Canada topped Switzerland 8-2 on Tuesday in Buffalo to book their ticket into the semifinals at the 2018 world juniors.Awaiting Canada is the Czech Republic, who beat Finland in a shootout earlier in the afternoon.Canada got two goals each from Drake Batherson and Jordan Kyrou, while Brett Howden, Cale Makar, Connor Timmins, and Maxime Comtois supplied the additional tallies.Dario Rohrback and Axel Simic solved Canadian goaltender Carter Hart, who stopped 12 of 14 shots.Canada has the day off Wednesday, before squaring off with the Czech Republic for a chance at reaching Friday's gold medal game.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders may return to their old stomping grounds before calling Belmont Park home.While the Islanders' new arena is being built, NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league would entertain the idea of the team playing games at Nassau Coliseum - their home from 1975-2015 - until their new rink is complete."I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility," Daly told Newsday's Jim Baumbach via email.The Islanders have been playing their home games at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn since the 2015-16 season. The building was intended to be a basketball-only facility, which has caused issues with the ice surface, as well as the sightlines for fans.Islanders co-owner John Ledecky said they plan to play the 2018-19 season at the Barclays Center, as per their lease. However, where they play for the 2019-20 season and beyond - until the Belmont arena is finished - remains unclear.The Coliseum re-opened in March 2017 after an 18-month, $165-million renovation.A spokesperson for Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment - the same company that operates both the Barclays Center and the Coliseum - said they have presented the Islanders with a proposal to make the Coliseum their interim home, adding that the company is "prepared to facilitate any necessary enhancements" to the aging arena.Following the Islanders' Belmont Park news conference, The Governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo's office released the following statement:"New York State will negotiate with the New York Islanders to ensure they will play as many games as possible at the Nassau Coliseum while the state-of-the-art arena at Belmont is being built, returning the Islanders home to Long Island in the nearest possible future."Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien will return to the lineup Tuesday versus the Colorado Avalanche after a 10-game absence, head coach Paul Maurice confirmed.Byfuglien was declared week-to-week with a lower-body injury on Dec. 9 and was replaced by rookie Tucker Poolman on the Jets blue line.In 28 games this season, Byfuglien's averaged over 23 minutes per contest and chipped in with 15 assists.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Nashville Predators defenseman Ryan Ellis will make his long-awaited season debut Tuesday against the Vegas Golden Knights, the team announced.The 26-year-old has been out all season as he recovers from knee surgery to repair an injury he suffered during the team's historic playoff run last spring.The veteran put up career numbers in 2016-17, pacing the team's defense with 16 goals during the regular season and finishing third on the club in playoff scoring with 13 points in 22 games.Ellis' return should boost a team that's fared admirably in his absence. The Predators currently sit second in the Central Division, just one point back of the Winnipeg Jets with two games in hand.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Boston Bruins goaltender Tuukka Rask, New York Islanders forward Josh Bailey, and Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov have been named the NHL's three stars for December.Rask earned top marks after going 9-0-1 on the month while posting a 1.22 goals-against average, a .955 save percentage, and two shutouts. The 30-year-old's hot play saw him named the league's first star of the week prior to the Christmas break, and has helped the Bruins jump into second place in the Atlantic Division.Related: Rask's been a rock during Bruins' incredible runBailey earned second star honors after leading all skaters with 22 points, including 15 assists, in 15 games. Bailey posted seven multi-point performances, and thanks to his stellar output now sits second in league scoring with 50 points.The NHL's top producer, Kucherov was named the third star of the month. The 24-year-old led the league with an average of 1.54 points per game. He scored eight goals and 12 assists in 13 outings, to bring his totals to 24 goals and 56 points - both league highs.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks scoring machine Brock Boeser was named the league's Rookie of the Month on Tuesday.Boeser paced all rookie skaters with eight goals and finished second with 13 points in 13 games. The 20-year-old narrowly edged Boston Bruins forward Danton Heinen, who finished the month with five goals and a rookie-high 14 points in 14 outings.He also beat out New York Islanders forward Mathew Barzal, who tallied seven goals and 12 points in 14 games; Columbus Blue Jackets man Pierre-Luc Dubois, who netted 12 points; and Tampa Bay Lightning talent Yanni Gourde, who had nine points in 12 games.Boeser - who also earned rookie honors in November - sits tied for fourth among all players league-wide with 21 goals on the year, and leads all Canucks with 38 points in 36 games.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty is trying to focus on what he can control as opposed to the swirling trade rumors containing his name."You just live your life and worry about your family," Pacioretty said, according to Pat Hickey of the Montreal Gazette. "If it happens, it happens. I'm very proud of the past success I've had in Montreal. I've played here for 10 years and I've never gone through something like this. I've gone through ups and downs, but never this low."Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos reported Saturday that the Canadiens were actively shopping Pacioretty, preferably for a younger goal-scorer.Head coach Claude Julien says he has not discussed the rumors with Pacioretty - instead, the two have been talking about the 29-year-old's game. Pacioretty has severely tailed off in recent weeks, having scored just once in his last 21 games."Rumors are rumors and why fuel the rumor by talking to him about a rumor," Julien said. "You talk to him about his game and you work with him. As I say, a player will always be my player until he's gone. Sometimes, I don't know when that's going to be, and sometimes he's not going to be gone. ... You have to be able to overcome that to be successful. In Max's situation with all the rumors, he's handling it well."In the meantime, Pacioretty is tasked with trying to get not just himself, but the entire team back on track. The Canadiens kick off the first of a five-game home stand Tuesday night and will look to snap a four-game losing streak.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

There are a few faces you'll recognize on the United States' Olympic squad, but most of the players named to the initial American roster Monday are relative unknowns.Thanks to the NHL's withdrawl from the 2018 Games, the U.S. team headed to Pyeongchang will be comprised of players from the AHL, NCAA, KHL, and other European leagues.Here's a rundown of who these guys are:Mark ArcobelloThe journeyman forward played parts of four NHL seasons with five different teams, becoming only the third player in league history to suit up for four separate squads in the same season when he played for the Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Arizona Coyotes in 2014-15.He's in the midst of his second straight productive campaign with Bern in Switzerland's National League.Chad BillinsThis 28-year-old defenseman plays for Linkopings in the Swedish Hockey League and spent last season with the AHL's Utica Comets. He's played in Europe for four of the last five years and his NHL experience amounts to a mere 10 games with the Calgary Flames back in 2013-14.Jonathon Blum(Photo courtesy: Action Images)You may recognize this blue-liner's name, considering he played parts of five seasons in the NHL with the Predators and Minnesota Wild, and also because the Predators drafted him 23rd overall in 2007. He's spent the last three seasons with the KHL's Admiral Vladivostok.Will BorgenThis 21-year-old defenseman is in his third campaign at St. Cloud State and was a fourth-round pick of the Buffalo Sabres in 2015.Chris BourqueRay Bourque's son was a second-round choice of the Washington Capitals back in 2004, but the winger hasn't been able to stick in the NHL for more than 20 games in any of his four campaigns. He's been in the AHL for the last four years.Bobby ButlerThis 30-year-old winger has played for the Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils, Predators, and Florida Panthers, but he hasn't seen NHL action since 2013-14 and has spent this fall and winter with the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals after a couple of years overseas.Ryan DonatoDonato is a legitimate NHL prospect, and he's been lighting up the college ranks with 12 goals and 20 points in 12 games for Harvard this season. The Boston Bruins second-rounder is the son of former Bruins forward Ted Donato.Brian Gionta(Photo courtesy: Action Images)The longtime Devils, Montreal Canadiens, and Sabres winger will be Team USA's captain at the Olympic tournament. He isn't playing professionally this season, but he's only a year removed from a 15-goal campaign with the Sabres.Matt GilroyGilroy won the Hobey Baker Award as the top college player in the nation as a member of the Boston University Terriers back in 2009. The 33-year-old has seen time with four NHL clubs but has spent the last four seasons in the KHL.Jordan GreenwaySpeaking of Boston University, Greenway is in his third year with the Terriers and has 17 points in 19 games. The 20-year-old left winger is a Wild prospect who was taken in the second round in 2015.Ryan GundersonThis 32-year-old defenseman has played for various clubs in Finland, Sweden, and Belarus since 2010, and he toiled in the ECHL and AHL before that.Chad KolarikOnce a seventh-round pick of the Coyotes, Kolarik has only six NHL games to his name, having played in Sweden, Russia, Switzerland, and Germany since 2010.Broc LittleLittle had some good years with Yale, but his college tenure was a long time ago. Since leaving the Bulldogs in 2011, the 29-year-old forward spent six years playing in Sweden and is now with Davos in Switzerland, where he's put up 19 goals and 31 points in 35 games.John McCarthy(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)This very late pick by the San Jose Sharks in 2006 has since had a few decent AHL campaigns and has played 88 games for the big club. But at 31 years old, he still hasn't proven capable of carving out a steady NHL role. The winger has 12 points in 29 contests with the San Jose Barracuda this season.Brian O'NeillO'Neill has spent the last two seasons with Jokerit in the KHL, following a five-year AHL career in which he made only 22 NHL appearances. He won the Calder Cup with the Manchester Monarchs in 2015 and played with Little as a Bulldog for three of his four collegiate campaigns.Garrett RoeSwitzerland, Sweden, Germany, and Austria have been the hockey homes of this 29-year-old winger over the last five seasons, and he's currently playing for EV Zug in the Swiss National League, where he's piled up 37 points in 31 games.Bobby SanguinettiSanguinetti has plied his trade in Switzerland for the last couple of years after a two-year stint in the AHL and one KHL season. He played 40 games over two seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes, as well as five contests with the New York Rangers, but managed only six points in his brief NHL tenure.Jim SlaterSlater played 10 seasons with the Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers franchise after being taken 30th overall in 2002. He's been playing in Switzerland for the last three years.Ryan StoaStoa is a 30-year-old center who's spent the last five seasons in the KHL. He was a second-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in 2005, but played only 37 games for them over two campaigns and appeared in only three contests for the Capitals before heading to Russia.Troy Terry(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)He's best known for his shootout prowess, scoring three times in the post-overtime session to beat Russia in the semifinals at the World Junior Hockey Championship last January, then notching the only shootout goal as the U.S. came from behind to stun Canada for gold.The 20-year-old center is an Anaheim Ducks prospect in his third season with the University of Denver, with whom he won the national championship last spring.Noah WelchFans of the Thrashers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Panthers, and Penguins might recall Welch, although his NHL career was less than memorable. The 35-year-old blue-liner has been playing in Sweden since 2011-12.James WisniewskiOne of the most recognizable names on the U.S. roster has 36 points in 23 games for the Kassel Huskies of Germany's second-tier DEL2 league this season. He hasn't played in the NHL since suffering a devastating injury in the season opener while with the Hurricanes in 2015-16.Ryan ZapolskiThe lone goalie added to the initial roster has a .935 save percentage in 32 games with Jokerit this season. He's spent the last two years in Helsinki after playing three campaigns with another Finnish club, Lukko Rauma, and spending the three previous years in the ECHL.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The latest rendition of the Winter Classic proved to be another memorable affair, as the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers suited up to give fans everything under the sun in a 3-2 win for the Broadway Blueshirts.Meanwhile, photos from the overtime thriller were just as iconic:Citi Field, home of the MLB's Mets, played host to the game.Fans bundled up to fight frigid temperatures, which were just above 20 degrees Fahrenheit at puck drop.Kyle Okposo scouting report: exceptional vision.A sign that would make Chance the Rapper proud.In the words of Doc Emrick, Sabres netminder Robin Lehner holds off a net-mouth scramble.Lehner turned aside 39 shots, including this key save on Rangers winger Rick Nash.Outdoor games mean new uniforms, with the Rangers and Sabres electing to use these awesome threads.King Henrik was dressed to impress in Big Apple-inspired gear.Jason Pominville competed in his second Winter Classic with the Sabres, 10 years after the first outdoor game in Buffalo.The 2018 Winter Classic was played before a sold-out crowd of nearly 42,000.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The U.S. men's Olympic hockey team won't feature current NHL players, but there will be a few familiar faces playing for gold next month in Pyeonchang, South Korea.The full roster was named Monday during the second intermission of the Winter Classic at Citi Field in New York, with forward Brian Gionta - who will be team captain - and defenseman James Wisniewski serving as the most notable names.Here's a look at the roster:Goalies

The house likes homegrown talent.The Tampa Bay Lightning are the only team standing between the Vegas Golden Knights and the best odds of capturing the 2018 Stanley Cup, per the latest release from the Westgate SuperBook.Nearing the season's midway point, the Lightning own an NHL-best 28-8-2 record for 58 points in 38 games.The Golden Knights aren't far off, sitting just four points back of the Lightning for the NHL's top spot.It's a big turnaround for the surprising Golden Knights, who entered the season with the worst odds of winning it all. That distinction now belongs to the Arizona Coyotes, with the Desert Dogs' odds pegged at 2000 to 1.Team Opening Odds Current OddsTampa Bay Lightning10/15/1Vegas Golden Knights200/17/1Toronto Maple Leafs14/110/1Nashville Predators14/112/1St. Louis Blues30/114/1Dallas Stars14/116/1Los Angeles Kings20/116/1Pittsburgh Penguins8/116/1Columbus Blue Jackets20/118/1New York Rangers14/118/1Washington Capitals10/118/1Winnipeg Jets40/118/1Anaheim Ducks14/120/1Boston Bruins30/120/1San Jose Sharks20/120/1Chicago Blackhawks12/125/1Minnesota Wild14/125/1Carolina Hurricanes60/130/1New Jersey Devils100/130/1New York Islanders40/130/1Calgary Flames30/140/1Edmonton Oilers10/140/1Montreal Canadiens14/150/1Philadelphia Flyers40/150/1Florida Panthers40/1100/1Ottawa Senators30/1100/1Colorado Avalanche100/1200/1Vancouver Canucks100/1300/1Detroit Red Wings100/1500/1Buffalo Sabres60/11000/1Arizona Coyotes100/12000/1(Odds courtesy: Westgate SuperBook)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Shea Weber will remain on the sidelines for the immediate future.The Montreal Canadiens defenseman has missed the past six games with a foot injury after he was shut down by the club last month.On Monday, Canadiens coach Claude Julien reassured fans that Weber isn't dealing with any broken bones, but added there's no timeline for the blue-liner's return as he continues to rehab from the injury.Weber has appeared in 26 games, recording six goals and 10 assists. His return to the ice would be a big boost for the Canadiens, who sit eight points out of a playoff position.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild winger Zach Parise will make his season debut Tuesday against the Florida Panthers.

Connor Hellebuyck has backstopped his way to first star of the week honors.The Winnipeg Jets netminder wrapped the week with three victories in which he combined for a 1.67 goals-against average and .952 save percentage, including a 5-0 shutout win over the Edmonton Oilers.Vegas Golden Knights forward William Karlsson is the second star of the week after he notched five points in three games, including his first career hat-trick in a 6-3 victory against the Toronto Maple Leafs.Boston Bruins center David Backes received third star honors after he potted three goals and three assists in as many games. The stretch included a pair of goals vs. the Washington Capitals. The veteran forward has tallied 15 points in 20 games this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Kevin Shattenkirk's game is being called into question by yet another NHL head coach.In December, Barry Trotz of the Washington Capitals apologized for suggesting Shattenkirk isn't a top-pair defenseman following a failed playoff run with last season's Presidents' Trophy winners. And now, in advance of Monday's Winter Classic, New York Rangers bench boss Alain Vigneault admitted it's taken longer than expected for Shattenkirk to establish himself with his new club."I would say he's a work in progress," Vigneault said Sunday, according to Dan Rosen of NHL.com. "There's no doubt that our expectations and his expectations are a little bit higher than what we've seen so far."Shattenkirk was dealt to Washington by the St. Louis Blues prior to last season's trade deadline, and he then signed four-year, $26.6-million contract with the Rangers on July 1, 2017. He enters Monday's outdoor game against the Buffalo Sabres with five goals and 17 assists to his credit, but he's been held without a goal over his past 22 games and is pointless in the last five.Vigneault suggested the pressure of playing in his hometown may be weighing on the defenseman."I think (Shattenkirk) is probably putting a little bit of pressure on himself to do real well in front of new teammates, a new environment, friends and family," he said. "Sometimes it takes a little bit of time."The New Rochelle, N.Y., native expects 100 friends and family members to be in the stands at Citi Field for the Winter Classic. A breakout on the big stage would do everyone well.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The IIHF has released the schedule for Tuesday's quarterfinal matches at the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship in Buffalo:

Two players battled all year long for individual supremacy, and in the end, it was Nikita Kucherov who edged Connor McDavid as the NHL's most productive in the 2017 calendar year.The Tampa Bay Lightning winger led the league in both goals and points over the last year, while the Edmonton Oilers center - who finished second in points - came out on top in helpers.Here's a look at the 12 top-scoring players since Jan. 1, 2017, all of whom hit the 80-point plateau:PlayerTeamGamesGoalsAssistsPointsNikita KucherovLightning815254106Connor McDavidOilers833072102Blake WheelerJets83266490Patrick KaneBlackhawks81395190John TavaresIslanders80385088Nicklas BackstromCapitals86226587Mark ScheifeleJets81325587Brad MarchandBruins70444286Josh BaileyIslanders85206282Sidney CrosbyPenguins83325082Alex OvechkinCapitals87404282Jack EichelSabres84334780Kucherov has 25 goals and 31 assists through 38 games to begin 2017-18, and is the favorite to unseat McDavid as the NHL's Art Ross and Hart Trophy winner at season's end.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

theScore's NHL Power Rankings are published every other Monday. Our seventh installment is put together by editors Cory Wilkins, Sean O'Leary, and Josh Wegman.1. Vegas Golden Knights (26-9-2) ▲Previously 5thVegas knows winning. The Golden Knights recently became the first expansion team to reel off six straight wins and are one of the hottest teams coming out of the holiday break. - Wilkins2. Washington Capitals (24-13-3) ▲Previously 3rdDon't overlook the Capitals. Winners of the past two Presidents' Trophies, Washington is getting hot as we approach midseason. - Wilkins3. Los Angeles Kings (23-11-5) ▲Previously 4thAfter a down season a year ago, the Kings are back and looking like the team that won it all in 2012 and 2014. - Wilkins4. Toronto Maple Leafs (23-15-2) ▲Previously 9thThe Maple Leafs scoring machine is roaring again, as Toronto has netted 26 goals in its last six outings. - Wilkins5. Winnipeg Jets (23-11-6) ▲Previously 8thThe Jets keep soaring along, but the team's offensive game will be challenged with Mark Scheifele out for the long term. - Wilkins6. Tampa Bay Lightning (28-8-2) ▼Previously 2ndA slight dip for the Lightning, who have cooled in recent weeks. Among the changes from the start of the season? Nikita Kucherov, who has just two tallies in his last six appearances. - Wilkins7. San Jose Sharks (20-12-4)Previously 7thThe netminding duo of Martin Jones and Aaron Dell has impressed, holding down the fort for the low-scoring Sharks. - Wilkins8. Boston Bruins (21-10-6) ▲Previously 17thThe Bruins have pieced together eight consecutive games without a regulation loss and now sit in second place in the Atlantic Division. - Wilkins9. Nashville Predators (23-10-5) ▼Previously 1stNashville has scored just 15 goals in its past six outings, and that lagging production won't be helped with Filip Forsberg on the sidelines. - Wilkins10. New Jersey Devils (22-10-6) ▲Previously 12thThe surprise factor has worn off as the Devils remain one of the most consistent teams this campaign. - Wilkins11. New York Rangers (20-13-5)Previously 11thThe Rangers continue to stick around in the Metro race, but will need to tighten things up in their own end if it's going to last. - O'Leary12. Dallas Stars (22-15-3) ▲Previously 15thFor whatever reason, Dallas is nearly unstoppable at home and quite mediocre on the road, which is why the Stars are stuck near the middle of the pack. - O'Leary13. St. Louis Blues (24-15-2) ▼Previously 6thThe loss of Jaden Schwartz has hurt immensely, and the Blues have won just three of their last 10.14. Edmonton Oilers (17-19-3) ▲Previously 24thThe Oilers look much better lately, but still have quite a road ahead to reach the playoff cut line. Whether Connor McDavid and Co. can pull it off should prove to be highly entertaining down the stretch. - O'Leary15. Columbus Blue Jackets (22-15-3) ▼Previously 13thSergei Bobrovsky had a December to forget, winning just four starts, but the team in front of him needs to be way better, too. - O'Leary16. New York Islanders (20-15-4) ▼Previously 14thBeing sandwiched between the Coyotes and Sabres in any stat - particularly goals allowed - is not a good place to be, especially for a team as offensively exciting as the Islanders. - O'Leary17. Anaheim Ducks (17-14-8) ▲Previously 19thThe Ducks continue to get key pieces back, and suddenly sit just one point out of a wild-card spot. - O'Leary18. Minnesota Wild (20-16-3) ▼Previously 16thJust about halfway through the season, the Wild do indeed still exist. - O'Leary19. Carolina Hurricanes (18-13-7) ▲Previously 22ndCarolina's surged for seven wins in 10 games, because another playoff competitor is exactly what the Metropolitan Division needed. - O'Leary20. Chicago Blackhawks (18-14-6) ▼Previously 10thJeff Glass nabbing his first NHL win was a nice story and all, but this club needs Corey Crawford desperately to have a chance. - O'Leary21. Pittsburgh Penguins (19-18-3) ▼Previously 18thIt's time to accept the Penguins are nowhere near the team they were for the past two seasons. A big-time acquisition would certainly help, but they have very little trade bait to offer. - Wegman22. Florida Panthers (17-16-5) ▲Previously 27thDon't look now, but the Panthers have won five in a row, thanks in large part to stellar goaltending from James Reimer. Unfortunately, it might be too little too late for the Cats. - Wegman23. Colorado Avalanche (19-16-3) ▲Previously 26thA playoff appearance this season is still unlikely, but the Avs are very exciting to watch, and they're undoubtedly trending in the right direction. - Wegman24. Philadelphia Flyers (16-14-8) ▼Previously 20thThe Flyers are easily the streakiest team in the league, and their lack of consistency will ultimately keep them out of the postseason. - Wegman25. Vancouver Canucks (16-18-5) ▼Previously 23rdThere's a lot to like about what Vancouver has done this season, but Bo Horvat's injury erased their status as a potential playoff contender. - Wegman26. Montreal Canadiens (16-19-4) ▼Previously 21stThe Habs have scored three goals during their current four-game losing streak. That just about sums up their season. - Wegman27. Buffalo Sabres (10-20-8) ▲Previously 30thAnother year, another basement-dwelling season for the Sabres. At least the Buffalo Bills' playoff berth eliminates some of the negativity surrounding the city's sports teams. - Wegman28. Detroit Red Wings (15-16-7)Previously 28thThe Red Wings are a lock to be sellers at the deadline as they aim to add more youth to complement Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha. Mike Green and Jimmy Howard will be among their most valuable trade chips. - Wegman29. Arizona Coyotes (9-26-5) ▲Previously 31stThe possibility of drafting Rasmus Dahlin is the only light at the end of the tunnel for the Coyotes. - Wegman30. Calgary Flames (19-16-4) ▼Previously 25thThe Flames have hit a bit of a rough patch, but they're still in the Western Conference playoff picture. - Wegman31. Ottawa Senators (12-17-8) ▼Previously 29thThe Sens have just four wins in their last 21 games. Woof. - Wegman(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Some teams ended 2017 on a high note, while others didn't even come close.During Sunday's eight games, the winning teams outscored their opponents by a score of 41-10, making the average margin of victory 3.875.Here's a look at Sunday's scoreboard:Winning teamLosing teamFinalGolden KnightsMaple Leafs6-3DucksCoyotes5-2LightningBlue Jackets5-0Red WingsPenguins4-1JetsOilers5-0StarsSharks6-0AvalancheIslanders6-1FlamesBlackhawks4-3 (OT)The Flames and Blackhawks provided the only nail-biter of the evening.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Sweden extended its preliminary-round winning streak at the World Junior Hockey Championship to 44 games with a 4-3 shootout win over Russia on Sunday. The run has now spanned over 11 years.Unfortunately for the Swedes, perfection in the round robin hasn't always translated to success in the medal rounds. During the streak, they've won gold just once - in 2012 - and haven't finished on the podium since 2014.However, with 17-year-old phenom Rasmus Dahlin leading the way on the back end, Sweden are certainly well-equipped to end their gold-medal drought.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Canada's next stop on the road to gold at the world juniors is a quarterfinal matchup against Team Switzerland on Tuesday.The contest was confirmed following Switzerland's 6-3 loss to the Czech Republic Sunday.Canada finished the four-game round robin schedule with a 3-0-1-0 record, while Switzerland went 1-0-0-3. The two sides did not meet in preliminary action.The remaining quarterfinals will be decided following three contests on Sunday: Finland vs. the United States; Denmark vs. Slovakia; and Sweden vs. Russia.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators have no one to blame but themselves.After dropping yet another game Saturday - the fifth time this month the Senators have been shut out - winger Mark Stone wasn't short on criticisms for the struggling squad."We're coming to the rink working hard. I don't think its work ethic. I think it's stupidity more than anything ... stupidity and frustration," Stone told Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen."This needed to stop about (six weeks) ago. We've put ourselves in a hole that we're going to need a fantastic run and we're going to need help."Saturday's 5-0 defeat to the Boston Bruins marked the Senators' fourth loss in their last six outings as the team has now skidded to second last in the East.Earlier this season, the Senators pulled off a blockbuster deal to acquire center Matt Duchene from the Colorado Avalanche in hopes of building on last year's lineup that came one goal shy of advancing to the Stanley Cup Finals.But Ottawa has been anything but successful since bringing in Duchene.Including Saturday, the Senators have won just six of 23 games since adding Duchene. While he's not entirely at fault, the veteran isn't without blame either, as he's registered just three goals and three assists since arriving in the Canadian capital.To make matters worse, Saturday's contest was played before a sellout crowd at the Canadian Tire Centre. It's been difficult to draw fans to Kanata this season, while those paying witness to the shellacking may need more convincing to make the trip more often.Now 12 points back of a playoff position, a repeat of last year's postseason thriller looks like a longshot for the Senators.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Team USA will be down a forward for the remainder of the World Junior Hockey Championship.Coach Bob Motzko confirmed that winger William Lockwood won't suit up again this tournament as he's sidelined with an upper-body injury.Lockwood sustained the injury in Friday's shootout win over Team Canada. He has two penalty minutes and a minus-1 rating through three round-robin games.The Vancouver Canucks selected Lockwood with the 64th pick in 2016. He's tallied 11 points in 16 games with the University of Michigan this season.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The end of the calendar year offers hockey fans some time to reflect on the year that was. But it also offers us a chance to look ahead at what's to come for the next 365 days of puck.With that in mind, we thought it was the right time to be a little forward-thinking and bust out our crystal ball in an attempt to envision some of the biggest upcoming stories.Here are five bold predictions for 2018. And please, be sure to @ us accordingly.The 60-goal mark is hit for the first time since 2012Entering Friday's schedule, 586 games have been played so far this season, with league scoring sitting at an average of 2.95 goals per contest - the highest mark since 2007.We expect the goal barrage to continue, leading to the first 60-goal campaign since Tampa Bay Lightning stud Steven Stamkos netted 60 during the 2011-12 season.The math isn't on our side for this one, as the league's leading goal-scorer, Nikita Kucherov, is on pace for only 53. Kuch has just one goal in his last five games, but we fully expect him to regain his early-season form, back when he was converting at almost a goal-per-game clip.And with the likes of pure snipers John Tavares, Alex Ovechkin, and Brock Boeser not far behind, the 60-goal mark is most definitely attainable. Americans win back-to-back Calder Trophies There haven't been consecutive American Calder winners since Chris Drury and Scott Gomez did it back in 1999 and 2000, respectively. But that all changes with Boeser, who is rapidly proving to be the real deal.Now, this prediction may not be as bold as the others, given the amount of young Americans who are setting the league on fire, but the feat is still impressive. Take a look at the U.S.-born players who are currently in the top 10 in rookie scoring.Player (Team)PlacePointsHome stateBrock Boeser (Canucks)1st38MinnesotaClayton Keller (Coyotes)3rd31MissouriAlex DeBrincat (Blackhawks)5th25MichiganKyle Connor (Jets)T-10th23MichiganWill Butcher (Devils)T-10th23WisconsinWith that level of quality already in the NHL, and the USA Hockey National Team Development Program churning out high-end talent on the regular, the Calder might be calling America home for the foreseeable future.NHL witnesses a changing of the guardAs the league continues its trend toward being "a young man's game," we are set to lose some of the favorite faces of our beloved sport.Daniel and Henrik Sedin (37), Joe Thornton (38), Roberto Luongo (38), Zdeno Chara (40), and Jaromir Jagr (45) all plan to hang up their skates in 2018 after leaving indelible marks on the last two decades of hockey.But as these legends exit due to mounting injuries and expiring contracts in the ruthlessly unfair fight against Father Time, a new batch of stars is set to carry the torch for the next generation. Rasmus Dahlin struggles in his first North American seasonThis is perhaps the boldest prediction on the list, as Dahlin has looked to be the complete package. The 17-year-old Swede is currently enjoying another solid season (five goals and six assists in 26 games) for Frolunda of the SHL, a respectable pro league filled with quality players.But it's not the NHL.The smooth-skating blue-liner undoubtedly possesses the type of talent and size - 6-foot-2, 180-plus pounds - to compete in North America, but he will struggle to adapt to the smaller rinks and more aggressive style of NHL hockey.And it's worth mentioning that if he ends being drafted by the Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, or Ottawa Senators, the three teams currently in line to receive the No. 1 overall pick, his struggles could be precipitated by having to anchor one of the worst blue lines in the game. Dahlin falls short of the initial hype - book it.A Canadian club wins the Stanley CupHands in the air if you picked the Winnipeg Jets and Toronto Maple Leafs over the Edmonton Oilers as the top Canadian team this year? We'll wait.Despite the Oilers finally starting to figure it out (6-3-1 in their last 10), the Jets and Leafs are Canada's best shot at a Cup. The last time Lord Stanley's chalice was hoisted by a team from north of the border was in 1993 when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the Los Angeles Kings in five games.Aside from both the Leafs' and Jets' strong positioning in the standings, each club also boasts talented lineups loaded with the kind of offensive talent needed to make a deep playoff run - Toronto and Winnipeg sit third (130) and fourth (128) in total goals scored, respectively.It may be a long shot, but it's not out the question: The Cup resides in the north for 2018.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Team Canada has pulled off the three-peat.The Great White North won its third consecutive title at the Spengler Cup Sunday, defeating Team Switzerland 3-0 in the final round.Zach Boychuk, Maxim Noreau, and David McIntyre provided the offense for Canada, while netminder Kevin Poulin turned aside 36 shots for the shutout.

The Canadiens' offense hit a new low on Saturday, as Montreal was shut out by the Florida Panthers, who, coming into this contest, allowed the fifth-most goals per game in the NHL.The Habs are now losers of four straight games, scoring only three goals in that span. They are averaging just 2.54 goals per game - the third-worst in the league.Although Montreal's offense as a whole is sputtering this season, the lack of production from captain Max Pacioretty (eight goals) and Jonathan Drouin (five goals) headline the list of underachievers.Copyright © 2018 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brett Howden scored his first two goals of the tournament and Canada flexed its offensive muscles as the team cruised to an 8-0 win over Denmark on Saturday night.With the win the Canadians concluded the round robin with a 3-0-1-0 record, clinching first place in Group A.Canada jumped out to an early lead, thanks to a goal by St. Louis Blues prospect Robert Thomas less than five minutes into the game. Howden and Sam Steel would also add tallies before the period was out to give the Canadians a 3-0 lead after the first.The goals kept coming in the second as Cale Makar scored his second in as many games, and Howden deflected a Cal Foote point shot for his second of the contest.Alex Formenton, Michael McLeod, and Drake Batherson each chipped in singles in the final period to round out the scoring. With McLeod's marker, Canada has now gotten goals from 13 different skaters in its first four games.Carter Hart was back between the pipes for Canada after giving up three goals in a heart-breaking shootout lossagainst the Americans on Friday night. The Philadelphia Flyers prospect was perfect, turning away all 18 Denmark shots.Canada will now await the conclusion of the preliminary round where it will play the fourth-placed finisher of Group B in the quarterfinals.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Tuukka Rask is looking like a clone of his 2014 Vezina-winning self.After a slow start to the 2017-18 campaign, the Boston Bruins netminder has found his game and has been the catalyst for a club that has taken a giant leap in the standings.With a shutout win over the Ottawa Senators on Saturday night, the Bruins tied the Toronto Maple Leafs with 48 points on the year, but moved ahead of them in the standings with Boston having two games in hand.The Bruins have been getting contributions throughout their lineup over the last month, but none have made a bigger impact than Rask's stellar play.Over the his last 11 games, Rask has gone 9-0-1 while posting a league-best .955 save percentage and a 1.22 GAA, allowing one goal or less in eight of those games; one of those appearances, on Dec. 4 against Nashville, came in relief of Anton Khudobin, who was pulled in the second period.Overall the Bruins have gone 9-1-2 in their last 12 games, scoring 44 goals and allowing just 20 against. They are arguably the league's hottest team and they can thank their No. 1 netminder for a large part of their success.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Capitals bench boss Barry Trotz recorded his 737th career victory Saturday night against the New Jersey Devils, surpassing Lindy Ruff for fifth place on the NHL's all-time coaching wins list.Trotz is now just 45 wins behind legendary New York Islanders coach Al Arbour for fourth all time:CoachWins1. Scotty Bowman12442. Joel Quenneville8693. Ken Hitchcock8024. Al Arbour7825. Barry Trotz737Given that Hitchcock is 66 years old, whereas Trotz is only 55, there's a good chance he'll eventually wind up in the top three if he decides to keep on coaching.Of Trotz's 737 wins, 557 came with the Nashville Predators, whom he coached from 1998-99 to 2013-14. He's already racked up 180 wins in just three-and-a-half seasons in Washington.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New Jersey Devils acquired goaltender Eddie Lack from the Calgary Flames in exchange for defenseman Dalton Prout, the Devils announced on Saturday.Lack has suited up in just four games for the Flames this season where he's put up a dismal 5.29 GAA and a .813 save percentage. Meanwhile, Prout has gone pointless in four games with the Devils this season.Both players have been assigned to their new respective AHL clubs.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Nashville Predators will be in uncharted territory for at least the next week as the club has placed forward Filip Forsberg on injured reserve, the team announced on Saturday.Forsberg left Friday's game against the Minnesota Wild mid-way through the third period with an undisclosed injury. In his absence, the team has recalled forward Frederick Gaudreau from the AHL.The designation means Forsberg will miss at least the next three games, which will serve as the first games he has missed for the Predators since April 13, 2014, according to The Tennessean's Adam Vingan.Forsberg currently paces the team with 15 goals and 34 points in 37 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - It was a scene for the ages, and not just because it was a thriller on the ice.The wintery conditions at New Era Field in the United States' shootout victory over Canada on Friday made for a truly memorable setting, and members of both World Junior Hockey Championship squads gushed afterward about how special it was."It was my first time, and I think for a bunch of us, it was our first time on an outdoor rink," U.S. forward Brady Tkachuk said. "For us, when it was snowing, it was awesome. We'd never experienced this before. I think both teams just cherished the experience."A record crowd of more than 44,000 fans took in what was the first-ever outdoor game at the international level. It began to snow early in the contest and increased as the play progressed, forcing a multitude of stoppages so the stadium crew could clean off the ice surface."It wasn't your usual hockey game, but it was an unbelievable atmosphere and one of the coolest games I've ever played in, so it was really fun," Team USA goaltender Jake Oettinger said postgame. "It was difficult (to track the puck), especially in the second period because the wind was blowing snow in (my) eyes, but it's part of the game and it was a fun challenge."The wind and snow were so strong after the second period that officials divided the third into two 10-minute halves, allowing the teams to switch ends halfway through before doing the same in overtime."When they were shoveling the snow, you could almost make a fort, so it was crazy," said Canada's captain, Dillon Dube. "It was the most snow I've seen in a long time. It was crazy coming down. Sitting on the bench, you're there for a bit and (suddenly) you have an inch of snow on your helmet, so it was coming down hard."U.S. captain Joey Anderson was understanding of the stoppages and discussed how the weather brought back memories of his childhood."(That's) going to happen with the outdoor game. It just made another element of fun," he said. "A lot of us haven't seen stuff like that since we were little kids playing in the backyard and out on the ponds, but it made for another interesting experience."American center Casey Mittelstadt, who was named player of the game after assisting on all three U.S. goals in regulation, also expressed just how much he enjoyed the conditions."It made for an absolute blast, and they did a good job managing the ice, getting the shovels out there and things like that," he said.Even Canada's head coach, Dominique Ducharme, was able to appreciate the atmosphere in a losing effort."It was a great experience, for sure," he said. "Different (kind of) game, but it was a great experience."U.S. bench boss Bob Motzko wasn't initially sold on the idea of outdoor hockey, but Friday's victory made him a fan."I was a skeptic at first," he said postgame. "(But) I love it now."Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Canada advanced to the Spengler Cup championship game courtesy of a 5-2 win over Czech team Mountfield HK on Saturday.

NHL players won't be headed to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, but their fate has yet to be decided for the 2022 Games in Beijing.In April, the NHL announced it would not participate in the 2018 Games after unsuccessful negotiations with the IIHF and International Olympic Committee.Still, it's no secret the league is intrigued by the Chinese market. Earlier this season, the Los Angeles Kings and Vancouver Canucks faced off in a pair of exhibition contests in Beijing and Shanghai as part of the NHL China Games.Attending the 2022 Olympics in Beijing would help the NHL build on these international efforts."Each Olympics is different. There's a different value proposition," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told Kevin McGran of the Toronto Star. "These particular Olympics that are coming up, ultimately the negatives outweighed the positives for our owners."I don't know what Beijing will hold. The logistical issues that we have with South Korea will be the same with China, but maybe there are some other opportunities in China that aren't in South Korea. We will see."The NHL previously participated in the past five Winter Olympics, beginning in Nagano, Japan in 1998.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. - The difference in Friday's historic outdoor affair was motivation.U.S. players acknowledged drawing inspiration from the previous night's stunning loss to Slovakia as they rallied from a two-goal, third-period deficit against Canada and prevailed 4-3 in a shootout at the World Junior Hockey Championship in the open air at New Era Field.“(We were) really motivated," Team USA captain Joey Anderson said postgame Friday. "We needed to make sure we came out and put a good foot forward, and showed some resilience, and we did that. We stuck together as a group. That was the biggest part, just making sure we didn’t turn on each other when we got down, and we stuck with it.”Brady Tkachuk tied the game in the third, and said afterward that the defending gold medalists' surprising letdown one night prior was one they wanted to avoid duplicating.“That definitely fueled the fire for our team, and you never want that to happen again, and our team bounced back well.”American forward Kieffer Bellows, who notched a power-play goal in the second period against Canada and then added the shootout winner, made it clear the impetus for Friday's comeback came the moment the final buzzer sounded Thursday.“Guys were motivated the second that game ended (against Slovakia)," he said after the victory over Canada. "We knew we wanted to bounce back (Friday) and get a win, and I’m very proud of this group of guys. It’s hard to (describe). They’re really special.”Bellows insisted the U.S. players didn't panic when they trailed by two goals in the final regulation frame.“That (says) a lot about our group, how close we are as a family. There was never a doubt in the whole entire (dressing) room, on the bench, never at any point.”U.S. head coach Bob Motzko praised his team for coming together in the third period, overtime, and the shootout after their effort in the previous contest.“That team showed a lot of character (Friday) to bounce back from what happened (Thursday night)," he said. "I gave Slovakia a ton of credit (after that game) … but that wasn’t a good showing for us and we needed to rebound. No matter what we did (in this game), we played hard.”Motzko also didn't hesitate when asked if the quick turnaround after the shocking loss was a good thing.“It was a great thing," he quipped postgame Friday.On the Canadian side, head coach Dominique Ducharme said they'd use the defeat in a similar way when they complete their own back-to-back with a game against Denmark.“(If) we win (Saturday), we finish first, so we’ll be in a good position to go into the (medal) round," he said postgame. "We’ll learn from that game (versus the United States), I can promise you that.”Canada's captain, Dillon Dube, echoed that sentiment.“Overall, it was tough losing, but it’s just one game of the (preliminary round), and we can build off this," he said. "It’ll make us stronger for when it really counts.”The U.S. next plays Finland on Sunday, indoors at Buffalo's KeyBank Center, in what will be both teams' final preliminary-round contest. The Americans (1-1-0-1) sit second in Group A with five points through three games, while Canada (2-0-1-0) leads the group with seven points after three contests.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Fresh off a loss to the Carolina Hurricanes, the Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled forward Daniel Sprong from the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.The 20-year-old recorded a hat trick in the AHL on Friday, bringing his goal total to 18 through 29 games, good for a share of second in the minor league.Drafted 46th overall in 2015, Sprong's offensive talents are unquestioned. He was sent to the AHL to begin the season to hone his all-around game.The Penguins, however, currently find themselves outside the playoff picture after Friday's 2-1 loss to Carolina, and rank 21st with a goals per game average of 2.77.Sprong appeared in 18 games for the Penguins in 2015, scoring two goals.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Derick Brassard is leaving the door open.With his team sitting a dozen points outside of the playoff picture, the Senators forward realizes his time in Ottawa could be coming to a close."Let's say it it this way: I will play hockey anywhere," Brassard told George Richards of The Columbus Dispatch. "I'll play anywhere. I wouldn't refuse to go anywhere in the world or anywhere in the East."Should Brassard be on the move, he'll have some say in his destination, as his contract carries an eight-team no-trade list, per CapFriendly. Still, it doesn't appear as if that stipulation will be much of an impediment.The Senators are expected to be sellers ahead of the Feb. 26 trade deadline, with general manager Pierre Dorion reportedly willing to consider all options, save for defenseman Erik Karlsson and winger Mark Stone.Brassard has been a key contributor since arriving in Ottawa, including an 11-point output in last year's run to the Conference Finals. He's scored 24 points in 36 games this season.The Senators acquired Brassard in a July 2016 deal that sent Mika Zibanejad to the New York Rangers.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Connor McDavid failed to reach his ultimate goal of carrying the Edmonton Oilers to the Stanley Cup Final last season, but that didn't stop him from making 2017 his own.The Oilers phenom has been nothing short of sensational over the last 12 months, taking his game to the next level and firmly entrenching himself in the conversation for best player on the planet.While that debate rages on, the discussion surrounding which hockey player had the best calendar year is much more one-sided.Team success, stellar offensive numbers, and a mantel full of hardware made 2017 one to remember for No. 97.Here's a look at why Connor McDavid is our NHL Person of the Year:Offensive juggernaut No one has more points than McDavid over the last calendar year, as the Oilers' captain has combined clutch scoring with deft puck distribution to give opposing goalies fits.Check out his regular-season numbers over the last 365 days:Games (Season)GoalsAssistsPoints+/-GWG44 (2016-17)164157+18337 (2017-18)143145+113McDavid was the only player to hit triple digits in points last season, and was on the ice for more goals than any other player (131). He also led the league in points per game at an impressive 1.22 clip. As one of the fastest skaters in the league, with a career Corsi For percentage north of 55, expect those numbers to continue to increase.Simply put, the kid did it all in 2017. And the scary thing is, he hasn't hit his prime.Oilers' revival In McDavid's first full season in the NHL, he took the Oilers from pretenders to contenders seemingly overnight.The Oilers qualified for the playoffs for the first time in a decade on the back of his unreal regular-season performance. Edmonton's captain also added nine points in 13 postseason games.McDavid's skill and impact were felt up and down the Oilers' lineup. He made all of his teammates better with his all-world offensive talent and stellar vision. Nowhere was this more evident than with Patrick Maroon, who scored more goals in his one year playing with McDavid (27) than he did in the previous three without him (21).McDavid has also brought the Battle of Alberta back to life, reviving an Edmonton team whose mediocrity over the past decade diminished the competitiveness of one of the game's best rivalries. With his leadership, the Oilers won five of six against the Flames last season.Edmonton might not be the team we thought it was going to be this season, and it's far too soon to predict the team is ready to return to the glory years of the '80s. But with McDavid firmly at the helm, the Oilers are once again a force to be reckoned with. Summer to rememberThe spring may not have gone his way, but No. 97's summer sure was sweet.McDavid kicked off his stellar summertime by cleaning house at the NHL Awards in Las Vegas in June, winning the Art Ross Trophy as the league's top point-getter, the Ted Lindsay Award for MVP as voted by the players, and the Hart Trophy for league MVP.He also signed a whopping eight-year, $100-million contract to remain in Edmonton for the foreseeable future.However, it was his unselfish decision to take less money on a shorter term that's perhaps his biggest contribution in 2017 to the future success of the team. McDavid's choice to take less loot allowed the club more financial flexibility, helping general manager Peter Chiarelli sign another franchise cornerstone in Leon Draisaitl to a long-term deal of his own.Face of the gameWhile gracing the cover of the latest installment of EA Sports' NHL video-game series literally puts his face on the game, McDavid is becoming so much more, as the now-20-year-old talisman is quickly becoming the face of the sport.

Better late than never.Chicago Blackhawks netminder Jeff Glass made his first career NHL start Friday night against the Edmonton Oilers, and thanks to an incredible overtime goal by Patrick Kane, he earned his first career win at 32 years of age."Something I dreamed of, never thought it would come true," Glass said of the win postgame.Glass was a third-round pick by the Ottawa Senators in 2004. He spent four seasons with the club's AHL affiliate, the Binghamton Senators, but never earned a call-up.He moved onto the KHL and spent the next seven years there before returning to the AHL last season.Glass signed with the Blackhawks in February and played with the Rockford IceHogs. This week, Chicago placed starter Corey Crawford on injured reserve, and as they say, the rest is history.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winners of four straight and seven of their last eight games, the Carolina Hurricanes seem to have found an answer between the pipes - but it's come from an unexpected source.Cam Ward - who burst onto the scene as a rookie - winning the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe as a 21-year-old, is playing some of the best hockey his career at the ripe age of 33. After defeating the Penguins 2-1 on Friday, he's now 10-2-1 with a 2.53 GAA and a .917 save percentage. The latter would stand to be the second-best of his career.The strange part about Ward's play this year is that it's come when Carolina least expected it.Ever since his magical run as a rookie, Ward has been Carolina's primary goaltender, but for the most part, he's been pretty mediocre as far as starting netminders are concerned.In an effort to upgrade their play in the crease, the Hurricanes went out this offseason and acquired Scott Darling - widely considered the best backup in the league over the past few seasons.Darling is in the first season of a four-year contract that comes with an annual cap hit of $4.15 million per year, but so far he's been a major disappointment, owning an .896 save percentage and a 2.87 GAA in 24 games.Darling was supposed to come in and be the guy on a team expected to take a big leap, but Ward has seemingly stolen his job, starting six of the team's last eight games, winning all six.Ward was expected to ride out the last year of his contract as the backup to Darling, then probably find work elsewhere come the offseason.(Photo courtesy: Action Images)This scenario has put the Hurricanes in an interesting predicament. The club is ready to win now, as they sit just one point out of a playoff spot. Riding the hot goalie in Ward is the obvious answer in the meantime, given that they're looking to make the postseason for just the second time since winning it all in 2005-06.But what happens if Ward keeps up his play all year long and Darling doesn't recover from his early-season struggles? Does Ward come back on another one-year contract and they ride out this tandem for another season?What if Ward comes back to earth, but Darling still fails to find his game? Carolina would need to upgrade in goal once again, but Darling's cap hit makes that difficult to do, considering many of the team's young players are due for raises.The Hurricanes need Darling to find his game before his confidence is gone for good, but that's going to be tough to do if Ward refuses to give up the crease.Carolina allows the fewest shots per game, and the fourth-fewest scoring chances per game (at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick), so they don't need Darling to come in and stand on his head night in and night out, they just need him to be serviceable.In a perfect world, Darling and Ward both play well simultaneously, giving the Hurricanes a nice 1-2 punch this season, before Darling fully takes on the reigns next year. That's a problem head coach Bill Peters would love to have, but unfortunately, that just isn't the case right now.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) Mikael Granlund had the second three-goal game of his career and Devan Dubnyk made 41 saves in his first start since Dec. 12 to help the Minnesota Wild beat the Nashville Predators 4-2 on Friday night.Matt Dumba had a goal and assist for Minnesota, which has won two in a row coming out of the league's holiday break. Dumba scored the go-ahead goal, his seventh of the season, midway through the second period in the first game of a back-to-back, home-and-home series between the two teams.Pekka Rinne made 34 saves, but Nashville lost for the fourth time in five games. P.K. Subban and Kyle Turris scored for the Predators.Dubnyk made his return after missing six games with a lower-body injury. He wasn't tested much early as Nashville went the first 7:57 without a shot.The Wild had the first 11 shots and Granlund scored 7:34 into the game to give Minnesota the early lead. Turris made a quick play to save a loose puck behind Rinne. But the errant pass went out to Dumba, who fed Granlund for a one-timer.Rinne made several big saves to keep the game close before Subban tied the game with his eighth goal of the year in the first. Granlund added his 10th goal of the season less than a minute later on the power play for his third multi-goal game of the season.Granlund scored an empty-net goal with 50.3 seconds for the hat trick.The Wild set a season-high with 18 shots on goal in the first period. The Predators returned the favor with 18 shots in the second and held a 43-38 advantage in the game.Minnesota (20-15-3) faced a critical stretch after the league's mandated holiday break with three games against divisional opponents. The Wild beat Dallas before the back-to-back against Nashville (22-10-5), which was leading the Central Division heading into Friday.NOTES: Wild coach Bruce Boudreau left the bench with 5:44 left in the game, bleeding after taking a puck to the head. Assistant coach John Anderson took control for the remainder of the game. ... Zach Parise returned to Minnesota after a one-game conditioning assignment with Iowa of the American Hockey League. Parise has been out all season after undergoing back surgery on Oct. 24. He played 15:26 with one assist and one shot on goal for Iowa. ... Wild F Nino Niederreiter skated on Friday. He missed his third game with a lower-body injury. Boudreau was hopeful Niederreiter could return next week. . Nashville has been outshot 103-52 in the first period over the past seven games. ... Subban has four goals and five assists in his last eight games after going scoreless in seven straight.UP NEXTThe two teams reunite for their home-and-home series Saturday in Nashville.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With his first shift of Friday night's contest against the Anaheim Ducks, Calgary Flames forward Jaromir Jagr moved into sole possession of third place on the all-time regular-season games played list.

The Ottawa Senators' offense erupted on Friday night.The club hung on to top the Columbus Blue Jackets by a score of 5-4, snapping a four-game losing streak. In the process, the Senators scored more than four goals in a game for the first time since Dec. 1 - a stretch of 13 games - when they bested the New York Islanders 6-5.The Senators have been among the league's worst clubs over the last two months, sitting with the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference, while averaging the sixth fewest goals per game.The team will look to keep it going when it hosts the Boston Bruins on Saturday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The outdoor game in Orchard Park, N.Y., between Team USA and Team Canada had it all on Friday.Wintery scenes, frozen fans, and a high-stakes matchup between two bitter rivals that went down to the wire, providing a unique setting that allowed for some awesome photos from what was a special afternoon of hockey.Here's a collection of some of the best photos from Canada versus USA at New Era Field:Hockey in a football stadium, what more could you ask for on beautiful December day?Plenty of solid end-to-end action, despite a snow-covered ice surface.Carter Hart stood tall for Canada, but it wasn't enough, as the Americans won 4-3 in a shootout.The cold temperatures didn't discriminate, affecting both Canadian and American supporters.Team USA versus Team Canada is always a tight-checking affair, and Friday's contest did not disappoint.Calgary Flames second-round pick and Team Canada captain Dillon Dube celebrates his first-period goal.Happier times for the fans in red and white didn't last long, as the Canadians let a 3-1 lead slip away.Lots of snow and cameramen in the corners at New Era Field.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With a world junior-record crowd of 44,592 on hand in Orchard Park, N.Y., Team USA edged Team Canada by a score of 4-3 in the tournament's first-ever outdoor game thanks to Kieffer Bellows' shootout winner.The last time hockey was played at New Era Field, it ended in a shootout. The last time Canada and USA squared off at the world juniors, it also ended in a shootout. Predictably, a matchup between Canada and USA at New Era Field also needed a shootout to decide things.The snow piled down as the game went on at New Era Field - home of the NFL's Buffalo Bills - making simple skills such as stickhandling and passing increasingly difficult. It didn't seem to matter for Bellows though, who also scored his team's first goal of the game.Sabres' first-round pick Casey Mittelstadt didn't seem to mind the conditions either, as he picked up three assists in the contest.Special teams were the difference in the first period. Avalanche fourth overall pick Cale Makar notched a power-play tally for Canada less than five minutes into the game following a high-sticking penalty to USA's Dylan Samberg.Later in the first, Canada once again struck with the man advantage, this time coming off the stick of captain Dillon Dube following Mikey Anderson's holding the stick penalty.Canada itself took three minor penalties in the period, but escaped unscathed.Canada's penalty trouble finally caught up to them, however, as Bellows got the Americans on the board with a 5-on-3 goal late in the second.It didn't take long for the Canadians to respond, though, as Boris Katchouk tipped home Jake Bean's point shot.In a game between two fierce rivals, there was no shortage of post-whistle scrums. The physicality of the game escalated after Canada's Maxime Comtois leveled American defenseman Ryan Lindgren from behind early in the third period, causing a kerfuffle. This may have been the turning point.Special teams continued to be an ongoing factor, as Scott Perunovich capitalized on Comtois' penalty, scoring off a sweet give-and-go with Mittelstadt.Shortly thereafter, Brady Tkachuk notched the equalizing goal to make it 3-3. It wasn't the first time a guy named Brady propelled a comeback at New Era Field.The U.S. outshot Canada 35-22.In the shootout, the Americans scored on their first two attempts, while Canada was blanked on all four of their attempts by Dallas Stars prospect Jake Oettinger.Canada will play Denmark on Saturday, while the United States will battle Finland on Sunday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A major traffic disruption on the Canadian side of the U.S.-Canada border caused major headaches for fans traveling to the first outdoor game in the history of the World Junior Championship, played between Canada and the United States.

Put the phone down, rival general managers.The Pittsburgh Penguins have no plans to deal top defenseman Kris Letang, sources told Josh Yohe of The Athletic.Reports surfaced that the Penguins could consider moving the blue-liner in an effort to shake things up, with the club currently sitting three points outside of a playoff spot.However, according to Yohe, it does not appear Letang will be used as the bargaining chip to improve the Penguins. The defenseman sits fourth in team scoring with 25 points in 37 games.With the Feb. 26 trade deadline approaching, general manager Jim Rutherford has little time to fix a club that has won the last two Stanley Cups. Should the Penguins miss the postseason, they'll be the first defending champions to do so since the Los Angeles Kings failed to qualify in 2015.As for Letang, he was placed on injured reserve Thursday with a lower-body ailment. The injury-riddled blue-liner missed the entirety of the playoffs last season after he underwent neck surgery.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

This year was a compelling one in the hockey world for a handful of reasons.From international intrigue to new domestic frontiers, and from controversial new officiating protocol to trade talk that just wouldn't die, some of 2017's most talked-about subjects were previously unforeseen, while others were all too familiar.Here are five things that consumed hockey in 2017:The OlympicsThe NHL made it clear in April that it will not take part in the 2018 Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, much to the chagrin of fans and some of the league's biggest names.Alex Ovechkin was the brightest star to resist, sticking to his guns even after the NHL's decision, then finally accepting it in a September statement that came one day after Russian Hockey Federation president Vladislav Tretiak publicly encouraged him to acknowledge the reality of the situation.Plenty of other players chimed in, too, both before and after the league made its stance official. Following the announcement, Tyler Seguin admitted he was heartbroken, and Jonathan Toews said the ramifications of the decision could lead to a lockout in 2022.Then, as if the 2018 Olympic hockey tournament wasn't depleted enough, the IOC banned the Russian Olympic committee from competing in the games altogether in a Dec. 5 vote based on the findings in the doping investigation surrounding the 2014 Games in Sochi.That left many to wonder whether the KHL would follow through on its threat to prohibit players of all nationalities who play in the Russian-based league from suiting up in Pyeongchang, and that cloud of uncertainty could hover over these Olympics when the calendar flips to 2018.Expansion(Photo courtesy: Action Images)Expanding the NHL was a huge storyline this year, both in terms of the league's foray into a tantalizing and previously untapped market and its acknowledgement that another long-speculated potential future NHL city was being allowed to apply for a franchise.The city of Las Vegas intrigued the hockey world long before the Vegas Golden Knights existed, but the league's 31st franchise took shape in 2017. The expansion draft in June - which featured some unprecedented rules - stirred a ton of debate among fans and undoubtedly caused headaches for opposing teams' general managers.Those GMs had to agree to some questionable side deals to ensure many of their best players wouldn't be chosen by the Golden Knights, so Vegas general manager George McPhee had all the power, and he was quickly able to build what we've now seen is a legitimately competitive club.The newcomers continued to be a major talking point well into the fall by setting numerous records in the first few months of their inaugural season.Seattle also became a significant subject late in the calendar year when its city council approved a $600-million plan to redevelop KeyArena, prompting the NHL to reveal it invited the prospective team owners to formally apply for an expansion team.The fight for equality(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)Arguably the most important hockey story of the year didn't come on the men's side.The U.S. women's national hockey team's fight for better wages and conditions dominated headlines and transcended sport in the lead-up to the Women's World Championship on American soil in the spring.A threatened boycott of the tournament by the American players was ultimately averted, but not before a bitter dispute with USA Hockey - the nation's governing body of the sport - that resonated as far as the U.S. Senate.The players allowed a USA Hockey-imposed deadline to pass without relenting, ultimately forcing the organization to increase its funding and support of the women's program.The Americans won the Women's World Championship in Michigan with an overtime win over Canada in the gold-medal game, an impressive accomplishment in its own right, but the U.S. women's team's more significant legacy will be the courage the players showed standing up to perceived injustice and the progress they made off the ice.Matt Duchene(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)The reports and ensuing speculation persisted for months, and when the deal was finally consummated, it had an unexpected wrinkle.Duchene was, at long last, traded by the Colorado Avalanche in early November, and it took three teams to get it done. The talented center was shipped to the Ottawa Senators and Kyle Turris went from Canada's capital to Music City, giving the Nashville Predators some center depth of their own in a swap that also included several prospects and draft picks.The Duchene saga dragged on throughout most of 2017, though, with the Senators' interest in him dating back to February, when Ottawa general manager Pierre Dorion first acknowledged talking to the Avalanche, then escalating in September when the Senators reportedly ramped up their pursuit.There was also a failed first attempt at a three-way deal by the same trio of clubs that ultimately succeeded, and teams like the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Boston Bruins reportedly looked into landing Duchene over the summer before Colorado finally found a package to its liking.The Flames' arena situation(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)One saga that had an impact beyond hockey in 2017 was the Calgary Flames' dispute with local lawmakers over their hypothetical future home, and the fate of their current one, the Scotiabank Saddledome.The conflict escalated after the club's much ballyhooed "CalgaryNEXT" project fell apart, and soon directly pitted the Flames' ownership group against Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi, who repeatedly insisted taxpayers were unwilling to pay for a new facility.NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, who in the past said the league doesn't get political, thrust himself into the impasse as well, threatening that there would be "consequences" without a deal for a new arena.The Flames made a stunning statement in September, announcing they were no longer pursuing a new facility to replace the oldest non-renovated building in the league.Calgary's arena squabble became the biggest issue in the October mayoral election, which the incumbent Nenshi won, ensuring that the saga likely won't be resolved without more of a commitment from the Flames' owners.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk will start Friday against the Nashville Predators after missing two weeks with a lower-body injury, head coach Bruce Boudreau confirmed.Dubnyk has been out since Dec. 8, at which time he was labeled week to week with the ailment.Alex Stalock has held down the crease in his absence, posting a 5-4-0 record while maintaining a season-long .915 save percentage.Dubnyk has a .916 save percentage, backstopping the team to a 12-8-2 record in 23 appearances.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Ottawa Senators general manager Pierre Dorion appears ready to shake things up.With his team 14 points out of a playoff spot, Dorion is reportedly willing to discuss trading any player on his roster except Erik Karlsson and Mark Stone, according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia.Garrioch adds: