The 2019-20 Dallas Stars are a perplexing hockey team, to put it mildly.They began the regular season by losing eight of nine games under former coach Jim Montgomery. Then they went on a thrilling 14-1-1 run. By the pause in March, Dallas had strung together enough good stretches to secure a top-four spot in the Western Conference - yet the team dragged a six-game losing skid into the hiatus. Bruce Bennett / Getty ImagesDefensively dominant but starved for goals, the Stars were considered a fringe contender heading into the restart. Six weeks in, they still can't get out of their own way, having coughed up a 3-1 series lead over the Colorado Avalanche in a second-round meeting of Central Division foes."We put ourselves in this position and now we have to deal with it," interim head coach Rick Bowness said following Wednesday's 4-1 loss in Game 6.The franchise hasn't won multiple playoff series since 2008, back when Brenden Morrow was captain, Dave Tippett was coach, and Mike Modano was still around. In the 2019 postseason, the Stars lost in Game 7 of the second round to the eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues.History is not on Dallas' side. But you just never know with this group.So, how might Friday's Game 7 shake out? Let's break down both outcomes.The case for a Stars winColorado's Nathan MacKinnon has been the restart's best player. Full stop.There's also no debate over who's enjoying the biggest breakout performance: 21-year-old Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen has been the team's MVP this postseason with an absurd 19 points in 15 games. He's averaging 25:48 of ice time a night, which is third among second-round players. He's a multidimensional blue-liner who possesses an innate ability to ignite or calm a game at a moment's notice. He's a future Norris Trophy winner, and another dominant two-way performance from the Finn would tilt the scales in Dallas' favor in Game 7."I know there's a lot of attention on his points and everything else, but there should be just as much attention on his ability to get us out of trouble, his ability to skate the puck out of the zone, his ability to make the right play at the right time," Bowness said, adding: "When things aren't going well, put Miro on the ice and he'll settle it down." Andy Devlin / Getty ImagesThe entire Dallas defense corps will be tested Friday. That's perfectly fine because it's the lifeblood of this team and you can't expect to beat an offensive juggernaut like Colorado without pushback from the blue line. Dallas' counterattack and defensive structure are highly dependent on its defensemen. This is the way the Stars were built, and when they're winning, Heiskanen, John Klingberg, Esa Lindell, Jamie Oleksiak, and Stephen Johns are in the middle of the action in all three zones. (Johns has been ruled unfit to play for all but one postseason game, however.)Defensively, Oleksiak and Lindell have been especially sharp. "Big Rig: He's been fantastic for us all year. He's raised his game to another level," Bowness said of the 6-foot-7, 255-pound Oleksiak prior to Game 5. "You know what you're going to get every shift from Esa Lindell. Just a solid, reliable defenseman who competes very hard."The club's top-four defensemen have been contributing on offense, too, accumulating 39 total points to lead all defense groups. That output accounts for 30% of the Stars' postseason offense. In Friday's do-or-die environment, active sticks and smart pinches will be key. "Good defense creates offense, right?" rookie forward Denis Gurianov, who has two goals and five assists in the second round, said earlier this week. Andy Devlin / Getty ImagesOnly three Dallas regulars - third-pairing defensemen Andrej Sekera and Taylor Fedun, and depth forward Andrew Cogliano - have failed to register a point since the restart. Veteran Joe Pavelski and Gurianov lead the charge with eight goals apiece, with first-line wingers Alexander Radulov and captain Jamie Benn, as well as Heiskanen, contributing five each.Yes, on aggregate, Dallas is being outshot, outchanced, and outscored at even strength by Colorado, but it's encouraging that just about everybody has pitched in. It's led to an odd contrast between the regular-season Stars and postseason Stars. The team scored four or more goals 15 times in 69 regular-season games; in the playoffs, they've scored four or more goals seven times in 15 games.The Stars' power play is tops among the final eight squads, humming at 25.5%. Against the Avalanche in Round 2, it's buried seven goals on 21 opportunities for a sizzling 33.3%. The penalty kill has been equally effective. The Avs' power play has managed to score three times off 28 opportunities (10.7%). And center Nazem Kadri - who assumes the bumper position on Colorado's No. 1 unit and entered the series with five power-play goals in eight games - has recorded just two five-on-five goals against Dallas.The final factor working in the Stars' favor is out of their control but nevertheless very important: the Avs' lineup. Captain Gabriel Landeskog and young defenseman Conor Timmins are both questionable for Game 7, while coach Jared Bednar's goaltending options - will third-stringer Michael Hutchinson get the nod or will Pavel Francouz be cleared to play? - are, at best, mediocre.The Stars have looked capable of both big wins and aimless losses during the restart. Which version of the team will show up for a potential narrative-changing Game 7? "We know what we've got in our dressing room. We believe," forward Tyler Seguin said. "We never thought that it was going to be a sweep or an easy series. We always said it was going to go to Game 6 or 7. So here we are."The case against a Stars win Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesOnly two goals separate the teams after six games, with the Avalanche ahead 25-23. But remember that so far the Stars have faced an NHL starter - in this case, Philipp Grubauer - for a grand total of 23 minutes in the series.For 198 minutes, Francouz, a 30-year-old playoff rookie with 42 games of regular-season experience, has manned the net, while Hutchinson, also 30 and a career backup, has racked up 129 minutes in the crease. These are beatable goalies that Stars forwards should be peppering with pucks and screens. Instead, Dallas has mostly failed to create chaos in Colorado's end, allowing the Avs to insulate their goalies."If you get too cute, you're playing right into their hands. We're making it an easier night on the goalie than it should be," Bowness said following Game 6, in which Hutchinson stopped 27 of 28 Dallas shots. Forward Corey Perry, who has six points in 15 games, believes sustained pressure is the missing ingredient: "It's the O-zone time. It's wearing them down and getting those second opportunities that we really need to capitalize on."The lack of execution is most evident with the Stars' stars - Seguin, Benn, and Radulov. For a trio that makes a combined $25.6 million a year, five even-strength goals in six games versus a backup and a third-stringer don't cut it. The underlying numbers aren't pretty, either: The line owns just 44% of the shot attempts and 44% of the scoring chances, according to Natural Stat Trick. It's hard to fathom them breaking through in Game 7 when both the results and the process haven't been up to par."Don't sugarcoat it. It is what it is. Your top players have to carry you at this time of year and they've got to produce," Bowness said Wednesday night. Dave Sandford / Getty ImagesBen Bishop, a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2018-19, is both a top player and a puck-stopper - someone Bowness could really use beyond what was essentially a trial run in Game 5. But, like Grubauer, he's unavailable for Game 7. Dallas has the better backup in Anton Khudobin, who has been solid in relief, but not lights-out. Among the 12 goalies who have logged at least 500 minutes during the restart, Khudobin is 11th in save percentage.Compounding the issue is the copious amount of penalties Dallas is taking. While the penalty kill is doing an admirable job, every infraction puts a greater strain on Khudobin and robs the top line of ice time. In Game 6, for instance, the Stars were shorthanded on five occasions. This led to Radulov getting 15:52 of ice time, Seguin 15:09, and Benn 14:31. Also, the more penalties Dallas takes, the more it's playing with fire. Colorado has enviable personnel at its disposal - MacKinnon, Rantanen, Kadri, and Cale Makar, for starters - and the floodgates will open at some point.Oh, right: MacKinnon, on top of all the Stars' other problems. Every single time the dynamic, explosive center is on the ice, Dallas - and any other team in the NHL - plays on its heels. He's a constant threat, especially when he winds up off the rush or regroups in the neutral zone. MacKinnon has an eye-popping 25 points in 14 games. That's already a higher total than last year's Conn Smythe winner Ryan O'Reilly, who tied Brad Marchand atop the postseason points leaderboard. If MacKinnon adds to his tally in any meaningful way Friday, the Stars are done.John Matisz is theScore's national hockey writer.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL is taking a multitude of steps aimed at combating racism and fostering inclusion, the league announced Thursday.Along with the NHLPA, the NHL will hold mandatory inclusion and diversity training for every player. It will take place during training camp and the beginning of the 2020-21 campaign.Three new committees will be formed, including the Player Inclusion Committee, which New Jersey Devils defenseman P.K. Subban and NHL alumnus Anson Carter will co-chair.In addition, a new Executive Inclusion Council, co-led by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and Buffalo Sabres co-owner Kim Pegula, will seek to foster further inclusion and demand accountability. The council will have several missions, including "working to establish specific hiring targets (and) recommendations on a realistic timetable while commissioning an outside audit of these efforts."The NHL and NHLPA will launch a hotline, run by a third party, to allow those working in the game to report "unethical behavior and misconduct." In December, Bettman announced the league was considering a hotline following a series of incidents involving coaches.The league is taking steps to help fans become "active civic participants," and will collaborate with two non-partisan groups to increase voter education and participation in the United States.All NHL employees will take part in an "inclusion learning experience" overseen by an organization called White Men as Full Diversity Partners. The subject matter will include anti-racism, unconscious bias, and cultural competency.The league and the players' union pledged to work together with the Hockey Diversity Alliance to set up a grassroots hockey development program for BIPOC boys and girls in the Greater Toronto Area, as well as a similar program in the United States.The NHL will also proceed with several ongoing initiatives, including its "Courageous Conversations" series - which gives club personnel opportunities to discuss relevant topics - and its "Committing to Change" guide, which will continue to amplify the voices of players, prospects, and alumni who advocate for the cause in order to educate fans and stakeholders.Click here for a complete overview of the initiatives.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Well, all good things come to an end. With the Stars' loss last night, our 7-0 run came to an abrupt halt thanks to Michael Hutchinson. Go figure.Let's get back to winning on Thursday.Philadelphia Flyers (-105) @ New York Islanders (-115)Staring down the barrel of elimination, the Flyers found their fight. They put in one of their best performances of the series in a losing effort in Game 4 and maintained that rhythm to extend the series in Game 5.But, even when the going is good, it's never easy against such a resilient Islanders team. Both Philadelphia wins in this series came in games in which it was up two goals going into the final nine minutes of the third period, only to see those leads evaporate and have to get the job done in overtime.Tuesday's win will have been mentally and physically exhausting for the Flyers. Given how hard they've had to scrap for every inch in this series, there's no doubt they're somewhat intimidated by the hill they still need to climb. The Islanders have yet to lose in this series when they have the final change - as they will in Game 6 - and they are good value to make it a perfect three-for-three at "home" to see out this series.Pick: Islanders (-115)Vegas Golden Knights (-230) @ Vancouver Canucks (+190)The ice has been tilted the entire series, and it's nothing short of a miracle the series is still going. The Knights have bossed play from opening puck drop in Game 1, controlling 64.7% of the expected goal share at five-on-five and 61.1% at all strengths.For Vegas, the frustration of a stunning Game 5 loss - despite out-shooting the Canucks 43-17 and out-chancing them 39-15 - will have been brewing for the past two days and will come to a head in Game 6.The last thing Vegas needs is a Game 7, where all sense and logic are out the window and anything can happen - especially if Jacob Markstrom returns. Thatcher Demko put in a heck of a performance Tuesday, to put it lightly, but we're about to see the Knights' best effort. The Canucks can only hope to limit the damage with this team firing on all cylinders.Pick: Knights -1.5 (+120)Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins blue-liner Torey Krug is after long-term security this offseason, saying Thursday that he's against the idea of signing a one-year contract as he enters unrestricted free agency."I'm very opposed to that," Krug said, according to Matt Porter of the Boston Globe. "I've bet on myself and I've taken shorter-term deals and less amount of money my whole career now, so this is my time in terms of my value at its peak."Krug, 29, signed a four-year, $21-million contract with the Bruins in 2016. His $5.25-million cap hit was well under market value considering his offensive abilities from the back end, and he's one of the top defensemen set to hit free agency.The Bruins have over $15 million in projected cap space next season, according to CapFriendly. Jake DeBrusk and Matt Grzelcyk are in need of new contracts as restricted free agents, while captain and UFA Zdeno Chara confirmed Thursday that he wants to return for a 23rd NHL campaign.Krug said in April, in the midst of the NHL's coronavirus-induced pause, that he hoped he hadn't played his last game with the Bruins. In mid-July, before Boston returned to the ice, the defenseman admitted he'd probably have to prepare to enter free agency.Krug joined the Bruins for his first full season in 2013-14. Since then, he ranks seventh among all defensemen with 335 points in 520 contests while averaging over 20 minutes per night.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

All signs point toward Zdeno Chara returning to the Boston Bruins for the 2020-21 campaign.The towering 43-year-old blue-liner conducted his season-ending press conference Thursday, and as a pending unrestricted free agent, was asked what his future holds."I feel strong physically," Chara said, per NBC Boston's Joe Haggerty. "I'm positive and feel like I can still play and contribute to this team. I want to be a Boston Bruin. That hasn’t changed."Chara added what comes next is up to management and his agent, but he appears fully committed to returning for a 23rd NHL season.In an Instagram post Thursday thanking Bruins' fans for their support this season, part of Chara's caption read: "See you next season, hopefully with a full stadium of passionate Boston Bruins fans cheering us on."Chara is currently 15th on the all-time games played list, but he isn't interested in chasing individual accolades. His focus is solely on helping Boston win."My dreams are not reaching stats. My dream is to compete and be in the ice in crucial situations and defend when it matters," Chara said, according to Michael Hurley of CBS Boston.Chara has signed a one-year contract in each of the past two offseasons, with his most recent deal paying him $2 million. The Bruins have over $15 million in projected cap space next season, according to Cap Friendly. However, Torey Krug is a UFA, while Jake DeBrusk and Matt Grzelcyk are both in need of a new contract as RFA's.Chara signed with the Bruins for the 2006-07 season and has suited up in over 1,000 games for the club. He's a five-time All-Star since joining Boston, while also capturing a Norris Trophy and Stanley Cup. This past season, he notched 14 points in 68 games while averaging over 21 minutes per contest.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Long before he lifted the Stanley Cup as head coach of the Washington Capitals, Barry Trotz won his first pro championship one rung down in the organization. In 1994, the AHL's Portland Pirates teemed with skill. Future Vezina Trophy goalie Olaf Kolzig manned the crease. Trotz's roster was so crowded with past and budding NHLers - Brian Curran, Ken Klee, Jason Woolley, Jason Allison - that prized 20-year-olds Sergei Gonchar and Andrew Brunette only dressed for two playoff games apiece.Barely older than some of his players at 31, Trotz was already an adept counterpuncher behind the bench, said Paul Gardner, Trotz's assistant coach in Portland and later with the expansion Nashville Predators. Trotz had a knack for processing how to negate what the opponent set out to do and moving swiftly to act. This aligned with the priority Trotz preached to his team: the need for five skaters to commit to defending in unison.The approach was Calder Cup-caliber. Its proponent has since become the fourth-winningest coach in NHL history."Let's play defense, boys, and the other end will take care of itself," Gardner said, summarizing the foundation of Trotz's philosophy. "We had a lot of talent, but we made it a team game." Elsa / Getty ImagesIn his finest NHL seasons, Trotz has leveraged this focus on the collective to great effect, elevating the fortunes of scrappy Predators teams and guiding Alex Ovechkin's mighty Capitals to that elusive title in 2018. His current club is a different beast entirely. Depending on how you rate Mathew Barzal, the New York Islanders either have one star or none, but the difference is trivial. The Isles are a monolith, chock full of unacclaimed players who chip in for the cause and who, by trusting and executing Trotz's system, have made New York the breakout team of this postseason.Losing Game 5 in overtime to the Philadelphia Flyers dented the Islanders' sparkling record in the Toronto bubble, but hardly. Ostensibly the underdog in matchups with the Capitals and Philly, they've won 10 of 14 playoff games on the strength of a 46-26 goal differential. New York's outscored those opponents and the Florida Panthers 30-16 at five-on-five. The results evince dominance, not unsustainable overachievement or luck.The Isles haven't looked the part of a Cup contender in 27 years, dating to the franchise's most recent appearance in a conference final. (Shoutout to David Volek.) Their next shot to oust the Flyers and join the Tampa Bay Lightning in Round 3 comes Thursday night in Game 6. Winning is the road out of the wilderness. It's characteristic of Trotz that his group has charted this course together."When you get contributions right through the whole lineup and you can contribute as a bottom-six forward or a top-six forward or a D-man, I think it goes into the Islander concept," Trotz told reporters recently. Chase Agnello-Dean / NHL / Getty Images"Barry makes you feel like you're part of a family," said Brent Peterson, Trotz's assistant coach with the Predators from 1998 to 2011. "He builds such a good culture around his team. He's done it in three places. We had to redo it about three times (in Nashville). Then he did it in Washington and now he's done it there.""He's very confident in how he wants the guys to play," Peterson added. "They listen to him and they go play that way. That's why they've been successful this year. They're the best 'team' team (in the playoffs), I think."It's hard to rebut Peterson's assessment when New York's defensive structure clicks. At their best, the Islanders hound opposing blue-liners with a high, pesky two-man forecheck, behind which the supporting forward and defense pair congest center ice with active sticks. When hemmed in the defensive zone, the Isles retreat into a shell formation to inhibit the quality of the shots that reach goaltender Semyon Varlamov. Forced turnovers spur rapid counterattacks, and the members of Trotz's mobile, balanced defense corps are empowered to join the rush.The method isn't infallible. Adam Pelech's futile pinch late in the second period of Game 5 led to an odd-man rush and a Philadelphia goal. The Flyers also scored on an offensive-zone steal and two deflected point shots. Big picture, though, New York's 4-3 defeat was an outlying blip in a month's worth of commanding performances.Consider the Philly series on the whole. Before Claude Giroux, Scott Laughton, and James van Riemsdyk finally scored goals in Game 5, the Islanders had kept each of those forwards, as well as Travis Konecny, Jakub Voracek, and Joel Farabee, from scoring. New York has also gotten to Carter Hart, whose save percentage in the matchup is .902. The Isles own just 45.7% of shot attempts at five-on-five but have conjured 58.0% of high-danger chances in the series, according to Natural Stat Trick, a sign that the rope-a-dope strategy is working as intended. Mark Blinch / Getty ImagesThe Isles are scoring a half-goal more per game in the playoffs than in the regular season (3.29 to 2.78), and credit can be spread around. Josh Bailey's 13 assists put him in the company of Nathan MacKinnon. Anthony Beauvillier, Jean-Gabriel Pageau, Brock Nelson, Anders Lee, and Barzal have combined to net 30 goals, 24 of which have come at even strength. Among defensemen who've logged more than 100 minutes, Pelech and top-pair partner Ryan Pulock each rank in the top 10 league-wide in expected-goals percentage. It helps that Varlamov's save percentage is .929 and .943 at even strength."He won nine games in a row for me when I went over to Russia," Gardner said of his stint coaching Varlamov's KHL team in 2007, when the goalie was 18. "They thought I could walk on water. He was a big part of it, trust me."Minus Varlamov, this entire Islanders core was around for Doug Weight's firing and Trotz's hiring in 2018 following a season in which New York conceded the most goals in the league and missed the playoffs by 17 points. The reversal of fortunes was immediate. The Islanders recorded 103 points and finished second in the Metropolitan Division last season. They were on track for 96 points had the full schedule been played this year.Including those squads, Trotz's clubs have finished inside the top 10 in the NHL in goals against in nine of 15 seasons since the 2004-05 lockout. It's no coincidence that Trotz has won the Jack Adams Award twice and sits a hot streak back of Ken Hitchcock in career regular-season victories.RankCoachGPWinsPTS%1Scotty Bowman21411244.6572Joel Quenneville*1705925.6083Ken Hitchcock1598849.5994Barry Trotz*1674845.5685Al Arbour1607782.5646Lindy Ruff*1493736.5617Paul Maurice*1600732.5278Mike Babcock1301700.6089Dick Irvin1449692.55710Alain Vigneault*1285689.591* denotes current NHL head coach. Stats source: Hockey Reference.To Peterson, Trotz brings to the table "the whole spectrum of everything you need as a head coach." He delegates to his assistants, motivates a locker room, and communicates instructions and feedback frankly without berating players. He treats people well - Peterson remembers Trotz buying gifts for his players' newborns and never failing to acknowledge a birthday - and has demonstrated he can get the most out of any kind of skater, from grinders to the likes of Shea Weber, Ovechkin, and the dynamic Barzal.Players have commended Trotz for imparting expectations and his game plans clearly and consistently. "There's predictability in our game, which makes it a lot easier for us out there," Pelech told reporters during the Flyers series.Beyond his fondness for team play, Trotz is a stickler for individual effort and attention to detail, Peterson said, down to where a player positions his stick when he defends an oncoming puck carrier."You should have your body in one lane and your stick in another lane and then you can block a (pass or) shot," Peterson said. "He teaches you little things that nobody sees." Elsa / Getty ImagesThe playoffs were Trotz's kryptonite for the longest time, the 1994 Calder Cup triumph notwithstanding. His teams' points percentage has eclipsed .600 in 10 of 15 seasons since the '05 lockout, but that track record didn't translate to a series victory until 2011 - his 12th year in Nashville and Peterson's last alongside him on the bench - nor lead him past the second round until 2018. One more win would make him a conference finalist again, a gratifying prospect for the coaches who witnessed his rise from the beginning.If the Flyers can be quelled, the task ahead would be onerous: facing a Tampa Bay team in the midst of atoning for getting swept in the first round by the Columbus Blue Jackets last year. The Lightning's control of the proceedings has been authoritative: They bounced Columbus and the Boston Bruins in five games apiece and have lost a mere three times in the bubble. No player has tallied more points at even strength than Brayden Point (16), and Andrei Vasilevskiy's .931 save percentage is tops among all starting goalies.The 2018-19 Blue Jackets, of course, showed that stingy clubs can slow Tampa's roll, and the Islanders seem capable of scoring with anyone right now - especially in third periods, during which their playoff goal differential is 21-6. Another demarcation point has proved telling: Across the whole postseason, the Isles have invariably won when they've allowed two goals or fewer and have lost each time they've surrendered three or more.It's fitting, really. How could a Trotz team thrive if it doesn't neutralize the opponent?"That's been his key. We're going to play aggressive in the offensive zone when we get the chance, but if you don't play defense, you don't play," Gardner said. "It's easier with his reputation now. If you go to the Islanders, you know you've got to play defense. Barry doesn't have to walk up to you and say that."Nick Faris is a features writer at theScore.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

St. Louis Blues general manager Doug Armstrong began creating cap space to re-sign captain Alex Pietrangelo by trading goaltender Jake Allen - and his $4.35-million cap hit - to the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday.There's still more work to be done, though.Even after dealing Allen, the Blues hold just $6.4 million in projected cap space, according to CapFriendly, which doesn't include RFA Vince Dunn's estimated raise. As the top pending UFA defenseman, Pietrangelo could command upward of $8 million annually.One more player needs to go if Pietrangelo is to return. Armstrong could go 10% over the $81.5-million salary cap with Vladimir Tarasenko projected to begin the season on the injured reserve, but that would just delay the inevitable.The Blues would surely love to ship off Alexander Steen and the final year of his contract with its $5.75-million cap hit, but he holds a full no-trade clause. Only bottom-feeding teams would likely be interested while trying to reach the cap floor. And at 36 years old, if Steen approves any trade, it would surely need to involve a contender. Buying him out likely isn't worth it, either.Justin Faulk is probably immovable, too. He's the player Armstrong acquired and extended to create this dilemma, and Faulk is coming off a rough year while owed $45.5 million over the next seven campaigns.If Pietrangelo is indeed re-signed, one of these four players are prime candidates to be dealt to create the necessary cap space:Colton Parayko Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyContract: $5.5M AAV through 2021-22There would be no shortage of suitors for Parayko, as the 6-foot-6 stalwart is one of the NHL's best shutdown defensemen. He was on pace for career highs offensively in 2019-20, too, racking up 10 goals and 28 points in 64 games before the season suspension. He's also just 27 years old.With Faulk already in the fold, though, re-signing Pietrangelo would give St. Louis two high-priced right-handed defensemen inked long-term. Re-signing a third in Parayko when his contract expires seems like a luxury the Blues can't afford. Trading him now is sensible, and Armstrong would certainly get a haul in return.Trade likeliness: ★★★★☆Tyler Bozak Joe Puetz / National Hockey League / GettyContract: $5M AAV through 2020-21Dealing Bozak would be much more difficult than moving Parayko. Of course, he doesn't possess the same value, and the 34-year-old also carries a 10-team no-trade list in his contract. If he's smart, Bozak will put center-needy clubs like the Winnipeg Jets or Florida Panthers on that list.If Armstrong can find a trade for Bozak, moving him would be a no-brainer since, unlike Parayko, there are easy internal replacement options for the veteran pivot. Robert Thomas has shown he could move to the middle on a full-time basis, and Zach Sanford, Oskar Sundqvist, Sammy Blais, and Ivan Barbashev should all be capable of logging more minutes.Trade likeliness: ★★★★☆Jaden Schwartz Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyContract: $5.35M AAV through 2020-21Schwartz seems more likely to be re-signed than traded, especially with Tarasenko probably out to begin the 2020-21 campaign. But Schwartz will also be up for a new contract during the same offseason as Thomas and due for a significant raise. If Armstrong is adamant about keeping Parayko and can't find a deal for Bozak, Schwartz could be the one to go.The 28-year-old is coming off a productive bounce-back season when he tallied 22 goals and 57 points in 71 games. He's an important member of the Blues, but Armstrong could also fetch a strong return for the winger. Schwartz likely won't be traded, but it can't be ruled out.Trade likeliness: ★★☆☆☆David Perron Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyContract: $4M AAV through 2021-22Armstrong has traded Perron before (in 2013). Would he do it again?A move doesn't seem probable based on Perron's modest cap hit and the fact he's signed for two more years. He's also just produced the three best seasons of his career. It could, however, be the best time to sell high on an asset, as Perron's trade value will likely never be higher. Still, a deal probably won't happen with St. Louis in win-now mode.Trade likeliness: ★☆☆☆☆Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar and Vancouver Canucks blue-liner Quinn Hughes spent the regular season dueling it out in the Calder Trophy race, and now the two are battling for a spot in the postseason record book.Makar set the NHL record for the most single-postseason points from a rookie defenseman on Wednesday, according to NHL Public Relations.

Nathan MacKinnon notched a goal and an assist as the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Dallas Stars 4-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series Wednesday night to stave off elimination and force Game 7.Avalanche goaltender Michael Hutchinson bounced back after allowing a soft goal early in the contest. The 30-year-old stopped 27 of the 28 shots he faced and earned his second straight playoff victory in only the netminder's second career postseason start.Nikita Zadorov, Cale Makar, and Mikko Rantanen also scored for Colorado. Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog left with an apparent leg injury late in the second period, but he returned for one shift in the third.Miro Heiskanen opened the scoring with the Stars' lone tally less than three minutes into the game.Game 7 is scheduled for Friday at a start time to be determined.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Montreal Canadiens acquired netminder Jake Allen and a seventh-round pick in 2022 in exchange for a third-round selection and a seventh-rounder in 2020, the team announced Wednesday.Allen, 30, has one year remaining on his current deal, which carries a $4.35-million cap hit, and will become an unrestricted free agent following the 2020-21 campaign.The move frees up more cap room for the Blues this offseason with captain Alex Pietrangelo set to become an unrestricted free agent and Vince Dunn heading toward restricted free agency. St. Louis now has $6.39 million in projected space next season, according to CapFriendly.Allen enjoyed a bounce-back campaign in 2019-20, posting a career-best 2.15 goals-against average and .927 save percentage over 24 appearances.With Allen in the fold, 33-year-old Carey Price should be afforded more rest next season after making a league-leading 58 starts in 2019-20.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Florida Panthers hired Bill Zito to serve as the 11th general manager in franchise history, the team announced Wednesday.Zito's contract is for five years, Panthers president and CEO Matthew Caldwell confirmed, per NHL.com's Jameson Olive."We are thrilled to welcome Bill Zito as general manager of the Florida Panthers," Panthers owner Vincent Viola said. "Bill is an excellent mind in our game today who proved during his time with the Columbus Blue Jackets that he possesses great prowess for evaluating talent and building success. He brings great experience to our club and possesses a strong business acumen."Zito is a former player agent who served as the senior vice president of hockey operations and as an associate general manager with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He also previously served as general manager of the team's AHL affiliate.The Panthers parted ways with previous general manager Dale Tallon shortly after Florida was eliminated from the 2019-20 postseason. Tallon was with the team for the last decade.Zito was general manager of the U.S. team at the 2018 World Championship, where the squad finished in third place. He also helped guide the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters (now the Cleveland Monsters) to a Calder Cup victory in 2016.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Dallas Stars are going back to Anton Khudobin as they once again seek to eliminate the Colorado Avalanche.The Stars' backup goaltender is starting Game 6, the club confirmed before puck drop. Ben Bishop is unfit to play, the team announced, according to Stars senior staff writer Mike Heika.Jake Oettinger, a rookie, is serving as the club's No. 2 netminder Wednesday night, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.Bishop, who was Dallas' No. 1 goalie during the regular season, has been out for most of the playoffs. He returned from injury for Game 5 on Monday but allowed four goals on 19 shots before Khudobin replaced him in Colorado's 6-3 win.It was Bishop's first start since Game 2 of the Stars' first-round series against the Calgary Flames, when he gave up four goals on 26 shots in a 5-4 victory.Khudobin has gone 7-4 with a .911 save percentage in 12 postseason games since the restart.Meanwhile, Michael Hutchinson is starting his second straight game for the Avalanche. The 30-year-old stopped 31 of the 34 shots he faced in Game 5 while starting his first career postseason contest.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

David Pastrnak wasn't fully healthy for the duration of the NHL's restart."(He) had a lower-body injury that he played through for the entire playoffs," Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy told reporters on Wednesday, including NBC Sports Boston's Joe Haggerty.Cassidy added that Pastrnak and Ondrej Kase fell behind because they missed most of training camp upon returning to North America from the Czech Republic."You could see (Pastrnak) wasn’t at top speed," the bench boss said. "Obviously missing time, him and Kase, their conditioning level wasn't where it needed to be to stand the rigors of (the postseason). That was a bit of circumstance. Typically you have a whole year to build that up and we didn’t have that luxury this year."Pastrnak and Kase were both forced to quarantine upon landing in Boston in July. Pastrnak's agent said at the time his client came in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, though the Bruins superstar did not test positive himself.The duo eventually joined their team in Toronto for postseason play. Pastrnak suited up for all three round-robin games, followed by Game 1 of Boston's series against the Carolina Hurricanes. However, he missed the next three contests before returning for Game 5. Pastrnak then appeared in all five second-round games against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Despite the injury, the 24-year-old contributed three goals and 10 points in 10 postseason contests.Pastrnak tied Alex Ovechkin for the league lead with 48 markers during the regular season. They'll share the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy despite the fact Ovechkin accomplished the feat in two fewer games played.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears Justin Schultz's days with the Pittsburgh Penguins have come to an end.The 30-year-old rearguard is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, and Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford said he won't be a part of the club's future."We’ll move on from Justin," Rutherford said Monday, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Mike Defabo. "He’s going to do better in the marketplace than what he can do here, based on our cap situation."Schultz was the second-highest paid blue-liner on the Penguins last season with a cap hit of $5.5 million. Pittsburgh has $9.17 million in projected cap space next season, but has several restricted free agents in need of a new deal, including netminders Matt Murray and Tristan Jarry. However, Rutherford said in August there's a "very, very good chance" one of the goaltenders will be traded.Schultz captured back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Penguins (2016, 2017) and notched a career-best 12 goals and 51 points during the latter campaign.The British Columbia native tallied three goals and 12 points while logging 19:53 of average ice time over 46 games this season.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Islanders head coach Barry Trotz has "moderate" concern regarding Mathew Barzal's availability for the club's potential series-clinching contest Thursday, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti."I think everything is trending in the right direction right now. Hopefully by tomorrow we'll have more specifics," Trotz said.The blue-chip pivot exited Game 5 on Tuesday after taking an inadvertent stick up high from Flyers captain Claude Giroux late in the third period and did not return.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.If you stuck with the under despite the Jacob Markstrom injury, congrats on 8-0. I passed, which, in hindsight, is frustrating. The Flyers cashed as my lone bet Tuesday night as we extended this winning run to 7-0 dating back to Saturday.I'm forgetting what it feels like to lose a bet, and here's hoping we're not reminded anytime soon.Colorado Avalanche (-125) @ Dallas Stars (+105)Nothing's confirmed regarding which goalies will start, but it's hard to envision anyone other than Anton Khudobin between the pipes for the Stars. Ben Bishop returned to the Dallas net Monday following an 18-day absence and was nothing short of horrific, getting pulled after 13:43 and allowing four goals on 19 shots. It's hard to blame Bishop entirely for the loss seeing as the Stars didn't show up for the first period, but how do you not go back to Khudobin after that?The Avalanche have more of a dilemma. Pavel Francouz has struggled in relief of the injured Philipp Grubauer and was unfit to play in Game 5, with Michael Hutchinson starting in his place. Hutchinson was solid, not spectacular, but he didn't have to be great with Colorado jumping out to a 5-0 lead before Dallas could muster five shots on goal. Even if Francouz is able to play, his performance in this series suggests Hutchinson will get the start regardless.That's problematic for the Avalanche, who will need another flawless effort in front of him to prolong this series. Hutchinson channeled the adrenaline of the occasion to help Colorado to victory in Game 5, but starting a game on short notice requires a very different mentality than sitting and thinking about a start for a couple of days. A lot more pressure comes with the latter, and with the Avalanche on the brink of elimination, that's a huge burden to place on Hutchinson's shoulders.This is a guy who started 13 games this season and allowed four or more goals in eight of them. His .888 save percentage and 3.43 goals-against average in the regular season is cause for concern against a Stars team that hasn't stopped scoring following a sluggish start in the bubble. Dallas is firing on all cylinders right now and we will see its best effort of the series tonight in an attempt to avoid Game 7.Pick: Stars (+105)(Odds source: theScore Bet)Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Todd Reirden has found a new home just 10 days after being dismissed as head coach of the Washington Capitals.The Pittsburgh Penguins hired Reirden and Mike Vellucci as assistant coaches on Wednesday, the team announced.Reirden was let go after two seasons as the Capitals' bench boss following the club's qualifying-round loss to the New York Islanders in August. He spent the previous four campaigns as the team's assistant coach and helped capture the Stanley Cup in 2018.The hiring marks Reirden's second stint in Pittsburgh, as the 49-year-old served as an assistant coach from 2010-14.Vellucci served as head coach and general manager for the Penguins' farm club in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season. He led the AHL's Charlotte Checkers to a Calder Cup championship as head coach in 2018-19.The Penguins parted ways with former assistant coaches Mark Recchi, Sergei Gonchar, and Jacques Martin in August.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Arizona Coyotes will make another pitch to Taylor Hall on Wednesday to keep the star forward off the free-agent market, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.Hall, 28, is set to become an unrestricted free agent when the NHL offseason begins and would be one of the most prized commodities on the open market. The Coyotes acquired Hall in a trade with the New Jersey Devils in December.The 2018 Hart Trophy winner said in May he is seeking a long-term contract despite next year's salary cap remaining flat at $81.5 million due to the coronavirus pandemic.Coming off just his second playoff appearance in 10 NHL seasons, Hall also emphasized that winning is the prevailing factor when it comes to choosing where to sign.The dynamic winger reportedly had a meeting with Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo, his son Alex Jr., and team president and CEO Xavier Gutierrez in July.The Coyotes promoted Steve Sullivan to interim general manager after former GM John Chayka terminated his contract with the club over the summer.Hall recorded 16 goals and 52 points over 65 games between the Devils and Coyotes this season and added six points in nine playoff contests with Arizona.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks avoided elimination on Tuesday with their 2-1 victory in Game 5 against the Vegas Golden Knights.Despite being outshot 43-17, the Canucks held on for the win on the back of Thatcher Demko's incredible playoff debut. He's the first rookie goaltender since Jose Theodore in 1997 to win his NHL playoff debut when facing elimination, according to Sportsnet Stats."You never know what’s going to happen, so I’ve just been working in practice and been staying mentally sharp in case I was called upon," Demko said. "This is what I’ve wanted to be a part of since I was a kid. This is super special and I want to help the team any way I can."Vancouver didn't do Demko many favors early, taking over 10 minutes in the opening frame to record its first shot on goal. Vegas outshot Vancouver 10-6 while registering four high-danger scoring chances to the Canucks' one, but the game remained without a goal after the first period.Vegas held the puck and maintained the pressure for much of the second stanza, too. Demko made several key saves, helping to keep Vegas off the board for as long as he could while Vancouver failed to record a shot on goal for the first 12:28 of the period.The Golden Knights finally scored with under five minutes remaining in the second when Shea Theodore weaved his way through the offensive zone. However, seconds later Brock Boeser tipped one past Robin Lehner to tie the game."They didn't have many shots but they had some chances," Lehner said, according to NHL.com's Danny Webster. "It would've been nice to come up with the save (on Boeser) and go into the third up 1-0. We've just got to look at the next one."Despite the equal score through two, Vegas dominated in every facet of the game. At all strengths, the Golden Knights held a 66.67 Corsi For percentage while outshooting Vancouver 28-10.Elias Pettersson tipped another shot past Lehner just minutes into the third, and Vancouver held on for the rest of the game. Demko finished with 42 saves, while Lehner stopped 15 of the 17 he faced.Game 6 takes place Thursday at 9:45 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks goaltender Thatcher Demko is between the pipes with his team's season on the line in Game 5 against the Vegas Golden Knights, the team announced.Louis Domingue is the dressed backup, making Jacob Markstrom unavailable for the contest.It marks the first career playoff start for Demko. The 24-year-old hasn't seen meaningful game action since March 10, outside of a brief relief appearance in Game 1 of the series.Demko posted a .905 save percentage and a 3.06 goals-against average in 27 games during the regular season. The San Diego, California native was chosen 36th overall at the 2014 draft.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Welcome to the heater, folks. Yet another perfect night extends our winning run to 6-0 and I never want to lose again.How about we turn 6-0 into 8-0 tonight?New York Islanders (-130) @ Philadelphia Flyers (+110)The Flyers' decision to start Brian Elliott in Game 4 was baffling. You're seriously telling me a 22-year-old Carter Hart can't start back-to-back games with no travel in between? Alain Vigneault's move was puzzling, to say the least, and it cost Philadelphia dearly.It's a shame, too, because the Flyers had one of their best efforts of the series in Game 4. They were especially dangerous in the second period, generating seven high-danger scoring chances while holding the Islanders to zero. They outchanced them all game at five-on-five. Yet Philadelphia got caught with the contest tied 1-1 in the third period. Jean-Gabriel Pageau snuck behind the defense, Elliott let in a goal he shouldn't have, and the rest is history. The Isles took the lead and never looked back.On the brink of elimination, expect a spirited response from Philadelphia, led by Hart. The young netminder has a point to prove after sitting Game 4 and will do his part to give the Flyers - who finally showed signs of life at five-on-five Sunday night - a chance to extend this series.Pick: Flyers (+110)Vancouver Canucks (+190) @ Vegas Golden Knights (-230)Any hope the Canucks have of forcing Game 6 hinges on Jacob Markstrom. Vancouver was right in Game 4 up until a third-period collapse, but the contest would have been over long before that had the goaltenders been reversed.Markstrom's excellent performance, coupled with an inconsistent Marc-Andre Fleury outing, kept things close despite another dominant display from the Knights, who have been the vastly superior team all series. Now, Robin Lehner will be back in for Game 5 as Vegas looks to close things out. Lehner's got sensational career numbers against the Canucks and he's already blanked them twice in this series.Look for the Knights to again control the pace and balance of play, with Markstrom doing his best to keep the Canucks' playoff hopes alive in a tight elimination game.UPDATE: With Markstrom's status in question, Thatcher Demko is in line to possibly start Game 5 for the Canucks. Demko's last start was on March 10 and he's played just 8:26 in the bubble. If Markstrom starts the under is still in play, but with Demko in there's no bet on this game.Pick: Under 6 (-110)Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault is challenging his veteran players to lead the club's pursuit of erasing a 3-1 series deficit against the New York Islanders."When I look at this group, and I think of G (Claude Giroux) and I think of JVR (James van Riemsdyk), they were both there back that year, I think it was 2010, when the Flyers were down 3-0 and they came back," Vigneault told reporters Tuesday."At that time, they were the Joel Farabees, and the TKs (Travis Konecny), and the Provys (Ivan Provorov), etc, (Philippe) Myers, the kids that we have. (Giroux and Van Riemsdyk) definitely found a way to contribute. Now it's their turn to put the big boy pants on."Flyers captain Giroux and winger Konecny, who led the team in regular-season scoring, are each looking for their first goal of the postseason. Vigneault called out his top talents after losing Game 3 but said Tuesday that their absence on the scoresheet isn't due to a lack of effort."I'm not at all questioning their will and I'm not at all questioning their work ethic on the ice," he said. "They have to find a way to come through."We have no choice. We have to start tonight. I think this is a great opportunity for those guys to step to the forefront, grab this opportunity, and go out there ... let's start by winning this game."Vigneault himself is no stranger to playoff comebacks. He helped the New York Rangers erase 3-1 series deficits as their head coach in 2014 and 2015.The Flyers will look to extend their series in Game 5 on Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby underwent successful arthroscopic wrist surgery Monday, the team announced Tuesday. He is expected to recover in three-to-four weeks.Crosby, 33, tallied two goals and three points while averaging 20:46 of ice time over four contests during the club's qualifying-round loss to the Montreal Canadiens.Penguins costar Evgeni Malkin had left elbow surgery in mid-August and was also given a three-to-four week timeline for his recovery.Crosby missed 41 games during the regular season after undergoing core muscle surgery in November. The Penguins captain still managed to contribute 16 goals and 47 points despite missing half the campaign.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins lost their series to the Tampa Bay Lightning after a 3-2 defeat in double overtime on Monday, and forward David Krejci took the loss to heart, knowing the end of an era could be near."It just hit me after the game," an emotional Krejci said with his head bowed down, according to the Boston Globe's Matt Porter. "... The core group, we have one or two or three years left.""It's just kind of a little sad (right) now," he added.Krejci is 34 years old and scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent after next season. Fellow forwards Patrice Bergeron (35) and Brad Marchand (32) are also aging."You never know how many opportunities you'll have to win a Cup," Marchand said.Boston's blue line might look much different as early as next season. Torey Krug is a pending unrestricted free agent. As is Zdeno Chara, who could retire at 43 years old."I haven't made that decision," Chara said. "I just finished the game. I'm going to be open-minded."Krejci, Bergeron, Marchand, and Chara were all members of the Bruins' 2011 Stanley Cup-winning team, and the 2013 and 2019 squads that lost in the finals.However, there's still plenty of youth on Boston's roster. The best years are likely ahead for Charlie McAvoy (22), Brandon Carlo (23), Jake DeBrusk (23), and David Pastrnak (24).Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nathan MacKinnon has been on a mission this postseason.With his first-period goal on Monday night against the Dallas Stars, the Colorado Avalanche superstar extended his point streak to 13 games to open the playoffs, putting him in some elite company.Only three players in NHL history have put together longer point streaks to begin a postseason, and all of them are in the Hall of Fame, according to NHL Public Relations.PlayerYearStreakBryan Trottier198118 GPMark Messier198814 GPBobby Orr197014 GPMacKinnon is also the first player to start the playoffs with a 13-game point streak since Messier did so in 1994, according to Sportsnet.The 24-year-old entered Monday with an NHL-leading 21 playoff points - four more than second-place Elias Pettersson.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins defenseman Charlie McAvoy was helped off the ice in Monday's Game 5 against the Tampa Bay Lightning after being drilled from behind by Cedric Paquette.McAvoy appeared to be shaken up but returned later in the period.

Both the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars are shaking things up in goal for Game 5 on Monday night.Michael Hutchinson will start for the Avs with their season on the line, while Ben Bishop will return to the crease for the first time since Game 2 of Dallas' first-round series versus the Calgary Flames.Hutchinson relieved Pavel Francouz - who was deemed unfit to play Monday - in Game 4 but hasn't started a game since March 2. Hunter Miska will serve as the backup.Colorado's usual starter, Philipp Grubauer, was injured in Game 1 versus the Stars and has no timeline on a potential return.Hutchinson began his 2019-20 season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, posting an .888 save percentage in 16 appearances. He got a win in his only start after joining the Avalanche at the trade deadline, and Game 5 will be his first-ever playoff start.Dallas holds a 3-1 series lead and can advance to the Western Conference Final for the first time since 2007-08 with a victory.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning superstar Nikita Kucherov didn't come out for the third period of Monday's Game 5 versus the Boston Bruins.Kucherov was high-sticked by Zdeno Chara in the opening frame.

The Florida Panthers interviewed St. Louis Blues assistant general manager Bill Armstrong twice for their GM vacancy, sources told The Athletic's Jeremy Rutherford.Armstrong has also served as St. Louis' director of amateur scouting since 2010-11. He's not related to Blues GM Doug Armstrong.The Blues have made some astute draft selections over the last decade despite never owning a top-10 pick. Among the best are Jaden Schwartz (14th overall) and Vladimir Tarasenko (16th) in 2010, Jordan Binnington (88th, 2011), Colton Parayko (86th, 2012), Sammy Blais (176th, 2014), Vince Dunn (56th, 2015), and Robert Thomas (20th, 2017).Rutherford notes Florida has considered numerous candidates for the position, including Scott Mellanby, Chris MacFarland, Mike Futa, Laurence Gilman, Bill Zito, Ron Hextall, Eddie Olczyk, Kevin Weekes, and Sean Burke.The Panthers fired Dale Tallon as their GM on Aug. 10 after the club's qualifying-round loss to the New York Islanders. Tallon is under investigation for potentially using a racial slur while with the team in the Toronto bubble.Florida has made the playoffs just twice in the last 19 seasons.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Ryan McDonagh is in the lineup for Game 5 against the Boston Bruins after missing three contests with an undisclosed injury, the team announced.The Lightning opted to go with seven defensemen in the contest.McDonagh recorded 12 regular-season points in 50 games, and he's added three assists in nine playoff matchups. He leads all Lightning players in average postseason time on ice, and only Victor Hedman averaged more regular-season minutes.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs surprised the hockey world Tuesday by trading Kasperi Kapanen to the Pittsburgh Penguins in a six-player deal that netted them a 2020 first-round pick. The move itself wasn't entirely shocking, but the timing of it - in the midst of the Stanley Cup Playoffs - certainly was.Maple Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas has a busy offseason ahead of him, so it was important to handle any business involving Kapanen sooner rather than later. He spent most of his first full offseason last summer trying to shed Patrick Marleau and Nikita Zaitsev's contracts and negotiate a new deal for Mitch Marner.Now, Dubas has a full offseason to leave his fingerprints on the team, and more flexibility to do so after the Kapanen trade. Here are four questions the Maple Leafs will need to answer this offseason:Will the 'Core-4' remain intact? Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyMany believe a team can't function properly in a salary-cap league if it's paying four players more than a combined $40 million. However, it seems unlikely that Toronto parts ways with one of Marner, Auston Matthews, John Tavares, or William Nylander.Only Marner and Nylander are even remotely possible, and only if either is moved for an elite defenseman. It would be tough to find a suitable partner that can take Marner's $10.893-million cap hit and give up a cornerstone defenseman, and Nylander likely doesn't have enough trade value to net an elite blue-liner.Prediction: All four players remain in Toronto.Will there be more cap casualties? Jared Silber / National Hockey League / GettyTrading Kapanen created $3.2 million in cap flexibility, but the Maple Leafs can still make more room by dealing another forward. Andreas Johnsson and Alexander Kerfoot are reportedly prime candidates.Johnsson, 25, is signed for three more seasons with an average annual value of $3.4 million, and he's just one year removed from a 20-goal campaign. The 26-year-old Kerfoot is locked in over the same length at a near-identical $3.5 million AAV. The latter may offer more value due to his ability to play center.It will be nearly impossible to land a legitimate top-four defenseman if Dubas decides to hang on to either Johnsson or Kerfoot. Toronto will still have less than $3.5 million to spend on a blue-liner if only one is traded, which won't be enough money for the type of player the Maple Leafs hope to attract.Prediction: Johnsson will be traded to the New Jersey Devils - who were reportedly interested in Kapanen - with a 2020 fourth-round pick for a 2020 third-round pick and 2021 third-rounder. Kerfoot will be traded to the Florida Panthers with a 2020 fourth-round selection - originally owned by the Vegas Golden Knights - for a 2020 second-rounder.How will they acquire a top-4 defenseman? Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyIt's possible the Maple Leafs explore a trade for a defenseman. The Minnesota Wild may be willing to part with a member of their defense corps in preparation for the Seattle expansion draft - perhaps Matt Dumba or Jonas Brodin - but the price would certainly be high. Such a move could require parting with a blue-chip prospect such as Rasmus Sandin, which is likely not something Dubas wants to do.Instead, the Maple Leafs could go the free-agency route, as prices may not be as high as projected before the COVID-19 pandemic. The flat salary cap will hamper the ability of many teams to sign players, and the loss of revenue could affect the spending by some smaller market clubs.There are plenty of intriguing players who could be available for the right price, including Dustin Byfuglien, T.J. Brodie, Chris Tanev, and Travis Hamonic - all of whom play the right side.Prediction: Maple Leafs sign Brodie - a player Dubas nearly acquired for Nazem Kadri - to a three-year, $15-million contract.Will there be a change in goal? Andre Ringuette/Freestyle Photo / Getty Images Sport / GettyFrederik Andersen has one year remaining on his contract before he hits unrestricted free agency. He's coming off his worst regular season with the Maple Leafs, though he did sport a .936 save percentage in five playoff games against the Columbus Blue Jackets. It was far from his fault that the team didn't advance, but he was outplayed in the crease for the fourth straight postseason.It's possible the Maple Leafs could move Andersen and sign a goalie in free agency for less than his $5-million cap hit. However, trade partners could be limited, as only contenders would be interested in Andersen since he's a rental, and most contending teams already have a goalie. The ones that don't would likely rather find one via free agency so they don't have to give up any players in return.Prediction: Andersen plays out the final year of his contract.The finished product Elsa / Getty Images Sport / GettyWe've made a 2020-21 lineup prediction upon answering the four questions. It includes a trio of bargain UFA additions to replace Kapanen and the hypothetical losses of Kerfoot and Johnsson. Here's a look at the roster, which comes in $341,467 under the $81.5-million salary cap, according to CapFriendly:Bold = projected acquisition

Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy believes goaltender Tuukka Rask's sudden departure from the Toronto bubble has played a role in his club's slump midway through the Stanley Cup Playoffs.Rask opted out of the postseason on Aug. 15 to tend to a family emergency, with backup Jaroslav Halak starting each game since."Listen, we've said it before: We support Tuukka's decision 100%," Cassidy said Monday, according to Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.He added: "It does affect you mentally and it affects how you sort of construct your lineup when you had those back-to-backs."Rask played in the round robin and two games during Boston's first-round series versus the Carolina Hurricanes. Halak has posted a 4-3 record with a .906 save percentage in the seven games since, and the Bruins face a 3-1 series deficit against the Tampa Bay Lightning with Game 5 scheduled for Monday night.Dan Vladar made his NHL debut in relief of Halak during a blowout loss in Game 4. Cassidy said the Bruins didn't expect to be dealing with such uncertainty between the pipes when they entered the postseason."It's a tough spot for him to go in," Cassidy said. "We saw that when he had to go in in the middle of a game. Then the mental part of it as a group, yeah, you get down. Do you believe you have all the pieces to win? You'd have to ask the players that. I always do."The Bruins were the NHL's No. 1 team in the regular season with Rask and Halak splitting starting duties.Rask has made 93 career postseason starts, owning a 51-42 record and a dominant .926 save percentage.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL has maintained a clean slate in each bubble for the sixth consecutive week.The league recorded zero positive COVID-19 tests among the 2,814 administered from Aug. 23 to 29.As per NHL protocol, the league completed daily testing for players and every other member of the teams' 52-person traveling groups.The second round of the postseason could conclude as early as Tuesday, at which point the two remaining Eastern Conference clubs will join the two surviving teams out west in the Edmonton bubble for the remainder of the playoffs.The NHL's streak of zero positive tests includes the week leading up to the restart when teams arrived at their respective hub cities.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers have added longtime NHL bench boss Jacques Martin to their staff as an assistant coach, the team announced Monday.Martin, 67, replaces Lindy Ruff, who was hired as head coach of the New Jersey Devils in July.The Ontario native has been with the Pittsburgh Penguins since 2013, serving as an assistant coach with the club over parts of the last five seasons. He helped Pittsburgh capture the Stanley Cup in both 2016 and 2017.Pittsburgh parted ways with Martin and fellow assistants Mark Recchi and Sergei Gonchar after the club's qualifying-round loss to the Montreal Canadiens earlier this month.Martin began his NHL coaching career as the St. Louis Blues' bench boss in 1986-87. He has since served as head coach for the Ottawa Senators (1995-2004), Florida Panthers (2006-08), and Canadiens (2010-12). Martin earned the Jack Adams Award as the league's top coach in 1998-99.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Another 2-0 day on Sunday closed out a perfect 4-0 weekend as we cruise toward the end of Round 2. Those series bets are looking quite nice, as well.Let's never lose again.Boston Bruins (-105) @ Tampa Bay Lightning (-125)You imagine a team as experienced as the Bruins will come out swinging when backed into a corner. But, they've provided little evidence to suggest that will be the case here. This veteran bunch has been thoroughly outplayed since the second period of Game 1 and, on the brink of elimination in Game 5, they look cooked.As good as Boston's top line is, it's asking a lot for them to shoulder this large of a burden. The Lightning's depth has overwhelmed the Bruins, who have been deprived of secondary scoring as a result. Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak have scored five of their team's eight goals in the series, and four of those eight have come on the power play. Scoring just four five-on-five goals through four games isn't a recipe for winning a series.The Lightning have been better in every aspect of this series, one which they are good value to finish off Monday night. Boston won Game 1 when these teams met in the 2018 playoffs before losing four straight, and all signs point to history repeating itself tonight.Pick: Lightning (-125)Dallas Stars (+115) @ Colorado Avalanche (-135)We cashed together on the Stars (+115) if you tailed yesterday, but I'm flipping the script Monday night. Dallas was coming off its best contest of the series in Game 3, and now the same can be argued regarding the Avalanche in Game 4 despite losing.It was the first time in this series the Avs truly had the better play at five-on-five, controlling an almost unbelievable 68.99% of the expected goal share and generating 14 high-danger scoring chances to Dallas' six. Colorado couldn't stay out of the box and its penalty kill struggled, allowing the Stars to strike three times on the power play.That wasn't the only issue for the Avalanche in a truly strange game. Cale Makar's error gifted the Stars the winning goal, but most detrimental was the Avs' awful start as they fell into a 3-0 hole after about 10 minutes. With their playoff lives hanging in the balance, expect a much different showing from the Avalanche right out of the gate to extend this series to a sixth game.Pick: Avalanche (-135)(Odds source: theScore Bet)Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vegas Golden Knights netminder Marc-Andre Fleury collected his 81st postseason victory on Sunday to pass Ken Dryden for sixth place on the all-time playoff wins list.Fleury, 35, made 28 saves in the 5-3 victory to help the Golden Knights take a commanding 3-1 series lead over the Vancouver Canucks.Here's where Fleury stacks up on the all-time playoff wins list:No.GoalieWins1Patrick Roy1512Martin Brodeur1133Grant Fuhr924Billy Smith885Ed Belfour886Marc-Andre Fleury81Fleury has appeared in 14 straight postseasons, the longest active streak across the four major sports leagues in North America. Pittsburgh Penguins stars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have seen their club make the playoffs in 14 straight years, but the duo did not suit up for the 2011 postseason due to injury.The 6-foot-2 netminder is looking to earn his fourth career Stanley Cup this year after winning three (2009, 2016, 2017) with the Penguins.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights will start goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury in net for Game 4 on Sunday against the Vancouver Canucks, the team announced. The game is the second half of a back-to-back, following Robin Lehner's shut out of the Canucks Saturday night.Fleury was the team's starting goaltender for the majority of the 2019-20 season before the team acquired Lehner at the trade deadline. Since the beginning of the postseason, Lehner has started nine games while Fleury has started two. This will be Fleury's first start since taking on the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 of the first round.Lehner has impressed during his starts, going 7-2-0 with a .921 save percentage and 2.08 goals-against average. Fleury won both of his appearances, compiling a .886 save percentage and 2.50 goals-against average.Earlier last week, Fleury's agent Allan Walsh showed his disdain over the fact Fleury isn't playing by tweeting out an image of a sword with Vegas head coach Peter DeBoer's name on it stabbing through Fleury's back.Both Fleury and Lehner downplayed the image's impact, ensuring they are focused on helping their team win a Stanley Cup.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes are interested in Toronto Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen, reports Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.However, Toronto won't move its starter unless an upgrade is available, and a strong group of free-agent goaltenders this offseason could factor into its decision, Friedman adds.It was reported earlier in August that the Leafs are exploring Andersen's trade market - along with those of other players - after they were eliminated by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the qualifying round this summer.Andersen has been the Leafs' No. 1 netminder since joining the club via trade from the Anaheim Ducks prior to the 2016-17 campaign. He's posted a .916 save percentage and 2.77 goals-against average in 244 appearances in Toronto, though he's coming off his worst season with the club, owning a .909 percentage in 52 games.The Hurricanes drafted Andersen in 2010, but he never signed and re-entered the draft two years later. The soon-to-be 31-year-old will enter the final year of his contract and carries a $5-million cap hit.Carolina ran with a tandem of Petr Mrazek and James Reimer in goal this past season, and the duo ranked 26th in the NHL with a combined .912 save percentage at even strength. Both netminders are under contract for the 2020-21 campaign.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals have permission to talk to Peter Laviolette in their search for a new head coach, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman. Laviolette is "very much a contender," Friedman adds.The Capitals fired previous head coach Todd Reirden shortly after being eliminated from the postseason in early August. Reirden was the head coach for two seasons and failed to get the Capitals past the first round of the playoffs both years, despite performing well during the regular season.The Nashville Predators fired Laviolette in January during his sixth season with the team. His contract runs through the 2020-21 season, and Nashville must honor the remaining $2.5 million owed to the bench boss unless he finds a job elsewhere before the deal expires.The 55-year-old has been head coaching in the NHL since 2001, landing with the New York Islanders, Carolina Hurricanes, Philadelphia Flyers, and Predators. He led three of them to a Stanley Cup Final, winning the Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006.The veteran coach has 1,210 career games under his belt while compiling a 637-425-123 record.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For the second game of a back-to-back on Sunday, both the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders are turning to their backup netminders.The Flyers will give Carter Hart some rest and give the starter's net to Brian Elliott, the team announced. The 35-year-old has started one game and appeared in two this postseason, turning aside 21 of the 23 shots he's faced.Meanwhile, the Islanders confirmed they will give Thomas Greiss his first start of the postseason. He appeared in Game 2 of this series after Semyon Varlamov was pulled, and stopped 20 of the 21 shots he faced.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A month after turning 21 years old, Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen has earned himself a prestigious spot in his team's record book.He recorded an assist and his team-leading 16th point in the opening period Sunday, establishing a Stars/North Stars record for most points in a single postseason by a defenseman.Heiskanen surpassed Craig Hartsburg, who set the record in 1981 with 15 points. Hockey Hall of Famer Sergei Zubov sits in third with 14 points.The blue-liner is logging an average of 25:48 minutes of ice time per game, becoming a vital part of the Stars' success so far this postseason. He leads all defensemen in points and is tied for second in the league overall with Elias Pettersson, Brayden Point, and Nikita Kucherov.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Gnats have each other's backs.After Boston Bruins enforcer Nick Ritchie hammered Tampa Bay Lightning forward Yanni Gourde into the boards in Game 4 of their second-round series, Barclay Goodrow came to his linemate's defense by dropping the gloves with Ritchie.Goodrow, who makes up one-third of the insect-named trio alongside Gourde and Blake Coleman, made it clear by his actions he didn't like Ritchie's hit. He confirmed as much Sunday."I thought it was a pretty dirty hit. It was late. It was from behind," Goodrow said, according to NHL.com's Bryan Burns. "The puck had left his stick so long ago that most guys on the ice didn't see the hit because they were following the puck up the ice."Ritchie won't face any supplemental discipline after the NHL Department of Player Safety reviewed the play, according to The Athletic's Joe Smith.

Mikko Koskinen is the only goalie on the Edmonton Oilers' roster who's signed for next season, but he likely won't be tasked with handling No. 1 duties in 2020-21.Oilers general manager Ken Holland said Saturday he expects Koskinen will again split playing time in the crease next season."If you look around the league, it's really a two-goaltender league," Holland told The Athletic's Daniel Nugent-Bowman. "We were almost 50-50 (in terms of starts percentage between Koskinen and Mike Smith). It's a small list of guys who were on pace to play over 60 games."It looks like it's gonna be a condensed schedule. You're gonna have more back-to-backs. You factor the travel that we do in Edmonton, the road trips that we go on, I anticipate that we're gonna have a two-goalie system."Koskinen played in 38 games this season and the veteran Smith appeared in 39. Smith is a pending unrestricted free agent, while Koskinen is signed for two more seasons with an average annual value of $4.5 million.StatKoskinenSmithRec.18-13-319-12-6SV%.917.902GAA2.752.95GSAA9.25-7.71Holland is open to the idea of re-signing Smith."We have not ruled it out," he said, adding that he hasn't spoken to any of his players' representatives.If the Oilers choose to go in a different direction, there will be plenty of options at Holland's disposal. Robin Lehner, Braden Holtby, Anton Khudobin, and Thomas Greiss are just some of the players who highlight a UFA goalie class that has a little bit of everything.Additionally, the 2021 Seattle expansion draft could create more movement in the goaltending trade market, as each team can protect only one netminder.Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford already said he'll likely trade either Matt Murray or Tristan Jarry this offseason. Frederik Andersen of the Toronto Maple Leafs is also reportedly on the trade block.Even with just over $11 million in projected cap space before re-signing any RFAs (Ethan Bear, Andreas Athanasiou, Matt Benning) or UFAs (Tyler Ennis, Riley Sheahan), according to CapFriendly, it doesn't seem likely Edmonton will go the internal route in goal, as Stuart Skinner and Shane Starrett have no NHL experience and didn't exactly shine in the AHL last year.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Find line reports, best bets, and subscribe to push notifications in the Betting News section.Following a couple of 1-1 nights, we enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 sweep on Saturday with the New York Islanders taking care of business and the Vegas Golden Knights handling the Vancouver Canucks to cash the puck line at +140.Let's keep that momentum going on Sunday.Colorado Avalanche (-135) @ Dallas Stars (+115)The Avalanche scored three unanswered goals in the final eight minutes of Game 3 to pick up their first win of the series, though I hesitate to assume the victory will revive them going forward.Game 3 was actually Dallas' best performance of the series thus far. The underlying metrics were relatively even in the first two games, but the Stars controlled a remarkable 64.5% of the expected goal share at five-on-five in Game 3 and generated 10 high-danger scoring chances to the Avalanche's three.Colorado came to life for a brief stint in the second period and again in the third to ultimately steal the game, but those numbers speak to a bigger problem for Jared Bednar's team. Injuries to Philipp Grubauer, Erik Johnson, Matt Calvert, and Joonas Donskoi open a window of opportunity for the Stars, who are generously priced coming off a strong performance in a losing effort on Wednesday.Pick: Stars (+115)Philadelphia Flyers (+105) @ New York Islanders (-125)There's no justifiable reason to put your money on the Flyers right now. After a strong start to life in the bubble, the Flyers have been the second-best team in nearly every game they've played since the start of Round 1.Saturday was no exception, as the Islanders controlled the play for almost the entire contest. Carter Hart conceded a soft goal as New York jumped ahead 2-1 late in the second period, and there was no way back for the Flyers.Hart hasn't been as dominant as he was in Round 1, which is simply the result of his team being outplayed in each game. The Islanders generated 16 high-danger scoring chances at five-on-five on Saturday - twice as many as the Flyers managed - and controlled 61.73% of the expected goal share.The Flyers may have the edge in overall talent, but there's a massive gap between these teams in terms of how they're playing right now. If you looked only at playoff stats, the Islanders would likely be pushing -180, so I'll gladly scoop them up again here at a much shorter price.Pick: Islanders (-125)(Odds source: theScore Bet)Alex Moretto is a sports betting writer for theScore. A journalism graduate from Guelph-Humber University, he has worked in sports media for over a decade. He will bet on anything from the Super Bowl to amateur soccer, is too impatient for futures, and will never trust a kicker. Find him on Twitter @alexjmoretto.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights claimed a 2-1 series lead over the Vancouver Canucks with a 3-0 victory Saturday night.Alex Tuch and Zach Whitecloud propelled Vegas with first-period goals before Mark Stone provided the dagger with a power-play tally in the third.Robin Lehner was Vegas' player of the game, as he made 31 saves - including several key early stops - to earn his second shutout of the series.The Canucks came out strong, outchancing the Golden Knights 6-3 and holding a 5-1 edge in high-danger opportunities in the opening frame, but they were unable to convert. The Knights wound up finishing the contest with a .80 advantage in expected goals and 56.67% of the shot attempts at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick.The two clubs now face a quick turnaround, as Game 4 is scheduled for Sunday night.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After helping guide players in their demand that the NHL cancel two days' worth of playoff games, the Hockey Diversity Alliance is now aiming to ensure actionable change is achieved long term.The HDA held a call with players from each conference Friday to discuss the next steps it hopes to achieve, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.During the call, the HDA explained it envisions grassroots programs, hiring targets for Black executives, and certain types of businesses it hopes to see the NHL work with.The alliance showed players some of the "vicious" emails and tweets it has received over the past few months, which was a "real eye-opener" for participants in the call, Johnston adds.On Saturday, the HDA formally released its list of asks of the league. This "NHL HDA Pledge" includes various targets for the increase of Black personnel around the league. It aims to raise the number of Black NHL executives to 3.5% before the end of the 2024-2025 season and Black hockey-related personnel to 5% prior to the conclusion of the 2020-2021 campaign.The HDA also wants to implement mandatory anti-racism and unconscious bias education for all NHL employees before the start of next season. It wants the league to enforce HDA-approved policies and sanctions that reflect a commitment to zero tolerance toward racial discrimination and abuse.The alliance was co-founded by Evander Kane and Akim Aliu in June and is composed of current and former professional hockey players, also including Trevor Daley, Anthony Duclair, Matt Dumba, Nazem Kadri, Wayne Simmonds, Chris Stewart, and Joel Ward.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault was critical of his star players after they failed to pack any offensive punch in a Game 3 loss against the New York Islanders."We need to be a lot better than we were tonight, especially our top-end guys," Vigneault said, according to Sam Carchidi of the Philadelphia Inquirer.After jumping out to a 1-0 lead in the first period, the Flyers took their foot off the gas and fell into the Islanders' stout defensive trap. Philly only produced eight high-danger chances and 1.59 expected goals at five-on-five in the eventual 3-1 defeat, according to Natural Stat Trick.Vigneault was particularly displeased with how Leo Komarov's second-period game-winner transpired."It was 1-1, 25 seconds left in the period, faceoff in the offensive zone - I put my top players on the ice ... and to give up that late goal, you just can't do that at this time of the year," he said, per Adam Kimelman of NHL.com.The Flyers have struggled offensively the entire series and were shut out in Game 1. Much of the blame is falling on their big guns, as star forwards Claude Giroux, Travis Konecny, Sean Couturier, and Jakub Voracek combined for just four points in the three contests.For Giroux, the playoff drought extends well beyond this series. He's collected just one goal and nine assists over his last 25 postseason games. The captain hopes he and his teammates can reverse their fortunes."Guys are frustrated," Giroux said, according to Sportsnet's Luke Fox. "We've got to take that frustration and bring it as energy."The Flyers boasted the league's seventh-most prolific offense in the regular season, and they'll need to rediscover their old form quickly, as they trail the series 2-1 heading into a critical Game 4 on Sunday night.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nathan MacKinnon is disappointed that his Colorado Avalanche suited up Wednesday night while other athletes and major sports clubs decided not to play in protest against the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake."I guess we were a day late," MacKinnon said, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. "It's unfortunate, but we're doing our best to make up for it. We postponed two days of NHL hockey. That's a big deal, making a statement. If you ask any player, they'll relay the same message. It was a little weird to see on social media all game day of teams postponing, but there were already (NHL) games going on. We didn't know what to do. Looking back, probably should have postponed that day, but we're doing our best now."The Avalanche took on the Dallas Stars at 10:30 p.m. ET in the NHL's third Wednesday game. Several hours before puck drop, NBA, WNBA, MLS, and some MLB games were postponed.MacKinnon spoke to teammates Nazem Kadri and Pierre-Edouard Bellemare, who are both people of color, about his desire to reach out to activists in Denver to determine how the team can combat systemic racism and police brutality.The 24-year-old MVP candidate added that he spoke to his Black friends back home in Nova Scotia to try to understand how he can use his platform to help."Just trying to figure out things to help in a positive way," MacKinnon said. "I'm a white person, I don't know what people are going through and I'm not going to act like it. That's why you have to ask questions and learn and figure out how you can help (make an) impact."After playing Wednesday's contests, players banded together Thursday and requested the NHL postpone games through Friday, which the league granted.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins forward Nick Ritchie was handed a five-minute major for boarding Tampa Bay Lightning forward Yanni Gourde during the second period of Game 4 on Saturday.Gourde remained on the ice for several moments before heading to the dressing room under his own power. The 28-year-old returned for the start of the third period.

Ondrej Palat scored twice and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 29 saves as the Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Boston Bruins 3-1 in Game 4 of their second-round matchup Saturday.The Lightning secured a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series, moving within one victory of advancing to the Eastern Conference Final for the fourth time in the last six years.Tampa Bay won again without captain Steven Stamkos and workhorse defenseman Ryan McDonagh, who remain out due to injuries. Stamkos hasn't played since Feb. 25, and McDonagh has missed the last three contests.The Bruins outshot the Lightning 30-26 on Saturday, including an 11-6 margin in the third period. Boston held the edge in shot-attempt differential, but Tampa Bay controlled the scoring chances.CategoryBruinsLightningExpected Goals For %49.950.1Scoring Chances For %41.1858.82Corsi For %54.1745.83(Courtesy: Natural Stat Trick, all stats at 5-on-5)Victor Hedman added an insurance marker on the power play late in the second frame. Jake DeBrusk got the Bruins on the board with his fourth goal of this postseason just over seven minutes into the third.Game 5 is scheduled for Monday at 7 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2020 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.