Bill Peters could be heading home.The Calgary Flames called the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday to ask permission to speak with head coach Bill Peters, which the Canes granted, a source told TSN's Pierre LeBrun.Peters, a native of Three Hills, Alberta - located about an hour and 20 minutes northeast of Calgary - exercised an opt-out clause in his contract with Carolina and resigned Friday.The Flames are one of four teams with a head coaching vacancy, and Peters appears to be their preferred replacement for the recently fired Glen Gulutzan.Peters failed to make the playoffs in four seasons as the Hurricanes' bench boss, compiling a 137-138-53 record. He's set to coach Canada at the upcoming World Championship.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Bill Peters resigned his position as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday."I want to thank (current owner) Tom Dundon, (former owner) Peter Karmanos, and (former general manager) Ron Francis for the trust they put in me to lead the team," said Peters. "I feel the incoming general manager should have the ability to hire his own head coach."Peters added, "I feel like this is a good time to move on, and I am looking forward to my next challenge."He had until Friday to exercise an exit clause in his contract, team president and interim general manager Don Waddell confirmed Monday."I have a lot of respect for Bill as a person and coach," Dundon said. "We thank him for his time with the Hurricanes and wish him success in whatever comes next."Peters held the position for four seasons, leading the Hurricanes to a regular-season record of 137-138-53 and zero playoff appearances. He's set to serve as Canada's bench boss at the World Championship in May.The Hurricanes will immediately begin searching for a new head coach. The team is also looking for a GM after removing Francis from that position in early March.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets will welcome the return of one of their big anchors on the back end.Tyler Myers, who missed Game 4 with a lower-body injury, told reporters that he will indeed suit up for Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild on Friday night."I stepped out there today, I feel pretty good, so I'll be out there tonight," he told TSN's Frank Seravalli.Contrary to what was originally suspected, Myers' injury did not occur when Wild forward Marcus Foligno punched him in the back of the leg in Game 3, he told Seravalli.Foligno, Myers' former teammate on the Buffalo Sabres, apparently reached out to apologize."It's all good," Myers said, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.With Josh Morrissey suspended for Game 5, head coach Paul Maurice told LeBrun that he'll keep Tucker Poolman in the lineup rather than inserting AHL defenseman of the year Sami Niku. That gives the Jets four right-handed blue-liners for Friday's matchup.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Toronto Maple Leafs center Auston Matthews had the top-selling jersey during the 2017-18 regular season, the NHL announced Friday.The sales figures are from the Fanatics network of e-commerce sites, which includes Shop.NHL.com and NHLShop.ca.Matthews finished directly ahead of Pittsburgh Penguins star Sidney Crosby - last year's top seller - and the Edmonton Oilers' Connor McDavid.The rest of the top 15 rank as follows:

Patrik Laine had many reasons to celebrate on Thursday.The Winnipeg Jets winger turned 20, and reached the milestone with the third-most regular-season goals ever scored by teenager at the NHL level.With 80 goals through 155 games as a teen, Laine is behind only Jimmy Carson, who scored 92 for the Los Angeles Kings (1986-88), and Dale Hawerchuk, who recorded 85 for the original Jets (1981-83), according to Tim Campbell of NHL.com.With 54 assists, Laine's 134 points are also the ninth most in NHL history among players before turning 20."I'm happy with my numbers as a teenager," Laine said. "Now I'm disappointed that it's over but I'm happy what I was able to do before my 20th birthday. It's nice to be here."Laine's Jets hold a 3-1 series lead over Minnesota heading into Friday's Game 5, and the Finn has contributed two goals and two assists in four playoff games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With four-time Selke Trophy winner Patrice Bergeron (upper body) sidelined for the Boston Bruins on Thursday, the previously quiet Toronto Maple Leafs duo of Auston Matthews and William Nylander had a glorious chance to break out in Game 4.Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock certainly thought so, as the young, dynamic forwards were set to face a weakened bottom-six with Riley Nash moving up the Bruins' lineup and Toronto receiving the last change as the home team. However, Matthews and Nylander were both held without a point and failed to generate many scoring chances."I'm assuming that (Matthews) thought he was going to come tonight and dominate the game. That's what I thought," Babcock told reporters following Toronto's 3-1 loss. "I thought the same with (Nylander). That didn't happen."Thursday was more of the same for Matthews and Nylander, as they've combined for just a goal and an assist throughout the first four games against Boston, which leads the opening-round series 3-1."The other people you're playing against are pros and they're trying too and they're competitive," Babcock added "There's regular-season competitiveness and there's first-round Stanley Cup playoff competitiveness and it keeps amping up the whole way through."In order to find that out we've got to play better than we are right now, if we're ever going to find that out. In reality, when you leave here tonight as an individual, as a coach, as a player, you've got time to evaluate yourself and most guys are pretty honest."Matthews and Nylander will have another chance to get on track in Game 5 on Saturday, though it will come at TD Garden where the Bruins will get the last change, and where they'll potentially have Bergeron back in their lineup.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

John Tortorella spent several minutes explaining what he felt went wrong for his Columbus Blue Jackets in Game 4 of their first-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals, but after a while, he got right to the point."We weren't good," the Blue Jackets head coach told reporters following a 4-1 loss when asked about the chances they had to trouble Capitals goaltender Braden Holtby."There's no sense in asking me things about the game," he continued. "I'm telling you, we laid an egg, so I'm not going to break it down for you. We sucked. We sucked. So let's move (on) and see if we play better Saturday afternoon (in Game 5)."Tortorella said the Blue Jackets "laid an egg" multiple times in his postgame comments Thursday, and likened his club to robots in the defeat on home ice that drew the Capitals even in the series at 2-2 after Columbus won the first two games in Washington.The Blue Jackets actually drove possession in Game 4 by a slim margin (52.63 to 47.37 percent at 5-on-5), and held the edge in scoring chances at 5-on-5 as well (51.06 to 48.94 percent), but Washington outshot Columbus 33-24 and Holtby stopped 23 of the 24 shots he faced.The puck is scheduled to drop for Game 5 after 3 p.m. ET on Saturday in D.C.(Analytics courtesy: Natural Stat Trick)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin tried to warn you.Facing a steep uphill battle after dropping the first two games on home ice versus the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Capitals captain called his shot and said his club would return to Washington with the series tied.Lo and behold, he was right, as the Caps drew even with a 4-1 victory on Thursday night, with Ovechkin contributing a key insurance marker - his third goal of the postseason.After overtime decisions went the Blue Jackets' way in Game 1 and 2, the Capitals flipped the script and eked out a double-overtime win in Game 3, followed by Thursday's solid performance. The turnaround marks the first time in franchise history the Capitals have evened a series after losing the first two contests, per NHL PR.Game 5 goes Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. ET.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins head coach Bruce Cassidy is hopeful he will have his top line back intact for Game 5 against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Patrice Bergeron was announced as a scratch minutes before puck drop of Game 4 with an upper-body injury. He's listed as day to day with the ailment, and Cassidy is hopeful he'll be ready to go for Game 5 on Saturday, according to NHL.com's Mike Zeisberger.Cassidy also noted the decision to scratch Bergeron came "just before game time," and the injury is something that he's been dealing with for a while.Boston fared well in his absence, taking Thursday's contest by a 3-1 score. The Bruins will now head home where they'll have the chance to advance to the second round.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Drew Doughty of the Los Angeles Kings, Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning, and P.K. Subban of the Nashville Predators are the 2018 finalists for the Norris Trophy, the NHL revealed Thursday.Doughty led the league in average ice time this season (26:50) while ranking seventh among blue-liners with 60 points.Hedman tied for the NHL lead among defensemen with 17 goals and posted 63 points in 77 games while ranking fifth in ice time (25:51 per game).Subban tied for second among rearguards with 16 goals, collected 59 points, and logged just over 24 minutes per contest.The Norris Trophy is awarded annually to the defenseman who demonstrates the greatest all-round ability in the position.Doughty won the award in 2016 and Subban took it home in 2013, while Hedman has never won it.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins will be without superstar center Patrice Bergeron for Game 4 versus the Toronto Maple Leafs on Thursday night as he's been diagnosed with an upper-body injury and is day to day, the team announced.With Bergeron out, Riley Nash will take his spot on the top line between Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak. Here's a look at the Bruins' combos amid the shakeup.

Just imagine how excited Keelan Moxley is going to be on Saturday.Washington Capitals forward Brett Connolly is making plans to meet the six-year-old girl - who he helped turn into a viral sensation - when the Capitals host the Columbus Blue Jackets in Game 5 of their first-round series, according to NHL.com's Tom Gulitti.Moxley and her family will be guests of Capitals owner Ted Leonsis.Connolly told Gulitti that his wife, Katrina, has been in touch with Moxley's mother, Lauren, and Katrina has been filling him in on what Keelan has been up to since the clip went viral Sunday.By now, you've probably seen the video of Moxley trying and finally succeeding in getting a puck from Connolly during the warmup before Game 2, despite the efforts of a nearby man and two boys.The clip was shown on NBC Sports Washington, and it later became the most streamed NHL video on Twitter of all time after being shared by the league's official account.

Nashville Predators forward Ryan Hartman has been suspended one game for a hit to the head of Colorado Avalanche forward Carl Soderberg in Game 4, the Department of Player Safety announced.The incident marks the fourth suspension of the playoffs so far, as Hartman joins Drew Doughty (one game), Nazem Kadri (three games), and Josh Morrissey (one game).Here's a look at the play, which occurred in the third period of Nashville's 3-2 victory.

The New Jersey Devils could be without their top blue-liner heading into a do-or-die game with the Tampa Bay Lightning.Sami Vatanen, who got rocked by Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov in Game 4 on Wednesday, is dealing with an upper-body injury, the team announced.Vatanen did not travel with the team to Tampa Bay on Thursday, according to Devils reporter Amanda Stein.Here's a look at the hit that forced Vatanen from the game:

The New York Rangers shipped out veterans Ryan McDonagh and Rick Nash during a fire sale prior to the 2018 trade deadline, but that list could've also included franchise goaltender Henrik Lundqvist."We told Hank that if he didn't want to ride it out through this process, we'd find a good landing place for him," James Dolan, executive chairman of The Madison Square Garden Company, told the New York Post's Larry Brooks. "But he said he wanted to stay and see it through."I'm very happy thats the way he feels. I think with him at the top of his game, that gives us our best chance of competing for a playoff spot next year."Even prior to the Rangers announcing their rebuilding plans in February, Lundqvist remained committed to the team, stating, "I want to be here and battle through the ups and downs."The goaltender is signed through the 2020-21 season with an $8.5-million annual cap hit and a full no-movement clause, per Cap Friendly.Despite turning 36 on March 2 and having a poor defensive team in front of him, Lundqvist still managed to post a .915 save percentage this past season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Journeyman Andrew Hammond will start between the pipes for the Colorado Avalanche in Game 5 against the Nashville Predators on Friday after Jonathan Bernier left Game 4 with a lower-body injury, the team announced Thursday.Hammond entered Game 4 in relief of Bernier early in the third period and stopped all eight shots he faced in the Avs' 3-2 loss.Despite starting just five games over the past two seasons, the 30-year-old Hammond does have prior playoff experience. After his miraculous run to lead the Ottawa Senators to the postseason in 2014-15, he started two playoff games, going 0-2 with a .914 save percentage and 3.44 goals against average.However, he'll certainly be in tough against the top team in the league in a hostile road environment for a netminder.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Winnipeg Jets recalled defenseman Sami Niku from the AHL's Manitoba Moose on Thursday with Game 5 against the Minnesota Wild looming Friday.The Jets' blue line is awfully thin at the moment. Josh Morrissey is suspended for Game 5, Tyler Myers was injured in Game 3 and missed Game 4, Toby Enstrom hasn't been cleared to play yet, and Dmitry Kulikov isn't expected back for at least another month.If Myers and Enstrom are unable to go Friday, the Jets could be forced to ice the following defensive pairings:LDRDJoe MorrowDustin ByfuglienBen ChiarotJacob TroubaSami NikuTucker PoolmanThe 21-year-old Niku showed promise with the Moose this season, scoring 16 goals with 54 points in 76 games. However, the former seventh-round pick has just one game of NHL experience under his belt.Winnipeg leads the series 3-1.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Carolina Hurricanes have named Paul Krepelka vice president of hockey operations, the team announced Thursday.Krepelka previously served as director of player development with the ECHL's Norfolk Admirals, and worked as a sports agent for 20 years. He will be primarily responsible for handling contract negotiations and other hockey operations matters."Paul has been involved in professional hockey for nearly 30 years, developing experience and relationships that will be of great value to the Hurricanes," said Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon.Despite hiring Krepelka, the Hurricanes are still on the hunt for a general manager.Don Waddell is currently their interim GM, but with the draft and free agency fast approaching, Carolina has yet to place someone in charge for the long term.Whoever takes on Ron Francis' former duties could immediately have a lot on their plate, as head coach Bill Peters has until Friday to exercise an opt-out clause in his contract.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville Predators forward Ryan Hartman will have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Thursday for his illegal check to the head of Colorado Avalanche forward Carl Soderberg in Wednesday's game.Here's a look at the play in question:

NEWARK, N.J. - In a season where Nikita Kucherov established himself as one of the top offensive threats in the league, the Tampa Bay Lightning winger also displayed a more cantankerous side than in past years.Kucherov was popped five times apiece for holding and slashing, three times for hooking, twice for roughing, and once each for cross-checking, delay of game, elbowing, high-sticking, interference, and tripping. That's 21 minor penalties for a career-high 42 penalty minutes - garden-variety stuff for a player who had his first 100-point season. Basically, every four games or so, Kucherov made a mistake and wound up in the penalty box.It happened again in Game 4 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday. Kucherov got called for holding in the second period, which negated a Lightning power play.It was not the hold, however, that made Devils coach John Hynes so furious that he held an 82-second postgame press conference after Kucherov's two goals and an assist had led the Lightning to a 3-1 victory and a 3-1 series lead."I don't have any comment on it," Hynes said of the Kucherov hit that knocked New Jersey's best defenseman, Sami Vatanen, out of the game. "It does me no good to get into it."The collision happened late in the first period, after Kucherov had assisted on J.T. Miller's tying goal, then scored the tiebreaker himself. Vatanen was in his own zone, likely intending to circle back behind the net after receiving the puck from defense partner Andy Greene, when Kucherov skated into the Finn’s path and blasted him with a high, hard hit - one that was judged clean by referees Wes McCauley and Tim Peel."It's just the way the game is in the playoffs," Kucherov said. "Too much physical games, there's not space, and you might sometimes throw a hit. … I didn't want to hurt him, but if I see a guy with the puck, I'm going to finish (the hit). I'm not doing it a lot, but sometimes, you might as well just throw it."(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)As much as the play enraged the Devils, it was an important moment for the Lightning - a bigger takeaway from Game 4 than the fact that Kucherov scored his third and fourth goals of the series. After all, he scored 39 times in the regular season, so that was nothing new. But Kucherov being a physical force? That was something different."He's normally the one dancing around guys," Miller said. "I couldn't believe it was him. I was right behind him, and that's a big-league hit right there. That's the type of player he is. He's competitive. He wants to win really bad. Obviously, he's such an important player for us."It was Miller who was put on Kucherov's line with Steven Stamkos to be the power forward and accentuate the skills of Tampa Bay's two all-world wingers. After a sloppy 5-2 loss in Game 3, seeing Kucherov - all 5-foot-11 and 178 pounds of him - playing the heavy Wednesday sent a message to his teammates: It was time to take things to another level.In the final two periods, already in the lead, the Lightning outshot the Devils 25-15, with three penalties for each team. That's how Tampa Bay wanted to play, re-centering itself after Monday's defeat."Kuch flexed his muscles," Lightning coach Jon Cooper said. "He's been pretty dynamic on the power play, but tonight he was, I thought, all around, he was the best player on the ice. When you're playing on both sides of the puck, you're contributing offensively, defensively, you're physical, you're engaged, it did nothing but lift our team. He's a big part of why we won."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

As NHL teams are eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, theScore NHL freelance writer Katie Brown looks back at the highs and lows of their seasons, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. The 15th edition focuses on the St. Louis Blues, who missed the playoffs by one point.The GoodBrayden Schenn and Jaden Schwartz. Schenn has thrived since landing with the Blues and was their leading scorer this season, posting career highs in goals (28) and points (70). He clicked immediately with linemate Schwartz, who recorded 59 points of his own. The two were occasionally joined by Vladimir Tarasenko to form a truly dangerous top line.Carter Hutton. Backup goalie Hutton had the best year of his career, playing 32 games and posting career-high stats in save percentage (.931) and goals-against average (2.09) - both tops in the NHL. His 26 wins were also the second highest of his career. Hutton will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, and he’s bound to get a raise from someone, if not St. Louis.Alex Pietrangelo. The Blues' captain followed up a career year in 2016-17 with another in 2017-18, as his 15 goals and 54 points in 78 games were the best marks of his career. He also set career highs in shots on goal (216) and blocked shots (164). Pietrangelo might have been a Norris contender if he wasn't slowed down by a foot injury in December.The BadThe power play. The Blues’ power play ranked second last in the NHL. Their 0.463 power-play goals per game was the worst rate in franchise history, and the team finished one goal shy of tying the franchise's full-season record for fewest power-play tallies. It was a steep drop from 2016-17, when the Blues boasted the league's No. 8 power play.Lots of injuries. Robby Fabbri missed the entire season, Jay Bouwmeester played in just 35 games, while Patrik Berglund appeared in only 56 contests. And losing Schwartz to a broken ankle in December - an injury that knocked him out of action for a month and a half - proved to be catastrophic for the team's postseason chances.Jake Allen. Allen had one of his worst seasons as a starting goalie, going 27-24-3 with a .906 save percentage and a 2.75 GAA. There were times when he had just about zero goal support, but those numbers are still undeniably poor for a starter in this league.The QuestionsWill Tarasenko be ready? Tarasenko separated his shoulder in the last game of the season and had surgery during the second week of April. The recovery timeline for this ailment is projected as four-to-six months, so the Blues hope to have him back when training camp starts in the fall.What can be done this summer? It’s no secret that the Blues' offense was a one-line show all season long, so GM Doug Armstrong needs to do something about that. Perhaps he throws his hat in the ring for John Tavares or goes after Mike Hoffman. Many wondered why Armstrong didn’t do anything when Fabbri was lost for the year or when Schwartz was sidelined for six weeks, but he has a chance this summer to make the Blues a playoff team in 2018-19, and he should seize that opportunity.Will Hutton re-sign? Hutton's stellar regular-season performance went a long way toward proving he can be a No. 1 goaltender, as he rose to the challenge when Allen slumped midseason. Hutton should see a raise from the $1.125 million he made this season, but will he be in St. Louis, or will another team give him a shot?(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers made it clear prior to the 2018 trade deadline that they were entering a rebuild. In a statement released by the team, president Glen Sather and general manager Jeff Gorton expressed their intent to add "young, competitive players that combine speed, skill, and character."After firing Alain Vigneault earlier in April, the Rangers are looking for a head coach who can help develop these young players."We're looking for someone who can develop players and develop a team," James Dolan, executive chairman of The Madison Square Garden Company, told the New York Post's Larry Brooks on Wednesday. "We want someone who is going to be able to work with young players - all of our players, really - so that they and we improve from one stage of the season to the next and we're better at the end of the year than at the beginning."While Dolan appreciated Vigneault's work, he admitted he wasn't the right fit for the team."I think Alain was a great coach, but a great coach for a developed team," Dolan said. "Even though he probably didn't mean to, he sort of affirmed that himself when he talked after the last game about how he didn't have the players this year."The Rangers, of course, were busy at the deadline, shipping out veterans Ryan McDonagh, Rick Nash, and Michael Grabner, among others."(Vigneault) was probably correct, but the next coach is going to have to be able to take the players we have, the young guys we have, and get them to the next level. I liked what I saw in the young guys and so did the staff," Dolan said."The guy we hire has to be a developmental coach, I can't stress that enough."The Rangers already have a list of candidates in mind, and while the owner thinks NHL experience is valuable, in the end, he just wants "the best guy."Based on Dolan's criteria, Todd Nelson, who has NHL head coaching experience with the Oilers and plenty of AHL success, would seem to be a nice fit. So too would Sheldon Keefe, who has done an impressive job developing young talent with the Maple Leafs' AHL club.Regardless of who takes over behind the bench, the Rangers are well-equipped to right the ship sooner rather than later. They have seven picks in the first three rounds of the draft, and nearly $25 million in projected cap space, per Cap Friendly.With some young building blocks already in place, such as Mika Zibanejad, Dolan believes the Blueshirts could be in line for a quick turnaround."We're committed to winning the Stanley Cup. I can't give a timetable, but I also think we can compete for a playoff spot next year and sneak into seventh or eighth place," he said. "We're rebuilding but it doesn't have to take forever."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A GoFundMe page for the Humboldt Broncos ended Wednesday night, collecting a total of $15,185,700 - nearly quadrupling the original goal of $4 million.The funds donated through GoFundMe will be transferred to a newly created non-profit corporation called "Humboldt Broncos Memorial Fund Inc.," the page says, and will then be distributed for its intended purposes.An advisory committee is being set up to decide how to allocate the funds.Sixteen people were killed in the bus crash that occurred April 6.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) Tomas Hertl scored the tiebreaking goal 9:09 into the third period, Martin Jones was spectacular in goal yet again, and the San Jose Sharks completed a first-round sweep of the rival Anaheim Ducks with a 2-1 victory in Game 4 on Wednesday night.Hertl scored just 1:16 after the Ducks finally got a puck past Jones when he deflected a point shot from Marc-Edouard Vlasic past John Gibson. San Jose then held on to advance to the second round against the expansion Vegas Golden Knights.Fourth-line winger Marcus Sorensen scored for the third straight game to open the scoring for San Jose and Jones did most of the rest of the work with 30 saves. He robbed Corey Perry several times and got help from a replay review that negated an apparent tying goal early in the third.Andrew Cogliano scored the lone goal for the Ducks, who were outscored 16-4 in the series and swept for the first time since 1999 against Detroit. Gibson finished with 22 saves.Gibson was unable to match the play of Jones, who had a shutout in Game 1, set a San Jose playoff record with 45 regulation saves in Game 3 and then might have been even better in the clincher that gave the Sharks their second sweep in franchise history after also doing it in the first round in 2013 against Vancouver.Jones robbed Perry with a pad stop early in the second and then again twice in one sequence later in the period. Anaheim looked poised to capitalize on a late power play in the period but Jones stopped Perry once again with a sprawling pad save and then Ryan Getzlaf finally got a puck past Jones, although it came a fraction of a second after the final buzzer.Referee Eric Furlatt emphatically waved the goal off on the ice and Getzlaf could only lean on the goal in frustration over the failed opportunity.That frustration only grew as the power play continued into the third period. Rickard Rakell appeared to tie the game with a one-timer but the Sharks challenged the zone entry and the officials ruled Perry and Rakell were offside after video review.Cogliano finally scored for Anaheim off a feed from Ryan Kesler but the good feeling didn't last long before Hertl responded.That led to chants of ''We want Vegas!'' and ''Sweep! Sweep! Sweep!'' down the stretch at the sold out Shark Tank.Even though the Ducks were the team facing elimination, the Sharks looked more desperate at the start. San Jose got the first seven shots on goal in the game and took the early lead with another contribution from the fourth line.Sorensen, who spent most of the season in the AHL, took the rebound of Brent Burns' point shot and scored his third goal of the series less than six minutes into the game.Gibson then robbed Evander Kane later in the period and Anaheim killed off a penalty to keep the game at 1-0 before the Ducks generated some chances late that Jones was able to turn aside.NOTES: Perry had no points in the series. ... Linesman Brad Kovachik left the game in the first period with an injury and was replaced by Mark Shewchyk. ... San Francisco 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan opened the dressing room door to lead the Sharks onto the ice pregame.---More AP hockey: www.apnews.com/tags/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Colorado Avalanche goalie Jonathan Bernier was replaced with Andrew Hammond for the beginning of the third period Wednesday night after Bernier sustained a lower-body injury, the team announced.Bernier made 23 saves on 26 shots in two periods before exiting.With Semyon Varlamov already sidelined with a knee injury, losing Bernier would make toppling the top-seeded Nashville Predators that much more difficult.As for Hammond, this marks just the second NHL game he's played in all season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) A feisty Nikita Kucherov scored two goals, set up another and knocked New Jersey's top defenseman out of the game with a big hit, and the Tampa Bay Lightning moved within a game of making the Devils' first trip to the playoffs in six years a short one with a 3-1 victory on Wednesday night.J.T. Miller also scored and had two assists, and Vezina Trophy finalist Andrei Vasilevskiy stopped three breakaways in making 27 saves as the Lightning bounced back from a loss in Game 3 to tale a 3-1 lead in the first-round series.Tampa Bay can wrap up the best-of-seven series in Game 5 at home on Saturday.Kyle Palmieri scored on a 5-on-3 advantage for the Devils, who are back in the playoffs for the first time since reaching the Stanley Cup Final in 2012. It was the only time they beat Vasilevskiy, whose 44 wins in the regular season shared the league lead with Winnipeg's Connor Hellebuyck. Cory Schneider made 34 saves for New Nersey in starting his second straight game.This game might have been the roughest of the series, especially in the first period when the Lightning took a 2-1 lead in a session with a lot of scrums.The play everyone is going to talk about and the NHL probably will look at is Kucherov's hit on Sami Vatanen late in the first. No penalty was called but the league's No. 3 scorer appeared to jump before hitting Vatanen in the shoulder and head area. Devils coach coach John Hynes screamed at the officials after the play.Vatanen did not return.The Lightning were leading 2-1 at that point and the score didn't change until Kucherov's empty net goal with 1:08 to play iced the game.Kucherov broke a 1-all tie with 4:58 left in the period. Defenseman Brayden Coburn sent a pass from the left boards that hit off Devils' defenseman Damon Severson. Kucherov collected the loose puck right in front and put it high into the net for his third goal of the series.The Lightning had tied it at 11:30 on a great rush. Steven Stamkos fed Kucherov entering the zone and he found Miller on the left side for a shot over Schneider's shoulder.Cory Conacher appeared to give Tampa Bay the lead with 7:39 left in the period, but a review found the Lightning were offside.For the first time in the series, the Devils scored first with Palmieri converting from the left circle with the Lightning playing two men short at 8:23 of the first.Alex Killorn got the first penalty at 7:47 with a hook and 25 seconds later Cedric Paquette tripped Taylor Hall. Eleven seconds later, New Jersey had its second 5-on-3 goal in two games.Vasilevskiy kept Tampa Bay in the game over the next few minutes, stopping a breakaway by Travis Zajac with Paquette still in the penalty box and a semi-breakaway by Blake Coleman with 9:05 left in the period. He also stopped Patrick Maroon on a second-period break.NOTES: Lightning D Ryan McDonagh appeared in his 100th NHL playoff game. ... This is the first time Schneider has had consecutive starts since Jan. 22-23. ... There were no lineup changes for Game 4. ... Vatanen has been leading the Devils in time on ice in the series, averaging 23:23. ... Tampa Bay was 5 of 9 on the power play in the first three games. They were 0 for 5 in Game 4.---Follow Tom Canavan on Twitter at https://twitter.com/APTCan---More NHL hockey: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

That didn't take long.With the Pittsburgh Penguins' 5-0 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in Game 4 on Wednesday night, goaltender Matt Murray became the fastest goalie in NHL history to reach 25 playoff wins.

Calle Jarnkrok is back in action.The Nashville Predators forward returned to the lineup Wednesday for Game 4 against the Colorado Avalanche, marking his first appearance of the playoffs after missing the last 16 games with an upper-body injury.Jarnkrok skated with Mike Fisher and Ryan Hartman in the pregame warmup prior to Wednesday's contest.In 68 games this season, Jarnkrok has pocketed 16 goals and 19 assists.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Another night, another questionable hit in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.The Tampa Bay Lightning and New Jersey Devils continued the trend on Wednesday night, as Nikita Kucherov caught defenseman Sami Vatanen with a high hit in the first period of Game 4.Here's a look at the play.

It wasn't Brian Elliott's night on Wednesday, as the Philadelphia Flyers goaltender lasted less than 28 minutes into Game 4 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.He surrendered three goals on just 17 shots.Michal Neuvirth came into the game in relief of Elliott, marking only his second appearance since mid-February.Netminder Petr Mrazek, whom the Flyers acquired from the Detroit Red Wings at this year's trade deadline, was made a healthy scratch Wednesday.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey has been suspended one game for cross-checking Minnesota Wild center Eric Staal.The play occurred late in the first period of Game 4 between the teams. With Minnesota on the powerplay, Morrissey hit Staal with a high cross-check that was not whistled for a penalty.The referee later apologized to Staal, but the missed call still left Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau feeling irate, especially considering a penalty would have given the Wild a lengthy two-man advantage and an opportunity to open the scoring.The Wild trail the Jets 3-1 in the opening-round series.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Boston Bruins' Patrice Bergeron, Los Angeles Kings' Anze Kopitar, and Philadelphia Flyers' Sean Couturier were named finalists for the 2017-18 Selke Trophy, awarded to the league's best defensive forward, the NHL announced Wednesday.Bergeron earns another nomination with four career Selke wins already on his resume, including three over the past four years. Despite being limited to 64 games this season, the 32-year-old finished sixth in faceoff percentage with a mark of 57.3 percent, and concluded the regular season with 30 goals and 63 points.This marks his seventh consecutive nomination, surpassing the previous record of six set by Pavel Datsyuk of the Detroit Red Wings from 2008 to '13.Kopitar receives his fourth nomination in five years. He finished second in voting in 2014 and '15, before capturing the trophy in '16. Kopitar led all kings forwards with with 2:10 of shorthanded ice time per game, contributing to the league's best penalty kill. The 30-year-old also had a career-high 92 points in 82 contests.Couturier nabs his first career nomination after finishing third in the NHL with a plus-34 rating. He also logged the second-most ice time in the league among forwards, while playing an average of 1:53 of shorthanded ice time more than any other Flyers forward. On the opposite side of the puck, Couturier tallied 31 goals and 76 points in 82 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Philadelphia Flyers will be without forward Sean Couturier on Wednesday night as they try to even their first-round series with the Pittsburgh Penguins at two wins apiece, general manager Ron Hextall announced.Couturier suffered a lower-body injury in practice Tuesday after a collision with teammate Radko Gudas.

Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron underwent shoulder surgery Wednesday, and his expected recovery timeline is six months, the team announced.Byron has been quite a find for the Habs. He's been one of the team's most productive forwards since being claimed off waivers prior to the 2015-16 season, finishing second on the roster with 20 goals this year after a breakout 22-goal campaign a season ago.With a six-month recovery timeline, it's unlikely the soon-to-be 29-year-old will be ready for the start of the 2018-19 season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights opened the season with the very worst odds to win the Stanley Cup. But after their stunning first-round sweep of the Los Angeles Kings, the Knights now find themselves at the top of the pile.Sure, it's just odds, but the expansion team has come a long way in a short amount of time.Here's a look at the complete updated odds for the eventual Stanley Cup winner, courtesy of Bodog:TeamOdds to win Vegas Golden Knights9-2Nashville Predators5-1Tampa Bay Lightning11-2Boston Bruins6-1Winnipeg Jets15-2Pittsburgh Penguins8-1San Jose Sharks10-1Columbus Blue Jackets18-1Toronto Maple Leafs20-1Washington Capitals20-1Philadelphia Flyers40-1New Jersey Devils50-1Colorado Avalanche66-1Minnesota Wild100-1Anaheim Ducks125-1Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Aside from planting a big ol' kiss on Lord Stanley, the Conn Smythe Trophy is the piece of postseason hardware all NHLers covet.And while there's obviously no denying the Cup is what matters most, taking home the award for playoff MVP almost always means a player's team ultimately emerged victorious.As of Friday, only the Vegas Golden Knights have punched a ticket to the second round, so we're well aware it's very early. But still, these five studs already stand above the rest.Here is the first edition of our Conn Smythe Power Rankings:No. 5 - Martin Jones, San Jose SharksAnaheim's goose might already be simmering, but the San Jose Sharks' 3-0 series lead isn't just due to the Ducks struggling. Instead, it's indicative of how nasty San Jose netminder Martin Jones has been through the first three contests.Sure, the Sharks' 8-1 blowout victory in Game 3 doesn't look like a contest dominated by a goaltender, but Jones turned aside 45 of 46 shots and kept the momentum from swinging in Anaheim's favor. He also held the Ducks to only two goals through the first six periods of the series, earning a shutout in Game 1 and limiting Ryan Getzlaf and Co. to only two tallies in Game 2.Simply put, Jones has been lights out, posting a seriously stellar save percentage of .970 while allowing just three goals on 101 shots.Not to take anything away from the team playing in front of him, but Jones has been the major reason why San Jose has Anaheim on the brink, making him a lock for our list.No. 4 - David Pastrnak, Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins were in video-game mode for the first two contests of their series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, pouring in 12 combined goals.A big reason was forward David Pastrnak, who may as well dress up as a straw for Halloween, as he's been the one stirring Boston's offense. He has four goals and five assists overall, and put up six of those points in Game 2.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey will have a hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety on Wednesday for his cross-check to the head of Minnesota Wild forward Eric Staal on Tuesday night.Here's a closer look at the play:Morrissey was not penalized on the play, much to the dismay of Staal and Wild coach Bruce Boudreau, and Winnipeg ultimately won 2-0 to go up 3-1 in the series.Related - Boudreau: Missed call on Morrissey cross-check 'cost us' Game 4The Jets are already shorthanded on the back end, as Tyler Myers missed Game 4 with a lower-body ailment, and Toby Enstrom hasn't played since March 23 due to an ankle injury. If Morrissey - who's fourth on the team in minutes in the postseason - were to miss considerable time, it could help the Wild crawl back into the series.Morrissey's hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. ET, reports TSN's Darren Dreger.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Los Angeles Kings were swept in four games by the Vegas Golden Knights, but their goaltender's play was not the reason why. If it wasn't for Jonathan Quick, the series could have been much uglier.Quick walked away with a 1.55 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage while only getting three goals of support in four games. That's the best save percentage in league history through four losses in a playoff series, according to NHL Public Relations.And it's not just the standard stats that make Quick's first-round performance so impressive. The Kings were vastly outplayed. The Golden Knights outchanced them 112-82 at five-on-five, and when it comes to high-danger scoring chances, Vegas had 41 compared to L.A.'s 25.Here's a heat map showing each team's unblocked shots.

As NHL teams are eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, theScore NHL freelance writer Katie Brown looks back at the highs and lows of their seasons, along with the biggest questions ahead of 2018-19. The 14th edition focuses on the Florida Panthers, who missed the playoffs by one point.The GoodBarkov and Co. The Panthers had three players under the age of 24 score 60 or more points in 2017-18, an encouraging sign. Aleksander Barkov led the way with 78 points, Vincent Trocheck scored 31 goals and 75 points, and Jonathan Huberdeau had 69 points.Owen Tippett and Henrik Borgstrom. Panthers general manager Dale Tallon plans to go younger next season, and players like Tippett and Borgstrom will get ample opportunity to prove themselves at the NHL level. Tippett scored 36 goals in 51 games for the Ontario Hockey League's Mississauga Steelheads and played seven games with the Panthers at the start of the year. Borgstrom played in the last four games of the season after two years of NCAA hockey in Denver, where he had 45 goals and 50 assists in 77 games.Solid defense. Keith Yandle might have been the most improved Panthers defenseman in Bob Boughner’s first year, with 56 points as the elder statesman next to counterparts Aaron Ekblad and Mike Matheson. Ekblad scored 38 points, including a career-high 16 goals. Matheson capped off a career year with 10 goals and 27 points.Luongo's milestone. Panthers goaltender Roberto Luongo celebrated his 1,000th game April 5, joining Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy as the only netminders in NHL history to reach the milestone. Next on the list: 600 wins; Luongo enters the 2018-19 season just 26 victories shy.The BadThat sluggish start. The Panthers got off to such a slow start (4-8-2) at the beginning of the season that not even a tremendous late surge - specifically, a 25-8-2 run after the All-Star break - could lift them into a playoff spot for a single day. Just one point would have done the trick. In most years, a 96-point team would make the playoffs, but not this one, and they've now missed the playoffs in five of the last six seasons.Poor puck possession. The Panthers had a goals-against average of 3.01, in comparison to their 2.97 goals scored per game. In addition, they gave up the third-highest shots on goal per game (34.4), were a negative possession team, and ranked in the bottom half of the NHL in goal differential at even strength.The power play. Aside from a six-week stretch from Jan. 30 to March 10 - when the Panthers' power play was converting at an incredible 29.5 percent rate - this was one of the worst man-advantage units in the league, finishing 21st overall at a dismal 18.9 percent.The QuestionsWhat do they need? Well, that depends. Tallon is confident in the Panthers' young core and doesn't want to end up blocking them by doing too much this summer. He'll keep a close eye on the playoffs to see if any upcoming free agents fit the team's needs - players who can add offense and maybe some help on the blue line.Is goaltending a problem? Luongo said he will be back for another season, his 19th, and though he missed stretches of the season with several injuries, backup James Reimer held his own. Even with Antti Niemi in goal for a handful of games, Florida still finished above the league average in save percentage. Do the Panthers want Luongo and Reimer as their goalie tandem next year? That might be another question entirely.Who comes back? Radim Vrbata announced his retirement from the NHL after 16 years and 1,057 games, but other than that, most of the same players will return for the 2018-19 season. The good news is that aside from maybe a player or two to boost the team's offensive production and possibly a defenseman, there's not a ton of shaking up to be done.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights defeated the Los Angeles Kings 1-0 on Tuesday night to complete the 4-0 series sweep and advance to the second round of the playoffs.The win is the latest feat by the expansion franchise, which becomes the first team in NHL history to sweep a series in its inaugural season, excluding the total-goals series prior to the 1936-37 season.

Minnesota Wild head coach Bruce Boudreau believes that one play in particular during Tuesday's pivotal Game 4 against the Winnipeg Jets was the difference between a win and a loss.After dropping the game by a score of 2-0, the Wild now find themselves on the brink of elimination. And after the game, Boudreau expressed his displeasure about Josh Morrissey's vicious cross-check to the neck of Eric Staal and the fact that it went unpunished."They (referees) decided not to call it because we were already on the power play. It cost us the game," Boudreau said, according to TSN's Frank Seravalli. "He should have been out of the game."Boudreau makes a good point as the cross-check in question came late in the first period with the Wild just 40 seconds into a two-minute power play, meaning the club would have enjoyed a lengthy 5-on-3 advantage had a penalty been called on the play.Staal said postgame that the ref apologized for the missed call, but unfortunately for the Wild the apologies don't change the fact the club is now down three games to one as it heads back to Winnipeg for Game 5.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Eric Staal was apparently very upset postgame when asked about Josh Morrissey's cross-check to the side of his head, which didn't draw a penalty.The veteran Minnesota Wild forward revealed that the official in question apologized to him for missing the Winnipeg Jets defenseman's apparent infraction, but that's not what Staal was interested in."He apologized. I'm not looking for an apology," he said, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo. "I'm in the middle of the game, why would I want an apology? It's frustrating. It is what it is. Tough. I'm all for playing hard, I love it, it's part of the game, but that wasn't a good play."Morrissey called it a "complete accident," said he was trying to box Staal out, and insisted he's not a dirty player and "would never try and hurt anybody," according to TSN's Darren Dreger.The blue-liner caught Staal with the cross-check late in the first period. Staal went off to the bench in obvious discomfort but returned and ultimately led Wild forwards in ice time with 20:12.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The officials missed one in Tuesday night's Game 4 between the Winnipeg Jets and the Minnesota Wild.Jets defenseman Josh Morrissey gave Wild forward Eric Staal a cross-check to the side of the head in the first period that went uncalled.The NHL's Department of Player Safety will have a couple of days to review it.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Tyler Myers will not play Game 4 against the Minnesota Wild on Tuesday night, as he deals with a lower-body injury, the team announced.Myers was a game-time decision after falling into the boards awkwardly following a collision with Wild forward Marcus Foligno in Game 3.Prior to the injury, Myers had tallied two goals and three points in the first three games of the series.With Myers out, rookie Tucker Poolman will make his NHL playoff debut. Poolman dressed in 24 games during the regular season, recording one goal, one assist, and 27 shots.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Pekka Rinne of the Nashville Predators, and Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning have been named finalists for the 2017-18 Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender, the league announced Tuesday.Here's a look at the numbers put forth by each All-Star netminder this season:Player Record SV% GAA SOHellebuyck44-11-9.9242.366Rinne42-13-4.9272.318Vasilevskiy44-17-3.9202.628Hellebuyck and Vasilevskiy tied for the league-lead in wins, while Rinne led the NHL in save percentage among all goalies to play 50 games. This marks the first time both Hellebuyck and Vasilevskiy have been up for the award, and the fourth time Rinne has been recognized as a finalist, though he's never won.Based on their bodies of work, it's no surprise these three were recognized as the top candidates, and it doesn't hurt that the Predators, Jets, and Lightning were the top three teams in the league at the end of the regular season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

New York Islanders ownership group Scott Malkin and Jon Ledecky are trying to find a top executive to join the club's hockey ops department, sources told Chris Botta of SportsNet New York.It's believed the potential new hire will replace Garth Snow as general manager, while Snow, the Isles' GM since 2006, would remain president or be given a new role, Botta adds.The Islanders will ask other teams for permission to speak to their executives, but will wait until the completion of the first round of the playoffs before narrowing the search.After missing the playoffs for the eighth time in 12 seasons under Snow's tenure, the Islanders organization faces a crucial offseason. The Isles are also in the process of building a new arena in Belmont Park, and captain John Tavares' future with the club is in question as he faces unrestricted free agency.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

P.K. Subban isn't going to hold back in Game 4 after appearing to catch Nathan MacKinnon with a blindside punch to the head in Game 3.Asked after Tuesday's practice whether the incident involving him and the Colorado Avalanche star forward was "just a normal hit," the talented Nashville Predators defenseman was unrepentant."Yeah," a visibly annoyed Subban said, according to The Tennessean's Joe Rexrode. "I'd do it again next game."Subban wasn't penalized for the hit itself, instead receiving a holding minor for his role in the aftermath, and he reportedly won't be getting any supplemental discipline for the initial act.He chalked it up to postseason hockey and appeared to imply that reporters were blowing it out of proportion."If you're in the playoffs, there's things that are going to happen in games," Subban said. "It just depends on the media and what they make of it. It's up to you guys."The Avalanche cut the Predators' series lead to 2-1 with a 5-3 victory Monday night.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Calgary Flames have fired head coach Glen Gulutzan, as well as assistant coaches Dave Cameron and Paul Jerrard.The Flames missed the playoffs in his second season behind the bench.Gulutzan helped Calgary qualify for the postseason in 2016-17, but it was swept out of the first round by the Anaheim Ducks.Calgary finished with 84 points and a record of 37-35-10 this spring, 11 points behind the Colorado Avalanche, who grabbed the second Western Conference wild-card spot.The Flames went a combined 82-68-14 in his two regular seasons at the helm, or exactly .500 in win percentage and .543 in terms of point percentage.Tuesday's firing sees Gulutzan become the second NHL head coach relieved of his duties since April 7, when Alain Vigneault was dismissed by the New York Rangers on the final Saturday night of the regular season.There's also an opening in Dallas, where Ken Hitchcock retired from coaching Friday, and it's possible there could soon be one in North Carolina, where Bill Peters has until this Friday to exercise the out clause in his contract with the Hurricanes.Gulutzan was an assistant coach with the Vancouver Canucks for three seasons after serving as the Stars' head coach in 2011-12 and 2012-13. Dallas missed the playoffs in both of his seasons behind the bench.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild will be without Zach Parise for the foreseeable future, as the veteran forward suffered a fractured sternum in Game 3 against the Winnipeg Jets and is expected to be out six-to-eight weeks, sources told Michael Russo of The Athletic.Parise is not expected to require surgery and will be replaced in Minnesota's lineup by Tyler Ennis.The 33-year-old was limited to just 42 games in the regular season after undergoing back surgery in October, and managed 15 goals and nine assists when healthy.Through three games in the postseason, Parise had recorded three goals and his absence will surely be felt going forward, particularly as the Wild look to erase a 2-1 series deficit Tuesday night in Game 4.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.