The Colorado Avalanche got some bad news on the injury front Saturday night as defenseman Tyson Barrie suffered a fractured hand after blocking an Oliver Ekman-Larsson shot in the first period, the club announced.The injury is a huge blow to the Avalanche as Barrie currently sits third in team scoring with 27 points in 34 games.Barrie's timetable is not yet known, but the diagnosis certainly doesn't bode well for a club that, after Saturday's 6-2 win over the Coyotes, sits just three points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brock Boeser earned himself a Christmas bonus.The Vancouver Canucks forward tallied his 20th goal of the season in the second period of Saturday's game against the St. Louis Blues, and with it earned a $212,500 bonus, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.With the goal, Boeser also became the fastest rookie in franchise history to score 20 times, according to Sportsnet Stats. Meanwhile, as TSN 1040's Jeff Paterson pointed out, only four Canucks players have scored more goals than Boeser's 20 over the past five season.Boeser now has a seven-goal cushion over Arizona Coyotes forward Clayton Keller for the rookie lead.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Marc-Andre Fleury turned away all 26 shots the Washington Capitals threw his way to record his first shutout as a member of the Vegas Golden Knights on Saturday night.The Golden Knights got by the reigning Presidents' Trophy winners 3-0, and for Fleury it marked his third win in four games since returning from a concussion.The 33-year-old has been everything the Golden Knights could ask for this season and more as he's improved to 6-1-1 on the year with a .938 save percentage.The shutout was the 45th of his career and the fourth time he's blanked the Capitals, tied for the second-most against any team in his career.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves stumbling into the NHL's three-day holiday break.The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions were shut out by the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday, giving them five losses in their past seven games. The Penguins also sit seventh in the Metropolitan Division, one point up on last-place Philadelphia.It's not the way head coach Mike Sullivan envisioned kicking off Christmas."It's disappointing. We were hoping we'd get some traction from (beating the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday)," he said, per Pens Inside Scoop. "But it didn't work out that way. We all as a group, our coaching staff included, have to do a better job of being ready for games at the drop of the puck."Sullivan added the group as a whole needs to take a collective look in the mirror and figure out how to be better, and his wish is for everyone to get some quiet time over the break."I hope over the next couple of days we'll do some soul searching and come back re-energized," he said.Pittsburgh will be back in action in Dec. 27 when it hosts Columbus, who it recently beat in a shootout. The Penguins' only wins in regulation this month have come against the Buffalo Sabres and Arizona Coyotes, giving Sullivan reason to be concerned.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Edmonton Oilers fans can breathe a sigh of relief after Connor McDavid left Saturday's contest versus the Montreal Canadiens following a blocked shot on defenseman Jeff Petry.McDavid labored to the bench and was seen limping to the dressing room, however, in his postgame media scrum, Oilers coach Todd McLellan noted that X-rays on McDavid came back negative.McLellan added that he expects McDavid will be in the lineup next game, when the Oilers head to Winnipeg on Wednesday to take on the Jets.The Oilers have won four straight and now sit just four points outside of a playoff position.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Zac Rinaldo will hear from the NHL's Department of Player Safety over the holiday break.During Saturday's action, the Arizona Coyotes forward caught Colorado's Nathan MacKinnon with an open-ice hit, at which time 19-year-old Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard came to his teammate's defense. Rinaldo proceeded to drop Girard with a single punch to the face, prompting a line brawl that resulted in ejections for MacKinnon and Arizona's Josh Archibald.Rinaldo received a match penalty, which results in an automatic one-game suspension pending further review.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Patrick Kane is top of the class.The Chicago Blackhawks forward scored the 300th goal of his career on Saturday night, becoming the first player from the 2007 draft class to reach the milestone.

Peter Laviolette is a man of his word.The Nashville Predators head coach and his staff sported holiday-themed suits behind the bench during Saturday's game against Dallas after his team swept a recent three-game road trip through Western Canada.

Dillon Dube will captain Canada's world junior team, the club announced on Saturday.In addition, defensemen Dante Fabbro, Victor Mete, and Kale Clague were named alternates.Dube scored two goals and added an assist in Canada's 8-1 win over Switzerland in pre-tournament action on Friday. It was the first game action he'd seen since suffering a shoulder injury on Dec. 9.Canada kicks off the tournament on Boxing Day when it takes on Finland.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was a short night for Corey Crawford.The Chicago Blackhawks netminder was chased from his crease Saturday after allowing three goals on seven shots to the New Jersey Devils.Brian Boyle, Kyle Palmieri, and Pavel Zacha provided the offense for the Devils.It's a poor outing for Crawford, who pieced together five consecutive victories after returning from injury earlier this month. Crawford also lost his most recent contest after allowing four goals on 22 shots to the Dallas Stars Thursday.Backup goalie Anton Forsberg replaced Crawford with less than seven minutes remaining in the opening frame.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

He's back.Christmas came early for Toronto Maple Leafs fans, as Auston Matthews returns to the team's lineup Saturday against the New York Rangers, head coach Mike Babcock told reporters, per TSN's Kristen Shilton.Matthews missed six games with concussion symptoms.The injury occurred after colliding with teammate Morgan Rielly during a game against the Pittsburgh Penguins earlier this month.The Leafs went 2-4 without their top center, scoring 14 goals over that span - eight of them coming in one game against the Carolina Hurricanes.Despite missing 10 games this year, Matthews is still the team's leading scorer with 26 points in 26 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

USA Hockey has selected their final 23-man roster that will take the ice in Buffalo, NY to defend their World Junior Hockey Championship gold medal.ForwardsPlayerTeam (League)Joey AndersonUniv. of Minnesota Duluth (NCAA)Kieffer BellowsPortland Winterhawks (WHL)Logan BrownWindsor Spitfires (OHL)Trent FredericUniv. of Wisconsin (NCAA)Patrick HarperBoston Univ. (NCAA)Max JonesLondon Knights (OHL)Will LockwoodUniv. of Michigan (NCAA)Casey MittelstadtUniv. of Minnesota (NCAA)Josh NorrisUniv. of Michigan (NCAA)Ryan PoehlingSt. Cloud State Univ. (NCAA)Brady TkachukBoston Univ. (NCAA)Riley TufteUniv. of Minnesota Duluth (NCAA)Kailer YamamotoSpokane Chiefs (WHL)DefensePlayerTeam (League)Mikey AndersonUniv. of Minnesota Duluth (NCAA)Adam FoxHarvard Univ. (NCAA)Quinn HughesUniv. of Michigan (NCAA)Ryan LindgrenUniv. of Minnesota (NCAA)Andrew PeekeUniv. of Notre Dame (NCAA)Scott PerunovichUniv. of Minnesota Duluth (NCAA)Dylan SambergUniv. of Minnesota Duluth (NCAA)GoaliePlayerTeam (League)Jake OettingerBoston Univ. (NCAA)Jeremy SwaymanUniv. of Maine (NCAA)Joseph WollBoston College (NCAA)Jack Badini, Hugh McGing, Phil Kemp, Cole Hults, and Reilly Walsh were the five players from the preliminary roster to not make the final cut.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders' blue line was dealt a blow on Saturday, as the club announced defenseman Calvin de Haan is out indefinitely.De Haan was injured during the Islanders' contest against the Los Angeles Kings last Saturday, but the specifics surrounding his malady remain unconfirmed.However, Arthur Staple of Newsday Sports previously speculated that the injury could be season-ending.Prior to getting hurt, de Haan had been quietly having a solid season, registering 12 points and a plus-11 rating in just under 19 minutes of ice time per night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

With the World Junior Hockey Championship getting set for puck drop, final cuts and preparations are underway ahead of Tuesday's first slate of games.As coaches and team management groups complete last-minute adjustments in hopes of assembling a gold medal-winning lineup, we chatted with American head coach Bob Motzko about his expectations for the tournament, the outdoor game versus Team Canada, and the strength of USA Hockey.Livingstone: Now that your team is reigning gold medalists and head into this year’s tournament as favorites to repeat as champions, will you be preparing your team any differently compared to last year now that the program has been pegged as the one to watch?Motzko: There are differences, but mostly because of the personnel. And then you kind of coach to the strengths and weaknesses of your personnel. That's what we’re figuring out, but we have a lot of the same messaging, the staff has the same responsibilities. But on the ice, we have different players, we have seven players back from last year, but it’s a new look, new team, different year, and we have to have a strong new message that fits this group.Livingstone: After last year's strong performance, do you feel that your team has earned the title of favorites?Motzko: We don't even talk about that. This team is going day to day through the process to be the best team we can become. We know the ultimate end goal. If that’s what the label is, then that's what it is, but it doesn’t change the way we go about our business. We are just going day to day trying to fine tune this thing.Livingstone: Speaking of preparation, we wanted to ask about the outdoor game and the matchup against Canada. Big crowd, great atmosphere, it’s going to be a big day. Are you looking forward to it? Handling it just like any other game?Motzko: I think that’s going to be its own exhibition inside of the tournament. The purest in the hockey coach might say it could be a distraction, but we're saying, ‘Hey, it is what it is, it’s on the schedule.’ We are more concerned right now, we play at 8 p.m. the night before, and our opponent doesn't play. We have to manage our schedule and have our energy. That’s one of the shortest turnarounds I've heard about.But, with the adrenaline and excitement of the outdoor game, we’re going to let our guys have fun with it and run with it. We practice two days before the game because we have a game on the 28th. So, if family and friends can be there, we’re going to let the players enjoy that game and fight to get through it and move on and try and enjoy it the best we can.Livingstone: Is Canada the team you are most worried about facing? Or is there another country you have your eye on?Motzko: Yeah, Denmark. We play them first. That’s the one we are worried about. When I read some articles and hear some stories that there’s a whole bunch of teams that really have a chance at the tournament, and I think there’s truth to this. We just have to put our best foot forward with our group and make sure we are ready to go. I think there’s any one of a number of programs that could win this tournament, we just got to make sure we are one of them.Livingstone: USA Hockey has received a lot of positive attention over the last few years due to the quality of players coming out of the development program and success on the international stage. What do you feel has changed recently that has led to this?Motzko: USA Hockey is in a great place. At the world junior level we’ve won four gold medals in the 2000s, so what we're up against, we’re not trying to do something new, it’s been done before.And the big thing on top of that is we are developing players now throughout our country, from all over. Auston Matthews comes out of Phoenix, Arizona, and there are players from Florida even on our roster. Our country is in a great spot right now at the grassroots level from the player development standpoint today than we were in the past. I won’t define the past, but back when it used to just really be the three Ms (Minnesota, Massachusetts, Michigan), there’s a footprint now all over the U.S. with USA Hockey and the strength of their developmental program, and we’re doing a great job.The other thing I’d add, the big thing is, years ago there was a lot of dads coaching hockey and a lot of those dads didn’t play hockey, but we have a generation of coaches out there now at the youth level of dads that have all played hockey. I think our coaching at the grassroots level is as strong as it’s ever been because of that fact alone. I think that's where Canada was ahead of the game for so many years was so many quality coaches at the youth level of people that have played.We are getting great coaching at the youth level and great numbers throughout our country. Success breeds on itself, and now we’re believers instead chasers, we’re believers in what we’re doing.Livingstone: Kailer Yamamoto, Kieffer Bellows, Jake Oettinger - those are players on this year’s team that we’ve heard a lot about. Are there any lesser-known names that we should be on the lookout for?Motzko: From our standpoint, we’ve only had one exhibition game, but I can give you this example.Logan Brown and Kailer Yamamoto, who we let go last year and didn't make the team, they are back this year with such great confidence. They are at a whole better and different place than they were a year ago. And these are good hockey players, but to see them back with the confidence they have in their game and the maturity they have in their game, I think those are two guys that I feel real safe about bringing into the conversation about what we are seeing different right now with this group.Livingstone: Defenseman Quinn Hughes is garnering a lot of top-10 draft pick attention and has an exciting offensive element to his game. Do you think his up-tempo style will translate well into the NHL game?Motzko: He is one electric hockey player. His skating ability, he can cut on a dime in traffic and get out of trouble very quickly. His vision with the puck is at a very high level. He is a pretty special young man from a talent standpoint. So I think the sky's the limit for him. He is on the right track and he’s an exciting player to watch.Livingstone: With the amount of NHL-level talent on your roster, do you think that it’s gold or bust for Team USA?Motzko: Those are terms we don’t even use. That’s the ultimate goal for us. We have a process that we put our guys through in how we want to play and get the guys in the right spot and let them know we believe in them. We’ve got to grow as a team as we go through our 21 days together. And if we can get good goaltending, get our special teams in line, we’re going to put ourselves in an awful good spot, and that’s where we want to be at the end of it.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

CALGARY, Alberta (AP) Byron Froese scored for the first time in 22 months and had an assist to help the Montreal Canadiens beat the Calgary Flames 3-2 on Friday night.Nicolas Deslauriers and Brendan Gallagher also scored and Carey Price made 21 saves in his 12th straight start since returning from a lower-body injury. The Canadiens are 8-3-1 since Price returned.Froese opened the scoring midway through the first period when he deflected Jordie Benn's point shot past Mike Smith for his first goal since Feb. 20, 2016, when he was with the Toronto Maple Leafs. Froese then assisted on Deslauriers' goal in the second.Gallagher gave the Canadiens a 3-0 lead in the third, before the Flames made it close on goals by Micheal Ferland and Matthew Tkachuk.NOTES: Froese has seven points (one goal, six assists) in eight games in December. ... Smith made 32 saves for Calgary.UP NEXT:Canadiens: At Edmonton on Saturday night.Flames: At San Jose on Thursday night.---For more NHL coverage: https://apnews.com/tag/NHLhockeyCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Dillon Dube showed no signs of rust in his first tune-up game for Canada, tallying two goals and an assist to help his team cruise to an 8-1 win over Switzerland on Friday.Dube was playing for the first time since Dec. 9, having been sidelined with a shoulder injury.Rounding out the scoring for Canada was Tyler Steenbergen who chipped in with two goals and Jordan Kyrou, Jake Bean, Drake Batherson, and Kale Clague who added singles.Guillame Maillard had the lone tally for the Swiss.Early on Canada is proving to be a well-oiled machine with an incredible balanced offense. Canada won its games over the Czech Republic and Switzerland by a combined 17-1 margin, with goals coming from 12 different skaters.Canada will now head into tournament play where it opens the preliminary round on Boxing Day against Finland.See the full boxscore here:PeriodScoreGoalAssists11-0Jordan KyrouJosh MahuraDillon Dube12-0Tyler SteenbergenMichael McLeodCale Makar23-0Dillon DubeSam SteelJordan Kyrou23-1Guillaume MaillardGilian KohlerAxel Simic24-1Jake BeanDrake BathersonBoris Katchouk25-1Drake BathersonJosh Mahura26-1Dillon DubeJordan KyrouSam Steel37-1Tyler SteenbergenMichael McLeodJonah Gadjovich38-1Kale ClagueCale MakarMaxime ComtoisCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Team USA cashed in on the man advantage to top Sweden in Friday's pre-tournament contest ahead of the World Junior Hockey Championship.Casey Mittelstadt and Kailer Yamamoto picked up the power-play markers for the Americans, while fellow forward Trent Frederic provided the insurance with an empty-net goal to secure the victory for the Americans.Mittelstadt also added an assist on Yamamoto's power-play tally, who buried a rebound by Swedish 'keeper Filip Gustavsson.New Jersey Devils prospect Fabian Zetterlund scored Sweden's lone goal, beating netminder Jake Oettinger.Goaltender Jeremy Swayman, a draft pick of the Boston Bruins, replaced Oettinger midway through the game and was unbeatable in the game's second half.See the full boxscore here:PeriodTeamScoreGoal1USA1-0Casey Mittelstadt1SWE1-1Fabian Zetterlund3USA2-1Kailer Yamamoto3USA3-1Trent FredericCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Success has paid off.On the back of a phenomenal start to their inaugural campaign, the Vegas Golden Knights will be asking their fan base to pay a little more next season.According to Steve Carp of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, single-season ticket holders will have the option to renew their current agreement for an additional $5-to-$15 per seat.For a full season pair of premium seats, that means shelling out $1,200 more for the Golden Knights' second season.Subscribers of multi-year ticket plans will not see a cost increase.Vegas ranks third in attendance by percentage, with the team regularly playing before above-capacity crowds at T-Mobile Arena.The Golden Knights have been one of the biggest surprises this season, as the expansion club sits third league-wide with 46 points in 33 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Upon returning to practice Friday, Auston Matthews shed some light on the upper-body injury that's kept him out of the Toronto Maple Leafs' last six games.Matthews said he experienced "normal concussion symptoms" after colliding with teammate Morgan Rielly in Pittsburgh on Dec. 9, according to TSN's Kristen Shilton.Here's the play:

Following in the footsteps of a famed parent can be be tough. Expectations are often through the roof to begin with, while being a high draft pick can add even more pressure to live up to the family name.These three players are each struggling to match their famous father's achievements on the ice:Sam Reinhart - Paul ReinhartPaul Reinhart might have set the bar a bit too high. During his 11-year NHL career as a defenseman with the Flames and Canucks, he accumulated 559 points in 648 games (0.86 PPG). Unfortunately, he dealt with chronic back problems in his prime and retired at just 30 years old despite still producing at an elite level.As a former second overall pick, Sam has failed to meet expectations so far in his pro career. He has just 101 points in 201 NHL games, and while he's still only 22 years old, his lack of foot speed will always prevent him from being an elite NHL player like his old man was.On the bright side for Sam, he's already surpassed older brothers Max and Griffin on the Reinhart family player rankings list by quite a wide margin.Alexander Nylander - Michael NylanderMaple Leafs forward William Nylander is well on his way to matching - if not surpassing - his father Michael's career totals, but Alexander Nylander has gotten off to a rockier start.The Sabres' prospect is still just 19 years old, but in 79 career AHL games, he has just 34 points to show for. While there's still plenty of time for the younger Nylander brother to right the ship, it seems hard to believe he'll ever come close to matching his father's career high of 83 points.Sam Gagner - Dave GagnerWhile the previous two players still have plenty of years left in their respective careers, Sam Gagner's hourglass is half empty.The 28-year-old has put together a nice resume, but for a former sixth overall pick, he's been a disappointment, never collecting more than 50 points in a single season.On the other hand, Dave Gagner was a premier point-producer for the Minnesota North Stars in the late '80s and early '90s, collecting 488 points in 513 games during his prime years.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers seem to be finding their way.Connor McDavid and Co. picked up their third straight win Thursday as the Oilers defeated the St. Louis Blues by a 3-2 score.It was a comeback effort for the Oilers, as the Blues led 2-1 late in the final frame. Cam Talbot was a key factor in the outcome, as he turned aside 34 shots, including a number of big saves early in the game, to preserve the win.The victory comes on the heels of wins over the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild to give the Oilers their first three-game win streak of the season.Thursday's win shows further signs of a turnaround in Edmonton after the team entered December with a 10-14-2 record. The Oilers now sit five points out of the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.The Oilers will look to push their streak to four games when they face off against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A pair of questionable calls put the Columbus Blue Jackets behind the 8-ball Thursday against the Pittsburgh Penguins.After carrying a 1-0 lead into the third period, and then tying it at two late in the final frame, the Blue Jackets fell 3-2 in a shootout.Both of Pittsburgh's goals came on the man advantage, but it was another call against Columbus that didn't sit well with the Blue Jackets' fiery bench boss.A faceoff violation call against Artemi Panarin shifted the Blue Jackets' penalty kill scheme and ultimately led to a powerplay marker for Evgeni Malkin.While Tortorella called it the right decision, the coach took umbrage that the whistled play had an impact on the game's outcome."It's a rule, so the teams can't decide the games. Other people decide the games. It's the rule. They made the right call," Tortorella told Aaron Portzline of The Athletic. "But it's frustrating that we don't just let the guys who are supposed to put on the show put on the show."A cross checking call on forward Boone Jenner, who was a handed a major penalty and a game misconduct, earlier in the game also caught the ire of Tortorella, who thought it was too stiff of a punishment."I don't get it. It's barely a two-minute penalty," Tortorella added. "I hope we take a long look at that, at least rescind it, so we don't have that on his record."I lose a top-six forward. I just don't understand that. You can't guess on those type of plays. In this type of game, the intensity going on there ... it's a tough job there, I know it is. But it's not even close to a game misconduct."Thursday's loss pushed the Blue Jackets' record to 5-5-1 in December.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Cam Ward isn't done backstopping the Carolina Hurricanes to victory.Seemingly replaced as the team's No. 1 netminder after the acquisition of Scott Darling from the Chicago Blackhawks this past offseason, Ward has been taking advantage of his spot starts as of late, most recently stopping 28 of 29 shots in a win over the Nashville Predators on Thursday.For the season, Ward is now 7-2-1 with a .911 save percentage, and he's clearly not ready to abdicate a crease he's stood tall in for quite some time.

Ken Hitchcock is a winner.The Dallas Stars bench boss picked up his 800th career win Thursday. In perfect Hitchcock fashion, his team prevented the opposing Chicago Blackhawks from finding the back of the net, as Dallas won 4-0.It's been a year of milestones for Hitchcock, who earlier this season passed Al Arbour for third place on the all-time wins list.Only two coaches stand between Hitchcock and the top of the chart: Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville (868) and legendary bench boss Scotty Bowman (1,244).Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Hampus Lindholm had himself a night.The Anaheim Ducks blue-liner fired home a trio of goals Thursday, including the overtime winner as the Ducks downed the New York Islanders 5-4.The trio of tallies gave Lindholm six goals on the season and the first hat trick of his career. The victory also saw Anaheim snap a three-game losing skid.Ondrej Kase and Rickard Rakell also scored for the Ducks.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Josh Bailey is here to help.While it wasn't all smiles for the New York Islanders forward Thursday - as his team fell in overtime to the Anaheim Ducks - Bailey continued to build on his career year.Picking up three assists on the night, Bailey moved into top spot as the NHL assist leader, leapfrogging Jakub Voracek, Blake Wheeler, and Steven Stamkos.Bailey now has 35 helpers on the season. He finished last year with 13 goals and 43 assists in 82 games.The 28-year-old picked the perfect time for a breakout, as he can become an unrestricted free agent in July, meaning pay day could be just around the corner.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was a short night for Pekka Rinne.The Nashville Predators netminder was chased early Thursday against the Carolina Hurricanes after allowing four goals on just six shots.It marked the first time this season in which Rinne got the hook from coach Peter Laviolette. Backup goalie Juuse Saros replaced Rinne at the 6:29 mark of the opening frame.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman took issue not only with recent comments made by Ottawa Senators owner Eugene Melnyk, but also the way they were portrayed.On the eve of the NHL100 Classic in Ottawa, Melnyk mentioned the remote possibility of relocation at some point down the road if ticket sales don't improve.Speaking on Sportsnet 590's "Prime Time Sports" on Thursday, Bettman admitted the comments were poorly timed."If you're asking me if I was happy about the swirl of attention that those comments got while we were basically closing out our centennial celebration, the answer is no," Bettman said.At the same time, how those comments were interpreted may have also been out of line."How what he said was portrayed was blown out of proportion because he never said, 'I'm moving,'" Bettman added. "What he said was 'I need a new building and for the long term if things got bad I'll have to deal with it.'"Melnyk's comments were a matter of long-term forecasting, but in Bettman's opinion, would have been better off left unsaid, especially given the occasion.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin is moving his feet.The Washington Capitals captain is back to his old self this season, already with 23 tallies on the year and on pace to break the 50-goal barrier for the fourth time in the past five campaigns.It's a nice bounce back for Ovechkin, who finished last year with just 33 goals. Good numbers for sure, but not the level that Capitals fans have become accustomed to.So what's changed? According to Capitals coach Barry Trotz, Ovechkin has tapped into his familiar playing style that combines fast footwork and an intimidating physical presence, making him a constant offensive threat."I felt there was too much glide in his game. I thought he could be way more productive if he could get his legs moving to get to spaces he wasn't getting into last year," Trotz told Sportsnet's "Hockey Central at Noon" on Thursday. "He got married and once he came back from his honeymoon he recommitted to getting into the shape so he could play that way."The results have been evident so far, as Ovechkin stands atop the NHL's goal scoring charts with countryman Nikita Kucherov.Earlier this season, Ovechkin leapfrogged Mark Recchi to move into the top 20 in all-time NHL goal scoring. He sits 19 shy of 600 career markers.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The recipe for winning the World Junior Championship can vary. Sometimes it takes a full team effort, whereas other times, one potent line can carry a team all the way to a title. In other cases, all it takes is a red-hot goalie and timely scoring.Regardless of how these teams got it done, these squads represent each country's best gold medal-winning world junior team since the tournament began in 1977.Canada: 2005Record (W-OTW-OTL-L): 6-0-0-0

It's no secret that Matt Duchene and the Ottawa Senators and Kyle Turris and the Nashville Predators have gone in completely separate directions since a three-way trade shocked the hockey world a month-and-a-half ago.Duchene, though, doesn't believe it's entirely fair to compare them on an individual basis."I didn't get traded for Turris," the Senators forward said defiantly, according to Don Brennan of the Ottawa Sun.For those who haven't followed the situation closely, here's the tale of the tape (stats since Nov. 5):TurrisStatDuchene18GP184G213A317P514-3-2Team Rec.5-11-2While it wasn't a direct swap, the two will seemingly forever be linked, since Duchene came to Ottawa as an expected upgrade over Turris."I do not look at it that way, at all," said Duchene. "He's a great player, but I think we're different players, and different situations for sure. Different goals within our respective teams. It's apples and oranges, I think."The Preds and the Sens were among the final four clubs standing a year ago, so it's hard to believe that either team wasn't aiming to win the Stanley Cup this season.While there's still over half a season to go, the Senators have a lot of ground to make up if they hope to reach the playoffs. They currently sit 10 points out of a postseason spot.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things continue to get better for the Edmonton Oilers, as the team announced Thursday that veteran defenseman Andrej Sekera was activated from injured reserve.Sekera has been out since tearing his ACL in the second round of the 2017 playoffs against the Anaheim Ducks. The injury has kept Sekera out for all 34 regular-season games this campaign.Edmonton is in action Thursday night against the St. Louis Blues, as Sekera is expected to see his first game action in over seven months.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse languageOver the course of the 2017-18 season, theScore will run a series of interviews with former players in which they recall some of the greatest moments of their career. This edition focuses on former forward and current NHL Network analyst Mike Rupp, who played 610 NHL games with six teams and won a Stanley Cup with New Jersey in 2003.On being drafted ninth overall by the New York Islanders in 2000 but ultimately not signing a contract:We just couldn't come to an agreement on where things were as far as where I was drafted and the structure of the contract. It got to a point where we just kind of parted ways - and I knew I had to go back into the draft. And that was kind of scary; I didn't really want to do it, because chances are you're not going to be drafted anywhere near where you were the first time.It ended up working out, because I got picked up by a team in New Jersey where those guys were really patient with their players that were going through the system in Albany at the time. I had to do some catching up in terms of adjusting to the game; I didn't take a normal route and wasn't playing at the highest level before I was drafted.On nearly leaving the sport while in the minors:I was in Albany, and I played two full seasons there and didn't get a sniff. I just started thinking about things; I had always dreamt about playing in the NHL ... but some of the guys I was drafted with and some of my peers had been called up. So I didn't know if this was going to work out.It's funny; the Professional Hockey Players' Association had a program where you'd go somewhere in Canada and take a firefighter course. And I always wanted to be a firefighter as kind of a backup plan when I was a kid, so I got some information on that. I had one more year left on my entry-level contract, and I remember telling my wife and family, "I'm gonna play out this year, and if it looks like it isn't gonna change, we might open a new chapter here."That summer was interesting because Bobby Holik had left to go to the Rangers, and there was a vacancy at the center position. I remember Lou Lamoriello flew me in. He was saying what an opportunity it was (for me) with Bobby leaving to come into camp and make it. I remember working my tail off that summer. And I come to training camp, and Pat Burns was there coaching, and I was in the first group of guys sent down (laughs).I was so upset about it, and thought that I would just play out that year. But I ended up getting called up on my birthday, Jan. 13. That was my first NHL game, playing against the Florida Panthers. It was crazy.On winning the Stanley Cup as a rookie in 2003:I think you can look at it from two sides. I was able to be part of a team that won a Cup in my rookie year, but it also really set the bar high - and I think you're naive at that time as a young player.I thought, "This Devils team won the Cup in '95, 2000, 2003 ... eight years, three Cups. If I can just stay with this team, with Martin Brodeur, Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and Patrik Elias, I'm gonna be playing for multiple Cups." But it didn't happen that way (laughs). It took a long time to even get out of the first round after that.Now that everything's done and I know that I'm not lacing them up in the NHL anymore, I can appreciate it more.On playing for the Danbury Trashers of the United Hockey League during the 2004-05 NHL lockout:My wife and I were expecting our second child, and when he was born, he had a bit of a breathing issue where we had to monitor him pretty closely. So come December, January, before the season was canceled, I didn't feel like (playing). We had a few scary moments where we had to rush him in, so I didn't want to be in another country.So I got a phone call, and apparently there was this team in the United Hockey League where the owner really wanted to win the league. I figured it was worth a shot. It was a good situation because I would just practice in Erie with the (OHL's) Otters, and then I went, and all I had to do was make 10 roster appearances and then I could play for them in the playoffs.There were actually some really good players in that league, AHL players that were pushed down because of the trickle-down effect (of NHL players going to the AHL during the lockout). But I just wanted to get my legs going; I didn't want to fight. I knew how NHL players were viewed when playing in other leagues, there was kind of an opportunity for other guys to make a name for themselves. And I didn't want to do that.And the owner assured me, "You've got nothing to worry about. You take a look at our roster, and no one will touch you, I'm sure." So I look, and there are like four or five guys with 300 penalty minutes (laughs). I always felt bad for the other team; most teams have one tough guy, and we had six who wanted a piece of the action.On the best trash talker during his playing days:Scott Hartnell was one for me. I thought I was good at it on occasion and pretty quick on my toes, but Scotty Hartnell was good.I remember that he signed a big deal in Philly. And I don't know what it was exactly, but he had probably a goal or two around Christmas, and was making some pretty good money, maybe like $4 million a year. And I remember thinking before the game, "I'm gonna be all over this guy, lettin' him know." And we get on the ice, and I'm like, "What a flop, Hartsy. You're a bust."And Scotty Hartnell doesn't even care. He just kind of looks at me, shrugs his shoulders, and says, "Better to be overpaid than underpaid." And I'm like, "Huh. That's a pretty good answer. As a matter of fact, it is." (laughs) He was a slippery one in the verbal department.On his run-in with Hall of Fame official Bill McCreary:Sometimes in the heat of the moment, when you feel like a penalty should have been called or something happened, you get hot-headed and you yell. And I felt like it happened with Bill a number of times where, before the next game, I'd see on the list that we got Bill McCreary, and I would say, "Oh, man, I gotta patch things up with him."This one time, I remember we were playing in New Jersey. He was on the ice, and I was on the bench. And there was what I thought was a missed call against us. So I stand up on the bench and I start yelling, "Hey! Where's the trip?" And I start banging my stick on the boards. And that's a bad look; you're basically showing up the referee.So he whips his head around and looks at me, and I say, "Wake up!" And I remember there was a whistle, so I bent over to tie my skates. And I look up and Bill McCreary is eye to eye with me. And he said, "You'd better shut your mouth! Do you have a problem with me?" And I said, "Yeah," and he said, "If you got a problem with me, why don't you come do something about it?"So I say, "Really? Are you challenging me to a fight?" And he just backs away, like he's a player. And he says, "You got a problem, just climb over the boards." And that just set me off even more. "Are you serious, Billy? I'm not wasting my time doing that, I'll never play in this league again!" But he knew exactly what he was doing (laughs).On the controversy surrounding his famous Jaromir Jagr salute at the 2012 Winter Classic:A lot of people are like, "Hey, was that premeditated?" Absolutely not. I don't know how it could be. I didn't score consistently enough to be like, "Hey, I'm gonna score today, and piss off everybody in Philly."I'll give you the backstory. I was a free agent before I signed with the Rangers; I was UFA. And the situation in Pittsburgh was, myself, Pascal Dupuis, and Tyler Kennedy were the UFAs. And this was when Jagr was coming back from Russia. And because he was coming from Russia, he could talk to teams before July 1. So he kind of had a head start on things.He had showed interest in coming back to Pittsburgh. We were reading that he wanted to make things right by Mario (Lemieux), and come back to Pittsburgh, where it all started. And certainly Pittsburgh was capable of being a contender. His quotes were, "I want to go out the right way and win a Cup."I wanted to stay in Pittsburgh more than anything, that was my home. And I was coming off two pretty good years there. But what ended up happening was, myself, Pascal Dupuis, and Tyler Kennedy were put on the back burner because they had to figure out the Jagr situation. And I'm thinking, I didn't want to get to July 1. But this kept dragging along.And the next thing we know, Jagr turns around and signs in Philly. So I was like, "What a jerk." This affected my situation. He said all he wanted to do was win, and he goes and signs with a worse team because they paid him more. So I was like, "Okay, whatever." And I never thought about it again, but then we're playing in that atmosphere (at the Winter Classic), and ... yeah.So we're going into that game, and there's quite a bit of a buildup. We played them a number of times, and I didn't realize the level of hatred between the teams until I became a Ranger. And I get this pass from Brandon Prust and shoot through a screen and beat Sergei Bobrovsky, and as soon as I scored, it was like, "Screw these guys." I don't know where the salute came from.After I did it, I was thinking, "Maybe I shouldn't have done that." But as soon as I saw the reaction ... every Flyer on the ice is yipping at me and focused on getting me, I was thinking, "This is perfect. We have a game to win, and they aren't even thinking about that. They want to get me." And we got the momentum going and scored the next two goals (to win).I relished the opportunity to play on the road and get booed in other places. There's something about going into certain barns and pissing off 18,000 people. It was kind of cool.On eventually resolving things with Jagr:Last year in L.A., I was covering the All-Star Game with NHL Network. And I don't know Jagr, I had never spoken with him. I had my daughter with me, and we were going to Disneyland. So we went to a rental car place, and I walk in, and the only person in the rental car place is Jagr - at the desk, renting a car.He turns and looks at me - and I didn't even know if Jagr knows who I am. And he goes, "Hey Rupper, how are you?" And I go, "Yep, okay, I guess he does." (laughs) So we make small talk, and I'm standing back with my daughter, and I think, "Okay, I gotta say something."So I walk back up to him and say, "Hey, listen, man. You might not even care, but I just wanted to say, back in the Winter Classic, I didn't mean to be disrespectful to you. That was my job, just to be an annoying person to play against. I don't know, it just happened."He was like, "Oh, don't even worry about it. Whatever. I don't even care. I thought it was funny." And I said, "You're one of the greatest players. I wasn't trying to insult you." And he said, "No problem at all."Then he pauses and goes, "Hey, great job on TV. You do really well." I say, "Thanks." And he says, "Yeah, you're way better at that than you were at playing." And I was like, "You asshole!" (laughs) But he was a pretty good guy about it.__________Rapid FireThe best player he ever played with: Sidney CrosbyThe best player he ever played against: Evgeni MalkinThe best goaltender he ever faced: Jaroslav HalakHis favorite head coach at any level: Tony GranatoHis favorite visiting arena: Bell Centre, Air Canada Centre__________Fact FileBorn: Jan. 13, 1980, Cleveland, OhioDrafted: First round (ninth overall), 1998, New York Islanders (unsigned); third round (76th overall), 2000, New Jersey Devils (re-entry)Teams: New Jersey Devils (2002-04, 2006-09), Phoenix Coyotes (2004-05), Columbus Blue Jackets (2005-06), Pittsburgh Penguins (2009-11), Minnesota Wild (2013-14)Awards: Stanley Cup (2003)STATSGPGAPPIMRegular Season610544599855Playoffs6726883(Mike will be providing pre- and post-game analysis on NHL Network for the Winter Classic game between the Buffalo Sabres and New York Rangers at Citi Field on Jan. 1 beginning at 11 a.m. ET.)Other entries in this series:

With four gold medals split among Russia, Sweden, and Finland since 2010, Europe's powerhouses have seen steady growth in terms of impact and success at the world juniors over recent years.On the strength of consistently churning out high-end prospects, Europe's top three hockey countries are always threats to capture a gold medal, and below is a player from each team who's worth watching when festivities get underway next week in Buffalo.Rasmus Dahlin, SwedenAs the consensus No. 1 prospect for the 2018 NHL Draft, the spotlight on Dahlin promises to be one of the tournament's most dominant storylines.Already being compared to countrymen Nicklas Lidstrom and Erik Karlsson, the 17-year-old blue-liner is a can't-miss prospect, equipped with all the tools required to single-handedly change the outcome of a game.Dahlin appeared in all seven games for Sweden last year, although in limited minutes, registering one goal and one assist. He's also produced 11 points in 26 games with Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League this season - a remarkable feat given he won't be 18 until April.Eeli Tolvanen, Finland(Photo Courtesy: Getty Images)With world junior experience already under his belt, Tolvanen, the 2017 30th overall pick by the Nashville Predators, should be one of the top offensive players in the tournament.Like Andrei Svechnikov, Tolvanen lit up the USHL in 2016-17, recording 30 goals in 52 games. This season, with Jokerit of the KHL, Tolvanen's scored 17 as an 18-year-old - an unprecedented level of productivity for a teenager in Russia's top league.Finland fell completely flat attempting to defend its 2016 gold medal last year in Montreal and Toronto, and they'll surely be looking at redemption this time around, with Tolvanen leading the charge.Andrei Svechnikov, RussiaWhile Dahlin will likely be the first name called on draft day in June, Svechnikov could very well be the player who follows.The 6-foot-2 winger is a pure scorer, netting 29 goals in 48 games with Muskegon of the USHL last season, only to follow up with 14 tallies in 16 contests with the Barrie Colts as the first selection in the 2017 CHL Import Draft.Svechnikov missed time earlier this season with a hand injury, but is back and healthy, and should induce nightmares for opposing goaltenders as one of Russia's top threats.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Four-point nights by Robert Thomas and Taylor Raddysh led Team Canada to an explosive 9-0 win over Czech Republic in Wednesday's exhibition matchup ahead of the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship.Played before a passionate crowd at Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario, Team Canada abused Czech Republic netminder Jakub Skarek for nine goals.Canada opened the scoring midway through the first period when Anaheim Ducks prospect Maxime Comtois tapped a loose puck past Skarek.Team Canada continued to pour on the offense, including a five-goal outburst in the final frame.Canadian goaltender Carter Hart turned aside 23 shots for the shutout.Canada's next contest in pre-competition action comes Friday against Switzerland at FirstOntario Centre in Hamilton. Team Canada begins round robin play vs. Finland on Dec. 26.See the full boxscore here:PeriodScoreGoalAssists11-0Maxime ComtoisAlex FormentonKale Clague12-0Robert ThomasTaylor Raddysh23-0Jake BeanCale MakarRobert Thomas24-0Boris KatchoukRobert ThomasTaylor Raddysh35-0Taylor RaddyshRobert ThomasKale Clague36-0Taylor RaddyshJordan KyrouSam Steel37-0Jonah GadjovichMichael McLeodDrake Batherson38-0Drake BathersonJonah GadjovichCale Makar39-0Cal FooteBrett HowdenMaxime ComtoisCopyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Team USA obliterated Belarus in its first world junior tuneup game, cruising to a 14-0 final.The defending gold medalists netted six tallies in the first, four in the second, and four in the third, relentlessly dominating the entire contest. The goal-scorers are as follows:

On a day where the New York Islanders celebrated a landmark achievement in the long-term security of the franchise, its potential ripple effect on the not-so-distant future of the club's most important player was predictably thrust into the forefront.As the Isles' ownership group officially announced the plan for a new arena at Belmont Park, returning the club to its roots and soon banishing the nightmare that is the Barclays Center, captain John Tavares was asked if the confirmation of the shiny new facility will be enough to make him stay."For my situation it's really exciting news," Tavares said, according to Arthur Staple of Newsday. "I'm not going to say it's going to change or ultimately make my decision, but everything that's involved in my daily life plays into it and going to the rink, playing games is a big part of that."Tavares is eligible to sign a contract extension at any point, and will officially become an unrestricted free agent if a deal isn't reached by July 1.The 27-year-old is doing his part to make sure he gets his worth, too, as he currently ranks third in the NHL with 42 points in 34 games this season.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Alex Ovechkin is the king of the Metropolitan Division.The Washington Capitals captain leads all players in his team's division in fan voting for the 2018 All-Star Game.Fellow superstars Steven Stamkos (Atlantic), Connor McDavid (Pacific), and P.K. Subban (Central) also lead their respective groupings.Here are the top five players by popular vote from each division:Metropolitan DivisionRankPlayerTeam1OvechkinCapitals2Sidney CrosbyPenguins3John TavaresIslanders4Phil KesselPenguins5Sergei BobrovskyBlue JacketsAtlantic DivisionRank Player Team1StamkosLightning2Nikita KucherovLightning3Auston MatthewsMaple Leafs4Erik KarlssonSenators5Carey PriceCanadiensPacific DivisionRank Player Team1McDavidOilers2Johnny GaudreauFlames3James NealGolden Knights4Marc-Andre FleuryGolden Knights5Anze KopitarKingsCentral DivisionRank Player Team1SubbanPredators2Vladimir TarasenkoBlues3Patrick KaneBlackhawks4Nathan MacKinnonAvalanche5Tyler SeguinStarsThe 2018 All-Star Game will be held Jan. 28 in Tampa Bay.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

While the Vegas Golden Knights continue to prove their haters wrong with an ascent up the NHL standings, the myth surrounding the struggles of teams coming to the Strip continues to grow.That's because the Knights hold the NHL's best home record at 14-2-1, and whispers about a "Vegas Flu" get louder with each passing home win for Gerard Gallant's men.If you ask Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt, there might be something to the "Vegas Flu" after all, as he compares visiting the city to starring in the famous Vegas-themed hit film "The Hangover," according to ESPN's Greg Wyshynski."There's just something about it. There's no windows. No doors. No clocks. Nothing. There's just pumped-in oxygen," Schmidt said."When we go into a city, we have a routine. Get in. Put your stuff down. Change. Go to dinner. Hang out with the guys. Come back. Watch some TV. But here, there are a few more things to do. Maybe you do some little thing that just throws your clock off. It doesn't take much. And we'll take anything that throws you off of your game."Following another big home victory Tuesday over the first-place Tampa Bay Lightning, the high-flying Knights find themselves sitting pretty in the ever-tough Pacific Division, tied for first with the Los Angeles Kings at 46 points.The "Vegas Flu" is most likely fiction, but one thing is for sure: The Knights are very much for real.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Spengler Cup usually takes a back seat to just about all other ongoing hockey events in Canada, but with this year's edition being the final opportunity for player evaluations before the 2018 Winter Olympics, the following 20-man roster holds more significance this time around:ForwardsPlayerTeamDavid McIntryeEV Zug (NLA)Mason RaymondSC Bern (NLA)Curtis HamiltonSaiPa (Liiga)Jay McClementEHC Olten (NLB)P.A. ParenteauAvtomobilist Yekaterinburg (KHL)Nick SpalingGenève-Servette HC (NLA)Jake EvansUniversity of Notre Dame (Big 10)Andrew AbbettSC Bern (NLA)Chris KellyBelleville (AHL)Christian ThomasWilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL)Matt D'AgostiniHC Ambri-Piotta (NLA)Dylan SikuraNortheastern University (HE)DefensePlayerTeamBrandon HickeyBoston University (HE)Jeff SchultzSan Diego (AHL)Cody GoloubefStockton (AHL)Maxim NoreauSC Bern (NLA)Jeremy DaviesNortheastern University (HE)Victor BartleyOrebro HK (SHL)GoaliesPlayerTeamKevin PoulinBarys Astana (KHL)Barry BrustHC Fribourg-Gotteron (NLA)While impressing Olympic general manager Sean Burke may be most players' ultimate goal in this tournament, Canada is also searching for its third consecutive Spengler Cup title.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After decades of boasting a good-but-not-great junior hockey program, USA Hockey is on top of the world - and the proof is everywhere.There are the three World Junior Hockey Championship titles since 2010, including a dominant 2016-17 performance in which the Americans went unbeaten and outscored foes by nearly a two-to-one margin. There's defending Calder Trophy winner Auston Matthews, an Arizona native and Toronto Maple Leafs star who's considered one of the best prospects of the past 20 years.And if that's not enough to convince you, take a look at this year's NHL rookie scoring race. Entering Thursday, three of the top four first-year scoring leaders - Brock Boeser, Clayton Keller, and Alex DeBrincat - are American-born.In other words, it's safe to say the days of USA Hockey being a mediocre program are over.Team USA heads into 2017's world junior tournament as the favorite to repeat - something general manager Jim Johannson attributes to a talent pool jam-packed with pro potential."Without a doubt, it's the depth of the player pool we have," Johannson told theScore. "Kind of with that, it's hard to describe, but I think obviously our mindset going to everything is that we have a team that can compete for the championship no matter what the level of play is or what the tournament is."That winning mindset is a lot easier to instill in a team filled with players destined for the NHL.Kieffer Bellows (New York Islanders), Casey Mittelstadt (Buffalo Sabres), and Kailer Yamamoto (Edmonton Oilers) offer the most intrigue up front, as all three are first-round picks.On the back end, returning defensemen Ryan Lindgren (Boston Bruins) and Adam Fox (Calgary Flames) offer head coach Bob Motzko experience and stability in a defensive corps otherwise lacking in big-name talent. However, blue-liner Quinn Hughes is a player to watch, as the offensively gifted defenseman is garnering some top-10 attention ahead of the 2018 draft.Yet, Team USA's biggest strength is arguably between the pipes, with returning netminders Jake Oettinger (Dallas Stars) and Joseph Woll (Toronto Maple Leafs). Oettinger, a hulking 6-foot-4 2017 first-rounder, stands to be the No. 1, with Woll, an underrated third-round pick, serving as backup.Aside from its world juniors roster, the development program's progress can be seen, as mentioned above, in the burgeoning superstars putting the NHL on notice - a fact that has Johannson fired up."I think it's exciting on a lot of fronts, guys have been coming from a lot of varied backgrounds and paths, if you will, to the NHL," he said."As players like that have success, I think two things. I think it helps pave the way in the future for guys, and, from the players' perspective, when they see guys having success, they want to emulate it. And it seems just a little bit more real to them that they can get to that level as well."Johannson said much of that success can be attributed to hockey's expansion into new, untapped markets such as Arizona and Texas, which produced Matthews and Seth Jones, respectively."I think we have done a better job of keeping kids in the game, coupled with the exposure of the game in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida. All of sudden, kids are exposed to the game. There's facilities, and the next thing you know is pretty good athletes walk in and start playing hockey. If you roll that out, like Jones and Matthews, to me, are kids that grew up in Texas and Arizona and all of a sudden they are hockey players."Twenty years ago I think they would have been playing football or basketball, they wouldn't have been playing hockey. So now we have both the programs and the facilities for them to play the game."Team USA might finally have all the pieces needed to build its foundation as a hockey powerhouse, but that's only half of it, as they now have to be carefully assembled - a task Johannson is trusting Motzko with."He's a guy that guys want to play for," Johannson said of his head coach. "And that's because he believes in them, he lets them know he believes in them, he takes feedback from them, he lets them play. But he holds them accountable and he has that respect factor from all of them. And so, my other part with him is he does an unbelievable job of using the coaches that are with him, and he'll be the first guy to tell you that."Both Motzko and Johannson were at the helm of the 2017 gold medal-winning team in Toronto and Montreal, but despite this year's talent and expectations, Johannson isn't ready to anoint his team as the favorite heading into Buffalo."Well, I still wouldn't characterize it as that," he said. "There's so much respect for the countries in the tournament, and I think the world juniors is the best international hockey tournament every year."Put it this way: There's major disappointment any time we don't walk away winning it, but I guess I'm not a guy who has a gold-or-bust mentality, because there is so much that can happen, and so much respect for what the other countries are doing to put great teams on the ice."(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A usually soft-spoken Steven Stamkos wasn't shy about sharing his opinion following the Lightning's 4-3 loss to the Golden Knights on Tuesday night.The game ended on a buzzer-beating, power-play goal from Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore with 2.9 seconds left.Stamkos, however, wasn't too pleased with a holding the stick penalty to teammate Braydon Coburn with just 24 seconds left in regulation, which led to Theodore's game-winner."Just a crappy way to lose a hockey game," Stamkos said, via Joe Smith of the Tampa Bay Times. "We fought back to tie the game. I don’t think anyone would have complained if he didn’t call that penalty on them. That’s an iffy call. And they think they need to make up for a mistake. It’s just the wrong call at the wrong time."The penalty call can be seen at 3:20 in the video below.Special teams proved to be the difference in this contest, as the Golden Knights scored all four of their goals on the power play.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The defending World Junior Hockey Championship gold medalists will have some new recruits in tow when they look to capture their second-straight title.Team USA topped the rival Canadians in a shootout in last year's gold medal game, marking the second gold for the Americans since 2013 and its third top-three finish in the past five tournaments.While last year's squad was led by the likes of Clayton Keller, Colin White, and Jordan Greenway, there will be some new faces leading the charge this winter. Here are three players sure to catch your eye when the puck drops Dec. 26:Quinn HughesA projected top pick in this summer's draft, Hughes is as an offensive-minded blue-liner who provides exceptional skill from the back end.Though diminutive, Hughes is gifted with exceptional vision that allows him to quarterback plays from the point. His on-ice awareness helps him make perfect passes and lead the puck up the ice, a skill set that will come in handy over the tournament given the bevy of scoring threats Team USA boasts in its forward ranks.The Orlando, Fla. native finished tied for first in scoring with the national under-18 team in 2016-17, as he netted four goals and 22 assists in 26 contests. He's taken that talent to the University of Michigan this year.Casey MittelstadtThere's light at the end of the tunnel for fans of the lowly Buffalo Sabres. Just watch Mittelstadt. The University of Minnesota product owns elite puck skills and is an even better skater.A forward who provides size and skill up the middle, Mittelstadt will be relied upon as a key offensive contributor for the American squad. His outstanding playmaking skills should be an ideal fit for the handful of American skaters who can pull the trigger.Heading into the world juniors, Mittelstadt has all the credentials, from his nine-point showing with Team USA at the under-18s to taking home MVP honors at the USA Hockey All American Top Prospects Game during his draft year.Brady TkachukA chip off of the old block, Tkachuk is a classic bloodline player who boasts a similar power forward playing style to his brother, Calgary Flames forward Matthew, and his legendary father, 18-year NHLer Keith.Brady plays a powerful, gritty game that will give the Americans a different flavor in all areas of the ice. Still, don't confuse his physicality with a lack of scoring skill. His nose for the net makes him a consistent scoring threat.A top talent with Boston University this season, he's continued to grow his game after finishing among the top scorers with the national under-18 team a year ago.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Washington Capitals defenseman Dmitry Orlov scored one of the prettiest goals of the season Tuesday.Midway through the second period, Orlov entered the Dallas Stars end and put the puck between his legs before firing a shot over the glove of goaltender Ben Bishop.

The New York Islanders have a clear and glaring weakness.Following a 6-3 loss Tuesday to the Detroit Red Wings, the Islanders now rank 31st in team save percentage.

Brock Boeser's foot injury is not as severe as it once seemed, as the Vancouver Canucks forward is in the lineup against the Montreal Canadiens.His inclusion comes after a whirlwind couple of days where, after Boeser blocked a shot against the Calgary Flames on Sunday night, it looked as though the 20-year-old could be out long term.However, news broke Monday that Boeser had not suffered a fracture, but a bone bruise, and would be day to day rather than week to week with the injury.Boeser would miss no time, which is great news for the Canucks as he currently leads the team with 17 goals and 30 points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager Jim Rutherford put in a busy day before the NHL's roster freeze comes into effect, manufacturing a pair of trades.The more notable of the two deals is the acquisition of defenseman Jamie Oleksiak for the Dallas Stars in exchange for a conditional 2019 fourth-round pick. Oleksiak's played 21 games this season, averaging 15 minutes per night while contributing one goal and two assists.Because Pittsburgh owns two fourth-rounders in 2019, the Stars will take the earlier of the two picks.In their other move, the Pens nabbed goaltender Michael Leighton and a 2019 fourth-round pick for forward Josh Archibald, netminder Sean Maguire, and a sixth-round pick the same year.Leighton, 36, has played seven games in the NHL since taking the Philadelphia Flyers to the Stanley Cup Final in 2010.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders' proposal for a new arena at Belmont Park has been selected by the state over the bid from New York City FC, according to Newsday's Jim Baumbach.A formal announcement will be made at a news conference Wednesday, Baumbach added.Last week, the Islanders proposed their plan for an 18,000-seat arena that would host up to 200 events per year, as well as 435,000-square for retail, a hotel with 200-to-250 rooms and an "innovation center."

Warning: Story contains coarse language.Over the course of the 2017-18 season, theScore will run a series of interviews with former players in which they recall some of the greatest moments of their careers. This edition focuses on Hall of Famer Cam Neely, who galvanized his place as one of the game's premier power forwards with 395 goals and 1,241 penalty minutes in just 726 career games:On being a part of the Memorial Cup-winning Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League as a 17-year-old in 1983:To be honest with you, I didn't know much about the Western Hockey League. I was just playing to have fun, and all of a sudden I was getting invites to Western Hockey League camps.I ended up playing a midget tournament in Portland over the Christmas break (as a 16-year-old) and one of their scouts invited myself and a defenseman on our team to go practice with the Winter Hawks. I said, "I don't think I can do that, I believe I'm property of the Victoria Cougars," and he said, "No, no, they took you off their list." I had no idea. (laughs)(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)So I went and practiced with the team that following September, got an invitation to training camp and made the team. And I don't even really recall knowing that that season would have been my NHL draft year.It was a close group of guys, even though the age limits made it so that there was a decent gap between the oldest and the youngest. A lot of us were probably living in the States for the first time in our lives, so that was something that wasn't common for us.On his first NHL goal:I was on a line with Darcy Rota and Thomas Gradin at the time. We're breaking out of our end, and I ended up on the left-hand side. So I crossed through the neutral zone, and took a pass on my backhand as I was coming into the offensive zone. I quickly moved it to my forehand and shot it top shelf and scored.Doing it at home, with some of my family there ... it was a really cool moment.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)On his most memorable interaction with an official:Well, Paul Stewart ... for whatever reason, whenever he reffed in Boston, I knew that I was getting a penalty. Regardless of whether I deserved it or not, I was getting a penalty.I would always give him shit about it, because he's from Boston ... I would get into it with him on the fact that, for whatever reason, he had to single me out and put me in the penalty box in Boston.On who he considers the most underrated player of his era:Dave Poulin ... even though he was recognized as being this great defensive forward, I don't think that people recognized the details in his game.He was in the right place at the right time. He didn't look like he was doing a whole hell of a lot, but he was doing it smart. I didn't play with him a ton, but you could really see the hockey sense he had. And I think his hockey sense was his skill set.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)On honing one of the most lethal shots of his generation:Certainly natural ability was a big part of it. But as I matured as a player and understood goaltenders more, I realized the tendencies of some goalies and instinctively knew where to put it and give myself the best chance to score without really having to take the extra second or half-second and see if something was available.So it was more natural ability, but also some thought about the goaltenders that I'm facing and what their tendencies are, and where is the best opportunity to score from is on that particular goalie.There was certainly no video like there is, no scouting reports on individual goalies. It was just playing against them over time, and where I want to be, and where I want the puck to shoot, and finding those soft open areas and getting it away as quick as possible.On being a strong defensive forward in addition to an elite goal-scorer:When you break in as an 18-year-old as I did, in those first few years, it's certainly brought to your attention by your coaching staff that you have to be more than a one-dimensional player. And you have to make smart decisions with the puck instead of just throwing it away blindly. You have to make sure your'e good along both blue lines, and at getting it in and getting it outOne of the problems in my third year was, the coach at the time (Vancouver's Tom Watt) didn't really have a lot of trust in me in that part of the game, and it was something that I really wanted to work on as my career went on.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)On playing alongside fellow Hall of Famer Ray Bourque:Ray was a family man first and foremost. He had his kids around a lot, especially on weekends. Off the ice he was a devoted father and husband.From a leadership perspective, when your best player is one of your hardest workers, you should sit up, take notice, and follow. His leadership qualities, to me, weren't so much about what he said or how he said things, but rather leading by example. And it was a prime example.When he did speak, there was a purpose and a reason behind it. It wasn't often, but when he did, you sat and listened.On playing in two Stanley Cup finals with Boston early in his career:On the first team, we learned a lot going into the finals. For a lot of us, it was our first time there, and I think we were just, "Oh my God, we're in the Stanley Cup finals," and just happy to get there.Beating Montreal for the first time in 45 years, it was such a big deal ... that was such a major accomplishment for the city of Boston and for our fan base, because of so many frustrating years against Montreal in the playoffs, that once we did get to the finals, we weren't really prepared. Maybe we were more excited.So we learned off that. The second time around, many of the same teammates - now instead of just being happy to be there - were more like, "Here's an opportunity; we may not get another one."On when he started to think about life after hockey:At 26, I went in for what I thought was just gonna be a routine knee scope, maybe clean up some meniscus. And when I came out of surgery, the doctor said, "You're done for the season and I'm concerned about your career."As you can imagine, that was extremely difficult to take at that age, and not really going into the surgery thinking it could be bad. So it was very shocking to me. And it was then that I said, "OK, at some point this is going to be over, but I don't want it to be over soon."So I just really focused on getting back to playing, but that was kind of the age were I started thinking about there being life after hockey. And when I did finally have to retire at 31 with the hip injury, that's when reality really set in. I hadn't really said, "OK, I know what I'm going to do when hockey's over." I still really had no clue.(Photo courtesy: New Line Cinema)On landing the role of Sea Bass in the 1994 film "Dumb and Dumber":I met the Farrelly Brothers (who directed the movie) through a mutual friend here in Boston; he grew up with them. They're big New England sports fans.I remember getting a call from Peter and Bobby saying, "Listen, we're doing this movie, we've got this part, we'd love you to be in it." I said, "Guys, I'm not really an actor." And they said, "No, no, you'll be fine. You can do this."When we played out in L.A., I met up with them and they gave me the script and said, "OK, just go over some of these lines. You'll be fine." And all of a sudden they got Jim Carrey involved in the movie, and then Jeff Daniels, and I connect up with them again and said, "Are you guys sure you want me in this movie?" (laughs) And they said, "No, this'll be great."On whether he still gets called Sea Bass:I do, I do. Yeah. (laughs)__________Rapid FireThe best player he ever played with: Ray BourqueThe best goaltender he ever faced: Grant FuhrHis favorite head coach at any level: Mike MilburyHis favorite visiting arena: Montreal Forum__________Fact FilesBorn: June 6, 1965, Comox, British ColumbiaDrafted: First round (ninth overall), 1983, Vancouver CanucksTeams: Vancouver Canucks (1983-86), Boston Bruins (1986-96)Awards: Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (1993-94), Second-Team All-Star (1987-88, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1993-94), Hockey Hall of Fame (2005)STATSGPGAPPIMRegular Season7263952996941241Playoffs93573289168Other entries in this series: