The Toronto Maple Leafs kicked off their offseason signings Thursday by inking a handful of European prospects to entry-level contracts.Their most notable signing is Par Lindholm, who played for Sweden at PyeongChang 2018 and finished fourth in Swedish Hockey League (SHL) scoring this season after racking up 18 goals and 29 assists in 49 games for Skelleftea AIK.The versatile forward can contribute at both ends of the ice and could be a potential fit for the Leafs' fourth-line center role.Here are the Leafs' other signings from Thursday:

Bryce Harper was nervous on Wednesday, and it had nothing to do with the Washington Nationals or the sport of baseball.A native of Las Vegas, his hometown Vegas Golden Knights have stormed to a 2-1 series lead against the Winnipeg Jets in the NHL's Western Conference Final during their inaugural season. And Harper's been on pins and needles."I get more nervous watching them than anything I've ever done in my life," Harper told Bob Nightengale of USA TODAY Sports prior to the Golden Knights' Game 3 victory. "Even playing ball. I don't get nervous watching my team or when I play at all. I really don't."But when I’m watching them, I get so nervous. I’ll sit on the couch with my wife, going nuts."It's inspired a new fandom, and perhaps an avenue for his future children to pursue."I've fallen in love with hockey," Harper says. "When we have kids, I want them to play hockey. How awesome would that be? I can't imagine being on the ice and playing such a cool sport."It's possible his newly beloved Golden Knights wind up squaring off against his adopted hometown Washington Capitals in the Stanley Cup Final, and it's something he's already thinking about.

Canada got the game-winner from Ryan O'Reilly 4:57 into overtime to beat Russia 5-4 on Thursday and advance to the World Championship semifinals.O'Reilly converted Connor McDavid's third assist of the game to earn the Canadians the knockout-round victory.The back-and-forth contest had been pushed to OT when Artem Anisimov beat Darcy Kuemper with a soft backhand up high with just over five minutes left in regulation.The Canadians also had goals from forwards Kyle Turris, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Pierre-Luc Dubois, as well as D-man Colton Parayko.For the Big Red Machine, Alexander Barbanov, Ilya Mikheyev, and Sergei Andronov scored in the losing effort.Canada now advances to the semifinal where it will face the winner of Thursday's afternoon quarterfinal between Finland and Switzerland.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Kane potted two goals as the United States defeated the Czech Republic 3-2 to advance to the World Championship semifinals.The Americans will now face the winner of a quarterfinal matchup between Sweden and Latvia.The U.S. jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first period, but that quickly evaporated as the Czechs countered with two second-period goals of their own. Kane would go on to notch the game-winning tally less than seven minutes into the third.New Jersey Devils netminder Keith Kinkaid was stellar between the pipes for the U.S., stopping 22-of-24 shots he faced.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In the weeks leading up to the 2018 NHL Draft, theScore NHL prospect writer Hannah Stuart breaks down 10 of the most notable draft-eligible prospects. The eighth edition focuses on Evan Bouchard.Victor Mete spent this season with the Montreal Canadiens. Olli Juolevi returned to his native Finland to play for TPS of the Liiga. 2018 draft-eligible Evan Bouchard grabbed with both hands the opportunity their absences provided, and he’ll likely be a top-10 pick this June as a result. Between his size, skill, and consistency in improvement across the last couple of seasons, Bouchard has serious potential as an NHL prospect.Year in reviewBouchard’s 87 points (including 25 goals) were the highest on the London Knights this season by a decent margin - an impressive feat as a draft-eligible defenseman, even on a Knights lineup depleted from their huge trade-deadline selloff (an unusual move for the club in recent years). Bouchard was also named Knights’ captain after St. Louis Blues prospect Robert Thomas was traded to the Hamilton Bulldogs.While the Knights were swept by the Owen Sound Attack in the first round of the OHL playoffs, Bouchard finished the series with five points, including one goal. Most nights, he played more than half the game against his opponents’ top lines, and the team’s top power-play unit ran almost entirely through him. In short, the Knights relied heavily on Bouchard, and he more than justified their faith. He was nominated for OHL Defenseman of the year, and NHL Central Scouting ranked him fourth ahead of fellow top defensive prospects Quinn Hughes and Noah Dobson.Areas of strengthAn incredibly smart player, Bouchard reads the ice at a high level, anticipating plays developing around him when he doesn’t have the puck and making difficult plays look simple when he does. His passing skills, in particular, are excellent and have improved considerably over the past season. He has an impressive (and accurate) array of shots, with slap shots and wrist shots already approaching NHL calibre, and a quick release.In his own zone, Bouchard is composed and reliable, using his long reach and active stick to break up opponents’ chances, and he chews up minutes on the penalty kill as well as he does on the power play. He’s also not afraid to use his size (he’s already 6’2” and nearly 200 pounds), throwing his weight around when a physical game is necessary and using his impressive wingspan to close gaps through which opposing forwards might try to slip.Areas of improvementSome feel Bouchard needs to improve his first step and acceleration, while others think he’s a naturally powerful skater whose style is deceptive. In any case, while he’s mobile for his size and generally effective, his agility and footwork could stand to improve, or else he may find himself beaten one-on-one, particularly by smaller, more nimble forwards.His decision-making and defensive instincts, previously seen as areas that needed work, have shown significant progress over the last year. However, he has a tendency to get out of position and needs to address that if he wants to be trusted on an NHL blueline.Scouting reports"Big-bodied offensive defenseman with excellent passing skills who can orchestrate a power play as good as any blueliner from any of the last several NHL drafts. ... You’re going to be hard-pressed to find a smoother North American puck distributor, especially one that makes difficult plays look routine. ... Offensively, Bouchard delivers a consistent effort with his puck management and playmaking, though the prevailing knock on him appears to be average straight-line speed. The good news is that Bouchard is nimble for his size, plus he has excellent timing and awareness to eventually outmaneuver pressure and join the attack deep into enemy territory. His feet are quick enough to maintain a tight gap while back skating, and his massive wingspan and long, active stick help limit the number of times an onrushing forward breezes past him. Bouchard has top-pairing potential with the skills and smarts to be a big point producer at the NHL level.” - Steve Kournianos, TheDraftAnalyst.com“A highly intelligent all-around defenceman that plays with poise and can shift the pace of play in a multitude of ways. Showcases smooth four-way skating ability and loves to get involved in all situations - especially when that situation happens to be an up-ice rush. Has a polished offensive skill set which includes well-timed passes and a sneaky, erratic shot. Goes with the high-percentage play and makes smart decisions. Could work on strength behind his shot. Defensively active, cutting off lanes, and always staying in excellent positioning. Reads cues well in all three zones and seems to stay a step ahead. All-in-all, a well-rounded defender with great hockey sense and work ethic.” - Curtis Joe, EliteProspects.comDid You Know?

Marc-Andre Fleury robbed Mark Scheifele twice in a matter of seconds to help his Vegas Golden Knights preserve a 3-2 lead in the third period of Game 3 on Wednesday night.Below, we'll break down how Fleury was able to make such ridiculous stops.For a full video of the play, click here.While Fleury's often praised for his freaky athleticism, he doesn't get nearly enough credit for his IQ between the pipes. As you can see in this image, he has already transferred his weight to his left leg in anticipation of pushing off, knowing that Blake Wheeler (No. 26, bottom of the screen) is a pass-first player and Scheifele is alone in front.And here's where Fleury shows off some of that athleticism. Going into the splits, he got over quickly enough to make an incredible toe save on Scheifele's well-placed shot. If he's a fraction of a second late, Scheifele scores, which is why reading the play in the image prior made all this possible.If someone saw this image without seeing the full play, they would assume Scheifele puts this puck into the yawning cage. Though Fleury had no choice but to make the desperation toe save, he nearly slid completely out of the crease as a result. Crucially, he never took his eyes off the puck. As he slid, he planted his right skate into the ice to stop his momentum, anticipating he was about to need to leap in the opposite direction.This is where Fleury is at his best: showing off not only his athleticism, but his composure and ability to improvise. After planting his right skate into the ice, he didn't immediately dive across. He made one more push with his right skate, almost a shuffle, that allowed his chest and body to take away the big part of the net when he did leap. Having the presence of mind to take that extra split-second before the dive is truly remarkable.Fleury is no stranger to making highlight-reel saves in critical situations, but these two could arguably go down as his best ever.(Photos courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With July 1 less than two months away, theScore takes a look at the top 50 pending unrestricted free agents heading into the start of free agency.10-1 | 20-11 | 30-21 | 40-31 | 50-41Stats Legend:

LAS VEGAS (AP) Jonathan Marchessault scored two goals - including an empty-netter in the closing seconds - to lead the Vegas Golden Knights to a 4-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 3 of the Western Conference final Wednesday night.Vegas took a 2-1 series lead and is now two wins from advancing to the Stanley Cup final. The Golden Knights improved to 5-1 at home in the playoffs, and host Game 4 on Friday night.James Neal and Alex Tuch also scored for Vegas, while Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 33 shots.Mark Scheifele scored both of Winnipeg's goals and has a playoff-leading 14 goals in 15 postseason games. Connor Hellebuyck had 26 saves for the Jets, who arrived in Las Vegas having outscored their opposition 23-15 in road games during the playoffs.Marchessault scored his seventh goal of the playoffs just 35 seconds into the game as he took a pass from Brayden McNabb and went forehand-backhand to slip the puck past Hellebuyck, giving the Golden Knights a 1-0 lead.Scheifele tied it with a double-deflection off his stick and calf that went past Fleury. But 12 seconds later, Neal answered when Hellebuyck misplayed the puck behind his net and Erik Haula dished a perfect pass, giving the Knights a 2-1 lead.Tuch notched his fifth goal of the playoffs to push the lead to 3-1 after Neal fed him with a nifty pass from behind the net.Scheifele netted his second goal of the game just 18 seconds into the third period to cut Vegas' lead to one, but Winnipeg couldn't overcome the Golden Knights' speed and execution, despite outplaying them over the final 20 minutes.Fleury, who bounced back after a loss in Game 1 to stop 30 of 31 shots in Game 2, made several huge saves late in the game to perserve Vegas' lead. After stonewalling Tyler Myers' breakaway attempt with 11:50 left in the game, he stymied Scheifele's back-to-back shot with 9:30 remaining. Less than two minutes later, he smothered the puck with a slew of players piled near the crease.Winnipeg pulled Hellebuyck with 1:03 left, but Marchessault's empty-netter with 3 seconds left sealed the win.The Jets had scored a power play goal in 11 of the 13 playoff games in which they had a man advantage, but was 0 for 2 with a man advantage.Winnipeg hadn't lost back-to-back games during the playoffs. The last time it dropped consecutive games was a three-game losing streak (0-2-1) from Mar. 10-13.NOTES: Teams that take a 2-1 lead in the conference final (or NHL semifinals) have won the series 35 of 43 times (81.4 percent) since 1975. ... While ticket prices for Friday's Game 4 spiked as high as $5,000 on Monday, they ranged between $259 and $2,500 as the puck dropped for Game 3. ... The Golden Knights welcomed the family of Humboldt Broncos head coach and GM Darcy Haugan, wife Christina and children Carson and Jackson. ... With his two goals, Scheifele now owns the NHL record for most goals scored on the road in a single playoffs with 11, surpassing Sidney Crosby and Joe Mullen, each with 10. ... With 53 victories, Hellebuyck remains one shy of tying the most single-season wins by a goaltender, in both the regular season and playoffs, held by Washington's Braden Holtby (54 in 2015-16).Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vancouver Canucks are expected to sign top prospect Elias Pettersson following the World Championship, a source told Sportsnet's John Shannon.Pettersson was suiting up for his native Sweden at the tournament, but his showing was cut short after he fractured his thumb in a game Sunday.The Canucks drafted Pettersson fifth overall in the 2017 draft, though he went unsigned throughout his dominant season with Vaxjo in the Swedish Hockey League.In 44 games, Pettersson led the league with 56 points, and was named SHL Rookie of the Year, MVP, and playoff MVP as a 19-year-old.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kevin Cheveldayoff of the Winnipeg Jets, George McPhee of the Vegas Golden Knights, and Steve Yzerman of the Tampa Bay Lightning are the 2018 finalists for the NHL's General Manager of the Year Award.Cheveldayoff made arguably the most impactful move at the trade deadline, landing Paul Stastny from the St. Louis Blues, and also inked several core players to contract extensions.McPhee shaped the expansion Golden Knights into a surprise contender with several instrumental moves at the expansion draft, including selecting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and breakout star forward William Karlsson, and landing talented forwards Jonathan Marchessault and Reilly Smith from the Florida Panthers on the same night.Yzerman continued to mold the Lightning into a juggernaut, acquiring gifted, young defenseman Mikhail Sergachev from the Montreal Canadiens in the Jonathan Drouin trade last June. He also traded for defenseman Ryan McDonagh and forward J.T. Miller in a significant deal with the New York Rangers at the deadline.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets won't have forward Nikolaj Ehlers in the lineup for Game 3 of the Western Conference Final versus the Vegas Golden Knights on Wednesday, the team announced prior to puck drop.Here's a look at the Jets' projected lineup with Ehlers out, with Brandon Tanev sliding into his usual spot alongside Paul Stastny and Patrik Laine.

The Arizona Coyotes and defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson are discussing an eight-year contract extension worth more than $8 million annually, sources told Craig Morgan of Arizona Sports.The 2018-19 season will be the final year of a six-year, $33-million pact signed in 2013, and he'll be eligible to put pen to paper on a new deal as of July 1.Perennially dragged down by years of lousy Coyotes rosters, Ekman-Larsson has often been labeled as a trade target for teams looking to make a splash on the back end, but Arizona general manager John Chayka has routinely denied his availability.Ekman-Larsson, who turns 27 in July, is one of the league's premier offensive defensemen. He put up 14 goals and 28 assists in 82 games with the Coyotes in 2017-18.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The math doesn't add up for the NHL to return to Quebec City, according to Boston Bruins owner and NHL executive committee chairman Jeremy Jacobs.Speaking at an end-of-season press conference Wednesday, Jacobs was questioned on a variety of topics, including the potential for Quebec City to resurface as an NHL market. He saw little hope in the prospect."Quebec is challenged, to put it nicely," Jacobs told reporters. "Look at the income base and the population base. There probably isn't a smaller market, so they're really going to have to distinguish themselves in some other way."The NHL played out of the Quebec capital from 1979 until 1995, when financial concerns forced a relocation. The Nordiques were uprooted to Denver and rebranded as the Colorado Avalanche.Attempts have been made to bring the NHL back to Quebec City, including the unveiling of the 18,000-seat Videotron Centre, a new arena built to league standards that opened its doors in 2015.During the NHL's most recent expansion process, Quebec City's bid was deferred because of the declining Canadian dollar and a need to correct the league's geographic imbalance.Now the NHL could be preparing to add a 32nd team. But it appears Quebec City is once again on the back burner, with the league primarily focused on the Pacific Northwest and the addition of a team in Seattle.There's also been strong interest from Tilman Fertitta, who owns the NBA's Houston Rockets and would like to recruit a second franchise to share the Toyota Center."You look at Houston and you look at (Quebec), it's the fifth largest city in North America versus the 105th, let's say, so they have a different situation there," Jacobs added. "Economically, they're challenged and numerically there is challenge to them. They just don't have the numbers."But we've got enthusiastic fans there, there is no doubt about that. It's a great market and I'm not being critical of it."If economic challenges were a hurdle for Quebec City during the NHL's last open-expansion bid, the push for a return could be even trickier this time. Potential ownership in Seattle, backed by American billionaire David Bonderman and Hollywood filmmaker Jerry Bruckheimer, would have to pay a $650-million expansion fee. That's $150 million more than the Golden Knights paid in 2017.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights could have a key offensive figure back in the lineup in Game 3 against the Winnipeg Jets.Head coach Gerard Gallant said forward David Perron missed Game 2 because he "wasn't feeling well," according to Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, but the winger was listed as a game-time decision ahead of Game 3 on Wednesday.Perron finished third on the Golden Knights with 66 points this season, and he has collected seven assists in nine playoff games.While his status is uncertain, one small lineup change has already been made. Backup netminder Malcolm Subban is day to day with an undisclosed illness/injury, so Maxime Lagace will serve as Marc-Andre Fleury's No. 2, Gallant told Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It appears Anton Stralman dodged a bullet.The Tampa Bay Lightning blue-liner won't be suspended for his hit on Washington Capitals forward Tom Wilson on Tuesday night, a source told Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post.Related: Wilson on Stralman's hit: If I did that, '100 percent' I'm getting suspendedHere's a look at the hit, after which Stralman was assessed a two-minute minor for boarding:

With July 1 less than two months away, theScore takes a look at the top 50 pending unrestricted free agents heading into the start of free agency.Stats Legend:

Tom Wilson thinks Anton Stralman's hit from behind on him in Tuesday night's game would be scrutinized by the NHL had the Washington Capitals pest been the one initiating the contact.The Lightning defenseman drove Wilson into the boards about nine minutes into the first period of Game 3, and he was assessed a minor penalty as a result.

WASHINGTON (AP) Victor Hedman scored his first goal of the playoffs and added two assists, and Andrei Vasilevskiy made 36 saves to help the Tampa Bay Lightning beat the Washington Capitals 4-2 in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final Tuesday night and cut their series deficit to 2-1.Hedman had the primary assist on power-play goals by Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov and was a key part of three big penalty kills that gave Tampa Bay some much-needed momentum. Determined to create the kind of shift he thought could turn the East final around after back-to-back home losses, the Norris Trophy finalist as the NHL's top defenseman was one of the most dominant players on the ice and extended his point streak to eight gamesCriticized for his play in the first two games against Washington, Vasilevskiy was on top of his game as the Capitals put 38 shots on net. Vasilevskiy made seven saves on the penalty kill alone to save a beleaguered unit that came in ranked 13th out of 16 playoff teams.The Lightning would still like to cut down on the quality chances Vasilevskiy has to stop in Game 4 on Thursday and beyond, like the one Brett Connolly scored on after a turnover by Ondrej Palat. They also surrendered a 6-on-5 goal to Evgeny Kuznetsov with 3:02 left that made things interesting in the final minutes.But the offensive depth that helped them get through the first two rounds in five games apiece returned with Hedman and Brayden Point scoring just Tampa Bay's second and third even-strength goals in the series. Hedman now has a goal and 10 assists during his point streak.Tampa Bay got two injury scares in the third period when Stamkos hobbled off after taking a slap shot from teammate Braydon Coburn in the right knee and Tyler Johnson was cross-checked by Michal Kempny. Stamkos and Johnson each returned minutes later to a game that included nastiness after whistles throughout.Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby allowed four goals on 23 shots, though power-play one-timers by Stamkos and Kucherov were almost impossible to stop. The Lightning extended their streak of consecutive games with a power-play goal to seven and have 11 total in that time.NOTES: C Lars Eller took three of Washington's six penalties. ... With his 10th career power-play goal, Stamkos tied Martin St. Louis for Tampa Bay's playoff record. ... Injured C Nicklas Backstrom (right hand) took part in the Capitals' morning skate but missed his fourth consecutive game. Coach Barry Trotz continues to call Backstrom day-to-day. ... Alex Ovechkin and Kuznetsov combined for 21 shots on goal. ... Trotz set a franchise record by coaching his 54th playoff game with Washington.---Follow Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWhyno---More NHL hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Capitals forward Nicklas Backstrom will miss his fourth straight game with a hand injury on Tuesday night, the team announced.The 30-year-old missed Game 6 of the club's second-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins and the first two games of the Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.Luckily for Washington, the team hasn't missed a beat without their star center, winning each of their last three games.That being said, his return will certainly be welcomed as he's posted three goals and 13 points in 11 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Being assured of landing one gifted Swedish defenseman apparently isn't enough for the Buffalo Sabres.Lawrence Pilut signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the club Tuesday.The undrafted 22-year-old led all Swedish Hockey League blue-liners with 38 points in 52 games this season for HV71, capturing the Defenseman of the Year award in his fifth season with the club.Buffalo will pick first overall at the NHL Draft next month, and it's expected the team will select Rasmus Dahlin - an 18-year-old Swedish rearguard who's widely regarded as the league's top incoming prospect.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Canada will be up against a familiar foe in the quarterfinal round at the World Championship in Denmark.The Canadians play Russia, the United States battles the Czech Republic, Sweden faces Latvia, and Finland is up against Switzerland in the quarters, which will all take place Thursday.Canada finished third in Group B thanks to a shutout win over Germany on Tuesday. Russia finished second in Group A behind the first-place Swedes, who beat them in their final preliminary-round matchup.The U.S. squares off against the Czechs after falling to Finland 6-2 in its final game of the opening round.Latvia squeezed into the quarters with a 1-0 win over Denmark on Tuesday, leapfrogging the hosts and eliminating them in the process.Finland finished first in Group B, while the Swiss closed the preliminary round with a 5-1 win over France.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals organization has been a pillar of consistency over the last decade, qualifying for the postseason an impressive 10 times in 11 seasons, but then always falling short of lofty expectations.In fact, despite the lengthy streak of playoff berths, Washington had failed to even reach the conference finals in 20 straight campaigns leading up to last week.It had become the norm for Presidents' Trophies, 120-plus-point regular seasons, and Stanley Cup aspirations to be dashed at the hands of Eastern Conference teams the Capitals were supposed to dust aside with relative ease.Well, it might have taken longer than D.C. hockey fans would have liked, and parade plans might be premature, but Washington - which has won 10 of its last 12 games and holds a 2-0 series lead over Tampa Bay in the conference finals - now finds itself within striking distance of the franchise's second Stanley Cup Final in its 44-year history.The surprising postseason run has been a symphony of solo performances and complete group efforts that has finally started earning Washington the respect of opposing teams and fans alike. Here's how:Road warriorsThe mark of any championship-caliber club is its ability to win on the road. So, what's the Capitals' record away from home in the 2018 playoffs? Try a sparkling 7-1, as they've already matched their franchise record for road wins in a single postseason.And take a look at the numbers from Washington's opponents during those seven victories away from Capitol One Arena - let's just say the Caps haven't been an easy team to play against:OpponentRound (Game)PPOPPGGFResultBlue JacketsRound 1 (3)4023-2 Caps OTWBlue JacketsRound 1 (4)3014-1 Caps WBlue JacketsRound 1 (6)4036-3 Caps WPenguinsRound 2 (3)4134-3 Caps WPenguinsRound 2 (6)1012-1 Caps OTWLightningRound 3 (1)3124-2 Caps WLightningRound 3 (2)4226-2 Caps WOne key factor is that Washington has killed penalties at nearly an 83 percent clip in the road victories, extinguishing 19 of 23 power-play chances for its opponents.Another has been the Capitals' ability to cancel out home-ice advantage by scoring the first goal in all seven road wins, taking the opposing crowd out of the game from the jump.Power-play proficiency (Photo courtesy: Getty Images)While the PK has been stingy, the Capitals' PP has been filling the back of the net more than any other unit this postseason, registering a league-high 16 goals on 49 chances for a impressive 32.7 percent conversion rate.Leading that charge has been T.J. Oshie, Nicklas Backstrom, Evgeny Kuznetsov, Alex Ovechkin, and John Carlson - a group that head coach Barry Trotz has deployed 60 percent of the time over the past 10 games. And lately, Lars Eller has slotted in admirably for Backstrom - who's missed the last three games with an upper-body injury - but his time for recognition is coming shortly.Making opponents pay on special teams has certainly been a crucial aspect of Washington's overall offensive output during the first three rounds. Bottom-six forwards stepping upBackstrom's injury opened the door for Eller, but the rest of Washington's bottom six has done its part, too. Guys like Devante Smith-Pelly, Jay Beagle, and Chandler Stephenson have been sensational despite playing limited minutes.In addition to eating up time on the PK and sacrificing their bodies with crucial shot blocks, Smith-Pelly, Beagle, and Stephenson have even chipped in with some clutch playmaking and scoring, combining for seven goals and seven assists through the first 14 playoff games.As for Eller, he's served as the second-line center since Backstrom's injury during Game 5 against Pittsburgh last round, and hasn't looked out of place. The 29-year-old Dane has two goals and two assists while averaging just under 20 minutes a night alongside Oshie and Jakub Vrana.Eller is just the most recent example of a bottom-six forward stepping up for Washington, as that entire crew has been doing it since the end of April. Ovi, Kuzy wreaking havoc There could be an entire piece dedicated to this section, considering how insanely good Kuznetsov and Ovechkin have been since the playoffs began. But given the nature of this piece, let's just shine a bit of light on the duo's sensational offensive output over the 14 postseason games:PlayerGoalsAssistsATOICF%S%Ovechkin10921:3361.617.5Kuznetsov81121:4060.316.3There's no denying that Kuzy and Ovi have been on complete tears, but winger Tom Wilson has been the final piece rounding out Washington's top line. And he's played an important role, too, racking up three goals and six assists in 11 games.Ovechkin and Kuznetsov - with the chippy Wilson adding an element of sandpaper - have been giving opposing blue-liners fits with their stellar puck possession and elite offensive skill sets.It's been a long time coming for Ovechkin, who's been hearing for his entire career that he doesn't have what it takes to get his team over the top. It's probably safe to say that played-out narrative's days in the sun are nearing an end. Beastly blue lineLast, but certainty not least, the Capitals' D-core has been instrumental in the club reaching this point.The top-four group of Matt Niskanen, Dmitry Orlov, Michal Kempny, and John Carlson has been rock-solid while also contributing offensively. In fact, Carlson has already turned in the best offensive postseason from a defenseman in Capitals history.

Canada wrapped up its round robin at the World Championship with a 3-0 win over Germany on Tuesday, clinching third place in Group B. That means the Canadians will play either Sweden or Russia in the quarterfinals.Sweden and Russia square off at 2:15 p.m. ET to determine who wins Group A. The loser of that matchup faces Canada.Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins led the way offensively for Canada, picking up two points apiece.The team's goaltending has been shaky all tournament, but Darcy Kuemper earned the shutout Tuesday. He wasn't tested much, though, turning aside just 10 shots.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Add another player to the list of those who hold dual citizenship and yet choose to represent the United States internationally.Oliver Wahlstrom, whose father played at the University of Maine before playing in the Swedish Elite League, has represented the U.S. on multiple occasions, including at the last two U18 Men’s World Championships where he earned a gold and a silver medal, respectively.Wahlstrom is perhaps most widely-known, however, for a viral video of him scoring a shootout goal prior to a Boston Bruins game when he was nine years old. It's a gross understatement to say his puck skills have only improved since that day.Year in reviewIf you want a quick snapshot of how Wahlstrom’s season went, he had 48 goals in 62 games and hit seven more at the U18 Men’s World Championships. Let’s not talk about the heartbreaker he missed with less than a second left on the clock in the gold-medal game against Finland. Instead, let’s recall how he was not only named one of the top three players on Team USA by the coaching staff, but was also selected to the tournament All-Star Team. Team USA’s silver continued a medal streak at the U18s that dates back to 2004.Wahlstrom’s USHL play, in particular, was impressive this year. His goals-per-game mark is the league's highest in six seasons, with 22 of his 48 goals coming in only 26 games. While he's listed as able to play center, he’s mostly been used on the right wing - of late, typically on the flank of U17 player Jack Hughes, with Joel Farabee on Hughes’ left to complete a formidable trio.Wahlstrom will choose between Boston College and Michigan as his hockey home in 2018-19, with a decision expected in late May or early June.Areas of strengthWahlstrom is the dangerous goal-scoring forward armchair GMs want Brady Tkachuk to be. His puck skills are sublime, and he can use them at full speed, through traffic, and pretty much anywhere he pleases. He’s an incredible playmaker, making skilled passes to teammates through tight openings and extending plays as required to find (or create) the right opportunity. He’s also a sniper, with a wide and high-end array of shots that continues to improve as he develops. And he doesn’t just score from far out - he’s just as willing to go to the net for a rebound or a tip-in.He’s also a fantastic skater. He accelerates to his top speed at the drop of a hat thanks to his great first step. It also allows him to abruptly change speeds, evading opponents with his agility and edgework. Combine his puck skills and skating skills and, in addition to being an elite-level prospect, Wahlstrom is just plain fun to watch.Areas of improvementPerhaps the biggest area of Wahlstrom’s game that needs improvement is his defensive play. While that’s somewhat understandable given he’s used to having the puck all the time, that won't be the case at higher levels.He needs to be more present and engaged in the defensive zone; eliminating his tendency to puck watch should be high on his priority list. He’s a great skater and can be a physical force - he just has to actively get involved. Flying by the seat of his pants when the other team has the puck won’t work out well for him in college hockey.The good news? The NCAA is a good place to develop those skills, and his ceiling is high enough that there’s no reason to allow the deficiencies in his defensive game to convince you not to draft him if you’ve got a pick that falls somewhere between, say, eight and 15.Scouting reports"Wahlstrom already has an NHL-caliber shot with a quick release and the ability to create space for himself and linemates. He's most known for his goal-scoring ability and elite shot, and can hit a one-timer as good or better than many professional players." - Mike Morreale, NHL.com“Owns some of the best pure puck skills in the draft. The goal-scoring forward doesn’t shy away from attacking dangerous scoring areas and boasts strong speed and quick feet. An incredible season with the USNTDP this year, leading the charge from tip to tail. Loves to engage physically almost as much as he loves finding the back of the net. Feasts on the man advantage.” - Cam Robinson, DobberProspects.comDid You Know?

Finland took down another international hockey powerhouse Tuesday morning, defeating the United States 6-2 and clinching the Group B title in the process.The Finns wrap up the round robin with 16 points - same as the Americans - but earn the tiebreaker with the head-to-head victory. They'll play Switzerland, which finished fourth in Group A, in the quarterfinals, while the U.S. will play Group A's third-seeded Czech Republic.Carolina Hurricanes star Sebastian Aho was an offensive catalyst yet again, netting a hat trick that gave him nine goals in the tournament. Mikko Rantanen also scored, while Markus Nutivaara picked up two helpers. Harri Sateri continued his stellar play in goal, stopping 31 of 33 shots.Patrick Kane led the way offensively for the Americans, recording a goal and an assist. In the process, he set the U.S. record for points and assists in a single World Championship, per USA Hockey.Finland has continued to prove in this tournament that it's one of hockey's top nations, defeating Canada and the U.S. by a combined score of 11-3.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jonathan Marchessault says his Vegas Golden Knights proved Monday night that they deserve to be playing in the Western Conference Final."I think we showed the world we earned the right to be here," the forward told reporters after scoring twice in a 3-1 victory over the Winnipeg Jets that knotted the series at one game apiece.Marchessault and his fellow castoffs earned a road split of the first two games, and in doing so, temporarily stole home-ice advantage from the Jets with the series headed to Nevada for the next two.The 27-year-old emphasized how the players have come together and rallied around the fact that they were all rejected by their former organizations."We're just a bunch of hockey players that wanted to find a home, and we did," he said, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston. "This has been awesome."Marchessault tied the NHL record for points in a single postseason by a player on an expansion team Monday night, matching Bill Goldsworthy's mark of 15 set in 1968 with the Minnesota North Stars.The Golden Knights star has six goals and nine assists in 12 playoff games this spring.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights made some noise on the ice and in the record books Monday night.Vegas defeated the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 to tie the series at one game apiece, and in doing so, Jonathan Marchessault, Reilly Smith, and Marc-Andre Fleury each hit milestones.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba - Jonathan Marchessault scored twice and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 30 shots, lifting the Vegas Golden Knights to a 3-1 series-evening win over the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night in Game 2 of the Western Conference Final.Kyle Connor scored midway through the third period to pull Winnipeg within a goal. Marchessault restored the two-goal lead 1:28 later.Tomas Tatar scored 6:37 into the game for the Golden Knights.Connor Hellebuyck had 25 saves for the Jets.Game 3 is Wednesday night in Las Vegas.The expansion Golden Knights appeared to be rusty in the series opener and the Jets scored three goals early in a 4-2 win .It looked like they were going to pick up where they left off, but Fleury made key saves early and got help from a teammate and a post in the opening minutes to keep the puck out of his net.Vegas generated offense by making plays without the puck, forcing turnovers to set up goals.After the Jets failed to clear the puck out of a corner in their end, Tatar ended up stuffing the puck in the net after hitting the side of the net with a shot.Connor was pressured into turning over the puck near center ice late in the opening period and Reilly Smith set up Marchessault, his former Florida Panthers teammate, at the blue line and he scored on a breakaway backhander.The Jets closed the scoreless second period and started the third on the power play and still couldn't get the puck past Fleury.Yet.Winnipeg kept up the pressure on by relentlessly forechecking and drew another penalty early in the third. Connor took advantage, squeezing a shot between Fleury and the post from the bottom of the left circle 7:17 into the third.That whipped the white-clad fans into a frenzy, triggering jeers of ''Fleu-ry! Fleu-ry!'' only to be quieted by another Marchessault backhander that beat Hellebuyck.The Jets pulled their goaltender to add another skater over the last couple minutes of the game, but Fleury didn't let the puck get past him again.NOTES: Vegas put Tatar and Tomas Nosek in place of David Perron and Oscar Lindberg. ... The Jets have not lost consecutive games this postseason.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators players would like another chance to prove themselves.The team held its end-of-the-year press conference Monday where general manager David Poile noted several squad members asked that few changes be made as they still believe in the current roster."A lot of the players expressed to us in the team meeting that they really believed in our team," Poile said, per NHL.com's Robby Stanley. "They loved our team. They thought our chemistry, our culture, was really good. If I was trying to frame it correctly, basically I think what they were saying to the general manager and to the coach is they didn't want to see a lot of changes."I think if we could start tomorrow and be given another opportunity, we and our team would like to play Winnipeg again in another seven-game series. I think that's how close it is."The Predators claimed the Presidents' Trophy this season but were ousted by the Winnipeg Jets in the second round in what some circles believed to be the "real" Stanley Cup Final.Luckily for the players, their request shouldn't be too difficult to grant as the lone unrestricted free agents are Scott Hartnell (who Poile said will not be re-signed) and defenseman Alexei Emelin.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tomas Tatar and Tomas Nosek are back in the lineup for the Vegas Golden Knights.The wingers were reinserted in place of David Perron and Oscar Lindberg for Game 2 of the Western Conference Final against the Winnipeg Jets on Monday night.Tatar played in only two of the six games during Vegas' second-round series against the San Jose Sharks, and two more in the Golden Knights' first-round sweep of the Los Angeles Kings.He previously appeared in a 4-0 loss to the Sharks in Game 4 on May 2, and had been held without a point in all four playoff appearances this spring.Nosek suited up for all four games against the Kings and the first four games versus the Sharks. He also last played in that Game 4 defeat.Perron had seven assists in nine postseason games this year before missing Monday's contest. Lindberg had a single point in three playoff appearances in 2018.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Utah Senator Orrin Hatch said he will lead the charge on a new bill to keep sports gambling banned after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal law Monday."At stake here is the very integrity of sports," Hatch said in a statement cited by The Hill's Jordain Carney. "That's why I plan to introduce legislation in the coming weeks to help protect honesty and principle in the athletic arena."Hatch was one of the legislative authors of the 1992 Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) that kept sports betting effectively illegal outside of Nevada and Delaware. That was the law ruled unconstitutional Monday morning by the highest court in the country. The decision opens the door to legalized wagering nationwide.Related: Breaking down the Supreme Court's rulingHatch, a conservative Republican, added: "we cannot allow this practice to proliferate amid uneven enforcement and a patchwork race to the regulatory bottom."The 84-year-old Hatch plans to retire from politics at the end of this year.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Canada avoided a potential upset loss to Latvia thanks to Connor McDavid's overtime winner on Monday.McDavid scored 46 seconds into overtime, knocking a puck out of mid-air into the net after Latvia netminder Kristers Gudlevskis made an incredible pad stop on Canada's captain.With the 2-1 win, Canada clinched a spot in the quarterfinals and moved into third place in Group B - one point back of Finland for second.Anthony Beauvilier was named Canada's player of the game after scoring the the contest's opening goal early into the first period. Meanwhile, Gudlevskis earned the honors for Latvia after making 32 saves on 34 shots.Canada will close out the preliminary round on Tuesday in a game against Germany.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin is a man on a mission.After failing to capture the Stanley Cup through his first 12 years in the NHL, the Washington Capitals captain is seemingly out to carve a new path in the 2018 postseason.Ovechkin has tallied 19 points in 14 playoff games, including a game-winning goal against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. He's powered the Capitals to their first third-round appearance since 1998.The charge has only continued as Ovechkin and the Capitals have taken the first two games against the favored Tampa Bay Lightning."I think he has taken 14 years of frustration out on one playoff. Not just us, but this whole playoff season," Lightning coach Jon Cooper told reporters Monday. "There's a reason he has 600 goals and he's done all these wonderful things in the league."Ovechkin has picked up a pair of points in each game against the Lightning. The Capitals can push Tampa to the brink of elimination in Washington on Tuesday, which would make Ovechkin's dominance even more impressive."In the past, (Ovechkin) has not had playoff success, and when you do get to taste a little bit of it, it really tastes good," Cooper added.Ovechkin is just two points back of tying his career high in the playoffs. He notched 11 goals and 10 assists during the 2009 postseason.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Monday morning that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act is unconstitutional, paving the way for states to offer legalized sports gambling on an individual basis.Related - theScore CEO John Levy: "Ruling is a huge victory for sports fans across the United States"The 49-page ruling can be difficult to follow, so theScore contacted sports betting analyst Jon Campbell of Oddsshark.com to break down the main points from the decision.theScore: What does today's decision mean for sports betting in the United States?Jon Campbell: States will now have the power to decide whether they want to legalize and regulate sports betting themselves. Before, they weren't allowed to do that under the old PASPA law.theScore: Will people have to place wagers at casinos, or will they be able to do so through an app on their mobile device?Campbell: That will really be up to the state itself. I'd be surprised if we ultimately don't end up with states having a Nevada-type model where you can place bets at casinos or you can use online apps. My best guess is casinos and brick-and-mortar places offer them first and then we'll have the apps and bettors will be able to have mobile options.theScore: How has the viewpoint toward legalized sports betting from the four major professional leagues changed since they sued in 2012 to keep this ban in place?Campbell: The NBA now supports legalized sports betting; they just want it regulated at a federal level. The MLB has changed its tune toward sports betting, it's more along the lines of the NBA now. The PGA Tour is the league that most recently came around on sports betting, wanting to license their data to sportsbooks. I think what leagues are struggling with now is how they are going to get their piece of the pie and how they are going to make money off this. They just got to the point where they knew it was inevitable, it was going to be regulated, so there's no point in trying to stop it. Their arguments were really out of date anyway and people weren't buying it anymore.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)theScore: The NBA has floated the idea of attaching a one percent integrity fee that the league would pocket off any wager made. Any chance the individual states will go for that?Campbell: I think states are crazy if they agree to that. I think the number should be zero. I don't know why they would give the leagues one percent, that's like 20 percent of their profit. I think the average sports fan out there might look at it and say, 'Well, it's only one percent, why don't you pay it?' but sports bettors know that what they are asking for is 20 percent of their profit. Sportsbooks only typically make about 5 percent on the action that they take in. It's a huge chunk that the NBA is asking for and I think it should be the other way around and the NBA should be paying sportsbooks. Sportsbooks are the best marketing tool that the professional leagues have and the sports bettor is the most engaged of all their fans. They are the ones who watch their games right up to the end and I think states would be crazy if they pay the leagues anything.theScore: With more states likely to legalize sports betting, will the industry in Las Vegas suffer?Campbell: I think there will be a positive impact on Las Vegas. I've talked to a number of sportsbook managers in Las Vegas and they are all for it. The same way gambling is offered in every state, people still want to go to Las Vegas to gamble. If you like playing in a casino, you want to go to Las Vegas. It's just the mecca of all the betting fun and entertainment. I think that's only going to increase. People are going to be placing more sports bets across North America and people are going to want to go to the mecca of it all.theScore: How fast can states implement legislation and infrastructure to get sports betting up and running?Campbell: Before the NFL season, you'll see between five to 10 states offering bets. It's just a matter of days in New Jersey at the sportsbook setup at Monmouth Park. William Hill is just ready to flip the switch. I think Atlantic City will be not far behind. Then you have states that have already passed bills this year like Mississippi, Pennsylvania, West Virginia. I think we'll see them offer legalized sports betting before the NFL season.theScore: While Canada allows some form of betting, they are yet to legalize single-game sports wagering. Do you think today's decision in the U.S. will cause the Canadian government to act?Campbell: There's no real urgency right now for Canada to review their law, but I think there will be once money starts changing hands and they see that states are making money. In places like Windsor, people will be crossing the border to place a single-game bet in Detroit. I think once they see they are missing out on revenue and that it's accessible for people living near the border, that might be what it takes for them to review this law.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers added some depth between the pipes, agreeing to terms with Swift Current Broncos netminder Stuart Skinner on a three-year entry-level contract, the Oilers announced Monday.Skinner finished the Western Hockey League regular season with a 30-21-4 record and a .905 save percentage split between the Lethbridge Hurricanes and the Swift Current Broncos. He then stacked up another 16 victories in the playoffs to guide Swift Current to its first trip to the Memorial Cup since 1993, winning the WHL championship on Sunday night.The 2018 Memorial Cup will take place later this month in Regina, Saskatchewan, and includes the host Pats along with the Broncos, the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, and the Hamilton Bulldogs.The Oilers selected Skinner with the 78th pick in last year's draft.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Michal Kempny will pay the piper.The Washington Capitals defenseman has been fined $2,419.35, the maximum allowable under the CBA, after cross-checking Tampa Bay Lightning forward Cedric Paquette in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final.

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs winding down it's time to consider how players still competing in the postseason have better positioned themselves ahead of free agency.Here are three standouts who could cash in when the market opens on July 1.John Carlson, D, Washington CapitalsWe've seen this before. On his contract year, a player has a career-best season and then gets a nice raise during free agency. Carlson, who wrapped the regular season with a career-high 68 points, could be next to get that contract-year bump, especially with his high-end production continuing into the third round of the postseason.Prior to the 2017-18 campaign, Carlson's career high was 55 points, and he's averaged 51 points over the past three years (adjusted for 82 games). That's more good news for Carlson's agent, who is sure to highlight the veteran blue-liner's status as the top right-handed shot available. The next best option is an older, injury-riddled, and less productive Mike Green.Paul Stastny, C, Winnipeg JetsDealt from St. Louis to Winnipeg at the trade deadline, Stastny's production saw only a slight increase following the deal, up 0.05 points per contest. But he's raised his play in the postseason, tallying 15 points through 13 games to outpace key offensive threats like Patrik Laine, Nikolaj Ehlers, and Kyle Connor.If John Tavares becomes a free agent he'll undoubtedly be the top center available. But teams that miss out on the New York Islanders captain can come calling for Stastny. Currently on a $7-million contract, Stastny's strong playoffs after a pedestrian regular season in St. Louis could earn him a similar annual figure.James Neal, RW, Vegas Golden KnightsThere's a lot to like about Neal, and more than just intriguing intangibles like grit and leadership that typically boost a player's value in free agency.The savvy winger also brings a steady scoring touch. He's displayed that throughout his career, including Neal's first year with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights. Neal continues to be a proven veteran who delivers when it matters. He's tied for fourth in Vegas playoff scoring with seven points over 11 games.Adding to the intrigue is that the 30-year-old has never reached free agency, meaning many teams will finally have their shot at signing him to their squad.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Following reports of a rift stemming from the Toronto Maple Leafs' exit from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, head coach Mike Babcock visited star player Auston Matthews in his native Arizona earlier this month.Babcock says the face time allowed them to work out any outstanding issues."He wants to be better, I want him to be better, I want our team to be better," Babcock told TSN's Darren Dreger. "He wants to be playing now, so that's what we're working towards. He wants to be the best two-way player in the game, so we're going to work as hard as we can."It's not going to be rosy every day. It never is. Anyone who perceives the NHL that things are going good every day, it's not like that. It's a competitive, competitive atmosphere."The meeting came after Matthews, who maintained a point-per-game pace throughout the regular season, struggled to a two-point showing in Toronto's opening-round series against the Boston Bruins.And while Matthews took flack for failing to find the scoresheet more frequently, Babcock was also the target of criticism after he elected not to double-shift his star player against a banged-up Boston squad.For now, it appears they've cleared the air."There's a big difference between being 28 and totally established, and being 20," Babcock added. "We've got a lot of young people on our team, so that guidance is going to continue to happen. But we're excited about our group."The Maple Leafs finished the regular season with a franchise-best 105 points.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators had legit Stanley Cup aspirations until their dream season was unceremoniously cut short by a deep and talented Winnipeg Jets squad last week.On Monday, general manager David Poile spoke to the media to address his team's finish, offseason approach, and health, announcing a handful of players who got hurt during its postseason run:

Scott Hartnell's second tour of duty in Nashville is over.The veteran forward and pending unrestricted free agent won't be offered a contract extension, Predators general manager David Poile announced Monday.The news comes after Hartnell was held off the scoresheet in four playoff appearances. He played just one game against the Colorado Avalanche in the opening round, then dressed for three of seven contests against the Winnipeg Jets in the semifinals.Hartnell signed a one-year, $1-million contract with the Predators last offseason.He finished the regular season with 13 goals and 11 assists in 62 games. It was a slight decrease in production for the 36-year-old, who tallied 37 points in 78 games with the Columbus Blue Jackets a year ago.The Predators originally selected Hartnell with the sixth overall pick in the 2000 draft. He spent his first six seasons with the franchise prior to a 2007 trade that sent him to the Philadelphia Flyers.In 1,249 career games, he has registered 327 goals and 380 assists.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Washington Capitals stunned the hockey world with their Game 1 and 2 victories over the Tampa Bay Lightning in South Florida, and they did it despite star centerman Nicklas Backstrom being sidelined with an upper-body injury.However, Caps head coach Barry Trotz told the media on Monday that Backstrom is "day to day" and the decision to return to the lineup is completely up to him, according to Isabelle Khurshudyan of The Washington Post.Backstrom left Game 5 of Washington's second-round series against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the third period and has not seen any game action since.Prior to getting hurt, Backstrom was in the midst of a sensational postseason, racking up three goals and 10 assists through 11 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

In a historic decision Monday morning, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 7-2 in favor of overturning the federal ban on state-sanctioned sports betting, paving the way for legalized wagering across the country.The official decision contends, "Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each State is free to act on its own."The case was contested in New Jersey, which is now eligible to make the change immediately under the ruling. According to gaming and sports attorney Daniel Wallach, it's expected Monmouth Park Racetrack will be one of the first to offer sports betting in as little as two weeks' time.The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act came into law in 1992, and while it didn't officially ban sports betting nationwide, it ruled states were not allowed to regulate and tax sports betting.Nevada was the lone exception to the rule, creating a sports betting haven in the desert, most notably in Las Vegas.According to Pete Williams of NBC Sports, the American Gaming Association estimates the men's NCAA basketball tournament alone brings in $10 billion per year, with only three percent wagered legally in Nevada.New Jersey may be the state to benefit immediately from the decision, but it certainly won't be the only one. Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia recently passed laws that would allow sports wagering contingent upon Monday's decision.Wallach also reports 15 other states, including New York, have introduced legislation that would regulate sports betting related to the Supreme Court's ruling. With the ruling now complete, many expect those states to move forward with legislation to allow betting later this summer.The move to legalize sports betting has picked up a great deal of traction in recent months, with MLB, the NBA, and the PGA Tour leading efforts to ensure safeguards are in place to protect the integrity of their sports. The NBA and MLB are also seeking to be paid a percentage of all legal wagering on their events. NBA vice president Dan Spillane in January told the New York state legislature leagues want a 1 percent cut for "integrity" services, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reports.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) The Washington Capitals scored in the opening minute of the game and twice in the last 1:02 of the second period to pull away to a 6-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday night and a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference final.Evgeny Kuznetsov and Lars Eller each had a goal and two assists. Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson had a goal and an assist apiece.Devante Smith-Pelly and Brett Connolly also scored for the Caps, who took the first two games of the best-of-seven matchup on the road. Since 1974-75, teams that take a 2-0 lead in the conference final or semifinal have a series record of 39-2 (95.1 percent).Game 3 is Tuesday night in Washington.Brayden Point and Steven Stamkos had early power-play goals for Tampa Bay, which rebounded after falling behind on Wilson's goal 28 seconds into the game.Smith-Pelly's one-timer finishing an odd-man rush made it 2-2 at 2:30 of the second period. The Caps took control when Eller scored with 1:02 remaining and Kuznetsov - with assists from Ovechkin and Eller - delivered on a power play less than a minute later.Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was called for tripping Washington's Andre Burakovsky with 10 seconds left in the period. Kuznetsov scored seven seconds later to make it 4-2, the second time in the series the Caps stunned the Lightning with a power-play goal in the closing seconds of a period.Ovechkin and Connolly finished the rout with third-period goals. Braden Holtby stopped 33 of 35 shots to improve to 10-3 this postseason.Ovechkin, playing in the conference final for the first time, also had a goal and an assist in Washington's 4-2 victory in Game 1.Vasilevskiy was pulled from the opener after facing 25 shots in two periods, but the Lightning didn't pin the loss on him. Instead, they vowed to player harder in front of the young goaltender, who finished with 31 saves in Game 2.Tampa Bay benefited early from a couple of questionable penalties - Wilson for goaltender interference and T.J. Oshie for high-sticking Victor Hedman, when the Tampa Bay defenseman actually was struck by the puck - to score twice in just over three minutes on the power-play for a 2-1 lead.Stamkos and Hedman assisted on Point's goal at 7:08 of the first. Stamkos' fourth goal in five games gave Tampa Bay its first lead of the series.NOTES: Before Sunday night, the Lightning had won Game 2 of a series five consecutive times after losing Game 1. They're 4-2 in six previous series in which they lost Game 1, with those series losses coming in the first round in 2014 against Montreal and the 2015 Stanley Cup Final against Chicago. ... Capitals C Nicklas Backstrom, who took a shot from Justin Schultz off his right hand in Game 5 of Washington's second-round series against the Penguins, missed his third straight game. He took part in the morning skate on a limited basis and remains day-to-day. ... Hedman has a franchise-record, seven-game point streak (eight assists). Martin St. Louis had a six-game streak in 2004.---More AP hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Carlson is going to become a very rich man this offseason.A pending unrestricted free agent, Carlson recorded an assist on Devante Smith-Pelly's second-period goal, setting a Capitals record for points by a defenseman in a single postseason.

Washington Capitals forward T.J. Oshie was issued a two-minute high-sticking minor in the first period of Game 2 against the Tampa Bay Lightning, even though his stick never touched Victor Hedman's face.

The undefeated Swedes will have to play the rest of the tournament without a key offensive figure.Vancouver Canucks prospect Elias Pettersson will miss the remainder of the World Championship after suffering a thumb injury Sunday against Switzerland, according to Uffe Brodin of Hockeysverige.After setting the SHL (Sweden's top professional league) record for points by a U20 player in both the regular season and the playoffs, Pettersson finished with a goal and three assists in six games at the worlds.Sweden should be well-equipped to handle the loss, though, as it recently added Nashville Predators forwards Filip Forsberg and Viktor Arvidsson to an already impressive crop of players up front.Canucks fans will likely have to wait until training camp to get their next look at Pettersson.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The United States earned their sixth consecutive win of the World Championship on Sunday, taking down Norway by a final score of 9-3.Patrick Kane, Dylan Larkin, and Cam Atkinson had three points apiece, powering the potent and relentless U.S. attack.Following a 5-4 shootout win over Canada in its first game, the United States has outscored opponents 32-6 over five contests.The U.S. will wrap up its round-robin schedule with a key matchup versus Finland on Monday - a contest that will likely determine top spot in Group B.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets jumped out to an early lead in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final Saturday night and never looked back.The home team treated their fans to a commanding 4-2 win over the Vegas Golden Knights, giving the expansion club their first series deficit of the postseason.However, there are still games to be won. In fact, the Golden Knights could very well have the series knotted up heading home for Game 3 if they make a few adjustments for Monday night.Play more disciplinedThis is not necessarily a knock on the number of penalties the Golden Knights took in Game 1, it has more to do with how lethal the Jets' power play was.The Jets went 2-for-4 with the man advantage, firing six shots while wearing down the Vegas penalty killers. The Jets have proven that they have players capable of unleashing cannons when they set up properly in the offensive zone, and we got a taste of that in Game 1 through one-timers from Patrik Laine and Dustin Byfuglien (Byfuglien's goal was at even strength).The Golden Knights surprisingly outchanced Winnipeg at even strength on Saturday night, confirming that it is imperative to keep the game played at five-on-five if they plan to counter the Jets' attack. If not, the Jets - who boast the third-best power play in the playoffs - will make quick work of Vegas.Get more pucks to HellebuyckAs was mentioned above, the Golden Knights won the battle at five-on-five with a Corsi For of 54.05 percent to Winnipeg's 45.95 percent.The problem is, Vegas struggled to get pucks into high-danger scoring areas, and even more so, struggled to actually get pucks on Connor Hellebuyck. The Golden Knights were outshot 26-21 in the game, but had an additional 22 shots blocked by the Jets, which is just too easy for a Vezina Trophy nominee.As the chart shows below, the Jets did a mighty fine job of keeping the Golden Knights away from Hellebuyck, preventing them from getting any sustainable pressure in front of the net.(Heat Map courtesy: Natural Stat Trick)The Jets had 70 percent of the high-danger scoring chances in Game 1. However, the Golden Knights had the advantage in scoring chances overall (55.5 percent), meaning, quite simply, the Jets did a much better job of closing the gap against the speedy Vegas offense.So, whether the Golden Knights execute a stronger cycle game to wear down Winnipeg's defenders and open up quality chances, or resort to picking their shots better, the fact is, with the Jets' offense connecting like it has of late, Vegas needs to find a way to counter in order to make the jobs of the Jets' defenders more difficult.Grind the Jets down earlyThe Golden Knights need to play some ugly hockey early in Game 2.The Jets lived up to their name in Game 1 and came out soaring. Before Vegas had any idea what was going on, they were down 1-0 and things rapidly snowballed from there.What's worse - and has been well documented - MTS Place crowd is among the loudest in the league and the arena can become an intimidating place to play when the Jets give them something to cheer about.This is where Vegas can benefit from limiting chances in their own zone and, more specifically, working the Jets in the opposite end of the rink. If they can find a way to start the game in Winnipeg's end and work the Jets' defenders down - as we saw them do to the Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks in the first two rounds - and possibly squeak out the first goal of the game, then we will most certainly see a different atmosphere.MTS Place can be a nasty beast for the opposition when the crowd is as deafening as they were in Game 1, but what can be equally as haunting is when it's dead silent.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) Dustin Byfuglien scored about a minute after the puck dropped and the Winnipeg Jets built a three-goal lead early in the first period and went on to beat the Vegas Golden Knights 4-2 on Saturday night in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals.Patrik Laine and Joel Armia had goals 46 seconds apart to put the Jets up 3-0. Mark Scheifele gave Winnipeg a 4-1 lead midway through the second period with his 12th goal this postseason.Brayden McNabb scored midway through the first and William Karlsson late in the second period to pull Vegas within two, but the expansion team couldn't get closer.Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck made 18 saves. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 22 shots for the Golden Knights.The Jets will host Game 2 on Monday night before the series shifts to Las Vegas.Winnipeg, which is making its deepest playoff run in franchise history, appeared to be in rhythm less than 48 hours after advancing past top-seeded Nashville.Vegas, meanwhile, seemed rusty after resting for nearly a week after eliminating San Jose in the second round.Or, maybe the Jets are just that good.Winnipeg's fast, deep and talented team had 114 points this season, trailing only the Predators' league-high total by three points.The hard-charging, smooth-passing Jets put the Pacific Division champions on their heels right from the start and didn't relent.White-clad, towel-twirling raucous fans in the arena - and packed on surrounding streets - were fired up before the game started. And, they were given plenty of opportunities to celebrate in the opening minutes.Byfuglien's slap shot 1:05 into the game off a drop pass from Scheifele put Winnipeg up 1-0. That ignited the party-like atmosphere in a relatively cozy arena with a low ceiling.Fleury had no shot to stop Laine's one-timer from the left circle off Wheeler's cross-ice pass on a power play at the 6:49 mark of the first. Armia had a goal waved off less than a minute later only to have it restored by a challenge, which overturned the goaltender interference call on the ice.After the flurry of goals early, the Jets were able to possess the puck for much of the game to cut down on Vegas' comeback chances.The Golden Knights pulled Fleury to add an extra skater late in the game, but had to put him back on the ice because there was a faceoff near him. They sent him to the bench again and had some chances to pull within one, but the shot-blocking Jets didn't let the puck get to Hellebuyck much.NOTES: The last time two teams were in the NHL conference finals for the first time was 2003 when Anaheim swept Minnesota. ... Scheifele has four more goals than any player still in the postseason. ... Fleury has given up at least three goals for the fifth time in six games.---Follow Larry Lage at www.twitter.com/larrylage---More AP hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.