The NHL draft lottery will be conducted on May 7, the league announced Friday.The San Jose Sharks will have the highest odds of winning the first overall pick and the right to select Boston University standout Macklin Celebrini, while the Chicago Blackhawks have the second-highest odds just one year after drafting Connor Bedard with the top pick.Here are the teams' odds of being chosen in the lottery:A team can move up a maximum of 10 spots if it wins one of the lottery draws as part of changes the NHL made to the process in 2021 for the following year's event. This means only the top 11 seeds are eligible to nab the first overall pick.So the Sharks actually have a 25.5% chance of winning the first overall pick because the bottom-four teams can't move up that high.The Pittsburgh Penguins must deal a first-rounder in either 2024 or 2025 to the Sharks to complete the Erik Karlsson trade from last August. If the Penguins move into the top 10 in this lottery, Pittsburgh will have the option to send San Jose its 2025 first-rounder instead.The Sharks finished last in the NHL with 47 points at 19-54-9. They chose Will Smith at No. 4 last year. Bedard and the Blackhawks had five more points than San Jose with a record of 23-53-6. Anaheim wrapped up the regular season with seven more points than Chicago at 27-50-5.The Ducks took Leo Carlsson second overall in 2023, and the Blue Jackets picked Adam Fantilli third overall. The Canadiens selected David Reinbacher with the fifth selection.The 2024 NHL Draft will be held at The Sphere in Las Vegas on June 28 and 29.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The old saying "NHL coaches are hired to get fired" is definitely ringing true at the moment, with 15 of 32 teams having made a coaching change since the end of the 2022-23 regular season. (Mike Babcock getting hired and fired by the Blue Jackets in the same offseason brings the total count to 16.)There are currently five vacancies across the league. The Kings, led by interim head coach Jim Hiller, are the lone team of the bunch still in action. If they go on any kind of playoff run, Hiller will probably become the full-time guy in L.A.The other four vacancies are more interesting. Let's play matchmaker. Christian Petersen / Getty ImagesSharks: David Quinn was fired this week after just two seasons. The move was unexpected since the club's 47 points matched its talentless lineup. What did general manager Mike Grier expect? At any rate, the Sharks are at least 3-4 years away from icing a respectable squad. Winning the upcoming draft lottery would jumpstart the rebuild in a meaningful way.The hottest name on the coaching market is David Carle of the University of Denver. Carle would be an ideal fit. However, the young father said for now he loves the job security in college. A nice Plan B: Don Granato. The recently fired Sabres coach excelled in a player-development atmosphere in Buffalo. He's optimistic, communicates well with young players, and his system is fun. Granato and Grier both worked for the 2017-18 Blackhawks.Devils: The 2023-24 season was a frustrating campaign of injuries and underachievement for New Jersey. Lindy Ruff took the fall in March, but he's already been hired by the Sabres. Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has said he wants his next coach to be a strong communicator and collaborator who will also hold players accountable.The Devils have superstar talent and a relatively clean cap sheet, so Fitzgerald will have no shortage of qualified candidates lining up for a shot at the job. Travis Green - who went from associate coach to interim head coach after Ruff's firing - is in contention and might be the best fit. Green's proven to be a sharp defensive mind, which is another trait Fitzgerald should be looking for. Familiarity rules in the NHL, and Fitzgerald and Green were teammates three different times as players. Andrea Cardin / Getty ImagesSenators: D.J. Smith was fired in December and the Jacques Martin experiment was only a short-term fix. What now for a franchise that finally has stability at the ownership and manager levels? The answer could be a veteran coach who can whip a not-so-young-anymore core into shape defensively while simultaneously ridding the locker room of a losing culture.Craig Berube, Dean Evason, and Todd McLellan are all in the running for the gig in Ottawa, according to reports. Berube's name jumps off the page. The 2019 Stanley Cup champion appears to strike a healthy balance between being a no-nonsense coach and an open-minded one. He helped develop Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou into more well-rounded players. Most importantly, Berube cares deeply about "playing the right way" as a full unit. Sold.Blues: St. Louis narrowly missed the playoffs and is in retooling mode. This next coaching hire could be the front office's last. Coming up on his 14th anniversary, Doug Armstrong is the league's longest-tenured GM.That last part is critical. While removing the interim tag from coach Drew Bannister would be justifiable and may very well happen, it feels like Armstrong will go big-game hunting. He likely doesn't want to leave his future in the hands of a rookie like Bannister. With that in mind, Jay Woodcroft, Evason, and McLellan are probably on Armstrong's radar. McLellan's extensive experience (he's 24th all-time in NHL games coached) and attention to detail give him the upper hand.Canes bend but don't breakThe Hurricanes and Panthers have practically moved on to the second round already. A team up 3-0 in an NHL playoff series advances 98% of the time.One difference between the Eastern Conference rivals: while the Panthers have looked sharp through three games, the Hurricanes have looked just OK. Josh Lavallee / Getty ImagesFive-on-five shot attempts, shots on goal, and expected goals in the Canes-Islanders series read 205-125, 73-63, and 7.2-5.6 in favor of Carolina. Goalie Frederik Andersen has been excellent, making 71 saves on 77 shots, including a few for the highlight reel. However, we have yet to see the Canes at full bore.The rest of the NHL should be frightened by this idea.Here's why: The two things that have haunted Carolina in past playoff runs - a lack of timely scoring and a lack of timely saves - haven't been the problem so far. The mediocre execution of coach Rod Brind'Amour's game plan has been the issue. Yet, if any group can flip a switch and immediately return to playing the smothering hockey its coach demands, it's veteran-driven Carolina. Mike Stobe / Getty ImagesThe Canes' man-on-man defensive coverage and forecheck-heavy attack can be very effective when executed at a high level. A quick glance at Carolina's immense regular-season success during Brind'Amour's six-year tenure is proof, not to mention trips to the conference final in 2019 and 2023. The missing component in the playoffs has been an outlier performance, which can save the team during a relative lull (like Andersen is doing right now) or elevate it during a relative high (like they hope Jake Guentzel does later on).The Canes have added layers to the roster over the past year, bringing in blue-liner Dmitry Orlov and forwards Guentzel and Evgeny Kuznetsov. The emergence of sophomore forward Seth Jarvis has been massive, too. It's not ideal that top-four defenseman Brett Pesce is currently sidelined and worker bee Jesper Fast is out for the playoffs, but Carolina has enough depth to patch holes.As the Islanders series has shown, the Canes have it in them to bend but not break. That elusive trip to the Cup Final has never looked likelier.Predators not just cute story Derek Cain / Getty ImagesNo matter how the postseason unfolds in Nashville, the start of the Barry Trotz-Andrew Brunette era should be viewed as nothing but an epic success.Many outside of Tennessee probably consider the Predators a cute, fun story, or a team that has simply exceeded low pre-season expectations. I had a similar reaction when Nashville began piling up the wins in early December.I changed my mind after monitoring them closely in the second half of the regular season. It turns out the Predators' year-over-year improvement goes beyond a seven-point uptick in the standings. Nashville has gotten itself fully together under new general manager Trotz and new head coach Brunette.To sum up the table above, the 2023-24 Preds leveled up significantly in the goals-scored category while maintaining a strong goals-against rate. They generated far more high-quality scoring chances compared to last season and dramatically decreased quality chances against. Relative to the rest of the NHL, they spent way more time in the offensive zone than the defensive zone.In other words, Nashville's process improved dramatically.And the attack is built for playoff hockey. The Preds finished tied for third in scoring chances generated off rebounds and tied for fifth in chances off the cycle during the regular season. The only other clubs in the top five of both categories? The Panthers and Oilers, two very popular Cup picks.All of this hints at a team on the rise - even though the roster's clearly under construction (remember, Trotz bought out Matt Duchene and retained half of Ryan Johansen's salary in a trade last offseason). Star goalie Juuse Saros had only a decent regular season by his lofty standards. Imagine what the future could look like if Nashville's eighth-ranked prospect pool develops well.This coming offseason should be fascinating.Saros, an elite goalie over the past handful of seasons, is an unrestricted free agent in 2025, and goalie-of-the-future Yaroslav Askarov (11th overall in 2020) is ready for NHL duty. Trotz has a long-term decision to make on goaltending.Nashville owns one first-round draft pick and three seconds this year, as well as two firsts and a second in 2025. Trotz has ammo to pull off a draft-weekend trade or two or he can continue to stockpile promising youngsters.Parting shotsOh, baby!: Bob Cole's voice was the soundtrack for several generations of hockey fans. He's the sport's GOAT play-by-play announcer in Canada, a fiery man with what seems like a 100% approval rating. No one will ever replicate his iconic cadence and grandfatherly tone. ("Everything! Is! Happening!" is a personal favorite.) He had an uncanny feel for historic moments, often letting the crowd's roar play a starring role in the narration. It's truly amazing that Cole - who died Wednesday at age 90 - worked for Hockey Night in Canada for 50 years. Doing anything at a passable level for five decades is hugely impressive, and he did it on his industry's biggest stage. Rest in peace, Bob.

The New York Islanders are turning to Semyon Varlamov once again, and this time with their backs against the wall.Varlamov is starting Game 4 on Saturday, Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said Friday, according to Newsday's Andrew Gross.New York trails the Carolina Hurricanes 3-0 in the series. Varlamov started the first two games and allowed six goals on 63 shots for a .905 save percentage in the losses. Sorokin got the nod in Game 3 but was pulled after giving up three goals on 14 shots.Varlamov stopped all eight shots he faced after relieving Sorokin on Thursday.The veteran goaltender, who'll turn 36 on the day of Game 4, was excellent down the stretch of the regular season. He helped the Islanders make the playoffs by going 8-1-1 with a .930 save percentage in his final 10 appearances and concluded the campaign with a 5-0-0 run, during which time he registered a mark of .946.New York signed Sorokin to an eight-year, $66-million contract extension last July after he was voted the Vezina Trophy runner-up. The 28-year-old led the NHL in goals saved above expected at five-on-five (34.26) in 2022-23, according to Evolving Hockey. That figure dipped to 10.14 this season.Game 4 is scheduled for 2 p.m. ET on Saturday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.If you've been burning the midnight oil this week, it may feel like we're far more than six days into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but some teams have only played two games. With a loaded schedule this weekend - a dozen games - we're looking at what individual game and in-series bets may be worth making.Western ConferenceGames 3, 4: Canucks (-105) @ Predators (-115)

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We were unable to build Wednesday's 4-0 card, going 1-2 with our best bets Thursday night.Victor Hedman came through with an assist, but Bo Horvat fell a shot short versus the Hurricanes while Brayden Point missed the net on all nine of his attempts. The volume was there, but the results weren't.Let's dive into the best ways to attack Friday's four-game slate as we look to get back in the profit zone.Mika Zibanejad: Over 0.5 assistsZibanejad is one of the NHL's hottest playmakers. He's picked up an assist in eight consecutive games and nine of the past 10 overall.He has an elite finisher (Chris Kreider) on his line at even strength and plenty of weapons surrounding him on the power play. While you may think of Zibanejad hammering one-timers as the go-to guy on the man advantage, Artemi Panarin recorded nine more shot attempts and five more scoring chances than Zibanejad over the final 10 games of the regular season.Zibanejad is more than happy to defer to Panarin or Kreider if the shooting lanes aren't there, which is leading to plenty of assist opportunities.He's likely to see a lot of the Alex Ovechkin line at five-on-five. That unit is not great defensively, especially when centered by Connor McMichael.I think Zibanejad's line will control the run of play at full strength. Also, again, he touches the puck a ton while on the man advantage. Heck, he's even proven to be dangerous on the penalty kill.Win or lose, the Rangers should be able to score their share of goals in this game. Expect one to be created by Zibanejad's stick.Odds: -110 (playable to -125)Kevin Fiala: Over 2.5 shotsAdrian Kempe is the ultimate Oilers killer, but Fiala isn't far behind. Fiala has gone over his shot total in 10 of the past 14 games against Edmonton. He's been especially dominant at home, soaring over the number in five of six games while averaging 3.7 shots on target per contest.Fiala was all over the ice in the first two games of the series. He recorded eight-plus shot attempts in both games on the road, and that translated to back-to-back three-plus shot performances.Fiala should play almost exclusively against Edmonton's depth lines in L.A. He also skates on the top power-play unit, where he's tied with Kempe for the team lead in attempts in this series.Odds: -122 (playable to -140)Evan Bouchard: Over 0.5 assistsBouchard is most productive when playing in Edmonton, but he's worth backing in any building. He's piled up 30 assists over his past 30 games, which isn't all that surprising given he's an ultra-gifted puck-mover who usually shares the ice with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, or both.Bouchard has a very strong history against the Kings, averaging 1.2 assists per game over the past three seasons. He hasn't been remotely hampered when playing on the road.Bouchard has recorded at least one assist in five of the past six games in Los Angeles and averaged 1.5 in that span.The Oilers have shown the ability to score goals in bunches versus the Kings. I think they're the much better team and expect them to regain the series lead Friday. If that's the case, Bouchard will likely get in on the action.Odds: -115 (playable to -140)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Up 2-0 in their opening-round series, the New York Rangers find themselves in the same position they were in last year but are confident the result will be different this time around."New team identity," defenseman K'Andre Miller said when asked what's changed about this year's club, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen.New York stormed to a 2-0 lead in its first-round clash with the New Jersey Devils last spring before losing the next three contests and, ultimately, the series in seven games.The collapse led to the club replacing head coach Gerard Gallant with Peter Laviolette.The Rangers have an easier matchup on paper this year after winning the Presidents' Trophy, drawing the 91-point Washington Capitals in Round 1 after taking on the 112-point Devils in 2023.Despite the advantageous situation, star blue-liner Adam Fox said New York knows not to take its opponent lightly as the series shifts to D.C. for Games 3 and 4."Definitely, you know you're not going to get anything easy," Fox said. "You win those two games last year, especially on the road, you think you can breathe easy coming home, but in playoffs, it's never like that. I think especially, now going on the road, we know we're stepping into a tough environment, and we'll be ready for that. I don't think we're expecting anything to come easy, especially on the road, especially with a desperate team over there."The Rangers cruised to a 4-1 victory at Madison Square Garden in Game 1 and squeaked out a 4-3 win in Game 2. The series resumes Friday night.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Legendary play-by-play NHL announcer Bob Cole died Wednesday at the age of 90, his daughter told CBC News' John Gushue.Cole had been a mainstay on CBC's Hockey Night in Canada for five decades. The Newfoundland native was the network's lead NHL commentator from 1980-2008.He frequently worked Toronto Maple Leafs games, including his final broadcast in February 2019 between the Buds and Montreal Canadiens.Cole was also behind the mic for some notable international hockey events. He called the 1998 Olympics, which was the first Games to feature NHL players."Bob Cole's voice was the iconic and incomparable soundtrack of hockey across Canada for more than 50 years," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement."From countless winter Saturday nights on Hockey Night in Canada to the 1972 Summit Series to multiple Olympic Games to dozens of Stanley Cup Finals, his distinctive, infectious play-by-play made every game he called sound bigger."Cole was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996 as the recipient of the Foster Hewitt Memorial Award for broadcasting excellence.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery took a shot at Max Domi and the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday.Montgomery didn't hold back when asked if he believes Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman's success against the Maple Leafs is an indication he's in their heads."Sometimes I don't think that, but when Domi goes off the bench and bumps him on purpose, it makes me think that maybe he's in their head a little bit," the Boston bench boss said.Domi and Swayman made contact during a break in the action Wednesday night in the Bruins' 4-2 victory, which gave them a 2-1 series lead.

Andre Tourigny will once again lead Team Canada as head coach at the World Championship, the country's governing body of hockey announced Thursday.Tourigny guided Canada to the gold medal at last year's tournament.Former Minnesota Wild bench boss Dean Evason, ex-Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft, and current St. Louis Blues assistant coach Steve Ott will serve as Tourigny's assistants at the event.Rick Nash, Canada's general manager for the tourney, determined the coaching staff along with associate GM Kyle Dubas and assistant GM Scott Salmond.Tourigny is the Arizona Coyotes' bench boss and will presumably remain in the post when the team begins playing in Salt Lake City.Canada has already received commitments for the Worlds from several impact players, including Chicago Blackhawks phenom Connor Bedard, Seattle Kraken forward Jared McCann, and Buffalo Sabres defenseman Owen Power.The tournament will run from May 10-26 in Prague and Ostrava, Czechia.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs star William Nylander's absence from the lineup is due to a migraine so severe that the club's medical staff tested him to see if he had a concussion, sources told Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Team doctors have been unable to diagnose Nylander's exact condition, Friedman adds.The productive winger missed the first three games of the Maple Leafs' first-round playoff series against the Boston Bruins, in which Toronto trails 2-1 following a 4-2 loss in Game 3 on Wednesday night. He played all 82 regular-season games and matched his career high of 40 goals while setting new personal bests in assists (58) and points.Nylander's absence from Game 1 was only the second time he'd been forced out of the lineup due to injury and the first such instance since November 2016.The Swede, who'll turn 28 on May 1, revealed in September 2022 that he switched to a tinted visor because of recurring migraines he endured one season prior.Toronto is sorely missing Nylander's contributions in the postseason. He has 17 goals and 23 assists in 50 career playoff games, including four tallies and six helpers in 11 such contests last spring.Nylander is in his ninth season with the Maple Leafs, who drafted him eighth overall in 2014.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

National NHL broadcasts on Monday nights will air exclusively on Amazon Prime Video for the next two seasons, the technology company jointly announced with Rogers Communications on Thursday.All national regular-season games on those evenings will stream on "Prime Monday Night Hockey," marking the NHL's first exclusive national broadcast deal with a digital-only streaming service in Canada.Prime Video has partnered with Rogers since the start of this season, when Sportsnet launched the streaming service's channels north of the border. The NHL has worked with Amazon Web Services on in-game analytics and video highlights since 2021.Rogers remains the NHL's primary rightsholder for national broadcasts in Canada. The telecommunications corporation's 12-year deal with the NHL will expire in 2025.Amazon has secured the rights to numerous sports properties in recent years, including Thursday Night Football, NASCAR, the New York Yankees, the WNBA, and UEFA Champions League broadcasts in the United Kingdom.It has also produced several original series on hockey including "All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs" and "Saving Sakic."Sportsnet has aired national Monday night NHL games since 2014-15.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If playoff hockey has a singular characteristic, it's unpredictability.It's weird bounces and dogpiles in front of the net. It's Adrian Kempe batting a puck out of the air for a goal and Drew Doughty scoring on a breakaway despite not actually shooting the puck. It's Morgan Rielly firing well wide and the puck hitting two bodies on the way into the net.It's upsets and chaos and no prediction is safe.And yet, as sure as the sun rises in the east, the Toronto Maple Leafs find themselves in a first-round playoff crisis. Again.Wednesday night's Game 3 loss to the Boston Bruins at Scotiabank Arena had all the hallmarks of Toronto's recent playoff struggles.A power-play outage that failed to convert despite several excellent scoring chances? Check.A strong game from the opposing goalie while the Maple Leafs netminder allowed a softie? Yes and yes.Officiating controversies that only add to the anxiety? Yep.A mysterious and undisclosed injury to one of Toronto's stars that's kept him out of the lineup for three games? Actually, that one's new. And since we're talking new things, how about the decision of radio announcer Joe Bowen to take to social media to shame the sleepy Scotiabank Arena crowd into acting like it hasn't been forced to sit there as punishment? When the play-by-play guy is sounding the Klaxon, things are dire.The only surprising thing about any of this is that amid playoff hockey's Random Outcome Generator, events are unfolding so true to expected form.The Maple Leafs' offense has been among the most high-powered in recent years and was again this regular season, second only to Colorado in goals scored. Then the postseason hits and the Leafs skate straight into the dead-puck era.Toronto scored at least four goals in 44 games this season. The last time the Leafs scored at least four in a playoff game was 11 games ago when they put five past Tampa Bay in last year's first round. Other than their three-goal explosion against Boston in Game 2 on Monday, they've scored exactly twice in nine of their last 10 playoff games. In the other one, they scored once. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThat consistency, in playoff terms, is baffling. Reasons can be offered for the annual spring slowdown, and they usually are: The Leafs are too reliant on skill to create offense, or they're too soft, or they're too top-heavy. Where is the sandpaper, Leafs Nation cries in unison. But even if you allow those criticisms, and overlook the fact Toronto's front office has been on something of an annual grit-acquisition strategy for years now to supplement its high-skill core, you'd think the odd playoff game would result in a scoring outburst just because these things happen. Ten of 16 playoff teams have at least four goals in one first-round game through Wednesday night.At the other end of the ice, it's not that goaltender Ilya Samsonov has been consistently poor. Rather, the goal he allowed in the second period of Game 3 - a Trent Frederic shot from distance that beat him short side - continued a Leafs tradition of a weak goal that derails what had been a fine playoff game to that point. Toronto's been waiting for one of its goaltenders to go on a classic playoff heater for what seems like a lifetime, and none of them, from Freddie Andersen to Jack Campbell to Samsonov, has managed it for any length of time.Meanwhile, the Leafs have been undone by everyone from Vezina types (Andrei Vasilevskiy) to cagey vets (Carey Price, Sergei Bobrovsky) to future journeymen (Joonas Korpisalo). Playoff history is littered with examples of series that turned on an unexpected goaltending performance. The Leafs, or at least this modern version of them, are still waiting for theirs.The other thing that's familiar about all this is the caveats. It's early. The Leafs are only down 2-1. Even when the team struggled to get over various Boston- and Tampa-sized humps in recent seasons, it was always in the series and poised to turn things around if some of the vagaries of playoff hockey could just turn in its favor.The same is true of this series. The return of William Nylander from his mystery injury, if it happens, could be just the grease to get Toronto's power-play wheels turning again. Samsonov could do that thing that goalies sometimes do and stand on his head. Maybe Joseph Woll will come in and do it. Maybe the lower bowl at Scotiabank Arena will be raucous and lively for Game 4 on Saturday, and the Bruins players will be intimated by playing in front of such a cauldron.OK, that last one probably won't happen, no matter what Joe Bowen wishes. But the Stanley Cup Playoffs are supposed to be about weird things taking place, about surprises and flukes. Perhaps the Maple Leafs just need some chaos. So far, the familiar script isn't working.Scott Stinson is a contributing writer for theScore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Chicago Blackhawks secured the services of defenseman Alex Vlasic for six more seasons at a $4.6-million cap hit, the team announced Thursday.Vlasic was a pending restricted free agent whose current pact carries an average annual value of $1,491,667 and a cap hit of $916,667, according to CapFriendly. He would've been eligible for arbitration.The Illinois-born blue-liner produced two goals and 14 assists while averaging 21:29 of ice time over 76 games in his first full NHL campaign. He also blocked 148 shots, tying Colorado Avalanche superstar Cale Makar for 43rd in the NHL.The Blackhawks rearguard, who'll turn 23 on June 5, finished the season playing on Chicago's top pairing alongside Seth Jones. Vlasic was also paired with Jones on the club's top penalty-killing unit. He and Jones will both represent the United States at the World Championship next month in Czechia.Vlasic made his NHL debut in March 2022, playing 15 games for the Blackhawks down the stretch after signing out of Boston University. He then spent 2022-23 primarly with the AHL's Rockford IceHogs, suiting up for 56 games with them along with six contests with Chicago.The Blackhawks drafted Vlasic 43rd overall in 2019.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.As the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue, game moneylines theoretically get tighter. With more information about how teams match up, the quantitative value dries up. However, since there's more than one way to make a bet, we'll put an old cliche to the test Thursday and hope that desperation from a pair of teams at home down 2-0 is enough to get a win.Game 3: Panthers (-105) @ Lightning (-115)As is often the case with overtime results, this series may have been swung by Carter Verhaeghe's fifth career sudden-death playoff goal. Of course, the writing might have been on the wall after Sergei Bobrovsky's effort on what will be hard to beat for save of the playoffs:

Peter DeBoer insists he isn't underestimating the Vegas Golden Knights despite the fact that the Dallas Stars' opponents came into the playoffs as a wild-card team."They're the Stanley Cup champions, they've got everyone figured out," the Stars head coach said postgame. "They figured out everyone last year, too, right? So we're not alone in that boat."Vegas defeated Dallas 3-1 on Wednesday night to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round series. The Golden Knights won both games on the road and head home with a chance to sweep the Stars, the Western Conference's top seed.DeBoer admits the Stars are in a state of disbelief after the first two games given how the two teams fared in the regular season."Yeah, for sure, I mean (we're) disappointed. I thought (in) Game 1, we probably deserved better, but you have to find a way to win that game. Tonight, the margin is like that," he added while pinching his thumb and index finger together.The Dallas bench boss - who coached Vegas for parts of three seasons from 2019-20 to 2021-22 - gave further credit to the Golden Knights by suggesting they improved upon the championship-winning squad they boasted in 2022-23."They're a very good hockey club for a reason," he said. "I think they've got a deeper roster than they had last year if you look at their entire lineup including their scratches."Vegas added Noah Hanifin, Tomas Hertl, and Anthony Mantha before the trade deadline and got captain Mark Stone back for Game 1 of this series after he missed the final two months of the regular season with a lacerated spleen.The Golden Knights have now beaten the Stars in six straight games, including all three regular-season meetings in 2023-24 and a 6-0 shellacking in the decisive Game 6 of last spring's Western Conference Final.Game 3 of their first-round matchup is scheduled for Saturday night in Vegas.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We started the playoffs slower than I would've liked but broke out in a big way Wednesday night, going a perfect 4-0 with player props.Let's examine a few that stand out for Thursday's two-game slate as we look to keep moving in the right direction.Brayden Point: Over 2.5 shotsPoint let us down in Game 2, but we're going right back to the well. It's hard to argue with his track record, whether it's his recent performance or his remarkably strong history against the Panthers.Point has hit in nine of his past 12 head-to-head meetings with Florida, averaging 3.2 shots per game in that span.He's also hit in eight of his last 10 games overall dating back to the regular season. As frequent readers in this space know, he does his best work on home ice.Point has recorded three-plus shots in 22 of his last 30 games in Tampa Bay for an absurd 73% hit rate.The Lightning are essentially playing for their season. Point should get all the ice he can handle and pick up a few shots along the way.Odds: -140 (playable to -160)Victor Hedman: Over 0.5 assistsHedman was an assist machine during the regular season. He piled up 63 over 78 games, which was the second-highest total of his illustrious career.Like Point with his shot generation, Hedman was most efficient at home. He recorded at least one assist in 24 of 39 games played in Tampa Bay, which is a healthy 62% clip.Hedman plays a ton of minutes at even strength and also quarterbacks a lethal power play that features stars like Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, and Point.Hedman routinely plays 25-plus minutes, and that'll no doubt be the case again with the Lightning in a must-win game.Given all the elite talent he'll share the ice with, there'll be plenty of assist opportunities for Hedman.Odds: -115 (playable to -130)Bo Horvat: Over 2.5 shotsNot a lot went right for the Islanders over the first two games versus the Hurricanes. They dropped both and spent a lot of time on their heels in the defensive zone. Carolina outshot New York 184-85 overall, by far the biggest discrepancy we've seen from any series.Despite that, Horvat still managed to get his fair share of shots on Frederik Andersen.Horvat generated eight shots on goal over the first two games of the series and hit the over in each.His success should continue back on home ice, where Horvat was so good this season. He averaged 3.3 shots per game and posted a 62% success rate at home.Similarly to the Lightning, the Islanders are in a 0-2 hole and in desperate need of a win. They'll rely heavily on Horvat to help get it.Odds: -134 (playable to -150)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe was complimentary of Brad Marchand's knack for dodging the laws of hockey after the Boston Bruins' 4-2 win in Game 3 on Wednesday."He gets calls. It's unbelievable, actually, how it goes," Keefe said postgame. "We gotta play through that stuff. I don't think there's another player in this series that gets away with taking out Bertuzzi's legs the way that he does. ... It's an art, and he's elite at it."Marchand and Tyler Bertuzzi went at it on multiple occasions, including an instance in which the Bruins captain wasn't penalized for taking down his opponent behind the play right before Trent Frederic's second-period goal.

The San Jose Sharks fired head coach David Quinn after two campaigns at the helm, the team announced Wednesday.The Sharks finished in last place in the league this season with an abysmal 19-54-9 record."David is a good coach and an even better person," general manager Mike Grier said in a statement. "I would like to personally thank him for his hard work over these past two seasons. He and his staff did an admirable job under some difficult circumstances, and I sincerely appreciate how they handled the situation."Grier added that there's no timeline to hire a new bench boss, per San Jose Hockey Now's Sheng Peng. The executive hired Quinn to replace Bob Boughner in July 2022.San Jose also parted ways with head athletic trainer Ray Tufts, who had been with the franchise since 1997-98.Quinn had one season left on his contract, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.His second year behind the Sharks' bench was marred by two separate double-digit losing streaks, including an 11-game slump to start the campaign. San Jose then dropped 12 straight games in the winter.Sandwiched between those two skids was an admirable 9-7-2 run.The Sharks suffered through another horrendous stretch after the All-Star break in which they won just one game in 19 outings.San Jose also became the first team to surrender 10 goals in back-to-back games since the 1965-66 Boston Bruins after being outscored 20-3 by the Vancouver Canucks and Pittsburgh Penguins across two contests in early November.The Sharks' .287 points percentage is the second-worst mark of the salary-cap era, beating just the 2019-20 Detroit Red Wings (.275).The last time a team posted fewer than 20 wins in a full 82-game season was in 2001-02 when the Atlanta Thrashers went 19-47-11-5.San Jose only had one 20-goal-scorer on its roster this season (Fabian Zetterlund), and only one player eclipsed the 50-point mark (Mikael Granlund)."The roster was what it was," Grier told reporters Wednesday, including NBC Sports. "It wasn't a playoff team by any means. ... There were some things that I don't really want to get into too much that we would have liked to see (be) better. ... I just felt it was what we needed to do."The rebuilding Sharks went 41-98-25 under Quinn's leadership and traded away several star players during his tenure, including Brent Burns, Timo Meier, Erik Karlsson, and Tomas Hertl.The 57-year-old coached the New York Rangers for three seasons (2018-21) prior to being hired by San Jose. The Rangers made the qualifying round in the 2020 playoff bubble but were eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes.The Sharks have missed the playoffs for five straight campaigns.With Quinn's dismissal, there have been 16 NHL head coaching changes since the end of last season, per LeBrun.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Islanders will turn to goalie Ilya Sorokin for Thursday's Game 3 against the Carolina Hurricanes with New York down 2-0 in the series, head coach Patrick Roy announced Wednesday, per the New York Post's Ethan Sears.Semyon Varlamov has started the first two games of the opening-round clash and has surrendered six goals on 63 shots, good for a .905 save percentage. The Hurricanes beat him twice in a span of nine seconds to seal the comeback victory in Game 2.The 35-year-old has saved 2.2 goals above expected at all strengths in the series so far, per Natural Stat Trick."We knew we would have to use both goalies," Roy said, per NHL.com's Shawn P. Roarke. "They are both sharp and (Varlamov) faced a lot of shots in the last game, so it would be good to have someone fresh (Thursday)."Sorokin posted a .909 save percentage and a 25-19-12 record during the regular season - a bit of a down year by his standards. He's appeared on the Vezina Trophy ballot in each of the past two campaigns and was the runner-up last season.The Islanders leaned on Varlamov down the stretch as they forced their way into the playoff picture. He posted a sterling 8-1-1 record, .930 save percentage, and 2.09 goals against average in his last 10 games of the regular season. He had won his last five starts heading into the postseason.Sorokin owns a career .925 save percentage, 2.70 goals against average, and 6-5 record across two playoff runs in 2021 and 2023.The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are expected to be without defenseman Brett Pesce for the remainder of the series.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers stomped the Los Angeles Kings 7-4 on Monday to open the third straight playoff clash between the Pacific Division rivals. Battles at both ends of the ice will influence what happens in the rest of the series.Kings vs. Oilers PP Codie McLachlan / Getty ImagesThe Kings won't be able to finally oust the Oilers if their adept penalty kill caves. Their 86.4% kill rate was the NHL's second-best in the regular season. In Game 1, though, Edmonton's three goals on four power plays inflated Connor McDavid's ridiculous stat line and recalled a previous assault.Edmonton's power play went 9-for-16 in last year's Kings series on a mere 2.67 opportunities per game, one of the lowest totals around the league in the round. The combination of brisk puck movement and blasts from the flank or point from the McDavid-Leon Draisaitl-Evan Bouchard trio - a brilliant constellation of shooting threats - proved overpowering. Draisaitl, Zach Hyman, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored Monday because of their wheeling and dealing.The Oilers led the 2023 postseason in power-play goals with 18 despite playing 10 fewer games than the eventual Stanley Cup champs, the Vegas Golden Knights. Their eye-popping 46.2% conversion rate over two rounds is easily the best mark in the NHL historical database, which dates to 1978.The unit slipped this season, but only as low as fourth in the league at 26.3%. Of McDavid's 100 assists, he dished 37 with the man advantage. Draisaitl sniped 21 power-play goals, some at sharp angles from the corner or the bottom of the faceoff circle. A worker bee with deft touch, Hyman can score by cleaning up rebounds, tipping Bouchard's bombs, or redirecting McDavid's visionary backdoor feeds. Nugent-Hopkins' presence is a luxury.Guarding the whole quintet is difficult. McDavid and Hyman were enough of a handful at even strength in Game 1, connecting for multiple goals on McDavid's spinning passes. Hyman had a hat trick, four of McDavid's five assists were primaries, and Kings penalties drawn by Hyman, Draisaitl, and Vincent Desharnais were punished on the scoreboard. The Kings' season will end soon if they're swamped on special teams.Oilers vs. Kings attack Curtis Comeau / Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesGaffes and oversights in their own end - be it giveaways, falls, negligent coverage, or halfhearted backchecking - undermined talented Edmonton teams in past postseasons.These Oilers can run up the score, but they're also stingier than their predecessors. The same defensive personnel that narrowly resisted the Kings last spring tightened up this season. Edmonton ranked fifth in goals allowed (2.68 per night) over Kris Knoblauch's 69 games as head coach.The misadventures of Darnell Nurse (deflection off skate) and Cody Ceci (detonation of stick) helped the Kings score but happened too late to matter Monday. The Oilers' sturdiness in front of Stuart Skinner earlier in the game helped spark their outburst. Rushes that produced Edmonton's first few goals originated with strong work in the defensive zone.Edmonton is equipped to avoid last year's issues, like the inability to hold leads. The Oilers led in all six of their 2023 playoff defeats to the Kings or Golden Knights. Feeble once the floodgates opened, they gave up three straight goals within a period in every loss to Vegas. They didn't shield the interior in big moments, like when Jonathan Marchessault's gritty natural hat trick sealed Edmonton's elimination.In Game 1, Skinner's breakaway save on Viktor Arvidsson bailed out Mattias Ekholm, who'd committed a neutral-zone turnover, and promptly led to Hyman's second goal. Cleaner breakouts that Ekholm initiated by coolly eluding Kings forecheckers facilitated tallies from Hyman and Adam Henrique. Edmonton protected the house, then headmanned the puck to turn defense into offense. That formula wins games and series.Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The journey to a 1-1 series with the Bruins wasn't pretty, but the Maple Leafs are surely pleased to split a playoff-opening road trip to Boston.Next up after Monday's 3-2 win: Game 3 on Wednesday at Toronto's Scotiabank Arena. Aside from the obvious - star forward William Nylander returning to full health and another stellar start from goalie Ilya Samsonov - what can the Leafs do in Game 3 to gain a series lead?Let's discuss three areas of focus.Steer Matthews away from Lindholm Steve Babineau / Getty ImagesThe main advantages of playing at home: the crowd and last change.Leafs coach Sheldon Keefe must tap into that second edge by doing everything he can to find favorable matchups for Auston Matthews.Matthews, after 69 regular-season goals and 107 points, has been terrific through two games. He was so close to changing the course of Game 1 but hit the post in the second period. He did it all in Game 2, collecting the primary assist on Toronto's first two goals and sniping the third and final marker. In 44 total minutes, Matthews has a whopping 22 shot attempts (13 on target); nine hits; and won 21 of 41 faceoffs.Hampus Lindholm is the only Bruins defenseman who can match Matthews' blend of size, strength, and skating. The 6-4, 224-pound Swede has been on the ice for 24 of Matthews' 32 five-on-five minutes and Toronto's scored twice and Boston's been shut out in that time. That's a victory for the Leafs, yes, but also not a huge disaster for Boston. Lindholm's done OK. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesThe logic behind Keefe chasing better matchups is less about Lindholm's ability to tame Matthews and more about Boston's alternatives. The defenseman not paired with Lindholm - either Charlie McAvoy or Brandon Carlo - would be worth targeting, while any of Boston's other blue-liners could be seriously exploited. Kevin Shattenkirk, Matt Grzelcyk, and Andrew Peeke (if he's healthy after a Game 2 injury) are ill-equipped to handle No. 34 in blue.Matthews has developed tremendous chemistry with wingers Tyler Bertuzzi and Max Domi; all of them bring something unique to Toronto's top line. Yet Matthews stirs the drink. He's talented enough to take over the series himself.Stop taking unnecessary penalties There are justifiable and unjustifiable penalties; infractions that save a potential goal against and infractions that accomplish nothing, that do more bad than good.Toronto's been assessed 11 minors already and at least three qualify as unjustifiable: Domi's slash on Brad Marchand in Game 1; and Jake McCabe's cross-check on Jakub Lauko and Ilya Lyubushkin's roughing of Charlie Coyle in Game 2. (Boston's power play scored on two of the three.) Brian Fluharty / Getty ImagesIt's one thing to take dumb penalties. It's another to take them when you don't have a trustworthy penalty kill. Only nine teams had a worse kill rate than Toronto's 77% in the regular season. Through two playoff games, that rate has dropped to 57%, after three Bruins power-play goals on seven opportunities.Officials tend to call a bunch of minors in the first few games of the playoffs before establishing a more lenient standard the rest of the spring. If history repeats itself and whistles are put away sooner than later, perhaps the Leafs' discipline issues become a moot point starting in Game 3. But Toronto must do a better job here.Get more out of Marner, Liljegren Before the series, Toronto's playbook for winning revolved around leveraging its forward depth. Overwhelm the Bruins and hopefully the rest falls into place.Game 2 was a step in that direction, overall, although Mitch Marner's performance so far leaves much to be desired. The $11-million winger, who's been widely criticized for poor showings in previous postseasons, has failed to record a point or lead the second line. Toronto needs him to be an elite playmaker - full stop. Captain John Tavares can't be the focal point of a line anymore and other linemate Matthew Knies is a complementary piece. Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesMarner's perimeter play has coincided with Nylander's absence. If Tavares is generally limited, Marner's playing meh hockey, and Nylander's unavailable, Toronto's forward group is all of a sudden shallow beyond Matthews.That's concerning for the Leafs given their top-heavy roster.While Marner isn't in danger of being scratched (he hasn't been that bad), Keefe should consider a shakeup on the back end. Timothy Liljegren has been a disaster with the puck on his stick to start the series (a center-ice turnover midway through Game 2 was particularly egregious). The 24-year-old right-shot is either due for a lengthy video session, healthy scratch, or both.TJ Brodie had a challenging season and he's no longer in the prime of his career, but he's typically reliable with the puck and would be a better option on the third pair alongside rangy Joel Edmundson. It's a worth shot.John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On Feb. 16, the Vancouver Canucks led the NHL standings by a healthy margin as the three-quarter mark of the schedule neared. From that day forward, the Nashville Predators' scalding .768 points percentage topped the league. The Preds earned points in 18 straight games right after a sour stretch cost them a trip to U2's Las Vegas concert.The unlikely turning point proved Nashville is dangerous, but Vancouver was better throughout the year for good reason. The Canucks' performance peaks when they assert advantages all over the ice, specifically in four segments of the lineup: goalie, No. 1 defenseman, one-two center punch, and the lower forward lines.In net, Thatcher Demko's robbery of Anthony Beauvillier in the playoff opener signaled he was in rhythm following a long injury absence. The good vibes didn't last. Demko sat out the Canucks' 4-1 loss in Game 2 on Tuesday, reportedly with an injury to the same knee that was hurt before. He might not return this round, a potentially crippling blow.Wobbly in relief, backup Casey DeSmith only faced 15 shots but was beaten on Beauvillier's wicked tip in the second minute, Filip Forsberg's slick roof job, and a rebound that Predators grinder Colton Sissons reached before Elias Pettersson. Juuse Saros' effort - some of his 17 stops were beauties - magnified the goaltending mismatch. The defensive wall in front of Saros blocked another 30 attempts in Nashville's workmanlike, series-knotting win. Ethan Cairns / Icon Sportswire / Getty ImagesDespite dominating possession, Vancouver noticeably wasn't sharp. Lateral passes designed to make Saros flail missed Canucks sticks and left the offensive zone. Cross-ice feeds to Pettersson on the power play fizzled out when he forced an extra pass on one scoring opportunity, then struck the side of the mesh on a one-timer.Vancouver's 100-point centers - Pettersson cleared the milestone last season, and J.T. Miller did this year - combined for one assist and five shots on net through two home games. Pettersson's errant pass into his own zone handed Nashville possession before Sissons scored the backbreaker. Bluntly, Pettersson has to be smarter, and he needs to bury a chance soon.Quinn Hughes solved Saros in Game 1. The 92-point dynamo received a low-high pass and instantly reversed the momentum, wiring a shot through bodies that Pius Suter grazed for the 2-2 goal. Hughes walked the line and fired 13 attempts in Game 2, but only three were on target. His head's in the right place.Vancouver's tenacious third line swung the series opener. The strengths of big Dakota Joshua, feisty Conor Garland, and do-it-all center Elias Lindholm aligned on Joshua's game-winner, which became possible when Lindholm's strong forecheck helped Garland move the puck to the slot. The Canucks outscored teams 32-16 this season in Garland and Joshua's shared shifts, per Natural Stat Trick. They're always capable of tilting the ice.Vancouver treaded water during Demko's last absence, winning seven of 14 games he missed. His .918 save percentage over 51 starts can't be replaced, but Adin Hill's fabled breakout showed backups can win rounds and championships with the right defensive support. DeSmith probably isn't Hill, but the Canucks have other answers to weather the storm.Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.There are three games scheduled Wednesday night with no shortage of value in the player prop markets. Let's take a closer look.Morgan Rielly: Over 0.5 assistsRielly is coming off an impressive offensive season where he produced 51 assists over 72 games played. He was far more productive at home: Rielly recorded an assist in 44% of his road games, a far cry from the 68% hit rate he posted when playing in Toronto.He tends to skate behind the Auston Matthews line a lot at five-on-five. That's invaluable when playing at home because head coach Sheldon Keefe can control the matchups and get his best players extra shifts away from the opposition's best defensive personnel.That should lead to less time against stingy Hampus Lindholm, who the Bruins tried to attach at the hip of Matthews over the first two games of the series.Rielly will share the ice with Matthews a lot at even strength, he'll quarterback the power play, and he'll likely see upwards of 25 minutes.Look for him to pick up an assist along the way.Odds: -105 (playable to -125)Noah Hanifin: Over 0.5 pointsHanifin is playing some of the best offensive hockey of his career. He has eight points over the last six games and found the scoresheet in five of them.The production comes after a role change: Hanifin was moved up to the top power-play unit in place of Shea Theodore, and is now running point alongside stars like Jack Eichel, Tomas Hertl, and Jonathan Marchessault, providing plenty of opportunity to help facilitate a goal.The Stars are a very strong defensive team but Jake Oettinger isn't getting it done in the playoffs of late. He posted a putrid .895 save percentage last year and allowed four goals on only 15 shots in the series opener.Vegas has more than enough weapons to be opportunistic with its finishing. If it is, Hanifin stands a good chance of hitting the scoresheet.Odds: +115 (playable to -115)Wyatt Johnston: Over 2.5 shotsJohnston recorded only one shot against Vegas in Game 1 but it wasn't for a lack of chances. He attempted seven shots during five-on-five play, which tied him for the team lead, but he couldn't hit the net.Generally speaking, that kind of volume is going to lead to success. Johnston averaged 4.3 shots per game and went over his total in 18 of 20 tries during the regular season when attempting seven shots or more.Johnston enjoyed success against the Golden Knights in last year's playoffs, recording 21 shots over six games. That's 3.5 per contest while playing about 15 minutes.Johnston has a much bigger role on this version of the Stars - he logged more than 19 minutes in Game 1 - so it stands to reason he can maintain that sort of production.Odds: -130 (playable to -145)Adrian Kempe: Over 2.5 shotsKempe is a certified Oilers killer. He's faced them 26 times over the past few seasons and gone over his total all but three times. Kempe isn't just grinding his way to three shots, either, he's consistently soaring over the number.He's averaged 4.7 shots over the 26 meetings and recorded at least four in 10 of the past 11, including a five-shot performance in Game 1 of the series.With 55 shots on goal and 13 points over his last 11 games against Edmonton, Kempe's clearly shown he's the Kings' best option to try and keep up with the high-powered Oilers.He should see 18-20 minutes in Game 2 and generate at least a few shots along the way.Odds: -140 (playable to -160)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce is expected to miss the rest of Carolina's first-round clash against the New York Islanders, head coach Rod Brind'Amour confirmed Wednesday, per the Raleigh News & Observer's Chip Alexander.The blue-liner's status moving forward should Carolina advance to the second round is currently unknown, but he could be out of action for at least a few weeks with a noncontact, lower-body injury, a source told Alexander and Luke DeCock.The Hurricanes hold a 2-0 series lead, with Game 3 scheduled for Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET.Pesce exited during the second period of the Hurricanes' 5-3 comeback victory in Game 2. He appeared to be in some discomfort after a seemingly routine play in Carolina's zone and ended up being ruled out for the remainder of the contest.

Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett will miss seven days or more after absorbing teammate Brandon Montour's shot with his hand Tuesday night, head coach Paul Maurice said Wednesday.Maurice likened Bennett's relatively short recovery timetable to hearing his car was in an accident but discovering it was only a fender bender, according to team reporter Jameson Olive.Got to the rink and got great news," the bench boss added.Montour's shot hit Bennett in the left hand in the second period of Game 2 of the Panthers' first-round playoff matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Bennett immediately departed and didn't return.

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar praised goaltender Alexandar Georgiev for bouncing back in a Game 2 victory after struggling significantly in their series opener against the Winnipeg Jets.Georgiev stopped all but two of the 30 shots he faced in a 5-2 win that tied the first-round playoff series Tuesday night after turning aside only 16 of the 23 shots the Jets mustered when they prevailed 7-6 in Game 1 on Sunday.Bednar described Georgiev's response as "fantastic" before elaborating."If you give up seven as a goalie - what type of things you read online, what you're hearing from everyone - everyone just goes immediately to doubt and criticism," Bednar said. "So to be able to put that aside, focus on his process just like we would with the team, be mentally strong, resilient, and then go out and prove people wrong in Game 2? That's a tough job to do."The head coach noted that the Avalanche weren't significantly more effective as a group in the second game, except for the netminder."He deserves all the credit," Bednar said. "Because our team was better, but it wasn't that much better. He was much better, and he gave us a chance to win, and we did win. Now, we've got to go repeat it."The Avalanche fired twice as many shots on goal as the Jets in Game 1, finishing with a 46-23 edge in a losing effort. Colorado outshot Winnipeg 32-30 in Game 2.Game 3 of the series is scheduled for Friday night in Denver.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.Wednesday's NHL playoff slate has a pair of intriguing Game 2 matchups, plus the Bruins and Maple Leafs have the honor of being the first series to shift locations, which tightens the game line even further.Game 3: Bruins (-105) @ Maple Leafs (-115)Uncomfortable bets often make for good ones, and backing and winning with the Maple Leafs in Boston on Monday was one you had to grit your teeth for. However, the even-strength metrics suggested that - with more evenly matched special teams and no outlier goaltending performance - the final score might be considerably different the second time around.Sure enough, we saw a textbook carryover as Leafs skaters created similar expected goals share (52% to 55%) and again generated more even-strength high-danger chances (HDCs). This time, the teams matched power-play goals, and Linus Ullmark was merely average compared to Jeremy Swayman's outstanding Game 1. Meanwhile, Ilya Samsonov was much better in Game 2.Now, the scene shifts to Toronto, and the odds reflect the change in home-ice advantage. However, shouldn't the Leafs' good even-strength metrics give them a little more credit?With this being the first game where a series has shifted venues, it's worth a reminder that this means Toronto has the last change. That should provide more room for Auston Matthews and potentially lead to more production for the secondary players, while the Leafs can match their best defenders with the Bruins' dangerous top line if they want to.Best bet: Maple Leafs moneyline (-115)Game 2: Golden Knights (+145) @ Stars (-175)Betting, like life, isn't fair. We backed the Stars on Monday, arguing that the game wasn't priced correctly. Dallas was priced at -140 for Game 1, 60 minutes of hockey was played, and the betting market took it all in and decided that the Stars should be -175 in the rematch. By that logic, we were right to bet on Dallas at a 5% edge on the favorite.As for a game breakdown, we couldn't have gotten a better runout on paper. Dallas held the Golden Knights to just six HDCs at even strength and took just two penalties.Unfortunately, sports are illogical, so Vegas scored on both power plays and added two more goals on non-high-danger chances, scoring four times on just 15 shots on Jake Oettinger in a 4-3 win.Everything else aligned as you'd expect. Logan Thompson brought a 0.15 GSAx/60 into the playoffs and gave up a soft goal en route to a 0.26 GSAx in Game 1. The Stars converted two of their 11 even-strength HDCs - in line with their 13.1% regular-season conversion rate.The moneyline isn't the short price offered before Game 1 - but, hopefully, Oettinger makes more than 11 saves, and the rest of the game goes virtually the same. If that's the case, Dallas should win without the need for overtime.Best bet: Stars win in regulation (-105)Game 2: Kings (+160) @ Oilers (-190)The most forgivable portion of a Stanley Cup Playoff series is the first period of Game 1. Teams handle the change in intensity from the regular season and the high-intensity environment differently. Plus, strategic adjustments haven't yet been made, nor have teams been physically worn down.The Oilers were more ready to go than the Kings on Monday, as Edmonton racked up 10 even-strength HDCs to Los Angeles' one. Some apathy from a 4-0 Oilers lead may have had something to do with the Kings closing the gap in the predictive metrics, but confidence from Los Angeles scoring four times at even strength may carry over to Game 2.I'm expecting a more alert start and hope the usually stingy Kings can stay out of the box after their No. 2-ranked penalty kill allowed three goals on four Oilers' power plays. L.A.'s an underdog worth taking a shot on to even the series.Best bet: Kings moneyline (+160)Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Elias Pettersson took responsibility for a performance he feels cost his Vancouver Canucks a chance to win Game 2 against the Nashville Predators.Pettersson made a couple of plays he regretted in the 4-1 loss. He hit the side of the goal with a wide-open cage and a golden opportunity to tie the game in the final seconds of the first period.

Florida Panthers forward Carter Verhaeghe scored his fifth career playoff overtime winner Tuesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning, giving the defending Eastern Conference champions a 2-0 series lead.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko wasn't in the crease for Game 2 of their first-round series against the Nashville Predators on Tuesday night due to injury. Veteran backup Casey DeSmith started in his place.Demko is questionable for the rest of the series, reports Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli.Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet added that Demko's latest ailment "wasn't the old injury" but a day-to-day issue, according to NHL.com's Adam Kimelman.Despite not being the same injury, it involves the same knee that caused him to miss 14 games late in the regular season, reports TSN's Farhan Lalji. Demko returned for the final two contests of the schedule, earning a win over the Calgary Flames last Tuesday and losing to the Winnipeg Jets on Thursday.Demko didn't take part in the Canucks' optional skate Tuesday and didn't practice Monday. He also wasn't made available to reporters following Vancouver's Game 1 victory Sunday because he was receiving treatment.Demko is a Vezina Trophy candidate this season. He posted a .918 save percentage while going 35-14-2 in 51 contests.DeSmith went 12-9-6 with an .896 save percentage across 29 games in 2023-24. His only playoff experience to date was the "Spicy Pork and Broccoli" game in May 2022, which he exited with an injury, forcing Louis Domingue to come in and ultimately win for the Pittsburgh Penguins in triple overtime.Rookie Arturs Silovs, the Canucks' other goalie, played five NHL games last season and four more this campaign. The 23-year-old Latvian went 3-0-1 with an .881 mark over his four appearances in 2023-24.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Anaheim Ducks general manager Pat Verbeek said Tuesday the team will pursue a top-six right-shot forward and a top-four right-shot defenseman this offseason.Anaheim enters the summer with $33 million in cap space. None of its notable restricted free agents - Isac Lundestrom, Max Jones, Brett Leason, Jackson LaCombe, and Urho Vaakanainen - project to break the bank. It doesn't have any significant unrestricted free agents.The 2024 UFA class includes several high-profile right-shot forwards who could fill a top-six role, including Sam Reinhart, Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Joe Pavelski, Tyler Toffoli, David Perron, and Elias Lindholm. On the potentially cheaper - and younger - side, there's also Daniel Sprong and Jack Roslovic.The crop of right-shot UFA defensemen isn't quite as deep, but the likes of Brandon Montour, Dylan DeMelo, Matt Roy, Brett Pesce, Chris Tanev, and Sean Walker could hit the open market.Anaheim was active in free agency last offseason, signing veterans Alex Killorn and Radko Gudas as UFAs.After finishing 30th in the NHL standings this past season, the Ducks have an 11.5% chance (third-best odds) of landing the No. 1 pick. They also own the Edmonton Oilers' first-rounder as part of the Adam Henrique trade.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.A quartet of opening-game losers are looking to even the series.Lightning (+150) @ Panthers (-180)The Lightning were lucky to still be breathing after the first 15 minutes of Game 1. The Panthers channeled the energy from the home crowd and completely outplayed their rival to start the game. However, Florida managed only one goal before Tampa created a scoring chance and finished with just a 13-10 edge in high-danger chances.Tampa's lethal power play only got two chances to go to work - scoring once - and there's a good chance the team will get more opportunities in Game 2.At +150, the odds for a Lightning win aren't differing from Game 1 and imply they need to win this game more than 40% of the time to be valuable. Taking Tampa - a veteran team - to draw even in what should be a highly competitive series is a pretty good idea, so if you think this matchup is closer to a 50/50 proposition, you're getting value on the Bolts.Pick: Lightning moneyline (+150)Avalanche (-120) @ Jets (+100)Fading the Avalanche after a 3.77-1.48 advantage in even-strength expected goals isn't easy. However, which of these two aspects of the series in which we favored the Jets is more likely to occur in Game 2?

Brad Marchand is deeply familiar with Boston's first-round opponent, but he doesn't think these are the same Toronto Maple Leafs that his Bruins have dismantled in prior postseasons."They're playing a really good, playoff-type game right now," he said Tuesday. "You knew they would. They're built different than in the past years. They're playing a lot more physical, very committed to forechecking, playing very tight defensively. So, you've got to give them credit. They're one of the top teams for a reason. And then when you add their offensive ability on top of that, they're a tough team to play right now."We're seeing it. ... It's a very tight playoff series. We knew it was going to be a battle. They've shown up. They're playing for keeps. It's a good challenge."Marchand has clashed with the Leafs in the playoffs three other times in his career, first in 2013 and then in back-to-back years in 2018 and 2019. The Bruins won each of those series in seven games, and Marchand has totaled seven goals - including two game-winners - and 21 points in 21 contests over that span.The veteran winger has logged three assists through two games so far in this series.The Bruins took Game 1 in a 5-1 decision, but the Maple Leafs answered with a 3-2 victory on Monday. It's been a wildly physical affair so far, with the teams combining for exactly 200 hits. Boston holds a narrow edge with 103 hits to Toronto's 97.Though the series is tied, the Maple Leafs have tilted the ice in their favor through the first two contests. Toronto has dictated 58.3% of the shot attempts, 68.2% of the scoring chances, 57% of the expected goals, and 65.8% of the high-danger chances at five-on-five, per Natural Stat Trick.Marchand said he doesn't think the Bruins have played up to their full capabilities just yet."We can be better for sure. ... We can definitely prove our game and put a better showing out there," he said.The series shifts to Toronto for Game 3 on Wednesday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers have inked backup goaltender Ivan Fedotov to a two-year contract extension at an average annual value of $3.25 million, the club announced Tuesday.Fedotov joined the Flyers in late March after CSKA Moscow terminated his KHL pact. He got into three games in April, going 0-1-1 while allowing 10 goals on 53 shots. The Russian only started one of those contests, giving up four tallies in a 4-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres on April 5.His new cap hit will be nearly $2 million more than that of Samuel Ersson ($1.45 million), according to CapFriendly. Ersson took the reins as the Flyers' No. 1 netminder this season. Ersson signed a two-year extension of his own last August.Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said upon Fedotov's arrival that Ersson was still the starter. While their roles for 2024-25 remain unclear, Fedotov's new deal all but guarantees he'll be part of the tandem going forward.CSKA inked Fedotov to a two-year contract last July before terminating the agreement with one year remaining. He simultaneously had a pre-arrival pact with the Flyers after signing a two-year deal with them in May 2022. That made him a pending unrestricted free agent before he re-upped with Philadelphia on Tuesday.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Lindy Ruff has already spent a combined 25 seasons with the Buffalo Sabres as a player and head coach, but his latest stint with the franchise is personal."I think I understand ... how great this city is when you have a successful hockey club. ... It would mean a lot to have this group of players experience what I was able to experience as a player and as a coach," the bench boss said Tuesday during his introductory press conference. "This building shook in some of the playoff series."Ruff played 608 games with the Sabres from 1979-89, then returned to serve as head coach from 1997 to 2013. Buffalo made the playoffs eight times with him at the helm, including three trips to the conference finals and one to the Stanley Cup Final.The Sabres extended their playoff drought to 13 seasons after missing out on the postseason by seven points. The last time they played beyond the regular season was in 2011 when Ruff was nearing the end of his first tour behind Buffalo's bench.Ruff, whom the New Jersey Devils fired in early March, made it clear he didn't say yes right away when the Sabres called."I was questioning myself, 'Why would I do this?'" he said. "Then I came to a point, 'Why wouldn't I?' Because I'm a risk-taker. I think if there's no risk, there's no reward. I'm putting myself in that position."Sabres general manager Kevyn Adams spoke to double-digit candidates after firing Don Granato last Tuesday but soon landed on Ruff as the right person for the job."I truly believe that he's the person to take us to the next level," Adams said. "Our players are craving it, we're excited about it, and the hard work begins now."Ruff knows that shifting the Sabres' culture to a winning one won't be easy, but he believes he's a "much better coach" now than when he first left Buffalo."The only thing we can say is, when we hit camp, we're going to prove that we're going to get to the next level," Ruff said."I want (the players) to love playing here," he added. "I want them to love playing for each other, and I want them to love being a Buffalo Sabre for Sabres fans that I think are some of the greatest in the league. How are we gonna get there? We're going to have to earn it from Day 1. ... We're gonna have to step on the ice when the season starts and earn the respect of everybody."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings' 7-4 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Monday night marked their 14th playoff meeting in the last three years, and veteran defenseman Drew Doughty thinks it was his team's "poorest" showing yet."We're a much better team than that. We're a very good, solid two-way team," he said postgame. "We don't usually give up that many chances. We've always had good goaltending here, but we also do a good job making it easier for the goalie in this organization. Tonight, we did not. ... (Cam Talbot) made a ton of great saves, too, so you can't be putting any blame on him."It's all the guys in front of him."The Oilers outshot the Kings 45-37 while holding a 23-16 edge in high-danger chances at all strengths, per Natural Stat Trick. Edmonton also converted on three of its four power-play chances, while the Kings failed to score on two opportunities.All of those stats were uncharacteristic of Los Angeles in the regular season. The Kings boasted the NHL's second-best penalty kill (84.6%) while conceding the third-fewest goals per game (2.56) and fourth-fewest shots per contest (28). They also allowed 10.57 high-danger chances per 60 minutes at all strengths, placing them among the stingiest teams in the league.Doughty said he was surprised by the amount of mistakes the Kings made against Edmonton."That's not our motto; that's not the way we play. It's frustrating," he said."We're letting their top guys get way too much speed and just go through the neutral zone like it's nothing," Doughty explained. "It's tough on the D when those guys are flying. We gotta fix that, and we know that."The Kings won Game 1 against the Oilers in 2022 and 2023 but went on to lose both Game 2s and the series as a whole.Doughty is looking forward to the opportunity Wednesday's rematch will bring."It's a seven-game series. You've got to (be the) first to four," he said. "We're down 1-0 but we can easily make it 1-1 next game. ... Just have a short memory and be ready to win the next one. That's it."Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New Jersey Devils forward Timo Meier is set to undergo elective arthroscopic shoulder surgery Tuesday and is expected to make a full recovery for training camp, the team announced.Meier revealed Wednesday that he was dealing with a double MCL injury and an oblique ailment, but he didn't mention any issues with his shoulder.The 27-year-old put up 28 goals and 52 points in 69 games this season, but he was far more productive when Travis Green took over for Lindy Ruff behind the bench in March.Head coachGPGPP/GPLindy Ruff4813280.58Travis Green2115241.14Meier's 15 goals during Green's stint at the helm are tied with Florida Panthers stud Sam Reinhart for the fifth most in the league over that span, trailing only Steven Stamkos, Auston Matthews, Kirill Kaprizov, and Filip Forsberg.The Swiss winger is ready to build on the momentum from his strong second half."I know how big the offseasons are for me personally," he said. "To play at my best, I gotta be in the best shape. If I want to play a consistent style of game that brings me success, I gotta put a lot of work in at the gym. ... That's the goal for me."The Devils acquired Meier from the San Jose Sharks prior to the 2023 trade deadline and signed him to an eight-year extension with an average annual value of $8.8 million in June. He carries the highest cap hit of all New Jersey's forwards.Meier has totaled 37 goals and 66 points in 90 contests as a Devil. He registered four points in 11 playoff games last spring.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We have four more playoff games on the docket Tuesday night. Let's waste no time getting to a few of my favorite ways to get involved in the action.Brayden Point: Over 2.5 shotsThere's hot, and then there's Point. The Lightning's top center has recorded three shots or more in six consecutive games and eight of the past nine overall.Point had five scoring chances and four shots on target against the Panthers in the series opener. Both of those totals were good for first place on the Lightning.Point logged 16:46 at five-on-five alone in Game 1. That was more than every forward on either team, which is pretty impressive given all the star power featured in this series.He's attached to the hip of 100-assist man Nikita Kucherov at even strength and on the No. 1 power-play unit. With 20-plus minutes likely coming his way as the Bolts look to avoid falling into a 2-0 hole, he should have ample opportunity to shoot the puck once again.Odds: -140 (playable to -160)Nathan MacKinnon: Over 4.5 shotsThe Jets had a miserable time slowing MacKinnon down in the series opener. MacKinnon found the scoresheet twice and helped the Avalanche threaten offensively almost every shift.The Avalanche recorded 36 shot attempts with MacKinnon on the ice across all situations. He was involved in a healthy chunk of them as he alone fired 11 pucks toward Connor Hellebuyck.Although MacKinnon hit the net four times and fell short of this total, the process was extremely encouraging.MacKinnon has attempted 11 shots or more 21 times this season. He recorded five shots or more in 19 of them and finished with four in both exceptions. He's almost automatic when generating such volume.I think MacKinnon can hit double digits again in Game 2. He played more than 22 minutes a night in the regular season and logged over 24 last time out. Jared Bednar rides his horses and will no doubt lean on his Hart Trophy candidate to lead the charge while pushing to even the series.It's also worth noting Zach Parise is skating on the top line in Jonathan Drouin's absence. MacKinnon has only played a couple of games with Parise, but he's taking upwards of 30 attempts per 60 minutes at five-on-five. Those are astronomically high rates to go along with MacKinnon being the lead dog on the power play.Win or lose, I expect him to put up a big number Tuesday night.Odds: -130 (playable to -145)Josh Morrissey: Over 0.5 assistsMorrissey is one of the best puck-moving defensemen in the sport. He hits consistently good outlets and is so good at finding open seams once shop is set up in the offensive zone.He's registered 32 assists over his past 30 games played and has picked up at least one apple in 19 of them.Morrissey also has an extremely strong history against the Avalanche, recording an assist in nine of the past 10 head-to-head meetings.The good times should continue against a laboring Alexandar Georgiev. He owns an .856 save percentage and has conceded at least four goals in six of eight games over the past month.He's not getting the job done right now. With Morrissey likely to play 25-plus minutes across all situations against a high-event Avalanche team, I like his chances of helping create a goal.Odds: -110 (playable to -135)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery has no regrets about starting Linus Ullmark in Monday's Game 2 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs.After keeping it a secret until warmup, Montgomery made the switch after Jeremy Swayman shined in a Game 1 victory, sticking to the rotating strategy the club employed throughout the regular season."No second guesses," Montgomery said, per Boston.com's Conor Ryan. "He was terrific. He made multiple big-time saves, and it's a strength of our team. Both of them played really well. We only scored two goals."Ullmark stopped 30 of 33 shots in the loss. Last season's Vezina Trophy winner entered the postseason with a .915 save percentage in 40 appearances in 2023-24."There are some things to clean up, definitely. But it's a long series," Ullmark said. "Now it's all about recharging. The sun will come up tomorrow as well. We go to Toronto, and then duke it out once again."Swayman made 35 saves in a convincing 5-1 Bruins victory in Game 1. The 25-year-old was near flawless against the Maple Leafs during the regular season, posting a 3-0 record with only four goals against.Game 3 is scheduled for Wednesday night.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes scored a pair of goals nine seconds apart in the final three minutes of the third period to beat the New York Islanders on Monday and take a 2-0 series lead.First, Sebastian Aho notched the equalizer with the goalie pulled. Then, Jordan Martinook buried the game-winner moments later. Jake Guentzel scored the empty-netter for good measure to secure a 5-3 Hurricanes victory.

Vegas Golden Knights captain Mark Stone returned to the lineup on Monday for Game 1 of his club's opening round against the Dallas Stars.Stone was sidelined for the last 26 games of the regular season after sustaining a lacerated spleen on Feb. 20 against the Nashville Predators. Vegas went 13-11-2 in his absence and ended the campaign in the second wild-card spot of the Western Conference.He racked up 16 goals and 53 points in 56 games prior to his absence.The Golden Knights also welcomed back for defenseman Alex Pietrangelo and forward William Carrier.Pietrangelo missed the past seven games and 13 of the last 15 contests. He was initially sidelined by an illness, but he ended up needing to get his appendix removed.Carrier, meanwhile, last played on March 25 and has since been out with an upper-body injury.Stone was cleared for contact and was a full participant in practice on Saturday.Golden Knights head coach Bruce Cassidy said before the game he doesn't expect to limit Stone's minutes, though he'll keep an eye on him and make adjustments if necessary, per The Athletic's Jesse Granger.Stone was in a similar position last year. He sat out the second half of the regular season with a back injury but was able to return for the first game of the postseason.The veteran forward didn't seem to be hampered by his ailment, recording 11 goals and 24 points in 22 games to help the Golden Knights lift the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history."I think last year I had more of a distinct timeline," Stone said Monday. "This year, I wasn't super confident that I'd be standing here today ready to go. The timeline was a lot more - not delicate, but I guess longer. I had some people tell me it was eight weeks, some people tell me it was six months. It was just a wait-and-see, see how the scans go."Stone and his $9.5-million cap hit were on long-term injured reserve the past two deadlines, giving general manager Kelly McCrimmon more room to bolster his squad.In 2023, the Golden Knights added forwards Ivan Barbashev and Teddy Blueger, as well as goaltender Jonathan Quick. This season, Vegas brought in winger Anthony Mantha, forward Tomas Hertl, and rearguard Noah Hanifin.McCrimmon said in March that it was "ridiculous to suggest" the Golden Knights are exploiting the league's LTIR system.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Buffalo Sabres are bringing back Lindy Ruff for a second tour of duty as head coach, the team announced Monday."I am thrilled to welcome Lindy back as the head coach of the Buffalo Sabres," general manager Kevyn Adams said."As I went through the hiring process, it quickly became clear Lindy was the person for the job. He has experience, a proven track record, familiarity with young players, and so much more."I want to be clear, though, that this hire was not made with nostalgia in mind. Lindy is the right person for the job now, and any history with our organization and community is simply an added bonus. I believe wholeheartedly that Lindy can help our team reach their goals and am excited to get to work with him."Ruff was fired from his post by the New Jersey Devils in March after three-plus seasons with the club. The Sabres parted ways with Don Granato last week.Granato, who was hired in 2021, was the sixth different bench boss Buffalo employed between firing and rehiring Ruff.Ruff commanded the Sabres for 15 seasons from 1997 to 2013. He's the franchise's all-time leader in games coached (1,165) and wins (571). Buffalo made the playoffs eight times under Ruff's guidance and reached the Stanley Cup Final in 1999. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2005-06.The 64-year-old is fifth on the league's all-time wins list at 864.Buffalo was expected to compete for a playoff spot this season after finishing 2022-23 with 91 points, but the Sabres fizzled to a sixth-place finish in the Atlantic Division and regressed by seven points. After Granato was let go, franchise cornerstone Tage Thompson said he hoped the new coach could instill accountability and consistency into the roster.The Sabres haven't reached the postseason since 2011, the longest active drought in the NHL.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets' series-opening 7-6 victory against the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday wasn't a masterclass in goaltending, but Connor Hellebuyck isn't worried about his performance one bit."This time of year, who cares about stats, really?" he said Monday. "Stats are just gonna be something people look at, pick apart, and talk about."At the end of the day, it's 'Did you win, or did you not win?' ... 16 wins (gets you) the Stanley Cup and that's my goal, so who really cares about everything else that goes with it?"The likely Vezina Trophy winner surrendered six goals - including three at five-on-five - on 46 shots.The Avalanche's underlying numbers during the contest were dominant. Colorado dictated 65.2% of the shot attempts and 68.2% of the expected goals while holding a 17-9 edge in high-danger chances at all strengths, per Natural Stat Trick."I felt like I had a really good game," Hellebuyck said. "When the results end up like that, I instantly know - I've been in this league long enough - it's gonna be, I gotta stop one more than the other guy."Jets coach Rick Bowness didn't blame Hellebuyck for any of the goals against."Some of them had seeing eyes, some of them were bouncing all over the place, some of them were just dead giveaways on our part," the bench boss said Sunday, per NHL.com's Darrin Bauming.He added, "It could have been worse. Seriously. ... And Connor had to play better and he made a lot of big saves at the right time, which he always does."At the other end of the ice, Alexandar Georgiev fared much worse.The Avalanche netminder conceded seven goals on just 23 shots for an abysmal .696 save percentage. He allowed 5.04 goals above expected in all situations.Unlike Bowness, Colorado head coach Jared Bednar wasn't so quick to defend his goaltender's performance."(Georgiev's game) probably needed to be better, right?" he said. "I thought we played well, we created some chances. He made some good saves, but we're (going to) need like a couple more saves than that probably to win, you know?"But it is what it is. We'll regroup. We made some mistakes in front of him that we'll have to clean up and try to get the job done. It's a team game."Georgiev led all goalies with 38 wins in the regular season but owned an .897 save percentage, and his minus-12.45 goals saved above average was the seventh-worst mark in the league, per Evolving-Hockey.The 28-year-old is focused on keeping his spirits high following Sunday's stinker."They scored some really good goals, a couple lucky ones," Georgiev said, according to the Denver Post's Corey Masisak. "You have to stay positive and try to find out what happened today and move forward. It's only 1-0 in the series, so I'm looking forward to the next game."Game 2 is set for Tuesday at 9:30 p.m. ET.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Jets and Avalanche delivered an instant classic Sunday, with Winnipeg defeating Colorado 7-6 in front of a raucous home crowd to take a 1-0 series lead. Below, we break down some of the craziest numbers and anecdotes from the game.1 - The Jets only scored seven or more goals once during the regular season. Coincidentally, it came the last time they played the Avalanche, eight days ago.3 - Adam Lowry's shot bounced off the posts three times - yet still narrowly crossed the goal line for the captain's second goal of the night.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.The first weekend of the Stanley Cup Playoffs lacked road victories, but in two of six games, the visitors had metrics that were deserving of victory.Maple Leafs (+120) @ Bruins (-140)No one wants to hear that a 5-1 opening-game loss in Boston wasn't that bad for the Maple Leafs, but it actually wasn't that bad.From a metrics standpoint, Toronto had the edge in even-strength expected goals - 3.0 to 2.77 - and a significant 15-6 advantage in high-danger chances, suggesting the Leafs win the game around 62% of the time.The problem for Toronto? The Bruins leaned on an incredible performance from Jeremy Swayman, who registered a +3.75 GSAx (goals saved above expected), while Auston Matthews hit the post on a yawning cage, missing a chance to tie the game in the second period. Add in a league-average Boston power play converting two of five opportunities, and that's a recipe for a lopsided score.A four-goal loss still counts for only one win in a series where the Leafs would be content leaving Boston with a split. The betting market didn't think Game 1 was enough to change the odds for Game 2, as Toronto's +120 moneyline still implies it wins this game. A modest adjustment will often be made in favor of the loser of the last contest, but we're not seeing that here.It would be a bonus for the Leafs if William Nylander returns, but they produced enough chances without him Saturday, and doing so again will give them a good shot at winning Game 2. At better than a 50-50 price at +120, the Leafs are a surprisingly good bet Monday night and worth adding to win the series at +200.Best bet: Maple Leafs moneyline (+120)Golden Knights (+120) @ Stars (-140) With a pair of Game 1s yet to be played, we're still flying relatively blind in the two series that start Monday. But that's the key to playing the series opener in Dallas. The betting market doesn't know what to make of the allegedly full-strength Golden Knights.As mentioned in the Western Conference first-round preview, Vegas - a wild-card team with mediocre metrics - is rated nearly as high as the Stars, who proved their quality all season long and earned the conference's top seed.The market's hypothesis seems to be that the Golden Knights will take off running this week, mirroring the team that won the Stanley Cup with a 21.2% even-strength high-danger chance conversion rate (league average is 12.5%) and a rookie goaltender saving 0.71 GSAx/60. Both numbers would be a significant upgrade from Vegas' regular season. The Knights might realize that high-end potential in Game 1, but we need much longer odds to bet on them.Instead, let's back the Stars, whose young core - with three series of playoff experience under its belt - will help them transition to postseason mode.Best bet: Stars moneyline (-140)Matt Russell is the lead betting analyst for theScore. If there's a bad beat to be had, Matt will find it. Find him on social media @mrussauthentic.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sheldon Keefe believes his Toronto Maple Leafs simply weren't disciplined enough in their 5-1 loss to the Boston Bruins in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series Saturday."Two high sticks, that's just carelessness," he said postgame, according to 98.5 The Sports Hub's Ty Anderson. "This time of year, you can't allow your stick to get up like that."Maple Leafs forward Tyler Bertuzzi was called for a high stick on Bruins defenseman Hampus Lindholm late in the first period, and Auston Matthews was penalized for one on blue-liner Charlie McAvoy in the second. Toronto escaped the first unscathed, but Jake DeBrusk scored his first of two goals in the game to make it 3-0 with Matthews in the box.Keefe also criticized Max Domi for slashing Bruins winger Brad Marchand on the wrist, saying Domi "can't do that," according to The Athletic's Fluto Shinzawa.The Bruins went 2-for-5 on the power play in the game. DeBrusk netted his second of the contest less than three minutes after his first on Domi's infraction.Toronto was 0-for-3 with the man advantage, and Keefe said postgame his power-play units were "not good."The Bruins ranked 14th with the man advantage in the regular season, while the Leafs slotted in seventh. Boston had the seventh-best penalty kill over the 82-game schedule, and Toronto ranked 23rd.Game 2 of the series is scheduled for Monday night at Boston's TD Garden.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks did their part on the ice to secure their first playoff win at Rogers Arena in nine years, but the players gave some credit to the fans in attendance."The building was crazy," forward Dakota Joshua said after his team's 4-2 Game 1 victory over the Nashville Predators. "You think you know what to expect until you get out there, and you don't. The fans were behind us all night, and it was nice to pull through for them."The Canucks headed into the third period down 2-1. Pius Suter tipped in captain Quinn Hughes' shot for the equalizer, and Joshua scored the game-winning goal just 12 seconds later for the fastest two playoff goals in franchise history.Joshua then iced the contest with an empty-netter for the first two postseason goals of his career. Prior to Sunday's thrilling win, the 27-year-old only had one other game of playoff experience under his belt."A special moment. I'll never forget it," he said of his heroics. "It makes you want to keep doing it."Hughes took in some postseason action last spring while supporting his brothers, Jack and Luke, on the New Jersey Devils during their run to the second round.He may be a little biased, but the star defenseman said there was no comparison to the atmosphere at Rogers Arena."I couldn't really believe how loud (our) fans were," Hughes said. "I've seen some playoff games ... but it wasn't anything like what we just witnessed. ... To be able to come out here and see the support and see how much it means to the city and the people here is pretty special."The Canucks were welcomed to the ice by a standing ovation from the thousands of fans waving rally towels.

Find year-round coverage of betting news and insights for all sports by visiting our Betting section and subscribing to push notifications.We have a fun four-game slate Monday night split between a pair of Game 2s and series openers. Let's take a look at the best ways to attack them.David Pastrnak: Over 4.5 shotsPastrnak failed to record five shots in Game 1, but there were signs an outburst could be coming. Pastrnak's shot volume was quite solid given the circumstances. He attempted seven shots despite the Bruins leading for 58 minutes and sitting on a multi-goal lead for nearly two periods.They didn't need to push for offense, and yet Pastrnak still generated enough attempts to give himself a reasonable chance of reaching five shots on goal.Game 2 is almost certainly going to be more competitive, which should lead to a more favorable game script for Pastrnak to push for offense.The matchup is very good as well. The Maple Leafs allowed more shots to wingers than all but the Blue Jackets over the last 10 games of the regular season. Pastrnak has feasted on them all year, generating 10 attempts or more in four of five meetings.I expect we'll see an uptick in shots from Pastrnak in Game 2.Odds: +120 (playable to -120)Andrei Svechnikov: Over 2.5 shotsSvechnikov was a one-man shooting gallery for the Hurricanes in their series opener. He led the game in shots (six), scoring chances (eight), and shot attempts (13) while logging 15 minutes of ice time.He mostly skated on the third line alongside Jordan Staal and Jordan Martinook at even strength. That may not sound like the opportune playing situation for a dynamic offensive player like Svechnikov, but the numbers tell a different story.Svechnikov averages upwards of 25 shot attempts per 60 minutes of five-on-five play with Staal as his center. That's a far cry from his averages alongside Evgeny Kuznetsov (15.5) or Sebastian Aho (13.9).His shot rates are also higher with Martinook than any other winger on the Hurricanes.Staal is more of a passer than a shooter - he had twice as many assists as goals this season - and Martinook is a north-south player whose job is to forecheck and win pucks back. Both players are happy to defer to Svechnikov, the real offensive threat on the line, and it shows in the numbers.Expect another active shooting performance against the Islanders.Odds: -140 (playable to -150)Adrian Kempe: Over 2.5 shotsThe Kings are going to need offense to keep up with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and the high-flying Oilers. Kempe is their best bet to provide it.He led the team in scoring during the regular season and has enjoyed unbelievable success against the Oilers for several years.Kempe has recorded three or more shots in 22 of 25 meetings against the Oilers dating back to the 2021-22 season. He's averaged a whopping 4.7 shots per game against Edmonton in that span.He's also on a run of 10 consecutive games against the Oilers with at least three shots. He routinely soared over the number, averaging five shots on goal per contest.Be it in the regular season or the first round of the playoffs, the Oilers have seen a ton of Kempe over the past few years. They haven't seemed to come up with an answer to stop his shot volume.As a member of the top line and power play, Kempe will see all the ice he can handle. Look for him to make the most of it as he so often does.Odds: -134 (playable to -160)Todd Cordell is a sports betting writer at theScore. You can follow him on X at @ToddCordell.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe made his presence felt in his playoff debut as much as a fourth-liner can.The rookie enforcer scored a goal, posted a plus-2 rating, and was engaged physically with three hits in the Rangers' 4-1 victory in Game 1 over the Washington Capitals."I think I'm built for the playoffs," Rempe told The New York Post's Mollie Walker postgame.Rempe added that his mom was at Madison Square Garden for the first time to watch him play. The 21-year-old was asked if her presence gave him extra juice for the game."I've always got juice," Rempe said with a big grin.Rempe, who stands at a towering 6-foot-7, 241 pounds, recorded just one goal and one assist in 17 contests during the regular season but gained popularity for his willingness to fight. He almost spent as much time in the box as he did on the ice, averaging 5:38 of ice time per game and 4.18 penalty minutes per game."I can't think of a player that's come in and had that impact on a team, on a fanbase, on a city," head coach Peter Laviolette said postgame.The fourth line in general was a major factor in New York's victory. Jimmy Vesey registered a goal and an assist, and Barclay Goodrow added a pair of helpers.Vesey was highly complimentary of Rempe postgame."Any game he's in the lineup, he's had an effect," Vesey said.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Playoff time is upon us, which means an overwhelming wave of anxiety is beginning to settle deep within the hearts, minds, and stomachs of hockey fans across the world.Sixteen teams are vying to make that tension worth it by lifting the Stanley Cup by the end of the spring. However, they'll need to survive the opening round first to get there.Here, we rank the eight series, focusing on watchability and vibes to decide the order. Let's get into it.1. Boston Bruins-Toronto Maple Leafs Maddie Meyer / Getty Images Sport / GettyCome on, is there another option for the top spot? We think not. This is what dreams are made of - or nightmares, if you root for the team in blue. The Atlantic Division rivals have battled in the opening round three times since 2013. Each meeting has stretched to seven contests, with Boston coming out on top every time.Why this rematch is exciting for Leafs fans: Hey, maybe they'll finally slay the dragon - the big, bad Bruins who have haunted them since Patrice Bergeron's Game 7 overtime winner 11 years ago (it was 4-1!). The most recent postseason clash between Toronto and Boston came in 2019, and only five players from that Maple Leafs team are still on the roster: Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, John Tavares, William Nylander, and Morgan Rielly. Things are totally different now!Why this rematch is exciting for Bruins fans: There's no better way for Boston to recover from last year's first-round upset than drawing a matchup against the team it has been psychologically torturing for years.Why this rematch is exciting for everyone else: If Toronto falls flat on its face and returns to first-round futility, you'll get to point and laugh at Leafs fans while crafting some dastardly burns on X, if that's your thing.We see this as an absolute win. The content machine stays fed regardless of the result.2. Florida Panthers-Tampa Bay Lightning Joel Auerbach / Getty Images Sport / GettyRivalries - both historical and geographic - went a long way in determining our rankings. The last time the Battle of Florida took place in the playoffs, the Lightning spoiled the Panthers' Presidents' Trophy campaign with a second-round sweep, and there was no shortage of bad blood. While the animosity will likely remain the same, there's a new dynamic between the two teams now.In 2022, the Bolts were the class of the league, fresh off back-to-back Stanley Cups and on their way to another finals appearance. The Panthers, then coached by Andrew Brunette, were an offensive force without an in-your-face mentality. Paul Maurice has since transformed the club into a defensive juggernaut, and Matthew Tkachuk's arrival helped make the Cats mean. Tampa Bay isn't nearly as dangerous at five-on-five anymore, but its special teams can swing any game.On top of these two clubs generally detesting each other, the talent between both squads makes for appointment TV. Tkachuk, Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, and Sergei Bobrovsky squaring off against Nikita Kucherov, Steven Stamkos, Brayden Point, and Andrei Vasilevskiy is just about as good as it gets this spring.3. Winnipeg Jets-Colorado Avalanche Matthew Stockman / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Jets and Avalanche don't have any sort of longstanding rivalry (yet). But this series features two of the league's best teams and matches up an unstoppable force (Nathan MacKinnon) against an immovable object (Connor Hellebuyck) that'll likely determine which squad advances through what should be a nail-biter.Colorado led the league in goals this season, while Winnipeg allowed the fewest. This matchup is essentially a coin flip and should highly entertain fans. Although Hellebuyck's brilliance forms the Jets' identity, Winnipeg boasts four deep lines and should benefit from securing home ice, where the club went 27-11-3 this season. Conversely, Colorado was 19-16-6 away from Denver in 2023-24.The Avalanche are the far more dangerous team on paper and ice, but goaltender Alexandar Georgiev is their clear X-factor. Going up against the likely Vezina Trophy winner is a daunting task, and Georgiev will need to improve on his .897 save percentage - particularly if he doesn't get the run support he's used to.This series exemplifies why most hockey fans are fed up with the league's playoff format. Pitting the conference's second- and fourth-best teams in the first round can be seen as unfair, especially when the West's fifth- and seventh-place squads face off in another series. It makes little sense, but the NHL has no intention of changing how things work. We might as well enjoy the elite matchups that come out of the flawed format, even if they're earlier than they should be.4. Dallas Stars-Vegas Golden Knights Ethan Miller / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe Stars and Golden Knights are set to lock horns again in a rematch of last year's Western Conference Final. This feels like an unlikely 1-seed versus 8-seed matchup, but the defending champs lost a step in the regular season. That said, Dallas can't be thrilled about its draw, as Vegas is rife with championship pedigree and at full strength again with captain Mark Stone in the picture. It should surprise no one if the Golden Knights get hot as soon as the real season begins.The Stars are among the deepest teams in the NHL, icing a roster with a perfect blend of youth and experience. Dallas was also a top-10 squad in expected goals for and against per 60 minutes during the regular season, and it feels more equipped than ever to go on a championship run. But the Stars must knock off the titleholders if they want to become the new Western Conference powerhouse.5. Vancouver Canucks-Nashville Predators Jeff Vinnick / National Hockey League / GettyThis series might be the biggest mystery box of the first round. We may look back in two weeks (or less) thinking this matchup was the most exciting one.Many of the questions surround the Canucks since no one seems to agree if they're legitimate contenders or not. The answer to that question through the season's first few months was yes, but their 17-12-4 record since the All-Star break puts them in the middle of the pack. Vancouver still finished atop the Pacific Division but had battled for first in the league earlier in the winter.The Predators rank third in the NHL in points percentage (.726) with a 21-7-3 record since early February. While Roman Josi and Filip Forsberg were machines during that run, the Canucks have more star power at their disposal with J.T. Miller, Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, and Quinn Hughes.Nashville is the more battle-tested team in playoff experience in recent years, but will that matter if a now-healthy Thatcher Demko continues playing at a Vezina-caliber level for Vancouver? Discounting Juuse Saros wouldn't be wise, either. Though he hasn't dominated consistently, he was strong down the stretch to help the Preds get here.Is it too late for Predators GM Barry Trotz to buy tickets to The Sphere in Las Vegas again and promptly cancel the trip? Hey, it resulted in a 16-0-2 run for Nashville the last time he did it.6. Edmonton Oilers-Los Angeles Kings Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyWe'd be justified in moving this one up a few spots due to the mere presence of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl and the fact that they go Super Saiyan mode in the playoffs, but we've seen this movie before.Like, is there anything else on?This is the third straight spring that Edmonton and Los Angeles have met in the opening round. The Oilers won the first two meetings, and beating the Kings to start the playoffs could become a tradition for Edmonton by this point. Unless L.A. has somehow found a way to slow down the best player in the league and his homies, we'd put our money on the Oilers winning again.Edmonton should also be highly motivated. In eight seasons of McDavid doing McDavid things, the Oilers have made the conference finals only once. Last spring, the club lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champs in the second round, and Draisaitl dubbed Edmonton's year as a "failure or a wasted season, almost" as a result. The club's mantra heading into 2023-24 was essentially "Cup or bust," and we wouldn't want to get in front of that train.What does L.A.'s offseason look like if it loses to the same team again? Does GM Rob Blake spend his entire summer crafting the squad into bloodthirsty, Oilers-killing machines? Well, the Kings won't have to worry about that if they finally get over their Edmonton-shaped hump.7. New York Rangers-Washington Capitals John McCreary / National Hockey League / GettyThis one has some potential to get spicy, but our hopes aren't high. When has the second wild-card team in the Eastern Conference ever upset the Presidents' Trophy winners in a first-round meeting?Oh, right. Just last year, actually.Still, it's a tough thing to do, and we aren't confident in the Capitals' ability to pull it off, so we've put this series in the basement. For one, Washington rocked a minus-37 goal differential in the regular season - the worst mark by a playoff team since 1990-91. Led by overlooked Hart Trophy candidate Artemi Panarin, the Rangers ranked seventh in the league with 3.39 goals per game.That isn't the most favorable matchup for the underdogs. And even if goalie Charlie Lindgren can stave off New York's attack, he'll still have to outduel Igor Shesterkin, who can enter Vezina Trophy mode at any moment.And Shesterkin might not have the toughest workload. The Capitals' 2.63 goals per game was the fifth lowest in the NHL this season. Washington also ranked 30th in shots per game (26.5).We can never discount the Alex Ovechkin factor, but the 38-year-old sniper might not be able to will his team through this one.8. Carolina Hurricanes-New York Islanders Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyUnless you're a fan of squads that roster a Sebastian Aho, it's tough to find much excitement in the second straight running of Hurricanes-Islanders in Round 1. Last year's series didn't provide many fireworks, and this one is heavily lopsided in Carolina's favor again.The Canes have been white-hot since the trade deadline and appear more motivated than ever to finally get over the hump and reach the Stanley Cup Final. Carolina is far better than the Isles at five-on-five and special teams, and it has more talent on forward and defense. There's a reason the Hurricanes are the odds-on favorite to win it all.The Islanders have been a considerably better team under head coach Patrick Roy - who might be this series' best hope at quality entertainment - but this is a huge mismatch in his first playoff series at the helm on Long Island. It'll be on Roy to motivate his troops to make this a close battle and prove our rankings wrong.Copyright (C) 2024 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.