The Pittsburgh Penguins' former No. 1 goaltender and his heir in the crease will square off in a regular-season game for the first time Thursday night.Marc-Andre Fleury will tend the twine for the Vegas Golden Knights, opposing Matt Murray, who was confirmed Thursday afternoon as the Penguins' starter.Related: Fleury prepares to face old friends on PenguinsMurray was activated off injured reserve Tuesday after missing six games with an injury. Fleury stopped 35 of 37 shots in Tuesday's shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes in his return from a 25-game absence that was due to a concussion.Fleury was the Penguins' starter for their Stanley Cup championship in 2009 and played with Pittsburgh from 2003-04 until last season after selecting him first overall in 2003.The Golden Knights claimed the veteran in the expansion draft over the summer.Murray supplanted Fleury as Pittsburgh's No. 1 netminder down the stretch in 2015-16, leading them to another title before doing so again this past June.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Edmonton Oilers have played well lately, going 6-4-0 in their last 10 games, but they need to be even better to climb back into playoff contention.Fortunately, help is on the way, as goaltender Cam Talbot, who missed the last six games with an upper-body injury, told Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun he hopes to be back in "less than a week."Talbot hasn't been great this season, posting a pedestrian .903 save percentage and a 3.00 goals-against average, but with the way the Oilers have been putting the puck in the net lately, they don't need greatness in goal - they just need consistency.Backup Laurent Brossoit has reeled off three strong games in a row, but overall, he's been inconsistent. His tendency to let in soft goals is demoralizing for a team that has already been brought down to earth.The Oilers were projected by many to be a Stanley Cup favorites, but won just three times in their first 11 games. They're still trying to climb out from the hole they dug themselves early on, but they're going to have to go on a run to make it happen, as they sit seven points out of a playoff spot.With Talbot on the cusp of returning, a prolonged winning streak doesn't seem so far-fetched.Over the last 10 games, the Oilers have averaged four goals per contest. Perhaps the biggest reason why the offense has been clicking is because head coach Todd McLellan has found a lineup with perfect balance.At the beginning of the year, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl were skating on the same line, but, as he figured out, putting your two best players - who both play center - side by side isn't conducive to team success.Lately, McLellan has rolled out the following lines, and has seemingly struck gold:LWCRWMilan LucicConnor McDavidJesse PuljujarviJujhar KhairaLeon DraisaitlRyan StromePatrick MaroonRyan Nugent-HopkinsMike CammalleriAnton SlepyshevMark LetestuZack KassianThe emergence of Jesse Puljujarvi, the surprising production from Jujhar Khaira, and a major bounce-back season from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have all been X-factors in the team's recent success. How long Puljujarvi and Khaira can continue to produce remains to be seen - they've each scored four goals in the last 10 games - but their play is encouraging, nonetheless.While the balanced attack has certainly been tough for opposing coaches to match up against, it's possible this scoring spree has been long overdue for the Oilers.On the season, the team ranks second in Corsi For percentage, second in scoring chances for per 60 minutes, and fifth in high-danger scoring chances for per 60 minutes, all at five-on-five, according to Natural Stat Trick. However, they sit in the middle of the pack when it comes to goals per game.Their poor puck luck couldn't have been better demonstrated in their 1-0 loss to Toronto on Sunday, in which they out-chanced the Leafs 51-27 in all situations, and hit at least five posts.If the Oilers' offense can keep it up, and Talbot can be the rock in net he was a year ago, they could easily reel off a prolonged winning streak and secure a playoff spot. Both are big ifs, but the numbers are in their favor.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Jim Rutherford isn't pressing the panic button just yet, but he's not opposed to making a significant move if necessary."We're good enough to be better than we're doing," the Pittsburgh Penguins general manager told Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Wednesday. "Hopefully, that's the way it goes here in the next little while. If it doesn't, I don't think it's unreasonable to think that a major trade would come out of this."The Penguins won two of five games on their most recent homestand, losing to the last-place Colorado Avalanche on Monday night. They've won only 16 of 32 contests this season, sitting sixth in the Metropolitan Division."We're coming into a critical period where we'll make a decision whether we need to shake things up or not," Rutherford said Wednesday, simply replying, "yes," when asked if he'd do something big to get the team's attention.The GM appears to be mindful of not letting the season slip away for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions."We are at a point where we're slipping in the wrong direction," he said. "We have to watch that real close."The Penguins now embark on a brief Western road swing beginning with Thursday's clash against former Pittsburgh goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and the surprisingly competitive Vegas Golden Knights."We're going to play three games here on the road where we're going to have teams that will outwork us. We have to be prepared for it," Rutherford said. "The homestand needed to be better. The good news is we're not far out of the top of the division. The bad news is we're right around not being in the playoffs."Pittsburgh has about $1.1 million in cap space and is projected to have around $3.2 million to work with at the trade deadline, according to CapFriendly.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Minnesota Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk will be out week to week with a lower-body injury, the team announced Thursday.Dubnyk left Tuesday's game against the Calgary Flames after the first intermission. He reportedly felt pain in his knees after rolling over in the crease following a save on Matthew Tkachuk, according to The Athletic's Michael Russo.A former Vezina finalist, Dubnyk hasn't been playing at his normal elite level this season, posting a .916 save percentage and a 2.69 goals-against average.Steve Michalek has been recalled from the AHL, but Alex Stalock (.907 SV%, 2.93 GAA this season) will likely take on most of the workload in Dubnyk's absence. The 30-year-old has spent most of his career as the San Jose Sharks' backup netminder.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Warning: Story contains coarse language.Over the course of the 2017-18 season, theScore will run a series of interviews with former players, coaches, and officials in which they recall some of the greatest moments of their careers. This two-part edition focuses on Kerry Fraser, who spent 30 years as an official and worked 13 Stanley Cup finals. (You can find Part I here.)On his favorite memory of the 1998 Olympics in Nagano:Before we went over, we had a meeting in Toronto. And (IIHF president) Rene Fasel was there, and he was giving us the difference between the international rules and the NHL rules. Most of the top guys were in attendance.Rene said, "All officials will wear a helmet and visor as mandated in international hockey." Ray Scapinello raised his hand and said, "Mr. Fasel, I don't wear a helmet." Rene said, "If you don't wear a helmet, you won't work in the Olympics." Ray said, "I take a size 7 1/2 helmet." (laughs)What was interesting was, the Japanese culture dictates that they revere the oldest, most senior. I was the senior referee, and probably the most recognizable at that time. We had a room attendant for the games, and he would say, "Mr. Fraser, I have family that would like a picture for you." So I go out and take a picture. I was getting photographed everywhere I went.It was a terrific experience. (NHL VP of hockey operations) Brian Burke was terrific. He ran the officials like he was the general manager of a team.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)On controlling his emotions when dealing with players:I worked very hard on developing positive relationships with players. As you will recall, back in the 70s and the early 80s, the game was really aggressive. And the intensity - forget the playoffs, even just the rivalries - you really had to control it. So I worked at developing relationships, especially with the tough guys or the leaders of a team.In the course of that, I recognized that my Type A personality - that aggressive little hockey player that hated bullies and fought a lot and stood up for his teammates - that while it may have served me well as a player, it was not going to serve me well as an official.My body became a thermometer - and when I would be in a confrontation with a player or a coach, and they're F-bombing me, and we're nose to nose, I needed to bring that temperature down. So if I felt my internal thermometer start to rise, before it got to my neck, I'd take a breath and face the player with palms open, which is a gesture of peace.That, most times, would bring the confrontation down to the level where we could at least have a conversation.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)On his encounter with former NHLer and ex-convict Mike Danton:It's a preseason game in New Jersey. And I looked at (Danton's) eyes, and I went, "Uh oh. There's trouble here. This guy is trouble." I saw something in his eyes. Everybody wanted to kill him.He scored a goal, and he came back to the center-ice faceoff circle. And I said, "Mike, that was a terrific play. Really nice goal." And he looked at me sideways, turned his lip up and said, "Are you serious?" And I said, "Mike, you made a terrific play. Keep playing like that and you're gonna stick here." He said, "Man, thanks a lot. I never had a referee talk to me like that."There was a moment right there between him and I. This guy expected every referee to talk down to him, to give him penalties, to show him disrespect. And he, in turn, showed disrespect to everyone else. He was still the focus of a lot of shit, but I could go to him and say, "Mike. Whoa. Calm down."(Photo courtesey: Getty Images)On impressing former NHL tough guy Georges Laraque:He was playing for the Edmonton Oilers at the time. The Vancouver Canucks were the visiting team, and they wanted to give Georges lots of space because they didn't want to have to battle him.So he's in the corner, he's got the puck, and the defenseman's playing off him, fronting him. And George is handling the puck in the corner, doing this and that, moving the puck around. He had the puck for about 30 seconds on his stick; he kept it below the goal line, going behind the net.The play turns up ice, and the whistle blows. Inside the blue line, we have a scrum, and in comes big Georges. Linesman Brad Lazarowich is getting ready to rock and roll with these guys. And I skated up beside Georges and gave him a tug on his jersey - and he's a big man. And he's looking down at me.I look up at him and say, "Hey, Georges. Georges. Have you been working on your puck-handling skills?" And he looked at me and said, "Are you serious?" And I said, "Seriously! You handled the puck down there like I've never seen. They couldn't get it off your stick. You had puck possession for 30 seconds."He said, "As a matter fact, I have been working on my puck-handling. Thank you very much." (laughs) So they all part, and Brad Lazarowich is standing there, and he says to me, "I don't fucking believe this. I wrestle with these guys all game - and all you had to do was go up and tell Georges Laraque he has great puck-handling skills, and he thanks you and walks away." (laughs)(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)On being on Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios' bad side:It was Chris Pronger's rookie year; he and the Hartford Whalers were facing the Chicago Blackhawks at Chicago Stadium.Brian Propp had joined Hartford from Minnesota. And he and Chris Chelios had a long-running feud. When Chelios was with Montreal (during the 1989 playoffs), he hit Propp with an elbow that looked to me like it was a shoulder. Propp's head hit the stanchion, it knocked him out and he fell backwards. His helmet stayed on, but his head was cut and he was taken off on a stretcher.I asked Chelios, "You just hit him with a shoulder, right?" And he said, "Oh, no, I hit him right in the effing head with an elbow. I got him good." So I said, "Thanks for that, I'll remember that." That was the playoff year where (Flyers goalie) Ron Hextall went apeshit and pounded him with his blocker, and he got a seven- or eight-game suspension into the next season.In this particular game, Hartford was winning handily. Early in the third period, Brad McCrimmon was on defense for Hartford, and Jeremy Roenick, who never knew when to take the foot off the gas, ran McCrimmon into the boards with a couple of minutes left in the game. And in the ensuing scrum, over by the bench, Chelios sucker-punches Propp right in the kisser.So Chelios is in the middle of this, and he wants to get over to another fight. And his jersey and shoulder pads are off, and the linesman was trying to control Chelios - and he was water-skiing behind Chelios on his suspenders. So Chelios gets to the fight, and sucker-punches Adam Burt right in the eye.I go back to Chicago Stadium after Chelios serves his suspension. And I wanted to get my skates sharpened, so I walk down to the trainer's room and I start talking to Randy Lacey, the Blackhawks' equipment guy. And he's sharpening my skates, and Chelios comes out with his skates tied and all of his lower gear on.He looks at me and says, "What are you doing here?" I say, "I'm just talking to my friend. He says, "You don't have any fucking friends." So I went, "Lace, I probably shouldn't be here. When you're done with my skates, please send them down to the (officials) room."(Photo courtesy: Kerry Fraser)As I'm walking away, Chris says, "You're fucking right you shouldn't be here - and I'm going to shoot a puck right at your head tonight." I turned and said, "What did you say?" And he said: "You heard me. I'm going to shoot a fucking puck at your head tonight."I said, "I'll tell you what." And I pointed at him and said, "You might not want to finish getting dressed, because you might not be playing tonight." And I turned, and walked away. Chelios dressed, but he never said anything, never looked at me. Game over, no incidents.The next year, we're in Chicago Stadium, and the Penguins are the visitors. One referee. Midway through the third period, the Hawks are down by a goal. Pittsburgh dumps the puck down. Chelios goes back and gets the puck behind the net. I'm following Tony Amonte, a left winger, down his side. I go as deep as the deepest forechecker, eight feet from Amonte, up the wall.There was no outlet beyond me for the Hawks. If the puck comes to Amonte, he could stop and skate with the puck, or throw it to the far side. But he had no outlet. Chelios fired an excessively hard pass along the ice. Tony, being a left-hand shot, has his stick ready to take the puck. At the very last second, he saucered the stick, which launched the puck up toward my face.I put my elbow up immediately to try and block the puck with my elbow pad, and I just missed it. It came through, broke my nose, cut my lip for seven stitches down the middle, and broke a tooth. I blew the whistle to kill the play, and blood went flying out of the hole.I stop the game, go over to (Chicago head coach) Darryl Sutter, and say, "Suds, we gotta stop the game here. I gotta get stitched up. And typical Sutter, he says, "Holy fuck, Frase. Hurry up and get back, we're pressing." I went into the locker room, the doctor zips seven (stitches) in really quick, and I came back out and finished the game.Chris and I developed a positive relationship after that, but I never asked him how they set it up. It just didn't make any sense that on the power play, with no outlet up top, that Amonte would saucer his stick to redirect the puck into my face. You be the judge.(Photo courtesy: Kerry Fraser)On officiating the NHL Alumni game on Hall of Fame weekend, just two weeks after revealing he has a rare chronic blood disorder:The thing I miss is the relationships with players and coaches. That's what I miss the most. I love the game, I love being on the ice. My reflexes and instincts of knowing where the puck is going to go are still intact.So I'm back in that setting, now dressing in the same dressing room, and looking around and seeing Wendel Clark, and Mark Messier, and Dave Andreychuk, and Paul Kariya, and (Teemu) Selanne, all of the guys. Every time I see a player's face, I have a story. I have a personal situation that flashes from my memory banks of that player.I was recently diagnosed with this rare form of leukemia; they have no treatment for it, it's incurable. But it's a good one - it's as good as you can get, because if it stays in this form, and I manage it - and I can, and will - the over/under is 10 to 20 (years). And I'm betting on the over. I'm gonna be around for a while. But it's a shock.All of the players see me individually, and I can see their concern in their eyes: "Kerry, how are you? How are you doing?" And I wanted to make them feel better. "It's okay, Mess. I'm really fortunate. What I have is the very best you can possibly get. So I'm in good shape. All I have to do is keep my weight down, watch my cholesterol, and keep my emotions under control."I got an email from (longtime coach Glen Sather) before I went to the game, a few days before. His first email was really short, but I read between the lines. He didn't know what to say. I responded with a lengthy email outlining what I have, hoping to make him feel better. He then responded back with a lengthier letter. It was almost like it was a release for him.The day of the game, he comes in the dressing room. Mark Messier was walking across the floor, and Sather walked across the room. And Mess' eyes lit up, and they both extended their hands. And I could see the love. And Slats then came up to me, and we hugged and chatted. We had a really good conversation, a good visit.Being around hockey people really makes me feel better.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)On what fans might not know about him:I wear my heart on my sleeve, but ... and I think this is true of everybody who performs in front of a crowd ... people have a preconceived notion of what Kerry Fraser is like. They wouldn't necessarily understand that that little hard-ass that they didn't like or who they thought was a hot dog who was more worried about his hair, they wouldn't know how much I loved the game.I always tried to give more than I got. It's something I learned from my father who, when I signed my first contract with the NHL, said, "Kerry, you're gonna see the same people on the way up as you do on the way down. Treat everyone the same, and how you want to be treated." And it was great advice.I think people have this vision of the guy who missed the Gretzky high stick because he didn't have the courage to give Gretzky a penalty. And that bothers me, because if there's one thing I know I have, it's courage.Certain things trigger certain referees. I would rather be cursed at in a vile form than have someone call me gutless. If someone said I was gutless, or a homer, it was an automatic trigger to me - and I would bang them with an unsportsmanlike misconduct.The suggestion that I would favor a player like Gretzky and not call a penalty that I saw is ludicrous. It's offensive to me. And the fans that think that don't know Kerry Fraser at all. They haven't really followed my career and the decisions that I had to make that were not popular, but took courage.(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)On the lingering anger among some fans over the Gretzky non-call in the 1993 Western Conference Final:The Canadian hockey fan is like no other with the emotion, sometimes anger, leaning toward animosity, and I would go so far as to say, hatred.I recently had dinner with my daughter, Jessica, and her family. And she is the most loyal person. She was in a Twitter war with some clown who was saying, "Good for (Kerry), I hope he dies so I can piss on his casket," that sort of thing. I started laughing because she was getting so worked up about it.I said, "Jess, there are certain things that you'll change, and there are certain attitudes that you can't. And some people will just never, ever, ever forgive Kerry Fraser for missing that high stick in '93." And I understand that.Other entries in this series:

Time-lapse videos of stadium transformations never get old, and this one documenting the preparations for the NHL100 Classic in Ottawa is no different.Take a look in high speed as the crew at TD Place Stadium in Lansdowne Park assembles the hockey rink at the football facility ahead of Saturday's outdoor game between the Ottawa Senators and the Montreal Canadiens.(Video courtesy: NHL.com)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

After 15 seasons, more than 1,000 games, and 2,522 penalty minutes, longtime Ottawa Senators enforcer Chris Neil officially announced his retirement Thursday via the team.Neil was a sixth-round pick by the Sens in 1998, and spent his entire career in Canada's capital. He ranks third in franchise history in games played and first in penalty minutes.During a tearful press conference, he credited his brothers for his toughness, according to Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch."One of the things I've always been most proud of is that I've always been an underdog," Neil said.He hoped to continue his career into this season, but the Senators didn't offer him a contract. The rival Montreal Canadiens did offer the veteran a professional tryout right before training camp, but he declined, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun."Thanks to this amazing city that I now call home," said the Flesherton, Ontario, native.Neil's best offensive season came in 2005-06, when he notched a career-high 16 goals and 33 points. For his career, he scored 112 goals and tallied 250 points.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

On the same day Senators general manager Pierre Dorion was out to extinguish the rumors surrounding Erik Karlsson and a potential move out of Ottawa, owner Eugene Melnyk was making some statements of his own.Related - Senators' Dorion: We want Karlsson for life"I am not selling the team - period," said Melnyk, according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. "My kids (had) first call on the franchise long ago.""Let me set the record straight. I have no idea how a reporter fabricated a fiction about my selling the team. These stories pop up out of nowhere probably from someone ‘hearing something.'"Issues with attendance, arena location, and finances have fanned the rumor flames surrounding the Senators and a potential sale. However, the team's owner maintains that's all this is - rumors.Melnyk also weighed in on the increasingly interesting Erik Karlsson situation and his submission of a non-trade list, which, according to Melnyk, was all part of trying to balance the club's finances."This is where the (Karlsson) contract request emanated from," said Melnyk. "All material contracts are reviewed in a process called due diligence - from snow removal to food and beverage to players."From struggling to string wins together, to trade rumors, to a potential relocation of the team, it's easy to see why things in Ottawa aren't exactly going to plan for Melnyk and Co.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The King has another jewel in his crown, as Henrik Lundqvist is joining an exclusive list of goalies in the 20,000-saves club.With his fourth stop of the first period Wednesday night against the Ottawa Senators, the New York Rangers netminder registered save No. 20,000 on Sens captain Erik Karlsson's slap shot.

Everyone take a deep breath, the Ottawa Senators firmly intend on keeping Norris Trophy-winning rearguard Erik Karlsson for a very long time.Despite rumors starting to swirl around Karlsson and a potential trade out of O-Town, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion is quite clear on how he wants to handle the 2019 unrestricted free agent."We love Erik Karlsson. We understand he went through a pretty serious operation ... We love him. We want him to be an Ottawa Senator for life," Dorion said during a media scrum Wednesday, according to Sportsnet's Arash Madani.Despite making it explicitly clear that he wants to stay and win in Ottawa, speculation around Karlsson builds as the Senators further their slide to the basement of the standings.Karlsson made headlines earlier this month when he said he wouldn't be taking any hometown discounts during his upcoming contract negotiations. He also submitted a list of potential teams he would not accept a trade to, but later said that was just a formality.It's a notion Dorion confirmed Wednesday: "We've had everyone's trade list for a while," he said, according to Madani.If the Senators are serious about keeping Karlsson for the duration of his NHL career, they better be prepared to back the Brinks truck up in front of the Swede's home, as the all-world blue-liner is set for massive pay increase from the rather humble $6.5 million per year that he is currently earning.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

His team may be near the basement of the standings, but Edmonton Oilers forward Connor McDavid finds himself atop the NHL All-Star Fan Vote.McDavid is currently in the lead to be captain of the Pacific Division's three-on-three squad, earning 24 percent of the vote, followed by Calgary Flames sniper Johnny Gaudreau who owns 17 percent.Washington Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin leads the Metropolitan, while Nashville Predators defenseman P.K. Subban and Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos lead the Central and Atlantic Divisions, respectively.The All-Star game is set for Jan. 28 in Tampa Bay.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Things continue to go from bad to worse for the nose-diving Ottawa Senators, as former Sens pivot Kyle Turris is casting some negative light on the club's ownership.Turris was dealt to the Nashville Predators in November in a three-way deal that saw Ottawa acquire highly sought-after sniper Matt Duchene. And as Turris sees it, the reason he's now rocking yellow and blue instead of his more familiar black and red is Senators owner Eugene Melnyk."It’s tough because I think management did want to sign me, but I think that the owner didn’t. And that was his decision," Turris said Wednesday, according to Josh Clipperton of The Canadian Press.To this point, the trade is looking fairly one-sided in the Predators' favor, as Turris is gelling nicely in Nashville on a line with Craig Smith and Kevin Fiala, notching 13 points in 14 games. Meanwhile, Duchene has struggled to fit in with his new club, registering two goals and two assists for an Ottawa team that has one win in its last 10 games.Turris' comments provide a bit of clarity to a messy contract situation that Senators fans are probably wishing played out a lot differently, as Ottawa has gone 3-10-2 since acquiring Duchene.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Stacia Robitaille shared a story of an unwanted encounter with U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this week:

Zack Kassian packs a powerful punch.Columbus Blue Jackets forward Brandon Dubinsky will miss six-to-eight weeks with an orbital bone fracture sustained in a 7-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night.Dubinsky's injury occurred late in the game, when Kassian pummelled him with multiple blows, after which the Columbus center needed help getting to the dressing room.Blue Jackets general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said the damage Dubinsky suffered to his face hasn't affected the function of his eye or his long-term vision.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

It was picture-perfect.The Nashville Predators were hosting the Vegas Golden Knights in a Dec. 8 showdown at Bridgestone Arena, and Karl Subban was beaming, his two eldest sons flanking him on the ice. Prior to puck drop, his eldest boy, P.K., held a cell phone high and snapped photos to save the memory of facing his brother Malcolm for the first time in an NHL regular season game.Karl admitted that, at the time, he experienced an even greater surge of emotion which may have gone unnoticed."You probably can't tell, but I was shedding some tears - not of sorrow, but of joy," he told theScore. "When I was out on the ice I realized that we've been granted a wonderful opportunity and I am not taking it for granted."It had already been a whirlwind day.Hours earlier, he learned that Malcolm would start in net. Prior to that, he woke up to find out on the Subban family group chat that his youngest, Jordan - a Vancouver Canucks draft pick playing with their AHL affiliate in Utica, N.Y. - was traded to the Los Angeles Kings. All this while Karl was on his second big-league father-son trip in a fortnight.Karl tweeted another picture from that evening - which culminated in Malcolm backstopping the Golden Knights to a 4-3 shootout win - with a hashtag that holds special significance to him and his three pro hockey-playing sons:

Let me out!Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault was let out of the penalty box later than he should have been thanks to some very confused penalty-box officials during Vegas' meeting with the Carolina Hurricanes Tuesday night. Marchessault was understandably upset.Fellow Golden Knights forward David Perron and Hurricanes defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk were each sent to the sin bin for roughing, but Perron was given an additional two minutes, which was served by Marchessault.Since Perron and van Riemsdyk's minors were offsetting, each of them would have to wait for two minutes and a whistle before leaving the box. Marchessault should have been let out immediately after the two minutes, but he was not.Thankfully for Vegas, and the on-ice officials - who should have had better communication with the penalty-box officials - Carolina did not score during their extended power play.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Here are three prospects at varying stages of development who have skill sets good enough for the NHL:Rasmus DahlinDahlin is the projected first overall pick in the upcoming 2018 NHL Draft. The Swedish defenseman may be just 17 years old, but many parts of his game are already NHL-ready.Scouts rave about him on both offense and defense. In fact, TSN analyst Ray Ferraro claims Dahlin defends like Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom, and skates like two-time Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson. Not bad.The 6-foot-2 blue-liner currently has five goals and six assists in 26 games with Frolunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League (the country's top professional league), and could undoubtedly hold his own with the best players in the world if he was of age.Nikita GusevIf the NHL was truly made up of all the best players in the world, Gusev would be here. However, due to the KHL, there are a few supreme talents not playing in the world's best league. Gusev is one of them.The 25-year-old forward was a seventh-round pick by the Lightning in 2012, but his rights are now owned by the Vegas Golden Knights.Gusev currently sits third in KHL scoring after finishing fourth a year ago. On the international stage, he had 14 points in 10 games at the 2017 World Championship.Even though he's just 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, his quickness, vision, and creativity seem tailor-made for today's NHL. Unfortunately for Vegas, Gusev will be able to enter the league as an unrestricted free agent once his two-year deal in the KHL is up.Garret SparksSparks has been the AHL's best goalie this season, and it really isn't close. In 15 games, he's 11-3-0 with a 1.68 goals-against average, a .942 save percentage, and two shutouts.Some may point to the team in front of him, the first-place Toronto Marlies, as the main reason for his success, but the 24-year-old has put together quite the AHL career. In 93 games at that level spanning six seasons, Sparks owns a very strong 2.21 GAA and .925 SV%.In his lone NHL stint - a 17-game stretch in 2015-16 - Sparks registered a 3.02 GAA and .893 SV%. While that doesn't seem pretty, it isn't all that bad considering the Maple Leafs were the worst team in the NHL that year. The former seventh-round pick is clearly ready for another opportunity.(Photos courtesy: Action Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Vegas Golden Knights welcomed back the goaltender they envisioned tending twine during their inaugural season.Marc-Andre Fleury returned to the crease for Tuesday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes after missing the previous 25 with a concussion suffered in just his fourth start for the expansion club.In his first appearance since Oct. 13, Fleury stopped 35 of 37 shots fired by the Hurricanes in regulation and overtime, but was bested by Phillip Di Giuseppe in the fifth round of the shootout for the loss.Vegas, of course, remained more than competitive with its starter out of action, thanks to solid play from Malcolm Subban, Oscar Dansk, and Maxim Lagace.As a result - and with a point earned against Carolina - the Golden Knights sit comfortably in a playoff spot with the holiday break approaching, and a healthy Fleury can only help their cause going forward.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brandon Dubinsky was helped off the ice and into the locker room following a dustup with Edmonton's Zack Kassian on Wednesday.There appeared to be some concern over the status of the Columbus Blue Jackets forward after the game, but there's no official word on the nature and extent of any injury suffered as a result of Kassian's blows.

Oh, hi there, Mr. McDavid.On a night when the Edmonton Oilers set fire to the Columbus Blue Jackets' defensive scheme, it was the captain that led the way.McDavid recorded one goal and three primary assists in Edmonton's 7-2 victory, vaulting him - somewhat quietly - to third in league scoring (39) behind Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov (42).Because of the Oilers' much-publicized futility to this point of the campaign, McDavid's individual talents haven't been enough to steal the spotlight. However, with nine points in his last six contests, it looks like he's determined to change that and drag his team out of the doldrums.Now up to 31 games this season, McDavid is averaging 1.25 points per, putting him on pace for 103 - three more than last year's Hart-worthy output - should he play the full schedule.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

If you have nothing nice to say, don't say anything at all.That appeared to be the stance of Columbus Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella, who was left tight-lipped following Tuesday's 7-2 shellacking to the Edmonton Oilers.

It was bound to happen at some point.The Toronto Maple Leafs had won all five games they'd been forced to play without star center Auston Matthews this season, but that streak came to an end thanks to a 4-2 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Tuesday.The game in Philadelphia was the second in a row Matthews has missed, and he was sidelined four games in November with an upper-body injury. That's the nature of his current ailment as well, and he remains listed as day to day for the time being.The loss also marked the first time Toronto failed to hold a lead heading into the third period, posting a record of 12-0-0 when winning after 40 minutes.Toronto is off until Thursday when they will play in Minnesota, with a tilt in Detroit scheduled for Friday. Whether they'll head into battle without Matthews remains to be seen.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Erik Karlsson speculation just won't go away.The Ottawa Senators captain is up for a contract renewal in the summer of 2019, and he's made no bones that his next deal will pay a pretty penny.Karlsson has since walked back those public remarks - somewhat - indicating he wants to win as a Senator, and that his submission of a 10-team no-trade list is simply a contract stipulation.The constant speculation is a given, considering players of Karlsson's ilk - Senators head coach Guy Boucher recently called him the best player in the world - are rarely traded, and when the opportunity arises, suitors line up to inquire.With that in mind, here are three teams that could put together the necessary pieces to acquire the superstar blue-liner:Dallas StarsLuck fell into the Stars' hands at last year's draft lottery, when the club moved up from the eighth overall selection and into the top three, granting Dallas the rights to highly touted Finnish defenseman Miro Heiskanen.He's a prime piece for the Stars, but one that won't pay immediate dividends for a team ready to compete for the Stanley Cup. Dallas is under the gun to win with its current lineup intact, especially with key players Tyler Seguin and former Senators captain Jason Spezza only signed through next season. Karlsson's current agreement carries the same term.While the Stars already have their own top-flight, right-shot defenseman in John Klingberg capable of holding down top-pairing duties, there's no saying the Stars couldn't have Klingberg and Karlsson on separate duos, capable of eating 50 minutes a night.As for Heiskanen, he's impressed in Finland's top league this year, where he's picked up 13 points in 19 games - doing so as an 18-year-old playing amongst men. While Heiskanen would be a difficult piece for the Stars to part with, there is a replacement in the pipeline in 22-year-old Julius Honka.Is Heiskanen enough to make a deal? Not likely, but the two sides could talk once Dallas offered up its 2018 first-rounder, a young roster player like Radek Faksa, and possibly another premium prospect, such as goaltender Jake Oettinger.Edmonton OilersOilers general manager Peter Chiarelli took heat when he traded former top pick Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils for Adam Larsson, and he hasn't fared much better from the Ryan Strome trade, which came at the cost of Jordan Eberle.But the chance to add a premium blue-liner like Karlsson gives Chiarelli enough reason to reach back into his bag of tricks. Any deal is sure to have the Senators asking for a high-end defender in return, and the Oilers could begin the discussions with fellow Swedish defenseman Oscar Klefbom.As for the Senators, the chance to add another top pick would be intriguing. Ottawa's recent slide has seen its upcoming first-round pick jump to third overall if the draft were held at present. The Senators previously moved their pick to the Colorado Avalanche in the Matt Duchene deal, but have an option to defer it to 2018 if it falls in the top 10.At the moment, Ottawa's first-round pick sits just one spot ahead of Edmonton's. If the Senators held both selections, they would have two shots at adding top talents on the draft floor, like forwards Brady Tkachuk or Filip Zadina, or a budding blue-liner in Adam Boqvist.Packaging Klefbom and a first-rounder leaves the Senators banking on the future, meaning the team would likely require one piece for the present. Would center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins be too steep an ask, given he could free up the cap space needed to add Karlsson to a contending core of Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, and Cam Talbot?Philadelphia FlyersMuch like the Stars, the Flyers benefited from lottery balls, as they climbed from the 13th pick and into the top two selections at last year's draft.That allowed Philadelphia to take Nolan Patrick with the second overall pick, a surprise get for a team that finished closer to the playoffs than it did to the basement. Could that leave open the possibility for a quick flip of Patrick?The injury-riddled center has appeared in 20 games with Philadelphia this season, in which he's potted just six points. It's been a tough leap for Patrick, who was limited to 33 games in junior a year ago due to injury concerns, while he's already missed nine games this year with another ailment. Still, the potential is there - Patrick is just two years removed from a 102-point season in the WHL.To add to the mix, the Flyers could part with a piece from their depth of riches on the blue line. Young defenders Shayne Gostisbehere and Ivan Provorov should be untouchable, but Robert Hagg could be sacrificed in order to help a Karlsson deal come to fruition and give the Flyers their best defenseman since the days of Eric Desjardins.To complete the package, the Senators would likely look for a top draft choice. Fortunately, the Flyers have two of those - their own, and the first-round pick returned from the St. Louis Blues for Brayden Schenn.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

One game after failing to solve Toronto Maple Leafs backup Curtis McElhinney with a 41-shot barrage, the Edmonton Oilers shredded reigning Vezina Trophy winner Sergei Bobrovsky with a five-goal outburst through two periods Tuesday.The Columbus Blue Jackets netminder, who entered the contest with a .930 save percentage, was pulled from the game at the second intermission, giving way to Joonas Korpisalo. It marked the first time Bobrovsky has failed to finish a start this season.The Oilers netted three goals in the final four minutes of the frame. They managed two tallies on the power play, which may be as unexpected as Bobrovsky's off night, considering Edmonton entered the contest with the league's 22nd-ranked man advantage.Edmonton added two more goals in the third period for a 7-2 win.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Mike Babcock was not hiding his displeasure with the officials after Philadelphia opened the scoring.The Toronto Maple Leafs head coach watched as Patrick Marleau was kicked out of the faceoff circle in lieu of Zach Hyman, allowing Flyers center Sean Couturier to cleanly win the draw and set up a Claude Giroux goal.Babcock responded with mock applause and some very choice language.Won't somebody please think of the children?Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Former NHL defenseman Zarley Zalapski has died at the age of 49.Ken King, president and CEO of the Calgary Flames, with whom Zalapski spent parts of five seasons, released the following statement:

The Anaheim Ducks can't catch a break.Forward Corey Perry is out week to week with a lower-body injury, the team announced Tuesday.Head coach Randy Carlyle said the team will have a better timeline next week.Perry's injury comes right after teammate Ryan Getzlaf played in his first game in nearly two months. Ryan Kesler has yet to play a game this season, and key defensemen Hampus Lindholm and Cam Fowler have also missed significant time this season with injuries.Despite the adversity, the Ducks are just one point out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference.Perry's scoring has tailed off a bit this season - he has six goals in 31 games.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Erik Karlsson was rumored to be one of several Senators asked to submit their 10-team no-trade lists to management, but the superstar isn't making a big deal over the situation."That's one of the things that's in my contract and it's just a formality and it's just business," he told Postmedia's Bruce Garrioch. "I don't read too much into it."The request comes less than two weeks after Karlsson said he isn't interested in taking a hometown discount to stay in Ottawa when he becomes an unrestricted free agent following the 2018-19 season.Karlsson has 18 points in 23 games this season as the Sens sit second-last in the Eastern Conference.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Team Canada didn't need Victor Mete, but it'll surely take him.Mete has been given a chance to take part in Hockey Canada's selection camp for the upcoming World Junior Championship by the Montreal Canadiens.The 19-year-old blue-liner had held his own in 27 games with the Habs this year, picking up four assists, just two penalty minutes, a plus-5 rating, and a 51.0 Corsi For percentage.The former fourth-round pick is just 5-foot-9, 184 pounds, but he was deemed ready for the NHL as a teenager thanks to his exceptional skating ability and high hockey IQ.While there's still no guarantees Mete makes the team, it's hard to imagine Canada would leave out a player who's spent all season facing the best players in the world.Assuming he lands a spot after getting cut from last year's silver medal-winning team, Mete would join what projects to be a stacked blue line - maybe Canada's best in nearly a decade.Canada's defense grouping reached its apex in 2009, when it featured future stars in Alex Pietrangelo, P.K. Subban, Ryan Ellis, and Tyler Myers, in addition to highly touted D-men Thomas Hickey and Colten Teubert, who never quite met expectations.Canada has had some exceptional defensemen don the red, black, and white in the past eight tournaments, such as Morgan Rielly, Dougie Hamilton, Tyson Barrie, Matt Dumba, Aaron Ekblad, Josh Morrissey, and Shea Theodore, but they've never had a unit as deep and dynamic as the '09 team.This year's D-men could come close. Here's a look at the rearguards vying for a spot:The returneesNameDraftTeamGPGAPDante Fabbro#17 (NSH '16)Boston Univ.184812Kale Clague#51 (LA '16)Brandon (WHL)28103747Jake Bean#13 (CAR '16)Calgary (WHL)2552227Fabbro, Clague, and Bean will be counted on to lead the way as the three returnees, and they should have no problem doing so. Clague is certainly the most offensive-minded of the three, while Fabbro might be considered the most reliable. Regardless, all three are exceptional skaters and should shine with prior experience in the high-pressure tournament.The 2016 drafteesNameDraftTeamGPGAPLogan Stanley#18 (WPG '16)Kitchener (OHL)3071825Dennis Cholowski#20 (DET '16)Prince George (WHL)2881725Josh Mahura#85 (ANA '16)Regina (WHL)27111829Most of Canada's defensemen in camp are made from a similar mold: average-sized or undersized puck-movers who can skate like the wind. The 6-foot-7 Stanley brings a physicality and nastiness that the others don't, giving him a strong chance at making the team.The 2017 drafteesNameDraftTeamGPGAPCale Makar#4 (COL '17)UMass (Amherst)16189Cal Foote#14 (TB '17)Kelowna (WHL)3062430Mario Ferraro#49 (SJ '17)UMass (Amherst)16358Conor Timmins#32 (COL '17)Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)2862834Makar was chosen so high because of his incredible offensive talent, but given that Canada already has so much of that, it's possible he's left off this roster for someone who plays more of a low-risk game. Foote plays a lot like his old man, and will likely be brought in to play a shutdown role - much like he's done all year in Kelowna.Projected starting sevenHere are Team Canada's projected starting seven defensemen, and possible pairings:LDRDKale ClagueDante FabbroVictor MeteCal FooteJake BeanCale MakarLogan StanleyThis would give Canada three right-handed shots and four left-handed shots. Mete has shown the ability to play his off-side in Montreal this season, giving head coach Dominique Ducharme further flexibility.Despite these possible pairings, Clague, Fabbro, Bean, and Mete will likely be counted on to play the most minutes.With Carter Hart (1.32 GAA, .961 SV% in WHL this year) returning in goal, Canada will be incredibly tough to score on with this defense corps in front of him. Moreover, the skating ability and aggressiveness the unit provides will help drive an offense that lacks a star presence up front.If everyone plays to their abilities, this unit will be the backbone of Team Canada for its hopeful return to gold-medal glory.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Help is on the way for the sputtering Pittsburgh Penguins, as the club announced Tuesday that starting netminder Matt Murray's been activated from injured reserve.Murray was injured Nov. 27 against the Philadelphia Flyers, and missed the last six games with a lower-body injury.Rookie Tristan Jarry has been decent in relief of Murray, registering a record of 3-2-0 and a .927 save percentage across six starts.The Penguins take the ice next against the Vegas Golden Knights on Thursday, but the club has yet to announce which puckstopper will man the blue paint.To make space for Murray on its roster, Pittsburgh sent third-string goaltender Casey DeSmith to the club's AHL affiliate.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Minnesota Wild knew what they were up against when they faced off against superstar winger Johnny Gaudreau and the Calgary Flames last November - so they figured, if you can't beat him, slash him.The result: Gaudreau was slashed 21 times in that fateful game, with one well-placed whack breaking his finger and forcing him out of commission for 10 games. Between Gaudreau's busted digit, the Sidney Crosby-Mark Methot lacerated finger incident, and countless other slashing-related injuries, the league finally decided it was time to significantly crack down on malicious stick work.The news must have been music to Gaudreau's ears."He really got slashed last year," teammate Michael Frolik told theScore. "He's a guy that carries the puck a little bit more than me, but when he goes through the neutral zone and stuff with his speed, it's definitely good for him."The NHL is sticking to its guns on the crackdown - and so far, the results have been astonishing. Officials called 791 slashing penalties last season; just over two months into the current campaign, we're already at 587. It's no coincidence, then, that Gaudreau, who ranks sixth in league scoring with 37 points through his first 30 games, has enjoyed having a little more space to create."Just (to) make that extra play, have the puck for that extra second," Gaudreau said to theScore. "A lot of teams in past years had their sticks to the hands and it's tough to make a play. You gotta make a play a little bit quicker, and now you have that half a second to keep your head up and try to find that open guy."Since arriving on the NHL scene, Gaudreau has been one of the league’s most thrilling playmakers, and he’s no longer limited to generating chances from the perimeter. Able to manufacture offense fearlessly from anywhere in the attacking zone, it appears the game is suddenly tailor-made for his exhilarating abilities."That's a guy you don't want to give space," head coach Glen Gulutzan told theScore. "He can beat you wide, he can curl up and find guys. He's dynamic when he gets space, and now it allows him to go into traffic areas, which he does without getting the big whacks or pucks knocked off your stick."Gaudreau has taken advantage of defenders' limitations on a nightly basis, drawing 16 penalties so far in all situations - the second-highest total in the league. There’s no denying the ripple effect the changes have had on long-time partner in crime Sean Monahan as well - he's comfortably on pace to smash his career high in goals.Yet, as much as the slashing enforcement has set Gaudreau free, Gulutzan believes there’s more to the success of his top players this season."The biggest thing I've noticed about Johnny is his commitment to a 200-foot game," Gulutzan said. "I've kind of changed the way I've implemented those guys, they play against the top guys every night, and when they had their success - the 45 points in the month of November - they were committed to playing, getting above the puck, working above the puck, and playing defense and they got really rewarded for it."Still, it's about what Gaudreau does at the offensive end that has people buzzing about his potential. And in one of the most eye-opening statements of the season, future Hall of Famer Jaromir Jagr - who out-produced just about everybody in the peak of the dead-puck era - proclaimed upon arriving in Calgary earlier this season that Gaudreau can win all the Art Ross trophies he wants.Just over 12 months ago, Gaudreau unwillingly became the poster boy for a league-wide epidemic. Now, in the midst of his most productive season as a pro, his greatest adversity as a player has become an afterthought - and he's taking full advantage.(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The St. Louis Blues will head into the battle of first-place teams without their top rearguard, as the team placed Alex Pietrangelo on injured reserve Tuesday morning before their evening meeting with the Tampa Bay Lightning.Pietrangelo took a puck off his foot in the first period of St. Louis' win over the Detroit Red Wings on Saturday night. He left the contest, but returned to finish the game. However, he then missed the Blues' matchup against the Buffalo Sabres on Sunday.St. Louis' captain could return as early as this Sunday, but that would still leave the club without its top defenseman for a tough three- to four-game stretch that includes tilts against the Lightning, the Anaheim Ducks, and a weekend back-to-back against the high-flying Winnipeg Jets.

(Warning: Story contains coarse language)Over the course of the 2017-18 season, theScore will run a series of interviews with former players, coaches, and officials in which they recall some of the greatest moments of their career. This two-part edition focuses on Kerry Fraser, who spent 30 years as an official and worked 13 Stanley Cup Finals.On growing up a hockey fan:Every Saturday, the whole family gathered at Grandma Fraser's house; she cooked a huge pot of spaghetti and meatballs. My dad and his brothers played guitar, and my grandfather played the violin. After dinner, we gathered in the living room, and the guys got the instruments out and played - everybody sat around and tapped their feet.And then, at 8 o'clock, the guitars were set aside, the violin was set aside. It was Hockey Night in Canada with Foster Hewitt. We were just glued to the television to watch the Leafs play. That happened every Saturday night for as long as I can remember. I remember being in that house and watching the Leafs win the Stanley Cup in '67.On switching career paths from hockey player to official:I gotta tell you, I fell out of the sky. My ascent to the NHL was very unique.I'm looking at a picture of my desk of the Haliburton referee school I attended after playing my final season of Junior B hockey as the captain of the Sarnia Bees. I was a good little player. There was a lot of players in that league that ended up moving on to bigger and better things.I had a bunch of U.S. Division I hockey scholarship offers. I wasn't so inclined academically at that point to take advantage of what I had offered to me. A friend of my dad, who was coaching the Port Huron Flags in the IHL, he said, "Listen, you're a good little player, you're tough ... you could certainly play in our league, but that'll be the extent. Why don't you get into officiating?"He handed me a brochure for a referee school. And 1972, as you'll recall, was the initial formation of the World Hockey Association. There were opportunities for players, and there also were for officials. Bill Friday had jumped from NHL officiating to the WHA for a million bucks. So I went to this referee school, paid $250, and I really applied myself. I was going to learn to be an official.During that week, I knew I was getting some attention from the instructors. And on the Thursday night, I was scheduled to referee 10 minutes of an intermediate-quality men's league.Frank Udvari, former NHL referee and Hall of Fame member, attended the camp. I get off the ice after my 10 minutes, and Mr. Udvari met me and said, "I really like what I saw. I would like to invite you to the NHL training camp for officials. But if I get you a spot, you gotta get a haircut." I had a Beatle cut at the time. I said, "That's an easy fix."So I get up really early ... 2 a.m. on Sunday morning. And I'm standing at the front desk at the Hilton Hotel (in Toronto) at five minutes to 5. And I say, "I'm Kerry Fraser, I'm here to check in with the National Hockey League officials." And the guy looks at me and says, "Man, you're awful early. You guys aren't supposed to be here until 5 o'clock tonight." (laughs)On breaking into pro hockey in the mid-1970s:The veterans would check out the invitees, and see whether they were decent guys, whether they were people they wanted to associate with. And after three days, I was welcomed into the fraternity. Dave Newell came up to me and said, "Man, I wish I could skate like you."I knew enough as a rookie that you just had to keep your mouth shut and your eyes open, and you'd learn a lot. And I did. We didn't have a lot of coaching or supervision back then. I learned so much by sitting around the veterans, listening to them, and having them accept me into their hierarchy.My first exhibition game I did as a linesman, it was the Minnesota North Stars and the Detroit Red Wings. I really didn't know what I was doing; I had to learn on the job. The following year, they put me in the American Hockey League. I did about 60 games that year. It was a real learning experience.On his funniest colleagues:Lloyd Gilmour was a very funny guy.We had 10 days of training camp, and the days were long. And each day in the afternoon, we'd sit in the chalet in Mississauga by the ski hill, and (head of officiating) Scotty Morrison would have us reading the rule book, going through it rule by rule by rule. Reading them. Talking about them.We were talking about spearing - and back in 1972, there were two parts to the spearing penalty. At the referee's discretion, it could be a minor penalty, or a major penalty. So I looked over to Lloyd and asked him, "What's the difference between a two-minute spearing penalty and a five-minute penalty?"Lloyd looked at me, deadpan, and said, "Kid, if you see the stick go in, that's two. If you see it come out the back, that's five."On the challenges of working with different officials:When I started, there was no question that the referee was the boss. It was a rite of passage. The referee was in control; he made the call on everything. It was almost like serfdom, to the point where the junior linesman would arrange the cab, while the referee made the decision on where we would have lunch. It was really a strange dynamic.When I was on the ice, I was in control. There was a situation that I had with (John) D'Amico in the first year I worked the Stanley Cup Playoffs; it was in Round 1. I was in St. Louis, and it was a three-out-of-five, and I had Game 4 in the St. Louis-Chicago series. It was very intense; the rivalry was incredible. More fights in the stands than there were on the ice.Al Secord was playing for the Black Hawks. St. Louis wins the game and forces a deciding Game 5 in the series, but we had a line brawl near the end of the game. Any time there was a secondary fight, you had to eject the player with a game misconduct. Al Secord got into a secondary fight, and had accumulated a one-game suspension because of the misconduct.As John D'Amico was escorting Secord off the ice, the fans were throwing shit and booing. And Secord gave the fans a gesture that was offensive to D'Amico, a man of very proud Italian heritage. He came to me and said, "You gotta give Secord another game misconduct. I said, "What did he do?" And John said, "He just gave the crowd an Italian salute." (laughs)If I give him another game misconduct, he's suspended for the final game. D'Amico said, "I don't give a (blank). If you don't give him one, I will." I said, "OK, John, I just want you to realize, he's not playing two nights from now." So I get home, and the phone rings as soon as I walk in the door. And it's Scotty Morrison. And he says, "What the hell were you thinking?"I explained the situation. And Scotty just said, "Oh my God." And then he called D'Amico. So that was my indoctrination into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.On working his first Stanley Cup Final:The first one was special; it was 1985, between the Flyers and the Oilers.I was the young kid on the block, the young gun. I received a tremendous among of media respect, and was being touted as the new "good" referee. It created some jealousy, and there is certainly that among peers. While it was exciting for me to be in my first Stanley Cup Final, I had to deal with some of the on-ice jealousy that moved into nastiness among a couple of colleagues.It's disappointing, but I ended up working through it. John McCauley was a terrific mentor for me; he put me in Game 7 of that '85 playoff run (Quebec vs. Montreal) where I really broke out. The season before, I had worked two rounds in the playoffs; the season before that, I did one round. So I went one round, two rounds, boom. Stanley Cup Final. It was quite an ascent.On his most memorable run-in with The Great One:My success, I think, resulted from an awakening in a confrontation with Wayne Gretzky in 1980 in the Northlands Coliseum.On his very first shift, Wayne took a dive. The guy just touched him, and Wayne went into the air - and he turned his head looking for me to see if my arm was up before he hit the ice. And my Type A personality was such that I thought, "I'm gonna show you." Every shift, the more he dove, the more stubborn I got. There wasn't one penalty he drew that night.In saying, "I'm in control, I'm in charge," I was gonna make him pay. We didn't have a diving penalty at that time; the worst thing, for me, was to be fooled by a player. I didn't want to reward people that were trying to fool me or cheat.The Philadelphia Flyers were up by a goal with just over a minute to play. And the crowd was on me all night; every time Wayne took a dive, they went crazy. The best opportunity (for Edmonton to tie the game) was a power play.(Flyers netminder) Pelle Lindbergh caught the puck. I blew the whistle, killed the play. Wayne was standing behind the net, in his office. After I blew the whistle, he jumped in the air, threw his hands out one way, his feet out the other way, and boom - did a belly flop on the ice.Bobby Clarke skated over to him with no teeth and said, "Get up, Gretzky, you (expletive) baby." I said, "Wayne, what are you doing? There was nobody within 15 feet of you." And Wayne said, "You wouldn't haven't called it anyway. You haven't called a (expletive) thing all night."I said, "You're right. I'm gonna start right now. You've got two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct." And he said, "Thanks. It's about effing time you called something." He stormed off the ice. And the Flyers won the game.On how he dealt with the aftermath:I went back to the hotel room after eating and having a few drinks with the guys, and I replayed the game. Was there something I could have done better? And it hit me like a board between the eyes.I said to myself, "Kerry, you got into a battle with a player. And not just any player, but the best player in the game. You compromised your integrity, you compromised the rules, and you compromised your employer. You've gotta be better than that. You've gotta be bigger than getting involved in a confrontation with a player." And it was an amazingly valuable lesson for me.I had to be part of the solution; instead, I was part of the problem. I needed to bring the temperature down. I needed to communicate better with players. So really, Wayne Gretzky taught me a valuable lesson that night. I had to be better. And from that moment, I did my best to be the best I could be.Other entries in this series:

John Gibson will be haunting the Carolina Hurricanes' dreams for the foreseeable future.The Anaheim Ducks goaltender made a pair of miraculously acrobatic saves late in the third period on Monday, helping ensure a 3-2 victory for his club.First up, a cross-crease robbery.

The Pittsburgh Penguins threw everything they had at the Colorado Avalanche on Monday night, but in the end it wasn't enough.The club dropped a 2-1 decision even after out-shooting the Avalanche by a 37-19 margin at 5-on-5. Unfortunately for the Penguins, an uncharacteristic and disturbing pattern has emerged.Through their first 32 games of the season, the Penguins have fired more shots on goal at 5-on-5 than any other team, yet have tallied the third-fewest goals (45), more than only the San Jose Sharks and the Buffalo Sabres.It's an incredible statistic given the team's firepower. In fact, Phil Kessel's 10 goals at 5-on-5 are the most on the team - no other Penguin has reached the double-digit mark.Things aren't any better on the opposite side of the puck. The Penguins have conceded 72 goals at 5-on-5, second most among all 31 clubs, and currently rank last in team save percentage at full strength.The numbers are staggering for the reigning back-to-back champs. Factor in that last season Pittsburgh ranked second in the league with 185 goals at 5-on-5 while giving up a modest 150 - good enough for 14th most - and it's clear the team is going through an unusual, albeit extended stretch.All this and the Penguins sit just outside the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and just four points out of top spot in a tight Metropolitan Division.To its credit, Pittsburgh possesses the league's third-most potent power play (23.07 percent), having scored the second-most goals with the man advantage (31).The Penguins are still in the thick of it in a top-heavy Metro division, and if they can sort things out at full strength, they could very well move back atop the pack.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Rangers fell to the Dallas Stars on Monday, but no fault can be laid at the pads of goaltender Ondrej Pavelec.In a 2-1 shootout decision, Pavelec made a season-high 44 saves in regulation and overtime and was selected as the game’s first star. This performance came less than a week after he made 41 stops in a win over the Pittsburgh Penguins.As noted by the team, Pavelec is the first Rangers goaltender to make 40 or more saves in two consecutive appearances since Dan Blackburn on Nov. 23, 2001 at Washington and Dec. 1, 2001 at Montreal. It's also been over two years since a Blueshirts goalie made at least 44 saves, dating back to Henrik Lundqvist's 46-stop effort on Oct. 24, 2015 against Philadelphia.The longtime Atlanta Thrasher and Winnipeg Jets goaltender signed a one-year, $1.3-million contract to serve as Lundqvist's backup this season, and his game prior to these last two starts left much to be desired.But he definitely earned the team a point Monday, and deserved to come out with the win.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The NHL's Department of Player Safety took a pass on calling Boston's Brad Marchand for a hearing following a questionable hit on John Tavares, and New York Islanders head coach Doug Weight was left scratching his head over the decision."Things are targeted, things happen spontaneously," Weight said Monday, per Gare Joyce of the New York Post. "But to me, the ones that are premeditated, it’s unfortunate when we only look at results. So if Johnny lies there and he is hurt, there’d probably be something done. I don’t know the logic in that."Here's another look at the play in question:

The Anaheim Ducks are getting their captain back.Ryan Getzlaf confirmed after Monday's morning skate that he'll play in the evening's game against the Carolina Hurricanes.Getzlaf hasn't played since the last time the Ducks faced the Hurricanes back on Oct. 29. He took a puck to the face in that contest and eventually required surgery to repair a fractured zygomatic bone.The veteran forward is coming back ahead of schedule, as his original recovery timetable was "up to two months" from early November.Getzlaf has been limited to six games this season. He has one goal and six assists.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Vancouver Canucks forward Sven Baertschi will miss four-to-six weeks with a fractured jaw, the team announced Monday.The 25-year-old was in the midst of a breakout season, with eight goals and 10 assists in 30 games.The timing of the injury is especially poor for the Canucks given that Bo Horvat is already out for up to six weeks, meaning two-thirds of their potent top line will be sidelined for the near future.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Dustin Byfuglien is out week to week with a lower-body injury and isn't expected to return before Christmas, head coach Paul Maurice told reporters Monday, according to TSN's Sara Orlesky.The Jets play seven games prior to Christmas, which should be considered the minimum amount of contests he will miss.The team's already been without his D partner, Toby Enstrom, for the past couple of weeks.Tucker Poolman, who is pointless in his three career NHL games, is expected to slot into the lineup in Byfuglien's place, according to TSN's Darren Dreger.With zero goals and 15 assists in 28 games this season, Byfuglien was in the midst of a down offensive season, but his presence on the back end will surely be missed.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Brayden Schenn's most recent offensive explosion hasn't gone unnoticed by the NHL.The St. Louis Blues forward was named first star of the week Monday after piling up six goals and seven points in four games. He has 16 goals and 37 points in 31 contests this season.Schenn's teammate, goaltender Jake Allen, earned the second star of the week, winning all four of those contests with a .944 save percentage.Former Blues goalie and current Philadelphia Flyers netminder Brian Elliott took home the third star of the week with three victories and a .954 save percentage, as he helped the Flyers sweep their Western Canadian road trip.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Victor Mete is getting another shot at cracking Canada's national junior team.The Montreal Canadiens will allow the 19-year-old defenseman to participate in Hockey Canada's selection camp ahead of the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship.Mete was not included on the initial selection camp roster that Canada's governing body for hockey revealed last week.He was among the first cuts at last year's national junior selection camp, but earned a spot with the Canadiens out of training camp this fall.Mete has appeared in 27 of Montreal's 31 games this season, collecting four assists.Canada's selection camp runs Tuesday through Friday at the Meridian Centre in St. Catharines, Ontario. The preliminary roster will be pared down to 22 before the 2018 World Junior Championship begins in Buffalo on Dec. 26, 2017.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The Ottawa Senators captain is making his stance loud and clear.Though the Senators have essentially hit rock bottom, having won just once in their last 12 games, Erik Karlsson remains adamant that winning in Canada's capital is his top priority."It's all about winning," Karlsson told Sportsnet's Arash Madani. "I want to be on a - I've been here for nine seasons. I've invested my entire career into this organization. They've given me everything that I feel like I need to succeed. I think we're moving in the right direction. This is the place I want to win. I want to win in Ottawa."Karlsson is set to be an unrestricted free agent following the 2018-19 season, and has already stated that he isn't interested in taking any sort of hometown discount to stay with the Senators.Given Karlsson's status as one of the game's best players, his current $6.5-million cap hit could potentially come close to doubling if he were to test the market.That would make it difficult for the small-market Senators to lock him up long term, considering that Mark Stone is set for a significant pay increase this offseason, and Bobby Ryan and Dion Phaneuf have a combined annual cap hit of $14.25 million beyond 2019.Ottawa currently trails the Boston Bruins by seven points for third place in the Atlantic Division.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

The New York Islanders' plan for a new home took a rather large step this past weekend.The Islanders unveiled their arena proposal for Belmont Park, which is located about 20 minutes west of their old home, Nasseau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, in a hearing Sunday.Their plans include an 18,000-seat arena that would host 150 events per year, a 200 to 250-room hotel, 435,000 square feet of space for retail, and a 10,000 square-foot "innovation center" that would be developed with input from residents, according to Newsday.Here's a visual of their proposal:

Alex Burrows won't miss any games for his dangerous butt-end to the face of Dylan DeMelo.The Ottawa Senators forward was fined $5,000 but not suspended Sunday for the act, which was officially called "roughing" and occurred with the San Jose Sharks leading 4-0 in an eventual 5-0 win over the Senators on Saturday night.

The Vegas Golden Knights have their No. 1 netminder back, as the team activated Marc-Andre Fleury off injured reserve Sunday.Fleury's missed the last 25 games for the Knights since being placed on IR with a concussion Oct. 14.Prior to the injury, the 33-year-old vet was feeling it. He went 3-1-0 along with a 2.48 goals-against average and .925 save percentage for an upstart Vegas club that's used five different goalies so far this season.In a corresponding roster move, the Knights sent goaltender Maxime Lagace to their AHL affiliate in Chicago. Across 14 games for Vegas, Lagace performed admirably, registering a 6-6-1 record.The team has yet to announce whether Fleury will man the blue paint when Vegas hosts the Carolina Hurricanes on Tuesday night.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

A lot can happen in a month.On Nov. 5, the Ottawa Senators completed a three-team trade with the Colorado Avalanche and Nashville Predators to bring Matt Duchene to the Canadian capital.The hope was that Duchene could provide an upgrade on Kyle Turris, who headed to Nashville as part of the trade, and give the Senators a top-flight center and potentially the missing piece to a roster with Stanley Cup aspirations.Five days after his acquisition, Duchene suited up for his first game with the Senators, debuting against his former club.Duchene was held pointless in back-to-back games against the Avalanche, a streak which extended to nine before he picked up a point against the New York Islanders late last month. In all, Duchene has tallied two goals and two assists since joining the Senators.Meanwhile, it's been quite the opposite for Turris, whose production has seen an uptick in the Music City, where he is just shy of a point-per-game pace with the Predators.Since adding Turris, no team has outperformed the Predators, as Nashville has secured a 10-2-2 record and 22 points since the trade. Perhaps more impressive is the Predators' plus-12 goal differential, which trails only the Los Angeles Kings for the NHL's best showing.In the same time frame, the Senators stand ahead of only the Sabres, having won just three of 14 games, securing only eight points, and a minus-25 goal differential that makes even Buffalo blush.At the time of the deal, there was little to separate the Predators and Senators. The two teams sat middle-of-the-pack league-wide, as Nashville had collected 18 points in 15 games, while Ottawa obtained 17 points in 14 outings. Ottawa was in a playoff position. Nashville was just outside.The biggest change? Point to the power play. Firing at 33 percent on the man advantage, the Predators own the NHL's best power play since adding Turris, while the Senators' performance when up a skater has sunk from 12th to 29th.Only fellow forward Bobby Ryan saw more time on the Sens' power play when Turris was around. Duchene has since filled those minutes, but the production hasn't followed, as he's picked up just two points with the extra man.Mired in a four-game losing skid, and having won just once in their last 12, time is running short to save Ottawa's season. At the other end of the spectrum, Nashville appears to have added the true missing piece up the middle, as Turris and the Predators look primed for another Stanley Cup Finals appearance.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.

Philadelphia Flyers general manager Ron Hextall has confirmed rookie forward Nolan Patrick will not be loaned to Team Canada for the upcoming World Junior Hockey Championship.Patrick has been limited to 20 games due to a concussion suffered earlier this season, and has recorded two goals and four assists.He's also averaging under 12 minutes a game, and has posted two shots on goal in his past five games.Still, the second overall pick from the 2017 NHL Draft won't be making the trip to Buffalo for this year's Under-20 tournament.Copyright © 2017 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.