Toronto Maple Leafs superstar Auston Matthews offered a blunt evaluation of his team's performance Monday against the powerhouse Tampa Bay Lightning."They pretty much just slapped us," he said postgame, according to The Athletic's James Mirtle.The Leafs were embarrassed in their own barn, losing by a final score of 6-2. Tampa Bay held a 5-1 lead when the second period concluded."In the third period, we pretty much just quit," Matthews told TSN's Kristen Shilton. "That's on us as players. We have to wake up and do a much better job and hold each other accountable."Teammate Nazem Kadri offered a different response when asked if the team quit in the final frame."I don't think so. We're not quitters," Kadri said, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "We've never been like that. We always finish it to the end. Did we want a better (overall) effort? Of course."The Bolts controlled 55.8 percent of the shot attempts and 57.1 percent of the high-danger scoring chances at five-on-five during the contest, according to Natural Stat Trick.If the Eastern Conference standings remain unchanged, Toronto and Tampa Bay would meet in the second round of the playoffs should each team win its first-round matchup."Tonight we really wanted to show them that's why we're the best team in the league," Lightning forward Cedric Paquette told Sportsnet's Luke Fox.With the win, the Lightning became the seventh team ever to reach 110 points in 70 or fewer games.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHLPA has reportedly filed an appeal of the two-game suspension dished out to Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek, according to Dave Isaac of the Courier Post.The appeal will take place Tuesday, according to Sportsnet's John Shannon, meaning Voracek will remain unavailable for the Flyers' contest versus the Ottawa Senators on Monday.Voracek was suspended two games for interference after a reverse hit on New York Islanders blue-liner Johnny Boychuk on Saturday.

Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel disagrees with the NHL's decision to suspend him two games for his hit to the head of Colorado Avalanche forward Carl Soderberg on Saturday."If you look at the hit and you look at the rule book, I just didn't think it matched up," Eichel told Paul Hamilton of WGR 550.Here's a look at the play, which Eichel was penalized for.

Every Monday, theScore offers a weekly fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This week's edition focuses on Round 2 of the fantasy hockey playoffs. Ownership percentages (as of March 10) and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.Scoop up Travis SanheimTeam: Flyers

PITTSBURGH (AP) Jared McCann scored twice, Matt Murray finished with 39 saves and the Pittsburgh Penguins handed the Boston Bruins their first regulation loss since January with a 4-2 victory on Sunday night.Nick Bjugstad and Jake Guentzel also scored for the Penguins, who survived another late push by the Bruins.David Krejci picked up his 19th of the season and John Moore got Boston within one when he scored with just over a minute to go. But the Bruins couldn't complete the comeback, ending their 19-game point streak.It was the first regulation loss for Krejci and company since Jan. 19 against the New York Rangers.Jaroslav Halak made 33 stops, but Boston remained winless in Pittsburgh since December 2015.The Bruins used the franchise's longest point streak since the 1940-41 season to rise above the muddled portion of the Eastern Conference playoff race. Their six-week stretch included flashes of dominance and a flair for the dramatic. Boston arrived in Pittsburgh coming off a 6-0 homestand, one that culminated with last-minute victories over Florida and Ottawa.Boston's run came to an end against a team that seems to be gaining some momentum late in a bumpy and wildly uneven season, at least by Pittsburgh standards. Just 24 hours removed from a draining split with Columbus during a home-and-home series, the Penguins rode the legs of two of their newest acquisitions, a dash of brilliance from Sidney Crosby and Guentzel and another steady performance by Murray to their fifth win in their last seven games.Bjugstad and McCann have been revelations since their arrival in a trade with Florida on Feb. 1, their presence giving Pittsburgh a jolt of both size and - in the 22-year-old McCann - youth.Bjugstad needed just 93 seconds to give the Penguins the lead, fighting for position at the far post and redirecting a centering pass from Zach Aston-Reese by Halak for his fifth goal in 18 games with Pittsburgh, matching the total he put up in 32 games with the Panthers earlier this year.McCann made it 2-0 at 13:54 when he took a lead pass from Teddy Blueger and broke in alone on Halak before deking from his forehand to his backhand. Halak could only stretch out his glove in vain as McCann slipped home Pittsburgh's 10th short-handed goal of the season.Krejci got Boston on the board early in the second when the puck emerged from a scrum in front of the Pittsburgh net and ended up on his stick in the left circle. He flipped it over a sprawled Murray for his 19th of the season.Pittsburgh's potent power play has been a bit of a mess of late - just as likely to give up a goal as score one - and was a lifeless 0 for 4 until Crosby and Guentzel hooked up for Guentzel's team-leading 34th of the season with 3:28 to go in the second. Crosby raced into the zone down the left side and sent a perfect cross-ice pass to Guentzel, who quickly went backhand to forehand and lifted it by Halak to restore the two-goal cushion.Murray, who was spectacular at times in Saturday's loss to Columbus, made sure the lead stood up. Moore's blast from the point with 1:01 to play gave the Bruins an outside shot at another dramatic victory, but McCann's long shot from center ice into the empty net with 21 seconds to go closed it out.NOTES: Boston D Matt Grzelcyk left in the second period after his right arm was pinned awkwardly against the boards when he got hit by Pittsburgh F Patric Hornqvist. ... Penguins D Kris Letang missed his seventh straight game with an upper-body injury. ... Both teams went 1 for 5 on the power play. ... Pittsburgh C Evgeni Malkin did not score and remains two points shy of 1,000 for his career.UP NEXTBruins: Will face the Blue Jackets for the first time this season on Tuesday in Columbus.Penguins: Host Washington on Tuesday. Pittsburgh is 2-1 against the reigning Stanley Cup champions this season.---More AP hockey: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP-SportsCopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks have signed defenseman Quinn Hughes to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced Sunday.Hughes, who was selected seventh overall in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, will travel to Vancouver on Tuesday.If the 19-year-old plays 11 games with the Canucks this season, he'll become eligible for the Seattle expansion draft in 2021, according to CapFriendly. Additionally, his three-year contract will begin during the current campaign.Hughes led the Michigan Wolverines of the NCAA in scoring this season with 33 points in 32 games. He also won both a silver and a bronze medal across the past two World Junior Hockey Championships with the United States.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel has been suspended two games for his hit to the head of Colorado Avalanche forward Carl Soderberg on Saturday, the Department of Player Safety announced Sunday.Here's a look at the play, for which Eichel received a two-minute minor penalty:

St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko is dealing with an upper-body injury and will be re-evaluated in 10 days, the team announced Sunday.Tarasenko suffered the ailment during Thursday's win over the Los Angeles Kings and did not play Saturday against the San Jose Sharks.Jaden Schwartz took Tarasenko's spot on the top line alongside Ryan O'Reilly and Brayden Schenn during Saturday's overtime loss.Tarasenko started the season off slow after recovering from offseason shoulder surgery but has been red-hot of late, tallying 34 points in his last 26 games. He leads the Blues with 28 goals on the season.St. Louis is comfortably in a playoff spot, sitting third in the Central Division with 79 points.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek has been suspended two games for his reverse hit on New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk on Saturday night, the NHL's Department of Player Safety announced Sunday.Here's a look at the incident:

New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk was visually upset with Jakub Voracek after the Philadelphia Flyers forward injured him with a reverse hit on Saturday night.But it's safe to say Voracek wasn't pleased with the way Boychuk responded to the incident."He's skating off the ice and he's pointing at me like it's WrestleMania or something," Voracek said postgame, according to NBC Sports.Here's a full look at the incident:

Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel will have a hearing Sunday for this hit on Colorado Avalanche forward Carl Soderberg, which occurred in the second period of Saturday's game.

Marc-Andre Fleury passed Hall of Famer Jacques Plante for eighth place on the NHL's all-time wins list with the Vegas Golden Knights' 6-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) John Tavares had a goal and two assists and the Toronto Maple Leafs held off the Edmonton Oilers 3-2 on Saturday night.Morgan Rielly and Jake Muzzin also scored and Frederik Andersen made 33 saves to help Toronto improve to 6-1-1 in its last eight.Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Oscar Klefbom scored for the Oilers, and Anthony Stolarz stopped 37 shots. They had won four in a row.Rielly opened the scoring with a point shot on a power play with 14 seconds left in the first period.Toronto made it 2-0 lead at 12:28 of the second when Tavares shrugged off a defender and made a nice move to chip his 38th of the season over Stolarz. Muzzin connected three minutes into the third off a feed from William Nylander.Nugent-Hopkins ended Andersen's shutout bid with 1:39 left with Stolarz off for an extra attacker. Leon Draisaitl assisted on the goal to extend his points streak to 13 games, the longest active run in the NHL.The Oilers got another goal with Stolarz on the bench when Connor McDavid set up Klefbom with 53 seconds remaining.NOTES: Stolarz was a surprise starter when it was announced Mikko Koskinen wouldn't dress due to an illness. ... It was the second and final meeting between the two teams. Toronto won the first game 6-2 at home on Feb. 27... Toronto center Nazem Kadri returned to the lineup after missing eight games because of a concussion.UP NEXT:Maple Leafs: Host Tampa Bay on Monday night.Oilers: Host New York Rangers on Monday night.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Jakub Voracek received a five-minute major for interference on New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk during Saturday night's game.Voracek caught Boychuk with a Peter Forsberg-like reverse hit in the third period. Boychuk then appeared to say "I will get you" to Voracek as he left the ice for medical attention. Boychuk didn't return to the game.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Cam Atkinson had two goals, Sergei Bobrovsky stopped 28 shots and the Columbus Blue Jackets broke an eight-game losing streak against the Pittsburgh Penguins with a 4-1 victory Saturday night.Boone Jenner and Oliver Bjorkstrand also scored for the Blue Jackets. They had lost four of their last six - including a 3-0 loss to the Penguins on Thursday night - and desperately needed a win to stay in the mix for an Eastern Conference wild-card playoff spot. Columbus started the day two points below the wild-card line.Zach Aston-Reese scored for Pittsburgh in the second period and Matt Murray, starting his seventh straight game, had 29 saves.Bobrovsky, who was a healthy scratch Thursday, bounced back with an exceptional game against the Penguins, who were 4-0-2 in their last six and started the day in third place in the Metropolitan Division.Jenner went into the box for slashing 20 seconds into the game, then made up for it by taking a feed from Josh Anderson on a rush and beating Murray to give the Blue Jackets the lead 2:31 into the game.Atkinson scored a short-handed goal early in the second when Pittsburgh's Phil Kessel went sprawling and the Columbus winger found himself with a loose puck and an open net. He snapped it in over Murray for his team-leading 37th goal of the season.Pittsburgh pulled it back to a one-goal game at 6:39 of the second when Zach Aston-Reese took Evgeni Malkin's pass on the doorstep and beat Bobrovsky.Bjorkstrand tapped in the insurance goal off a short pass from Ryan Dzingel with 3:01 left, and Atkinson got his 38th of the season when he added an empty-netter at the 1:49 mark.NOTES: Kessel played in 314th straight game for Pittsburgh, the second-longest streak in franchise history. Craig Adams holds the record with 319. ... Anderson got his 100th career NHL point. ... Atkinson has 12 career short-handed goal, two short of the franchise record. ... Columbus last beat Pittsburgh in the regular season on Feb. 17, 2017 (2-1 in overtime). ... Malkin has a nine-game points streak against the Blue Jackets. ... Columbus is 27-5-2 this season when scoring the first goal.UP NEXTPittsburgh: At Boston on Sunday night.Columbus: At New York Islanders on Monday night.---More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP-Sports---Follow Mitch Stacy on Twitter at https://twitter.com/mitchstacyCopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Tampa Bay Lightning are the first team to clinch a playoff spot this season after the Montreal Canadiens lost to the Anaheim Ducks on Friday.

Any storm surge celebration plans were thrown out the window quickly Friday night.The Carolina Hurricanes allowed four first-period goals en route to an 8-1 shellacking at the hands of the Winnipeg Jets, and it's safe to say captain Justin Williams was less than impressed with his team's performance."We haven't had one of those this year," Williams said, according to Chip Alexander of the Raleigh News & Observer. "That was not us."With the second game of a back-to-back on the docket for Saturday night, journeyman netminder Curtis McElhinney was on the hook for all eight goals Friday."(It's) totally inexcusable and something quite frankly we're all ashamed of," Williams said, who was minus-4 in the contest. "Chance after chance after chance, we all owe him an apology for that."McElhinney is in the midst of a career year at age 35, but was routinely hung out to dry against the Jets."We didn't have anything going," defenseman Justin Faulk said. "I don't think there was one part of our game that was any good. We made it very easy for them."Despite the loss, the Hurricanes are still holding onto a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, but things don't get any easier with a matchup against the Nashville Predators on Saturday."We need every point we can get," Faulk said. "We come out like that, we're not going to get any points."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) Andrew Copp scored twice, Nikolaj Ehlers had a goal and two assists, and the Winnipeg Jets rode a four-goal first period to an 8-1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night.Kevin Hayes, Blake Wheeler, Kyle Connor and Ben Chiarot each had a goal and an assist. Adam Lowry also scored as Winnipeg posted its largest victory of the season.The Jets scored three times in the first 10 minutes to jump ahead early and then three times in the final 10 minutes to turn it into a rout.Laurent Brossoit made 28 saves and Winnipeg moved ahead of idle Nashville into first place in the Central Division.Curtis McElhinney stopped only 21 of 29 shots for the Hurricanes. Greg McKegg scored their lone goal midway through the third period.Hayes, Wheeler and Chiarot all scored in the first 10 minutes to set the tone immediately.Hayes got it started when his initial shot hit Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce in the shin. Hayes took a whack at the carom in midair and batted the puck in under McElhinney's right pad.Wheeler made it 2-0 when he kept the puck on his tape despite being hooked by Nino Neiderreiter and skated around McElhinney's left for a shot at the open net.After Justin Williams and Dmitry Kulikov got sent off to make it 4-on-4, Chiarot skated in free from the point to the slot, took a centering pass from Connor and fired a wrist shot over McElhinney's right shoulder to make it 3-0 with 10:44 still to go in the first.Ehlers added the final goal of the period in the waning minutes when he skated in untouched from the blue line and fired a one-timer off a pass from Hayes under McElhinney's right pad.The Hurricanes' habit of letting players skate untouched into the slot continued beyond the first. With 31 seconds left in the second period, Jack Roslovic's shot was kicked out by McElhinney, only for a trailing Copp to grab the rebound and fire it into the net without so much as a poke check thrown his way.It spiraled from there. Connor, Copp and Lowry all found the net with less than seven minutes to go, making it Carolina's most lopsided loss of the season.NOTES: Winnipeg is 7-2 in its last nine games at Carolina. The Jets have won five of their last six against the Hurricanes overall. ... Jets D Dustin Byfuglien (ankle) returned to Winnipeg for treatment and missed his ninth straight game. D Josh Morrissey (arm) missed his fifth consecutive game. ... Hurricanes D Trevor van Riemsdyk played his 300th career game.UP NEXTJets: At the Washington Capitals on Sunday.Hurricanes: At the Nashville Predators on Saturday.---More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/tag/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP-SportsCopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aleksander Barkov was a man among boys Friday night, racking up a franchise-record five assists during the Florida Panthers' 6-2 dismantling of the Minnesota Wild.Barkov didn't waste any time getting started. On his first assist, he tricked Wild goalie Devan Dubnyk into thinking he was going to take the puck behind the net, but instead fed Jonathan Huberdeau with a quick pass for an easy short-side goal.

The annual Minnesota State High School Hockey Tournament kicked off at the Xcel Energy Center earlier this week, and as per tradition, players showed up with outrageous hairdos.Here are some of the standout looks:

The Colorado Avalanche's playoff hopes have taken a substantial hit, as captain Gabriel Landeskog will miss four-to-six weeks with an upper-body injury, the team announced Friday.The injury occurred when Landeskog collided with Dallas Stars goalie Ben Bishop during Thursday's 4-0 loss, according to NHL.com.Landeskog is the club's top left-winger and has a career-high 33 goals and 69 points in 68 games this season.Colorado sits four points back of the Minnesota Wild for the second wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 14 games remaining.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

San Jose Sharks defenseman Erik Karlsson won't be returning to the lineup anytime soon as he deals with an injury separate from the groin ailment that sidelined him earlier this season, he told The Athletic's Kevin Kurz.Karlsson added he'll "100 percent" be back in time for the playoffs. It's worth noting, though, Karlsson has a history of playing injured in the postseason. Through the Ottawa Senators' magical 2017 run to the Eastern Conference finals, their former captain played on torn tendons in his foot and had to undergo surgery at season's end.Karlsson missed a month of action from Jan. 16 onward with a groin strain. After five games back in the lineup, he appeared to tweak something against the Boston Bruins on Feb. 26 and hasn't played since.The 28-year-old has missed 15 games in total through his first campaign with the Sharks and has recorded 45 points in 52 contests.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

We're officially in the stretch run of the 2018-19 NHL season, and there's plenty left to be sorted out.The top three teams in each division have mostly separated from the pack, which is where things get more complicated. There are four teams in each conference vying for a playoff spot, and we've ranked which has the best chance of qualifying for the postseason based on the respective remaining schedules.Eastern Conference1. Montreal Canadiens (36-25-7 - 79 points)Games remaining: 14

Warning: Story contains coarse languageCalling New Jersey Devils general manager Ray Shero about Taylor Hall before the NHL trade deadline likely would have resulted in a blunt response.Shero was recently asked about how much he considered dealing the reigning MVP."Less than fucking zero," he told The Athletic's Craig Custance at the GM meetings in Florida this week. "Zero percent. Someone (in the media) asked me that two weeks before the deadline. Zero chance. Zero. Just to make it clear."Hall was never rumored to be on the block. However, his contract expires after the 2019-20 season, and the struggling Devils could have recouped strong assets in exchange for the superstar winger.The 27-year-old is eligible to sign an extension with New Jersey on July 1, and he's primed for a substantial raise over the $6 million cap hit Hall currently carries. Last summer, Devils owner Josh Harris said an extension for Hall is the franchise's top priority during the 2019 offseason.Hall recently underwent knee surgery and hasn't suited up since Dec. 27. Before the injury, he recorded 37 points in 33 games, which still places him fourth on the team.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins forward Marcus Johansson has been diagnosed with a lung contusion after taking a hard hit from Carolina Hurricanes forward Micheal Ferland during Tuesday's contest, the team announced. Johansson will be re-evaluated in approximately one week.Here's a look at the hit, which occurred just minutes into the contest.

The Humboldt Broncos have secured a spot in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League playoffs, according to The Canadian Press.Humboldt rebuilt much of its roster following the April 2018 bus crash that left 16 people dead - including 10 Broncos players - and 13 others injured. Brayden Camrud and Derek Patter were the lone survivors from last year's team to return this season.The Broncos finished the regular season with a 35-19-3-1 record and 74 points, good for sixth place in the league. Humboldt will face the Estevan Bruins in the first round of the playoffs Friday.On Monday, Morgan Gobeil became the last Broncos player to be released from the hospital after 333 days. His family said in a statement that he has yet to regain his speech or his ability to walk, but they "remain hopeful" about his recovery.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights won't participate in Seattle's expansion draft, raising concerns that other teams could make deals with Vegas in order to work around the protection-list process.NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly doesn't expect that to occur, but he warned that the league will scrutinize any transactions that might be related."I don't see that happening, they're just not part of this expansion," Daly said at Wednesday's GM meetings, according to The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "Obviously, we'll make sure that Vegas isn't used in the process by other clubs to circumvent the purpose of intent of the expansion draft rules."A team could theoretically trade a player to the Golden Knights and recoup some value instead of losing that player to Seattle for nothing or, in a more drastic move, come to an agreement in which Vegas would trade a player back after the expansion draft.Daly noted that every transaction must be approved by the NHL."You can't park players on Vegas," Daly said. He added, "There are other things they could do that we might not approve. But I'm not going to create my own hypotheticals. I'll know it when I see it."The Golden Knights are exempt from the Seattle expansion draft, although several general managers told LeBrun that they aren't happy with that arrangement. Vegas won't receive a cut of the expansion fee either.Every other team will have to submit a list of protected players. Depending on its composition, the list can include 11 players (seven forwards, three defensemen, and a goalie) or nine players (eight skaters, regardless of position, and one goaltender). Seattle's expansion draft is set for June 2021.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to Puck Pursuit, a weekly NHL podcast hosted by John Matisz, theScore's National Hockey Writer.Subscribe to the show on iTunes, SoundCloud, Stitcher, Google Play, and Spotify.In this episode, John's joined by Luke Fox of Sportsnet and Joshua Clipperton of the Canadian Press. Topics include:

David Backes appears set on dropping his gloves more frequently for the Boston Bruins down the stretch after a meeting with head coach Bruce Cassidy to determine his role with the team.

Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand insists there was no ill intent behind his viral tweet commenting on Toronto Maple Leafs star Mitch Marner's future contract.After Marner hit the 80-point plateau Monday night in Calgary, Marchand tweeted this:

Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk isn't happy about the way his team is losing valuable points.The Wild have lost back-to-back contests to the Nashville Predators by way of the shootout, and Dubnyk doesn't feel the competition is being officiated properly."It's a mockery," Dubnyk said after Tuesday's game, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo. "We're trying to make the playoffs. Obviously, I'm frustrated because we're on the wrong side of it but you got a guy standing at the top of the crease not moving, stickhandling back and forth."Predators forward Ryan Johansen scored the shootout winner in each game, but Dubnyk is not convinced that his tactics are within the rules."To me, he's completely stopped ... he shoves (Alex Stalock's) pad in the net," Dubnyk said, reflecting on Sunday's loss. "If he's stopped, he's stopped, but I don't understand how you come in and stop at the top of the crease and stand there and stickhandle and wait."It was Dubnyk between the pipes Tuesday, with the game yielding the same results."And then I'm down and out and he stands there and looks at me while I'm trying to lift my pad up. Still waits, shoots the puck in the net. I don't know what that is."Here's a look at tonight's winner. We'll let you be the judge.

Boston Bruins trade deadline acquisition Marcus Johansson was taken to hospital after suffering an upper-body injury against the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday, Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy said.Johansson took a massive shoulder-to-shoulder check from Micheal Ferland and had to be helped off the ice.

UNIONDALE, N.Y. (AP) Jordan Eberle and Mathew Barzal scored in the shootout and the New York Islanders beat the Ottawa Senators 5-4 Tuesday night, giving coach Barry Trotz his 800th win.Brock Nelson, Anders Lee, Devon Toews and Ross Johnston scored in regulation to help the Islanders recover after giving up a two-goal lead in the third period and snap a two-game skid. Robin Lehner stopped 21 shots before leaving with an injury late in the third period. Thomas Greiss came on, stopped both shots he faced through overtime and denied Thomas Chabot and Bobby Ryan in the shootout.The Islanders pulled into a tie with Washington atop the Metropolitan Division with identical 38-21-7 records and 34 regulation/overtime wins.Trotz became the fourth coach in NHL history to reach the 800-win mark, joining Scotty Bowman (1,244), Joel Quenneville (890) and Ken Hitchcock (842).Oscar Lindberg, Ryan, Zack Smith and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Senators, who went to their first shootout this season and lost for the ninth time in 11 games. Craig Anderson finished with 34 saves.The teams meet again Thursday night at Ottawa to finish the home-and-home set.The Senators had the only shot on goal in the 3-on-3 overtime.Ryan pulled the Senators to 4-3 as he deflected Christian Wolanin's shot past Lehner for his 14th at 7:38 of the third. It was Ryan's first goal in eight games.Nelson nearly got his second of the game with just over 9 minutes left, but the puck went off Anderson's left shoulder before hitting the crossbar and staying out.The Senators tied the score with 4:40 left as Brady Tkachuk plowed into Lehner and knocked the puck into the net. The goal was initially waved off, but the call was overturned after a video review determined Nelson pushed Tkachuk into the goalie.Lehner was injured on the play and replaced by Greiss.After a fast-paced first period that saw the Islanders take a 1-0 lead, the teams combined for five goals in the second - all in the first 10:02 of the period.Gibbons tied the score 26 seconds into the middle period as he deflected Thomas Chabot's slap shot past Lehner's glove side for his fourth.Toews put the Islanders back ahead at 2:34, beating Anderson on the blocker side for his fifth.Lee pushed New York's lead to 3-1 as he deflected Nick Leddy's slap shot from the left point past Anderson's glove side for his 23rd at 5:45. It was also Lee's fifth goal in nine games.Lindberg, acquired from Vegas in the deal that sent Mark Stone to the Golden Knights at the trade deadline, pulled Ottawa within one again 47 seconds later with his sixth of the season, and second in five games with the Senators.Johnston restored New York's two-goal lead just past the midpoint of the period on the rebound of a shot by Leo Komarov. Johnston lifted the puck over the diving goalie, and it hit Johnston in the air and went in for his first of the season.The Islanders outshot the Senators 26-8 in the second.New York took a lead in the first period after the Senators turned the puck over in their defensive zone. Josh Bailey's one-timer off a pass from Nelson was stopped by Anderson. However, the puck bounded in front and Nelson backhanded it in for his 21st at 5:22.NOTES: Smith played in his 600th regular-season game, becoming the ninth player in franchise history to accomplish the feat. Smith also made his NHL debut at the Nassau Coliseum in Ottawa's 4-2 loss to the Islanders on Nov. 29, 2008. ... The Islanders won the teams' first meeting this season, 6-3 at Brooklyn's Barclays Center on Dec. 28. ... With an illness going around the Islanders, F Michael Dal Colle and F Josh Ho-Sang were emergency recalled from Bridgeport of the AHL. Dal Colle played while Ho-Sang was scratched. ... Bailey's assist on Nelson's goal gave him 12 points (nine assists) in his last 13 games. ...New York went 0 for 3 on the power play and is 0 for 13 over its last six games.UP NEXTSenators: Host the Islanders on Thursday night.Islanders: At Ottawa on Thursday night before returning for a three-game homestand.---Follow Vin Cherwoo at www.twitter.com/VinCherwooAP---More AP NHL: www.apnews.com/NHL and www.twitter.com/AP-SportsCopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dallas Stars forward Alexander Radulov arrived late to Tuesday's morning skate and will be a healthy scratch against the New York Rangers as punishment, head coach Jim Montgomery told NHL.com's Mark Stepneski.Radulov did not speak with the media when he came off the ice.The Stars will dress 11 forwards and seven defensemen.This isn't the first time in Radulov's career that he's been disciplined by his own team. While playing for the Nashville Predators in 2012, he and teammate Andrei Kostitsyn were scratched for Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals against the Arizona Coyotes for violating curfew. The duo were reportedly out until 4 a.m. the night before Game 2 of the series.The Stars currently hold the first wild-card spot in the Western Conference with 71 points, but the Minnesota Wild (71 points), Coyotes (69 points), and Colorado Avalanche (68 points) are hot on their heels.Radulov is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career with 51 points in 54 games.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Potential rule changes were a focal point at the annual GM meetings in Boca Raton, Fla. on Tuesday, where a few proposals were drafted by team executives.General managers drafted a provision in which players who lose their helmet during play must immediately go to the bench or face a penalty, according to NHL.com's Dan Rosen. The league will also look at making helmets mandatory during warmup.Additionally, the GMs proposed a rule that would allow teams awarded a power play to decide on which side of the ice the first faceoff will take place, Rosen adds. The current faceoff location is dependant on where the puck was located at the previous stoppage of play.The American Hockey League has already adopted both of these changes.These proposals need to go through the NHL's competition committee prior to being presented to the board of governors, according to Joshua Clipperton of The Canadian Press.Team execs were also in favor of installing game clocks in the corner boards to help players, Clipperton said. He added that this rule does not need NHLPA approval. Clocks were used in both outdoor games this season.GMs also discussed implementing one-minute penalties in overtime but it did not gain enough traction due to the concern the change would increase the number of shootouts, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nearly a year after a bus crash that left 16 people dead and 13 others injured, the last Humboldt Broncos player has been released from the hospital.Morgan Gobeil's family announced on Monday in a statement that, following a 333-day hospital stay, he'll begin the next stage of his recovery as an outpatient with a therapy team at Saskatoon City Hospital.Gobeil suffered a traumatic brain injury, multiple fractures to his skull, three facial fractures, broken ribs, and lacerations to his liver and spleen, according to The Canadian Press."During his time at the hospital, Morgan has celebrated his high school graduation, his brother's wedding, his 19th birthday, several holidays, and he has witnessed the change of all four seasons," the statement reads. "While Morgan has not regained his speech or his ability to walk yet, we remain hopeful that those will be the kind of milestones we will someday be able to celebrate."

Despite contract negotiations between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Mitch Marner being put on hold until the season ends, Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand decided to reignite the topic.While responding to a tweet from the NHL's PR account that put Marner's 80-point season into context, Marchand provided his opinion on what the Leafs should pay the pending restricted free agent."I can't wait to see this kids new deal," he tweeted. "12m AAV?? It better be #Marnerwatch."

When the Washington Capitals signed Tom Wilson to a six-year, $31-million contract last summer, it was met with heavy criticism. He was about to come with a $5-million cap hit after recording a career high of only 14 goals.However, Wilson has silenced the critics in his first year under the new deal. He has 18 goals and 33 points in 47 games, which would put him on pace for 31 tallies and 57 points over an entire 82-game season.The offensive productionWilson's deal actually stacks up quite nicely to similar pacts signed by wingers over the past few years, according to Cap Friendly's contract comparison tool.PlayerLengthAAVGPGPPGTom Wilson6$5.16M0.380.70Elias Lindholm6$4.85M0.391.09Jason Zucker5$5.5M0.260.52Teuvo Teravainen5$5.4M0.280.94Nino Niederreiter5$5.25M0.280.63J.T. Miller5$5.25M0.200.60Reilly Smith5$5M0.220.65While some players have drastically outplayed their contracts, such as Lindholm, it's clear that Wilson is being paid appropriately based on his production this season.Wilson's $5.16-million average annual value is the 103rd-highest cap hit among NHL forwards this season, and, according to Corsica's player rankings, he's been the 102nd-best forward in the NHL. The top 100 features many skaters playing out the final years of their entry-level contracts, too. If Wilson can maintain this offensive production, his contract will look better with each coming year.The physical elementIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe NHL has evolved into a league which values skill more than toughness, but there's still room for a throwback like Wilson. He's even more valuable today than he would've been 10 or 20 years ago since players with his skill set are such a rarity. You can count on one hand the number of players in Wilson's tier of toughness who can also play on a top line.Wilson is a legitimate heavyweight fighter. He may even be the best scrapper in the game, though Ryan Reaves probably disagrees. Fighting may be down across the league, but this still matters.For example, after Ian Cole delivered a cheap shot to Evgeny Kuznetsov earlier in the season, Wilson immediately took exception and beat Cole to a pulp. It's safe to say Cole will never again take a run at a star player on the Caps.Wilson is also arguably the game's most feared hitter. Opponents - specifically defensemen - need to know where he is on the ice at all times. Yes, his aggressive play has gotten him into trouble with the Department of Player Safety, but more often than not it yields positive results, as seen when this bone-crushing check on Jake Gardiner led to a goal.

Edmonton Oilers CEO Bob Nicholson has narrowed down the list of candidates in his search for a new general manager, TSN's Darren Dreger reported on Monday's edition of ''Insider Trading.''Dreger listed Kelly McCrimmon, Dave Nonis, Keith Gretzky, Sean Burke, Mike Futa, and Mark Hunter as candidates, though he noted there could be others. Gretzky has served as the Oilers' interim general manager since Peter Chiarelli was fired in January.Nicholson would like to begin seeking permission to speak with these candidates in the next 10-14 days, Dreger added.The new hire, if not Gretzky, would mark the Oilers' fifth general manager since 2008. The team has made the playoffs just once over that span.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ian Cole will not have a hearing for his knee-on-knee hit on Anaheim Ducks forward Devin Shore that occurred during Sunday's contest, a source told BSNDenver's Adrian Dater.Cole received a 10-minute match penalty, which results in an automatic ejection, as well as a five-minute major for kneeing on the play.

There will be a laundry list of topics up for discussion at the annual GM meetings this week in southern Florida, but the current NHL playoff format will not be one of them."It's not on the agenda," NHL senior executive vice president Colin Campbell said Monday, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli.The NHL changed its playoff format after restructuring each conference from three divisions to two ahead of the 2013-14 season. The switch was made in an effort to build and promote divisional rivalries.The change has worked to some degree, but later rounds of playoff action can lose steam as a result, with serious contenders forced to face each other early in the postseason.Despite disapproval from many fans and even some players, hockey's higher-ups are quite content with the existing playoff format and the results it has yielded."I would say that there doesn't appear to be a consensus or desire for change," deputy commissioner Bill Daly said Monday, according to Seravalli. "The current system has done what it was intended to do. It's emphasized and featured rivalries in early-round matchups. And that has generated enhanced interest and better (television) ratings."Based on the standings entering Monday's action, three of the NHL's top five teams are guaranteed to be eliminated from the playoffs before the conference finals.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Columbus Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella offered a blunt explanation for defenseman Adam McQuaid's status as a healthy scratch during Sunday's loss to the Winnipeg Jets."I have to make decisions on who I think is our best six, too, and right now 'Quaider' isn't that," Tortorella said Monday, according to Brian Hedger of the Columbus Dispatch.The Blue Jackets acquired McQuaid from the New York Rangers ahead of the trade deadline in an effort to bolster their blue line, but it seems Tortorella currently considers the 32-year-old to be a liability."Little concerned about the speed of the game with him and so we went back to the other guys," the coach said.The 6-foot-4 defenseman has posted a minus-four rating in three games since joining the team.Columbus has dropped three of four contests since general manager Jarmo Kekalainen went all-in at the trade deadline and sits two points out of a playoff berth heading into Monday's action.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Every Monday, theScore offers a weekly fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. This week's edition focuses on Round 1 of the fantasy hockey playoffs. Ownership percentages and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.Pick up Mikael BacklundTeam: Flames

Welcome to the 12th edition of theScore's 2018-19 NHL Power Rankings, which are published every two weeks during the regular season.1. Tampa Bay Lightning (50-12-4) The Lightning are in the midst of a dominant season, matching the 1995-96 Red Wings to become the second team in league history to win 50 of its first 66 games. That Detroit team went on to win a record 62 contests, and it should be a blast to see if Tampa can match that mark.Previously: 1st2. Boston Bruins (39-17-9) ▲Boston has won nine of its last 10 games, and the Bruins haven't lost in regulation since Jan. 19. Suddenly, the Bruins appear destined for home-ice advantage in a daunting Atlantic Division playoff picture.Previously: 4th3. Calgary Flames (41-17-7) ▲Surely, the Flames wanted to secure two points for Jarome Iginla on his special night. But even after the disappointing result, Calgary is sitting pretty atop the Western Conference with 89 points, and a 7-2-1 record in the team's last 10 games.Previously: 5th4. Toronto Maple Leafs (40-21-4) ▲The Maple Leafs rank third league-wide in regulation-and-overtime wins (40) and second in goal differential (plus-47). However, finding a way to catch Boston is all that should matter right now for the Buds.Previously: 6th5. San Jose Sharks (39-19-8) ▼Ezra Shaw / Getty Images Sport / GettySan Jose is excelling in advanced stats, but Martin Jones' .897 save percentage is a major concern as the playoffs inch closer.Previously: 3rd6. Washington Capitals (38-21-7) ▲Washington's rounded into shape lately, and the Capitals are in the hunt for the Metropolitan Division crown. As always, Alex Ovechkin is leading the way. He recently secured his record-breaking 10th season with 45-plus goals.Previously: 14th7. New York Islanders (37-21-7) ▼Do not spurn the New York Islanders in free agency and expect to get away with it unscathed.Previously: 2nd8. Carolina Hurricanes (36-23-6) ▲After winning eight of their last 10 games, including five in a row, the Hurricanes look dangerous. They're getting solid goaltending to match an overwhelming attack. Look out for Carolina going forward.Previously: 9th9. Winnipeg Jets (39-22-4) ▼The Jets beat the Blue Jackets on Sunday, but they're sputtering a bit lately and need to get back on track soon. On their upcoming schedule, the Jets face six consecutive games against top-10 teams.Previously: 7th10. Pittsburgh Penguins (34-22-9) ▲Francois Lacasse / National Hockey League / GettyThe Penguins have struggled to find consistency all season, but captain Sidney Crosby appears ready to push his club to the playoffs. In his last 10 games, Sid has notched 21 points, and he's now fifth in league scoring.Previously: 18th11. Vegas Golden Knights (36-26-5) ▲Things have been looking up for Vegas, as the Golden Knights reeled off four straight victories after landing Mark Stone on trade deadline day. The Knights are now better positioned to compete with their Western Conference rivals come playoff time.Previously: 17th12. Nashville Predators (38-25-5) ▼The Predators needed to improve their atrocious power play, and adding Mikael Granlund and Wayne Simmonds should do that once the two trade-deadline acquisitions get acclimated to Nashville's system.Previously: 11th13. St. Louis Blues (34-25-6) ▼The Blues have cooled off since our last rankings, dropping four of their last seven contests, with only one of those three wins coming in regulation. However, St. Louis remains in a postseason position for now, and Jordan Binnington continues to give his team a chance to win every game.Previously: 8th14. Minnesota Wild (32-27-7) ▲The Wild won five straight games before Sunday's shootout loss to the Predators, including impressive road victories over the Flames and Jets. Few predicted Minnesota would play this well after the team traded Granlund and Charlie Coyle before the deadline, but the Wild are exceeding recent expectations.Previously: 19th15. Montreal Canadiens (35-24-7) ▼Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyInconsistent play has dogged the Canadiens lately. Much like the Predators, Montreal needs to fix its weak power play, as the Habs' efficiency rate ranks 31st with the man advantage.Previously: 13th16. Philadelphia Flyers (32-26-8) ▼Philadelphia has won four of its last five, including a significant victory over the Islanders on Sunday. But there's still plenty of work left for the Flyers to sneak into the postseason, as the team has recorded fewer regulation-or-overtime wins than the clubs ahead with no games in hand. Plus, Philadelphia is still posting a negative goal differential.Previously: 10th17. Arizona Coyotes (32-28-5) ▲The once moribund Coyotes are on the playoff doorstep after winning six straight. Several teams have climbed back into the race in a lackluster Pacific Division. But Arizona deserves credit, even if the Coyotes haven't beaten many powerhouses during their run.Previously: 23rd18. Columbus Blue Jackets (36-26-3) ▼Columbus kept Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky through last Monday's trade deadline while adding Matt Duchene, Ryan Dzingel, and Adam McQuaid. General manager Jarmo Kekalainen went all-in for the stretch drive, but what will his team look like next season?Previously: 15th19. Dallas Stars (33-27-5) ▼Dallas has won three of its last four games, but two of those wins came against the Kings and Blackhawks. The Stars are still among the NHL's stingiest defensive teams, ranking third in goals against. But Dallas is also one of the league's worst offensive squads, ranking 29th in goals for.Previously: 12th20. Colorado Avalanche (28-26-12)▲ Foster Snell / National Hockey League / GettyThe Avalanche started rounding into form after our last edition, winning four straight. But they've been inconsistent lately, and hefty contributions from Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, and Gabriel Landeskog might not be enough to get Colorado into the postseason.Previously: 26th21. Florida Panthers (28-26-11)▲The Panthers have been grinding lately, going into extra time in four consecutive contests before Sunday's regulation loss to the Senators. However, Florida produced only one win in that span, and Frank Vatrano hasn't registered a point since signing his extension in late February.Previously: 22nd22. Buffalo Sabres (30-27-8) ▼A difficult second half of the season is overshadowing the Sabres' promising start, but fans shouldn't be discouraged. Buffalo could lose all 17 games the rest of the way and still finish with higher win and point totals than it did last year. The Sabres will likely miss the playoffs again, but they're trending in the right direction.Previously: 20th23. Chicago Blackhawks (27-30-9) ▼After an incredible 10-2 run launched the Blackhawks up the standings and into a playoff position briefly, the team has come back down to earth. Chicago has dropped four of its last five contests, conceding 23 goals in the process.Previously: 16th24. Edmonton Oilers (28-30-7) ▲The Oilers picked up three of a possible four points with Connor McDavid serving his two-game suspension, but the Maple Leafs bullied them 6-2 in his return. Edmonton's playoff chances are slim, but consecutive wins have Ken Hitchcock's club playing with pride down the stretch.Previously: 30th25. New York Rangers (27-27-11) ▼Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyNew York has lost five of its last six games, including three straight since trading longtime Rangers Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes. Mika Zibanejad's coming out party as a top-line center is one positive revelation for a team entering a rebuild.Previously: 21st26. Vancouver Canucks (27-30-9) ▼The Canucks lingered around a playoff spot for most of the season, but they've fallen down the ladder after dropping six of their last seven outings. Travis Green's group is struggling to build any momentum, failing to win consecutive games since Jan. 20.Previously: 24th27. New Jersey Devils (25-33-8) ▲Injuries have mired the Devils' season, and the team is struggling to score. New Jersey has potted just four goals during a three-game losing skid, and the Devils rank 20th while averaging 2.83 goals per game.Previously: 28th28. Los Angeles Kings (24-33-8) ▼ The Kings finally ended a 10-game losing streak with a victory over the Blackhawks on Saturday. The win was their first on home ice since Jan. 21. L.A. deploys the league's 30th-ranked offense while scoring 2.40 goals per game, and the Kings are one of three teams still waiting to roster a 20-goal scorer.Previously: 27th29. Detroit Red Wings (23-33-9) ▼Dylan Larkin is providing Red Wings fans with a reason for excitement. In his fourth NHL season, the 22-year-old is on pace for a career-high 78 points, which would mark the highest single-season total by a Red Wing since 2010-11. Detroit has dropped seven straight games, however, and the team looks ready to hear the results of this year's draft lottery.Previously: 25th30. Anaheim Ducks (25-32-9) ▲It's been a season to forget for the lowly Ducks. Since ending a franchise-worst 12-game losing streak in January, Anaheim has suffered through seven- and five-game slides. Over their last six contests, the Ducks have mustered seven goals while recording just one win in that span.Previously: 31st31. Ottawa Senators (23-38-5) ▼After cleaning house at the deadline, none of the Senators' top-six scorers from a season ago are on the team's roster. Ottawa has recorded just five regulation wins since Dec. 15.Previously: 29thCopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Detroit Red Wings legend and Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Ted Lindsay has died at age 93.

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Ian Cole was given a 10-minute match penalty and a game misconduct for a dangerous knee-on-knee hit on Anaheim Ducks forward Devin Shore.Cole also earned a five-minute major for kneeing on the play, which took place with just over six minutes to play in the second period.

Calgary Flames winger Garnet Hathaway won't face a disciplinary hearing to answer for his check on Minnesota Wild center Luke Kunin on Saturday night, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.Hathaway was assessed a match penalty and a game misconduct after driving Kunin into the dasher early in the second period of Calgary's loss to Minnesota.Kunin left the game but was able to return.Hathaway has never been disciplined in his NHL career.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Calgary Flames forward Garnet Hathaway was handed a 10-minute match penalty and a game misconduct after driving Minnesota Wild forward Luke Kunin face-first into the dasher.Here's a look at the play, which occurred just minutes into the second period.

Winnipeg Jets forward Adam Lowry was suspended two games on Saturday for high-sticking Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg, the NHL Department of Player Safety announced.Here's a look at the incident, which took place in the third period Friday:

Warning: Story contains coarse languageKen Hitchcock is tired of hearing about the Edmonton Oilers' shortcomings.The head coach made that clear after his club shut out the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-0 on the road Saturday."People bitch and complain about what we don't have," Hitchcock told reporters postgame. "Well, what we've got is a team. You've got to give us that. You can complain (about) what we don't have, we've got (AHL) this or whatever, but what we've got is a damn team and a good one. We're not going to be easy to play against for the rest of the year."The Oilers picked up their second straight win and now sit five points out of a playoff spot. Edmonton has a favorable schedule down the stretch, with more home games remaining than any other NHL team following Monday's away contest in Buffalo.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.