038
“He’s in a real good place right now, and I’m happy he’s there.”
One other lineup note: Zach Bogosian has been skating, but will not be in
the lineup against the Avs. He has missed the last three games, but Noel
said he should be good to go for Tuesday’s game against Philadelphia.
Winnipeg Jets
Fehr back in lineup
BIG WHEEL: Blake Wheeler set two career highs on Sunday night when he
registered four points, all assists, in the win over the Avs. That also gave
him a career-high 46 points on the season.
By Ken Wiebe ,
“He’s been playing some of the best hockey I’ve seen him play,” centre
Bryan Little said on Sunday morning. “Once he gets going it’s hard to stop
him, he’s so big and he uses his speed well. Both my goals the other night
were easy because of him. He’s seeing the ice really well right now.”
Eric Fehr is drawing back into the Winnipeg Jets lineup for Sunday’s game
against the Colorado Avalanche.
BUSTING OUT: The Jets have scored more than two goals in three straight
games. That’s the first time they’ve accomplished that feat since late
November.
After sitting out the past four games and five of the past seven as a healthy
scratch, Fehr will replace Antti Miettinen on the fourth line with Nik Antropov
and Tim Stapleton.
When asked what he was looking for from Fehr in his return to the lineup,
Jets head coach Claude Noel sounded like a guy whose patience was
wearing thin waiting for the right-winger — who has one goal and two points
in 31 games this season — to start producing.
“It’s nice. Just the confidence that you get from scoring those goals, it gets
everyone shooting the puck and it gets guys going to the net to get that
good feeling. So it’s going to be something that we’re going to need going
forward, especially with our power play.”
TIME TO STEP UP: Noel inserted Eric Fehr into the lineup on Sunday,
wanting to see the Winkler product prove he deserves to stay in the lineup.
“I’d like him to show me that he wants to have success, it’s that simple,”
said Noel. “Help me, help you. I’ll play him 20 minutes if he can help me. All
I want from him is to perform. Better, harder, be productive. Ask yourself at
the end of the game, what impact did I have on the game?
“I’d like him to show me that he wants to have success, it’s that simple,”
Noel said. “Help me help you. I’ll play him 20 minutes if he can help me. All
I want from him is just to perform. Better, harder, be productive. Ask
yourself at the end of the day: What impact did I have on the game? It’s a
pretty simple question.
“It’s a pretty simple question. Everybody plays differently, but everybody
has a chance to have an impact on the game, in your own way. Well, show
it to me because I’m waiting.”
“Everybody plays differently, but everybody has a chance to have an impact
on the game, in your own way. Well, show it to me, because I’m waiting.”
The Jets, who enter Sunday in 10th place in the Eastern Conference
standings but only two points behind the eighth-place Toronto Maple Leafs,
are riding a two-game winning streak as they face an Avalanche team tied
for 10th place in the West with 62 points.
“It’s going to be a good test for us,” said Jets left-winger Evander Kane.
“They’ve got a lot of speed, a lot of skill up front and they’re another young
team. A team kind of in the same position as us. You can probably expect
two desperate hockey clubs.”
Kane had two goals in a 4-1 Jets victory at Pepsi Center back on Dec. 27 in
the previous meeting between the two clubs.
The Jets will be without defenceman Zach Bogosian for the third
consecutive game with an upper-body injury.
Noel said Bogosian skated on his own before the morning skate and
continues to be listed as day-to-day, though he’s hopeful to return for
Tuesday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Forward Matt Duchene will be back in the Avalanche lineup for the first time
since suffering a knee injury in late December.
Ondrej Pavelec gets the call in goal for the Jets, while the Avalanche will
counter with Semyon Varlamov.
Fehr had 11 minutes and 20 seconds of ice time. He had one shot and one
hit.
IN THE HANGAR: Left winger Andrew Ladd ended a 13-game goal drought
with a power-play tally in the third period … Defenceman Zach Bogosian
(upper body) didn’t dress for the third straight game, but Noel hopes to have
him back on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Flyers … The Jets scored
twice on the power play, snapping a five-game skid.
614040
Winnipeg Jets
Jets SNAPSHOTS: Top players finally delivering
By Ted Wyman
Kane Kane jumped O’Brien after taking issue with the defenceman’s hit. It
lead to a double roughing minor that could’ve allowed the Avalanche to get
back in the game.
Slightly less than a week ago, Jets captain Andrew Ladd stood before the
media and said the team’s best players needed to be the best players every
night or it would be impossible to have consistent success.
Ladd’s plea for accountability from the top players clearly didn’t fall on deaf
ears.
In three games since the captain spoke out, the Jets are 3-0, have worked
their way back into the thick of the playoff race and their top players have
been carrying the team on their collective shoulders.
For the second straight game Sunday it was forward Blake Wheeler and
goalie Ondrej Pavelec leading the way as the Jets hammered the Colorado
Avalanche 5-1.
They were the first and second stars in consecutive games, but they had
plenty of help from the Jets’ other big names, like Bryan Little, Evander
Kane, Kyle Wellwood, Dustin Byfuglien and even Ladd himself, who scored
his first goal since Jan. 19.
forehand and shot the puck away from the gaping goal and into the pads of
an out-of-position Pavelec. Another lucky break for the Jets.
Not so classy yahoos
Very classy of the Jets to honour former Bombers coach and GM Cal
Murphy, who passed away Saturday, with a moment of silence before the
game. The yahoos who decided to yell incoherently during the moment of
silence were not so classy … Burmistrov has looked strong for the most
part in his role as the Jets second line centre. It’s hard to ignore some of the
costly turnovers, but Burmistrov is playing with a lot of skill and fire, as
evidenced by his huge hit on Kevin Porter of the Avs early Sunday night … I
really like the way Nik Antropov has played since being demoted to the
fourth line. He’s hustling and he’s physical and when he plays like that, his
natural talent comes through … There were lots of pro scouts in the press
box Sunday night as the trade deadline draws ever nearer. Scouts from the
Edmonton Oilers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa Senators, New York
Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Phoenix Coyotes and St. Louis Blues
were all in attendance.
614041
Winnipeg Jets
The Jets were physical, creative around the net, displayed scoring touch
and were sound defensively. They scored two power play goals and killed
off four penalties of their own.
Jets back in the playoff race with win over Colorado
They are showing a lot of character while finally stringing together some
wins. They are playing like a team that wants to be in the playoffs and that’s
great news for the fans of Winnipeg.
Winnipeg Sun
Toublesome Kane
Kane went right after Shane O’Brien after taking what he considered to be a
dangerous high hit in the third period. While it’s good to see Kane standing
up for himself, the lack of discipline he showed in taking a double minor
while the Jets led by three goals was troublesome … Wheeler now has
seven points in the last two games. He tied a career high with four points
Sunday night (all assists) and also set a career-high for points in a season
with 46. With eight points in four games this week, Wheeler could be the
first Jet to be named one of the NHL’s three stars of the week … Little, who
has four goals in the last two games, is a streaky player and the Jets need
to ride him while he’s hot … Alex Burmistrov is another player who is
playing up to his potential of late. His penalty killing on Kane’s double minor
was exceptional and he even drew a penalty of his own after dangling
around the Avs’ zone for a while … The Jets are 4-0 against the Northwest
Division and have played some of their best games against Minnesota and
Colorado. Just saying … The Jets are one point out of first place in the
Southeast Division and are tied for the final Eastern playoff spot with
Toronto, but both teams have games in hand. The Jets, to a man, believe
they need to win at least six games on this home stand and they are off to a
terrific start.
Surprise screen
The Jets were on fire early in the second period and Kane opened the
scoring on an innocent looking backhand with Kyle Wellwood, of all people,
providing the screen in front. Wellwood’s one of the smallest, least physical
players in the NHL, but he wasn’t afraid to get in there and create traffic …
The Jets are simply a much better team when Kane is on his game. It was
no coincidence that the Jets won almost every game early in the season
when Kane had at least one goal. Lately, he’s been having the same kind of
effect … The Jets have started to get some good bounces as well. Little
made it 2-0 after getting a gift when Avs’ defenceman Erik Johnson cleared
a rebound right onto his stick with net wide open … The Jets got into all
kinds of penalty trouble as Chris Thorburn and Byfuglien took hooking
penalties and Nik Antropov got whistled for goaltender interference. That
contributed greatly to the Avs getting 19 shots on net in the second period
… Gabriel Landeskog got the Avs on the board on a high shot to the
blocker side but otherwise Pavelec was brilliant in the second period,
stopping 18 shots, many of them the high-quality variety … The Jets took
three straight penalties against the NHL’s best road power play but only
allowed the one goal, which was a definite victory … Wellwood used his
sweet hands to get the Jets back ahead by two, taking the rebound of a
Kane shot off the backboards and tucking it past Semyon Varlamov. When
guys like Wellwood contribute in so many ways, the Jets are certain to have
success … Dustin Byfuglien could have shot on net or into the corner but
chose to try a cross-ice pass at the blue-line that was risky and not too
bright. The puck was picked off, the Avs got a good scoring chance and
Byfuglien had to take a hooking penalty, which led to Landeskog’s goal …
Colorado’s Paul Stastny had a wide-open net but was committed to his
The Winnipeg Jets are back to walking along the playoff line.
There was no letdown to be found on this night as the Jets were able to
extend their winning streak to three games with a convincing 5-1 triumph
over the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night before a capacity crowd of
15,004 at MTS Centre. They are now within one point of top spot in the
Southeast Division standings.
It wasn’t just that the Jets found a way to get it done against a team that
basically finds itself in an identical spot in the West, it was how they got it
done.
“We’re scoring some goals and that’s a good thing, but when we get into
these tight games we need to get better in some little areas — where we’re
turning pucks over and giving up chances,” said Jets winger Blake Wheeler,
who had four assists to drive the offensive bus.
With the win, the Jets moved into a tie for eighth place with the Toronto
Maple Leafs at 64 points and clawed within one point of the Florida
Panthers in the chase for top spot — though both those teams still hold
games in hand.
Although the focus remains on the little picture, Wheeler allowed himself a
little leeway to talk about the journey.
“We’re right on the bubble here of making the playoffs,” said Wheeler. “For
this organization to be right in the mix with (21) games left is a huge
stepping stone.
“I’ve had some experience with these playoff runs and having to kind of
battle to the very end to get in and I’m telling you, if you end up getting in
the tournament, playing in these close games like we are right now — and
you’re having success in them, anything can happen. That’s the goal right
now.”
Speaking of goals, remember that team that was starved for them just a
short time ago?
They won’t ever be confused with the 1980s Oilers, but the Jets have fired
home 13 goals during the past three games — not bad for a team that
frequently struggled to produce two per game during much of January.
Wheeler is playing like a man possessed, racking up eight points in his past
three games alone to give him 46 to eclipse his career high.
Evander Kane seems to be in the midst of another one of his hot streaks,
scoring again and adding an assist to give him six points in his past three
games and 22 goals on the season.
Bryan Little scored twice and captain Andrew Ladd snapped a 13-game
drought in the third period as well as the top trio combined for three goals
and eight points in the contest.
Even the struggling Jets’ power play — which endured a stretch of 5-for-53
— struck twice in the third period to salt this one away.
“It’s going to be such a big thing going forward here,” said Ladd. “You
realize that to get into the playoffs, you’re going to need those timely goals
and the power play has got to be there. It hasn’t for the past two weeks
been effective at all. Hopefully, that’s the start of a good stretch for us
there.”
The offensive onslaught has been impressive, but goalie Ondrej Pavelec
continues to shine as well, making 31 saves to establish a new career high
for wins, with his 22nd of the campaign.
One other positive for the Jets as they won a second consecutive time to
continue this eight-game homestand has been the ability to push back after
giving up a goal.
This time it was Kyle Wellwood who scored less than two minutes after
Gabriel Landeskog cut the deficit to 2-1.
“We’re learning how to close teams out,” said Little.
And that’s a valuable lesson for any team to come to grips with.
THREE STARS
1. Winnipeg RW Blake Wheeler — The big Minnesota had a career-high
four points — all assists — that gave him seven in his last two games and
set a career high with 46 overall.
2. Winnipeg G Ondrej Pavelec — The Czech faced a steady stream of solid
scoring chances by the Avs and stopped all but one en route to setting a
career high with his 21st win.
3. Winnipeg LW Evander Kane — The 20-year-old was making his
presence felt, notching a goal and an assist and going after Shane O’Brien
after a questionable hit.
THE SKINNY
The Jets are technically tied for eighth in the Eastern Conference after their
third straight victory. The top two lines were Winnipeg’s best once again,
and the goaltending was spectacular. It resulted in its first set of back-toback regulation wins since early December.
REPORT CARD
A FORWARDS: The top six were superb, and the bottom six were
trustworthy enough for head coach Claude Noel to roll four lines for much of
the night.
B+ DEFENCE: The blue-liners were jumping into the play quite often, which
is probably why the Jets were able to score five goals. There were too
many chances against, however.
A GOALTENDING: Ondrej Pavelec was remarkable yet again. The Avs
fired 32 shots on the Winnipeg net, and the Czech was in the way for all but
one.
UP NEXT
The Jets play the third of their eight-game home stand on Tuesday night
against the Philadelphia Flyers. The game starts at a special time of 6
o’clock.
614042
Websites
ESPN / Blue-line depth won't fix Flyers' goalie issue
By Scott Burnside
It was a most curious day for the Philadelphia Flyers. They got even deeper
across the blue line by adding veteran big-bodied Stanley Cup winner Pavel
Kubina, but once again, despite all the building and tinkering, appear to be
lacking that one critical ingredient that has denied them a Cup for 36 years.
The Flyers jumped the queue ahead of teams like Boston, Chicago and the
New York Rangers in the quest to add defensive depth before the Feb. 27
trade deadline by adding their second defenseman in the past 48 hours.
They sent prospect Jon Kalinski, a conditional second-round pick acquired
from Florida in the Kris Versteeg deal and their own fourth-round pick in
2013 to grab Kubina, who obviously included the Flyers on a list of teams to
which he would agree to be traded.
The Flyers earlier picked up Nicklas Grossman from Dallas, making their
blue line as deep as any in the Eastern Conference even without the
services of captain Chris Pronger, who is lost for the season due to
concussion issues.
But the trade came on a day when the Flyers were beaten 6-4 by the
visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, a day in which "franchise" netminder Ilya
Bryzgalov was once again pulled by head coach Peter Laviolette, this time
after allowing three goals on 13 shots. Two of the goals were short-handed
and one was on a rare 5-on-3 advantage for the Flyers. Not that backup
Sergei Bobrovsky fared much better as he allowed three goals on 17 shots
in just over a period’s worth of play.
The Flyers have won just three times in their past 10 games. In five of those
games, they have given up four or more goals.
Although the Flyers signed Bryzgalov to a nine-year deal last summer, a
deal that is paying him $10 million this season, the enigmatic netminder
seems to have been overwhelmed by his move to Philadelphia. He became
something of a sensation during the HBO "24/7" reality series with his
ruminations on the universe and his love for his dog (and family). On
Saturday, Bryzgalov followed that up by cryptically telling reporters that, "I
will try and find peace in my soul to play in this city."
Huh?
Not sure if Flyers GM Paul Holmgren rushed out to make the Kubina deal
after he heard Bryzgalov’s musings or if he rushed back into his office to
call Tampa GM Steve Yzerman and beg him to take Kubina back.
Still, one can’t fault Holmgren for once again being among the boldest of
NHL GMs.
With Pronger and his all-world presence gone, Holmgren knew he had to
beef up a blue line that still boasts battle-tested veterans like Kimmo
Timonen, Matt Carle, Braydon Coburn and Andrej Meszaros.
Throw in the solid play and shot-blocking ability of Grossman, who didn’t fit
into the Dallas Stars’ long-term plans, and Kubina, who won a Cup in 2004
with Tampa, and this is -- or should be -- a unit that is built for the long haul
in the spring.
Perhaps, even, the kind of blue line that can overcome pedestrian
goaltending.
Kubina, 34, was second on the Lightning in hits and third in blocked shots.
He missed four games to injury in early December and suffered a
concussion in Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs last spring
against Washington and did not play again in the postseason.
He’s not going to generate much offense -- he has one assist in his past 15
games -- but he will chew up the minutes for the Flyers as he averages
19:54 a night.
He is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, so
the Flyers aren’t exposed financially beyond this season.
Although the Flyers have been one of the teams to inquire about Columbus
winger Rick Nash, it’s not believed they are a serious player in the Nash
sweepstakes. If that’s the case and Holmgren decides to hang on to what
has emerged as a dynamic group of young talent mostly among his forward
personnel, his acquisition of Grossman and Kubina should help provide
more than a little ballast for the postseason grind.
The ripple effect of the Flyers’ acquisitions, along with Nashville’s addition
Friday of veteran defenseman Hal Gill, is that it significantly narrows the
focus for a number of top teams looking to add blue-line help; and the
Flyers may encounter a couple of those teams in the postseason, such as
the Rangers, leaders of the Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference,
and the defending Stanley Cup champion Bruins.
The Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks and Detroit Red Wings will be
in the hunt for significantly less attractive options to bolster their blue lines
before the 27th given the recent run on defensemen.
So, a job well done once again by Holmgren.
Now, if the Flyers could just get someone to occasionally stop the puck,
they might just be on their way.
Sadly for Flyers fans, that is a much bigger "if" than anyone could have
imagined last offseason.
ESPN LOADED: 02.20.2012
614043
Websites
NBCSports.com / NHLPA poll tells us that the players love Pavel Datsyuk
Joe Yerdon
Seeing the results from a players poll on what they think about other
players and points of contention around the league is fascinating. The
NHLPA along with CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada released the results of
their annual poll today and if you think fans around the league love Pavel
Datsyuk, the players have you beat by a long stretch.
The NHLPA and Hockey Night in Canada polled 250 players and found that
Datsyuk was the top answer in six categories. Datsyuk was voted the
smartest player, most difficult to play against, the hardest to take the puck
away from, the player goalies found most difficult to stop from scoring, the
toughest forward to play against, and the cleanest player to play against by
the players.
Phew. That’s a lot of superlatives but it would be pretty hard to argue with
the players on this one.
The Boston Bruins were well represented in the poll thanks to Zdeno Chara,
Patrice Bergeron and Milan Lucic. Chara was obviously voted as having the
hardest shot and being the toughest defender in the league. Lucic was
voted the toughest player in the league while Bergeron was voted most
underrated.
Other curious results:
Henrik Lundqvist ranking out as the toughest goalie to score against.
Marian Gaborik rating as both the fastest and best skater in the league.
Dan Bylsma as the coach most guys would love to play for while John
Tortorella is the most demanding.
The Vancouver Canucks being voted the most overrated team. Hey, who let
all the Bruins vote for this?
if players are good enough they can take part in the United States National
Team Development Program. The list of players who have come through
the USNTDP in Ann Arbor, Michigan is illustrious and growing by the year.
Patrick Kane, Ryan Kesler, Phil Kessel, Jimmy Howard, and Ryan Suter are
among the names the USNTDP can call alumni.
The success of the USNTDP is something they’re trying to improve upon
and help grow the sport in the United States. Having success stories like
the players mentioned as well as others only helps increase the program’s
profile.
Chris Peters, formerly of USA Hockey and currently writing at The United
States of Hockey, says that what the program is doing is only helping make
hockey all the more popular in the States. The USNTDP’s growth, however,
came thanks to the United States not liking where they stood compared to
the rest of the world.
“USA hockey had struggled so much internationally,” Peters said. ”[current
Notre Dame head coach] Jeff Jackson, I think, was the coach of the junior
team in in ’95 or so and said they were getting killed out here. They
obviously wanted to get the best players and develop them all the same
way.
“Basically what it’s done over the 15 years in its existence is that not only
has it made those 40-plus players better but it’s forced everyone else to get
better at what they do… Now we’re not only seeing the high-end players
being very good but also the depth players as well.”
The growth of the program has been impressive over the years. According
to USA Hockey, since 1999 there have been 30 players (PDF) drafted in
the first round of the NHL Draft that have gone through the USNTDP. Three
players out of the USNTDP system have been No. 1 picks in the draft in
that time: Rick DiPietro (2000), Erik Johnson (2006), and Patrick Kane
(2007).
In 2007, the top two picks in Kane and James van Riemsdyk were both
graduates of the USNTDP program and Kane went on to win the Stanley
Cup in 2010 with the Chicago Blackhawks over van Riemsdyk’s Flyers.
While Kane is the prime example of what can happen when coming up
through the USNTDP ranks, the goals the USNTDP has are set high,
especially on the world stage.
“The main goal is to get those guys prepared for international hockey, their
future hockey careers. That’s part of the mission statement,” Peters says.
“In the last seven or eight years, every international tournament the United
States plays in now they have a chance to win gold.”
Paul Devorski was voted as the best referee.
Going from being a country that was an afterthought in hockey development
to being a world power takes time and hard work and what the USNTDP
does and where American hockey is at now shows that their commitment is
paying dividends.
Best ice? Edmonton. Worst ice? Florida.
NBCSports.com / LOADED: 02.20.2012
As for whether the league should get rid of the instigator penalty, 53percent of the respondents said they would rather the rule stay how it is.
That’s a drop of 13-percent from last year’s poll that saw two-thirds of the
players say they wanted it to stick around. That’s a sizable shift of opinion
and makes you wonder if the players are of the same mind as Leafs GM
Brian Burke and are sick of seeing the “rats” take over the game.
614045
St. Louis being named as the most underrated team.
NBCSports.com / LOADED: 02.20.2012
614044
Websites
Sportsnet.ca / Say no to Nash
Mark Spector
Websites
NBCSports.com / Hockey Day in America: The USNTDP gets American
players off on the right foot
Joe Yerdon
The prominence of American players in the NHL is something that’s gotten
the attention of the rest of the hockey-playing world. Watching the United
States make the gold medal game in the 2002 and 2010 Olympic games as
well as seeing the World Junior Championships team take home the gold in
2010 has served notice to the world that America is serious about hockey
and things are getting better year by year.
American players don’t pop up out of nowhere though and it all starts at the
grass roots level playing pee-wee, bantam, and midget hockey. From there,
If you are that long-suffering Toronto Maple Leafs fan, you've got to love the
fact you have a general manager who is aggressive enough to get involved
in negotiations for pretty much every big name free agent who comes
along.
Over the years however, the pursuit of guys like Brad Richards, Rick Nash,
and possibly free-agent-to-be Zach Parise, has been nothing but
background noise. Sheer Toronto sizzle.
Leafs fans want some steak in the form of a team that can compete for the
Stanley Cup. And Saturday's debacle at Rogers Arena in Vancouver -- not
to mention two games in Alberta that showed Toronto to be equal to a 10th
to 12th place team out West -- made it mighty clear how far the Maple Leafs
are from a Cup.
This team's strengths are defence and goaltending? Like all of Brian
Burke's projects, Toronto is built from the net on out?
Yikes.
Then on Sunday, the morning after Toronto had been undressed in
Vancouver, Sportsnet learned that the Leafs GM had enjoyed a breakfast
with Columbus GM Scott Howson in New York. It's a big story, because
Nash is the hottest trade deadline commodity, and Toronto is, well, Toronto.
But is this the right move for Burke? For Leafs fans?
Does the acquisition of Nash, the six years remaining on his contract ($7.8million cap hit), and the three or four pieces of Toronto's future going the
other way -- certainly including Jake Gardiner, a first-round pick, and
perhaps Joe Colborne or Nazem Kadri -- represent the construction of an
eventual Cup winner? Or is this just another Leafs GM chasing the present,
and losing all sight of the master plan?
The debate has raged through Leafs Nation this week, and it's a healthy
one. Personally, I do not believe Toronto has the prospects - specifically,
the goalie -- to put the best offer on Howson's plate. Nor do they have the
centreman in place for Nash to give his approval to the deal.
Remember: as a player with a no-movement clause, Nash will retain veto
power over any trade, regardless of the list submitted to Columbus.
Which begs the question: is this whole Toronto-Columbus breakfast club
just an intricate dance -- Howson fleshing out the market and using the
Leafs to drive up the price; Burke willing to low-ball, but not serious about
paying full price; Nash, only listing Toronto to dodge critics, but with no
intention of signing off on a deal to move there. (Were they actually talking
about a Jeff Carter deal?)
Remember, NHL history is littered with good deals never made. Like when
Dany Heatley let Ottawa GM Bryan Murray negotiate a trade with
Edmonton, then vetoed it. Edmonton is still sending Heatley's counsel
Christmas cards for that one.
Or in Vancouver, where GM Mike Gillis had originally offered Mats Sundin a
two-year, $20-million deal. Sundin signed a one-year contract instead and
as it turned out, was running out of gas in the 2008-09 season. Had Sundin
signed that two-year pact, would Gillis still have been able to sign the
Sedins, Alex Burrows and Alex Edler the following season?
For Burke, this is all about timing.
If Toronto adds Nash, it slows down the process of filling the eight or nine
other roster spots that must be properly upgraded in order to turn the Leafs
into a legit power.
Sure, Nash could take Toronto to the next level. But what's that? Eighth
place? Minus the largesse needed to lure Nash, can Toronto reach the two
or three more levels that lie between them and Boston?
Is a Rick Nash acquisition part of the building process, or is the addition of a
pricey star something Burke should save for much later in the process?
Until this team is a lot better he should do his star shopping in the
summertime, when a possible free agent like Zach Parise would cost
Toronto money, which they have, but not any of the prospects that Burke
has finally grown in this organization.
If it were easy to build a Cup contender, everyone would have one. Burke is
laying the groundwork for one in Toronto, but as this past week showed,
he's still a long ways away.
Now is the time to hang on, try and make the playoffs and take your
aspirations to the UFA market in July. Not to compromise the entire project
by adding a superstar to an average team.
Sportsnet.ca LOADED: 02.20.2012

2/20 Sportscans

Transcription

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