The Vegas Golden Knights have recalled red-hot forward Brandon Pirri just hours after assigning him to the AHL, according to The Athletic's Jesse Granger.This marks the second time in the last seven days that Pirri's been sent down to the Chicago Wolves only to be called up shortly thereafter. He has seven goals and three assists in eight NHL games this season since his initial call-up in late December.The reason why Pirri's been bouncing up and down between the minors and the major-league club like a kid on a pogo stick is simple: He doesn't have to clear waivers, unlike, for example, forward Oscar Lindberg (who's got one goal and six assists in 22 games). Vegas can send Pirri down without any risk of losing him.The Golden Knights are riding a seven-game winning streak and face the San Jose Sharks on Thursday night - likely with Pirri in the lineup.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Columbus Blue Jackets will sit No. 1 netminder Sergei Bobrovsky for Thursday's game against the Nashville Predators for disciplinary reasons, the team announced."There are certain expectations and values that we have established for our players that define our culture," general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said in the release. "An incident occurred in which Sergei failed to meet those expectations and values, so we made the decision that he would not be with the team for tonight's game. This is an internal matter and we will have no further comment at this time."The "incident" is believed to have occurred in Tampa Bay following the team's 4-0 loss to the Lightning (where Bobrovsky was pulled after the fourth goal), and prior to the team's flight out of town, sources told The Athletic's Aaron Portzline.Members of the team's leadership group pulled Bobrovsky aside for a meeting on the tarmac before their departure, Portzline notes.Kekalainen confirmed that the incident did not involve head coach John Tortorella."It's got nothing to do with the coach," Kekalainen said. "It's a decision we made as an organization. Obviously, we had the coach involved in that decision, but it's got nothing to do with Tortorella vs. Bobrovsky."People seem to be thinking there’s some kind of issue between the coach and the goalie. There's no issue."In a corresponding move, the team recalled goaltender Jean-Francois Berube from the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League.Bobrovsky is in the midst of a down year by his standards, having gone 18-13-1 with a 2.87 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage in 32 games. The 30-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent at the end the season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageWinnipeg Jets superstar Patrik Laine offered his two cents amid his uncharacteristic scoring slump.The 20-year-old has 24 goals to his credit this season - certainly nothing to scoff at - but he's only lit the lamp three times since scoring a whopping 18 times in November."I'm my worst enemy," Laine told Jeff Hamilton of the Winnipeg Free Press. "I'm expecting myself to be the best player on the ice and obviously you can't be. You just got to stay focused and not lose your shit."Fortunately for the Jets, Laine's quite capable of heating up in a hurry, as evidenced by a three-week stretch earlier this season that featured three hat tricks and the NHL's first five-goal game since 2011. What's more, his recent slump hasn't slowed the team down very much, as Winnipeg (27-13-2) sits just one point behind the Nashville Predators for first place in the Central Division with three games in hand.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Canada's captain Maxime Comtois was the victim of cyberbullying after missing a penalty shot in his team's loss to Finland in the world juniors quarterfinal game.The Anaheim Ducks prospect took to Twitter on Wednesday to respond to the spiteful comments and thank those who stood up for him."Thank you, everyone, for the kind words towards me and my family," Comtois said. "Cyberbullying is a real threat. No one should go through that. Let's prevent it. If you are getting bullied or ever had been please speak up."Included in those who offered kind words for Comtois was Sidney Crosby, who offered advice to the 19-year-old and said the penalty shot won't "define who he is."Comtois also wrote a heartfelt message to his teammates and Canadian fans despite exiting the tournament without a medal:"Playing in the World Junior Championship and representing Canada is a dream to every hockey kid in this country, and it was mine too. Last year, we achieved our goal of winning a gold medal, but we can't say the same this year. However, this is not the end of the line for all of us, rather the start of our careers where we can learn from these types of games in order to advance as an athlete and grow as a person. Myself and my teammates gave their hearts and souls, both on and off the ice, to represent our country to the best of our abilities."The three-and-a-half-week process we went through will be one I will remember for my whole life. We grew from a group of hockey players around Canada to a family in that short amount of time. I want to thank each of my teammates for giving their best efforts every night, and the great Canadian fans for being behind us every single game. Especially our families, who sacrificed their holidays to support and be with us during this journey. I am proud to be Canadian, honored to wear the maple leaf on my chest and represent my country on the ice."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Gary Bettman says he would be happy if the NHL and NHLPA make few waves in coming to a resolution in upcoming negotiations over the collective bargaining agreement."I'm not in favor of having a difficult negotiation," the commissioner told reporters, including NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika, on Wednesday."I'm hoping we can extend or renew (the CBA) with minimum fanfare, and I'm not a fan of work stoppages, although we do have to have a system that works and keeps the game healthy and vibrant and entertaining as it is now. So we'll see what happens, but I'm not looking for a fight."The NHL's current CBA expires after the 2021-22 season, but the league can elect to opt out on Sept. 1 of this year. If the league forgoes that opportunity, the players' association can opt out Sept. 15.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's newest franchise will apparently host the league's midseason showcase in the first decade of its existence.Seattle's new team has been promised an All-Star Game within seven years, commissioner Gary Bettman told reporters, including NHL.com's Nick Cotsonika, on Wednesday.Bettman added that the draft is likely coming sooner than the All-Star Game, and that the team name should be revealed in 2019.He also said the NHL will have to study the feasibility of an outdoor game there.Seattle will begin play in 2021-22, one season later than the franchise was originally hoping to enter the league.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mitch Marner and his camp are firm on their stance that contract talks with the Toronto Maple Leafs are on hold until the offseason.In September, Marner's agent Darren Ferris said the preference would be to wait until the summer to sign despite productive discussions with general manager Kyle Dubas. On Wednesday, Ferris assured their position hasn't changed."Yes, 100 percent," Ferris told The Athletic's Pierre LeBrun. "Mitch wants to concentrate on this season."Marner is in the midst of a breakout campaign and currently ranks eighth in league scoring with 55 points in 42 games.The Maple Leafs also face a critical negotiation with fellow restricted free agent Auston Matthews with a projected league-wide salary cap increase and $23.2 million available to spend for next season, per Cap Friendly.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The champagne's been popped, the calendar's turned, and the world juniors are over - it's now 2019, and the next NHL Entry Draft is less than six months away.Without further ado, here's the third edition of theScore's Prospect Big Board (player ages and stats as of Wednesday, Jan. 9):1. Jack HughesC | 5-foot-10 | 168 lbs | U.S. National Team Development Program

A highly coveted Bobby Orr rookie card has hit the auction block.The 1966 Topps USA Test #35 PSA Mint 9 card is being sold by Lelands as part of its 2019 Winter Classic auction, with bidding already at $79,314.(Photos courtesy: Lelands)Topps released a limited number of these test cards to the California market following the 1967 NHL expansion, making them "extremely scarce," according to Lelands.Bidding on the Orr card closes Feb. 1.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Erik Karlsson took some time adjusting to his new surroundings in the Bay Area, but the San Jose Sharks superstar is now returning to the form that helped him win two Norris Trophies as a member of the Ottawa Senators.With a helper Tuesday night against the Edmonton Oilers, Karlsson became the fifth blue-liner in NHL history with an assist in 14 consecutive appearances, according to NHL Public Relations.The other four defensemen to accomplish the feat are all enshrined in the Hockey Hall of Fame.PlayerSeasonStreakPaul Coffey1985-8617 gamesBrian Leetch1991-9215 gamesPhil Housley1992-9314 gamesBobby Orr1970-7114 gamesKarlsson finished with three assists in San Jose's 7-2 win and has recorded 15 points in his last six games. He is now right in the thick of the Norris Trophy conversation despite tallying just seven points in his first 18 games this season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) Blake Wheeler had a goal and three assists, Mark Scheifele got his 23rd goal and the Winnipeg Jets beat the Colorado Avalanche 7-4 on Tuesday night.Mathieu Perreault, Kyle Connor, Bryan Little, Andrew Copp and Jacob Trouba also scored for Winnipeg. Trouba, Scheifele and Tyler Myers each had two assists.Gabriel Landeskog scored twice and tied a career high with his 27th goal for Colorado. Carl Soderberg had a goal and an assist, and Ryan Graves also scored.Connor Hellebuyck made 37 saves for the Jets, who have won two straight and improved to 3-3 in their last six games.Philipp Grubauer stopped 14 shots for Colorado, which had ended a six-game skid with a 6-1 win over the Rangers on Friday.The Jets scored three times on the power play and once short-handed to lead 4-3 after the second period. They led 4-1 early in the second, but the Avalanche scored twice late in the period.Copp scored at 3:59 of the third and Scheifele made it 6-3 after Wheeler intercepted a pass and sent the puck to him on a breakaway. Scheifele's shot hit Grubauer, the puck flew up and Scheifele swatted it into the net at 11:12 for his 23rd of the season.Landeskog scored with just over three minutes remaining.NOTES: Barrie stretched his point streak to five games with one goal and seven assists. ... Trouba finished Winnipeg's scoring with an empty-net goal on the power play with 1:06 remaining.UP NEXTAvalanche: Continue five-game trip at Calgary on Wednesday night.Jets: Play at Minnesota on Thursday night.---More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP-SportsCopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nikita Kucherov is a man among boys this season.The Tampa Bay Lightning superstar racked up his 70th point of the season on a first-period assist Tuesday against the Columbus Blue Jackets. In doing so, Kucherov became the fastest player (43 games) to reach 70 points since Jaromir Jagr did so in the first 38 games of the 1999-00 season, according to NHL Public Relations.Injuries would limit Jagr to just 63 games that season, but he still won the Art Ross Trophy with 96 points.Averaging 1.65 points per game thanks to a third-period tally, Kucherov is currently playing at a 135-point pace if he can stay healthy for all 82 games. The last time a player reached the 130-point plateau was the 1995-96 season, when both Jagr (149) and Mario Lemieux (161) surpassed the mark with ease.Aiding Kucherov along the way during his historic start has been the league-wide scoring spike. Aside from the power-play filled, post-lockout 2005-06 outlier campaign, the NHL's 6.1 goals per game entering Tuesday is the highest since the 1995-96 season.Kucherov got off to a relatively slow start to the season, picking up 18 points in his first 18 games. Since then, he's averaged over two points per game, racking up 53 points in 25 contests.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers have tied a dubious NHL record thanks to their revolving door in the crease.With journeyman Mike McKenna getting the nod Tuesday against the Washington Capitals, the Flyers have now started seven different goalies this season.That mark ties the NHL record previously set by the 2007-2008 Los Angeles Kings, the 2002-2003 St. Louis Blues, and the 1989-1990 Quebec Nordiques, according to Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.Injuries and inconsistent play have forced the Flyers to use more than half a dozen netminders so far:GoalieGames startedBrian Elliott13Calvin Pickard8Anthony Stolarz7Carter Hart7Michal Neuvirth6Alex Lyon1Mike McKenna1With nearly half a season still to be played, Philadelphia could easily set the new record by starting an eighth different goaltender.While they've had bad luck in the crease, the Flyers have had consistency on the blue line; they've dressed as many defensemen - seven - as they've started goalies this season.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Schmaltz will miss the remainder of the season with a lower-body injury, the team announced.The news is a big blow for the Coyotes, as Schmaltz - who has been out since Dec. 30 - was given an original prognosis of week to week.Since joining the team from the Chicago Blackhawks via trade Nov. 25, Schmaltz had been red-hot, tallying five goals and 14 points in 17 games.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite a surprising first half that has the Montreal Canadiens just a point out of a playoff spot, general manager Marc Bergevin doesn't foresee making a big splash at the trade deadline to improve his club."I don't think I'll be in the rental business," Bergevin said at a press conference Monday, according to The Athletic's Arpon Basu.He added he's already considered the possibility of trading away veterans for future assets at the deadline, according to Basu.Bergevin isn't keen on giving up long-term assets for short-term gain, in part because he knows GMs around the league would inquire about Montreal's impressive group of prospects who dazzled at the World Junior Championship, according to TSN's John Lu.United States forward Ryan Poehling, a 2017 first-rounder, was named tournament MVP, while Russian blue-liner Alexander Romanov, a 2018 second-rounder, took home top defenseman honors. The Canadiens had five other prospects participate in the tournament: forwards Jesse Ylonen (Finland), Nick Suzuki (Canada), Jacob Olofsson (Sweden), defenseman Josh Brook (Canada), and goaltender Cayden Primeau (United States).Even if the Habs were to part with one or more of these prized prospects to make the postseason as a wild-card team, they'd likely find themselves with a tough first-round matchup against the Tampa Bay Lightning, Washington Capitals, or Pittsburgh Penguins.In the more realistic scenario where the Canadiens sell off veterans to acquire future assets, there probably wouldn't be a whole lot available for other teams. Their list of pending unrestricted free agents over the next two years isn't all that enticing:PlayerPos.UFA yearKenny AgostinoF2019Matthew PecaF2020Nicolas DeslauriersF2020Michael ChaputF2020Jordie BennD2019David SchlemkoD2020Antti NiemiG2019It's also possible that Bergevin stands pat at the deadline. In what was supposed to be a re-tooling year, the Canadiens trail the Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders by a point in the wild-card race and are just three points behind the Boston Bruins for third place in the Atlantic Division.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, the transport truck driver involved in the April 2018 crash with the Humboldt Broncos' team bus, pleaded guilty to all charges against him Tuesday, according to The Canadian Press.Sixteen people, including 10 players, were killed in the crash and 13 were injured. Sidhu's charged with 16 counts of dangerous driving causing death and 13 charges of dangerous driving causing bodily harm.The case has been adjourned until Jan. 28, when sentencing will begin.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) Brayden Schenn and Vladimir Tarasenko scored and Jordan Binnington stopped 25 shots in his first NHL start to lead the St. Louis Blues past the Philadelphia Flyers 3-0 on Monday night in a listless game between two of the worst teams in the league.The Blues' win gave them 38 points and moved them past Los Angeles out of last place in the Western Conference. Only Ottawa has fewer points than the Flyers (36) in the East after Philadelphia's seventh straight loss. Both teams fired their coaches this season.Schenn scored his ninth goal of the season on a rebound off the Carter Hart's pads 41 seconds into the second period for the 1-0 lead. Tarasenko scored midway through the third to become the 20th active player to score against 30 other teams while playing for one franchise.Binnington, a third-round pick in the 2011 draft, made the lead stand and needed to make only eight saves in the third. David Perron scored an empty-netter in the final minutes.The 25-year-old Binnington had played just two games in mop-up duty this season behind Jake Allen. He was sent to the minors in December to keep fresh and earned three wins with a shutout to earn AHL player of the week honors. He was called up - and got the call to start against the hapless Flyers.''It's whole different feel,'' Binnington said at morning skate. ''You can do your own routines and know you're starting the game off and you can dictate the whole game.''Binnington wasn't challenged much in a half-empty Wells Fargo Center. Once of the NHL's loudest and craziest buildings, the crowds have dwindled with each defeat and the few fans that showed on Monday mostly sat on their hands and booed.The exception came when Gritty - their popular, googily-eyed mascot - wore a blindfold ''Bird Box'' style and kicked a Nerf football into the stands on a field-goal attempt as part of the ''Cody Parkey Challenge.'' The Chicago Bears kicker had a field goal blocked in the final seconds that gave the Philadelphia Eagles a 16-15 upset win in an NFC wild-card playoff win. Flyers fans roared, breaking into the ''Fly! Eagles! Fly!'' fight song when Parkey's missed kick was shown on the video screen.This is how sad the season has become for the Flyers - the fans can only cheer for other team's highlights. They used to root for Schenn when he starred for the Flyers for six seasons. He scored 59 points in 2015-16 and 55 points the next season before he was traded for the Blues. The Flyers had another reminder of better days on the Blues bench: coach Craig Berube led the Flyers to the playoffs in 2014 and was fired the following the season. The Flyers fired his successor, Dave Hakstol, last month and have failed to win a playoff series since 2012.The Flyers have scored only 12 goals over their seven-game losing streak, their longest losing streak since they went 0-5-5 over November-December last season.NOTES: Blues F Alexander Steen left with an undisclosed injury. ... Blues C Tyler Bozak missed the game with the flu.UP NEXTBlues: Host Dallas on Tuesday.Flyers: Play Tuesday at Washington.-----More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP-SportsCopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens forward Kenny Agostino received a game misconduct for a late hit on Minnesota Wild forward Eric Fehr on Monday night.

Nashville Predators forward Filip Forsberg is in the lineup Monday against the Toronto Maple Leafs after missing the last 17 games with an upper-body injury.Forsberg had 14 goals and 22 points in 26 games prior to the injury he suffered on Nov. 29.Nashville went 8-7-2 without its top forward in the lineup.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price will not participate in the upcoming All-Star Game, opting instead to use the break for rest, the team announced on Monday."We took the time to discuss the situation with Carey and the medical group earlier today, and we all agreed that the best decision for him would be to rest and recuperate during the upcoming All-Star Break. Carey has had a nagging injury for some time, and we want to make sure to have him healthy and rested for the second half of the season," Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said.Price is the second All-Star to skip the festivities, joining Alex Ovechkin. Per league policy, both players must serve a one-game suspension for missing the event after being selected.The veteran has made 31 starts, posting a .908 save percentage this season. But Price said earlier in January he's been battling through a lower-body injury for about seven weeks. His health down the stretch is imperative to the Canadiens' success. The team sits just one point out of a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference entering Monday's games.With Price out, the Atlantic Division squad needs a new representative between the pipes to suit up alongside Jimmy Howard of the Detroit Red Wings.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dougie Hamilton could be on the move once again.Halfway through his first season with the Carolina Hurricanes, the 25-year-old is back on the rumor mill, and the organization is open to trading him, reports The Athletic's Craig Custance.Hamilton was traded to Carolina from the Calgary Flames at the 2018 draft along with Micheal Ferland and prospect Adam Fox in exchange for Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin.Performance isn't an issue for Hamilton - he's recorded 14 points in 41 games this season while firing 134 shots on goal and ranking third among all blue-liners with a sterling 59.37 Corsi-For percentage, per Natural Stat Trick. However, he's one of four right-handed shots logging minutes on Carolina's back end and theoretically could be made expendable for an offensive upgrade, something the Hurricanes have been seeking all season.Hamilton would likely fetch a considerable return, as he can immediately fit in any team's top-four and is locked into an incredibly team-friendly $5.75 million cap hit until 2021.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Welcome to the eighth edition of theScore's 2018-19 NHL Power Rankings, which will be published every two weeks during the regular season. This list was compiled by editors Craig Hagerman, Josh-Gold-Smith, and Josh Wegman.1. Tampa Bay Lightning (32-8-2)In falling to the Sharks on Saturday night, the Lightning suffered their first regulation loss since Nov. 27. That says everything you need to know about how incredibly hot they've been, as Tampa now sits with a 10-point cushion in first place. Unreal. - HagermanPreviously: 1st2. Calgary Flames (26-13-4) ▲Johnny Gaudreau's put up 14 points in six games since the previous edition of these rankings, which is just nutty. Meanwhile, three other Flames already have at least 19 goals. This team is rolling. - HagermanPreviously: 5th3. Vegas Golden Knights (26-15-4) ▲The Golden Knights have reeled off six straight wins and are quietly contending for the top spot in the Western Conference. Paul Stastny's fitting in nicely, and with Max Pacioretty back and Colin Miller nearing a return, the club could soon be at full strength. - HagermanPreviously: 11th4. Pittsburgh Penguins (23-13-6) ▲The Penguins have been showing off their Cup-winning pedigree amid an 8-2-0 run, while goalie Matt Murray owns a stellar 7-0-0 record with a 1.27 goals-against average and a .962 save percentage since mid-December. - HagermanPreviously: 12th5. Toronto Maple Leafs (27-12-2) ▼Mark Blinch / National Hockey League / GettyThe Maple Leafs have been fairly steady in Frederik Andersen's injury absence. Of course, having John Tavares, Mitch Marner, and Auston Matthews all producing at a heavy clip allows for some breathing room. - HagermanPreviously: 2nd6. Boston Bruins (24-14-4) Patrice Bergeron's return has given the Bruins a shot in the arm, while Charlie McAvoy is on his way back. Meanwhile, Tuukka Rask is making a strong case for more starts between the pipes. - HagermanPreviously: 6th7. San Jose Sharks (23-13-7) ▲The Sharks are the only team to beat the Lightning in regulation in more than a month. But while the offense has been hot, San Jose could use a few more saves from Martin Jones. - HagermanPreviously: 9th8. Nashville Predators (25-15-3) ▼Viktor Arvidsson's looked great since missing a month and a half with a broken thumb. And despite a slew of injuries, the Predators remain firmly in the hunt for top spot in the West. - HagermanPreviously: 7th9. New York Islanders (23-13-4) ▲No Tavares, no problem.The Islanders have won six straight, highlighted by a 4-0 thumping of the Maple Leafs and Tavares. The scoring is down from last season, but the defense has completely turned it around, having allowed the second-fewest goals per game after giving up the most in 2017-18. You can thank Barry Trotz for that. - HagermanPreviously: 18th10. Columbus Blue Jackets (24-14-3) ▼Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyThe Blue Jackets sit within three points of top spot in the Metropolitan Division thanks to a run of seven wins in nine games. They just need Sergei Bobrovsky to retain his Vezina Trophy form. - HagermanPreviously: 8th11. Winnipeg Jets (26-13-2) ▼The Jets earned a big win over the Stars on Sunday despite missing Dustin Byfuglien, but they'd been slipping a bit before that. Winnipeg dropped a pair of home contests coming out of the holidays and only narrowly defeated the plummeting Oilers to end 2018. - Gold-SmithPreviously: 3rd12. Washington Capitals (25-12-4)▼Washington beat the Red Wings on Sunday, snapping a three-game losing skid that included a 5-2 defeat to the lowly St. Louis Blues. Small sample size aside, the Capitals have averaged only 2.4 goals over their last five games, down from their usual output of nearly 3.5 per contest this season. - Gold-SmithPreviously: 4th13. Dallas Stars (22-17-4) ▲It's been an interesting couple of weeks in Dallas, to say the least. The Stars have shown signs of life since CEO Jim Lites' rant, going 3-0-1 before losing badly on Sunday. The comments also seemed to light a fire under Tyler Seguin, who posted back-to-back two-goal efforts. - Gold-SmithPreviously: 17th14. Montreal Canadiens (22-15-5) ▼The Canadiens have earned wins over the Canucks, Stars, and Panthers since our last edition, but losses to the Lightning and Predators served as reminders that they still have plenty of room to grow. That said, Montreal has greatly exceeded expectations this season. - Gold-SmithPreviously: 10th15. Colorado Avalanche (20-14-8) ▼Matthew Stockman / Getty Images Sport / GettyAvalanche head coach Jared Bednar briefly broke up the NHL's best line in an effort to shake things up amid a losing skid. However, he ultimately reunited the dynamic trio of Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, and Mikko Rantanen, and the move paid off as Colorado humbled the Rangers on Friday. - Gold-SmithPreviously: 14th16. Buffalo Sabres (22-14-6) ▼Reality and regression are starting to set in for the Sabres, who've lost four of five since the break. There are still plenty of reasons for optimism, but this club is barely clinging to the second Eastern Conference wild-card spot after looking dominant at times in the season's first half. - Gold-SmithPreviously: 13th17. Minnesota Wild (20-17-3) ▲Let's take a moment to appreciate what Zach Parise has done - both recently and over the whole first half of the season - after dealing with back and sternum injuries the last couple of years. The veteran forward leads the Wild with 19 goals, is tied for the team lead with 38 points, and has four goals and five assists across his last five games. - Gold-SmithPreviously: 21st18. Vancouver Canucks (20-21-4) ▲The Canucks and their fans let out a collective sigh of relief when Elias Pettersson's knee injury turned out to be just a slight MCL sprain. Vancouver's obviously a much different team without Pettersson, but considering he may only miss a week or two, the Canucks will likely resume their unexpected playoff push when the indisputable Calder Trophy favorite returns. - Gold-SmithPreviously: 22nd19. Carolina Hurricanes (19-17-5) ▲The inconsistent Hurricanes have reeled off four straight wins after losing four of five. They haven't scored enough this season - ranking near the NHL's basement in goals per game - but the 'Canes have lit the lamp 14 times in their last three contests. - Gold-SmithPreviously: 24th20. Florida Panthers (17-16-7)Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyIt's been a mixed bag for the Panthers since the holiday hiatus. They won two of three coming out of the break, but then lost a pair of 4-3 games to the Sabres and Blue Jackets. Florida has plenty of work to do if it wants to contend for a playoff spot. - Gold-Smith21. New York Rangers (17-17-7) ▼The Rangers have probably exceeded expectations in their first full rebuilding season, but the promising development of their young players could result in a lesser draft pick. - WegmanPreviously: 19th22. Los Angeles Kings (17-23-3) ▲It's probably too little too late, but the Kings have gone 6-3-1 across their last 10 games, including upset wins over the powerhouse Jets, Sharks, Golden Knights, and Avalanche. That form will have to continue if L.A. hopes to play meaningful games down the stretch. - WegmanPreviously: 31st23. Anaheim Ducks (19-17-7) ▼The Ducks are simply too reliant on goaltender John Gibson to inspire any sort of confidence. He's winlesss in his last seven games despite posting a .905 save percentage, which is nearly league average. - WegmanPreviously: 15th24. New Jersey Devils (16-18-7) ▲Taylor Hall and Kyle Palmieri have served as offensive catalysts all season, but they need some help. Last season's playoff berth will go down as a one-off until the Devils add some quality depth up front. On the bright side, top goalie prospect MacKenzie Blackwood has been lights out since his recall. He's the 'tender of the future in New Jersey. - WegmanPreviously: 30th25. Edmonton Oilers (20-19-3) ▼Adam Pantozzi / National Hockey League / GettyAfter they appeared to right the ship under Ken Hitchcock - going 9-2-2 in his first 13 games - the Oilers reverted back their old selves, picking up just four points in their last nine contests. Peter Chiarelli - not Hitchcock - is the prime culprit for this mess, but the club's inconsistency is astounding. - WegmanPreviously: 16th26. Detroit Red Wings (16-21-7) ▼At this point, the Red Wings are simply waiting for their bad contracts to expire so they can begin adding key pieces and take the next step in their rebuild. Detroit might contend in a few years, but for now, the Atlantic Division is much too competitive. - WegmanPreviously: 25th27. Chicago Blackhawks (16-21-7) ▲An upset win over the surging Penguins isn't going to save a lost season, but the Blackhawks may have found something in Dylan Strome. The former third overall pick has seven goals and seven assists in 20 games since being traded to the Windy City. - WegmanPreviously: 29th28. St. Louis Blues (16-19-4) ▼After a busy offseason and big expectations, things have gone completely sideways in St. Loius. Easily the most disappointing team in the league, the Blues are bound to be deadline sellers. - WegmanPreviously: 26th29. Arizona Coyotes (18-21-3) ▼Many wondered if the Coyotes would finally take a step in the right direction this season, but it clearly hasn't happened - and it won't until general manager John Chayka adds some offensive punch to support Clayton Keller. - WegmanPreviously: 27th30. Philadelphia Flyers (15-20-6) ▼Carter Hart hasn't looked out of place at the NHL level, which is a positive considering he's just 20 years old. A rookie goaltender won't solve the Flyers' immediate issues, but at least there's a light at the end of the long, dark tunnel in Philadelphia's crease. - WegmanPreviously: 28th31. Ottawa Senators (15-23-5) ▼Amid a season with the odds already stacked against them, injuries haven't helped the Senators, as Matt Duchene just returned from a prolonged absence and Thomas Chabot is currently on the shelf. Ottawa will need a clean bill of health to climb out of the basement. The Avalanche - who own the Sens' first-round draft pick - are hoping they won't. - WegmanPreviously: 23rdCopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Many predicted the Florida Panthers would challenge for an Eastern Conference wild-card spot this season. The team woke up Monday morning nine points out of the playoffs.Not ideal.Several factors have contributed to Florida's position - including a cringe-worthy .887 save percentage - but there's an undeniable trend: Panthers games almost always involve a comeback, and they've usually been the victim.The 17-16-7 Panthers have won only four of 13 games they've led after the first period. Weirdly enough, however, Florida has won a bunch when trailing after the first period, picking up six wins in 15 tries."It's definitely something we've talked about in our locker room," defenseman Mike Matheson told theScore recently. "We've been on the right end of that and been on the wrong end of it."And comebacks are not exclusive to the Panthers and their combatants. Far from it.Rallying to victory has become remarkably common across the NHL, with the opening half of 2018-19 - Oct. 3 through this past Friday - producing a record number of comeback wins (285) through the first 635 games of a season. Amazingly, 13.2 percent of all games in the first half featured a team overcoming a multi-goal deficit to win. That's 84 multi-goal turnarounds in a three-month span."It's good to hear that it's going on everywhere in the league," Matheson continued, smiling a bit. "We were starting to think it was just us."Patrick Smith / Getty ImagesSome of this season's memorable comebacks include the Anaheim Ducks erasing a four-goal deficit en route to a 6-5 win over the Washington Capitals in early December; the Ottawa Senators battling back from a three-goal margin to snag a 4-3 win from the Philadelphia Flyers in late November; and, just last week, the Minnesota Wild defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-3 despite falling behind 2-0 early in the first period."I feel like you're never really out of it, and that's the mentality across the league," Wild forward Marcus Foligno said following his club’s victory.So, why has '18-19 become synonymous with comebacks? For starters, there's no denying the commitment to offense from NHL managers, coaches, and players. Every passing year, it becomes more evident that speed and skill win games, playoff rounds, and championships.Logically, the more goals, the more lead changes. And there's been an uptick in scoring over the past few seasons, even though shots per game have finally stabilized:YEARGOALS/GAMESHOTS/GAMESV%2018-196.162.6.9092017-185.963.6.9122016-175.560.2.9132015-165.459.2.915Panthers forward Troy Brouwer, now on his fifth team in an 800-game career, became a full-time NHLer four years after the 2004-05 lockout. By then, the league had bid farewell to the dead-puck era, yet a defense-first mindset remained. More than a decade later, it's all but gone."The style of game 12 years ago is different than it is now," he said. "It was more of a trap game. You wouldn't give opponents a whole lot. You don't play that as much anymore. The speed and skill have taken over and the game is more open now, in my opinion, versus when I first came into the league."By and large, dumping and chasing has been supplanted by stretch passes and other aggressive, risky ways to push the puck north. The neutral zone is an area of focus for inquisitive coaches, and analytical studies underline its link to winning hockey.Fighting fire with fire, no matter what the scoreboard reads, seems to be a popular philosophy. Up 3-0, tied 2-2, or down 4-1? Don't take your foot off the gas.It's not a perfect approach, and in the era of parity, it can produce lead changes, but Brouwer explains it's better than the alternative. "You have to stay in attack mode now," he said. "If you let off, you're pretty much just giving the puck back to the other team."Maddie Meyer / Getty ImagesDon't forget that recent changes to rules and regulations - and alterations in their enforcement - were approved for the purpose of increasing scoring. Most notably, goaltender equipment was trimmed to give shooters an advantage, and the crackdown on slashing has forced blue-liners to defend more politely."I think anytime you have your stick horizontal on the ice, you're going to get a penalty," Maple Leafs defenseman Travis Dermott said. "You definitely have to have your feet going. And with the speed nowadays, you definitely have to be fast to keep up with forwards."Matheson added, "If somebody with the puck gets body position on you, there's pretty much nothing you can do to get the puck off them without taking a penalty."And if your team takes a penalty, good luck. Power plays are dangerously effective in 2019. The Tampa Bay Lightning boast a ridiculous 30 percent success rate, and the league average is hovering around 20 percent for a second straight season. Once considered risque, having four forwards on one top-heavy unit has become common practice."Instead of having two balanced units, everyone is just loading up one unit and playing them a minute-and-a-half, two minutes on the power play," Matheson noted. "And it works. To have your five best players on the ice, they're going to make plays and are going to be able to score goals."The Panthers have experimented with a five-forward power-play unit, emphasizing the shift toward an NHL that prioritizes offense."It's a scoring league, 100 percent," Matheson said.A comeback league, too, apparently.__________Kevin Sousa / National Hockey League / GettyPressing pause on the season at the halfway point can also be beneficial at the team level - especially when trying to forecast or manage expectations for the second half.One way to do this is to dive into some underlying numbers - stats on who's endured the most/fewest injuries, experienced the worst/best puck luck, and faced the most difficult/easiest competition.On the first front, thanks to Nathan Currier's fine work at ManGamesLost.com, it's clear some teams have been ravaged by injuries while others have enjoyed relatively good health (MGL = man games lost to injury in first half):RANKTEAMMGL1ANA2122PHI2103ARI2094DAL1985OTT1845LAK184RANKTEAMMGL27WPG4728TOR3329MIN2730CBJ2431SJS21The Dallas Stars are an interesting case, particularly in light of CEO Jim Lites blasting marquee forwards Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn over the holidays.The Stars have been challenged by injuries, especially on the back end, with Stephen Johns sidelined all season and No. 1 defenseman John Klingberg missing 18 games. Somehow, Dallas is one of four teams that missed the playoffs last year but is holding down a playoff spot at the midway point of this season.Ranking 16th among 31 teams, the Stars can't otherwise claim they were particularly lucky or unlucky in the first half, based on the advanced stat PDO (save percentage plus shooting percentage):RANKTEAMPDO1TOR102.82WSH102.73NYI102.24PIT101.8T5ANA101.1T5TBL101.1RANKTEAMPDO27MIN98.828SJS98.329ARI98.130CAR97.831FLA97.7Seeing the Maple Leafs at the top of the PDO list and near the bottom of the injury list doesn't mean they should expect poor puck luck or a slew of painful events over the next few months. However, those raw figures illustrate that Mike Babcock and his players haven't faced too much adversity in the early going, avoiding major injuries and clearly getting a fortuitous bounce or two. Compared to the Arizona Coyotes, whose season has been derailed by long-term ailments and a lack of scoring, Toronto is laughing.Meanwhile, given where the San Jose Sharks rank in other categories - and their third-place spot in the Pacific Division - it's notable that they're 31st in man games lost. Along with being virtually injury-free, the first-half Sharks had the fourth-easiest schedule, according to Hockey Reference's strength of schedule metric, and tied for hitting the fifth-fewest crossbars/posts:RANKTEAMCROSSBARSPOSTSTOTAL1VAN3112432CHI30737T3MIN29836T3VGK297365DET30535RANKTEAMCROSSBARSPOSTSTOTALT26SJS18422T26NSH1572228COL20121T29OTT16521T29NYR1912031NJD11213Len Redkoles / National Hockey League / GettyAt the other end of the spectrum are the rebuilding Vancouver Canucks. Not only did Elias Pettersson, Bo Horvat, and friends hit the most posts and crossbars, they also faced stiff competition, tying the Edmonton Oilers and Chicago Blackhawks for the second-highest strength of schedule:RANKTEAMSOS1NJD0.11T2VAN0.07T2EDM0.07T2CHI0.07T5OTT0.06T5LAK0.06RANKTEAMSOST26WPG-0.06T26FLA-0.0628SJS-0.0929VGK-0.1130CBJ-0.1131TBL-0.14An inch here, an inch there, and perhaps the Canucks have more than 44 points in 45 games. Can they capitalize on an easier second half, or is the franchise actually OK with misfiring? Would missing the playoffs and gaining a higher draft pick be a better scenario for the club?The next few months in B.C. - and in the NHL's 30 other markets - should be intriguing.John Matisz is theScore's National Hockey Writer. You can find him on Twitter @matiszjohn.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers forward Jori Lehtera will skip his scheduled court appearance in Finland on Tuesday, according to Tricia L. Nadolny of The Philadelphia Inquirer, citing a report from Finnish newspaper Aamulehti.Legally, Lehtera isn't required to attend the hearing because Finnish authorities haven't been able to subpoena him, according to Aamulehti.The 31-year-old was charged with buying eight grams of cocaine from a distribution ring in his native Finland over the summer. Prosecutors are seeking a five-month suspended sentence.Lehtera has stated he's innocent. He's one of 22 people charged in the case.Lehtera's recorded one goal and two assists in 24 games this season and hasn't suited up since Dec. 15.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Despite cries from his head coach, Edmonton Oilers star Connor McDavid still doesn't seem to be getting much protection from the officials.McDavid avoided serious injury when he crashed hard into the boards during the second period of Sunday's game in Anaheim after being hit from behind by Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm.

Every Monday, theScore will offer a weekly fantasy hockey column detailing a handful of moves you should make. Ownership percentages (as of Jan. 6) and position eligibility are courtesy of Yahoo.Buy low on Eric StaalTeam: Wild

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, and Google Play.In this episode, John's joined by ESPN senior NHL writer Greg Wyshynski to discuss award front-runners at the midway point of the 2018-19 NHL season.The seven major prizes up for grabs are:

PITTSBURGH (AP) Dylan Strome broke a tie 1:48 into the third period and the Chicago Blackhawks beat Pittsburgh 5-3 on Sunday night to end the Penguins' winning streak at eight games.Strome scored seconds after a power-play expired, beating fallen goalie Casey DeSmith off a pass from Patrick Kane. Jonathan Toews added an empty-net goal and had an assist to run his points streak to six games.Alex DeBrincat scored on a power play for his 19th of the season, and Chris Kunitz and Duncan Keith both scored their first for the Blackhawks. They won their 10th straight against the Penguins, including five straight in Pittsburgh. The Blackhawks haven't lost to the Penguins since March 30, 2014, in Pittsburgh.Chicago snapped a two-game skid and has won three of five and six of nine following an eight-game losing streak in November.Kane had three assists. He's the 20th player in NHL history and the first American-born skater to begin his career with at least 12 straight seasons with 30-plus assists. Cam Ward stopped 31 shots.Jake Guentzel, Patric Hornqvist and Derick Brassard scored for the Penguins, and DeSmith stopped 26 shots.Pittsburgh scored twice in the first 4:33.Hornqvist opened the scoring at 2:43 with a blocker-side, one-timer from the right faceoff dot, and Guentzel gave Pittsburgh a two-goal lead when he swept a rebound underneath Ward from the top of the crease.DeBrincat put Chicago on the board with a power-play goal. He scored his eighth goal in 13 games on a one-timer from Kane.Kunitz tied it for Chicago at 6:46 of the second period. Kunitz, who won three Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh, scored on a night when the Penguins honored their 2009 Stanley Cup championship team.The Penguins regained the lead at 9:49 of the second when Brassard squeezed a one-timer from Phil Kessel between Ward's pads from the right circle. Keith tied it at 3 with a slap shot from the left point just as a power play expired.NOTES: Penguins' D Kris Letang played in his 722nd career game, tied with Rick Kehoe for sixth on the franchise list. Letang's assist gives him a seven-game points streak. ... Chicago D Erik Gustafsson has a five-game points streak after registering an assist. . F Drake Caggiula made his Blackhawks debut after he was acquired in a trade with Edmonton on Dec. 31. ... Penguins D Justin Schultz, who has not played since Oct. 13, skated on his own for the first time before Pittsburgh's practice Saturday.UP NEXTBlackhawks: Host Calgary on Monday night.Penguins: Host Florida on Tuesday night.---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.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl scored again, Cam Talbot made 39 saves for his first shutout this season and the Edmonton Oilers earned their second victory in nine games by beating the skidding Anaheim Ducks 4-0 on Sunday night.It was a strong bounce-back win for the Oilers, who lost 4-0 to Los Angeles on Saturday night. They scored three goals in the first period for the second time this season and controlled action on both ends of the ice despite being outshot 39-24.McDavid, who began the day fifth in the NHL in scoring, has five goals in his last seven games. Draisaitl has seven in the past seven games.Jesse Puljujarvi and Kyle Brodziak also scored. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Caleb Jones each had two assists.Anaheim has lost eight straight after winning four in a row and nine of 10. John Gibson made 20 saves for the Ducks, who are 0-2-2 during a six-game homestand - their longest of the season.The Oilers opened the scoring at 7:37 of the first period when McDavid finally was able to get the puck under Gibson's blocker on his third attempt from in front for his 24th goal of the season. A no-look backhand from the slot by Puljujarvi at 16:05 and a short-handed goal by Brodziak with 11 seconds remaining marked the first time since Jan. 21, 2017, at Calgary, that the Oilers have led by three or more on the road at the end of 20 minutes.It was the third time this season Anaheim had allowed three goals in the first period but it was the first time it trailed by three or more in the period since Feb. 3 last season at Montreal.Draisaitl scored at 7:25 of the second when he corralled a shot by Jones that was blocked by Anaheim's Ondrej Kase and fired a wrist shot past Gibson to make it 4-0.NOTES: Anaheim D Cam Fowler played in his first game since missing 23 after taking a puck to the face Nov. 12 against Nashville. The puck ended up breaking Fowler's right orbital bone, right cheekbone and right jaw bone, requiring surgery. ... Brodziak has four short-handed goals since the start of last season. ... Anaheim executive vice president/general manager Bob Murray became the fifth person in NHL history to both play and serve 1,000 games as a GM. He joined Bobby Clarke, Bob Gainey, Bob Pulford and Doug Wilson.UP NEXTOilers: Play at San Jose on Tuesday.Ducks: Host Ottawa on Wednesday.---More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL and https://twitter.com/AP-SportsCopyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Draft-eligible forward Kaapo Kakko scored with just over one minute remaining in the game to lead Finland to the gold medal Saturday at the World Junior Hockey Championship with a 3-2 win over the United States.The victory marks the third gold in the last six years for Finland.Many project Kakko, 17, to be chosen second overall in the 2019 NHL Draft behind American Jack Hughes, who picked up an assist in the United States' silver-medal winning effort.While Kakko may go down as the hero, goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen deserves a lion's share of the credit for the Finns' victory. The Buffalo Sabres prospect was a brick wall between the pipes, stopping 25 of 27 shots he faced.The back-and-fourth matchup easily could've gone in a different direction had an early call went USA's way. In the first period, the United States had the potential first goal of the game waved off due to goaltender interference.Following a scoreless first period, Jesse Ylonen's power-play marker gave the Finns the lead midway through the second frame. It wasn't until the third period that the game began to open up, though.Otto Latvala's long-range wrister gave Finland an insurance marker six minutes into the third. However, USA quickly responded with goals less than two minutes apart from Alexander Chmelevski and Josh Norris. The game remained even until Kakko's game-winner with less than two minutes to go in regulation.Victorious in both 2014 and 2016, Finland's three world junior golds are the most of any nation since 2011.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Fresh off snapping their six-game losing streak with a 3-1 victory over the Arizona Coyotes on Wednesday, the Edmonton Oilers were handed a glorious opportunity to start a winning streak of their own with a matchup against the cellar-dwelling Los Angeles Kings on Saturday night.Instead, the Oilers came out flat, and the Kings made them pay, scoring three first-period goals en route to a 4-0 victory. Afterwards, head coach Ken Hitchcock called out the entire team, except for one player."We had one player show up to play, Darnell Nurse," Hitchcock said, according to Sportsnet's Gene Principe. "This is on everybody. When you have one player competing it can't be accepted."Nurse logged a team-high 23:24 in the ugly defeat, tallying three shots, three hits, and a blocked shot. He's been asked to play a bigger role for Edmonton with several regulars on the blue line dealing with injuries.While Nurse's growth this season has been encouraging, Hitchcock continued to echo his complaints about the rest of the group."You and I can bark and bitch and complain but it has to come from within the locker room," he said. "This is not acceptable."Edmonton won't have to wait long for its shot at redemption, as the club will square off against the Anaheim Ducks on Sunday.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks phenom Elias Pettersson has a slight MCL sprain, head coach Travis Green told reporters after a loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night."It's not too bad. Probably as good news as we could have hoped for," Green said.Pettersson sat out Saturday's game after hurting his right knee Thursday night against the Montreal Canadiens. In that contest, he went down awkwardly after getting tangled up with fellow rookie and Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi.Pettersson leads all first-year NHLers with 22 goals and 42 points. He was named to the Pacific Division All-Star team on Wednesday.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

For many players, the World Junior Championship is the first time they’ll play in front of an international audience. The stakes are undeniably high. While one tournament shouldn’t be enough to completely tank or skyrocket a player’s stock, it is a great opportunity for them to showcase the work they’ve put in and the growth they’ve achieved.Here are some players we feel really showed off their skill at this year’s WJHC.Tyler Madden - USA (Vancouver Canucks)Madden, a 2018 third-rounder (68th overall) of the Vancouver Canucks, has certainly made an impression during his first games in front of his potential future team's fans. He’s been one of the United States' most aggressive players offensively, driving the net and pushing play forward. Madden has great hockey sense, but he's a pretty small guy in his draft year - listed at 5-foot-11 and 152 pounds - so it makes sense that he was lower on some of the more traditional scouting lists. Still, this tournament has made it clear that, at least against his peers, Madden has what it takes.In the quarterfinal, he had the most ice time among American forwards with 18:17. He was named player of the game in the USA’s round-robin win over Finland. It took time for his efforts to show up on the scoresheet, but anyone paying attention could see that Madden was continually making life difficult for opponents. He makes great plays and he’s starting to adjust his game to a faster pace. While he’s still got some work to do, signs point toward a future as a solid middle-six NHL forward.Alexander Romanov - Russia (Montreal Canadiens)Rich Lam / Getty Images Sport / GettyRomanov, the 2018 Montreal Canadiens second-round pick (38th overall) impressed everyone from the word go at this year’s tournament. On a team that doesn’t have a lot going for it defensively, he’s consistently impressed. And he’s not just doing his best to shut down opponents - he’s been contributing at the other end as well.Going into the medal games, Romanov is behind only Grigori Denisenko for the team lead in points with seven in six games, including one goal. He’s been playing heavy minutes for Russia, taking on difficult competition, and while it took the team a while to get clicking, Romanov was playing well from the start.Ryan Poehling - USA (Montreal Canadiens)People wondered how the USA would replace Brady Tkachuk offensively. Poehling seems to have taken that as a personal challenge. With eight points, including five goals, going into the gold-medal game, the Canadiens' 2017 first-rounder is tied for the tournament lead in points with Morgan Frost (CAN) and Artur Gatiyatov (KAZ), both of whom are no longer playing.While the U.S. eventually fell 5-4 to Sweden, Poehling’s natural hat trick in the round-robin game drove the Americans' comeback to force overtime. He’s been an offensive force, driving the pace of play and searching for opportunities every time he takes the ice. He has shown significant growth as a player over the past year and has made a great case for himself as a tournament MVP candidate.Philipp Kurashev - Switzerland (Chicago Blackhawks)Rich Lam / Getty Images Sport / GettyKurashev has, perhaps, made the biggest impression at the world juniors. He leads the tournament in goal-scoring with six goals going into the bronze-medal game and was the engine behind Switzerland’s offense for the majority of the competition. His seven points should see him finish inside the top 10 in scoring.Kurashev was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the fourth round (120th overall) in 2018 and is producing in the QMJHL regular season as well, with 18 goals and 25 assists in 33 games. During this tournament, he’s shown that his club numbers aren't just a product of playing in the Q. His offensive instincts have been on full display as he's played big minutes and scored in big moments, including a hat trick to lead Switzerland over Denmark and the only Swiss goal against Finland in the semifinals. His overall game is more solid than it was last season, and that has to have the Blackhawks feeling good.Nando Eggenberger - Switzerland (2019 eligible)Eggenberger, who captained the underdog Swiss team to almost unbelievable heights in this year’s tournament, has used the world juniors to show exactly why he should’ve been drafted - not passed over - in 2018. Going into the bronze-medal game against Russia, Eggenberger has four points in six games in his third WJHC appearance. It’s a solid addition to his performances with the OHL's Oshawa Generals so far this season.Along with Kurashev, Eggenberger has been a critical part of Switzerland's attack, consistently pushing the pace. He’s a good skater, is deceptively speedy, and has a great release and solid hockey sense; he clearly came into the tournament with a drive to put all of those skills to work.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) president Rene Fasel would like to see future events held on the smaller ice surface typically used in North America."Our goal would be that in Beijing in 2022, if ice hockey's there, we will play on the small ice ... and in Finland in 2022, we will play on small ice (at) our World Championship," Fasel told the assembled media, including TSN, at a news conference in Vancouver on Saturday."That should be our goal, that in the future we have the same size as they play here in North America," he added.The 2019 World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia, is being played in NHL-sized facilities, and Fasel believes they're ideal for this tournament."What I like here (is that) the small ice in North America for the juniors is just perfect," he said, adding that he wasn't originally in favor of it but was convinced when he watched the 2010 Olympics, which were also held in Vancouver.IIHF events hosted outside North America are typically played on ice surfaces measuring 200-feet long and 100-feet wide. NHL regulation size is 200 by 85.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets winger Nikolaj Ehlers will be out until mid-February with an upper-body injury, head coach Paul Maurice told The Athletic's Murat Ates on Saturday.Ehlers was injured in Friday's contest versus the Pittsburgh Penguins after only two shifts.The Jets' next game comes Sunday against the Dallas Stars. Here's how they lined up at practice with Ehlers unavailable:

If you're seeking some nostalgia on a busy night in the NHL, look no further than the Los Angeles Kings-Edmonton Oilers broadcast Saturday night.The Kings will be hosting '90s night at Staples Center, and FOX Sports West is bringing back the 'Glow Puck' as a part of the festivities, the team announced.What's that, you may ask? Take a look at it in action from the 1996 All-Star Game:"We won't be able to give the speed of the shot," FOX Sports producer Steven Dorfman said, according to Kevin Allen of USA Today. "But we can simulate the glow of the puck, and we can simulate the tracking of the puck."The 'Glow Puck' was introduced in 1995 as a tactic to help newcomers to the sport follow the action a little bit easier."It was brand new back then, and it was polarizing," Dorfman said. "Hockey purists thought it was insulting, the idea that you would need an effect on the puck to see it. Other people drew to it because it was new."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Finland defenseman Henri Jokiharju had high praise for his teammate Kaapo Kakko following a 6-1 semifinal dismantling of Switzerland on Friday, comparing the 17-year-old to one of the most lethal goal scorers in the NHL."He seems a little bit like Auston Matthews," Jokiharju said of Kakko, according to TSN's Mark Masters. "Short stick, quick hands, he's a good skater, and he can make some good plays in tight areas."(Kakko's) going to be No. 1 (pick in 2019 draft)," he added, according to NHL.com's Mike Morreale.If anyone on Finland has the right to make such comparison, it's certainly Jokiharju. The 19-year-old spent 32 games with the Chicago Blackhawks this season before joining Finland for the world juniors, and in just his second NHL game, he got a front-row view of Matthews' brilliance, as the Maple Leafs' superstar picked up two goals and two assists en route to a wild 7-6 overtime win for Toronto.Kakko is widely considered the second-best project eligible for the 2019 NHL Draft, and many believe he could push American Jack Hughes for the first overall slot.Kakko has an impressive 20 points in 27 games in Finland's top professional league, but he could truly leave his mark on the hockey world with a standout performance in Saturday's gold-medal game against Hughes and the United States.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Now that we're essentially at the midpoint of the NHL season, the MVP race is really getting interesting.Despite a crowded field with many qualified candidates, several superstars have managed to separate themselves by cranking it up a notch. Here are our top five contenders for the Hart Trophy as things stand right now:5. Nathan MacKinnon, AvalancheMichael Martin / National Hockey League / GettyGPGAPATOISCF%CF%4124366022:0653.9952.05Mikko Rantanen's been piling up points in his own right, but MacKinnon's the primary reason that the Colorado Avalanche's top line has been so explosive, even now that it no longer includes Gabriel Landeskog.It would be tough to argue that Rantanen wouldn't see a significant drop in production without MacKinnon as his center, whereas MacKinnon would still produce at an elite level regardless of his linemates.MacKinnon, last year's Hart Trophy runner-up, ranks fifth in points and sits top 10 in both goals and assists. He's posted six goals and 13 helpers across his last 15 games, and he's recorded at least one point in five straight contests.4. Nikita Kucherov, LightningGPGAPATOISCF%CF%4120496919:0153.5152.58The league-leading Tampa Bay Lightning are absolutely loaded with talent, but Kucherov is on another level right now.He's posted at least four points in three of his last five contests, he's scored in five consecutive games, and he's riding a 12-game point streak that includes eight goals and 19 assists.Kucherov might not get as many Hart votes due to all the help around him, but he's putting himself in the conversation with this dominant run.3. John Gibson, DucksGPW-L-OTLSV%GAAHDSV%GSAA3415-11-6.9242.59.88313.99Joe Sargent / National Hockey League / GettyThe Anaheim Ducks currently sit in a playoff position, but they would be a basement dweller without Gibson, who's played exceptionally well despite getting absolutely bombarded.Anaheim's allowed the second-most shots against per game, yet Gibson's produced the league's best goals saved above average at five-on-five to go along with a stellar .924 save percentage. And somehow, he's allowed more than three goals in just two of his last 20 games.Meanwhile, only the lowly Los Angeles Kings have scored less than the Ducks, so Gibson's not getting any help at the other end.With all that considered, the 25-year-old is starting to make a pretty convincing case that he's been the best netminder in the league this season and deserves to be a Hart finalist.2. Connor McDavid, OilersGPGAPATOISCF%CF%3923386122:4552.0651.78Andy Devlin / National Hockey League / GettyWhile McDavid's probably been the most valuable player to his team this season (which we've said in the past - twice), the Edmonton Oilers have taken a nosedive recently, losing six straight games before snapping that skid Wednesday. And while those woes aren't McDavid's fault in the least, voters will likely penalize him if the Oilers continue to plummet.Edmonton currently ranks in the bottom third of the league in goals, but McDavid's figured in on an astounding 54 percent of them (61 of 113) and has scored 20 percent of them himself.If the Oilers are anywhere near a playoff spot in April, McDavid will warrant serious Hart consideration, but he'll be hard-pressed to claim the honor if Edmonton bottoms out, regardless of how unfair that might be.1. Alex Ovechkin, CapitalsGPGAPATOISCF%CF%3930164621:0646.8246.99Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / GettyThe NHL's goals leader had been mired in a six-game drought before Thursday night, but Ovechkin busted out while etching his name in the record books, becoming only the second player in league history to begin a career with 14 straight 30-goal seasons.The 33-year-old is carrying the first-place Washington Capitals, having scored nearly 22 percent of their goals and figuring in on one-third of them. He's also potted more than double the amount of goals than his closest teammate, Jakub Vrana (12), while only three other Capitals besides Ovechkin and Vrana have reached double-digits.Ovechkin's shooting percentage will likely regress closer to his career average by season's end, but what he's doing at this age is utterly remarkable.Honorable mentions: Rantanen, David Pastrnak, Elias Pettersson, Jack Eichel.ATOI = Average time on ice

The trio of entities involved in the Ottawa Senators' ongoing arena impasse will head to mediation to try to salvage a bid for a new downtown facility.GBA Development and Project Management president Graham Bird was able to get the three parties - including Senators owner Eugene Melnyk's Capital Sports Management, and Trinity Development Group's John Ruddy - to agree to mediation, according to The Canadian Press.Bird did that on Friday, which is when he also filed a statement of defense against Melnyk's lawsuit.Melynk is suing the Trinity Group and Bird for $700 million over the LeBreton Flats project, which he deemed a "failed" venture in November.Mediation with members of RendezVous LeBreton is scheduled to take place before a Jan. 19 deadline imposed by the National Capital Commission for the parties to reach an agreement.The crown corporation will look into other options if no agreement is reached before the deadline.The Senators have played at Canadian Tire Centre in Kanata, Ontario since 1996.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks rookie Elias Pettersson will have an MRI on his right knee Friday, the team confirmed."I’m walking fine," he said Friday, adding that he feels better than he did after sustaining the injury.Pettersson hurt his right knee Thursday night after getting tangled up with Montreal Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi in the second period. Pettersson immediately reached for the knee after the collision. He left the game and didn't return.

Sidney Crosby has got Maxime Comtois' back.The Pittsburgh Penguins superstar stood up for the forward, who was denied on a penalty shot in overtime during Canada's quarterfinal loss to Finland at the World Junior Championship and subsequently cyberbullied."I feel bad," Crosby said Friday, according to TSN. "That's immediately what I thought of when I saw the penalty shot and just the amount of pressure that's on a young kid. It's too bad that people have to react that way and with social media, it kind of gives them that opportunity."Crosby offered some words of wisdom to Comtois - namely, not to fixate on it."My advice to him would be just to ignore it. He's a great player and he's going to have a great career and that's not going to define who he is - that penalty shot. The real fans and the people that are behind you, I think everybody is there to support him. Anything can happen in hockey and in a quarterfinal game like that. You see the stick break - it's one of those things."He also had a message for anyone who was quick to criticize the Anaheim Ducks prospect."It's easy to be a good fan when you're winning, but it's a little tougher when you lose and I think everyone should keep that in mind," Crosby said.The agency that represents Comtois, Roy Sports Group, said in a statement Thursday: "It is shameful and incomprehensible that a few cowards who can hide behind social media could make such vicious attacks on these young men's character after they have battled their hearts out for their country."Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Toronto Maple Leafs will turn to Michael Hutchinson again.The club's new acquisition will start Saturday's game against the Vancouver Canucks, head coach Mike Babcock told reporters, including NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger, on Friday.Meanwhile, the team revealed Garret Sparks has been diagnosed with a concussion, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. Sparks went through protocol following Wednesday's practice.Hutchinson stopped 30 of 34 shots in his Leafs debut Thursday, a 4-3 loss to the Minnesota Wild. Toronto acquired the 28-year-old in a trade with the Florida Panthers on Dec. 29.Frederik Andersen will miss his fifth straight game with a nagging groin injury. He was placed on injured reserve Thursday, retroactive to Dec. 23.The Leafs reassigned netminder Kasimir Kaskisuo to the AHL's Toronto Marlies earlier Friday.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak showed no remorse when discussing a matchup with his former team, the Los Angeles Kings, on Thursday.Cernak, a second-round pick by the Kings in 2015, was sent to Tampa Bay as a key part of a deal that brought goaltender Ben Bishop to Los Angeles in 2016-17."I was pretty happy when they traded me," Cernak told The Athletic's Joe Smith. "I came to development camp and everyone was friendly to me. It was much different than L.A."Cernak has carved out a nice role for the first-place Lightning. Entering Thursday, the 21-year-old had seven points in 21 games in his rookie season and has most recently found himself in the team's top-four on defense, playing alongside veteran Ryan McDonagh.The Kings, meanwhile, have 35 points - tied for the fewest in the NHL.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks stud rookie Elias Pettersson left Thursday night's game with a lower-body injury after getting tied up with Montreal Canadiens forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi and did not return.Here's the incident that occurred in the second period:

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, and Google Play.This week, John is joined by Ryan Stimson of The Athletic to discuss a variety of topics:

Washington Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin continues to build his case as the greatest goal scorer ever.Ovechkin notched his 30th goal of the season on Thursday, becoming just the second player in NHL history to begin their career with 14 consecutive 30-goal seasons, according to Capitals Public Relations. Fellow Caps legend Mike Gartner began his career with 15 straight 30-goal campaigns. Jaromir Jagr had a 15-year streak of 30 goals, but it was not to begin his career.Here's a look at the goal, in which Ovechkin snipes from the opposite side of the ice we've become accustomed to seeing him bury.

Toronto Maple Leafs phenom Auston Matthews was voted as the Atlantic Division's captain at the 2019 NHL All-Star game, but if he had it his way, he'd sacrifice his spot for teammates Mitch Marner and Morgan Rielly, who were left off the roster."In my opinion, having missed the time I did, seeing those three guys, the way they played - Johnny (Tavares), Mitch (Marner), and Mo (Rielly) - I think I'd give up my spot for them any day of the week because they've had unbelievable seasons," Matthews told TSN's Kristen Shilton.Matthews missed a month with a shoulder injury, but still sits second on the Maple Leafs in goals (19) and fourth in points (36) despite skating in only 26 of the team's 40 games.Tavares - who was named to the All-Star game roster - Marner, and Rielly have served as the team's offensive catalysts from the beginning of the season, all the way through to the midway mark of the 2018-19 campaign.Rielly's 44 points are the most among NHL defensemen, while Marner leads the Leafs with 55 points and sits fourth in the league with 40 assists. The controversial All-Star game format - which requires one representative from each team - is responsible for leaving two of the league's premier players out of the midseason festivities.For Marner, being left off the team despite a breakout season isn't a concern."Focus on here, focus on helping this team win. Nothing you can do about it," Marner told Shilton, adding that it would be cool to be there, but "it's not a big deal ... there's bigger things in the world to think about than that."Rielly can still crack the roster thanks to a fan vote, but Marner's chances of making the All-Star game would seemingly need to come as an injury replacement, and given the format, that injury would likely need to occur to Matthews or Tavares.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Buffalo Sabres captain Jack Eichel will miss at least the next two games and be re-evaluated early next week as he deals with an upper-body injury, head coach Phil Housley announced Thursday.Eichel was banged up versus the New York Islanders on New Year's Eve and left the contest after just four shifts.The 22-year-old ranks 10th in NHL scoring with 49 points in 40 games, and was named to the Atlantic Division All-Star team on Wednesday.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils have signed head coach John Hynes to a multi-year contract extension, the team announced Thursday.Hynes is in the last year of his current contract and fourth season with the Devils. He surpassed Peter DeBoer to become the second-winningest coach in franchise history earlier this season, trailing only Jacques Lemaire."John's leadership has been instrumental in building both culture and systems that are focused on the development of our players," Devils general manager Ray Shero said in a statement. "He has cultivated a group of veteran leaders while helping our young players develop and gain experience."John is to be commended for the progress the team has made under his direction and this commitment shows that we are confident in the role he will play in our future success."Last season, Hynes led the Devils to their first playoff appearance in six years after the team finished with 97 regular-season points for their highest total since the 2011-2012 campaign. They were dispatched in the first round of the postseason in five games by the Tampa Bay Lightning.New Jersey has taken a step back this year, currently sitting 13th in the Eastern Conference and 10 points out of the final wild-card spot.Copyright © 2019 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.